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After 34 years of service with the city of Redwood City, Terence Kyaw is retiring as director of public works on May 1, a position the city has decided to leave unstaffed indefinitely.
Kyaw, 61, has been ready to retire from Redwood City since his mid-50s, when, he said, “generally people like us retire.” However, several reasons contributed to his decision to announce in November that he would step down six months later.
Firstly, former City Manager Melissa Stevenson Diaz requested Kyaw stay with the city to ensure the managers through the Public Works Department were best prepared to respond to the community and work with other agencies. Now that Kyaw feels the department has “a good succession plan” and that “hot topic items have already been addressed,” he feels confident about the timing of his departure.
“I’ve been told by my bosses to leave the department the same or better than you have found it,” Kyaw said, “so I believe I have done it.”
Moreover, because Kyaw said he’s a one-child empty-nester, he felt he could have stayed in the position for half a decade longer, and it felt rewarding to contribute to the community.
I’ve been told by my bosses to leave the department the same or better than you have found it so I believe I have done it.
Terence Kyaw, Redwood city public works director
City Manager Patrick Heisinger’s call to hold off on staffing for a new public works director stemmed from an interest in studying the structure of the department and finding a perfect fit before committing the role to someone new, Kyaw said. The public works director said that while the city has budgeted for the position, delaying staffing it will save the city some money, though not much, “big picture.”
Redwood City’s February budgetary report projected annual shortfalls of up to $19.7 million beginning in fiscal year 2028-29, which is at least $6.3 million more than what was expected in June 2025.
He added that the department is in a stable moment, with no major pending projects and no need to “fight fires” metaphorically.
In the meantime, Kyaw is assured that the interim assistant city manager will adequately hold down the fort, along with the rest of the public works staff.
With over 100 public works employees, the department handles all of the city’s water operations, from potable water to stormwater and wastewater, as well as streets, sidewalks and environmental initiatives, among other “complex” operations, Kyaw said.
As the director of public works, Kyaw was the man behind the wheel overseeing all of these operations, making executive decisions and carefully scrutinizing utility costs — a job that requires serious mathematical and political wherewithal. Kyaw would also keep watch for the impacts of national and global events, accounting for their effects on Redwood City resources, such as how China-U.S. relations affected local revenue from recyclables.
Following Kyaw’s over-three-decade-long tenure with the City of Redwood City, the public works director will qualify for the CalPERS retirement package. He still intends to continue helping the community in “whatever capacity,” including by volunteering at events like the city’s Fourth of July celebration, Oktoberfest and Hometown Holidays.
