Mesa Water Reaccredited as a “District of Distinction” by the Special District Leadership Foundation

March 7, 2018

As a Six-Time “District of Distinction” Recipient, Mesa Water
Continues to be Recognized for its Transparent, Ethical Practices and
Policies

COSTA MESA, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–#DOD—Mesa
Water District (Mesa Water®), a top-performing public water agency,
was recently reaccredited as a “District
of Distinction” by the Special District Leadership Foundation
(SDLF)
for its sound fiscal management policies and practices in district
operations. This is the sixth time Mesa Water® has received this
biannual accreditation.

“Due to the efforts of our staff, management team, and Board members,
Mesa Water has again achieved the highest transparency performance
standards,” said Mesa Water Board President Jim Atkinson. “Mesa Water’s
ongoing commitment to transparency is evidenced by our receiving this
biannual award for the sixth consecutive time.”

Requirements for receiving the “District
of Distinction” recognition include: regular financial audits with
no major deficiencies; policies and procedures that conform to all state
law statutes and regulations; proof of training in the areas of ethics,
governance, and harassment prevention; and more. Also, MesaWater.org
was reviewed to ensure it includes postings of the required transparency
elements such as our board meeting agendas and schedules, current budget
and most recent financial audit, compensation for our board members and
staff, and elections procedures and deadlines.

“Mesa Water is dedicated to satisfying our community’s water needs, and
our strategic
plan includes the goals of being financially responsible and
transparent, increasing public awareness about Mesa Water and about
water, and providing outstanding customer service,” said Mesa Water
General Manager Paul E. Shoenberger, P.E. “Government accountability,
openness, and transparency is incorporated within our strategic plan
which guides our organization and operations.”

SDLF is an independent, non-profit organization formed to promote good
governance and best practices among California’s special districts
through certification, accreditation and other recognition programs.

“SDLF provides an independent audit review of the last three years of
the district’s operations to ensure prudent fiscal practices,” said Neil
McCormick, SDLF Chief Executive Officer. “The committee members who
review the audits are volunteers from the special district community,
including district controllers, directors of finance, and certified
general managers.”

About Mesa Water

Founded on January 1, 1960, and governed by a publicly-elected,
five-member Board
of Directors, Mesa Water is an independent special district that
provides water service to 110,000 residents in an 18-square-mile service
area that includes most of Costa Mesa, a portion of Newport Beach, and
John Wayne Airport. Mesa Water provides 100 percent local reliable
groundwater to its customers due to the Mesa
Water Reliability Facility. Visit MesaWater.org,
follow @MesaWater on Facebook,
Twitter,
or Instagram,
email [email protected]. or
call 949.631.1200 to learn more.