Pauline Roccucci honored by PWCA

Auburn – Directors of the Placer County Water Agency on Thursday (Nov. 16) paid tribute to outgoing Director Pauline Roccucci, who took part in her last meeting after eight years on the board.

First elected in 1998, Roccucci served two terms as the District 1 representative on the PCWA board.  She did not run for reelection this year. Several speakers representing local, state, regional and national water and power organizations took part in the ceremony, lauding Roccucci for dedicated public service. James H. Pope, general manager of the Northern California Power Agency, a joint powers agency that Roccucci has long been affiliated with, said the outgoing director always put her constituents’ concerns first and has been a strong advocate for local control.

Representatives of the Regional Water Authority, California Municipal Utility Association, Pacific Gas and Electric Company, other groups and her fellow directors also offered their best wishes and congratulations.

Roccucci’s successor as the District 1 director, Gray Allen, who was elected Nov. 7, also attended the meeting and congratulated Roccucci for doing an ‘admirable job.’  In her remarks, Roccucci said she may relax for a while but is not ready to end her long involvement in public service.  The lifelong Roseville resident has served as Roseville mayor, city councilwoman and planning commissioner and has worked as a registered nurse since 1968.  ‘What I most appreciate,’ she said, ‘is what you all represent—working together for the common good.  When you believe in what you’re doing, you do your best to make things happen.  When you work together, you get more done.’

 In other business, PCWA directors:

• gave final approval to the agency’s 2007 budget.   A public hearing on the budget drew no public comment.
• heard a report from the agency’s Washington DC lobbyist Jeff Fedorchak, who said he is continuing to pursue title transfer and additional federal appropriations for the American River Pump Station, as well as appropriations for the Sacramento River water diversion project.
• heard a briefing from Ron Nelson, general manager of the Grass Valley-based Nevada Irrigation District on NID’s current sphere of influence study.
• learned that District 4 Director Mike Lee of Loomis has been elected as 2007 chair of the Middle Fork Project Finance Authority, the joint powers agency formed by PCWA and County of Placer to pursue federal relicensing of the PCWA Middle Fork American River Project.

 Information on PCWA board meetings may be obtained through the Clerk to the Board at (530) 823-4850.