Fairview Park steward Kelly Dalton is given the City Manager Leadership Award for April

Assistant City Manager Cecelia Gallardo-Daly and Deputy City Manager Alma Reyes together presented the City Manager Leadership Award for April to Fairview Park Administrator Kelly Dalton.

“Kelly’s combination of education and experience in environmental and regulatory compliance, ecology, and project management has been instrumental in managing the diverse resources of Fairview Park, which is so important to our City and residents,” Gallardo-Daly said. “We are lucky to have someone with his skills and I am happy to present him with this award.”

Dalton was first hired by the City’s Public Works Department in 2015 as the Public Right of Way Coordinator, and since then had promoted through the ranks to the level of Associate Engineer.

Dalton has over 10 years of interdisciplinary experience in the fields of environmental compliance, stormwater management, and civil and environmental engineering.

During his tenure with the Engineering Division, he administered the City’s stormwater compliance program in addition to supporting the City’s capital improvement program and various special projects, which included assisting with Fairview Park projects.

This experience led Dalton to be selected as the Fairview Park Administrator in the Parks and Community Services Department in November 2021.

Since his time in the department, Dalton has taken on the lead of multiple restoration initiatives including major grant funded projects, the Fairview Park Master Plan update and community-based partnerships which includes serving as the staff liaison to the Fairview Park Steering Committee.

Additionally, Dalton has been instrumental in developing working relationships with regulatory agencies, and maintaining partnerships with various community groups, including Coastal Corridor Alliance, Orange County Model Engineers, Fairview Park Alliance, Sea and Sage Audubon Society, and Harbor Soaring Society.

Prior to his tenure with the City, Dalton worked for the Environmental Resources Division of Orange County Public Works, where he led grant-funded projects and supported regulatory compliance programs for urban stormwater.

In addition, Dalton previously worked for a private firm that specialized in lake management and maintenance services, and as a plant research and laboratory assistant during his undergraduate tenure.

Dalton has a Bachelor of Science Degree in Natural Resources from Cornell University, a minor in Spanish, and a Master of Science in Land Resources and Environmental Sciences from Montana State University.