Candidate for
Board Member; South Feather Water and Power Agency; Division 5

CANDIDATE STATEMENT

I have helped local businesses, farmers and residents access the services of the South Feather Water & Power Agency for 38 years. Through my company, Better Builders Construction, as well as in personally assisting local citizens, I've hooked up hundreds of homes and businesses to the SFWPA's water system. This experience has allowed me to work closely with SFWPA management and employees in the field. I believe these relationships, along with my understanding of the needs of people in our community, would be an asset to the SFWPA Board of Directors.

If elected, I will work to improve water systems to safeguard our precious water resources and support growth in our economy, population and agricultural productivity. I will coordinate with my fellow directors and the staff to hire a new general manager and continue stability in district operations. I also will help implement new programs that allow consumers to voluntarily conserve water and enhance partnerships that will benefit customers.

My top priority will be ensuring that the agency is responsive to the current and future needs of our community. As a lifelong resident, I want to see us thrive and achieve an even better quality of life for our families.

BIOGRAPHY

John Starr is the owner and founder of Better Builders Construction, Inc. For 38 years John has worked tirelessly to grow his company from a one man operation to 18 full time talented men and women who make up today's BBC team. Through his career, John has been one of the north state's leading contractors and has played a key role in the development of Kelly Ridge Estates and the eastern foothills of Butte County.

Throughout Butte County, John has built hundreds of custom homes and business and has led major construction projects such as: the repair of the Mercury Register building, in 1998, after the U2 crash; Heart Federal (now US Bank); the Oroville Hospital Cancer Center; the Calvary Baptist Church; the Marinello School of Beauty; numerous doctor and dentist offices; and several facilities for Bidwell Marina, including their floating restaurant. John is also currently involved in the Doves Landing project in the Montgomery Ward building.

John's hard work and commitment to building the best has awarded him multiple honors in the construction trades including the PG&E Energy Conservative Home award, and the U.S. Housing and Urban Development Energy Home award. John and his company have been written about in construction trade magazines like the Sun Coast Architect/Builder (May 1992), Meeks Contractors Bulletin, (Feb. 1995), California Contractors Digest, (Aug. 1998). In 1992, John was awarded the first contract to build a PG&E Energy Showcase Home in Northern California.

Part of John's achievement, he believes, is owed to the network of hardworking and reliable local business owners and subcontractors that John depends on to make every job a success and his customers happy.

John met his wife of 36 years, Belinda (Sam as she is affectionately known by everyone), when she worked as a waitress at the Kelly Ridge Country Club. Together, John and Sam have raised three children, Shane, Dawn, and Zachary and have proudly gained a son-in-law, Cory and a beautiful granddaughter. Today, John and Belinda also manage Five Starrs Farms, a small estate-farm that specializes in the production of Washington Navel Oranges.

EXPERIENCE WITH SFWPA

For almost 40 years John has worked with the South Feather Water & Power Agency through the work of Better Builders Construction and personally consulting on behalf of business owners, agricultural users and residents. During John's career, he has hooked up hundreds of homes to SFWPA's water delivery system, along with numerous businesses, farms and vineyards. His extensive work with the agency has permitted John to work closely with SFWPA management and the employees in the field, building great working relations with the team.

He is also familiar with the consumer side of dealing with SFWPA, being a water user through his construction company, his farm, and his residence. Together, John has gained experience and understanding of the needs of the end water user, as-well-as, how those needs must be balanced with the water delivery infrastructure SFWPA provides.

CONTRIBUTIONS TO OUR COMMUNITY

John believes in giving back to the community he calls home. Volunteering has always been a big part of that giving back.

In 1992, after the Horticulture class room at Las Plumas High School had burned, John was instrumental in organizing local businesses to volunteer in its rebuilding.

In 1997, John volunteered in the Mentors Program at Oroville High School, giving his time weekly to the Computer Drafting class. Beside classroom and field work, the classes designed and help build a home for one of John's clients.

He and Belinda have donated to many organizations, schools, and individuals in multiple ways and still do so today, but this has always been a private endeavor that they do for personal reasons and not to gain praise. However, one deed they have especially enjoyed over the years, and want others to as well, has been supporting the junior farmers of the local 4-H and Future Farmers of America clubs by buying market steer, hog or lamb at the Jr. Livestock Auctions.