22 Aug Three Members of EBMUD Board Retiring This Fall

(Image courtesy of East Bay Municipal Utility District via Bay City News)

By Tony Hicks
Bay City News

The East Bay Municipal Utility District Board of Directors will have a new look next year.

At its meeting Tuesday, three members of the seven-person board — all of whom have served for more than two decades — announced they won’t seek reelection this fall.

The board also voted to hold an election for the sole candidate running for the board seat in Ward 2 representing Lafayette, Alamo, Diablo, Danville, Blackhawk and portions of Walnut Creek, Pleasant Hill, and San Ramon.

Luz Gomez was appointed to represent Ward 2 in April 2024 to replace John Coleman, who resigned after more than 30 years.

Those retiring include Ward 1 director and board president Lesa McIntosh, who represents Crockett, Hercules, Rodeo, and San Pablo, portions of Richmond and Pinole, and the communities of North Richmond and Selby. McIntosh has been on the board since 1999.

Ward 5 director Doug Linney is also retiring. Since 2001, Linney has represented Alameda and portions of San Lorenzo, West Oakland, the Oakland Airport area, and San Leandro.

Current board vice president William Patterson will also retire. Patterson has represented Ward 6 (East Oakland and the area south of Park Boulevard/5th Avenue to the San Leandro boundary in Oakland) since 1997.

The board said Ward 5 candidates will include tech executive John E. Lewis, construction manager James H. Oddie, and Alex Spehr, a parent who works in tech support.

Ward 6 candidates will include entrepreneur Richard de Vera and attorney Valerie D. Lewis.

In Contra Costa County’s Ward 1, candidates will include water conservation technician Joey D. Smith and civil engineer and Pinole city council member Anthony Lee Tave.

Incumbent Luz Gomez is the only candidate in Ward 2.

The Board oversees EBMUD’s water and wastewater system, which serves 1.4 million people in Alameda and Contra Costa counties.

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