Legislation and
Leadership

New officers for the Water Authority’s Board of Directors were unanimously elected in September 2020, with Gary Croucher, a career firefighter, starting his two-year term as chair on October 1. Croucher, formerly vice chair of the Board as a representative from Otay Water District, was elected to serve with incoming Vice Chair Christy Guerin from Olivenhain Municipal Water District and Secretary Jerry Butkiewicz from the City of San Diego. Upon Guerin’s retirement, Mona Rios was elected vice chair in December. She is the first Latina to serve as a Board officer in the Water Authority’s 76-year history.

Jim Madaffer, who served as chair for the previous two years and represented the City of San Diego, was honored for his leadership in presiding over efforts by the Water Authority to minimize rate increases, the development of a new agricultural water rate program to benefit the region’s farmers, and efforts to enhance communication and coordination with member agencies. Going forward, the new leadership hopes to focus on opportunities to expand partnerships that will benefit the San Diego region and the entire Southwest.