City Council Agenda Report
August 18, 2026
TO: Honorable City Council
FROM: Jesus M. Gomez, City Manager
BY: Albert Mendoza, P.E., Director of Public Services/City Engineer Jacqueline Koontz, P.E., Senior Civil Engineer
SUBJECT: RESOLUTION NO. 26-51 – APPOINTING A BOARD MEMBER TO THE
GOVERNING BOARD WITH THE LOS ANGELES GATEWAY REGION
INTEGRATED REGIONAL WATER MANAGEMENT JOINT POWERS
AUTHORITY
Background:
In 2011, a group of cities/agencies, also known as watershed “Permittees,” including the City of Norwalk created a Technical Committee to prepare an Implementation Plan, Monitoring Plan, and special studies for the Coyote Creek and San Gabriel River Reach 1 cities, as required by the California Regional Water Quality Control Board (Regional Board). The watershed group entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Gateway Water Management Authority (GWMA).
The GWMA is a large watershed-based coalition that was formed in 2007 and is currently comprised of various cities, water agencies and a port that are responsible for coordinating the regional watershed needs of 2 million people in the Gateway Region located in Southeastern Los Angeles County. The GWMA was formed in response to the Regional Board’s requirement to integrate regional watershed activities such as water supply, recycled water, stormwater, conservation measures, wastewater, etc. Officially, the Regional Board has designated the GWMA as a “Regional Integrated Water Management” area. GWMA is a Joint Powers Authority and is the “sister water agency” to the Gateway Cities Council of Government formed in 2007 by 10 cities and the Southeast Water Coalition. The GWMA has been the acting administrator for the Permittees, per the MOU, since of June 2012.
GMWA Board Representation
Per the MOU, each city/agency is represented by one primary Board Member and up to three alternates on the GWMA Board. In accordance with GWMA’s Bylaws, all non-Legislative Body
City Council August 18, 2026
Resolution No. 26-51 – GWMA Board Member Appointment Page No. 2 1 9
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appointments to the GWMA Board must be done by Resolution. GWMA Board Members and alternate Board Members serve two-year terms beginning October 1st of each odd-numbered year and concluding on September 30th two years later. Resolution No. 26-51 would designate the City’s Public Services Director/City Engineer as a Board Member to serve continuously across successive two-year terms such that the governing body need not re-appoint the same persons to the GWMA Board every two years, unless the governing body desires to change its designated Board Member and/or Alternate Board Member or must otherwise fill a vacancy. The City’s Senior Civil Engineer is the current GWMA Alternate Board Member. The City needs to fill a vacancy for the GWMA Board Member position only.
Fiscal Impact:
N/A
Citizens Advised:
N/A
Strategic Plan 2023 Implementation:
N/A
Recommended Action:
Staff recommend City Council adopt Resolution No. 26-51, A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY
COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF NORWALK APPOINTING A BOARD MEMBER TO THE LOS
ANGELES GATEWAY REGION INTEGRATED REGIONAL WATER MANAGEMENT JOINT POWERS AUTHORITY GOVERNING BOARD.
Attachments:
Resolution No. 26-51