Lifelong Petaluman Gina Benedetti-Petnic Named City's Interim Director Of Public Works, Utilities

PETALUMA, CA — Lifelong Petaluma resident Gina Benedetti-Petnic will be taking the lead as interim director of Public Works & Utilities —PW&U— the city announced late last week.

Benedetti-Petnic is filling the role following the departure of Christopher Bolt, who resigned to take a new position as the director of engineering and operations at Stanford University.

"We are grateful for Christopher’s efforts and leadership during his two and half years with the city, and we wish him the very best in his new position," city officials said.

Benedetti-Petnic joined the city team in 2018 as city engineer and was promoted to the assistant director of Public Works and Utilities in 2020, where she helped guide and manage significant city projects including the reconstruction of North McDowell Boulevard, the upcoming Lucchesi Skatepark, and many more highly impactful projects around town, the city said.

Before joining the city, Benedetti-Petnic founded an engineering firm and managed structural engineering projects for clients such as CSW/Stuber-Stroeh Engineering and more recently, large-scale commercial construction projects in the North Bay for Devcon Construction.

"As a lifelong Petaluman with deep roots in this community, I can think of no better way to show my love for Petaluma than to lend my skills and experience to supporting projects that touch the lives of so many who live here," Benedetti-Petnic said. "Engineering has always been a passion as it is a very hands-on way of creating a better experience for communities. I am honored to do this work in this city I care so deeply about."

While a national search is conducted for a permanent director, Benedetti-Petnic is leading a department responsible for implementing a nearly $500 million five-year Capital Improvement Program. This includes building and maintaining city infrastructure such as streets, facilities, water and recycled water; the airport, the marina, transit and more. By constructing, maintaining and managing various critical elements of the city's infrastructure, the PW&U Department keeps the city and community running smoothly.

"We are grateful to have Gina at the helm during this time of transition," the city said.

The open position is posted on the city's website. According to the job posting, the director oversees 113 employees and earns a salary ranging from $153,672 to $199,424 — pending council approval.

How To Reach PW&U, Report Issues

To reach the PW&U Department, email publicworks@cityofpetaluma.org or call 707- 778-4303.

To learn more about the work of the PW&U team, sign up to receive community update emails.

The city also posts information about current and upcoming projects on Facebook and other social media.

Report an issue to the Public Works & Utilities Department here. Residents can also enter service requests by using the Engage Petaluma cell phone app. To download search for the "engagePetaluma" application in the App Store or on Google Play.