The Aberdeen Township Council has announced the appointment of Sandra Caceres as Aberdeen’s Department of Public Works (DPW) director.
A veteran municipal engineer and public works manager, she joins the municipality following the retirement of former DPW Director Bob Brady.
Caceres brings 19 years of experience in the field of civil engineering to her new position in Aberdeen, including 10 years working directly in the engineering and public works departments for municipalities throughout New Jersey.
Her responsibilities have included design and construction management of capital projects; control of project costs and schedules; development and oversight of annual operating and capital budgets; road grant application preparation, submittal and reimbursement; responding to residents’ concerns on road conditions; review of planning and zoning board applications; managing escrow accounts; invoicing; and building department reviews and permitting.
She most recently served as acting superintendent of public works/engineer in Hillside Township. During her career in this Union County municipality, she was in charge of the day-to-day operations of the department, including snow removal, street sweeping, road repairs, shade tree removal and planting, sanitary and storm sewer maintenance, garbage and recycling contracts, maintenance of buildings and grounds, management of public works employees and preparation of municipal and capital budgets. Caceres also coordinated all engineering for the municipality.
Prior to that, she served as a project manager for Maser Consulting, P.A. in Mount Arlington, a multi-discipline engineering firm serving public- and private-sector clients. Previously, from 2006 to 2014, she served as assistant engineer for Cranford Township.
Caceres began her career in 1996 as a design engineer for CME Associates, Parlin, where she worked on behalf of Aberdeen and Clark townships. After five years at CME, she went on to serve as a development manager, project manager and senior civil engineer for several private sector firms before going in-house at Cranford.
A resident of Westfield, Caceres earned a B.S. degree in civil engineering from the New Jersey Institute of Technology. She holds a number of professional certifications, including Certified Public Works Manager (CPWM), Professional Engineer (P.E.) and Certified Municipal Engineer (C.M.E.).
“Sandra brings a wealth of municipal engineering and public works experience to her new position, including a strong familiarity with Aberdeen through her work on our roadway evaluation and improvement programs and water and sewer projects during her years with CME Associates,” said Councilwoman Connie Kelley in a press release.
Kelley serves on the council’s Personnel Committee along with Councilmen Greg Cannon and Joseph Martucci.
“Sandra’s many years of dealing with residents and officials at all levels of government will make her an asset to the Aberdeen DPW. We are very glad to have her on board,” said Martucci in the press release.
