[00:00:01]
THINK WE'RE GONNA GET READY, START TO GET READY.AND WELCOME TO THE DECEMBER 10TH, 2020 24 MEETING OF THE ME SECONDARY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS.
WE WILL NOW START WITH THE INVOCATION LED BY PASTOR STEVE HAMMOND OF BETHEL COMMUNITY CHURCH IN LOS BANOS.
AND THEN SUPERVISOR SERA WILL LEAD THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
IF YOU CAN PLEASE STAND FOR THE PLEDGE.
HEAVENLY FATHER, WE COME BEFORE YOU TODAY WITH GRATEFUL HEARTS.
WE ARE THANKFUL FOR YOUR SON AS WE CELEBRATE HIS BIRTH DURING HIS CHRISTMAS SEASON.
WE EXPRESS OUR GRATITUDE FOR THE FREEDOM TO GATHER TOGETHER AND CONDUCT THE BUSINESS OF OUR COUNTY.
WE PRAY YOUR BLESSINGS UPON OUR SUPERVISORS, THE DEPARTMENT HEADS AND THEIR FAMILIES.
MAY THIS HOLIDAY SEASON BE A JOYOUS TIME FOR ALL, AND PLEASE COMFORT THOSE WHO HAVE SUFFERED LOSSES.
THE HOLIDAYS CAN BE DIFFICULT FOR SOME.
WE PRAY YOUR ABUNDANT BLESSINGS UPON OUR COUNTY.
AS WE LOOK TO YOU FOR GUIDANCE AND ANSWERS, WE ASK THAT YOU GRANT EACH SUPERVISOR DIVINE WISDOM, TO NAVIGATE DIFFICULT DECISIONS AND THE STRENGTH TO DO WHAT IS RIGHT IN EVERY SITUATION, GIVE US INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS TO, TO DIFFICULT PROBLEMS. WE ASK YOUR FAVOR OVER OUR LEADERS IN THEIR POSITIONS, PROTECTION OVER OUR FIRST RESPONDERS, WISDOM AND COMPASSION FOR THE REPRESENTATIVES IN EACH DEPARTMENT OF OUR COUNTY.
WE THANK YOU FOR EACH ONE OF OUR LEADERS, AND WE ASK THAT YOU BLESS THIS MEETING THIS EVENING AS WE CONTINUE TO LOVE ONE ANOTHER AND BRING PEACE ON EARTH.
PLEASE JOIN ME IN THE SALUTE, THE FLAG OF THE GREATEST COUNTRY IN THE WORLD.
INGI FLAG, THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC RELIGIOU VIEWS ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVIDUAL WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE.
UM, I JUST WANNA SAY WE, YOU KNOW, AS COUNTY, WE APOLOGIZE FOR THE INCONVENIENCE OF THE PUBLIC, UH, GOING AROUND, UH, THE MEETINGS, UH, NEXT MEETING IN, UH, DECEMBER 17TH WILL BE AT THE MONDO, MONDO BUILDING DOWNTOWN MERCED AS, UH, THE THIRD FLOOR OF THE, UH, THE ADMINISTRATION BUILDING IS BEING, UH, REMODELED AND THE AREA CONDITION FIXED.
SO IN JANUARY, WE'LL HAVE THE MEETINGS BACK OVER THERE.
I WON'T BE HERE, YOU'LL BE MISSING ME, BUT
UM, AND NOW WE'LL MOVE ON TO, UH,
[PUBLIC OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK]
NON AGENDA, UH, ITEM PUBLIC, PUBLIC COMMENT.IT IS NOW TIME FOR PUBLIC OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK ON ANY MATTER OF PUBLIC INTEREST WITHIN THE BOARD'S JURISDICTION, EXCLUDING ITEMS ON THE BOARD'S AGENDA.
TESTIMONY IS LIMITED TO THREE MINUTES PER PERSON AND 30 MINUTES TOTAL.
ALRIGHT, AT THIS TIME I'LL OPEN UP PUBLIC COMMENTS.
AGAIN, THIS IS FERNANDA AGENDA ITEMS. AND JUST TO NOTE, UM, SOMEBODY HAS A 30 MINUTE SECOND, I MEAN, A 32ND, UH, TIME, UH, TIMING.
I'M UNDER, I'M UNDER THREE MINUTES, I'M SURE.
I'M MAGGIE FREEMAN AND I SERVE OUR COMMUNITY AS CLUB PRESIDENT OF MERCED SUNRISE ROTARY, HOST OF THE MERCED FIELD OF HONOR.
I'D LIKE TO TAKE A MOMENT TO SHARE THE IMPACT OF A HOLIDAY YOUTH SERVICE PROJECT OUR CLUB HOSTED RECENTLY, WE ORGANIZED A CHRISTMAS CLOSE FOR KIDS AT TARGET, MERCED.
THIS PROGRAM EXEMPLIFIES SERVICE ABOVE SELF ROTARY'S MOTTO AND THE GIVING THAT DEFINES MANY OF OUR COMMUNITY NONPROFITS DURING THE HOLIDAY SEASON.
IN PARTNERSHIP WITH MERCED MISSION, VILLAGE OF HOPE FOR FAMILIES, CASA AND LOVE INC.
WE IDENTIFIED 85 ELIGIBLE YOUTH.
THESE CHILDREN WERE GIFTED $100 TARGET GIFT CARDS AND PARTNERED WITH ROTARIAN AND COMMUNITY VOLUNTEER SHOPPERS FOR NEW WINTER SCHOOL CLOTHES, JEANS, SHOES, AND JACKETS.
WE ARE DEEPLY GRATEFUL TO OUR HOST TARGET MERCED, WHICH CONTRIBUTED A $500 CORPORATE GIFT CARD, AS WELL AS TO OUR PRIVATE DONORS WHO CONTRIBUTED AND ENSURED OUR SUCCESSFUL EVENT.
OUR COMMUNITY'S GENEROSITY REFLECTS THE INCREDIBLE HEART OF THE COUNTY OF MERCED AND THE POWER OF MERCED SUNRISE ROTARIES COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS IN MAKING A DIFFERENCE.
ON BEHALF OF THE MERCED SUNRISE ROTARY CLUB, WE WOULD LIKE TO EXTEND TO YOU, EACH OF YOU AS LEADERS FOSTERING A SUPPORTIVE ENVIRONMENT, UH, A VERY
[00:05:01]
HAPPY HOLIDAYS.YOUR LEADERSHIP INSPIRES COLLABORATION AND ENABLES NONPROFITS LIKE OURS TO REACH OUT TO SOME OF OUR MOST VULNERABLE RESIDENTS, OUR YOUTH.
WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR DEDICATION TO OUR COMMUNITY, AND WE WISH YOU AND YOUR FAMILIES A VERY HAPPY HOLIDAY.
I AM MERCED COUNTY LONGTIME EMPLOYEE, AND I'M HERE AGAIN, JUST LETTING YOU KNOW, IT'S THE END OF THE YEAR.
IT'S THE END OF THE YEAR, AND THINGS HAVE NOT GOTTEN EASIER FOR MERCED COUNTY WORKERS, AS I'M SURE YOU ARE AWARE.
SO WE LOOK FORWARD TO MEETING AGAIN AT THE BEGINNING OF NEXT YEAR AND HOPEFULLY COME UP WITH A SOLUTION TO HELP US ALL.
UM, BECAUSE I'M SURE UNLIKE YOU, THIS WILL BE MY SECOND YEAR GOING WITH NO HEAT BECAUSE I CAN'T AFFORD IT.
SO, AND I'M NOT THE ONLY ONE WHO IS STRUGGLING RIGHT NOW.
YOU KNOW THAT WE, UM, OUR WAGES HAVEN'T BEEN RAISED IN A WHILE, AND, UM, PRICES ARE GOING UP EVERYWHERE.
SO PLEASE HELP US CONTINUE TO BE ABLE TO DO OUR JOBS IN HELPING THE COMMUNITY.
'CAUSE THAT'S WHAT WE DO BEST.
MERCED COUNTY IS, IS OUR, IS OUR PLACE.
WE LOVE IT, BUT WE ALSO NEED YOUR SUPPORT SO THAT WE CAN KEEP CARRYING ON.
SO WE'RE ASKING THAT YOU PLEASE KEEP THAT IN MIND AS WE GO, UH, INTO NEGOTIATIONS NEXT YEAR, AND HOPEFULLY THAT WILL, WILL HELP RESOLVE OUR, OUR ISSUES TOGETHER.
UM, MY NAME IS GLORIA SANDOVAL AND I, RIGHT NOW, I FEEL LIKE, UM, THERE'S A LOT OF FEAR IN THE COMMUNITY WITH THE NEW ADMINISTRATION COMING IN, AND PARTICULARLY BECAUSE WE ARE AN AGRICULTURAL COUNTY, THAT IT'S IMPORTANT FOR YOU TO LET THE COMMUNITY KNOW THAT YOU CARE ABOUT WHAT IS GONNA HAPPEN TO THEM.
UM, WE'VE, WE, WE SEE A LOT OF ARTICLES BEING WRITTEN ABOUT FARMERS, I'M SURE DAIRY FARMERS ALSO, THAT ARE CONCERNED ABOUT WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN TO THEIR WORKFORCE.
WE KNOW THAT THIS ISSUE OF IMMIGRATION WITH MASS DEPORTATIONS THAT ARE PLANNED ARE NOT GOOD FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THAT OUR LEADERS, OUR ELECTED LEADERS, STAND UP FOR THE SAFETY OF OUR COMMUNITY.
I KNOW THAT THERE'S LAWS THAT HAVE TO BE ABIDED BY, BUT I THINK WE HAVE TO THINK IN A HUMANE WAY.
NOT ONLY THAT, BUT I KNOW THAT YOU'RE CONCERNED ABOUT THE ECONOMY AND, UH, THE ECONOMIC STATUS OF THIS COUNTY, AND IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE ALL STAND UP FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
I'M GERALD PHELPS, PRESIDENT OF AME LOCAL 27 0 3.
THIS YEAR, OUR MEMBERS HAVE SHOWN INCREDIBLE DEDICATION, MAKING PROGRESS ON KEY ISSUES LIKE HEALTHCARE WORKFORCE CONCERNS.
BUT AS WE LOOK AHEAD TO 2025, WE FACE A CRITICAL CHALLENGE, WHICH IS FAIR WAGES.
TOO MANY OF OUR WORKERS ARE STRUGGLING TO MAKE ENDS MEET DESPITE MERCED COUNTY BEING THE LARGEST EMPLOYER IN THE REGION.
WORKERS WHETHER, UH, WHETHER SOCIAL, UH, WHETHER THEY'RE SOCIAL WORKERS, ROAD WORKERS, OFFICE STAFF, OR HEALTH PROVIDERS ARE FORCED TO TAKE ON MULTIPLE JOBS JUST TO SURVIVE.
THE SIMPLE TRUTH IS, WORKERS ARE LEAVING FOR BETTER PAY, PAYING OPPORTUNITIES IN THE NEIGHBORING COUNTIES, SOME OFFERING UP TO 27% MORE THAN MERCED COUNTY.
HOW CAN WE CONTINUE TO ASK OUR WORKERS TO GIVE EVERYTHING FOR THIS COUNTY WHEN THEY CAN EARN MORE JUST ACROSS THE COUNTY LINE? OUR WORKERS ARE THE BACKBONE OF THIS COMMUNITY.
THEY KEEP OUR ROADS SAFE, THEY PROTECT THE VULNERABLE, AND THEY DELIVER ESSENTIAL SERVICES.
THEY DESERVE WAGES THAT REFLECT THEIR VALUES.
AS WE APPROACH NEGOTIATIONS IN 2025, I URGE THE BOARD TO COME TO A TABLE, COME TO THE TABLE AS, UH, WITH A RENOWNED, A RENEWED COMMITMENT TO FAIRNESS.
COUNTY EMPLOYEES NEED A WAGE THAT SUPPORTS, UH, THEIR FAMILIES AND ALSO ALLOWS 'EM TO LIVE WITH DIGNITY.
MERCED COUNTY'S GREATEST ASSET IS ITS PEOPLE, OUR DEDICATED PUBLIC SERVANTS.
IF WE FAIL, FAIL TO MEET THEIR NEEDS, WE RISK LOSING THE VERY WORKERS WHO MAKE THIS COMMUNITY STRONG SOLUTIONS WON'T BE EASY, BUT THEY'RE NECESSARY.
AS WE ENTER THIS HOLIDAY SEASON, LET US REMEMBER THE TRUE MEANING OF GENEROSITY AND COMMITMENT.
LET'S LET 2025 BE THE YEAR MERCED COUNTY LEADS AND RECOGNIZING VALUE OF ITS WORKERS AND PAYING THEM WHAT THEY DESERVE.
AND ASME LOOKS FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU AND MERCED COUNTY, UH, TO MAKE A BETTER PLACE FOR EVERYONE, ESPECIALLY THE WORKERS THAT, THAT PROVIDE THE SERVICES THAT THIS, THAT THE RESIDENTS DESERVE.
[00:10:04]
ANYONE ELSE WISHING TO SPEAK UNDER PUBLIC COMMENT? GOOD EVENING.MY NAME IS ANASTASIA ROSALES FROM, AND I JUST COME TO REMIND YOU ALL ABOUT, UH, WHAT WE PROPOSED ON ALL THOSE MEETINGS THAT WE HAD, WHICH NONE OF 'EM WENT THROUGH AS WE PROPOSED IT, BECAUSE WE NOTICED THAT, UH, WHOEVER DID, WHO IT IS THAT MAKE ALL THESE DECISIONS FOR US, I, I DON'T THINK IT WAS FAIR, BUT ANYWAY, UH, WHAT WE NEEDED, IT WAS NOT ACCOMPLISHED EITHER.
AND THEN ACCORDING TO THE DISTRIBUTION OF THE 20 M, IT'S ALSO, IT'S NOT A FAIR THAT, UH, ACCORDING TO LAST MAY OR JUNE, WHEN, UH, THEY, UH, WERE GONNA HELP US WITH, UH, LOST WAGES, THEY TOLD US, AND AS FAR AS I REMEMBER, THEY SAID BY OCTOBER, THEY ALL, ALL THIS WAS ALREADY GONNA ACCOMPLISH OR DONE STILL, UH, DECEMBER NOW AND MAYBE NEXT YEAR, AND STILL I HAVE NOT GOT ANYTHING.
NOW, WHAT THEY TOLD ME IS THAT I HAD TO WORK JANUARY AND FEBRUARY.
AND ON TOP OF THAT, THE WORST STINK THAT MY HOUSE, WOW, LONG APR, BUT MAINLY SANTA FE, UH, UH, LATHAM MILLS AND ALL THOSE STREETS WERE FLOODED.
SO HOW COULD I WORK? I HAD TO CLEAN THE HOUSE, GET ALL THE MUD OUTTA THE HOUSE, AND THEN START REPAIRING IT.
NOW, WHY IS IT THAT THEY ARE REQUIRING ME THAT I HAVE TO WORK IN ORDER TO BE ELIGIBLE TO GET THE, THOSE, UH, LOST WAGES? I DON'T THINK IT'S FAIR.
SO I REALLY SUGGEST, PLEASE THAT IF, UH, HOPEFULLY I'M NOT ASKING YOU OKAY.
BUT HOPEFULLY NEXT MEETING OR BEFORE CHRISTMAS, I'LL COME AGAIN HERE.
MAYBE YOU CAN HEAR ME SOMETHING SO ALL THESE PEOPLE CAN SEE THAT YOU GUYS ARE REALLY HELPING US, LIKE I'VE HEARD ALREADY.
ANY OTHER PUBLIC COMMENTS? GOOD EVENING, HONORABLE CHAIRMAN ESPINOSA AND BOARD OF SUPERVISORS.
I WOULD BE REMISS IF NOT TO REMIND TAXPAYERS TODAY IS THE LAST DAY TO PAY WITHOUT PENALTY.
IF YOU HAVEN'T RECEIVED A POSTMARK OR PAID IN PERSON, PLEASE GO ONLINE UNTIL MIDNIGHT, SO YOU HAVE THAT OPTION@MERCEDTAXCOLLECTOR.ORG.
AND ALSO, I WANNA THANK ESPINOZA FOR YOUR YEARS OF SERVICE, AND I KNOW YOU HAVE OTHER MISSIONS AHEAD OF YOU, SO CONGRATULATIONS.
ANY OTHER PUBLIC COMMENTS? NO.
THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD IS NOW CLOSED FOR NON AGENDA ITEMS, AND
[CONSENT CALENDAR]
WE'LL MOVE ON TO CONSENT CALENDAR ITEMS ONE THROUGH 16, CONSENT AGENDA, CALENDAR ITEMS ONE THROUGH 16.PLEASE NOTE ITEMS 1, 4, 5, 6, AND 12 REQUIRE A FOUR FIFTHS VOTE.
AT THIS TIME, I WOULD OPEN PUBLIC COMMENT FOR CONSENT CALENDAR ITEMS ONE THROUGH 16, ANY PUBLIC COMMENT ITEM NUMBER ONE THROUGH 16.
I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT ITEM FIVE AND, AND SHARE AGAIN, SOME OF MY FRUSTRATIONS THAT AGAIN, IF YOU STICK BY THE PHILOSOPHY THAT, UM, EVERY ONE OF OUR ITEMS COSTS US NEARLY A THOUSAND DOLLARS IN STAFF TIME TO PUT THAT ITEM ON THE AGENDA.
AND HERE WE'RE LOOKING AT A, A $300 ITEM.
UM, I KNOW I'VE ASKED BEFORE THAT I, I, YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT THESE ARE THINGS THAT IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE WATCH ALL OF OUR PENNIES AND THE DOLLARS WILL TAKE CARE OF THEMSELVES, BUT I THINK THERE SHOULD BE A WAY THAT IF WE, WE HAVE A RULE THAT IF IT COSTS US MORE TO PUT THE ITEM ON THE AGENDA THAN THE ACTUAL ITEM COST, THAT THAT COULD BE DONE ADMINISTRATIVELY AND NOT HAVE TO COME TO THE BOARD, UM, FOR APPROVAL AT A REGULAR MEETING.
IF, IF IT'S SOMETHING THAT IF PUT TOGETHER AND WE HAVE A, YOU KNOW, A QUARTERLY UPDATE ON THE ITEMS THAT, THAT COST LESS THAN A THOUSAND DOLLARS, AT LEAST FOR ME, AND I CAN ONLY SPEAK FOR MYSELF, I'M COMFORTABLE ALLOWING THE CEO'S OFFICE AND STAFF MAKE THOSE DECISIONS WITHOUT HAVING TO BRING THEM TO THE FULL BOARD FOR APPROVAL.
AND IF THERE ARE NO OTHER COMMENTS, MR. CHAIR, I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONSENT CALENDAR.
MR.
[00:15:01]
OH, UH, BOARD ACTION.[BOARD ACTION]
WE WILL NOW MOVE ON TO BOARD ACTION, BEGINNING WITH PUBLIC WORKS.ITEM 17 THROUGH 19, PLEASE NOTE, ITEM 19 REQUIRES A FOUR FIFTHS VOTE.
OKAY, AT THIS TIME, WE'LL OPEN UP PUBLIC COMMENT FOR DPW ITEMS, UH, 1717 THROUGH 19.
ANY PUBLIC COMMENT DOWN ON THESE ITEMS? I SEE NO ONE.
SO THE PUBLIC COMMENT ON PERIOD FOR DPW ITEMS 17 THROUGH 19 IS NOW CLOSED.
ANY COMMENTS BY THE BOARD OR MOTIONS? MOVE TO APPROVE.
MOTION BY SUPERVISOR PEDROSO, SECOND SUPERVISOR, RA.
ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES BY ALL.
NEXT, WE HAVE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AND RECOVERY SERVICES, ITEMS 20 THROUGH 24.
AT THIS TIME, I'LL OPEN UP PUBLIC COMMENT FOR B I'S ITEMS 20 THROUGH 24.
ANY PUBLIC COMMENT ON THESE ITEMS, A PUBLIC COMMENT? SO, UH, THE COMMENT PERIOD IS NOW CLOSED FOR 20 THROUGH 24, AND WE'LL HAVE, UH, COMMENTS OR MOTIONS BY SUPERVISORS APPROVE.
MOTION BY SUPERVISOR PEREZ, SECOND SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL.
NOW WE HAVE COMMITTEE IN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, ITEMS 25 AND 26.
AT THIS TIME, I'LL OPEN UP PUBLIC COMMENT FOR CD ITEMS, UH, 25 AND 26 PUBLIC COMMENTS AS YOU NO ONE COMING FORWARD.
SO THE FOLLOW TIME APPEAR FOR CD ITEM 25 AND 26.
NOW CLOSE, UH, COMMENTS BY SUPERVISORS OR MOTIONS.
ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES FIVE OH.
NEXT WE HAVE DISTRICT ATTORNEY ITEM 27.
PLEASE NOTE THIS ITEM HAS BEEN PULLED.
OKAY, NOW WE HAVE THE SHERIFF ITEM 28.
THIS TIME UP, WE'LL OPEN UP PUBLIC COMMENT FOR SHERIFF.
ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS ON, UH, THE SHERIFF ITEM? I SEE NO ONE COMING FORWARD.
SO THE SHARE ITEM IS 28 IS NOT CLOSED.
UM, SUPERVISORS COMMENTS OR MOTIONS? MOTION.
NOW I JUST WANT TO THANK THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT FOR STEPPING UP ON THIS.
I THINK THIS IS REALLY IMPORTANT IN MERCED COUNTY, UH, WHEN WE ALL COME TOGETHER, ALL SIX CITIES AND THE COUNTY.
AND I APPRECIATE THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT FOR STEPPING UP AND TAKING A LEAD ON THIS.
SO AS, SO WE HAVE A MOTION, MR. JUSTICE, SECOND, AND I'LL SECOND THE MOTION, UH, MCDANIEL.
ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES BY.
NEXT WE HAVE A SPRING FAIR ITEM 29.
AT THIS TIME, I'LL OPEN UP PUBLIC COMMENT FOR SPRING FAIR.
ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS? I SEE NO ONE.
SO THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD FOR SPRING FAIR, ITEM NUMBER 29 IS CLOSED.
UH, VISORS COMMENTS OR MOTIONS? YES.
MOTION SUPERVISOR RA, SECOND SUPERVISOR.
NEXT WE HAVE WORKFORCE INVESTMENT ITEMS 30 AND 31.
THIS TIME I WOULD LIKE TO INVITE THE PODIUM AND WORK FORCE INVESTMENT DIRECTOR ERIC SERATO TO PROVIDE INFORMATION REGARDING NUMBER 31 AND CHAIR.
UH, THANK YOU CHAIR ESPINOZA AND BOARD OF SUPERVISORS AND CEO MENDEZ.
UM, I AM LESLIE AB BASTA CUMMINGS.
I AM THE CHAIR OF THE WORKFORCE INVESTMENT BOARD.
UM, AND TONIGHT ON THIS ITEM, WE JUST WANNA THANK YOU FOR ACCEPTING THESE TWO INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT INVESTMENTS, UH, FOR THE WORKFORCE BOARD HERE IN MERCED COUNTY.
AND I'M GONNA HAND IT OVER TO OUR DIRECTOR, ERIC SERRATO.
UH, ERIC SERRATO, DIRECTOR OF WORKFORCE INVESTMENT.
UH, GOOD EVENING, UH, CHAIR, BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, CEO MENDEZ.
UH, YEAH, WE DO, WE WANT TO SAY A HEARTFELT THANK YOU, UH, IN PARTICULAR TO OUR OWN BOARD MEMBER SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL.
THESE ARE TWO REALLY IMPORTANT CONTRIBUTIONS AND INVESTMENTS BEING MADE IN MERCED COUNTY AND IN THE WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT BOARD.
UH, THE FIRST IS A $2 MILLION INVESTMENT, UM, IN THE CALIFORNIA JOBS FIRST INITIATIVE.
THERE ARE 13 REGIONS, 13 ECONOMIC REGIONS IN THE STATE.
UH, OURS IS MERCED STANISLAUS AND SAN JOAQUIN COUNTIES.
AND WE ARE THE ONLY REGION LED BY A WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT BOARD.
AND IT'S A SIGNAL NOT ONLY THE LEADERSHIP OF THE WORKFORCE BOARD, BUT OF MERCED COUNTY IN LEADING THE REGIONAL ECONOMY.
THE SECOND IS JUST AS IMPORTANT TO US.
IT'S A $350,000 INVESTMENT BY THE JAMES IRVINE FOUNDATION,
[00:20:01]
WHICH, UH, WE SEE AS A DOWN PAYMENT ON FUTURE PHILANTHROPIC INVESTMENT.UH, OUR GROUP HAS GOTTEN THE ATTENTION OF THE PHILANTHROPIC COMMUNITY, UM, AND THEIR, UH, WILLINGNESS AND INTEREST IN INVESTING, UH, IN OUR ECONOMY IS, UH, CERTAINLY A TESTAMENT TO, UH, THE WORK OF OUR BOARD CHAIR AND OUR WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT BOARD.
SO WE THANK YOU, UH, FOR ACCEPTING, UH, THESE TWO CONTRIBUTIONS.
ANY COMMENTS ABOUT MR. PRESIDENT MCNEIL? YEAH, I'D JUST LIKE TO THANK, LIKE I SAID, THIS IS MY FAVORITE BOARD THAT I SIT ON AND WORK WITH.
AND, UH, I'M GLAD THAT ERIC'S THANKING US OVER THIS $2 MILLION BECAUSE I, I THINK WHEN I GOT INVOLVED IN THIS, AND I FELT LIKE THIS WAS THE WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT ROLE IN THIS, AND I'M SURPRISED THAT THE REST OF THE REGIONS IN THE STATE DIDN'T DO IT THIS WAY.
BUT ERIC, THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK ON THIS.
I MEAN, WE HAVE THIS TODAY BECAUSE OF ERIC SERATO, AND WE APPRECIATE ALL YOUR WORK.
ANY COMMENTS BY THE PUBLIC FOR, UH, THIS ITEM 31? I'LL MOVE TO APPROVE.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR A SECOND.
HAVE A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL, SECOND VICE PERRA.
AND CHAIR, I'D LIKE TO SAY THIS WAS A PLEASURE BEING ABLE TO VOTE ON IT HERE 'CAUSE I ALWAYS HAVE TO ABSTAIN WHENEVER I'M AT THE WORKFORCE, SO, OKAY.
NOW WE HAVE, UH, COUNTY EXECUTIVE OFFICE ITEMS 32 AND 33.
WE WILL TAKE THIS, UH, ITEM 32 FIRST, AND AT THIS TIME I WILL TURN THE MIKE OVER TO COUNTY EXECUTIVE OFFICER UL MENDEZ.
