Jan 28, 2020 Board Meeting

WELL, GOOD MORNING, EVERYONE. I THANK YOU ALL FOR COMING.

[Call to Order]

[00:00:03]

WE'RE ALL EXCITED TO CONTINUE WORKING FOR MERCED COUNTY, ALL OF US TOGETHER HERE.

SO JUST DOING OUR BEST.

SO WITH THAT, I WOULD LIKE TO ANNOUNCE THAT WERE NO CLOSE SESSION TODAY, AND THERE'S NOTHING TO REPORT ON THEM.

ALSO, I'D LIKE TO START WITH THE INVOCATION WITH PASTOR HILARIO PEREZ FROM TEMPLO LA HERMOSA, AND ALSO WE'LL HAVE SOMEBODY WITH HIM TO TRANSLATE.

IF YOU CAN [SPANISH] YOU CAN COME PLEASE TO THE FRONT.

EVERYONE, IF YOU COULD PLEASE STAND AND SUPERVISOR DARON MCDANIEL CAN LEAD US IN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE AFTER THAT. APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU.

[SPANISH] THIS MORNING, [SPANISH] WE GIVE YOU THANKS [SPANISH] FOR THE OPPORTUNITY [SPANISH] TO REUNITE US.

[SPANISH] WE ASK [SPANISH] YOUR GUIDANCE, [SPANISH] YOUR DIRECTION.

[SPANISH] THANK YOU FOR EVERYONE OF THE SUPERVISORS, [SPANISH] THANK YOU FOR THEIR FAMILY, [SPANISH] FOR WIVES, THEIR CHILDREN [SPANISH] THIS MORNING [SPANISH] WE ASK.

[SPANISH] WE ALSO ASK [SPANISH] THE KNOWLEDGE, [SPANISH] UNDERSTANDING [SPANISH] SO THAT THEY CAN FIX [SPANISH] EVERYONE OF THE MATTERS [SPANISH] THAT THEY'RE GOING TO DEAL WITH THIS MORNING.

[SPANISH] WE ASK YOU THEIR GUIDANCE FOR THEM, [SPANISH] THEIR DIRECTION [SPANISH] THIS MORNING.

GUIDE US IN EVERYTHING, [SPANISH] WE ASK [SPANISH] IN THE NAME OF JESUS.

[SPANISH] AMEN.

AMEN.

[SPANISH] THANK YOU.

READY. BEGIN.

THANK YOU. NOW, WE'LL GO TO THE CLERK.

IT'S NOW TIME FOR PUBLIC OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK ON ANY MATTER OF PUBLIC INTEREST WITHIN THE BOARD'S JURISDICTION, INCLUDING ITEMS ON THE BOARD'S AGENDA EXCEPT FOR THOSE ITEMS SPECIFICALLY SCHEDULED AS PUBLIC HEARINGS.

TESTIMONY IS LIMITED TO THREE MINUTES PER PERSON.

ANYBODY FROM THE PUBLIC WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK UP FOR THE COMMENT? I WOULD JUST LIKE TO SAY THAT WE HAVE THREE MINUTES ON THE CLOCK AND IF ANYBODY GOES OVER, WE'LL GLADLY GIVE YOU AN EXTRA 10 SECONDS TO FINISH IT OFF.

BUT PLEASE, LIMIT YOUR COMMENTS TO THREE MINUTES. THANK YOU.

ANYONE FROM THE PUBLIC WISHING TO SPEAK ON ANY THINGS? OKAY. WE'LL CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENTS. WE'RE BRING IT BACK.

NEXT, WE HAVE A PRESENTATION,

[WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT BOARD ANNUAL REPORT]

[BACKGROUND] GOOD MORNING, EVERYONE.

JUST A SECOND. OKAY.

GOOD MORNING.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU, EVERYBODY. MY NAME IS DAVID MARIONI, ASSISTANT CEO AND DIRECTOR OF THE DEPARTMENT OF WORKFORCE INVESTMENT, AND I HAVE WITH ME MR. NICK LORET DE MOLA, WHO IS THE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF THE DEPARTMENT OF WORKFORCE INVESTMENT.

SO TODAY, WE'RE COMING BEFORE YOU TO GIVE YOU AN UPDATE ON HOW 2019 WENT ALONG WITH SOME VISION FOR 2020.

SO FIRST, WE THOUGHT IT'D BE GOOD TO GIVE YOU A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF THE WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT SYSTEM.

WE DO RECEIVE FEDERAL FUNDS THAT COME THROUGH THE DEPARTMENT OF LABOR DOWN TO THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA VIA TWO-YEAR FUNDING ALLOCATIONS THAT COME DOWN.

THE STATE IS DIVIDED INTO 45 WORKFORCE AREAS.

WE'RE FORTUNATE ENOUGH THAT IT COMES DIRECTLY TO THE COUNTY TO SERVE THE COUNTIES.

SOME WORKFORCE BOARDS HAVE MULTIPLE BOARDS IN A SINGLE COUNTY WHEREAS, SOME THERE'S ONE BOARD FOR MULTIPLE COUNTIES.

SO OURS IS FOR THE COUNTY.

SO THERE'S REALLY TWO MISSIONS IN THE WORKFORCE BOARD SYSTEM.

[00:05:01]

THE STRATEGY OF HOW YOU GET THERE IS TO SERVE AS THE FUNDER, CONVENER, AND LEADER OF WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES IN THE COUNTY.

SO TODAY'S PRESENTATION, WE'LL BREAK DOWN EACH OF THOSE AREAS AND HOW THE WORKFORCE BOARD PLAYS A ROLE IN THAT.

SO VERY QUICKLY, THE WORKFORCE BOARD IS MADE UP OF 21 INDIVIDUALS.

THE BOARD COMPOSURE IS MADE BY FEDERAL LAW THROUGH THE WORKFORCE INNOVATION OPPORTUNITY ACT.

DISTRICT 3 SUPERVISOR, MR. DARON MCDANIEL IS ON OUR BOARD REPRESENTING THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS ALONG WITH A BUSINESS MAJORITY.

WE ALSO HAVE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT VIA MR. MARK HENDRICKSON WHO'S HERE TODAY.

THEN WE HAVE EDUCATION AND TRAINING, WAGNER-PEYSER WHICH IS THE EDD SYSTEM, VOCATIONAL REHAB AND THEN MEMBERS OF THE WORKFORCE COMMUNITY.

OVERVIEW QUICKLY, A FUNDER.

SO WE RECEIVE THOSE DOLLARS THAT COME THROUGH VIA THREE MAIN FUNDING STREAMS; ADULT AND DISLOCATED WORKER, WHICH BASICALLY SIGNIFIES HOW YOU BECAME UNEMPLOYED.

BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, MOST FOLKS THAT COME IN DON'T SEE THEMSELVES AS ONE OR THE OTHER.

THE FUND PROGRAM OPERATORS TO PROVIDE CASE MANAGEMENT AND CONNECT WITH BUSINESSES ON A TRANSACTIONAL LEVEL, HELPING CONNECT THOSE JOB SEEKERS TO THE JOBS DIRECTLY.

FUNDING COMMUNITY PARTNERS IN GRANT ACTIVITIES AND ALONG WITH BRINGING IN ADDITIONAL FUNDING TO SUPPORT THAT BASE FUNDING THAT WE GET.

SO WE'LL TALK A BIT ABOUT THAT TODAY.

A CONVENOR, BRINGING THE PARTNERS TOGETHER TO ALIGN THE SERVICES IN THE COMMUNITY, AND THEN TO ENSURE THE FEASIBILITY OF TRAINING PROGRAMS. WE'D PROVIDE A PLATFORM FOR AN EMPLOYERS TO CHIME IN ON WHAT THEY NEED AND TO HELP VALIDATE TRAINING IN THE COMMUNITY.

THEN THE SERVICE LEADER BY DEVELOPING LOCAL OR REGIONAL PLANS THAT REQUIRE COMMUNITY INPUT, AND INPUT FROM OUR PARTNERS AS WELL AS INFORMING THE PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS AND BUSINESSES WITH LABOR MARKET DATA TO HELP ENCOURAGE JOB GROWTH.

SO I'M GOING TO NOW PASS IT OVER TO NICK.

SO IN THE FUNDING ACTIVITIES THAT WE'VE DONE, OF COURSE, WE'VE HIRED RESCARE WORKFORCE SERVICES TO PROVIDE THE ADULT AND DISLOCATED WORKER CAREER SERVICES IN THE TWO CAREER CENTERS THAT WE HAVE IN LOS BANOS AND MERCED.

THEY JUST STARTED IN OCTOBER OF 2019.

WE DO WANT TO NOTE ALL OF THE ENROLLMENT GOALS ON THERE, BUT THERE ARE SOME STATISTICS THAT I WANTED TO SHARE WITH YOU ABOUT THE FOLKS WHO ARE COMING INTO THESE CAREER CENTERS.

FIVE PERCENT OF THE FOLKS WHO ARE ENROLLED ARE VETERANS, 12 PERCENT OF THEM ARE OFFENDERS, AND A QUARTER OF THEM ARE ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS.

SO WE'RE SERVING IN THIS LOW UNEMPLOYMENT ECONOMY, FOLKS WHO HAVE SOME SIGNIFICANT BARRIERS TO EMPLOYMENT.

OF COURSE, WE ALSO WORK WITH THE MERCED COUNTY OFFICE OF EDUCATION TO RUN OUR YOUTH PROGRAM, WHICH IS CALLED THE EMPOWER PROGRAM, PROVIDING SERVICES TO OUT-OF-SCHOOL YOUTH AGES 18-24.

THEY ALSO PROVIDE SERVICES OUT OF BOTH OF OUR WORK MET OFFICES IN MERCED AND LOS BANOS.

WE WANT TO NOTE THAT THEY HAVE DOUBLED THE ENROLLMENTS PLANNED YEAR TO YEAR, AND THERE IS AN EIGHT-FOLD INCREASE IN YOUTH THAT ARE SERVED ON THE WEST SIDE OF THE COUNTY.

INTERESTINGLY, 13 PERCENT OF ALL THE ENROLLED PARTICIPANTS MEET THE DEPARTMENT OF LABOR'S HOMELESS REQUIREMENT FOR ALL OF THE FOLKS THAT COME INTO THE CENTER.

SO THAT IS AN INTERESTING STAT.

WE ALSO, THROUGH FUNDING ACTIVITIES, FUNDED REGIONAL WORK, WHERE WE ORGANIZE TRAINING FOR OVER 300 WORKFORCE PROFESSIONALS IN THE REGION.

YOU CAN SEE OUR REGION THERE WHICH STRETCHES FROM SAN JOAQUIN COUNTY DOWN TO KERN COUNTY, AND IT INCLUDES INYO AND MONO COUNTIES.

THERE IS AN ALIGNMENT OF BUSINESS ENGAGEMENT SERVICES WITH REGIONAL PARTNERSHIPS, WITH ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT THAT HAVE OCCURRED THROUGH THESE REGIONAL GRANT AND AN ASSESSMENT OF TRAINING ENTITIES THROUGHOUT THE REGION, INCLUDING IDENTIFICATION OF CAREER PATHWAYS ONCE FOLKS GET THROUGH TRAINING AND HOW THEY CAN GET BETTER SUSTAINABLE EMPLOYMENT.

OTHER GRANTS THAT WE'VE ALSO BROUGHT IN AS A FUNDER INCLUDE THE DISABILITY EMPLOYMENT ACCELERATOR GRANT.

FORTY PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES WERE PLACED IN THEIR TRAINING, WITH JOB PLACEMENT FOR OVER HALF OF THOSE FOLKS AFTER THEY EXITED TRAINING.

THE DISLOCATED WORKER OPIOID GRANT IS IN PROGRESS

[00:10:04]

THAT'S WHAT THOSE 19 FOLKS ARE GOING TO DO.

THE PRISON TO EMPLOYMENT GRANT, WHICH WE JUST GOT FUNDING FOR.

WE WILL BE CONTINUING TO WORK WITH COUNTY PROBATION AND WE'LL BE DOING A COHORT OF LIUNA, LABORERS' INTERNATIONAL TRAINING, THAT YOU'LL BE HEARING MORE ABOUT IN A LITTLE BIT.

WE ALSO HAVE SOME STATISTICS ON A NATIONAL DISLOCATED WORKERS STORM GRANT THAT I WANT TO SHARE WITH YOU NOW.

IT WAS $1.4 MILLION THAT CAME INTO THE COUNTY.

FIVE WORK SITES WERE INVESTED IN WHERE 111 PARTICIPANTS ENDED UP WORKING IN WORK EXPERIENCE PROJECTS, BASICALLY CLEANING UP STORM AREAS AROUND THE COUNTY, STORM AFFECTED AREAS, RIVERS, CREEKS, AND THE LIKE.

THERE WERE 51 SITES OVERALL THAT WERE SERVICED IN MERCED COUNTY, AND THERE WERE A NUMBER OF MUNICIPALITIES THAT PARTICIPATED IN THESE ACTIVITIES.

A 111 OF THESE FOLKS, LIKE I SAID, WERE TEMPORARY HIRES AND 18 ACTUALLY GOT JOBS THROUGH THIS PROGRAM TO BECOME PERMANENT HIRES WHERE THEY WERE LOCATED BY THE DEPARTMENTS IN CITIES THAT THEY WORKED WITH.

WE WANT TO HIGHLIGHT HOW THIS MONEY WAS SPENT IN THE COMMUNITY, $727,313 WERE PROVIDED IN WAGES.

THOSE WAGES WERE PAID OUT TO THE FOLKS IN THE COMMUNITY WHO DID THIS WORK.

THEY ENDED UP USING THEM IN GROCERY STORES IN THE COMMUNITY, ENDED UP USING IT TO PURCHASE GOODS AND SERVICES HERE IN MERCED COUNTY, AND WE'RE VERY HAPPY TO HAVE PROVIDED THAT FOR THEM.

