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OKAY.[Call to Order]
GOOD MORNING, EVERYONE.WELCOME TO THE AUGUST 10TH, 2021 MERCER COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS MEETING 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. PLEASE NOTE THAT IF YOU HAVE LEFT A VOICEMAIL, THAT THAT, UH, GOES TOWARDS YOUR THREE MINUTES AND IF YOU WANT YOUR VOICEMAIL SUBMITTED, UM, THERE WON'T BE A PUBLIC COMMENT IN PERSON.
SO WE CAN'T DOUBLE DIP HERE NOW TO START WITH THE INVOCATION LED BY PASTOR HAMMOND FROM LOS BANOS AT THE BETHEL COMMUNITY CHURCH.
THANK YOU SIR, FOR COMING IN DEAR HEAVENLY FATHER, THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO MEET HERE TOGETHER, CONDUCT A BUSINESS AND FOR OUR COUNTY, WE THANK YOU FOR THE FREEDOMS THAT WE ENJOY AS AMERICANS TO DO.
SO I THANK YOU FOR EACH SUPERVISOR FOR THEIR LEADERSHIP AND COURAGE IN THESE DIFFICULT TIMES.
I THANK YOU FOR EACH DEPARTMENT, HEAD AND STAFF MEMBER.
WE ASK YOUR BLESSINGS UPON EACH AND EVERY ONE OF THEM UPON THEIR FAMILIES, PROTECT THEM, KEEP THEM SAFE AS THEY CONTINUE TO LEAD US THROUGH THE CHALLENGES THAT WE ARE ALL FACING, GIVE EACH OF THEM, YOUR WISDOM AND GUIDANCE AS THEY NAVIGATE THROUGH THE HARD DECISIONS, UNPRECEDENTED CIRCUMSTANCES, AND PRESSURES FROM OTHER ENTITIES.
I THANK YOU FOR THEIR COMMITMENT TO STAND UP FOR WHAT IS RIGHT, AND FOR THE THINGS THAT OUR CITIZENS NEED THE MOST MAY, WE ALWAYS KEEP A RIGHTEOUS PERSPECTIVE OF WHAT IS TRULY IMPORTANT AND NEEDFUL.
WE THANK YOU FOR KEEPING YOUR HAND UPON HER SAID COUNTY.
AND WE ASKED THAT YOU WOULD CONTINUE TO KEEP US IN YOUR HANDS SO THAT OUR FUTURE WOULD BE BRIGHT AND PROSPEROUS.
WE ASK THESE THINGS IN THE NAME OF JESUS, AMEN.
AND TO KEEP IN THE SPIRIT OF THE WEST SIDE.
WE'LL ASK SUPERVISOR SOLVERA TO LEAD US IN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE READY.
SO I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF AMERICA, FOR WHICH IT STANDS ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
THANK YOU, SUPERVISOR OLVERA AND PASTOR HAMMOND, FOR THOSE KIND WORDS MOVING RIGHT ALONG THERE WAS NOT A CLOSED SESSION.
SO THERE IS NOTHING TO REPORT OUT TODAY.
[PUBLIC OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK]
WE'LL GO AHEAD AND GO TO THE PUBLIC COMMENT.WE WILL NOW TAKE COMMENTS FROM THE MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC.
PLEASE RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND AND YOU WILL BE DIRECTED TO THE PODIUM.
UM, FIRST OF ALL, LET'S, UM, I THINK YOU HAD MY CUE THAT IF YOU'VE ALREADY LEFT A VOICEMAIL, YOU'RE NOT ALLOWED TO TALK AS A PUBLIC COMMENT, OR IF YOU WANT TO DELETE YOUR VOICE NOW AND SPEAK HERE, WE CAN DO THAT, BUT IT MIGHT TAKE A LITTLE PLUS GO AHEAD AND DO THE VOICEMAILS FIRST, AND THEN WE'LL BE DIRECTED TO THE PODIUM AFTER THAT.
IT'S NOW TIME FOR PUBLIC OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK ON ANY MATTER OF THE PUBLIC'S INTEREST WITHIN THE BOARD'S JURISDICTION, INCLUDING ITEMS ON THE BOARD'S AGENDA, EXCEPT FOR THOSE ITEMS SPECIFICALLY SCHEDULED AS PUBLIC HEARINGS TESTIMONY LIMITED TO THREE MINUTES PER PERSON.
THIS IS JOSEPH CASTEEL RESIDENT OF DEL HEIGHT, AND I AM CALLING, UH, REGARDING TO LEAVE A COMMENT FOR AGENDA ITEM 23 ON TOMORROW SUPERVISOR MEETING, UH, UH, FOR AUGUST 10TH, UH, 2021.
AND THE COMMENT IS THAT, UH, AS A RESIDENT OF DEL HI, UH, I WOULD LIKE AMERICAN RESCUE FUNDS TO BE SET ASIDE FOR A RECREATION CENTER SLASH PARK FOR THE COMMUNITY OF DEL HYDE.
I THINK IT'S A VERY IMPORTANT AND NECESSITY, UH, THE COMMUNITY'S GROWING, UM, AND WE'RE AN OUTLINED BEDROOM COMMUNITY FOR BIGGER COMMUNITIES, SUCH AS TURLOCK, UH, UH, BUT THAT STOWE AND, UM, IT'S IMPORTANT THAT OUR RESIDENTS AND OUR YOUNG ADULTS AND CHILDREN
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HAVE A PLACE TO COME TOGETHER AND MEET AND, AND HELP THE COMMUNITY GROW.AND, UM, UH, JUST TO HAVE A GENERAL PLACE, UH, UH, FOR COMMUNITY SPIRITS.
SO AGAIN, UH, THIS IS, UH, FOR AGENDA ITEM 23, UH, AMERICAN RESCUE FUNDS FOR, UH, THE RESTORATION CENTER SLASH PARK FOR DOHA, CALIFORNIA.
UM, UNFORTUNATELY I DIDN'T GET THE NAME OF THE PERSON, UM, BUT THE PERSON IS SPEAKING ABOUT ITEM NUMBER 23, THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN ACT AND WOULD LIKE FUNDS TO BE APPLIED TO THE DEL HIGH AREA, UH, SPECIFICALLY, UM, UH, PARK, UH, IS NEEDED IN THE AREA FOR YOUNG ADULTS TO BE ABLE TO COME TOGETHER AND MEET EVERYTHING ELSE WAS TOO DISTORTED TO UNDERSTAND
I WASN'T ABLE TO CAPTURE THE NAME OF THE PERSON, BUT THEY'RE CALLING FROM DALE HIGH, ALSO REFERRING TO THE FUNDS ON ITEM NUMBER 23, UM, WITH THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN ACT.
THEY'RE ALSO ASKING FOR A MEETING ROOM TO BE, UH, ADDED TO THE DALE HIGH AREA SO THAT THEY CAN COME TOGETHER AND MEET, UM, AS WELL AS A PARK.
THIS COMMENT IS ALSO REGARDING, UM, THE DELTA AREA AND ITEM NUMBER 23.
UM, I BELIEVE THAT WE NEED A PARK IN DEL HI IN ORDER FOR A MEETING ROOM FOR US TO BE ABLE TO COME TOGETHER AND, AND MEET.
I WOULD CALL THAT THE ITEM NUMBER ON THE AGENDA WILL BE NUMBER 23 AND CALLING TO VOICE MY SUPPORT REGARDING HAVING A COMMUNITY PARK IN DELL HEIGHTS BECAUSE THE CHILDREN BIKES BELONG TO THE SCHOOL DISTRICT AND TO THE NATION, THE COMMUNITY CANNOT USE IT IN SCHOOL.
I WENT THERE WITH MY GRANDCHILDREN, UH, THE GROUNDS, THE PLAYGROUND BY THE, UM, HIGHER EDUCATION, UH, STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES ALSO LIMITED ACCESS FOR US.
WE WERE SORRY, BUT WE COULD SAY THAT WE COULDN'T USE ALL OF IT ANYWAY, THE COMMUNITY DEDICATED TO CHILDREN AND FAMILIES AND THE COMMUNITY THE MATTER I THEN, AND I'M NOT SURE IF IT'S NUMBER 23, UH, THE COMMUNITY NEEDS, UM, UM, UM, AND THAT WOULD NOT BE THE PROPERTY OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICT SO THAT THE COMMUNITY CAN MEET WHENEVER NECESSARY AND ACCORDING TO THE NEEDS, RATHER THAN ACCORDING TO THE SCHEDULE PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL DISTRICT.
ALSO THAT ROOM COULD BE USED TO, UM, UM, COULD BE USED FOR, UM, PHYSICAL EXERCISE CLASSES, NIGHT CLASSES RIGHT NOW THAT HAPPENED IN, UM,
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I, ONE OF THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS THAT THE DISTRICT, WHICH IS ALLOWING US TO USE THAT AGAIN, ACCORDING TO THE RULE.SO IT TOTALLY WILL BACKSEAT THE COMMUNITY TO HAVE A PLACE WHERE THEY CAN EAT AND AS WELL FOR PHYSICAL EXERCISE.
OH, I'M NUMBER 2 0 9 2 2 6 3 9 4 5.
THIS CONCLUDES THE VOICEMAILS RECEIVED.
AND AT THIS TIME, WE'LL GO AHEAD AND DO PUBLIC COMMENT HERE WITHIN, AND WE'LL GO AHEAD AND START FROM THE BACK.
SO TODAY IT'S THE THREE P'S THAT I PRESENTED AT THE LE GRAND HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION.
NUMBER ONE, PASSION PICK A GOAL.
MY GOAL IS THE SAME GOAL IT'S BEEN FOR OVER A YEAR NOW TO GET THESE KIDS BACK INTO SCHOOL, THE RULES AND THE PARAMETERS ARE BEING OF THIS GAME HAVE BEEN SET BY SOMEBODY ELSE.
AND AT THIS POINT, UM, UH, I CAN'T DO MUCH ABOUT IT, BUT, UM, I'VE BEEN PAYING ATTENTION AND, UM, WHETHER IT CAME TO TESTING VACCINATING, UM, I'VE BEEN DOING WHAT I CAN TO MOVE THIS WHOLE EFFORT FORWARD.
UM, IN SCHOOL HAS ALREADY STARTED FOR SOME STARTS TOMORROW FOR A GOOD MAJORITY.
AND VERY SHORTLY AFTER THAT, THE REST, UH, I AM VERY PROUD OF WHAT I'VE DONE.
UM, I'M PROUD THAT OF YOU, UH, STOOD RIGHT ALONG BESIDE ME, RODRIGO I'M IN LIVINGSTON, IN PLANADA, UH, MIGRAINE CAM JOSH IN MY PARKING LOT.
UM, I'M SURE THERE WERE OTHER PLACES AT THE HIGH SCHOOL.
UM, AND, UM, I'M VERY THANKFUL FOR THAT, JIM, YOUR OFFICE, UH, THE CITY HALL.
I MEAN, THERE WERE MANY PARTS OF THIS WHERE I NEEDED YOUR HELP AND YOU DIDN'T HESITATE AND YOU GOT ME THE RESOURCES I NEED.
UM, SO FOR YOUR COLLABORATION AND STANDING SHOULDER TO SHOULDER WITH ME, ROLLING UP YOUR SLEEVES, AND IN SOME CASES TAKING IT IN YOUR ARM, I'M VERY PROUD THAT I WAS ABLE TO BE PART OF THIS, BUT WE NEED THE FLIGHT'S NOT OVER AND WE NEED TO MOVE FORWARD.
UM, I REGRETFULLY FEEL SOME POST-TRAUMATIC STRESS GOING INTO THE SCHOOL YEAR.
THERE'S A CHANCE THAT WE MIGHT FALTER, UH, THERE'S A GOOD CHANCE.
KIDS ARE GOING TO BE SENT HOME AGAIN.
THERE'S A GOOD CHANCE TEACHERS.
THEY'RE NOT GOING TO BE ENOUGH OF THEM.
IF THEY GET SICK, THERE'S NOT GOING TO BE ENOUGH SUBSTITUTES.
AND WE'LL BE RIGHT BACK WHERE WE WERE WITH CLASSROOM CLOSURES AND GOD FORBID, SCHOOL CLOSURES.
AND, UH, THAT WOULD BE A FAILURE THAT I DON'T WANT TO SEE.
UM, I'M CONTINUING MY EFFORTS.
UH, THERE'S UH, A BIG EFFORT I'M TRYING TO COORDINATE BETWEEN GOLDEN VALLEY HEALTH CENTERS AND, UH, AND THE SCHOOLS.
I'M GOING TO TRY TO PUSH THAT FORWARD AS FAR AS I CAN.
SO I'M GOING TO CONTINUE TO DO WHAT I CAN.
MY ASK IS, IS THAT EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOU FIND YOUR THREE-PIECE FIND YOUR PASSION, PAY ATTENTION AND MOVE US FORWARD, PLEASE.
CHAIR SUPERVISORS, COUNTY COUNCIL CEO BROWN.
THE FIRST TWO ITEMS ON YOUR CONSENT CALENDAR ARE PROCLAMATIONS TO PREPARE OUR COMMUNITY FOR SEPTEMBER 21 SUICIDE PREVENTION MONTH AND NATIONAL RECOVERY MONTH.
EVERY YEAR BHRS WANTS TO HIGHLIGHT THE IMPORTANCE OF SUICIDE PREVENTION AND NATIONAL RECOVERY MONTH.
BUT I THINK IT'S IMPERATIVE THAT WE STOP AND TAKE AN EXTRA MOMENT THIS YEAR AND HIGHLIGHT SOME OF THOSE STATISTICS.
ACCORDING TO THE CDC, DURING THE PANDEMIC 20% OF OUR CHILDREN, BETWEEN THE AGES OF FIVE AND 12 EXPERIENCED AN INCREASE IN MENTAL HEALTH SYMPTOMS, 25% INCREASE BETWEEN THE AGES OF 12 AND 18, A 63% INCREASE
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FOR THOSE, BETWEEN THE AGES OF 18 AND 24, 40 8% OF OUR MIDDLE SCHOOL AND HIGH SCHOOLERS CONTEMPLATED SUICIDE IN THE LAST 30 DAYS.THAT IS ACCORDING TO THE CDC, ACCORDING TO THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF MENTAL HEALTH ACROSS ALL AGE GROUPS, SUICIDE WAS IN THE TOP 10TH CAUSE OF DEATH.
LAST YEAR, SUICIDE WAS THE EIGHTH CAUSE OF DEATH FOR THOSE OVER THE AGE OF 65 AND THE SECOND CAUSE OF DEATH FOR THOSE, BETWEEN THE AGES OF 10 AND 25, WE NO LONGER HAVE A SILENT PANDEMIC.
IT IS SURGING AND IT IS THERE.
AND AS THE DEPARTMENT HEAD OF BEHAVIORAL HEALTH, I REFUSE TO BE SILENT.
WE HEAR YOU AND WE SEE YOU AND WE WILL EMBRACE YOU.
I ASKED OUR COMMUNITY TO PAY ATTENTION, PAY ATTENTION TO YOUR CHILDREN.
PAY ATTENTION TO YOUR PARENTS AND YOUR GRANDCHILDREN.
PAY ATTENTION TO THE WORDS OF DR.
ASADI PAY ATTENTION TO THE WORDS OF OUR HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS.
PAY ATTENTION TO YOUR OWN MENTAL HEALTH SYMPTOMS. IF YOU ARE NOT OKAY, ASK FOR HELP.
OUR PHONE NUMBER IS THREE EIGHT ONE SIX EIGHT ZERO ZERO.
ONCE AGAIN, OUR PHONE NUMBER IS THREE EIGHT ONE SIX EIGHT ZERO ZERO.
WE ARE OPEN 24 HOURS A DAY, SEVEN DAYS A WEEK.
WE ARE HERE BY PHONE, BY TELE-HEALTH BY WALK IN.
WE ARE GOING TO EMBRACE ANYONE WHO NEEDS MENTAL HEALTH OR SUBSTANCE ABUSE TREATMENT.
AND WE ARE PREPARING TO MAKE SURE THAT SUICIDE PREVENTION AND RECOVERY PREVENTION IS ALL AROUND THIS COUNTY.
AND IF I COULD KEEP YOU HERE, UM, KNOWING AND HAVING A FAMILY MEMBER WHO WENT THROUGH THIS, WHAT'S THE PROPER STEPS.
I'VE HAD FRIENDS WHO HAVE GONE TO THE EMERGENCY ROOM BECAUSE OF THEIR ANXIETY AND FEELING THAT THERE MAY BE LOSING CONTROL.
SO IF ANYBODY CAN REFER SOMEBODY OR RECOMMEND HOW, WHAT, WHAT IS THE PROCESS, IF YOU COULD TOUCH ON THAT? BECAUSE I THINK IT'S A LITTLE, UM, CONFUSING ON HOW THAT COULD BE, BUT WE'D LIKE TO MAKE THAT AS SIMPLE AS POSSIBLE BECAUSE THIS IS VERY, VERY IMPORTANT.
THE FIRST THING TO DO IS CALL OUR NUMBER, WHICH IS THE 2 0 9 8 1 6 8 0 0.
WE WILL TRIAGE YOU OVER THE PHONE IMMEDIATELY.
IF YOU ARE NOT IN IMMEDIATE RISK, WE WILL EITHER SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT.
WE WILL SCHEDULE EITHER VIA TELEHEALTH OR DIRECTLY IN OUR OFFICE, OR WE WILL LINK YOU TO THE APPROPRIATE SERVICE IF THERE IS IMMEDIATE RISK BECAUSE OF COVID.
AND WE DON'T WANT TO CLOSE DOWN OUR INPATIENT FACILITIES.
WE DON'T WANT TO HAVE OUR MURRAY GREEN, NOT BE ABLE TO BE OPERATIONAL.
WE ARE SENDING PEOPLE TO THE EMERGENCY ROOM FIRST TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT IS TAKEN CARE OF.
UM, WE DO HAVE ALL PROTOCOLS AND AGREEMENTS WITH SUTTER AND DIGNITY.
THIS IS NOT ME DOING ANYTHING WRONG.
UM, SUTTER AND DIGNITY WE'LL THEN DO A MEDICAL CLEARANCE.
WE THEN HAVE STAFF EMBEDDED THERE OR DOING TELE-HEALTH SCREENINGS THROUGH THOSE FACILITIES AND THEN LINKING DIRECTLY TO OUR CSU OR DIRECTLY TO OUR MARIE GREEN.
BECAUSE AS SUPERVISORS, THIS IS A DISCUSSION WE'RE HAVING WITH A LOT OF HER CONSTITUENCY AT THIS POINT.
SO NOW WE HAVE A DIRECTION OF HOW WE CAN FOCUS AND HELP FOLKS OUT.
I THINK HE, MY NAME IS WILLIAM TURNED OUT I'M FROM THE WEST SIDE OF MERCIA, RIGHT? AND, UM, WE HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH OUR SOCIAL LIFE OVER THERE.
IF YOU PEOPLE CAN HELP US GET A BETTER PLATFORM THAN WHAT WE HAVE TO FACILITY, TAKE A BETTER PLACE WHERE WE COULD, UH, SOCIALIZE THEN MCNAMARA PARK.
WE WANT TO, UM, BE ABLE TO IMPLEMENT SOME OF OUR THINGS THAT WE HAVE IN YOUR, IN YOUR COMMUNITY, LIKE OUR CULTURAL FOODS AND, UH, ART AND WHATEVER WE HAVE.
IT SEEMS LIKE IT'S NOT EVEN NOWHERE AROUND.
AND WE ASK THEM THAT YOU COULD HELP US ON THE WEST SIDE OF MERCY.
AND IT'S NOT JUST, UH, FOR THE BLACKS, IT'S JUST FOR THE WHOLE
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WEST SIDE PEOPLE IN ITSELF.WE HAVE A HARD TIME GETTING TO, UH, A LOT OF THESE PLACES FOR NOT HAVING THE, THE PLATFORM, NOT, NOT HAVING THAT ACCESSIBILITY, THAT, THAT WE NEED TO, UM, BETTER EYE CONDITION AS FAR AS, UH, SOCIALIZING.
YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING? SO IT IS A LOT OF US HAS BEEN SOMEWHERE, BUT IT'S NOT WHERE WE'VE BEEN.
THAT'S WHERE WE'RE TRYING TO GO.
AND, UH, WE NEED HELP OVER THERE.
AND, UM, IT'S NOT THE KIND OF HELP YOU JUST COME AND LOOK AT IT AND SAY, OKAY, AND THEN WE NEVER SEE YOU.
THEN WE NEED YOU TO COME BACK AND CHECK ON US EVERY NOW AND THEN, ESPECIALLY WITH THINGS THAT I HEAR PROBLEMS WITH, PEOPLE ARE HAVING WITH MENTAL, THINGS LIKE THAT.
AND SOMETIME MUSIC IS THE BEST THING THAT HAPPENED.
I'VE NEVER HEARD MUSIC PLAYED IN THE PARK, NOWHERE AROUND HERE IN A LONG TIME AND, UM, NEEDED A RADIO STATION THAT CAN, UH, REALLY TRUSTED PEOPLE'S MIND THAT COULD CALM SOMEBODY DOWN.
IT SEEMED LIKE THE MUSIC, IT HAS ALL RAP MUSIC AND, AND, AND, AND MUSIC THAT PEOPLE MIDDLE-AGED, PEOPLE CAN'T REALLY UNDERSTAND.
SO WE, WE HAVE TO SIT BACK AND GO FOR SOME THINGS IT'S REALLY NOT HELPING US NONE, BUT TO SIT WITH OUR HEAD AND OUR CHIN, YOU KNOW, AND, UH, IF YOU COULD HEAR ME IN TERMS OF, UH, HELPING US TO GET SOME TYPE OF SOCIAL LIFE OTHER THAN MCNAMARA PARK, IT WOULD BE A GREAT HELP BECAUSE THAT'S NOT EVEN A GOOD PLACE FOR OUR KIDS.
EITHER THE SLIDES ARE IRONED, THE SIGN IS HEATING IT UP, WHERE KIDS CAN GO PLAY ON THAT THING.
AND, UH, IT'S NOT LIKE THE OTHER PARKS AROUND HERE, NOT TO SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE LOOKING DOWN ON THOSE BAD, BUT IT SEEMED LIKE WE'D BEEN FORGOTTEN A LITTLE BIT OVER THERE.
AND, UH, WE NEED SOME HELP OVER THERE.
IF YOU GUYS JUST BE CONSIDERING SOMETIME CALL ME UP.
I'LL, I'LL, I'LL, I'LL WORK WITH YOUR HAND IN HAND ABOUT HOW TO, UH, GET A SOCIAL PLATFORM FOR THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN COMMUNITY, PLUS ANYBODY IN THE STATE OF MIND THAT WE'RE IN.
YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT JUST FOR THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN COMMUNITY, IT'S FOR THE WEST SIDE OF MYRCENE AND ANYBODY THAT HAS A CONFUSED STATE OF WHAT'S GOING ON, LIKE WHAT THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE, THIS SUICIDE AND ALL THIS STUFF, MUSICAL COMEDY SAVAGE, BEAST, YOU KNOW, AND, UM, IT'S NEEDED.
UM, SIR, IF, IF YOU COULD PLEASE, UM, IN THE OFFICE, THEY HAVE, I HAVE SOME CARDS, UH, WITH MY CONTACT INFORMATION, AND THEN IF YOU CAN LEAVE YOUR CONTACT INFORMATION SO THAT I CAN TOUCH BASE WITH YOU AND WE CAN, I CAN FOLLOW UP WILL.
IT'S RIGHT OVER HERE, BUT YOU HAVE TO GO THROUGH HR.
I SEE STAFF GRABBING STAFF IS GOING.
SO JUST, JUST TO LET YOU KNOW, SO I, SO WE CAN TOUCH BASE.
IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK AT THIS TIME AS BLANCA MAKES HER WAY TO THE PODIUM NOW, BLANCA, ON THE LEFT SIDE, YOU CAN LOWER THE PODIUM.
YOU CAN LOWER IT SO YOU CAN GOOD MORNING.
HONORABLE TABLE BORE ON BARSADE AND YOUR FAMILY ARE WELL IN HELL.
MY NAME IS BLANCA LOZANO FROM THERE.
I CAME TO THE AND TELL YOU ABOUT MY TOWN.
THEY'LL HYPE IS NEEDS A ROOM TO MAKE THEIR MEETINGS IN A SPECIAL MUG.
I AM MY SAY COMPETITION IS TO HAVE ONE PACK GUAM PARK FOR TWO FAMILIES AND THE KIDS.
THEY HAVE A SPACE FRIENDLY AND FREE LIBERTY WITH HAVE PLAYGROUNDS.
NOW I, NOW YOU HAVE $56 MILLIONS DOLLARS IN YOUR HANDS.
AND I WANT TO TAKE THAT CHANCE IN ISP.
MY WORDS ARE SPECIAL TO MY SUPERVISOR, LAURIE PEREDA MANY THINGS I HEAR ME AND GOD BLESS YOU.
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UM,WE ALSO HAVE HERE WITH OUR TEAM THREE, UH, MEMBERS FROM DELL.
HI THERE ARE THREE BASEBALL PLAYERS WHO WON THE NATIONAL TITLE IN NEVADA, RENO, NEVADA WE NEED A RECREATIONAL PARK BUILT IN DELL HIGH SO THAT THEY ARE ABLE TO PLAY IT'S THE END ON THE
WE HAVE TO ASK PERMISSION FROM THE SCHOOL AT ALL TIMES IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO USE THAT PARK.
SO THE PARK IS IN REALLY BAD CONDITION AND WE NEED A PARK BUILT SO THAT THEY CAN MEET AND PRACTICE THERE.
WE NEED THEM TO BE ABLE TO STAY IN DELL HIGH AND BE AN EXAMPLE FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS.
AT THIS POINT, MAYBE THEY WON'T BE ABLE TO, UH, BENEFIT FROM THIS, BUT THERE ARE GOING TO BE FUTURE GENERATIONS THAT WILL BE ABLE TO THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
I LIVE IN OHIO AS WELL, AND I JUST WANTED TO SAY, I AM A REPORTER FOR ITEM 23.
I WANT TO, UM, FEED HER HIGH IMPROVEMENT.
UH, WE DO WANT TO SEE SOME PART FOR THE YOUNG KIDS AND FOR THE FAMILY TO HAVE FUN.
AND, UM, MAYBE SOME SOMETHING WITH WATER BECAUSE KIDS LOVE WATER.
AND SO I SHOW WE NEED SOME, SOME BUILDING FOR THE COMMUNITY FOR YOUNG KIDS TO, UM, ANYBODY TO BE WELCOME TO COME IN, LEARN ABOUT PROGRAM AND TRAINING, TO KEEP KIDS, UM, OFTEN DRUGS AND PROGRAM TO PREPARE THEM IN THE FUTURE.
UM, I 10 IN HERE I'M VERY PROUD FOR THE YOUNG KIDS WHO HAVE A POSITIVE LIFE AND TO CONTINUE TO APPLY POSITIVE LIFE AND THAT SUPPORT.
UM, IT'S SAD THAT NOT ALL THE KIDS HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE WHAT THEY HAVE BECAUSE A LOT OF THE YOUNG KIDS INVOLVED IN DRUGS AND IN JAIL, IN PRISON.
SO LET'S CONTINUE TO SUPPORT THE YOUNG KIDS AND THEY'LL HIDE AND, UM, TO THE POLICE TO HELP US THEN TO CONTINUE.
AND, UM, THANK YOU FOR HEARING MY, MY PEACE.
IS ANYBODY ELSE WANTING TO SPEAK? KHALISA I SEE YOUR HAND KIND OF RAISED.
DID YOU HAVE ANYTHING THAT WAS JUST A GESTURE, I GUESS.
UM, I AM HERE TODAY REPRESENTING NOT JUST MY ORGANIZATION, BUT A REGIONAL COALITION THAT WE ARE A PART OF CALLED CENTRAL VALLEY UNITED FOR POWER.
CVR IS COMPOSED OF EIGHT REGIONAL ORGANIZATIONS.
THE LORD IS WORTH THE FOUNDATION FAITH IN THE VALLEY POWER, CALIFORNIA, UM, LEADERSHIP COUNCIL CENTER FOR RACE AND, UM, THE ENVIRONMENT AND, UM, HMONG INNOVATING POLITICS TOGETHER.
WE ENSURE THAT LOCAL GOVERNMENT ACROSS THE REGION IS CENTERING EQUITY AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR EVERYONE.
WHEN THEY MAKE POLICY DECISIONS, IT'S REALLY CRITICAL FOR US THAT BLACK AND BROWN COMMUNITIES ARE HEARD, SEEN, AND VALUED.
UM, THIS PANDEMIC, UM, YOU KNOW, HAS MADE THE ISSUE SEEM ENDLESS AND WE'RE LIVING THIS UNPRECEDENTED AND HISTORIC MOMENT.
UM, THIS MOMENT HAS ALSO UNDOUBTEDLY GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY FOR US AS LEADERS TO, UM, BE MORE DECISIVE AND INNOVATIVE IN THE WAY THAT YOU CHART A NEW PATH FORWARD FOR OUR PEOPLE, SPECIFICALLY YOUNG PEOPLE OF COLOR IN MERCER COUNTY, IMMIGRANT, AND REFUGEES THAT WORKED FOR MANY OF Y'ALL AND, UM, LOW INCOME COMMUNITIES.
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EXACERBATED AND BROUGHT TO LIGHT.MANY OF THE INEQUITIES THAT HAVE ALREADY EXISTED IN MERCER COUNTY, THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR FUN COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE BEEN MOST IMPACTED BY COVID AND INVESTING IN SERVICES THAT KEEP OUR COMMUNITY SAFE, HOUSING, HEALTH CARE, UTILITY PAYMENTS, FOOD, ACCESS, YOUTH, INVESTMENT INFRASTRUCTURE, AND RAIL INVESTMENTS.
UM, AMONG OTHERS, WE URGE THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS TO PROTECT OUR YOUNG PEOPLE BY INVESTING IN EQUITABLE YOUTH AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT.
AND SPECIFICALLY WE ARE ASKING MERCER COUNTY TO, UM, FOCUS ON YOUNG PEOPLE AND UNINCORPORATED LOW INCOME COMMUNITY FOR COLOR FOR CHILDS.
UM, THEY'LL HIGH AS THE DIRECTOR OF 99 ROOTZ I WORK WITH YOUNG PEOPLE ACROSS SOMERSET COUNTY.
WE, UH, CONDUCTED A YOUTH POLL.
AND IN OUR SURVEY, WE FOUND THAT DURING THE PANDEMIC, THE TOP THREE ECONOMIC PRIORITIES FOR YOUTH ACROSS THE CENTRAL VALLEY ARE ENCOMPASSED UNDER BASIC NEEDS, HELP WITH WAGES AND INCOME RENT, OR MORTGAGE RELIEF AND HELP WITH FOOD MEDICINE AND BASIC RESOURCES.
IN APRIL OF THIS YEAR, WE CONDUCTED ANOTHER YOUTH SURVEY IN, UH, THIS TIME, OUR YOUTH SURVEY FOCUSED.
IF YOU WANT TO MAKE YOUR POINT THAT THE THREE MINUTES YOU ALL GOT OUR LETTER, WE'RE HOPING TO FOLLOW UP AND WORK WITH YOU ALL TO MAKE SURE THAT YOUNG PEOPLE GET INVESTMENT IN YOUTH PARTICIPATORY BUDGETING, AND ALSO UNIVERSAL BASIC INCOME.
I'M A POLICY ADVOCATE FOR LEADERSHIP COUNCIL FOR JUSTICE AND ACCOUNTABILITY, AND A LIFELONG RESIDENT OF MERCER COUNTY.
UM, I WANT TO THANK JIM BROWN FOR HIS PHONE CALL, LETTING ME KNOW ABOUT IT AT GIANT AGENDA ITEM 23.
I REALLY APPRECIATE YOU GIVING ME THAT HEADS UP.
UM, I HAD AN COMMUNITY MEETING IN DOLL HIGH LAST NIGHT, AS YOU CAN SEE, AND I'M REALLY HAPPY THAT EVERYONE SHOWED UP TO TALK ABOUT AGENDA ITEM 23 HERE, AND, UM, I'M HERE ALONGSIDE ANY NINE ROUTES AND FAITH IN THE VALLEY.
AND I WANNA TALK A LITTLE BIT SPECIFICALLY ABOUT HOUSING AND MERSEYSIDE COUNTY.
AND I AM ASKING FOR THE COUNTY TO ALLOCATE $5 MILLION TO RIGHTS TO COUNCIL.
AND DURING THE PANDEMIC, WE SAW A LOT OF VOLUNTARY EVICTIONS HAPPEN FOR UNDOCUMENTED PEOPLE WHO WERE TOO AFRAID TO FIGHT ILLEGAL EVICTIONS, UH, BECAUSE OF THEIR UNDOCUMENTED STATUS.
UH, WE ARE EXPERIENCING A HOUSING CRISIS, NOT JUST IN THE CITY OF MARSAI, BUT ACROSS ALL OF OUR SET COUNTY.
WE'RE SEEING SO MANY COMPANIES MOVE IN NON-UNIONIZED JOBS, SUCH AS AMAZON THAT DO NOT PAY A LIVING WAGE.
PEOPLE CANNOT AFFORD TO LIVE HERE.
AND WE CAN SEE THAT THE CENTRAL VALLEY IS BEING DEVELOPED AT AN ALARMING RATE, WHICH IN THEORY IS GREAT, BUT PEOPLE CANNOT AFFORD TO LIVE HERE.
AND, UM, SECONDLY, I'VE BEEN MEETING WITH VARIOUS PEOPLE IN SOUTH NARSAD, FARM WORKERS WHO HAVE DREAMS OF HOME OWNERSHIP AND WHO ARE NOT ABLE TO AFFORD BUYING A HOUSE.
AND I'M ASKING THAT THE COUNTY INVEST IN A FARM WORKER, SPECIFIC HOMEOWNER, UH, PROGRAM WITH THESE FUNDS.
UM, THE PEOPLE THAT GROW OUR FOOD, WHO WORK IN YOUR DAIRIES, WHO ARE OUT UNDER THE HOT SUN, THEY DESERVE TO OWN A HOME.
AND I HOPE THAT THE COUNTY TAKES THE OPPORTUNITY WITH THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN FUNDS TO CONSIDER A PROGRAM LIKE THIS.
