GOOD MORNING, EVERYONE. WELCOME TO THE. [CALL TO ORDER ] [00:00:02] WELCOME TO THE SEPTEMBER 14TH, 2021 MERCED 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. WE WILL NOW START WITH AN INVOCATION LED BY [INAUDIBLE] BROWN AND THEN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE, WHICH WILL BE LED BY SUPERVISOR PEDROZO. THANK YOU. LET US BOW OUR HEADS. [INVOCATION] HEAVENLY FATHER, WE THANK YOU FOR ANOTHER DAY. GOD, AND WE THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO COME BEFORE YOU, GOD. AS YOUR MEMBERS OF THIS BOARD, BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, GOD, GO OUT TODAY, GOD TO DO WHAT YOU ASK HIM TO DO. MAKE SOUND DECISIONS. GOD, ACCORDING TO YOUR WILL GOD. I ASK THAT YOU GIVE THEM THE WISDOM AND THE KNOWLEDGE AND THE UNDERSTANDING GOD TO BE HEARING YOUR VOICE. AND NOT THERE'S GOD, NOT THEIR CONSTITUENTS GOD, BUT YOUR VOICE THAT WILL LEAD THEM TO DO WHAT'S RIGHT BY YOUR SIGHT. I PRAY TO GOD THAT YOU WATCH OVER EACH BOARD OF SUPERVISORS. JIM BROWN AND FORREST HANSEN, GOD. I PRAY THAT YOU GIVE THEM THE STRENGTH GOD AND THE WISDOM GOD THAT THEY NEED TO RUN THIS COMMUNITY ON YOUR BEHALF. GOD, I PRAY FOR EACH DEPARTMENT HEAD GOD THAT HAS TO DO WHAT YOU ASK US TO DO DAILY GUIDE TO MEET THE NEEDS OF THIS COMMUNITY. I PRAY THAT YOU CONTINUE TO WATCH OVER US AND GUIDE US AND LEAD US TO YOUR UNDERSTANDING, AND I PRAY AS THESE WORDS GO FORTH. GOD, THEY WILL NOT FALL ON DEAF EARS, BUT I PRAY FOR THE PEOPLE OF MERCED COUNTY GOD THAT WE WILL LOCK ARMS IN UNITY. GOD UPLIFTING ONE ANOTHER. GOD WITH LOVE. LOVE CONQUERS ALL, GOD. IT CONQUERS ALL SINS. IT CONQUERS OVER ALL SICKNESS AND DISEASE. GOD, THANK YOU FOR YOUR LOVE MOVING IN THIS PLACE. I THANK YOU FOR THE BOND EACH PERSON THAT'S HERE AND UNDER THE SOUND OF MY VOICE. GOD, HAVE YOUR WAY TODAY. GOD LET EVERY AGENDA ITEM BE ADMINISTERED AND VOTED ON BASED ON YOUR WILL IN JESUS NAME. I PRAY. AMEN. PLEASE JOIN ME IN A SALUTE TO OUR FLAG. TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS. ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. THANK YOU, YVONNIA. VERY NICE. THANK YOU, JOSH.. THIS MORNING WE HAD A CLOSED SESSION MEETING AND STAFF WAS GIVEN DIRECTION. IT'S NOW TIME FOR PUBLIC OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK ON ANY MATTER OF PUBLIC INTEREST [PUBLIC OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK ] WITHIN THE BOARD'S JURISDICTION, INCLUDING ITEMS ON THE BOARD'S AGENDA, EXCEPT FOR THOSE ITEMS SPECIFICALLY SCHEDULED AS PUBLIC HEARINGS TESTIMONY IS LIMITED TO THREE MINUTES PER PERSON. WE WILL NOW TAKE COMMENTS FROM MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC, PLEASE RAISE YOUR H AND YOU'LL BE DIRECTED TO THE PODIUM. YES, PLEASE. TO THE RIGHT, THERE YOU GO. GOOD MORNING. GOOD MORNING. HELLO, MY NAME IS ARACELI GARCIA GONZALEZ. I'M A POLICY ADVOCATE WITH LEADERSHIP COUNCIL FOR JUSTICE AND ACCOUNTABILITY AND A LIFELONG RESIDENT OF MERCED COUNTY. I AM HERE TODAY TO ADDRESS THE BOARD REGARDING AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN ACT FUNDS. I WAS AT [INAUDIBLE] MUNICIPAL ADVISORY COUNCIL