Detroit Water Board Fills Financial, Technical Advisory Staff Positions

At a Special Meeting on October 6, 2011, the Detroit Board of Water Commissioners selected Butler Benton and Douglas Buchholz, P.E. to advise the Board on financial and technical issues.

As we reported in August, staff will assist the Board in reviewing rate setting, capital projects and other financial and operational matters. Staff are hired by, and report directly to, the Board of Water Commissioners, not DWSD or the Mayor's Office.

Staff positions were created under the February 11, 2011 Order, and formalized under Article VII of the Board's Amended By-Laws. A third staff position, not yet filled, will advise the Board on legal matters.

Butler Benton

Butler Benton is the former Director, Department of Environment, for Wayne County.  He served with Wayne County for 15 years. Mr. Benton has a Bachelor of Science in Accounting and an MBA, both from Wayne State University.

Mr. Benton is a member of the Clean Water Steering Committee of the ESD Institute.

Douglas A. Buchholz, P.E. is Director of Operations for Oakland County Water Resources Commission (WRC). Mr. Buchholz has worked for Oakland County since 1974. He became Manager of Operations and Maintenance in 1998 and was promoted to Director of Operations in 2009.

Mr. Buchholz directs the overall operations and maintenance of the Oakland County WRC field and office staff for water supply, wastewater and storm water disposal, lake level control, permits and inspections and customer service and billings.

He also represents WRC and Oakland County cities, villages and townships on Detroit Water and Sewage Department (DWSD) committees and work groups as a:

• Co-chair of the DWSD Water Technical Advisory Committee (TAC)
• DWSD Sewer Steering Committee member

Background  

He is a 1970 graduate of General Motors Institute with a Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering degree. He earned a Master of Science: Civil Engineering degree from the University of Michigan in 1973. 

Mr. Buchholz is also a: 

• State of Michigan Registered Professional Engineer 
• State of Michigan Certified Wastewater Operator Classification: A, B, C or D 
• Member of American Water Works Association 
• Member of Michigan Water Environment Association

For more about DWSD Update, click here. 

Update (11/30): The Board of Water Commissioners today voted to approve the hiring of Jim Ridgway as Technical Advisor to the Board.  The Board reconsidered its earlier decision (reported above) concerning Doug Buchholz.

Mr. Ridgway has a B.S. in Environmental Engineering and a M.S. in Civil Engineering, both from the University of Michigan. In addition, Mr. Ridgway was an Assistant Director with DWSD for 5 years during the mid-1980s. Click here for his LinkedIn profile.