Amador County – As Amador Water Agency General Manager Jim Abercrombie discussed his resignation Wednesday, Board Chairman Terence Moore said his 12th year at the organization will be his last as well. Moore, in his 11th year on the board, said he will not run for reelection, and next year will be his last. He said 3 terms was enough and he wanted to make room for a younger person to take over. He called Abercrombie one of the finest general managers he had worked with, and said the board likely will really begin to miss his organizational skills in a few months. Abercrombie accepted the General Manager position of the El Dorado Irrigation District, and will leave AWA effective September 4th. He remembers getting to the agency and implementing a “badly needed Capital Improvement Plan.” Abercrombie will be running the EID, about a 4 times larger budget and larger Capital Improvement Plan, “so it’s going to be a challenge.” He said he hopes the new board members can work together and become a stronger board. Abercrombie said the “new board is struggling to work together for the benefit of Amador County.” They are struggling to effectively govern the agency” and the board is “somewhat dysfunctional because it is split in some areas.” Moore agreed, saying he thinks “the new board needs to be more trusting of staff.” He said new members come in and think the way to get things done is to do it themselves, but “it is the staff’s job.” Abercrombie has recommended to the AWA board of directors that it appoint Engineering & Planning Manager Gene Mancebo as Interim General Manager. He said he suggested they let Mancebo manage the agency over the next 6 to 12 months as they decide what they want in a G.M. He said it would be good for Mancebo’s career and for the agency. El Dorado Irrigation District board in a release Wednesday said it will consider Abercrombie’s contract at its August 10th meeting. EID Board President George Wheeldon in the release said “we had 41 well-qualified applicants, and Jim clearly stands out in that excellent field.” He said Abercrombie is very knowledgeable about the water industry, knows El Dorado County well, and “oversaw the successful completion of the $24 million Amador Transmission Pipeline.” Abercrombie has 30-plus years’ management experience, including 20 years for Pacific Gas & Electric, 11 as El Dorado District Manager. Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.