July 2025, Volume 2, Issue 1
Hello, and welcome! The Public Works Press is the Department of Public Works quarterly newsletter where we will highlight the people and projects in our Department.
In this Issue:
New and Improved Aerial Imagery Map
A new and improved aerial imagery app is now available. You can also access it from the GIS Apps page on DPW.net. This powerful tool allows you to compare aerial images of the County from 2022, 2018, 2017 & 2006. The app is mobile-friendly so you can use it on your phone or tablet. With just a swipe, you can see how the County has changed over time, from the construction of new buildings and roads to the growth of vegetation.
Below is a quick start guide.
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Use the swipe tool to compare images from different years
Using the left-hand toolbar turn boundaries and labels on/off. Hold the right mouse button and move the cursor to change the map orientation. The compass will turn accordingly. Click the Reset Map Orientation button to reset the orientation.
Select which images to compare using the swipe tool.
Use predefined bookmarks.
Measuring area and distances – start measuring by clicking on the map to place the first point. Double-click to complete the line or the polygon. Change measuring units (e.g., miles, feet, etc.) when needed.
Use the coordinates widget to place a marker on the map and copy its coordinates. Click the XY to change the coordinates format.
DPW Airports Partners with National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to Promote Seabird-Safe Flying
DPW Airports recently partnered with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Seabird Protection Network to produce an educational video promoting safe flying practices near seabird nesting areas. The video focuses on the Devil’s Slide area, located approximately five miles north of Half Moon Bay Airport, where seabirds nest along the cliffs. Pilots are encouraged to fly “Seabird Safe” by maintaining a minimum altitude of 1,000 feet and staying at least 1,000 feet offshore to help protect these vulnerable bird populations.
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Road Services is modernizing its equipment fleet to be more efficient and effective in its maintenance operations. Learn more about our very own Darth Vader!
A Sheriff’s Office Bomb Squad vehicle initially scheduled for auction was repurposed and now services the County of San Mateo as a Vehicle & Equipment Services vehicle. It is nicknamed the “Darth Vader” service mobile and it comes equipped with a welder, compressor, and various hand tools for onsite repairs of various County vehicles and equipment. This vehicle and the Storm Response Unit are two of the only all black repurposed service vehicles within the Department of Public Works.
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Neighborhood Exploration
The Admin Services Division embarked on a new engagement exercise earlier this year. The Neighborhood Exploration event is an opportunity to learn about the communities and neighborhoods that we serve, and to view the infrastructure Public Works constructs and maintains. Admin Services staff was divided into teams and each team researched an assigned Supervisorial District. Over the next few issues of Public Works Press we will feature each district, where the teams visited, and what they learned.
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District 1 - Supervisor Jackie Speier
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The District 1 Team includes Bobbie Cervantes, Rollie Baclagan, Godfrey Chapman, Adam Yin, Ayelet Greenberg, and Nia Estonilo. They visited the Crystal Springs Dam and Trail. The team researched recent projects completed within Crystal Springs Dam.
In 2018, work was completed on several interconnected efforts by the County of San Mateo and the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC) to make improvements to the Lower Crystal Springs Dam and replaced the bridge on top of the dam, which allows the re-opening of Skyline Boulevard. Below are some key facts:
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Crystal Springs Dam Improvement Highlights (SFPUC Project):
- Doubled the width of the spillway to 200 feet
- Raised the parapet wall on top of the dam by 9 feet
- Replaced the stilling basin (which stills released water before it enters San Mateo Creek) with a new larger basin and erosion protection at the toe of the dam
- The total project cost was $35 million, and took over two years (completed December 2012)
Skyline Bridge Replacement Highlights (County of San Mateo project):
- The new bridge is 626 feet long and 51.5 feet wide and approximately 7 feet higher than the former bridge.
- Constructing retaining walls at the Scenic Vista Point parking area due to the change in bridge elevation.
- Created a new 15-foot wide recreational trail on the west side of the bridge that is separated from vehicular traffic and providing connectivity for Crystal Springs Regional Trail users.
- Installed new split rail fencing.
