Page 22 - ND25 TPW web

GERMANTOWN
PW Spotlight: Allen “Oz” Broughton

City of Germantown Public Works Director

Tell us about yourself, your career, and of Navy amphibious ships. My family on meeting all operational requirements
your family. followed me as we moved every three to and performing first class maintenance that
I am incredibly fortunate to have been four years, and they were able to have is done correctly the first time.
adventures that most Americans do not get
During 2025-2026, the City of
married to my best friend, Michelle, for the chance to experience, including living Germantown Public Works Department
over 34 years. We are blessed with three in both Hawaii and Europe for three years. was quite busy with numerous projects,
amazing children who, despite numerous The Marine Corps offered me the focusing heavily on several utility capital
military moves during their formative opportunity to work in numerous improvements. These include:
years, have all achieved success. challenging operational and staff positions. • An Advanced Metering Infrastructure
Michelle and I made the easy decision As a pilot, I was fortunate to spend most of (AMI) project which will retrofit and
to move to Germantown to be closer to my ground time in squadron maintenance upgrade over 14,000 water meters across
our first grandchild. This was undoubtedly departments. the city.
one of our best decisions, as we love living I was formally trained and served as the • Refurbishment of our Southern Avenue
in this wonderful city where I have the maintenance officer for a couple different Water Treatment Plant sand filters.
privilege of leading and working with the squadrons. I also was fortunate to be the • Conversion of our Johnson Road Water
skilled and exceptional employees of the Commanding Officer and work with the Treatment Plant to hypochlorite.
Germantown Public Works Department. Marines and Sailors of Marine Heavy • The southwest water main project that
I hail from Lemoore, a small farm town Helicopter Squadron 363 for a deployment will loop and extend city water to a small
in the central valley of California. My to Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2006. section of the city that is currently being
father was a retired Navy sailor who had My proudest accomplishments during supplied by Memphis.
a hard work ethic and I was expected to this period were bringing everyone • Sanitary sewer flow meter installation to
follow his lead. Throughout high school home safe to their families, and seeing help track usage and identify potential
and college, I worked numerous part- the squadron awarded the 2007 Marine inflow and infiltration issues.
time and side jobs doing construction, Corps Commandants Aviation Award • Stormwater channels improvements to
maintenance, surveying, and landscaping. for superior performance in operations include the installation of monitoring
Although my childhood dream was always and maintenance. This reinforced the cameras.
to become a Naval Aviator. importance of leading a team of skilled Our long-term goal includes a five-year
When I was about 16, my father asked: tradesmen performing high level plan to become an accredited APWA
“What do you want to do when you grow scheduled, preventative, and corrective agency.
up? maintenance, which include skills that
I responded - “I want to become a Naval easily translate to Public Works. How long have you worked in Public
Aviator.” Works? What have your previous jobs
My father quickly replied, “You cannot Share your official title and what duties been and what responsibilities did you
do both.” you perform currently. How many staff have?
This was my father’s inside joke and I did you have, and what departments and
not truly understand the joke until I was work your team does. After my flying days in the Marine
much older and masquerading as a Marine Corps, I spent a tour as the Chief of Staff
Officer while being a kid at heart and flying I am part of an amazing team of 60 (city manager equivalent) for Marine
big toys across the globe and deploying to Public Works professionals and serve Corps Base Quantico, Virginia. I had
numerous unattractive vacation spots in as the Director of Public Works for the oversight of a team of more than 800
Asia, Africa, and the Middle East. City of Germantown. The Department Public Works and facilities maintenance
I enlisted in the Marine Corps Reserve is responsible for the maintenance of employees responsible for the maintenance
when I was 17 years old. After graduating street, stormwater, water, and sewer of the 92-square-mile military installation.
from Fresno State in 1988 with a degree in infrastructure, as well as providing animal Public Works is vital to residents’
Public Administration / Urban & Regional control services, solid waste management, quality of life, serving as the backbone
Planning, I attended the Marine Corps departmental support, and emergency of municipal operations by providing
Officer Candidate School and went on to response. essential maintenance for infrastructure,
become a CH-53D/E helicopter pilot. One of the first things that enticed me including streets, water systems, waste
Flying the “Big Iron” was a fun and to join the Public Works Team at the City management, and parks. I was consistently
exciting job that included numerous of Germantown was their commitment impressed by the professionalism of the
deployments to far-off deserts, the African to excellence and being the model for Quantico Public Works Team.
hinterlands, and flying from the decks delivering municipal services. This While snow and ice events are rare in
matched my values and vision of focusing Northern Virginia, they can paralyze the
22 TPW November/December 2025