Santa Clara Valley Water District Board Member
Resigns to Join District’s Leadership Team

Date: July 2, 2007

SANTA CLARA COUNTY— A longtime member of the Santa Clara Valley Water District Board of Directors is taking on a new challenge. Greg Zlotnick is joining the District staff and will serve as Special Counsel to the CEO for Strategic Planning and Initiatives, after more than a decade of service on the Board.

“I am very excited about becoming part of the District’s excellent staff and continuing to work on the community’s behalf. The water management challenges confronting California are daunting and I look forward to working fulltime to contribute to their resolution,” said Zlotnick.

Zlotnick, who is Vice-Chairman of the Board, is resigning his seat effective July 10, 2007. The search for his replacement begins immediately. The Board plans to appoint a new Director before Aug. 9, 2007.

Zlotnick’s resignation comes on the heels of the California Department of Water Resources (DWR) decision to shut down the water pumps in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. Although the pumps are currently running again at reduced rate, the scientific evidence shows the Delta's ecosystem is badly damaged.

Zlotnick has more than twenty years of experience in California water management issues and is currently a member of the Governor's Delta Vision Stakeholder Coordinating Group. He will continue his leadership role on behalf of the District in policy discussions about long-term solutions for the Delta and related issues.

Zlotnick will also play a major role in the District's strategic planning for climate change initiatives.

“There is no more important issue related to fulfilling the District’s mission in the future than adapting to global climate change. I look forward to working with District staff to take our already effective carbon reduction programs to the next level, “said Zlotnick.

His background makes him uniquely qualified for this newly created position. Zlotnick was first elected to the Board in 1996, and was reelected in 2000 and 2004. In 2000, he served as Board Chair and Chair of the successful Measure B campaign, which garnered more than two-thirds support countywide for a comprehensive watershed stewardship and flood management program.

“Greg brings a tremendous amount of knowledge and experience. He has a comprehensive understanding of the state’s water system and the District will benefit from his years of working in different capacities,” said water district CEO Stan Williams.

An attorney specializing in environmental and water issues, Zlotnick is a former water policy specialist in the Director's office of the California Department of Fish and Game. He served on Governor Davis' Advisory Drought Planning Panel as well as serving as Vice-Chair of the Governor's Floodplain Management Task Force. He is also the Vice-Chair of the Bay Area Water Forum.

Zlotnick is also involved in water issues through state and national organizations. He is currently on the boards of directors for the Association of California Water Agencies (where he serves as chairman of the Federal Affairs Committee), the National Water Resources Association, the National WateReuse Association, the American Ground Water Trust and Public Officials for Water and Environmental Reform. He is also active with the National Association of Flood and Stormwater Management Agencies.

Zlotnick grew up in Palo Alto, where he attended Gunn High School. He’s a 1986 honors graduate of Wesleyan University, where he wrote his undergraduate thesis on California water politics. Zlotnick also worked for former State Senator Becky Morgan and Congressman Tom Campbell. He currently resides in Mountain View.

The Santa Clara Valley Water District manages wholesale drinking water resources and provides stewardship for the county's five watersheds, including 10 reservoirs, more than 800 miles of streams and groundwater basins. The water district also provides flood protection throughout Santa Clara County.