Wednesday, March 27, 2024

City Hires New Public Services & Engineering Director

The City of Coronado has named Leon P. Firsht, current public works director for the City of La Mesa, as its new Public Services & Engineering director.

Firsht, who is set to start Nov. 22, has more than 25 years’ worth of experience in the civil engineering industry. He has worked for local cities, water agencies and the private sector. He lives in Chula Vista.

“We are happy to welcome Leon to Coronado,” said City Manager Tina Friend. “His diverse experience working for public as well as private agencies will be key as he oversees one of the City’s largest and most diverse departments.”

Firsht is a registered professional civil engineer with the state of California and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from San Diego State University. Most recently, Firsht served as director of public works and city engineer with the City of La Mesa, where he oversaw the engineering, operations and environmental services divisions. There, he supervised the operations division, which included administration, building, fleet, parks, streets/traffic safety and wastewater/storm drain maintenance. Prior to that, he worked for the City of Lemon Grove as city engineer and district engineer for the Lemon Grove Sanitation and Roadway Lighting districts.

“I am honored to have been selected to serve as the new director of Public Services and Engineering for Coronado,” Firsht said. “I have high expectations of myself and the service that the department will provide, and look forward to working with staff and City Council for the betterment of the community.”

In addition to his work experience, Firsht recently participated in the City of Chula Vista’s Asset Management Program for more than seven years where he served on the Advisory, Technical and Measure P oversight committees.

Firsht’s responsibilities in Coronado will include managing a wide range of services such as vehicle fleet maintenance, facilities maintenance, pavement maintenance, project development, storm water operations, parks and beach maintenance, traffic engineering, street trees and wastewater operations, among others. The Public Services & Engineering department also manages general engineering services, traffic engineering, project development, street maintenance and improvements, storm drain improvements and the Wastewater Utility Improvement Program.

Firsht has spent most of his life in San Diego County. He and his wife, who is also an engineer, have two children and a dog. In his spare time, he enjoys traveling, hiking and home and vehicle repair projects.

The Public Services Division has a $9.8 million budget and 47 permanent employees as well as a number of seasonal employees, who maintain the City’s physical infrastructure and the City’s beaches, parks, facilities and fleet in the most cost-effective manner. The City’s Engineering Division has a $1.3 million budget and 8 full time and one half-time positions.

 

 



Managing Editor
Managing Editor
Originally from upstate New York, Dani Schwartz has lived in Coronado since 1996. She is happy to call Coronado home and to have raised her children here. In her free time she enjoys reading, exercising, trying new restaurants, and just walking her dog around the "island." Have news to share? Send tips or story ideas to: [email protected]

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