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Extracted from Consolidated Report

This investigation was originally published as part of a larger consolidated report containing multiple investigations. View the consolidated PDF for the complete document.

Yolo County Grand Jury • 2018-2019

Flood Management in the Urban Environment – Yolo LAFCo and the Role of Reclamation Districts 537 and 900 within the City of West Sacramento

20 pages
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Findings 13 findings

F1 Page 27
The quality and quantity of work performed by RD 537 and RD 900 met all expectations and requirements by oversight agencies for local maintaining agencies.
F2 Page 27
Whether RD 537 and RD 900 consolidate or remain separate, transparency and information for the public could be improved and expanded.
F3 Page 27
Over the last four years, RD 537 and 900, City, and YLAFCo failed to effectively collaborate and communicate.
F4 Page 27
Both reclamation districts and the City had ample opportunity to reach out to one another in numerous ways to improve communication and solve issues concerning their common goals.
F5 Page 27
YLAFCo removed the recommendation that allows for the more common option of reclamation district consolidation from the Final MSR/SOI for RD 537 and 900 for unknown reasons.
F6 Page 27
WSAFCA could better serve the citizens of the City with a larger board and the inclusion of a public member, similar to the approach taken with similar flood protection entities in other nearby counties.
F7 Page 27
It is unclear if WSAFCA can remain intact under the City’s proposals for a reclamation district governance change.
F8 Page 27
It is unclear and untested if the City’s General Fund is shielded from liability in a major flood event if the City Council becomes the board of the two local maintaining agencies.
F9 Page 27
YLAFCo did not fully examine the potential cost savings or issue of liability before recommending in the Final MSR/SOI the singular option of the reclamation districts becoming subsidiaries of the City.
F10 Page 27
YLAFCo has no internal procedure to trigger an independent, third-party examination into topics such as costs resulting from a governance change when the proposals are clearly contentious or unique. In addition, there is no mechanism to pay for such an examination.
F11 Page 27
Creating a governance change for a landowner district is fully within the authority of YLAFCo. However, YLAFCo knew its MSR decision came with “potentially significant ramifications,” yet did so in contrast to its mission statement and stated best practices. YLAFCo did not create the appearance of exercising due diligence in meeting its responsibilities to the community.
F12 Page 27
YLAFCo took much longer than the five years mandated by LAFCo law to publish an MSR/SOI for Yolo County reclamation districts (13 years) and the City (eight years). This allowed mistrust and disagreements to fester. Flood Management in the Urban Environment
F13 Page 28
Although Yolo County had flood issue committees or working groups in the past, the County has no such active committees now.

Recommendations 7