Page 75 - Yucaipa Valley Water District - Board Workshop
P. 75
Workshop Memorandum 19-032
Date: January 29, 2019
From: Joseph B. Zoba, General Manager
Subject: Implementation of Organizational Restructuring for Improved Integration of District
Departments and Functions
Over the past several years, the City of Beaumont has relied upon contract employees to operate
their sewer treatment plant. Recently, the City decided to create a new sewer treatment department
consisting of public employees instead of using a private contractor to operate their sewer treatment
plant. During the transition from a private operation to a new city department, the City of Beaumont
has demonstrated that they are interested in attracting new treatment plant operators that have
experience operating a reverse osmosis system.
In October 2018, Thaxton Van Belle resigned from the District as an Interim Operations Manager at
the wastewater treatment plant to take the lead role of manager at the Beaumont sewer treatment
plant. Over the past two weeks, several District employees from the sewer treatment plant have also
resigned from the District for enhanced benefits offered by the City of Beaumont.
The East Valley Water District is currently constructing a new wastewater treatment plant that will
also need highly skilled and talented staff members. This new facility will likely also utilize trained
staff from the Yucaipa Valley Water District.
The Yucaipa Valley Water District has an amazing group of staff members that are highly motivated
and highly trained. While these individuals are encouraged to remain with the District, their skill sets,
leadership, and professionalism makes them highly desirable employees for other agencies. It is
important for the District to embrace the concept that we will continue to educate and train
outstanding employees that will improve the overall water and sewer industry if they choose to leave
employment at the District.
With the significant changes in staffing, this creates a rare opportunity to quickly implement a new
organizational structure to better prepare for the next two decades.
The purpose of this agenda item is to discuss the changes that have been implemented.
Yucaipa Valley Water District - January 29, 2019 - Page 74 of 100
