Scott Houston To Serve As West Basin Board President

At the regular meeting of the West Basin Municipal Water District Board of Directors on Monday, January 23, 2023, the board elected the following officers: President Scott Houston; Vice President Desi Alvarez; Treasurer Harold C. Williams, MSCE, P.E .; Secretary Gloria D. Gray; and Immediate Past President Donald L. Dear.

“I look forward to working alongside my colleagues to ensure resiliency at the District in the year ahead and beyond,” said 2023 Board President Houston. “Together, we will focus our efforts on strengthening our relationships with our customers and industry partners with the shared goal of protecting our precious water supplies. We also will continue to prioritize our communities by providing the water conservation and educational resources needed to increase water-efficiency in homes and businesses across our service area.”

Houston was first elected to the West Basin board of directors in 2014 where he represents the Division IV cities of Culver City, El Segundo, Malibu, West Hollywood and a portion of the city of Hawthorne, and the unincorporated Los Angeles County areas of Del Aire, Marina del Rey, Topanga and Wiseburn. As president, he has the primary responsibility of interpreting the policies, programs and needs of the District to the public; and facilitates the appointment of committees and assignment of representatives to affiliate organizations.

Houston has been a local and regional leader for nearly two decades. In addition to his service at West Basin, President Houston serves as an appointee of Supervisor Holly J. Mitchell to the Los Angeles County Commission for Older Adults. He is a member of the BizFed board of directors and Co-Chair of BizFed’s Water Committee, and also a member of the board of trustees of the Southern California Water oalition (SCWC) where he is Co-Chair of SCWC’s Water Energy Task Force.

As vice president, Alvarez represents the Division III cities of Hermosa Beach, Lomita, Manhattan Beach, Redondo Beach, and a portion of Torrance. Beginning in February, he also will serve as one of two West Basin representatives to the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California (MWD) Board of Directors. First elected in 2020, this will be his third year of service on the West Basin Board. Alvarez has 30 years of water management experience in both the public and private sectors.

Williams, who represents the Division I cities of Carson, Palos Verdes Estates, Rancho Palos Verdes, Rolling Hills, Rolling Hills Estates and unincorporated Los Angeles County area of Rancho Dominguez, will serve as treasurer. First elected in 2014, this will be his ninth year of service on the West Basin Board. Williams is a California registered civil engineer by profession, a career that he has held for over 40 years.

As secretary, Gray represents the Division II city of Inglewood, portions of the cities of Gardena and Hawthorne, and unincorporated Los Angeles County areas of Ladera Heights, View Park-Windsor Hills, West Athens and Westmont. First elected in 2006 as the first African-American woman to serve on the West Basin Board, this will be Gray’s 17th year of service to the District. Gray is also currently one of two West Basin representatives to the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California (MWD) Board of Directors, serving as Chairwoman of the Board from 2018 - 2022.

As immediate past president, Dear represents the Division V cities of Gardena, Hawthorne, Lawndale and unincorporated Los Angeles County area of El Camino Village. First elected in 2000, this will be his 23rd year of service to the District. Dear has a long history as a public servant having previously served on the Gardena City Council and as Gardena mayor for nine consecutive terms before retiring in 2001.

West Basin is governed by a five-member board of directors who are publicly elected to represent 17 cities throughout its 185-square mile service area in Los Angeles County. For more information on West Basin’s board and committees, please visit http://www.westbasin.org/board-directors.