Rochester Hires New Public Works Director

Rochester, MN (KROC AM News) - Rochester has hired a new Public Works Director.

Administrator Steve Rymer has announced Christopher Petree has been hired to oversee one of the city’s largest departments. He has been working as Public Works Director in Lakeville since 2011.

Current Public Works Director Richard Freese is getting ready to retire, ending his Rochester career that began in 1993.

Petree will be responsible for providing strategic leadership and direction for all activities in the department’s divisions, including Administration, Engineering, Land Development, Infrastructure Maintenance, Fleet and Facilities, the Parking and Transit Utilities, and the Wastewater Utility. The work done by the department touches all Rochester residents and visitors daily and includes overseeing things like street infrastructure, new street lighting, traffic control, sanitary and stormwater, water main, and wastewater treatment facilities, as well as on-street and off-street parking and coordination of mass transit nodes.

News update: The 2018 Rochesterfest grand marshal has been named.

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