Losing small districts means residents lose local control

We recently published information regarding the different districts that will have seats up for election in November.

Among them were the Westmorland Union Elementary School District, Heber Public Utility District, Niland Sanitary District, Palo Verde County Water District, Seeley County Water District, Salton Community Services District and the Winterhaven Water District.

Those districts were given extended deadlines because of the lack of candidate applicants.

The extended deadline ended Wednesday and the Niland Sanitary District, Palo Verde County Water District, Seeley County Water District and Winterhaven Water District won’t appear on the ballot in November.

So what happens if those districts don’t get continuous interest? It’s possible those districts could get dissolved, although that’s rare, said Jurg Heuberger, the executive officer at the Imperial Local Agency Formation Commission.

As of now, the Winterhaven Fire District is going through the process of being dissolved, but for lack of action and other issues.

It’s the same issue with the Niland Sanitary District.

After a district is dissolved, then another agency must take on the responsibility of providing those services to that area.

It’s unfortunate to see the lack of participation in those small districts and we encourage those residents to get involved.

Those small districts allow the communities to have direct control over the services in their area.

Losing that local control now puts those communities into a general pot of services provided by a bigger agency that may not always have that small community’s best interest.