STAFF REPORT
PUBLIC WORKS SERVICES DEPARTMENT
DATE: December 2, 2025
TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council
FROM: Paul Cranmer, Public Works Services Director
By: Carmen Masud, Deputy Public Works Services Director
SUBJECT: RESOLUTION NO. 7665 CASTING ITS VOTES FOR ONE OF THE
CANDIDATES TO REPRESENT ARCADIA AND OTHER CITIES WITH
PRESCRIPTIVE PUMPING RIGHTS AS A BOARD MEMBER ON THE SAN
GABRIEL BASIN WATER QUALITY AUTHORITY
CEQA: Not a Project
Recommendation: Adopt
SUMMARY
Under Senate Bill (“SB”) 1679, the State Legislature established the San Gabriel Basin Water Quality Authority (“SGBWQA”) to plan, finance, and implement groundwater treatment programs within the San Gabriel Valley. The SGBWQA is under the direction and leadership of a seven-member board. The City of Arcadia may cast its votes for one of the nominated candidates who will represent the interest of cities with prescriptive pumping rights, including Arcadia.
Representing cities with pumping rights, two candidates were recently nominated for the office of City Member on the SGBWQA Board: incumbent Robert Gonzales of Azusa and Jeffrey K. Maloney of Alhambra. While both candidates are qualified, Board Member Gonzales has been effective in his role, demonstrating a strong commitment to representing cities with prescriptive pumping rights. Therefore, it is recommended that the City Council select Robert Gonzales as the candidate.
It is recommended that the City Council adopt Resolution No. 7665 casting its six votes for Robert Gonzales to represent Arcadia and other cities with prescriptive pumping rights, as a Board Member on the SGBWQA.
Resolution No. 7665 – Casting Votes for SGBWQA Board Member December 2, 2025
BACKGROUND
The purpose of the SGBWQA is to plan, finance, and implement groundwater remediation activities, to clean up contaminated groundwater in the San Gabriel Valley. The SGBWQA Board is composed of seven members, with three members appointed from each of the three municipal water districts, one elected City Council Member from cities in the San Gabriel Basin with prescriptive pumping rights, one elected City Council Member from cities in the San Gabriel Basin without prescriptive pumping rights, and two appointed members representing water producers in the San Gabriel Basin.
On October 18, 2025, two candidates were nominated for the position of SGBQWA City Board Member, who will represent cities with prescriptive pumping rights. Each City has one vote for each 10,000 residents or majority thereof, as determined by 2020 U.S. Census data. The City of Arcadia has six votes that may be cast for one candidate who will best represent cities with prescriptive pumping rights. The current SGBQWA Board Member representing cities with prescriptive pumping rights is Azusa Mayor Robert Gonzales, whose term ends in January 2026. This election is to select the representative for that seat.
DISCUSSION
The election of the SGBWQA Board Member will take place during its regularly scheduled meeting on Wednesday, December 17, 2025. The following two candidates were nominated for the office of City Member on the SGBWQA Board, representing cities with pumping rights:
1. Robert Gonzales. Elected to Azusa City Council in 2007 and elected as Mayor in March 2020. Mr. Gonzales is the current SGBWQA Board Member representing cities with prescriptive pumping rights. In addition to being a SGBWQA Board Member, he also serves as a representative to the San Gabriel Valley Council of Governments, the Council of Governments’ Homeless Sub- Committee, Trustee to the San Gabriel Valley Mosquito & Vector Control District, and the Los Angeles County Sanitation District.
2. Jeffrey K. Maloney. Elected to Alhambra City Council November 2016, Mr.
Maloney currently serves as Vice Mayor. He is the Chief Staff Council for the
Resolution No. 7665 – Casting Votes for SGBWQA Board Member December 2, 2025
Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy. He also serves on the Board of Directors for the Clean Power Alliance and the Los Angeles Sanitation Districts Nos. 2 and 16, and is an active member of the Independent Cities Association and the League of California Cities.
While both candidates are qualified, Mayor Gonzales has provided consistent contributions to the Board and has been effective in his role, demonstrating a strong commitment to representing cities with prescriptive pumping rights. Therefore, it is recommended that the City Council select Robert Gonzales as the desired candidate.
ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS
The proposed action does not constitute a project under the California Environmental Quality Act (“CEQA”), as it can be seen with certainty that it will have no impact on the environment.
FISCAL IMPACT
There is no cost associated with electing a Board Member to the SGBWQA to represent cities with prescriptive pumping rights.
RECOMMENDATION
It is recommended the City Council determine that this action does not constitute a project under the California Environmental Quality Act (“CEQA”); and adopt Resolution No. 7665 casting its votes for Mayor Robert Gonzales to represent Arcadia and other cities with prescriptive pumping rights, as a Board Member of the San Gabriel Basin Water Quality Authority.
Attachments: Resolution No. 7665