DATE: March 9, 2021
TO: Board of Supervisors
SUBMITTED BY: Jean M. Rousseau, County Administrative Officer
SUBJECT: Nomination for San Joaquin River Conservancy Governing Board River Landowner
RECOMMENDED ACTION(S):
TITLE
Nominate Ms. Ginny Hovsepian to the Governor for appointment of a public member representing the landowners in the San Joaquin River bottom to the San Joaquin River Conservancy Governing Board.
REPORT
The San Joaquin River Conservancy is an agency of the State of California. Selection and membership of the Governing Board is defined in State statute (Public Resources Code section 32515). Based on a rotation, Fresno County and Madera County nominate public members from environmental organizations or San Joaquin River bottom landowners to the Governing Board every four years. For the 2021-2024 term, Fresno County will nominate public members representing landowners which will replace a member of an environmental organization nominated by Fresno County four years ago, whose term has expired. Conversely, Madera County will nominate public members representing an environmental organization which will replace the landowner’s representative nominated by Madera County four years ago, whose term is expiring.
County staff solicited nominations from San Joaquin River bottom landowners. The nominee filed an application, which is on file with the Clerk of the Board. No other applications were received.
ALTERNATIVE ACTION(S):
The current 2017-2020 public member term expired on December 31, 2020. Your Board has the option of extending the period to solicit additional names from which to select nominations to forward to the Governor. Should this be the case, the seat will remain vacant until filled.
Your Board also has the option of establishing additional criterion for County nominees, in addition to criteria established by State statute requiring nomination by your Board of San Joaquin River bottom landowners . This action would delay appointment of the public member.
However, due to notification of landowners and sufficiency of the nominations, staff does not believe that additional solicitation, or narrowing of criteria, will result in a greater pool of applicants.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no increase in Net County Cost associated with the recommended action. Staff activity to solicit nominations has been a Net County Cost. Staff in the Clerk to the Board, the CAO’s office and Public Works and Planning Department have conducted these activities within existing budgets in the regular course of duties.
DISCUSSION:
The San Joaquin River Conservancy is a State agency charged with acquisition and management of lands constituting the San Joaquin River Parkway, from Route 99 to the Friant Dam. The Governing Board is made up of State agency representatives, local elected officials, and public members.
The four-year terms of the current public members representing landowners and environmental groups expired on December 31, 2020. In 2016 your Board nominated a representative from an environmental group, resulting in the appointment of Paul Gibson. Paul Gibson will be replaced upon appointment by the Governor of the representative of the San Joaquin River Bottom landowners nominated by your Board. Similar to Fresno County, Madera County is required to nominate new representatives of environmental organizations to the Governor.
ATTACHMENTS INCLUDED AND/OR ON FILE:
On file with Clerk - Application
CAO ANALYST:
Samantha Buck