NEW ORLEANS — The person picked to manage some of the city’s most frustrating infrastructure challenges appeared before a New Orleans City Council committee on Wednesday.
Mayor Latoya Cantrell nominated Rick Hathaway for the long vacant public works director position. The appointment requires council confirmation. Hathaway talked about his local roots.
“I was born here in New Orleans,” Hathway told councilmembers. “I was raised in the Lower Ninth Ward, went to school in the Lower Ninth Ward in the area called Holy Cross now.”
Hathaway is a civil engineer and former senior construction manager for the infrastructure design firm HNTB. He also has experience in city government.
“My first job was here at the city,” Hathaway said. “I worked at the Department of Streets for 12 years from '82 to '94, ended that with the chief of streets maintenance.”
The Department of Public Works manages and maintains more than 1500 street miles, nearly 150 bridges and 72,000 catch basins. DPW is also responsible for $2 billion in ongoing road repairs.
The project has faced chronic complaints from residents and businesses about streets being torn up and under construction for months, even years.
“What is your approach to heading the department that will be different from your predecessors,” CM Lesli Harris asked.
“I hope to take a more active role,” Hathaway said. “I feel my background in the engineering design, roadway design and construction area will be helpful.”
Council President J.P. Morrell said members are ready to give Hathaway a thumbs up.
“Finding someone who has Mr. Hathaway’s background, but also wants to come into municipal government at municipal pay is very, very difficult,” Morrell said. “He performed well today. He answered all of our questions.”
The Governmental Affairs Committee voted unanimously in favor of Hathaway’s confirmation. The full city council is now expected to vote on the matter on Thursday.
Rick Hathaway is now expected to take over as public works director pending city council confirmation.
Sarah Porteous, the last interim director stepped down in September.