[00:00:02]
>> GOOD MORNING, EVERYONE. WELCOME TO THE MARCH 2ND,
[Call to Order]
2021 MERCER COUNTY BOARD MEETING.IN ORDER TO MINIMIZE THE SPREAD OF COVID-19 VIRUS, THE COUNTY IS CONDUCTING BUSINESS IN COMPLIANCE WITH SOCIAL DISTANCING REQUIREMENTS, WITH SEATING FOR THE PUBLIC LIMITED TO 25.
WE'VE ALSO PROVIDED SOME OVERFLOW SPACE ON A FIRST-COME, FIRST-SERVE BASIS.
FOR MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WHO DO NOT WISH TO ATTEND IN PERSON, WE HAVE BEEN ACCEPTING GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENTS VIA EMAIL AND VOICEMAIL FOR NON-AGENDA AND AGENDA ITEMS. WE WILL NOW START WITH INVOCATION LED BY CHAPLAIN RICK GERARDO, AMERICAN LEGION POST 166 OF LAW SPOUSE, AND THEN WE'LL DO THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE LED BY SUPERVISOR SCOTT SILVEIRA [NOISE].
>> GREETINGS FOR ALL MEMBERS OF THE MERCER COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS.
WITH THE AMERICAN LEGION OUR HONORED AND TO PARTICIPATE HERE TODAY, FOR OUR ORGANIZATION ALSO GIVES ALLEGIANCE TO GOD IN OUR RESPECTIVE COMMUNITY.
TODAY IN THE UNITY OF PRAYER AND FAITH IN CHRIST JESUS, WE SEEK THE COUNSEL OF DIVINE PROVIDENCE.
PRAYER IS THE MEANS OF BRINGING POWER OF ALMIGHTY GOD INTO OUR LIVES.
HEAVENLY FATHER, I THANK YOU FOR THE PRIVILEGE TO ENTER INTO THE HOLY OF HOLIES.
WE SEEK, LORD, YOUR GUIDANCE DAILY IN OUR DUTIES HERE AS THE BOARD MEMBERS DECIDE ON WHAT IS BEST FOR THE COMMUNITY THAT THE AGENDAS THAT THERE ARE GOING TO BE FACE.
LORD, I PRAY THAT THEY CONSIDER ONE ANOTHER IN THEIR DUTIES WITH HUMILITY AND PATIENCE WITH ONE ANOTHER AS THEY SERVE THE COMMUNITY OF MERCER COUNTY.
LORD, I ASK THAT THESE PRAYERS ARE ACCEPTABLE TO YOU.
LORD, I ALSO ASK A BLESSING FOR THEIR FAMILIES.
DURING THIS TIME OF UNCERTAINTY, THE PANDEMIC THAT IS HAPPENING THROUGHOUT THE WORLD.
LORD, PROTECT THEIR FAMILIES TO GET THEM THE PIECE AND ASSURANCE THAT YOUR GRACE IS UPON THEM, THAT YOUR MERCY IS BEFORE THEM.
THAT THEY CAN SAY THAT THEY ARE BEING LOOKED OVER BY ALMIGHTY GOD.
I ASK THESE THINGS WITH YOUR AUTHORITY, IN YOUR POWER, AND FOR YOUR GLORY.
NO LOVE IS HIGHER, NO LOVE IS WIDER, NO LOVE IS DEEPER THAN YOUR LOVE, OH LORD, AND I PRAY THESE IN THE NAME OF YOUR PRECIOUS SON, CHRIST JESUS, AMEN.
>> AMEN. [OVERLAPPING]. [NOISE]
>> THANK YOU FOR THAT PRAYER, CHAPLAIN.
VERY WELL DONE AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA [NOISE] THIS MORNING WE HAD CLOSED SESSION MEETING AND STAFF WAS GIVEN DIRECTION.
IS THAT OKAY? [LAUGHTER] IT IS NOW TIME FOR WHEN WE RECEIVE PUBLIC COMMENT.
[PUBLIC OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK]
>> IT'S TIME FOR PUBLIC OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK ON ANY MATTER OF PUBLIC INTERESTS WITHIN THE BOARD'S JURISDICTION, INCLUDING ITEMS ON THE BOARD'S AGENDA, EXCEPT FOR THOSE ITEMS SPECIFICALLY SCHEDULED AS PUBLIC HEARINGS.
TESTIMONY IS LIMITED TO THREE MINUTES PER PERSON.
>> I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT ALL PUBLIC COMMENTS ARE GOING TO BE DONE AT THE BEGINNING OF THE MEETING, FOR ANY AGENDA ITEMS OR FOR GENERAL.
>> I'D LIKE TO THANK THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY.
[00:05:01]
I LIVE AT 1138 WEST CARD DELLA ROAD.I'M HERE ON BEHALF OF MY FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS WHO ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THE BIDDING PROCESS THAT IS AWARDED TO CONTRACTORS IN THE SERVICES OF THE COUNTY.
IT NEEDS TO BE RE-EXAMINED AND NEEDS TO BE MORE TRANSPARENT.
I NEED NOT REMIND THE BOARD THAT THEY'RE ALL FUNDED BY TAXPAYERS MONEY, AND IN THESE TIMES WE HAVE TO BE ECONOMICAL.
I URGE THE BOARD TO MAKE AN INVESTIGATION AND PROVIDE A HARDCOPY TO THE CITIZENS BECAUSE WE'RE TIRED.
I'M SURE EVERYONE WILL AGREE WITH ME.
WE'RE TIRED OF CONTRACTORS BEING PAID WITH TAXPAYERS MONEY, AND THEY'RE NOT CREDIBLE.
I WOULD APPRECIATE, AND MY FRIENDS, AND MY NEIGHBORS WOULD APPRECIATE IF AN INVESTIGATION WOULD BE CONDUCTED IN GOOD FAITH.
LIKE I SAID BEFORE, PROVIDE COPIES TO THE CITIZENS OF THIS COUNTY WHO PAY THE BILL.
I APPRECIATE EVERYONE LISTENING TO ME AND HAVE A BLESSED DAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>> THANK YOU, SIR. WOULD YOU WANT TO LEAVE YOUR CONTACT INFORMATION WITH [OVERLAPPING].
[INAUDIBLE] WE CAN FOLLOW UP ON ANY PARTICULARS.
>> OKAY. YES SIR. YOU MEAN LIKE MY PHONE NUMBER?
>> YEAH, RIGHT THERE WITH DAVID.
>> I LEFT MY PHONE IN MY VEHICLE.
>> ALL RIGHT. HE CAN JUST WRITE IT DOWN, IF THAT WOULD BE OKAY.
>> YEAH. I JUST CAN'T REMEMBER MY PHONE NUMBER.
>> YEAH. YOU CAN LEAVE IT AT THE FRONT DESK IF YOU DON'T WANT TO COME BACK INTO THE BOARDROOM.
>> YES. PUBLIC COMMENT IS FOR ANY AGENDA ITEM.
LET ME REMIND YOU. I THOUGHT I DID THAT ALREADY, BUT THANK YOU, COUNSEL.
I THINK WE RECEIVED ONE VOICEMAIL.
>> GIOVANNA MORALES, [INAUDIBLE] LEADERSHIP COUNSEL AND I'M CALLING TO LEAVE PUBLIC COMMENT ON ITEM 26.
AS YOU DISCUSS [INAUDIBLE] IN THIS MISTRUST AND THE APPLICATION FOR LEONTES THAT WOULD INCORPORATE A PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT PLAN INTO THE UNIVERSITY COMMUNITY PLAN, AS WELL AS A MIXED USE PROJECT.
WE URGE YOU TO CONSIDER AND ADOPT AN INCLUSIONARY [INAUDIBLE].
AS ACKNOWLEDGED THAT COUNTY FALLS DISPROPORTIONATELY IN SHORT OF CONSTRUCTING, REHABILITATING AND CONSERVING HOUSING FOR VERY LOW INCOME LEVELS.
ACCORDING TO THE COUNTY 2019 APR ANNUAL PROGRESS REPORT, THERE IS A NEED FOR 1,085 UNITS FOR VERY LOW INCOME FAMILIES.
AS OF TODAY, ZERO UNITS HAVE BEEN CONSTRUCTED TO MEET THE NEEDS OF THESE FAMILIES.
WE HAVE HEARD FROM VARIOUS STAFF MEMBERS THAT DEVELOPERS DO NOT WANT TO INVEST IN AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN MERCER COUNTY AND IT IS NEAR IMPOSSIBLE TO DEVELOP THESE UNITS.
FOR THIS REASON, WE URGE YOU TO CONSIDER AND ADOPTED AN INCLUSIONARY ZONING ORDINANCE WITH DEVELOPMENTS BEING BUILT THOUGH IN THE UNIVERSITY COMMUNITY PLAN.
THIS WILL ALLOW FOR ALL NEW HOUSING PROJECTS TO SET ASIDE A PERCENTAGE OF HOUSING UNITS THAT ARE AFFORDABLE TO LOWER INCOME HOUSEHOLDS.
INCLUSIONARY ZONING DETERMINES THE PERCENTAGE OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING UNITS TO BE INCLUDED IN EACH PROJECT.
BY DOING SO, THE COUNTY CAN GUARANTEE HOUSING AVAILABILITY AND FAIR HOUSING CHOICES TO VERY LOW AND LOW INCOME FAMILIES. THANK YOU.
>> THIS CONCLUDES PUBLIC COMMENT.
[00:10:03]
>> OKAY, THANK YOU. THAT CONCLUDES PUBLIC COMMENT, THE VOICEMAILS.
AS I SEE MY NOTES, WE HAVE FOUR EMAILS THAT WE RECEIVED THAT WILL GO ON TO THE RECORD.
THIS TIME WE'LL MOVE INTO PRESENTATIONS.
[PRESENTATIONS]
>> NEXT IS A WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT BOARD ANNUAL REPORT.
>> GOOD MORNING, [INAUDIBLE] THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE SOME OF THE ACTIVITIES THAT THE DEPARTMENT OF WORKFORCE INVESTMENT, ALSO KNOWN AS WORK NET, UNDERTOOK IN 2020.
[NOISE] AS YOU KNOW, I JOINED THE COUNTY FAMILY AT THE END OF LAST YEAR, SO THIS IS ACTUALLY QUITE AN HONOR FOR ME.
I AM HERE FOREMOST TO CELEBRATE THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF MY PREDECESSOR, ASSISTANT CEO MARION AND THE DEDICATED STAFF OF THE DEPARTMENT, WHICH HAS BEEN LED BY REINA ESPINOSA, WHO JOINS US IN THE AUDIENCE, AS WELL AS THE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR [INAUDIBLE] DURING A PORTION OF THE YEAR.
AS YOU KNOW, 2020 WAS AN UNPRECEDENTED YEAR, AND SO I'LL DIVIDE THE PRESENTATION INTO THREE MAIN CATEGORIES.
I'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE MISSION AND THE STRATEGY OF THE WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT BOARD.
TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE MAJOR ACTIVITIES OF 2020 AND THEN HAVE SOME INSIGHTS FOR WHAT WE THINK WILL BE A VERY DIFFERENT AND INTERESTING 2021.
BUT I CAN TELL YOU AS A SOMEWHAT OBJECTIVE OBSERVER, THAT YOUR WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT BOARD AND THE DEPARTMENT IS STRONG.
IT IS INNOVATIVE AND STRATEGIC AND CONTINUALLY PUNCHES ABOVE ITS WEIGHT.
THIS HERE IS A LISTING OF OUR BOARD.
WE HAVE THREE BOARD MEMBERS IN THE AUDIENCE.
THE BOARD INCLUDES THE CHAIR, THE BOARD, SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL.
IT IS CHAIRED BY LESLIE ABASTA CUMMINGS, AND IS MADE UP OF A MAJORITY OF BUSINESS MEMBERS, AND SO THAT IS BY DESIGN.
THAT BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY IS ALWAYS LEADING THE DEVELOPMENT OF LOCAL POLICY AND PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION.
ALSO WANT TO RECOGNIZE THE OTHER BOARD MEMBERS THAT ARE WITH US, MARK HENDRICKSON AND STEVE TIETJEN.
WE CURRENTLY HAVE FOUR BUSINESS VACANCIES ON THE BOARD AND THE BOARD IS ACTIVELY PURSUING NOMINATIONS AND RECRUITING TO FILL THOSE VACANCIES.
MOST OF YOU KNOW A LOT ABOUT THE WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT BOARD, BUT I WILL TELL YOU THAT THERE ARE 46 ACROSS THE STATE, AND DAVID AND I CAN TELL YOU THAT EACH ONE IS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT, BUT OUR MISSION IS REALLY TWO-FOLD AT A MACRO AND A MICRO-LEVEL.
AT A DIRECT STREET LEVEL, WE ARE ALWAYS WORKING TO CONNECT JOB SEEKERS AND BUSINESSES SO THAT JOB SEEKERS HAVE AN ON-RAMP TO QUALITY JOBS AND UPWARD MOBILITY, AND THAT BUSINESSES HAVE THE SKILLED LABOR THAT ALLOWS THEM TO BE COMPETITIVE AND THRIVE.
BUT AT MACRO LEVEL, WE SERVE A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT ROLES.
WE ARE A FUNDER OF PROGRAMS. WE HAVE TWO MAIN CONTRACTS THAT GO TO THE COUNTY OFFICE OF EDUCATION, TO IMPLEMENT OUR YOUTH PROGRAMS AND TO EQUUS, WHICH PROVIDES STAFF AND SUPPORT THROUGH OUR TWO JOB CENTERS, ONE OF THEM IN SWEDEN ONE OF THEM ESPANOL.
WHERE OBVIOUSLY A LEADER WE DRIVE PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT.
WE INTRODUCE INNOVATION INTO THE WORKFORCE SYSTEM, WHERE A CONVENER, WE PULL TOGETHER DIFFERENT PARTNERS IN ORDER TO SOLVE STUBBORN AND STICKY PIPELINE ISSUES SO THAT WE ARE MAINTAINING THE HEALTH OF THE LOCAL WORKFORCE SYSTEM.
2020 WAS AN UNPRECEDENTED YEAR.
YOU HEARD A LOT ABOUT THE CONTEXT FROM A HEALTH PERSPECTIVE.
YOU HEARD A LOT AND KNOW A LOT ABOUT THE CONTEXT FROM AN EDUCATION PERSPECTIVE, AND I'M HERE TO TALK TO YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT FROM THE WORKFORCE PERSPECTIVE.
I'LL DIVIDE THAT IN THREE WAYS.
WE'LL TALK ABOUT THE COVID-19 RESPONSE.
I'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT SPECIAL PROGRAMS THAT WERE EITHER EXPANDED OR INTRODUCED IN 2020, AND THEN SOME OF THE IMPACT AND SUCCESS.
BUT AS YOU KNOW, 2020 WAS A YEAR LIKE NO OTHER.
I'LL START WITH DEPARTMENT SUPPORT OF BUSINESSES.
I WANT TO THANK THIS BODY FOR TRUSTING AND OUR DEPARTMENT'S ABILITY TO ADMINISTER WHAT IS THE LARGEST BUSINESS SUPPORT PROGRAM THAT DEPARTMENT HAD EVER BEEN PART OF.
IN TOTAL, WE AWARDED $3.56 MILLION THROUGH THREE DIFFERENT PROGRAMS, WHICH AGAIN, WAS THE LARGEST THAT WE'D EVER EXPERIENCE.
NOW LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT THAT AWARD.
WE STARTED WITH REOPEN MERCED COUNTY,
[00:15:02]
WHICH DELIVERED $101 THOUSANDS TO MORE THAN 94 BUSINESSES.THAT MONEY WAS A CREATIVE USE OF OUR EXISTING WORKFORCE FUNDS THAT WE GET FROM THE STATE, FROM THE US DEPARTMENT OF LABOR, AND ALLOWED BUSINESSES TO ACTUALLY PAY FOR PPE AND SOME OF THE OTHER SUPPLIES THAT THEY NEEDED TO STAY OPEN.
WE ASKED THOSE BUSINESSES, HOW HAS THIS HELPED AVERT LAYOFFS, AND THEY TOLD US THAT IT HELPED AVERT OR DELAY 380 LAYOFFS.
OUR LARGEST PROGRAM WAS LATER OPENED, WHICH OCCURRED IN TWO ROUNDS, AS YOU KNOW, AND DISTRIBUTED $3.364 MILLION ACROSS 383 AWARDS THAT RANGE FROM $2,000-$57,500 BASED ON A NUMBER OF FULL-TIME EMPLOYEES.
WE SUPPORTED 1,400 EMPLOYEES FROM BEING LAID OFF THROUGH THESE 383 BUSINESSES AND HEARD FROM BUSINESSES OVER AND OVER AGAIN HOW IMPORTANT THIS LIFELINE WAS? WE ALSO ADMINISTERED A SMALLER PROGRAM FOR COMMUNITY AND VETERANS HALLS THAT WERE NOT ALLOWED TO STAY OPEN BECAUSE OF RESTRICTIONS OF COVID-19.
THOSE WERE 13 AWARDS AND OVER $93 THOUSAND WAS DISTRIBUTED TO ALL DISTRICTS IN THE COUNTY.
LIKE ALL ORGANIZATIONS, WE HAD TO MOVE TO VIRTUAL SERVICES, AND SO FOR US THAT MEANT OVER 700 VIRTUAL MEETINGS.
THESE WERE COUNSELING SESSIONS AND MEETINGS WITH EMPLOYERS THAT ALL WENT ONLINE.
WE ALSO INTRODUCED NEW MODELS OF DOING OUR WORK, WHICH INCLUDED COFFEE WITH THE EMPLOYER, WHICH WAS INTRODUCED BY OUR PARTNER AT OUR JOB CENTERS, WHERE JOB SEEKERS WERE ABLE TO COMMUNICATE AND GET TO KNOW EMPLOYERS AND THE JOBS THAT THEY WERE LISTING ONLINE OVER A CUP OF COFFEE.
WE ALSO INTRODUCED A NUMBER OF PAPERLESS PROCESSES THAT WE WILL KEEP MOVING FORWARD SO THAT WE CAN EXPERIENCE THOSE EFFICIENCIES IN 2021 AND BEYOND.
BUT JUST AS IMPORTANT IS OUR SUPPORT TO COUNTY RESIDENTS AND JOB SEEKERS.
I WANT TO START WITH STATISTICS TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA OF HOW UNPRECEDENTED THIS WAS.
I LOOKED AT THE DATA FOR THE COUNTY THE WEEK OF FEBRUARY 22ND, WHICH WAS BY ALL MEASURES, A VERY TYPICAL WEEK AND INCLUDED 464 APPLICATIONS FOR UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE.
I LOOKED AT THE COUPLE OF YEARS BEFORE THAT, AND SO THIS IS PRETTY STANDARD 464.
JUST A MONTH LATER, THE WEEK OF MARCH 28TH, THERE WERE 5,284 APPLICATIONS FROM AN EMPLOYMENT INSURANCE, SO MUCH SO THAT BY THE END OF 2020, THERE HAD BEEN 104,781 UNIQUE APPLICATIONS FOR UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE IN 20,177 PUA CLAIMS. THIS IS STAGGERING. NOW WE WEREN'T ABLE TO CONNECT WITH ALL A 104 THOUSAND BUT WE DID A NUMBER OF THINGS TO HELP FOLKS GET BACK INTO WORK.
WE ENROLLED 541 IN OUR MOST INTENSE LEVEL OF PROGRAMMING TO SUPPORT JOB SEEKERS THROUGH A NUMBER OF SERVICES.
WE ALSO DID SOMETHING CALLED RAPID REDEPLOYMENT THROUGH OUR LAYOFF AVERSION PROGRAMS AND THROUGH OUR RAPID RESPONSE, WHICH MEANS THAT WE CONNECT 174 INDIVIDUALS TO A NEW JOB RIGHT AFTER THEY HAD BEEN LAID OFF, WHICH IS AN AMAZING FEAT IF YOU CONSIDER THE ECONOMIC CONDITION THAT THIS DEPARTMENT WAS FACING.
BUT WE ALSO STRETCHED BEYOND OUR TYPICAL WORK AND WE APPLIED FOR AND RECEIVED $150 THOUSAND FROM THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA TO PROVIDE SUPPORTIVE SERVICES TO ABOUT 215 FAMILIES.
WE WERE ABLE TO HELP THEM PAY FOR UTILITY BILLS AND RENT AND OTHER EXPENSES TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY MADE IT DURING THE DOWNTIME.
BUT IN OUR WORLD, THE PROOF IS IN THE PUDDING AND THE PUDDING IS PLACEMENT.
ALTHOUGH THE NUMBERS FOR 2020 HAVEN'T BEEN COMPLETELY CALCULATED, I CAN TELL YOU THAT ON AVERAGE, 77 PERCENT OF THE INDIVIDUALS THAT WE SERVE ARE IN A GOOD JOB WITHIN SIX MONTHS OF EXITING OUR PROGRAM.
WHEN WE LOOK AT 2020, SPECIFICALLY, ABOUT 20 PERCENT OF THOSE JOBS WERE IN HEALTH CARE IN 19 PERCENT IN MANUFACTURING, AND 12 PERCENT IN GOODS MOVEMENT WITH A MEDIAN EARNINGS OF ABOUT $31 THOUSANDS ANNUALLY.
WHAT'S INTERESTING ABOUT THIS IS THAT IT IS 104 PERCENT OF WHAT THE STATE REQUIRES.
SO AGAIN, THIS DEPARTMENT AND THE WORKFORCE BOARD CONTINUE TO GO ABOVE AND BEYOND.
IN TERMS OF THE JOB SEEKERS THAT WE SERVE AND THE SERVICES, ABOUT 55 PERCENT ARE WHAT WE CONSIDER ADULT CUSTOMERS, WHICH MEANS THEY'RE FACING CHRONIC UNEMPLOYMENT FOR A NUMBER OF REASONS, AND 45 PERCENT HAD BEEN LAID OFF FROM A JOB TO NO FAULT OF THEIR OWN.
WE ALSO PROVIDE SERVICES TO YOUTH THROUGH OUR PARTNER, AND IN THE YOUTH PROGRAMS THAT WAS A 174 YOUNG PEOPLE ENROLLED IN 51 OF THEM RECEIVED INDUSTRY-RECOGNIZED TRAINING.
[00:20:01]
AGAIN HERE, OUR TRACK RECORD IS ASTOUNDING.WE ARE REGULARLY AT A 123 PERCENT OF THE STATE'S REQUIRED PERFORMANCE AND A 140 PERCENT OF THE STATE'S REQUIREMENT ON YOUTH ATTAINING CREDENTIALS.
ALL IN ALL, THIS MEANT THAT OUR CUSTOMERS RECEIVE 13,060 INDIVIDUAL SERVICES THAT INCLUDED WORKSHOPS, JOB LEADS, TRAINING, AND COUNSELING.
ALL AGAIN, WHILE BEING DISPLACED OUT OF OUR OFFICES AND DOING THOSE SERVICES VIRTUALLY.
THIS IS A LISTING OF THE SPECIAL PROGRAMS THAT AGAIN WERE INTRODUCED OR GREW OVER THAT YEAR.
YOU CAN TELL THAT THEY FOCUS ON SPECIAL POPULATIONS AND CONNECT THOSE FOLKS TO THE SERVICES THAT THEY NEED.
THIS LIST WILL CONTINUE TO GROW.
YOU'D BE HAPPY TO NOTE THAT BY THE END OF THE FIRST QUARTER OF THIS YEAR, WE WILL HAVE ALREADY APPLIED FOR NEW GRANTS AND EXPECT THAT THERE WILL BE ADDITIONAL FUNDS AVAILABLE FOR US TO SCALE THESE PROGRAMS UP.
WE MEASURE IMPACTS AND SUCCESS ACROSS WHAT WAS A VERY UNPRECEDENTED YEAR IN A NUMBER OF WAYS, AND THAT INCLUDES OUR COMMUNICATION.
THESE ARE SOME OF THE STATS ON OUR LINKEDIN AND FACEBOOK VIEWS.
BUT I AM MOST PROUD OF THE NUMBER OF EMAILS THAT WERE OPENED, WHICH IS 14,263.
BECAUSE THIS WAS INFORMATION THAT WAS A LIFELINE FOR MANY BUSINESSES AND JOB SEEKERS THAT NEEDED TO NOT KNOW JUST HOW TO ACCESS OUR PROGRAMS, BUT ALL OF THE RELIEF PROGRAMS THAT WERE PROVIDED BY THE STATE AND THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
THIS IS SOME OF THE FEEDBACK THAT WE'VE GOTTEN UNSOLICITED EMAILS BACK TO OUR STAFF.
BUSINESSES ARE TALKING ABOUT THE FACT THAT THEY COULD RETAIN ALL OF THEIR EMPLOYEES AND AVOID LAYOFFS.
THAT THEY COULD DELAY THOSE LAYOFFS IN THE TOUGHEST OF TIMES.
INDIVIDUALS ARE TALKING ABOUT HOW THEY WERE ABLE TO SUPPORT THEIR FAMILY BECAUSE OF THESE PROGRAMS AND WE'RE EXTREMELY GRATEFUL AND HONESTLY SURPRISED THAT WE WERE ABLE TO CONNECT THEM TO A GOOD JOB IN THE MIDST OF THE PANDEMIC.
BUT NO HONOR PERHAPS IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN WE GET FROM THE STATE WHO ACTUALLY LOOKS UNDER THE HOOD AND STUDIES OUR PROGRAMS REALLY CAREFULLY.
IN DECEMBER OF 2020, WE RECEIVED THE HIGHEST RECOGNITION POSSIBLE, WHICH WAS TO BE DEEMED A HIGH PERFORMING BOARD.
ONLY A FRACTION OF THE WORKFORCE BOARDS AND THE STATE RECEIVED THIS HONOR, AND IT'S GIVEN TO THOSE THAT EXCEED THEIR PERFORMANCE GOALS, BUT ALSO ARE ABLE TO MANAGE THEIR ADMINISTRATIVE AND FISCAL CAPACITY AS WELL AND HAVE A STRONG STRATEGIC SENSE OF HOW TO MOVE POLICY FOR THE BETTERMENT OF RESIDENTS OF THE COUNTY.
NOW I'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT 2021 AND I'LL TALK ABOUT THE ECONOMIC RECOVERY, SOME ENHANCEMENTS AND PARTNERSHIPS, AND SOME WORKFORCE ANALYSIS THAT WE'RE UNDERTAKING.
BUT I CAN TELL YOU THAT 2021 IS GOING TO BE ANOTHER YEAR OF MAJOR TRANSITION FOR THE COUNTY AND I'M NOT JUST TALKING ABOUT COVID 19.
THIS STUFF IS VERY EXCITING TO SOMEONE LIKE ME.
I'M TALKING ABOUT A NUMBER OF EXAMPLES OF TRANSITION AND WHAT WE CALL, ECONOMIC CHURN.
