Employee Spotlight – Adam Schmid Appointed as Public Works Director
Few people exemplify the values of personal growth and potential at the City of Hood River as the newly appointed Public Works Director, Adam Schmid. Schmid accepted the position in February 2024 after serving as interim Public Works Director since October 2023. However, his professional journey with the City began much earlier than that.
After graduating from High School in Trout Lake, Schmid moved to Washougal where he worked in construction installing new infrastructure and utilities for a couple of years. He moved back to the area to live in Hood River when he started his work with the City as a Public Works Worker in the sewer department. Over the next several years, Adam also worked in both the water and parks departments before leading operations for the water department. From there, he became the Operations Manager for the entire Public Works Department before his current position as Director. Through more than 20 years of work with the City, Schmid has held many positions within the Public Works crew, and has also transitioned progressively into leadership and supervisorial roles and responsibilities.
“Adam has demonstrated a commitment to excellence and a professionalism that will make him a great department head, and I look forward to all the things that Public Works will accomplish through his leadership,” said City Manager Abigail Elder.
Schmid enjoys working with the staff as well as the challenges that come with managing the day-to-day aspects of his job. His day involves juggling complex projects while keeping up with preventative maintenance. From dealing with water leaks, to working with unhappy customers to find resolutions and common ground, to implementing large capital improvement projects, each project and problem is different. “The variety of the work has always been enjoyable. I’m not doing the same thing every day,” said Schmid. He aims to continue building comradery and staff development, improving the development review process, and making the Public Works Department a great place to work. Schmid is especially excited about the Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) project, which will improve staff efficiency for reading and tracking water meters, and also help residents understand their water use with the ability to view live water usage and identify water leaks.
Schmid grew up on a fourth-generation dairy farm in Trout Lake, Washington, where he gained a hard work ethic waking up in the early mornings to help on the farm before school. A few years after starting to work for the City of Hood River, Schmid moved back to Trout Lake with his wife where they are raising their two daughters. Schmid is an avid hunter and spends most of his free time in the woods. When not at work or in the woods, he enjoys traveling with his family.
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