[00:00:04] OK, GOOD MORNING, EVERYONE. [Call to Order] WELCOME TO THE FEBRUARY 9TH, 2021 MERCED COUNTY BOARD MEETING. IN ORDER TO MINIMIZE, MINIMIZE, NOT MEMORIZE, MINIMIZE, YOU CAN MEMORIZE IT IF YOU WANT, SHERIFF, IF YOU'D LIKE TO. IN ORDER TO MINIMIZE THE SPREAD OF COVID-19 VIRUS, THE COUNTY IS CONDUCTING BUSINESS IN COMPLIANCE WITH SOCIAL DISTANCING REQUIREMENTS WITH SEATING 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'VE BEEN ACCEPTING GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT VIA EMAIL AND VOICEMAIL FOR NON AGENDA ITEMS. WE WILL NOW START WITH THE INVOCATION PROVIDED BY REVEREND PAUL FANDL OF DELHI COMMUNITY PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH AND IN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE WILL BE LED BY SUPERVISOR PAREIRA. GOOD TO SEE YOU IN PERSON. I DID THIS LAST MAY, BUT IT WAS ON THE PHONE, SO IT'S GOOD TO BE HERE IN PERSON. SO WE PRAY LOVING AND GRACIOUS. LORD, I'M GRATEFUL FOR THESE MEN AND THESE WOMEN OF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS WHO HAVE CHOSEN TO SERVE THE PEOPLE OF MERCED COUNTY. THEY'VE GIVEN THEMSELVES, LORD, IN SO MANY WAYS, SOMETIMES WITHOUT THANKS, SOMETIMES WITHOUT PRAISE, OFTEN MAKING DIFFICULT DECISIONS. BUT I THANK YOU FOR THEM, LORD, AND ASK FOR YOUR STRENGTH AS THEY ENTER ANOTHER DAY OF WORK ON BEHALF OF THE PEOPLE OF THIS COUNTY. BLESS THEM WITH YOUR JOY AS THEY DO THEIR WORK AND GIVE THEM YOUR WISDOM WHEN THE DECISIONS ARE TOUGH, WHEN THE PETITIONERS COME BEFORE THEM, GIVE THEM YOUR LOVE, YOUR GRACE AND YOUR PATIENCE. AND MAY THEY BRING YOUR TRUTH AND JUSTICE AS THEY CONSIDER THE NEEDS OF THE PEOPLE OF THIS COUNTY AND ALSO JOYFULLY SURPRISE THEM THIS MORNING, WITH THE WAY YOU SHOW UP AND MAKE THEIR PATHS STRAIGHT, THEIR BURDENS LIGHT. LORD, WE TRUST YOU IN ALL THINGS IN JESUS NAME. AMEN. [Additional Item] GOING TO USE CHAIR PREROGATIVE FOR A LITTLE PUBLIC COMMENT OF OUR OWN. AND SO AT THIS TIME, IF I C OULD ASK SUPERVISOR SCOTT SILVEIRA TO JOIN ME UP FRONT AND IF WE COULD ASK JEREMY RAHN TO PLEASE STEP FORWARD. WELL, FOR ONE INDIVIDUAL, IT'S PROBABLY A VERY EXCITING TIME, BUT FOR A LOT OF US HERE AT THE BOARD, IT'S AI DON'T KNOW HOW TO SAY IT. IT'S A SAD TIME. WE'VE BEEN SERVING WITH YOU FOR FOR MANY YEARS, JEREMY, BUT I'VE KNOWN YOU FOR MANY YEARS AS A PRIVATE CITIZEN, HOST OF THE TTV. BUT I ALWAYS LIKE TO MENTION THAT. BUT I KNOW YOU'RE STILL GOING TO BE IN THE AREA, BUT YOUR RETIREMENT HAS GIVEN A LOT OF US, I THINK, MIXED EMOTIONS. WE'RE PROUD OF YOU FOR EVERYTHING YOU'VE DONE. YOU'VE EARNED IT. YOU'VE EARNED THIS TIME. BUT AT THE SAME TIME, IT'S A SAD TIME FOR ALL OF US. AND I ASK SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA TO STEP UP WITH ME BECAUSE HE SERVED WITH YOU IN A DIFFERENT CAPACITY. ME KNOWING YOU AS THE CHIEF AND WORKING WITH YOU AND KNOWING YOU AS A PERSONAL FRIEND IN THE ATWATER COMMUNITY, I'D LIKE FOR MR. SILVEIRA TO PLEASE SHARE SOME OF YOUR PROFESSIONAL STUFF. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. YEAH, JEREMY, I THINK THE WORDS ARE AS KIND OF A BITTERSWEET MOMENT FOR US. PART OF OUR RELATIONSHIP IS IF I HAD A RELATIONSHIP WITH JEREMY BEFORE, MY YEARS OF BEING A VOLUNTEER FIREMAN WATCHED HIM AND A LOT OF THE FOLKS THAT ARE CHIEFS NOW START THEIR CAREERS AND MAKE IT UP INTO LEADERSHIP BUT REALLY BITTERSWEET MOMENT, BECAUSE PART OF OUR INTERACTION NOW IS THIS HAVING THAT RELATIONSHIP WITH THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS AND OUR SYSTEM WITH OUR CONTRACT WITH CAL FIRE, YOU'RE KIND OF OUR DAY TO DAY GUY. WE KNOW [INAUDIBLE] IS OUR IS OUR BIG CHIEF AND YOU'RE OUR DAY TO DAY GUY. AND HAVING THAT RELATIONSHIP THAT WHERE WE CAN JUST CALL YOU, YOU'RE ON THE OTHER END OF THE LINE, YOU KNOW, BOARD BRIEFINGS, WHICH I ALWAYS APPRECIATE GIVING US THE HEADS UP ON ITEMS THAT ARE COMING TO THE BOARD. SO WE'RE IN THIS TRANSITION PERIOD NOW. AND I FEEL LIKE WE'VE BUILT THIS RELATIONSHIP OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS OF YOU BEING IN THE 04 SPOT AND THEN NOW YOU'RE GOING TO BE GONE. AND SO WE WILL PICK UP THE PIECES AND FIGURE IT OUT. BUT I HAVE A SNEAKING SUSPICION THAT YOU'RE NOT GOING TO BE TOO FAR AWAY. [00:05:02] AND AND I AS YOU GUYS DON'T GET TO SEE, JEREMY LIKES TO THROW UP HIS LITTLE NUMBERS OF HOW MANY DAYS HE HAS LEFT, AND HE STILL HAS A FEW MORE DAYS WITH US. IT JUST HAPPENS TO BE OUR LAST BOARD MEETING IN FEBRUARY. SO WE'RE GOING TO HONOR HIM TODAY. AND I THINK IT'S MUCH DESERVED A LONG, GREAT CAREER IN THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. AND THEN SOMETHING THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE VOTING ON HERE A LITTLE BIT LATER. SOMETHING I'M PROUD OF IS APPLYING COMMON SENSE TO THE WAY WE DO BUSINESS. WE'RE GOING TO VOTE ON GETTING RID OF WATER TANKS THAT OF US HAVE EVER USED. AND SO I APPRECIATE WHAT YOU'RE DOING AND I APPRECIATE THAT THE LEGACY THAT YOU'RE GOING TO LEAVE AND GOOD LUCK TO THE GUY OR GAL THAT COMES BEHIND YOU TO TRY TO FILL THOSE SHOES. SO CONGRATULATIONS. JEREMY, ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, HERE'S A PLAQUE TO COMMEMORATE THIS TIME. AND PLEASE DON'T FORGET US. AND NOW YOU GET TO SAY A LITTLE SOMETHING TO US. GOING TO MISS YOU IN THIS BUILDING. WELL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH, BOTH OF YOU, AS WELL AS CEO BROWN SUPERVISOR PAREIRA, SUPERVISOR PEDROZO, I KNOW WE JUST HAD A SHORT LITTLE VISIT AT THE EOC NOT TOO LONG AGO. AND COUNTY COUNSEL, APPRECIATE YOUR ADVICE OVER THE YEARS AND HOW YOU'VE GUIDED US THROUGH THIS, BUT VERY MIXED EMOTIONS. I'M STILL AROUND FOR A LITTLE WHILE, BUT I CAN'T THANK YOU ENOUGH FOR THE OPPORTUNITIES AS WELL AS THE COUNTY AS A WHOLE. IT YOU KNOW, I STARTED I WAS THINKING I WAS TALKING TO THE SHERIFF BRIEFLY AND A FEW TIMES HERE, I ACTUALLY STARTED WITH THE COUNTY AS AN EXTRA HELP EMPLOYEE OUT AT LAKE YOSEMITE WHEN I WAS STILL IN HIGH SCHOOL, CLEANING BATHROOMS AND PICKING UP TRASH AND COLLECTING MONEY AS PEOPLE WOULD COME AND VISIT THE LAKE. AND IT'S JUST AMAZING TO BE HERE TODAY WITH ALL OF YOU LOOKING BACK AT, YOU KNOW, WITH THE SHERIFF. AND IT'S BEEN AN HONOR TO BE YOUR GO TO PERSON ON BEHALF OF CHIEF [INAUDIBLE] WITH HIS GUIDANCE THAT WE HAVE GOTTEN TO WHERE WE HAVE AND THE THINGS WE'RE ACCOMPLISHING. SO I JUST REALLY WANTED TO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY. AND YOU ALL HAVE MY PERSONAL PHONE NUMBER. I'M STILL IN THE AREA. I'M NOT MOVING OUT OF STATE. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH. [APPLAUSE] WOULD CHIEF. CHIEF, WOULD YOU LIKE TO COME UP AND SAY A FEW WORDS? JEREMY, THIS IS THIS IS REALLY BITTER, BITTERSWEET FOR ME. I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK WITH JEREMY FOR MANY, MANY YEARS. WE STARTED OUR CAREERS TOGETHER WITHIN WITHIN A YEAR OR SO BACK IN THE EARLY 90S. AND TO WATCH US COME THROUGH THIS DEPARTMENT AND WATCH YOU STEP IN AND BE THE DAY TO DAY OPERATIONS OF MERCED COUNTY AND ESTABLISH A GOOD RELATIONSHIP AND I'LL SAY AN EXCELLENT RELATIONSHIP WITH EVERYONE WITHIN MERCED COUNTY THAT YOU'VE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK WITH AS WELL AS THROUGH THE STATE SERVING IN YOUR MISSION AS PIO ON AN INCIDENT MANAGEMENT TEAM. AND TO SIT HERE TODAY IS IS OBVIOUSLY BITTERSWEET FOR YOU. IT'S EXTREMELY CHALLENGING FOR ME. HAVING SOMEONE OF YOUR CALIBER IN THIS POSITION, WORKING WITH ALL OF THE COUNTY STAFF IS BEEN HONESTLY A TREMENDOUS WORKLOAD TAKEN OFF OF ME AND I ALL I CAN DO IS SOME I PRAY THAT WHOEVER IS YOUR REPLACEMENT CAN BE HALF THE PERSON THAT YOU'VE DONE AND COME IN HERE AND TRY TO FILL SOME SHOES THAT ARE HUGE, HUGE SHOES TO FILL. SO WITH THAT, I CAN'T THANK YOU ENOUGH FOR EVERYTHING YOU'VE DONE, EVERYTHING YOU CONTINUE TO DO. OBVIOUSLY AWAY FROM WORK, THERE'S FRIENDSHIPS THAT WILL OBVIOUSLY CONTINUE. BUT FROM A BUSINESS PERSPECTIVE AND FROM A FIRE DEPARTMENT PERSPECTIVE WORKING IN THE COUNTY, IT'S TREMENDOUSLY GOING TO BE A HUGE LOSS FROM YOUR TIME IN OES TO THE TIME AS DIVISION CHIEF TO YOUR TIME OVER THERE ON THE WEST SIDE FUNCTION. AND WE'RE, AS WE ALWAYS SAY, WEST SIDE THE BEST SIDE. BUT WE CONTINUE THAT I KNOW SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA WILL APPRECIATE THAT. BUT I CAN'T THANK YOU ENOUGH FOR EVERYTHING YOU'VE DONE. AND CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR RETIREMENT IN THREE WEEKS. BUT I'M ABOUT THREE AND A HALF YEARS BEHIND YOU. SO CONTINUE ON AND HAVE FUN, BUDDY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. AND I'D LIKE TO INVITE THE SHERIFF UP AS WELL. HE SAID, OH, AND THE CHIEF OK AS WELL. COME ON UP HERE. THANK YOU SHERIFF. BRING CHIEF [INAUDIBLE] UP HERE. HE'S REPRESENTING THE MERCED COUNTY LAW ENFORCEMENT LEADERS AT THE REQUEST OF PRESIDENT [INAUDIBLE] FROM LOS BANOS POLICE DEPARTMENT. MY BIG SAYING HANG UP HERE IS THAT WE I KNOW WE GO WAY BACK. AND YOU WERE STILL IN DIAPERS PRETTY MUCH WHEN I GOT STARTED. YEAH, BUT IT'S STATUE OF LIMITATIONS IS OVER. BUT MY MAIN PURPOSE FOR BEING HERE IS TO GUARANTEE THAT YOU DO LEAVE. YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO LEAVE AND YOU'RE GOING TO BE DOING IT WHERE WE'RE GOING [00:10:05] TO MISS YOU TERRIBLY. SO, JEREMY, THANK YOU, BROTHER. CHIEF. THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. CHIEF. I'M GOING TO READ A LETTER ON BEHALF OF GUSTINE POLICE CHIEF REUBEN CHAVEZ, WHO REALLY WANTED TO DELIVER THIS MESSAGE PERSONALLY, BUT AT THE LAST MINUTE COULD NOT BE HERE. BUT I THINK THE SENTIMENT APPLIES TO ALL THE LAW ENFORCEMENT CHIEFS AND THE SHERIFF, I THINK. SO IF YOU'LL INDULGE ME ON BEHALF OF THE GUSTINE POLICE DEPARTMENT, I WISH DIVISION FIRE CHIEF JEREMY RAHN CONGRATULATIONS ON TWENTY FIVE YEARS OF DEDICATED SERVICE AND LEADERSHIP. I HAVE PERSONALLY WORKED WITH CHIEF RAHN FOR OVER EIGHT YEARS WHEN HE TOOK OVER THE MERCED COUNTY OFFICE OF EMERGENCY SERVICES DURING OUR INTERACTIONS WITH THE BIG FIVE COMMITTEE CHIEF RAHN'S LEADERSHIP WAS IMMEDIATELY EVIDENT AS HE WORKED WITH MANY POLICE AND FIRE DEPARTMENTS DURING THE GRANT FUNDING PROCESS. HE IS TRULY A MAN OF ETHICS, INTEGRITY AND A MASTER FACILITATOR IN EVERY SENSE OF THE WORD. THANK YOU, JEREMY, FOR YOUR HARD WORK FOR THE RESIDENTS OF MERCED COUNTY AND FOR BEING THE GO TO GUY FOR CAL FIRE. BEST WISHES AND GODSPEED AS YOU TRANSITION TO CIVILIAN LIFE. CONGRATULATIONS. [APPLAUSE] LET'S GO AHEAD AND GET A PICTURE, BUT LET'S GET A PICTURE WITH ALL OF US. CHIEF, IF YOU GET UP HERE, I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THERE WAS ONE TIME WHEN I CAME BACK FROM A TRIP TO WASHINGTON, D.C., WHEN I MET WITH FEMA AND I'M SITTING THERE WITH FEMA THINKING, OK, HOW DO I EVEN PRESENT TO THESE GUYS? AND THEY TELL ME, OH, WE ALREADY KNOW JEREMY RAHN IN MERCED COUNTY AND HE DOES A GREAT JOB FOR YOU GUYS. I'M LIKE, OK, WELL, THEN THERE'S NOTHING ELSE FOR ME TO SAY. SO. SUPERVISOR ESPINOZA, I WANTED TO THANK YOU AS WELL. THE CHAIRMAN WAS BLOCKING MY VIEW. SO I WAS LOOKING AROUND AND I APPRECIATE THE SIX FEET OF COVID DISTANCING THERE. BUT YOUR CHAIRMAN WAS BLOCKING THE VIEW. BUT I APPRECIATED OUR FRIENDSHIP AS WELL AS BACK IN LIVINGSTON WHEN YOU SHOWED UP AS AN EARLY SUPERVISOR AND BROUGHT US ALL LUNCH ON A STRUCTURE FIRE. SO WE ALL APPRECIATED THAT. SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU, JEREMY. THANK YOU, STACEY. [PUBLIC OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK] IT IS NOW TIME FOR A PUBLIC OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK ON ANY MATTER OF PUBLIC INTEREST WITHIN THE BOARD'S JURISDICTION, INCLUDING ITEMS ON THE BOARD'S AGENDA, EXCEPT FOR THOSE ITEMS SPECIFICALLY SCHEDULED AS PUBLIC HEARINGS, TESTIMONY LIMITED TO THREE MINUTES PER PERSON. OK, AT THIS TIME, IS THERE ANYBODY HERE WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK, WE'LL DO THE IN PERSON'S FIRST AND FROM THEN WE'LL MOVE ON TO VOICEMAIL SEEING NOBODY. OK. HELLO, HELLO, MY NAME IS [INAUDIBLE], THE PLEASURE TALKING WITH SOME OF YOU YESTERDAY, AND SO I WANTED TO SPEAK TO THE ITEM ACTION ACTION ITEM TEN THAT YOU GUYS WILL BE VOTING ON HERE TODAY. I WON'T GO THROUGH MY WHOLE PERSONAL STORY, AS I DID SPEAK TO SEVERAL OF YOU YESTERDAY TO OUTLINE THE DISCRIMINATION THAT I FACED TRYING TO APPLY FOR THE RENTAL AND UTILITY ASSISTANCE. AND SO I STAND HERE TODAY ASKING YOU GUYS TO NOT PASS THIS ACTION ITEM AND TO FIND AND TO WORK WITH OTHER ORGANIZATIONS THAT HAVE THE ABILITY TO FACILITATE THIS PROGRAM IN AN EQUITABLE, TRANSPARENT MANNER. THERE ARE SEVERAL OTHER ORGANIZATIONS LIKE THE UNITED WAY AND THE COMMUNITY [00:15:07] MUTUAL AID FUND THAT ARE IN A POSITION TO BE ABLE TO DISBURSE THESE FUNDS IN AN EQUITABLE, TRANSPARENT MANNER. UNITED WAY ALREADY WON A CONTRACT WITH THE CITY, AND THEY DID DISBURSE DURING THE PANDEMIC OVER A MILLION DOLLARS IN FUNDS. RESIDENTS WERE ABLE TO GET THOSE FUNDS WITHIN ONE OR TWO WEEKS. I HAVE NOT HEARD ANY COMPLAINTS REGARDING THE PROCESS OF THEIR DISTRIBUTION OF FUNDS. AND I JUST FEEL THAT THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN COMMUNITY IS NOT GOING TO RECEIVE ADEQUATE ACCESS TO THE FUNDS IF THE CURRENT ORGANIZATION, THE CVOC, IS ALLOWED TO ADMINISTER THESE FUNDS BASED ON NOT ONLY MY EXPERIENCE, BUT BASED ON THE MANY OTHER FAMILIES THAT I SPOKE WITH, BASED ON THE FAMILIES WHOM I TOOK TO RECEIVE ASSISTANCE IN SOME OF THOSE TO THIS DAY HAS STILL NOT GOTTEN ANY CALLS BACK. THEY WERE SENT AWAY AND DENIED ACCESS TO FUNDING AND HELP OTHER FAMILIES WHO DID NOT LOOK LIKE US WERE ALLOWED TO APPLY FOR HELP. AND SO EACH OF YOU IS ELECTED TO REPRESENT CERTAIN DISTRICTS AND YOUR CONSTITUENTS WERE NOT TREATED FAIRLY THROUGHOUT THIS PROCESS. AND I THINK THAT YOU GUYS SHOULD TAKE HEED TO THAT. I ALSO BELIEVE THAT THERE IS TIME FOR US TO WORK WITH OTHER ORGANIZATIONS WHO HAVE TIES WITH THESE VULNERABLE COMMUNITIES, WHO NEED HELP TO ENSURE THAT THE LEAST OF THESE ARE ABLE TO BE HELPED IN THIS SITUATION. I ALSO BELIEVE THAT THERE NEEDS TO BE FURTHER ADVERTISEMENT FOR THIS. IT WAS VERY HARD TO FIND ANY INFORMATION ON HOW TO APPLY, WHERE TO APPLY. WE WERE EVEN GIVEN ADDRESSES TO GO STAND OUT FOR OVER AN HOUR IN THE COLD THAT NO ONE WAS NOT READY TO RECEIVE US. AND SO I BELIEVE THAT THERE NEEDS TO NOT ONLY BE SOCIAL MEDIA AND IT NEEDS TO BE POSTED ON THE COUNTY WEBSITE, BUT IT ALSO NEEDS TO BE SENT OUT TO ALL THE RESIDENTS OF VML. SOME RESIDENTS DO NOT HAVE ACCESS TO ELECTRONICS, INTERNET OR SOCIAL MEDIA, AND THOSE ARE THE RESIDENTS THAT ARE THERE THAT ARE SUFFERING THE MOST THROUGHOUT THIS PANDEMIC. AND I URGE YOU GUYS JUST TO NOT PASS THIS ACTION ITEM AND TO TAKE PAUSE, HAVE A SPECIAL MEETING AND DISCUSS THE BEST WAY TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. SORRY, I CAN'T HEAR MYSELF. MY NAME IS [INAUDIBLE] WITH LEADERSHIP COUNCIL FOR JUSTICE AND ACCOUNTABILITY. I'M HERE TODAY TO SAY DO NOT APPROVE THE CONTRACT YET WITH CVOC AS IT SAYS SO IN YOUR AGENDA. I HAVE NOT SEEN THE FULL PRESENTATION, BUT BRIEFLY LOOKING AT IT RIGHT NOW, I THINK OPTION B MIGHT BE THE BEST OPTION BECAUSE WE WOULD LIKE FOR THERE TO BE A TRANSPARENT PROCESS FOR DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS TO ALSO GET INVOLVED AND LOOK AT HOW WE CAN COMBINE AND COLLABORATE OUR EFFORTS TO MAKE SURE WE REACH EVERY PART OF THE COUNTY. LOOKING AT THEIR REPORTS, A LOT OF COUNTIES, A LOT OF A LOT OF COMMUNITIES UNINCORPORATED AND SOME CITIES WERE HARDLY REACHED. THESE ARE SOME OF THE MOST HARD TO REACH POPULATIONS THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT. ON TOP OF THAT, IT WAS A VERY CHALLENGING PROCESS WITH THE CVOC WHILE WE ARE GLAD THAT THEY GOT THE MILLION DOLLARS TO SERVE RESIDENTS, WE EXPERIENCED CHALLENGES WITH THEM. AND, YOU KNOW, THEY THEY ARE ONE ORGANIZATION AND WE GET THAT THERE ARE LIMITATIONS AND CAPACITY NEEDS. AND THAT IS WHY WE THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO BRING IN OTHER ORGANIZATIONS THAT SERVE DIFFERENT POPULATIONS, ESPECIALLY THE HMONG COMMUNITY. THERE WERE 4 PERCENT OF THE ASIAN COMMUNITY WAS SERVED OUT OF ALL OF THIS. THAT JUST GOES TO SHOW THE CHALLENGES THAT HMONG, MINH, LAO, VIETNAMESE FOLKS ARE HAVING ACCESSING THESE FUNDS. AND IT IS INSUFFICIENT TO HAVE IT ALL GO TO ONE ORGANIZATION THAT HAS NO STAFF AMONG PEOPLE. THEY HAD A CONTRACT WITH THE HMONG INTERPRETER, AND I HAD CHALLENGES MYSELF AND HAVE MULTIPLE EMAILS WITH THE DIRECTOR ABOUT HOW TO HELP A HMONG RESIDENT. AND THEN AT ONE POINT, YOU KNOW, THIS RESIDENT DOESN'T USE EMAIL, DOESN'T USE INTERNET. AND THEIR PROCESS WAS REALLY TO EITHER CALL OR TO SUBMIT VIA THEIR CONTACT PAGE AN APPOINTMENT REQUEST. AND SO I ASKED ABOUT THIS PERSON'S STATUS AND THEN THEY TOLD ME THAT THEY CAN'T [00:20:02] TELL ME ANYTHING BECAUSE THE PERSON HAS TO INQUIRE. I'M LIKE, WELL, THEY DON'T. THEY CALL AND YOU DON'T CALL BACK AND THEY CAN'T USE THE INTERNET. SO I JUST REALLY WANT TO RAISE THE MULTIPLE CHALLENGES OF HAVING IT GO TO ONE ORGANIZATION ONLY. WE KNOW THAT THERE IS TIME TO GET A CONTRACT AND ARE AWARE THAT YOU HAVE TO SEND AN EXPRESSION OF INTENT BY FRIDAY THE 12TH. BUT IT DOESN'T SAY THAT YOU HAVE TO HAVE A CONTRACT IN PLACE ALREADY. AND SO WE THINK THAT IT'S IMPORTANT TO TAKE THE TIME TO WORK WITH MORE COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND ORGANIZATIONS TO BUILD A SHARED VISION FOR HOW THIS FUNDING IS GOING TO REACH THE ENTIRE MERCED COUNTY. WE HAD. IS THAT MY TIME? YOUR TIME IS UP. OH, THERE YOU GO. HERE, OK. GOOD MORNING BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, MY NAME IS BRENDA. MY PRONOUNS ARE THEY THEM. AND I'M A YOUTH ORGANIZER WITH 99 ROOTS. FIRST, I WANT TO SAY CONGRATULATIONS TO JEREMY RAHN ON YOUR RETIREMENT, WISHING YOU AND BOARD OF SUPERVISORS TIME FOR REFLECTION AND TIME WITH YOUR FAMILY. I ALSO WANTED TO SAY THAT WHAT THIS BROUGHT UP IN ME IS THAT IT IS ALSO A SAD TIME FOR MANY RESIDENTS. AS A BOARD OF SUPERVISORS CONTRACT ONCE AGAIN WITH ONE ORGANIZATION TO DISTRIBUTE FUNDS, YOU COULD SAY IT'S A BITTERSWEET MOMENT THAT MONEY WILL BE COMING TO THE COUNTY. AND BUT IF A CONTRACT IS GIVEN TODAY, WE KNOW THAT WE'RE SETTING UP THAT ORGANIZATION TO FAIL. I URGE YOU TO PASS A STAFF RECOMMENDATION FOR OPTION B AND REALLY WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THAT YOUNG PEOPLE AND THEIR FAMILIES ARE IN DIRE NEED AND THIS, MAKING SURE THAT FUNDS ARE DISTRIBUTED EQUITABLY IS A REALLY SERIOUS ISSUE AND THAT TRANSPARENCY IS REALLY IMPORTANT ANY TIME IT COMES TO FUNDS AND DISTRIBUTING FUNDS. I ALSO WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THAT YOU ALL HOUSE REALLY BIG NAMES THAT HAVE BEEN DOING GREAT WORK IN MERCED COUNTY AND THAT'S WORTH OUR TIME TO SEE HOW WE CAN ALL WORK TOGETHER. I SAW IN THE CONTRACT THAT THE FUNDS WOULDN'T OPEN UNTIL MARCH 1ST, WHICH GIVES YOU A LITTLE BIT OF TIME TO, YOU KNOW, WITH THE SAME TERMS OF THE CONTRACTS, SEE HOW WE CAN WORK TOGETHER WITH EITHER UNITED WAY, WHICH HOUSES MANY PROGRAMS THAT HAVE RAN SIMILAR PROGRAMS TO CVOC AND PAYING DIRECTLY MAKING DIRECT PAYMENTS, OR CENTRAL VALLEY MUTUAL AID, WHICH DISTRIBUTED A SIMILAR AMOUNT OF MONEY TO WHAT CVOC WAS DISTRIBUTING IN JUST THREE WEEKS TO FOLKS ALL OVER THE CENTRAL VALLEY. YOU ALSO RECEIVED IN YOUR INBOXES THIS MORNING THE REPORTS OVER THIS PAST YEAR ON FUNDING THE DATA OF DEMOGRAPHICS OF WHICH CITIES WERE RECEIVED HOW MUCH MONEY. THE BREAKDOWN OF RACE AND ETHNICITY. NOT SAYING THAT ONE ORGANIZATION IS PERFECT, BUT THAT THERE ARE OPPORTUNITIES TO WORK TOGETHER. AND WE REALLY WANT TO SUPPORT YOU AND KNOW CONVENING FOLKS AND SEEING WHAT MIGHT BE THE BEST THING TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR COMMUNITIES ARE RECEIVING FUNDING. THESE ARE THE FOLKS THAT ARE CHEERING FOR US, PICKING OUR FOOD, SERVING OUR FOOD, WORKING AT RESTAURANTS. THESE ARE ESSENTIAL WORKERS. SO OUR ECONOMY DEPENDS ON THEM. AND JUST WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THAT, LIKE, YOU KNOW, THE PRIORITY. WHAT ARE OUR PRIORITIES AND HOW DO THEY SHOW UP? AND FAILING TO DO THIS IN AN EQUITABLE, TRANSPARENT MANNER THAT IS ACCESSIBLE TO THE FOLKS THAT ARE UPHOLDING OUR ECONOMY MIGHT HAVE REALLY SERIOUS LIKE CONSEQUENCES. YEAH. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. THANK YOU. IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE AT THIS TIME FOR PUBLIC COMMENT? SEEING NONE, THEN WE'LL GO AHEAD AND MOVE OVER TO THE VOICEMAIL'S. HOW MANY VOICEMAILS DO WE HAVE? TWENTY NINE. TWENTY NINE VOICEMAILS. YES, [00:25:21] I HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO LISTEN TO THEM PREVIOUSLY. OH, VERY GOOD. OK, I'LL DO MY BEST. THANKS JUAN. I WAS GOING TO SAY, WE CAN HELP YOU OUT IF YOU WANT TO, BUT OK. MY NAME IS GLORIA ALEXANDRA, I'M CALLING REGARDING ITEM NUMBER TEN TO NOT APPROVE. I'M CALLING TO TALK ABOUT MY FEELINGS REGARDING THE FUNDS RECEIVED FOR HELP WITH THE RENT AND BILLS. THERE ARE WAY TOO MANY REQUIREMENTS TO GO OVER AND THERE WAS VERY LITTLE ACCESSIBILITY. WE'D LIKE TO LET YOU KNOW AND REMIND YOU THAT WE ARE THE COMMUNITY WHO ELECTED YOU. SO PLEASE MAKE OUR VOTE COUNT FOR THIS HELP IS AVAILABLE TO US. I'M FROM LOS BANOS. I'M CALLING REGARDING ITEM NUMBER 10. DO NOT APPROVE. GOOD MORNING. I'M CALLING BECAUSE I DIDN'T LIKE THE WAY CCOC TREATED SOME OF THE APPLICANTS THAT WERE APPLYING FOR HELP WITH THE RENT AND AID FOR BILLS. SOME WERE TREATED OK, SOME NOT. THERE WERE SO MANY DOCUMENTS THAT WERE REQUESTED AT THE TIME. THERE IS SOME OF THESE DOCS WERE NOT NEEDED. WERE NOT NEEDED. PLEASE MAKE THE PROCESS MORE EASY SO THAT PEOPLE CAN GET THE HELP NEEDED. WE ALSO NEED A COMPANY THAT COULD BE MORE ACCESSIBLE AND EASIER TO WORK WITH. THANK YOU. I LIVE IN MERCED. I'M CALLING REGARDING ITEM NUMBER TEN. I'D LIKE TO LEAVE A PUBLIC COMMENT REGARDING FUNDS AVAILABLE FOR HELP. I APPLIED IN JANUARY AT CVOC FOR HELP WITH THE MORTGAGE. SINCE I WAS THREE MONTHS BEHIND ON MY MORTGAGE PAYMENTS, I WAS NOT ABLE TO BE APPROVED, NOT EVEN FOR A DOLLAR. I AM CURRENTLY NOT WORKING. I WISH I COULD HAVE BEEN APPROVED. [00:30:02] I ALSO DON'T AGREE WITH THE WAY THAT THE PROCESS IS BEING HANDLED AND TO WANT MORE OF A TRANSPARENT PROCESS. I AM A PART OF THE COMMUNITY DEALING WITH THE COVID-19. I NEED HELP WITH THE RENT AND THE BILLS. THE 8 MILLION DOLLARS NEEDS TO REACH THE MOST IN NEED IN THE COMMUNITY. IN MY HOME, MY KIDS LIVE THERE. MY PARENTS LIVE THERE. MY KIDS ARE NOT BRINGING IN ANY FUNDS AT THIS TIME, NOR ARE MY PARENTS. CITIZEN, I'M A RESIDENT OF LOS BANOS, I'M CALLING REGARDING ITEM NUMBER TEN. I'D LIKE TO MAKE A PUBLIC COMMENT ON ITEM NUMBER TEN AND TO WISH TO SAY DO NOT APPROVE THE CONTRACT AND INSTEAD HAVE A COMMUNITY MEETING TO GO OVER SOME OF THESE THINGS. WE DON'T WANT CVOC TO HANDLE THE PROCESS DUE TO TOO MANY BAD EXPERIENCES. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND HAVE A GOOD DAY. MY NAME IS [INAUDIBLE], I'M CALLING FROM LOS BANOS REGARDING ITEM NUMBER 10. I'D LIKE TO MAKE A PUBLIC COMMENT ON ITEM NUMBER 10. PLEASE DO NOT APPROVE AND INSTEAD HOLD A COMMUNITY MEETING. YOU DON'T HAVE CVOC HANDLE THE PROCESS. WE'VE HAD TOO MANY BAD EXPERIENCES. I WAS ASKED TO SHOW DOCS TO PROVE I WAS LEGAL ALIEN. I DON'T KNOW WHY I WAS ASKED FOR THIS. MY RENT WASN'T PAID DUE TO A LETTER THAT NEEDED TO BE PROVIDED FROM THE OWNER. THE BILL WAS IN MY HUSBAND'S NAME AND THE POWER WAS ABOUT TO BE CUT OFF. I'D LIKE FOR YOU TO WORK WITH ANOTHER ORGANIZATION THAT IS ABLE TO HANDLE AND DISTRIBUTE THE FUNDS CORRECTLY. THANK YOU. I WOULD LIKE TO COMMENT ON AGENDA ITEM 10, THE EMERGENCY RENT ASSISTANCE. I HEARD THAT MERCED COUNTY RECEIVED 8 MILLION DOLLARS FOR EMERGENCY RENT ASSISTANCE. AND I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS MONEY IS PRIORITIZED FOR THOSE MOST AFFECTED BY THE COVID 19 PUBLIC HEALTH CRISIS INCLUDING THOSE MOST LOW INCOME, PEOPLE OF BLACK, INDIGENOUS OR PEOPLE OF COLOR DESCENT, LIKE THE MOST VULNERABLE COMMUNITIES OF COLOR, ESPECIALLY, AND GEOGRAPHICALLY, LIKE THOSE LIVING IN SOUTH MERCED OR THE UNINCORPORATED AREAS OF MERCED COUNTY. AND I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE SURE THAT IT IS DISTRIBUTED EFFICIENTLY ACROSS THE COUNTY IN A TRANSPARENT AND EQUITABLE PROCESS WITHMORE THAN ONE SINGLE ORGANIZATION. YES, PLEASE DO NOT APPROVE ITEM 10 ON THE AGENDA HOLD A PUBLIC HEARING TO CREATE A [00:35:02] TRANSPARENT PROCESS FOR DISTRIBUTING THESE FUNDS. WE MUST ENSURE THAT THE EIGHT MILLION DOLLARS, WHICH IS THE MOST COVID-19, IMPACTED RESIDENTS IN MERCED COUNTY. ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU. MY NAME IS [INAUDIBLE]. I'D LIKE TO COMMENT ON AGENDA ITEMS, CAN THE EMERGENCY RENT ASSISTANCE. I BELIEVE THAT THIS FUNDING NEEDS TO GO TO OUR MOST IMPACTED NEIGHBORS AND FAMILIES AND IT NEEDS TO BE DISTRIBUTED IN A WAY THAT'S TRANSPARENT AND EQUITABLE AND THAT THOSE WHO HAVE THE LEAST ACCESS KNOW ABOUT IT AND HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO GET IT. PLEASE DO NOT APPROVE ITEM 10 ON THE AGENDA AND HOLD A PUBLIC HEARING TO CREATE A TRANSPARENT PROCESS FOR DISTRIBUTING THESE FUNDS. WE MUST ENSURE THAT EIGHT MILLION DOLLARS REACHES THE MOST COVID-19, IMPACTED RESIDENTS IN MERCED COUNTY. WITHOUT A PROPER PLAN, IT'S ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE FOR ONE ORGANIZATION TO PASS OUT 8 MILLION DOLLARS. WE NEED TO DO OUTREACH AND MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE KNOW THAT THIS IS AVAILABLE IN ORDER FOR IT TO BE SUCCESSFUL. THANK YOU. THIS COMMENT IS IN REGARDS TO AGENDA ITEM NUMBER 10. MY NAME IS [INAUDIBLE] . I WORK FOR THE UNITED WAY OF MERCED COUNTY, I SCREEN THE PHONE CALLS THAT COME IN. AND THAT I WOULD LIKE TO SUGGEST A PUBLIC COMMENT FOR THE ITEM NUMBER 10. AND I RECEIVE A LOT OF CALLS FROM PEOPLE THAT ARE CALLING ABOUT THE CVOC, BUT THEY'RE NOT ANSWERING THE PHONE. AND IF THEY LEAVE A MESSAGE, THEY NEVER GET A CALL BACK. AND IT SEEMS TO BE QUITE PROBLEMATIC. SO I DEFINITELY THINK WE SHOULD OPEN IT UP FOR PUBLIC COMMENT. AGAIN, MY NAME IS [INAUDIBLE] AND MY PHONE NUMBER IS 209-626-0004. HELLO THIS IS [INAUDIBLE] I AM CALLING ON AGENDA ITEM TEN, I'M REQUESTING THAT THE ITEM OF DISCUSSION ITEM TEN IS TABLED AND MY SECOND REQUEST IS TO HOLD A SPECIAL BOARD MEETING WHERE THE PUBLIC HAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO GIVE INPUT ON THE ERA FUND AND THRID DEVELOP A REPORT FOR THE [INAUDIBLE] RENT AND UTILITY ASSISTANCE PROGRAM TO PROMOTE TRANSPARENCY, TRANSPARENCY OF CARES FUNDS AND ENSURE TRANSPARENCY FOR FUTURE ERA FUNDS. