rainforest of the americas opens at la zooeng.lacity.org/sites/g/files/wph726/f/06-11-14...

No. 14-11 June 11, 2014à áñ ç

Kevin JamesMike DavisMonica RodriguezBarbara RomeroMatt Szabo

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Rainforest of the Americas Opens at LA ZooSavings in Project Delivery Will Pay for an Additional Exhibit

On April 29, 2014, Mayor Eric Garcetti and Councilmember Tom LaBonge, Council Dis-trict #4, joined John Lewis, LA Zoo Director, and other City officials in celebrating the grand opening of the Los Angeles Zoo and Botanical Gardens Rainforest of the Americas Exhibit.

This is the newest state-of-the-art exhibit opened at the Los Angeles Zoo and immers-es visitors in the theme, “the Rainforest is a Home.” From the treetops to the rivers, crea-tures are crawling, flying, slithering, swim-ming, hiding, climbing, sleeping, and living. Detailed rock work, educational graphics, and architectural elements create the immersion experience for visitors.

Board of Public Works Commissioner Matt Szabo spoke on behalf of the Department of Public Works and the Bureau of Engineering. He acknowledged John Lewis as well as Charles Mayes who was the design architect from the Portico Group, Seattle, WA. He stated, “I commend John Lewis who had the vision to transform this blighted hillside into a thriving Rainforest and Chuck Mayes for the excellent and unique design of the project. With his design expertise, he took John’s vision and made it happen…”

Commissioner Szabo also recognized Re-becca Abano, Zoo Bond Program Manager,

Mayor Eric Garcetti officially opened the Rainforest of the Americas exhibit.

Ethan Wong and Meghan Aldrich, our BOE construction managers, and said, “Through their leadership and partnership with the Los Angeles Zoo, the contractor and others, we completed this amazing Rainforest exhibit which we are so pleased to present to the community today.”

Zoo Project Team by the “Fallen Tree” l to r: Rebecca Abano, Ethan Wong, Jose Beristain, Darry Pon, Meghan Aldrich

Rainforest of the Americas Main Entry at the Stilt House with the Lily Pond on the right.

The project consisted of the design and construction of several new animal exhibits and related animal holding facilities, as well as the remodeling of an existing animal hold-ing facility. The project site is approximately 80,000 sf and is located on a westward facing

Engineering Newsletter - 6/11/14

hillside along the Tram Road, inside the Los Angeles Zoo. This new exhibit area has 12 exotic animal habitats including an aquarium housing roughly 20 different species such as Harpy Eagle, Howler Monkeys, spiders, Uakari, Tapir, Paca, Dwarf Caiman, Giant River Otters, Piranha, Eels, Mata Mata Turtles, Boas, Tamarin, and a variety of birds from the Amazon. It has 8 visitor glass-viewing areas

made of approximately 1,000 sf of exhibit glass and has several pools and water elements that recirculate roughly 2,000 gallons of water per minute. It took over 12,500 sf of shotcrete that was carved and formed to simulate mud banks, rocks and trees of the Amazon rain-forest. Over 70 different species of trees and vegetation were planted throughout the site including coffee trees, Kumquats, Carob and Fig trees.

Visitor Path through the “Giant Fig Tree” where Caiman and Mata Mata Turtle Exhibits are found.

Site looking south with the Tapir/Tamarin Exhibit on the right and Oropendola nest on the left.

Rainforest Opening - continued from page 1

Red Uakari Monkeys Black Howler Monkeys

Giant River Otter habitat Children enjoy seeing the otters’ underwater antics

From project inception to construction completion, the Bureau of Engineering (BOE) was intimately involved. They brought all the necessary experts together such as the design consultants, design engineers, surveyors, geotechnical & soils engineers, landscape architects, life support professionals, etc. The BOE gathered all the disciplines to complete this exhibit. They collaborated with the LA

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Giant Fig Tree


l to r: Neil Drucker, Proposition K Program Manager; William Tseng, Project Manager; Coun-cilmember Nury Martinez; Deborah Weintraub, Interim City Engineer; Recreation & Parks Commissioner Sylvia Patsouras; Michael A. Shull, Interim General Manager Recreation & Parks

Councilmember Nury Martinez and Congressman Tony Cardenas led the ribbon cutting to officially open the Southeast Valley Skate Park Photos by JuanCarlos Chan, Recreation & Parks Department

On June 5, 2014, Congressman Tony Cardenas and Councilmember Nury Martinez joined an enthusiastic crowd of skateboarders to celebrate the opening of the Southeast Valley (Sheldon) Skate Park at 12477 West Sheldon Street, CA 91352. At 25,000 square feet, the new park is more than double the size of most of the skate parks managed by the Department of Recreation & Parks. Before the Sun Valley Park opened, the closest skate parks were 3 miles away in Lake View Terrace and 5 miles away in North Hollywood.

“What was once an empty, ugly lot will become an inviting space filled with trees and pathways for our neighbors to walk and kids to play,” said Councilmember Martinez, who lives only a block away from the new facility. “Innovative solutions that both beau-tify our neighborhoods and give our kids a safe place to skate and make friends are the keys to creating a welcome community for all generations.”

“This is your park,” Martinez said, address-ing the hundreds of youth who had come to use the park Thursday. “Take care of it.”

The skate park has a double bowl, a volca-no, rails, ramps, stair steps, banks, and ledges. An array of different colors were integrated into the concrete mix to liven up the skate park. Native landscaping was planted to cut down on the irrigation needs to reduce both operational costs and improve stewardship of the local environment. Pollutants and run-off from this project are kept out of the storm water system, by implementing bio-swales in this project.

Interim City Engineer Deborah Weintraub spoke of how the Bureau of Engineering collaborated with both the Recreation &

Ribbon Cutting Opens 25,000 sq ft Southeast Valley Skate Park

Parks Department and the local community to ensure the skate park would be friendly to the surrounding community

She said, “You told us what you wanted to see in the skate park, and we put in as much as the budget allows. We also wanted to put together a skate park that would appeal to the novice skater as well as the pro. Small ramps and open areas for the beginner; and a double bowl, steps, and volcano for the more seasoned skaters.”

The design was by SITE Design Group and

California Skate Parks and constructed by California Skate Parks.

Kudos to Recreational & Cultural Facili-ties Program Manager Neil Drucker, Project Manager William Tseng, Construction Man-agement Division head Jose Fuentes, Con-struction Manager Victor Parra, and from the Bureau of Contract Administration Emmanuel Achonu, Valley Division Head; and Wayne Grantham, on-site inspector, and everyone else who contributed to making this project a success.

Interim City Engineer Deborah Weintraub speaking at the grand opening.


On May 15, 2014, amid record heat wave with temperatures topping 100 degrees, the shadow cast by the City Hall tower provided a perfect cool shaded area for the ceremonial groundbreaking event for the site demolition work at the future site of Civic Center Park, located at 217 W. 1st Street in Downtown Los Angeles.

Joining the ceremony were Councilmem-ber Jose Huizar of the fourteenth Council District, Councilmember Tom LaBonge of the fourth Council District, Downtown Neigh-borhood Council President Patti Berman, Public Works Commissioner Matt Szabo, Department of Recreation and Parks Interim General Manager Mike Shull, and Bureau of Engineering Interim City Engineer Deborah Weintraub.

The 1.96-acre site, across the street from City Hall, was acquired by the Department of Recreation and Parks from the State in 2013 for park development under the “50 Park Initiative”. It consists of two abandoned, partially demolished structures: namely the ground floor and basement that are remnants of a former 13-story State office building, and a 2-level underground parking garage. The tower was deemed unsafe and demolished between 1977 and 1979 following the 1971 Sylmar earthquake. The site has been vacant for decades (since 1980), and become a public nuisance, attracting unwanted activ-ities and posing safety and health hazards. To address this nuisance, the City has hired (pre-qualified, on-call) National Demolition Contractors to completely remove the aban-

doned structures on the site. The demolition work will involve excavation, shoring, soil import, backfill, dirt compaction and grad-ing. Upon completion of the site demolition work, temporary site drainage and erosion control measures will be in place until the start of construction of the new park.

Given the prominence of the site, the City has a great opportunity to create a new park facility with civic presence and

identity that is uniquely Los Angeles. In the coming months, the Bureau of Engineering, in collaboration with the Department of Recreation and Parks and various major stakeholders, will initiate a community en-gagement process for the park design of this future downtown gem. The groundbreaking ceremony marks the beginning of the trans-formation of a blighted site into a future park facility. Not only will the successful and timely completion of the site demolition work ensure public welfare and safety, but is also vital to the overall development of the Civic Center Park.

Congratulations to Mahmood Karimza-deh, Municipal Facilities Program Manager and his staff from the Architectural Division: Reza Bagherzadeh, Senior Environmental Engineer: Robert Lomelin, Senior Architect; Paul Tseng, Project Manager; Celso Del Poso, Architect; Jane Adrian, Landscape Architect; Rick Fisher, Landscape Architect; Renee Curtis, Landscape Architect; and Karl Horst, Senior Architectural Drafting Technician.

Special thanks should go to: Jose Fuentes, Division Engineer, and Hoi Van Luc of the Construction Management Division; Chris Johnson, Division Engineer and Curtis Gee of the Geotechnical Engineering Group; Jim Zabala, Division Manager, Rey Sison and Johny Sosa of the Project Award & Control Division; John Reamer, Jr., Inspector of Public Works, Butch Bradley, Hana Choi, Roosevelt Bagby and Todd Eller of the Bureau of Contract Administration.

