With November elections rapidly approaching, those with political aspirations are beefing up their personal appearances to clamor for funds from campaign supporters. One such fundraiser was slated for Cheryl Adams, Rick Rogers and Bob Russ, all of whom are vying for the three open seats on the San Lorenzo Valley Water District Board, but fate intervened, and the candidates will be seated in January thanks to zero opposition to their runs.
On Aug. 22, friends, family and supporters of the trio gathered at Casa de Leon in Ben Lomond for a celebration of their impending seats, marveling at the good fortune of running unopposed.
Here’s a brief look at the backgrounds of Adams and Russ, and the qualities each of them will bring to their positions. (For information on Rogers’ candidacy, check out the Press Banner article, “Rogers Seeks San Lorenzo Valley Water Board Seat After Decades With District,” Feb. 20, via tinyurl.com/eyyt3f6h.)
Cheryl Adams
Adams has lived in Boulder Creek since 2022, after moving from Grizzly Flats, a small rural mining town in El Dorado County. Two-thirds of the town was destroyed by the Caldor Fire in August 2021, and after losing her home, Adams decided rebuilding was too difficult and moved closer to her children.
Although she’s never served on a local water board, Adams was familiar with the community’s publicly owned water district and its operations. She has always valued community service, and was drawn to Boulder Creek because of its strong sense of community and the people who genuinely care about the area.
Bob Russ
Russ joined the SLVWD board in June 2025, and was seeking reelection. After more than 30 years in Los Altos, he and his family moved to Felton, where they quickly fell in love with the community.
The CZU Fire, which came within a half-mile of their home, inspired him to spend two years creating extensive wildfire defenses, including roof sprinklers, water systems, solar power and backup generators. His engineering and finance background led him to serve on the district’s Budget and Engineering Committee before joining the board.
He hopes to support staff, oversee $16.5 million in new funding, prioritize infrastructure upgrades, control costs and maintain reasonable rates. Above all, he emphasizes transparency, community input and responsible stewardship.
As for those who support the trio, the guest list was a veritable who’s who of movers and shakers in the area, including Jim Mosher with Friends of San Lorenzo Valley Water (FSLVW). According to Mosher, “A key priority of (the group) is building stronger connections between the district, its committees, staff and the broader community. We’ve hosted events welcoming new community members and introducing them to the board, staff and the district’s work, and we hope to continue those gatherings as a way to build relationships and encourage more residents to become involved in district committees and community activities.”
One major focus of FSLVW is restoring and expanding the district’s water education grant program. The program was once robust but was discontinued after 2018, disappointing community advocates. Last year, it was brought back on a trial basis with $5,000 in funding, with strong support from community members who helped champion its return. The group plans to ask the new board to increase funding to approximately $25,000.
FSLVW also wants to broaden the program beyond traditional school grants to support projects that educate residents about the district, local water resources, the watershed and the district’s role in the community. Their goal is to make water education a meaningful part of the district’s community outreach efforts.
Previous Fifth District supervisors Mark Stone and Bruce McPherson gathered alongside current supervisor Monica Martinez to pledge their support for the trio of candidates, all of whom are aware of the challenges around the need to increase income to update the district’s infrastructure and work to prevent further losses from natural disasters.
“Distractions are behind us,” Martinez said. “It’s all about forward progress, preparing for and preventing disasters, and being accessible to our residents. It’s having a strong agency that helps with both the little things and the big things, because here in SLV, we need to constantly be looking ahead.”
General Manager Jason Lillion stepped into his role in July 2025, and has spent the last year getting the district headed in the right direction after a carousel of turnover. The district saw four previous general managers between Rogers’ retirement in 2023 and Lillion’s appointment last year.
Lillion thanked Mark Smolley, who was appointed to the board in 2020 and has decided not to run for another term, for his support and leadership as Lillion found his footing as general manager.
“I’m truly looking forward to working with each of the new directors, and I’m excited for this new board and the direction of the water district. I think we’ve established a good path and are moving in the right direction,” Lillion said.
Adams, Rogers and Russ will officially take their seats in January 2027, with Adams and Rogers replacing outgoing directors Bob Fultz and Smolley.
To learn more about the district, their meeting agendas and ways to get involved, visit slvwd.com.