GIVING EXAMPLE, WHILE AGRICULTURE IS 17 PERCENT OF OUR JOBS RIGHT NOW, WHEN WE LOOK FIVE YEARS DOWN THE ROAD, WE ACTUALLY SEE THAT SHRINKING AS A PERCENTAGE TO ABOUT 1-1/2 PERCENT.
MEANWHILE, GOODS MOVEMENT AND TRANSPORTATION IS ONLY FIVE PERCENT OF OUR JOBS TODAY, BUT WE'LL GROW ABOUT 8-9 PERCENT OVER THOSE NEXT FIVE YEARS, THERE'S A BIG TRANSITION THERE.
WE'RE SEEING AN EMERGENCE OF A TECH SECTOR, NOT JUST IN WHAT WE WOULD TRADITIONALLY CONSIDER TECH, BUT IN THE TECHNOLOGY THAT A LOT OF OUR AGRICULTURAL BUSINESSES AND MANUFACTURING BUSINESSES ARE ADOPTING, WHICH WILL INTRODUCE NEW JOBS AND NEW SKILL REQUIREMENTS.
WE'RE SEEING THE FIRST GENERATION OF UC MERCED GRADS, GRADUATE, STAY, ROOT THEIR FAMILIES IN THIS COMMUNITY AND SOW THEMSELVES INTO THE FABRIC OF OUR ECONOMY, WHICH WILL ALSO INSTIGATE NEW CHANGES WITH THE BUSINESSES THAT THEY BEGIN.
OF COURSE, A CONTINUED ACCELERATION OF FLIGHT FROM THE BAY AREA THAT IS CHANGING OUR MIX OF WORKERS AND WHAT THEY NEED.
IN TERMS OF ECONOMIC RECOVERY, I'LL FOCUS REALLY ON THREE THINGS.
THE FIRST IS A DOUBLING DOWN ON OUR SUPPORT TO BUSINESS.
WE ARE LEANING INTO THIS NEW ROLE AND WE WILL HELP THEM ACCESS MORE RESOURCES.
OUR GOAL IS TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR BUSINESSES ARE ACCESSING AVAILABLE STATE AND FEDERAL PROGRAMS AT A HIGHER RATE THAN BUSINESSES AND ALL OF THE COUNTIES, AND MAKING SURE THAT THE CENTRAL VALLEY AND MERCED COUNTY IN PARTICULAR FINALLY GETS ITS DUE.
WE'RE GOING TO LOOK AT INNOVATIVE STRATEGIES TO ENGAGE OUR JOB SEEKERS.
THIS IS A VERY STRANGE TIME LIKE NOTHING THAT I OR MY PREDECESSOR HAVE EVER EXPERIENCED.
IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT MAKING THOSE SERVICES AVAILABLE, BUT HELPING JOB SEEKERS UNDERSTAND THE VALUE AND ACTING NOW.
[00:25:05]
EVEN IF THEY'RE ACCESSING GENEROUS UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS, WE NEED TO HELP THEM UNDERSTAND THAT GETTING BACK INTO THE LABOR FORCE IS IMPORTANT TO NOT BEING LEFT BEHIND AND WHAT WE THINK WILL BE A ROBUST ECONOMIC RECOVERY.THEN FINALLY, UTILIZING A LOT OF THE DATA THAT MY PREDECESSOR REALLY MIND.
WE HAVE A LOT OF DATA AT OUR FINGERTIPS THAT WE HAVEN'T REALLY SLICED AND DICED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE MAKING REALLY INFORMED DECISIONS ABOUT THE INVESTMENTS THAT LIE AHEAD OF US.
ESSENTIALLY OUR CLIMB WE THINK WILL BE STEEP, BUT IT MAY BE VERY FAST.
OUR MANDATE MORE THAN ANYTHING, IS TO MOVE PEOPLE BACK INTO THE LABOR POOL AND HELP BUSINESSES THRIVE.
WE'RE ALSO REALLY FOCUSED ON ENHANCING PARTNERSHIPS.
NUMBER 1 SOURCE FOR THOSE THINGS ARE AMONG MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS, MY FELLOW DEPARTMENT HEADS, AND IN OTHER COUNTY DEPARTMENTS.
WHETHER THAT'S TALKING ABOUT PARTNERING WITH COMMUNITY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AROUND BUSINESS SUPPORT, NAVIGATION, OR THE LIBRARY, AND MAKING SURE THAT OUR SERVICES ARE OMNIPRESENT AT ALL BRANCHES AT ALL TIMES OR LEANING INTO FAMILY LITERACY, TO RAISE THE TIDE FOR ALL FAMILIES OR HSA TALKING ABOUT SPECIAL POPULATIONS LIKE OLDER WORKERS OR FOSTER YOUTH THAT ARE AGING OUT OF THE SYSTEM OR BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AND OUR CONTINUED PARTNERSHIP TO SERVE AND PROVIDE SERVICES TO HIGH BARRIER POPULATIONS.
ALL OF THIS WILL MAKE OUR SYSTEM MORE EFFICIENT AND BRING MORE PEOPLE INTO OUR SYSTEM.
WE'RE ALSO LOOKING AT MICRO PORTALS THAT WILL BE IN AND AROUND THE COUNTY AND ALL DISTRICTS TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE HAVE ACCESS TO THE SERVICES THAT THEY NEED WITHOUT HAVING TO TRAVEL A GREAT DISTANCE.
LASTLY, WE'RE LOOKING AT WORKFORCE INTELLIGENCE.
WE'RE BUILDING ON A PRE COVID WORK TO EXAMINE SECTORS AND OCCUPATIONS OF GROWTH.
THE BOARD IS UNDERTAKING THAT THIS MONTH THEY'LL BE LOOKING AT PRIORITY AREAS AND CREATING A LIST WHERE WE WILL EVERY QUARTER BE DEDICATING OURSELVES TO EXAMINING A DIFFERENT OCCUPATIONAL ANALYSIS AND PRESENTING IT TO THE COMMUNITY.
WE'LL CREATE THIS LIST THROUGH 2022 SO THAT WE ARE CREATING A PIPELINE OF INFORMATION THAT'S HELPING BUSINESSES HIRE AND PEOPLE MAKE INFORMED DECISIONS ABOUT THE CAREERS THAT THEY CHOOSE.
BUT THE BIGGEST THING HERE IS THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE TACKLING SOME BIG WORKFORCE QUESTIONS LIKE, HOW DOES CHANGING LAND USE IMPACT JOB AVAILABILITY? WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT THE EMPLOYMENT ACTIVITY OF OUR SMALLEST COMMUNITIES? THE LEGRAND'S AND THOSE POLICIES OF THE COUNTY ABOUT HOW THEIR WORKERS ARE FAIRING AND HOW BUSINESSES ARE DOING RELATIVE TO THE OTHER POPULATION CENTERS IN THE COUNTY.
WHAT IS AUTOMATION DOING IN AGRICULTURE? WHAT KINDS OF JOBS IS THAT AFFECTING OR CHANGING, AND HOW DO WE EQUIP PEOPLE WITH THOSE SKILLS? THE DIRECTION OF THIS WORK IS VERY CLEAR AND WE'VE TAKEN UP THESE FOUR GUIDING PRINCIPLES WHICH ARE: AN OPPORTUNITY FOR EVERY WORKER, SKILLED AND READY WORKERS FOR EVERY BUSINESS.
COMMUNITIES THAT ARE RALLIED BEHIND THEIR WORKFORCE, WHICH MEANS THEY UNDERSTAND THE LOCAL LABOR ECONOMY AND THEY ARE SUPPORTING ONE ANOTHER.
FAMILIES ARE TEACHING THEIR CHILDREN ABOUT CAREER DEVELOPMENT AND SUPPORTING THEM IN WORKING DURING THE SUMMER, AND DOING INTERNSHIPS, AND COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS UNDERSTAND THE NEED OF JOB SEEKERS, AND FINALLY DATA TO INFORM EVERY INVESTMENT.
THIS IS NOT JUST A MANTRA, BUT REALLY NOTHING SHORT OF SUPPORTING THE AMERICAN DREAM HERE IN THE COUNTY TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR SYSTEM IS WORKING WELL.
I'LL CLOSE WITH THAT AND WANT TO LET JOB-SEEKERS KNOW THAT THEY CAN ACCESS THESE SERVICES BY CALLING THE TOLL-FREE NUMBER 877-267-9675, OR REACHING US AT OUTREACH@WORKNETMERCED.COM.
THEY CAN ACTUALLY ACCESS THESE SERVICES AT TWO OF OUR CENTERS, AND I'M PROUD TO ANNOUNCE THAT ON MARCH 8, WE WILL BE OPENING BACKUP BECAUSE WE THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR FOLKS TO BE ABLE TO RECEIVE SERVICES IN REAL TIME.
WE'LL BE OPENING MARCH 8TH, IN LOS BANOS AND WORKING WITH OUR PARTNERS AT THE STATE TO OPEN THE DOORS TO THE MERCED CENTER AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
[INAUDIBLE] , THE BATON CHANGE HAPPENED LAST YEAR.
ERIC, YOU'VE DONE A FANTASTIC JOB OF COMING RIGHT IN UNDERNEATH, DAVID DID A FANTASTIC JOB AS WELL, REINA THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU DO AS WELL.
AS A BOARD MEMBER, THIS WAS ONE OF THOSE BOARDS THAT THEY'RE VERY ACTIVE.
YOU HAVE BUSINESS OWNERS WHO SIT ON THAT BOARD ARE VERY ACTIVE IN TRYING TO ANSWER THE NEEDS OF WHAT WE NEED TO DO FOR THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY.
I JUST HAVE TO SAY, KNOWING FOLKS, I FEEL COMPLETE CONFIDENCE IF SOMEBODY COMES TO
[00:30:02]
ME LOOKING FOR A JOB OR NEEDS SOME KIND OF JOB TRAINING.WHEN I HAND THEM OFF TO YOU GUYS THERE IS NOTHING BUT GRATEFULNESS AND CAN'T BELIEVE IT BECAUSE WE'RE NOT JUST HANDING THEM OVER TO GET A JOB, THEY'RE ACTUALLY GETTING A CAREER.
THIS IS ONE I KNOW I ALWAYS SAY IT, I MIGHT SOUND LIKE A BROKEN RECORD, THIS IS ONE WHERE I THINK GOVERNMENT IS DOING RIGHT, ESPECIALLY HERE IN MERCED COUNTY, WE'RE MOVING FORWARD.
PLUS, YOU DIDN'T REALLY TOUCH ON IT VERY MUCH IN THIS PRESENTATION, BUT THE BUSINESSES WHO ARE HAVING A HARD TIME NAVIGATING A LOT OF THE FUNDS THAT THE STATE MADE AVAILABLE BECAUSE OF THE CORONAVIRUS AND BECAUSE OF THE PANDEMIC, BECAUSE THERE ARE DOWNTURNED.
I COULD CONFIDENTLY HAND OFF A BUSINESS TO YOU FOLKS AND YOU GUYS, THE BUSINESS OWNER, EVERY TIME CALL ME BACK AND THANK ME SO MUCH FOR THE NAVIGATION THAT YOU'RE ABLE TO DO.
THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA.
>> THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. ERIC, THANK YOU FOR THE REALLY A GREAT PRESENTATION THERE.
A COUPLE OF COMMENTS AND THEN ONE QUESTION FOR YOU AT THE END IS FIRST OFF, JUST LIKE ALONG WITH WHAT MY COLLEAGUE, THE CHAIRMAN SAID ON ALL THE DIFFERENT THINGS THAT YOU DO.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I REALLY APPRECIATE IS HOW, HE TOOK THE WORDS OUT OF MY MOUTH, HOW THIS IS GOVERNMENT GETTING IT RIGHT, AND APPRECIATE THE COLLABORATION BETWEEN DEPARTMENTS, FINDING WAYS IF IT MEANS YOU PARTNER WITH THE LIBRARY TO PUT SERVICES, BECAUSE WE HAVE MORE LIBRARIES THAN WE HAVE WORK NET CENTERS IF YOU WILL.
THOSE TYPE OF COLLABORATIONS BETWEEN DEPARTMENTS, I THINK ARE GREAT AND IT'S MAKING OUR DOLLAR STRETCH FURTHER AND REALLY KILLING TWO BIRDS WITH ONE STONE.
CONGRATULATION ON THAT AGAIN AND CONGRATULATIONS ON THE TEAM PUNCHING ABOVE THEIR WEIGHT.
WHEN YOU HAVE TO COMPARE YOURSELF TO SOMETHING, AND WE CAN COMPARE OURSELVES TO THE STATE AVERAGES AND WE'RE ALWAYS ABOVE THAT.
IT'S A TESTAMENT TO THE WORK THAT YOU AND YOUR TEAM AND YOUR PREDECESSORS HAVE SET IN PLACE.
A COMMITMENT THAT I WILL MAKE TO YOU IS IT'S LOOKING THROUGH YOUR BOARDS, I DON'T SEE ANY WESTSIDE REPRESENTATION ON THERE.
AT LEAST NAMES THAT I JUST HAD A GLANCE DIDN'T RECOGNIZE, BUT I WILL COMMIT TO YOU IF YOUR BOARD IS INTERESTED, I'D BE WILLING TO PARTNER WITH YOU, WORK WITH YOU, TO TRY TO GET SOME FOLKS OUT THERE ON THE WEST SIDE, WE DO HAVE YOU KNOW.
I'M FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO HAVE WHAT I CALL THE SINGLE LARGEST CONCENTRATION OF TOMATO PLANTS IN THE WORLD IN MY DISTRICT, AND I THINK THAT MAYBE SOME CONVERSATIONS WITH THOSE FOLKS BECAUSE I THINK THEY COULD BE BENEFICIAL BOTH WAYS.
HAVING THEM ON YOUR BOARD AND THEN ALSO THEY EMPLOY A LOT OF PEOPLE.
THE LAST THING IS I WANT TO POINT, IF YOU GO BACK TO THE SLIDE OR IF YOU DON'T NEED TO GO BACK TO IT, BUT WHEN ONE OF YOUR HIGHLIGHTS OF THE 14,263 VIEWS ON EMAILS.
THERE'S SOMETHING THAT I FOLLOW ALONG WITH THIS IS THAT OPEN RATE, SO DO YOU KNOW APPROXIMATELY HOW MANY WERE SENT OUT? BECAUSE I THINK THAT THOSE NUMBERS ARE PROBABLY FOR MOST PEOPLE DON'T MAKE A LOT OF SENSE, BUT IF YOU GEEK OUT ON THOSE THINGS THAT YOU'RE ALWAYS STRIVING TO, YOU CAN SEND OUT MASS EMAILS, BUT IF PEOPLE AREN'T OPENING THEM IT'S NOT DOING YOU A LOT OF GOOD.
I DIDN'T KNOW IF YOU HAD THAT NUMBER AND IF YOU DON'T HAVE IT NOW, IF YOU CAN GET THAT TO ME, I'D APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR.
>> THANK YOU. I THINK IT GOES TO MENTION TOO THE COLLABORATION BETWEEN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, AND YOU FOLKS HAVE BEEN WIDE OPEN AND VERY GOOD.
ERIC, I DO WANT TO HIGHLIGHT ANOTHER ITEM THAT, YOU DID COME FROM LONG BEACH, AND WORKED WITH THE PORT OF LA AS WELL IN SOME OF THEIR JOB, AND THAT'S VERY UNIQUE THAT WE HAVE YOU HERE AS WE HAVE THAT AGREEMENT WITH THE PORT OF LA HERE AND SEEKING TO EXPAND ON IT.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR ERIC AT THIS TIME? SUPERVISOR PEREIRA?
>> WELL, I WANT TO ECHO WHAT MY COLLEAGUES HAVE SAID.
I THINK WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT IN MERCED COUNTY HAS DONE A PHENOMENAL JOB IN THE PAST AND YOU'VE PICKED UP THAT BATON.
THANK YOU FOR THAT, AND I'M GLAD THAT YOU'RE HERE, THAT YOU CHOSE MERCED AS YOUR PLEASURE PLACE.
NOW THAT ZOOM HAS INTEGRATED INTO MOST BUSINESS PEOPLE'S LIVES, JUST A SUGGESTION WOULD BE THAT MAYBE HAVE SOME EMPLOYER JOB FAIRS ON ZOOM.
SUCCESSFUL EMPLOYERS GENERALLY DON'T HAVE TIME TO GO DO A LOT OF THINGS OUTSIDE OF THEIR BUSINESS, AND SO MAYBE THE ZOOM MODEL WOULD BE BENEFICIAL IN THAT ARENA.
THE ONE THING THAT I FIND IS A LOT OF EMPLOYERS DON'T KNOW WHAT [INAUDIBLE] CAN PROVIDE, SO IF IT WAS AN INVITATION TO EVERYBODY THAT HAS A BUSINESS LICENSE IN MERCED COUNTY HAS TO ATTEND TO A ZOOM, AND YOU COULD SHARE THAT WITH THEM, THAT HOW YOU MIGHT HELP THEM.
BECAUSE ULTIMATELY, WHAT ALL EMPLOYERS PROVIDE THAT'S VALUABLE TO US IS JOBS FOR FOLKS LIVING HERE TO MAKE A LIVING AND TAKE CARE OF THEIR FAMILIES,
[00:35:05]
AND SO I THINK IF WE CAN SHARE THE OPPORTUNITIES TO EMPLOYERS, THAT HELPS MORE PEOPLE GET EMPLOYED AND CHANGES LIVES.>> IF I CAN RESPOND TO THE CHAIR.
>> I DIDN'T WANT TO LET YOU KNOW SUPERVISOR THAT WE DO HAVE LINDA MUNOZ ON THE BOARD OF EMR, AND SO SHE AND I MET LAST WEEK TO TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE NEEDS OF OF ACTUALLY TOMATOES, IN PARTICULAR, ALSO SPENT SUNDAY WITH [INAUDIBLE] WHICH IS A SMALL BUSINESS IN THOSE PALACE AND TALKED ABOUT THEIR NEEDS.
SPENT A REALLY GREAT AFTERNOON LEARNING HOW HE CAME TO DEVELOP THAT BUSINESS AND WHAT HE NEEDS.
ALSO SUPERVISOR, I MAY MISS TO MENTION THAT WE DO PROVIDE SOME ONLINE JOBS, SO THERE'S ACTUALLY A DIVISIBILITY FAIR THAT'S HAPPENING AT THE END OF THIS MONTH, BUT I TAKE THAT NOTE TO EXPAND AND TO DO A BETTER JOB OF MAKING SURE THAT ALL SUPERVISORS ARE AWARE OF THOSE EVENTS AS THEY HAPPEN.
>> THERE WE GO. I'M NOT SAYING THAT IT'S ANY FAULT TO WORKFORCE INVESTMENTS, IT'S JUST THAT EMPLOYERS SOMETIMES DON'T KNOW WHAT'S AVAILABLE.
>> I DIDN'T MEAN THAT TO BE A DING ON YOU, I MEANT THAT TO BE DING ON SOME EMPLOYERS [LAUGHTER].
>> FIRST OF ALL I'M CATHOLIC, SO I THINK EVERYTHING IS MY FAULT [LAUGHTER]
>> YOU FEEL GUILTY FOR SAYING THAT? [LAUGHTER]
>> ARE THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? OH, I DO HAVE ONE HERE.
THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES SUPERVISOR ESPINOZA.
>> THANK YOU MR. CHAIR. WELL, THANK YOU ERIC, FOR ALL YOUR WORK SINCE YOU CAME IN AT DINNER LAST YEAR.
LIVINGSTON HAS A MODEL OF THE CITY IS AS A SWEET POTATO CAPITAL.
BUT I THINK THAT SWEET POTATO IS AN INDUSTRY THAT'S GROWING SUBSTANTIALLY AND I KNOW THEY HAVE A SWEET POTATO ASSOCIATION.
IF YOU CAN REACH OUT, THERE'S AN ASSOCIATION AND I'M PRETTY SURE THEY'RE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR MORE EMPLOYEES AND TRAINING AND WHATEVER YOU CAN DO TO MAKE SURE YOU TRAIN MORE PEOPLE BECAUSE I KNOW THAT IT'S GOING TO EXPAND WITH TECHNOLOGY.
TECHNOLOGY CAN GROW TO ENHANCE THE PRODUCTIVITY OF THAT FIELD, SO I THINK THAT THEY'LL BE USEFUL AND AS WE CAN KEEP ONE OF THOSE BUSINESS PEOPLE ON THE BOARD, THAT WILL BE GREAT.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU MR. CHAIR.
>> ERIC, YOU HAVE TO LOVE THIS BOARD.
FROM THE NUMBER ONE TOMATOES TO THE NUMBER ONE SWEET POTATOES.
>> I LOVE IT. WHEN YOU GET US ALL STARTED UP HERE, WE'LL START BRAGGING ABOUT OUR DISTRICTS BECAUSE WE'RE VERY PROUD OF THEM.
>> NEXT, WE HAVE A COVID-19 UPDATE.
[COVID-19 UPDATE]
>> [NOISE] THERE SHE IS [NOISE].
I THOUGHT I SAW YOU SNEAK IN HERE EARLIER, BECKY, SO [NOISE].
>> I CAN TOUCH THIS THOUGH RIGHT?
>> YOU CAN RAISE THE BUTTON TO YOUR RIGHT.
>> NO, THAT'S FINE. I'LL LEAVE IT THE SAME HEIGHT.
>> YEAH. WELL, I DIDN'T KNOW IF I CAN TOUCH THE MICROPHONE.
OKAY. APOLOGIES. GOOD MORNING MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, COUNTY COUNCIL CEO BROWN.
MY NAME IS REBECCA NANYONJO-KEMP, I'M PUBLIC HEALTH DIRECTOR FOR MERCED COUNTY, HERE TO PROVIDE YOU WITH THE MOST RECENT COVID-19 UPDATE AS OF TODAY, MARCH 2ND, 2021.
THIS IS SIMILAR JUST SO YOU ALL ARE AWARE TO THE PRESENTATION THAT WAS PROVIDED LAST TIME, SO THERE'S CONSISTENCY ON THE TYPE OF INFORMATION THAT'S EXCHANGED, AND SO THERE'S MORE OF A NARRATIVE WHERE IT CAN BE FOLLOWED.
AS FAR AS OUR SURVEILLANCE NUMBERS REFERRING TO THE NUMBER OF CASES THAT ARE CURRENT AS OF YESTERDAY, LAST PRESENTATION, WE WERE AT 27,424.
WE ARE CURRENTLY AT 29,147 CONFIRMED LABORATORY CASES FOR THE COUNTY, REPRESENTING SIX PERCENT INCREASE FROM THE LAST TIME WE SPOKE.
OUR NUMBER OF PROBABLE ACTIVE CASES, WHICH AS WE SEE MORE CIRCULATION WHERE THIS IS BECOMING MORE OF AN ENDEMIC ISSUE, AN ENDEMIC DISEASE WHERE IT'S NOT THESE FIVE PERCENT, SIX PERCENT OF THE POPULATION, BUT YOU SEE THESE NUMBERS REPRESENT DEFINITELY MORE THAN THAT PERCENTAGE WISE OF OUR POPULATION.
WHILE WE HAVE PROBABLE ACTIVE CASES, JUST FROM AN EPIDEMIOLOGIC PERSPECTIVE BECAUSE WE KNOW IT'S SO WIDELY CIRCULATING, I ALMOST LOOK AT THIS AS MORE AS CASE MANAGEMENT WHERE IT'S NECESSARY.
WE ARE CURRENTLY AT 1,062 WHICH MEANS THERE'S A 43 PERCENT DECREASE AND SPEAKS
[00:40:02]
TO THE FACT THAT WE HAVE LESS CASES LABORATORY CONFIRMED THAT REQUIRE FOLLOW-UP AND MANAGEMENT.THE NUMBER OF DEATHS UNFORTUNATELY HAS CRESTED OVER 400, WHICH IS UNFORTUNATE.
LAST TIME WE MET 367 CASES OF MORTALITY WISE, AND NOW WE'RE AT A LITTLE OVER 400 REPRESENTING A NINE PERCENT INCREASE.
WHEN IT COMES TO THOSE DEATH RATES OR THE DEATH COUNT.
WE STILL SEE THAT THE MAJORITY OF THE CASES OCCUR AMONGST MEN WHEN IT COMES TO DEATH.
BUT YOU WILL SEE THAT THERE'S BEEN A MARKET INCREASE.
JUST AS A REMINDER, DEATH IS THE FINAL VARIABLE WHEN IT COMES TO COVID, AND SO WHEN WE SEE A LOT OF ILLNESS, WE ANTICIPATE THAT WE'RE SUBSEQUENTLY, OR PARALLEL TO THAT, GOING TO SEE SOMEWHAT OF A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF DEATHS ASSOCIATED WITH THAT.
THERE'S BEEN AN 11 PERCENT INCREASE IN THE AMOUNT OF DEATHS AMONGST MEN, GOING FROM 217 TO 241.
AMONGST FEMALES THERE'S BEEN CASE COUNT OF 10 MORE FROM LAST WE MET REPRESENTING A SEVEN PERCENT INCREASE.
THE INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE 65 AND OLDER, THERE HAS BEEN 27 ADDITIONAL DEATHS.
FOR THOSE WHO ARE UNDER THE AGE OF 65, THERE'S BEEN SEVEN ADDITIONAL DEATHS REPRESENTING A TOTAL OF 401, WHICH IS NINE PERCENT MORE THAN WHEN WE LAST MET.
[NOISE] THIS IS THE ONE THING I THINK WITH WHAT'S BEEN OCCURRING WITH THE STATE IS IDENTIFYING WHERE WE ARE IN THE VACCINATION PLAN AS A COUNTY.
WE HAVE REALLY BEEN TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE, NOT JUST FOR THE PURPOSES OF OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS, AND PEOPLE WHO ARE IN THE KNOW, AND HAVE ACCESS TO US, BUT FOR OUR COMMUNITY RESONANCE.
WHERE ARE WE? WHEN CAN I ANTICIPATE RECEIVING OUR VACCINE? THE GOOD THING TO REPORT IS THAT, AND I'M SURE ALL OF YOU ARE AWARE, JOHNSON AND JOHNSON HAS BEEN APPROVED AS A SINGLE INOCULANT.
THEY'RE STARTING WITH AN INITIAL DISTRIBUTION OF FOUR MILLION DOSES AND SCALING UP, WITH THE HELP OF MERCK, TO BE ABLE TO MEET THE REQUIREMENTS THAT ARE CURRENTLY PRESENT THROUGHOUT THE NATION.
