To: Board of Supervisors
From: Internal Operations Committee
Report Title: RECOMMENDATION FOR APPOINTMENTS TO THE CONTRA COSTA RESOURCE CONSERVATION DISTRICT BOARD OF DIRECTORS
☐Recommendation of the County Administrator ☒ Recommendation of Board Committee
RECOMMENDATIONS:
REAPPOINT Lorena Castillo, Renee Fernandez-Lipp, Igor Skaredoff to the Contra Costa Resource Conservation District Board of Directors to new four-year terms ending on November 30, 2028.
FISCAL IMPACT:
No fiscal impact.
BACKGROUND:
Contra Costa Resource Conservation District (RCD) director recruitment is conducted by the County pursuant to a 1998 RCD resolution ordering that all future directors shall be appointed by the County Board of Supervisors in lieu of election (Public Resources Code Section 9314).
The mission of the RCD is to carry out natural resource conservation projects through voluntary and cooperative efforts. The RCD is a non-regulatory agency that works with individuals, growers, ranchers, public agencies, non-profit organizations and corporations to accomplish its mission. The USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service provides technical support for the RCD's programs.
On November 30, 2024, the terms of office for three of the five RCD Director seats will expire:
• Director 1: Lorena Castillo (Martinez)
• Director 3: Renee Fernandez-Lipp (Concord)
• Director 4: Igor Skaredoff (Martinez)
Terms of office are four years beginning on December 1. The other two Directors are Walter Pease (Pleasant Hill) and Bethallen Black (Walnut Creek).
Following a five-week recruitment, applications were received from the following individuals who were all invited to interview with the Internal Operations Committee (IOC) and whose applications are attached for reference:
• Derene Allen, (Alamo)
• Lorena Castillo (Martinez), incumbent
• Renee Fernandez-Lipp (Concord), incumbent
• Igor Skaredoff (Martinez), incumbent
On October 14, the IOC interviewed Derene Allen, Renee Fernandez-Lipp and Igor Skaredoff. Lorena Castillo was not present. At the conclusion, the IOC recommends reappointment of the three incumbents and encouraged applicant Derene Allen to seek a non-voting Associate Director role, not appointed by the County, to increase knowledge of and familiarity with the District’s responsibilities and activities.
CONSEQUENCE OF NEGATIVE ACTION:
Disapproval of the recommendation would necessitate additional recruitment and would leave the District without a meeting quorum after November 30, 2024 and until such time as appointments could be made.