THERE WERE ALSO SUPPORTIVE SERVICES THAT WENT TO THE CITIES.

I KNOW THAT WE ENDED UP BUYING A CHAIN SAW [LAUGHTER] AS PART OF THIS TO HELP CUT DOWN THE TREES AROUND A CREEK AND ONE OF THE WORK SITES, THEY WERE ABLE TO KEEP THAT EQUIPMENT.

SO IT ALSO HELP THE COMMUNITIES, THE DEPARTMENTS IN THAT MANNER.

SO NOW, WE'RE GOING TO PIVOT TO CONVENOR ACTIVITIES.

SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE VERY PLEASED WITH THAT WE STARTED IN THE LAST YEAR, WAS THE HEALTHCARE SECTOR STRATEGY.

SO WHAT WE DID IS USING WHAT'S CALLED A NEXT-GEN APPROACH.

IT'S A CONCEPT OF BRINGING EMPLOYERS TO THE TABLE WHERE THEY SIT AND DISCUSS WITH US, BUT REALLY WITH THEMSELVES THEIR WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT NEEDS WITH US AS THE PROFESSIONALS, AND THE EDUCATORS, AND THE TRAINERS, AND THE FUNDERS SITTING ON THE OUTSIDE LISTENING.

WE GET TO LISTEN TO THAT CONVERSATION.

WE'RE NOT IN THE POSITION OF TELLING THEM WHAT THEY NEED.

THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT IT, THEY'RE DISCUSSING IT.

IT ALLOWS US TO HAVE THAT INSIDE TRACK OF WHAT THEIR FUTURES LOOK LIKE AND HOW WE CAN BEST INVEST INTO THE WORKFORCE SYSTEM TO HELP MEET THEIR FUTURE NEEDS.

SO WE'VE ALSO PARTNERED WITH PUBLIC HEALTH ON THAT AND MERGED THAT WITH THE HEALTH LEADERSHIP COUNCIL, WHICH WE'RE PREVENTING DUPLICATIVE MEETINGS WHERE WE'RE ACHIEVING THE SAME GOALS AND WORKING TOGETHER WHICH THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY APPRECIATES GREATLY.

THE FOCUS AREAS OF THE BUSINESS AND THE SECTORS, WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT IS BASIC EMPLOYABILITY SKILLS TRAINING.

THEN THE BIG PICTURE, OBVIOUSLY ALLEVIATING THE SHORTAGE OF PRACTITIONERS IN THE COUNTY.

WE HAVE A LIST OF SOME OF THE PARTNERS THAT ARE AT THE TABLE WITH US THERE.

BUSINESS SUPPORT. SO EARLIER IN THE YEAR, WE BROUGHT FORWARD A CONTRACT THAT WE ROLLED OUT FOR A FREE HUMAN RESOURCES HOTLINE FOR BUSINESSES IN THE COMMUNITY TO USE TO GET ADVICE.

THAT'S A 1-800 NUMBER, WE'RE STARTING TO GET SOME TRACTION GOING.

WE'RE VERY HAPPY WITH THAT AND HOPE TO INCREASE IT IN THE NEXT YEAR.

WE'VE DONE CHAMBER PRESENTATION, STARTED GETTING THE WORD OUT ON THAT.

RAPID RESPONSE ACTIVITIES.

SO IF A COMPANY NOTIFIES US VIA WARN NOTICE, OR IF WE HEAR IT, WE SEE AN AD AND THE NEWS OR WE SEE AN ARTICLE IN THE NEWSPAPER, WE GO OUT AND PARTNERSHIP WITH EDD.

IT'S ACTUALLY A SMALL FUNDING STREAM THAT WE GET TO GO OUT AND TALK WITH FIRST THE BUSINESS TO GET IN FRONT OF THEIR EMPLOYEES THAT WILL BE AFFECTED BY A LAYOFF AND LET THEM KNOW THEIR BENEFITS, HOW TO APPLY FOR UNEMPLOYMENT, WHAT WE HAVE AVAILABLE FOR THEM ONCE THEY RECEIVE THEIR UNEMPLOYMENT.

IT'S A REALLY GOOD SERVICE.

[00:15:01]

SO WE HAVE TOOLS THAT WE CAN DRILL DOWN INTO THE LABOR MARKET, USE THAT FOR GRANT RESEARCH, SUPPORT OTHER DEPARTMENTS.

WE'VE SUPPORTED OTHER CITIES WITH SOME GRANT DATA TO HELP THEM.

SO IT'S A RESOURCE THAT'S AVAILABLE IN THE COMMUNITY VIA OUR DEPARTMENT.

THEN WHAT WE'VE BEEN DOING TOO IS CONNECTING BUSINESSES WITH THE EMPLOYMENT TRAINING PANEL OUT OF THE STATE TO HELP UPSKILL CURRENT EMPLOYEES AND GET SOME REIMBURSEMENT FOR THAT.

SO CONVENOR ACTIVITIES IN 2019, WE WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THE BUSINESS SERVICES IMPACTS.

SO DIRECTLY, WE'VE WORKED LAST YEAR IN 2019 WITH 412 BUSINESSES.

WE DID 14 HIRING EVENTS.

FROM THOSE HIRING EVENTS, 354 RESIDENTS WERE HIRED, 61 PERCENT OF THOSE FOLKS STARTED AT MORE THAN $14 AN HOUR, THROUGH THAT RAPID RESPONSE ACTIVITY I JUST MENTIONED, 137 FOLKS WERE MET WITH AND THEN WE'VE BEEN PUBLISHING A BIMONTHLY NEWSLETTER THAT STARTED IN 2019.

SO ANOTHER ACTIVITY THAT WE'RE VERY HAPPY ABOUT OF BRINGING FOLKS TOGETHER IN THE CONVENER ROLE IS THAT THROUGHOUT THE LAST YEAR OR TWO YEARS, WE'VE BEEN BRINGING TRAINING CONTRACTS BEFORE YOU FOR THE LABORERS INFRASTRUCTURE CONSTRUCTION SECTOR BOOTCAMP ACTUALLY LATER TODAY, WE WILL HAVE A AGENDA FOR MORE TRAINING DOWN IN THE WEST SIDE FOR THAT PROGRAM.

WE ALSO HAVE LAUNCHED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH MERCED COLLEGE.

BOTH OF THOSE ARE IN PARTNERSHIP WITH MERCED COLLEGE, A WELDING TRAINING.

SO WE ACTUALLY BROUGHT EMPLOYERS IN, ASKED THEM WHAT THEY NEEDED, PROVIDED THAT FEEDBACK.

THE PROGRAM HAS BEEN LAUNCHED DOWN AT THE CAMPUS IN LOS BANOS FOR MERCED COLLEGE AND THAT'S UNDERWAY AS WE SPEAK AND WE ALSO JUST FINISHED A PROGRAM OVER AT CASTLE IN NOVEMBER IN PARTNERSHIP WITH ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT WITH 20 FOLKS START, 18 FINISHED.

IT WAS A FANTASTIC PROGRAM AND JUST LIKE TO POINT OUT, NICK MENTIONED IT A LITTLE IN THE BEGINNING, BUT I RAN THE NUMBERS AND LOOKING WHEN WE ADD THIS PROGRAM IN DOWN ON THE WEST SIDE, WE'VE ACTUALLY BOTH OF OUR PROGRAMS FROM 2018-2019, I'VE SEEN A 232 PERCENT INCREASE IN PARTICIPANTS SERVED ON THE WEST SIDE AND THE CITIES AND COMMUNITIES AROUND LOS BANOS.

SO WE WANTED TO TAKE AN OPPORTUNITY AT THIS TIME TO INTRODUCE A PARTICIPANT THAT HAD INDICATED IN THE PAST THAT HE'D LIKE TO TELL HIS STORY WHEN GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY.

SO AT THIS TIME, I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE MOSES CASSAVA, WHO WAS A PARTICIPANT IN OUR LIUNA PROGRAM LAST YEAR AND HE'S HERE TO JUST TELL YOU A LITTLE ABOUT HIMSELF AND HIS EXPERIENCE IN THE PROGRAM AND WHERE HE'S AT NOW.

GOOD MORNING TO ALL, MORNING BLESSINGS TO YOU-ALL.

THEY SAID I WAS GOING TO BE ATTENDING THIS.

SO I PICKED ALL MY BEST CLOTHES [LAUGHTER].

BEFORE COMING TO DOING THE LIUNA PROGRAM, MY LIFE WAS KIND OF MESSED UP.

I JUST BRING OUT OF PRISON AND I WAS COOL TO SEE THAT PRISON GRANT.

ALL MY LIFE I WAS INVOLVED IN GANGS AND DRUGS, AND I'VE ALWAYS WORKED, ALWAYS BEEN A HARD WORKER DOING BACKBREAKING WORK, STUFF LIKE THAT, BUT I JUST COULDN'T KEEP A STEADY JOB BECAUSE I HAVE MY ADDICTION, THEY WAS MORE IMPORTANT.

SO WHEN I WENT TO A WORK NET, I JUST GOT LAID OFF FROM MY JOB, AND LIKE I SAID, I HAD LIKE A YEAR CLEAN.

I WAS A SOBER LEAVING HOME AND SO MY DREAM WAS TO GET MY TRUCKING LICENSE.

I WENT TO AN APPOINTMENT OFFICE AND I ASKED THEM ABOUT THAT AND THEY SEND ME TO WORKNET AND I WENT TO WORK DAY AND I'M EXCITED, LIKE, YEAH, I'M ABOUT TO GET MY TRUCK LICENSE, AND THE PEOPLE ARE VERY NICE THERE AND VERY HELPFUL AND THEY TOLD ME ABOUT THE LIUNA PROGRAM.

THEY HAD JUST HAD A CLASS STARTED AND IT WAS REALLY GOING, IT WAS IN THE THIRD WEEK, AND IF I WAS INTERESTED AND THEY STARTED TELLING ME A LITTLE ABOUT IT, AND I WAS LIKE I ALREADY KNOW ABOUT THIS.

I ALWAYS HEARD ABOUT THE UNION LABORERS, PUT BACK IN THE DAYS, YOU HAD TO KNOW SOMEBODY TO KNOW SOMEBODY TO GET IN.

NOW, THESE DAYS, LIKE CONSTRUCTIONS BOOMING.

YOU AIN'T GOT TO GO DRIVE TO THE BAY AREA TO WORK.

YOU GOT WORK HERE IN THE BACKYARD, AND SO I SAID, "YEAH, WHERE I SIGN UP, " HE WAS LIKE, "TWO THINGS, WE REQUIRE IS A LICENSE," "OKAY, I GOT THAT, " TESTS, CLEAN?" "OH, I'LL DO THAT RIGHT NOW," "ARE YOU SURE?" I'M LIKE, "YEAH, I'LL DO THAT RIGHT NOW." WELL, BACK IN THE DAY, LIKE "OH, YEAH. CAN I COME BACK AND DO THAT?" [LAUGHTER] I WAS LIKE, "I GOT A PHONE CALL," BUT THERE, NO DOUBT, I WAS ABLE TO DO THOSE THINGS WITH FLYING COLORS, AND IT WAS GOOD TO BE ABLE TO DO THOSE TWO REQUIREMENTS.

THAT'S ALL THEY ASKED FOR, NOTHING SPECTACULAR.

[00:20:02]

SO I DID THE CLASS, I WENT TO COLLEGE, I NEVER BEEN TO COLLEGE, I'M ALREADY IN THE COLLEGE GOING MAD, LIKE, "LOOK AT ME, BOOM I'M IN COLLEGE," IT WAS SUPER COOL, MAN, DOING THESE THINGS.

I GRADUATED, ENDED THE PROGRAM WITH THE FLYING COLORS.

I GOT FIRST PLACE IN MY CLASS.

THEY GOT AGILITY TEST AND AT THE TOP THREE THEY GOT CAUGHT UP IN THE FIRST WEEK, TWO WEEKS I WAS WANTED TO GET THE FIRST PLACE.

THEY SAID THAT DAY, "IF YOU WANT TO SHOW, SHOW UP THAT DAY.

THE PEOPLE COME OUT AND THEY WANT TO SEE YOU, HOW TOUGHER YOU ARE, HOW DO YOU WORK, STUFF LIKE THAT." SO I WAS READY FOR THAT DAY AND I ALREADY HAD PRIOR PRACTICE, WHEN I SEE MY CLASS AND THEY WERE REALLY INTO SHAPES.

I WAS LIKE, "I'VE GOT THIS, I'M GOING TO DO THIS." SO I GRADUATED, SAME DAY I GOT A CALL FROM MY TEACHER.

HE SAY, "HEY, I HEARD YOU SHOWED UP TODAY?" I SAID, "YEAH, I DID MY THING." I WAS HAVING CHINESE FOOD, MY FAVORITE.

I WAS TREATING MYSELF AND HE'S LIKE, "YEAH, THEY WANT YOU," AND I'M, "WHAT?" RIGHT THERE AND THEN I'M LIKE, " WOW. HERE I AM.

GOD'S BLESSED ME WITH THIS OPPORTUNITY." LIKE I SAID, I WAS A YEAR CLEAN.

BEING ABLE TO GET IN THE LIUNA PROGRAM, IT WAS AN EXTRA BOOST FOR ME TO WALK MY HEAD A LITTLE HIGHER.

I'VE ONLY WALKED WITH MY HEAD HIGH, BUT ITS HIGHER YOU HAD THAT LIKE, "WOW, I DID IT," AND THE WORK DIDN'T STOP. I HAD TO WORK HARDER, I GIVE A 100 PERCENT AND THE PROCESSES.

I'VE GONE ON FOR YEARS TO BE IN THE PROGRAM.

I LEARNED HOW TO DRIVE EXCAVATOR, SKITZER, BOBCAT.

