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RMWD board gives emergency power to assistant GM

In the event of an emergency, the Rainbow Municipal Water District general manager has the authority to expend up to $250,000 and to take other emergency actions without district board approval. Since Brian Brady is the general manager of both Rainbow and the Fallbrook Public Utility District, the Rainbow board authorized Rainbow’s assistant general manager or the emergency operation center manager to have emergency authority power in the absence of the general manager.

Rainbow’s board voted 5-0 May 28 to grant emergency response authority to the assistant general manager and/or the emergency operation center manager if an emergency exists and the general manager cannot be contacted. In addition to the authority to spend up to $250,000 and enter into contracts or other agreements for such expenditures, the emergency authority powers include controlling, limiting, or redirecting the delivery of water to district customers, implementing the district’s emergency response plan, and performing all other acts deemed necessary or appropriate to protect the district’s interest.

“That was just to give us increased flexibility under the JPA structure,” said Brady, who is also the executive officer of the North County Joint Powers Authority consisting of the two districts. “We could handle any emergency situation.”

Currently Gene Buckley is Rainbow’s assistant general manager. Juan Atilano, whose actual title is Water Operations and Customer Service Manager, has the status of Rainbow’s emergency operation center manager.

In September 2001, the Rainbow board established the emergency response plan while giving emergency powers to the general manager. Under that resolution, the general manager must notify the board president within 72 hours or must notify the vice-president if the president cannot be contacted or the treasurer if the other two officers cannot be reached. Any of those three officers may call a board meeting to review the general manager’s actions.

The new resolution allows the assistant general manager or the emergency operation center manager to determine that an emergency requiring immediate action exists while requiring that staff member to notify the top board officer who can be reached and authorizing a review board meeting.

 

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