From left, Al Stuebing, Mid-Peninsula Water District board president, General Manager Tammy Rudock and board Vice President Louis Vella at the district's office in Belmont.

The Mid-Peninsula Water District, rocked by a $250,000 embezzlement scandal last year, has hired Tammy Rudock as its new general manager to replace the recently retired Paul Regan.

The board of directors also named Al Stuebing as its president and Louis Vella as its vice president at a recent board reorganization.

Stuebing headed up the recruitment for the general manager position along with Director Matt Zucca. There were at least 45 applications to consider from across the country, including Hawaii.

Rudock was one of the five finalists for the job, Stuebing said.

She has 21 years of municipal water and sewer utilities experience and worked previously as the general manager at the Cambria Community Services District in Southern California. She was let go by that board in 2011, however, when residents called for her ouster after she fired a popular fire chief, according to numerous news reports.

Stuebing told the Daily Journal, however, that Rudock has quickly gained the respect of the water district's employees.

"She's got the right experience and good leadership skills," Stuebing said yesterday.

Stuebing is hoping the transition from Regan to Rudock as the district's general manager will be a seamless one.

He credited Regan for building the district's current water-delivery system and for its "culture of great customer service."

Regan was key in helping bring to light last year's embezzlement allegations against a former employee, Stuebing said.

"When Paul found out about the alleged embezzlement he jumped right on it and Tammy has done the same," Stuebing said.

The district sent the San Mateo County District Attorney's Office a pile of evidence last March related to former employee Cathy Remeleh, who allegedly wrote checks to herself over a lengthy period for a sum near $250,000.

Those accusations are still being investigated, however, according to the DA's office.

The district, which mostly serves Belmont, has had extensive audits and has put new controls in place the past year to make sure a similar incident never happens again, Stuebing said.

The district will pay Rudock an annual salary of $145,000. Her previous salary and benefits package at the Cambria Community Services District was about $231,000.

silverfarb@smdailyjournal.com

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