By Elizabeth Cloutman

Los Altos Hills

Mintze Cheng became Los Altos Hills’ first public works director/city engineer just a month ago. She said she is happy in her new position.

“The (town) staff is great. They’re very supportive and personable,” Cheng said. “The town is unique. The residents are very mellow and polite.”

Cheng’s responsibilities include supervising the town’s infrastructure - roads, storm drains and sanitary sewers.

She also oversees capital projects and works with the planning department to ensure private construction won’t adversely affect infrastructure, such as pathway, utility and conservation easements. “The city council’s goal is very clear that we want to preserve a rural setting.”

Cheng said because Los Altos Hills is 50 years old, much of its infrastructure is aging. “We really need to look at long-range planning, to be more proactive on rehabilitation and improvement work.”

A native of Taipei, Taiwan, Cheng earned a bachelor’s degree from the National University of Taiwan in 1979, a master’s in civil engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1982, and a master’s in engineering from the University of California, Berkeley in 1985.

Prior to assuming her position in Los Altos Hills, Cheng was senior engineer for the city of San Mateo for 10 years.

She also served as a transportation engineer for Caltrans from 1986-91.

She currently lives in Foster City with her husband, Andrew and their three children, Christine, 19; Alan, 13; and Katherine, 8. She enjoys swimming, jogging and finding some quiet time for herself when possible.