The Castella Fire Protection District (CFPD) Board of Directors is a five-member elected body subject to the Uniform District Election Law, beginning at Elections Code § 10500. See Health and Safety Code § 13885.
Three positions on the CFPD Board of Directors were up for election on November 8, 2016 for four-year terms. The three positions on the CFPD Board of Directors that were up for election are currently occupied by Martin Hines, Kevin Koschnick, and Maurice Cahill. The current terms of office of Mr. Hines, Mr. Koschnick, and Mr. Cahill expire in December 2016. Neither Mr. Hines nor Mr. Koschnick nor Mr. Cahill filed declarations of candidacy for the offices and no declarations were filed for any of the positions on the CFPD Board of Directors that were up for election. As such, no election was held for the CFPD Board of Directors on November 8.
Since no declarations of candidacy were filed for the CFPD offices to be elected, Elections Code § 10515(b) dictates the manner in which these offices are to be filled.
Elections Code § 10515(b) states: If no person has filed a declaration of candidacy for any office, the supervising authority shall appoint any person to the office who is qualified on the date when the election would have been held. The person appointed shall qualify and take office and serve exactly as if elected at a general district election for the office.
The term “supervising authority” is defined as the Board of Supervisors. Elections Code § 10500(b)(13).
Pursuant to this statute and Health & Safety Code § 13841, to be eligible for the CFPD Board of Directors, a person must be a resident of the Castella Fire Protection District and be a registered voter of the Castella Fire Protection District on November 8, 2016.
At their September 13, 2016 meeting, the CFPD Board of Directors unanimously recommended that the Board of Supervisors reappoint current Board Members Martin Hines and Kevin Koschnick in lieu of an election for four-year terms expiring December 2020. The CFPD Board of Directors sent correspondence to the Clerk of the Board requesting these appointments. A copy of this correspondence and the minutes from the September 13, 2016 CFPD meeting are attached.
Mr. Cahill does not desire reappointment and no one has expressed interest in his position on the CFPD Board of Directors at this time. The CFPD Board of Directors is actively seeking a candidate to fill the third vacancy.