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. [INAUDIBLE], I WANTED TO COMMENT ON AGENDA ITEM TEN, THE EMERGENCY GRANT ASSISTANCE, I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THESE FUNDS ARE EQUITABLE ACROSS THE COUNTY AND I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S A TRANSPARENT PROCESS FOR DISTRIBUTING THESE FUNDS AND THAT AS MANY PEOPLE KNOW ABOUT THIS AND AS MANY LANGUAGES AS POSSIBLE, WE HAVE TO ENSURE THAT THAT 8 MILLION DOLLAR REACHES THE MOST COVID-19 IMPACTED RESIDENTS IN MERCED COUNTY. AND WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DO A GOOD JOB OF OUTREACH. THANK YOU. MY NAME IS [INAUDIBLE], [INAUDIBLE] I WOULD LIKE TO COMMENT ON AGENDA ITEM 10 THE EMERGENCY RENT ASSISTANCE. I HAVE A LOT OF FRIENDS AND FAMILY [INAUDIBLE] IN DIFFICULT CONDITIONS AS OF RIGHT NOW AND WITH AID OF RENT ASSISTANCE I THINK WILL HELP THEM THROUGHOUT THIS ROUGH TIME. PLEASE LISTEN TO OUR VOICES AND UNDERSTAND THAT THE EQUITABLE DISTRIBUTION OF [INAUDIBLE] NECESSARY FOR OUR COMMUNITIES. PLEASE DO NOT APPROVE OF ITEM 10 ON THE AGENDA AND HOLD A PUBLIC HEARING TO CREATE A TRANSPARENT PROCESS FOR DISTRIBUTING THESE FUNDS MUST ENSURE THAT EIGHT MILLION DOLLARS REACHES THE MOST COVID-19, IMPACTED RESIDENTS IN MERCED COUNTY. THANK YOU. HI, MY NAME IS EUGENE [INAUDIBLE], MY GENDER PRONOUN ARE HE/HIM/HIS AND I [00:40:03] LIVE IN THE BEACHWOOD FRANKLIN AREA, CURRENTLY 20 YEARS YOUNG, AND I ATTEND UC SAN DIEGO. I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A COMMENT ON AGENDA ITEM 10 THE EMERGENCY RENT ASSISTANCE TODAY. IT IS CRUCIAL AND VITAL THAT WE MAKE SURE THAT THESE FUNDS OF EIGHT MILLION DOLLARS ARE GOING TO BE EASILY ACCESSIBLE AND AVAILABLE ACROSS THE COUNTY. AND WITH EQUITY IN MIND. YOUNG PEOPLE AND OUR PARENTS AND FAMILIES HAVE BEEN STRUGGLING BEFORE THIS PANDEMIC. DURING THIS PANDEMIC, WE'VE BEEN RISKING OUR LIVES EVERY DAY IN THE FARMS, FIELDS, GROCERY STORES, WAREHOUSES, YOU NAME IT, HOLDING IT DOWN FOR THIS COUNTY, THIS STATE AND THIS COUNTRY. YOUNG PEOPLE HAVE COURAGEOUSLY RISEN UP TO SUPPORT OUR PARENTS AND OUR FAMILIES WHILE GOING TO SCHOOL VIRTUALLY AND LEARNING ONLINE TO GET OUR EDUCATION. WE HAVE EXPERIENCED SO MUCH GRIEF AND LOSS DURING THESE TIME. EIGHT MILLION DOLLARS NEEDS TO COME AND GO TOWARDS PROVIDING ASSISTANCE AND SUPPORT FOR FAMILIES AND YOUNG PEOPLE WHO NEED IT THE MOST, WE NEED TO BE HOUSED. WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO AFFORD BASIC NECESSITIES SUCH AS FOOD AND WATER. AND WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO REST AND TO LIVE IN DIGNITY AND RESPECT. AND SO I AM DEMANDING THAT MERCED COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, YOU DO NOT APPROVE ITEM 10 ON THE AGENDA AND INSTEAD HOLD A PUBLIC HEARING AND BE INTENTIONAL ABOUT IT. MAKE SURE THAT THIS PROCESS IS GOING TO BE TRANSPARENT AND LINGUISTICALLY AND CULTURALLY INCLUSIVE AND ALSO WELCOME AND ENCOURAGE AND INVITE YOUNG PEOPLE TO BE A PART OF THIS. THIS PUBLIC HEARING NEEDS TO BE HELD TO VIRTUALLY OVER ZOOM SO THAT YOUNG PEOPLE AND THEIR FAMILIES CAN SHOW UP SAFELY. AND IT NEEDS TO BE HELD AT A TIME WHERE YOUNG PEOPLE ARE AVAILABLE TO BE A PART OF IT. WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT THESE FUNDS OF 8 MILLION DOLLARS ARE DISTRIBUTED, ESPECIALLY FOR THOSE WHO LIVE IN THE UNINCORPORATED AREAS OF OUR COUNTY AND THOSE WHO ARE MOST VULNERABLE AND MOST IMPACTED. OUR FARM WORKERS, OUR YOUNG PEOPLE, OUR ESSENTIAL WORKERS, OUR UNDOCUMENTED RESIDENTS NEED TO BE AT THE FOREFRONT AND THEY NEED TO BE CENTERED IN THESE CONVERSATIONS. LIKE [INAUDIBLE] SAID, IT IS OUR DUTY TO FIGHT FOR OUR FREEDOM. IT IS OUR DUTY TO WIN. WE MUST LOVE EACH OTHER AND SUPPORT EACH OTHER. WE HAVE NOTHING TO LOSE BUT OUR CHAINS. WE'VE BEEN SHOWING UP AND WE'RE GOING TO KEEP SHOWING UP AND FIGHTING FOR OUR NEEDS. WE'VE WON AND WE'RE GOING TO KEEP WINNING SO THAT WE CAN LIVE AND THRIVE IN DIGNITY, RESPECT AND LOVE. [INAUDIBLE] ALSO KNOWN AS THE [INAUDIBLE] MERCED'S FRIENDLY LOCAL ARTIST, AND I WOULD LIKE TO COMMENT ON AGENDA ITEM 10 THE EMERGENCY RENT ASSISTANCE. I BELIEVE THE PROCESS OF DISTRIBUTING THESE FUNDS SHOULD BE AS TRANSPARENT AS POSSIBLE SO THAT THE PUBLIC IS AWARE THAT ALL THE MONEY IS GOING TOWARDS THOSE WHO ARE IN NEED AND THOSE WHO ARE MOST NEED, LIKE THE HOMELESS AND THOSE WHO HAVE CHILDREN THAT HAVE BEEN AFFECTED BY THIS PANDEMIC. SO PLEASE DO NOT APPROVE ITEM 10 ON THE AGENDA AND HOLD A PUBLIC HEARING TO CREATE A TRANSPARENT PROCESS FOR DISTRIBUTING THESE FUNDS. WE MUST ENSURE THAT THE 8 MILLION DOLLARS REACHES THE MOST COVID-19 IMPACTED RESIDENTS OF MERCED COUNTY. THANK YOU. HI, MY NAME IS MONICA [INAUDIBLE], AND I LIVE IN MERCED. MY COMMENT IS FOR AGENDA ITEM NUMBER 10. I WOULD LIKE TO SHARE A BIT ABOUT THE EXPERIENCE I HAD RELATED TO THIS ITEM. WHEN THE RESOURCE WAS SHARED WITH ME, I BEGAN REFERRING FOLKS TO CVOC THE FOLKS THAT I REFERRED TO CVOC WERE CALLING BACK STATING THAT CVOC WAS NOT ENTERING OR RETURNING CALLS . I ATTEMPTED TO CALL A FEW TIMES AND THE SAME THING HAPPENED ON MY END, NOT ONLY [00:45:01] IS CVOC LOCATED IN [INAUDIBLE], MEANING THEY COULD ONLY REACH A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF PEOPLE. THERE ARE MANY PEOPLE WHO DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO GET TO THAT LOCATION. ASIDE FROM OTHER PERSONAL EXPERIENCE I'VE HEARD IN REGARDS TO CVOC I WOULD LIKE TO ADD THAT THERE ARE OTHER ORGANIZATIONS IN OUR COMMUNITY WHO HAVE THE CAPACITY AND EXPERIENCE TO LEAD THIS TYPE OF WORK AND WHO HAVE DATA TO BACK THAT UP. THOSE INCLUDE UNITED WAY OF MERCED COUNTY AND THE CENTRAL VALLEY MUTUAL AID.THE CENTRAL VALLEY MUTUAL AID, A VOLUNTEER LED NETWORK HAS RAISED OVER TWO MILLION DOLLARS AND HAS DISTRIBUTED ABOUT ONE POINT FIVE MILLION TO OVER A THOUSAND FAMILIES IN THE EIGHT COUNTIES OF THE CENTRAL VALLEY. THEY HAVE NEVER ALLOCATED MORE THAN FIVE PERCENT TO SEVEN POINT FIVE PERCENT OF THEIR FUNDS TO ADMINISTRATIVE OVERHEAD COSTS. I URGE YOU TO NOT APPROVE THE ITEM UNTIL THERE IS A PUBLIC HEARING DATA AVAILABLE TO CREATE A TRANSPARENT AND EQUITABLE PROCESS FOR DISTRIBUTING THESE FUNDS. AND I URGE A PUBLIC REPORT ON HOW CVOC DISTRIBUTED THE FUNDS, INCLUDING DEMOGRAPHIC INFORMATION AND AID DISTRIBUTION [INAUDIBLE]. THANK YOU. [INAUDIBLE], I'D LIKE TO COMMENT ON ITEM NUMBER 10, IT IS IMPOSSIBLE FOR AN ORGANIZATION TO ACTIVELY AND EFFECTIVELY, EFFICIENTLY DISPERSE 8 MILLION ALONE. WE NEED TO ENSURE THE PROGRAM IS SET UP FOR SUCCESS, MEANING THAT IT IS EQUITABLE, CULTURALLY COMPETENT, NONDISCRIMINATORY, SUPPORTED BY STRONG OUTREACH CAMPAIGNS AND HAS A STRONG INFRASTRUCTURE IN PLACE TO ENSURE EFFICIENCY AND EFFECTIVENESS. I URGE YOU TO NOT APPROVE THE ITEM UNTIL THERE IS A PUBLIC HEARING MADE AVAILABLE TO CREATE A TRANSPARENT AND EQUITABLE PROCESS FOR [INAUDIBLE]. GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS STEPHANIE [INAUDIBLE], AND I WOULD LIKE TO COMMENT ON AGENDA ITEM TEN, THE EMERGENCY RENT ASSISTANCE IN MERCED. YOU ALL KNOW THAT MERCED COUNTY HAS RECEIVED EIGHT MILLION DOLLARS SPECIFICALLY FOR EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE. AND WE OBVIOUSLY WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY GETS THEIR FAIR SHARE AND IS DISTRIBUTED EQUALLY. AS YOU ALL KNOW, THE COMMUNITY OF COLOR IS ALWAYS LEFT BEHIND AND TO HURT. AND THAT IS OBVIOUSLY NOT WHAT WE WANT TO HAPPEN RIGHT NOW, WHICH IS WHY WE ARE LEAVING THESE PUBLIC COMMENTS. WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYONE IS AWARE OF HOW MUCH THEY ARE, HOW MUCH THEY ARE IMPACTING THESE COMMUNITIES BECAUSE THEY'RE HURTING THEM BY NOT PROVIDING THESE RESOURCES AND THIS HELP THAT WAS GIVEN TO THEM TO BE DISTRIBUTED EQUALLY, NOT JUST WHERE THE COUNTY AND WHERE THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS WANTS IT TO GO AND IF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS WANTS TO DO THE JOB CORRECTLY AND DISTRIBUTE IT EQUALLY AND EFFICIENTLY ACROSS THE COUNTY IN A TRANSPARENT AND ACCOUNTABLE PROCESS THROUGH MORE THAN ONE SINGLE ORGANIZATION. THERE WOULD BE NO NEED FOR ANYBODY TO BE MAKING THESE CALLS AND HAVING TO MAKE THESE COMMENTS. THANK YOU. [00:50:24] BOARD MEMBERS, I'D LIKE TO COMMENT ON ITEM NUMBER 10. WANTED TO SAY THAT PLEASE DO NOT AL LOW CVOC TO HANDLE THESE FUNDS. PLEASE DO NOT GO INTO ANOTHER CONTRACT WITH CVOC TO HANDLE THE EIGHT MILLION DOLLARS. THEY DIDN'T DO A GOOD JOB IN RETURNING CALLS. THEY DIDN'T DO A GOOD JOB HELPING WITH THE BILLS. THERE ARE OTHER ORGANIZATIONS THAT CAN HELP IN MERCED THAT ARE CAPACITATED AND ABLE TO PROVIDE THIS SERVICE. SO AGAIN, NO MORE CVOC, NO MORE CVOC. THIS IS BLANCA [INAUDIBLE]FROM DELHI. GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS [INAUDIBLE] I LIVE HERE IN DELHI. I AM PART OF MERCED COUNTY. [INAUDIBLE] ITEM NUMBER 10 AND I WANT TO WARN THAT ABOUT THE [INAUDIBLE] SO PLEASE GIVE US THE OPPORTUNITY, BECAUSE THE LAST TIME THAT WAS GIVEN THE ONE MILLION DOLLARS TO CENTRAL VALLEY OPPORTUNITY CENTER THEY DID NOT DO A GOOD JOB WITH THE PEOPLE THAT WERE TRYING TO APPLY. A LOT OF THE PEOPLE WERE DENIED. SO WE HAD A MEETING. SO WE NEED SOMEONE TO HELP US WITH ANOTHER ORGANIZATION THAT ARE WILLING TO HELP THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE LOST THEIR JOBS, THEIR FAMILIES. AND SO PLEASE, NO MORE TO CENTRAL VALLEY OPPORTUNITY CENTER AND FOR FINDING US ANOTHER ORGANIZATION THAT ARE REALLY GOING TO HELP PEOPLE THAT HAVE THE NEED FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY. I THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO GIVE US ANOTHER CHANCE, AND I APPRECIATE IT. AND PLEASE AGAIN, NO MORE TO CENTRAL VALLEY OPPORTUNITY BECAUSE THEY ARE NOT DOING THEIR JOB RIGHT AND THEY HAVE [INAUDIBLE] NOT ANSWERING THE PHONE. AND WHEN PEOPLE GO THEY ARE NOT HELPING THEM. THANK YOU SO MUCH, I APPRECIATE IT. HAVE A GOOD DAY. HI MY NAME IS SARAH, AND I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT ABOUT ITEM 10, ACTION ITEM TEN, AND I WAS CALLING TO GIVE MY EXPERIENCE WITH IT. I WAS ONE OF THE VERY FIRST HAD TO BE UNDER THE FIRST FIVE PEOPLE. I STILL HAVE NOT RECEIVED ONE OF MY BILLS BEING PAID. AND TWO ITEMS THAT I SUBMITTED WERE BOTH UNDER THE THRESHOLD. I FEEL LIKE THE EXPERIENCE WAS VERY UNPROFESSIONAL. THEY HAD SITES POSTED TO GO TO THAT DID NOT EVEN HAVE THE EQUIPMENT OR THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE PROGRAM. SO I WAS STANDING OUTSIDE FOR AN HOUR AND A HALF WAITING FOR NOTHING BECAUSE IT WASN'T EVEN A SITE AVAILABLE WHEN I WAS WHEN I WAS LOCATED TO THE CORRECT SITE [INAUDIBLE] TO COME IN FOR HELP AND GET TURNED AWAY SAYING THEY NEED TO GET CALLED, WAIT FOR A CALL. I HAVE SEEN PEOPLE [INAUDIBLE] BE ABLE TO BE PULLED BACK AND GET HELP AT THAT SPECIFIC TIME. AGAIN, I WAS ONE OF THE VERY FIRST PEOPLE. IT'S ALMOST TWO MONTHS LATER AND I STILL DON'T HAVE A BILL PAID. I HAD TO BE CALLED BACK ON THREE DIFFERENT OCCASIONS FOR PAPERWORK TO BE FIXED. SO IN MY OPINION, THE OVERALL EXPERIENCE WAS JUST NOT VERY PROFESSIONAL. I'M NOT SURE WHAT IS GOING ON AS FAR AS THE PAYMENT, BUT APPRECIATIVE OF THE ONE BILL THAT GOT PAID. HOWEVER, LIKE I SAID, I STILL HAVE ANOTHER BILL WHO HAS NOT BEEN PAID AND IT'S ALMOST TWO MONTHS LATER AND I HAVE TO BE ONE OF THE FIRST UNDER THE FIRST FIVE TO EVEN BE HELPED. SO I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT I FEEL LIKE IT'S, THEY SHOULD NOT PASS ACTION ITEM 10 AND TO SET IT ASIDE OR NOT ALLOW THIS ORGANIZATION TO BE IN CHARGE OF THE DISTRIBUTION OF ANY MORE FUNDS. I'M CALLING [INAUDIBLE]. I THINK THAT IT IS A GREAT IDEA TO HELP [INAUDIBLE] THEY CAN KEEP ROOFS OVER [00:55:03] THEIR HEAD AND ABLE TO STAY FOCUSED ON THE ISSUES THAT THEY HAVE AT HAND IN THEIR LIVES. REALLY HARD TO BE FOCUSED IF YOU DON'T HAVE A ROOF OVER THEIR HEADS. SO I JUST WANTED TO COMMENT [INAUDIBLE] RENTAL ASSISTANCE. [INAUDIBLE]. MY NAME IS CHRISTOPHER TURNER AND I LIVE IN [INAUDIBLE]. HELLO, MY NAME IS CHRISTOPHER TURNER, I'M CALLING IN REGARDS TO [INAUDIBLE] HI, YES, I'M CALLING ON ITEM NUMBER 11. THE CARES ACT FUNDS THAT THE MERCED COUNTY IS RECEIVING. I WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON ON THIS THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO HAVE LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS THAT CAN ADMINISTRATE AND INFORM THE COMMUNITY ABOUT THE FUNDS THAT THEY ARE AVAILABLE. AND BECAUSE THE MERCED, THE LAST TIME THEY GAVE THEM TO THE CVOC, IT WAS VERY COMPLICATED AND VERY HARD FOR VERY SMALL COMMUNITIES BASED ORGANIZATIONS DIDN'T GET ANYTHING. AND A LOT OF THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS WERE NOT ABLE TO GET, NOT EVEN THROUGH THEIR LINE. SO WE NEED TO GIVE IT OUT TO MORE ORGANIZATIONS AND NOT JUST ONE THAT THEY CAN PASS OUT INFORMATION AND HELP OUT THE SMALL COMMUNITIES IN MERCED COUNTY. THANK YOU. MY NAME IS PATRICIA [INAUDIBLE] ANDERSON. I'M PRESIDENT OF THE LEAGUE OF UNITED LATIN AMERICAN CITIZENS. LULAC, THE COUNCIL IN MERCED COUNTY. I'M CALLING IN REFERENCE TO AGENDA ITEM TEN IN REFERENCE TO THE CARES AND CVOC CONTRACT AND THE ADDITIONAL MONEY THAT WILL BE DISTRIBUTED, THE EIGHT MILLION AND PLUS AN ADDITIONAL EIGHT MILLION. THIS IS A REFERENCE TO THE ISSUE OF EQUITY AND MAKING SURE THAT THE COMMUNITIES THAT ARE UNINCORPORATED ARE RECEIVING SOME OF THESE SERVICES. WE'VE HAD A CHALLENGE WITH THE FIRST FUNDING OF CARES IN 2020, AND THEN WHEN THEY DID THE SECOND ALLOCATION OF ONE POINT THREE MILLION APPROXIMATELY, STILL WE HAD THE SAME ISSUES AS SOME OF OUR UNINCORPORATED AREAS DID NOT RECEIVE ANY ASSISTANCE OR IT WAS NOT EASY TO WORK WITH THE FUNDING AGENCY. AND WE NEED TO WORK ON THAT. AND WE NEED TO HAVE A LEADERSHIP PERFORMANCE BASED MEASUREMENT DONE ON ANY ORGANIZATION THAT RECEIVES THE FUNDING TO SEE IF THEY QUALIFY, NOT EVEN QUALIFY BUT IF THEY ABLE TO DO AND IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF THE SERVICE. ULTIMATELY, THE FEDERAL FUNDING COMES FROM THE FED AS WELL AS FROM THE STATE. BUT THEN WE ALSO HAVE TO KEEP IN MIND, THE [INAUDIBLE] ULTIMATELY IS RESPONSIBLE ON HOW THIS FUNDING IS BEING USED AND IF THEY ARE TARGETING AND USING ACCURATE DOCUMENTATION FOR THE RESIDENTS TO RECEIVE IT. AND WE'RE SEEING THE SAME CHALLENGES BEING REPEATED, BUT THERE'S NO WAY OF PROVIDING OPPORTUNITIES FOR OTHER AGENCIES THAT CAN BE A PART OF THE UMBRELLA AGENCY THAT WORKS DIRECTLY IN THESE COMMUNITIES. ALL WE'RE ASKING IS FOR EQUITY ACCOUNTABILITY AND THAT THERE HAS TO BE A PERFORMANCE BASED MEASUREMENT OF HOW WELL ANY AGENCY HAS RECEIVED FUNDING FROM COUNTY THROUGH THE COUNTIES NAME IF THEY'RE MEETING IT, OR IF THERE ARE ISSUES THAT WE LOOK AT, OTHER WAYS OF FUNDING, OTHER AGENCIES THAT ACTUALLY DO PROVIDE THE SERVICES. YOU CAN STILL WORK TOGETHER. BUT THE CHALLENGE WE'VE HAD WITH CVOC HAS BEEN THE DELIVERY OF SERVICES INTO THE UNINCORPORATED AREAS AND ON MINORITY AND DIVERSE COMMUNITIES. IT'S NOT HAPPENING AND EVEN MYSELF HAVE GONE THROUGH THE PROCESS SO SEE WHAT IT TAKES. NEVER GOT A CALL BACK. SO AGAIN, WE WANT TO WORK WITH THE COUNTY. SO WE NEED TO MAKE SURE [INAUDIBLE] IT IS ACCOUNTABILITY FROM THE COUNTY, FROM THE PEOPLE ARE GOING TO BE RECEIVING THE FUNDING AND [INAUDIBLE] HAVE A RECORD OF NOT ONCE BUT TWICE, [INAUDIBLE] TO UNINCORPORATED AREAS. [01:00:02] AND ALSO THE ISSUE OF EQUITABLE TO ALL THE DIVERSE POPULATION IN THE COMMUNITY. ACCESSIBILITY AND ALSO REACHING OUT AND DOING AN OUTREACH PROGRAM TO BE AT THE LOCATIONS OF THE SPECIAL UNINCORPORATED AREAS THAT DON'T EVEN HAVE TRANSPORTATION TO GET TO [INAUDIBLE]. THAT ALSO MEANS THAT MERCED COUNTY IS ACCOUNTABLE FOR FEDERAL FUNDING AND RESPONSIBLE FROM THE STATE AND THE FEDS, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME. AGAIN, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE PROVIDE QUALITY SERVICE AND WE HOLD THE ORGANIZATION ACCOUNTABLE, MAKE SURE THAT IT DOES GET THEM CORRECTLY AND [INAUDIBLE] AS MANY PEOPLE AS THEY CAN. HAVE A GREAT DAY. THANK YOU. HI, MY NAME IS [INAUDIBLE]. AND I LIVE IN MERCED COUNTY. I LIKE TO MAKE A COMMENT ON AN AGENDA ITEM 10. EMERGENCY RENTAL ASSISTANCE. I WAS AN ESSENTIAL WORKER WHO STRUGGLED DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC. I EXPERIENCED BEING UNEMPLOYED WITH NO INCOME. AND THERE'S CAUSE I SHOULD [INAUDIBLE] ESSENTIAL FOR MY FAMILY AND I. WE ARE RESIDENTS IN THIS COUNTRY STRUGGLING AND ONLY WE NEED SUPPORT TO PROTECT THOSE WHO HAVE SUFFERED THE MOST. WE CAN GET THIS [INAUDIBLE]. THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO NEED SUPPORT FROM THIS FUND IN ORDER TO SURVIVE. ESSENTIAL WORKERS, PEOPLE WORKING IN THE FIELDS. AND FACTORIES ARE RISKING THEIR LIVES EVERY SINGLE DAY TO MAKE AN INCOME, AFFORD BASIC NEEDS IN ORDER TO SURVIVE WHILE GETTING OURS CUT AND PUTTING THEIR LOVED ONES AT RISK. YOUNG PEOPLE AND THEIR FAMILIES HAVE STRUGGLED AND MERCED COUNTY HAS NOT DONE ENOUGH. THIS FUND OF EIGHT MILLION DOLLARS IS NEEDED. RESIDENTS HAVE BECOME HOMELESS OR LOSING THEIR HOMES DURING THESE TIMES. THEY CAN'T AFFORD TO PAY RENT. WE NEED TO TAKE ACTION NOW. I HOPE YOU DO NOT APPROVE ITEM 10 ON THE AGENDA TODAY AND HOLD A PUBLIC HEARING TO CREATE A TRANSPARENT PROCESS FOR THESE FUNDS WILL BE DISTRIBUTED AND MADE AVAILABLE TO THOSE WHO NEED IT THE MOST. WE MUST ENSURE THAT EIGHT MILLION DOLLARS REACHES THE MOST COVID-19, IMPACTED RESIDENTS IN MERCED COUNTY SO THAT WE CAN SURVIVE THROUGH THIS PANDEMIC AND [INAUDIBLE]. WHILE WE [INAUDIBLE] AND UP LIFT WITH THOSE WHO ARE MOST IMPACTED AND VULNERABLE WE ALL WIN. THANK YOU. MY NAME IS [INAUDIBLE]. MY NAME IS GLORIA SANDOVAL, AND I WOULD LIKE TO REQUEST THAT YOU TABLE ITEM NUMBER 10. I DON'T BELIEVE THAT YOU HAVE RECEIVED A COMPLETE REPORT ON THE ORIGINAL CVOC CONTRACT WITH THE ONE MILLION DOLLARS. I REALLY THINK THAT WHAT THESE OTHER EIGHT MILLION DOLLARS YOU REALLY NEED TO SCOPE OUT WHERE THERE ARE OTHER NONPROFIT AGENCIES THAT MIGHT BE ABLE TO ASSIST THE PUBLIC. PLEASE TABLE ITEM NUMBER 10. THANK YOU. HI, MY NAME IS [INAUDIBLE], AND I WOULD LIKE AN AGENDA ITEM 10, THE EMERGENCY RENT ASSISTANCE. PLEASE DON'T APPROVE ITEM 10 ON THE AGENDA AND HOLD THE PUBLIC [INAUDIBLE] TO CREATE A TRANSPARENT PROCESS FOR DISTRIBUTING THESE FUNDS. WE MUST ENSURE THAT THE 8 MILLION DOLLARS, WHICH IS THE MOST COVID-19, IMPACTED RESIDENTS IN MERCED COUNTY. THANK YOU SO MUCH AND HAVE A GREAT DAY. MORNING MERCED COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS. MY NAME IS [INAUDIBLE] FROM [INAUDIBLE] I HAVE A GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT THIS MORNING. ACCORDING TO A RECENT MERCED COUNTY [INAUDIBLE] REPORT PRIORITY AREA NUMBER THREE, QUALITY EARLY EDUCATION, EARLY EDUCATION LEARNING A PERCENT OF INCOME ELIGIBLE CHILDREN AGES ZERO TO FIVE WITH AN AVAILABLE SPOT IN AN EARLY CARE AND EDUCATION [01:05:04] PROGRAM HAS BEEN DECLINING FROM 2016 TO 2019. THE NUMBERS OF CHILDREN PARTICIPATING IN AN EARLY LEARNING PROGRAM DRAMATICALLY DECREASED FROM 20 PERCENT TO THIRTEEN POINT FIVE PERCENT IN THOSE YEARS. THESE NUMBERS REPRESENT A PRE COVID DECLINE. IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT WE DESEGREGATE THIS INFORMATION IN ORDER TO PROVIDE BETTER OUTREACH AND DISSEMINATION OF INFORMATION OF IMPORTANT INFORMATION TO FAMILIES. AT PROJECT [INAUDIBLE] WE UNDERSTAND THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THIS DRAMATIC DECLINE. IN ADDITION TO LACK OF QUALITY EARLY LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES, ONE IN THREE CHILDREN LIVE IN POVERTY. WE KNOW THAT A LACK OF QUALITY EDUCATION OPPORTUNITIES AND A LACK OF HEALTHY DIET CAN LEAD TO LEARNING DELAYS AND HEALTH ISSUES, WHICH EVENTUALLY LEAD TO A DECREASED QUALITY OF LIFE IN THE ADULT YEARS, [INAUDIBLE] AND GROWING SMART AND STRONG CAMPAIGN IS SEEKING TO ADDRESS THESE NEEDS. AND WE NEED YOUR HELP TO ENSURE THAT ALL CHILDREN HAVE ACCESS TO HEALTHY FOOD AND QUALITY EARLY LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES. THANK YOU. GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS JENNIFER [INAUDIBLE], AND TODAY I'M MAKING A PUBLIC COMMENT ON BEHALF OF [INAUDIBLE] CENTER. THE [INAUDIBLE] CENTER IS A GRASSROOTS AND COMMUNITY DRIVEN ORGANIZATION WORKING ON SYSTEMS CHANGE, CHANGING RULES WITHIN INSTITUTIONS TO BUILD TRUST WITH THE HMONG COMMUNITY. WE ARE FOCUSED ON PROJECTS THAT WILL MOVE THE HMONG FORWARD. TODAY, I'M HERE TO URGE YOU, THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, TO BE RESPONSIBLE AND ASK THAT THOSE WHO RECEIVE CARES FUNDING TO BE ACCOUNTABLE AND TRANSPARENT, COMMUNITY IMPACT REPORTS TO SHOW DATA BY ETHNICITY TO ENSURE RESOURCES ARE BEING DISTRIBUTED EQUITABLY, LIKE THE HOUSING ASSISTANCE INITIATIVE. THERE HAVE BEEN NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS THAT THE HMONG AND SOUTHEAST ASIAN COMMUNITY ARE NOT BEING HEARD OR CANNOT MAKE APPOINTMENTS. WE NEED THIS DATA TO BE IN REAL TIME, NOT AFTER THE FACT. ALSO, WE NEED THE MERCED COUNTY PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENT TO DISPLAY ETHNICITY DATA ON THEIR ONLINE DASHBOARD FOR NEW CASES AND DEATH RATES FOR COVID. CURRENTLY IN THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA, SIX POINT SEVEN PERCENT OF POSITIVE CASES ARE ASIAN AND ELEVEN POINT FIVE PERCENT OF DEATHS ARE ASIAN. [INAUDIBLE] ASIANS ARE ALMOST TWO TIMES MORE LIKELY [INAUDIBLE] TO DIE OF COVID. WE NEED MERCED'S DATA TO BE BROKEN OUT TO REPRESENT THE ETHNIC GROUPS IN MERCED TO DO OUR OUTREACH [INAUDIBLE]. THE PUBLIC DESERVES TO HAVE THAT TRANSPARENCY. IN ADDITION, THE VACCINATION ROLLOUT HAS BEEN A DISAPPOINTMENT TO THE SOUTHEAST ASIAN COMMUNITY. WE KNOW FOR SURE IT IS NOT BEING EQUITABLY DISTRIBUTED. THERE HAS BEEN NO DATA COLLECTED BY RACE OR ETHNICITY EITHER. THE FIRST COME FIRST SERVE METHOD THAT SHOWS THAT THIS COUNTY IS PRACTICING RACIAL BIAS BY EXCLUDING VULNERABLE COMMUNITIES OF COLOR WHO MAY NOT HAVE THE RESOURCES OR ABILITY TO REGISTER. AS OF RIGHT NOW [INAUDIBLE] SELF REPORTS. WE ONLY KNOW OF 150 CONFIRMED HMONG SENIORS WHO HAVE RECEIVED THE VACCINE AND [INAUDIBLE] . WE URGE THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS TO CREATE A SOUTHEAST ASIAN FOCUS VACCINATION SITE. DURING THIS PANDEMIC WE KNOW A HANDFUL OF HMONG ELDERS WHO HAVE PASSED AWAY DUE TO COVID. THEY ARE OUR GATEWAY TO HMONG CULTURE AND TRADITION. THERE ARE NOT MANY OF US. THEREFORE, ONE HMONG ELDER DEATH REPRESENTS A THOUSAND DEATHS TO OUR COMMUNITY. WE DESPERATELY NEED YOUR HELP. HERE IS A LIST OF [INAUDIBLE] COMMUNITY. NUMBER ONE, FOOD BOXES TAILORED TO THE SOUTHEAST ASIAN COMMUNITY. NUMBER TWO ADDITIONAL FUNDS AND BUDGET TOWARDS THE SOUTHEAST ASIAN COMMUNITY OUTREACH. WE CANNOT BE VOLUNTEERING WHEN OUR COMMUNITY IS DYING. NUMBER THREE, PHONE TREE SYSTEM FOR OUR COMMUNITY TO COMMUNICATE ABOUT COVID RELATED RESOURCES. AND ANNOUNCEMENTS. NUMBER FOUR, ONE ON ONE SUPPORT SERVICES FOR COVID 24/7, FULL TIME HMONG STAFF THAT ROTATE TO PROVIDE THIS SERVICE. NUMBER FIVE, DOCUMENT AND HONOR THE NUMBER OF SOUTHEAST ASIA COMMUNITY MEMBERS THAT HAVE DIED FROM COVID. AND NUMBER 6. NEED HOUSING SERVICES TO SUPPORT SOUTHEAST ASIAN FAMILIES LIVING IN MULTIGENERATIONAL HOUSEHOLDS TO QUARANTINE. NUMBER SEVEN, WE NEED A COVID-19 VACCINE SUPPORT AND OUTREACH ARE SPECIFICALLY TAILORED TO THE SOUTHEAST ASIAN COMMUNITY. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. GOOD MORNING, MY NAME IS [INAUDIBLE], AND I'M GONNA DELHI [INAUDIBLE] COUNTY. MY COMMENT IS AN ITEM ON THE AGENDA NUMBER 10 OR 11 REGARDING THE FUNDS FROM THE CARES ACT. I WE WERE OUR GROUP BELIEVES THAT WE NEED FOR A LOT OF THE ORGANIZATIONS DO RECEIVE [01:10:09] THESE FUNDS, NOT JUST ONE ORGANIZATION. LAST TIME THERE WERE SOME FUNDS THAT THE STATE GAVE AND THEY ONLY GAVE IT TO THE CVOC AND IT WAS SUPER HARD TO GET THROUGH AND IT WAS SUPER HARD TO EVEN APPLY IF YOU'VE GOT THROUGH WITH SO MANY QUESTIONNAIRES. AND IT WAS JUST SUPER HARD FOR THEM. AND WE WANT FOR OTHER ORGANIZATIONS BASED ORGANIZATIONS THAT FROM MERCED COUNTY THAT ARE SMALLER AND THAT ARE ABLE TO HELP OUT TO GET THESE FUNDS OUT TO THE SMALLER COMMUNITIES. AND IT'S FASTER AND EASIER FOR THEM TOO. THANKS. THAT CONCLUDES PUBLIC COMMENT. WITH THAT. WITH THAT, WE'LL GO AHEAD AND GO TO BREAK, WE'LL RETURN AT 11:25. OK, WE'LL CONTINUE THE MEETING. NEXT IS A PRESENTATION, THE COVID-19 UPDATE. [COVID-19 UPDATE] AND HERE COMES BECKY. BECKY, IT'S ALMOST LIKE THE SUPERHEROES WHERE THEY ARE COMING IN SLOW MOTION. THANK YOU. GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS REBECCA NANYONJO-KEMP, I'M THE PUBLIC HEALTH DIRECTOR FOR MERCED COUNTY. AND JUST FOR THE AUDIENCE, IF YOU'D LIKE A COPY, THERE'S COPIES OUTSIDE OF THE PRESENTATION. I HAVE RETURNED AFTER A WEEK OF BEING HERE LAST WEEK TO PROVIDE AN ADDITIONAL UPDATE ON TOP ATOP THE INFORMATION THAT YOU WERE PROVIDED WITH LAST WEEK THROUGHOUT THIS PRESENTATION. I'M SORRY, I WILL BE GIVING THE FIRST SEVERAL SLIDES AND THEN I'LL BE TURNING IT OVER TO OUR ASSISTANT COUNTY EXECUTIVE OFFICER, MR. DAVID MIRRIONE. HE'S GOING TO TAKE THE LAST COUPLE OF SLIDES AND GIVE AN UPDATE ON WHERE WE STAND WITH OUR POINTS OF DISPENSING SITE, AS WELL AS PARTNERSHIPS THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY. SO WITHOUT FURTHER DELAY, I'LL GET STARTED. SO THIS IS OUR CURRENT MERCED COUNTY CASE COUNT. LAST TIME I WAS HERE, THE LAPSE IN TIME FROM THE PREVIOUS CASE COUNT TO WHERE WE WERE WAS A LITTLE OVER A MONTH, THREE WEEK INTERVAL. AND FROM JANUARY 25TH TO FEBRUARY 8TH, WHICH WAS YESTERDAY, THE NUMBER OF LABORATORY CONFIRMED CASES HAS STILL GONE UP FROM TWENTY FIVE, A LITTLE UNDER TWENTY FIVE THOUSAND SIX HUNDRED TO A LITTLE UNDER TWENTY SEVEN THOUSAND FIVE HUNDRED, WHICH REPRESENTS A SEVEN PERCENT CHANGE. THE NUMBER OF PROBABLE ACTIVE CASES IS EIGHTEEN HUNDRED AND FORTY NINE, WHICH ALMOST IS A HALFWAY DROP. IT'S DOWN BY FORTY THREE PERCENT AND THE NUMBER OF DEATHS HAVE CONTINUED TO CLIMB. THREE THIRTY ONE TO THREE SIXTY SEVEN. SO FROM THE LAST TIME I PRESENTED THERE HAS BEEN AN 11 PERCENT INCREASE. WITH RESPECT TO DEATH COUNT THE ONE LARGE CONCERN IS WHERE THE DEATHS ARE OCCURRING. WE ANTICIPATE AND I'LL GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE TO ILLUSTRATE THAT THE NUMBER OF MALES AND FEMALES HAVE REMAINED RELATIVELY STEADY. THE NUMBER THAT'S CONCERNING US, MORE SO THAN NOT, IS THE NUMBER OF INDIVIDUALS OOPSY. OK, THAT LAST ONE, THAT LAST ROW, AGE SIXTY FOUR AND UNDER JUST IN THE PAST WEEK, MAYBE FIVE OR SIX DAYS, WE'RE STARTING TO SEE A LOT OF INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE WITHIN THEIR THIRTIES, 30S TO EARLY 40S WHO ARE EXPERIENCING SUDDEN DEATH, WHICH IS A LARGE CONCERN FOR US HERE. SO THE TOTAL DEATHS WE'VE GONE FROM THREE HUNDRED AND THIRTY ONE DEATHS TO AROUND THREE HUNDRED SIXTY SEVEN DEATHS, REPRESENTING AN 11 PERCENT INCREASE. THERE HAVE BEEN SEVERAL QUESTIONS REGARDING OUR VACCINATION ALLOCATION. AND I THINK THERE'S BEEN A LARGE PUSH AND A LOT OF LOCAL HEALTH JURISDICTIONS OUTSIDE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA TO NOT SIT OR HOLD ON TO THE VACCINES. I THINK THERE IS SOME CONFLICT AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL BECAUSE WHILE THE CDC MAKES RECOMMENDATIONS, WHICH DR. SANDOVAL EXPLAINED TO ME VERY WELL, SOME OF THIS IS A MEDICAL OPINION, NOT MEDICAL EXPECTATION, ABOUT WAITING THE SIX WEEKS TO GET THE