Craig N. Wallace, General Manager / Board Secretary-Treasurer
Mr. Wallace joined the District in December of 2017 and was appointed General Manager in January 2018. Mr. Wallace is a native of Strathmore, CA. He graduated from Strathmore Union High School in 1991, and received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Civil Engineering from The University of Southern California in 1996. After a couple years of working in the underground construction industry he was hired as a Junior Engineer for Semitropic Water Storage District in 1999. Mr. Wallace earned his Professional Engineering license in 2003 and remained with Semitropic for over 18 years. During which time he was involved in the District’s energy project, water banking project, water resources management, construction management among many other activities.
Scott A. Edwards, Assistant Manager – Retired
Mr. Edwards joined the District in 1986 and was appointed District Manager in 1988. He Retired as Manager in January of 2018 and became the Assistant Manager to consult with the new Manager. The Board of Directors noted several major milestones during Manager Edwards’ tenure.
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- Renewal of the initial 40-year water service contract with the US Bureau of Reclamation in 1988 and the subsequent conversion of that contract to a permanent contract for water from the San Joaquin River in 2010.
- Settlement of a 20-year lawsuit against the Natural Resources Defense Council on the San Joaquin River that mitigated the threat of losing over half of the District’s normal water supply.
- Securing a long-term agreement with Tulare Irrigation District in the early 1990’s for dry year surface water supplies that allows the District to withstand a 25% Class 1 declaration (nobody ever thought the US Bureau of Reclamation would declare 0% Class 1. The agreement is based on the previously worst drought year on record, 1977, which was a 25% Class 1 year.)
- The building of two water treatment plants to deliver potable water to the residents of Strathmore and Tonyville.
- Concrete relining of a major balancing reservoir, saving approximately 500 acre-feet of water per year.
- Completing pipeline connections to allow the City of Lindsay to serve approximately 300 homes potable water.
- Increasing fixed income assets from approximately 17% of annual budget costs to nearly 58% of annual budget costs, stabilizing per acre-foot charges
Mike Cosenza, Operations and Maintenance Superintendent
Mr. Cosenza was hired by the District in May of 2020 as the Operations and Maintenance Superintendent. Mr. Cosenza has over 26 years of experience in working for a public agency water utility. Mike was hired by the City of Hanford in 1995 as an entry-level Maintenance Worker and promoted through the ranks, ultimately becoming the Utilities Manager in charge of all of the Water Treatment and Distribution, Wastewater, and Storm Water collections. During his tenure, Mike was instrumental in the construction of several water treatment and storage projects as well as water system consolidation projects, Mike is a native of Hanford, CA and graduated from Hanford Joint Union High School in 1990, Mike attended the College of the Sequoias and Sacramento State University where he completed his studies in Water Treatment, Utility Management, Public Employee Relations and Human Resources.
Grace Guthrie, District Controller
Ms. Guthrie’s profile is being updated. Check back soon.