ADDITIONALLY, I WOULD LIKE TO TALK ABOUT INCREASED PUBLIC SERVICES IN SOME UNINCORPORATED, UH, DISADVANTAGED COMMUNITIES.
I MEET WITH LADIES IN
AND I KNOW THAT ATWATER HAS A PROGRAM WHERE A SPECIALIST WILL COME FROM TURLOCK ONCE A WEEK OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
I'M HOPING THAT THE COUNTY WILL FUND SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
AND THOSE MILLENNIALS WILL LOOK INTO CREATING SOMETHING SO THAT FOLKS DON'T NEED TO LEAVE ALL THE WAY TO MERCY SAID TO RECEIVE, UH, BASIC HEALTH CARE SERVICES.
UM, I'M WOULD BE HAPPY TO HELP WITH RESEARCH ON THAT, ALTHOUGH I'M SURE YOUR STAFF CAN HANDLE THAT.
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WOULD APPRECIATE THAT.CAUSE THESE LADIES HAVE BEEN DEALING WITH HAVING TO TRAVEL FOR A VERY LONG TIME.
AND I ALSO AM HOPING THAT WITH THESE FUNDS, YOU ALL CONSIDER A HEALTHCARE FOR ALL UNDOCUMENTED FOLKS DESERVE ACCESS TO INCOME.
I CANNOT SAY THIS ENOUGH, THIS REGION IS DEPENDENT ON UNDOCUMENTED LABOR.
I, WE SEE THIS AND WE NEED THEM AND THEY DESERVE RESOURCES LIKE THE REST OF US.
THANK YOU BUTTONS TO THE RIGHT.
IF YOU NEED TO LOWER IT A LITTLE BIT.
UH, MY NAME IS BLANCA AND, UM, I'M A COMMUNITY ORGANIZER WITH FAITH IN THE VALLEY.
I'M ALSO A MERSEYSIDE CITY RESIDENT.
UM, AND I'VE BEEN A MERCER COUNTY RESIDENT FOR A REALLY LONG TIME LIVING IN THE UNINCORPORATED AREAS.
UM, I'M HERE TODAY, HOWEVER, TO, TO LIFT UP, UM, YOU KNOW, ADDITIONALLY, SOME OF THE THINGS THAT I'VE SEEN AS A COMMUNITY ORGANIZER, UM, AND AS A MEMBER OF OUR COALITION OF CENTRAL VALLEY COALITION, UM, AND KIND OF REITERATE, UH, THE NEED FOR HOUSING, UH, ADDITIONAL, YOU KNOW, UM, W W WHAT WE'VE SEEN IS, YOU KNOW, THE UNLAWFUL EVICTIONS HAPPENING THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY, UM, THROUGHOUT DIFFERENT AREAS OF, OF
UM, AND I REALLY WANT TO LIFT UP, YOU KNOW, THE, THE RIGHT TO COUNSEL, UM, ALLOCATING FUNDING TO HAVE SO THAT OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS COULD HAVE, UM, A RIGHT TO COUNSEL THAT IS A COUNTY WIDE, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, UM, SEEING FROM, AND HEARING FROM MANY PEOPLE IN THE UNINCORPORATED AREAS OF MERCER COUNTY.
UM, IN ADDITION TO THAT, I WANT TO TALK ABOUT PARKS AND RECREATION, UM, ALLOCATING 15 MILLION FOR IMPROVED AND INCREASED A NUMBER OF COMMUNITY CENTERS IN RURAL PARTS OF THE COUNTY, WHICH PROVIDE IMPORTANT SITES FOR DISTRIBUTION OF RESOURCES, SUCH AS FOOD, WATER PPE DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC AND WILDFIRE, FIRE, AND DROUGHT SEASON, AND OTHER IMPORTANT ITEMS, A COMMUNITY CENTER SPECIFICALLY, UM, AS YOU'VE HEARD, SOME, SOME FOLKS MENTIONED ALREADY IN DELHIGH WITH OUTDOOR SHADED AREAS FOR COMMUNITIES TO MEET, UM, INDOORS AND OUTDOORS, UM, ALLOCATE FUNDING FOR PUBLIC RESTROOMS, UM, ESPECIALLY IN COMMUNITIES SUCH AS PINATA, UH, ACCESS TO BATHROOMS AT THE PARKS.
UH, IN MANY AREAS, THE COUNTY HAS LOCKED THE BATHROOMS, UH, ALLOCATING AT LEAST 5 MILLION FOR PARKS IN MARSET COUNTY, INCLUDING 350,000 TO 500,000 FOR PARKS, UH, AND A MASTER PLAN AND UPGRADES TO EXISTING PARKS AND AREAS SUCH AS SOMETHING NYLA, LOS VINYLS, UM, ADDING TREES AND BATHROOMS, UH, AGAIN, UM, AND AREAS SUCH AS LITTLE SPANIELS AND, UM, IN THE GROUPS OF WOMEN THAT I'VE ALSO HAD THE CHANCE TO SPEAK TO FOLKS, UH, WOULD LIKE TO SEE A COMMUNITY CENTER PLACED IN DOS PALOS.
SO THOSE ARE JUST SOME OF THE THINGS THAT I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THE LIFT UP TODAY.
IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK AT THIS TIME SEEING NONE? I KEEP HEARING EVERYTHING ABOUT ALL THESE UNINCORPORATED COMMUNITIES, BUT I IT'D BE REMISSED IF WITH JOHN SITTING IN THE AUDIENCE HERE THAT BEACHWOOD FRANKLIN AREA WASN'T MENTIONED A ONE TIME, BUT WE ALWAYS HAD TO KEEP THEM IN MIND AS WELL.
AND WITH THAT, WE'LL GO AHEAD AND MOVE FROM THE PUBLIC COMMENT PORTION.
[CONSENT CALENDAR]
IS APPROVAL OF CONSENT AGENDA, CALENDAR ITEMS, ONE THROUGH FIVE ARE THERE ANY COMMENTS? I THINK WE'RE DOING THE FULL CONSENT AGENDA, CORRECT? NOT JUST ITEMS ONE THROUGH FIVE, ONE THROUGH FIVE.SORRY, BECAUSE I THINK THERE WAS SOMETHING THAT YOU WANTED TO PULL.
SEE I'M GOING BY THE SCRIPT INSTEAD OF GOING BY THE AGENDA.
I HAVE A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR PRAIRIE, SECONDED BY SUPERVISOR SOLVERA AND I SEE NO, UM, COMMENTERS IN THE QUEUE.
SO WE'LL GO AHEAD AND CALL FOR THE VOTE.
[00:40:04]
MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.NOW WE'LL DO OUR PRESENTATIONS.
SO DO WE PRESENTATION BY, BY J PRE-B ASSOCIATE CHIEF OF OPERATIONS AT GOLDEN VALLEY HEALTH CENTERS? LET ME GRAB THIS OVER HERE.
THIS IS A WHOLE LOT OF LOAD FOR JUST COMING BACK.
I APOLOGIZE FOR A STUMBLING INTO THIS ONE, BUT WE'LL STUMBLE TOGETHER.
SO WHAT I'M GOING TO DO, UH, BY THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, WE ARE HERE TO RECOGNIZE COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTERS, CHEMISTRY FOR STRONG COMMUNITIES.
THIS IS NATIONAL HEALTH CENTER WEEK.
IT'S AN ANNUAL CELEBRATION RECOGNIZING INNOVATION AND QUALITY CARE PROVIDED BY COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTERS NATIONWIDE.
AND, UM, ON BEHALF OF THE MERCER COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, I'D LIKE TO PRESENT YOU WITH THIS BLACK CERTIFICATE PROCLAMATION.
NO, WE, WE DEFINITELY, DURING THIS PANDEMIC TIME, WE REALLY APPRECIATE WORKING WITH YOUR GROUP AND HOW WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO DO THIS.
WE CAN'T COULDN'T DO IT ALONE AT ALL.
AND WE LEAN ON YOU HEAVILY AT GOLDEN VALLEY HEALTH CENTERS.
SO IN RECOGNITION OF THIS WEEK, I'D LIKE TO PRESENT THIS WITH, TO YOU.
AND I WILL HAND YOU THE MIC YOU GET TO SPEAK.
YOU KNOW, UH, WHAT I WILL SHARE IS THAT I'M ACTUALLY NEW TO MARCET.
UH, I RECENTLY MOVED HERE FROM SEATTLE WASHINGTON TO ASSUME THIS ROLE AT GOLDEN VALLEY AND, AND IT'S AN ABSOLUTE PLEASURE TO WORK FOR AN ORGANIZATION, TENACIOUS HEALTHCARE WORKERS, PROVIDING INCREDIBLE CARE TO THE CENTRAL VALLEY, UM, THROUGH A VERY DIFFICULT TIME, AND THEY CONTINUE TO GRIND AWAY AT IT.
SO IT'S, IT'S AN HONOR TO, TO BE A LEADER WITH THE ORGANIZATION AND BE A PART OF, UH, THE MERSEYSIDE COMMUNITY.
AND THANK YOU MLS FOR ORGANIZING THIS AND PUTTING THIS TOGETHER.
SHE'S A GOOD PARTNER AND WE'VE WORKED WITH HER ON A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS, SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
THE PREVIOUS ONE, WASN'T FUN, BUT THIS ONE IS REALLY FUN, ESPECIALLY COMING FROM DISTRICT THREE.
I KNOW DEL HIGH WANTS THOSE BALL FIELDS, BUT I KNOW THE TEAMS FROM ATWATER AND PRACTICE A LOT IN THAT WATER.
IN FACT, I THINK I HAVE A NEIGHBOR NEIGHBORS ON THIS TEAM AS WELL.
SO, UM, WITH US TODAY ARE THE COACHES AND TEAM PLAYERS OF GAME TIME, BASEBALL, 13 AND UNDER REPRESENTING ATWATER AND MERCY COUNTY, WHO I AM PROUD TO ANNOUNCE HAVE NOT ONLY PARTICIPATED IN THE RENO TAHOE, YOUTH BASEBALL NATIONALS, BUT RETURNED AS NATIONAL CHAMPIONS.
IF I COULD INVITE YOU GUYS UP HERE, THANK YOU FOR SITTING THROUGH THE COMMENTS.
AS YOU CAN SEE, GOVERNMENT IS A VERY IMPORTANT PART, BUT PLEASE, EVERYBODY COME ON UP.
GOVERNMENT'S A VERY IMPORTANT PART.
SO YOU GUYS GOT TO WITNESS THAT YOU THOUGHT YOU GOT OUT OF SCHOOL TODAY, BUT YOU ACTUALLY LEARNED SOMETHING AT THE SAME TIME AND THE COACH, OR HEY, MOLINA IS UP HERE.
AND I'M GOING TO TURN THE MIC OVER FOR YOU TO KIND OF EXPLAIN THIS WHOLE SITUATION, BEING A DAD AND A COACH AND EVERYTHING ON MY PART, I'VE PARTICIPATED IN WATER POLO AND BASKETBALL, TRAVELING ALL OVER THE UNITED STATES IN THOSE TOURNAMENTS.
SO I KNOW HOW MUCH TIME AND EFFORT, NOT ONLY BY THE KIDS PLAYING THE GAME, BUT BY THE PARENTS HAVING TO, HAVING TO PARTICIPATE AND BE THERE AS WELL AND CHEER YOU ON.
AND YOU GUYS ALL KNOW YOU COULDN'T DO IT WITHOUT YOUR PARENTS.
SO WE'VE GOT TO GIVE THEM SOME CREDIT AS WELL.
UM, WELL THIS IS OUR TEAM HERE.
UH, WE STARTED THIS PROGRAM IN 2017, UH, COACH CEDAR AND I, UH, HIS WIFE, CLAUDIA, MY WIFE, SANDRA, UH, WE DIDN'T KNOW WHAT WE'RE GETTING OURSELVES INTO WHEN WE DID IT, BUT, YOU KNOW, WE, WE WANTED TO DEFINITELY, UH, WE ALWAYS COACHED LITTLE LEAGUE BASEBALL AND WE FINALLY COMMITTED TO GO TO THE NEXT LEVEL.
AND WE'RE LUCKY TO BE ABLE TO FIND THESE BOYS THEY'VE BEEN TOGETHER FOR SUCH
[00:45:01]
A LONG TIME NOW, UM, TO MAKE, TO MAKE IT SHORT.UM, SINCE 20, UH, SINCE 20, UH, LAST YEAR, UH, 2020, BEFORE WHOLE COVID HIT, THEY'RE ACTUALLY SUPPOSED TO BE COMPETING IN COOPERSTOWN AND NATIONALS, UH, LAST YEAR, BUT BECAUSE OF ALL THAT, IT GOT CANCELED.
SO WE WERE ACTUALLY ABLE TO PREPARE FOR THE LAST TWO YEARS FOR NATIONALS AND A MAN AT THE END OF THE DAY, THESE GUYS WENT OUT THERE, COMPETED AGAINST THE BEST FROM ALL OVER THE COUNTRY.
AND, AND THEY CAME OUT ON TOP AND, AND, UH, THEY BECAME NATIONAL CHAMPIONS.
WOW, GREATER THRILL THAN THAT.
AND JUST TO DO IT THROUGH THE PANDEMIC AND HAVING TO STAY PRACTICING AND BEING COMMITTED TO EACH OTHER IS VERY IMPORTANT.
AND FOR COACHES BE ABLE TO PULL IT TOGETHER.
AND AGAIN, LET'S GIVE CREDIT TO THE PARENTS AS WELL.
UM, SINCE YOU GUYS, NOT ONLY, I HAVE CERTIFICATES HERE FOR THE COACHES AND THE PLAYERS, AND I BELIEVE THERE WERE SOME PLAYERS THAT EVEN MADE THE ALL-STAR TEAM AS WELL, ALL TOURNAMENTS.
WE HAD FOUR PLAYERS WHO, WHO GOT ELECTED TO PLAYING THE, UH, WHO WERE, UM, ALL STARS FOR THE NATIONAL TOURNAMENT.
AND THEY'RE ALSO GOT INVITED TO PARTICIPATE IN THE ALL-AMERICAN GAMES AND THE IRVINE, CALIFORNIA SUPPOSED TO BE HAULED IN FLORIDA, BUT IT GOT CHANGED.
THE, UH, IRVINE, UH, AND THEN ONE OF THEM IS, UH, HE'S NOT HERE TODAY.
UNFORTUNATELY IS ADAM PLACENTIA.
UM, NUMBER TWO, UH, MATT MCQUILLAN, IS HE HERE? OH, THEY CALL HIM, THEY CALL HIM SUNSHINE AND, UH, ANGEL RIVERA AND OUR MVP OF THE TOURNAMENT.
UH, JOE SAPIENS, THERE THERE'LL BE OUT THERE COMPETING AND, UM, THE OPPORTUNITY AS WELL TO, TO MAKE THE NATIONAL TEAM.
DID YOU SAY MVP OF THE TOURNAMENT? HE'S THE MVP OF THE TOURNAMENT? YES.
TO BRAG THAT AS DIVISION, THAT IT'S DISTRICT THREE, BUT I'D LIKE TO INVITE ALL THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS COME DOWN.
CAUSE YOU GUYS REPRESENT THE WHOLE ENTIRE COUNTY WHENEVER YOU'RE OUT THERE.
WE HAVE OUR, UH, PHOTOGRAPHER HERE.
I DO HAVE THE CERTIFICATES HERE ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS.
AND WE THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR, UH, FOR WHAT YOU DO.
I KNOW AS KIDS, YOU'RE THINKING, MAN, I'M JUST PLAYING.
I JUST DO WHAT I DO, BUT NOW IT'S A BIG DEAL.
CAUSE YOU GUYS ROSE ABOVE THE OTHER LEVELS AND, AND PARTICIPATE, PARTICIPATE AT A HIGHER LEVEL.
JUST TAKE WHAT YOU LEARN AND CONTINUE THAT ON.
AND UH, LET LET'S, LET'S GO TO GREATER HEIGHTS.
CAUSE WHAT'S THE NEXT ONE, 15 AND UNDER, UH, THEY'RE ACTUALLY, THESE BOYS ARE GOING ON THE 14TH.
SO MAJORITY OF THEM ARE GOING TO BE PLAYING HIGH SCHOOL NEXT YEAR.
AND LET'S IT A BUNCH UP TOGETHER, COACH, IF YOU KNOW HOW TO PUNCH THEM UP TO, YOU KNOW, HAD A BUNCH OF STUFF THERE.
COME ON BACK A LITTLE BIT FURTHER.
ALL RIGHT, GUYS, THIS IS GOING ON THE WEBSITE.
HOLD ON, HOLD ON JUST A SECOND.
WANT TO TAKE SOME PICTURES?
AND THANK YOU GUYS FOR EVERYTHING YOU'RE DOING NOW.
YOU'RE NOT RELATED TO THE DEREK MOLINA.
THAT'S PLAYING PRO BALL RIGHT NOW.
I COACHED DEREK AND BASKETBALL.
NATIONAL CHAMPIONS GUYS FROM ATWATER.
THERE'S THREE GUYS FROM DELL HIGH.
WELL, WE DON'T WANT TO BREAK UP THAT TEAM SO WE BETTER BE CAREFUL IF WE GET THAT BALL FIELD IN DELL, YOU GOT TO START YOUR OWN TEAM.
[BOARD ACTION]
OKAY.AT THIS TIME, WE'LL GO AHEAD AND MOVE ON TO THE BOARD.
ACTION ITEMS. NEXT IS BOARD ACTION.
ITEM SIX THROUGH NINE, PLEASE.
NOTE ITEMS SIX, SEVEN, AND EIGHT REQUIRE A FOUR FIFTH VOTE.
ARE THERE ANY COMMENTS? ARE WE TAKING COMMENTS ON ITEMS OR WE TOOK THOSE ALL AT THE BEGINNING.
I TOOK THEM ALL AT THE BEGINNING.
WE TOOK ALL OUR COMMENTS ON THESE AT THE BEGINNING OF THE MEETING.
[00:50:06]
UH, I BELIEVE SHE, YEAH, WE MADE THE ANNOUNCEMENT AT THE BEGINNING OF THE MEETING AGENDA AND NON AGENDA ITEMS. SHOULD I GO AHEAD? I WILL MAKE, AS THE CHAIRMAN, I WILL GO AHEAD AND ALLOW NOT ON EVERY ITEM.THIS IS YOU HAVE TO, IF YOU OPEN IT UP, THEN I'LL OPEN IT UP.
UM, I, UM, WAS WONDERING, UM, I HAD WANTED TO TALK ABOUT, UM, ITEM NUMBER EIGHT AND 23.
SHOULD I SPEAK ABOUT IT NOW OR WAIT TIL 23 COMES UP.
UM, FOR NUMBER EIGHT, UM, I THINK THAT IT'S A REALLY GOOD THING THAT THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS ARE WORKING TO ADDRESS THE EMERGENCY REGARDING THE DRINKING WATER WELL RESERVED AT THE CORRECTIONAL CENTER.
UM, IT'S ESTIMATED TO BE FIXED BY MID SEPTEMBER.
AND SO I'M REQUESTING THAT THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, IF YOU COULD MEET IN PERSON WITH THE PEOPLE WHO WERE LIVING AT THE CORRECTIONAL CENTER AND TO TALK TO THEM, UM, AND TO, TO SEE FROM THEIR PERSPECTIVE OF HOW THEY'RE DOING, IF THEY HAVE CLEAN WATER TO DRINK, IF THEY HAVE WATER TO WASH THEIR HANDS OR TAKE SHOWER AND TAKE CARE OF THEIR HYGIENE DURING COVID-19, UM, UM, THE PRISONERS ARE UNABLE TO COME HERE AND USE THEIR VOICE TO SPEAK TO YOU AT THIS MEETING.
SO I'M, I'M ASKING FOR YOU TO MEET WITH THEM AND TO TALK TO THEM AND TO HEAR FROM THEIR PERSPECTIVE, ALL THE WATER ISSUES.
UM, I, I'M ALSO ASKING THAT YOU GIVE THEM PROTECTION FROM RETALIATION AND THAT THEIR, THEIR SENTENCE IS NOT EXTENDED OR ANY RETALIATION FOR THEM TO TELL THE TRUTH TO YOU.
WE'LL BRING IT BACK TO THE DIOCESE.
IS THERE A FURTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS SEEING NONE? I DO HAVE A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR.
SOLVERA SECONDED BY SUPERVISOR PERERA.
NEXT IS BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AND RECOVERY SERVICES ITEMS 10 THROUGH 13.
ARE THERE FURTHER COMMENTS SEEING NONE SEEING NONE FROM THE PUBLIC? I HAVE A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR PRAYER SECONDED BY SUPERVISOR PEDROSO WE'LL CALL FOR THE VOTE.
NEXT IS HUMAN SERVICES AGENCY ITEMS 14 THROUGH 16 ITEM NUMBER 14 WILL BE TAKEN SEPARATELY.
ARE THERE FURTHER COMMENTS? I SEE NOBODY IN THE SPEAKER QUEUE.
I HAVE A MOTION NOW BY SUPERVISORS.
SOLVERA SECOND ADVICE, SUPERVISOR PEDROZA.
ARE THERE FURTHER COMMENTS SEEING NONE I'LL CALL FOR THE VOTE?
CAN YOU TALK, ARE YOU TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW HE'S GOING TO GET A BASEBALL TEAM GOING AT LIVINGSTON? I KNOW NEXT IS ITEM 15 AND 16.
CHAIRMAN MCDANIEL MEMBERS OF THE BOARD COUNTY COUNCIL HANSON, CEO BROWN.
MY NAME IS DAVID MARIONI, ASSISTANT COUNTY EXECUTIVE OFFICER, AND I HAVE THE PRIVILEGE ALONG WITH OUR DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF THE HUMAN SERVICE AGENCY.
MR. JOHN CHECKLEY TO PROVIDE YOU WITH AN UPDATE ON THE EMERGENCY RENTAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM AND BRING YOU UP TO DATE WITH SOME RECOMMENDED ACTIONS AT THE CONCLUSION OF THE PRESENTATION.
IT'S THE FIRST AN OVERVIEW OF WHAT WE'LL BE DISCUSSING.
SO WE'RE GOING TO BE DISCUSSING BOTH, UH, BOTH PROGRAMS. SO, UH, THERE WAS ACTUALLY TWO PROGRAMS PROGRAM ONE AND PROGRAM TWO.
AND SO PROGRAM ONE IS OUR LOCAL PROGRAM THAT WE HAVE, UH, DONE IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CENTRAL VALLEY OPPORTUNITY CENTER.
AND I WILL GIVE AN UPDATE ON THAT AS WELL
[00:55:01]
AS AN UPDATE ON THE SECOND ROUND OF FUNDING.THE SECOND PROGRAM THAT WAS RELEASED BY THE U S TREASURY TREASURY, WE HAVE STATE PROGRAM CHANGES FROM ASSEMBLY BILL 8 32, WHICH, UH, IMPACT, UH, THE RENTAL PROGRAM TOO, AND THEN OUR STAFF RECOMMENDATION.
SO
UH, THIS PROGRAM AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL IS ADMINISTERED THROUGH THE DEPARTMENT OF TREASURY.
AND THEN THE ALLOCATIONS WERE DISTRIBUTED DOWN TO STATES, TERRITORIES, INDIAN TRIBES, AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS HAVE MORE THAN 200,000 RESIDENTS.
AND SO ON THE FIRST ROUND OF FUNDING, THE COUNTY OF MERCY SAID DIRECTLY RECEIVED JUST OVER 8.2 MILLION.
AND THEN THE STATE WHERE WE MENTIONED THAT THE STATES ALL RECEIVED ALLOCATIONS, THEY RECEIVED A ALLOCATION THAT WAS BROKEN OUT BY COUNTY AS WELL.
AND SO THAT ALLOCATION WAS $8.8 MILLION.
AND SO, UM, WE SUBMITTED A SIGNED ACCEPTANCE AWARD TERMS JANUARY 12TH AND, UM, THAT TRIGGERED THE U S TREASURY TO PROVIDE US WITH THAT FIRST ROUND OF $8.2 MILLION IN FUNDING.
WE CAME TO YOUR BOARD ON FEBRUARY 9TH TO DISCUSS, UH, THE THREE OPTIONS THAT WERE MADE AVAILABLE WITH THE STATE.
AS I MENTIONED, THE STATE RECEIVED FUNDING.
SO THEY PUT THREE DIFFERENT CHOICES OUT THERE AND OPTION A, B OR C OPTION A WAS TO, UH, DIVERT THE LOCAL FUNDING TO THE STATE TO BLEND IT WITH THEIR, THEIR FUNDING AND OPERATOR PROGRAM AS JUST THROUGH THE STATE MECHANISM, OPTION B WAS TO, UM, TO HAVE THE STATE PUSH THOSE DOLLARS, UH, TO THE COUNTY.
AND THEN OPTION C WAS, UH, WAS A BIFURCATED VERSION WHERE BOTH PROGRAMS RAN SIDE BY SIDE AND, UM, WITH AN ELIGIBILITY DIFFERENCE.
AND SO, UM, THE NEXT SLIDE TALKS ABOUT, OR THE NEXT, UH, BULLET POINTS SHOWS OUR COUNTY PROGRAM WAS, UH, SERVING THOSE THAT WERE AT 50% OF THE AREA MEDIAN INCOME.
AND OUR PROGRAM DID A HUNDRED PERCENT REIMBURSEMENT FOR RENTAL ARREARS AND PROSPECTIVE RENTS THE STATE PROGRAM AT THAT TIME.
UM, THEIR PROGRAM, UH, SERVED 51 TO 80% OF THE AREA MEDIAN INCOME, BUT THEIR PROGRAM AT THAT TIME, UM, PROVIDED 80% OF THE RENTAL ARREARS AND THEN 25% REIMBURSEMENT FOR PERSPECTIVE RENTS.
SO NOW I'M GOING TO PASS IT OVER TO OUR DEPUTY DIRECTOR, JOHN CHECKLEY TO GIVE YOU AN UPDATE ON HOW THE FIRST PROGRAM, UH, WENT IN OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH CVRC AND THEN SOME BACKGROUND ON THE SECOND ROUND OF FUNDING.
UH, GOOD MORNING, MR. CHAIR, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS AS STATED JOHN SHAKLEE DEPUTY DIRECTOR FOR THE HUMAN SERVICE AGENCY, AND MY BRANCH IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE ADMINISTRATION OF OUR LOCAL PROGRAM IN PARTNERSHIP WITH CVRC.
UM, SO JUST WANTED TO REVIEW THE, THE EFFORTS OF CBOC.
UM, AND AS A FORMER ELIGIBILITY WORKER, WHAT WE ASKED THEM TO DO WAS TO STAND UP A RENTAL AND UTILITY ASSISTANCE PROGRAM, WHICH IS A VERY, UM, DIFFICULT TASK TO DO.
AND IT REQUIRES A LOT OF RESOURCES AND CBOC APPROPRIATELY, UM, IDENTIFIED THOSE RESOURCES AND THROUGH THE COURSE OF THE PROGRAM, WHICH BEGAN IN FEBRUARY AND WAS REALLY IMPLEMENTED IN MARCH, HAD 19 STAFF WORKING ON THIS, INCLUDING THREE WORK EXPERIENCE, INTERNS WHO REALLY HELPED OUT WITH THE OUTREACH, WHICH WE'LL COVER IN A FEW MINUTES, UH, SERVICES WERE PROVIDED AT THIS BOARD'S DIRECTION AND MULTIPLE LANGUAGES, INCLUDING ENGLISH, SPANISH, PUNJABI, AND HMONG, UH, PHASE ONE WAS OPENED ON MARCH 15TH AND WE HAD, UH, A TWO WEEK OPEN ENROLLMENT PERIOD WHERE PEOPLE COULD COME IN, UM, GET PRE-SCREENED AND THEN BE GIVEN APPOINTMENTS, UM, AT A LATER DATE.
SO WE WANTED TO HAVE EVERYONE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR A SPECIFIC AMOUNT OF TIME TO COME IN AND, YOU KNOW, SEE WHAT, SEE WHAT THAT WAS GOING TO LOOK LIKE, UH, THROUGH THE END OF THE MARCH 30TH DATE AND INTO MAY, THOSE APPLICATIONS WERE PROCESSED, UH, THAT NECESSITATED A NEW PHASE TO BE OPENED ON MAY 25TH.
AND THAT THAT PHASE HAS REMAINED OPEN AND ONGOING SOMEWHAT IN RESPONSE TO THE EVICTION MORATORIUMS. AND THEY EXPECT AN EXPIRATION DATE ON JUNE 30TH, WHICH HAS NOW SINCE BEEN EXTENDED TO SEPTEMBER 30TH.
SO IT REALLY KIND OF FLEXIBILITY.
AND YOU CAN SEE THAT IN THESE PROGRAMS AND THE ADJUSTMENTS OF THE PHASES AND THE CONTINUAL REEVALUATION OF THE PROGRAM AND THE ADJUSTMENTS
[01:00:01]
THAT WERE NECESSARY.UM, REALLY, REALLY, AND THESE NUMBERS TO ME WERE, WERE STRIKING, UH, WHEN TALKING TO CBOC THE 87 TOTAL OUTREACH EVENTS.
AND I THINK WHEN I HIGHLIGHTED THE WEX WORKERS, THAT'S WHERE THESE DOOR TO DOOR EVENTS, WHICH WERE INCLUDED WHERE THEY WENT INTO COMMUNITIES IN YOUR DISTRICTS AND KNOCKED ON DOORS AND, AND PROMOTED THIS PROGRAM.
SO, UH, THROUGH THOSE EFFORTS, OVER 3000 FLYERS WERE DISTRIBUTED, UM, OVER 879 MEALS WERE ALSO JUST DISTRIBUTED AT THE SAME TIME, UH, AS WELL AS 1,758 HAND SANITIZERS OVER 17,000 MASS AND 1,633 PPE KITS, LOCAL LOCAL ASSISTANCE PROVIDED THROUGH JULY 28TH HAS BEEN $1,543,370 IN RENTAL ASSISTANCE.
UM, SO THAT, THAT COVERS BOTH THE REARS AND PERSPECTIVE RENTS, UH, AS WELL AS OVER 321,498 AND UTILITY ASSISTANCE.
AND I KNOW IT WAS IMPORTANT TO THIS BOARD, WITH THE BIFURCATION AGREEMENT TO FOCUS ON INDIVIDUALS AT 50% OR LESS OF THE AMI.
UM, IN MY OPINION, THIS IS REALLY A HOMELESS PREVENTION PROGRAM AND WHEN FAMILIES AND OUR COMMUNITIES ARE AT 50% OF THE AMI WITH RENTAL ARREARS, THEY DON'T HAVE THE RESOURCES.
SO TO BE ABLE TO GO OUT AND SERVE OVER 400 HOUSEHOLDS, REALLY WE COULD AT THE END OF THE DAY SAY COULD HAVE PREVENTED MANY OF THOSE FAMILIES ONCE IT'S EVICTION MORATORIUM EXPIRES FROM BECOMING HOMELESS, WHICH WAS REALLY THE PRIMARY PURPOSE FROM MY OVERSIGHT OF THIS, OF THIS PROGRAM.
AND THE AVERAGE ASSISTANCE PER HOUSEHOLD WAS ABOUT $3,800.
SO REALLY MEANINGFUL ASSISTANCE FOR FAMILIES AT 50% OR BELOW OF THE AMI YEAH.
PROGRAM WAS ROLLED OUT AND IMPLEMENTED.
AND THE LEGISLATION PASSED BACK IN DECEMBER.
UM, THE NEW CONGRESS PASSED ANOTHER BILL, UH, WHICH THEY'RE CALLING ERA TOO.
SO EMERGENCY RENTAL ASSISTANCE ROUND TWO, AND WE'LL LOOK AT THE DIFFERENCES.
THERE ARE SOME, SOME, SOME MINOR DIFFERENCES IN THESE TWO PROGRAMS AND SOMEWHAT IN RESPONSE TO WHAT COULD BE CALLED.
UH, SOME UNFORESEEN CHALLENGES OF THE FIRST PROGRAM WERE ADDRESSED THROUGH THE ERA TWO PROGRAM.
THIS PROGRAM WAS ESTABLISHED TO THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN ACT ON MARCH 11TH, 2021 PROVIDED ANOTHER 21.5, $5 BILLION TO ASSIST HOUSEHOLDS WHO ARE UNABLE TO PAY THEIR RENT AND UTILITIES DUE TO THE COVID PANDEMIC.
AND IT ALSO IS ADMINISTERED THROUGH THE U S DEPARTMENT OF TREASURY.
I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE WITH THIS NEW PROGRAM AND OUR BIFURCATED FIRST PROGRAM.
THIS IS REALLY A THIRD AND POTENTIALLY A FOURTH PROGRAM LOCALLY HERE.
UM, SO THAT WAS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE CONSIDERING AS WE LOOK AT ALL THESE PROGRAMS, HOW DO WE MAKE SURE WE'RE MOST EFFECTIVELY SERVING THE CONSTITUENTS ACROSS SOMERSET COUNTY, UM, AND REDUCING SOME OF THE CONFUSION BEHIND THAT.
SO THESE PAYMENTS SIMILAR TO THE FIRST PROGRAM WENT DIRECTLY TO STATES TERRITORIES, TRIBES, AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS OF MORE THAN $200,000, 200,000 RESIDENTS, EXCUSE ME, THE DIRECT FEDERAL COUNTY OF MARCET ALLOCATION WAS OVER $9 MILLION.
AND THE COUNTY OF MERSEYSIDE STATE ALLOCATION, WHICH IS ADMINISTERED BY THE HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT WAS 7 MILLION, $862,000.
YOU DID MENTION SOME PROGRAM DIFFERENCES.
UH, THEY, THEY FEEL SOMEWHAT NUANCED, BUT, BUT CAN MAKE QUITE AN IMPACT.
UM, SO 10% FOR ADMINISTRATION, UH, FOR ERA WAN VERSUS A 15% FOR ADMINISTRATION IN THE ERA TO OUR EXPERIENCE THROUGH
AND THAT WAS, UH, ONE OF THE CHALLENGES THAT WE WERE FACING WITH THE, WITH THE FIRST PROGRAM, UH, ERA WON FOR UP TO 12 MONTHS OF RENTAL ASSISTANCE WITH THE PRIORITY BEING ON RENTAL ARREARS.
SO YOU HAD TO PAY RENTAL ARREARS BEFORE, BEFORE YOU COULD PAY EXISTING OR PERSPECTIVE RENTS.
