‘District know-it-all’ sets sail

Seeming to possess an inexhaustible sense of modesty, Mesa Water Operations Manager Bill Johnson repeatedly jokes he’s had a pretty stationary life in California.

Indeed, except for a stint in Vietnam and a few childhood years in Minnesota, Johnson has lived in the state for most of his life.

Not that he minds — he loves California, he says — but the revelation leaves the 31-year veteran of the water industry poking fun at his relative standstill.

“I went to work for a little fiberglass company right here in Costa Mesa around 1970 that was actually right next door to the Mesa Water District,” Johnson says, chuckling. “I knew the family that owned the business, and they’d always kid me about not getting very far all these years.”

Nevertheless, the man who has overseen countless projects, including the construction of two massive reservoirs and a colored water treatment plant, will pack his bags this week for his pending retirement.

The beloved manager plans to devote his newfound free time to transcending his quiet lifestyle, pursuing cross-country travel, a trip to New Zealand, and spending time on his pet hobby: constructing miniature steam engines.

“My wife is looking forward to the retirement, at least in the short term,” Johnson jokes.

His colleagues, however, are not as enthusiastic. While happy for Johnson’s next big step, his colleagues said they would miss the man who had become a well-recognized staple of their office.

“He’s going to be greatly missed, not only because of what he knows about the district, but he can fix anything we have here, from alarm systems to fire systems and the telephone systems,” says Water Maintenance Supervisor Alan Cook. “He’s just the sharpest guy, who knows a little bit about everything.

“In fact, there have been times we forgo sending broken tools back to the manufacturer and just let him take care of it,” he adds.

Production Supervisor Steve Brancroft, who described Johnson as his mentor, echoes Cook’s sentiment.

“He taught me everything I know about the water business,” he says. “Beyond that, Bill is the district know-it-all: He knows where everything is, how it works, and how to fix it. That knowledge is going to be missed.”

Johnson too, had kind words for his colleagues.

“It’s a well-oiled machine over there,” he says. “They can carry on without much direction.”

CHRIS CAESAR may be reached at (714) 966-4626 or at chris.caesar@latimes.com.