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Public works director to retire as city advances major water, sewer and street projects
Summary
Public Works Director Gary Marks will retire at the end of the fiscal year as the city prepares recruitment and advances projects including a UV upgrade at the wastewater plant, Clay Street reservoir repairs, Lockrail sewer extension bidding and a disputed raw-water storage permit with ODFW.
Gary Marks, Dallas’s public works director, told the Public Works Committee he will retire at the end of the fiscal year and urged the city to capture institutional knowledge as it prepares to recruit his replacement.
Marks and committee members said the timing is consequential because several large infrastructure projects are underway or about to move to construction, including a UV upgrade at the wastewater treatment plant, Clay Street reservoir repairs, a multi‑phase Lockrail sewer extension and updates to the city’s water and sewer master plans.
The recruitment discussion began with Councilor Brantos asking committee members what qualities they wanted in the next director; members emphasized strategic vision, grant and funding savvy, collaboration across departments and the ability to delegate. "We're trying to download as much of Gary's brain as we can before he leaves," Councilor Brantos said during the recruitment briefing.
Why it matters: the city is juggling major capital projects and permit steps while preparing to transition leadership. Committee members said continuity and a candidate skilled at securing grants, value engineering and community outreach will be critical to keep projects on schedule and control costs.
Major projects and status
- Wastewater UV upgrade: Marks said the $1.5 million project is complete and the plant should reduce power consumption by about one‑third to two‑thirds depending on operations; the project also received $127,000 from Energy Trust.
- Clay Street reservoir: city crews found and repaired a leak that had been losing about 150,000 gallons a day; Marks said the reseal and new covers cost about $1.1 million and were paid from the water fund.
- Paving and street rehabilitation: Marks reported about 11 miles of the city’s worst streets have been upgraded across the first four phases of the program. Phase 5 will be smaller (several blocks) and will include sidewalk and ADA work around schools.
- Lockrail sewer extension: Phase 1 is scheduled to go out to bid March 8 with bids opening March 27. Phase 1 will extend sewer from the city terminus on Hawthorne Avenue toward Ellendale (about 800 feet) to bring a main trunk line into the node. The city received a $1 million legislative grant for the project; officials said the grant had conditions tied to state permitting and expenditure timelines.
- Raw water storage at Mercer Dam: Marks described a prolonged permitting process with the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW). The department initially proposed seasonal conditions that would have required the city to pass late‑season flows; the city negotiated an alternate approach to pass a baseline flow (the first 80 cubic feet per second in November) then begin filling the dam. ODFW later required a fisheries mitigation study and a biologist site visit; Marks said the mitigation work must be done in the dry season, which has delayed the permit further and pushed the schedule into the next summer season.
- Water and sewer master plans: agreements with engineering consultants are in development. Marks said updated master plans will be used to revise the capital improvement program and inform SDC (system development charge) fee updates.
Parks and volunteer use
Committee members urged greater use of volunteers and community groups to support parks and recreation programming and maintenance. Staff noted the city’s compensatory/community service hours have not returned to pre‑COVID levels, reducing a previously steady source of labor for park upkeep.
Personnel and succession planning
Marks praised his staff as the department’s key asset and said he expects a smooth operational transition if the city hires a candidate who can work collaboratively with other department heads. Committee members discussed including volunteer coordination and community engagement expectations in the recruitment flyer.
Action recorded
At the start of the public‑works meeting the committee approved the minutes from the Sept. 23, 2024 meeting. A motion to approve was made and seconded and the minutes were adopted by voice vote.
What’s next
Staff expect phase 1 of the Lockrail sewer project to proceed to construction in late April or May after the March bid schedule, and the city will finalize recruitment materials for the public works director position in the coming weeks.
