RANCHO MURIETA, CA (MPG) - The Rancho Murieta Community Services District Board of Directors advanced its search for a permanent general manager during its July 14 meeting while also receiving an update that puts the district on track to catch up on years of overdue audits, discussing future water planning, continuing discussions about a possible transfer of security operations to the Rancho Murieta Association, and revisiting Fourth of July security issues.

Before the public meeting, directors interviewed five candidates for the general manager position during a closed session. When the board reconvened, President John Merchant reported only that the directors had given staff direction on the hiring process and on moving forward. Later in the meeting, Interim General Manager Amelia Wilder confirmed the board had interviewed five applicants.

An additional board discussion about a concerning wastewater issue is covered in a separate story.

The board learned the district expects to receive draft financial audits for fiscal years 2022-23 and 2023-24 by about Aug. 14, bringing it close to catching up on years of delayed financial reporting.

Director of Finance Cecilia Min said auditors have nearly completed their work and are entering the management and audit review stages. To give directors time to review the audits, the board rescheduled its August Finance Committee meeting to Aug. 17 and its regular board meeting to Aug. 26.

Min reported preliminary financial results through the first 11 months of the fiscal year show approximately $8.5 million in operating revenue and $9.3 million in operating expenses, resulting in an operating loss of about $772,000. She emphasized that the figures remain preliminary until the audits and reconciliations are complete. Property tax revenue is currently offsetting the operating loss, although she said the district would prefer to retain those funds in reserves.

Later in the meeting, the board unanimously approved amendments to the 2022-23 and 2023-24 budgets reallocating unrestricted property tax revenue from the Security Fund to the Water, Wastewater, and Solid Waste funds to satisfy auditor-requested accounting changes.

During public comment, Rancho Murieta resident Bob Keil urged the board to resume public discussion of several long-range water supply projects, including emergency water storage, converting Clementia Reservoir to potable water, the district’s well program, and the Urban Water Management Plan. Director Tim Maybee directed Interim General Manager Amelia Wilder to place the matters on the Improvements Committee agenda.

The River Valley Times noted the Administrative Ad Hoc Committee report was omitted from both the June and July agendas despite the board’s October 2025 direction that the committee report at every regular meeting, even if there was nothing to report.

Merchant responded that although it wasn’t listed on the June agenda, he gave a brief verbal update explaining that his meetings with Wilder had evolved into the type of discussions typically held between a board president and a general manager.

The newspaper also noted the Water Vision Ad Hoc Committee remains active, but wasn’t on the July agenda. Director Randy Jenco, who chairs that group, said it should have been agendized. He said his report would simply have been that the committee had not met during the previous month.

The River Valley Times noted that, in a June 30 email, Merchant stated the board would approve a public news release regarding the 2026 Sacramento County Grand Jury report at the board meeting. However, no such item appeared on the agenda. Wilder later said staff is preparing the district’s formal response for board approval in September, ahead of the Sept. 24 deadline.

Security Transition

Resident Mike Martel asked what would happen to the district’s Measure J (Proposition 218) security assessment if the Rancho Murieta Association assumes responsibility for community security.

Merchant said the proposal remains in the discussion stage as the district and association evaluate what a transfer would involve. Discussions include the future of the Measure J assessment, gate ownership, tax implications and how any transfer could occur without creating a gift of public funds. He emphasized that no commitments have been made by either organization.

Merchant said Chris Childs, an RMA director who chairs the association’s Security Ad Hoc Committee, intends to hold public outreach meetings before moving forward. The district has also begun evaluating potential CalPERS liabilities associated with a transfer, while operational decisions would ultimately rest with the association.

The board also revisited security issues from the Fourth of July celebration after The River Valley Times raised incidents discussed during the district’s July 9 Security Committee meeting. (See "CSD Security Reports Troubling Fourth of July Incidents").

After hearing the comments, Security Sgt. Brandon Arino amended his earlier characterization of the holiday, saying there had been “major hiccups” rather than “minor hiccups.” He said the lack of law enforcement made the situation more difficult and suggested many of the problems could have been handled differently had sheriff’s deputies been available. As previously reported by The River Valley Times, the Rancho Murieta Association was unable to hire sheriff’s deputies for this year’s celebration, although it did hire private security.

Merchant said the unusually large holiday crowds highlighted the need for additional planning if Independence Day falls on a long weekend again.

The board also heard Arino’s report on aquatic invasive species after he completed California Department of Fish and Wildlife training. He said the district’s initial effort will focus on educating residents to clean, drain and dry boats before launching them in community lakes to reduce the risk of invasive mussels and aquatic vegetation damaging drinking water infrastructure.

The discussion then turned to whether boating should continue in Calero and Chesbro reservoirs, which serve as drinking water sources. Interim Operations Manager Travis Bohannon questioned whether recreational boating should continue on the reservoirs. Gere suggested referring the issue to the Improvements Committee. Merchant said the topic could become part of broader discussions with RMA because the association owns the reservoir property while the district is responsible for protecting water quality.