Date: Jan. 14, 2003

Veteran lawmaker elected chairman
of Santa Clara Valley Water District board

Sig Sanchez takes the helm during his 50th year in public service


SAN JOSÉ - In recognition of his half-century of public service, the Santa Clara Valley Water District Board of Directors today elected Sig Sanchez as 2003 chairman.

An at-large member appointed by the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors, Sanchez represents communities in South County, which encompasses the cities of Gilroy and Morgan Hill and the unincorporated town of San Martin. He takes the gavel from 2002 Chair Rosemary Kamei, who also serves South County as an elected representative.

Sanchez said it is important to him that the district continue its efforts to build flood protection facilities as rapidly as possible because of rising land-acquisition and construction costs in an era of reduced federal and state funding.

“The voters gave us funding for a 15-year program and we have to make sure that we do not fall behind,” Sanchez said, referring to the Clean, Safe Creeks and Natural Flood Protection program, which was approved by county voters in November 2000.

However, Sanchez said, the district can only finance construction by leveraging local funding for state and federal dollars. In light of continued budget-cutting on the federal and state levels, he said, the district “may not get funding for some of the local programs.”

Sanchez has served on the water district board of directors since 1980. This is his fourth term as chairman of the board.

In addition to his service to the district, Sanchez served as a council member and mayor of Gilroy, and as a member of the county board of supervisors for 16 years. His public service experience included serving as a board member of HOPE Rehabilitation Services, the Wheeler Hospital Foundation Board and the Gilroy Elks Club.

In recognition of his efforts and contributions to the community, Sanchez was inducted into the Gilroy Hall of Fame in 1991 and a 10-mile portion of U.S. 101 between Morgan Hill and San Jose bears his name.

The board also today elected Joe Judge as 2003 vice chairman. Judge, who first joined the board in 1986, represents residents in portions of San Jose.

During the meeting, Director Tony Estremera was sworn in as at-large member representing North County communities, following re-appointment recently by the county board of supervisors. Estremera has served on the water district board since 1996, the past seven as the North County at-large representative.
The Santa Clara Valley Water District board comprises seven members. Five are elected from geographical areas that coincide with county supervisorial districts; two at-large members are appointed by the board of supervisors. The directors serve overlapping four-year terms.

The Santa Clara Valley Water District manages Santa Clara County's wholesale drinking water resources, coordinates flood protection for its 1.7 million residents and provides stewardship for the county's 10 reservoirs and more than 700 miles of streams.