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Back in 1887, California landowners needed a reliable water supply and wanted to use local control to get it done. The Wright Act paved the way for the Turlock Irrigation District: the state’s very first special district. Over the next century, that blueprint expanded to tackle everything from mosquito abatement to fire protection, proving that communities can cooperate across traditional boundaries to solve distinct, shared problems.
California’s special districts offer an incredible model for regional collaboration. They bring neighboring jurisdictions together to manage shared, nitty-gritty infrastructure needs. I have a deep appreciation for these agencies because they demonstrate how targeted public service drives regional unity.
Being the backbone of community infrastructure comes with unique challenges, especially around workforce stability. At the upcoming California Special Districts Association (CSDA) General Manager Leadership Summit in Newport Beach, TS Director Christine Martin and I will dive into this directly. In our session, “Unlocking Your Agency’s Potential: Attracting Talent and Building the Leadership Pipeline,” we’ll explore how special districts can stand out in a hyper-competitive job market, combat institutional knowledge loss and build strong succession plans.
Just like special districts bring communities together to solve problems, CSDA brings special districts together to flex their collective impact. We saw the power of CSDA’s advocacy recently in Sacramento, with early legislative wins to defeat restrictive workplace tech bills like AB 1898 and AB 2027 on the suspense file — successfully preserving critical flexibility for public agencies trying to leverage AI and automated tools.
I look forward to connecting with you in person and learning firsthand how your agencies are using AI to work smarter. I hope to see you in Newport Beach!
Onward,
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