The City of Gastonia is pleased to welcome two new department directors to lead the newly reorganized Public Services (formerly Public Works) and Public Utilities Departments.
Jim Amaral has been selected as City of Gastonia’s new Public Utilities Director and will replace Brian Potocki, who was promoted to Assistant City Manager. Dusty Wentz will assume the role of Public Services Director after current Public Works Director Dale Denton retires on Friday, August 1st after more than 38 years of service.
City management decided to reorganize the two departments to better align like services, which includes the shifting of duties for each department. Currently, Public Utilities includes electric, water supply and treatment, wastewater treatment, Two Rivers Utilities (TRU) engineering, and utilities maintenance. Public Works, now called Public Services, manages solid waste, field operations (streets and traffic services), stormwater, and building maintenance. The new organizational structure assigns stormwater to Public Utilities and electric to Public Services.
“This new organizational structure strengthens our ability to deliver high-quality services to residents while allowing each department to focus more strategically on its core functions,” said City Manager Michael Peoples, “And we’re doing it all without the addition of newly funded positions.”
Jim has dedicated his career to North Carolina’s municipal water and wastewater industry, bringing over 15 years of hands-on experience in public utilities. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Public Administration from the University of North Carolina at Pembroke and a Master’s degree in Organizational Leadership from Pfeiffer University, both completed while actively working in the utility field. Outside of work, Jim is a certified yoga instructor, an accomplished Ironman and ultra-marathoner. He plans to move to the Gastonia area with his wife, Heather, a primary care healthcare provider, and their young daughter.
Dusty brings over two decades of experience in engineering and management of public infrastructure, with nine years in engineering design and construction in the private sector and 14 years in various leadership roles within public works and public utilities. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Engineering from NC State University and a Master of Public Administration degree from Appalachian State University. He currently resides in Startown with his wife Ashley and son and daughter, of whom they are immensely proud.
Dusty will begin his new role on Monday, May 19th. Jim officially begins on Tuesday, May 27th.