Alex Ferreira, Placer County Water Agency District 2 Director, will retire from the Board, due to health reasons, effective at the Board’s meeting on Thursday, June 6, 2013.
Mr. Ferreira’s service to the people of Placer County spans six decades. He is a life-long resident of Placer County, World War II veteran, dairyman, rancher, and community leader.
He first entered public office in June 1966 when he was appointed to the Nevada Irrigation District Board of Directors to represent Placer County. He continued on the NID Board through 1971. That year and through 1994 Ferreira served on the Placer County Board of Supervisors. Since 1997 he has served on the PCWA Board of Directors until retiring.
On both the PCWA Board and County Board of Supervisors, Ferreira represented District 2 (Lincoln/Rocklin). During his tenure with all three boards, he served as chairman several times and on innumerable committees. He was instrumental in the formation by PCWA of western Placer agriculture water service Zone 5 in 1998 and the Middle Fork Project Finance Authority in 2006. He served on the Finance Authority’s governing Board since its inception.
Gray Allen, PCWA Chairman said, “Alex is a life-long advocate known for his actions to fight for and to protect the water supplies needed for agriculture and people in our county. The
Board and I deeply admire him for this, as well as his nearly fifty years of devoted service to the public.”
Mike Lee, PCWA Director who served for 16 years in the 1970s and ’80s with Ferreira on the Placer County Board of Supervisors, said, “Alex is a mentor to me and many other public officials. He exemplifies devotion to service. His legacy is that of guiding PCWA and the County in joining as one to defend the water resources across all of Placer County for the benefit of everyone.”
David Breninger, PCWA General Manager said, “Alex is a legend in our midst. He will be greatly missed by everyone at the Water Agency. We all wish him well and a long retirement.”
Ferreira, 87 years old this past May 5th, grew up on a farm near Ophir and attended Gold Hill Grammar School. He is a graduate of Lincoln High School and attended Sierra College. He served his country during WW II as an Army combat veteran and fought in the battle of Okinawa. He was part of the American forces that served in Japan to secure peace at the war’s end.
After active duty, Ferreira returned to Placer County to farm, raise a family, and to serve the people of the County. In addition to his years in public office, he served on the Placer County Grand Jury, the Gold County Fair Board, and the Placer County Open Space Committee to name a few. He is a long-time member of the Placer Farm Bureau, Tahoe Cattlemen’s Association and other agricultural and community organizations.
He and his wife Bonnie reside on their ranch west of Lincoln.
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