- A new trail section south of the bridge allows trail users to continue along the Crystal Springs Regional Trail to the relatively new “South of Dam” trail section
- PG&E relocated overhead 230kV electrical transmission lines to the underside of the new bridge.
District 1 Team (L-R): Adam Yin, Rollie Baclagan, Nia Estonilo, Ayelet Greenberg, Kevin Fehr, and Bobbie Cervantes. Godfrey Chapman is peeking in at the bottom of the selfie!
 District 2 - Supervisor Noelia Corzo
The District 2 Team includes Jack Herrerias, Boston Palacios, Carol Poon, Eric Fan, and Shelly He. The team took a delightful trip to the Coyote Point Recreational Area, a local treasure that offers a myriad of activities. Whether you're in the mood for a round of golf, a brisk walk along the beach, a relaxing picnic, or even a trip to the gun range, Coyote Point has something for everyone. You can also enjoy the excitement of a volleyball game or simply let the kids play in the numerous playgrounds scattered throughout the park.
During their neighborhood exploration, the group had lunch and a history lesson about District 2, which includes San Mateo, Foster City, and the northern part of Belmont. Here are some highlights they discovered:
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Alameda de las Pulgas: Running through District 2, this historic avenue's name translates to “Avenue of the Fleas” in English.
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El Camino Real: This crucial roadway also crosses through District 2, is Spanish for “The Royal Road”.
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Central Park in San Mateo: The land for this beautiful park once belonged to Charles B Polhemus, one of the founders of downtown San Mateo.
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Foster City's Origin: Did you know that Foster City is built on old marshland? To create today's thriving community, tons of dirt were brought in to elevate the ground. The city also developed a vast lagoon system designed as a defense against flooding. Impressively, it held strong during El Niño storms in the '90s.
District 2 Team (L-R): Boston Palacios, Eric Fan, Jack Herrerias, Kevin Fehr, Shelly He, and Carol Poon.
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Public Works Week 2025!
Thank you for participating in National Public Works Week that took place May 18-24, 2025. The theme this year was People, Purpose, and Prescence. We celebrated with activities throughout the week including a Build-a-Bridge Challenge, Wellness Classes, an Equipment Show, a luncheon and Survivor, and a Coloring Competition.
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 The winning Survivor Team (L-R): Omar Zuniga, Adrian Jimenez Barraza, Monica Bejarano, Reyes Dianos-Marquez, and not pictured: Martina Leigh Lin.
 Thank you to the Facilities team for helping set up the luncheon and Survivor event on Thursday, May 22, 2025.
 Survivor challenge chaos!
 The streetsweeper displayed at the Equipment Show on Wednesday, May 21, 2025.
 The Gradall on display at the Equipment Show on Wednesday, May 21, 2025.
Did you know that by June 30, 2025 the County is required to reduce trash loading to the storm drain system in unincorporated areas throughout the County by 100%? |
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This requirement is a provision of our Municipal Regional Stormwater Permit (also known as the “MRP” or “NPDES” permit - National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System). If trash is not picked up or collected via routine street sweeping, litter along our roadways makes its way to the stormwater collection system, then to local creeks, and eventually the San Francisco Bay and Pacific Ocean.
We are currently at 95.5% trash load reduction and have a few more projects in the works. To date, DPW has installed over 200 full trash capture devices with partial funding by grants from the San Francisco Estuary Partnership and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
Most of the full trash capture devices are small basket-like devices called Connector Pipe Screens (CPS) that fit inside of our storm drain catch basins. They collect trash within the catch basin before it is transported downstream through the storm drain system. Our Roads crew routinely inspects the devices and removes the collected trash using a Vac-Con truck. DPW also recently installed a larger underground device at the Athlone Pump Station in North Fair Oaks. The large device is called Debris Separating Baffle Box. Trash is collected in this underground system and then later removed using a Vac-Con truck.
If you’re interested in learning more about stormwater requirements or stormwater pollution prevention, please click on the button below.
 Small trash device installation.
Large trash device installation and trash collection.
Does our Department and/or the County have a contract with that vendor?
OpenGov is the County's eProcurement system for contracts, vendor information, and solicitations. To check and see if our department or the County has a contract with a specific vendor, log into OpenGov through Okta, select the OpenGov tile, and type in the vendor name to search.
