This is an archive of a past election. See http://www.smartvoter.org/ca/scl/ for current information. |
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Candidates Answer Questions on the Issues Director; Santa Clara Valley Water District; Division 2 | |||||
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The questions were prepared by the Leagues of Women Voters of Santa Clara County and asked of all candidates for this office.
See below for questions on
Top Issues,
Experience,
Balancing Interests,
Financial Situation
Click on a name for candidate information. See also more information about this contest.
Answer from Barbara (Finerty) Keegan:
Another issue that is very important to me is proactive maintenance of our infrastructure. The Water District owns hundreds of millions of dollars' worth of aging assets such as reservoirs, dams, treatment plants, and pipelines and they have not had a coherent infrastructure plan. When I was the Sunnyvale City Engineer, I was one of the leads in developing Sunnyvale's Long Range Infrastructure Plan. We identified all city owned assets and projected the anticipated cost and time-frame to rehabilitate or replace those assets. The Water District needs to do something similar so that they can accurately project future expenditures and how it will impact water rates.
And lastly, the Water District has been criticized in Grand Jury Reports and in the media for excessive spending. The Water District Board needs to be more fiscally conscious and more transparent. I would achieve that by strengthening the District's audit program and by posting all audits so that they are easily accessible to the public. I would also advocate for posting the District's detail budget online.
Answer from Barbara (Finerty) Keegan:
Right now I serve on three volunteer Boards and I have already demonstrated the ability to be a collaborative, persuasive and effective Board Member. The Water District needs someone who has the ability to work well with their fellow Board Members. I know I have the interpersonal skills to work effectively with the existing Board and yet also be a strong advocate for meaningful change.
Answer from Barbara (Finerty) Keegan:
There are areas of agreement that exist between the District's various stakeholders. Residents, the business community and environmentalists all share a common interest in seeing the District deliver timely, cost effective and environmentally sensitive capital projects.
In terms of serving my constituents, I have already been advocating for District 2 residents in my role as a North Willow Glen Neighborhood Association Board Member. I took the lead for our Board in getting the District to include funding for the Upper Guadalupe Improvements in the proposed Safe Clean Water ballot measure. Over 7,000 properties, Highway 87 and the Guadalupe Light Rail will all remain vulnerable to flooding until this important project is completed.
And lastly, underlying all decisions is the importance of considering what is in the best interest of the public.
Answer from Barbara (Finerty) Keegan:
I think the District's financial situation in terms of their water utility is relatively stable. Unfortunately the funding for flood protection and environmental stewardship functions is vulnerable and had been heavily dependent on parcel tax revenue. The existing Clean Safe Creeks funding ends in a few years and the voters may not approve the current proposed ballot measure. If the new ballot measure is not approved,the District should take immediate steps to develop a staffing transition plan to address future funding realities.
I am a strong advocate for proactive infrastructure maintenance. It is necessary for the District to develop a strategic plan to forecast infrastructure needs, and the timing and cost of infrastructure rehabilitation or replacement. The District needs to deliver infrastructure projects in a timely and cost-effective manner in order to convince the public that their money is being well spent.
The order of the candidates is random and changes daily. Candidates who did not respond are not listed on this page. |