COMMUNITY NEWS
Lois Henry Resigns from SLV Water Board L ois Henry, a board member of the San Lorenzo Valley Water District December 2018, resigned as of March 1. The Board of Directors will address the vacancy at an upcoming board meeting. Details will be posted on slvwd.com. A Lompico resident, Henry served on the Lompico County Water District board from December 2008 to June 2016 — before and during its 2016 consolidation with San Lorenzo Valley Water District. She played a vital role in the consolidation, and her financial background as a credit union CEO helped the water district move
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counted on to put what was best capital improvement projects for the District first, regardless forward. of politics,” continued Mahood. She was the SLV water “Being a relative newcomer to district appointee to the Santa the Valley, I especially valued Margarita Groundwater Agency, the perspectives Lois brought which after many meetings comfrom her involvement in the pleted a sustainability plan for the foundational stages of the Santa Santa Margarita basin in 2021, as Margarita groundwater agency mandated by the state. Lois Henry and from her critical role in res“Lois has been a major force in shaping the water landscape in San cuing the Lompico water district from Lorenzo Valley legacy she can be proud financial catastrophe and then shepherding the process of consolidation with of,” said Board President Gail Mahood. “In her exchanges with staff, and, SLVWD.” District Manager Rick Rogers said: when it came time to vote, could be
“It’s not often a new director gets elected and hits the ground running, there’s usually a big learning curve. With Lois’s experience and financial background, she did just that, she hit the ground running.” The San Lorenzo Valley Water District, established in 1941, is governed by a five-member Board of Directors, elected at-large. The district has190 miles of pipeline and provides water to 7,900 residential, commercial, and institutional connections with two sources derived solely from rainfall within the San Lorenzo River watershed. n
San Lorenzo Valley Water Post-CZU Progress Report By Rick Rogers
ur community continues its resiliency and commitment to building a better San Lorenzo Valley Water District. In 2021, we made major strides in improving our water system after the impacts of the 2020 CZU Wildfire Complex.
We continued to upgrade aging infrastructure, began to harden critical infrastructure facilities, and moved forward with crucial planning efforts. In 2022, the district will continue to move these efforts full-speed ahead. The “State of
10 / March 2022 / Scotts Valley Times www.tpgonlinedaily.com
the District” details 2021 accomplishments and upcoming projects in 2022. I’d like to highlight the following efforts. In the 2020 fire, the district lost seven of its nine surface water intakes, which in the winter months is the primary water source for a majority of the system. In December 2021, the draft construction feasibility report for rebuilding the raw water supply lines, to bring the damaged surface water intakes back online, was released to the Engineering Committee. In early 2022, the board will give staff direction on moving the reconstruction
of the pipeline forward, increasing water reliability for the district. The district has made progress on capital improvements, completing three tank upgrades, and 11 pipeline replacements improving fire flow, while carrying out emergency work throughout the system. In 2021, the district received about $600,000 in grant funding for fire resiliency and forest health projects. These grants will harden and reduce fuel loads around critical infrastructure while promoting a healthier forested watershed. “SLVWD” page 19
Got Inflation? Tell Us About It
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ow is inflation affecting you? In its fourth quarter report, Yelp says consumers described more inflationary experiences in their 2021 reviews than ever before. In 2021, mentions of higher costs reached a fiveyear peak — 49% higher than at the onset of the pandemic in the second quarter of 2020. For the April 1 Scotts Valley Times, let us know how prices have changed for you: Rent? Groceries? PG&E bills? Gasoline? Used cars? To stick within your budget, have you cut back on other spending?
Tell us in 50-100 words we can share with readers. Email Editor Jondi Gumz at info@cyber-times.com n
