About engineers

There are many engineering disciplines. I work as a Software Engineer, with System Engineers, Mechanical Engineers, Electrical Engineers as well as number of other engineering disciplines. Very few of my co-workers are, “Licensed Professional Engineers”. If you wanted to become a Traffic Engineer for Mass Highway, you’d probably have to be a Licensed Professional Engineer. As I understand if from collegues that are Licensed Professional Engineers, most states do not license engineers and most engineers do not bother to become licensed because it is not required for most jobs and does not add value for their chosen carreer path.

That said, this is what the city code actually says about the DPW director.

§ 3-93. Commissioner of Public Works.

The Department of Public Works shall be under the supervision of the Commissioner of Public Works, who shall also, by virtue of his office, serve as City Engineer.

§ 3-94. Qualifications for Commissioner. [Amended 7-6-2004 by Ord. No. 189-04]

The Commissioner of Public Works shall be a person fitted by education, training and experience to efficiently perform the duties of his office.

§ 3-95. Appointment and term of Commissioner.

The Commissioner of Public Works shall be appointed by the Mayor in accordance with civil service laws.

As I read the code it does NOT require that the DPW commissioner be an engineer.

Reading the rest of Article IX it appears that the DPW commissioner is more manager than engineer.

Must one be an engineer to manage engineering projects?

Is it better to have an good manager that can converse intelligently with the engineering staff or a great engineer with poor or mediocre management/personel skills?

If you hire a great engineer to be DPW director will their talent be wasted on the day to day management of the DPW?

For the 4 years that Munier has been DPW commissioner, it appears he’s done a good job managing the resources he had to work with.

I think the mayor is on shaky ground here. The last DPW director, James Shuris, was fired for supposed insubordination but appealed his dismissal to the civil service commission. Shuris’ appeal hinged on his being a permanent vs. temporary civil service employee.

If Mr. Munier is a full time civil service employee he might, unlike Mr. Shuris successfully appeal his dismissal.

Of course this raises an interesting question. Why would you want to continue working for a boss that clearly wants to get rid of you?

Contrary to the opinion of many that post to SF, people do get to choose their boss. Mr. Munier could choose to move on (a loss to the city IMO) or if there is enough at stake for him he could choose to tough it out.

It will be interesting to see how this pans out....