UH, THANK YOU MR. CHAIR, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
UH, BEFORE I PASS THE PA, UH, THE PRESENTATION OVER TO RENA GONZALEZ, CHIEF CHIEF DEPUTY COUNTY COUNSEL, AND JOHN CHELEY, DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF HUMAN SERVICES AGENCY.
JUST WANTED TO MAKE SOME OPENING REMARKS AND SHARE THE STRUCTURE FOR TODAY'S, UM, PRESENTATION AND POLICY DISCUSSION.
AS THE BOARD IS AWARE, UH, THERE HAVE BEEN RECENT DEVELOPMENTS, UM, IN THE LAST FEW MONTHS THAT PROVIDE US AN OPPORTUNITY TO REVISIT AND DISCUSS THIS IMPORTANT TOPIC FOR THE COMMUNITY.
A COURT DECISION AND A GOVERNOR'S ORDER HAVE PROMPTED LOCAL DISCUSSION ABOUT HOW TO BEST TACKLE THE HOMELESS ENCAMPMENT ISSUE GOING FORWARD.
WE HAVE, UH, YOUR STAFF HAS BEEN MONITORING THESE LOCAL DISCUSSIONS, AND IN SOME CASES THERE HAVE BEEN SOME RECENT ACTIONS BY OUR LOCAL CITY COUNCILS, UM, THAT, UM, UH, KIND OF WILL KIND OF HELP WITH THIS DISCUSSION THIS EVENING.
UH, BUT CERTAINLY OUR APPROACH TONIGHT IS, UH, TO SHARE INFORMATION FOR THE PURPOSES OF HAVING, HAVING BETTER ALIGNMENT AS WE GO FORWARD AND BETTER COORDINATION.
UM, IN THE LAST FEW MONTHS, WE DID ASSEMBLE A TEAM OF INTERDEPARTMENTAL REPRESENTATIVES, UH, COMPRISING OF EVERY COUNTY DEPARTMENT THAT TOUCHES THIS ISSUE IN SOME WAY OR ANOTHER.
UH, SOME OF THE STAFF IS HERE AVAILABLE, AND EVEN THOUGH, UH, WE ONLY HAVE A FEW MEMBERS THAT WILL BE PRESENTING THE INFORMATION THIS EVENING, WE'RE ALL AVAILABLE TO PARTICIPATE, UH, AND SHARE INFORMATION AS TO CURRENT PROCESSES.
UH, SOME OF THE DISCUSSIONS ABOUT, UH, WHAT'S CHANGED AND THEN WHAT WE CAN DO GOING FORWARD TO, UH, BETTER, UH, ADDRESS THE ISSUE.
UH, KIND OF GOING FORWARD ON A LONG-TERM BASIS, UM, COUNTY DEPARTMENTS ARE POISED TO CONTINUE TO WORK TOGETHER.
I THINK THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S BEEN, UH, REALLY NEAT ABOUT OUR RECENT COLLABORATION, UH, LEARNING WHAT WE'RE ALREADY DOING, UH, GETTING IDEAS FROM OUR INTERNAL EXPERTS, UH, BUT CERTAINLY, UH, WE HAVE ALSO STARTED TO KIND OF LOOK AT WHAT OTHER JURISDICTIONS ARE DOING.
I KNOW THERE'S A LOT OF EVIDENCE OUT THERE IN TERMS OF BEST PRACTICES.
OUR GOAL HERE TONIGHT IS TO START THE CONVERSATION ABOUT WHAT'S GONNA WORK BEST FOR MERCED COUNTY, UH, TONIGHT.
GONNA, IF WE CAN, I'M SORRY, GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
TONIGHT WE WILL HIGHLIGHT SEVERAL INFORMATIONAL ELEMENTS AS WAY OF BACKGROUND.
THESE INCLUDE THOSE ITEMS LISTED ON THIS SLIDE, THE GRANTS PASS VERSUS JOHNSON COURT DECISION, THE GOVERNOR'S EXECUTIVE ORDER.
THAT'S GERMANE TO TONIGHT'S CONVERSATION.
A BRIEF REVIEW OF OUR MERCED COUNTY CODE, WHICH OBVIOUSLY, UH, DRIVES A LOT OF THE WORK THAT WE DO, UH, AND ITS RELEVANT ELEMENTS, UH, SOME OF THE RESEARCH THAT HAS BEEN CONDUCTED ON LOCAL JURISDICTIONS AND WHAT THEY'RE DOING IN THIS SPACE, INCLUDING, AS MENTIONED PREVIOUSLY, OUR, OUR OWN CITIES IN MERCED COUNTY.
AND THEN, UH, A DISCUSSION ABOUT POTENTIAL AREAS THAT COULD, UH, BE REFINED IN OUR COUNTY CODE THAT WILL HELP, UH, AND PROVIDE TOOLS FOR OUR STAFF TO BE ABLE TO HANDLE, UM, THE ISSUE CAREFULLY AS WE GO FORWARD.
SO AT THIS, UH, CONCLUSION OF THIS PRESENTATION, AND AFTER OBVIOUSLY LISTENING TO COMMENTS FROM MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC, THE BOARD WILL HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO DISCUSS ANY OF THESE ELEMENTS AND PROVIDE DIRECTION ACCORDINGLY.
UH, BA BASED ON TONIGHT'S DISCUSSION, YOUR STAFF IS PREPARED TO BRING BACK ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION THAT YOU MAY NEED, AND ALSO ANY, UH, FORMAL RECOMMENDATIONS THAT, UH, MAY RESULT, UH, FROM THE CONVERSATION THIS EVENING.
[00:25:01]
I WOULD NOW LIKE TO PASS ON THE PRESENTATION TO RENA AND JOHN.TERRY ESPINOSA, BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, CEO MENDEZ AND COUNTY COUNCIL HANSEN.
MY NAME IS REINA GONZALEZ AND I'M A CHIEF DEPUTY WITH COUNTY COUNCIL.
I AM HERE TO PROVIDE YOU WITH A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF THE LEGAL FRAMEWORK REGARDING REGULATION OF PUBLIC CAMPING AND ALSO ENCAMPMENT CLEANUPS.
AS YOU MAY KNOW, PRIOR TO THIS SUMMER, THE NINTH CIRCUIT COURT OF APPEAL RULED IN THE CASE OF MARTIN V.
CITY OF BOISE, THAT CITIES WERE PROHIBITED FROM ARRESTING HOMELESS INDIVIDUALS FOR INVOLUNTARILY SITTING, LYING, OR SLEEPING IN PUBLIC WHEN THE CITY DID NOT PROVIDE A SHELTER BED IN ITS JURISDICTION FOR THE POTENTIAL ARRESTEE.
THEN IN THIS SUMMER, THE UNITED STATES SUPREME COURT HELD IN THE CASE OF JOHNSON V GRANT, CITY OF GRANTS PASS, AND THIS WAS IN JUNE, THAT CITIES CAN ENFORCE LAWS RELATED TO PUBLIC CAMPING.
IN THIS CASE, THE COURT CONSIDERED THE QUESTION OF WHETHER IT IS CRUEL AND UNUSUAL PUNISHMENT UNDER THE EIGHTH AMENDMENT TO PROHIBIT THE ENFORCEMENT OF PUBLIC CAMPING LAWS.
IN MAKING ITS RULING, THE COURT HELD THAT CITIES DO NOT NEED TO DEMONSTRATE THE AVAILABILITY OF SHELTER BEDS AND OR THAT THE PERSON DECLINED AN OFFER FOR A SHELTER BED.
THE COURT EXPLAINED THAT THE PENALTIES IMPOSED, INCLUDING LIMITED FINES, NON-CRIMINAL STAY AWAY ORDERS AND SHORT JAIL SENTENCES, MEANING LESS THAN 30 DAYS, DID NOT QUALIFY AS CRUEL AND UNUSUAL PUNISHMENT.
THEY FURTHER CONCLUDED THAT THE COURT, THE ORDINANCE, WOULD NOT CRIMINALIZE A PERSON'S STATUS.
THE ORDINANCE ORDINANCES WERE CONSTRUED AS FORBIDDING THE ACTIONS AND APPLYING TO ANYONE ENGAGING IN SUCH CONDUCT.
AS A RESULT, THE UNITED STATES SUPREME COURT'S RULING HAS ALLOWED FOR MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT TO ENFORCE PUBLIC CAMPING LAWS AGAINST INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE SITTING, LYING, OR SLEEPING IN PUBLIC AREAS WITHOUT THERE BEING THE AVAILABILITY OF A SHELTER BED.
SUBSEQUENT TO THE SUPREME COURT RULING, IN JULY, GOVERNOR NEWSOM SIGNED AN EXECUTIVE ORDER RELATING TO HOMELESS ENCAMPMENT CLEANUPS.
THIS EXECUTIVE ORDER IS N DASH 1 24, AND IT WAS DATED AT THE END OF JULY OF THIS YEAR.
AGENCIES SUBJECT TO THE AUTHORITY OF THE GOVERNOR, MEANING STATE AGENCIES ARE SUBJECT TO THE POLICY TO ADOPT POLICIES CONSISTENT WITH HIS ORDER AND WITH A DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION MAINTENANCE POLICY DIRECTIVE, LOCAL GOVERNMENTS, WHICH THE COUNTY FALLS UNDER ARE ENCOURAGED TO ADOPT POLICIES CONSISTENT WITH THIS ORDER.
THE POLICIES, UM, SHALL INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING CATEGORIES.
THIS IS TO DETERMINE IF AN ENCAMPMENT POSES AN IMMINENT THREAT TO LIFE, HEALTH, SAFETY, OR INFRASTRUCTURE, SUCH THAT EXIGENT CIRCUMSTANCES REQUIRE IMMEDIATE REMOVAL OF THE ENCAMPMENT.
SECOND, I WANTED TO GO OVER BRIEFLY THE, THE DEFINITION OF EXIGENT CIRCUMSTANCES.
THIS UNDER THIS CIRCUMSTANCE, NOTICE IS NOT RE REQUIRED.
SO POSTING NOTICE WOULD NOT BE REQUIRED, BUT THE NOTICE MUST BE REASONABLE UNDER THE CIRCUMSTANCES.
IF IN CIRCUMSTANCES THAT ARE NOT EXIGENT, NOTICE MUST BE POSTED FOR 48 HOURS.
ADDITIONALLY, SERVICE PROVIDERS ARE OUTREACH SERVICES NEED TO BE PROVIDED FOR HOMELESS AD ENCAMPMENTS.
FURTHERMORE, ANOTHER CATEGORY IS REQUIRING THE COLLECTION, LABELING AND STORAGE OF PERSONAL PROPERTY FOR AT LEAST 60 DAYS.
AND ADDITIONALLY, THE EXECUTIVE ORDER CALLED FOR THE CALIFORNIA INTRA AGENCY COUNSEL ON HOMELESSNESS TO DEVELOP GUIDANCE AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE RELATING TO ENCAMPMENT CLEANUP.
IF YOU GO TO THE WEBSITE FOR THE COUNCIL, THERE IS GUIDANCE THAT IS NOW AVAILABLE.
IT'S A VERY QUICK, UM, ONE PAGE, UM, GUIDANCE DOCUMENT.
UH, AND THIS IS CONSIDERED THE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE THAT IS SUPPOSED TO GO TO LOCAL GOVERNMENT FOR THE MAINTENANCE POLICY DIRECTIVE.
UM, THAT IS REFERRED TO IN THE EXECUTIVE ORDER.
THIS IS ACTUALLY A DOCUMENT THAT IS LARGELY INTENDED FOR CALTRANS, MEANING HIGHWAY PUBLIC RIGHT OF WAY.
AND I THINK THAT'S SIGNIFICANT TO, IN EXPLAINING HOW, UM, THE POLICY READS OUT.
AND I'LL GO OVER IT VERY QUICKLY 'CAUSE I KNOW, UH, THIS IS A LOT OF INFORMATION.
[00:30:01]
I JUST MENTIONED, INCLUDING SITE ASSESSMENT AND NOTICE.AND IN THE NOTICE SECTION, THERE IS A PRIORITY LEVEL ONE, UH, NOTICE FOR EXIGENT CIRCUMSTANCES WHEN THOSE EXIST, WHEN I, AGAIN, NO NOTICE WOULD BE REQUIRED BECAUSE THERE IS SUCH A THREAT TO LIFE, UM, SAFETY AND INFRASTRUCTURE OR PRIORITY LEVEL TWO, WHERE THERE IS A 48 HOUR NOTICE POST, UH, TO BE POSTED.
THE DIRECTIVE ALSO REQUIRES THAT CHP BE PRESENT WHEN NOTICES ARE POSTED, AND THERE ARE A LOT OF DETAILED REQUIREMENTS UNDER THIS DIRECTIVE.
THERE ALSO IS THE CATEGORY OF REMOVAL OPERATIONS.
AND BEFORE WORK BEGINS ON CLEARING AND ENCAMPMENT, CHP ARE REQUIRED TO BE PRESENT FOR THAT AS WELL.
ANY HOMELESS INDIVIDUALS NEED TO BE GIVEN AN OPPORTUNITY TO MOVE PRIOR TO THE BEGINNING OF THIS CLEANUP.
AND AGAIN, PERSONAL PROPERTY NEEDS TO BE STORED FOR 60 DAYS.
NOTABLY, THERE'S A LIST OF ITEMS, UM, THAT ARE, THAT DELI AND NATE, WHAT IS CONSIDERED PERSONAL PROPERTY OF APPARENT PERSONAL VALUE THAT SHOULD BE BAGGED, TAGGED AND STORED.
EXAMPLES OF THESE THINGS INCLUDE EYEGLASSES, WHEELCHAIRS, WALKERS, HABITABLE TENTS, PHOTOGRAPHS, BANK STATEMENTS, BIKES AND STROLLERS.
ITEMS THAT DON'T NEED TO BE COLLECTED ARE ALSO LISTED UNDER THIS DIRECTIVE.
AND THOSE EXAMPLES INCLUDE NEEDLES, SCISSORS, KNIVES, CHEMICALS, AND CONTAMINATED ITEMS. THERE'S ALSO A REQUIREMENT FOR RECLAMATION OF PERSONAL PROPERTY THAT THERE ARE DOCUMENTATION GUIDELINES.
THERE ARE ALSO SEVERAL, UM, RECORD KEEPING REQUIREMENTS SET FORTH IN THIS DIRECTIVE IN RELATION TO THE MERCED COUNTY CODE.
CHAPTER 10 POINT 32 REGULATES OFFENSES AGAINST PUBLIC PROPERTY, INCLUDING LOITERING, TRESPASS, DEFACE OF PUBLIC PROPERTY AND PUBLIC INTOXICATION IN RELATION TO CAMPING COUNTY.
CODE SECTION 10.3 2.035 REGULATES CAMPING AND STORAGE OF PERSONAL BELONGINGS IN VARIOUS LOCATIONS, INCLUDING COMMON OPEN SPACE, COUNTY HIGHWAY, COUNTY PARK, RECREATION AREAS, ROADS, AND SIDEWALKS.
WHEN CAMPING OCCURS IN PUBLIC SPACES SUCH AS A COUNTY PARK OR A RECREATION AREA, THAT TYPE OF CONDUCT, SUCH AS SLEEPING ON A PARK BENCH, IS PROHIBITED UNDER THE CURRENT CODE REQUIREMENTS.
PENALTIES FOR THE VIOLATION OF THIS CODE ARE CONSIDERED MI MISDEMEANORS AND SUBJECT TO A FINE OF WHAT $1,000.
THIS CHAPTER OF THE COUNTY CODE WAS LAST AMENDED IN 2010.
ANOTHER APPLICABLE COUNTY CODE THAT I WANTED TO MENTION IS SECTION 9.2430, WHICH PROHIBITS ANY OPEN OR OUTDOOR FIRE WITHOUT A PERMIT FROM THE COUNTY FIRE CHIEF.
WE LOOKED AT OTHER JURISDICTIONS WHO RECENTLY ADOPTED OR AMENDED THEIR CODE SECTIONS RELATED TO PUB PUBLIC CAMPING.
SO I'M GOING TO GO OVER THOSE CODE SECTIONS NOW STARTING WITH, UH, FRESNO COUNTY.
FRESNO COUNTY RECENTLY AMENDED THEIR CODE AND THEY HAVE EXPRESSLY INCLUDED A PROHIBITION OF CAMPING ON PUBLIC PROPERTY AND PRIVATE PROPERTY UNLESS THERE IS OWNER CONSENT DEMONSTRATED WITH RELATION TO PRIVATE PROPERTY.
THERE ARE, UM, ENCAMPMENT CLEANUP PROVISIONS THAT ARE VERY, UM, CLOSE TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE CALTRANS DIRECTIVE THAT I JUST EXPLAINED.
THEY ALSO INCLUDED A PROHIBITION OF CAMPING WITHIN 500 FEET OF RAILROAD PROPERTY AND SCHOOLS, AND WITHIN A AND WITHIN 100 FEET OF ROADWAY, OVERPASSES, BRIDGES, AND FREEWAY OFF RAMPS FOR VIOLATIONS.
THERE IS AN OPTION AVAILABLE IN THE FRESNO COUNTY CODE THAT PROVIDES INSTEAD OF A FINE OR JAIL, THAT AN INDIVIDUAL INDIVIDUAL WOULD BE ABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN AN DIVERSION PROGRAM OR PROBATION IN ORDER TO COMPLETE A TREATMENT PROGRAM.
SACRAMENTO COUNTY ALSO MADE A RECENT CHANGE.
THEY MADE A SUBSTANTIAL UPDATE TO THEIR CODE RELATING TO
[00:35:01]
UNLAWFUL CAMPING ON PUBLIC PROPERTY.NOTABLE PROVISIONS FOR SACRAMENTO INCLUDE THE SECTION ON THE, THEIR ENCAMPMENT ABATEMENT AND STORAGE OF PERSONAL PROPERTY.
SACRAMENTO ALSO ALLOWS FOR IMMEDIATE ABATEMENT OF ENCAMPMENTS WITHIN 1000 FEET OF A SHELTER.
SAN JOAQUIN COUNTY ALSO RECENTLY MADE AMENDMENTS TO THEIR NO CAMPING ORDINANCE AND THEIR BUILDING CODE FOR THEIR NO CAMPING ORDINANCE.
THEIR AMENDMENT RELATED TO SLEEPING IN A PARKED CAR FOR LONGER THAN 60 MINUTES, OR WITHIN 300 FEET OF A PREVIOUS STOPPING POINT.
IN A 24 HOUR PERIOD FOR THE BUILDING CODE, THERE WERE AMENDMENTS RELATED TO EMERGENCY HOUSING APPENDICES, AS SAN JOAQUIN COUNTY WILL SOON BE BUILDING A NEW COUNTY FACILITY.
IN LOOKING AT A COUPLE OF JURISDICTIONS THAT ARE CITIES, WE LOOKED AT THE CITY OF MERCED AND THE CITY OF LOS BANOS.
THEY HAVE MADE RECENT AMENDMENTS TO THEIR CODES.
THE CITY OF MERC'S NEW ORDINANCE WILL TAKE EFFECT ON DECEMBER 18TH.
THIS ORDINANCE INCLUDES A PROGRESSIVE FINE STRUCTURE OF $50, $150, UM, AND I BELIEVE $300 FOR EACH NEW VIOLATION WITHIN A 12 MONTH PERIOD.
THE ORDINANCE ALLOWS IMPOSITION OF A BAN ON CERTAIN AREAS FOR REOFFENDERS, THAT WAY THEIR CODE ENFORCEMENT COULD RECOMMEND A CRIMINAL TRESPASS AND SEND A CASE TO THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY FOR FILING.
THE CITY OF LOS BANOS ALSO RECENTLY ADOPTED AN ORDINANCE.
IT WILL ALSO TAKE EFFECT THIS MONTH.
NOTABLE PROVISIONS INCLUDE A VERY COMPREHENSIVE DEFINITION OF THE TERM CAMPING AND ALSO A WATERWAYS DEFINITION.
AND THEY WERE THE ONLY, UH, JURISDICTION WHERE I SAW THAT THEY HAD FLAGGED OUT A WATERWAYS DEFINITION.
THE ORDINANCE ALSO HAS A DETAILED PROCESS ON ENCAMPMENT CLEANUP BASED ON THE RESEARCH OF OTHER JURISDICTIONS.
THERE ARE A FEW AREAS WHERE THE CITY COULD, THE COUNTY COULD CONSIDER UPDATES, INCLUDING SELECT TERMS AND DEFINITIONS, WHICH MAY NEED TO BE IMPROVED, WHICH I ALLUDED TO, INCLUDING THE TERM CAMPING, PERHAPS INCLUDING THE TERM WATERWAYS, PROHIBITING ENCAMPMENTS WITHIN CERTAIN DISTANCES FROM SENSITIVE AREAS OR SHARED BOUNDARIES WITH OTHER JURISDICTION LINES.
AN UPDATE TO INCLUDE THE PROCESS FOR ENCAMPMENT CLEANUPS WOULD BE RECOMMENDED BASED UPON THE ENCOURAGEMENT THAT WE FOLLOW THE EXECUTIVE ORDER AND WHETHER THERE IS A NEED TO REVISE THE FINES AND OR PENALTIES AND OR INCORPORATE AN OPTION FOR REFERRAL TO COUNTY PROGRAMS AND RESOURCES.
IS THIS COMPLETES MY PRESENTATION.
I WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR QUESTIONS, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO NOW TURN THE PRESENTATION OVER TO DR.
UH, CHAIRMAN ESPINOZA, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, I'D LIKE TO START BY THANKING CEO MENDEZ FOR, FOR CONVENING THESE, UH, COUNTY DEPARTMENTS TOGETHER TO TALK ABOUT THIS ISSUE.
IT'S, IT'S OBVIOUSLY VERY COMPLICATED AND ALSO INCLUDING THE HOMELESS SUMMIT RECAP AS PART OF THIS ITEM.
UH, THIS ITEM, THE, THE HOMELESS SUMMIT RECAP.
THE REASON WHY THE COUNTY AS THE COLLABORATIVE APPLICANT, HSA, UM, ACTUALLY HELD A SUMMIT WAS BECAUSE OF THESE CHANGES THAT WERE SEEING, UH, OUT OF THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE AND THROUGH THE SUPREME COURT DECISION, UH, THAT BOARD WAS RECEIVING A LOT OF QUESTIONS ABOUT HOW THAT WAS GONNA BE IMPLEMENTED LOCALLY.
AND WE, WE WERE REALLY TRYING TO HELP, UM, INFORM THE PUBLIC AND OTHER LOCAL JURISDICTIONS ON WHERE THOSE AUTHORITIES LIED AND MAKING SURE EVERYONE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO GET THIS INFORMATION TOGETHER.
HENCE, THE, THE HOMELESS SUMMIT ON, UH, NOVEMBER 19TH, WE WERE VERY DELIBERATE ABOUT INVITING POLICY MAKERS, UM, FROM THE JURISDICTIONS REPRESENTED AS WELL AS COMMUNITY MEMBERS THAT HAVE A STAKE IN THIS, UM, TO NOT ONLY, UH, BECOMING MORE WELL, WELL-INFORMED ON THE GOVERNOR'S EXECUTIVE ORDER AND, UM, THE SUPREME COURT DECISION, BUT ALSO THE SLEW OF CHANGES WE HAVE SEEN OVER THE LAST YEAR, UH, YOU KNOW, WITH THROUGH OUR BEHAVIORAL HEALTH DEPARTMENT, THROUGH OUR MANAGED CARE PLAN AND THE IMPLEMENTATION OF ENHANCED CARE MANAGEMENT AND COMMUNITY SUPPORTS.
UH, SO WE WANTED TO CONVENE THIS.
IT WAS, IT WAS QUITE SUCCESSFUL.
UM, SECTORS THAT WERE REPRESENTED INCLUDE THE HEALTHCARE, UM, COUNTY DEPARTMENTS, HOUSING DEVELOPERS, SERVICE PROVIDERS, NONPROFITS REPRESENTATIVE
[00:40:01]
FROM, UH, REPRESENTATIVES FROM SENATOR CABALLERO'S OFFICE, UH, REALTORS, EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTION, FAITH-BASED INSTITUTIONS, UH, LAW ENFORCEMENT, RIGHT? A BROAD SECTOR, WHICH IS REALLY WHERE THE CONTINUUM OF CARE, UM, THAT'S KIND OF THE CONTINUUM OF CARE WHEELHOUSE, RIGHT? BRINGING BROAD SECTOR PARTNERS TOGETHER, UM, TO PROMOTE A COMMI, A COMMITMENT TO ENDING HOMELESSNESS, UH, LOCAL JURISDICTIONS REPRESENTED, WHICH WAS REALLY IMPORTANT, RIGHT? WE'RE TALKING ABOUT LOCAL JURISDICTIONS WHO HAVE THE AUTHORITY, UH, TO AMEND THEIR CODES TO IMPLEMENT, UM, HOW IMPLEMENT LOCALLY, HOW THEY'RE GOING TO RESPOND TO THESE CHANGES.UH, MERCED WAS REPRESENTED THROUGH THE MAYOR, UH, THE GUSTINE CITY MANAGER AT WATER CITY MANAGER AND POLICE LIEUTENANT, UH, LAS SPANOS, UM, HOUSING PROGRAM MANAGER, AS WELL AS, UH, REPRESENTED FROM COUNTY COUNCIL AND MERCED CEO'S OFFICE.
UH, THE HOUSING AUTHORITY WAS AN ATTENDEE, HSA DIRECTOR, BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AND AND RECOVERY SERVICES, PUBLIC HEALTH, SHERIFF'S OFFICE, PROBATION, SUPERIOR COURT OF MERCED COUNTY COUNCIL, AND THE CEO'S OFFICE.
AGAIN, WE WANTED A BROAD REPRESENTATION AS THE CO SAID IN HIS OPENING REMARKS.
UM, THERE'S, THESE DECISIONS ARE GOING TO IMPACT MULTIPLE DEPARTMENTS IN VARYING WAYS, AND BEING COORDINATED IN HOW WE APPROACH THIS IS GOING TO BE VERY, VERY IMPORTANT.
THE PRESENTATIONS, UH, INCLUDED OPENING REMARKS FROM SUPERVISOR PEDROSO, WHICH WE WERE VERY APPRECIATIVE OF.
I KNOW HE WAS UNABLE TO ATTEND TO DUE TO THE, UH, CALIFORNIA STATE ASSOCIATION OF COUNTIES, BUT VERY WELL RECEIVED.
