Blogs

On May 17, the Alpine County Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCO) formally appointed two individuals to represent the three special districts in the County. One of CSDA’s priorities is to help districts secure LAFCO representation. Alpine joins Tuolumne County as the most recent counties to seat special districts. Tuolumne LAFCO approved district representation in 2020. Statewide, special districts are now represented on 32 out of 58 Commissions.

The benefits of securing representation are significant. Where represented, special districts sit on this regional body as a co-equal partner with their county and city peers. Special districts are also granted a direct voice in decisions governing boundary changes, consolidations, annexations, formations, dissolutions, service extensions and other LAFCO actions.

Even if special districts do not anticipate an organizational or boundary change in the near future, LAFCOs affect every independent special district because they are charged with the preparation and approval of Spheres of Influence and Municipal Service Reviews that are typically conducted for every special district every five years.

Independent special districts in Alpine County voted to appoint Bob Epstein and Douglas Mitarotonda from the Kirkwood Meadows Public Utility District to the regular seats on the Commission. Lewis Ames from the Markleeville Public Utility District will serve as the alternate.

This Alpine LAFCO action completes a process started in 2019. Three years ago, the special districts in the county began discussions on obtaining two seats on the Commission. Additional meetings were held to discuss the process and allocate the cost share among districts. The discussions continued with existing Commissioners and LAFCO staff. The districts then initiated the process outlined in state law to obtain Commission representation.

The Alpine funding agreement is unique because there are no incorporated cities in County. The typical LAFCO funding share is one-third to the county, one-third to the city and one-third to the special districts. In this case, the districts agreed to pay 50 percent of the LAFCO’s net actual costs starting in the 2022-2023 fiscal year.

With the addition of the two special district representatives, the Commission expands to seven members (three County Supervisors, two special district members and two public members). This model is also used in Trinity County, which like Alpine, does not have any incorporated cities.

The seating of special districts on LAFCO demonstrates that special districts can effectively collaborate with their local government peers and enhances the stature of LAFCOs as the appropriate forum to review and oversee the necessary questions that inevitably arise between two or more public agency service providers at the local level. Absent a local process where special districts have a seat at the table and the residents are given a meaningful voice, the State Legislature will often fill the void.

The process in Alpine County would not have been completed without the dedication and persistence of local special district representatives as well as LAFCO Commissioners and staff. CSDA thanks these participants for their work.