BOARD OF DIRECTORS
West County Wastewater is governed by a five-member Board of Directors, elected by local citizens. Each Board member represents the geographic area in which they live. Board members serve 4-year terms.
Cesar Zepeda, President
DIVISION 1
Board Member Since 2019 – Term Expires December 2022
Cheryl Sudduth, Vice President
DIVISION 5
Board Member Since 2018 – Term Expires December 2022
Director Sudduth is a Senior Negotiator and Government Compliance Officer, currently working in the technology industry. She brings more than 25 years of business and legal experience, serving in a broad array of senior management roles in intellectual property, contracting, legal, compliance, technology, domestic/international trademark and patent registrations and enforcement, government, international contracting, corporate and non-profit governance, personnel management, mergers and acquisitions, business development and strategic management in the commercial, private and public sectors. She regularly designs and presents training and legal updates to senior managers and Human Resources executives and has participated in government consultations and advises multi-national organizations on regulatory compliance. She is a frequent speaker on corporate compliance, intellectual property and diversity matters.
Director Sudduth volunteers with many community organizations, serving on several boards and steering committees, including the Racial Justice Coalition, Immigration Rights Alliance, ACLU, NAACP, Budget Justice Coalition, CAIR, BWOPA, the Sierra Club, Wounded Warriors, AUSD / WCCUSD Policy and Bond Oversight Committees, Girl Scouts, InterFaith Alliance, and several others. She is also very committed to environmental justice and empowering our young people. Director Sudduth regularly mentors youth and young adults and is a frequent speaker on racial and environmental justice, community development, and women and youth empowerment.
Director Sudduth holds dual Bachelor of Science degrees in Cellular and Molecular Biology and Biochemistry from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.
David Alvarado, Director
DIVISION 3
Board Member Since 2016 – Term Expires December 2022
Director Alvarado relocated to the West County area in 2011. He has served on numerous boards and commissions, in which he has served as chair and vice chair. Recently, Director Alvarado served as the Chair of the Planning Commission in the City of San Pablo, where he resides, until November 2016. Director Alvarado earned his Bachelor of Arts degree from UC Berkeley in Political Science and was a mentor to students wishing to attend the university. Currently he serves as Vice Chair of the Measure Q Commission in San Pablo.
- Ethics Training Certificate (AB1234 Compliance)
- Sexual Harassment Prevention Training Certificate (AB 1825 & 1661 Compliance)
- Special District Leadership Academy Completion Certificate 2019
- Special District Leadership Academy Completion Certificate 2018
- Strategies of a Special District Strategic Plan Completion Certificate 2018
- Form 806
- Form 700 (Statement of Economic Interests)
Harry Wiener, Director
DIVISION 4
Board Member Since 2016 – Term Expires December 2024
Director Wiener has a Master of Science degree in Biology from CSU, Long Beach, and a Bachelor of Science in Zoology from Cal Poly, Pomona. He is retired from 30-plus years of consulting and working with Bay Area Fortune 500 Corporations as well as the University of California and the University of Southern California as a Programmer Analyst. He served on the West Berkeley Planning Area Commission and the Berkeley School District Special Tax Advisory Committee. He and his wife live happily in Richmond.
- Ethics Training Certificate (AB 1234 Compliance)
- Sexual Harassment Prevention Training Certificate (AB 1825 & 1661 Compliance)
- Special District Leadership Academy Completion Certificate 2019
- Special District Leadership Academy Completion Certificate 2017
- Board Member Best Practices Certificate 2017
- Form 806
- Form 700 (Statement of Economic Interests)
Annie M. King-Meredith, Director
DIVISION 2
Term Expires November 8. 2022
Director King-Meredith is a long-time Richmond resident and brings a wealth of experience in engineering and community service to the Board. In her career, she’s served as Senior Inspector/Quality Control Engineer for Offsite & Manager Equipment Division, Production Assurance Parts Engineer, and Program Manager. Director King-Meredith has been involved with the North Richmond Municipal Advisory Council (NRMAC) and has served as Contra Costa County’s Neighborhood Service Coordinator and Project Manager.
