Oak Ridge Today

Berge selected as Public Works director

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Patrick Berge

The City of Oak Ridge has named Patrick Berge as its new public works director.

Berge, who previously served as Oak Ridge Public Works utility manager, has served as interim public works director since former Director Shira McWaters died in June.

Berge has overseen all water and wastewater operations since 2018, a press release said. He will now assume all public works operations including streets, stormwater, and engineering.

“As the next public works director, I’m looking forward to continuing Shira’s hard work,” Berge said in the press release. “Public Works has many major projects in progress, our biggest one being the new water plant.”

Among Berge’s many certifications, he is a professional engineer of environmental engineering in both Tennessee and Nebraska, the press release said.

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New Public Works director hired in Oak Ridge

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Shira McWaters

Shira McWaters (From LinkedIn profile)

Shira McWaters, a civil engineer who is now an associate at a company in Arizona, has been hired as Public Works director in Oak Ridge.

McWaters will replace former Public Works Director Gary Cinder, who retired in September 2015.

The appointment was announced by Oak Ridge City Manager Mark Watson.

McWaters will administer all Public Works activities for the city. The Public Works Department, with approximately 100 full-time employees, is responsible for the maintenance of city streets, all city-owned buildings, stormwater management, water treatment, distribution, and wastewater collections systems, and for the maintenance, service, and repair of all city automotive vehicles, heavy equipment, and stationary equipment.

The Department also prepares and administers the Solid Waste Collection contract and provides staff representation to the Traffic Safety Advisory Board. [Read more…]