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Welcome, Avery Lai! Meet our new Associate Civil Engineer
Please welcome Avery Lai, Associate Civil Engineer, to the Design and Construction Section! Avery graduated from California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo with a Civil Engineering degree and brings his experience in civil engineering from working at BKF Engineers, Town of Los Altos Hills, and City of Redwood City.
Welcome, Boston Palacios! Meet our new Office Assistant II
Please welcome Boston Palacios, Office Assistant II – Extra Help to the Administrative Services Division! Boston graduated from the University of San Francisco with a Politics degree and minor in Philippine Studies. He was a Legislative Intern at the City and County of San Francisco for Supervisor Matt Dorsey’s office and brings experience and enthusiasm for government to Public Works! |
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Welcome, Francisco Perez! Meet our new Road Maintenance Worker I
Please welcome Francisco Perez, Road Maintenance Worker I. Francisco enjoys spending time outdoors fishing, driving his Jeep, and spending time with his parents.
Welcome, Giordain-Marcus Gandingco! Meet our new Intern
Please welcome Giordain-Marcus Gandingco, Intern for the Engineering Division. He studied Civil Engineering at San Francisco State University for five years, earning a Bachelor of Science degree. He is preparing for the Fundamentals of Engineering exam to obtain his Engineer-in-Training (EIT) certification.
Welcome, Jordan Buettner! Meet our new Intern
Please welcome Jordan Buettner, Intern for the Design and Construction section. Jordan is currently studying Civil Engineering at California Polytechnic State University. |
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Welcome, Sophia Palacio! Meet our new Intern
Please welcome Sophia Palacio, Intern II for C/CAG. Sophia worked for the City of San Mateo’s Parks & Recreation Department for the past 2 years as an Athletics Program Specialist and is excited to step into the world of geographic work.
Welcome, Katelyn Magallon! Meet our new Intern
Please welcome Katelyn Magallon, Intern for the Utilities and Watershed Protection section. She graduated from UC Davis in 2024 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Environmental Engineering and a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering with a focus in Water Resources. She is currently a Master’s student at Stanford where she is majoring in Environmental Engineering with a focus on Geophysical and Environmental Fluid Mechanics.
Welcome, Amita Ganesh! Meet our new Intern
Please welcome Amita Ganesh, Intern II for Clerical Services in the Admin Services division. Amita is currently a student at Boston University and majoring in Anthropology and Economics. She is residing in San Mateo County on summer break and is participating in the County’s Jobs for Youth Summer Internship Program. |
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Welcome, Lizeth Mendoza! Meet our new member in our Building Services Team
Please welcome Lizeth Mendoza who is working for the Building Services team. Lizeth spends her free time with her son, and she enjoys cooking.
Welcome, Steven Kim! Meet our new Stationary Engineer
Please welcome Steven Kim, Stationary Engineer for the Health and Hospital Facilities team. Steven is from the San Francisco area, and he previously worked for San Francisco State for 2 years as a Building Service Engineer.
Welcome, Neli Avramova! Meet our new Principal Civil Engineer
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Please welcome Neli Avramova, Principal Civil Engineer in the Utilities and Watershed Protection section.
Neli holds a Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering and a Master’s degree in Structural and Earthquake Engineering from San Francisco State University. Before joining the County, she spent 11 years with the City of Mountain View, where she served in the Construction section, overseeing a diverse portfolio of public improvement projects.
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Welcome, Martina Lin! Meet our new Associate Engineer
Please welcome Martina Lin, Associate Engineer for the Utilities and Watershed Protection division. She graduated from UC Davis in 2020 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering, and after spending the past three years in Virginia doing youth and college ministry, she has recently moved back home to the Bay Area. Most of Martina’s professional experience has been in land development, particularly in creating drainage and stormwater plans within the private sector.
Welcome, Moises Rubio! Meet our new member in our Building Services Team
Please welcome Moises Rubio who is working for the Building Services team. Moises likes to spend time with his family, and he enjoys motorcycles, bicycles, fishing, basketball, and football.
