Amador County – The Amador Water Agency this morning (Friday, May 6th) approved a draft employee reorganization plan that would lay off three employees, restructure management and cut between up to $500,000 from the budget.
The draft plan was approved, with another meeting set for 9 a.m. Friday, May 13th to consider final approval. The board also set its ad hoc reorganization committee to consider public and employee comments about the reorganization, and set a time limit by which comments must be submitted. Comments must be submitted by close of business Monday, May 9th.
The board also changed the makeup of the ad hoc reorganization committee, because Director Robert Manassero will be out of town next week. Director Paul Molinelli took Manassero’s position on the ad hoc committee, with Board President Don Cooper, and the two will consider all comments before the Friday meeting.
AWA General Manager Gene Mancebo introduced the reorganization plan, saying the “economic depression is continuing to affect the agency,” and fiscal impacts have led staff to identify that $750,000 has to be made up in the coming budget year. The agency could cut and slash everything in the budget, or do a combination of reorganization with elimination of three total positions, and reassignment of duties, he said. The plan included eliminating department heads, installing an office manager and reassigning duties, such as information technology, to either other employees, or contracters. Mancebo said the agency would also have to consider cutting employee concessions, and trying to increase revenue. He said benefits from the cuts may not fully be seen for two or three years.
In public comment, Finance Manager Mike Lee said with this reduction, the agency would have made a 30% reduction in staff, and cut “well over $1 million dollars in staff.” Lee said “more than half of the AWA customers have not seen a rate increase in more than five years.”
Lee said “our organizational structure is sound,” and was reorganized three years ago, though only half the cuts had been made. He said if department heads and the General Manager cannot do the correct reorganization, then an outside consultant cannot do it.
Lee said the “AWA needs a finance manger,” even if it was not him, and “the last thing this agency needs is an office manager.” He called the position “comical,” and said the “financial side is going to be put into chaos.”
Directors noted that Proposition 218 protests had stopped rate increases in the last few years at La Mel Heights, Camanche, and Central Amador Water Project service areas. They voted 4-0 to approve the draft plan, to be considered for final approval next Friday.
Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
