CITY HALL — City Manager Rod Gould on Tuesday made his second major outside hire since coming to Santa Monica last January, announcing Martin Pastucha will become the city’s next director of public works, a critical city department that repairs streets, picks up trash and oversees the local water supply.
Pastucha, who currently holds the same position in the city of Pasadena, will manage more than 400 employees and oversee a budget of more than $66 million in Santa Monica. He will receive a base salary of $198,798.
Pastucha will replace acting director Susan Cline. Lee Swain, who currently serves as Santa Monica’s city engineer, previously held the position.
The appointment follows a nationwide recruitment that attracted more than 50 candidates. Interviews were held with five finalists during the past month, according to a City Hall news release.
“I’m excited to join Santa Monica and offer the experience gained throughout my career to the Santa Monica community,” Pastucha said. “Santa Monica is renowned as a progressive city and I look forward to joining the talented team there.”
Pastucha will takeover on Jan. 18. Gould, who in February hired Fire Chief Scott Ferguson, plans to introduce the new public works director at the City Council meeting scheduled for Jan. 25.
“Martin Pastucha is a gifted operational manager and consummate team player. He has a wide breadth of experience ranging from overseeing large multi-year capital projects as well operations experience in maintenance of streets, sewers, parks, sold waste and fleet management,” Gould said in the release. “He is known for being innovative, solution oriented and highly supportive of his colleagues so that successful outcomes are achieved.”
The Public Works Department provides services that include water resources, architecture services, civil engineering, resource recovery and recycling, cemetery, street maintenance, fleet services, facilities management and custodial services.
Pastucha received a master’s degree in public administration from California State University, San Bernardino. He and his wife have two grown children.
Before he was hired in Pasadena, Pastucha was public works director in La Habra. He has also served as field services manager for the Tustin Public Works Department and as public works, operations manager and integrated waste manager for Upland, Calif.
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