BUT WHAT'S EVEN BETTER, AND THIS IS ONE THING THAT I'M INTERESTED IN DISPELLING, OF THE THREE DIFFERENT VACCINES THAT WERE AVAILABLE, MY PREFERENCE AS A DIRECTOR WOULD HAVE BEEN FOR MYSELF TO TAKE JOHNSON AND JOHNSON, BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE CONCERNED ABOUT IT'S EFFICACY AND IT'S PERCENT EFFECTIVENESS WHEN IT'S INITIALLY PROVIDED.
BUT YOU SEE AT THE THREE MONTH MARK, FOUR MONTH MARK, SIX MONTH MARK, YOU SEE IT'S EFFICACY GO UP.
BUT THE PRIMARY PURPOSE OF THESE VACCINATIONS IS TO PREVENT THE DEBILITATING SEQUELA THAT ARE ASSOCIATED WITH IT, WHICH IS HOSPITALIZATIONS, DEATH, PERMANENT LUNG DAMAGE, PERMANENT ALL TYPES OF DAMAGE.
THERE HAS BEEN A PERCENTAGE OF ZERO WHEN IT COMES TO ALL OF THOSE ADVERSE OUTCOMES AS A RESULT OF ACQUIRING OR CATCHING COVID FOR LACK OF A BETTER TERM, AND JOHNSON AND JOHNSON, EVEN THOUGH IT HAS LESS PERCENT EFFECTIVENESS COMPARED TO THE OTHER TWO FOR A SINGLE DOSE.
WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE OTHER TWO, IT GOES UP WHEN YOU GET YOUR FIRST SHOT, IT'S LIKE 60, 70 PERCENT, AND YOUR SECOND SHOT BRINGS YOU UP TO THAT 90 PLUS PERCENT.
BUT THERE'S A FOUR WEEK BREAK, THREE TO FOUR WEEK BREAK IN BETWEEN.
WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT THE JOHNSON AND JOHNSON, YOU'LL SEE THAT IT ELIMINATES THE NEED FOR HOSPITALIZATION, SAME TO PFIZER AND MODERNA, YOU DON'T SEE A NUMBER OF INDIVIDUALS DYING AS A RESULT OF EXPOSURE, AGAIN SIMILAR TO PFIZER AND MODERNA.
WHEN WE LOOK AT IT EPIDEMIOLOGICALLY FROM BIG PICTURE PERSPECTIVE, I DEFINITELY WANT THE COMMUNITY WALKING AWAY, RECOGNIZING THAT IT'S NOT A CHEAPER VERSION OF A VACCINATION.
THEY FEEL IT'S CHEAPER, IT'S NOT AS EFFECTIVE, SO," WHY AM I GETTING SOMETHING LESS?" I THINK THE MOST IMPORTANT THING FOR RESONANCE AND OUR COMMUNITY TO UNDERSTAND IS, THEY'RE NOT GETTING LESS IF THEY RECEIVE ONE INOCULANT.
I WOULD HAVE PREFERRED THAT, BUT IT JUST WASN'T AVAILABLE AT THAT TIME.
WE CAN RETURN TO THAT IF THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS, BUT WHERE WE ARE IN OUR VACCINE PLAN AS A COUNTY.
AS YOU SEE IF YOU LOOK ON THE STATE WEBSITE, THERE ARE SO MANY DIFFERENT CATEGORIES THAT HAVE BEEN PLUGGED IN TO WHO'S ELIGIBLE, WHO'S GOING TO BE SOON TO BE ELIGIBLE.
WE THOUGHT, AND I HAVE TO THANK OUR PIO TEAM FOR PUTTING SOMETHING LIKE THIS TOGETHER, IS LOOKING AT THE TIERS OF WHERE WE ARE AS A COUNTY AND WHAT'S UPCOMING.
SO WE KNOW WITHIN THESE CATEGORIES OR SUBCATEGORIES, BUT WE NEED TO TAKE A LOOK AT OUR ALLOCATION AND OUR INVENTORY, AND BE RESPONSIVE TO THAT WHERE THE GREATEST NEEDS ARE.
CASE IN POINT, WE KNOW THAT WITHIN OUR AGRICULTURAL COMMUNITY THEY'VE BEEN A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF OUTBREAKS.
MERCED COUNTY EXPERIENCED A LARGE STATE-WIDE OUTBREAK WITH THE FOSTER FARMS OUTBREAK THAT WE EXPERIENCED NOT THAT LONG AGO, AND SO WE ARE DEFINITELY PRIORITIZING WHERE WE KNOW THERE IS A GREATEST NEED BECAUSE WE ALREADY KNOW THAT GREAT RISK EXISTS THERE.
CURRENTLY WE'RE STILL IN TIER 1A FOR THOSE WHO ARE 65 AND OLDER.
WE ARE ALSO NOW WORKING IN THE SECTORS OF FOOD AND AGRICULTURE.
I WANT TO CLARIFY THAT THAT'S FOOD PROCESSING AND FOOD MANUFACTURING, SO NOT FOOD SERVICE AND FOOD DELIVERY, BECAUSE THERE'S BEEN CONFUSION AROUND THAT.
WE'RE WORKING WITH THE EDUCATIONAL SECTOR.
I KNOW THAT THIS PAST, AND I SAW DR. TIJEN HERE, THIS PAST WEEKEND OR LAST WEEK,
[00:45:03]
THEY WERE ABLE TO CONDUCT A MAJOR POINT OF DISPENSING SITE FOR TEACHERS, BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT A BIG PUSH AT THE NATIONAL AND THE STATE LEVEL IS TO GET KIDS BACK INTO SCHOOL.SO WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT THE EDUCATORS ARE PREPARED AND NOT PUTTING THEMSELVES AT RISK, ESPECIALLY BECAUSE WE KNOW ALL THE VACCINES HAVE BEEN APPROVED FOR 18 AND ABOVE, MOST OF THEM.
THE KIDS, IF THEY HAVE IT, THEY BRING IT IN, OR THEY'RE EXPOSED TO SOMEBODY, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THOSE WHO ARE TEACHING THEM AND RESPONSIBLE FOR THAT ARE NOT PUTTING OTHERS AT RISK.
THAT INCLUDES CHILDCARE WORKERS AS WELL AS FIRST RESPONDERS, AND WHAT WE'RE CURRENTLY PROVIDING VACCINATIONS FOR.
AGAIN, THE CLARIFICATION I ALREADY PROVIDED FOR FOOD.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT HAS GONE OUT THROUGH OUR MEDIA RELEASES IS MAKING SURE THAT COMMUNITY RESONANCE KNOW THIS IS WHERE WE ARE, BUT THIS IS WHERE WE HOPE TO BE SOON, SO IT'S NOT A," NO YOU'RE NOT GETTING ONE." FOR THE INVENTORY THAT WE HAVE, WE'RE DELAYING THIS A LITTLE BIT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN GET THROUGH AS MUCH OF OUR SECTORS AS POSSIBLE AND DO THINGS IN I GUESS, A SEAMLESS FASHION AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE, AS MUCH AS YOU CAN DO DURING A PANDEMIC.
I'LL STOP THERE JUST IN CASE THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS BEFORE I MOVE TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
>> NOBODY HAS REQUESTED, THERE'S NOBODY IN THE QUEUE.
IN TERMS OF THE NUMBER OF VACCINES RECEIVED, THE DOSES RECEIVED BEFORE GOING THROUGH ALL OF THIS, TOTAL OF WHAT WE HAVE DISTRIBUTED AS OF AGAIN, MARCH 1ST, 2021, LITTLE OVER 29,000 THAT WE'VE RECEIVED.
WE AS AN ORGANIZATION, MEANING THE COUNTY, SO PUBLIC HEALTH, WHATEVER IT JUST SAYS COUNTY, WE DO NOT SIT ON VACCINE.
OUR RULE, WE TRY AND TURN AROUND IN AT LEAST 72 HOURS MINIMUM BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT THE IMMINENT ISSUE IS PEOPLE WANTING TO GET VACCINATIONS, WANTING TO GET VACCINES, SO FOR US TO SIT ON IT, UNLESS THERE'S A NEED, UNLESS THERE'S A NEED FOR SECOND DOSES TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE ADEQUATE STOCK, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE THE SECOND DOSE TO PROVIDE FOR THOSE WHO ARE ON A TWO DOSE SCHEDULE.
BUT BEYOND THAT, WE WORK WITH OUR PROVIDERS IN DISTRIBUTING, WE WORK WITH OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS IN MAKING SURE IT GOES OUT AS NEEDED.
I WAS HAPPY THAT I SAW SO MANY OF THE MEDIA RELEASES THIS WEEKEND SPEAKING TO ALL THE EFFORTS THAT HAVE TAKEN PLACE.
WE'RE STARTING TO SEE THOSE SECTORS OPEN UP MORE BROADLY THAN I THINK WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO ACHIEVE.
RIGHT NOW TO SPEAK TO THE FACT THAT WE DON'T HOLD ONTO VACCINE OF THE 29,000 WE'VE RECEIVED, THE NUMBER THAT'S AVAILABLE ARE 300.
HAVE THE VACCINATION [OVERLAPPING].
>> HOLD ON, I DO HAVE A QUESTION, IF IT'S OKAY.
>> CHAIR RECOGNIZES SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA.
THE 29,115S EVER PRESENT FIRST AND SECOND DOSES?
>> YES, IT DOES, IT'S COMPREHENSIVE.
>> OKAY. VERY GOOD. JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE.
>> I'M GLAD YOU ASKED THAT QUESTION.
WE USE FIRST AND SECOND DOSE FOR OUR INVENTORY MANAGEMENT INTERNALLY, BUT THE STATE HAS CLARIFIED AND MADE IT VERY CLEAR THEY WANT EVERY DOSE TO BE TREATED AS A DOSE.
NO MORE FIRST, SECOND, NO MORE DELINEATION.
WE DO THAT BECAUSE WE RECOGNIZE WE WERE RECEIVING SUCH MINIMAL AMOUNTS THAT WE DON'T WANT TO LEAVE OUR PROVIDERS, OR THE PARTNERS WHO ARE HELPING US IN ALERT SAYING," HEY, WHERE'S THE PRODUCT THAT WE NEED TO FOLLOW UP ON WHAT WE PROVIDED?" HOW WE DO IT LOCALLY OBVIOUSLY IS A LITTLE MORE PRESCRIPTIVE THAN WHAT THE STATE HAS ASSIGNED.
>> SO THEN IT'S SAFE IN SAYING THAT OUT OF THAT 29,115, LET'S CALL IT 30 FOR EVEN NUMBERS SAKE, WE'VE GOT 15,000 PEOPLE VACCINATED FULLY? OR IS THAT BECAUSE OF THE TIMING, THE THREE WEEKS, FOUR WEEKS?
>> NO. I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE PERCENTAGE BREAKDOWN IS OF THE FULLY VACCINES, OR YOU CAN JUST TELL ME.
DO YOU KNOW THE PERCENT FIRST AND SECOND FULLY?
>> NO, BECAUSE IT IS EXACTLY THAT THE TIME YOU BREAK IT DOWN.
>> YES. WE WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO SAY WHAT PERCENTAGE.
WE CAN HAVE THAT FOR THE NEXT DISCUSSION, BUT I CAN SAY THAT THERE HAVE BEEN SEVERAL, ESPECIALLY SINCE LAST WE MET, WHO WE CAN NOW CONSIDER FULLY VACCINATED BECAUSE OF THAT TIMELINE OF THAT SCHEDULE.
THERE'S CONFUSION, BECAUSE OF THE LACK OF VACCINE.
IF YOU CAN DELAY SIX WEEKS, YOU DON'T NEED YOUR SECOND SHOT UNTIL SIX WEEKS.
BUT YET, THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF ALLERGY AND INFECTIOUS DISEASES, LED BY DR. FAUCI, SAID, "NO, YOU'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO DO THAT.
VACCINE SCHEDULES ARE BASED ON RESEARCH." WHICH WE AGREE WITH THAT RECOMMENDATION.
THAT'S THE MODEL THAT MERCED COUNTY HAS ADOPTED IS YOU GET IT ONE SHOT ON FEBRUARY 1ST, THEN YOU'RE UP ON MARCH 1ST BECAUSE THAT'S YOUR FOURTH WEEK DEPENDING ON THAT, THAT'S WHEN YOU'RE GOING TO GET IT.
>> PERFECT. THANK YOU FOR THE CLARIFICATION.
>> I THINK WE HAVE ANOTHER QUESTION.
THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES SUPERVISOR ESPINOZA.
>> THANK YOU. FIRST, I WANT TO THANK YOU AND ALL YOUR STAFF AND OUR HEALTH DEPARTMENT.
I KNOW THAT YOU GUYS ARE WORKING SOMETIMES STRESSFULLY TO DISTRIBUTE AS MUCH AS YOU CAN AND AS FAIRLY AS POSSIBLE, BECAUSE I KNOW THAT EVERYBODY WANTS IT IN OUR COUNTY.
I WANT TO SEE IF WE CAN GET A WEEKLY LIST OF WHERE YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE THE VACCINES, LOCATIONS CAN BE DISTRIBUTED THAT WAY, BECAUSE I'M PRETTY SURE THAT MY COLLEAGUES ARE GETTING CONSTANT CALLS OF WHERE THEY CAN
[00:50:01]
GO OR IF THEY ARE ALREADY ELIGIBLE FOR THE VACCINE.ON A WEEKLY BASIS, THEY ARE CALLING ME, AND THE PERSON IS THE SAME.
ALSO, I WANT TO THANK DR. [INAUDIBLE] ARE OUT THERE WORKING HARD EVERY WEEK, BUT ESPECIALLY LAST WEEK THAT I WENT TO A FEW IN PLANADA AND BUHACH COLONY AS WELL, AND THEY HAD [INAUDIBLE] ALL AROUND OUR COUNTY, SO THANK THEM BECAUSE I STOOD IN PLANADA FOR ABOUT 3.5-4 HOURS THERE.
YOU SHOULD SEE THE LOOK ON PEOPLE AFTER THEY GET THE VACCINE.
THEY ARE SO JOYFUL AND JUST RELIEVED THAT THEY KNOW THAT, AT LEAST IF THEY GET THE VIRUS, IT WON'T BE AS HARD ON THEM AS WITHOUT IT, SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>> THANK YOU, SUPERVISOR ESPINOZA.
TO RESPOND TO YOUR FIRST ABOUT THE WEEKLY, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE ARE TRYING TO DO WORKING THROUGH THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE OFFICE IS MAKE SURE THAT WE DO HAVE WEEKLY RELEASES OF THIS IS WHAT'S GOING TO BE HELD, WHETHER IF IT'S VIA PROVIDERS, IF THEY'RE MEMBERS ONLY, OR IS IT OPEN TO THE COMMUNITY? WE STARTED THAT LAST WEEK.
I DO AGREE, WE WANT TO MAKE IT MORE FRONT AND CENTER, SO MAYBE THERE'S AN EASY WAY TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT ALL OF OUR COMMUNITY RESIDENTS KNOW THAT, IS THERE SOMEPLACE CLOSER TO WHERE I AM WHERE I MAY BE ELIGIBLE AND BE ABLE TO GO IN? THERE'S A LOT OF TIGHTENING UP TO DO AROUND THAT, BUT OUR GOAL IS, WEEKLY, MAKING SURE THAT PEOPLE ARE ADVISED IN ADVANCE SO THEY CAN PLAN THEIR SCHEDULES ACCORDINGLY. THANK YOU.
>> CHAIR RECOGNIZES CEO BROWN.
>> JUST TO JUST ELABORATE ON THAT.
YES, WHAT DR. [INAUDIBLE] SAID IS ALL RIGHT ON POINT.
IT'S BEEN A REAL CHALLENGE FOR PUBLIC HEALTH BECAUSE OF THE WAY THE VACCINES HAVE COME IN, AND TO BE ABLE TO, AND JUST MORE FOR A PUBLIC BENEFIT.
I KNOW ALL YOU ARE AWARE OF THIS WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE LAST TWO WEEKS, REALLY LAST WEEK WAS THE FIRST WEEK WE ACTUALLY GOT AN EXPANSION OF THE ALLOCATION FROM STATE.
BUT THEN THE WEEK BEFORE, BECAUSE OF THE WEATHER ACROSS THE NATION, WE ACTUALLY DID NOT REALLY GET OUR VACCINE THE PRIOR WEEK BECAUSE OF THE WEATHER ISSUES [INAUDIBLE] CREATED.
IT REALLY WASN'T EVEN UNTIL THE MIDDLE OF LAST WEEK THAT WE REALLY EVEN KNOW WHETHER WE HAD VACCINE OR NOT FOR THE UPCOMING, AND SO THAT CREATED SOME CHALLENGES IN THE COMMUNICATION.
BUT AS DR. [INAUDIBLE] SAID, WE ARE WORKING ON SOME WAYS.
I DON'T WANT TO BE PREMATURE, BUT WE'RE WORKING ON WAYS TO TRY IT ON THE WEBSITE, THROUGH A GIS TO SHOW DIFFERENT LOCATIONS, BUT FROM A GENERAL PUBLIC PERSPECTIVE, THE INFORMATION THAT WENT OUT THIS LAST WEEKEND RELATED TO THE PROVIDERS, THAT IS THE FIRST PLACE I WOULD GO AS FAR AS GENERALLY TRYING TO CONTACT THOSE PROVIDERS THAT PUBLIC HEALTH HAS PUT OUT THERE, AT LEAST AT THIS POINT RIGHT NOW.
THAT IS PROBABLY THE EASIEST FIRST CONTACT AT THIS POINT.
>> CHAIR RECOGNIZES SUPERVISOR PEDROZO.
>> OKAY. THANK YOU. I'VE GOT TO TELL YOU I GOT SOME TEXT MESSAGES.
I KNOW OUR ALLOCATION INCREASED BY 86 PERCENT BECAUSE I SAW THE STATE ALLOCATION LIST.
WELL, WHAT MY STORY IS, IT WAS GETTING TEXTED TO ME AS PICTURES FROM THEIR CELL PHONES BECAUSE SOME OF THOSE COUNTIES WHO ARE GETTING ALL THE ALLOCATIONS WAY MORE THAN WHAT I THINK THEY SHOULD, AND I WAS COMPLAINING TO MY FRIENDS THAT ARE SUPERVISORS IN THOSE COUNTIES ABOUT, AND THEIR PERCENTAGE COMPARABLE BEFORE WAS ACTUALLY LESS THAN, SO THERE HAD A NEGATIVE, AND SO THEY'RE SAYING IT LOOKS LIKE THE SQUEAKY WHEEL MIGHT HAVE GOT SOME OF ITS OIL.
>> YOU'RE RIGHT ON THAT IS THAT WE KNOW WE WEREN'T GETTING A LOT, BUT WE ALSO DON'T WANT TO REST ON OUR LAURELS SAYING, "OH, YEAH." WE CAN'T STAY IN THAT ZONE.
ALL WE CAN DO IS FIGHT FOR MORE.
THOUGH THE ONE THING THAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO DO IS I THINK MORE IMPORTANTLY AND RECOGNIZING THAT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT'S AT THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE, MAKING SURE THAT THEY'RE AWARE OF WHAT IT IS THAT WE'RE TRYING TO ACHIEVE AND DO.
THERE WAS A PHONE CALL LAST WEEK ON FRIDAY WITH SECRETARY RICHARDSON TO HEAR ABOUT THE THIRD PARTY ADMINISTRATOR, AND THERE WERE SOME IDEAS OR ISSUES THAT WERE BROUGHT UP FROM [INAUDIBLE] THAT WERE ARTICULATED ON THAT CALL.
YOU CAN TELL WHAT A DIFFERENCE SOMEBODY OF INFLUENCE MAKES, WHERE IT'S LIKE, "WE WILL GET THAT RESOLVED." SHE DID GET THAT RESOLVED.
SHE GOT A RESULT VERY QUICKLY.
NAVIGATING MORE SO THAN STAYING IN THE, "THERE'S NOTHING WE CAN DO," BECAUSE THERE'S ALWAYS SOMETHING YOU CAN DO.
YOU JUST MIGHT HAVE TO TRY A LITTLE DIFFERENT TECHNIQUE OR WORK A LITTLE HARDER, BUT I'M GLAD NOW WE'RE ABLE TO ADVOCATE WITH SOMEBODY WHO IS IN CHARGE OF MAKING THOSE DECISIONS.
>> RIGHT, AND THANKS TO SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA FOR CONTACTING [INAUDIBLE] TO GET SOME NUMBERS THAT WE'RE ABLE TO SHARE WITH THE STATE OF A LOT OF THE FOLKS THAT NEEDED IT.
I HAVE NOTHING ELSE IN THE QUEUE.
>> IN TERMS OF DISTRIBUTION THROUGH OUR HOSPITALS AS WELL AS SEMSA, WHO IS OUR EMERGENCY FIRST RESPONDERS, SEMSA, 1,700 TOTAL VACCINATIONS DISTRIBUTED AND PROVIDED; OUR HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS, 15,000.
[00:55:02]
PROBABLY, AFTER THIS WEEK, OBVIOUSLY, THOSE NUMBERS ARE GOING TO GO UP SIGNIFICANTLY.THROUGH OUR COUNTY CLINIC SYSTEM, IT'S BEEN 8,600 DOSES AND WHAT'S BEING HELD IN THE FREEZER ARE 3,340 DOSES.
AGAIN, SPEAKING TO THE SECOND UPCOMING DOSES THAT WE'RE GOING TO NEED TO HAVE AVAILABLE TO US.
THAT IS PROBABLY GOING TO BE EVEN MORE CHALLENGING.
WELL, ACTUALLY, HOPEFULLY, DEPENDING ON WHAT MANUFACTURER WE GET, IT MIGHT BE LESS BECAUSE THE ONE GREAT THING ABOUT JOHNSON & JOHNSON IS HOW IT NEEDS TO BE STORED.
ITS STORAGE REQUIREMENTS ARE NOWHERE NEAR.
I MEAN, PFIZER, YOU ALMOST HAVE TO BE A WIZARD JUST TO FIGURE IT OUT LIKE, "HOW LONG DID YOU HAVE IT ON FOR? ARE WE APPROACHING THAT SECOND?" IT IS REALLY THAT TEMPERAMENTAL.
HOPEFULLY, IN THIS COUNTY, WE WILL HAVE A LOT MORE OPTIONS WHICH WILL ALLOW FOR THE FACT THAT WE'RE AN AGRICULTURAL AREA WHERE WE CAN KEEP THINGS WITHOUT THEM BECOMING UNSTABLE OR BEING RENDERED USELESS SO QUICKLY.
WE ARE VERY PERSNICKETY, WE DON'T LIKE EVEN 10 DOSES WASTED.
THAT'S A BIG DEAL FOR US BECAUSE WE GET SUCH LITTLE AMOUNT.
THIS IS WHERE IT'S DISTRIBUTED.
AGAIN, GOING BACK TO THE HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS, I'M WORKING WITH THEM AND RELYING ON THEM, AND IT'S NICE TO SEE THAT COORDINATION START TO MATERIALIZE IN TERMS OF WHAT THEY'RE LAUNCHING AND WHAT THEY'RE DOING, AND THE COMMUNICATION WITH THEM THROUGH THAT HEALTH CARE PROVIDER HUB.
AS FAR AS OUR PODS UPDATES, HOW THEY HAVE TAKEN PLACE, WE BRIEFLY SPOKE, BUT WE OBVIOUSLY HAVE OUR PROVIDER-SPONSORED PODS.
AS YOU SAW WITH BUHACH COLONY, THAT WAS A CFHC-LED EVENT.
YOU SEE DR. [INAUDIBLE] , WE WORK WITH THEM ON GETTING THEM WHAT THEY NEED OR WHAT THEY FEEL THAT THEY CAN UTILIZE.
BUT HAPPY TO REPORT THAT THE THIRD PARTY ADMINISTRATOR IS NOW WORKING WITH THEM DIRECTLY.
WHEN THOSE CONTRACTS ARE FINALIZED, THEY'LL HAVE THEIR OWN INVENTORY TO RELY ON, BUT HAVING THIS HUB ALLOWS FOR US TO NOT HAVE COMPETITIVE DISTRIBUTION.
WHAT IS IT THAT YOU'RE WORKING ON? WHERE YOU ARE DISTRIBUTING? WHAT'S THIS GROUP WORKING ON? WHERE ARE THEY DISTRIBUTING? WHAT SHOULD WE BE WORKING ON WHEN WE RECEIVE PRODUCT, AND WHERE SHOULD WE BE DISTRIBUTING? THAT REQUIRES A LOT OF ORGANIZATION, AND I'M REALLY HAPPY FOR THAT PARTNERSHIP AND THE FACILITATION THROUGH THE CENTRAL CALIFORNIA ALLIANCE FOR HEALTH IN DOING THAT.
THIS PAST FRIDAY, THE EDUCATIONAL POD WAS HOSTED.
I AM NOT SURE IN TERMS OF THE NUMBERS HOW MANY WERE VACCINATED AT THAT.
THAT WILL NOT BE THE LAST ONE THAT WE DO, BUT IT WAS OUT OF MERCED FAIRGROUNDS AS WELL AS LOS BANOS FAIRGROUNDS.
THE UPCOMING AGRICULTURAL PODS, WE ARE HAVING ONE TODAY, THAT STARTS FOR FOSTER FARMS GOING TO THE LIVINGSTON COMPLEX, WHERE IT'S GOING TO BE HELD ON-SITE BECAUSE OF THE NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES THAT THEY HAVE, AND ALSO THE PREVIOUS EXPERIENCES THAT I SPOKE TO EARLIER IN THIS PRESENTATION.
THEN ALSO THROUGH THE WESTSIDE AGRICULTURAL GROUP, THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF OUTREACH CONDUCTED TO OUR FARM BUREAU IN IDENTIFYING WHAT THE NUMBERS ARE.
I WANT TO THANK AGAIN SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA FOR PROVIDING ME WITH MORE DETAILED NUMBERS BECAUSE WHAT THE STATE HAD NOTED WAS 7,000, JUST SO YOU KNOW.
OUR NUMBER INCREASED OVERWHELMINGLY BASED ON THE INFORMATION YOU PROVIDED AND WE WERE ABLE TO SHARE THAT BACK.
THEN ALSO, WE LAST WEEK HAD OUR COMMUNITY SPONSORED COMMUNITY PODS THROUGH SANTA NELLA AND HILMAR, DELHI.
I BELIEVE THERE WERE QUITE A FEW INDIVIDUALS WHO WERE ABLE TO RECEIVE THEIR VACCINE, AND BEING ABLE TO GO ONTO THOSE COMMUNITIES INSTEAD OF EXPECTING THE RESIDENTS WHO LIVE THERE TO COME IN TO MERCED OR GO TO LOS BANOS WAS ALSO SOMETHING THAT WE WERE VERY PLEASED TO BE ABLE TO OFFER.
AS WE LOOK FORWARD IN THE CERTAINTY, OR LACK THEREOF, THE STATE HAS ADVISED THAT THE SCHEDULING SYSTEM THAT ARE GOING TO RELY ON WILL BE MYTURN.
