Mesa Water's Reliability Celebration: Misuse of Public Funds? Looking back

Editor’s note: This story was originally posted on March 12, 2013 as "Mesa Water's Celebration: Misuse of Public Funds? Ratepayers Pay Thousands for 'Private Event'. Voters who are weighing whether to vote for Karl Seckel or Stacy Taylor for director of Division 4 of the Municipal Water District of Orange County will find this article informative. For more information on that race, click here. Also, note that this story had incorrectly asserted that Mesa Water General Manager Paul Shoenberger had exceeded his authority in funding the event. That has been corrected to note that, in fact, Mesa’s board of directors had approved the expenditure.

The Mesa Water District Board of Directors will throw a $49,650 VIPs (and selected press) only “private ceremony” to celebrate the completion of two years of renovations on its Colored Water Treatment Facility, according to an official announcement tucked deep within the district’s official website and a purchase order obtained by the Voice.

Stacy T…