At a recent Wrightwood Community Services District (WCSD) special board meeting held on Wednesday, February 11th, residents and board members gathered to discuss the district’s general manager, Ramona Evey’s contract and share their perspectives on organizational progress. The meeting began with a quick call, confirming all directors were present.
As the floor opened for public comments, community members expressed concerns and recommendations regarding the management contract and the district’s operations.
A local resident advocated extending the general manager’s contract beyond a month-to-month arrangement and stressed the importance of consistency, citing the district’s history of frequently changing personnel. They urged the board to allow the current manager more time to fulfill thier responsibilities and to consider a longer-term contract, stating, “Let them do their damn job.”
Another resident referenced previous board actions involving past general managers, noting that similar challenges persist today. Originally, they had opposed the 30-day contract and suggested implementing a six-month contract with a review period. But, then recommended clear benchmarks for evaluation to ensure both the board and the general manager are aligned on areas needing improvement. By acknowledging ongoing budget issues, they argued that it is unreasonable to expect the general manager to resolve longstanding problems alone and concluded that the current manager should retain employment freedom to address risks and challenges proactively.
Then a frequent attendee spoke in support of the general manager, Ramona. They credited Ramona’s dedication and qualifications, asserting that the organization is not in danger with the General Mamager’s continued employment. She questioned the timing of restructuring the general manager’s role amid an audit, finding it unnecessary and disruptive.
A longtime Wrightwood resident and former board member reflected on decades of service in the community. They compared organizational challenges to thier experience in human resources, describing how it can take significant effort to put systems in place and advocated moving away from the month-to-month contract, emphasizing the need for a full-time, stable manager who can tackle the district’s needs effectively.
Next, a resident also shared thier personal experiences with Ramona through the Tri-Community Co-op, praising Ramona’s helpfulness, background, and excitement for her work, reinforcing the sentiment that Ramona is well-suited for her current role.
Another young woman highlighted Ramona’s growth and commitment since starting six months ago. She expressed appreciation for Ramona’s willingness to listen and learn, stating a desire to continue working with her rather than transition to someone new.
Another resident said, “I live in Wrightwood. I’d just like to say I’m really disappointed because it doesn’t strike me as good leadership to dump over the barrel you’re working on after only six months when you may already have your mind made up, but I hope you will reconsider what it really is in the best interests of Wrightwood. Your interpersonal reactions or operations may be not satisfactory with you, but are you getting complaints from the public about this employee, or are people here to support her? I have seen nothing that is in her actions that would be questionable about her performance for the community. I hope you will rethink tipping over this boat again for Wrightwood, who has had instability for so long, and we are all—you know, we finally are getting together to where our board is active and taking a good role, and thank you all for standing up and speaking up and asking the good questions. Wrightwood can’t continue like this. It makes us lack confidence in your leadership when we are—you know, are your phones ringing off the hook? Are you getting a lot of complaints? I would bet no, because I’m hearing out in the community nothing but praise. So I hope you will rethink any preconceived conclusions that could come to and consider that it really doesn’t make a lot of sense. This isn’t a place that is paying a lot, it isn’t a place that we have benefits to offer, it isn’t a place where we have people who are coming with a lot of experience or expertise. And we finally are on the road, with your leadership, taking us someplace. So dumping after six months does not make good sense. I hope you will rethink what you’re probably intending to do and consider how unreasonable that is. And one last thing: evaluating somebody every 30 days—I sure wouldn’t put up with that. I don’t think you would have a job either, especially somebody who is an executive manager doing that and you’re expecting somebody else, watching what you’re doing, to come and apply for this job. Who are we going to attract? unless she’s robbing the place I’m not sure what would be good grounds if she’s not responsive to your request as a leader, that’s something that you should individually be working on. not after six months. That’s not reasonable. That’s not good leadership. Thank you.”
After public comments, the board declared a recess to conduct a closed session at 5:50 PM. After returning from the closed session, the board announced a reportable action for a performance improvement plan, which will be developed for the general manager, with a particular focus on financial transparency, accuracy, and understanding. This plan is to be provided to her by the end of the month, reflecting the board’s priority that, as a tax-funded, non-revenue-generating CSD, strong financial leadership is crucial. The board also reported that there were no other closed session actions and disclosed that a discussion was held with Ramona regarding the plan.
The board then moved to table the notice of non-renewal for the general manager’s contract; the motion was seconded and carried.
During directors’ comments, board members expressed gratitude for the community’s involvement and emphasized the thoughtful deliberation that went into the decision. They reiterated the importance of public input, financial oversight, and organizational effectiveness, stressing that personal matters remain confidential but that the district’s financial health and transparency must remain at the forefront for both the board and management. Directors also highlighted their commitment to stability, accountability, and long-term planning, and thanked both the staff and the public for their continued engagement.
The board announced that the next meeting is scheduled for March 3rd, and the session was adjourned at 8:41 PM.