UM, YOU COULD PAY UP TO THREE MONTHS OF PERSPECTIVE RENTS TO ENSURE HOUSING STABILITY FOR A TOTAL OF 15, UH, WITH ERA TWO, THEY HAVE A PROVISION.
NOW WE'RE UP TO 18 MONTHS, CUMULATIVE OF BOTH PROGRAMS CAN BE PAID TO THESE FAMILIES, UH, IN, IN AND ACROSS THE STATE AND COUNTRY.
UH, THERE WAS A PROVISION TO ENSURE NO DUPLICATION OF BENEFITS.
UM, SO AGAIN, ANOTHER ADMINISTRATIVE MAKING SURE THAT THESE FAMILIES HAVEN'T RECEIVED BENEFITS FROM ANOTHER FEDERAL PROGRAM, UM, WHICH REQUIRES SOME WORK ON THE ADMINISTRATION OF ERA ONE IN ER, A TWO.
IT'S INTERESTING, IT WASN'T SPECIFIED IN STATUTE, BUT CLEARLY WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE DUPLICATION OF BENEFITS IS NOT DONE AND THAT THERE'S A, UH, UH, THE LEAST AMOUNT OF FRAUD POSSIBLE, OBVIOUSLY.
UM, SO AGAIN, I'VE MENTIONED THIS ALREADY THAT YOU MUST PAY RENTAL ARREARS, UH, IN ERA WON BEFORE COVERING PROSPECTIVE RENTS ERA TO REMOVES THAT RESTRICTION.
SO IF THERE'S SOMEONE WITH RENTAL ARREARS AND THEY HAVE PERSPECTIVE RENTS THAT THEY CAN PAY, YOU DON'T NECESSARILY HAVE TO PAY THOSE RENTAL ARREARS IN ORDER TO PAY EXISTING RENT, A DEADLINE TO SPEND THE FUNDS.
UH, SO THEY HAD ACTUALLY EXTENDED THE DEADLINE TO SEPTEMBER 30TH, 2022 FOR ERA ONE FOR ERA TWO.
NOW THE DEADLINE IS THROUGH 2020 5TH OF SEPTEMBER.
[01:05:01]
SO FISCAL FEDERAL FISCAL YEAR 2025 ERA ONE DID NOT HAVE A HIGH NEED SET ASIDE IN ERA TWO.I THINK THE DEPARTMENT OF TREASURY REALLY WANTED TO BE TARGETED AND FOCUSED.
SO THEY IDENTIFY THESE HIGH NEED AREAS ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
UH, MERSEYSIDE COUNTY IS INDEED ONE OF THOSE HIGH NEED AREAS AND OF THAT $9 MILLION THAT WE RECEIVED 2.5 MILLION OF THAT WAS BECAUSE OF OUR HIGH NEED DESIGNATION AND THEN ERA ONE HAD A LUMP SUM DISTRIBUTION.
UM, SO WE RECEIVED ALL OF THE FUNDING AT ONCE FROM THE TREASURY.
WHEREAS ERA TWO IS GOING TO BE DISTRIBUTED IN TWO TRAUNCHES OF 40% TRAUNCH UPFRONT.
AND THEN FOR THE SECOND TRAUNCH, ONCE YOU'VE REACHED A CERTAIN SPECIFIC SPEND-DOWN, UM, LASTLY IN ONE OF THE NUANCED, YOU KNOW, TENANTS MUST SUFFERED FINANCIAL HARDSHIP DUE TO COVID-19 FOR ERA ONE, FOR ERA TWO, IT JUST SAYS DURING, SO IT ADDS THE WORD DURING, SO IT DOESN'T NECESSARILY HAVE TO BE DIRECTLY RELATED TO, HEY, COVID CAME.
AND I LOST MY JOB BECAUSE IT HAD TO SHUT DOWN IF YOU'VE SUFFERED ANY KIND OF FINANCIAL HARDSHIP DURING COVID, YOU WOULD BE ELIGIBLE TO APPLY FOR ERA TOO.
SO THEY BROADENED IT UP A LITTLE BIT, MADE IT A LITTLE EASIER, UH, TO HELP PEOPLE ACROSS THE COUNTRY WITH THE ERA TOO.
SO ON JUNE 28TH, 2021, A VERY IMPORTANT LAW WAS PASSED, UH, BY THE STATE ASSEMBLY HERE, ASSEMBLY BILL 8 32, UM, MOST IMMEDIATELY WHAT IT DID FACING A JUNE 30TH EVICTION MORATORIUM EXPIRATION.
IT EXTENDED THAT FOR AN ADDITIONAL THREE MONTHS UNTIL SEPTEMBER 30TH, 2021, I THINK MOST IMMEDIATELY THAT'S PROBABLY THE GREATER IMPACT.
UM, AS THERE ARE EVICTIONS THAT ARE PENDING, WE SEE A HUGE REDUCTION IN MERCER COUNTY.
AND I IMAGINE ACROSS THE STATE FROM OVER A THOUSAND ANNUALLY TO, TO HUNDREDS NOW IN THE LOW HUNDREDS.
SO WE, WE HAD MET WITH THE DEPARTMENT, THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT TO JUST KIND OF GET THE LAY OF THE LAND AT WHERE THINGS ARE.
WE IMAGINE THERE'S SOME PENT UP DEMAND THERE.
SO IT'S HOUSING SERVICE PROVIDERS SEEING THAT IT WAS SOMEWHAT ALLEVIATED THROUGH COVID, UH, WAS REASSURING TO US AS MENTIONED BY MR. MARIONI.
UH, AND AGAIN, IMPORTANT TO THIS BOARD.
ONE OF THE DECIDING FACTORS WAS, HEY, THE STATE PROGRAM, AT LEAST FOR AR ERA ONE, THEY'RE NOT PROPOSING TO MAKE LANDLORDS WHOLE, THE STATE SAW THAT AS A BURDEN AND HAS SINCE MADE THOSE ADJUSTMENTS AND EQUALED THE LOCAL PROGRAM THAT MERCER COUNTY HAT THROUGH ERA ONE, UM, THEY INCREASED IT FROM 80% TO A HUNDRED PERCENT AND PROSPECTIVE RENTS FROM 25% TO A HUNDRED PERCENT.
SO THEY MATCHED THE LOCAL PROGRAM THAT THIS BOARD IMPLEMENTED.
UH, THIS THERE'S A FEW OTHER DIFFERENCES HERE AS WELL, THAT THEY'RE PROVIDING RENTAL ASSISTANCE TO LAND LORDS IN NON OCCUPANCY SITUATIONS.
SO IF THE TENANT HAD ACTUALLY LEFT, THE LANDLORD COULD STILL BE MADE WHOLE THROUGH SOME OF THIS LEGISLATION.
AND IT'S ALLOWING RESIDENTS TO APPLY DIRECTLY IF LANDLORDS OR UTILITY COMPANIES CHOOSE NOT TO PARTICIPATE AN IMPORTANT DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE RA ONE AND TWO
THAT WAS THE FIRST YOU HAD TO, WE WERE REQUIRED TO DO THAT.
ERA TWO IS ALLOWING, UH, JURISDICTIONS TO WORK DIRECTLY WITH TENANTS WITHOUT THE, UH, OUTREACH TO THE LANDLORD.
SO UTILITY COMPANIES, WHAT IT ALSO DID IS REQUIRED COUNTIES TO PROVIDE A LETTER OF INTENT PRIOR TO JULY 27TH, 2021 REGARDING THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE STATE LOCAL, THE STATE ALLOCATION.
SO SIMILAR TO ERA ONE, THEY PROVIDED THREE OPTIONS, WHICH WAS REDIRECTING THE LOCAL JURISDICTION ALLOCATION TO THE STATE PROGRAM, STOP TAKING NEW APPLICATIONS FOR ERA ONE AND SWITCH ERA ONE OPTION OPTION B WAS TO REQUEST FROM THE, FROM THE STATE THAT FUNDING, UM, IN ORDER TO ADMINISTER IT LOCALLY.
AND IN CONVERSATIONS WITH THE STATE, THERE ARE, THERE ARE COMMUNITIES THAT OPTED TO DO THAT.
TYPICALLY THESE WERE LARGER COMMUNITIES THAT HAD ESTABLISHED PROGRAMS, PRE PANDEMIC PROGRAMS FOR RENTAL ASSISTANCE.
AND WE WERE ABLE TO FOLD THAT IN ADMINISTRATIVELY WITHOUT MUCH BURDEN AND ADMINISTER THAT FUNDING LOCALLY.
SO THE STATE WENT SO FAR AND WE'VE HAD MANY CONVERSATIONS WITH THEM TO ACTUALLY ENCOURAGE COUNTIES THAT HAD THAT INFRASTRUCTURE TO, HEY, YOU DON'T, WHY WOULD WE ADMINISTER ON YOUR BEHALF? YOU'RE ABLE TO DO THIS ON YOUR HOME.
UM, AND LASTLY, OPTION C, WHICH WAS TO ADMINISTER A NON-CONFORMING BIFURCATED PROGRAM.
SO THAT'S A NON NON-CONFORMING PROGRAM TO THE STATE, WHICH WOULD HAVE ESSENTIALLY RESULTED IN FOUR PROGRAMS IN MERSEYSIDE COUNTY.
IF WE WENT FOR THE OPTION C ROUTE, RIGHT, YOU WOULD HAVE ERA ONE AND TWO, AND THEN ERA TO THE STATE AND THE LOCAL PROGRAM.
THE STATE PROGRAM ITSELF, UH, IS ADMINISTERED THROUGH THEIR WEBSITE@HOUSING.CA.GOV.
THEY'VE REVAMPED THAT WEBSITE, THE STATE HAD HAD INITIAL CHALLENGES, GETTING PEOPLE TO ACCESS THIS WEBSITE, KIND OF A CUMBERSOME PROCESS, VERY DOCUMENT, HEAVY AND NEW.
SO THERE'S UNCERTAINTY WITH ANYTHING NEW.
I THINK FROM THE TENANT PERSPECTIVE, THE LANDLORD PERSPECTIVE, THE STATE PERSPECTIVE, THE LOCAL, IT WAS JUST A NEW PROGRAM BEING IMPLEMENTED, UM, WITH
[01:10:01]
MULTIPLE FAQ FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS THAT CAME OUT AND KIND OF GUIDED HOW WE ADMINISTER THESE PROGRAMS. SO THEY'VE SINCE REVAMPED THE WEBSITE TO MAKE A MORE USER CENTRIC APPLICATION PROCESS.UNFORTUNATE, I DIDN'T CREATE A UNIQUE, UH, APPLICATION FOR MYSELF, BUT I WAS TEMPTED TO, TO SEE WHAT IT IS BECAUSE FROM TALKING TO THE STATE, THEY'VE BEEN ABLE TO SIMPLIFY THIS WHERE FEWER DOCUMENTS ARE ACTUALLY REQUIRED AND SIMPLIFIED QUESTIONS FOR A LITTLE EASY, UM, MORE OF AN EASE, EASY USER INTERFACE.
AND THEY'VE ALSO, I THINK, IMPORTANTLY ESTABLISHED A, A RELIEF CALL CENTER, UM, THAT, YOU KNOW, NOT EVERYONE IS TECHNOLOGICALLY CAPABLE OF JUST LOGGING IN AND WE'LL SEE IN A, IN A, IN A FUTURE SLIDE, UM, WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE.
UM, AND THEN THERE'S A LOCAL PARTNERING NETWORK.
SO YOU CAN ACTUALLY CALL A DIFFERENT NUMBER IF YOU WANT TO, TO LIAISON WITH THE LOCAL COMMUNITY BASED ORGANIZATION, UM, IN YOUR COUNTY TO RECEIVE ASSISTANCE.
THE STATE HAS STATED THAT THEIR APPLICATION TIME HAS BEEN REDUCED FROM THREE HOURS TO 30 MINUTES BECAUSE OF THE CHANGES THAT THEY'VE IMPLEMENTED.
AND LASTLY, THEY'VE, UH, THEY'VE INCREASED MESSAGES.
YOU KNOW, I'VE, I'VE HEARD THIS MYSELF AND OUTREACH THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA CAMPAIGNS, WHICH IS PART OF THEIR LOCAL NETWORK, UM, RADIO BUYS, ET CETERA.
SO THEY'RE REALLY FOCUSED ON MAKING SURE THAT THIS FUNDING IS UTILIZED IN THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA WHEN THE REALLY INTERESTING THINGS THAT WE HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH, UH, DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT WAS THE LOCAL PARTNER ACTIVITY.
AND HERE IN MERSEYSIDE COUNTY, UM, THERE'S THREE ORGANIZATIONS INCLUDING THE JAKARTA MOVEMENT, LGBTQ AND COLLABORATIVE AND SELF-HELP ENTERPRISES, WHICH IS A PARTNER OF THE COUNTY ON, ON OTHER, UH, OTHER, UH, ACTIVITIES.
THESE THREE PARTNERS IDENTIFY THROUGH THE LOCAL PARTNERING NETWORK ARE ALL TIER THREE PARTNERS.
SO THE TIERS ARE PROMOTION, WHICH INCLUDES JUST LIKE SOCIAL MEDIA BLAST.
YOU KNOW, THAT YOU COULD, YOU COULD PARTNER AT THAT LEVEL OF, OF ENGAGEMENT, UM, PROMOTION AND OUTREACH, WHERE YOU COULD ACTUALLY BE GOING DOOR TO DOOR AND THEN, UM, PROMOTION AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE.
AND THE TECH'S TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE PIECE IS ACTUALLY THE, THE ASSISTANCE WITH THE APPLICATION.
UM, SO THESE THREE ORGANIZATIONS, UH, HAVE CONDUCTED A TOTAL OF 372 APPOINTMENTS, UM, 250, THE THREE OF THOSE WERE BY PHONE.
SO LIKELY, YOU KNOW, RESIDENTS, TENANTS WHO DIDN'T HAVE THAT ACCESS TO, UM, THE TECHNOLOGY THAT MAY BE NEEDED AS WELL AS ONE REMOTE APPOINTMENT AND FIVE DOORSTEP APPOINTMENTS.
SO, UM, A REALLY ROBUST LOCAL PARTNERING NETWORK THAT'S BEING DEVELOPED AGAIN, LIKE TO EMPHASIZE THIS IS STILL NEW FOR A LOT OF US, BUT, UH, THE STATE INCLUDED, SO IT'S STILL BEING DEVELOPED AND THE OPPORTUNITY TO SIGN UP FOR THAT LOCAL PARTNER NETWORK IS AGAIN ON THE STATE WEBSITE THAT I'M GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO MR. MARIONI TO, UH, SUMMARIZE OUR EVALUATION.
SO JUST TO SUMMARIZE, UM, WHAT WE HAVE BEFORE YOU TODAY, UM, YOU KNOW, I THINK MR CHECKLEY SAID IT VERY WELL WHEN HE SAID, YOU KNOW, THE, YOU COULD HAVE FOUR UNIQUE PROGRAMS OPERATING SIMULTANEOUSLY THAT ARE CLOSE, BUT NOT QUITE ALL AT THE SAME TIME.
AND SO WHEN WE LOOK AT THIS, UM, WE ARE SEEING THAT BY, UM, BY MOVING FORWARD, WE, WE SEE AN INCREASED ASSISTANCE TO BOTH LANDLORDS OR TO LANDLORDS BY MATCHING OUR COUNTY LOCAL PROGRAM, GOING FROM THAT 80 TO 100% LANDLORDS AND TENANTS BOTH CAN APPLY AND THE PAYMENT CAN BE MADE DIRECTLY TO THE LANDLORD, UH, OR UTILITY PROVIDER OR TENANTS.
UM, THERE'S THE ABILITY TO LEVERAGE THE ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS ACROSS, UM, YOU KNOW, WITH THE, WITH THE STATE'S OVERALL PROGRAM, UH, THE SIGNIFICANT WEB-BASED PLATFORM IMPROVEMENTS AND, UM, THE DEVELOPMENT OF A STATEWIDE CALL CENTER.
AND THEN AS, AS MR. CHECKLEY MENTIONED IN THE PREVIOUS SLIDE, THE STATE INVESTMENT AND THE CREATION AND EXPANSION OF LOCAL PARTNER NETWORK.
AND SO THERE IS A TREMENDOUS OPPORTUNITY FOR COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS OUT THERE TO, TO SIGN ON WITH THE STATE TO FUNDING AND WORK DIRECTLY, AS, YOU KNOW, AS THE TRUSTED GROUPS IN THE COMMUNITY TO WORK WITH, WITH THE FOLKS THAT THEY SERVE TO HELP THEM GET INTO THE PROGRAM.
AS IT PROGRESSES OVER THE NEXT FEW YEARS, A STATEWIDE GEOGRAPHIC MARKETING CAMPAIGN, THEY'RE DOING, YOU KNOW, THE STATE'S DOING STATEWIDE MEDIA BUYS, UM, IN SURROUNDING COUNTIES.
SO THEY'RE ABLE TO, UM, EASILY MARKET IN, IN, IN OUR COUNTY AS WELL.
AND THEN, YOU KNOW, JUST THE ENDING OF THE BIFURCATED PROGRAMS, IT REALLY DOES REDUCE THE CONFUSION OUT THERE FOR TENANTS AND FOR LANDLORDS, YOU KNOW, IT, IT, IT, IT COULD BE A CONFUSING ENDEAVOR.
AND SO BEFORE ADVANCING TO THE NEXT SLIDE, I'D LIKE TO, YOU KNOW, MAKE THE OPPORTUNITY AVAILABLE FOR CVO EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AND MR. JORGE DINOVA TO STEP UP TO THE MICROPHONE
[01:15:01]
AND PERHAPS SAY A FEW WORDS, UM, BEFORE WE MOVE TO THE NEXT SLIDE.UM, THANK YOU, DEPUTY, UH, CEO, UH, MARIANI AND, UH, DEPUTY DIRECTOR, CHUCK LEE FOR THE, UH, UH, EXCELLENT REVIEW OF THE PROGRAM.
UM, I JUST LIKE TO START WITH THANKING THIS BOARD AND CAO BROWN, UM, FOR THE RECOMMENDATIONS, UH, OF CENTRAL VALLEY OPPORTUNITY CENTER TO BE YOUR CONTRACTOR ON THIS PROGRAM, IT WAS A VERY QUICK RAMP UP.
UH, YOU SAW THE TIMELINE, UH, FEBRUARY 9TH CONTRACTS EXECUTED UP AND RUNNING BY MARCH 15TH, STAFF OF 19.
SO, UH, THERE WAS QUITE A, A SPRINT, EVEN THOUGH I THINK I STOOD UP HERE AND SAID IT WAS GOING TO BE A MARATHON TO GET THIS PROGRAM DONE.
IT WAS ACTUALLY A SPRINT AGAIN, UH, W WHICH WE'RE USED TO.
SO WE'RE, WE'RE PROUD THAT THIS BOARD TOOK THAT INITIATIVE AND, AND WENT LOCAL, UH, TO GET THIS PROGRAM UP AND RUNNING.
UH, I THINK, UH, YOU ARE IN THE PROCESS OF MOVING FORWARD HERE.
UH, WHEN I THINK THE DIRECTION THAT THE BOARD IS GOING FOR ERA TWO, UH, AND CBOC SUPPORTS THAT, UM, I'D ALSO LIKE TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO THANK MY STAFF, THOSE 19 FOLKS THAT WORKED ON THIS PROGRAM.
UH, THE 10 INTAKE WORKERS, UH, THE FOUR OUTREACH WORKERS, THE FIVE ADMIN STAFF, UH, PLUS A FEW OTHER CBOC EMPLOYEES SPRINKLED IN, UH, AND OUR RECEPTIONIST.
SHE, SHE DESERVES A BIG SHOUT OUT FOR ANSWERING ALL THOSE CALLS, ALMOST 1500 INQUIRIES IN THIS PROGRAM IN ABOUT THREE AND A HALF MONTHS.
UH, AND LASTLY, UM, I WOULD LIKE TO, UM, UM, RECOGNIZE A DEPUTY DIRECTOR LEE, HE'S BEEN A TRUE PLEASURE TO WORK WITH THEM.
UH, HE'S, HE'S BEEN VERY SUPPORTIVE OF THE PROGRAM HE'S BEEN INVOLVED.
UH, YOU KNOW, IF NOT DAILY, A COUPLE TIMES A WEEK THROUGHOUT THE PROCESS AND SOME EARLY MORNING CALLS AND LATE NIGHT CALLS COMPLETELY ACCESSIBLE.
AND I APPRECIATE THE SUPPORT, UH, FROM NOT ONLY MR CHECKLEY, BUT THE HSA DIVISION.
SO YOU WERE CALLING THEM EARLY IN THE MORNING AND LATE AT NIGHT AS WELL.
I THINK ALL THE BOARD MEMBERS WERE TOO.
AND I THINK I SPOKE AT TEACHING EVERY ONE OF YOU MULTIPLE TIMES ON THIS AS WELL.
SO YEAH, THOSE, THOSE PHONES WERE RINGING AND THE EMAILS, UH, WERE BEING EXCHANGED, BUT YEAH, THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT YOU GOTTA DO WITH THESE TYPES OF PROGRAMS. UH, THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES SUPERVISOR SOLVERA.
I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU ON BEHALF OF THE COUNTY AND BEHALF OF MYSELF, THIS PROGRAM, YOU KNOW, IT WAS ALL PUT TOGETHER WITH GREAT INTENTIONS OF RIGHT.
OF GETTING HELP TO THE PEOPLE THAT NEEDED IT.
BUT THERE'S ALSO RULES THAT COME ALONG WITH TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE DOTTING ALL OUR I'S AND CROSSING ALL OUR T'S.
AND I KNOW THAT YOU GUYS ARE IN THE THANKLESS POSITION OF HAVING TO VET THROUGH, YOU KNOW, THE 1500 DIFFERENT SCENARIOS ON WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE.
AND I JUST, I CAN'T THANK YOU ENOUGH FROM, FROM MY PERSPECTIVE OF, IN SUCH SHORT ORDER, PUTTING A PROGRAM, WHICH I WILL SIT IN AND HAVE AN ARGUMENT WITH ANYBODY THAT WOULD LIKE TO HOW SUCCESSFUL IT WAS.
BECAUSE IF YOU LOOK AT THE AMOUNT OF PEOPLE THAT WERE ABLE TO HELP THE AMOUNT OF DOLLARS THAT WE GOT PUT BACK INTO THE COMMUNITY, VERSUS WHAT THE STATE WAS DOING AND WHAT OTHER COUNTIES ARE DOING, OUR NUMBERS ARE JUST AS GOOD AS ANYBODY'S, IF NOT BETTER.
SO THAT'S A TESTAMENT TO YOU AND YOUR GROUP IN GETTING THE GOOD WORK DONE OF ACTUALLY TRYING TO GET PEOPLE THE HELP THAT THEY NEEDED.
UM, AND, AND I APPRECIATE YOU, YOU KNOW, UH, COMING FORWARD AND, AND, AND RECOGNIZING THAT NOW THAT THESE PROGRAMS HAVE KIND OF ALIGNED IN, IN WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH.
AND INSTEAD OF HAVING TO TRY TO RUN ALMOST FOUR SEPARATE PROGRAMS AT ONE TIME, UM, WE'RE GONNA KINDA SH MAYBE, I MEAN, THERE'S A VOTE, THAT'LL HAVE TO TAKE PLACE HERE, BUT IN KIND OF LEANING THE WAY THAT I'M GOING IS TO KIND OF SHIFT THAT AND, AND LET US BE ABLE TO JUST NOW WE CAN SEND THEM TO THE STATE'S WEBSITE AND, AND JUST SO EVERYBODY UNDERSTANDS THOSE DOLLARS THAT WERE ALLOCATED TO THE STATE FOR THEIR DISTRIBUTION.
THOSE STILL GO TO MERCEDE COUNTY RESIDENTS THAT JUST DOESN'T GO INTO A STATE POT THAT GETS DISTRIBUTED ANYWHERE ELSE IN THE STATE, THE LOCAL DOLLAR, THE LOCAL SHARE, AND THE STATE SHARE ALL GOES FOR MERCEDE COUNTY RESIDENTS.
SO I, AGAIN, IT'S JUST A BIG THANK YOU TO YOU AND YOUR GROUP AND YOUR BOARD FOR PARTNERING WITH US, BECAUSE THERE WAS NOBODY ELSE.
WE WERE SCRAMBLING IN THE BEGINNING WHEN WE STARTED OUR OWN LITTLE PROGRAM AND YOU GUYS WERE THE FIRST ONES TO STEP UP.
AND SO THAT IS NOT LOST ON ME.
AND, AND THANK YOU FOR, FOR A GREAT PART.
MARSHA, THANK YOU FOR THE KIND WORDS, AND I'LL, I'LL BE THERE RIGHT NEXT TO YOU AND DEFENDING THIS PROGRAM AS WELL.
THANK YOU, CHAIR RECOGNIZE THE SUPERVISOR.
PERRERA, YOU KNOW, UM, YOUR, YOUR HEADQUARTERS ARE IN MY DISTRICT.
I APPRECIATE THE QUALITY OF PROGRAMMING THAT YOU PROVIDE FOR, UH, FOR FOLKS IN NEED IN OUR COMMUNITY, YOU KNOW, AND, AND, AND, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, JOB TRAINING, RIGHT? HELPING PEOPLE CHANGE THEIR LIVES IS WHAT YOU, YOU DO PRIMARILY.
AND, UH, AND YOU DO A DARN GOOD JOB.
AND I KNOW YOU WORK IN STANISLAUS AND MADERA COUNTIES AS WELL.
AND, UH, I HAVE COLLEAGUES, OR WE HAVE COLLEAGUES IN THOSE COUNTIES AND THEY ALL REALLY, YOU KNOW, TALK ABOUT THE PRAISES OF YOUR PROGRAMS. UM, AND SO, YOU KNOW, I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR STEPPING UP ON SHORT NOTICE TO, TO RUN THIS IRAP PROGRAM.
[01:20:01]
AND, AND AS MY COLLEAGUE SAID, I BELIEVE HE DID A PHENOMENAL JOB.AND, UM, WE'LL BE INTERESTING, I THINK GOING FORWARD, IF THIS MONEY DOES IN FACT GET SENT TO THE STATE PROGRAM ON BEHALF OF HER SAID, COUNTY, IS THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A, THERE'S A, UM, UM, I GUESS A FACILITATION THAT GROUPS IN OUR COUNTY CAN THEN JOIN AND HELP FACILITATE PEOPLE GETTING HELP.
AND, AND SO IT'LL BE INTERESTING TO SEE, UH, HOW MANY PEOPLE THAT HAVE COMPLAINED ABOUT THE PROGRAM WILL SIGN UP TO HELP PEOPLE AND HOW MANY PEOPLE THEY WILL HELP.
AND I THINK THAT'LL BE PRETTY TELLING, UH, OVER TIME.
AND I DON'T KNOW IF WE'LL BE ABLE TO GET THOSE STATISTICS OR NOT, BUT, UH, MY BEST GUESS IS THAT, YOU KNOW, YOUR PROGRAM WILL BE ON THE TOP OF THAT LIST.
IF IN FACT WE DO GET THE LIST.
SO THANK YOU KINDLY ON BEHALF OF ALL THE FOLKS REALLY IN MERCER COUNTY THAT, UH, THAT YOU AND YOUR STAFF WERE ABLE TO HELP.
UM, I CERTAINLY APPRECIATE IT.
AND, AND I KNOW MY COLLEAGUES DO SO.
THANK YOU, SUPERVISOR PER, AND WE ENJOY YOUR VISITS AND, AND THE TRUE CREDIT GOES TO THE STAFF TO THOSE, TO THOSE 19 EMPLOYEES WORKING ON THE PROGRAM.
UM, UNFORTUNATELY THEY'RE ALL DOING INTAKES TODAY, SO THEY CAN'T BE HERE, BUT CREDIT GOES TO THEM.
THANK YOU, CHAIR RECOGNIZED A SUPERVISOR ESPINOSA AS, UM, I'M GOING TO CONCUR WITH MY COLLEAGUES.
I THINK YOU DID AN EXCELLENT JOB, EVEN THOUGH IT'S, IT'S ALWAYS, UH, UH, YOU KNOW, VERY HARD TO WHEN YOU'RE DEALING WITH THE PUBLIC AND HE KNOWS ALREADY SORTING THROUGH ALL THE, YOU KNOW, THE APPLICATIONS.
AND CERTAINLY, UH, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S HARD WHEN YOU HAVE TO, YOU KNOW, UM, AS I SAY, UH, YOU KNOW, YOU DON'T QUALIFY TO SOMEBODY, UH, BUT, UH, YOU AND JOHN WERE VERY HELPFUL.
ALWAYS ENCOURAGE US TO COME OUT THERE AND, AND, UH, WELL, IT WAS TOUGH WITH THE PANDEMIC, BUT, UM, UH, YOU KNOW, IN ANOTHER, ANOTHER TIME SEEING WITH DIFFERENT PROGRAMS, THEY, THE URINE, UM, UH, YOU KNOW, EVERYTHING IS, UH, THE PUBLIC IS VERY, UH, MOSTLY PLEASE, OF COURSE, YOU KNOW, THEN CAN'T GET A HUNDRED PERCENT, BUT, UH, YOU KNOW, W WE'RE CERTAINLY, UH, HERE, YOUR WORK WAS VERY MUCH APPRECIATED BY, UH, OUR COUNTY AND THANK YOU TO ALL YOUR STUFF AS WELL.
AND WE'RE NOT GOING AWAY AS SUPERVISOR PARA MENTIONED WHERE WE'VE BEEN IN THIS COMMUNITY FOR 42 YEARS AND, AND, UH, YOU KNOW, WE, WE STILL HAVE TWO RENTAL PROGRAMS IN HOUSE THAT WE'RE OPERATING.
SO, UH, YOU KNOW, FOCUSING REFOCUSING ON OUR WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS AS THIS PANDEMIC, UH, HOPEFULLY THERE'S SOME LIGHT AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL.
WE CAN FULL HORSE WITH THAT, BUT THANK YOU, CHAIRMAN RECOGNIZED HER SUPERVISOR.
UM, I THINK EVERYTHING'S ALREADY BEEN SAID, UH, BUT I DO WANT TO THANK YOU, UM, FOR REALLY STEPPING UP AND MOVING THIS THIS FORWARD AND REALLY TAKING ON.
I KNOW IT HASN'T BEEN EASY AND YOU'VE TAKEN SOME ARROWS ALONG THE WAY.
UM, BUT I THINK YOU'VE HANDLED EVERYTHING VERY PROFESSIONALLY AND REALLY, UM, UH, KEPT THE COMMUNITY IN FOCUS.
AND I THINK THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S THE MOST IMPORTANT IS THAT YOU JUST KIND OF KEPT YOUR HEAD DOWN AND JUST KEPT GOING AS MUCH AS YOU CAN, YOU AND YOUR STAFF.
AND I WANT TO THANK JOHN, UH, ALSO FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU GUYS ARE DOING, WE'RE MOVING THIS PROGRAM FORWARD.
YOU KNOW, AND WE JUST OPERATED THE PROGRAM.
WE WERE DEALT, I THINK WE SAID THAT BACK IN FEBRUARY, YOU KNOW, WE, WE DIDN'T DESIGN THIS THING.
IT'S JUST KINDA THE, THE HAND WE'RE GIVEN BY THE TREASURY.
AND IT'S, IT'S GOOD TO SEE THAT ERA TOO IS KIND OF ADDRESSING SOME OF THOSE DEFICIENCIES IN ERA ONE.
SO IT, IT, IT, IT IS A WORK IN PROGRESS, THESE PROGRAMS, AND THEY'RE NOT ALWAYS, UH, YOU KNOW, UM, I GUESS IN GOOD LIGHT TO, IN SOME EYES, BUT IN THE BIG PICTURE, IT IS MAKING A DIFFERENCE.
UH, I THINK THIS IS JUST AN EXAMPLE OF ONE PROGRAM WE'VE WORKED TOGETHER ON, WE'VE WORKED IN MANY MORE.
UH, IT'S INTERESTING THOUGH, THE NGOS WERE HERE TO TELL US WHAT THEY WANTED TO HEAR, BUT WHENEVER THEY WANTED TO HEAR THEIR OPPORTUNITY TO REALLY HELP THE COMMUNITY, THEY'RE NOT HERE TO LISTEN TO THE NEXT STEP AND WHAT THE, THIS BOARD IS GETTING READY TO DO, WHICH WOULD BE VERY BENEFICIAL AND THEY COULD HELP OUT EVEN MORE TREMENDOUSLY.
BUT I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING, THE RELATIONSHIP THAT THE COUNTY HAS AND WHAT WE DO WITH YOU.
THANK YOU, CHAIRMAN MCDANIEL POINT WELL-MADE, UM, YOU KNOW, WE, WE SET UP A FUNCTION.
I WILL POINT OUT ONE FUNCTION OF THE PROGRAM THAT WE DID SET UP, AND THAT WAS THE COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATION REFERRAL FORM, UH, FOR ALL THESE, UH, COMMUNITY GROUPS TO BE FILL US IN ON THAT.
OH, WELL, LET'S NOT GET ALL THE WAY THERE, BUT WE DID CREATE AN AVENUE FOR SMALL GRASSROOTS ORGANIZATIONS, COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS TO REFER THEIR CLIENTS, THEIR CONSTITUENTS TO THE PROGRAM.
UH, THIS PROGRAM RECEIVED OVER 1500 INQUIRIES AND, AND PRE SCREENINGS.
AND WE HAD A TOTAL OF 10, 10 COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATION REFERRALS.
SO LESS THAN 1% OF THE TOTAL INQUIRIES WERE REFERRED BY THOSE COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS THAT LOVE TO STAND UP HERE AND FIRE THOSE ARROWS, UH, TO QUOTE SUPERVISOR, SUPERVISOR PETROSA.
AND JOHN ALWAYS THANK YOU FOR THIS.
THIS HAS BEEN A NICE COORDINATION WORKING WITH JORGE LIKE THIS, AND, UH, LIKE I SAID, JOHN'S ON SPEED DIAL ON A LOT OF ITEMS. AND
[01:25:01]
IN FACT, I THINK WHEN HE'S, HE DOESN'T ROAM THE THIRD FLOOR HALL AS MUCH AS HE USED TO, BUT AS SOON AS HE DOES, WE'RE ALL RUNNING OUT OF OUR OFFICE THAT GRAB A HOLD OF HIM AND CHAT WITH HIM.SO IN CLOSING, WE HAVE THE STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS FROM BOTH ITEMS, UH, 15 AND 16 IN FRONT OF YOU.
