Region : Water Board Seats Disputed

The Goliath of water agencies, Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, faces a challenge from the Three Valleys Municipal Water District over who can serve on Metropolitan’s board.

For the last three years, Richard W. Hansen, Three Valleys general manager and chief engineer, had represented the district on the Metropolitan board because political fighting among board members meant that no board member could gain a majority.

But the Three Valleys board last month voted 4 to 3 to send one of its members, Paul E. Stiglich, to serve on the Metropolitan board. But to attain the majority vote, Stiglich had to vote for himself. State law governing Metropolitan’s board prohibits this.

“Hopefully, we won’t get in a spitting match with Metropolitan,” said Three Valleys President William H. Koch. But, he said, it is important for the water district, which represents much of the eastern San Gabriel Valley, to have an elected official on the 51-member Metropolitan board, which oversees much of the water supply for the region’s six counties.

Metropolitan spokesman Jay Malinowski said the Three Valleys board must send them its minutes naming Stiglich before the Metropolitan board can decide whether to seat him, possibly at its February meeting.

“We’re not going to make a personal judgment whether (Stiglich) ought to be on the agency,” Malinowski said. “But we will make a legal judgment. And if we determine that his credentials aren’t in order, he won’t be seated.”