Reclamation District No. 2026 (Webb Tract) • 3 Member Board • Population Served: Webb Tract (5,490 Acres Enclosed by 12.8 Miles of Levees)
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California Special Districts Association Contra Costa County Chapter Directory 2010 ! www.csda.net TABLE OF CONTENTS Contra Costa County Chapter ......................................................4 Early History of Contra Costa Special Districts Association ..................5 Cemetery .............................................................................10 Community Services & Resource Conservation ...............................11 Fire Protection ......................................................................14 Health Care ..........................................................................17 Mosquito & Vector Control ........................................................19 Municipal Improvement & Reclamation ........................................20 Map of Special Districts ............................................................21 Recreation and Park ................................................................27 Sanitary ..............................................................................30 Water & Irrigation ...................................................................35 Dependent Special Districts .......................................................38 Index ..................................................................................39 2 Special Districts Introduction Independent special districts are public agencies formed by local residents to provide many of the services the public uses everyday. Locally controlled and highly efficient, independent special districts are very responsive to the people they serve. They are governed by a legislative body, usually a Board of Directors, whose members are either elected or appointed to fixed terms, and they hold regularly scheduled meetings where citizens are encouraged to voice their concerns, ask questions, and provide feedback on the services they receive. In Contra Costa County, there are 49 independent special districts providing a wide variety of cost-effective community services; 44 are governed by elected Board of Directors and 5 are governed by appointed Board of Directors. Some of these services include providing drinking and irrigation water, fire protection, flood control, operation of parks and recreational services, conservation of natural resources, vector control and wastewater collection, treatment and reuse. How independent special districts work…they are: • Sanctioned by the State of California government Codes • Originated as the most economical means of providing public service • Formed by local residents to provide local services • Independent, self-governed agencies • Governed by a Board of Directors • Responsible directly to the people In addition to independent districts, there are 29 dependent districts governed by the Board of Supervisors. For more information on special districts, contact Bette Boatmun at (925)-689-9255, or see our website www.csda.net. 3 Contra Costa County Chapter California Special Districts Association The Contra Costa County Chapter is affiliated with the state-wide organization of the California Special Districts Association (CSDA). This state association provides education and advocacy services for over 1,000 special districts in California. Local chapters are independent groups of special districts formed to create local networks of special district leaders. Some of these special districts have been providing public services for more than 85 years. Chapter’s Purpose: To promote the efficient, economical, and responsive public services offered by the independent special districts of Contra Costa County. Chapter’s Objectives: • To support member districts in the provision of services for the people of Contra Costa County. • To inform the public about the purpose and benefits of local special district government. • To act as a local forum of member districts for discussion and consideration of special district issues and to establish positions and advocacy on such issues among other governmental agencies, including the Contra Costa Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCO), county government, cities, and the state of California. • To act as a communication network among member districts as well as other governmental agencies and organizations. • To carry out workshops and educational seminars and programs on issues of mutual concern and interest to member districts. • To make recommendations to the CSDA Board of Directors. Chapter’s Services: The Contra Costa County Chapter provides liaison service to most levels of local government, such as the Board of Supervisors, LAFCO, Mayors Conference, county planning, cities and citizen committees. Special district representatives provide input to these agencies and committees for coordinating services to all levels of government. The Contra Costa County Chapter holds quarterly membership meetings and will hold special meetings when pertinent topics arise, to review legislation, share information, elect LAFCO representatives, organize 4 special district responses to local and state programs, and cooperate on projects of mutual benefit. Early History of Contra Costa Special Districts Association The Contra Costa Special Districts Association (CCSDA) beginnings date back to 1989, when Chuck Beesley, former General Manager of the Contra Costa Mosquito Abatement District, and Bob Berggren, General Manager of the Pleasant Hill Recreation & Park District, began discussing the need for an organization of a local association of special districts. There were four primary reasons that such an organization was needed. First, independent special districts throughout the state were fighting the general public’s mindset that local government was comprised only of cities and counties. Second, it was common for newly formed redevelopment agencies to transfer property tax growth revenues away from special districts within their boundaries. Third, few citizens recognized that special districts provided them with essential public services. And, fourth, in Contra Costa County, the Board of Supervisors was unwilling to work with local special districts regarding the Special Districts Augmentation Fund (SDAF). Local supervisors were refusing to pass money back to their source as most other counties were doing. The Special District Augmentation Fund – (Repealed in 1993-94.) In 1978, the Legislature established a fund intended to provide a locally administered program of financial assistance to special districts. For the 1978-79 fiscal-years, the Legislature appropriated $192 million to assist special districts in meeting their service needs. This was following the loss of property tax revenue, as a direct result of the passage of Proposition 13. These funds were allocated to the special districts by each county’s Board of Supervisors. They had been intended for independent districts within each county and for each city council to be used for subsidiary districts. Only Contra Costa and Orange Counties were found to be in “non- compliance” during special hearings at the state level, according to Legislative Advocate Ralph Heim, of Sacramento. At that time, he was representing CSDA and other similar state-wide organizations. The fund was developed because, during the initial crisis caused by Proposition 13, the State had more than sufficient funds, while local governments were suffering from the property tax cuts. Ralph reported that Contra Costa County had developed the Sheriff’s Department into a “special district” and was funneling all of this county’s SDAF revenue to that single use. 5 Following the hearings in the State Legislature during 1979 and 1980, this practice was ceased and the monies were returned to their rightful owners. Beesley and Berggren contacted leaders of the handful of independent special districts operating in Contra Costa County. The organizer’s question was: Were they interested in working together on common causes and gaining public awareness? Six districts sent representatives to a first meeting at the Contra Costa Mosquito Abatement District’s headquarters in North Concord. The fledgling group sought the help of other special district associations already existing within the state. Using information from this source, the group soon hunted for help with bylaws and other organizational procedures. The largest source of assistance came from CSDA. Later, the Contra Costa Special Districts Association (CCSDA) became a fully recognized local chapter of the state-wide CSDA. During its first year in existence, CCSDA elected Chuck Beesley as its chair and Bob Berggren as vice-chair. For several years, the association met quarterly at various locations throughout East, West, and Central County. When it became evident that a consistent meeting location drew better attendance, the group began assembling regularly at the Pleasant Hill Community Center, where it meets today. This location was preferred due to its central location in the County. From its earliest days, CCSDA sought the help of state legislators to establish credibility for the organization. Two former legislators were especially active on CCSDA’s behalf. They were Richard L. Rainey, former Sheriff of Contra Costa County, who served in both the State Assembly and State Senate during the 1990’s; and former District Five County Supervisor Tom Torlakson, who succeeded Rainey in the Senate. (Mr. Torlakson had served as an Assemblyman, during the time that Mr. Rainey was serving in the State Senate.) (Mr. Rainey also spoke to other State Associations, one of which was