For more than three decades, Jerry Bennett has been the steady hand guiding Miami County Rural Water District No. 2 through growth, change, and some of the most complex infrastructure challenges rural utilities face. As General Manager since 1991, Jerry has helped shape MI-2 into one of the most professionally managed rural water districts in Kansas — and increasingly, one of the most respected in the region. Since Jerry became General Manager, the District has grown from 2,127 customer meters to more than 4,700 today, making Miami County RWD No. 2 the largest rural water district in the state of Kansas.
Jerry’s leadership style blends long-range vision with day-to-day operational discipline. Under his guidance, MI-2 has grown from a small rural water supplier into a modern utility operating and expanding toward a 12-million-gallon-per-day treatment capacity, serving thousands of customers across Miami County and surrounding areas. The District’s reliability, regulatory compliance, and financial stability are not accidental — they are the result of decades of careful planning, disciplined management, and an unwavering focus on public service.
Jerry’s career in public utilities began long before his arrival at MI-2. He started in municipal finance in 1980 and later became City Manager for LaCrosse, Kansas, where he oversaw both water and wastewater systems, including a lime-softening water plant and an activated-sludge wastewater facility. During that time, he also served as an adjunct professor for the Dodge City Community College Environmental Technology program, helping train the next generation of water and wastewater professionals.
That blend of financial management, engineering operations, and education would become the foundation of his work at MI-2. Since taking over as General Manager in 1991, Jerry has led every major phase of the District’s evolution — from regulatory modernization and compliance upgrades to multi-phase treatment plant expansions designed to meet the long-term water needs of the region.
One of Jerry’s most defining qualities is his commitment to professional utility management. He is the first Kansan to obtain the National Rural Water Association Utility Management Certification, a distinction that reflects both technical expertise and governance excellence. He also holds Kansas Class IV certifications in both water and wastewater treatment, the highest level of operator licensing in the state. These credentials ensure that MI-2’s leadership is grounded not just in administration, but in deep operational knowledge of the systems that deliver safe drinking water to its customers.
Beyond MI-2, Jerry’s leadership has had statewide impact. He serves as President of the Kansas Rural Water Finance Authority and is a founding member and treasurer of the Hillsdale Area Water Cooperative (HAWC), organizations that play key roles in strengthening rural water infrastructure across Kansas. Through these roles, Jerry has helped bring together communities, funding agencies, and technical experts to solve problems that no single district could address alone.
In 2023, Jerry founded Bennett Beam Consulting & Management LLC, a firm that provides crisis management and operational support to municipal and quasi-municipal utilities throughout Kansas and Missouri. This work allows him to share the lessons learned at MI-2 — about financial stewardship, regulatory compliance, and system reliability — with utilities facing their own challenges.
Jerry plans to retire from Miami County RWD No. 2 in 2027, but his influence on the District will long outlast his tenure. The infrastructure in place, the financial systems he built, and the culture of professionalism he fostered ensure that MI-2 will remain strong for generations to come.
Outside of the office, Jerry Bennett is just as dedicated to enjoying life as he is to serving the public. An avid fisherman and golfer, Jerry values the quiet focus of casting a line and the challenge of a good round of golf as a way to recharge and stay balanced. Whether he’s on the water at sunrise or walking the fairways with friends and colleagues, these hobbies reflect the same patience, discipline, and appreciation for long-term thinking that he brings to his work at Miami County RWD No. 2.
For customers, Jerry Bennett’s legacy is simple but powerful: dependable water, stable rates, and a utility that plans for the future instead of reacting to crises. That is what true leadership looks like — and it is why Miami County RWD No. 2 is positioned for continued success.