Water District Official to Join County Panel

Gordon Knopp, a director of the Las Virgenes Municipal Water District has been selected for the Los Angeles County’s Local Agency Formation Committee, which oversees Los Angeles county annexations and incorporation efforts.

The 70-year-old West Hills resident will serve as an alternate representative--with voice but no vote--representing parks, cemeteries, water and conservation districts, among others.

“I’m trying to look out for what’s best for the Valley,” said Knopp, a lifelong Los Angeles County resident. “And my kids and grandchildren live [in the county]. I want to do what’s best for them.”

Some of the issues that Knopp will hear on the nine-member board are decisions regarding county boundary changes and how Los Angeles County dwellers can be best served by local government services.

“I feel quite honored to be part of it,” Knopp said. “It’ll be challenging and fun. I enjoy the workings of the government.”

A former electrical engineer with Hughes Aircraft until retiring in 1986, this is not Knopp’s first involvement in city politics.

In 1996, he won a seat on the Las Virgenes Municipal Water District Board of Directors, where he serves as treasurer. He has also served on a West Valley local Sheriff’s Citizen Advisory Committee, was a founder of the Westhills Homeowners Assn. and volunteered as a water district citizen representative during drought management efforts in the early 1990s.

Knopp will replace Lynn Plambeck, whose term expires in May. He said he plans to run for a voting position on the board at that time.