Notice to interested person that may request email notice from LAFCO with links to the Commission’s Agenda and packet for each regular Commission meeting. Please see link below regarding requesting a mailed hardcopy of the agenda and agenda packet.

NOTICE OF REGULAR PUBLIC AND ALTERNATE PUBLIC MEMBER VACANCY

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Santa Barbara Local Agency Formation Commission LAFCO) is selecting a Regular and Alternate Public Members to serve on the Commission. LAFCO is an independent government agency charged with encouraging the orderly formation and development of local governmental agencies, preserving agricultural resources, discouraging urban sprawl, and encouraging the efficient provision of local government services. The key State Law that governs LAFCO is the Cortese-Knox-Hertzberg Act as well as other laws. The Commission has the authority to approve or disapprove all annexations of land to and from Cities and Special Districts in Santa Barbara County.

LAFCO has the authority to approve or disapprove the incorporation of new Cities and the formation of new Special Districts. LAFCO also establishes Spheres of Influences (a 20-year growth boundary) for all Cities and Special Districts in the County. The Commission is composed of seven voting members representing local government and the public: two members are from the County Board of Supervisors, two members represent the City Councils, two members represent Special Districts, and one representative serves as the Public Member.

The Public Member is to be selected by the six other Commission members at the January 9, 2025 LAFCO meeting. The Application Form and Resume are due by 5:00 p.m. on December 16, 2024. The appointment is to fill a Regular Public Member vacancy to a four-year term ending March, 2029. The appoint of the Alternate Public Member vacancy would be a two-year term ending March, 2027.  The regular public member appointed would serve as a “voting member”. The alternate member serves as the “voting member” when the regular member cannot attend the meeting. Regular LAFCO meetings are scheduled every month on the first Thursday at 1:00 p.m.  LAFCO rotates our meetings between the Board of Supervisors hearing room, located at 105 East Anapamu Street, Fourth Floor, Santa Barbara, California, and the Board of Supervisors hearing room in the Betteravia Government Center at 511 Lakeside Parkway, Santa Maria, with special meetings held as needed.

Interested individuals must be residents of Santa Barbara County and be able to regularly attend LAFCO meetings. The individuals selected cannot be a current officer or employee of the County, a City or Special District within the County. Previous involvement in or experience with local government issues in Santa Barbara County is helpful. The public member is a public official and is required to file a standard financial disclosure statement annually with the California Fair Political Practices Commission.

Candidates for the position must complete an application form and provide a resume indicating applicable experience and qualifications. Application forms are available at the LAFCO office or online at www.sblafco.org. Application materials must be received by Santa Barbara LAFCO office at 105 East Anapamu Street, Santa Barbara CA 93101, on or before Monday, December 16, 2024 at 5:00 pm. The application may be submitted via e-mail to LAFCO Executive Officer, Mike Prater at lafco@sblafco.org. For more information, please contact Mr. Prater at 805-568-3391 or by e-mail at lafco@sblafco.org. Thank you for your interest.

Initial interviews by the selected Ad-Hoc Committee will be held on Friday, December 20, 2024. Final interviews and selection would occur at the January 9, 2025, LAFCO meeting at 1:00 p.m. in the Board of Supervisors Hearing Room, 105 East Anapamu Street, Fourth Floor, Santa Barbara, California, to consider an appointment to fill a Regular Public Member vacancy to a four-year term and Alternate Public Member vacancy to a two-year term.  Regular Member appointment would be for the unexpired terms that ends on March 1, 2029 and Alternate Member appointment would be for the unexpired terms that ends on March 1, 2027.