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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.

Santa Cruz County Grand Jury • 2011-2012

Santa Cruz County Grand Jury 2011-2012 Final Report Page 49 Protecting Our Special Districts Is There Any Oversight?

Published: April 25, 2012 13 pages

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⚠️ Translation Notice: This content has been automatically translated. The original English text is the official version. Translation may contain errors.

⚠️ Este contenido ha sido traducido automáticamente. El texto original en inglés es la versión oficial. La traducción puede contener errores.

Findings 22 findings

F1 Page 56

When a special district fails due to neglect or poor practice, the financial burden falls upon the county taxpayers.

F2 Page 56

When problems in special districts occur, there is no clear cooperative path of response for addressing those problems.

F3 Page 56

LAFCO underutilizes reviews that would allow for early problem detection and evaluation of independent special districts.

F4 Page 56

LAFCO has the ability and the responsibility (per Government Code Section 56430) to do service reviews at least every five (5) years; however, they are not being completed in a timely or effective manner.

F5 Page 57

LAFCO asserts that a general lack of funding prevents the performance of proactive and comprehensive service reviews, yet they selectively pursue funding for other purposes.

F6 Page 57

LAFCO, external agencies, and citizens have conflicting interpretations of the scope and frequency of service reviews for special districts.

White, Kimberly. 2011. “Former Lompico Water District manager charged with filing false reports.” Santa Cruz Sentinel, March 30. Accessed April 12, 2012. http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/rss/ci_17736538?source=rss

California State Controller. 2010. Annual Report. “Financial Transactions Concerning Special Districts of California.” Sacramento, CA. http://www.sco.ca.gov/Files-ARD- Local/LocRep/districts_reports_0910_specialdistricts.pdf

Capitol Public Finance Group, LLC. 2009. News Bulletin. January. Accessed May 11,

F10

Cortese-Knox-Hertzberg Local Government Reorganization Act of 2000. Government Code 56000; 56425; 56428; 56430. Accessed April 30, 2012. http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/calaw.html

F11

Assembly Committee on Local Government. 2010. “Guide to The Cortese-Knox- Hertzberg Local Government Reorganization Act of 2000.” November. Sacramento, CA. http://www.calafco.org/docs/CKH/2010_CKH_Guide.pdf

F12

Santa Cruz LAFCO. 2005. Countywide Service Review. Accessed April 25, 2012. http://www.santacruzlafco.org/CSR.html

F13

Santa Cruz LAFCO. 2007. Minutes. December 5. Accessed May 11, 2012. http://www.santacruzlafco.org/pages/agenda/20080109materials/12-5- 07%20mintues.pdf

F14

Santa Cruz LAFCO. 2012. Memorandum from Executive Officer, LAFCO, to LAFCO Commissioners. “Re Proposed Budget for Fiscal Year beginning July 1, 2012, with Attachments.” February 29.

F15

Santa Cruz LAFCO. 2012. E-mail correspondence between LAFCO personnel and Grand Jury. May 15.

F16

Santa Cruz LAFCO. 2011. “Schedule of fees and deposits.” August 4. Accessed May 4, 2012. http://www.santacruzlafco.org/Library/2011%20fees%20and%20deposits.pdf

F17

Lompico Citizens Advisory Committee. 2011. “Review of Proposed Merger.” Lompico Facts: Interview with LAFCO Executive Officer. June 3. Posted August 28. Accessed April 5, 2012. https://sites.google.com/site/lompicofacts/news/interviewwithpatrickmccormickexecutive officerlocalagencyformationcommissionlafco

F18

San Diego County LAFCO. “Municipal Service Review Guidelines.” Accessed April 30, 2012. http://www.sdlafco.org/document/Msrguidelines.pdf

F19

Contra Costa County LAFCO. “Municipal Service Review Guidelines.” Accessed April 30, 2012. http://www.contracostalafco.org/municipal_service_reviews.htm

F20

Senate Local Government Committee. 2003. “It’s Time to Draw the Line: A Citizen’s Guide to LAFCOs.” 2nd ed. Sacramento, CA. http://www.sbclafco.org/other_publications/TimetoDrawLine.pdf

F21

Bookwalter, Genevieve. 2010. “Bonny Doon residents file suit against LAFCO seeking their own fire district.” Santa Cruz Sentinel, August 17. Accessed April 30,

F22

Santa Cruz LAFCO. 2012. Public hearing meeting packet. March 7. Meetings Santa Cruz LAFCO monthly meetings, March 2012 and April 2012.

