Stockton City Manager Harry Black announced today that he has appointed Dr. Mel Lytle to the position of Municipal Utilities Director, effective August 16, 2021.
“Dr. Lytle previously served as the City of Stockton Director of Municipal Utilities, from 2012 to 2016,” said City Manager Harry Black. “You can’t ask for a better fit to lead the Municipal Utilities Department. In addition to his exemplary academic credentials and his prior experience leading the department, he is a well-respected expert on water resources within the State of California.”
After a brief absence from the City of Stockton, Dr. Lytle returned as a Deputy City Manager from 2017 to 2019, and he is currently the Assistant Director of the Municipal Utilities Department. Prior to joining the City of Stockton, he was the Water Resources Coordinator for San Joaquin County for 10 years.
Dr. Lytle is a published author, invited lecturer and Postdoctoral Fellow of the University of California Berkeley. His academic training includes bachelor’s & master’s degrees in agricultural business/science and a Ph.D. in botany and range science from Brigham Young University, Utah. Mel is also a former Sacramento San Joaquin Delta farmer and in his spare time enjoys outdoor sports, hiking, sportfishing, sailing, and organic gardening. Dr. Lytle is active in supporting the medical community, sharing his story and experience of his battle with and recovery from acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) in supporting lectures, studies, and educating and encouraging others.
Dr. Lytle will lead the Municipal Utilities Department, the City’s water, wastewater, and stormwater services provider. The Water Utility Division serves approximately 49,000 connections to residences and businesses in North and South Stockton, includes the Delta Water Supply Project, a facility that has been awarded Gold LEED for energy use, lighting, water, and material use, and other sustainable strategies. The Stormwater Utility Division operates and maintains more than 600 miles of pipe, 74 pump stations, and 22,500 drain inlets. The Wastewater Utility Division Regional Wastewater Control Facility is currently undergoing construction and modernization, enhancing treatment and processing facilities to ensure that the facility meets stringent regulatory standards for decades into the future; the utility includes over 900 miles of sanitary sewer lines.