32-Year Water Board Member to Quit Post

A. MacNeil Stelle, a Hidden Hills resident who was among the group of people who doggedly worked to bring water to the area three decades ago, has announced that he will not seek reelection to the Las Virgenes Municipal Water District board of directors.

Stelle said that after 32 years on the board--marked by rapid and significant growth in the area--it was time to leave at the end of his term. He leaves as the district is building a new headquarters and struggles with budget problems.

The 76-year-old Stelle was one of a group of residents who formed the Hidden Hills Mutual Water Co., the precursor to the Las Virgenes water district. He said he has seen the area grow from 3,000 people to more than 60,000 in 15 years.

“I’ve had the satisfaction of seeing all the district blossom forth,” he said. “And it was a challenge to meet that growth. Just when you finish enlarging the treatment plant, you have to start planning an expansion again, the growth was that fast.”

Stelle’s colleagues on the board said he was often a unifying influence among the members and brought new ideas and information to the table.

“We on the water board have been a very cohesive group, working well together and with a good exchange of ideas,” said board member Ann Dorgelo. “And a large part of that has been due to Mac Stelle.”

Stelle said the best advice he can give someone new on the board would be to ask questions. “This is a complex and difficult business to run, and it takes a while to learn the ropes,” he said. “So, even if they might seem silly, ask questions.”

Stelle’s seat, which represents Division 1 on the board, will be up for election Nov. 5. As of Monday, no one had filed papers for that four-year term, according to the Los Angeles County registrar-recorder’s office. The filing deadline is Aug. 9.

Division 1 includes Calabasas Park, Mountain View Estates, Hidden Hills and the unincorporated sections of West Hills, Chatsworth Lake Manor and Chatsworth.