California Special District

CA SPECIAL

DISTRICT Publication of the California Special Districts Association

Volume 12, Issue 3, May - June 2017

2017 Buyers Guide

Leading the Way: Interview with U.S. Army Ranger Veteran Keni Thomas

FEATURE

Communication 360

CSDA will help you target valuable products and services!

For 75 years, Nossaman has partnered with public, private, and governmental agencies to provide a unique perspective on the law.

Nossaman is a full service public agency law firm based in California, proudly serving as CSDA's Bond Counsel, and also providing counsel to special districts in areas such as Public Finance, Public Agency Law, Water, Environmental, Land Use, Infrastructure, Employment, Insurance Recovery, Public Policy, and Eminent Domain.

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Volume 12, Issue 3 • May - June 2017

Contents

Communication

360

16

Leading the Way: Interview with U.S. Army Ranger Veteran Keni Thomas

32

FEATURE Communication 360

2017 Buyers Guide

40

A complete list of CSDA’s Business Affiliates.

Solutions & Innovations What Makes a Superhero Supervisor?

Targeting great products & services!

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4 CEO’s Message Remember CSDA Business Affiliates When Looking for Products & Services!

10 Grassroots Action Update Legislature Heading Up With Public Works And LAFCO Legislatoin Impacting Special Districts

44 Legal Brief Emails and Text Messages on Personal Accounts and Devices May Be Public Records

5 Professional Development CSDA Annual Conference Keynote Speakers; Professional Development Calendar

14 In Brief Defense Contractor Will Fund Water Cleanup; New Community Seed Library; Wastewater Beer The New Craft Beer; Water District Partners With Sustainable Gardening Group; Students Plant Trees As Part Of Public Partnership

48 Managing Risk When is an Employee Not Acting as an Employee: The Coming and Going Rule?

36 Community Connections Coachella Valley Water District Emphasizes Customer Service With Two New Programs

54 What’s So Special A Cemetery So Popular, People Are Dying to Get in!

6 CSDA News CSDA Award Nominations Now Open; ILG Provides Ethics Resources and Training; CSDA Special Districts Map; Affiliation of Central Valley Local Chapter of CSDA

52 Money Matters California Public Agencies that Issue Debt Must Now Have Debt Policies

Printed on recycled paper.

California Special District – May-June 2017

CA SPECIAL

DISTRICT © 2017. California Special Districts Association.

All rights reserved.

Officers Vincent Ferrante, President Moss Landing Harbor District

ceo’s message

Greg Orsini, Vice President McKinleyville Community Services District Arlene Schafer, Secretary Costa Mesa Sanitary District

Members of the Board

Remember CSDA Business Affiliates When Looking for Products & Services!

Stanley Caldwell, Mt. View Sanitary District Ryan Clausnitzer, Alameda County Mosquito Abatement District Ralph Emerson, Garberville Sanitary District Jeff Hodge, Santa Ynez Community Services District Peter Kampa, SDA, Saddle Creek Community Services District Jo MacKenzie, Vista Irrigation District Elaine Magner, Pleasant Valley Recreation & Park District Noelle Mattock, El Dorado Hills Community Services District Sandi Miller, SDA, Selma Cemetery District Ginger Root, Country Club Sanitary District Timothy Ruiz, P.E., East Niles Community Services District Fred Ryness, Burney Water District

elcome to the annual issue of the CSDA Buyers Guide! The CSDA Buyers Guide helps special districts find the products and services they need to succeed and operate such as accounting, banking and financing, benefits and retirement, construction and engineering, consulting, energy solutions, human resources, legal, public relations, technology, and many more.

Joel Bauer, SDA, Treasurer West Side Cemetery District William Nelson, Past President Orange County Cemetery District

CSDA Staff Neil McCormick, Chief Executive Officer Megan Hemming, Professional Development Director Cathrine Lemaire, Member Services Director Kyle Packham, Advocacy & Public Affairs Director Todd Winslow, Publications Director Rick Wood, Finance & Administration Director Madison Burton, Staff Assistant Emily Cha, Professional Development Assistant Marcus Detwiler, Legislative Assistant Rylan Gervase, Legislative Representative Dillon Gibbons, Legislative Representative Abi Hague, Receptionist Colleen Haley, Public Affairs Field Coordinator Mustafa Hessabi, Legislative Analyst Beth Hummel, Executive Assistant Christina Lokke, Senior Legislative Representative Charlotte Lowe, Editor, Communications Specialist Steven Nascimento, Public Affairs Field Coordinator Anna Palmer, Member Services Specialist Chris Palmer, Public Affairs Field Coordinator Cassandra Strawn, Member Services Specialist Dane Wadlé, Public Affairs Field Coordinator James Wilfong, Senior Designer For editorial inquiries, contact Charlotte Lowe at 877.924.2732 or charlottel@csda.net.

For advertising inquiries, contact Diana Granger, Granger Marketing Works, at (530) 642-0111 or granger@cwo.com.

1112 I Street, Suite 200 Sacramento, CA 95814 t: 916.442.7887 f: 916.442.7889 toll-free: 877.924.2732 www.csda.net A proud California Special Districts Alliance partner

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A directory of CSDA’s Business Affiliate partners and their services is included in this issue as a resource you can use throughout the year. We also feature an online Buyers Guide at csda.net.

In addition to using the CSDA Buyers Guide as a reference tool to access some great partners, special districts also have the opportunity to participate in CSDA’s Value Added Benefit programs for CSDA members. These are special programs or discounts offered by our Business Affiliates that are tailored just for CSDA members. A list of these benefits can be found online at csda.net/csda-membership/value-added.

Included are discounts and special programs for special district members in the areas of purchasing, travel, financing, safety products, human resources, investing, risk management, utility cost control, and website design – just to name a few!

As a CSDA member, check out these opportunities for yourself and your district.

Further, CSDA members also have access to our Consultant ConnectionTM services.

4

Neil McCormick

CSDA’s Consultant ConnectionTM was developed to give our members access to a pool of experts who provide exclusive discounts and special benefits for a variety of services. When your agency needs the expertise of a consultant in organizational development, strategic planning, or many other areas, turn to the Consultant ConnectionTM online at csda.net/consultant-connection. Members may complete a simple online form stating which of the listed consultants you are interested in and CSDA staff will connect you. I would like to thank the following Business Affiliate members that are currently participating in the CSDA Consultant ConnectionTM for extending exclusive benefits to our district members: • Aries Advisors • BHI Management Consulting • Contractor Compliance & Monitoring, Inc. • GoodBoardWork.com • Kampa Community Solutions • Nichols Consulting • Rauch Communication Consultants, Inc. • Regional Government Services (RGS) • Sentium Strategic Communications

Thank you for checking out our extensive list of Business Affiliates in this issue and the special programs and discounts they offer to our members through our Value Added Benefits and Consultant ConnectionTM programs online. Don’t forget to come see many of them in person at the Exhibitor Showcase held in conjunction with the CSDA Annual Conference, September 25-28, 2017 in Monterey!

Highlight

annual conference 2017 CSDA Annual Conference and Exhibitor Showcase September 25-28, 2017 • Monterey, California

CSDA Annual Conference Keynote Speakers Eric Boles, president and founder of The Game Changers, Inc., will be starting off CSDA’s 2017 Annual Conference with his keynote session “Moving to Great” in Monterey September 25-28. Through his company, Mr. Boles has been able Eric Boles to create several executive and emerging leader development programs that are used globally and have set a new standard for organizations to enhance their culture and develop higher levels of commitment and performance. Mr. Boles’ presentation will prepare you for Annual Conference with a drive to move towards greatness.

Manley Feinberg

Attendees of the CSDA Annual Conference & Exhibitor showcase will also have an opportunity to take part in the SDRMA sponsored breakfast and keynote presentation with Manley Feinberg, business leader and author of Reaching Your Next Summit! 9 Vertical Lessons to Lead with More Impact. Prior to Mr. Feinberg’s career as a speaker, he was with Build-ABear Workshop and helped the company land on the FORTUNE “100 Best Companies to Work For” List four years in a row with his award-winning business solutions. This keynote will leave with you many actionable techniques, frameworks, and insights to help lead your organization to a better tomorrow.

June June 6

WEBINAR

Required Harassment Prevention for Staff/Board

June 9

WEBINAR

Ask the Experts - Energy Project Financing

June 14

WORKSHOP

Public Records Act, Records Retention & Digital Workplace Camarillo

June 25-27

CONFERENCE

General Manager Leadership Summit Newport Beach

July 9-12

CONFERENCE

Special District Leadership Academy Conference Napa

July 18

WEBINAR

Best Practices in Managing Investments

July 20

WEBINAR

Records Retention & Management in Electronic Age

July 27

WEBINAR

How to Communicate Effectively Using Online Tools

July

Save these Dates for Other Important Conferences!

General Manager Leadership Summit

June 25 – 27, 2017 – Newport Beach SPECIAL DISTRICT LEADERSHIP ACADEMY

July 9 – 12, 2017 – Napa CSDA Annual Conference and Exhibitor Showcase

September 25 – 28, 2017 – Monterey

Watch your mailbox for the full conference brochure this June!

California Special District – May-June 2017

Special District Board Secretary/Clerk Conference

October 22 – 24, 2017 – Anaheim

CSDA NEWS Ralph Heim Exceptional Outreach & Advocacy The criteria for this award include a demonstration of exceptional engagement with the public, Legislature, and/ or other key stakeholders to promote the individual’s district and the entire special district community, particularly on matters related to CSDA’s grassroots advocacy and public outreach efforts. Additionally, the individual may have initiated or contributed to significant grassroots or public outreach communications efforts that are appealing and include creative, thorough, and highly relevant content. As CSDA’s long-time contract lobbyist, Ralph Heim contributed significantly to CSDA and special district advocacy efforts for well over 20 years. As someone that always represented CSDA and its members extremely well and with strong integrity, Mr. Heim and his work in outreach and advocacy serves as a great example of excellence in this area.

CSDA Award Nominations Now Open!

Each year, CSDA presents various awards during the CSDA Annual Conference & Exhibitor Showcase. There are several different categories to enter your district and/ or an individual. The following awards are open for nomination.

All nominations must be submitted by July 21, 2017.

INDIVIDUAL AWARDS

Board Member of the Year Nominations may be submitted for Board Member of the Year based on experience, effectiveness and leadership. Examples must be submitted that illustrate the rationale for the nomination.

General Manager of the Year Nominations will be accepted for the general manager believed to have exhibited exceptional experience, effectiveness and leadership in his or her district. Illustrative examples must be submitted with the nomination demonstrating how the individual has excelled and brought substantial benefit to the district and/or public.

Staff Member of the Year Selected from nominations by special district board members/trustees or district management staff.

Nominations should include length of service to the district and specific accomplishments during employment.

William Hollingsworth Award of Excellence The criteria for this award includes a demonstration of significant leadership for special districts regionally or statewide over time.

Individual must be actively identifying and implementing programs and/or partnerships that benefit special districts regionally or statewide, dedicating time, efforts, and/or career toward the advancement of special districts, and advocating on behalf of special districts regionally or statewide over time.

William Hollingsworth was one of the “founding fathers” of CSDA and an advocate for special districts in the Capitol from the 1970s to his retirement in 1990. Mr. Hollingsworth served the Olivenhain Municipal Water District for over 22 years, was instrumental in the formation of CSDA, and has helped to establish and perpetuate the finest tradition of public service and the special district form of government during his long career. While this award is open for nominations from CSDA Members, selection of the recipient will be by the CSDA Board of Directors. The CSDA Board reserves the right to not award each year if they so choose. In addition, active CSDA Board Members and Staff are not eligible to receive the award.

CHAPTER AWARDS

CSDA Chapter of the Year Chapters are an integral part of communication, advocacy and education efforts throughout the State. CSDA will present an award to one affiliated chapter nominated for its effectiveness in outreach, involvement and creativity with activities on behalf of all districts in the chapter’s territory and/or an ongoing commitment to continuing education.

Continued on page 8

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CSDA news [continued]

DISTRICT AWARDS

Innovative Program/Project of the Year The criteria for this award includes originality of program/project, tangible and positive results produced and a documented decrease in district costs or a demonstrated improvement in the district’s quality of service without significantly increasing costs. Additionally, the program/project should be easily adaptable and serve a best practices example for other districts.

Exceptional Public Outreach & Advocacy The criteria for this award include a demonstration of an increase in the district’s visibility with the public, Legislature and/or other key stakeholders.

Additionally, the program may include improvement in district-constituent communication and evidence of communication pieces that are appealing and include creative, thorough and appropriate content relevant in communicating the districts business and/or program(s)/service(s). Additional consideration will be provided to nominees that have actively participated in CSDA’s Grassroots Advocacy efforts.

The district must be a CSDA Member in good standing and must submit the following by July 21, 2017: • A completed Award Nomination Form (available at conference.csda.net) • Executive Summary of nomination not to exceed four pages • Optional: up to three attachments of supporting materials not to exceed five pages each Address your packet to: Charlotte Lowe, EditorCommunications Specialist CSDA, 1112 I Street, Suite 200 Sacramento, CA 95814 Or send electronically to: charlottel@csda.net

ILG Provides Ethics Resources and Training State and federal law create a complex set of requirements that guide California elected officials and agency staff in serving their communities. To help local officials navigate these laws, the Institute for Local Government (ILG), in conjunction with CSDA, recently updated two of ILG’s flagship ethics resources: Understanding the Basics of Public Service Ethics Laws (www.ca-ilg.org/ethicsbasics) and Ethics Law Principles for Public Servants: Key Things to Know (www.ca-ilg.org/ethicsprinciples). Both publications are available as free downloads, or can be purchased from the CSDA bookstore.

Ethics Webinars and More Last year, ILG worked with CSDA on two ethics webinars: “Completing Your Statement of Economic Interest - Form 700” and “Conflicts of Interest and When One Must or Should Step Aside.”

Both webinars are available on-demand on CSDA’s website. ILG also recently completed a series of webinars on ethicsrelated topics including “Promoting Personal and Organizational Ethics” and “The Brown Act.” These webinars can be accessed at www.ca-ilg.org/pastwebinars.

The recent update ensures that these resources reflect current California law and regulations. The two publications include information about fair processes, transparency, consequences, federal ethics laws and regulations related to personal gain, gifts and other perks.

The law provides an ethical floor — not a ceiling — for elected officials.

To assist special districts that want to go beyond the requirements of ethics law, ILG developed the Good Governance Checklist (www.ca-ilg.org/ goodgovernance). The checklist helps local officials and staff: • Identify practices they can implement to promote public trust and confidence; • Comply with California law; and • Minimize the risk of missteps that can undermine public trust.

AB 1234 Ethics Training California law (AB 1234) requires local officials to be trained periodically about public service ethics laws and principles. ILG offers training and self-test options, including two one-hour self-study exercises, to help local officials comply with this law. The self-study materials can also be used to make up for time missed at in-person sessions if the official arrived late or left early. Visit www.ca-ilg.org/ ab1234selfstudy to learn more.

ILG also works with special districts to train local officials and staff. Contact ethicsmailbox@ca-ilg.org for more information on how to schedule an ethics workshop in your area.

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ILG also offers an archive of informative articles from its “Everyday Ethics for Local Officials” series. The articles analyze common ethical dilemmas and offer helpful tips for public officials. Find all of the “Everyday Ethics” columns at www.ca-ilg.org/everydayethics.

To learn more about ILG’s ethics and transparency work, visit www.ca-ilg.org/ethics.

CSDA staff and California CAD Solutions, Inc. continue working to obtain even more data and further refine the districts map. If your independent special district boundary is not included on the map and you have the data electronically, please contact CSDA Member Services.

Is Your District Represented on CSDA’s Special Districts Map? In 2012 CSDA went public with a comprehensive, online map of independent special districts in California. The interactive map allows users to explore the state with queries based on criteria such as county, district type, Senate and Assembly districts, and more.

The map has recently undergone an update, making it more user-friendly and easier than ever to find detailed information on California’s special districts.

CSDA staff and California CAD Solutions, Inc. continue working to obtain even more data and further refine this website.

If your independent special district boundary is not included on the map and you have the data electronically, please contact CSDA Member Services. We can easily incorporate your data and get your district represented. Access the online map today at http://www.csda.net/special-districts/map/.

