The California state legislature enacted Assembly Bill x1 26 to dissolve redevelopment agencies formed under the Community Redevelopment Law (Health and Safety Code Section 33000 et seq.); and on February 1, 2012, the redevelopment agencies in 17 jurisdictions in Contra Costa County were dissolved. Each of these jurisdictions declared that they would act as successor agency for their dissolved Redevelopment Agencies. Oversight Boards for each of these 17 Successor Agencies were established in accordance with the Dissolution Act.
Beginning July 1, 2018, there will be only one oversight board in Contra Costa County. The purpose of this County Oversight Board is to oversee all redevelopment successor agencies in the County. This new oversight board will be staffed by the County Auditor-Controller with assistance from the Contra Costa County Department of Conservation (DCD). The Countywide oversight board is appointed as follows:
(1) One member may be appointed by the county board of supervisors.
(2) One member may be appointed by the city selection committee established pursuant to Section 50270 of the Government Code. In a city and county, the mayor may appoint one member.
(3) One member may be appointed by the independent special district selection committee established pursuant to Section 56332 of the Government Code, for the types of special districts that are eligible to receive property tax revenues pursuant to Health and Safety Code Section 34188.
(4) One member may be appointed by the county superintendent of education to represent schools if the superintendent is elected. If the county superintendent of education is appointed, then the appointment made pursuant to this paragraph shall be made by the county board of education.
(5) One member may be appointed by the Chancellor of the California Community Colleges to represent community college districts in the county.
(6) One member of the public may be appointed by the county board of supervisors.
(7) One member may be appointed by the recognized employee organization representing the largest number of successor agency employees in the county.
In the coming months, the Board of Supervisors will need to make the appointment for Seat 1 on the oversight board. Seat 1 may be filled by a member of the Board of Supervisors or another representative of the County selected by the Board. Staff anticipates the Board Chair will make a nomination for Seat 1. The appointment can be a board member, other elected official, staff member, or member of the public. DCD staff and the auditor controller will make a presentation to the Mayors Conference on March 1 regarding the countywide oversight board. They will then make a selection for Seat 2 at their April 5, 2018 Mayor's Conference meeting. The auditor controller met with the special districts selection committee in January and their appointment for Seat 3 is forthcoming. Staff will be outreaching to the superintendent of schools for the appointment of seat 4 and on January 24, 2018, the governing board of the community college district appointed Vicki Gordon to Seat 5. The Board of Supervisors will need to appoint a member of the public for Seat 6, following an interview process and recommendation from the Internal Operations Committee. Seat 7 will be appointed by the recognized employee organization representing the largest number of successor agency employees in the county. The auditor controller has sent out surveys to all of the successor agencies that include a question of the number of Successor agency employees and their representation. Once the determination is made, staff will reach out to the appropriate organization for the appointment to Seat 7.
The Board may wish to consider qualifications for the public member appointment, as follows:
- All appointees must be electors of this County;
- If any eligibility requirement is not maintained, the Board shall immediately terminate the appointment upon notification by the advisory body chair; or
- An interest in complex business agreements and financial transactions.
With a referral to the Internal Operations Committee, it is expected that the committee would meet on February 12, post a vacancy for the public member and accept applications until mid to late March. Interviews for candidates would occur at the April 9 Internal Operations Committee meeting, followed by a recommendation to the Board of Supervisors for the May 1, 2018 meeting. If any Oversight Board member position has not been filled by July 15, 2018, the Governor may appoint people to those positions.
If the countywide Oversight Board is not established by July 1, 2018, there will be delays in taking official action on matters related to the dissolution of redevelopment agencies for all Successor Agencies within Contra Costa County.