Success won’t spoil him

Watching Robert Martinez at work, you wouldn’t know the city employee won

an election earlier this month.

The engineering technician will soon take his seat on the board of

directors for the water district of his hometown, Pico Rivera.

But he usually keeps the thrill of victory inside, he said.

“Until I get in the car,” he said. “Then I go, ‘Ya!’ ”

After taking his oath of office Dec. 6, Martinez will spend two nights a

month making sure that homes and businesses receive the best service

possible from the Pico Water District.

He brings 24 years of experience in engineering and construction to the

board. The last 19 years have been spent in the Public Works Department

of Huntington Beach.

No one else on the board has his technical background, he said.

“That’s a big advantage,” he said. “I know the business.”

As a director, 45-year-old Martinez will shape decisions on issues

ranging from the rates to water quality, he said.

In talking to his constituency, he has come across complaints about odors

in the water.

It’s a problem Martinez thinks can be remedied by replacing certain pipes

in some of the older homes in Pico Rivera, which, over time, have

accumulated bacteria that can affect the nature of what flows from the

tap.

Complete replacement of some equipment is not always necessary, he said.

The problem often can be solved by retrofitting existing mains, water

lines, fire hydrants and meters before they are damaged.

Martinez’ co-workers tease him about his newly exalted status as a

politician, but they aren’t surprised he won over voters because he’s so

warm and friendly with customers at City Hall.

His supervisor, Dave Webb, hopes Martinez is prepared for the pressures

of public office.

“It’s definitely a different world,” he said.

But the father of two sees a bright future in the political fishbowl. And

so does his mother.

“My mom used to say, ‘Someday, you’re going to be mayor.’ ”

“I’m very pleased. I’m excited to serve the community,” Martinez said

after the election.

With 24 years of experience in public works, surveying and water

distribution, Martinez pinned his hopes in the water district race, on --

well, lots of technicalities.

“I’m really surprised that nobody with an engineering background has ever

run for a technical position,” he said.

“I’ve got the experience in construction, the ability to analyze field

data,” Martinez said. “I can look at a set of plans and say, ‘Oh yeah,

they’re putting in a water main.’

“I wonder if the existing directors can do that,” he added. “In my

opinion, I don’t think they do. In an emergency situation, are they

qualified to make those important technical decisions?”

Martinez, who has also worked in the engineering divisions for the Los

Angeles County Sanitation District and for Pico Rivera, also proposes to

bring that technical mentality to the district’s full-time employees.

“I think it’s very important that our water district starts looking at

more technical people, not just directors, but office and field

personnel,” he said. “If they make a wrong decision, that can cause a lot

of unnecessary expenditures, which could cost the taxpayer a lot of

dollars.”