PREVAILING WAGE &

CSDA Board of Directors Unanimously Approves Affiliation with Central Valley Local Chapter of CSDA On Friday, April 21, the CSDA Board of Directors voted unanimously to sign an affiliation agreement with the Central Valley Local Chapter (CVLC). The Chapter, which encompasses all of Fresno, Kings, and Tulare counties, was created to provide a local forum for member districts to discuss and consider issues of importance to special districts.

In approving the affiliation agreement, the CSDA Board of Directors expressed their gratitude to CVLC President Lorenzo Rios, Vice-President/Secretary Sandi Miller, and Treasurer Joe Barcelos, for their efforts in making the affiliation possible.

CVLC becomes CSDA’s 14th affiliated chapter in California.

To learn more about a chapter nearest you, visit www.csda.net/aboutcsda/csda-chapters/. If your region is interested in developing a new chapter, contact CSDA to learn more.

Introducing

LABOR COMPLIANCE ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓

Agency Obligations: PWC-100 State/Federal Funded Projects Review Certified Payroll Contractor/Subcontractor Compliance Construction, Service/ Repair and Maintenance Work Covered by PW

Join us at the CSDA’s General Manager’s Summit June 25—27th

www.ccmilcp.com  650-522-4403  info@ccmilcp.com  CSDA Member

Data that actually makes sense Information for confident decisions - High Quality Customized data sets Delivered in an industry standard format California CAD Solutions

800-617-4447 www.calcad.com proservices@calcad.com

update

Legislature heating up with Public Works and LAFCO legislation impacting special districts.

Major amendments affecting special districts were taken in two Senate Bills just before the Legislature’s Spring Recess, setting up what will be a challenging series of hearings and floor votes over the coming weeks. Callsto-Action have been issued to oppose SB 448 (Wieckowski) and SB 496 (Cannella): SB 448 Inactive Districts— OPPOSE UNLESS AMENDED

CSDA supports the intent of SB 448 to promote public accountability and establish a more efficient process for the dissolution of inactive special districts. However, as amended April 4, the bill would unnecessarily eliminate due process for LAFCO actions. For example, the bill prohibits a special district deemed “inactive” from speaking against its own dissolution. The bill would also eliminate reasonable financial reporting accommodations for small districts with limited resources, which were unanimously approved by the Legislature in 2016.

SB 448 also seeks to provide taxpayers with a list of all services provided by local agencies along with local funding that supports those services. CSDA supports this provision as well, so long as the legislation is amended to additionally list the amount of local revenue that is diverted away from local agencies to former redevelopment agencies (RDAs) and the educational revenue augmentation fund (ERAF), which backfills the State General Fund.

SB 496 was gutted-and-amended during the recent two-thirds vote gas tax negotiations to require special districts and other local agencies to defend private engineers and architects against lawsuits related to their work.

Under SB 496, design professionals would have no duty to defend claims against public works project owners—even in cases where the design professional is at fault. Public agencies would ultimately have to seek reimbursement from design professionals through the court system. Notably, the bill exempts the State of California from its provisions.

A similar proposal, SB 885 (Wolk), failed passage last year and was originally introduced this year in “spot” form as SB 423 (Cannella).

Special district officials are encouraged to submit letters of opposition to both SB 448 and SB 496 and e-mail copies or submit questions to advocacy@csda.net.

SB 496 Taxpayer Liability for Private Design Professionals— OPPOSE

Take Action Make every day Special Districts Legislative Day by participating in the SEASONS OF ADVOCACY. SPRING • Attend Special Districts Legislative Days May 16-17 in Sacramento • Update your CSDA Grassroots Mobilization Survey at www.csda.net • Respond to CSDA “Calls to Action” on priority legislation • Download materials for the Districts Make the Difference public outreach campaign by visiting www.DistrictsMakeTheDifference.org

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California Special District – May-June 2017

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Ask theExperts Don’t Let Bid Protests Hang Up Your Project

By Maggie W. Stern, Associate Attorney, Kronick, Moskovitz, Tiedemann & Girard

or aspirational criteria. Contractors may omit irrelevant items, or skip over vague criteria when responding to bids, prompting other bidders to protest because the bid was non-responsive. Avoid this type of protest by carefully reviewing your bid specifications to ensure only projectcritical information is being sought.

Bid protests can be project killers, especially in cases where project funding sources have contract award deadlines.

Follow these tips to prevent bid protests, and to streamline resolution when they do occur. In general, irregularities in the bidding process can be caused by either the bidder or the district, and while you cannot prevent a bidder from making a careless mistake, there are steps a district can take to minimize the likelihood of bidding errors.

Do you have a question for any of our CSDA experts?

If so, send your question to Charlotte Lowe, editor, at charlottel@csda.net.

This article is not intended to serve as legal advice. If you have further questions about these matters, you should consult with an attorney.

Use Prequalification to Ensure Bidders are Qualified Use prequalification to limit the pool of bidders to qualified contractors, rather than relying on experience information provided with the bid. If the district uses the bidding process to screen for qualifications, it will need to provide bidders with due process, including a responsibility hearing, in order to reject a bidder for being unqualified, whereas such procedures are not required at the prequalification stage. This issue cannot be sidestepped merely by saying a bid was nonresponsive, when the true basis for rejecting the bid is non-responsibility. Failure to provide a bidder with due process when making a responsibility determination is a frequent cause of bid protests.

Be Meticulous in Preparing Your Bidding Specifications Be sure your bid specifications only ask information that is actually needed for the project. Review bidding specifications carefully to ensure project scope items are not incorporated from old projects, and remove vague 12

Establish Clear Bid Protest Procedures in Your Bid Documents Clear and comprehensive bid protest procedures are the key to heading off and managing protests. Your district’s protest procedures, set forth in the instructions to bidders, should limit the time to make a protest, and the manner of transmission. Districts commonly limit the time to bring a protest to five to ten days. Districts also frequently require the protest be simultaneously transmitted to other bidders who have a reasonable likelihood of being awarded the project. This allows an opportunity for the other effected bidders to bear the weight of responding to the protest. The procedures should give a deadline for the other bidders to provide a response to the protest, usually within three to five days of receipt, and then the district should allow for sufficient time, perhaps five to ten days, to provide its final decision on the matter. Stick by your protest procedures, and reject non-conforming protests.

Shift the Cost of the Protest to the Low Bidder Districts should consider including a provision in their bid protest procedure to require that, by the act of submitting a bid, the bidder agrees to defend and indemnify the district against claims arising from alleged defects in the contractor’s bid for the project, except such claims which arise from the sole or active negligence of the district.

The use of such provisions is relatively new, and they are untested by the courts. However, there is no reason yet to believe they will not be upheld. Aside from providing a potential mechanism for shifting the cost of protests, the provision may also serve as a tool for motivating the parties to resolve protests early in the process. A low bidder with a serious error in their bid may be more likely to accept the rejection of their bid if the bidder faces exposure to liability in defense of their defective bid.

MOVERS & SHAKERS Jeff Schneider

Alexandra Ikeda

Tim Barry

The Livermore Area Recreation and Park District is pleased to welcome two new faces to its staff at the Robert Livermore Community Center. Jeff Schneider joined LARPD as the district’s new Finance Manager, and Alexandra Ikeda started with the district as the new Marketing & Operations Supervisor. In addition, the district is proud to announce General Manager Tim Barry earned the 2017 Outstanding Professional Award by the California Association of Parks and Recreation Commissioners and Board Members.

The Vallejo Flood & Wastewater District is pleased to announce Bob Sampayan, Mayor of the City of Vallejo, as the new President of the Board of Trustees.

Bob Sampayan

Pleasant Hill Recreation & Park District is pleased to announce multiple winners from the California Park and Recreation Society (CPRS) District 3 Annual Awards Program recognizing excellence of agencies, individuals and professionals in the Park and Recreation. The district’s Care Management Speaker Series won the competitive Agency Showcase Award for Outstanding Park & Recreation Program and Bob Berggren, retired district General Manager, won a CPRS District 3 Lifetime Achievement Award for 40 years of outstanding leadership and service with the district and contributions to the community.

The Vista Irrigation District Board of Directors approved, by a unanimous vote, the appointment of Patrick Sanchez as the new representative for division 4 at a special board meeting. Sanchez’s appointment as a director will last until the November 2018 election.

California Special District – May-June 2017

movers and shakers Does your district have an individual recently appointed as general manager or a top staff position? Have you recently elected a new board president? Have any district personnel been appointed to other community boards or positions? Email your district’s movers and shakers to Charlotte Lowe, editor, at charlottel@csda.net and we will include them in our next issue!

The Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA) awarded Nipomo Community Services District the Association’s Achievement of Excellence in Financial Reporting for the district’s annual financial report for 20152016. This is the fourth year in a row the district applied for consideration and received the award.

The Big Bear Area Regional Wastewater Agency is pleased to announce that David Lawrence assumes the leadership of the Agency on May 25, 2017 with the David Lawrence Steven C. Schindler departure of Steven C. Schindler. Mr. Schindler is retiring after serving as general manager since 1997.

Eastern Municipal Water District (EMWD) has been recognized as the Recycled Water Large Agency of the Year by the California Chapter of WateReuse Association. The award recognizes EMWD for its comprehensive approach towards investing in its recycled water program to ensure that resources are maximized.

Joel Bauer, general manager of the West Side Cemetery District, has been named President of the California Association of Public Cemeteries (CAPC) for 2017-18.

The Costa Mesa Sanitary District (CMSD) received three awards from the Santa Ana River Basin Section (SARBS) of the California Water Environment Association (CWEA). Joel Ortiz, Wastewater Maintenance Worker III, was awarded “Collection System Person of the Year”, for his achievements and operational knowledge. Steve Cano, Wastewater Maintenance Superintendent, received recognition for the “Gimmicks & Gadgets” award for his innovative creation of CMSD’s superhero mascot named the “Sewer Slayer”. Also, CMSD received the SARBS SPOTlight award for its contributions to SARBS by promoting education, technical training and sound policies for protecting the water environment. Additionally, Steve Cano and Brandon Hickman, Wastewater Maintenance Worker I, were elected to the 2017-18 SARBS Board of Directors.

In Brief Defense Contractor Will Fund Water Cleanup in California A defense industry contractor has agreed to pay $700,000 or more annually for the operations and maintenance costs of a perchlorate removal system which uses microbes to break down the harmful chemical. The West Valley Water District made environmental cleanup history late last year by shipping water directly to customers from a $23 million specialized treatment plant at its headquarters. The agreement with Goodrich Corp. authorizes funding for 100 percent of operations and maintenance costs for up to $700,000 annually for the first year and no cap for subsequent years in the life of the project, West Valley said in a statement.

Negotiations have been going on since 2014. The talks were the result of a judicial consent decree which requires Goodrich, under the EPA’s oversight, to fund cleanup facilities, said Matthew H. Litchfield, WVWD general manager.

Perchlorate has polluted portions of the Rialto-Colton water basin, the result of past military, industrial and agricultural activities above it. Experts say perchlorate inhibits iodide uptake into the thyroid gland and as a result causes disruptions of thyroid hormone production. “This agreement secures our groundwater cleanup efforts for our customers. It was critical to the board of directors that the district receives compensation on behalf of our ratepayers for certain incurred costs and we are thrilled this long negotiation process is finally concluding,” said Clifford O. Young, Sr., WVWD board chairman.

New Community Seed Library Open to Public at Water Conservation District Residents can now “check in” and “check out” seeds from library to take home and grow their own flowers, trees, vegetables, and more. The San Bernardino County Regional Seed Library, a project created by the San Bernardino Master Gardener Program and hosted by the Chino Basin Water Conservation District (CBWCD), is now open to the public. The library is housed in the Landscape Design Room at the Water Conservation Center in Montclair. The regional seed library will collect and distribute seeds that thrive and are locally adapted to growing conditions in the Inland Valley region. Ultimately, the library’s aim is to encourage biodiversity, promote regionally appropriate seeds, and help residents save money on seeds. After growing season is over, seed library patrons are encouraged to harvest extra seeds and return those to the library’s collection to keep the program going. This new resource is just getting started and is currently looking for seed contributions from the community to create a strong and diverse library.

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Is Wastewater Beer the New Craft Beer?

Has the craft beer craze that overtook San Diego been replaced by a new environmentallyconscious wastewater war of the brews? Ballast Point unveiled a new Pilsner at the Westin San Diego. A Pilsner that features none other than “water from the toilet.”

Wastewater, yes. But purified.

The “Padre Dam Pilsner” is made from the recycled and purified water from the Padre Dam Municipal Water District’s Advanced Water Purification Demonstration Facility, which is being recognized as the “Recycled Water Medium Agency of the Year” by the WateReuse California Board. “Using state-of-the-art technology to purify East County’s recycled water, the East County Advanced Water Purification Program will create a new, local, reliable and sustainable drinking water supply.” said Allen Carlisle, CEO of the water district. “The end-product is water so clean that it is near-distilled in quality.” It seems that local craft brewers are taking notice and supporting this local effort.

Got news?

California Special District wants to hear about newsworthy people, projects, events and accomplishments in your district. To submit a news item for In Brief, contact Charlotte Lowe, editor at charlottel@csda.net or (877) 924-2732.

Water District Partners with Sustainable Gardening Group for New Community Gardens On May 13, the Sacramento Suburban Water District (SSWD) and the Fulton-El Camino Recreation and Park Districts hosted a grand opening celebration for the new Gardens at Howe Park. The Gardens at Howe Park include four, state-of-the-art, low-water use demonstration gardens, created in partnership by SSWD and sustainable gardening group, EcoLandscape California. The grand opening celebration included a ribbon-cutting ceremony, guided tours, workshop demonstration on high-efficiency sprinklers, and free gift bags filled with gardening tools for the first 100 attendees. “We’re excited to open our newest demonstrations gardens and highlight the variety of ways people can have beautiful landscapes that are riverfriendly and low-water,” said Greg Bundesen, SSWD’s Water Conservation Supervisor. The new gardens include: • Sensible Switchover: This garden is designed to represent the layout of most Sacramento-area residential front yards, but features low-water plants and low maintenance solutions perfect for our region’s climate.

• Wilder Wonders: A wilder, less structured garden filled with color and texture. It’s designed to provide food and shelter for birds, butterflies, and bees.

• Water Works: A working rain garden that shows how plants can take in, filter and hold water in the soil. It’s designed to capture the rain and let it percolate into our groundwater instead of flowing unchecked and unfiltered into our rivers, the Delta and ultimately the Pacific Ocean.

• Effortless Edibles: This attractive garden features low-water edibles and aromatics, and can provide lots of goodies for your table, and color for your house.

Each of the gardens features informational signage that identifies all of the landscape’s water-efficient features and plants used.

Students Plant Trees as Part of Public-Public Partnership Students planted trees in American Canyon as part of a new public-public partnership involving the city, American Canyon High School, and the Napa County Resource Conservation District. The trees were the first of 200 that the city intends to plant over the next three years with assistance from ACHS and the Resource Conservation District (RCD). The students helped launch the project when they appeared before the City Council on March 7 to celebrate Arbor Day and give a presentation on the importance of trees to the local environment. They discussed many benefits that trees provide, such as elevating community attractiveness, increasing property values, reducing heating and cooling costs, reducing greenhouse gases, improving air quality, and providing habitat for wildlife.

Students also worked with RCD staff to examine aerial surveys to assess American Canyon’s tree canopy. The city lost more than a hundred trees during the recent drought, according to city officials. RCD Program Coordinator Eric McKee advised planting oak trees because they are native to the area. Students will plant 15 young trees in the pilot year of the program. The trees can grow for several hundred years. The city plans to take several steps to support the project by establishing a tree care ordinance, a citywide tree inventory, and hosting future opportunities for residents to steward their trees.

Sources: San Bernardino Sun, Chino Basin Water Conservation District, ABC 10 News, Carmichael Times, Napa Valley Register.

California Special District – May-June 2017

Leading the Way Interview with U.S. Army Ranger Veteran Keni Thomas The Ranger motto is “Rangers Lead the Way.” Leadership is the core of every skill developed as a Ranger and is not a position but rather an example set by every Ranger. Whether approaching the beaches of Normandy or the mountain ranges of Afghanistan, the world is made better when leadership is owned by each member of the team. Keni Thomas has experience with what it means to “lead the way” and talked with California Special District about that experience and leadership advice.

What inspired you initially to join the U.S. Army Rangers?

