Open space district names ombudsperson Open space district names ombudsperson (November 10, 2004)

Carol Lamphear Joyce of Moss Beach is the new ombudsperson for the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District as it adds 220 square miles of the San Mateo County Coastside to its 330 square miles on the Bayside of San Mateo and Santa Clara counties.

The part-time volunteer position is seen as a key link between the district and its residents. The job is to help resolve misunderstandings and disputes, open lines of communication, and inform constituents of the newly annexed area to the role of the district in preserving open space on the Coastside.

Ms. Joyce, named to the post by the district board October 28, brings a strong background in legal, arbitration and mediation experience to the job, said Board President Mary Davey.

She recently returned to the Coastside after six years in Florida, where she worked in mediation and arbitration. She has a degree from the University of Michigan Law School, and worked for 12 years at the California Workers Compensation Insurance Rating Bureau in San Francisco.

Ward boundaries

Meanwhile, the district will complete the realignment of its seven ward boundaries to incorporate the expansion area at a special meeting Tuesday, November 9, starting at 7 p.m. at district headquarters, 330 Distel Circle in Los Altos.

New boundaries to give residents of the new area a voice on the board have been discussed at three meetings in three areas of the Coastside. These were attended by a couple of dozen people, including some opponents of the annexation, said Public Information Officer Rudy Jurgenson. "People were very positive," he said.

Most attendees wanted the new area to be included in a single district, to give greater clout to Coastside residents, Mr. Jurgenson said. Expanding District 6 and adjusting the boundaries of the other six wards to equalize populations might best meet this goal, he suggested. District 6 is represented by Director Larry Hassett, a resident of Skyline, and includes Menlo Park, Atherton, Woodside and Portola Valley.

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