Who is Khalil Zaied? Baltimore's new DPW director tasked with improving workplace culture.

BALTIMORE -- Khalil Zaied, a nearly 20-year veteran of Baltimore City's government, was sworn in on Wednesday as the city's new Department of Public Works director.

"His proven track record and deep expertise in engineering and Public Works make him the right leader to elevate the agency and ensure that it operates with the highest levels of efficiency, transparency and accountability," Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott said.     

Zaied, the acting director since last March, said he's focused on improving the internal culture at DPW and providing efficient and dependable services to residents. 

"We will be working on training the people that we have. We have to lift morale," said Zaied, who held roles as Deputy Mayor of Operations and Director of Transportation.

DPW faced scrutiny over the summer with the on-the-job death of Ronald Silver II and the Baltimore inspector general's report revealed poor working conditions within the department. 

Zaied said that Matthew Garbark will be stepping up as the new deputy director of DPW after former deputy director Richard Luna resigned earlier this month. 

He mentioned more training and looking at additional benefits for staff as well as investing in resources like new equipment and trucks. He will also oversee significant facility improvements.

"The mayor has invested a lot of resources into this and my job as director of Public Works is to make sure these things are done and go through," Zaied said.

In July, Mayor Scott said $20 million will be invested into new facilities at many of the sites listed in the Inspector General's report, including at the Cherry Hill Yard and Eastern Sanitation Yard. 

Baltimore City also hired a Washington D.C. law firm to investigate the department in the wake of this summer's backlash. The mayor says that investigation has been completed, but his office has yet to release findings from that firm's report.