THESE THINGS WHERE I WOULDN'T NEVER THOUGHT, BECAUSE I DIDN'T FEEL LIBERAL ALL MY LIFE, WORKED IN THE FIELD.

I WAS OKAY WITH THAT, BUT I'M LIKE, I WANT BETTER FOR MYSELF.

WHEN I GOT LAID OFF AND SO I WENT TO WORK THERE TO BETTER MYSELF AND GET A GOOD CAREER.

SO I'M JUST VERY BLESSED.

I EVEN TRY LIKE THE FIRST YEAR TO GO BACK TO WORKNET AND BUY THEM PIZZA, BUY EVERYONE LUNCH IN THEY SAID, "SORRY, BUT WE CAN'T ACCEPT," AND I'M LIKE, "DANG." [LAUGHTER] BECAUSE ITS SO MUCH OF A BLESSING.

I GOT TO WORK AT THE UC, THAT DOWNTOWN BUILDING IN FOR THE COLLEGE.

I TOOK MY KIDS BY THERE AND LIKE, "LOOK, YOUR DAD, THAT'S THE FIRST JOB I EVER GOT RIGHT THERE," "WOW, DAD FOR REALS?" SO IT'S JUST MAD, I'M ON CLOUDNINE FOR REALS, LIKE RIGHT NOW, I FEEL ON CLOUDNINE.

BUT WHEN I'M WORKING, I FEEL LIKE THAT.

PEOPLE ARE LIKE, "WHAT ARE YOU SMILING ABOUT?" I'M LIKE, "OH, I'M JUST HAPPY." ITS MAD, IT'S BEAUTIFUL AND I APPRECIATE WORKNET FOR BEING HELPFUL AND GUIDING ME THROUGH THE STEPS, STUFF LIKE THAT. THAT'S SUPER COOL.

YOU GUYS ARE A BLESSING, BECAUSE YOU GUYS MAKE ALL THE DECISIONS, STUFF LIKE THAT.

SO KEEP MAKING THOSE. THE DECISIONS THAT YOU GUYS ARE MAKING THEIR GOOD, BECAUSE I'M A PRODUCT OF YOU GUYS DECISIONS AND I'M TRULY BLESSED TO BE HERE TODAY.

THANK YOU FOR GIVING ME THIS TIME. YOU GUYS HAVE A BLESSED DAY.

WELL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR COMING [APPLAUSE] THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR COMING AND SHARING YOUR STORY, AND ALSO TO OUR STAFF HAS DONE A WONDERFUL JOB, AND THEN WE HAVE THE SERVICES THAT WE'LL BE ABLE TO PROVIDE.

WE CAN ALLOW CALLS FROM CONSTITUENTS OUT THERE IN BRITISH AND EVERY DISTRICT, THEN WE ALWAYS TRY TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY GO THERE.

SO THANK YOU. DO YOU HAVE ANY? YEAH. WE STILL HAVE A FEW MORE SLIDES TO GO.

SO WE WANTED TO HAVE HIM CHAT RIGHT WHEN WE WERE IN THE LIONESS SLIDE.

WE'RE VERY HAPPY WITH THAT PROGRAM.

THEN IN 2019, WE ADD A HANDFUL OF HIRING EVENTS THAT WE DID MENTIONED.

SO ONE OF THE ONES WE'RE VERY PROUD OF IS WE'VE DONE A DIVERSABILITY FAIR IN MERCED.

TARGETED AROUND HELPING PEOPLE FACING CHALLENGES WITH DISABILITIES.

IT'S BEEN A TREMENDOUS SUCCESS.

TEN PERCENT OF OUR ENROLLMENTS THROUGH THE SYSTEM ARE PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES.

WE PRIDE OURSELVES IN GOING AFTER GRANTS AND GETTING FUNDING FOR ADDITIONAL SERVICES.

WE ACTUALLY HAVE A WORK GROUP OF ALL THE DIFFERENT PROVIDERS IN THE COMMUNITY THAT ARE PROVIDING SERVICES TO FOLKS.

SO WE CAN BRING EVERYBODY TOGETHER, AND MAKE SURE WE'RE ALL IN ALIGNMENT, AND WE'RE HELPING EACH OTHER BE SUCCESSFUL FOR THE COMMUNITY WE'RE SERVING.

I'LL PASS IT BACK TO NICK.

ABSOLUTELY. SO IT'S PART OF OUR CONNECTION TO COUNTY DEPARTMENTS.

WE'VE HIGHLIGHTED A COUPLE ALREADY.

BUT THROUGH THE CONTRACT WITH THE RESCARE, WE PROVIDE A FULL-TIME CASE MANAGER AT THE NEW DIRECTION HOMELESS OUTREACH AND NAVIGATION CENTER.

WE ALSO ARE BLESSED TO WORK WITH COUNTY PROBATION, AND HAVE A CONTRACT WITH THEM TO SERVE

[00:25:02]

WE WORKED WITH THE HUMAN SERVICES AGENCY ON THEIR SUBSIDIZED EMPLOYMENT STRATEGY FOR FOLKS TO RE-ENTER THE WORKFORCE WHO'VE HAD A LITTLE BIT OF A TIME AWAY FROM THE WORKFORCE.

WE WORKED WITH THE CHILD SUPPORT DEPARTMENT ON REFERRALS, SO FOLKS CAN PAY THEIR CHILD SUPPORT BILLS, GET A NEW JOB, AND GET A CAREER.

WE ALSO HAVE A FULL-TIME PERSON DEDICATED TO THE LIBRARY SYSTEM WHO GOES TO ALL THE LIBRARIES IN THE COMMUNITY AND WORKS WITH FOLKS RIGHT WHERE THEY LIVE THERE IN THEIR COMMUNITY.

OF COURSE, THE PARTNERSHIP WITH ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.

WE'VE MENTIONED THAT MR. HENDRICKSON IS ON ARE WORKFORCE BOARD, BUT WE'VE DONE A LOT OF WORK WITH THEM ON TRAINING, ON COLLABORATING, ON EMPLOYER OUTREACH, AND WE'RE VERY LUCKY TO HAVE A GREAT PARTNERSHIP WITH ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.

THIS IS LOOKING TO THE FUTURE NOW, THE FUNDER ACTIVITIES IN 2020.

WE'LL BE IMPLEMENTING THE AB 1111 GRANT TO CONNECT MIGRANT, SEASONAL FARM WORKERS AND THE HOMELESS TO BASIC SKILLS AND LANGUAGE TRAINING, AS WELL AS BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SERVICES, AND THAT WILL BRING IN $500,000 MORE TO THE COMMUNITY.

ANOTHER AWARD TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, THAT'LL BE COMING TO YOU IN THE COMING MONTHS WHEN WE GET THE CONTRACTS FROM THE STATE.

WE WILL CONTINUE TO DEVELOP THE ADULT, DISLOCATED WORKER, AND YOUTH PROGRAMS, AS WELL AS ALL THE OTHER CURRENT GRANTS THAT YOU'VE SEEN, THE MARRIOTT GRANTS THAT WE HAVE.

WE'LL BE IMPLEMENTING THAT OPIOID GRANT TO GET THE 19 PEOPLE OUT INTO THE COMMUNITY TO HELP SERVE THE HOMELESS THROUGH OUR PARTNERSHIPS WITH THESE OTHER COUNTY DEPARTMENTS.

WE'LL BE IMPLEMENTING THE PRISON TO EMPLOYMENT GRANT AS STATED BEFORE THROUGH THE LABORERS CONSTRUCTION BOOTCAMP TRAINING AT THE MCITD, AND WE'LL BE SEEKING OUT FURTHER FUNDING SOURCES AS WELL, OF COURSE.

FOR CONVENER ACTIVITIES IN THE COMING YEAR, WE'LL BE CONTINUING TO WORK WITH COUNTY AGENCIES TO STREAMLINE SERVICES AND OUTREACH TO BUSINESS, SPECIFICALLY WITH HUMAN SERVICES AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE ALL COMMUNICATING AND NOT DUPLICATING EFFORTS WITH BUSINESS.

WE'LL BE WORKING WITH SERVICE DELIVERY PARTNERS ON COMMON CASE MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES.

A LOT OF WHAT YOU SEE HERE IS A LOT OF HOW DO WE CONNECT WITH OTHER FOLKS WHO WERE DOING THIS WORK TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE NOT DUPLICATING EFFORTS, AND THAT WE'RE GETTING THE MAXIMUM BANG FOR OUR BUCK, BASICALLY.

WE'LL BE EXPANDING TO THE DIVISIBILITY FAIR TO BE A YEAR-ROUND STRATEGY GROUP THAT TALKS ABOUT HOW TO SERVE PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES AND BE ABLE TO GO AFTER GRANTS WHEN THOSE OPPORTUNITIES ARRIVE.

THERE'LL BE AN EXPANSION OF THE HEALTH CARE SECTOR STRATEGY.

WE'LL BE DEEPENING OUR PARTNERSHIP, SOME CAREER TECHNICAL EDUCATION WITH THE K-12 DISTRICTS.

WE ALSO WILL BE DEVELOPING LOCAL AND REGIONAL WORKFORCE PLANS.

WE'RE EXPECTING THAT TO COME OUT THAT WILL HAVE A LOT OF INPUT FROM THE COMMUNITY.

WE'LL BE GETTING MORE DETAILS ON WHAT THE STATE EXPECTS OF THOSE PLANS, AND BE ABLE TO GET THAT TO YOU FOLKS, THE SUPERVISORS, AS WELL AS THE COMMUNITY ON WHAT THAT KIND OF INPUT WILL LOOK LIKE.

WE'LL BE DEVELOPING THE DEPARTMENT'S ONLINE PRESENCE, AS WELL AS ENHANCING REPORTING OF LABOR MARKET DATA, AND FOCUSING ON THE TRAINING OF DEPARTMENT EMPLOYEES TO INCREASE THEIR CAPACITY, AND DEVELOPED MANAGERS AND LEADERS FOR THE FUTURE FOR THE COUNTY.

ALL RIGHT. SO FINALLY, I'D LIKE TO THANK THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS THROUGH TREMENDOUS SUPPORT OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS OF THE PROGRAM AND THE DEPARTMENT.

SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL SERVING IN YOUR CAPACITY ON THE WORKFORCE BOARD, ESPECIALLY STAFF.

WE HAVE REYNA ESPINOZA, WHO'S OUR PROGRAM MANAGERS HERE TODAY.

ALONG WITH YANG HER , WHO'S OUR STAFF SERVICES ANALYST.

WE'RE A SMALL BUT MIGHTY TEAM OVER THERE, AND THEY'RE DOING A LOT OF GREAT WORK IN THE COMMUNITY, AND WE'RE VERY BLESSED TO HAVE THEM.

FOR ANYBODY THAT IS INTERESTED IN SERVICES, WHETHER IT BE A BUSINESS OR A RESIDENT LOOKING FOR SERVICES, WORKNETMERCED.COM OR FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK, WORKNET MERCED COUNTY.

I JUST HAD TO POINTED OUT TO ME THAT OUR FACEBOOK FOLLOWING IS THE STRONGEST FOLLOWING IN THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA.

SO WE GOT A LOT OF ACTIVITY GOING ON THERE, A LOT OF JOB OPENINGS, ALL THE OPPORTUNITIES ARE PUSHED DOWN THAT WAY AS WELL, AS WELL AS ON OUR WEBSITE.

SO AT THIS POINT, I'D ENTERTAIN ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE.

SUPERVISORS, ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? THEN WE GOT SUPERVISOR DARON MCDANIEL.

THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. I CAN SAY, THIS IS PROBABLY THE MOST FULFILLING COMMITTEE THAT WE ALL SIT ON, OR THAT I SIT ON AND ALL OF THEM THAT I HAVE.

[LAUGHTER] BECAUSE THIS IS WHERE WE ALWAYS GET MAD AT WHAT GOVERNMENT DOES WRONG AND HOW GOVERNMENT GETS TO INVOLVE.

BUT THIS IS ONE WHERE GOVERNMENT DOES RIGHT.

I THINK YOU HEAR ME SAY THAT EVERY TIME.

I APPRECIATE OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH [INAUDIBLE] .

THIS IS LIFE CHANGING AS MOSES SETUP HERE TODAY AND TOLD US.

[00:30:05]

EVERY TIME I DO IT, IT RESONATES OF WHY WE DO WHAT WE DO.

I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT I APPRECIATE THIS.

I APPRECIATE THIS PRESENTATION.

IT IS, IT'S LIFE-CHANGING.

THESE FOLKS ARE GOING FROM EXACTLY WHAT HE SAID, WHAT AM I GOING TO DO? I LIKE THE OTHER COMPONENT.

SO OUR SCHOOLS ARE TRYING TO GET KIDS INTO COLLEGE EVERYDAY.

COLLEGE IS GOOD, IT IS.

TO PICK YOUR NEXT STEPS, YOU NEED TO.

BUT I THINK WITHOUT AN APPLICATION, LEARNING IS HARD.

FOR ME, I WORKED FULL-TIME ALL THE WAY THROUGH COLLEGE, I HAD TO, I PAID FOR COLLEGE MYSELF.

BUT AS I WAS WORKING FULL-TIME AND GOING TO COLLEGE, I SEE THE NEED TO LEARN.

I THINK, HE DEMONSTRATED THAT IN HIS PRESENTATION TODAY AS WELL.

YOU SEE, OKAY, I'M GOING TO HERE, I'M GETTING TO HERE, BUT IF I LEARN THIS, I GO TO THE NEXT LEVEL.

THAT'S HOW COLLEGE HAS TO BE, LEARNING WITH APPLICATION, KNOWING WHAT YOU'RE STRIVING FOR, KNOWING WHAT YOU WANT TO DO.

BUT I APPRECIATE EVERYTHING THAT WE DO AT WORKNET.

