RANCHO MURIETA, CA (MPG) - A government claim by General Manager Mimi Morris, paying for a security shortfall, and high expectations for new accounting software were among the topics discussed when the Rancho Murieta Community Service Board held its monthly meeting on Feb. 19.

The primary topic was what to do next regarding the draft of the Integrated Water Master Plan. See the separate story in this issue for details about that discussion.

President Stephen Booth opened the meeting by announcing that the board had unanimously voted to deny a government claim filed by General Manager Mimi Morris. That action enables her to move forward with a lawsuit.

Morris has been on paid leave since Jan. 6, when the board adjourned to a closed session to evaluate her performance. Before the session, she publicly accused Booth of retaliation, discrimination and harassment, revealing that she had filed an internal complaint against him after the November board meeting.

Booth responded the following day, stating, “I categorically deny that there has been any discrimination against her for any reason.”

During the Jan. 6 closed session, the board voted 4-0 to place Morris on administrative leave pending an investigation. Two days later, Morris’s attorney filed a government claim against the district, reiterating her allegations against Booth in greater detail.

Under California law, employees must file a government claim before suing a governmental entity, allowing time for resolution before litigation. Now that the board has denied her government claim, District Counsel Patrick Enright confirmed in a Jan. 23 email to the River Valley Times that Morris has six months to file a lawsuit.

Enright said Golden State Risk Management Authority is handling the government claim and declined further comment. He also confirmed that Kramer Workplace Investigations is still investigating Morris’s internal complaint and that she remains on paid administrative leave.

Security Shortfall
Director of Finance and Administration Mark Matulich updated the board on security operations, noting that issues with part-time gate officers on weekends and patrol officers parking in handicapped spaces had been addressed. Gate officers have also been issued lanyards for better identification. He announced the creation of a security hotline email, [email protected] and discussed plans to make it widely accessible.

Security Committee Chair Linda Butler stressed the importance of widely publicizing the security hotline email, urging residents to report issues directly rather than on social media. Matulich agreed, calling it a more effective channel for security concerns.

(For more information about the barcode issue, see the story “CSD Board Tables Barcode Fee, Considers New Water Plan.” 

When Booth invited board comments on the security report, Director Tim Maybee questioned how the district is funding the security shortfall after the board rejected a barcode fee increase to support 24-hour patrol coverage. Matulich responded that the only option was to use property tax revenue.

After Booth clarified that the board had tabled, not rejected, the barcode fee increase until budget discussions, Director Randy Jenco remained unsatisfied. He argued that using county tax funds violated a 2023 Grand Jury recommendation.

Booth asked Jenco if he wanted the issue on the March agenda and suggested the board consider an action item to reduce staff to previous levels or adjust the budget to fund the additional positions for the rest of the year.

Jenco said he would like to discuss this at the next meeting. “I just think that we are backfilling a hole with taxpayers’ money without really discussing it and being transparent about it, which I think is wrong,” he said.

Booth directed District Counsel Enright to collaborate with District Secretary Amelia Wilder to draft the language for the two agenda items.

The board unanimously approved Matulich’s recommendation to contract with Caselle accounting software. The upfront cost is $39,000, with an ongoing cost of $2,700. Matulich noted that while the price is similar to the district’s current accounting software, Caselle will enhance accounting processes and transparency.

“This is a full-service accounting software package that does fund accounting, which is the type of accounting the district needs to do,” Matulich said. “It also will create a ton of efficiencies because it would take a number of silo systems that don’t talk to each other and put them all under one roof.”

Longtime community activist Janis Eckard spoke during public comments about fire protection shortcomings related to the community’s water tanks and fire hydrant system. For more details, see the separate story in this issue covering the Rancho Murieta Association meeting, where she also outlined her concerns.

The board approved Rancho Murieta Association General Manager Rod Hart’s request to support trail maps for the Rancho North subdivision, which now meets association requirements.

Butler provided an update on organizing a strategic planning session for the board, with further discussion scheduled for the March 19 meeting.

Operations Manager Eric Houston introduced an addition to his Water 101 educational piece, which explains the district’s infrastructure and operations. A key highlight was that the district has 301,000 feet of water mains, equivalent to 57 miles of underground piping.