Alternate Board Director Vacancies
The Vina Groundwater Sustainability Agency is accepting applications for the following Alternate position(s):
- Non-Agricultural Domestic Well User Stakeholder Alternate Director
- Agricultural Groundwater User Alternate Director
The applications accepted until filled.
About the Vina GSA
The Vina GSA was formed in 2019 through a Joint Powers Agreement between the County of Butte, the City of Chico, and the Durham Irrigation District. The GSA is responsible for implementing the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA) within the Vina Subbasin, a 184,000-acre high-priority groundwater basin in Butte County that includes the Chico and Durham areas.
The GSA's Groundwater Sustainability Plan (GSP) was submitted to the California Department of Water Resources (DWR) in January 2022 and approved in July 2023. The GSA is now in active implementation, working toward the SGMA sustainability goal of 2042. Current priorities include the first five-year Periodic Evaluation of the GSP (due to DWR in January 2027), ongoing monitoring and data collection across the subbasin, and implementation of projects and management actions funded through state grant programs. The GSA also recently completed a transition from grant-based funding to a sustainable SGMA fee structure, ensuring the agency can carry out its long-term responsibilities independent of one-time grant dollars.
About the Board
The Board of Directors has five seats with equal voting rights: one elected official from each of the three member agencies (Butte County, City of Chico, and Durham Irrigation District), one Agricultural Groundwater User Stakeholder Director, and one Non-Agricultural Domestic Well User Stakeholder Director. Both stakeholder seats are appointed by the Butte County Board of Supervisors. Each primary Director is supported by an Alternate Director who may step in when the primary is absent or has a conflict of interest.
About the Alternate Position
The Alternate Director(s) serves in place of the primary Stakeholder Director when the primary is absent or has a conflict of interest. When the primary Director is present, the Alternate may attend Board meetings as a member of the public but may not participate in discussions or vote. The Butte County Board of Supervisors will appoint the new Alternate Director(s), who will serve the remainder of the current term.
Eligibility Requirements
To qualify, applicants must meet the following criteria, as determined at the sole discretion of the Butte County Board of Supervisors:
Non-Agricultural Domestic Well User Stakeholder Director/Alternate
- Reside within the Vina GSA jurisdiction and owns or leases residential real property in the jurisdiction; and
- Extracts groundwater from the jurisdiction for domestic use only.
Applicants may not be a party to any pending litigation against the Vina GSA or any of its member agencies.
Agricultural Stakeholder Director
- Reside within the Vina GSA jurisdiction: and
- Owns/leases real property in active commercial agricultural production operation overlying the Vina GSA jurisdiction or be an employee of a commercial agricultural production operation overlying the Agency jurisdiction involved in water use decisions; and
- the commercial agricultural production operation extracts groundwater from the Agency jurisdiction for the irrigation/frost protection of at least fifty (50) acres of agricultural crops in commercial operation; and
- the business entity that the Agricultural Stakeholder representative has commercial agricultural interests solely within the Sacramento Valley region.
Applicants, or the entity they represents, may not be party to any pending litigation against the Vina GSA or any of its member agencies.
Role and Time Commitment
Stakeholder Directors and Alternate Directors are volunteer positions. Board meetings are held monthly on the second Wednesday at 5:00 PM, typically at the Chico City Council Chamber, 421 Main Street, Chico, CA (alternate times, locations, and special meetings are sometimes scheduled). Alternates are encouraged to stay informed on Board matters and attend meetings when possible. The time commitment will vary depending on how often the Alternate is called to serve.
Selection Process
Per Section 7.3.2 of the Joint Powers Agreement, Stakeholder Directors are appointed as follows:
(a) Agricultural Stakeholder Director. Butte County shall conduct an open application process and identify the qualified candidates. The Agricultural Groundwater Users of Butte County (Association) shall provide a list of four (4) nominees selected from the list of qualified candidates.
(b) Domestic Well User Stakeholder Director. Butte County shall conduct an open application process and identify the qualified candidates.
(c) Ad-hoc Nomination Committee. Member agencies, excluding Butte County, shall form an ad-hoc nomination committee that shall provide recommendations on Stakeholder Directors' selection to the Butte County Board of Supervisors through an open, transparent public process.
(d) The Butte County Board of Supervisors shall consider the four (4) agricultural nominees, the domestic candidates and recommendations of the Ad-hoc Nomination Committee at a regular meeting and shall appoint the Stakeholder Directors and Alternates.
How to Apply
Complete the application form and submit it to the Clerk of the Board of Supervisors by mail or email.
County Vacancies Webpage: Board & Commission Vacancies | Butte County, CA
To submit an Application Online, click on the link below:
To submit via email, in-person, or by mail, click on the link below:
Email ClerkoftheBoard@buttecounty.ca.gov
In-person or by mail:
Attn: Clerk of the Board
25 County Center Drive, Suite 200
Oroville, CA 95965
Questions?
Contact Becky Anderson-Fairbanks, Interim Program Manager, at rfairbanks@buttecounty.ca.gov