Brent Cummings, a project manager in Lake Havasu City’s Public Works Department, said he helps shepherd the city’s capital projects from concept through construction, managing budgets and schedules to deliver infrastructure intended to last.

Cummings described a stepwise process for city projects: an initial concept, selection of a consultant for design work that can run several months, public bidding and then council approval before construction. “One of the biggest rewards that I appreciate in in capital programs is that we can design a project that is long lasting,” Cummings said. “City infrastructure, city assets that last a long time. We get a lot of, I get a lot of joy out of building something that's gonna be here forever.”

“All our projects start with a concept, and, that concept leads to design, after we select a consultant,” he said. “That runs its course for several months, and then we'll get to a point where design is finished and we put it out to bid, and contractors are able to bid on our work. Once we have a bidder, then we go to council.” Cummings said project managers then focus on managing the budget, overseeing work and keeping to a schedule.

Cummings said the Public Works capital programs team includes three project managers who work collectively and share ideas across assignments. “I'm one of three. We work collectively as a group to manage our own projects, but we're able to bounce really good ideas off each other,” he said.

Cummings also gave a brief personal background: he has lived in Lake Havasu City for a year and a half, after three years as a part-time resident, and cited outdoor recreation as reasons his family enjoys living in the city.

The interview was part of the city’s “Faces of Havasu” series, a regular Public Works spotlight that features staff and their roles in managing city programs. Jerry Braccamani, host from the Public Works Department, closed the segment by thanking Cummings and his team.