My Letter to the Marinwood CSD about EXTENDING their TERM without a vote

Dear Marinwood CSD Board:                                                                                           March 8, 2017

Tonight you have a choice to honor or dishonor the voters of Marinwood CSD in an attempt to comply with California SB415 the “California Voter Participation Rights Act” . There are two possible solutions 1.) shorten the current terms to three years 2.) lengthen the current term to five years for all members. 3) Option 3: Wait to see if state amends SB 415. The final option would be to defer action until the end of 2017 to see if the state legislature will change SB 415. Some cities and Los Angeles County oppose SB 415 and are seeking an amendment to the law. LA County says it does not have the capacity to handle all elections in June or November of even years.

 Here is an excerpt of the staff recommendations for the City of San Rafael :

“ANALYSIS: SB 415 requires that the City either begin the new election schedule in 2018, or that by January 1, 2018, the Council adopt a plan for effecting the schedule change no later than 2022. The change to even-year elections will require interim adjustments to the Mayor’s and City Council terms, either to 3- year terms, or to 5-year terms. Therefore, the City Council has a few options for how to transition to the new schedule, and staff seeks direction from the Council on how it wishes to do so. Staff recommends maintaining a November election date to maintain consistency in the length of the terms of all seats on the Council and thus to minimize disruption from the changes. 

The primary decision to make is whether to extend to 5 years or reduce to 3 years the terms of the Mayor and Council members during the transition period. 

 There are a few options:

1. 3-year terms:

 Prior to this year’s general municipal election, reduce the terms of the Mayor and all Councilmembers to 3 years. At the November 7, 2017 election, two City Council seats would be open for election to a 3-year term ending in 2020. At the November 2019 election, the office of Mayor and two Council seats would be open for election to a 3-year term ending in 2022.

2. 5-year terms: This can be done in two ways:

a.     Prior to this year’s general municipal election, expressly extend the terms of the Mayor and all Councilmembers to 5 years, proceed with the 2017 election, and then schedule the next general municipal election for November, 2020. The result of this would be that at the November 7, 2017 election, two City Council seats would be open for election to a 5-year term ending in 2022. The office of Mayor and two City Council seats that would otherwise have ended in 2019 would be extended to 2020 and would become 5-year terms.

b.    
Wait until after the November 7, 2017 election, and then schedule the next general municipal election for November, 2020. The result of this would be that at the November 7, 2017 election, two City Council seats would be open for election to a stated 4-year term, but the term would become a 5-year term by operation of the new election schedule, ending in 2022. The office of Mayor and two City Council seats that would otherwise have ended in 2019 would be extended to 2020 thus becoming 5-year terms by operation of the new schedule. “

Please do the right thing and choose to honor the voters and Marinwood CSD board members. Do not lengthen Marinwood CSD terms that voters chose for four years.  Change the current four year terms to three year terms as outlined above in option 1.  3 year terms.  This is the only solution fair to the community and respects local voting rights.*  

* Although at the 3/8/2017 meeting it was pointed out that there was no provision in the code to allow the reduction of a term in the event of an election realignment,  it still is possible to fill the current terms and hold five year term elections.  This will retain the integrity of the local vote.  Instead the CSD simply choose to EXTEND their terms WITHOUT the public's approval.