IT IS, LIKE I SAID, THE MOST THANKFUL POSITION THAT I HAVE.

SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.

THANK YOU. SUPERVISOR LOR..

NO, IT'S OKAY.

THANK YOU. GREAT PRESENTATION AND GREAT WORK.

I HAVE USED WORKNET BEFORE, MANY YEARS AGO.

IT IS SUCH A GREAT RESOURCE FOR THE COMMUNITY.

PLEASE KNOW THAT I DO SEND SECRET SHOPPERS THERE, AND THEY COME BACK WITH POSITIVE FEEDBACK, SO NO COMPLAINTS THERE.

EARLY ON WHEN I CAME ONTO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, I TALKED TO JIM BROWN, ROBERT MORRIS, OUR FORMER DIRECTOR OF WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT.

I TALKED TO DAVID, WHEN DAVID CAME IN I TALKED TO SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL.

WHEN I CAME ON BOARD AND I ASKED, "WAS THAT WE EXPAND OUR REACH TO INCLUDE CURRENTLY EMPLOYED FOLKS WHO MIGHT NOT HAVE THE TIME OR THE RESOURCES TO ADVANCE THEIR SKILLS?" SO I'M REALLY PLEASED TO SHARE THIS PRESENTATION WITH OUR COMMUNITY TODAY AND TO KNOW THAT WE'RE WORKING WITH BUSINESSES TO HELP THEM INCREASE THE SKILLS OF THEIR EMPLOYEES.

THAT PIECE IS IMPORTANT TO ME BECAUSE WHEN YOU'RE AT A JOB FOR FIVE, SIX YEARS AND YOU WANT TO ADVANCE, BUT YOU CAN'T AFFORD TO TAKE TIME OFF TO GO BACK TO SCHOOL, YOU CAN'T TAKE TIME OFF TO TAKE THE FREE OPPORTUNITIES AT WORKNET, THE FREE OPPORTUNITIES ON MERCED COLLEGE.

IT'S VERY DIFFICULT WHEN YOU HAVE A FAMILY AND YOU'RE TRYING TO PUT FOOD ON THE TABLE.

SO IT'S GREAT.

I REALLY APPRECIATE THE WORK THAT STAFF HAVE DONE.

IT'S NOT JUST WITH THE WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT BOARD, BUT WITH ALL DEPARTMENT STAFF ACROSS THE BOARD.

YOU GIVE THEM A RECOMMENDATION, YOU GIVE THEM AN IDEA, THEY PONDER IT, THEY VET IT OUT, THEY IMPLEMENT IT.

IF IT DOESN'T WORK, THEY COME BACK AND THEY SAY, "HEY, WE TRIED THIS, IT DOESN'T WORK.

NOW, WE'RE TRYING THIS." IT TAKES TIME AND I WANT TO THANK STAFF.

I REALLY APPRECIATE THE WORK THAT YOU DO BECAUSE I RECOGNIZE IT TAKES TIME AND YOU COME BACK, AND I SAY IT ONCE AND I DON'T HAVE TO REMIND YOU AND YOU GET IT DONE.

WHETHER IT WORKS, WHETHER IT DOESN'T WORK, I GET FEEDBACK THAT WE'VE TRIED IT, IT WORKED, WE'VE TRIED IT, IT DIDN'T WORK.

SO I REALLY APPRECIATE THE WORK THAT YOU DO AND THE WORK THAT STAFF DOES ACROSS THE BOARD. THANK YOU.

I'D BE HAPPY TO POINT OUT THAT ONE OUT OF FIVE OF THE PARTICIPANTS THAT ARE IN OUR ADULT PROGRAM ARE EMPLOYED OR WHAT'S CALLED UNDEREMPLOYED TO GET THAT NEXT POSITION.

IT'S ALSO A DIRECTION THAT OUR WORKFORCE BOARD IS VERY INTERESTED IN, AND I'D BE REMISS IF I DIDN'T THANK THEM AS WELL.

WE HAVE A 21-MEMBER BOARD THAT IS MAJORITY BUSINESS LED.

SO YEAH, THEY LET US KNOW AS WELL.

[LAUGHTER] THANK YOU, SUPERVISOR PAREIRA .

YEAH, I WANT TO ECHO MY COLLEAGUE'S COMMENTS ABOUT THANKING YOU FOR WORKING SO HARD TO CHANGE PEOPLE'S LIVES, REALLY.

THANKS FOR COMING IN AND SHARING YOUR STORY.

HOPEFULLY, WE'LL BE ABLE TO CAPTURE THAT AND WE'LL BE ABLE TO SHARE IT, TAKE IT OUT OF OUR MEETING VIDEO AND SHARE IT BECAUSE I THINK, THAT'LL GIVE INSPIRATION TO OTHER PEOPLE THAT ARE IN THAT SPOT.

ONE OF MY FAVORITE CO-WORKERS FROM DAYS GONE BY WAS A FELLA WHO WENT TO WORK FOR A COMPANY I WAS WORKING FOR AND IT WAS A WORKFORCE PLACEMENT.

I CAN'T REMEMBER IF WORKFORCE PAID HALF OR ALL OF HIS WAGES FOR, I THINK, SIX MONTHS.

THEN AT THE END OF THAT TIME, HE WAS KEPT ON FULL TIME WITH THE COMPANY AND WORK THERE.

WE WORKED TOGETHER FOR FIVE YEARS.

THEN ONE DAY, HE COMES IN AND HE'S SAD,

[00:35:02]

SO THAT'S JUST ANOTHER TESTAMENT OF WHERE JUST THAT LITTLE HELP TO GET STARTED ALLOWS PEOPLE TO MAKE THEIR OWN LIVES BETTER.

BUT ANYWAYS, I KNOW YOU'VE BEEN OUT TO THE SCHOOLS IN DELHI.

BUT AS YOU ARE GIVING YOUR PRESENTATION I WAS WONDERING, DO YOU HAVE A FOCUSED EFFORT LIKE MAYBE IN MAY OF GOING INTO SCHOOLS AND OUTREACH INTO YOUNG PEOPLE THAT ARE ABOUT TO GRADUATE, AND COULD YOU SHARE THAT A LITTLE BIT, IF YOU DO? YES, WE DO. SO IT'S TWOFOLD.

SO WE HAVE A CONTRACT WITH MERCED COUNTY OFFICE OF EDUCATION, AND THEY OPERATE THE YOUTH PROGRAM.

SO THE YOUTH PROGRAM IS FOR 18-24 YEAR OLDS.

SO THEY DO THAT ALONG WITH ALL THE RECRUITING, SO THEY'RE AT THE FAIRS.

WHAT WE DID STARTING LAST YEAR IS WE DID THE JOB FAIR AT DELHI.

WE'RE ALSO TALKING TO SOME OF THE OTHER HIGH SCHOOLS ABOUT BRINGING THAT SERVICE THERE.

IT'S ACTUALLY A FOCUS OF OURS FOR 2020 AS TO REALLY FOCUS ON THE CTE PATH.

SO I'VE BEEN OUT, STAFF HAVE BEEN OUT TO LOOK AT SOME OF THE PROGRAMS THAT ARE OUT IN THE COMMUNITY.

THE BOARD MEMBERS HAVE CONNECTED US DIRECTLY.

SOME OF OUR BOARD MEMBERS ACTUALLY SIT ON SOME OF THE REVIEW COMMITTEES FOR THOSE CAREER TECHNICAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS, SO IT IS DEFINITELY A BIG FOCUS, AND WHEN WE'RE SITTING IN THIS CHAIR A YEAR FROM NOW, WE'LL HAVE MUCH MORE TO REPORT ON THOSE EFFORTS.

ALSO, SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL HIT ON A KEY POINT EARLIER, IS COLLEGE IS REALLY ONLY VALUABLE IF YOU HAVE A PURPOSE FOR IT.

A LOT OF YOUNG PEOPLE TODAY HAVE NEVER HAD A JOB.

THEY'RE 18-YEARS-OLD AND THEY'VE NEVER WORKED, WHICH I THINK IS TERRIBLY UNFORTUNATE.

I THINK IT HAMPERS OUR YOUNG PEOPLE.

BUT ANYWAYS, SO GETTING OUT OF HIGH SCHOOL AND GETTING A JOB TO SORT OUT WHAT YOU WANT TO DO, THEN START YOUR EDUCATION CAN BE A VALUABLE PATH FOR THOSE THAT JUST AREN'T OFF TO COLLEGE DAY 1, SO THANK YOU.

THANK YOU. SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA.

THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. DAVID AND NICK, THANK YOU BOTH FOR THE PRESENTATION.

I THINK THAT IT'S VERY VALUABLE FOR ANYBODY THAT'S HERE AND EVERYBODY THAT'S WATCHING AT HOME TO REALIZE THAT IT'S BACK TO THE SERVICES THAT WE DO PROVIDE.

I DO AGREE WITH MY COLLEAGUES IN THAT THIS PROGRAM IS SO SUCCESSFUL, IN MY OPINION, IT IS BECAUSE IT HAS SUCH A STRONG BUSINESS INFLUENCE TO IT.

YOU HAVE BUSINESS PEOPLE THAT MAKE BUSINESS DECISIONS ON A DAILY BASIS, AND THEY MAYBE LOOK AT THE WORLD A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT THAN IF IT'S JUST A FULL GOVERNMENT-TYPE ORGANIZATION.

SO I THINK THAT YOU GUYS ARE THE MODEL FOR SUCCESS, REALLY, THAT YOU TAKE THAT BEST BUSINESS PRACTICES AND FORM THAT, PUSH THAT INTO THE WAY THAT YOU'RE RUNNING THIS GOVERNMENT-FUNDED ORGANIZATION, BUT ACTUALLY, GETTING THE RETURN ON YOUR INVESTMENT.

THEN THAT'S WHAT MOSES WAS ABLE TO SHOW US TODAY THAT THERE IS A RETURN ON THE INVESTMENT.

AT THE SAME TIME, I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU, MOSES FOR ACTUALLY HAVING US HELP YOU.

YOU HELPED YOURSELF ALONG THE WAY, RIGHT? YOU ACTUALLY WANTED TO AND HAD TO MAKE A CONSCIOUS DECISION THAT, "HEY, I WANT TO BETTER MYSELF." THAT'S WHAT THIS PROGRAM DOES, IS WE GIVE YOU THE TOOLS, BUT ULTIMATELY, YOU HAVE TO MAKE THAT DECISION.

SO THANK YOU FOR MAKING THAT DECISION.

YOU MAKE A BETTER CITIZEN FOR MERCED COUNTY.

IT'S BETTER FOR YOU AND YOUR FAMILY.

SO THAT'S WHAT I TRULY THINK IS GREAT ABOUT THIS PROGRAM IS SOMEBODY HAS TO TAKE THE INITIATIVE.

IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE PLENTY OF SERVICES OUT THERE, BUT YOU STILL HAVE TO TAKE THAT FIRST STEP, SO KUDOS TO YOU GUYS.

I DO LOOK FORWARD TO THE PRESENTATION NEXT YEAR AND SEE THE WORK TO CONTINUE ON THAT WE'VE ALREADY BEEN DOING.

THEN THE LAST THING I'LL LEAVE YOU WITH IS JUST I REALLY APPRECIATE THE EMPHASIS ON BOTH SIDES OF THE COUNTY.

SOME FOLKS OVER IN MY DISTRICT WANT TO SAY THAT SOMETIMES, THEIR SERVICES AREN'T ON THE WEST SIDE, AND I THINK, THAT THEY ARE OUT THERE.

IT'S INCUMBENT UPON ME AND THE OTHER ELECTED OFFICIALS TO REMIND FOLKS THAT THESE SERVICES ARE AVAILABLE, BUT BACK TO JUST WHAT I SAID, YOU ACTUALLY HAVE TO GO LOOK FOR THEM.

WE CAN'T HAVE SOMEBODY ON EVERY CORNER PREACHING THIS STUFF TO YOU.

YOU'D ACTUALLY GOT TO WANT TO HELP YOURSELF.

SO AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.

THANK YOU. SUPERVISOR LOR? THANK YOU. A COUPLE OF POINTS.

I WAS GOING TO WAIT, AND I'M SURE ONE OF YOU WOULD PLAN TO SHARE IT LATER, BUT OUR BOARD MEETINGS ARE NOW INDEXED.

SO FOLKS WHO WANT TO WATCH JUST THIS PRESENTATION CAN CLICK ON THE LINK AND GO RIGHT TO THIS PRESENTATION.

I MIGHT HAVE MISSED IT, BUT CONTACT INFORMATION FOR YOU, FOR WORKNET, FOR EMPOWER, SO THAT FOLKS WHO WATCHED THE PRESENTATION CAN HAVE THAT INFORMATION.

I DID SEE THE CONTACT INFORMATION FOR HR.

I LOVE HAVING DEPARTMENT PROGRAM PRESENTATIONS LIKE THIS.

I'VE ALREADY TOLD STAFF I WANT TO SEE MORE.

SO GOING FORWARD, IF MY COLLEAGUES ARE OPEN TO THAT,

[00:40:02]

THANK YOU. I THINK IT'S A LOT OF GREAT COMMENTS, AND THE PRESENTATION WAS GREAT.

THANK YOU FOR COMING AGAIN.

I THINK, THAT WE HAVE A LOT OF SIMILAR STORIES AROUND OUR COUNTY.

I THINK, THAT WE ALSO INVITE OTHERS TO COME IN AND SAY, YOU KNOW WHAT? WE GOT TO ADVERTISE WORKNET, AND ALSO THE WONDERFUL JOBS THAT OUR POLICE DEPARTMENTS AND PUBLIC SAFETY DOING IN GETTING THOSE VOLUNTEERS.

I KNOW THAT WHEN THEY GO TO YOU, THAT THEY WANTED THE PUBLIC SAFETY OR BE A FIREFIGHTER, YOU CAN SEND THEM OUT THERE AND VOLUNTEER AS WELL, SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THAT PRESENTATION.