1st row, l to r: Councilmember Tom LaBonge, RAP Interim General Manager Mike Shull, Coun-cilmember Jose Huizar, Interim City Engineer Deborah Weintraub, PW Commissioner Matt Szabo, BCA Assistant Director Butch Bradley. In back is the crew from National Demolition Contractors. Photos by JuanCarlos Chan, Recreation & Parks Dept.

Groundbreaking Held for Downtown Civic Center Park

l to r: Amy Bi - Geotech, Paul Tseng - Arch, Reza Bagherzadeh - Arch, PW Commissioner Matt Szabo, Councilmember Jose Huizar, Interim City Engineer Deborah Weintraub, Coun-cilmember Tom LaBonge, BCA Assistant Director Butch Bradley, Curtis Gee - Geotech, and Alex Song - Geotech.

Additional photos on page 5


Site demolition work in full swing.Interim City Engineer Deborah Weintraub spoke to the crowd, as the event gathered much media attention.

Civic Center Park - continued from page 4

Zoo staff to ensure everything works for the animals. They managed construction with support from the Bureau of Contract Admin-istration who provided inspection services.

Because the project realized nearly $3.0M in savings, the Jaguar Exhibit, which was removed from the original Rainforest project scope as part of value engineering, can now be built. On May 14, 2014, the Board of Pub-lic Works approved issuing a $2.5M change order to Metro Builders & Engineers Group Ltd to complete construction of a new Jaguar Ex-hibit at the north end of the Rainforest project site. The Jaguar Exhibit was designed by BOE Architectural Division in collaboration with the Zoo Department and the Zoo project team. This exhibit is anticipated to be completed by the end of December 2014.

Congratulations go to Deborah Weintraub, Interim City Engineer; John Reamer Inspector of Public Works and the Bureau of Contract Administration: Seffy Wiles, and Angela Marti-nez; BOE Geotechnical Engineering Division: Chris Johnson, Easton Fournier and Jose Ber-istain; BOE Survey Division: Tony Pratt and Carlos Lopez; LA Zoo Department: Darry Pon, Susie Kasielke, Jennie Becker, Ian Recchio, Neal Ward, Jason Cleanthes, and Tom LoVul-lo; PMCM Consultants: Reuben Tolentino from Psomas, Erwin Wyatt and Richard Day from Cummings; General Contractor - Metro Builders & Engineers Group Ltd: Fouad Houlla and Sam Gregory, and their subcontractors.

A big thank you to all those supported this project and helped make it very successful!

Rainforest of the Americas Facts:Original Contract : $11,711,707Total Change Orders: $ 2,468,293Construction Duration: 995 CDsTotal Construction Cost: $14,180,000Total Project Budget: $18,648,650Funding Sources: Prop CC & MICLA

Rainforest Opening - continued from page 2

Stilt house under construction

The New Jaguar Exhibit was made possible through savings in the project.


Celebration of the Army Corps of Engineers’ decision to recommend Alternative 20, l to r: LAUSD Board Member Bennett Kayser, Councilmembers Jose Huizar, Tom LaBonge & Mitch O’Farrell, USACE LA District Colonel Kim Colloton, Mayor Eric Garcetti, FoLAR president Lewis MacAdams, Interim City Engineer Deborah Weintraub, Councilmember Gil Cedillo and LA River Revitalization Corp. Board Chair Brian Moore at Marsh Park.

Army Corps of Engineers Recommends $1 Billion Plan to Restore L.A. RiverRiver Advocates Gather to Celebrate the Decision to Back Alternative 20

On May 29, 2014, the U.S. Army Corps of En-gineers said it would recommend a $1 billion plan to restore an 11-mile stretch of the Los Angeles River north of downtown. The Corps’ support is crucial to efforts to return parts of the river to a more natural state because it manages the river as a flood-control channel.

The news came after months of lobbying by Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti on behalf of the $1 billion proposal. Originally the Corps indicated it would back a less ambitious $453 million dollar plan.

The selection of “Alternative 20,” one of several options available to the Corps, was pushed by Garcetti in an online petition and several trips to Washington. “I personally want to thank President Obama for listening to me many times on this,” Garcetti said.

“This plan is the plan that Angelenos de-serve,” Garcetti told reporters at Marsh Park by the river. “We’ve been a donor city and a donor state for many decades to Washington. That money is coming back home.”

Army Corps of Engineers Los Angeles District Colonel Kim Colloton said the agen-cy changed its mind on backing the more expensive option in response to Garcetti’s lobbying and efforts to spread the costs across a number of different entities, including the U.S. Department of the Interior and the Envi-ronmental Protection Agency.

She said the Corps’ decision to restore sections of the river “validates its place as a waterway of national significance.”

Under the plan, concrete would be re-moved from sections of the river and riverbank and riverbed habitat would be restored. The

project is seen as the catalyst of efforts to in-crease public access to natural areas and as the engine for private economic development in the area.

A final report on the project will go to Army Corps headquarters in Washington by the end of the year. The head of the agency must review the report and send it to the White House and Congress, which must vote to fund

the project, Colloton said. “This is not the end of the battle. There’s

a bigger war to fight out there,” said Brian Moore with the L.A. River Revitalization Cor-poration. “There’s a war for money to make sure this project gets continued. There’s a war for authorization.”

Federal agencies are expected to pick up

Mayor Eric Garcetti and Carol Armstrong, BOE LA River Project Office.

Mayor Eric Garcetti speaking at the event.

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$500 million of the cost of the restoration while the City will be tasked with raising the rest. Garcetti said he’s confident the money will be found.

This remake of the concrete river channel into a more natural and inviting feature of the City has long been a dream of Lewis MacAdams, President of the Friends of the LA River. He issued a joint statement with the Los Angeles River Revitalization Corporation:

After unprecedented cooperation by ad-vocates for the Los Angeles River and with tremendous leadership by Mayor Garcetti, we are beyond thrilled with today’s announce-ment by the Army Corps of Engineers. The adoption of ‘Alternative 20’ will hopefully mean over a billion dollars of investment in the communities along the River and in its ecological restoration. A truly historic day.

This ambitious plan will bring a new wave of activity to the LA River. With an investment from the city as well as the federal govern-ment, the 11-mile stretch of the river will un-dergo a complete transformation. The plan will restore the river’s habitats, bring open space to an underserved area of the city, and create a vibrant public space that residents can use for hiking, cycling, and other activities.

Today’s announcement also lights the way to the removal of 6 miles of concrete from the Los Angeles River and the restoration of con-nections in our river ecology that haven’t been seen in 75 years. It’s a step towards turning Los Angeles’s eyes back upon the mighty river that runs through it.

Friends of the Los Angeles River and the Los Angeles River Revitalization Corporation jointly extend our profound gratitude to Mayor Garcetti for his leadership on this issue, and we salute the community members and orga-nizations that worked so tirelessly to make this happen. “Everyone who came to a cleanup, who signed a petition, and who helped raised the funds for the Army Corps of Engineers to study this issue is part of this victory today and will be part of a restored Los Angeles River to-morrow,” said Lewis MacAdams, Co-Founder and President of Friends of the Los Angeles River. “All of us will need to get on board for the next part of this journey — navigating this decision through the appropriations process, and realizing our vision of a greenway from the mountains to the sea.”

“This is a great victory for Mayor Garcetti and the people of Los Angeles and brings de-served attention to the LA River as a significant regional and national resource,” said LARRC Board Chair Brian Moore. “It recognizes the vision and hard work of the Mayor and the many river groups who had the dream that the river could be more than just a flood control channel, but serve recreational, envi-ronmental, and economic needs too. This is the greatest thing to happen to the river since it was paved over.”

L.A. River - continued from page 6

l to r: ACEC LA Chapter Past President Andrew Nickerson holding the Innovator of the Year Award; Interim City Engineer Deborah Weintraub; Mike Affeldt, LA River Project Office; Gary Lee Moore.

l to r: ACEC LA Chapter Past President Andrew Nickerson; Interim City Engineer Deborah Weintraub holds the Client of the Year Award; Gary Lee Moore.

The Bureau of Engineering took home two prestigious awards from the Los Angeles Chapter of the American Council of Engi-neering Companies at their annual awards banquet held May 15, 2014, at the Beverly Hilton Hotel.

Gary Lee Moore, Interim Executive Di-rector of the Port of Los Angeles who will be returning as City Engineer in a few weeks, and Interim City Engineer Deborah Wein-traub were on hand to accept the Client of the Year award on behalf of the Bureau of Engineering. Michael Affeldt of BOE’s Los Angeles River Project Office accepted the Innovator of the Year award for the City of LA’s Los Angeles River Revitalization.

ACEC LA Chapter Presents 2 Awards to BOE

Gary Lee Moore was one of the featured speakers at the ACEC LA Chapter banquet.


On May 8, 2014 the Los Angeles County Chapter of the National Electrical Con-tractors Association (NECA) selected the Hyperion Treatment Plant (HTP) Digester Gas Compressor Facility Project to receive the 2014 Electrical Excellence Award. This is an annual award for electrical work per-formed in Los Angeles and Ventura Coun-ties. The projects are judged against other submitted projects that vary from year to year in particular categories. The projects are judged on the quality of the electrical work as well as the complexity and diffi-culty of the project.

