Hatfield returns to Rainbow MWD board

Russ Hatfield’s retirement from the Rainbow Municipal Water District board of directors lasted slightly more than two years.

Hatfield, who previously served from 1998 to 2002, was sworn in as a board member March 11. He replaces Tom Cole, who was recalled in the corresponding March 8 election. Hatfield represents Division 4 of the five-division district.

Hatfield, who currently runs a 22-acre avocado grove, didn’t seek re-election when his first full term expired in 2002. “Then we decided to get active,” he said. “I, along with a lot of other people, didn’t like the direction the Rainbow board was going.”

In addition to Rainbow, the Rainbow Municipal Water District also includes Bonsall and Pala Mesa, and administrative consolidation has worked about as well in the Rainbow Municipal Water District as it did in Yugoslavia. Issues such as a proposed bond and rate increase, annexation of the Pardee property, and a proposed sewage treatment plant on district property are the most recent issues to divide the district.

Hatfield also cited the board’s policy that restricted public speakers at board meetings. “We just didn’t like the attitude that was demonstrated toward the ratepayers,” he said.

A grassroots group, which included Hatfield, responded to the proposed bond and rate increase, which was rejected in a 2004 election, by developing a plan for infrastructure needs on a pay-as-you-go basis. The board adopted that plan. “That’s a big issue that’s working very well now,” Hatfield said.

In 2004 the voters of two of the Rainbow Municipal Water District divisions initiated recall proceedings against board members. Cole resigned prior to the recall election, but since the petition had already qualified for the ballot the recall election was held anyway. A recall election consists of two parts; the first ballot question asks

whether the officeholder should be recalled, and the second election provides a successor if the recall is successful.

Hatfield sought to fill the Division 4 seat if Cole’s recall, which by then was almost a certainty since the incumbent did not contest the election, was approved. Cari Dale also sought Cole’s former seat.

The election was a huge victory for Hatfield, who obtained 68.11 percent of the vote, compared to Cari Dale’s 31.25 percent of the total vote.

“It was pretty clear,” Hatfield said of the margin of victory.

Hatfield campaigned on a door-to-door basis against the Pardee annexation and the sewage treatment plant. “I didn’t find anybody who favored those two items,” he said.

That will likely lead to a reversal of a previous board sentiment favoring the treatment plant contract with Pardee. “We plan on revisiting that at some time in the future,” Hatfield said.

Ironically, Hatfield’s first tenure in office followed the district’s previous recall election. In December 1997 Susan Marsh was recalled by the voters in her division and was replaced with Maxine Qualls. Two board members who had been relegated to the minority and with terms expiring after the 1998 election resigned, and Hatfield was appointed to serve the remainder of Sheila Manning’s term. Hatfield was elected to a full four-year term in November 1998.

“It’s a big job,” he said of being on the board. “It’s a tough job. Requires a lot of your time.”

Hatfield’s time commitments would increase the following year, as he was appointed to serve as the Rainbow Municipal Water District’s representative on the San Diego County Water Authority board. In 2001 Hatfield served as president of the Rainbow board, and he stepped down as the CWA representative. “I was happy to give that to somebody else,” he said.

Hatfield has lived in the Pala Mesa area for more than 30 years. He grew up in Kentucky but left in 1958 to join the Navy. He was a machinist in the Navy and was discharged as a Second Class Petty Officer in 1962.

Hatfield lived in Cypress before moving to San Diego County, but after his discharge he continued to work for the Department of the Navy — which also includes the United States Marine Corps — as a civilian employee. He handled labor and employee relations both at Long Beach and at Camp Pendleton, and he also spent time stationed in Italy as the director of labor relations in the Mediterranean. Hatfield was also involved with software support for the Marine Corps’ Tactical Software Support Center. He retired from the Department of the Navy in 1996.

Hatfield lived in Vista for two years before relocating to Greater Fallbrook. “This is a mighty fine place to live,” he said.

In addition to his avocado farming and water district activities, Hatfield also runs the computer education center for seniors at the Fallbrook Learning Center and is on the board of People to People and the board of Friends of the Fallbrook Library.