George Winfield, the Baltimore public works director who served under five administrations over three decades, has died.
Winfield, who suffered a stroke about three weeks ago, was 64 when he died Saturday.
As public works director, Winfield oversaw the work of more than 3,000 employees and sat on the Board of Estimates. And in 2005, he was named “The Best Use of Taxpayer Money” by the City Paper.
He has been credited with revamping much of Baltimore with neighborhood cleanups and restoration projects. “I was saddened to hear about the passing of George Winfield,” Mayor Sheila Dixon said Sunday in a statement.
“For many years, he and I sat together on the Board of Estimates. His knowledge of the inner workings of Baltimore City and his dedication to making government open and efficient made him an indispensable partner on the board.”
In his time overseeing the city?s largest department, Winfield led the award-winning $30 million renovation of the Loch Raven Dam and the $15 million restoration of Lake Montebello.
He also launched spring and fall cleanups, which brought together 55,000 volunteers to remove more than 16,000 tons of debris from the city. “He was well-respected and he has a legacy that is going to impact people for many years to come,” said Kurt Kocher, a spokesman for the Department of Public Works and a colleague of Winfield?s since 2000.
“Of the projects that he set in motion, he saw many to completion. He was so well-loved by everybody.”
Winfield received an undergraduate degree from Howard University in 1972 and a master’s degree in bio-environmental engineering from Howard the next year.
“In addition to being an exemplary public servant, George Winfield was a loving father and husband,” Dixon said. “Since Mr. Winfield fell ill a few weeks ago, his loving family stood by his side. Their quiet devotion was a testament to the unity he nurtured in his home life.”
Calls to the Winfield family were not answered. He is survived by his wife and three children.