The HTP Digester Gas Compressor Facility had many electrical systems from low voltage lighting controls to oil filled transformers that were fed at 13,800 volts making it a diverse and complex project along with the difficulty of the hazardous environment in the compressor room. All these aspects of the project added to the award being given to the project along with the high quality and exceptional craftsman-ship performed on the project.

The existing compressors at the HTP Di-gester Gas Compressor Facility had reached the end of their useful life. With a total con-struction budget of $27 Million, the HTP Digester Gas Compressor Facility project is now in the final stages of commission-ing. The project upgraded and expanded the digester gas handling capacity to allow decommissioning and replacement of the existing digester gas compressors. Under this project, a new electrical building was constructed and all new electrical equip-ment were installed and integrated with the HTP distribution control system as well as the HTP SCADA for the Power and Energy Management System.

The digester gas compressors at HTP are

HTP Digester Gas Compressor Facility Project Receives NECA Electrical Excellence Award

Project Team, l to r: Paul Hansen, Project Scheduler; Al Bazzi, Project Manager; Bill Hartnett, Chief Process Engineer; Sam Khurana, Electrical Engineer; Richard Jones, Structural Engineer; Anita Chou, Construction Manager; Fessehaie Tesfai, Civil Engineer; Chris Livingston, Big Sky Electric; Rick Andelin, Construction Manager; Michael Sarullo, Division Engineer; Brent Tuttle, Sr Construction Inspector; Naser El-Saheb, Sr Construction Manager; Dung Tong, Mechanical Engineer; Vadim Haimsky, Instrumentation Engineer; Adil Samed, Construction Manager; Toni Garcia, Construction Inspector; Gary Van Eede, Big Sky Electric.

responsible for compressing gas produced from the digesters and conveying it to the desulfurization facility for removal of H2S and distribution for beneficial use in the on-site plant boilers, or to the Department of Water and Power’s Scattergood Facility, and in the future to the HTP Cogeneration Facility being constructed under the Digest-er Gas Utilization Project.

The project was designed by the Envi-ronmental Engineering Division, the general contractor was USS Cal Builders, and the electrical contractor was Big Sky Electric, Inc. Congratulations go to everyone who worked on this project on winning this prestigious award.


ACEC CA press release:SACRAMENTO, CALIF. - December 3, 2013 – Today the American Council of En-gineering Companies of California (ACEC California) unveiled the 2014 recipients of its prestigious Engineering Excellence Awards. In all, twenty-five California firms representing thirty projects were named winners.

ACEC California’s annual Engineering Excellence Awards competition recognizes outstanding achievements in engineering and land surveying projects completed by California firms. Entries are accepted into one of 12 project categories: studies, re-search, and consulting engineering services; building/technology systems; structural sys-tems; surveying and mapping technology; environmental; waste and storm water; wa-ter resources; transportation; special proj-ects; small projects; energy; and industrial and manufacturing processes and facilities.

Winners are awarded a Merit, Honor or the highest accolade, the Golden State Award. All Honor Award winners are eligi-ble to win the Golden State Award, to be announced at this year’s awards dinner Feb-ruary 3, 2014, in Sacramento. In addition, the honor award winning projects will have photographic panels on display at the State Capitol, outside the Governor’s office, from February 3-7. Honor Award winners are also eligible to enter the national level Engineer-ing Excellence Awards competition. Honor Awards to• Psomas of Los Angeles, CA, for its work

on the South Los Angeles Wetland Park.Merit Award to • Shannon & Wilson, Inc. of Glendale,

CA, for its work on the White Point Landslide in San Pedro, CA.

ACEC California is a statewide association representing more than 1,000 private con-sulting engineering and land-surveying firms that average 20 employees each. ACEC California is dedicated to enhancing the consulting engineering and land sur-veying professions, protecting the general public and promoting the use of the private sector in the growth and development of our state. ACEC members provide services for all phases of planning, designing and constructing projects. For more information, visit www.acec-ca.org

ACEC Statewide Engineering Excellence Awards Go to 2 BOE Projects: White Point Landslide Remediation & South LA Wetlands

White Point Landslide team, l to r: Easton Forcier, Geotechnical Engineer; Robert Hancock, Geologist; Gene Edwards, Project Manager; Chris Johnson, Geotech Group Manager; Mark Oborne, Geologist; and Pedro Garcia, Project Manager.

Aerial view of South Los Angeles Wetland Park.


Bureau of Engineering Group Photos

We are sharing the recent photos taken of the different groups/divisions in the Bureau of Engineering. Thanks go to Leslie Wall and Richard Liu for coordinating this project.

1st row, l to r: Georgic Avanesian, Edmond Yew, Ray Saidi. 2nd row: Jackie Calvin, Danny Ho, Joseph Gnade, Quyen Phan. 3rd row: Dale Williams, Gregory Thompson, Phillip Martinez, Ken Alson.

1st Row, l to r: Kenneth Montgomery, Brittany Batong, Bettye Blevins, Jim Zabala, Rey Sison, Roxanne Villa, Johny Sosa. 2nd Row: Jerome Anderson, Annabel Nuno, Miu-Ying Tam, Nga Nguyen, Barbara Schrader, Roman Barajas, Harry Tso. 3rd Row: Chuck Entz, Jerry Pointer, Delia Velazquez, Dominic Buenaventura, Armand Pascua, Robert Mancuso. 4th Row: Ray Jadali, Doris McLaurin, Rolf Clever, Terrie Reed, Ray Zabala. Not Pictured: Dante Henderson, Ivory Hudson, John Talcott, Laurence Tillett, Maryanne Yee.

Land Development GroupEstablishes conditions for the approval of City land use entitlement applications, subdivision tract map, parcel map and other subdivision of land applications; Reviews and processes final tract and parcel maps; Performs right-of-way investigations for quitclaim of easements, public and private street naming and re-nam-ing; Coordinates, investigates and processes street closure and street vacation applications.

Project Award & Control DivisionPerforms a quality assurance review for all bid packages to advertise construction contracts, and prepares construction contract award reports to the Board of Public works. Serves as the Bureau’s expert in MBE/WBE/OBE requirements and the Mandatory Subcontracting Minimums for construction contracts. Maintains the Bureau’s standard contracts for construction projects and personal services, and is the custodian of record for all Bureau technical audits. Maintains a public counter for distribution of bid documents, plan holder lists, lists of projects out to bid, and BOE plans. Serves as the Bureau’s utility coordination expert and is responsible for coordination of utility work for construction proj-ects. Maintains the Uniform Project Reporting System (UPRS), which reports and updates the scope, budget and schedule for the design and construction of all BOE projects. Maintains the Personal Services Contracting System Contracting System (PSCS), which reports and updates the current status of all BOE consultant contracts.


l to r: Megan Whalen, Carol Armstrong, Mi-chael Affeldt.

1st Row, l to r: Lisa Ha, Ann-Kristin Karling, Mike Honan, Randy Price, Essam Amarragy, Luis Montemayor, Philips Nguyen. 2nd Row: Brian Yoder, Judy Stockli, Mark Nuesca, Kirk Bishop, Michael Lee, Ricardo Najera. 3rd Row: Selma Chit, Nathan Neumann, Richard Fernandez, Elroy Johnson, Vincent Sam. 4th Row: Jerry Del Rosario, Patti Gin, Raul Garcia, Mas Fujinami, Ron Chastain, Les Fleming. 5th Row: Rudy Preciado, Raul Virgen, James Yano. Not pictured: Nancy Ballard, Henry Cheney, Edwin Cortes, Cathy Georgescu, Mariann Karish, Jimmy Lam, Eric Moore, Doris Panaligan, Nem Respicio, Bruni Pelletier.

Mapping & Land Records DivisionCreates, maintains, updates and distributes the Bureau’s centralized Geographic Information System’s data, including the land base, street centerline, addresses, sewer and wye data, and storm drainage data; Performs data analysis to support various engineering planning and de-sign function; Prepares customized maps upon request for the Bureau, City Attorney, Council, Mayor, and other City departments; Programs and supports online permit applications; Maintains and updates Navigate LA and other web-based tools that utilize geographic information; Maintains the City’s official land ownership records.

Los Angeles River Project OfficeServes as the central coordination office for the implementation of the Los Angeles River Revitalization Master Plan (LARRMP), and for LARRMP-related project delivery, including the management and monitoring of consultant activities in support of establishment of the River management entities and in the devel-opment of River project scopes, designs, grant applications, budgets, and implementation; Chairs the City’s Interdepartmental Task Force on the River and serves as the primary point of contact for the City in establishing River cooperation partnerships in coordination with the County of Los Angeles, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and the State of California.


1st Row, l to r, Naushin Kamal, Julie Allen, Kendrick Okuda, Katie Doherty, John Saldin. 2nd Row: Andy Flores, Monique Parker, Salem Garawi, Joanna Tesoro, Iftekhar Ahmed.

1st Row, l to r: Myung Choi, Uriel (Uri) Jimemez, Paul Burke. 2nd Row: Okey Njoku, Augusto (Gus) Parcero, Robert Castillo. Not pictured: David Castillo, Cheryl Lewis, Sam Wong.

