Cloverdale utility manager steps down

CLOVERDALE -- After months of disagreement with Cloverdale Town officials, Utility Manager Richard Saucerman has decided to step down from his position and move to water superintendent.

Saucerman came into the utility manager position in July 2010, after Donald Guthrie resigned and board member Terry Puffer nominated him for the interim position.

Saucerman has had many roles over the years; in December 2011 he stepped down from his position of interim utility manager and chose to go back to working as the water superintendent to only nominate himself for the position of utility manager in January 2012.

The council chose to approve Saucerman for the position in February 2011 as utility manager as well as water superintendent in hopes of saving some money.

Following months of disagreement reaching its peak during the June 2013 council meeting, after Clerk-Treasurer Cheryl Galloway had some choice words about how the utilities were being run, Saucerman decided it was in the best interest for the town and himself to step down and resume his position as the water superintendent.

"I think the clerk made it clear about how she feels. There's a lot of things that she said she didn't know," Saucerman had previously stated. "And she's right. There are a lot of things she doesn't know. There's not a work order for every single thing we do. I stand before you right now and say I'll go back to the water plant operator."

Yet, as Council President Don Sublett officially announced Saucerman's resignation stating that he had been under a lot of stress doing two jobs, it seemed an air of apprehension came over the room.

"I always told them that whenever they were tired of this I'd step down," Saucerman said. "Having both positions is more than one can do. Things were starting to fall behind out there and I felt like I needed to keep up with my duties at the water plant."

At this time it is unclear when Saucerman's resignation will go into effect. However, the council will be holding an executive session on Wednesday, Nov. 20 at 7 p.m. to discuss a replacement utility manager.