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Commissioners

State law dictates LAFCO composition. In Santa Clara County, LAFCO is composed of seven commissioners:

  • Two County Supervisors appointed by the Board of Supervisors
  • One Council Member from the City of San Jose appointed by the City Council
  • One Council Member from any of the other cities appointed by the Cities Selection Committee
  • Two Board Members from independent special districts – one appointed by the Santa Clara Valley Water District, one appointed by the Independent Special District Selection Committee
  • One Public Member appointed by the other members of the Commission

Alternate commissioners are appointed for each of the categories.

State law provides that LAFCO commissioners must exercise independent judgment and represent the interests of the public as a whole in furthering the purposes of LAFCO and not solely the interests of their appointing authority.

All correspondence to LAFCO should be sent to the LAFCO office:

LAFCO of Santa Clara County
777 North First Street, Suite 410
San Jose, CA 95112

Email: lafco@ceo.sccgov.org

Individual commissioners may be contacted using the information provided below.

Commissioners

Russ Melton

Russ Melton

Chairperson
Appointed by the Santa Clara County City Selection Committee

Phone: (650) 455-1163
Email: meltoncouncil@sunnyvale.ca.gov

First Appointed: January 2017
Current Term Expires: May 2028

Commissioner Sylvia Arenas

Sylvia Arenas

Vice Chairperson
Appointed by the County Board of Supervisors

Phone: (408) 299-5010
Email: sylvia.arenas@bos.sccgov.org

First Appointed: January 2023
Current Term Expires: May 2026

Jim Beall

Jim Beall

Appointed by the Santa Clara Valley Water District

Phone: (408) 265-2600
Email: JBeall@valleywater.org

First Appointed: January 2023
Current Term Expires: May 2027

Commissioner Rosemary Kamei

Rosemary Kamei

Appointed by the San Jose City Council

Phone: (408) 535-4901
Email: rosemary.kamei@sanjoseca.gov

First Appointed: January 2023
Current Term Expires: May 2028

Yoriko Kishimoto

Yoriko Kishimoto

Appointed by the Independent Special District Selection Committee

Phone: (650) 323-5590
Email: ykishimoto@openspace.org

First Appointed: January 2013
Current Term Expires: May 2025

Commissioner Otto Lee

Otto Lee

Appointed by the County Board of Supervisors

Phone: (408) 299-5030
Email: Supervisor.Lee@bos.sccgov.org

First Appointed: January 2023
Current Term Expires: May 2026

Terry Trumbull

Terry Trumbull

Public Member, appointed by the other 6 LAFCO Commissioners

Phone: (650) 321-7538
Email: terrytrumbull1011@gmail.com

First Appointed: May 2003
Current Term Expires: May 2027

Alternate Commissioners

Domingo Candelas

Domingo Candelas

Appointed by the San Jose City Council

Phone: (408) 535-4908
Email: district8@sanjoseca.gov

First Appointed: March 2023
Current Term Expires: May 2028

Photo of Helen Chapman

Helen Chapman

Appointed by the Independent Special District Selection Committee

Phone: (408) 780-4545
Email: district3@openspaceauthority.org

First Appointed: January 2021
Current Term Expires: May 2025

Cindy Chavez

Cindy Chavez

Appointed by the County Board of Supervisors

Phone: (408) 299-5001
Email: cindy.chavez@bos.sccgov.org

First Appointed: August 2013
Current Term Expires: May 2025

Teresa O'Neill

Teresa O'Neill

Alternate Public Member, appointed by the other 6 LAFCO Commissioners

Phone: (408) 219-9624
Email: teresa.oneillSC@gmail.com

First Appointed: May 2023
Current Term Expires: May 2027

Mark Turner

Mark Turner

Appointed by the Santa Clara County City Selection Committee

Phone: (408) 310-4647
Email: mark.turner@morganhill.ca.gov

First Appointed: February 2023
Current Term Expires: May 2028