Watch CBS News

Bay Area Taxpayers Footing Bills For Water Board Members' Expensive Conferences

SAN FRANCISCO (CBS SF) -- El Nino may help, but California's still in its 4th year of drought. We've all been forced to cut back and pay more for water. But what about the agencies providing it? Are they cutting back too?

It's a private golf tournament for the movers and shakers of California's water industry that looks like a vacation. But, it's a business trip, and it's not the only one.

KPIX 5 analyzed two years worth of expense reports for board members and general managers of five Bay Area water districts and found ratepayers are footing the bill for dozens of expensive out of town conferences, some to places as far away as Ireland and Norway.

One of the most popular annual conferences is taking place this year in the Coachella valley. It's home to the most water guzzling communities in California, the desert resort towns of Palm Springs and Palm Desert.

The Association of California Water Agencies organized the event, held at the Renaissance and Hyatt hotels and spa. We asked ACWA spokesperson Jennifer Persike why the choice of location?  "You know we do move it around. It's important for us to share information from around the state," she said.

Among the attendees, a familiar face: We first learned about Alameda County Water Board member John Weed earlier this year, while reporting on rate hikes in his district. Our research found he takes more trips than anybody else in the district. "As a board memberI have been involved in a lot of activities in the state," he said.

Weed has attended nine conferences in the last two years, including one at a Disneyland resort, while ratepayers have seen their bills go up 30 percent.

"I have just attended a series of meetings. There are opportunities for building some additional water links. It is my hope that we could find a water source and not rely on the tunnels,part of that will be coming out of these discussions," he said. We asked if that would mean a lower bill for ratepayers. "It would be a less higher bill," Weed said.

Then there's Bette Boatmun. She's been on the Contra Costa County Water Board for 41 years. "I am the past president and I serve on a lot of committees," she told us.

She attended 16 conferences in the past two years, way more than any other fellow board members, charging the district and ratepayers almost $14,000 for the trips. We asked her if she would consider paying for the trips herself, as some other elected officials have. Her response: "I have paid for some things myself yes I certainly would consider doing that." But she says not necessarily for this trip.

Boatmun told us even though it all takes place at a fancy resort she doesn't come to conferences like this to relax.

But there are perks. On day one of the conference we found dozens of attendees at a golf tournament.

Among the crowd teeing off we counted 6 elected water officials and 8 general managers. From the Bay Area: General Manager Grant Davis, head of the Sonoma County Water Agency.

He didn't want to talk to us. Instead we were referred to spokesperson Brad Sherwood. "There is phenomenal benefit to these type of conferences, both in developing knowledge and skills that are critical to leading a water agency, and particularly in this conference how to deal with prepare for El Nino," he said.

He says Davis did not play golf on the agency's dime. But he confirmed taxpayers will cover the cost of the trip. "I think that if he or anyone else wants to go to a golf tournament and it doesn't conflict with their work duties, absolutely!" he said.

Interestingly, after our encounter with John Weed, the Alameda County Water District posted a press release on its website, explaining the importance of that Palm Desert conference. It paid for eight people to attend.

All five bay area water districts we looked at plan to raise rates again next year.

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.