[env-trinity] Kirk Rodgers Stepping Down

[Byron]

Attached is a message Kirk Rodgers apparently sent out today.  While he will
be working on some issues crucial to our state, personally I'm disappointed
to see him leave as Regional Director.  At the same time, I appreciate his
thinking/reasons.  He has been a strong advocate for Trinity restoration.
He will be missed.

Byron 

Dear Friends, Colleagues, Employees, and Acquaintances: 

I have decided to make some changes in my life.  After nearly 35 years of
Federal service, the last 11 having been served in the Regional Director's
Office, I have decided to retire - but not quit.

As most of you are aware, there has been a series of meetings regarding
drainage solutions in the San Joaquin Valley.  The result of those meetings
was the direction to focus on the issues surrounding the drainage concept
paper that has been under discussion since February. 

Additionally, it was agreed that restoration of the San Joaquin River and
focus on the crisis in the delta were also high priorities.

While in Washington recently, I presented Commissioner Johnson with a
proposal that I step down as Regional Director and spend full-time working
on these and a few other critical issues in the Region as I transition into
retirement. This would have the positive effect of lightening my personal
workload and allowing me to assist in critical areas while permitting a new
Regional Director to spend time coming up to speed and attending to the
entire region.  My proposal is succession planning "with a twist," but I
truly believe that making a smooth transition during these challenging times
is important.  I am pleased that we reached accord on the proposal.

To that end, my last official day as Regional Director will be August 3,
2007.  However, I will make a seamless transition and will be reporting
directly to the Commissioner in my new capacity with the narrower scope of
these important matters as my focus.  The Commissioner asked me to announce
that John Davis will be Acting Regional Director for at least the next 3
months.

Words cannot properly express the satisfaction I have felt in serving as
Regional Director for these past few years, and as Deputy Regional Director
for a few years prior to that.  Dealing with water and power issues in
Oregon, Nevada and, particularly, California have stretched and challenged
me beyond anything I could have imagined.  I have met and worked with some
of the most talented and dedicated people in the water business.  I have
also found that the civil servants at the Bureau of Reclamation are among
the best and brightest and hardest working employees that I have had the
pleasure to know.  

Reclamation has been good to me.  I am very loyal to the mission and
purpose.  It is for these and other important reasons that I look forward to
a continued relationship in the water and power community for some years to
come.

 

Byron Leydecker

Friends of Trinity River, Chair

California Trout, Inc., Advisor

PO Box 2327

Mill Valley, CA 94942-2327

415 383 4810

415 383 9562 fax

bwl3 at comcast.net

bleydecker at stanfordalumni.org (secondary)

http://www.fotr.org

http://www.caltrout.org

 

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