Also serving the communities of De Luz, Rainbow, Camp Pendleton, Pala and Pauma

Buckley named Rainbow's new General Manager

Gene Buckley was selected as the new general manager of the Rainbow Municipal Water District.

The Rainbow board’s 5-0 vote March 25 named Buckley as the district’s general manager.

“He’ll do an excellent job,” said Rainbow board president George McManigle.

Buckley, who joined the Rainbow Municipal Water District staff in February 2004, had been Rainbow’s assistant general manager and chief finance officer. He served as interim general manager prior to the 2007 hiring of Dave Seymour.

Buckley had been the district’s finance director prior to the hiring of Seymour, who served as Rainbow’s general manager from September 2007 until his retirement in April 2013.

The North County Joint Powers Authority consisting of Rainbow and the Fallbrook Public Utility District was formed in February 2013, and FPUD general manager Brian Brady was named as the North County JPA executive officer. When Seymour retired, Brady was also named as Rainbow’s general manager. The reorganization associated with Brady’s hiring changed Buckley’s title from chief financial officer to assistant general manager, and under Rainbow policy Buckley was the district’s acting general manager in Brady’s absence.

On March 6, McManigle provided FPUD with a 30-day notice that the Rainbow board had voted to withdraw from the JPA. On March 10, the FPUD board addressed the JPA’s conflict of interest code which covers incompatible offices; Brady resigned as Rainbow’s general manager without a vote. Buckley became Rainbow’s acting general manager upon Brady’s resignation.

Buckley’s selection is as the district’s general manager rather than as the interim general manager, although his 10 years at the district make him eligible for a pension.

“He is planning to retire. He’s served his time, so we have to actually start looking for a general manager,” McManigle said.

 

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