Longstanding former water agency staffer Jeff Ford was sworn in Tuesday night as SCV Water’s latest board member, filling the seat recently vacated by Dante Acosta.
Ford is now the board member who represents Los Angeles County and, specifically, the county’s Waterworks District 36, which serves the people of Val Verde.
Los Angeles County Supervisor Kathryn Barger named Ford as her pick to represent the county.
On Tuesday night, all but two board members voted in favor of a resolution approving Ford for the position.
Board members Lynne Plambeck and Ed Colley cast “no” votes on Ford’s appointment, each of them emphasizing they had no problem with Ford’s ability and expertise.
Both Plambeck and Colley said the seat should be filled by someone with a direct tie to the Val Verde community.
“I look forward to your being on the board. I think your expertise is valuable,” Colley said to Ford. “The seat you’re going to be filling should have a nexus and a tie to the Val Verde area.
“I still don’t understand why the supervisor (Barger) apparently doesn’t think so,” he said. “But, in no way do I think you’re not qualified.
Plambeck echoed the same sentiments, noting for the record that the seat should be filled by someone with a tie to Val Verde.
Ford fills the seat vacated in mid-August by Acosta, the former state assemblyman and former Santa Clarita City Council member. Acosta announced he was moving to Texas earlier this year for a job.
In her news release naming Ford for the position, Barger, who serves the 5th District, which includes the SCV, stated: “Jeff’s knowledge and experience will be an invaluable asset to the Santa Clarita Valley Water Agency and its dedicated group of experts. … He is in tune with local water issues and shares my commitment to ensuring the delivery of quality and affordable water to the Santa Clarita Valley.”
A resident of the Santa Clarita Valley, Ford has worked for the Castaic Lake Water Agency, the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, the South Coast Air Quality Management District and the cities of Los Angeles and Simi Valley.
When he was employed by CLWA, Ford served as the agency’s principal water resources planner.
When he left the CLWA, he began working as a senior scientist at Kennedy/Jenks Consultants, which he is expected to vacate upon his appointment to the SCV Water Agency.
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