Representation
The Mound Basin GSA Board of Directors is composed of three Member Directors and two Stakeholder Directors. The Joint Exercise of Powers Agreement (JPA) specifies that one Agricultural Stakeholder Director and one Environmental Stakeholder Director will be selected by the Member Directors. The JPA specifies the following criteria for the Stakeholder Directors:
Agricultural Stakeholder
6.1.2 The Agricultural Stakeholder Director shall meet either or both of the following qualifications:
- Own, as an individual or shareholder, trustee, limited liability company member or manager, or as a member of any other owner entity, land overlying the Basin (at least partially) that is utilized for a commercial agricultural business that produces groundwater from the Basin for its agricultural operation; or
- Operate a commercial agricultural business that itself produces groundwater from the Basin for its agricultural operations on land overlying the Basin and be an approved stakeholder representative by that property’s owner.
Environmental Stakeholder
6.1.3 The Environmental Stakeholder Director shall be an active member of a nonprofit, 501(c)(3) organization which has an adopted budget and, at the sole discretion of the Member Directors, meets the following requirements: (i) is currently active within lands overlying the Mound Basin; and (ii) has a mission that advances, or is furthered by, groundwater sustainability.
Appointment of Stakeholder
The JPA also sets forth the process for the appointment of Stakeholder Directors in section 6.3 as follows:
The Agricultural Stakeholder Director will be unanimously selected by the Member Directors from a list of one or more qualified nominees submitted by the MBAWG, or the Farm Bureau if the MBAWG is unwilling or unable to nominate potential directors. The MBAWG, or the Farm Bureau, shall submit its nominee(s) to the Member Directors pursuant to a process specified in the Bylaws, unless directed otherwise by the Member Directors until such time as the Bylaws have been adopted. The Member Directors shall consider the nominee(s) at a regular meeting and at that meeting shall approve and appoint the Agricultural Stakeholder Director. In the absence of a unanimous vote of approval and appointment by the Member Directors, the Member Directors can request different nominations.
The Environmental Stakeholder Director will be unanimously selected by the Member Directors from a nominee nominated by the following environmental organizations collectively:
1. Friends of the Santa Clara River
2. California Trout
3. National Audubon Society
4. Sierra Club
5. Santa Clara River Watershed Conservancy
6. Los Padres ForestWatch
7. Central Coast Alliance United for a Sustainable Economy
8. The Nature Conservancy
9. Wishtoyo Foundation
10. Keep Sespe Wild
11. Surfrider Foundation
12. CFROG (Citizens for Responsible Oil & Gas)
or, The Nature Conservancy if, and only if, the aforementioned list of organizations is unwilling or unable to nominate a potential Environmental Stakeholder Director. If the Member Directors do not accept a potential Environmental Stakeholder Director nominated by the aforementioned list of organizations or The Nature Conservancy, as applicable, the Member Directors shall request an additional nomination, as necessary. The aforementioned list of organizations shall submit its nominee to the Member Directors pursuant to a process specified in the Bylaws, unless directed otherwise by the Member Directors. The Member Directors shall consider the nominee(s) at a regular meeting and at that meeting shall approve and appoint the Environmental Stakeholder Director.