Report 2015-102 Recommendation 19 Responses

Report 2015-102: Central Basin Municipal Water District: Its Board of Directors Has Failed to Provide the Leadership Necessary for It to Effectively Fulfill Its Responsibilities (Release Date: December 2015)

Recommendation #19 To: Central Basin Municipal Water District

To ensure its expenditures do not constitute gifts of public funds, the district should develop policies that specify limitations on the types of activities it will sponsor in the future to ensure that it funds only those organizations whose activities have a direct link to its authorized purposes. For example, it should eliminate its purchase of holiday turkeys.

6-Month Agency Response

Staff presented revisions to Administrative Code Part 3, Chapter 9, Article 1, Sections 1.31 Public Awareness and Outreach and 1.32 Outreach Guidelines to address the type of activities/events the District will sponsor that have a direct link to the District's purpose at the February Administration & Ethics Committee. During the meeting, the Committee requested that staff provide definitions as to what types of events qualify under the policy. The Committee requested that this item be brought back in March for review and consideration.

Staff presented this item to the Administration & Ethics Committee on March 9, 2016. The Committee recommended approval of the policy. This item was presented to the Board of Directors on March 28, 2016 and was approved and adopted.

Lastly, the District has ended the practice of purchasing turkeys for holiday giveaways.

California State Auditor's Assessment of 6-Month Status: Fully Implemented

60-Day Agency Response

Staff will present revisions to Administrative Code Part 3, Chapter 9, Article 1, Section 1.32 Outreach Guidelines for Directors, to address the type of activities/events it will sponsor that have a direct link to the District's purpose at the February Administration & Ethics Committee and to the Board of Directors in February 2016.

On another note, the District has stopped the practice of purchasing turkeys for holiday giveaways.

California State Auditor's Assessment of 60-Day Status: Pending

All Recommendations in 2015-102

Agency responses received are posted verbatim.