GREAT. THANK YOU.

ALL RIGHT. WE'LL NOW MOVE ON TO [INAUDIBLE] .

[BACKGROUND]

[CONSENT CALENDAR]

SO ACTUALLY FOR THE PUBLIC AND FOR THOSE IN THE AUDIENCE, THE SCREEN BEHIND US, AND WE'RE GOING TO TRY THE SCREENS ON THE SIDE, THE MONITOR BEHIND US, SOME SCREENS ON SIDE, WHERE WE'RE USING ELECTRONIC VOTING SYSTEM STARTING TODAY.

SO WE'RE TRYING TO GET IT UP, AND AS YOU CAN SEE, IT'S UP NOW, BUT WE WANTED TO NOMINATE.

PLEASE INDULGE US AS THIS IS THE FIRST TIME WE'RE IMPLEMENTING IT.

THERE ARE SOME CHANGES IN THE WORKS THAT'S GOING TO TAKE OVER THE NEXT MONTH OR SO.

SO THERE WILL BE A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT THINGS, BUT AGAIN, SO JUST WANTED TO SHARE THAT WITH THE PUBLIC, PLEASE.

THANK YOU. WELL, THANKS TO STAFF, I KNOW THAT WE'VE BEEN TRAINED A LITTLE BIT.

IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT I CREATED, IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE TRYING [LAUGHTER] TO INNOVATE HERE TO MAKE IT EASIER FOR OUR STAFF AND US AS WELL.

SAYS THE CHAIR.

YEAH.

[LAUGHTER] THANK YOU, GO AHEAD.

NEXT IS APPROVAL. YOUR CONSENT CALENDAR, ITEMS 1 THROUGH 13.

[LAUGHTER] PLEASE NOTE THAT ITEMS 2, 3, AND 6 REQUIRE A FOUR-FIFTHS VOTE.

OKAY. ANY COMMENTS OR MOTIONS ON 1-13? IT'S ON YOUR SCREEN.

OH, CHANGE THAT.

YEAH, THERE YOU GO.

THERE YOU GO.

THERE YOU GO, NO COMMENTS.

SO IT'S BEEN MOTIONED BY SUPERVISOR DARON MCDANIEL AND SECONDED BY SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA.

THEN WE'LL GO ON TO PUBLIC COMMENTS ON ITEM 1-13.

NO COMMENTS. WE'LL CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENTS.

WE'RE GOING BACK TO THE BOARD TO CAST YOUR VOTES.

EVERYONE'S VOTED.

EXCEPT YOU.

EXCEPT ME.

[LAUGHTER] I'M TRYING TO LEARN.

[LAUGHTER] GOING BACK AND FORTH ON THE SCREEN HERE.

PLEASE CAST YOUR VOTES AND RECORD THE VOTE.

SO UNANIMOUS FOR 5-0.

WE'LL MOVE ON.

[BACKGROUND] NEXT IS BOARD ACTION, PUBLIC WORKS, ITEM 14.

[BOARD ACTION]

ITEM 14. ANY COMMENTS OR MOTIONS? MOTION BY SUPERVISOR LOR AND SECONDED BY SUPERVISOR PAREIRA.

WE'LL OPEN UP TO THE PUBLIC FOR COMMENTS ON NUMBER 14. NO COMMENTS.

WE'LL BRING IT BACK TO THE BOARD, SO YOU CAN CAST YOUR VOTES.

EVERYBODY COMFORTABLE WITH THEIR VOTES? SO WE RECORD THE VOTE.

WELL, UNANIMOUS, 5-0.

THANK YOU. WE'LL MOVE ON.

NEXT IS BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AND RECOVERY SERVICES, ITEMS 15 AND 16.

COMMENTS OR MOTIONS ON ITEM NUMBER 15 AND 16? MOTION BY SUPERVISOR LOR, SECONDED BY SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL.

OPENED UP TO THE PUBLIC FOR PUBLIC COMMENTS.

15 AND 16, THE ROOM IS MORE QUIET.

[LAUGHTER] SO WE'LL CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENTS, 15 AND 16.

BRING BACK TO BOARD TO CAST YOUR VOTES.

[00:45:01]

5-0, PASSES. THEN WE'LL MOVE ON TO NEXT ITEM.

NEXT IS HUMAN SERVICES AGENCY, ITEMS 17 THROUGH 20.

PLEASE NOTE A FOUR-FIFTHS VOTE IS REQUIRED ON ITEM 20.

ITEM 20. ANY COMMENTS OR MOTIONS? I'M SO [INAUDIBLE].

MOTION BY SUPERVISOR LOR, SECONDED BY SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL.

OPENED UP TO THE PUBLIC ON ANY QUESTIONS ON 17-20.

CLOSE THE PUBLIC COMMENTS.

BRING BACK AND WE'LL CAST YOUR VOTE, PLEASE.

RECORD THE VOTE. IT'S A 5-0.

VOTE UNANIMOUS. MOTION CARRIES.

NEXT IS COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, ITEMS 21 THROUGH 23.

TWENTY-ONE, 23. ANY COMMENTS OR MOTIONS? MOTION BY SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL, SECONDED BY SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA.

WE'LL OPEN UP TO THE PUBLIC FOR PUBLIC COMMENTS.

NO COMMENTS, CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENTS.

BRING BACK TO THE BOARD TO CAST YOUR VOTES.

YOU CAN PLEASE CAST YOUR VOTES. EVERYBODY VOTED.

THEN WE'LL RECORD THE VOTE.

MOTION CARRIES, 5-0.

UNANIMOUS AGAIN. THANK YOU.

NEXT IS WORKFORCE INVESTMENT, ITEM 24.

ANY COMMENTS OR MOTIONS, ITEM 24? RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME. THE MOTION BY SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL, SECONDED BY SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA.

WE'LL OPEN UP TO THE PUBLIC FOR ITEM NUMBER 24. NO COMMENTS.

BRING BACK TO THE BOARD.

CAST YOUR VOTES, PLEASE.

OH, I DIDN'T LOOK AT THOSE SCREEN.

COMMENT BY SUPERVISOR PAREIRA.

I KNOW WE'VE BEEN GOING UNANIMOUS HERE, BUT JUST WANT TO REMIND EVERYBODY THAT THIS IS SIMILAR TO THE PROGRAM THAT MOSES WENT THROUGH AND IT WORKED REALLY WELL FOR HIM, AND SO I ENCOURAGE ALL TO VOTE YES.

ALL RIGHT.

[LAUGHTER]. SO EVERYONE HAS VOTED.

SO WE'LL RECORD THE VOTE.

MOTION CARRIED BY ALL, UNANIMOUS.

THANK YOU. NEXT.

NEXT IS DISTRICT ATTORNEY, ITEM 25.

ITEM NUMBER 25, COMMENTS, MOTIONS? MOTION BY SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL, SECONDED BY SUPERVISOR LOR.

OPENED UP TO THE PUBLIC ON DISTRICT ATTORNEY NUMBER 25.

NO COMMENTS. CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENTS.

BRING IT BACK TO CAST YOUR VOTES.

RECORD THE VOTE, PLEASE. MOTION CARRIES, 5-0.

UNANIMOUS AGAIN. MOVE ON TO NEXT ITEM.

NEXT IS FIRE, ITEM 26.

PLEASE NOTE THAT FOUR-FIFTHS VOTE IS REQUIRED.

ITEM NUMBER 26. NO COMMENTS? NO. [LAUGHTER]. OKAY, IT'S PRETTY QUIET.

SO MOTION BY SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL.

[LAUGHTER] I GUESS YOU GUYS WANT TO GO HOME EARLIER.

YES IT IS.

SUPERVISOR LEE LOR SECONDED.

OPENED IT TO PUBLIC'S QUESTION, COMMENTS.

CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENTS.

EVERYONE, PLEASE CAST YOUR VOTES.

THANK YOU. RECORDED VOTE, PLEASE.

MOTION CARRIES, 5-0, UNANIMOUS.

THANK YOU. MOVE ON TO NEXT ITEM.

SHERIFF, ITEM 27.

OKAY. ANY COMMENTS OR MOTIONS? MOTION BY SUPERVISOR PAREIRA, SECONDED BY SUPERVISOR LOR.

OPEN IT TO THE PUBLIC ITEM NUMBER 27, THE SHERIFF.

CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENTS. BRING IT BACK.

CAST YOUR VOTES.

EVERYBODY VOTED, SO WE'LL RECORD THE VOTE.

MOTION CARRIES, 5-0, UNANIMOUS.

WE'LL MOVE ON TO THE NEXT ITEM. ONE COMMENT BY THE SUPERVISOR PAREIRA.

MR. CHAIR, CAN WE TAKE THESE ITEM SEPARATELY, PLEASE? I WANT TO SEPARATE VOTE ON ITEM 29.

[00:50:02]

SO WE'LL GET TO 29 FIRST, IF YOU WANT.

IT'S GOING TO BE 28 FIRST.

TWENTY-EIGHT? OKAY. MOTION BY SUPERVISOR LOR AND SECONDED BY SUPERVISOR PAREIRA, NUMBER 28.

SO OPEN UP FOR THE COMMENTS.

NOTHING. CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENTS.

PLEASE CAST YOUR VOTES. RECORD THE VOTE, PLEASE.

MOTION CARRIES, 5-0, UNANIMOUS.

WE NOW GO TO ITEM NUMBER 29.

COMMENT BY SUPERVISOR PAREIRA.

THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. SO AS I LOOKED OVER THIS ITEM, I GET IT.

WE JUST IN THE PREVIOUS ITEM AMENDED OUR BOARD POLICY THAT WE JUST CAME UP WITH ON-BOARD ASSISTANCE TO ALLOW FOR EXTRA HELP, STUDENT INTERNS TO MAKE THAT EASIER.

SO I ASKED MYSELF, WE JUST MADE PROGRESS TOWARD PUTTING MONEY, TOWARD HAVING EXTRA HELP FOR EACH SUPERVISOR AND TRYING TO DO IT.

THERE WAS A PLACE MARK OF $100,000 PUT INTO THE BUDGET, AND I DON'T WANT TO SEEM LIKE I DON'T GET MY WAY AND I DON'T WANT TO SEEM KIND OF KINDERGARTEN ABOUT THIS.

BUT IT DOES FRUSTRATE ME THAT THE BOARD THAT WAS HERE BEFORE ME DECIDED TO DO AWAY WITH SPECIAL PROJECTS FUNDS AND SO I DON'T EVEN HAVE ANY OF THOSE TO CONSIDER WHETHER OR NOT TO PUT TOWARD EXTRA HELP FOR BOARD ASSISTANCE.

SO I GUESS MY FRUSTRATION IS THAT BECAUSE I DON'T HAVE, THEN I FEEL LIKE MY CONSTITUENTS IN MY DISTRICT ARE PLACED AT A DISADVANTAGE OVER THE CITIZENS IN YOUR DISTRICT THEY'RE ASKING TO PROGRAM $38,863 TOWARD.

SO IN MY MIND, IT'S HIRING EVEN MORE HELP.

WE WERE ABLE TO GET ONE PERSON ON BOARD, A PART-TIME PERSON THAT THEN YOU'RE ABLE TO THROW SOME OF YOUR SPECIAL PROJECTS MONEY INTO GETTING AN ADDITIONAL PERSON AND I JUST DON'T THINK IT'S FAIR, AND FOR THAT REASON, AGAIN, THIS WILL LEAD TO A BROADER DISCUSSION DOWN THE ROAD, BUT FOR THAT REASON, I CAN'T SEE MYSELF SUPPORTING THAT.

I ALWAYS FEEL LIKE IT'S MY OBLIGATION THAT IF I'M GOING TO VOTE OUT OF WHAT I THINK IS THE MAJORITY, TO GIVE YOU MY EXPLANATION AS TO WHY.

OKAY. SUPERVISOR LOR.

THANK YOU AND I APPRECIATE YOUR HONEST FEEDBACK.

THE THOUGHT BEHIND HIRING EXTRA HELP STUDENT INTERNS IS WHEN WE APPROVED OUR BOARD ASSISTANCE POLICY LAST TIME, I WENT BACK AND I LOOKED AT THE STUDENT INTERN DESCRIPTION AND THE SALARY SCALE, AND IT WAS THE SAME SALARY SCALE AS THE ASSISTANT THAT WE APPROVED.

SO MY THOUGHT BEHIND THAT IS TO HIRE BECAUSE THEY'RE AT THE SAME LEVEL THAN TO BRING AN OPPORTUNITY BECAUSE IN DISTRICT 2, WE HAVE UC MERCED AND THEN WE HAVE MERCED COLLEGE.

I THOUGHT IT WOULDN'T GIVE STUDENTS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY IF I HAPPEN TO HIRE SOMEONE WHO ATTENDED UC MERCED OR WHO ATTENDED MERCED COLLEGE.

SO THE THOUGHT BEHIND USING THE 38,000 IS, IF I HAPPEN TO HIRE SOMEONE FROM UC MERCED OR MERCED COLLEGE, THAT I WOULD OPEN ANOTHER POSITION TO HIRE SOMEONE FROM ANOTHER COLLEGE.

PART OF IT IS, YES, TO SUPPORT ME IN MY ROLE AND PART OF IT IS THE STUDENT INTERN OPPORTUNITY FOR OUR LOCAL FOLKS TO; ONE, GET TO KNOW OUR COMMUNITY BETTER; TWO, SUPPORT LOCAL GOVERNMENT; THREE, LEARN MORE ABOUT LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND TO STAY HERE BECAUSE WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO IS, WE'RE TRYING TO RETAIN TALENT AND WE'RE TRYING TO INCREASE THE QUALITY OF SKILLS IN OUR COMMUNITY.