Proposition O Program, Clean Water BondProposition O authorized $500 million of General Obligation bonds for projects to protect public health by cleaning up pollution, including bacteria and trash, in the City’s watercourses, beaches and the ocean, to meet Federal Clean Water Act requirements. Proposition O will also fund improvements to protect water quality, provide flood protection, and increase water conservation, habitat protection, and open space. The bonds allow the City to purchase property and/or improve municipal properties for projects that:• Protect rivers, lakes, beaches, and the ocean• Conserve and protect drinking water and other waters sources• Reduce flooding and use neighborhood parks to decrease polluted runoff• Capture, clean up, and reuse stormwaterThe Proposition O Implementation Program manages the design and construction of these projects and coordinates the funding of projects managed by other agencies and other City departments or bureaus.

Real Estate DivisionProvides all necessary real property acquisi-tion services for all Public Works infrastructure projects. The Division has a Caltrans Level-3 prequalification making it the only real prop-erty group in the City that can certify feder-ally funded right-of-way projects. Services provided include pre-design consultation, right-of-way project management, appraisal, negotiation, acquisition, relocation assistance, property management, title examination, consultant oversight, escrow and right-of-way instruction; Processes dedications, vacations, quitclaims, and irrevocable offers to dedicate property to the City.


Awards celebrate the best of the region’s new and innovative architectural achievements Public Works Public Affairs Office press release:LOS ANGELES (June 4, 2014) - Los Angeles River advocates were honored at the 44th An-nual Los Angeles Architectural Awards hosted by the Los Angeles Business Council (LABC).

U.S. Representatives Xavier Becerra and Lucille Roybal-Allard presented the Commu-nity Impact Award to L.A. River organizations that have supported revitalization of the River, a project honored for its innovative design and meaningful sustainability for the city. Accepting the award was Los Angeles Interim City Engineer, Deborah Weintraub.

The event drew hundreds of the region’s leading architects, designers, developers, owners and building professionals.

“The LA Business Council’s recognition of our efforts today puts a spotlight on the dy-namic and diverse partnership that is making River revitalization a reality,” said Deborah Weintraub, Interim City Engineer. “This part-nership includes business owners, workers, students, teachers, public officials, residents, artists, poets, engineers, architects, neighbors, friends, moms, and dads. New and old advo-cates are standing together to make our River an urban oasis in the city of Los Angeles.”

The LABC presents awards each year that honor design teams for both their aesthetic vision and their contributions to the commu-

LA Business Council Recognizes City’s River Advocates

Interim City Engineer Deborah Weintraub, Carol Armstrong and Megan Whalen- were on hand to accept the award, joined by Councilmember Mitch O’Farrell and other River advocates.

nity as a whole. The awards are presented to entire project teams – including the building owner, designer, contractor and developer – for their contributions to exceptional design in L.A. County.

“Today’s winners enhance our quality of life and prove that Los Angeles remains a global hub for world-class architecture,” said LABC President Mary Leslie.

The LA River revitalization effort received support last week from the Army Corps of Engineers for Alternative 20, a far-reaching, $1 billion River restoration plan that will trans-form 11 miles of the River through restoration of riparian ecosystem functions.

A distinguished jury of owners, contractors, architects and civic leaders selected this year’s winners from hundreds of submissions.

The Community Development Department (CDD) has been a client of the BOE for this 10-acre, former Caltrans sign-making facility since the City acquired the site in 1994. The BOE Geotechnical Engineering Group achieved regulatory case closure for the con-taminated soil after removing a leaking under-ground solvent storage tank and impacted soil, and managed the demolition of the former site buildings. BOE Geotech also performed geotechnical engineering analyses of the site for road and bridge access. The project was put on hold by the CDD when a deal with a previous private developer fell through. A new developer, Rodney S. Shepard, has broken ground for a high-tech facility with strong job-training functions, in an underserved area. Congresswoman Janice Hahn kicked off the May 15, 2014 groundbreaking ceremony.

The BOE Geotech was requested by CDD to study the groundwater underlying the site when the new developer was found. Levels of solvents above permitted levels were found. The BOE Geotech worked with an environ-mental consultant, Pinnacle Environmental, to gain acceptance of the Remedial Action Plan and has started groundwater remediation. The groundwater remediation may take several years; however, a great majority of the work has been accomplished, and the site devel-

BOE Partners with CDD on Remediating Lanzit Site

l to r: Keith Thompson, Principal of Pinnacle Environmental, Mike Mulhern, Project Geologist with Geotech, and Chris Johnson, Geotech Group Manager.

opment can proceed during remediation with minimal surface impact or safety concerns to the surface facilities. The remedial technology involves the injection of a hydrogen-releasing compound via direct-push injection wells,

allowing the time-released compound to degrade the solvents in the groundwater with time. BOE Geotech periodically samples the groundwater conditions and reports to the L.A. Regional Water Quality Control Board.


Andrew AsfourAndrew Asfour is one of the newest members of the Structural Engineering Division (SED). He is work-ing for SED’s Wastewa-ter Section as a Structural Engineering Associate I. Andrew will be preparing structural designs and de-tails as well as reviewing submittals for Wastewater and underground facilities.

Andrew Asfour was born in Glendora, California and currently lives in Chino Hills, California. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering from California State Polytechnic University, Pomona in De-cember of 2012. After his graduation Andrew successfully passed the E.I.T. exam and is currently pursuing his P.E. certification.

Andrew previously worked as a design engineer for a private structural engineering firm in Orange County before joining BOE. In his previous employment he gained expe-rience in the design of podium buildings, as well as general concrete, masonry, and steel design. He was also responsible for drafting plans, reviewing and responding to RFI’s and Submittals, and field observations. Andrew also has five months experience as a structural intern at a private Oil and Gas firm, where he mainly worked on steel design for Hydrocar-bon Processing facilities.

Besides work, Andrew enjoys spending time with his family and friends. His hobbies include playing sports such as tennis, basket-ball, and table tennis as well as hiking. He also has a fascination with space and reads many books and publications on Astronomy and Astrophysics. Andrew comes from a tight knit family of engineers and wishes to continue his family’s legacy.

Welcome to the Bureau of Engineering!The following information about some of our new employees illustrates that the Bureau of Engineering has hired a very diverse group of talented people.

Dominick EspositoDominick graduated from Cal State Fullerton in May 2012 with a Bachelors De-gree in Civil Engineering. While at CSUF he was a member of ASCE, and a founding member of the CSUF Chi Epsilon chapter.

Before coming to the BOE he worked for Freeman, the largest Trade Show/Event contractor in the US, as a worksite foreman for the Anaheim and Los Angeles area. Trade show installation is very similar to construction projects. The carpet, the overhead stage and light rigging and ev-

Mahelet GebeyhuMahelet Gebeyhu joined the Geotechnical Engi-neering Group as a Civil Engineering Associate I. She graduated from Loyola Marymount Uni-versity in 2013 with a Bachelor of Science de-gree in Civil Engineering with an emphasis in En-vironmental Engineering.

As an undergraduate student, Mahelet participated in an ongoing research program to address water quality issues in a small community in El Salvador. During her time in El Salvador, Mahelet helped build a commu-nity well, distributed Sawyer filters, collected water samples from older filters, and surveyed the island. Mahelet really enjoyed her time digging ditches and waddling in wastewater all in the good name of Science, Science and Pupusas. Mahelet also worked a variety of jobs while in school such as a receptionist at the Jesuit Community of LMU, a personal assistant to a lawyer, a research intern at Tsehai Publishing Company, and teaching Amharic to children.

Mahelet grew up in Atlanta where she attended Berkmar High School. Her hobbies include reading, hiking, and adventuring. Ma-helet’s office is located on the first floor of the Public Works Building and she can be reached at (213) 847-0477. Bat-signals work as well.

Daniel SantistevanDaniel Santistevan joined the Survey Division in the San Pedro office as an emergency appointed Field Engineering Aide in the Department of Public Works Bureau of Engineer-ing. Prior to his appoint-ment, he was a volunteer in the Survey Division for over 2 years. Asked what his most exciting experience was while working as a volunteer, his answer was ‘The White Point landslide in San Pedro. It was different and exciting.”

Daniel has always wanted to be a surveyor. He is currently studying surveying at Rancho Santiago College in the evenings and plans on pursuing his Professional Survey License.

Born and raised in La Mirada, California and a graduate of La Mirada High School. In his spear time, he enjoys playing basketball (he says his game needs work) and cooking. He likes creating his own recipes to see if they taste as good as he imagined. Daniel has en-joyed the many challenges, experiences and camaraderie working with those who love and enjoy surveying like he does. He is grateful for this opportunity and is hopeful to join the Survey Division on a full time basis.

erything in between is provided, assembled, and removed during the 3 week course of a normal event. He was in charge of material delivery schedules, labor scheduling, and site supervision.

Dominick’s family is from New Orleans, Louisiana where he was born. When he was 5 they moved to New Jersey for a few years, relocating to Southern California when he was around 13. Since moving to California he has lived in southern Orange County in various cities from San Clemente to Irvine. He has a big family with 9 pairs of Aunts and Uncles, and countless cousins that live in just about every region of the US. His younger brother that lives in Vista, CA and works for the Stone Brewing Company. His older sister lives in Chandler, Arizona and works for the State of Arizona as a computer systems integration specialist. He is the first person in his family to study and work in engineering.