UH, AS WELL AS MAYOR SERATO, UH, WE HAD BEHAVIORAL HEALTH PARTNERS, UH, PRESENTING ON THE, THE CHANGES THROUGH PROPOSITION ONE, THE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SERVICES ACT, THE TRANSFORMATION OF THE MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES ACT, THE CARES ACT SERVICES, AGAIN, A SLEW OF CHANGES THAT ARE HAPPENING THAT IMPACT ALL THE JURISDICTIONS.
IT'S NOT JUST THE UNINCORPORATED AREAS, BUT, UH, EVERYONE IS A STAKEHOLDER IN THESE CHANGES.
UH, WE HAD OUR PARTNERS FROM THE MANAGED CARE PLAN.
THEY HAVE PLAYING A, A HUGE ROLE IN SERVICES THROUGH CAL AIM TRANSFORMATION, ENHANCED CARE MANAGEMENT AND COMMUNITY SUPPORTS, UH, AS WELL AS FUNDING THROUGH, UH, THEIR HOUSING HOMELESS INCENTIVE PROGRAM.
UM, THE COLLABORATIVE APPLICANT, MYSELF, PROVIDED AN UPDATE REALLY MORE AS A LEVEL SETTING ON WHERE OUR RESPONSIBILITIES AND AUTHORITIES LIE, AND, UH, MAKING SURE THAT THE COMMUNITY IS VERY WELL INFORMED ON WHAT THOSE ARE AND HOW WE CAN HELP IN THIS PROCESS AND BE A GOOD PARTNER, UH, NOT ONLY TO OUR JURISDICTION, BUT TO OTHER LOCAL JURISDICTIONS AND, AND, AND, UH, PROVIDERS.
UH, WE HAD A PRESENTATION ON THE HOMELESS COURT, UH, WHICH HAS BEEN A, A REALLY BIG SUCCESS, RIGHT? NOT UNRELATED, UH, TO WHAT WE'RE DISCUSSING NOW IS, UM, OVER 108 PEOPLE OVER THE COURSE OF ABOUT 15 MONTHS HAD GRADUATED FROM OUR HOMELESS COURT.
UH, THAT COURT WAS DESIGNED, UH, TO IDENTIFY FOLKS WHO HAVE MADE, UH, GREAT STRIDES FROM BEING LITERALLY HOMELESS IN AN ENCAMPMENT, UH, TO GOING THROUGH PROGRAMMING, WHETHER IT'S SUBSTANCE USE, UH, DISORDER, TREATMENT, UH, MENTAL HEALTH TREATMENT, GETTING A JOB, ANYTHING TO REALLY, YOU KNOW, REALLY WANTED TO SPOTLIGHT THOSE FOLKS WHO ARE, UM, ACCESSING THE SERVICES AND REWARD THEM IN A SENSE STILL WITHIN THE INTEREST OF JUSTICE, BUT RECOGNIZE THAT WORK THEY'VE DONE, WORK ON GETTING THEIR FINES AND FEES, UH, DISMISSED AS WELL AS THE CHARGES.
AND THEN LASTLY, AND MAYBE MOST IMPORTANTLY, UH, WE HAD AFFORDABLE HOUSING PRESENTATIONS ON MY BOARD.
I HAVE, IF YOU, IF YOU WANNA, UM, HELP SOMEONE WHO'S HOMELESS, WE NEED TO HAVE HOUSING, RIGHT? THAT, THAT ONE'S SIMPLE.
UM, THAT, THAT ONE STEP OF PROVIDING PERMANENT HOUSING, UM, ENDS THAT AS, AS KIND OF AN IDENTIFIER, RIGHT? IF YOU'RE IN A HOUSE, YES, YOU STILL MAY, MAY HAVE A LOT OF CHALLENGES SUCH AS EMPLOYMENT OR SUBSTANCE USE, BUT IT'S A LOT EASIER TO WORK WITH FOLKS LIKE THAT.
IT'S REALLY RESTORING THEIR HOPE, IDENTITY AND DIGNITY.
AND AGAIN, THAT'S NOT SOMETHING WE NECESSARILY AS THE COUNTY AND, AND CERTAINLY NOT AS THE CONTINUUM OF CARE, BUT WE CAN COME ALONGSIDE, LIKE WE HAVE FOR MULTIPLE PROJECTS THAT WE'RE SEEING IN THE CITY OF, CITY OF MERCED, SUCH AS 1213 V STREET, SUCH AS WE'RE SEEING IN LOS ANOS WITHIN CAMP RESOLUTION FUND.
THAT SHOULD RESULT IN ABOUT 58 HOUSING UNITS FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE FORMERLY HOMELESS, UM, AS WELL AS SEVERAL OTHER PROJECTS IN THE CITY OF MERCED.
UM, SO, YOU KNOW, AS SOMEONE WHO'S BEEN WORKING ON THIS CHALLENGE FOR SEVERAL YEARS NOW, UM, I THINK THAT'S PROBABLY WHAT GIVES ME THE MOST HOPE THAT WE ARE ON THE RIGHT PATH AS FAR AS ADDRESSING THIS.
UM, THE SATISFACTION FROM THE SURVEY, 92% OF, UH, ATTENDEES RATED IT FOUR OR FIVE OUT OF FIVE.
UM, 72% RATED IT FIVE OUT OF FIVE, UH, REASONS FOR ATTENDING.
AND THESE WERE ALL EDUCATIONAL TO US.
WE HAVE NOT EVER HELD THE SUMMIT AS THE COLLABORATIVE APPLICANT.
UM, YOU KNOW, LEARNING 86% SIDED LEARNING AS A, AS A REASON, RIGHT? SO THERE'S CLEARLY A DESIRE IN OUR COMMUNITY, IN OUR, UM, OTHER JURISDICTIONS TO LEARN ABOUT THESE CHANGES THAT ARE HAPPENING SO FAST.
AND, YOU KNOW, THERE, THERE'S A CHANGE AND THEN THERE'S A CHANGE TO THE CHANGE.
AND, YOU KNOW, IF SOME OF US ARE HAVING TO, UM, BUILD THE SHIP AS WE'RE SAILING IT, SO TO SPEAK, UH, NETWORKING,
[00:45:01]
I THINK WE, IF WE, THERE'S ANY IMPROVEMENT THAT WE COULD DO AND THERE'S ALWAYS IMPROVEMENT, HAVING ALL OF THOSE FOLKS ENGAGED AS THEY WERE, WE COULD HAVE HAD A LITTLE MORE NETWORKING OPPORTUNITIES, UM, NOT JUST TO HAVE, YOU KNOW, PRESENTATIONS INFORMATIVE ON BEST PRACTICES, BUT REALLY HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE BREAKOUT GROUPS.AND WE WILL INCORPORATE THESE, UH, LESSONS LEARNED IN FUTURE SUMMITS.
UM, 100% OF RESPONDENTS SAID THEY WOULD, UH, THEY WOULD ATTEND AGAIN, YOU KNOW, REALLY, YOU KNOW, GREAT FEEDBACK.
IT WAS, YOU KNOW, AN EIGHT 30 TO ABOUT THREE 30.
UM, IT WAS A LONG COMMITMENT FROM, FROM FOLKS WHO ARE VERY BUSY AND HAVING 100% OF THEM SAY IT WAS WORTH IT, AND WE WOULD ATTEND AGAIN, UM, SPEAKS VOLUMES TO THE TEAM THAT PUT THIS TOGETHER.
UH, AND THAT TEAM, YOU KNOW, BEHIND THE SCENES, UM, I OWE THEM A, A DEBT OF GRATITUDE TO PULL THIS OFF, CONSIDERING HOW BUSY THEY ARE AND JUST THEIR DAY TO DAY.
AND THEN, YOU KNOW, THEY HAVE ME ASKING IF THEY WOULDN'T MIND PULLING TOGETHER A SUMMIT FOR 160 ATTENDEES IN A COUPLE MONTHS.
UH, 35% MOST ENJOYED THE DETAILED INFORMATION SHARED, WHICH IS, UH, IS, IS REALLY A, A CREDIT TO THE PRESENTERS, INCLUDING RENA, ALEXANDER PIERCE.
UH, THESE FOLKS HAD VERY DETAILED INFORMATION, UM, THAT RESONATED WITH THE, WITH THE ATTENDEES.
AND LASTLY, YOU KNOW, THE, THE 22% HAD TESTIMONIAL VIDEOS.
ALL OF THIS INFORMATION AND THESE TESTIMONIAL VIDEOS CAN BE FOUND ON OUR WEBSITE.
IF YOU PUT THAT IN THE LITTLE SEARCH ENGINE, YOU'LL, IT'LL POP RIGHT UP.
UM, IT'S THE FIRST THING THAT'LL COME UP.
UH, YOU CAN GO THROUGH THERE AND SEE THESE TESTIMONIALS.
THEY'RE VERY, VERY POWERFUL TESTIMONIALS OF PEOPLE, AGAIN, NOT UNRELATED TO WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE, WHO HAVE ACCESSED SERVICES, MANY OF THEM FROM INSTITUTIONS SUCH AS PRISON JAILS, UM, COMING OUT OF THE NAVIGATION, COMING FROM THOSE SITUATIONS INTO THE NAVIGATION CENTER, ACCESSING THE SERVICES THAT ARE AVAILABLE, THAT THIS BOARD'S BEEN VERY DELIBERATE ABOUT, MAKING SURE WE'RE PROVIDING AS MANY SERVICES AS POSSIBLE, UM, JUST TO SEE THOSE TESTIMONIALS AND HOW THIS SYSTEM CAN WORK.
I CAN'T COMMIT TO PERFECT, BUT IT'S EVER, EVER CHANGING AND WE'RE EVER IMPROVING.
SO IT WAS NICE TO SEE THOSE, UH, TESTIMONIALS AND, AND THE IMPACT THAT THOSE MADE.
UH, ALSO WHAT I THOUGHT WAS A NICE, UM, YOU KNOW, I'LL, I'LL, I'LL CALL IT A SUGGESTION, GET A BIGGER VENUE.
WE DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO EXPECT.
UM, WE, WE REALLY COUNTED ON ABOUT 160 OR SO ATTENDEES, AND WE FILLED UP, WE HAD A WAIT LIST.
OBVIOUSLY A LOT OF, UH, UM, CHANGES AS IT GOT CLOSER, AS ALL EVENTS DO.
BUT TO ME, THAT, THAT REALLY SPOKE OF GET A BIGGER VENUE, LET'S GET MORE PEOPLE AROUND THIS TABLE.
THERE'S SOME VALUABLE INFORMATION THAT YOU'RE SHARING.
AND, UH, AGAIN, ANOTHER, UM, SUGGESTION FOR FU FUTURE TOPICS.
THE NUMBER ONE SUGGESTION WAS COLLABORATION ACROSS ORGANIZATIONS.
AGAIN, AS THE CEO TEED THIS UP, UH, THERE'S COLLABORATION NEEDED BECAUSE EVERY, EVERYTHING THAT WE'RE DOING HERE IS COMPLICATED.
IT'S NOT AN EASY, UM, YOU KNOW, I, I KNOW DPW DOESN'T HAVE AN AN EASY DAY.
UM, BUT, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE, THEY'RE OFTEN CALLED ON TO, TO FIX THINGS, AND WE'RE TRYING TO HELP PEOPLE.
AND IT'S A, IT'S A MUCH MORE COMPLICATED ENDEAVOR, UM, THAN I THINK ANY OF US EVER REALLY EXPECTED.
I KNOW, I KNOW I CAN SPEAK FOR MYSELF THAT IT'S DEFINITELY BECOME A MUCH MORE COMPLICATED ENDEAVOR THAN, UH, WHETHER I WAS EXPECTING.
UH, LASTLY, WE DO HAVE THE POINT IN TIME COUNT COMING.
UH, IT'S GOING TO BE ON JANUARY 23RD, 2025.
AGAIN, THAT INFORMATION IS ON THE MERCED COC WEBSITE WHERE YOU CAN VOLUNTEER.
LAST YEAR I WAS, UM, YOU KNOW, I WAS, I WAS ABLE TO, UH, PARTICIPATE WITH THE, THE CEO AND, AND ASSISTANT CEO, AND WE WENT, AND IT GIVES YOU A REAL GOOD CONTEXT ON THESE ARE HUMAN BEINGS, UM, LIVING IN CONDITIONS THAT, YOU KNOW, NONE OF US WOULD DESIRE TO SEE.
IT PUTS A HUMAN FACE ON WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO.
AND AGAIN, I, I USE THE WORDS RESTORING, UH, DIGNITY, IDENTITY, AND HOPE.
WE ENGAGED WITH FOLKS WHO ARE EITHER FORMERLY HOMELESS, UH, THROUGH A TRUSTED ADVISORY GROUP.
AND ONE OF THE FIRST, UM, QUESTIONS THAT I HAD ASKED, I WAS TALKING ABOUT THE DYNAMICS IN, UM, AN ENCAMPMENT AND A GUY'S LIKE, LOOK, MAN, WE DON'T HAVE HOPE, DIGNITY, OR IDENTITY.
AND IT JUST RESONATED WITH ME AND, AND WILL GUIDE, UM, SOME OF THE SOLUTIONS MOVING FORWARD.
UH, AS FAR AS THE POINT IN TIME COUNT, I'M JUST, JUST REALLY BRIEFLY, WE'VE BEEN, UH, FOR LACK OF A BETTER TERM, UH, HOLDING OUR OWN.
AND, UH, AGAIN, I, I MENTIONED THIS BECAUSE I THINK WE SHOULD BE HOPEFUL BASED ON THESE NUMBERS.
AGAIN, IT'S NOT A PERFECT SIX TO 8:00 AM IN THE THIRD WEEK OF JANUARY IS NOT GONNA GIVE YOU THE PERFECT COUNT, BUT IT'S A CONSISTENT COUNT.
AND IF I CAN SAY ANYTHING, UH, ABOUT OUR COMMUNITY, IT'S THAT WE'VE BEEN CONSISTENT AS WE'VE SEEN DOUBLE DIGIT INCREASES ACROSS A LOT OF JURISDICTIONS IN CALIFORNIA.
UM, WE'VE HELD RELATIVELY STEADY, UH, SOMEWHERE BETWEEN 855 IS A HIGH, THAT'S A TOTAL COUNT OF
[00:50:01]
FOLKS WHO ARE BOTH SHELTERED AND UNSHELTERED IN OUR COMMUNITY, UM, TO A LOW OF 784 IN 2023.UH, LAST YEAR WE HAD 837, UH, INDIVIDUALS.
ABOUT HALF OF THOSE WERE UNSHELTERED.
UH, AND ABOUT 68% OF THOSE WERE IN THE CITY OF MERCED ITSELF, UH, WITH ANOTHER LARGE PERCENTAGE IN THE CITY OF LOS ANOS, 149 OF, OF THOSE 837 INDIVIDUALS.
UM, SO PLEASE IF YOU CAN PARTICIPATE, VOLUNTEER ON THAT WEBSITE.
IT'LL ALSO SHOW WHERE YOU COULD DONATE ITEMS SUCH AS SOCKS AND, AND BLANKETS, ET CETERA.
UH, THAT CONCLUDES, UH, MY PORTION OF THE, THE SUMMIT UPDATE.
I DO HAVE A FIVE PAGE HANDOUT ON THE SUMMIT RECAP SUMMARY, AS WELL AS, UH, PRINTOUTS OF THE DONATION ITEMS AND HOW YOU CAN VOLUNTEER FOR THE, UM, POINT IN TIME.
COUNT CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION PENDING.
YEAH, THANK YOU JOHN AND RENA FOR THAT INFORMATION.
A LOT OF INFORMATION, OBVIOUSLY ON A VERY COMPLEX ISSUE.
UH, THERE'S, UM, A LOT OF GOOD WORK BEING DONE.
I THINK, UH, ONE OF THE THINGS WE'RE FOCUSED ON IS, UH, TODAY'S MAYBE AN OPPORTUNITY TO, UM, YOU KNOW, MAKE SOME IMPROVEMENTS TO THINGS THAT WE HAVE IN PLACE TO KIND OF MAKE IT EASIER AS WE GO FORWARD.
UH, APPRECIATE MEMBERS OF THE BOARD COMING TO ME AND WANTING TO HAVE THIS CONVERSATION OPENLY AND WITH THE COMMUNITY, OBVIOUSLY.
UM, WE FELT IT WAS IMPORTANT FOR US TO HAVE SOME INTERNAL DISCUSSION FIRST, WHICH IS WHY THE TEAM WAS ASSEMBLED OF COUNTY REPRESENTATIVES TO TRY AND BETTER UNDERSTAND KIND OF WHAT WE WERE EXPERIENCING.
SO WE'RE ALL HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE, AND THEN ALSO TO KIND OF PROVIDE GUIDANCE FOR THE BOARD ON, ON MAYBE SOME IDEAS YOU HAVE IN TERMS OF THINGS THAT WE CAN DO DIFFERENTLY.
BUT AT THAT, AT THIS POINT, WANT TO TURN IT BACK OVER TO THE CHAIR AND THE BOARD, UH, OBVIOUSLY FOR, FOR THAT CONVERSATION.
ARE THERE ANY COMMENTS FROM, UH, THE BOARD QUESTIONS? GO AHEAD, PATRICIA.
UM, MARNA, IS SHE, I HAVE A COUPLE QUESTIONS.
CAN, UM, YOU HAD MENTIONED WHAT HAS TO BE STORED AND WHAT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE STORED.
CAN YOU SAY THAT AGAIN PLEASE? SURE.
SO IT'S, THERE'S A LIST IN THE, UM, DIRECTIVE, THE CALTRANS DIRECTIVE OF PERSONAL PROPERTY, UH, WITH APPARENT PERSONAL VALUE THAT SHOULD BE BAG TAGGED.
STORED EXAMPLES INCLUDE EYEGLASSES, WHEELCHAIRS, WALKERS, HABITABLE TENTS, PHOTOGRAPHS, BAKE BANK STATEMENTS, BIKES AND STROLLERS.
AND THEN ITEMS THAT WOULD NOT BE COLLECTED, UM, THAT ARE LISTED IN DETAILED.
UM, THAT EXAMPLES INCLUDE NEEDLES, SCISSORS, KNIVES, CHEMICALS, AND CONTAMINATED ITEMS. AND THAT'S JUST THE RECOMMEND RECOMME RECOMMENDED LIST, OR THAT'S WHAT HAS TO BE CHECKED.
UM, THOSE ARE JUST THE EXAMPLES.
AND I HAD KIND OF PULLED THOSE BECAUSE I KNOW THEY'RE REALLY SPECIFIC.
UM, I DO HAVE A COPY OF THE DIRECTIVE AND I'M HAPPY TO CIRCULATE IT TO ALL OF YOU.
SO IS THERE ANYTHING, I MEAN, I'M JUST, THOSE ARE EXAMPLES, BUT IS THERE ANYTHING IN THERE ABOUT LIKE, SHOPPING CARTS? I MEAN, CAN THEY SAY A SHOPPING CART IS A STROLLER? UM, LET ME GIMME A SECOND.
I HAVE, I HAVE A COPY OF IT RIGHT HERE.
I DON'T, I DON'T THINK IT WOULD, A SHOPPING CART WOULD, UH, GO TO THE KIND OF DEFINITIONS OF THE PERSONAL EFFECTS THAT WERE DESCRIBED.
THAT WOULD BE MY RECOMMENDATION.
IT JUST SAYS INCLUDE CODING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO ALL THE THINGS KIND OF, I LISTED LEGAL PAPERS, PERSONAL PAPERS, BACKPACKS.
SO IT'S REALLY KIND OF ITEMS OF PERSONAL EFFECT THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, SOMEONE WOULD, WOULD REALLY NEED THEIR EYEGLASSES, THEIR BANK STATEMENTS.
UM, I WOULD, I DO NOT SEE ANYTHING ABOUT, UH, SHOPPING CARTS MISSING IN HERE.
I'M TRYING TO SCAN IT QUICKLY.
THAT'S, AND I DON'T SEE IT LISTED ON THE ITEMS THAT WOULD NOT BE COLLECTED EITHER.
UM, AND THEN IF I, SO, UH, IN READING THE, UH, MERCED COUNTIES AND THEN THE OTHER ONES THAT YOU HAD MENTIONED, THE SAN JOAQUIN AND FRESNO AND, AND SACRAMENTO'S, I THINK OURS IS THE ONLY ONE THAT DOESN'T HAVE ANYTHING ABOUT WATERWAYS, CORRECT? BECAUSE I KNOW THAT SACRAMENTO'S IS FLOOD.
[00:55:02]
FLOOD RISK AREA MEANS LOCAL FLOOD HAZARD OR SPECIAL FLOOD AREA.SO WOULDN'T THAT BE ANY OF OUR CREEKS? REPEAT THAT AGAIN.
DID YOU SAY FLOOD RISK AREA? YEAH, SO I HAVE A COPY OF THE ONE THEY ADOPTED, AND THEY ACTUALLY STRUCK THAT.
SO THE, THE MOST CURRENT, AND THEY DID, THEY DO HAVE IN PUBLIC PROPERTY, THEY AMENDED IT AND IT DOES INCLUDE WATERWAYS, CANAL, BANKS.
UM, SO THAT'S, AND I'M JUST LOOKING AT THIS VERY QUICKLY 'CAUSE I, I, I TOOK THE RED LINE 'CAUSE I FELT THAT WAS THE MOST COMPREHENSIVE AND CURRENT VERSION OF, OF SACRAMENTO.
AND THE SUPERVISORS, LESTE BROWN.
UM, A QUICK ONE, UH, ON THE STORAGE OF THE ITEMS, WHO'S RESPONSIBLE FOR COVERING THE COST OF THAT? IT WOULD BE THE JURISDICTIONS.
AND A COST CAN'T BE PASSED ON TO THE INDIVIDUAL.
I MEAN, IF SOMEBODY'S CAR GETS TOWED, THEY'RE RESPONSIBLE FOR PAYING FOR IT AND GETTING IT BACK.
SO WHAT HAPPENS HERE, JUST SO PEOPLE UNDERSTAND.
SO I, I WOULD HAVE TO, TO LOOK AT THE DIRECTIVE, BUT I'M, I'M, I'M ANTICIPATING THAT IT WOULD BE EITHER BE SILENT AND IT WOULD LIKELY FALL ON THE INDIVIDUAL, THE, THE JURISDICTION, AND THEN THE INDIVIDUAL WOULD NEED TO BE GIVEN DIRECTIONS ON HOW TO RECLAIM IT.
SO THE COST WOULD BE BOARD BY THE JURISDICTION, RIGHT.
PROFESS AURORA, ANY QUESTIONS? I WOULD, I'M WOULD WAIT TILL HEAR PUBLIC COMMENT.
UM, AT THIS TIME I'LL OPEN UP PUBLIC COMMENT FOR CO ADAM 32.
ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS ON THIS? UM, ITEM? GO AHEAD.
UM, I'VE BEEN READING FOR MANY, MANY YEARS ON, ON THIS ISSUE.
UH, I DID, UM, OFFER SOME COMMENTS ON THE GRANTS PASS.
OREGON CITY THAT DID WAS THE CITY THAT ACTUALLY, YOU KNOW, TOOK THE ITEM TO THE SUPREME COURT AND THEY THEMSELVES HAVE DECIDED TO HAVE AT LEAST FOUR SANCTIONED ENCAMPMENTS.
SO I REALIZE RIGHT NOW, YOU KNOW, THERE'S ISSUES OF INTERPRETATION OF THE LAW LIKE THIS YOUNG LADY DID.
BUT I THINK THAT WE HAVE TO REMEMBER THAT THERE'S ALSO HUMANITY AND THERE'S OTHER THINGS THAT WE HAVE NO CONTROL OF.
AND THAT IS, UM, PEOPLE AND ENSURING THEIR JOBS, YOU KNOW, ENSURING LOW INCOME OR EVEN, YOU KNOW, UM, UH, THE WHOLE THING ABOUT SEC SECTION EIGHT, YOU KNOW, THE VOUCHERS.
I MEAN, THERE, THERE'S SO MUCH, I THERE'S THE WHOLE THING ABOUT THE IMPACTED PE PEOPLE, YOU'VE HEARD SOME OF YOUR OWN EMPLOYEES HERE WHO ARE NOT ABLE TO AFFORD, THAT'S KIND OF A LITTLE OUTTA CONTROL.
NOBODY CAN REALLY SAY WHAT THE DEFINITION OF INFLATION IS.
YOU KNOW, WE, IT LOOKS LIKE WE'VE NEVER EVEN OUT.
EVEN ON THE 20 HOUR PER PAY INCREASE THAT WAS DONE FOR FAST FOOD, WHAT DID THEY DO? THEY LAID OFF SOME PEOPLE SO THEY COULD HAVE ENOUGH MONEY TO PAY THE $20.
SO THERE'S ALWAYS SOME OTHER, YOU KNOW, THING THAT, UH, PUTS PEOPLE AT ODDS.
UM, THERE, THERE ARE MANY COMMUNITIES THAT ARE TRYING TO WORK ON RENT CONTROLS.
UM, AND I'M NOT JUST SAYING THAT TENANTS ARE THE ONLY ONES THAT ARE BEING IMPACTED BY THE ISSUES OF ECONOMY.
YOU KNOW, I KNOW THAT I'VE, I'VE TAKEN A LOOK AT THE, AT THE TAXPAYER, THE PROPERTY TAXES OR PEOPLE WHO ARE BACKED UP ON NOT BEING ABLE TO PAY THEIR PROPERTY TAXES, AND THEY'RE ALL OVER THE COUNTY.
AND I DON'T THINK THAT PEOPLE ON PURPOSE WANNA LOSE THEIR PROPERTY.
BUT LET ME GET BACK TO, UM, JUST SHARING WITH YOU, ONE OF THE THING, THERE'S A PROPUBLICA, UH, SWEPT AWAY IS WITH THE ARTICLE.
UM, IT, IT'S, UH, DATED OCTOBER 29TH, 2024.
AND IT WAS, UM, PEOPLE BEING INTERVIEWED, 16 CITIES REPORTING, UM, UH, 11 CITIES AND SPEAKING TO PEOPLE ACROSS THE COUNTRY THAT THESE ACTIONS CREATE A CYCLE OF HARDSHIP.
SO THE ONLY THING THAT WOULD RESOLVE HOMELESSNESS IS LIKE MR. LEY SAID HOUSING.
[01:00:01]
HOUSING.AND SO, AND THEN YOU HAVE PEOPLE USING THEIR CARS AS HOUSING.
YOU HAVE PEOPLE USING TENTS, YOU HAVE PEOPLE USING CEMENT SIDEWALKS.
YOU KNOW, I'M, I'M JUST KINDA, I JUST WANNA SHARE ONE HERE THAT WHAT IS ON PAPER IS NOT ALWAYS WHAT'S ACTIVATED.
