[00:00:01] OK, WE'RE GOING TO GO AHEAD AND START. [Call to Order] GOOD MORNING, EVERYONE. WELCOME TO THE DECEMBER 8, 2020 MERCED COUNTY BOARD MEETING. IN ORDER TO MINIMIZE THE SPREAD OF COVID-19 VIRUS, THE COUNTY IS CONDUCTING BUSINESS IN COMPLIANCE WITH SOCIAL DISTANCING REQUIREMENTS WITH CITY AND FOR THE PUBLIC, LIMITED TO TWENTY FIVE. WE HAVE ALSO PROVIDED SOME OVERFLOW SPACE ON A FIRST COME, FIRST SERVE BASIS . FOR MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WHO DO NOT WISH TO ATTEND IN PERSON WE HAVE BEEN ACCEPTING GENERAL, WE HAVE BEEN ACCEPTING GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENTS VIA EMAIL AND VOICEMAIL FOR NON AGENDA AND AGENDA ITEMS. WE WILL NOW START WITH THE INVOCATION. WOULD ANYBODY FROM THE PUBLIC HERE PRESENT LIKE TO DO THE INVOCATION? NO. OK. WOULD YOU LIKE TO DO THE INVOCATION? NO, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR VOLUNTEERING. PLEASE STAND. GOOD MORNING, EVERYONE. I'M NOT WEARING MY HAT AS THE DIRECTOR TODAY, I WEAR MY HAT AS THE PASTOR OF WALKING BY FAITH MINISTRIES INTERNATIONAL. SO LET US BOW OUR HEADS, PLEASE. TO GOD BE THE GLORY. WE THANK YOU FOR ANOTHER DAY. WE THANK YOU FOR OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE YOU IN A CAPACITY WHICH YOU HAVE GIVEN US. I ASK THAT YOU WATCH OVER THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS AS THEY CONTINUE TO UPLIFT AND DO WHAT YOU HAVE CALLED THEM TO DO. GOD STRENGTHEN THEM WHERE THEY ARE WEAK AND BUILD THEM UP WHERE THEY ARE TORN DOWN. GOD, WE KNOW THE DECISIONS THAT THEY HAVE TO MAKE. GOD IS LIFE CHANGING. SO WE WANT YOU TO LEAD AND GUIDE THEM EVERY STEP OF THE WAY GOD. AND AS THE LEADERS OF THIS COMMUNITY GOD, I ASK THAT YOU BLESS EACH AND EVERY ONE OF THEM. THE ONES THAT ARE HERE, THE ONE ARE ON THE WAY TO COME. GOD, WE KNOW THAT YOU DON'T MAKE MISTAKES. GOD, WE KNOW YOUR POWER AND YOUR GLORY IS EVERLASTING. SO WE ASK THAT YOU MOVE IN THIS PLACE. GOD ARRANGE EVERYTHING ACCORDING TO YOUR WILL. WE THANK YOU FOR THE LEADERSHIP OF THE COUNTY DIRECTORS GOD THAT YOU HAVE PUT IN PLACE FOR A SEASON. AND WE THANK YOU AND ANOINT THEM TO DO THE WORK THAT YOU CALL US TO DO. GOD, THAT WE ARE HERE TO SERVE YOUR PEOPLE AND GIVE YOU HONOR, GOD. AND AS WE GO ALONG THROUGHOUT TODAY IN THIS BROAD AGENDA, YOU GIVE US THE RIGHT ANSWERS. YOU TELL US WHAT TO DO AND YOU GIVE YOU THAT. YOU WOULD GET ALL THE HONOR AND THE GLORY IN JESUS NAME WE PRAY. AMEN. AMEN. IF YOU PLEASE TURN, I WILL LEAD THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. WE HAD A CLOSED SESSION THIS MORNING AND WE GAVE STAFF DIRECTION. [PUBLIC OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK] NOW IS TIME FOR PUBLIC COMMENT. IT'S NOW TIME FOR A PUBLIC OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK ON ANY MATTER OF PUBLIC INTEREST WITHIN THE BOARD'S JURISDICTION, INCLUDING ITEMS ON THE BOARDS AGENDA, EXCEPT FOR THOSE ITEMS SPECIFICALLY SCHEDULED AS PUBLIC HEARINGS. TESTIMONY IS LIMITED TO THREE MINUTES PER PERSON. OK, BEFORE WE START, I'M GOING TO SAY THAT MORE THAN LIKELY WE HAVE A LUNCH BREAK AFTER ALL THE PUBLIC COMMENT AND TO ALLOW A BREAK FOR OUR STAFF. AS WE SEE IT, WE HAVE 57 GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT VOICEMAILS, 12 VOICEMAILS THAT WILL NEED TRANSLATION AND ONE VOICEMAIL THAT WILL NEED HMONG TRANSLATION. TWO EMAILS WERE RECEIVED AFTER THE DEADLINE AND 13 EMAILS COMMENTS TO GO INTO THE RECORD. OK, WELL, NOW WE'LL START WITH PUBLIC COMMENT IN PERSON. ANYBODY HERE WOULD LIKE TO DO A PUBLIC COMMENT? PLEASE COME FORWARD. STATE YOUR NAME. GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS RHONDA JENKINS, AND I JUST WANTED TO GIVE PUBLIC COMMENT. THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING US THIS OPPORTUNITY TO COME AND SPEAK TO YOU. I AM COMING ON BEHALF OF MYSELF, MY FAMILY, MY FRIENDS, PEOPLE THAT LIVE IN THE COUNTY THAT I HAVE BEEN I HAVE BEEN RAISED IN. AND I ALSO AM FROM THE CITY OF ATWATER, SORT OF IN THE COUNTY. BUT ATWATER'S MY MAIN CITY. AND I JUST WANTED TO ADDRESS THE CHOICES THAT WE'VE BEEN MAKE THAT WE'VE MADE FOR THE LOCKDOWN. I JUST REALLY FEEL LIKE THIS IS HURTING OUR COMMUNITY. AND I HAVE SORT OF SOMETIMES I SPEAK AS QUESTIONS, BUT I KNOW YOU CAN'T ANSWER THEM. SO I'M JUST ASKING QUESTIONS. I'D LIKE TO KNOW WHAT THE BOARD IS DOING TO MOVE FORWARD. YOU KNOW, WE, I KEEP TOUCHING MY MASK. [00:05:01] SORRY ABOUT THAT. IT'S INCHING MY FACE. THE WE'RE ALLOWING AN UNELECTED PUBLIC SERVANT, YOU KNOW, A HEALTH DEPARTMENT UNDERNEATH OUR GOVERNMENT HEALTH DEPARTMENT TO MAKE CHOICES FOR OUR COUNTY. AND SO I'M WONDERING WHAT WE'RE DOING TO WORK WITH THEM SO THAT WE CAN STAY OPEN. HAVE WE LOOKED AT CASTLE? HAVE WE LOOKED AT OPEN THE OLD MERCY? IF WE'RE TALKING ABOUT OVERFLOW ISSUES? I AM A HEALTH CARES PROFESSIONAL AND I HAVE HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF WORKING WITH PEOPLE THAT HAVE HAD THIS DISEASE. SO I DO UNDERSTAND THAT IT'S NOT SOMETHING WE SHOULD TAKE LIGHTLY. BUT I ALSO KNOW THAT WE HAVE TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTY FIVE THOUSAND RESIDENTS IN THE COUNTY AND ON SATURDAY I DIDN'T LOOK TODAY THERE WAS LIKE 29 PATIENTS IN THE MERCED COUNTY HOSPITALS. THAT'S TWO HUNDRED FIFTY FIVE THOUSAND PEOPLE AND ONLY 29 POSSIBLY WERE IN THE HOSPITAL. THAT FLOWS BACK AND FORTH. AND I DON'T SEE THAT IT IS HELPING OUR COMMUNITY. IN TWO WEEKS, WHAT TWO MONTHS AGO, I KNEW OF FOUR PEOPLE THAT COMMITTED SUICIDE. I KNOW MY PATIENTS ARE LONELY. THEY'RE IN THE HOSPITAL BY THEMSELVES. THERE'S PEOPLE AT HOME THAT ARE BY THEMSELVES. AND THIS IS NOT A GOOD THING. OUR BUSINESSES. HOW ARE YOU GUYS PAYING YOURSELVES? HOW ARE YOU DOING THAT YOU HAVE TO TAKE TAXES IN? HOW CAN YOU DO THAT WHEN YOUR BUSINESSES ARE CLOSED? ARE YOU ASKING THEM TO TAKE LOANS TO PAY THEIR PROPERTY TAXES? EVEN ME? YOU KNOW, I'M THANKFUL I HAVE A JOB, BUT THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT CAN'T COUNT ON THAT. SO HOW IS THAT HAPPENING? I DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW WE RUN A BUSINESS WHICH IS OUR COUNTY AND OUR CITIES WITHOUT BRINGING IN INCOME. AND HOW CAN YOU TAX PEOPLE IF THEY CAN'T BRING IN INCOME, FORCING PEOPLE TO GO ON GOVERNMENT ASSISTANCE? THAT'S NOT RIGHT. AND THEN THEY HAVE TO PAY THEIR BILLS. SO HOW COULD THEY PAY THEIR TAXES? SO FROM A MONETARY THING, IF YOU ALL ARE TAKING INCOME STILL AND HAVE NOT BEEN HURT BY THIS, I'M ASKING WHERE YOU'RE GETTING THAT MONEY AND WE SHOULDN'T BE GETTING IT FROM THE GOVERNMENT AND WE SHOULDN'T LET THEM EXTORT US TO BE RECEIVING TAXPAYER DOLLARS. MENTALLY, MENTAL HEALTH, YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST SUCH A SAD THING. I'M PRETTY NORMAL. I FEEL NORMAL. BUT, YOU KNOW, IT'S A STRUGGLE. IT'S A STRUGGLE TO THINK, OH, SHOOT, NOW I HAVE TO STAY HOME OR DO WE HAVE TO REDO OUR FAMILY ACTIVITIES? YOU KNOW, THAT'S PRETTY STRESSFUL ON PEOPLE. AND IT'S DISAPPOINTING. WE HAVE GRANDCHILDREN THAT ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO DOING THINGS AND THEN WE HAVE TO TELL THEM WELL WE CAN'T DO THIS ANYMORE, YOU KNOW? SO EVEN THOUGH EVEN THOSE THAT MAYBE STILL HAVE MY MOUTH IS REALLY DRY, THE ABILITY TO GO AND DO THINGS OR HAVE FAMILY AROUND THEM, OR COMMUNITY, THEY'RE STILL STRUGGLING. AND I WOULD THINK WE ALL SORT OF FIT INTO THAT AT SOME POINT. SO ANYHOW, I JUST AM VERY THANKFUL FOR THE TIME THAT YOU GUYS PUT FORTH. I WOULD CONSIDER AND ASK YOU TO CONSIDER COMING UP WITH SOMETHING. I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT YOUR PLAN IS FOR THIS. AND IT WOULD BE NICE FOR THE COMMUNITY TO HEAR WHAT YOU AS A BOARD MEMBER HAVE PLANNED AND SET IN PLACE. SAN MATEO, THEIR PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICIAL, CHOSE NOT TO GO WITH THE DIRECTION OF THE HEAD PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICIAL UNDER GOVERNOR NEWSOM. WHY ARE WE? WHY DID OUR PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICIALS CHOOSE THAT? I READ THE ARTICLE THAT THEY SAID THEY WERE PREPARED FOR THIS. THEY HAD OTHER THINGS FOR LIKE SURGES. AND IT'S A SURGE AND IT GOES DOWN. THE SURGE WE HAD IN JULY WAS LIKE THREE WEEKS AND THAT WAS IT, YOU KNOW. SO HOW ARE WE PREPARING FOR THAT? AND I THINK THE COUNTY WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHAT YOU GUYS ARE DOING AND. WHY, AND IT SEEMS LIKE WE HAVE CHOICES, SEEMS LIKE OUR PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICIAL HAD A CHOICE. SO ANYHOW, THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND HAVE A GOOD DAY AND MERRY CHRISTMAS. THANK YOU. ANYBODY ELSE PRESENT THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK? GOOD MORNING. BARBARA LEVEY, ASSESSOR CLERK RECORDER REGISTRAR VOTERS. ON YOUR AGENDA TODAY IS THE CERTIFICATION OF THE MERCED COUNTY CANVASS OF THE PRESIDENTIAL GENERAL ELECTION AND THE STATEMENT OF VOTE. AND SO PUBLICLY, I JUST WANTED TO OFFER A COUPLE THANK YOUS. I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE TREMENDOUS WORK THAT WAS ACCOMPLISHED BY SO MANY FOR THIS HISTORIC ELECTION, TOTAL TURNOUT FOR THE ELECTION OF SEVENTY EIGHT POINT SEVENTY TWO PERCENT. AND THE TURNOUT, AS ANTICIPATED, WAS THE RECORD HIGH FOR THE COUNTY, SURPASSING THE PREVIOUS HIGH OF NOVEMBER 2016. [00:10:03] AND THE NUMBER OF REGISTERED VOTERS WAS ALSO AN HISTORIC HIGH GOING INTO THE ELECTION. IT WAS OVER ONE HUNDRED AND SEVENTEEN THOUSAND. AND I BELIEVE BY THE TIME THE ELECTION WAS DONE, IT WAS OVER ONE HUNDRED AND EIGHTEEN THOUSAND. MERCED ELECTIONS AND I WERE EXTREMELY FORTUNATE TO HAVE THE SUPPORT AND PARTNERSHIPS FROM THROUGHOUT OUR COUNTY DEPARTMENTS, AS WELL AS FROM A NUMBER OF WONDERFUL COMMUNITY BUSINESS PARTNERS AND ORGANIZATIONS, COUNTY DEPARTMENTS INCLUDING DPW, BUILDING SERVICES, THE SURVEYOR. ADMIN SERVICES INCLUDING PURCHASING, INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY, COMMUNICATIONS, JANITORIAL AND SURPLUS, THE UC COOPERATIVE EXTENSION, THE AD COMMISSIONER'S OFFICE AND CHILD SUPPORT ALL CONTRIBUTED AS WELL AS THE AUDITOR COMPTROLLER DEPARTMENT. I ALSO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE SPECIFICALLY THE SECURITY DETAIL HERE AT THIS BUILDING. THEY HAD A [INAUDIBLE] TASK ON ELECTION DAY AND THEY REALLY PERFORMED. THEY WERE WONDERFUL. COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS, INCLUDING MERCED RADIO, MERCED THEATER, THE MULTICULTURAL ARTS CENTER, EL CAPITAN HIGH SCHOOL LEO CLUB AND HIGH SCHOOLS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY ALL WORKED TO SUPPORT MERCED ELECTIONS. AND I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE FACILITIES WHO HOSTED OUR VOTING ASSISTANCE CENTERS. WE KNOW IT WAS A HUGE IMPOSITION ON THEM BECAUSE IT TOOK THEM OUT FOR AT LEAST SIX DAYS. BUT ALL OF OUR CENTERS WERE THE COMMUNITY CENTERS, OUR VETERANS HALLS, THE MERCED COLLEGE AND THE FAIRGROUNDS. FAIRGROUNDS ALSO FOR APPROXIMATELY THREE WEEKS ENABLED US TO USE THEIR FACILITY FOR TRAINING PURPOSES. IN ADDITION TO THE EIGHT FULL TIME STAFF IN THE REGISTRAR VOTERS OFFICE, WE HAD A NUMBER OF EXTRA HEALTH EMPLOYEES WHO WORKED TO PREPARE FOR AND PROVIDE THE SERVICES FOR THIS ELECTION. WE WERE ALSO HONORED AGAIN TO HAVE THE COUNTY EMPLOYEE POLL WORKER PROGRAM, WHO ONCE AGAIN PROVED TO BE INVALUABLE. AND ADDITIONALLY, POLL WORKERS, STUDENT ELECTION WORKERS AND FIELD WORKERS PROVIDED THE NECESSARY AND APPRECIATED SERVICES AND INCREDIBLE SUPPORT, AGAIN, ENABLING US TO PROVIDE HIGH QUALITY, TRANSPARENT AND ACCURATE ELECTION SERVICES WAS RECEIVED FROM OUR ELECTION EQUIPMENT VENDORS, ELECTION SYSTEMS AND SOFTWARE AND [INAUDIBLE]. AND WE'RE PROUD TO HAVE THESE VENDORS AND THEIR COLLEAGUES AS PART OF OUR TEAM. AND FINALLY, I'D LIKE TO THANK THE ASSESSOR CLERK RECORDER DEPARTMENTS AND MY STAFF, LED BY ASSISTANT ASSESSOR CLERK RECORDER MATT MAY, WHO WORKED WITH ME AND WITHOUT ME TO KEEP THOSE SHIPS SAILING. AND FINALLY, A HUGE THANK YOU TO COUNTY COUNCIL [INAUDIBLE], TO JIM BROWN AND THE CEO'S OFFICE AND TO ALL OF YOU, THANK YOU FOR YOUR TRUST, FOR YOUR WORDS, YOUR SUPPORT FOR MERCED ELECTIONS, THE REGISTRAR VOTERS OFFICE AND FOR ME. THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. MY NAME IS BEVERLY [INAUDIBLE], AND I WOULD LIKE TO ECHO WHAT THE FIRST SPEAKER SAID. I'M A REGISTERED NURSE AND RATHER THAN REPEAT WHAT SHE SAID, I JUST WANT TO ECHO WHAT SHE SAID. THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. ANYBODY ELSE PRESIDENT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK? IF NOT, WE WILL GO ON TO THE VOICEMAILS. IT'S DIFFICULT TO UNDERSTAND. THANK YOU. IT'S A LITTLE DIFFICULT. MY NAME IS MARICELA. I HAVE TWO CHILDREN. HER CHILDREN ARE IN KINDERGARTEN. AND SHE WHICH IS MENTIONING IS THAT SHE FEELS THAT THE KINDERGARTEN POPULATION IS [00:15:06] NOT RECEIVING THE SAME HELP AS THE OLDER CHILDREN AS FAR AS THE SCHOOLS GO. I'M NOT SURE IF SHE'S TALKING ABOUT FOOD PROGRAMS. IT'S I CANNOT UNDERSTAND EVERYTHING. SHE'S SAYING, BUT SHE IS STRESSING THAT SHE BELIEVES THE KINDERGARTEN CHILDREN NEED MORE HELP, NOT ONLY THE OLDER ONES. ABOUT HELP FOR RESIDENTS OF LOS BANOS. FOR THE PG&E UTILITIES, AND THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT HAVE LOST THEIR WORK. AND SHE KNOWS SEVERAL PEOPLE THAT HAVE LOST THEIR WORK AND THAT THEY DO NOT GET ANY HELP FROM THE GOVERNMENT. AND SHE WOULD LIKE FOR THE SUPERVISORS TO DO THEIR WORK AND HELP THE RESIDENTS OF LOS BANOS. HELLO, GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS [INAUDIBLE] AND I AM A RESIDENT OF MERCED COUNTY, AND I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT AND I FEEL THAT IS REALLY IMPORTANT FOR MERCED, ESPECIALLY FOR MERCED COUNTY TO DO MORE FUNDING FOR THE CARES ACT, [INAUDIBLE] HELPING MORE RESIDENTS WHO NEED TO RENT UTILITY MORTGAGE ASSISTANCE, ESPECIALLY DURING COVID-19. I BELIEVE THAT IN MERCED THERE'S A LOT OF RESIDENTS WHO ARE WORKING IN AGRICULTURAL FIELDS AND THERE ARE LOW SOCIO ECONOMIC STATUS AND THERE ARE THE ONES THAT ARE MOST AFFECTED DURING THIS PANDEMIC. AND SINCE THE BEGINNING OF THE PANDEMIC, THE GOVERNMENT HAS NOT GIVEN ANY FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE OR FEDERAL FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE, BUT ONLY ONE OR ONE TIME TWELVE HUNDRED DOLLAR CHECK THAT NOT EVERYONE GOT TO RECEIVE, UNFORTUNATELY. SO I WOULD LIKE TO URGE THE MERCED BOARD OF SUPERVISORS TO FUND GIVE MORE FUNDING TO THE CARES ACT TO HELP MORE OF THE RESIDENTS, BECAUSE THESE PEOPLE ARE LIKE WE'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF A PANDEMIC. MOST OF THEM HAVE NO JOBS, HAVE NO FOOD, AND THEY JUST WANT TO HAVE HEALTH AND BE WITH THE FAMILY. AND I FEEL LIKE THE CARES ACT IS GOING TO BRING EVEN MORE OPPORTUNITIES AND GOING TO BRING MORE CARES TO OUR COMMUNITIES THAT OUR GOVERNMENT NEEDS TO PROVIDE. THANK YOU. HEY, GOOD AFTERNOON OR GOOD MORNING MY NAME IS [INAUDIBLE]. I'M A RESIDENT OF LOS BANOS, CALIFORNIA, AND I'M URGING YOU AS THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS TO CREATE A RENT, A RENT UTILITIES AND MORTGAGE FUND WITH THE CARES ACT FUNDING WITH THE CARES FUNDING THAT YOU ALREADY HAVE. THERE ARE MANY, MANY RESIDENTS IN MERCED COUNTY WHO WOULD BENEFIT FROM THIS AND SEEING THAT THE PANDEMIC IS AN ONGOING ISSUE. AND THE SHERIFF IN MERCED COUNTY HAS REFUSED TO ENDORSE OR ENFORCE THE RULES WE NEED FOR FOLKS TO BE PROTECTED AND THIS WOULD BE A WAY TO DO THAT. I URGE YOU TO STEP OUTSIDE OF WHO YOU ARE AND YOUR FINANCIAL INFORMATION AND THE WAY THAT YOU'VE BENEFITED AND BEEN ABLE TO MAINTAIN YOUR LIFESTYLE AND THINK OF OTHERS. SO THIS WOULD BE A GREAT BENEFIT TO MANY, MANY RESIDENTS IN MERCED COUNTY, REGARDLESS OF DOCUMENTS, DOCUMENTATION STATUS PEOPLE NEED TO LIVE IN THEIR HOME. PEOPLE NEED TO MAINTAIN THEIR HOME. AND PEOPLE NEED TO BE ABLE TO STAY IN THEIR HOMES. [00:20:01] THIS IS NOT FOR AN AGENDA ITEM THAT I'M AWARE OF. MY NAME IS SHARON HOFFMAN AND I'M GOING TO REQUEST THAT MERCED COUNTY MAKE MONETARY RELIEF TO THE RESIDENTS. IT'S JUST CRAZY THAT IT'S NOT BEING DONE ALREADY. PEOPLE ARE SUFFERING. SO, YOU KNOW, WE WERE THE ONLY COUNTY IN THE CENTRAL VALLEY NOT TO PROVIDE ANY MONETARY RELIEF. SO WITH THIS COVID-19 PANDEMIC, WE NEED TO HELP [INAUDIBLE]. WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A COMMENT ABOUT COVID AND THE MONEY, IT'S FROM THE GOVERNMENT TO HELP THE PEOPLE. I AM NOT HAPPY WITH WHAT HAS BEEN DONE. YOU DO NOT TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THE NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITY, PEOPLE THAT NEED HELP IN THE COMMUNITY. PLEASE GIVE THE SERVICES BACK TO THE COMMUNITY. THANK YOU. OH, MY NAME IS JOANINHA, AND I AM CALLING REGARDING THE MERCED COUNTY CALL TO ACTION THE RELIEF FOR RESIDENTS WHO NEED RENTAL UTILITY MORTGAGE ASSISTANCE DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC. I'M REALLY URGING YOU TO TAKE ACTION ON THIS AND GET THE FUNDS WHERE THEY NEED TO BE. I UNDERSTAND THAT MERCED COUNTY IS THE ONLY COUNTY IN THE CENTRAL VALLEY TO NOT PROVIDE ANY MONETARY RELIEF TO ITS RESIDENTS AMIDST THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC. THIS IS CRIMINAL. PEOPLE ARE SUFFERING. THERE ARE PEOPLE THAT NEED FOOD AND THEY MUST KEEP THEIR HOUSING. WE DO NOT NEED MORE HOMELESS PEOPLE. AND IF THEY CAN KEEP THEIR HOUSING AND RETURN TO THEIR JOBS, THEY WILL BE HIGH FUNCTIONING IN OUR SOCIETY. BUT THEY NEED THE RELIEF FINANCES TO DO THAT. SO PLEASE MAKE SURE THAT THEY GET THIS RELIEF ASSISTANCE NOW. THANK YOU. MY NAME IS JOANINHA. THAT'S ONE NAME, J O A N I N H A, I ONLY HAVE ONE NAME AND THAT IS WHAT I AM REGISTERED AS. THANK YOU. HELLO, MY NAME IS [INAUDIBLE], I AM CALLING TO MAKE A GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT. [00:25:01] I WANTED TO MAKE THIS COMMENT ABOUT THE COUNTY, WHY MERCED COUNTY SHOULD GIVE CARES MONEY TO HELP RESIDENTS WITH RENT UTILITIES OR MORTGAGE ASSISTANCE DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC. THERE ARE MANY FAMILIES THAT ARE STRUGGLING, YOU KNOW, DUE TO HAVING THEIR WORK GONE, THEIR WORK PENDING, HAVING LESS SHIFTS, ETC. AND YES, THERE IS GOVERNMENT ASSISTANCE, SUCH AS APPLYING FOR FOOD STAMPS, APPLYING FOR [INAUDIBLE] IF THEY ARE CITIZENS OR RESIDENTS AND PROVIDE INFORMATION THAT THEY POTENTIALLY COULD BE ELIGIBLE. BUT ON TOP OF ALL OF THAT, A LOT OF THE FAMILIES ARE CURRENTLY APPLYING FOR THOSE BENEFITS ARE GETTING DENIED DUE TO MAYBE RECEIVING [INAUDIBLE] SOCIAL SECURITY, CHILD SUPPORT OR RECEIVING UNEMPLOYMENT, ETC., OTHER TYPES OF INCOME. PEOPLE GIVING THEM MONEY, ANYTHING LIKE THAT WOULD MAKE THEM INELIGIBLE BECAUSE THEY GO OVER THE HIERARCHY. SO I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT A LOT OF FAMILIES ARE TRYING THEIR BEST RIGHT NOW, BUT UNFORTUNATELY, IT'S OUT OF THEIR CONTROL. THEREFORE, ASSISTANCE IS CRUCIAL [INAUDIBLE] FAMILIES. THANK YOU. AND JUST FOR THE RECORD, I'M CALLING AS A CITIZEN AND AS AN EMPLOYEE OF YOUTH LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE AND NOT CALLING AS A MERCED CITY COUNCIL MEMBER OR REPRESENTING THE CITY OF MERCED. I'M CALLING IN REGARDS TO THE CARES ACT [INAUDIBLE]. AND I'M CALLING IN SUPPORT OF THE PEOPLE OF MERCED COUNTY, THE ONES THAT HAVE BEEN SUPPORTING THE ECONOMY FOR GENERATIONS, THOSE THAT ARE FEELING THE MOST BRUNT IMPACT OF COVID-19 AND THE IMPACTS COVID-19 IS HAVING ON THE ECONOMY. I AM ASKING THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS TO DUE THE [INAUDIBLE]. I'M URGING YOU TO ENACT A RENT UTILITY AND MORTGAGE RELIEF PROGRAM FOR THE PEOPLE OF MERCED COUNTY. THEY ARE THE ONES WHO ARE PICKING UP THE LARGEST TAB DURING IN THIS TRYING TIME. PLEASE DO THE RIGHT THING. PLEASE DO SOMETHING THAT WILL IMPACT THE MASSES OF MERCED COUNTY. THANK YOU. [INAUDIBLE] AND I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT. I WOULD JUST LIKE TO KNOW MERCED IS THE ONLY COUNTY IN THE CENTRAL VALLEY THAT HASN'T PROVIDED ANY MONETARY RELIEF TO ITS RESIDENTS AMONG THE PANDEMIC. AND AS WE GO ON A REGIONAL SHUTDOWN, OUR RESIDENTS NOW MORE THAN EVER NEED ACCESS TO THIS CARES FUNDING TO HELP WITH RENTAL UTILITY OR MORTGAGE ASSISTANCE. THANK YOU. HELLO BOARD OF SUPERVISORS AND STAFF, THIS IS REGARDING THE CARES ACT. MY NAME IS [INAUDIBLE] AND I LIVE IN AN UNINCORPORATED AREA OF THE COUNTY. I'M CALLING REGARDING THE CARES ACT FUNDS THAT WERE AWARDED TO MERCED COUNTY. I TRIED TO EDUCATE MYSELF ABOUT WHAT THE COUNTY HAS DONE WITH THESE FUNDS THUS FAR. AND IT'S MY VIEW IN PREVIOUS MEETINGS AND REVIEW OF STAFF REPORTS IS ACCURATE. THERE HAVE BEEN APPROXIMATELY 18 MILLION DOLLARS WHICH WENT TOWARDS SALARY BENEFITS, RETROFITTING, SANITATION, PPE, TESTING AND CONTACT TRACING AND OTHER NEW EXPENSES CREATED BY COVID-19. THE SEVEN MILLION TWO HUNDRED TWENTY SEVEN THOUSAND DOLLARS ALLOCATED TO COMMUNITY SUPPORT INCLUDED THREE MILLION DOLLARS FOR SMALL BUSINESSES. I'D BE VERY INTERESTED IN A DETAILED REPORT OF WHICH BUSINESSES WERE AWARDED THESE GRANTS AND HOW THEY USE THESE FUNDS. ON THE DISCUSSION OF RENTAL MORTGAGE AND UTILITIES ASSISTANCE [INAUDIBLE] THE PUBLIC WAS DIRECTED TO THE [INAUDIBLE] MILLION DOLLARS AVAILABLE THROUGH HSA, THEY HOPE THAT STAFF REPORTS ON HOW THOSE FUNDS WERE DISTRIBUTED, HOW MUCH OF THAT WENT TO INDIVIDUALS, WHAT WERE THE CIRCUMSTANCES AND HOW IS THE DISTRIBUTION PROCESS? I UNDERSTAND THAT THE MAJORITY OF SUPERVISORS WERE INCLINED TO RETAIN THREE [00:30:01] MILLION DOLLARS IN A CONTINGENCY FUND. HOW ARE THOSE FUNDS BEING SPENT? HOPING FOR TRANSPARENCY. I'D LOVE TO KNOW IF YOU CHOSE TO ADDRESS THE NEEDS OF THE NEEDIEST MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY. PLEASE INFORM US ABOUT THE OUTREACH TECHNIQUES OR THE FUNDS AVAILABLE TO INDIVIDUALS, AS WELL AS HOW BUSINESSES WERE INFORMED OF THE FUNDS AVAILABLE TO THEM. ON REFLECTION, CONSIDER THAT THESE PROCEDURES ENABLE THE COUNTY TO REACH THOSE WHO MOST NEEDED THE ASSISTANCE OR IF THE FUNDS WENT TO THOSE WHO ARE ALREADY ENRICHED BUT WISE IN UTILIZING THE SYSTEM AND ACCESSING FUNDS. WHAT ARE OUR GOALS AS A COUNTY, AS A COMMUNITY? WILL WE TAKE CARE OF OUR NEEDY NEIGHBORS? PLEASE REMEMBER THAT SOME FOLKS CAN AFFORD TO TAKE A MINOR DIP TO THEIR BOTTOM LINE, WHILE OTHERS CAN BE DESTROYED BY LOSS OF FUNDS. THANK YOU. PEOPLE THAT NEED HELP WITH UTILITIES, RENT, GAS, ELECTRIC, THESE PEOPLE HAVE BEEN HARD WORKING. AND NOW BECAUSE OF THE SITUATION, THEY HAVE LOST THEIR WORK. THEY DON'T HAVE ANY WORK AND THEY NEED THIS HELP. THAT'S THE BEST I COULD UNDERSTAND, AND I'M CALLING TO TALK ABOUT THE CARES FUNDS TO HELP THE PEOPLE IN THE COUNTY. THERE IS A LOT OF POVERTY. PEOPLE NEED HELP WITH BILLS, RENT, UTILITIES, YOU KNOW, THE WHERE THE NEED IS AND YOU KNOW WHAT FUNDS TO USE FOR THESE NEEDS. SO I'M ASKING YOU THAT YOU WILL USE THESE FUNDS TO HELP THE POOR PEOPLE. STACEY, MAYBE IF WE COULD SUGGEST TO YOU ON THE INTERPRETATIONS, MAYBE WE KIND OF TAKE A PAUSE OR BREAK TO SEE IF THAT MIGHT HELP IN THE TRANSLATION [00:35:03] VERSUS GOING THROUGH THE WHOLE THING AND THEN TRYING TO SEE IF THAT MIGHT ASSIST. LEGISLATURE TO GIVE HELP IN TERMS OF FUNDS TO THE PEOPLE OF THE COMMUNITY TO PAY BILLS, THERE IS EXTREME POVERTY. AND BECAUSE OF THE COVID, PEOPLE ARE NOT WORKING. MY NAME IS [INAUDIBLE] AND I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT. I STRONGLY BELIEVE AND URGE THE COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS TO GIVE CARES FUNDING TO RESIDENTS WHO NEED IT. THERE ARE COUNTLESS STORIES OF RESIDENTS WHO HAVE BEEN IMPACTED FINANCIALLY AND [INAUDIBLE] IMPACT EVERY PART OF THEIR LIFE. FOR STUDENTS IN K-12 AND HIGHER EDUCATION. THERE ARE REPORTS THAT THEY ARE LIMITING HOW MUCH THEY EAT AND EVEN CIRCUMSTANCES WHERE PARENTS ARE CHOOSING TO NOT EAT TO MAKE SURE THEIR CHILDREN HAVE ENOUGH. THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE. PARENTS AND CHILDREN AND STUDENTS AND ALL RESIDENTS SHOULD NOT HAVE TO MAKE THESE CHOICES, DECIDING BETWEEN EATING OR BEING ABLE TO PAY THEIR BILLS OR HAVE THE MEANS TO KEEP HAVING SECURITY. PEOPLE ARE [INAUDIBLE] THEMSELVES AT RISK TO PROVIDE FOR THEIR FAMILIES AND [INAUDIBLE] SECURITY AND HAVE HOUSING SECURITY EVERY SINGLE DAY OF THEIR LIVES. WE SHOULDN'T FORCE PEOPLE OF MERCED TO MAKE THESE TOUGH CHOICES WHEN THE COUNTY HAS FUNDS AT THEIR DISPOSAL TO REDUCE SOME OF THE WEIGHT. THIS IS THE MOMENT FOR THE BOARD TO SHOW THAT THEY ARE KEEPING COMMUNITY WELL-BEING AND HEALTH IN MIND. FIRST AND FOREMOST, BE ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF HISTORY AND ALLOCATE FUNDING FOR RESIDENTS WHO NEED IT. THANK YOU. ABOUT THE CARES FUNDS, PLEASE, TO GIVE THE MONEY FOR EXPENSES TO THE COMMUNITY. I RIGHT NOW, BECAUSE OF COVID, DO NOT HAVE ANY WORK. [INAUDIBLE] MY GENDER PRONOUNS THERE SHE/HER. [INAUDIBLE] AND I'M WITH 99 ROOTS. I'M CALLING BECAUSE I LIVE IN ATWATER AND I WORK ACROSS MERCED COUNTY SPECIFICALLY WITH YOUNG PEOPLE AND THEIR FAMILY. I'M CALLING JUST TO REITERATE THE IMPORTANCE OF ENSURING THAT CARES ACT DOLLARS AND FUNDING ACTUALLY GO TO THE CREATION AND EXPANSION OF A RENT, MORTGAGE AND UTILITIES RELIEF PROGRAM. [00:40:03] WE'VE HAD HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE SIGN ONTO A PETITION IN SUPPORT OF THIS. I'VE ALSO JUST HEARD DIRECTLY FROM YOUNG PEOPLE ABOUT HOW THEIR FAMILIES ARE CURRENTLY STRUGGLING. THEY'RE NOT PAYING THEIR ELECTRICITY BILL EVERY MONTH, THEY'RE NOT BEING ABLE TO PAY THEIR BILLS ON TIME AND ARE STARTING TO ACCUMULATE LATE FEES. AND IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT THE BILLS. IT'S ALSO ABOUT LIKE THE MOMENT THAT WE'RE LIVING IN. LITERALLY, PEOPLE NEED TO HAVE GUARANTEED SAFE HOUSING TO BE SAFE FROM THE PANDEMIC THAT WE'RE LIVING IN. EVERYONE TO HAVE A ROOF OVER THEIR HEAD. AND SO I SUPPORT A MORTGAGE RENT UTILITY ASSISTANCE PROGRAM. MERCED COUNTY BOARD, YOU'VE HEARD FROM HUNDREDS OF COMMUNITY MEMBERS. I'M REALLY CONCERNED BECAUSE UNEMPLOYMENT CONTINUES TO INCREASE IN THIS COUNTY. WE'RE NOT GETTING ANY OTHER RELIEF FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. AND IT'S TIME THAT Y'ALL TAKE ACTION AND ALLOCATE CARES ACT DOLLARS TO A MORTGAGE RENT UTILITY ASSISTANCE PROGRAM. THANK YOU. HI, MY NAME IS NOEL ANDERSON, I'M CALLING ABOUT ITEMS 33 THE CARES FUNDING. I WANTED TO ASK THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS TO PLEASE ALLOCATE SOME OR THE REST OF THE CARES FUNDING TO HOUSING RELIEF. PEOPLE CAN'T PAY THEIR RENT, THEIR MORTGAGES, THEIR BILLS, THEIR UTILITY BILLS BECAUSE OF THE PANDEMIC. AND