maria martin receives the boe 2014 rory m. shaw ... newsletter.pdfmar 05, 2014 · no. 14-8 march...

No. 14-8 March 5, 2014

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Maria Martin Receives the BOE 2014 Rory M. Shaw Outstanding Employee Award

l to r: Ken Redd, Kevin Martin, Commissioner Monica Rodriguez, Commissioner Michael Da-vis, Shirley Shaw, Public Works Board President Kevin James, Maria Martin, Bertha Camacho, Commissioner Barbara Romero, Commissioner Matt Szabo, Karina Martin, Jim Doty.

Rory’s mother Shirley Shaw and Deputy City Engineer Ken Redd present the Rory M. Shaw Outstanding Employee Award to Maria Martin.

On February 26, 2014, Deputy City Engineer Ken Redd presented the 2014 Bureau of Engi-neering Rory M. Shaw Outstanding Employee Award to Environmental Supervisor II Maria Martin in front of the Board of Public Works.

Mike O’Gara of the Sun Valley Neighbor-hood Council asked to address the Board. “Mr. Shaw gave his life in Sun Valley a num-ber of years ago. It’s great to see that the City has not forgotten him, and neither has the community of Sun Valley.” He went over the background of the development of the park at Strahern, saying “That park will be named for Rory Shaw, to honor him. I justed wanted the new commissioners to know that we have not forgotten.”

Linda Moore told the story of Maria’s selec-tion. She said she and former BOE employee Russ Ruffing were so impressed with her interview, that after she left they called down to building security and told them to intercept Maria and send her back up. “We offered her the job on the spot. From day one she went above and beyond, she never stopped. I’m very happy to see that she’s receiving this recognition.”

Ken Redd explained that Deborah Wein-traub had to be out of town on family emer-gency and she sends her best wishes and congratulations. “She’s here in spirit.”

He also introduced the past recipients of the Award who were in attendance: Carol Armstrong, Paul Tseng, Steve Martinez, Gene Edwards, and Vahik Vartanians.

He brought up Shirley Shaw to the podi-um, saying, “We are honored to have Rory’s

mother Shirley Shaw here. This is her ninth year of coming here from Michigan. There’s been many changes, no Gary Lee Moore, no Valerie Shaw - though the faces have changed, one thing that hasn’t changed is Rory’s legacy. We will not forget him. We will continue to recognize our best and brightest employees in his honor.”

He added, “Without a doubt, he was one of the most beloved employees we have had. As a tribute to him, people still talk about him, still tell stories of what they remember about him. On February 20, 2005, Rory died on the job site during a storm, supervising efforts to repair a massive sinkhole on Tujunga Blvd. in Sun Valley. That day, like every other day, he was giving everything he had to do the right thing and protect others. It is an honor to remember him each year and to present this award in his name.”

Jim Doty, head of the Environmental Management Group, talked about Maria’s background, education, work experience and professional associations.

“Maria has demonstrated outstanding ded-ication to duty and leadership and has made significant contributions in furthering the Bureau’s mission and goals by performing her duties at a level of excellence far exceeding established standards.

Engineering Newsletter - 3/5/14

On February 15, 2014, on a sunny Satur-day morning at Rosecrans Park, the Grand Re-Opening Ceremony for the Rosecrans Receration Center Sportsfields Improvements and Stormwater Enhancement project, 840 149th St., Los Angeles, was held. Mark Mari-scal, Pacific Region Superintendent, Depart-ment of Recreation and Parks, welcomed a large crowd, mostly parents and children from the community.

The presentation started with the Pledge of Allegiance, lead by Pre K Students from 135th Street Elementary School. Then came the instrumental version of the National An-them, performed by the Gardena High School Marching Band.

The Invocation was led by Reginal J. Zach-ery, Watts Regional Manager, Mayor’s Office Gang Reduction Youth Development Office.

Councilmember Joe Buscaino, 15th Coun-cil District, addressed the crowd, thanking City staff for their help in opening this new park. The Councilmember then cut the ribbon on the remodeled Rosecrans Recreational Center, located in the in Harbor Gateway section of the City. “The new park is beauti-ful, and will serve as a second home to many young athletes who will learn teamwork, commitment and leadership,” said Buscaino.

The City of Los Angeles improved the exist-ing sports facilities at the Rosecrans Recreation Center, with the construction of a baseball field, girl’s softball field, synthetic turf soccer field, and a new outdoor basketball court. In addition to sports field improvements, storm water pollutant reduction measures were also constructed. The project was funded by mul-

tiple funding sources, including Proposition K - LA for Kids funding, which funded the recreational improvements, and Proposition O, a Citywide bond measure which provides funding for water quality improvements throughout the City.

The installation of storm water enhance-ment infrastructure at the Rosecrans Recre-ation Center, combined with recreational and other improvements here at the park, designed to contribute to the goal of minimal pollutant loading into the regional storm water convey-

Grand Opening of Rosecrans Rec Ctr Sports Fields Improvements & Stormwater Enhancement Project

ance system, should provide improved water quality for stormwater and irrigation run off in and around the park.

The goal of the Rosecrans Recreation Cen-ter Storm water Enhancements Project was to reduce storm water pollutants loading and help the City of Los Angeles meet Total Maxi-mum Daily Load (TMDL) requirements within the Dominguez Channel Watershed. Targeted pollutants include: bacteria, heavy metals, trash, nutrients, gasoline, oils, grease, and toxic organic compounds. To that end, the storm water enhancements infrastructure that were constructed by the project will capture runoff through storm water Best Management Practices (BMPs) such as a new bio-swale, and media filters, before it enters the Los Angeles County’s Storm Drain system.

