August 15, 2005
Contact: Sue Baker
For Immediate Release
738-2000
Avedisian announces Villella’s appointment as interim Sewer Authority director
WARWICK – Mayor Scott Avedisian announced today that Bill Villella, the city’s assistant engineer, will serve as the interim executive director of the Sewer Authority. He will take the helm today, overseeing day-to-day operations of the agency until a permanent replacement can be found for Juan Mariscal, who has resigned to take a job with the state Water Resources Board.
“With construction underway throughout the city as we continue to expand and upgrade our sewer system infrastructure, it is vitally important to ensure that these projects continue to move forward smoothly and on time,” Avedisian said. “Bill’s extensive experience in engineering and construction will keep the authority on a steady course until a new executive director is hired.”
Villella has served as the assistant city engineer since May 1993. Among his duties are reviewing building permits and subdivision plans and ensuring their conformance with code and other stipulations, offering technical assistance at Planning Board meetings, overseeing the annual road resurfacing program, responding to constituent concerns and surveying.
Prior to his employment with the city, he was a self-employed engineering and construction management consultant for several years. From September 1958 to August 1986, he worked for the state Department of Transportation, first as a survey/senior/principal aide, then as a resident engineer. Later, he was named assistant to the chief of construction, and then served as the chief of construction operations until his retirement.
A former member of the Army National Guard, where he was a non-commissioned officer in charge of plans and training, Villlella is also a member of the Rhode Island Society of Professional Land Surveyors, the American Congress on Surveying and Mapping and has been accepted by the state Superior Court as an expert witness on land survey matters.