Mesa Water District Recognized for Excellence in Governance and Transparency

From left to right: Jim Atkinson, Mesa Water Board Director; Fred R. Bockmiller, P.E., Mesa Water Board Director; Shawn Dewane, Mesa Water Board President; Marice H. DePasquale, Mesa Water Board Vice President; and James Fisler, Mesa Water Board Director.

COSTA MESA, Calif. (October 30, 2023)  –  Mesa Water District (Mesa Water®) was reaccredited as a “District of Distinction” by the Special District Leadership Foundation (SDLF) for its sound fiscal management policies and exemplary district operations. This is the eighth time that Mesa Water has received this recognition – one of the most prestigious awards in local government throughout the state.
 
“This recognition is a testament to our Board of Directors’ and staff’s commitment to our ratepayers to ensure accountability and transparency in the financial management and operation of our organization. As a special district, we are the closest government to our customers – our Board members reside in the neighborhoods we serve. We are dedicated to ensuring that our neighbors have the information they need to be confident that Mesa Water operates efficiently and demonstrates good governance,” says Mesa Water Board President Shawn Dewane. “We are privileged to serve our community with 100% local, reliable, clean, safe water.”
 
SDLF performed a rigorous independent audit of Mesa Water’s finances, operations, and transparency. Requirements for receiving accreditation include, but are not limited to regular financial audits with no major deficiencies; policies and procedures that conform to all state law statutes and regulations; proof of training in the areas of ethics, governance, and harassment prevention.  
 
Additionally, Mesa Water received the SDLF’s District Transparency Certificate of Excellence for the fifth time, a testament to the district’s outstanding dedication to promote transparency and good governance.

This recognition requires meeting essential governance transparency standards, including but not limited to properly conducting open and public meetings; filing financial transactions and compensation reports to the State Controller in a timely manner; and, ensuring the district’s website includes election procedure and deadlines; a current district budget and most recent financial audit; a list of compensation of board members and staff; and upcoming outreach efforts.
 
SDLF is a non-profit organization formed to promote good governance and best practices among California’s special districts.

About Mesa Water

Founded on January 1, 1960, and governed by a publicly-elected, five-member Board of Directors, Mesa Water is an independent special district that provides water service to 110,000 residents in an 18-square-mile service area that includes most of Costa Mesa, a portion of Newport Beach, and John Wayne Airport. Mesa Water provides 100 percent local reliable groundwater to its customers due to the Mesa Water Reliability Facility. Visit MesaWater.org, follow @MesaWater on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram, email, or call 949.631.1200 to learn more.