Dateline Carson — In a small, enclosed setting adjacent to the main Board Room in a building named after the president, West Basin Municipal Water District Board members yesterday considered a replacement for the District 4 seat following Ed Little’s resignation in May.
District 4 serves El Segundo, Culver City West Hollywood and Malibu.
Former City Councilman Steve Rose is the best-known of the four finalists.
For 90 minutes, Mr. Rose, Dave Atkinson of El Segundo, Scott Houston of El Segundo and Jeff Ebenstein of West Hollywood answered Board members; questions.
Inquiries touched on their qualifications, political contacts, daytime scheduling flexibility and their perception of challenges to the water district.
Mr. Rose, CEO of the Chamber of Commerce, advocates a balanced approach to water supply issues. He identified the largest challenges as building out the [recycled water] system and bringing service to the farther ends of West Basin.
He stressed that “there is no ‘I’ in ‘team,’” in his passionate advocacy for issues. Mr. Rose closed out his interview with a paraphrase from President Reagan: “I sure hope that you won't hold the other people’s youth and inexperience against them.”
During the 18-minute interview of El Segundo City Councilman Atkinson, he emphasized his 10 years of public service in El Segundo.
An occasional attendee at West Basin Board meetings, he was familiar with the board members. He drew analogies between water issues and his work in energy advocacy and commissions. Declaring himself a proponent of fracking, Mr. Atkinson said he wants to “save trees and butterflies. But first we must save the human race.” Mr. Atkinson is willing to give up his Council seat for a place on the Water Board.
Mr. Houston, a businessman, arrived accompanied by a campaign team and declared himself as representing the next generation on the Water Board. He emphasized the perceived obligation board members have to serve the needs of the customers and client organizations to provide safe, reliable water. “We can't rely on imported water to the same capacity” Mr. Houston said.
He proposed addressing the need of doubling conservation effects and creating more recycling opportunities.
Mr. Ebenstein, policy analyst for Los Angeles City Councilman Paul Koretz, and formerly from Sherman Oaks, expressed his lifelong concern for water issues. He suggested tapping more aggressively into the local supply more. Mr. Ebenstein emphasized coordinating with Los Angeles's Dept. of Water and Power and its Sanitation Dept.
He underlined his relationships with L.A.'s Hyperion treatment facility, the Metropolitan Water District and the Water Replenishment District.
After the interviews board members, led by Director Carol Kwan, postponed final consideration to a special board meeting, Thursday morning at 10 in the third-floor board room of the Donald L. Dear Building, 17140 S. Avalon Blvd, Carson 90746-1296.
The sought-after appointment is for the balance of the calendar year, with the permanent occupant to be decided in the November general election.
The board has until July 18 to fill the position or allow it to remain vacant.
Mr. Houston has already filed his papers to run for the elected seat in November. All candidates except Mr. Atkinson said they would be considering running for the seat if they weren't appointed. Mr. Ebenstein projected that he would raise $100,000 in his bid for the seat.
The water district is the wholesale supplier of water to retail water agencies and operates the El Segundo water recycling facility and the Redondo Beach desalination demonstration facility amongst other facilities.
Comments to the board may be directed to board secretary Charlene Jensen at charlenej@westbasin.org
Mr. Murray may be contacted at Stephen@sunstruction.com