My dad was a ranger in Vietnam. Over 90 percent of those who currently serve in the military have had someone in their family serve before them. Military service is a family business.

What prompted you to volunteer for one more enlistment following the infamous Battle of Mogadishu?

After Mogadishu, I went and tried out for the elite Ranger Reconnaissance Detachment and made it.

Loved what I was doing and loved working with other noncommissioned officers (NCOs) in a small team environment in dark corners of the world, all over the globe.

Why do you consider it important to “lead by example,” regardless of the rank or position of an individual?

Assembly Member Rich Gordon

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When you set the example for others to follow, people around you take notice and the team becomes stronger. Thus, you have made an impact. Doing the right thing is not always easy. In fact, when it gets difficult is exactly when we need you the most! So be prepared. Make a plan. Train as you fight and fight as you train. When the moment comes and you are needed, you will have what it takes to step up and

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When the burden of leadership is weighing heavily upon your shoulders, drive on and hold the line. Go the extra mile. Find your purpose, direction, and motivation in the people you lead, for they are counting on you and it is up to you to deliver.

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do the right thing when it needs to be done. And remember, the leadership qualities we need to spend more time focusing on are the ones that need improvement! Find your deficiency and seek to improve.

You are experienced in working alongside people during times of intense, lifethreatening conflict. What are some key points you gained from the U.S. Army Rangers, that can apply to working collaboratively with others to achieve success in their own missions?

It is quite simple really. Take care of each other, and do the right thing. Be the best you can be because people are counting on you. We have been told this since we were kids, “You are your brother’s keeper. Take care of each other.” But somewhere along the line, we were sold a lie that it is all about me, myself, and I. We bought into “it’s tough out here you got to look out for number one,” but this is a flawed technique. Alone we fail. No one takes the hill alone.

Trust in yourself and in your fellow Rangers is extremely important within that profession.

How important is trust as it relates to leadership?

Trust is fundamental to the bonds between comrades, employees, teammates, and coworkers.

Trust is earned through hard times, adversity, and overcoming together.

Trust is never to be taken for granted.

If someone trusts you to be there for them, you have a duty and an obligation to be there when you say you will and do what you say you will do. On target and on time.

Special districts are created to meet a specific need of their community. What advice do you have for board members and staff of special districts to ensure that they effectively serve their public constituents to the best ability?

Know your troops and take care of your troops.

Lead by example. When the burden of leadership is weighing heavily upon your shoulders, drive on and hold the line. Go the extra mile. Find your purpose, direction, and motivation in the people you lead, for they are counting on you and it is up to you to deliver.

From serving in the military to becoming an award-winning country music recording artist, you have faced a variety of challenges. What are a couple tips you can share on how to face challenges and meet them head on to ensure success?

2. Take care of the people on your left and your right. Alone we fail.

What can attendees of your keynote expect to take away from your presentation?

I hope they walk away with a renewed sense of purpose and understanding of how important they are to the people on their left, and the people on their right.

When you believe something, you begin to live it.

1. Use the gifts you have been given. You are a one-of-kind extraordinary creation. Somewhere along the line God thought there ought to be a you. So here you are. Why? Because your story matters. It is your story. We are all waiting to see what you’ll do with it. So, how about you step up and be the hero?

Keni Thomas will be the Monday morning Keynote Speaker during the upcoming General Manager Leadership Summit, held in Newport Beach from June 25-27, 2017.

Register now for the event at www.gmsummit.csda.net.

James Marta & Company LLP CERTIFIED PUBLIC ACCOUNTANTS

Accounting, Auditing, Tax and Consulting

SPECIAL DISTRICT FINANCIAL SERVICES

AUDIT, ACCOUNTING AND CONSULTING

We are a full-service certified public accounting firm providing financial and compliance audits, accounting services, tax and consulting services to Special Districts. We offer custom-designed web based accounting services to meet your needs. Our audit services provide an in-depth review of your financial practices by experienced professionals. Over 30-years of experience with Special Districts.

Other services include: n n n n

Performance audits Fraud Investigation Compliance audits Custom workshops

n n n n

Development of Policies and Procedures Internal control review Accounting services Tax compliance

David Becker, CPA — Partner (916) 993-9494 dbecker@jpmcpa.com n www.jpmcpa.com

California Special District – May-June 2017

CSDA’s Special District Leadership Academy

july 9-12, 2017 - napa

july 10-13, 2016 - Embassy suites Napa Valley

Special district Leadership academy conference A Comprehensive Governance Leadership Conference for Elected and Appointed Directors/Trustees.

register today • sdlA.CSDA.NET

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2017 SPECIAL DISTRICT

Accounting

Bartlett, Pringle & Wolf, LLP 1123 Chapala Street Santa Barbara, CA 93101 (805) 963-7811 www.bpw.com Accounting/Bookkeeping, Audits, Consulting Bartlett, Pringle & Wolf is a leading accounting/ consulting firm offering a full suite of services dedicated to special districts. Our team of auditors will provide a thorough assessment of your accounting procedures and deliver a comprehensive analysis to enhance quality, transparency, and best practices.

Blomberg & Griffin Accountancy Corporation 1013 N. California Street Stockton, CA 95202 (209) 466-3894 www.blombergcpa.com Accounting/Bookkeeping, Audits Blomberg & Griffin provides a wide range of services to individuals and businesses in a variety of industries. At Blomberg & Griffin, we strive to meet each client’s specific needs in planning for the future and achieving their goals in an everchanging financial and regulatory environment.

Brown Armstrong Accountancy Corporation 4200 Truxtun Avenue, Suite 300 Bakersfield, CA 93309 (661) 324-4971 www.bacpas.com Accounting/Bookkeeping, Audits, Benefits/Retirement Brown Armstrong is headquartered in the Central Valley and has four locations throughout the state.

We provide audit, tax, bookkeeping, and consulting services. Our audit services include: federal and state compliance audits, financial statement audits, financial health analysis and consulting, and organizational audits for efficiency.

Daniells Phillips Vaughan & Bock 300 New Stine Road Bakersfield, CA 93309 (661) 834-7411 www.dpvb.com Accounting/Bookkeeping, Audits Serving clients for more than 55 years, we are best known for our non-traditional approach to services in accounting, tax, and strategic business planning. With the highest level of customer service, we have been helping clients plan, build, and preserve their businesses in pursuit of success.

Fechter & Company 1870 Avondale Avenue Suite 4 Sacramento, CA 95825 (916) 333-5360 www.fechtercpa.com Accounting/Bookkeeping, Audits For years, Fechter & Company has been providing quality, personalized financial guidance to local individuals and businesses. Fechter & Company’s expertise ranges from basic tax management and accounting services to more in-depth services such as audits, financial statements, and financial planning.

James Marta & Company

Certified PubliC ACCountAnts Accounting, Auditing, Consulting and Tax

GASB 45 & Solutions James Marta Company LLP, LOW Public COST alternative Certified Accountants to a full actuarial report.

701 Howe Avenue, Suite E3 (916) 993-9494 CA n www.jpmcpa.com Sacramento, 95825 (916) 993-9494 www.jpmcpa.com Accounting/Bookkeeping, Audits, GASB45 AMM We are a certified public accounting firm providing specialized services to special districts, including audit, accounting, tax services, bonded debt and arbitrage calculations, and GASB 45 Alternative Measurement Method calculations. We take the time to understand your needs and provide the personal attention to meet them.

Mann, Urrutia, Nelson CPAs & Associates, LLP 2515 Venture Oaks Way, Suite 135 Sacramento, CA 95833 (916) 929-0540 www.muncpas.com Accounting/Bookkeeping, Audits, Consulting Mann, Urrutia, Nelson CPAs & Associates is an established and respected full service accounting and auditing firm offering audit, tax, consulting, litigation support, business valuations, and forensic accounting services. We specialize in government, non-profit, retirement plans, and small business audits and accounting services.

Maze & Associates 3478 Buskirk Avenue #215 Pleasant Hill, CA 94523 (925) 930-0902 www.mazeassociates.com Accounting, Audits Maze & Associates is a leading northern California accounting firm specializing in municipal and nonprofit audit, tax, and security reviews, as well as PCI Scans and Microsoft Certified training.

We can help you with implementing new GASB regulations, tax planning, or FISMA and NIST compliance guidelines.

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Nigro & Nigro, PC 25220 Hancock Avenue, Suite 400 Murrieta, CA 92562 (951) 698-8783 www.nncpas.com Accounting/Bookkeeping, Audits At Nigro & Nigro, we have a strong reputation for providing quality audit services to a wide range of government organizations including municipalities, special districts, and school districts.

Robert Johnson, CPA 6234 Birdcage Street Citrus Heights, CA 95610 (916) 723-2555 Accounting, Audits Robert Johnson CPA audits over 50 special districts. Reasonable rates and will travel.

Rogers, Anderson, Malody & Scott, LLP 735 E. Carnegie Drive, Suite 100 San Bernardino, CA 92408 (909) 889-0871 www.ramscpa.net Accounting/Bookkeeping, Audits, Consulting Rogers, Anderson, Malody & Scott, LLP is a full service accounting firm providing audit, accounting support, and consulting services to the government sector including California special districts.

RT Dennis Accountancy 12223 Highland Avenue Suite 106-625 Rancho Cucamonga, CA 91739 (909) 689-8219 www.dennis-cpa.com Accounting, Audits We are a full service accounting firm specializing in assurance services of government and nonprofit agencies. This allows us to focus on industry specific accounting and auditing standards. All of our practice aids, audit manuals, accounting manuals, and research materials are geared to governmental standards and practices.

Teaman, Ramirez & Smith, Inc. 4201 Brockton Avenue, Suite 100 Riverside, CA 92501-3431 (951) 274-9500 www.trscpas.com Accounting/Bookkeeping, Audits, Consulting As a full service CPA firm, we have provided accounting, auditing and consulting services to California governments for over 80 years.

Our services also include tax preparation, management consulting, and accounting assistance services.

Vasquez & Company LLP 801 South Grand Avenue, Suite 400 Los Angeles, CA 90017 (213) 873-1700 www.vasquezcpa.com Accounting/Bookkeeping, Audits, Benefits/Retirement Our firm provides audit, consulting, tax, financial advisory, review, and compilation services. Our audit services include financial statement audits of companies in private and public sectors, audits of federal grants under OMB A-133, and compliance examination audits.

Vicenti, Lloyd & Stutzman LLP 2210 E Route 66 Glendora, CA 91740 (626) 857-7300 www.vicenticpas.com/ Accounting, Audits, Consulting Vicenti, Lloyd & Stutzman, CPAs provides audit, accounting, business consulting, and forensic services for California special districts.

Architecture/ Design

Ward-Young Architecture & Planning 12010 Donner Pass Road, Suite 201 Truckee, CA 96161 (530) 587-3859 www.wyarch.com Architecture, Planning Design excellence, personal attention, cost awareness, and the high level of professional integrity are the foundations upon which client relationships are built at Ward-Young Architecture and Planning.

California Special District – May-June 2017

Banking

Bank of the West ENDORSED AFFILIATE 500 Capitol Mall, Suite 1200 Sacramento, CA 95814 (866) 588-1358 www.bankofthewest.com/commercial-banking/ industry/government.html Broker/Dealer Investment Services, Cash Management, Depository Our Bank of the West Government Banking Relationship Managers have decades of experience working in partnership with special districts providing banking services that help optimize cash flow and increase operating efficiency.

BBVA Compass 2850 East Camelback Road #140 Phoenix, AZ 85016 (602) 778-0795 www.bbvacompass.com Commercial and Merchant Card, Tax-Exempt and Taxable Credit Solutions, Treasury Management Services BBVA Compass is a leading U.S. banking franchise with operations throughout the Sunbelt region and it ranks among the top 25 largest U.S. commercial banks based on deposit market share. BBVA Compass operates 688 branches in Alabama, Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, New Mexico, and Texas.

BNY Mellon Trust Company, N.A. 100 Pine Street San Francisco, CA 94111 (415) 263-2418 www.bnymellon.com Corporate Trust, Custodial Services, Investment Management With core capabilities including trustee, administration and agency services, and enhanced offerings such as reporting, transparency, and compliance solutions, BNY Mellon is a recognized leader in the U.S. public finance market. Trustee to CSDA Finance Corporation.

Citizens Business Bank 701 North Haven Avenue Ontario, CA 91764 (909) 980-4030 x 7133 www.cbbank.com Bank Accounts Citizens Business Bank is committed to creating and maintaining public entity relationships by meeting and exceeding our customer expectations.

Five Star Bank 2400 Del Paso Rd., Ste. 100 Sacramento, CA 95834 (916) 640-1512 fivestarbank.com Bank Accounts, Cash Management, Money Market Accounts Five Star Bank is dedicated to helping special districts in California reduce their costs, increase their income, and improve their efficiency. We have experience managing relationships of all sizes with personalized attention and service, making banking seamless so you can focus on running your special district.

RBC Capital Markets, LLC 2 Embarcadero Center, Suite 1200 San Francisco, CA 94111 (415) 445-8674 www.rbccm.com RBCCM, Royal Bank of Canada Capital Markets, is an investment bank that provides bond underwriting and financial advisory services to municipalities and governmental agencies, including special districts.

U.S. Bank 621 Capitol Mall, Suite 800 Sacramento, CA 95814 (916) 498-3439 www.usbank.com Bank Accounts, Benefits/Retirement, Consulting For more than 30 years, U.S. Bank has met the financial needs of special districts and public sector organizations with tailored products and services and knowledgeable government banking relationship managers.

Umpqua Bank 2998 Douglas Blvd. Suite 100 Roseville, CA 95661 (916) 774-3921 www.umpquabank.com Commercial Card, Public Finance Credit Facilities, Public Funds Deposits Umpqua Bank is the premier lender for non-profit and public agencies. Because each organization is unique, we custom-tailor our products to meet the financial needs of our clients. With local decision making and technology second to none, Umpqua Bank has the expertise and capability necessary for your success.

Wells Fargo Bank 1510 Arden Way Suite 300 Sacramento, CA 95815 (415) 371-3955 www.wellsfargo.com Bank Accounts, Benefits/Retirement, Credit Cards Wells Fargo Bank provides a vast array of financial services for the public sector, from treasury management services to investments and insurance.

Buyers Guide

The Pun Group, LLP 200 E. Sandpointe Suite 600 Santa Ana, CA 92707 949-777-8821 www.pungroup.com Accounting/Bookkeeping, Audits, Consulting The Pun Group, LLP is a full-service accounting and advisory public accounting firm providing core services of audit and assurance and tax services to governmental and not-for-profit organizations.

Zions Bank 550 South Hope Street, Suite 2875 Los Angeles, CA 90071 (213) 593-3153 www.zionsbank.com/business/trust-service-bf.jsp Bond Fiscal Agent, Bond Paying Agent, Bond Trustee Zions Bank provides professional bond fiscal agent and trustee services. Let us provide you a great customer service experience backed by strong technological reporting solutions. At Zions Bank, “We haven’t forgotten who keeps us in business.”

Benefits/ Retirement Bartel Associates, LLC 411 Borel Avenue, Suite 101 San Mateo, CA 94402 (650) 377-1601 www.bartel-associates.com Benefits/Retirement Bartel Associates, LLC is a California based actuarial consulting firm. We prepare OPEB (GASB 45) and pension plans actuarial valuations and also provide general CalPERS pension, retiree healthcare, and other pension plan consulting and review services.

California School Boards Association ENDORSED AFFILIATE 3251 Beacon Blvd.

West Sacramento, CA 95691 (916) 669-2603 www.gasb45amm.com/default.aspx GASB Alternative Measurement Method (AMM) GASB 45 and 75 provide the opportunity to utilize an abbreviated actuarial report to address OPEB liabilities. CSBA partners with Demsey, Filliger & Associates, LLC to provide a low-cost alternative to a full actuarial valuation.

Foresters Financial 9275 Sky Park Court, Suite 425 San Diego, CA 92123 (858) 650-6830 www.forestersfinancial.com Financial Wellness Program, Personal Financial Advisory, Retirement Planning Foresters Financial Services, Inc. provides families and individuals with financial solutions, guidance, and tools to meet their needs across all life stages.

