Hanford area water district fires long-time manager days after posting an ad for his job

• Editor’s note: Monserrat Solis covers Kings County water issues for SJV Water through the California Local News Fellowship initiative. 

The Kings County Water District posted an advertisement for a new general manager, then several days later fired its long-time general manager, Dennis Mills.

The dismissal was announced after a special closed session held April 22.

“The board terminated Mr. Mills’ employment effective on or before May 15, 2026 pending completion of items identified by an ad hoc sub committee of Directors (Brian) Medeiros and (David) Stanfield, appointed by the board to manage the change in Mr. Mills’ status with the district,” Director Brian Mederios read in a statement over a phone call with SJV Water. 

It’s not clear whether Mills will receive a severance package. Medeiros declined to comment on the matter.

“The board is committed to the work of the district and ensuring the best outcome for all those involved,” Medeiros shared. 

Board members had agreed at the district’s March 25 meeting to look for a chief executive officer as a co-leader after criticizing the district’s transparency with constituents and general upkeep.

“If I were to give myself a grade or the board a grade, and no offense to anybody here, I don’t think we did a great job this last year,” Board Member Paul Gillum said during the Feb. 5 meeting.

Then late last week, a job posting for Mills’ job, the general manager position, appeared in the Kings County Farm Bureau’s newsletter. The annual salary was listed as between $150,000 and $200,000.

While it’s not clear why Mills was terminated, he was highly criticized in 2024 after the Tulare Lake subbasin, which covers most of Kings County, was placed on probation by the state Water Resources Control Board for lacking an adequate groundwater management plan.

Probation comes with significant fees – $300 per well and $20 per acre foot pumped – and reporting requirements.

At the May 2024 El Rico Groundwater Sustainability Agency (GSA) meeting, board member George Wurzel said the subbasin’s last-ditch effort to submit a coordinated groundwater plan  was “hijacked by that individual over a year ago.” 

“I’ll make a motion that El Rico GSA separate itself from the subbasin due to what Dennis Mills did in the Mid-Kings to our GSA and our plan,” Wurzel said during El Rico’s 2024 meeting. 

Wurzel referred to Mills refusing to sign onto the effort because it allowed an additional 10 feet of subsidence, which was requested by El Rico. 

At the time, a letter, circulated by the Kings County Farm Bureau and signed by more than 200 landowners, called for Mills’ resignation, along with former Kings County Water District board members. While the board and Mills did not resign, the board decided to leave the Joint Powers Authority agreement that made up Mid-Kings River GSA. 

Since then, the Kings County Water District has experienced board member turnover.

Mills had worked for the district since 2014.

The complete job description can be found on the district’s website. Applications may be sent to hr@kingscwd.org by April 30. 

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