UM, ESSENTIALLY ON NUMBER 15, WE HAVE TWO RESOLUTIONS.
SO THE FIRST ONE IS IN RESPONSE TO THE, THE ROUND TWO OF FUNDING.
AND SO WHAT THAT DOES IS IT'S BASICALLY ALLOWING, UM, THE BOARD CHAIR UPON REVIEW BY COUNTY, THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE OFFICE COUNTY COUNCIL RISK, AND THE AUDITOR CONTROLLER TO EXECUTE AN AGREEMENT WITH THE STATE TO ESSENTIALLY FULLY OPERATE THE IRAP TWO PROGRAM AND DIRECT THE ALLOCATION TO THE STATE.
THE SECOND RESOLUTION THERE IS IN REGARDS TO A RENTAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM ONE, AND THAT'S SHIFTING REMAINING FEDERAL ALLOCATION IN THE AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED 5.8 MILLION, UH, TO THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT.
AND AGAIN, AUTHORIZE THE BOARD CHAIR UPON REVIEW, UM, OF THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE OFFICE, THE COUNTY COUNCIL RISK AND THE AUDITOR CONTROLLER TO EXECUTE THE AGREEMENT TO, UM, TO ADMINISTER THE REMAINDER OF THE DIRECT ALLOCATION AND THAT PROGRAM.
UM, AND THEN AGENDA ITEM 16 BASICALLY, UM, IS A CONTRACT AMENDMENT FOR CBOC, WHICH ESSENTIALLY, UM, TIGHTENS UP THE, THE END DATE.
IT BRINGS IT FROM APRIL 1ST, 2022, UM, WHICH WAS THE ORIGINAL END DATE OF THE PROGRAM.
JOHN HAD MENTIONED EARLIER THAT, YOU KNOW, THE PROGRAM WAS JUST EXTENDED OUT TO 2022.
ORIGINALLY IT WAS, YOU KNOW, A LITTLE SHORTER THAN THAT.
SO WE HAD APRIL 1ST, 2022, WE'RE NOW MOVING THAT TO OCTOBER 31ST, 2021 THAT GIVES TIME FOR, UH, CBOC TO PROCESS THE REMAINING INTAKES AND APPLICATIONS THAT THEY HAVE IN THE QUEUE PAY OUT THOSE, UH, THOSE, THOSE, THOSE CHECKS.
AND THEN, UM, PROVIDE TIME TO DO THE REPORTING THAT IS REQUIRED OF THE CONTRACT.
IT ALSO BRINGS THE AMOUNT OF THE CONTRACT FROM A LITTLE OVER 8 MILLION DOWN TO 2.8, 5 MILLION.
AND SO WITH THOSE ACTIONS, UM, THAT WOULD GIVE STAFF THE ABILITY TO, TO PROCEED WITH THE RECOMMENDATION AND MOVING THE PROGRAM TO THE STATE AND COUNTY COUNCIL HAS SIGNED OFF AND PROTECTED US.
AND ALL THIS CHAIR RECOGNIZED THE SUPERVISOR PRAYER.
UM, I HAVE A QUESTION WHEN YOU WERE SHOWING THE SLIDES ON THE IRAP ONE AND HE WRAPPED TOO.
UM, I NOTICED THAT THE ADMINISTRATIVE, UH, CHARGE BACK WAS LARGER.
SO I'M ASSUMING THAT THE STATES REALIZED THAT THE ADMIN FEE FOR THIS PROGRAM WAS, WAS SHORT.
UH, SO I GUESS MY QUESTION IS THIS, IS IT POSSIBLE FOR US TO APPLY FOR AN ADDITIONAL 5% ADMIN FEE FOR IRAP ONE? DID THE STATE ADJUST THAT AT ALL OR, OR JUST CHANGE IT FOR THE SECOND PROGRAM AND LEFT IT AS IS THE 10 TO 15 WAS DIRECTLY FROM THE TREASURY.
AND SO, UM, ANY OTHER GRANTEES FROM THE TREASURY, INCLUDING THE STATE WOULD BE ABLE TO BILL THE AT THE 15% RATE VERSUS THE 10.
SO THAT WOULD REQUIRE US TO GO BACK TO THE TREASURY AND THAT THAT'S BEEN SET.
I THINK THEY'VE MADE THE CORRECTIONS ON IRAP TOO, AFTER HEARING THE, YOU KNOW, THE CONCERNS OF THOSE ON THE GROUND OPERATING THOSE PROGRAMS, LIKE JOHN SAID MANY OF WHICH STARTING ONE FROM THE GROUND UP.
SO CAN WE GO BACK AND ASK FOR AN ATTORNEY? I DO NOT BELIEVE WE CAN.
AND THEN, UH, I, YOU GOTTA BE CAREFUL LLOYD.
CAUSE WHEN YOU SAY GO BACK AND ASK, SCOTT WAS ALREADY TO DO IT, I KNOW WELL WHERE WE'RE USING COMMON SENSE OVER HERE.
YOU KNOW, YOU MADE A MISTAKE, YOU GO BACK AND FIX IT.
AT LEAST THAT'S WHAT I DO IN MY LIFE.
SO DAVID, JUST SO CLARIFY THIS, UM, WITH THE, WITH THE ACTION THAT WILL POSSIBLY TAKE ON ITEM 16 WOULD STILL ALLOW CBOC TO KIND OF FINISH WHAT, FINISH UP WHAT THEY HAVE IN THE QUEUE.
AND THEN WHAT WOULD BE THE PROCESS MOVING FORWARD WOULD IMMEDIATELY ONCE ALL THE PAPERWORK IS SIGNED, EVERYTHING WOULD MOVE OVER TO THE STATE CBOC WOULDN'T TAKE ON ANY NEW APPLICATIONS.
CAN YOU WALK ME THROUGH THAT A LITTLE BIT? I THINK JOHN, DO YOU WANT TO, SIR, I'LL LET JOHN WALK YOU THROUGH THE PROCESS.
UM, SO CURRENTLY THEY'RE GONNA, THE, THE RESOLUTION REQUIRES THAT WE STOPPED TAKING NEW APPLICATIONS.
SO THAT'S PART OF THE RESOLUTION.
SO NO, NO NEW APPLICATIONS, UH, BUT CBOC ALREADY HAS APPLICATIONS SCHEDULED OUT THROUGH SEPTEMBER.
SO THE, THE AMENDMENT HERE, ALTHOUGH REDUCING THE OVERALL
[01:30:01]
AMOUNT OF FUNDING AND WE, WE PROJECTED OUT BASED ON AVERAGES.WHAT, WHAT LIKELY IS RE RE IS STILL IN THE QUEUE, UM, AND ALLOWING CBOC TO ADMINISTER THOSE LOCALLY.
UM, AS FAR AS GOING BACK TO THE STATE, THERE'LL BE A STANDARD AGREEMENT AND WE'VE HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH THE STATE ON HOW THAT TRANSITION'S GOING TO LOOK, WE'VE RECEIVED SOME ASSURANCES FROM THE STATE ON, THEY HAVE PEOPLE IN THE QUEUE AS WELL.
AND MAKING SURE WE'RE USING OUR LOCAL ALLOCATION FOR LOCAL MERSEYSIDE COUNTY RESIDENTS IS VERY IMPORTANT AND A POINT THAT MR. MARIANI MADE MULTIPLE TIMES.
SO WHETHER IT'S, IT WOULD LIKELY NOT BE A LUMP SUM.
I DON'T THINK ANYONE WOULD JUST SAY, HEY, LET'S GO.
SO WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE WE GO THROUGH, UM, THE EXISTING APPLICATIONS.
AND THAT'S WHY YOU SEE A, NOT TO EXCEED AMOUNT BECAUSE THERE'S STILL SOME UNCERTAINTY ON WHAT THAT SPEND DOWN IS GOING TO LOOK LIKE.
UM, AND THEN BASED ON OUR CONVERSATIONS WITH THE STATE, WHETHER IT'S INSTEAD OF A LUMP SUM, MAYBE MORE FREQUENT TRANSFERS TO, TO THE DEPARTMENT JUST TO PROTECT US ON, ON OUR SIDE.
ANYTHING, GIVE ME ONE TO ADD TO THAT SUPERVISOR SOLVERA, UH, ESSENTIALLY STARTING TOMORROW, THEN THE STATE'S APPLICATIONS THAT THEY ACCEPT WOULD GO TOWARDS, UM, R E R A UH, ONE ALLOCATION.
SO THEY WOULD START PROCESSING ANYBODY THAT APPLIES.
THEY ADJUST THE, THE ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA RIGHT NOW.
IF, IF YOU'RE WITHIN THE CBOC RANGE, FOR LACK OF BETTER WORDS, IT GETS DIRECTED THERE.
AND THEN THEY TAKE THE ONES THAT ARE ABOVE THOSE WOULD GET SHIFTED OVER.
AND SO ANY NEW APPLICATIONS, UH, STARTING TOMORROW WOULD BE, UM, WOULD BE THROUGH THE STATE PROGRAM.
AND THEN THIS WOULD GIVE, UH, MR. DENOVA TIME AT CVC TO WORK THE, THE, THE REMAINING APPLICATIONS THROUGH.
SO, YOU KNOW, IN LAYMAN'S TERMS, IF SOMEONE CALLS CBOC TOMORROW AND WANTS TO APPLY, THEY WOULD BE DIRECTED TO THE, TO THE STATE PROGRAM.
BUT IF THEY CALLED TODAY, THEY'RE STILL, THEY'RE STILL AS OF AUGUST 10TH.
THANK YOU FOR THE CLARIFICATION.
THERE'S NO OTHER QUESTIONS IN THE QUEUE.
NO, THERE ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS.
THEN WHAT IS THE PLEASURE OF THE BOARD? WE HAVE STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS PRESENTED.
I HAVE A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR SOLVERA WITH A SECONDED BY SUPERVISOR
IS THERE FURTHER DISCUSSION SEEING NONE I'LL CALL FOR THE VOTE? LET'S TALLY THE VOTE MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.
I ALREADY HAVE A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR SOLVERA WITH THE SECOND BY SUPERVISOR PEDROZA.
ARE THERE FURTHER COMMENTS? WAS OUR PROBATION, CHIEF HAD ANY COMMENTS TO ADD THING DONE? LET'S GO AHEAD AND CALL FOR THE VOTE.
UNANIMOUSLY ELECTIONS ITEM NUMBER 18.
JUST GO AHEAD AND GET A REQUEST.
CHAIR RECOGNIZES SUPERVISOR PEDROZA.
UM, I JUST WANTED TO HAVE MS. INGERSOLL COME UP HERE AND JUST EXPLAIN, BECAUSE AS WE WERE BRIEFED ON THIS EARLIER, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WAS TALKED ABOUT WAS THE, IF THERE WAS GOING TO BE, UM, FUNDING THAT WAS GOING TO BE REIMBURSED TO US, UH, FROM THE STATE, BECAUSE I KNOW IN THE LAST RECALL THAT IT WASN'T, AND IN THE REPORT, IT SAID IT IS ANTICIPATED THAT FUNDING WILL BE AVAILABLE FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE AND THE AMOUNT OF SPEED DETERMINED THAT I TALKED TO HER THIS MORNING, AND I JUST WANTED TO GET SOME CLARIFICATION ON THAT.
THANK YOU, SUPERVISOR PEDROZA THROUGH THE CHAIR AND BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, DARLENE INGERSOLL, REGISTRAR VOTERS ON AUGUST 6TH, LAST FRIDAY, WE WERE NOTIFIED THAT, UM, THE STATE CONTROLLER AND THE DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE INFORMED THE SECRETARY OF STATE AND COUNTIES THAT WE ARE GOING TO BE REIMBURSED, ACTUALLY FUNDED, I SHOULD SAY, FUNDED FOR THE RECALL AND TORE MERSEYSIDE COUNTY.
AND THESE FUNDS WILL BE ELECTRONIC TRANSFER TO THE COUNTY TREASURY TOMORROW, AUGUST 11TH.
THANK YOU FOR THE TIMELY QUESTION AND EVERYTHING IS MOVING QUITE RAPIDLY ON THIS RECALL ELECTION AND THE COUNTIES
[01:35:01]
WILL BE RECEIVING THAT FUNDING AS WE'VE BEEN TOLD LAST FRIDAY, AFTERNOON, TOMORROW.THAT IS REASSURING BECAUSE DURING THE BRIEFING, WHEN THEY SAID WEREN'T EVEN HANGING UP THERE ANYWAY.
UH, CHAIR RECOGNIZED SUPERVISOR SOLVERA.
I'M GOING TO PUT YOU ON THE SPOT WITH THIS QUESTION AND I'M SORRY, I DIDN'T ASK IT TO YOU BEFORE, BUT I ALREADY GOT MY RECALL BALLOT.
I ALREADY VOTED, I ALREADY TURNED IT BACK INTO THE COUNTY AND NOW WE'RE ADOPTING A, A RESOLUTION TO CALL FOR THE RECALL ELECTION.
WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF WE DIDN'T? WHAT IF WE VOTED? NO.
WHAT IF WE DIDN'T, IF WE DIDN'T PASS THE RESOLUTION SUPERVISOR, SOLVERA THROUGH THE CHAIR.
THIS IS MORE OF A PROCEDURAL, UM, ITEM, AND I CAN TELL YOU THROUGH ELECTIONS CODE IS REFERENCED IN OUR BOARD.
AGENDA ITEM IS MY RESPONSIBILITY TO MAKE SURE TO CROSS ALL THE T'S AND DOT ALL THE I'S.
AND BECAUSE OF THE TIMELINESS, I SUPPOSE, OF THIS ITEM, UM, WE ARE MOVING FORWARD AND, UM, I WOULD DEFER SOME OF THE QUESTIONS TO COUNTY COUNCIL, BUT I CAN TELL YOU THAT UNLESS THERE IS A DISAGREEMENT, I GUESS, OR SOMETHING THAT IS WAY BEYOND THE LAW, BEYOND ME, THAT WOULD HAVE A BOARD OF SUPERVISORS VOTE.
NO, THAT THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT IS WITHIN THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, UM, REALM.
AND WHAT THE ANSWERS, YOUR QUESTION.
I HAVE MORE COMMENTS, BUT I'M JUST GOING TO KEEP THEM TO MYSELF.
SO I DON'T GET MYSELF IN TROUBLE, BUT THANK YOU.
SCOTT ALWAYS LOOKS FOR THE NO VOTE ON STATE ISSUES.
SO I HAVE A MOTION BY IS THAT COMPLETE EVERYBODY? I HAVE NOBODY IN THE QUEUE.
UM, SO I HAVE A MOTION BY SUPERVISORS.
SOLVERA SECOND BY SUPERVISOR ESPANOZA.
I GOT TO TELL YOU GUYS, THE TIGHTER QUARTERS IS A LOT HARDER BECAUSE I COULD USUALLY LOOK AT RODRIGO RIGHT OVER THERE AND LOOK AT SCOTT OVER THERE.
AND SO ANYWAY, IT'S A LITTLE TIGHTER, IT'S HARDER TO, TO NAVIGATE.
SO I DO HAVE A FIRST AND A SECOND.
UH, LET'S GO AHEAD AND CALL FOR THE VOTE.
LET'S TALLY THE VOTE MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY, UH, AT THIS TIME ON A YOUTH CHAIR PREROGATIVE AND TAKE A FIVE MINUTE BREAK.
WE'VE RETURNED FROM OUR BREAK.
SO WE'LL GO AHEAD AND CONTINUE.
ARE THERE FURTHER COMMENTS REGARDING ITEM 19? I SEE NOBODY IN THE QUEUE, BUT I DO HAVE A MOTION ALREADY BY SUPERVISORS.
SOLVERA WITH THE SECOND BY SUPERVISOR PERRERA UH, FURTHER COMMENTS SEEING NONE.
I'LL GO AHEAD AND CALL FOR THE VOTE.
LET'S TALLY THE VOTE MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY VERIFIED THEM.
ARE THERE ANY COMMENTS ON THE SHERIFFS ITEM SEEING NONE? I HAVE A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR PRAIRIE.
I HAVE SECONDED BY SUPERVISOR SILVER.
LET'S TALLY THE VOTE MOTION PASSES, UNANIMOUSLY ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES ITEM 21.
I S I DO HAVE A REQUEST BY SUPERVISOR SOLVERA THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES SILVER.
UH, MR. CHAIR, I JUST WANTED TO POINT OUT ON ITEM NUMBER 11 ON THE LIST OF VEHICLES AND EXHIBIT A DOES HOW SAD IT IS TO ME THAT WE ACTUALLY HAD A FORD TAURUS THAT ONLY HAD 490 MILES ON IT, AND WE'RE HAVING IT GOT TOTALED IN A WRECK.
SO THAT WAS LIKE, LITERALLY THAT THING WAS FRESH OFF THE LOT AND BANG, IT GOES OUT.
JUST WANTED TO PUT THAT OUT THERE.
IT WAS A, IT CAME FROM HSA IN CASE ANYBODY WAS WONDERING, THANK YOU, SUPERVISOR.
UH, I HAVE A MOTION BY SILVERA A SECOND, AND BY ESPINOSA, UH, CALL FOR THE VOTE.
LET'S TALLY THE VOTE MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY COUNTY COUNCIL ITEM NUMBER 22.
I ALREADY HAVE A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR ESPINOSA, SECONDED BY SUPERVISOR.
PEDROSO LOOKING AROUND AND I SEE NO COMMENTS.
WE'LL GO AHEAD AND CALL FOR THE VOTE.
[01:40:04]
LET'S TELL YOU THE VOTE MOTION PASSES.UNANIMOUSLY EXECUTIVE OFFICE ITEM NUMBER 23, PLEASE.
YEAH, WE DO HAVE A REQUEST FOR A COMMENT.
SO I'LL GO AHEAD AND ALLOW THAT THAT COMMENT FOR THIS ITEM IS NOT THIS SETTING REQUIRES A FIFTH VOTE.
AND IF YOU COULD, UH, STATE YOUR NAME AND YOU HAD THE BUTTON THERE AND YOU KNOW HOW TO MAKE A LOWER, HI, MY NAME IS PANCHO VAIN.
UM, I'M A RESIDENT AND LIVING HERE IN MERCER COUNTY.
UH, TODAY I WANT TO TALK ABOUT, I DON'T KNOW WHERE 23 OF THANK YOU FOR HEARING MY PUBLIC COMMENT.
I'M STILL LEARNING ABOUT THE MEETING, UM, AND HOW IT RUNS.
UM, I WANTED TO TALK ABOUT, UM, THE PRESENTATION THAT WILL BE, UH, THE PRESENTATION SLIDES THAT WERE GIVEN US TODAY ON THE LAST SLIDE.
IT TALKS ABOUT HOW THE FUNDS WILL BE USED.
AND, UM, I NOTICED THAT, UM, $13.5 BILLION IS GOING TO CORRECTIONAL FACILITIES AND, UM, THAT'S MORE THAN 20% OF HER FUNDS AND I'M CONCERNED BECAUSE, UM, THESE FUNDS ARE SUPPOSED TO HELP THE PEOPLE RELIEF FROM COVID-19.
AND, UM, I DON'T WANT THE FUNDS TO BE HELPING PRISONS, BUT TO BE FUNDING, COMMUNITY CENTERS, FRONTING PARKS, FUNDING, BOYS, AND GIRLS CLUBS.
UM, UM, AND, UM, I WANTED TO SAY LIKE, I WANT THESE FUNDS TO HELP THE COMMUNITY AND TO, UM, PREVENT THEM FROM GOING TO PRISON AND NOT THE FUNDS SUPPORTING PRISONS.
I DON'T WANT TO SEE YOUNG PEOPLE IN PRISONS.
I DON'T WANT TO SEE OUR COMMUNITY IN PRISONS.
I WANT TO SEE OUR COMMUNITY THRIVING IN THEIR COMMUNITIES.
AND SO WANT THE WANTING TO INVEST IN COMMUNITY CENTERS AND PROGRAMS THAT WILL HELP THE PEOPLE.
UM, I NOTICED THAT THE MEDEVAC NAVIGATION CENTER IS ON THE, UM, UM, THE, UM, BUDGET TOO.
I WAS WANTING TO REQUEST FOR OUR HOMELESS CENTER SPECIFICALLY FOR LGBTQ, THE LGBTQ POPULATION FACE.
UM, NO FAMILY SUPPORT AND ARE OFTEN HOMELESS.
AND THE STATISTICS SHOWS THAT THEY FACE MORE VIOLENCE.
AND SO IN ORDER TO PREVENT THE VIOLENCE THAT THEY FACE AT THE HOMELESS SHELTERS OR IN THE COMMUNITY, WE NEED A HOMELESS SHELTER.
THAT'S SPECIFICALLY PHILLY FOR LGBTQ.
UM, I'M ALSO REQUESTING THAT THE FENCE TO BE HELPED, CAN YOU CENTERS AND FOR PARKS, BUT ALSO FOR YOUTH JOBS, UM, AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND X MONEY TO HELP PEOPLE WITH MEDICAL EXPENSES THAT WERE INCURRED DURING THE COVID-19, UM, ALSO FOR PREMIUM PAY FOR ESSENTIAL WORKERS, BUT I WANT OUR PRIORITY TO BE FOR THE CENTRAL WORKERS WHERE LOW PAID LOW WAGES OR NO WAGES OR MINIMUM WAGE BELOW MINIMUM WAGE.
UM, I WANT OUR PRIORITY TO BE PAYMENT PAY FOR CENTRAL WORKERS LIKE MEAT, PACKAGERS, FACTORY WORKERS, GROCERY STORE WORKERS, FARM WORKERS, DAIRY, FARM WORKERS, AND AMAZON WORKERS.
UM, I WANT PEOPLE TO BE THE PEOPLE THAT REALLY NEED THE RELIEF OF COVID-19 OR THE PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT PAID A SALARY OR HIGH WAGES, PEOPLE WHO DON'T HAVE HEALTHCARE BENEFITS, UM, PEOPLE WHO DON'T HAVE WEALTH PROPERTY AND THE MEANS TO SURVIVE COVID-19.
AND SO, UM, I DO WANT TO, UM, GIVE ATTENTION TO THE UNDOCUMENTED POPULATION, THE UNDOCUMENTED POPULATION DIDN'T GET A STIMULUS CHECK.
THEY ARE FACING, UH, A LOW POVERTY CONDITIONS AND THEY NEED, OKAY, GO AHEAD AND FINISH.
AND I'M ASKING THAT YOU REMEMBER THE UNDOCUMENTED BECAUSE TRUMP AND BIDEN DIDN'T REMEMBER THEM.
AND I WANT YOU TO REMEMBER THAT THE UNDOCUMENTED PEOPLE HEARING HER SAY, UM, THE GOVERNMENT, UH, I WANT, I WANT YOU GUYS TO, UM, WORK WITH THE NONPROFITS TO HELP THAT DOCUMENT TO MAKE YOUR POINT.
AND WITH THAT, WE'LL GO AHEAD AND TURN IT OVER.
WE HAVE A PRESENTATION GOOD MORNING, CHAIRMAN MCDANIEL MEMBERS OF THE BOARD COUNTY COUNCIL, HANSON CEO, BROWN DAVID MARIONI ASSISTANT COUNTY EXECUTIVE OFFICER.
AND TODAY I'LL BE PROVIDING A PRESENTATION ON THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN ACT.
SO I WANTED TO START WITH A BRIEF HISTORY AND A TIMELINE OF THE ACT, UM, ON MARCH 11TH, UH, THE RESCUE PLAN, WHICH
[01:45:01]
YOU'LL HEAR OUT THERE AS A RPA OR ARPA WAS SIGNED INTO LAW.AND SO WITHIN THAT, THERE IS A PROVISION FOR STATE AND LOCAL CORONAVIRUS FISCAL RECOVERY FUNDS, THE CLF R F.
AND WITH THAT, THAT PROVIDES $65 BILLION IN DIRECT FLEXIBLE AID FOR EVERY COUNTY, PARISH AND BOROUGH IN THE UNITED STATES.
SO I SHOULD POINT OUT THERE THAT WITH THOSE DOLLARS, THE DOLLARS WE MENTIONED IN OUR PRESENTATION EARLIER ON THE RENTAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM, WHERE JOHN HAD MENTIONED THAT IRAP TOO, WAS PART OF THE RESCUE PLAN ACT.
THAT IS NOT PART OF THE, UM, THE, THE, THE, THE STATE AND LOCAL CORONAVIRUS FUNDS.
THAT'S AN ADDITION TO, SO THAT WAS NOT PART OF IT.
SO THE FUNDING TO STATES, THERE WAS FUNNY TO STATES AND CERTAIN COUNTIES AND CITIES WITH POPULATIONS OVER, UH, 500,000.
AND, UM, SO CALIFORNIA WAS ALLOCATED $26.2 BILLION WITH CALIFORNIA RECEIVING AN ALLOCATION OF JUST SHY OF $54 MILLION.
AND SO WHAT THEY'RE DOING WITH THE ALLOCATIONS IS THEY, THEY BROKEN INTO TWO TRONCHES AND THE FIRST ONE WAS, UH, 26 MILLION, $968,042 AND 50 CENTS.
AND THEN, UH, THAT WAS PROVIDED IN MAY OF 2021.
AND THEN, UH, IN 12 MONTHS, THERE WOULD BE AN ADDITIONAL TRAUNCH OF AN EQUAL AMOUNT.
SO ON MAY 10TH, THE TREASURY ISSUED, UH, THE, A RPA INTERIM FINAL RULE AND OPEN THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD WITH THAT PERIOD CLOSING JULY 16TH.
AND SO SINCE THEN, THERE HAVE BEEN MULTIPLE UPDATES.
THE FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS THAT WERE INITIALLY RELEASED IN MAY.
SO THEY RELEASED THE FINAL RULE ALONG WITH AN INITIAL SET OF FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS, AS MORE QUESTIONS COME IN, THOSE DOCUMENTS GET UPDATED, AND THAT'S HOW, UH, YOU KNOW, UH, PROGRAMS LEARN AND HOW TO USE THOSE DOLLARS.
RIGHT? AND SO, UM, WE ARE PROJECTING IN LATE 2021 THAT THE FINAL RULE BE PUBLISHED.
YOU KNOW, WE MENTIONED, YOU KNOW, THOUSANDS OF MUNICIPALITIES AND COUNTIES OUT THERE THAT ARE PROVIDING INPUT AND PUBLIC COMMENT, AND AS WELL AS ASSOCIATIONS.
AND, AND SO THE, THE TREASURY STAFF HAVE TO SIFT THROUGH ALL THAT AND MAKE UPDATES TO THE FINAL RULE.
SO FOR THE FUNDING ITSELF, MARCH 3RD, 2021, THAT BECOMES, UM, THE FIRST DATE THAT EXPENDITURES CAN BE, CAN BE APPLIED TO THESE FUNDS.
AND, UM, IT GOES THROUGH A PERIOD OF DECEMBER 31ST, 2024, AND THAT'S INCURRED AND OBLIGATED.
SO WE HAVE UNTIL DECEMBER 31ST OF 20, 24 TO OBLIGATE THOSE DOLLARS, THEN YOU HAVE THROUGH DECEMBER 31ST OF 20, 26 TO SPEND THOSE DOLLARS.
SO ESSENTIALLY THINK ABOUT IT AS WE CAN'T COME FORWARD WITH, UM, NEW, NEW SPENDING REQUESTS IN, AFTER, UH, FROM THE START OF 20, 25 FORWARD.
SO THE ELIGIBLE USES OF FUNDS.
SO THEY'RE, THEY'VE BROKEN IT OUT INTO SIX CATEGORIES ALONG WITH, UM, SOME ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS THAT, THAT, THAT CAN BE CHARGED.
UM, PUBLIC HEALTH COSTS, UM, CHARGES FOR ADDRESSING THE NEGATIVE ECONOMIC IMPACTS SERVICES TO DYSPORT DISPROPORTIONATELY IMPACTED COMMUNITIES, PREMIUM PAY WATER, SEWER, AND BROADBAND INFRASTRUCTURE AND REVENUE REPLACEMENT, AS FAR AS INELIGIBLE USES OF FUNDS.
SO THE FUNDING CANNOT BE USED DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY TO OFFSET A REDUCTION IN THE NET TAX REVENUE DUE TO A CHANGE IN LAW.
SO IF THERE WAS A LAW CHANGE, YOU WOULDN'T USE THESE FUNDS TO MAKE YOURSELF WHOLE, UH, FUNDING MAY NOT BE DEPOSITED INTO A PENSION FUND.
SO THAT IS MAKING AN ADDITIONAL CONTRIBUTION TO A PENSION FUND OUTSIDE OF THE NORMAL COST OF PAYROLL PAYING INTEREST OR PRINCIPAL ON OUTSTANDING DEBT.
SO YOU CAN'T GO IN AND MAKE PAYMENTS TOWARDS YOUR DEBT SERVICE WITH THIS REPLENISHING OF RAINY DAY OR OTHER RESERVE FUNDS, AND THEN LASTLY, PAIN, SETTLEMENTS OR JUDGMENTS.
SO WHEN I SPOKE OF THE CATEGORIES, ONE OF THE CATEGORIES I MENTIONED WAS REVENUE REPLACEMENT.
AND SO I'M GOING TO TAKE A LITTLE BIT OF TIME TO EXPLAIN REVENUE REPLACEMENT AND, AND HOW
[01:50:01]
IT IS DETERMINED, AND THEN THE USES OF SUCH.SO COUNTIES MAY USE THESE FUNDS TO REPLACE LOST REVENUE.
AND THESE FUNDS FOR A BROAD RANGE OF GOVERNMENT SERVICES, PROGRAMS, AND PROJECTS OUTSIDE OF EXPLICIT ELIGIBLE USES OF RECOVERIES OF FUNDS UNDER THE INTERIM RULE.
SO WITH RICK, WITH REVENUE REPLACEMENT PROJECTS, YOU KNOW, THERE, THERE IS MORE LATITUDE AND FLEXIBILITY THAN THE OTHER CATEGORIES.
HOWEVER, THOSE INELIGIBLE USES OF FUNDS THAT I MENTIONED ARE STILL INELIGIBLE USES OF FUNDS.
SO A COUNTY MUST DETERMINE ITS REVENUE COLLECTED IN THE MOST RECENT, FULL FISCAL YEAR PRIOR TO THE PANDEMIC.
SO WE HAVE TO LOOK AT WHAT WAS OUR YEAR, OUR FISCAL YEAR THAT ENDED PRIOR TO THE PANDEMIC.
THAT WOULD BE YOUR FISCAL YEAR 1819, WHICH ENDED JUNE 30TH, 2019 INTO 1920 IS WHEN THE PANDEMIC OCCURRED.
SO AFTER YOU FIGURE THAT YEAR, THE 1819, THEN WE MUST DETERMINE OUR ANNUAL AVERAGE GROWTH RATE OVER THE LAST THREE FISCAL YEARS PRIOR TO THE COVID-19 PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY.
AND THEN WHAT WE DO IS WE LOOK AT THAT RATE AND WE DETERMINE IF IT IS LESS THAN 4.1.
AND THAT WAS BASED ON THE NATIONAL AVERAGE GROWTH RATE OR GREATER THAN 4.1.
AND SO IF IT IS GREATER, YOU CAN USE YOUR GROWTH RATE THAT YOU HAVE DETERMINED, OR IF IT'S LESS, IF YOU CAME IN AT 2.6%, YOU COULD TAKE THE 4.1 AS A, AS YOUR INDICATOR OF, UM, UH, WHERE YOU SHOULD BE.
SO THEN WHAT WE DO IS WE HAVE TO IDENTIFY THE ACTUAL REVENUE, WHICH EQUALS THE REVENUES COLLECTED OVER THE PAST 12 MONTHS.
SO WE DO OUR FISCAL YEAR ON A JULY TO JUNE CALENDAR REVENUE REPLACEMENT IS CALCULATED ON A CALENDAR YEAR.
AND SO WE HAVE A, A SLIDE WITH A, WITH A, WITH A, KIND OF A GRAPHIC OF THAT.
SO YOU HAVE YOUR PRE COVID REVENUE, LIKE WE SAID, HERE'S THE REVENUE COLLECTED PRIOR TO THE EMERGENCY.
YOU ARE LOOKING AT THE GROWTH ADJUSTMENT, LESS, WHICH YOU RECEIVED, AND THAT DOLLAR AMOUNT CAN THEN BE USED TO CAT IN YOUR CATEGORY OF REVENUE REPLACEMENT.
SO IF YOU'RE LOOKING AT ALL OF THE PROJECTS OUT THERE AND YOU WANTED TO DO REVENUE REPLACEMENT PROJECTS, YOU WOULD HAVE TO HAVE AMPLE DOLLARS IDENTIFIED IN THE REVENUE REPLACEMENT CATEGORY TO CLASSIFY THEM AS SUCH.
YOU GO BACK, YOU DO 2020, AND THEN EACH YEAR YOU'RE LOOKING AT 20 21, 22 AND 23 AS THE CALENDAR YEAR COMPLETES, WE WOULD THEN TAKE A LOOK AT WHERE THE ACTUAL REVENUES, UH, LANDED, AND THEN TAKE ANOTHER LOOK AT WHERE THAT CAME, WHERE THE REVENUE REPLACEMENT IS IN ADDITION TO WHAT YOU HAD BEFORE.
SO EACH YEAR, YOU KNOW, YOU COULD CAPTURE MORE AND AN ADDITIONAL AND AN ADDITIONAL.
AND WHAT THAT DOES IS THAT ALLOWS FOR FLUCTUATIONS IN THE ECONOMY.
UM, THIS IS VERY LONG-TERM FUNDING.
AND SO WHAT THIS DOES IS IT BUILDS IN THE FLEXIBILITY TO ADDRESS, UM, PERHAPS YOU HAVE AN ECONOMIC DOWNTURN IN TWO YEARS, RIGHT? THE, THE WAY THAT THE FUNDING IS PROGRAMMED IS TO GIVE YOU THE FLEXIBILITY TO NAVIGATE, YOU KNOW, THROUGH THE NEXT HANDFUL OF YEARS, RATHER THAN, UM, JUST A, A PLAN WHERE IT'S RIGHT NOW, BECAUSE HERE'S YOUR GRANT GO SPEND IT.
