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Thursday, 19 July 2007 23:05

LAFCO To Evaluate Countywide Municipal Services

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slide33The Amador County Local Agency Formation Commission is moving forward in continuing to become in compliance with state law. While LAFCO has been somewhat dormant for the last couple of years a wake up call and renewed commitment has had them working diligently towards becoming a functional commission. The California State Legislature directs the Local Agency Formation Commission to promote orderly growth and development, discourage urban sprawl while preserving open space and agricultural lands and encouraging efficient service areas for local governments. LAFCO operations are governed by the Cortese-Knox-Hertzberg Local Government Reorganization Act of 2000.
slide40 The Cortese-Knox-Hertzberg Act (California Government Code Section 56430) requires that LAFCO complete a municipal service review (MSR) to develop baseline information for updating spheres of influence (SOI). Recently the Commission announced that they are seeking proposals from consulting firms to prepare the multi-agency countywide Municipal Service Review to meet requirements of the Government Code. The MSR must include information on a variety of things but there are 9 issues that must be addressed: Infrastructure needs or deficiencies; Growth and population projections for the affected area; Financing constraints and opportunities; Cost avoidance opportunities; Opportunities for rate restructuring; Opportunities for shared facilities; Government structure options, including advantages and disadvantages of consolidation or reorganization of service providers; Evaluation of management efficiencies; and Local accountability and governance.  The MSR must also include information that will be helpful when the Commission is determining spheres of influence for each of Amador County’s cities. According to LAFCO Executive Director Roseanne Chamberlain, “We have already had contact from eligible consultants who are interested in doing the work.” She added that funding for the MSR is also going very well. “I have commitments from many agencies and formal resolutions of funding. It’s coming right along,” she concluded.  Interested consultants have until August 15th to be considered to complete the work.
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