AM I TAKING TOO MUCH TIME? IF YOU CAN FINISH YOUR COMMENTS, PLEASE.
I COULD, WILL, I WILL READ, UH, THIS ONE PART THAT WAS A TESTIMONY, UM, THAT WAS GIVEN.
IT SAID MY HUSBAND'S ASHES, I MADE FOR ME FEEL ALONE, SCARED, EMPTY.
NOW I WONDER WHERE HE IS AND IF HE'S ALL STILL IN HIS URN AND IF HE'S OKAY.
AND I HOPE HE'S NOT IN THE DUMP.
YOU KNOW, I MEAN, I, I THINK THAT WE HAVE TO BE VERY CAREFUL.
I THANK MR. JUST ONE OTHER THING, I JUST WANNA MENTION THE WHOLE THING ABOUT FINDING PEOPLE WITH NO INCOMES IS PRETTY SAD.
I DON'T THINK WE'RE BEING REALISTIC.
I JUST WANNA PUT IN MY 2 CENTS WORTH AS ALL AS WELL.
JUST THE COMMENT THAT YOU MADE REGARDING COMPARING SOMEBODY WHOSE CAR GETS TOWED VERSUS SOMEBODY WHOSE, UH, HOME IS BASICALLY A CART AND THINGS THAT THEY CARRY.
YOU KIND OF LOST THE HUMANITY SIDE OF THAT AS WELL TOO FOR US, YES.
OUR CAR IS, IS OUR, IS THE THING THAT WE ABSOLUTELY NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE GET TO THINGS, PLACES THAT WE NEED TO GO, ESPECIALLY WORK OR, OR FOR OUR LIVELIHOODS.
UM, A CART FOR SOMEBODY MAY BE THE ONLY THING THAT THEY HAVE.
SO PLEASE KEEP THAT IN MIND WHEN YOU'RE MAKING THESE DECISIONS BECAUSE AGAIN, THAT MAY BE THE ONLY THING THAT THEY HAVE GOING FOR THEMSELVES.
AND TO FIND THEM FOR, ESPECIALLY WHEN THEY HAVE MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES, SUBSTANCE ABUSE ISSUES, OR OTHER THINGS LIKE THAT, WE NEED TO KEEP THAT IN MIND WHEN YOU'RE MAKING THESE DECISIONS FOR PEOPLE'S LIVELIHOODS.
SO I, I REALLY HOPE THAT THAT IS SOMETHING THAT'S, THAT'S GONNA BE BROUGHT ON THE TABLE WHEN YOU'RE, WHEN YOU'RE DOING THAT.
ANY FURTHER COMMENTS? YEAH, GOOD EVENING.
UM, I, I WAS WONDERING IF THE COUNTY HAS, UH, LOOKED INTO, UH, THIS SANCTION ENCAMPMENTS I KNOW OF.
THIS WAS MENTIONED BY GLORIA, AND I KNOW A FAITH-BASED GROUP APPROACHED THE COUNTY IN ONE OF THE MEETINGS, UH, A FEW MONTHS BACK ABOUT THIS ISSUE.
AND THE REASON I ASK IS, UH, IT CAN BE SOMETHING SEEN AS A TEMPORARY TRANSITION TO HOUSING BECAUSE WE HAVE A REALLY TOUGH, UH, HOUSING SITUATION, UH, FOR RENTERS AND LET ALONE, UM, PEOPLE WITH, WITH HOUSES.
UH, I'M CONCERNED ABOUT ACCESS TO PEOPLE IF, IF FOR EXAMPLE, THEY'RE SPREAD OUT.
I MEAN, ENCAMPMENTS ARE BROKEN UP.
UH, THERE, MANY OF THE CLINICS HAVE, UH, STREET MEDICINE VANS, FOR EXAMPLE.
AND IT'S GONNA BE VERY DIFFICULT TO ACCESS SOME OF THESE PEOPLE IF THERE'S NOT A PLACE WHERE THEY CAN AT LEAST GET SOME KIND OF MINIMAL SERVICES.
SO THAT'S ALL I WANTED TO SAY.
WHAT IS THE PLEASURE OF THE BOARD? OKAY, GO AHEAD, DANIEL.
UM, I, I, I HEAR EXACTLY WHAT A LOT OF THESE FOLKS ARE SAYING UP HERE RIGHT NOW.
I KNOW INTERACTIONS IN THE ENCAMPMENTS I'VE HAD IN MY DISTRICT AND DISTRICT THREE, UM, WHEN WE'VE OFFERED VOUCHERS TO THESE FOLKS TO GET THEM STABLE HOUSING, WE'VE OFFERED THEM SERVICES, WE'VE OFFERED 'EM A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS, BUT BECAUSE OF THE RULES, THEY, THEY TURNED 'EM DOWN.
I MEAN, THESE FOLKS WERE, THEY HAD A JOB.
THEY, THEY, THEY CHECKED ALL THE SPOTS THAT THEY WERE, I MEAN, THEY CHECKED ALL THE BOXES, BUT YET WE WERE TRYING TO GET THEM INTO A HOUSING SITUATION AND THEY REFUSED ANY OF OUR SERVICES.
AND THAT'S NOT JUST THE ONES IN MY DISTRICT.
I KNOW THERE'S OTHER DISTRICTS TOO THAT, THAT WE'VE, WE'VE REALLY EMBRACED IT.
AND REALLY THE COUNTY HAS SERVICES AVAILABLE.
IT'S HOW DO WE, UM, GET THESE FOLKS TO PARTICIPATE IN THESE SERVICES.
AND I THINK THAT BY MAYBE MAKING A LITTLE STING HERE AND THERE SHOULD MAKE THEM SAY, WOW, IF I GO AHEAD AND DO THESE SERVICES, IF I GET ON THE RIGHT PATH AND MOVE FORWARD.
[01:05:01]
BUT RIGHT NOW, US JUST OFFERING TO 'EM AND WALKING AWAY, THEY'RE NOT FOLLOWING THROUGH WITH THE SERVICES.SO I, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE SOMETHING TO EMBRACE THAT.
BUT YEAH, THERE'S FOLKS OUT THERE WE NEED TO HELP AND WE'RE TRYING TO HELP.
IT'S HOW DO WE GET THEM TO FOLLOW THROUGH WITH THE HELP, HELP WE'RE AT.
I, I WANNA FIRST OFF SAY AND THANK YOU TO MR. CHELEY AND ALL OF THE FOLKS THAT I KNOW THAT HE RELIED ON TO HELP PUT ON THAT HOMELESS SUMMIT.
IT'S VERY ENLIGHTENING INFORMATION.
AND I'M NOT AS FAMILIAR WITH EACH ONE OF THE JURISDICTIONS, UM, AS THEY'VE UPDATED THEIR CODES FOR ME.
LISTEN, HOUSING FIRST IS OBVIOUSLY THE OPTION.
AND, AND, AND IF YOU GUYS HAVEN'T FIGURED THAT OUT, GOVERNMENT'S NOT GONNA BE ABLE TO SOLVE THAT ON ITS OWN.
WE, WE, WE, WHENEVER WE GET INVOLVED IN IT, JUST TRIPLE THE PRICE.
TRIPLE THE PRICE OF WHAT IT COSTS TO BUILD, TO BUILD A DOOR.
IT'S GONNA TAKE PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS TO BE ABLE TO START TO MOVE TO THAT TREND IN HOUSING.
I THINK THERE'S SOME SUCCESS STORIES OUT THERE, BUT THERE'S ALSO BEEN SOME CHALLENGES ALONG THE WAY.
I'M INTERESTED IN SEEING US GET TO A POINT WHERE WE FIND THAT MIDDLE GROUND.
I AGREE WITH THE, THE, THE, WITH, WITH THE COMMENTS THAT WERE MADE, BUT THERE ARE SOME FOLKS OUT THERE THAT THERE IS NO, THERE IS NO INCENTIVE FOR THEM TO CHANGE.
I REALLY LIKE WHAT I'VE READ ABOUT FRESNO'S ORDINANCE.
IT TAKES A, WE WANT TO GET YOU HELP FIRST IF, BECAUSE THIS IS, FACE IT, SOME OF THE PLACES THAT THESE ENCAMPMENTS ARE ARISING ARE CAUSING A LOT OF ISSUES.
THERE'S, THERE'S HEALTH ISSUES JUST IN THE CONDITIONS THAT THEY'RE LIVING IN.
THERE'S ISSUES, YOU KNOW, IN LOS SPAN, WHEN YOU HAD FOLKS THAT WERE LIVING ON THE RAIL TRAIL, YOU HAD FOLKS THAT, THAT BOUGHT THESE HOMES AND THERE'S A, THERE'S A, A FENCE THAT SEPARATES THEM, A CINDER BLOCK FENCE.
BUT THESE FOLKS, I, I REMEMBER THERE'S, THERE'S ONE LADY THAT WOULD COME TO THE COUNCIL MEETING ON A PRETTY REGULAR BASIS THAT CAN'T SLEEP AT NIGHT, CAN'T ENJOY HER HOME AT ALL, BECAUSE THE, THE RUCKUS THAT WAS GOING ON, JUST ON THE OTHER SIDE OF HER FENCE.
AND FOR SOME OF THOSE FOLKS, THEY NEED TO BE ENCOURAGED.
AND, AND, AND THE TREATMENT FIRST MODEL, BECAUSE AS MY COLLEAGUE SAID, I PROMISE YOU SIT DOWN WITH, WITH MR. CHECKLEY, SIT DOWN WITH, WITH KO BANK, SIT DOWN WITH, WITH OUR BHRS FOLKS, OUR HSA FOLKS, WE OFFER A LOT OF SERVICES, BUT THE RULES ARE SET UP IN THAT WAY, THAT IN A WAY THAT WE CAN TELL 'EM ALL ABOUT THE SERVICES THAT WE WANT, BUT THERE'S, WE HAVE NO, NO WAY TO FORCE THEM INTO THE SERVICES.
AT THE END OF THE DAY, THEY HAVE TO WANT THEM.
WHEN YOU LOOK AT CARE COURT THAT WAS MENTIONED, AGAIN, IT'S A LOT OF DOG AND PONY SHOW THAT GETS TO THE FACT THAT WE HAVE ALL THESE OTHER AVENUES AND WE'RE REDIRECTED MONEY TO EVEN MAKE IT, IF YOU WILL, A LITTLE BIT EASIER FOR PEOPLE TO GET SERVICES.
BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, IF THEY CHOOSE NOT TO, TO ENGAGE THE SERVICES, WE'RE STUCK.
AND SO, AN APPROACH THAT, THAT LOOKS AT THAT TREATMENT FIRST, BUT STILL HAVING KIND OF THAT STICK AT THE END THAT SAYS, LOOK, WE'RE GONNA OFFER YOU, WE'RE GONNA OFFER YOU TO BE ABLE TO GET INTO TREATMENT.
WE'RE GONNA BE ABLE TO GET YOU VOUCHERS TO GET INTO, TO, TO HOUSING.
I KNOW IN LOS SPAN WHAT THEY HAVE GOING ON THERE, WHERE THEY'RE GONNA BUILD THE TINY HOMES, DOING ALL THOSE THINGS.
AND IF AT THE END OF IT, YOU DON'T WANT TO TAKE ANY ONE OF THOSE OPTIONS, THEN, THEN, THEN, THEN, THEN MAYBE SPENDING SOME TIME IN JAIL, RIGHT? AND NOBODY WANTS TO SEND ANYBODY TO JAIL.
BUT, BUT MAYBE FOR SOME OF THOSE FOLKS, THAT'S THE ONLY THING THAT'S GONNA GET 'EM ON THAT PATH TO, TO GETTING THEIR RESPECT BACK, RIGHT? BECAUSE IN JAIL, IT'S NOT PERFECT IN THERE, BUT, BUT THEY ARE, THEY, YOU KNOW, THEY, THEY GOT THREE HOT SA COT, RIGHT? THEY, THEY, THEY'RE, THEY'RE, THEY'RE GETTING SOME KIND OF NORMALCY BACK.
I DON'T KNOW THAT THAT'S ALL THE ANSWER, BUT TO ME, AN APPROACH THAT IS SOMEWHERE, TAKING A LOOK AT WHAT'S WORKING IN OTHER JURISDICTIONS, WE'VE DONE THAT, CREATING OUR OWN KIND OF PATH HERE IN MERCED COUNTY.
BECAUSE I DO AGREE WITH JOHN IN THIS SENSE THAT OUR NUMBERS ARE, ARE, ARE NOT CRAZY.
WE'RE NOT LA WE'RE NOT SAN FRANCISCO.
RIGHT? THAT YOU CAN STILL WRAP YOUR HEAD AROUND THAT NUMBER.
AND I THINK IT'S THE GOOD WORK THAT WE ARE DOING WITH THE COLLABORATIONS OF OUR FAITH-BASED ORGANIZATIONS.
WE GOT PASTOR STEVE HERE WHO, WHO RUNS A PANTRY THERE IN LOS SPAN WHO HELPS TO TAKE CARE OF A LOT OF FOLKS.
I THINK THAT'S THE REASON WHY YOU'RE NOT SEEING OUR NUMBERS GO CRAZY HIGH LIKE THEY ARE IN OTHER PLACES.
IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT I'M PROUD OF.
I MEAN, AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE WISH WE DIDN'T HAVE IT.
RIGHT? BUT I'M ALSO REALIST THAT SAYS THAT AS LONG AS I'VE BEEN ALIVE, THERE ARE FOLKS THAT JUST CHOOSE NOT TO PARTICIPATE BY SOCIETY'S RULES AND JUST WANNA LIVE OUTSIDE AND, AND WE'RE NOT GONNA FIX ALL THOSE, BUT SOME OF THESE FOLKS THAT NEED THAT LITTLE NUDGING TO GO USING A, A TREATMENT FIRST.
LOOK, IF YOU, IF YOU'RE IN, IN A PLACE THAT'S UNSAFE FOR YOU, UNSAFE FOR, FOR OUR INFRASTRUCTURE, LOOK WHAT WE JUST HAD HERE IN THE LAST WEEK.
WE LOST A HISTORIC BUILDING RIGHT HERE IN MERCED THAT WAS, WAS STARTED BY A HOMELESS PERSON.
WE LOST A BRIDGE ON ACK ROAD THAT EARLY ESTIMATES SAY THAT IT'S GONNA COST
[01:10:01]
$10 MILLION TO REPLACE.AND IF WE HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE NORMAL BUREAUCRATIC NONSENSE TO REBUILD IT, WE'RE LOOKING AT 10 YEARS TO REPLACE THIS BRIDGE.
THAT'S, THAT'S ONE INDIVIDUAL THAT STARTED A FIRE THAT GOT UNDER OUT OF CONTROL.
AND THE BRIDGE IS A COMPLETE LOSS.
THE HISTORIC BUILDING, WHAT PRICE DO YOU PUT ON THAT? IT'S GONE, IT'S GONE FOREVER.
UM, SO AGAIN, IT COMES BACK TO, FOR ME, IS, IS WHAT IS THAT, THAT, THAT, THAT APPROACH WHERE IT'S, WE DON'T WANT TO COME IN AND JUST THROW EVERYBODY IN JAIL AND THROW ALL THEIR STUFF AWAY.
I DON'T THINK THAT'S THE ANSWER, BUT IT'S ALSO ENCOURAGING NUDGING FOLKS TO GET THE SERVICES THAT WE ALREADY OFFER.
PLEASE TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THEM, AND WE'RE GONNA GIVE YOU OPTIONS TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THEM.
AND IF YOU CHOOSE NOT TO DO THAT, THEN WE LOOK AT THE NEXT STEP WHICH SAYS, OKAY, YOU'VE CHOSEN NOT TO PARTICIPATE BY SOCIETY'S RULES THAT MAYBE YOU NEED TO GO SPEND SOME TIME SOMEWHERE WHERE WE CAN HELP TO ENCOURAGE YOU A LITTLE BIT MORE.
I HOPE THAT, I HOPE THAT'S WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR OUT OF THIS CONVERSATION.
AND I HOPE THAT'S THE DIRECTION THAT WE GO IN
UM, I SPENT A LOT OF TIME, UH, PARTICIPATING IN THE CONTINUUM OF CARE, UH, IN, IN TRYING TO HELP FIND SOLUTIONS HERE IN MERCED COUNTY.
AND, YOU KNOW, THE KIND OF THE BOTTOM LINE IS THAT, UM, YOU HAVE TO HAVE A, A PLACE THAT PEOPLE WANT TO GO.
AND, AND I THINK WE'VE DONE THAT.
HALF OF THE PEOPLE IN MERCED COUNTY THAT ARE HOMELESS ARE SHELTERED.
UM, YOU KNOW, THEY DON'T GET COUNTED AS HOUSED.
HOWEVER, UH, THEY'VE GOT A ROOF, THEY'VE GOT A BED, THEY'RE GETTING MEALS.
AND I THINK THAT THE NONPROFITS, UH, THAT HAVE OPERATED IN MERCED COUNTY, I THINK, UH, YOU KNOW, I, I, I DON'T KNOW, I, SO THIS IS EIGHT YEARS FOR ME, UH, WITH THIS TOPIC AND, UH, UM, I GUESS PROFESSIONALLY, BUT PERSONALLY IT'S PROBABLY 20 YEARS.
AND, UM, UH, SO ANYWAY, SO JUST, I, I MEAN OUR COMMUNITY, I, I, YOU KNOW, JOHN'S A PRETTY HUMBLE MAN, BUT HE HAS REALLY DONE A PHENOMENAL JOB.
AND AS WE GO TO STATE CONFERENCES AND I TALK TO SUPERVISORS AND STAFF FROM OTHER PLACES, YOU KNOW, I, I TALK A LITTLE BIT GOOD ABOUT HIM AND WHAT WE'RE DOING BE, I DON'T WANNA TALK TOO MUCH BECAUSE I DON'T WANT HIM SNAGGING HIM FROM US.
I KNOW THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA KNOWS WHO JOHN CHECKLEY IS.
AND, UH, AND, AND IT'S BECAUSE OF THE WORK.
YOU KNOW, NUMBERS OF HOMELESS ARE GOING UP ALL OVER THE PLACE AND HERE IN MERCED COUNTY, THEY'RE STABLE.
LAST YEAR WE WENT DOWN, I, I THINK WE WERE THE ONLY COUNTY IN CALIFORNIA.
THERE MIGHT'VE BEEN ONE OTHER COUNTY THAT HAD THREE HOMELESS PEOPLE, AND THEY DROPPED IT TO, UH, ALPINE COUNTY THAT WENT DOWN.
BUT EVERYBODY ELSE WENT UP SIGNIFICANTLY.
AND I, I THINK THAT'S A TESTAMENT TO THE GOOD WORK OF THE PEOPLE IN OUR CONTINUUM OF CARE.
AND THEN OUR STAFF, YOU KNOW, UH, UH, EIGHT YEARS AGO, UH, HSA WAS NOT THE COLLABORATIVE APPLICANT OR, UH, THE, UH, UM, UH, UH, CONTINUUM OF CARE, UH, UM, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR.
BUT ANYWAYS, THEY, THEY, UH, THE ONE, IT WAS A MESS, RIGHT? THE SANDOVAL'S, YOU WERE INVOLVED AND, AND PEOPLE WERE AT EACH OTHER.
AND, AND THE DIRECTOR PITTED PEOPLE AGAINST EACH OTHER AS A WAY TO STAY IN CONTROL.
AND, AND, UH, WITH THE HELP OF OUR NOW CONGRESSMAN, UH, GRAY, UM, WE KIND OF BLEW THAT UP AND CHANGED THE MODEL.
AND, AND ANYWAY, SO NOW WE'RE HERE.
SO THE THINGS THAT I'VE LEARNED IS THAT YOU'VE GOTTA OFFER, UM, A A PLACE THAT PEOPLE WANT TO GO, AND THEN, UH, YOU KNOW, AND THEN YOU GOTTA REPEATEDLY OFFER, AND THEN THERE'S A PORTION OF THOSE PEOPLE THAT ARE NOT GONNA GO.
AND IN MERCED COUNTY, YOU KNOW, I WOULD SAY IT'S 40%.
AND SO FOR THAT GROUP OF PEOPLE, YOU HAVE TO HAVE THESE INCENTIVES LIKE SUPERVISOR RA IS TALKING ABOUT, RIGHT? AND THE INCENTIVES ARE, ARE AT THAT POINT, NOT, NOT POSITIVE INCENTIVES.
THEY NEED TO BE THE NEGATIVES.
YOU GOTTA MOVE, YOU GOTTA MAKE 'EM UNCOMFORTABLE WHERE THEY ARE.
SO THEY'RE WILLING TO ACCEPT THE HELP THAT WE HAVE, HAVE TO OFFER.
AND, AND THESE FOLKS DON'T THINK LIKE WE DO, RIGHT? IF YOU, YOU, YOU KNOW, I'VE GONE TO DINNER WITH A FEW OF THEM AND, AND, UH, YOU KNOW, ONE GUY WAS A, A, A SCIENTIST AT LIVERMORE LABS, AND HE WAS BIPOLAR, AND HE'D GET, HE'D GET OFF HIS MEDS 'CAUSE HE DIDN'T LIKE TAKING 'EM, AND HE'D BE HOMELESS.
HE'D END UP LOSING HIS JOB AND BE HOMELESS.
UH, YOU KNOW, UH, SO, SO HIM, YOU KNOW, UH, KIND OF SMARTER THAN ME, BUT, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF THESE FOLKS HAVE, HAVE, UH, DEMONS THAT THEY'RE BATTLING WITH, AND, AND IT JUST KEEPS 'EM FROM MAKING GOOD DECISIONS.
WE ALL KNOW PEOPLE, RIGHT? WHO MAKE BAD DECISIONS, AND THEY STILL HAVE A HOUSE AND FUNCTION.
WELL, THESE FOLKS, THEY MAKE THOSE BAD DECISIONS AND IT'S LED 'EM TO THIS PATH.
AND SO, UM, YOU KNOW, I'VE ADVOCATED FOR A SANCTIONED ENCAMPMENT HERE IN MERCED COUNTY, OR TWO OR THREE.
UH, I THINK THAT'S ONE OF THE SOLUTIONS, THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT WE SPEND CHASING HOMELESS PEOPLE OUT OF WHERE THEY ARE, WHERE THEY'RE CAUSING TROUBLE AND, AND DAMAGE, UH, AND THEN GOING BACK IN AFTER 'EM AND CLEANING UP.
UH, IT JUST SEEMS TO ME IT'D BE CHEAPER AND BETTER FOR, FOR THEM EVEN TO HAVE SOME SENSE OF COMMUNITY.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, THAT'S, THAT'S BEEN MY ASK FOR EIGHT YEARS,
[01:15:01]
ACTUALLY.AND, UH, AND I'LL ASK IT AGAIN.
I, I THINK THAT THEY CAN BE VALUABLE IF THEY'RE MANAGED, RIGHT? AND I DON'T THINK IT'D BE ANY MORE EXPENSIVE THAN WHAT WE'RE SPENDING NOW.
WE'RE JUST NOT KEEPING TRACK OF IT, RIGHT? IS, IS ALL THE GENERAL FUND DOLLARS ARE BEING USED TO CLEAN UP AND CHASE AROUND HOMELESS PEOPLE.
AND, AND SO I EITHER WE GOTTA QUANTITATE THAT TO PROVE THAT AN ENCAMPMENT WOULD BE CHEAPER OR, UM, YOU KNOW, JUST, JUST DO IT.
UM, AND, AND THEN, YOU KNOW, BACK TO THE, TO THE POINT ABOUT THE, THE, THE SHOPPING CART AND THE, AND THE, AND THE CAR.
I WAS JUST ASKING A QUESTION FOR CLARIFICATION.
AND MY QUESTION WAS, WHEN THE STUFF GETS STORED, WHO PAYS FOR THAT? AND, AND THE ANSWER WAS THE JURISDICTION, NOT THE HOMELESS PERSON.
AND THAT'S WHAT I WAS LOOKING FOR.
UM, IF YOU KNOW ME PERSONALLY, YOU KNOW, MY COMPASSION IS VERY STRONG.
AND, UH, AND I'VE SPENT A LOT OF TIME AND ENERGY PERSONALLY IN THE HOMELESS REALM.
AND, UH, AND SO, UM, ANYWAYS, SO I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE PEOPLE WERE, WERE, WERE CLEAR ON, ON WHAT I WAS ASKING.
UM, SO THE OTHER, AND, AND THEN I'LL SAY THE LAST, UH, YOU KNOW, AND I'VE, I'VE SAID IT BEFORE, UM, IS THAT I THINK WE SHOULD DOCUMENT WHAT WE'VE DONE IN MERCED COUNTY.
AND, AND I THINK THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, I THINK GOVERNOR NEWSOM, UH, IF HE WAS KEENLY AWARE OF, OF, YOU KNOW, WHAT WE'VE DONE THAT MAYBE WE COULD GET SOME MORE MONEY TO, TO COMPLETE THE TASK, YOU KNOW, UM, AND TALKING TO, UH, BRUCE METCALF FROM THE MERCED COUNTY RESCUE MISSION, HE BELIEVES IN THREE YEARS THAT WE COULD BE AT VIRTUALLY ZERO HOMELESS WITH THE UNITS THAT ARE COMING.
UM, AND I, AND I, I KNOW WE'RE SHORT DOLLARS TO MANAGE 'EM ONCE, UH, ONCE THEY'RE OPEN.
AND SO MAYBE, MAYBE AS A SHINING EXAMPLE, UM, WE COULD GET THE GOVERNOR OR THE, THE PEOPLE OF STATE OF CALIFORNIA TO HELP US FUND THOSE.
AND, UH, IT WOULD SURE BE SOMETHING TO, TO HAVE A SPOT FOR EVERYBODY.
AND, AND THEN THE LAST THING I'LL SAY IS IN THE PEOPLE THAT I KNOW THAT ARE HOMELESS, THAT I'VE HAD PERSONAL CONVERSATIONS WITH, EARLY USE OF MARIJUANA IS THE NUMBER ONE COMMON FACTOR.
AND DONE A LOT OF RESEARCH AND STUDIES.
AND THE STUDIES SAY EITHER BETWEEN 21 AND 25, YOUR BRAIN MATURES, RIGHT? THAT LIKE THE CHEMICALLY THE FUNCTIONING OF YOUR BRAIN MATURES.
AND IF YOU'RE A HEAVY USER OF CANNABIS BEFORE THAT, YOU ARE DISRUPTING YOU NORMAL PROCESS OF YOUR BRAIN DEVELOPING.
AND SCHIZOPHRENIA IS THE NUMBER ONE SIDE EFFECT.
