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Department of Transportation recommending the Board:
1) 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 in Exhibit A, Zone of Benefit Advisory Committee Changes for 2019/2020; 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 No. 2 and No. 9, as outlined in Exhibit B, Zone of Benefit Advisory Committee Continuing Participants for 2019/2020.
FUNDING: County Service Area 2 and 9 Zone of Benefit Special Taxes and Assessments.
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DISCUSSION / BACKGROUND
On February 18, 1963 by Resolution 35-63, the Board of Supervisors (Board) formed County Service Area 2 to provide public road and road drainage improvements within its boundaries. Additional territory was annexed to CSA 2 on June 15, 1971 by Resolution 273-71.
On February 20, 1979 by Ordinance 1979, two (2) zones were established as Zone A (Arrowbee) and Zone B (Hidden Lake).
On April 7, 1983 by Resolution L-83-12, the El Dorado Local Agency Formation Commission formed CSA 9. By Resolution 146-83, the Board authorized multiple services to be provided, including road improvement and maintenance services, drainage maintenance services, and public cemetery services. Beginning in 1983 and continuing thereafter, multiple zones of benefit were formed to provide funding for specific services. For 31 of those zones of benefit, advisory committees were established by the Board.
On March 12, 1985, the Board adopted the Policy and Procedure Guidelines for Creation and Administration of Zones of Benefit within a County Service Area (Guidelines) to establish criteria for creating, operating, and maintaining zones of benefit, including providing for the appointment, term, and purpose of a zone Advisory Committee.
The Guidelines provide that an advisory committee may be appointed to serve at the pleasure of the Board. 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. Each advisory committee is required to meet at least four (4) times per year. One of the meetings is a general meeting of all property owners and residents.
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 and wetland related services, and cemetery maintenance services. The participants also act as liaisons between zone residents, property owners, and the County.
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.
There are currently 33 advisory committees for zones of benefit within the County: two (2) in County Service Area No. 2 and 31 in County Service Area No. 9. 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.
With the submission of their recommended budgets and work plans for Fiscal Year 2019/2020, advisory committees for zones of benefit 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 2019/2020. 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 2019/2020. Where there are no recommendations, the advisory committees have requested that a notice of vacancy be posted.
On November 5, 2019, the Clerk of the Board of Supervisors posted a Notice of Vacancy for the various advisory committees on the County's website.
Following the appointments, the Department of Transportation (Transportation) will conduct an orientation training session for all appointees regarding their roles and responsibilities, policies and regulations applicable to zone of benefit activities, provide each member with access to the El Dorado County Zone of Benefit Advisory Committee Manual, and provide access to AB 1234 Ethics Training for Local Officials.
ALTERNATIVES
The Board may choose to not make the recommended changes to the advisory committees. Transportation would make changes and return to the Board for approval.
PRIOR BOARD ACTION
January 30, 2018, Legistar File 18-0075, Item 7
July 16, 2019, Legistar File 19-1050, Item 16
OTHER DEPARTMENT / AGENCY INVOLVEMENT
Clerk of the Board of Supervisors
CAO RECOMMENDATION / COMMENTS
It is recommended that the Board approve this item.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
The minimal cost of training and communicating with the advisory committee participants is budgeted for each zone through the allocation of direct program costs and paid from zone special taxes and assessments. There is no impact to the General Fund or to the Road Fund.
CLERK OF THE BOARD FOLLOW UP ACTIONS
The Clerk of the Board will receive and file the roster of the 2019/2020 advisory committee participants.
STRATEGIC PLAN COMPONENT
Good Governance
CONTACT
Rafael Martinez, Director
Department of Transportation