WE'VE HEARD ABOUT MYTURN, BUT THEY'VE MADE IT VERY CLEAR EVEN THROUGH BLUE SHIELD THAT MYTURN IS GOING TO BE DISTRIBUTED THROUGHOUT THE STATE, AND THAT'S AN EXPECTATION FROM BLUE SHIELD THAT IT BE USED FOR THE PURPOSES OF COLLECTING DATA AND BEING ABLE TO SHARE WITH THE CDC, BECAUSE CDC ULTIMATELY DETERMINES WHAT THE STATES RECEIVE.
WE HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH OUR THIRD PARTY ADMINISTRATOR.
WE ALSO HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH THE CONTRACTED COMPANY THAT IS ABLE TO TAKE A LOOK AT OUR DATA AND THE REGISTRIES THAT THE STATE RELIES ON AND WHERE THE CONNECTIVITY IS, NOT WHERE IT NEEDS TO BE OR THE MAPPING, AND SO IT'S BEEN HELPFUL TO HAVE THAT COMMUNICATION WITH THEM, AND ALSO TO BE ABLE TO REACH OUT TO INDIVIDUALS WHO HELPED US WITH OUR HEALTH INFORMATION EXCHANGE SEVERAL YEARS AGO TO COME BACK IN TO BE ABLE TO TURN ON THIS FEATURE THAT WE'VE LONG HAD OFF.
WE HAD A TRANSITION PLAN FROM OUR THIRD PARTY ADMINISTRATOR, BLUE SHIELD, THAT WAS ASSURED TO BE PROVIDED TO US FEBRUARY 19TH.
AS OF YESTERDAY, WE HAD NOT RECEIVED IT, BUT I AM HAPPY TO REPORT THAT THE COMMUNICATION FROM BLUE SHIELD HAS GONE UP TREMENDOUSLY, WHICH IT NEEDED TO.
ALSO, FOR OUR PROVIDER CALL, THROUGH CCAH, THE THIRD PARTY ADMINISTRATOR IS ON THE PHONE.
THAT WAS ONE THING DURING OUR FIRST MEETING THAT WE MADE SURE IS YOU CAN'T EXPECT FOR US TO KEEP GOING BACK TO THE PROVIDERS AND SAYING, "OH, WE'RE MAKING A DIFFERENT CHANGE.
[01:00:02]
YOU GUYS ARE GOING TO HAVE TO BE ON THE PHONE." I'M HAPPY TO REPORT, IN FAIRNESS, AND, REALLY, PROFESSIONALISM TO BLUE SHIELD THAT THEY'RE LIKE, "OKAY, FINE, WE WILL BE ON THE PHONE." THERE HAVE BEEN SEVERAL QUESTIONS THAT HAVE COME FROM OUR PARTNERS THAT THEY'VE BEEN ABLE TO NAVIGATE AND THEY DO FOLLOW UP.I'M HAPPY TO REPORT THAT AS WELL.
>> WE HAVE A QUESTION FROM SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA.
CHAIR RECOGNIZES SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA.
>> I CAN WAIT UNTIL YOU'RE DONE.
YOU'VE ONLY GOT A COUPLE MORE SLIDES.
MINE ARE COMMENTS MORE ON THIS SPECIFIC ISSUE, THE THIRD PARTY ADMINISTRATOR.
>> DO YOU WANT TO GO AHEAD AND COMMENT ON IT?
>> I WILL WAIT FOR THE QUESTIONS PART.
>> CAN YOU TURN THE LIGHTS BACK ON?
>> FOR MORE INFORMATION, THERE'S BEEN A TRANSITION.
I KNOW WE'VE HAD THE COVID-19 WEBSITE THAT WE'VE LARGELY RELIED ON IN THE COUNTY.
ENCOURAGING OUR COMMUNITY RESIDENCE TO VISIT VACCINATEMERCEDCOUNTY.COM.
IT'S FULL OF VERY RELEVANT, VERY HELPFUL INFORMATION AND IT ALSO ADVISES ON WHERE WE ARE WITH OUR CURRENT TIERING AND IF YOU'RE IN A DIFFERENT TIER WHEN YOU CAN HOPEFULLY ANTICIPATE.
I'M BEGGING FOR GRACE FROM THE COMMUNITY BECAUSE EVERYTHING MOVES SO FAST AND FURIOUS, CHANGES ARE MADE MULTIPLE TIMES IN ONE DAY.
PLEASE REFER TO VACCINATEMERCEDCOUNTY FOR THE MOST UP-TO-DATE INFORMATION.
THEN WE HAVE OUR FACEBOOK AND INSTAGRAM AS WELL AS INFORMATION ON OUR DATA DASHBOARD, NOW THAT WE'RE ENTERING THE VACCINE PART OF WHERE WE ARE IN THE PANDEMIC.
I DO BELIEVE THAT SOME OF THAT DATA IS GOING TO BE REVISITED IN IDENTIFYING WHAT WOULD BE BEST FOR THE COMMUNITY.
WE TALK ABOUT CASE COUNTS WITH THAT, BUT THAT WAS THE BEGINNING AND MIDDLE PART.
NOW THAT WE ARE IN VACCINATION, I'M SURE THE MAJORITY OF INTEREST IS REALLY OKAY, HOW MANY PEOPLE HAVE GOTTEN VACCINATED? HOW MANY ARE WE ANTICIPATING? ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I READ THIS PAST WEEKEND IN A REPORT WAS LA COUNTY AND HOW LONG IT'S GOING TO TAKE THEM TO GET THROUGH TO ACHIEVE HEART IMMUNITY.
ONE OF THE SADDEST THINGS THAT THEIR HEALTH DIRECTOR BROUGHT UP IS, WE'LL REACH HERD IMMUNITY SOON BECAUSE WE'VE HAD SO MUCH MORBIDITY HERE AND SO MUCH ILLNESS, SO IT'S NOT EVEN HEART IMMUNITY BASED ON HOW MANY VACCINES WE GET OUT BECAUSE THEY'RE REALLY HAVING A TOUGH TIME, 10 PLUS MILLION PEOPLE, BUT ALSO THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO'VE ALREADY BEEN IMPACTED BY IT.
BUT IT'S LIKE A FALSE VARIABLE, BUT IT JUST GOES TO SHOW THE EXTENT OF HOW MUCH COVID HAS JUST BEEN A PART OF HOW WE HAVE OPERATED FOR THE LAST YEAR AND A HALF.
IT'S ALMOST LIKE OUR MINDSET IS GEARED TOWARDS THAT, AS LIKE WHAT'S SENSITIVE? WHAT'S COVID SENSITIVE? I TRULY BELIEVE AS A COMMUNITY, SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WERE NORMAL JUST SAYS WHAT COMMUNITIES DO ARE GOING TO BE REVISED BECAUSE WE LIVE IN AN AGE AND ERA WERE WE'RE CONSTANTLY GOING TO BE LOOKING, ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU LOOK AT WHAT'S TAKING PLACE FROM A POLLUTION PERSPECTIVE, DEFORESTATION, WHAT HAPPENS AROUND THE WORLD DOES STILL IMPACT US HERE, WE HAVE TO BE ADEQUATELY PREPARED FOR THE NEXT BIG ISSUE, WHETHER THAT BE BY WAY OF DISEASE OR SOME TYPE OF DISASTER.
THAT'S JUST THE WORLD WE LIVE IN UNFORTUNATELY NOW, NOT TO END ON A LOW NOTE, BUT IF ANYBODY IS SEEKING INFORMATION ABOUT COVID FURTHER INFORMATION, WE ALSO HAVE OUR COVID INFORMATION LINE AT 209-381-1200.
AT THIS POINT, I'M COMPLETE, I'M DONE WITH THIS PRESENTATION AND BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO.
>> IMPROVISE [INAUDIBLE] STILL RECOGNIZE.
>> THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. BECKY, I JUST WANT TO GO, YOU DON'T NEED TO GO BACK TO THIS SLIDE, BUT BACK TO THE THIRD PARTY ADMINISTRATOR. I'M TORN ON IT.
I DO THINK THAT IN SOME OF THE EMAILS THAT HAVE BEEN SHARED WITH ME, THEY SEEM LIKE WE HAVE SOMEBODY THAT ACTUALLY WILL FEEL THE QUESTION AND GET BACK TO YOU AND MORE RESPONSIVE THAT WAY.
I THINK THAT HAVING SOMEONE FROM THE PRIVATE SECTOR ACTUALLY RUNNING IT IS GOING TO BE A GOOD THING.
BECAUSE IT SEEMS LIKE THE STATE HAS EVERYTHING THAT THEY TRIED TO DO, AND I'M NOT GOING TO PICK ON THEM TODAY, BUT EVERYTHING THAT THEY TRIED TO DO, IT SEEMS THAT THEY PRESENTED MORE CHALLENGES IN THE BEGINNING BEFORE IT EVER GOT BETTER, IF IT EVER DID GET BETTER.
I GUESS MY CONCERN IS THAT GOING TO THAT WHICH THEY'VE MADE VERY CLEAR THAT WE HAVE TO GO TO THE MY TURN PIECE.
THAT'S WERE MY CONCERN LIES BECAUSE YOU HAVE THESE FOLKS THAT HAVE NOW SIGNED UP THROUGH REGISTER OR VACCINATEMERCEDCOUNTY.COM.
AND IT'S THAT TRANSITION OF OUR INFORMATION, BEING ABLE TO MOVE OVER TO THEIR INFORMATION INTO THEIR SYSTEM.
THAT'S THE PART THAT GOT ME A LITTLE BIT LEERY.
BUT JUST AS FAR AS I WANT TO MAKE A COMMENT ON THE VACCINE ROLL-OUT LAST WEEK AND I KNOW IT WAS BECAUSE WE DIDN'T HAVE VACCINES IN OUR HAND AND WE DIDN'T WANT TO PUSH OUT CLINICS WITHOUT HAVING, THE WEATHER HELD THEM UP.
BUT WHAT I WILL TELL YOU THIS, THERE'S A LITTLE HICCUP IN THE BEGINNING AS FAR AS CHIEF SHERIFF REACHED OUT AND THE COUNTY REACHED OUT THAT HEY, WE DO, IN HILLMAR FOR EXAMPLE, THEY HAD QUITE A FEW SPOTS AVAILABLE.
BUT I THINK ONCE THE WORD GOT OUT, THAT COMMUNITY STEPPED UP.
PEOPLE WANT TO GET THE VACCINE AND YES, IF YOU HAPPEN TO LIVE ON THE WEST SIDE OF THE COUNTY AND GOT IT IN HILLMAR YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO GO BACK THERE FOR YOUR SECOND DOSE.
BUT I DON'T THINK THAT'S A BARRIER TO ENTRY FOR SOME FOLKS.
[01:05:03]
FOR SOME IT MIGHT BE AND SO IT JUST A CREDIT TO THE COMMUNITY THAT THEY WANT TO GET IT AND AN OPPORTUNITY BECOMES AVAILABLE, TAKE ADVANTAGE OF IT AND SO I'M PROUD OF THEM FOR THAT.JUST AS WE WORK THROUGH THIS WITH HR SOLUTIONS, THEY'RE HELPING US WITH THESE VACCINE CLINICS.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I KNOW THAT IS THE TESTING, THEY WANT TO TEST YOU FOR COVID-19.
WHAT IS THE BENEFIT OF THAT? I KNOW THAT SOME QUESTIONS MAY HAVE CAME, WELL, IS THE VACCINE NOT WORKING? IS THAT WHY I'M GETTING TESTED? IT'S REALLY SURVEILLANCE TESTING, AND THE BOTTOM LINE IS THAT SURVEILLANCE TESTING IS GOING TO HELP US GET TO THE NEXT CATEGORY.
WE'RE IN PURPLE NOW, BUT WE GET CREDITS IF OUR TESTING AVERAGES ARE BETTER.
I JUST TRIED TO PLAY WITHIN IT AND THE WAY THAT YOU'VE EXPLAINED IT VERY WELL HERE BEFORE IS WE GET CREDITS IF WE'RE ABOVE THE STATE MEDIAN, AVERAGE AND TESTING.
IF THAT'S WHAT WE GOING TO DO TO BE ABLE TO GET BACK INTO THAT RED CATEGORY, BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE WE'RE IN NO MAN'S LAND WITH THAT.
I KNOW THE STATE SAYS WE'RE IN THE PURPLE CATEGORY, BUT I SEE THINGS.
FOLKS HAVE MOVED INTO THE RED CATEGORY AND I'M NOT GOING TO SIT HERE AND SAY ONE THING OR THE OTHER, BUT IT LEAVES A LOT OF QUESTIONS. WELL, WHERE ARE WE? I THINK THAT WITH THE VACCINE ROLL-OUT SOMETHING THAT WE'RE ON A CALL, I DON'T KNOW.
IT'S A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO NOW.
IT SEEMS LIKE THE STATE HAS FORGOTTEN ABOUT THE CATEGORY SYSTEM.
IT WAS SOMETHING THAT THEY TWEET AND CHANGE LIKE ON A MINUTE-BY-MINUTE BASIS WHEN THEY'RE GOING THROUGH IT, AND NOW IT'S LIKE, WELL, RIGHT NOW OUR MORE IMPORTANT THING IS THE VACCINE ROLL-OUT AND WE'RE NOT EVEN LOOKING AT THE TIER SYSTEM.
>> YOU'RE BRINGING UP A VERY VALID POINT, WHICH IS WHY I TURNED AROUND.
I'M LIKE, WE CAN'T FORGET THE TIER.
WE KNOW YOU RECEIVE IT AS BOARD MEMBERS FOR THE BOARD REPORT, BUT FOR THE COMMUNITY, WHAT ARE ALL THOSE EFFORTS LEADING TO? WHERE ARE WE? ARE WE STILL HERE? WE WANT TO BE AS TRANSPARENT AS POSSIBLE BECAUSE THIS IS OUR ROLE RIGHT NOW, BUT THIS IS EVERYONE'S COMMUNITY FOR THOSE WHO LIVE HERE AND SO I COMPLETELY AGREE WITH THAT, IT'S THAT WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT FROM THE TIER PERSPECTIVE, PEOPLE KNOW THIS IS WHERE WE ARE.
THIS IS WHEN WE CAN ANTICIPATE RETURNING TO SOME SEMBLANCE OF NORMALCY.
BECAUSE I AGREE WITH YOU, I'LL SAY EVEN MORE SO THAT SOME PEOPLE ARE LIKE COVID IS DONE? I'M LIKE COVID IS NOT DONE [LAUGHTER].
WE HAVE SO MANY VARIANTS BRINGING ABOUT.
I DON'T EVEN WANT TO TALK ABOUT MY OWN.
IF THERE'S ONE MORE VARIANT AND THEY'RE POPPING UP IN CALIFORNIA, THE RISKS ARE HIGH.
THAT'S WHY WE'RE TRYING TO GET THROUGH AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE BEFORE WE BUILD UP IMMUNITY TO SOMETHING THAT'S SUPPOSED TO BE PROTECTIVE.
>> EXACTLY. THERE'S STILL A LOT OF QUESTIONS BUT I FEEL LIKE I DON'T WANT TO GET TOO FAR OUT IN FRONT OF MYSELF BUT I FEEL LIKE THE FIRST TIME THROUGH THIS THING, YOU'RE ACTUALLY STARTING TO POTENTIALLY SEE A LITTLE BIT OF LIGHT AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL.
I GET WE'RE MAKING PROGRESS, WE'RE GETTING PEOPLE VACCINATED.
BUT WE CAN'T LET OUR GUARD DOWN BECAUSE IF YOU REMEMBER, WHEN WE HIT THE SPIKE AND THEN WE CAME BACK DOWN AND I FEEL LIKE WE LET OUR GUARD DOWN AND THEN BOOM, IT COMES BACK IN AND EACH PERSON'S GOING TO THINK OF IT DIFFERENTLY, JUST LIKE YOU SPOKE ABOUT THE JOHNSON AND JOHNSON VACCINE.
I TALKING TO PEOPLE ON BOTH SIDES, PEOPLE LIKE, I'M WAITING, I WANT THE SINGLE DOSE DO I DON'T WANT TO HAVE TO GET IT DONE TWICE.
I'M TALKING TO PEOPLE THAT THINK THAT IT'S LESS EFFECTIVE SO THEY WANT THE TWO DOSING. I'M NOT GOING TO SIT HERE.
THAT'S A DECISION FOR EACH PERSON TO MAKE ON THEIR OWN.
BUT WHAT I WORRY ABOUT IS IF IT GETS OUT OF CONTROL, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE THE BIG BROTHER AT THE STATE IS GOING TO NOW FORCE US BACK INTO ANOTHER LOCK-DOWN.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT HAPPENS THEN BECAUSE I WAS PRETTY SURE WE'RE GOING TO HAVE ANARCHY AFTER THEY PUT US INTO THE SECOND ONE.
TAKE IT SERIOUS, EVERYBODY NEEDS TO PROTECT THEMSELVES.
IT'S THE SAME OLD THING YOU'VE HEARD US SAY BEFORE.
WASH YOUR HANDS, WHEN YOU'RE OUT IN PUBLIC, WEAR YOUR MASK.
THE MASK THING NOW IT WILL NEVER BE NORMAL, BUT IT'S LIKE ANY CAR, ANY PLACE I'VE BEEN, IT'S LIKE EVERYBODY'S GOT TWO OR THREE, ONE HANGING OFF OF THE DAY.
IT'S JUST A WAY OF LIFE RIGHT NOW.
BUT AGAIN, THE LAST THING I'LL LEAVE WITH IS JUST AGAIN, I WANT TO THANK PUBLIC HEALTH, THEIR STAFF, [INAUDIBLE] EVERYBODY THAT'S WORKING ON THIS.
EVERYBODY HAS THEIR PIECE IN THEIR PART.
WE ARE NOW FULL ON, IN A YEAR OF COVID AND I WON'T EVER ALLOW IT TO BE THE NEW NORMAL.
WE CAN'T BUT JUST AGAIN, THANK YOUR STAFF.
THANK YOU FOR EVERYBODY FOR THE WORK THAT THEY DO ON THIS AND HOPEFULLY THE LIGHT IS AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL.
>> CHAIR RECOGNIZES THEIR SUPERVISOR FOR [INAUDIBLE].
>>THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU FOR THE INFORMATION AND I APPRECIATE GETTING ALL OF THE UPDATES EVERY DAY.
I KNOW YOU GUYS ARE WORKING INCREDIBLY HARD, SO THANK YOU GUYS FOR THAT.
THANKS TO EVERYBODY INVOLVED IN SETTING UP THESE PODS AND WITH THE VACCINE ROLL-OUT,
[01:10:05]
I'VE BEEN TO A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT VACCINATION SITES.I WENT ON FRIDAY TO THE FAIRGROUNDS WHERE THEY WERE DOING [INAUDIBLE].
I'VE ALSO BEEN TO DOCTOR ASADY'S OFFICE AND SEEN WHAT SHE HAS DONE.
EVERYBODY IS INVOLVED IN THIS TOGETHER AND I THINK IT'S INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT.
BUT DOCTOR ASADY HAS REALLY DONE A GOOD JOB AND REALLY FORCING THE HAND ON THIS AND LIKE I SAID EARLIER, THIS WEEK YOU WILL GET DEGREE SOMETIMES.
I THINK BECAUSE OUR NUMBERS ARE DOWN, I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE WERE ASKING QUESTION AND WE WERE ABLE TO GET THE ANSWERS.
I JUST WANT TO ECHO WHAT SCOTTY SAID AND I HEARD THIS, I'M SORRY, SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA SAID IS THAT I HEARD THIS ON THE RADIO THIS MORNING WHERE THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT THE DIFFERENT VARIANTS AND WHAT COULD HAPPEN.
WHEN THEY SAY, WE SEE THE LIGHT AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL FINALLY.
BUT THE FINAL MILE IS ALWAYS THE TOUGHEST ONE AND SO RIGHT THERE WE JUST GOT TO GET THROUGH THIS LAST LITTLE BIT.
BUT I WANT TO THANK AND SHARE MY APPRECIATION FOR YOUR TEAM.
OH, YES AND EVERYBODY THAT'S OUT THERE WORKING ON THIS, I APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU.
>> I THINK WE'RE JUST EXCITED.
WE HAVE THE VACCINES WITH NO MAJOR HOLIDAYS AND FAMILY GATHERINGS.
[LAUGHTER] LET'S BE CLEAR ON WHAT THE SPREAD WAS.
>> I DO WANT TO SAY FROM A SURVEILLANCE PERSPECTIVE, AND I ALWAYS SAY THIS AND IT'S AGAIN NOT BE THE BEARER OF BAD NEWS.
BUT AS YOU SAW, FOR THOSE WHO DO SEE, WE WERE AT 100 PLUS PERCENT TESTING, WE'RE NOW AT 30 PERCENT, 29-31 PERCENT.
IF YOU'RE NOT TESTING FOR IT, YOU REALLY DON'T KNOW WHAT YOUR TRUE VALUE IS UNLESS YOU'RE TESTING.
I DON'T WANT PEOPLE TO BE HITCHED ON, WE'RE SEEING OUR NUMBERS GO DOWN.
WE'RE NOT TESTING AS MUCH, NOT NEARLY AS MUCH AS WE WERE BEFORE, SO NOT GETTING A FALSE SENSE OF SECURITY WITH THAT UNTIL WE ARE AT A LEVEL WHERE THERE'S ASSURANCES WE HAVE MORE OF THE POPULATION VACCINATED THAN WE DON'T.
WE ARE APPREHENSIVE IN TERMS OF HOW MUCH DID YOU BELIEVE WE SHARE? IT'S LIKE, "IT LOOKS GOOD, BUT IT COULD BE A SHADOW GOOD, IT COULD BE A FALSE SENSE OF SECURITY, A VARIABLE GOOD." I WOULD LIKE TO SEE OUR TEST NUMBER IS MUCH HIGHER THAN WE HAVE, BUT PEOPLE ARE PEOPLE, THEY ARE HUMAN BEINGS.
YOU CAN'T ASK THEM TO, MAKE SURE YOU DO THIS.
IT'S A LAUNDRY LIST, SO IF THERE'S SOMETHING THAT THEY PAY ATTENTION TO, GET TESTED, IF IT'S NOT YET YOUR CATEGORY AND MAKE SURE THAT YOU'RE NOT SPREADING A VIRUS THAT YOU THINK IS UNDER CONTROL BECAUSE IT'S NOT UNDER CONTROL.
IF IT WERE, WE'D BE SEEING OUR NUMBERS ALMOST CRASHED TO ZERO GROWTH, AND THAT'S NOT WHAT WE'RE SEEING NATIONALLY, AND THERE'S CONCERN AT THE NATIONAL LEVEL BECAUSE OF THAT AS WELL.
>> NEXT IS APPROVAL OF CONSENT CALENDAR,
[CONSENT CALENDAR]
ITEMS ONE THROUGH NINE.PLEASE NOTE THAT A FOUR-FIFTHS VOTE IS REQUIRED ON ITEMS FIVE AND NINE.
>> TO RECOGNIZE THOSE, SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA.
>> THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. I JUST COULDN'T LET IT GO WITHOUT SAYING THAT.
I KNOW THAT WE'RE WORKING TOWARD, BUT TO SEE AN ITEM ON THE AGENDA FOR $150, IT FRUSTRATES ME A LITTLE BIT.
[LAUGHTER] I FELT LIKE WE ADDRESS THAT IN GIVING OUR CEO A LITTLE BIT MORE SPENDING AUTHORITY.
I DON'T THINK THAT THIS WAS A FOUR-FIFTHS ITEM.
BUT AGAIN, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT BEING EFFICIENT IN GOVERNMENT AND IN MY OPINION THAT IT COSTS US $1000 PER ITEM TO PUT SOMETHING ON OUR AGENDA AND WE'RE ASKING FOR $150 FOR A GREAT CAUSE.
PUBLIC WORKS NEEDS TO HAVE IN THERE CHANGE FOR WHEN THEY DO THE COMMUNITY-WIDE CLEAN-UP EVENTS.
BUT TO SEE THAT IT RISES TO THE LEVEL THAT IT COMES TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS FOR APPROVAL IS OBVIOUSLY I'M GOING TO VOTE YES ON THIS ITEM, BUT I JUST THINK THAT I'M CONFIDENT AND GIVING THAT AUTHORITY TO OUR CEO TO MAKE THAT DECISION WITHOUT HAVING TO BRING IT ALL THE WAY TO THE BOARD LEVEL FOR CONSIDERATION.
BUT WITH THAT CHAIR, I WILL GLADLY SECOND THIS MOTION.
>> OKAY. I HAVE A FIRST AND SECOND.
IS THERE FURTHER DISCUSSION? SEEING NONE, LET'S GO AHEAD AND VOTE.
TALLY THE VOTES. MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.
>> ACTION PUBLIC WORKS ITEMS 10 THROUGH 14.
[BOARD ACTION]
PLEASE NOTE A FOUR-FIFTHS VOTE IS REQUIRED ON ITEMS 13 AND 14.[01:15:05]
>> IS THERE A FURTHER DISCUSSION ON THIS? I SEE A PERSON, A SECOND.
CHAIR, RECOGNIZES SUPERVISOR ESPINOZA.
>> THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. I'D LIKE TO COMMENT ON 10 AND 11. FIRST ON 10.
NUMBER 10, IT TALKS ABOUT THE ENHANCEMENT OF THE CROSSING THERE ON [INAUDIBLE] WHICH IS A LONG TIME COMING IN.
I WANT TO THANK PUBLIC WORKS, DANA, AGAIN FOR BRINGING THIS TO THE BOARD.
I THINK THAT WE'VE HAD FATALITIES IN THE PAST THERE ON THAT CROSSING SO THAT THAT'LL HELP WITH THE SAFETY THERE IN THAT CROSSING.
ALSO TWO ACROSS, THERE'S OTHER ISSUES THERE AT THE END OF SANTA FE AND [INAUDIBLE].
HOPEFULLY, AFTER THIS, WE CAN MAKE SOME ENHANCERS, MORE TOOLS WE HAD.
WE RECENTLY HAD ANOTHER [INAUDIBLE] RUN NEXT TO IT.
SO HOPEFULLY WE CAN LOOK AT THAT.
ALSO NUMBER 11, I KNOW THAT IT'S A ROAD THAT NEEDS TO BE PAVED, BUT I THINK THAT JUST TO ADDRESS IT, I KNOW I DON'T KNOW IF SUPERVISOR PEREIRA HAS LOOKED AT IT.
BUT I'VE GOTTEN COMPLAINTS ABOUT THAT ROAD, THE REST FROM THERE [INAUDIBLE] GOING TO WESTSIDE IS REALLY, REALLY BAD, AND PEOPLE RUN INSIDE THE ROAD, SO HOPEFULLY HE'S PROBABLY GOTTEN THE CAUSE, AND WE CAN LOOK AT THAT IN THE FUTURE AS WELL. THANK YOU.
