CSDA Awards

A BIG CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL THE 2021 CSDA ANNUAL AWARD RECIPIENTS!

Individuals and districts received awards acknowledging their achievements in various areas including exceptional public outreach, leadership, and innovation! The awards were presented at this year’s CSDA Annual Conference & Exhibitor Showcase held August 30 – September 2, 2021 in Monterey. Winning submissions from each category are as follows:

Exceptional Public Outreach & Advocacy Award (Large District Category): Alameda-Contra Costa Transit District for their AC Transit Tempo BRT Public Outreach Exceptional Public Outreach & Advocacy Award (Small District Category): Clovis Veterans Memorial District for their Salute to Patriots (Military Signing Day)

Innovative Program of the Year Award (Large District Category): Costa Mesa Sanitary District for their Using Artificial Intelligence to Detect Condition of Sewer Manhole Covers Innovative Program of the Year Award (Small District Category): Helendale Community Services District for their Helendale Recycling Center

Excellence in Technology Award: Padre Dam Municipal Water District for their DigAlert Response Program

Chapter of the Year Award: Ventura County Special Districts Association

General Manager of the Year Award: Kevin Loewen, CSDM, El Dorado Hills Community Services District

THANK YOU TO OUR...

SPONSORS

Champion Sponsors

- California Special Districts Alliance - CSDA Finance Corporation - Special District Leadership Foundation - Special District Risk Management Authority

Advocate Sponsors

- Best Best & Krieger - Liebert Cassidy Whitmore - Nossaman, LLP - Richards Watson Gershon

Friend Sponsors

- AllPaid, Inc. dba GovPayNet - BHI Management Consulting - Black Mountain Software - Brandis Tallman, a Division of Oppenheimer & Co. Inc. - CalTRUST - Caselle - Centrica Business Solutions - Connect Consulting Services - Contractor Compliance and Monitoring, Inc - Districts Forward - Granicus - Mann, Urrutia, Nelson CPAs & Associates - Muchmore Than Consulting, LLC - ProcureNow, An OpenGov Company - Renne Public Law Group - Slovak Baron Empey Murphy & Pinkney LLP - Temecula Public Cemetery District - Umpqua Bank

Staff Member of the Year Award: Gina Terraneo, Management Analyst II, Costa Mesa Sanitary District

Ralph Heim Public Outreach & Advocacy Award: Jim Friedl, CSDM, Conejo Recreation and Park District Board Member of the Year Award: Russell Jeffries, Moss Landing Harbor District

Beacon Leadership and Innovation Award for Leadership in Climate Action and Adaptation: Turlock Irrigation District for their Water Management Operations Program.*

*The Institute for Local Government (ILG) and California Special

Districts Association (CSDA) recognized this first-ever special district to receive a Beacon Award for excellence in advancing environmental sustainability.

Learn more about CSDA and ILG Beacon awards at www.csda.net/ about-csda/get-involved/awards. The 2022 CSDA award nominations will open in February 2022. For questions about the CSDA awards program, contact CSDA Communications Specialist Vanessa Gonzales at (877) 924-2732 or at vanessag@csda.net.

Stan Caldwell

Accepts CSDA’s Most Prestigious Award: William Hollingsworth Award for Excellence

When Stan Caldwell moved to Contra Costa County in the summer of 1978, the area would have had no way to predict the many ways this one man would contribute to their community. The county population at the time was under 600,000 people. It has since swelled to nearly double the size according to the 2020 census.

Stan took up residency at a time when the community was growing quickly and needed community involvement to organize and manage the planning and growth.

One of his first indelible acts of community organization was to help establish an alternate access to the local landfill which would decrease the heavy truck traffic through narrow neighborhood streets. He became a member of the community that was providing the Contra Costa County Community Development Department the benefit of their guidance, contributions, and time. Stan had the pleasure of serving on the committee which was to determine where Community Development Block Grants (CDBG) should be used. The funds were ultimately used for Safety Paths for two local schools and reconstruction of Arthur Road (which included widening the roadway, installing storm drains, and sidewalks). Shortly after this time the landfill trucks were rerouted, resulting in a much safer neighborhood.

It is Stan’s broader perspective and enthusiastic support of the structure of government known as special districts that has earned him the 2021 William Hollingsworth Award for Excellence from California Special Districts Association. Stan didn’t stop with the road planning in his own neighborhood: He went on to make an impact on special districts everywhere.

One of the key aspects of CSDA’s work is a constant effort to inform the public of the function and necessity of special districts in California. Stan has been a champion of districts throughout his career and recognizes there are significant opportunities for the special district community to better educate all stakeholders within the communities they serve to both communicate the value and the needs of special districts and why their function is so critically important.

Stan completed the Special District Leadership Academy and received his Certificate in Special District Governance. He was elected to the Mt. View Sanitary District (MVSD) Board of Directors in 1993 and continues to serve in this capacity. Stan has held the seat of VicePresident and President of the Board, has served on the District’s Finance and Public Information/Public Outreach Committees and served as liaison to the Contra Costa Special District Association (CCSDA) and the Contra Costa County Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCO) as a special district alternate member.

Continuing to show leadership for special districts, Stan also serves on the California Special Districts Association Board of Directors representing the Bay Area Network and the Institute for Local Government Board of Directors. He was a past board member on the Special District Leadership Foundation.

Stan Caldwell was nominated for the award by current CSDA President Ryan Clausnitzer, CSDM and fellow Bay Area Network CSDA Board Member Chad Davisson, CSDM. It was our pleasure to present the 2021 William Hollingsworth Award for Excellence to Stan Caldwell at the CSDA Annual Conference & Exhibitor Showcase in Monterey this year.