Paul Oberdorfer named Charlottesville public works director

City Manager Maurice Jones has named Paul Oberdorfer as Director of Public Works for the City of Charlottesville.

Oberdorfer has worked in public service since 1991. He is currently the Director of Public Service for the City of Green, Ohio having previously been Deputy Director. In this role, he directs a department with four divisions, including highway, stormwater management, recreation & event and parks maintenance. He is additionally responsible for utility aggregation, city fleet, IT, right-of-way management, solid waste, recycling, environmental sustainability and building & grounds maintenance.

Prior to his work in Green, Oberdorfer worked for the Ohio Department of Transportation for 19 years.

“Paul has the right skill set and management history for this role,” said Jones. “Public Works is a large and multi-faceted department responsible for many key functions that citizens rely on daily. I am confident that Paul’s experience and expertise will help maintain the high quality of service that Judy Mueller and her staff have provided for many years.”

“Charlottesville presents a new world of opportunities for me as a servant leader,” said Oberdorfer. “Public works is a noble cause that touches each of our lives in an important way. My goal is to effectively support and serve the community to enhance our collective civic value.”

Oberdorfer replaces Judith Mueller, who is retiring after 31 years with the City. Mueller’s final day will be February 17, 2017.

Upon Mueller’s retirement announcement, Jones restructured the existing Public Works Department, separating Public Utilities and Charlottesville Area Transit (CAT) into standalone departments rather than divisions of Public Works. Public Utilities Director Lauren Hildebrand and CAT Director John Jones will continue to oversee those operations.

The divisions of Facilities Development, Facilities Maintenance, Fleet, Environmental Administration, and Public Service will remain within the Department of Public Works.

Oberdorfer will begin work with the City of Charlottesville on February 21, 2017.