RIGHT? SO, UM, THAT THAT'S, THAT'S WHERE THAT WAS BUILT.
SO WE ARE BASED ON THE ACTUAL REVENUE RECEIVED IN CALENDAR YEAR 2020, AND THEN WITH VERY CONSERVATIVE GROWTH PROJECTIONS FOR 2122 AND 23, WE'RE PROJECTING THAT THE COUNTY WILL BE ELIGIBLE TO ALLOCATE A HUNDRED PERCENT OF ITS FUNDING TO THE REVENUE REPLACEMENT CATEGORY.
SO WHAT WE WANTED TO DO IS COME BEFORE YOU TODAY WITH A FUNDING FRAMEWORK.
AND, UM, WHAT WE HAVE DONE IS UNDER THE PREMISE THAT ALL OF THE FUNDING WOULD BE CLASSIFIED AS REVENUE REPLACEMENT.
THEN WE START LOOKING AT CATEGORIES WITHIN THAT, THAT WE ARE FAMILIAR WITH.
SO IF WE LOOK AT HOMELESS SERVICES, SO WE HAVE TARGET, THAT'S A TARGET RANGE OF $4 MILLION LOOKING AT SUPPORT TO THE NAVIGATION CENTER AND OUR DISTRIBUTED HOUSING PROGRAM.
UM, YOU LOOK AT COVID SUPPORT AND THAT'S YOUR MITIGATION, BOTH EXTERNAL AND INTERNAL, AS WELL AS VACCINATION, AND THEN JUST ONGOING, UH, SUPPORT STAFFING SUPPORT,
[01:55:02]
AND WHAT I'D LIKE TO POINT OUT WHEN YOU SEE THAT THAT NUMBER IS AT YOUR LAST BOARD, MEETING YOUR BOARD, ACCEPTED THROUGH THE PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENT AT GRANT FOR $14.9 MILLION OF, UM, IT ELC FUNDING.UM, THE MEETING PRIOR TO THAT, WE ALSO HAD A VACCINE OUTREACH GRANT IN THE TOTAL OF 350,000.
UM, AND AS FAR AS HOMELESS SERVICES, YOU KNOW, MR CHECKLEY MENTIONED IN HIS PRESENTATION THAT HE REALLY SAW THOSE RENTAL PROGRAMS AS HOMELESS PREVENTION, RIGHT? BETWEEN ALL OF THE PROGRAMS THAT WE TALKED ABOUT IN THE LAST PRESENTATION, THERE'S $34 MILLION.
IT WAS MADE AVAILABLE THROUGH THE, TO THE TWO IRAP PROGRAMS WHEN YOU ADD UP OUR ALLOCATION AND THE STATE OVER BOTH THOSE SETS OF PROGRAMS. SO THERE'S REALLY $34 MILLION TOTAL AVAILABLE IN RENTAL SUPPORT COMMUNITY FACILITIES.
SO WE'RE SHOWING $14.8 MILLION.
UM, YOU COULD HA YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE BROADBAND INITIATIVES, LIBRARY, SUPPORT IMPROVEMENTS, UM, PARK IMPROVEMENT, UM, AND STRUCTURE IMPROVEMENT, COMMUNITY AND VETERAN HALLS, AS WELL AS, UH, COUNTY FACILITIES, AS FAR AS FLOOD CONTROL AND WATER, UM, THE BLACK RASCAL FLOOD PROJECT, UM, THAT HAS, YOU KNOW, BEEN ON THE FOREFRONT.
AND SO WE WANTED TO, UM, GIVE THE OPPORTUNITY THERE TO PROVIDE SUPPORT TO THAT PROJECT, AS WELL AS THE, THE, WELL AT THE, AT THE, UH, AT THE JAIL.
AND SO, UM, ROADS, UH, RECONSTRUCTION AND RESURFACING OF COUNTY ROADS IN THE AMOUNT OF $10 MILLION, UH, SUPPORT TO CORRECTIONAL FACILITY IMPROVEMENTS.
UH, WE HAVE THE BOOK, THE JLC SEE PHASE ONE, UH, SUPPORT OF THE SB 8 63 GRANT, AND THEN SUPPORT FOR THE PHASE TWO OF THE PROJECT, ALONG WITH A $2.5 MILLION CONTINGENCY TO PROVIDE A FLEXIBILITY AS, AS, AS WE NAVIGATE THROUGH THE NEXT HANDFUL OF YEARS.
SO IN SUMMARY, WE STILL, WE DO NOT HAVE THE FINAL RULE THAT IS NOT BEEN ISSUED YET.
THE TREASURY IS, IS TELLING US TO HANG TIGHT, BUT WE KNOW THAT THEY ARE GOING THROUGH, UM, PLENTY OF PUBLIC COMMENT.
WE, WE FEEL A FOCUS ON REVENUE REPLACEMENT, UM, IS KEY EXPENDITURES ARE ALLOWABLE FOR THE NEXT FIVE YEARS.
WE, WE SHOULD KEEP THAT IN MIND, RIGHT? UNCERTAINTY WITH COVID-19 AND ITS IMPACTS ON THE ECONOMY OVER THE NEXT FIVE YEARS.
LIKE I SAID, ONCE PROJECTS ARE IDENTIFIED THROUGH THE END OF CALENDAR YEAR 2024 EXPENDITURES THROUGH THE END OF CALENDAR YEAR 2026.
SO IT'S BUILT INTO THE, INTO THE SPIRIT OF THE ACT FOR THAT LONG-TERM FLEXIBILITY AND ABLE TO, UH, YOU KNOW, TO, TO ADJUST WITH WHATEVER MAY THE FUTURE MAY HOLD.
SO IT CAN MAINTAIN FLEXIBILITY.
UH, WE'RE SEEKING GUIDANCE ON THE FRAMEWORK REGARDING THE USE OF THE ARP, A C L F R F FUNDING OVER THE NEXT FEW YEARS, AND THEN APPROVING AN INITIAL FUNDING REIMBURSEMENT REQUEST FOR 2021, THE 20, 20, 21 FISCAL YEAR.
AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, WE CAN, YOU KNOW, TECHNICALLY EXPENDITURES OF MARCH 3RD, 2021.
WE ARE BRINGING FORWARD IN THE STAFF REPORT WITH A RECOMMENDATION OF A BUDGET TRANSFER FOR RECOUPMENT OF FUNDS IN THE AMOUNT OF $537,665.
AND SO WITH THAT, I'M HAPPY TO ENTERTAIN ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE CHAIR RECOGNIZES MR. BROWN, MR. CHAIR MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
UM, SO AS YOU SEE, UM, AND LISTENING TO, YOU KNOW, OUR, OUR SUMMARY OF IN HISTORY IS THIS IS NOT JUST AN IMMEDIATE RIGHT NOW TYPE SITUATION.
THIS IS TO PROVIDE YOU THE ABILITY TO MAKE GOOD POLICY DECISIONS AND TO, YOU KNOW, BE ABLE TO LOOK AT IT BECAUSE OF THE UNCERTAINTY RIGHT NOW, RELATED TO COVID AND FULL POTENTIAL ECONOMIC TURNS TO TRY TO LOOK OUT OVER THE NEXT FEW YEARS.
UM, SO AT THIS POINT, UM, WE'RE SEEKING YOUR GUIDANCE ON HOW YOU'D LIKE US TO APPROACH THIS.
UH, OUR SUGGESTION AT THIS TIME IS WHATEVER GUIDANCE YOU'D LIKE TO GIVE STAFF IS TO CREATE A FLEXIBLE ENVIRONMENT AT THIS POINT.
[02:00:01]
UM, AND SO WE'VE APPROACHED THIS BY TRYING TO CREATE SOME TARGET AND CATEGORIES, VERY CANDIDLY THAT WE THINK WE'VE HEARD FROM ALL OF YOU OVER THE YEARS.AND WE RECENTLY, UM, I THINK ALL YOU RECALL A TIME LAST YEAR WHEN YOU WERE GONE, WHEN WE WERE LOOKING AT THE POTENTIAL SALES TAX ON A FEW ISSUES AND THAT, UM, YES, COVID IN, DIDN'T PROVIDE US THE OPPORTUNITY TO REALLY EDUCATE AND WORK WITH THE COMMUNITY LIKE WE ALL WANTED TO, BUT WE SHARED WITH YOU AT THAT TIME THAT THERE WERE MANY CHALLENGES WE HAVE IN A LOT OF AREAS THAT ARE RELATED TO YOUR COMMUNITIES AND COUNTY FACILITIES AND OTHERS.
UM, AND SO WE KNOW WE'RE GOING TO NEED, WE'RE GOING TO NEED TO DO WORK WITH YOUR COMMUNITIES ON SOME OF THESE, BUT WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO IS LOOK FROM YOU, SOME GUIDANCE DISEASE, DO THESE AREAS OR BUCKETS MAKE SENSE IN TRYING TO, YOU KNOW, AS GOALS IS TRYING TO LOOK AT TO, YOU KNOW, TO MOVE FORWARD WITH, UM, I THINK AS YOU SAW THOSE CATEGORIES, UM, AS WE GO FORWARD, ANY OF THOSE MAJOR CATEGORIES ARE GOING TO HAVE TO, YOU KNOW, ARE GOING TO BE PROJECTS THAT WE NEED TO COME BACK TO YOU ON.
SO IT'S LIKE AT THIS POINT, WE'RE NOT LOOKING FOR YOU TO SAY, WE WANT YOU TO GO ON THIS PROJECT, THIS PROJECT, OR THIS PROJECT, YOU WERE WELCOME AS GUIDANCE.
IF YOU WANT TO, TO PROVIDE US THAT GUIDANCE.
BUT WE'RE LOOKING FOR YOU JUST TO GIVE STAFF GENERAL FRAMEWORK AND FOR YOU FROM A POLICY PERSPECTIVE.
SO WE KNOW HOW TO START MOVING FORWARD.
UM, SOME OF THESE, UH, MIGHT BE RELATIVE TO YOUR FINAL BUDGET THIS YEAR.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, THERE IS SOME AREAS THAT IT WOULD, YOU KNOW, THAT WE, YOU, IF YOU DO GIVE US GENERAL GUIDANCE ON THIS, WE MAY BRINGING SOME OF THESE RELATED TO YOUR FINAL BUDGET, BUT OTHER, THESE ARE GOING TO REQUIRE SOME WORK WITH YOUR COMMUNITIES ALSO, YOU KNOW, IN THE FUTURE.
UM, SO I THINK I'LL PAUSE THERE, UM, FOR ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE.
UM, THIS HAS BEEN QUITE A TASK BY STAFF TO PUT THIS TOGETHER.
HOW MUCH STAFF TIME BALLPARK DO YOU THINK THAT WE'VE HAD TO PUT INTO THIS ABOVE AND BEYOND THE NORMAL DUTIES OF THE COUNTY WORK? OH, WE'RE LOOKING AT HUNDREDS OF HOURS.
I MEAN, IT IS PROBABLY A FEW HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS IN STAFF TIME OF JUST GOING THROUGH EVERY WEBINAR, MULTIPLE STAFF ON THOSE WEBINARS, FAQ CHANGES, GUIDANCE REVIEW, UM, JUST FOLLOWING ALL OF THE, THE, THE CHANGES.
UM, IT'S CERTAINLY BEEN A TASK THEN.
UM, OUR TEAM HAS BEEN FANTASTIC AND DOING IT.
WE HAVE A TREMENDOUS TEAM THAT HAS BEEN GOING THROUGH AND WORKING, YOU KNOW, TO LOOK WHAT'S ALLOWABLE.
WHAT ARE THE GUIDELINES WHAT'S CHANGED? HERE'S A NEW, FAQ'S ALL.
WE STILL DON'T HAVE A FINAL FROM THE TREASURY HOUSE, SPEND THIS MONEY AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE DO NOT HAVE THE FINAL RULE YET.
YOU KNOW, IT IS REALISTIC TO ASSUME THAT THERE MAY BE SOME CHANGES THAT COME FROM THAT, THAT REQUIRE, YOU KNOW, FURTHER DISCUSSION, YOU KNOW, AND FURTHER ANALYSIS.
BUT WE DID WANT TO GET THE FRAMEWORK OUT IN FRONT OF YOU.
I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, IN, IN GOING THROUGH ONE OF THE, JUST THE KEY ELEMENTS OF IT, AND WE MADE IT IN OUR RECOMMENDATION ON THE, THE, THE REVENUE REPLACEMENT FOCUS IS THAT THAT WAS PROGRAMMED IN AND THAT'S NEW.
THAT'S NOT SOMETHING YOU NORMALLY SEE.
AND THAT WAS PROGRAMMED INTO ACCOUNT FOR EXISTING PROJECTS, PLANS THAT YOU MAY HAVE HAD THAT WERE INTERRUPTED.
YEAH, COMPLETELY WE DISRUPTED.
AND THAT'S WHAT I LIKE WHEN I LOOK AT THIS, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE OUTLOOK OF IT, IT WAS SOMETHING THAT WE ALREADY HAD ENVISIONED THIS BOARD HAD ALREADY HAD ENVISIONED MOVING FORWARD, BUT BECAUSE OF COVID, WE HAD TO COMPLETELY ABANDON THAT.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, THE ACT IS COGNIZANT OF THAT AND PROVIDES THAT FLEXIBILITY IN THERE.
WELL, THANK YOU FOR THE EFFORT.
THANK YOU FOR WHAT STAFF HAS DONE.
UH, YOU GUYS HAVE ALWAYS ANSWERED EVERY QUESTION, UH, DURING THIS PROCESS, WHETHER YOU KNEW WHAT IT WAS OR NOT.
WE KNEW A, B OR C, UH, APPROACHING THAT QUESTION.
SO THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES, UH, SUPERVISOR ESPINOSA.
UM, YOU KNOW, I, A LOT OF THE PIE, LIKE, YOU KNOW, LIKE I SAID, THERE'S A LOT OF BUCKETS THAT WE CAN SPEND THE MONEY ON, AND THIS IS CERTAINLY A LOT OF MONEY.
AND, UH, THE, THE PUBLIC HAS GOTTEN A LOT OF SUPPORT FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND THE STATE REGARDING THE ERA FUNDS.
AND, UH, BUT NOW WE'RE, WE HAVE A LOT OF THIS TYPE OF FUNDING AS WELL.
UM, ONE THING I AGREE ON IS, YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO SUPPORT OFF, OF COURSE, THE HOMELESS AND, UH, YOU KNOW, HOUSING MORE AND MORE HOUSING FOR THE HOMELESS AS WELL.
SO WE CAN USE SOME, A LOT OF THE FUNDS FOR HOUSING AS WELL, UH, COMMUNITY FACILITIES, UH, THERE'S FUNDS TO A REHAB COMMUNITY FOR AS SOON AS THEY'RE ALL AROUND
[02:05:01]
OUR COUNTY, BUT ALSO TOO, I THINK THAT WE SHOULD HAVE A COMMUNITY PROJECTS AROUND OUR COUNTY.UM, YOU KNOW, YOU HEARD THIS MORNING ABOUT, UH, THE YOUTH WANTING MORE, MORE PARKS, MORE PARK SPACE, UH, YOU KNOW, AROUND OUR COUNTY, UM, WITH ALL OF THIS PANDEMIC AND, UH, YOU KNOW, UH, MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES.
I THINK THEN, YOU KNOW, THAT WHAT THE PUBLIC WANTS IS, UH, TO GO OUT AND, UH, YOU KNOW, AND ALSO THE GENTLEMAN THAT SPOKE ABOUT NOTHING ON THE WEST SIDE OF, OF, OF THE CITY OF MERCY SAID, THIS IS WHAT THE COMMUNITY WANTS TO BE ABLE TO BE MENTALLY STABLE, TO BE SOCIAL.
AND, UH, FOR ALL OUR COMMUNITIES HERE IN MERCER COUNTY, WE HAVE MANY, MANY, UH, LOW INCOME COMMUNITIES IN MERCER COUNTY, AS YOU KNOW, UH, AS WELL AS, UH, AS, AS THE SOUTH OF THE WEST SIDE OF, UH, OF MERCEDES.
SO DEFINITELY WE CAN WORK WITH THE CITY OF ROSETTE TO PROVIDE SOME, UH, SOME TYPE OF, UH, OF, UH, YOU KNOW, COLLABORATIVE EFFORT WITH THE CITY OF MERCEDES.
I'M FINDING SOMETHING FOR, FOR SOUTH MARCET AS WELL.
UM, IT'S JUST, YOU KNOW, YOU GOT TO THINK ABOUT THE HEALTH OF OUR COMMUNITIES.
THIS IS FOR, FOR THESE FUNDS THAT ARE FOR OUR COUNTY.
AND, UH, I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, CERTAINLY I KNOW A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE NOT HAPPY WITH USING THESE FUNDS FOR THE CORRECTIONAL FACILITIES, UH, OR, UH, AND I KNOW THAT WE IT'S ALL NEEDED, YOU KNOW, ROADS, ESPECIALLY ROADS, SIDEWALKS, THERE'S, UH, MANY, UH, SIDEWALKS AND ROADS NEED TO BE FIXED AROUND OUR SCHOOLS ALL AROUND US COUNTIES AND LIKE WIKI COMPLAINTS EVERY DAY.
SO I JUST THINK THAT WE NEED TO PROBABLY SIT DOWN, UH, OR HAVE A, ESPECIALLY A, A AT LEAST ONE, UH, PUBLIC MEETING TO DISCUSS AND, AND PROVIDE A CASINO.
BUT THIS IS, THIS MEETING WOULD BE IN THE AFTERNOON, YOU KNOW, AFTER FIVE O'CLOCK OR MORE, UH, WE CAN GET MORE INPUT FROM THE, FOR THE COMMUNITY.
CHAIR RECOGNIZES THE SUPERVISOR.
UH, MR. MARONEY, I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU GUYS.
I KNOW THAT JUST, IT BEGAN AT THE BEGINNING.
IT'S JUST KIND OF ODD FOR GOVERNMENT TO WHERE NORMALLY YOU HAVE TO JUMP THROUGH A BILLION HOOPS BEFORE YOU EVER EVEN GET TO FIND OUT WHETHER YOU'RE POTENTIALLY COULD GET THE FUNDING, AND THIS IS DONE BACKWARDS.
AND NEXT THING YOU KNOW, WE GOT $27 MILLION SITTING IN OUR TREASURY, RIGHT.
AND, AND THEN, BUT YET WITH NO ACTUAL RULES ON HOW TO SPEND IT.
AND I THINK THAT GIVING YOU, AND I THINK YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN VERY CLEAR ON THIS.
IT SAYS RIGHT THERE AT THE TOP OF THE SCREEN, IF YOU COULD SEE IT AS FINAL RULE HAS NOT YET BEEN RELEASED.
SO I, I, WE TAKE TAKING ALL THAT INTO CONSIDERATION.
I THINK THAT IT'S A REALLY GOOD IDEA FOR US TO KIND OF, THIS IS, THIS IS A FRAMEWORK.
ANY DECISION IS NOT BEING MADE TODAY WITH THE EXCEPTION OF POTENTIALLY A LITTLE BIT OF MONEY IN THE GRAND SCHEME OF THINGS, UM, THAT WOULD GO FOR LAST FISCAL YEAR.
THESE ARE JUST KIND OF LIKE SETTING IT, KIND OF PUTTING IT OUT THERE.
THESE ARE THE AREAS THAT WE'RE LOOKING INTO.
AND I DO AGREE WHEN, WHEN YOU HAVE SOME FOLKS AND WE HAD A SPEAKER A LITTLE BIT EARLIER WHO BROUGHT UP, YOU KNOW, NOT WANTING TO SEE MONEY, GO TO CORRECTIONAL FACILITIES, BUT THESE ARE ALL THINGS THAT WE'RE DOING TO CORRECTIONAL FACILITIES TO UPDATE THEM, MAKE THEM MORE MODERN, MAKE THEM SAFER.
UM, I AM, I LIKE TO SAY THAT I'M A REALIST WE'RE ALWAYS GOING TO LIVE IN, IN A, IN A SOCIETY WHERE THERE'S SOME FOLKS THAT THE BEST PLACE FOR THEM IS IN JAIL.
I KNOW THAT'S HARSH TO SOME PEOPLE, BUT, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, WE'RE RESPONSIBLE FOR MAKING SURE THAT THOSE FOLKS THAT ARE IN JAIL ARE SAFE, HAVE FACILITIES THAT ARE, THAT THEY COULD STAY PROTECTED AND NOT BE A WHOLE HOST OF ISSUES.
AND AGAIN, ALL THINGS THAT, THAT THIS ISN'T ALL NEW STUFF THAT WE'RE COMING UP WITH, EVERYTHING THAT'S ON THIS LIST WITH THE EXCEPTION OF COVID SUPPORT TWO YEARS AGO, WAS ON A LIST SOMEWHERE.
AND I THINK THAT WHEN WE LOOK AT, FOR ME, WHEN YOU PUT THIS INTO REVENUE REPLACEMENT, IT GIVES US THE MOST AMOUNT OF FLEXIBILITY TO BE ABLE TO PUT MONEY WHERE IT'S NEEDED.
WHEN YOU, WHEN YOU START GETTING INTO THE OTHER ACCEPTABLE USES.
NOW YOU'RE HAVING TO TRY TO FIT, YOU KNOW, UH, UM, SQUARE PEGS INTO ROUND HOLES, WHERE, WHEN WE LOOK AT IT FROM THE REVENUE REPLACEMENT SIDE, IT GIVES US THE FLEXIBILITY THEN TO, TO BE ABLE TO PUT IT IN PLACES THAT IT'S NEEDED.
I THINK THAT THIS IS A GOOD STARTING POINT, AND I DO APPRECIATE THAT ANYTHING MOVING FORWARD, AND WE'RE GOING TO HAVE SOME DECISIONS THAT ARE GOING TO COME UP BECAUSE VINYL BUDGETS JUST AROUND THE CORNER.
AND IF SOME OF THESE DOLLARS ARE GOING TO BE SPENT IN THIS COMING FISCAL YEAR'S FINAL BUDGET, WE'RE GOING TO BE HAVING TO HAVE THOSE HARD DISCUSSIONS ON WHERE, WHAT ARE THE PRIORITIES, BUT, YOU KNOW, A BIG, HUGE PIECE IN IT.
AND I'M, I'M GLAD THAT IT'S IN THERE IS THAT COMMUNITY FACILITIES, PIECE PARKS, LIBRARIES, THOSE ARE ALL THINGS THAT, THAT, YOU KNOW, UM, WE ACTUALLY HAVE A FUNDING SOURCE.
AND WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE, NOT SO SILENT ANYMORE PANDEMIC, THAT'S GOING ON WITH THE MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS IN THIS COUNTRY.
AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, IN OUR COUNTY THAT
[02:10:01]
WE'RE TASKED WITH TRYING TO KEEP SAFE.UM, THESE ARE ALL THINGS THAT WE CAN BE DOING.
YOU GUYS, WE HEARD FROM HIM EARLIER IN DEL HI, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE JUST, IT'S THESE THINGS ALL COST MONEY.
THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT OUR, OUR GREAT GRANT WRITING STAFF, AREN'T GOING TO CONTINUE TO GO OUT FOR GRANTS TO HELP US WITH THESE THINGS, BUT HAVING SOME MONEY AVAILABLE TO KIND OF BRIDGE THAT GAP, WHETHER YOU CAN GO OUT FOR A GRANT THAT'S MATCHING FUNDS, OR, UM, YOU WANTED IT LIKE, YOU KNOW, YOU WANTED A, B AND C IN THERE, BUT THE GRANT ONLY COVERED A AND B.
WE HAVE ACTUALLY HAVE A FUNDING THAT COULD BE USED TO BE ABLE TO, TO BRIDGE THAT GAP AND GIVE THE FOLKS IN THESE COMMUNITIES, THE THINGS THAT THEY DESERVE.
SO FOR ME, I THINK I REALLY DO LIKE THIS APPROACH.
AND I KNOW THAT, THAT WE, WE, WE'VE ALL BEEN BRIEFED ON THIS.
STAFF HAS WORKED WITH US ON THIS STUFF.
THIS IS AT THIS POINT, I JUST WANT FOLKS TO UNDERSTAND THIS IS JUST KIND OF GUIDANCE IS, IT'S WHY WE'RE CALLING IT A FRAMEWORK AND I'M FULLY IN SUPPORT OF A FRAMEWORK.
UM, AND THEN REALLY WE COULD START TO HAMMER OUT THE DETAILS AS THEY COME, BECAUSE LIKE YOU MENTIONED EARLIER IN YOUR PRESENTATION, THIS IS, YOU KNOW, THIS IS FUNDING THAT IS FOR THE NEXT FOUR OR FIVE YEARS.
AND SO, UM, WE'RE NOT GOING TO SPEND IT ALL AT ONCE, BUT HAVING A PLAN IN PLACE I THINK IS A GOOD STARTING POINT.
SO THANK YOU GUYS FOR ALL THE HARD WORK ON THIS.
AND I KNOW THAT IT'S NOT JUST YOU, DAVID.
I KNOW THAT YOU'VE BEEN ON A LOT OF THESE WEBINARS, BUT A LOT OF THE, THE STAFF HERE ON THE THIRD FLOOR AND, AND OTHER DEPARTMENT HEADS THAT THESE THINGS TOUCH HAVING TO GET, THERE'S BEEN A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF WORK THAT'S GONE INTO THIS.
AND AGAIN, IT'S JUST KIND OF CRAZY WHEN YOU ACTUALLY GET THE FUNDING BEFORE YOU ACTUALLY ARE TOLD THE RULES TO SPIN IT, THAT NORMALLY DOESN'T HAPPEN FOR US.
SO WE'RE ALL LEARNING AS WE GO.
PERRERA UH, THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR.
UH, I, I TOO WANT TO COME IN, YOU KNOW, UH, MR. BROWN AND, AND DAVID AND YOUR STAFFS FOR WORKING SO DILIGENTLY AND PUTTING TOGETHER A PLAN, YOU KNOW, IT'S, UM, YOU KNOW, W WE GET, WE GOT A LOT OF RESPONSIBILITIES HERE IN THE COUNTY AND TRYING TO DECIDE WHICH ONES YOU'RE GONNA PRESS ATTENTION TO.
UM, YOU KNOW, I, I, UM, ANYWAYS, I APPRECIATE ALL YOUR WORK AND, AND ALL OF, ALL THE ITEMS ON HERE OR IMPORTANT TO EVERYBODY HERE, RIGHT.
I, I CAN REMEMBER WHEN THE FRANKLIN BEACHWOOD AREA WAS UNDER FLOODING AND, UM, YOU KNOW, SO HERE, YOU KNOW, WE CAN, WE CAN HELP, UH, ONE OF OUR DISADVANTAGED COMMUNITIES, UM, YOU KNOW, STAVE OFF, UH, POTENTIAL DISASTERS, UH, UH, ONCOMING AND, AND THANKS TO SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL, WE HAVE FEDERAL MONEY THAT'S BEEN ALLOCATED THAT WAY.
AND, YOU KNOW, SO, SO I'M KIND OF EXCITED ABOUT THAT.
I, UM, AND I WANT TO, UM, YOU KNOW, AND I WANT TO THANK STAFF FOR PUTTING CORRECTIONAL FACILITIES ON HERE.
YOU KNOW, THE GRAND JURY IS AS A RECOGNIZED THAT WE'VE GOT SOME IMPROVEMENTS WE NEED TO MAKE, AND I THINK THIS MONEY WILL GO A LONG WAYS AND, AND COMPLETING THOSE, THOSE IMPROVEMENTS, THAT'S BEEN ONE, MY GOALS, UM, UH, SINCE I BECAME A SUPERVISOR WAS, YOU KNOW, NOT ONLY, YOU KNOW, PROTECTING, UH, CORRECTIONAL OFFICERS WHO ARE WORKING IN THOSE FACILITIES, BUT ALSO THE PEOPLE THAT ARE THERE.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, SOME PEOPLE MAKE CHOICES THAT GET YOU IN A SPOT.
YOU REALLY WISH YOU WEREN'T INTO, BUT, UH, JUST BECAUSE YOU'RE, THERE DOESN'T MEAN YOU'RE LESS THAN THE REST OF SOCIETY.
AND SO I'M KINDA, I'M HAPPY THAT WE'RE GONNA, YOU KNOW, THAT THE RECOMMENDATION IS TO AT LEAST TAKE SOME, UH, A LOOK AT THAT.
AND, UH, I WANNA MAKE A COMMENT TO REALLY, TO MY COLLEAGUES, UM, BECAUSE I I'VE BEEN, YOU KNOW, SINCE THIS HAS BEEN ON MY MIND AND EVEN ACTUALLY BEFORE THIS MONEY WAS AVAILABLE, UM, YOU KNOW, THERE THAT MY DISTRICT IS UNIQUE, RIGHT, BECAUSE OF THE 56 TO, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER THOUSAND PEOPLE THAT I REPRESENT ONLY 5,500 OF THEM ARE IN A INCORPORATED CITY.
AND SO, UM, AS WE'RE GOING FORWARD, ALL SIX CITIES GOT THEIR OWN ALLOCATIONS OF FUNDING.
AND SO, UM, YOU KNOW, IF WE'RE, YOU KNOW, FOR DOING IT, IF WE'RE DOING, YOU KNOW, STUFF LIKE FLOODWATER CONTROL, EVEN THOUGH THAT THAT HELPS ONE DISTRICT, IT REALLY HELPS A LOT OF DISTRICTS.
CAUSE THAT DISTRICT RUNS THROUGH, I MEAN, SOME OF THAT WATER GOES THROUGH MY DISTRICT.
IT GOES THROUGH OTHERS AND, UH, YOU KNOW, AND, AND THE CORRECTIONAL FACILITIES, RIGHT.
THAT ALL OF US HAVE CONSTITUENTS WHO ARE IN THERE.
UM, YOU KNOW, WHETHER, WHETHER, UH, WE'RE HAPPY ABOUT THAT OR NOT HOMELESS SERVICES ALSO, YOU KNOW, IS, IS RESOURCES THAT ARE UTILIZED BY PEOPLE COUNTY-WIDE, BUT, UM, WHEN AND BROADBAND WOULD FIT, BUT SOME OF, SOME OF THESE OTHER AREAS, UM, YOU KNOW, THE, THE, YOU KNOW, AND ALL OF US HAVE, ESPECIALLY A DISTRICT ONE AS WELL.
WE HAVE UNINCORPORATED COMMUNITIES THAT IN NORMAL CIRCUMSTANCES WOULD BE TOWNS OR CITIES.
AND SO, BUT THEY DIDN'T GET THE DIRECT ALLOCATIONS FROM, FROM, UH, THIS PROGRAM.
AND SO, UM, IN SOME OF THOSE AREAS WHERE WE'RE LOOKING AT, UM, YOU KNOW, UM, PARKS OR COMMUNITY HALLS OR WHATEVER, I, I JUST ASKED MY COLLEAGUES TO, TO, YOU KNOW, AT LEAST LISTEN TO WHAT I'M SAYING AND, AND ACKNOWLEDGE THAT, UM,
[02:15:01]
YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO KIND OF TAKE CARE OF THOSE UNINCORPORATED AREAS AND WE ALL HAVE THEM, RIGHT.I MEAN, NOT JUST ME, BUT, UM, UNFORTUNATELY MY DISTRICT TENDS TO HAVE THOSE LARGEST MAJORITY OF THEM.
AND SO ANYWAYS, UM, AND, AND I LIKE, UH, YOU KNOW, I LIKED THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'VE KIND OF PUT THIS INTO, YOU KNOW, MULTIPLE CATEGORIES WHERE, YOU KNOW, THERE'S, THERE'S MONEY BEING SPENT ON CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS THAT THE COUNTY NEEDS TO MAKE.
UM, IF WE DON'T TAKE THIS, UH, CORRECTIONAL FACILITY MONEY, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO GO OUT TO THE COMMUNITY WITH EITHER A SALES TAX BOND OR, UH, YOU KNOW, OR SOMETHING.
AND SO, SO WE'RE SAVING, UH, OUR COMMUNITY FROM HAVING TO PAY AN ADDITIONAL TAX BY TAKING CARE OF A RESPONSIBILITY THAT WE HAVE, UM, IN THIS MANNER.
SO ANYWAYS, UH, I I'M, YOU KNOW, I GUESS THOSE WOULD BE MY DIRECTIONS.
THAT'S NOT REALLY SPECIFIC PROJECTS, BUT, UM, ANYWAYS, I, IF YOU HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, YOU CAN SEE ME IN THE OFFICE.
I THOUGHT THAT WAS SUMMED UP VERY WELL.
UM, AND I'VE ALWAYS APPRECIATED YOUR SUPPORT CAUSE PARK AND RECREATION AREA IN, IN ONE OF MY AREAS.
AND, UH, THIS BOARD HAS BEEN VERY HELPFUL WITH THAT AS WELL.
UM, JENNIFER, CAN I JUST SURPRISE HER PEDROZA THANK YOU.
UM, YOU KNOW, UH, T TO YOUR POINT SUPERVISOR, UM, FOR, YOU KNOW, I'M SURE EACH ONE OF US CAN COME UP WITH A LIST FOR EACH OF OUR DISTRICTS THAT WOULD, YOU KNOW, USE ALL OF THIS, AND WE HAVE TO BE, UH, COGNIZANT OF THAT FACT.
BUT THE ONE THING THAT I LIKE ABOUT THIS IS, UH, IT PROVIDES US AT LEAST WITH A FRAMEWORK AND A PLAN AND THAT REVENUE REPLACEMENT, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I'VE BEEN THINKING ABOUT FOR A LONG TIME, AND I'VE HAD MULTIPLE CONVERSATIONS.
AND I JUST THINK THAT THIS IS A VERY RESPONSIBLE APPROACH.
UH, AS A BOARD, I FEEL LIKE WE'RE BEING PROACTIVE IN SAYING THAT WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THE FUTURE'S GOING TO HOLD.
DO WE HAVE A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF TIME TO BE ABLE TO SPEND IT? AND THEN IT ALLOWS FOR OUR STAFF TO REALLY GET CREATIVE, BUT WITH US MAKING THE DECISIONS, YOU KNOW, WITH US COMING TO US WITH HAVING THAT, UH, THAT INPUT, BECAUSE ULTIMATELY, YOU KNOW, I HAVEN'T BEEN ON HERE AS LONG AS YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN ON HERE, BUT I KNOW I GET COMMENTS FROM MY CONSTITUENTS, JUST LIKE YOU DO.
