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Kern County proclaims National Public Works Week; officials outline major infrastructure work
Summary
The Kern County Board of Supervisors proclaimed May 17–23, 2026 as National Public Works Week and heard lengthy presentations from Public Works and General Services about roads, transit, landfills and a regional communications project.
The Kern County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously to proclaim May 17–23, 2026 as National Public Works Week and heard department leaders describe recent and planned infrastructure work across the county. The proclamation was signed by Chair Philip Peters.
Josh Champlin, director of Public Works, told the board the department brings in significant outside grant funding and manages a broad portfolio of services. "We have about 100 people who are maintaining over 3,300 miles of roadway in this county," Champlin said, and he noted the department processed thousands of building permits and conducted almost 24,000 inspections last year. He said the county has brought in roughly $60 million in grant funds and highlighted a recently completed recycling and composting facility at the Shafter‑Wasco landfill that the county said will produce usable compost from diverted organics.
Michelle Burns, chief general services officer, outlined facilities and fleet operations and a large public‑safety communications project. "We have 393 county facilities that they maintain," Burns said, and she described 163 capital projects budgeted this fiscal year with a combined value she said exceeds $400 million. Burns said the county’s regional public‑safety communications network is under contract with Motorola, has an estimated contract and remediation cost in the vicinity of $130 million, and is anticipated to be completed around 2031.
Both presenters described routine but sizable workloads: code‑compliance teams handling thousands of cases and inspections, a solid‑waste program managing multiple landfills and planning transfer stations for sites that reach capacity, and a transit fleet modernization effort the county said resulted in 46 new buses over the last three years. Board members praised staff for visible improvements in roads and parks, particularly on the county’s East Side.
The board took no separate action beyond approving the proclamation.