The BMPs which were funded by Propo-sition O, which included the installation of a new “smart” irrigation system, a bio swale, vegetated retention basins, a synthetic soccer field with an engineered drainage system, re-grading of the site to ensure drainage into the newly constructed bio-swale and vegetated retention basins, installation of decomposed granite pathways, and new site landscaping. The water quality benefits result-ing from installation of the various BMPs will assist the City and specifically, the Department of Recreation and Parks, in complying with current and future TMDL regulations.

Between the funding sources, this project installed a new baseball field, girl softball field, one full size basketball and one half size basketball court, sport field lighting, bleachers, three scoreboards, park fencing,

l to r: Desiree Harbaugh, Withers & Sandgren; Ray Araujo; Tom Gibson, Rec & Parks; Ted Galsin, PW Contract Admin; Jan Sandgren, Withers & Sandgren; Councilmember Joe Buscaino; Interim City Engineer Deborah Weintraub; Mark Mariscal, Rec & Parks; Robert Oyakawa, Rec & Parks; Iftekhar Ahmed; K. Majid Sadeghi, PW Sanitation; Naushin Kamal.

Councilmember Joe Buscaino cuts the ribbon to officially open the Rosecrans Recreation Center Sports Field & Stormwater Enhancement Project. Photos by Gary Florin, Recreation & Parks Dept.

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decomposed granite pathways, picnic areas, drinking fountains, and parking lot.

Interim City Engineer Deborah Weintraub expressed her appreciation to City staff and others who worked on the project.

Withers & Sandgren, LTD was the design architect. The general contractor was Horizons Construction Co. Int’l, Inc.

Congratulations go to Recreational & Cultural Facilities Program Manager Neil Drucker, RCFP Project Manager Ray Araujo, Prop O Project Manager Iftekhar Ahmed, Prop O Project Manager Naushin Kamal, Construction Division Engineer Jose Fuentes, Construction Manager Hoi Luc, Geotechnical Engineer Benjamin Moore, Project Engineer Curtis Gee, and eveyone who contributed to this project.

Rosecrans RC cont’d from page 2

There was a good turnout for the event.

People came to check out the new sports fields.


“Maria has developed excellent working relationships throughout the Department of Public Works, other City departments such as the Department of Recreation and Parks and Department of Transportation and other public agencies including CALTRANS, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, California Coastal Commission, Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers with whom she has established a reputation for professional-ism and cooperation.

“She is recognized and respected by her colleagues, clients, and throughout the Bureau of Engineering for her expertise, accessibility and forward-leaning approach to problem solving.

“She has demonstrated extraordinary prob-lem-solving capability in support of the Prop O program. For example, she coordinated the complex permitting for the Wilmington Drain Multiuse project, including a Habitat Mitigation and Monitoring Plan (HMMP), which required commitments from several partner agencies and was a first for the Bureau of Engineering. Similar work is continuing for the Machado Lake Ecosystem Rehabilitation project.

“Borrowing from a well-known adver-tisement, Maria does not design or build the Bureau’s projects, but the work she does makes the Bureau’s projects better. Among the award-winning project she has worked on are: Echo Park Lake Rehabilitation, Imperial Highway Stormwater BMPs, Santa Monica Bl Transit Parkway, South Los Angeles New Animal Care Fa-

cility, South Los Angeles Wetlands Park, Valley Bl Grade Separation, and Westwood Branch Library.”It was then Maria Martin’s turn to speak. She said, “I am very humbled and honored to be here today . . . I am honored to receive this award not just for me but on behalf of the teams I’ve been part of. Because here in the Bureau of Engineering, it is not an individual, but the project team that delivers projects. I’ve been blessed and lucky to be a part of so many wonderful teams: Prop O, Prop K Program, Municipal Facilities Program. The projects Jim mentioned all were the result of teamwork.

“I want to thank my children, who make me whole, who complete me. They are the biggest gift, my son Kevin and daughter Karina. They help me see the world through new eyes. They bring me joy, they make me a balanced person. I want to thank my mother Bertha. From her I got my work ethic, that she instilled in all her six kids. I don’t know how she did it.

“And I want to thank my supervisors Jim Doty and Linda Moore. They’ve been an inspiration, they have been tremendous role models. I really appreciate their trust and

Rory M. Shaw Award continued from page 1

Maria Martin speaking before the Board of Public Works.

Former Shaw Award winners joined in the celebration, l to r: Paul Tseng, Carol Armstrong, Maria Martin, Steve Martinez, Shirley Shaw, Gene Edwards, and Vahik Vartanians.

mentoring. I would not be the person I am without them.”

Each of the Public Works Commissioners took the opportunity to compliment Maria and also thank Mrs. Shaw for being there.

Board of Public Works President Kevin James addressed Mrs. Shaw, “It is with strong symbolism that we are providing this award in your son’s name. Today we are literally on the cusp of what is the largest rain event that we have seen in the past two or three years. So it is in your son’s memory that the message of public safety is carried, not just through the Bureau of Engineering, for which he was a first responder, but for the entire City of Los Angeles. Thank you for your son and the work that he did for the City.”

To Maria he said, “Your resume is beyond impressive. I understand why they called security to not let you leave the building.” Noting that she had been a teacher, he said,

“It’s clear that you’ve always been a teacher, you’ll always continue to be a teacher, helping others.“

This is the wording from the permanent plaque kept in the Executive Division:

Rory M. ShawOutstanding Employee Award“Going Beyond Expectations”

This award is given in memory of Bureau of En-gineering employee Rory M. Shaw who went above and beyond the call of duty on a daily basis. He lost his life in the storms of 2005 in the performance of his duties. This award recognizes a Bureau of Engineering employee who, like Rory, has demonstrated exceptional dedication to duty, high commitment to excel-lence, and made significant contributions in furthering the Bureau of Engineering’s mission and goals.


