Public Works Names 2026 Employees of Year

Ventura County’s Public Works Agency used its 2026 employee awards to put names and job titles on the county systems residents usually see only when something breaks. The agency said it recognized employees for leadership, innovation and day-to-day work tied to drinking water, permit review and workplace safety. The honorees come from different parts of an agency that says it serves county infrastructure, natural resources protection and public health needs. (amigos805.com) Ventura County Public Works lists 13,613 water customers, 543 miles of roadway and $615 million in capital projects on its website. (publicworks.venturacounty.gov) ### Who was recognized, and for what work? Ventura County Public Works said the 2026 awards recognized employees in operations and maintenance, management and rookie categories. The agency described the winners as staff whose work supported the agency’s ongoing operations and service delivery. The 2025 awards, which help show how the program is structured, went to Evan Martinez in operations and maintenance, Ben Fischetti as manager of the year and Joel Chappell as rookie of the year, according to an agency account published in May 2025. That earlier recognition was presented during a Ventura County Board of Supervisors meeting on May 20, 2025. (edhat.com) ### Why does a safety officer stand out in this year’s recognition? Joel Chappell, identified by the agency in its 2025 awards coverage as health and safety officer, was described as responsible for the workplace safety and health of all 411 Public Works employees. (edhat.com) The agency said his work included training, site observations and compliance with federal, state and agency safety policies. The 411-employee figure gives a sense of the size of the workforce behind the recognition program. In the agency’s description, Chappell’s job was not limited to one crew or one division; it covered the full Public Works workforce. (amigos805.com) ### What does the agency actually manage day to day? Ventura County Public Works says it is responsible for services tied to roads, transportation, water, sanitation, watershed protection and engineering. The agency’s website says its mission is to deliver services essential to health, safety, natural resources protection and economic vitality in Ventura County. (amigos805.com) The public-facing numbers are large enough to show why employee recognition in this department is tied to visible infrastructure. The agency says it serves 13,613 water customers, maintains 543 miles of roadway and has $615 million in capital projects underway. (amigos805.com) It also says it has generated $13 million in Lean Six Sigma savings. ### How does this fit into Ventura County’s broader employee recognition efforts? Ventura County has several formal recognition programs for public employees. In April 2026, the county said it honored 24 employees reaching 25 to 35 years of service, for a combined 660 years, during an April 14 Board of Supervisors meeting. (publicworks.venturacounty.gov) The county has also used quarterly ceremonies to recognize long-serving employees across agencies and departments. That broader pattern places the Public Works awards inside a larger county effort to highlight staff work that residents may not directly see. (publicworks.venturacounty.gov) ### Where can residents follow what comes next? Ventura County Public Works directs residents to its website for agency news, road work, permits, water and sanitation service information and Public Works Week 2026 updates. The site also lists current project notices, including roadway and repair work, under its news and events section. (news.venturacounty.gov) Gregg Strakaluse is listed on the agency website as agency director, and the site says Public Works offices are at 800 South Victoria Avenue in Ventura. The agency’s next public-facing updates are likely to appear through that website’s news feed and service pages. (publicworks.venturacounty.gov) (news.venturacounty.gov)