SANTA BARBARA COUNTY
SPECIAL DISTRICTS ASSOCIATION
MINUTES
MARCH 22, 2004 at Union Hotel
Pending Approval

Attendees:

Name Title Representing
Arnold, Chuck Director Montecito Sanitary District
Azoury, Kamil General Manager Goleta Sanitary District
Barnard, Kevin Manager Los Alamos CSD
Beattie, Dan Director Santa Ynez CSD
Bernstein, Mitch General Manager S B Coastal Vector Control District
Blair, Charles Director Vandenberg Village CSD
Campbell, Tim Director Cachuma Resource Conservation District
Caraston, Joseph Director Embarcadero Municipal Improvement Dist
Clark, Candyce & Guest Secretary Los Alamos CSD
Conn, Diane Director Isla Vista Recreation & Park District
Cunningham, Jack Director Goleta Water District
Fox, John Director Goleta Sanitary District
Fox, Tony & Guest Director Vandenberg Village CSD
Havener, Leo General Manager Vandenberg Village CSD
Herrera, Bob & Guest Director Los Alamos CSD
Johnson, Derek General Manager Isla Vista Recreation & Park District
Menna, Tom Director Embarcadero Municipal Improvement Dist
Meyer, Larry Director Goleta West Sanitary District
Mullinax, Dave Guest Speaker League of California Cities
Rauch, Robert Guest Speaker  
Rice, Gary General Manager Santa Maria Public Airport District
Schlottmann, Cathy Director Mission Hills CSD
Schwartz, S. David Associate  
Souza, Daryl Director Santa Maria Valley Water Conserv. Dist
Torres, Larry & Guest Director Los Alamos CSD
Warnstrom, Susan Director Mission Hills CSD
Wilson, Larry Director Montecito Water District
Wyckoff, Robert & Guest Director Vandenberg Village CSD

 

Call to Order:
  President John Fox called the meeting to order at 7:26 p.m. at the Union Hotel in Los Alamos. The attendees were introduced. All present participated in the Pledge of Allegiance.
Approval of Minutes
  Motion, second, to approve the Minutes of February 23, 2004. Unanimous.
Treasurer Report:
  Check Arnold reported the checking account balance is $1,302.69 and the savings account balance is $2,692.46.
Guest Speaker:
  Robert Rauch of Rauch Communications:
  Mr. Rauch has worked with special districts for more than 30 years. Mr. Rauch said he sees 9 different types of challenges facing special district in the future:
1) political, including Sacramento news media focusing on the problems of a couple of districts and then legislative reaction to it,
2) environmental, the people want a clean environment and regulations will grow,
3) infrastructure challenges to replace aging systems,
4) regulations from federal, state, and county agencies for public health and safety,
5) technology, which improves service but is costly,
6) work force and employee challenges including employee retention and turnover, training issues, and labor laws,
7) litigation which occurs more frequently,
8) public activism as more people are paying more attention to government while they are skeptical of government, and
9) rising costs, the results of all the above.
  Mr. Rauch said the public will fight if they do not understand the issues facing a district. He suggests each Board periodically ask why it exists and if it is doing a good job. Boards should also take a large view, a regional view, and ask if a more effective job could be done in conjunction with another agency. Constituents should be given information, not data.
Guest Speaker:
  Dave Mullinax of the League of California Cities:
  Mr. Mullinax reported on the signature gathering process for the ballot initiative effort for the Local Taxpayers and Public Safety Protection Act. He said about 370,000 signatures have been gathered, 600,000 are needed by April 15th to qualify. Any questions can be directed to either George Emerson or Dave Mullinax. It was noted that all 9 signatures on each petition form must be from the same county, and post office boxes can not be used.
New Business: None.
Old Business: None.
Adjournment:
  John Fox adjourned the meeting at 8:55 p.m. The next meeting will be held a Goleta location on Monday, April 26, 2004.

 

s/ Cathy Schlottmann

Cathy Schlottmann
 Secretary, SBCSDA