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Community Development Services, Administration and Finance Division, recommending the Board consider the following:
1) Approve appointments of Advisory Committee members to fill vacancies on Zone of Benefit Advisory Committees in County Service Areas 2 and 9 as outlined on Exhibit A, Zone of Benefit Advisory Committee Changes for 2017/2018; and
2) Confirm the appointment of Advisory Committee members who will be continuing their participation on the zone of benefit advisory Committees in County Service Areas 2 and 9 as outlined in Exhibit B, Zone of Benefit Advisory Committee Continuing Participants for 2017/18.
FUNDING: Zone of Benefit Special Taxes and Assessments.
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DEPARTMENT RECOMMENDATION
Community Development Services, Administration and Finance Division recommending the Board approve appointments of Advisory Committee members to fill vacancies on Zone of Benefit Advisory Committees in County Service Areas No. 2 and No. 9 as outlined on Exhibit A, Zone of Benefit Advisory Committee Changes for 2017/2018; and confirm the appointment of Advisory Committee members who will be continuing their participation on the zone of benefit advisory Committees in County Service Areas No., 2 and No. 9 as outlined in Exhibit B, Zone of Benefit Advisory Committee Continuing Participants for 2017/2018. The committee participants have been recommended to serve in these roles by the residents and property owners within each zone, or have volunteered to serve in the roles. The advisory committee participants play vital roles in the expenditure of special taxes or assessments for delivery of public services in each zone, including road maintenance and improvements, drainage facility maintenance, landscaping, wetland related services, and cemetery maintenance services, by acting as liaisons between zone residents, property owners and the County.
DISCUSSION / BACKGROUND
The Policy and Procedure Guidelines for the Creation and Administration of Zones of Benefit within a County Service Area (Guidelines) provide that an advisory committee may be appointed to serve at the pleasure of the Board of Supervisors. The purpose of the advisory committee is to meet periodically with property owners and residents within the zone of benefit to identify unmet service needs, evaluate the adequacy of the services provided, compile the annual budget for recommendation to the Board, and provide recommendations regarding other matters pertaining to the business of the zone of benefit. There are currently thirty-three advisory committees for zones of benefit within the County: two in County Service Area No 2 and thirty-one in County Service Area No. 9.
Each advisory committee is required to meet at least four times per year. One of the four meetings is a general meeting of all property owners and residents. Since the inception of the zone of benefit program, the advisory committees have made recommendations to the Board regarding changes to the advisory committee membership based on consensus of the property owners and residents in attendance at the general meeting. The property owners and residents determine the number of participants to recommend the Board for appointment, which may vary from zone to zone and from year to year.
Advisory committee participants are subject to the requirements for ethics training for local officials under Government Code Section 53235. All advisory committee meetings are subject to compliance with California’s Open Meeting Laws and County ordinance code related to public meetings.
With the submission of their recommended budgets and work plans for fiscal year 2017/2018, one of the two advisory committees for zones of benefit within County Service Area No. 2 and twenty of the thirty-one advisory committees for County Service Area No. 9 included recommended changes to the committee participants. The recommended changes to the advisory committees are shown on Exhibit A, Zone of Benefit Advisory Committee Changes for 2017/2018. A list of the advisory committees and participants where no changes are recommended is included as Exhibit B, Zone of Benefit Advisory Committee Continuing Participants for 2017/2018.
Following the appointments, the Division will conduct an orientation training session for all appointees regarding their roles and responsibilities, polices and regulations applicable to zone of benefit activities, will provide each member with access to the El Dorado County Zone of Benefit Advisory Committee Manual, and will provide access to AB 1234 Ethics Training for Local Officials.
ALTERNATIVES
The Board may determine not to make the recommended changes to the advisory committees. Several of the changes are recommended because the participants no longer live in the zones they were initially appointed to serve, two have recenlty passed away, and some participants have expressed a desire to step down. The zones where the changes are recommended would be left with vacancies on the committees.
The Board may determine to eliminate the advisory committees altogether. However, this would both diminish the relationships between zone residents and the County by eliminating the resident or property owner liaisons, and heighten the level of engagement required of County staff in order to deliver services to the zones.
OTHER DEPARTMENT / AGENCY INVOLVEMENT
N/A
CAO RECOMMENDATION / COMMENTS
It is recommended that the Board approve this item.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
There is no financial impact or change to Net County Costs associated with this item. The minimal cost of training and communicating with the advisory committee participants is paid from budgeted zone special taxes and assessments. There is no impact to the General Fund.
CLERK OF THE BOARD FOLLOW UP ACTIONS
The Clerk of the Board will receive and file the roster of the 2017/2018 advisory committee participants.
STRATEGIC PLAN COMPONENT
Good Governance.
CONTACT
Creighton Avila, Deputy Chief Administrative Officer