DWR approved CCWA’s assignment agreement, clearing the way for CCWA to become a direct State Water Project contractor. The Board approved an employment agreement for Peter Thompson, who will start as Associate Director in February 2026 at $310,000, then become Executive Director in May at $325,000. The Board postponed action on a 15.8% legal rate increase to gather more cost and oversight detail.
The Board convened in closed session to discuss executive director employment matters. Members acknowledged significant recent rainfall that they described as a great way to start the water year, potentially in record fashion, benefiting regional water supply despite some flooding. The November meeting featured a brief agenda with no public participation, board reports, or policy items, suggesting routine operations during this period.
The water authority faces a critical infrastructure crisis with subsidence damage threatening to eliminate water delivery capacity by 2043, requiring $4 billion statewide to repair the State Water Project. The agency is advocating for $150 million annually from California's Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund to address these massive repair costs. Despite the infrastructure challenges, current water supply remains stable with approximately 39,000 acre-feet available for delivery and storage...
The Board unanimously approved a resolution to assign the State Water Project contract from Santa Barbara County Flood Control and Water Conservation District to Central Coast Water Authority, representing a significant transfer of water supply management. The Executive Director was granted authority to negotiate and execute all necessary documents to complete the transfer, while the Board also approved an environmental exemption to clear potential regulatory hurdles. This streamlined...
