The City of Santa Clara observed a moment of silence during its Sept. 13 City Council meeting for retired City employee Benison Tran.
Tran served the City of Santa Clara for nearly 30 years. He started working for the City in June 1992 and retired in April 2021 as a senior civil engineer, PE, QSD.
Interim City Manager Rajeev Batra said a few words about Tran during the City Council meeting.
“I personally worked very closely for 15 years with Benison when I served as Director of Public Works, previously,” said Batra. “Over the years, he worked on many key projects in the Santa Clara community. Always wanted to learn more, always wanted to rotate in various divisions to learn new things. Benison was an individual who left a lasting impression on many of his colleagues with his commitment and dedication to his work and his ability to interact with the community.”
The interim city manager also fondly remembered Tran jogging around City Hall twice a day in work clothes and tennis shoes.
Tran was recognized by the City in 2020 for his dedication to the Santa Clara community during the pandemic. A social media post featuring Tran celebrated his work and read, in part, “During the Shelter-in-Place Order, he continues to deliver on critical projects. He also serves at the Healthy Meals Santa Clara program, distributing free meals at Don Callejon School.”
“I have found working at the meals distribution site extremely rewarding and it gives a greater sense of satisfaction when you can see the immediate positive impact you have on others who may be struggling,” Tran said about the Healthy Meals Santa Clara program.
Tran was killed on Sept. 7, 2022 in his home in Dublin. His wife, Maria Tran was also murdered. In a filing with the Superior Court in Alameda County, the Alameda County District Attorney’s office says off-duty Alameda County Sheriff’s Deputy Devin Williams entered the Tran’s home and killed Maria. According to the District Attorney’s office, when Benison tried to stop Williams from leaving, Benison was also shot and killed.
While Williams initially escaped, he turned himself in to police less than 12 hours later. Williams is currently being held in Santa Rita Jail without bail.
Very nice tribute for Mr. Tran, but in 2nd paragraph, should “senior civil engineer, PE (i.e. professional engineer ), QSD, (not PD). Need to pass a difficult exam to get the PE license and use those initials.
Thank you. I have updated the article.