Water board members vying for $150 seat

Three water board members — Robert Apodaca, director of the Central Basin Municipal Water District; Donald Cear, director at the West Basin Municipal Water District, and Vincent House, director at La Puente Valley County Water District — are looking to snag the position as special district representative of the Local Agency Formation commission. The position pays $150 a meeting, plus mileage. There are a total of 21 meetings a month. That’s a mere $3,150 a year. Member water agencies have until April 25 to cast their votes.

So what, you’re asking. “Get a life.” “Blog about something else.”

Well, at least of the candidates just can’t seem to get away from government jobs, which makes me think of this quote: “When it gets to the point when it is easier and better to get a government job and have government perks than it is in the public aspect of the world, then we’ve got a problem,” said state Sen. Bob Margett, R-Glendora.”

According to his bio, Apodaca started his “40-year committment to public service” working for Los Angeles Mayor Sam Yorty. He also worked as a field director to Councilman Art Anyder, worked for Assembylmember Martin Gallegos, for Assemblyman Tomn Calderon, and is currently a member of State Sen. Rob Calderon’s staff. He was first elected to the Central Basin board in 1998.

Donald Dear has 35 years of experience in municipal and local government, according to his bio. He has served on West Basin since 2001, spent 22 years as a trustee on the Vector Control District, 19 years on the LA County Sanitation District, and 27 years on the Gardena City Council. He is the current special district LAFCO representative.

The third candidate is Vincent House. He served on the airforce from 1954 to 1959, and then worked as an engineer in the private sector. He has served on the La Punte Valley County Water District since 2003.