AND I TRUST THAT THESE, UM, ITEMS ARE THINGS THAT WE'RE HEARING FROM THE PEOPLE WE REPRESENT AND WE'RE REPRESENTING THEM BASED ON THAT.
AND SO, UM, AGAIN, I, I WANT TO THANK, UH, YOU AND YOUR STAFF AND MR. BROWN FOR ALL OF THE WORK THAT IS INPUT INTO THIS.
I JUST THINK THAT THIS, UM, I THINK THIS IS THIS THE MOST RESPONSIBLE WAY, A WAY TO MOVE FORWARD.
UM, I JUST LIKE TO SAY MY APPROACH ON THIS IS MORE OF, AND I THINK, I THINK THE COMMUNITY AND OUR NGOS NEED TO BE AWARE OF THIS APPROACH ON THIS.
THIS ISN'T JUST A GIFT OF MONEY.
THIS IS REVENUE REIMBURSEMENT.
THIS IS MONEY THAT WE HAVE ALREADY PLANNED OUT OVER THE YEARS TO SPEND.
IT'S JUST COMING TO US ALL AT ONCE, PACKAGED THE WAY IT IS.
SO WHAT I LIKE MOST ABOUT THE WAY I LOOK AT THIS IS THIS IS WHAT WE'VE ALREADY HAD IN THE PLANS.
THIS IS WHAT WE ARE LOOKING AT, MOVING FORWARD WITH A CONSTITUENCY THAT WE ALL REPRESENT THAT 300,000 PLUS PEOPLE HERE AT MERCY COUNTY HAVE ELECTED US TO THIS OFFICE TO PROCEED IN THIS DIRECTION.
SO I APPRECIATE THE DIRECTION WE'RE GOING, BECAUSE IT STILL HAS OUR GOALS IN MIND.
UM, I THINK I COULD SPEAK ON BEHALF OF A DISTRICT TWO.
WE'D LIKE TO SEE THE ROADS DIVIDED UP EQUALLY AMONGST EACH DISTRICT, BUT I KNOW THAT WON'T FLY VERY WELL BECAUSE WE CAN DO SO MUCH MORE IN OUR DISTRICTS WITH THEM.
SORRY, BUT I, I JUST, I LIKE THE WAY WE'RE LOOKING AT THIS, THIS ARPA FUNDING IS NOT JUST A BIG GIFT OF MONEY THAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT DECIDED TO GIVE US.
THIS WAS BASED, OH, HERE WE GO.
SO THIS IS BASED ON ECONOMIC PROJECTIONS, UM, THAT, UH, WITH THE PLANS THAT WE HAVE MOVING FORWARD, IT'S JUST, WE'RE ABLE TO IMPLEMENT THEM A LITTLE BIT FASTER WITH A LITTLE MORE CONFIDENCE NOW, UH, BECAUSE IS COMING TO US WITH ALL ONE LUMP SUM INSTEAD OF HAVING TO COLLECT IT AS WE GO IN TAXES.
UM, THIS IS, UH, UM, THIS IS GOOD.
AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, I ADVOCATE ON BEHALF OF, UM, MAKING SURE WE HAVE THAT FUND.
UM, UH, SO IF WE HAVE A SHORTFALL MOVING FORWARD, I STILL THINK WE NEED TO BE VERY, UH, FOCUSED ON THAT.
UM, WE DID PUT A POLICY IN PLACE FOR RESERVES
[02:20:01]
FOR THIS COUNTY.I THINK THAT, UM, MAYBE WE SHOULD READDRESS IT.
I DON'T THINK IT WAS QUITE AS MUCH AS WHAT I WANTED, BUT I WAS APPRECIATIVE THAT THE, MY COLLEAGUES CAME TOGETHER AND WE DID PUT ONE IN PLACE.
AND I THINK WE NEED WITH LOOKING AT THIS MONEY, WE SHOULD JUST, AS ANY TAX MONEY IS COLLECTED, AS WE MOVE FORWARD IN OUR BUDGETS, WE NEED TO IDENTIFY THAT AS WELL, MOVING FORWARD BECAUSE OUR COSTS HAVE GONE UP TREMENDOUSLY.
SO, UM, WITH THAT, UM, I DON'T KNOW IF STAFF HAS BEEN ABLE TO TAKE DIRECTION ON THIS.
I KNOW WE'VE HAD NUMEROUS MEETINGS IN CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THIS, AND, UM, MAYBE JIM BROWN, I'LL TURN IT OVER TO YOU.
MR. CHAIRMAN MEMBERS OF BOARD.
AGAIN, OUR GOAL WAS TRY TO GET SOME TYPE OF FRAMEWORK RELATED TO THE COMMENTS WE'D FOR, FROM YOU, YOUR CONSTITUENTS OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS, AND TRY TO PUT SOMETHING IN THERE, UH, TO GIVE US SOME GUIDANCE AS WE GO FORWARD OVER THE NEXT FEW YEARS, VERY CANDIDLY, AS I HAD MENTIONED, SOME OF THIS, THERE MAY BE SOME THINGS IN YOUR BUDGET THAT WE MAY BE LOOKING AT FOR THE UPCOMING FINAL BUDGET RELATED TO THIS.
UM, BUT I JUST WANT TO, YOU KNOW, MANY OF YOU HAVE MENTIONED IT, BUT YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THIS, YOU'RE RIGHT, WE'RE LOOKING AT THAT REVENUE REPLACEMENT BECAUSE IT'S THE MOST FLEXIBLE WAY, BUT VERY CANDIDLY, THE FORMULA THEY PUT TOGETHER SHOWS THAT YOU ACTUALLY DID NOT GET AS MUCH REVENUE AND SOME THINGS HAD TO BE SHIFTED TO THE SIDE.
AND SO SOME OF THIS IS, IS LOOKING TO MOVE FORWARD ON PROJECTS THAT YOU AND YOUR CONSTITUENTS HAVE BEEN, YOU KNOW, TRYING TO MOVE FORWARD ON.
I WANT TO TELL YOU IT'S BEEN DIFFICULT.
I THINK YOU ALL KNOW, UM, WE'VE GOT PRELIMINARILY, WE'RE CLOSE TO A HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS ON PROJECTS THAT ARE IN THE QUEUE ON THINGS FROM A FACILITY INFRASTRUCTURE AND EVERYTHING.
SO TO TRY AND BRING IT DOWN, THINGS HAD TO COME OFF THE TABLE.
UM, AND SO I KNOW THERE'S GOING TO BE MORE CONVERSATIONS GOING FORWARD AS YOU START TO IDENTIFY SPECIFIC PROJECTS.
UM, YOU KNOW, BUT AT THIS POINT I THINK WE GOT WHAT WE NEEDED, UH, TO MOVE FORWARD.
AS LONG AS YOU UNDERSTAND, WE MAY BE BRINGING A COUPLE OF THINGS RELATED TO YOU IN THE NEAR FUTURE, A BUDGET, OR EVEN BY THE END OF THE YEAR.
UM, I DO WANT TO COMMENT ON THE CORRECTIONAL FACILITY, UM, YOU, AS YOU SAID, GRAND JURY REPORTS, UM, HAVE BEEN OUT THERE.
UM, THAT'S A PROJECT THAT'S BEEN THERE.
THERE'S BEEN A VERY CLEAR DIRECTOR FROM THE BOARD TO GO GET DONE, EVEN THOUGH IT'S BEEN TARGETED AT MAYBE 13 AND A HALF MILLION BETWEEN PHASE ONE, WHICH IS $40 MILLION GRANTS.
AND THEN PHASE TWO, WE AS A COUNTY CO OUR SHARE OF THAT, AND WE'RE WORKING ON PHASE TWO, DEFINING RIGHT NOW COULD EASILY BE 50 TO $75 MILLION.
SO 13 AND A HALF MILLION DOES NOT REALLY, YOU'RE STILL GONNA PROBABLY HAVE TO ISSUE SOME DEBT.
WHAT THIS DOES IS SUPERVISOR PRIOR SAID, IT ACTUALLY REDUCES THE AMOUNT YOU HAVE TO BORROW, WHICH IN TURN ALLOWS YOU TO PROVIDE SERVICES TO YOUR CONSTITUENTS ONGOING VERSUS A HIGHER PAYMENT.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, DO YOU SEE, EVEN THOUGH IT'S A LITTLE BIT, IT DOES HELP IN THE SCHEME OF THINGS.
SO WITH THAT, I THINK WE DO, YOU KNOW, UM, WE'VE GOT, I THINK, UH, YOU KNOW, OUR GUIDANCE GOING FORWARD AND, UM, YOU KNOW, SO THANK YOU.
WE DO HAVE THE SECOND ITEM HERE ON 23, WHICH IS APPROVE A BUDGET TRANSFER IN THE AMOUNT OF $537,000, $37,665 FOR THE
IT IS A HALF MILLION DOLLARS IN THE SCHEME OF THINGS OF THE 54 MILLION.
UM, WE WOULD COMMENT, WE WOULD COMMENT TO YOU THAT THOSE, THOSE EXPENSES ARE BEING USED TO REIMBURSE COVID RELATED EXPENSES AND A COUPLE OF COMMUNITY FACILITIES THAT ARE IN YOUR COMMUNITIES, YOU KNOW, TYPE THINGS.
SO THAT'S WHAT IT'S GEARED TOWARDS.
IT'S NOT GEARED TOWARD ANY COUNTY BUILDING, I MEAN, COUNTY ADMINISTRATIVE BUILDINGS AT THIS POINT, UM, IT'S GEARED TOWARDS, YOU KNOW, SOME FACILITIES THAT ARE IN YOUR DISTRICTS AND, YOU KNOW, AND, UH, THAT THE COMMUNITY'S UTILIZE AND COVID EXPENSES THAT WE WERE NOT ABLE TO TAP TO ONE OF THE OTHER STATE AND FEDERAL FUNDING SOURCES THAT WE'VE BEEN GETTING.
WILL THAT COVER THE THREE OUTLETS THAT I HAVE IN THE VETERAN'S HALL? I SEE DANA IN THE BACK.
SO GUIDANCE HAS BEEN GIVEN NOW WE NEED TO APPROVE THE BUDGET TRANSFER.
ARE WE ABLE TO PULL THAT UP? RIGHT.
SO I HAVE A MOTION FROM SOLVERA I'M BEING PANDERED BY PERRERA NO SECOND.
AND BY PEREIRA, ARE THERE ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR FURTHER DISCUSSIONS? SURE.
[02:25:02]
OH, SORRY.I WAS JUST 23 AND TWO PORTION TOO.
SO CHAIR AND RESPONSIVE SUPERVISOR ESPINOSA ONE WAS PROVIDING US GUIDANCE AND DIRECTION.
TWO IS THE ACTUAL ACTION AT THIS POINT.
AND WE'D BE ASKING YOU TO CONSIDER, OKAY.
SO I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND, I'LL GO AHEAD AND CALL FOR THE VOTE.
LET'S TELL YOU THE VOTE MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY SUPERVISOR I SPEND AS, DID YOU STILL HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY? NO.
NEXT IS BOARD APPOINTMENTS ITEMS 24 THROUGH 26.
I HAVE A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR PERRERA AND A SECOND BY PEDROSO.
ARE THERE FURTHER COMMENTS? I'LL GO AHEAD AND CALL FOR THE VOTE.
EVERYBODY ALREADY TALI THE VOTE MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY NEXT
[BOARD INFORMATION & POSSIBLE ACTION]
BOARD INFORMATION AND POSSIBLE ACTION ITEMS. 27 THROUGH 29 THERE FURTHER COMMENTS, 27 THROUGH 31.I HAVE A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR PROGRESS, SECONDED BY SUPERVISOR ESPANOZA, FURTHER DISCUSSIONS, SEEING NONE I'LL CALL FOR THE VOTE MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.
[BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AND RECOVERY SERVICES - PUBLIC HEARING]
WE HAVE SCHEDULED ITEMS, BEHAVIORAL HEALTH, AND RECOVERY SERVICES, PUBLIC HEARING TO CONSIDER AN ADOPT PROPOSED ORDINANCE AMENDING MENTAL HEALTH AND ALCOHOL DRUG SERVICES FEE SCHEDULE SUPERSEDES ORDINANCE 1995.HELLO, AGAIN, TO THE CHAIR SUPERVISORS COUNTY COUNCIL CEO FOR THIS PUBLIC HEARING, WHAT OUR DEPARTMENT BHRS IS ASKING IS FOR AN ORDINANCE TO MODIFY OUR MEDI-CAL FEES FOR DRUG MEDI-CAL AND BEHAVIORAL HEALTH.
WHAT WE WILL ALSO BE ASKING IS TO OPEN UP PUBLIC COMMENT, PUBLIC HEARING, CLOSED PUBLIC HEARING, AND TO ACCEPT THE ORDINANCE.
WHAT WE'D LIKE TO DO IS EXPLAIN TO WHY WE ARE ASKING FOR OUR FEES TO BE ADJUSTED IN MARCH OF 2022, THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTHCARE SERVICES, WHICH SUPERSEDES OUR RATES FOR MEDI-CAL ALLOWED US TO DOUBLE OUR MEDICAL RATES DURING COVID.
WHAT THAT MEANT WAS THAT WE COULD ACTUALLY GET REIMBURSED AT A HIGHER MEDI-CAL RATE, WHICH DID NOT IMPACT OUR CONSUMERS WHATSOEVER.
THE ORDER WENT BACK TO OUR COST REPORTS OF FISCAL YEAR, 1920 AND FULL AND TO DO 2021.
HOWEVER, THAT IS SCHEDULED TO STOP FOR FISCAL YEAR 2122 WITH AN, A SCHEDULED DATE OF SEPTEMBER OF THIS YEAR.
WHAT WE ARE ASKING IS TO ALLOW US TO GO BACK TO OUR PRE COVID MEDI-CAL RATES AS OF JULY ONE, WHAT WE ARE ASKING IS FOR US TO SIMPLY GO BACK TO PRE REIMBURSABLE RATES SO THAT WHEN WE ARE AUDITED AND OUR COST REPORTS ARE AWARE, THEY WILL BE, WE WILL BE ABLE TO TRUE UP BASED OFF OF OUR PRE COVID RATES.
THERE WILL BE NO COSTS TO OUR CONSUMERS, AND THIS WILL ALLOW US TO GO BACK TO OUR PRE COVID MEDI-CAL RATES.
ALL I DO HAVE SUPERVISOR PRERA CHAIR RECOGNIZES PRAYER.
UM, SO, UM, YOU'RE ASKING TO CHANGE THE RATES RETROACTIVELY TO JULY 1ST OF THIS YEAR, CORRECT.
AND THEN, UM, SO, SO THE, THE FALLOUT OF COVID IS GOING TO BE ONGOING.
SO, UH, WHAT'S HAS THE, HAS, HAVE, HAVE WE BEEN GIVEN DIRECTION THAT WE NEED TO SEND OUR RATES BACK OR KIND OF EXPLAIN THAT BECAUSE THAT'S A VERY GOOD QUESTION.
[02:30:02]
UM, UM, SO FROM THE CHAIR TO SUPERVISOR PERERA, UM, THEY ARE STOPPING THE ABILITY TO ALLOW US TO DOUBLE OUR RATES AS OF, UM, SEPTEMBER 30TH OF THIS YEAR.SO WHAT WE ARE HOPING TO DO IS JUST MAKE IT RETRO AS OF JULY ONE, UM, BECAUSE AS YOU ALL KNOW, THE GOALPOST CHANGES ALL OF THE TIME AND WE'D RATHER JUST HAVE IT AT THE BEGINNING OF THE FISCAL YEAR.
AND HOW ARE WE GOING TO, I MEAN, CAUSE IT'S COSTING US MORE MONEY TO PROVIDE SERVICES.
UM, HOWEVER, IN TERMS OF BILLING MEDI-CAL WE ALWAYS BILL MEDI-CAL, UM, THIRD, UH, REALISTICALLY 90 DAYS AFTERWARDS.
SO WE HAVE NOT TECHNICALLY BILLED THE STATE FOR OUR JULY OR AUGUST SERVICES AS OF YET.
SO WE WILL BE ABLE TO BILL OUR JULY AND AUGUST SERVICES FOR THIS FISCAL YEAR AT THE CURRENT RATE, IF YOU APPROVE US AT THAT RATE.
YOU'RE WELCOME, MR. BROWN, MR. CHAIR, AND PLEASE MS. VALENTINE, CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG.
IN ADDITION TO THIS PART OF THIS IS TRYING TO TAKE A CONSERVATIVE APPROACH AND A CLEAN WAY FOR THE RECORDS RELATED TO BEHAVIORAL HEALTH, UM, IN THE STATE MAKING THAT ADJUSTMENT WHEN COVID TOOK IS AT THE BACK END OF THIS, THEY ARE GOING TO DO WHAT A TRUE-UP IS CALLED.
AND WE ARE CONCERNED WHEN THAT TRUE-UP, IT TAKES PLACE.
WE WANT TO BE IN A POSITION TO NOT HAVE TO SEND TO VERY MUCH MONEY BACK TO THE STATES.
AND SO WE'RE TRYING TO JUST REALLY KIND OF TRUE THINGS UP TO WHAT THEY SHOULD BE A COUPLE MONTHS SOONER THAN WHAT REALITY.
I MEAN, WHAT THE STATE IS REQUIRING US TO DO.
SO THEN DOES THAT LEAVE US A POSSIBILITY THAT IF WE'RE CONSERVATIVE NOW THAT WHEN THE TRUE-UP HAPPENS, WE MAY GET ADDITIONAL FUNDING TO COVER THE INTERMITTENT, UH, COSTS.
CORRECT? THEY MAY PAY US BACK.
THEY'RE NOW GIVING US MONEY AHEAD OF TIME.
ACTUALLY, REALLY, WE ENDED UP WHEN WE JUST DID OUR, UM, FISCAL YEAR AUDIT OF 16, 17, THEY NOW OWE US $18,000.
OKAY, SO THAT WAS THE INTRODUCTION.
UH, I SEE NO OTHER QUESTIONS IN THE QUEUE.
I'LL GO AHEAD AND OPEN UP THE PUBLIC HEARING.
OH, I GUESS WE NEED TO TAKE A FIVE MINUTE BREAK.
WE'RE TAKING THEM BY VOICEMAIL.
OH, FOR TODAY'S PUBLIC HEARING, WE'LL BE ACCEPTING PUBLIC COMMENTS, LIVE PERSON AND VIA VOICEMAIL.
THE VOICEMAIL MESSAGE HAS BEEN OPEN TO ACCEPT PUBLIC COMMENTS SINCE THE POSTING OF THE AGENDA.
FOLLOWING THE OPENING HEARING, THERE'LL BE A BRIEF PAUSE TO ALLOW MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC TO LEAVE A VOICE MAIL MESSAGE.
PLEASE CALL 2 0 9 7 2 6 2 7 5 5 AND REFERENCE B H R S.
PUBLIC HEARING VOICEMAILS WILL BE PLAYED.
WE WILL NOW TAKE A FIVE MINUTE BREAK AND RETURN AT 1245.
OKAY, WELL GO AHEAD AND RECONVENE THE MEETING.
DO WE HAVE ANY VOICEMAILS OR COMMENTS? NONE RECEIVED AND SEEING NONE IN HERE, WE'LL GO AHEAD AND CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
I AM LOOKING FOR ADOPTION OF SAID ORDINANCE.
CHAIR RECOGNIZES SUPERVISOR PER ALL.
MOVE, MOVE THAT WE ADOPT AN ORDINANCE AMENDING TITLE NINE CHAPTER 9.48, SECTION 9.4 8.030 OF THE MERSEYSIDE COUNTY CODE, CHANGING FEES CHARGED FOR MENTAL HEALTH AND ALCOHOL AND DRUG SERVICES.
ARE THERE FURTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS SEEING NONE.
ANY OPPOSITION SEEING NONE MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.
[REPORTS/BOARD DIRECTION]
NEXT IS BOARD REPORTS AND WE'LL GO AHEAD AND DO IT, UH, DO THE BOARD REPORTS AT THIS TIME.WE HAVE TO RECONVENE AT ONE 30 AND I'LL GO AHEAD.
I GUESS I'LL START TO MY, TO MY LEFT.
YEAH, WE'LL DO THAT TONIGHT, RIGHT? HMM.
UM, SO YEAH, WE'LL GO AHEAD AND START WITH SOLVERA
[02:35:05]
DISCUSSION THEN.NOT A WHOLE LOT TO REPORT ON TODAY.
UM, JUST AGAIN, WANT TO THANK THE STAFF, UM, UM, JUST THE AMOUNT OF WORK THAT HAS GONE INTO TO ANY AND ALL OF THESE PROGRAMS THAT HAVE BEEN THRUST UPON US BECAUSE OF THIS PANDEMIC IN SHORT ORDER.
UM, THEY HAVE TIME AND TIME AGAIN, STEPPED UP AND COME UP WITH SOLUTIONS TO THE PROBLEMS THAT, THAT WE DIDN'T EVEN KNOW EXISTED PRIOR TO THAT.
SO AGAIN, I THERE'S A BUNCH OF YOU.
UM, BUT I JUST SAY ALL OF THE FOLKS THAT WORK UP HERE ON THE THIRD FLOOR AND ALL OF THE DEPARTMENTS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY, I CAN'T THANK YOU ENOUGH FOR KEEPING US INFORMED SO THAT WE CAN MAKE EDUCATED DECISIONS, UH, OUT HERE IN THE PUBLIC.
SO THAT'S BASICALLY MY MESSAGE FOR THE DAY.
JUST WANT TO THANK STAFF, UM, FOR, FOR ALL THE HARD WORK ON THIS, JIM, I KNOW YOU'RE, YOU'RE AT THE TIP OF THE SPEAR, BUT YOU KNOW, MARIONI AND, UM, MARCY BERRERA AND ALL OF EVERYBODY ELSE THAT FALLS UNDERNEATH IT.
JUST GREAT JOB AND THANK YOU FOR, FOR MAKING US LOOK GOOD.
AND THE OTHER THING I JUST WANT TO SAY IS, IS THAT I, UM, PARTICIPATED IN A, IT WAS A DR.
JOE COX LONGTIME RESIDENT OF LOS MANTIS.
UM, HE PASSED AWAY A FEW YEARS BACK AND WE ACTUALLY THROUGH THE ASSEMBLY MEMBER, GOT A CON I THINK THEY CALL IT A CONTINUING RESOLUTION THAT IT'S SOMETHING IN THE ASSEMBLY THAT BASICALLY RENAMED A SECTION OF CALIFORNIA STATE HIGHWAY 1 52 THAT RUNS THROUGH THE CITY OF LAS MAN IS THE JOE COX, UH, MEMORIAL HIGHWAY.
WE HAD THE DEDICATION LAST SATURDAY AND THESE THINGS TAKE SOME TIME.
THEY HAVE TO GET IT THROUGH THE ASSEMBLY.
UH, LOCALLY, WE WERE ABLE TO RAISE ALL THE FUNDS.
UM, EVERYBODY THEY'RE ASKED TO DONATE $92 BECAUSE HE WAS 92 YEARS OLD.
UM, THIS IS A GENTLEMAN WHO FOUGHT FOR THIS COUNTRY.
HE WAS A SUBMARINER, VERY PROUD OF THAT.
AND THEN YOU BECAME, HE WENT TO WORK AT, IN THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, IT BECAME THE PRINCIPAL.
IT JUST, AND IT IS LIKE AN, A TESTAMENT TO A GOOD CITIZEN, EVERY ORGANIZATION IN LAS VEGAS, HE WAS A MEMBER OF IT AND HE ONLY JUST A, A MEMBER, BUT HE WOULD, HE WAS INVOLVED IN LEADERSHIP OF IT, JUST, UH, JUST A GREAT, GREAT PERSON.
AND I WAS HONORED TO BE ABLE TO SPEAK AT THAT, UH, DEDICATION CEREMONY ON SATURDAY.
UH, I HAVE, UH, A COUPLE OF THINGS I'D LIKE TO SAY AND, AND, UH, UH, FIRST, UH, YOU KNOW, AS, AS, UH, YOU KNOW, REGARDS TO COVID, UM, I WOULD JUST LIKE TO TAKE SOME TIME TO THANK OUR COUNTY STAFF FOR BEING PERSEVERANT IN, IS THAT RIGHT WORD FOR PERSEVERING THROUGH, YOU KNOW, THIS, THIS, UM, THIS COVID, YOU KNOW, WE'RE, WE'RE STARTING TO, TO NOW, YOU KNOW, EVEN THOUGH MANY PEOPLE KNEW AHEAD OF TIME THAT WE WOULD HAVE, YOU KNOW, MENTAL HEALTH, UH, CONSEQUENCES, I GUESS IS THE WAY TO PUT IT FROM COVID, BUT, UM, UH, BUT YOU KNOW, AND, AND, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE LOTS OF PEOPLE THAT I WORKED DIRECTLY WITH THAT, UH, THAT HAS HAPPENED HERE IN THE LAST YEAR AND A HALF.
UM, BUT I JUST WANT TO THINK, I DON'T KNOW, I GUESS I'LL USE THE WORD LINE STAFF BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT PEOPLE THAT I INTERACT WITH ON ANY SORT OF REGULAR BASIS, BUT, UH, YOU KNOW, THIS, THESE ARE, YOU KNOW, CLERKS AND CORRECTIONAL WORKERS AND JANITORS, AND I KNOW EVERYBODY THAT JUST DID THEIR JOB AND, AND I DON'T KNOW WHY, BUT FOR THE LAST WEEK I'VE BEEN, BEEN THINKING A LOT ABOUT YA AND WHAT YOU DID FOR THE CITIZENS OF THIS COUNTY.
AND SO I JUST WANT TO PUBLICLY ACKNOWLEDGE YOU, UH, ON BEHALF OF MY CONSTITUENTS, UM, FOR, FOR ALL THAT YOU DO, UM, YOU KNOW, THE, THE, THE, AND THAT, AND THAT KIND OF BRINGS ME TO MY SECOND POINT, IS THAT THE, UM, I FIND MYSELF VERY CONCERNED THAT, UM, OUR GOVERNMENTAL AGENCIES SPEND MORE TIME TELLING US TO WEAR A MASK AND GET VACCINATED THAN THEY DO, HOW TO TAKE CARE OF OURSELVES IF WE CONTRACT COVID RIGHT.
AND SO, UM, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, YOU KNOW, ALL OF US, UH, YOU KNOW, THERE, THERE ARE, UM, YOU KNOW, UM, THINGS THAT YOU CAN DO THAT CAN HELP REDUCE YOUR RISK OF GETTING COVID BESIDES WEARING A MASK.
AND, UH, AND YOU KNOW, SO I'D LIKE TO ENCOURAGE EVERYBODY TO HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH YOUR DOCTOR.
UM, THE THINGS THAT I HAVE FOUND, UH, STUDIES ON ARE THINGS LIKE MAKING SURE YOUR VITAMIN D THREE LEVEL IS, UH, IS ADEQUATE.
SO HAVE A DISCUSSION WITH YOUR DOCTOR, YOU KNOW, WHERE IS MY VITAMIN D THREE LEVEL AND, AND, YOU KNOW, AND IS THAT IMPORTANT IN THE PREVENTION OF COVID? AND IF IT IS THEN WHERE AM I AT AND WHAT CAN I DO IF I'M, IF I'M NOT AT A GOOD LEVEL, UH, YOU KNOW, ZINC AS A TRACE MINERAL
[02:40:01]
IS THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'VE KNOWN EVEN FAR BEFORE COVID, THAT IS A ANTIVIRUS MINERAL THAT OUR BODY USES.UM, YOU KNOW, I, I HAD A DAIRY FOR MANY YEARS, THEY HAD A NUTRITIONIST AND WE ALWAYS TESTED FOR ZINC LEVELS AND CATTLE BECAUSE VIRUSES, YOU KNOW, COWS ARE CLOSE TOGETHER AND IF THEY GOT A VIRUS, IT WOULD GO THROUGH THE HERD.
AND SO, UH, YOU KNOW, UM, UH, THEY, YOU KNOW, AND THERE'S THERAPEUTICS, UH, AND, AND, YOU KNOW, WE TALKED ABOUT THESE EARLY ON, YOU KNOW, THE HYDRAULIC CLOCK, SICK CHLOROQUINE, THE, UH, RAY'S BEEN OF DEER OF IVERMECTIN.
YOU KNOW, THESE ARE ALL THERAPEUTICS.
AND, AND, YOU KNOW, AS, AS I HEAR OF PEOPLE THAT HAVE DIED FROM COVID, ESPECIALLY IN AN ICU ON A VENTILATOR, YOU KNOW, I JUST WONDER IF THEY'D HAD A DISCUSSION WITH THEIR DOCTOR AND BROUGHT UP SOME OF THESE TOPICS, YOU KNOW, MIKE, THEIR OUTCOME HAVE BEEN DIFFERENT.
AND SO, UH, I KNOW WE'RE A YEAR AND A HALF INTO COVID AND IT'S PROBABLY TOO LATE IN A LOT OF CASES, BUT IT MAY NOT BE IN THE NEXT CASE.
AND SO, UM, IF YOU'RE LISTENING TO ME, YOU KNOW, PLEASE TAKE THE TIME TO HAVE CONVERSATION WITH YOUR DOCTOR.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE SICK TO HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH YOUR DOCTOR.
IN FACT, IF YOU'RE SICK, OFTENTIMES IT'S TOO LATE.
SO ANYWAYS, THOSE ARE MY TWO PUBLIC COMMENTS.
UM, I JUST WANTED TO, UM, YOU KNOW, KINDA ECHO WHAT DR.
ASADI SAID, AND JUST ALSO REMIND PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, SCHOOL STARTING, UM, TOMORROW.
SO I KNOW IN DISTRICT TWO, IT'LL BE CRAZY.
UH, WELL, PRETTY MUCH EVERYWHERE.
AND SO JUST BE, BE, BE PATIENT AND MAKE SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE WATCHING DID, YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE KIDS FULLY GOING BACK TO SCHOOL AND THEY'RE CROSSING THE STREETS AND THEY'RE NOT NECESSARILY ALWAYS PAYING ATTENTION TO EVERYTHING.
SO, UM, PLEASE, UH, PLEASE WATCH OUT FOR THAT, BUT WITH SCHOOL STARTING SOON, YOU KNOW, W WE NEED TO, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE DOING OUR BEST TO KEEP, UH, STUFF OPEN.
AND I APPRECIATE WHAT'S, BUT STAFF HAS DONE TO KEEP US SAFE AND, AND CONTINUED TO WORK HARD FOR THE COMMUNITY.
UM, I ALSO WANTED TO POINT OUT I WAS AT, UM, UH, AN EVENT ON FRIDAY NIGHT AND I WAS PULLED AWAY, UM, FROM A DEVELOPER OR BUSINESSMAN WHO SAID THAT, UH, HE WANTED TO SPECIFICALLY MENTION, UM, HOW MUCH HE'S ENJOYED WORKING WITH OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STAFF AND HOW, UH, THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STAFF HAS REALLY GONE, UM, ABOVE AND BEYOND, AND REALLY MAKING SURE THAT THEY'RE GETTING, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE GETTING STUFF DONE AS WE, AS WE LIKE TO SAY.
SO I JUST WANTED TO TELL, UM, UH, MR. HENDRICKSON, THAT, UM, I ALSO WENT TO THE RETURN TO SCHOOL EVENT FOR MCOE WHERE THEY REALLY LAID OUT THERE.
AND I THINK THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT STUDENTS ARE GOING BACK TO SCHOOL.
THEY'RE, UM, THEY'RE, THEY'RE GOING TO BE THERE.
THEY HAVE PLANS IN PLACE, AND I THINK THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT.
AND THEN ALSO, UM, UH, BUT I'LL LET SUPERVISOR ESPINOSA ESPINOSA TALK ABOUT, BUT THE HOULIHAN PARK, UM, GROUNDBREAKING WAS A REALLY COOL THING.
I KNOW A LOT OF PEOPLE SPEND A LOT OF TIME AND EFFORT INTO THAT.
THANK YOU, SUPERVISOR ESPINOSA.
UM, WE HAD THE GROUNDBREAKING FOR AND PARK AND WHAT TO THINK, CAUSE THE PROFESSOR
AND THEN GLORIA KENANSVILLE WAS THERE AN KATHLEEN COOKHAM FROM DISTRICT TWO, FORMER SUPERVISOR WAS OVER THERE.
SO, AND ADAM GRAY AND REPRESENTATIVES OF JIM COSTA.
SO, UM, OUR OWN CEO, JIM BROWN WAS THERE TOO.
AND OUR STAFF, I WANT TO THANK ALL OUR STAFF, WE'RE DOING A GREAT JOB AND IT WAS VERY WELL ATTENDED.
AND, UH, YOU KNOW, THE COMMUNITY WAS EXCITED, UH, FOR, UH, THE EXPECTATION OF, UH, OF ALL THE AMENITIES THAT, THAT, YOU KNOW, TALKING ABOUT PARKS TODAY, UH, OF WHAT THE COMMUNITIES WANT TO BE SOCIAL.
AND SO HOPEFULLY ALL OF THEM, MANY OF THESE WILL BE DONE BY, UH, BY, UH, APRIL, SO WE CAN HAVE THE PINATA COMMUNITY, THEY IN YOLANDA INVITED UNTIL HOPEFULLY THAT THOSE WOULD BE DONE.
SO I ALSO WANT TO THINK, UH, UM, SO DR.
SO SHE, SHE WAS SO MUCH IN, YOU KNOW, NOT, I'M NOT JUST FORGETTING ABOUT EVERYBODY ELSE TO HELP, BUT I, YOU KNOW, I DON'T ALLOW WITH HER.
AND, UH, YOU KNOW, SHE LIKES THAT MITCH HAS SEEN HER BACK AND FORTH, BACK AND FORTH AND TRYING TO HELP EVERYBODY.
SO, UH, YOU KNOW, THANK YOU FOR THAT.
UM, ALSO TOO, I HAVE HAD A DEMOCRAT COMMITTEE MEETING VIRTUALLY LAST NIGHT AND, UH, SOME QUESTIONS REGARDING ANOTHER DASHBOARD, UH, UH, THAT WE'LL LIKE TO, UH, HAVE SOME CITIZENS HAVE, UH, UH, DAILY UPDATES INSTEAD OF WEEKLY.
SO HOPEFULLY WE CAN GET THAT, UH, UH, DONE IN THE COUNTY.
