Blog note: this article references a grand jury report.
On Thursday, July 25, 2019, Yolo County Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCo), will consider an application from the City of West Sacramento to take over Reclamation Districts 900 and 537 (RD 900 and RD 537), despite multiple concerns raised by residents and substantiated in the 2018/2019 Yolo County Grand Jury Report.
In February 2018, Yolo LAFCo completed a municipal service review (MSR) of the Yolo County Reclamation Districts, including RD900 and RD537. Despite the fact that both RD 900 and RD 537 had positive reviews, the Executive Director of Yolo LAFCo recommended to the LAFCO Commission that RD 900 and RD 537 become subsidiary to the City of West Sacramento. This means that the City Council, not independent boards that are currently in place, would be in charge of RD 900 and RD 537.
In August 2018, the City of West Sacramento concurred with the Yolo LAFCO recommendation and submitted their application to make RD 900 and RD 537 subsidiary to the City of West Sacramento.
In December 2018, RD 900 and RD 537 submitted an alternate application which would:
- Consolidate all levee maintaining activities in West Sacramento under RD 900.
- Consolidate all internal drainage functions under the City of West Sacramento.
On July 1, 2019, the Yolo County Grand Jury released their findings and questioned the supportability of the Yolo LAFCo recommendation to consolidate all RD 900 and RD 537 internal drainage and levee maintenance under the purview of the West Sacramento City Council. Some of the Grand Jury’s findings include:
- For unknown reasons, Yolo LAFCo did not include a recommendation to consolidate RD 900 and RD 537 into a single reclamation district, even though such a consolidation is a common recommendation in other similar MSRs.
- It is unclear and untested if the City’s General Fund is shielded from liability in a major flood event if the City Council becomes the board of the two reclamation districts.
- Yolo LAFCo did not fully examine the potential cost savings or issue of liability if the City is in control of West Sacramento’s levee system.
- Yolo LAFCo did not create the appearance of exercising due diligence in meeting its responsibilities to the community.
Despite the Grand Jury's findings, Yolo LAFCo will be proceeding with the hearing to review the City’s application and the RDs alternate application.
By signing this petition, As a resident of West Sacramento, I urge the Yolo LAFCo to accept the alternate application of RD 900 and RD 537 to allow the City of West Sacramento to take over internal drainage but to keep levee maintenance with an independent reclamation district.
July 11, 2019
change.org
By Sheila Johnston
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