Welcome to the Bureau of Engineering!

Ibrahim HafeezIbrahim Hafeez has joined the Sixth Street Viaduct Division as a Civil Engi-neering Associate I. He graduated with a Bach-elor’s of Science degree in Civil Engineering from University of California, Irvine in June 2013.

Previously, Ibrahim worked as a student intern for the Street & Stormwater Division for over a year. There, he was working on Humboldt Greenway, Manchester Greenway, Swarth-more Ave, MTA Bike Safe, 1101 Ravoli Dr ESDR, Washington and Trinity ESDR, 19300 Lemarsh St ESDR, 11052 McBroom ESDR, Ballona Lagoon East Bank Fence and several other projects.

Ibrahim was born and raised in Culver City, CA and lives in Culver City. The first child of three, he has a brother, who is freshman in UC San Diego, Business major and a sister, senior in high school. Ibrahim’s family is deeply entrenched in engineering, his father an electrical engineer with the County of Los Angeles, and his mother is none other than Civil Engineering Associate, Yasmin Hafeez who works for WCED, and plus he has uncles and cousins who are electrical and computer science engineers in Pakistan. Initially, Ibrahim was going to become a medical doctor but changed his mind and followed his family’s profession.

Ibrahim is a big star wars and sports fan. He watches almost every sport, but enjoys soccer and basketball most. He also enjoys exercis-ing, playing soccer, basketball and playing video games. Besides English, Ibrahim speaks Urdu (Pakistani) fluently and enough Spanish.

Ibrahim’s office is on the sixth floor of the Public Works building and he can be reached at (213) 847-5657.

Rosa LauRosa Lau joined the Wastewater Conveyance Construction Division (WCCD) as a Civil Engi-neering Associate I in the Major Sewer Group. She is working on completing her Bachelor of Science Degree in Civil (Envi-ronmental) Engineering and her Master of Science Degree in General Civil Engineering at the University of South-

ern California. Rosa was born and raised in Rosemead, CA.

She previously interned as a Transportation Foundation of Los Angeles (TFLA) student in WCCD, working with the Secondary Sewer Renewal Program Group. She assisted the engineers in reviewing and processing time and material (T&M) requests, drafting change orders and allowance orders, as well as re-viewing submittals. She also reviewed and processed as-builts for multiple sewer repair projects. In addition to the City, she was also a student intern at the Metropolitan Water District (MWD) working in the General Design Unit. She assisted the engineers in drafting study reports and researching site conditions as well as performing engineering design, calculations, and drafting with Microstation on a variety of projects.

At school, she was Environmental Design Co-Captain for three years, and is currently the vice president of USC American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE). She was previously the secretary and vice president of USC Institute of Transportation Engineers. In the summer of 2012, she studied abroad in Madrid, Spain.

Rosa is the youngest of four in her family. All of her sisters majored in Civil Engineering. She enjoys watching television, movies, USC football, and traveling. Rosa’s office is located on the sixth floor of the Public Works Building and she can be reached at (213) 485-1682.

Justin X. ZhangJustin Zhang joined the Wastewater Conveyance Construction Division (WCCD) as a Civil Engi-neering Associate I in the Secondary Sewer Renew-al Project (SSRP) Group. He earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Civil Engineering from Univer-sity of Southern California (USC) in August 2013 and a Master of Science Degree in Construction Engineering and Management from USC in December 2013.

Justin was born and raised in China. He is the only child in his family. After graduating from high school, he moved to the United States in 2008. He studied at Pasadena City College between 2008 and 2010 before transferring to USC, and majored in Civil Engi-neering. During the summer of his second year of undergraduate education, he went back to Beijing, China, and worked as a structural engineering intern for the John A. Martin & Associates. There, he assisted in designing high rise buildings and compiling building codes. During undergraduate education, he also worked as a drafter for USC Facility Management Services and later, as a volunteer for the Metro Transit Group and Construction

Management Division of the Bureau of Engi-neering. Before joining WCCD, he worked as an intern for the Architectural and Facilities Engineering at the Disneyland Resort.

Justin is a big sports fan especially of basketball and football. He is a big fan of LA Lakers and USC Trojans. He also enjoys swimming and hiking. Besides sports, he has many others hobbies and interests such as photography, screen writing, drawing and traveling. In addition to English, Justin speaks Taiwanese and Mandarin fluently.

Justin’s office is on the sixth floor of the Public Works building and he can be reached at (213) 847-0304.

New AssociatesThe following information about some of our new employees illustrates that the Bureau of Engineering has hired a very diverse group of talented people.

Don’t be “Fuelish”The Department of General Services provided these tips to increase your fuel mileage.Vehicle Use: • Curb vehicle usage; whenever possible use

telephone, e-mail, and teleconferencing. • Walk short distances, carpool, or use alter-

native transportation such as the “Dash”, etc.

• Plan your trips: Combine out of office meetings and errands, look for the shortest routing.

• Adhere to the City policy of “official busi-ness use only”.

Driving: • Observe vehicle maintenance schedules. • Call Fleet Services Repair Shop if the

“check engine light appears (see CityFone for your area shop number). • Visually inspect and maintain proper tire pressure.

• Avoid topping off fuel tank when filling up. • Minimize idling; excessive idling reduces

miles per gallon (MPG) and is harder on the vehicle.

• Accelerate smoothly and brake gradually. • Practice defensive driving for your person-

al safety. • Observe posted speed limits; MPG de-

creases as speed increases over 60 miles per hour (MPH).

