Barnum Approved To Become Water District Manager in October

It's now official. David Barnum will become the new general manager of Ramona Municipal Water District when Ralph McIntosh retires Oct. 6.

Barnum's salary will be $165,444, which is his current pay level as assistant general manager.

The district board of directors voted to approve his employment agreement at its meeting Tuesday.

"We felt unanimously that we are extremely fortunate to have the caliber of David Barnum and we have every confidence that he'll take us where we need to go," Bryan Wadlington, board president told Ramona Patch following the meeting.

The fiscal impact notes in the staff recommendation approved by the board stated, "In an ongoing effort to cut costs, the assistant general manager position will not be filled and Mr. Barnum will retain many of his existing finance responsibilities. Salary and benefit savings could be approximately $100,000 to $150,000 per year. In addition, not having to retain a professional recruitment firm to fill the general manager position will save approximately $50,000 in fiscal year 2011-12 in professional recruitment fees, candidate travel and relocation expenses."