Amador County – The Amador Water Agency Board of Directors on Tuesday closed the submittal period of interest letters for the board’s District 3 vacancy with a list of five names to be considered.

AWA General Manager Gene Mancebo said the period closed at 4 p.m. Tuesday, April 17 for letters of interest to be accepted for consideration in the District 3 vacancy left by the resignation of Director Don Cooper. Letters of interest came from Liam Bailey, Robert Fowler, Rich Farrington, Joe Bonini and Mike Miller.

An ad hoc selection committee, made up of President Gary Thomas and Vice President Paul Molinelli will conduct interviews of the five men who submitted letters of interest. The Selection Committee will be expected to make a recommendation to the full board’s remaining four members at the regular meeting Thursday, April 26.

Mancebo said the AWA board has 60 days from the effective date of the resignation to make an appointment to fill the vacancy. It the appointment is not made within those 60 days, then the appointment task would fall to the discretion of the Amador County Board of Supervisors, who would have an additional 30 days to make an appointment. Mancebo said if a appointment was not made by Supervisors in the 30-day extension period, then the vacancy would go to an election.

Cooper resigned effective March 31, due to health concerns, with nine months left on his term. Letters of interest were sought beginning Monday, April 2, and the board established the ad hoc selection committee, and set the closing date for interest letters on April 17, and set April 26 as the tentative appointment date.

Mancebo said Registrar of Voters Sheldon Johnson was planning to attend Thursday’s meeting and if an appointment decision is reached by directors, Johnson will be there to lead the appointee in the oath of office.

Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.