IT WOULDN'T BE RIGHT ON MY END TO, LET'S SAY, HIRE SOMEONE FROM MERCED COLLEGE AND NOT SOMEONE FROM UC MERCED, AND WE KNOW THAT AS WITH STUDENT INTERNS, THAT YOU'RE GOING TO SPEND A LITTLE BIT MORE TIME DEVELOPING THEM THAN IF I WAS TO HIRE AN ADMIN ASSISTANT WHO ALREADY HAD SOME EXPERIENCE WORKING AS AN ASSISTANT.

SO THAT WAS MY THOUGHT BEHIND THE DISTRICT 2 PROJECT FUNDS AND I'M HOPING THAT YOU'LL CHANGE YOUR MIND AND SUPPORT THAT. THANK YOU.

NO OTHER COMMENTS? IF NOT, THEN I'LL ENTERTAIN THE MOTION.

[00:55:02]

THEN WE'LL OPEN UP TO THE PUBLIC.

ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS ON ITEM NUMBER 29? NO COMMENTS. OKAY. CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENTS AND BRING IT BACK. SUPERVISOR LOR.

THANK YOU. I DID HAVE ONE MORE COMMENT.

WHEN I CAME ON BOARD, SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL AND I TRIED TO PUT TOGETHER OR REVIVE ONE OF SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL'S INITIATIVES AROUND A YOUTH GROUP THAT WOULD SUPPORT WHAT THE COUNTY IS DOING, AND PART OF THE WORK THAT THESE STUDENT INTERNS WOULD DO IS TO POTENTIALLY REVIVE AN EFFORT LIKE THAT. THANK YOU.

WELL, I THINK THAT WE'VE BEEN VERY SUPPORTIVE.

ANY OTHER COMMENTS? WE'VE BEEN VERY SUPPORTIVE OF STUDENTS INTERNS AS WELL.

I'VE USED SEVERAL INTERNS MYSELF AND I CAN DISAGREE AND I CAN AGREE WITH IT, SO IT'S REALLY HARD.

BUT WHEN IT COMES TO STUDENTS, WHICH IS TALKING ABOUT WORKFORCE, THE NET AND THAT'S WHAT THIS IS ABOUT, AND THE AGENDA ITEM CALLS FOR MORE ENHANCEMENT FOR EDUCATION OF THE WORKFORCE THAT'S COMING, SO I'LL JUST LEAVE IT WITH THAT.

WHAT WAS THAT? ONE COMING FROM SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA.

THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. THEN I DO AGREE WITH WHAT EVERYBODY IS SAYING.

I WOULD JUST LOVE TO HAVE THAT OPPORTUNITY TO BE ABLE TO MAKE THAT CHOICE FOR ME AND MY DISTRICT.

THIS ISN'T BECAUSE I WANT YOU TO CHOOSE BETWEEN A STUDENT FROM MERCED COLLEGE OR UC MERCED.

FOR ME, IT COMES DOWN TO IF I WANT TO DO THAT, I DON'T HAVE THAT OPTION AND SO FOR THAT REASON, THAT'S STILL GOING TO PROBABLY BE A NO VOTE.

WELL, I COULD TELL YOU I VOTED NO ALREADY.

I WILL BE A NO VOTE ON THAT ONE.

I JUST WANTED YOU GUYS TO UNDERSTAND WHERE MY THOUGHT PROCESSES ON IT.

SO THANK YOU.

SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL.

THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. MY DISTINGUISHED SUPERVISOR FROM THE WEST SIDE, I GET WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.

I HEAR WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, BUT I'M IN DISAGREEMENT BECAUSE THE WAY THE FUNDS ARE SPENT IS EVERY CITIZEN HAS BEEN TREATED EQUALLY.

SO YOUR CITIZENS ON YOUR DISTRICT HAVE HAD FUNDS EXPENDED IN ENTIRETY.

WE'VE ALL RECEIVED THE SAME AMOUNT OF FUNDS.

BECAUSE WE CHOSE TO SPEND OURS IN A DIFFERENT WAY DOESN'T MAKE IT FAIR OR UNFAIR.

IT'S JUST BY OUR CHOICE AND HOW WE ARE SPENDING THEM.

I JUST WANTED TO MAKE THAT CLEAR.

THANK YOU. ONE MORE COMING.

GO AHEAD, SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA.

MR. CHAIR, THANK YOU, AND THROUGH YOU TO MY COLLEAGUE FROM DISTRICT 3, POINT WELL TAKEN.

BUT ULTIMATELY, I STARTED JANUARY OF 2019 AND I DIDN'T HAVE THAT CHOICE, SO I CAN'T SPEAK FOR WHAT MY PREDECESSOR DID.

SO I CAN ONLY SPEAK MOVING FORWARD, SO I CAN BUY YOUR ARGUMENT THAT, YES, THE X AMOUNT OF DOLLARS WERE SPLIT OUT OR WHATEVER AND SO MY CITIZENS HAD THE BENEFIT BUT I CAN'T LOOK TO THE PAST.

I LIKE TO LOOK TO THE FUTURE AND THE FUTURE FROM WHEN I GOT HERE, I DON'T HAVE THAT OPTION, AND SO AGAIN, I DON'T WANT TO GET INTO A BIG BACK AND FORTH BUT JUST SO YOU KNOW WHERE I'M COMING FROM ON IT. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU FOR THAT. RECORD MY VOTE AND WE'LL PLEASE RECORD VOTE.

SO VOTE IS FOUR-ONE UNANIMOUS. I'M SO SORRY.

IT IS FOUR-ONE WITH ONE NO AND MOTION CARRIES FOUR.

OKAY. SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA SAID NO. THANK YOU.

NEXT IS BOARD APPOINTMENTS. ITEM 30.

ITEM NUMBER 30. COMMENTS OR MOTIONS BY SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA.

SECOND BY SUPERVISOR LOR AND WE'LL OPEN UP TO THE PUBLIC. NO COMMENTS, WE'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC COMMENTS, BRING THEM BACK AND IF YOU CAN PLEASE CAST YOUR VOTES, AND GO AHED AND RECORD THE VOTES.

[NOISE] MOTION CARRIES 5-0 UNANIMOUS.

NOW, WE'LL MOVE ON TO BOARD INFORMATION AND POSSIBLE ACTION.

[BOARD INFORMATION & POSSIBLE ACTION]

[LAUGHTER] MOVE TO FILE.

MOVE TO FILE.

MOVE TO FILE BY SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL AND SECOND BY SUPERVISOR LOR, OKAY.

WE'LL OPEN IT TO THE PUBLIC. ANY COMMENTS ON THIS ITEMS? NO COMMENTS.

WE'LL GO AHEAD AND CAST OUR VOTES.

RECORD IT ONE MORE.

THERE WE GO. RECORD THE VOTE.

[01:00:02]

NOW, WE'LL MOVE ON TO A PUBLIC HEARING.

YEAH.

NEXT WE HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING FROM PUBLIC HEALTH TO CONSIDER

[PUBLIC HEALTH - PUBLIC HEARING To consider the Report of Demolition and consider adding costs of demolition to the Tax Assessment Roll.]

[BACKGROUND] GOOD. GO AHEAD.

GOOD MORNING, CHAIRMAN ESPINOZA AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.

I AM VICKY JONES, ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH DIVISION DIRECTOR WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH, DIVISION OF ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH.

I'VE REQUESTED TO SCHEDULE THIS PUBLIC HEARING TO ASK FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION OF THE REPORT OF DEMOLITION AND ABATEMENT ACTIVITIES FOR THE PROPERTY LOCATED AT 13638 VOLTA ROAD IN LOS BANOS, AND TO REQUEST THAT ALL ASSOCIATED COSTS THE COUNTY HAS PAID IN ORDER TO COMPLETE THIS ABATEMENT PROJECT BE PROVIDED ON THE ASSESSMENT ROLE AS A SPECIAL ASSESSMENT AND LIEN ON THE PROPERTY IN THE AMOUNT OF $30,962.21, $10,442.71 WAS FOR SOLID WASTE TONNAGE COSTS, $14,000 WAS FOR THE DEMOLITION CONTRACTOR FEES, AND 55 AND A QUARTER HOURS OF COUNTY STAFF TIME WAS EXPENDED TOTALING $6,519.50.

ON APRIL 15TH, 2013, ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH CONTINUED WORK ON AN EXISTING COMPLAINT DUE TO A COMPLAINT THAT OUR OFFICE RECEIVED FROM THE PUBLIC.

THE PROPERTY WAS AN EXISTING POSTED DWELLING, ORIGINALLY POSTED ON FEBRUARY 18TH, 2005.

THE PROPERTY WAS RE-POSTED WITH "UNSAFE TO OCCUPY" SIGNAGE DUE TO THE SUBSTANDARD CONDITIONS OBSERVED RELATED TO A SUBSTANDARD DWELLING, SUBSTANDARD STRUCTURES, SOLID WASTE, JUNK, AND DEBRIS ON THE PROPERTY.

ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH, THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT AND CODE ENFORCEMENT STAFF WORKED DILIGENTLY BETWEEN APRIL 2013 AND NOVEMBER 2018 TO RESPOND TO COMPLAINTS IN A TIMELY MANNER RELATED TO TRESPASSERS ILLEGALLY OCCUPYING THE PREMISES AND SOLID WASTE AND DEBRIS ON THE PROPERTY.

IN NOVEMBER 9TH, 2018, ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH ISSUED A NOTICE AND ORDER OF VIOLATIONS AND IT WAS SENT TO THE PROPERTY OWNERS OF RECORD AND KNOWN HEIR BY CERTIFIED AND REGULAR MAIL.

THE PROPERTY OWNERS OF RECORD WERE NOT RESPONSIVE.

WE DID LEARN THAT THE PROPERTY OWNERS OF RECORD HAVE BEEN DECEASED.

CONDITIONS ON THE PROPERTY DID NOT IMPROVE DURING THAT TIME.

ON MARCH 4TH, 2019, THERE WAS A FINAL NOTICE AND ORDER OF VIOLATIONS PROVIDED TO THE KNOWN HEIRS OF THE PROPERTY BY CERTIFIED AND REGULAR MAIL.

THE HEIRS OF THE PROPERTY INDICATED THEY WERE IN SUPPORT OF THE COUNTY ABATING THE PROPERTY.

ON MAY 22ND, 2019, ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH STAFF AND DEPUTY COUNTY COUNCIL WERE IN ATTENDANCE AT SUPERIOR COURT TO OBTAIN AN INSPECTION WARRANT TO ALLOW FOR COUNTY ABATEMENT OF THE PROPERTY.

THE JUDGE GRANTED ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH THE INSPECTION WARRANT EFFECTIVE JUNE 5TH, 2019.

ON MAY 29TH, 2019, THE WARRANT WAS POSTED AT THE PROPERTY AND SENT TO THE LISTED PROPERTY OWNERS AND KNOWN HEIRS OF RECORD BY CERTIFIED AND REGULAR MAIL.

BETWEEN JUNE 6TH AND JUNE 14TH, 2019, COUNTY DEMOLITION AND ABATEMENT ACTIVITIES WERE COMPLETED BY A LICENSED CONTRACTOR HIRED BY ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH.

AT THIS TIME, I'D LIKE TO TURN YOUR ATTENTION TO THE PROJECTOR SCREENS SO THEY MAY SHOW YOU PHOTOS OF THE PROPERTY BEFORE AND AFTER ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH'S ABATEMENT EFFORTS.

THIS IS A MAP SHOWING THE LOCATION OF THE PROPERTY AT THE INTERSECTION OF VOLTA ROAD AND GRAND AVENUE IN LOS BANOS.

[BACKGROUND] THIS IS JUST A CLOSE-UP TO SHOW THE EXTENT OF THE PROPERTY.

THIS IS A PHOTO OF THE PROPERTY BEFORE ABATEMENT OCCURRED.

[BACKGROUND] THIS IS A SLIDE FROM JUNE 11TH, 2019 AFTER THE DEMOLITION AND ABATEMENT ACTIVITIES.

THIS IS A PHOTO AS OF YESTERDAY THAT THE PROPERTY STILL REMAINS CLEAN AND CLEAR.

THE SLIDE SHOWS A SUMMARY OF THE RECENT ACTIVITIES THAT I HAD EXPLAINED.

I WOULD LIKE TO THANK COUNTY STAFF WITH ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH, THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT, AND CODE ENFORCEMENT WITH THE COUNTY FOR THEIR SIGNIFICANT EFFORTS AND TEAMWORK WHICH PROVIDED SUCCESSFUL MANAGEMENT AND COMPLETION OF THIS PROJECT.

[01:05:01]

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. NOW, WE'LL GO ON TO WHO HAS COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? ANY COMMENTS? OR ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS AS WELL? LET'S OPEN UP HERE. IT IS A PUBLIC HEARING.

OKAY. THIS IS A PUBLIC HEARING, SO WE'LL OPEN UP FOR PUBLIC COMMENTS.

ANY COMMENTS ON THIS PUBLIC HEARING? NO. WE'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AND WE INVITE THE BOARD FOR THE COMMENTS.

SUPERVISOR [INAUDIBLE] TEIRAHANK YOU, MR. CHAIR, AND MS. JONES, THANK YOU FOR THE WORK ON THIS.

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I WILL POINT OUT AND I'M GOING TO ASK YOU A QUESTION IS THAT TYPICALLY IS THIS THE STANDARD AMOUNT OF TIME THAT IT TAKES? I WAS MADE AWARE OF THIS ISSUE, I THINK IT WAS PROBABLY ONE OF MY FIRST CALLS WHEN I GOT SWORN INTO OFFICE WAS ABOUT THIS SPECIFIC PROPERTY.

SO TO ME, I FELT LIKE, MAN, WE REALLY KNOCKED IT OUT OF THE PARK HERE, I CALLED AND HERE WE ARE IN GOVERNMENT TERMS ONE SHORT YEAR LATER AND WE'VE GOT THIS THING KNOCKED OUT AND CLEANED UP.