Welcome, Momito (Tommy) Baniqued! Meet our new Capital Project Manager I
Please welcome Momito (Tommy) Baniqued, Capital Projects Manager for the Facilities-Capital Projects team. Tommy has been delivering various types of projects for the United States Government General Services Administration-Region 9 headquartered in San Francisco as a project manager for the Design and Construction Division for numerous years.
Welcome, Sargam Bhatta Lama! Meet our new Fiscal Office Specialist
Please welcome Sargam Bhatta Lama, Fiscal Office Specialist in the Admin Services Fiscal division! Prior to joining Public Works Sargam worked at ITS at SMCCD, and as an Account Manager at Tidal where he gained valuable experience that he is looking forward to building on in Public Works.
Congratulations Christian Larson on the promotion to Road Maintenance Worker II!
Please join us in congratulating Christian Larson on his promotion to Road Maintenance Worker II. For the past two years in Public Works Christian has worked on the Princeton maintenance crew. Christian is joining the street sweeper team at Grant Yard. |
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Congratulations Greg Fontana on the promotion to Road Maintenance Worker II!
Please join us in congratulating Greg Fontana on his promotion to Road Maintenance Worker II, with a focus on operating a street sweeper on the Coast Side. Greg has consistently demonstrated a strong work ethic, reliability, and dedication to maintaining our roadways. His promotion reflects his valuable contributions and our confidence in his continued success in this new role. |
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Congratulations Mario Nastari on your promotion to Capital Program Manager!
Please welcome and congratulate Mario Nastari, Capital Program Manager for the Facilities team. Mario began his public service career with the San Mateo County Parks Department in 2001. Over the last 24 years, Mario has worked as a Park Ranger ultimately serving in every park in the County parks system. Most recently, Mario worked on the Department's capital projects which included very close coordination with DPW.
Congratulations Monica Bejarano on your promotion to Office Specialist!
Please join us in congratulating Monica Bejarano on her promotion to Office Specialist in the Utilities section. Monica brings nearly 15 years of experience as a Regulatory Affairs Project Manager and Program Director in the Bay Area Biotech industry. She is known for developing and implementing sophisticated tracking tools for FDA-required documentation, leading cross-functional teams, and facilitating the approval of drug applications. Monica thrives on evaluating and resolving operational challenges and contributing meaningfully to any team she joins.
Congratulations Pedro Abarca Sanchez on your promotion to Utility Worker II!
Please join us in congratulating Pedro Abarca Sanchez on his promotion to Utility Worker II for the Facilities, Maintenance, & Operations, Zone 4 - Crafts section. Pedro has been a Public Works employee for several years working in Building Services at the County Hospital and recently in the COB II County Center Facility. |
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Congratulations Reyes Dianos-Marquez on your promotion to Road Maintenance Worker II!
Please join us in congratulating Reyes Dianos-Marquez on his promotion to Road Maintenance Woker II. He will continue to provide maintenance services on the Bay Side specifically in the Emerald Lake Hills, Ladera and Los Trancos areas. |
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July 23 @ 9:00 AM-12:15 PM: San Mateo County Employee Blood Drive in Room 101 at 455 County Center
August 2 @ 10:00 AM-2:00 PM.: Disaster Prep Day at the San Mateo County Event Center, please visit SMC Disaster Prep for more details
August 7 @ 9:00 AM-12:30 PM: Foundational Equity Training: Cultivating More Equitable and Inclusive Communities, sign up in LMS
August 7 @ 2:30 PM-3:00 PM: Employee Wellness Walk with Mike Callagy, meet in the County Center Courtyard
August 13 @ 10:00 AM: Department Walk at 555 County Center
September 11 @ 10:00 AM: Department Walk at the San Carlos Airport
September 18 @ 10:00 AM-10:30 AM: Employee Wellness Walk with Mike Callagy, meet in the County Center Courtyard
October 8 @ 10:00 AM: Department Walk at 555 County Center
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July 23 @ 8:30 AM-10:30 AM: DPW Cross Training: Board Report Training at the ROC
August 7 @ 9:00 AM-12:30 PM: Foundational Equity Training: Cultivating More Equitable and Inclusive Communities, sign up in LMS
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Details coming soon for the Annual Employee Recognition event that will be held in November! |
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