Stan Williams, the longtime general manager of the Santa Clara
Valley Water District, announced his plans to retire, the
district’s spokeswoman said Monday.
SAN JOSE
Stan Williams, the longtime general manager of the Santa Clara Valley Water District, announced his plans to retire, the district’s spokeswoman said Monday.
No date for Williams’ departure was immediately set. The news that he was stepping down came following his performance review, which was conducted in closed session by the district’s board members Monday and Wednesday of last week. At a semi-annual gathering of district employees Thursday, Williams, 60, told the group that “it’s the last time he’ll be addressing the entire staff together,” said Susan Siravo, the district’s spokeswoman.
Williams is expected to announce his last day on the job “in the near future,” Siravo said. No plans for his succession were in place, although the district would likely hire someone to fill the position on an interim basis while a search for a permanent replacement would take place, she added.
Sig Sanchez, one of two South County residents on the seven-member board, deferred comment to board chairman Tony Estremera, who represented the board in labor negotiations with Williams. A message left for Estremera Monday afternoon wasn’t immediately returned.
It was unknown whether the board was preparing to fire Williams based on the results of the performance review, an annual event that typically falls towards the end of the year, Siravo said. The board met for “several hours” each day to discuss Williams’ performance, she added.
The board members meet again today and on the agenda is a resolution that will determine the amount of Williams’ compensation through the end of tenure, Siravo said. In retirement, he stands to receive 55 percent of his salary and is also entitled to lifetime medical and dental benefits, she said.
Williams served in the district’s top executive position for 13 years and was paid a salary of more than $240,000 in 2006. Since mid-summer, he faced mounting criticism from the board and the public since for appointing former board member Gregory Zlotnick to a newly created position of “special counsel to the CEO” at annual salary of $184,000 without input from board members.
Zlotnick had been elected to the board of directors in 1996, 2000 and 2004, most recently serving as the vice chairman, when on July 10 he told fellow directors he was leaving due to conflicting opportunities. That opportunity materialized as the newly created position, which involved overseeing policy regarding the San Francisco Bay delta, where the district gets about half its water. Williams neither publicized the job nor interviewed other candidates — and also didn’t solicit input from the board.
Following criticism from several directors, Zlotnick stepped down and was replaced by Patrick Kwok. Directors also stripped Williams of the ability to appoint administrators immediately below him.
Last Thursday, Siravo said, Williams “told the staff that’s it’s been a very challenging job, very demanding, and frankly, he’s tired. It’s been stressful and he’s ready to move on.”
San Martin resident Bob Cerruti, who has criticized the district for lavish spending and inefficiency, said he hoped the board would “bring someone in with a different mindset.”
The Morgan Hill City Council last week raised the water rates to offset anticipated 9 percent jumps in the “pump tax” the district charges for pumping water from the San Francisco Bay delta and transferring it to 15 cities, including San Jose and Morgan Hill, from the San Luis reservoir. After receiving several written and oral complaints asking the council to do something about the district’s passing the costs, the city leaders referred the matter to the utilities and environmental committee to research and make recommendations.
