COSTA MESA : Water Official Reaffirms Residency

The chairman of the Mesa Consolidated Water District defended himself Friday against allegations that he lied about living in Costa Mesa to run in November’s election.

Tom Nelson said his principal place of residence since 1984 has been in Costa Mesa, although he conceded he spends time in a Seal Beach apartment because he likes the recreational activities offered there.

“I am fortunate to have dual residencies,” Nelson said. “But the sooner we get a ruling on this, the more comfortable I’ll be, and the better the district will be as a whole.”

At a special meeting Thursday, district board members agreed to ask the secretary of state for a legal definition of residency to determine whether Nelson was properly elected to the board.

“They may look at the information and forward it to the state attorney general’s office,” said Mary Urashima, public affairs manager for the district. “Or they could give what they believe to be the legal definition of residency.”

On his election papers, Nelson stated he lived in Costa Mesa, but Mike Healey, who unsuccessfully ran against Nelson last November, has repeatedly made an issue of the Seal Beach residence.

“The board of directors should reside not only in the district but within the division of the district that they serve,” Healey said. Nelson’s “residence is in Seal Beach, but he maintains an office in Costa Mesa, the same office where he used to practice optometry.”

But Nelson called the Costa Mesa apartment his “place of abode,” adding that he receives mail there, and that it is the address on his driver’s license.