Ukiah Valley Water Authority executive committee elects new chair, asks staff to draft rotation policy

The Ukiah Valley Water Authority Executive Committee voted Sept. 29 to elect Mr. Shoneman as chair and Mr. Prince as vice chair and directed staff to draft a resolution establishing an annual officer-rotation policy, to be finalized at the next board meeting.

Staff reminded members that officers were first chosen at the JPA's inaugural meeting about 18 months ago and offered rotation as an option to give member agencies regular leadership opportunities. "It's been 18 months and it occurred to us that we may wanna rotate officers or we may wanna do elections every year," a staff presenter said during the discussion.

Members debated alternatives: keep the current officer assignments with staff performing some fiduciary duties, or adopt a rotation where the vice chair would typically be groomed to become chair. Committee members raised practical points about the treasurer and secretary roles; staff noted the treasurer's role can be handled by a city staff member in the absence of an elected treasurer.

A motion to nominate Mr. Shoneman for chair and Mr. Prince for vice chair was moved and seconded; a roll call followed and the present members voted to approve the motion. The committee also directed staff to return at the next meeting with a draft resolution that would set the rotation's timing and a prohibition, proposed by staff, against the chair and vice chair being from the same member agency.

The committee's action is procedural: the policy draft will give member agencies a formal choice at the next meeting about whether to adopt an annual rotation.

Staff will return with the resolution and, if adopted, the new officers are expected to take effect at the next scheduled meeting.