A cooperative cost-sharing by local cities and agencies saved $25,000 on a mandated services analysis and won a state government-leadership award.

The joint effort was the conducting of an analysis called a Municipal Services Review under the auspices of the Amador Local Agency Formation Commission. The California Association of Local Agency Formation Commissions presented its Government Leadership Award to several area government agencies at the CALAFCO annual meeting in October. The award winners are the cities of Amador City, Ione, Jackson, Plymouth and Sutter Creek, and Amador County, Amador County Transportation Commission, Amador Water Agency and Pine Grove Community Services District.

Each participating agency paid a proportionate share of the study's expense, with additional funding from Amador LAFCO.

"Undertaking the project on a county-wide basis generated cost savings of at least $25,000," said Roseanne Chamberlain, executive director of the Amador LAFCO.

LAFCOs in each California county review and make decisions on annexations and other boundary changes. Amador LAFCO would have been prohibited from deciding needed boundary changes or annexations until the MSR was completed.

"No LAFCO projects were delayed, because the study was completed efficiently," Chamberlain said.  

Performing an MSR is a relatively new requirement of state law for each LAFCO in California. An MSR covers each local government agency within Amador County, including cities, special districts and county service areas.