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Castle Valley council formalizes water advisory committee, keeps longtime volunteers
Summary
Council voted Dec. 17 to appoint existing volunteers to the town's new water advisory committee to preserve institutional knowledge while adding public members; candidates highlighted watershed expertise and short-term mentorship for the incoming water agent.
The Castle Valley Town Council on Dec. 17 voted to fill public-member seats on a newly formalized water advisory committee, keeping experienced volunteers in place to help transition a new water agent and to maintain continuity on watershed work.
Pam Hackley, a long-time resident and former member of unofficial water working groups, told the council she helped prepare the town's recently approved water master plan and cited her background in forestry, soil science and watershed work as the reason she wants to continue serving. "I worked on the unofficial water committee with Bobby and Dave and John, to come up with a water master plan, which you folks recently approved," Hackley said during her interview.
Another incumbent volunteer, Dave Early, told the council he would serve for a transitional year and help transfer local knowledge to the new water agent. "I see myself on this committee for 1 year," Early said, noting his degree in water and soil science and his years of local involvement.
Council members emphasized the value of continuity as Sarah Stock, the town's selected water rights agent, is scheduled to begin in January; the mayor and council said the committee will help orient the new agent and carry forward elements of the town's water master plan and flood-control priorities. The council also moved to add at least one additional public member; the motion that was put to a vote named an applicant recorded in the transcript as "Bella Gama" (spelling in the record not independently verified) and the motion passed by voice vote.
During interviews the council and applicants discussed meeting frequency, with longtime volunteers recommending an initial period of morning meetings during the transition and digital follow-ups between in-person sessions. Council members said the committee will include three public members and a planning commission representative (the planning commission will name its member in January). The council asked staff and the new water agent to post agendas in advance and to begin committee work in January.
Next steps: the water advisory committee will be convened in January, staff will work with the new water agent on a training plan, and the council said it will publish meeting agendas at least 24 hours in advance as required by ordinance.
