Santa Clara County Special Districts Association
Monday, March 3, 2014
12:00 p.m. – 1:30 p.m.
A. Call to Order
1. Welcome and Introductions
B. Approval of Minutes
1. Discussion and Approval of Meeting Minutes for December 2, 2013 (Action)
C. Time Certain at: 12:10
1. Guest Speaker: Santa Clara County Sheriff Laurie Smith
D. Old Business
1. 2014 Membership Dues Status Update (Information)
E. New Business
1. Annual Officer Election (Action)
2. Financial Report – Page 6 (Action)
3. AB 1799 (Gordon): Funding for the long-term management of mitigation properties by public agencies (Information, Discussion, Action)
F. Partner Agency Reports
1. Local Agency Formation Commission- Neelima Palacherla, Executive Officer
2. League of California Cities – Jessica Stanfill Mullin, Regional Public Affairs Manager
3. CSDA – Dorothy Holzem, Legislative Representative
G. Santa Clara County Special District Association Member Reports
1. Round Robin
H. Review of Action Items and Adjournment
1. Action Item Review
2. The next meeting is scheduled for: June 2, 2014
3. Adjourn
B1. Meeting Minutes
Santa Clara County Special Districts Association
December 2, 2013
12:00 p.m. – 1:30 p.m.
Meeting Participants:
· California Special Districts Association: Dorothy Holzem
· Cupertino Sanitary District: Bill Bosworth
· El Camino Healthcare District: Brenda Taussig
· LAFCO of Santa Clara County: Neelima Palacherla
· Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District: Yoriko Kishimoto
· Rancho Rinconada Recreation and Park District: Steve Wesolowski
· Santa Clara County Special Districts Association: Rick Callender, Cheryl Togami
· Santa Clara Valley Water District: Linda J. LeZotte, Tony Estremera, Richard Santos, LeeAnn Pelham
· Saratoga Fire Protection District: Gene Zambetti
· South Santa Clara Valley Memorial District: Christine West
· Valley Transportation Authority: Scott Haywood
· West Valley Sanitation District: Jon Newby
Guest Speaker: Steve Van Dorn, President and CEO of Santa Clara Chamber of Commerce and Convention -Visitors Bureau
A. Call to Order: Chair Wesolowski called meeting to order.
B. Discussion and Approval of Minutes: The minutes for the December 2, 2013, were approved with a correction to a bill reference, which should be SB470 and not SF470.
C. Steve Van Dorn went over his organizational structure of which there are 5 sections. Each board has 4 vice chairs. Membership is focused on business growth and networking, and a PAC was formed 3 years ago. Small businesses help each other and the chamber holds mixers within chamber membership and with other chambers.
D. The visitors bureau has over 7000 facebook followers. In October 2013, it had the highest hotel occupancy in 17 years. The average daily rate is $300/night for Monday through Wednesday stays. The visitors bureau is focusing on filling the hotels on weekends and is promoting Santa Clara from a regional perspective. Tourism is very important.
The Levi’s Stadium will open in 2014 and it will provide club space, lobby space, suites and restaurants. The stadium also proposes challenges in terms of affordable housing and transportation as well as increased costs of doing business in the area.
Mr. Van Dorn responded to questions from the members and thanked us for inviting him to come speak.
E. Old Business
1. Chair Wesolowski reminded everyone that an email went out on his behalf to all special districts in the county encouraging pursuing the CSDA District Transparency Certificate of Excellence. Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District and Rancho Rinconada Recreation and Park District both are in the process or plan to pursue the certificate. Saratoga Fire Protection District is 55-60% complete with its application. West Valley Sanitation District is going to its board in November for readoption of its brown act policy. It was stated that there is a lot of paperwork required and it will take a while.
One of the requirements under Community Transparency Review is a completed checklist from 2 individuals, one which can be the GM of a peer agency. Brenda Taussig of El Camino Healthcare District generously agreed that her special district can perform this function.
2. Burbank Sanitary District has elected to discontinue membership with SCCSDA. Instead they are members of the California Association of Sanitation Agencies.