Ice hockey has been his passion for almost as long as he can remember. He has played at a competitive level for most of his life and still plays recreationally. He enjoys watching just about any hockey game and is a big fan of the LA Kings. His other hobbies include playing guitar, listing to music, movies, and video games.

Abdullah SadozaiApril represented a home-coming for Abdullah Sa-dozai, SSD’s newest Civil Engineering Associate I. While attending Cal State Northridge, Abdullah was a TFLA intern with SSD for nearly two years. Upon graduating with his B.S. in Civil Engineering in May 2010, he was recruited by the Illinois Depart-ment of Transportation where he promoted rapidly in three years, taking on various trans-portation projects. His assignments included coordinating Value Engineering Studies for projects exceeding $40M, performing pave-ment design analysis, managing consultant projects, coordinating with railroad compa-nies for railroad-related projects, coordinating high-speed rail from Chicago to St. Louis, and working as a construction inspector. Ab-dullah earned his EIT and Illinois P.E. while in Chicago.

However, the polar vortex convinced Ab-dullah to return to LA. Originally from Kabul, Afghanistan, he came to the United States at the age of 12, and now considers LA home. Abdullah enjoys watching sports, traveling, and cooking. His office is on the eighth floor of the Public Works Building. He can be reached at (213)-847-4783.

continued on page 15


New LetterheadThe latest version of the Bureau of Engineering letterhead template is always available from the Engineering Forms Library under the cat-egory Correspondence on the BOE intranet.

Ryan McCauley was a high school intern with the Bureau of Engineering last summer and wrote about how his experience influ-enced him to apply to the UCLA School of Engineering. We are pleased to note that he was accepted and will be starting at UCLA in the Fall.UCLA Application - Personal StatementIt’s 9:30 am in South Central LA and I can feel beads of sweat forming near the brim of my hardhat. I am overdressed for this hot summer morning: neon orange construction vest thrown over a freshly ironed shirt and tie, black slacks, and dress shoes, which get scuffed up as I walk around the construction pit. Normally I would be in a deep slumber right now, and not waking until noon – a perfectly acceptable wake-up time for summer vacation – it’s my first day of work.

Over summer, I was an intern for the LA City Bureau of Engineering. I was selected along with 32 others out of some 400 high school applicants who demonstrated strength in math and science. I expected that I, with no skills and living at the bottom of the employee food chain, would stay in the office all day as an Executive Coffee Fetcher or Copy Machine Technician. I’d smile and shake a few hands, go home, rinse, repeat. My prediction turned out to be dead wrong. After five minutes on the first day (enough time to meet my boss and see my desk) I was on the road with three civil engineers to do a progress check on a storm drain that was under construction. I scribbled down notes as they casually tossed around terms I didn’t understand like “retention area” and “change order”. Over the course of 5 weeks working 35 hours a week, I didn’t make a single photocopy – and perhaps more importantly, I learned about myself and my aspirations.

For the past couple of years, I have been envious of my classmates that had a direction in life. They knew that they wanted to be doctors, lawyers, and computer programmers – and I felt like a lost and confused tourist, not knowing what to buy at a bazaar. To be perfectly honest, when I was laboring over my cover letter and preparing for first round interviews, I was more interested in earning $10/hour than learning about engineering. But by the conclusion of the internship pro-gram, I felt the experience itself was more valuable than the money I had gained. I was swiftly shuffled through 5 different divisions: Survey, Geotechnical Engineering, Archi-tectural Division, Wastewater Conveyance, and Construction Management. Each was in a different building, with different people, different expectations, and different goals. It revealed to me that there is so much more to engineering than just bashing out equations like I had thought – it’s about problem solv-ing in the real world. While standing beside two geotechnical engineers while we craned our necks to look at the face of a rugged cliff discussing rock-slides, I was fascinated, and for the first time, I saw a career for me. This experience is a testament to the kind of person I am: naturally inquisitive, a quick learner, adaptable, and a doer. I feel that I am the kind of person willing to venture outside my comfort zone and try something new, and draw something positive from it. If this is how my first job turned out, I am very optimistic for the future.

BOE Internship Helps Student Envision a Career

Lawrence TayLawrence Tay graduat-ed from California State Polytechnic University Pomona with a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engi-neering in 2010. While he was a student he did volunteer work at the Bu-reau of Engineering Survey Division and Wastewater Conveyance Construction Division. After graduation he started work as a Civil Engi-neering Associate at FPL and Associates for 3 years where he worked on various project around southern California including LA Live, Riverside Dr Bridge, the Expo Light Rail Project and the Gold Line Extension. Now he has come full cycle and returned to the City of Los Angeles as a Field Engineering Aide in the Survey Division.

25 Year PinsAt the May 15, 2014 Management Team Meeting, Deputy City Engineer Ken Redd pre-sented pins and certifi-cates to two Bureau of Engineering employees in recognition of their 25 years of City service: Didar Khandker, Civil Engineering Associate III, Metro Transit Group, Street and Stormwater Division and Mark San-tistevan, Survey Party Chief II, Survey Divi-sion.

l to r: Didar Khandker, Ken Redd, and Mark Santistevan.

2014 L.A. Sanitation Open House DatesMeet Sanitation Personnel and Learn More about Reducing, Reusing and RecyclingPublic Works Public Affairs Office press release:LOS ANGELES (November 19, 2013) - The Board of Public Works announced the 12th Annual Discover Recycling 2014 Sanitation Open Houses today. Each of L.A. Sanitation’s six watershed yards will open their doors to the public in a series of free weekend events.

“The Open Houses allow the City to show-case Sanitation collection programs with an emphasis on improving recycling practices and strengthening our partnership with resi-dents,” said Barbara Romero, commissioner of the Board of Public Works and liaison to the Bureau of Sanitation. “We sincerely appreciate the 7,300 residents that attended this year and look forward to the growth and continued enthusiasm to share the principals of individual responsibility and action volun-teer in recycling.”

Upcoming L.A. Sanitation Open House dates, times and locations are:

Saturday, June 21, 2014 - 9:00 am to 2:30 pm. Harbor District Yard, 1400 N. Gaffey Street, San Pedro, CA 90731

Saturday, June 28, 2014 - 9:00 am to 2:30 pm. West Los Angeles District Yard, 2027 Stoner Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90025

The Open Houses feature trash truck and equipment demonstrations in addition to facil-ity tours, information booths, recycling games and refreshments. Nearly 300 city employees volunteered their time at the weekend events to “give back” to the neighborhoods and res-idents they serve throughout the year.

Have a Happy and Safe 4th of July


Port of Los Angeles press release:(LOS ANGELES) May 27, 2014 - Mayor Eric Garcetti has nominated Eugene Seroka, an exec-utive with APL shipping line, as the next Execu-tive Director of the Port of Los Angeles.

“I’m proud to nom-inate Eugene Seroka to be the next Executive Director of the Port of Los Angeles, the nation’s top container port,” said Mayor Eric Garcetti. “I’m confident that Gene will be a strong leader who will enhance our international trade agenda, increase reliability and efficiency through effective management and labor relations, and ensure our Port is a sustainable and positive neighbor to the Har-bor community.”

Garcetti continued: “I would also like to thank Interim Executive Director Gary Lee Moore for leading the Port so capably over the last seven months, and I am delighted to welcome him back to his critical role as the City Engineer of the City of Los Angeles, where he is responsible for the City’s vast network of public infrastructure.”

“I’m thrilled that Mayor Garcetti has tapped me to lead the Port of Los Angeles - the busiest container port in the United States,” said Eu-gene Seroka. “I look forward to focusing our operations to provide world-class customer service while continuing to invest in a healthy and vibrant harbor community.”

The Board of Harbor Commissioners will consider Mayor Garcetti’s nomination at its June 5th meeting. Seroka’s nomination is subject to confirmation by the Los Angeles City Council.

“Eugene Seroka is uniquely qualified to lead the Port of Los Angeles,” said Ambassa-dor Vilma Martinez, President of the Board of Harbor Commissioners. “His maritime and global commerce expertise, leadership skills, and strategic vision are exactly what we need as the nation’s premier trade gateway.”

Martinez said: “The Board of Harbor Com-missioners is grateful to all our stakeholders who generously responded to the search committee’s survey or met with our team to provide invaluable feedback and perspec-tive. The Port and its Executive Director have wide-ranging responsibilities; but with the help of our diverse and engaged stakeholder base, we are confident that Mr. Seroka will succeed in his efforts to take our Port to the next level.”

“We are also grateful to Interim Executive Director Gary Lee Moore for his outstanding stewardship and service to the Port during this transition period,” Martinez said.

Seroka is Head of Commercial in the

Americas Region for American Presidents Line (APL), a wholly owned subsidiary of Singapore-based Neptune Orient Lines (NOL) and the world’s seventh largest ocean carrier. He was previously President of the Americas Region. Based in Phoenix, he led more than 1,000 employees and all of APL’s Sales and Operations activities in North, Central, and South America. He managed sales for the Company’s Liner Shipping as well as oversee-ing its four U.S. marine terminals and inter-modal operations throughout the geography. In his previous role, he was Vice President Middle East & East Africa, based in Dubai, for NOL group from April 2008.

Beginning in October 2005, Seroka served as the Vice President of APL Logistics Ltd located in Singapore, responsible for the lo-gistics business in the twenty-six country Asia/Middle East & South Asia regions. Previously, he was the Managing Director of APL and APL Logistics Indonesia. Based in Jakarta, he was responsible for all Liner and Logistics business throughout the archipelago from June 2003 to October 2005.