SECOND DOSE. HOWEVER, DR. FAUCI, THE HEAD OF THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF ALLERGY AND INFECTIOUS DISEASES, ACTUALLY DOES NOT RECOMMEND THAT AND SAYS WE SHOULD BE CONCENTRATING ON PROVIDING THE SECOND DOSE AND NOT JUST GIVING OUT RANDOM FIRST DOSES. [01:15:03] AND SO WE SPEAK QUITE A BIT AT THIS PODIUM ABOUT THE AMOUNT OF MISINFORMATION, DISINFORMATION, CONFUSING INFORMATION FROM THE CONSUMER SIDE IT'S HARD TO HEAR CDC RECOMMENDATIONS THAT ARE KIND OF OPINION BASED BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH VACCINES TO GO AROUND TO GET EVERYONE THERE FOR VACCINATION SERIES. BUT FROM THE ACTUAL MEDICAL AND SCIENTIFIC EXPERTS WHO OVERSEE THESE, THEIR RECOMMENDATIONS IS AGAINST IT. WE HERE IN MERCED COUNTY, AGAIN, SPEAKING TO WHAT WAS STATED LAST WEEK, STARTED TO RECEIVE OUR FIRST ALLOCATION FROM THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA, DECEMBER 17TH, FROM DECEMBER 17TH TO PRESENT DAY TOTAL ALLOCATION OR TOTAL NUMBER OF VACCINES WE'VE RECEIVED ARE THIRTEEN THOUSAND FOUR HUNDRED AND FIFTY. THE NUMBER OF VACCINES THAT WE HAVE AVAILABLE AVAILABLE IS ZERO AND THE DISTRIBUTION, WHERE HAS THE VACCINE GONE, WHICH IS OFTEN A QUESTION THEY HAVE BEEN PROVIDED TO HOSPITAL SYSTEM. OUR EMS SYSTEM, THE OVERWHELMING MAJORITY HAVE GONE OUT THROUGH OUR HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS, THROUGH OUR COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTERS AND PEOPLE WHO REALLY WANTED TO DO THE HEAVY LIFTING AS FAR AS GOING OUT IN THE COMMUNITY AND MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE IDENTIFYING AS MANY OF OUR 1A WHICH IS A PHASE THAT WE'RE IN AS A STATE, TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'VE RECEIVED THEIR VACCINATION OR THEIR VACCINES. WE ALSO STOOD UP COUNTY CLINICS. THOSE WERE HELD AT THE FAIRGROUNDS, LOS BANOS AND MERCED. AND THROUGH THAT, THERE HAVE BEEN TWO THOUSAND FOUR HUNDRED AND TWENTY VACCINES DISPENSED, THE NUMBER OF SECOND DOSES THAT HAVE BEEN HELD BACK BECAUSE WE HAVE A LOT OF INDIVIDUALS WHO RECEIVED THE FIRST VACCINE, RETURNING FOR THEIR SECOND VACCINE THIS WEEK AND THE SUBSEQUENT WEEKS IS A LITTLE BIT UNDER SEVENTEEN HUNDRED. AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT WHEN WE WERE INITIALLY DOING THE FIRST ROUNDS OF VACCINES, WE WERE FOCUSING ON THE HIGHER AGE COMMUNITY, PEOPLE WHO WERE SEVENTY FIVE AND ABOVE. THEN IT WAS LOWERED TO SIXTY FIVE AND ABOVE. SO WE ARE LOOKING AT OUR VULNERABLE POPULATION ON THE OTHER SIDE. THE SPECTRUM OF LIFE, AND SO WE ARE VERY SENSITIVE TO MAKING SURE IT'S HARD ENOUGH WALKING IN WHEN THERE'S SO MUCH NOT CORRECT INFORMATION AND THEN HAVING PEOPLE RETURN, WE'RE SENSITIVE TO THAT. SO A LOT OF OUR CAMPAIGNING HAS BEEN AROUND THAT. AND I'LL DO THIS SLIDE AND THEREAFTER I WILL TURN IT OVER TO MR. MIRRIONE. SO AS FAR AS OUR POINT OF DISPENSING, UPDATE OUR FULL VACCINATION SERIES AGAIN FOR THE VACCINES, THE MANUFACTURING MANUFACTURERS THAT HAVE VACCINES AVAILABLE ALL REQUIRE TWO DOSES TO BE CONSIDERED A FULL VACCINATION. THE SECOND DOSES WILL BE PERFORMED BY HR SUPPORT. INITIALLY, WHEN THESE POINT OF DISPENSING SITES THAT WERE COUNTY LED EFFORTS WERE SUPPORTED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH HR SUPPORT IS A VENDOR WHO HAS CONTRACTED SERVICES OUT IN MANY OF OUR SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY, AS WELL AS BAY AREA SISTER COUNTIES THAT ARE GOING TO TAKE OVER AND PERFORM ALL OF THE ASSISTANCE. IT IS SOMETHING THAT'S BEEN MADE AVAILABLE ALONG WITH A HOST OF OTHER VENDORS WHO ARE PROVIDING ON SITE ASSISTANCE. SO FROM SCREENING TO VACCINATIONS TO MAKING SURE THAT THE EVALUATION IS DONE TO ENTERING INFORMATION AND TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT DATA IS CAPTURED AT THE STATE LEVEL AND ALSO CALLING INDIVIDUALS BACK TO RETURN FOR THEIR SECOND DOSE. SO HR SUPPORT IS GOING TO BE CONDUCTING SEVEN CLINICS TO FULLY VACCINATE RESIDENTS WHO RECEIVED THEIR FIRST DOSE, WHICH I SPOKE ABOUT A COUPLE OF SLIDES BACK AT A COUNTY OPERATED POD OR POINT OF DISPENSING SITE. THE PODS, AGAIN, TYPICAL TO WHERE THEY WERE BEFORE, WILL BE HELD OUT OF THE MERCED COUNTY AND LOS BANOS FAIRGROUNDS. AND FOR THE REMAINING VACCINATION THAT WE RECEIVE THROUGH OUR ALLOCATION IN THE PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENT, WE WILL CONTINUE GOING THROUGH OUR LOCAL PROVIDER NETWORK TO PUSH THOSE OUT TO GET AS MUCH OF THE COUNTY OVERALL VACCINATED AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE. AND IF THERE ARE NO QUESTIONS, I WILL TURN IT OVER TO MR. MIRRIONE, WHO WILL COVER THE LAST TWO OR THREE. THANK YOU. I DO ACTUALLY. I DO HAVE A QUESTION. I DON'T SEE ANYBODY ELSE UP HERE. I KNOW FROM THE VERY BEGINNING WHEN WE WERE RECORDING THESE AND I THINK IT CAME UP IN THE CALLS ABOUT THE ETHNICITY AND THE DEMOGRAPHICS OF THE REPORTING. AND FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND, WHEN I FIRST ASKED FROM THAT FROM THE BEGINNING OF ALL THIS, IS THAT OUR PROVIDERS WEREN'T CHECKING THE PROPER BOXES. AND SO A LOT OF THIS IS AN ESTIMATE, ESTIMATED RECORDING. IS THAT AM I WRONG IN SAYING THAT. INITIALLY WHEN INFORMATION AND WE DO HAVE OUR CHIEF EPIDEMIOLOGIST HERE AS WELL WHO CAN SPEAK TO IT A LITTLE BIT MORE, WHEN WE WERE DOING THE SURVEILLANCE PORTION OF IT, WE WERE NOT MAKING ANY ESTIMATES OR GUESSTIMATES, ESPECIALLY BECAUSE WE HAVE A VERY MIXED COMMUNITY HERE. SO WE WERE VERIFYING THE RACE, ETHNICITY. TO THE FAIRNESS OF THE PROVIDERS FOR CONFIDENTIAL MORBIDITY REPORTS AND REPORTING ANY COMMUNICABLE DISEASE TYPICALLY, I MEAN, YOU NEVER GET RACE, ETHNICITY, EVER. YOU KNOW, YOU GET THERE MALE, FEMALE, WHETHER THEY'RE PREGNANT, HOW OLD THEY ARE, THE THE SIMPLEST OF DEMOGRAPHICS. SO THIS WOULD BE A CHANGE IN HOW COMMUNICABLE DISEASES WOULD TYPICALLY BE REPORTED. BUT I'LL TURN IT OVER TO DR. KRISTYNN SULLIVAN, WHO MAY BE ABLE TO GIVE FURTHER [01:20:04] INFORMATION ON THAT. RIGHT. I APPRECIATE THAT, BECAUSE I KNOW THAT WE WERE TALKING ABOUT THIS. THE BOARD WAS ACTUALLY ASKING THOSE QUESTIONS RIGHT FROM THE BEGINNING. YES. AND ACTUALLY FOR VACCINE, THERE'S BEEN A PUSH FROM THE VERY BEGINNING TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT DATA IS ENTERED. IT'S A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT SYSTEM, BUT WE ARE GETTING MUCH BETTER LEVELS OF REPORTING, OF RACE, ETHNICITY, DATA IN OUR VACCINE ADMINISTRATION. SO ONLY ABOUT TWENTY FIVE PERCENT OF THAT DATA IS MISSING AS OPPOSED TO FOR OUR CASE DATA THAT IS BASED ON SELF REPORT WHEN WE CALL PEOPLE TO DO THE CASE INVESTIGATION. AND SO WE'RE GETTING MUCH BETTER REPORTING RATES FOR VACCINATION THAN FOR CASE DATA. BUT IT IS DIFFERENT, COMPLETELY DIFFERENT SYSTEMS. THANK YOU. I JUST WANTED THE PUBLIC TO KNOW THAT BECAUSE IT SOUNDS LIKE THERE IS A MISUNDERSTANDING. THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES SUPERVISOR ESPINOZA. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. WE HAD A COMMENT FOR BECKY. BECKY, I KNOW THIS WEEK WE WERE YOU KNOW, AS A MATTER OF FACT, SINCE YESTERDAY, THEY'VE BEEN VACCINATED THE MERCED COLLEGE. AND ALSO THE HOSPITAL HAS JUST SHOWED THAT THEY'VE BEEN GETTING A LOT OF VACCINES. BUT I'VE HEARD THAT THE HOSPITAL ALWAYS HAS, DOESN'T REALLY GIVE OUT TOO MANY VACCINES. BUT, YOU KNOW, IF WE GET THOSE VACCINES IN AND AND I DON'T KNOW HOW IT GOES, BUT THEY SHOULD [INAUDIBLE] VACCINES ALL AROUND THE COUNTY WITH ALL OF [INAUDIBLE] OVER THE FEDERALLY QUALIFIED HEALTH CLINICS, I THINK THE CLINICS CAN PROBABLY OPEN IT UP TO THE PUBLIC, BUT ALSO THE CLINICS. I THINK RIGHT NOW, BECAUSE OF THE SHORTAGE OF VACCINES, THEY WERE ONLY GIVEN OUT TO THEIR CLIENTS. BUT I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, AS SOON AS WE GET MORE FROM THE STATE AND HOPEFULLY I HEAR THAT WE'RE GOING TO GET A LOT MORE THAT WE CAN OPEN IT UP BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, ALL THE MANY DIFFERENT CLINICS, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE SETTLED IN DIFFERENT COMMUNITIES IN OUR COUNTY. AND I THINK THERE ARE PROBABLY MORE EASILY AND RECOGNIZED THAT, YOU KNOW, LOCALLY AND ANYWHERE IN ANY TOWN IN MERCED COUNTY, THEY CAN GET ACCESS TO VACCINES. AND I KNOW THAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS USING THE BLUE SHIELD TO DISPERSE IT DIFFERENTLY, BUT THE ONES WE OBTAIN, IF WE CAN DISPERSE EQUALLY ACROSS ACROSS OUR COUNTY THAT WOULD BE A LOT BETTER BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WE CRITICIZE THE STATE FOR NOT SENDING ENOUGH TO OUR COUNTY. AND THEN IF WE DO THE SAME THING AND DISPERSE IT TO ONE AREA OF THE COUNTY, THEN THE WHOLE COMMUNITY IS GOING TO SAY, YOU KNOW WHAT, WE DESERVE EQUITY, TOO, IN OUR COMMUNITY, IN OUR COUNTY. SO WE SHOULDN'T BE CRITICIZING THE COUNTY IF WE YOU KNOW, IF THIS COUNTY YOU KNOW, I'M NOT SAYING WE ARE, BUT IF WE DO THAT, THEN YOU KNOW WHY IS OUR EQUITY THE SAME RIGHT? SO THAT'S JUST MY COMMENT. THANK YOU. AND I AGREE. WE AGREE THAT THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE'VE HEARD A LOT ABOUT IN TERMS OF CONCERNS FROM RESIDENTS AS WELL AS PROVIDERS. AND I DO UNDERSTAND WHERE THIS IS STEMMING FROM. AND WE CAN DEFINITELY SPEAK FURTHER TO THAT AS MUCH AS YOU WISH. BUT I DO AGREE THAT WE HAVE TO BE CONSISTENT WITH WHAT WE SAY. IF WE SAY IT'S EQUITY, IT NEEDS TO BE EQUITABLY BASED AND WE ALL NEED TO DEFINE WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE. AND AND WE'RE INCHING TOWARDS THAT. I THINK WE CAN MOVE A LITTLE QUICKER. AND, YOU KNOW, THANK YOU FOR MERCED COLLEGE AND ALL THE ORGANIZATIONS THEY'RE SUPPORTING. BUT I THINK THAT I'M SPEAKING FOR EVERYBODY IN MERCED COUNTY THAT WANTS THE SAME EQUITY EVERYWHERE. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. SUPERVISOR. OK. OK. ALL RIGHT, MR. MIRRIONE. THANK YOU, KRISTYNN, FOR COMING UP WITH THAT. SORRY, THAT'S PART OF YOUR THREE MINUTES. GOOD MORNING, DAVID MIRRIONE, ASSISTANT CEO, AND THANK YOU, DR. NANYONJO-KEMP FOR PASSING IT OVER TO ME. I WOULD LIKE TO NOW TAKE YOU THROUGH THE SECOND PART OF OUR POINTS OF DISPENSING UPDATE. WE ARE HAPPY TO TO TO POINT OUT IT'S BEEN ANNOUNCED. IT WAS IT WAS IN THE PRESS EARLIER TOWARDS THE END OF LAST WEEK, BUT A PARTNERSHIP DEVELOPED TO SUPPLEMENT THE STATE'S VACCINE ALLOCATION AND TO EXPAND THE VACCINE DISTRIBUTION. SO LATER TODAY WILL BE THE FIRST OF THE ANNOUNCED CLINICS AT THE MERCED COLLEGE MAIN GYMNASIUM. THIS WAS MADE POSSIBLE THROUGH A PARTNERSHIP WITH DIGNITY HEALTH, MERCY MEDICAL, MERCY MEDICAL HERE LOCALLY, AS WELL AS THE UC HEALTH SYSTEM IN PARTNERSHIP WITH UC MERCED AND THEN, OF COURSE, WITH MERCED COLLEGE. SO OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS, WE HAVE FIVE CLINICS THAT ARE SCHEDULED FROM THE 9TH THROUGH THE 17TH. WE HAVE DONE RESERVATIONS FOR THIS WEEK AND SO WE'RE REALLY EXCITED. THAT IS. IN ADDITION, THOSE VACCINES ARE IN ADDITION TO THE STATE ALLOCATION. SO THIS WAS A WAY TO BRING IN ADDITIONAL VACCINES AND TO GET THOSE OUT INTO THE COMMUNITY. SO LOOKING FORWARD TO THE ONGOING THEME OF ONGOING, ONGOING UNCERTAINTY. [01:25:02] YOU MAY HAVE HEARD OF MY TURN, WHICH IS THE STATE SCHEDULING SYSTEM. THEY'RE CURRENTLY PILOTING THAT IN LOS ANGELES AND SAN DIEGO COUNTIES, LOOKING AT A POSSIBLE ROLLOUT TOWARDS THE END OF THE MONTH OR EARLY MARCH. BUT IT IS IN PILOT STAGE. SO I DON'T WANT TO COMMIT TO AN ACTUAL DATE. THEY HAVE THEY HAVE NOT DONE THAT YET. BUT WHAT THAT WOULD DO IS THAT WOULD BE A STATEWIDE REGISTRATION AS LONG AS AS WELL AS A TIERING SYSTEM. SO YOU WOULD GO IN SIMILAR TO THE SYSTEM THAT WE HAVE SET UP AND REGISTER YOURSELF WITH WHAT TIER YOU WERE IN AND THEN THAT WOULD BE HOW YOU WOULD SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT. SO WE WILL PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION ON THAT AS IT BECOMES AVAILABLE. SUPERVISOR ESPINOZA MENTIONED BLUE SHIELD. THAT IS THE THIRD PARTY ADMINISTRATOR AT OUR AT OUR LAST MEETING, WE HAD TALKED ABOUT THE THIRD PARTY ADMINISTRATOR TAKING OVER AT A STATE LEVEL. AT THAT TIME, WE DID NOT HAVE THE NAMES OF THOSE ORGANIZATIONS. SO IT'S BEEN ANNOUNCED THAT THAT WILL BE BLUE SHIELD AND KAISER PERMANENTE. SO LOCALLY, THAT WOULD BE BLUE SHIELD WORKING WITH THE OVERALL DISTRIBUTION OF THE ALLOCATION THROUGH THE PROVIDER NETWORKS, THROUGH THE PARTNERS TO GET THOSE VACCINES OUT. AND THOSE WOULD BE SCHEDULED USING THAT MYTURN SYSTEM. ADDITIONALLY, WE HAD HEARD NOT LONG AGO ABOUT THE THE CHANGES UPCOMING TO THE TO THE VACCINATION TIER SYSTEM. SO RIGHT NOW WE'RE GOING THROUGH PHASE ONE A WITH PHASE ONE B, THE FOR SIXTY FIVE AND UP. AND AS THEY PROGRESS THROUGH, THEN YOU WOULD GET TO THE ADDITIONAL EDUCATORS CHILD CARE, FOOD AND AG. AND WHEN I SAY FOOD AND AG THAT DOES INCLUDE RESTAURANT WORKERS. AND SO WE WILL OBVIOUSLY BE KEEPING A CLOSE EYE ON THAT AS THAT PROGRESSES. THEY HAVE STATED AT THE STATE LEVEL THAT ONCE THEY GET THROUGH THOSE PHASES AND THEY WOULD PROGRESS TO AN AGE BASED SYSTEM, BUT HAVE NOT RELEASED THE ACTUAL AGE GROUPS YET OF WHAT THAT GROUPING WOULD LOOK LIKE BELOW SIXTY FIVE AND THEN SCHOOLS REOPENING. SO WE DID WANT TO, YOU KNOW, MAKE YOU AWARE THAT IT IS A DISTRICT BASED DECISION TO REOPEN SCHOOLS IN ACCORDANCE WITH STATE GUIDANCE. PUBLIC HEALTH POSITION REMAINS THE SAME, THAT SCHOOLS REOPEN FOR IN-PERSON AS SOON AS IT IS SAFE TO DO SO. AND YOU KNOW, ALL DISTRICTS ARE DIFFERENT, DIFFERENT SIZES, DIFFERENT AMOUNTS OF CAMPUSES. SO THOSE SAFETY PLANS WOULD VARY BY THOSE BY THOSE FACTORS, AS WELL AS A DIFFERENT GRADE LEVELS WITHIN THOSE SCHOOLS. AND AS ALWAYS, FOR MORE INFORMATION, WE ENCOURAGE THE COMMUNITY TO REGISTER ON VACCINATEMERCEDCOUNTY.COM. YOU'RE ABLE TO DETERMINE WHAT TIER YOU'RE IN BASED ON THE CURRENT TIERING SYSTEM AND TO RECEIVE ALERTS WHEN WE ARE RELEASING REGISTRATIONS FOR EVENTS SUCH AS THE ONE AT MERCED COLLEGE AND WE HAVE THE SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS FOR THE PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENT AS WELL AS OUR LINK TO OUR DASHBOARD. AND THEN THE GENERAL PUBLIC HEALTH INFORMATION LINE IS AREA CODE 209 381-1200. AND WITH THAT, I'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS. CHAIR RECOGNIZES SUPERVISOR PEDROZO. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION. I WANT TO FIRST BEFORE I ASK MY QUESTIONS, I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR THE INFORMATION. AND AS A FORMER TEACHER, I'VE HAD MULTIPLE CONVERSATIONS WITH THE SUPERINTENDENTS AND DIFFERENT PRINCIPALS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY WHO HAVE SAID NOTHING BUT POSITIVE STUFF ABOUT THE PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENT AND THE INFORMATION THAT IS GETTING OUT TO THEM. SO I APPRECIATE THAT VERY MUCH. SPECIFICALLY, THEY MENTIONED DR. SULLIVAN. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE THAT VERY MUCH. THE QUESTION I DO HAVE, THOUGH, IS WHEN IT SAYS YOU WENT TO REMAINS THE SAME SCHOOLS REOPEN FOR IN-PERSON AS SOON AS IT'S SAFE TO DO SO. SAFETY PLANS VARY BY DISTRICT SIZE OF SCHOOL GRADE LEVELS. CAN YOU EXPLAIN THAT A LITTLE BIT MORE? IF I COULD ASK DR. SULLIVAN TO TO STEP DOWN AND TO PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION. SHE'S THE KEY POINT OF CONTACT ON THAT. OK. DR. SULLIVAN, YOU MIGHT AS WELL JUST TAKE A SEAT IN THE FRONT ROW. OR GET YOUR STEPS IN. RIGHT? SURE. SO THANK YOU FOR THOSE KIND WORDS. I REALLY VALUE THE PARTNERSHIP THAT WE HAVE WITH EDUCATORS, AND I THINK IT IS A REALLY STRONG ONE. SO I APPRECIATE THAT. SO THE REASON THAT THIS REALLY IS A SCHOOL BY SCHOOL DECISION AND WE'VE SUPPORTED [01:30:04] THE SCHOOLS AND THE DECISIONS THAT THEY FEEL COMFORTABLE MAKING IS THAT EACH SCHOOL IS DIFFERENT. SO WE HAVE SOME VERY RURAL DISTRICTS THAT HAVE SMALL NUMBERS OF ONLY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL CHILDREN. THEY FEEL VERY CONFIDENT IN THEIR ABILITY TO SAFELY IMPLEMENT THEIR SAFETY PLANS. RIGHT NOW, SOME OF THOSE SCHOOLS ARE OPEN AS WE SPEAK. SOME OF OUR OTHER DISTRICTS ARE LARGER, PARTICULARLY WHEN WE START GETTING TO THE HIGH SCHOOLS. IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO COHORT A HIGH SCHOOL. SO THEY HAVE TO DO OTHER TYPES OF MITIGATION PLANS THAT INVOLVE A HYBRID MODEL. AND IT'S A MUCH MORE COMPLICATED PUZZLE TO PUT TOGETHER, PARTICULARLY IN A LARGE SCHOOL. WHAT THEY WERE FINDING IS THAT THE BEGINNING OF THE HOLIDAY SURGE, WHILE THERE WAS SOME TRANSMISSION HAPPENING ON SCHOOL CAMPUSES, WHAT WAS AN EVEN BIGGER BURDEN AND HURDLE TO OVERCOME WAS THE FACT THAT BECAUSE OF THE INCREASED COMMUNITY TRANSMISSION THERE WAS AND THE QUARANTINE THAT WAS ASSOCIATED WITH THAT, THEY DIDN'T HAVE STAFF TO ACTUALLY RUN THE SCHOOLS. AND SO WE'RE WORKING WITH EACH DISTRICT TO BE ABLE TO ASCERTAIN WHEN WE GET TO A POINT AND WHEN THEY FEEL THEY GET TO A POINT WHERE THEY FEEL COMFORTABLE THAT THEY CAN EFFECTIVELY AND SAFELY RUN THE SCHOOLS. AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE ENCOURAGING PEOPLE TO DO. AND I APPRECIATE THAT, BECAUSE ONE OF THE THINGS AND ONE OF MY CONVERSATIONS WITH THE SUPERINTENDENT FOR THE HIGH SCHOOL DISTRICT, HE WAS TELLING ME THAT THEY JUST DON'T HAVE ENOUGH STUDENTS THAT ARE WILLING TO COME BACK PRETTY MUCH. BUT BECAUSE THERE'S NO EXTRACURRICULAR STUFF, THERE'S NOTHING GOING ON. DO YOU FORESEE I MEAN, I KNOW I'M ASKING YOU TO READ A CRYSTAL BALL AND I APOLOGIZE, BUT DO YOU FORESEE ANYTHING LIKE THAT HAPPENING? EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES LIKE SPORTS OR BANDS OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT? YEAH, GOOD QUESTION. I GET ASKED [INAUDIBLE] CRYSTAL BALLS ON THE REGULAR. I THINK I MIGHT HAVE A SECONDARY CAREER AS A FORTUNE TELLER AFTER THIS, BUT I THINK THAT IT IS WHAT WE'RE HEADED IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION. RIGHT NOW WE WERE AT A HIGH OF ABOUT 80 CASES PER DAY PER HUNDRED THOUSAND. WE'RE NOW DOWN TO ABOUT 40, 40 ISH. SO WE STILL HAVE A LONG WAY TO GO TILL RED. BUT WE'VE WE'VE REALLY COME DOWN A LOT SINCE CHRISTMAS. WE'RE STILL, THOUGH, WE'RE NOW WE'RE NOW RIGHT AT WHERE WE WERE IN EARLY DECEMBER. THAT WAS STILL TOO HIGH FOR A LOT OF THE SCHOOLS TO BE ABLE TO DO SOME OF THESE EXTRACURRICULARS, THESE HIGHER RISK ACTIVITIES. SPORTS INVOLVES CONFLICT. BAND INVOLVES, YOU KNOW, BLOWING PARTICULATE MATTER EVERYWHERE. AND SO SOME OF THOSE THINGS WE'RE SLOWLY STARTING TO BE ABLE TO BRING BACK, BUT NOT UNTIL THE CASES GO DOWN A LITTLE BIT MORE. SO WHAT WE'VE BEEN TELLING THE SCHOOLS IS THAT WE THINK THAT BY MARCH, WHICH SEEMS TO BE THE DATE THAT A LOT OF THOSE DISTRICTS FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH, WE DO THINK OUR CASES WILL BE BACK TO WHERE THEY WERE IN THE NOVEMBER REGION. AND THAT'S WHEN THE SCHOOLS FELT COMFORTABLE WITH THE PLANS. THE LARGER SCHOOLS FELT COMFORTABLE WITH THE PLANS THAT THEY HAD IMPLEMENTED. SO IT'S REALLY JUST STAY THE COURSE. I MEAN, JUST KEEP DOING WHAT WE'RE DOING AND AND BE PATIENT, WHICH I HATE TELLING PEOPLE BECAUSE I'M NOT PATIENT AT ALL. BUT BUT I UNDERSTAND. YEAH. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. AND THANK YOU. AGAIN, AS A FORMER TRUMPET PLAYER, WE USED TO HAVE A NOZZLE AT THE END OF IT TO DISPERSE OUR PARTICULATE MATTER. AND I'D LIKE TO CEO BROWN WOULD HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY. I JUST FOR THE SAKE OF BEING REDUNDANT. BUT I WANT TO MAKE SURE THIS IS AN IMPORTANT POINT, BECAUSE I THINK ALL OF YOU ARE GETTING A LOT OF QUESTIONS. I KNOW PUBLIC HEALTH IS AND THE SUPERVISORS, WE'RE ALL GET A LOT OF QUESTIONS RELATED TO SCHOOLS. AND IT IS A PARTNERSHIP WITH PUBLIC HEALTH. AND FOR THE PUBLIC'S BENEFIT, IT IS A PARTNERSHIP. IT IS BASICALLY BEEN THE DISTRICT'S DECISION AS FAR AS WHEN TO MAKE THAT DECISION OR WHETHER TO OPEN OR NOT. BUT IT HAS BEEN AND IN LOOKING TO RECOMMENDATIONS AND ADVICE FROM PUBLIC HEALTH IS WHEN IT'S SAFE UNDER THEIR PLANS. AND SO I JUST WANT TO CAUTION THE PUBLIC WHEN THEY SAY THE COUNTY PUBLIC HEALTH IS SHUTTING DOWN SCHOOLS, THAT IS NOT WHAT IS HAPPENING. JUST TO BE VERY DIRECT. IT IS A PARTNERSHIP, BUT IT IS THE SCHOOL DISTRICT'S DECISION WITHIN THE STATE'S PLANS. CHAIR RECOGNIZES SUPERVISOR PAREIRA. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. I'M NOT SURE WHO'S GOING TO ANSWER THIS QUESTION. SO WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT THE VACCINES THAT WE'RE GOING TO RECEIVE FROM THE STATE BETWEEN NOW AND WHEN THEY KIND OF TAKE OVER AND IMPLEMENT THEIR PROGRAM? CAN YOU GIVE AN UPDATE TO THE PUBLIC? THERE'S A YOU KNOW, AS YOU LOOK AT THE NUMBERS, WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH FOR SECOND DOSES. SO PEOPLE ARE GOING TO BE CONCERNED, IF YOU COULD SHOW THAT. SURE. AND AND WE DO HAVE ENOUGH FOR SECOND DOSES. WE'VE BEEN MAKING SURE THAT WHEN WE GIVE A SECOND WHEN WE GIVE A FIRST DOSE, WE'RE [01:35:01] COMMITTED TO GIVING THOSE SECOND DOSES. SO UNLESS THE STATE RESCINDS VACCINE THAT THEY HAVE ALREADY COMMITTED TO US IN WRITING, WE WILL HAVE ENOUGH FOR A SECOND DOSES. SO I DO WANT TO ASSURE THE PUBLIC THAT IS OUR NUMBER ONE PRIORITY. WE'RE NOT TRYING TO MAKE EXPERIMENTS OUT OF MERCED COUNTY RESIDENTS. IF YOU GET A FIRST DOSE, YOU TOOK THAT FIRST DOSE ASSUMING YOU WERE GOING TO GET A SECOND DOSE. AND WE'RE GOING TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT'S HAPPENING FOR EVERY COUNTY RESIDENT THAT WE'VE GIVEN A VACCINE TO, EITHER THROUGH OUR COUNTY, MERCED COUNTY PUBLIC HEALTH PODS AND OR THROUGH THE VACCINE THAT WE GIVE TO PROVIDERS. SO THAT'S OUR NUMBER ONE PRIORITY. JUST TO EXPLAIN HOW THE VACCINE ALLOCATION WORKS AND WHY IT IS SO DIFFICULT TO GIVE TO FORECAST AND PLAN IS THAT ON MONDAY WE'RE TOLD BY THE STATE HOW MANY SECOND DOSES WE'LL RECEIVE. ON TUESDAY NIGHT, USUALLY INTO WEDNESDAY MORNING, WE'RE TOLD, HOW MANY FIRST DOSES WE'VE BEEN ALLOCATED TO RECEIVE. WE ORDER THOSE BY THURSDAY AFTERNOON. THEN THEY SHOW UP SOMETIME BETWEEN MONDAY AND WEDNESDAY. THERE'S NO CONSISTENCY AND IT'S EVERY DAY WE HAVE A NEW SET OF NUMBERS TO DEAL WITH, TO PLAN FOR, TO ALLOCATE OUT. WE HAVE OVER OVER 10 PROVIDERS WE'RE REGULARLY GIVING VACCINES TO, PLUS PODS. IT'S SO WE BUT WE DON'T KNOW CONSISTENTLY WHAT WE'RE GOING TO BE GETTING WEEK TO WEEK TO WEEK. SO THEN WE CRUNCH THOSE NUMBERS BETWEEN, YOU KNOW, WEDNESDAY AND FRIDAY. WE GET THE WHAT THE THE PROVIDERS CAN GIVE OUT BETWEEN THURSDAY AND FRIDAY. AND THEN MONDAY WE START DOING IT ALL OVER AGAIN. AND THERE'S NO CONSISTENCY. THERE'S NO PROJECTIONS. AND SO IN TERMS OF WHAT WE WILL BE GETTING FROM THE STATE, WE DON'T KNOW. WE'VE BEEN ASKING FOR THAT TO BE SHARED A LITTLE BIT MORE EXPEDIENTLY. BUT, YOU KNOW, THAT HAS NOT HAPPENED TO DATE. SO I'M GOING TO KIND OF GOT TWO ANSWERS THERE. ONE WAS THAT WE HAVE DOSES FOR A SECOND DOSE FOR EVERYBODY WHO'S RECEIVED OUR FIRST DOSE. BUT WE DON'T HAVE DO WE HAVE THOSE IN HAND OR ARE THOSE PROMISED TO US AND WE HAVE THE BULK OF THEM IN HAND FOR THE NEXT THROUGH FEBRUARY 19TH AND THEN THE SUBSEQUENT FOR BEYOND THAT ARE PROMISED BUT PROMISED IN WRITING. OK, AND SO THEN WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT GETTING MORE DOSES FROM THE STATE, THAT IS IN ADDITION TO THE SECOND DOSES THAT WE'RE PROMISED. THAT'S RIGHT. OK, YEAH, THANKS. CHAIR RECOGNIZES SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA. THANK YOU, CHAIR. AND SO I CAN TELL YOU, I'LL SAY IT BECAUSE KRISTYNN, DR. SULLIVAN IS VERY NICE AND WON'T SAY IT. YOU KNOW, WE GET FROM THE STATE, WE GET LIP SERVICE. THAT'S WHAT WE THAT'S WHAT WE CAN I CAN GUARANTEE WE'LL GET FROM THE STATE IS LIP SERVICE. AND THE REASON I KNOW THIS IS, IS I WAS ON A CALL. I KNOW THAT PUBLIC HEALTH WAS ON THE CALL. CHAIRMAN MCDANIEL WAS ON THE CALL SO WAS CEO BROWN. SO WAS CONGRESSMAN COSTA, SENATOR [INAUDIBLE] AND ASSEMBLY MEMBER ADAM GRAY. AND WE HAD WE WERE AND WE HAD A CONVERSATION WITH THE DEPARTMENT, THE DIRECTOR OF THE CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH. AND WHAT WE GOT WAS ABOUT 30 MINUTES OF LIP SERVICE. MIND YOU, WE PRELOADED THEM WITH THE QUESTIONS THAT WE WERE GOING TO ASK BECAUSE WE SENT THEM AN EMAIL SAYING THESE ARE THE QUESTIONS. AND BASICALLY THEY DID WHAT THEY DO AND THEY KIND OF DANCED ALL AROUND IT. AND REALLY, WE HAD NO MORE ANSWERS. SO WHAT I DID LEARN OUT OF IT IS, IS THAT THEY THEY REALLY PUT THE SCREW IN TO MERCED COUNTY IS WHAT THEY DID, BECAUSE THEIR INITIAL ALLOCATION, WHICH I GET IT AND I UNDERSTAND THAT IF YOU HAVE TO PICK A POINT AND GO AND THE INITIAL ALLOCATION OF VACCINES CAME TO MERCED COUNTY BASED ON HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS THAT WAS THERE, WHETHER I AGREE WITH IT OR NOT, I CAN UNDERSTAND YOU'VE GOT TO PICK A POINT AND GO, BECAUSE THOSE ARE THE MOST PEOPLE IN THAT FIRST CATEGORY. SO IT'S LIKE THIS POINT ZERO TWO PERCENT. RIGHT, IS HOW THEY CAME UP WITH THIS NUMBER. AND I DON'T WANT TO GET YOU BURIED IN THE DETAILS, BUT BASICALLY WE DIDN'T GET HARDLY ANYTHING BECAUSE WE'RE A HEALTH CARE DESERT. WELL, THEN AND WE POINTED OUT. BUT WE COULD NEVER REALLY GET THEM TO COMMEND THE ASSEMBLY MEMBER BECAUSE HE TRIED TO GET THEM TO COMMIT TO, AT LEAST ON THE RECORD, SAYING THAT THEY THAT THEY RECOGNIZE THE ERRORS OF THEIR WAYS, BUT THEY WOULDN'T DO THAT. BUT NONETHELESS, THEY CHANGED THE CATEGORIES. THEY WENT FROM 75 AND OLDER. AND THEN THE STATE ARBITRARILY SAID, OH, WELL, NOW WE'RE GOING TO PUT 65 AND OLDER. AND I DON'T WANT ANYBODY TO THINK THAT. I JUST WANT TO GET VACCINES FOR OUR RESIDENTS. THAT'S ALL I WANT TO DO. BUT WHEN THEY CHANGED THAT THEY DIDN'T CHANGE THE ALLOCATION FORMULA, IT WAS STILL BASED ON HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS. SO, AGAIN, I JUST SIMPLY AT THE END OF THE DAY AND I KNOW I KIND OF WENT OUT ON A LIMB BECAUSE I KNOW I GOT A LOT OF FAITH IN OUR STAFF. AND I JUST I WAS I'M PROUD THAT I JUST MADE THE ASK. I ASKED THE GUY, HEY, SEND US 10000 DOSES A WEEK FOR THE NEXT FOUR WEEKS AND I'LL [01:40:04] GUARANTEE YOU DO THAT WE'LL GET THEM IN PEOPLE'S ARMS. THAT'S IT. BOTTOM LINE. AND THEN IF THEY WANT TO, BECAUSE THEY JUST KIND OF MAKE UP THEIR NUMBERS AS THEY GO, I TOLD THEM, IF YOU REALLY IT'S IF YOU COME UP WITH YOUR NEW FORMULA AND WHATEVER THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE 10000 WE ASKED FOR AND WHAT YOUR NEW FORMULA COMES UP WITH, IT WAS JUST BASICALLY PAYING REPARATIONS TO MERCED COUNTY, BECAUSE WE TALK ABOUT AN EQUITY PIECE. BUT YET THE CALIFORNIA THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA, IT'S JUST A BUZZWORD FOR THEM. I REALLY AND I CAN'T AND I DON'T LIKE TO PAINT THOSE BROAD STROKES. THERE'S SOME GOOD PEOPLE UP THERE THAT ARE DOING THE GOOD WORK. BUT AS A WHOLE, THE ADMINISTRATION REALLY I HAVE ISSUE WITH BECAUSE THEY TALK ABOUT EQUITY, BUT WE CHECK EVERY BOX AND ARE GIVING THEM EVERY REASON WHY WE'RE NOT BEING EQUITABLY TREATED HERE, BUT THAT DOESN'T SEEM TO WORK FOR THEM. SO IT JUST I KNOW YOU GUYS ARE FRUSTRATED AS WELL AS I AM FRUSTRATED. AND