As NWA continues to grow and Beaver Water District continues to expand their infrastructure, it seems like a suitable time to get to know more about our Board of Directors for the district. Board members are publicly elected, three from each county (Benton & Washington).
Each quarter will ask a new board member why he/she originally wanted to serve on the board, what has been most fulfilling for him/her, and if there were any surprises about the water treatment process. This quarter let us get to know one of our Washington County representatives, Woody Bassett.
Why did you initially want to serve on the board?
Knowing how vitally important Beaver Lake and the Beaver Water District (BWD) have been, and always will be, to Northwest Arkansas and its people, I thought serving on the board would be entirely consistent with my long-held belief in the value of public service, and that it would be a meaningful and interesting experience. In many ways, it has been all that and much more during my years on the board.
What has been most fulfilling to you personally about serving on the board?
It has been fulfilling to be a small part of such a top-notch, well-managed organization and to have the opportunity to collaborate with fellow board members and others to make decisions which carry out BWD’s mission “to sustainably provide our customers with safe, economical drinking water.”
Equally fulfilling for me as a board member has been the chance to get to know all the talented people from top to bottom who work at the BWD and establishing a relationship with many of them. The district is extremely fortunate to have an outstanding workforce, all of whom are dedicated, hardworking employees who are highly qualified and extremely skilled at their respective jobs.
During my time as a board member, the BWD has been blessed to have had superb leadership and vision at the top in the CEO and COO positions: Alan Fortenberry and Larry Lloyd until their retirements and at present Lane Crider and Kevan Inboden. Given the enormous responsibilities that come with these positions and in view of the never-ending challenges presented by the explosion of population growth in Northwest Arkansas in recent decades, the admirable leadership of these men has been a difference-maker for this area of the state.
Is there anything that surprised you about the water treatment process?
When I joined the board, I knew very little about the water treatment process but over the years I have learned a lot about it as a result of all the information and education board members regularly receive from BWD officers and staff. I can’t cite any specific surprise about the water treatment process but would simply note, having seen the impressive process up close, the BWD currently produces and supplies clean, safe drinking water sourced from Beaver Lake to more than 400,000 people, businesses and industries in Fayetteville, Springdale, Rogers, Bentonville and surrounding areas in Northwest Arkansas.
Other comments:
Beaver Lake is the lifeblood for Northwest Arkansas. It is our drinking water source. Without the lake, we would not have the quality of life and economic growth we enjoy today, nor would this area be one of the best places to live in the United States. It is imperative we preserve and protect the lake’s water quality in every manner possible and doing so should be one of this region’s top priorities.