Seroka began working for APL after gradu-ating from business school as a sales support representative in the company’s Cincinnati office. He then served in a variety of roles in the sales management and marketing fields, in assignments throughout the United States. He was then posted as Director of Sales and Marketing in Shanghai for APL (China) Com-pany Ltd in 1999.

Seroka obtained a Bachelor of Science in Marketing from the University of New Orleans in 1986 and an MBA from the University of New Orleans in 1988.

In February 2014, the executive search firm Ralph Anderson & Associates began the search for a new Executive Director of the Port of Los Angeles. Stakeholder groups, including rep-resentatives from the shipping industry, local community, labor, local elected officials and business groups, provided their perspectives on priorities for the position. In addition, a public hearing and an electronic survey were initiated to solicit more public input. After those efforts, the search firm, in conjunction with a committee of Harbor Commission-ers, reviewed candidates and subsequently brought the top applicants before the entire Harbor Commission in a closed session meet-ing for interviews. The Harbor Commission then presented their top candidates to Mayor Garcetti for his review and consideration, leading to Mayor Garcetti’s nomination for the position of Executive Director.

The Port of Los Angeles is America’s pre-mier port and has a strong commitment to de-veloping innovative strategic and sustainable operations that benefit the economy as well as the quality of life for the region and the na-tion it serves. As the leading seaport in North

America in terms of shipping container vol-ume and cargo value, the Port generates more than 830,000 regional jobs and $35 billion in annual wages and tax revenues. For more information, visit www.portoflosangeles.org Update:On June 4, 2014, the Board of Harbor Commissioners approved the appointment of Eugene D. Seroka as Executive Director of the Los Angeles Harbor Department. His confirmation hearing before City Council is scheduled for June 11, 2014.

Mayor Nominates Eugene Seroka as Port Executive Director

Ed P. Reyes River Green-way Opens to the publicFrom May 22, 2014 Eastside LAThe Ed P. Reyes River Greenway in Lincoln Heights is now officially open to the public after the city installed some heavy-duty gates to secure the one acre of parkland next to the L.A. River.

The greenway, which features a small stream, pathways and new landscaping, was finished at the end of last year but remained off limits to the public as the city secured money to build a permanent fence and gates at the park off Humboldt Street .

With the recent installation of the perma-nent gates and fencing, the greenway opened to the public last Friday, May 16, 2014, and will be open from 7 am to 7 pm daily, said Richard Lee with the Department of Public Works. While it may look like a park, the greenway is not officially part of the city’s park system. Instead, it is maintained by the city’s Bureau of Sanitation as a water quality sanitation facility, Lee said.

The greenway, named after the former First District Councilman, has been touted by the city as an innovative way to treat storm drain runoff while creating new parks and public spaces along the Los Angeles River. An un-derground biofiltration system helps clean and collect the storm water using a natural treatment process. The waterfall pumps, as well as the lights along the path that loops around the one-acre park, are powered by solar energy collected by panels on the site.

“We are proud of this multi benefit River greenway that is cleaning runoff, conserving water, and greening our communities while connecting them to the L.A. River,” Lee said via email.

Change of AddressBureau employees are reminded that it is their responsibility to notify their group/division of-fice of any change of address and/or telephone number. This information can be updated by completing a “Change of Employee Address” form. It is important that employees inform their division of any changes to ensure that the information in their Personnel files are kept current.


Hazardous Materials Awareness MonthFrom the Emergency Management Depart-ment:June is Hazardous Materials Awareness Month. Hazardous materials aren’t restricted to the highway, local refinery or manufac-turing firm. Motor oil, paint, pool chemicals and other common household products could make your home a potential site for a mini hazardous materials (hazmat) incident, par-ticularly during or after an earthquake. Strong ground shaking could topple and break bottles and cans containing hazardous materials.Did you know:• Corrosive substances or vapors (e.g., car

batteries, chlorine bleach, glass cleaners, etc.) deteriorate or irreversibly damage body tissues with which they come in contact and erode the surface of other materials.

• Flammable substances (e.g., air fresheners, gasoline/diesel fuel, oil-based paints, etc.) are capable of burning in the air at any temperature.

• Toxic substances (e.g., insecticides, moth balls, nail polish/remover, fertilizers, etc.) may poison, injure or be lethal when they are eaten, absorbed through the mouth and stomach, absorbed through the skin or inhaled into the lungs.

If you have been exposed to hazardous ma-terials, you may be instructed to remove and dispose of your clothing right away and then wash yourself. Removing your clothing and washing your body will reduce or remove the hazardous materials.Remember LIES: Limit amount of materials stored Isolate/tightly cover products in enclosed

cabinets Eliminate unused or unneeded supplies Separate incompatible materials

Notice No. 17 dated May 15, 2014, titled “Emergency Appointment – Senior Construc-tion Estimator – Bureau of Engineering – Con-struction Management Division (1 Position)”

APPLICATION DEADLINE: May 27, 2014 by 10:00 a.m.

This position is open to all employees within the Bureau of Engineering (BOE). Candidates must meet the latest bulletin re-quirements for Senior Construction Estimator by the application deadline.Minimum Requirements1. Two (2) years of full-time paid experience

with the City of Los Angeles as a Con-struction Estimator, Electrical Construc-tion Estimator, Mechanical Construction Estimator or in a class at least at that level making cost and quantity estimates for the construction, alteration and maintenance of large buildings or other public works improvements, under the Uniform Build-ing Code or Los Angeles City Building Code, or

2. Four (4) years of full-time paid experience, gained outside of the City of Los Ange-les, making civil and structural cost and quantity estimates for large type I, II, III, IV and V buildings or other public works improvements under the Uniform Building Code or Los Angeles City Building Code.

Summary of DutiesA Senior Construction Estimator assigns, coordinates, reviews, and participates in the work of a group of estimators engaged in making and checking detailed material and labor cost estimates for the construction, alteration, and maintenance of structural, architectural, electrical, electronic, plumbing, heating, and air-conditioning features in City buildings, harbor facilities and other facilities such as treatment plants; for the remodeling, replacement and moving of private buildings as a result of public improvements; studies, investigates and establishes labor and material cost standards, current construction costs, and other data pertinent to the estimating process; analyzes construction contract and purchase order bids, change orders, and payment re-quests; prepares reports recommending the acceptance or rejection of bids including the analysis of statistical data gathered and investigations made.

The incumbent will review building plans, specifications, sketches and memoranda, and assign estimating projects to subordinate esti-mators; review and approves completed esti-mates; reviews labor and material cost records pertaining to construction, maintenance, operation, and custodial activities; prepares reports reflecting statistical analyses of activity costs on unit and other measurement basis.

The incumbent will confer with City and private architects and engineers in order to clarify requirements, plans, and specifica-

tions and reconciles differences, including estimates prepared by private architects and engineers; answers questions and advises about the status of cost estimates; keeps re-cords and maintains files; fulfills supervisory responsibilities as set forth in the Personnel Policies; and may be assigned to other duties for training purposes or to meet technological changes or emergencies. Skills, Knowledge and AbilitiesThe Bureau is looking for candidates who possess the following skills, knowledge, and abilities, including but not limited to:• Good Skills in verbal and written commu-

nications.• Good skills in optimizing systems and

procedures.• Good personal computer skills in comput-

er programs such as MS Word, MS Excel, MS Access, Primavera and MS Project.

• Good skills and experience in both doc-ument control and document control systems (i.e. Tracking RFI’s, submittals, correspondence, and Change Orders).

• Good skills and experience on project cost control.

• Good skills and experience on project schedule control.

• Knowledge of the technical requirements of building codes.

• Knowledge of BOE’s Project Delivery Man-ual, Standard Plans, and the Greenbook.

• Knowledge of the Department’s EEO policies.

• Good working knowledge of construction management including change order ne-gotiations with CPM schedules.

• Ability to coordinate work with other City offices, Bureaus and Agencies.

• Ability to resolve highly technical issues in a fair and rational manner is essential.

• Ability to successfully negotiate and re-solve difficult issues is highly desired.

Method of Evaluating Candidates1. Resume and Departmental Application for

Employment http://per.ci.la.ca.us/Forms/DeptApp.pdf

2. Oral interview with designated staff of the Construction Management Division of the Bureau of Engineering.

3. Review of personnel folder.If available, at least six (6) of the most qual-ified candidates will be scheduled for inter-view. Should more than six apply, an initial screening of the application packages may be conducted to establish the candidate pool. All applicants will be notified whether or not they have been scheduled.How to ApplyCandidates interested in applying for the posi-tion should contact Thomas Goodine at (213) 847-4791. A resume and Departmental Appli-cation must be submitted to the Construction Management Division, Public Works Building

Notice No. 17 Emergency Appointment Senior Construction Estimator1149 S. Broadway, Suite 890, Los Angeles, CA 90015, Mail Stop 500, Email: [email protected] or FAX (213) 847-1926 by the application deadline of May 27, 2014 at 10:00 A.M.

(Note: Should you be granted an interview and require a special accommodation for the interview, please so indicate when you respond to this Notice).

Please note that the deadline has already passed.

