Tulare supervisors declare intent to assume trusteeship of Tulare Public Cemetery District

The Tulare County Board of Supervisors voted 4-0 to declare its intent to appoint itself as the board of trustees for the Tulare Public Cemetery District and to initiate the required public-hearing process, citing recent trustee resignations and an insurer’s warning that coverage would be terminated unless board stability is restored.

County staff described the measure as an intent vote that would trigger a public hearing within 60 days, not an immediate takeover. Mr. Sotelo, a county staff member presenting the item, said the action is proposed because three of the district’s five trustees resigned, “leaving the Tulare Public Cemetery District without a quorum to continue orderly operations of the district,” and because the district’s insurer, the Golden State Risk Management Authority, “intends to terminate coverage, rendering the district unable to continue operations unless it can demonstrate board stability.”

The nut of the proposal is procedural: if the Board of Supervisors adopts a resolution of intent, the county must publish notice and mail written notice at least 10 days before the hearing. Only written protests from registered voters in the district will be counted; if written…