BACK TO SUPERVISOR PEREIRA'S QUESTION IS WHAT DO WE GET FROM THE STATE? WE GET LIP SERVICE. THAT'S ALL WE GET. AND IT'S IT'S NOT EASY. AND WE'RE ALL TRYING TO DO THE RIGHT THING HERE. BUT WHEN YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO HAVE THE HORSEPOWER IN THE ROOM ON THAT CALL, IT WAS LIKE THERE ARE SO MANY DIRECTORS AND DEPUTY DIRECTORS OF EVERYTHING GOING ON IN SACRAMENTO ON THAT CALL. I'M LIKE OH, MAN, THIS IS A CALL THAT WE'RE GOING TO ACTUALLY GET SOME STUFF DONE. AND IN REALITY, IT WAS THIRTY MINUTES OF LIP SERVICE. AND THEN I FORGET HER TITLE, BUT SHE WAS GOING TO END THE CALL IS LIKE, OK, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, YOU HAD SOME POLITICIANS ON THERE AND THEY TEND TO LIKE TALK A LOT. I'M ONE OF THOSE. AND THEN IT WAS LIKE KIND OF AFTER WE SAID OUR PIECE AND THEY KIND OF DID THEIR DEAL, WE STILL COME UP NO RESOLUTION OTHER THAN AND SO I JUST HOPE THAT AT SOME POINT THAT ONE OF THOSE PEOPLE THAT WAS ON THAT CALL, LIKE WHEN IT COMES TIME IN THIS TRANSITION PERIOD BETWEEN WHEN WE GO TO THE THIRD PARTY ADMINISTRATOR, LIKE ONE OF THEM, LIKE FEEL SORRY FOR US AND, YOU KNOW, MAYBE I CAN'T GIVE THEM TEN, BUT WE'LL GIVE THEM NINE OR EIGHT THOUSAND. AT THIS POINT. I'M WILLING TO TAKE ANYTHING BECAUSE WHAT THEY'RE GIVING US NOW TO SPEAK TO YOUR FRUSTRATION OF HAVING TO TRY TO PLAN ON THIS DEAL WHERE YOU'RE GETTING TWO, THREE NUMBERS A WEEK AND YOU'VE GOT A PLAN, YOU'VE GOT TO SET UP THESE. WE DID A REALLY AMAZING JOB OF SETTING UP THESE PODS. THESE COUNTY STOOD UP PODS. IT'S 25 OR 30 PEOPLE THAT IT ALL HAS TO BE LOGISTICS. YOU HAVE TO PLAN FOR THAT. YOU CAN'T THAT JUST DOESN'T HAPPEN OVERNIGHT. BUT WE'RE IN THE SYSTEM, IF ANYTHING, IF ANYTHING COULD COME OUT OF THAT CALL, JUST GIVE US A CONSISTENT ALLOCATION. WHETHER IF IT'S TWO THOUSAND OR FIFTEEN HUNDRED JUST TELL US WHAT WE'RE GOING TO GET FOR THE NEXT FOUR WEEKS SO THAT WE'RE NOT HAVING TO REINVENT THE WHEEL EVERY WEEK, TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WELL HOW MANY DO WE HAVE TO KEEP BACK FOR A SECOND. HOW MANY DO WE HAVE TO BE ABLE TO PUT IN PEOPLE'S ARMS? IT IS SO FRUSTRATING. AND LISTEN, I JUST, PEOPLE CALL THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE, SEND EMAILS BECAUSE IT SEEMS LIKE FRESNO COUNTY. I'VE BEEN WATCHING ASSEMBLY MEMBER PATTERSON AND CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS AND EVERYBODY UP THERE UP IN ARMS BECAUSE THE VALLEY GOT LEFT OUT OF A DISTRIBUTION SITE. RIGHT. ONE OF THESE LARGE FEDERALLY STOOD UP. THEY'RE ALL RIGHT WRITING LETTERS AND SENDING LETTERS ALL OF A SUDDEN, GUESS WHAT? THEY'RE GETTING THE NEW DISTRIBUTION SITE THAT'S GOING TO GIVE THEM SIX THOUSAND. I THINK IT'S LIKE 6000 A WEEK. IT DOESN'T SEEM LIKE A LOT, BUT 6000 A WEEK IN ADDITION TO EVERYTHING ELSE THEY'RE GETTING JUST FOR THAT ONE DISTRIBUTION SITE. SO IT WORKS. AND WE JUST GOT TO BE THE SQUEAKY WHEEL. I THINK THE SYSTEM IS BROKEN. I DON'T THINK IT'S RIGHT. I DON'T I'M NOT GOING TO ALLOW THEM TO BE ABLE TO TALK ABOUT EQUITY AND ALL THESE THINGS AND NOT REALLY MEAN IT. SO I'M GOING TO CALL THEM ON THAT AND I'M GOING TO CONTINUE TO CALL THEM ON THAT. BUT IT'S BROKEN. BUT SEND LETTERS. YOU CAN SEND THEM TO ME. I'LL FORWARD THEM ON, SEND THEM TO. AND I KNOW THE ASSEMBLY MEMBER IS FIGHTING JUST AS HARD AS ANYBODY ON THIS. HE'S THE ONE THAT SET THESE CALLS UP. BUT SEND THEM TO THE ADMINISTRATION AND LET THEM KNOW THAT WE MATTER HERE IN MERCED COUNTY, SO I KNOW MORE ABOUT IT WAS MORE COMMENTS THAN IT WAS QUESTIONS, DR. SULLIVAN. BUT I JUST I JUST I FEEL YOUR FRUSTRATIONS. AND ON TOP OF HAVING TO DO EVERYTHING ELSE, NOW WE HAVE TO PLAY THESE GAMES OF TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW MANY DO WE HAVE FOR NEXT WEEK. YEAH, WE WE ABSOLUTELY SHARE THAT FRUSTRATION. I THINK TO YOUR POINT, IF THE CHOICE HAD BEEN MADE TO GO WITH HEALTH CARE WORKERS AT THE BEGINNING, WE'VE BEEN RECEIVING VACCINE FOR NEARLY TWO MONTHS. THAT'S IT'S IT'S THERE'S NOT AN EXCUSE FOR WHY IN THAT TWO MONTHS THE ALGORITHM HASN'T BEEN ASSESSED. WE DO QUALITY ASSURANCE ALL DAY, EVERY DAY. AND AND AND THAT IS A BARE MINIMUM EXPECTATION OF SOMETHING AS IMPORTANT AS THIS. YOU MIGHT HAVE THEY MIGHT HAVE STARTED OFF WITH AN ALGORITHM. BUT IF THAT ALGORITHM LEADS TO THE COUNTY WITH THE FOURTH OR FIFTH HIGHEST DEATH RATE, GETTING THE SECOND WORST ALLOCATION OF VACCINE, YOUR ALGORITHM IS WRONG. AND I'M AND I'M 100 PERCENT POSITIVE THAT YOU SHARED THAT WITH THEM ALL ALONG THE WAY. IT WASN'T LIKE, OH, WE ARE JUST GOING TO HOLD IT BACK AND THEN ONE DAY DROP IT ON THEM. NO, I'M SURE ON EVERY ONE OF THOSE CALLS THAT YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN ON WITH THE STATE, YOU'VE BEEN SHARING THIS WITH THEM, AND IT'S JUST THE SYSTEM IS BROKEN UP THERE. [01:45:03] THERE'S LIKE THERE'S NOBODY THAT KNOWS HOW TO GET STUFF DONE UP THERE. THAT'S THE PROBLEM IS THEY ALL WANT TO KNOW IT'S SCIENCE, BUT THEN IT'S NOT REALLY SCIENCE, BECAUSE THEN THERE'S THE POLITICS INVOLVED AND AND AND AND AND AND YET MY CONSTITUENTS, MY BOSSES ARE THE ONES THAT ARE SUFFERING BECAUSE YOU HAVE A WILLING POPULATION RIGHT NOW, A WILLING POPULATION. THE PEOPLE THAT ARE SIGNING UP, THEY WANT THE VACCINE. SO IT'S GOT TO BE AS EASY AS IT'S GOING TO GET IS WHEN YOU GOT WILLING PARTICIPANTS. SO I DON'T KNOW OTHER THAN I HAVE A CAPTIVE AUDIENCE THAT GETS TO HEAR THIS RANT. AND I KNOW THAT I'M, YOU KNOW, PREACHING TO THE CHOIR WITH PUBLIC HEALTH STAFF BECAUSE THEY KNOW WE'VE HAD CONVERSATIONS. BUT I JUST WE'VE GOT TO KEEP ME IN THE SQUEAKY WHEEL. SO I GUESS I'M GOING TO BE GOOD AT IT BECAUSE IT'S IT SEEMS THAT'S WHAT'S WORKING. IF WE SQUEAK LOUD ENOUGH, THEN THEN MAYBE, HEY, MAYBE IT BUYS US ANOTHER FIVE HUNDRED DOSES. I LOOK AT THAT'S ANOTHER FIVE HUNDRED OF MY BOSSES THAT CAN GET A VACCINE. SO THANK YOU CHAIR. THANK YOU. AND BEING ON THAT CALL AND BEING ON A LOT OF CALLS WITH THOSE TOP LEVEL FOLKS AND HOW WE'RE NEGOTIATING, TELLING THEM EXACTLY OUR STORY AND GOING THROUGH AND THEY'RE RESPONDING WHENEVER A SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA PUT THE EXACT NUMBER AND ASKED THEM, I WANT THIS, CAN I GET THIS? AND THE WATCH BUREAUCRATS SCRAMBLE AND MOVE AWAY FROM THE QUESTION. I'VE NEVER SEEN IT FASTER, BUT IT WAS FANTASTIC. AN ASSEMBLY MEMBER FOLLOWED RIGHT UP ON IT AND WAS WANTING THE SAME THING. SO IT WAS VERY GOOD. I DON'T SEE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS. SO, DR. SULLIVAN, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. NOTHING MORE MR. MIRRIONE. NO, SIR, THAT CONCLUDES THE PRESENTATION. THANK YOU. OK, SO WE'LL GO AHEAD AND MOVE ON TO I BELIEVE IT'S THE CONSENT CALENDAR. [CONSENT AGENDA] NEXT IS APPROVAL OF CONSENT AGENDA CALENDAR ITEMS ONE THROUGH SIX. YES, AND I THINK, I'M GOING TO LOOK TO SUPERVISOR PEDROZO. I THINK HE'S GOING TO MAKE A RECOMMENDATION AND PULL AN ITEM. CHAIR RECOGNIZES SUPERVISOR PEDROZO. THANK YOU, CHAIRMAN, I WANTED TO MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONSENT CALENDAR ITEM, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO PULL NUMBER FIVE. THERE ARE TWO ITEMS ON THE AGENDA THAT DEAL WITH THIS WITH THE CVOC. AND I WANT TO PULL MYSELF OFF THOSE ITEMS BECAUSE EVEN THOUGH I'VE SPOKEN WITH LEGAL AND SPOKEN WITH STAFF, PERCEPTION IS A LOT. AND BEING THAT I AM, I HAVE A CLOSE PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP WITH ONE OF THE BOARD MEMBERS WHO HAPPENS TO BE MY FATHER. I DO NOT FEEL THAT IT IS APPROPRIATE FOR ME TO VOTE ON ISSUES THAT ARE OF THAT NATURE. SO I AM GOING TO MAKE THE MOTION TO APPROVE CONSENT, THE PULL NUMBER FIVE, AND RECUSE MYSELF FROM NUMBER FIVE AND NUMBER 10. OK, SO I HAVE A MOTION ON THE FLOOR. SHOULD WE JUST DO THIS MANUALLY OR ARE YOU ABLE TO DO THAT? THERE'S NOTHING UP THERE YET. IT'S NO. THAT'S FOR THE VOTE. OK, SO I HAVE A MOTION ON THE FLOOR BY SUPERVISOR PEDROZO. SECOND. AND I HAVE A SECOND BY SUPERVISOR ESPINOZA. WE'LL DO IT THE OLD FASHIONED WAY. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. ANY OPPOSITION. MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. [01:50:04] DO YOU WANT US JUST TO GO AHEAD AND DO IT? STACEY, DID YOU GET THE MOTION FROM SUPERVISOR SILVERA AND A SECOND BY A SUPERVISOR PAREIRA. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY, AYE, ANY OPPOSITION MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. NEXT IS BOARD ACTION PUBLIC WORKS ITEM SEVEN. [BOARD ACTION] PLEASE NOTE, THIS ITEM REQUIRES A FOUR FIFTHS VOTE. OK, IS THERE ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ANY QUESTIONS? CHAIR RECOGNIZES CEO BROWN. GO AHEAD. OH, NEVER MIND. OPE, HERE, WE HAVE ASSISTANCE. YOU DON'T HAVE THE MOTIONS NO OK, SO DID I. AND A SECOND. FURTHER DISCUSSION? SEEING NONE. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. AYE. ANY OPPOSITION. MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. IT'S A BETTER RHYTHM WHEN WE DO IT LIKE THAT. NEXT, IS LIBRARY ITEM NUMBER EIGHT, PLEASE NOTE, THIS ITEM REQUIRES A FOUR FIFTHS VOTE. OK, IT LOOKS LIKE WE'RE DOING THIS MANUAL, IS THERE ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION OR ANYBODY WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THE HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS THAT WE'RE GETTING FROM THE FIRST FIVE? OK. I HAVE A MOTION, BY SUPERVISOR PAREIRA, AND A SECOND BY SUPERVISOR PEDROZO, ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. AYE. ANY OPPOSITION MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. NEXT IS HUMAN SERVICES AGENCY ITEMS NINE THROUGH 10, PLEASE NOTE WE WILL BE TAKING THESE ITEMS SEPARATELY. AN ITEM 10 REQUIRES A FOUR FIFTHS VOTE AND HAS A CORRECTION TO THE RECOMMENDATION ONE. THE DOLLAR AMOUNT SHOULD BE LISTED AS EIGHT MILLION TWO HUNDRED FIFTY FIVE THOUSAND NINE HUNDRED AND EIGHT DOLLARS AND SIXTY CENTS. OK, I HAVE A MOTION ON THE FLOOR. I HAVE A SECOND. BY SUPERVISOR ESPINOZA. IS THERE FURTHER DISCUSSION. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY, AYE. ANY OPPOSITION MOTION PASSES. UNANIMOUSLY. YOU'VE BEEN FOLLOWING ALONG. BUT JUST NOT PART OF THE DISCUSSION. YEAH, OK. I THOUGHT THEY COULD BE HERE FOR THE BECAUSE THE PRESENTATION ISN'T RIGHT. PART OF THE. THE SECOND HALF OF YOU KNOW. OH, THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES CEO BROWN, WOULD YOU LET ME PUSH IT? ITEM 10, AS YOU SEE ON YOUR AGENDA, IS ACTUALLY FROM HUMAN SERVICES AGENCY. [01:55:02] HOWEVER, THIS HAS BEEN A TEAM, A TEAM EFFORT ON THIS. AND SO THERE'S BASICALLY MS. PIERCE AND MYSELF WILL BE TAKING MOST OF THIS ITEM. AND AS YOU SAY, THERE'S A LOT OF INTEREST IN THIS. AND WE ARE ASKING FOR YOUR PATIENCE IN ADVANCE AND APOLOGIZE FOR ANY INCONVENIENCE BECAUSE WE DO HAVE A LENGTHY PRESENTATION FOR YOU ON THIS. STAFF WILL WALK THROUGH A DETAILED REPORT OF THE ASSISTANCE PROGRAM THAT YOU APPROVED AND IMPLEMENTED BY THE MIDDLE OF DECEMBER AND AN OVERVIEW OF THE FEDERAL EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE FUNDING REQUIREMENTS APPROVED, YOU KNOW, SIGNED BY AT THE END OF DECEMBER AND SORRY, THE STATE EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE PROGRAM SIGNED BY THE GOVERNOR LESS THAN TWO WEEKS AGO, WE FEEL IS NECESSARY TO PROVIDE YOU AS MUCH INFORMATION AS POSSIBLE BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF MISINFORMATION AMONG THE PUBLIC AND CERTAINLY RELATED TO THE DETAILS ABOUT THE FEDERAL AND STATE PROGRAMS GOING FORWARD. ALSO, THE STATE IS REQUIRING US TO PICK A PATH AND NOTIFY THEM OF THAT DECISION BY THIS FRIDAY, AS YOU KNOW, WE WERE MOVING FORWARD OF PUTTING A PLAN TOGETHER FOR THE FEDERAL FUNDING UNTIL WHEN THE GOVERNOR SIGNED SB 91 LESS THAN TWO WEEKS AGO, WHEN IT KIND OF MUDDY THE WATERS FOR US. ALL THOUGH SB 91 CONCEPTUALLY ALIGNS WITH THE FEDERAL REQUIREMENTS. THERE ARE DIFFERENCES IN THE DETAIL REQUIREMENTS. IN ADDITION, WE HAVE LEARNED THAT THERE WILL BE FURTHER CLARIFICATION AND CHANGES TO THE FEDERAL PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS IN THE FUTURE, AND THE STATE IS STILL IN THE PROCESS OF STANDING UP THEIR PROGRAM AS WE LOOK TO HOW OTHER COUNTIES ARE APPROACHING THIS. THERE ARE MIXED AND MANY BOARDS ARE DISCUSSING THIS TODAY. THE ONE CONSISTENCY IN TALKING WITH MY COLLEAGUES ACROSS THE STATE IS THERE'S A FRUSTRATION WITH THE STATE TIMING AND THE DIFFERING REQUIREMENTS BETWEEN THE TWO FUNDING STREAMS. GENERALLY, IT APPEARS, FROM LARGER COUNTIES THAT HAVE THE CAPACITY AND RESOURCES THEY SEEM TO BE RECOMMENDING MOVING FORWARD WITH THE COUNTY PROGRAM FOR THE FEDERAL FUNDING AND TELLING THE STATE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THEIR PROGRAM. WHILE WHEN YOU LOOK AT SOME OF THE MID-SIZED COUNTIES, IT IS MIXED. BUT MOST OF THEM APPEAR TO BE SUGGESTING THEIR BOARDS TO TRANSFER THE FEDERAL FUNDING TO THE STATE AND LET THEM ADMINISTER THE PROGRAM. AS WE WALK THROUGH THE PRESENTATION, WE WOULD ASK YOU TO KEEP IN MIND A FEW THINGS AS YOU CONSIDER THE PATH FORWARD REGARDING THE LOCAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM THAT YOU APPROVED IN DECEMBER. PLEASE REMEMBER THAT ALL THOSE STAFF HAD BEEN WORKING ON THAT PROGRAM PRIOR TO APPROVAL CVOC HAD A VERY SHORT TIME FRAME TO STAND THAT UP, AND THE PROGRAM ONLY LASTED SIX AND A HALF WEEKS IN THE FIRST WEEK, THE NUMBER OF INQUIRIES, IT PROBABLY EXCEEDED THE AVAILABLE FUNDING. AND ALSO NOTE THAT THE PROGRAM WAS COMPLETED ON JANUARY 29TH AND DETAILED INFORMATION IS HERE TODAY. IT'S ONLY A LITTLE OVER A WEEK LATER AFTER THE END OF THE PROGRAM. SO, AGAIN, JUST KIND OF THINK THROUGH ACTUALLY HOW THE PROGRAM WAS SET UP, HOW'S THAT IMPLEMENTED AND THE TIME FRAME WHEN THE PROGRAM ENDED TO ACTUALLY PRODUCE THE DETAILED INFORMATION. AS YOU CONSIDER THE PATH FORWARD WITH THE FEDERAL AND STATE FUNDING REQUIREMENTS. PLEASE THINK ABOUT THESE THINGS. ONE, WHAT IS OUR INTERNAL CAPACITY AND BANDWIDTH TO MANAGE A PROGRAM WITH THE BREADTH OF ISSUES THAT WE ARE CURRENTLY ADDRESSING TO MAXIMIZE DISTRIBUTION, AVAILABILITY OF FUNDS FOR THE PUBLIC, BOTH PROPERTY OWNERS AND RENTERS? THREE, MINIMIZE CONFUSION FOR THE PUBLIC AND HAVE CONSISTENCY THROUGH AN EFFICIENT PROGRAM. AND FOUR IF THE COUNTY IS RESPONSIBLE FOR PART OF THE FUNDING, IMPLEMENTATION NEEDS TO AVOID FRAUD AND DUPLICATION OF EFFORTS. AND SO THOSE ARE JUST SOME THINGS IS MS. PIERCE WALKS THROUGH THE PRESENTATION AND YOU THINK ABOUT WHICH PATH YOU PREFER AND TO SUGGEST TO US TO GO DOWN, YOU KNOW, PAY ATTENTION TO THOSE. AND AT THIS TIME WE'LL TURN IT OVER TO MS. PIERCE TO WALK THROUGH THE PRESENTATION. THANK YOU, CEO BROWN. GOOD MORNING, CHAIRMAN MCDANIEL, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, COUNTY COUNSEL HANSEN AND CEO BROWN. I AM DEPUTY COUNTY EXECUTIVE OFFICER ALEXANDRA PIERCE. AND WE'LL BE PROVIDING THIS MORNINGS, NOW, THIS AFTERNOON'S PRESENTATION RELATED TO ITEM 10 FOR THE BOARD'S CONSIDERATION. I ALSO WANT TO MENTION THERE ARE COPIES OF THE PRESENTATION IN THE FOYER FOR THE PUBLIC. THE PURPOSE OF THIS AFTERNOON'S PRESENTATION IS TO PROVIDE AN UPDATE ON THE RECENTLY CONCLUDED MERCED COUNTY RENTAL MORTGAGE AND UTILITY ASSISTANCE PROGRAM, AS WELL AS INTRODUCE AND PROVIDE AN OVERVIEW OF THE TWO NEW RECENTLY PASSED COVID-19 EMERGENCY RENTAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS AVAILABLE THROUGH THE FEDERAL AND STATE GOVERNMENTS AND TO ALSO PROVIDE OPTIONS BASED ON THE PROGRAM OPTIONS THAT THE STATE PROVIDED TO US. WE'LL START WITH AN OVERVIEW OF THE RECENTLY CONCLUDED LOCAL RENTAL MORTGAGE AND UTILITY ASSISTANCE PROGRAM IN RESPONSE TO THE ECONOMIC AND HOUSING CRISIS CREATED BY COVID-19 AND THE GROWING NEED IN OUR COMMUNITY. ON DECEMBER 8TH, 2020, THIS BOARD DIRECTED STAFF TO CONTRACT WITH CENTRAL VALLEY OPPORTUNITY CENTER. A MILLION DOLLARS WAS ALLOCATED FOR THE CONTRACT, UTILIZING BOTH CARES ACT FUNDING AND COUNTY GENERAL FUND. [02:00:02] THE PROGRAM STARTED ON DECEMBER 14TH AND RAN THROUGH JANUARY 29TH. A LITTLE BIT MORE ON THE SELECTION OF CVOC. WHEN WE WERE LOOKING AT CREATING THE PROGRAM WE NEEDED TO LOOK AT AS CEO BROWN MENTIONED, CAPACITY TO STAND UP A PROGRAM VERY SHORTLY AND IMPLEMENT AND GET FUNDING INTO OUR COMMUNITY VERY QUICKLY. CVOC WAS SELECTED TO OPERATE THE PROGRAM BASED ON BOTH THEIR EXPERIENCE AND CAPACITY WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY. THEY ARE UNIQUELY QUALIFIED TO OPERATE HOUSING AND RENTAL ASSISTANCE SERVICES FOR THE RESIDENTS OF MERCED COUNTY. THEY ARE A PRIVATE, NONPROFIT CORPORATION THAT OPERATES NUMEROUS EMPLOYMENT, EDUCATION, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND SOCIAL SERVICES PROGRAMS WITHIN OUR COUNTY. AND CVOC HAS ESTABLISHED MECHANISMS THAT ARE IN PLACE FOR PROVISION OF RENTAL AND UTILITY ASSISTANCE, WHICH INCLUDES MARKETING, ELIGIBILITY, DETERMINATION, CUSTOMER FILE AND DATA SECURITY, PAYMENT PROCESSING AND ACCOUNTING SYSTEMS THAT ARE ALREADY IN PLACE. IN ADDITION TO OUR PROGRAM, CVOC CURRENTLY OPERATES A FEDERAL FARM WORKER HOUSING ASSISTANCE CONTRACT, STATE HOUSING ASSISTANCE CONTRACTS AND OTHER COVID RELIEF CONTRACTS THAT INCLUDE HOUSING AND UTILITY ASSISTANCE FOR LOW INCOME PERSONS AND MIGRANT AND SEASONAL FARM WORKERS, AS WELL. CVOC EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR JORGE DE NAVA JR. IS HERE TODAY AND IS ALSO AVAILABLE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE ABOUT THE PROGRAM. PROGRAM GUIDELINES OUTLINE FOR THIS PROGRAM INCLUDE PROVISION OF RENTAL MORTGAGE AND UTILITY ASSISTANCE FOR RENTAL AND MORTGAGE ASSISTANCE. THE PROGRAM PROVIDED FOR TWO MONTHS OF ASSISTANCE, ONE MONTH OF ARREARS, AND FOR THE CURRENT MONTH, IN ADDITION FOR UTILITY ASSISTANCE. THOSE UTILITIES THAT WERE ELIGIBLE INCLUDE ELECTRIC, GAS, WATER AND PROPANE, AND THEN PHONE, INTERNET AND CABLE WERE EXCLUDED AS UTILITY ASSISTANCE REQUESTS. IN ADDITION, THE PROGRAM SET A LIMIT OF UP TO FOUR THOUSAND DOLLARS FOR ELIGIBLE HOUSEHOLDS AS MAXIMUM COMBINED ASSISTANCE GRANT AVAILABLE. FOR ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS YOU NEEDED TO BE, SAID COUNTY RESIDENT. THE HOUSEHOLD INCOME NEEDED TO BE EITHER AT OR BELOW 250 PERCENT OF THE FEDERAL POVERTY GUIDELINES AND IN ADDITION, HOUSEHOLD INCOME OR THE SITUATION OF THEIR HOUSEHOLD INCOME HAD BEEN NEGATIVELY IMPACTED BY THE COVID-19 CRISIS. AND JUST AS AN EXAMPLE FOR HOUSEHOLD INCOME AT OR BELOW 250 PERCENT OF THE FEDERAL POVERTY GUIDELINES FOR A FAMILY OF FOUR, THAT'S APPROXIMATELY SIXTY FIVE THOUSAND FIVE HUNDRED DOLLARS. FOR COVID-19 IMPACTS THAT INCLUDES A LOSS OR REDUCTION OF INCOME DUE TO SELF EMPLOYMENT AND THOSE SELF EMPLOYMENT ACTIVITIES BEING SHUT DOWN AS A RESULT OF SAFETY REQUIREMENTS FOR THE STATE AND FEDERAL MANDATES, LOSS OF INCOME DUE TO LACK OF CHILD CARE OR REQUIRED HOME SCHOOLING RESPONSIBILITIES. LOSS OF INCOME DUE TO COVID RELATED ILLNESS OR DEATH. INCREASES IN HOUSEHOLD EXPENSES FOR COVID-19 SUCH AS MEDICAL BILLS, DOCTOR'S BILLS, HOSPITALIZATION AS WELL AS INCREASE IN HOUSEHOLD COST DUE TO HOME SCHOOLING EXPENSES SUCH AS FOOD COSTS, ENERGY COSTS, TECHNOLOGY PURCHASES AND ADDITIONAL INTERNET COSTS DUE TO SCHOOL CLOSURES AND DISTANCE LEARNING. REGARDING THE HOUSEHOLDS SERVED, CVC RECEIVED A SIGNIFICANT COMMUNITY RESPONSE TO THIS PROGRAM. THEY RECEIVED ONE THOUSAND NINE HUNDRED AND FIFTEEN PROGRAM INQUIRIES AND PRE APPLICATIONS. OF THOSE, APPROXIMATELY 1022 WERE OVER THE PHONE AND EIGHT HUNDRED AND NINETY THREE OF THOSE WERE SUBMITTED ELECTRONICALLY. BASED ON THE AMOUNT OF FUNDS AVAILABLE AND THE ESTIMATED AVERAGE HOUSEHOLD GRANT AWARD, IT WAS ANTICIPATED THAT BETWEEN 420 AND 490 HOUSEHOLDS WOULD BE SERVED THROUGH THIS PROGRAM WITH AN AVERAGE PROCESSING RATE OF 70 INTAKE APPOINTMENTS PER WEEK OVER THE SIX AND A HALF WEEKS THAT THE PROGRAM WAS AVAILABLE. AS YOU CAN SEE, THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF HOUSEHOLD SERVED FELL RIGHT WITHIN THAT AREA OF FOUR HUNDRED AND FORTY THREE HOUSEHOLDS SERVED. WITHIN THOSE THE BREAKDOWN OF ASSISTANCE PROVIDED INCLUDES TWO HUNDRED AND FORTY FIVE RECEIVING RENTAL ASSISTANCE, 59 RECEIVING MORTGAGE ASSISTANCE AND FOUR HUNDRED AND EIGHTY FOUR RECEIVING UTILITY ASSISTANCE. NOW IT IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE THE REASON THAT UTILITY ASSISTANCE IS HIGHER THAN THE TOTAL HOUSEHOLD SERVED IS BECAUSE INDIVIDUAL HOUSEHOLDS COULD BE ELIGIBLE [02:05:04] FOR MULTIPLE UTILITY PAYMENTS AS LONG IT WAS BELOW THE 4000 DOLLAR TOTAL MAXIMUM HOUSEHOLD AWARD GRANT. IN ADDITION TO THE FOUR HUNDRED AND FORTY THREE, THERE WERE AN ADDITIONAL 42 APPLICATIONS THAT WERE PROCESSED, HOWEVER, WERE FOUND INELIGIBLE FOR VARIOUS REASONS, AND THOSE INCLUDE DOCUMENTATION NOT BEING SUBMITTED. FUNDS HAD BEEN EXHAUSTED BY THE TIME THAT ALL OF THE DOCUMENTATION HAD BEEN SUBMITTED, FRAUD CONCERNS, BEING UNABLE TO LOCATE THE ORIGINAL APPLICANT TO CONTINUE PROCESSING THAT APPLICATION, INDIVIDUAL HOUSEHOLDS BEING OVER INCOME, THOSE WHO ARE CURRENT WITH BILLS AND SO DID NOT HAVE THE ARREARS OR CURRENT PAYMENT TO PAY AS PER THE TIMELINE PROVIDED. AND THEN ALSO BILLS NOT BEING WITHIN THE CLIENT'S NAME, WHICH WAS A REQUIREMENT FOR PROVISION OF PAYMENT UNDER THIS PROGRAM. A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THE BREAKDOWN OF THE ASSISTANCE PROVIDED. THE PROGRAMS CURRENTLY IN THE PROCESS OF FINAL INVOICING AND PROGRAM CLOSE OUT. HOWEVER, THIS SLIDE PROVIDES AN OVERVIEW OF THE FUNDING UTILIZED AND THE AMOUNT OF ASSISTANCE BASED ON ANTICIPATED FINAL INVOICING AMOUNTS. SO OUR CONTRACT AMOUNT WAS MILLION DOLLARS. THE TOTAL ASSISTANCE THAT HAS BEEN PROVIDED IS EIGHT HUNDRED AND FIFTY SIX THOUSAND FIVE HUNDRED FIFTY THREE AND THIRTY THREE CENTS. OF THAT YOU CAN SEE THE BREAKDOWN BETWEEN A RENTAL MORTGAGE AND UTILITY ASSISTANCE. IN ADDITION, THERE WAS APPROXIMATELY ONE HUNDRED AND FORTY THREE THOUSAND TWO HUNDRED AND EIGHTY ONE DOLLARS AND FORTY SIX CENTS. THAT WAS FOR ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS TO OPERATE THE PROGRAM. AND IT IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE THE IN KIND COST THAT CVOC TOOK ON. THEY PROVIDED OVER THIRTEEN THOUSAND FIFTY SEVEN DOLLARS AND 67 CENTS, AND THAT IS BECAUSE THERE WAS A CAP ON THE ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS AT ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY THOUSAND DOLLARS. AND SO THEY CONTINUED IN ORDER TO MAXIMIZE THE FUNDING THAT WAS AVAILABLE, PROCESSING APPLICATIONS OVER AND ABOVE THAT ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY SEVEN THOUSAND. SO THEY PROCESSED AN ADDITIONAL THIRTY SEVEN APPLICATIONS AT A ZERO PERCENT ADMIN FEE. A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THE BREAKDOWN OF AVERAGE ASSISTANCE PROVIDED IN THE HOUSEHOLD. APPROXIMATELY ONE THOUSAND NINE HUNDRED AND THIRTY THREE DOLLARS AND FIFTY THREE CENTS WAS THE AVERAGE GRANT. AND THERE IS A BREAKDOWN OF THE LOWEST AMOUNT OF ASSISTANCE THAT WAS PROVIDED, WHICH IS FORTY NINE DOLLARS AND EIGHTY ONE CENTS, AND THE MAXIMUM AMOUNT BEING THAT MAXIMUM GRANT OF FOUR THOUSAND DOLLARS. THAT WAS ABOUT THIRTY TWO HOUSEHOLDS. A FURTHER BREAK DOWN INCLUDES FOUR RENTAL PAYMENTS. THE AVERAGE OF THOSE PAYMENTS WAS APPROXIMATELY NINE HUNDRED AND THIRTEEN DOLLARS PER MONTH AND FOR MORTGAGE PAYMENTS, ABOUT SEVEN HUNDRED AND SIXTY DOLLARS PER MONTH. AND TIME GOES BY TWO BECAUSE HOUSEHOLDS WERE ELIGIBLE FOR BOTH THE ONE MONTH IN ARREARS AND THE CURRENT MONTH. THIS SLIDE PROVIDES A FURTHER BREAKDOWN OF THE RANGES OF ASSISTANCE PROVIDED BASED ON THE NUMBER OF HOUSEHOLDS. SO ABOUT 25 PERCENT UP TO A THOUSAND DOLLARS, 33 PERCENT UP TO THE 2000 DOLLARS, NOT 20 PERCENT, UP TO THREE THOUSAND AND ABOUT 21 PERCENT TO THAT FOUR THOUSAND. SO QUITE AN EQUITABLE DISTRIBUTION OF THE FUNDING THAT WAS PROVIDED WITHIN THOSE CATEGORIES. ALL RIGHT, THIS NEXT TABLE PROVIDES A BREAKDOWN OF HOUSEHOLD ASSISTANCE THAT'S PROVIDED BY CITIES. I WILL NOT GO THROUGH EACH AND EVERY ONE OF THEM, BUT THEY ARE OUT THERE FOR YOU TO SEE AS WELL AS THE BREAKDOWN OF PERCENTAGES. IT IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT CVOC DID PROVIDE SERVICE NOT ONLY AT THEIR LOCATION IN WINTON, BUT ALSO IN LOS BANOS AND MERCED AND ALSO TOOK THEIR SHOW ON THE ROAD. THEY HAVE A MOBILE OFFICE AND WAS ABLE TO ALSO PROVIDE APPOINTMENTS IN [INAUDIBLE] AND OTHER AREAS AS WELL. OK, SO THE FOLLOWING SLIDE PROVIDES A BREAKDOWN OF ASSISTANCE PROVIDED BASED ON THE HOUSEHOLD DEMOGRAPHICS FOR THE PRIMARY APPLICANT. AS YOU CAN SEE, IT PROVIDES BOTH THE MALE AND FEMALE BREAKDOWN AS WELL AS FOR RACE AND ETHNICITY. AS EARLIER STATED, IN ORDER TO SUCCESSFULLY OPERATE THIS PROGRAM IN THE SHORT PERIOD OF TIME AND TO LAUNCH AND DISTRIBUTE ASSISTANCE WITHIN SIX AND A HALF WEEKS, [02:10:04] CVOC DEDICATED 19 STAFF TO THE PROGRAM WHO PROVIDED SERVICES IN ENGLISH, SPANISH AND HMONG. AND IT IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT THEY DO HAVE HMONG STAFF THAT ARE ON SITE AND WERE DEDICATED TO PROVIDE SERVICE FOR THIS PROGRAM. IN ADDITION TO WORKING EXTENDED HOURS MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY AND OVER THREE WEEKENDS AND ON A HOLIDAY, THEY ENSURE THAT MAXIMUM UTILIZATION OF THIS ASSISTANCE WAS PROVIDED WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY. SOME LESSONS LEARNED. SO THIS PROGRAM WAS A HUGE SUCCESS AND ALSO PROVIDED VALUABLE LESSONS LEARNED AS WE ASSESS OPTIONS AND NEXT STEPS FOR THE NEXT TWO PROGRAMS THAT ARE AVAILABLE. THESE LESSONS LEARNED INCLUDE REALIZING PROGRAM LIMITATIONS BASED ON THE FUNDING STREAM REQUIREMENTS, INCLUDING ELIGIBILITY, DOCUMENTATION AND TIMELINES. FURTHER COMPLICATIONS INCLUDED OTHER PARTIES AND ORGANIZATIONS PROVIDING MISINFORMATION TO THE COMMUNITY ON THIS PROGRAM, INCLUDING ABOUT THE APPLICATION PROCESS, THE DOCUMENTATION THAT WAS REQUIRED, AS WELL AS THE LOCALITIES AND TIMELINES OF WHERE POTENTIAL APPLICANTS COULD APPLY. IN ADDITION, THE COMMUNITY RESPONSE TO THIS PROGRAM WAS SIGNIFICANT. AS CEO BROWN MENTIONED, WITHIN THE FIRST TWO DAYS OF THIS PROGRAM BEING LAUNCHED, CVOC RECEIVED OVER 600 INQUIRIES. AS PREVIOUSLY DISCUSSED IN THE PRESENTATION, DUE TO FUNDING LIMITATIONS ONLY FOUR HUNDRED AND FORTY THREE HOUSEHOLDS WERE SERVED. THIS MEANS THERE IS STILL AN UNMET NEED IN OUR COMMUNITY FOR THESE TYPES OF SERVICES AND ASSISTANCE, WHICH WE WILL COVER LATER IN THE PRESENTATION. BUT FINALLY, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, HAVING AN OUTREACH PERIOD PRIOR TO LAUNCHING A FUTURE PROGRAM WILL BE CRITICAL. AND A PAUSE FOR A SECOND. TAKE A DRINK OF WATER. BREATHING IS IMPORTANT WHEN TALKING. OK. WHILE WE DID NOT HAVE THAT OPTION BASED ON THE TIME CONSTRAINTS FOR THIS PROGRAM, FUTURE PROGRAMS SHOULD BE STRUCTURED TO ALLOW TIME IN ADVANCE TO PROVIDE THOROUGH PUBLIC OUTREACH AND COMMUNITY PARTNER ENGAGEMENT ON PROGRAM TIMELINES AND GUIDELINES, ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS, THE APPLICATION PROCESS AND FRAUD PREVENTION MEASURES. AT THIS POINT, BEFORE LAUNCHING INTO THE NEXT PART OF THE PRESENTATION, I'D LIKE TO PAUSE FOR QUESTIONS AS WELL AS RECOGNIZE THE REMARKABLE WORK THAT JORGE AND HIS TEAM AT CVOC DID TO SUCCESSFULLY ROLL OUT OUR FIRST PROGRAM. AND HE IS HERE AND AVAILABLE TODAY, IF YOU SHOULD HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR HIM AS WELL. CHAIR RECOGNIZES SUPERVISOR ESPINOZA. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN. YEAH, I JUST HAD A QUESTION REGARDING THE TRANSLATION, AND I KNOW THAT WE HAVE HEARD ENGLISH, SPANISH, AND HMONG. WE JUST HAD A QUESTION FOR FOR YOU OR FOR MR. [INAUDIBLE] REGARDING PUNJABI, I KNOW THAT HAVE A BIG POPULATION IN LIVINGSTON OF MY DISTRICT IS PUNJABI AND I DON'T KNOW IF HE HAD ANY APPLICATIONS FROM THE PUNJABI. I KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF THEM ARE LOW INCOME AS WELL. SO I DON'T KNOW IF HE HAD ANY APPLICATIONS. MR. [INAUDIBLE]. THANK YOU. GOOD AFTERNOON. TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, SUPERVISOR ESPINOZ, WE DID NOT TRACK APPLICATIONS PER SAY BY YOU KNOW, PUNJABI IS NOT ONE OF THE CATEGORIES, I GUESS IS THE BEST WAY TO ANSWER IT. SO THE DEMOGRAPHICS THAT YOU SEE UP THERE, IF WE DID HAVE ANY PUNJABI APPLICATIONS, THEY WOULD BE LUMPED INTO THAT ASIAN CATEGORY. SO WE DIDN'T BREAK IT DOWN BY THAT. OK, I THINK IN GENERAL, I THINK YOU MENTIONED IN THE EMAIL THAT YOU HAD A COUPLE OF TRANSLATORS FOR HMONG, WHICH IS ALSO A BIG PART OF, UH--. TO CLARIFY THE PUBLIC COMMENT THAT WAS MADE EARLIER WHERE IT WAS STATED THAT CVOC CONTRACTED OUT OUR HMONG TRANSLATION. THAT IS UNTRUE. CVOC HAS BEEN WITH US FOR TEN YEARS AND THE SECOND HAS BEEN WITH US FOR THREE YEARS. ONE WORKED DIRECTLY ON THE PROGRAM AND THE SECOND WAS AVAILABLE TO TRANSLATE AS NEEDED. THANK YOU. I JUST WANT THE INFORMATION FOR THE PUBLIC AND THAT WE'RE ADDRESSING. IS THERE A POSSIBILITY OF ADDING A PHYSICAL APPOINTMENT? I KNOW THAT BECAUSE OF PANDEMIC AND THE FEAR, BUT IF WE CAN WORK WITH A COUNTY, UH, THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU COULD VACCINATE THE PEOPLE THAT WILL BE TAKING THE APPLICATIONS OR, YOU KNOW, THAT WILL GREATLY HELP BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, JUST [02:15:01] LIKE, UH, YOU KNOW, WITH THE VACCINES, THE PEOPLE THAT ARE SOMETIMES PEOPLE THAT DON'T HAVE COMPUTERS, DON'T HAVE A LANGUAGE BARRIERS, AND YOU CAN'T GET IN TO THE APPLICANTS. AND, YOU KNOW, IF THEY CAN'T REGISTER ONLINE, THEY'RE ON THE COMPUTER AND CAN'T GET THERE, OR AT LEAST HOPEFULLY SOMEBODY CAN TAKE THEM THERE AND APPLY IN PERSON SO WE CAN WORK TOGETHER WITH THE COUNTY. AND IF THOSE YOU KNOW, TO ME, IT WOULD SEEM THERE WOULD BE ESSENTIAL. AND IF THEY CAN GET THE VACCINE, THEY THAT MAYBE WE CAN OFFER AT LEAST ONE OR TWO LOCATIONS WITH PHYSICAL TO PROVIDE PHYSICAL APPLICATIONS. WITHOUT A DOUBT, NOT A PROBLEM. KEEP IN MIND, THE PROGRAM YOU'RE HEARING ABOUT TODAY FROM THE DATE OF INCEPTION, APPROVAL FROM THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS FOUR BUSINESS DAYS LATER, IT WENT LIVE. YOU KNOW, ALL THINGS THAT WE'VE LEARNED AND A COMPLETE AGREEMENT WITH YOU THAT COULD BE IMPROVED IF THERE IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO CONTINUE MOVING FORWARD. ANOTHER COMMENT IS THAT A MILLION DOLLARS SEEMS LIKE A LOT OF MONEY, BUT NOT WHEN YOU HAVE THREE, ALMOST THREE HUNDRED THOUSAND RESIDENTS IN OUR COUNTY. AND EVERY TIME WE HANDLE MONEY, IT'S FRUSTRATING BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE NEVER GOING TO HAVE ENOUGH TO HELP SO MANY PEOPLE IN NEED, ESPECIALLY THESE TIMES RIGHT NOW WITH SO MANY PEOPLE THAT ARE UNEMPLOYED AND, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE [INAUDIBLE] WITH, YOU KNOW, WITH MORTGAGES OR RENT AND UTILITIES BEHIND. SO I YOU KNOW, ANYBODY THAT WOULD HAVE TAKEN THIS ESPECIALLY, YOU KNOW, I KNOW YOU DID, BUT ANY ANY ORGANIZATION, THEY WOULD HAVE TAKEN THIS, UH, THIS ON. I THINK WE HAVE HAD THE SAME ISSUES BY AND LOOKS AT EVERYBODY DIFFERENT. BUT WE JUST HAVE PEOPLE THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT ALWAYS FEEL LIKE AND NOT THAT, YOU KNOW, I'M NOT SAYING, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE LYING, BUT I'M SAYING IT JUST, UH, IT'S DEPEND ON THE APPLICANT BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, IT DEPENDS. YOU HAVE PEOPLE THAT ARE WORKING AND, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE HAVE DIFFERENT PERSONALITIES AND IT DOESN'T SEEM LIKE THEY'RE BEING HELPED. AND, YOU KNOW, ON BOTH SIDES, I UNDERSTAND BOTH SIDES. AND, YOU KNOW, THERE'S ISSUES THERE. SO, YOU KNOW, I'M YOU KNOW, I DON'T WANT TO SAY IN PUBLIC, BUT I THINK THAT THERE'S ALWAYS ISSUES WITH PEOPLE APPLYING AND PEOPLE THAT ARE WORKING THERE THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU DON'T SEE AND THEY MIGHT BE RUDE SOMETIMES. SO, YOU KNOW, LIKE I UNDERSTAND THAT. SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU. APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. UH, CHAIR RECOGNIZES THE SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA. YEAH. JORGE, IN YOUR ESTIMATION, HOW SUCCESSFUL DO YOU THINK THE LAST PROGRAM WAS? IT WAS EXTREMELY SUCCESSFUL. I'M VERY PROUD OF THE WORK DONE. I'M VERY PROUD OF MY TEAM. I'M VERY PROUD OF THE EFFORT THAT WAS PUT FORTH. WAS IT PERFECT? NO. IS A MILLION DOLLARS ENOUGH? NO, IT WAS MENTIONED EARLIER. WE HAD OVER 2000, ABOUT 2000 INQUIRES YOU ONLY HEARD ABOUT 30 PUBLIC COMMENTS TODAY, SO THERE'S ANOTHER FOURTEEN HUNDRED PEOPLE OUT THERE THAT DIDN'T GET SERVED. SO THERE IS A NEED. AND SO IN BECAUSE I WE HAD A MEETING YESTERDAY WITH SOME FOLKS AND A LOT OF THEM SHARED CONCERNS THAT THEY HAD AND MAYBE NOT GETTING A CALL BACK OR DIDN'T QUALIFY OR. AND SO AS I'M TRYING TO WRAP MY HEAD AROUND IT, IS IT REALLY JUST A I MEAN, YOU ONLY HAD SO MANY DOLLARS TO GO AROUND AND WHEN YOU HAD MUCH BIGGER DEMAND THAN YOU DID A SUPPLY IN MY SAFE IN ASSUMING THAT? WITHOUT A DOUBT. AND I WOULD ALSO ADD TO THAT THAT THIS BOARD CONTRACTED WITH CVOC NOT ONLY TO PROVIDE THE SERVICES AND THE DISTRIBUTION OF THAT ONE MILLION DOLLAR CONTRACT, BUT YOU ALSO CONTRACTED US TO BE STEWARDS OF GENERAL FUND DOLLARS, AS WELL AS CARES DOLLARS, WHICH WE ARE EXPERIENCED IN. SO I UNDERSTAND SOME OF THE COMPLAINTS IN THOSE TOUGH CONVERSATIONS THAT YOU'RE HAVING WITH YOUR CONSTITUENTS, BECAUSE THERE IS A LOT OF REQUIREMENTS AND A LOT OF DOCUMENTATION THAT'S REQUIRED. AND MY STAFF AND I, WE TAKE THAT SERIOUSLY. AND THEN AND I'M GOING TO KIND OF JUMP AHEAD A LITTLE BIT HERE, BECAUSE I KNOW THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A PRESENTATION ON THIS NEXT ROUND. BUT THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I SHARED WITH THE FOLKS THAT I WAS ON A CALL WITH YESTERDAY, IS THAT, YOU KNOW, I DON'T MAKE THE GUIDELINES ON THIS FEDERAL PROGRAM LIKE WHEN IT COMES TO WHAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS REQUIRING. THAT'S WAY ABOVE OUR PAY GRADE HERE. I CAN'T HELP THOSE THINGS. RIGHT. I CAN'T FIX THOSE THINGS. BUT WHAT I CAN DO IS, IS, YOU KNOW, IF IT'S AN ISSUE OF WHETHER LANGUAGE BARRIERS, MAKING SURE THAT THOSE THINGS ARE BEING ADDRESSED AND I GET IT, THE LAST PROGRAM WAS IT WAS A HERCULEAN EFFORT. IT WAS STOOD UP IN NO TIME FLAT TO REALLY AND REALLY ACCOMPLISH WHAT I THINK THIS BOARD WANTED TO DO WAS GET THE MONEY IN THE HANDS OF THE PEOPLE THAT NEED IT AS QUICK AS POSSIBLE. AND I FEEL LIKE THE LAST TIME LINE WAS LIKE THAT. SO JUST ON THIS NEXT PROGRAM, YOU KNOW, THERE'S STRICT REQUIREMENTS THAT WE HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH IT. AND WHEN WE SIGNED THE PAPER FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT SAYING THAT WE WOULD TAKE ON [02:20:06] THIS EIGHT POINT THREE DOLLARS MILLION, WE ALSO SIGNED THAT WE'RE GOING TO AGREE TO LIVE BY THE TERMS THAT THEY PUT UPON US. IF I COULD INTERRUPT YOU AND ADD TO THE RECORD THAT CVOC ALSO DOES NOT HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH THOSE GUIDELINES. SO WE ABIDE BY WHAT IS COMING DOWN FROM D.C. RIGHT. OK, THAT'S ALL I HAVE RIGHT NOW. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. CHAIR RECOGNIZES SUPERVISOR PAREIRA. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. I WOULD JUST LIKE TO SHARE WITH THE PUBLIC THAT I'VE BEEN CVOC THE OFFICE HERE IN MERCED COUNTY IS IN MY DISTRICT AND I HAVE BEEN OUT THERE ON MANY OCCASIONS FOR GRADUATIONS, FOR FOOD DISTRIBUTION, FOR A TOUR OF A NEW FACILITY. AND I HAVE NEVER ONCE FOUND THEM TO BE UNPROFESSIONAL. AND INTEGRITY IS VERY IMPORTANT TO ME. AND I ALWAYS LEAVE THERE FEELING LIKE THE TAXPAYERS DOLLARS ARE PUT TO GOOD USE. AND SO I WOULD LIKE TO THANK YOU FOR THAT AND SETTING THAT STANDARD FOR YOUR ORGANIZATION. IT REALLY MEANS A LOT TO ME AND I THINK IT MEANS A LOT TO THE TAXPAYERS IN MERCED COUNTY. SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR THAT COMMENT, SUPERVISOR. I APPRECIATE IT. YEAH. AND THEN, YOU KNOW, I JUST YOU KNOW, I'M NOT I DON'T WANT TO BE TO SAY THE SAME THING OVER AND OVER AGAIN. BUT, YOU KNOW, EVERY TIME THE FEDERAL OR STATE GOVERNMENT GIVES US SOMETHING OUTSIDE OF THE NORMAL PROCESS THAT'S GOING THROUGH HSA OR PUBLIC HEALTH OR BEHAVIORAL HEALTH, THE GUIDELINES THAT COME TO US ARE VERY DIFFICULT. AN SO I JUST WANT TO THANK STAFF, ESPECIALLY ALEXANDRA PIERCE AND DAVID MIRRIONE AND CEO BROWN, AMONG OTHERS, YOU KNOW, FOR STUDYING THOSE REGULATIONS. RIGHT. BECAUSE WE ARE FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE FOR THAT MONEY. AND SO IF MONEY IS DISTRIBUTED OUTSIDE OF THE GUIDELINES, THEN WE COULD BE HELD LIABLE FOR THAT FUNDING. AND SO I JUST APPRECIATE THE INTEGRITY IN THAT AREA AS WELL. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. THANK YOU. AND THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES SUPERVISOR ESPINOZA. THANK YOU. JUST ANOTHER QUESTION. YOU KNOW, ARE PEOPLE THAT MAYBE THEY WERE DENIED. IS IT POSSIBLE FOR THEM TO APPLY AGAIN OR FOR ANY OF THE PEOPLE THAT WERE NOT OF COURSE, THEY WERE NOT ABLE TO GET IN AND, YOU KNOW, ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO APPLY AGAIN FOR THESE FUNDS? RIGHT. WITHOUT A DOUBT. AND THAT'S KIND OF THE INFRASTRUCTURE THAT WE HAVE IN PLACE ALREADY. AS YOU'VE HEARD, WE'VE HAD NEARLY 2000 INQUIRIES AND ONLY 443 SERVED. THAT MEANS I HAVE A DATABASE OF FOURTEEN HUNDRED PLUS FOLKS THAT ARE SEEKING HELP AND ARE IN NEED OF HELP. AND IF THEY MEET THE NEW ELIGIBILITY GUIDELINES FOR THE NEW PROJECT, THEN OF COURSE THEY WILL BE ABLE TO APPLY FOR THAT PROJECT AND POTENTIALLY SEE IF THEY'RE ELIGIBLE FOR HELP. ALSO TO, I DON'T KNOW, THE GUIDELINES REGARDING UNDOCUMENTED, YOU KNOW, IF YOU KNOW, IF IT'S PART OF THE GUIDELINES THAT YOU'RE GOING TO ASK WITH SUCH SECURITY. OBVIOUSLY, IF THEY DON'T HAVE IT, BUT, YOU KNOW, THESE FUNDS ARE AVAILABLE, DOCUMENT ABLE TO RECEIVE IT, RECEIVE THESE FUNDS. YOU SAID SOMETHING. YOU ASK THEM IF THEY'RE HAVE AN ITEM NUMBER OR YOU CAN MAKE UP A CERTAIN NUMBER. CAN YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY, AS LONG AS THE SHOW [INAUDIBLE], WHICH IS OR A MEXICAN PASSPORT OR WHATEVER NATIONALITY THEY HAVE, THEY SHOULD BE ABLE TO QUALIFY AS LONG AS THEY HAVE THE BILLS RIGHT IN THEIR NAMES? RIGHT. FOR THE ONE MILLION DOLLAR PROJECT THAT YOU'RE HEARING ABOUT NOW. YES. FOLKS THAT DID NOT HAVE A SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER OR EVEN AN [INAUDIBLE] NUMBER STILL WERE ABLE TO APPLY AS LONG AS THE LEASE WAS IN THEIR NAME AND THE BILLS WERE IN THEIR NAME OR SHARE NAMES. AND THEN ELIGIBILITY WAS DONE ON THE HOUSEHOLD. FOR THE FUTURE PROGRAM YOU WILL SEE A CHANGE IN THAT. AND I CAN LET STAFF SPEAK TO THAT. BUT THERE IS GOING TO BE A CHANGE. OK, THANK YOU, SIR. THANK YOU, SUPERVISOR. GO AHEAD. WELL, ACTUALLY, IT WAS JUST ALLUDED TO AS FAR AS WE LOOK FORWARD TO THE FUTURE PROGRAMS, IT WAS ALLUDED TO AND IT IS THERE ARE DIFFERENT ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS. THERE ARE DIFFERENT DOCUMENTATION REQUIREMENTS. SO AS YOU LISTEN TO THE FUTURE, AS MS. PIERCE COMES UP THERE, START WALKING THROUGH THEIR CONCERNS FROM THE PUBLIC ABOUT THE PRIOR DOCUMENTATION PROCESS, WHAT WE'VE SEEN, THE FUTURE EVEN MAY BE MORE RIGOROUS AND MORE STRICTER. SO JUST FOR EVERYBODY'S BENEFIT IS, YOU KNOW, GOING FORWARD AND WE DON'T CREATE THESE, AS WE SAID, WE HAVE TO FOLLOW THESE. SO I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE EVERYBODY UNDERSTANDS THAT AS WE GO FORWARD. WE DON'T MAKE UP THESE REGS ON OUR OWN HERE AT THE COUNTY. OK, THANK YOU. NOW I WILL OUTLINE THE NEW EMERGENCY RENTAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM THAT'S MADE [02:25:02] AVAILABLE THROUGH THE U.S. TREASURY DEPARTMENT BY THE CONSOLIDATED APPROPRIATIONS ACT, APPROVED ON DECEMBER 27, 2020. SO THE EMERGENCY RENTAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM, AMONG OTHER ACTIONS WITHIN THE CONSOLIDATED APPROPRIATIONS ACT, SET ASIDE 25 BILLION DOLLARS TO ASSIST HOUSEHOLDS WHO ARE UNABLE TO PAY RENT AND UTILITIES DUE TO THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC. THE PROGRAM IS TO BE ADMINISTERED BY THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY, AND ALLOCATIONS WERE MADE AVAILABLE TO STATES, TERRITORIES, INDIAN TRIBES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS, INCLUDING COUNTIES AND CITIES OF MORE THAN 200000 RESIDENTS. THAT INCLUDES MERCED COUNTY. AS PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED, OUR ALLOCATION THROUGH THIS FEDERAL AWARD PROGRAM WOULD BE EIGHT MILLION TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTY FIVE THOUSAND NINE HUNDRED AND EIGHT DOLLARS AND SIXTY CENTS. AS SPECIFIED BY THE STATUTE AND REQUIRED BY THE U.S. TREASURY DEPARTMENT, TO ENSURE PAYMENTS WERE MADE WITHIN THE 30 DAY TIME PERIOD, CEO BROWN SUBMITTED THE ACCEPTANCE OF AWARD TERMS ON JANUARY 12TH, 2021. IN ADDITION, IT IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE, AS CEO BROWN MENTIONED BEFORE, THAT WE ARE EXPECTING ADDITIONAL GUIDANCE AND CLARIFICATION FROM THE U.S. TREASURY DEPARTMENT RELATED TO THE STATUTE AND PROGRAM GUIDELINES. IN FACT, RIGHT NOW, IF YOU GO ON THEIR WEBSITE, IT DOES SAY THAT THEIR FAQS ARE UNDER CONSTRUCTION AND WILL BE OUT SOON. SO IN ADDITION TO THE LANGUAGE AND THE STATUTE PROGRAM, GUIDANCE IN THE FORM OF FAQS WAS ISSUED BY THE TREASURY ON JANUARY 19TH. AND IT IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE, LIKE I SAID, THAT ADDITIONAL GUIDANCE IS GOING TO BE PROVIDED. FOR THESE GUIDELINES THE TYPE OF ASSISTANCE THAT IS AVAILABLE INCLUDES RENTAL AND RENTAL ARREARS, UTILITY AND HOME ENERGY COSTS AND ARREARS AND OTHER HOUSING EXPENSES AS DEFINED BY THE U.S. TREASURY DEPARTMENT. IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT THE U.S. TREASURY DEPARTMENT HAS NOT YET DEFINED THAT. SO THAT IS ONE OF THE PIECES OF INFORMATION THAT WE ARE WAITING ON. THE AMOUNT OF ASSISTANCE THAT IS AVAILABLE INCLUDES 12 MONTHS OF RENTAL AND OR RENTAL ARREARS ASSISTANCE. HOWEVER, THREE ADDITIONAL MONTHS CAN BE PROVIDED THROUGH AN EXTENSION IF IT IS DETERMINED THAT THAT EXTENSION WOULD ENSURE HOUSING STABILITY AND AS LONG AS FUNDS ARE AVAILABLE. IN ADDITION, ALL COSTS HAVE TO BE INCURRED AFTER THE MARCH 13TH, 2020 DATE. AND IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT THE STATUTE REQUIRES THAT THERE BE A REDUCTION IN RENTAL ARREARS BEFORE PROVISION OF FUTURE RENTAL PAYMENTS. ALSO, FUTURE RENTAL PAYMENTS SHALL NOT BE PROVIDED FOR MORE THAN THREE MONTHS. HOWEVER, THERE IS AN EXCEPTION TO THAT, AND THAT EXCEPTION IS THAT A SUBSEQUENT APPLICATION CAN BE MADE FOR ADDITIONAL FUTURE RENTAL ASSISTANCE BASED ON SEVERAL DIFFERENT REQUIREMENTS. THOSE REQUIREMENTS INCLUDE FUNDING BEING AVAILABLE AND AN ADDITIONAL APPLICATION AND VERIFICATION OF ELIGIBILITY, AND THAT THE ADDITIONAL ASSISTANCE REQUESTED DOES NOT EXCEED THE TOTAL MONTHS OF ASSISTANCE THAT ARE AVAILABLE PER THE PROGRAM GUIDELINES. IN ADDITION, THIS PROGRAM ALLOWS FOR INDIVIDUALS WITHIN THE APPLYING HOUSEHOLD TO BE AN APPLICANT THAT THOSE INDIVIDUALS HAVE TO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THOSE RENTAL PAYMENTS AS WELL AS THE PROGRAM ALLOWS FOR A LANDLORD OR PROPERTY OWNER OF A RESIDENTIAL DWELLING TO ALSO PROVIDE AND BE AN APPLICANT. ALL OF THE FUNDS ARE REQUIRED TO BE EXPENDED BY DECEMBER 31ST OF 2021, AND THERE ARE SOME ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS FOR LANDLORD APPLICANTS, NAMELY THAT THEY NEED TO ENSURE COORDINATION WITH THE RESIDENT OF THEIR RENTAL, MAKING SURE THAT THAT RESIDENT KNOWS THAT AN APPLICATION HAS BEEN SUBMITTED ON THEIR BEHALF TO COORDINATE WITH THEM ON ANY OF THE ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS AND ENSURING THAT DOCUMENTATION IS SUBMITTED, AS WELL AS TO ENSURE THAT THEY SIGN OFF ON THE APPLICATION AND ENSURE THE INFORMATION IS ACCURATE. IN ADDITION, ANY PAYMENTS RECEIVED BY THE LANDLORD FROM A PAYMENT MADE UNDER THIS PROGRAM SHALL BE USED TO SATISFY THAT TENANTS RENTAL OBLIGATION TO THE OWNER. OH, ONE OTHER THING TO MENTION IS THAT FOR THIS PROGRAM, A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THIS PROGRAM AND OUR PREVIOUS PROGRAM IS THAT THE EMERGENCY RENTAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM DOES NOT PROVIDE MORTGAGE ASSISTANCE, WHICH WAS PREVIOUSLY PROVIDED IN OUR INITIAL LOCAL PROGRAM. AND THEN ONE OTHER COMPONENT IN REFERENCE TO SUPERVISOR ESPINOZA'S QUESTION RELATED [02:30:07] TO INDIVIDUALS THAT CAN BE SERVED. AS FAR AS THE FEDERAL STATUTE, THERE'S STILL UNCERTAINTY REGARDING UNDOCUMENTED APPLICANTS AND WHETHER OR NOT THEY WOULD BE ELIGIBLE TO APPLY FOR THIS PROGRAM. THE GUIDANCE THAT WE RECEIVED THROUGH NAKO WAS THAT BECAUSE LANDLORDS ARE ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS TO ASSIST AS MANY INDIVIDUALS THROUGH A CO APPLICATION PROCESS TO ENSURE DISTRIBUTION OF THOSE FUNDS EQUITABLY ACROSS THE JURISDICTION. HOWEVER, AND KIND OF IMPORTANT TO NOTE, AND I'LL TALK ABOUT IT LATER, UNDER THE STATE'S GUIDELINES, THE STATE HAS MADE THE DETERMINATION THAT THROUGH THEIR PROGRAM, DOCUMENTATION STATUS IS NOT REQUIRED. SO THAT IS A LITTLE BIT OF A DIFFERENCE OF WE'RE WAITING FOR SOME ADDITIONAL GUIDANCE FROM THE FEDS ON THAT PROGRAM. BUT THE STATE HAS ALREADY MADE A DETERMINATION ON THEIRS. SO SOME ADDITIONAL ELIGIBILITY AND PRIORITIZATION INFORMATION FOR THIS PROGRAM. IT HAS TO BE A HOUSEHOLD IN MERCED COUNTY THAT IS OBLIGATED TO PAY RENT ON A DWELLING IN MERCED COUNTY. ONE OR MORE INDIVIDUALS IN THE HOUSEHOLD HAS HAD TO EITHER QUALIFY FOR UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS OR EXPERIENCED A REDUCTION IN HOUSEHOLD INCOME OR A FINANCIAL HARDSHIP RELATED TO COVID-19. AND THEN THAT APPLYING HOUSEHOLD HAS TO BE ABLE TO DEMONSTRATE RISK OF EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS OR HOUSING INSTABILITY. AND THAT CAN BE PROVIDED THROUGH DOCUMENTATION ON LIKE A PAST UTILITY OR RENTAL NOTICE, AN EVICTION NOTICE, OR ALSO DOCUMENTATION OF UNSAFE OR UNHEALTHY LIVING CONDITIONS. THE TOTAL HOUSEHOLD INCOME CANNOT BE MORE THAN 80 PERCENT OF THE AREA MEDIAN INCOME. AND I'LL GO INTO THAT A LITTLE BIT FUTURE IN THE PRESENTATION. IN ADDITION, THERE IS A REQUIREMENT FOR NO DUPLICATION OF ASSISTANCE, INCLUDING FEDERAL, STATE OR LOCAL, FOR THE SAME COSTS OR TYPE OF SERVICES. IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE ALREADY RECEIVING OR HOUSEHOLDS THAT ARE ALREADY RECEIVING HOUSING CHOICE VOUCHERS, PUBLIC HOUSING PROJECT BASED RENTAL ASSISTANCE THROUGH THE STATUTE ARE NOT ELIGIBLE FOR THIS EMERGENCY RENTAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM. REGARDING THE DOCUMENTATION THAT IS REQUIRED FOR ESTABLISHING THAT HOUSEHOLD INCOME. THERE ARE SPECIFIC SOURCES THAT ARE REQUIRED IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO DETERMINE WHAT THAT HOUSEHOLD INCOME IS. AND THAT INCLUDES DETERMINING THE HOUSEHOLD'S TOTAL INCOME FOR THE CALENDAR YEAR OF 2020 OR LOOKING AT THE HOUSEHOLD'S TOTAL MONTHLY INCOME AT THE TIME OF THE APPLICATION. BUT IF AT THE TIME OF THE APPLICATION, ONLY THEN THAT APPLICANT NEEDS TO GO THROUGH THE ELIGIBILITY PROCESS EVERY THREE MONTHS OF WHICH THEY ARE RECEIVING ONGOING ASSISTANCE. SO THERE ARE VARIOUS DIFFERENT LEVELS AND TRIGGERS IN THE STATUTE BASED ON HOW THEY MEET THE ELIGIBILITY DETERMINATION FOR INCOME. OK, SO THAT'S THE PRIMARY PURPOSE OF PROVIDING THIS PROGRAM IS TO ADDRESS FINANCIAL HARDSHIP CREATED BY COVID-19. APPLICANTS MUST PROVIDE THE NEXUS TO HOUSEHOLD A REDUCTION IN INCOME AS A RESULT OF COVID-19. AND THERE IS A LIST OF ELIGIBLE REASONS. THEY ARE VERY SIMILAR TO WHAT OUR INITIAL PROGRAM IS. AND FOR EASE OF THIS PRESENTATION, I WILL LEAVE IT UP THERE. BUT MOVE ON TO THE NEXT SLIDE. OK, SO PRIORITIZATION. THE STATUTE FURTHER PRIORITIZES ELIGIBILITY FOR ASSISTANCE FOR THIS PROGRAM AS FOLLOWS. THOSE HOUSEHOLDS THAT HAVE INCOMES THAT DO NOT EXCEED 50 PERCENT OF THE AREA MEDIAN INCOME OR ONE OR MORE INDIVIDUALS WITHIN THE HOUSEHOLD ARE UNEMPLOYED AT THE DATE OF THE PROGRAM APPLICATION AND HAVE NOT BEEN EMPLOYED FOR A 90 DAY PERIOD PRECEDING THIS DATE. IN ADDITION, SOME OTHER REQUIREMENTS RELATED TO THE PRIORITIZATION IS THAT 90 PERCENT OF THE FUNDING ALLOCATION MUST BE USED FOR DIRECT ASSISTANCE, INCLUDING THAT RENTAL UTILITY OR HOUSING EXPENSES. AND IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO DETERMINE THAT ASSESSMENT OF COMMUNITY NEED TO HELP GUIDE WHERE THE ASSISTANCE WILL GO IS ALSO PART OF THE PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION. AND I WILL COVER THAT LATER IN THE PRESENTATION. AND THEN 10 PERCENT OF THE FUNDING CAN BE USED AVAILABLE FOR GRANT ADMINISTRATION AND HOUSING STABILITY SERVICES. SO THE GUIDANCE PROVIDED FOR THE PROGRAM RECOMMENDED CONDUCTING A COMMUNITY [02:35:02] ASSESSMENT OF NEED, WHICH INCLUDES DATA ON THE NUMBER OF RENTAL HOUSEHOLDS, THE MEDIAN INCOME FOR HOUSEHOLDS, AVERAGE RENTAL COSTS IN THE PERCENTAGE OF HOUSEHOLDS WITH A RENT BURDEN, AS WELL AS UNEMPLOYMENT STATISTICS. THE FOLLOWING SLIDE PROVIDES A BREAKDOWN OF THIS INFORMATION. AND I JUST WANTED TO NOTE, BECAUSE I APOLOGIZE, IT'S NOT UP THERE ON THE SLIDE THAT THE DATA WAS PULLED DIRECTLY FROM THE U.S. CENSUS BUREAU. IT IS THE 2020 ESTIMATES, AS WELL AS FROM THE AMERICAN COMMUNITY SURVEY 2019. AND THEN ALSO THE STATE HAS A HOUSING IS KEY WEBSITE. AND SO ADDITIONAL INFORMATION WAS PROVIDED FROM THERE. SO WITHIN MERCED COUNTY, WE HAVE THIRTY EIGHT THOUSAND FIVE HUNDRED AND SEVENTY EIGHT RENTAL HOUSEHOLDS. THE MEDIAN INCOME FOR THESE HOUSEHOLDS IS FORTY SIX THOUSAND AND EIGHTY SIX DOLLARS. OUR AVERAGE RENTAL COST IS APPROXIMATELY ONE THOUSAND NINETY SEVEN DOLLARS PER MONTH. FOR UNEMPLOYMENT AS YOU CAN SEE, OUR DECEMBER STATS, WE HAD APPROXIMATELY THIRTEEN THOUSAND FIFTY FIVE PEOPLE WHO WERE UNEMPLOYED AND OUR CURRENT UNEMPLOYMENT RATE AS OF DECEMBER WAS ELEVEN AND A HALF PERCENT. AS YOU CAN SEE, THAT IS GREATER THAN BOTH THE STATE AND FEDERAL PERCENTAGES. IN ADDITION, THE FOLLOWING CHART PROVIDES OUR AMI PERCENTAGES BASED ON THE CORRESPONDING AMOUNTS OF HOUSEHOLD SIZE. IT IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT ABOUT SEVENTEEN THOUSAND FIVE HUNDRED AND SIXTY SIX RENTERS, OR ABOUT 46 PERCENT OF ALL OF OUR RENTAL HOUSEHOLDS WITHIN MERCED COUNTY, HAVE WHAT'S CONSIDERED A RENT BURDEN, WHERE THEY SPEND MORE THAN 30 PERCENT OF THEIR ANNUAL INCOME ON THEIR RENT AND THEIR HOUSING. AND THEN JUST TO PROVIDE A COMPARISON BETWEEN THE INCOME REQUIREMENTS FOR THIS PROGRAM AND OUR PREVIOUS PROGRAM, OUR LOCAL COUNTY RENTAL MORTGAGE AND UTILITY ASSISTANCE PROGRAM THAT SERVED 443 INDIVIDUALS. OF THAT 34 PERCENT OR 150 WERE SERVED AT THAT 80 PERCENT AMI LEVEL, 36 PERCENT OR ONE HUNDRED AND SIXTY HOUSEHOLDS WERE SERVED AT THAT 50 PERCENT LEVEL. AND ABOUT 30 PERCENT OR ONE HUNDRED AND THIRTY THREE WERE SERVED AT THAT 30 PERCENT LEVEL. THE PROGRAM INCLUDES OUTREACH AND REPORTING REQUIREMENTS, AND THE REPORTING REQUIREMENTS ARE SIGNIFICANT. SO, FIRST I'LL REVIEW THE OUTREACH STRATEGIES USED TO REACH OUT FOR THIS PROGRAM, INCLUDING INFORMING RESIDENTS COUNTYWIDE ABOUT THE PROGRAM, ABOUT THE ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS, THE DOCUMENTATION THAT'S REQUIRED AND HOW TO APPLY. LOOKING AT DOING A MULTILINGUAL OUTREACH APPROACH, INCLUDING ALL OF THE MATERIALS WITHIN MERCED COUNTY, WE WOULD BE LOOKING AT ENGLISH, SPANISH AND HMONG. WE WOULD BE WORKING WITH COMMUNITY PARTNERS TO DISSEMINATE THAT INFORMATION AND THEN ALSO INCLUDING BOTH DIGITAL AND NON DIGITAL SOURCES TO DISSEMINATE THAT INFORMATION FOR GENERAL PROGRAM INFORMATION TO RESIDENTS. THAT WOULD INCLUDE ANSWERING GENERAL QUESTIONS, HAVING FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS, AND THEN ALSO ASSISTING LANDLORDS WITH APPLYING ON BEHALF OF THEIR TENANTS REGARDING REPORTING. THAT IS ALL OUTLINED THROUGH THE U.S. TREASURY DEPARTMENT. THEY DO REQUIRE QUARTERLY REPORTING AND THE STATUTE LISTS OUT A LAUNDRY LIST OF THOSE REQUIREMENTS, INCLUDING ENSURING THAT WE HAVE ADDRESS, NAME, ADDRESS, SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER, TAX IDENTIFICATION, [INAUDIBLE] NUMBER FOR BOTH THE LANDLORD AND THE UTILITY PROVIDER. LOOKING AT THE TOTAL NUMBER OF ELIGIBLE HOUSEHOLDS THAT RECEIVE THE ASSISTANCE, THE AMOUNT AND PERCENTAGE OF MONTHLY RENT COVERED BY THE ASSISTANCE, THE AMOUNT AND PERCENTAGE OF SEPARATELY STATED UTILITY AND HOME ENERGY COSTS COVERED UNDER THE ASSISTANCE, THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF EACH TYPE OF ASSISTANCE THAT'S APPLIED WITH A BREAKDOWN OF RENT, RENTAL ARREARS, UTILITIES AND HOME ENERGY COSTS PROVIDED TO EACH HOUSEHOLD AND OUTSTANDING RENTAL ARREARS FOR EACH HOUSEHOLD. THE AVERAGE AMOUNT OF FUNDING PROVIDED PER ELIGIBLE HOUSEHOLD, THE NUMBER OF MONTHS OF RENTAL PAYMENTS AND NUMBER OF MONTHS OF UTILITY AND HOME ENERGY PAYMENTS THAT ARE PROVIDED TO EACH HOUSEHOLD HOUSEHOLD INCOME AND THE NUMBER OF INDIVIDUALS WITHIN THE HOUSEHOLD. WITH SUCH INFORMATION DISAGGREGATED FOR HOUSEHOLDS, THAT INCLUDES THEIR BREAKDOWN FOR INCOME, A BREAKDOWN OF THOSE THAT RECEIVE AT 30 PERCENT, A BREAKDOWN OF THOSE RECEIVE AT 50 PERCENT, AND BREAKDOWN OF THOSE THAT RECEIVED 80 PERCENT. IN ADDITION, GENDER, RACE, ETHNICITY AND OTHER DEMOGRAPHIC INFORMATION IS ALSO COLLECTED. SO AS YOU CAN SEE OH, AND ALSO IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT THIS IS ANOTHER AREA WHERE THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HAS SAID THEY WILL BE ISSUING ADDITIONAL GUIDANCE. SO WE ANTICIPATE THAT COMING AS WELL. THIS DOES CONCLUDE THE PORTION OF THE PRESENTATION ON THE FEDERAL PROGRAM. [02:40:03] SO I JUST WANT TO PAUSE BECAUSE THAT WAS A LOT OF INFORMATION AND OPEN UP FOR ANY QUESTIONS BEFORE MOVING ON. YES. CHAIR RECOGNIZES SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. WHEN YOU GO BACK TO ONE OF THE REQUIREMENTS THAT TALKED ABOUT IT'S THE DUPLICATION OF SERVICES CANNOT BE USED TO, GOTTA FIND IT EXACTLY HERE. I FORGET WHAT PAGE IT WAS ON. 15. THERE YOU GO. THANK YOU. 15. NO DUPLICATION OF OTHER ASSISTANCE. FEDERAL, STATE, LOCAL FOR THE SAME COSTS. SO HYPOTHETICAL IF YOU APPLIED AND HAD SOME MONEY IN THE COUNTY PROGRAM THAT WE JUST FINISHED WITH. NOW, THOSE BACK BILLS HAVE BEEN PAID, IF THAT DOESN'T PRECLUDE THEM FROM APPLYING FOR FUTURE STUFF. BUT JUST THEY COULDN'T REAPPLY FOR THOSE SAME ONES THAT WERE ALREADY PAID. CORRECT. THEY COULD NOT APPLY FOR THOSE SAME ONES. HOWEVER, AS YOU RECALL, IT WAS JUST ONE MONTH ARREARS AND ONE MONTH CURRENT. SO IF THEY HAVE OTHER ARREARS THAT WERE BEYOND THAT ONE MONTH, THEY WOULD BE ELIGIBLE FOR THAT COMPONENT. OK, I JUST WANTED TO MAKE THAT CLARIFICATION. THANK YOU FOR RIGHT NOW. CHAIR RECOGNIZES SUPERVISOR PAREIRA. OK, SORRY ABOUT THAT. THAT'S OK. I GOT YOU. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS. THE FIRST ONE IS, IF PEOPLE HAVEN'T BEEN PAYING THEIR RENT, THERE'S A POSSIBILITY THAT THERE ARE LATE PAYMENT FEES AND STUFF STACKING UP. HOW ARE THOSE ADDRESSED IN THIS PROGRAM? SO THE THE STATUTE DOES ALLOW FOR A LATE PAYMENT FEES AS LONG AS THEY ARE WITHIN THE ELIGIBILITY PERIOD. HOWEVER, THAT IS AN AREA THAT WE ANTICIPATE ADDITIONAL GUIDANCE ON AND THEN ALSO WOULD NEED TO BE CROSS-REFERENCED WITH WHATEVER IS IN THEIR CONTRACT, THEIR RENTAL AGREEMENT FOR SAID PAYMENTS. OK, AND THEN IF THE IF THE LANDLORD OR IF A TENANT PARTICIPATES IN THIS PROGRAM AND THE LANDLORD RECEIVES THE RENT ON THEIR BEHALF, IS THERE A REQUIREMENT FOR THE LANDLORDS TO FORGIVE ANY PORTION OF THE RENT? FOR THE PURPOSES OF THE FEDERAL PROGRAM THAT IS NOT A REQUIREMENT. HOWEVER, WHEN I START WALKING THROUGH THE STATE PROGRAM, THAT IS A COMPONENT OF THAT PROGRAM. AND WHAT KIND OF PERCENTAGE OR IS THERE AN AMOUNT OR HOW COULD YOU QUANTITATE IT? SO YES. SO FOR THE STATE PROGRAM, THEY THEY ALLOW 80 FOR THERE'S A TWO PRONGED APPROACH. SO FOR THE LANDLORD PARTICIPATING PROGRAM, THOSE WHERE THE LANDLORDS HAVE SAID, YEP, I'M SIGNING ON TO THIS APPLICATION, I LIKE TO BE ABLE TO WORK WITH THE PROGRAM, THEY'RE ELIGIBLE TO RECEIVE UP TO 80 PERCENT OF THE RENTAL ARREARS FOR THE TIME PERIOD OF APRIL 1ST, 2020 FORWARD. BUT THEN THEY WOULD HAVE TO WRITE OFF AND THE 20 PERCENT, IF THAT IF THERE WAS NO PAYMENT THAT HAD PREVIOUSLY BEEN PROVIDED ANY AMOUNT BEYOND THE 80 PERCENT, THE LANDLORD OR OWNER WOULD HAVE TO AGREE THAT THE RENT WAS FULLY SATISFIED BY RECEIVING THAT 80 PERCENT. FOR THOSE HOUSEHOLDS WHERE THE LANDLORD DOES NOT WISH TO PARTICIPATE, THE HOUSEHOLD WOULD ONLY BE ELIGIBLE TO RECEIVE 25 PERCENT OF THE RENTAL ARREARS FOR THAT TIME PERIOD OF APRIL 1ST MOVING FORWARD AND THEN FOR BOTH SETS, REGARDLESS OF WHETHER THE LANDLORD PARTICIPATES OR NOT, ANY FUTURE RENTAL ASSISTANCE UNDER THE STATE'S PROGRAM IS ONLY ELIGIBLE FOR 25 PERCENT OF THE RENT MOVING FORWARD. NOW, IT IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT FOR THAT FORWARD RENT, IT DOES NOT MEAN THAT THE LANDLORD IS HAVING TO SIGN OFF ON THOSE ADDITIONAL FUTURE RENT PAYMENTS. THE SB 91 DOES KIND OF GO OVER WHAT THE PROCESS WOULD LOOK LIKE FOR THOSE LANDLORDS TO BE ABLE TO TRY TO RECOUP THOSE COSTS. BUT THERE ARE SOME PROVISIONS OF WHETHER OR NOT THEY PARTICIPATED IN THE PROGRAM AND OR WHETHER OR NOT THEY ASSISTED THEIR TENANT WITH OUTREACH. AND CONNECTING THEM WITH THESE SERVICES COULD IMPACT THEIR ABILITY TO FULLY RECLAIM ANY COSTS THAT WERE OWED TO THEM. OK, AND THEN BECAUSE THERE IS A DIFFERENCE ON THE PERCENTAGE ABOVE AMI THAT FOLKS CAN HAVE RECEIVED AS INCOME TO QUALIFY. SO SO HERE 80 PERCENT. [02:45:01] THIS IS ON THE FEDERAL PROGRAM. SO 80 PERCENT. AM I WITH THE WITH THE FAMILY OF FOUR, THEY COULD HAVE RECEIVED UP TO FIFTY FIVE THOUSAND NINE HUNDRED DOLLARS AND STILL QUALIFY. CORRECT. NOW, AND IT SEEMS TO ME THAT UNDER THE LAST PROGRAM IT WAS TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTY PERCENT AND THEY COULD RECEIVE ABOUT SIXTY FIVE THOUSAND FOR A FAMILY OF FOUR. IS THAT NEAR ACCURATE. SIXTY FIVE THOUSAND FIVE HUNDRED. OK, SO THEN SO EVEN THOUGH THIS IS A LITTLE MORE STRINGENT, IT'S NOT A LOT MORE STRINGENT THAN OUR PREVIOUS PROGRAM. THAT'S CORRECT. BUT IT IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT THE REQUIREMENTS ON BOTH THE FEDERAL AND STATE PROGRAM DO PRIORITIZE THE 50 PERCENT AMI LEVEL. AND SO IF IN WHEREAS THE FIRST PROGRAM WAS A FIRST COME, FIRST SERVE, AS LONG AS YOU MEET THE ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS AND HAD ALL OF THE DOCUMENTATION, YOU WERE ABLE TO BE SERVED UNDER THIS PROGRAM IF TWO DIFFERENT INDIVIDUALS APPLY AT THE SAME TIME. BUT ONE IS THAT THE 80 PERCENT AND ONE IS THAT THE 50 PERCENT. THE STATUTE REQUIRES US TO FIRST FUND THE 50 PERCENT BEFORE MOVING ON TO THE 80 PERCENT. AND THEN LAST QUESTION, IS THERE A PER HOUSEHOLD MAXIMUM? THERE IS NOT. OK, THANK YOU. OK. OK, THANK YOU, I THINK THAT CONCLUDES ANY COMMENTS UP HERE, DO YOU WANT TO PROCEED WITH THE PRESENTATION? THANK YOU. OK, SO ON JANUARY 28TH OF 20 21, THE CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE PASSED THE COVID-19 TENANT RELIEF ACT, OR SB 91, WHICH WAS SIGNED INTO LAW BY THE GOVERNOR THE NEXT DAY. THE ACT DID EXTEND EVICTION PROTECTIONS THROUGH JUNE 30TH OF 2021. THOSE EVICTION PROTECTIONS INCLUDE EXTENDING THE PROVISIONS THAT WERE ORIGINALLY PROVIDED IN AB 3088. THEY PROVIDE NEW PROTECTIONS FOR TENANTS IMPACTED BY COVID-19, INCLUDING DEBT TREATMENT AND CIVIL PROCEDURES. AND THEY ALSO UTILIZE THE SAME TENANT ELIGIBILITY AND REGULATORY RULES FOR AB 3088 REGARDING BEING ABLE TO ESTABLISH AND DECLARE FINANCIAL HARDSHIP TO THEIR LANDLORD, ALLOWING THEM TO PAY THAT ONLY 25 PERCENT OF THEIR RENT FOR THE MONTH. AND THEN ALSO KNOWING THAT THAT THAT DEBT WILL STILL ACCRUE BUT CANNOT BE GROUNDS FOR EVICTION THROUGH THE EVICTION PROTECTION PERIOD. IN ADDITION, THE BILL REQUIRES THAT THE INITIAL ALLOCATION OF FUNDS BE COMPLETED AND SHARED NO LATER THAN FEBRUARY 19TH FOR THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF FUNDING. THERE WAS ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY MILLION DOLLARS THAT WAS SET ASIDE FOR COUNTIES WITH POPULATIONS UNDER TWO HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS THAT DID NOT RECEIVE A DIRECT FEDERAL ALLOCATION AND THE REMAINING FUNDING FOR COUNTIES AND CITIES THAT HAD THE POPULATIONS. OVER TWO HUNDRED THOUSAND RESIDENTS WHO DID RECEIVE A DIRECT FEDERAL ALLOCATION, INCLUDING MERCED COUNTY AND THROUGH THEIR RESERVATION TABLE, HAS ESTIMATED OUR ALLOCATION AT ABOUT EIGHT MILLION EIGHT HUNDRED EIGHTY FIVE THOUSAND THREE HUNDRED AND FIFTY EIGHT DOLLARS AND NINE CENTS. IT IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE, AS CEO BROWN MENTIONED, THAT THE STATE HAS ASKED US TO PROVIDE A RESPONSE TO THEM. I WILL BE GETTING TO THAT A LITTLE BIT LATER IN THE PRESENTATION. BUT THE ACT ALSO DID ESTABLISH THAT THE STATE COULD CONTRACT WITH A STATEWIDE PROGRAM IMPLEMENTER THAT WOULD BEGIN PROCESSING APPLICATIONS NOT ONLY FOR THOSE COUNTIES WITH POPULATIONS UNDER TWO HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS TO PROVIDE DIRECT ADMINISTRATION FOR THOSE COUNTIES, BUT ALSO FOR THOSE COUNTIES THAT CHOOSE TO HAVE BOTH THEIR STATE AND FEDERA ALLOCATION THROUGH THE STATE. LET'S SEE REGARDING COMPENSATION PARAMETERS, THE FOCUS OF THE STATE'S PROGRAM. WHILE SIMILAR AND IN ALIGNMENT WITH THE FEDERAL EMERGENCY RENTAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM, THE INTENT REALLY IS TO STABILIZE LOW INCOME HOUSEHOLDS THROUGH PAYMENT OF RENT AND UTILITIES TO LANDLORDS WHILE ALSO HELPING HOUSEHOLDS MEET THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE STATE EVICTION MORATORIUM PROTECTIONS. SO IN ADDITION TO THE FEDERAL REQUIREMENTS, THE STATE ADDS A LAYER OF COMPENSATION PARAMETERS. AND I MENTIONED IT EARLIER RESPONDING TO SUPERVISOR PEREIRA'S QUESTION. BUT THERE ARE THE TWO DIFFERENT OPTIONS, THE PARTICIPATING LANDLORD PROCESS, WHERE THE STATUTE SAYS THAT COMPENSATION SHALL BE EXACTLY 80 PERCENT OF ELIGIBLE HOUSEHOLDS, UNPAID RENTAL DEBT FROM APRIL 1ST THROUGH MARCH 31ST, AND THAT [02:50:02] THE REMAINING UNPAID RENTAL DEBT MUST BE FORGIVEN FOR THAT PERIOD. FOR THOSE HOUSEHOLDS THAT APPLY THAT DO NOT HAVE A PARTICIPATING LANDLORD WITHIN THAT PROCESS, THE COMPENSATION FOR THAT SAME PERIOD IS 25 PERCENT OF THE ELIGIBLE HOUSEHOLDS, UNPAID RENT AND AS STATED EARLIER, FOR FUTURE RENT PAYMENTS, THE PAYMENT SHALL BE EXACTLY 25 PERCENT OF THE ELIGIBLE HOUSEHOLD'S MONTHLY RENT. THE STATE DOES ALSO OUTLINE ADDITIONAL PRIORITIZATION EFFORTS IN ADDITION TO WHAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HAS OUTLINED. THEY HAVE INITIATED THREE DIFFERENT ROUNDS OF PRIORITIZATION, THE FIRST CONSISTENT WITH THE FEDERAL GUIDELINES OF HOUSEHOLDS THAT ARE AT OR UNDER THE 50 PERCENT AREA MEDIAN INCOME. THE NEXT ROUND FOR THOSE COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE BEEN DISPROPORTIONATELY IMPACTED BY COVID-19 AND THE THIRD FOR HOUSEHOLDS THAT WEREN'T OTHERWISE INCLUDED IN THE FIRST TWO ROUNDS, INCLUDING THOSE THAT ARE ELIGIBLE UP TO THE 80 PERCENT OF THE AMI. IN ADDITION, A JURISDICTION THAT RECEIVES THE FUNDS SHALL NOT INCLUDE ANY OTHER PROGRAMMATIC REQUIREMENTS. SO FOR THIS STATE PROGRAM, YOU CANNOT ADD ANY ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS IF YOU CHOOSE TO EITHER ACCEPT THE FUNDS AND OPERATE THE STATE PROGRAM. YOU HAVE TO GO WITH EXACTLY AS THE STATE OUTLINES IT. IN ADDITION, THE STATE HAS NOT YET BUT HAS SAID THAT THEY WILL PROVIDE ADDITIONAL GUIDANCE REGARDING EACH OF THESE ROUNDS. THEY HAVE PROVIDED SOME PRELIMINARY GUIDANCE THAT SAYS THAT SOME OF THE THINGS THAT JURISDICTIONS CAN LOOK AT ARE PRIORITIZING BY A DEEPER INCOME TARGETING, MEANING GETTING DOWN TO THAT 30 PERCENT. AM I LOOKING AT THOSE THAT HAVE THE RENT BURDEN PRIORITIZING BASED ON QUALIFIED CENSUS TRACTS, PRIORITIZING BY PROPERTY SIZE OR THE LIKE, BY THE PROPERTY OWNER, LIKE SMALL LANDLORDS, THAT THEY DON'T HAVE A LOT OF PROPERTIES AND THEN OTHER FACTORS THAT THE DEPARTMENT HAS YET TO DETERMINE WHAT THOSE WHAT THOSE ARE. SO FOUR COUNTIES, OVER TWO HUNDRED THOUSAND RESIDENTS WHO WERE ELIGIBLE TO RECEIVE A FEDERAL ALLOCATION. THE STATE HAS PROVIDED THREE OPTIONS AND HAS REQUESTED A FORMAL RESPONSE INDICATING WHICH OPTION THE COUNTY HAS SELECTED. SO AS AN OVERVIEW OF THOSE THREE OPTIONS, OPTION A IS TO PARTICIPATE IN THE STATE PROGRAM WITH COMBINED FEDERAL AND STATE FUNDS. SO FOR THIS PROGRAM, A COUNTY WOULD PARTICIPATE IN A CENTRAL STATE PROGRAM WHERE BOTH THE FEDERAL ALLOCATION AND THE STATE ALLOCATION ARE MANAGED ON BEHALF OF THE COUNTY BY A COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT FINANCIAL INSTITUTION. THE STATE JUST RECENTLY SELECTED WHO THAT WOULD BE. THEY ARE LOCAL INITIATIVE SUPPORT CORPORATION. THEY'VE BEEN CONTRACTED WITH THE STATE FOR THIS PURPOSE TO BE THE LOCAL THE PROGRAM IMPLEMENTER. THAT CORPORATION IS A NATIONAL ORGANIZATION WHICH ADMINISTERS GRANT FUNDING. THE NEXT OPTION, OPTION B, IS TO SELF ADMINISTER, COMBINING BOTH THE FEDERAL AND STATE FUNDS, BUT ALIGNING BOTH THE FEDERAL ALLOCATION AND THE STATE ALLOCATION TO CONFORM WITH WHAT THE STATE'S REQUIREMENTS ARE FOR THE EMERGENCY RENTAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM THROUGH THE STATE. AND THE THIRD OPTION IS OPTION C, WHERE THE COUNTY CAN ADMINISTER THE FEDERAL FUNDS THAT THEY'VE RECEIVED AND THE STATE CAN ADMINISTER STATE FUNDING. IT IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT THE IF THE COUNTY CHOOSES TO SELF ADMINISTER ITS FEDERAL ALLOCATION BUT CHOOSES NOT TO CONFORM WITH THE STATE, THERE IS ADDITIONAL CONCERNS THAT THE STATE HAS PUT FORWARD REGARDING THAT DUPLICATION OF BENEFITS, CHECKS, AND HAS SAID THAT IT MAY SLOW DOWN THE PROCESS TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE FUNDING THROUGH THE STATE'S PROGRAM TO ENSURE THAT THE PROGRAM IS COMPLIANT WITH THE FEDERAL REQUIREMENTS TO ENSURE NO DUPLICATION OF EFFORTS. IN ADDITION, EARLIER TODAY THE STATE DID PROVIDE SOME ADDITIONAL FAQS THAT ARE PRETTY SUBSTANTIVE RELATED TO THAT DUPLICATION OF EFFORTS AS FAR AS WE WOULD NEED TO FOLLOW UP WITH THEM AND HAVE A FULL CONVERSATION. THEY'RE LOOKING AT, YOU KNOW, ARE WE SERVING THE SAME POPULATION? ARE THERE DIFFERENT POPULATIONS? ARE THERE DIFFERENT GEOGRAPHIC AREAS? AND SO BEFORE REALLY KNOWING WHAT THAT DUPLICATION OF EFFORTS WOULD LOOK LIKE, WE WOULD HAVE TO HAVE A FURTHER CONVERSATION WITH WHAT THE TPROGRAM ELEMENTS WOULD BE. SO WITH REGARD TO THE FUNDING TIMELINE THROUGH THE STATE'S PROGRAM, THE STATE [02:55:05] DID REQUEST AN INITIAL EXPRESSION OF INTENT SURVEY ON THE THIRD AND IS IMPOR TANT TO NOTE THAT STAFF DID REACH OUT TO THE STATE TO PROVIDE AN INITIAL EXPRESSION OF INTENT VIA EMAIL, BUT ALSO HAD QUESTIONS BECAUSE OF THE LANGUAGE WITH REGARD TO DUPLICATION OF EFFORTS THAT WAS PROVIDED ON FEBRUARY 3RD. AND WE RECEIVED A RESPONSE BACK THIS MORNING DURING THE BOARD MEETING. THE NEXT DATE, AS MENTIONED EARLIER, IS THIS FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 12TH, WHERE WE'RE REQUIRED TO PROVIDE OUR FINAL EXPRESSION OF INTENT TO THE STATE ON WHICH OPTION A, B OR C, THE COUNTY WOULD LIKE TO SELECT MOVING FORWARD SOME ADDITIONAL DATES TO KEEP IN MIND IF THE CHOICE IS MADE TO SELECT OPTION B FOR THE STATE'S PROGRAM. SO ROLLING BACK, JUST AS A REMINDER FOR THE FEDERAL PROGRAM, THE DATES THAT ARE REQUIRED FOR THAT PROGRAM ARE THAT FUNDS BE EXPENDED BY DECEMBER 31ST OF 2021 AND THAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT MAY, IF WE EXPEND 65 PERCENT OR OBLIGATE SIXTY FIVE PERCENT OF THOSE FUNDS BY SEPTEMBER 31ST, IT MAY OPEN US UP FOR A REDISTRIBUTION OF FUNDING AND WE COULD RECEIVE AN ADDITIONAL ALLOCATION SHOULD THOSE FUNDS BE OBLIGATED. HOWEVER, ON THE STATE SIDE, THEIR REQUIREMENT IS THAT BY JUNE 1ST, AT LEAST SIXTY FIVE PERCENT OF THOSE FUNDS BE CONTRACTUALLY OBLIGATED FOR THAT OPTION B SELECTION, WHERE WE'RE REQUESTING THE STATE BLOCK GRANT FUNDS. AND THEN ALL OF THE STATE'S FUNDING FOR THAT OPTION HAVE TO BE EXPENDED BY THE AUGUST 1ST DATE, AS OPPOSED TO THE DECEMBER 31ST DATE PROVIDED IN THE FEDERAL STATUTE. AND THEN THE STATE ALSO HAS A SIMILAR REALLOCATION METHODOLOGY TO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, ALTHOUGH THEIR TIMELINE IS IS SPED UP AND THEY'RE LOOKING AT A JUNE 1ST DATE. SO THE STATE MAY RECLAIM UNSPENT FUNDS AND REALLOCATED JURISDICTIONS THAT HAVE EXPENDED AT LEAST 50 PERCENT OF THEIR ALLOCATION BY JUNE 1ST. SO MOVING FORWARD, LOOKING AT THE THREE DIFFERENT RECOMMENDATIONS FOR EACH OPTION FOR OPTION A., WHAT WOULD BE BEFORE THIS BOARD WOULD BE TO SUBMIT THE FINAL EXPRESSION OF INTENT BY FEBRUARY 12TH, INDICATING OPTION A.. WE WOULD STILL REQUEST RATIFICATION AND ACCEPTANCE OF THE EMERGENCY RENTAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM. FUNDS FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT THAT WE RECEIVED BE REQUESTING TO AUTHORIZE THE COUNTY TO TRANSFER THOSE DIRECT FEDERAL AND STATE EMERGENCY RENTAL ASSISTANCE ALLOCATION AS OUTLINED IN OPTION A. TO THE STATE TO BE ADMINISTERED THROUGH THE STATE'S EMERGENCY RENTAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM AND ALSO AUTHORIZING THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE OFFICER TO ENTER INTO AND SIGN THE HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT STANDARD AGREEMENT AND ALL RELATED DOCUMENTS TO THE FEDERAL AND STATE PORTIONS OF THE EMERGENCY RENTAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM. IT IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE FOR THIS OPTION THAT EVEN IF WE PROVIDE OUR DIRECT FEDERAL ALLOCATION TO THE STATE, MERCED COUNTY IS STILL RESPONSIBLE FOR ALL REPORTING REQUIREMENTS AND AWARD TERMS THAT WE AGREED TO WHEN RECEIVING THE INITIAL FUNDS. SO IN ESSENCE, THE FEDERAL FUNDING WOULD BE LIKE A SUBCONTRACT TO THE STATE FOR THAT AMOUNT OF OF THE FUNDS. FOR OPTION B RECOMMENDATIONS, SHOULD WE MOVE IN THAT DIRECTION, WOULD BE TO SUBMIT THE EXPRESSION OF FINAL INTENT INDICATING OPTION B, AUTHORIZING THE COUNTY TO REQUEST THE STATE BLOCK GRANT ALLOCATION AS OUTLINED IN THAT OPTION, AND SELF ADMINISTER BOTH FEDERAL AND STATE FUNDS IN A MANNER THAT'S CONSISTENT WITH THE STATE AND FEDERAL PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS. WE WOULD STILL NEED TO RATIFY ACCEPTANCE OF THOSE FEDERAL FUNDS FOR THE PROGRAM, BUT THEN WOULD REQUEST TO DIRECT STAFF TO RETURN TO THE BOARD AT A FUTURE DATE WITH A PROPOSED CONTRACT AND BUDGET TRANSFER CONSISTENT WITH THE STATE AND FEDERAL PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS. AND THEN FINALLY FOR OPTION C, RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THIS OPTION ARE IN ALIGNMENT WITH THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT IS BEFORE THE BOARD FOR ACTION ITEM TEN TODAY WOULD BE TO SUBMIT THE FINAL EXPRESSION OF INTENT FORM FOR OPTION C, GRATIFYING ACCEPTANCE OF THE FEDERAL FUNDS, APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING THE CHAIRMAN TO SIGN A CONTRACT WITH CVOC FOR OPERATION OF THE EMERGENCY RENTAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM, NOT TO EXCEED EIGHT MILLION FIFTY FIVE EIGHT MILLION FIFTY FIVE THOUSAND NINE HUNDRED AND EIGHT [03:00:01] DOLLARS FOR THE TERM OF FEBRUARY 9TH 2021 THROUGH APRIL 1ST, 2022, AND AUTHORIZING THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE OFFICER AUTHORITY TO MAKE CHANGES TO THE CONTRACT SCOPE OF WORK BASED ON ADDITIONAL GUIDANCE PROVIDED BY THE U.S. TREASURY DEPARTMENT UPON REVIEW BY COUNTY COUNCIL AND RISK, AND THEN ALSO TO APPROVE THE RELATED BUDGET TRANSFER, NOTING THAT IT IS FOUR FIFTHS VOTE REQUIRED. AND THEN JUST TO BECAUSE I BRIEFLY MENTIONED IT BEFORE, BUT IT IS SOMEWHAT COMPLICATED, ESPECIALLY BECAUSE IT'S DIFFERENT FROM WHAT THE STATE'S TIMELINE REQUIREMENTS ARE. SO FOR THE FEDERAL STATUTE, IN ORDER TO MEET THE TIMELINE FOR THE FEDERAL STATUTE, 65 PERCENT OF THOSE FUNDS NEED TO BE OBLIGATED BY SEPTEMBER 30TH. AND THEN BEGINNING ON THAT DATE, THE TREASURY CAN RECAPTURE ANY EXCESS FUNDS THAT HAVE NOT BEEN OBLIGATED AS DETERMINED BY THE SECRETARY. THAT IS FUTURE GUIDANCE THAT WE'RE STILL AWAITING ON WHAT THAT WOULD LOOK LIKE. BUT THEN THE SECRETARY OF THE TREASURY CAN REALLOCATE AMOUNTS TO ELIGIBLE GRANTEES WHO HAVE OBLIGATED AT LEAST SIXTY FIVE PERCENT BY THAT DATE. AND THEN THE GRANTEE CAN REQUEST A 90 DAY EXTENSION TO UTILIZE THOSE REALLOCATION FUNDS 90 DAYS PAST THE DECEMBER 31ST DATE. SO FOR THOSE FUNDS AND THOSE FUNDS, ONLY THE REALLOCATED FUNDS, WE COULD HAVE UP TO APRIL 1ST OF 2022 TO EXPEND THAT FUNDING. SO IN CLOSING, THE BOARD HAS THREE OPTIONS FOR CONSIDERATION THIS MORNING, OPTION A, B AND C, AND AT THIS TIME, THIS DOES CONCLUDE THE ENTIRETY OF THE PRESENTATION BUT I AM AVAILABLE FOR ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE. THANK YOU. CHAIR RECOGNIZES SUPERVISOR PAREIRA. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. THANK YOU FOR A THOROUGH AND ENGAGING PRESENTATION. THIS THERE'S A LOT OF INFORMATION AND I BELIEVE THAT YOU'VE UPDATED ME VERY WELL. I'LL MAKE A FEW COMMENTS. AND IF I'M NOT UPDATED 100 PERCENT, PLEASE FEEL FREE TO CORRECT ANYTHING THAT I MIGHT HAVE WRONG. AS I GO THROUGH THE THE THREE OPTIONS, IT REALLY HAS ME LEANING TOWARDS OPTION C. I THINK THAT THE FACT THAT THE THE AMOUNT OF MONEY, THE SIXTEEN MILLION DOLLARS COULD BE KIND OF DISTRIBUTED IN TWO MODES OF DISTRIBUTION, ONE WOULD BE MORE LOCAL, BUT THE STATE THEN COULD DISTRIBUTE THEIR EIGHT MILLION DOLLARS ALONG THEIR GUIDELINES. YOU KNOW, YOU MENTIONED THAT WE HAVE TO TO, YOU KNOW, ATTEST TO NO DUPLICATION OF FOLKS RECEIVING ALLOTMENTS. HOWEVER, IT IT ALLOWS KIND OF TWO SYSTEMS TO BETTER REACH OUT TO THE LARGEST POPULATION IN MERCED COUNTY. AND THEN DID YOU MENTION THAT THERE IS A POSSIBILITY OF ADDITIONAL FEDERAL ALLOCATION? YES, THAT'S RIGHT. IT WASN'T STATE. IT'S FEDERAL HAS THE POTENTIAL FOR ADDITIONAL THAT WE KNOW OF. SO BOTH OPTIONS DO ARE BOTH THE FEDERAL ALLOCATION. THERE COULD BE ADDITIONAL FUNDS AND THE STATE ALLOCATION. THERE COULD BE ADDITIONAL FUNDS BASED ON TWO DIFFERENT TIMELINES AND TWO DIFFERENT PERCENTAGES OF WHEN YOU WERE TO OBLIGATE THOSE FUNDS BY. RIGHT. OK, QUESTION. DURING OUR PUBLIC COMMENTS, YOU KNOW, WE HEARD QUITE A FEW PEOPLE KIND OF SHARE CONCERN THAT NOT EVERYBODY WAS GETTING HELP. SO IF WE LET THE STATE ADMINISTER THEIR ALLOCATION, WOULD THAT CREATE OPPORTUNITIES WHERE THE LOCAL NON-PROFITS COULD COME ALONGSIDE RESIDENTS, HELP THEM THROUGH THE SYSTEM AND THE PROGRAM? IS THAT A POSSIBILITY? THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR MENTIONING THAT. THAT WAS A POINT THAT I FAILED TO MENTION EARLIER IN THE PRESENTATION. SO FOR OPTION A AND B AND THERE ARE SOME ADDITIONAL NOTES RELATED TO THE ADMINISTRATIVE FEE. SO FOR OPTION A. IF IF WE CHOOSE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE STATE PROGRAM, THERE IS THE ABILITY TO HAVE ONE POINT FIVE PERCENT OF THE STATE'S ADMINISTRATIVE FEES HELD BACK LOCALLY TO BE ABLE TO SUPPORT IMPLEMENTATION THAT COULD BE, AND THE ADMINISTRATIVE REQUIREMENTS THAT COULD BE HELP FOR ADDITIONAL LOCAL OUTREACH AND SUPPORT. SO THERE IS FLEXIBILITY THERE. WELL, BASED ON WHAT WE'VE RECEIVED SO FAR, HOWEVER, THAT IS AN AREA THAT WE ARE [03:05:01] WAITING FOR ADDITIONAL GUIDANCE ON. AND THEN FOR OPTION B, IF WE REQUEST THAT THE STATE BLOCK GRANT FUNDS TO BE HERE AND IN ALIGNMENT WITH THE STATES PROGRAM, EIGHT POINT FIVE PERCENT OF THE STATE'S ADMINISTRATIVE FEE CAN BE PASSED ON TO THE JURISDICTION TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE THOSE ADDITIONAL ADMINISTRATIVE AND OR OUTREACH EFFORTS. CHAIR RECOGNIZES CEO BROWN. AND IN ADDITION TO THAT, I STILL THINK THERE'S SOME UNCERTAINTY REGARDING. BUT SOME OF THE THINGS WE HAVE READ WITH THAT THIRD PARTY IMPLEMENTER FOR THE STATE, SOME OF THE LANGUAGE ON VARIOUS AREAS HAS LOOKED LIKE THE GOAL IS TO WORK WITH COMMUNITY GROUPS THROUGH THAT. BUT WE DON'T HAVE ANY DETAILS ON THAT YET. BUT IT DOES LOOK LIKE IN SOME OF THE READINGS THAT THERE THAT MAY BE A GOAL OF THAT. BUT AGAIN, I CAN'T COMMIT AT THIS POINT. RIGHT. YEAH, YEAH. IT'S TOO BAD WE CAN'T COMMIT BECAUSE, I MEAN, TO ME, THAT MAKES A LOT OF SENSE. YOU HAVE TWO SYSTEMS. YOU CAN REACH MORE PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE THAT WANT TO ADVOCATE FOR FOLKS THAT NEED HELP CAN DO THAT. I MEAN THAT I MEAN, REALLY, TO ME MAKES A LOT OF SENSE. BUT I'LL STOP AND HEAR WHAT MY COLLEAGUES HAVE TO SAY AND MAYBE WE'LL END UP IN A DIFFERENT SPOT. THANK YOU. CHAIR RECOGNIZES SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA. THANK YOU, CHAIR. ALEX. SO BACK TO THE I WANT TO TOUCH BACK ON THE ON THE FEDERAL PORTION OF IT. SO IF YOU DO EXPEND THAT SIXTY FIVE BY AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL IT'S BY SEPTEMBER? 30TH. BY SEPTEMBER 30TH, YOU'RE NOT IN JEOPARDY OF LOSING THE REST OF YOUR MONEY. IF YOU REACH THAT THRESHOLD, YOU JUST HAVE THE POSSIBILITY TO POTENTIALLY GET MORE OF UNUSED MONEY. CORRECT. SO IF WE MAKE SIXTY FIVE PERCENT BY THE END OF SEPTEMBER, WE'RE NOT WORRIED ABOUT LOSING THAT OTHER THIRTY FIVE PERCENT. CORRECT. AND THE LANGUAGE IN THE STATUTE SAYS OBLIGATED. SO WE ARE AWAITING ADDITIONAL GUIDANCE ON OBLIGATED VERSUS EXPENDED, BUT THE LANGUAGE DOES SAY OBLIGATED. VERY GOOD. AND THEN I GUESS SOME OF MY QUESTIONS ARE FOR JORGE OR JORGE. SORRY, I'VE GOT SOME SPECIFIC QUESTIONS. JUST REGARDING MAYBE YOU CAN OFFER ME A LITTLE BIT MORE INSIGHT AS TO THIS IS OBVIOUSLY A LOT BIGGER PROGRAM THAN THE LAST PROGRAM THAT WE HAD. MAYBE YOU COULD SHARE. WHAT ARE YOUR PLANS? I MEAN, AT THE END OF THE DAY, YOU'RE GOING TO NEED MORE PEOPLE, RIGHT? YOU'RE GOING TO, WITH THE STAFF YOU HAVE NOW TO RUN THAT PROGRAM. THIS IS GOING TO BE A LARGER PROGRAM OVER A LONGER PERIOD OF TIME. SO CAN YOU CAN YOU SHARE WITH ME LIKE MAYBE WHAT WHAT ARE SOME OF CVOC'S THOUGHTS ON HOW THEY'RE GOING TO GET THERE WITH THAT? SO FOR THE EIGHT MILLION DOLLAR, THE FEDERAL ALLOCATION, AND I FEEL WE DO HAVE THE INFRASTRUCTURE ALREADY BUILT IN PLACE TO NOT ONLY GET THAT STARTED AND RUNNING, BUT ALSO SERVING FOLKS FAIRLY QUICKLY. WE ALREADY HAVE RECRUITMENTS IN PLACE FOR SUPPORT POSITIONS, MAINLY ON OUR ADMINISTRATIVE SIDE DUE TO THE REPORTING THAT'S GOING TO BE NECESSARY FOR THIS PROJECT. THOSE RECRUITMENTS ARE ALREADY A WEEK OLD, SO THE REQUESTED START DATE WOULD BE AROUND MARCH 1ST. SO FOR ME, THAT WOULD GIVE ME ENOUGH TIME TO GET THOSE FOLKS IN PLACE. WE DON'T FORESEE REALLY MANY CHALLENGES AS FAR AS INFRASTRUCTURE GOES, WHERE WE'RE KIND OF BUILT FOR THIS ALREADY. YOU'VE HEARD ABOUT THE EXISTING PROJECTS THAT WE HAVE ALREADY AND THEN WHAT WE DID WITH THE PREVIOUS ONE. ALSO, THIS SERVICES DOLLARS TO BE DISTRIBUTED FROM THIS PROGRAM, GO BACK 12 MONTHS AND THEN GO FORWARD THREE MONTHS. SO WHEREAS THE PREVIOUS PROJECT WAS TWO MONTHS, I'M THROWING A LOT OF NUMBERS OUT, BUT THE PREVIOUS PROJECTS SUPPORTED TWO MONTHS WORTH OF HELP. THIS ONE POTENTIALLY HELPS WITH 15 MONTHS. SO OUR 1993 AVERAGE THAT WE HAD ON THE ONE MILLION DOLLAR PROJECT, YOU CAN TIMES THAT BY SIX AND GET A MUCH LARGER SPEND PER PERSON OR EXCUSE ME, PER APPLICANT PER HOUSEHOLD. SO THE NUMBER IS AMPLIFIED EIGHT FOLD, BUT SO IS THE DISPERSEMENT TO THE APPLICANT. SO IT DOESN'T SCARE ME. NO. PERFECT. THAT MAKES SENSE TO ME. AND THEN IS THE TO ADDRESS SOME OF THE QUESTIONS THAT WE DO HAVE DIFFERENT LANGUAGE BARRIERS. AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT IS I WANT TO HEAR A COMMITMENT FROM YOU ON YOUR MOBILE UNIT AND REALLY HITTING THIS OBVIOUSLY IS GOING TO BE A MUCH LONGER TIME FRAME. AND I KNOW YOU GUYS ARE GOING TO BE BUSY, BUT IF YOU HAVE THIS MOBILE UNIT I'M LOOKING FOR, YOU KNOW, THE COMMUNITY OF [INAUDIBLE] THAT I GET IT THERE, THEY DON'T HAVE A COOL COMMUNITY CENTER THAT YOU CAN JUST GO SET UP AT. BUT YOU'VE GOT THE AREAS IN MY DISTRICT, [INAUDIBLE] SOUTH [INAUDIBLE]. I KNOW IT'S CLOSE, BUT I WANT TO SEE SOME KIND OF OUTREACH. AND I KNOW THERE'S PLANNING AS PART OF THIS PROCESS IS THERE'S OUTREACH THAT'S GOING TO GO OUT TO EVERYBODY IN GENERAL. [03:10:02] BUT I KIND OF JUST NEED THE COMMITMENT THAT WE'RE GOING TO TRY TO GET INTO THESE SMALLER UNINCORPORATED COMMUNITIES AND GET THEM SOME, LIKE I'M GOING TO CALL IT ONE ON ONE ATTENTION, IF YOU WILL. YOU DO HAVE THAT COMMITMENT FROM ME. AND UNLIKE THE LAST PROJECT, THIS ONE WOULD GIVE TWO TO THREE WEEKS, MAYBE MORE OF PLANNING TIME TO ADDRESS OUTREACH AND GET THE CORRECT INFORMATION OUT THERE IN THE COMMUNITIES. AND WE'VE PROVEN THAT WE CAN BE MOBILE. YOU SAW THAT SLIDE WHERE WE HELPED FOLKS IN UNINCORPORATED AREAS LIKE [INAUDIBLE] AS WELL. WE EVEN HAD SOMEBODY FROM [INAUDIBLE] THAT RECEIVED SERVICES. WE'VE PROVEN WE CAN BE MOBILE. WE HELD APPOINTMENTS IN LOS BANOS, MERCED EVEN VISITED A SENIOR LIVING CENTER IN MERCED AND PROVIDED APPLICATION PROCESSING THERE. THIS PROJECT ISN'T NECESSARILY A SPRINT. IT'S A LITTLE BIT MORE I WOULDN'T CALL