Assessing the Proposed Consolidation

The SLVWD is both a business and a vital community institution in the San Lorenzo Valley.  As a business, the SLVWD has collaborated with SVWD on a number of projects over the years, and FSLVW encourages continued and increasing collaboration and teamwork between the two districts.  However, FSLVW believes that it is premature for SLVWD to begin assessing a formal consolidation into a single district.  After much research and discussion, we have developed two specific recommendations:

Recommendation #1:  SLVWD should delay any further exploratory assessment of consolidation until more pressing concerns have been resolved.

FSLVW strongly advocates deferring further assessment of a potential consolidation for at least one year.  It is always good to assess options, but the consolidation assessment is not time-critical, and the challenges of the past year make 2021 a particularly ill-advised time for both the SLVWD and the SLV community to try to tackle such a complex and disruptive issue.

Recommendation #2:  As an essential element of any future assessment, the two districts should conduct a robust community education and outreach campaign to raise awareness regarding the consolidation proposal and the reasons behind it, and engage the community in extended discourse through focus groups and other outreach methods to develop feedback.

FSLVW further recommends that any SLVWD assessment effort should take great care to investigate not only the relevant financial and environmental factors but also how consolidation would impact the District’s relationship with the SLV community.  This will require a substantial community outreach and education effort followed by sustained community engagement.  The SLV lacks the traditional civic structures to generate community discussion so both districts should make an enhanced effort to engage feedback from a broad cross section of SLV residents prior to making any determination about how to proceed.  Widespread public support will be essential not only for a successful consolidation, but also at every step along the way.

To read FSLVW’s detailed examination of the consolidation issue, please see:

https://www.friendsofsanlorenzovalleywater.org/consolidation-primer

https://www.friendsofsanlorenzovalleywater.org/consolidation-arguments

About Friends of San Lorenzo Valley Water (FSLVW)

The Friends of San Lorenzo Valley Water (FSLVW) seeks to serve the SLV community first and foremost by providing thorough and accurate information on all aspects of our local water district and watershed.  When we believe circumstances warrant it, we also advocate for and work to facilitate specific outcomes.