Nationwide Retirement Solutions 4962 Robert J. Mathews Parkway,Suite 100 El Dorado Hills, CA 95762 (916) 939-2131 www.nrsforu.com 457 Retirement Plans, 401 Retirement Plans, Post Health Employment Plans Nationwide is the largest provider of 457 deferred compensation plans for public employees in the country. A 457 plan is a voluntary, supplemental, pre-tax, defined contribution program. Nationwide also provides 401(a) and OBRA services; as well as, Health Reimbursement Accounts through our proprietary Post-Employment Health Plan (PEHP).

PARS 4350 Von Karman Avenue, Suite 100 Newport Beach, CA 92660 (800) 540-6369 www.pars.org Benefits/Retirements PARS provides customized retirement solutions including our GASB-compliant, IRS-approved OPEB Trust and Pension Rate Stabilization Program, Social Security Alternative for part-time employees and defined contribution plans that save public agencies millions of dollars annually.

Cell Site Consulting Aries Advisors » CONSULTANT CONNECTION 1770 Morgans Avenue San Marcos, CA 92078 (760) 213-8511 Lease Buyouts, Lease Extensions, Lease Review and Negotiation Aries Advisors represents the interests of cell site landlords in all types of wireless transactions (e.g., new lease, upgrades/extensions, lease buy-outs, rent reductions). We have successfully executed numerous wireless transactions for CSDA members.

Construction/ Engineering Albert A. Webb Associates 3788 McCray Street Riverside, CA 92506 (951) 686-1070 www.webbassociates.com Engineering, Planning Albert A. Webb Associates has provided high quality civil engineering services throughout Southern California.

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Harris & Associates 1401 Willow Pass Road, Suite 500 Concord, CA 94520-1214 (925) 827-4900 www.weareharris.com Construction Management, Engineering Services, Assessment/Special Tax Administration, Rate Studies Assessment Engineering Harris is a 100% employee-owned company focused on solving the challenges of public agencies and institutions located in California, Nevada and Washington. Service areas include financial engineering, civil engineering, and construction and asset management.

J.R. Filanc Construction Company Inc. 740 North Andreasen Drive Escondido, CA 92029 (760) 941-7130 www.filanc.com Job Order Contracting, Design-Build Construction, Water/Wastewater/Stormwater Construction Filanc is an award-winning builder of water and wastewater treatment and related infrastructure.

Since 1952, we have specialized in the water industry with a particular focus on design-build and CMAR contracting, offering our clients the benefit of our experience and a collaborative project experience.

Keller/Wegley Engineering 209 South Locust Street Visalia, CA 93291 (559) 732-7938 Engineering Engineering firm that represents special districts with their irrigation, drinking water, wastewater, and water supply needs.

Wallace Group 612 Clarion Court San Luis Obispo, CA 93401 (805) 544-4011 www.wallacegroup.us Engineering, Water Resources A full service engineering firm serving public and private clients. Services include public works administration, water resources, transportation, and public works CIPs.

Consulting Barber & Gonzales Consulting Group 8035 South Lake Circle Granite Bay, CA 95746 (916) 786-4368 www.paradigmpilgrim.com Human Resources, Labor Relations, Training We specialize in the development of organizational effectiveness, collaborative labor relations, and multi-party negotiations/decision making of all types.

California Consulting 214 Main Street, Suite 102 El Segundo, CA 90245 (323) 728-9002 californiaconsulting.org Grant Writing Founded in 2004, California Consulting, LLC has a solid reputation for hard work and a commitment to success for its clients. California Consulting, LLC is the largest grant writing firm in California, with offices across California and more than 90 clients statewide.

CONTRACTOR COMPLIANCE AND MONITORING, INC.

Contractor Compliance and Monitoring » CONSULTANT CONNECTION 635 Mariners Island Boulevard, Suite 200 San Mateo, CA 94404 (650) 522-4403 www.ccmilcp.com Labor Compliance Contractor Compliance and Monitoring, Inc. offers prevailing wage expertise on projects requiring labor compliance: Federal Davis-Bacon, Proposition 84 and State Bond funded projects.

Do not jeopardize your funding. CCMI can help your agency comply with all mandatory labor compliance requirements.

E Mulberg & Associates P.O. Box 582931 Elk Grove, CA 95758 www.emulberg.com CEQA, LAFCO Related Services, Municipal Service Reviews E Mulberg & Associates provides special districts consulting services related to interaction with local agency formation commissions. That includes municipal service reviews, annexations, detachments, and sphere of influence updates including CEQA analysis.

California Special District – May-June 2017

Kampa Community Solutions, LLC » CONSULTANT CONNECTION PO Box 3221 Sonora, CA 95370 (209) 591-7100 www.kampaCS.com Consulting, HR/Staffing, Planning Kampa Community Solutions provides general management consulting services at an affordable cost, exclusively for special districts. Not just planning…doing! We contract as on-call, interim, or regular General Manager and/or advisors to districts to ensure delivery of the highest quality services.

MuniServices 1400 K Street Suite 301 Sacramento, CA 95814 (916) 261-5147 www.muniservices.com Advocacy, Data Analytics, Revenue Enhancement Audits MuniServices is a provider of revenue recovery services with over 900 cities, counties, special districts, and states as clients. MuniServices offers proprietary audit and administration services encompassing all general sources of municipal tax revenue.

NBS 32605 Temecula Parkway, Suite 100 Temecula, CA 92592 (800) 676-7516 www.nbsgov.com Financial Consulting, Special Assessment Engineering/Special Tax Consulting, Utility Rate Consulting, and Fee Studies For 20 years, NBS has supported many special districts with a variety of revenue tools, including utility rate studies, user fee studies, cost allocation plans, and other financial analyses.

NBS has expertise in developing new special assessment, tax, or fee districts, and provides comprehensive ongoing support services for existing special financing districts.

Nichols Consulting » CONSULTANT CONNECTION 1857 44th Street Sacramento, CA 95819 (916) 455-3939 www.nichols-consulting.com Consulting With more than 24 years of experience in SB 90/ State Mandated Cost Reimbursement, Nichols Consulting is the special district leader. We have presented as an expert at over 30 statewide workshops and are the Labor Relations/Public Employment Relations Board (PERB) Case reimbursement specialists.

Rauch Communications Consultants, Inc. » CONSULTANT CONNECTION 936 Old Orchard Road Campbell, CA 95008 (408) 391-3117 www.rauchcc.com Public Involvement, Strategic Planning Rauch Communication Consultants has served special districts for 40+ years. Services include Public Involvement: building community support through focused and effective outreach programs; Strategic Planning: helping resolve clients’ critical challenges and developing overall direction and action plans; Facilitating and Mediation: helping resolve difficult management problems.

Rincon Consultants, Inc 180 North Ashwood Ave Ventura, CA 93003 (805) 644-4455 www.rinconconsultants.com Environmental Science, Land Use Planning Rincon Consultants has provided a range of awardwinning environmental sciences, land use planning, biological resources, and remediation services to a range of organizations and industries since 1994. Moving forward, we are expanding the depth of services we offer to help our clients achieve a more sustainable future.

RJM Design Group 31591 Camino Capistrano San Juan Capistrano, CA 92675 (949) 493-2600 www.rjmdesigngroup.com Facility Assessments, Landscape Architecture, Strategic Planning We specialize in the planning and design of environments that enhance the quality of life for the entire community. We also provide advanced planning, master planning and strategic planning for agencies’ long term fiscal and environmental sustainability.

Buyers Guide

BHI Management Consulting » CONSULTANT CONNECTION 2459 Neptune Court, Suite 110 Tracy, CA 95304 (209) 740-6779 www.bhiconsulting.com Consulting, Recruiting, Training BHI Management Consulting has been providing for the organizational health of public agencies since 1999. Currently, BHI specializes in strategic planning for special districts in California. The firm is owned and operated by Brent Ives.

Economic & Planning Systems, Inc. 400 Capitol Mall 28th floor Sacramento, CA 95814 (916) 649-8010 www.epsys.com Consulting, Financing, Planning EPS provides consulting services to public agencies in the area of public finance, infrastructure financing, financing district formations, fiscal impact analysis, development impact fee nexus studies, and other related fields.

SCI Consulting Group 4745 Mangels Boulevard Fairfield, CA 94534-4175 (707) 430-4300 www.sci-cg.com AB1600 Studies, Financial Consulting, Special Assessment Engineering/Tax Consulting Serving California special districts since 1985, SCI provides services including local funding measure feasibility analysis and public opinion surveys, district-wide revenue measures, special tax and assessment district formation and annual administration, Proposition 218 compliance, development impact fee nexus studies, utility rate studies, and LAFCo formation and annexation applications.

Willdan Financial Services 27368 Via Industrial, Suite 200 Temecula, CA 92590 (951) 587-3500 www.willdan.com Municipal Bond Compliance (IRS and SEC), Special District (CFD, Assessments) Formation and Administration, Water/Wastewater Rate and Financial Studies Willdan Financial Services provides an array of financial and economic consulting services to public agencies throughout California.

We provide water and wastewater rate and financial consulting services, and services related to the formation and administration of special financing districts.

Energy Solutions Borrego Solar Systems, Inc. 5005 Texas Street, 4th Floor San Diego, CA 92108 (510) 496-8705 www.borregosolar.com Borrego Solar is solving the world’s energy problems by accelerating the adoption of renewable energy.

Our people are committed to excellence in every aspect of solar design and construction.

Honeywell International, Inc. 13475 Danielson Street, Suite 100 Poway, CA 92064 (858) 848-3180 www.honeywell.com Construction/Engineering, Consulting, Energy Solutions An energy services partner and provider to municipal governments throughout California for more than 25 years. Offering guaranteed savings based retrofit programs as well as turn-key, no capital required solar energy agreements.

SunPower 77 Rio Robles San Jose, CA 95134 (408) 240-5402 www.sunpowercorp.com Solar, Energy, Construction, Engineering Since 1985, SunPower has been a leading global energy services provider dedicated to changing the way the world is powered. SunPower designs and manufactures solar panels that are unmatched in long-term reliability, efficiency, and guaranteed performance.

iFlow Energy Solutions, Inc. 13217 Jamboree Road, Suite 209 Tustin, CA 92782 (888) 651-1130 www.iflowinc.com/ Ultrasonic Water Meters, Remote Reading Systems

Utility Cost Management LLC ENDORSED AFFILIATE 1100 W. Shaw Ave #126 Fresno, CA 93711 (559) 261-9230 www.utilitycostmanagement.com Consulting, Utility Cost Control Utility Cost Management LLC (UCM) reduces utility costs through the analysis of data, rates, and regulations. The firm has generated over $150 million in savings and refunds for its clients since 1991.

OpTerra Energy Services 23 Nevada Irvine, CA 92606 (714) 473-7837 www.opterraenergy.com/ Energy Efficiency, Solar Energy, Demand Response OpTerra Energy Services is a pioneer in advancing the energy economy, creating sustainable, positive impact for the communities, institutions and businesses we serve. We use energy as a foundation to build programs that save money, generate revenue, improve assets, protect the environment, and increase organizational performance.

Pacific Gas & Electric Company 615 7th Ave Santa Cruz, CA 95062 (831) 710-7648 www.pge.com/ Energy Pacific Gas and Electric Company, a subsidiary of PG&E Corporation (NYSE:PCG), is one of the largest combined natural gas/electric utilities in the U.S. Based in San Francisco, with more than 20,000 employees, the company delivers some of the nation’s cleanest energy to nearly 16 million people in Northern and Central California.

SmartWatt Energy, Inc. 3835 Atherton Road, Suite #6 Rocklin, CA 95677 (518) 406-0385 www.smartwatt.com Energy Optimization, Bundled Energy Services, Engineering, Implementation Comprehensive and budget-neutral energy optimization solutions to increase the quality of life in local communities. We provide turnkey solutions to handle every phase of project implementation including Energy Performance Contracts (EPC).

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Wulff Energy Consulting LLC 351 California St, Ste 1000, 10th Floor San Francisco, CA 94104 (415) 412-1011 RFQ/RFPs for Energy Efficiency Projects, Performance Contracting; PPA Evaluation nd Negotiation Wulff Energy Consulting assists commercial and government clients in the design, planning, and execution of energy performance contracts. Wulff Energy can provide assistance in the development of an RFQ/RFP process, contractor evaluation and selection, and negotiation of performance contracts and associated guarantees.

Financing/ Investments

Bartle Wells Associates 1889 Alcatraz Avenue Berkeley, CA 94703 (510) 653-3399 www.bartlewells.com Consulting, Financing Bartle Wells Associates is a municipal financial consulting firm with over 50 years of experience providing independent expert financial advice to public agencies throughout California and the western United States.

California Infrastructure and Economic Development Bank (I-Bank) PO Box 2830 Sacramento, CA 95812 www.ibank.ca.gov Consulting, Financing The State of California’s IBank issues bonds, provided loans to state and local governments.

Programs include infrastructure loans, lending for energy and environmental needs, bond financing and small business loan guarantees.

CSDA Finance Corporation ENDORSED AFFILIATE 1112 I Street, Suite 200 Sacramento, CA 95814 (916) 442-7887 www.csdafinance.net Tax-Exempt Financing CSDA Finance Corporation is a non-profit public benefit corporation established to help special districts and other public agencies with cost-effective financing programs for capital improvements, equipment purchases, land acquisitions, and the refinancing of prior debt.

David Taussig & Associates, Inc. 5000 Birch Street, Suite 6000 Newport Beach, CA 92660 (949) 955-1500 www.taussig.com Consulting, Municipal Finance David Taussig & Associates has provided municipal finance consulting services to public and private sector clients since its establishment in 1985.

California Special District – May-June 2017

Municipal Finance Corporation 2945 Townsgate Road, Suite 200 Westlake Village, CA 91361 (805) 719-1236 www.munifinance.com Financing Tax-exempt private placement financing of equipment, facilities, and infrastructure.

Consultant to the CSDA Finance Corporation.

PFIC- The Tamkin Companies 11755 Wilshire Boulevard, Suite 2350 Los Angeles, CA 90025 (310) 575-9447 www.tamkin.com Financing Public Facilities Investment Corporation specializes in the privatized development and tax-exempt leaseback financing of facilities for special districts throughout California.

Prager & Co., LLC One Maritime Plaza, Suite 1000 San Francisco, CA 94111-3404 (415) 403-1900 www.prager.com Financing, Legal Prager & Co., LLC provides strategic financial advice and debt funding solutions to California special districts and is the investment banker to the CSDA Finance Corporation.

Urban Futures, Inc. 3111 N. Tustin Street, Suite 230 Orange, CA 92865 (714) 923-3565 www.urbanfuturesinc.com/ Financing/Investments

Wells Capital Management/CalTRUST ENDORSED AFFILIATE 400 Capital Mall, Suite 702 Sacramento, CA 95814 (916) 440-4890 www.caltrust.org Investments CalTRUST provides local agencies with three professionally-managed pooled investment options – Money Market, Short-Term and MediumTerm – for agency general funds, bond proceeds and reserve funds. Governance and oversight is provided by local finance directors and treasurers.

Wells Fargo Advisors 1160 Marsh Street, Suite 200 San Luis Obispo, CA 93401 (805) 783-7942 home.wellsfargoadvisors.com/sandra.wheeler Investment Policy Reviews, Portfolio Management With over 21 years of experience as a WFA Financial Advisor and backed by the vast resources of Wells Fargo Advisors, Sandra Wheeler and Katie Hobbs are dedicated to working with special districts. Services include investment policy reviews, investment advice, and portfolio management.

Human Resources Bob Murray & Associates 1544 Eureka Rd. Roseville, CA 95661 (916) 784-9080 www.bobmurrayassoc.com Human Resources, Recruitment Bob Murray & Associates brings a personal approach to providing quality executive recruitment services. Our clients include cities, counties, special districts, and other governmental organizations, both large and small.

CPS HR Consulting 241 Lathrop Way Sacramento, CA 95815 (916) 263-3600 www.cpshr.us Consulting, Human Resources, Recruiting CPS HR Consulting provides a full range of integrated HR solutions to government and nonprofit clients. We align your vision, process, and people to assure you will achieve your agency objectives.

Buyers Guide

Brandis Tallman, LLC 22 Battery Street, Suite 500 San Francisco, CA 94111 (415) 912-5633 www.brandistallman.com Financing Brandis Tallman LLC is an investment banking firm specializing in public finance. We are a full service broker dealer providing municipal bond underwriting and placement agent services to California communities. Consultant to CSDA Finance Corporation.

