The end of the year and the end of elections for new trustees, directors, and commissioners often prompt local boards to nominate new officers.
The Burney Water District’s Dec. 21 agenda had an action item for electing a new vice-president but nothing about a president or board secretary.
“How long do (we) usually serve as vice president and president,” asked director Andrew Urlie.
“I don’t know how long I’ve sat in this chair,” said board president Jackie Young. “There are no by-laws that lay this out. It’s not even agenda.” Young has been a director for 14 years and board chair for at least seven years. (Records were not available at press time.)
Young said after the meeting that the board has no clerk, but probably should also consider that. District Manager Bill Suppa noted, “Every district does it differently. Some have elections (for new officers), and some don’t.”
“I don’t necessarily want to change, but there should be policy,” said director Cindy Dodds, “There should be a way to change leadership.” Suppa said he preferred to elect new officers every other year because the district’s letterhead, which lists the directors, “is very expensive.”
Dodds said the directors’ names did not need to be on the letterhead.
“Everyone knows who we are anyway,” said director John Meeker.
The board decided to establish a policy that called for a review of officers every January, and Suppa said he’d have a resolution for the Jan. 18 meeting.
Dodds also asked about regularly scheduling closed sessions on the agenda, whether they had something planned or not.
“We don’t need it,” Young said.
Suppa said that after a recent personnel issue, he notified each director of his action.
In another matter, director Sherri Quinlan reminded the board that they had promised the district’s customers a pool oversight committee in Measure B.
Suppa asked why the current Save Our Swimming (SOS) committee could not serve in that role, but Quinlan said three SOS members – Dodds, Andrew Urlie, and she – are now on the board it would not be appropriate. In another matter, the commission agreed to Suppa’s request to change the July board meeting to only the second Wednesday of that month instead of the third Wednesday.