Public Works restructured

January 18, 1999

The Washington County Division of Public Works has reorganized, changing the names of two departments and moving two employees to new positions, in an attempt to improve its effectiveness, Public Works Director Gary Rohrer said.

The division oversees the county engineering, facilities, sanitary, highway and transportation services. It had a $25.3 million budget this fiscal year.

The County Commuter transit service has been renamed the Transportation Department. Kevin Cerrone is now the department director. Cerrone's previous title was transit supervisor.

The roads portion of the transportation department has been renamed the Highway Department. J. Theodore Wolford will be the director. Wolford was previously the county transportation superintendent.

No salary changes were made in the reorganization, which was effective Jan. 1.

The Washington County Commissioners merged County Commuter with the Roads Department in the fall of 1995, but the move was intended to be temporary, county officials said.

"Through careful nurturing of Ted Wolford and valiant efforts of Kevin Cerrone, the County Commuter segment has experienced major successes that continue to grow," Rohrer said in a news release.

"While there is much to be done, I believe that the operation has reached a level of performance where it can once again be returned to the status of an independent agency within this division," he said.

The transit service replaced older buses with smaller, Americans With Disabilities Act-compliant buses in 1998. County officials said it is the only fully accessible bus system in the state.

Cerrone has supervised 50 employees, managed a $1.3 million budget and shown a good understanding of state and federal grants, Rohrer said.

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