Employee of the year part of ‘250%’ jump in capital improvement projects
by Garth Meyer Redondo Beach has seen a 250 percent increase in capital improvement projects in the past six years, according to City Manager Mike Witzansky. The uptick is credited to Andy Winje, city engineer, along with a “bench” of small-task design consultants added three years ago. Before 2016, the city did eight to 10 capital improvement projects annually, with another five to six designed. In 2022, the number is 19 under construction and 16 in the design process. “We credit Andy with a lot of it,” said Ted Semaan, Public Works Director. “It’s a very good team effort. We built up a great, fantastic team. Honestly, they all work from the heart.” Winje, who started with Redondo Beach in 2016, was named 2022 City Employee of the Year at the Chamber of Commerce awards in November. He leads a group of 10 engineers. In 2019, the city council approved the addition of a “bench” of design consultants, for smaller tasks, not exceeding $100,000. “They act as an extension of our staff, to shorten the amount of time to get a project designed,” Semaan said. The bench includes specialists in areas such as wastewater, soils, traffic, and civil and structural design. Funding comes from the…
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