Cameron has served the City of Mountain View for seven years
Mountain View, Calif. — Public Works Director Dawn Cameron announced her intentions to retire in September 2024 after seven years with the City of Mountain View. Most recently, Cameron served as acting assistant city manager/community development director for several months while a new department head was hired. She’s overseen the Public Works Department as director for nearly five years. Her official retirement date is Sept. 6, 2024.
“Dawn is, quite simply, amazing,” said City Manager Kimbra McCarthy. “She is known as one of the best public works professionals in our region, and the City has been fortunate to benefit from her leadership, strategic thinking and creative problem solving. She is collaborative and motivational with her peers and staff, which was shown as she helped maintain the delivery of essential services during the COVID-19 pandemic to more recently when she temporarily stepped into another leadership role in the Community Development Department to maintain continuity. I extend my sincere appreciation to Dawn for her years of dedicated service to the Mountain View community.”
“As I reflect on my time serving as public works director, I am reminded of the valuable work that Public Works does for the betterment of our community,” said Cameron. “In my seven years with the City of Mountain View, I am grateful for all that we have accomplished from opening six new parks to planning for and delivering transportation improvements. I’ve had the privilege of working with an incredible team in Public Works combined with a supportive City Manager, collaborative Executive Team and caring City Council. I look forward to witnessing the continued growth and success of Mountain View.”
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Cameron led the Public Works Department in ensuring the community continued to receive essential services such as water, sewer, garbage/recycling and streets maintenance. In addition, she led the effort to establish a pedestrian mall on Castro Street that will be made permanent with future improvements planned.
Cameron’s other accomplishments as director included the adoption of the Vision Zero Policy; implementation of the new and expanded Safe Routes to Schools program; continuation and expansion of the Mountain View Community Shuttle, which is free to ride; construction that is underway for the El Camino Real Bike/Ped Improvements Project; Fire Station 4 improvements; new Public Safety Building’s concept design; the design and funding plans for Rengstorff and Castro Caltrain Grade Separation projects; and construction of the new Rengstorff Aquatics Center, which is anticipated to open later this summer.
On the sustainability and resiliency front, Cameron’s efforts resulted in the development of the Zero Waste Policy and Implementation Plan; Recycled Water System Expansion Plan; completion of the first Sea Level Rise project; and design of the Mountain View Senior Center’s solar water heating and electrification of its commercial kitchen.
As public works director, Cameron’s role involves overseeing planning, maintaining and improving Mountain View’s infrastructure; managing the City’s water, wastewater and recycled water systems; keeping the landfill postclosure systems maintained and safe; planning, designing and implementing traffic operational improvements; maintaining the City’s buildings and vehicle and equipment fleet; administering the City’s Solid Waste and Real Estate Management programs; and managing and implementing the City’s annual Capital Improvement Program among other responsibilities.
Cameron has more than 30 years of experience in public works, transportation planning, and public sector administrative and policy work. She has worked for the Santa Clara County Transportation Agency, Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority, County of Santa Clara including as a transportation planner and deputy director of County of Santa Clara Roads & Airports, and as a transportation consultant. In Mountain View, Cameron began working for the City as an assistant public works director in 2017 and was promoted to public works director in 2019.
The City will begin the recruitment process for a new public works director in July 2024.
Photo of Dawn Cameron
View this press release in Spanish, Russian and Chinese.
