CSDA News

CSDA BOARD OF DIRECTORS ELECTION SEAT B

VOTING BEGINS JUNE 2, 2022

The CSDA Board of Directors is the governing body responsible for all policy decisions related to CSDA’s member services, legislative advocacy, education, and resources. The Board of Directors is crucial to the operation of the Association and to the representation of the common interests of all California’s special districts before the Legislature and the State Administration.

June 2 - Electronic ballots will be emailed to the designated contact in each district in good CSDA member standing.

The designated contact for each district will receive an email from CSDA vote@simplyvoting. com. The email provides a direct link to the secure third-party voting system called Simply Voting and provides:

• Elector ID number and Password • Link to access the ballot directly • Links to candidate information within the ballot

It is up to each district to determine their own process in terms of selecting a candidate to vote for in the election. The selection will be cast by the main contact only.

July 8 - Deadline to receive electronic ballots

July 12 - Ballots will be counted and verified

If you have any questions about this process, contact Amber Phelen at CSDA – 916-442-7887 or amberp@csda.net.

CSDA Announces New and Expanded Partnership with Streamline for Special District Websites and Compliance

The California Special Districts Association and Streamline have renewed and expanded their endorsed affiliate agreement, bringing new technologies to special districts in California with special prices and significant discounts exclusively for CSDA members.

Special districts’ digital landscapes have changed dramatically over the past few years. With new laws mandating everything from ADA compliance (AB 434) to public transparency (SB 929) districts have had to up their digital game within their lean budgets.

The updated partnership includes several extraordinary benefits to members. Faced with increasing pressure to be ADA compliant, CSDA members using Streamline will get free access to a new accessibility scanning tool that will scan their website and publish a compliance report on a new compliance page. The first-of-its-kind integrated tool takes care of publishing a website accessibility plan, compliance policy, requests for accommodation, annual platform testing by users with various disabilities, and monthly sitewide scans with public remediation reports.

Member districts interested in learning more about Streamline and leveraging CSDA’s exclusive member discount can visit getstreamline.com/csda.

Congressman Salud Carbajal, Senator Melissa Hurtado, and Assemblymember Robert Rivas

HONORED AS CSDA LEGISLATORS OF THE YEAR

By Vanessa Gonzales, CSDA Communications Specialist

Attend the 2022 Special Districts Legislative

Days May 17 – 18 and hear directly from these Legislators of the Year invited to address the statewide delegation of special district officials. Learn more and register at legislativedays.csda.net.

CSDA annually recognizes state and federal legislators that are exemplary leaders and steadfast supporters of the local service specialists responsible for providing water, sanitation, fire protection, parks, healthcare, and other essential services and infrastructure to communities throughout California.

Special district officials recognized Congressman Salud Carbajal (CA-24) as their 2021 Federal Legislator of the Year at an event held at the Santa Maria Public Airport District on January 24, 2022. On February 4, special district leaders in the Central Valley and across the state from CSDA recognized State Senator Melissa Hurtado (SD-14) as their 2021 CSDA State Senate Legislator of the Year during a ceremony hosted by the Fresno County Fire Protection District. On February 25, Assemblymember Robert Rivas (AD-30) was honored as the 2021 CSDA State Assembly Legislator of the Year at an event held at Spreckels Veterans Memorial Hall, operated by the Spreckels Memorial District, featuring local leaders and special districts throughout the Salinas Valley and beyond.

CONGRESSMAN SALUD CARBAJAL

(D-SANTA BARBARA)

Congressman Salud Carbajal receives CSDA Federal Legislator of the Year award at Santa Maria Public Airport District; pictured left-to-right: Ryan Clausnitzer, CSDA Board President and General Manager of Alameda County Mosquito Abatement District; Congressman Salud Carbajal; Elaine Magner, CSDA Board Vice-President and Vice-Chair of the Pleasant Valley Recreation and Park District

Congressman Salud Carbajal represents the 24th Congressional District of California. The district includes the entirety of San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara Counties, and a portion of Ventura County.