IT A MARATHON, BUT IT'S LIKE A FIVE K, RIGHT. FOR AN ANALOGY, WE'LL HAVE A LITTLE BIT MORE TIME TO GET OUT INTO THE COMMUNITY. AND I'VE ALREADY BEEN RECEIVING INQUIRIES FROM COMMUNITY LEADERS IN MERCED COUNTY THAT SOME OF THE SUPERVISORS ARE AWARE OF ALREADY WHERE I'VE ALREADY COMMITTED, IF WE SHOULD BE GRANTED THE OPPORTUNITY TO MANAGE A PROGRAM. I'VE ALREADY COMMITTED TO GOING OUT TO SOME COMMUNITIES ALREADY. I SEE THAT AS A WIN WIN. I WANT THE SAME THING YOU WANT. I WANT THE SAME THING THE COMMUNITY WANTS. AND EVEN THE FOLKS THAT WERE MAKING PUBLIC COMMENT ACTUALLY WANT SOME OF THE SAME THINGS THEY WANT. AND I THINK THIS PROJECT ALLOWS FOR A LITTLE BIT MORE PLANNING TO ALLOW US TO DO THAT. AND THEN THE LAST THING IS JUST THE COMMITMENT TO THE MULTIPLE LANGUAGES. I KNOW THAT OUR STANDARD IS, YOU KNOW, SPANISH AND HMONG. WE HAVE TRANSLATORS HERE AT OUR MEETINGS. BUT FOR MY COLLEAGUE OVER IN DISTRICT ONE, I DON'T WANT THAT TO BE A BARRIER TO ENTRY FOR SOME OF THESE FOLKS. AND SO AND THEN IF WE CAN GET TO A POINT WHERE SAFELY HAVE A PERIOD OF TIME THAT SET UP FOR SOME IN-PERSON APPOINTMENTS TYPE OF THINGS TO REALLY TO HELP WITH THAT NICHE OF OUR POPULATION, TYPICALLY SENIORS WHO DON'T HAVE ACCESS DON'T DO EMAIL THAT. I JUST DON'T WANT TO SEE THOSE FOLKS OVERLOOKED. AND SO AND I AND I THINK WITH A LITTLE MORE PLANNING, I MEAN, JUST IN READING THE KIND OF LESSONS LEARNED, I THINK THAT THOSE ARE SOME OF THE LESSONS LEARNED AND PRETTY QUICKLY STOOD UP PROGRAM THAT WE DID LAST TIME VERSUS SOMETHING THAT YOU HAVE A LITTLE BIT MORE TIME TO PLAN WITH. AND I APPRECIATE YOU BRINGING THAT UP. AND SUPERVISOR ESPINOZA YOUR WORDS ARE INGRAINED IN MY HEAD, AND WE WILL LOOK AT SERVING THE PUNJABI COMMUNITY IN LIVINGSTON AND THE SURROUNDING AREAS. AND I CAN COMMIT TO THAT HIRING PROCESS AS WELL. I WILL THROW ONE MORE THING IN THERE AS WELL AS THAT WE ARE LOOKING TO HELP EVERYBODY. RIGHT. HOWEVER, WE HAVE TO KEEP IN MIND THAT THERE ARE CERTAIN GUIDELINES AND PRIORITIES THAT ARE BUILT INTO NOT ONLY THE FEDERAL PROGRAM, BUT THE STATE PROGRAM, SO JUST WANT TO MAKE THAT POINT FOR THE RECORD. AND I THINK I MENTIONED THAT EARLIER, THAT IT'S AS YOU GO THROUGH AND AGAIN, ALEX DID A GREAT JOB OF REALLY LAYING THIS ALL OUT THERE. THERE'S ALL THESE DIFFERENT RULES WHEN YOU'RE TALKING PERCENTAGE OF MEDIAN HOUSEHOLD INCOME THAT ARE NOT OUT THERE OUT OF OUR CONTROL. THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT SAYS YOU'RE GOING TO RUN THIS PROGRAM AND THEN ULTIMATELY WE'RE ON THE HOOK FOR IT BECAUSE WE'VE ATTESTED THAT THE DUPLICATION OF SERVICES, WHICH BRINGS ME TO MY LAST POINT IS, IS CAN YOU WALK ME THROUGH HOW YOU MANAGE THAT LIKE THAT DUPLICATION OF SERVICES? AND I DON'T NEED SPECIFICS, BUT JUST KIND OF WHAT THAT PROCESS LOOKS LIKE. NOT ONLY THE DUPLICATION OF SERVICES THAT'S IN THERE, BUT THERE'S ALSO INFORMATION OR GUIDELINES THAT FOLKS THAT ARE ALREADY RECEIVING SOME TYPE OF SUBSIDIZED HELP. RIGHT. YOUR SECTION EIGHT HOUSING OR EVEN THE MIGRANT HOUSING CAMPS WHERE THE RENTS ARE DROPPED DOWN OR SUBSIDIZED. RIGHT. THOSE FOLKS WON'T BE ABLE TO QUALIFY FOR THE FEDERAL PROGRAM. SO WE ALREADY HAVE RELATIONSHIPS WITH THE HOUSING AUTHORITY, WITH A LOT OF THE LANDLORD AND MULTIFAMILY HOME DWELLING OWNERS. THIS IS VERY LANDLORD HEAVY AS WELL. IT'S ALMOST GOING TO BE WORKING MORE WITH LANDLORDS THAN THE ACTUAL TENANTS THEMSELVES FOR SOME OF THE SOME PART OF THE PROJECT. SO WE ALREADY HAVE THOSE RELATIONSHIPS BUILT. WE HAVE THE DATABASE THAT WE'VE COLLECTED WITH THE ONE MILLION DOLLAR PROJECT, AS WELL AS OUR OWN RENTAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS. I'M IN CONSTANT COMMUNICATION WITH THE COMMUNITY ACTION AGENCY AND THEIR RENTAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM--. --TO LEVERAGE THAT, TO VERIFY THAT FOLKS HAVEN'T BEEN HELPED IN THE PAST. THAT'S PART OF THE STEWARDSHIP OF CONTRACTING WITH US, IS WE LOOK INTO THAT AND, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T WANT FRAUD MUCH MORE THAN YOU DO. AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR ANSWERING THE QUESTIONS. THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES SUPERVISOR ESPINOZA. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I THINK YOU, UH, YOU KNOW THAT YOU SAID IT. IT'S GOING TO BE YOU KNOW, IT'S GOING TO BE A LOT MORE AND MORE WORK. AND WELL, IF YOU GET THE CONTRACT, I CERTAINLY, YOU KNOW, IN REGARDS TO THE [03:15:03] STATE AND THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, I KNOW THAT FOR, YOU KNOW, DEPENDING ON WHICH OPTION WE HAVE DEALING WITH TWO AND TWO DIFFERENT GUIDELINES AS WELL FROM THE STATE AND FROM THE FEDERAL, YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW. YOU KNOW, DO YOU THINK YOU WOULD BE ABLE TO HANDLE BOTH OR BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW. AGAIN, DEPENDING ON THE GUIDELINES AND, YOU KNOW, I GUESS THAT'S A QUESTION FOR YOU. I WOULD BE VERY COMFORTABLE TODAY CONFIRMING THAT WE WOULD BE ABLE TO PUT FORTH THE EFFORT AND COMPLETE THE EIGHT MILLION DOLLAR FEDERAL PROJECT. THE STATE ALLOCATION, IF I MAY SPEAK FREELY, THE STATE PROGRAM IS NOT SET IN STONE YET. THERE ARE MANY CHANGES THAT STILL ARE GOING TO BE MADE FROM THE STATE FOR THAT PROJECT. AND I'M LEERY TO COMMIT TO SOMETHING THAT IS NOT CONCRETE YET. HOWEVER, IF THIS BOARD DOES DECIDE TO PURSUE THE STATE PROGRAM AS WELL WITH A LOCAL ADMINISTRATOR, I WOULD BE VERY OPEN TO SEEING IF WE COULD PUT FORTH AN EFFORT TO SUPPORT THAT EFFORT. BUT WITHOUT KNOWING THE FULL PARAMETERS OF THAT STATE PROJECT. THAT SCARES ME A LITTLE BIT. IT DOES. AND IT IS--. I MEAN, I'M SORRY. AND IF THE BOARD WOULD CHOOSE OPTION C, SO THAT MEANS WE WOULD LET THE STATE, YOU KNOW, HANDLE THE PORTION OF THE STATE'S PROGRAM AND DIFFERENT-- I THINK A THIRD ADMINISTRATOR WOULD HANDLE THAT. AND WITH THE DIFFERENT COMPANIES AND IN OUR COUNTY AND I GUESS AND THEN THE SAME, THE CITIZENS WILL BE ABLE TO APPLY AND I'M PRETTY SURE WILL DEPEND ON AND WHO APPLIES. THEY WILL PROBABLY BE CHECKING ON WHO'S APPLYING WITH YOU AND ALSO APPLYING IN THE STATE. RIGHT? BECAUSE WE DON'T WANT, YOU KNOW, UH, THAT DOUBLE THE SYSTEM. SO THAT'S YOU KNOW, THAT'S THE CHALLENGE OF ADMINISTERING BOTH PROGRAMS. RIGHT? SO I'D RATHER THAT BE ON THE STATE AND NOT ON YOU. SO I GUESS IT'S UP TO THE BOARD. AND IN REGARDS TO, YOU KNOW, I KNOW WE HAVE MANY CITIZENS AND MANY VOICEMAILS REGARDING US HOLDING NOT GOING TO CONTINUE THIS ITEM. BUT HERE IT IS THAT WE HAVE TO WE HAVE TO YOU KNOW, WHETHER IT IS TODAY OR FRIDAY, WE NEED TO MAKE A DECISION BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE TOO MANY TIME TO PROVE THOSE. SO I GUESS IT'S UP TO THE BOARD. CHAIR RECOGNIZES SUPERVISOR PAREIRA. OH, ACTUALLY, MY QUESTION WAS ANSWERED. WHAT I WAS CONCERNED ABOUT WAS THE POSSIBILITY OF EXPENDING THE SIXTY FIVE PERCENT BY SEPTEMBER 30TH. AND I THINK YOU ANSWERED THAT. YEAH. SO WE NEED TO BE APPROXIMATELY AROUND FIVE MILLION DOLLARS BY SEPTEMBER 30TH, SIX MONTHS AND AROUND 450 OR SO SERVICES. WE DID THAT IN SIX WEEKS, SO I'M NOT TOO WORRIED ABOUT IT. [LAUGHTER] OK, I GUESS SINCE I DO HAVE THE OPEN MIC, I DO HAVE MAYBE A FOLLOW UP. IT'S NOT OPEN, I STILL HAVE CONTROL OVER IT, BUT I'LL GO AHEAD. SUPERVISOR. THANK YOU FOR OPENING MY MIC UP CHAIR. WITH YOUR PERMISSION. WHEN A PERSON APPLIES FOR AN AMOUNT OF MONEY, IS IT-- DO YOU KNOW OR MAYBE THIS IS AN ALEX QUESTION. I'M SORRY, BUT CAN WE GIVE THEM 80 PERCENT OF WHAT THEY'RE ASKING FOR UNTIL WE'VE SERVED EVERYBODY AND THEN COME BACK AND REDISTRIBUTE OR IS THAT A GOOD QUESTION? I KIND OF CHOPPED IT UP. BUT YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT I MEAN? YES, SIR. THROUGH THE CHAIR, IN RESPONSE TO YOUR QUESTION, THE FEDERAL STATUTE MAKES THE PROVISION THAT WE FIRST HAVE TO WORK ON RENTAL ARREARS. HOWEVER, THEY HAVE NOT PROVIDED GUIDANCE ON THE TOTAL PERCENTAGE OR AMOUNT OF ARREARS THAT WOULD NEED TO BE SATISFIED BEFORE MOVING FORWARD ON THE FUTURE PAYMENTS. WITH THAT BEING SAID, THE INFORMATION WE HAVE RECEIVED IS THAT THE STATUTE ALLOWS FOR A LOCAL PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION BASED ON WHAT THE NEEDS ARE WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY. I DO WANT SO I BELIEVE I WOULD HAVE TO VERIFY AND IT WOULD ALSO BE DEPENDENT ON ANY ADDITIONAL GUIDANCE THAT WE RECEIVE THAT THAT WOULD BE ALLOWABLE. HOWEVER, AS THE CONTRACT IS WRITTEN CURRENTLY FOR OPTION C, THE CONTRACT DOES MAKE A PROVISION THAT ONE HUNDRED PERCENT OF ARREARS WOULD BE TAKEN CARE OF PRIOR TO MOVING FORWARD WITH FUTURE RENT PAYMENTS, AS IS CURRENTLY. HOWEVER AND AS NOTED, THE ACTION ALSO ALLOWS FOR, SHOULD THE BOARD CHOOSE THAT, THE CEO TO MAKE CHANGES TO THAT CONTRACT BASED ON THE ADDITIONAL GUIDANCE THAT RECEIVED FOR THIS PROGRAM. [03:20:02] SO DOES THAT ANSWER YOUR QUESTION? YES, I THINK SO. JUST AS A FOLLOW UP COMMENT, I KNOW WHEN THE IN THE FIRST PROGRAM, IT WAS FAST AND WE HELPED ON A FIRST COME FIRST SERVE BASIS. BUT THEN THERE WAS SOME PEOPLE DOWN THE ROAD THAT MAYBE WOULD HAVE BEEN ELIGIBLE, THAT WERE UNABLE TO RECEIVE ANY MONEY BECAUSE THAT MONEY HAD BEEN EXPENDED. SO JUST KIND OF BEING THOUGHTFUL OF THAT OR MINDFUL OF THAT GOING FORWARD, IF NOW THAT WE HAVE A LITTLE MORE TIME, IF WE COULD FIND OUT WHO WAS ELIGIBLE AND WANTS TO PARTICIPATE AND THEN BACKFILL A PERCENTAGE OF WHAT THEY'RE ASKING IS. JUST I DON'T KNOW, I THINK YOU'VE BLED INTO MY QUESTION, SUPERVISOR. THAT WAS MY QUESTION, BECAUSE I NOTICED IN THE PRESENTATION WE WERE GOING TO FOCUS AND THE PRIORITY WAS THE MOST IMPACTED. AND SO WE'RE LOOKING AT THE 50 PERCENT OPPOSED TO 80 PERCENT. SO I WAS WONDERING, SO AS WE'RE COLLECTING THESE, HOW ARE WE ABLE TO PRIORITIZE THOSE FOLKS WITHOUT IT BEING IN A POOL FOR DISTRIBUTION AT A LATER DATE? YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT MY QUESTION. I THINK THAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN WHAT YOU WERE ALLUDING TO, BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE I WAS A LITTLE-- I LIKED IT THAT WE'RE GOING THERE AND FOCUSING ON THE MOST IMPACTED. BUT I DON'T-- IN MY MIND, I CAN'T FIGURE OUT HOW DO WE DO THAT ON A CONTINUAL BASIS WITHOUT CREATING A POOL WITH DISTRIBUTION LATER. DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? IT DOES. AND I THINK THAT'S WHY THE STATE HAS THEIR KIND OF ROLL OUT OF THEIR THREE DIFFERENT PRIORITIZATION AREAS. SO FOR THE FIRST PERIOD, WHATEVER THAT TIMELINE WILL BE REALLY FOCUSING ONLY ON THAT 50 PERCENT AREA AND THEN HOLDING LIKE PEOPLE CAN CONTINUE TO APPLY. BUT THOSE WOULD BE HELD IN A POOL. SO FOR THE PURPOSES OF THE CONTRACT THAT'S BEFORE YOU TODAY, THAT IS CAN STILL BE DETERMINED AND WORKED THROUGH WITH [INAUDIBLE] ON WHAT THAT WOULD LOOK LIKE. OK, LET'S JUST HOPE IT'S NOT THE SAME AS THE VACCINE PHASE ROLLOUT AND LET'S HOPE THAT'S MORE INTENTIONAL TO HELP THE MOST IMPACTED FOLKS. THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA. TO THAT POINT, MR. CHAIR, I THINK THAT I WOULDN'T BE COMFORTABLE WAITING FOR THE STATE TO COME OUT WITH THEIR PHASED ROLLOUT. I WOULD ALMOST LIKE TO SEE US. IT WAS PART OF IT COMING OUT WITH OUR OWN KIND OF PHASED ROLLOUT. IS IT THAT YOU SAY FOR THE FIRST AND I DON'T NEED I DON'T NEED TO MAKE SPECIFIC DATES, BUT I WOULD SAY, YOU KNOW, FIRST X AMOUNT OF DAYS OR FIRST MONTH OR WHATEVER, WE'RE GOING TO PRIORITIZE THE 30 PERCENT. AND THEN AFTER THAT, WE'RE GOING TO GO TO 50 PERCENT AND LOWER. AND THEN YOU GO TO THE 80 PERCENT AND LOWER. I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH THAT CHANGES STUFF IF THAT CHANGES WORKLOAD OR DO YOU JUST LEAVE IT OPEN TO EVERYBODY? BUT I DON'T-- I'M JUST CONCERNED THAT THE STATE ONE IS GOING TO BE EVEN MORE CONVOLUTED, WHICH THEN MAKES IT EVEN MORE DIFFICULT. I'M TRYING TO AT LEAST YOU KNOW, WHAT YOU'RE GETTING INTO RIGHT UP FRONT AND HOPEFULLY WITH A LITTLE BIT OF-- I DON'T NEED IT TO BE SO RIGID THAT WE NEED TO COME UP WITH IT HERE. BUT AS PART OF IF THIS DOES GO FORWARD AND IS PART OF THAT ACTION, THAT THAT KIND OF ALLOWS THE CEO TO MAKE CHANGES BASED UPON WHAT THE FEDERAL GUIDELINES ARE IN THAT SAME KIND OF ARENA, BE ABLE TO TALK WITH A POTENTIAL PROVIDER AND TO SAY, HEY, WHAT COULD WORK TO JUST TO THE POINT OF, YOU KNOW, SOMEBODY WHO SIMPLY THE LAST TIME, BECAUSE I THINK I'M ON SOME OF THE CALLS THAT WE GOT EARLIER, PEOPLE WHO DIDN'T GET ASSISTANCE, THEY DIDN'T GET ANY. I THINK IT IS JUST MY OPINION IT HAD MORE TO DO WITH NOT HAVING ENOUGH MONEY. IT WAS ALREADY EXPENDED THAN IT WAS ACTUALLY THAT PERSON DIDN'T QUALIFY. HAD WE HAD THE MONEY, THEY WOULD HAVE QUALIFIED. SO HOW DO WE MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE-- I MEAN, THE GOAL IS, IS TO GET THE MONEY WHERE IT'S NEEDED AND QUICKLY. AND SO I DON'T KNOW IF THAT MAKES SENSE. CHAIR RECOGNIZES CEO BROWN. AS WE THINK THIS THROUGH AND AS WE'RE LISTENING HERE, I DON'T WANT TO ASSUME OR AND I DON'T WANT TO PRESUME WHERE THE BOARD'S LEANING RIGHT NOW. BUT IF THE BOARD IN THE CONVERSATIONS WERE LOOKING AT OP, THE KIND OF FLEXIBILITY UNDER OPTION C. I'D LIKE TO HEAR CLEARLY AND I THINK I'M HEARING THAT THE BOARD WOULD LIKE SOME WAY OF ROLLING THIS OUT IN PHASES TO TRY TO MAKE SURE THERE ARE SOME RESOURCES POTENTIALLY LATER THERE FOR THOSE WHO REALLY NEED IT VERSUS AT THE FRONT END, ONE HUNDRED PERCENT TO EVERYBODY TYPE THING. AND SO IF THAT'S THE CASE, IF THE BOARD DOES END UP MOVING FORWARD WITH OPTION C AND MOVES FORWARD WITH, YOU KNOW, MOVING FORWARD WITH, YOU KNOW, APPROVING A CONTRACT, WE CAN ONE WE CAN TRY AND STRUCTURE SOMETHING AFTER CONVERSATIONS WITH STAFF AND CVOC AND WE CAN EITHER BRING SOMETHING BACK TO YOU IF YOU LIKE, OR WE [03:25:06] CAN JUST KIND OF MOVE FORWARD ALSO. BUT I WOULD LIKE TO HEAR CLEARLY FROM THE BOARD YOUR EXPECTATIONS OF US, YOU KNOW, AS FAR AS AT THE END RESULT OF THAT. BUT I THINK WE AS STAFF WITH [INAUDIBLE] COULD COME UP WITH SOME TYPE OF A GAME PLAN. BUT I'D LIKE TO KNOW FROM THE BOARD IF THAT'S WHAT YOU WANT US TO DO FOR SURE AND TWO HOW DO YOU WANT US TO DEAL WITH IT AFTER WE COME UP WITH THAT GAME PLAN. CHAIR RECOGNIZES SUPERVISOR ESPINOZA. WELL, UM, IN REGARDS TO ADMINISTRATION OF THE PROGRAM. I KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, WE HAVEN'T MADE A DECISION AND DEPENDS WHO YOU KNOW, IF WE GO WITH CVOC OR, YOU KNOW, WE'VE BEEN ASKED ABOUT, YOU KNOW, MAYBE HOLD IT UP. BUT MOVING FORWARD WITH THIS PROGRAM AND LIKE YOU SAID, DEPENDING ON WHETHER IT'S A, B OR C. WELL, I GUESS IT'S JUST, YOU KNOW, IT'S A HARD DECISION TO -- WE HAVE NO CHOICE BUT TO MAKE A DECISION. AND, YOU KNOW, IT'S YOU KNOW, THE CITIZENS ARE ENTITLED TO COMPLAIN ABOUT ISSUES. BUT, YOU KNOW, I JUST WANT THE COMMITTEE TO KNOW THAT SOMETIMES WE, YOU KNOW, WE CAN'T BECAUSE WE KNOW WE CAN HOLD THE MONEY BACK FROM CITIZENS THAT ARE STRUGGLING OUT THERE. AND, YOU KNOW, DECISIONS HAVE TO BE MADE. AND, YOU KNOW, WE'RE TRYING TO HELP AS MANY PEOPLE AS WE CAN. SO I JUST WANT TO EXPRESS THAT TO THE COMMUNITY. AND WITH WHATEVER OPTION WE GO TO, WHETHER IT'S A, B OR C, B IS ABOUT TAKING MORE FUNDS AND WITH THE ADMINISTRATOR THAT WE DON'T KNOW IF IT'S POSSIBLE TO WORK FOR ONE ENTITY TO, YOU KNOW, DO ALL THE WORK FOR TWO DIFFERENT GUIDELINES, WHICH IS TRYING TO DO OUR BEST AS A BOARD. SO WITH THAT I'LL END MY COMMENTS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. CHAIR RECOGNIZES SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA. THANK YOU, CHAIR. AND SO FOR ME, I JUST WANT TO JUST WHAT I WAS THINKING OUT ON THE KIND OF THAT TIERED APPROACH IS MORE OF I WASN'T LOOKING TO GET TO WHAT WE'RE SAYING IN THE FIRST TIER WE'RE ONLY GOING TO ALLOCATE UP TO A CERTAIN PERCENTAGE. I WAS JUST LOOKING AT MORE, JUST GOING STRAIGHT BY THE GUIDELINES THAT WE HAVE IN HERE AND JUST SAY THAT FIRST ROUND 30 PERCENT, EVEN IF YOU'RE AT 30 PERCENT OF THE MEDIAN HOUSEHOLD INCOME RIGHT THERE, I MEAN, YOU'RE IN PRETTY DIRE STRAITS, RIGHT. AND MAYBE SOME OF THOSE FOLKS WON'T QUALIFY BECAUSE THEY HAVE SOME KIND OF OTHER ASSISTANCE. I'M NOT SURE ABOUT THAT. BUT IF YOU LEFT IT OPEN TO WHERE YOU SAID, HEY, WHEN WE START THIS THING IN THE FIRST MONTH, I'M JUST GOING TO MONTH, THAT'S WHO WE'RE GOING TO ADMINISTER TO. THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT WE DON'T HAVE WE'RE NOT TAKING APPLICATIONS. WE'RE NOT DOING MORE OUTREACH. THEN WHEN YOU GET TO THE SECOND TWO WEEKS OR THE SECOND MONTH, YOU'VE NOW OPENED IT TO THE 50 PERCENT AND LOWER. SO NOW ANYBODY IN 30 STILL QUALIFIES. AND BUT NOW WE'VE A 50 AND SO ON UNTIL YOU GET TO THAT 80. I THINK IF WE'RE REALLY LOOKING AT TRYING TO GET IT INTO THE PEOPLE THAT NEED IT THE MOST, I THINK THAT THAT MIGHT HELP US GET THERE. BUT AGAIN, IT'S NOT MY FIELD OF EXPERTISE. IS LIKE IF YOU COULD JUST IF YOU'RE OK WITH GETTING ENOUGH FROM ME SAYING, HEY, THESE ARE KIND OF THE GENERAL PARAMETERS, ALLOW YOU, THE STAFF TO WORK WITH CVOC TO COME UP WITH THE FINER DETAILS OF IT. I'M OK WITH THAT. I THINK IF WE START GETTING TO A POINT WHERE WE'RE GOING TO SAY, WELL, WE WANT TO ALLOCATE 80 PERCENT NOW AND THEN THEY COME BACK, I FEEL LIKE AT THAT POINT NOW IT BECOMES EVEN MORE OF A TRACKING NIGHTMARE. AND SO THAT'S KIND OF WHAT YOU ASKED FOR TO GET MORE CLEAR DIRECTION. THAT'S THE KIND OF DIRECTION THAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IT GOING. CHAIR RECOGNIZES CEO BROWN. AS FAR AS STAFF, WE'RE COMFORTABLE WITH IT. I WANT TO MAKE SURE THE BOARD IS COMFORTABLE WITH AND WHERE WE MOVE FORWARD. AND I WANT TO MAKE SURE IT'S CLEAR WHAT THE BOARD IS EXPECTING OF STAFF TO MOVE FORWARD WITH. THAT'S ALL. BUT WE'RE COMFORTABLE WITH IT. BUT I WANT TO HEAR COLLECTIVELY FROM THE BOARD AS FAR AS THOSE KINDS OF DESIRES. CHAIR RECOGNIZES SUPERVISOR PAREIRA. THANK YOU MR. CHAIR. MY CONCERN IS THIS. IS THAT WE'VE GOT THIS YOU KNOW, I'M IN AND I'M LEANING TOWARDS C BECAUSE I THINK THAT TO SUPERVISOR ESPINOZA'S POINT, THEN THAT ALLOWS SOME OF THE FOLKS THAT DIDN'T PARTICULARLY CARE FOR OUR LAST PROGRAM TO JOIN A DIFFERENT PROGRAM AND HELP AND MAKE THAT WORK. I THINK THAT THAT'S A GOOD OPTION FOR US BECAUSE WE'VE GOT TO MAKE A DECISION TODAY. YOU KNOW, THAT JUST AND I HOPE YOU SEE IT THAT WAY AS WELL. [03:30:02] AS FAR AS THE DISTRIBUTION OF FUNDS, IF YOU DO IT FIRST COME, FIRST SERVE, THEN SOMEBODY GETS ONE HUNDRED PERCENT AND SOMEBODY GETS NOTHING. RIGHT. AND SO I'M MORE INTERESTED IN, YOU KNOW, AND IF YOU WANT TO BREAK IT DOWN BY PERCENTAGE OF AMI AND HAVE SOME SORT OF SCHEDULE THERE, EXCUSE ME, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE US QUALIFY EVERYBODY OR FIND OUT EVERYBODY WHO QUALIFIES AND THEN GIVE AN ALLOCATION FROM THAT, BECAUSE IT MAY BE THAT FIFTY PERCENT TAKES UP ALL THE FUNDING. AND IF THAT'S THE CASE, BUT WE CAN ONLY FUND EIGHTY PERCENT OF THE FIFTY PERCENT OF AMI. RIGHT. I MEAN, YOU KNOW, I JUST HATE TO SEE US PICK WINNERS AND LOSERS. I WOULD RATHER THE WHOLE GROUP GOT 80 PERCENT OF WHAT THEY NEEDED THAN 50 PERCENT GET ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY PERCENT GET ZERO. I JUST THINK IT'S JUST FAIR OR FOR NOW, WHETHER YOU CAN DO THAT LOGISTICALLY, I DON'T KNOW. THAT'S UP TO YOU GUYS TO FIGURE OUT, BUT THAT'S MY THOUGHT. CEO BROWN. CHAIR, IF I MAY, UM, AS WE SIT HERE AND LISTEN TO IT AND I THINK ABOUT THE REQUIREMENTS AND GUIDELINES, THE WAY THEY'RE STRUCTURED AND KNOWING THAT THERE'S REVISIONS OR CLARIFICATIONS COMING DOWN, SOME OF WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT IS ACTUALLY OPERATIONAL. AND IF I MAY, CAN I HAVE JORGE JUST KIND OF MY INSTINCTS RIGHT NOW AFTER LISTENING ARE KIND OF LEANING TOWARDS STICKING TO THE GUIDELINES OF THE FEDS THE WAY IT SAYS AND NOT [INAUDIBLE]. SORRY, NOT DEVIATE TOO MUCH WITH THEM. I GUESS MY QUESTION TO YOU IS, CAN YOU THROUGH A PROCESS OR OPERATIONS, BE ABLE TO PRIORITIZE APPLICANTS THE WAY THEY COME IN? YES. EXCUSE ME. YES. THANK YOU FOR CALLING ME UP AS WELL. SUPERVISOR [INAUDIBLE]. YEAH. THESE AREN'T SOME BUMPS AND BRUISES. [INAUDIBLE]. THAT'S WHY YOU CONTRACT WITH THE CVOC. THAT'S THE EXPERTISE THAT YOU ARE SEEKING AND CONTRACTING WITH. MORE IN LINES I THINK WITH WHAT SUPERVISOR PEREIRA WAS DESCRIBING IS HOW I WOULD SEE IT PLAYING OUT. YOU ALSO HAVE TO KEEP IN MIND GETTING TO THAT SIXTY FIVE PERCENT THRESHOLD SO YOU CAN'T HOLD BACK TOO MUCH. THE OTHER THING IS IT'S UP TO OUR STAFF AND OUR ADMINISTRATIVE PROCESS TO OPEN IT UP TO THE COMMUNITY. FOLKS ARE NOT APPLYING FOR DOLLARS PER SAY. THEY'RE APPLYING TO BE ELIGIBLE. SO THE GUIDELINES ARE IN PLACE AGAIN. THAT'S KIND OF WHAT I DO. I RUN PROGRAMS. THE GUIDELINES ARE IN PLACE. THEY WERE ALREADY PRESENTED TO US. IF 10 PEOPLE APPLY AT THE SAME TIME AND FIVE OF THOSE ARE AT 50 PERCENT AND THE OTHER FIVE ARE AT 80 PERCENT, THOSE FIVE OR 50 PERCENT COME IN THE DOOR FIRST. THOSE ARE THE GUIDELINES THAT ARE PUT FORTH BY THE TREASURY DEPARTMENT AND THAT'S WHAT YOU WOULD CONTRACT CVOC TO INTERPRET AND TO ADMINISTER. SO I'M VERY COMFORTABLE IN DOING THAT. IT'S A TRACKING AND A REPORTING AND A DATA, A CONCERN AS FAR AS TRANSPARENCY GOES. AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I WOULD WORK WITH THE CEO STAFF ON AND HENCE SOME OF THE POSITIONS THAT WE'RE RECRUITING FOR. ON THE ADMINISTRATIVE SIDE, THESE ARE ADMINISTRATIVE HEAVY PROGRAMS, THE DISTRIBUTION OF FUNDS AND THE ELIGIBILITY AND THE OUTREACH. THOSE ARE ALREADY KIND OF BUILT. SO, YEAH, THAT'S KIND OF WHAT YOU LOOK TO THE AGENCY FOR. SO I HEAR YOU'RE SAYING YOU'RE USED TO THIS. I DIRECTLY CONTRACT WITH THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT FOR OVER FIVE MILLION DOLLARS IN WORKFORCE INVESTMENT FUNDS. I DIRECTLY CONTRACT WITH THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA FOR OVER FOUR MILLION DOLLARS AND STATE COMMUNITY SERVICE BLOCK GRANT FUNDS. I HAVE REPORTING ON TOP OF REPORTING ANNUAL AUDITS. CVOC DOES A SINGLE AUDIT EVERY YEAR. WE RECEIVE MONITORING VISITS FROM EVERY ONE OF OUR FUNDING SOURCES. THAT'S ACTUALLY WHAT WE DO. THIS IS NEW FOR US, BUT WE'RE ADAPTING WELL. SO, YEAH, I MENTIONED IT TO A FEW FOLKS ALREADY. THIS IS-- WE'RE USED TO IT. THIS IS WHAT WE'VE ALWAYS DONE. THANK YOU. WERE YOU DONE? CHAIR RECOGNIZES SUPERVISOR ESPINOZA. ONE THING I STRESS IS THAT, YOU KNOW, WE ARE, YOU KNOW, OPEN AND TO MAKE SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, YOUR EMPLOYEES, MAKE SURE THAT YOUR EMPLOYEES ARE ACTUALLY ESPECIALLY ALL THESE FUNDS, WE DON'T WANT ANYBODY DISCRIMINATED. YOU KNOW, IT'S THE WORST FEELING. AND I WANT TO MAKE SURE ALL THEY WANT TO DO IS GET THEIR FUNDS TO PAY THEIR BILLS OR PASS BILLS. YOU KNOW, I JUST STRESS THAT WITH YOUR STAFF. AND I STRESS THAT IN EVERY YOU KNOW, SINCE I WAS ON THE COUNCIL IN LIVINGSTON, I STRESSED OUT WITH EMPLOYEES TO MAKE SURE THE EMPLOYEES UNDERSTAND, BECAUSE THE [03:35:02] WORST THING TO DO IS THAT A RESIDENT, WHICH IS YOUR BOSS, TO COME INTO INTO, YOU KNOW, WHETHER IT'S A PAY BILL OR IN ORDER TO APPLY FOR WHATEVER THERE IS AVAILABLE IN THE CITY OR THE COUNTY, THAT SOMEBODY IS HARSH ON THE APPLICANT. I HEAR YOU AND I ACTUALLY WANT THE SAME THING. WE'VE BEEN IN THIS COMMUNITY FOR OVER FORTY TWO YEARS NOW, AND WE KNOW WHAT IT'S LIKE TO TURN PEOPLE AWAY. SOME OF THE FEDERAL ELIGIBILITY GUIDELINES THAT I WORK WITH ON A DAILY BASIS, WE'VE TURNED FOLKS AWAY BECAUSE THEY WERE ONE HUNDRED DOLLARS OVER INCOME AND THERE'S NOTHING I CAN DO ABOUT THAT. WHAT I CAN DO IS, IS GO THROUGH THE GUIDELINES, PROCESS THE PAPERWORK, AND MY TEAM IS VERY GOOD ABOUT DOING THAT. AND IF THEY'RE ELIGIBLE, WE'RE THERE TO HELP THEM. BUT NOT EVERYONE CAN BE ELIGIBLE. AND THOSE ARE KIND OF THE HEARTBREAKS THAT MY STAFF AND MY TEAM DEAL WITH ON A DAILY BASIS. BUT I AGREE WITH YOU. I WANT THE SAME THING YOU WANT. AND I THINK YOU ALREADY COMMENTED ON WHAT I WAS GOING TO COMMENT ON, NOT EVERY APPLICANT IS GOING TO YOU KNOW, THE FIRST APPLICANTS ARE NOT GOING TO BE APPROVED ALL THE TOP LOOKS AT WHO YOU ARE, AN APPLICANT THAT WAS ONLY APPROVED OF FORTY NINE DOLLARS AND SOMETHING. RIGHT. SO PERCENTAGE WISE--. THAT APPLICATION THAN IT DID TO DISTRIBUTE THE FUNDS. CORRECT. SO THE YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT TALK ABOUT APPLICANTS. YOU KNOW, IT'S NOTHING IS A FAIR PROCESS. BUT WE HAVE TO FOLLOW THE GUIDELINES AND MAKE SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, THE APPLICANT IS LIKE IF ONE PERSON HAS APPLIED AND THEY'RE ENTITLED TO THE MAX AND THAT'S FINE. YOU KNOW, THE NEXT PERSON MAY BE LESS OR WHATEVER IS. BUT WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT IF YOU AT SAID FIRST COME, FIRST SERVE, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE ENTITLED TO WHATEVER THEY GET AND THAT'S WHAT WE WANT TO HELP THEM THE SAME. SO I AGREE WITH YOU. AND AND THE WORD EQUITY HAS BEEN THROWN AROUND A LOT TODAY. AND THE DEFINITION OF EQUITY IS, IS THE ABILITY TO BE FAIR AND IMPARTIAL. AND I'M VERY COMFORTABLE. I SLEEP WELL AT NIGHT. WE WERE FAIR AND IMPARTIAL WITH THE LAST PROJECT AND ALL THE PROJECTS THAT WE RUN, THE GUIDELINES DRIVE US AGAIN. I RUN PROGRAMS AND THE GUIDELINES AND THE ELIGIBILITY DICTATE WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN IN THE END. AND THAT'S ALL I CAN DO. THANK YOU. AND THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. THANK YOU. REAL QUICK, I JUST WANT TO SAY I KNOW SOMETHING WAS MENTIONED TO ME ON THE CALL YESTERDAY THAT THERE ARE SOME THERE WAS DOCUMENTATION REQUIRED FROM SOME PEOPLE, BUT NOT FROM OTHERS. IS THAT CONSISTENT? IT IS. IT IS KIND OF THE NATURE OF THE BEAST. EACH INDIVIDUAL CASE IS DIFFERENT. IT IS UNIQUE. SOME WILL REQUIRE MORE DOCUMENTATION THAN OTHERS. THERE ARE SHARED HOUSEHOLDS. THERE ARE MULTIFAMILY HOMES. WE SAW UTILITY BILLS WITH THREE DIFFERENT SURNAMES ON THAT BILL. THAT DETERMINES NOW WE HAVE TO DO THREE DIFFERENT ELIGIBILITY FOR THAT HOUSEHOLD. SO, YEAH, IF YOU WERE, YOU KNOW, LOW INCOME AFFECTED BY THE COVID VIRUS SINGLE AND LIVING IN A SINGLE FAMILY HOME, YOUR ELIGIBILITY DOCUMENTATION WAS PROBABLY A LOT THINNER AND LESS STRENUOUS AS SOMEBODY THAT WAS LIVING IN A MULTI-FAMILY HOME. SO, YEAH, IT DOES HAPPEN. THANK YOU. CHAIR RECOGNIZES SUPERVISOR PAREIRA. WELL, I'M READY TO MAKE A MOTION. SO IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE ON THE LIST THAT WOULD LIKE TO--? SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA IS IN THE QUEUE. ARE YOU GOING TO MAKE COMMENT? YEAH. CHAIR RECOGNIZES SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA. I'LL PUT IT BACK ON AND I'LL GET YOU BACK. JUST LET US KNOW, HUH? OH, YOU TOOK IT OFF AGAIN. JORGE, I'M SORRY, I KEEP SAYING GEORGE, HOPEFULLY YOU DON'T TAKE ANY OFFENSE TO THAT. OK, THANK YOU. UM, YOU KNOW, AND LISTEN, I THINK, YOU KNOW, MY COLLEAGUE FROM DISTRICT ONE MENTIONED, YOU KNOW, THE OUR CITIZENS ARE ENTITLED TO COMPLAIN. AND REALLY, I WANT TO THANK THOSE FOLKS THAT I TALKED WITH YESTERDAY WHO WAS VERY CORDIAL. UM, THEY THEY GAVE ME THEIR TESTIMONIALS ON THE THINGS THAT THEY