>> OKAY. THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES THERE'S A WHOLE LOT OF WORK GOING ON IN DISTRICT 1.
[LAUGHTER] CHAIR RECOGNIZES SUPERVISOR, PEREIRA.
>> THANK YOU CHAIR. ON ITEM 11, THAT'S A PAVING PROJECT.
IT'S ACTUALLY A DIRT ROAD THAT'S BEEN PAVED FROM HIGHWAY 140 TO OUTWATER, JORDAN.
I WANT TO PUT THIS IN THE PUBLIC RECORD, WE'RE GOING TO GET COMPLAINTS FROM PEOPLE THAT ARE SAYING, "WELL, WHY ARE YOU PAVING THAT ROAD?" BUT WHAT HAS HAPPENED IS THE STATE HAS GIVEN A SPECIFIC FUNDING TO TAKE A DIRT ROAD AND PAVE IT, AND SO THAT MONEY CANNOT BE USED ANYWHERE ELSE.
IT MAY NOT BE YOUR FAVORITE ROAD TO BE PAVED, BUT THAT'S THE ONLY ROAD WE CAN PAVE, AND I BELIEVE IT'S BEEN IN THE WORKS FOR QUITE A FEW YEARS, 10 PLUS.
ANYWAYS, IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME COMING.
AS YOU GET CALLS, THEN YOU KNOW THAT'S WHY WE'RE DOING THAT ROAD, IS BECAUSE IT WAS PROGRAMMED, STATE MONEY, SPECIFICALLY FOR THAT ROAD BECAUSE PEOPLE SAY, "WELL, THIS ONE'S BUSY OR WHY DIDN'T YOU DO THAT?" PROTECT DANE ON THAT ONE.
>> OKAY. I HAVE A FIRST AND A SECOND.
ARE THERE FURTHER CONVERSATIONS? SEEING NONE, LET'S VOTE.
TALLY THE VOTES. [NOISE] MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.
>> NEXT IS BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AND RECOVERY SERVICES. ITEM 15.
>> CHAIR RECOGNIZES SUPERVISOR, PEDROZO.
>> I DON'T NEED A REPORT ON THIS, I JUST WANTED TO PULL IT.
BECAUSE I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS I DON'T THINK WE DO ENOUGH OF AS A COUNTY IS HIGHLIGHT OUR SUCCESSES AND THE PUSH FOR TRANSPARENCY AND INCLUSION OF DIVERSITY IN THE COMMUNITY.
THIS ITEM IS FOR BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SERVICES AND FOR TRANSLATION OF MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES.
I CALLED YESTERDAY AND ASKED WHAT LANGUAGES ARE SPECIFICALLY THEY'RE GOING TO BE TRANSLATING, AND IT HAS TO REACH A SEVEN PERCENT IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN, THRESHOLD OF THE POPULATION, THAT'S SPANISH AND MONG AND I SAID, "WELL, WHAT ABOUT THE OTHER POPULATIONS IN MERCED COUNTY WHO MAY NOT SPEAK ENGLISH, DO THEY HAVE ACCESS TO THAT?" I WAS PLEASED TO SAY THAT, AND I'VE LEARNED THIS YESTERDAY, I THINK IT'S CALLED SYRACOM LANGUAGE.
IF YOU GO INTO BEHAVIORAL HEALTH, WHAT HAPPENS IS JUST LIKE WITH OUR ELECTIONS DEPARTMENT, THEY CAN SET YOU UP WITH AN IPAD FOR UP TO 150 LANGUAGES TO BE ABLE TO TRANSLATE IT.
I JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THAT BECAUSE I THOUGHT IT WAS REALLY IMPORTANT THAT PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THAT EVEN THOUGH THESE ARE JUST THE TWO LANGUAGES, THERE'S 150 THAT ARE OFFERED THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY AND I THINK THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT.
I THINK IT'S A REALLY COOL THING. THAT'S IT.
>> THANK YOU. ARE THERE FURTHER DISCUSSIONS ON THIS ITEM? I HAVE A FIRST AND A SECOND, LET'S GO AHEAD AND VOTE.
TALLY THE VOTES. MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.
>> NEXT IS HUMAN SERVICES AGENCY ITEM 16 THROUGH 19.
[01:20:01]
PLEASE NOTE A FOUR-FIFTHS VOTE IS REQUIRED ON ITEMS 18 AND 19.>> ANY CONVERSATIONS ON THIS ON THESE ITEMS? SEEING NONE.
LET'S GO AHEAD AND VOTE. [BACKGROUND] THANK YOU, SUPERVISOR PEREIRA.
[LAUGHTER] LET'S TALLY THE VOTES.
PLEASE NOTE A FOUR-FIFTHS VOTE IS REQUIRED.
>> FURTHER DISCUSSION ON THIS ITEM? SEEING NONE, I HAVE A FIRST AND A SECOND.
LET'S GO AHEAD AND VOTE. LET'S TALLY THE VOTES.
>> FURTHER DISCUSSION ON THIS ITEM WITH FIRE? SEEING NONE, I HAVE A FIRST AND A SECOND.
[NOISE] MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.
>> FURTHER DISCUSSION ON THIS ITEM? I HAVE A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA, SECOND BY SUPERVISOR PEDROZO.
LET'S GO AHEAD AND VOTE. I SEE SUPERVISOR PEDROZO IS THE FIRST ONE TO VOTE EACH TIME NOW.
[LAUGHTER] MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.
>> NEXT IS ELECTIONS, ITEMS 23 THROUGH 24.
PLEASE NOTE ON ITEM 24 THE RECOMMENDED ACTION SHOULD REFER TO THE CALIFORNIA VOTER'S CHOICE ACT AND NOT THE CALIFORNIA VOTER'S RIGHTS ACT.
OKAY. THERE'S A FURTHER DISCUSSION ON THIS? [NOISE] SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA.
>> MR. CHAIR, SPECIFICALLY ON ITEM 24, I JUST WANT TO PUT OUT THERE THAT WE'RE GOING TO THESE VOTING CENTERS, THE WAY THAT IT'S PROGRESSING IT MAKES MORE SENSE THE DAYS OF SETTING UP INDIVIDUAL POLLING PLACES ALL OVER [INAUDIBLE] IT WAS ALWAYS CRAZY BECAUSE IF YOU LIVED IN THE COUNTY, YOU WENT TO CITY HALL TO VOTE, BUT ONE PRECINCT WAS AT THE COUNTY FIRE STATION WAS FOR PEOPLE IN THE CITY.
IT'S GETTING HARDER AND HARDER TO FIND POLL WORKERS.
THERE'S A LOT OF REASONS WHY I THINK IT'S GOOD THAT WE'RE SWITCHING OVER TO THESE VOTE CENTERS.
BUT THE ONE THING I WANT TO PUT OUT THERE IS THIS, THERE'S POTENTIAL TALK THAT IT'S GOING TO BE WHERE EVERY REGISTERED VOTER WILL GET A BALLOT MAILED TO THEM.
[NOISE] THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT THOSE FOLKS CAN'T COME IN AND VOTE ON ELECTION DAY AND BRING THEIR BALLOTS IN AND VOTE.
IF THEY LOSE THEIR BALLOT, THEY CAN GET A BALLOT PRINTED.
IT SOUNDS LIKE MRS. INGERSOLL HAS CONTINUED THE WORK THAT WAS STARTED BY HER PREDECESSOR BARBARA LEVEY, IN MAKING SURE THAT THESE VOTE CENTERS WERE NOT GOING TO DISENFRANCHISE ANY OF OUR LITTLE SMALL UNINCORPORATED COMMUNITIES.
TO ME, IT HAS TO BE A PRIORITY THAT PLACES THAT IF THEY HAD A PRECINCT, AND I GET IT THE RULES HAVE CHANGED NOW THAT SAY THAT IF THERE'S LESS THAN 250 REGISTERED VOTERS IN THE DISTRICT, BY LAW YOU MAKE IT AN ALL-MAIL-IN BALLOT PRECINCT.
BUT OUR SOUTH DOS PALOS WHICH IS CLOSE TO DOS PALOS, BUT THE SANTA NELLA IS THE [INAUDIBLE] ,MAKING SURE THAT THESE PLACES HAVE THE VOTING CENTERS.
THEN THERE'S THE BIGGER, IT'S A DIFFERENT TYPE OF VOTING CENTER THAT ARE THERE LONGER, BUT THOSE ARE GOING TO BE PROBABLY THE LAST FANTASIES IN THE MERCEDS OF THE WORLD IS WHERE THOSE WILL BE OPEN FOR MULTIPLE DAYS.
I KNOW THAT NATIONALLY THERE'S A LOT OF ISSUE WITH MAIL-IN VOTING.
[NOISE] I THINK THAT WE'RE USED TO IT HERE.
THE PERCENTAGE IN THE LAST ELECTION WAS A 100 PERCENT MAIL-IN BALLOTS, BUT IN THE PRIMARY OF THE PEOPLE THAT VOTED IT WAS ROUGHLY 75 PERCENT OF THE PEOPLE THAT VOTED IN MERCED COUNTY ALREADY VOTE BY ABSENTEE BALLOT, SO IT'S NOTHING NEW FOR US.
I THINK OUR SYSTEM THAT WE HAVE IN PLACE IS TOP-NOTCH, BUT JUST WANT TO MAKE FOLKS AWARE THAT THINGS ARE CHANGING.
WE'RE MOVING TO THIS NEW SYSTEM, WE'VE BEEN TESTING IT OUT ALTHOUGH WE'RE GOING TO MAKE THE OFFICIAL MOVE TO IT IN THIS NEXT ELECTION AND I THINK THAT IT'S NO MORE [NOISE] THAN FAIR FOR US TO GIVE OUR ELECTIONS FOLKS, OUR NEW REGISTER OF VOTERS,
[01:25:01]
THE TIME THAT THEY NEED TO REALLY RAMP UP SO THAT WE CAN HAVE A SUCCESSFUL OF AS AN ELECTION PROCESS.CALL IT AS WE DID IN THE LAST ONE.
AGAIN, THAT'S A TESTAMENT TO BARBARA LEVEY, DARLENE'S PREDECESSOR WHO SET IT IN THAT DARLENE WAS PART OF THE PROCESS THIS YEAR.
JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT FOLKS KNOW EXACTLY WHAT WE'RE VOTING ON.
IT'S COMING, IT'S GOING TO BE INTERESTING MOVING FORWARD IN THAT YOU'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE THE VOTES THAT ARE TALLIED THAT COME OUT THAT DAY, THE VOTING OF THAT DAY BECAUSE EVERYTHING IS DONE BY ABSENTEE BALLOT.
I DON'T KNOW DARLENE IF YOU GOT A QUESTION THAT YOU JUST THOUGHT OF? [NOISE].
IF I WERE TO TAKE MY MAIL-IN BALLOT, AND I WERE TO GO AND DROP IT OFF ON ELECTION DAY AND PUT IT IN, IS THERE GOING TO BE READERS THAT WOULD ACTUALLY BE ABLE TO READ THAT BALLOT RIGHT THEN AND THERE? THEN THE EIGHT O'CLOCK RESULTS WOULD BE ANYTHING THAT WAS READ BEFORE THE ACTUAL ON ELECTION DAY, BUT THEN THE 10 O'CLOCK OR NINE O'CLOCK, WOULD YOU BE REPORTING THOSE VOTES IN THEIR VOTES?
>> DARLENE INGERSOLL, REGISTER OF VOTERS THROUGH THE CHAIR, SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA.
GREAT QUESTION FOR THE ELECTIONS COMING UP IN 2022.
THE VOTER'S CHOICE ACT MODEL WILL HAVE THOSE MACHINES, THOSE TABULATORS AT VOTING ASSISTANCE CENTERS, SO THOSE WILL BE TABULATED AND THEN REPORTED BEGINNING AT EIGHT O'CLOCK ON ELECTION DAY.
>> WE'LL GO BACK TO THE PREVIOUS MODEL.
WE'LL ACTUALLY HAVE LIKE THIS LAST ONE WAS JUST CRAZY BECAUSE YOU HAD EIGHT O'CLOCK RESULTS WERE ANYTHING THAT CAME IN BEFORE ELECTION DAY, AND THEN THERE WAS LONG PERIODS OF TIME BECAUSE EVERYTHING WAS ABSENTEE BALLOT THAT CAME IN, SO NO VOTE CENTER OR NO PRECINCT RESULTS.
THESE ARE ALL JUST ONES THAT THEY RAN OUT OF ABSENTEE, BUT YOU'RE SAYING, IF I MAY, IS THAT IF I WERE TO GO AND VOTE ON ELECTION DAY AND I TURNED MY BALLOT, THERE WILL BE A BALLOT READER THERE THAT'S GOING TO READ THAT TABULATOR, AND THEN THOSE NUMBERS EVENTUALLY WILL COME OVER TO THE WAREHOUSE AND THEN YOU'LL BE ABLE TO RELEASE THOSE NUMBERS?
>> YES. TO THE BEST TO THE BEST OF OUR ABILITY AT ANTICIPATING, AND I WANT TO THANK EVERYBODY, I WANTED TO REPORT THAT AS OF TODAY, WE HAVE 121,048 REGISTERED VOTERS IN MERCED COUNTY.
WHY IS THAT IMPORTANT TO KNOW? IT IS SUBSTANTIALLY INCREASED FROM JUNE-JULY JUST OF LAST YEAR FROM A 108,000 TO A 109,000, SO IT IS SUBSTANTIALLY GREATER.
TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, THAT IS CORRECT.
>> THANK YOU. CHAIR RECOGNIZES SUPERVISOR ESPINOZA.
THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR, JUST A COMMENT TO UNDERLINE.
I KNOW THAT I MADE I DON'T KNOW IF A CLAIM OR JUST A COMMENT TO YOU LAST WEEK, WE CAME IN AND I KNOW THAT THERE WERE ISSUES IN LIVINGSTON.
I KNOW EVERY COMMUNITY HAS CONTENTIOUS ELECTIONS, ESPECIALLY IN MY COMMUNITY IN LIVINGSTON WHERE I LIVE.
EVERY ELECTION, ESPECIALLY IN NOVEMBER, THERE WAS AN ISSUE ABOUT PEOPLE HARVESTING A LOT OF BALLOTS BUT ALSO WITH THE FRAUD.
I'M NOT GOING TO ACCUSE ANYBODY.
IT'S HAPPENED OVER THE LAST 20 YEARS WHERE PEOPLE HARVESTING A LOT OF THEM.
THEY GO TO PEOPLE AND DEMAND THEIR BALLOTS WITHOUT BEING FILLED OUT AND THEY JUST SAY, I'VE BEEN TOLD.
A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE TOLD ME THE SAME THING THAT THEY DEMAND THEIR BALLOTS AND INTIMIDATE THE FAMILIES.
THE FAMILIES ALL GIVE THEM THE BALLOTS AND THEN THEY FILL THEM OUT AND THEN THEY SEND THEM IN.
THAT'S GOING TO CONTINUE HAPPENING.
A LOT OF PEOPLE KNOW BUT PEOPLE ARE FEARFUL OF COMING OUT.
IF THIS HAPPENS, SOMEBODY NEEDS TO PUT A CLAIM BUT EVENTUALLY THEY NEVER MOVE FORWARD AND GO TO COURT OR WHATEVER HAPPENS, BUT THAT'S NOT GOING TO STOP.
THAT'S WHERE THESE ISSUES THERE.
I JUST WANT TO BRING IT UP BECAUSE WHETHER IT'S JUST LIVINGSTON OR OTHER COMMUNITIES, IT CAN HAPPEN.
YOU'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT JUST 50 OR 100, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT 500 TO 1000 BALLOTS.
BECAUSE SOMEBODY ASKED ME YOU WANT TO HELP? I'M JUST GOING TO STAY AWAY, I DON'T KNOW ANYTHING BUT LIKE I SAID BUT I'M NOT GOING TO MENTION NAMES.
BUT IT'S HAPPENED IN THE PAST. THANK YOU.
SUPERVISOR ESPINOZA THROUGH THE CHAIR, I'D LIKE TO COMMENT ON THAT.
CURRENTLY, BALLOT HARVESTING IS LEGAL IN CALIFORNIA.
AS YOUR COUNTY ELECTIONS OFFICIAL,
[01:30:01]
I WOULD ADVISE EVERYBODY TO TAKE CONTROL OF YOUR BALLOT.DON'T GIVE YOUR BALLOT TO ANYBODY THAT YOU WON'T TRUST.
I'LL USE AN EXAMPLE KIND OF PERSONAL.
IF SOMEBODY CAME TO YOUR DOOR AND SAID, HEY, I WANT TO TAKE YOUR $100 BILL TO THE BANK AND YOU DON'T KNOW WHO THAT PERSON IS, I WOULD SAY THAT'S PROBABLY NOT A GOOD IDEA, BUT IT IS CURRENTLY LEGAL IN CALIFORNIA AND I APPRECIATE THE COMMENTS AND QUESTIONS WHEN WE MET AND I HAVE FOLLOWED UP AND WILL ALWAYS FOLLOW UP TO THE BEST OF MY DUTY TO ADDRESS ANY OF THOSE ISSUES AND PRESS FORWARD WITH THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY TO RESOLUTION.
CHAIR RECOGNIZES ROGER PEREIRA.
YES. YOU MADE A COMMENT ABOUT AT THE VOTING CENTERS, THERE'S GOING TO BE READERS THERE AND THE BALLOTS CAN BE NOT NECESSARILY IMMEDIATELY, BUT SHORT ORDER BE COUNTED.
HOW WILL WE PROTECT THE INTEGRITY OF THE VOTE? BECAUSE I KNOW IN THE PAST WE'VE HAD TO VERIFY SIGNATURES AND PEOPLE ARE ALLOWED TO MONITOR AND WATCH THE BALLOTS BEING COUNTED, INDEPENDENT FOLKS.
HOW DOES THAT HAPPEN AT THESE VOTING CENTERS? SUPERVISOR PEREIRA THROUGH THE CHAIR, THANK YOU FOR THAT QUESTION.
OBSERVER AND PUBLIC ARE WELCOME TO OBSERVE AND THE TABULATORS ARE SECURED WHEN THE VOTERS COME TO A VOTING ASSISTANCE CENTER.
THEY ARE REQUIRED TO CHECK-IN AND WE VALIDATE FIRST TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY HAVEN'T VOTED ALREADY IN A STATEWIDE SYSTEM.
THEN PROTECTING THAT INTEGRITY WOULD BE.
ALSO, THERE IS SAME-DAY REGISTRATION WHERE WE WOULD MAKE SURE THAT CONDITIONALLY THEY COULD VOTE, BUT THEY WOULD PROVISIONALLY CAST THAT BALLOT.
THERE IS SAFEGUARDS IN PLACE TO PROTECT AND MAINTAIN INTEGRITY IF THAT ANSWERS YOUR QUESTION.
THEN THE ADDITIONAL QUESTION IS THEN CAN WE, AS A COUNTY, REQUIRE PEOPLE TO SHOW VERIFICATION OR ID AT THAT POINT? WHEN THEY COME TO AN VOTING ASSISTANCE CENTER.
CURRENTLY, IT DEPENDS ON THE SITUATION.
IF A VOTER IS ALREADY REGISTERED AND THEY HAVE VOTED PREVIOUSLY, WE CANNOT ASK FOR ID PER SE.
IF IT IS SOMEBODY'S FIRST TIME VOTING AND THEY'VE REGISTERED AND THEY HAVE NOT FOLLOWED UP WITH SIGNATURES AND ALL THOSE THINGS, THEY WILL BE REQUIRED TO EITHER BRING THAT VERIFICATION, WHICH COULD BE AN ID, WHICH COULD BE A UTILITY BILL, WHICH COULD BE A PASSPORT, COULD BE THOSE THINGS.
IF THEY DON'T HAVE THAT, THEY CAN VOTE PROVISIONALLY, AND THEN WE'LL WORK THAT OUT TO SEE IF THERE WAS ACTUALLY SOMEBODY WHO IS ELIGIBLE TO VOTE.
HOW DO YOU VERIFY THAT THE PERSON STANDING IN FRONT OF YOU IS THE PERSON WHO THEY'RE VOTING UNDER? WE WOULD VERIFY THEIR PARTICULAR INFORMATION.
WHETHER THAT BE THE DATE OF BIRTH, DRIVER'S LICENSE, ADDRESS THOSE THINGS.
BUT IF SOMEBODY'S ALREADY VOTED, THAT'S NOT THEIR FIRST TIME VOTING.
THEY SHOW UP TO PLACE THEIR VOTE.
THEN HOW DO YOU VERIFY THAT THAT IS THE PERSON WHO IS REGISTERED TO VOTE UNDER THAT? WELL, THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION.
WE WOULD VERIFY THROUGH OUR SYSTEM THAT THEY SAY WHO THEY ARE, MEANING THAT THEY IDENTIFY THEMSELVES AND WE CAN ASK YOUR DATE OF BIRTH, YOUR ADDRESS, AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
PEOPLE WHO ARE VOTING FOR IN THEIR SECOND OR THIRD OR FOURTH ELECTION CAN ALSO BE ASKED QUESTIONS.
IT COULD, DEPENDING ON THE SITUATION.
COULD YOU GIVE AN UPDATE BECAUSE THE WAS A COMPLAINT FILED WITH THE DA'S OFFICE ON THE VOTING THAT HAPPENED IN LIVINGSTON? CAN YOU GIVE US AN UPDATE ON WHERE THAT'S AT? I CAN GIVE YOU AN UPDATE.
I HAVE FOLLOWED UP WITH THAT WHEN THAT COMPLAINT CAME INTO OUR OFFICE IN OCTOBER.
I THINK THE BEGINNING OF OCTOBER 2020, WAS REFERRED TO OUR DISTRICT ATTORNEY AT THAT TIME, DISTRICT ATTORNEY INVESTIGATOR DID, LACK OF A BETTER TERM, INVESTIGATE OR GET MORE INFORMATION AND IT WAS DETERMINED THERE WAS NO CRIMINAL ACTIVITY AND THERE WASN'T ANYTHING ELSE, AND THAT WAS RESOLVED WITH THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE.
I THINK EVERYBODY HAS ALREADY VOTED, SO LET'S TALLY THE VOTES.
IS THERE FURTHER DISCUSSION ON THIS ITEM FROM ANYBODY? MR. PEDROZO IS READY TO VOTE.
[01:35:01]
I HAVE A FIRST AND A SECOND.EVERYBODY VOTE. LET'S GO AND TALLY.
I'M ALWAYS LOOKING FOR FINGERS TO SEE WHO'S GOING TO PUSH TO TALK.
SORRY, JOSH, THAT I KEEP LOOKING UP.
>> YEAH I'M TALKING [BACKGROUND] [LAUGHTER]
>> DULY NOTED. [LAUGHTER] [BACKGROUND]
>> NEXT IS COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, ITEM 26.
>> THANK YOU, MR. HENDRICKSON THAT LOOKS LIKE YOU WANT TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM.
>> MR. CHAIRMAN, MEMBERS THE BOARD. GOOD MORNING.
I'M MARK HENDRICKSON, DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
WELL, THIS IS AN INFORMATIONAL ITEM FOR THE BOARD TODAY.
WE AS YOUR STAFF OR EXCITED NONETHELESS, FOR YOU TO LEARN MORE ABOUT A PROJECT THAT STAFF BELIEVES WILL BE OF SIGNIFICANT CONSEQUENCE TO OUR COMMUNITY AND REGION.
TODAY TALK, DR. TIETJEN INTO HIS PLANNING TEAM WILL BE PROVIDING YOU WITH INFORMATION ABOUT THE VIRGINIA SMITH TRUST PROJECT.
A PROJECT THAT PROMISES TO CREATE EDUCATION OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUR CHILDREN, WILL SPUR JOB CREATION, WILL CREATE A WIDE ARRAY AND MIX OF HOUSING OPTIONS, MOST NOTABLY, AFFORDABLE HOUSING OPTIONS AND WILL ENHANCE AMENITIES FOR THOUSANDS WHO CALL MERCED COUNTY HOME.
I DO SUSPECT THAT OUR PRESENTERS TODAY WILL WELL ADDRESS THE COMMENTS MADE VIA THE PHONE CALL EARLIER TODAY.
BUT IN THIS REGARD, PLEASE PAY SPECIFIC ATTENTION TO SLIDE 4 WHEN WE DO GET THERE.
IT'S BEEN CONTEMPLATED NEARLY SINCE THE INCEPTION OF THE UC DEVELOPMENT.
STAFF WOULD ASK YOU FOR A QUICK FAVOR TODAY AS A PART OF THIS, WHICH IS, THERE WILL BE FUTURE POLICY CONSIDERATIONS FOR THIS BOARD IN THE WEEKS AND MONTHS AHEAD.
PLEASE PROVIDE US WITH YOUR FEEDBACK AND GUIDANCE THAT YOU MAY HAVE SO THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO RIGHT TRACK THIS PROJECT TO AVOID ANY UNNECESSARY DELAYS LATER.
AT THE CONCLUSION OF THIS PRESENTATION, MR. MAXIE WILL BE CRYSTALLIZING FOR YOU THE TYPES OF POLICY CONSIDERATIONS YOU SHOULD EXPECT WILL BE ASKED TO MAKE.
AGAIN, THERE ARE BOOKED TODAY, THERE ARE NO DECISION POINTS.
IT'S SIMPLY AN OPPORTUNITY FOR YOU TO LISTEN, TO PROVIDE INPUT AND PERHAPS EVEN MORE IMPORTANTLY, TO PROVIDE THE PUBLIC WITH THE PROJECT'S GOALS, INTENTIONS, AND OBJECTIVES.
AT THIS POINT, I'LL TURN IT OVER TO DR. TIETJEN, THE MERCED COUNTY SUPERINTENDENT SCHOOLS.
>> THANK YOU, MR. HENDRICKS. THANK YOU BOARD CHAIRPERSON MCDANIEL, BOARD MEMBERS AND EXECUTIVE OFFICER BROWN.
THANK YOU FOR HAVING US THIS MORNING AND GIVING US A CHANCE TO SPEAK WITH YOU ABOUT THE PROJECT.
I'M GOING TO TURN MOST OF OUR TIME OVER TO OUR PROJECT CONSULTANT, STEPHEN PECK AND HE'LL BE TALKING ABOUT THE PROJECT DIRECTLY.
I JUST WANT TO REMIND THE COMMUNITY BRIEFLY ABOUT THE VISION AND RECAST THE VISION OF THE VIRGINIA SMITH TRUST THAT CAME TO MERCED COUNTY BACK IN 1971, WHEN VIRGINIA SMITH PASSED AWAY.