Congressman Carbajal served eight years in the United States Marine Corps Reserve, including active-duty service during the Gulf War in 1992. Prior to representing the Central Coast in Congress, he served as Santa Barbara County’s First District Supervisor for twelve years. In Congress, he has demonstrated a commitment to protecting our natural environment and resources, enhancing public safety, creating economic opportunities, and working regionally to address our transportation, housing, and workforce challenges.

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, Congressman Carbajal has served as a leading congressional voice advocating for funding relief for special districts. He organized two congressional sign-on letters encouraging the State Legislature and Governor Gavin Newsom to provide COVID-19 relief to special districts. When honoring Congressman Carbajal, CSDA President Ryan Clausnitzer stated, “We are so fortunate to have a member of Congress who understands the value that special districts bring to a community and is willing to advocate for their equitable funding.”

“I’m honored to be named the Federal Legislator of the Year by California Special Districts Association. I will always advocate for special districts on the Central Coast who provide essential services for our community,” said Representative Carbajal. “For the last two years during the pandemic, I’ve fought for special districts to be able to access critical COVID-19 relief funds so they can continue providing the services that the Central Coast relies on.”

Other local officials praised the selection of Congressman Carbajal for CSDA’s annual award. Vandenberg Village CSD Board President Christopher Brooks stated, “We

continued on page 10

applaud Congressman Carbajal’s strong support of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and appreciate that he supports legislation which focuses on a climate resilient future for my grandchildren.”

STATE SENATOR MELISSA HURTADO

(D-SANGER)

State Senator Melissa Hurtado is the youngest woman ever elected to the California State Senate. She represents Senate District 14, which stretches from Fresno to Bakersfield and includes Fresno, Tulare, Kings, and Kern Counties. Senator Hurtado was raised in Sanger, California and was the first person in her family to graduate from college. Prior to representing the Central Valley in the

State Senator Melissa Hurtado receives CSDA State Senate Legislator of the Year award at Fresno County Fire Protection District; pictured left-to-right: Ryan Michaels, CalFire/Fresno County Fire Protection District Fire Division Chief; Steve Haze, Sierra Resource Conservation District Executive Director; Lorenzo Rios, CSDA Board Member and Clovis Veterans Memorial District CEO; Ryan McNeil, Fresno Mosquito and Vector Control District General Manager; Ryan Clausnitzer, CSDA President, and Alameda County Mosquito Abatement District General Manager; State Senator Melissa Hurtado; Fresno County Fire Protection District Assistant Chief Chris Bump; Matt Furrer, Board President; CalFire and Fresno County Fire Protection District Fire Chief Dustin Hail; CalFire/Fresno County Fire Protection District Assistant Region Chief Curtis Brown; and Phillip Smith, Tulare Local Healthcare District CEO.

State Senate, she was elected to the Sanger City Council in 2016. In the State Legislature, Senator Hurtado is known for being a thoughtful policymaker who works across party lines to improve the quality of life for residents and to ensure rural voices are heard at all levels of government. She focuses on rural community issues that often go unheard in the State Capitol.

In 2021, Senator Hurtado was instrumental in securing $100 million in California’s state budget for special districts’ COVID-19 fiscal relief. The senator successfully organized a 46-member, bipartisan, and bicameral coalition of state legislators who urged Governor Gavin Newsom to extend COVID-19 relief funding access to special districts. This funding was CSDA’s top priority for 2021, and the organization’s partnership with special districts and engagement with state and federal officials resulted in its approval.

“A majority of special districts across the state struggled financially after widespread exclusion from pandemic assistance for state and local governments,” said Clausnitzer. “That changed after Senator Hurtado’s leadership and organization of a legislative coalition supporting specific state funding for special districts’ COVID-19 response and recovery.”

“With this funding, often forgotten and left behind rural communities, like Calwa Recreation and Park District – that are special districts will get some relief,” said Senator Hurtado. “I am honored to be recognized, and will continue to fight to ensure California’s special districts – who serve so many – are able to continue to provide their vital services.”