E. New Business
1. LAFCO Representatives Report – Special Districts LAFCO commissioner, Linda J. LeZotte, provided us with a comprehensive LAFCO update. She provided service review and sphere of influence updates. Phase 1 of the special districts service review was adopted. The final report for Phase 2 will be considered for adoption at its December 4, 2013, meeting.
A special study on the impacts of the potential dissolution of the Saratoga Fire Protection District and annexation to the Santa Clara County Central Fire Protection District is underway.
The final budget for FY2013-2014 was adopted at its June 5, 2013 meeting.
In September, the County of Santa Clara appointed Cindy Chavez and alternate commissioner Ken Yeager as its representatives to LAFCO.
2. The financial report was adopted.
3. Membership dues was discussed. Annual dues of $100 was proposed and adopted.
4. Chair Wesolowski reminded members that the annual officer election will be held at our next regular meeting on March 3, 2014.
5. The proposed 2014 meeting dates were adopted.
6. Rick Callender was asked by Chair Wesolowski to attend a Purissima Hills board meeting. This special district was requesting to withdraw from LAFCO. Rick went to the board meeting and explained the difference between being a member of our association, which is more akin to a club and that of being a member of LAFCO, which is governed by state law. Neelima Palacherla of LAFCO also stated that she was contacted by the GM of Purissima Hills asking if their district could withdraw from LAFCO. She informed him that state law has to have a process to take special districts off LAFCO.
F. Partner Agency Reports
1. Neelima Palacherla: LAFCO will have a public hearing on 12/4/13. Neelima provided an update on LAFCO’s service reviews.
2. League of California Cities: Not present but sent information on the League’s strategic goals and legislative positions.
3. Dorothy Holzem: Dorothy provided a recap of lead issues for the interim session.
G. Round Robin
Rancho Rinconada Recreation and Park District has a new General Manager. The training the chair attended in Napa was worthwhile.
Cupertino Sanitary District expressed concern that as it has 5% of capacity of the SJ sewage plant, it will have 5% of cost of plant upgrade, but no say. The upgrade added retail and open space but there is nothing in the master agreement that covers these things.
South Santa Clara Valley Memorial District hired Christine West as its executive director a few weeks ago and she expressed her eagerness to participate in the association.
West Valley Sanitation District did a financial analysis and expects rates to increase 50% over the next 5 years. This rate increase assumes full financing. The rate increase will be 74% if there is not full financing. There has been substantial land use change. San Jose is focused on economic development.
El Camino Healthcare District mentioned its community benefit booklet. They have a new facility in Mountain View which provides mental healthcare services.
VTA informed us that they have a new general manager.
Santa Clara Valley Water District said they will have 4 seats up for election. The Bay Delta Conservation Plan is related to huge water bond that is coming and there are workshops and information available on the website. The District doesn’t have a position yet and there is no final plan yet. 50% of our water comes from the Delta so this issue is important to all of us. The Delta is not going to survive unless there are some improvements.
Saratoga Fire Protection District informed us they are investigating making changes to its early warning alarm system to make sure they reach all customers. Due to changing technology and the shift from landlines to cell phones makes it more difficult to ensure emergency broadcasts reach everyone.
Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District held public workshops on its vision plan.
H. Action Item Review
ACTIONS:
1. SCCSDA staff to send out annual membership invoices
2. CSDA requested that agencies look at the CA Forward website to ensure accuracy of special district information
E2. Financial Statement
Balance as of 12/1/13 / $2,784.39Expenses
Check #1009 – Lunch Stop, December meeting / $479.70
Deposits
County of Santa Clara, Roads & Airports / $100
Cupertino Sanitary District / $100
El Camino Healthcare / $100
Guadalupe-Coyote RCD / $100
Loma Prieta Resource CV / $100
Mid Peninsula Regional Open Space / $100
Purissima Hills Water District / $100
Rancho Rinconada Rec & Park D / $100
San Martin County WD / $100
Santa Clara County Open Space / $100
SCVWD / $100
Saratoga Cemetery District / $100
Saratoga Fire Protection District / $100
South Santa Clara Valley Memorial District / $100
Valley Transit Authority (VTA) / $100
West Valley Sanitation District / $100
West Bay Sanitary District / $100
TOTAL DEPOSITS / $1,700.00
BALANCE AS OF 2/19/14 / $4,004.69
6