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The desal project itself may be dead, but that doesn't mean there aren't more defunct desal-related casualties to come. The next may be in the departure of General Manager Jim Heitzman from Marina Coast Water District, which according to the district board's Feb. 14 agenda materials, is imminent.

"At the January Budget and Personnel Committee meeting, the General Manager discussed his intent to leave in the near future, but did not specify a date," according to the agenda. Heitzman did not respond to a call for comment Friday afternoon.

The board is scheduled to discuss hiring an executive recruiter to search for a replacement GM. Also on Tuesday, the board will discuss a search for internal legal counsel.

"With regards to the legal issues that may stem from current projects and the ongoing need for legal services, using outside counsel can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars in just a few months," the agenda says. "In-house counsel would enable the District to control costs over the same period of time and beyond."The proposed salary for in-house counsel would be $126,868 to $161,919.

Heitzman's planned departure came at about the same time the planned desal plant, for which Marina Coast was to host the facility as one of three project partners, was pronounced a no-go.

For more on the ongoing Regional Water Project story, visit www.mcweekly.com/desal.>