Report 2015-102 Recommendation 27 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 #27 To: Central Basin Municipal Water District

To ensure that its travel expenses are reasonable and necessary, the district should take steps, such as issuing a clarifying memorandum or providing additional training, to ensure all board members and staff, especially those who process reimbursement claims, are aware of what the district considers to be proper expenses incurred while traveling, including only paying for meetings and conferences that have a direct connection to water policy or the district's mission. It should update its list of such preapproved meetings accordingly.

6-Month Agency Response

Staff presented revisions to the list of preapproved meetings to the Administration & Ethics Committee on March 9, 2016. The Committee recommended approval of the revised list. This item was presented to the Board of Directors on March 28, 2016 for consideration and approval. At the Board meeting, additional revisions were suggested to the list and therefore, the recommended motion was to approve the preapproved list with the following revisions: to keep the Association of Metropolitan Water Agencies and the Compton Creek Mosquito Abatement District on the list and until such time as it was reviewed to keep the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials. Additionally, the Board approved adding the West Basin Water Association meetings to the list of approved meetings.

Staff issued a clarifying memorandum to Board Members and staff on what the district considers to be proper expenses while traveling, including only paying for the following meetings and conferences that have a direct connection to water policy or the district's mission. The memorandum was presented to staff during the monthly staff meeting on April 26, 2016. Staff was briefed and trained on the new changes to the travel and reimbursement policy.

Lastly, the District's practice has been that any meetings not listed on the preapproved list are brought before the Board of Directors for approval prior to Board member attendance and/or compensation. The District will continue this practice.

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

60-Day Agency Response

Staff will be bringing the list of preapproved meetings to the Administration & Ethics Committee for review in February 2016. Any updates to the list will be brought to the Board in February 2016 for consideration and adoption.

Additionally, the District's practice has been that any meetings not listed on the preapproved list are brought before the Board of Directors for approval prior to Board member attendance and/or compensation. The District will continue this practice.

Staff is in the process of preparing a clarifying memorandum to address the State Audit recommendations and will provide additional training to staff. The memorandum will be issued by March 2016.

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

All Recommendations in 2015-102

Agency responses received are posted verbatim.