A change in the management of the Brookings Pubic Works and Development Services (PWDS) Department was announced today by City Manager Gary Milliman.
Current PWDS Director, Loree Pryce, has resigned to accept a senior management position with the City of Ventura Public Works Department in Southern California. Pryce was first appointed as Brookings Public Works Director in 2011 and assumed her current position when the Public Works and Planning Departments were merged in 2012.
“Loree Pryce has performed an outstanding service for our community,” Milliman said. “She has provided a new direction for integrating the public works and development services function and as managed a number of complex infrastructure projects.”
A Ventura County native, Pryce began her career as an intern with the City of Ventura Public Works Department where she will now return to manage the Construction and Survey Division. The Department has 84 employees with an annual operating budget of $30 million and a six-year capital improvement program totaling $502 million.
Milliman also announced the appointment of long-time Building Official LauraLee Snook as the new PWDS Director. Snook has served as Brookings Building Official for the past 16 years and previously worked in the Curry County Building Department for nine years.
“LauraLee has been assuming additional responsibilities with the City for several years now and has, essentially, been serving in the role of assistant PWDS department manager for the past two years,” Milliman said. “She is very familiar with City public works operations and planning.”
Snook served as the project manager for the construction of the Emergency Operating Center and is currently managing several public works projects. She completed a Project Management Masters Certificate program at the University of Portland in 2012.
Snook will continue to serve as Building Official. Milliman said there will be some additional duty reassignments within the PWDS Department and that he was reviewing the Department’s staffing needs.