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Appointment to the Technical Customer Advisory Committee
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The Technical Customer Advisory Committee (TCAC) was established in 2006 to assist in and facilitate public review and discussion of Water Authority policies, plans and programs. The TCAC was established to provide a professional/ technical group of volunteer individuals who represent the five core functional areas of operating a water and wastewater utility. This group is intended to provide outside expertise in best practices and private sector applications for continuous business improvement.
At the August 2016 meeting, the Chair announced that there was a vacancy on the committee and that an online application was created for customers who may be interested in serving on this technical committee. Board members were informed that if they know of anyone interested that they should apply on the Water Authority’s website. In addition, a notice was placed on the Water Authority website’s front page.
Qualified nominations were compiled and forwarded to the Chair who through this communication is forwarding the nomination to the Board for confirmation. Dr. Janie Chermak is recommended for confirmation. Dr. Chermak is highly qualified and certified in her field of work. Below is a summary of nominee’s professional and academic background.
Janie Chermak
Janie Chermak is a professor in the Department of Economics and former chair of the department. She is an applied micro economist who specializes in natural resource economics research. She earned a MSc. and a PhD in Mineral Economics from the Colorado School of Mines and a BA in geology from Western State College. Prior to earning her graduate degrees she was a practicing geologist focusing on uranium exploration and natural gas exploration and development. Before joining the faculty at the University of New Mexico in 1995, she was a member of the faculty at the Naval Postgraduate School. Since joining UNM her research has focused on various aspects of resource economics ranging from consumer issues in water, to common pool problems in water and in invasive species, to efficient production of fossil fuels and the tradeoffs between energy/water futures. Her work is interdisciplinary in nature and often incorporates aspects of the physical sciences within a dynamic optimization framework. This results in work that advances the discipline, provides learning tools for students, and provides improved information for policymakers.
A total of three applicants were received through the online application. The other two applicants are listed below; however, neither one had technical experience in resource economics which is the category that is being vacated:
o Luis Aguirre, water treatment plant coordinator in Santa Fe
o Mona Varela, paralegal, legal research, retired from NMPRC
CURRENT MEMBERS:
|
Member |
Category |
Term Expiration |
|
Ege Richardson |
Water System Engineering |
6/2017 |
|
Michael Hightower |
Water Resource Planning |
6/2017 |
|
Elaine Hebard |
Customer Service |
6/2017 |
|
Laura McCarthy |
Non-profit Water Management Advocacy/Education |
6/2017 |
|
Amy Ewing |
Water Resource Planning |
4/2018 |
|
Laurie Firor |
Landscape Architecture |
9/2016 |
|
Dave Hill |
Financial/Business Management |
3/2018 |
|
Scott Verhines |
Water System Engineering |
3/2018 |
|
Vacant |
Resource Economics |
|
FISCAL IMPACT: None