THE SMITH FAMILY LIVED HERE IN MERCED COUNTY FOR THREE GENERATIONS.
THE PATRIARCH CYRIL C. SMITH CAME TO MERCED COUNTY 1852.
ORIGINALLY CAME FROM MAINE TO LOOK FOR GOLD AND HE REALIZED VERY QUICKLY HE'D MAKE A LOT MORE MONEY, RAISING SHEEP.
HE WAS A LAND BARON HERE IN MERCED COUNTY, OWNED 16,000 ACRES AND THAT LAND PASSED ON THROUGH HIS SON AND THEN HIS GRANDCHILDREN, CYRIL AND VIRGINIA.
THEY ATTENDED MERCED HIGH, GRADUATED IN THE TEENS AND HAD SUCCESSFUL LIVES.
THEY LIVED OFF THE LEGACY OF THE LAND QUITE FRANKLY, AND WHEN THEIR LIVES BEGAN TO AGE, THEY GOT TOGETHER, CYRIL AND VIRGINIA DID AND THEY HAD NO ERRORS.
THEY MADE A DECISION VERY, VERY CLEARLY TO BENEFIT THE CHILDREN OF MERCED COUNTY.
THEIR VISION WAS THAT THE TRUST THAT THEY CREATED AND ASSIGNED TO THE BOARD OF EDUCATION FOR THE MERCED COUNTY OFFICE OF EDUCATION, WOULD LAST FOR 30 YEARS.
THE FIRST 20 YEARS, THE TRUST WOULD SPEND THE CASH THAT VIRGINIA HAD ACCUMULATED IN THE LAST 10, THE LAND THAT SHE PASSED ON TO THE BOARD, 5,000 ACRES WOULD BE SOLD AND THAT WOULD BE GIVEN AWAY AS SCHOLARSHIPS TO THE CHILDREN OF MERCED COUNTY WHO ATTEND HIGH SCHOOL IN MERCED.
LET ME MAKE THIS POINT REALLY CLEAR.
BACK IN 1918, THERE WAS ONE HIGH SCHOOL DISTRICT IN MERCED COUNTY, MERCED HIGH.
CHILDREN FROM LIVINGSTON, CHILDREN FROM THE WEST SIDE, IF THEY WANTED TO ATTEND HIGH SCHOOL, THEY CAME TO MERCED HIGH SCHOOL.
IN HER BEQUEST, SHE GAVE THE TRUST TO THE CHILDREN OF MERCED COUNTY THAT ATTENDED HIGH SCHOOL IN MERCED, MADE A LOT OF SENSE.
TODAY WE HAVE ACTUALLY SIX HIGH SCHOOL DISTRICTS AND 14 HIGH SCHOOLS IN THE COUNTY AND SO THE CURRENT TRUST ONLY AWARDS SCHOLARSHIPS TO THE THREE HIGH SCHOOLS HERE IN MERCED.
BUT THROUGH THIS PROJECT THAT YOU'RE GOING TO HEAR ABOUT TODAY, WE WILL GO BACK TO THE ORIGINAL VISION THAT VIRGINIA SMITH HAD
[01:40:02]
OF PROVIDING SCHOLARSHIPS TO ALL CHILDREN IN MERCED COUNTY.HAVING SAID THAT, I JUST WANT THE PUBLIC OUT THERE TO UNDERSTAND THIS IS SOMETHING THAT'S A VISION THAT WAS CREATED BACK WHEN ACTIVIST FOR BRINGING UC MERCED COUNTY, CAME UP WITH THIS IDEA BACK IN THE MID-80S AND MID-90S WHEN THE UC MADE THE DECISION TO COME HERE.
THIS WAS A VISION THAT WAS PUT IN PLACE.
WE ARE RECASTING THAT VISION TODAY AND MAKE SURE EVERYONE KNOWS, WHAT IT IS THAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO AND THE EXPECTATION WE'RE SETTING FOR OURSELVES.
THAT BEING SAID, I'M GOING TO TURN THE TECHNICAL DETAILS OVER TO MR. STEPHEN PECK ARE REPRESENTATIVE. THANK YOU.
>> [NOISE] THANK YOU, STEVE, THE CHAIR, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
I'D LIKE TO QUICKLY GO THROUGH THE PROMISE AS DR. TIETJEN HAS JUST DESCRIBED ABOUT THIS PIECE OF PROPERTY BEING USED TO ATTRACT UC, BUT IT WAS MUCH MORE THAN THAT.
HE WAS PART OF A VISION TO CREATE THE UC CAMPUS AND A COMMUNITY ADJACENT TO IT THAT WOULD SUPPORT THAT UNIVERSITY.
WE'RE ALL FAMILIAR WITH UNIVERSITIES GROWING UP SORT OF HAPHAZARD ON THE FRINGE OF THE COMMUNITY AND WHAT NOTE, GOD KNOWS WHAT DEVELOPS AROUND THEM.
THIS WAS AN EFFORT TO DEVELOP A LARGE ACREAGE WITH A MASTER PLAN COMMUNITY AROUND IT.
SOME OF THE PRINCIPLES FOR THIS DR. TIETJEN HAS DESCRIBED WHAT WE CALL THE, PROMISE.
SOME OF THE PRINCIPLES ARE HOUSING CHOICES FOR ALL.
WE'RE OPERATING UNDER THE UNIVERSITY COMMUNITY PLAN THAT THE COUNTY HAS ADOPTED, WHICH SUBSCRIBES TO THE RESPONSIBILITY TO NOT ONLY PROVIDE HOUSING FOR THAT'S APPROPRIATE FOR THE UC STAFF AND STUDENTS, BUT ALSO IN YOUR HOUSING ELEMENT GENERAL PLAN.
WE'RE OBLIGATED TO PLAN FOR ALL ECONOMIC SEGMENTS OF THE COMMUNITY IN PROPORTION TO YOUR REGIONAL HOUSING NEEDS ALLOCATION.
WE HAVE TWO OR THREE MASTERS HERE AND SO I WANT TO SHOW YOU THAT THIS WAS NOT GOING TO BE A GATED COMMUNITY OF PRIVILEGED COMMUNITY.
IT WAS GOING TO BE A COMMUNITY THAT'S APPROPRIATE NEXT TO THE UNIVERSITY FOR ALL.
WE ALSO WANT TO RESPECT THE ROLES THAT THE CASTLE BUSINESS PARK AND THE CITY'S INDUSTRIAL PARK AND THE DOWNTOWN AND THE OTHER ECONOMIC AREAS AND HAVE RIGHT SIZE THAT THE LAND USES IN THIS AREA.
WE HAVE SHOPPING PARKS, WE HAVE TRANSITION TO LARGER LOTS ACROSS LAKE ROAD.
WE HAVE SOME DETAILS ON CAMPUS PARKWAY THAT I'LL GO INTO.
IT'S AN ENVIRONMENTALLY RESPONSIBLE PROJECT.
WE'RE ACTUALLY PLANNING USING 30 PERCENT LESS WATER THAN THE AVERAGE MERCED, HOUSEHOLD.
AS A RESULT, SINCE WE'RE FARMING THE PROPERTY RIGHT NOW TO BE A NET REDUCTION IN GROUNDWATER USE AS WE TRANSITION TO AN URBAN USE.
THE WALKABLE AND BIKE-ORIENTED, STRONG CITY AND COUNTING COLLABORATION.
I WANT TO COMPLIMENT BOTH YOUR STAFF AND THE CITY STAFF FOR WORKING CLOSELY WITH US OVER THE LAST YEAR TO COME BEFORE YOU TODAY.
WE ALSO HAVE A COMMUNITY BENEFITS PLAN IN ADDITION TO THE PHYSICAL LAYOUT THAT I'M GOING TO SHOW YOU BRIEFLY.
WE'VE THOUGHT A LOT ABOUT WHAT'S THE RIGHT THING TO DO WITH THIS PROJECT.
WE HAVE REQUIREMENTS FOR SELF-HELP HOUSING, HOUSING FOR VERY LOW INCOME AND LOW INCOME.
I WOULD SAY THAT THE HOUSING IS SKEWED MORE AWAY FROM THE OPERAND AND THE AREAS THAT'S APPROPRIATE FOR UC.
WE HAVE INCENTIVE PROGRAMS, OWNER-OCCUPANT RESTRICTIONS, WORKFORCE HOUSING INCENTIVES, IN MANY CASES, THESE PARALLEL THE FIRST-TIME HOME BUYERS PROGRAMS SUCH AS STAFF ADMINISTERS, DOWN PAYMENT ASSISTANCE.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT IS CREATING A FUND IN AN INCOME STREAM THAT WOULD BE ORIENTED TOWARDS COMMUNITY EDUCATION FUND ENRICHMENT, CAMP GREEN MEADOWS BASICALLY PREPARING YOUNGER STUDENTS FOR COLLEGE SUCCESS.
AS PART OF WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE, WE'RE BUILDING ON THE EFFORT THAT WAS DONE BETWEEN 2000 AND 2004 THE ADOPTING THE COMMUNITY PLAN EIR.
THIS WAS THE PLAN THAT WAS DEVELOPED.
YOU CAN SEE THAT THE UNIVERSE CAN BE PLANNED.
ACTUALLY AS IT GOES ALL THE WAY UP TO ALMOST SCHOLARS LANE AND PASS BELLEVUE, THAT WAS THE SCOPE OF THE PLAN.
SINCE THAT TIME, THE LRDP, THE LONG RANGE DEVELOPMENT PLAN FOR THE UNIVERSITY, HAS EATEN AWAY AT A LOT OF THAT.
THEIR PLAN LOOKS NOTHING LIKE THIS PLAN.
THE PROPERTY OWNERSHIPS ARE DIFFERENT.
ONE OF THE THINGS WE'RE WORKING ON NOW IS SIMPLY TRANSITIONING THAT PLAN INTO A DIFFERENT UCP NORTH.
BASICALLY KEEPING THE UCP SOUTH PROPERTY THE ONE YOU KNOW IS THE HUNT PROPERTY, PRETTY MUCH THE SAME, BUT WITH THE ROADS AND LAND USES THAT ARE ACTUALLY BUILDABLE.
AS A RESULT, THE AMENDMENT THAT I THINK WE'LL TALK ABOUT IN A COUPLE OF WEEKS IS GEOGRAPHICALLY SMALLER,
[01:45:02]
IT HAS FEWER UNITS, IT HAS LESS OFFICE SPACE THAT WILL BE LESS IMPACTFUL ON THE DOWNTOWN.BECAUSE I DEAL WITH LARGER PROJECT, THIS IS MUCH MORE BUILDABLE.
THIS IS A PLAN THAT CAN HAPPEN.
IT'S ALSO A PLAN THAT IS COMPOSED OF SEVERAL VILLAGES.
THE ORIGINAL CONCEPT FOR THIS AREA WITH MORE OF A NEW TOWN, THAT'S NOT APPROPRIATE.
WE'RE NOT PURSUING THAT AREA, VST WOULD BE CHARACTERIZED AS THE UCP NORTH AREA WITH A WEST VILLAGE AND THE EAST VILLAGE, THE HUNT PROPERTY WOULD BE SIMILARLY DIVIDED UP.
IN THE VST, THE NORTH AREA, WE HAVE ABOUT 3,900-4,000 DWELLING UNITS.
IF YOU TAKE THAT NUMBER AND COMBINE IT WITH WHAT USED TO BE ON THE UC PROPERTY, THAT'S ABOUT 2,000 DWELLING UNITS LESS THAN WAS ORIGINALLY BUDGETED A LOT LESS OFFICE SPACE.
THOSE ARE TRANSITIONAL LARGE LOTS TO THE LARGER RURAL RESIDENTIAL AREAS THAT ARE WEST OF LAKE ROAD, THE APARTMENTS ARE ALONG THE NORTHERN PROPERTY LINE, WE HAVE AN AREA THAT'S CALLED A VILLAGE COMMERCIAL CENTER.
I DEVELOPED THIS LARGE HAS TO HAVE SOME COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT AND THAT'S WHERE IT WOULD GO.
A SHOPPING CENTER, AND ALSO A SPORTS PARK THAT'S PART OF THIS PROJECT.
WE KNOW THAT FINALIZING THE CIRCULATION IMPROVEMENTS IS VERY IMPORTANT.
THE UPPER PHOTO SHOWS THE CURRENT CONFIGURATION OF LAKE ROAD, THE LOWER CROSS-SECTION AND RENDERING SHOWS, HOW WE WOULD ENVISION OUR FRONT EDGE AND THE OTHER FRONTAGES TRANSITIONING WITH THE LANDSCAPE MEDIAN TREES PROVIDES A NICE BUFFER TO THE USES TO THE WEST.
WE'VE ALSO WORKED CLOSELY WITH UC PUBLIC WORKS AND PLANNING STAFF ON FINISHING CAMPUS PARKWAY AS IT TERMINATES AT YOSEMITE RIGHT NOW.
HOW WE GET IT UP TO LAKE AND BELLEVUE HAS ALWAYS BEEN A LITTLE BIT OF A QUESTION MARK.
WE'VE FIGURED OUT OUR PIECE AND HOW THAT WOULD BE CONSTRUCTED.
STAFF IS WORKING WITH UC ON HOW WE COULD TRANSITION INTO LAKE AND BELLEVUE.
I'VE COME UP WITH A CIRCULATION AREA AND THE HUNT PROPERTY, AND I CAN TELL YOU THAT ALL PARTIES ARE TALKING ON THIS.
WE'VE PERSONALLY TALK TO THE HUNT REPRESENTATIVES, THEY BELIEVE THIS IS SOMETHING THAT SUITS THEIR NEEDS.
WE'VE ADJUSTED OUR LAND PLAN TO SHIFT OVER THE CAMPUS PARKWAY OVER TO THE CAMPUS PARKWAY RESERVE THAT YOU SEE IDENTIFIES.
IN OUR MINDS, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT CAN BE IMPLEMENTED AND DELIVERED.
BUT THERE ARE SOME DETAILS TO BE WORKED OUT.
AGAIN, SOME ORNAMENTATION ON CAMPUS PARKWAY, AND SOME IMAGES OF WHAT THIS URBAN CONCEPT WOULD LOOK LIKE.
AGAIN, SOME IMAGES THAT I'LL JUST REST ON HERE.
SMALLER LOT UNITS, WE THINK THESE ARE IMPORTANT TO PROVIDE HOMEOWNERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES FOR LOWER INCOME PERSONS.
YOU CERTAINLY DON'T LOOK LIKE YOU'D LOWER-INCOME THAT THIS IS A 3,500 SQUARE FOOT LOT WITH A WIDE FRONTAGE THAT LOOKS VERY COMPATIBLE.
AGAIN, THERE NEEDS TO BE A CENTRAL MEETING AND RECREATION PLACE IN COMMERCIAL IN RESTAURANTS SPACE IN UNIVERSITY COMMERCIAL CENTER.
I'LL JUST SPEAK TO THE PROJECT SCHEDULE.
WE'VE BEEN BOUNCING IN BETWEEN THE 20 YARD LINES IN THIS FOOTBALL GAME.
WE'RE PRESENTING OURSELVES NOW TO ENTER THE RED ZONE, GET INTO THE END ZONE.
BEEN WORKING CLOSELY WITH YOUR STAFF AND THE CITY STAFF ON IDENTIFYING WHAT ARE THE STEPS TO GO FORWARD? I THINK WE'RE AT THAT POINT.
WE ACTUALLY STARTED SOME OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL WORK ABOUT A YEAR AGO OF UPDATE THE TRAFFIC AND THE BIO AND THOSE THINGS.
WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO MOVING AHEAD IN A FORMAL WAY THIS MONTH WITH YOUR CONSENT WITH THE HOPE OF BEING DONE SOMETIME IN THE FIRST QUARTER OF NEXT YEAR.
ON THAT SCHEDULE, WE COULD PROBABLY BE CUTTING STREETS SOMETIME IN MID 2023 AND STARTING THE FIRST HOMES IN 2025.
WITHOUT A BE GLAD TO ANY QUESTIONS ON THE PROJECT, I KNOW THIS WAS A QUICK OVERVIEW, BUT CAN CERTAINLY ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS ARE FOLLOWED UP WITH OTHER PRESENTATIONS.
>> THANK YOU. IS THERE MORE TO THE PRESENTATION?
>> JUST SOME REAL QUICK COMMENTS ON FROM STAFF REPRESENTATIVE HERE AGAIN, IS MR. [INAUDIBLE] GENERALLY, WE'RE JUST LOOKING FOR BROAD INPUT FROM THE BOARD TODAY ON THE PRODUCT ITSELF AND ITS SUITABILITY WITH THE UNIVERSITY COMMUNITY PLAN AND THE GENERAL PLAN ITSELF.
MORE SPECIFICALLY, WE'RE REALLY INTERESTED IN THE BOARD'S INPUT IN REGARD TO
[01:50:03]
PARTICULAR AREAS WHERE THE STAFF SHOULD FOCUS AS WE GO AND START THE INITIAL STAGES OF ANALYSIS IN THIS PLAN.JUST BEARING IN MIND THAT WE'LL BE LOOKING AT TYPICAL DEVELOPMENT ITEMS, THINGS LIKE ROADS AND CIRCULATION, PARKS, DEVELOPMENT DENSITIES, THAT THING.
WITH THAT INFORMATION IN MIND AND LOOKING AHEAD, WE'LL BE RETURNING TO YOU TO A FUTURE BOARD MEETING FOR MORE FORMAL ACTION. ONE IS A FIRST STEP.
THERE'S A NEED TO CORRECT OR UPDATE SOME GENERAL PLAN MAPS AND ZONING TO SHOW THE FULL AREA OF THE UNIVERSITY COMMUNITY PLAN, INCLUDING SOME ACRES THAT WAS ADDED TO THE VIRGINIA SMITH TRUST PROPERTY IN THE 2009 UC MERCED LONG-RANGE DEVELOPMENT PLAN, AND THEN SUBTRACTING SOME OF THE AREA THAT IS NOW EXCLUSIVELY OWNED BY THE UC NORTH OF WHAT IS CONSIDERED MYERS GATE ROAD.
THAT WOULD BE ONE ACTION, THAT'S PRETTY STRAIGHTFORWARD EXERCISE AS THE UCS 2009 LRDP ALREADY CONSIDERED THAT ADJUSTMENT AND LOOKED AT THAT FROM AN ENVIRONMENTAL STANDPOINT.
THAT WOULD BE ONE ACTION AND THEN THE SECOND MORE FORMAL ACTION THAT WILL HAVE IN A FUTURE MEETING WOULD BE TO ENTER INTO AN AGREEMENT OR A MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING WITH THE CITY THAT WOULD ADDRESS A NUMBER OF THINGS, HOW WE WOULD WORK COLLABORATIVELY TO PROCESS SOME OF VACS ENTITLEMENTS, WHAT CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS MIGHT LOOK LIKE IN TERMS OF WATER AND SEWER SERVICE AND HOW THAT WOULD WORK WITH OR WITHOUT ANNEXATION FROM THE CITY, THEN HOW LONG-TERM SERVICES SUCH AS POLICE, FIRE, PARKS, SO ON, WOULD ALL BE HANDLED LONG-TERM, AND THEN WHAT DEVELOPMENT POLICIES AND STANDARDS WOULD BE USED FROM THE COUNTY AND THE CITY AND LOOKING AT THIS PROJECT IN ANALYZING THE ENTITLEMENTS.
THEN LOOKING FORWARD TO BEYOND THOSE TO MORE URGENT OR MORE COMING ITEMS WOULD BE CONSIDERATION OF THE SPECIFIC PLAN ITSELF INCLUSIVE OF EVERYTHING THAT MR. PECK COVERED TODAY, COMMUNITY BENEFITS PLAN, DEVELOPMENT DENSITIES, THAT THING.
WITH THAT, WE WELCOME ANY INPUT AND ANY QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT HAVE FOR [OVERLAPPING]
>> THANK YOU. IS THIS CURRENTLY ON THE SPHERE OF INFLUENCE FROM THE GENERAL PLAN FOR THE CITY OF MERCED?
>> IT IS CONSIDERED PART OF THIS VARIABLE JUST HERE.
>> DON'T ANYBODY JUMP AT ONCE.
I KNOW THIS IS SUPERVISOR [INAUDIBLE] , GET STRAIGHT SO WE LOOK AT HIM FOR THE LEADERSHIP ON THIS.
>> I DO. NOW THE REQUESTS ARE COMING IN.
CHAIR RECOGNIZES SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA.
>> THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. LISTEN, JUST, I GUESS, COMMENTS THAT I HAVE ABOUT IT IS, NUMBER 1, I LIKE THE COLLABORATION THAT I'M SEEING BETWEEN THE CITY FOLKS, THE COUNTY, AND VST.
BECAUSE ULTIMATELY, IN MY MIND, THIS IS GOING TO BE IN THE CITY OF MERCED.
HOW THAT GETS THERE, WHAT'S THE ACTUAL TIMELINE ON THAT? I DON'T KNOW.
I KNOW THAT WITH RECENT LEGISLATION PASSED AT THE STATE, IT ALLOWS FOR AN OPPORTUNITY FOR PROPERTIES THAT ARE ADJACENT TO NEXT TO THE COLLEGE TO BE ANNEXED.
AGAIN, FOR STAFF, I APPRECIATE THAT WE'RE WORKING WITH THE CITY BECAUSE ULTIMATELY, WHATEVER DECISIONS THAT ARE MADE AND I DON'T WANT TO IMPEDE THE PROGRESS THAT VST IS GOING THROUGH BECAUSE IT IS THESE THINGS TAKE YEARS AND I THINK THAT I LIKE YOUR TIMELINE.
BUT MOST PEOPLE WILL PROBABLY TELL YOU IT'S A LITTLE BIT AGGRESSIVE.
BUT FOR A GUY LIKE ME, I THINK THAT IT'S PROBABLY TAKING TOO LONG, BUT I CAN'T FIX THAT.
BUT ULTIMATELY, WHATEVER HAPPENS, THE CITY IS GOING TO INHERIT THIS AS PART OF THEIRS.
SO BEING GOOD COMMUNITY PARTNERS WITH OUR NEIGHBOR AND COMING UP WITH A PLAN THAT THEY HAVE INPUT INTO, I THINK JUST MAKES FOR A BETTER PROJECT.
THE ATTENTION TO DETAIL ON THE DIFFERENT LEVELS OF HOUSING, NOT MAKING THIS SOME PLACE THAT NOBODY BUT THE RICH PEOPLE CAN AFFORD TO LIVE THERE, I THINK IS PART OF IT.
I THINK THAT AT THE END, I THINK DR. [INAUDIBLE] HAD HINTED THE CHANGES THAT THEY'RE ASKING THAT THEY'RE GOING TO MAKE WITH VST TO INCLUDE STUDENTS IN MERCED COUNTY THAT GO TO MERCED COUNTY HIGH SCHOOLS.
IF YOU LOOK AT THAT NUMBER, IT'S KIND OF STAGGERING.
IT'S, WITH THE DOLLARS THAT THEY MAKE, SOMETHING THAT PROBABLY WHEN VIRGINIA SMITH INITIALLY PUT THIS TOGETHER, DIDN'T EVEN REALIZE IN TODAY'S DOLLARS, IT'S $5-$8 MILLION PER YEAR FOR FRESHMEN AND BEYOND HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS TO GO TO COLLEGE.
IT'S BEING GENERATED LOCALLY, THEY INVEST THE MONEY WISELY, LET'S CALL IT, AND THAT'S CONTINUAL.
THAT'S JUST NOT $5-$8 MILLION FOR ONE YEAR, THAT'S MOVING FORWARD.
SO THEY PUT THIS MONEY INTO AN ANNUITY OR SOME KIND OF TRUST THAT CONTINUES TO PROVIDE THAT AND WITH TIME, THAT $5-$8 MILLION ACTUALLY KEEPS GROWING.
I DON'T SEE IT STAYING STAGNANT AT 5-8 MILLION BUT THAT'S ULTIMATELY FOR THEIR BOARD TO DECIDE.
[01:55:01]
I THINK OVERALL, IT'S A GOOD PROJECT.THE LAST THING IS, IS THAT VERY IMPORTANT ON THE TIMELINE, IT TALKS ABOUT 2040 IS WHEN THIS PROJECT IS GOING TO BE COMPLETED.
I THINK THAT THE PEOPLE THAT DON'T WANT TO SEE ANY GROWTH, WHAT I WANT TO EXPLAIN TO THEM IS WHEN YOU'RE GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO MASTER PLAN A DEVELOPMENT, THEY GET TO MAKE SOME OF THOSE INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENTS ON THE FRONT END THAT ALLOWS FOR THE WHOLE DEVELOPMENT.
SO I'M GOING TO USE AN EXAMPLE.
MAYBE PHASE 1 ONLY NEEDS A 12-INCH SEWER LINE.
BUT THEN WHEN YOU GO TO ADD PHASE 2, NOW THAT 12-INCH TURNS INTO AN 18-INCH OR 24-INCH SEWER LINE.
WELL, IF YOU KNOW YOU HAVE THIS MASTER PLAN DEVELOPMENT, YOU PUT THE 24-INCH LINE IN RIGHT FROM THE BEGINNING AND YOU SAY, THIS IS DISTINCT ABOUT ANYTHING YOU'VE DONE, SOMETHING THAT YOU BUILT FIVE YEARS AGO VERSUS BUILDING IT TODAY OR WHAT'S THE COST ON? IT'S GONE UP EXPONENTIALLY.
SO ALLOWING THEM TO DEVELOP THESE MASTER PLAN DEVELOPMENTS.
YOU GO LOOK TO OUR NEIGHBORS IN THE SOUTH, THERE ARE COUNTIES DOING NOW ONE WITH MISSION VIEJO, CLOVIS, THEY'VE DONE THEM.
IT REALLY MAKES SENSE, AND WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT THE AMENITIES THAT YOU CAN OFFER TO A COMMUNITY, IT'S JUST SIMPLE NUMBERS.
IF YOU BUILD A DEVELOPMENT WITH 100 HOUSES ON IT AND YOU WANT THIS EXTRA THING FOR THE COMMUNITY, YOU GOT TO STRETCH THAT COST OVER 100 HOUSES AND IT DOES IN PENCIL.
BUT NOW YOU TAKE THAT SAME COMMUNITY AMENITY AND STRETCHED OVER 1,000 HOUSES OR 2,000 HOUSES, IT MAKES THAT A LOT MORE ATTRACTIVE FOR WHOEVER'S DOING THE PROJECT TO BE ACTUALLY ABLE TO DELIVER IT FOR YOU.
AGAIN, 2040, THEY'RE NOT JUST BECAUSE YOU TALK ABOUT THREE, FOUR THOUSAND RESIDENTIAL UNITS BEING AS PART OF THIS PROJECT, THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT THREE OR FOUR THOUSAND ARE GOING TO BE BUILT, THEY BREAK GROUND AND A YEAR LATER THEY ADD THREE, FOUR MORE THOUSAND HOUSES.
