San Miguel board fires district manager

September 3, 2014

By KAREN VELIE

Three San Miguel Community Services District Board members voted Thursday to fire their district manager. The legality of which is questionable as the meeting was not on the agenda.

On Aug. 28 at 6 p.m., four board members, Connie Jarvis was absent, met in a special meeting for a six-month evaluation of District Manager Dan Gilmore. Without taking any action, the special meeting concluded so that the regular board meeting, also on the agenda, could begin.

After the regular meeting ended, board members Gib Buckman, John Green and Anthony Kalvans agreed to reopen the special meeting, an action that an attorney from the Paso Robles firm of Carmel and Naccasha approved. (Minutes of the meeting are not yet available and staff is unsure which attorney was present.)

However, District Board President Richard Harrison objected to reconvening the special meeting because it was not on the agenda and he questioned its legality.

“It was not agendized and I said I cannot partake of this suicide,” Harrison said. “It was not right. They are three maverick musketeers.”

After Harrison left, the three board members voted to fire Gilmore without cause. Gilmore, who was paid $72,000 a year, will receive a severance equal to three months’ pay and benefits.

Harrison said the primary reason for the termination was personality conflicts between Gilmore and several board members.

Nevertheless, the district is plagued with legal issues such as grievances filed between staff and board members, allegations of theft of gas from a district tank by an employee, and arguments over the legality of changing out water meters at a board members property.

At 3 p.m. on Wednesday, a special meeting is scheduled to discuss appointing an interim general manager and beginning the process of hiring a new general manager.