CLEARLAKE OAKS – When the Clearlake Oaks County Water District Board meets Thursday, the board will have both a new evening meeting time and a new board member.

At a special meeting last Thursday the board chose Mike Benjamin to succeed board member Patricia Shaver, who left the board last month, said Darin McCosker, the district's general manager.

Shaver did not give a specific reason for her resignation, but it came in the wake of a recall effort that Benjamin himself launched against both her and then-Vice President Mike Anisman.

Benjamin now joins Frank Toney and Harry Chase on the board. Board President Helen Locke and Anisman also gave their resignations; Anisman's became effective Sept. 5, and Locke stayed on long enough to help select Benjamin.

Her resignation took effect Sept. 12, the day after the special meeting, said McCosker.

McCosker said Anisman's and Locke's seats still need to be filled, which the district has 60 days to do.

“The board could potentially appoint both positions at the next regular meeting in October,” he said.

McCosker said the board will meet at its new time at 7 p.m. Thursday. Last month the board voted to change the meeting time from mid-afternoon on the third Wednesday of the month to evenings on the third Thursday to encourage more public participation.

Shaver's former position will be up for reelection at the end of next year, along with Chase's, said McCosker. As to the seats formerly held by Anisman and Locke, they expire in 2011.

According to government code, if a vacancy occurs within the first 130 days prior to the next general district election, the person appointed to fill the slot will hold it until that election. The person who is then elected to fill the vacancy will hold office for the unexpired balance of the term of office.

Other government code sections call for board seats to be staggered, which is why the law has the elections for board seats staying on a specific schedule.

At Thursday's meeting the board will elect is new president and vice president, review financial reports, receive a report from the Finance Committee/Budget Workshop, discuss a customer appeal and hold a closed session for an employee discipline issue.

The district's office is located at 12545 E. Highway 20. See the full agenda at www.clocwd.com.

E-mail Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

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