The Fresno County Fire Protection District, where Senator Hurtado accepted the award, received an $867,207 allocation from the $100 million special districts COVID-19 recovery fund that Senator Hurtado supported. The fund was dispersed to 263 independent districts across the state.

“The Fresno County Fire Protection District extends our utmost appreciation for Senator Melissa Hurtado’s commitment, support and guidance of state special districts,” said Dan Urias, Fresno County Fire Protection District Battalion Chief. “Senator Hurtado’s leadership and foresight has aided in our Fire department’s successful navigation through the COVID-19 pandemic.”

ASSEMBLYMEMBER ROBERT RIVAS

(D-HOLLISTER)

Assemblymember Robert Rivas has represented California’s 30th Assembly District since 2018. The district includes all of San Benito County, half of Monterey County, and parts of Santa Clara and Santa Cruz counties. Raised in Paicines, California, where his grandfather was a farmworker at Almaden Vineyards, Assemblymember Rivas is a lifelong resident of the 30th Assembly District. He served two terms on the San Benito County Board of Supervisors prior to his election to the State Legislature.

Assemblymember Rivas also played a critical role in supporting special districts’ ability to effectively govern during the pandemic and other emergencies. He authored CSDA-sponsored Assembly Bill 361, which was signed into law as urgency legislation to allow local agencies to conduct remote board meetings during declared emergencies in a safe and accessible manner.

Last year, Assemblymember Rivas signed onto a bipartisan letter from 46 legislators urging Governor Gavin Newsom to extend COVID-19 relief funding access to special districts. This effort resulted in a $100 million allocation in the state budget for independent special district funding for their pandemic-related impacts. In the 30th Assembly District, 12 independent special districts received a total of more than $3.1 million in relief funding for their COVID-19 impacts. These

Assemblymember Robert Rivas, center, is flanked by special district officials and local leaders from throughout Assembly District 30 at an event honoring his selection as CSDA’s State Assembly Legislator of the Year held at Spreckels Veterans Memorial Building.

essential service providers and the communities they serve would have been left out if not for this important funding that Assemblymember Rivas was instrumental in securing.

In presenting the award, CSDA Past President Vince Ferrante, who is also a Moss Landing Harbor District Commissioner, stated, “We are so fortunate to have a legislator who understands the value that special districts bring to a community and is responsive to them in so many ways.” He added, “I want to thank Assemblymember Rivas for his support for the $100 million State Budget allocation for independent special districts’ funding relief – Moss Landing Harbor District received $329,000 from this fund, which will help the district greatly to improve our infrastructure throughout the Harbor.”

“I want to express my gratitude to California Special Districts Association,” said Assemblymember Robert Rivas (D-Salinas), “for the work that the organization has done in service to our communities. The 1,300+ special districts that CSDA represents ensure that our most vulnerable residents receive health care, clean drinking water, transportation, and other vital services, even during a major pandemic. I am humbled to be recognized as one of their State Legislators of the Year and look forward to working together with CSDA on future projects.”

Spreckels Memorial District General Manager Paul Ingram applauded Rivas for his efforts on behalf of special districts to secure funding for pandemic-related needs. “Our district was heavily impacted by the loss of facility rental income during COVID-19, and we had counted on this revenue source to help pay for a portion of the full ADA bathroom remodel in Spreckels Memorial Park. The $33,815 we received from the $100 million independent special districts relief fund allowed us to complete this important project for our community, which makes our facilities accessible to all visitors to our park. We can’t thank Assemblymember Rivas enough for his role in securing these funds for a small special district within his legislative district.”

Greg Stepanicich Jim Markman Roxanne Diaz Ginetta Giovinco Craig Steele Dave Fleishman

Representing California public agencies for over sixty years.

Construction Eminent Domain Energy Environmental General Counsel Labor & Employment Litigation Public Agency Law Public Finance Real Estate Special Districts Telecommunications Transportation Waste Management Water Law

888.479.4529

LOS ANGELES SAN FRANCISCO ORANGE COUNTY TEMECULA CENTRAL COAST SACRAMENTO