EXHIBIT 23-A
Response to Inquiry Regarding Participation on Community Advisory Committee
Organization	Responded?	Agreed to Participate?	Response received to inquiry on questionnaire: “Comments the District Board should consider in its decision to form a CAC.”
Builders Exchange Central Coast	Yes	Yes	Representation from all the business/industries in the MPWMD Community.
Carmel River Steelhead Association	Yes	Yes	It needs a real function with back and forth communication with staff and board.
Carmel Valley Association	Yes	Yes	To a great extent, the functions of a CAC are already provided by the Oral Communications at every Board meeting.
Coalition of Homeless Services Providers	Yes	Yes	We would like the Advisory Board to consider the impact of the current water credit system on affordable housing development. We would like the committee to recommend changes to promote affordable housing.
Friends of the Sea Otter	Yes	Yes	Water is quickly becoming more valuable than oil. Monterey Peninsula has many water issues that are critical both to health and our economy. Having a CAC is critical to having outside expertise in water issues. All water flows to the ocean which not only sea otters but humans use and enjoy.
Helping Our Peninsula’s Environment	Yes	Yes	Currently this water District’s Advisory Committees (PAC/TAC) are grossly biased against the voters interests; the public interests. The only existing exception is the Carmel River Advisory Committee, but their mission is severely constrained in their geographic scope and issue breadth. This proposed committee could help meet this District’s goal to have the Peninsula citizens (not merely the wealthy and politically powerful) more involved in our water planning future. It’s about time.
LandWatch of Monterey County	Yes	Yes	It is important to involve a cross-section of the community in order to reach consensus on managing water resources.
*League of Women Voters of the Monterey Peninsula	Yes	Yes	See Attachment A.
*Prior to mailing the questionnaire, the LWV sent a letter supporting creation of the CAC and expressed an interest in serving.
Organization	Responded?	Agreed to Participate?	Response received to inquiry on questionnaire: “Comments the District Board should consider in its decision to form a CAC.”
Monterey Alliance of Neighborhoods	Yes	Yes	The Community Advisory Committee should include city residents, as represented by neighborhood association boards. The Monterey Alliance of Neighborhoods was started as a forum for residents of the City of Monterey to discuss issues of common concern. Representatives of all fourteen city neighborhoods are invited to attend our monthly meetings. As such, the group is a cross-section of Monterey residents from throughout the city. Our Mission Statement is as follows: “The Monterey Alliance of Neighborhoods recognizes that the neighborhood is the basic building block of the community. Our mission is to be a unified and effective voice for Monterey neighborhoods to protect and enhance our quality of living.” Issues related to the use, consumption and supply of water are of concern to the group and we would welcome the opportunity to provide our input to the MPWMD Board of Directors on important water policy issues.
Monterey County Association of Realtors	Yes	Yes	The Monterey County Association of Realtors would be pleased to have a representative participate in a CAC, but only if the Committee is expanded to truly represent the community. I do not believe a five member committee could or would be able to represent the many and varied interests in the District. As outlined, the proposed five member CAC appointed by the five elected Directors would be more of a political committee, representing the views of the Directors. The District had a CAC in the late 1990s that proved to be quite successful in making recommendations to the Board on water conservation issues. This previous CAC had a membership of approximately 15 individuals who represented business, residential and environmental groups. With all points of view and potential impacts aired and discussed, the CAC has a meaningful purpose. The Board is better served if it receives recommendations that have been evaluated by the parties that will be affected by the proposed rules and regulations.
Monterey County Hospitality Association	Yes	Yes	MCHA is interested in serving on a CAC only if the CAC is organized to be broadly representative of community interests. The draft proposal for a CAC of only 5 members appointed by elected directors does not strike us as workable and would instead be a mini-board as opposed to a genuine “community” advisory body. MCHA was pleased to have representatives on the Citizens Advisory Committee in the late 1990s that worked hard and successfully on preparing the District’s Expanded Water Conservation and Standby Rationing Plan ordinance adopted by the District and also approved by the Public Utilities Commission in slightly modified form as a plan of the California American Water Company, Monterey Division. That CAC had roughly 15 members broadly representative of business, residential, municipal and environmental interests. We believe that CAC is a suitable model for forming a Community Advisory Committee if the District chooses to proceed.
Organization	Responded?	Agreed to Participate?	Response received to inquiry on questionnaire: “Comments the District Board should consider in its decision to form a CAC.”
Naval Postgraduate School	Yes	Yes	Staff at the NPS contacted the District by telephone and said they do want to participate. Written notification will be provided.
New Monterey Neighborhood Association	Yes	Yes	We believe that it is critical that the District Board receives substantive input from residents via the CAC.
Presidio of Monterey	Yes	Yes	The Presidio of Monterey welcomes an opportunity to work with the community on such important issues.
Water for Us	Yes	Yes
Monterey County Convention & Visitors Bureau	Yes	No	We are primarily a marketing organization. We do not have resources to participate in such activities. We depend on the MCHA to be the voice in tourism.
Carmel Chamber of Commerce	No
Carmel Residents Association	No
Carmel Valley Chamber of Commerce	No
Monterey Commercial Property Owners Association	No
Monterey County African American Chamber of Commerce	No
Monterey Peninsula Chamber of Commerce	No
Monterey Peninsula Taxpayers Association	No
New Monterey Business Association	No
Pacific Grove Chamber of Commerce	No
**Planning and Conservation League Foundation	No
Seaside/Sand City Chamber of Commerce	No
Sierra Club, Ventana Chapter	No
***Technical Advisory Committee Members	No

** Letter returned to District marked undeliverable. On 6/7/06 emailed letter to Central Coast Regional Coordinator. Awaiting a reply.

*** Emailed all TAC members and asked them to provide the District with names of neighborhood groups within their jurisdictions. No response received.

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