City Council honored longtime public works employee Pete Acosta at the October 20 meeting. Acosta is retiring after 49 years with the City of Fullerton, all of them spent in the Public Works Department.

Mayor Fred Jung praised the institutional knowledge Acosta has built over nearly five decades. He said he has worked alongside most of the city’s public works employees at one time or another. Jung joked that Acosta looked too young to have 49 years of service and said the staff who follow him will have big shoes to fill.

Public Works Director Stephen Bise called the day bittersweet and said Acosta’s impact on staff, projects and the city’s infrastructure is impossible to measure.

“It leaves us with a hole that we will have to fill,” Bise said, adding that Acosta knows more than anyone currently working for the city.
Bise compared Acosta’s work to the Police Department’s earlier recognition for its appearances on “On Patrol: Live,” saying Acosta also patrols the streets to make sure contractors follow the rules. He described Acosta as the city’s watchdog.

Water Systems Manager Andrew Grajeda, who Acosta mentored, traced Acosta’s career from maintenance man to principal inspector, which began in 1977 when he was hired as a maintenance man. He was promoted to maintenance worker in 1978 and senior maintenance worker in 1980. He later served as a skilled maintenance worker, field foreman, lead worker, and locator before leaving the Water Department to work in engineering as a construction inspector. He was promoted to construction inspector for water engineering in 2013 and to his current role, principal inspector, in 2020.

Grajeda noted that Acosta answers his phone with “You’ve reached Principal Inspector Pete.” Known for knowing the spec book, colleagues rely on Acosta’s knowledge, Grajeda said, and many believe he has the city’s specification book memorized. When staff has a question, he said, they usually ask Acosta, who can often tell them which page holds the answer.

Grajeda said Acosta’s expertise extends to how the city’s water system works. During water main breaks and long nights in the field, he said, crews wanted Acosta on site for his experience and judgment under pressure. “Pun intended,” Grajeda added. As principal inspector, Grajeda said, Acosta makes sure work is done right so it serves the community for years to come. He has worked alongside generations of city employees, Grajeda said, including Grajeda’s own grandfather.

“On behalf of Public Works and the entire Water Department, thank you for all your hard work and dedication for your 49 years of service,” Grajeda said. He closed by congratulating Acosta and turning to Acosta’s wife, Gloria: “He’s all yours.”