THEN LOOKING THROUGH THE PUBLIC HEARING OR THE DOCUMENTATION THAT STARTED IN 2013.

IS THAT TYPICALLY HOW LONG THESE TYPE OF NUISANCE PROPERTIES TAKE FOR US TO ABATE THEM OR TO GET TO THIS SAME KIND OF RESOLUTION? WILL BE MY FIRST QUESTION.

UNFORTUNATELY, THERE'S A FEW FACTORS THAT CAN EXTEND THE LENGTH OF TIME IT MAY TAKE TO COME TO COMPLETION OF A DEMOLITION ON A PROJECT.

IT DOES INCLUDE THINGS SUCH AS STAFFING AND RESOURCES, FUNDING AVAILABLE THAT WILL BE PROVIDED TO THE DEPARTMENT TO MOVE FORWARD WITH ABATEMENT FROM THE COUNTY, AND ALSO DETERMINING WHICH PROJECT IS IN MOST DIRE NEED OF ABATEMENT.

SO IT CAN TAKE THAT LONG JUST BECAUSE REALLY IN ORDER TO ABATE A PROPERTY, WE REALLY ONLY HAVE RESOURCES TO DO A COUPLE A YEAR.

SO THERE IS A LIST THAT WE HAVE THAT WE CONSTANTLY ARE REPRIORITIZING BASED ON FEEDBACK WE RECEIVE FROM THE BOARD AND THE COMMUNITY.

VERY GOOD. WELL, I APPRECIATE YOUR GUYS WORK ON IT AND I WAS JUST SHARING WITH SUPERVISOR PAREIRA, IF YOU FLIP THAT PICTURE BACK UP THERE THAT'S WHERE MY DOG GOES TO THE GROOMER RIGHT NEXT DOOR TO THAT PLACE AND I DON'T TYPICALLY TAKE MY DOG.

MY WIFE USUALLY DOES, AND IN THIS LAST TIME I TOOK HER IN AND I SAW THAT THEY DID A REALLY GOOD JOB.

SO KUDOS TO THAT CONTRACTOR, I MEAN, THEY REALLY MADE THAT PLACE LOOK NICE AND THEY PUT A FENCE AROUND IT.

SO IT MAY HAVE HAD A SOMEWHAT OF A FENCE BEFORE BUT TO KEEP PEOPLE FROM COMING IN AND OUT ON THERE.

MY THING IS, AGAIN, I TALK ABOUT THERE'S A CERTAIN SET OF RULES THAT SOCIETIES KIND OF AGREED THAT WE'RE GOING TO LIVE BY, AND ONE OF THOSE IS JUST NOT LIKE DUMPING TRASH IN YOUR FRONT YARD AND LETTING IT PILE UP.

I'M SORRY. I DON'T THINK THAT'S SANITARY, SAFE, OR THERE'S NO GOOD, NOBODY CAN CONVINCE ME THAT THERE'S ANY GOOD IN DOING THAT.

SO FOR THOSE WORST-CASE SCENARIOS SUCH AS THIS ONE, I'M GLAD THAT WE HAVE A PROCESS IN PLACE THAT ALLOWS US AND I KNOW WE HAVE TO DOT A LOT OF I'S AND CROSS A LOT OF T'S, COUNCIL HAS TO BE INVOLVED, WE HAVE TO GO TO THE COURT, BUT TO ME, IT'S STILL IMPORTANT THAT WE HAVE THAT TOOL AND WE CAN TALK ABOUT WHERE DOES THE FUNDING ONCE THE ADMINS TO HAVE PROPERTY SELLS AND MONEY COMES BACK? THERE'S A LOT OF OTHER, TO ME, IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE HAVE THAT TOOL FOR THOSE WORST-CASE SCENARIOS THAT WE CAN GO AFTER THEM AND SEND THE MESSAGE OUT THERE THAT'S NOT ACCEPTABLE OR AT LEAST FOR ME, THAT'S NOT ACCEPTABLE.

THAT'S NOT ACCEPTABLE TO THE SUPER MAJORITY OF MY CONSTITUENTS.

SO AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR THE WORK ON IT.

I KNOW THAT THOSE NEIGHBORS THAT LIVE AROUND THERE, AND IF YOU COULD SEE BY THOSE PICTURES ON THE INTERACTIVE MAP.

IT'S AN OLD PICTURE OF WHAT IT LOOKED LIKE BEFORE.

YOU LOOK AT ALL THE PROPERTIES AROUND THERE AND EVERYBODY KEEPS THEIR PROPERTIES UP.

NOTHING IS PERFECT BUT EVERYBODY KEEPS THEIR AND SAID THEN YOU HAVE THIS ONE JUST ICE OR DO YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT KILL PROPERTY VALUES AND KILL THE MORALE OF A NEIGHBORHOOD? SO AGAIN, LONG WAY OF SAYING THANK YOU FOR THE WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING.

KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK, AND WE NEED TO KEEP SENDING THAT MESSAGE THAT WE'RE NOT GOING TO STAND FOR PEOPLE JUST MAKING THEIR PIECE OF PROPERTY THE BILLY WRIGHT DUMP.

[01:10:04]

THANK YOU. SUPERVISOR OR MCDANIE TH.ANK YOU, CHAIR.

AT FIRST GLANCE WHEN I LOOK AT THIS, IT SEEMS LIKE YOU'VE GIVEN PREFERRED TREATMENT TO MY ESTEEMED COLLEAGUE ON THE WESTSIDE IN DISTRICT 5 [LAUGHTER] BECAUSE ALL THE PROPERTIES THAT SEEMS LIKE WE'VE HAD TO GO TO THIS EFFORT IN MY DISTRICT IS TAKING, FOR A YEAR TO GET THIS DONE IS UNBELIEVABLE BECAUSE WE'VE HAD MULTIPLE YEARS TO GET A LOT OF MIND, BUT I UNDERSTAND IT'S THE PROPERTY OWNER IF THEY PARTICIPATE IN THE PROCESS THAT MAKES IT GO A LOT FASTER.

BUT JUST THOUGHT I'D HIGHLIGHT THAT MAYBE MY WESTSIDE PARTNER GOT PREFERRED TREATMENT.

THANK YOU. NOW, FOR SUPERVISOR LAURA.

[BACKGROUND] THANK YOU. JUST A REMINDER TO RESIDENTS THAT OBVIOUSLY IT DOESN'T HAPPEN OVER NIGHT.

SO WE NEED TO BE EXTRA CAREFUL ABOUT WHAT WE ASKED FOR, HOW WE ASK FOR IT, BECAUSE UNFORTUNATELY, WE DON'T HAVE A MAGICAL WAND THAT CLEANS EVERYTHING UP.

SO JUST A REMINDER TO BE PATIENT WITH US BECAUSE WE HAVE GUIDELINES THAT WE NEED TO FOLLOW.

WE'RE HERE FOR THE SAME PURPOSE, JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR COMMUNITY IS SAFE AND CLEAN.

SO JUST A REMINDER ON THAT. THANK YOU.

NO MORE COMMENTS? AS I ALWAYS SAY TO CONDEMN ANY HOMES, BUT SOMETIMES IT'S JUST GOES OUT OF HAND AND THAT'S JUST THE PROPERTY BECOMES UNBEARABLE AND NUISANCE FOR THE NEIGHBORS AND ALL.

I'VE HEARD A LOT STORIES OVER THE YEARS.

SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.

THANK YOU. NOW, WE'LL MOVE BACK TO THE BOARD FOR ENTERTAIN.

WE HAVE A MOTION BY SUPERVISO DSILVEIRA AND SECONDED BY SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL.

ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS ABOUT THE PUBLIC AGAIN? NO, THEN WE'LL COME BACK AND CAST YOUR VOTE.

[LAUGHTER] THERE WE GO.

NOW, RECORD THE VOTE.

SO IT PASSES, MOTION IS CARRIES, 5-0, UNANIMOUS.

NOW, WE'LL GO ON.

WE'LL MOVE ONTO THE GSA, RIGHT? YEAH. OPEN [INAUDIBLE] NOW, WE'LL OPEN THE MEETING OF

[GSA Meeting]

[BACKGROUND] TAKE A LITTLE BIT.

[BACKGROUND] IT'S A SEPARATE THE AGENDA SO WE'LL TRY TO GET THAT ONE ON SCREEN.

PUBLIC OPPORTUNITY? YES.

PUBLIC OPPORTUNITIES SPEAK ON ANY MATTER OF PUBLIC INTERESTS WITHIN THE BOARD'S JURISDICTION, INCLUDING ITEMS ON THE BOARD'S AGENDA EXCEPT FOR THOSE ITEMS SPECIFICALLY SCHEDULED AS PUBLIC HEARINGS.

TESTIMONY IS LIMITED TO THREE MINUTES PER PERSON.

OKAY, WELL, ANY COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC? [BACKGROUND] WE'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC COMMENT, SO NOW, WE'LL MOVE ON.

CONSENT CALENDAR, COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, ITEM ONE.

OKAY. ANY MOTIONS, COMMENTS AND MOTIONS, PUBLIC? HERE WE GO. IT'S COMING, HERE WE GO.

OKAY, NOW, WE HAVE OUR MOTION BY SUPERVISOR LOR, SECOND BY SUPERVISOR PAREIRA.

SO MOVE ON TO OPEN UP THE PUBLIC.

NOBODY, NO COMMENTS? WE'LL CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENTS.

BRINGING IT BACK FOR CASTING YOUR VOTES. RECORD THE VOTE.

MOTION CARRIED 5-0.

NEXT IS BOARD REPORTS.

[REPORTS/BOARD DIRECTION]

[01:15:03]

I WANTED TO FIRST START OFF BY THANKING STAFF FOR WE DO HAVE THIS NEW VOTING SYSTEM THAT WE'RE ALL WORKING ON HERE.

I KNOW THAT WE'VE ALL HAD SOME TRAINING ON IT.

I THINK THAT IT'S THE FIRST TIME THAT WE, AS A BOARD, HAVE DONE IT TOGETHER.

SO THANK YOU EVERYBODY FOR BEING PATIENT WITH US.

THAT SCREEN WASN'T QUITE UP THERE A YEAR AGO, BUT IT'S TAKEN US A LITTLE WHILE AND IT'S WORKING WITH THE VENDOR AND MAKING SURE THAT ALL OF OUR STUFF CAN GET OUT THERE.

I APPRECIATE THE NEW SYSTEM.

I LIKE THAT IT RECORDS OUR VOTES.

I THINK IT'S A GOOD THING.

I THINK IT'S FOR OUR TRANSPARENCY AND I THINK IT TAKES A LITTLE BIT OF CONFUSION OUT OF IT.

YOU GOT TO HIT A "YES" BUTTON, A "NO" BUTTON, OR "ABSTAINED" BUTTON.

SO THERE'S NO CONFUSION THERE.

EITHER YOU HIT "YES" OR YOU DIDN'T, OR YOU HIT "NO" OR YOU DIDN'T.

SO I DO REALLY APPRECIATE IT.

JUST WANTED TO REPORT OUT THAT ON THE 15TH OF JANUARY, I DID GO UP TO SACRAMENTO WHERE MY COLLEAGUE, SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL WAS SWORN IN AS TH CHAIRMANN FOR RCRC FOR THE UPCOMING YEAR.

SO CONGRATULATIONS TO HIM, BUT DID WANT TO REPORT OUT THAT [NOISE] MYSELF, ALONG WITH SOME OF MY OTHER COLLEAGUES WENT UP THERE AND IT WAS PRETTY PROUD THAT MERCED COUNTY HAD A VERY STRONG SHOW OF SUPPORT FOR SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL AS HE TAKES ON HIS CHAIRMANSHIP.

STAFF, THANK YOU GUYS ALL FOR BEING THERE AS WELL AS COLLEAGUES.

THEN THE LAST THING THAT I WANT TO LEAVE YOU WITH IS I WANT TO ADJOURN TODAY'S MEETING IN HONOR OF MS. LUCY HIGGS.

SHE WAS BORN OCTOBER 20TH, 1911.

[NOISE] SHE PASSED AWAY ON JANUARY 20TH, 2020, WHICH MADE HER A 108 YEARS AND 92 DAYS OLD, FROM DOS PALOS, ONE OF MY RESIDENTS OVER THERE.

SO ACCORDING TO THE CITY OF DOS PALOS' RECORDS, SHE'S THE OLDEST KNOWN DOS PALOSONIAN IN LOCAL HISTORY TO LIVE THAT LONG.

SO I KNOW THAT THERE'S GOING TO BE A CELEBRATION FOR LIFE FOR MS. HIGGS ON THE 31ST AND I JUST WANTED TO SAY, GOD BLESS YOU, MAN.

I'M HOPING TO MAKE IT FOR 80 AND TO MAKE IT TO 108 AND VERY ACTIVE IN THOSE 108 YEARS, THAT A 30 PLUS YEAR CAREER WITH FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, AND THEN RETIRED FROM THAT AND STILL LED ANOTHER 30 PLUS YEAR CAREER OF BEING VERY ACTIVE IN THE LOCAL CHARITY SCENE AND STUFF.

SO VERY PROUD TO SAY THAT MS. HIGGS IS FROM THE GREAT CITY OF DOS PALOS AND THE BEST SIDE, WHICH IS THE WESTSIDE DISTRICT 5. THANK YOU.

[LAUGHTER] THANK YOU, CHAIR. I TOO ATTENDED THE RCRC SWEARING IN CEREMONY OF DARON MCDANIEL.

IT WAS A HIGHLIGHT OF MY TWO WEEKS SINCE OUR LAST MEETING AND THE REASON WHY IT'S RIGHT, WE'RE MERCED COUNTY, WE'RE ONE OF THE SMALLER COUNTIES IN CALIFORNIA AND FOR US TO HAVE ONE OF OUR OWN, NOT ONLY IN SACRAMENTO AND OUR REGION, BUT NATIONWIDE TO REPRESENT THE RURAL WAY OF LIFE.