• Minimize air conditioning use. Monitor Fuel Use: • Each department must monitor their fuel

usage to identify opportunities to reduce fuel usage and must be vigilant in identify-ing unusual fueling activities taking place at their facilities.

• Automated Fuel Reports are available at: http://gsd.ci.la.ca.us/gsd/fuel/Web/fuelautomation/

Submittal of PapersThis is a reminder that employees must get the approval of their group manager and deputy/senior manager prior to submitting any abstract or paper for presentation at a professional conference.


City Council Recognizes Engineers of Today & Tomorrow for 2014 National Engineers Week

Councilmember Gil Cedillo and Interim City Engineer Deborah Weintraub hold the Council resolution.

Interim City Engineer Deborah Weintraub ASCE YMF LA President George Huang

The ceremony to mark National Engineers Week was held before City Council on Feb-ruary 21, 2014. Councilmember Gil Cedillo said, “I brought a few of my friends today,” noting that 120 students from Gates Elemen-tary and 10th Street Elementary Schools were there to participate in the first annual egg drop.

Presenting the official proclamation to Interim City Engineer Deborah Weintraub, he said, “I want to thank the City family and the American Society of Civil Engineers for coor-dinating this event. This official proclamation is to applaud all that you do, so this is for all the engineers.”

Weintraub said, “I’m here on behalf of all engineers in the City both in the Bureau of Engineering and all the other departments, and our next generation of engineers who are here to perform the time honored tradition of bun-dling eggs in enclosures and dropping them from a high height. I want to thank my staff from the Bureau of Engineering who helped arrange this event and the American Society of Civil Engineers, who’ve been very active in bringing kids to understand what engineers do. The engineers who work for the City, and consulting engineers who help us do our work, are extremely important to making this a livable and safe City. Thank you very much on behalf of all the engineers in the City.”

ASCE Younger Member Forum LA President George Huang explained that the ASCE YMF LA is “committed to fostering an atmosphere of professional growth for young engineers to thrive and make sustainable connections within the civil engineering community.”

ASCE YMF-LA Engineers Week Coordina-tor Sabrina Rivera said, “We visit classrooms and students all over Los Angeles County advocating the importance of science, math engineering, also known as STEM. We reach out to elementary, high school and college students to promote different aspects of the engineering field. Our goal is not just to in-

crease the number of engineers, but also the number of women in the profession, by pro-viding examples of strong female role models and leaders in the engineering community and beyond.”

Alejandro Gonzalez, a 4th grader from 10th Street Elementary, said, “I know you members of the City Council work hard to make this a cosmopolitan City, so thank you for taking time to arrange and allow us to be part of this first annual egg drop event. This egg drop experience is a great opportunity to see what problems engineers have to solve in their career. Mari, a classmate, and I were inspired to become a civil engineers. Maybe one day we will work here in City Hall and help celebrate Engineers Week. Thank you engineers for all your hard work around the City, we all really appreciate it.” He finished

to a big round of applause.Ten year old Julian Acosta from Gates

Elementary School said “Science is fun be-cause you get to create things. Before the egg drop experiment I had another project. I had to build a boat out of popsicle sticks. My boat actually floated and then I built a motor. I think the egg drop experience was awesome. Some of my classmates’ designs were fabulous, some of them made roll cages and their designs were successful. I really want to thank you for letting our class participate in the egg drop.”

Afterwards the students gathered in the City Hall plaza to learn more about what engineers do and for some fun activities. They then went into the Rotunda to see how their egg drop entries performed in the drop. See the photos on the next page.


Alejandro Gonzalez, 10th Street Elementary School Julian Acosta, Gates Elementary School

Egg Drop Event Continues Celebration of Engineers Week

Suspense builds as the students watch their egg drop entries fall.Preparing to release the egg.

Student holding his egg drop entry.


Public Works Building, 1149 S. Broadway, Los Angeles, CA 90015 Do’s and Don’ts• Do wear your BOE ID badge at all times.

If you lose your ID badge, contact An-gelia Brown at 5-5140 or Olga Houston at 5-5142. Replacement ID badges are $5.00.

• Do not overload the power grid in your area by plugging in too many appliances in your cubicle. A small fan or a coffee-maker may work; however, space heaters are prohibited.

• Do not leave personal items in your cubi-cles unattended, including valuables such as jewelry, money, and/or purses.

• Do contact your CBRE division liaison for custodial or maintenance issues, or contact Administration Division (ADM) staff (Jerry Diego at 5-5088, Helen Lopez at 5-5087 or Glenn Morimoto at 5-5078).

• Do not change cubicles without prior Management approval. A written move request should be submitted by Division, Group or Office Managers to ADM, At-tention Robert Kadomatsu. While every attempt will be made by BOE Manage-ment to accommodate special needs and requests, you must receive approval before doing so. Unilaterally moving to a different location may not only be disruptive to your fellow employees, it may also disrupt other systems in place that will not have accounted for your unapproved move.

• Do reserve PWB conference rooms to conduct City business through the calen-dar feature of your gmail account. Include your phone number when you make the reservation so that PWB security can contact you, if necessary. Do not reserve conference rooms for non-BOE staff. Conference room reservation requests by non-BOE staff must be submitted to BOE Management at least 72 hours prior to the event date.

• Do reserve conference room 150 on the 1st floor of the PWB, when available, for publicly noticed BOE meetings. Per GSD, visitors going to publicly noticed meetings are not required to follow the procedure identified below with security at the front desk.

