The High Desert Water District Board of Directors finally elected a president for 2014 during a special meeting last night. After Dan Munsey’s nomination of Sarann Graham failed to receive a second, Sheldon Hough nominated Roger Mayes to continue on as President, and the vote was unanimous. Bob Stadum also received a unanimous vote for vice president. Then, during its regular meeting which immediately followed the special meeting, the Board heard a presentation from SunPower Corporation about the feasibility of generating solar power for the water district from its own solar field. The district owns land on the east side of Pioneertown Road, between Sunland Drive and Coyote Trail. The solar field would need about six acres to generate 835 kilowatts to cover its needs now, and an additional 417 kilowatts once the wastewater treatment facility is operating. The Board authorized SunPower to draft a preliminary design for a two-phase solar project, provide an estimated cost for the project, and contact Southern California Edison to determine what Edison would require the District to do to develop solar power, for a cost of $3300.
