The Sun Valley Water and Sewer District will hold an election from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 7, at Sun Valley City Hall to elect two directors to its governing board. The election is open to voters residing in the district, which essentially encompasses the city of Sun Valley.
Each seat on the five-member board carries a six-year term. The election will decide two seats. The registered candidates include incumbent James Tallackson, Edward A. Cutter, Patrick McMahon and Milt Adam.
Tallackson, a 20-year Sun Valley resident, is seeking a third term on the board. After serving 12 years he still wants to tackle several forthcoming problems and issues.
"We are working on the sewer plant additions and we have some interesting facets regarding the hospital and the planning ahead for the future of the water district," he said.
Trained as civil engineer, Tallackson worked in commercial and industrial construction business, before retiring. He noted that in light of further expansion in the city, from Sun Valley Co. and private developers, attention to water and sewer capacity must be maintained.
"In the future we are interested in perhaps providing reclaimed water for golf courses," he said.
Cutter, a retired corporate lawyer, also seeks to retain his seat on the board. He was appointed in December 2005 to fill the late Jim Agnew's board seat. A Sun Valley resident since 1998, Cutter serves as treasurer of the Wood River Land Trust board.
"I got interested in this because I served on comprehensive plan steering committee," Cutter said. "We were focusing on all the growth issues that face the city of Sun Valley."
He emphasized the importance of assuring an adequate water supply and sewer treatment plant capabilities, as the Sun Valley Co. master plan and other annexation requests, such as one for Weyyakin, move forward.
An active participant in city politics, Adam challenges the present board members.
"I have an interest in helping, and I feel I have the technical capability to handle those kind of problems the Water and Sewer District has to face all the time," Adam said.
Adam made his third bid for a Sun Valley City Council seat in November 2005. He was not elected. He also organized Sun Valley's initiative petition to restore open-seat elections in the spring of 2005.
As a retired mechanical design engineer, he said that his professional experience offers technical insight to water and sewer issues. He has been a Sun Valley resident and voter since 1987, and became a full-time resident in 1995. Adam also suggested the district should explore using reclaimed water to irrigate golf courses.
The fourth candidate, McMahon, also brings applicable technical skills as a former employee of the Sun Valley Water and Sewer District. After working for 14 years as the district's operations manager and water operator, McMahon left in June 2003. He said he was let go due to staff reductions.
"I felt like I had some things to still accomplish that I was unable to," he said.
A Sun Valley resident since 1987, McMahon now works as a duty officer for the Sun Valley Fire Department.
"The district is under siege from landowners and developers for service; each application for annexation should be carefully considered and not dismissed without review. It is incumbent upon the district to provide clean water and adequate sanitary service to customers in the city of Sun Valley," McMahon said in a news release.
He also said the district should work to implement a countywide water and sewer district as well participate in workforce housing initiatives.
Absentee ballots are available by contacting Joanne Vasser at 622-7610, ext. 104. Absentee ballots must be requested by Feb. 1 and must be returned by 5 p.m. on Feb. 6. Voters may register on election day at the polls with proof of residency and picture identification.
