City engineer named Iowa City public works director

IOWA CITY - Iowa City has hired from within to get its next public works director.

Ron Knoche, the city engineer the past 11 years, will take over for his boss, Rick Fosse, at the start of 2015, City Manager Tom Markus announced this week.

Fosse said earlier this month that he would retire at the end of the year to pursue other opportunities. He has been Iowa City's public works director since 2003.

In a memo to the City Council, Markus touted Knoche's technical and leadership skills.

'He has strong relationships with state, local and private sector officials and is highly respected throughout his profession and the city organization,” he wrote.

The Public Works Department includes the engineering, streets and traffic engineering, solid waste, equipment and wastewater divisions.

Knoche has worked for the city since 1999 and is a University of Iowa graduate, Markus said.

His salary as public works director has not been set. Fosse is paid $148,470 a year.