Costa Mesa Sanitary District to form citizens advisory committee

In a bid to increase public involvement in and awareness of their operations, board members in the Costa Mesa Sanitary District voted unanimously Thursday to establish a citizens advisory committee.

The panel will consist of 11 citizens who live within the district’s service area — which includes Costa Mesa, parts of Newport Beach and unincorporated sections of Orange County.

“We’re always trying to get our brand out there, our name out there, and get the word out about what we do,” district General Manager Scott Carroll said Friday. “This is just another opportunity for people to get more involved in the community and to learn more about what we do as a special district.”

Special districts, he said, sometimes get a “bad rap that we’re these ‘shadow governments.’”

“We want to do our best to get out there and show we are responsive, we do provide good governance, and we do provide quality services,” Carroll said.

Committee members would be charged with making recommendations to the district board on operational matters, community outreach and potential new programs, or changes to existing efforts.

“From a board standpoint, we get all of our advice — if you think about it — from our staff,” board President Mike Scheafer said Friday. “This will allow people who are ratepayers and residents to have an in-depth look at the sanitary district and maybe point out some things that we tend not to focus on.”

Those appointed to the citizens advisory committee would serve staggered, two-year terms. Committee members would not be paid.

Carroll said the goal is to launch a recruitment effort in December or January, with the board making appointments to the committee in March.

Committee meetings would be open to the public.

Scheafer said he hopes those who apply are “people who want to be involved and want to actively participate.”

“I think the more community involvement you get in government, the better,” he said. “We are the closest form of government that folks have and they probably know less about us than what’s going on at the state and federal level.”

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