On February 20, 2025, California Assemblymember Juan Carillo introduced Assembly Concurrent Resolution (ACR) No. 36 proclaiming May 18 - May 24, 2025, to be Special Districts Week. Special Districts Week will help promote and educate the public about local public service providers, including awareness and understanding of special districts, in addition to encouraging the public to become involved in their communities and civically engaged with their local government.

At the May 7, 2025 Regular Board Meeting, the MCSD Board of Directors adopted Resolution 2025-13 supporting ACR No. 36 and proclaimed May 18 to May 24, 2025 as Special Districts Week!

RESOLUTION 2025-13
A RESOLUTION OF THE MCKINLEYVILLE COMMUNITY SERVICES DISTRICT
SUPPORTING ASSEMBLY CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 36 AND
PROCLAIMING MAY 18 – MAY 24, 2025 TO BE SPECIAL DISTRICTS WEEK

WHEREAS, Special districts are local governmental entities created by a community’s
residents, funded by those residents, and overseen by those residents, to provide
specialized services and infrastructure; and

WHEREAS, Today, just over 2,000 independent special districts provide millions of
Californians with essential services, including services related to water, sanitation and
water recycling, fire protection, electricity, parks and recreation, health care, open
space, ports and harbors, flood protection, mosquito abatement, cemeteries, resource
conservation, airports, transit, road maintenance, veterans’ facilities, and more; and

WHEREAS, Special districts first arose when San Joaquin Valley farmers needed a way
to access their local water supply; and

WHEREAS, Under the Wright Act of 1887, the Turlock Irrigation District became
California’s first special district and made it possible for local farmers to intensify and
diversify agriculture in California’s central valley; and

WHEREAS, In the 20th century, special districts increased dramatically in both number
and scope, and during the periods of prosperity and population growth that followed
both world wars when the demand for all types of public services increased, and special
districts met that need; and

WHEREAS, The statutory authorization for mosquito abatement districts was enacted in
1915 to combat the salt marsh mosquitoes around the San Francisco Bay and higher
than average malaria cases in rural counties; and

WHEREAS, Fire protection districts can trace their origins to a 1923 state law, and in
1931 the Legislature authorized recreation districts, the forerunners of today’s
recreation and park districts; and

WHEREAS, Hospital districts arose in 1945 because of a statewide shortage of hospital
beds. In 1994, the Legislature then expanded their breadth and renamed them health
care districts in recognition of the diverse, modern needs of California’s communities
and the importance of proactive, affordable health care beyond the walls of a hospital
building; and

WHEREAS, Although originally created to provide individual services, in 1961 the
Legislature authorized special districts to address multiple needs, when it provided for
multipurpose, community services districts; and
WHEREAS, Special districts vary in size and scope and serve diverse communities
throughout California, from small rural neighborhoods, such as the Pine Cove Water
District in the San Jacinto Mountains of the County of Riverside, to large urban regions,
such as the East Bay Municipal Utility District spanning much of the Counties of
Alameda and Contra Costa; and

WHEREAS, Local residents own special districts and govern them through locally
elected or appointed boards. A series of sunshine laws ensure special districts remain
transparent and accountable to the communities they serve, as these laws require open
and public meetings, public access to records, regular audits, online posting of finances
and compensation, and more; and

WHEREAS, To prevent overlapping services and ensure that local agencies are
operating effectively and efficiently to meet community needs, special districts are
formed, reviewed, consolidated, or dissolved through a methodical local process that
includes the oversight of a local agency formation commission and the consent of local
voters; and

WHEREAS, In 1969, several independent special districts formed a statewide
association called the California Special Districts Association, commonly referred to as
the CSDA, to promote good governance and improved essential local services through
professional development, advocacy, and other services for all types of independent
special districts; and

WHEREAS, the McKinleyville Community Services District seeks to promote
democratic institutions, community-based services, local control, and self-determination;
and

WHEREAS, the McKinleyville Community Services District seeks to promote and
educate the public about their local public service providers, including awareness and
understanding of special districts;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Board of Directors of the McKinleyville
Community Services District that the McKinleyville Community Services District joins the
California State Legislature in proclaiming the week of May 18 to May 24, 2025,
inclusive, to be Special Districts Week and encourages all residents to be involved in
their community and be civically engaged with their local government.