Water district directors should consider independent review

Direction and management of the Ramona Municipal Water District is out of kilter again because Mr. Cares, the District 3 director (board member), who was appointed in December to complete the deficient three-member board of 2014, has resigned. His stated reasons were: The general manager has too much power and has treated him with disrespect.

This is serious business for all of us, as RMWD provides essential services of water, sewer and fire protection that we all need every day.

Since we, the taxpayers and RMWD customers, own RMWD and pay for all its salaries and costs, we have the right to expect RMWD to operate properly and to complain if it does not.

We have lost three different directors and corresponding public representation in recent months, which certainly shows that something is wrong. We should find out what and why and get the situation corrected.

Questions that occur to me are: Does the general manager need to be reminded who his bosses are? Does Mr. Cares need to be reminded that he can direct the manager only through the whole board? Does a board minority have too much power?

According to legislation that includes a state charter and RMWD’s own Board Policy No. 1, our elected board controls RMWD and the general manager reports to the board. Mr. Cares’ statement that the manager has too much power suggests that our board is not in full charge as it should be, and the accusation of disrespect amplifies that statement. Mr. Cares’ predecessor resigned apparently because he felt he was suppressed by the board and could not get his questions answered.

As a former RMWD Board member, president and one of the authors of Board Policy No. 1, I know a good deal about how the RMWD Board and manager should work together. The manager works for the board, executes board policies and directions, and he reports to the board. The board chooses and hires managers, sets their salaries and may dismiss them.

The manager has five joint “bosses,” the five board members, but no board member may direct the manager by himself, only through actions of the whole board. The board is responsible to the public for running RMWD by directing the manager, who directs the employees.

I suggest that the board investigate the problems, outlined above through an independent citizens’ committee who will interview all the parties involved, consider RMWD’s governing legislation, and make conclusions and recommendations to the board that may be seen also by the public. Perhaps the existing Committee for a Better Ramona could do this. It’s chair is a former RMWD president who kept a full board and manager working together harmoniously for many years.

P.S. My information sources have been that statements of resigned board members as revealed by the Sentinel, not from attending board meetings or directly from resigned board members. Board meetings do not reveal such information.

Bernard G. Kuhn is a Ramona resident and former Ramona Municipal Water District Board member.