Sacred Valley Conservancy Board of Directors election- 2 candidates competing, both questioning the Pacheco Reservoir project

Shiloh Ballard, a candidate for the Valley Water District board, is preparing for the upcoming challenges following a recent heatwave in the Bay Area. With three out of seven board seats up for election this fall, including a highly contested position, the election results will significantly influence key decisions for the water district, particularly regarding the future of the Pacheco Dam project.

According to the Mercury News, the Valley Water District is the largest agency in Santa Clara County, managing a budget of $964 million and nearly 1,000 employees who provide drinking water and flood protection services to 2 million residents. The agency is currently under fiscal pressure, leading to hiring freezes and reliance on interns and temporary workers to fill 107 positions. The costs of repairing the Anderson Dam near Morgan Hill and the Pacheco Pass project have risen dramatically, reaching $2.3 billion and $2.8 billion, respectively, placing an additional strain on the budget.

In this election, retired fire captain Dick Santos and Nai Huseh, a long-serving commissioner with over 30 years of experience in water services, will run unopposed for re-election.

The real competition lies in the race for the seat currently held by Barbara Keegan, who is retiring. The candidates are Shiloh Ballard, a former senior vice president of the Silicon Valley Leadership Group and former San Jose Planning Commissioner, and Bill Roth, a seasoned marketing consultant with experience at companies like BEA Systems, Sun Microsystems, and VMware.

Ballard has years of experience with Silicon Valley Leadership Group and the San Jose Planning Commission. Her campaign focuses on tackling climate change by increasing recycled water use and promoting drought-resistant landscaping to ensure long-term water security. She has expressed concerns about the inefficiencies of the Valley Water District and aims to expedite project delivery to reduce costs. Ballard has garnered support from numerous high-ranking officials in the region, including San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan and former Mayor Sam Liccardo.

On the other hand, Roth emphasizes the need to care for low-income residents and proposed humane solutions to the issue of homelessness along the coast. He stated, “I’m running to keep water rates low and to address homelessness in a reasonable way.” His approach involves connecting the homeless with relevant social services. Roth also brings rich international experience from his work in Nicaragua, where he helped build water systems for impoverished communities. He hopes to reduce water rates by cutting unnecessary expenditures from the budget.

Both candidates express skepticism about the Pacheco Pass project, which has faced funding challenges due to geological issues and rising costs, becoming one of the most contentious topics. Currently, the water board supports advancing the project by a vote of 4 to 3, and the outcome of this election could determine its future.

The results of this election will largely influence how the Santa Clara Valley Water Resource District addresses challenges such as droughts, flooding, and other issues related to climate change in the years to come.