Water district recognizing Santa Clara County
environmental leaders

Date: Jan. 10, 2007

SANTA CLARA COUNTY —The Santa Clara Valley Water District is honoring community organizations and individuals for their commitment to advancing the district’s environmental stewardship goals and its CEO’s vision of creating a “Cleaner, Greener and Leaner” organization. 

Three community groups and 12 individuals receiving the 2007 CEO Environmental Stewardship Award were selected for their dedication to ensuring that the environment is safe and healthy for residents and visitors and that there is an enhanced quality of life in Santa Clara County. 

Award recipients were chosen also because of their contributions to the water district CEO Stan Williams’ vision of operating in a more environmentally and fiscally responsible manner. This vision strives to provide quality drinking water and environmental protection, to maintain an open and transparent organization, to produce a net positive impact on the environment, and to accomplish "more with less" through improved processes.

Thirty-three nominations were received this year and the winners include the Adobe Creek Watershed Group, the Alviso Water Task Force and the Santa Clara County Creeks Coalition. 

The individuals being honored include Cupertino Public Works Director Ralph A. Qualls, California Resources Agency’s Karen Scarborough, Clean South Bay’s Trish Mulvey, San Jose Conservation Corps & Charter School Executive Director Bob Hennessy, Delmas Park NAC and Neighborhood Association President Kathy Sutherland, and water district staff Jae Abel, Luis Jaimes, Roger Narsim, Ngoc Nguyen, Carol Presley, Pat Showalter and Paul Thomas.

Instituted in 2001, when environmental stewardship was officially incorporated into the mission of the district, the CEO’s Environmental Stewardship Awards are bestowed every five years.

As the 2001 Environmental Stewardship Awards coincided with legislation that added environmental stewardship to the district’s mission, the second CEO Environmental Stewardship Awards coincide with the successful passage of AB 2435, which makes the district independent of Santa Clara County.

The legislation, co-sponsored by the water district and Santa Clara County, removes county influence in the district’s budget and phases out two board member positions formerly appointed by county supervisors. 

“The new law, effective this year, makes the water district autonomous of Santa Clara County, thus reducing costs to the taxpayers and increasing accountability to voters in the county,” said water district CEO Stan Williams.

“This past year was very challenging, yet we stayed focused on the vision I set forth and accomplished many things that I am very proud of,” Williams said. “As we begin a new year, it is a time to celebrate and recognize individuals who have helped us achieve our goals.”

Honorees will be recognized at a special luncheon at the district on Friday.

The Santa Clara Valley Water District manages the county’s major watersheds, including 10 reservoirs, more than 800 miles of streams and large groundwater basins. The water district also provides flood protection throughout Santa ClaraCounty.