Alex Ameri appointed Director of new Hayward Department of Public Works & Utilities

HAYWARD, Calif., May 13, 2019—City Manager Kelly McAdoo announced today that Alex Ameri has been appointed Director of Hayward’s newly combined Public Works and Utilities & Environmental Services departments.

With an annual operating budget of $85 million, the new Public Works & Utilities Department has a total staff of 158 and is organized into six divisions: Administration, Engineering Services, Transportation Services, the Executive Airport, Utilities, and Environmental Services.

“In Alex,” McAdoo said, “I know we have a leader who is capable of maintaining and improving our essential infrastructure and systems while helping us achieve our aspirations to be a fiscally and environmentally sustainable city.”

Ameri has served Hayward since 1989 when he joined the City as Development Services Engineer.  In 1993, he was promoted to Deputy Director of Public Works for Utilities.  In 2010, he was appointed Director of the then newly established Utilities & Environmental Services Department.  Since January 2018, he has led Utilities & Environmental Services and Public Works as Acting Director. Ameri has master’s degrees in civil and mechanical engineering, and is a registered professional engineer in California.  He started his career in the private sector in New York and New Jersey working for a consulting engineering firm.  He began his public service career with the City of Santa Barbara in the land development division of the Public Works Department before joining the Hayward team.

Within the newly combined Hayward Public Works & Utilities, the Engineering Division provides engineering services and support relate to public and private infrastructure projects and manages and implements the City’s Capital Improvement Program.

The Transportation Services Division is responsible for supporting the multi-modal development and operation of the City’s transportation and roadway system.

The Executive Airport is charged with providing oversight to and support of daily Airport operations as well as interactions with federal and state agencies.

The Utilities Division manages the City’s Water Distribution System, Wastewater Collection and Treatment Systems, the new Recycled Water System, and City groundwater efforts. The Division ensures full compliance with all applicable regulatory local, state, and federal laws and regulatory requirements related to water, wastewater, and recycled water operations.

The Environmental Services Division oversees the Solid Waste and Recycling Program, and Stormwater Management Program. The Division also is responsible for developing, implementing, coordinating, and managing sustainability programs and activities in the City, including implementation of strategies and programs contained in the City’s adopted Climate Action Plan.

The Administration Division is responsible for developing the Departmental operating budget, the City-wide capital improvement program (CIP), and water, wastewater and stormwater rates, fees, and charges. The Division also supports the functions of other Divisions within the Department.

“While each of the six divisions serves a different function within the Department,” Ameri said, “they operate collaboratively to keep Hayward’s infrastructure and public spaces safe, clean and green, while providing superior service to City residents, business, institutions and other customers.  I am honored to have the opportunity to lead this department as we work to move Hayward forward.”