Newsletter SubmissionsWe are always pleased to receive submissions for the Newsletter. There are a few tips that we’d like to be kept in mind. If you have pho-tos, please send them in their native format, i.e., jpg or tif. Do not place photos in a word processing document.


The Construction Management Association of America Southern California Chapter is offering the following seminars.

Soft Skills – Hard to Learn but Essential to Successful Leadership, Building Relation-ships, and Handling Conflict on Friday, June 20, 2014, at The Grand Conference Center, 4101 E. Willow St., Long Beach, 8:00 am Registration, 8:30 am Seminar. Owners and professional Construction Managers are chal-lenged every day with all kinds of business and technical issues. Tough decisions, difficult negotiations, disputes, and relationships that take a toll on physical and emotional energy are the norm. Dealing with ourselves and others presents challenges that demand we value soft skills. Consensus is growing and increasingly widespread among owners, con-tractors, consultants, and labor that soft skills are essential to achieving the best results in our daily interactions. Learn about:• What are “soft skills”• Why “soft skills” are important both per-

sonally and professionally• How industry leaders have mastered the

art of “soft skills” and are requiring them from consultants

• How to improve your “soft skills” to pro-vide owner service and win more work

Instructor: Dennis Doran, Director Operations & Business Development, Eastern Region SAFEWORK CM

Panel Members: Gary Cardamone, Former Director of Construction Management, Port of Long Beach; Lori Guidry, DBIA, Presi-dent, Development Industries, Inc.; Basem Muallem, Director, Caltrans District 8; Shaun Shahrestani, Chief Harbor Engineering of Construction, Port of Los Angeles; Mary Tout-ounchi, P.E., Capital Projects Manager, Hatch Mott MacDonald.

Register by Friday, June 13: $70/member, $110/non-members. After June 13 $85/mem-ber, $135/non-member.

Breakfast of Champions on Wednesday, June 25, 2014, 8:00 am Registration, 8:30 am Presentation, at the Hyatt, 333 S. Figueroa, Downtown LA. Assistant Vice Chancellor, College Finance & Facilities Planning, Califor-nia Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office Frederick E. Harris will present an update of the Prop 39 Program and the CCC/IOU Energy Efficiency Partnership.

The Importance of Implementing a Shad-ow Schedule on Thursday, June 26, 2014, 8:00 am Registration, 8:30 am Seminar, at The Grand Conference Center, 4101 E. Willow St., Long Beach.

Learn the details and use of a scheduling practice that will keep the project on track and within contract completion. The prac-tice of submitting baseline and construction monthly updates for review by the Owner is normal construction exercise. On a monthly basis Contractors gather the monthly prog-

ress and submit their data to the Owner via a construction schedule. But what happens when the project is delayed and is nowhere near project completion? Could there be a better solution of being able to detect a late completion earlier than anticipated? There is a tool available for Owners and Construction Managers that allows access to a schedule that takes into account the contemporaneous ac-tivities and provides a better forecast of project completion. The tool is a Shadow Schedule.* Understand what it is and how its works• Learns the benefits of using the scheduling

practice• Learn how to accurately forecast project

completion and milestone dates even when the GC’s schedules are inaccurate

• Learn how to successfully implement in order to avoid potential claims.

Seminar instructors: Joseph L. Seibold, P.E., FCMAA, Executive Vice President, ARCADIS; Hector Arias, LEED AP, Senior Construction Manager, ARCADIS.

Cost: Register by Friday, June 20, $70/member, $110/non-member. After June 20, $85/member, $135/non-member.

Estimating 101 – The Basics of Estimating for the CM at The Grand Conference Center, 4101 E. Willow St., Long Beach, Friday, July 18, 2014, 8:00 am Registration, 8:30 am Seminar. Estimating can be a risky business with no 100% guarantee. Learn the basics of estimating as well as the other actors that can limit profit, time, cost, quality and risk. This seminar will consider the initial ROM to initial, updated and final estimates through change order estimates. This will be a hands-on/interactive seminar with provided plans and task sheets. It is intended that after the seminar, you will understand the basics of estimating, the varying types of estimates, how these estimates are developed and how to choose the right type of estimate for your project and the phase of the project. Learn about:• Overview of Estimating Practices• Estimating Process and Prospective All

Sides: Contractor, CM and Owner• Basic Estimating Skills and Practice• Guiding Principles of What to Do, What

to Look For, When to Do It and How for all Estimate Types

• Estimating Best Practices and PitfallsInstructor: Danny Kaye, CCM, PMP, MRICS, LEED AP, CA “B” License – totum.

Panel Members: Jess Matta, LEED AP, Estimator, Swinerton Builders; Sarah Price, Capital Projects Coordinator, City of Long Beach, Dept. of Public Works.

Register by Friday, July 11: $70/member, $110/non-members. After July 11: $85/mem-ber, $135/non-member.

CMAA SCA Dinner Caltrans District 7/8/12 on Wednesday, July 23, 2014, 5:30 pm Registration, 6:30 pm Presentation, at The

Grand Conference Center, 4101 E. Willow St., Long Beach. Guest speakers are: Caltrans District 7 Director Carrie Bowen, Caltrans District 8 Director Basem Muallem, Caltrans District 12 Director Ryan Chamberlain.

Cost: Register by Friday, July 18, $70/member, $110/non-member. After July 18, $85/member, $135/non-member.

Introduction to Time Management & Scheduling – Controlling Time = Project Suc-cess at The Grand Conference Center, 4101 E. Willow St., Long Beach, on Friday, August 1, 2014, 8:00 am Registration, 8:30 am Seminar. Managing and controlling the time is one of the three main elements of every project, is a major task for project and construction managers, if not the most important one. This workshop will cover the basics of time man-agement, definitions, scheduling techniques and CPM scheduling concepts and assist them to have better understanding of construction phase schedule and time management. Learn about:• What is Time Management?• Scheduling definitions and basics• Scheduling techniques & CPM• Basics of schedule review and analysisInstructor: Amin Salari, CCM, PMP, LEED AP, Senior Project Manager, Lundgren Man-agement

Register by Friday, July 25: $70/member, $110/non-members. After July 25 $85/mem-ber, $135/non-member.

Project Management Basics at The Grand Conference Center, 4101 E. Willow St., Long Beach, August 14, 2014, 8:00 am Registration, 8:30 am Seminar. Managing large scale proj-ects involves many stakeholders and can be a very rewarding challenge. There are many opportunities for success and pitfalls along the way if things are not planned, organized and managed appropriately. This seminar will provide an overview of industry best practices for effective project management and provide the key techniques owners are requiring for their projects. Learn about:• How Planning, Cost, Schedule, Scope,

Safety and Quality Management are Best Implements

• Contract Development and Key Terms and Conditions

• Overview of the 7 Key Project Manage-ment Tools

• Overview of all 5 phases of the Project Lifecycle (Pre-Design, Design, Procure-ment, Construction & Post-Construction) and Project Management Practices for Each

• Project Delivery Methods and CM Best Practices

• Dispute Resolution and Mitigation Tech-niques

Instructor: Rick Panos, AIA, CCM, Parsons.

Construction Management Association of America, So Cal Chapter Seminars

continued on page 19


Register by Friday, August 8: $70/member, $110/non-members. After August 8: $85/member, $135/non-member.

Breakfast of Champions at Hyatt, 333 South Figueroa, Downtown L.A., on Wednes-day, September 24, 2014, 8:00 am Registra-tion, 8:30 am Presentation. Dan Feger, Exec-utive Director, Burbank Bob Hope Airport, will speak about current and future projects; opportunities for construction and profession-al services; how to do business with Burbank Bob Hope Airport.

For additional information please go to www.cmaasc.org.

Professional CM CourseCMAA is holding a 3-day course on Profes-sional CM at Parsons, 100 West Walnut St., Pasadena, Wednesday, June 25 - Friday, June 27, 2014.

Regular Registration: Member Owner $825 | Service Provider $1025; Non-Member Own-er $1025 | Service Provider $1225

Late Registration: Member Owner $925 | Service Provider $1125; Non-Member Owner $1125 | Service Provider $1325. Late registra-tion rates apply for those registering 14 days or fewer prior to the start of the course. * Registration rates do not include food or beverage. Meals are on your own.

Please verify your membership status prior to registering. If you are a member and are receiving non-member pricing, please contact [email protected] prior to registering for the course.

CMAA Seminars continued from page 18

DEV Deadline ExtendedMessage from the Personnel Department Employee Benefits:We are pleased to report that 93% of City employees enrolled in Flex health benefits with dependent coverage have responded to our Dependent Eligibility Verification (DEV) program, and 73% have completed the pro-cess. For employees who have not completed the process, the response deadline has been extended to June 18, 2014. All required doc-umentation must be submitted by this date. There will be no further extensions beyond June 18, 2014.

All City employees who have dependents enrolled in Flex medical or dental are re-quired to provide proof of eligibility for each dependent. A Dependent Eligibility Verification (DEV) Package was mailed to you in April. If you have misplaced it or did not receive it, please log on to the DEV website at www.mercerdevs.com/COFLA where you can download an electronic copy of your package.

Remember, the 3 steps to completing the process are:1. Verify your dependents Flex Plan eligibility

and collect supporting documents2. Sign and date the DEV form. A personal-

ized version of the form with your name and list of dependents was included in your DEV package and can be download-ed from the ww.mercerdevs.com/COFLA website)

3. Submit the signed DEV form and applica-ble documentation for each eligible de-pendent. The signed DEV form is required to complete the DEV process.

