John A. Coleman elected EBMUD board president

Walnut Creek’s John A. Coleman was elected president of the East Bay Municipal Utility District Board of Directors Tuesday. Coleman, who represents Alamo, Blackhawk, Lafayette, the town of Danville and portions of San Ramon, Pleasant Hill and Walnut Creek, is the Board’s longest serving member, first elected in 1990.

Coleman is executive director of the Bay Planning Coalition, a nonprofit industry that works on dredging and other issues in the San Francisco Bay. He is active on many water and wastewater boards at the regional, state and national levels. He currently chairs Association of California Water Agencies’ (ACWA) Federal Affairs Committee and serves on the boards of ACWA, the National Water Resources Association and the WateReuse Association. Now, he returns as president of EBMUD Board.

“These are exciting times at EBMUD as we confront the continuing economic challenges while maintaining our commitment to provide excellent service and the most affordable prices to our ratepayers,” said Coleman. “EBMUD has always been a leader in the water industry and I will do everything possible as Board president to see that we continue to be so.”

Coleman was also president during the critical stage of negotiation between the Sacramento community and EBMUD when the unprecedented water collaboration between the previously warring communities led to the joint Freeport water project that will take water from the Sacramento River for both communities. He has a Bachelor of Sciences degree in Natural Resources from U.C. Berkeley, and a certificate in management from the University of the Pacific School of Business and Public Administration.

Coleman succeeds Alameda’s Doug Linney, who served two consecutive one-year terms as the Board’s president. Linney, who represents Alameda, San Lorenzo, parts of West Oakland and the Oakland Airport Area in addition to part of San Leandro, was first elected to the Board in 2000 and reelected in 2004 and in November 2008. Linney is president of Next Generation, a public relations firm providing services to individuals, organizations and businesses in achieving environmental protection.

The Board’s new officers range from the most veteran to the most recent addition with the election of Berkeley’s Andy Katz as its vice president. Katz was elected to the Board in 2006 and was reelected last November. He represents the cities of Albany, Berkeley and Emeryville and a portion of Oakland as well as El Cerrito and Kensington.

Katz is an environmental attorney and clean air advocate for Breathe California. He is active in environmental and public health organizations as well as chair of the Sierra Club California. Prior to joining EBMUD’s Board he served five years as a member of the city of Berkeley Zoning Adjustments Board. He has a Bachelor of Arts degree, a Master of City Planning degree from U.C. Berkeley, and a Juris Doctorate from Santa Clara University.

Katy Foulkes, also reelected in November, was sworn in for her new term on Tuesday, along with Frank Mellon. Foulkes, former mayor of Piedmont, represents Piedmont, a portion of Oakland, Orinda, Moraga and El Sobrante and portions of Pinole and Richmond. She was first elected to the EBMUD Board in 1994 and has been reelected four times. She served as EBMUD Board President from 2000-2002.

Mellon, also joined the Board in 1994, and has been reelected four times. He represents Castro Valley, portions of San Leandro and Hayward in addition to a portion of San Ramon. Mellon was president of the Board from 2003-2004. He has been an employee and labor relations consultant in the public and private sectors and teaches labor law and safety at the California State University, East Bay in the Human Resources Certificate Program.

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