ON GOING CHANGE

By Michael R. McGill

Describes what has been done since I was elected four years ago and what is needed now.

During my last run I promoted the need for change - and change we have! The changes include: starting a pharmaceutical collection program, aggressively promoting the use of recycled water, extending the hours of service for the Household Hazardous Waste Facility and, most importantly, we addressed OPEB (Other Post Employment Benefits), an issue that was so salient four years ago. (We have created and funded a trust to meet unfunded liabilities and we negotiated an employment change that will save over $140 million as we go forward.) We also addressed (with Contra Costa County) the imminent flood hazard from Walnut Creek which is adjacent to our treatment plant.

As all this occurred we were able to not raise rates for the last two years and we continued to win both State and National Awards for our operations.

We have adopted a fee deferral program to help struggling builders and to help stimulate the local economy.

More change is still needed and my work isn't done. The District's Pension Program must be simplified and made more realistic. I'm committed to eliminating any "spiking" during our next contract negotiations.

Continued effort is needed to utilize recycled water in industrial applications which will help reduce demands on the Delta and improve the environment.