If you do not complete the DEV process by June 18, 2014, your dependent(s) will lose their Flex medical and dental benefits effective July 14, 2014.*

Visit myflexla.com for more information and access to a recording of the DEV webinar.

If you have already completed the DEV verification process and your status is either noted as “Complete” on the www.mercerdevs.com/COFLA website or you have received a written confirmation of completion by mail, no further action is required.

Message from the Department of General Services:The City of Los Angeles recognizes the sig-nificant environmental and cost benefits pro-vided by the use of electric plug-in vehicles. Currently, there are several City facilities that have designated parking with fixed charging equipment for these vehicles. The growing de-mand and frequency of use of this equipment requires that drivers be award of the following rules to ensure the safe and considerate use of the electric vehicle charging equipment, parking facilities and permitting requirements.

Electric Vehicle (EV) Charging Station Use and Availability1. Use the vehicle charging equipment re-

sponsibly.2. Only use the fixed charging equipment

provided in designated areas for electric vehicle charging. No additional cords or extensions for connection to other electri-cal outlets are allowed.

3. For the safety of employees, the electri-cal outlets in the immediate area of the charging stations have been disabled.

4. Vehicles should be parked such that the mounted charging station cable is able to reach the vehicle charging port without over stretching the cable.

5. Ensure that the manufacturer issued cord being used for vehicle charging is care-fully coiled so that it does not create a tip hazard. If you are not using the full length of the charging cord, neatly coil the cord and tuck it under your vehicle so that it is out of any walkway as much as possible. Equally, ensure that the cord is long enough to adequately reach your vehicle without pulling the cord taut.

6. Do not use any electrical equipment that is or appears to be in disrepair. This will create an electrical hazard. Do not try to make any changes or repairs to the equip-ment yourself.

7. Various City-owned or leased parking facilities may or may not have charging facilities available. Typically these facilities are available on a first come, first served basis.

8. There is no limitation on charging times. The Department of General Services (GSD) Parking Services Division does not have the resources to monitor charging times or enforce instances where another park-ing patron unplugs the charger from your vehicle and places it in their own. Use of the charging stations is at your own risk.

At the moment, the charging stations at the parking facilities which GSD manages are free; however at some point in the future it may be necessary to charge users for this service. Users will be notified if and when this change is made.

For questions or more information related

to EV Charging Stations, please contact Ben Setiarto of the Department of General Ser-vices, Parking Division at (213) 978-0728.Emergency ContactIn the event of an emergency, immediately call 911 and maintain a safe distance until help arrives.Electric Vehicle (EV) Parking Permits1. Electric Vehicle Permits are issued on a

space-available basis in accordance with the terms and provisions of the City’s Spe-cial Memorandum of Understanding on Commute Options and Parking (Parking MOU) managed by the Personnel Depart-ment.

2. EV permits are only granted for zero emis-sion vehicles as identified by the vehicle manufacturer; vehicles designated as partial zero emission (PEZ) do not qualify for City-issued EV permits.

3. An EV permit provides access to the park-ing garage/lot for which the permit was issued, but does not provide a guarantee or right to charge a vehicle at that garage/lot. Access to the parking spaces with a charging station is on a first come, first served basis.

For questions or more information related to EV Parking Permits, please contact Melina Mariano of the Personnel Department, Com-mute Options and Parking Section at (213) 978-1644.

EV Charging Stations & Parking Permits

Take Metro for a Night on the TownDid you know that Metro trains run every 10 minutes through midnight on the Red, Blue and Purple Lines? So you can ride with Metro to shop, club-hop or make an after work stop. And on weekends, trains run until 2:00 am. Go to www.metro.net/riding/maps for more information and up-to-date schedules.

We’d Like to Hear from YouIf you have any articles for the Newsletter, please e-mail them directly to [email protected]. Also cc: Myrna Braithwaite ([email protected]) Administration Division. Deadline for the next issue is Thurs-day, July 3, 2014.

Los Angeles City Department of Public WorksBureau of Engineering1149 South Broadway, Suite 700

Los Angeles, CA 90015http://eng.lacity.org

http://www.facebook.com/LABureauofEngineeringThe Engineering Newsletter is published monthly by the Administration Division for employees of the Bureau of Engineering.

Engineering VisionTo lead the transformation of Los Angeles into the world’s most livable city.

ArrivalsRaymond Uyemura, Sr. Systems Analyst II, Systems; Irene Watler, Systems Specialist II, Systems; Andrew Asfour, Structural Eng Associate I, SED; Jason Lew, Management Analyst II, BPD; Marcus Yee, Architectural Drafting Technician, Arch; Shokoufe Marashi, Environmental Supervisor I, EMG.

DeparturesHamilton Ching, CE Associate I, transferred to DWP, SED; Ken Alson, CE Associate III, retired, LDG.

PromotionsBrian Yoder and Raul Garcia, GIS Supervisor, Mapping; Karan Patel, CE Associate I, Central.

Internal TransfersJoseph Nehme, Electrical Engineering As-sociate III, from Arch to EED; Brian Stoker, Management Analyst II, from WCE to ASD.

In MemoriamOur sympathy goes out to WCED Senior Civil Engineer Brad Jenson, whose mother, Lois Bennett Jenson, passed away on May 27, 2014. The funeral was held in Utah on Saturday May 31, 2014.

Sincere condolences go to WCED Envi-ronmental Engineering Associate II Feliciano Reyes, whose father, Justino C. Reyes, passed away on June 3, 2014. The funeral will be held in the Philippines.

Passing of TownsendWe are sorry to report that James W. Townsend, 63, died May 6, 2014, at his home in Glen-dale, California. He worked as a Senior Title Examiner in the BOE Real Estate Group and promoted to the Harbor Department in August 2006 from where he retired. He is survived by his son, Randal Santos, his sister, Anne Neff, his sister-in-law, Carole Townsend, nieces, Sam Goza, Vicki Townsend, and Su-san Townsend-Williams, and nephew, Mark Townsend. A private graveside service was held May 23, 2014, at Forest Lawn in Glen-dale, California.

Give Blood, Give Life!The Personnel Department will host an Amer-ican Red Cross Blood Drive on Tuesday, June 17, 2014 from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm in the Training Center conference room at 520 E. Temple Street, Los Angeles, 90012. Please visit redcrossblood.org and enter sponsor code LAPersonnel to sign up, or contact Sherry Cox at 213 473-7039 or [email protected]. Donors will receive a coupon for a free Wahoo’s citrus slaw taco, a voucher for 2 free tickets to the Laugh Factory, and a voucher for 2 tickets ($10 processing fee per ticket) to an LA Galaxy game.

Passing of NaveIt’s with sadness that we report the passing of Jeanette Nave, retired Executive Secretary, Executive Division. She retired from the Bu-reau of Engineering in April 1990. Jeanette is survived by numerous family members including her husband Glen Nave, retired Engineer of Surveys, Survey Division. Services will be private.

July 4th HolidayFriday, July 4, 2014, is a City holiday. Remem-ber to mark your timesheet for that day as HO 8.0. Since the holiday is only for eight hours, those of you on the 9/80 schedule must adjust your hours accordingly within the same pay period. (Non-FLSA exempt employees can only adjust their hours within their defined work week.) Check with your division time-keeper if you have any questions.

Go511 - a Smart Way to TravelOutsmart traffic - Download the free Go511 app today! Go511 offers commuters and riders a smarter way to travel. You’ll get up-to-the-minute traffic updates plus real-time and scheduled transit information for five counties in Southern California: Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino and Ventura.

With traffic and transit in the palm of your hand, you can choose the route that’s best for you!Features include:• Live Traffic: View traffic alerts, speeds,

SigAlerts and closures.• Freeway Cameras: See live road conditions

before you hit the road.• Real-Time Metro Arrivals: Get real-time

Metro bus arrivals.• Bus & Train Schedules: Access scheduled

departures for 70+ transit agencies in SoCal.

• Stops & Stations: Find your closest bus stop or rail station.

• Favorites: Save your favorite bus stops & stations for easy access.

• Call 511: Quick access to Call 511 system for traffic, transit, motorist aid, commuter services and FasTrak information.

For more details, and to download the free Go511 app for iPhone, iPod, iPad or Android, visit Go511.com/apps.

PW-TEAM Invites You to Dodger DayThe Public Works-Task Force for Employee Achievement and Moral (PW-TEAM) invites all Public Works employees to bring their family and friends to Dodgers Day on Saturday, Au-gust 16, 2014. Tickets must be purchased by Friday, June 13, 2014. Contact Keyonna Kidd- PW TEAM Historian at (213)847-2484 or by email [email protected] to purchase tickets or for more information.

LGBT Pride Month Event with Judge WalkerThe Office of the City Attorney will have Vaughn R. Walker, Chief Judge of the Unit-ed States District Court for the Northern District of California (Retired) as a special guest to celebrate Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Pride Month on Wednesday, June 11, 2014 at 5:30 pm in the Edward R. Roybal Board of Public Works Session Room, City Hall, Room 350.

New LetterheadThe latest version of the Bureau of Engineering letterhead template is always available from the Engineering Forms Library under the cat-egory Correspondence on the BOE intranet.

rainforest of the americas opens at la zooeng.lacity.org/sites/g/files/wph726/f/06-11-14...

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