IT TALKS ABOUT OVER THE COURSE OF BASICALLY THE NEXT 19 YEARS YOU'LL BE ADDING THAT OUT.
WHEN YOU DIVIDE THAT OUT, THAT'S NOT SUCH A BIG NUMBER.
I THINK IT'S THE RIGHT APPROACH.
I HOPE THAT KIND OF ANSWERS YOUR QUESTIONS, MR. MAXEY, ON WHERE I'M LEANING WITH IT.
I THINK THAT IT WAS INTENDED TO BE THERE.
I THINK, AGAIN, BACK TO THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING IN THE CITY, I DON'T THINK THAT AS A COUNTY THAT WE NEED TO BE IN THE MUNICIPAL SERVICES.
WE DON'T NEED TO BE PROVIDING WATER AND SEWER.
I'M GOING TO TELL YOU THAT IT'S AT A STATE LEVEL WHERE THEY'RE TRYING TO PUSH AWAY, THEY DON'T WANT THOSE THINGS.
IT'S MORE EFFICIENT FOR THE CITY OF MERCED TO DELIVER THAT SERVICE THAN IT IS FOR THE COUNTY TO HAVE TO STAND UP ITS OWN FACILITY, IF YOU WILL, TO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR, IT'S JUST A VOLUME THING AND NUMBERS THINGS.
I THINK IT'S A GOOD PROJECT, I'M IN SUPPORT OF IT, AND I WISH THEM LUCK ON THEIR TIMELINE.
>> CHAIR RECOGNIZES SUPERVISOR ESPINOZA.
>> THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. I JUST WANTED TO ADDRESS, I KNOW THAT WE HAD A CALL REGARDING MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
I THINK THIS PLAN MEETS THAT, IT'S GOING TO HAVE SELF-HELP AND LOW-INCOME HOUSING THROUGHOUT OR PART OF THE PROJECT AND I'M GLAD FOR THAT.
ALSO, TO MARK ALL THE SOLID GREEN IS MOSTLY PARKS.
I KNOW THAT WE ADDRESSED A COUPLE BIG PARKS THERE WITH THE BASEBALL FIELDS AND THE SOCCER FIELD, BUT ALL THOSE GREEN AREAS BETWEEN HOMES ALL THROUGHOUT.
>> SUPERVISOR, THEY'RE A COMBINATION OF SMALL PARKS ON THE HALF-ACRE, ACRE POCKET PARKS THAT AREN'T ANYMORE THAN A BLOCK OR TWO AWAY FROM ANY HOUSE.
THERE ARE A COUPLE OF LARGER PARKS, THE SPORTS PARK.
IN THIS PARTICULAR PROJECT, I THINK WE'RE AT 76 ACRES OF PARKS, WHICH IS ACTUALLY AT PARK PER THOUSAND THAT'S HIGHER THAN THE CITY OF MERCED STANDARD.
I THINK WE'RE ABOUT SIX OR SEVEN ACRES PER THOUSAND.
SO THERE ARE THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY, I THINK BY LAST COUNT, WE HAD ABOUT 45 PARKS IN THIS DEVELOPMENT, ONE VERY LARGE PARK FOR SPORTS AND ACTIVE AREA, AND I THINK IT'S A SEVEN ACRE COMMUNITY RECREATION CENTER THAT HAS A POOL, COURT GAMES, BASKETBALL, A FARMER'S MARKET, BASICALLY A CENTRAL PLACE WHERE YOU COULD GO.
NOT A COUNTRY CLUB, NOT A PRIVATE COUNTRY CLUB, BUT A COMMUNITY RECREATION CENTER FOR EVERYBODY.
SO A WIDE RANGE, IT'S SOMETHING THAT'S ALWAYS WITHIN A BLOCK AND A HALF OF YOUR HOUSE FOR A TAUT LOT OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
>> THANKS FOR ADDRESSING ALL THAT, AND MC KNOWS THAT I'M BIG ON ADDRESSING RECREATION ISSUES FOR OUR COMMUNITIES, ESPECIALLY THE NEW DEVELOPMENTS.
I GUESS THE FIRST PHASE, WE'LL HAVE A LOT OF APARTMENTS FOR THOSE STUDENTS FOR UC MERCED.
SO I LIKE THE PLAN AND I KNOW THAT IT'LL BE TAKEN OVER BY THE CITY AND IT WILL BE ADDRESSING THE HOUSING ELEMENT OF THE CITY,
[02:00:03]
SO ALL THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING WILL HELP WITH THE CITY OF MERCED'S HOUSING THEM IN THE FUTURE.THANK YOU. I LIKE THE PROJECT. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU. CHAIR RECOGNIZES SUPERVISOR PAREIRA.
>> THANK YOU FOR THAT FINE UPDATE.
WHEN THE UC WAS ORIGINALLY PROPOSED HERE, THE STEERING COMMITTEE HAD SHARED A VISION OF BUSINESSES BEING KIND OF ALMOST CO-LOCATED WITH THE CAMPUS.
THIS TRANSITION HAS ACTUALLY PUT THIS PROJECT A LITTLE FARTHER AWAY FROM CAMPUS CENTER THAN WHAT MOST OF US EXPECTED BACK WHEN WE WERE DISCUSSING IT BACK IN THE MID-90S.
MY QUESTION IS THIS, YOU MENTIONED THERE'S COMMERCIAL PROPERTY, BUT IS THERE GOING TO BE A PLAN FOR FACILITIES WHERE COMPANIES WOULD LOCATE? NOT NECESSARILY LIKE A RETAIL COMMERCIAL-TYPE BUSINESS, BUT A COMPANY THAT WOULD MAYBE USE STUDENT INTERNS AS A PART OF THEIR EDUCATION.
SO CAN YOU ADDRESS THAT PLEASE?
>> SURE I CAN, SUPERVISOR PAREIRA.
WE WOULD ANTICIPATE THAT THOSE USES STILL WOULD OCCUR ON WHAT IS NOW THE UC PROPORTION OF THE PROPERTY.
AS YOU RECALL, THE UNIVERSITY COMMITTEE PLAN WENT ALL THE WAY UP TO BELLEVUE AND BEYOND, AND THAT BUSINESS PARK PIECE WAS LOCATED BETWEEN BELLEVUE AND WHAT IS NOW OUR NORTHERN PROPERTY LINE.
IT WOULD STILL BE LOCATED THERE.
WHAT'S ALSO HAPPENED IN THE MEANTIME IS THE CITY HAS ADOPTED THEIR BELLEVUE MASTER PLAN, WHICH ITSELF INCLUDES ABOUT THREE MILLION SQUARE FEET OF BUSINESS PARK AREA.
SO OUR ASSESSMENT IS THAT THERE ARE AREAS ON CAMPUS THAT ARE OWNED BY THE UCLC, THE UNIVERSITY CALIFORNIA LAND COMPANY, THAT'S WHOLLY OWNED BY THE STATE NOW, AND THEY'RE APPROPRIATE AREAS ON RIGHT ON BELLEVUE ROAD THAT WOULD SERVE THAT NEED.
WE DIDN'T NEED TO REPEAT THAT.
THEY COULD ALSO GO IN THE CASTLE BUSINESS PARK.
SO IN OUR ASSESSMENT, THAT WASN'T A ROLE THAT WE THOUGHT WE SHOULD FULFILL, BECAUSE THERE ARE OTHER AREAS THAT ARE DESIGNATED FOR IT.
>> ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR THAT UPDATE.
I THINK THIS IS AN AWESOME OPPORTUNITY.
ONE ITEM THAT KIND OF MAKES ME HAPPY IS THAT OUR PLANNER OR DEPUTY DIRECTOR, STEVE MAXEY, CAME FROM OVER THE HILL AND I CAN DEFINITELY SEE THE MASTER PLAN OF THIS IN THERE AND SO THANK YOU.
I MEAN, I THINK 20 YEARS FROM NOW IN 2040, PEOPLE ARE GOING TO BE HAPPY WITH THIS COMMUNITY AND IT'S A LITTLE MORE EFFORT UPFRONT ON OUR PART, WELL ACTUALLY ON VSTS PART.
BUT I THINK IN THE LONG RUN, IT CREATES THAT PLACE WHERE PEOPLE WANT TO LIVE.
I SERVE ON DISTRICT THE BOARD, I SEE A LOT LESS TRAVELING, EVERYTHING IS NEARBY.
IN JULY, YOU MAY WANT TO GET IN YOUR CAR AND DRIVE THE BLOCK AND A HALF, BUT 3/4 OF THE YEAR, IT'S ALL WALK-ABLE AND THE EXPANSE FOR BIKING AND WALKING PATHS IS JUST PHENOMENAL.
SOMETIMES I DON'T THINK YOU GET ALL THAT WHEN IT'S PURE PRIVATE DEVELOPMENT.
ANYWAYS, I WOULD LIKE TO THANK VST FOR PAYING ATTENTION TO THAT AND FOR OUR STAFF KIND OF DRIVE IN THAT IN AS WELL.
I'M HAPPY TO HEAR THAT WE'VE REACHED OUT TO THE HUNT FAMILY AND THAT THEY'RE HAPPY WITH THE PLACEMENT OF THE CAMPUS PARKWAY.
OBVIOUSLY, ONE OF MY CONCERNS IS PUTTING A ROADWAY THROUGH FARM GROUND AND SO I'M GLAD TO KNOW THAT'S BEEN PUT TO REST. THANK YOU.
>> I THINK WITH MR. MAXEY'S SIGNATURE, THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN A LACROSSE FIELD WITHIN THERE, AND I CANNOT FIND THAT ANYWHERE IN THIS PLAN.
[LAUGHTER] CHAIR RECOGNIZES SUPERVISOR PEDROZO.
>> THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. WE ALL HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO BE BRIEFED ON THIS EARLIER AND THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I THINK IS REALLY IMPORTANT AND LIKE SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA SAID, THE COLLABORATION BETWEEN THE CITY, THE COUNTY, AND MCOE, THE OFFICE OF EDUCATION HAS BEEN EXCELLENT AND EVERYBODY INVOLVED IN GETTING A PROJECT LIKE THIS.
ONE OF MY BIGGEST CONCERNS WITH GOING THROUGH THIS, AND IT'S THE CAMPUS WAS GROWING WHICH IS INEVITABLE AND THE COMMUNITY IS GOING TO GROW WITH IT IS CREATING TWO DIFFERENT COMMUNITIES BECAUSE THAT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT I WANTED TO SEE.
I DIDN'T WANT TO SEE YOU HAVE A MERCED AND THEN YOU HAVE A NORTH MERCED OR SOMETHING.
I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT IT ALL GELLED TOGETHER, AND I THINK THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS CAMPUS PARKWAY WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS SO IMPORTANT TO ME BECAUSE YOU'RE ABLE TO CONNECT THE TWO, WHICH I THINK IS REALLY GOOD.
[02:05:04]
ONE OF THE ISSUES AND I DID BRING THIS UP AT OUR MEETING AND I WILL SAY IT AGAIN IN THE PRESENTATION ON ONE OF THE MAPS, THOUGH THAT WAS CONCERNING AND NOT TO GET TOO MUCH INTO THE WEEDS, BUT ONE OF THE STREETS IS NAMED MAIN STREET.I DON'T WANT THAT TO BE A CONFUSION TO THE COMMUNITY THAT THERE'S A MAIN STREET OUT THERE AND THEN A MAIN STREET DOWNTOWN TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE ARE AWARE THAT WE'RE NOT SEPARATING, WE'RE KEEPING IT SIMILAR.
>> THANK YOU FOR THAT COMMENT AND QUESTION, SUPERVISOR.
WE ACTUALLY PICKED UP THE NAMES THAT WERE IN THE ORIGINAL UNIVERSE COMMUNITY PLAN.
THERE WAS A UNIVERSITY, THERE WAS A MAIN STREET, BUT ARE AWARE OF THAT SENSITIVITY AND WE'LL BE MODIFYING THOSE.
IN FACT, PART OF WHAT WE'RE IN THE PROCESS NOW OF TRYING TO HONOR PEOPLE THAT ACTUALLY MADE THIS WORK.
I'M THE GUY IN THE ONE YARD LINE TRYING TO TAKE THE BALL IN, BUT THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO TOOK THAT ALL ENTIRE 99 YARDS.
PART OF WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT IN ADDITION TO SOME OTHER REMEMBRANCES IS NAMING STREETS, MAJOR STREETS AFTER THOSE PEOPLE.
SO I WOULD ANTICIPATE THAT WE'VE GOT TO ONE, CALL THE UNIVERSITY THAT THE UC COLLAGE UNIVERSITY, BUT THAT MAIN STREET MAY END UP BEING A DIFFERENT NAME, NAMED AFTER SOMEBODY ELSE LIKE WE DID FOR VIRGINIA SMITH PARKWAY, IS THE MAIN EAST WEST SPINE ON THE PROJECT.
WE UNDERSTAND THAT CONCERN, I WILL BE ADDRESSING IT IN THE MASTER PLAN.
>> YOU CAN NAME IT LIKE SILVEIRA WAY OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. [LAUGHTER] NO.
THEN THE OTHER THING, I KNOW ONE OF THE BIG THINGS WHEN YOU LOOK AT THESE MULTIFAMILY RESIDENTIAL UNITS AND STUFF IS PARKING, AND WHAT HAVE YOU PLANNED FOR PARKING OUT THERE?
>> FIRST OF ALL, THAT'S WHERE PEOPLE ARE GOING TO STORE THEIR CARS, AND STUDENTS HAVE CARS.
I DIDN'T WHEN I WAS A STUDENT, BUT STUDENTS TODAY DO.
SO WE'RE GOING TO PROBABLY GO WITH A PRETTY CONVENTIONAL PARKING RATIO.
WE'LL BE TAKING OUR CUE BOTH FROM THE CITIES PARKING STANDARD AND ALSO FROM SPECIAL STUDIES, WE'RE GOING TO DO IT APARTMENTS THAT ARE PRIMARILY POPULATED BY STUDENTS.
I'LL HAVE OPPORTUNITY IN THIS PROJECT TO BASICALLY GO TO SCHOOL ON WHAT OTHER PROJECTS ARE DOING TO MAKE SURE THAT IN THE CENTRAL COMMERCIAL AREA, WE'RE CERTAINLY NOT UNDER PARKING THAT BECAUSE THOSE THINGS TEND TO SPILL OUT.
THERE IS A PREFERENCE IN RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT WHERE YOU'RE TRYING TO DE-EMPHASIZE THAT? I'M NOT QUITE SURE, THAT'S PROBABLY WISE IN THE CENTRAL VALLEY BECAUSE PEOPLE DO HAVE CARS.
MOST FAMILIES HAVE MORE THAN ONE JOB AND MANY HAVE TEENAGERS.
WE'RE TAKING THAT TO HEART WHERE WE CAN'T ECONOMIZE ON THAT LIKE IN THE VILLAGE CENTER WHERE WE'RE ACTUALLY GOING TO HAVE SOME MIXED-USE RESIDENTIAL, BE ABLE TO CUT BACK ON THAT A LITTLE BIT, IT COULD BE MORE WALKABLE.
BUT I WOULD ANTICIPATE, WE'RE GOING TO BE LOOKING AT SOMETHING FAIRLY CONVENTIONAL FOR AT LEAST A SPACE AND A HALF PER UNIT.
BUT PART OF OUR PLAN WILL BE TO ACTUALLY GO OUT AND COUNT OCCUPIED SPACES IN APARTMENT COMPLEXES THAT WE KNOW ARE OCCUPIED BY STUDENTS.
TRY NOT TO UNDER PARK THAT IN A WAY BECAUSE IT ALWAYS SPILLS OVER TO SOMEPLACE ELSE.
>> THANK YOU. I KNOW THAT'S A BIG CONCERN AND IT HASN'T BEEN WITH SOME OF THESE DEVELOPMENTS THAT COME UP WITHIN THE CITY AND STUFF.
I'M GLAD THAT YOU WERE ABLE TO ADDRESS IT.
BUT LIKE I SAID, I LIKE THIS PROJECT.
AS THE UC GROWS, THE COMMUNITY IS GOING TO GROW, AND WE HAVE TO HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR OUR STUDENTS.
BUT I ALSO LIKE THE FACT THAT IT'S NOT JUST STUDENT HOUSING THAT IT'S OPEN TO EVERYBODY.
I THINK IT'S AMAZING WHEN YOU ASK PEOPLE IF THEY'VE GONE OUT TO THE UNIVERSITY OR ANY PART AROUND THE UNIVERSITY, IF THEY HAVE, AND WHEN I WAS A TEACHER, I'D ASK MY STUDENTS AND I WOULD SAY, PROBABLY 65 PERCENT OF THE STUDENTS HAVEN'T GONE OUT THERE BECAUSE THEY JUST DIDN'T FEEL LIKE THEY WERE ALLOWED TO GO OUT THERE.
I THINK THIS PROVIDES ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY FOR THEM TO BE A PART OF THAT COMMUNITY, WHICH I APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>> THANK YOU. CHAIR RECOGNIZES SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA.
>> THANK YOU, CHAIR. THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE ALL HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF BEING BRIEFED ON THIS AHEAD OF TIME, AND SO JUST WANTED TO REITERATE MY COMMENTS ON THAT SWEEPING S TURN ON CAMPUS PARKWAY.
STEVE, I KNOW YOU YOU KNOW WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT THERE.
THEN THERE'S THAT ONE, I DON'T HAVE THE NAME OF THE STREET BUT IT COMES OFF OF THERE.
I STILL DON'T LIKE THAT THAT HAD SOMETHING, I'D LIKE FOR YOU GUYS TO SOMEHOW ADDRESS THAT ON THE FRONT END OF WHETHER IT'S A RIDE IN AND RIDE OUT.
BUT I JUST FEEL LIKE THAT BEING CAMPUS PARKWAY COMING THROUGH THAT,
[02:10:01]
THAT THAT'S GOING TO CAUSE A LOT OF ISSUES DOWN THE ROAD.SO JUST WANT TO PUT IT OUT THERE. THANK YOU.
>> NO MORE COMMENTS IN THE QUEUE, MARK?
>> MR. CHAIRMAN, MEMBERS THE BOARD AGAIN.
WE WANTED TO JUST SAY THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR LISTENING.
HOPEFULLY, THIS WAS AN INFORMATIVE OPPORTUNITY FOR EACH OF YOU.
AGAIN, MORE IMPORTANT TO THE PUBLIC.
DO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE MCOE TEAM, DR. TEIGEN HAS DONE, I THINK, A TREMENDOUS JOB WORKING WITH US, MR. PECK I THINK CHARACTERIZE IT VERY WELL, GETTING INTO THE RED ZONE.
CERTAINLY WANT TO COMPLIMENT THE CITY AS WELL.
I THINK TO EACH OF YOUR POINTS WITH REGARD TO COLLABORATION, ALL THOSE ARE IMPORTANT PIECES OF THE PUZZLE, AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU IN THE WEEKS AND MONTHS AHEAD.
>> THERE'S NO ACTION ON THIS ITEM?
>> NEXT IS ITEM 27 FROM COUNTY COUNCIL.
COUNTY COUNCIL, DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO ADD TO THIS? UNLESS THERE'S QUESTIONS? ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS? FURTHER DISCUSSION ON THIS ITEM? I HAVE A FIRST AND A SECOND.
LET'S GO AHEAD AND VOTE. TALLY THE VOTES.
NEXT IS BOARD APPOINTMENTS, ITEM 28 AND 29.
FURTHER DISCUSSIONS ON THESE ITEMS? YEAH, I'M SURE WE RECOGNIZE THE SUPERVISOR PEDROZO.
YEAH. I JUST WANTED TO WELCOME, AGAIN, IN FULL SUPPORT OF APPOINTING DEREK PARKER TO THE EMERGENCY MEDICAL CARE COMMITTEE.
AS A DISTRICT REPRESENTATIVE, HE STARTED HIS TENURE AS A FIRE CHIEF RECENTLY, AND I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE A GOOD ADDITION, SO I'M IN FULL SUPPORT.
MR. SILVEIRA, DO YOU HAVE ANY COMMENTS ON THE BOARD INFORMATION AND POSSIBLE ACTION?
[BOARD INFORMATION & POSSIBLE ACTION]
ANYTHING WE NEED TO HIGHLIGHT? [LAUGHTER] [NOISE] SEEING NONE, I WILL LOOK FOR A MOTION.SUPERVISOR PEREIRA MOTION, DO I HAVE A SECOND? WE NEED A SECOND.
WE HAVE A SECOND BY SUPERVISOR PEDROZO, SO GO AHEAD AND VOTE.
ACTUALLY, CHAIR RECOGNIZES SUPERVISOR PEDROZO THAT MUST BE WRONG, I'M GOOD.
YOU PRESSED THE WRONG BUTTON? YEAH, PROBABLY.
[LAUGHTER] CHAIR RECOGNIZES SUPERVISOR PEREIRA.
I JUST WANT TO THANK PUBLIC WORKS FOR ITEM 30.
THIS IS A PEDESTRIAN AND BICYCLE IMPROVEMENT PROJECT IN DELHI.
IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME COMING, AND SO I'M JUST GLAD THAT WE'RE TO THE SPOT OF AWARDING A CONTRACT.
ANYWAYS, THERE'S A LOT OF SPOTS IN DELHI WHERE SIDEWALK ENDS AND DIRT BEGINS, AND THEN DOWN THE ROAD, SIDEWALK BEGINS AGAIN BECAUSE OF SOME DEVELOPMENT OVER THE LAST 15, 20 YEARS.
THIS PROJECT IS REALLY GOING TO I THINK MAKE IT A LOT EASIER FOR FOLKS TO GET AROUND DELL HIGH AND HOPEFULLY ENCOURAGE THEM TO BICYCLE MORE.
I KNOW SOMETIMES THESE BOARD INFORMATION AND POSSIBLE ACTION ITEMS ARE A THORN IN OUR SIDES.
HOWEVER, I JUST WANTED TO POINT OUT THAT THIS ONE IS DEFINITELY NOT A THORN ON OUR SIDE AND WE'RE EXCITED AND SO I ENCOURAGE YOU TO VOTE YES. THANK YOU.
CHAIR RECOGNIZES SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA.
MR. CHAIR, I JUST WANT A POINT OF CLARIFICATION.
I'M ALL GOOD WITH THE COUNTY ITEMS ON THERE.
IT'S THE STATE ONES THAT DRIVE ME CRAZY.
[LAUGHTER] I THINK IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY, JUST LIKE SUPERVISOR PEREIRA POINTED OUT, FOR US TO HIGHLIGHT SOME THINGS THAT ARE GOING ON ON OUR DISTRICTS.
ON 31, THEY'RE PUTTING SOME SIDEWALKS IN SOUTH DOS PALOS AND SALMONELLA COMMUNITIES IN MY DISTRICT AS WELL.
I'M ALL GOOD FOR THOSE. IT'S JUST THE STATE ONES BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE WE'RE BLESSING THEIR ACTIONS AND THEY DON'T LIKE THAT. THANK YOU.
[02:15:03]
THANK YOU, SUPERVISOR.WE'RE GOING TO GO WITH BOARD REPORTS.
FOLLOWING THE REPORTS, WE'RE GOING TO DO A SHORT VIDEO TO PAY TRIBUTE TO FORMER SUPERVISOR JERRY O'BANNON.
SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA? SORRY ABOUT THAT.
THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. AGAIN, JUST WANT A COUPLE OF THINGS.
THE VACCINE ROLLOUT IS ALL EXECUTIVE OFFICE.
EVERYBODY THAT'S BEEN INVOLVED IN THAT, YOU HAD FOLKS OUT THERE IN HILL MAR, COUNTY STAFF THAT WERE OUT THERE TILL AFTER NINE O'CLOCK AT NIGHT MAKING SURE THAT THEY'RE GETTING SHOTS PUSHED IN ARMS. LINDSAY JOHNSON, CHIEF ERIC, DAVID MARY, ALL YOU GUYS THAT ARE INVOLVED IN.
I KNOW I'M NOT MENTIONING EVERYBODY'S NAMES, BUT JUST A HERCULEAN EFFORT TO JUST REALLY GET SHOTS IN PEOPLE'S ARMS AND SO THE WORK IS NOT LOST ON ME AND I DON'T THINK ANY OF US UP HERE, AND SO WE WANT TO THANK YOU GUYS FOR THE HARD WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING.
AGAIN, I THINK WE'RE GETTING TO THAT POINT WHERE I'M NOT GOING TO SAY THAT THE SUPPLY HAS CAUGHT UP TO THE DEMAND YET, BUT I THINK WITH THE STATE FINALLY COMING AROUND AND CHANGING THAT ALLOCATION FORMULA, IT'S AT LEAST GETTING US TO A BETTER PLACE WHERE WE CAN ACTUALLY GET VACCINES OUT TO THOSE FOLKS THAT NEED IT.
AGAIN, THANK YOU AND KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK.
IT'S BEEN A ROUGH COUPLE OF WEEKS, ESPECIALLY I KNOW ALL OVER THE COUNTY, BUT ESPECIALLY IN MY DISTRICT, AND SO I'M JUST GOING TO READ A COUPLE OF THINGS ABOUT MY PREDECESSOR, MY FRIEND, MY MENTOR, JERRY O'BANNON, WHO PASSED AWAY FROM BASICALLY WHAT TURNED OUT TO BE COMPLICATIONS FROM COVID-19.
JERRY MARRIED THE LOVE OF HIS LIFE, DOLLY.
TOGETHER, THEY RAISE THREE CHILDREN: LYNN, CAREY, AND JEREMY.
JERRY WAS CALLED TO BEGIN AS PUBLIC SERVICE IN 1980 AND WAS ELECTED TO THE DOS PALOS CITY COUNCIL THROUGH 1990, SERVING THREE YEARS AS MAYOR FROM '87-'90.
HE WAS ELECTED TO THE MERCER COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS IN 1990 AND SERVED SEVEN TERMS. THAT'S 28 YEARS, INCLUDING SERVING AS CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD SIX TIMES, RETIRING IN 2018, AND IS THE SECOND LONGEST-SERVING SUPERVISOR FOR CONSECUTIVE YEARS IN THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA TODAY.
HIS FAMILY ASKED THAT IN HIS MEMORY, IF YOU'RE SO MOVED, DONATIONS MAY BE MADE TO THE JERRY O'BANNON'S MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP FUND.
THE ADDRESS ON THAT IS 16378 NORTH FAIRFAX AVENUE, DOS PALOS, CALIFORNIA 93620 AND I WILL BE POSTING THAT ON ALL MY SOCIAL MEDIA LATER.
JUST A QUICK STORY AND I KNOW THAT SOME OF YOU FOLKS UP HERE HAVE HEARD THAT THIS STORY.
