Santa Clara Valley Water District general manager Stan Williams’ retirement is hardly surprising
After news broke mid-summer that Williams had hired former district board member Gregory Zlotnick for a custom-made executive position without considering other candidates or informing Zlotnick’s fellow trustees, Williams’ departure was inevitable.
Trustees reacted by restricting many of Williams’ powers, a clear sign of the depth of their displeasure, even though they later eased some of those restrictions and said they were unclear on exactly what they meant to do.
While the Williams/Zlotnick episode was egregious, it was not the only or even most costly of the problems in the water district in recent years.Â
The water district is rife with management and financial woes that need to be corrected to gain public trust
Critics point to a plethora of problems at the water district, from spiraling salary and benefit costs to increasing numbers of people on the payroll, from questionable financial practices to lax oversight by the board of trustees.Â
Two audits in recent years, one by the county auditor and one by the Santa Clara County civil grand jury, offered stinging criticisms of the district.
Culture change is needed at district, among voters to correct years of mismanagement of public funds and botched water projects
Let’s hope that water district trustees and employees view Williams’ departure as an opportunity to change the culture at the water district. Trustees need to end their over-reliance on staff for direction and ask difficult questions and make unpopular decisions. They need to make it clear that the water district’s first priority is to rate payers, not to employees.
They can signal that change by their choice for a new general manager.
But in the end, that change can only come if voters demand it. While water district issues are, oddly enough, frequently dry and boring, it is incumbent on voters to be knowledgeable about the issue and to communicate their concerns to their elected officials. If those officials don’t respond appropriately, voters need to replace them, even recall them if necessary.
As long as voters ignore water district issues, trustees and employees can continue to run the water district however they please.
Let’s hope the end of the Williams era marks the end of voters’ lack of interest in water district affairs.
ACT NOW
Contact Santa Clara Valley Water District directors Rosemary Kamei and Sig Sanchez by e-mailing them at
