City hires interim public works director
August 28, 2008
By Ed Farrell
Alan Lobdell has made a career out of being a professional temporary worker.
Lobdell, 56, started work with the city of Snoqualmie Monday as interim public works director, following a similar tenure and posting in Snohomish County.
The term “interim,” Lobdell said, has no defined time limit. “I’ve worked for some places for three months and others for three years,” he said.
Lobdell said he was excited to start work, and saw the potential for good things to occur in Snoqualmie.
“There’s a lot of good things going on here,” Lobdell said prior to his official confirmation by the City Council. “It also looks like a challenge, but also a lot of fun. It’s the kind of work I enjoy; if I’m not working, I’m bored.”
Lobdell, a native of Aberdeen, is a professional civil engineer who also holds masters degrees in both business and public administration. He has more than 33 years’ experience in public works.
Although he currently resides in Kent, Lobdell said he has spent much of the past dozen years working interim posts across the state.
“Been from Walla Walla to Mukilteo,” he said. “I’ve worked at a lot of cities as interim.”
Lobdell said he’s held titles of city engineer, public works director and project manager.
“I’ve been hired as a project manager for bigger projects that (local staff) couldn’t handle,” he said.
Former Public Works Director Kirk Holmes resigned his post in early August to assume a similar post with Kittitas County.
The many stops along his career path have left Lobdell rich in both experience and suggestions.
“I’ve seen how all these different cities have done things,” he said. “I’ve seen how things have worked before, that might work well here as well.”
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