Editor’s note: One in a series.

Leading up to the Nov. 8 general election, the Appeal-Democrat will be running a series of candidate profiles that will allow each person running for a significant contested office in the Yuba-Sutter area the chance to either introduce themselves to the voting public or remind those who they are and where they stand. 

The Appeal-Democrat sent five simple questions to candidates. Each candidate who is running has been given the opportunity to respond. Profiles will run in the Appeal in the order in which they are received. 

The following are answers provided by Marie “Marieke” Furnee, who is running for the North Yuba Water District Division 4 seat. Furnee is facing off against Gary Hawthorne.

Q: What can North Yuba Water District do to ensure everyone has access to water, including during wildfires?

A: Run water through the ditches and repair/maintain the existing infrastructure. Install and fill several big storage tanks at strategic corners and get the fire hydrant system on a separate line so they can run on the high pressure of the raw water system. We don’t need chlorinated drinking water to put out fires.

Q: Do you support the piping of the Forbestown Ditch (please explain your answer)?

A: No. Certainly not in the current plans. The ditch can be repaired and strengthened in many ways.

Yuba Water Agency offered to measure exactly where the leaks are and how big. Then design a mixed engineering solution: clean and dig out the ditch, put gunite where it is needed and pipe only the sections that really need it.

The goal must be to expand the water deliveries, not restrict them with a design that is small minded. All areas of California are expected to grow in the coming decades and Yuba County is no exception. We must plan for the future.

Q: Do you think North Yuba Water District should be selling water to other water districts (please explain your answer)?

A: Not out of the service area. The sale of drinking water to Yuba City is a traditional sale, it is grandfathered into the permits.

Selling water to irrigation districts in the Central Valley is a bad idea. It puts our permits at risk. We originally got the permits for the water development of Yuba County, not Fresno.

I am for putting all of our water to work for Yuba County communities. I certainly don’t support new water sales when the district is currently refusing to deliver irrigation water to its customers, delivering a full irrigation season only twice in the past decade. That is an unacceptable record. 

Q: Is there anything North Yuba Water District can do to improve the wellbeing of farmers and irrigation users within the district?

A: Yes! Deliver a full irrigation season annually! Green, irrigated pastures don’t burn! Those of us who have lived through the fires in the Yuba Foothills understand the value of access to water during fire season.

When we are able to irrigate our properties, we are able to provide feed for livestock and water our gardens. We must resume deliveries and improve/maintain the irrigation and domestic systems. The domestic customers in portions of the district experience a foul smell from their tap water. We must improve the domestic infrastructure for all NYWD customers.

Q: Why should voters choose you for the North Yuba Water District board?

A: I stand for the farmers and small communities in the Foothills. I will fight to get reliable deliveries of much needed water and improve the system so it can serve the common good – including fire protection/prevention.

The current directors did nothing of the sort in the last 10 years, I do not expect them to change.

The board needs to be changed. We need fresh people that can work with each other and work in partnership with South Feather and the Yuba Water Agency.

The current board lost the trust of the community. 

I intend to truly be part of delivering on the old promise to make these communities green, healthy and more fire safe.

A clear sky. Low near 55F. Winds light and variable..

A clear sky. Low near 55F. Winds light and variable.

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