AND IF YOU SPEND ANY AMOUNT OF TIME TALKING TO SOMEBODY THAT'S HOMELESS, SCHIZOPHRENIA RUNS REALLY, REALLY HIGH.
AND SO, UM, YOU KNOW, UH, YOU KNOW, I HAD JUST HAVE A, AND IT'S KIND OF A LITTLE SOAPBOX HERE, BUT A LOT OF PEOPLE SAY, WELL, SMOKING DOPE IS NO DIFFERENT THAN DRINKING.
UM, IT DAMAGES YOU AND IT DAMAGES YOU FOREVER.
AND, AND SO, YOU KNOW, IF YOU, IF YOU DOUBT ME, GO TALK TO SOMEBODY THAT'S HOMELESS AND ASK 'EM IF THEY SMOKED MARIJUANA WHEN THEY WERE IN HIGH SCHOOL, AND THEY'LL EITHER YES, OR, WELL, I STARTED WHEN I WAS IN GRAMMAR SCHOOL.
AND SO THAT'S MY SOAPBOX MOMENT.
AND, AND I AGREE WITH, UM, A LOT OF WHAT'S BEEN SAID ALREADY FROM SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL AND SUPERVISOR, UH, RA.
HOWEVER, I, I, I AM 100% AGAINST ANY TYPE OF SANCTION ENCAMPMENT.
I THINK THAT ONCE YOU START DOING THAT, YOU'RE NOT DETERRING HOMELESS PEOPLE FROM COMING HERE.
BECAUSE WHAT IT DOES IS IT'LL, IT'S SAYING, HEY, COME HERE, STAY IN THIS AREA.
AND THEN WHO POLICES IT? WHAT TYPE OF SERVICES ARE OUT THERE? WHO PAYS FOR IT? WHO DOES THAT? SO I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, THAT WHAT WE'RE ALREADY DOING, BUT I AM 100% AGAINST IT, BECAUSE THEN IT TURNS INTO A SITUATION TO WHERE IT'S, IT REALLY IS ALMOST LIKE LORD OF THE FLIES, RIGHT? YOU HAVE TO PICK A LEADER.
THE LEADER COMES IN, THE LEADER'S IN CHARGE OF THE AREA.
THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS THAT HAPPEN IN THOSE ENCAMPMENTS.
I KNOW WHEN CALTRANS CLEANED THE ENCAMPMENT OVER HERE ON THIS, UH, UH, UNDERPASS, THERE WAS HUMAN TRAFFICKING, THERE WAS DRUG USE, THERE WAS A LOT OF STUFF THAT WAS GOING ON, WHICH IS NOTHING THAT I WANT TO HAVE HAPPEN IN, IN OUR COUNTY, AND THERE'S NO WAY AROUND THAT.
I KNOW WHEN THEY DID IT IN SANTA CLAUS COUNTY, IT WAS A SHORT-LIVED EXPERIMENT, BECAUSE ACTUALLY WHEN THEY CLOSED IT DOWN, THEY WERE FINDING DEAD BODIES INSIDE OF DUMPSTERS.
AND SO IT'S SOMETHING THAT, THAT'S NOT A SOLUTION TO THIS PROBLEM.
THE SOLUTION TO THE THIS ISSUE IS A COUPLE DIFFERENT THINGS.
ONE, YOU KNOW, I, I REALLY THINK, AND, AND I'M GLAD WE'RE HAVING THIS DISCUSSION, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, AFTER THIS LAST WEEK WITH THE TWO FIRES THAT HAPPENED, AND, AND THEN WHAT HAPPENED IN, IN THE CITY WITH THE FURNITURE BUILDING, THE SUN STAR BUILDING, AND ALL OF THESE ARE KIND OF STARTING TO BUILD UP, I THINK THE RESIDENTS OF MERCED COUNTY ARE JUST KIND OF FED UP.
AND IT, IT'S LOOKING AS IF WE'RE NOT DOING ANYTHING, WHEN IN REALITY WE'RE SPENDING MILLIONS UPON MILLIONS OF DOLLARS, TAXPAYER DOLLARS EVERY YEAR ON OFFERING THESE SERVICES AND PROGRAMS FOR PEOPLE.
I'VE BEEN ON, WHEN I WAS ON THE CITY COUNCIL FROM 2009 TO 2018, I ALWAYS SAID, I DON'T MIND SPENDING TAXPAYER MONEY.
I DON'T MIND SPENDING MY MONEY
[01:20:01]
ON SERVICES TO HELP THE HOMELESS PEOPLE AND NAVIGATING GOVERNMENT AND NAVIGATING THIS, THE, THE BUREAUCRACY.I THINK THAT THAT IS WHAT IS THE HUMANE ASPECT THAT WE ARE SUPPOSED TO DO.
AND A LOT OF TIMES SOME OF THESE PEOPLE DON'T KNOW OR DON'T KNOW WHAT TYPE OF HELP IS AVAILABLE.
AND I THINK THAT WE DO A GOOD JOB IN DOING THAT.
THERE ARE 30 DIFFERENT, UM, CAL AIM SERVICE PROVIDERS WHO GO THROUGH THE ENHANCED CARE MANAGEMENT PROCESS WITH A LOT OF THESE PEOPLE AND REACH OUT TO THEM AND SAY, WHERE CAN WE START? WHAT IS IT THAT WE CAN DO TO HELP YOU OR TO GET YOU BACK ON YOUR FEET TO MOVE UP? YOU KNOW, IT'S ABOUT GIVING A A HAND UP, RIGHT? NOT A HANDOUT, BUT A HAND UP.
AND I THINK THAT WE NEED TO DO THAT.
BUT AGAIN, THE REALITY IS PEOPLE ARE JUST GETTING TIRED OF THE TRASH OF PEOPLE JUST FEELING THAT THEY ARE ENTITLED TO SLEEP WHEREVER THEY WANT, WHENEVER THEY WANT.
AND IT AFFECTS THE QUALITY OF LIFE OF PEOPLE THAT ARE FOLLOWING THE RULES.
AND SO, WHEREAS IT'S, I DON'T BELIEVE IT'S A, IT'S, YOU CAN JUST ROUND EVERYBODY UP AND ARREST 'EM.
BUT AT SOME POINT IN TIME, THERE HAS TO BE SOMETHING TO SAY, HEY, YOU'RE EITHER GOING TO TAKE THE SERVICES OR WE'RE GONNA DO SOMETHING.
NOW, THE OTHER THING ABOUT IT IS, TOO, WHERE WHEN WE LOOK AT THIS, WE HAVE TO LOOK AT IT AS A REGIONAL THING, RIGHT? BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE VERY SMART.
IF YOU PUT 'EM ON THE CREEK, FOR EXAMPLE, JUST USE BEAR CREEK, OKAY? THERE'S PARTS OF BEAR CREEK THAT ARE MERCED, AND THERE'S PARTS OF BEAR CREEK THAT ARE MERCED COUNTY.
YOU CAN SEND THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT OUT TO THE COUNTY AS PART OF IT, MOVE 'EM OVER, THEY GO TO THE CITY, PART, CITY COMES, THEY GO BACK TO THE COUNTY.
AND SO THERE HAS TO BE A, A CONCERTED EFFORT BETWEEN THE TWO TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE IS A, A FOCUS AND A COMPREHENSIVE LOOK AT WHAT EVERYBODY IS DOING BY WORKING TOGETHER.
YOU KNOW, THIS IS REALLY A COLLABORATION.
AND SO I THINK WHAT'S HAPPENED IS WE'VE GOTTEN SO MUCH IN OUR SILOS THAT WE'RE AFRAID TO KIND OF REACH OUT AND SAY, HEY, WHAT ARE YOU GUYS DOING? AND HOW CAN WE HELP? AND WHAT, WHAT WE'RE DOING IS THIS, AND THIS IS HOW WE CAN HELP.
AND SO I THINK THAT BY HAVING THIS DISCUSSION, IT'S GOING TO START, YOU KNOW, ALLOW US, UH, IF YOU WILL, TO COME UP WITH A, A PLAN THAT WILL WORK WITH OUR PARTNERS, UM, WHETHER IT'S THE CITIES, OTHER COUNTIES, BECAUSE OF THE THREE DIFFERENT COUNTIES, UH, ONES THAT I HAVE READ, SAN JOAQUIN, FRESNO, AND SACRAMENTO.
I THINK THAT THERE ARE, SOME ARE MORE AGGRESSIVE THAN OTHERS.
I THINK WE NEED TO BE AGGRESSIVE.
I ALSO THINK THAT WE, THERE'S A NEW REALITY AS, AS WE LOOK AT THIS, UM, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO REALIGN OUR REAL, OUR ORDINANCE WITH THE REALITY OF WHAT THE GOVERNOR IS LOOKING FOR.
AND, AND I'M OKAY WITH THAT, BUT WE HAVE TO MAKE IT OUR OWN BASED OFF OF A REGIONAL APPROACH AND HOW WE CAN HANDLE THIS.
AND SO WHAT I WOULD PROPOSE IS TAKING THIS INFORMATION THAT YOU'RE GETTING TONIGHT, AND I WOULD SAY I REALLY WANNA FOCUS ON A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT THINGS.
I THINK THAT PEOPLE CAMPING ON ANY WATERWAY THAT THAT'S NOT OKAY.
THAT THAT NEEDS TO BE A TARGET.
NUMBER ONE, BECAUSE OF THE DETERIORATION OF THE CREEKS AND THE CREEK BEDS, ESPECIALLY ON BEAR CREEK.
IF YOU GO ANYWHERE ON BEAR CREEK AND WHERE THEY'RE DIGGING IN, IT'S BAD.
UM, I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT HAS TO BE ADDRESSED UNDERNEATH BRIDGES.
UM, I KNOW THAT OUR CEO AND ASSISTANT CEO CAN ATTEST TO CLEANING UP UNDERNEATH A BRIDGE.
AND THE SMELL AND THE, THE GARBAGE THAT IS DOWN THERE IS NOT OKAY.
I MEAN, I'VE TALKED TO PARENTS A NAUSEUM WHO WILL NOT ALLOW THEIR KIDS TO RIDE THEIR BIKES.
AND I'M NOT SAYING THAT THE PEOPLE THAT ARE UNDER THE BRIDGE ARE BAD PEOPLE.
BUT THE PARENTS DON'T FEEL SAFE LETTING THEIR KIDS, AND THAT'S NOT OKAY TO ME.
PEOPLE THAT I GET CALLS FROM DON'T FEEL SAFE WALKING ON THE, ON THE PA BIKE PATHS ON BEAR CREEK OR BLACK RASCAL, THAT'S NOT OKAY TO ME.
AND SO WE HAVE TO FIGURE OUT A WAY TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE SAYING, HEY, IF YOU NEED HOUSING, THESE, THESE ARE THE SERVICES THAT ARE AVAILABLE TO YOU.
IF YOU NEED, UM, SOME MENTAL HEALTH, UH, HELP, THESE ARE THE SERVICES THAT ARE AVAILABLE.
WE HAVE TO DO A, A BETTER JOB AND REALLY TARGET THOSE AREAS.
AND I THINK THAT WE CAN DO THAT.
SO MY, AGAIN, MY THING IS I THINK THAT WE SHOULD COME BACK 30 TO 60 DAYS FROM NOW WITH THESE RECOMMENDATIONS.
OH, AND THE OTHER ONE IS, YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT ANYBODY THAT IS SETTING FIRES ANYWHERE, WHETHER IT'S OUTSIDE OR A WARMING FIRE INSIDE, SHOULD BE PUNISHED AS MUCH AS THEY CAN.
AND I WOULD GIVE, I, I WOULD RESPECTFULLY REQUEST OUR DISTRICT ATTORNEY TO GO AFTER THESE PEOPLE AS MUCH AS SHE CAN, BECAUSE IT'S A QUALITY OF, AGAIN, IT'S A QUALITY OF LIFE ISSUE.
I MEAN, YOU CAN'T PUT A PRICE TAG ON WHAT JUST B BURNT DOWN WITH THE HISTORIC BUILDING.
AND THAT'S, WE'RE LUCKY THAT NOBODY GOT HURT.
IN ALL HONESTY, WE ARE LUCKY THAT NOBODY GOT HURT.
BUT I THINK THAT WE NEED TO REALLY FOCUS ON THE FIRE AS FIRE ISSUE OF IT.
I THINK WE NEED TO FOCUS ON THE WATERWAY ISSUE OF IT.
I THINK WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE, I DON'T NECESSARILY THINK THAT WE SHOULD FIND PEOPLE.
I BELIEVE THAT WE SHOULD DO THE FRESNO MODEL.
AND WHAT THE FRESNO MODEL AS SUPERVISOR SRA POINTED OUT IS, HEY, LOOK, IN LIEU OF A FINE, IN LIEU OF US DOING THIS, YOU
[01:25:01]
ARE GOING TO GO TO ONE OF THESE AVERSION PROGRAMS, AND YOU'RE GOING TO PROVE THAT YOU ARE GETTING THE HELP YOU NEED.THERE'S A PERFECT EXAMPLE OF A, UM, SOME OF YOU MAY KNOW, UM, WE ALWAYS KNEW HIM AS BAGMAN.
BAGMAN WAS THE HOMELESS MAN IN MERCED FOR YEARS AND YEARS AND YEARS.
HE JUST HAD SOME MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES.
HE DIDN'T HAVE ACCESS TO HIS MEDICATION.
UM, AND HE JUST WANDERED THE STREETS AND DIDN'T WANT HELP.
WELL, FINALLY HE GOT HELP, AND NOW HE'S VERY SUCCESSFUL.
UH, I BELIEVE HE WAS FROM GUSTINE.
I THINK HE MOVED BACK TO GUSTINE.
AND, AND SOMEBODY SAID THAT THEY HAD RAN INTO HIM.
THEY DIDN'T EVEN RECOGNIZE HIM BECAUSE HE GOT THE HELP THAT HE NEEDED, AND WE WERE THERE TO HELP HIM.
'CAUSE I'M SURE THAT THAT GENTLEMAN HAD MULTIPLE FINES OF LOITERING AND THAT TYPE OF STUFF.
AND I DON'T THINK THAT'S THE RIGHT THING TO DO.
I THINK THE RIGHT THING TO DO IS SAY, HEY, WE'LL HELP YOU.
WE'LL DO WHAT WE CAN, BUT YOU HAVE TO PROVE TO US THAT YOU WANT TO HELP YOURSELF.
BECAUSE AGAIN, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE LOOK AT THE QUALITY OF LIFE ASPECT OF IT, WE HAVE A LOT OF HARDWORKING PEOPLE IN MERCED COUNTY WHO ARE PAYING TAXES, WHO ARE STRUGGLING TO GET BY.
AND I, I TOTALLY UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, AND IT'S, BUT THEY'RE STILL PAYING THEIR TAXES AND THEY'RE STILL COMING TO WORK.
AND, AND WE'RE TASKED WITH FINDING WAYS TO, TO, TO DIVVY THAT, ALL THAT UP.
AND I THINK THAT THAT'S THE HARDEST PART OF IT, IS WE'RE PROVIDING A LOT OF SERVICES, AND THEN WE HAVE TO ALSO BALANCE THIS ASPECT OF IT AS WELL.
AND SO THERE'S A QUALITY OF LIFE TO THIS WHOLE THING, AND WE ALL, UM, DESERVE SOMETHING.
YOU KNOW, IT'S A SOCIAL CONTRACT, RIGHT? WE ALL GIVE UP A LITTLE BIT OF FREEDOMS FOR PROTECTION, AND THIS IS SOMETHING THAT, OR TO HAVE A SOCIETY IN GENERAL.
AND I THINK THAT WE ALL HAVE TO LIVE WITHIN THE RULES THAT WE SET, UM, AS, AS, AS A PEOPLE.
SO THAT'S, WOULD, THAT WOULD BE MY RECOMMENDATION, COME BACK WITHIN 30 TO 60 DAYS, MAYBE AN AD HOC COMMITTEE, IF THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO DO TO GO THROUGH AND KIND OF LOOK AT THIS WITH OUR REGIONAL PARTNERS SO THAT WE CAN COME TOGETHER WITH SOME SORT OF SOLUTION TO MAKE SURE WE KNOW WHAT THAT, THE LEFT HAND KNOWS, WHAT THE RIGHT HAND'S DOING, THAT WE'RE ALL INFORMED SO THAT WE CAN COME UP WITH SOME TYPE OF SOLUTION.
WELL, I AGREE WITH A LOT OF YOUR COMMENTS.
UM, I'M NOT GONNA BE HERE TO MAKE THAT RECOMMENDATION OR VOTE ON THAT, BUT, YOU KNOW, WE GET CONSTANTLY CALLED, EVERY ELECTION IS ABOUT HOMELESS.
YOU KNOW, WE GET CALLS ABOUT, UH, VIOLENCE, UH, ABOUT THE HOMELESS.
AND LIKE I SAID, I'M NOT TRYING TO DEMEAN, YOU KNOW, THE, THE, THE HOUSELESS, BUT IT, IT JUST, YOU KNOW, IT'S GETTING OUTTA HAND.
I THINK WE, WE SEE THAT MORE IN THE WEST OVER HERE.
AND LIKE I SAID, WE TEND TO, WE HEAR THAT WE, UH, MORE OF THE HOMELESS IS BEING SENT OVER HERE.
LIKE I SAID, WE HAVE THE SERVICES, WHICH YOU JUST GOTTA PUSH TO TRY TO, YOU KNOW, GET THEM TO, UH, YOU KNOW, SET, SET THOSE PARAMETERS, SET THE LOCATION, UH, AREAS THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT THEY CAN'T BE, YOU KNOW, FOR, FOR LIKE HEALTH REASONS AND, UH, AND OTHERS.
SO I JUST AGREE WITH A LOT OF COMMENTS THAT WERE SAID TODAY.
SO I THINK WITH THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, I THINK SEEMS THAT WE HAVE GOOD DIRECTION.
SO I GUESS WE CAN GO MOVE ON TO THE NEXT ITEM, RIGHT? I HAVE A COMMENT SAVED, I THINK.
NO, UH, WE HAD COMMENTS ALREADY.
SO MR. CHAIRMAN, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, UM, KIND OF JUST WANNA MAYBE SUMMARIZE WHAT, WHAT WE ASKED STAFF OUR HEARING, UM, SOUNDS LIKE THE FRESNO COUNTY MODEL HAS PRESENTED, UM, THIS EVENING STRIKES THE BALANCE BETWEEN COMPASSION AND ENFORCEMENT.
AND SO I'M, I'M HEARING THE BOARD SAY THAT THAT'S MAYBE A GOOD STARTING POINT FOR US.
UM, I ALSO HEARD, UM, FOCUSES ON BRIDGES, WATERWAYS, UH, INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE OBVIOUSLY CAUSING FIRES THAT, UH, CREATE DESTRUCTION.
UM, I KNOW THERE'S BEEN SOME ADDITIONAL, UM, THOUGHTS BY THE BOARD IN REGARDS TO WORKING WITH THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE TO SEE HOW WE CAN MAYBE HIGHLIGHT SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE DOING TO SEE IF THERE'S MAYBE FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES THERE.
I KNOW, IN REGARDS TO THE, THE IDEA OF A SANCTION ENCAMPMENT, I THINK THAT'S MAYBE STILL AN AREA THAT REQUIRES A LITTLE BIT MORE, UH, DISCUSSION FROM THE BOARD.
UH, I KNOW WE HEARD FROM A COUPLE BOARD MEMBERS, BUT NOT ALL, UH, HAPPY TO KIND OF TEE THAT UP MAYBE, UM, AT THE NEXT OPPORTUNITY.
UM, I THINK, UH, MANY OF US HAVE EXPERIENCE WITH SUCH ENCAMPMENTS MAYBE IN PRIOR, UM, YOU KNOW, ROLES THAT WE HAD FOR OTHER ORGANIZATIONS.
HAPPY TO KIND OF TEE UP SOME OF THAT INFORMATION.
I KNOW THAT WAS A REQUEST THAT WAS AT LEAST MADE BY, UM, SUPERVISOR PERRA, PROBABLY SOMETHING THAT WE CAN PROVIDE SOME INFORMATION AND GET DIRECTION FROM THE BOARD AT A LATER DATE, BUT DEFINITELY DIDN'T WANT, DIDN'T WANT TO LOSE SIGHT OF THAT.
UH, SINCE THAT WAS PART OF THE CONVERSATION.
UM, WAS THERE ANYTHING THAT WASN'T, UM, INCLUDED THERE? MORE COMMENT? YEAH, I, I, I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO LOOK AT THE SACRAMENTO, SACRAMENTO AND FRESNO.
I THINK SACRAMENTO IS REALLY AGGRESSIVE, AND I THINK FRESNO HAS THAT BALANCE IN THERE, BUT I REALLY LIKE THE SACRAMENTO COUNTIES.
SO I THINK IF THERE'S A WAY TO, TO, UH, MELD THE TWO TOGETHER, I THINK THAT WOULD WORK, WORK PERFECTLY FRESNO THERE.
AND I, I THINK THE, THE SACRAMENTO ORDINANCE IS ONE THAT ADDRESSES WATERWAYS, AND IT'S
[01:30:01]
NOT SO MUCH WATERWAYS, IT'S IRRIGATION.UH, A LOT OF MY GROWERS, UH, COMPLAIN ABOUT GROWING CROPS DOWNSTREAM FROM A LOT OF THESE ENCAMPMENTS, AND THEY'RE VERY CONCERNED MAYBE WHAT, WHAT WATERS THEY'RE USING TO IRRIGATE THEIR CROPS.
SO DEFINITELY WANT TO KEEP THE SACRAMENTO PART IN THERE.
SO MAYBE SOME OF THE ELEMENTS FROM THE SACRAMENTO, UH, ORDINANCE THAT WE CAN KIND OF PULL OUT.
I THINK WE HAVE ANOTHER DIRECTION TO COME BACK.
AND THEN, UH, I HEARD THE, UH, 30, 60 DAYS, UH, MAYBE, UH, ALLOW STAFF, UH, OBVIOUSLY TO KIND OF HAVE AN INTERNAL DISCUSSION AND KIND OF DETERMINE KIND OF THE, UM, THE CADENCE FOR COMING BACK.
UM, OBVIOUSLY, UH, WE'RE PROBABLY LOOKING AT EARLY 2025, BUT CERTAINLY UNDERSTAND THAT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT IS A PRIORITY AND, UH, LOOK FORWARD TO BRINGING IT BACK AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.
NOW WE'LL MOVE ON TO ITEM NUMBER 33 HERE, VIRGINIA.
I WILL, AT THIS TIME, I WOULD LIKE TO INVITE TO THE PODIUM OF ASSISTANT COUNTY EXECUTIVE OFFICER MARCY BARRA.
GOOD EVENING BOARD CHAIR, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, CEO, MENDEZ COUNTY COUNCIL HANSON.
OH, MORE PUSH DOWN ON THE OTHER SIDE.
SO THANK YOU FOR GIVING ME THE OPPORTUNITY TONIGHT TO SPEAK TO YOU ON ITEM NUMBER 33 ON YOUR AGENDA FOR CONSIDERATION.
I'D LIKE TO PROVIDE A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND ON SOME OF THE FIRE ITEMS THAT HAVE COME BEFORE THE BOARD.
THIS PAST YEAR ON MAY 7TH, 2024, THE BOARD APPROVED A PLAN TO REDUCE THE NUMBER OF FIRE STATIONS FROM 19 TO 15 TO STREAMLINE OPERATIONS, REDUCE COSTS, AND MEET THE NEW CAL FIRE STAFFING REQUIREMENTS, WHICH MANDATE A STAFFING LEVEL OF 2.0 WITH A 3.0 FACTOR.
HOWEVER, ON SEPTEMBER 24TH, THE BOARD APPROVED A MODIFICATION TO THE ITEM TO MOVE THE CONSOLIDATION DATES FROM THE OCTOBER 1ST, 2024 TO DECEMBER 31ST, 2024 FOR THREE OF THE FOUR STATIONS, WHICH INCLUDED DAS, PALOS, LIVINGSTON, AND MCKEE.
THE FOURTH STATION AT THAT TIME, STATION 64 IN CRESSEY, WAS REPURPOSED AS A VOLUNTEER ONLY STATION.
EXTENDING THE DATES WAS INTENDED TO ALLOW ADDITIONAL TIME NECESSARY FOR THE COUNTY TO RECEIVE THE FINAL DETERMINATION ON THE SAFER GRANT, AND TO LEARN THE OUTCOME OF THE MERCED COUNTY PUBLIC SAFETY STABILIZATION ACT, SPECIAL TAX MEASURE, ALSO KNOWN AS MEASURE R, AND TO CONTINUE WORKING WITH THE VARIOUS CITIES WITHIN THE JURISDICTIONS ON POSSIBLE COST SHARING AGREEMENTS.
UNFORTUNATELY, THE SAFER GRANT AND THE SPECIAL TAX MEASURE WERE UNSUCCESSFUL.
HOWEVER, THE COUNTY HAS CONTINUED TO WORK WITH THE VARIOUS CITIES ON ALTERNATE FIRE PROTECTION SERVICES.
THE COUNTY HAS BEEN AN ACTIVE DISCUSSIONS WITH THE CITY OF MERCED STAFF, AND HAS RECENTLY REACHED AN AGREEMENT AT A STAFF LEVEL, WHICH WILL BE A TWO YEAR STOP GAP AGREEMENT TO CONSOLIDATE FIRE SERVICES.
THIS ARRANGEMENT WILL ALLOCATE FUNDING BY THE COUNTY OF ME, MERCED OF APPROXIMATELY $315,000 ANNUALLY TO THE CITY OF MERCED, WHO WILL PROVIDE PRIMARY RESPONSE FOR EVENTS OF FIRE AND OTHER EMERGENCIES IN THE SERVICE AREA, CURRENTLY PROVIDED BY COUNTY FIRE STATION 85, LOCATED ON MCKEE ROAD ACTION ITEM NUMBER ONE ON THE STAFF REPORT AGENDA.
ITEM 33 IS STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION THAT THE BOARD CHAIR AUTHORIZE THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE OFFICER TO EXECUTE THE AGREEMENT.
ONCE STAFF HAS BEEN ABLE TO FINALIZE THE DRAFT AGREEMENT WITH THE CITY OF MERCED, AND AFTER THE MERCED CITY COUNCIL HAS APPROVED THE DOCUMENT, THE AGREEMENT IS ANTICIPATED TO START JANUARY 1ST, 2025.
THE COUNTY HAS ALSO RECENTLY REACHED AN AGREEMENT WITH THE CITY OF LIVINGSTON TO CONTINUE FIRE PROTECTION SERVICES THROUGH A STOP GAP AGREEMENT.