Kosmont Companies 1601 N. Sepulveda Blvd., #382 Manhattan Beach, CA 90266 (424) 456-3088 www.kosmont.com Public Finance Advisory Services, Real Estate Services/Asset Management, Public Private Transactions Kosmont Companies (MBE/SBE) is a real estate services firm offering financial advisory, economic development, public financing, transaction structuring, economics, negotiations, land use/ entitlements, and brokerage services for public agencies and private sector.

Koff & Associates 2835 7th Street Berkeley, CA 94710 (510) 658-5633 www.koffassociates.com Executive Recruitment, Human Resources Consulting, Organizational Development Koff & Associates is a full-service human resources consulting firm specializing in the public sector. Our work includes class and comp studies, executive recruitment, organizational development, HR compliance, and performance management programs.

Regional Government Services Authority » CONSULTANT CONNECTION PO Box 1350 Carmel Valley, CA 93924 www.rgs.ca.gov Consulting, Staffing Services Regional Government Services Authority provides services only to other local governments. Our highly experienced staff have solutions to operational or workload challenges, including employer services and employee benefits, sharing staff to reduce costs, payroll, and HR and financial consulting (e.g. training, classification, recruitment and operational reviews).

Insurance

Special District Risk Management Authority ENDORSED AFFILIATE 1112 I Street, Suite 300 Sacramento, CA 95814 (916) 231-4141 www.sdrma.org Coverages, Insurance, Risk Management Our mission is to provide risk financing and risk management services through a financially sound pool to California public agencies, delivered in a timely and responsible cost-efficient manner.

Coverages include property/liability, workers’ compensation, and health benefits.

Legal Aleshire & Wynder, LLP 18881 Von Karman Avenue, Suite 1700 Irvine, CA 92612 (949) 223-1170 www.awattorneys.com Environmental Consulting, Legal Services Aleshire & Wynder focuses specifically on public agency representation throughout all of California. A number of our attorneys have represented public agencies for over 35 years, and many have served public interests in various ways. We enjoy public service and working with elected officials and professional staff.

AlvaradoSmith, A Professional Corporation 1 MacArthur Place, Suite 200 Santa Ana, CA 92707 (714) 852-6800 www.alvaradosmith.com Environmental Consulting, Legal Services Our team of attorneys has experience in providing advice and handling litigation involving public and private improvement projects, environmental assessment and remediation actions, and natural resources development. We are committed to providing high quality, comprehensive, and creative legal services in an efficient and costeffective manner.

Atkinson, Andelson, Loya, Ruud & Romo 12800 Center Court Drive, Suite 300 Cerritos, CA 90703 (562) 653-3200 www.aalrr.com Legal Services Atkinson, Andelson, Loya, Ruud & Romo is a full-service law firm representing a wide range of special districts throughout the state. With nine offices and over 170 attorneys, we have experts to meet every legal need: labor & employment law, governance, construction/property law, water law, general counsel services.

Bartkiewicz, Kronick & Shanahan 1011 22nd Street Sacramento, CA 95816-4907 (916) 446-4254 www.bkslawfirm.com Legal Services We are a Sacramento law firm founded in 1989 to represent local agencies and private clients on matters concerning water resource, land use, governmental, and related issues.

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Bergman Dacey Goldsmith 10880 Wilshire Boulevard, Suite 900 Los Angeles, CA 90024 (310) 470-6110 www.bdgfirm.com Legal Services Since 1983, Bergman Dacey Goldsmith has been litigation counsel to numerous California public entities. When litigation arises, having experienced counsel on your side can often be the deciding factor. We have earned our reputation as a “no surprises” law firm.

Best Best & Krieger, LLP 3880 Lemon Street Suite 110 Riverside, CA 92501 (951) 686-1450 www.bbklaw.com Legal Services A law firm focused on the legal needs of California special districts. BB&K attorneys have extensive experience in water supply and quality, environmental, renewable energy and construction law, public finance, rates and fees, labor and litigation.

Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, LLP 1020 State Street Santa Barbara, CA 93101-2706 (805) 963-7000 www.bhfs.com Consulting, Legal Services Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, LLP has a public agency practice with particular expertise in water law and environmental quality. The firm represents public agencies throughout California as general and special counsel.

Burke, Williams & Sorensen, LLP 444 South Flower Street, Suite 2400 Los Angeles, CA 90071 (213) 236-0600 www.bwslaw.com Consulting, Legal Services With offices throughout California, Burke, Williams & Sorensen specializes in representing public agencies.

Our practice areas include general counsel services, labor and employment, CEQA, public contracting, construction disputes, and eminent domain.

Buyers Guide

Carmel & Naccasha, LLP 1410 Marsh Street San Luis Obispo, CA 93401 (805) 546-8785 www.CarNacLaw.com Legal Services Carmel & Naccasha’s experienced team of attorneys are knowledgeable and dedicated to providing quality legal services to our public agency clients, specifically to the many CSDs we represent. Our firm offers a high level of responsiveness and attention to our clients’ individual needs combined with decades of work representing public agencies on a wide range of matters.

Churchwell White, LLP 1414 K Street, Third Floor Sacramento, CA 95814 (916) 468-0950 churchwellwhite.com General Counsel Legal Services, Special Counsel Legal Services Churchwell White attorneys represent special districts throughout California, providing general counsel and special counsel legal services in areas related to environmental and natural resources, water, employment, real estate and land use, litigation, and more.

Colantuono Highsmith & Whatley, PC 420 Sierra College Dr #140 Grass Valley, CA 95945 (530) 432-7357 www.chwlaw.us Municipal Law Colantuono, Highsmith & Whatley is a municipal law firm with offices in Pasadena and Grass Valley in the Northern Sierra Foothills. We represent public and private clients throughout California in municipal law.

Collinson & LaChance, Attorneys at Law 9709 Highway 267, Suite A Truckee, CA 96161-0348 (530) 587-9233 www.bcjllaw.com Legal Services Full service law firm emphasizing the representation of special districts, business, corporation, landlord/tenant issues, wills/trust/ probate, family law, and adoptions.

California Special District – May-June 2017

Cota Cole & Huber, LLP 2261 Lava Ridge Court Roseville, CA 95661 (916) 780-9009 www.cotalawfirm.com Legal Services Cota Cole & Huber, LLP is founded on a commitment to excellence. With decades of experience, and the energy and enthusiasm of a dynamic legal team, Cota Cole provides personalized service and achieves superior results.

Devaney Pate Morris & Cameron, LLP 402 W. Broadway, Suite 1300 San Diego, CA 92101 (619) 354-5030 www.dpmclaw.com Civil Law, Legal Services, Public Entity A San Diego-based, full-service law firm with over 150 years of combined experience representing public and private entities; including community colleges, municipalities, special districts, public/ private corporations, and nonprofit organizations.

Gallery & Barton, A Professional Law Corporation 1112 I Street, Suite 240 Sacramento, CA 95814 (916) 444-2880 www.gallerybartonlaw.com Legal Services Gallery & Barton specializes in legal services associated with water rights, environmental, and public agency law.

Griffith & Masuda, A Professional Law Corporation 517 E. Olive Street Turlock, CA 95380 (209) 667-5501 www.calwaterlaw.com Legal Services Founded in 1920, Griffith & Masuda represents six special districts, a county, and five JPAs. Our water agency clients are located in seven different counties from Butte to Monterey. Our mission is to provide responsive, effective, and efficient legal services. Our challenge is to provide creative solutions to complex problems.

Hanson Bridgett, LLP 425 Market Street, 26th Floor San Francisco, CA 94105 (415) 777-3200 www.hansonbridgett.com Legal Services We practice areas of law such as general business and corporate law, litigation, and probate and estate planning, healthcare, construction, intellectual property, labor and employment, insurance coverage and public sector law.

Jarvis, Fay, Doporto & Gibson, LLP 492 Ninth Street, Suite 310 Oakland, CA 94607 (510) 238-1400 www.jarvisfay.com Legal Services We provide cost-effective legal counseling and litigation services to California’s cities and special districts. The firm has particular expertise in advising public agencies on land use and environmental laws, local government revenues, public contracts, construction law, writs of mandate and appeals.

Kane, Ballmer & Berkman 515 S Figueroa St. Ste 780 Los Angeles, CA 90071 (213) 617-0480 www.kbblaw.com Legal Services For over 40 years, Kane, Ballmer & Berkman has represented a variety of public entities in all facets of public law. Our attorneys have represented community services districts and public cemeteries in addition to numerous municipalities and their related public entities.

Kidman Law, LLP 2030 Main Street, Suite 1300 Irvine, CA 92614 (714) 755-3100 www.kidmanlaw.com Legal Services Kidman Law, LLP offers unsurpassed advice and representation in legal matters, with a specialty in water, environmental, and governmental law.

We stand for prompt, reliable, and accurate legal services with a proven track record of success for our clients.

Kronick, Moskovitz, Tiedemann & Girard 400 Capitol Mall Floor 27 Sacramento, CA 95814-4416 (916) 321-4500 www.kmtg.com Legal Services Kronick Moskovitz Tiedemann and Girard (Kronick) is a full service law firm providing legal services to special districts, cities, and counties throughout California. For more than 50 years, Kronick has provided legal expertise in all areas of public agency law.

Lagerlof, Senecal, Gosney & Kruse, LLP 301 N Lake Avenue 10th Floor Pasadena, CA 91101 (626) 793-9400 www.lagerlof.com Legal Services For more than a century, Lagerlof, Senecal, Gosney & Kruse has been helping clients grow and prosper. Well known for our pioneering work in water law, we also have an outstanding reputation in general business, estate, real estate, tax and employment law, as well as general and civil litigation.

Liebert Cassidy Whitmore 6033 West Century Boulevard, 5th Floor Los Angeles, CA 90045 (310) 981-2000 www.lcwlegal.com Consulting, Human Resources, Legal Services Liebert Cassidy Whitmore is a public sector law firm providing expertise in employment, labor relations, contracts, and construction issues.

LCW provides unparalleled general counsel, labor and litigation advice, and assistance to special districts. LCW also offers expert management training workshops on these issues.

Lozano Smith, Attorneys at Law 7404 North Spalding Ave. Fresno, CA 93720 (559) 431-5600 www.lozanosmith.com/localgovernment.php Legal Services Since 1988, Lozano Smith has represented public agencies through nearly all legal issues imaginable. With nine offices throughout California, our attorneys are able to provide the local, yet statewide expertise clients deserve.

McMurchie Law 101 Parkshore Dr #100 Folsom, CA 95630 (916) 983-8000 www.mcmurchie.com Legal Services The firm is proud to have served as CSDA’s legal counsel since its formation in 1969. The firm specializes in representing a wide variety of special districts, joint powers authorities, and nonprofit corporations by providing legal consultation, board and staff training, and investigative services.

Meyers Nave 555 12th Street, Suite 1500 Oakland, CA 94607 (510) 808-2000 www.meyersnave.com Legal Services For more than 30 years, Meyers Nave has been dedicated to serving the litigation, transactional, and advisory needs of California special districts.

We are proud to serve as strategic partners with special districts in their frequent role as pioneers, addressing the most nuanced and complex legal and regulatory challenges.

Neumiller & Beardslee PO Box 20 Stockton, CA 95201-3020 (209) 948-8200 www.neumiller.com Legal Services Neumiller & Beardslee is a law firm that provides services to all types of special districts, cities, and counties, including as general counsel, litigation services, Proposition 218 procedures, environmental and CEQA matters, construction contracts, and personnel matters.

Nossaman, LLP 18101 Von Karman Avenue, Suite 1800 Irvine, CA 92612 (949) 833-7800 www.nossaman.com Consulting, Legal Services Whether it is working to build public infrastructure, provide healthcare services, entitle private development, manage natural resources, complete real estate transactions, or increase business profitability, clients count on Nossaman to get the job done. Consultant to the CSDA Finance Corporation.

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Orrick Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP 405 Howard Street San Francisco, CA 94105 (415) 773-5700 www.orrick.com Legal Services Providing bond counsel and disclosure counsel services to cities, counties, and special districts throughout California.

Porter Scott 350 University Avenue, Suite 200 Sacramento, CA 95825 (916) 929-1481 www.porterscott.com Civil Defense, Civil Litigation, Defense Litigation Porter Scott is a civil litigation firm defending a broad spectrum of legal needs for public entities for over 40 years.

Richards Watson Gershon 355 S. Grand Avenue, 40th Floor Los Angeles, CA 90071 (213) 626-8484 www.rwglaw.com Legal Services Richards Watson Gershon is a premier full service law firm. RWG’s team of leading attorneys have been providing practical legal solutions for local governments for over 60 years. We represent special districts, school districts, community service districts, water districts, airports, joint powers authorities, and successor agencies of former redevelopment agencies as well as cities.

Simas & Associates 3835 N. Freeway Blvd. Suite 228 Sacramento, CA 95834 (916) 789-9800 www.simasgovlaw.com Legal Services The attorneys of Simas & Associates, Ltd., have decades of combined experience working in administrative, health care, and employment law; representing clients before state, local, and federal government agencies; and litigating matters in administrative proceedings, and state and federal courts.

Stradling Yocca Carlson & Rauth, P.C. 660 Newport Center Drive, Ste. 1600 Newport Beach, CA 92660 (949) 725-4020 www.sycr.com/ Legal Services We specialize in areas as diverse as corporate transactions, securities and complex business litigation, tax, intellectual property, employment, real estate, public law, and municipal finance. This enables us to represent some of California’s leading companies and municipalities in a broad array of complex and sophisticated matters.

Communication Advantage PO Box 189573 Sacramento, CA 95818 (916) 930-0445 www.martyboyer.com Crisis Management, PR/Marketing, Strategic Communications Planning Communication Advantage is an independent communications consulting firm serving its members with a variety of public engagement and communications services.

CV Strategies 73700 Dinah Shore Drive, #402 Palm Desert, CA 92211 (760) 776-1766 www.cvstrategies.com Community Engagement, Government Affairs, Strategic Planning We are a dedicated team of former journalists and public policy junkies. We leverage our expertise, influence, and instincts to radically change the way you tell your story to the world.

FlashVote 111 West Proctor Street, Suite 10 Carson City, NV 89703 510-593-4901 www.flashvote.com Citizen Engagement, Public Outreach Technology, Scientific Surveys Find out what the public wants, whenever you want. FlashVote makes scientific surveys ridiculously easy, fast and affordable for special districts. Use the FlashVote service to survey, engage and inform. Get better decisions and happier citizens.

Sentium Strategic Communications » CONSULTANT CONNECTION 4989 Golden Foothill Pkwy Ste 138 El Dorado Hills, CA 95762 (916) 939-8800 ratepayerrelations.com Crises Communications, Public Safety Notices, Rate Increase Community Relations If you have a ratepayer relations issue, we will help you develop a plan to resolve it. Our specialty is delivering the right message for extraordinary results. Let us review your situation and discuss how we can help improve your reputation in the media and your community.

California Special District – May-June 2017

Townsend Public Affairs 925 L Street, Suite 1404 Sacramento, CA 95814 (916) 447-4086 www.townsendpa.com Government Relations, Grant Funding TPA specializes in legislative, regulatory, and funding solutions for legacy projects such as water and sanitation policy and infrastructure, transportation, parks and recreation, public safety, economic development, housing, historical restoration, and education.

Purchasing GovDeals Inc. 100 Capitol Commerce Blvd., Suite 110 Montgomery, AL 36117 (800) 613-0156 www.govdeals.com Online Surplus Sales GovDeals.com is the leading provider in online government surplus auctions. All state and local governments are welcome to use our services to auction surplus in the smartest, most efficient way possible!

U.S. Communities ENDORSED AFFILIATE 2999 Oak Road, Suite 710 Walnut Creek, CA 94597 (866) 472-7467 www.uscommunities.org Cooperative Purchasing Contracts U.S. Communities is a leading national purchasing cooperative, providing procurement resources and solutions for government agencies seeking best overall supplier pricing. Special districts can tap into the pooled purchasing power of over 55,000 other public agencies.

There is no cost to register, no user fees and no commitment.

Technology Solutions

Black Mountain Software, Inc. 145 Southlake Crest, Suite 1 Polson, MT 59860 (800) 353-8829 www.blackmountainsoftware.com Accounting and Billing Software Black Mountain Software provides fund accounting, utility billing, payroll, and cash receipting solutions specifically designed for local governments and special districts. Rely on our easy-to-use software products to ensure regulatory compliance and improve operational efficiency.