Recommendations 22

R1
Page 57

Once a problem is identified within a special district, LAFCO should proactively conduct a thorough service review of that district, with the aid of state and county agencies.
R2
Page 57

To protect the public interest, the Board of Supervisors should work with LAFCO to initiate special reviews that adequately examine the effectiveness of service delivery, especially when unaddressed chronic problems are discovered.
R3
Page 57

LAFCO should adopt policies to ensure proactive service reviews are completed, to safeguard the proper functioning of a district. These reviews should be in addition to, and independent of, sphere of influence studies.
R4
Page 57

LAFCO should budget adequately for professional services to conduct proactive service reviews, and maintain sufficient reserves for unanticipated service reviews of special districts.
R5
Page 57

Service reviews should be designed as diagnostic assessments with recommendations to the special district, County Board of Supervisors, and LAFCO Commissioners, in order to pinpoint, make transparent, and preemptively resolve special district problems.
R6

Sacramento County Grand Jury. 2011. “Rio Linda/Elverta Community Water District: Legacy of Dysfunction.” May 16. Sacramento, CA. Accessed June 18, 2012. http://www.sacgrandjury.org/reports/10-11/RioLinda-Final%202011.pdf
R7

White, Kimberly. 2011. “Former Lompico Water District manager charged with filing false reports.” Santa Cruz Sentinel, March 30. Accessed April 12, 2012. http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/rss/ci_17736538?source=rss
R8

California State Controller. 2010. Annual Report. “Financial Transactions Concerning Special Districts of California.” Sacramento, CA. http://www.sco.ca.gov/Files-ARD- Local/LocRep/districts_reports_0910_specialdistricts.pdf
R9

Capitol Public Finance Group, LLC. 2009. News Bulletin. January. Accessed May 11,
R10

Cortese-Knox-Hertzberg Local Government Reorganization Act of 2000. Government Code 56000; 56425; 56428; 56430. Accessed April 30, 2012. http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/calaw.html
R11

Assembly Committee on Local Government. 2010. “Guide to The Cortese-Knox- Hertzberg Local Government Reorganization Act of 2000.” November. Sacramento, CA. http://www.calafco.org/docs/CKH/2010_CKH_Guide.pdf
R12

Santa Cruz LAFCO. 2005. Countywide Service Review. Accessed April 25, 2012. http://www.santacruzlafco.org/CSR.html
R13

Santa Cruz LAFCO. 2007. Minutes. December 5. Accessed May 11, 2012. http://www.santacruzlafco.org/pages/agenda/20080109materials/12-5- 07%20mintues.pdf
R14

Santa Cruz LAFCO. 2012. Memorandum from Executive Officer, LAFCO, to LAFCO Commissioners. “Re Proposed Budget for Fiscal Year beginning July 1, 2012, with Attachments.” February 29.
R15

Santa Cruz LAFCO. 2012. E-mail correspondence between LAFCO personnel and Grand Jury. May 15.
R16

Santa Cruz LAFCO. 2011. “Schedule of fees and deposits.” August 4. Accessed May 4, 2012. http://www.santacruzlafco.org/Library/2011%20fees%20and%20deposits.pdf
R17

Lompico Citizens Advisory Committee. 2011. “Review of Proposed Merger.” Lompico Facts: Interview with LAFCO Executive Officer. June 3. Posted August 28. Accessed April 5, 2012. https://sites.google.com/site/lompicofacts/news/interviewwithpatrickmccormickexecutive officerlocalagencyformationcommissionlafco
R18

San Diego County LAFCO. “Municipal Service Review Guidelines.” Accessed April 30, 2012. http://www.sdlafco.org/document/Msrguidelines.pdf
R19

Contra Costa County LAFCO. “Municipal Service Review Guidelines.” Accessed April 30, 2012. http://www.contracostalafco.org/municipal_service_reviews.htm
R20

Senate Local Government Committee. 2003. “It’s Time to Draw the Line: A Citizen’s Guide to LAFCOs.” 2nd ed. Sacramento, CA. http://www.sbclafco.org/other_publications/TimetoDrawLine.pdf
R21

Bookwalter, Genevieve. 2010. “Bonny Doon residents file suit against LAFCO seeking their own fire district.” Santa Cruz Sentinel, August 17. Accessed April 30,
R22

Santa Cruz LAFCO. 2012. Public hearing meeting packet. March 7. Meetings Santa Cruz LAFCO monthly meetings, March 2012 and April 2012.