Sorry Marinwood CSD voters, you lose! (Marinwood CSD directors to vote on Wednesday to EXTEND their terms to Five Years without voter approval)

A special meeting will be held by the Marinwood CSD on Wednesday, March 8, 2017 at 6:30 PM for the directors to EXTEND their terms under the guise that they are following a  new California Law SB415.  Eric Dreikosen, simply offers one solution to the problem of changing to even year elections by EXTENDING the term to FIVE YEARS without voter approval. We have until November 8, 2022 to comply with the law . There is NO RUSH for an immediate action. In fact, we are exempt from adapting this law since we have had historically high voter turnout.  In November 2015, we had 48% voter turn out and in the last four national elections we voter participation of over 74% according to Marin Board of Elections.  To simply extend current terms to five years by a Marinwood CSD vote is self serving and insulting to the voters.

March 8 Agenda

Dear Marinwood CSD Board:

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.

Here is an excerpt of the staff recommendations for the City of San Rafael which is also voting on this tonight, March 6, 2017:

“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 two 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.  

Stephen Nestel

Marinwood, CA