BoardSync 4470 Chamblee Dunwoody Rd. Dunwoody, GA 30338 (312) 637-9200 www.boardsync.com Board Portal, Meeting Minutes, Software for Agenda Management, BoardSync is the fastest, most intuitive way to automate agenda and meeting minutes management and the sharing of meeting content with board members, staff, and the public. It’s time to move to meetings forward. Ditch the stacks of paper and endless hours copying, bookmarking, distributing and amending meeting agendas.

Buckmaster Office Solutions 623 West Stadium Lane Sacramento, CA 95834 (916) 923-5005 www.buckmasteroffice.com Copiers, IT Services, Mailing Systems Buckmaster Office Solutions takes a refreshing approach to office technology. They have been locally owned and operating since 1958.

Buckmaster offers a complete line of industryleading technology including the Ricoh copier line, Epson Wide format color printers, and FP Mailing systems.

California CAD Solutions, Inc. ENDORSED AFFILIATE PO Box 4779 Modesto, CA 95352-4779 (209) 578-5580 www.calcad.com GIS Technology California CAD Solutions, Inc. specializes in GIS implementations that are deemed impossible.

CCS maintains a highly qualified staff of GIS professionals providing cost effective, “downto-earth” approaches to GIS. Call to schedule an appointment today.

Buyers Guide

Public Relations

Caselle 1656 S. East Bay #100 Provo, UT 84606 (801) 850-5085 www.caselle.com/ Financial Software, Support Utility, Billing Software Caselle is a leading provider in government accounting software. With software for life, excellent support and over 40 integrated solutions, Caselle successfully powers more than 1,200 organizations across the United States.

CaseWare International, Inc. 469 King Street West 2nd Floor Toronto, Ontario M5V1K4 (416) 867-9504 www.caseware.com Audit Preparation, Financial Reporting Software CaseWare’s audit and reporting software enables full-automation of audit preparation, financial statement preparation, and financial reporting including CAFR, component units, enterprise funds, and special purpose districts.

ECS Imaging, Inc. 5905 Brockton Avenue, Suite C Riverside, CA 92506 (951) 787-8768 www.ecsimaging.com Document Management ECS Imaging is the premier laserfiche document management provider in California, specializing in municipalities. Our services also include E-forms and scanning back-files from our offices in Northern and Southern CA. Laserfiche 3545 Long Beach Boulevard Long Beach, CA 90807 (562) 988-1688 www.laserfiche.com Document Management Since 1987, Laserfiche has used its Run Smarter philosophy to create simple and elegant enterprise content management (ECM) solutions.

California special districts use Laserfiche software to manage records, documents, and workflow.

NovusAGENDA 2900 Glades Circle, #250 Weston, FL 33327 (800) 274-5624 www.novusolutions.com Meeting Management Software NovusAGENDA makes creating, approving meeting items, and distributing board packets a breeze! Save time and money by automating their paper-intense process, while reducing board member preparation time.

Streamline ENDORSED AFFILIATE 2321 P Street, 1st Floor Sacramento, CA 95816 (916) 900-6619 www.getstreamline.com Internet Compliance Tools, Website Platform Fun, easy-to-use tools that help districts stay compliant. Build a site quickly, with agenda reminders, meeting, and transparency dashboards, plus an SB 272 tool to help districts easily publish a System Catalog.

Tyler Technologies 5519 53rd Street Lubbock, TX 79414 (800) 646-2633 www.tylertech.com Computer Software, Document Management, Technology Solutions Tyler Technologies is the leading provider of software and services for the public sector. Our financial, citizen service, and criminal justice solutions increase efficiency, accessibility, and responsiveness to citizens.

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Training/ Education Rural Community Assistance Corporation (RCAC) 3120 Freeboard Drive, Suite 201 West Sacramento, CA 95691 (916) 447-9832 xt.1007 www.rcac.org Community Facilities Loans, Infrastructure Loans, Technical Assistance RCAC is a private, nonprofit organization dedicated to assisting rural communities achieve their goals and visions by providing training, technical assistance, and resources to drinking water operators, owners, and board members throughout the state.

USC Sol Price School of Public Policy 1800 I Street Sacramento, CA 95814 (916) 442-6911 www.usc.edu/schools/price Higher Education University of Southern California Sol Price School of Public Policy offers its signature degree in Sacramento - Master of Public Administration (MPA). Students in the MPA Sacramento program complete coursework at the USC State Capital Center, just blocks from the California State Capitol. Graduates accept professional opportunities with local and state policymakers and agencies, and nonprofit organizations.

California Special Districts Association Districts Stronger Together

BOARD SECRETARY/CLERK Premiere Training for Board Secretaries/Clerks

October 22-24, 2017 • Garden Grove, California

ES FOR S R U O EES! CED C ADVAN NING ATTEND RETUR

Co-sponsored by the Special District Risk Management Authority

Communication

360

By Melissa Asher and Michael Grabow, CPS HR Consulting

Communication is something that we do all day long with lots of different people using many different modes. With all the practice we get, you would think that we would all be excellent communicators. However, the fact is that effective communication is difficult. We know this is true just by looking at the interpersonal relationships within our organizations. Many are characterized by unproductive conflict, passive-aggressive behavior, conflict avoidance or frequent misunderstandings about who is doing what by when. One way to improve communication within our organizations and for ourselves is to think about communication as a full circle activity—Communication 360.

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Communication 360 starts with you but cannot end there. It takes an awareness to break through the most common form of communication today—180 communication. This form of communication is effectively a dump and run. The focus is on the person giving the message. Once the message has been delivered—whether it is understood or not—the job is done.

Literally, deliver the message and leave. The problem is this results in a lot of “communicating” with limited success getting results or building productive relationships.

If we desire to be fully effective in moving our organizations and ourselves forward, we must choose to do much more than talk.

We need to listen. We need to give and be open to receiving feedback. We need to understand situational awareness when communicating. We need to think about timing. We need to remove judgment. These behaviors create an engaged culture through respectful and effective communication.

So, to make a difference within your workplace, team or community, Communication 360 is a great starting point.

Let us start with seven elements of an engaged culture:

1. Open communication 2. Questions are desired and respected 3. Development and coaching happens at all levels 4. Trust is established 5. People are encouraged to “show up” fully 6. Listening to understand from “each other” 7. Agreed-upon commitment and accountability Open communication means engaging in conversation. In the space of conversation, ANYTHING is possible. All parties need to make the effort to hear and to be heard, even if it is difficult at first. This involves removing judgments or assumptions we have probably already made. By committing to open communication, we are taking responsibility for connections and message clarity.

This allows us to focus on understanding rather than acting on incomplete or faulty information or assumptions.

In this model, questioning is positive. Questions are desired and respected because that is how we come to have a mutual understanding. We go into the conversation knowing we have different movies playing in our heads but come out with the Continued on page 34

California Special District – May-June 2017

Communication 360 [continued] same scene. Our questions, back and forth, ensure we can get to underlying themes, motivation, backstory and current thinking.

A natural and welcome by-product of asking questions is that we move into more of a coaching role where learning is encouraged. Both communicators are in a position to learn from each other. Each has a unique perspective that can expand and enhance the views of the other.

In this way, we are furthering the development of ourselves and others.

These initial steps create an environment where trust is established. The more trust is established the easier open communication becomes. In the space of trust, it is easier to suspend

A natural and welcome byproduct of asking questions is that we move into more of a coaching role where learning is encouraged. Both communicators are in a position to learn from each other.

Michael Grabow

judgment and welcome new ideas and new thinking. When trust is present we are more apt to be curious and enter conversation without fear of unwanted conflict or unverbalized requests.

With the foundation established, people will fully show up to the conversation. They will bring their perspective and will not shy away

meet your

from asking questions that lead to a clear understanding. How often do we decide not to participate, ask questions, or share our ideas? When we do this, we are not fully showing up and are effectively limiting the possibilities. The best outcomes come when we can build on each other’s experiences and ideas. This means fully showing up and not holding back.

We maximize asset performance, simplify utility operation and deliver peace of mind.

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Technologies & Services ice pigging | helium leak detection | tank mixing THM removal | biosolids management Contact your local Water System Consultant Keith Jones & Shailer Nicholas 855.526.4413 • help@utilityservice.com Utility Service Co., Inc. • www.utilityservice.com

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Another critical and often overlooked part of Communication 360 is listening to understand. This is about being heard and hearing others.

That does not mean you must agree, but it does mean you must acknowledge. Acknowledgement is about respecting other viewpoints, trying on a different approach and considering an alternate frame of reference.

Listening to understand gives you insight into behaviors that could otherwise be misinterpreted.

Lastly, these elements should lead to agreed-upon commitment and accountability. This means walking away with a clear understanding of what is next and a commitment to follow through. Sometimes the commitment is as simple as continuing to practice open communication.

Sometimes it will include specific actions that outline who is doing what by when. In any event, the key is mutual agreement and ongoing commitment to hold each other accountable in the interest of fostering a healthy workplace environment.

Several tools and methods can help you achieve Communication 360:

Identify your network Create a map of your current network. This will help you identify all the people you regularly communicate with. Next assess the success of those communications.

Which ones are going well and why are they going well? Which can be strengthened? How could you use the seven elements to improve communication outcomes?

• June

27

Tuesday grabow

michael

speaker

keynote

NEW

Expand your channels and modes of communication Make a list of all the ways you can communicate.

Now think about the ways you typically choose to communicate. Do you tend to use one channel or mode more frequently? How much face-to-face communicating do you do, even if it is facetime? Are some modes more effective at times than others? Explore different channels or modes and pay attention to the result.

Communicate all around, including up Communication 360 is about communicating with your entire network. Look for ways to communicate up, down and sideways using questions, coaching, listening to understand and articulating agreed-upon commitments.

Do not be afraid to communicate up. You have valuable observations that could lead to new awareness or insights that might otherwise be overlooked. By communicating up you are modeling open communication and walking the talk for your team and colleagues.

Be aware of situational awareness and environmental factors Make sure to pay attention to context before content is delivered. Is there something going on that could derail the conversation? Ask if this is a good time. Timing of when and what to say can be the difference between being a contributor or a distraction.

Communication 360 is ensuring everyone in the conversation understands the message, there are no questions about the intent of the message, the message is complete for all parties and there is

California Special District – May-June 2017

CH BEA T POR

SUMMIT M G •

mutually understood clarity around the next steps. It is creating an open environment where everyone takes responsibility for message clarity and maintaining healthy relationships.

This may sound time-consuming, but it will save you time. Compare it to the time wasted and rework required when communication is incomplete, inaccurate or missing altogether. It is when we stop or kill conversation that conflict begins to take root. If we focus on Communication 360 instead of 180, conflicts become opportunities, options and new ideas.

Relationships grow and we grow by gaining new perspectives. Positive communication experiences lead to more communication, reinforcing a healthy and helpful organizational culture.

Remember, in the space of conversation, anything is possible.

Michael Grabow will be the Tuesday morning Keynote Speaker during the upcoming General Manager Leadership Summit, held in Newport Beach from June 25-27, 2017. Register now for the event at www.gmsummit.csda.net.

[Community Connections]

Coachella Valley Water District Emphasizes Customer Service With Two New Programs

By Heather Engel, Director of Communication & Conservation, Coachella Valley Water District

CVWD attends many community events to distribute literature and answer questions about services and rebate programs. This year’s Wildflower Festival in Palm Desert was an especially wellattended event.

Coachella Valley Water District’s (CVWD) commitment to excellence in customer service was recently highlighted with the launch of two new programs.

and irrigation water, agricultural drainage, wastewater treatment and reclamation services, regional stormwater protection, groundwater management and water conservation.

The Disadvantaged Communities Infrastructure Task Force and the Help2Others Customer Assistance Program emphasize outreach to customers and potential customers who need assistance to access quality water and related services.

To form the Disadvantaged Communities Infrastructure Task Force, CVWD collaborated with local stakeholders to secure access to safe, affordable drinking water, wastewater and flood control services in historically disadvantaged Coachella Valley regions. The task force was spearheaded by Cástulo R. Estrada, vice president of the Coachella Valley Water District Board of Directors.

These new programs, and others that have been introduced in the past few years, focus on bringing the same excellence in service to all customers of the district, which includes 109,000 residential and business customers across 1,000 square miles, located primarily in Riverside County, but also in portions of Imperial and San Diego counties. Many of the new initiatives have been guided by the district’s strategic planning process that has helped to set priorities for an agency that provides: domestic

The Task Force is comprised of representatives from local disadvantaged communities, government agencies and nonprofit organizations committed to working on both short-term and long-term solutions to ensure that all regional disadvantaged communities benefit.

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Share your community connections Is your district interacting with the community in a new and original way? California Special District wants to know about it! Contact Charlotte Lowe, editor at charlottel@csda.net or (877) 924-2732.

An estimated 10,000 Coachella Valley residents, primarily in the rural eastern Coachella Valley, rely on private wells for drinking water and many of them do not meet all the state and federal drinking water standards. Approximately 10,000 residents also rely on private septic systems in lieu of a publicly maintained sewer system.

Comprehensive mapping of private water and sewer systems will help the group better understand where the residents in need reside in comparison to existing infrastructure.

A key goal of the task force is to pursue grant funding to implement short-term and long-term solutions for these communities. Through the task force, information about various grants can be shared and projects prioritized.

with the Neighborhoods Action Team which serves as a subcommittee of Building Healthy Communities (BHC).

Short-term solutions include rebates for installation of under-the-counter water filters, septic system improvements and well retrofits. Long-term solutions include pursing grant funding to extend CVWD’s water and sewer infrastructure into areas of need.

To launch the Help2Others Customer Assistance Program, CVWD partnered with United Way of the Desert to provide financial assistance to low-income water customers. CVWD water customers who meet eligibility requirements can receive a one-time credit of $50 on their water bills. In instances

The idea of the task force was originally born from the Union De Polancos, a group of 30 mobile home community members, and Pueblo Unido Community Development Corporation (PUCDC) in partnership

Continued on page 38

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California Special District – May-June 2017

Community Connections [continued] where the credit exceeds the amount of the bill, remaining, unused funds will be applied to the next bill.

Customers can reapply for the credit every 12 months.

The idea arose during discussions about rate restructuring and research was done to find a way to start the program in line with the restrictions on special districts. As a result, this new program will be funded primarily through charitable donations, as well as funds from the sale of scrap metal and CVWD’s book, Lush & Efficient Landscape Gardening in the Coachella Valley. All donations will go directly to United Way of the Desert, which will manage the program and determine participant eligibility.

Both these programs are an addition to many other new customer service initiatives that have been introduced at CVWD in the past few years. Some of the other initiatives include: • Welcome brochures provided to new customers with a wealth of information about the district and how to manage customer accounts.

• New mobile app for managing customer accounts, reporting water waste and job postings.

• Newly redesigned website with easier navigation, more information and increased transparency.

• Increased Spanish-language outreach including new bilingual signage at facilities and an ongoing effort to translate more forms and publications.

• Development of a mass notification system that will use calling, emailing and texting to reach customers in a geographic area as needed, including in emergency situations.

To learn more about these programs, the district’s overall commitment to customer service, or about the history and service areas of CVWD, visit our website at www.cvwd.org.

Heather Engel is the director of Communication & Conservation for the Coachella Valley Water District. She can be reached at hengel@cvwd.org or at (760) 398-2661.

Best Best & Krieger LLP: A full-service law firm with nearly 200 attorneys and advocates, providing comprehensive legal counsel services to all types of special districts.

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38

Your Community. Your Services. Your District!

We are happy to announce the launch of our new public outreach campaign, Districts Make the Difference.

This campaign is centered on the concept that special districts go beyond providing important services to their communities. They make a difference in the lives of their residents and help our state thrive. The goal is to bridge the gap between special districts and the essential services that millions of Californians value.

The first step is to visit DistrictsMaketheDifference.org. This new website features a simple-to-use toolkit filled with public awareness videos, web banners, posters, factsheets, and other materials that can be easily downloaded.

Follow, like, subscribe, share!

MAKE THE

DistrictsMaketheDifference.org California Special District – May-June 2017

DistrictsMaketheDifference.org

[Solutions & Innovations]

What Makes a Superhero Supervisor?

