Following an intra-agency battle, incumbent special district rep wins reappointment to LAFCO.

Election season for most of us is just getting started, but for a position on the influential Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCO) of Monterey County, it has come and gone, with a deadline for Monterey County's special districts to vote for a commissioner to represent them for the next four years on Friday, March 6. 

The results are in and will go to LAFCO for official appointment on March 23. Two-term commissioner and Monterey Peninsula Airport District board member Mary Ann Leffel will be reappointed to another term (and will also cycle into a year as chair of LAFCO). 

She received 17 votes, including from the MRY board. Jonathan Ahmadi, who also serves on the MRY board, came in second with 10 votes. 

There will be another round of voting to appoint an alternate, but because two people from the same district cannot both hold LAFCO appointments, Adhmadi's name will not appear on that ballot (due by April 20). Instead it will be down to third-place finisher Bill Lipe of the Resource Conservation District of Monterey County and incumbent commissioner David Kong of the Greenfield Cemetery District and Greenfield Public Recreation District, who received zero votes in round one of voting. Both Lipe and Kong campaigned as alternates, rather than as primary commissioners. 

Just 30 special districts cast a vote for their representative on LAFCO. Another 11 eligible districts—including Spreckels Community Services District, San Ardo Cemetey District and Cachagua Fire Protection District—did not return ballots, according to LAFCO records. 

Another special district seat on LAFCO, currently held by Chad Lindley of the Monterey Regional Fire Protection District, is midterm.

Also on March 23, LAFCO is set to consider applicants for the public member appointment.