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Water Utility Board

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ORGANIZATION
The Water Utility Board is described by State Statute and City Ordinance. It is made up of seven voting members (five citizen members and two alder person members) and the Director of Public Health as an ex officio member.  The board is charged with authority for managing and operating Madison Water Utility, under the general direction of the City of Madison Common Council. The Mayor appoints and the Common Council confirms board members for terms of five years for citizen members (with staggered appointment dates) and two years for the alder members; the Director of Public Health's appointment is ongoing. A quorum of the Board consists of four members.


To email the Water Board, please use the Ask Us, Tell Us form, in the subject field, select "Contact Water Commissioners".

MISSION

The board held a special meeting on March 8, 2007 with Jim Gorski of EMA acting as the facilitator. The Board developed a mission statement and identified major focus areas for the next year.

The mission of the Board . . .  is to develop and oversee the strategic direction of Madison Water Utility to assure an adequate quantity of high quality water, at a reasonable cost, and conservation of ground water, recognizing the prime importance of drinking water to the public.

The major focus areas are:

1. Master planning and infrastructure
2. Community group involvement and communications

3. Water conservation

4. Contaminants that affect human health

5. Culture change and internal communications at the Water Utility

The Water Utility Board may set up subcommittees for any of the focus areas.
Subcommittees would include at least one board member as well as Water Utility staff and members of the public. Updates on these focus areas will be given at the monthly meetings.

AGENDAS:
Board meeting agendas are available five days prior to a meeting. Go to: Current agenda. You can also call the City Clerk's office, at (608) 266-4601, to have a monthly agenda sent to you.

MINUTES:
Board meeting minutes are approved by the Board at its next meeting and are available two days after they are approved. Go to: Past Minutes.

DATES, MEETINGS:

2008 Board Meeting Dates: 

  • January 29 - cancelled due to weather.               
  • February 12
  • March 25
  • April 29
  • May 27
  • June 24
  • July 22
  • August 26
  • September 23
  • October 21
  • November 25
  • December 16 

Board meetings are held at 4:30 p.m. at 119 East Olin Avenue (Madison Water Utility offices).  Go to: Dates of Meetings.

MADISON WATER UTILITY BOARD:
To Contact the Water Utility Board you can:

Jonathan H. Standridge, President
Occupation: Environmental Laboratory Mgr (retired)
First appointed: October 5, 1999
Term expires: September 30, 2009

Gregory W. Harrington, Vice President
Occupation: Professor of Environmental Engineering
First appointed: September 19, 2000
Term expires: September 30, 2010

George E. Meyer, Secretary

Occupation: Executive Director, Wisconsin Wildlife Federation;                                      Secretary, Department of Natural Resources (retired)
First appointed: January 16, 2007
Term expires: September 30, 2011

Lauren G. Cnare, Alder Board Member
Occupation: Free-lance Writer, City Alder
First appointed: May 30, 2005
Term expires: April 21, 2009

Michael Schumacher, Alder Board Member

First appointed:  September 4, 2007  

Term expires: April 21, 2009

Warren Onken, Board Member

First appointed:  September 18, 2007

Term expires:  September 30, 2010

Dan Melton, Board Member

First appointed:  November 20, 2007

Term expires:  September 30, 2012

Thomas Schlenker, Ex-Officio Member

Occupation:  Director, Public Health of Madison and Dane County

First appointed:  September 19, 2006