Following the passing of its former executive officer, Paul Hood, in May, the Santa Barbara Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCO) has begun the process of looking for a new department head.
Prior to his death, Hood led the commission—which is a state-created entity made up of officials from local cities, special districts, and the county—for seven years. Before that, Hood served in the same position for San Luis Obispo County. LAFCOs are charged with ensuring that cities and special districts grow in an orderly manner that doesn’t lead to urban sprawl.
The commission’s role in limiting cities and other local jurisdictions from annexing land can lead to some contentious situations, which Hood always handled with aplomb, said commissioner and 5th District Supervisor Steve Lavagnino during the commission’s May 14 meeting.
“This job can sometimes be very controversial, and he was just such a cool head that never got riled,” Lavagnino said during the meeting. “He was just such a calm personality, and he will be greatly missed.”
Commissioner and 3rd District Supervisor Joan Hartmann spoke to Hood’s ability to work with and advise local districts, such as the Los Olivos Community Services District.
“There were many, many intense community meetings, and he must have been to all of them,” Hartmann said. “He came early, he stayed late, he answered questions. He just always went above and beyond.”
At the following LAFCO meeting, June 4, the commission laid out the steps it would take to recruit a new executive officer.
The commission created an ad hoc committee to conduct an informal search for the next month. After that, if the commission can’t find a new officer, it will look to hire an outside firm to conduct the search. LAFCO also appointed its legal counsel, William Dillon, to serve as interim executive officer while the search takes place.
This article appears in Jun 11-18, 2020.