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East County News ServiceAugust 6, 2024 (Spring Valley) – The Otay Water District announced that board member Tim Smith, representing division one, has resigned from the Otay board of directors after nearly a decade of service to the community on water issues.
Smith was first elected to the Otay board in December 2014 and has successfully been re-elected to the office since. His resignation, effective August 2, was formally submitted in a letter. The Otay board will discuss the process for selecting a replacement, either by appointment or election, to serve the remaining two years of Smith’s term during its meeting on August 7.
“After nearly 10 years of public service to my division and the District, I am ready to embark on the next chapter of my life. This decision was not easy, but I leave with confidence knowing that the District is in capable hands with this board and staff,” said Smith. “Reflecting on my time in the water industry and my service alongside my fellow Otay board members, I am extremely proud of our accomplishments. Together, we have diligently served our ratepayers and fostered greater collaboration among water agencies across the region and state. Through the combined efforts of the board, the general manager, and the staff, we have consistently fulfilled our mission of providing exceptional water and wastewater services to our customers while managing Otay’s resources transparently and responsibly. It has been an honor to represent the customers of the Otay Water District."
During his tenure at Otay, Smith served as president of the board of directors in 2018, 2021, and 2022. He also chaired several key committees, including engineering, operations, and water resources; finance and administrative; public relations, legal, and legislative; desalination project; general manager evaluation ad hoc; recycled water agreement ad hoc, and City of San Diego Matters ad hoc.
Smith’s expertise allowed him to collaborate closely with other public agencies, enabling him to set policies that prioritize customer interests and address community needs.
Smith holds a Bachelor of Science and Master of Science degree in civil engineering from San Diego State University. He has 11 years of experience in private civil engineering firms and served as a senior civil engineer at the San Diego County Water Authority from 2001 to 2004, and as a principal engineer at Helix Water District from 2004 to 2011. Additionally, he lectured at San Diego State University in the Civil, Construction, and Environmental Engineering Department from 2013 to 2020.
Since January 2017, Smith has served as one of the District’s representatives on the San Diego County Water Authority’s Board of Directors. He is an active member of the audit and engineering and operations committees, the board governance work group, and serves as the vice chair of the water planning and environmental committee. Smith also represents the Water Authority as the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California Delegate. The Water Authority, governed by a 35-member Board representing 23 member agencies in San Diego County, includes the Otay Water District.
Otay Board President Jose Lopez expressed gratitude to board member Tim Smith for his dedication and leadership, which extended beyond the Otay Water District to the entire Southern California region.
"We regret seeing Director Smith step down from our board," said President Lopez. "He has been an invaluable asset to our District and his constituents. Smith's inquisitive nature led to many discussions on critical issues. His extensive water knowledge, combined with 30 years of engineering experience and a strong commitment to collaborative goals, will be greatly missed. I wish him all the best in his future endeavors."
The five-member Board of Directors is the governing body of the District and is responsible for setting rates for service, taxes, policies, ordinances, adopting the annual budget and other matters related to the management and operation of the water agency. Each director is elected by voters within one of five divisions to represent the public's interest on the Board. Directors serve four-year terms in office.
The Otay Water District is a public agency providing water, recycled water, and sewer service to more than 240,000 customers within approximately 125 square miles of southeastern San Diego County, including the communities of eastern Chula Vista, Bonita, Jamul, Spring Valley, Rancho San Diego, unincorporated areas of El Cajon and La Mesa, and eastern Otay Mesa along the international border with Mexico. For more information on the Otay Water District, visit www.otaywater.gov.
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