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Palmdale wins 2 awards, David Wu named ‘Outstanding Public Works Employee of the Year’

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David Wu, center, receives the Outstanding Public Works Employee of the Year award from, left, Robert Kilpatrick, Director of APWA High Desert Chapter (David Evans & Associates); and Brian Glidden, President of APWA High Desert Chapter (Arrow Engineering). [Contributed]
PALMDALE –The High Desert Branch of the American Public Works Association presented its annual project awards recently at the Museum of Art and History in Lancaster.

The Outstanding Public Works Employee of the Year award went to David Wu, who began working with the city of Palmdale in 1989 as an Engineering Aid performing civil engineering tasks. Wu was promoted in 1992 to a Junior Engineer; he worked as an Assistant Engineer in 1995; and he became an Associate Engineer in 1998.

Wu now serves as Public Works Project Manager, working on many important projects for the city, including the recently completed Avenue S Widening Phase II and bikeway improvements.

“Understated fits Dave to a tee,” stated Palmdale’s Capital Improvement Project Manager Lynn Glidden. “He does his job and does it extremely well and is not one looking for praise and glory. He is a team player through and through and will always take on projects, programs or whatever else we throw at him with a calm demeanor and get the activity done on time, within budget, and provide a quality product.”

The city of Palmdale’s Comprehensive Energy Saving Measures Project was named Best Use of Technology. Partnering with The Energy Network, Palmdale performed several energy efficiency projects, including replacing the safety light located over signalized crosswalks with light emitting diode (LED) lights, mechanical retrofits such as installing energy efficient pool pumps, and lighting retrofit projects with LED lights installed at several city facilities.

Best Use of Technology – left to right: Robert Kilpatrick, Director of APWA High Desert Chapter (David Evans & Associates); Palmdale Engineering Technician Arista Hennessy; Palmdale Senior Management Analyst Ben Lucha; Casey Novell, Southern California Regional Energy Network; and Brian Glidden, President of APWA High Desert Chapter (Arrow Engineering). [Contributed]
“I’m extremely proud of our staff who have continued to serve as outstanding professional leaders of the High Desert Branch communities,” stated Palmdale’s Interim Director of Public Works Lee Swain.

Other awards presented included:

  • Innovative – Antelope Valley East Kern Water South SNIP Pump Station (AVEK/AECOM);
  • Best Improvement for Public Safety – 2017 Summer of Sidewalk Program (City of Lancaster);
  • Best Environmental Project – Open Spaces Trails Volunteer Program (City of Santa Clarita); and
  • Outstanding Project of the Year – Yucca Loma Bridge over the Mojave River Project (Town of Apple Valley).

The High Desert Branch of the American Public Works Association represents jurisdictions located in Palmdale, Santa Clarita, Lancaster, Victorville, Hesperia, Barstow and Apple Valley.

For more information on the APWA High Desert Branch, visit www.apwahdsoca.com.

[Information via news release from the city of Palmdale.]

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Filed Under: Palmdale