Minutes | July 25, 2024 at 8:30 AM
El Centro City Council Chambers | 1275 Main St, El Centro, CA 92243
Commissioners
City
Alternate
County
Alternate
Public
Alternate
Staff
Executive Officer
Accountant
Clerk / Analyst
SUMMARY OF THE LAFCO MEETING
Thursday, July 25, 2024
8:30 a.m.
El Centro City Council Chambers
1275 Main St., El Centro, CA 92243
VOTING COMMISSIONERS PRESENT: Javier Moreno - Chair, Jesus E. Escobar - ViceChair, Robert Amparano, David Salgado
ALTERNATE COMMISSIONERS PRESENT: Ramon Castro
ABSENT: Michael W. Kelley
STAFF PRESENT: Julie Carter - Accountant, Lori Zinn - Clerk/Analyst, Steve Walker - Legal Counsel
1. CALL THE MEETING TO ORDER
2. ROLL CALL
3. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
4. PUBLIC COMMENT
Jesus Solano from the City of Calexico requested that some funding be redirected to the City of Calexico to purchase two ambulances and equipment for the Fire Department after the dissolution of the Heffernan Memorial Healthcare District. He also stated that he has no confidence in Vice-President Rodolfo Valdez of the Heffernan Memorial Healthcare District because he recently stated that it is not his responsibility or job to fight for the taxpayer's money. And so forth, he would like Mr. Valdez’s seat on the Imperial Valley Healthcare District to be refilled or left unrepresented until filled.
Maritza Hurtado from the City of Calexico thanked the Commission for considering the dissolution of the Heffernan Memorial Healthcare District and requested that the approximate two million tax dollars saved for more than 28 years be redirected to the City of Calexico for first responders for equipment and vehicles.
5. CONSENT CALENDAR
5a. May 23, 2024 Meeting Minutes
5b. July 10, 2024 Special Meeting Minutes
5c. Project Status Report
The Commission approved the consent calendar.
Motion by Commissioner Escobar to approve the consent calendar
AYES: MORENO, ESCOBAR, AMPARANO, SALGADO
NAYES: NONE
ABSTAINED: NONE
ABSENT: KELLEY
6. COMMISSIONER ANNOUNCEMENTS
No announcements were made.
7. EXECUTIVE OFFICER ANNOUNCEMENTS
7a. Audited Financial Statements for Fiscal Year Ending June 30, 2023
Legal Counsel Steve Walker presented the Audited Financial Statements for the Fiscal Year Ending June 30, 2023, to the Commission. The Commission accepted the Audited Financial Statements for Fiscal Year Ending June 30, 2023.
Motion by Commissioner Escobar to accept the Audited Financial Statements for Fiscal Year Ending June 30, 2023
AYES: MORENO, ESCOBAR, AMPARANO, SALGADO
NAYES: NONE
ABSTAINED: NONE
ABSENT: KELLEY
7b. CALAFCO Board of Directors Fall Elections
Legal Counsel Steve Walker let the Commission know there is an opening on the CALFCO Board of Directors for a Southern Region City and Public Member, and that the nomination period is now open for applications. The Commission decided to table this item for the next meeting.
7c. CALAFCO Annual Conference
Legal Counsel Steve Walker asked the Commission to let Lori know if they plan to go to the CALAFCO Annual Conference so she can make all the arrangements. He pointed out that it does coincide with the League of CA Cities Conference.
8. CLOSED SESSION
8a. Conference with Legal Counsel - Existing Litigation
(Gov. Code § 54956.9) Name of Case: City of El Centro v. Imperial LAFCO case #ECU002984
8b. Conference with Legal Counsel - Existing Litigation
(Gov. Code § 54956.9) Name of Case: Pioneers Memorial Healthcare District v. Imperial Valley Healthcare District case #ECU003473
8c. Public Employee Appointment - (Gov. Code § 54957) - Title: Executive Officer
Legal Counsel Steve Walker reported that items 8a and 8b were discussed during the first closed session and that there is no reportable action.
For the second closed session on item 8c, Legal Counsel Steve Walker reported that there is no reportable action and that the meeting will be adjourned to Tuesday, July 30 at 8:30 a.m. at the LAFCO office.
9. DISCUSSION AND ACTION
9a. Update on the Imperial Valley Healthcare District and AB 918
Legal Counsel Steve Walker let the Commission know that the new Healthcare District formed has benchmarks to achieve, and that he has received information that they are meeting those benchmarks. The next two benchmarks to meet are the dissolution of the Pioneers Memorial Healthcare District and the Heffernan Memorial Healthcare District. The new Healthcare District Board has requested that the Heffernan Memorial Healthcare District be dissolved as of today. Resolution 2024-10 was presented to the Commission for the dissolution of the Heffernan Memorial Healthcare District pursuant to AB 918. It was explained that they could take action today and that all that was needed was a resolution and that action, or they could choose an alternate date.
The Commissioners all agreed to dissolve the Heffernan Memorial Healthcare District with the caveat that the new Healthcare District complete the Urgent Care Center in Calexico with that funding.
Commissioner Moreno stated that he would like to see a forensic audit completed on the Heffernan Memorial Healthcare District.
No action was taken on the Pioneers Memorial Healthcare District.
Motion by Commissioner Escobar to dissolve the Heffernan Memorial Healthcare District effective July 25, 2024, pursuant to the mandates of AB 918, codified at the California Health & Safety Code Section 32499.5, et seq
AYES: MORENO, ESCOBAR, AMPARANO, SALGADO
NAYES: NONE
ABSTAINED: NONE
ABSENT: KELLEY
9b. Appointment of a Southern Region Representative
Legal Counsel Steve Walker let the Commission know that we needed to appoint a representative to represent the Southern Region.
The Commission appointed the LAFCO Chair to be the Southern Region Representative.
Motion by Commissioner Escobar to appoint the LAFCO Chair as the Southern Region Representative
AYES: MORENO, ESCOBAR, AMPARANO, SALGADO
NAYES: NONE
ABSTAINED: NONE
ABSENT: KELLEY
10. ADJOURNMENT
The regular meeting of Thursday, July 25 has been adjourned to Tuesday, July 30, 2024, at 8:30 a.m. at the LAFCO Office.