CEO'S MESSAGE
CSDA Works to Secure $100 Million in COVID Relief Funding for Members One of the most significant challenges for special districts over many decades is being recognized for the essential services they provide to millions of Californians each day. We know districts Neil McCormick are just as important local CSDA Chief Executive Officer service providers as other local governments like cities and counties, yet they are conveniently forgotten over and over again. It makes no sense and CSDA is working hard to influence change to make sure districts receive equal consideration on local government issues, every time. Change is happening! Most recently, CSDA put forward one of our most significant efforts to-date because districts were once again left out of the federal COVID relief package for local governments. In addition to starting our first-ever national advocacy efforts through the formation of the National
Special Districts Coalition (NSDC) and securing a D.C. presence, our CSDA team also jumped into action at the State level in an unprecedented effort to tell the story of special districts and communicate that the need for relief funding is equally as important for districts as it is for other local governments. We developed a coalition of over 750 supporters, held hundreds of meetings with legislators and key stakeholders, and even accessed some of CSDA’s reserve funding to further enhance our advocacy efforts and ensure
Thanks to CSDA’s leadership and, ultimately, the support of many legislators and the Governor, we were successful in securing a dedicated $100 million in COVID relief funding for independent special districts! we were doing everything possible to get special districts included. Thanks to CSDA’s leadership and, ultimately, the support of many legislators and continued on page 6
CSDA Board and Staff Officers
Staff
RYAN CLAUSNITZER, CSDM, PRESIDENT, Alameda County Mosquito Abatement District
NEIL MCCORMICK, Chief Executive Officer MEGAN HEMMING, Professional Development Director KYLE PACKHAM, Advocacy & Public Affairs Director CASSANDRA STRAWN, Member Services Director TODD WINSLOW, Publications Director RICK WOOD, Finance & Administration Director ELEANOR BOLING, Legislative Assistant EMILY CHA, Member Services Specialist MARCUS DETWILER, Legislative Analyst DILLON GIBBONS, Senior Legislative Representative VANESSA GONZALES, Communications Specialist COLLEEN HALEY, Public Affairs Field Coordinator MUSTAFA HESSABI, Deputy General Counsel CHARLOTTE HOLIFIELD, Public Affairs Field Coordinator JENN JACOBS, Member Services Representative COLE KARR, Public Affairs Field Coordinator CHRIS NORDEN, Public Affairs Field Coordinator CHRIS PALMER, Public Affairs Field Coordinator AMBER PHELEN, Executive Assistant RACHAEL POPPINO, Professional Development Assistant ALYSSA SILHI, Legislative Representative JENNIFER SMITH, Professional Development Coordinator ERIC SPENCER, Member Services Specialist ANTHONY TANNEHILL, Legislative Representative THOMAS TURNER, Database & Online Communities Coordinator DANE WADLÉ, Public Affairs Field Coordinator JAMES WILFONG, Senior Designer KRISTIN WITHROW, Communications Specialist
ELAINE MAGNER, VICE PRESIDENT, Pleasant Valley Recreation & Park District ARLENE SCHAFER, SECRETARY, Costa Mesa Sanitary District JERRY L. GILMORE, TREASURER, Truckee Sanitary District VINCENT FERRANTE, PAST PRESIDENT, Moss Landing Harbor District
Members of the Board DON BARTZ, CSDM, Phelon Pinon Hills Community Services District STANLEY CALDWELL, Mt. View Sanitary District RALPH EMERSON, Garberville Sanitary District CHAD DAVISSON, CSDM, Ironhouse Sanitary District PETER KAMPA, CSDM, Groveland Community Services District JO MACKENZIE, Vista Irrigation District NOELLE MATTOCK, El Dorado Hills Community Services District STEVE PEREZ, CSDM, Rosamond Community Services District LORENZO RIOS, Clovis Veterans Memorial District KATHERINE STEWART, Vandenburg Village Community Services District FRED RYNESS, Burney Water District KIMBERLEE SENEY, Gold Mountain Community Services District
California Special Districts Association 1112 I Street, Suite 200, Sacramento, CA 95814 toll-free: 877.924.2732 • www.csda.net
© 2021. California Special Districts Association. Volume 16 • Issue 4
A proud California Special Districts Alliance partner
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