Leading Change in Public Works: An Interview with Jason Mitchell

Dear Readers,

We are excited to share with you the incredible accomplishments of Jason Mitchell, the Director of the Department of Public Works in Baltimore City. With over 20 years of experience in both private and public sectors, Jason has made a remarkable impact on the communities he has served.

As Director of the Department of Public Works, Jason oversees the delivery of drinking water to 1.8 million residents and businesses, wastewater treatment for many of those same customers, and solid waste services for all of Baltimore City. He is tasked with balancing critical infrastructure and financial stability with innovation in sustainability and long-term solid waste, water, and wastewater planning.

Jason's track record as a change agent is undeniable. As Assistant City Administrator for the City of Oakland, he managed more than 2,500 employees in multiple departments and oversaw the implementation of Oakland's Zero Waste initiative, which achieved an estimated 55% diversion rate in commercial and multi-family organics in 2020. Under Jason's leadership, Oakland onboarded a world-class Mixed Materials Processing Facility, adding 300 tons per day of diversion to its operations.

Additionally, Jason initiated a Master Plan for Oakland's Sewer and Storm Systems, using industry best practices to better plan for infrastructure maintenance and rate stabilization for ratepayers. He met and exceeded all aspects of Oakland's Sewer Consent decree, resulting in significant reductions in inflow and infiltration targets. Jason also addressed blight activities in Oakland through the "Oaktown PROUD" campaign and the "Student Ambassador" program, bringing awareness to and reducing illegal dumping and littering.

With a Doctoral degree in Organizational Leadership from the School of Education and an MBA from the University of San Francisco, Jason is a well-educated and experienced professional. He is an active member of the International City/County Management Association (ICMA), American Public Works Association (APWA), and National Forum for Black Public Administrators (NFBPA).

We are honored to have had Jason as a guest on The Infrastructure Hot Seat Podcast, where he shared insights on his experiences and discussed important topics such as infrastructure maintenance and sustainability, contract management, project management, and the challenges posed by inflation and budgetary constraints.

In summary, Jason's leadership and innovative approaches to public works have resulted in substantial improvements to the communities he serves. We look forward to seeing the positive impact he will have on Baltimore City in the years to come. Check out our podcast below! ??

Sincerely,

Chad Smeltzer