Page 6 August 26, 2021
Scott Houston from front page
“Basically, a construction brat,” Houston said.
He graduated from West Torrance High
School, while his Dad, at that time, was working
at the Chevron refinery. Houston headed
to Michigan to go to college, returning each
summer to the South Bay, where he worked
one summer at the refinery.
Post-graduation, he decided to relocate
permanently, to California, in 2000. He initially
settled again in Torrance, later moving
to El Segundo, and has been here ever since.
Houston, like many residents of El Segundo,
enjoys the small-town atmosphere of
the city, especially the part of the city west
of Pacific Coast Highway. He said that El
Segundo reminds him of quaint small-town
Midwestern burghs, calling it “safe, and
welcoming,” with all of its own “resources.
You run into people you know all the time,”
he said while touting the convenient proximity
of the city to LAX and local freeways.
Houston’s career arc had him working
in public relations the first couple of years
after graduating from college, dealing with
Silicon Valley tech clients. “It was a very
exciting time,” he said. “There was so much
going on.” Later, he scratched the itch of
exploring journalism as a career, attended
classes at UCLA, then landed the job with
El Segundo TV.
He also began drawing a paycheck from
Vision Envelope, rising to the position of
customer service manager. He spent about a
dozen years with Vision Envelope. “A great
experience,” he said. During this timeframe,
Houston said he was also branching out and
looking at opportunities in local politics.
He relished his experiences with El Segundo
TV, calling them “so accommodating to work
for.” He interned there, producing stories
and doing voice-overs. “It was a lot of fun,”
he said, noting that because he was covering
local issues, “I really got to understand the
community.”
While nurturing a bent for community
service, Houston ran unsuccessfully for City
Council in 2010, which he said he lost “in
a tight race” to Fuentes. He ran again in
2012 but lost again in a more crowded field
of candidates. He said that while he did not
win the elections, he gained great insight
into the El Segundo voters while he was
walking the city streets to drum up support
for his candidacies.
Because of his post on the Water Board,
Houston does not foresee another City Council
run. He said that he was counseled by a friend
to seek a spot at the Water Basin. “I didn’t
know anything about the Water Basin,” said
Houston, who began his schooling about the
intricacies of the WBMWB by attending a
class he dubbed “Water District 101.” The
class, Houston said, “was so cool. I was
hooked.” He thinks that his interest in Water
Basin duties and activities was piqued because
of his prior tenure in production-type jobs.
So, what does the WBMWD do? They serve
as the regional water district for the South Bay
and local entities. They provide supplemental
water to cities through importing water; deal
in refreshing recycled water, and deal with
the water treated from the Hyperion plant.
Houston said he would be running for reelection
in 2022. “The water district is really
interesting,” he said, noting that most citizens
do not have a clue what the accomplishments
of the Water Basin are.
Houston said that when he took his position
at the Water Board, he was counseled
by some of the more scientific minds on the
team that the “Water community does such
a good job at its work, that the (residents)
do not understand all that goes into it,” citing
imported water from different sources
that magically, seamlessly, ends-up in our
dwellings, on our lawns, and in our pools.
When not directing the WBMWD or
participating in other work endeavors to
pay his bills, Houston said that “I really got
into hiking during the pandemic, and I have
always loved riding my bicycle,” and taking
advantage of the myriad outdoor opportunities
available to El Segundo residents.
In his role as WBMWD Director, Houston
said, “It is very enjoyable to be in a public
service role that can make a difference, advocate
for residents,” he said. “Any elected
official is a voice for the residents. It is a
great feeling of satisfaction when you can
have a place at the table and implement policies
that will affect people’s lives.”
He said that one of the current tasks that
the WBWMD is grappling with is updating
its long-term strategic initiatives. “I never
forget why I am there and who I represent.
I do everything I can to see the residents get
the representation that they deserve.”
So, the next time that you mindlessly turn
on the kitchen faucet, flush the commode,
or water the lawn, give a little thanks to the
seeming simplicity of the process and the
people that deliver the H20 to your home. •
Scott Houston.
Scott Houston and former Malibu Mayor Laura Rosenthal.
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