Director King-Meredith was educated locally, attending Richmond High School, then on to Laney College and Contra Costa College. She participated in extension programs at UC Berkeley and New College of California, East Bay. King-Meredith holds a bachelor’s degree in Humanities/Development of Sustainable Communities.
Presently, Director King-Meredith is involved with the Community Housing Development Corp., Community Property Management Company, Shields-Reid Neighborhood Council, North Richmond MAC and N. Richmond Mitigation Commission, and Davis Chapel Trustee Board.
ELECTIONS
NOTICE OF ELECTIONS 2020
Elections 2020
Three WCW Board of Director positions were up for election as part of the General Election on November 3, 2020. Election results were certified in December 2020, with all three members re-elected to serve on the Board, as follows:
- Division 1, Cesar Zepeda, term expires December 2022
- Division 2, Currently Vacant, term expires December 2024
- Division 4, Harry Wiener, term expires December 2024
Board members serve a four-year term, unless a member is appointed to fill a mid-term vacancy. In those instances, the appointed position will expire with the next election and the remaining term will be filled by the individual who wins the election.
DIVISION-BASED ELECTIONS
The WCW Board voted to transition from at-large elections to division-based elections in compliance with the California Voting Rights Act, effective November 2020. In accordance with the law, current Board members will serve their full terms if not up for re-election in 2020.
Public Hearings discussing the composition of voting districts and proposed maps took place in November and December 2019. A final Public Hearing and Board of Directors vote to adopt the maps took place on January 15, 2020. Election divisions are required to have equal population.
- Resolution 2020-3 Establishing a District-Based Election System for Electing Board Members
- Overview Plan Map of District Divisions Adopted 1-15-2020
- District Division 1 Map adopted 1-15-2020
- District Division 2 Map adopted 1-15-2020
- District Division 3 Map adopted 1-15-2020
- District Division 4 Map adopted 1-15-2020
- District Division 5 Map adopted 1-15-2020
BOARD COMMITTEES
FINANCE & ADMINISTRATION COMMITTEE
The Finance & Administration Committee focuses on items related to WCW finance, staffing, and administration. Examples include budget development, debt issuance, the CAFR (comprehensive annual financial report), compensation and classification changes, director assignments and reimbursements, and other financial, personnel or administrative policy matters. The committee is aligned with the Administrative Services Department.
Meets regularly on the second Monday of each month at 9:00 a.m.
Members:
Chair: Director David Alvarado
Member: Vice President, Cheryl Sudduth
Alternate: President, Cesar Zepeda
INFRASTRUCTURE, OPERATIONS & ENVIRONMENTAL COMMITTEE
The Infrastructure, Operations & Environmental Committee focuses on items related to WCW infrastructure, operations and environmental issues. Examples include the Capital Improvement Plan, Climate Action Plan, and other operational matters. The committee is aligned with the Infrastructure & Planning Department and the Water Quality & Resource Recovery Department.
Meets regularly on the second Tuesday of each month at 10:00 a.m.
Members: President, Cesar Zepeda
Chair: Director Annie King-Meredith
Alternate: Director David Alvarado
AD HOC COMMITTEES
Ad-Hoc Committees are formed for a specific task or objective, and dissolve after the completion of the task or achievement of the objective. They are appointed by the Board President and meet on an as-needed basis.
General Manager/General Counsel Review Process
Chair: President Cesar Zepeda
Members: Director David Alvarado
Alternative: Vice President Cheryl Sudduth
MEETINGS & AGENDAS
The WCW Board of Directors meets the first and third Wednesday of each month at 6:30 p.m., unless otherwise noted. All Board and committee meetings are open to the public. Meeting agendas are posted to the website at least 72 hours prior to the meeting.
If a closed session is needed, it will be scheduled before or after the regular open session. Special Board meetings are scheduled on an as-needed basis.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, all Board meetings are currently taking place via teleconference. Participation information is available on each agenda.