WHAT REALLY HAS COME TO ME IS OUR VALUES FOR HIM TO BE UP, REPRESENTING US I THINK IS A GREAT BENEFIT TO ALL OF THE CITIZENS OF MERCED COUNTY.

SO I WANT TO CONGRATULATE SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL AND THANK HIM FOR [NOISE] WHAT HE DOES FOR US.

ALSO WANT TO CONGRATULATE THE MARTIN LUTHER KING COMMITTEE.

THEY HELD A PARADE IN HONOR MARTIN LUTHER KING ON THE 20TH.

ANYWAY, SO IT WAS JUST A WONDERFUL EVENT.

IT SHOWCASED A LOT OF, NOT ONLY CIVIL RIGHTS ISSUES, BUT ALSO, [NOISE] WHAT'S INTERESTING TO ME IS SOME OF THE FRUSTRATION THAT PEOPLE STILL FEEL HERE IN THE YEAR 2020, AND IT SADDENS ME THAT WE'RE IN THAT SPOT.

BUT HAVING EVENTS TO REKINDLE MARTIN LUTHER KING, I THINK HELPS IN THAT HEALING, OR AT LEAST I HOPE IT DOES.

MY FAVORITE QUOTE FROM MARTIN LUTHER KING'S "I HAVE A DREAM" SPEECH, WELL, REALLY, IN EVERYTHING HE DID WAS THAT HE WAS ADVOCATING FOR A DAY WHEN HIS CHILDREN WOULD BE JUDGED BY THE CONTENT OF THEIR CHARACTER, NOT BY THE COLOR OF THEIR SKIN.

SOMETIMES I THINK IN TODAY'S WORLD, WE LOSE TRACK OF THAT.

I JUST THINK ABOUT THAT, THAT MY CHILDREN WILL BE JUDGED ON THE CONTENT OF THEIR CHARACTER.

IF WE COULD ALL DO THAT, THERE WOULD BE LESS RACISM IN THE UNITED STATES AND PROBABLY THE WORLD.

[01:20:04]

THEN LAST NIGHT I ATTENDED THE ANNEXING STUDY REPORT THAT THE CITY OF MERCED DID AND SO THERE WAS A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF MY CONSTITUENTS THERE.

THE ANNEXATION STUDY IS A NORTHEAST MERCED AREA ALL THE WAY OUT TO DC AND SOME OF IT EVEN BEYOND, AND JUST FROM THE COMMENTS OF THE PLANNING COMMISSIONERS AND SOME OF THE COUNCIL PEOPLE, PUT AT EASE.

SO I JUST WANT TO HAVE IT OUT FOR ANYBODY THAT MIGHT BE WATCHING, THAT THE HILLCREST AND THE HATCH ROAD NEIGHBORHOODS WERE ACKNOWLEDGED FOR WHAT THEY ARE.

THE COUNCIL MEMBERS LED ME TO BELIEVE THAT, THEIR THOUGHTS ARE THAT THOSE ARE INTACT COMMUNITIES THAT SHOULD BE LEFT ALONE AND SO I THINK THAT JUST EASED A LOT OF PEOPLE'S FEARS AND SO I WANT TO THANK THE CITY OF MERCED FOR ONE, DOING THE STUDY BUT BRINGING IT TO SUNSHINE, IN FRONT OF THE RESIDENTS.

BECAUSE FEAR IS THE WORST THING THAT SOMEBODY NEEDS TO HAVE WITH THEIR HOME, OUR HOME IS OUR CASTLE.

SO ANYWAY, JUST A SHOUT OUT AND A THANK YOU TO THE MAYOR AND THE REST OF THE COUNCIL FOR DOING THAT FOR THE COMMUNITY. THAT IS IT.

THANK YOU. SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL.

THANK YOU, CHAIR. I'LL KEEP IT BRIEF.

I AM A LITTLE BIT UNDER THE WEATHER TODAY, BUT I'D LIKE TO THANK MY COLLEAGUES FOR ATTENDING AND ALL STAFF FOR ARE ATTENDING THE RCRC SWEAR IN.

IT IS A LARGE LIFT.

WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT THAT 37 RURAL COUNTIES HERE IN CALIFORNIA AND HOW WE SEEM TO BECOME, I THINK WE ACTUALLY HAD ONE, LEADER IN THE SENATE SAY THAT THERE'S NOTHING BUT TUMBLEWEEDS HERE IN THE VALLEY.

WHY WOULD YOU DO ANYTHING THERE? SO MOST OF THE TIME THEY'RE JUST FLYING OVER OUR AREA AND WE ARE NOT LOOKED AT, BUT WE ARE THE OTHER CALIFORNIA AND AS MARC ANDREESSEN LIKES TO ALWAYS SAY, BECAUSE WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY, WE ARE WHAT THE COASTAL USED TO BE, BECAUSE WE HAVE OPPORTUNITY HERE.

THEY'RE ALL BUILT OUT, THEY ARE OVER-POPULATED.

YOU CAN'T DRIVE ANYWHERE.

BUT YET YOU'RE IN RURAL CALIFORNIA, WE STILL HAVE THAT STANDARD OF LIFE THAT WE ACHIEVE AND WE WANT TO CONTINUE ACHIEVE THAT AND WE KNOW, THAT A LOT OF THE STUFF THAT I'VE DONE IN SACRAMENTO ISN'T ONE FIXED HELPS ALL, WE ARE MUCH DIFFERENT THAN OUR LARGER URBAN AREAS.

I ALSO WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE MLK COMMITTEE FOR DOING THEIR VET.

IT'S ALWAYS NICE TO SEE THE WHOLE COMMUNITY COME OUT STANDING AS ONE, AND THAT IS MUCH APPRECIATED.

ALSO, I'D LIKE TO THANK [INAUDIBLE] FOR TAKING THE OPPORTUNITY OR OPEN UP THE TARMAC THERE IN CASTLE, IT WAS VERY WELL ATTENDED.

WE THAT WE WERE GOING TO HAVE PLENTY OF PARKING OUT THERE AND EVERY TIME THAT PLACE IS OPEN, THAT PARKING LOT IS FULL.

ALL THE COMMENTS THAT I KEPT THANKING THE COUNTY, BUT I KNOW THAT THANKS GOES TO MARK HENDERSON AND MARK MIMS FOR EVERYTHING THAT THEY'VE DONE.

WE BASICALLY, TRIED TO GET OUT OF THE WAY, WHICH I SAY THAT'S GOVERNMENT EASY OUT OF THE AWAY TO ALLOW OUR CITIZENS TO FLOURISH AND I THINK THAT'S WHAT WE DID.

WE TEED IT UP, ALLOWED THEM TO DO WHAT THEY NEED TO DO, AND NOW WE HAVE A SUCCESSFUL BUSINESS GOING ON OUT THERE. THANK YOU, MR CHAIR.

THANK YOU. SUPERVISOR, LOR.

THANK YOU. I LOVE THE NEW VOTING SYSTEM.

I LOVE THE INDEXING OF OUR MEETING, SO THANK YOU STAFF FOR THAT.

I ATTENDED THIS REIGNING IN OF SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL AS CHAIR OF RCRC AND I'M VERY CONFIDENT IN THE WORK THAT HE HAS DONE AND WHAT HE WILL DO BECAUSE WE KNOW HOW PASSIONATE HE IS ABOUT DISTRICT III AND OUR RURAL COUNTIES.

ALSO SHOUT OUT TO THE MLK COMMITTEE FOR THE MLK PARADE IN CELEBRATION.

I LOVED THE DIVERSITY OF PERFORMANCES THAT DAY.

I ALSO ATTENDED THE CSAC WORKSHOP, LEADING CONSCIOUSLY, COMMONLY KNOWN AS IMPLICIT BIAS.

PLEASE KNOW THAT THERE'S WORK BEING DONE TO BRING, LIGHT OPPORTUNITIES TO MERCED COUNTY.

I WANT TO THANK MY COLLEAGUES FOR THEIR VOTE OF CONFIDENCE TODAY IN ITEM NUMBER 29, PLEASE KNOW THAT THERE'S ALREADY A LINE OF STUDENTS WAITING TO APPLY. SO THANK YOU.

CAN WE BORROW SOME MONEY? [LAUGHTER] RIGHT? LET'S PUT THAT ON THE AGENDA.

THANK YOU. COUNTY COUNCIL.

NOTHING.

NOTHING. CEO? NOTHING. THANK YOU.

I JUST WANT TO HOPE A SPEEDY RECOVERY FOR OUR GENERAL COUNSEL THAT HE IS NOT HERE.

I KNOW HE IS OUT ON SURGERY.

SO THE BEST TO HIM AND HIS FAMILY THAT'S TAKING CARE OF HIM.

SO HOPEFULLY HE RECOVERS A 100 PERCENT.

SO I ALSO WANTED TO SAY THAT I WENT TO LOS BANOS TO DISTRICT FIVE.

I WAS INVITED TO TALK TO A GROUP OF PARENTS FROM E LACK,

[01:25:01]

SO I HAD A WONDERFUL TIME.

JUST TO EXPLAIN A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE CHAIR AND ALSO THE BEING A SUPERVISOR.

SO THEY WOULD CALL ME MR. MAYOR, BUT I GO, "WELL, IT'S CHAIRMAN." [LAUGHTER] YEAH.

ALSO TO ATTEND TO THE MARTIN LUTHER KING PARADE, I THINK IT WAS A FLEXIBLE AS A LAWYERS, THEY HAD GREAT DIVERSITY PERFORMANCES THAT WHEN IT WAS JUST A GREAT TIME TO BE THERE IN [INAUDIBLE] BUT JUST THE MEMORY OF MLK, WHICH WAS GREAT.

I ALSO ATTENDED THE MERCED COUNTY LAW LIBRARY COMMITTEE AND THAT'S PART OF BEING CHAIR.

IT'S THE BOARD MEETING DECIDED TO RECOMMEND TO ALL OF THIS BOARD THAT I'LL BE A MEMBER ON THAT COMMITTEE AND SO THAT'S GOING TO BE COMING UP NEXT MEETING.

ALSO, I WOULD LIKE TO STATE FROM AROUND THE COUNTY, I'M GOING TO PITCH TO MY COLLEAGUES ABOUT MAYBE HOPEFULLY IN THE FUTURE SETTING UP ONE OR TWO MEETINGS A YEAR OUT WITHIN OUR COUNTY TO BE IN THE FOCUS, CLOSE TO SO THAT WHERE THE CITIZENS OF THIS COUNTY CAN KNOW A LITTLE BIT MORE OF WHAT MERCED COUNTY DOES ALL US SUPERVISORS DO IN ALL THE DEPARTMENTS, CHURCH AS WELL, A LITTLE BIT MORE OF WHAT THE DEPARTMENTS DO IT SO THAT THAT WAY, BECAUSE NOT ALL THE CITIZENS OF MERCED COUNTY KNOW WHAT OUR DEPARTMENTS TOTALLY DO.

SO PROBABLY, IN THE FUTURE TOO I LIKE TO STAY A LITTLE BIT OVER UNDER MY COMMENTS TO ABOUT WHAT EACH DEPARTMENT DOES A LITTLE BIT THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.

SO I'LL BE TRYING TO DO THAT.

ALSO TOO, I WANTED TO SAY THAT THE CAMPUS PARKWAY WILL BE HAVING A GRAND OPENING, RIBBON CUTTING AND GROUNDBREAKING FOR PHASE THREE ON THIS FRIDAY, JANUARY 31ST AT 02:00 PM.

SO IF ANYBODY WANTS TO BE THERE, SO THAT'D BE GREAT.

I WANT TO CLOSE MY COMMENTS BY MEMORY OF OSCAR EYEN.

HE IS THE GENTLEMAN THAT PASSED AWAY.

I DIDN'T KNOW THAT HE PASSED AWAY THIS PAST SEPTEMBER.

HE WAS A PAST MAG MEMBER OF CELESTE, I GUESS IN THE PAST IN MY DISTRICT, HE USED TO HAVE A MUNICIPAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE THERE AND HE WAS ALWAYS PASSIONATE ABOUT HIS LITTLE AREA OF CELESTE JUST PASSED ON 140 PATHS.

THE NEW CAMPUS PARKWAY, HIS ALWAYS CALLING ME TO TRY TO CLEAN IT OUT BECAUSE I KNOW IT'S A LOW-INCOME AREA AND I'M VERY IN NEED OF SOME MORE SERVICES, ESPECIALLY, WATER.

THERE ARE NOT LOT OF WATER PRESSURE, SO I'M ALSO PITCHING IT TO THE CITY OF MERCED HOPEFULLY IN THE NEW GENERAL PLAN AND ANNOTATIONS THAT TAKEOVER THE LITTLE TOWN RIGHT NEXT TO CAMPUS PARKWAY SINCE THEY'RE DOING ALL THAT GROWTH.

I THINK, THAT THERE ARE IN THE BEST POSITION, THEY'RE ALREADY PROVIDING THE WATER THERE.

I'M TALKING TO THEM ABOUT, HOPEFULLY, SO THEY CAN PUMP BETTER WATER PRESSURE, WHICH THERE'S SOME BUSINESSES AND THEY SAY, WELL, THERE'S A VERY LITTLE WATER COMING OUT OF THEIR HOUSES.

THEY NEED MORE WATER PRESSURE JUST SAYING FOR SAFETY IN CASE OF A FIRE.

WITH THAT, OSCAR EYEN, HE ALWAYS WORK HARD AND TRY TO REPRESENT HIS AREA OF MERCED COUNTY.

SO THANK YOU. SO WITH THAT, I'LL ADJOURN THE MEETING. THANK YOU.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.