Merced’s new public works director promoted from within

Merced’s city engineer has been promoted to public works director, officials said Friday.

Ken Elwin, 42, who has been serving as the interim public works director since June, got the full-time nod. He takes over from co-directors Stan Murdock and Mike Wegley, who retired and took a job in Monterey, respectively.

“I consider it an honor to have been chosen to lead this hardworking team of people who provide and maintain the essential services of this great community,” Elwin said in a news release.

He’ll make $138,430 a year plus benefits, according to the news release.

Elwin is a licensed professional civil engineer with more than 17 years of engineering experience, the release stated, designing everything from roadways and airports to dams and storm pump stations. He worked in the private sector in Mississippi, Colorado and California before joining Merced in 2010.

“Ken is a great addition to the team,” City Manager Steve Carrigan said in the news release. “He has been doing great work out at Public Works since June, and he has gotten tremendous support from the staff in the department.”

As city engineer, Elwin was in charge of all capital improvement projects in Merced and oversaw the sewer and water master plan updates. He was involved with the Highway 59 and Cooper Avenue improvements, Yosemite Avenue widening, M and R streets’ roadway reconstruction, G Street underpass, two new municipals water well pump stations and the Flanagan Park makeover.

While working in the private sector in California, Elwin worked on engineering projects in many Central Valley towns and cities including Stockton, Tracy, Manteca, Ripon, Modesto, Chowchilla, Parlier, Fowler and in Fresno County, among others, according to the news release.

Elwin earned a bachelor’s in civil engineering from the University of Mississippi.

This story was originally published January 29, 2016 at 2:27 PM with the headline "Merced’s new public works director promoted from within."