Board of Directors Represent the Region’s Water Agencies
The Water Authority’s 22 member agencies are represented through a 34-member Water Authority Board of Directors. At least one director from each agency sits on the Board. The Board establishes and administers policies for the Water Authority, and generally holds its regular meetings on the fourth Thursday of every month with special workshops and other meetings as needed. The public is invited to attend monthly meetings and to comment on agenda items or other matters before the Board.
Public Notice
BOARD OF DIRECTORS’ AND STANDING COMMITTEES’ REGULAR MEETING
9:00 A.M. JANUARY 22, 2026
BOARD ROOM
WATER AUTHORITY HEADQUARTERS BUILDING
4677 OVERLAND AVENUE, SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA
The meeting is open to the public and accessible electronically by going to the web link at SDCWA.org and then clicking the link listed below “LIVE STREAM” on the right hand side of the page.
- UNIFIED AGENDA: The unified agenda provides a brief description of each item to be considered by the Board and its Administrative and Finance, Engineering and Operations, Imported Water, Legislation & Public Outreach, and Water Planning and Environmental Committees. For convenience, the agenda for each of the Committees and for the formal Board meeting are stated separately; however, all agendas shall be considered as a single agenda and any item listed on the agenda of any Committee may be acted upon by the Board. All items on the agenda of any Committee, including information items, may be deliberated and become subject to action by the Board.
- DOCUMENTS: Staff reports, and any other public information provided to the Board or Committee before the meeting relating to items on the agenda are available for public review on the Water Authority website at https://www.sdcwa.org/meetings-and-documents. Additional documents may be distributed at the meeting electronically and will be made available. Copies of individual items are available through the Clerk of the Board at (858) 522-6614.
- MEETING TIMES: The morning session of the Standing Committees will commence at 9:00 a.m., and any afternoon session of the Standing Committees may commence at the conclusion of the morning session and earlier than 12:00 p.m. Please see the meeting schedule. The meeting of the full Board may commence as early as 2:00 p.m. or as soon thereafter as the last Committee meeting is completed.
- ACTION AT COMMITTEE MEETINGS: Committee meetings are also noticed as meetings of the Board because a quorum of the Board may be present. Members of the Board who are not members of the Committee may participate in the meeting, but only members of the Committee may make, second or vote on any motion or other action of the Committee unless the Board determines to convene for consideration of action on an item or items on the Committee agenda. Items receiving substantive review by a standing committee are generally included on the Consent Calendar for action at the meeting of full Board. Closed Sessions also occur at Committee meetings and may not be repeated at the formal Board meeting.
- CONSENT CALENDAR: The agenda contains items listed on a consent calendar which is for matters considered routine or otherwise not requiring further deliberation. A Committee or the Board will take action as recommended by one motion. There will be no individual discussion on such items prior to the vote unless an item is removed for discussion.
- PUBLIC HEARINGS: It is not necessary to notify the Chair if a member of the public wishes to speak on items listed on the agenda as public hearings. Public hearings will begin at the time stated in the notice, or as soon thereafter as the matter can be heard. When the Chair opens the hearing, upon invitation from the Chair, step to the podium and begin by giving your name and address for the record. Each speaker has three minutes to address the Board.
- PUBLIC COMMENT: Public comments may be provided before the meeting by submitting written comment to: publiccomments@sdcwa.org. Written correspondence will be read as time allows and will be dispersed to the Board of Directors via email.
Speaker request forms will be available to the public attending in person.
The meeting can be monitored and public comments can also be made by joining via zoom here: ZOOM LINK.
or joining by phone at 1-669-444-9171. Enter the meeting id 838 8344 4061# when prompted. Use the raise hand feature in Zoom to be recognized by the Clerk to speak. If joining by phone dial *9 to raise your hand.
Members of the public are given an opportunity to address each Standing Committee on any item listed on their respective agenda or under the jurisdiction of the Committee, during the Public Comment period as stated on the agenda.
Each speaker is allotted up to three minutes to provide their public comment. The Presiding Officer shall, however, exercise discretion to determine if time should be reduced or extended based upon such factors as length and substance of agenda, the number of public comment speakers, the need for the Board to conclude business as expeditiously as is practicable, and whether the Board is at risk of losing a quorum, among other factors.
During the Formal Board of Directors Meeting, at the Public Comment period stated on the agenda, members of the public are given an opportunity to address the Board on items of interest within the subject matter of the Board, or on any item on the Formal Board Agenda that was not previously addressed by a Standing Committee. No public comment will be taken on items previously considered by the Standing Committee unless the Board Chair determines that an item has changed substantially. - INFORMATION ITEMS: Items are listed on the agenda as information based on staff’s judgment. Circumstances or the committee’s or Board’s judgments may require deliberation or, if necessary, action on these items. Any member of the public with an interest in one of these items should review the background material and request information on the possible action that could be taken.
- ASSISTANCE FOR THE DISABLED: If you are disabled in any way and need accommodation to participate in the Board meeting, please call the Clerk of the Board at (858) 522-6614 for assistance at least three (3) working days prior to the meeting so the necessary arrangements can be made.
- RULES GOVERNING MEETINGS: The Water Authority’s Administrative Code Chapter 2.00 governs the conduct of meetings of the Board and the Committees. The Administrative Code is available online at www.sdcwa.org.
Board Officers
Members By District
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Amanda Flesse
Carlsbad Municipal Water District
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Teresa Acosta
Carlsbad Municipal Water District
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Mel Katz
Del Mar, City of
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Rick Paul
Escondido, City of
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Kathleen Coates Hedberg PE, MP
Helix Water District
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Joel Scalzitti
Helix Water District
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Frank Hilliker
Lakeside Water District
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Vacant
Oceanside, City of
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Neal Meyers
Olivenhain Municipal Water District
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Francisco X. Rivera
Otay Water District
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Mark Robak
Otay Water District
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Rocky Qualin
Padre Dam Municipal Water District
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Burt Williams
Camp Pendleton Marine Corps Base
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Eric Heidemann
Poway, City of
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Princess Norman
Ramona Municipal Water District
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Evan Wahl
Rincon del Diablo Municipal Water District
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Stephen Whitburn
San Diego, City of
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Jim Madaffer
San Diego, City of
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Venus Molina
San Diego, City of
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Valentine Macedo Jr.
San Diego, City of
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Vacant
San Diego, City of
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Jimmy Ayala
San Diego, City of
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Ismahan Abdullahi
San Diego, City of
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Lois Fong-Sakai
San Diego, City of
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Jerry Butkiewicz
San Diego, City of
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Nick Serrano
San Diego, City of
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Joy Lyndes
San Dieguito Water District
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Dana Friehauf
Santa Fe Irrigation District
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Steve Castaneda
South Bay Water
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Jennifer Kerschbaum
Vallecitos Water District
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Gary Arant
Valley Center Municipal Water District
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Marty Miller
Vista Irrigation District
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Amy Reeh
Yuima Municipal Water District
Paloma Aguirre
County of San Diego – County Representative (non-voting member)