[L.A. County LAFCO] – The California Association of Local Agency Formation Commissions has awarded its 2013 Outstanding Commissioner Award to Jerry Gladbach.

CALAFCO, a statewide association of 57 LAFCO’s in the State of California, presents the Outstanding Commissioner Award annually to one commissioner for “extraordinary service to his or her Commission.” CALAFCO presented Gladbach with the Outstanding Commissioner award at its annual conference on September 26, 2013. He was selected from amongst several nominees by the Nominating Committee of the CALAFCO Board of Directors, which includes representation from LAFCOs throughout the State of California.

Gladbach is the Chair of the Local Agency Formation Commission for the County of Los Angeles, to which he was first appointed in 2001. He is an elected member of the Board of Directors of the Castaic Lake Water Agency (CLWA), where he has served since 1985.

Gladbach and his wife, Donna, are residents of Valencia. They have 3 children and six grandchildren. He is an engineer who retired after 35 years of service to the Los Angeles Department of Water & Power. Gladbach is a member of the Board of Directors and past president of the Association of California Water Agencies (ACWA), the President of the Board of Directors of the ACWA Joint Powers Insurance Authority, and a former member of the Board of Directors of the Water Education Foundation. He is also the former President of the Board of Directors of CALAFCO.

“Chairman Gladbach’s many years of dedicated leadership, sound judgment and trusted guidance on vital local boundary and land use issues have earned him this distinguished award,” said Los Angeles County Supervisor Michael D. Antonovich.  “In addition to Jerry’s service as Chair of the Local Agency Formation Commission, Los Angeles County appreciates his participation with the Castaic Lake Water Agency and numerous other state and local associations and JPA’s that improve the quality of life for our all County residents.”

LAFCOs are State-mandated Commissions charged with the responsibility of providing for the orderly formation and growth of cities and special districts within each county. LA LAFCO reviews and holds public hearings on proposals for changes of organization for the 88 cities and 91 special districts in Los Angeles County. The Commission is also responsible for conducting detailed service reviews of cities and districts and periodically updating their spheres of influence (a precursor to annexation).

The Commission consists of nine regular members and six alternate members, including representatives from the Board of Supervisors, the City of Los Angeles, the other 87 cities and the independent special districts in Los Angeles County, and the San Fernando Valley. One of the regular members, and his or her alternate, represent the general public. The Public Member and Alternate Public Member are appointed by the other members of the Commission. The Commission generally meets once a month in downtown Los Angeles at the Kenneth Hahn Hall of Administration at 500 West Temple Street.