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By Miriam Raftery
Photo, left to right: District 4 candidates Kim Hales and Ivan Andujar, District 2 candidates Robert Lloyd Senior and Suzanne Till
November 2, 2024 (Santee) – Four candidates are vying for two seats on the Padre Dam Municipal Water District. The district provides water, including recycled water, to over 100,000 East County residents and businesses. In division 4, appointed incumbent Ivan Andujar, a facility operations manager at Lions, Tigers and Bears, faces a challenge from biologist Kim Hales. In division 2, incumbent Suzanne Till , a veteran with a PhD in water resources management, is being challenged by business owner Robert “Bob” Loyd, Sr. Key issues include water affordability, accessibility, and reliabilty.
Division 4
Kim Hales: Hales has been a biology professor at Cuyamaca College for 20 years, also serving as interim Dean of Math, Science and Engineering. She’s worked as an animal handler at the San Diego Zoo as well as studying marine wildlife. She holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in biology.
As a rancher in Alpine, where water is critical for livestock and gardens as well as household needs and many owners face insurance hikes, she says, “I want to be sure that our water is managed responsibly and our costs are kept affordable.” She attended a San Diego County Water Authority meeting in June, where its members voted to hike water rates by 39% over three years. “Our current Division 4 representative was not in attendance,” she says of Andujar.
Hales’ interest in running for Padre Dam’s water board arose out of her advocacy for Loveland Reservoir, where Sweetwater drained the reservoir and “ignored our right to lake access” at the protected hiking and fishing spot. She aims to protect recreation access for residents in the Padre Dam Municipal Water District.
Her endorsement include Padre Dam Director Suzanne Till and Helix Water District director Andrea Beth Damsky.
Learn more at her website: https://sites.google.com/view/kimhales
Ivan Andujar: Appointed to the Padre Dam board in 2023 to fill a vacancy, Andujar is currently a facility operations manager at Lions, Tigers and Bears in Alpine. He has also worked as a recreation coordinator and CEO of the East County Transitional Living Center. He is pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration. Andujar is also an active community volunteer, including Co-Chair of the Alpine/Mountain Empire Chamber of Commerce and a member of a Community Emergency Response Team (CERT
According to his website, he’s been an advocate for “responsible water management and community engagement” on the Padre Dam Board and believes his 20 years of leadership experience have provided him with expertise to address the region’s water challenges.
He looks forward to the East County Advanced Water Purification Program bringing recycled water online, as well as holding regular forums for residents to share feedback and to provide educational programs to support water conservation. “Enhancing water conservation and sustainability is critical to Padre Dam’s future,” his website states, adding that plans include upgrading aging infrastructure and increasing wate4r efficiency through advanced water-saving technologies and recycling.
His endorsements including the San Diego County Republican Party.
Learn more at his website: https://www.ivanandujar.com
Division 2
Suzanne Till, the incumbent director, is a U.S. Marine Corps veteran with a PhD in water resources geography from the University of Colorado and a master’s in geography and urban planning from SDSU.
As a Padre Dam director, she has never voted for a water or sewer rate increase and has “proudly fought against overpriced water every day,” according to her website. She helped secure $935 million in funding for the East County Advanced Water Purification Project and has been a vocal opponent of regional water rate increases proposed by the County Water Authority, as well as an opponent of regional sewer rate increases proposed by the City of San Diego. During the COVID pandemic, she worked with the state of California so that Padre Dam could provide financial help to families needing assistance to pay water or sewer bills.
She chairs the Santee Lakes Parks Committee, advocating for enhanced recreational, dining and camping opportunities, and facilitated partnerships and funds to restore and preserve Santee Lakes and the San Diego River watershed. She also opposes a planned hotel/condo development at Carlton Oaks Golf Course adjacent to the San Diego River.
Learn more about her candidacy at https://sizannetill.com/
Robert “Bob” T. Lloyd, Sr.: is a small business owner with experience in for-profit and nonprofit sectors. He is past president/CEO of the Santee Chamber of Commerce and a director of the Lakeside Chamber of Commerce, as well as a board member on the San Diego Regional Airport Authority.
Lloyd has said his goal is to assure “continued safe, secure, reliable water” at “the best possible rates.” His priorities include working with existing board and staff to launch the Advanced Water Purification Project, controlling future rate increases, and assuring the organization runs at peak efficiency in all departments.
His endorsements include Padre Dam directors Bill Pommering, Ivan Andujar and Rocky Qualin, Mayor John Minto, the county Republican Party.
Learn more at his website: https://www.electboblloyd.com/
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