For this edition of “Wonderful Water,” two members of the Orange Water and Sewer Authority’s Board of Directors joined 97.9 The Hill’s Brighton McConnell on the air. Chair of the board Ray DuBose and Vice Chair Bruce Boehm shared details on how people interested in representing the community on OWASA’s board can get involved.

The service agency’s Board of Directors is made up of nine board members, all residents of Chapel Hill, Carrboro and Orange County. Anyone within the OWASA service area or Orange County are eligible to volunteer to become a board member, but must go through approval and appointment processes by their respective local government.

Boehm said like many others who have served, he had no prior experience before joining the board. He said during retirement, he sought a role to help the community and a friend who previously worked with the service agency suggested it to him.

“That was three years ago and I’ve enjoyed it quite a lot,” Boehm said. “It’s completely different from the business I was in before, but it’s rewarding, education and it’s been fun.”

The role of an OWASA board member is very different from the employees who treat the community’s water, conduct research or install water pipes. The board adopts the agency’s annual budget, set policies, adjusts rates and much more. Such decisions require dedicated volunteers who DuBose says can expect a steep, but rewarding, learning curve.

“The first year,” the board chair said, “it’s like being a freshman in school: you’re learning, but you’re in a different environment. After a while, you start to get comfortable and the work comes a little bit easier.”

“What’s a better way to serve the community than supporting the provision of water and sewer services,” DuBose added. “It’s very critical to life in the community, so it’s a very rewarding experience.”

The OWASA Board of Directors meets twice a month, on the second and fourth Thursdays of each month. DuBose said any prospective appointee should read some board materials before applying to gauge their comfort level and familiarize themselves with the format.

“If there is an interest,” he said, “I think it would be important for somebody to review the agenda packet for a particular meeting and then attend that meeting. At least virtually, [they can] see if that sounds and looks like something they’d like to participate in.”

To apply for consideration of appointment onto OWASA’s Board of Directors, visit the Town of Chapel Hill, Town of Carrboro and Orange County websites.

 

Featured image via the Orange Water and Sewer Authority.

You can listen below to the full conversation with OWASA board members Ray DuBose and Bruce Boehm below, and visit the Wonderful Water page here for more interviews and stories about the work OWASA does in our community.


Chapel Hill and Carrboro residents use roughly 7 million gallons of water a day, and “Wonderful Water” is a monthly conversation sponsored by the Orange Water and Sewer Authority highlighting its work to keep our community growing and water flowing.