Former Bakersfield Water Resources Director Kristina Budak will recieve the “Water Leader of the Year” award and former Kern Water Bank Authority General Manager Jonathan Parker will receive the “Water Legacy” award at the Water Association of Kern County’s 70th annual dinner Nov. 4. Budak, a civil engineer, retired as head of Water Resources earlier this summer after serving the city for three years where she managed several challenging issues including Kern River operations under a major lawsuit and the merger of the city’s Wastewater division under her department as well, according to a press release from the Water Association announcing the awards. … Parker, who joined the Kern Water Bank Authority in 1999, played a significant role in developing infrastructure capable of storing and managing water in Kern County.