City hires new Public Works Director

ROSEBURG, Ore. – Ryan Herinckx has taken over the helm of the Roseburg Public Works Department after being promoted to Director effective Sunday, Dec. 1.

For four years, Herinckx served as the City’s Design/Construction Manager overseeing Public Works construction projects from budget-planning and design through completion of construction -- managing about $24 million in infrastructure improvement projects since 2021.

The projects have included City facility improvements, road construction, water and storm line installations, and domestic or potable water pump stations. Some of his biggest projects include overseeing renovation of the Gary Leif Navigation Center, phased water transmission main replacements updating about 7,000 feet of the entire system from the Water Treatment Plant to water reservoirs, backup power generators for the Water Treatment Plant and pump stations, and rehabilitating aging stormwater lines.

With a constant focus on the best use of taxpayer dollars, his accomplishments include thorough project management that have delivered capital improvement projects, on average, at or below the contracted bid price.

Herinckx is replacing Dawn Easley, who left the City in July to return to the City of Medford, where she now works as their Public Works Operations Manager. Retired Roseburg Public Works Director Brice Perkins served as Interim Public Works Director from July through Sept. 19. Herinckx was selected from a large field of candidates following a candidate review process involving all other City department heads.

“Ryan has been an integral part of the Public Works team for almost two decades. He is wicked-smart and has shown tireless dedication to protecting, investing in and improving the efficiency of the City’s infrastructure. I am excited for him to step into his new role and look forward to the continued positive impact he will have on Roseburg,” said Roseburg City Manager Nikki Messenger.

Herinckx has worked for the City of Roseburg for more than 18 years – joining the City in October 2006 as an Engineering Technician II. He was promoted to Engineering Technician III in 2008. He served for about a year as Engineering Division Manager before being promoted to Design/Construction Manager in July 2020.

Before Roseburg, Herinckx worked as Design Engineer Supervisor from 1998 to 2006 for Columbia Forest Products in Klamath Falls, where he designed, manufactured and installed plywood-handling equipment and supervised fabrication and carpentry crews. He also worked as a mechanical engineer for Atlas Copco Wagner Mining in Gresham for two years.

Herinckx earned a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from Oregon Institute of Technology in Klamath Falls. He graduated in the top 5% of his class.