West Sacramento flood agency adopts two‑year budget, consents to Reclamation District 537 withdrawal and names interim chair

The West Sacramento Area Flood Control Agency on June 26 adopted its biannual administrative and operations budget for fiscal years 2025–26 and 2026–27 and approved a resolution consenting to the withdrawal of Reclamation District 537 from the agency’s joint powers agreement.

The budget adoption and the consent resolution were approved by voice vote at a special meeting of the agency held June 26. Agency staff also reported month‑end cash positions, recent assessment receipts and progress on federally supported levee projects, and the board named interim chair and vice chair members to preside over upcoming meetings.

Agency senior finance analyst Mark Rodteville told the board the staff recommendation was for adoption of the biannual budget for administrative, operations and capital funds. “We are seeking the adoption of the biannual budget for the agency,” Rodteville said in his presentation describing the WAFCA fund structure, staff positions and the proposed two‑year spending plan. He summarized fund balances and cash flows for the reporting period, including transfers tied to state reimbursements.

Rodteville reported that, in Fund 870 (the agency’s operating fund), the beginning balance for April 2025 was about $11,840,000, the fund received roughly $93,000 from special tax assessments and investment earnings, and had about $40,000 in expenses, leaving an ending position near $11,890,000. In Fund 871 (capital projects) the beginning balance was roughly $24,500,000, no revenue was recorded in the month and expenses were about $167,000, leaving an ending position near $24,400,000. Rodteville said the agency received its second assessment installment on May 15 in the amount of $2,642,914.

Staff described work underway to secure a Local Project Partnership Agreement (LPPA) reimbursement from the California Department of Water Resources (DWR): staff submitted a package covering 2024 invoices totaling about $1,020,000 to DWR; that request is under review. If DWR approves the LPPA reimbursement, DWR would authorize a draw from the agency’s advanced fund to pay the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ fiscal year 2024–25 request for $3,800,000; the draw would come from the agency’s state advance fund as part of the non‑federal 5% cash obligation.

Becky Robertson, the city’s finance manager, explained an administrative change intended to smooth year‑end reconciliations. “We created these work orders where they can charge for general admin support to the overall project, and we've recoup[ed] those revenues into the city's flood support services fund on a monthly basis,” Robertson said, describing the city’s use of locally funded work orders and the ICAP (indirect cost) rate that is applied to staff time charged to capital projects. Staff said the ICAP rate for 2025–26 is about 178% (used to capture indirect costs such as building insurance and utilities) and they estimated a conservative 200% for planning in 2026–27.

After discussion the board moved and approved Resolution 25‑06‑04, adopting the agency’s biannual administrative and operations budget and capital improvement budget for fiscal years 2025–26 and 2026–27.

The board then considered Resolution 25‑06‑06, which consents to the withdrawal of Reclamation District 537 from the West Sacramento Area Flood Control Agency and the joint powers agreement. Agency staff explained RD 537’s boundaries are no longer within the city limits and the trustee for RD 537 requested withdrawal. The board approved the resolution by voice vote.

Board members also made interim leadership appointments to ensure the agency has officers available for upcoming meetings as the JPA composition continues to evolve. The board appointed Ernest Frizzio as interim chair and Norma (last name not specified) as interim vice chair by voice vote.

In a program update, the agency’s general manager reported progress on several Corps‑led and locally managed projects. The agency received written confirmation from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife that monitoring obligations for the Village Parkway construction have been met after five years of monitoring. The manager said compensatory mitigation and long‑term maintenance responsibilities remain for Southport mitigation areas and levee components.

The general manager briefed the board on coordination with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. He said the Sacramento District has been affected by staffing changes but that activity on the West Sacramento project has continued; two new technical leads were assigned, one to Stone Lock work and the other to the Sacramento River North (I Street to north of the Indiana‑Heritage Center) project, which is advancing toward 60% design. He also said the Saint Paul District will lead contract design work for bank erosion elements.

The manager noted construction funding was not included in the Corps’ 2024 construction budget for most regional projects, but staff reported that U.S. Sen. Alex Padilla included the West Sacramento project in his community funding request at the amount originally proposed in the president’s request ($43,000,000).

The meeting closed with staff congratulating Becky Robertson on an award from the Government Finance Officers Association; the board adjourned after brief director comments.

Votes at a glance: Resolution 25‑06‑04 — Adopt biannual administrative/operations and capital improvement budget for FY 2025–26 and FY 2026–27; approved by voice vote. Resolution 25‑06‑06 — Consent to withdrawal of Reclamation District 537 from the joint powers agreement; approved by voice vote. Consent agenda (assessment on tax roll / 2% assessment language referenced) — approved on consent. Interim chair and vice chair appointments — Ernest Frizzio and Norma approved by voice vote.

The board did not record individual roll‑call tallies in the transcript; the actions were adopted on voice votes, and no dissenting votes were recorded in the meeting record provided.