CCWD signs on in-house attorney

By SUNNY LOCKWOOD

For the first time in its history, Calaveras County Water District is going to have a full-time, in-house attorney and a paralegal to help with legal matters from water rights to personnel.

In a unanimous vote Wednesday, the CCWD board of directors created the two new positions and approved contracts for L. Alan Turner to become assistant manager/chief counsel, and for Gail Steinman to become administrative assistant/paralegal for the district.

Turner and Steinman have been a professional team for five years in Alpine County, where he is district attorney and she is his paralegal/office manager.

Turner has also served as CCWD's attorney for more than two years, averaging slightly more than one day a week on district business.

District General Manager John Stewart said the reorganization will save CCWD almost $50,000 a year in salaries.

The plan is to eliminate two existing positions: the $100,000-a-year position of assistant engineer/manager, and the $60,000-a-year position of human resources officer.

"The assistant general manager/chief counsel and the administrative assistant/paralegal will perform the duties of the positions eliminated," Stewart told the board in a memo.

The $60,000 human resources salary will be the salary for the administrative assistant/paralegal position.

Turner's new position will pay $125,000 per year — $100,000 of that from the eliminated assistant engineer/manager position.

The other $25,000 is $47,000 less than he has been earning as part-time counsel to the board. As part-time counsel, Turner had been paid $72,000 per year for working slightly more than one day a week on district business.

Board Chairman Jeff Davidson said the board was glad to vote in a full-time attorney and paralegal.