LAFCO and Member Receive Statewide Recognition

October 14, 2010

Tulare County's Local Agency Formation Commission and one of its members garnered statewide recognition last week at the California Association of Local Agency Formation Commission's (CALAFCO) annual meeting.

CALAFCO awarded the Tulare County LAFCO the "Most Effective Commission" award. Julie Allen, a Tulare County LAFCO member, was also elected as the public member representing the Central Region on the governing board of CALAFCO. The annual meeting was held Oct. 7 in Palm Springs.

Tulare County LAFCO is responsible for the preservation of agricultural land and open space; for prevention of urban sprawl through coordinating logical and timely changes in local governmental boundaries; for conducting special studies which review ways to reorganize, simplify, and streamline governmental structure; and for the efficient delivery of services by each city and special district within each county.

CALAFCO was founded in 1971 and serves as an organization dedicated to assisting member LAFCOs with educational and technical resources that otherwise would not be available.  The Association provides statewide coordination of LAFCO activities, serves as a resource to the Legislature and other bodies, and offers a structure for sharing information among the various LAFCOs and other governmental agencies. CALAFCO's governing board is composed of 16 directors representing county boards of supervisors, city councils, special district boards and the public that also serve on their local LAFCOs.

Most Effective Commission Award

District One Supervisor Allen Ishida said the “Most Effective Commission” award was in recognition of Tulare County LAFCO's efforts in addressing environmental justice issues related to the City of Tulare's recent 460-acre industrial annexation. The annexation area bordered a large disadvantaged community known as the Matheny Tract.  Officials with the California Rural Legal Assistance, Inc., the non-profit legal services organization representing residents of Matheny Tract, nominated Tulare County's LAFCO for the award.
 
Tulare County LAFCo received recognition for: addressing issues and concerns from the City of Tulare, Matheny Tract Committee and California Rural Legal Assistance (CRLA); approving the proposed annexation with conditions relating to the future potential annexation of the Matheny Tract to the City; noticing residents of future proposed projects near the Matheny Tract and possible future provision of City water and sewer services to the Tract.

“Our Commission worked hard over many months to craft pragmatic solutions that responded to all the community and city issues. It is a win/win for all,” Judy Allen said. “It is gratifying that CRLA chose to nominate our commission for the CALAFCO statewide award.”

LAFCO is made up of five voting members and three alternates that represent the county, cities and the public.  The voting members are Supervisors Steve Worthley and Allen Ishida, Councilmen Ted Macaulay (Exeter) and Cam Hamilton (Porterville) and public member Julie Allen.

Julie Allen Elected to CALAFCO Board

Julie Allen of Springville was elected as the public member representing the Central Region on the governing board of the California Association of Local Agency Formation Commissions (CALAFCO). Allen has served on the Tulare County LAFCO board for 16 years. 

“It is an honor and privilege to be elected to represent the San Joaquin Valley, foothills and mountain communities of the south Sierra Nevada,” Allen said. “I will do my best to ensure that our voices, not always heard in Sacramento, will come through loud and clear.”
 
Allen has an extensive background in urban and regional planning.  She has a Master's in City and Regional Planning from the University of California at Berkeley and has 40 years of urban and wild land planning experience at various private sector firms, the Sequoia National Forest and several other national forests in California.  Ms. Allen serves on the board of directors of the Sequoia Riverlands Trust, a regional land trust, and is president of the Graham Osborn Ditch Company.  Allen is also a member of the Porterville Downtown Rotary. With her husband, she is the co-owner of Oak Hill Ranch, a small cow/calf operation, in Springville.