Press Release
Contact: Mark R. Williams
Las Gallinas Valley Sanitary District
(415) 472-1734

 Transparency Certificate of Excellence Awarded to Las Gallinas Valley Sanitary District

 San Rafael, CA (August 19, 2013) -The Las Gallinas Valley Sanitary District (LGVSD) received the District Transparency  Certificate of Excellence by the Special District Leadership Foundation (SDLF) in recognition  of its outstanding efforts to promote transparency and good governance.

 “This award is a testament to the Las Gallinas Valley Sanitary District’s commitment to open government,” said Mark Williams, General Manager. “The entire district staff is to be commended for their contributions that empower the public with information and facilitate engagement and oversight.”

 In order to receive the award, a special district must demonstrate the completion of eight essential governance transparency requirements, including conducting ethics training for all board members, properly conducting open and public meetings, and filing financial transactions and compensation reports to the State Controller in a timely manner.

 The Las Gallinas Valley Sanitary District also fulfilled fifteen website requirements, including providing readily available information to the public, such as board agendas, past minutes, current district budget, and the most recent financial audit.

 Finally, the district must demonstrated outreach to its constituents that engages the public in its governance, through newsletters and an annual informational public budget hearing.

 The Las Gallinas Valley Sanitary District is located in the Las Gallinas Valley between Novato and San Rafael, in Marin County, California. The District’s wastewater treatment and recycling facilities are located on over 400 acres on San Pablo Bay. The District currently serves over 30,000 people in communities north of central San Rafael.  Current LGVSD plans call for increasing capacity in order to serve the present and future residents. LGVSD provides plant tours, site educational field trips and community outreach activities to raise awareness for pollution prevention, water quality and conservation.

 SDLF is an independent, non-profit organization formed to promote good governance and best practices among California’s special districts through certification, accreditation and other recognition programs.

 Special districts are independent public agencies that deliver core local services to communities, such as water, fire protection, parks and recreation, healthcare, sanitation, mosquito abatement, ports, libraries, public cemeteries and more.  Districts are established by voters and their funding is approved by voters in order to meet specific needs through focused service.   They can be specially molded to serve large regions or small neighborhoods depending on the need.

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 The Mission of the Las Gallinas Valley Sanitary District is to protect public health and the environment by providing effective wastewater collection, treatment, and recycling services.