THIS EQUALLY SPLIT COST SHARING AGREEMENT WILL ALLOW THE CAL FIRE STAFF TO REMAIN AT STATION 96 AND THE CITY OF LIVINGSTON FOR THE, THE NEXT 18 MONTHS, STARTING JANUARY 1ST, 2025 THROUGH JUNE 30TH, 2026.
IT'S THE CITY OF LIVINGSTON'S DESIRE TO HAVE THEIR OWN FIRE SERVICES.
AS SUCH, THEY HAVE A PUBLIC SAFETY, SPECIAL TAX MEASURE, ALSO KNOWN AS MEASURE L THAT WENT ON THE NOVEMBER BALLOT AND WAS SUCCESSFUL.
THE SPECIAL TAX FOR LIVINGSTON IS ESTIMATED TO PROVIDE APPROXIMATELY $2.3 MILLION ANNUALLY.
ONCE IN EFFECT, THE CITY OF LIVINGSTON AND THE COUNTY OF MERCED AGREE THAT THE 18 MONTH STOP GAP WILL ALLOW ADEQUATE TIME FOR THE CITY OF, OF LIVINGSTON TO ESTABLISH THEIR OWN FIRE SERVICES ON OR BEFORE THE JUNE 30, 20, 26 DATE, AT WHICH TIME THE COUNTY WILL NO LONGER BE PROVIDING FIRE PROTECTION SERVICES.
ITEMS TWO AND THREE ON THE AGENDA ITEM BEFORE YOU THIS EVENING, IS FOR THE BOARD TO APPROVE THE STOP GAP AGREEMENT AND TO MODIFY THE DATE OF CAL FIRE STAFF TO BE
[01:35:01]
REMOVED FROM STATION 76 IN LIVINGSTON, EFFECTIVE AT THE END OF THE 18 MONTH TIMEFRAME, WHICH AGAIN IS JUNE 30, 20, 26.ITEM NUMBER FOUR IS FOR DISCUSSION AND THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS TO PROVIDE STAFF DIRECTION RELATED TO THE CITY OF DOS PALOS, THE CITY OF DOS PALOS JUST NOTIFIED THE COUNTY THAT THEY'RE CONSIDERING HOLDING A SPECIAL ELECTION TO PURSUE A POSSIBLE PUBLIC SAFETY, SPECIAL TAX MEASURE, WHICH RECENTLY WAS APPROVED BY THEIR CITY COUNCIL.
IF THE TAX MEASURE WAS SUCCESSFUL, IT'S ESTIMATED TO GENERATE APPROXIMATELY $200,000 ANNUALLY.
THE $200,000 IN REVENUE GENERATED COULD BE USED TO OFFSET COSTS FOR FIRE SERVICES.
HOWEVER, THE TOTAL ADDITIONAL COST PER STATION TO GET TO THE 2.0 STAFFING WITH THE 3.0 FACTOR IS AN, IS APPROXIMATELY 1.5 MILLION.
ALLOCATING THIS 200,000 IN REVENUE GENERATED LEAVES THE ADDITIONAL 1.3 MILLION OF THE $1.5 MILLION COST AS THE COUNTY'S RESPONSIBILITY.
IF THE COUNTY WERE TO ENTER INTO AN AGREEMENT WITH THE CITY OF DOS PALOS, IT WOULD BE SIMILAR TO THE ONE THAT IS BEFORE THE BOARD TODAY FOR LIVINGSTON, EXCEPT INSTEAD OF A 50 50 COST SPLIT BETWEEN THE CITY AND COUNTY, AGAIN, THIS AGREEMENT, IN THIS PARTICULAR AGREEMENT, THE COUNTY WOULD BEAR THE FULL $1.5 MILLION COST UNTIL WHICH TIME A DETERMINATION IS MADE ON A PUBLIC SAFETY SPECIAL TAX MEASURE.
IF SUCCESSFUL AND AT WHICH TIME DOS PALOS COULD AFFORD TO PAY ANY PORTION OF THE REVENUE TOWARDS FIRE SERVICES.
AT THIS TIME, CHIEF PIMENTEL AND I ARE AVAILABLE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS, AND I'LL TURN IT BACK TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS FOR ADDITIONAL DISCUSSION.
BOARD ANY COMMENTS, SUPERVISOR? ME? YEAH.
I'D JUST LIKE TO RECOGNIZE THE EFFORT THAT, UH, MY COLLEAGUE, SUPERVISOR ZO PUT IN IN THIS AND SETTING UP MEETINGS WITH THE CITY OF MERCED.
I KNOW THIS WAS VERY EXHAUSTING.
UH, OUR, OUR, UH, OFFICES ARE RIGHT NEXT TO EACH OTHER, AND THE MAJORITY OF HIS TIME HAS BEEN SPENT WORKING WITH THE CITY AND SAYING HI TO A LOT OF THE CITY OFFICIALS AS THEY'RE WALKING THROUGH OUR HALLWAYS AS JOSH WAS WORKING WITH THEM.
SO, I APPRECIATE THAT EFFORT VERY MUCH, AND I THINK YOU HAVE, UH, THIS WAS THE GOAL, THIS WAS YOUR INTENTION, AND I APPRECIATE YOUR EFFORTS ON THAT.
I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THIS AS NUMBER FOUR IS THIS DISCUSSION TO PROVIDE THE POSSIBLE WELL DIRECTION ON THE CITY OF DOS PALACES STATION.
AND SO I WANT TO, UM, TO MY KNOWLEDGE, THE SALES TAX MEASURE WILL BRING IN 250,000 A YEAR, NOT 200,000.
I KNOW THAT'S PEANUTS, BUT FOR DOS PALS, THAT'S, THAT'S A BIG DIFFERENCE.
SO, UM, YOU KNOW, LOOK, IT, I KNOW THAT WE'VE HAD THIS DISCUSSION AND, AND WE'VE, WE'VE DISCUSSED IT INSIDE AND OUT AND, AND IT IS JUST LIKE, WHEN I LOOK AT IT, AND WHEN I LOOK AT MY, MY CONSTITUENTS THAT LIVE IN THE SOUTH AUSTIN PALACE AREA IN THE MIDWAY AREA, THE UNINCORPORATED AREAS OF MERCED COUNTY, YOU KNOW, SOME OF OUR MOST UNDERSERVED AND UNSERVED AREAS IN THE COUNTY RESIDES IN MY DISTRICT OUT THERE.
AND, AND I FEEL LIKE THE CITY OF DOS PALACES IS A, IT'S A, QUOTE, A A FORMER MAYOR, YOU KNOW, IT'S A CITY ON THE RISE.
AND, AND SO LET ME GIVE YOU A LITTLE HISTORY AS TO WHERE THAT, WHAT'S GOING ON THERE.
YOU KNOW, DOS PALACE IS IN THE, IN THE MIDDLE OF COMPLETING A WASTEWATER, OR EXCUSE ME, A, UH, DRINKING WATER TREATMENT PLANT.
UM, SOMETHING FOR DOS PALACES IS A GAME CHANGER, IN MY HUMBLE OPINION.
DOS PALACES NEVER HAD A WATER VOLUME ISSUE.
THEY HAD A WATER TREATMENT ISSUE.
THEY'RE ABLE TO, THEY'RE NEVER ABLE TO TREAT ENOUGH WATER RELIABLY WITH THIS NEW PLANT THAT THEY HAVE COMING ON BOARD THAT'S GONNA PUT THEM IN A POSITION.
DOS PALACES HAS KIND OF BEEN STAGNANT.
THEY HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO GROW BECAUSE THEY CAN'T ADD NO MORE CONNECTIONS TO THEIR SERVICE JUST BY THE SIMPLE FACT THAT THEY WOULD HAVE A HARD TIME SERVICING THEM IN THE MIDDLE OF THE WINTER WHERE WATER USAGES AREN'T SO HIGH POSSIBILITY.
BUT WHEN YOU GET IN THE MIDDLE OF THE SUMMER, IT BECAME A LOT MORE CHALLENGING.
SO OVER THE NEXT FEW MONTHS, AND I DON'T, I KNOW THAT THE CITY MANAGERS HERE, I, I CAN'T REMEMBER OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD WHEN THE EXPECTED COMPLETION DATE ON THAT IS APRIL OF 26.
APRIL OF 26, IS IT? SO WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE A LITTLE WAYS AWAY ON THAT, BUT THAT PUTS DOS PAL IN A DOS PALS IN A POSITION TO GROW SOMETHING UNIQUE FOR THE CITY OF DOS PALACE IS, AS THEY GROW AS A CITY, THEY'RE GONNA LOOK AT THINGS THAT, THAT, I'M GONNA CALL 'EM MORE MODERN CITIES HAVE DONE AS FAR AS COMMUNITY FACILITY DISTRICTS.
WHAT ARE THOSE? THOSE ARE, IF YOU LIVE IN A, IN A MORE, IN A NEWER PART OF, OF ANY TOWN YOU PAY INTO A COMMUNITY SERVICE DISTRICT, YOU, YOU, THESE COMMUNITY FACILITY DISTRICTS IS, YOU KNOW, FOR POLICE AND FIRE.
SO EACH ONE OF THOSE RESIDENTS WILL BE GENERATING MONEY, UH, THEY WILL PAY A PORTION ON THEIR PROPERTY TAX TO HELP FUND THAT ADDITIONAL FIRE SERVICE.
AND, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S NOT LOST ON ME THAT WE'VE HAD THIS, WE HAVE A STATION AT THE Y BUT IF I'M SITTING OUT THERE ON, ON THE, THE SOUTH SIDE OF, OF DOS PALACE AND THE UNINCORPORATED AREAS, OR ESPECIALLY OUT THERE IN SOUTH DOS PALACE
[01:40:01]
OR MIDWAY THOSE VULNERABLE AREAS, AND, AND JUST TAKE A DRIVE OUT THERE, THE, THESE UNINCORPORATED AREAS THAT THEY'RE NOT AS WELL MANICURED AS SOME OF OUR, OUR CITY SCAPES ARE.AND SO, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE ALL, ALL THOSE CONSTITUENTS ARE MY CONSTITUENTS, AND I HOPE MY COLLEAGUES WOULD CONSIDER AT LEAST GOING DOWN THIS PATH WITH DUST PAL FOR A WHILE.
THEY, THEY ARE MAKING AN EFFORT.
AND I, AND I WOULDN'T, IT'S NOT LOST ON ME THAT THROUGH ALL OF THIS DISCUSSION, DOS HOUSE HAS BEEN A GOOD PARTNER.
THEY'VE NEVER ONCE BEEN IN HERE.
THEY'VE ALWAYS KIND OF TRIED TO WORK WITH US AS BEST AS POSSIBLE.
AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, FOR THEM, JUST, JUST WHAT I SAID, A A HALF CENT SALES TAX MEASURE, IF YOU LOOK AT MEASURE R FOR THE COUNTY, GENERATES ON THE UPSIDE OF $20 MILLION A YEAR FOR THE CITY OF DOS PALACE, A HALF CENT SALES TAX MEASURE GENERATES $250,000 A YEAR AS A COMMUNITY OF, OF JUST UNDER 6,000 PEOPLE.
THEY'RE, THEY'RE, THEY'RE, THEY'RE PRIMED AND READY TO, TO MOVE UP.
YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE LOOK AT LIVINGSTON, I FEEL LIKE IT'S COMPARING APPLES TO ORANGES, RIGHT? YOU'RE, YOU'RE LOOKING AT A COMMUNITY OF 15 PLUS THOUSAND PEOPLE WHO PASSED A SALES TAX MEASURE THAT AT LEAST IN THEIR OPINION, IS GONNA BE ABLE TO FUND A FIRE SERVICE.
I'M, I'M HOPING THAT MY COLLEAGUES WILL GO ALONG WITH ME TO, TO CONTINUE THIS AT LEAST OUT A COUPLE YEARS.
WE, WE HAVE ANOTHER ROUND OF SAFER GRANTS THAT ARE COMING ALONG.
AND I THINK PROBABLY ONE OF THE BIGGEST REASONS WHY WE WEREN'T SUCCESSFUL IN THE SAFER GRANT IS, AND, AND I DON'T KNOW ALL THE DETAILS OF IT, AND THIS IS NO KNOCK ON YOU, CHIEF PIMAN TAYLOR, OR ANYBODY THAT HELPED WRITE THAT GRANT, BUT I THINK WHAT, WHAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS LOOKING FOR IS THIS, HOW ARE YOU GOING TO BE ABLE TO PAY FOR IT ONCE THE THREE YEARS IS UP? I THINK WITH, IN DISCUSSION WITH DWAYNE AND WHAT THE CITY HAS GOING ON THERE, THEY'RE GONNA BE ABLE TO SHOW A ROADMAP OF HOW THEY BECOME SUSTAINABLE.
I DON'T WANT TO PICK ON MY FRIENDS IN AUGUSTINE, BUT SIMPLY JUST BY THEIR GEOGRAPHIC LOCATION, WE HAVE TO HAVE A STATION THERE AS A COUNTY, WE HAVE TO HAVE A STATION IN GUSTINE TO, TO COVER THAT AREA OF THE COUNTY.
IF NOT FOR THAT, WE'RE HAVING THAT THIS, THAT SAME DISCUSSION AND TRYING TO GET TWO OF OUR SMALLEST COMMUNITIES INCORPORATED COMMUNITIES TO COME UP WITH QUITE HONESTLY, DOLLARS THAT, THAT, I MEAN, THAT'S WOULD TAKE UP THE MAJORITY OF THEIR BUDGET.
SO I HOPE THAT, THAT YOU GUYS WOULD AT LEAST CONSIDER GOING DOWN THIS ROAD FOR A WHILE.
LET'S, LET'S SEE IF THIS ABSENT SALES TAX MEASURE.
I WAS ACTUALLY DID SOME OF MY OWN, UM, CRACK RESEARCH TODAY AND, AND LOOKED AT THE ACTUAL VOTER DATA ON HOW MEASURE R DID IN, IN AND AROUND THE CITY OF DOS PALACE.
I BELIEVE THERE WAS ONE PRECINCT WHERE IT DIDN'T PASS, AND THAT PRECINCT ACTUALLY HAD ONE VOTER IN IT, AND THEY VOTED NO.
SO THAT ONE GOT, THEY GOT A HUNDRED PERCENT NO VOTE IN THAT AREA, BUT ALL OF THEM ARE, ARE, UM, DEFINITELY WITHIN THE MARGINS OF, OF THAT, I THINK A, A HALF SENT SALES TAX MEASURE FOR JUST FOR FIRE AND DUST HOUSE WILL BE SUCCESSFUL.
AND, AND I KNOW THAT COMES AT A COST THAT COMES AT A COST TO THE COUNTY.
IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'VE BEEN DOING.
IT'S SOMETHING, UM, THAT I'D LIKE TO CONTINUE TO SEE US DO.
ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS ON THE ITEM 33? GO AHEAD.
I, UH, LIVE IN THE UNIN UNINCORPORATED AREA OF MERCED THAT'S SERVED BY THE MCKEE FIRE STATION.
UM, I, I THINK THE DECISION BEFORE YOU IS ACTUALLY A VERY EASY ONE.
UM, YOU KNOW, TO OPERATE THE MCKEE STATION COSTS SOMEWHERE, YOU KNOW, ABOUT $1.5 MILLION, AND YOU'RE BEING OFFERED AN OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE THE CITY OF MERCED COVER THAT FOR $315,000.
UM, THAT, THAT'S THE EASY DECISION TONIGHT.
UH, THIS IS A STOP GAP, RIGHT? IT'S A TWO YEAR DEAL, WHICH MEANS WE'RE GONNA BE BACK HERE AGAIN AT SOME POINT.
SO WE NEED TO BE REALISTIC ABOUT WHAT THE PROCESS HAS BEEN HERE.
WE'VE, WE'VE GOT, UH, TO MAKE AN ANALOGY, WE'VE GOT CHILDREN ACROSS THE COUNTY THAT ARE FINISHING UP THEIR SEMESTER AT SCHOOL AND GETTING GRADES.
YOU GET ENOUGH FOR THE PROCESS.
I MEAN, WE HAD A, WE HAD A NEIGHBORHOOD MEETING IN FEBRUARY.
WE HAD SUPERVISORS THERE, MY SUPERVISOR, MY SUPERVISOR, MR. PEREIRA, OTHERS COUNTY STAFF.
NOT ONE MENTION WAS MADE THAT OUR FIRE STATION WOULD CLOSE.
THERE WAS AN ELECTION HAPPENING, IT'S TWO WEEKS LATER.
WE WERE PROMISED WE'D HAVE A FOLLOW UP NEIGHBORHOOD MEETING WITHIN SIX MONTHS, NOT SCHEDULED.
SO WE'RE GONNA BE GOING THROUGH THIS PROCESS AGAIN, AND IT NEEDS TO BE A BETTER PROCESS.
UM, THERE WERE SOME BRIGHT SPOTS.
I'D SAY, UM, BACK IN MAY, UH, CHAIR ESPINOZA AND SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL ACTUALLY
[01:45:01]
SAID, WE SHOULD WAIT.MCKEE'S GONNA, WE CAN, WE CAN FIND A DEAL WITH THE CITY OF MERCED.
BUT THE OTHER THREE VOTED TO CLOSE MCKEE EVENTUALLY, RIGHT? MY OWN SUPERVISOR MADE THE MOTION.
I MEAN, SUPERVISOR PERRA GAVE THE KILL SHOT TO MCKEE FIRE STATION.
IT'S, IT'S, IT, THIS IS ALL AVOIDABLE.
WE FOUND MONEY IN YOUR BUDGET THAT SOME OF YOU DIDN'T EVEN KNOW YOU HAD.
WE SAID, GIVE US TIME, AND THERE WAS NO WILLINGNESS TO DO THAT.
SO PLEASE APPROVE THIS TONIGHT.
CITY'S GIVEN YOU A GOOD DEAL, BUT WE'RE GONNA DO THIS AGAIN, AND LET'S NOT DO IT IN THIS MANNER.
ANY FURTHER COMMENTS? OKAY, I WILL CLOSE, UH, POLL COMMENTS AND, UH, ON CO ITEM 30 THREES IS CLOSED.
WE ARE GOING TO, UM, TO DO THREE SEPARATE ACTIONS.
ONE MORE COMMENT, SUPERVISOR RA, GO AHEAD.
YEAH, I, UH, I, I WANT TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT, UH, THE DUST PALACE ITEM.
UM, YOU KNOW, I, I GUESS ULTIMATELY, UH, MY, MY CONCERN IS, UH, I'VE BEEN RAISING THIS FIRE ISSUE FOR ABOUT FOUR YEARS NOW.
AND, UM, WE'VE BEEN DOING THE SAME OLD, SAME OLD, AND IT'S NOT WORKING.
AND, AND SO WE, WE MADE SOME HARD CALLS AND, AND NOW ALL OF A SUDDEN WE'RE GONNA SPEND $3 MILLION ON, ON FIREFIGHTING THAT WE'VE ALREADY DECIDED THAT WE, WE CAN'T AFFORD, THAT WE DON'T HAVE.
AND SO, UM, YOU KNOW, IT'S A BIT OF A STRUGGLE FOR ME.
I REALIZE THAT, UH, THE CITY OF, UH, LIVINGSTON HAS STEPPED UP AND THEY'RE PAYING THE SHARE THAT WE ASKED THEM.
AND, YOU KNOW, AND I GUESS I'M OKAY WITH THAT.
THEY HAVE ALREADY PASSED THEIR MEASURE.
WE'RE HEADED IN A DIRECTION, UM, IT BENEFITS THE COUNTY AS WELL.
BUT, UH, WHEN WE, WHEN WE GET TO, TO THE CITY OF LOS PALACE, YOU KNOW, UM, IT, IT'S A, IT'S A LOT OF MONEY AND THERE'S NO SOLUTION DOWN THE ROAD.
I'VE BEEN ASKING FOR US TO CHANGE THE WAY WE DO FIRE IN MERCED COUNTY.
AND, UM, I, I GUESS IT'S REALLY FALLEN ON DEAF EARS.
AND, UH, AND SO HERE WE ARE, WE'RE ALREADY SPENDING OUR FIRE FUND.
SO THIS ISN'T FIRE FUND MONEY WE'RE SPENDING, THIS IS GENERAL FUND MONEY THAT WE'RE SPENDING.
IS THAT CORRECT? YES, YES, THAT IS CORRECT.
AND, AND SO, UH, AND, AND SO MY, MY THOUGHTS ON, ON THE DOS PALACE ITEM, UH, YOU KNOW, IF THEY'RE GONNA, IF THEY'RE GONNA PUT A MEASURE TOGETHER, UM, YOU KNOW, I I, I COULD SEE GOING A BIT MORE TIME, BUT IF THAT MEASURE DOESN'T PASS IN THE SPRING, THEN WE'VE GOTTA CLOSE THE STATION.
AND SO I THINK, UM, PUTTING THE DECISION IN JUNE OF 2026, UH, FOR ME ANYWAYS, DOESN'T WORK.
AND SO, UM, YOU KNOW, I WOULD BE WILLING TO, TO GET, UM, YOU KNOW, I GUESS PAST THE ELECTION AND THE CERTIFICATION OF THAT ITEM, UM, YOU KNOW, SO MAYBE, MAYBE JUNE OF 2025, AND THEN, AND THEN, SO WE WERE ON REVISIT AT THAT TIME.
BUT, UM, I MEAN, WE GOTTA BE HONEST WITH OURSELVES AND WE GOTTA BE HONEST WITH THE FOLKS.
UM, WE'RE, WE'RE OUTTA MONEY ON IT.
AND, YOU KNOW, WE, WE'VE ALREADY TOLD THE PUBLIC THAT WE ARE OUTTA MONEY.
WE'VE TOLD OUR EMPLOYEES THAT WE'RE OUTTA MONEY, AND NOW WE'RE JUST GONNA SPEND ANOTHER $3 MILLION.
I, I JUST DON'T, I DON'T SEE THAT AS, AS REASONABLE.
SO, UM, ANYWAYS, I'LL, UH, I'LL WAIT TILL THE MOTION IS MADE, UM, AND THEN, AND THEN GO FROM THERE.
BUT I, I JUST, YOU KNOW, I, I, I JUST CAN'T GO TO, TO 2026.
YOU KNOW, TO ADD TO, TO ADD TO THAT, YOU KNOW, A LITTLE BIT LIKE YOU SAID, LIVINGSTONE PASSED IT AND IT WAS A 1 CENT SALES TAX, AND IT'S GONNA CREATE $2.3 MILLION OR A LITTLE BIT MORE.
AND THOSE PALACES HALF CENTS AND A LOT LESS POPULATION, A LOT LESS REVENUES BEEN CREATED.
UH, YOU KNOW, MY SUGGESTION IS THEY GO FOR 1 CENT.
YOU KNOW, IF, UH, IF THE COUNTY WOULD, YOU KNOW, WOULD, WOULD SUPPORT THAT A A LITTLE BIT, PROBABLY MORE ENHANCE IT AND MORE SUPPORT FROM THE SUPERVISORS THAT, BUT THAT'S JUST MY, UH, RECOMMENDATION TOO.
SO, BUT ARE WE STILL GONNA DO THE, UM, SEPARATE RECOMMENDATIONS? SO, UH, WITH THAT, WE'LL START WITH, UH, NUMBER ONE REGARDING THE, THE CITY OF MERCED.
I, EXCUSE ME, ONE MORE COMMENT.
UM, YEAH, I JUST WANNA COMMENT ON THAT REALLY QUICKLY AND THEN I'LL MAKE A MOTION FOR NUMBER FOR THE FIRST ONE TO APPROVE IT.
UM, AND, AND I UNDERSTAND, UM, THE FRUSTRATION, UH, AS I SHARE A
[01:50:01]
LOT OF THE FRUSTRATION IN REGARDS TO THE, THE LONG PROCESS THAT IT TOOK.THERE WAS A LOT OF, UH, THERE WAS A LOT OF THINGS IN PLAY.
UH, WE HAD THE SALES TAX, IT WAS UNSUCCESSFUL.
WE HAD, UM, MULTIPLE CONVERSATIONS WITH, UH, UC, MERCED, UM, AND WE CAME TO AN AGREEMENT WITH THE CITY AND PRINCIPAL.
I WAS AT THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING LAST NIGHT, AND THEY HAD SOME QUESTIONS, BUT I THINK THAT THEY'RE GOING TO ULTIMATELY, UH, KNOCK ON WOOD, UH, APPROVE, UM, THE AGREEMENT.
AND AGAIN, IT'S, IT'S SOMETHING THAT I KNOW THAT WE WORKED REALLY HARD ON, UH, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE WERE ABLE TO CONTINUE THE PROTECTION OUT THERE.
AND, YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT THERE'S A LOT THAT'S LOST.
IT'S, IT'S EASY TO, TO FIND MONEY, BUT THEN WHEN YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT THE MONEY IS SET ASIDE FOR, THAT'S A DIFFERENT, UH, CONVERSATION THAT THAT'S TAKEN PLACE.
YOU KNOW, WE HAVE REALLY GOOD BUDGET ANALYSTS WHO TELL US VERY MUCH WHEN WE ASK THE QUESTIONS ON, YOU KNOW, THIS IS A QUESTION ON WHERE'S THIS MONEY? AND THEY, THEY'RE ABLE TO EXPLAIN IT TO US.
AND, AND I, I APPRECIATE THAT VERY MUCH BECAUSE WHEN YOU'RE DEALING WITH A BILLION DOLLAR BUDGET, FINDING, YOU KNOW, CERTAIN AMOUNTS THAT ARE SPENT CERTAIN WAYS, I THINK IS, IS IMPORTANT TO HAVE PEOPLE IN PLACE TO PUT YOU THERE.
UM, AND I THINK THAT THIS PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT WITH THE CITY OF MERCED IS SOMETHING THAT, YOU KNOW, THIS IS ONE OF WHEN I FIRST GOT ELECTED TO, UM, THE BOARD, UH, FROM THE CITY, ONE OF MY GOALS WAS TO, UH, BETTER THE COLLABORATION BETWEEN THE CITY AND THE COUNTY.
AND I THINK I'VE DONE THAT, AND I THINK THIS IS REALLY GONNA BENEFIT THE PUBLIC SAFETY AND THE PUBLIC WELLBEING IN, IN THE AREA THE 85, UM, IS CURRENTLY SERVING.
AND THEN, UH, WITH THE CITY, BEING ABLE TO SHOW A PARTNERSHIP AND THEN WORK TOWARDS THIS, ALLOW, AGAIN, ALLOWS THAT TWO YEARS FOR US TO COME UP WITH A, COME UP WITH A SOLUTION SO THAT WE DON'T HAVE TO GET IN THIS, UH, POSITION AGAIN.
