STALLING WATER DECISIONS IS NOT OK 

Marin Municipal Water District’s Directors, who collectively have a track record of doing little to address our water sufficiency crisis, continue to delay action.   Buried late on the lineup (ETA 8:10PM) of their Tuesday March 1 board meeting is this important agenda item, number 10:

Consider a Ballot Measure on the June 7th California State Primary Election to Repeal Ordinance No. 418 Requiring Voter Approval for Financing or Construction of a Desalination Facility

The staff report on agenda item 10 lays out the many benefits of acting quickly on repealing Measure S (aka Ordinance No. 418). The staff report makes clear that only a few days remain for the board to vote YES if they wish to place the repeal measure on the June ballot. But “our” Directors appear to be running out the clock in an election year so as not to deal with a potentially controversial matter: Measure S currently constrains MMWD from moving forward with desalination. MMWD Directors elected to have agenda item 10 considered as an “informational item” only, thereby precluding them from voting on this matter at a regular board meeting in time to actually place a Measure S repeal on the June 7, 2022 election ballot.

The Coalition of Sensible Taxpayers isn’t advocating for or against desal per se. A disciplined analysis of all the options must be completed first.  But we do believe it’s important to let voters decide in June whether to repeal Measure S.  A voter approved rollback of Measure S would save time and money if desalination should turn out to be an important contributor to near or long term water sufficiency.  We believe that a portfolio of approaches is vital to establishing water security for those who depend on MMWD.

As the staff report points out, repealing Measure S would “ensure temporary emergency desalination could be considered a viable drought relief measure.”  Further, if expert analysis deems that desal should be a component of a long term solution for water sufficiency, repealing Measure S would allow desalination to move forward without further delay.  Failing to place the Measure S repeal on the June 7, 2022 ballot could ultimately cost 6-18 months, as good practice is to place important measures on a statewide general election ballot.  The alternative, holding a special election just to repeal Measure S, would cost MMWD ratepayers as much as $2.3 million per the staff report (PDF pages 124-125).

MMWD’s professional management has made clear the benefits of repealing Measure S.  It is imperative that MMWD’s Directors not block or slow walk consideration of any water supply options.