• Do notify security at the front desk about your meeting scheduled in the PWB, espe-cially meetings that may include attendees who are not City staff. Advanced notice to security, with a list of meeting attendees is required. Except for visitors attending pub-licly noticed meetings, all other visitors to the PWB meeting in any other conference room or any other floor must follow the procedure identified under Procedures for Visitors, with security at the front desk.

Procedures for VisitorsVisitors/City EmployeesVisitors conducting business in the PWB should sign in at the front desk. Visitors must present an acceptable form of ID to security at the front desk in order to be issued a Visitor pass/sticker to gain access to BOE offices. City Employees must display a valid City of Los Angeles ID Badge or they will be required to follow the procedure detailed above for visitors. Delivery Drivers/Mail Carriers (non-City staff)Lists of vendor names/companies that make deliveries to BOE offices in the PWB on a weekly basis should be provided to ADM, Attention Robert Kadomatsu. A compiled list of vendor names and companies will be provided to PWB security on an intermittent basis. Although the vendor names and com-panies will be on the BOE list, individuals representing these vendors and companies will still be required to follow the afore-men-tioned procedures for visitors. Food DeliveriesWhen ordering food to be delivered to the PWB, please leave your name, phone number and floor number with security at the front desk (7-2164). Security staff will call you di-rectly upon arrival and will request you to pick up your delivery. You are required to go to the front desk area to receive your food delivery.Parking for Visitors and Deliveries• The loading dock entrance is located on

Hill Street, behind the PWB for business related deliveries.

• There are meter parking spaces surround-ing the building and on adjacent blocks near the PWB.

Public Transportation and Off-Site Parking OptionsA good resource is www.mta.net. City em-ployees using public transportation are eligi-ble for a transit subsidy or reimbursement of up to $50.00 per month.

General information about parking and transportation benefits is available on the Personnel’s intranet at: www.lacity.org/per/commuter.htDASH D-LineThe Dash D-Line runs from Union Station to the Grand Avenue Blue Line Station.

To travel to City Hall: The Dash stop is located on Hill Street, directly in front of the Public Works Building

To return to the Public Works Building from City Hall: After going south on Spring Street, the Dash D-Line turns west on Olympic Bou-levard, and then south on Hill Street. Exit at 12th and Hill Streets, which is across the street from the Public Works Building.

Options for Employees Who Do Not Have a City Parking Permit1. First Class Parking on the northeast corner

of Broadway and 12th. Monthly parking is $70.00. An attendant is on duty from 6 am to 6 pm.

2. Athena Parking on the southeast corner of Broadway and 12th. Monthly parking is $90.00. An attendant is on duty from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. (213) 891-9565

3. Valet Parking on the southwest corner of Broadway and Pico. Monthly parking is $60.00. An attendant is on duty from 7:00 am to 2:00 pm. After 2:00 employees arrive randomly to check cars. There is a lock box for payments. (800) 794-7275

Revised 3/3/14

PWB BOE Directory8th Floor• Architectural Div. - MS 507• Bond Programs Div. - MS 295• Construction Mgmt. Div. - MS 500• Recreational & Cultural Facilities Div. - MS

549-1• Street Improvement & Stormwater Divs. -

MS 4947th Floor• Executive Div. - MS 490• Bridge Improvement Div.- MS 495-1• Administration Div.: Budget, Personnel, Purchasing - MS 311• Administration Div.: Office Services, Pay-

roll, Training - MS 490 • Structural Engineering Div.- MS 491• Systems Div. - MS 4866th Floor• Environmental Mgmt. Group - MS 939• Real Estate Div. - MS 515• Sixth Street Viaduct Div. - MS 495-2• WCCD, WCED, Prop O – MS 5381st Floor• Geotechnical Engineering Group - MS 495• Project Award & Control Div. - MS 501Basement• Central Records – MS 103• Photo Reproduction – MS 489• Reprographics - MS 609• GSD Mail RoomSub-Basement• Conference Rooms• Storage

Public Works Building – BOE Office Guidelines

CMAA Awards GalaThe Southern California Chapter of the Con-struction Management Association of America is holding their 22nd Annual Awards Gala on Thursday, March 27, 2014, at the J.W. Marriott Los Angeles at L.A. Alive, 900 W. Olympic Blvd. Among the 2014 Distinguished Owner Honorees will be Deborah Weintraub, City of Los Angeles Bureau of Engineering, and Gary Lee Moore and Shaun Shahrestani, Port of Los Angeles.


Deputy City Engineer, Vince Jones retired on January 24, 2014 after 31 years of City service. His retirement party was held at the Doubletree Hotel in Los Angeles on January 23, 2014. Fun and tears of good-bye was shared by all. Vince was Deputy over the Bureau’s Engineering Services Program. We at the Bureau of Engineering wish him a happy and healthy retirement and thank him for his 31 years of dedicated City service.

Deputy City Engineer Vince Jones Retirement Party


Notice No. 05Notice No. 05 dated February 14, 2014, titled Transfer Opportunity - Structural Engineering Associate III - Structural Engineering Division states that the Bureau has a transfer opportu-nity for a Structural Engineering Associate III position in the Structural Engineering Division (SED). This transfer opportunity is tentative pending an anticipated vacancy.

This position is open to all Structural En-gineering Associate III’s, as well as all Civil Engineering Associate III’s with a minimum of 2 years of applicable structural engineering experience, currently employed by the City of Los Angeles, Department of Public Works, Bureau of Engineering.

The selected candidate will act as a lead design engineer in the SED’s Wastewater/ Underground Facilities Section, and will perform structure type selections, preliminary engineering, computer modeling, design and analysis, technical reports and specifications for wastewater facilities projects. The selected candidate will also perform structural plan check and approve plans submitted by district offices and/or private engineering consultants.

