ELK GROVE/GALT, CA (MPG) - The Cosumnes Community Services District (CSD) Board of Directors met Oct. 15 to discuss several agenda items, including the 2025 California Fire Code, new on-call profes­sional service contracts and appointments to the Sacramento Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCo).

Before moving into the agenda, Board President Angela Spease acknowl­edged a moment of silence for Californians affected by recent wildfires and for longtime flight nurse Suzie Smith, who died from injuries sustained in the REACH helicopter crash on Oct. 6.

Assistant Fire Chief Lantz Rey presented the first agenda item, rec­ommending approval of the proposed 2025 California Fire Code with local amendments. He explained that the code establishes minimum fire safety standards for build­ings and structures across the state while addressing California’s unique condi­tions, such as wildfire risk, seismic activity and urban density.

Rey noted that the code provides the legal author­ity for things such as enforcing fire prevention and emergency access. Updated every three years using international and national models, the code is reviewed and amended by state and local agencies to reflect regional needs.

The 2025 update pri­marily includes formatting and standard revisions but introduces one key clar­ification: It now allows temporary or permanent water supplies to support residential and commer­cial construction, a change Rey said will make it eas­ier to develop model home complexes in undeveloped areas.

The board unanimously approved the code 5-0 and, if later adopted by the City Council, the updated fire code will take effect in January.

Next, Engineering, Development and Design Director Scott Jones presented a staff report rec­ommending approval of new on-call professional service agreements as the current contracts are set to expire.

The contracts include services such as civil engi­neering, construction inspections, environmental documentation, landscape architecture and surveying.

“These professional ser­vice agreements don’t just increase our capacity to deliver projects; they bring in specialized expertise that our staff alone can­not provide,” Jones said. “These services are truly mission critical.”

Landscape Architecture and Planning Director Christine Manitta added that the agreements will help accelerate project timelines by expediting design phases, leverag­ing consultant support and freeing up internal staff to focus on other priorities. She said the approach will also help to reduce con­struction costs by allowing projects to break ground sooner.

The district selected 23 consultants for the new on-call contracts, which will cover up to $500,000 in work over five years. Jones clarified that not all contractors will reach the maximum amount and that there will be no impact to the district’s general fund since expenditures were already approved in the budget.

The total contract authority was initially esti­mated at $12.5 million over five years but Vice President Peter Sakaris noted an error in the cal­culation and moved to amend the amount to $11.5 million.

Board member Daniella Z e h n d e r a s k e d h o w much time the new pro­cess would save and what delays could occur if it were not approved. Jones explained that the agreements streamline project delivery by avoid­ing lengthy procurement procedures. The on-call contracts, he said, provide flexible, as-needed support to ensure timely delivery of Capital Improvement Program (CIP) projects.

“So effectively what you’re doing is streamlin­ing the project with this while being cost effective and hopefully avoiding inflation costs over time by eliminating having to go through the contract,” board member Reina Tarango said, to which Jones agreed.

The Board of Directors voted unanimously to approve the recommenda­tion with the amendment to reduce the total contract authority to $11.5 million.

Program Manager John Ebner then presented an update on the Parks and Recreation Strategic Plan and the Commission on Accreditation of Park and Recreation Agencies (CAPRA) national accred­itation process.

Ebner reported that 97% of the department’s initia­tives are either achieved or on track. Accomplishments include the mobile rec­reation van program and the launch of the Oasis Recreation Center facility rental program.

One project, Wright Park Phase II, has been delayed due to environmen­tal requirements related to wetlands, but staff are working to get it back on schedule, said Ebner.

He also noted that the department plans to launch a pilot program in 2026 to reduce the use of pesticides and synthetic fertilizers in parks. Additional dis­trictwide priorities include renovating Elk Grove Park, revitalizing the Jerry Fox Swim Center and fur­ther developing the CORE Recreation Center.

Regarding Commission on Accreditation of Park and Recreation Agencies accreditation, Ebner said the district completed its annual reporting process in May and is awaiting feedback from auditors. He added that the Parks and Recreation Department will begin the reaccredita­tion process in fall 2026, with the goal of achieving accreditation in fall 2028.

The final item on the agenda was the election of special district represen­tatives to the Sacramento Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCo).

The Sacramento LAFCo Special District Selection Committee is holding the election to fill terms beginning Jan. 1. The committee’s large size has made it difficult to reach a quorum for in-per­son meetings, prompting efforts to simplify the vot­ing process.

The board was asked to select one candidate for a four-year term on Regular Seat 7, one candidate for a two-year term on the same seat and one alternate can­didate for a four-year term.

After reviewing the list, which included individu­als from various municipal districts in Sacramento County, the board voted to select Gay Jones of Sacramento Metropolitan Fire District for the four-year regular term, Brandon D. Rose of the Sacramento Municipal Utility District for the two-year term and Charlea Moore of Rio Linda Elverta Recreation and Park District as the four-year alternate repre­sentative.