Election results can come in a bit slow in California, where voters love their mail-in ballots and some races don’t get decided for weeks. Even one month after Election Day, counties still were processing vote-by-mail and provisional ballots. That’s why I wanted to wait a bit for the slow grind of democracy to come to its conclusion before posting our congratulations to all of those Southern Californians elected to water board positions in November.
In all, nearly 100 Southern Californians were elected or re-elected to water boards in the 2018 midterm election. Three currently serve on the SCWC Board: Steve Elie of Inland Empire Utilities Agency, Scott Houston of West Basin Municipal Water District, and Steve LaMar of Irvine Ranch Water District.
Many are incumbents, but some are new to water issues. Some, such as Darcy Burke of Elsinore Valley Municipal Water District, have been elected for the first time to their local water boards after years of career experience in the water sector. Others, such as Peer Swan of IRWD, faced their first day as an elected official nearly four decades prior. No matter the background, these newly elected water leaders bring a multitude of experience and opinions to their service.
Fragmented and hyper-localized water systems and districts can sometimes mean little opportunity for collaboration. But now more than ever, water agencies are working together to find solutions to the difficult problems facing California water supplies, whether it’s working together on sustainable groundwater management plans or coming together to support large public works projects such as California WaterFix.
With Southern California accounting for more than half the state’s population, it is in our best interests as a region to work together toward a reliable future supply. I may be biased, but I think we do a pretty good job at this. I’d be delinquent in my duty as Executive Director if I didn’t mention the role that SCWC has played since its founding in 1984 as SoCal’s unifying voice on water issues. Our members come from Kern County to San Diego County and everywhere in-between, and from business, agriculture, government and water to drive change through education and advocacy to ensure reliable water supplies for the region.
Many of the new elected officials are active with our organization. Some are new to us. Either way, we extend our warmest welcome to you and invite you to take part in one of our task forces or attend our upcoming quarterly meeting and luncheon. Learn what we’re all about and see how we can work together to strengthen the region’s water future.
Congratulations to New Water Board Members (by county)!
KERN COUNTY
Indian Wells Valley Water District
Stanley G. Rajtora
David Saint-Amand
LOS ANGELES COUNTY
Central Basin Municipal Water District
Bob O. Apodaca (Division 2)
Arturo Chacon (Division 3)
Martha E. Camacho-Rodriguez (Division 1, unexpired term ending Dec. 4, 2020)
La Habra Heights County Water District
Brad Cooke
Karen Baroldi
Palmdale Water District
Don F. Wilson (Division 2)
Vincent J. Dino (Division 5)
Pico Water District
Victor Caballero
Andrew C. Lara
Robert A. Martinez
San Gabriel Valley Municipal Water District
Bruce H. Knoles (Division 5)
Three Valleys Municipal Water District
Carlos Goytia (Division 1)
Upper San Gabriel Valley Municipal Water District
Anthony Fellow (Division 1)
Jennifer Santana (Division 5)
Valley County Water District
Jazmin M. Lopez
David L. Muse
Lenet I. Pacheco
Water Replenishment District of Southern California
Willard H. Murray, Jr. (Division 1)
Sergio Joseph Calderon (Division 4)
West Basin Municipal Water District
Harold Williams (Division 1)
Scott Houston (Division 4)
ORANGE COUNTY
El Toro Water District
Kathryn Freshley
Mike Gaskins
Irvine Ranch Water District
Doug Reinhart
Steve LaMar
Peer A. Swan
Moulton Niguel Water District
Kelly Jennings
Donald R. Froelich
William “Bill” Moorhead
Mesa Water District
Marice Depasquale (Division 3)
Shawn Dewane (Division 5)
Orange County Water District
Dina Nguyen (Division 1)
Kelly E. Rowe (Division 7)
South Coast Water District
William “Bill” Green
Dennis Erdman
Yorba Linda Water District
Brooke Jones
Al Nederhood
Phillip (Phil) D. Hawkins
Municipal Water District of Orange County
Brett Barbre (Division 1)
RIVERSIDE COUNTY
Coachella Valley Water District
G. Patrick O’Dowd (Division 1)
John Powell Jr. (Division 3)
Desert Water Agency
Jim Cioffi
Patricia Oygar
Joe Stuart
Eastern Municipal Water District
Stephen J. Corona (Division 2)
David J. Slawson (Division 5)
Elsinore Valley Municipal Water District
Darcy M. Burke (Division 1)
Jared McBride (Division 3)
Mission Springs Water District
Steve Grasha
Nancy S. Wright
San Bernardino Valley Municipal Water District
T. Milford Harrison (Division 4)
San Gorgonio Pass Water Agency
Blair M. Ball (Division 4)
Western Municipal Water District
Gracie Torres (Division 2)
Yucaipa Valley Water District
Jay S. Bogh (Division 3)
Joyce McIntire (Division 5)
SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY
Big Bear Municipal Water District
Larry Cooke (Division 2)
Bighorn-Desert View Water Agency
Judy K. Corl-Lorono
Jo Marie McKenzie
John R. Burkhart
Chino Basin Water Conservation District
Margaret Hamilton (Division 3)
East Valley Water District
Ronald “Ron” L. Coats
James Morales Jr.
Phillip R. Goodrich
Inland Empire Utilities Agency
Steve Elie (Division 3)
Jasmin Hall (Division 4)
Indian Wells Valley Water District
Chuck Griffin
Peter E. Brown
Joshua Basin Water District
Mike Reynolds
Rebecca Unger
Mojave Water Agency
Mike Page (Division 4)
Running Springs Water District
William Charles Conrad
Mark Acciani
Tony Grabow
San Bernardino Valley Water Conservation
David E. Raley (Division 2)
San Bernardino Valley Municipal Water District
Susan Longville (Division 3)
T. Milford Harrison (Division 4)
Paul R. Kielhold (Division 5)
San Gorgonio Pass Water Agency
Blair M. Ball (Division 4)
Yucaipa Valley Water District
Bruce J. Granlund (Division 2)
Jay S. Bogh (Division 3)
Tom Shalhoub (Division 5)
SAN DIEGO COUNTY
Helix Water District
Dan McMillan (Division 1)
Rainbow Municipal Water District
Carl Rindfleisch (Division 4)
Ramona Municipal Water District
James Hickle (Division 2)
South Bay Irrigation District
Steve Castaneda (Division 1)
Hector M. Martinez (Division 4)
SANTA BARBARA COUNTY
Goleta Water District
Kathleen Werner
Thomas Evans
Montecito Water District
Cori Hayman
Brian C. Goebel
Kenneth J. Coates
Santa Ynez River Water Conservation District
R. Brad Joos (At-Large)
Jeff Clay (Division 2)
Kevin Walsh (Division 3)
VENTURA COUNTY
Camrosa Water District
Jeffrey Brown (Division 2)
Casitas Municipal Water District
Angelo Spandrio (Division 4)