Interested candidates should submit a resume to Cynthia Jefferson, Structural En-gineering Division, 1149 South Broadway, Suite 740, Stop 491 by Thursday, February 20, 2014. Please call (213) 485-5368 if additional information is needed.Please note: deadline has already passed.

Mayor’s press release:(Los Angeles) February 18, 2014 - Mayor Eric Garcetti today announced he is directing the Departments of Building & Safety and Plan-ning to consolidate key functions to better integrate services to cut red tape and promote economic development.

“As Mayor of Los Angeles, I’m committed to cutting red tape and streamlining city government to increase economic develop-ment and job creation,” said Mayor Garcetti. “Strategically combining these services will improve the land use approval and building process, attract investment, and help to build a great city. We must raise expectations for a smooth and predictable entitlement process with straightforward zoning answers.”

Mayor Garcetti took office as a range of consolidation options were being discussed, including a complete merger of the two de-partments.

”We took a deep look at both departments, and now we’re moving forward with reform that makes sense, instead of just combining departments for the sake of combining depart-ments,” said Mayor Garcetti.

“This initiative reflects recommendations from our residents, the business community, and experts hired to study the issue.”

Mayor Garcetti has been working with city departments to develop recommendations for a joint report, to be released this week, which will include a series of development permit

streamlining recommendations prepared by the Matrix Consulting Group. The report outlines recommendations for integrating and improving development review at the Depart-ments of Building & Safety and Planning, as well as the Department of Transportation, Bu-reau of Engineering and the Fire Department.

Mayor Garcetti has directed each devel-opment service department to co-locate staff within the existing Valley and Downtown development services centers to provide integrated geographic teams to better assist the public. Departments will also be tasked with implementing specific recommendations to streamline processing and timelines. Mayor Garcetti also supports studying the future expansion of development service centers to South LA and West LA.

In addition to these key changes, the Mayor has asked the Department of City Planning to provide expanded zoning review functions and oversee development case management services to give clear input early in the build-ing permit process.

The Building and Safety Department is be-ing directed to centralize and expand its code enforcement role to provide fair and consistent enforcement of building and zoning regula-tions citywide. These moves will focus on specific elements of the development review process and increase collaboration between all city departments providing development review functions.

Mayor Directs Building & Safety, Planning Departments to Consolidate Key Functions

The Public Works Pioneers Toastmasters Club proudly announces an Open House to cele-brate the tenth anniversary of our existence.

The Open House will be held on Wednes-day March 12, 2014 in Conference Room 6004 of the Public Works Building. The Open House is free for guests and features free refreshments. The meeting starts promptly at 12:05 PM.

Come join us for an educational, entertain-ing and delicious event.

Toastmasters is an international non-profit organization which helps members in master-ing communication and leadership skills in a positive and supportive environment. The Public Works Pioneers club members meet every Wednesday at 12:05 PM in conference room 6004 in the Public Works Building at 1149 S. Broadway in downtown LA. Attend-ing a club meeting is always free for guests.

For more information about Toastmasters or about the open house, contact the club pres-ident, Thurman Green, at (213) 847-2682, or the club educational vice president, Dominic Buenaventura, at (213) 847-0593, or club vice president of public relations, Ivan Gerson, at (213) 485-1169.

Local Toastmasters Club To Celebrate Tenth Anniversary

Public Works Pioneers Club Members, l to r: Thurman Green, Sandra Humphries, Dominic Buenaventura, Nisheeth Kakarala, Ivan Gerson, and Ron Chatman.


The Construction Management Association of America Southern California Chapter is offering the following seminars.

The Construction Manager’s Role in Sus-tainable Projects – It’s Going to be a LEED Project – Now What? on Thursday, March 13, 2014, at The Grand Conference Center, 4101 E. Willow St., Long Beach, 8:00 am Registration, 8:30 am Seminar. You have just been advised that you are on a LEED project. Keeping pace with the ever changing LEED Rating Systems, protocols and procedures and what it means for LEED project adds value to your services and to your owner. From con-cept through completion, there are a series of choices and key tasks that must be made to help mitigate risk and ensure success.• Is there a cost or schedule impact?• How do we procure the team(s)?• Within your role as owner, owners rep,

design professional, CM, PM, LEED AP, contractor, subcontractor or supplier, what should you be doing and when should you do it?

The instructors have managed numerous LEED, LEED equivalent and “green” projects and it is clear that not all project team mem-bers really understand the process, especially if the PM/CM is thrown into their first LEED project. They will discuss a proactive step-by-step process from start to finish with points to consider and pitfalls to avoid through the project cycle. This seminar is intended to be educational and benefit all parties involved with a LEED project with tips, resources and handouts provided.

Seminar instructors: Danny Kaye, CCM, PMP, MRICS, LEED AP, Principal, TOTUM; Jim Ogden, LEED Fellow, ECxP, Principal, 3QC; Sarah Price, Capital Projects Coordinator, City of Long Beach DPW.

Cost: Register by Friday, Mar. 7: $70/mem-ber, $110/non-member. After Mar. 7: $85/member, $135/non-member.

Breakfast of Champions on Wednesday, March 19, 2014 at the Hyatt, 333 S. Figueroa, Downtown L.A., 8:00 am Registration, 8:30 am Seminar. Albert V. Scala, Chief Project and Contract Compliance Officer, Southern Cali-fornia Regional Rail Authority, METROLINK. Learn about capital program overview/upcom-ing projects, opportunities for construction and consulting services, how to do business with METROLINK.

