Candidate for
Director; Los Osos Community Services District

From the Baywood News Volume 21 Issue 42.

Why are you running?

I am a 16 year resident of Los Osos. I have been involved in the community through activities with my children and more recently a member of the Utilities Advisory Committee and the Ad Hoc Water Conservation Committee. I found that working with the committee to implement a water conservation program to be very rewarding. I realized that I have both perseverance and patience to be successful in this type of service to our community.

Why do you think you would be a good board member?

I have worked in the biotechnology field for 28 years in both management and as a scientist. I have been a soccer coach, a scout leader and an active member of our community. I believe with this combination of life experience I have demonstrated an ability to work with others to accomplish goals and offer a unique perspective to help solve problems.

What are the most important issues facing the district?

I firmly believe the most important issues facing the district are the saltwater intrusion and the bankruptcy. For years the sewer has dominated the Los Osos landscape. This has allowed us to lose sight of the problems we face with our water resources. My work on the Utilities Advisory Committee is focused on this problem.

The outcome of the bankruptcy will determine the fate of our CSD. It will take careful consideration and planning to navigate through these waters. My experience in working in industry, managing cost and budgeting will be instrumental.

How can the CSD help preserve the town's water supply?

There are at least two basic avenues of attack, conservation and reuse. First, as a member of the committee on water conservation we are in the process implementing a water conservation program that we believe is credible and a model to attract further funding. My hope is that we can work together as a community to achieve our conservation goals though community outreach and cooperative basin management plan with the other purveyors.

Second, the LOCSD has worked to ensure that the effluent from the waste water project will be used to recharge our basin. I support this process and will work hard to implement policy enabling a cooperative effort of the water purveyors and the county, to put into action, a basin wide management plan that will preserve our precious water supply and stop sea water intrusion.

How can the CSD help those with fixed incomes be able to pay their sewer and other utility bills?

By anyone's standard the sewer is an expensive project. As the district works its way out of bankruptcy we can hope to provide some seed money to give incentive for the county to make grant applications. We should also revive our Ad Hoc Affordability Committee to continue efforts towards the development of a program to help residents with information and paperwork regarding opportunities for funding.

What can be done to reduce operation costs?

It would be hard to predict the future of what operation cost will be and how to reduce them. Of course with a tiered rate charge based on water usage, conservation is a great way to reduce cost. I think it is effective to focus on activities to help reduce supplemental cost such as; developing programs to help people with hook up costs and creative ways to effectively decommission septic tanks. For example, I have heard ideas about forming cooperative of contractors to help dig trenches and help with installation or using our septic tanks to help in collecting water for re-introducing drain water to the ground. This is a great opportunity for our community to come together with innovative ideas.

What sort of role should the CSD have during the construction of the sewer? What role should it play after it is built?

The main concern for the CSD is to continue provide Emergency, Water and Sanitation services to our customers at a level they have come to expect. This will take a great deal of coordination and communication. There could be cost associated with these activities which would need to be monitored and negotiated for reimbursement by our CSD. After the sewer is built I think the LOCSD should at least consider take over the operation.

What role should the CSD have in developing recreational programs in the community?

Having raised two children here in Los Osos and been a soccer coach and scout leader, developing recreational programs for this community should be a relatively high priority of the CSD. I believe members of the CSD support this position as well. I think we should also work synergistically with LOCAC Parks and Recreation committee to achieve our goals. However we must be equally prepared as a community to develop revenue generating entities to off set costs of appealing projects such as a park or a senior center.