By Melissa Asher, CPS HR Consulting Supervisors need to be superheroes. Numerous studies have shown that employees leave their job because of their supervisor. One survey asserts that 35% of US workers said they would willingly forgo a substantial pay raise in exchange for seeing their direct supervisor fired. That puts the pressure on organizations to make sure they hire the right supervisors and train them well in their supervisory role.

Role of the Supervisor One challenge we face when hiring is that most supervisors are promoted for their technical skills.

They have been rewarded for doing great technical work. And to be sure, they will probably still use those technical skills since most supervisors today are working supervisors. However, entering the supervisory ranks means exercising powers in two other key areas: human and conceptual.

Human This is a shift from a technical focus to a focus on people. As if being responsible for yourself is not enough; as a supervisor, you are responsible for your team and their results. Your charge is to get work done through others which requires a different skillset.

Required skills are self-awareness, communication, empathy, delegation, resilience and developing others.

Supervisors need an awareness of their own attitudes, assumptions, biases and beliefs – all of which must be checked at the door. As a supervisor, you will need to figure out how to communicate with each team member to maximum effect and recognize that one size does not fit all. You will need to understand or find out what is being “said” through behaviors and how to shift behaviors if they are inhibiting individual, team or organizational progress. This means being sensitive to the needs and motivations of others. Oneon-one meetings on a regular basis are the best way to accomplish this.

Conceptual Another muscle that must be exercised is a conceptual mindset. This means thinking more globally and strategically. Supervisors need to see the enterprise as a whole and not only understand how their unit/ 40

department/branch/group fits in, but be able to articulate this clearly to team members. Connecting the purpose of the organization to every job is a key responsibility of a supervisor.

Recognizing how the various functions of the organization depend on one another and how changes in one part affect the others is critical. This is systems thinking. Nothing happens in a vacuum. Understanding and operating like this will help break down silos.

Lastly, visualize the relationship of the organization to the community and the political, social and economic forces at work. What is happening currently? What is likely to happen in the future? How can we prepare today? As a supervisor, you need to be aware of and help your team prepare for inevitable change.

Monitoring and Evaluating One of the most challenging areas for supervisors is performance management. This is a topic of much debate and experimentation since traditional processes are time consuming and almost universally despised by supervisors and employees. Nonetheless, monitoring and evaluating employees are important parts of the supervisor’s role.

In a coaching relationship, the supervisor involves the employee by asking questions, listening effectively and following up with more questions.

A performance management cycle typically has five steps: • Step 1. Planning work and setting expectations • Step 2. Observing individual performance • Step 3. Developing the capacity to perform • Step 4. Evaluating performance • Step 5. Recognizing successful performance This cycle is moving away from an annual process toward an ongoing process anchored by regular checkins with employees that provide closer to real time feedback, recognition and development.

Despite the timing, there are some key factors that lead to maximizing an employee’s performance.

The most important is working with the employee to set expectations.

These expectations need to be clear, measurable and jointly created.

By eliciting the employee’s input, the employee is more likely to buy into the goals and achieve them.

Clarity is achieved by defining what success looks like in measurable and observable terms. Competency models include behavioral indicators which can be used to measure soft skills like customer service, communication and team work.

Once expectations are clear, the focus becomes ongoing monitoring that includes regular feedback.

Feedback should take a couple of forms: recognition and coaching.

Recognition sets the stage for repeatable good performance. You can reinforce this by articulating the

California Special District – May-June 2017

action and effect of the positive behavior.

The action explains why it was a good job and the effect ties the behavior back to the outcome for the team/customer/ organization. By saying more than “Good job!” you are encouraging the employee to do more of the same with an understanding of why.

Coaching and Motivation That leads us into coaching. In a coaching relationship, the supervisor involves the employee by asking questions, listening effectively and following up with more questions. The employee is actively engaged in problemsolving and the supervisor is providing guidance and support.

This should take the form of on-the-job training, asking questions to cultivate critical thinking and giving employees opportunities to try new skills. Your employees will become better, more engaged performers if you do not always give them the answers. Help them discover better ways of operating by challenging them to problem solve.

Examples of coaching questions include: • What issue would you like to work on?

• What outcome are you seeking by the end of this conversation?

• What action steps have you taken so far and how has that gone?

Continued on page 42

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Solutions & Innovations [continued] • What resources have you used and what further resources would be helpful?

• What are some different ways you could approach this issue?

• What would you do if you could start again with a clean sheet?

• How will you know when you have achieved success?

• What support do you need from me or others?

Motivation is another powerful tool for a supervisor. It is important to first recognize that motivation needs to come from the employee.

It is impossible to motivate someone who is unwilling to engage. As a supervisor, you must learn how to tap into the intrinsic motivations of each employee so they will want to engage. Basic principles include: • Motivating employees starts with motivating yourself; be a role model.

• Always work to align goals of the organization with goals of the employees.

• Understand what motivates each employee; it is not the same for everyone.

• Supporting employee motivation is a process, not a task; motivating factors can and will change.

Some simple strategies you can try are handing out lifesavers, writing personal notes, creating career or skill paths, setting up casual or themed dress days, encouraging employees to organize social events, offering training and engaging in regular one-on-one conversations to build a healthy relationship.

The biggest motivator for an employee is knowing that their supervisor has their back. Employees need to feel like their supervisor wants them to be successful.

Then a virtuous cycle begins where both employee and supervisor are working together toward mutual goals that can lead to superhero performance by all.

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CSDA Membership Delivers More.

CSDA is proud of our ability to provide strong, respected representation of special districts at the state capitol.

We’re happy to bring quality education programs to your board members and staff. And we’re delighted to be the association you trust to get timely, valuable information.

Bank of the West – CSDA branded purchasing card program designed for special districts.

But did you know your membership in CSDA can deliver even more to keep your agency running efficiently and effectively? We are constantly on the lookout to identify and partner with businesses that have a reputation for top-quality services, products and customer support.

These businesses have agreed to offer their services tailored to CSDA members. CSDA’s Value-Added Benefits deliver cost-effective solutions to meet your agency’s needs now and in the future.

Employee Relations – Employment background investigations, drug testing and employee hotline services.

It’s just one more way CSDA membership delivers more.

Call Member Services at 877.924.2732 for information on any of these services:

California CAD Solutions – Digital mapping solutions.

CalTRUST – Pooled investment accounts.

Streamline – Website design system and transparency tools.

U.S. Communities -– Discounted purchasing forum for office supplies, technology products and more.

Utility Cost Management - Utility bill audits and energy efficient advisory services.

CSDA members have access to exclusive programs delivered by our California Special Districts Alliance Partners: • CSDA Finance Corporation – visit www.csdafinance.net for tax-exempt municipal financing • Special District Risk Management Authority (SDRMA) – visit www.sdrma.org for cost-effective Workers’ Compensation, Property & Liability and Health Coverages

Legal Brief E-mails and Text Messages on Personal Accounts and Devices May Be Public Records Subject to Disclosure

By Ruthann G. Ziegler and Nicholaus W. Norvell, Meyers Nave On March 2, the California Supreme Court decided a landmark case concerning the California Public Records Act (“CPRA,” Government Code §§ 6250 et seq.), which is expected to have wide ranging administrative, operational and financial impacts on special districts and other public agencies. The case concerned whether e-mails and text messages sent or received on personal accounts or devices of public officials and employees were subject to production under the CPRA. The Court held that such communications, if they relate to the conduct of public business, are subject to the CPRA and may be public records subject to disclosure. (City of San Jose v.

Superior Court (Smith) (March 2, 2017, S218066).)

The case arose from a 2009 CPRA request and a determination by the City of San Jose that emails and/ or text messages on the personal cell phones of the mayor, one or more councilmembers, and staff were not subject to the CPRA. The trial court disagreed, directing that these writings be evaluated as subject to the CPRA. The appellate court reversed the trial court, finding that the CPRA only applied to writings in the possession or custody, or under the control of, the City. The appellate court determined that the writings, being on personal devices, did not meet this CPRA requirement. The Supreme Court interpreted this requirement differently, and reversed.

44

Under the CPRA, a public record includes “any writing containing information relating to the conduct of the public’s business prepared, owned, used, or retained by any state or local agency regardless of physical form or characteristics.” (Section 6252 (e).)

According to the Court, communications such as e-mails and text messages on personal accounts and devices can qualify as public records if their contents relate to the conduct of public business. The mere fact that the communications were on an official’s or employee’s personal cell phone or tablet, or sent to/from the official’s or employee’s personal e-mail account, did not dictate whether the communication was a public record.

How to Differentiate Public Records and Private Information The Court acknowledged that it might be difficult to draw the line between public records and private information on personal accounts and devices. The Court indicated that distinguishing the difference would involve several factors, including: (1) the content of the communication itself; (2) the context of, or purpose for, the communication; (3) the person to whom the communication was directed; and (4) whether the communication “was prepared by an employee acting or purporting to act within the scope of his or her employment.” As an example, the Court explained that, depending on the precise context, an e-mail to a spouse complaining about a co-worker would not be a public record. On the other hand, an e-mail to a supervisor about a co-worker’s performance might be a public record.

The Court held that records which otherwise “meet CPRA’s definition of ‘public records’ do not lose this status because they are located in an employee’s personal account.” Furthermore, when a public employee prepares a writing to conduct public business, the writing “has been ‘prepared by’ the agency within the meaning of” the CPRA, regardless of whether the writing was prepared using the employee’s personal account.

Special districts should carefully consider the information technology implications of any new or revised policies to ensure such policies are technologically feasible.

How to Navigate Privacy Concerns In reaching this significant decision, the Court addressed important privacy concerns raised by the City of San Jose and related parties. First, if a record contains both public and private information, the Court reassured public agencies that they can redact information that is exclusively personal or otherwise exempt from disclosure under the CPRA. Second, and more significantly, the City was concerned with how they can locate responsive records on personal accounts and devices without violating public officials’ or employees’ privacy rights. Relying on federal and state court decisions in similar cases, the Court offered guidance on how California public agencies can conduct searches that are reasonably calculated to locate responsive documents, even if those documents are contained on personal accounts and devices.

Specifically, the Court provided several suggestions for public agencies in this area. Citing cases involving the federal Freedom of Information Act, the Court suggested that it may be sufficient for individual employees or officials to search their own records and separate public records from personal records, “so long as the employees have been properly trained in how to distinguish between the two.” The Court noted that, for federal employees, if an employee “withholds a document identified as potentially responsive,” he or she may provide an affidavit explaining the factual basis for why the document is a personal record and not a public record. The Court indicated that this type of process could meet an agency’s duty to produce responsive records while also protecting individual privacy interests of officials and employees. In addition, the Court noted that California public agencies might consider adopting policies to reduce the possibility of public records being located on personal devices or accounts.

Next Steps for Public Agencies Moving forward following the decision, California special districts and other public agencies may wish to consider adopting or updating district policies to address the following issues: • Whether district officials and employees may use personal accounts or devices to conduct public business and, if so, what steps officials and employees should take to copy those records into the district’s records management system.

California Special District – May-June 2017

• Develop procedures for how district officials and employees will locate and produce potentially responsive records on personal devices and accounts when the district is responding to a CPRA request for such records.

• Ensure that the district’s records retention policies address various categories of public records that might be transmitted on personal accounts or devices.

Special districts should carefully consider the information technology implications of any new or revised policies to ensure such policies are technologically feasible. In addition, districts should keep in mind that policy changes like those described above may trigger meet and confer obligations with employee organizations.

Continued on page 46

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Legal Brief [continued] to do so by a CPRA request, or (2) how should public agencies handle communications on personal accounts and/or devices of former or departing officials and employees?

The San Jose decision will undoubtedly have a significant impact on how California’s special districts and other public agencies handle CPRA requests.

CPRA litigation can be costly to public agencies—especially because an agency must pay a requesting party’s attorney fees if that party wins a lawsuit regarding public records access and disclosure. For that reason, districts should carefully review their policies and consider training or re-training staff on CPRA obligations and recordsrelated policies to avoid potential CPRA liability in the future.

Practical Challenges The San Jose case did not involve, and the Court did not address, numerous practical issues that special districts will have to evaluate when applying the Court’s decision into everyday policies and procedures. For example: (1) what happens when an official or employee refuses to search on his or her personal cell phone or email account when otherwise required

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46

Public agency representatives should consult with legal counsel about this decision for purposes of complying with CPRA obligations, determining how to adopt or update internal records policies, and training staff on any new or changed policies.

Correction from last issue: In the article on “Religion in the Public Sector Workplace” in our March-April 2017 issue, the last paragraph on page 29 mentioned a kirpan as a “Hindu ceremonial knife.” The kirpan is instead a symbolic sword or knife in the Sikh religion.

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California Special District – May-June 2017

anaging Risk

When Is an Employee Not Acting as an Employee: The Coming and Going Rule?

Within the realm of California law that governs liability of an employer for its employee’s actions, is the concept of the “Going and Coming” rule. Rather than being dictated by a specific statute or law, the foundation of this rule developed over time through various cases decided in court.

The “Going and Coming” rule applies in circumstances where an employee is driving a vehicle during his or her regular commute to or from work, and the employee driver causes a traffic accident. The primary question on whether liability attaches to the employee’s employer is: Was the employee acting in the course and scope of employment as to render the employer liable? In California exceptions to the Going and Coming Rule is a deceptively simple one. There is no reference to the “going and coming” rule concept in the Labor Code. However, the rule has developed over time by case law, essentially holding that the employer is not liable for injuries which occur during an employee’s routine commute. However, it is the exceptions to this rule that catch practitioners unaware and lead, in many cases, to unintended consequences.

Background for “Going and Coming” Rule The rationale for the rule is easy to grasp. The test for an industrial injury has two prongs: 1. AOE – The injury arises out of employment; and 2. COE – The injury occurs in the course of employment. The second prong of this test is not met for an injury that occurs in the course of a routine commute, because the injury has not occurred in the course of employment. The rationale is that the employee is not providing a “service” to the employer, and the employer is not receiving a “benefit” from the employee. But what if the employee is providing a benefit or service to the employer during this commute time? Does that convert a non-industrial injury into an industrial one?

Perhaps. And that is where the many exceptions to the “going and coming” rule come into play.

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48

The “Going and Coming” rule essentially states that the employer is not liable for injuries which occur during an employee’s regular/routine commute. (Hartline v. Kaiser Foundation Hospitals (2005) 132 Cal.App.4th 458.) The underlying reason behind the general rule is that since the employee is not providing a specific service to the employer, and the employer is not receiving a specific benefit from the employee, the employee is not acting within the course and scope of employment.

As you may imagine, there are numerous exceptions to the “Going and Coming” rule. These exceptions have been carved out based on facts and evidence which indicated, for example, that an employer compensates the employee for the time traveled during the commute, or the certain vehicle that an employee uses to commute to and from work is also used during work for the employer’s business, or an employer requests that its employee perform an errand during the employee’s regular commute. These are just a few exceptions out of many that exist in the California legal landscape. Just as there are a variety of exceptions, similarly, there are also a variety of cases that clarify and expand the “Going and Coming” rule itself.

Two recent cases, which have been decided in the past year, do just that. Now, employers can breathe a little sigh of relief based on these court rulings.

One of the exceptions to the “Going and Coming” rule is that if the employer requires the employee to provide his/her own transportation as a condition of employment or the employer requires the employee to use his/her vehicle for work purposes, then the employee

Officers

Jean Bracy, SDA, President, Mojave Desert Air Quality Management District Ed Gray, Vice President, Chino Valley Independent Fire District Sandy Raffleson, Secretary, Herlong Public Utility District Special District Risk Management Authority 1112 I Street, Suite 300 Sacramento, CA 95814 tel: 800.537.7790 www.sdrma.org

Members of the Board

David Aranda, SDA, Mountain Meadows Community Services District Muril Clift Mike Scheafer, Costa Mesa Sanitary District Robert Swan, Groveland Community Services District

Consultants

Lauren Brant, Public Financial Management Ann Siprelle, Best Best & Krieger, LLP David McMurchie, McMurchie Law Derek Burkhalter, Bickmore Risk Services & Consulting Charice Huntley, River City Bank David Becker, CPA, James Marta & Company, LLP Karl Snearer, Apex Insurance Agency Doug Wozniak, Alliant Insurance Services, Inc.

is acting within the course and scope of employment. (Hinojosa v. WCAB (1972) 8 Cal. 3d 150; Lobo v. Tamco (2010) 182 Cal. App.4th 297.) Keeping that exception in mind, in Jorge v. Culinary Institute of America (2016) 3 Cal.App.5th 382, an instructor for a culinary school, who had just finished teaching a class, collided with a pedestrian while driving from the school back home. A fact that went against the employer (Culinary Institute of America) is that the employer occasionally required that the instructor use his own vehicle to travel to events held outside of the school. Another fact that tends to satisfy the exception of the “Going and Coming” rule is that at the time of the accident, the instructor was transporting his tools (chef knives) for work and uniform (chef jacket), which needed to be laundered and used for work. However, despite these facts, the California Court of Appeal held that the employer did not prescribe or order how the instructor had to regularly commute to/ from the school. Ultimately, the vehicle used by the instructor was not material to the employer’s business, especially in the context of the accident. Accordingly, it was decided that the instructor was not acting within the course and scope of employment; rather, the “Going and Coming” rule applied, resulting in non-liability for the employer in this instance.