Changed or Differing Site Conditions on Friday, March 21, 2014, at The Grand Conference Center, 4101 E. Willow St., Long Beach, 8:00 am Registration, 8:30 am Semi-nar. Discussion topics:

What defines them:• Statues• Regulations• ContractsNotice requirementsProof requirements

Jobsite decision on the claimJudicial reviewAlternative theories:• Nondisclosure of material facts• Breach of warranty of correctness of

plansSeminar instructors: Bernard Kamine, Esq. & Marcia Haber Kamine, Esq., Kamine Law PC, Construction Attorneys.

Cost: Register by Friday, Mar. 14: $70/member, $110/non-member. After Mar. 14: $85/member, $135/non-member.

Change Orders – Best Practices on Thurs-day, May 15, 2014, at The Grand Conference Center, 4101 E. Willow St., Long Beach, 8:00 am Registration, 8:30 am Seminar. Changes on a construction project are a matter of practical reality. Even the most thoughtfully planned project may suffer changes: differing site conditions, specified methods of construction becoming unfeasible or material becoming too expensive or unavailable. Though change orders are an inevitable part of the construc-tion process, they need not and should not, dominate the project. This seminar provides practical tips and techniques for the proper handling of change order claims. Learn about:• What is a change order• Types of contracts• Types of changes• How do changes occur• Causation• Entitlement• Administration of the change• Notice• Acknowledgement• Incorporation in the contract• Full and final considerations• The cost of the change• Contract terms• Pricing methodology• The change and the schedule• Proof of delay• Disruption and inefficiency• Evaluating direct cost claims• Dissecting overhead calculations• Analyzing Delays• Total Cost – 4 prongs of proof• Productivity claims

Seminar leader: Chip Ossman, President, Ossman Project Management Consulting, Inc.

Cost: Register by Friday, May 9 $70/mem-ber, $110 non-members. After May 9 $85/member, $135/non-member.

For additional information please go to www.cmaasc.org.

CMAA So Cal Chapter Seminars Notice No. 06Notice No. 06 dated February 14, 2014 titled Transfer Opportunity – Structural Engineer - Structural Engineering Division states that the Bureau has an immediate transfer opportunity for a Structural Engineer position in the Struc-tural Engineering Division (SED).

This position is open to all Structural En-gineers, as well as all Civil Engineers with a minimum of 2 years of applicable and current structural engineering experience, currently employed by the City of Los Angeles, Depart-ment of Public Works, Bureau of Engineering.

The selected candidate will lead SED’s Wastewater/Underground Facilities Section, which oversees staff engaged in structural design, plan check, and construction support for wastewater facilities structures, including new pipelines and pipeline rehabilitations, retaining structures, buildings, and under-ground structures. The selected candidate will perform, direct, guide, review and monitor the activities of the section in the preparation of plans, specifications, and cost estimates, and/or checking and approving plans submitted by district offices and/or private engineering consultants.

Interested candidates should submit a resume to Cynthia Jefferson, Structural En-gineering Division, 1149 South Broadway, Suite 740, Stop 491 by Thursday, February 20, 2014. Please call (213) 485-5368 if additional information is needed.Please note: deadline has already passed.

2014 L.A. Sanitation Open House DatesThe 12th Annual Discover Recycling 2014 Sanitation Open House dates, times and locations are:

Saturday, April 26, 2014 - 9:00 am to 2:30 pm. East Valley District Yard, 11050 Pendleton Street, Sun Valley, CA 91352

Saturday, May 17, 2014 - 9:00 am to 2:30 pm. West Valley District Yard, 8840 Vanalden Avenue, Northridge, CA 91324

Saturday, May 31, 2014 - 9:00 am to 2:30 pm. North Central District Yard, 452 N. San Fernando Road, Los Angeles, CA 90031

Saturday, June 7, 2014 - 9:00 am to 2:30 pm. South Los Angeles District Yard at The Expo Center, 3990 Menlo Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90037 (NE corner of Martin Luther King Blvd & Vermont Ave.)

Saturday, June 21, 2014 - 9:00 am to 2:30 pm. Harbor District Yard, 1400 N. Gaffey Street, San Pedro, CA 90731

Saturday, June 28, 2014 - 9:00 am to 2:30 pm. West Los Angeles District Yard, 2027 Stoner Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90025

The Open Houses feature trash truck and equipment demonstrations in addition to facility tours, information booths, recycling games and refreshments.

New LetterheadThe latest version of the Bureau of Engineering letterhead template is always available from the Engineering Forms Library under the cat-egory Correspondence on the BOE intranet.

We’d Like to Hear from YouIf you have any articles for the Newsletter, please e-mail them directly to [email protected]. Also cc: Myrna Braithwaite ([email protected]) Administration Division. Deadline for the next issue is Thurs-day, March 27, 2014.

Los Angeles City Department of Public WorksBureau of Engineering1149 South Broadway, Suite 700

Los Angeles, CA 90015http://eng.lacity.org

http://www.facebook.com/LABureauofEngineeringThe Engineering Newsletter is published monthly by the Administration Division for employees of the Bureau of Engineering.

Engineering VisionTo lead the transformation of Los Angeles into the world’s most livable city.

Civil EngineerWCC - Sylvia Sanchez 213 847-0338

Civil Engineering Associate IIIRCF – Sandra Humphries 213 847-4707

Civil Engineering Drafting Technician EED - Ivilette Cook 310 618-6123

Environmental EngineerEED - Ivilette Cook 310 648-6123WCC - Sylvia Sanchez 213 847-0338

ArrivalsColleen Charles, CE Associate I, SED; Noelia Gonzalez, CE Associate I, EED; Rosa Lau, CE Associate I, WCC; Reynaldo Lopez-Saldivar, CE Associate I, CMD; Thuy Nguyen, CE Asso-ciate I, BID; Mircea Pop, CE Associate I, SSD; Robert Samonte, CE Associate I, WCE; Justin Zhang, CE Associate I, WCC.

