Coastsider endorses Jim Marsh for CCWD

Coastside County Water District (CCWD) could use a little fresh air. It is supporting the sale of connections to its water system by speculators for $30,000; it’s stockpiling large amounts of cash; it’s raising its employees’ pay and betterment benefits generously; and its infrastructure strategy is arguably designed to encourage development.  (For one view of these issues, read the analysis of CCWD’s budget at Voice of the Coast.)

Finally, with the Coastside seriously examining water recycling, we are about to enter into a huge debate whether the water we save should be used for growth or restoration.

There should be more conversation and debate about these policies, but the current board seems to have a consensus. There’s not a lot of public debate going on.

I sat in on the CCWD meeting where the board voted unanimously to charge close to nearly $30,000 for water connections. The board’s big concern seemed to be whether it was going to take away the profits of speculators whom the board members acknowledged were hoarding connections.  The consensus was, "That’s what markets are for." But it’s not what water boards are for. Because it was a daytime meeting, I was the only member of the public in the audience.  An independent board member would assure that more than one voice is represented at these crucial meetings.

Jim Marsh is knowledgeable and experienced about the district. While he can’t change the culture of the CCWD board by himself, adding an independent voice to the board would improve the quality of the conversation at a crucial moment in the Coastside’s history.