Goleta, Calif., – Goleta Water District(GWD) is hosting a series of public hearings to begin the process to transition to district based elections and is inviting all interested persons to participate. Residents and stakeholders are encouraged to participate and help draw district lines by providing public comments via email or phone, or at public hearings. The first public hearing will be held on Tuesday, September 28, 2021 at 6:00 p.m. via Zoom.
GWD currently elects its Board of Directors through an at-large election process, which means voters may vote for multiple candidates who live anywhere within the jurisdiction. In compliance with the California Voting Rights Act, GWD will be creating five geographic districts, each with one board director who resides in the district and is chosen by the local voters residing in that district. The first district-based election will take place in November 2022.
“The districting process will aim to involve as many residents and stakeholders in GWD as possible. We need to hear from everyone to ensure the new district lines represent the interests of residents, business owners, and families. Please submit public comments for our next hearing on September 28, 2021 and fill out a community of interest form,” said Kathleen Werner, President, Goleta Water District Board off Directors.
All interested persons will have multiple opportunities during the process to review, provide input, and submit maps of their local community of interest, or draw and submit full voting districts. Critical to the process will be the input of residents in identifying many of the smaller “communities of interest” that comprise the Goleta Valley and make the area unique. Communities of interest can include neighborhoods, ethnic or racial groups, and other characteristics that people in an area share. The demographers will consider this input in drawing district boundaries and, when possible, keep communities of interest together in one district.
The first public hearing will be held on Tuesday, September, 28 2021 at 6:00 p.m. via Zoom.
Zoom Meeting Information
Meeting ID: 876 9008 5821
If you wish to speak at the meeting, visit this website before or during the meeting to register: https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_CVLJBFXgSoG3P2WoxXxzaw
You may also attend the meeting by phone by dialing, toll-free, (888) 788 0099 and then entering the meeting ID (876 9008 5821).
During the meeting, participants will be asked to use the “raise hand” feature in Zoom if they wish to speak. If you attend the meeting by phone, you can press *9 to indicate you wish to speak.
Links to the meeting and registration pages will be published within the meeting agenda on the GWD website. That information can be found at http://www.goletawater.com/agendas-and-minutes
Members of the public can submit public comments before, during, or after the meeting by submitting those comments to [email protected] or [email protected].
For questions, please contact Mary Capps at (805)879-4621 or send an email to [email protected]
More information is available at http://www.goletawater.com/districting
ABOUT GOLETA WATER DISTRICT
The Goleta Water District provides water to a diverse population of approximately 87,000, including agricultural, residential, commercial, industrial, and institutional customers. The District’s water system includes over 270 miles of pipelines, a water treatment plant, storage reservoirs, pumping facilities, active wells, a recycled water system, and connections with Lake Cachuma and the State Water Project. For more information, visit www.GoletaWater.com.