An official member

June Casagrande

When Randy Seton attended his first meeting as the city’s newest

representative to the Newport Beach Coastal/Bay Water Quality

Citizens Advisory Committee this month, it was as if nothing had

changed.

Just as at earlier meetings, Seton was there. Just as at earlier

meetings, he was acting as a concerned citizen who just happened to

have a wealth of knowledge about local water-quality issues: Seton is

one of the leaders of Orange County CoastKeeper.

“CoastKeeper was invited to give a presentation to the committee a

couple years back, and I’ve been going ever since,” Seton said.

He was appointed by Councilman Gary Adams to fill a vacancy on a

committee Seton calls a “who’s who of local environmental experts.”

For example, volunteer environmentalist Jack Skinner, Assistant

City Manager Dave Kiff and county water testing expert Monica Mazur

sit on the committee.

“I think Newport Beach takes the brass ring for water quality for

cities along the coast,” Seton said. “They’re the front-runner.”

A Balboa Island native, Seton said his devotion to fighting

pollution stems directly from his love of the water.

I’ve always loved the ocean,” Seton said. “I surfed and sailed, I

skippered racing boats, private yachts, I was in the Coast Guard, I

love fishing and scuba diving.”

Seton said his goal as a member of the water quality committee is

to help Newport waters become more like they were when he was a kid:

cleaner and healthier.

And his dedication hasn’t gone unnoticed at City Hall, judging by

Mayor Steve Bromberg’s comments at Tuesday’s City Council meeting.

“Randy Seton is an excellent choice to serve on this committee,”

Bromberg said.