Michael Throne, PE, QSD/QSP

Experience

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  City of Benicia

  Apr 1998 - Jul 2009

  City Engineer

  Benicia was incorporated in 1847 and was the state capital from 1853-1854. It is a full-service city of 27,200 and has a public works department with an operating budget of $15 million. As City Engineer (and prior to that Senior Civil Engineer and Interim Assistant City Engineer), I reported to the Director of Public Works and led the 30-person maintenance and engineering divisions including street, storm drain, distribution, collection and fleet maintenance, review of private development, and the performance capital project engineering and inspection services. Important infrastructure issues resolved included stormwater quality and antiquated collection systems.Key Accomplishments for City of Benicia:_Completed design and performed construction management of $2 million in downtown/marina area drainage improvements to improve stormwater quality and protect private property from flooding_Completed design and performed construction management of $10 million in collection system improvements needed to eliminate sanitary sewer overflows into San Francisco Bay_Developed and updated biannually the 20-year capital improvement program Show less

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  City of American Canyon

  Jul 2009 - Jun 2013

  Public Works Director

  American Canyon (established 1992) is the gateway city into the Napa Valley from San Francisco, the city grew 99-percent to 19,500 during the 2010 census. It is a full-service city and as the Public Works Director I led a 38-person public works department that provided water treatment and distribution; wastewater treatment and collection; street, building, fleet, and parks maintenance; and capital project engineering; with an operating budget of $11 million. Important economic development/public works issues I managed included lack of adequate water supply and storage for continued growth, congestion created by regional use of the state highway bisecting the community, and limited maintenance funding due to municipal structural deficit.Key Accomplishments:_Completed the 2010 urban water management plan and initiated projects into groundwater supply options, water rights purchases, and locally-controlled water storage reservoir alternatives to set the stage for upcoming private development_Created the first citywide traffic calming program with solutions to combat highway bypass traffic_Completed the first community parks and community services master plan using civic engagement principles that included activities programming and maintenance service standards_Developed a 5-year maintenance and capital improvement plan coordinated with the city’s 3-year structural deficit elimination plan and completed $10 million of infrastructure projects_Led a combined Public Works/Parks and Recreation department during transition period between parks directors and city managers Show less

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  Throne Family Ranch

  Aug 2009 - now

  Co-Owner

  Throne Family Ranch is a family-oriented event destination that promotes and creates lasting traditions and shared experiences.Our mission is to be harmonious with and complementary to the Julian community and its rich history.Our business focus is apple farming and agri-tourism. We harvested our first real crop of Red Braeburn and Snow Apples right on time in October 2018 from our restored 70-tree orchard.In just a few years we will be offering California-oriented curricula and age-appropriate story-telling; pumpkin patches, gardens and picnic spots; meeting areas for families and local civic organizations; apple tasting, picking and cider pressing; and miniature train rides through our apple orchard.Throne Family Ranch is an easy 14-minute walk from historic Julian and its family-based tourist attractions, which are a short 75-minute drive from downtown San Diego. Show less

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  City of Rancho Palos Verdes

  Jan 2014 - Apr 2017

  Director of Public Works

  The city of Rancho Palos Verdes is a coastal community of 42,300 on the southwest side of the Palos Verdes Peninsula, located approximately 30 miles from downtown Los Angeles. I led a 17-person public works department with an operating budget of $8,300,000 focusing on the capital improvement of parks, civic facilities, streets, storm drain, sanitary sewer, and mitigation of the Portuguese Bend landslide (one of the largest active landslide debris flows in the continental United States); and the maintenance of the same through the use of private contractors.I managed the design and construction in the next five years of over 60-funded capital improvement projects totaling $59,000,000, and developed an infrastructure management plan as a follow up to the existing condition assessment outlined in the 2013 infrastructure report card. A 7-person citizen's advisory committee was staffed by me to assist the committee to review projects and maintenance programs managed by the department. The committee provided recommendations to the City Council on priorities and the creation of a web-based infrastructure planning tool. Show less

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  Throne Civil Engineering

  Apr 2017 - now

  Civil Engineering Consultant

  Consultant professional civil engineering services for residential and agricultural projects including project and construction management and stormwater pollution prevention plan development and implementation; and Grand Scale, miniature and garden railroad design.

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  City of San Marino

  Aug 2017 - Sept 2017

  Interim Parks and Public Works Director/City Engineer

  Performed duties of director of public works and city engineer under contract through a temporary agency.

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  City of San Marino

  Jan 2019 - May 2019

  Interim Recreation Manager

  Got to have fun overseeing the city's recreation program on an interim basis. Similar duties to my time in American Canyon.

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  City of San Marino

  Apr 2021 - Apr 2022

  Established in 1913, the city of San Marino is a residential community of 13,600 located approximately 12 miles from downtown Los Angeles. I led a 16-person public works department focusing on the maintenance and capital improvement of parks, civic facilities, streets, storm drainage and sanitary sewers. I managed an operating budget of $3.4 million and a capital improvement budget of $10 million. My accomplishments included:*Prepared and had adopted the first 5-year capital improvement and equipment plan in the history of the city.*Prepared and had adopted the first complete and comprehensive pavement management program for the city with the goal of moving the city to a maintenance-only footing for street maintenance in 2031.*Completed the first-ever wastewater collection system and stormwater system condition assessment.*Prepared the city's first parks and public works operations plan that includes 7 focus areas and almost 40 work programs and which will be used to assess resource needs and allocation and prepare future operations budgets. Show less

  • Director of Parks and Public Works/City Engineer

    Sept 2017 - Apr 2022

  • Interim Community Services Director

    Apr 2021 - Sept 2021
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  City of La Mesa, CA

  Apr 2022 - now

  Director Of Public Works/City Engineer

  Leading a 63-person public works department serving the city of La Mesa, California. More details to emerge - it's a great organization!