UM, ALSO TOO, WE HAVE, UH, UH, IN TWO WEEKS FROM TODAY, UH, WE HAVE THE TRUTH ACT FORUM
[02:45:01]
AT, UH, 8 24, UH, 2021 AT 1:30 PM.SO THE PURPOSE OF THE TRANSPARENT REVIEW, OR JUST TRANSFERS AND HOLDS TRUTH ACT FORUM IS TO PROVIDE INFORMATION REGARDING IMMIGRATION AND CUSTOMS ENFORCEMENT ICE ACCESS TO INDIVIDUALS, AND TO RECEIVE AND CONSIDER PUBLIC COMMENT PURSUANT TO THE GOVERNMENT CODE SECTIONS.
UH, SO THAT THAT'D BE DONE IN TWO WEEKS AND THE SHERIFF WILL BE HERE TO, UH, TO, UH, ADDRESS THAT AS WELL.
I GUESS ALSO, UM, AT THE DEMOCRATIC COMMITTEE, UH, JIM COSTA, UH, WAS THERE KEEPING UPDATES ON THE, UH, ON THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
SO, UH, I WANT TO THANK HIM FOR THAT.
AND ALSO HE, HE, UH, SENT HIS HELLOS TO, UH, ALL THE, THE BOARD AND ESPECIALLY DARRYL MCDANIELS, WHICH ALLOWS THE COUPLE OF FAMILY MEMBERS IN THE LAST, UH, UH, FEW MONTHS.
SO, UH, HE SAYS YOUR BEST IS BEST.
AND LASTLY, UM, I WANT TO A WISH, UH, ONE OF MY, UH, THE DIFFERENCE, UH, UH, FORMER MAYOR PAUL SAMURAI, WHO WAS AN ACCIDENT, UH, LAST WEEK AND, UH, LARRY, YOU KNOW, IF YOU SEE THE CAR, YOU KNOW, IT'S A MIRACLE, HE'S, YOU KNOW, HE'S, HE'S ALIVE.
SO HE'S IN A MEMORIAL HOSPITAL IN MODESTO.
AND, UH, SO I DON'T WANT TO, IT, LIKE I SAID, IT JUST WISH HIS FAMILY AND EVERYBODY, UH, THAT WE PRAY FOR HIM.
SO, UM, YOU KNOW, AND TO GET WELL.
SO, AND SO, UM, IT ALSO ALLOWS LAST LEFT TO THE LAST IS, UH, GET VACCINATED.
SO EVERYONE BELIEVES WE GET VACCINATED.
OUR NUMBERS ARE VERY LOW AND WE NEED TO, UH, UH, PUSH THE VACCINATED APPLE.
THANK YOU, SUPERVISOR COUNTY, COUNCIL CEO.
UH, I KNOW I'M BETWEEN YOU AND LUNCH RIGHT NOW.
SO I JUST WANT TO SAY THE OUTPOURING AND THE SUPPORT FROM THE COMMUNITY FOR WHAT MY FAMILY HAS BEEN THROUGH IN THE LAST 60 DAYS HAS BEEN TREMENDOUS.
AND IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT PARTY YOU'RE IN.
AND, UH, IT WAS VERY, VERY HEARTFELT AND BELIEVE ME, WE'VE RECEIVED ALL THE BLESSINGS AND, UM, FROM EVERYBODY.
SO ALL YOUR PRAYERS HAVE BEEN FELT WE'RE AT PEACE.
UH, WE'RE ABLE TO BURY MY MOTHER AND OUR FAMILY PLOT IN ILLINOIS, UH, LAST WEEKEND.
AND I HAVE TO SAY THE ONE THING THAT BROUGHT THAT MY BOYS NOTICED DURING THIS WHOLE PROCESS IS THAT WHEN WE'RE IN THE FUNERAL, PROCESSION OUT TO THE CEMETERY, EVEN ON A STATE STATE HIGHWAY, THE CARS FROM THE ONCOMING ONCOMING TRAFFIC WOULD PULL OVER AND HIT THEIR EMERGENCY FLASHERS OUT OF RESPECT.
AND YOU DON'T SEE THAT IN CALIFORNIA, IT'S WE NEED TO GET BACK TO THE BASICS.
MY BOYS WITNESSED IT FOR THEM TO BE SITTING IN THE CAR AS PASSENGERS RECOGNIZING IT.
WE HAD TO GET BACK TO RESPECT FOR EACH OTHER WHERE THERE'S NO HATRED.
THERE'S NO, WHEN WE DO OUR COMMENTS TO EACH OTHER, IT'S BECAUSE OF OUR CORE VALUES.
AND WE'RE TRYING TO NEGOTIATE TO A, TO A POINT IT'S NOT BECAUSE OF HATRED.
IT'S NOT BECAUSE OF DISRESPECT.
AND WE GOT TO COME BACK TO THAT.
SO WITH THAT, WE'LL GO AHEAD AND STOP THE MEETING NOW.
AND WE'LL RETURN AT ONE 30 FOR OUR LAST PUBLIC HEARING.
I'D ALSO LIKE TO ADJOURN IN HONOR OF NICOLE WHITE.
UM, IT'S MARK COWARDS, OR NICOLE WHITE IS THE DAUGHTER OF MARK COWARD.
UM, OUR COUNTY EMPLOYEE HAS A DAUGHTER PASSED THIS PAST WEEK.
AND SO IF WE COULD HOLD THAT IN JOURN IN HER HONOR AS WELL.
[EXECUTIVE OFFICE - REDISTRICTING PUBLIC HEARING]
FOR OUR REDISTRICTING HEARING AND I'LL GO AHEAD AND TURN IT OVER TO MARCY.I COULD ASK MEMBERS, THANK YOU, MARCY BREWER, ASSISTANT COUNTY EXECUTIVE OFFICER WELCOME THIS PUBLIC HEARING TODAY IS THE SECOND OF FOUR HEARINGS WHERE MARCET COUNTY RESIDENTS CAN PROVIDE INPUT AND PUBLIC TESTIMONY ON THE REDISTRICTING PROCESS FOR 2021, EVERY 10 YEARS, MERCER COUNTY MUST REDISTRICT TO DETERMINE HOW COUNTER COUNT CURRENT BOUNDARIES AND THEIR VOTING DISTRICTS MIGHT BE REDRAWN BASED UPON NEW DATA FROM THE U S CENSUS AND INPUT FROM MORISSETTE COUNTY RESIDENTS.
ALL DISTRICT LINES MUST BE REVIEWED TO MEET STRICT REQUIREMENTS AND POPULATION EQUITY AND VOTING RIGHTS PROTECTIONS TO ENSURE THE RESOURCES AND EXPERTISE NECESSARY FOR PREPARATION OF ILLEGALLY ADEQUATE REDISTRICTING PLAN.
THE COUNTY HAS RETAINED LEGAL COUNSEL, A DEMOGRAPHIC CONSULTANT, AND A COMMUNICATIONS FIRM TO ASSIST WITH THE NAVIGATION AND THE COMPLEX LEGAL AND DEMOGRAPHIC ISSUES AS WELL AS EXTENSIVE OUTREACH REQUIREMENTS WITH US TODAY ARE CHRIS
DURING TODAY'S PUBLIC HEARING, MR. TILTON WILL PROVIDE A PRESENTATION OUTLINING THE REDISTRICTING PROCESS AND MAPPING TOOLS FOLLOWED BY PUBLIC TESTIMONY ON DISTRICTS AND
[02:50:01]
COMMUNITIES OF INTEREST AS WELL AS GUIDANCE FROM THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS.SO I WILL TURN IT OVER TO JEFF TILTON FOR THE PRESENTATION.
UH, THIS WILL BE SOMEWHAT OF A REPEAT FROM THE FIRST PUBLIC HEARING A PRESENTATION WITH SOME ADDED BONUSES.
WE'LL SEE IF YOU'RE STAYING AWAKE.
I HAVE SOME OF THOSE BONUSES IN THERE.
SO WE HAVE THE REDISTRICTING TIMELINE.
UM, WE HAD, UH, A PUBLIC HEARING ON JUNE 8TH, UM, THAT I WAS HERE ALONG WITH CHRIS CORNELL.
UH, WE HELD A WORKSHOP ON JULY 13TH AND DOWNTOWN
UM, AND THEN, UH, WE HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR THE CENSUS DATA TO BE RELEASED AND HAPPY TO ANNOUNCE, UH, THE NA NATIONAL CENSUS DATA WILL BE RELEASED ON THURSDAY A LITTLE BIT EARLIER, LIKE FOUR DAYS, BUT NONETHELESS IT'S EARLY.
UM, BUT YOU KNOW, I'M SURE IT WOULD HAVE BEEN NICE TO HAVE IT IN FEBRUARY, MARCH, APRIL, UM, SINCE WE'RE SO COMPACTED.
AND WITH THAT, NOW WE CAN LOOK AT FOUR TO SIX WEEKS FROM THAT TIME THAT THE STATE WILL ADJUST THAT DATA THROUGH ITS, UH, PRISONER POPULATION.
AND, UM, HAVE THOSE INMATES CURRENTLY IN THE INCARCERATED, UM, WHEREVER THEIR PREVIOUS ADDRESS WAS, WILL THOSE DATA PIECES WILL GO BACK INTO THOSE JURISDICTIONS.
AND WE HOPE TO GET THAT AROUND MIDDLE TO, UH, I DON'T LIKE TO GET DATES, BUT MIDDLE TO END OF SEPTEMBER, WHICH IS GREAT.
IT GIVES US A LITTLE MORE BREATHING ROOM AS WE'RE LOOKING TO LOOK AT DRAFT MAPS.
UM, HERE WE ARE TODAY ON THE SECOND OF FOUR PUBLIC HEARINGS.
UH, WE WILL HAVE ANOTHER WORKSHOP ON, UH, OCTOBER 19TH, SAME PLACE AS WE HELD THE FIRST ONE.
UM, AND THEN, UH, WE WILL, AT THAT TIME PREPARE DRAFT MAPS FOR THE BOARD.
AND THAT MEETING WILL BE ON NOVEMBER 19TH AT 6:30 PM.
UM, WE'RE GOING TO DO ASK FOLKS WHO SUBMIT MAPS TO HAVE THOSE MAPS, UH, SUBMITTED BY NOVEMBER 2ND.
SO THEN WE CAN ADDRESS THEM UP AND GETTING READY FOR THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS.
THEY MUST BE POSTED ONE WEEK BEFORE THAT A BOARD OF SUPERVISOR MEETING.
UH, SO THAT, THAT WILL THEY'LL HAVE TO BE POSTED BY NOVEMBER 9TH IS THE INTENTION OF THAT PARTICULAR MEETING ON NOVEMBER 16TH IS THAT THE BOARD WILL NARROW DOWN THE DRAFTS TO MAYBE TWO OR THREE AS WE HEAD INTO THE FINAL PUBLIC HEARING ON DECEMBER 7TH.
THAT DOESN'T MEAN FOLKS HAVE TO STOP SUBMITTING MAPS.
THEY CAN STILL SUBMIT DRAFT MAP FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION.
UH, BUT IT ALSO HELPS, UH, WITH THE, WITH RESPECT TO VOLUME WHEN WE'RE, WE'RE GOING INTO THAT DECEMBER 7TH HEARING.
AND THERE'S ALSO, AS YOU CAN SEE DEADLINES, UH, TO SUBMIT THOSE DRAFT MAPS AS WELL.
WE'RE ALSO LOOKING AT HOW THE REDISTRICT DEEM, UH, PROCESS HAS MADE AN IMPACT ON LOCAL ELECTIONS.
UM, YOU CAN SEE THAT WE HAVE A MAP ADOPTION ON THE SEVENTH.
UH, THEN WE HAVE CANDIDATE PETITION AND LOOP.
THE PERIOD IS JANUARY 4TH OF FEBRUARY 9TH WITH THE FILING PERIOD.
UH, YOU CAN SEE THERE FEBRUARY 14TH TO MARCH 11TH AND ANYBODY THAT'S RUN FOR OFFICE LIKE THE FIVE OF YOU HAVE.
I'VE BEEN ONE OF THOSE WHO'S RUN FOR COUNTY WIDE OFFICE BEFORE.
OBVIOUSLY I WAS NOT SUCCESSFUL.
I'M STANDING HERE BEFORE YOU I'D HATE TO TELL YOU I TRIED IT TWICE.
SO WE'RE HAVE TO FOLLOW A PARTICULAR RULES.
AS WE'RE LOOKING AT DRAFT MAPS AND MAPS FOR YOU TO CONSIDER NUMBER ONE, WE MUST FOLLOW FEDERAL LAW.
UM, AND OUR INTENTION IS FOR THE FIVE DISTRICTS THAT THERE ARE AN EQUAL POPULATION.
I'D LOVE TO TELL YOU THAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN.
IT PROBABLY WON'T, THERE'S GOING TO BE A VARIATION DUDE, JUST THE DYNAMICS OF THE DISTRICTS AND THE FAIR MAPS ACT THAT I'M GOING TO TALK ABOUT IN A SECOND, WE MUST FOLLOW THE FEDERAL VOTING RIGHTS ACT, AND THERE CAN BE NO RACIAL GARY MANDARIN.
THEN WE MOVE INTO CALIFORNIA'S CRITERIA FOR COUNTIES AND THEY MUST BE IN THIS PARTICULAR ORDER.
SO WE'VE JUST FINISHED THE FEDERAL, UH, ROLL LAWS.
NOW WE'RE LOOKING AT CALIFORNIA AND EACH DRAFT MUST, UH, IN PARTICULAR ORDER, AGAIN, MUST BE G UH, GEOGRAPHICALLY CONTIGUOUS.
WE CAN'T DIVIDE NEIGHBORHOODS OR COMMUNITIES OF INTEREST, OR AT LEAST TO THE, TO THE GREATEST EXTENT POSSIBLE NOT TO DIVIDE THOSE.
AND I WANT TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THOSE IN A SECOND, SAME THING WITH CITIES AND, UH, CENSUS DESIGNATED PLACES.
WE WANT TO RESPECT THOSE PARTICULAR BOUNDARIES.
AND THEN WE ALSO WANT TO HAVE EASILY IDENTIFIABLE BOUNDARIES WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT THE DISTRICT LINES AND WE WANT THEM TO BE COMPACT.
WE REALLY DON'T WANT TO SEE ANY, UM, TENTACLES REACHING INTO A PARTICULAR DISTRICT TO GRAB A SEGMENT, ET CETERA.
IT LOOKS KIND OF UGLY AND IT'S, IT'S REALLY DIFFICULT TO DEFEND.
AND WE DO KNOW THAT IT'S PROHIBITED AS TO SHARE, SHALL WE SHALL NOT FAVOR OR DISCRIMINATE AGAINST THE POLITICAL PARTY, IF WE CAN DO THE COLUMN ON THE, ON THE LEFT AND THE COLUMN ON, IN THE MIDDLE THAT WE CAN CONSIDER SOME OF THOSE TRADITIONAL REDISTRICTING PRINCIPLES ON THE RIGHT, BUT WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO ANSWER YES TO THE FEDERAL LAWS AND TO THE CALIFORNIA CRITERIA BEFORE WE CAN EVEN BEGIN TO LOOK
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AT THAT COLUMN ON THE RIGHT.SO WHAT WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO DO SINCE WE STARTED THIS PROC PROCESS IS TO GET PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT AND, AND HOPEFULLY WE'RE GONNA GET SOME ENGAGEMENT FROM THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS WITH RESPECT TO WHAT ARE THE NEIGHBORHOODS IN THE COUNTY.
UM, WHAT ARE SOME OF THE GEOGRAPHIC, UH, FEATURES AND BOUNDARIES, UH, ARE THERE PARTICULAR ROADS, CANALS, RAIL, RAILROADS, ET CETERA, OTHER KINDS OF LANDMARKS THAT REALLY IDENTIFY A PARTICULAR NEIGHBORHOOD IN THE COUNTY, SAME THING WITH THE COMMUNITY COMMUNITIES OF INTEREST.
ARE THERE SOME SHARED, UM, NEIGHBORHOODS OR THINGS LIKE HOMEOWNER'S ASSOCIATIONS, YOU KNOW, SINCE THIS DESIGNATED PLACES MIGHT BE A GREAT EXAMPLE OF A COMMUNITY OF INTEREST, AS WE'VE HEARD FROM, UH, THE WORKSHOP WE HAD HERE A FEW WEEKS AGO, AND SOMETHING TO CONSIDER AS WELL IS, UH, DO WE WANT THESE COMMUNITIES OF INTEREST TO HAVE REPRESENTATION FROM ONE OR MULTIPLE? UM, IF IT'S A REALLY LARGE COMMUNITY OF INTERESTS, UH, WE MIGHT BE LOOKING AT DIVIDING UP THAT COMMUNITY OF INTEREST BECAUSE IT'S, IT'S GOING TO EXCEED THE EQUAL POPULATION REQUIREMENT.
YOU KNOW, UH, WE MAY NOT HAVE A CHOICE.
UM, AND WHAT WE DO KNOW THAT THESE COMMUNITIES OF INTEREST, UH, MAY NOT INCLUDE RELATIONSHIPS FOR POLITICAL PARTIES AND COMMENTS, UM, OR POLITICAL CANDIDATES.
SO WE HAD A, I THINK A GREAT EVENING ON JULY 13TH, UH, AS I THINK MOST OF YOU WERE THERE, OR AT LEAST PART OF IT, UH, HERE, DOWNTOWN MORISSETTE, AND THEN, UH, UM, UH, A SEGMENT OF FOLKS IN LOS ANGELES.
AND WE WERE ABLE TO GET SOME FEEDBACK THAT ARE LISTED THERE.
YOU HAVE IT BEFORE YOU AS WELL ON IN YOUR PACKET.
UM, THESE ARE THINGS THAT, UH, WERE PRETTY POWERFUL STATEMENTS FROM THOSE THAT ATTENDED.
WE ALSO RECEIVED, UH, INFORMATION FROM FOLKS WHO SUBMITTED TO THE REDISTRICTING WEBSITE.
I MEAN, YOU LOOK AT, AT, UH, LIKE, UH, DISTRICT ONE FARMING COMMUNITIES, UH, THE INDIVIDUAL, UH, IS EXPRESSING THERE IS A SHARED COMMUNITY RIGHT THERE IN THAT PARTICULAR DISTRICT ONE, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE LOOKING AT RURAL VERSUS URBAN, THAT TYPE OF THING.
UM, THEY, THERE'S NOT REALLY MUCH YOU CAN DO WITH DELL HIGH AND HILMAR, UH, TO BECOME PART OF STANISLAUS COUNTY.
UH, BUT WE'RE, WE'RE RECOGNIZING THAT'S WHAT THAT PERSON HAD SUGGESTED AS A COMMUNITY EVENT.
SO, SO, UH, WITH THIS, WE ALSO HAVE SOME MAPPING TOOLS.
I KNOW THAT WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO UPDATE SOME MAPPING TOOLS, UM, SINCE, UH, OUR LAST PUBLIC HEARING.
AND I THINK SINCE OUR, UH, INITIAL WORKSHOP, EVERYTHING I SHARE WITH YOU RIGHT NOW, HOWEVER, OR ANY, AND THESE MAPPING TOOLS ARE AVAILABLE FOR FOLKS TO START DRAFTING MAPS, ET CETERA NOW, BUT WITH THE CAVEAT, ANYTHING THAT THEY DO IS WITH ESTIMATED DATA ONLY, UM, WE'LL ACCEPT WHATEVER THEY SUBMIT ABOUT.
WE'LL PROBABLY ASK THEM, HEY, CAN YOU LOOK AT THIS AGAIN, LIKE SEPTEMBER 20 SOMETHING? UM, AND SO YOU CAN MAKE SURE THAT YOU'RE, YOU'RE EQUAL AT LEAST ATTEMPTING TO MAKE YOUR, YOUR DISTRICTS AT LEAST EQUAL, THEN FOLLOW ALL THE OTHER CRITERIA AS WELL.
THE INTERACTIVE REVIEW MAP IS JUST THAT IT'S, IT'S A REVIEW MAP.
IT'S NOT REALLY A TOOL, BUT IT ALLOWS YOU THE PUBLIC TO LOOK AT ALL THE MAPS HAVE BEEN SUBMITTED, UH, REGARDLESS IF THEY'RE LEGALLY COMPLIANT OR NOT.
AND THEY WILL, THERE'S A COLUMN THERE TO THE RIGHT.
THAT'LL HAVE ALL THE MAPS, UH, LISTED THERE.
UH, ONE CAN LOOK AT THEM ONE AT A TIME.
THEY CAN LAYER THEM, ET CETERA.
WE HAVE THE SIMPLE MAP DRAWING TOOL.
UM, PEOPLE CAN SUBMIT THESE MAPS.
YOU, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU COULD TELL THEY'RE ON THE LOWER LEFT-HAND CORNER OF THIS IMAGE THAT I'VE CUT OFF, BUT IT ASKS FOR THEIR NAME AND THEIR PHONE NUMBER, EMAIL ADDRESS IT'S NOT TO EMBARRASS OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
IT'S IT'S, WE WOULD REALLY WANT TO CONTACT INDIVIDUALS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE DOING THE BEST WE CAN TO REPRESENT THEIR IDEAS.
THIS PARTICULAR MAP IS BROKEN DOWN, BROKEN DOWN INTO POPULATION UNITS.
AND WITHIN THOSE POPULATION UNITS IS THE POPULATION FIGURE THE NUMBER.
AND SO IT'S REALLY DIFFICULT TO SEE, BUT I THINK IT'S A THREE-DIGIT NUMBER UP THERE IN THAT TOP RIGHT-HAND CORNER.
AND BASICALLY THE INTENTION THERE IS TO ADD ALL UP, ADD UP ALL THE ONES THAT YOU'VE COLORED AND TRIED TO GET TO THAT IDEAL EQUAL DISTRIBUTION ACROSS THE FIVE, UM, THE FIVE DISTRICTS, UH, OBVIOUSLY THERE'S AN INSET.
UH, IT'S DIFFICULT TO SEE, BUT ALMOST TO THE THIRD PART OF THE MAP THERE TO THE RIGHT, IT SAYS, SEE, MARCET SEE THE MERSEYSIDE AREA MAP.
IT'LL SHOW JUST THE CITY OF MARCELLA AND POPULATION UNITS FOR THAT, UM, SIM SIMPLE, SIMILAR PRINCIPLE, INSTEAD OF HAVING THE POPULATION FIGURES INSIDE EACH POPULATION UNIT, THERE ISN'T A IDENTIFIER NUMBER AND THERE'S NO REPEATS OF THESE IDENTIFIER NUMBERS.
AND YOU JUST TAKE THAT NUMBER AND YOU DROP IT INTO AN EXCEL SPREADSHEET BASED ON WHERE
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YOU WANT THAT PARTICULAR NUMBER.WHAT DISTRICT DO YOU WANT THAT PARTICULAR NUMBER TO GO INTO? AND ALL THE DATA ARE TABULATED FOR THE AUTHOR OF THAT MAP.
AND IT ALSO HELPS US AS WELL BECAUSE BASICALLY THE SAME THING WE WOULD DO TOO.
SO, UM, IT DOES REQUIRE OBVIOUSLY ACCESS TO XCEL.
UH, BUT WE HAVE THAT TOOL ON THE REDISTRICTING WEBSITE HERE.
SAME A PRINCIPLE APPLIES WITH THE NAME AND ADDRESS WHEN, WHEN FOLKS SUBMIT THEIR MAPS, UH, FOR CONSIDERATION IT IS PUBLIC RECORD.
UH, BUT WE WILL NOT NAME THE MAP AFTER THE, THE AUTHOR.
UM, IT'LL, IT'LL COME TO YOU AS MAP 1 0 1, 1 0 2, 1 0 3, ET CETERA, BUT IT WILL BE PUBLIC RECORD.
WE ALSO HAVE DISTRICT ARE, IT'S A GREAT TOOL.
IT'S ONLY AVAILABLE IN ENGLISH, BUT I'M TOLD THAT GOOGLE HAS A NEAT LITTLE TOOL THAT'LL TRANSLATE, UH, THE LANGUAGE FOR INDIVIDUALS.
UM, IT IS ONE WHERE BASICALLY YOU PAINT THERE'S, THERE'S THREE, EXCUSE ME, THERE'S FOUR TOOLS ON THIS PARTICULAR DISTRICT ARE IN THERE.
YOU CAN SEE ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE OF THE, OF THE, THE ILLUSTRATION I PROVIDE, THERE'S A FINGER POINTER, WHICH BASICALLY MOVES THE MAP.
THERE'S A PAINTBRUSH ON A RACER AND A ZOOM IN.
YOU TAKE THE PAINT BRUSH, YOU PAINT WHAT DISTRICT YOU WANT, AND WHILE YOU'RE PAINTING, IT GIVES YOU A TOTAL OF THAT DISTRICT.
IT TELLS YOU HOW FAR YOU ARE AWAY FROM THE IDEAL MATCH.
AND THE IDEAL MATCH BASED ON THE ESTIMATED DATA FOR THE COUNTY MARCET IS 54,492.
UM, SO AS YOU'RE PAINTING, THEN YOU CAN LOOK IN AT LINES AND KEEPING, UH, COMMUNITIES OF INTEREST, UM, UH, YOU KNOW, WITHOUT DIVIDING THEM, IT'S A GREAT LITTLE TOOL.
AND THEN THEY CAN SUBMIT THAT AS A, AS A DRAFT MAP, A LITTLE MORE COMPLEX REQUIRES MORE TIMING PATIENTS.
UM, AND IT'S, THIS IS CALLED MAPTITUDE IT'S FROM CALIPER.
IT'S AVAILABLE IN SIX LANGUAGES, DOES REQUIRE SOME PATIENTS, UM, AND MAKE SURE YOU DON'T HIT THE BACK BUTTON ACCIDENTALLY.
CAUSE ALL THE GREAT WORK YOU DID, UH, WILL BE, WILL BE GONE.
UM, THERE'S A GREAT HELP TOOL.
WE ALSO HAVE DISTRICT AR AND MAPTITUDE ONLINE VIDEO DEMOS THAT COULD HELP INDIVIDUALS WALK THROUGH THESE PARTICULAR TOOLS.
SO WE TRY TO MAKE IT AS USER-FRIENDLY AS POSSIBLE.
HOWEVER, I MUST SAY THIS ONE HERE REQUIRES SOME PATIENCE AND TIME, TIME, AND YOU WILL MAKE MISTAKES AND THAT'S OKAY.
UH, SO WITH THAT, WE'RE ASKING FOLKS TO REALLY PARTICIPATE IN THIS PROCESS, UM, BY GOING TO THE WEBSITE, IF POSSIBLE, I KNOW WE DO HAVE A ROBUST OUTREACH PROGRAM.
UH, THERE'S A PHONE NUMBER THERE.
THERE'S ALSO THE DISTRICT, UH, EXCUSE ME.
THE REDISTRICTING EMAIL ADDRESS.
UH, I DID MENTION THAT, UM, WE DO HAVE A ROBUST OUTREACH PLAN.
WE, YOU APPROVED THE CONTRACT WITH PREPPY SMITH.
UH, WE MEET EVERY OTHER WEEK TO CONTINUE PLANNING ON MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE REACHING OUT TO, UH, TYPICALLY UNREPRESENTED S UH, UH, COMMUNITIES AND THE COUNTY.
AND I THINK THEY'RE DOING A GREAT JOB, UH, WITH THAT, UH, TAKE ANY QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT HAVE BEFORE YOU OPEN UP THE PUBLIC HEARING.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS? YEAH, I HAVE A QUESTION.
UM, I SEE THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU WERE DOING IT AS SIMPLE AS, YOU KNOW, JUST HAVING PAPER OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
ARE THESE MAPS OR IS THIS AVAILABLE ANYWHERE TO WHERE IF SOMEBODY CAME IN AND THEY WANTED TO PICK IT UP, I GUESS THAT'S MORE OF A QUESTION FOR STAFF.
ARE YOU ASKING IF THEY COULD COME AND PICK UP THE TOOLS THAT WE HANDED OUT AT THE WORKSHOP? YES.
YEAH, WE HAVE COPIES OF THOSE.
WE, THEY CAN GET THEM IN HUMAN RESOURCES.
UH, BECAUSE THESE MAPS WERE, UH, DRAFTED ESTIMATED DATA, THERE'LL BE UPDATED ONCE THE DATA ARE RELEASED.
DID YOU PUSH THE REQUEST? THAT'S FLASHING NOW, YOU TURNED IT OFF.
NOW THIS WAS BACK CHAIR RECOGNIZES SOLVERA.
IS ANYBODY SUBMITTED MAPS SO FAR? ARE THERE ANY MAPS ALREADY SUBMITTED? I HAVE NOT SEEN ANY.
AND AS SOON AS THOSE ARE SUBMITTED, THERE'LL BE, THERE'LL BE POSTED ON THE WEBSITE.
AND FOR ANYBODY TO LOOK AT IS THAT WE'LL DO IS, UM, WE'LL NOTIFY ANYBODY THAT SUBMITS IS, YOU KNOW, YOU SUBMITTED A MAP.
UM, HOWEVER, THESE MAP, THESE, THESE MAPS HAVE ESTIMATED DATA ON THEM.
THE W WILL YOU, WE WON'T THE PUBLIC, WON'T BE ABLE TO SEE ANY OF THE SUBMITTED MAPS UNTIL AFTER WE GET THE FINAL DATA.
ONCE WE GET THAT FINAL CALIFORNIA DATA THAT PEOPLE START, SOMEBODY
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MAPS, WE'LL START POSTING THEM AS WE PROCESS THEM.WE'LL START POSTING THEM ON THAT REVIEW MAP TOOL.
AND IT'LL, SO IT WON'T BE LIKE ONE WEEK BEFORE YOUR, YOUR MEETING THAT YOU CONSIDER THESE WE'LL, WE'LL KEEP THEM AND BE REALLY OPEN ABOUT IT.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? OKAY.
WE'LL NOW OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING AND ACCEPT PUBLIC COMMENT LIVE IN PERSON AND VIA VOICEMAIL.
THE VOICEMAIL MESSAGE LINE HAS BEEN OPEN TO THE ACCEPT PUBLIC COMMENTS SINCE THE POSTING OF THE AGENDA.
SO AT THIS TIME, I'LL GO AHEAD AND OPEN UP THE PUBLIC HEARING.
IS THERE ANYBODY HERE THAT WOULD LIKE TO COME FORWARD AND MAKE COMMENTS? OKAY.
HI, MY NAME IS PANCHO VAIN AND I'M LIVING IN MERCER COUNTY.
UM, UH, FIRST I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS.
I NOTICED THAT, UM, THE FOURTH PUBLIC HEARING ON DECEMBER 7TH HAS BEEN MOVED FROM 1:30 PM TO 6:30 PM.
AND THE SECOND THING I WANTED TO SAY WAS, UM, THANK YOU TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS FOR HAVING A COMMUNITY WORKSHOP ON OCTOBER 19TH AT 6:00 PM.
UM, THE ONLY THING I WANT TO, UM, REQUEST IS THAT, UM, IF THERE COULD BE AN EXPERT OR DEMOGRAPHIC CONSULTANT THERE TO TALK ABOUT THE DATA FROM THE 20, 20 CENSUS AND THE PRESENTER DATA, SO THAT, UM, WE CAN, UM, UNDERSTAND THE DATA OF MORISSET COUNTY BETTER SO THAT WE CAN DRAW THE MAPS BETTER.
THAT'S IT? I THANK YOU SO MUCH.
IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE, IF NOT, WE'LL GO AHEAD AND TAKE THE BREAK.
UH, WE'LL RETURN AT TWO O'CLOCK AND THIS WILL GIVE THE OPPORTUNITY FOR ANY VOICEMAILS OR EMAILS.
DID WE HAVE ANY VOICEMAILS? OKAY, THEN WE'LL GO AHEAD AND PLAY THE VOICEMAIL.
HI, MY NAME IS OLIVIA SEIDMAN'S SECRET ENGAGEMENT COORDINATOR WITH LEADERSHIP TRUMPS OR FORGETS.
UM, AFTER WINNING THE LAST PUBLIC COMMENT MADE, WE DO, UH, WE ARE GRATEFUL TO THE COUNTY FOR MOVING THE MEETING TO 6:00 PM, UM, AND THE EARTH LIKE COUNTY AND MARINA DISTRICT, AND THE PROCESS TO PRIORITIZE COMMUNITIES WHO HAVE BEEN HISTORICALLY MARGINALIZED FROM THE REDISTRICTING PROCESS IN ORDER TO CREATE AN EQUITABLE MAP THAT IS, UM, ACCURATELY OR ACCURATELY REFLECTS THE DEMOGRAPHICS AS MERSEYSIDE COUNTY.
UM, AND WE ENCOURAGE OUTREACH TO BE CREATIVE AND INNOVATIVE IN INCLUDING MEETING BY MEETING FOLKS WHERE THEY ARE, UM, THROUGH ACTIONS, SUCH AS A NEW DOOR TO DOOR CANVASSING OR ANY TYPE OF, UM, IN COMMUNITY EVENTS TO COLLECT THE ALLIES AND BE BACK ON THE MAP.
UM, AND I, UH, WE ENCOURAGE, SORRY.
WE URGE THE COUNTY TO CONTINUE TO, UM, PRIORITIZE LANGUAGE ACCESS AND LANGUAGE JUSTICE BY PROVIDING MATERIALS AND SPANISH AND HMONG, UM, AS WELL AS INTERPRETERS AND TRANSLATORS, UM, FOR PUBLIC HEARINGS.
WE'LL GO AHEAD AND CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
I WILL NOW TURN THE MIC OVER TO OUR COUNTY EXECUTIVE OFFICER JIM BROWN, GREEN BACK UP THAT THERE.
MR. CHAIR, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, UM, AS, AS, AS YOU'VE SEEN THROUGH THE PRESENTATION IS MR. TILDEN ACKNOWLEDGED THAT AT YOUR JULY 13TH WORKSHOP, THERE WERE, UH, THERE WAS INPUT FROM THE PUBLIC REGARDING COMMUNITIES OF INTEREST.
UM, AT THIS TIME OF THE PROCESS, SINCE THE DATA IS DELAYED, WE HAVE BEEN UTILIZING THIS TIME TO TRY TO GAIN INPUT RELATED TO COMMUNITIES OF INTEREST.
