Media Release

 

Friday, May 09, 2008
For Immediate Release
Communications

Contact: Jace Radke
Telephone: 229-2205

 

City Manager Appoints New Public Works Director
City Engineer Tapped For Position

 

Las Vegas City Manager Douglas Selby has appointed a new director of the Department of Public Works. City Engineer/Deputy Director Jorge Cervantes was selected, with his appointment subject to City Council ratification on May 21.

Cervantes will succeed Charles Kajkowski who will retire on May 16 after nearly 36 years of service to the city. Kajkowski had also served as city engineer/deputy director before his promotion to director in January 2006.

“I believe Jorge is an excellent blend of the leadership and technical skills needed to run the Public Works Department,” said Selby. “He demonstrates excellence in his work and will do an outstanding job for the people of Las Vegas.” 

Cervantes joined the city of Las Vegas in 1998 as a project manager and was promoted to assistant city traffic engineer in 1999. He was promoted again to city engineer/deputy director in 2006. He is a civil engineer and was one of the first in Nevada to achieve Professional Traffic Operations Engineer certification from the Institute of Transportation Engineers in 2000. Cervantes is licensed as a professional engineer in Nevada and Texas. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering and a Masters of Business Administration, both from the University of Texas at El Paso.

“I am honored to be selected for this position,” said Cervantes. “I want the community to rest assured that I am committed to making sure Las Vegas remains a world-class city.”

The Public Works Department is made up of 375 employees in three divisions: City Engineering, Environmental and Traffic Engineering and Administration. The Public Works Department plans, designs, constructs, operates and maintains city public-use facilities, roadways and the traffic network, wastewater and stormwater management systems and regulates private development.

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