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MSD Executive
Director Gordon R. Garner has announced his retirement from MSD
effective June 1, 2002. Mr. Garner has served as MSD's Executive
Director since May, 1984, coming from Lexington, Kentucky, where he
served for ten years as the Commissioner of Public Works for the
merged city/county government. Mr. Garner was previously City Engineer
for the City of Hampton, Virginia and a Commissioned Officer in the
U.S. Public Health Service.
During his
eighteen years as MSD's chief executive, Mr. Garner has overseen
- County-wide
expansion of sanitary sewer service
- A county-wide
drainage and flood protection service utility
- Development of
a regional geographic information/computer mapping system (LOJIC)
- Elimination of
over 300 package wastewater treatment plants and the construction
of three new regional wastewater plants, serving east, south end,
and southwest Jefferson County
- Over $150
million in capital improvements to existing treatment facilities
providing for further growth and, including a new $70 million
solids processing plant at the Morris Forman Wastewater Treatment
Plan
- Best business
practices increasing productivity and reducing MSD's workforce
from 880 to 660 and strong commitment to customer service
Mr. Garner has
also been personally involved in other community projects such as
- Leadership in
developing the City/County Greenways Plan
- Restoration
and protection projects for local streams
- Combined and
sanitary sewer overflow elimination plans that meet national EPA
standards and are improving water quality
- Energy
conservation measures for all MSD facilities and systems
- Adoption of
the CERES Principles, which commit MSD to best business practices
that protect the environment
- Enactment of
county-wide floodplain and erosion/siltation control ordinances
and the countywide hazardous materials ordinance
From the
beginning of his tenure, Mr. Garner has brought an "open
communications" philosophy to MSD that encourages open dialogue
with customers, civic leaders, elected officials and media. Mr. Garner
has emphasized the importance of a diverse workforce and business
participation from all sectors of the community. MSD and Mr. Garner
have been recognized locally and nationally for efforts that have
achieved or exceeded targets for diversity. Mr. Garner has served on
numerous local, state and national boards and commissions.
Mr. Garner's
retirement will officially begin June 1, 2002. A national search will
be conducted by the MSD Board to fill the vacant position. In the
interim, MSD Community Relations and Emergency Response Director, Bud
Schardein, will serve as acting MSD Executive Director. In this
capacity, he will report directly to the MSD Board. Mr. Schardein has
been with MSD since 1984 and is a key member of MSD's management team.
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