AND I THINK THAT WAS THE DIRECTION THAT WAS KIND OF PRESENTED FROM THE CITY LAST NIGHT, IS LET'S START THIS PROCESS OF TWO YEARS AND FIND OUT WHERE WE'RE GOING AND, AND REALLY KIND OF PUT SOMETHING GOOD TOGETHER, ESPECIALLY AS IT RELATES TO THE CAD TO CAD AND A LOT OF OTHER THINGS.
SO I WILL MAKE THE MOTION TO APPROVE NUMBER ONE, PERRA SECOND.
UH, SUPERVISOR PEDROSO FIRST AND PEREZ SECOND.
OH, NOW WE HAVE, UH, RECOMMENDATION NUMBER TWO.
I THINK YOU CAN TAKE TWO AND THREE TOGETHER, MR. CHAIR.
UM, ANY, UH, COMMENTS OR MOTIONS? MOVE TO APPROVE PERRERA, UH, MOTION BY PERRERA.
IS THERE A SECOND? VERA? SECOND.
ALL IN FAVOR? CAN, CAN I GET, CAN I GET CLARIFICATION ON THE MOTION? GO AHEAD, SIR.
WHAT'S THE CLARIFICATION? WHAT'S THE MOTION? WHAT ARE WE TO APPROVE? ITEM TWO AND THREE ONE'S THE DOLLAR AMOUNT, THE OTHER ONE'S EXTENDING THE CONTRACT DATE.
ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES FIVE.
BILL, MR. CHAIR, IF I COULD, I, I, I WOULD I, IN THE SPIRIT OF COMPROMISE, I THINK IT ADVISE US ANOTHER YEAR.
I, I, I, MR. YOUR ADVICE OF A 1 CENT SALES TAX? I DON'T KNOW THAT THAT'S POSSIBLE NOW, BECAUSE TIMELINES BEFORE ELECTIONS, I DON'T KNOW IF THAT COULD BE CHANGED.
THAT WOULD BE A QUESTION FOR THE LAWYERS.
UM, BUT IN THIS SPIRIT OF COMPROMISE, AND I WOULD, I WOULD MAKE THE MOTION TO EXTEND THE TERM UNTIL JUNE OF 2025 WITH THE CITY OF DAPA.
SO I HAVE A MOTION ON NUMBER FOUR FOR, UH, SUPERVISOR EZ.
MR. MCDANIEL? ALL IN FAVOR? AYE.
WE'LL NOW MOVE ON TO, UH, BOARD APPOINTMENTS, ITEMS 34 THROUGH 36.
AT THIS TIME, WE'LL OPEN UP PUBLIC COMMENT FOR BOARD APPOINTMENTS, ITEMS NUMBER 34 AND 36.
ANY COMMENTS ON THESE ITEMS? OKAY, UM, I'D LIKE TO COMMENT ON ITEM NUMBER 36, UM, WHICH IS, UH, WITH, UH, 36 ITEM NUMBER TWO, UH, APPOINTMENT OF, UH, THIS GENTLEMAN.
I KNOW WE HAD A, I HAD ANOTHER APPOINT, UM, RECOMMENDATION APPLICATION TWO MONTHS AHEAD OF THIS, UH, GENTLEMAN.
AND, UH, I DIDN'T KNOW ON THE APPLICATION OF THIS GENTLEMAN, AND WHICH DOESN'T MEAN THAT I DON'T WANT TO PUT HIM ON THERE, BUT, UM, RECOMMEND HIM.
BUT, UH, I DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT THE APPLICATION.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO, UH, CONTINUE ITEM NUMBER TWO TO OUR NEXT MEETING.
UH, HOPEFULLY WE HAVE TWO, UH, OPENINGS, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO BE FAIR TO THE OTHER PERSON THAT THAT SUBMITTED THE APPLICATION TWO, UH, MONTHS AGO.
UH, SO YEAH, UH, THAT'S JUST MY RECOMMENDATION ON ITEM 36, UH, 2.0.
UM, I JUST WANTED TO COMMENT ON NUMBER 35 BECAUSE I SEE THAT, UM, MS. MALDEN IS HERE.
SO THANK YOU FOR VOLUNTEERING TO SERVE ON THIS COMMITTEE.
YEAH, IF, UH, I'LL LET TAKE MOTION.
[01:55:01]
WITH THAT, UH, MODIFICATION ITEM NUMBER TWO, UH, TO BE CONTINUED FOR THE NEXT ITEM UNTIL TO VERIFY, UH, HOPEFULLY WE HAVE TWO OPENINGS.UH, MADE THE MOTION AND, UH, SECOND VICE, VICE PEDROSO.
BY THIS TIME WE'LL HAVE A BOARD COURT STARTING WITH SUPERVISOR, IF WE CAN KEEP IT SHORT.
MR. CHAIR, WE STILL GOT BOARD INFORMATION.
[BOARD INFORMATION & POSSIBLE ACTION]
THE POSSIBLE ACTION, SIR, YOU HAVE 37 38.THE PUBLIC COMMENT FOR PREPARE FOR EQUAL ITEMS 37 30 IS NOT OPEN.
WE'VE WORKED A LONG TIME, SO I'M GONNA TAKE MY MINUTE HERE.
CHAIRMAN ESPINOZA, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, CEO, MENDEZ COUNTY COUNCIL HANSEN AND MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC.
I'M THE MERCED COUNTY REGISTRAR OF VOTERS.
AND, UH, I'M PLEASED TO BRING YOU THE CERTIFIED RESULTS FOR MERCED COUNTY'S NOVEMBER 5TH, 2024 GENERAL ELECTION.
THE ELECTION SAW A COUNTYWIDE TURNOUT RATE OF 66% WITH MORE THAN 87,000 MERCED COUNTY VOTERS CAST IN BALLOT FOR RACES THAT VARIED FROM PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES TO CITY COUNCIL RACES, TO SCHOOL BOARD DISTRICTS, AND OTHERS.
WORK ON THIS ELECTION BEGAN FOR THE MERCED COUNTY ELECTIONS DEPARTMENT LATE LAST YEAR IN CONJUNCTION WITH WORK FOR THE MARCH 5TH PRIMARY.
THE CANDIDATE FILING PERIOD FOR THE NOVEMBER ELECTION OPENED IN JULY OF THIS YEAR, AND EARLY VOTING STARTED ON OCTOBER 7TH.
THROUGHOUT THE COURSE OF THIS ELECTION, NEARLY 300 INDIVIDUALS WORKED FOR MERCED COUNTY ELECTIONS, SERVING AS PART-TIME EXTRA HELP AND VOLUNTEER POLL WORKERS.
THE DEDICATION AND DILIGENCE SHOWN BY THE STAFF THAT WORKED THIS ELECTION IS SOMETHING THAT ALL MERCED COUNTY VOTERS SHOULD BE PROUD OF.
THIS ELECTION WAS LIKELY THE MOST TRANSPARENT AND OBSERVED ELECTION IN THE HISTORY OF THIS COUNTY, WITH MANY CLOSELY WATCHED CONTESTS AND INTENSE PUBLIC INTEREST IN THE ELECTION PROCESS.
THE MERCED COUNTY ELECTION STAFF CONDUCTED THIS ELECTION IN FULL VIEW OF THE PUBLIC AND THE MANY OBSERVERS THAT WE WELCOMED INTO OUR FACILITIES EVERY SINGLE DAY.
IN THIS RESPECT, WE TOOK A PROACTIVE APPROACH AT COMBATING MISINFORMATION ABOUT THE INTEGRITY OF AMERICAN ELECTIONS.
THIS ELECTION WAS CONDUCTED OPENLY, FAIRLY, SECURELY, AND ACCURATELY.
ACCORDING TO THE LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES AND THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA.
ELECTIONS ARE FOUNDATIONAL TO OUR AMERICAN SYSTEM.
IT IS WHERE THE PEOPLE ARE ABLE TO CHOOSE OUR LEADERS AND THE DIRECTION OF OUR COMMUNITY.
MERCED COUNTY VOTERS HAVE DONE SO, AND I'M THANKFUL FOR THEIR PARTICIPATION AND THEIR TRUST.
ALRIGHT, AT THIS TIME WE'LL OPEN UP, UH, COMMENT FOR INFRA PERMISSION ITEMS 37 AND 38.
ALSO, OR I, I GUESS I MISSED THE PUBLIC COMMENT.
FOR ON ITEM 34 AND 36, I, I WOULD LIKE TO GO BACK ALSO TO 34 AND 36, OR ITEM 37 AND 38.
WE'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC COMMENTS ON 34, 36 AND 37 AND 38TH, AND WE'LL COME BACK TO THE BOARD FOR READY FOR THE COMMENTS.
I DON'T, I'D LIKE TO THANK MEL LEVY FOR THE, FOR THE JOB YOU DID.
I WAS OUT THERE OBSERVING A FEW TIMES AND BOTH PARTIES HAD ATTORNEYS LOOKING OVER HIS SHOULDER THE WHOLE TIME.
I KNOW I GOT A LOT OF INQUIRIES FROM CONSTITUENTS REGARDING THE TIME THAT IT TAKES, BUT THAT SIGNATURE VERIFICATION PROCESS WHEN EVERYBODY GETS A BALLOT AND SENDS IT IN I THAT I, I COMMEND YOU ON THE EFFORTS THAT YOU DID AND THE DATABASE WE HAVE OF SIGNATURES FOR EACH OF OUR VOTERS.
I KNOW THERE WAS SOME CONCERN, UH, WITH THE CURING OF THE BALLOTS THERE TOWARDS THE END, AND I KNOW THERE'S A LOT OF CONFUSION WITH MY CONSTITUENCY BEING CONTACTED BY A NUMBER OF PEOPLE.
AND, UH, MAYBE, I KNOW WE CAN'T SHOW AN IDENTIFICATION TO VOTE IN THE STATE, BUT JUST THE CURING PROCESS OF FOLKS TRYING TO GET THE AFFIDAVIT SIGNED FOR THEM TO GET THEIR BALLOT COUNTED SEEMED TO BE VERY CONFUSING.
'CAUSE THEY DIDN'T KNOW WHO IT WAS CONTACTING THEM.
THEY WOULD SIGN AN AFFIDAVIT AND THEN IT SEEMED LIKE THEIR VOTE STILL DIDN'T COUNT.
MAYBE YOU COULD ADDRESS THAT A LITTLE BIT.
[02:00:01]
YOU SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL.UM, THIS ELECTION, I THINK GIVEN THE CLOSENESS OF SEVERAL RACES, UH, UH, NOT JUST THE CONGRESSIONAL, UH, CONTEST THAT WE HAD HERE, BUT, UH, BUT SOME OF THE LOCAL RACES, WE SAW MORE ACTIVITY AROUND CURING BALLOTS THAN WE'VE EVER SEEN BEFORE.
NOW, CURING A BALLOT IS, UH, WHEN A VOTER HAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO SIGN AN AFFIDAVIT, UH, ATTESTING THAT THE BALLOT THEY SENT IN IS TRULY THEIR BALLOT, IF THEIR SIGNATURE IS EITHER MISSING FROM THEIR RETURN ENVELOPE OR CHALLENGED.
UH, AND SO CURING IS A, IS A PART OF THE PROCESS.
THE DEADLINE TO CURE BALLOTS IS TWO DAYS PRIOR TO CERTIFICATION.
THIS YEAR, THAT DEADLINE WAS MANDATED BY THE STATE AS DECEMBER 1ST.
UH, SO MUCH OF THE, UM, THE PERCEIVED DELAY IN, IN COUNTING, UH, THE BALLOTS FOR THIS ELECTION WAS DUE TO THAT DEADLINE BEING MANDATED BY THE STATE ON DECEMBER 1ST.
UH, WE DID SEE MORE ACTIVITY AROUND CURING THOSE BALLOTS THIS YEAR THAN EVER BEFORE.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE HAD A CONGRESSIONAL RACE THAT, THAT ENCOMPASSED FIVE DIFFERENT COUNTIES, UH, AND WAS DECIDED BY LESS THAN 200 VOTES.
UM, AND WE HAD HUNDREDS OF VOTES IN OUR COUNTY THAT WERE CHALLENGED AND CURED.
UH, SO YOU CAN SEE KIND OF THE IMPORTANCE OF, OF THAT PROCESS.
THE DATA THAT SHOWS WHICH VOTERS HAVE BEEN CHALLENGED IS AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE FROM CANDIDATES AND CAMPAIGNS AND POLITICAL ORGANIZATIONS.
UH, AND SO THAT IS HOW THEY, THEY'RE ACCESSING THAT.
UH, IN ADDITION TO THAT, THEY'RE ACCESSING VOTER DATA THROUGH THE STATE AS WELL.
UH, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, THAT WE DID THROUGHOUT THE, THE COURSE OF, OF THE CANVAS, UH, PERIOD WAS HAVE ROUTINE CONVERSATIONS WITH THE CAMPAIGNS ABOUT THEIR PRACTICES IN CONTACTING OUR VOTERS.
UM, YOU, YOU ALL WEREN'T ALONE IN HEARING FROM VOTERS.
I WAS HEARING FROM THEM AS WELL AND TRYING TO REASSURE THEM, UH, ABOUT WHAT WAS GOING ON AND WHAT WAS LEGAL.
UH, AND IT IS LEGAL FOR THESE CANDIDATES AND THESE CAMPAIGNS TO, TO PROCURE THAT DATA.
UM, BUT I THINK WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO DO A BETTER JOB WITH OUR CAMPAIGNS ABOUT WHAT IS PROPER, UH, AND HOW WE WANT OUR VOTERS TO BE TREATED, UH, WHEN THEY ARE, UH, FINDING THEMSELVES IN THAT, YOU KNOW, IN THAT STATE WHERE THEY CAN, CAN CURE THEIR BALLOT.
SO MEL, I WAS THINKING, IS TRYING TO THINK AHEAD, BECAUSE LIKE YOU SAID, IT WASN'T JUST THE CAMPAIGNS.
THERE WAS A NUMBER OF OTHER ORGANIZATIONS THAT WE'RE ALL TRYING TO SOLVE THAT WE'RE ALL TRYING TO DO THE SAME.
BUT IN THAT PEOPLE, IS THERE SOMETHING MAYBE THAT WE CAN DO AS THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS TO PUT A POLICY TOGETHER, MAYBE TO MAKE THAT A LITTLE MORE OF AN ORGANIZATIONAL EFFORT OR ORGANIZED EFFORT? BECAUSE IT JUST SEEMED THERE WAS SO MUCH CONFUSION OUT THERE.
YEAH, SO I, I, SO I THINK THERE ARE TWO THINGS THAT, THAT, THAT WE COULD LOOK AT IMMEDIATELY, UH, UH, DOING HERE MOVING FORWARD.
AND THEN WE CAN START EXPLORING, UH, A COUPLE OF OTHER THINGS.
BUT, UH, TWO, TWO ITEMS THAT WE'VE ALREADY BEEN DISCUSSING KIND OF INTERNALLY.
UH, ONE IS OVER THE OUTREACH THAT MERCED COUNTY ELECTIONS DOES WHEN A VOTER FINDS THEMSELVES CHALLENGED.
SO WE ARE MANDATED BY THE STATE TO NOTIFY THE VOTER IF THEIR SIGNATURE IS CHALLENGED.
AND WE MAIL A LETTER, UH, TO THE, TO THAT VOTER, LETTING THEM KNOW THAT WE ALSO ATTEMPT TO REACH THEM BY PHONE OR BY EMAIL.
UH, AND SO WE COULD KIND OF REVIEW THAT OUTREACH AND WHETHER WE NEED TO INCREASE THAT OUTREACH OR CHANGE THE MESSAGE OF THAT OUTREACH.
UH, THE OTHER THING THAT I THINK WE CAN DO, UH, AND AND SHOULD DO IS REVAMP A LITTLE BIT OF OUR, UM, CANDIDATE HANDBOOK TRAINING.
NOW, THIS IS, UH, THIS IS A HANDBOOK THAT'S GIVEN TO ALL CANDIDATES WHEN THEY FILE, UM, AND, UH, AND I THINK INCLUDING, UH, SOME ELEMENTS ABOUT, UM, HOW TO RESPECT VOTERS DURING THAT CURE PROCESS.
I THINK WOULD BE TOTALLY APPROPRIATE.
I LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR RECOMMENDATIONS.
YEAH, THANK YOU THERE A CONFERENCE.
UM, YOU KNOW, I GOT A LOT OF CALLS, UM, ABOUT THE TIMING, UH, AND THE TIMELINESS OF THE, THE REPORTING.
AND I SAID, I DON'T KNOW, JUST CALL AND PLAY, MEL.
IT SAYS, NO, I'M JUST KIDDING.
UM, I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU AND I KNOW IT WAS A VERY STRESSFUL TIME, AND I KNOW YOU ARE, DID EVERYTHING YOU COULD TO, UH, WORK WITHIN THE PARAMETERS THAT ARE SET UP FOR YOU, UM, BY THE STATE.
AND SO, UM, I THINK YOU DID A GOOD JOB.
SO I APPRECIATE THE HARD WORK YOU PUT INTO IT.
UH, A LITTLE FOLLOW UP ON, UH, SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL'S.
UM, UH, INQUIRY IS, UM, I MEAN, BECAUSE RIGHT, THE, THE, I GOT TONS OF CALLS.
I, I TRIED TO EXPLAIN, I THINK YOU DID A PRETTY GOOD JOB OF KEEPING US AWARE OF WHERE YOU WERE IN THE PROCESS SO WE COULD SHARE THAT WITH PEOPLE.
UM, AND THEN PEOPLE DO NOT UNDERSTAND THE CURING OF THE BALLOTS, RIGHT.
AS, AS A, UM, UH, AS HOW THAT LENGTHENS THE, THE TIME TO COUNT.
BUT, UH, ANYWAYS, IS, I GUESS MY, MY INQUIRY IS CAN WE, I DON'T KNOW, LEGALLY COULD WE, UM, REQUIRE IF YOU'RE GONNA GO OUT AND CURE BALLOTS, THAT, THAT YOU HAVE TO LIKE, REGISTER
[02:05:01]
WITH THE COUNTY TO DO IT.UM, AND, AND THEN HAVE, HAVE SOME SORT OF AFFIDAVIT FROM THE COUNTY THAT THE PERSON CAN SEE.
'CAUSE PEOPLE ARE GOING TO PEOPLE'S DOORS.
I HAD ONE GUY, UH, YOU KNOW, DESCRIBE AN INDIVIDUAL THAT CAME TO HIS DOOR, AND, UM, AND AS FAR AS, YOU KNOW, THE, THE CAMPAIGN THAT THEY SAID HE WAS WORKING FOR, HE WASN'T A PART OF THEM.
THE, THE VEHICLE, THE DRESS, THE, THE HAT.
AND SO, UM, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE ARE NOW CONFUSED, WHO IS THIS THAT'S COMING TO MY DOOR? UM, SO ANYWAYS, JUST, JUST SOMETHING THAT, YOU KNOW, TO, TO THINK ABOUT IS, IS THERE A WAY TO LIKE, UM, NOT REALLY RESTRICT PEOPLE FROM DOING IT, BUT JUST CREATE A PROCESS SO PEOPLE KNOW WHAT'S HAPPENING AND WHO'S COMING TO THEIR DOOR? YEAH.
C CERTAINLY, I THINK, UH, I, I, I CAN APPRECIATE THAT.
AND, AND LIKE I SAID, I HEARD FROM A LOT OF VOTERS WHO HAD THOSE SAME CONCERNS ABOUT FOLKS KIND OF, YOU KNOW, COMING TO THEIR DOOR AND, AND, AND, UH, TALKING TO 'EM ABOUT THEIR BALLOT.
UM, AND, AND SO CERTAINLY I THINK, UH, I THINK, YOU KNOW, REVIEWING WHAT, UM, YOU KNOW, WHAT, WHAT TYPE OF RESTRICTIONS, IF ANY, WE CAN, WE CAN PLACE ON THAT.
UH, AS PART OF IT, I, YOU KNOW, I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE DID SEE THROUGH THE COURSE OF THE CANVAS, UH, PERIOD WHILE, WHILE CAMPAIGNS WERE OUT, UM, UH, APPROACHING VOTERS ABOUT THIS CURE PROCESS IS THAT THEY DID GET BETTER ABOUT THIS.
SO I THINK HAVING THAT OPEN DIALOGUE WITH THE OBSERVERS THAT, THAT WERE IN OUR FACILITIES, AND HAVING THAT OPEN DIALOGUE WITH THE CAMPAIGNS, SHARING THE CONCERNS THAT WE WERE HEARING, THAT YOU ALL WERE HEARING, UH, I THINK DID HELP, UH, AS WE, AS WE WENT DEEPER INTO THAT PERIOD.
UH, BUT CERTAINLY, UH, UH, CERTAINLY WE HAVE A FEW THINGS TO LOOK AT.
I THINK A LOT OF MY CO COMMENTS ARE GONNA BE THE SAME MAIL IS, IS I, YOU KNOW, THE, I MEAN, I SAW IT LIKE ON THE WATCH PAGES AND
SO, SO YOU HAD A LOT OF PEOPLE TRYING TO CURE BALLOTS.
UM, I THINK THAT'S THE RESULT OF A CLOSE ELECTION.
WE DON'T, THEY'RE, THEY'RE USUALLY NOT THAT CLOSE.
AND BECAUSE IT WAS THAT CLOSE, YOU SEEN AN EXTRA EFFORT BY BOTH SIDES, ALL SIDES TO TRY TO GO CURE BALLOTS.
BUT I GOT ONE SIMPLE FIX, FILL YOUR BALLOT OUT, RIGHT? JUST PUT YOUR SIGNATURE AND PUT THE DATE ON IT.
AND IF YOU DO THAT, IT'S GONNA GET COUNTED.
AND IF YOU WANT TO LIKE, HAVE LESS DELAY IN THE PROCESS, DON'T WAIT UNTIL THE LAST DANG DAY TO SEND IT.
WE SEND YOU THE BALLOTS AROUND THE 1ST OF OCTOBER.
YOU GOTTA TAKE SOME TIME TO RESEARCH THE ISSUES.
BUT, BUT FOR EVERY ONE OF YOU PEOPLE THAT, THAT DROPPED YOUR BALLOT OFF ON ELECTION DAY, THAT THING DIDN'T GET COUNTED FOR PROBABLY A GOOD SEVEN TO 10 DAYS AFTER THE ELECTION, NOT BECAUSE OF WHAT MEL WAS DOING.
IT'S BECAUSE THE RULES THAT THE STATE SET IN PLACE THAT SAYS THAT BY FIVE O'CLOCK ON WEDNESDAY, THE DAY AFTER THE ELECTION, I THINK IT'S FIVE O'CLOCK, HE HAS TO HAVE A COUNT TO THE SECRETARY OF STATE IN SACRAMENTO TO TELL HIM HOW MANY BALLOTS ARE LEFT TO BE COUNTED.
SO HERE'S A WASTED PROCESS THAT NOW WE GET TO TOUCH ALL THE BALLOTS THAT ALL CAME IN.
WE GOTTA WAIT FOR 'EM TO COME IN THE MAIL, ALL THESE DIFFERENT THINGS.
I MYSELF AM A PERSON THAT I GET MY BALLOT AND THE FIRST DAY THAT I, AND I, I HAVE THE LUXURY OF COMING BACK BECAUSE I DON'T TRUST THE MAIL ALL THAT MUCH.
SO THE VERY FIRST DAY THAT I COME BACK INTO THE OFFICE, I, I TAKE IT RIGHT OVER TO MEL'S OFFICE AND I HAND IT IN, RIGHT? AND YOU CAN TRACK YOUR BALLOT AND IT'LL TELL YOU WHEN THEY RECEIVE IT, WHEN IT'S COUNTED.
SO I THINK WHAT WE REALLY NEED TO FOCUS THE EFFORT ON IS EARLY ENGAGEMENT IN THE PROCESS.
AND IF YOU WANT YOUR VOTE, IF YOU, YOU TRULY WANT YOUR VOTE TO BE THAT FIRST NUMBER THAT CLICKS UP AT 8 0 5 OR 8 0 3 OR WHATEVER TIME IT IS, SEND IT IN A WEEK BEFORE THE ELECTION.
YOU DO THAT AND YOUR NUMBER, YOUR VOTE WILL BE COUNTED IN ONE OF THE FIRST ROUNDS, RIGHT? SO I THINK THAT THERE'S, WE HAVE TO PUT THE ONUS BACK ON THE VOTERS IN THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA.
EVERYBODY GETS MAILED A BALLOT.
NOW, FOR A LOT OF YOU, BEFORE THEY DID THAT, 60 TO 70% OF MERCED COUNTY VOTERS VOTED BY, BY ABSENTEE BALLOT ALREADY.
SO, YOU KNOW THE PROCESS, BUT IT'S ALL THE NEW ONES THAT, YOU KNOW, THE VOTER VOTER THAT, THAT HAVE ALL, AND EVERYBODY'S GETTING A BALLOT SENT TO 'EM, AND THEY'RE WAITING TILL THE LAST MINUTE TO SEND THEM BACK.
I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY DAYS BEFORE THE ELECTION THAT WE COULD ACTUALLY START COUNTING THE BALLOTS.
DO YOU KNOW THAT OFF THE TOP OF YOUR HEAD? YEAH.
SO WE, WE ACTUALLY, THIS YEAR WE STARTED PROCESSING BALLOTS ON OCTOBER 10TH.
SO JUST A COUPLE OF DAYS AFTER THEY WERE MAILED OUT.
IT SAYS, SO IF YOU SEND IT IN, IT IS GONNA GET COUNTED, AND THOSE ARE THE NUMBERS THAT ARE GONNA COME OUT.
BUT IF YOU SIT THERE AND YOU WAIT TILL THE LAST MINUTE AND YOU GO DROP IT OFF AT THE POST OFFICE AT, YOU KNOW, AT AT, AT WHATEVER TIME ON TUESDAY, WELL WE, HE HAS TO WAIT A WHOLE NOTHER SEVEN DAYS, SIX DAYS, WHATEVER IT IS, TO, TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERY BALLOT THAT GOT WAS POSTMARKED BY ELECTION DAY HAS TO COME IN.
WELL, HE CAN'T COUNT 'EM IF HE DOESN'T HAVE 'EM.
SO I THINK WE NEED TO SPEND AS MUCH EFFORT AS WE IS ON THE CURE PROCESS, WHICH I THINK IS AN ANOMALY.
LIKE THIS YEAR WAS JUST KIND OF CRAZY.
