11-17-2021 Council Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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STAFF REPORT TO:Mayor Keis and Members of City Council FROM:Bill Dircks, Public Works Director DATE:November 17, 2021 RE:City Engineer Transition ACTION TO BE CONSIDERED Transition from Mark Kasma to Eric Seaburg as City Engineer. BACKGROUND Mark Kasma has served as the City Engineer since Bolton and Menk was appointed as the City’s consulting engineering firm in 2019. He has done great work and has served the City well but the time has come for him to retire and enjoy his post-career life. Mr. Kasma informed staff early this year that he would be retiring, and since that time Eric Seaburg has been performing most of the City Engineer duties so that a smooth transition can be made following Mr. Kasma’s retirement. Mr. Seaburg is a 2012 University of Minnesota graduate with a degree in Civil Engineering. He interned in the City of Golden Valley’s Engineering department while going to school and was hired full time by Golden Valley following his graduation. He worked there for five years and took on various design, construction, and project management responsibilities, as well as ROW permitting, stormwater plan review, and permitting. Mr. Seaburg was hired by Bolton and Menk in 2016 to work in the Maplewood office and during that time he has managed large municipal improvement projects in Little Canada, Inver Grove Heights, Woodbury, Lakeville, and West St. Paul. He managed the Allen Avenue street project in Little Canada in 2020 as well as the Greenbrier Circle and Old County Road C projects this past summer. All projects went very well and Mr. Seaburg proved to be up to the task. He is currently working on planning for two of the more difficult street projects in Little Canada and is successfully moving them along in the process. He has also handled the smaller day-to-day engineering tasks well and has kept staff informed on all items he is working on. He is an excellent communicator and has very good people skills. Mr. Seaburg is active in the American Public Works Association – MN Chapter, the City Engineer’s Association of Minnesota, the American Council of Engineering Companies – MN Chapter, and the Golden Valley Rotary Club. All of those different associations and clubs have allowed him to make numerous contacts and work on his people skills. Bolton and Menk has been an excellent engineering firm for the City and its wide variety of resources has been extremely beneficial to the City as it works on various projects including streets, parks, water, sanitary sewer, and storm sewer. They have the staff and technology to help Mr. Seaburg when necessary and it has proven to be a great partnership. RECOMMENDATION