The Sweetwater Authority voted in Hector Martinez as board chair for a one-year term, replacing former National City Mayor Alejandra Sotelo-Solis.
The Sweetwater Authority, whose seven-member board oversees approximately 200,000 customers in the South County, appointed Martinez and re-appointed Paulina Martinez-Perez as vice chair last month. Both Martinez and Martinez-Perez will serve a one-year term.
Members of the South Bay Irrigation district re-elected Martinez to represent Division 4 in November. He has served the governing board since 2018.
“I am looking forward to serving as Board Chair in 2023,” he said in a statement. “Serving safe and reliable water to our customers is the priority for our Governing Board and we look forward to working together in service to our community in the new year.”
Martinez-Perez joined the Governing Board in 2022 and 2021, she joined the South Bay Irrigation Board as vice president. She will now serve as the president of the SBIB, alongside Josie Calderon-Scott, the Division 5 representative who will serve as vice president.
Voters re-elected Steve Casteneda, who has served on the board since 2014, to a four-year term.
During the Dec.14 meeting, City of National City Mayor Ron Morrison and Councilmember Ditas Yamane was appointed to the Authority’s Governing Board. The appointments were confirmed at the City of National City Council meeting on December 13.
Their four-year terms will begin on January 1, 2023. Morrison and Yamane will replace Board members Director Alejandra Sotelo-Solis and Director Mona Rios whose terms expire on December 31, 2022.
Jose Preciado, who was elected to City Council in Chula Vista, resigned from the South Bay Irrigation Board (SBID) creating a vacancy on both boards. An appointment for the remainder of his term will be filled by SBID in 2023.
Information on how to apply will be available at www.sweetwater.org.
