LAFCO votes to table FPUD/RMWD detachment

Village News Staff

Just before 4 p.m. on June 5, the San Diego County Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCO) voted 5 to 3 to table the vote on the FPUD/RMWD detachment from San Diego Water Authority until their Aug. 7, 2023 meeting.

County Supervisor and LAFCO Director Jim Desmond made a motion for an "option 2" for detachment. Director Willis seconded the motion and then Director Jo Mackenzie asked for a 5-minute break. Upon returning, Director Joel Anderson motioned for the vote to be tabled for 60 days.

The vote to table the motion passed. During the discussion, the topic of possibly raising the exit fee for FPUD and RMWD was brought up. FPUD General Manager Jack Bebee has stated previously that they may have to pay some exit fee. However, FPUD has paid millions of dollars into future projects that now would not have to be built, saving the Water Authority millions of dollars.

The votes against the delay were Desmond, White, and Willis.

RMWD General Manager Tom Kennedy said, "I was disappointed that after three and a half years the commission is going to defer the decision for another 60 days. Also disappointed that some of the misstatements from the San Diego Water Authority seemed to influence some of the commissioners."

Bebee said, "We really appreciate the turnout from the Fallbrook residents and they clearly identified the importance of switching wholesale providers and getting lower water. We are disappointed that after three years they continued to delay."

After enduring skyrocketing water cost increases over the past decade from the San Diego County Water Authority, Fallbrook and Rainbow are seeking to part ways with the Authority and begin purchasing their water from the Eastern Municipal Water District. The switch is expected to save Fallbrook and Rainbow ratepayers approximately $7.6 million a year, according to an independent analysis conducted for LAFCO.

Local Agency Formation Commissions or LAFCOs are regional service planning agencies located in all 58 counties and exercise regulatory and planning powers in step with their prescribed directive to oversee the establishment, expansion, governance, and dissolution of local government agencies and their municipal service areas to meet current and future community needs. LAFCOs were established in 1963 and administer a section of California planning law now known as the Cortese-Knox-Hertzberg Local Government Reorganization Act of 2001.

More infomation can be found in this story: https://www.villagenews.com/story/2022/09/15/news/fpud-and-rmwd-applications-to-change-water-suppliers-head-to-lafco-this-fall/71027.html