Water District swears in directors, officers

South Coast Water District held a special public meeting Dec. 1 to swear in Dick Dietmeier and incumbent director Bob Moore to the district board. Board members are elected at large by residents of the district and serve four-year terms.

The election would have coincided with the gubernatorial election on Nov. 7, but only Dietmeier and Moore filed to run for the two open board seats. According to California code, when candidates run unopposed there is no electoral contest and the individuals secure the seats, said spokeswoman Linda Homscheid.

The five-member board elected Dietmeier as president and director Ingrid McGuire as vice president for 2007. All three are Dana Point residents. South Coast Water District serves Dana Point, South Laguna and areas of north San Clemente and north San Juan Capistrano.

Dietmeier previously served on the District board from 2000-2004. He retired from the U.S. Marine Corps in 1987 as a Lieutenant Colonel following a 25-year career.

“The District serves an older, largely built-out coastal community,” Dietmeier said. “About 75% of our water lines and 90% of our sewer lines are 30 years or older. Through system upgrades and improved efficiencies, we will be able to achieve another top goal of mine, which is ‘zero sewer spills’ or the prevention of sanitary sewer overflows.”

Moore, a Monarch Beach resident, has been a water district director for 10 years. Moore was president of the South Orange County Wastewater Authority and has represented the District with the Municipal Water District of Orange County.

McGuire has been a water district director for 11 years and served as board vice president last year. McGuire is a former mayor of Dana Point and served on the City Council for six years, including the Charter Council when the city was formed in 1989. McGuire also served as a charter member of the Women’s Advisory Council for South Coast Medical Center.

The other board members are Richard Gardner and Dick Runge.

Starting in January, two regular board meetings will be held twice a month, at 6 p.m. on the 2nd and 4th Thursdays, at the District’s main office, 31592 West St. . Board meeting agendas, staff reports and minutes are posted on the District’s Website, www.scwd.org.