Recent retiree reflects on decades of service to Contra Costa County
Sanitary district manager oversaw many improvements
After putting in 30 years and nine months, Berkeley resident Tim Potter retired in March from the Central Contra Costa Sanitary District (CCCSD).
“I loved the challenges that my job created, from getting recalcitrant businesses to comply with standards to training and motivating staff to develop their skills and abilities,” Potter said. “In hindsight, I appreciate that I was respected by my peers in the field.”
As a source control program manager at the CCCSD in Martinez, Potter managed the environmental compliance pretreatment program to protect the personnel and property involved with the sanitary sewer system and the wastewater treatment plant within its service area. In addition, he managed the storm water protection program for cities in their service area to prevent pollution from entering waterways.
Potter earned several individual awards and a great deal of recognition for various accomplishments and contributions. Among the honors he received over the years were the Industrial and Hazardous Waste Award (now known as CWEA P3S), Person of the Year Award for the CWEA SF Bay Section in 1997 and three first-place awards for the US EPA Pretreatment Program Excellence award. He says integrity was his top priority.
“Working in a regulatory field, it was important to me to have my actions and decisions never be overturned
because of improper use of my authority or judgment,” said Potter, who earned his bachelor of arts degree in environmental science and development studies at UC Berkeley and an master of science degree in environmental studies from the University of San Francisco.
A father of four grown kids (Lucy, Katy, Max and Wyatt) with Lyn, Potter's son, Max, said his dad's loyalty was unmatched in his personal life and career.
“He was loyal to his people through and through,” said Max, a U.S. Navy explosive ordnance disposal officer. “This is shown by his co-workers' and employees' appreciation and recognition of him. But at the forefront, he was loyal to his family. He would drop everything if one of us needed something.”
Max Potter said he looks up to his father's work ethics, watching his father extend himself well beyond what was required of him in his job description.
“He developed the standards and procedures for several programs,” said Max. “He sat on executive boards for numerous regional groups that influenced legislation for both environmental laws as well as employee rights.”
Basically a celebrity of sorts among in his professional peer group, Max said of his father that “it's funny to say, but when you say `Tim Potter' in the California pretreatment community, people know who you're talking about.”
Before Max joined the Navy, he also worked in the environmental pretreatment and pollution prevention field from 2016 to 2020.
“When people heard my last name, they would always say, `Oh, you're Tim Potter's son!' I was in the shadow of his reputation, undoubtedly,” said Max.
Potter and his wife, Lyn, will have been married for 36 years in June. She said her husband was just as much a dedicated father as he was an employee.
“He worked very hard for many years protecting the environment, while being a supportive hubby and great dad,” said Lyn. “He was a Boy Scout leader, Little League coach and umpire, soccer coach and did martial arts with the kids.”
Lyn said Tim Potter was a diligent, strategic leader at work with a commitment to doing the right thing, even it entailed speaking truth to power.
“He was able to focus on details and creating solid systems for efficiency and success, all while nurturing, supporting and building a solid team of professionals in his department,” she said.
She says she understands that her husband's transition from work to retirement can be challenging but also knows that Potter left his division in good standing.
“Tim created such a highfunctioning department and team that he can rest assured the valuable, highquality work will continue and evolve to meet any new challenges as they arise,” said Lyn. “He can now retire and turn his attention to `working' projects in his many areas of interests, such as picture framing, woodworking, golf, darts, martial arts and travel.”
In retirement, Potter says he doesn't miss the `alarm clock' part of work but does miss the camaraderie.
“I miss the team dynamics that we were able to create and foster,” said Potter. “We had a great group of diverse individuals who were able to build a strong team together, which I was proud to have been part of.”
Potter, who hopes to travel and see his family more often now, gives his outlook on life in general.
“Don't sweat the small stuff. Frustrations and irritations are going to happen in all work environments, from job assignments to interpersonal interactions,” he said. “It's better for one's career and sanity to let the `BS' roll off and either find humor or adopt a mentality to get past it.”