SAW WRONG WITH THE PROCESS. AGAIN, I'M GOING TO SURMISE A LITTLE BIT THAT I THINK A LOT OF OUR ISSUES HAD TO DO MORE WITH THEIR BEING MORE DEMAND THAN WE HAD THE SUPPLY. AND SO BUT I FEEL LIKE AT THIS POINT [INAUDIBLE] NUMBER ONE PARTNERED WITH US IN A REALLY PRETTY RAPID FASHION ON THE LAST PROGRAM TO HELP GET IT OUT AND HAS BEEN A GOOD COMMUNITY PARTNER. I DO APPRECIATE, AGAIN, THE REPORT THAT WAS GIVEN TO US THIS MORNING THAT WALKED US THROUGH THE LAST PROGRAM. AND AGAIN, THAT PROGRAM CLOSED THE TWENTY FIFTH AND TWENTY NINTH. THERE WAS SOMETHING TWENTY FIFTH AND TWENTY NINTH. SO THAT WASN'T VERY LONG AGO. TODAY IS THE 9TH. AND SO TO THE QUESTIONS ABOUT NOT BEING ABLE TO SEE HOW THAT PROGRAM EXACTLY WORKED OUT AS I SUSPECTED IT, YOU KNOW, ALL THE FUNDS WERE SPENT. [03:40:06] THEY WENT AND HELPED PEOPLE OUT AND THAT'S WHAT WE WERE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH. AND SO I DON'T LOOK AT IT AS COMPLAINTS, AS I JUST LOOK AT IT IS FROM MY CONSTITUENTS, FROM MY BOSSES IS REALLY AS OPPORTUNITIES. AND HOW CAN WE MAKE SURE THAT, UM, WHEN WE MOVE INTO THIS NEXT PHASE, THAT THE CONCERNS THAT THEY BROUGHT TO ME WERE ADDRESSED? AND I FEEL LIKE AT THIS POINT, YOU'VE NEVER TOLD ME ANYTHING THAT WASN'T TRUE. SO YOU'VE GIVEN ME YOUR WORD ON THE THINGS THAT ARE IMPORTANT TO MY DISTRICT AND MAKING SURE THAT WE GET THE MOBILE UNIT OUT TO THE AREAS OF [INAUDIBLE] AND [INAUDIBLE] AND PLACES LIKE THAT, ALONG WITH ALL THE OTHER ISSUES THAT WE DISCUSSED. AND SO WITH THAT, I'M COMFORTABLE AT THIS POINT OF, YOU KNOW, KNOWING THAT WE HAVE A DEADLINE OF THIS FRIDAY TO TO KIND OF DECLARE WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO. I'M OK WITH HAVING TWO PROGRAMS. IN MY OPINION, OPTION C RIGHT NOW IS THE WAY TO GO. I THINK THAT IT GETS A LITTLE BIT JUMBLED WHEN YOU HAVE THE STATE WHO THEN BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT THEY DO, THEY LIKE TO DICTATE IN ADDITION TO THE STATE PROGRAM WILL STILL BE THERE. AND I'M PERFECTLY FINE WITH THEM. UM, YOU KNOW, RUNNING THAT PROGRAM THAT GIVES OUR CITIZENS ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY AND ANOTHER PLACE TO BE ABLE TO GO GET HELP. SO THIS IS KIND OF WHERE THE DISCUSSION, BECAUSE I REALLY DID COME INTO THIS THIS MORNING, REALLY WOULDN'T KNOW MY MIND NOT MADE UP AFTER HAVING A MEETING WITH WITH FOLKS YESTERDAY, HAVING SOME DISCUSSIONS WITH STAFF, REALLY NOT KNOWING WHERE I QUITE WAS. BUT AFTER HEARING ALL THE DISCUSSION AND WHERE WE'RE AT, I THINK I'VE LANDED ON C AND AGAIN AND I CAN I'LL BE ABLE TO SLEEP OK TONIGHT KNOWING THAT I LANDED ON C, BECAUSE I THINK THAT'S WHAT DOES IT FOR ME IS AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE GET MONEY INTO THE HANDS OF-- MIND YOU, THIS ISN'T FREE MONEY. THERE'S NO SUCH THING AS FREE AT THIS POINT. I'M GUESSING. YOU KNOW, I HAVE MY MIND IS LIKE MY GREAT GRANDKIDS ARE THE ONES PAYING THIS BACK. RIGHT. AND SO BUT PEOPLE HERE, THIS PANDEMIC DID CRAZY STUFF TO ALL OF US AND PUT PEOPLE IN A BAD WAY. SO THAT'S WHAT WE'VE GOT TO DO TO HELP EVERYBODY KIND OF GET THROUGH IT. I'M GOOD WITH GETTING THAT MONEY AND GETTING IT OUT THERE. AND REALLY THE PROOF IS IN THE PUDDING. IN THE LAST PLAN WE DID, I KNOW NOT EVERYBODY GOT HELP. BUT WHEN YOU START OUT WITH A LIMITED AMOUNT OF RESOURCES, IT'S HARD. SO SOME ECONOMISTS THINK, CHAIR. THANK YOU. I HAVE NOBODY ELSE IN THE QUEUE. OH, LOOK, WHAT I CAN SAY IS I'M VERY PROUD OF MY COLLEAGUES UP HERE. I'M USUALLY NOT ONE WITHOUT ANY WORDS. BUT YET I THINK FROM RODRIGO'S QUESTIONING, LLOYD'S QUESTIONING AND SCOTT'S QUESTIONING, YOU GUYS COVERED A LOT. I THINK I WAS ABLE TO POKE IN MAYBE ONE OR TWO THERE, BUT I THINK IT WAS VERY WELL ADDRESSED AND I'M VERY PROUD OF THIS BOARD. SO I THINK THE DECISION WE'RE GOING TO MAKE FORWARD AND I'M LOOKING FOR THE MOTION IS GOING TO BE A WELL THOUGHT OUT ONE. I ENJOYED MY CONVERSATION YESTERDAY. I ACTUALLY REACHED OUT TO SOME FOLKS WHO ACTUALLY APPLIED, WHO GOT SOME AND WHO DIDN'T GET SOME. AND THEY TOLD ME WHAT THE PROCESS WAS LIKE FOR THEM AS WELL. AND SPEAKING WITH JORGE REGARDING THIS PROGRAM AS WELL BEFORE THE MEETING TODAY. SO. SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA DID YOU HAVE ONE MORE? JUST ONE MORE. THIS IS A QUESTION BECAUSE I DID MAKE A COMMITMENT YESTERDAY. JORGE I WANT TO BE ABLE TO-- I DON'T WANT TO APPLY FOR ANYTHING FOR REALS, BUT I WANT TO ACTUALLY GO THROUGH THE PROCESS. SO IF. BECAUSE I WANT TO BE ABLE TO UNDERSTAND WHEN FOLKS CALL ME, I DIDN'T GO THROUGH THE-- I DIDN'T ACTUALLY PHYSICALLY GET ONLINE OR MAKE THE PHONE CALL. SO IF YOU WOULD BE WILLING TO WORK WITH ME LATER AND I DON'T WANT I WANT TO KIND OF DO IT UNANNOUNCED. RIGHT. YOU'LL KNOW ABOUT IT. BUT I DON'T WANT THE WHOLE WORLD TO KNOW ABOUT WHEN I DO IT BECAUSE I WANT TO WALK THROUGH LEGITIMATELY WHAT IS THE PROCESS. AND I CAN GIVE YOU A THIRD PARTY INDEPENDENT REVIEW OF A VISIT, AS GOOD AS I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE, OR IF I THOUGHT THAT THERE WERE SOME ISSUES. BUT THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I COMMITTED TO THE GROUP THAT I WAS ON THE PHONE WITH YESTERDAY, THAT I WOULD ACTUALLY SOMEHOW GET INTO THE PROCESS AND SO I COULD SEE WITH MY OWN EYES AND TOUCH OF MY OWN HANDS HOW TO DO THAT SO THAT I COULD AT LEAST WHEN THOSE FOLKS REACH OUT TO ME, I HAVE AN UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT THEY ACTUALLY WENT THROUGH. NOW, WITHOUT A DOUBT, THAT OFFER IS OPEN TO THE FULL BOARD. BE HAPPY TO DO IT TUTORIAL IF AND WHEN WE ARE SELECTED TO GO LIVE, BECAUSE ONCE WE GO LIVE, I WOULDN'T WANT TO TAKE AN APPOINTMENT AWAY FROM ANYBODY THAT NEEDS IT. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. OK, WE'RE LOOKING FOR A MOTION. SUPERVISOR PAREIRA. WELL, FIRST OF ALL, I'D LIKE TO ALSO GO THROUGH THAT PROCESS JUST LIKE SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA. I THINK THAT'S A GREAT IDEA. THANK YOU. I DID THINK IT WAS KEY, THOUGH, HOW HE SAID WE DON'T WANT TO TAKE SOMEBODY ELSE'S APPOINTMENT WHO'S TRYING TO GET IN THROUGH THE PROCESS LEGITIMATELY. THAT WAS A GOOD POINT. YEAH. DID YOU HAVE SOMETHING? [03:45:02] OH, ALL RIGHT. WELL, LET ME GET-- THANK YOU. UM, YOU KNOW, JUST IN HEARING ALL THE DISCUSSIONS THAT WE'VE HAD, I THINK COULD BE INSENSITIVE TO THE FOLKS THAT, YOU KNOW, DIDN'T PARTICULARLY CARE FOR THE LAST PROCESS. YOU KNOW, I THINK OPTION C HOPEFULLY MEETS A BROADER RANGE OF NEEDS THAN, YOU KNOW, IF WE WERE TO ALLOCATE AND TAKE ALL OF THE FUNDING AND DISTRIBUTE IT THROUGH A CONTRACT WITH CVOC. SO, MR. CHAIR, I WOULD LIKE TO MOVE STAFF RECOMMENDATION FOR OPTION C, AND DO YOU WANT ME TO SPELL OUT ALL OF THE ITEMS OR--? TEN, THE FIRST BULLET POINT UP THERE IS ONE THAT HAS BEEN BECAUSE WE WERE LOOKING FOR THE BOARDS TO MAKE SURE STAFF, AS WE SUBMIT THIS FRIDAY, THAT WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE'RE SUBMITTING SOMETHING THAT WE HAD THE BOARD SUPPORT FROM. SO THAT ONE IS NOT IN THE ACTUAL [INAUDIBLE], BUT IT FOLLOWS THE ITEM, OK, AND THEN IT DOES RECOGNIZE THE CHANGE THAT WAS READ BY THE CLERK IN ACTION. THE BULLET POINT UP THERE IS OF SIXTY CENTS ON THE BACK END OF IT. THAT WAS ACCIDENTALLY--. AND THEN DO WE INCLUDE OPTION C WITH THAT MOTION? YES. I MEAN, THAT'S MY INTENT. OK, YEAH. THAT'S WHAT I WAS--. YEAH. SO I GUESS I WOULD MOVE FOR OPTION TEN-- I MEAN ITEM TEN I WOULD MOVE THAT WE GO FORWARD WITH STAFF RECOMMENDATION FOR OPTION C, INCLUDING SUBMITTING FINAL EXPRESSION OF INTENT TO THE STATE BY THIS FRIDAY, AND THEN ALSO ADDING ON THE SIXTY CENTS THAT WAS LEFT OFF OF THAT EIGHT DOLLARS MILLION NUMBER. OK, I HAVE A MOTION ON THE FLOOR. SECOND. AND I SAW THE MOTION WAS BY PAREIRA AND THE SECOND BY SILVEIRA. THANK YOU. IS THERE FURTHER DISCUSSION? AND THIS WAS A QUITE LENGTHY DISCUSSION. WHAT'S THAT? OK, SO FORTH. YES, BUT IT IS TO REMIND EVERYBODY IT IS 4/5 TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. AYE. ANY OPPOSITION? MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. AND AT THIS TIME, WE'LL GO AHEAD AND TAKE A-- WELL WE CAN FINISH IT OFF. OK, WE'RE A MINUTE LATE. IT'S TWO FORTY ONE. WE'LL GO AHEAD AND READJOURN OUR MEETING AFTER OUR LUNCH BREAK. AND, UH. YEAH, LET'S GO AHEAD, STACEY. NEXT IS BOARD INFORMATION AND POSSIBLE ACTION ITEMS 12 THROUGH 15. [BOARD INFORMATION & POSSIBLE ACTION] THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES MR. SILVEIRA. [LAUGHTER] THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN. I RELUCTANTLY MOVE TO FILE THESE ITEMS. A FIRST AND SECOND. IS THERE ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE. AYE. ANY OPPOSITION? SEEING NONE, MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. SO, YEAH, SO ON OUR SINCE DANA'S NOT HERE, LET'S GO AHEAD AND SKIP TO THE SECOND THE TWO ITEMS THAT HAVE A SECOND READING OR ONE OR TWO. YEAH, YEAH. NEXT IS A SECOND READING OF A PROPOSED ORDINANCE FROM COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC [COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT - SECOND READING - PROPOSED ORDINANCE] DEVELOPMENT. IT IS THE SECOND READING AND POSSIBLE ADOPTION FOR A PROPOSED ORDINANCE AMENDING MERCED COUNTY CODE, CHAPTER NINE POINT ZERO EIGHT, ILLEGAL DUMPING ON PUBLIC AND PRIVATE PREMISES, AND CHAPTER NINE POINT SEVEN ZERO PUBLIC NUISANCE ABATEMENT. OK, WHAT'S THE PLEASURE OF THE BOARD? WE DON'T NEED TO REINTRODUCE DO WE? NO, SIR. WE CAN GO AHEAD MOTION AND. SOMEBODY. IF WE'RE NOT, WE'RE JUST DOING IT--. MAXCY FOR SO GRACIOUSLY HANGING IN THERE WITH US TODAY. HE'S BEEN HERE SINCE THE BEGINNING OF THE MEETING FOR HIS BRIEF APPEARANCE AT THE PODIUM. THANK YOU FOR THAT. MR. CHAIR. IF THERE ARE NO FURTHER QUESTIONS, I'D MAKE A MOTION TO WAIVE THE FURTHER READING OF THE PROPOSED ORDINANCE AND NUMBER THREE, ADOPT A PROPOSED ORDINANCE THAT WE NEED TO TAKE THOSE AS SEPARATE ITEMS COUNCIL? WE CAN DO THEM TOGETHER. THAT IS MY MOTION. SO I HAVE A FIRST AND A SECOND. [03:50:02] THE FIRST IS BY SILVEIRA AND THE SECOND BY PAREIRA. WAS THERE FURTHER DISCUSSION ON THIS? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. AYE. ANY OPPOSITION? MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. NEXT IS THE SECOND READING OF A PROPOSED ORDINANCE FROM FIRE. [FIRE - SECOND READING - PROPOSED ORDINANCE] IT IS THE SECOND READING AND POSSIBLE ADOPTION FOR A PROPOSED ORDINANCE AMENDING SECTIONS NINE POINT TWO FOUR POINT ZERO FIVE FIVE OF CHAPTER NINE POINT TWO FOUR TITLE NINE AND SECTION ONE SIX POINT THREE ZERO POINT ZERO TWO ZERO CHAPTER SIXTEEN POINT THREE ZERO TITLE 16 OF THE MERCED COUNTY CODE. IN HONOR OF HIS LAST MEETING SHOULD WE CONDUCT A SECOND READING OF THIS ORDINANCE? THAT WOULD BE KIND OF--. WHAT IS THE PLEASURE OF THE BOARD? HAS BEEN KIND OF A LONG DAY, MR. CHAIR. IF I MAY WANT TO THANK-- IS, I GUESS, WILL BE YOUR LAST OFFICIAL ACTION AT A BOARD MEETING, RIGHT? YOU STILL ARE. YOU'RE STILL WITH US FOR A FEW MORE DAYS? I'VE HAD THE PLEASURE OF WORKING WITH. THAT IS CORRECT. THIS WILL BE MY LAST BOARD PRESENTATION TO YOU AS YOUR ASSISTANT CHIEF FOR THE MERCED COUNTY FIRE DEPARTMENT. RIGHT. THANK YOU, CHIEF. APPRECIATE IT. AND, MR. CHAIRMAN, NO FURTHER QUESTIONS. I WILL ONLY COMMENT IS, AS I DO APPRECIATE THE COMMON SENSE APPROACH TO GETTING RID OF SOMETHING THAT MAYBE WAS A GOOD IDEA THAT TURNED OUT NOT TO BE SUCH A GOOD IDEA AND RECOGNIZING THAT AND MOVING FORWARD. SO WITH THAT CHAIR, I MAKE A MOTION TO WAIVE FURTHER READING OF THE PROPOSED ORDINANCE AND ADOPT THE PROPOSED ORDINANCE. I HAVE A FIRST BY SILVEIRA AND A SECOND BY PEDROZO. IS THERE A FURTHER DISCUSSION ON THIS? ANY HARD QUESTIONS WE CAN ASK? SEEING NONE, I'LL GO AHEAD AND CALL FOR THE VOTE. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, SAY AYE. ANY OPPOSITION? SEEING NONE. MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. AND DANA IS HERE. DANA, WE DIDN'T DO IT WITHOUT YOU. NEXT IS A SCHEDULED ITEM. WE HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS TO CONSIDER [DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS - PUBLIC HEARING] GENERAL VACATION [INAUDIBLE] ROAD FROM NORTH OF RIVER ROAD TO THE END IN THE STEVENSON AREA. GOOD AFTERNOON, MR. CHAIRMAN. MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, DANA HERFELDER, HER DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS. THE PROPERTY OWNER-- WELL, PUBLIC WORKS RECEIVED A PETITION FROM THE PROPERTY OWNER REQUESTING THAT THE COUNTY VACATE A PORTION OF HATFIELD ROAD IN THE STEVENSON AREA. THERE'S ONLY ONE PROPERTY OWNER THAT LIVES ON THIS STRETCH OF HATFIELD ROAD, WHICH IS NOT A THROUGH ROAD. IT IS A DEAD END ROAD. SECTION OF HATFIELD ROAD PROPOSED TO BE VACATED AS APPROXIMATELY POINT EIGHT FIVE MILES IN LENGTH AND RUNS FROM RIVER ROAD NORTH TO ITS END. PUBLIC WORKS IS DETERMINED AT HATFIELD ROAD IS NOT NECESSARY FOR THE PUBLIC CONVENIENCE AND SECTION EIGHTY THREE TWENTY FOUR OF THE CALIFORNIA STREETS AND HIGHWAYS CODE ALLOWS THE LEGISLATIVE BODY OF A LOCAL AGENCY TO VACATE A STREET OR HIGHWAY IF IT DETERMINES THAT IS UNNECESSARY FOR PRESENT OR PROSPECTIVE PUBLIC USE. THE ROAD WAS APPROPRIATELY POSTED IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION EIGHT, THREE TO TWO AND EIGHT THREE TO THREE OF THE CALIFORNIA STREETS AND HIGHWAY CODE. THE COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT HAS REVIEWED THE PROPOSED VACATION AND DETERMINED THAT IT IS CONSISTENT WITH THE MAYOR OPPOSED TO COUNTY GENERAL PLAN AND IS EXEMPT FROM CALIFORNIA QUALITY ACT. I DON'T THINK I'VE DONE THAT BEFORE, THANKFULLY. AND DANA, HAVE YOU CHECKED WITH THE [INAUDIBLE] ON THIS OR THAT? THERE WAS ONLY ONE PERSON THAT LIVES ON THAT. I THINK THEY MOVED. OK, WELL, PUBLIC WORKS HAS NOT RECEIVED ANY COMMENTS OPPOSED TO THIS PROPOSED VACATION. WE JUST DON'T WANT TO GET IN AN ALTERCATION OF THE [INAUDIBLE] AREN'T SUPPORTIVE OF THIS. OK, AT THIS TIME I'LL GO AHEAD AND OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR ANYBODY HERE. SEEING NOT SINCE WE'RE DOING IT VIRTUALLY OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING AND WE'LL TAKE A FIVE MINUTE BREAK. RESPONSES DURING THAT 10 MINUTE? NO COMMENTS. THEN I WILL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING. AND WE'RE GOING TO MOVE TO UNDER THE RECOMMENDATION, ITEM NUMBER THREE. [03:55:09] YES. THANK YOU FOR THE REMINDER. SO I WOULD LIKE TO MOVE TO ADOPT THE RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE GENERAL VACATION OF HATFIELD ROAD IN THE STEVENSON AREA FROM NORTH OF RIVER ROAD TO THE END, WHICH THE COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT HAS DETERMINED IS EXEMPT FROM [INAUDIBLE] UNDER SECTION 15 THREE OH ONE SUBDIVISION C OF THE [INAUDIBLE] GUIDELINES, AND TO DIRECT THE CLERK OF THE BOARD TO RECORD THE RESOLUTION. AND WE CAN TAKE ALL THOSE TOGETHER. SOMETIMES WE'LL SEE WHERE IT HAD TO BE SEPARATE. OK, ARE THERE--. I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND. ARE THERE FURTHER DISCUSSIONS ON THIS? I JUST WANT TO KNOW HOW COME THEY'RE ALL IN YOUR DISTRICT, ROWS OF RETIRING. DO YOU JUST GO OUT AND FIND ROADS YOU DON'T KNOW REPAIR ANYMORE AND SAY--? PEOPLE ARE SO PROSPEROUS BY THE PROPERTY. IS THERE FURTHER DISCUSSION ON THIS ITEM? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. ANY OPPOSITION? MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. NEXT IS BOARD REPORTS. [REPORTS/BOARD DIRECTION] OK, WE'VE GOT A PROMISE FROM SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA. HE'S GOING TO KEEP IT SHORT. SO SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA YOU MAY KICK IT OFF. THANK YOU, CHAIR. AGAIN, JUST WANT TO THANK STAFF FOR ALL THE HARD WORK THAT THEY'VE PUT TOGETHER ON THAT PRESENTATION EARLIER AND KNOW THAT IT WAS LONG, BUT IT HAD A LOT OF GOOD INFORMATION AND REALLY HELPED US GET TO WHAT I THOUGHT IN THE END WAS A GOOD DECISION WITH A LOT OF GREAT DISCUSSION. THE ONLY THING THAT I REALLY WANT TO POINT OUT IS SOME OF THE UNSUNG HEROES IN OUR ROLL OUT OF THIS VACCINE. AND THIS PANDEMIC IS I JUST WANT TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO THE FOLKS OVER AT THE HSA THAT ARE ACTUALLY MANNING THE CALL CENTER. SO THE FRUSTRATION THAT WE ALL CAN HEAR WHEN THEY CALL US, JUST IMAGINE THAT TIMES 100, EVERY TIME AN EMAIL GOES OUT THAT SAYS THAT WE'RE RELEASING THE NEXT APPOINTMENT TIMES AND THEY GET IT ALL. THEY GET EVERYTHING OVER THERE FROM-- I DON'T THINK THEY GET TOO MANY. HEY, YOU DID A REALLY GREAT JOBS. I THINK THEY GET A LOT OF EVERYBODY'S FRUSTRATIONS WITH COVID IN GENERAL WITH RESERVATIONS. SO I JUST WANT TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO THE FOLKS OVER THERE AT THE HSA THAT ARE MANNING THE CALL CENTER. I FEEL LIKE, YOU KNOW, THEY WERE TASKED WITH SOMETHING. THEY'RE DOING A REALLY GOOD JOB OF WHAT THEY GOT. AND THERE PROBABLY WAS SOME LEARNING CURVE ALONG THE WAY. BUT JUST I'M PROUD OF THE WORK THAT THEY'RE DOING AND THEY'RE AN INTEGRAL PART OF THE THE WHOLE PROCESS IN GETTING THESE VACCINES, GETTING PEOPLE APPOINTMENTS, ALL THOSE THINGS. SO, AGAIN, I'VE BEEN APPRECIATE THEIR PATIENCE. A LOT OF OUR FOLKS THAT ARE CALLING OUR SENIORS WHO DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO INTERNET AND AND THOSE FOLKS ARE, FROM WHAT I'VE BEEN HEARING TO DO AND A REALLY GREAT JOB OF MAKING SURE THAT THEY GET THEIR APPOINTMENTS, THEY WALK THEM THROUGH THE PROCESS. SO, AGAIN, MY ONLY THING TODAY SHOUT OUT TO THE FOLKS OVER AT HSA IN THE CALL CENTER. WE APPRECIATE THE WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING. AND THAT'S ALL I HAVE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, SUPERVISOR ESPINOZA. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN. I ALSO WANT TO THANK, OF COURSE, JEREMY BROWN FOR ALL HIS SERVICE TO THE COMPANY. WE HAVE TO BE HAVE MERCED COUNTY. WE'D LIKE TO THANK ALL THE YEARS OF SERVICE AND INVEST IN YOUR RETIREMENT. I ALSO WANT TO BRING UP A FEW YEARS AGO, I ENCOURAGE OUR CEO AND THE COUNTY COUNCIL TO STRESS TO OUR MANY DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS TO FOLLOW THE NEPOTISM POLICY, WHICH IS, YOU KNOW, IN REGARDS TO EMPLOYEES AND DEPARTMENT DIRECTORS. HOPEFULLY THEY SEE THE HIRING FAMILY UNDER THERE UNDER THEM AS SOMETIMES, YOU KNOW, WORDS, NEPOTISM, POLICIES. AND THAT IS NOT GOOD AND IT'S NOT GOOD FOR BUSINESS, OTHER COUNTIES. SO I ENCOURAGE THAT TO BE PART OF THIS. AND I ALSO WANT TO SEE IF I CAN GET THE SUPPORT OF OUR SUPERVISOR [INAUDIBLE] IN YOUR DISTRICT. PEOPLE HAVE BEEN ASKING ME ABOUT GETTING A STOP SIGN FOR A STOP SIGN [INAUDIBLE] AND CORTEZ, BECAUSE THERE WAS WITH FOSTER FARMS, THERE'S MANY TRUCKS TO CROSS ON CORTEZ [INAUDIBLE] THEY'VE ASKED ME TO RELAY TO YOU THAT IF IT'S POSSIBLE TO GET A FOUR WAY STOP SIGN THERE, ESPECIALLY WINTER WEATHER WITH A FOG IS VERY, VERY DANGEROUS. SO THANK YOU. THAT'S IT. THANK YOU. I KNOW I SAID IT'S KEEPING IT SHORT. I JUST WANTED I DID POINT OUT THAT IT WAS HSA FOLKS AT FOR THE CALLS. AND I KNOW THAT'S WHERE IT'S BEING HOUSED. BUT ALSO WANTED TO POINT OUT THAT THERE'S SOME SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT FOLKS IN THEIR PROBATION, HAS SOME PEOPLE IN THERE, AND ALSO BEHAVIORAL HEALTH HAS SOME FOLKS IN THERE THAT ARE MANNING THE CALL CENTER. BUT I KNOW IT'S OUT OF HSA. ATWATER IS WHERE IT'S LOCATED. AND BUT I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE EVERYBODY GOT THE RECOGNITION THEY DESERVE. [04:00:03] THANK YOU. SUPERVISOR PAREIRA. CLOSING COMMENTS. THANK YOU. KEEP THEM QUICK. FIRST OF ALL, I WANT TO THANK STAFF FOR DOING SUCH A GOOD PRESENTATION ON ITEM 10. I FELT THAT YOU WERE VERY THOROUGH. AND I JUST I CAN'T SAY ENOUGH ABOUT, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES THESE DECISIONS CAN BE DIFFICULT. BUT WHEN YOU LAID OUT SO WELL, THE CHOICE KIND OF, IN MY OPINION, BECOMES EASY. SO THANK YOU FOR THAT. I WOULD LIKE TO COMMEND CHIEF RON. I DIDN'T SPEAK EARLIER BECAUSE I DIDN'T WANT TO TEAR UP. CHIEF RON AND I GO WAY BACK. WE MET BACK WHEN WE WERE KIDS AND I GUESS PROBABLY KNOWN BEFORE [INAUDIBLE]. BUT ANYWAYS, JEREMY, I JUST REALLY APPRECIATE YOU. I KNOW THAT MY PAID FOR CALLS, FIREFIGHTERS APPRECIATE YOU AND THE WAY THAT YOU UNDERSTOOD THEIR NEEDS. AND I KNOW IT WASN'T ALWAYS EASY. RIGHT. TRYING TO MAKE EVERYBODY HAPPY. BUT YOU WERE VERY LOGICAL AND I THINK YOU HAD THE UTMOST RESPECT AND FROM ALL THE FOLKS IN MY COMMUNITIES, IN MY DISTRICT. AND SO, YOU KNOW, CONGRATULATIONS. I REALLY WISH YOU WEREN'T RETIRING YET. HOWEVER, I RESPECT YOUR DECISION AND I WISH YOU WELL IN THE FUTURE. LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU IN [INAUDIBLE] SOMEDAY. AND THEN I WOULD LIKE TO I GUESS I'D LIKE TO JUST SAY THAT FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT MAYBE DIDN'T GET YOUR FULL WAY TODAY ON ITEM TEN, YOU KNOW, I HOPE THAT YOU REALIZE THAT I BELIEVE WE WALKED AWAY WITH A WIN WIN. AND I THINK THAT'S WHAT'S MOST IMPORTANT ABOUT DECISIONS THAT ARE MADE WHEN NOT EVERYBODY CAN GET EXACTLY WHAT THEY WANT. AND ANYWAY, SO I HOPE THAT YOU'RE ABLE TO REACH OUT TO THE STATE AND BE INVOLVED IN THEIR ROLLOUT OF THEIR EIGHT MILLION DOLLARS. SO THEY'RE GOING TO NEED HELP FROM OUR COMMUNITY. AND YOU'LL BE ABLE TO ADVOCATE FOR THE FOLKS THAT YOU REPRESENT AND WANT TO ADVOCATE FOR. AND THEN I WOULD LIKE TO GIVE A THANK YOU TO GENEVIEVE VALENTINE, THE DIRECTOR AT BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AND RECOVERY SERVICES. WE HAD AN INDIVIDUAL [INAUDIBLE] LIGHT HIS HOUSE ON FIRE THIS PAST WEEKEND AND WELL PAST WEEKEND. AND, YOU KNOW, IT'S A TOUGH DEAL. BUT YOU KNOW WHAT? IN FACT, WE WERE ON A BEHAVIORAL HEALTH BOARD MEETING WHEN I GOT A TEXT THAT THE HOUSE WAS ON FIRE AND THEN COME TO FIND OUT, IT'S A FELLOW THAT'S BEEN IN AND OUT OF BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SERVICES. AND, YOU KNOW, RIGHT AWAY HER STAFF WENT OUT CRISIS TEAM AND, YOU KNOW, AND HOPEFULLY WE'LL GET THEM TO ACCEPT SOME HELP. AND I THINK IT'S MAYBE TO THE POINT TO WHERE, YOU KNOW, WE MIGHT ENCOURAGE OR BE ABLE TO KIND OF STEP IN AND REQUIRE HELP. BUT ANYWAYS, HE JUST YOU KNOW, HE GREW UP IN MY COMMUNITY AND SOMEBODY I'VE KNOWN SINCE I WAS YOUNG AND JUST APPRECIATE THE THOROUGHNESS. AND IT'S NOT JUST IN THIS CASE. IT'S IN EVERY CASE WHEN I'VE ASKED FOR, YOU KNOW, FOR HELP AND I DON'T KNOW ALL THE RESOLUTIONS OF WHAT HAPPENS, OBVIOUSLY, BUT I JUST KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU DO YOUR BEST AND IT AFFECTS PEOPLE'S LIVES, YOU KNOW, THIS FELLOW WOULD SHORTLY BE HOMELESS IF IT WASN'T FOR INTERVENTION. SO I'M HOPING WE STAVE THAT OFF. AND THAT IS THE END OF MY REPORT. THANK YOU. SUPERVISOR PEDROZO. THANK YOU. I WANT TO ECHO WHAT SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA SAID IN REGARDS TO ACKNOWLEDGING ALL THE PEOPLE AT THE CALL CENTER AND ALL THE PEOPLE THAT ARE WORKING AND DISTRIBUTING THE VACCINATIONS. I THINK IT'S INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT WORK AND THEY'RE DOING A REALLY GOOD JOB. ALSO WANTED TO SAY AGAIN, THANK YOU TO CHIEF RON. I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO OUT TO TOUR THE EMERGENCY OPERATIONS CENTER, AND THEN HE GAVE ME THE TOUR AND KIND OF EXPLAINED EVERYTHING THAT WAS GOING ON. SO THERE'S DEFINITELY BIG SHOES TO FILL. SO ENJOY YOUR RETIREMENT, BUT JUST DON'T LOOK SO HAPPY WHEN YOU LEAVE THE BUILDING TODAY. SO THE OTHER THING THAT I WANT TO DO IS IT SEEMS LIKE I HAVE DONE THIS EVERY MEETING NOW, WHICH IS UNFORTUNATE, BUT I WANT TO DO AND ADJOURN THE MEETING IN MEMORY OF DR. LEE [INAUDIBLE], WHO PASSED AWAY FROM COVID RELATED SYMPTOMS. HE SINCE NINETEEN SIXTY TWO, HE WAS THE CASTLE AIR BASE DENTAL CAPTAIN. HE MADE SURE CASTLE WAS A STRATEGIC AIR COMMAND SO THAT ALL PILOTS WERE FLIGHT READY. HE JOINED THE MILITARY AND WAS WASHINGTON, DC BASED [INAUDIBLE] FOR ANDREWS AIR FORCE BASE FOR THE PRESIDENT. AND THEN THEY ASSIGNED HIM TO CASTLE INSTEAD OF VIETNAM. [04:05:03] HE CAME BACK TO MERCED IN NINETEEN SIXTY NINE, AND OPENED HIS OWN PRACTICE, PRIVATE PRACTICE, AND SERVED UNTIL PRETTY MUCH ABOUT SIX WEEKS AGO. SO THANK YOU. COUNTY COUNCIL? CEO BROWN? I WOULD ALSO JUST, UH, WANT TO CONGRATULATE ASSISTANT CHIEF RON, UH, APPRECIATE EVERYTHING HE DOES AND HAS DONE. I KNOW WE WILL SEE MORE OF YOU. SO I FEEL THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, WE WILL STILL BE ABLE TO, YOU KNOW, TO SEE EACH OTHER AT DIFFERENT AND YOU'RE NOT LEAVING ANY PLACE. IN FACT, HE'S ALREADY TOLD ME, DON'T WORRY, CALL ME. AS MANY OF YOU KNOW, WE HAVE THE RELATIONSHIP WITH CAL FIRE. HE ESSENTIALLY IS LIKE OUR DEPARTMENT HEAD FOR CAL FIRE. AND SO HE'S ALWAYS FIT IN. HE'S ALWAYS WORKED AS A TEAM. HE'S ALWAYS WORKED WITH EVERYBODY IS JUST AS HE WAS A COUNTY EMPLOYEE. AND SO, AGAIN, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR DEDICATION AND YOUR CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE ORGANIZATION AND COMMUNITY. THANK YOU. DON'T GIVE JEREMY UP TOO SOON, HE MIGHT BE HERE 20 HOURS A WEEK ON THE THIRD FLOOR. [LAUGHTER] THE OFFER HAS BEEN EXTENDED. YES, IT'S A CHIEF. RON, IT'S BEEN A PLEASURE WORKING WITH YOU. SINCE THE FIRST DAY ON THE BOARD YOU WERE THE ONE WHO WALK THE HALLS FOR CAL FIRE. AND ANY TIME THERE WAS A VOTE THAT WE HAD TO DO, WE COULD FEEL CONFIDENT AND THAT WE HAD THE KNOWLEDGE OF THAT VOTE BECAUSE YOU ALWAYS KEPT US WELL INFORMED WAY AHEAD OF TIME. AND IT WAS MUCH APPRECIATED. WE LEARNED A WHOLE LOT ABOUT THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. PROBABLY MORE THAN WE WANTED TO KNOW, BUT WE DEFINITELY KNOW FIRE. ALSO WANT TO THANK ALEXANDRA PIERCE FOR YOUR PRESENTATION TODAY. IT WAS, I THINK, IN CONGRATULATIONS TO THE BOARD AS WELL. I DON'T THINK ANY OF US REALLY KNEW EXACTLY HOW WE WERE GOING TO VOTE TODAY ON THAT ITEM. IT WAS COLLECTING A LOT OF I MEAN, WE MADE OUR OWN RESEARCH AND OUR PHONE CALLS. BUT ALEXANDRA, I THINK IT WAS YOU KNOWING THE INFORMATION AND ABLE TO GIVE US THE ANSWERS. AND WE HAD THE CONFIDENCE IN YOU WITH THE ANSWERS. I MEAN, THERE WAS QUESTIONS WE HAD THAT WEREN'T ON THE SLIDES THAT YOU ACTUALLY KNEW THE ANSWERS TO, WHICH WAS FANTASTIC. SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR PARTICIPATION AS IT WAS VERY WELL APPRECIATED BY ALL OF US. AND THEN I JUST LIKE TO THANK THE BOARD AS WELL. THIS IS A FULL ON DISCUSSION. AND LIKE I SAID, I DON'T THINK ANY OF US KNEW WHICH WAY WE WERE GOING TO VOTE. WE HAD MANY CONVERSATIONS WITH A LOT OF OTHER PEOPLE, AND YET WE WERE ABLE TO PUT ALL OF OUR IDEAS OUT HERE IN FRONT OF EVERYBODY. I THOUGHT WE FELT CONFIDENT IN TRUSTING EACH OTHER AND COMING WITH THE DECISION WE DID. AND IT JUST FEELS REALLY, REALLY GOOD THAT WE APPROACH IT IN THAT WAY AND THAT WE ALL THIS WAS TRULY BY THE ENTIRE BOARD IN MAKING THIS DIRECTION. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH ON THAT. I'M NOT GOING TO GET LONG WINDED EITHER. I'M GOING TO ADJOURN THE MEETING. THANKS. * This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.