CANDIDATE'S STATEMENT

By Michael D. Smith

I am running for the office of Director for the NCSD because I want to protect the property values of Nipomo residents. I will not neglect current customers, since they have first-call on groundwater. Nipomo's standard of living is its resources - air quality, water supply, roads, schools and good citizenship. Residents have an investment in their homes and standard of living that must be preserved through stewardship of Nipomo's resources.

I oppose water rate hikes and rationing to accommodate growth. Long-term, pro-active planning by the NCSD Directors is mandatory to secure supplement state water from outside sources, increase use of recycled water, implement water conservation measures, and avert groundwater overdraft. The Directors give policy, direction and guidance to the NCSD and staff. Nipomo is experiencing a building boom, population growth, potential drought and county approved housing build-out. NCSD must develop appropriate limits on development of the Nipomo area to maintain it rural setting.

Studies have yet to agree about overdraft in Nipomo. Recent court rulings indicate the Nipomo area is part of a single groundwater basin and it is not in overdraft. However, several groundwater analyses and projections indicate water well levels are falling and groundwater pumping in Nipomo exceeds dependable groundwater yield.

As a Civil Engineer, I have designed water and wastewater plants, subdivisions, water wells, environmental clean-up programs, public works projects, buildings, roads and bridges. I served as Director of California's largest public cemetery, and service club Chairman for mentoring and training high-school students in leadership skills. I furnished pro-bono engineering design and construction management to churches, service clubs and special districts.

I understand community service and its responsibility. I will use my thirty years of civil engineering experience to give policy, direction and guidance to the NCSD and staff, while serving the current customers of the District.

Thank you.