WE SPENT, WE, WE FIGURE OUT ON, ON HOW WE'RE GOING TO ENGAGE VOTERS AND TELL 'EM, LOOK LIKE OUR SYSTEM, AND I'M GONNA TELL YOU A TESTAMENT TO IT, ACROSS FIVE COUNTIES, A CONGRESSIONAL RACE THAT WAS SEPARATED BY 165 VOTES LAST TIME I COUNTED IT, I THINK,
[02:10:01]
I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S THE OFFICIAL NUMBER, BUT I THINK IT'S LIKE 1 65 LESS THAN 200.AND YOU NOTICE THAT NONE OF 'EM ASKED FOR A RECOUNT.
IF, IF, IF THEY THOUGHT THAT THERE WAS SOMETHING NEFARIOUS GOING ON IN ANY ONE OF THOSE COUNTIES, ELECTIONS DEPARTMENTS, I GUARANTEE YOU HE'D BE, HE'D PROBABLY WOULDN'T BE HERE RIGHT NOW.
BUT THAT'S HOW CLEAN OUR PROCESS IS.
ONCE IT GETS TO US, IT GETS COUNTED.
SO THAT'S WHERE I THINK WE NEED TO FOCUS THE EFFORT.
WE NEED TO FOCUS THE EFFORT IN, IN ENGAGING VOTERS AND TELLING THEM, IT'S YOUR RESPONSIBILITY.
IT IS YOUR, YOUR RIGHT PEOPLE HAVE DIED FOR YOU TO HAVE THAT RIGHT.
AND THEN WE DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT CURING BALLOTS.
FILL IT OUT, PUT YOUR SIGNATURE, PUT THE DATE ON IT, THAT'S THE MOST IMPORTANT PART, AND THEN WE'LL ALL BE BETTER OFF FOR IT.
THANK YOU, MEL, FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU DID.
I, I KNOW THAT THERE'S FRUSTRATION OUT THERE, BUT A LOT OF THE RULES THAT HE HAS TO FOLLOW COMES FROM THE SECRETARY OF STATE'S OFFICE IN SACRAMENTO.
WE NORMALLY CERTIFY BY THANKSGIVING, BUT BECAUSE THE STATE MANDATED THAT WE COULDN'T CERTIFY UNTIL DECEMBER THE FIRST, I THINK IT WAS, UH, DECEMBER 3RD, DECEMBER THE THIRD, THAT WAS THE DELAY IN IT.
THANK YOU FOR, UH, ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK AGAIN, MR. CHAIR.
SO, FIRST OF ALL, OR WELL, IT'D BE SECOND OF ALL, 'CAUSE I ALREADY SPOKE ONCE, BUT I JUST WANT TO CONGRATULATE YOU ON DOING AN AWESOME JOB.
I, I, I, YOU KNOW, YOU GET CAUGHT IN THE MINUTIA AND I FORGOT TO DO THAT.
AND, AND I, YOU KNOW, AND I TELL PEOPLE ALL THE TIME THAT, YOU KNOW, 'CAUSE PEOPLE QUESTION THE ELECTION, RIGHT? AND, AND I TELL 'EM THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT, THAT I BELIEVE WHEN A BALLOT GETS TO MERCED COUNTY IS COUNTED NONE OR NOT COUNTED, THAT SHOULDN'T BE COUNTED.
AND, AND I THINK YOU DO A GREAT JOB.
UM, AND THEN, UM, THE THIRD THING IS, UM, YOU KNOW, WHAT PERCENTAGE APPROXIMATELY OF THE BALLOTS GOT KICKED OUT BY THE COMPUTER BECAUSE OF AN IRREGULARLY, UH, IRREGULARITY WITH THE SIGNATURE.
SO WHEN, WHEN WE RUN, UH, THE RETURN ENVELOPES THROUGH OUR, UH, MAIL BALLOT VERIFIER, WHICH IS THE, THE MACHINE THAT SCANS THE SIGNATURES, UH, WE SEE ABOUT HALF OF THOSE SIGNATURES VALIDATED THROUGH THE MACHINE.
UM, AND THEN THE OTHER HALF NEED TO GET A LITTLE CLOSER INSPECTION BY STAFF.
UH, AND SO THAT, THAT'S THE NUMBER THAT, UH, THAT THE STAFF IS LOOKING AT BY HAND.
SO THAT'S, UM, 42,000, 43,000 BALLOTS.
HAVE TO BE MANUALLY, UH, UH, INSPECTED OR THE ENVELOPE ANYWAYS.
SO, UH, SO THEN THE FOLLOW UP IS, UM, IS WHAT CAN WE DO TO, TO, TO FIX THAT? I'M ASSUMING THAT MY SIGNATURE ON MY BALLOT IS FROM 1980 WHEN I REGISTERED TO VOTE.
I'VE ONLY REGISTERED TO VOTE ONCE AND I'VE NEVER REGISTERED TO VOTE AGAIN.
SO, YOU KNOW, IN, IN, IN, YOU KNOW, THAT'S A FEW YEARS, RIGHT? UM, AND MY, MY SIGNATURE HAS CHANGED, SO I'M ASSUMING I'M ONE OF THE ONES THAT GETS KICKED OUT AND THEN SOMEBODY SAYS, WELL, NO, IT, IT MATCHES, RIGHT? AND, AND SO, BUT, SO WHAT CAN WE DO TO, TO MAYBE FIX THAT TO WHERE IT'S A, A LOT SMALLER PERCENT KICKED OUT? YEAH.
SO I, SO FORTUNATELY, UH, WE DO HAVE ACCESS TO SIGNATURES FROM PRIOR ELECTIONS, RIGHT? WE CAN SEE YOUR, YOUR SIGNATURE FROM THE MARCH PRIMARY, FOR INSTANCE.
WE ALSO HAVE ACCESS TO DMV SIGNATURES, SO WE HAVE MORE DATA POINTS THAT WE CAN LOOK AT.
UH, YOU KNOW, WE, WE DO HAVE SOME ABILITY TO CHANGE, UH, THE, THE VARIANCES IN THE MACHINE TO WIDEN OR, UH, OR RESTRICT, UH, THE SIGNATURES THAT IT IS MAKING GOOD.
I THINK WE'VE FOUND A NICE SWEET SPOT WHERE WE ARE STRICT WITH THE SIGNATURES THAT THE MACHINE IS MAKING GOOD, UH, AND ALLOWING OUR TRAINED STAFF TO LOOK AT THOSE, TO LOOK AT THOSE SIGNATURES, UH, IN FACT, THE PARAMETERS THAT WE SET ON OUR MACHINES, UM, AND, AND ARRIVE AT THAT KIND OF 50%, UM, YOU KNOW, MAKE GOOD, UH, STATUS.
THOSE ARE THE PARAMETERS THAT LA COUNTY AND OTHER MAJOR JURISDICTIONS IN THE STATE ARE USING AS WELL.
I MEAN, THEY'RE, THEY'RE LITERALLY CALLING OUR, OUR OFFICE TO SEE HOW, HOW DO WE SET THESE MACHINES.
UM, SO I THINK, I THINK THAT'S AN ELEMENT THAT, THAT WE FEEL GOOD ABOUT.
UM, YOU KNOW, I CERTAINLY WOULDN'T FEEL AS COMFORTABLE IF, UH, IF 97% OF THE SIGNATURES WERE BEING MADE GOOD THROUGH THERE.
UH, AND THE ONE THING WE UNDERSTAND IS THAT FOLKS' SIGNATURES DO CHANGE OVER TIME.
UM, YOU KNOW, WHETHER IT'S INJURY OR AGE OR OTHER THINGS, UM, SIGNATURES DO CHANGE.
AND, UH, AND, AND SO BEING ABLE TO HAVE THAT HUMAN ELEMENT LOOKING AT THOSE SIGNATURES IS A REALLY IMPORTANT PIECE OF THAT.
UH, AND WE TRAIN OUR FOLKS FOR THAT.
BUT, BUT WHAT ABOUT HAVING THE VOTER GIVE US SOME MORE ACCURATE SIGNATURE TO VERIFY TOO? WELL, I'M NOT GONNA SPEAK PENMANSHIP IN SCHOOLS OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT,
UH, SO IF FOLKS WANNA TAKE THEIR TIME WITH THE SIGNATURE AND, AND TRY AND NAIL IT ON THE FIRST GO, THAT'S ALWAYS HELPFUL.
I'D LIKE TO TAG ONTO WHAT SUPER SUPERVISOR RA SAID SUPER SILVERA, IF YOU, UM, DON'T LIKE GETTING A LOT OF THE MAIL, AND IF YOU DON'T LIKE GETTING THOSE PHONE CALLS TO YOUR HOUSE OR TO YOUR CELL PHONE, IF YOU TURN YOUR BALLOT IN AHEAD OF TIME, VERY QUICKLY,
[02:15:01]
THESE CANDIDATES ARE VERY GOOD AT SEEING WHO, WHO HAS ALREADY TURNED IN THEIR BALLOT OR NOT.AND YOU WILL NOT GET THAT MAIL AT YOUR HOUSE.
AND THAT'S ONE THING I TRY TO GET IT IN THE SAME THING THE FIRST COUPLE DAYS TO GET IT IN, BECAUSE WHEN THAT MAIL STARTS COMING, IT, IT WON'T STOP THE TV ADS OR THE RADIO ADS, BUT IT DEFINITELY STOPS THE, THE MAIL FROM COMING TO THE HOUSE.
WELL, MEL, I ALREADY CONGRATULATED AND THANK YOU EARLIER TODAY.
UH, I THINK THAT, LIKE I SAID, WITH THE LAST CONGRESSIONAL RACE IN THE COUNTRY, I THINK YOU WERE IN THE, YOU KNOW, PUBLIC EYE AS WELL.
AND, UH, YOU KNOW, MY MAYOR WON BY NINE VOTES, SO A LOT OF THE CURING HAPPENED, AND WE GOT A LOT OF COMPLAINTS TOO.
AND WITH THAT, SO ANY ENTERTAIN ANY, UH, MOTIONS? 37 38.
MOTION BY VISOR MCDANIEL, SECOND S, VICE RA.
[REPORTS/BOARD DIRECTION]
BOARD REPORTS.THIS TIME WE HAVE BOARD REPORTS STARTING WITH, UH, SUPERVISOR
ONE MINUTE
UM, BUT IT IS BEEN AN INTERESTING COUPLE OF WEEKS FOR ME.
UM, OBVIOUSLY CELEBRATED THANKSGIVING WITH FAMILY AND FRIENDS.
I HAD HOSTED 36 PEOPLE AT MY HOUSE.
UH, IT WAS MY WIFE'S WHOLE FAMILY, SO THAT WAS, IT'S THE FIRST TIME WE DID THAT.
AND, UM, I, I'M GONNA, HOPEFULLY SOMEBODY ELSE TAKES OVER THAT DUTY NEXT YEAR.
UM, AND THEN I WANNA SAY DOS PALACE, UM, WAS RUNNING A LITTLE LATE TO THE CHRISTMAS PARADE, BUT MADE IT TO THE CHRISTMAS PARADE IN DOSS PALACE.
AND I GOTTA TELL YOU, I MEAN, THE TOWN WAS EXCITED.
UM, I APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT WHEN DOS PALACE SAYS THEY'RE GONNA START THE PARADE AT SIX O'CLOCK, THEY STARTED THE PARADE AT SIX O'CLOCK.
I SHOWED UP AT SIX 15 AND MISSED MY RIDE ON THE FIRETRUCK.
AND SO I HAD TO RUN DOWN AND GO CATCH 'EM.
UM, BUT A GREAT JOB BY ALL THAT.
UM, REALLY NICE TO SEE THE COMMUNITY COME OUT.
I DON'T KNOW THAT I'VE EVER SEEN DUST HOUSE MORE PACKED THAN I DID FOR THIS, UH, CHRISTMAS PARADE.
UM, ALSO I WAS, WENT TO THE LOS BANDS.
I DIDN'T PARTICIPATE IN THE LOS BANDS, BUT I WAS AT THE LOS MANIS CHRISTMAS PARADE.
AND, AND ANOTHER ONE, I THINK JUST, WE WORKED OUT, IT WORKED OUT REALLY WELL THIS YEAR WITH THE WEATHER.
THE WEATHER WAS, IT'S A LITTLE CHILLY, BUT NOT TOO COLD.
UM, HAD A BUNCH OF PARTICIPANTS IN THAT.
AND I THINK THE, PROBABLY ONE OF THE COOLEST PARTS ABOUT THE LOS MANIS PARADE WAS THE DRONE LIGHT SHOW THAT THEY DID AFTERWARDS.
UM, IT'S THE FIRST TIME I'VE ACTUALLY SEEN ONE PERSON.
THAT WAS ACTUALLY PRETTY COOL.
SO CONGRATULATIONS TO THE CHAMBER ON THAT.
AND, UH, MR. CHAIR, THAT'S ALL I HAVE.
THANK YOU SUPERVISOR PER ALRIGHT.
WELL, UM, UH, TO, UH, HAD THANKSGIVING AT, UH, MY DAUGHTER'S HOUSE, UH, HER AND HER NEWLY, UH, UH, WHAT DO YOU MARRIED HUSBAND? UM, AND, AND THAT WAS KIND OF FUN.
BUT, UH, ANYWAYS, UM, I, UH, ATTENDED THE HILMAR CHRISTMAS PARADE.
UM, YOU KNOW, 'CAUSE YOU, YOU'VE GOT, YOU KNOW, YOU GOT RIGHT A FARMING COMMUNITY.
SO YOU GOT SILAGE TRUCKS AND CORN CHOPPER.
YOU GOT A, A, A CORN CHOPPER THAT COSTS SOMEWHERE AROUND 850 TO $900,000 ALL DECKED OUT IN LIGHTS GOING DOWN THE STREETS.
UM, THERE'S ONE I GOTTA TO, TO, TO TALK TO NATHAN.
THERE'S ONE INTER OR ONE TURN THAT, UH, THE BIG SEMIS ALWAYS GET HUNG UP ON.
SO MAYBE WE CAN CHANGE THE ROUTE NEXT YEAR A LITTLE BIT.
UM, BUT ANYWAYS, JUST, UH, AND THE AMOUNT OF PEOPLE THAT COME FROM TURLOCK AND OTHER COMMUNITIES, UH, TO HILMAR TO WATCH THE PARADE, IT'S REALLY NEAT.
AND, UH, SO A FRIEND OF MINE, RAY SANTOS, UM, UH, HAS AN OLD FLATBED STUDEBAKER.
AND, UH, SO, UH, HE GRACIOUSLY GIVES US A, A RIDE.
SO MY WIFE AND I, DAUGHTER, SON ARE, ARE RIDING ON THE BACK.
I GOT $200 WORTH OF CANDY TO, OH, I'M NOT SUPPOSED TO PASS OUT CANDY.
WE DIDN'T TOSS ANY CANDY OUT, WE JUST CARRIED IT.
BUT, UH, ANYWAYS, UH, AND THEN THE GUY THAT THIS, UH, RAY, HIS, UH, HIS, UH, SON, DAUGHTER-IN-LAW, GRANDSON, AND THEN ONE OF THEIR FRIENDS, UH, ARE THERE, AND WELL, CAN WE GO WITH YOU? WELL, THEY KEPT TOSSING THE CANDY.
SO I GRABBED TWO OF THE BAGS AND I HIDE THEM BECAUSE AT THE BEGINNING, EVERYBODY GETS CANDY, RIGHT? AND IT'S EVEN ON THE GROUND.
THERE'S MORE THAN THEY CAN PICK UP.
AND THEN AT THE END, YOU GOT ALL THESE LITTLE KIDS THAT ARE SITTING THERE AND, AND THERE'S NOTHING.
SO, UM, I'M JUST PROUD TO SAY, AND HAPPY TO SAY THAT SAVING THAT CANDY ALLOWED US TO HAVE CANDY TO THE END.
AND, UH, SO ANYWAYS, UM, UH, ANYWAYS, THAT'S, THAT'S IT.
JUST, UH, HELMORE DID A GREAT JOB.
AND, UH, UM, AND THEN I WANT TO THANK, UH, THE PUBLIC WORKS, NATHAN BRAY.
UM, THE PERSON WHO GETS THE PERMIT WAS A NEW PERSON THIS YEAR AND DIDN'T KNOW THEY HAD TO GET A PERMIT.
AND, AND SO OUR STAFF WORKED DILIGENTLY, UH, TO EXPEDITE THAT AND HELP 'EM OUT.
UM, SUPERVISOR SILVERA, I BET'S THE FIRST AND LAST TIME IS WHAT YOU MEANT TO SAY WITH THE HOSTING OF THANKSGIVING.
SO, UM, I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING EXCEPT, UH, TO REMIND PEOPLE THAT TOMORROW MORNING, UH, AT 11 WE WILL BE HAVING THE GROUNDBREAKING FOR THE RESTORATION
[02:20:01]
OF THE OLD COURTHOUSE.SOMETHING THAT HAS TAKEN A LOT OF TIME TO GET TO.
BUT I'M REALLY EXCITED TO START THAT PROCESS.
MR. YEAH, THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR.
UM, I, I ATTENDED THE ATWATER, UH, THE CITY OF ATWATER CHRISTMAS PARADE.
AND IT ALWAYS, I HAVE TO SAY, PROBABLY RIVALS PROBABLY THE BEST CHRISTMAS PARADE IN THE COUNTY.
UH, IT WAS PACKED AGAIN AND, UH, APPRECIATE CAL FIRE ALLOW ME TO RIDE ON THE FIRETRUCK.
UM, USUALLY ON THE 4TH OF JULY, I DO SPRAY WATER ON EVERYBODY, BUT BECAUSE OF THE TEMPERATURE, WE, WE DECIDED NOT TO DO THAT, UH, FOR THE CHRISTMAS PARADE.
AND I'D LIKE TO ALSO THANK ALL INVOLVED.
UM, THE BRIDGE THAT, THAT BURNED DOWN ON ACK, UH, LAST WEEK.
UM, THE PROCLAMATION OF, UH, AS AN EMERGENCY, UH, WE HAVE QUINLEE OUT AND NOW WE HAVE THAT ONE OUT.
WE'RE GONNA HAVE A, A MOVEMENT OF GOODS ISSUE OUT THERE ON THAT SIDE.
I KNOW A LOT OF MY GROWERS, A LOT OF MY DAIRYMEN ARE VERY CONCERNED ABOUT HOW THEY'RE GETTING THEIR PRODUCT TO MARKET.
UM, I KNOW I THREW A CURVE WHEN I WAS TOLD THAT THE BUR THE, THE BRIDGE BURNED DOWN AND I IMMEDIATELY REFERENCED QUINLEE AS WELL, AND, UH, ASKED FOR A, AN EMERGENCY.
AND I APPRECIATE THE PROCESS THAT EVERYBODY PUT IN, UH, TO GET THAT DONE.
SO WITH THAT, THAT CONCLUDES MY COMMENTS.
THEY DIDN'T EVEN GIMME A MICROPHONE.
UH, THANK YOU MR. CHAIRMAN, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, JUST, UH, A COUPLE COMMENTS.
UH, I DID WANNA SHARE, UM, ASSISTANT CEO MARK HENDRICKSON PROVIDED AN UPDATE ON SANTANA.
SO WE ARE PLEASED TO REPORT THAT THE MOBILE HOME RESIDENTS WHO WERE IMPACTED BY THE FIRE EARLIER THIS YEAR, IT WAS ACTUALLY JULY 6TH, IF YOU RECALL, ARE NOW FULLY ENERGIZED.
THIS IS A RESULT OF GREAT WORK, UH, ON THE PART OF MANY, UH, FOLKS, AGENCIES, OVER MONTHS.
I'D LIKE TO TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY, I THINK AND CON CONGRATULATE MANY OF OUR PARTNERS, INCLUDING THE UNITED WAY, THE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION, AND THE COUNTY TEAM COMPRISE OF THE HUMAN SERVICES AGENCY, COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, PUBLIC WORKS, BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AND RECOVERY SERVICES, COUNTY COUNCIL, OES, THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE FIRE, AND ALSO MOST NOTABLY MORNINGSTAR, ONE OF OUR LOCAL BUSINESS PARTNERS.
UH, THEY GENEROUSLY PROVIDE A HOTEL ROOM STAYS AND TEMPORARY AND A TEMPORARY GENERATOR, UH, FOR THE IMPACT IN RESIDENTS AND HELPED, UM, THAT COMMUNITY KIND OF CONTINUE TO, UH, RESTORE POWER AND, AND LIVE DURING THE IMPROVEMENTS.
UM, THAT WAS, UH, OBVIOUSLY THAT'S FROM, THAT WAS FROM THE ONSET.
SO THAT'S, UM, EXEMPLARY WORK BY A LOCAL BUSINESS TO DO WHAT WAS NEEDED, UH, FOR THE COMMUNITY.
UH, SO THIS WAS AN OUTSTANDING TEAM EFFORT, UH, THAT ULTIMATELY RESULTED IN NEW PANELS FOR THAT MOBILE HOME PARK AT NO EXPENSE TO RESIDENTS.
SO JUST KUDOS, UH, TO EVERYBODY THAT WAS INVOLVED IN MAKING THAT HAPPEN.
I SEE A LOT OF THE STAFF THAT WERE ON THE CALLS EVERY WEEK OVER THE COURSE OF THE LAST SEVERAL MONTHS HERE IN THE AUDIENCE.
I WANT TO THANK YOU, UH, PROFESSIONALLY, JUST FOR YOUR, YOUR GOOD WORK.
AND THEN, UH, LAST, UH, O OBVIOUSLY WE'RE AT BHRS, BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AND RECOVERY SERVICES.
I WOULD BE REMISS IF I WOULDN'T IF I DIDN'T.
UH, THANK CAMICO BANK, HENRY STAFF, THE DIRECTOR OF BHRS FOR A COMMENTATING US THIS EVENING, UH, TO HOST, UH, OBVIOUSLY A BOARD OF SUPERVISORS EVENING MEETING.
UM, AND THEN ALSO, UH, BHRS ALSO TOOK THE LEAD IN KIND OF ASSEMBLING OUR ENTRY FOR THE, UH, DOWNTOWN MERCED COWBOY CHRISTMAS PARADE THAT TOOK PLACE THIS PAST WEEKEND.
UH, SO YOUR, YOUR, YOUR COUNTY ORGANIZATION WAS VERY WELL REPRESENTED BY YOUR STAFF, SO I DIDN'T WANT TO COMPLIMENT EVERYBODY THAT PARTICIPATED IN THE PLANNING, THE LOGISTICS, AND OBVIOUSLY ON THE DAY OF.
AND I WILL ALSO REITERATE THE, THE MANY THANKS TO ALL OUR STAFF ORGANIZATIONS AND, YOU KNOW, THE COUNTY AND ORGANIZATIONS THAT HELPED, ESPECIALLY MORNINGSTAR FROM THE BEGINNING.
I KNOW THAT MORNINGSTAR EMPLOYS MANY RESIDENTS IN SANTA ELLA.
THEY SUFFERED THE, YOU KNOW, THE FIRES THERE AND, UH, THEY WERE OUT OF POWER FOR, FOR MONTHS, UH, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT WAS 115 DEGREES.
PEOPLE WERE OUT AND THEY STAYED IN THEIR, IN THEIR MOBILE HOME PARKS.
AND THE MORNINGSTAR PROVIDED, UM, AT THE, YOU KNOW, AT HIS HOTEL, UH, PROBABLY, YOU KNOW, CLOSE TO TWO MONTHS, RIGHT? YOU KNOW, FROM 30 DAYS OVER TWO MONTHS, UH, SEVERAL MONTHS, YOU KNOW, OF STAYS THERE AND, UH, IN MANY OTHER SERVICES.
SO WE WANNA THANK, UH, MORNINGSTAR, YOU KNOW, ESPECIALLY, OKAY, SO THANK YOU.
JUST REALLY QUICKLY, I WANTED TO, UM, SAY A HUGE THANK YOU TO OUR FIRE DEPARTMENTS THAT WORKED REALLY HARD, UH, LAST MONDAY ON PUTTING OUT THAT FIRE AND ALSO WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS.
WE WORKED REALLY HARD IN, IN CLEANING THAT UP.
IT WAS AN UNFORTUNATE SITUATION, BUT, UM, I GOT COMMENTS AND PEOPLE WERE
[02:25:01]
APPROACHING ME ABOUT HOW QUICKLY AND, UH, EFFECTIVELY THEY WERE ABLE TO DO THAT, UH, AND PUT EVERYTHING OUT.AND THEN WITH PUBLIC WORKS IS INVOLVEMENT AS WELL.
IT WAS THE CITY, MERCER COUNTY, AND THEN ACTUALLY MADERA COUNTY HELPED OUT AS WELL.
SO I JUST WANTED TO SAY A HUGE THANK YOU TO THEM.
AND MY FINAL COMMENTS, UM, LIKE I SAID, I WAS ELECTED TO LIVE WITH THE CITY COUNCIL, UM, YOU KNOW, AFTER THE NOVEMBER 5TH ELECTION, UH, AND THE MCOE BOARD OF EDUCATION.
SO I SENT A LETTER TO, UH, LIVINGTON THAT I WILL NOT BE, UH, TAKING THAT LIVINGTON COUNCIL SEAT.
UH, WE'VE DONE THAT FOR 14 YEARS, AND, UH, YOU KNOW, I'M READY TO MOVE ON AND TO THE MERCED BOARD OF EDUCATION.
SO I WILL BE SWORN IN, UH, DECEMBER 18TH, UM, AFTER THEIR NEXT BOARD, ME THE 17TH YEAR, AND THEN, UH, THE 18TH, I WILL, AND WE WILL GO OVER THERE.
AND, YOU KNOW, BY LAW, I HAVE TO BE TAKEN BY THE 18TH.
ANYWAY, SO, UH, SO MY LAST MEETING WILL BE DECEMBER 17TH.
AND, UH, I WILL HAVE COMMENTS AND APPRECIATION FOR EVERYBODY HERE IN THE PUBLIC HERE AND THE PUBLIC OUT THERE.
AND SO THANK YOU TO ALL THE RESIDENTS OF MERCED COUNTY, ESPECIALLY, YOU KNOW, LIVINGSTON AND, UH, DISTRICT FOUR OF MCE.
AND THIS CONCLUDES THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS MEETING FOR DECEMBER 10TH, 2024.
OUR NEXT REGULARLY SCHEDULED BOARD OF SUPERVISORS MEETING WILL BE HELD NEXT WEEK AT 10:00 AM ON TUESDAY, DECEMBER 17TH, 2024.
PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS MEETING WILL BE HELD AT THE MERCED COUNTY OFFICE OF EDUCATION, MONTO BUILDING, LOCATED AT 1715 CANAL STREET HERE IN MERCED.