Newberry CSD Appoints Le Hayes As New General Manager

Posted: January 15, 2014

      In a move that may help soften the Local Agency Formation Commission's (LAFCO) attempt to consolidate the Newberry CSD with one or more other community service districts, the Newberry CSD has hired a recent new resident to the community as the Newberry CSD's General Manager.

      The newly appointed is Le Hayes who previously served 22-years as the General Manager of Baker, California.  Hayes, a retiree, had initially planned to relax and enjoy a retirement life in a recently acquired home in Newberry Springs.  However, with his interests flowing in politics, he soon learned of the depth of the Newberry CSD's problems and felt an obligation to return to service to help his newly adopted community.

      Hayes was selected and appointed during a Newberry CSD Special Board Meeting, Tuesday, January 14, 2014.  Two other qualified candidates were considered for the post. 

      The position is not considered a career move by Hayes who has expressed an interest to get back to retirement.  He hopes to be able to stay with the job long enough that with his professional background, he can raise the Newberry CSD's performance level to where a trained GM replacement can seamlessly take over from him and properly manage the 55-year old community service.

      While LAFCO's management has had some contentions with Hayes in the past over his management in Baker, if anyone can make the necessary changes to bring the Newberry CSD up to snuff with LAFCO, it appears that Hayes is the person; and that the Newberry CSD's new board has appointed the right invididual for the job.

      A major question now is whether the Newberry CSD board of directors will understand its elected role and allow Hayes to perform his job without the historical overreaching and intrusions done by earlier boards.

      If the new CSD board can refrain from the usual micromanagement done by past boards, the vast problems facing the Newberry CSD, that were the basis of a 2013 Grand Jury report, can be resolved to LAFCO's satisfaction.

      The GM position requires passing a LifeScan, and as soon as that is processed, Hayes will be on-the-job.

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