Phil Ferro has been moving up in the City of Southgate for 24 years, and recently reached the top when he was appointed director of the Department of Public Services by Mayor Joseph Kuspa on March 1. He was supervisor of the city’s Water and Sewer Department for eight years before receiving his latest promotion.

Ferro, 58, said he is glad to be still working in Southgate after more than two decades and is excited about taking over as the director of Public Services.

“Up to this point I have had a great career working for the city, and look forward to finishing here as the director of the Department of Public Services,” he said. “We have a really great team here that all work really well together. We have some specific goals for the department. We have a really young crew, and I need to make sure they learn all aspects of working for the DPS.”

Ferro’s duties as director of Public Services will include day-to-day operations with a staff of four supervisors; Jerry Stacy, Department of Public Works with eight employees; Jason Kujat, Fleet/Garage Department with two equipment mechanics; Rich Greenhill, Water Department with eight employees; and Josh Barry, Sewer Department with three employees.

Other duties include the hiring of new employees, scheduling the street sweeping, snowplow/salt routes, city road repairs, street signs, tree removals/trimming, and purchasing of new equipment for the DPS. He also will be working closely with city administration, the city council and the city’s engineering firm Hennessey on various city projects.

Ferro was born in Detroit and grew up in Brownstown, graduating from Carlson High School in 1986. He currently holds an S1 Water Distribution certification license with EGLE / State of Michigan and Soil Erosion / Storm Water Management certification’s with EGLE / State of Michigan.

He is married to Kathy Ferro and the couple have two sons, Philip and Brandon Ferro, who have both graduated college and are on to their careers.

The Department of Public Services (DPS) is responsible for the administration and maintenance of local and major streets, storm drains, sanitary sewers, signage, forestry, city parks, water main repair, water meter (repair, exchange, and billing), all city buildings, and all city equipment.

This department also handles, or assists, all city-wide projects in conjunction with maintenance within other city departments.For more information, visit www.southgatemi.org/departments/dept_of_public_services.php