In Pierson v. Helmerich & Payne Internat. Drilling Co. (2016) 4 Cal.App.5th 608, a worker caused an accident while driving home after work. During this drive home, the worker was also giving a ride to two other employees to their hotel. It is worth noting that the hotel was paid for by the employer. Nonetheless, just as in the Jorge case above, the Court of Appeal found that the “Going and Coming” rule applied, since the worker was traveling from work to his home. But what about the fact the worker was transporting other employees who worked for the employer? What about the fact that the employees that were given a ride were being taken not to their personal homes, but to lodgings paid by the employer?

It appears that the reasonable expectations, requirements, and requests of the employer were more significant factors for the Court to reach its decision. In this case, the Court found that the worker gave a ride to the other employees as a personal favor to the employees, and such a ride was not requested or required in any way, explicitly or impliedly, by the employer.

As you can see, case law continues to develop in regards to the “Going and Coming” rule, including the myriad of exceptions that may apply. Therefore, it is vital to stay abreast with the recent case law in order to navigate the potential risks and liabilities that pertain to your business.

California Special District – May-June 2017

SDRMA Staff

Gregory S. Hall, ARM, Chief Executive Officer C. Paul Frydendal, CPA, Chief Operating Officer Dennis Timoney, ARM, Chief Risk Officer Ellen Doughty, ARM, Chief Member Services Officer Heather Thomson, CPA, Chief Financial Officer Debbie Yokota, AIC, Claims Manager Wendy Tucker, Member Services Manager Susan Swanson, CPA, Finance Manager Danny Pena, Senior Claims Examiner Alana Little, Senior HR/Health Benefits Specialist Sarah Dronberger, HR/Health Benefits Specialist Heidi Singer, Claims Examiner Michelle Halverson, Accountant Alexandra Santos, Member Services Specialist Rajnish Raj, Accounting Technician Rachel Saldana, Administrative Assistant

Sources and Authority “An employee is not considered to be acting within the scope of employment when going to or coming from his or her place of work. This rule, known as the going-and-coming rule, has several exceptions. Generally, an exception to the going-and-coming rule will be found when the employer derives some incidental benefit from the employee’s trip.” (Anderson v. Pacific Gas & Electric Co. (1993) 14 Cal.App.4th 254, 258 [17 Cal.Rptr.2d 534], internal citations omitted.)

“If the employee is not simply on his way from his home to his normal place of work or returning from said place to his home for his own purpose, but is coming from his home or returning to it on a special errand either as part of his regular duties or at a specific order or request of his employer, the employee is considered to be in the scope of his employment from the time that he starts on the errand until he has returned or until he deviates therefrom for personal reasons.” (Boynton v. McKales (1956) 139 Cal.App.2d 777, 789 [294 P.2d 733], internal citations omitted.)

The going-and-coming rule “is based on the theory that the employment relationship is suspended from the time the employee leaves his job until he returns and on the theory that during the normal everyday commute, the employee is not rendering services directly or indirectly to his employer.” (Felix v.

Asai (1987) 192 Cal.App.3d 926, 931 [237 Cal.Rptr. 718].)

One specific exception to the going-and-coming rule is when the employer compensates the employee for travel time to and from work. (See Hinman v. Westinghouse Electric Co. (1970) 2 Cal.3d 956, 962 [88 Cal.Rptr. 188, 471 P.2d 988].)

Some examples of the special-errand exception include: (1) where an employee goes on a business errand for his employer, leaving from his workplace and returning to his workplace; (2) where an employee is called to work to perform a special task for the employer at an irregular time; and (3) where the employer asks an employee to perform a special errand after the employee leaves work but before going home. (Felix, supra, 192 Cal.App.3d at pp. 931-932.)

The employee is still within the scope of employment after the errand is completed. (Trejo v. Maciel (1966) 239 Cal.App.2d 487, 495 [48 Cal.Rptr. 765].)

For more information, please contact SDRMA Chief Risk Officer, Dennis Timoney at dtimoney@sdrma.org.

District Snapshots The Monte Vista Water District Board of Directors awarded Juliana Osorno and Xavier Perez of Montclair High School the “2017 Bruce J. Lance, Jr. Water Scholarship” at their April 27 board meeting. The two $1,000 scholarships were created by the board to recognize Lance for his 44 years of extraordinary service to the district and the community as the agency’s general counsel. Both students were selected from a total of nine applicants who submitted applications and essays responding to the following prompt: “Describe how your perspective on water has changed during the recent statewide drought.” The scholarships have been awarded annually for the past five years to Montclair High School graduating seniors who plan to attend college.

Bythe

Numb3rs

8 million – dollars from state and federal grants and loans received by the Monte Vista Water District to assist in developing and protecting its water supply and distribution system.

181 - gallons of water used per person/day in California.

10 – gallons of water saved per person/day by turning off water when brushing teeth.

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California Special District – May-June 2017

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Money Matters California Public Agencies That Issue Debt Must Now Have Debt Policies

By Mark Campbell, Executive Director, California Debt & Investment Advisory Commission

Government Code (GC) section 8855(i) requires California public agencies to provide certain information to the California Debt and Investment Advisory Commission (CDIAC) no later than 30 days prior to the sale of debt. CDIAC created the Report of Proposed Debt Issuance (RPDI) for this purpose.

SB 1029 (Chapter 307, Statutes of 2016) amends GC section 8855(i) to require issuers to certify on the RPDI that they have adopted local debt policies and that these debt policies incorporate the issue of debt being reported to CDIAC. In addition, the policies must address five elements: A) The purposes for which the debt proceeds may be used; B) The types of debt that may be issued; C) The relationship of the debt to, and integration with, the issuer’s capital improvement plan or budget, if applicable; D) Policy goals related to the issuers planning and objectives, and; E) The internal control procedures that the issuer has implemented, or will implement, to ensure that the proceeds of the debt will be directed to their intended purposes.

Debt policies, if thoughtfully developed and employed, can assist debt managers to make decisions and support efforts to identify conflicts, inconsistencies, and gaps in a local agency’s approach to project finance. It can also be instrumental in setting a proper balance between limits on the use of debt financing and the need to respond to unforeseen circumstances and opportunities.

Lacking a set of well-understood and wellcommunicated policies, issuers may run into problems in both the issuance and administration of debt.

Failures, including the injudicious use of debt, poorly structured debt or repayment, or not meeting disclosure or tax obligations, may result in ratings downgrades or worse, costly violations of securities law and erode the public’s confidence in their governmental agencies.

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The Requirements of GC Section 8855(i) as Amended by SB 1029 Using the framework of journalistic inquiry, let’s talk about the requirements of SB 1029 that pertain to debt policies.

Who is subject to the new requirements imposed by SB 1029?

Section 8855(i) refers to “local” debt policies.

CDIAC has understood this to mean that only local governments that issue debt are considered. CDIAC defines local governments to include any city, city and county, county, public district, public corporation, authority, agency, board, commission, or other local public entity. By definition, then, the State of California and its instrumentalities as well as not-for-profit organizations are excluded. However, even the State will soon implement debt management policies that cover most of the elements deemed to be ‘best practices’.

Where the “who” question gets tricky is in a conduit financing. Whether a local government conduit issuer must have debt policies is contingent upon the nature of the borrower. If the borrower is also a local government then the conduit issuer is subject to the certification requirement. However, if the borrow is not a local government, a not-for-profit, for example, then it is not subject to the requirement.

Officers

Jo MacKenzie, President, Vista Irrigation District Leslie Keane, Vice President, Orange County Cemetery District Paul Hughes, Secretary, South Tahoe Public Utilities District Matthew McCue, Treasurer, Mission Springs Water District

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Members of the Board

Alex Brandon, Phelan Pinon Hills Community Services District Glenn Lazof, Regional Government Services Authority Vince Ferrante, Moss Landing Harbor District

What must an issuer do to comply with this new requirement?

The intent of SB 1029 is to encourage issuers to undertake a deliberative assessment of their community’s goals and objectives and their capacity to finance them through debt. As a result, their local debt policies must address the five (5) elements identified above. The debt policies must then be adopted by the governing body through a formal action.

How must an issuer make the certification required by SB 1029?

If you are a local government issuer that is subject to the requirement to certify that it has adopted local debt policies you must, when submitting the RPDI, respond to the following statement appearing on the RPDI: “The issuer has complied with the requirements of SB 1029 with respect to local debt policies— YES, NO, N/A”. If you have adopted local debt policies that meet the requirements of SB 1029 you will likely check the YES box. If you have not yet adopted, do not have local debt policies, or do not have local debt policies that comply with SB 1029 you will check the NO box. If you are not a local government or the borrower is not a local government you will check NA.

Consultants

Rick Brandis, Brandis Tallman, LLC David McMurchie, McMurchie Law William Morton, Municipal Finance Corporation Albert Reyes, Nossaman, LLP Saul Rosenbaum, Prager & Co., LLC Deborah Scherer, BNY Mellon Trust Co., NA Nicole Tallman, Brandis Tallman, LLC

CSDAFC Staff

Neil McCormick, CEO Cathrine Lemaire, Program Manager Beth Hummel, Executive Assistant Rick Wood, Finance & Administrative Director

Include in your debt policies only the types of debt you are authorized to issue. If you cannot issue enterprise revenue bonds, do not include them in your debt policies. Describe the type of debt you are authorized to issue, cite the authority (statute or other authority), and the purposes for which each type of debt may be used.

Continued on page 58

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When must an issuer make this certification?

The triggering event is the submission of RPDI. As a result, if you are a local government issuer and submit a RPDI after January 1, 2017 you must respond to the statement regarding the certification of debt policies.

Keys to Success It’s important to remember that governmental plans, particularly debt management plans, are not an event. They are a process.

As a public agency, you are likely to be engaged in a continuous process of assessing your priorities and how you will finance them. If through debt, you should have already considered the type of debt your agency will assume and how much debt you will carry. Because the answers to these and other questions relating to the use of debt differ between agencies no one debt policy works for all issuers.

When developing your local debt policies, you can ensure that they will comply with SB 1029 if you adhere to the best practice recommendations of the Government Finance Officers Association regarding writing debt policies. As for the five elements that must now be considered in your debt policies because of SB 1029, consider these points.

California Special District – May-June 2017

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[What’s so special]

A Cemetery So Popular, People Are Dying To Get In! Palm Springs Cemetery District

The Palm Springs Cemetery District (PSCD) operates two cemeteries: the Welwood Murray Cemetery in Palm Springs, and the Desert Memorial Park (DMP) in Cathedral City. Many prominent civic and community leaders, as well as many famous desert pioneers, are buried in the Welwood Murray Cemetery; while celebrities such as Sonny Bono and Frank Sinatra have chosen Desert Memorial Park as their final resting place.

California Special District talked to Kathleen Jurasky, general manager of the Palm Springs Cemetery District, about what makes this cemetery district special and how it has grown over the last 100 years.

Congratulations on your 20th anniversary as district manager of the Palm Springs Cemetery District. What about the Palm Springs Cemetery District has kept you going for the last 20 years?

Thanks, thanks! But I would be the first to tell you that I could never do this on my own; it takes an amazing Board of Trustees to be open to new ideas and the wisdom to act on those ideas. I also have to acknowledge my staff who gives me the daily operational support that it takes to be the success that we are. But personally, it is the nature of making a huge difference to a large number of people that come to us at a very difficult time of their lives and facilitating a positive experience for them.

What is special about cemetery districts?

It’s all about the service beyond the product that we provide. It’s about the support, the compassion, the experience that is so imperative while helping others navigate through the emotions of making final arrangements for their loved ones. Our goal is to assure handling one of the most difficult times in their lives is as easy as possible.

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This year marks the 60th anniversary of Desert Memorial Park. How has this cemetery grown over the years under your leadership and are there any plans for changes in the near future?

We have strived to enhance the experience of our visitors and families over the years through a variety of ways. We have expanded services to include Saturday and Sunday internments, conducted multiple exterior renovations and property upgrades including a new sidewalk, landscape improvements to support water conservation, and built a new, more modern administration building. Before the old administration building was removed, the District allowed local fire departments to use it for search and rescue training.

In addition, PSCD has earned the following achievements: Accredited as a District of Distinction and has also earned the District Transparency Certificate of Excellence, both through the Special District Leadership Foundation; First in the nation to have a memorial installation dedicated in honor of gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender veterans; Recipient of the David Goldware Friend of the Veteran award from Riverside County; 2015 Nominee for Business of the Year in Cathedral City; and 2015 Nominee for Small Business Innovator of the Year in Cathedral City.

Visiting the grave sites of prominent individuals from history has become a part of tourism across the globe. Does the district provide tours or a guide for visitors to identify the many celebrities and desert pioneers that are buried on the grounds?

We have an “Interments of Interest” handout that includes a cemetery map, the name of the deceased, date of birth and death, cemetery name and grave location.

This information is also posted in a marque outside the District office, and a supply of handouts is kept in a bin below the marque. This limits the number of visitors inside the office, thus reducing staff being interrupted.

Does the Palm Springs Cemetery District host any events in conjunction with Memorial Day? What other events does the cemetery host on an annual basis?

Yes, we host Memorial Day services annually. We also host a Dia de los Muertos/Day of the Dead event, which started four years ago and features mariachi bands, folkloric dancers, arts and crafts, face painting, student art contest, community altar, and food vendors. This has turned into an event that the community looks forward to each year.

Palm Springs Cemetery District Location: Riverside Website: www.pscemetery.com Budget: $1,041,669

Established: 1917 District Size: 504 square miles Population: 155,205

The Palm Springs Cemetery District is the first public cemetery in California to offer a burial site for pets. How did this come about and what is the expected date of completion?

Public cemeteries by law can’t operate a pet cemetery, so after more than 12 years discussing the possibility of changing these laws without success, the District’s attorney suggested a non-profit be formed. The Pet Memorial Park Cemetery, a 501(c)(3), was formed last year and will be built with donations. We do not have a completion date just yet since we are still in the planning stages.

The PCSD Board of Trustees has designated five-acres of District land for the Pet Memorial Park Cemetery. The landscape, building, and interior design services for the cemetery have been donated by different agencies. In addition, a survey of the cemetery site, project management services, and legal services have been donated as well for the development of Pet Memorial Park Cemetery.

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Money Matters [continued] plan or long-term financial plan by integrating the goals and objectives identified in them.

Discuss the method of sale, including considerations and goals for determining which method will be used and when. Regarding debt structure, the policies should address the term of the debt, the structure of the debt service or amortization schedule, whether the issuer will provide for redemptions and what form, if any, of credit enhancement may be used.

To encourage an integrated planning process that acknowledges

the issuer’s long-term strategies, the plan should reflect decisions made in the capital improvement or facility plan. This includes recognition of the particular projects, their costs, source of funding and financing. In addition, the plan should be supported by the issuer’s budget plan which identifies the uses of debt financing and the impact of servicing the debt on the issuer’s other programs and services. The issuer’s debt policies should affirm the issuer’s strategic

The issuer’s debt plan should address the agency’s internal control system and measures that will be taken to ensure that proceeds of the debt are spent in the manner intended. The internal control system is, itself, a combination of several other elements that should be set forth in a separate internal control plan. These include the agency’s accounting procedures, its audit programs, the use and role of oversight and external review bodies, and the bond documents that set up the financial accounts and assign responsibility for managing expenditures.

Additional information on this topic is contained in a CDIAC-hosted webinar on Creating SB 1029 Compliant Debt Policies available on CDIAC’s Education page at www.treasurer.ca.gov/cdiac/.

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