The Upper Arkansas Water Conservancy District board of directors selected Greg Felt as the next District general manager during its monthly meeting Thursday in Salida.
The board made offers to two finalists for the job – Felt and Blake Osborn, a water resources specialist for the Lower Arkansas Valley Water Conservancy District – and voted to approve a contract with Felt following an executive session.
“I’m thrilled to have this pathway to continue to expand on the things I’ve been working on for about 25 years now and to be able to continue to serve beyond my term as county commissioner,” Felt said.
Felt has served as a Chaffee County commissioner for almost eight years but is not eligible to run in this year’s election because of term limits.
Felt’s involvement with water issues dates to his days as a river outfitter. In 1998, he co-founded ArkAnglers, a fly shop and outfitting business, and managed its guide service full-time until 2016, when he was elected to the Board of County Commissioners.
Felt is a member of the Southeastern Colorado Water Conservancy District board of directors and the Colorado Water Conservation Board, where he has served as board chair.
He is also a long-time board member and current vice chair of the Upper Ark District. As such, he recused himself from any involvement with the screening and hiring process and was not present during those discussions.
Long-time General Manager Terry Scanga said Felt will begin working right away part-time as associate general manager to facilitate a smooth transition. Scanga will step down as District general manager Dec. 31, and Felt will officially assume the GM role Jan.1, 2025, two weeks before his county commissioner term ends.