AND SO THIS IS A TIME THAT, UH, THE DEMOGRAPHER AND COUNCIL AND STAFF, UH, ARE LOOKING FOR, YOU KNOW, ANY INPUT THAT YOU MAY HAVE AS A BOARD RELATED TO COMMUNITIES OF INTEREST.
UM, YOU KNOW, SO WHETHER YOU WANT TO PROVIDE FEEDBACK OR COMMENTS ON SOME OF THE INPUT THAT'S BEEN PROVIDED FROM THE WORKSHOP OR SOME OF THE EXAMPLES THAT WERE PROVIDED DIRECTLY TO, UH, THE WEBSITE, UM, AS YOU KIND OF THINK ABOUT THIS, JUST TO REFRESH YOUR MEMORIES ON SOME OF THE THINGS MR. TILTON AND MR. CHANEL HAVE SHARED WITH YOU IN THE PAST, UM, YOU KNOW, THAT GEOGRAPHIC AREA OF AREAS IN THE COUNTY THAT
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ARE EITHER URBAN, SUBURBAN, RURAL, UM, ECONOMIC SIMILARITIES, WHERE YOU GOT INDUSTRY, LIKE, YOU KNOW, AND I KNOW WE GOT AG THAT RUNS THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE COUNTY, BUT THERE MAY BE AREAS THAT GOT PARTICULAR TYPES OF INDUSTRIES THAT YOU LOOK AT, UM, YOU KNOW, AND YOU BE CAREFUL, AND I KNOW THE DEMOGRAPHER WANTS TO BE CAREFUL AND LOOKING AT THOSE, YOU KNOW, AND THEN YOU GET AT THE DEMOGRAPHIC BASE WHEN YOU LOOK AT, YOU KNOW, DISTRICTS, WHETHER THEY'RE SCHOOL DISTRICTS, UH, COMMUNITY SERVICE DISTRICTS, AND OTHER THINGS THAT YOU WANT TO BE CAREFUL ON.AND I KNOW THE DEMOGRAPHER WANTS TO BE CAREFUL ON, AND, YOU KNOW, I SAY, LOOK AT THOSE AND, YOU KNOW, TRY TO KEEP THAT CONTINUITY THERE.
AND SO AT THIS POINT, YOU KNOW, IT'S REALLY JUST SEEKING, YOU KNOW, AND THERE'S, YOU KNOW, YOUR, IF YOU HAVE ANY SPECIFIC COMMENTS THAT YOU WANT TO PROVIDE AS A BOARD OR INDIVIDUALLY TO THE DEMOGRAPHER, THIS IS THAT TIME.
OTHERWISE, YOU KNOW, WE WOULD BASICALLY CLOSE TODAY OUT AND THEN, YOU KNOW, GO THE, WHICH THE NEXT OPPORTUNITY WOULD BE AT THE WORKSHOP, WHICH WOULD BE AGAIN FOR THE PUBLIC, YOU KNOW, AFTER WE HAVE THE DATA TO BE ABLE TO GIVE ANOTHER, UH, OPPORTUNITY TO WALK THROUGH THE MAPPING TOOLS.
ARE THERE ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, DISCUSSIONS, AND OR DIRECTION BY THE BOARD? OH, SORRY.
I GOT A CHAIR RECOGNIZES SUPER SOLVERA.
I DON'T KNOW WHO THIS IS A QUESTION FOR, FOR, FOR CHRIS OR, OR IF JEFF IS GOING TO, BUT WHEN WE LOOK AT THOSE PO ON THE SLIDE, WHEN YOU LOOK AT POSSIBLE NEIGHBORHOODS COMMUNITIES, I GUESS JUST FOR MY OWN INTEREST IS LIKE, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT, UM, YOU KNOW, I WAS THERE AT THE LAST WORKSHOP AND IT'S, YOU KNOW, IT TALKS ABOUT SANTA AND ELA RESOURCES, UM, HEALTHCARE, GROCERY SHOPPING, CONNECTED TO LAS VEGAS.
I MEAN, WHAT DO YOU DO WITH THAT OTHER THAN JUST MAKE SURE THAT THAT'S CONNECTED TO LAS SPANISH, DID THEY, DID THEY, I DON'T, I GUESS, LIKE, HOW DO YOU TAKE THAT KIND OF INFORMATION? I MEAN, SOME OF THESE THINGS, UM, YOU KNOW, HOLD ON, LET ME LOOK AT THE ONE.
YOU SEE STUDENTS IN MERCEDES AND I SAW ANOTHER ONE ON THERE, YOU KNOW, HIGHER EDUCATION LEVELS IN, IN, IN MERCY BECAUSE OF THE UC.
SO, SO LIKE, WHAT DO YOU DO WITH THAT? DO YOU THINK THAT WE WILL WANT TO TRY TO KEEP THOSE GROUPS INCLUSIVE? YOU WOULDN'T WANT, BUT ARE THEY, OR IS IT JUST LIKE, WHAT I DON'T DUNNO.
CAN YOU, YOU CAN KIND OF ELABORATE ON SOME OF THAT, CAUSE I'M REALLY CONFUSED WITH, WE TALK ABOUT COMMUNITIES OF INTEREST AND, AND, YOU KNOW, LIKE FOR EXAMPLE, IN SANTA AND ELLA, THERE'S A, THERE'S A COMMUNITY THAT IS A, IS A HEAVILY, YOU KNOW, IT'S A COMMUTER COMMUNITY, THEY COMMUTE OVER THE HILL TO GO TO WORK.
SO WHAT DO YOU DO TO HELP THAT COMMUNITY, TO PUT THEM IN A, IN A BETTER POSITION? I, SO WHAT WOULD, I GUESS FROM YOUR POINT OF VIEW, TALK TO ME, EXPLAIN TO ME LIKE, KIND OF HOW YOU WOULD LOOK AT THAT.
BASICALLY WITH THAT SORT OF FEEDBACK, YOU KNOW, SAYING WE WANT TO BE CONNECTED TO, UH, TO LOS BANJOS, YOU KNOW, THAT'S WHERE WE DO OUR SHOPPING.
THAT'S WHERE WE DO OUR, GET OUR HEALTHCARE, ET CETERA, THE, THE IDEAL.
AND, AND OBVIOUSLY, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A LOT OF DECISIONS THAT CAN BE MADE.
SO YOU CAN'T ALWAYS NECESSARILY ACCOMMODATE EVERY REQUEST, BUT ESSENTIALLY WHAT THAT IS IS PEOPLE COMING IN AND SAYING, LOOK, WE, WE, BECAUSE WE'RE CONNECTED IN THAT WAY WITH MOST BANDS, WE'D LIKE TO BE IN THE SAME DISTRICT WITH THEM.
UM, BECAUSE WE SHARE A COMMONALITY OF, OF, UH, REPRESENTATIONAL INTERESTS.
AND SO WE SHOULD HAVE THE SAME SUPERVISOR, NOT ALWAYS POSSIBLE.
YOU KNOW, THERE MAY BE OTHER FACTORS THROUGHOUT THE MAP THAT MAKE THAT NOT DOABLE, BUT THAT'S, THAT'S HOW WE WOULD LOOK AT IT.
AND, YOU KNOW, IN TERMS OF SANTA NELLA SPECIFICALLY, YOU KNOW, THAT THAT'S SOMETHING THAT HAS A SORT OF A DEFINED BOUNDARY, RIGHT? IT'S A CENSUS DESIGNATED PLACE.
IT'S AND SO IT'S, IT'S FAIRLY EASY TO SAY, WELL, THAT'S WHAT THIS IS.
UH, WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT, FOR EXAMPLE, YOU SEE MERCEDES STUDENTS THAT GETS A LITTLE BIT TOUGHER BECAUSE THOSE STUDENTS AREN'T NECESSARILY LIMITED TO A SPECIFIC GEOGRAPHIC BOUNDARY, BUT YOU CAN TRY TO USE CENSUS DATA OR OTHER INFORMATION THAT WE HAVE TO TRY AND IDENTIFY WHERE THEY'RE MOST HEAVILY CONCENTRATED.
AND MAYBE YOU TRY AND PUT, MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE ALL THAT, THAT CONCENTRATION IS ALL WITHIN THE SAME DISTRICT, UM, INSTEAD OF BEING DIVIDED AMONGST MULTIPLE DISTRICTS.
UM, AND SO THAT, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S A LITTLE BIT OF A HOLISTIC DEPENDING ON WHAT THE COMMUNITY OF INTEREST IS.
UM, AND, AND, YOU KNOW, WHETHER OR NOT YOU CAN ACCOMMODATE THE REQUEST, JUST DEPENDS ON HOW IT FITS IN WITH ALL OF THE OTHER COMMUNITIES OF INTEREST AND THE, THE OTHER CRITERIA THAT ARE ABOVE IT.
AND THEN I HAVE TO DO ONE AT A TIME.
TH THIS IS WHAT'S REALLY GREAT ABOUT THE MAPPING TOOLS.
THERE'S A GREAT TOOL HERE CALLED DISTRICT AR AND I FIDDLED AROUND WITH, WITH MERCER COUNTY A NUMBER OF TIMES, AND BECAUSE THERE'S SO MUCH RURAL AREA OUT, OUT WEST, UM, YOU KNOW, I, I TRY TO JUST PAINT A BIG THEME ACROSS.
AND I THINK ONCE I HIT LOS BANOS, I'M EQUAL EQUAL POPULATION BALANCE IS SKEWED.
AND SO ANYWAY, UH, THE INDIVIDUAL COULD PERHAPS STRAPPED A MAP TO SUPPORT THAT STATEMENT OF WE DO OUR SHOPPING, MEDICAL, ALL THAT IN LOS PANELISTS, EVEN THOUGH WE LIVE IN SANTA NELLA, BUT THEN ON THE OTHER SIDE OF IT, SOMEBODY ELSE WROTE
[03:15:01]
OR CHIMED IN THAT THE KIDS GO TO GUSTINE.SO WHAT I, I GUESS, WHERE I WAS TRYING TO GO WITH IT IS, IS, IS HOW DO YOU DETERMINE WHEN IT'S LIKE YOU HAVE, THERE'S SOME PEOPLE THAT MIGHT SAY LIKE REALLY THE EXAMPLE OF, OF, OF CONCENTRATION, OF UC MERCED STUDENTS.
SOME PEOPLE ARE, I WOULD TAKE THE MINDSET OF, WELL, WE WANT THEM ALL TO BE REPRESENTED AS ONE GROUP, BUT THEN THE NEXT PERSON IS SAYING, WELL, NO, THAT, THAT KIND OF CONCENTRATES ALL OUR, OUR VOTING POWER.
WE WOULD, WE RATHER HAVE THE, THE ABILITY TO HELP ELECT TWO SUPERVISORS INSTEAD OF ONE.
SO HOW DO YOU GUYS TAKE THAT PART INTO CONSIDERATION? THAT'S WHERE I GUESS I WAS, I WAS GOING WITH IT WHEN YOU HAVE ALMOST IT'S THE SAME AREA, BUT YOU GOT, THEY GOT COMPETING INTERESTS IS WHETHER THEY WANT TO BE WITH ONE DISTRICT OR BE SPLIT INTO TWO DISTRICTS.
UM, THAT BECOMES A LITTLE BIT TOUGHER.
UM, THE, THE SORT OF DEFAULT UNDER THE, THE NEW FAIR MAPS ACT IS THAT YOU KEEP THEM TOGETHER, RIGHT? THAT'S, THAT'S SORT OF THE PRESUMPTION.
UM, SO UNLESS WE HAVE PEOPLE COMING IN AND GIVING REAL TESTIMONY SAYING, NO, WE REALLY DON'T THINK THAT MAKES SENSE FOR US.
THEN I THINK THE EFFORT IS GOING TO BE MADE TO TRY AND UNIFY THEM IF POSSIBLE.
UM, BUT IN TERMS OF, OF, YOU KNOW, WEATHER WHERE THERE'S A SITUATION WHERE PEOPLE MAY DISAGREE, LIKE THE, YOU KNOW, LOW SPINOFFS VERSUS GUSTINE, TO AN EXTENT WE RELY ON YOU, YOU, YOU KNOW, THE COMMUNITIES AS WELL AS ANYBODY, RIGHT? AND SO ULTIMATELY WHEN THERE'S THAT DISPUTE, YOU'RE THE ONES WHO ARE GOING TO BE THE BEST POSITION TO JUDGE WHAT THE REAL FACTS ARE AND MAKE THAT DETERMINATION.
UM, AND, YOU KNOW, HISTORICALLY THE COURTS IN THAT SORT OF SITUATION ARE GOING TO BE DEFERENTIAL BECAUSE YOU ARE A BETTER POSITION TO KNOW THAT THAN ANYBODY ELSE.
UM, YOU KNOW, MOST OF THE TIME WE GET TESTIMONY ON COMMUNITIES OF INTEREST AND IT'S, IT'S RELATIVELY, ONE-SIDED RELATIVELY CLEAR WE ARE, OR WE AREN'T, BUT THERE ARE CASES WHERE IT'S NOT THAT CLEAR AND IN THAT CIRCUMSTANCE, IT'S, IT'S A JUDGMENT CALL.
AND THEN I GUESS, AND THEN THE, THE OTHER PART NOW I JUST LOST IT.
YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO GIVE ME A SECOND.
I'M THINKING ABOUT WHAT YOU SAID THERE.
THAT'S ALL I HAVE FOR RIGHT NOW, BUT IT'LL COME BACK TO ME.
CHAIR RECOGNIZES SUPERVISOR ESPINOSA.
UM, I GUESS WE'RE AT A POINT TO WHERE, YOU KNOW, WHERE THE COMMUNITY CAN REALLY ASK FOR A CHANGE IN THE DISTRICTS.
AND ONE OF MY QUESTIONS IS, UH, YOU KNOW, LET'S SAY, UH, THE BOARD ADOPTED A, UH, A MAP WHERE TWO SUPERVISORS, I LIVE IN ONE DISTRICT, WHAT WOULD HAPPEN ON THAT SITUATION? YEAH.
SO IN THAT CIRCUMSTANCE, ASSUMING THAT THE BOARD ADOPTED IT IN THAT CIRCUMSTANCE, UM, BOTH SUPERVISORS WOULD SERVE OUT THEIR CURRENT TERM, YOU KNOW, WHAT THEY'RE ELECTED TO.
IT DOESN'T MATTER THAT THEY'RE IN OR OUT OF THE DISTRICT.
UM, AND THEN WHEN THE TIME COMES TO RUN FOR REELECTION, THEY GOT TO FIGURE OUT IF YOU KNOW, WHERE THEY CAN RUN.
UM, AND SO YOU HAVE TO, IN THE SAME DISTRICT, YOU KNOW, HOW IT PLAYS OUT, DEPENDS ON WHAT THE ELECTION CYCLES ARE.
THEY'RE ON THE SAME CYCLE YOU'D RUN HEAD TO HEAD POTENTIALLY, AND THEN YOU'D HAVE ANOTHER ELECTION IN THE, THE UNPOPULATED DISTRICTS MOVED BACK, OR THAT'S ALWAYS A POSSIBILITY THAT DOES HAPPEN.
UM, AND IF YOU'RE ON DIFFERENT CYCLES, THEN IT KIND OF DEPENDS ON, YOU KNOW, WHO'S UP IN WHEN AND ALL OF THAT, BUT WE CAN KIND OF PLAY THAT OUT AS A COMPANY, A QUESTION, ONE OF THE, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE CONSTITUENTS WILL PULL IT, ASK AND, YOU KNOW, CAUSE I GET ASKED, YOU KNOW, HOW COME YOU'RE YOU HAVE A FINGER GOING UP TO LIMITS AND RIGHT.
SO IT WAS LIKE YOU GOT ALL THE SOUTH PART OF THE COUNTY AND THEN HE'D COME UP AND GRAB LIVINGSTON.
I GO, YOU KNOW, I DUNNO, IT'S BEEN THERE FOR, SINCE I CAN REMEMBER 20 PLUS YEARS AGO, 30 YEARS AGO.
UM, YOU KNOW, IT CERTAINLY IT'S WHATEVER THE BOARD BOLTS ON IN THE FUTURE, UH, I SAID ABOUT DECEMBER 15, I GUESS.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, ANYBODY CAN SUBMIT AS MANY MAPS AS THEY CAN.
AND THEN, LIKE I SAID, THEY ENDED UP, BUT I JUST, YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN TOLD THAT MY DISTRICT WAS GERRYMANDERED BECAUSE THEY'D TELL ME, WELL, HERE'S, THIS IS, UH, THE MOST NEGLECTED MOST NEED.
AND THAT'S JUST MY, YOU KNOW, THE COMMENTS ME, BUT IT, LIKE I SAID, UH, OTHER DISTRICTS HAVE ISSUES TOO AS WELL.
SO, YOU KNOW, NOBODY'S PERFECT.
SO I JUST, YOU KNOW, LIKE I SAID, UH, UH, IF ANYBODY WANTS TO SUBMIT A, A MAP AND AS LONG AS IT MEETS THE QUALIFICATIONS, I THINK THAT WE, ALL OF US, YOU KNOW, WE CAN PICK A, UH, THE MAP THAT WILL PROBABLY BEST BE SUITED FOR, FOR OUR COUNTY AND FOR THE FUTURE.
SO, LIKE I SAID, I, IN MY MIND, I, YOU KNOW, IF I GET, IF I ONE WAS TO BE DLB TO BE ADOPTED WITH ANOTHER COLLEAGUE, I, YOU KNOW, LIKE I SAID, I WOULDN'T MIND, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER I GET, I GET, YOU KNOW, SO IT'LL BE UP TO US TO, TO RUN OR NOT TO RUN, UH, AND IN THE FUTURE.
SO, UM, LIKE I SAID, I JUST, I THINK WE ALL LOVE OUR COMMUNITIES, BUT MY, MY OPINION ABOUT, UH, ATWATER AND, AND MERCY SAID IS THAT, YOU KNOW, TOO LARGE OF A CONCENTRATION OF POPULATION IS IN THOSE TWO CITIES.
UM, AND, UH, YOU KNOW, NOTHING THAT GETS MY COLLEAGUES, YOU KNOW, BUT I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT, AND, UH, ATWATER COULD PROBABLY BE SPLIT UP IN HALF OR, OR THREE.
SO THAT WAY EACH, EACH OF US HAVE A PORTION OF THE CITY AND A PORTION OF A RURAL, WHICH IS HUGE, RIGHT.
AND SOME OF US LIVE FOR ONE PART OF THE COUNTY TO, UH, YOU KNOW, TO ALL
[03:20:01]
THE, THE, IN THE LAST CORNER LIKE ME, I HAVE TO DRIVE 40 MINUTES ALMOST FROM MY LIVINGSTON TO, UH, BE GRANTED AND SAID, AND I LOVE LIKE MY CONSTITUENTS AND I'M PRETTY SURE EVERYBODY LOVES THEIR CONSTITUENTS AND EXCUSE ME, WE ALL TRY TO DO OUR BEST.AND LIKE I SAID, THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR, FOR, UH, THE COMMUNITY TO PLEASE ATTEND OUR MEETINGS AND GIVE YOU OPINIONS AND SOME OF YOUR MAPS AND, UH, YOU KNOW, CALL US WITH QUESTIONS, ATTEND MEETINGS, YOU KNOW, AND, UH, YOU KNOW, CALL US.
I THINK WE ALL HAVE, UH, UH, W MOST OF MY COLLEAGUES WERE PRETTY GOOD ABOUT CALLING PEOPLE BACK.
SO SHE'S CALLED US WITH, UH, WITH QUESTIONS, OPINIONS, AND, YOU KNOW, SO IF YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND SOMETHING, THANK YOU AGAIN, CALL US.
IT LOOKS LIKE MR. SILVERA REMEMBERED WHAT HE WAS GOING TO SAY, CHAIR RECOGNIZED THE SEVERITY.
SO IT WAS, IT WAS BASICALLY KIND OF PIGGYBACK ON, ON SUPERVISOR ESPINOSA'S COMMENTS ON HOW MUCH DO YOU TAKE IN CONSIDERATION THE OLD MAP THAT WAS THERE? I MEAN, YOU KNOW, THAT TH THAT, THAT FINGER IN LIVINGSTON HAS ALWAYS BEEN INTERESTING TO ME, AND IT WAS DONE WAY BEFORE I EVEN THOUGHT ABOUT, AND, YOU KNOW, COULD VOTE OR THOUGHT ABOUT VOTING OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT, BUT IT'S ALWAYS BEEN THERE, BUT THE, IS THAT SOMETHING THAT YOU TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION THAT, YOU KNOW, ULTIMATELY JUST NOT MORE THAN A YEAR AGO, YOU KNOW, AS I'M GOING TO NOT PICK ON YOU, BUT USING DISTRICT ONE IS THE EXAMPLE, THE VOTERS VOTED SUPERVISOR ESPINOSA BACK INTO THAT SAME DISTRICT.
AND HERE WE ARE BECAUSE OF THE WAY THAT THE CENSUS FALLS LIKE DO, IS THAT SOMETHING THAT YOU TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION WHEN YOU'RE, WHEN YOU'RE PUTTING ALL THIS STUFF TOGETHER FOR, TO, YOU KNOW, GIVE US, UH, SOMETHING TO VOTE ON? SO, UM, THE SHORT ANSWER, WELL, TH THERE'S KIND OF A DOUBLE ANSWER WITH RESPECT TO DISTRICT.
ONE SPECIFICALLY THE HISTORY OF THAT DISTRICT IS THAT IT WAS DRAWN THAT WAY FOR VOTING RIGHTS ACT REASONS, UH, BACK IN THE NINETIES.
UM, AND SO, YOU KNOW, TO THE EXTENT THAT, THAT WE DO THE ANALYSIS AND CONCLUDE THAT THAT STILL IS REQUIRED, IT'S GOING TO PROBABLY BE VERY SIMILAR TO THAT GOING FORWARD.
UM, BUT WE, YOU KNOW, FOR DISTRICTS WHERE THAT'S NOT A CONSIDERATION, WHICH IS REALLY SORT OF THE OTHERS, UM, THE CURRENT DISTRICTS, I THINK IT'S KIND OF NATURAL TO START WITH THE CURRENT MAP, UH, BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE FAMILIAR WITH IT AND THAT THEY'RE, THEY HAVE THOSE TIES, BUT WITH, AND HISTORICALLY YOU WOULD TRY TO MAKE AS LITTLE CHANGE AS YOU COULD, THAT WOULD, YOU KNOW, MOST, MOST COUNTIES WOULD DO.
BUT, UM, WITH THE FAIR MAPS ACT, DEPENDING ON THE FEEDBACK WE GET, UM, YOU KNOW, THE COMMUNITIES OF INTEREST, HOW THEY LINE UP, ET CETERA, UH, IT MAY BE THAT THAT SUBSTANTIAL CHANGES ARE WARRANTED.
UM, AND SO THAT'S, UH, THERE'S MORE POTENTIAL FOR THAT.
I WOULD SAY THIS TIME THAN, THAN IN PREVIOUS DECADES.
AND THEN JEFF, I HAVE PLAYED WITH THE, OUR DISTRICT GUARD MAP.
AND YOU START TO GET OUT INTO THE RURAL AREAS OF THE WEST SIDE, AND IT'S LIKE, YOU TAKE UP THIS BIG OLD SWATH OF IT, AND YOU GAINED LIKE TWO VOTERS, LIKE IT'S, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S, UH, NOT A LOT OF POPULATION UP THERE IN, IN THE COASTAL RANGE.
SO IF I COULD, UH, AND YOU MAY HAVE DONE THIS CAUSE I HAVE, UM, IT'S HARD TO SEE HERE, BUT WHEN YOU HAVE THE PAINTBRUSH, THERE'S GOING TO BE A LITTLE SQUARE BOX UNDERNEATH IT, IT SAYS SOMETHING LIKE DON'T OVERDRAW, UH, WHAT I'VE ALREADY PAINTED, BECAUSE THAT'LL HAPPEN UNLESS YOU CHECK THAT BOX.
I WILL SAY THE NICE THING ABOUT THESE ONLINE TOOLS IS, YOU KNOW, IN PAST DECADES WHEN WE DIDN'T HAVE, WHEN PEOPLE WOULD COME IN AND THEY'D RANT AND RAVE, THIS IS GERRYMANDERING, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE DOING IT ALL WRONG, GO SHOW ME.
AND WHEN PEOPLE ACTUALLY DO IT FOR THEMSELVES, THEY START TO UNDERSTAND THIS ISN'T AS EASY AS IT SEEMS, RIGHT.
YOU'RE MAKING TRADE-OFFS EVERY CHANGE YOU MAKE AND IT, YOU CAN'T ALWAYS, YOU KNOW, SQUARE THE CIRCLE.
IT'S NOT ALWAYS AN EASY THING TO DO.
AND SO IT'S ACTUALLY USEFUL FOR PEOPLE TO HAVE THAT OPPORTUNITY TO REALLY GIVE IT THEIR OWN GOAL.
WELL, JUST STARTING WITH THE POPULATION BASIS, RIGHT? LIKE YOU WANT TO TRY TO ROUGHLY KEEP THAT EQUAL POPULATION, JUST STARTING WITH THAT.
AND THEN ACTUALLY PUTTING AND DRAWING THESE LITTLE BOXES OF YOUR COLOR IN THESE BOXES TO TRY TO MAKE THAT WORK.
IT'S NOT AS SIMPLE BECAUSE THE POPULATION DOESN'T CARE ABOUT THE, YOU KNOW, WELL, HERE'S HIGHWAY ONE 40 OR HERE'S HIGHWAY 33.
SO I'M GOING TO TRY TO STICK THERE, BUT IT'S YEAH, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S INTERESTING.
I WOULD, I WOULD ENCOURAGE ANYBODY THAT IS ABLE TO, TO GO AND, AND PLAY WITH THIS.
I PLAYED WITH IT FOR PROBABLY ABOUT AN HOUR AND A HALF TO GET MY WHOLE MAP COLORED IN AND I'M WAY OFF.
I, YOU KNOW, I WAS HAVING SOME FUN WITH SOME OF MY COLLEAGUES, GIVING THEM CERTAIN PARTS AND TAKING PARTS AWAY JUST TO SEE WHAT IT WOULD LOOK LIKE.
UH, BUT NOW IT'S, IT'S, IT'S AN INTERESTING TOOL AND I, AND YOU'RE RIGHT, BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT I ENCOURAGE ANYBODY.
AND EVERYBODY, IF YOU, IF YOU HAVE A BETTER PLAN, PLEASE PUT IT ON PAPER, PUT IT AND SEND IT TO US AND GIVE US AN OPTION TO TAKE A LOOK AT IT.
I'M NOT SAYING THAT I AGREE WITH IT OR DISAGREE WITH IT, BUT IF YOU'RE WILLING TO TAKE THE TIME TO ACTUALLY PUT IT DOWN ON PAPER, THEN, THEN AT LEAST I KNOW THAT YOU'RE SERIOUS ABOUT YOUR CONCERN.
[03:25:02]
SO, UM, W WHEN YOU'RE DOING THE MAP TOOL, DOES IT TAKE INTO THE VOTER'S RIGHTS ACT AT THE SAME TIME? OKAY.SO WHAT HAPPENS ON EVERY SINGLE DRAFT MAP THAT YOU RECEIVE AND, AND, UM, WE'RE ENCOURAGING FOLKS TO, AS YOU HAD MENTIONED, UH, SUPERVISE SILVER, IS THAT EVERYTHING THAT IS SUBMITTED AND THEN WE'LL TAKE IT AND APPLY ALL THE DATA THAT'S ASSOCIATED, WHATEVER DRAFT YOU WILL SEE A HUGE DATA BOX, UH, WITH EVERY DRAFT MAP THAT COMES FORWARD, INCLUDING THOSE THAT WE WOULD DEEM AS LIKELY NOT BEING IN COMPLIANCE.
AND THE BIGGEST, THE BIGGEST, UH, INFRACTION IN THAT RESPECT IS THE, THE THERE'S THE, THE EQUAL DISTRIBUTION IS NOT THERE ACROSS THE THAT'S USUALLY THE 99 POINT SOMETHING PERCENT IS, UH, WE CAN'T REALLY CONSIDER THIS MAP BECAUSE IT'S NOT EQUAL POPULATION.
THIS IS A TOOL RECOGNIZE THAT WHILE YOU'RE DOING IT.
ON THIS ONE, IT'LL TELL ON THIS ONE, IT'LL DO TOTAL POPULATION PER, PER PINK COLOR.
IT'S ONLY GONNA GIVE YOU FIVE COLORS BECAUSE IT'S, UH, MERSEYSIDE COUNTY, UM, ON THE, UH, THE MAP TO THE ONE NEXT TO IT, IT'LL BREAK IT DOWN.
UM, WITH CITIZEN VOTING AGE POPULATION, UH, WELL, JUST A ROBUST SET OF DATA FOR YOU TO LOOK AT, AND YOU'RE GOING TO GET THAT WITH EVERY SINGLE MAP.
AND THAT'LL BE PART OF THE AGENDA PACKET.
THERE'LL BE PART OF THE, ON THE WEBSITE, THE INTERACTIVE MAP, REVIEWER, UH, TOOL TOOL, ET CETERA.
BUT IF YOU'RE DRAWING THEM OUT, I'M SORRY, IF YOU'RE DRAWING A MAP, IT'LL ALSO UPDATE THOSE NUMBERS IN REAL TIME.
SO YOU CAN LOOK AT IT AND SAY, YOU KNOW, THIS, THIS DISTRICT IS 49%, UH, LATINO CITIZEN VOTING AGE POPULATION, OR IT'S 53 OR SO YOU'LL HAVE ANNUAL UPDATE THOSE EQUAL POPULATION NUMBERS.
SO YOU'LL KNOW IF YOUR DISTRICT IS OVERPOPULATED OR UNDERPOPULATED.
AND IT, YOU KNOW, AS YOU ADD CENSUS BLOCKS, WHICH ARE THE LITTLE UNITS OF GEOGRAPHY THAT THE BUILDING BLOCKS, IT UPDATES THE MIMI.
AND I, AND I THINK YOU REPRESENTED US THE LAST TIME WHEN, WHEN WE DROVE THAT FINGER.
SO HE'S VERY WELL THAT'S RIGHT AS THE, OUR ATTORNEY.
JIM COMMENT REAL QUICK, MR.
ALSO, WHEN YOU'RE DRAWING THOUGH, I WANT TO MAKE SURE WE'RE CLEAR FOR THE PUBLIC AND COMMUNITY AS THEY WORK ON THESE MAPS, THE VOTERS, RIGHT.
AT RIGHT AT PEACE THOUGH, SINCE THAT IS SO TECHNICAL AND SO LEGAL, THAT IS NOT TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION, OR IS IT WHEN THEY ARE DRAFTING A MAP, THAT'S A DIFFERENT COMPONENT THAT WILL HAVE TO BE LOOKED AT SEPARATELY.
THAT'S WHAT I WANTED TO MAKE SURE.
WE'LL TELL THEM WHAT THE PERCENTAGES ARE.
THE VOTING RIGHTS ACT ANALYSIS IS, GOES WAY BEYOND THAT, BUT IT'LL GIVE THEM THAT BASELINE, AT LEAST THEY THINK, OKAY.
SO PROVIDE, UM, CHAIR RECOGNIZES A SUPERVISOR.
UM, AT THE WORKSHOP THAT HAD, UM, EARLIER ONE OF THE THINGS, BECAUSE YOU CAN'T EVENLY SPLIT THE POPULATION.
AND SO I KNOW THAT THERE IS SOME VARIANCE THERE, RIGHT? SO I DON'T WANT, I GUESS IF YOU CAN EXPLAIN THAT, CAUSE I DON'T WANT PEOPLE TO, YOU KNOW, GO AND DO THESE AND THEN SAY, OH, WELL, I CAN'T GET TO THIS NUMBER.
WHAT CAN I, WHAT'S MY WIGGLE ROOM, IF YOU WILL.
SO THE, UM, THE RULE THAT THE SUPREME COURT HAS LAID DOWN OVER THE YEARS IS A 10% DEVIATION.
AND THE WAY YOU FIGURE THAT OUT IS IF YOU'RE OUT, WHAT THE PERF THE IDEAL POPULATION IS, YOU FIGURE OUT THE ONE THAT'S THE FURTHEST AWAY UNDERPOPULATED, THE ONES THAT'S THE FURTHEST AWAY OVERPOPULATED.
AND YOU, YOU KNOW, YOU FIGURE OUT WHAT PERCENTAGE OVER AND UNDER IT IS.
SO, YOU KNOW, MINUS FOUR PLUS FIVE IS 9%.
AND IF, IF YOU'RE WITHIN 10%, THE SUPREME COURT HAS SAID, THAT'S, WE'RE GOING TO PRESUME THAT THAT'S LEGITIMATE.
IF YOU GO OVER THAT 10%, THEN YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE A REALLY HEAVY BURDEN OF PROVING WHY THAT'S JUSTIFIED.
WE'RE NOT GOING TO DO THAT HERE BECAUSE IN A JURISDICTION OF THE SIZE OF MERCY COUNTY, THERE'S NO REASON TO, YOU KNOW, UNLESS LET'S GIVE IT A LITTLE TINY JURISDICTION WHERE MAYBE YOU COULD GET AWAY WITH IT.
BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, THE POPULATE THERE'S ENOUGH POPULATION.
THERE ARE ENOUGH CENSUS BLOCKS HERE THAT THERE'S NO REASON FOR US TO GET OVER THAT, THAT THRESH COOL GERRICK NOSES SUPERVISOR.
WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT THAT 10% DEVIATION, IS IT, IS IT STRICTLY A FIVE OVER FIVE UNDER, IS IT A FOUR SIX? IS THAT THE RANGE? YEAH.
IT'S HOW A LOT OF JURISDICTIONS ADOPT FIVE PLUS OR MINUS FIVE, JUST AS AN EASY BENCHMARK, BUT IT'S NOT.
AND THE SUPREME COURT'S NEVER SAID IT HAS TO BE THAT RIGHT.
THE FOUR, SIX IN THEORY IS FINE.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? ALL RIGHT.
UH, THIS CONCLUDES THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS MEETING FOR AUGUST 10TH, 2021.
THE NEXT SCHEDULED BOARD OF SUPERVISORS MEETING WILL BE HELD AUGUST 24TH, 2021.
AND THE NEXT REDISTRICTING PUBLIC HEARING IS SCHEDULED FOR NOVEMBER 16TH, 2021 AT 6:30 PM.
THIS CONCLUDES THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS MEETING TODAY.