Monterey County Herald Endorsement October 2, 2005

By Judi Lehman

The Herald's View "Give Lehman another term on water board."

Posted on Sun, Oct. 02, 2005

The Herald's View Give Lehman another term on water board

For the entertainment value alone, it is tempting to support Ron Chesshire for a spot on what is arguably the most important governmental body in the area, the Monterey Peninsula Water Management District board.

When Chesshire served on the board before being defeated by Judi Lehman four years ago, he enlivened many a long, tedious meeting. He's a tough-talking union official who is quick to cut through the technical talk with a quotable quip. He brought one key session to a standstill by walking out, leaving the board without a quorum.

It also would be tempting to support Chesshire because his agenda, unlike many others on the board, is as clear as bottled water. He's all for developing another water source so the Peninsula can grow, creating jobs for the carpenters he represents.

But despite his bluster, Chesshire has no real solution to the water puzzle. If it was left up to him, he says he'd ask the voters to decide between a new dam on the Carmel River or a desalination plant in Moss Landing. Though most people involved in the sport of Monterey County water politics wrote off the dam idea long ago, Chesshire insists the jury is still out.

"The people are confused," he says.

Lehman, on the other hand, doesn't seem confused at all. In many ways Chesshire's opposite, Lehman has quietly studied the issues to become as technically adept as anyone on the seven-member board. Lehman quietly promotes additional conservation methods, completion of the aquifer storage and recovery program and completion of the district's plans for a Sand City desalination plant of its own. She also is pushing greater recycling of waste water.

Four years ago, we went the other way, endorsing Chesshire for fear that Lehman was committed to preserving the status quo. We have been pleasantly surprised. While honoring the views of her slow-growth constituents, she has demonstrated willingness to explore creative ways to expand the water supply, at least to some degree, and to make better use of the limited acre-feet we already have.

In short, she has earned another term.

Lehman's measured approach won't solve the Peninsula's water supply problem any time soon, but neither will any other plans on the table. The Moss Landing desal plants proposed by California American Water and the Pajaro-Sunny Mesa Community Services District would take years to get through the regulatory process and may, in fact, never win enough public support to make it over all the bureaucratic hurdles. Chesshire's position notwithstanding, any renewed talk about a new dam on the Carmel River is just that. Dams are coming down these days, not going up.

With state regulators threatening to clobber Cal Am and its Peninsula customers with huge fines because of the not-so-slow death of the Carmel River, the Peninsula's primary water source, there is pressure to do something, anything, even if it's wrong. Combine that with the near elimination of the building industry on the Peninsula, the certainty of another drought and the number of homeowners unable to add a simple bathroom, and it's obvious that the status quo isn't acceptable.

More affordable housing? It's nearly out of the question without more water.

Some no-growth environmentalists, of course, feel things are just fine the way they are. But Lehman and others with strong environmental credentials understand that something must be done, even if it has some growth-inducing potential, because it is important to stop destroying the river. Even Cal Am recently started making the river the focus of its public relations campaigning. Lehman seems to understand that the status quo isn't acceptable to anyone who truly understands the full range of issues, and she knows the issues well enough to help the board find some real solutions.

"There will be growth," she acknowledges.

Electing Chesshire would tip the board in the pro-development direction. He would join Sand City Mayor David Pendergrass, former Cal Am executive Larry Foy and Monterey businesswoman Michelle Knight on the Cal Am/development side of many votes.

Electing Lehman would leave the board more evenly divided on most issues but not necessarily at loggerheads. With Lehman frequently siding with lawyer Kristi Markey and Seaside fire Capt. Alvin Edwards, veteran board member Dave Potter could become the swing vote. He has shown that he's capable of siding with the environmentalists and development interests alike, depending on the issue.

If the water board is the most powerful agency, swing status would enhance Potter's position as the most powerful officeholder in the county, since he also serves on the Board of Supervisors and the California Coastal Commission, among other bodies. Though we haven't always agreed with him, we're more comfortable giving more power to Potter than to Chesshire -- even if the latter option would be more fun to watch.

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