MY WHOLE INTEREST IN PUBLIC SERVICE BEGAN WHEN I WAS PROBABLY ABOUT, I'M GOING TO SAY IT WAS EIGHT OR NINE YEARS OLD.
I COULD TAKE YOU TO THE EXACT SPOT IN THE EXACT BARNETT AT THE MAYDAY FAIR, WHERE I MET THE THEN MAYOR OF DOS PALOS.
I JUST REMEMBER GOING HOME THAT NIGHT, MIND YOU NOT KNOWING HOW BIG DOS PALOS WAS THEN.
BUT I JUST REMEMBER I WENT HOME, I THOUGHT I WAS PRETTY BIG STUFF.
I WAS TELLING MY DAD I MET THE MAYOR OF DOS PALOS.
THEY WERE TIED IN THE BARN WITH US, AND MY MOM KNEW JERRY AND GREW UP WITH JERRY AND SHOWED WITH HIM.
BUT YOU DON'T KNOW AND IT JUST SPARKED THIS FASCINATION THAT GOT ME INTO, I'M GOING TO CALL IT LEADERSHIP AND PUBLIC SERVICE, AND FROM THERE YOU GROW AND I BECAME THE PRESIDENT OF MY 4-H CLUB.
I WAS THE PRESIDENT OF MY FFA CHAPTER.
I BECAME A VOLUNTEER FOR ENVIRONMENT.
I BECAME THE VOLUNTEER FIRE CHIEF.
I BECAME THE PRESIDENT OF THE CHIEFS ASSOCIATION.
I HAVE ALMOST ALL OF THAT TO CONTRIBUTE TO JERRY O'BANNON.
WHAT I LOVED ABOUT HIM WAS, IS HE DIDN'T ALWAYS AGREE.
I WAS ON THE CITY COUNCIL FOR EIGHT YEARS AND THEN GET THAT PHONE CALL AFTERWARDS AND HE WOULD TELL YOU, "WELL, I DON'T AGREE WITH WHAT YOU DID." BUT WE ALWAYS HAD A RELATIONSHIP WHERE I COULD TELL HIM WHAT I THOUGHT, AND HE COULD TELL ME WHAT HE THOUGHT, AND SOMETIMES WE WOULD AGREE TO DISAGREE.
ONE OF THE ASSETS, THE MOST VALUABLE PIECES, I RAN FOR SUPERVISOR, I HAD JERRY'S SUPPORT, I HAD A FRIEND AND A MENTOR AND JUST GOING THROUGH THE PROCESS, TALKING WITH HIM, AND THEN ONCE I TOOK THE SPOT, MIND YOU HE REMINDED ME ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS THAT I DID NOT TAKE OFFICE UNTIL 12:01 ON WHATEVER THAT DAY WAS, HE WAS BEING PAID TO BE HERE UNTIL 12 O'CLOCK AND HE WAS GOING TO BE HERE TILL 12 O'CLOCK THAT DAY.
BUT THE BEING ABLE TO CALL HIM.
THERE'S THINGS THAT COME UP IN THE COUNTY, AND WHEN YOU'VE BEEN HERE 28 YEARS, YOU KNOW A LOT ABOUT WHAT GOES ON, AND HE HAD A REALLY GREAT MEMORY AND COULD WALK
[02:20:01]
YOU THROUGH THE DETAILS OF HOW IT GOT WHERE IT WAS.WHEN YOU'RE SOMEONE FOR 28 YEARS, AT THAT POINT WHEN HE RETIRED, THERE'S NOT TOO MANY PEOPLE THAT WORKED FOR THE COUNTY THAT HAVE BEEN HERE LONGER THAN HIM, JIM BEING THE EXCEPTION.
I WOULD JUST CALL HIM, "HEY, JERRY, THIS IS COMING UP.
WHAT'S GOING ON HERE? WHAT DO YOU REMEMBER ABOUT THIS?" NOT ONLY AM I GOING TO MISS MY FRIENDSHIP, MY MENTORSHIP, I'M GOING TO MISS THAT ABILITY TO BE ABLE TO CALL HIM.
MY LOVE AND MY PRAYERS GO OUT TO HIS FAMILY.
I KNOW THAT ABOVE ALL ELSE, AS MUCH AS HE WAS JUST A GREAT COMMUNITY SERVICE SERVER, IF YOU WILL.
HE WAS SUPER PROUD OF HIS KIDS AND HIS GRANDKIDS, AND THAT WAS THE LIGHT OF HIS LIFE. IT'S JUST TOO BAD.
I DID HAVE THE FORTUNE, JERRY, HE GOT COVID, HE WAS IN THE HOSPITAL FOR A LITTLE WHILE.
HE WAS IN AND OUT, AND I DID GET TO TALK TO HIM THROUGHOUT THERE AND I'M VERY THANKFUL THAT I DID.
JUST AGAIN, MY HEART, MY LOVE, AND MY PRAYERS GOES OUT TO THE O'BANNON FAMILY FOR THAT EXTREME LOSS THAT THEY'VE SUFFERED.
BUT WE WILL ALWAYS REMEMBER HIM.
THAT'S ONE OF THE FOLKS THAT I WANT TO ADJOURN TODAY'S MEETING IN MEMORY OF, IS MY FRIEND, AND MY COLLEAGUE, AND MY PREDECESSOR, JERRY O'BANNON.
WITH THAT MR. CHAIR, AGAIN, I SAID IT'S BEEN A ROUGH GO.
I WANTED TO INFORM US IS ALSO I WANT TO ADJOURN TODAY'S MEETING IN MEMORY OF COLLEEN MINIFY.
COLLEEN MINIFY IS ANOTHER ONE OF THOSE LONG-TIME COMMUNITY SERVANTS.
SHE WAS ON THE SCHOOL BOARD IN LOS BANOS.
FRIENDS OF THE LIBRARY HAS BEEN JUST A STRONG ADVOCATE FOR EDUCATION, LEARNING, LITERACY IN LOS BANOS. GREAT FAMILY.
I CAN'T REMEMBER A TIME THAT I DIDN'T KNOW COLLEEN MINIFY, JUST A GREAT PERSON.
SHE HAD AN ILLNESS AND PASSED AWAY THIS PAST WEEK, AND SO I KNOW THAT SHE'S GOING TO BE SORELY MISSED BY HER FRIENDS AND THE FRIENDS OF THE LIBRARY.
SHE WAS IN THE LOS BANOS ROTARY CLUB.
I JUST CAN'T SAY ENOUGH GREAT THINGS ABOUT HER.
THERE WILL BE A CELEBRATION OF LIFE TOMORROW, REMEMBERING COLLEEN MINIFY.
WITH THAT, AGAIN, I WANT TO ADJOURN TODAY'S MEETING ALSO IN MEMORY OF COLLEEN MINIFY. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR.
THANK YOU, SUPERVISOR ESPINOZA.
>> THANK YOU, SIR. AGAIN, REGARDING THE VACCINES, PEOPLE HAVE ASKED ME IF I GOT THE VACCINE YET, AND I JUST TOLD THEM NO.
I WANT TO WAIT TILL IT'S MY TEAR TO TAKE IT BECAUSE THERE WERE THINGS THAT WE ALREADY GOT IT.
I DON'T KNOW ABOUT EVERYBODY ELSE, BUT I'M JUST GOING TO TALK ABOUT MYSELF.
HOPEFULLY I'M GOING TO TRY TO DONATE SOME BLOOD SO THEY CAN DO SOME BLOOD PLASMA BECAUSE I KNOW I GOT THE ANTIBODY, SO I'M GOING TO WAIT ON THAT TOO.
I'VE HEARD THAT IF I GET THE VACCINE, I WON'T BE ABLE TO DONATE.
I'M GOING TO TRY TO DONATE IT AND HOPEFULLY I CAN PASS ON AND MAYBE SAVE A LIFE OR A FEW SO I JUST WANT TO THANK AGAIN THE WHOLE HEALTH DEPARTMENT FOR DOING SUCH A GOOD WORK AND EVERYBODY IS VOLUNTEERING AND DR. SANDRA OR DR. ASARY.
I CAN'T REMEMBER ALL THE NAMES RIGHT NOW, BUT I THINK EVERYBODY ALSO THE ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE SUPPORTING ALL THOSE VACCINE DRIVE OUT THERE.
I SAW A ROTARY AND PEOPLE FROM EVERY SIDE, THANK YOU FOR ALL VOLUNTEERS.
THEY DO SO MUCH TO HELP OUT AND I'M ASSURED WITH THAT. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, SUPERVISOR PEREIRA.
>> THANK YOU CHAIR. WHEN I GOT ELECTED TO THE BOARD FOUR YEARS AGO, THERE WAS A JOKE THAT THE BOARD HAD 30 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE AT THAT TIME AND SO I DID THE MATH.
I BROUGHT ZERO AND MY COLLEAGUE SUPERVISOR ESPINOSA BROUGHT ZERO AND THEN SUPERVISOR LOR AT THE TIME BROUGHT ZERO.
THEN I REALIZED, DARON BROUGHT TWO, HE HAD BEEN ELECTED TWO YEARS BEFORE US AND SO I'M DOING THE MATH AND HOLY MOLY.
BLACKS I THINK WAS 28 YEARS BECAUSE HE HAD JUST SERVED A TOTAL OF 28, BUT IT WAS 26 AT THE TIME AND, IT WAS JUST A FUNNY JOKE.
WE ALL LAUGHED AND WE KNEW WE'D BE OKAY BECAUSE JERRY WAS LIKE THE GRANDFATHER TO US NEWBIES AND ANYWAYS THEN IT SET IN THAT JERRY WAS A MENTOR AND HE WAS WILLING TO MENTOR ANYBODY WHO WOULD SIT DOWN AND LISTEN TO HIM.
I DID THAT ON QUITE A FEW OCCASIONS AND THEN ONCE HE RETIRED, I REALIZED THAT I MISSED THAT MENTORSHIP.
[02:25:02]
BUT A FEW TIMES I TALKED TO HIM AFTER THAT AND THEN NOW THAT'S NO LONGER AVAILABLE.I GUESS LOOKING BACK, THERE'S PROBABLY A FEW MORE THINGS I WISH I WOULD HAVE ASKED HIM AT THE TIME, BUT NOBODY KNEW THAT.
WELL, WE DON'T KNOW NONE OF US KNOW THE DAY THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE CALLED HOME TO OUR FATHER.
ANYHOW, I GUESS I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S APPROPRIATE BUT I WOULD LIKE TO CLOSE TODAY'S MEETING IN MEMORY OF JERRY BRANYON AS WELL.
I DON'T THINK I WOULD'VE GOTTEN NEARLY UP TO SPEED AS QUICK AS I DID IF I DID, I DON'T KNOW BUT WITHOUT JERRY'S INPUT AND GUIDANCE.
HE MEANS A LOT TO ME, I DIDN'T KNOW JERRY VERY WELL BEFORE I GOT HERE, BUT CERTAINLY LEARNT TO APPRECIATE HIM VERY QUICKLY.
HE WAS A GREAT MAN, AND SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA HIT THE NAIL RIGHT ON THE HEAD.
AS MUCH AS HE LOVED PUBLIC SERVANT, HIS FAMILY WAS EVERYTHING TO HIM AND PROBABLY HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF A LESSON I LEARNED, IS THAT YOU CAN'T LET YOUR PUBLIC SERVICE GET IN THE WAY OF YOUR COMMITMENT TO YOUR FAMILY.
THAT WAS A GREAT LESSON THAT HE TAUGHT ME AS WELL SO THAT IS IT.
>> THANK YOU. SUPERVISOR PEDROSA.
>> THANK YOU. I WANT TO ECHO WHAT SUPERVISOR ESPINOSA SAID ABOUT THE VACCINES AND I KNOW IT'S BEEN BROUGHT UP, BUT I REALLY WANT TO HIGHLIGHT.
A LOT OF TIMES PEOPLE THINK THAT YOUR GOVERNMENT ISN'T WORKING FOR YOU, OR IT'S HARD TO GET HOLD OF IT, BUT SEEING THIS ROLL OUT WITH THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT, WITH DOCTOR SADI, WITH DR. [INAUDIBLE] AND DOING EVERYTHING THEY'RE DOING IS REALLY PROOF THAT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT IS REALLY WORKING.
SO I APPRECIATE AND THANK EVERYBODY.
THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE AT THE DIFFERENT SITES THAT I'VE BEEN TO, THEY'RE NOT GETTING PAID.
IT'S A VOLUNTEER AND SO YOU HAVE PEOPLE THAT ARE COMING AFTER HOURS WHO HAVE MAYBE DONE LIKE AN ENTIRE SHIFT AS A NURSE OR WHATEVER, BUT THEY'RE STILL COMING OUT AND HELPING AND I THINK IT'S REALLY A TESTAMENT TO OUR COMMUNITY WHICH I THINK IS REALLY AWESOME.
I WANTED TO SAY THAT LAST WEEK MYSELF, SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL, ASSEMBLY MEMBER ADAM GRAY, MAYOR PAUL CREIGHTON, AND MAYOR [INAUDIBLE] , [NOISE] HIGHLIGHTED A LOCAL BUSINESS IN MERCED.
IT WAS SAM CAFE. IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE WERE PLANNING ON DOING FOR AT LEAST IN THE NEAR FUTURE, ONCE A MONTH.
TO REALLY FOCUS ON LOCAL BUSINESSES AND GETTING PEOPLE OUT TO LOCAL BUSINESSES AND SUPPORT LOCAL BUSINESSES WHO'VE BEEN HIT INCREDIBLY HARD.
OUR NEXT ONE IS GOING TO BE MARCH 13TH AND WE'RE GOING TO HIGHLIGHT COVA THIS RESTAURANT OVER OFF A CHILD'S.
I GOT TO KNOW JERRY WHEN MY FATHER WAS ON THE SUPERVISORS AND THEN AS A CITY COUNCIL MEMBER.
EVEN THOUGH REPRESENTING MERCED, I DIDN'T REALLY HAVE MUCH INTERACTION WITH HIM, BUT WE WOULD ALWAYS TALK AND STUFF AND IT WAS IT WAS FUNNY.
ALSO MY WIFE WORKED UP HERE ON THE THIRD FLOOR FOR ABOUT A YEAR AND SHE GOT TO KNOW JERRY AND THE THING THAT SHE WOULD TELL ME AND THE THING THAT YOU WOULD WITNESSES IS THAT JERRY HE TREATED EVERYBODY THE SAME.
IT DIDN'T MATTER IF YOU WERE THE HIGHEST OF THE HIGH OR THE LOWEST OF THE LOW, EVERYBODY WAS TREATED EXACTLY THE SAME.
THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT I THOUGHT WAS REALLY COOL.
I KNOW ONE OF THE THINGS THAT HE DID EVERY WEEK, EVERY FRIDAY WAS BRINGING DONUTS AND STUFF AND SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I'M GOING TO CONTINUE.
MAY NOT ALWAYS BE DOUGHNUTS, BUT LATELY IT'S BEEN COOKIES.
I DID ALSO SEE SOMETHING AND I THINK ANDREW PUT IT UP ON SOCIAL MEDIA, I CAN'T REMEMBER.
JERRY USED TO ALWAYS, FOR LACK OF BETTER TERM, GIVE OUT THESE TOYS OR SOMETHING.
HE'D HAVE FLASHLIGHT KEY CHAINS, A FLASHLIGHT, A SCREWDRIVER, PINS OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, CALCULATOR.
HE'D GIVE TWO TO MY DAD AND SAY, "HEY, MAKE SURE YOU GIVE THESE TO JOSH, ONE FOR JOSH AND ONE FOR HEIDI." THE COMMENT WAS THAT IF YOU GOT ONE OF THOSE FROM JERRY, IT WAS LIKE THAT WAS A BIG DEAL.
[02:30:02]
THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS REALLY COOL AND I REALLY APPRECIATED HIS LEADERSHIP.YOU COULD FEEL HIS PRESENCE WHEN YOU'RE IN THE ROOM WITH HIM JUST BECAUSE OF THE AMOUNT OF EXPERIENCE HE HAD AND HOW HE WAS AS A PERSON.
IT WAS UNFORTUNATE I WASN'T ABLE TO ATTEND HIS MEMORIAL SERVICE BECAUSE I HAD TO PICK UP PIGS THAT DAY FOR THE FAIR.
I THOUGHT TO MYSELF, I THINK JERRY WOULD HAVE PREFERRED I PICK UP THE PIGS THAN DO THAT BECAUSE THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WAS IMPORTANT TO HIM.
HE WAS A GREAT MAN AND HE WILL DEFINITELY BE MISSED.
>> THANK YOU SUPERVISOR. COUNTY COUNCIL.
>> I JUST ECHO WHAT EVERYBODY SAID ABOUT JERRY.
I DIDN'T GET TO WORK WITH HIM.
WELL, I GOT TO WORK WITH HIM FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS AND HE ALWAYS TREATED ME VERY WELL, HE WAS THE ONLY PERSON WHO CORRECTED ME ON THE BOARD ON THE BROWN ACT [LAUGHTER] AND WAS CORRECT.
I STILL HAVE MOST OF MY JURY TOYS AT HOME, INCLUDING THE FAN. ANYWAY THAT'S [BACKGROUND].
STORAGE YOU'VE ALL SHARED IS WAS ALLUDED TO BY SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA.
THE ONE THING I ALWAYS HAD ON SUPERVISOR OR BANYAN WAS I STARTED AT NINE MONTHS BEFORE HE DID.
IT'S ALWAYS HAD THAT LITTLE RUNNING JOKE WITH HIM BECAUSE OF HIS LENGTH AND TENURE.
I CAN TELL YOU THE STORIES BACK FROM I'M NOT GOING GO INTO THEM, BUT THE NINETIES WHEN WE ALMOST WITH RUNNING UP THE WHITE FLAG UP THE POLL AND MAKING NUMEROUS TRIPS TO SACRAMENTO.
I REMEMBER WHEN HE LEARNED HE DID NOT LIKE SACRAMENTO BACK IN THE 90'S AND HE WOULD NEVER GO BACK TO SACRAMENTO AND HE WANTED TO STAY HERE IN MERCED COUNTY AND REPRESENT MERCED COUNTY.
JUST A WONDERFUL LEADER, A WONDERFUL FRIEND, AND WE WILL CERTAINLY BE MISSED.
I ALSO GIVE MY THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS TO HIS FAMILY BECAUSE THEY ARE SPECIAL ALSO.
>> THANK YOU. MR. BROWN WANTED TO BRING UP DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS.
I JUST WANTED TO DO A SHOUT OUT.
NOT ALL THE TIME WHEN WE'RE TALKING TO A CONSTITUENT WHEN THEY THANK ME BUT LEFT WHITLEY WAS RAISED UP IN A CONVERSATION WITH A CONSTITUENT AND SAID, WHAT A FANTASTIC JOB HE DID.
I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE WE GIVE KUDOS WHERE IT IS.
ALSO, I ATTENDED THE DRUG COURT GRADUATION AND I JUST WANTED TO MAKE A BIG THANK YOU.
NOT ONLY TO THOSE FOLKS WHO GRADUATED IN THE PROCESS THEY WENT THROUGH, BUT I REALLY WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THAT THE FOLKS ON BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AND PROBATION, WHEN YOU LISTEN TO THEM, TALK ABOUT THE PEOPLE WHO WENT THROUGH THE PROGRAM AND THEY RECOMMENDED THEM FOR GRADUATION.
THESE FOLKS CARE. THEY DO THE JOB, NOT FOR THE PAY, BUT THEY DEFINITELY CARE.
I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT I HIGHLIGHTED THOSE FOLKS AS WELL.
I TOO WOULD LIKE TO ADJOURN AND HONOR OF JERRY O'BANNON, WHO WAS A CLOSE FRIEND.
I WORKED WITH HIM IN THE SENATE.
I WORKED WITH THEM IN THE CONGRESS.
ALWAYS KNOW WHO HE WAS AND HAD THIS HIGHEST REGARDS OF RESPECT FOR HIM.
I'LL NEVER FORGET ONE OF MY FIRST DAYS AND OFF.
IN FACT, I THINK IT WAS THE DAY BEFORE MY FIRST DAY IN OFFICE.
WHEN A SUPERVISOR BUT ROSSO, YOUR FATHER, TOLD ME, I GOT TO SAY THERE WAS ONE TIME WHEN I WAS IN THIS DISTRICT PRESENTING A CERTIFICATE ON BEHALF OF CONGRESSMAN, JEFF DENHAM, AND CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICTS.
WHEN YOU ENTER INTO ANOTHER DISTRICT FROM ANOTHER CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT, THERE'S A LOT OF ANIMOSITY, I GUESS, AND I REALLY DIDN'T THINK OF IT BECAUSE I'D NEVER HAD TO DO THAT.
BUT I WAS CASTLE PRESENTING A CERTIFICATE ONE TIME AND SUPERVISOR OF BANYAN WAS NOT HAPPY WITH ME BEING NOW SO MUCH THAT IT WAS ME, BUT BECAUSE I WAS OUT OF DISTRICT DOING IT, A PRESENTATION ON SOMETHING.
DEFENSES CONGRESSMAN JEFF DENHAM, HE WAS A SENATOR HERE AT THE TIME.
THAT ACKNOWLEDGMENT WAS BASICALLY HIM ACKNOWLEDGING IT.
BUT SUPERVISOR FOR ROSSO TOLD ME THE DAY BEFORE THAT I SWORE IN OR STARTED MY POSITION HERE.
HE LOOKS A LITTLE ROUGH BUT DON'T TAKE ANYTHING PERSONAL IF HE DOESN'T ACKNOWLEDGE YOU OR TALK TO YOU,
[02:35:04]
JUST GO ABOUT YOUR BUSINESS.DON'T WORRY ABOUT IT. DON'T TAKE IT PERSONAL. I GOT TO TELL YOU.
MY FIRST DAY THAT I TOOK THE OFFICE, JERRY DIDN'T MAKE IT TO MY SWEARING IN.
HE CAME TO MY OFFICE AND GOT MAD AT ME.
NOT MAD, IT JUST POKE AT ME, HE POKED AT ME ALL THE TIME.
BUT I GOT TO SAY EVER SINCE THAT HAPPENED, IT'S HARD TO BELIEVE THAT I REALLY ONLY KNEW HIM FOR FOUR YEARS BECAUSE FOR TWO YEARS WE WERE TOGETHER EVERY DAY.
LUNCH HE USED TO CALL FOR HELP, ALL YOUR LOGO, THE CRAZY CHICKEN.
WE ALWAYS HAD TO GO TO OUR FAVORITE MEXICAN RESTAURANT WHICH WAS IN DISTRICT 3.
BUT THE OWNER FOR FROM DISTRICT 5.
[LAUGHTER] HE AND I COULD CLOSE THE DOOR AND YELL AT EACH OTHER.
HE WAS OUR SENIOR SUPERVISOR, SO HE'D ALWAYS GO TO LUNCH WITH COUNTY COUNCIL AND THE CEO.
I HAD THE HONOR TO BE ABLE TO GO TO LUNCH WITH HIM AFTER OUR MEETINGS.
THERE ARE SO MANY TIMES WHEN JAMES VENTURE ROUND WOULD BE IN THE BACKSEAT OF THE CAR CHAIR, HE WOULD GET INTO SOME HEATED WHERE WE DID EVERYTHING THAT PROBABLY CURSE AT EACH OTHER.
BUT SINCE WE OPENED THAT DOOR, WE WERE GOOD AND WE'RE NEVER MAD AT EACH OTHER.
WE JUST HAD DIFFERENCES OF OPINION AND WE COULD ALWAYS WORK IT OUT.
BUT NO, THOSE WERE VERY GOOD TIMES.
I GOT TO SAY, AND I ALWAYS LIKED HOW FOR SOME REASON WE'RE GOING THROUGH THE HEALTH CARE FOR ALL, AND I WAS THE CHAIRMAN AND WE HAD A WHOLE LOT OF STUFF GOING ON.
A LOT OF THE MEDIA AND REPORTERS WERE CALLING TO TALK TO US AT ALL TIMES.
I HAD A REPORTER CALLS ME AND SAYS I CAN NEVER GET A HOLD A SUPERVISOR BANYAN, I WANT HIS CELL PHONE NUMBER.
AS WE DO, YOU NEVER GIVE OUT SOMEBODY'S CELL PHONE NUMBER IF THEY DON'T ADVERTISE IT PUBLICLY.
I GO INTO JERRY'S OFFICE AND I SAID, JERRY, HEY, I GOT THIS REPORTER.
I GO THEY WANT YOUR CELL PHONE NUMBER.
HE LOOKED AT ME AND HE GOT SERIOUSLY BECAUSE YOU DON'T EVER GIVE A REPORTER YOUR CELL PHONE NUMBER.
BY THE WAY, IF THEY WANT TO CALL ME, THEY HAVE MY HOME NUMBER.
I'LL BE THERE AFTER 4:00 O'CLOCK.
[LAUGHTER] I WILL TALK TO HIM THEN, HE GOES, THEY KNOW IT.
THAT'S WHY THEY'RE TRYING TO GET MY CELL PHONE NUMBER FROM YOU.
ONE OF THE HIGHLIGHTS AFTER HIS RETIREMENT WAS WHENEVER I'D CALL HIM AND HE HAD LAY IT OUT TO ME.
HE KNEW THE HISTORY, HE KNEW EVERYTHING ON IT.
BUT ONE OF THE PRIZES WAS WHEN HE WOULD CALL ME BACK OR SOMETHING.
EVERY TIME I CALL DALI WILL BE ON THE CAR WITH HIM.
WHEN HE WOULD ANSWER THAT PHONE CALL, HE WOULD REMIND ME, HEY, DALI IS IN THE CAR.
LET'S KEEP THIS CONVERSATION WHERE IT NEEDS TO BE.
OR IF HE CALLED ME THE FIRST THING YOU'D SAY, HEY, WANT TO LET YOU KNOW DALI IS IN THE CAR.
BUT WHAT WAS GREAT IS HAVING THOSE CONVERSATIONS AND JERRY AND I COULD GET INTO THE POLICY AND THE POLICY WONK OF IT ALL.
DALI'S OPINIONS WERE ALWAYS BROUGHT IN.
HE WOULD EVEN SAY NOW THAT'S DALI'S OPINION.
THAT DOESN'T NECESSARILY MEAN IT'S THE OPINION OF THE CAR.
[LAUGHTER] SO WITH THAT, I CHERISHED THAT TIME MORE THAN ANYTHING I THINK IN MY CAREER.
SO WITH THAT, I WOULD LIKE TO PLAY THE VIDEO THAT WE HAVE AVAILABLE FOR JERRY.
SHOULD WE PUT THE LIGHT OUT? [MUSIC] [NOISE]
[02:40:48]
SHE'S ON THE PHONE. [LAUGHTER].
>> WITH THAT, I'LL ADJOURN TODAY'S MEETING.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.