Goleta Water District’s board appointed Assistant General Manager David Matson to the top position Tuesday to replace retiring General Manager John McInnes.
McInnes was hired as general manager in 2009 and announced he is retiring on March 4.
He created the position of assistant general manager, and Matson was hired in 2011.
The Goleta Water District’s Board of Directors approved a three-year employment contract with Matson as general manager, including $317,000 annual compensation including based salary and deferred compensation.
The contract includes a salary of $26,416.67 per month; a car allowance of $575 per month; deferred compensation of $1,250 per month; the health, dental and vision insurance premiums paid; 192 hours of vacation leave, 12 days of sick leave; and 108 hours of exempt leave per year.
McInnes earned more as general manager, with a base salary of $349,000 and $68,000 in total retirement and health contributions reported in 2020, according to state records. The position has been more highly paid than other local special district managers and even the top positions of city and county leadership.
The Goleta Water District general manager oversees a staff of about 60 people and a system that provides water service to about 87,000 people.
The Board of Directors unanimously voted to appoint Matson to the position and approved his employment contract at Tuesday’s meeting, which was held remotely.
Board president Farfalla Borah said the board is grateful Matson decided to continue working with the district, and that she’s sure McInnes is relieved knowing he is “leaving the district in capable hands.”
Before joining the district as assistant general manager in 2011, Matson worked at Santa Barbara County, including in the housing and community development department.
He has a master’s degree in public administration and master’s degree in international relations from the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs at Syracuse University, and a bachelor of arts degree from the University of Portland, according to the district.
Board members recognized McInnes for his contributions to the district during Tuesday’s meeting and wished him well in retirement.
“It seems like it’s gone by fast,” said board vice president Lauren Hanson, who was on the Board of Directors when McInnes was hired.
“It’s been such an education for me to get to learn how your work and your staffers work, and it’s going to be fun working with David but I’m going to miss you a lot,” she said.
“He immediately brought needed change to the district on numerous fronts,” Borah said.
“Since his arrival he has restored the district’s financial stability, strengthened its organizational framework, implemented a number of critical tools for water supply management and infrastructure improvement, completed a variety of critical capital investments and brought a number of high performing professionals and skilled workers to the district,” the district staff wrote in an agenda letter.
“The result is a district that is more resilient and sustainable than ever. It’s also these combined assets that were instrumental to successfully managing through a number (of) crises, including catastrophic wildfires, a severe and historic drought, and a global pandemic.”
McInnes previously worked at Santa Barbara County as an assistant county executive officer, and owned and managed a civil engineering and consulting firm and a solid waste recycling and collection company.