Hillsborough County Public Works honored during National Public Works week

TAMPA, Fla. - Michael Moreda has worked with Hillsborough County Public Works for 31 years, and during that time, he's built neighborhoods from the ground up.  

"We cleared land to build parks, and sometimes we even built the structures. I was doing roadside ditches with a grade-all, and then from there, I moved on to drainage canals working with storm war, which is what I currently do now. I operate a walking excavator," Moreda explained.

He loves the camaraderie, every challenge, and the reward each project has brought. 

READ: $740 million worth of improvements needed for nearly 200 Tampa parks

"I love what I do. I don't wake up every morning and have that feeling, uhh, I have to go to work," Moreda laughed. "I can't wait to get to work."

This week is all about recognizing that work.

Hillsborough County residents get a unique look at the vehicles used to help improve the community 

In honor of National Public Works Week (May 21-May 27), Hillsborough Assistant County Administrator Kim Byer invited the public to meet their fleet and highlight their vital roles in maintaining our communities.

"They maintain 7,400 lane miles throughout the county, 275 bridges, potholes, stormwater, and wetlands. We engineer and design roadways, and there's mosquito management," Byer stressed.

Not only was Saturday's event an opportunity to catch these men and women in action, but they were also there to share their experiences in hopes of recruiting a new generation as Hillsborough Public Works looks to fill about 90 different positions across all divisions.

"It's very rewarding to see folks come in right out of high school, and really get the experience and work their way up to often management positions and retire at 30–35 years," Byer stressed. "Some of them are very young at that point and are able to retire with full benefits."

Some of their benefits include 12 paid holidays, tuition reimbursement, healthcare, and 401-k retirement savings plans. For more information on their openings, you can visit their website by clicking here.