Small Town News

Lassen County Local Agency Formation Commission completes LMUD review

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The Lassen County Local Agency Formation Commission approved a Sphere of Influence and Municipal Service Review for the Lassen Municipal Utility District at its Monday, Sept. 14 meeting.

As part of its review, the commission also revised the LMUD boundary map included with the planning documents by removing references to other utility districts within LMUD's boundaries.

Alternate commissioner Jim Chapman, who also serves on the Lassen County Board of Supervisors, said when the commission includes information on other service areas within the LMUD boundaries as part of the map, "We invite confusion."

Despite the changes to the LMUD boundary map, the commission noted the utility district's boundaries and its sphere of influence are coterminous and remain unchanged. Notations to that effect were added to both the sphere of influence and the municipal service review documents.

Chapman compared the existence of other utility districts within LMUD boundaries with the natural gas project in the city of Susanville. He said everyone within the city may vote for city council members even though they may not be one of the city's natural gas customers. Those residents may use wood, propane or heating oil supplied by a private company but still be eligible to vote in city elections.

Chapman also said the LMUD boundaries were approved by the voters in November 1986, and the LMUD board later annexed another area served by Surprise Valley.

Chapman said when the LMUD district was formed, the founders were only interested in the areas served by CP National. But administratively, when the boundaries were drawn, they included "pockets" served by the other utility districts.

He said the LMUD boundaries could be drawn, "street by street, block by block, lot by lot," exclude properties served by other utility districts.

But Chapman said when the district was formed, "It was decided at that time that those 600 or so service connections that REA (Plumas Sierra Rural Electric) had would remain within the political boundary and therefore (be) eligible for all the political rights that LMUD residents have for LMUD elections even though they were getting their service from another provider."

Commissioner Kurt Bon-ham, who also serves as the mayor of Susanville, said the commission was approving a sphere of influence, not changing LMUD's boundaries.

Bonham pointed out LMUD's main goal is to provide electric service to its customers, but the district could provide other services to its customers as well.

"There's been no request to change boundaries," Bonham said. "There's been no request to change wards. The wards are done by the district itself. We need to stay focused on what's before us."

He also said the creation of the district was "a voter decision, and to try and undo what the voters have done would disenfranchise them."

Benoit said there are only two ways to change a district's boundaries -- only the district or the voters have the authority to initiate or approve the change.

Eileen Spencer, representing the citizen watchdog group Kan We Help, addressed the commission for nearly 30 minutes during a public hearing on the matter.

She argued the LMUD sphere of influence should not include areas served by other providers and allowing non-customers serve on the LMUD board was not in the best interests of the district.

At the conclusion of the meeting, Spencer thanked the commissioners for their action, and said, "The whole purpose of coming here and giving you this presentation is to get off the two things you're taking off, and you're doing that. That's the whole reason that we came here -- to unconfuse things. Take Plumas Sierra and Surprise Valley off ... That is what I came for, that is what I wanted, and if I get that, you've made one person very happy."

Chapman and LAFCO Chair Todd Eid both reminded Spencer the LMUD boundaries had not been changed and those who live within the district boundaries but receive service from another provider would still be able to vote and run for election to the LMUD board.

The commission's next meeting will be held at 3 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 9.



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© 2010 Westwood PinePress Westwood, California. All Rights Reserved. This content, including derivations, may not be stored or distributed in any manner, disseminated, published, broadcast, rewritten or reproduced without express, written consent from DAS.

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