DeparturesVincent Jones, Deputy City Engineer, retired, Exec; Ziad Malhas, CE Associate III, retired, SSD; Ivan Masayon, Management Analyst II, resigned, Admin; Henry Cheney, Geographic Info Specialist, retired, Mapping; Ceferino Serafin, Structural Engineering Associate III, retired, SED; Belinda Woodruff, Clerk Typist, promoted to Office of Finance, Valley.

PromotionsEdward Arrington, Sr Civil Engineer, WCE; James Moralez, Office Engineering Tech III, Central; Richard Fisher, Landscape Architect I, Arch; Jeffrey Bruce, Survey Party Chief I, Survey; Raul Virgen, Programmer Analyst III, Mapping.

Internal TransfersMassoud Tayyar, Structural Engineer, from CBP to SED.

Transfer OpportunitiesThe following transfer opportunities are avail-able. If you are interested, contact the office below by Friday, March 14, 2014:

Cesar Chavez HolidayMonday, March 31, 2014, is a City holiday. Remember to mark your timesheet for that day as HO 8.0. Since the holiday is only for eight hours, those of you on the 9/80 schedule must adjust your hours accordingly within the same pay period. (Non-FLSA exempt employees can only adjust their hours within their defined work week.) Check with your division time-keeper if you have any questions.

Free Trees to LA ResidentsDid you know you can receive free trees if you live in the City of Los Angeles?

Trees are an important asset to your home. They beautify our neighborhoods and encour-age walking and bicycling by creating shady streets. They cool our homes and reduce our energy needs. They can capture storm water runoff, and they can even increase property values. They can help us fight climate change.

The Regulatory Affairs Division is working hard to get more trees planted in the City of LA. You can be a partner in their efforts. The trees are provided by the Department of Wa-ter and Power and can only be given to City residents to help reduce your energy needs.

We are offering a free fruit tree to anyone in the Public Works building who lives in the City. The following is the e-form link:

e-form: https://docs.google.com/a/lac-ity.org/forms/d/19uzcGlcqIK8pI3Xi6M-1dYcsyunPBKypBdEi9xwQTTco/viewform

Please complete with your City address and type of fruit tree that you would like to receive. The trees will be delivered on Thurs-day, April 10, 2014, in the alley behind the Public Works Building. You will need to pick up your tree between 1:00-4:00 pm in the alley behind the north side of the building.

If you want more free trees for your yard, go to www.milliontreesla.org web site and you can request up to 7 free 5 gallon shade trees, that will be delivered to you, to be planted on your private property.

If you need a parkway tree for you or your entire neighborhood, please email Lacey Beattie on our tree team and she will tell you how to sign up: [email protected]

If you are unable to pick up a tree on April 10th, there are monthly tree adoption events throughout the City, check the www.million-treesla.org web site for the latest information. Our project partners will be hosting tree adoption events at each Bureau of Sanitation Open House this Spring, so if you are unable to adopt a fruit tree on April 10th, you can still receive one by attending one of these events.

Currently you are able to order the follow-ing types of trees:

Avocado, pear, apple, plum, peach, ba-nana, pomegranate

Thank you for helping to green Los An-geles!

Notice No. 04 - LRP for SMARTSNotice No. 04 dated February 12, 2014, titled Legally Responsible Person (LRP) for the Storm Water Multi-Application and Re-port Tracking System (SMARTS) states that effective immediately, Michael Brown has been designated as the LRP for the Bureau of Engineering, City of Los Angeles under the SMARTS managed by the State and Regional Water Boards of California.

The SMARTS has been developed by the State and Regional Water Boards of California to provide an online tool to assist dischargers in submitting Notice of Intents, Notice of Terminations, Annual Reports, and other doc-uments, as well as viewing/printing Receipt Letters, monitoring the status of submitted documents, and viewing application/renewal fee statements.

If you have any questions regarding the LRP or SMARTS, please contact Michael Brown at [email protected].

BOE Distinguished Alumni LuncheonThe Bureau of Engineering’s Annual Distin-guished Alumni Luncheon will be held on Wednesday, March 19, 2014, at the Tom Brad-ley Room in City Hall from 11:30 am - 2:00 pm. The lunch will be a buffet menu catered by Casablanca Restaurant. The total cost in-cluding tax and gratuity is $35.00 payable to the Bureau of Engineering Association Fund. Please RSVP and send your check (no cash) to Karen Dacres, Executive Division, PWB Suite 700, by March 5, 2014.

If you have any questions regarding the luncheon, please contact Karen Dacres at (213) 485-4924 or Terri Winfield (213) 485-4928.

The Bureau of Engineering continues to evolve and new staff members have joined during the past year. We look forward to describing these new events, new projects, and renewing friendships.

Jackson Fossett RetiresPublic Works Public Affairs Office Director Cora Jackson Fossett retired on January 30, 2014. She had served in that position since 1999, managing the Department’s community and media relations programs.

Among many honors, she was recognized by the Los Angeles Business Journal as one of L.A.’s most successful women, and in 2009, she was inducted into the Hall of Fame as a honoree of the National Association of Uni-versity Women. In 2010, she was elected to the board of directors of the American Public Works Association, as director of Public Works Management and Leadership. She is the first African American woman to serve on the national board of the 28,000 member organization.

We thank her for all her support of the BOE’s activities and wish her all the best on her well-deserved retirement.

maria martin receives the boe 2014 rory m. shaw ... newsletter.pdfmar 05, 2014 · no. 14-8 march...

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