Daly City Celebrates Public Works Week
Public Works Department Wins Three APWA Chapter Awards

Daly City, California – Daly City, in conjunction with the American Public Works Association (APWA) and departments around the country, will honor those who work to provide and maintain public facilities and services during the National Public Works Week on May 15-21, 2005. This year’s theme, “Public Works is Everywhere You Look,” reflects the activities and programs scheduled to celebrate the contributions of public works professionals each day.

Local activities include the presentation of both the National Public Works Week Proclamation and the Certificate of Achievement at the May 9th City Council meeting. This year’s Public Works Employee of the Year is Ana Servellon-Chavez, a 20-year department administrative supervisor.

On Tuesday, May 17, an Equipment Show-and-Tell exhibition will be held at Skyline Elementary School at 9 a.m., and at 10 a.m., at Franklin D. Roosevelt Elementary School. Other activities for the week include public education on West Nile Virus and an employee recognition event.

On May 20, the Northern California Chapter of the APWA will host its Annual Awards Ceremony in Berkeley, where Daly City’s Public Works Department will be the recipient of three awards. City Manager John C. Martin will receive an Award of Merit in the Administration category. Javier Barajas of the Public Works Streets Division, who has been referred to as “The Inventor,” is the sole Award of Merit winner in the “Gimmicks and Gadgets” category. The newly opened Thornton Beach Vista project has earned an Award of Merit in the Parks and Recreation category.

“Public Works professionals are the people who maintain and improve the systems and services vital to our community’s health, safety and comfort,” Mayor Carol L. Klatt noted. They include those who manage the roads, sidewalks, storm drains, traffic signals, streetlights, city buildings, playground equipment, fencing, signs, basketball courts, tennis courts, and the Capital Improvement Program.

The American Public Works Association, sponsor of the National Public Works Week, designed the national celebration to increase public awareness and to enlighten Americans about the duties, practices and goals of public works professionals.