Y'ALL HAVE FUNDING THAT YOU COULD USE TO HELP PEOPLE. THAT IS SPECIFICALLY MEANT FOR THIS KIND OF RELIEF. AND IT SEEMS LIKE THERE HASN'T REALLY SHOWN A LOT OF INTEREST IN HELPING OUT YOUR PEOPLE. SO I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY OTHER COUNTIES HAVE DONE THIS. AND IT'S, YOU KNOW, CHANGING PEOPLE'S LIVES, SAVING PEOPLE'S LIVES. SO I JUST WANT TO URGE YOU ALL TO TO MAKE THESE FUNDS AVAILABLE TO HELP US WITH HOUSING BEFORE THE END OF THE MONTH. NOBODY SHOULD EVER HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT LOSING THEIR HOME OR BEING PUT OUT ON THE STREET EVER, REALLY, BUT ESPECIALLY NOT DURING A PANDEMIC. SO PLEASE USE THIS FUNDING RESPONSIBLY AND AS IT WAS INTENDED. THANK YOU. JAMES [INAUDIBLE] AND I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT. AS YOU ALREADY KNOW, THAT COVID-19 PANDEMIC HAS BEEN DETRIMENTAL TO MANY OF MANY FAMILIES IN OUR COMMUNITIES. WE HAVE LOST, MANY HAVE LOST LOVED ONES, MANY HAVE LOST THEIR EMPLOYMENT. AND THE TOLL THAT HAS TAKEN ON ALL OF US IS MORE THAN CAN BE EXPLAINED IN THREE MINUTES. IN THIS MOMENT, WE SHOULD BE DOING EVERYTHING IN OUR POWER TO ENSURE OUR COMMUNITY RECEIVE ANY FORM OF SECURITY AVAILABLE, LIKE THE ASSISTANCE THAT COULD BE PROVIDED THROUGH THE CARES ACT. THE FUNDING [INAUDIBLE] TO ENSURE THAT THOSE IN NEED CAN COVER FOR BASIC NECESSITIES, SUCH AS RENT BILLS AND MORTGAGE. PLEASE [INAUDIBLE] YOUR COMMUNITY AND TAKE THE STEPS NECESSARY TO ENSURE THAT THE FUNDING IS ALLOCATED TO REFLECT THE NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITY. THANK YOU. HELLO, MY NAME IS AMANDA [INAUDIBLE]. I'M 16 YEARS OLD AND I'M A YOUTH ORGANIZER WITH 99 ROOTS. I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT ON HOW I BELIEVE THE COUNTY SHOULD GIVE CARES FUNDING TO HELP RESIDENTS WHO NEED RENT UTILITY MORTGAGE ASSISTANCE DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC. I PERSONALLY SUPPORT THIS FUNDING BECAUSE I CARE ABOUT UNDOCUMENTED IMMIGRANTS AND REFUGEES IN OUR COMMUNITY AND I BELIEVE THAT THEY DESERVE SUPPORT DURING THIS HARD TIME. MERCED IS THE ONLY COUNTRY IN THE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY THAT DOES NOT PROVIDE MONETARY ASSISTANCE. THE COUNTY CURRENTLY HAS 14 MILLION DOLLARS TO SPEND TO SUPPORT THEIR COMMUNITY, AND IF THEY DON'T SPEND IT. THE MONEY WILL GO BACK TO THE TREASURY. I BELIEVE THAT THE MONEY SHOULD, SORRY, I BELIEVE THAT THE MONEY SHOULD BE USED TO HELP IMMIGRANTS SPECIFICALLY AND PEOPLE WHO HAVE FACED UNEMPLOYMENT [00:45:05] DURING THIS HARD TIME. THANK YOU FOR LISTENING. AND I WAS TRYING TO LEAVE A GENERAL COMMENT ON THE CARES PROGRAM. WANTED TO KNOW IF THERE'S ANY HELP THAT MERCED COUNTY CAN DO FOR US DURING THIS COVID TIME. AS YOU KNOW, MORE AND MORE KIDS ARE AT HOME AND PARENTS HAVE BEEN LEFT, SOMETIMES AT WORK AND SOME OF OUR JOBS [INAUDIBLE]. SO WE ARE BEING TIED WITH KIDS AT HOME WITH BUDGETING ABOUT FOOD AND ELECTRICITY AND ALL OF THE ABOVE. AND I WOULD LIKE TO SEE MERCED COUNTY AND CARES PROGRAM GIVE US SOME HELP EITHER WITH OUR MORTGAGE OR OUR UTILITIES. THANK YOU. MERCED COUNTY SUPERVISORS, I'M [INAUDIBLE] THE AMERICAN HIGH SCHOOL IN MERCED, CALIFORNIA. I BELIEVE I SPEAK FOR THE MAJORITY OF MERCED, CALIFORNIA, THE CENTRAL VALLEY HOME TO MANY CULTURES, IMMIGRANTS AND UNDOCUMENTED. AND THERE ARE SEVERAL ISSUES WE NEED TO DISCUSS IN OUR OWN COMMUNITY. I BELIEVE IT IS [INAUDIBLE] TO LOOK OVER THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN SEVERELY IMPACTED BY THE EVENTS OF COVID-19. [INAUDIBLE] MANY OF THOSE LIVING MERCED INTO HARSH CONDITIONS WITH LITTLE TO NO [INAUDIBLE] IN THEIR ELECTED OFFICIALS. TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION THE CHILDREN, TEENS AND ELDERS IN MERCED CALIFORNIA. HOW THEY'VE BEEN NEGATIVELY IMPACTED ECONOMICALLY, SOCIALLY AND POLITICALLY. PUT IN POLICIES THAT WILL HELP OUR COMMUNITIES. TO ELABORATE ON THE NEEDS OF MERCED, I, ALONG WITH MY COMMUNITY, DEMAND CARES FUNDS FOR RENT, UTILITIES, MORTGAGE RELIEF FOR IMMIGRANTS, UNDOCUMENTED AND LOW INCOME HOUSEHOLDS IN MERCED. APPROXIMATELY THIRTEEN OR FOURTEEN THOUSAND LIVING IN MERCED ARE IN DANGER OF FACING EVICTION DUE TO THE LOSS OF THE RESPONSE OF COVID-19 AND [INAUDIBLE] POLICIES AND ABLE TO AID THE PEOPLE LIVING IN MERCED. THE UNEMPLOYMENT RATE IN OUR COUNTY WILL ONLY INCREASE UNTIL THERE ARE CERTAIN POLICIES PASSED TO AID MANY OF US IN MERCED CALIFORNIA. LISTEN TO THE PEOPLE IN MERCED AND UNDERSTAND THE MESSAGE WE PRESENT. WE WANT CARES FUNDS FOR RENT, UTILITY MORTGAGE RELIEF. THANK YOU. HI, MY NAME IS EUGENE [INAUDIBLE], MY GENDER PRONOUNS ARE HE/HIM/HIS. I LIVE IN THE BEACHWOOD FRANKLIN AREA, I'M 20 YEARS YOUNG, I AM A YOUTH ORGANIZER WITH 99 ROOTS, I'M HMONG AMERICAN AND I'M HERE. TODAY IS MONDAY, DECEMBER 7TH. I JUST [INAUDIBLE] A CARES WATCH IT OVER AT OUR 99 ROOTS FACEBOOK AND INSTAGRAM PAGES. I AM TIRED OF SEEING OUR PARENTS AND FAMILIES STRUGGLE TO MEET OUR BASIC NEEDS WHEN WE'RE THE ONES RISKING OUR LIVES WORKING IN THE FARMS, IN THE FIELDS, GROCERY STORES, FAST FOOD RESTAURANTS, WAREHOUSES, AND GETTING EXPOSED TO COVID-19. I AM TIRED OF BEING EXCLUDED AND DISMISSED AS A YOUNG PERSON. BUT I KNOW THAT I CAN NO LONGER BE TIRED. I NEED TO CARRY THE STRENGTH AND THE RESILIENCE OF MY LONG ANCESTORS WHO WERE FREEDOM FIGHTERS BACK IN LAOS AND SOUTHEAST ASIA AND CHINA. AND THAT'S GOING TO DRIVE ME AND CONTINUE TO PUSH ME TO CONTINUE ON AND FIGHT AND BE STRONG, THE LOVE AND THE CARE FOR MY COMMUNITY WILL CONTINUE TO DRIVE ME AND FUEL MY ENERGY. I AM GOING TO SHARE A POEM WITH YOU ALL THAT I WROTE. IT BRINGS ME SO MUCH JOY AND MOTIVATION. YOUNG PEOPLE LIKE ME ARE HERE. YOUNG PEOPLE LIKE ME ARE A PART OF AN UNAPOLOGETIC, BEAUTIFUL, COLORFUL, QUEER, TRANS, BLACK, INDIGENOUS YOUTH MOVEMENT HERE IN THE CENTRAL VALLEY. AND HERE IN MERCED COUNTY. YOUNG PEOPLE LIKE ME ARE ORGANIZING OUR FRIENDS AND FAMILIES TO SPEAK UP AND TO STAND UP AGAINST THE INJUSTICES THAT WE SEE IN OUR COMMUNITIES. YOUNG PEOPLE LIKE ME ARE SHOWING UP AND MARCHING FOR BLACK LIVES IN THE STREETS WHEN IT'S SAFE TO DO SO AND MOBILIZING ON SOCIAL MEDIA TO GET OUR PEERS TO VOTE. YOUNG PEOPLE LIKE ME ARE STANDING UP FOR IMMIGRANT AND REFUGEE FAMILIES. YOUNG PEOPLE LIKE ME ARE SPEAKING TRUTH TO POWER, SO YOU BETTER HEAR US. YOUNG PEOPLE LIKE ME ARE HERE. YOUNG PEOPLE LIKE ME ARE HERE. I AM DEMANDING THAT MERCED COUNTY USE THE FOURTEEN MILLION DOLLARS IN CARES ACT FUNDING TO ESTABLISH AN EMERGENCY MORTGAGE RENT UTILITY ASSISTANCE PROGRAM TO SUPPORT RESIDENTS WHO HAVE BEEN DISPROPORTIONATELY IMPACTED BY COVID-19 REGARDLESS OF THEIR IMMIGRATION STATUS. WE MUST SUPPORT OUR FAMILIES AND FRIENDS WHO ARE LOW INCOME AND UNDOCUMENTED AND THOSE WHO ARE THE MOST MARGINALIZED AND IMPACTED DURING THIS TIME. [00:50:04] WE MUST CARE FOR US. LIKE POWERFUL CIVIL RIGHTS ACTIVISTS, BLACK PANTHERS PARTY MEMBER ASSATA SHAKUR SAID IT IS OUR DUTY TO FIGHT FOR OUR FREEDOM. IT IS OUR DUTY TO WIN. WE MUST LOVE EACH OTHER AND SUPPORT EACH. FOR US, CARE FOR US. THANK YOU. I'M CALLING [INAUDIBLE] MORTGAGE ASSISTANCE [INAUDIBLE] A LOT OF PEOPLE CANNOT PAY THAT [INAUDIBLE] CAN BE GIVEN TO THOSE WHO NEED IT THE MOST. [INAUDIBLE] LOW INCOME FAMILIES. AND I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT. MERCED COUNTY IS THE ONLY COUNTRY IN CENTRAL VALLEY TO NOT PROVIDE MONETARY RELIEF TO RESIDENTS IN THE PANDEMIC, AND I BELIEVE THAT THE COUNTY SHOULD GIVE CARES FUNDING WHO NEED IT MOST, ESPECIALLY FOR RENT AND UTILITY MORTGAGE ASSISTANCE, BECAUSE IT'S NOT THEIR FAULT THAT THINGS WILL HAVE TO SHUT DOWN BECAUSE OF PUBLIC HEALTH IN THE INTEREST OF PUBLIC HEALTH. OF COURSE, THINGS SHOULD BE SHUT DOWN IN ORDER TO HELP CONTAIN THE SPREAD OF THE VIRUS THAT ALSO MEANS THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE WILL BE OUT OF WORK. AND THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT THEY SHOULDN'T BE ABLE TO SURVIVE. I BELIEVE THAT HAVING CARES FUNDING MEANS THAT THE COUNTY CARES THAT THESE PEOPLE ARE ABLE TO SURVIVE THROUGH THIS PANDEMIC. I THINK IT'S IN THE BEST INTEREST OF NOT ONLY INDIVIDUALS HERE, IT'S ALSO IN THE BEST INTEREST OF BUSINESSES IN MERCED COUNTY, ESPECIALLY NON ESSENTIAL BUSINESSES, THAT HAVE TO SHUT DOWN. IN BEST INTEREST OF THE FUTURE OF THE COUNTY. THE LAST THING THAT SHOULD HAPPEN IS A RECESSION JUST BECAUSE THE GOVERNMENT, OUR COUNTY GOVERNMENT, DOESN'T WANT TO [INAUDIBLE]. I BELIEVE THAT AS PEOPLE SHOULD CARE ABOUT OTHERS AND NOT HAVING THE FUNDS AVAILABLE, IT JUST GOES TO SHOW THAT THE GOVERNMENT DOESN'T REALLY CARE ABOUT THE CONSTITUENTS, THE PEOPLE WHO THEY SERVE. SO I BELIEVE THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS SHOULD GIVE THIS FUNDING. OTHERWISE, IT JUST GOES TO SHOW THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS DOES NOT CARE ABOUT ITS CONSTITUENTS. THANK YOU. HI, MY NAME IS CHRIS [INAUDIBLE], AND I WANT TO LEAVE A MESSAGE ASKING THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS TO USE THE CARES FUNDING FOR A RENT UTILITY MORTGAGE ASSISTANCE PROGRAM. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. ABOUT THE FUNDS FOR THE CARES FOR TO HELP PEOPLE WITH THE UTILITIES. THIS IS VERY NECESSARY. AND BECAUSE OF THE COVID, THE HELP IS EVEN MORE NECESSARY. COUNTY, A REFUGEE FROM LAOS, I AM LIVING IN POVERTY. LOCAL GOVERNMENT HAS 18 MILLION IN FUNDS FROM THE CARES ACT. DON'T YOU SEE THAT THE POVERTY YOU DON'T SEE THE POVERTY IN THE ASIAN COMMUNITY IN MERCED COUNTY, THE PANDEMIC IS GRADUALLY INCREASING. DON'T YOU SEE IT IS AFFECTING THE COMMUNITY? YOU HAVE THE ABILITY TO HELP. THE PANDEMIC AFFECTS ALL FAMILIES IN THE COMMUNITY. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. HELLO BOARD OF SUPERVISORS. MY NAME IS [INAUDIBLE], RESIDENT OF MERCED CALLING TO MAKE A GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT. AS SOMEONE WHO GREW UP IN AN UNDOCUMENTED AND LOW INCOME HOUSEHOLD WITH A BOTH OF MY PARENTS WORKING TO MAKE ENDS MEET, I KNOW WHAT IT'S LIKE TO STRUGGLE AND LIVE UNDER CONSTANT STRESS AND UNCERTAINTY FOR THE LACK OF RESOURCES, OPPORTUNITIES AND MONEY. AND I CANNOT IMAGINE HOW MUCH HARDER IT IS FOR FAMILIES LIKE MINE TO [INAUDIBLE] WHILE LIVING THROUGH A PANDEMIC. SOME OF YOU CAN POSSIBLY RELATE TO THIS EXPERIENCE. SO I INVITE YOU TO NOT FORGET WHERE YOU CAME FROM AND TO BE THAT PERSON THAT YOU WISH ADVOCATED FOR YOUR FAMILY DURING THIS DIFFICULT TIME. AND IF YOU WERE PRIVILEGED TO NEVER EXPERIENCE A TROUBLING UPBRINGING, THEN NOW'S YOUR TIME [INAUDIBLE] WHO YOU ARE WORKING FOR. DO THE RIGHT THING AND ALLOCATE CARES FUNDING TO HELP ALL INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES, INCLUDING OUR UNDOCUMENTED COMMUNITY. SO THEY HAVE FOOD ON THE TABLE AND A ROOF ON TOP OF THEIR HEADS, JUST LIKE YOU AND I. IT'S THE LEAST THAT ALL OF YOU CAN DO. THANK YOU. [00:55:01] MY NAME IS [INAUDIBLE]. I AM MESSAGING ON BEHALF OF. [INAUDIBLE] AND I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A GENERAL PUBLIC STATEMENT. I BELIEVE MERCED COUNTY SHOULD BE GIVING THE CARES FUNDS TO HELP RESIDENTS WHO NEED RENTAL UTILITY AND MORTGAGE ASSISTANCE DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC. THIS IS A SERIOUS CONCERN THAT HAS BADLY AFFECTED MANY FAMILIES, SUCH AS LOW INCOME. THANK YOU. [INAUDIBLE] AND I AM CALLING FOR AN ITEM THAT IS NOT ON THE AGENDA, BUT I AM VERY INTERESTED IN THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS TO USE CARES FUNDING TO HELP RESIDENTS OF MERCED MAYBE WITH UTILITIES OR RENTAL ASSISTANCE. IT IS I SEE THAT IN THE COMMUNITY IS THE GREAT NEED. AND I WOULD LIKE FOR YOU BOARD OF SUPERVISORS TO CONSIDER HELPING THE COMMUNITY THAT WAY BECAUSE IT IS REALLY NEEDED AND IT IS IMPORTANT, AND THAT'S WHAT IT WAS INTENDED TO DO ORIGINALLY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. AND I DO HOPE THAT YOU DO SPEND THE REST OF THE CARES FUNDING IN THAT MANNER TO HELP THE CITIZENS OF MERCED COUNTY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. [INAUDIBLE] AND I LIVE IN THE BEACHWOOD FRANKLIN AREA. I'M A THIRD YEAR AND A GRADUATE STUDENT [INAUDIBLE] AND A YOUTH LEADER WITH 99 ROOTS, AND I'M ALSO CALLING IN SUPPORT OF 99 ROOTS [INAUDIBLE] VALLEY LEADERSHIP COUNCIL AND THE COMMUNITY. I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT TOWARDS [INAUDIBLE]. WE NEED TO SPEND COVID AID IN ORDER TO ASSIST MERCED RESIDENTS WITH THEIR RENT [01:00:03] UTILITY AND MORTGAGE. TODAY MERCED IS THE ONLY COUNTY WHERE [INAUDIBLE] HAS NOT PROVIDED ANY TYPE OF MONETARY ASSISTANCE AND SUPPORT TO ITS RESIDENTS DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC. THE COUNTY IS SITTING ON A 14 MILLION DOLLARS AND THE DEADLINE TO USE UP ALL THESE FUNDS IS FOR DECEMBER 31ST, 2020. ANY UNSPENT FUNDS WILL BE [INAUDIBLE] BY THE TREASURY DEPARTMENT AND IT'S ESSENTIAL TO USE ALL OF THE AVAILABLE RESOURCES DURING THESE TIMES, WHEN THE MOST IMPACTED AND MOST VULNERABLE AND MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES, HAVE SUFFERED A GREAT AMOUNT FROM THIS PANDEMIC. THE MERCED BOARD OF SUPERVISORS HELPED BUSINESSES IN EVERY SECTOR OF THE COUNTRY EXCEPT FOR THE MOST ESSENTIAL GROUPS OF OUR COMMUNITY. THAT ARE THE FARMWORKERS AND THE UNDOCUMENTED FOLKS. MANY RELATIVES OF MINE HAVE SACRIFICED EVERY HOUR OF THE DAY TO GO INTO THE FIELDS TO EARN ENOUGH MONEY TO PAY OFF THE RENT AS WELL AS FOR THEIR FAMILY. UNFORTUNATELY, ONLY SOME WERE ABLE TO RETURN HOME WITH THEIR FAMILIES THIS HOLIDAY SEASON. WE HAVE TAKEN NECESSARY STEPS TO PROVIDE SOME FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TO [INAUDIBLE], AND I HOPE THE MERCED COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS CAN ANSWER THEIR CALLS FOR HELP. YOU KNOW THAT EACH ONE OF OUR STORIES ARE IMPORTANT AND OUR VOICES WILL CONTINUE TO ECHO UNITY UNTIL THEY ARE HEARD. THANK YOU. HI, MY NAME IS MONICA GOMEZ, AND I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT. EVERYONE IN MERCED COUNTY, REGARDLESS OF IMMIGRATION STATUS, SHOULD HAVE ACCESS TO SAFE AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING, ESPECIALLY DURING THE WORST [INAUDIBLE] PANDEMIC, DURING WINTER, DURING HOLIDAY SEASON AND DURING A STRICT REGIONAL STAY AT HOME ORDER. MERCED COUNTY IS THE ONLY COUNTY IN THE CENTRAL VALLEY THAT HAS NOT PROVIDED RELIEF TO THEIR RESIDENTS. UNEMPLOYMENT HAS INCREASED 700 PERCENT IN THE PAST YEAR. I WORK DIRECTLY WITH FAMILIES THROUGHOUT MERCED COUNTY. FAMILIES ARE STRUGGLING TO PUT FOOD ON THE TABLE, THE MOST IMPORTANT AND BASIC UTILITIES. MANY OF THESE FAMILIES HAVE HAD THEIR INCOME REDUCED BECAUSE THEY ARE CARING FOR THEIR CHILDREN WHO ARE LEARNING REMOTELY. WORK IS BECOMING SCARCE DAILY, ESPECIALLY FOR THOSE WHO WORK IN AG OR THE FIELDS. FAMILIES CAN'T AFFORD, CAN'T EVEN AFFORD TO SEEK MEDICAL CARE RELATED TO THE PANDEMIC. YOU HAVE THE ABILITY TO PUT FOOD ON OUR COMMUNITIES TABLE TO COVER SOMEONE'S WATER OR ELECTRICITY BILL BEFORE IT GETS TURNED OFF. THANK YOU. ON THE AGENDA ITEMS. I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT IN REGARDS TO THE CARES FUNDING. THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC HAS NEGATIVELY IMPACTED OUR LOCAL COMMUNITY. [01:05:02] MANY HAVE LOST THEIR JOBS AND INCOME DUE TO THE PANDEMIC, AND NEED ASSISTANCE FOR THEIR FAMILIES TO SURVIVE. INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE LOST THEIR JOB MAY BE DEPENDING ON ESSENTIAL WORKERS AND THEIR FAMILIES WHO ARE ABLE TO WORK WHILE BARELY MAKING ENDS MEET. ESSENTIAL WORKERS INCLUDE MEMBERS IN OUR COMMUNITY WHO HAVE UNDERLYING HEALTH CONDITIONS AND ARE RISKING THEIR LIVES WHILE ALSO STRUGGLING TO PAY FOR RENT AND OTHER NECESSITIES. I STAND BY 99 ROOTS AND OTHER ORGANIZATIONS TO ENACT [INAUDIBLE] TO ENACT THE CARES FUNDING. MERCED COUNTY IS THE ONLY COUNTY IN THE CENTRAL VALLEY TO NOT PROVIDE ANY MONETARY RELIEF TO ITS RESIDENTS THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC. MERCED COUNTY SHOULD GIVE CARES FUNDING TO HELP RESIDENTS WHO NEED RENTAL, UTILITY AND MORTGAGE ASSISTANCE DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC. THANK YOU. I'M A YOUTH ORGANIZER IN THE MERCED COUNTY AND WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT. THE COUNTY SHOULD GIVE CARES FUNDING TO HELP FAMILIES IN NEED REGARDLESS OF THEIR CIRCUMSTANCES. MANY LOW INCOME FAMILIES SUCH AS MINE ARE ACTUALLY STRUGGLING WITH BASIC NECESSITIES THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN FUNDED A LONG TIME AGO, SUCH AS RENTAL, UTILITY AND MORTGAGE ASSISTANCE DURING COVID-19. AS A YOUTH ORGANIZER MYSELF. IT HAS BEEN DISAPPOINTING TO SEE OUR OWN COMMUNITY NOT RECEIVE ANY SUPPORT AT ALL. MIND YOU WERE ARE THE ONLY COUNTY IN THE CENTRAL VALLEY WHO HAVE NOT PROVIDED ANY MONETARY RELIEF [INAUDIBLE] THE PANDEMIC. I ASK WHAT IS BEING DONE [INAUDIBLE] HAS BEEN MADE NO IMPACT AS TO WHY OUR COMMUNITY REMAINS THE SAME. WHILE I MAY ONLY BE ONE CITIZEN, I AM PART OF A LARGER, LARGER COMMUNITY WHO HOPES TO CREATE AN IMPACT [INAUDIBLE]. DESPITE MY ABSENCE. I WILL HOLD RODRIGO ESPINOZA SUPERVISOR DISTRICT ONE, LEE LOR SUPERVISOR DISTRICT TWO, DARON MCDANIEL SUPERVISOR DISTRICT THREE, LLOYD PAREIRA SUPERVISOR DISTRICT FOUR, SCOTT SILVEIRA SUPERVISOR DISTRICT FIVE RESPONSIBLE AS THEY ARE THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. PUBLIC COMMENT. MY NAME IS WILLIAM [INAUDIBLE] AND I'M A MERCED RESIDENT AND ORGANIZER WITH THE [INAUDIBLE] LABOR FEDERATION, AND I'M JUST CALLING TO URGE THE SUPERVISORS TO ALLOCATE FUNDING FOR RENT, MORTGAGE AND UTILITY ASSISTANCE. AS YOU WELL KNOW, THE CORONAVIRUS IS AS BAD AS IT'S EVER BEEN IN THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA, PEOPLE ARE HURTING AND IT'S BOTH GOOD PUBLIC POLICY AND THE RIGHT THING TO DO TO MAKE SURE THAT WORKING PEOPLE CAN STAY IN THEIR HOMES AND KEEP THE HEAT ON THROUGH THE WINTER. SO I HOPE YOU'LL ALLOCATE FUNDING TODAY FOR DIRECT RENT, UTILITY AND MORTGAGE ASSISTANCE. THANK YOU. HI, MY NAME IS ELIZABETH [INAUDIBLE], AND I'M A RESIDENT AND BUSINESS OWNER IN MERCED AND I'M CALLING TO SUBMIT A GENERAL COMMENT. MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT 14 MILLION DOLLARS IN CARES FUNDING IS GOING TO BE RETURNED TO THE GENERAL TREASURY, IF NOT USED BY THE END OF THIS MONTH, DECEMBER 31ST. THIS DEADLINE IS ONLY THREE WEEKS AWAY. AND IT'S EMBARRASSING THAT RESIDENTS ARE NOW CALLING TO URGE YOU TO ESTABLISH PROGRAMS THAT PROVIDE RELIEF TO MERCED RESIDENTS. I'M URGING YOU TO ESTABLISH A RENT UTILITY AND MORTGAGE PROGRAM BECAUSE MONEY CAN BE DISTRIBUTED TO THOSE IN OUR COMMUNITY THAT ARE MOST IN NEED. IT WOULD BE GROSS NEGLIGENCE AND AN APPALLING FAILURE FOR THIS MONEY TO BE RETURNED AND AT THIS POINT, FOR THIS MONEY TO BE USED FOR ANYTHING OTHER THAN PROVIDING MERCED RESIDENTS WITH DIRECT RELIEF NOW. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. REGARDING THE CARES FUNDING PETITION. MY NAME IS [INAUDIBLE]. I AM A MERCED RESIDENT. I LIVE AT 24 46TH AVENUE MERCED 95340. AND I WOULD LIKE THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS TO CREATE A RENT UTILITY AND MORTGAGE ASSISTANCE PROGRAM THROUGH THE EXISTING CARES FUNDING. I WORKED FOR SEVERAL LOCAL AGENCIES AND THEY HAVE MULTIPLE CALLS FROM DIFFERENT RESIDENTS REQUIRING ASSISTANCE WITH MORTGAGE PAYMENTS, WITH UTILITIES PAYMENTS. PEOPLE ARE IN CRISIS. PEOPLE NEED HELP. THEY NEED A LOT OF SUPPORT. AND THE CARES FUNDING WOULD REALLY HELP OUR COMMUNITY STAY AFLOAT DURING THESE DIFFICULT TIMES. SO PLEASE, I URGE THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS TO SIGN THE CARES FUNDING PETITION AND [01:10:02] DO SOMETHING WITH THESE FUNDS. THANK YOU. BYE BYE. I'M A CITIZEN OF MY MERCED COUNTY, AND I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A PUBLIC COMMENT ABOUT A COVID-19 RENT RELIEF FUND FOR OUR COUNTY. I WANT TO URGE THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS TO PLEASE PUT SOMETHING TOGETHER. THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS NOT ISSUING A STIMULUS PACKAGE, DOESN'T LOOK LIKE ANYTIME SOON. AND WE NEED TO TAKE CARE OF OUR COMMUNITIES. WE ARE THE ONLY COUNTY IN THE VALLEY THAT HAS NOT ISSUED ANY KIND OF COVID RENT RELIEF. SO PLEASE WITH THE CARES FUNDING THAT WAS GIVEN TO US CAN YOU PLEASE MAKE THIS A PRIORITY. THANK YOU. THIS IS A GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT FOR THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, REGARDING THE USE OF CARES DOLLARS TO SUPPORT HOUSING LOSS DUE TO COVID. IT'S IN THE INTEREST OF OVERALL PUBLIC HEALTH FOR ALL MERCED COUNTY RESIDENTS TO KEEP THEIR HOUSING DURING THIS DESPERATE TIME. WITH FEWER PEOPLE WHO ARE UNSHELTERED AND IN CONTACT, CONTACT WITH OTHERS, EVEN SPORADICALLY, THE LOWER THE RISK THAT EVERYONE HAS OF TRANSMITTING OR BECOMING INFECTED WITH THE VIRUS. IT IS IN THE MORAL INTEREST OF CARING FOR OUR FELLOW MAN TO HELP THOSE WHO TO ABSOLUTELY NO FAULT OF THEIR OWN, HAVE OR WILL LOSE ONE OF THE MOST BASIC AND FUNDAMENTAL REQUIREMENTS OF LIFE IN OUR SOCIETY, HOUSING. THE COUNTY HEALTH CARES DOLLARS, ANY OF IT THAT ISN'T USED TO SUPPORT THE NEED OF HOSPITALS TO ACQUIRE THE NECESSARY MEDICAL EQUIPMENT AND OR THE ADDITION OF BEDS AND STAFF SHOULD BE USED FOR RENT, MORTGAGE AND UTILITY RELIEF FOR THOSE WHO HAVE LOST THEIR MEANS OF PERSONAL FINANCIAL SUPPORT, EITHER DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY DUE TO COVID. AS SUPERVISORS YOU HAVE BEEN ENTRUSTED WITH THE JOB OF DIRECTING THE MANY AGENCIES AND GOVERNING BODIES TOWARD THE END OF ENSURING THE WELL-BEING OF ALL COUNTY'S CITIZENS, COVID HAS PROVIDED A ONCE IN A LIFETIME OPPORTUNITY FOR YOU TO MAKE A DEFINITE AND HIGHLY IMPACTFUL CONTRIBUTION TO MANY CITIZENS. THANK YOU, [INAUDIBLE]. [INAUDIBLE] AND I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT. I'M CALLING IN SUPPORT OF 99 ROOTS AND THEIR MISSION TO PROVIDE CARES FUNDING TO RESIDENTS WHO NEED WHO NEED RENTAL UTILITY OR MORTGAGE ASSISTANCE DURING THE CURRENT PANDEMIC. I URGE MERCED COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS TO TAKE THE NECESSARY ACTION TO PROTECT VULNERABLE COMMUNITY MEMBERS, WHILE HOUSING INSECURITY MAY NOT AFFECT ELECTED OFFICIALS WHO HAVE A STEADY INCOME. THERE ARE MANY RESIDENTS WHO FACE HOUSING INSECURITY IN THE MERCED COUNTY. THANK YOU. MY GENDER PRONOUNS ARE SHE/HER/HERS. I AM A RESIDENT OF MERCED COUNTY, I AM TWENTY FIVE YEARS OLD. TODAY I'M CALLING [INAUDIBLE] OF 99 ROOTS IN THE VALLEY LEADERSHIP COUNCIL AND THE COMMUNITY. MERCED COUNTY NEEDS TO USE [INAUDIBLE] MILLION DOLLARS IN CARES FUNDING TO HELP RESIDENTS WITH SUPPORT AND ASSISTANCE DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC. DURING THIS PANDEMIC, I WAS AN ESSENTIAL WORKER IN THIS COMMUNITY AND NOW UNEMPLOYED BECAUSE IT'S BEEN HARD TO GO TO WORK WITH THE RISK OF BEING EXPOSED TO COVID-19 AND IT IS HARD TO MAKE ENOUGH INCOME TO SUPPORT MY PARENTS AND MY FAMILY. IT IS SO IMPORTANT [INAUDIBLE] COUNTY TO SUPPORT OUR FAMILIES WHO ARE STRUGGLING TO PAY RENT AND UTILITIES AND EVEN ARE BEING EVICTED DURING THIS TIME, ESPECIALLY OUR YOUTH AND RESIDENTS WHO ARE ESSENTIAL WORKERS AND WORKING IN THE FIELD, FARM, GROCERY STORES AND FAST FOOD RESTAURANTS. AND ALSO OUR UNDOCUMENTED RESIDENTS HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO ACCESS THESE FINANCIAL SUPPORT AND RESOURCES. [01:15:01] THE COUNTY NEEDS TO [INAUDIBLE] ESTABLISH AN EMERGENCY [INAUDIBLE] RENT AND UTILITY ASSISTANCE PROGRAM THAT IS INCLUSIVE TO SUPPORT [INAUDIBLE] DIRECTLY AFFECTED BY COVID-19 SUCH AS LOW INCOME, UNDOCUMENTED FAMILY AND YOUTH. THEY NEED THE COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS TO HEAR US AND CARE FOR US. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. CHAIRMAN ESPINOSA AND MERCED COUNTY OFFICIALS. THE CALIFORNIA'S CENTRAL VALLEY FOR JUSTICE IS A COMMUNITY, LOCAL COMMUNITY BASED ORGANIZATION. WE'RE CONTACTING YOU WITH OUR CONCERN ABOUT THE NEEDS OF OUR MOST VULNERABLE, HOUSING INSECURE RESIDENTS WHO ARE LIVING THROUGH COVID-19 DEVASTATING TIMES. WE UNDERSTAND THAT THE CARES ACT INCLUDES THE USE OF CASH RELIEF FOR INDIVIDUALS. WE BELIEVE THAT THE SECONDARY EFFECTS OF THIS PANDEMIC EMERGENCY NEEDS TO BE PRIORITIZED BY DIRECT ASSISTANCE KEEPING FAMILIES IN THEIR HOMES OR APARTMENTS OVER THE LONG TERM. WE KNOW THAT EVICTION PREVENTION PROGRAMS WILL SOON EXPIRE. THERE ARE PROJECTIONS OF MANY LOCAL JOBS WILL NOT BE RETURNING. UNEMPLOYMENT WILL CONTINUE TO INCREASE. WE CAN EXPECT THE AMOUNT FOR THESE PAST RENTS OR MORTGAGES WILL BE COMPOUNDING THE OVERDUE OBLIGATIONS IN THE FUTURE. MERCED COUNTY CARES ACT FUNDING PLAN HAS ASSISTED SMALL BUSINESSES, BUT HAS MINIMALLY PROVIDED DIRECT ASSISTANCE TO RESIDENTS. PROVIDING FUNDING FOR [INAUDIBLE] CLEAN UP RETROFITTING FACILITIES OR FOR TECHNOLOGY UPGRADES ARE NOT AS IMPORTANT AS IS THE NEED TO ENSURE KEEPING FAMILIES IN A HOME OR PROVIDING RENTAL ASSISTANCE FUNDS TO OUR MOST NEEDY. THE LANDLORDS WILL BENEFIT AND WILL IN TURN CONTINUE TO PAY THE PROPERTY LOANS TO BANKS AS WELL AS OTHER EXPENSES ASSOCIATED WITH THEIR INVESTMENTS. WE MUST REALIZE THAT THE INJECTION OF FUNDS TO OUR MOST NEEDY WILL BENEFIT THE WHOLE COMMUNITY. THE MERCED COUNTY COMMUNITY ACTION AGENCY HAS A COVID-19 RENTAL RELIEF PROGRAM ALREADY SET UP AND CAN BE POSSIBLY CONTACTED TO MANAGE MORE FUNDS THROUGH THEIR PROGRAM. A RECENT [INAUDIBLE] EVENT INVOLVING FOOD BOX GIVEAWAYS WITH A COMBINED OPPORTUNITY FOR FREE COVID TESTING, WHICH 350 FAMILIES WITH FOOD AND 200 GOT THEIR TESTS ALL WITHIN A FEW HOURS. IN OUR OPINION, THIS WAS A VERY CREATIVE IDEA THAT THE COMMUNITY RESPONDED TO POSITIVELY. IT WOULD BE WISE TO DO A SIMILAR THING IN MERCED. LASTLY, WE WANT TO REMIND YOU THAT MERCED CITY COUNTY CONTINUUM OF CARE CONTINUES WITH THE CHALLENGE OF ENDING HOMELESSNESS. YOU, AS A VISIONARY, ELECTED LOCAL LEADERS HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO HELP WITH PREVENTING FUTURE HOMELESSNESS DUE TO THE ENDING OF EVICTION PROTECTIONS. PLEASE PRIORITIZE RENTAL AND MORTGAGE ASSISTANCE FOR OUR RESIDENTS WITH CARES FUNDING. RESPECTFULLY, JASON FLORES, PRESIDENT OF THE CALIFORNIA CENTRAL VALLEY JOURNEY FOR JUSTICE. THANK YOU. MY GENDER PRONOUNS ARE SHE/HER AND I LIVE IN THE MERCED COUNTY AREA. I AM 21 YEARS OLD AND I AM CALLING TO MAKE A GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT ABOUT THE CARES FUNDING AND HOW IT SHOULD BE ALLOCATED. I FULLY SUPPORT USING THAT MONEY TO ESTABLISH AN EMERGENCY MORTGAGE, RENT AND UTILITY ASSISTANCE PROGRAM TO SUPPORT RESIDENTS WHO HAVE BEEN DISPROPORTIONATELY IMPACTED BY COVID-19 SUCH AS LOW INCOME AND UNDOCUMENTED FAMILIES AND YOUTH WHO ARE FARMWORKERS AND ESSENTIAL WORKERS. THAT IS ALL. THANK YOU. RESPECTFULLY ASK THE SUPERVISORS TO PUT TOGETHER A PROGRAM TO HELP FAMILIES [01:20:03] THAT CANNOT PAY THEIR RENT, THEY ARE ALMOST IN THE STREETS LOSING HOUSES DUE TO LACK OF FUNDS. THANK YOU. BOARD OF SUPERVISORS. MY NAME IS ALEX ROMERO AND I AM A 23 YEAR OLD MERCED COLLEGE STUDENT. I HAVE BEEN INDEPENDENT SINCE THE AGE OF 18. I AM A HARD WORKER AND HAVE WORKED TIRELESSLY SINCE THE AGE OF 15 TO PROVE MY WORTH. TODAY, I WOULD LIKE FOR YOU TO STEP BEHIND THAT SEAT AND WALK IN MY SHOES. STEPPING FORWARD, I MOVED FROM MERCED TO LAS BANOS IN JULY OF THIS YEAR, AND NOW LIVE WITH THE RELATIVE. YOU MAY NOT FIND MUCH IMPORTANCE IN THAT STATEMENT, BUT THERE IS A SIGNIFICANT STORY THAT ILLUSTRATES THE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM. COVID-19 IN FACT, IN MY LIVING CONDITIONS, AND I WAS FORCED TO LEAVE MY OWN ESTABLISHMENT BECAUSE OF LACK OF RESOURCES OFFERED TO ME BY MY COMMUNITY. FROM THE PERIOD BETWEEN MAY AND JULY, I WAS DIGGING INTO MY SAVINGS TO HAVE ENDS MEET BECAUSE, OF COURSE, THE WORLD MAY BE IN CHAOS. THE BILLING NEVER STOPPED COMING, AND YOU KNOW THAT. LUCKILY, MY FINANCIAL STRUGGLE CAME TO A HALT AS I REACHED OUTSIDE MY SCOPE OF PRACTICE AND OBTAINED A [INAUDIBLE] JOB FOR THE SAKE OF SURVIVAL. STEPPING BACK, I WAS FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO HAVE HAD A SAVINGS ACCOUNT. I WAS FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO HAVE HAD UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS WHILE THEY LASTED. AND I WAS ALSO FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO HAVE HAD A CLOSE RELATIVE THAT OPENED THEIR DOORS TO ME DURING MY TIMES OF TROUBLE WHILE I STABILIZED MYSELF. NOW LOOK AT MY STORY AND REALIZE THAT NOT EVERYONE IS FORTUNATE TO HAVE A STABLE JOB THAT IS SUFFICIENT ENOUGH TO KEEP THEIR LIFESTYLE UNTOUCHED, LIKE YOURS AND MINE. YOU AND ME ARE FORTUNATE. LET ME SAY THAT AGAIN, YOU AND ME ARE FORTUNATE, BUT THERE ARE COMMUNITY MEMBERS OUTSIDE OF YOUR BUILDING THAT ARE EAGER FOR RESOURCES, BUT YOU ARE TURNING YOUR SIDE AWAY AND LEAVING THEM TO PRAY. THERE IS NO DEBATE. WHEN THERE IS A WILL, THERE IS A WAY. PERIOD. PLEASE DO THE RIGHT THING AND UTILIZE THE CARES ACT APPROPRIATE. THIS PANDEMIC WILL NOT LAST FOREVER, SO ACT NOW AND MAKE IT A SMOOTH RIDE FOR EVERYONE. BECAUSE ALL YOU'RE DOING IS JUST RAISING THE HURDLE. THANK YOU. HI, MY NAME IS [INAUDIBLE]. MY GENDER PRONOUNS ARE SHE/HER AND I LIVE IN MERCED COUNTY. I AM A YOU 15 YEARS YOUNG AND I AM A JUNIOR [INAUDIBLE] HIGH SCHOOL. I'M CALLING [INAUDIBLE]. MY FAMILY HAS BEEN STRUGGLING FINANCIALLY AND [INAUDIBLE] EVEN WORSE DURING THIS PANDEMIC. THIS HAS CAUSED ME TO HAVE A HARD TIME FOCUSING ON MY SCHOOLWORK AND NEGATIVELY IMPACTING MY MENTAL HEALTH. MANY YOUNG PEOPLE OF COLOR, LIKE MY FRIENDS AND CLASSMATES, HAVE BEEN STRUGGLING WITH MENTAL HEALTH EVEN WORSE BECAUSE OF THIS PANDEMIC CLIMATE CRISIS. AND [INAUDIBLE], MENTAL HEALTH NEEDS TO BE TALKED ABOUT. AND I'M NOT AFRAID TO TALK ABOUT IT. MORE PEOPLE, THEY THINK, ARE CONTEMPLATING SUICIDE BECAUSE EVERYTHING THAT HAS BEEN GOING ON IS SO [EXPLICATIVE] DEPRESSING. I KNOW THERE ARE PEOPLE [INAUDIBLE], AND I [INAUDIBLE] KNOW THAT PEOPLE FEEL THAT WAY. THESE PEOPLE ARE ANGRY AND SAD BECAUSE YOU [INAUDIBLE] COUNTY HAD TAKEN ACTION EARLIER. THE COUNTY'S INACTION IS INFURIATING. SO MANY FAMILIES IN MERCED COUNTY HAVE FACED EVICTION AND ARE CURRENTLY ON THE VERGE OF BEING EVICTED BECAUSE THEY HAVE NOT RECEIVED ENOUGH MONEY TO PAY THEIR BILLS. THE EMPLOYMENT RATES IN MERCED COUNTY ARE ALREADY EXTREMELY LOW. AND ALL THESE PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THE DANGERS OF WORKING IN A PANDEMIC. THEY HAVE NO OTHER CHOICE THAN TO WORK TO SUPPORT THEMSELVES AND OR THEIR FAMILY. CARES FUNDING COULD GO A LONG WAY IN HELPING THESE FOLKS, ESPECIALLY MARGINALIZED GROUPS IN THE COMMUNITY, LIKE THE UNDOCUMENTED RESIDENTS WITH ENOUGH MONEY FOR EACH PERSON OR FAMILY. THEY WILL NEED TO GO OUT AND WORK AS HARD AND PUT THEIR LIVES AT RISK. IF WE HAVE THAT MUCH MONEY TO HELP THE PEOPLE, WHY IS IT NOT GOING TOWARDS THEM? [01:25:02] IS THE MONEY NOT FOR THE PEOPLE? WHY ARE THEY NOT RECEIVING THE HELP THEY NEED? MAKE IT MAKE SENSE! IT WAS ALREADY HARD BEFORE THE PANDEMIC AND NOW PEOPLE ARE EXPERIENCING WHAT THEY FEAR THE MOST EVICTION, HOMELESSNESS AND NOT BEING ABLE TO MEET THEIR BASIC NEEDS. I WOULD HAVE NEVER ACCEPTED COVID-19 HIT THIS HARD. THIS IS WHY I SUPPORT ESTABLISHING A RENT UTILITY HOUSING ASSISTANCE PROGRAM TO SUPPORT OUR RESIDENTS HERE IN MERCED. WE'VE BEEN MEETING WITH YOU SINCE AUGUST. AND YOU CLEARLY REFUSE TO LISTEN TO US AND YOU DON'T CARE ABOUT THE PRIORITIES AND THE NEEDS OF OUR COMMUNITY. WHY ARE WE THE ONES HAVING TO FIGHT SO HARD TO MEET OUR MOST BASIC NEEDS WHEN YOU ARE THE ONES ELECTED IN THESE SEATS TO ADVOCATE AND CARE FOR US? [INAUDIBLE] IN ATWATER, CALIFORNIA. THIS IS NOT FOR THE AGENDA. I'M CALLING REGARDING THE THAT THE COMPLETION OF THE PUBLIC HEALTH EVICTION BAN FOR RENTERS, THAT'S GOING TO START BY DECEMBER 31ST AND APPEALING TO THE MERCED COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS TO CONSIDER ANY POSSIBLE WAYS THAT THEY CAN OBTAIN FUNDING, WHETHER IT BE FROM THE CARES ACT OR FROM SOMETHING ELSE, TO [INAUDIBLE] OUR PEOPLE WHO WILL BE LOSING THEIR PLACES. PLEASE CONSIDER WHATEVER ACTION IS POSSIBLE AND LOOK AT YOUR OPTIONS AND AS WELL AS PROTECTING THOSE WHO RENT THEIR PROPERTIES IF POSSIBLE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. [INAUDIBLE], MY GENDER PRONOUNS ARE SHE/HER AND HERS, AND I'M HERE WITH [INAUDIBLE] AND I WANT TO MAKE A PUBLIC COMMENT. I BELIEVE IT. TO HELP THOSE RESIDENTS WITH UTILITIES, RENT AND MORTGAGE, BECAUSE THESE ARE BASIC LIVING ESSENTIALS. WHEN COMMUNITY MEMBERS ARE STRUGGLING AND IN NEED OF HELP, IT'S YOUR JOB TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT. THESE ARE THESE ARE OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS. AGAIN, THESE ARE OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO NEED HELP, THE PEOPLE THAT ARE THE BACKBONE OF THE COMMUNITY, PEOPLE WHO HAVE CHILDREN HERE AND IN NEED OF HELP. AND AT THE END OF THE DAY, THESE ARE OUR PEOPLE. I REPEAT MYSELF. THESE ARE OUR PEOPLE. PERSONALLY, I THINK IT'S I THINK IT'S A BIT CRUEL TO HAVE [INAUDIBLE] SUCH UNDER SUCH ANXIETY DUE TO THE [INAUDIBLE] OF NOT BEING ABLE TO PAY FOR SHELTER AND UTILITIES. ON TOP OF THE ADDED STRESS THEY ALREADY HAVE DUE TO THE PANDEMIC. AND NOT TO MENTION THE CRAZY SURGING OF CASES IN OUR AREA, ESPECIALLY WHEN MERCED IS THE ONLY COUNTY IN THE ENTIRE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY THAT HAS NOT PROVIDED ANY TYPE OF MONETARY ASSISTANCE AND SUPPORT TO OUR RESIDENTS DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC. IT'S INSANE. I DON'T GET IT. THE COUNTY IS SITTING ON MILLIONS OF DOLLARS AND THE DEADLINE TO USE THESE FUNDS IS 12/31/2020. AND THE UNSPENT FUNDS WILL BE RECOUPED BY THE TREASURY DEPARTMENT. WE HAVE BEEN WATCHING AND PAYING CLOSE ATTENTION TO THE DECISIONS. WE'VE SEEN YOU PASS UP THE OPPORTUNITY TO HELP THOSE RESIDENTS ASKING FOR RENTAL RELIEF. I MEAN, WHERE ARE THEY SUPPOSED TO LIVE? WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO HELP THEM? THIS HAS CONSEQUENCES THAT YOU WILL NEVER EXPERIENCE, LIKE YOU WILL NEVER EXPERIENCE THAT YET. YOU ARE SUPPOSED TO BE OUR LEADERS. MAN, I DON'T GET IT. WHAT MORE ARE YOU WILLING TO RISK? THIS ISN'T SOMETHING WE SHOULD BE ASKING FOR. THIS IS SOMETHING THAT SHOULD AUTOMATICALLY BE GIVEN WHEN OUR FAMILY MEMBERS ARE IN NEED. THIS IS SOMETHING THAT IS NECESSARY. THIS ISN'T A RECOMMENDED THING THIS IS SOMETHING THAT SHOULD BE NECESSARY FOR ALL OF OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS. PLEASE DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT. IT'S YOUR JOB TO DO SO. I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A PUBLIC COMMENT REGARDING THE CARES ACT FUNDING THAT MERCED COUNTY RECEIVED WITH NEW STAY AT HOME ORDER AND SMALL BUSINESSES HAVING TO CLOSE ONCE AGAIN, ESPECIALLY RESTAURANTS. I FREQUENTLY HEAR ABOUT WHAT MERCED COUNTY IS LOOKING TO DO FOR THE SMALL BUSINESS OWNER. THIS IS IMPORTANT FOR OUR COUNTY. WE DON'T HAVE A LOT OF BUSINESSES ALREADY. SO I AM DEFINITELY IN SUPPORT OF THAT. WE NEED TO DO MORE FOR OUR SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS THAT ARE SUFFERING DURING THIS PANDEMIC. BUT I WOULD ALSO LIKE THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS TO ALSO CONSIDER THE EMPLOYEES THAT WORK AT THESE SMALL BUSINESSES THAT ARE HAVING DIFFICULTY PAYING THEIR RENT AND UTILITIES. AND I WOULD REALLY, AS A MEMBER OF THIS COMMUNITY, LIKE TO SEE FUNDING FROM THE [01:30:02] CARES ACT FUNDING GOING TO UTILITIES, GO TO RENT PAYMENTS FOR PEOPLE WHO CAN'T AFFORD IT, GO TO THE HOMELESS PEOPLE WHO ARE VOUCHERS FROM THE GOVERNOR'S ASSISTANCE PROJECT [INAUDIBLE] THAT THAT MONEY HAS RAN OUT. AND SO WE'VE GOT PEOPLE WHO COULD POSSIBLY BE SERVING THE COMMUNITY BUT ARE HOMELESS IF THEY DON'T HAVE ANYWHERE SAFE TO WASH THEIR HANDS, THAT COULD USE THAT ADDITIONAL FUNDING AS WELL. SO HOUSING IS VERY IMPORTANT, ESPECIALLY WHEN THIS COLD WEATHER DURING FLU SEASON AND TO HELP MITIGATE THE SPREAD OF COVID. ALSO, I HAVEN'T HEARD ANYTHING IN REGARDS TO CHILD FUNDING FOR CHILD CARE FOR PARENTS THAT HAVE TO KEEP WORKING AS A TEACHER AT A SCHOOL, KIDS ARE STAYING HOME ALONE TO DO THEIR DISTANCE LEARNING. AND IT WOULD BE NICE TO SEE THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS DO SOMETHING MORE FOR THEM FOR THIS COMMUNITY. THANK YOU. THE GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT ABOUT WHY MERCED COUNTRIES SHOULD GIVE [INAUDIBLE] SHOULD ACTUALLY GIVE THE CARES FUNDING TO RESIDENTS WHO NEED IT. THERE'S A LOT OF RESIDENTS THAT ARE AFFECTED BY NOT BEING ABLE TO PAY THE RENT RIGHT NOW AND NOT BEING ABLE TO PAY THEIR UTILITIES AND JUST NOT BEING ABLE TO LIVE RIGHT NOW BECAUSE UNEMPLOYMENT IS UP TO I BELIEVE 70 PERCENT IN THE COUNTY. AND THAT'S REALLY INTENSE. THERE ARE SOME PEOPLE WHO ARE STILL MAKING IT WORK, BUT FOR THE MOST PART, PEOPLE ARE FACING EVICTION. PEOPLE ARE FACING JUST POTENTIAL HOMELESSNESS. THEY'RE FACING THE INABILITY TO FEED THEIR FAMILIES. THEY'RE FACING A LOT OF HARDSHIPS. AND THAT FUNDING THAT PEOPLE ARE SITTING ON RIGHT NOW WOULD HELP OUR COMMUNITY AND HELP OUR RESIDENTS SO MUCH MORE THAN JUST HOLDING IT AND NOT UTILIZING IT. MERCED COUNTY IS THE ONLY COUNTY IN THE CENTRAL VALLEY THAT HAS NOT PUT THAT FUNDING TOWARDS ITS RESIDENTS. AND THAT'S A SHAME. I HOPE THAT Y'ALL WILL SEE THIS, LISTEN TO THE OTHER FOLKS THAT ARE CALLING IN AND ACTUALLY DO RIGHT BY OUR COUNTY CITIZENS AND THE PEOPLE THAT ARE STRUGGLING WITHIN THE VALLEY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, HAVE A GREAT DAY. AGENDA ITEM IN REGARDS TO MONETARY RELIEF TO RESIDENTS AMIDST THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC AND CARES FUNDING. I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A GENERAL COMMENT. I BELIEVE THE COUNTY SHOULD GIVE CARES FUNDING TO HELP RESIDENTS WHO NEED RENTAL, UTILITY AND MORTGAGE ASSISTANCE DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC. IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT THIS IS COMPLETE. PEOPLE ALREADY STRUGGLE WITHIN OUR COUNTY. AT THIS MOMENT. IT IS MUCH HARDER TO FIND WORK FOR OUR RESIDENTS. TO STAY AMIDST THIS OTHER NECESSITIES, PLEASE DO THIS AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. IT IS GREATLY NEEDED WITHIN OUR COUNTY. IN ORDER. FOR PEOPLE NOT TO BE ON THE STREET, THERE'S MORE HOMELESS NOW, PEOPLE ARE GOING HUNGRY. PEOPLE ARE ABOUT TO LOSE THEIR HOMES. THEY MAY BE OUT ON THE STREET. PLEASE HELP WITH THIS FUNDING. THANK YOU. MY NAME IS [INAUDIBLE], AND I'M CALLING TO SUBMIT A PUBLIC COMMENT TO MERCED COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS IN SUPPORT OF HOUSING AND UTILITY AND MORTGAGE RELIEF FOR CARES FUNDING. MY NAME IS TONY SLATON. I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT. I'M A TRUSTEE AT A SMALL CHURCH HERE IN MERCED. WE RECEIVE CALLS FOR SUPPORT ON A DAILY BASIS. WE DO WHAT WE CAN, BUT THE REQUESTS EXCEED OUR CAPABILITIES. WE RECEIVE REQUESTS FOR FOOD ASSISTANCE, FOR FOOD ASSISTANCE, WITH UTILITIES AND ASSISTANCE PAYING RENT. I KNOW FIRSTHAND THAT PREVENTION IS BETTER THAN INTERVENTION. I KNOW THAT IT IS EASIER AND MORE COST EFFECTIVE TO HELP PEOPLE TO STAY IN THEIR HOMES OR APARTMENTS RATHER THAN TRYING TO FIND HOUSING ONCE THEY BECOME HOMELESS, I [01:35:05] BELIEVE THAT WE ARE IN THE MIDST OF A CRISIS AND HELPING THOSE MOST IN NEED IS THE RIGHT THING TO DO. MANY PEOPLE ARE FACING DIFFICULTIES. I SUPPORT THE USE OF CARES FUNDING TO HELP PEOPLE IN NEED OF RENTAL ASSISTANCE AND ASSISTANCE PAYING THEIR UTILITIES. THANK YOU. [INAUDIBLE], POLICY ADVOCATE WITH LEADERSHIP COUNCIL, I AM CALLING TODAY TO LEAVE A GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT REGARDING CARES FUNDING. HUNDREDS OF RESIDENTS ARE STRUGGLING TO PAY THEIR RENT AND BILLS. IN SANTA NELLA 70 RESIDENTS HAVE PASSED DUE WATER SEWER ACCOUNTS, IN DELHI 14 RESIDENTS ARE PAST DUE ON THEIR WATER BILL. IN PLANADA ONE HUNDRED AND SIXTY FOUR RESIDENTS HAVE FALLEN BEHIND ON THEIR WATER AND SEWER BILL. AND OUT OF THOSE SOME ARE SEVEN TO EIGHT MONTHS PASSED DUE. RESIDENTS CONTINUE TO STRUGGLE DURING THE PANDEMIC AND YOU CONTINUE TO IGNORE THEM. SO, AGAIN, WE ARE URGING THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS TO ACT NOW. YOUR CONSTITUENTS, VULNERABLE COMMUNITIES, HAVE BEEN DISPROPORTIONATELY IMPACTED BY THE PANDEMIC AND YOU HAVE NEGLECTED THEIR NEEDS SINCE AUGUST. AGAIN EVERY COUNTY IN THE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY HAS INVESTED CARES FUNDING TO RENT, UTILITY ASSISTANCE PROGRAM EXCEPT MERCED. MADERA COUNTY ALLOCATED A LITTLE OVER ONE MILLION. TULARE COUNTY ALLOCATED AT ONE POINT ONE MILLION. KERN COUNTY ALLOCATED FIVE MILLION TO THEIR UTILITY ASSISTANCE PROGRAM. SO WE URGE YOU TO HOLD TO YOUR PROMISE AND ALLOCATE THREE MILLION FROM THE CONTINGENCY FUND TO A RENT UTILITY MORTGAGE ASSISTANCE PROGRAM FOR MERCED COUNTY RESIDENTS. IT IS ALSO IMPERATIVE THAT THIS PROGRAM DOES NOT EXCLUDE UNDOCUMENTED RESIDENTS. THESE ARE ESSENTIAL WORKERS WHO PUT FOOD ON OUR TABLES AND NEED THE MOST HELP. MANY DO NOT QUALIFY FOR ANY HSA PROGRAMS AND THEREFORE NEED THE COUNTY TO USE THE THREE MILLION IN THE CONTINGENCY FUND FOR RENT UTILITY MORTGAGE ASSISTANCE PROGRAM. HUNDREDS OF FAMILIES HAVE REQUESTED THAT THE COUNTY USE CARES FUNDING TO ENSURE THAT RESIDENTS WHO ARE DISPROPORTIONATELY IMPACTED AND WHO HAVE NOT RECEIVED PRIOR AID ARE PRIORITIZED. THIS IS A PUBLIC HEALTH ISSUE, SO WE HOPE THAT YOU LISTEN TO YOUR CONSTITUENTS AND PRIORITIZE THEIR NEEDS. THANK YOU. MY NAME IS BLANCA [INAUDIBLE]. PLEASE STOP YOUR NEGATIVE ATTITUDES. WE HAVE BEEN IN THE COVID NOW FOR NINE MONTHS. [01:40:03] THE MONEY IS NOT YOURS. THE MONEY NEEDS TO GO TO PAY RENT, MORTGAGE. THOSE WHO FORGET GOD. REMEMBER, NOTHING BELONGS TO US. OPEN YOUR HEARTS AND HELP THE PEOPLE. THANK YOU. AMEN. HELLO, GOOD MORNING, I'M HERE FROM THE DELHI RESIDENCE AND I'M CALLING FOR THE CORONAVIRUS THAT WE NEED HELP FOR RELIEF SERVICES. AS FAR AS THE MERCED COUNTY ARE NOT HELPING THE PEOPLE WHO ARE IN NEED. SO I UNDERSTAND YOU GUYS ARE VERY COMFORTABLE AND HAPPY WITH YOUR HOME AND EVERYTHING YOU GUYS HAVE. BUT YOU HAVE TO BE FAIR ENOUGH FOR THE OTHER PEOPLE THAT HAVE NO ACCESS PROGRAM, MAYBE NOT HAVING A JOB, THEY HAVE CHILDREN. SO HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF HUMBLENESS AND MERCY. AND SO I'M ASSUMING YOU GUYS HAVE PROMISED YOU GUYS WERE GOING TO HELP THE COMMUNITY. AND IF IT'S NOT SO, THEN WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT VERY SOON, BECAUSE NOT ONLY DOES THE CORONAVIRUS, BUT OTHER STUFF AS WELL THAT YOU GUYS ARE NOT BEING THERE WITH THE MONEY THAT IS GIVEN FROM THE COUNTY OF MERCED. AND SO PLEASE DON'T TAKE [INAUDIBLE]. AND I REALLY APPRECIATE ALL YOUR HELP. AND IF YOU WERE TO BE IN THEIR SITUATION, THEN YOU WOULD HAVE DONE SOMETHING ABOUT IT AS WELL. THANK YOU SO MUCH, BYE. STACEY, CAN YOU PLEASE PAUSE THOSE? HOW MANY MORE DO WE HAVE? OK, WE'RE GOING TO TAKE A FIVE MINUTE BREAK, I THINK SOMEBODY WANTS A FIVE MINUTE BREAK. OK, WE'LL BE BACK TO CONTINUE THE PUBLIC COMMENTS, OK? AND BEFORE WE START, LET ME JUST SAY THAT WE'RE GOING TO FINISH LISTENING TO THE REST OF THE VOICE PUBLIC COMMENTS AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO HEAR THE PRESENTATION BY CVOC AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO TAKE A LUNCH BREAK, PROBABLY 40, 40 MINUTES LUNCH BREAK, AND WE'LL COME BACK AT ONE O'CLOCK TO FINISH OFF THE MEETING. OK, SO GO AHEAD, PLEASE. THANK YOU. IS CONSIDERING THE RESIDENTS WITH MONETARY ASSISTANCE FOR RENT BILLS, GAS, ELECTRIC, WATER. A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE LOST THEIR JOBS. THEY ARE SICK. [01:45:02] AND THE COMMUNITY HAS BEEN TALKING TO THE SUPERVISOR ABOUT THIS PROGRAM. AND IT SHOULD BE THE HELP SHOULD GO TO EVERYBODY, NO MATTER WHAT THEIR LEGAL STATUS, AT LEAST THREE MILLION DOLLARS FOR HELP WITH BILLS, ETC.. THANK YOU. GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS BLANCA [INAUDIBLE]. I AM SPEAKING ON ITEM THIRTY THREE. JUST WANTED TO SAY I'M A COMMUNITY ORGANIZER WITH FAITH IN THE VALLEY. GOOD MORNING MERCED COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS. MY NAME IS BLANCA [INAUDIBLE] AND I'M A COMMUNITY ORGANIZER WITH FAITH IN THE VALLEY, AS WELL AS A NURSE AT COUNTY RESIDENT. AND I'M CALLING TODAY TO LIFT UP THE NEED OF MERCED COUNTY RESIDENTS THAT HAVE A NEED FOR A RENT, MORTGAGE AND UTILITIES ASSISTANCE PROGRAM. REGARDLESS OF IMMIGRATION STATUS. SO FAR, EIGHT CENTRAL VALLEY COUNTIES, INCLUDING THE MADERA, HAVE CREATED A SIMILAR PROGRAM FOR THEIR RESIDENTS, AND WE NEED OUR REPRESENTATIVES IN MERCED COUNTY TO DO THE SAME. ALLOCATING THREE MILLION FROM THE CONTINGENCY FUND WOULD MEET THE NEEDS OF OUR RESIDENTS. IT IS ESTIMATED THAT THERE ARE AT LEAST THIRTEEN THOUSAND SIX HUNDRED EIGHTY HOUSEHOLDS IN DANGER OF FACING EVICTION IN MERCED COUNTY, BECAUSE OF COVID-19 AND UNEMPLOYMENT HAS INCREASED NEARLY 700 PERCENT SINCE JUST LAST YEAR. WE NEED TO ACT FAST TO ENSURE THAT OUR RESIDENTS CAN REMAIN SAFE AT HOME. THANK YOU. SO THIS HAS COME ACROSS MY ATTENTION, SO I GUESS MERCED COUNTY HASN'T GIVEN ANY RELIEF DURING THIS PANDEMIC. SO THIS WOULD BE THE CARES FUNDING AND I BELIEVE IT SHOULD BE [INAUDIBLE] UTILITIES, MORTGAGE ALL THE TIME, BUT ESPECIALLY DURING A PANDEMIC. AND [INAUDIBLE] DEPENDENT ON PUBLIC FUNDS FOR YOUR SALARY? YOU SHOULD BE HELPING PEOPLE GET THE MOST THAT NEEDS THE MOST IN OUR COUNTY, ESPECIALLY NOW. SO YEAH. SO I HOPE YOU GUYS HAVE A GOOD DAY AND MAKE THE RIGHT DECISION FOR THE CARES FUNDING. THANK YOU. MY NAME IS [INAUDIBLE], AND I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A GENERAL COMMENT TO THE MERCED BOARD OF SUPERVISORS REGARDING MY SUPPORT FOR HOUSING, UTILITY AND MORTGAGE RELIEF. YOU HAVE HAD THESE FUNDS SINCE JULY AND THE COMMUNITY IS IN CRISIS WAITING FOR RELIEF. I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO ADD THAT I'M THAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE INCLUSIONARY ZONING, WHICH IS NEEDED IN MERCED TO ADDRESS MORE AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND LOW INCOMES TO MODERATE INCOME RESIDENTS. WHEN WE LOOK BACK AND INCLUSIONARY ZONING WAS DEVELOPED, WHICH WAS DEVELOPED IN RESPONSE TO A EXCLUSIONARY AND OFTEN RACIALLY SEGREGATED ZONES LIKE THE [INAUDIBLE] MERCED HAS A DIVERSE MIX OF BLACK AND BROWN COMMUNITIES, BUT THEY REMAIN LARGELY LOCATED IN DENSELY POPULATED AREAS UNABLE TO QUALIFY FOR HOME LOANS, ETC. INCLUSIONARY ZONE OFFERS OF A HEALTHY MIX OF DIVERSE INCOME, ETHNICITY AND [INAUDIBLE] INCREASINGLY PRICEY AREAS OF THE CITY. THIS IS REQUIRED FOR ANY FORWARD MOVING CITY. AGAIN, I AM SUPPORTING THE HOUSING UTILITY MORTGAGE RELIEF. THANK YOU AND HAVE A GREAT DAY. [01:50:52] YEAH, ALL OUR PHONES ARE GOING OFF. PALOS, AND I'M CALLING TO GIVE YOU MY OPINION ABOUT THE CARE FUNDS. SUPERVISORS SHOULD BE GIVING THESE FUNDS TO THE PEOPLE. SENATOR [INAUDIBLE] ASKS YOU TO GIVE THESE FUNDS FOR PEOPLE THAT NEEDED THE MOST FOR RENT, MORTGAGE, GAS, ELECTRIC, WATER. PEOPLE ARE BEING VERY AFFECTED AND THEY COULD BE EVICTED. THIS IS MY OPINION. I HOPE YOU WILL LISTEN TO IT. HI, MY NAME IS LAUREN, AND I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT. I WOULD LIKE MERCED TO ALLOCATE CARES FUNDING TO HELP RESIDENTS WHO NEED RENTAL UTILITY MORTGAGE ASSISTANCE DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC, BECAUSE THIS PANDEMIC HAS GONE ON FOR SO LONG AND THAT WE NEED TO OFFER ASSISTANCE TO PEOPLE, PEOPLE I'VE SEEN PEOPLE EVERYWHERE STRUGGLING WITH THEIR RENT AND. THERE IS THREE MILLION DOLLARS IN THE CONTINGENCY FUND. AND WHY AREN'T WE USING THAT TO HELP RESIDENTS WITH THEIR BASIC NEEDS TO SURVIVE? I DON'T WANT TO SEE MORE PEOPLE GO OUT ONTO THE STREET, HAVE TO MOVE FURTHER AWAY. AND MERCED IS ACTUALLY THE ONLY CENTRAL VALLEY COUNTY THAT HASN'T PROVIDED RELIEF TO THE RESIDENTS AND YEAH, IT'S JUST BASIC HUMAN RIGHTS AND MERCED SHOULD BE DOING ITS PART, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT HAS THE FUNDING TO DO SO TO HELP RESIDENTS WITH THIS. SO, YES, THANK YOU. HI, MY NAME IS CATLIN BISHOP, I AM A RESIDENT OF MERCED, AND I'D LIKE TO MAKE A GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT. I AM CALLING TO URGE YOU TO DESIGNATE CARES ACT FUNDING FOR RENT, UTILITY AND MORTGAGE ASSISTANCE FOR RESIDENTS IN NEED. THE PANDEMIC IS ONLY BECOMING MORE SEVERE. AND YOU HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO USE THESE RESOURCES TO AID RESIDENTS IN CRISIS. THANK YOU. [INAUDIBLE] I'M NOT SURE IF THIS IS ON THE AGENDA OR NOT, IS IN REGARD TO CARES FUNDING TO HELP RESIDENTS WHO NEED RENTAL AND UTILITY AND MORTGAGE ASSISTANCE DURING THE PANDEMIC. I SUPPORT THE IDEA OF USING CARES FUNDING FOR THAT PURPOSE, AND I WOULD APPRECIATE THE SUPERVISORS TAKING THAT UNDER CONSIDERATION. AND THANK YOU. [01:55:05] PUBLIC COMMENT FOR ITEM 33. HI, MY NAME IS [INAUDIBLE], I'M A YOUTH ORGANIZER WITH 99 ROOTS, [INAUDIBLE] CALIFORNIA AND MY PRONOUNS ARE THEY/THEM/THEIRS. WE HELD A PRESS CONFERENCE YESTERDAY ALONGSIDE FAITH IN THE VALLEY AND LEADERSHIP COUNCIL FOR JUSTICE AND ACCOUNTABILITY. SO HERE'S WHAT WE KNOW. THIRTEEN THOUSAND SIX HUNDRED AND EIGHTY MERCED HOUSEHOLDS ARE IN DANGER OF FACING EVICTION DUE TO COVID-19, WHICH IS A HUGE NUMBER, 13000. UNEMPLOYMENT HAS INCREASED 700 PERCENT FROM 2019 TO 2020. AND RESIDENT AND YOUTH SHARE THE HARDSHIP THAT THEY'VE BEEN LIVING THROUGH DURING THE LAST NINE MONTHS OF THE PANDEMIC. TO SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA RESIDENTS, ADVOCATES AND COMMUNITY LEADERS SHOW UP MEETING AFTER MEETING WITH SOLID PROPOSALS FOR THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS AND ARE DISMISSED. AND YOU STILL ASK US TO HELP AND PROVIDE A SOLUTION. HERE IT IS ONE LAST TIME. PLEASE COMMIT TO USING THE THREE MILLION IN THE CONTINGENCY FUND FOR A RENT, UTILITY AND MORTGAGE ASSISTANCE PROGRAM. HOW YOU VOTE TODAY SHOWS THAT YOU'RE LISTENING TO RESIDENTS. THERE ARE CURRENTLY FOUR HUNDRED AND EIGHTY ONE RESIDENTS WHO ARE CONSIDERED DELINQUENT ON THEIR WATER AND SEWER BILL IN ALL OF DOS PALOS. EYES ARE ON YOU. TO SUPERVISOR PAREIRA. IF WE DON'T MAKE THIS BUDGET INVESTMENT, WE WILL HAVE A DEVASTATING, SHOCKING WAVE OF EVICTION. YOU'RE LITERALLY SAYING THAT YOU WANT RESIDENTS THAT YOU REPRESENT TO BE HOMELESS. THAT'S HOW THIS WORKS WHEN COMMUNITIES ARE NOT SUPPORTED WITH GOVERNMENT PROGRAMS, WHICH, BY THE WAY, IS THEIR MONEY. IT'S OUR TAXES. IT'S MONEY DESIGNATED TO BE USED THIS WAY. WHEN PEOPLE ARE NOT SUPPORTED BY GOVERNMENT PROGRAMS, THE NEED GROWS MORE AND MORE AND MORE SEVERE AND LEADS TO HOMELESSNESS AND OTHER ISSUES BECAUSE PEOPLE NEED THEIR BASIC NEEDS MET. ANYTHING LESS THAN A THREE MILLION DOLLAR INVESTMENT IN YOUR RESIDENTS, REGARDLESS OF CITIZENSHIP, IS A SLAP IN THE FACE. YOU HAVEN'T PROVIDED MONETARY RELIEF DURING THE LAST NINE MONTHS OF THE PANDEMIC TO RESIDENTS. WHEN THE WORST PEAK OF THE PANDEMIC DURING A REALLY HARSH WINTER. WE'RE IN THE HOLIDAY SEASON AND DURING A REALLY STRICT REGIONAL STAY AT HOME ORDER BECAUSE OF HOW BAD COVID-19 IS IN OUR REGION. HOW YOU VOTE TODAY FOR HOW MUCH WILL BE YOUR REPUTATION AND IT WILL PRECEDE YOU. IF YOU EVER WANT TO RUN FOR OFFICE AGAIN IN ANY CAPACITY. THAT'S SOMETHING TO KEEP IN MIND. YOUNG PEOPLE WILL MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE KNOW HOW YOU VOTED TODAY AND FOR HOW MUCH. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. GOOD MORNING, MERCED COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS. MY NAME IS [INAUDIBLE] WITH PROJECT GROWTH IN THE MERCED CALIFORNIA AND I HAVE A COMMENT THAT IS NOT FOR AN AGENDA ITEM. I WOULD LIKE TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR DEDICATION TO THE COUNTY OF MERCED. I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO REMIND THIS GROUP OF KEY DECISION MAKERS THAT HUNGER, HOMELESSNESS AND MENTAL HEALTH IN MERCED COUNTY ARE MAJOR CONCERNS IN OUR COMMUNITY. IN TWENTY NINETEEN, THERE WERE 285 UNSHELTERED PEOPLE IN OUR COUNTY. AND ACCORDING TO THE MOST RECENT US CENSUS DATA, 21 PERCENT OF PEOPLE IN MERCED COUNTY LIVE IN POVERTY. THIS, OF COURSE, WILL ONLY GET WORSE AS WE PROGRESS INTO ANOTHER STAY AT HOME ORDER. AT THE TOP OF PEOPLE'S PANTRY AND THE PEOPLE'S FRIDGE. A COMMUNITY CAN FIND FREE FOOD ON A DAILY BASIS. THE COMMUNITY IS WELCOME TO COME BY 936 WEST 18TH STREET IN MERCED CALIFORNIA AND FIND THE PEOPLE'S FRIDGE OPEN DAILY, 24 HOURS A DAY, SEVEN DAYS A WEEK. ON SATURDAYS. THE COMMUNITY CAN STOP BY THE POP UP PEOPLE'S PANTRY ALSO AT 936 WEST 18TH STREET IN MERCED BEGINNING AT 1:00 P.M.. WE KNOW HUNGER AFFECTS LEARNING AND GROWTH WITH ONE OF THE LARGEST, HIGHEST FOOD SECURITY RATES IN THE NATION AT 27 PERCENT. WE CANNOT OVERLOOK THE ISSUE. YOU CAN HELP BY RELEASING CARES ACT DOLLARS TO HELP SUPPORT WORKERS THAT WILL BECOME UNEMPLOYED AND HELP SMALL LOCAL BUSINESSES SURVIVE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. [INAUDIBLE] AND I'D LIKE TO MAKE A GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT. I URGE YOU TO USE CARES FUNDING TO HELP OUR MERCED RESIDENTS PAY THE RENT, UTILITIES AND MORTGAGE DURING THIS STRESSFUL TIME. THANK YOU. SHENG XIONG WITH LEADERSHIP COUNCIL FOR JUSTICE AND ACCOUNTABILITY, I'D LIKE TO LEAVE A PUBLIC COMMENT FOR AGENDA ITEM 33. AS THIS PANDEMIC HAS GOTTEN WORSE. WE HAVE YET TO SEE ANY FINANCIAL HELP DIRECTLY TO RESIDENTS WHO HAVE BEEN [02:00:01] ASKING FOR HOUSING RELIEF SINCE THE BEGINNING, BEGINNING OF COVID. WE CONTINUE TO SEE EVICTIONS HAPPENING, WHICH MAKES RESIDENTS EVEN MORE VULNERABLE TO COVID. THE COUNTY'S REFUSAL TO ADOPT AN EVICTION MORATORIUM HAS LEFT MANY FAMILIES AT HIGHER RISK OF GETTING COVID. IN ADDITION TO DOING NOTHING ABOUT EVICTIONS, MERCED COUNTY HAS NOT ALLOCATED ANY OF ITS CARES FUNDING TO RESIDENTS FOR DIRECT RENTAL, UTILITY OR MORTGAGE ASSISTANCE. WHILE EVERY OTHER COUNTY WITHIN THE CENTRAL VALLEY HAS GIVEN SOME KIND OF SUPPORT TO ITS MOST VULNERABLE RESIDENTS. THESE CARES FUNDS ARE SUPPOSED TO HELP EVERYBODY AND YET MERCED COUNTY DOESN'T BELIEVE THAT IT SHOULD HELP RESIDENTS BECAUSE NOBODY DESERVES A FREE HAND. YET IT CHOOSES WHO WANTS TO HELP BY CALLING IT A GRANT OR LOAN AND WHO CAN APPLY FOR IT. FAMILIES ARE HURTING LOW INCOME FAMILIES WHO DON'T GET ENOUGH HELP AS IT IS. PEOPLE WHO ARE NEARLY HOMELESS AND BARELY GETTING BY, MANY NOT EVEN GETTING BY, THAT WE'RE SIMPLY IGNORING SO THAT WE CAN BLAME THEM FOR THEIR CIRCUMSTANCES WHILE WE WATCH AND DO NOTHING. THIS COUNTY PUT THREE MILLION DOLLARS IN ITS CONTINGENCY. IT IS TIME TO ALLOCATE THAT FUNDING TO HELP RESIDENTS IN NEED. THIS ALSO NEEDS TO REACH THE UNDOCUMENTED AND FARM WORKING COMMUNITIES WHO HAVE ALLOWED US TO CONTINUE PUTTING FOOD ON OUR TABLE SO THAT YOU AND I CAN EAT SAFELY AND SOUNDLY EVERY DAY AND THAT WE GET ALL THE THINGS WE NEED DURING THIS PANDEMIC. MERCED COUNTY MUST ALLOCATE A RENTAL UTILITY AND MORTGAGE ASSISTANCE PROGRAM TO HELP FAMILIES IN NEED NOW. THANK YOU. THIS CONCLUDES OUR PUBLIC COMMENT. WELL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. WITH THAT, WE'LL CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENT. WE LISTENED TO ALL THE IN PERSON AND ALL THE VOICEMAILS, SO WE'LL BRING [PROJECT PROTECT OUR FARMWORKERS: CVOC OUTREACH UPDATE ] IT BACK. AND NOW WE'RE GOING TO HEAR A PRESENTATION BY CVOC. GOOD MORNING, CHAIRMAN ESPINOSA, BOARD MEMBERS, COUNTY COUNCIL HANSON AND CEO BROWN. MY NAME IS ALEXANDER PIERCE, DEPUTY CEO WITH THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE OFFICE. ON JULY 28TH. THIS BOARD APPROVED A CONTRACT WITH CENTRAL VALLEY OPPORTUNITY CENTER TO PROVIDE COUNTYWIDE OUTREACH, EDUCATION AND SUPPLIES TO FARM WORKERS, LABOR CONTRACTORS AND MIGRANT CAMP RESIDENTS TO HELP MITIGATE THE SPREAD OF COVID-19 IN OUR COMMUNITY. SINCE AUGUST, CVOC HAS CONDUCTED WEEKLY IN-PERSON OUTREACH EVENTS AND DISTRIBUTED THOUSANDS OF PPE SUPPLIES, EDUCATIONAL INFORMATION AND PROVIDED CONNECTIONS TO COUNTLESS COMMUNITY RESOURCES. I AM PLEASED TO INTRODUCE CVOC EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR JORGE DE NAVA AND OUTREACH COORDINATOR CAMILA LOPEZ TO PROVIDE AN UPDATE ON THE GREAT WORK CVOC HAS BEEN PROVIDING THROUGH PROJECT PROTECT OUR FARM WORKERS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. WELCOME, SIR. THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU, ALEXANDRA, FOR THE INTRODUCTION. I THINK IT'S GOOD AFTERNOON. YES. GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYONE. THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING US TO PRESENT TO YOU TODAY. AS ALEXANDRA MENTIONED, THIS IS A PROJECT THAT WAS FUNDED IN JULY AND OUR KICKOFF EVENT TOOK PLACE AUGUST TWENTY EIGHTH. AND WE HAVE A SHORT POWERPOINT DECK HERE TO GO THROUGH. THE PROGRAM WAS CALLED PROTECT OUR FARM WORKERS AND WAS CONCEIVED AND THOUGHT UP AND FUNDED IN COLLABORATION BETWEEN CVOC, A COMMUNITY BASED ORGANIZATION AND THE CEO'S OFFICE. AS I MENTIONED, THE FARM WORKER APPRECIATION DAY KICKOFF WAS AUGUST 28TH, AN EVENT HELD AT OUR FACILITIES IN WINTON, WHERE WE DISTRIBUTED HOUSEHOLD ITEMS, FOOD, PPE TO OVER TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTY FAMILIES, AS WELL AS THROUGH OUR COMMERCIAL KITCHEN THAT WE HAVE ON SITE. WE PROVIDED ONE THOUSAND HOT MEALS THAT DAY. IN ADDITION, 10000 TOTAL MASKS WERE DISTRIBUTED AND TWO THOUSAND BOTTLES OF HAND SANITIZER. THESE ARE SOME PHOTOS OF EVENTS THAT WERE PUT ON BY CAMILA AND HER TEAM. WE WERE ABLE TO DO OUTREACH EVENTS THROUGHOUT MERCED COUNTY FOUR DAYS A WEEK. WHERE WE WOULD GO OUT INTO THE FIELDS AND PROVIDE PPE RESOURCES, FACE MASKS AND INFORMATION TO THE FIELD WORKERS IN MERCED COUNTY. OVER 60 EVENTS WERE HELD FOR THIS PROJECT. CVOC ALSO TEAMED UP WITH PUBLIC HEALTH TO DELIVER UP TO DATE INFORMATION ABOUT CORONAVIRUS AND RESOURCES AVAILABLE THROUGHOUT MERCED COUNTY. WE ALSO PARTNERED WITH PUBLIC HEALTH TO HOST A MOBILE COVID TESTING EVENT [02:05:03] IN SEPTEMBER, ONE OF THE FIRST ONES IN THE COUNTY. CAMILA AND HER TEAM DISTRIBUTED INFORMATION THAT I MENTIONED EARLIER THAT INCLUDED PROTECTIVE MEASURES, SYMPTOMS OF CORONAVIRUS, WHERE TO GET TESTED IN THE COUNTY, MEALS AND PPE. YOU CAN TELL FROM THAT COMMENT THAT THIS PROGRAM WAS FLUID. SO WE STARTED OUT JUST TALKING ABOUT WHAT IT IS, WHAT YOU MIGHT SEE TO THIS IS WHERE YOU GO AND GET TESTED. WE TARGETED AG WORKERS THAT WERE RESIDING IN MIGRANT CENTERS INTO THE FIELDS AND THE PACKING SHEDS THROUGHOUT MERCED COUNTY. THIS IS MY FAVORITE SLIDE, THIS IS A SNAPSHOT OF OUR COUNTY. IN TOTAL, WE DID VISIT 12 CITIES. DISTRIBUTION OF MASKS PER CITY ARE ALSO LISTED, HAND SANITIZER BOTTLES AS WELL. THERE'S A FEW LOCATIONS THAT WE OWE APOLOGIES TO SOUTH DOS PALOS DID NOT GET VISITED. SANTA NELLA ALSO DID NOT GET VISITED. SNELLING I'M TOLD BY MY STAFF THIS MORNING THAT WE FAILED TO HIT AS WELL. IF I MISSED ANY OTHERS. I DO APOLOGIZE, BUT WE TRIED OUR BEST TO GET AROUND. THE LAST SLIDE IS KIND OF THE BIG TICKET NUMBER HERE, THREE THOUSAND NINE HUNDRED AND FIFTY MEALS PREPARED AND DISTRIBUTED, THREE THOUSAND EIGHT HUNDRED AND SIXTY ONE INFORMATION PACKETS DISTRIBUTED, SIX THOUSAND SEVEN HUNDRED AND SIXTY ONE BOTTLES OF HAND SANITIZER AND OVER SIXTY THOUSAND MASKS DISTRIBUTED IN A VERY SHORT AMOUNT OF TIME. AND WE ARE STILL LIVE HERE IN DECEMBER AS WELL. THE DATA YOU SEE IS FROM AUGUST TWENTY EIGHTH THROUGH NOVEMBER 30TH. AND WITH THAT, I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE CAMILA LOPEZ TO SHOW YOU THE KITS THAT WE WERE HANDING OUT. HI, THANK YOU JORGE. GOOD MORNING, EVERYONE. MORNING. SO JUST A FIRST SHOW. THESE DRAWSTRING BAGS ARE HOW WE PACKAGED ALL OF THE THE PRODUCTS, I GUESS. SO THIS INFO PACKET GREW OVER THE MONTHS IN COLLABORATION WITH MERCED COUNTY PUBLIC HEALTH, WITH CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT PUBLIC HEALTH. OUR COVID PACKETS INCLUDED AS MENTIONED SYMPTOMS. HOW TO MAINTAIN SELF, WHAT'S IT CALLED, SAFETY TIPS, HOW TO WEAR THE MASK CORRECTLY, WHAT JUST GENERAL INFORMATION AND THEN ALSO INCLUDING PROJECT HEALTHY HARVEST HOME AND THEN WHERE TO GET TESTED, INCLUDING SPECIFIC STATE FUNDED SITES. SO THAT'S JUST THE COVID INFO. WE THEN INCLUDED ALL INFO ABOUT CVOC AND ALL OF OUR SUPPORTIVE SERVICES. WE'RE ALSO VOCATIONAL SCHOOL. SO IF ANY OF THEM ARE INTERESTED, WE TOOK DOWN THEIR INFORMATION AND CONNECTED THEM LATER. THIS IS WITH THIS PART OF THE EMPLOYMENT DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT. KNOW YOUR RIGHTS FOR AG WORKERS. THIS IS HEAD START. THESE ARE THE NEW ATWATER AND MERCED TESTING SITES AND THIS IS FROM LISA'S CALIFORNIA, A DISASTER PREPAREDNESS JUST GUIDE AND OVERALL INFORMATION. SO THAT IS WHAT WE MEAN BY INFO PACKETS AND THEN THE ACTUAL PPE, TWO BOTTLES. THIS WAS FROM THE SUPPORT OF THE MERCED COUNTY AG COMMISSIONER. SO THEY'RE VERY WELL SIZED AND THEN TWENTY CLOTH MASKS IN EACH ONE. SO WE EMPHASIZE HOW TO WEAR THEM, TO SHARE THEM WITH THEIR FAMILY MEMBERS. AT THE BEGINNING WE RAN OUT OF THESE LATER, BUT IT WAS LIKE A HANDHELD FLAG. IT WAS GOOD FOR THE SUMMER AND THEN THIS HAD BANDAIDS AND SUNSCREEN PACKETS WITH THE CVOC LOGO. SO THAT IS WHAT WE PROVIDED. WHAT I SAW EVERY DAY WAS THAT BY PROVIDING A HOT MEAL, FREE PPE, VALUABLE INFORMATION AND THE ENCOURAGEMENT ON HOW FARMWORKERS COULD PROTECT THEMSELVES AND THEIR FAMILIES, AND BY GOING OUT TO THEM TO HAVE WORKERS DISTRIBUTE THIS INFORMATION AND ALL OF THIS IN THE LANGUAGE THAT THEY'RE COMFORTABLE WITH, SOME OF THAT THEY COULD CONNECT TO CULTURALLY IT MEANT THE WORLD TO THEM. AND I ALWAYS FELT THEIR GRATITUDE, EVEN THOUGH WE WENT OUT THERE TO FIRST SAY THANK YOU FOR ALL THE ESSENTIAL WORK THAT YOU DO AND YOUR IMPORTANT. AND SO IT'S BEEN AN HONOR AND A PRIVILEGE TO SERVE IN THIS ROLE IN HELPING KEEP OUR COMMUNITY SAFE. AND I THINK ALL OF YOU AND JORGE AND CVOC FOR GIVING ME THE OPPORTUNITY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. ANY COMMENTS FROM THE SUPERVISORS? GO AHEAD [INAUDIBLE]. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR DOING THAT. I THINK WE'RE GETTING A LOT OF MISINFORMATION SPREAD OUT THERE, THINKING IF YOU LISTEN TO THE TWO HOURS OF PHONE CALLS TODAY THAT WE DID NOTHING. AND I REMEMBER JORGE APPROACHING US RIGHT AT THE VERY BEGINNING AND US THINKING THAT WAS A GREAT IDEA. SO JORGE TO YOU, TO ALL OF YOUR STAFF. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU FOR DOING ALL THAT YOU'RE DOING. AND THOSE FANS ARE PRETTY COOL, BUT LOOKS LIKE YOU BETTER BE CAREFUL BECAUSE [02:10:02] YOU MIGHT MIGHT BE A LITTLE TOO ACTIVE. BUT AGAIN, I CAN'T SAY ENOUGH JORGE, CVOC FOR WHAT YOU GUYS HAVE DONE AND STEPPED UP WITH US HERE DURING THIS TIME AND LOOKING FORWARD TO DOING MORE WITH YOU AS WE CONTINUE THROUGH OUR MEETING TODAY. BUT THANK YOU. I KNOW YOU'RE PROBABLY GETTING TIRED OF HEARING ME SAY THAT ALL THE TIME, BUT TO YOU, YOUR STAFF, YOUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. AND I THINK I SAW SUPERVISOR PAREIRA IN ONE OF THOSE PICTURES THERE HELPING OUT. I THINK I'VE BEEN THERE A FEW TIMES FOR CHRISTMAS HANDOUTS AS WELL. BUT NO THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING YOU'RE DOING TO THE COMMUNITY. AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR PARTNERSHIP WITH US. THANK YOU, SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL, FOR THE COMMENTS THAT. I APPRECIATE IT AND THAT CHRISTMAS EVENT IS DECEMBER 18TH, SO. SUPERVISOR LOR, YOU HAD A COMMENT? THANK YOU. I WANT TO THANK YOU AND YOUR TEAM FOR THE WORK THAT YOU'VE DONE. I KNOW SOMETIMES IT'S CHALLENGING TO BE OUT THERE IN THE FIELD, BUT IT'S EVIDENT FROM YOUR PRESENTATION THAT YOU ALL DID A GREAT JOB AND THE FARM WORKERS AND THEIR FAMILIES HAVE BENEFITED FROM THIS. A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS. WHAT WOULD YOU SAY OF THE PERCENTAGE IS THAT YOU REACHED MERCED COUNTY. SO IN MERCED COUNTY IT DEPENDS ON THE DATA YOU LOOK AT. I ALWAYS LOOK AT STATE DATA AND IT TELLS US THAT THROUGHOUT THE HARVEST THERE'S AROUND 22000 FARM WORKERS IN THE AREA. CAMILA WAS THAT CAMILA WAS OUT THERE IN THE FIELDS MORE OFTEN THAN I WAS. BUT WE HAD 60 TOTAL EVENTS. AND I THINK OUR LARGEST CREW THAT WE VISITED WAS ABOUT 200 FOLKS. THE SMALLEST WAS RIGHT AROUND 18 TO 20. SO I THINK A SAFE AVERAGE, IT'S A VERY BIG GAP. BUT OUR AVERAGE CREW WAS RIGHT AROUND 75 FOLKS. SO IF YOU DO 60 TIMES 75 AND I'M TERRIBLE AT MATH. SO I'M SURE THAT'S ABOUT THE NUMBER THAT WE HIT IN THE SHORT AMOUNT OF TIME. SO AROUND 13000 FOLKS. THANK YOU. WOULD YOU SHARE WITH US WHAT SOME NEEDS MAY BE THAT YOU HEARD FROM THE FARM WORKERS? YEAH. CAMILA? THEIR, IT WAS VERY COMMON TO HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT THEIR DOCUMENTATION STATUS AND IN TERMS OF TESTING, WHAT WE WHAT I REALLY TRIED TO PUSH FOR WAS MAKING THE SITES THAT DID NOT REQUIRE INSURANCE OR JUST ANY OBSTACLES BEARING THAT. SO FOR THE MAJORITY OF OUR PROJECT, WE ONLY HAD THOSE TWO STATE FUNDED SITES FOR TESTING. AND NOW WE HAVE THIS WHOLE MONTH. AND I'M VERY GLAD THAT WE HAVE THOSE. BUT I THINK ANY OBSTACLES THAT WE CAN REMOVE FROM PEOPLE GETTING TESTED AND JUST THE MISINFORMATION ABOUT WHAT IS REQUIRED AND ASKED OF THEM AND SOMETIMES OTHER FACTORS LIKE INSURANCE PLAYS A PART IN THAT AND WE DON'T HAVE CONTROL. BUT I THINK THAT WAS SORT OF THE BIGGER CONCERN OF YOU JUST TRYING TO REMOVE OBSTACLES AND MAKE THINGS AS ACCESSIBLE AS CAN BE. FOR US, DELIVERING THAT IN THE LANGUAGE THAT THEY'RE COMFORTABLE IN HELPED A LOT. AND THEY ALREADY FELT MORE COMFORTABLE LISTENING AND BEING RECEPTIVE TO OUR MESSAGE. AND THEY ALWAYS SEEMED APPRECIATIVE AND RECEPTIVE. WE DIDN'T GET PUSHBACK OF WHY SHOULD I WEAR A MASK OR ANYTHING? THEY DID HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT FLU SHOTS. SO THERE WERE A COUPLE OF EVENTS WHERE PUBLIC HEALTH WERE ABLE TO COME OUT WITH US AND WE WERE ABLE TO ENGAGE IN A DISCUSSION AND HELP CORRECT WHY A FLU SHOT IS IMPORTANT AND HOW IT WORKS. AND SO THAT WAS REALLY GREAT TO SEE. BUT SOMETIMES THEY JUST THEY'RE VERY GRATEFUL FOR THE FREE SUPPLIES AND THE INFORMATION. THE FACT THAT WE'RE GOING OUT THERE DIRECTLY SHOWS THEM THAT WE ARE LIKE AS A COUNTY AND AS AN ORGANIZATION. WE CARE ABOUT THEIR WELL-BEING AND JUST WANT TO PROTECT EACH OTHER. THANK YOU. NOW, YOU WENT DIRECTLY OUT THERE INTO THE FIELD? YES. IN ADDITION TO THAT, WHAT ARE MOST EFFECTIVE METHODS IN WHICH THE COUNTY AND OTHER ORGANIZATIONS CAN REACH OUT TO FARM WORKERS AND THEIR FAMILIES? IN PERSON, [INAUDIBLE] THE MOST EFFECTIVE, BUT EVEN DRIVE THROUGH EVENTS, SETTING UP THOSE KINDS OF THINGS AND GETTING THE WORD OUT IS PROBABLY THE BEST WAY TO REACH PEOPLE AND GIVING AMPLE TIME TO GET THE WORD OUT, MAKING SURE THAT YOU HAVE ALL LANGUAGES AND ALL REPRESENTATION ARE NEEDED. I THINK ALSO THINKING THROUGH LIKE FOR ME, THE BIGGEST GOAL OF CREATING THIS RESOURCE GUIDE IN A WAY, WAS WHAT CAN THEY DO NOW? SO IT'S NOT A NEGATIVE MESSAGE OF DON'T DO THIS OR DON'T DO THAT. [02:15:02] BUT THEN WHAT HAPPENS IF THEY DO AND THEN THEY FEEL PREPARED TO KEEP GOING. SO I THINK TRYING TO PUT YOURSELF IN THEIR IN THEIR SHOES OF WHAT WOULD I NEED AND WHAT MIGHT BE AN OBSTACLE OR BARRIER TO THAT, THEN, YOU KNOW, PROVIDE THOSE ANSWERS AND SOLUTIONS, BECAUSE THAT'S THE ONLY WAY THAT WE'RE GOING TO MAKE ANYTHING ACCESSIBLE TO THE WHOLE DIVERSE POPULATION. THANK YOU. SUPERVISOR LOR. ANOTHER ANSWER TO YOUR QUESTION IS, I THINK ONE OF THE BENEFITS IS, IS PARTNERING WITH LOCAL COMMUNITY BASED ORGANIZATIONS AND NOT JUST CVOC. THERE'S A HANDFUL OF AGENCIES HERE IN THE COUNTY THAT ARE TRUSTED IN THE AG COMMUNITY. AND REALLY WE CAN WALK OUT INTO ANY FIELD AND BE WELCOMED. UNFORTUNATELY, MERCED COUNTY, WHEN IT COMES TO A COUNTY DEPARTMENT, THERE IS AN IMMEDIATE THREAT. IT'S JUST IT'S JUST HUMAN NATURE. WHEN YOU'RE OUT IN THE FIELD AND AND WORKING WITH FARM WORKERS. SO I WOULD I WOULD SUPPORT THAT AS SOMETHING THAT THE COUNTY CAN DO IS CONTINUE TO WORK WITH LOCAL COMMUNITY BASED ORGANIZATIONS. GREAT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU BOTH. SUP. SILVEIRA? JUST MORE PRAISE FOR WHAT YOU GUYS ARE DOING AND JUST THE BUSINESS MODEL I'M GOING TO CALL IT IS KIND OF LET YOU ALREADY HAVE THAT REPUTATION WITH THESE GROUPS, WITH THESE DIFFERENT. BUT JUST, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE PROVIDING THEM A MEAL. ANY TIME SOMEBODY GIVES YOU A MEAL, YOU'RE ALREADY KIND OF, SETTLING THEM DOWN A LITTLE BIT. AND SO I DO APPRECIATE EVERYTHING THAT YOU DO. JUST MAYBE A QUICK QUESTION IS, IS WHO DID YOU COORDINATE WITH TO KIND OF PICK WHERE YOU WENT OR YOU ARE WITH YOUR OTHER GROUPS? HAVE YOU WERE YOU TALKING TO MAYBE LABOR CONTRACTORS? BECAUSE, I MEAN, ULTIMATELY, WE WANT YOU TO GET THE BEST BANG FOR YOUR BUCK. YOU WANT TO HIT LARGE GROUPS. SO IF YOU COULD JUST ELABORATE ON THAT A LITTLE BIT. SO IT WAS A DUAL TIERED STRATEGY. NUMBER ONE IS WE HAVE ACCESS TO THE STATE'S FARM LABOR CONTRACTOR LIST. EVERY FLC HAS TO REGISTER WITH THE STATE AND WE HAVE ACCESS TO THAT. SO KAMILA AND HER TEAM WERE COLD CALLING AND SETTING UP EVENTS. WE ALSO PARTNERED WITH A LOCAL RADIO STATION, RADIO [INAUDIBLE], AND CREATED AN EVENT I HATE TO CALL IT A COMPETITION BECAUSE THEY'RE ALL WINNERS. RIGHT. BUT YEAH. SO IT WAS BASICALLY IT'S A [INAUDIBLE] EVENT WHERE YOU CALL IN TO THE RADIO STATION AND SAY, I WANT FREE LUNCH. AND THE FREE LUNCH COMES WITH ALL THIS INFORMATION AND THE FREE LUNCH, AS YOU MENTIONED, SUP. SILVEIRA, IT'S THE HOOK. IT'S THE THING THAT GETS US THERE AND GETS EVERYBODY OPEN AND TALKING. SO, YEAH. SO WE HAD A GREAT PARTNERSHIP WITH THE RADIO STATION AND WE TARGETED AREAS, ORIGINALLY, WE WANTED TO HIT, YOU KNOW, THE FIVE MAJOR CITIES IN MERCED COUNTY AND IT JUST GREW FROM THERE. AGAIN, IT WAS A FLUID PROGRAM AND I MENTIONED A FEW CITIES THAT WE DIDN'T GET OUT TO. BUT THESE FARM WORKERS ARE MOBILE AND THEY'RE MOVING AROUND. SO WE THINK WE'RE ABLE TO HIT A LOT OF FOLKS. AND JUST TO ADD TO THAT AND KNOWING THAT THEY DO, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE HERE TODAY, THEY'RE IN THE REGION. BUT, YOU KNOW, SO MISSING SPECIFIC CITIES, YOU KNOW, WE COULD ALWAYS TRY TO DO MORE. BUT I THINK THAT YOU STILL HIT FOLKS FROM THOSE CITIES JUST BY NATURE OF WHERE YOU'RE AT AND HOW MUCH THEY MOVE AROUND. AND SO [INAUDIBLE] I JUST APPRECIATE THE YOU KNOW, I GET IT THERE'S I'M GOING TO CALL IT THERE WAS SOME MAYBE NOT ALL ONE HUNDRED PERCENT CORRECT INFORMATION THAT WAS STATED EARLIER TODAY. AND YOU KNOW, AND I KNOW THAT IT'S KIND OF WHAT WE SIGNED UP FOR AND WE TAKE THE CRITICISM AND THAT'S FINE. BUT THIS IS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE DID RIGHT. I'M PROUD THAT WE PARTNERED WITH YOU. IT'S ANOTHER WAY WHERE IF WE AS GOVERNMENT WOULD HAVE TRIED TO RECREATE WHAT YOU GUYS DID IN A SHORT AMOUNT OF TIME, WE WOULD HAVE GOT BURIED DOWN IN BUREAUCRATIC RED TAPE AND IT PROBABLY WOULD HAVE GOT SOMETHING DONE. BUT NOT I DON'T THINK AS EFFECTIVE, AS YOU GUYS DO. AND I THINK THAT'S WHERE IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT AS LEADERS IN THE COUNTY TO REALIZE OUR SHORTCOMINGS AND SAY, HEY, WHY REINVENT THE WHEEL HERE? THE CDC ALREADY DOES THIS STUFF. THEY'RE REALLY GOOD AT IT. AND SO I'M GOING TO SAVE SOME OF MY COMMENTS FOR LATER TODAY IN OUR DISCUSSION. BUT I'M YOU KNOW, THERE'S GOING TO BE AN OPPORTUNITY WHERE WE'RE GOING TO HAVE SOME CONVERSATIONS AND TALK ABOUT HOW WE CAN DO SOME MORE STUFF AND JUST BE PART OF THAT GSD PARTY TO GET STUFF DONE PARTY. AND I THINK THAT YOU GUYS ARE PRIME EXAMPLES OF MEMBERS OF THAT IN WHAT YOU DO AND HOW YOU GET IT OUT THERE. AND SO I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU ON BEHALF OF NOT ONLY THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, BUT MY CONSTITUENTS, BECAUSE IF YOU LOOKED AT THOSE NUMBERS, YOU GUYS DID SPEND QUITE A BIT OF TIME OUT THERE ON THE WEST SIDE. SO THANK YOU FOR THAT. THANK YOU FOR THE POSITIVE COMMENTS. AND WE'RE HERE TO HELP. THANK YOU. MR. CHAIRMAN. I'M SORRY NO WORRIES. WELL, SO I JUST WANT TO SHARE WITH EVERYONE THAT THE CVOC€™S MAIN FACILITY IN MERCED COUNTY IS OBVIOUSLY LOCATED IN DISTRICT FOUR. AND FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO MIGHT NEED SERVICES THERE ON [INAUDIBLE] COURT AND [02:20:04] [INAUDIBLE] AND ANYWAYS, BUT, YOU KNOW, IT'S ALL BEEN SAID. BUT I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE EFFORT AND THE INITIATIVE TO HELP THE FOLKS THAT THAT NEEDED ONE, NOT ONLY, YOU KNOW, THE WARM MEAL, BUT ALSO THE KNOWLEDGE SO THAT THEY COULD GO HOME TO THEIR FAMILIES AND SHARE THE INFORMATION AND MAKE ANOTHER SECTOR OF OUR COUNTY SAFER THAN THEY WOULD HAVE BEEN IF WE HADN'T HAD THIS PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN THE COUNTY AND THE CVOC. SO THANK YOU. AND THEN I'D LIKE TO SUNSHINE JUST ONE OTHER ITEM, AND YOU DIDN'T MENTION IT. AND SO, YOU KNOW, I WOULD THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT PEOPLE THAT ARE OUT AND WORKING THAT ARE OUT IN THE OUTDOORS PROBABLY HAVE A LESSER INCIDENCE OF BEHAVIORAL HEALTH ISSUES. BUT GENEVIEVE VALENTINE, OUR BEHAVIORAL HEALTH DIRECTOR, IS HERE. AND I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'VE HAD DISCUSSIONS WITH HER, BUT I WOULD ENCOURAGE THAT SO THAT AS YOU'RE GIVING OUT MORE MATERIALS IN THE FUTURE, YOU MIGHT INCLUDE SOME OF THOSE PAMPHLETS THAT SHE HAS. WE WOULD LOVE TO. AND WE ARE COLLABORATING WITH HER OFFICE ON ANOTHER PROJECT ALONG WITH MERCED COUNTY WORKFORCE. SO WE DO KNOW EACH OTHER AND WE WORK TOGETHER ALREADY. WELL, THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT, JIM BROWN. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN. WE'RE SORRY TO, BUT I JUST FROM A STAFF PERSPECTIVE, WE JUST WANTED TO THANK CVOC AND THEIR STAFF. IT'S BEEN THEY'VE DONE A PHENOMENAL JOB. THEIR PARTNERSHIP AND COLLABORATION HAS BEEN. YOU'VE HEARD THEM REFERENCE PUBLIC HEALTH MULTIPLE TIMES. SO THERE'S BEEN A VERY STRONG PARTNERSHIP. AND JUST FOR YOUR BENEFIT AND THE COMMUNITY'S BENEFIT, YOU KNOW, THERE'S BEEN REFERENCE TO COMMUNITY ASSISTANCE. AND THIS IS ONE OF THE WAY. IN ADDITION, PUBLIC HEALTH HAS BEEN DOING SIMILAR THINGS LIKE THIS SO YOU CAN MAGNIFY WHAT THEY'VE DONE MULTIPLE TIMES ACROSS THE COMMUNITY AS FAR AS THE OUTREACH AND EFFORT AND ASSISTANCE THAT'S BEEN THERE. BUT I WOULD JUST ECHO AND ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THEY'VE BEEN A CRITICAL PARTNER BECAUSE IT'S VERY VALID OF WHAT HE SAID IS THE RELATIONSHIPS THAT THE CVOC HAS TO BE ABLE TO GET AND REACH AND CONNECT WHERE THE PUBLIC ENTITY DOES HAVE. IT'S SOMETIMES DIFFICULT TO ENGAGE IN THAT DISCUSSION. AND SO, AGAIN, FROM A STAFF PERSPECTIVE, THANK YOU. THANK YOU. WELL, FOR ME, I JUST WANT TO THANK THE CVOC FOR NOT JUST THIS, BUT ALL OTHER SUPPORT SERVICES THAT YOU HAVE, YOU KNOW, THE MANY SERVICES, THE OTHER COMMUNITIES IN [INAUDIBLE] COUNTY, MERCED AND MADERA COUNTY, YOU GUYS ARE WONDERFUL. I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, NOT ONLY WERE YOU OUT THERE JUST TRYING TO PROTECT THEM AND EDUCATE THEM ON THE PROCESS OF BEING SAFE, BUT ALSO FOR THE REST OF PUBLIC SERVICE THAT YOU GUYS PROVIDE. YOU KNOW, I WAS FORTUNATE TO WORK ALSO WITH PARTNER WITH THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT. AND THEY HAD A DIFFERENT GROUP THAT [INAUDIBLE], A FEMALE GROUP THAT WENT OUT TO MY FARM AND I HOSTED THEM AND THEY EDUCATED MY FARM WORKERS IN EARLY SEPTEMBER. SO IT WAS A DIFFERENT PROGRAM. BUT THIS IS WHERE MERCED COUNTY AND PUBLIC HEALTH AND ALL THE DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS LIKE YOU GUYS, YOU KNOW, PARTNER IN HELPING OUR RESIDENTS. SO I'M VERY GLAD YOU GUYS ARE ALL THERE AND ESPECIALLY FOR CVOC. I APPRECIATE EVERYTHING YOU'RE DOING. THANK YOU. AND THANK YOU, CEO BROWN, TO YOUR STAFF; YOUR STAFF WAS EXCELLENT TO WORK WITH AND VERY EASY TO WORK WITH. AND IT WASN'T JUST CVOC OUT THERE. YOUR TEAM PUT TOGETHER A WHOLE TASK FORCE OF AGENCIES [INAUDIBLE] THAT YOU JUST MENTIONED, CHAIRMAN, THAT WE'RE WORKING TOGETHER, BIWEEKLY CALLS, SCHEDULING, OUTREACH TOGETHER. IT WAS A FULL COUNTY APPROACH BY MANY DIFFERENT AGENCIES. WE WERE JUST HAPPY TO BE A PART OF IT. IT WAS A LOT OF WORK. SO, I'M HERE WITH YOU. THANK YOU. ONE MORE COMMENT. GO AHEAD. JUST TO ELABORATE ON, I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT I CLARIFY MY COMMENTS IN THAT THE DATA WAS TELLING US THAT IT DISPROPORTIONATELY WAS AFFECTING THE LATINO AND HISPANIC POPULATIONS. AND SO I DON'T WANT TO DISCOUNT ANYTHING THAT PUBLIC HEALTH WAS DOING IN THEIR OUTREACH. THIS WAS SPECIFICALLY TO THE POINT OF NEEDING TO DO FURTHER OUTREACH TO THOSE FOLKS AND FINDING A WAY TO BE ABLE TO SPEAK TO THEM WHERE THEY WERE IN A LANGUAGE THAT THEY'RE COMFORTABLE IN WITH PEOPLE THAT THEY'RE COMFORTABLE WITH. AND THAT'S THAT'S WHAT I MEANT WHEN I TALKED ABOUT THE BUREAUCRATIC PART, IS US TRYING TO HAVE TO INVENT A NEW PROGRAM TO DO THAT. WHEN CVC ALREADY HAD THAT SPECIFIC LANE COVERED, THAT'S WHERE I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY GET THE CREDIT FOR WHAT THEY DO WITHOUT TAKING AWAY CREDIT FOR THE GOOD WORK THAT PUBLIC HEALTH IS DOING IN ALL THEIR OTHER OUTREACH. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. AND SO NOW WE'RE GOING TO GO INTO A BREAK AND WE'LL BE BACK. LUNCH BREAK. WE'RE BACK AT ONE O'CLOCK. THANK YOU. I THINK WE'RE BACK. ALL RIGHT, WE'RE GOING TO MOVE ON WITH THE CONSENT CALENDAR. NEXT IS APPROVAL OF CONSENT CALENDAR ITEMS ONE THROUGH TWENTY. [CONSENT CALENDAR] PLEASE NOTE THAT A FOUR FIFTHS VOTE IS REQUIRED ON ITEMS 10, 11, 12, 13, 14 AND [02:25:04] 15. OK, DO WE HAVE ANY COMMENTS BY THE BOARD OR MOTIONS? WE HAVE A MOTION BY SUP. SILVEIRA, SECONDED BY SUPPORTERS OF MCDANIEL. OK, WE HAD THE COMMENTS ALREADY. SO GO AHEAD AND VOTE, PLEASE. RECORD THE VOTE PLEASE. MOTION CARRIES 5-0. NEXT, IS BOARD ACTION, HEALTH ITEMS TWENTY ONE THROUGH TWENTY FOUR, PLEASE NOTE, A FOUR FIFTHS VOTE IS REQUIRED ON ITEM TWENTY FOU MOTION BY SUP.SECOND BY [BOARD ACTION] SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL. NO FURTHER COMMENTS; WE'LL GO AHEAD AND VOTE. RECORD THE VOTE, PLEASE. MOTION CARRIES 5-0. NEXT IS BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AND RECOVERY SERVICES ITEMS TWENTY FIVE AND TWENTY SIX. PLEASE NOTE, A 4/5 VOTE IS REQUIRED ON ITEM TWENTY SIX AND STAFF HAS A CLARIFICATION ON ITEM TWENTY SIX AS WELL. OK. OK, GO AHEAD. HELLO, CHAIRMAN, SUPERVISORS, COUNTY COUNCIL CEO BROWN. SO WHAT I'D LIKE TO DO IS ACTUALLY GIVE SOME CLARIFICATION AND BACKGROUND INFORMATION ABOUT ITEM TWENTY SIX. AS I HAVE HEARD, IT'S CAUSED SOME STRESS. EARLIER THIS YEAR, WE APPLIED FOR A GRANT FOR FIFTY THOUSAND DOLLARS ON OUR SUD SIDE OF THE HOUSE FOR TELEHEALTH. MIDWAY THROUGH THE APPLICATION PROCESS, THE CENTER WHO WAS ACTUALLY DOING THE GRANT OPPORTUNITY THROUGH SAMHSA, WHICH IS SUBSTANCE ABUSE AND MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES, SENT US A REQUEST SAYING THAT THERE WAS ADDITIONAL FUNDING THAT COULD BE AWARDED TO US IF WE DIDN'T ADD AN ADDENDUM TO OUR APPLICATION. WE DID THAT WHEN THEY ACTUALLY GAVE US THE AWARD LETTER, IT ONLY SAID MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES, EVEN THOUGH OUR ORIGINAL APPLICATION WAS FOR FIFTY THOUSAND DOLLARS FOR SUD. SO THE CURRENT AWARD THAT WE HAVE RECEIVED IS NINETY NINE THOUSAND DOLLARS WITH THE IDEA THAT THE FIRST FIFTY THOUSAND HAS TO BE SUD, THE REMAINDER AMOUNT FOR MENTAL HEALTH. WHEN THEY GAVE THE AWARD, IT ONLY SAID MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES. SO TO CLARIFY, THERE WAS ACTUALLY TECHNICALLY TWO AWARDS WITH ONE AWARD LETTER FOR A TOTAL OF ALMOST ONE HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS FOR US TO USE ON BOTH SIDES OF THE HOUSE FOR TELEHEALTH EQUIPMENT. I HOPE THAT CLARIFIES WHERE THERE HAS BEEN SOME QUESTIONS. ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS? ANY COMMENTS? THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. WE HAVE A MOTION BY SUP. LOR, SECOND BY SUP. SILVEIRA PLEASE GO AHEAD AND VOTE. SUP. SILVEIRA. RECORD THE VOTE, PLEASE. MOTION CARRIES 5-0. NEXT IS HUMAN SERVICES AGENCY, ITEM TWENTY SEVEN. PLEASE NOTE A FOUR FIFTHS VOTE IS REQUIRED. COMMENTS, MOTIONS ON ITEM TWENTY SEVEN. MOTION BY SUP. SILVEIRA, SECOND SUP. LOR. ANY FURTHER COMMENTS? GO AHEAD AND VOTE. RECORD THE VOTE PLEASE. MOTION CARRIES 5-0. NEXT, IS COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, ITEMS, 28 AND 29. ITEMS 28 AND 29 COMMENTS OR MOTIONS. YEAH, MR. CHAIR, ONE OF THE ITEMS HERE THAT WE'RE GETTING READY TO VOTE ON. MY COLLEAGUE FROM THE WEST SIDE WHO DOESN'T HAVE A MAJOR AIRPORT OR ANYTHING, WAS ACTUALLY WANTING A TOUR AND TO BE ABLE TO SEE THIS PIECE OF EQUIPMENT BEFORE WE DID THAT. BUT I REASSURED HIM THAT IT WILL BE AT THE MUSEUM FOR HIM TO SEE IT AT ANY TIME. THANK YOU. FURTHER COMMENTS? NO? OK. GO AHEAD AND VOTE PLEASE. RECORD THE VOTE. MOTION CARRIES 5-0. NEXT IS DISTRICT ATTORNEY ITEM 30. ITEM NO. 30 COMMENTS OR MOTIONS? MOTION BY SUP. LOR, SECOND BY SUP. [02:30:03] MCDANIEL. FURTHER COMMENTS, OR VOTE, PLEASE. RECORD THE VOTE. MOTION CARRIES 5-0. NEXT IS EXECUTIVE OFFICE AND WE'LL TAKE THOSE ITEMS SEPARATELY. WE'LL START WITH ITEM THIRTY ONE. ITEM NO. 31, ADOPT THE TWENTY TWENTY ONE CALENDAR FOR THE REGULARLY SCHEDULED BOARD OF SUPERVISORS MEETING. MOTION BY SUP. SILVEIRA, SECOND BY SUP. MCDANIEL, GO AHEAD AND VOTE, PLEASE. GO AHEAD, AND RECORD THE VOTE. MOTION CARRIES 5-0. SO THAT WAS THE CALENDAR FOR THE WHOLE 2021. SO PEOPLE IN THE AUDIENCE OR IN PUBLIC LOOK AT THE DATES FOR ALL THE MEETINGS NEXT YEAR. NEXT IS ITEM THIRTY TWO. GO AHEAD, JIM. MR. CHAIRMAN, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD EARLIER THIS YEAR, THE ASSESSOR RECORDER CLERK, REGISTRAR VOTER, MS. BARB LEVEY NOTIFIED HER INTENT TO RETIRE LATE THIS YEAR. HER RETIREMENT WILL CREATE A VACANCY IN THE MIDDLE OF A TERM. IT IS WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE ASSESSOR RECORDER CLERK POSITION, IT IS AN ELECTED POSITION AND GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 25304 REQUIRES THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS TO APPOINT AN INDIVIDUAL TO FULFILL THAT REMAINING PORTION OF OFFICE. STAFF RECOMMENDS THE BOARD APPOINT ASSISTANT ASSESSOR RECORDER CLERK MATTHEW MAY TO HOLD THE OFFICE FOR THE TERM EXPIRING IN TWENTY TWENTY TWO, AT WHICH TIME THE GENERAL ELECTION PROCESS WILL TAKE PLACE. MR. MAY GRADUATED FROM CAL POLY WITH A BACHELOR'S DEGREE IN AG BUSINESS, FINANCE AND APPRAISING AND WORKED FOR FIVE YEARS AS A LICENSED APPRAISER BEFORE COMING TO THE COUNTY. HE HAS OVER TWENTY THREE YEARS EXPERIENCE AT THE ASSESSOR'S OFFICE AND HAS HELD THE CURRENT TITLE OF ASSISTANT ASSESSOR RECORDER CLERK SINCE 2013. HE HOLDS A CERTIFICATE OF ADVANCED PROPERTY TAX UPRAISING FROM THE CALIFORNIA STATE BOARD OF EQUALIZATION AND SPECIALIZES IN HIGHLY TECHNICAL PROGRAMMATIC WORK, PERFORMING AND REVIEWING RURAL PROPERTY APPRAISAL FOR TAX PURPOSES, DETERMINATION OF VALUE AND ASSESSMENT APPEALS. HE ALSO HAS A VERY STRONG ADMINISTRATIVE EXPERIENCE IN FISCAL AND PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT. IT IS MY PLEASURE TO OFFER YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION, THE APPOINTMENT OF MATTHEW MAY TO FULFILL THE REMAINING TERM AS ASSESSOR RECORDER CLERK FOR MERCED COUNTY EFFECTIVE DECEMBER. 21, 2020. THANK YOU FOR THAT. SO WE HAVE A MOTION BY SUP. SILVEIRA ON ITEM 32 AND A SECOND BY SUP. MCDANIEL. GO AHEAD AND VOTE, PLEASE. RECORD THE VOTE. MOTION CARRIES 5-0. CAN WE HAVE MATT MAY COME UP, PLEASE. THANK YOU. I'D LIKE TO THANK THE BOARD AND CEO BROWN FOR THIS EXCITING OPPORTUNITY. I'D ALSO LIKE TO THANK BARBARA LEVEY FOR A LOT OF THINGS, FOR BEING A REALLY GOOD FRIEND AND ALL THE THINGS SHE'S TAUGHT ME. AND SHE'S BEEN, AS YOU ALL KNOW, A GREAT ASSET TO THE COUNTY AND WILL BE GREATLY MISSED. I'D LIKE TO THANK STAFF AND MANAGEMENT TEAMS AND THE ASSESSOR CLERK AND RECORDER'S OFFICE. WITHOUT THEM, EVERYTHING IS PRETTY HARD. AND ALSO LIKE TO THANK, LASTLY, MY WIFE AND FAMILY AND PREVIOUS ASSESSORS, CHRISTIANSON AND [INAUDIBLE]. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. WE HAVE A COMMENT BY SUP. SILVEIRA. 'YOU WANT TO COMMENT FIRST? GO AHEAD. YEAH. SO FIRST I'D LIKE TO TAKE YOUR PICTURE, IF YOU WOULDN'T MIND LEAVING YOUR MASKS DOWN. I JUST THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, IF SOMEBODY IS HERE TAKING YOUR PICTURE, IT'S ALWAYS FROM THE OTHER SIDE. AND YOU HAVE SUCH A PRETTY SMILE. [LAUGHTER] THANK YOU. I THOUGHT YOU MIGHT WANT THAT LATER AND THEN JUST WANT TO CONGRATULATE YOU VERY MUCH. NO, I MEAN, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU REALIZE THIS OR NOT, BUT ON DECEMBER 20TH, YOU WORKED FOR THE COUNTY ON BEHALF OF THE PEOPLE. AND ON DECEMBER 21ST, YOU'LL START WORKING DIRECTLY FOR THE PEOPLE. AND THAT'S A KIND OF AN INTERESTING YOU KNOW, THAT'S WHERE WE'RE AT. AND JUST KIND OF AN INTERESTING. ABSOLUTELY. THANK YOU. WE HAVE ANOTHER COMMENT BY SUP. SILVEIRA. THANK YOU, CHAIR. MATT, CONGRATULATIONS. AND WE ALREADY VOTED ON IT. SO MAKE SURE I'M NOT GETTING OUT OF LINE HERE. BUT NO, I LOOK FORWARD TO OUR INTERACTIONS, AND MY TIME HERE AS SUPERVISOR HAS BEEN NOTHING BUT PROFESSIONAL AND GOOD. AND I APPRECIATE YOUR APPROACH TO YOUR WORK, ITS WAY ABOVE MY PAY GRADE. THAT'S WHY I COME AND SEE YOU AND IN CLOSING, I'LL JUST SAY, YOU KNOW, YOU ARE [02:35:03] GOING TO HAVE SOME BIG SHOES TO FILL. COMING BEHIND BARB, BUT I THINK THAT SHE HAS PREPARED YOU WELL TO FILL THOSE SHOES. SO CONGRATULATIONS. AND I LOOK FORWARD TO MORE YEARS OF WORKING TOGETHER. THANKS. APPRECIATE IT. OK, SUP. MCDANIEL. YEAH. MY SENTIMENTS AS WELL. CONGRATULATIONS. I DO LIKE HOW SUP. PAREIRA SAID IT. YOU'RE WORKING FOR THE COUNTY, NOW, ALL OF A SUDDEN YOU'RE WORKING FOR THE PEOPLE. IT'S A WHOLE DIFFERENT DYNAMIC AND VERY, VERY CONFIDENT THAT YOU'LL DO VERY WELL AT IT. SO CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR POSITION. THANK YOU. AND CONGRATULATIONS ON MY BEHALF TOO. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. LOOK FORWARD TO IT. THANK YOU. OK, IF WE CAN HAVE, SUP. MCDANIEL, WE HAVE A PRESENTATION TO BARBARA LEVEY ARM'S LENGTH SO I HAD TO HAVE THEM PUT IT IN WRITING SO I COULD GO BECAUSE OF HOW MANY YEARS YOU'VE BEEN HERE. YOUR MERCED COUNTY EMPLOYMENT, BARBARA, HAS OVER THIRTY THREE YEARS OF EXPERIENCE IN THE ASSESSOR DEPARTMENT WITH MERCED COUNTY AND EIGHT OF THOSE YEARS AS THE ASSESSOR RECORDER CLERK AND ROV. BARBARA WAS HIRED ON APRIL 7TH, 1986, MERCED COUNTY AS AN AUDITOR APPRAISER ONE, IN THE ASSESSORS DEPARTMENT. IN MAY OF NINETEEN EIGHTY SEVEN, SHE WAS PROMOTED FROM AUDITOR TO APPRAISER TWO. IN OCTOBER OF EIGHTY NINE TO AN APPRAISER THREE. IN NOVEMBER OF NINETEEN NINETY NINE BARBARA WAS PROMOTED TO SUPERVISOR AUDITOR APPRAISER AND TO THE CHIEF AUDITOR APPRAISER IN AUGUST TWO THOUSAND THREE IN OCTOBER OF TWENTY SIX, SHE WAS PROMOTED TO ASSISTANT ASSESSOR AND SUBSEQUENTLY BECAME THE ASSESSOR RECORDER CLERK ROV IN DECEMBER OF TWENTY TWELVE. BARBARA HAS DONE AN OUTSTANDING JOB IN OVERSEEING ALL THE ELECTED AND APPOINTED ASSIGNMENTS. SHE IS ONE OF THE FIRST IN MERCED COUNTY TO BECOME A CERTIFIED ELECTIONS REGISTRATION ADMINISTER CERA, WHICH IDENTIFIES HER AS A TOP ELECTION PROFESSIONAL IN THE NATION. AND I THINK WE JUST ALL WITNESSED THAT DURING THE LAST FEW ELECTIONS. AND BARBARA, WE ARE VERY CONFIDENT HERE AT THE BOARD THAT YOU WERE IN THAT POSITION. HAVING PERSONALLY HELD ALMOST ALL POSITIONS WITHIN THE ASSESSORS DEPARTMENT, BARBARA IS HAS RELIED UPON HER WEALTH OF HISTORICAL KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE. SHE IS REGARDED BY STAFF AS BEING PATIENT, CONSISTENT AND IMPARTIAL. PATIENT, AS YOU CAN TELL, IS PROBABLY HER BEST ASSET. PLEASE JOIN ME IN CONGRATULATING BARBARA FOR THIRTY THREE YEARS OF SERVICE TO MERCED COUNTY. AND ALSO, ARE YOU SURE ARNIE IS READY FOR YOU TO COME HOME AND BE HANGING OUT ALL THE TIME? [LAUGHTER] I'M NOT SURE HE KNOWS WHAT THIS MEANS. BUT BARBARA, I HAVE TO SAY, IT'S AN HONOR THAT THE CHAIRMAN HAD ASKED ME TO PRESENT YOU WITH THIS. YOU'VE BEEN A GOOD FRIEND. YOU'VE BEEN AN ASSET TO MERCED COUNTY. THERE'S NO WAY WE COULD TALK--YOU KNOW, YOU'RE GOING TO BE WITH ARNIE EVERY DAY NOW. THERE'S NO WAY WE COULD--I KNOW WE'VE TALKED YOU OUT OF IT A COUPLE OF TIMES AND IT'S BEEN MUCH APPRECIATED. BUT IT IS A GREAT HONOR TO BE ABLE TO PRESENT TO THIS PLAQUE TO YOU ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS. THANK YOU SO MUCH. IS MIKE GOING TO BE HERE TO TAKE THE PICTURE OR? THANK YOU. THANK YOU AND I WILL JUST SAY, YOU KNOW, AS EXCITING AS RETIREMENT IS, WE'VE BEEN REALLY BUSY IN ALL THE OFFICES AND I THINK WE'VE MOVED THE BALL FORWARD AND A LOT OF AREAS, WE STILL HAVE THINGS ON THE TO DO LIST. AND MATT HAS THAT WELL IN HAND AND DARLENE WILL HAVE ELECTIONS WELL ON HAND. AND I HAVE TRIED TO GIVE IT MY ALL. AND IT'S BEEN GREAT. I'VE GOT GREAT PEOPLE AS YOU KNOW AND AS YOU SEE AND YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST TIME FOR ME TO FOCUS ON SOME FAMILY OBLIGATIONS. AND SO I WILL BE DOING THAT. BUT HOPEFULLY I LEAVE THE OFFICES AND THE PUBLIC WE SERVE IN A BETTER PLACE THAN WHEN I STARTED. AND HOPEFULLY I'VE HAD SOME POSITIVE INFLUENCE ON SOME OF MY FOLKS. SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I THINK WE HAVE A COMMENT BY SUP. SILVEIRA. YEAH, I JUST I'M GOING TO SING YOUR PRAISE. IT JUST YOU YOU AMAZE ME IN YOUR ABILITY TO THESE AREN'T EASY DEPARTMENTS WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE ASSESSORS, THE RECORDERS OFFICE, ELECTIONS OFFICE AND THEN YOU ADD, YOU KNOW, THE PANDEMIC IN THIS LAST YEAR, ON TOP OF THAT, RUNNING AN [02:40:06] ELECTION STILL KEEPING--SO IT TELLS ME THAT YOU'RE REALLY GOOD LEADER IN MAKING SURE THAT YOU'RE SURROUNDING YOURSELF WITH GOOD PEOPLE AND GIVING THOSE FOLKS THE OPPORTUNITY TO SUCCEED WHEN YOU GET TO GO HANG OUT WITH YOUR FAMILY NOW. SO, AND I WANT TO GO BACK SPECIFICALLY TO THE ELECTION. I CAN'T SAY ENOUGH THE JOB THAT UNDER YOUR LEADERSHIP, THAT THE ELECTIONS DEPARTMENT, THE REGISTERED VOTERS OFFICE, ALL THE PERMANENT FOLKS, THE EXTRA HELP FOLKS, THE JOB THAT YOU DID IN THIS ELECTION. THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS THAT ARE BEING SAID IN DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE COUNTRY HAVING ISSUES. I AM TELLING YOU, I HAVE WALKED THROUGH OUR PROCESS. THE PROCESS THAT WE HAVE HERE IS SECOND TO NONE. I AM SO THANKFUL THAT WE TRUSTED YOUR LEADERSHIP ON GOING WITH ESNS AS OUR ELECTION SYSTEM, HAVING TO GO THROUGH THAT WITH THAT EQUIPMENT IN A PRIMARY. AND THEN PROBABLY ONE OF YOU KNOW, IN MY LIFETIME, ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT ELECTIONS WITH EVERYTHING THAT SURROUNDED IT WITHOUT A HITCH, THERE'S ALWAYS GOING TO BE LITTLE HICCUPS ALONG THE WAY. AT THE END OF THE DAY, THERE'S HUMANS INVOLVED IN IT, BUT THEY WERE MINOR HICCUPS BUT I AM TELLING YOU, I'M SUPREMELY CONFIDENT IN THE RESULTS THAT WE ARE GOING TO CERTIFY HERE IN A LITTLE WHILE. WE'RE GOING TO OFFICIALLY CERTIFY THAT YOU'VE CERTIFIED THOSE NUMBERS ARE ACCURATE. AND JUST TO PUT A POINT ON THAT, THERE WAS A RECOUNT EFFORT UNDERWAY IN ONE PARTICULAR RACE. AND AFTER WE WENT THROUGH TWO OR THREE DAYS OF RECOUNT, OUR EQUIPMENT, OUR REGISTERED VOTERS, THEIR STAFF, THE VOTES DID NOT CHANGE, NOT ONE VOTE. WHAT WAS RAN ORIGINALLY. THEY RAN AGAIN WITH ZERO CHANGE, NOT ONE VOTE CHANGE. AND SO THAT JUST GOES TO SPEAK TO HOW GOOD OF A JOB YOU'RE DOING. AND THEN I KNOW THAT YOU WILL GIVE CREDIT AND ALWAYS DO TO BLANCA TO ALL YOUR DIFFERENT ASSISTANT DEPARTMENT HEADS AND BUT ULTIMATELY YOU'RE THE LEADER AT THE TOP, THAT IS KIND OF I'M GOING TO CALL ORCHESTRATING THAT CIRCUS, RIGHT, AT TIMES, I'M SURE, ESPECIALLY WITH COVID. AND SO AND I JUST APPRECIATE YOUR APPROACH TO IT. I AM VERY HONORED THAT I GOT TO WORK WITH YOU FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS. AND NOT ONLY AM I LOSING A COLLEAGUE, BUT BUT ALSO A FRIEND IS LEAVING THE COUNTY. AND I HOPE THAT WE STAY IN CONTACT. AND THEN THE LAST THING I'LL LEAVE IS COVID KIND OF DID ME DIRTY IN THAT THERE IS THIS PARTY THAT WAS OVER AT BARB'S THAT I WAS SUPPOSED TO GET INVITED TO AND THEN COVID HIT AND I NEVER GOT I NEVER GOT--SO I GUESS MY QUESTION IS, IS WHEN THINGS SETTLE DOWN TO MAKE SURE I STILL AM ON THAT INVITE LIST TO THAT PARTY. SO CONGRATULATIONS. AND I WISH YOU ALL THE LUCK IN THE WORLD, BARB. SUP. PAREIRA. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. I WILL TELL YOU, YOU KNOW, WHEN I GOT HERE FOUR YEARS AGO I WAS A LITTLE SUSPECT OF THE ELECTION SYSTEM BECAUSE OF THE STUFF BEFORE IT GETS TO THE COUNTY THAT I HEARD ABOUT AND ACTUALLY ONE TIME SAW. BUT ANYWAYS, I WILL SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, I'LL ECHO SUP. SILVEIRA'S COMMENTS, I NEVER DOUBTED FOR A MINUTE OR IMAGINED FOR A MINUTE THAT WE'D BE ON THE NATIONAL TV WITH AN ISSUE; THAT NEVER CROSSED MY MIND BECAUSE OF THE QUALITY OF THE WORK THAT YOU AND YOUR STAFF DO. AND THEN SOMETHING THAT, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS ABOUT YOU THAT HAS IMPRESSED ME. BUT ONE ONE POINT THAT I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE LOSE SIGHT OF IS THAT YOU WORK JUST AS HARD TODAY OR YESTERDAY AS YOU DID FOUR YEARS AGO WHEN I GOT HERE. WHEN YOU HAD MADE YOUR DECISION TO RETIRE, YOU STILL FULFILLED YOUR OBLIGATIONS AND DUTIES WITH THE UTMOST QUALITY AND DEDICATION. AND ANYWAY, SO THANK YOU. IT WAS AN HONOR TO SERVE WITH YOU. THANK YOU. SUP. LOR THANK YOU. BARBARA, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR DEDICATION TO THE COUNTY. I STILL REMEMBER OUR CONVERSATION WHEN I FIRST CAME IN IN 2017, AND EVERY TIME THAT TOPIC CAME UP, IT REMINDED ME OF YOU AND THE WORK THAT YOU PUT IN TO MAKE SURE THAT MERCED COUNTY IS THE BEST COUNTY ACROSS THE STATE AND ACROSS THE NATION. I WANT TO THANK YOU AND YOUR STAFF WHOLEHEARTEDLY FOR ALL THAT YOU'VE DONE AS A CANDIDATE. I SAW THE DRAMATIC IMPROVEMENT SINCE 2016 TO TODAY, AND I'M SUPER PROUD OF THAT IMPROVEMENT BECAUSE IT DEFINITELY MAKES A DIFFERENCE FOR FOLKS WHO ARE NEW TO POLITICS. AND YOUR OFFICE GUIDED CANDIDATES THROUGH THAT PROCESS IN AN EFFICIENT AND UNDERSTANDING WAY. I'M CONFIDENT IN THE NEW STAFF WITH THEIR NEW POSITIONS. AND I WISH YOU THE BEST IN YOUR NEW CHAPTER. [02:45:03] I KNOW THAT YOU'RE NOT GOING AWAY. I KNOW THAT YOU'LL STILL BE INVOLVED AND ENGAGED IN OUR COMMUNITY. AND I'M REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING THE THINGS THAT YOU'RE GOING TO BRING OUTSIDE OF YOUR TRADITIONAL ROLE AT THE COUNTY. SO THANK YOU. SUP. MCDANIEL. I DO WANT TO ADD AS A POLL WATCHER AND A VOTE COUNT OBSERVER FOR OTHER COUNTIES UP AND DOWN THE STATE HERE, THE TIMES THAT I DID IT BEFORE, I WAS ACTUALLY I THINK I WAS ELECTED BECAUSE I GOT CALLED BACK BY THE O THAT THE CONGRESSIONAL VOTE WATCH. I WAS THOROUGHLY IMPRESSED HAVING KNOWN YOU, BUT ACTUALLY BEING PRESENT HERE IN THE COUNTY TO DO IT OVER THAT CONGRESSIONAL RACE, I WAS THOROUGHLY IMPRESSED WITH THE PROCESS AND BEING IN OTHER COUNTIES AND HAVING TO OBSERVE AND BE A PART OF IT, OURS IS BY FAR A TIGHT SHIP. SO THANK YOU. AND I THINK MIKE WANTS US TO TAKE A PICTURE NOW. THANK YOU. [INAUDIBLE] ON BEHALF OF THE WHOLE COUNTY EMPLOYEES, I REITERATE MY COLLEAGUE'S COMMENTS AND THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU'VE DONE. I KNOW YOUR POSITION WAS ONE OF THE MOST CRITICIZED, BECAUSE YOU KNOW, ALL THE CANDIDATES, THEY ALL HAVE EMOTIONS AND, YOU KNOW, THEY WANT YOUR PROMPT FINISH OF THE RESULTS. BUT, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO FOLLOW THE PROCESS. AND HERE WE ARE ONE MONTH AFTER PAST THE ELECTION. SO THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING. EVERYBODY. MOVE ON TO ITEM NUMBER THREE. OH, JIM, COMMENT FIRST. MR. CHAIRMAN, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD. ITEM THIRTY THREE IS IS AN UPDATE OF THE CARES ACT. AT, UH, YOUR LAST BOARD MEETING, THERE WAS A REQUEST TO BRING AN UPDATE OF THE CARES ACT PLAN. AND WE ALSO HAD SOME BUDGET TRANSFERS THAT AT THIS POINT WE NEEDED TO REQUEST YOUR AUTHORITY FOR. DID WANT TO MAKE SOME COMMENTS THAT IT'S APPROPRIATE TIME TO BRING IT, BECAUSE WE ARE IN DECEMBER, WE ARE GETTING CLOSE TO THE END. AND SO WE DO HAVE INFORMATION FOR YOU FOR AN UPDATE ON WHERE WE'RE AT. WE DO ASK YOUR, UH, YOUR PATIENCE AS AS WE'VE TALKING THROUGHOUT THE CARES ACT IS THERE'S FLEXIBILITY. CONTRARY TO SOME, IT IS EXPENDITURES THROUGH THE 30TH. BUT WE ACTUALLY HAVE THROUGH MARCH TO ACTUALLY FINALIZE ITEMS. RELATED TO THAT BEFORE, UH, MS. PIERCE, AND MR. MIRRIONE WALKED THROUGH. I DID WANT TO KIND OF CLARIFY, YOU KNOW, FOR YOUR AND THE PUBLIC'S UNDERSTANDING, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU LOOK AT, UH, RELATED SPECIFICALLY TO COMMUNITY ASSISTANCE, WE WOULD LIKE TO JUST MAKE SURE THAT THE BOARD AND AGAIN, THE PUBLIC UNDERSTANDS THAT WE HAVE HA CONVERSATIONS WITH MOST VALLEY COUNTIES THROUGHOUT THE STATE AS FAR AS MY COLLEAGUES. AND I WOULD JUST SAY TO BE CAREFUL WITH THE INFORMATION YOU HEAR, BECAUSE NOT ALL VALLEY COUNTIES HAVE PROVIDED, YOU KNOW, THE PROGRAMS THAT HAVE BEEN REFERENCED. IN FACT, I COULD NAME OFF COUNTIES THAT HAVE NOT. AND WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE CONTRACTS AND SOME OF THE OTHER COUNTIES, THERE ARE BROAD, CATEGORICAL CONTRACTS WHERE THAT'S JUST A MINOR COMPONENT OF IT. AND THEN SOME OF THE PROGRAMS INCLUDED IN THOSE ARE SOME OF THE CONTRACTS LIKE WE HAD WITH CVOC OR PROJECT ROOM KEY. SO WE WOULD JUST CAUTION YOU TO GENERALIZATIONS OF STATEMENTS THAT, YOU KNOW, UH, THAT ACROSS THE VALLEY THAT WE'RE THE ONLY COUNTY; THAT IS NOT THE CASE. BUT WE DO HAVE, IN LOOKING AT IT, WE DO HAVE SOME RECOMMENDATIONS FOR YOU AS [02:50:02] THERE HAS BEEN INTEREST. AND SO AS WE MOVE CLOSER TO DECEMBER 30TH, WE DO HAVE A COUPLE OF SUGGESTIONS FOR YOU AS PART OF THIS, AS FAR AS YOU KNOW, BEFORE WE FINALIZE OUT THIS PLAN. SO AT THIS POINT, I WILL TURN IT OVER TO MS. PIERCE TO BEGIN WALKING THROUGH IT. THANK YOU. GOOD AFTERNOON AGAIN, CHAIRMAN, BOARD MEMBERS, COUNTY COUNCIL [INAUDIBLE], CEO BROWN. AS CEO BROWN SAID ASSISTANT COUNTY EXECUTIVE OFFICER DAVID MIRRIONE AND I WILL BE PROVIDING UPDATES ON THE MERCED COUNTY CARES ACT FUNDING PLAN AND INFORMATION RELATED TO ITEM THREE FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION TODAY. AS AN OVERVIEW, MERCED COUNTY WAS ALLOCATED APPROXIMATELY TWENTY EIGHT POINT NINE DOLLARS MILLION WITHIN THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA'S ENACTED BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR TWENTY TWENTY ONE. ON JUNE 30TH OF THIS YEAR, CEO BROWN SIGNED AND SUBMITTED A CERTIFICATION FOR RECEIPT OF CARES ACT FUNDS TO THE DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE. THAT CERTIFICATION REQUIRED THAT UNSPENT FUNDS BE RETURNED TO THE STATE ON OCTOBER 30TH UNLESS AN EXTENSION WAS GRANTED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE. THE CERTIFICATION ALSO REQUIRED THAT THE COUNTY FOLLOW STATE AND FEDERAL HEALTH ORDERS THAT WERE IN EFFECT THEN, AS WELL AS ANY UPDATED ORDERS. ON AUGUST 11TH, THIS BOARD ADOPTED THE COUNTY CARES ACT FUNDING PLAN, AND WE'RE GOING TO GO THROUGH THAT A LITTLE BIT MORE THROUGHOUT THE PRESENTATION. SINCE OUR LAST PRESENTATION REGARDING CARES ACT FUNDS, THERE HAVE BEEN SEVERAL UPDATES AT THE STATE AND FEDERAL LEVEL FOR THE STATE. WE HAVE SUBMITTED OUR CYCLE ONE AND TWO REPORTS IN SEPTEMBER AND OCTOBER. IN ADDITION, ON OCTOBER 15TH, WE RECEIVED THE REMAINING BALANCE OF CARES ACT FUNDS. HOWEVER, AS YOU RECALL AT OUR LAST PRESENTATION, WE WERE WAITING FOR OCTOBER TWENTY THIRD, WHERE AT THAT TIME WE DID RECEIVE WRITTEN CONFIRMATION OF THE EXTENSION TO THE EXPENDITURE DEADLINE GOING OUT TO THAT DECEMBER 30TH, 2020 DATE FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE. ON THE FEDERAL SIDE, THERE HAVE BEEN SEVERAL REVISED FAQS FOR THAT CARES ACT SPENDING. AND ON OCTOBER 19TH WE RECEIVED THE MOST RECENT FAQS FOR THAT. AS YOU RECALL, THERE HAVE BEEN SEVERAL FEDERAL RELIEF BILLS PROPOSED, INCLUDING HEROES, HEALS, MORE RECENTLY, A BIPARTISAN STIMULUS PLAN FOR NINE HUNDRED AND EIGHT BILLION DOLLARS AND ALSO MCCONNELL'S PLAN. A LITTLE BIT MORE INFORMATION ON THIS, ALTHOUGH THERE HAS BEEN WHAT HAS BEEN CONSIDERED TO BE A FEDERAL STALEMATE ON PROPOSED BILLS AS LATE AS THIS WEEKEND, WE HAVE RECEIVED INCREASED INFORMATION AND MOMENTUM ON THE DESIRE TO REACH AN AGREEMENT AND CONTINUE TO RECEIVE UPDATED INFORMATION FOR THE BIPARTISAN BILL THAT I REFERENCED JUST A MOMENT AGO NOW CALLED THE PROBLEM SOLVERS BILL THAT OUTLINES NINE HUNDRED AND EIGHT BILLION DOLLARS AND OF THAT, ONE HUNDRED AND SIXTY BILLION FOR STATE AND LOCAL DISTRIBUTION. IN ADDITION, WHILE THE FULL TEXT OF THE BILL HAS NOT YET BEEN RELEASED, WE ARE BEGINNING TO RECEIVE UPDATES. AND ONE OF THE UPDATES IS THAT IF IMPLEMENTED, THAT PROPOSAL WOULD PUSH BACK THE TIMELINE FOR CARES ACT FUNDS SPENDING TO BE INCURRED THROUGH DECEMBER OF TWENTY TWENTY ONE. JUST REALLY QUICKLY, ON THE, UM, THE 12/30/20 DEADLINE THAT YOU SHOW UNDER THE STATE CATEGORY, IS THAT STATE MANDATED OR WAS THAT A FEDERAL MANDATE? THAT IS STATE MANDATED? WHAT IS THE FEDERAL MANDATE? I THINK IT AND I WILL DEFER TO CEO BROWN, BUT I BELIEVE IT FOR DIFFERENT VARIATIONS OF THE CRF FUNDING, THERE ARE DIFFERENT TIMELINES FOR THAT. CEO BROWN? YES, THE CARES ACT HAD BROAD FUNDING STREAMS THAT FLOW THROUGH IT. SO THERE'S A VARIETY OF FUNDING STREAMS THAT HAVE ACTUALLY EXTENDED LONGER FOR THIS PARTICULAR FUNDING STREAM AND FOR THOSE DIRECT COUNTIES THAT RECEIVED OR CITIES OF OVER 500000 EARLY IN SPRING. THAT IS DECEMBER. SO IT'S ACTUALLY, I THINK, BOTH THE FEDERAL AND STATE, YOU KNOW, BUT ON THE COMPONENTS THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, IS THE DECEMBER 30TH. OK, THANK YOU. JUST AS MS. PIERCE SAID, WE JUST LEARNED THIS MORNING THAT THERE'S CONVERSATIONS IN THE DISCUSSIONS AND NEGOTIATIONS THAT TAKE PLACE THAT COULD EXTEND THE CARES ACT LONGER. YES. THANK YOU. SO, FOR THAT, WE HAVE LEARNED THAT CURRENTLY THE DECEMBER 11TH IS WHEN THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION IS TO MAKE A DECISION. HOWEVER, WE HAVE HEARD THAT THERE IS A POTENTIAL DESIRE TO HAVE A CONTINUING RESOLUTION TO GIVE SOME ADDITIONAL TIME TO DECEMBER 18TH TO BE ABLE TO [02:55:01] POTENTIALLY PASS A BIPARTISAN SUPPORT BILL. SO AS THAT INFORMATION COMES FORWARD, WE'LL MAKE THAT AVAILABLE. AND THEN REGARDING THE UPCOMING DATES, AS CEO BROWN MENTIONED, WE DO HAVE UP TO DECEMBER 30TH CURRENTLY TO INCUR THOSE COSTS, BUT UP TO MARCH 30TH TO DO THE FINAL CLOSEOUT AND PAYMENT FOR THOSE ITEMS INCURRED. SO BEFORE YOU IS THE OVERVIEW OF THE APPROVED CARES ACT FUNDING PLAN, WHICH INCLUDES THE PHASE ONE EXPENDITURES, AS WELL AS THE PHASE TWO CATEGORICAL ESTIMATES BASED ON THE THREE CATEGORIES THAT WERE OUTLINED, INCLUDING THE COUNTY CONTINUITY AND EMERGENCY RESPONSE, COMMUNITY SUPPORT AND THE RESERVE CONTINGENCY. AS YOU RECALL, THE ORIGINAL PLAN PROVIDED OVERALL GUIDANCE, BUT ALSO ALLOWED FOR FLEXIBILITY TO ACCOUNT FOR THE INITIAL ALLOCATION TIMELINE AND CASH CASH FLOW ISSUES ASSOCIATED WITH THAT, AS WELL AS UNCERTAINTY REGARDING THE PROPOSED FEDERAL LEGISLATION THAT PROPOSED CHANGES OR EXPANSIONS TO THE CARES ACT GUIDANCE FOR UTILIZATION, AND THEN ALSO CONTINUOUSLY UPDATED GUIDANCE ON HOW WE CAN SPEND THE CARES ACT FUNDS. THE PLAN ALSO ALLOWED US TO PIVOT BASED ON THE DYNAMIC SITUATION AND FLUCTUATING CIRCUMSTANCES AROUND THIS PANDEMIC AND THEN ALSO TO BE ABLE TO RESPOND TO NEW GUIDANCE OR MANDATES PROVIDED BY THE STATE ON HEALTH ORDERS THAT WOULD ALLOW US TO PIVOT FOR UNFORESEEN EXPENDITURES AND IMPACTS THAT THE COUNTY WOULD HAVE TO ADDRESS. THROUGHOUT THE COURSE OF UTILIZING THESE FUNDS, WE'VE BROUGHT INFORMATION FORWARD AND HAVE CONTINUED TO RECEIVE DIRECTION TO MAINTAIN FLEXIBILITY AND MAXIMIZE COUNTY COST RECOVERY FOR ITEMS RELATED TO COVID RESPONSE. THE FOLLOWING SLIDE PROVIDES AN UPDATE ON THE CURRENT STATUS OF PHASE TWO USAGE, WITH A BREAKDOWN OF EACH CATEGORY. AND THE UPDATE WILL INCLUDE A RANGE OF COSTS, BOTH HIGH AND LOW FOR EACH SUBCATEGORY. THESE RANGES HAVE BEEN PROVIDED TO REFLECT BOTH INCURRED COSTS AND PROJECTIONS THROUGH THE DECEMBER 30TH DEADLINE FOR THOSE COSTS THAT WILL INCUR BETWEEN NOW AND THEN AND AS THERE REMAINS ALSO UNCERTAINTY DUE TO SUPPLY CHAIN DISRUPTION ISSUES AND THEN ALSO THE DESIRE TO BEST MAXIMIZE ALL AVAILABLE COUNTY FUNDS FOR THESE EXPENDITURES. OH, SORRY ABOUT THAT. SO THIS SLIDE PROVIDES A BREAKDOWN OF THE CARES ACT PROJECTED EXPENDITURES WITHIN THE COUNTY CONTINUITY AND OPERATIONS CATEGORY. WITHIN THIS CATEGORY, THERE ARE VARIOUS SUBCATEGORIES INCLUDED, AND WE'RE GOING TO DO A QUICK WALKTHROUGH OF EACH. FOR RETROFIT OF COUNTY FACILITIES, THE INITIAL ESTIMATE WAS APPROXIMATELY THREE POINT SEVEN DOLLARS MILLION AND THE RANGE OF UTILIZATION FROM LOW TO HIGH IS APPROXIMATELY ONE POINT SEVENTY TWO POINT FOUR DOLLARS MILLION. THE ORIGINAL ESTIMATES WERE CONSERVATIVE AND HIGHER THAN THE RANGE OF USE. AS I STATED, MUCH OF THIS WAS DUE TO CHALLENGES WITH THE SUPPLY CHAIN DISRUPTIONS IN TIMING, SORRY ABOUT THAT, TO ORDER PRODUCT AND THEN INSTALL WITHIN THE AVAILABLE WINDOW. AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, MERCED COUNTY WAS NOT THE ONLY ENTITY THAT RECEIVED CARES ACT FUNDS THAT WAS WANTING TO PROCURE SUPPLIES TO BE ABLE TO MAKE THEIR FACILITIES ACCEPTABLE AND SAFE TO THEIR EMPLOYEES AND TO THE PUBLIC. SO MUCH OF THAT HAS ISSUES WITH BEING ABLE TO GET THINGS IN QUICKLY AND THEN INSTALL THEM . IN A MOMENT, I'LL GO THROUGH THE REST. BUT AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, ORIGINAL ESTIMATES FOR THE PLAN WERE DEVELOPED SEVERAL MONTHS AGO AT THE ONSET OF RECEIVING THESE FUNDS AND BASED ON THE INFORMATION AT THAT TIME. AND SO THIS HAS RESULTED IN BOTH LOWER OR