Newly designated Public Works Director Justin Weldy started working for the Town of Fountain Hills in April 2007. In his 10 years of employment he has been the civil engineering inspector and street superintendent before being asked to serve as interim public works director earlier this year.

A New Mexico native, Weldy came to Arizona about 20 years ago primarily seeking greener pastures for his wife’s employment. During his career he has worked on numerous infrastructure developments as a project manager, mostly communications work. One of his first jobs in Arizona was as foreman on a large infrastructure upgrade for US West (now CenturyLink).

Weldy is the poster boy for “on the job training.” He started as an equipment operator out of high school and, when family obligations precluded college, he earned a “stack of certificates” over the years for various specialties.

Working on contracts on military bases, Weldy said he learned discipline from the Army Corps of Engineers.

“There are no gray areas with them,” Weldy said.

Weldy first worked in Fountain Hills installing the traffic signal at Saguaro and El Lago boulevards. It was suggested to him at that time that he apply for a job with the town, but the timing was not quite right. He did come back later and was hired.

His experience in town means Weldy understands the challenges facing the public works department. All the streets and drainage channels fall under the department’s jurisdiction.

“We need to maintain the street pavement with the minimal funding available,” Weldy said. “We need to save the pavement wherever possible and replace what we have to.

“We also need enough money to preserve the newer pavement placed in the past eight years.”

Besides the streets, drainage structures in town need a lot of attention.

“We are a hillside community,” Weldy said. “There are a considerable number of drainage structures that need maintenance and repair.

“The low flow [wash] crossings are troublesome to say the least, but using upstream detention basins have been effective this monsoon.”

Weldy said cutting out a basin on the upstream side of the street has worked to slow the flow and catch a lot of debris before it reaches the street. This has reduced emergency clean-up.

Public works is also responsible for town facilities, although Facilities Manager Raymond Rees oversees maintenance and contracts related to the eight buildings the town owns.

Weldy is looking forward to embracing the new job and meeting whatever challenges it might bring.

“I have a very positive attitude toward life in general,” he said. “I know there is a solution to any problem.

“We will keep our head above water.”