SOLANO COUNTY, CA (MPG) - The California Special Districts Association (CSDA) announced that it has signed an affiliation agreement with the Solano-Yolo Bi-County Special Districts Association (SCSDA), expanding the existing Solano Chapter to include Yolo County.

The announcement comes as special districts within the Solano Chapter have been interested in furthering partnerships throughout the region. Out of a desire to enhance their connection across county lines, provide a space to discuss regional issues and foster greater shared knowledge, the new chapter was born. It is anticipated the expanded chapter will bring added benefits to all members.

The reshaped Bi-County Chapter will act as the voice of 42 independent special districts within Solano County and 34 districts in Yolo County. Services provided by these special districts include essential community facilities and critical infrastructure such as drinking water, wastewater treatment, parks, fire protection, mosquito abatement, cemetery, resource conservation and levee maintenance.

Upon learning the good news, Chapter President Gabe Lanusse, General Manager of the Greater Vallejo Recreation and Park District said, “The Chapter Executive Board and I are excited that CSDA approved the affiliation and expansion of our chapter to include Yolo County. We look forward to working with Yolo County districts to build the chapter and deliver valuable information for all our members.”

Affiliation with the California Special Districts Association gives the chapter access to a variety of services. Benefits include connection to top-notch speakers, professional development trainings, communication platforms and regular updates on legislation and advocacy programs in Sacramento and, through the National Special Districts Coalition, in Washington, D.C.

Neil McCormick, Chief Executive Officer for California Special Districts Association, welcomed the newly expanded chapter by saying, “Our Board of Directors is delighted that the Solano Chapter has chosen to invite Yolo County special districts to join as members. Yolo county districts will benefit by having access to chapter resources. CSDA staff and I look forward to providing support to all chapter members so that they may best serve their communities.”

The Solano-Yolo Bi-County Special Districts Association is one of seven California Special Districts Association Affiliated Chapters in the Bay Area, with similar affiliates in Alameda, Contra Costa, San Mateo, Marin, Santa Clara and the Sonoma-Napa region. These are among 27 California Special Districts Association Affiliated Chapters Statewide.

The first meeting for the new Solano -Yolo Bi-County Special Districts Association will be held virtually on Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2025, from 10 to 11:30 a.m., and will generally take place quarterly on the third Tuesday of every third month. All special district officials are invited to attend and may contact Gabe Lanusse at [email protected] for details and to RSVP.

Special districts are local governments providing communities with specialized services not provided by other units of government. Virtually every one of California’s 39 million residents receive at least one essential service, such as water, sanitation, fire protection, parks, open space, mosquito abatement, resource conservation, and more from just over 2,000 independent special districts. These local agencies are led by a board of directors that is popularly elected, or in some cases appointed to a fixed-term, to serve diverse communities and regions throughout the state.