DATE: December 3, 2024
TO: Board of Supervisors
SUBMITTED BY: James A. Kus, County Clerk/Registrar of Voters
SUBJECT: Appointment of Directors to Special District Boards in Accordance with California Elections Code Section 10515(b)
RECOMMENDED ACTION(S):
TITLE
1. Consider and appoint candidates to the Fig Garden Fire Protection District Board of Directors: Richard Caglia to a full-term expiring December 1, 2028, and Erik S. Peterson and Heather Walker Janz to a short-term expiring December 4, 2026; and
2. Consider and appoint candidate Ralph Scott Moore to the Sierra Cedars Community Services District Board of Directors to a short-term expiring December 4, 2026.
REPORT
Approval of the first recommended action will appoint three directors to the Fig Garden Fire Protection District (Fig Garden FPD) board of directors. Approval of the second recommended action will appoint one director to the Sierra Cedars Community Services District (Sierra Cedars CSD) board of directors. The Fig Garden FPD is governed by California Health and Safety Code section 13800 et seq. The Sierra Cedars CSD is governed by California Government Code Section 61000 et seq. This item pertains to locations in Districts 2 and 5.
ALTERNATIVE ACTION(S):
If the recommended actions are not approved, the director positions will remain vacant for the two boards.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no increase in Net County Cost associated with the recommended actions.
DISCUSSION:
In accordance with California Elections Code Section 10515(b), the Board of Supervisors, as the supervising authority, shall appoint any person to the office who is qualified on the date when the election would have been held if no person has filed a declaration of candidacy for any office. Fresno County is the principal county for the previously named Special Districts.
The Fig Garden FPD submitted a Boards, Commissions, Committees (BCC) Application to the Clerk of the Board of Supervisors for Richard Caglia on October 24, 2024. Richard Caglia is a current board member; he was appointed by the district in 2022 to a term set to expire in December 2024. He did not file a declaration of candidacy for the November 5, 2024 Consolidated General Election. On July 17, 2024, the Fig Garden FPD submitted an executed Resolution requesting consolidation of a ballot measure with the November 5, 2024, General Election. The passing of the measure expands the District’s Board of Directors from three to five members. With the passing of the measure, the two newly added vacant district board member seats may be filled at the same time as its approval in accordance with Health and Safety Code section 13845(d) and consistent with Health and Safety Code section 13841. The Fig Garden FPD submitted BCC Applications to the Clerk of the Board of Supervisors for Erik Peterson on October 28, 2024, and for Heather Walker Janz on November 5, 2024. Both candidates will fill the two newly vacant board member seats until 2026, and subsequently, both seats will be added to the 2026 election cycle with terms expiring in 2030. All three candidates are qualified to serve on the Fig Garden FPD board pursuant to California Health and Safety Code Section 13841.
The Sierra Cedars CSD submitted a BCC Application to the Clerk of the Board of Supervisors for Ralph Scott Moore on October 24, 2024. Ralph Scott Moore is a current board member, he was appointed by the Sierra Cedars CSD on October 10, 2023, to serve the unexpired term set to expire in December 2024. He did not file a declaration of candidacy for the November 5, 2024 Consolidated General Election. The candidate is qualified to serve on the Sierra Cedars CSD board pursuant to California Government Code Section 61040.
The districts’ five-member board of directors are elected to serve a staggered four-year term. With your Board’s appointments, the full-term appointment will expire in 2028, and short-term appointments will expire in 2026.
ATTACHMENTS INCLUDED AND/OR ON FILE:
On file with Clerk - BCC Application, Richard Caglia
On file with Clerk - BCC Application, Erik S. Peterson
On file with Clerk - BCC Application, Heather Walker Janz
On file with Clerk - BCC Application, Ralph Scott Moore
On file with Clerk - Fig Garden FPD Resolution No. 2024-05
On file with Clerk - Amended Fig Garden FPD Resolution No. 2024-05
CAO ANALYST:
Ahla Yang