HIGHER RANGES BASED ON THOSE FLUCTUATING CIRCUMSTANCES AND ALSO THE NEEDS AS THE TIMELINE HAS PROGRESSED. SO FOR TELEWORK AND TECHNOLOGY, THE INITIAL ESTIMATE WAS ABOUT HALF A MILLION DOLLARS. HOWEVER, OUR RANGE OF USE IS ABOUT ONE POINT TWO TO ONE POINT THREE MILLION DOLLARS. THAT RANGE IS HIGHER THAN THE ORIGINAL ESTIMATE BASED ON THE ABSOLUTE INCREASED NEED TO PURCHASE EQUIPMENT AND TECHNOLOGY UPGRADES TO SUPPORT TELEWORK AND SAFETY, NOT ONLY FOR OUR EMPLOYEES, BUT FOR THE INDIVIDUALS WHO SEEK SERVICES HERE AT THE COUNTY. IN ADDITION, FOR PPE AND DISINFECTANT PROCUREMENT, OUR ORIGINAL ESTIMATE WAS A [03:00:02] LITTLE BIT HIGHER AT 750000, WITH US RANGING AT ABOUT ONE HUNDRED AND THIRTY EIGHT TO ONE HUNDRED AND FORTY TWO THOUSAND DOLLARS. THE ORIGINAL ESTIMATE WAS BASED ON THE VERY EARLY DIFFICULTY AND CONCERNS TO BE ABLE TO PROCURE THESE TYPE OF SUPPLIES. HOWEVER, AS TIME HAS PROGRESSED, MUCH OF THESE SUPPLIES HAVE BEEN MADE AVAILABLE THROUGH THE STATE AND RESOURCES HAVE ALSO BEEN MADE AVAILABLE THROUGH THE MOHAWK AND OTHER COUNTY DEPARTMENT. PROCUREMENT PROCESSES, WHICH HAVE RESULTED IN A MUCH LOWER RANGE OF UTILIZATION FOR THE FUNDS WITHIN THIS CATEGORY. THE NEXT ITEM IS TESTING CAPABILITY AND HEALTH SCREENINGS WITH APPROXIMATELY TWO MILLION DOLLARS ESTIMATED AND UTILIZATION AT FOUR HUNDRED AND THIRTY TO FIVE HUNDRED AND SEVENTY FIVE THOUSAND DOLLARS. THE ORIGINAL ESTIMATE WAS BASED ON ANTICIPATED COSTS IF THE STATE TESTING SITES HAD TRANSITIONED TO FULL COUNTY FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY. AS YOU KNOW, ON A MONTHLY BASIS, THE STATE HAS BEEN UPDATING THAT AND HAS CONTINUED TO PROVIDE THAT RESOURCE WITHIN THE COMMUNITY. AND SO THE RANGE OF COSTS THAT WE HAVE PROVIDED INCLUDE FOR THAT SITE, FACILITY, RENTAL FOR A STRIKE TEAM TESTING AND LAB PROCESSING AND FOR MEDICAL SUPPORT AT THE JAIL. REGARDING CONTACT TRACING ORIGINALLY HAD ESTIMATED ONE POINT FIVE DOLLARS MILLION AND THEN TO UTILIZE BETWEEN 550000 AND 840000. AND SINCE THE ORIGINAL ESTIMATE, THE COUNTY HAS SECURED TWO GRANTS, ONE THROUGH WORKFORCE AND ONE THROUGH PUBLIC HEALTH THAT HAS ASSISTED WITH THOSE COSTS AND DECREASED THE NEED FOR CARE ACT EXPENDITURES IN THIS AREA. EVEN THOUGH THE APPROXIMATE UTILIZATION FOR OTHER FUNDS IS CLOSE TO WHAT THE ORIGINAL ESTIMATE WOULD HAVE BEEN REGARDING UPGRADE AND REHAB FOR PARKS. AT THE TIME OF THE ORIGINAL ESTIMATE, THERE WAS NO SPECIFIC PLAN BUT WANTED TO IDENTIFY FUNDING SHOULD A NEED COME UP. THERE WAS AN EXPENDITURE RELATED TO BEING ABLE TO APPROPRIATELY CLOSE THE PARKS, HOWEVER, THAT WAS HANDLED THROUGH OTHER ELIGIBLE EXPENDITURES. THE ORIGINAL ESTIMATE FOR PHASE TWO FOR COUNTY CONTINUITY AND OPERATIONS DID NOT INCLUDE PERSONNEL COSTS. HOWEVER, THROUGH THE BOARD'S DIRECTION TO TRACK COUNTY COSTS AND RECOVER ELIGIBLE EXPENDITURES BASED ON FUNDING AVAILABILITY, WE HAVE PROVIDED A BREAKDOWN OF BOTH SUBSTANTIALLY DEDICATED PERSONNEL, AS WELL AS EMERGENCY SICK LEAVE COSTS. THOSE SUBSTANTIALLY DEDICATED PERSONNEL ARE THOSE WHO HAVE THROUGH THE CARES ACT, THOSE STAFF WHO ARE PRIMARILY PRESUMED ELIGIBLE UNDER CARES ACT GUIDANCE FOR UTILIZATION OF FUNDING AND ARE PRIMARILY DIRECTED TO COVID-19 RESPONSE EFFORTS. AND THE EMERGENCY SICK LEAVE IS THE SUPPLEMENTAL SICK LEAVE THAT WAS MADE AVAILABLE TO EMPLOYEES RELATED TO COVID-19 ILLNESS. SO FOR THOSE, THERE'S A CONSERVATIVE RANGE OF USE FOR THOSE COSTS AT SUBSTANTIALLY DEDICATED ABOUT TWELVE POINT FIVE TO SEVENTEEN MILLION DOLLARS AND FOR SICK LEAVE, THREE HUNDRED AND NINETY THOUSAND TO ONE POINT FOUR MILLION DOLLARS COMING TO A TOTAL FOR COUNTY CONTINUITY OF OPERATIONS, APPROXIMATELY SEVENTEEN POINT FIVE DOLLARS MILLION TO TWENTY FOUR POINT FIVE DOLLARS MILLION. OK, SO THIS NEXT SLIDE PROVIDES A BREAKDOWN OF THE CARES ACT PROJECTED EXPENDITURES FOR THE COMMUNITY SUPPORT CATEGORY WITHIN THE COMMUNITY SUPPORT AREA, AS IS THE ONE BEFORE WE'RE GOING TO HIGHLIGHT THE SUBCATEGORIES, THIS FIRST ONE FOR SMALL BUSINESS SUPPORT. AS YOU KNOW, THE BOARD APPROVED A READY TO OPEN SMALL BUSINESS GRANT PROGRAM. THE FIRST ROUND OF AWARDED GRANTS WERE JUST OVER TWO MILLION DOLLARS. A LITTLE BIT LATER IN THE PRESENTATION, DAVID WILL BE PROVIDING ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON A POTENTIAL OPTION FOR CONSIDERATION FOR THE FOOD ASSISTANCE. THE BOARD DID APPROVE AND PROVIDE GRANTS TO THE FOOD BANK TO DIFFERENT FOOD PANTRIES, AND THEN ALSO EXPANDED ASSISTANCE TO THE SENIOR NUTRITION HOME DELIVERED MEALS PROGRAM BASED ON THE INCREASED NEED FOR DELIVERED MEALS DUE TO COVID-19. AND SO OUR ORIGINAL ESTIMATE OF 250000 ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY FIVE THOUSAND TWO [03:05:02] HUNDRED AND SEVENTY FIVE THOUSAND DOLLARS WAS THE RANGE PROJECTED. REGARDING HOMELESS AND HOUSING ASSISTANCE AS ORIGINALLY TWO MILLION DOLLARS FOR THE ESTIMATE. AND THERE'S AN APPROXIMATION OF ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY THOUSAND DOLLARS TO ONE POINT THREE SEVENTY FIVE MILLION DOLLARS. A LITTLE BIT OF THAT IS TO GO OVER THE ENHANCEMENTS FOR THE NAVIGATION CENTER TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL SOCIAL DISTANCING TECHNOLOGY FOR CONTACTLESS SERVICES THERE AND SANITATION IN ANTICIPATION OF OPENING THAT NEW CENTER, AS WELL AS ENCAMPMENT CLEANUP ASSOCIATED WITH PROVIDING HOUSING THROUGH PROJECT ROOM KEY. AS YOU'RE ALL AWARE, THERE HAVE ALSO BEEN QUITE AN EXTENSIVE EFFORT THROUGH PROJECT ROOM KEY AND HOUSING FOR THE HARVEST. AND WHILE WE DID RECEIVE SOME ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR THOSE AREAS AND REFERENCING BACK TO THE PENITENTIAL OPTION TO MAXIMIZE FUNDING, AS YOU'LL SEE LATER IN THE PRESENTATION, THAT REMAINS AN ONGOING ISSUE THAT WE'LL NEED TO CONTINUE WELL BEYOND DECEMBER 30TH FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION. FOR COMMUNITY OUTREACH AND EDUCATION, AS YOU ALL KNOW, WE'VE HAD SEVERAL DIFFERENT COMMUNITY OUTREACH EFFORTS. WE'RE PLEASED TO HAVE JORGE PROVIDE A PRESENTATION EARLIER FROM CVOC ON ONE OF THOSE EFFORTS FOR OUR AGRICULTURAL COMMUNITY. WE HAD ESTIMATED AT APPROXIMATELY ONE MILLION DOLLARS AND WE ARE ON TARGET TO SPEND BETWEEN SEVEN HUNDRED AND TEN THOUSAND SEVEN HUNDRED AND FIFTY THOUSAND. AND THAT INCLUDES SOME OF OUR OTHER PROJECTS AS WELL, INCLUDING THE STAY SAFE, STAY OPEN AND READY TO OPEN CAMPAIGNS, AS WELL AS OUR OUTREACH TO THE SOUTHEAST ASIAN COMMUNITY, OUR DON'T WAIT, VACCINATE PROGRAM, OUR STAY SAFE, GET TESTED AND VARIOUS OTHER PSAS AND EQUIPMENT. AND I'M SORRY, I'M GOING TO HAVE TO PAUSE BECAUSE TALKING THAT MUCH WITH MY MASK ON IS MAKING ME A LITTLE BREATHLESS. [LAUGHTER] YOU NEED SOME WATER? NO, NO, I'M GOOD. I JUST NEED TO TALK SLOWER, I THINK. OK, I THINK I'M GOOD. YOU CAN TAKE YOUR MASK OFF IF YOU WANT. ARE YOU SURE? IT'S UP TO YOU. OK, SORRY ABOUT THAT. THAT HELPS. OTHERWISE I'M GOING TO PASS OUT UP HERE. OK, THE LAST AREA FOR YOUR REVIEW IS ON THE COMMUNITY AND VETS HALLS. AS YOU KNOW, WE DID HAVE A READY TO OPEN COMMUNITY AND VETS HALLS PROGRAM. THE ORIGINAL ESTIMATE WAS THAT ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY THOUSAND. HOWEVER, THIS BOARD DID APPROVE UTILIZING SOME OF THE FUNDS ORIGINALLY FOR THE BUSINESS ASSISTANCE PROGRAM UP TO TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTY THOUSAND. WE DID ACCEPT APPLICATIONS THROUGH NOVEMBER. WORKING ON FINALIZING THOSE GRANTS IN THE CONTRACTS AWARDS RANGE FROM BETWEEN ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY TO ONE HUNDRED AND SEVENTY THOUSAND DOLLARS TOTAL. SO IF YOU REVIEW THE TOTAL IN COMMUNITY SUPPORT, THE ORIGINAL ESTIMATE WAS AT APPROXIMATELY SIX POINT NINE DOLLARS MILLION AND OUR RANGE OF USE IS BETWEEN THREE POINT ONE AND FIVE POINT FIVE MILLION DOLLARS. OK, THE FOLLOWING SLIDE PROVIDES A SUMMARY OF THE COMBINED THREE CATEGORIES WITHIN OUR CARES ACT FUNDING PLAN AND THE AS YOU CAN SEE, THE TOTALS FOR OUR COUNTY CONTINUITY, COMMUNITY SUPPORT, AS WELL AS INCLUDING THE INFORMATION FOR RANGE OF COSTS FOR SUBSTANTIALLY DEDICATED AND EMERGENCY SICK LEAVE, PUTS US AT APPROXIMATELY TWENTY POINT SIX TO THIRTY MILLION DOLLARS. AND SO WITH THAT, THE ESTIMATED EXPENSES FOR THE COUNTY EXCEED AVAILABLE CARES ACT FUNDS. THIS WOULD RESULT IN PARTIAL REIMBURSEMENT AVAILABLE FOR A SUBSTANTIALLY DEDICATED AND EMERGENCY SICK LEAVE COSTS OF APPROXIMATELY SEVEN POINT EIGHT TO 11 MILLION DOLLARS, WITH THAT EXCESS EXPENSE OF THE COUNTY OF BETWEEN ONE TO TEN MILLION DOLLARS. THIS SLIDE IS JUST A SUMMARY OF SOME OF THE VARIOUS PROGRAMS THAT THIS BOARD HAS APPROVED THROUGH UTILIZATION OF CARES ACT FUNDING, AND AT THIS TIME I'M GOING TO PASS IT OVER TO DAVID TO COVER PLANNING FOR THE FUTURE AND ITEMS FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION. [03:10:09] GOOD AFTERNOON, DAVID MARRIONE, ASSISTANT COUNTY EXECUTIVE OFFICER. BEFORE I GET STARTED, I'D LIKE TO JUST POINT OUT TO THOSE IN ATTENDANCE THAT WE DO HAVE COPIES OF THIS PRESENTATION OUT IN THE FOYER. SO AS MS. PIERCE EXPLAINED, OUR ESTIMATED EXPENSES CURRENTLY EXCEED THE ALLOCATION IN CARES ACT. AND I THINK WE'VE HEARD MULTIPLE TIMES FROM OUR COLLEAGUES AT PUBLIC HEALTH THAT COVID IS NOT THROUGH, IT'S NOT THROUGH WITH US. AND SO WHAT WE DID IS WE LOOKED AT IF AND WHEN WITH THE EXPECTATION OF DECEMBER 30TH CUTOFF FOR CARES ACT FUNDING, WHAT ARE THE ONGOING COSTS THAT WE CAN EXPECT THAT WE WILL HAVE TO BE INCURRING TO ENSURE THAT THERE IS STILL AN ADEQUATE RESPONSE IN PLACE. SO WE HAVE A BREAKDOWN HERE OF OUR TESTING AND HEALTH SCREENING. AS YOU CAN SEE, THE FACILITY RENTAL, THE STRIKE TEAM, ALL OF THOSE COSTS, THE MEDICAL SUPPORT AT THE JAIL, TECHNOLOGY AND TELEWORK OUTREACH AND ENGAGEMENT. SO STILL BEING OUT IN THE COMMUNITY AND GETTING INFORMATION OUT THERE ABOUT SAFETY AND RESOURCES THAT ARE AVAILABLE. PROJECT ROOM KEY AND A HEALTHY HARVEST HOME, WHICH IS OUR PROGRAMS SIMILAR TO ROOM KEY FOR THE AGRICULTURAL WORKERS IN THE COMMUNITY. THAT'S APPROXIMATELY THREE HUNDRED THOUSAND BASED ON ESTIMATES. PPE EXCUSE ME, AND SANITATION SUPPLIES, TWENTY FIVE THOUSAND A MONTH AS WELL AS PERSONNEL COSTS, PUBLIC HEALTH AND DOC SUPPORT AS WELL AS REDIRECTED PERSONNEL, AND THAT WOULD BE STAFF FROM OTHER DEPARTMENTS THAT ARE HELPING WITH THOSE EFFORTS, AS WELL AS THE EMERGENCY SICK LEAVE THAT WAS MENTIONED EARLIER. THEN WE HAVE UNKNOWN ANTICIPATED COSTS. SO WE'RE ALL HEARING ABOUT THE GOOD NEWS THAT WE MAY HAVE A VACCINE IN OUR NEAR FUTURE. WELL, THE COSTS OF DEPLOYMENT. WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE? WE ARE STILL WORKING THAT THROUGH. THE VACCINES AREN'T ALL READILY AVAILABLE QUITE YET. STATE TESTING SITES, IF THEY GO, THEN, YOU KNOW, WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE TO SHIFT TO THE COUNTY RESPONSIBILITY IN THOSE COSTS, AS WELL AS IF THERE IS AN UNFORTUNATE MEDICAL SURGE AND THE BRINGING UP OF AN ALTERNATIVE CARE SITE? THOSE ARE ALL UNKNOWN COSTS. WHEN WE TALLY THE COSTS THAT WE DO KNOW AS ESTIMATES, YOU'RE LOOKING AT NEARLY ONE POINT ONE MILLION DOLLARS PER MONTH. SO AS WE STAND HERE TODAY, WE ARE COMING WITH CONSIDERATIONS AND SO WE DO THROUGHOUT THIS FUNDING PLAN THAT WE HAVE TALKED WITH THE BOARD, WE HAVE HEARD THE BOARD DIRECTION TO MAINTAIN FLEXIBILITY TO ENSURE COUNTY COST RECOVERY, AS WELL AS MAXIMIZING EXISTING AND FUTURE REVENUE SOURCES. MS. PIERCE MENTIONED OTHER GRANTS THAT HAVE COME IN AND OPPORTUNITIES THAT HAVE COME IN. SO WE'VE REALLY TRIED TO MAXIMIZE THOSE FUNDING STREAMS TO ENSURE THAT THAT EACH ACTIVITY IS BEING FUNDED IN A WAY THAT THAT MAXIMIZES THE DOLLARS AND STRETCHES THOSE DOLLARS. WE'VE ALSO HEARD AREAS OF INTEREST FROM YOUR BOARD, INCLUDING RENTAL MORTGAGE AND UTILITY ASSISTANCE PROGRAMING, AS WELL AS CONTINUED SUPPORT OF THE LOCAL BUSINESS COMMUNITY, ESPECIALLY GIVEN THE RECENT SHUTDOWN ORDERS AND THE STAY AT HOME ORDER. WE HAVE HEARD THAT. THE DECEMBER 30TH CARES ACT DEADLINE, SO RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER. AGAIN, THE RECENTLY ENACTED ORDER INCREASED COVID CASES. THE CASES HAVE BEEN GOING UP ALONG WITH RECENT BUSINESS RESTRICTIONS. SO AS A RESTAURANT COMMUNITY WAS COMING TO GRIPS WITH GETTING EQUIPPED AND LAYING OUT THOSE EXPENDITURES FOR OUTDOOR DINING, THEN WE HAVE OUTDOOR DINING, SHUTTING. CURRENT EXPENDITURES EXCEEDING THE CARES ACT ALLOCATION AND THEN RECENT STATE GUIDANCE FOR INDIRECT CARES ACT SUPPORT, WHICH I'LL GET INTO IN THE NEXT SLIDE. SO WE'D LIKE TO TALK TODAY ABOUT A PROPOSED RENTAL MORTGAGE AND UTILITY ASSISTANCE PROGRAM, LOOKING AT CARES ACT FUNDING SUPPORT. AND SO WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT IS LOOKING AT HOW DO WE USE THE CARES ACT KNOWING THAT THE DATE OF THE CARES ACT FUNDING EXPIRES DECEMBER 30TH AND ENSURING THAT WE HAVE TIME TO GET DOLLARS OUT INTO THE COMMUNITY IN A WAY THAT WILL ALLOW OPPORTUNITY TO APPLY AND GET THOSE DOLLARS OUT. AND SO WHAT WE ARE PROPOSING IS A CONTRACT WITH THE CENTRAL VALLEY OPPORTUNITY [03:15:41] CENTER (CVOC) FOR CONSIDERATION TO ADMINISTER THEIR RENTAL MORTGAGE AND UTILITY ASSISTANCE PROGRAM. SO WHAT WE WOULD LOOK AT THERE IS WITH AN APPLICATION PERIOD OF DECEMBER 14TH THROUGH 20TH, LOOKING AT GETTING FOLKS THAT HAVE ALREADY APPLIED PERHAPS AND ARE OUTSIDE OF ELIGIBILITY RANGE JUST BY A LITTLE BIT. I HAVE LEARNED THAT MANY OF THEIR APPLICANTS MAY NOT MEET ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS, BUT THE NEED IS CERTAINLY THERE. AND SO LOOKING AT USING THOSE CARES ACT DOLLARS FOR THOSE INDIVIDUALS AND THEN USING THE REMAINDER IN A MANNER THAT IS ALLOWING US IF THE CARES ACT IS EITHER EXTENDED OR A NEW STIMULUS COMES, WE'RE ABLE TO GO BACK AND CAPTURE THOSE COSTS. MANY OF THESE PROGRAMS HAVE HAD A BACK DATE, LIKE WHEN THE CARES ROLLED OUT, WE WERE ABLE TO GO BACK INTO MARCH. AND SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE ALIGNING PROGRAM ELIGIBILITY AND THE PROGRAM WITH THE ELIGIBILITY THAT WE'VE SEEN SO WE CAN BE IN A POSITION TO CAPTURE THOSE COSTS. SO WE HAVE RESEARCHED LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS WITH PROGRAMS IN PLACE AND THE CAPACITY TO IMPLEMENT IMMEDIATELY. AND AS CEO BROWN MENTIONED EARLIER, OTHER COUNTIES HAVE USED PROVIDERS WITHIN THEIR COMMUNITIES TO GET THESE PROGRAMS OFF THE GROUND. AND SO IN SPEAKING WITH WITH CVOC, THEY INDICATED THEY DID HAVE THE CAPACITY AND WOULD BE ABLE TO TURN A PROGRAM AROUND RELATIVELY SHORT, I BELIEVE, 48-72 HOURS TYPE TURNAROUND . WE HAVE PUT IN FRONT OF YOU TODAY AN ALLOCATION OF ONE MILLION DOLLARS. THAT WOULD BE EIGHT HUNDRED AND FIFTY THOUSAND DOLLARS OF ASSISTANCE WITH A 15 PERCENT INDIRECT RATE. HOW THAT WOULD WORK IS IT'S BASED ON A PERCENTAGE OF EXPENDITURES. SO AS THE DOLLARS FLOW OUT INTO THE COMMUNITY, THAT RATE IS ALSO BUILT AGAINST THOSE EXPENSES. SO IF KNOW NOT ENOUGH DOLLARS WENT OUT INTO THE COMMUNITY, THEY WOULDN'T GET THAT FULL ADMINISTRATION PIECE. LOOKING AT A MAXIMUM GRANT OF FOUR THOUSAND DOLLARS PER HOUSEHOLD. AND THAT WOULD BE WITH THEIR PROGRAM, IT'S DIRECT PAYMENTS MADE TO THE LANDLORDS, THE LENDERS, AS WELL AS THE UTILITY COMPANIES. SO FOR THE RECOMMENDED PROGRAM ELIGIBILITY, YOU WOULD BE A RESIDENT OF MERCED COUNTY. AND SO THAT THAT IS THE QUALIFICATION. WE'RE NOT LOOKING AT STATUS ON THAT. SO I KNOW THERE WAS SOME CONCERN AND COMMENTS RAISED INCOME FOR THE PAST 12 MONTHS FROM THE DATE OF APPLICATION AT OR BELOW TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTY PERCENT OF THE FEDERAL POVERTY GUIDELINES. AND SO MANY PROGRAMS THAT WE HAVE SEEN OUT THERE WILL RANGE ANYWHERE ON SOME OF YOUR FEDERAL PROGRAMS TO 70 PERCENT, SOME IN THE HIGH HUNDREDS AT TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTY PERCENT. WE BELIEVE THAT WE ARE LEAVING, THAT, YOU KNOW, THE ABILITY FOR FOLKS THAT MAY NOT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF CERTAIN PROGRAMS WITH OUR HUMAN SERVICE AGENCY, YOU KNOW, BASICALLY WIDEN THAT NET TO MAKE SURE WE CAPTURE, YOU KNOW, THE COMMUNITY'S NEEDS. ADDITIONALLY, WE WOULD LOOK AT HOUSEHOLD INCOME OR EXPENSES AFFECTED BY COVID-19. SO THERE HAS TO BE A DEMONSTRATED LOSS BASED ON COVID-19, WHICH IS SIMILAR WITH MANY OF THE GRANT PROGRAMS THAT YOU SEE WITH CARES, SIMILAR TO OUR BUSINESS PROGRAM. THIS PROGRAM WOULD RUN FROM DECEMBER 14TH, ACCEPT APPLICATIONS FROM DECEMBER 14TH THROUGH JANUARY 25TH, AND THEIR PROGRAM ESSENTIALLY COVERS A MONTH IN ARREARS AND A MONTH CURRENT. AND THEN SO YOU'RE LOOKING AT RENT FOR THOSE TWO MONTHS. AND THEN, YOU KNOW, MOST PEOPLE YOU KNOW, EVERYBODY HAS A DIFFERENT LEASE OR A DIFFERENT MORTGAGE PAYMENT AMOUNT. SO YOU WOULD LOOK AT UTILITY COSTS WITHIN THAT DIFFERENCE. SO YOU'RE LOOKING AT, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE LOOKING AT THE MORTGAGE OR THE LEASE FIRST AND THEN LOOKING AT WHAT THOSE OTHER UTILITY COSTS MAY BE IN THAT TWO MONTH FOR A MAXIMUM OF FOUR THOUSAND DOLLARS PER HOUSEHOLD. AND SO, AGAIN, JUST IN CLOSING ON THAT, WE DID KEEP THIS IN ALIGNMENT WITH CARES GUIDELINES TO TRY TO BE PREPARED FOR WHAT COMES NEXT AND THE ABILITY TO RECAPTURE THESE DOLLARS. SO SECOND, WE'D LIKE TO TALK ABOUT THE SMALL BUSINESS ASSISTANCE PROGRAM, THE READY TO OPEN PROGRAM. AND SO WHEN WE WRAPPED THAT PROGRAM AT THE END OF OCTOBER, SO CHECKS WERE DISTRIBUTED THE END OF OCTOBER THROUGH VERY EARLY NOVEMBER. AND WHAT WE ARE RECOMMENDING, AS YOU MAY REMEMBER, WE HAD A THREE [03:20:01] POINT ONE MILLION DOLLAR TOTAL ON THE PROGRAM, AN ADMINISTRATION PIECE AND THREE MILLION DOLLARS OF DIRECT SUPPORT WE'RE BETWEEN THAT AND THE COMMUNITY AND VETS HALL PROGRAM THAT YOUR BOARD APPROVED BACK WHEN WE WERE SHOWING WE WOULD HAVE A BALANCE HERE ON THE BUSINESS SIDE, WE'RE LOOKING AT THE LOW TWO MILLION DOLLAR RANGE ON THAT. SO WHAT WE ARE PROPOSING IS TO BASICALLY TAKE A TWO PRONGED APPROACH. ONE, INCREASE THE OVERALL MAXIMUM AWARD FROM FIFTY THOUSAND TO SIXTY TWO FIVE HUNDRED. SO AS YOU MAY REMEMBER, THE GRANT OR THE PROGRAM WAS FOCUSED ON SMALL BUSINESSES WITH TWENTY FIVE FULL TIME EMPLOYEES OR LESS, WITH A CAP OF REIMBURSEMENT FOR COVID RELATED EXPENSES OF TWO THOUSAND DOLLARS PER EMPLOYEE. SO WHAT THAT DOES IS WE TAKE THAT TWENTY TO TWENTY FIVE HUNDRED. YOU DO THE MATH, THAT GETS YOU TO 62500. WE WOULD WE WOULD DO TWO THINGS. ONE, FOR NEW APPLICANTS. WE WOULD OPEN THE APPLICATION PERIOD IF APPROVED STARTING TOMORROW FOR ABOUT A WEEK THROUGH DECEMBER 15TH, ALL PREVIOUS GRANTEES WOULD RECEIVE AN ADDITIONAL AWARD FOR THE DIFFERENCE OF THAT FIVE HUNDRED DOLLARS PER EMPLOYEE, PREVIOUS GRANTEES WOULD NOT NEED TO REAPPLY TO RECEIVE THOSE FUNDS. WE DO HAVE AMPLE DOCUMENTATION TO MAKE THOSE AWARDS. AND BECAUSE YOU WOULD BE TAKING THOSE, YOU ALREADY HAVE EXISTING AWARDS OUT THERE TO GET THIS NEXT ROUND OF DOLLARS OUT. YOUR BOARD DID APPROVE LAST TIME PER DISTRICT ALLOCATION THAT WOULD BE REVIEWED DEPENDING ON WHERE AWARDS CAME IN. WE WOULD POOL THAT PER DISTRICT AND JUST IN AN EFFORT TO GET THOSE DOLLARS OUT. SO IN SUMMARY, WE'RE CONTINUING TO RECEIVE UPDATED DEFINITIONS AND ALLOWABLE COSTS AT THE STATE AND FEDERAL LEVELS, SO IT'S ALMOST DAILY. WE RECEIVE SOME SORT OF UPDATE ON WHAT CAN BE ALLOWED OR WHAT MAY BE COMING IN THE FUTURE. AND CERTAINLY WE'RE ALL WELL AWARE OF THE DIFFERENT BILLS THAT HAVE COME AND WE'VE HAD STALEMATES ON FOR FUTURE FEDERAL RELIEF FUNDING. AND THOSE DECISIONS AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL DO IMPACT OUR PLANNING AND RESPONSE EFFORTS. SO THE UTILIZATION OF CARES ACT FUNDING TO REIMBURSE OUR COUNTY DEPARTMENTS FOR THOSE EXPENSES, WHAT THAT DOES IS IT INCREASES OUR CAPACITY TO COVER ONGOING EXPENSES IN TWENTY, TWENTY ONE. SO, YOU KNOW, AS I MENTIONED, WHEN I STARTED MY PORTION OF THE PRESENTATION, WE ARE ANTICIPATING COSTS TO ONE POINT ONE MILLION POSSIBLY, YOU KNOW, AFTER THE CARES ACT RUNS. SO BY CAPTURING THOSE COSTS OF COUNTY EXPENSES, WHICH MS. PIERCE HIGHLIGHTED WERE FAR EXCEEDING WHAT OUR ALLOCATION WAS, THAT ACTUALLY PUTS US IN A POSITION TO CONTINUE THOSE EFFORTS GOING FORWARD. AND THEN SO TODAY WE ARE LOOKING FOR STAFF DIRECTION FOR THREE ITEMS THAT THE RENTAL AND MORTGAGE AND UTILITY ASSISTANCE PROGRAM, THE READY TO OPEN SMALL BUSINESS ASSISTANCE PROGRAM, AS WELL AS IN YOUR AGENDA, WE HAVE BUDGET TRANSFERS FOR TODAY'S MEETING FOR EXISTING CARES ACT EXPENDITURES, AND THAT REQUIRES A FOUR FIFTHS VOTE. SO WITH THAT CEO BROWN. MR. CHAIR, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, AS YOU CAN SEE, WE WILL BE ABLE TO EXPAND OR DRAW DOWN ALL THE CARES ACT MONEY. WE ARE NOT CONCERNED ABOUT ANY OF IT GOING BACK ACCORDING TO THE PARAMETERS AND INFORMATION WE HAVE RECEIVED SO FAR. IT ALSO PROVIDES YOU FLEXIBILITY IN TRYING TO MAXIMIZE SOURCES AS THEY WALK THROUGH AND GIVING YOU TICKETS TO MAKE SURE WE HIT A HOME CLEAR IS LIKE IN PROJECT ROOM KEY. WE HAVE BEEN TRYING TO MAXIMIZE OTHER SOURCES, SO MAYBE WE DIDN'T QUITE GO TO CARES ACT QUITE AS MUCH AS OTHERS WHERE WE'RE TRYING TO MAXIMIZE TO POSITION YOU TO BE ABLE TO CARES, COVID'S NOT GOING AWAY, AT LEAST IN THE NEXT FEW MONTHS. THERE ARE MANY THAT WILL SAY IT'LL GO THROUGH THE END OF THIS FISCAL YEAR TILL SUMMER. SOME GO LONGER. WHO KNOWS AT THIS POINT IN TIME. SO THERE IS A LONGER TERM LOOK THAT WE HAVE TO CONTINUE TO LOOK AT. RELATED TO, YOU KNOW, THE THIRD ITEM UP THERE, THERE WAS THE BUDGET TRANSFERS THAT WE HAVE ON YOUR AGENDA. THOSE ARE KIND OF JUST CONTINUING WHAT WE'VE BEEN DOING. THE OTHER TWO ITEMS ON THERE THAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR YOUR DIRECTION, THAT WE DO THINK, YOU KNOW, AS MR. MIRRIONE SAID, IS THE YOU KNOW, WE'VE HEARD INTEREST. YOU'VE HEARD IT TODAY. WE'RE NOW AT A POINT WHERE WE THINK WE CAN FROM A FISCAL PERSPECTIVE IT MAKES [03:25:03] SENSE. AND SO THE OTHER PIECE THAT WE'VE HEARD CONSISTENTLY THROUGHOUT FROM THE BOARD, IN ADDITION TO MAXIMIZING REVENUE SOURCES AND CONTINUE TO RECOVER, COUNTY COST WAS RELATED TO THESE, IS DON'T CREATE NEW PROGRAMS. AND IF THERE WAS SOME TYPE OF ASSISTANCE, MAKE SURE IT BASICALLY GOES DIRECTLY TO EITHER THE PROPERTY OWNER, LANDLORD, OR THE UTILITY COMPANY AND/OR THE MORTGAGE LENDER TYPE THING. AND WITH THAT, I KNOW TIMING WISE HAS BEEN TOUGH. YOU KNOW, WE'VE BEEN TALKING TO OTHER COUNTIES OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS JUST BEING VERY OPEN AND TRYING TO LOOK AT. AGAIN, WE'VE IDENTIFIED THAT NOT ALL VALLEY COUNTIES ARE OPERATING PROGRAMS OR NONE OF THEM ARE OPERATING PROGRAMS. SO LET ME SAY THAT THEY'VE ALL PUSHED IT OUT TO LOCAL CBOS, COMMUNITY ACTION AGENCIES, THOSE TYPES OF IN IT. SO THERE ISN'T A COUNTY WITHIN THAT'S REALLY STRUCTURE THAT THEY'VE ALL PUSHED THE DOLLARS OUT. THOSE WHO ARE DOING IT AGAIN, PLUS OR MINUS HALF OF THEM ARE NOT DOING SOMETHING SIMILAR TO THIS. WHEN YOU LOOK AT THIS, COMMUNITY ACTION AGENCY HAS A PROGRAM, THERE ARE A COUPLE OTHERS. I MEAN, COMMUNITY ACTION AGENCY HAS A PROGRAM, UNITED WAY. SO THERE HAVE BEEN LOCALLY A FEW LOCAL CBOS WHO OFFER THESE PROGRAMS VERY CANDIDLY. I DON'T WANT TO POINT AT ANYONE, BUT LIKE UNITED WAY, THEY'RE HAVING TROUBLE GETTING PEOPLE TO APPLY TO THESE PROGRAMS. SO THERE ARE A COUPLE OF LOCAL PROGRAMS, CVOC SEE HAPPENS TO RUN A SIMILAR PROGRAM AND A COUPLE OTHER COUNTIES. AND WE'VE LOOKED AT THEM ALL, TALKED TO THEM ALL. AND FROM A TIMING STANDPOINT, VERY CANDIDLY, IT WASN'T TILL LATE FRIDAY OVER THE WEEKEND, THAT IT LOOKED LIKE WE FELT THIS IS A PROGRAM THAT WE COULD PROBABLY PUT SOMETHING TOGETHER IF THE BOARD WANTED TO, WE WOULD BE DOING THIS AS FAR AS WHAT WE'VE HEARD FROM YOU IS BECAUSE OF THE CARES ACT DOLLARS. AND SO OUR RECOMMENDATION IS TO USE THE FRONT END WITH THE CARES ACT DOLLARS AND POSITION IT TO WHERE IF THE FEDS DO COME UP WITH SOME TYPE OF WE'RE ABLE TO CONTINUE TO ACCESS IF WE GO PAST JANUARY 1ST, WE ALSO IN ORDER TO PROVIDE THE APPROPRIATE TIME TO BE ABLE TO ACCEPT APPLICATIONS, IF YOU'RE SO INCLINED ON THE RENTER'S ASSISTANCE PROGRAM, IS TO GO THROUGH THE END OF JANUARY, IS THAT IN CASE THAT WE MIGHT HAVE TO TRADE OUT OR INDIRECTLY USE CARES ACT DOLLARS WITH SOME GENERAL FUND IN ORDER TO AT THE POSSIBILITY, SO WE WAN TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE VERY CLEAR WITH THAT. THERE IS THAT POSSIBILITY. BUT AGAIN, OUR GOAL WOULD BE CARES ACT DOLLARS. IT'S THE REASON YOU'RE LOOKING AT, THE REASON EVERYBODY'S BEEN TALKING ABOUT IT AND THE REASON WE'VE GOT IT HERE TODAY IN FRONT OF YOU AT THIS POINT. THE BUSINESS PROGRAM IS VERY FAST. IT'S JUST TRYING TO TWEAK A FEW THINGS. AND WE'VE HEARD FROM YOU IS TRYING TO GET MORE A LITTLE BIT MORE, IF WE CAN, WITH THE RECENT, YOU KNOW, FROM THE STATE. SO WE THOUGHT WE'D BRING THIS AUCTION TO YOU TODAY. AND SORRY FOR THE TIMING, BUT THESE ARE THINGS THAT WE NEED DIRECTION ON TODAY IN ORDER TO REALLY TO MOVE FORWARD, IF WE'RE ABLE TO TRY TO ROLL THAT PIECE OUT QUICK WE HAVE A COMMENT BY SUP. MCDANIEL. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. GREAT PRESENTATION. I LIKE THE WAY WE BROKE IT DOWN AND WE GOT TO THE POINT WHERE WE ARE, BUT I THINK YOU GUYS WERE A LITTLE KIND IN HOW YOU PRESENTED IT TO US. LET'S REMEMBER THAT THE PRESIDENT SIGNED THIS BILL MARCH 22ND. THE STATE RECEIVED THE MONEYS IN EARLY APRIL. THE WHOLE TIME THAT THIS GOVERNOR HELD THESE FUNDS, HE WAS THREATENING NOT TO PAY OUT OUR SHARE. THE CITY OF ATWATER, WHICH RESIDES IN MY DISTRICT, STILL HAS NOT RECEIVED FOUR HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS THAT IS FEDERAL MONEY THAT THE GOVERNOR HAS HELD FROM THEM. WE DID NOT RECEIVE OUR FINAL PAYMENT UNTIL OCTOBER 15TH. LET'S THINK ABOUT THIS. EVERYBODY'S ON US, AND THE PLAN THAT WE PUT TOGETHER AND STAFF HAS DONE A FANTASTIC JOB OF WORKING WITH THE MINIMAL, WHAT THEY HAD TO WORK WITH, NOT KNOWING IF WE WERE EVER GOING TO GET THESE. AND I THINK WITH THIS TOTAL, WE ACTUALLY COULD DIP INTO OUR GENERAL FUND, WHICH IS OK BECAUSE THE FOLKS NEED IT. BUT I'M SORRY IF I'M JUST FRUSTRATED WITH THIS BECAUSE THIS HAS BEEN THE BIGGEST STRESS POINT FOR THIS BOARD OF SUPERVISORS. UNDERSTANDING, WE NEEDED TO DO THIS, WE NEED TO MOVE FORWARD WITH IT. WE HAVE THE CONSTITUENCY UPSET WITH US FOR NOT MOVING FORWARD IT. BUT I POINT IT BACK TO OUR GOVERNOR. HE HAS THREATENED AND WITHHELD THIS MONEY FROM US THIS WHOLE ENTIRE TIME. AND WE CONTINUE TO WORK FORWARD KNOWING THAT WE'D DIP IN OUR OWN EXPENSES IF WE HAD TO DO IT. BUT WE MOVED FORWARD. SO I THINK THE COMMUNITY NEEDS UNDERSTAND THAT. THEY KEEP PUSHING BACK ON US SAYING WE DON'T UNDERSTAND. [03:30:03] THEY DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT WE'VE BEEN DOING AND WHAT WE'VE BEEN DEALING WITH. I'VE BEEN HERE EVERY DAY THROUGH THIS WHOLE CORONAVIRUS, WORKING WITH STAFF AND WORKING FORWARD TO GET THIS DONE. SO I APPRECIATE THAT WE ARE WHO WE ARE, BUT I AM STILL FRUSTRATED WITH THE FOLKS WHO ROLL THEIR EYES AND THINK THAT WE'RE NOT DOING ANYTHING HERE. SO LET'S REMEMBER THE FIRST DEADLINE WAS OCTOBER TWENTY THIRD; IT WAS UP THERE. YOU GUYS WENT OVER IT REALLY NICELY. BUT I'M [INAUDIBLE] TO CALL IT WE RECEIVED THE LAST PAYMENT ON THE 15TH. AND WE WERE SUPPOSED TO HAVE IT ALL DONE BY THE TWENTY THIRD. PRESENTED BY THIS GOVERNOR AND HIS STAFF. SO JUST UNDERSTAND THE UNDERTAKING THAT THE MERCED COUNTY STAFF HAS HAD TO GET THIS DONE WITH THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS LOOKING AT EVERY PENNY AND TRYING TO BE ACCOUNTABLE TO OUR CONSTITUENCY FOR WHAT WE'RE DOING. BUT THEY DID IT. YOU'VE DONE A GREAT JOB WITH IT. HOPEFULLY WE'RE GOING TO EXTEND IT. LET'S HOPE THAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT WILL GET BY THIS NEXT ONE AND WE WILL TO HELP CONSTITUENTS, BECAUSE YOU KNOW WHAT? I DON'T LIKE GIVING OUT GOVERNMENT MONEY TO PEOPLE. I REALLY DON'T. BUT IF THE GOVERNMENT IS FORCING THESE PEOPLE OUT OF THEIR JOBS, NOTE NUMBER ONE, GOVERNMENT IS FORCING THESE PEOPLE OUT OF THEIR JOBS. WE HAVE THE RESPONSIBILITY TO HELP THESE FOLKS OUT. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. THANK YOU. SUP. SILVEIRA. THANK YOU, CHAIR. AND JUST A GREAT PRESENTATION BECAUSE, AGAIN, THERE WAS A LOT OF MISINFORMATION THAT WAS GOING OUT IN PUBLIC COMMENT THAT WE HAVE THESE MILLIONS OF DOLLARS THAT ARE JUST SITTING THERE. I THINK MY COLLEAGUE ITERATED IT VERY WELL. THEY ACT LIKE WE'RE JUST SITTING HERE, SCROOGE MCDUCK, SITTING ON THIS MONEY. WE DON'T WANT TO GIVE IT TO ANYBODY. BUT UNDERSTANDING THAT THE GOALPOSTS HAVE CONSTANTLY CHANGED ON US, THAT WE WERE TOLD WE KNEW FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT THAT WE ARE GOING TO HAVE AN ALLOCATION OF ROUGHLY X, BUT THEN AT ONE POINT, THE GOVERNOR WAS ONLY RELEASING THE MONEY IN ON A MONTHLY BASIS AND A QUARTERLY BASIS OR A QUARTER AT A TIME. AND WE'RE TRYING TO FIGURE OUR WAY THROUGH THIS AND WE PAINTED AS HEARTLESS AND WHATEVER. BUT I JUST FOR ME, THIS PROGRAM, I'M JUST GOING TO GO DOWN THE LIST, IN THE WORLD OF SCOTT, THE WAY THAT I WOULD THESE PROGRAMS IS NUMBER ONE, AS FAR AS THE BUDGET TRANSFERS IN ORDER, I'M GOOD WITH THAT. THAT'S THE FIRST ITEM ON ITEM THIRTY THREE. AS FAR AS THE MORTGAGE, THE RENTAL MORTGAGE AND UTILITY ASSISTANCE PROGRAM. I'M IN SUPPORT OF IT AND I THINK THAT WE'VE SAID THIS ALONG THE WAYS. I'M NOT HERE TO JUST HAND OUT FREE CASH TO ANYBODY THAT WANTS TO WALK UP AND SAYS, HEY, I NEED CASH. IT'S GOING DIRECTLY TO THE LANDLORD OR THE MORTGAGE HOLDER OR THE UTILITY COMPANY, BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT WE'RE HEARING. THAT'S WHAT WE HEARD ON THOSE PHONE CALLS TODAY, ALMOST ON ALL 70 OF THEM, THAT PEOPLE ARE STRUGGLING TO BE ABLE TO PAY THEIR RENT, TO BE ABLE TO PAY THEIR UTILITY. SO THIS WAY WE KNOW THAT THAT MONEY IS GOING DIRECTLY. SO I THINK THAT THAT'S REALLY GOOD. I'M THANKFUL THAT YOU WIDENED THAT NET ON THAT TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTY PERCENT, THAT IT'S BECAUSE THAT'S THE PROBLEM. THE PROBLEM IS, IN CALIFORNIA, WE DO THINGS TO WHERE IF YOU GET STUCK IN TWEENERS-VILLE, YOU DON'T HAVE ENOUGH MONEY TO BE ABLE TO AFFORD IT ON YOUR OWN, BUT YOU MAKE TOO MUCH MONEY TO GET IT ALL FOR FREE. THOSE ARE THE ONES THAT ARE GETTING HURT THE WORST. RIGHT. AND SO BY US EXPANDING THAT NET, IT GIVES THOSE FOLKS THAT MOST NEED THE HELP, THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE ABLE TO GET THAT. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE--IT TAKES BOLD ACTION TODAY TO GIVE DIRECTION. AND THEN WE HAVE TO BRING IT BACK ON THE 15TH. I WOULD BE COMFORTABLE GIVING THE BOARD DIRECTION AND UPON SATISFACTION OF NEGOTIATIONS, GIVING THE AUTHORITY TO EITHER THE CHAIR OR THE CEO TO INITIATE THOSE BUDGET TRANSFERS. IT'LL TAKE A FOUR FIFTHS VOTE AND WE JUST DO IT ALL ONE TIME TODAY AND THEN WE CAN GET THE PROGRAMS UP AND RUNNING AND GET THE HELP OUT TO THE FOLKS THAT NEED IT AS SOON AS POSSIBLE VERSUS I KNOW IT'S ONLY ANOTHER WEEK FROM NOW, BUT IF YOU'RE STRUGGLING TO GET BY A WEEK, IT'S AN ETERNITY. SO THEN AS FAR AS THE SMALL BUSINESS PROGRAM, YOU KNOW, THERE WAS SOME CRITICISM EARLIER THAT WE DIDN'T HELP THE FOLKS, BUT WE ONLY HELPED THE BUSINESSES. WE CAN HAVE ARGUMENTS ALL DAY LONG AS TO WHETHER IF YOU'RE HELPING A BUSINESS AND THOSE PEOPLE ARE NOW BEING ABLE TO BE EMPLOYED AND ARE GETTING ASSISTANCE AND GOES BACK AND FORTH. BUT THIS PROGRAM, WHAT I WANT YOU TO UNDERSTAND IS, WE'RE NOT ALLOCATING ANY NEW DOLLARS TO THIS. [03:35:01] THIS IS PROGRAM SAVINGS. SO THIS IS WE ALLOCATED THE THREE MILLION DOLLARS AT THE VERY BEGINNING OF THIS DEAL. WE HAD X AMOUNT GET USED. WE GOT SOME OF THAT BACK. WE WERE ABLE TO HELP OUR COMMUNITY, OUR VETERANS HALLS AND OUR COMMUNITY CENTERS AND THOSE GROUPS WITH SOME OF THAT SAVINGS. AND THERE'S STILL SOME OF THOSE DOLLARS LEFT. AND SO WE ARE JUST REALLOCATING AND WITH, THE GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN OF BUSINESS. SO WE DON'T--GOSH, I CAN GO ALL OVER THE PLACE. WE'VE TAKEN PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY TOTALLY OUT OF THE EQUATION. I KNOW I GET CRITICISM FROM FOLKS BECAUSE I LOOK AT THINGS FROM A DOLLAR AND CENTS POINT OF VIEW, AND IT SHOULD BE [INAUDIBLE] AND THEIR OPINION, SHOULD ONLY BE ABOUT SAVING LIVES, AND I THINK THAT IT'S [INAUDIBLE] NONE OF US ARE SITTING HERE SAYING THAT WE DON'T THINK THIS DISEASE IS REAL. NONE OF US ARE SITTING HERE AND SAYING THAT WE DON'T PUT A VALUE ON FOLKS LIVES, BUT THERE HAS TO BE THIS HAPPY MEDIUM. THERE HAS TO BE SOME WHERE WE'RE TAKING EVERYTHING INTO CONSIDERATION AND JUST NOT ONE SIDE OR THE OTHER. SO ANYWAYS, SORRY TO GET OFF ON A SIDE NOTE THERE, BUT YOU GOT FOLKS THAT ARE BECAUSE OF EVERYTHING IS BEING SHUT DOWN, THESE BUSINESSES, IF IT ALLOWS FOR THEM TO GET A LITTLE BIT MORE IN AND IT OPENS UP THE WINDOW IN ORDER FOR OTHER BUSINESSES TO BE ABLE TO APPLY, I'M COMPLETELY FINE WITH THAT. SO, ONE, WE APPROVE ALL THE BUDGET TRANSFERS THAT ARE ON THE DOCKET AND THEN ON TWO, WE MOVE FORWARD WITH THE ONE MILLION NOT TO EXCEED ONE MILLION DOLLARS WITH ALL OF THE AFOREMENTIONED QUALIFICATIONS, FOUR THOUSAND DOLLARS PER HOUSEHOLD. I REALLY HOPE THAT WE CAN GET A DEAL DONE WITH CVOC. THEIR PROOF IS IN THE PUDDING. THEY KNOW HOW TO GET STUFF DONE. THEY'VE DONE IT ALREADY. THEY'RE ALREADY A TRUSTED PARTNER. I DON'T SEE ANY HICCUPS THERE. AND THEN AGAIN, JUST ALL THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT STAFF MADE ON THE READY TO OPEN PART. I AGREE WITH ALL THOSE. THE ONLY THING I SAID I WOULD CHANGES IS I JUST WANT TO GIVE THE DIRECTION TODAY UPON SUCCESSFUL NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE CVOC THAT WE GIVE THE AUTHORITY TO THE CHAIR OR THE CEO OR BOTH. IT DOESN'T REALLY MAKE A DIFFERENCE TO ME THAT ALL ASSOCIATED BUDGET TRANSFERS BE TAKEN CARE OF WITH THIS ONE ACTION, WHICH THEREFORE WOULD MAKE THIS WHOLE ACTION A FOUR FIFTHS, WHICH IT ALREADY IS. I JUST KIND OF THINK IT'S WE'RE WASTING TIME, VALUABLE TIME. SO THAT'S MY COMMENTS FOR NOW. MR. MIRRIONE, MS. PIERCE, I WANT TO THANK YOU GUYS. AND YOU GUYS GAVE US BUDGET BRIEFINGS YESTERDAY. AGAIN, THE BUDGET STAFF, THEY'RE THE ONES THAT ARE SITTING BACK THERE ON A DAILY BASIS AND GET NEW GOALPOSTS, NEW RULES. MONEY IS OK TODAY. NOW, WE'RE HEARING TODAY THAT AND I READ THAT DECEMBER 18TH, THEY'RE GOING TO CONTINUE RESOLUTION, THEY'RE POTENTIALLY GOING TO EXTEND THIS DECEMBER 30TH DEADLINE THAT WE'VE ALL BEEN TRYING TO LIVE BY. UM, SO I WILL TAKE BLAME WHENEVER IT'S MY FAULT AND IT'S OUR FAULT. AND I THINK THAT WE'RE PROBABLY ALL A LITTLE BIT CULPABLE IN IT. BUT FOLKS HAVE TO UNDERSTAND THAT WE LIVE IN A WORLD NOW WHERE SACRAMENTO DICTATES TO US AND CHANGES THE RULES ALL THE TIME. AND IT MAKES IT HARD TO BE ABLE TO MAKE DECISIONS TODAY WITHOUT REALLY KNOWING WHAT TOMORROW THEY'RE GOING TO COMPLETELY CHANGE THE RULES. SO, EVERYBODY, THANK YOU. THAT'S WHAT I HAVE FOR RIGHT NOW, CHAIR. LET ME GO, JIM. SORRY, MR. CHAIRMAN, I KNOW YOU'VE GOT A COUPLE OF BOARD MEMBERS AND [INAUDIBLE] DANGEROUS ALWAYS [INAUDIBLE], BUT I JUST WANTED TO WITH WHAT [INAUDIBLE] SAID IS FROM [INAUDIBLE] WE HAVE AGAIN AND WE ARE SEEKING DIRECTIONS TODAY. SOME OF THIS STUFF JUST CAME TOGETHER THROUGH THE WEEKEND AS FAR AS THIS, AGAIN, APOLOGIZE. SO TO ASSIST THE BOARD AND THE PUBLIC, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE DID DRAFT THIS MORNING SOME POTENTIAL GUIDANCE DIRECTION FOR YOU. AND SO WE'VE HANDED EACH WHAT [INAUDIBLE] POTENTIAL. BUT I WOULD LIKE TO DAVID, WE PUT IT UP THERE FOR THE PUBLIC SO THEY COULD SEE IT AT LEAST. SO I'M SORRY. I JUST WANTED TO STEP IN FRONT SO THE PUBLIC COULD SEE KIND OF THAT ALSO. SO SORRY. AND SO THEN IF I JUST COULD REALLY QUICKLY, BASICALLY, AND I DO WANT TO HEAR. THE REST OF MY COLLEAGUES ON IT, BUT I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD AND THROW IT OUT THERE, MY MOTION IS, IS TO APPROVE EVERYTHING THAT'S ON THIS SHEET OF PAPER, WHICH IS NOW UP THERE FOR THE PUBLIC WITH THE EXCEPTION OF ITEM TO SEE. I WOULD LIKE THAT TO SAY THAT WE ARE GIVING DIRECTION AFTER AND [INAUDIBLE] THIS'S RIGHT WHERE YOU COME IN AND GIVE THE OFFICIAL WORDING CORRECTLY. BUT BASICALLY AFTER SUCCESSFUL NEGOTIATIONS, GIVING THE EITHER THE CHAIR OR THE CEO THE AUTHORITY TO MAKE ANY ASSOCIATED BUDGET TRANSFERS THAT GOES ALONG WITH IT SO THAT WE DON'T HAVE TO WAIT TILL THE 15TH TO COME BACK JUST TO DO BUDGET TRANSFERS. THAT WOULD BE MY MOTION, MR. CHAIRMAN. LET ME GO TO COUNCIL FOR COMMENTS? YEAH, I WOULD JUST ADD POSSIBLY WITH REVIEW BY COUNTY COUNCIL AND THE AUDITOR. [03:40:01] [LAUGHTER] YEAH, I THANK YOU. SOMETIMES I GET A LITTLE AHEAD OF MYSELF AND I JUST ASSUME THAT YOU GUYS WOULD HAVE REVIEWED IT. BUT LET ME STATE THAT WITH POSSIBLE REVIEW BY COUNCIL AND THE AUDITOR COMPTROLLER'S OFFICE. LET ME GO TO THE COMMENTS FIRST. I KNOW YOU HAVE A MOTION. SUP. PAREIRA. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. STAFF, I WANT TO COMMEND YOU ON A PHENOMENAL JOB OF PUTTING TOGETHER A VERY COMPLEX SET OF NUMBERS AND INFORMATION, KIND OF IN A WAY THAT'S UNDERSTANDABLE. YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU'RE TALKING TWENTY EIGHT POINT NINE MILLION DOLLARS, YOU KNOW, IT'S SOMETIMES HARD TO GET YOUR HEAD AROUND ALL THE WORDS SPENT. AND I THINK YOU DID A GREAT JOB TODAY LAYING THAT OUT FOR US. AS SUP. SILVEIRA NOTED, YOU KNOW, THERE'S EXTREMES. I FIND MYSELF IN THE MIDDLE WHERE, YOU KNOW, I BELIEVE THAT WE NEED TO HELP FOLKS THAT NEED HELP. AND THEN, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY WE NEED TO TAKE A LOOK AT THE DOLLARS AND CENTS. AND THAT MAKES SENSE. AND, YOU KNOW, AND THEN OBVIOUSLY, WE NEED TO TAKE THIS CARES ACT MONEY THAT WE'VE BEEN GIVEN AND USE IT FOR THE PURPOSES THAT I BELIEVE IT WAS GIVEN FOR. AND, YOU KNOW, I GET A LITTLE NERVOUS SOMETIMES WHEN PEOPLE COME TO US ASKING FOR GENERAL FUND DOLLARS FOR SOCIAL PROGRAMS. YOU KNOW, WE'RE AN AGENT OF THE STATE AND THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND THEY GIVE US MONEY TO OPERATE THEIR SOCIAL PROGRAMS. AND I THINK THAT HAS WORKED OVER THE YEARS. AND SO I YOU KNOW, I PREFER TO KEEP IT THAT WAY, THAT THAT ALLOWS US TO TAKE THE DOLLARS THAT WE HAVE AND UTILIZE THOSE ON THE THINGS THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT THE INFRASTRUCTURE, PUBLIC SAFETY, YOU KNOW, THOSE TYPE OF ITEMS THAT I THINK WE'RE ENTRUSTED WITH, WITH DOING SO. I YOU KNOW, I LIKE THE PROGRAM THAT YOU'VE PUT TOGETHER. I AGREE WITH SUP. SILVEIRA THAT WE NEED TO TAKE ITEM 2C AND MAKE THAT PART OF THIS STEP IF WE CAN, JUST TO EXPEDITE GETTING THE DOLLARS INTO PEOPLE'S HANDS AND, YOU KNOW, JUST FOR THE PUBLIC'S KNOWLEDGE IS, IN HERE, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE INCOME GUIDELINES IS THAT IT'S BELOW TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTY PERCENT OF THE FEDERAL POVERTY GUIDELINES. AND SO SUP. SILVEIRA HIT ON A VERY, VERY IMPORTANT POINT IN ALL OF THIS IS THAT PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, THROUGH COVID HAVE LOST ENOUGH INCOME TO WHERE THEY'RE HAVING TROUBLE MAKING ENDS MEET, YET MAKE TOO MUCH MONEY TO REALLY GET ON FEDERAL ASSISTANCE. AND SO, YOU KNOW, I THINK THIS HELPS THOSE FOLKS THAT AREN'T GETTING HELP ANY OTHER WAY. AND I FEEL REALLY GOOD ABOUT THAT. AND I'M THANKFUL. I'D LIKE TO MENTION VICKY SOLIS. SHE REALLY, YOU KNOW, WORKS AND LIVES IN MY DISTRICT AND KIND OF EXPLAINED TO ME WHAT I WAS MISSING AND SO ANYWAYS, I APPRECIATE THAT, VICKY. AND I WANT TO SAY THAT PUBLICLY. AND THEN, YOU KNOW, STAFF, I CAN'T BELIEVE THAT YOU'VE BEEN ABLE TO PUT TOGETHER THIS PROGRAM SO QUICKLY. SO THANK YOU FOR THAT. AND, MR. CHAIR, DID YOU HAVE A SECOND ALREADY? NO, I'LL SECOND THAT. OH, I'M SO SORRY. SUP. MCDANIEL, FORGOT. OK, SUP. LOR. THANK YOU. ON SLIDE THREE, UNDER STATE THE BULLET FOR OCTOBER TWENTY THIRD TWO THOUSAND TWENTY. CAN YOU AGAIN CLARIFY THE EXTENSION? BECAUSE THERE COULD BE AN UNDERSTANDING THAT IT WAS THE TWENTY THIRD AND THEN IT WAS EXTENDED TO DECEMBER 30TH. OR IT COULD BE UNDERSTOOD THAT WE HAVE THE DEADLINE OF DECEMBER 30TH AND THERE COULD BE A POTENTIAL EXTENSION INTO TWENTY, TWENTY ONE. SO I UNDERSTAND. BASICALLY THROUGH THE CHAIR RESPONSE TO SUP. LOR. AS SUP. MCDANIEL SAID, IT WAS REALLY THE MIDDLE OF OCTOBER WHEN WE RECEIVED THE LAST ALLOCATION OF A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF CARES ACT DOLLARS, HOWEVER, AS WE REPORTED TO YOU AT YOUR OCTOBER MEETING, WE WERE STILL WAITING TO HEAR FROM THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE WHETHER WE HAD THE AUTHORITY TO EXPEND THOSE PAST OCTOBER 23RD. AND IT WASN'T TILL OCTOBER TWENTY THIRD THAT WE HEARD FROM DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE THAT WE WOULD BE ABLE TO DO SO. SO, WHEN WE WERE AT YOU IN OCTOBER, WE STILL THOUGHT THERE WAS A POSSIBILITY THAT THE STATE WAS GOING TO TAKE THE DOLLARS AWAY. AND SO THAT OCTOBER TWENTY THIRD DEADLINE WAS WHEN WE HEARD FROM THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE THAT WE HAD THE ABILITY TO EXPEND THOSE DOLLARS THAT THEY HAD SENT US, BUT SO WE DIDN'T KNOW UNTIL THE TWENTY THIRD WE COULD KEEP SPENDING. THANK YOU. I DO HAVE A LIST OF QUESTIONS, SO PLEASE BEAR WITH ME. I WANT TO HELP KIND OF PAINT THE PICTURE FOR FOLKS WHO MAY NOT BE AWARE. DO WE KNOW WHAT PERCENTAGE OF FAMILIES ARE LATE OR HAVE BEEN, OR DO WE KNOW THE [03:45:03] PERCENTAGE OF FAMILIES WHO HAVE BEEN LATE OR WHO HAVE NOT BEEN PAYING EITHER RENT, MORTGAGE OR ANY UTILITY BILLS? I DO NOT. I DO NOT HAVE A NUMBER THAT I WOULD FEEL CONFIDENT IN THE ACCURACY OR VALIDITY OF. OK. GOOD, THE WAY I WOULD DO THE MATH IS, AND IT'S NOT ACCURATE, BUT IT'S A WAY TO LOOK AT IT. BUT IF WE'RE UP, OUR UNEMPLOYMENT RATE IS UP ONE POINT FIVE PERCENT OVER, I THINK YOU CAN MAKE A GENERAL ASSUMPTION, WHICH WE DON'T LIKE TO ASSUME, BUT YOU CAN MAKE A GENERAL ASSUMPTION. IF IT'S ONE POINT FIVE PERCENT, THEN THAT'S PROBABLY THE SWEET SPOT OF THE POPULATION OF THAT EMPLOYMENT NOW THAT WE ARE DEALING WITH NOW OVER AND ABOVE WHAT WE NORMALLY HAVE TO DEAL WITH HERE. IF YOU LOOK AT IT AS AN ECONOMY, WE'VE DONE VERY WELL. WE'VE ACTUALLY BEEN UNDER THE UNEMPLOYMENT RATE OF THE STATE AS A WHOLE UNTIL THIS LAST UPDATE. AND I THINK WE KIND OF EQUALED OUT. SO THAT WOULD BE MINE. THANKS. THANK YOU. AND THEN DO WE KNOW THE PERCENTAGE OF CHANGE WITH FAMILIES WHO HAVE APPLIED FOR AND MAYBE HAVE BEEN APPROVED FOR CASH ASSISTANCE [INAUDIBLE]? YES, I'M SORRY. I KNOW SHE WAS, DIRECTOR BROWN, WAS I KNOW YOU LOOKED LIKE YOU WERE RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE AND I APOLOGIZE. BUT THE QUESTION WAS BASICALLY, DO WE KNOW WHAT THE MAYBE THE PERCENTAGE INCREASE OR THE INCREASE IN CASH ASSISTANCE? AND I WOULD JUST EXPAND THAT IN GENERAL, MAYBE SOME OF THE DIFFERENT PROGRAMS YOU OFFER. UNFORTUNATELY, I HAD THE INFORMATION, BUT I JUST DON'T HAVE IT WITH ME BECAUSE I FIGURED THAT QUESTION WOULD BE ASKED, BUT I CAN GET IT TO YOU. OK, THAT'S OK. THAT'S OK THAT YOU DON'T HAVE IT RIGHT NOW. IF YOU COULD GET THAT TO ME, THAT WOULD BE GREAT. I DIDN'T GET A CHANCE TO BRIEF OR SIT WITH STAFF FOR A BRIEFING OF THIS ITEM OVER THE WEEKEND. SO I'M ASKING MY QUESTIONS NOW AND I DO APOLOGIZE FOR THE INCONVENIENCE THAT IT CAUSES YOU TODAY. AND I ASK THAT JUST SO THAT WE HAVE A PICTURE OF THE IMPACT IT IS HAVING ON OUR DEPARTMENT. AND I ECHO MY COLLEAGUE'S COMMENTS ABOUT THE TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTY PERCENT OF THE FEDERAL POVERTY LEVEL, BECAUSE AS A PERSON WHO USED TO BE IN THAT BOAT, I DIDN'T QUALIFY, I MADE, WHAT, ONE HUNDRED DOLLARS MORE THAN THE GUIDELINES BUT I DIDN'T QUALIFY FOR, FOR PUBLIC ASSISTANCE AS A YOUNG ADULT. AND SO THE STRUGGLE IS REAL WITH FOLKS LIKE THAT. DO WE KNOW HAVE WE CONNECTED WITH EXISTING ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS TO FIND OUT WHAT WORKS, WHAT THE CONCERNS ARE, OR WHY RESIDENTS MAY NOT BE TAKING ADVANTAGE OF EXISTING PROGRAMS? I HAVE SOMETHING TO ADD. PLEASE GO AHEAD. WELL, JUST IN TALKING WITH CVOC ABOUT THE PROGRAM THAT THEY'RE OPERATING, THE NUMBER OF ROUGHLY HALF THE APPLICANTS WERE IN THAT INCOME THAT YOU JUST SPOKE OF. AND SO IT REALLY KIND OF REITERATED THE CONCEPT OF THAT TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTY PERCENT. SO IT WAS MORE OF A BARRIER OF ACCESS DUE TO THE CONSTRAINTS OF THOSE REQUIREMENTS. AND THEN I WILL TAKE A STAB AT AND MY COMMENT WAS A BROADER BASE. WE HAVE HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH A COUPLE OF THEM. I WILL SHARE WITH YOU COMMUNITY ACTION AGENCIES PROGRAM, AND I HOPE I'M NOT SPEAKING OUT THEIRS HAS GROWN THE LAST MONTH, SO, THEIR MONTHLY, UH, DISTRIBUTION THE LAST MONTH WAS GREATER THAN A MONTH PRIOR. SO I DON'T KNOW IF THE RESIDENTS ARE JUST BECOMING AWARE OF THE PROGRAMS AND THE OTHER ONE ACKNOWLEDGE I HAVE NOT TALKED TO AND WE HAVE NOT REACHED OUT TO WAS THE UNITED WAY WE KNOW HAS A PROGRAM ALSO, IT'S JUST MORE WE HAVE HEARD FROM A VARIETY OF SOURCES THAT THEIR PARTICIPATION HASN'T BEEN AT A HIGH LEVEL. OK, CAN WE FIND OUT WHAT THEIR GUIDELINES ARE? I'D LIKE TO COMPARE THAT TO THIS TO SEE IF THE TWO HUNDRED FIFTY IS THE SAME. I WILL SHARE WITH YOU COMMUNITY ACTION AGENCY, BECAUSE WE WERE I MEAN, WE WERE TALKING IS AT TWO HUNDRED. SO COMMUNITY ACTION AGENCY IS TWO HUNDRED. AND AS I THINK WAS ACKNOWLEDGED UP HERE THROUGH, SOME OF THE HSA PROGRAMS THAT ARE AT ONE HUNDRED OR ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY TYPE THING. I DO NOT KNOW WHAT THE UNITED WAYS IS AT. THROUGH THE CHAIR, CVOC IS AT TWO HUNDRED PERCENT AS WELL WITH THE EXISTING PROGRAM THAT THEY'RE RUNNING. [03:50:01] OK, THANK YOU. AND THEN CEO BROWN, YOU MENTIONED THAT SOME COUNTIES ARE NOT OPERATING ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS LIKE THE ONE THAT IS PROPOSED TODAY. CAN YOU TELL US THE COUNTIES WHO HAVE ALLOCATED FUNDING, HOW MUCH THEY HAVE ALLOCATED AND OUT OF THE COUNTIES, DO YOU RECALL HOW MANY ARE NOT PROVIDING PROGRAMS AND HOW MANY ARE? JUST THE NUMBERS. I CAN TELL YOU THERE'S ONE THAT'S DOING NOTHING. THERE ARE TWO, THREE THAT HAVE PUSHED A CONTRACT WITH AN OUTSIDE ENTITY. THAT'S A PACKAGE DEAL. AND WHAT I MEAN BY THAT PROJECT ROOM KEY, THE CONTRACT THAT WE HAD EARLIER WITH CVOC, UH, WORKING WITH THE MIGRANT COMMUNITY. AND PART OF IT DOES INCLUDE SOME RENTAL ASSISTANCE, BUT IT'S A PACKAGE DEAL. AND A COUPLE OF THOSE COUNTIES HAVE ABOUT ONE OF THEM'S A MILLION. ONE OF THEM IS TWO MILLION. IN FACT, TWO OF THEM ARE TWO MILLION AND ONE'S A MILLION. AND THEN ACTUALLY, I THINK THERE'S TWO COUNTIES. THERE'S ONE I HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO CONFIRM, BUT I'VE NOT FOUND ANYTHING. AND I'M NOT AWARE BECAUSE THEY'RE ACTUALLY LARGE METROPOLITAN AREA. AND WE'VE GOT TO BE CAREFUL BECAUSE CITIES WHO RECEIVE DIRECT ALLOCATIONS IN THE SPRING ARE OFFERING PROGRAMS IN A COUPLE OF THE COUNTIES LARGER THAN US. SO IT'S THE CITIES THAT ARE OFFERING. BUT NOT REALLY THE COUNTY. OK, AND THEN ONE LAST COMMENT OR MAYBE CHALLENGE TO STAFF IS FOR FAMILIES WHO MAKE MORE AND THEY DON'T QUALIFY FOR CASH ASSISTANCE OR ANY OTHER PROGRAMS WHO HAVE BEEN CURRENT ON THEIR RENT OR MORTGAGE, SACRIFICING OTHER PRIORITIES IF THEY APPLY FOR THIS PROGRAM AND THE FUNDS ARE PAID DIRECTLY TO THEIR LANDLORD OR THEIR SERVICER. MY FEAR IS THAT MY LANDLORD OR MY SERVICER OR OTHER FOLKS ARE GOING TO KNOW MY FINANCIAL SITUATION, SO I UNDERSTAND THAT THE PANDEMIC IS A STRESS FOR EVERYONE AND IT'S PUT EVERYONE IN A DIFFICULT FINANCIAL POSITION. BUT THAT MAY CAUSE SOME LANDLORDS OR SOME SERVICERS TO KIND OF RAISE RED FLAGS AND SAY, OH, THIS PERSON IS THAT IS AT A FINANCIAL RISK AND WE'RE GOING TO EVALUATE OUR RISK. AND MAYBE WE DON'T WANT TO KEEP THIS PERSON ON OUR BOOKS OR IN OUR SPACES. SO I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THAT AND LET STAFF KNOW THAT AS WE WORK TO HELP FAMILIES, THAT WE ACTUALLY HELP THEM AND NOT MAKE IT WORSE FOR THEM. I KNOW THERE HAS TO BE ACCOUNTABILITY AND I GET THAT FAMILIES GET THAT, BUT IF I WAS IN THAT BOAT AND I DIDN'T WANT MY LANDLORD OR MY OR OTHER FOLKS TO KNOW THAT I'M IN FINANCIAL NEED, I PROBABLY WOULDN'T APPLY FOR THOSE PROGRAMS. DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? THANK YOU. OK, I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE PUBLIC KNOWS THAT IF THIS ITEM IS APPROVED, IT'S GOING TO BE CVOC OUT OF WINTON. SO CENTRAL VALLEY OPERATIONS CENTER IS GOING TO ADMINISTER THE PROGRAM FOR RENTAL, MORTGAGE AND UTILITY ASSISTANCE PROGRAM? AND IT WILL BE A MAXIMUM GRANT OF FOUR THOUSAND DOLLARS. IT WILL NOT BE CASH TO THE PERSON. THERE WOULD BE DIRECT PAYMENTS MADE TO THE LANDLORDS, THE LENDERS AND UTILITY COMPANIES, AND SHOW PROOF OF INCOME, PROOF OF RECEIPTS, A LETTER FROM THE MORTGAGE OR THE UTILITIES THAT YOU'RE BEHIND ON PAYMENTS AND ALL THAT. SO I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE PUBLIC UNDERSTANDS IT'S NOT GOING TO BE CASH TO THEM. IT'S GOING TO BE TO WHOEVER YOU OWE. SO THANK YOU TO MY COLLEAGUES AND I, HOPEFULLY ALL MY COLLEAGUES SUPPORT THIS ITEM. AND I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, THE PUBLIC IS IN REAL NEED. SO WITH THAT, I THINK WE HAVE ONE MORE COMMENT FROM SUP. PAREIRA. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. IT SEEMS TO ME THAT IN OUR DISCUSSIONS THAT WE ARE MAKING A PAYMENT TO THE LANDLORD, BUT IS ON BEHALF OF THE INDIVIDUAL. SO IT'S NOT A LANDLORD BAILOUT. THIS IS A PROGRAM THAT TAKES AN INDIVIDUAL OR FAMILY THAT HAS AN OBLIGATION THAT THEY CAN'T PAY AND WE PAY IT ON THEIR BEHALF. RIGHT? [03:55:01] IS THAT CORRECT? YES, I THINK THAT'S OUR UNDERSTANDING. BUT IF YOU DON'T MIND, [INAUDIBLE] TIME MAYBE JUST IF I MAY HAVE CVOC JUST COMMENT ON THAT JUST TO MAKE SURE. SURE. AND IF YOU COULD PLEASE GIVE YOUR ADDRESS AND PHONE NUMBER FOR YOUR CENTER, THAT WILL YOU KNOW, WE HAVE PEOPLE ACROSS THE COUNTY THAT DON'T KNOW WHERE YOU ARE. SO PLEASE. THANK YOU. SO CENTRAL VALLEY OPPORTUNITY CENTER, OUR MAIN OFFICE, IS LOCATED IN WINTON, CALIFORNIA, 6838 BRIDGET COURT. AND OUR TELEPHONE NUMBER IS TWO ZERO NINE THREE FIVE SEVEN ZERO ZERO SIX TWO. YOU CAN ALSO APPLY THROUGH OUR WEBSITE WWW.CVOC.ORG AND YOU CAN ALSO APPLY THROUGH OUR FACEBOOK PAGE, WHICH IS FACEBOOK.COM/CVOCINC. OK, AND ALSO, I FORGOT THE QUESTION THAT I CAME UP TO ANSWER. [LAUGHTER] I THINK THE QUESTION WAS BASICALLY THAT THIS IS REALLY TO ASSIST THE RENTERS, THE INDIVIDUAL MAKING THE MORTGAGE PAYMENT. BUT THE SOURCE GOES DIRECTLY TO WHOEVER THE PROPERTY OWNER OR THE LENDER. BUT IT IS ASSISTING THE RESIDENT OF THE HOUSE. CORRECT. AND PRESENTLY, CVOC HAS ABOUT FIVE MILLION DOLLARS IN RENTAL UTILITY AND MORTGAGE ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS THAT WE'RE OPERATING IN THREE COUNTIES, THREE MILLION DOLLARS OF WHICH IS CARES MONEY. SO I'M FAMILIAR WITH THE ELIGIBILITY. I'M FAMILIAR WITH THE PROCESS. AND YOU ARE CORRECT, THESE FUNDS IN THIS PROGRAM THAT YOU'RE DECIDING TO VOTE ON TODAY IS TO ALLEVIATE THE PAIN TO THE PERSON THAT IS AFFECTED BY COVID-19. AND THERE'S NOTHING MORE CLEAR ABOUT THAT. IT IS IN THE ELIGIBILITY THAT YOU SAW ON THE SLIDE. AND THOSE ARE THE FOLKS THAT WILL BE ABLE TO APPLY AND ULTIMATELY RECEIVE ASSISTANCE THROUGH THIS PROJECT. OK, OTHER COMMENTS? OK, SUP. LOR? THANK YOU. I DO HAVE ONE MORE. I WOULD LIKE TO PROPOSE THAT WE INCLUDE FLEXIBILITY FOR EXTENSION OF THE PROGRAM BEYOND JANUARY TWENTY FIFTH, AND THE REASON FOR THAT IS THE GOALPOST IS ALWAYS MOVED ON. SO WHEN WE CONSIDER THAT AND WHEN WE CONSIDER THE CURRENT SURGE AND WHEN WE CONSIDER THE CHANGING STATE ORDERS FOR FOLKS, IF THIS PANDEMIC GOES BEYOND, LET'S SAY, JANUARY, FEBRUARY, AND WE HAVE A LARGE NUMBER OF FOLKS WHO WHO HAVE A NEED STARTING IN DECEMBER, THEY MAY NOT HAVE THE NEED NOW, BUT WITH THE CURRENT SURGE AND MORE RESTRICTIONS, THEY MIGHT HAVE A NEED COME THE END OF DECEMBER, BEGINNING OF JANUARY. SO WE DON'T HAVE TO MAKE IT A BLACK AND WHITE ADDITION. BUT I'D LIKE TO INCLUDE THE FLEXIBILITY FOR STAFF TO EXTEND THE PROGRAM. SHOULD THERE BE FUNDS STILL LEFT, SHOULD THE NEED GO BEYOND JANUARY TWENTY FIFTH. AND THAT WAY THE BOARD DOESN'T HAVE TO CONSIDER AGAIN IN JANUARY. SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA YEAH, I'M FINE WITH THAT. I THINK THAT JUST IF, AND THERE'S TALK NOW THAT POTENTIALLY THE FEDS CAN EXTEND DEADLINES OR WHATEVER, AND IF THE PROGRAM IS SUCCESSFUL, WE WOULDN'T BE ALLOCATING ANY ADDITIONAL DOLLARS WITHOUT ANOTHER ACTION. BUT JUST SIMPLY KIND OF ALMOST WHAT WE'RE DOING WITH THE BUSINESS PROGRAM IS THAT THERE'S STILL MONEY THERE, KIND OF GIVING STAFF THE FLEXIBILITY. I'M PERFECTLY FINE WITH THAT. OK, SUP. PAREIRA? THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. WELL, JUST FROM A ROBERT'S RULES OF ORDER, MAKER OF THE MOTION, I THINK IF WE'RE GOING TO DO THAT, THAT WE SHOULD ALIGN IT WITH THE EXPENDITURE DEADLINE FROM DOF. BECAUSE IF WE TALK ABOUT EXTENDING THIS INTO JANUARY AND THE DEADLINE DOESN'T CHANGE, THEN WE MAY BE OPENING UP OURSELVES TO, YOU KNOW, TO ALLOCATING MONEY THAT WE DON'T HAVE. AND SO. YOU KNOW, I MEAN, JIM OR DAVID, YOU KNOW THE PROGRAM BETTER THAN I DO, BUT I'M JUST THINKING THAT IF WE DON'T IF WE DON'T ATTACH THE DEADLINE TO THAT DEADLINE, WE MAY FIND OURSELVES IN [INAUDIBLE]. [INAUDIBLE] I MEAN, AT THIS POINT, THE SUGGESTED IN ORDER TO HAVE TIME FRAMES [04:00:02] OUT THERE, IT WAS THROUGH, I THINK, JANUARY TWENTY FIFTH, IT IS OUR INTENTION TO USE CARES ACT TO FUND THIS AT THE FRONT END. AND HOPEFULLY IF THERE'S AN EXTENSION FROM THE FEDS AND OR ADDITIONAL FEDERAL ASSISTANCE, COME DOWN TO UTILIZE THOSE. BUT THE CURRENT DEADLINE THAT WE KNOW OF IS DECEMBER 30TH RIGHT NOW. SO THERE I MEAN, WE ARE TRYING TO USE CARES ACT. WE'RE GOING TO MAXIMIZE CARES ACT, BUT THERE IS THE POTENTIAL THAT THERE COULD BE SOME, UH, HOW DO I SAY, UTILIZING INDIRECTLY OR TRADING OUT CARES ACT FOR GENERAL FUND AT THE BACK END OF THIS WITH EVEN THE JANUARY TWENTY FIFTH DATE. SO, THEN SO THEN THE MOTION THAT SUP. SILVEIRA MADE WAS THE JANUARY TWENTY FIFTH DEADLINE THAT WE DON'T NEED AN AMENDMENT. DO YOU WANT TO RESTATE YOUR MOTION? THAT IS ON THE RECORD, BUT SO WE CAN GO BACK TO THE RECOMMENDATIONS ON THE SLIDE, PLEASE. THANK YOU. I'M NOT GOING TO READ THE WHOLE THING, SO IT'S TO PROPOSE SECTION ONE, WHICH IS TO MAKE THE ASSOCIATED BUDGET TRANSFERS THAT ARE PART OF THE AGENDA PACKET, SECTION TWO, WITH ALL THE LANGUAGE, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF ITEM C, CHANGED IT TO GIVING THE CEO OR THE CHAIR THE AUTHORITY TO SIGN ANY ASSOCIATED BUDGET TRANSFERS AFTER SUCCESSFUL NEGOTIATION AND REVIEWED BY COUNCIL AND THE AUDITOR CONTROLLER'S OFFICE IF NECESSARY, IT HAS AN EXTENSION OR THE APPLICATION PERIOD THROUGH JANUARY. TWENTY FIFTH, TWENTY TWENTY ONE. AND THEN AND I THINK IT'S MAYBE WE WERE TALKING ABOUT THE SAME THING BUT STATED A DIFFERENT WAY. THE DEADLINE EXTENSIONS BASED UPON ANY GOVERNMENTAL REQUIREMENTS ON WHEN A DEADLINE HAS TO BE. I THINK THAT KIND OF GIVES STAFF THE FLEXIBILITY. I GUESS I THINK WHERE MY COLLEAGUE WAS GOING IS, IS THAT IF IT DOES GET EXTENDED AND WE STILL HAVE TWO HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS IN THERE, INSTEAD OF HAVING TO GO THROUGH A WHOLE TAKING MORE ACTION, SPENDING MORE MONEY TO PUT AN ITEM ON THE AGENDA, WE'VE GIVEN STAFF JUST THE ABILITY TO EXTEND THE PROGRAM, NOT DOLLARS, JUST EXTEND THE PROGRAM AGAIN. AND THEN I'LL JUST STATE THIS AS JUST A SIDE NOTE. WELL, LET ME FINISH MY MOTION IS AND THEN ITEM THREE IS TO MAKE ALL THE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE READY TO OPEN SMALL BUSINESS ASSISTANCE PROGRAM. AND THEN, UH, YEAH, THAT'S IT, BECAUSE NOW I LOST MY TRAIN OF THOUGHT. THANK YOU. YEAH, THANKS. AND I WILL NOTE THAT WE DO HAVE A BOARD MEETING ON JANUARY 5TH AND ALSO JANUARY TWENTY SIXTH. SO AS WE'RE APPROACHING THE DEADLINE, IF WE COULD BE UPDATED DURING THIS, WE WOULD BE AWARE OF IT. AND IF WE HAVE TO TAKE PROPER ACTIONS, WE CAN AT THAT TIME. OK, SO FIRST AND SECOND, THEN I'LL STILL SECOND. YEAH, OK, GO AHEAD, JIM. I ASK STAFF IF WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT WE CLEARLY UNDERSTAND THE INTENT FROM THE BOARD, THE MAKER AND THE SECOND OF THE, AND I'M GOING TO GET SPECIFICALLY TO THE APPLICATION DEADLINE, IF I MAY. IF I UNDERSTAND CORRECTLY, THE BOARD IS WILLING TO PROVIDE FLEXIBILITY TO THAT JANUARY TWENTY FIFTH DEADLINE IF THE CARES ACT DOLLARS ARE EXTENDED THROUGH THE FEDERAL LANGUAGE OR STATE LANGUAGE AND OR THERE IS ANOTHER FEDERAL STIMULUS THAT WE CAN TIE TO THAT FUNDING. IS THAT FAIR TO SAY? YES, WHAT I'M TRYING TO DO IS GIVE YOU AS MUCH FLEXIBILITY AS YOU NEED IN ORDER TO BE ABLE THAT WE CAN GET THE MONEY IN THE HANDS OF THE FOLKS THAT ACTUALLY NEED IT. AND NOT EXACTLY JUST IF IT MEANS THAT THEY EXTENDED THE DEADLINE AND WE STILL GOT THE MONEY UP THERE AND THE ELIGIBILITY DOESN'T CHANGE CVOC IS STILL TAKING IT. I JUST WANT TO GIVE YOU GUYS ENOUGH FLEXIBILITY THAT WE'RE NOT HAVING TO COME BACK AND CHANGE BECAUSE WE KNOW THIS TO BE TRUE THROUGH THIS WHOLE DEAL IS WHATEVER THE RULES ARE TODAY, A WEEK FROM NOW, THEY MIGHT BE A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT. I JUST WANT MY INTENT IS TO GIVE YOU ENOUGH FLEXIBILITY TO ADMINISTER THE PROGRAM IN PRINCIPLE AS YOU HAVE IT UP THERE AND NOT LETTING A DATE CHANGE OR AN EXTENSION BECAUSE SOMEBODY DECIDED THAT WE'RE GOING TO GO TO NOW DECEMBER 31ST INSTEAD OF [04:05:05] DECEMBER 30TH OR SO, I THINK. DOES THAT ANSWER YOUR QUESTION? THAT WAS MY INTENT, I THINK. AND WE HAD ALSO NOTICED AT THE BOARD MEETING, SO WE ANTICIPATED PROBABLY BEING ON THE TWENTY SIXTH OF JANUARY WITH SOMETHING PERFECT. THANK YOU. OK, SO WE'RE GOING TO GO AHEAD AND MOVE FORWARD. WE HAVE A MOTION BY SUP. SILVEIRA, SECOND BY SUP. MCDANIEL, AND WE'RE GOING TO GO AHEAD AND--WE HAVE PUBLIC COMMENT ON ALL ITEMS, INCLUDING THIS ONE. WE HAVE SEVENTY VOICEMAIL CALL-INS REGARDING THE PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS ITEM. SO WE HAVE PUBLIC COMMENT ALREADY. I KNOW SOMEBODY PROBABLY WANTED TO COMMENT, BUT WE HAD AS WELL THE COMMENTS IN THE BEGINNING, SO WE'LL GO AHEAD AND VOTE. OK, IT'S UP THERE NOW. OK, GO AHEAD AND VOTE. RECORD THE VOTE, PLEASE . MOTION CARRIES 5-0. ITEM THIRTY FOUR AND THIRTY FIVE. NEXT IS BOARD INFORMATION ITEMS, THIRTY FOUR AND THIRTY FIVE. [BOARD INFORMATION & POSSIBLE ACTION] OK, COMMENTS OR MOTIONS? THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. I JUST WANT TO POINT OUT THAT ITEM THIRTY FOUR, THAT IS THE STATEMENT OF THE VOTE WITH THE CERTIFIED ELECTION RESULTS FOR THE PRESIDENTIAL GENERAL ELECTION HELD ON NOVEMBER 3RD TWENTY TWENTY. ONE MORE TIME. I JUST WANTED, IT JUST GOES WITHOUT SAYING, THANK OUR ELECTION STAFF, OUR REGISTERED VOTERS FOR THE JOB THAT THEY DID UNDER WHAT WAS KIND OF CRAZY TIMES. AND THIS IS THE FINAL CULMINATION OF IT HERE. AND I DON'T WANT THAT TO GO WITHOUT SAYING SOMETHING. THANK YOU. SO WE HAVE A MOTION OF SUP. MCDANIEL, SECOND BY SUP. SILVEIRA. GO AHEAD AND VOTE, PLEASE. RECORD THE VOTE. MOTION CARRIES 5-0. SO, NOW WE WILL GO TO--. NEXT WE HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING FROM THE CLERK RECORDER TO CONSIDER PROPOSED ORDINANCE ENTITLED AN ORDINANCE AMENDING THE MERCED COUNTY CLERK RECORDER FEE SCHEDULE. OK. YEAH, LET ME GO TO MY CHEAT SHEET. LET ME PUT ON DISCUSSION. THANK YOU, CHAIR. I'LL MAKE A MOTION THAT WE WAIVE FOR THE READING OF THE ORDINANCE. MOTION, BY SUP. SILVEIRA, SECOND SUP. MCDANIEL. WE'LL GO A HEAD AND VOTE. A PUBLIC HEARING. AYE ANY OPPOSED? MOTION PASSES. OK, SO NOW WE HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING. ANYONE WISH TO... ARE WE GOING TO TAKE FIVE MINUTES? [INAUDIBLE] COMMENTS. OH YEAH. TEN MINUTES. SO ANYBODY FROM THE PUBLIC WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? NO, OK, SO WE'LL TAKE A FIVE MINUTE BREAK AND WE'RE GOING TO WAIT FOR OK, WE WILL BE ACCEPTING PUBLIC COMMENT LIVE IN PERSON AND VIA VOICEMAIL. THE VOICEMAIL MESSAGE LINE HAS BEEN OPEN TO ACCEPT PUBLIC COMMENTS SINCE THE POSTING OF THE AGENDA. WE WILL NOT BE ACCEPTING PUBLIC COMMENT BY EMAIL. FOLLOWING THE OPENING OF THE HEARING, THERE WILL BE A BRIEF PAUSE TO ALLOW MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC TO LEAVE A VOICEMAIL MESSAGE. PLEASE CALL 209-726-2755 AND REFERENCE THE SUBJECT MATTER OF THE PUBLIC HEARING. VOICEMAIL WILL BE PLAYED AT THE CONCLUSION OF THE FIVE MINUTE BREAK. WE'RE BACK. OKAY, DID WE GET ANY COMMENTS? WE RECEIVED NO PUBLIC COMMENTS. NO PUBLIC COMMENTS. ANYONE HERE WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK? OK NO. OK, WE'LL BRING IT BACK. WE'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AND ANY SUPERVISORS, ANY COMMENTS? ANY COMMENT OR MOTIONS? NONE OF MY COLLEAGUES HAVE ANY COMMENTS. I WOULD MAKE A MOTION TO ADOPT A PROPOSED ORDINANCE AMENDING THE MERCED COUNTY CLERK RECORDER FEE SCHEDULE. OK. THAT'S THE MOTION; IS THERE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND. SECOND BY SUP. MCDANIEL. ALL IN FAVOR:. AYE. [04:10:01] ANY OPPOSED? OK, 5-0. OK, OK. JUST A NOTE, OUR NEXT BOARD MEETING WILL BE NEXT WEEK, DECEMBER 15TH. SO JUST WE'RE HAVING TWO MEETINGS IN TWO WEEKS IN A ROW AND WE WON'T HAVE ANY MORE MEETINGS FOR THE REST OF THE MONTH UNTIL WE COME BACK IN THE NEW YEAR. SO REPORTS, SUP. SILVEIRA. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN. AGAIN, CONGRATULATIONS, MATT. CONGRATULATIONS, BARB, ON YOUR RETIREMENT. CAN'T SAY ENOUGH ABOUT THE JOB YOU GUYS DID IN ELECTIONS. I JUST WANT TO THANK MY COLLEAGUES FOR YOU KNOW, WE LISTEN, CONTRARY TO MAYBE WHAT SOME PEOPLE BELIEVE, WE DO ACTUALLY LISTEN TO OUR CONSTITUENTS AND THE NEEDS OF OUR CONSTITUENTS AND TRY TO MAKE SMART DECISIONS ON WAYS THAT WE CAN HELP THEM AND REALLY FEEL COMFORTABLE ABOUT THE WAY THAT WE'RE DOING IT SO THAT WE'RE NOT JUST GIFTING PUBLIC FUNDS, BUT WE'RE PUTTING IT OUT THERE IN A MEANINGFUL WAY AND ACTUALLY PUTTING IT TO WORK FOR THOSE FOLKS THAT MOST DESPERATELY NEED IT. SO, COLLEAGUES, THANK YOU FOR THAT. AGAIN, YOU KNOW, WE'VE BROUGHT UP, UM, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A COUPLE OF GROUPS I WANT TO THANK EVERYBODY THAT TOOK THE TIME TO CALL IN TODAY. ALL 70 SOMETHING OF YOU, UM, BUT IT JUST, AGAIN, HERE'S A PROGRAM THAT'S IN PLACE. I THINK THAT THIS PROGRAM THAT WE JUST VOTED ON TO PUT IN PLACE CHECKS. A LOT OF THE BOXES AND ALL THE THINGS THAT PEOPLE WANT TO SEE OUT THERE HAS A PRETTY WIDE NET ON WHO CAN APPLY IT. AND SO TO THE GROUPS THAT HAVE BEEN ADVOCATING, HERE'S YOUR OPPORTUNITY TO HELP US HELP YOU. UM, THE CENTRAL VALLEY, UM, OPPORTUNITY CENTER IS GOING TO BE ADMINISTERING THE PROGRAM. WE TOOK SOME ACTIONS TODAY TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS DEAL IS A RELATIVELY QUICK PROCESS SO THAT STAFF HAS THE AUTHORITY TO SIGN OFF ON ALL THE ASSOCIATED BUDGET TRANSFERS. SO THIS PROGRAM IS GOING TO BE UP AND RUNNING RELATIVELY SHORTLY HERE. SO I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU THAT THESE FOLKS THAT YOU'RE OUT THERE TALKING TO, THE FOLKS THAT CALLED IN TODAY, IT WAS IT WAS, UM, THERE WAS A LOT OF ADVOCATES ON THE LINE TODAY. I DIDN'T HEAR VERY MANY PEOPLE THAT CALLED IN AND SAID, I NEED HELP. I'M STRUGGLING. I DID HEAR A LOT OF PEOPLE TELLING US ABOUT THE OTHER FOLKS THAT THEY KNOW THAT ARE STRUGGLING. SO PLEASE PASS ALONG TO THOSE FOLKS THAT WE DO HAVE A PROGRAM HERE. AND LASTLY, WHAT I'LL SAY IS, IS WE HAVE NO INTENTIONS OF SENDING ANY CARES ACT DOLLARS BACK. IF YOU GUYS FOLLOW THE PRESENTATION ALONG TODAY, WHAT YOU SAW IS, IS THAT WE HAVE ACCEPTABLE EXPENDITURES THAT, WELL, EXCEEDS THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT WE HAVE BEEN ALLOCATED. WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO SPEND THE MONEY ONE WAY OR THE OTHER. AND SO WE WILL BE USING EVERY--WE'RE NOT SENDING ANY OF THE CARES ACT DOLLARS BACK. SO JUST AGAIN, HELP US, HELP YOU AND EVERYBODY STAY SAFE OUT THERE. THE NUMBERS ARE RISING. UM, I DO UNDERSTAND THAT. UM, AND I DO WANT TO RE-TOUCH ON THE PART ABOUT THERE CAN BE A MIDDLE GROUND. YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE A "THIS VIRUS DOESN'T EXIST. IT'S ALL A HOAX." OR A "OH, MY GOD, IT'S COMING FOR ME." THERE'S A PLACE TO BE IN THE MIDDLE WHERE YOU DO BELIEVE IN IT AND YOU WANT TO MAKE SMART CHOICES ON KEEPING, NOT ONLY YOU, BUT YOUR FAMILY SAFE, FOR US, KEEPING NOT ONLY OURSELVES, BUT THE PUBLIC AND OUR EMPLOYEES SAFE, AND I DO THINK THAT THERE'S A YOU KNOW, UH, THE SCIENCE, UM, I'M FRUSTRATED WITH IT. IT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE TO ME THAT YOU'RE GOING TO CLOSE DOWN OUTDOOR DINING. I JUST DON'T GET IT. I DON'T FOLLOW THAT SCIENCE. BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, I SENT OUT AN EMAIL JUST KIND OF AS THE COUNTY WHEN WE WENT INTO THE NEW LOCKDOWN, I SENT OUT AN EMAIL TO THE FOLKS THAT FOLLOW ME. AND I DID GET SOME PUSHBACK ON BECAUSE IT SHOULDN'T BE ABOUT THE MONEY. IT SHOULD BE ABOUT PEOPLE'S LIVES. UM, IT IS ABOUT PEOPLE'S LIVES. BUT IT'S NOT JUST THE CARES ACT MONEY. UM, THEY HAVE TIED OUR ALLOCATIONS FOR OUR STATE MANDATED PROGRAMS, REALIGNMENT. THERE'S MORE THAN ONE SOURCE OF MONEY THAT THEY'VE TIED TO UNLESS AND I'LL ASK YOU THIS, JIM BROWN, IS UNLESS IT'S CHANGED THAT WE GET A MONTHLY ALLOCATION, WE HAVE TO ATTEST EVERY MONTH THAT WE'RE FOLLOWING THE GOVERNOR'S ORDERS, THE STATE HEALTH ORDERS. OTHERWISE WE DON'T GET THAT FUNDING ALLOCATION. THAT'S THE MONEY THAT GOES TO--A LOT OF IT, IS THE MONEY THAT GOES TO THE SOCIAL PROGRAMS, BHRS, THE SECOND PANDEMIC, THE SILENT PANDEMIC THAT I THINK IS STARTING TO GET A LITTLE BIT OF TRACTION NOW. I HEAR A LOT MORE PEOPLE TALKING ABOUT IT, BUT IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE NOT GOING TO KNOW THE LONG TERM EFFECTS OF IT FOR YEARS AND YEARS TO COME. [04:15:01] BUT IT FUNDS BHRS, IT FUNDS THE HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES. IT FUNDS PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICES. AND DO I THINK IT'S CONSTITUTIONAL? NO. DO I THINK THAT WE SHOULD PROBABLY, WHEN IT GETS ALL SAID AND DONE, SUE THEM FOR PAIN AND SUFFERING? YES, BECAUSE OF THE RIGMAROLE THAT THEY PUT US THROUGH. BUT THE REALITY IS WE COULD DRAW THE HARD LINE IN THE SAND AND SAY THAT WE'RE GOING TO DO WHATEVER WE WANT AND WE'RE GOING TO SUE YOU. AND THEN I WILL TELL YOU, THE PANDEMIC IS GOING TO BE OVER BY THE TIME WE GET ANY RESOLUTION TO IT. AND THEN, OH, BY THE WAY, WE WILL HAVE NO RESERVES LEFT, NO CONTINGENCY MONEY LEFT, BECAUSE IF THEY ACTUALLY HOLD TRUE ON NOT SENDING THE MONEY, IT WON'T TAKE US LONG TO RUN OUT OF CASH. SO ALL JUST THOUGHTS THAT GO THROUGH THIS CRAZY HEAD WHEN YOU TRY TO FIGURE OUT WHAT IS THE BEST WAY TO MOVE THROUGH SOMETHING THAT NONE OF US HAVE EVER BEEN THROUGH BEFORE. YOU KNOW, IT'S CRAZY. BUT I JUST WANT TO WISH EVERYBODY BE SAFE. JUST BE SMART. IF YOU'RE SICK, STAY HOME. YOU HAVE A TEMPERATURE, A FEVER, FEEL A LITTLE ICKY, DON'T GO AROUND PEOPLE. WEAR A MASK. IT'S NOT LIKE THEY'RE CUTTING OFF YOUR FINGER. IT'S NOT THAT BIG OF A DEAL. I KNOW THERE'S PEOPLE THAT THINK THAT TELLING THEM WHAT THEY SHOULD OR HAVE TO WEAR A MASK IS YOU'RE INSULTING THEM PERSONALLY OR WHATEVER. I'M TELLING YOU, IF YOU HAVE HEALTH CONDITIONS, I GET THAT. WEAR A MASK. JUST STAY SAFE. IT'S HITTING A LITTLE CLOSE TO HOME. IT'S NOT A FAMILY MEMBER, BUT IT'S SOMEBODY THAT MY FAMILY'S KNOWN FOR A LONG TIME JUST PASSED AWAY; YESTERDAY MORNING, I GOT THE WORD. DO I THINK THAT COVID IS THE ONLY THING THAT CAUSED HIM TO PASS AWAY? NO, BUT IT WAS A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR. HE HAD SOME OTHER HEALTH CONDITIONS. BUT ANOTHER FRIEND RIGHT NOW THAT THEY JUST GOT NOTIFIED YESTERDAY THAT THEY PUT HIM ON A VENTILATOR. AND SO WHEN YOU GET PUT ON A VENTILATOR, I HAVEN'T HEARD A LOT OF GOOD STORIES THAT COME OUT AFTER THAT. SO JUST BE SMART, BE SAFE, WE'LL GET THROUGH IT. AND THEN ONE DAY WHEN FIVE, TEN YEARS FROM NOW, WE'LL SIT BACK AND JUST I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT WE'LL SAY. I'LL PROBABLY DRINKING A LOT AND SAYING THE CRAZINESS THAT WAS THE YEAR I DON'T KNOW. ANYWAY, BE SAFE. THANK YOU. SUP. PAREIRA. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. I TOO WANT TO AGAIN CONGRATULATE MR. MAYOR ON HIS APPOINTMENT AND BARBARA LEVEY ON HER RETIREMENT TO PEOPLE THAT THAT SERVE THE CONSTITUENTS OF MERCED COUNTY VERY WELL. AND SO I'VE SAID THAT AGAIN, A BIG SHOUT OUT TO STAFF FOR WORKING SO HARD. I DON'T KNOW IF THE PUBLIC REALIZES IT, BUT OFTENTIMES MR. BROWN WILL SAY, WELL, OVER THE WEEKEND AND, YOU KNOW, THERE'S THINGS THAT THEY ARE WORKING ON 24/7 ON YOUR BEHALF. AND, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU KNOW PEOPLE ONCE IN A WHILE, TALK ABOUT SALARIES. AND, YOU KNOW, I BELIEVE THIS BOARD IS IS FRUGAL WITH THE MONEY. AND WE HAVE A STAFF THAT GIVES US FULL BANG FOR OUR BUCK, SO TO SPEAK. AND SO ANYWAYS, OUR STAFF JUST WORKS TIRELESSLY. I GET EMAILS SOMETIMES, YOU KNOW, SEVEN, EIGHT O'CLOCK AT NIGHT OR SOMETIMES EARLY IN THE MORNING. AND ANYWAY, SO I'M APPRECIATIVE OF ALL THE HARD WORK YOU'VE DONE. I KNOW THIS COVID HAS TAXED US AND NOW I WANT TO GIVE ANOTHER JUST ANOTHER, I GUESS, SHOT OF COMMON SENSE TO FOLKS. YOU KNOW, THE THIS COVID HAS PEOPLE IN ISOLATION AND WITH ISOLATION COMES DEPRESSION. AND SO I, YOU KNOW, MAKE SURE YOU GET YOURSELF A DOSE OF SUNSHINE. I THINK THAT IS A BIG FACTOR IN HELPING YOU STAY, YOU KNOW, BOTH PHYSICALLY AND MENTALLY HEALTHY AND, YOU KNOW, BE CAUTIOUS, LIKE SUP. SILVEIRA SAID. BUT BUT TRY TO LIVE AS MUCH AS YOUR LIFE AS YOU CAN. RIGHT. IF YOU NORMALLY GO INTO YOUR BACK YARD AND LIKE TO SIT OUT THERE AND THROW BALLS FOR THE DOG, DO THAT. OR IF YOU WANT TO GO FOR A WALK, YOU KNOW, AS LONG AS YOU'RE OUT THERE WALKING YOUR DOG OR WHATEVER, IF YOU'RE BY YOURSELF, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE NOT COMING IN CONTACT WITH OTHER FOLKS, YOU KNOW, YOUR RISK FOR COVID GOES WAY DOWN AND SO, YOU KNOW, AND THEN AND THEN I'VE SAID THIS A BUNCH OF TIMES, BUT I'LL SAY IT ONE MORE TIME, YOU KNOW, REACH OUT AND CALL SOMEBODY. YOU KNOW, WE TEXT, WE EMAIL OR WE THINK WE SHOULD. AND OFTEN OFTENTIMES WE DON'T. AND I KNOW I'M GUILTY OF THAT, TOO, BUT FORCE YOURSELF TO MAKE A COUPLE OF PHONE CALLS A DAY TO, YOU KNOW, ELDERLY FAMILY MEMBERS, YOU KNOW, TO PEOPLE THAT YOU KNOW LIVE ALONE OR PEOPLE THAT, YOU KNOW, GOD'S PUT IN YOUR WAY, THAT, YOU KNOW THAT THEY'RE STRUGGLING. [04:20:01] RIGHT. JUST TAKE THE TIME TO TRY TO REACH OUT, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, LIKE I SAID A COUPLE OF MEETINGS AGO, YOU KNOW, I'VE HAD MORE INCIDENTS OF SUICIDE AFFECT ME, YOU KNOW, SINCE COVID STARTED, AS I HAD IN THE PREVIOUS 57 YEARS OF MY LIFE. AND SO, YOU KNOW, THAT THAT PART OF THIS PANDEMIC, I THINK, GOES UNDERAPPRECIATED BY A LOT OF FOLKS. WE WORRY ABOUT THE MEDICAL SIDE, BUT THE EMOTIONAL SIDE IS, TO ME, IS JUST AS IMPORTANT. AND SO ANYWAYS, I WON'T BEAT THAT HORSE ANYMORE. BUT ANYWAY, JUST TAKE THE TIME TO REACH OUT TO FOLKS. AND THEN I WOULD LIKE TO CLOSE THE MEETING IN THE MEMORY OF JERRY SHANNON. JERRY WAS A LONGTIME CONTRIBUTOR TO THIS COMMUNITY AND DID A LOT OF THINGS THAT NOBODY EVER KNEW ABOUT. THAT'S WHAT WAS KIND OF SPECIAL. HE DID SOME STUFF UP FRONT, BUT HE DID A LOT OF STUFF ON THE SIDE [INAUDIBLE] AND HIS SON'S A GOOD FRIEND OF MINE AND, YOU KNOW, JUST OVER THE YEARS, JUST GOT TO SEE SOME OF THE STUFF JERRY DID. AND SO I JUST WANT TO HONOR HIM WITH THAT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. SUP. MCDANIEL. THANK YOU, CHAIR, AND I'D LIKE TO TELL FOLKS OUT THERE TO YOUR PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY FOR WHERE YOU GO AND WHAT YOU DO, NOT ONLY IF YOU ARE ONE OF THE MOST VULNERABLE, BUT AS FOLKS WHO YOU KNOW, WE KNOW THE RATES GOING UP VERY RAPIDLY IN THE 18 TO 39 YEAR OLDS, MOST OF THEM, IT DOESN'T AFFECT THEM THAT MUCH. THEY NEED THE SOCIALIZATION. SO THEY'RE OUT THERE DOING IT. BUT LET'S JUST REMEMBER THAT WHENEVER YOU GO TO SEE YOUR GRANDPARENTS OR YOU GO TO SEE YOUR PARENTS, YOU HAVE SOME PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY AS WELL AS THE GRANDPARENTS AND PARENTS NEED TO PRACTICE THAT AS WELL. AND WE KIND OF SAY THERE'S A NOT AS A JOKE, BUT IN SOCIAL MEDIA, THERE'S ALWAYS THERE'S AN APP FOR THAT. WELL, DON'T FORGET, THERE'S AN APP FOR THAT. SO IF YOU DON'T WANT TO GO GROCERY SHOPPING, YOU DON'T FEEL SAFE GOING GROCERY SHOPPING. THERE'S AN APP FOR THAT. IF YOU DON'T FEEL SAFE, GOING TO GET YOUR FOOD. THERE'S AN APP FOR THAT. SO LET'S EXPLORE THE OPTIONS THAT WE HAVE TO BE ABLE TO TAKE CARE OF OUR GENERAL BUSINESS AND DO IT RESPONSIBLY. I WOULD LIKE BEING WITH THAT. I'D LIKE TO ADD ON THAT. WE DON'T THROW IT OUT THERE VERY OFTEN. BUT THE SUNSTAR EDITORIAL BOARD DID AN OPINION AND WHERE THEY PRAISED THE COUNTY ON HOW WE HAVE LISTED WHERE OUR OUTBREAKS ARE AND WHAT THAT GOES TO SHOW. IS IT A LITTLE TOO MUCH? MAYBE IT IS, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, IT GIVES THE GENERAL PUBLIC AN IDEA OF WHERE THE OUTBREAKS ARE AND WHERE MAYBE THEY SHOULDN'T GO IF THEY ARE VULNERABLE AND DON'T WANT TO GO OUT. I KNOW MY MOTHER IS STILL MAD AT ME TO THIS DAY BECAUSE I DON'T LET HER DO ANYTHING. SHE IS TRAPPED IN HER HOUSE AND I DO TRY TO GET HER ANYTHING THAT I CAN, WHETHER IT'S SOMETIMES SHE TAKES ADVANTAGE OF IT, BUT WE WON'T GO THERE. [LAUGHTER] BUT I'D LIKE TO ALSO SAY I'M DEEPLY HONORED. CALIFORNIA STATE ASSOCIATED COUNTIES' CHAIRMAN, JAMES GORE, HAS APPOINTED ME AS VICE CHAIR OF THE AG AND NATURAL RESOURCES COMMITTEE. IT'S ALL I NEED IS ANOTHER COMMITMENT ON THERE, BUT IT GIVES MERCED COUNTY AND THE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY GOOD REPRESENTATION. AND I KNOW THAT MOST OF THE TIME THEY SPEND THEIR TIME ON NATURAL RESOURCES, WHICH WE DON'T HAVE A WHOLE LOT OF THAT WITH FEDERAL PROPERTY HERE IN OUR COUNTY. BUT IF YOU LOOK AT AG NATURAL RESOURCES COMMITTEE, WHICH THE FIRST WORD? AG. SO WE'RE GOING TO REMIND THEM AT THE STATE LEVEL THAT AG IS IN FRONT OF NATURAL RESOURCES AND WE NEED TO PAY ATTENTION TO AG BECAUSE WHAT IT DOES FOR THIS COUNTY. I'LL BE SERVING WITH SUP. CHRIS HOWARD OUT OF DEL NORTE COUNTY, WHO IS A GOOD FRIEND. HE AND I WERE THROUGH THE CSAC INSTITUTE TOGETHER, AS WELL AS JAMES GORE, AND ALL THREE OF US WERE SITTING AT THE SAME TABLE, ACTUALLY. UM, I THINK THAT THAT. OH, MATT, BARBARA, CONGRATULATIONS. CONGRATULATIONS TO YOU, BARBARA; GIVE ARNIE MY BEST, AND DON'T BE A STRANGER. THAT CONCLUDES MY COMMENTS. THANK YOU, IF YOU NEED ANY ADVICE AND JUST LET ME KNOW. [LAUGHTER] I'LL BE YOUR ASSISTANT TOO. SUP. LOR. THANK YOU, MR. MAY. CONGRATULATIONS AND THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE CHALLENGE. I KNOW YOU WILL DO AN AMAZING JOB AND JUST REMEMBER TO HAVE FUN. AND COLLEAGUES, MY INTENTION IS NOT TO OFFEND ANYONE. MAYBE A LEARNING MOMENT FOR US. [04:25:01] WHAT STRUCK ME IS THAT WHEN FOLKS CALL IN AND THEY DON'T EXPRESSLY SAY I NEED HELP, A LOT OF TIMES IT'S EMBARRASSING FOR THEM TO SAY I NEED HELP. AND AS REPRESENTATIVES AND DECISION MAKERS OF A DIVERSE POPULATION, WE HAVE TO REMEMBER THAT CULTURALLY IT MAY NOT BE APPROPRIATE FOR THEM TO SAY, I NEED HELP. AND I BELIEVE IT IS COMMON KNOWLEDGE THAT WHEN YOU ARE DEVELOPING PEOPLE, THAT YOU HELP THEM MODIFY THE WAY THEY COMMUNICATE. IF YOU SO CHOOSE TO DO THAT, AND IF WE WANT TO HEAR THEM SAY, I NEED HELP, LET'S ASK THEM TO SEE THAT THE NEXT TIME THEY CALL OR THE NEXT TIME THEY MAKE A COMMENT. AND I AM CONFIDENT THAT IN OUR RESIDENTS HEARING THIS THAT THEY WILL CALL AND SAY, I NEED HELP, BUT JUST KNOW THAT IT WILL TAKE PRACTICE AND IT WILL TAKE TIME FOR SOMEONE TO CHANGE THEIR WAY OF COMMUNICATION AND THEIR CULTURE TO ADAPT TO THE NORM OR WHAT WE KNOW IS THE NORM. AND THEN LASTLY, I'D LIKE TO CLOSE OUR MEETING TODAY IN MEMORY OF MS. CHEE YANG. SHE WAS THE FORMER DIRECTOR AT VALLEY CRISIS CENTER, A HUGE ADVOCATE IN OUR COMMUNITY. AND SHE WAS AT THE FRONT LINES TRYING TO CHANGE AND MODIFY, IMPROVE OUR CULTURE SO THAT WE CAN THRIVE IN TODAY'S SOCIETY. SO SHE WE WILL MISS YOU. THANK YOU FOR THE WORK THAT YOU'VE DONE AND MY CONDOLENCES TO THE FAMILY. THANK YOU. COUNCIL? JAMES BROWN. MR. CHAIRMAN, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, UH, JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT, BUT I'D BE REMISS ON THIS CARES ACT IT HAS BEEN A LONG ROAD THROUGH THIS. I MEAN, I KNOW WE'RE NOT DONE WITH IT YET, BUT I WANT TO GIVE A REAL THANK YOU. AND IT'S BEEN A TEAM EFFORT. AND TO ALEXANDER PIERCE AND DAVID MIRRIONE AND NICOLE DESMOND, WHO COULD NOT BE HERE TODAY, WHICH SHE WAS TRYING TO, SHE EVEN WANTED TO JOIN REMOTELY. BUT I REALLY APPRECIATE THE THREE OF YOU, ESPECIALLY IN THE LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS AND GETTING TO THE END WHEN I LEFT ABOUT SIX O'CLOCK FRIDAY NIGHT, THE THREE OF THEM ARE STILL HOVERED AROUND, STILL WORKING ON THIS ITEM. AND I THINK WE'RE ON THE PHONE WITH JORGE, YOU KNOW, SO I JUST THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. WELL, FOR ME, I JUST WANT TO CONGRATULATE MATT AGAIN, ON YOUR POSITION. AND BARBARA, IN THE LAST FOUR YEARS, I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR ALL THE TIME I NEEDED SOMETHING. YOU RESPONDED AND, YOU KNOW, LOOKING ENDEAVORS IN THE FUTURE. THANK YOU AGAIN. I JUST WANT TO THANK TOM D. FROM THE CALTRANS' DIRECTOR, THE NEW DIRECTOR. IN THE LAST MSAG MEETING, I ASKED HIM ABOUT THE STOP SIGN AT HIGHWAY 140 IN PLANADA PLAINSBURG IN 140. AND HE'S PUTTING IN A FOUR WAY STOP SIGN THERE. YOU KNOW, THE CITIZENS BEEN ASKING FOR THAT FOR A LONG TIME, BUT I KNOW THAT A LIGHTED ONE WOULD PROBABLY HELP BETTER. BUT I KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, I'M ALWAYS PUSHING AND, YOU KNOW, THINGS TO [INAUDIBLE] FOR NOW. I KNOW THAT A STOP SIGN ALWAYS STILL CAUSES ACCIDENTS. BUT, YOU KNOW, NOTHING'S 100 PERCENT SAFE. SO WE'LL KEEP WORKING ON THAT WITH HIM ON A LIGHT, IF WE CAN. ALSO TOO, UH, I WANT TO THANK DANA H. ON GETTING THE CHARLES AVE AVE RE-PAVEMENT TOURS GOING ALL THE WAY FROM CITY LIMITS OF MERCED TO PLANADA. DAVID RODRIGUEZ, WANTED ME TO SAY THANK YOU TO ALL THE, AND DANA H. AND MY COLLEAGUES FOR GETTING THE SUPPORT RE-PAVED THAT ROAD OVER THERE. AND I THINK MOST OF THE COMMUNITY USES, CHARLES, INSTEAD OF HIGHWAY 140 IS ALWAYS TOO BUSY AND VERY, VERY BUSY. YOU KNOW, TO ALL THE PEOPLE THAT CALLED IN REGARDING THE CARES ACT, YOU KNOW, IT'S A [04:30:35] LOT OF WORK. AND I WANT TO THANK MY COLLEAGUES FOR THE SUPPORT OF GETTING THIS PASSED. BUT IT'S NOT OVER NOW. I THINK THOSE PEOPLE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY WORK AND GET, YOU KNOW, EDUCATE THE PUBLIC. THE PUBLIC A LOT OF TIMES DOESN'T UNDERSTAND, DOESN'T KNOW HOW TO, YOU KNOW, GET THOSE FUNDS ARE AVAILABLE. CALL, MAKE SURE, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE THE PHONE NUMBER FOR CVOC, IT'S 3560062 CVOC.ORG IT'S A WEBSITE. YOU KNOW, JUST BECAUSE IF LIKE MY COLLEAGUE SAID, IF WE GET TO JANUARY 25TH AND THERE'S SOME MONEY THERE, THEN THOSE PEOPLE THAT THY WERE ASKING US FOR THOSE FUNDS, THEY'RE NOT DOING THE WORK BECAUSE YOU WERE SUPPOSED TO HELP OUT THOSE PEOPLE IN NEED. AND THERE'S A LOT OF NEED RIGHT NOW. SO HOPEFULLY THOSE FUNDS WILL BE SPENT BY THEN. AND, YOU KNOW, IF WE GET MORE FUNDS, WE'LL SEE. WE'LL SEE THEN IF WE CAN HELP SOME MORE. SO OTHER THAN THAT, I WANT TO THANK EVERYBODY AND BE SAFE OUT THERE AND WEAR A MASK. SO THAT CONCLUDES THE MEETING. THANK YOU. * This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.