Imperial Local Agency Formation Commission

ACTION MINUTES OF THE LAFCO MEETING

Thursday, May 22, 2025

8:30 am

El Centro City Council Chambers

1275 W. Main Street, El Centro, CA 92243

VOTING COMMISSIONERS PRESENT:
Robert Amparano, Vice-Chair
John Hawk
David Salgado
Sylvia Marroquin                                                                                                                      

VOTING COMMISSIONERS ABSENT:                   
Jesus Escobar, Chair
Michael Luellen

ALTERNATE COMMISSIONERS ABSENT:           
Peggy Price
Jose Landeros  

STAFF PRESENT:                                                   
Steve Walker, Legal Counsel
Tyler Salcido, Executive Officer
Julie Carter, Accountant
Lori Zinn, Clerk/Analyst

Audio Recording of the meeting is available on the LAFCo website

1. CALL THE MEETING TO ORDER
2. ROLL CALL
3. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
4. PUBLIC COMMENT
   No public comments were made.
5. CONSENT ITEMS
   1. March 27, 2025, Meeting Minutes
      Motion by Commissioner Salgado and second by Commissioner Amparano to approve the consent items
      AYES: Amparano, Hawk, Salgado, Marroquin
      NAYES: None
      ABSTAINED: None 
      ABSENT: Escobar
6. COMMISSIONER ANNOUNCEMENTS
   Commissioner Marroquin announced that the Ice Cream Social has been rescheduled from last week to Friday, May 30, from 6-9 pm in the El Centro Town Center on Main Street.
7. EXECUTIVE OFFICER ANNOUNCEMENTS
   Executive Officer Tyler Salcido announced the following:
   1. Tuesday, May 19, 2025, the Southern Region LAFCOs had a three-hour focus group meeting with the consultant hired to try to fix CALAFCO. The consultant is meeting individually with each region. As of July 1, 2025, four of the Southern Region LAFCOs will be pulling from CALAFCO, which will make a total of five LAFCOs that are not part of CALAFCO.
   2. Tuesday, May 27, 2025, there is a meeting between County Public Works, LAFCo, and Special Districts on a proposed RFP about a potential consolidation of the special districts under the County Public Works, and to have a plan in place for the County to take over any future special district dissolutions.
   3. In June, I anticipate having the Imperial Service Area Plan for review.
   4. I have reviewed the IID’s draft Service Area Plan and will be sending a response with comments and questions to the IID. You all received the IID’s draft Service Area Plan, so please let me know if you have any questions to include in the response to IID. Once we get back their response, I will review it and then bring it to the Commission for review.
      1. Commissioner Amparano requested to have a sit-down for the Commissioners to review the Service Area Plan, as there are a lot of flaws and certain things do not add up.
      2. Legal Counsel Steve Walker suggested having a special meeting as an information item.
   5. At the June meeting, I anticipate presenting a Records Retention Policy and an Investment Policy.
8. DISCUSSION AND ACTION
   1. Withdrawal from Imperial Valley Telecommunications Authority (IVTA)
      Executive Officer Tyler Salcido presented a PowerPoint presentation, which may be viewed on the LAFCo website. 
      Motion by Commissioner Hawk and second by Commissioner Salgado to adopt the Resolution authorizing the Executive Officer to submit a formal written notice of withdrawal from the Imperial Valley Telecommunications Authority (IVTA) Joint Powers Agreement (JPA), to be effective June 30, 2026, in accordance with the terms of the agreement
      AYES: Amparano, Hawk, Salgado, Marroquin
      NAYES: None
      ABSTAINED: None 
      ABSENT: Escobar
   2. Opposition Letter – SB 777 (Abandoned Endowment-Care Cemeteries)
      Executive Officer Tyler Salcido presented a PowerPoint presentation, which may be viewed on the LAFCo website. 
      Motion by Commissioner Hawk and second by Commissioner Salgado to approve the opposition letter to Senator Richardson regarding SB 777 (as amended 3/26/2025), authorize the Commission Chair to sign and transmit the letter on behalf of Imperial LAFCo
      AYES: Amparano, Hawk, Salgado, Marroquin
      NAYES: None
      ABSTAINED: None 
      ABSENT: Escobar
   3. Establishment of a Reserves Policy
      Executive Officer Tyler Salcido presented a PowerPoint presentation, which may be viewed on the LAFCo website. 
      Motion by Commissioner Amparano and second by Commissioner Marroquin to return with a draft Reserves Policy using Option A: Percentage of Annual Expenses using Scenario A-3 of 10% of Annual Expenses.
      AYES: Amparano, Hawk, Salgado, Marroquin
      NAYES: None
      ABSTAINED: None 
      ABSENT: Escobar
   4. Purchasing and Contracting Policy
      Executive Officer Tyler Salcido presented a PowerPoint presentation, which may be viewed on the LAFCo website. 
      Motion by Commissioner Marroquin and second by Commissioner Salgado to approve and adopt the Purchasing and Contracting Policy as presented
      AYES: Amparano, Hawk, Salgado, Marroquin
      NAYES: None
      ABSTAINED: None 
      ABSENT: Escobar
   5. Appointment of an Alternate Public Member to the Commission
      Motion by Commissioner Hawk and second by Commissioner Salgado to reopen the recruitment process to solicit additional applicants before proceeding with an appointment
      AYES: Amparano, Hawk, Salgado, Marroquin
      NAYES: None
      ABSTAINED: None 
      ABSENT: Escobar
9. PUBLIC HEARING
   Final Budget for Fiscal Year 2025-2026
   Executive Officer Tyler Salcido presented a PowerPoint presentation, which may be viewed on the LAFCo website. 
   Motion by Commissioner Hawk and second by Commissioner Salgado to approve and adopt the final budget for fiscal year 2025-2026 as presented under the 10% Unassigned Reserves scenario
   AYES: Amparano, Hawk, Salgado, Marroquin
   NAYES: None
   ABSTAINED: None 
   ABSENT: Escobar
10. ADJOURNMENT