2016 Staff Workshop

Speakers will identify opportunities to build and increase trust in the interoffice and interagency relationships crucial to LAFCo’s success.  The discussion will describe how trust is not simply a “soft, social virtue,” but a hard- edged, learnable skill that increases speed and enables teams to maximize performance.  Speaker: Shawn Moon. Moderator: Brendon Freeman. 

This session explores the basics of the Brown Act, California’s open meeting law, for those new to LAFCO as well as experienced staff.  Participants will also have the opportunity to sit as a LAFCO Commissioner during a mock Commission meeting as a means of working through common Brown Act challenges. Moderator: David Ruderman, Attorney, Colantuono, Highsmith & Whatley. Speaker: Erik Conard, County Counsel, County of Los Angeles and Los Angeles LAFCo

PART I:      “Basic Roles and Responsibilities of LAFCo Clerks”
PART II:   “How New Laws Affect LAFCo Clerks”

Part I highlights the importance, scope, and critical roles and responsibilities, as a governmental agency clerk, with a focus on basic roles and responsibilities of LAFCo clerks and application processing timelines.   Speaker: Tamaron R. Luckett, Administrative Assistant, San Diego LAFCo
​Part II addresses how recent laws affect LAFCo clerks, including requirements for a public report on action and vote of each member in open sessions, agendizing CEQA documents, and cataloging information systems. Speaker: Kara Ueda, Attorney, Best & Krieger
Moderator:  Sandy Hou, Commission Clerk, Alameda LAFCo

Conducting authority proceedings are subject to a myriad requirements from various sections of the Cortese-Knox-Hertzberg Act.  This session is oriented to practitioners who want a better understanding of how to implement this important component of the LAFCo process. Moderator: Marjorie Blom, Consultant Speaker: Mike Ott, Executive Officer, San Diego LAFCo

Confused about how to implement the many laws passed in 2015 impacting LAFCo?  Join us as we review the key changes to laws involving disincorporations (AB 851), fire service extensions (SB 239, open governance (SB 272), and mandatory water system consolidations (SB 88).  Speakers will explain the changes each bill makes and identify how they may impact your commission. Moderator/Speaker: Pamela Miller, Executive Director, CALAFCO; Speaker: Kathy Rollings-McDonald, Executive Officer, San Bernardino LAFCo

Part I will address how the legislative approval process works in Sacramento: bill introduction, review by Legislative Counsel, consideration by committee, full house consideration, approval by the Legislature, and signature by the Governor. In Part II, two professionals experienced in the ways of Sacramento will discuss how outside interests work to influence legislation, how CALAFCO represents LAFCos in Sacramento, and how individual LAFCOs can influence outcomes in Sacramento. Moderator: Carol Cooper, Assistant Executive Officer, Sonoma LAFCo Speakers: Harry Ehrlich Local Government Consultant, San Diego LAFCo and Pamela Miller, Executive Director, CALAFCO.

This session is a forum with varying perspective on the issues of water supply and demand in California.  Speakers will address the various Federal, State, and local regulatory environment, and how that impacts growth and development in the state. Moderator: David Church, Executive Officer, San Luis Obispo LAFCo. Speakers: Marisa Christensen Lundin, Attorney, California Rural Legal Assistance, Inc. and Mary Ann Lutz, Policy Advisor, Honorable Congresswoman Grace F. Napolitano 

Speakers will discuss how LAFCos around the state stay abreast of the latest advancements in technology to maintain and improve their websites. Moderator:  Joe Serrano, Local Government Analyst II, San Diego LAFCo. Speakers:  Crystal Craig, Local Government Analyst, Riverside LAFCo and Dieu Ngu, GIS/IT Consultant, San Diego LAFCo

Learn how to enhance your LAFCo website with these tips & tricks from web experts. Moderator: Erica Blom Administrative Assistant, San Diego LAFCo. Speakers: Steven Salcido, Technology Manager, County of Orange and Brendon Freeman, Executive Officer, Napa LAFCo.