Ask the Director

Ronald J. Calkins, P.E.,
Director of Public Works
Ventura, California

Ron Calkins serves as the Director of Public Works for the City of Ventura. He has 29 years of experience in the public works field, the last 15 with Ventura.

Mr. Calkins is a registered civil engineer. He received his BS and MS in Civil Engineering from the University of Missouri-Columbia. He also received an MPA from Pepperdine University.

The Public Works Department is responsible for operating and maintaining all city facilities. This includes solid waste, water, wastewater, streets, drainage, public buildings, fleet, parks, and engineering services.

Below are some of the questions the Public Works Dept. is most frequently asked.

Click on the question that interests you to see the answer. If you have a question that is not answered here, please call our Public Works Customer Services Office at: (805) 667-6500.

"Ask the Director" Questions:

• Some areas of Ventura's beaches are cleaned more frequently. Why?
• Where are the City beaches and how often are they cleaned?
• Are there volunteer groups which help out with beach maintenance?
• How can we prevent ocean water pollution?
• What is the latest news about fixing the bike path at Surfers Point?
• How does the City figure out when to trim trees and how do I contact the City to have this done?
• The City used to spray olive trees to prevent fruit from developing. What happened to this program?
• What is the neighborhood replanting program and how can I get involved?
• Do I need a permit to use a park?
• Reclaimed water - the other water source?
• My street has potholes and cracks. When will the City fix it?