Clinghan assumes reins of Public Works
Paul Clinghan will take over the responsibilities of Cape Coral Public Works Department today.
Long-time director Steve Neff’s planned retirement took effect at the end of business on Thursday, handing over the Public Works directorship to Clinghan, 55, who has been with the department since December of 2012 as the Utilities Expansion Project (UEP) manager.
“First thing is to start looking for a new UEP manager,” said Clinghan. “I will still oversee the UEP because it is my department.”
Clinghan cited the Southeast 47th Terrace streetscape project, a new fire station coming soon and paving roads as the important items in his mind immediately. Then comes the UEP and stormwater drainage maintenance.
“I hope for a smooth transition in Public Works with the hard task being the day-to-day maintenance,” said Clinghan, who has been shadowing Neff as his deputy director-in-training since June.
In those six months, he has learned the inner workings of the department and meeting the people he will now be supervising.
“I’ve been a civil engineer for 30 years,” Clinghan said. “I worked for the firm of Hoyle Tanner in the northeast for 24 years, but I have done municipal engineering for more than 30 years.”
Clinghan decided to move to Southwest Florida to be closer to his daughter, who lives in Tampa. He landed the UEP job from long distance before settling in Cape Coral.
“I think it is a natural transition, or fit, for me to be Public Works director,” Clinghan said.
Neff has 32 years invested in the city Public Works infrastructure, including playing a key role in getting the Midpoint Bridge built against tremendous opposition.
Other major highlights of his career as director include the expansion of the Cape Coral Bridge, creation of the city’s Bike-Ped Master Plan. It is a longtime vision to get the Chiquita Boat Lock removed.
The process to rid the city of the costly maintenance at the aging Chiquita Lock turned positive recently when the city filed applications for the state permit to remove the lock.
Neff attended his final City Council meeting on Monday and was lauded by City Manager John Szerlag and council members with their gratitude for his service and professionalism.
“If Steve ever had a bad day, you wouldn’t know it,” said Szerlag. “He has been involved in a myriad of projects. Anything to do with road widening, he has had his hands on it.”
Neff likewise thanked council, staff and others for making his time here an exciting endeavor.
“It has been a great career,” Neff said. “The city has been such an exciting place to be part of. For an engineer, the opportunities have been amazing, to see the tremendous growth of the projects we have been able to work on.”