2010 Board Chair
Term expires: January 2013
Richard Santos won election to the District 3 seat in 2000, replacing the retired director Robert Gross as the representative for the residents of Sunnyvale, Alviso community, Milpitas, Berryessa/Alum Rock communities, east of Highway 101 to the Evergreen community area.
The Alviso native resident retired as a Fire Captain from the San Jose Fire Department with 33 years of service. Director Santos represents the board on the following committees: Association of California Water Agencies WateReuse, Coyote Flood Zone and Watershed Advisory, Landscape Advisory, South Bay Recycling and the Santa Clara Valley Water Commission.
While on the San Jose Fire Department, Director Santos was elected as vice chair for 12 years on the San Jose Police and Fire Retirement Board and was a labor representative of the San Jose Firefighters local union. He was then and is still very active as a volunteer for community services and as chair, spearheaded several civic activity fundraiser projects.
Among many other civic and social activities, Director Santos is chair/fundraiser of the Santa Visits Alviso Foundation and the Alviso Library Program.
Additionally, Director Santos was appointed to the 28-member South Bay Salt Pond Restoration Committee. Director Santos was appointed by the San Jose Mayor and City Council to the Envision San Jose 2040 General Plan 37-member task force, and he was recognized as "Citizen of the Year for 2006" by the Berryessa Citizen Advisory Council.
Director Santos received a BS degree in public administration from Farelston and Nova Colleges and received an AA degree in police science and an AS degree in fire science. He also has a lifetime teaching credential from the California Community College system, where he taught fire science at Mission College.
Santa Clara Valley Water District Board Members may be contacted by e-mail at clerkoftheboard@valleywater.org. This e-mail address is for letters and correspondence to the Board only.