REPORT/RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY
AND RECORD OF ACTION
December 5, 2023
FROM
LUTHER SNOKE, Chief Executive Officer, County Administrative Office
SUBJECT
Title
Appointment of Pool Committees Members and Alternatives to the Chino Basin Watermaster
End
RECOMMENDATION(S)
Recommendation
1. Approve appointment of Christen Mitchell (Principal Administrative Analyst) to act as San Bernardino County’s representative and Trevor Leja (Assistant Executive Officer) to act as San Bernardino County’s alternative representative on the Agricultural Pool Committee of the Chino Basin Watermaster.
2. Approve appointment of Kyle Benoit (Chino Airport Manager) to act as San Bernardino County’s representative and Maureen Snelgrove (Assistant Director of Airports) to act as San Bernardino County’s alternative representative on the Non-Agricultural and Appropriative Pool Committees of the Chino Basin Watermaster.
(Presenter: Luther Snoke, Chief Executive Officer, 387-4811)
Body
COUNTY AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER GOALS & OBJECTIVES
Ensure Development of a Well-Planned, Balanced, and Sustainable County.
Pursue County Goals and Objectives by Working with Other Agencies.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
Approval of these appointments will not result in the use of additional Discretionary General Funding (Net County Cost).
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Management of the Chino Basin aquifer is subject to the judgment entered in the case of Chino Basin Municipal Water District v. City of Chino, et. al., San Bernardino Superior Court case No. 164327 effective as of July 1, 1977 (Judgment). The Judgment established the Chino Basin Watermaster (Watermaster) be comprised of three stakeholder groups, called Pools. Corresponding separate Pool Committees were formed as:
• Overlying Agricultural Pool Committee (dairymen, farmers, and the State of California);
• Overlying Non-Agricultural Pool Committee (area industries); and
• Appropriative Pool Committee (local cities, public water districts, and private water companies).
Each Pool Committee is responsible for developing policy recommendations for administration of its particular Pool.
The Judgment identifies San Bernardino County (County) as having specific water rights as follows:
1. Overlying Non-Agricultural Rights associated currently with water used for the Chino Airport; and
2. Agricultural Rights associated with water used at facilities at Prado Regional Park and County-owned properties leased to agricultural users in the Chino Basin.
Additionally, the portion of Prado Regional Park used for the 1984 Olympics shooting contests,
and now by a concessionaire operating a shooting park, were determined by Watermaster to be
an appropriative and not an agricultural use (i.e., water must be purchased for this use).
As a holder of water rights and a user, the County is entitled to appoint a representative to each
of the three Pool Committees - Agricultural, Non-Agricultural, and Appropriative - to speak on
behalf of the County’s interests. These appointments are made every two years or when representatives change for a Pool.
On January 11, 2022 (Item No. 10), the Board of Supervisors (Board) appointed Steven Raughley (Principal Administrative Analyst) and Bradley Jensen (Director of Governmental and Legislative Affairs) to act as San Bernardino County’s representative and alternative representative, respectively, on the three Pool Committees of the Chino Basin Watermaster. It is recommended that the Board approve the appointment of Christen Mitchell (Principal Administrative Analyst) to act as the County’s representative and Trevor Leja (Assistant Executive Officer) to act as the County’s alternate representative on the Agricultural Pool Committee and approve the appointment of Kyle Benoit (Chino Airport Manager) to act as the County’s representative and Maureen Snelgrove (Assistant Director of Airports) to act as the County’s alternate representative on the Non-Agricultural and Appropriative Pool Committees.
PROCUREMENT
Not applicable.
REVIEW BY OTHERS
This item has been reviewed by County Counsel (Maria Insixiengmay, Deputy County Counsel, 387-5455) on November 7, 2023; County Administrative Office (Trevor Leja, Assistant Executive Officer, 387-4811) on November 7, 2023; Airports (James E. Jenkins, Director, 387-8812) on November 21,2023; Finance (Erika Rodarte, Administrative Analyst, 387-4919) on November 8, 2023; and County Finance and Administration (Matthew Erickson, County Chief Financial Officer, 387-5423) on November 9, 2023.