New Goleta Water Board Starts Off With a Spat

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Paul Wellman

Bert Bertrando

Welcoming its newest directors—Lauren Hanson, Bill Rosen, and former board member Larry Mills—the Goleta Water Board held officer elections on December 16, electing, in two unanimous votes, Director Bert Bertrando as president of the board, and Hanson as vice president. While the last board gained a reputation for often tumultuous board meetings, the new board began its first session in an apparent spirit of cooperation. Jack Ruskey, a district customer known for his vocal opposition to the board’s policies and procedures, appeared to be placated by the new board’s first action, stating that he would remain silent, as his concerns about the role of special committees had already been addressed by directors Bertrando and Rosen.

The silence was short-lived, however, as the issue of legal fees was brought up in the general counsel’s report. Ruskey was named explicitly in the report, water district attorney Chip Wulbrandt asserting that a sizeable expense in the legal fees had been incurred by Ruskey’s frequent, specific, and expansive record requests. Ruskey countered by charging that Wulbrandt had rolled “self litigation,” from an alleged conflict of interest case, into Wullbrandt’s fees to the district, an accusation Wulbrandt denied.

Paul Wellman

Bill Rosen

Ultimately, Rosen suggested a two-pronged approach for dealing with public records requests, in which the district would make clear what kinds of records are available for the public, as well as making those records more accessible for easy access.

The issue of health coverage for board members was also raised. Although most of the district’s directors have elected not to have coverage, one director in the past incurred an annual cost of $11,000 for health insurance premiums, an amount that several members of the public objected to. “There are no other special districts that provide health insurance for board members,” said district customer Craig Geier. Other customers who spoke at the meeting suggested that serving as a board member is a civic duty, and argued that receiving health insurance coverage is not the best use of the district’s resources in the present economic climate.

These and other issues were tabled for a special board meeting scheduled for Friday, December 19, at 2 p.m.

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