MID bumps general manager after only eight months

After eight months as general manager of the Modesto Irrigation District, Greg Salyer is being demoted at his request, although he’ll continue drawing the same $236,188 yearly pay after the MID board finds someone to replace him, probably at a similar salary.

In closed session Tuesday, the board unanimously created the position of senior assistant general manager of electric operations, filled it with Salyer and began the recruitment process for his successor. He will continue in the top job until a replacement is found.

“He just wasn’t comfortable with the general manager’s position,” said Nick Blom, chairman of the MID board. “It was his decision. We just accepted it and said, ‘That’ll be fine’.”

Salyer has led MID and its 450 employees for 19 months, the first 11 months as interim general manager after Roger VanHoy stepped down. Both largely flew under the radar compared to VanHoy’s predecessor, Allen Short, who lasted 19 years at the helm of the utility providing electricity in Modesto, Salida, Empire, Waterford and Mountain House as well as parts of Oakdale, Riverbank, Escalon and Ripon.

MID also provides farmwater to 60,000 acres in the Modesto, Empire and Waterford areas, and turns about 30 million gallons of river water a day into drinking water for Modesto customers. But Salyer’s heart and expertise are in power, he said Tuesday after the board meeting.

“Leading the electrical side of MID is where I want to finish my career. It’s the area of responsibility I enjoy the most,” said Salyer, who had little to do with water for the first 32 years of his 34-year career.

He intends to work a few years before retiring, he said.

Blom said Salyer’s experience will be valuable as MID and the Turlock Irrigation District continue seeking new hydropower licenses from federal officials for Don Pedro and La Grange reservoirs, a multiyear process costing tens of millions of dollars.

Having Salyer in the top job for only eight months wasn’t a mistake, Blom said. He and Salyer said he was not asked to step down.

“I don’t want to put words in his mouth. It wasn’t fun for him maybe, I don’t know,” Blom said.

Also Tuesday, the board voted 4-1 to hire a firm to run the district’s defined-benefits retirement plan.

Board member John Mensinger voted “no” because it will cost MID $75,000 a year, with no indication of what management will do with two positions formerly dedicated to retirement duties. One of those $80,000-a-year jobs has been vacant for two years, the district said.

“I have a problem if we can’t demonstrate savings,” Mensinger said.

Board member Larry Byrd said, “We’ve got to have a little faith in staff and what they’re trying to do here. I don’t want to get in a position of micromanaging.”

Replied Mensinger, “I don’t think it’s micromanaging when we encourage everyone to be as efficient as possible.”

This story was originally published April 11, 2017 at 7:40 PM with the headline "MID bumps general manager after only eight months."