MEETING, KNOWN AS THE MAC LAST WEEK, DISCUSSING COMMUNITY ASK FOR THE COUNTY TO USE THESE FUNDS FOR A PARK AND COMMUNITY CENTER. AND I WAS SHOCKED TO FIND THAT NONE OF THE RESIDENTS PRESENT AT THE MEETING, ASIDE FROM THE ONES THAT I PERSONALLY KNOW AND REGULARLY MEET WITH, KNEW WHAT AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN ACT FUNDS WERE. AND THEY ALSO WERE NOT AWARE OF THE SCOPE OF WHICH THESE FUNDS CAN BE USED FOR. I FIND THIS PARTICULARLY TROUBLING. SINCE THE MAC IS PART OF THE COUNTY, THE BOARD MEMBERS ARE APPOINTED BY SUPERVISORS AND THEREFORE THESE MEETINGS SHOULD HAVE UPDATES FROM THE COUNTY. IN AUGUST, THE BOARD RELEASED A GENERAL FRAMEWORK ABOUT THESE FUNDS, BUT HAS NOT FOLLOWED UP WITH COMMUNITY MEMBERS ABOUT HOW THESE FUNDS WILL BE SPENT. AND THIS FRAMEWORK IS VERY VAGUE. YOU SAY YOU'RE ALLOCATING FUNDS TO DIFFERENT CATEGORIES SUCH AS COMMUNITY FACILITIES, YET COMMUNITY MEMBERS HAVE NO IDEA HOW THESE DECISIONS ARE BEING MADE. SO I'M HERE TODAY TO ASK WHAT THE COUNTY IS DOING TO GET COMMUNITY INPUT ABOUT HOW THE $54 MILLION THEY RECEIVED WILL BE SPENT AND DOES SUPPORT THE BOARD PLAN TO HAVE MEETINGS WITH RESIDENTS ABOUT THESE FUNDS? THE TREASURY HAS RELEASED GUIDELINES FOR HOW JURISDICTIONS SHOULD PLAN AROUND THESE FUNDS, [00:05:04] AND ALTHOUGH THEY AREN'T FINALIZED, THEY DO STATE THAT IMPLEMENTATION OF THE FISCAL RECOVERY FUNDS SHOULD ALSO REFLECT THE IMPORTANCE OF PUBLIC INPUT TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY, AND THAT THERE ARE CERTAIN REGULAR REPORTING REQUIREMENTS BY REQUIRING LOCAL GOVERNMENTS TO PUBLISH INFORMATION REGARDING THE USES OF THESE FUNDS IN THEIR LOCAL JURISDICTIONS. AND THE TREASURY ALSO URGES THAT LOCAL GOVERNMENTS ENGAGE THEIR CONSTITUENTS AND COMMUNITIES AND DEVELOPING PLANS TO USE THESE PAYMENTS. LEADERSHIP COUNCIL FAITH IN THE VALLEY NINETY NINE ROUTES, ALONG WITH OTHER PARTNER ORGS, SUBMITTED A LETTER TO THE BOARD WITH COMMUNITY PRIORITIES ON HOW THEY WOULD LIKE THESE FUNDS TO BE USED. HOWEVER, THE BOARD HAS NOT BEEN RESPONSIVE AND HAS NOT DONE THE MINIMUM OF HOSTING INFORMATIONAL SESSIONS ABOUT ARPA DOLLARS AND HOW THEY CAN BE USED, AS NOTED AT THE MAC MEETING, WHERE NO ONE KNEW WHAT THESE FUNDS ARE. DO RESIDENTS KNOW WHAT THESE FUNDS CAN PAY FOR? I'M JUST WONDERING IF YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE AN INFORMATION SESSION FOR PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THEY ARE? I KNOW THAT THE CITY OF MERCED IS DOING A LOT OF OUTREACH, AND I'M HERE TO ASK WHAT THE BOARD IS DOING. WHAT IS THE COUNTY DONE TO DATE TO ENGAGE COMMUNITIES? AND CAN THE BOARD COMMIT TO PLANNING SPECIAL TOWN HALLS TO HEAR FROM RESIDENTS DIRECTLY ABOUT THE IMPACTS OF COVID ON THEIR COMMUNITIES AND HOW THE COUNTY CAN USE THIS MONEY TO REBUILD? THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO THE INNOVATIVE WAYS MERCED COUNTY WILL ENGAGE COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND HOW THEY SHOULD SPEND THE $54 MILLION THAT THEY'VE RECEIVED. THANK YOU. GOOD MORNING, GOOD MORNING, BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, MY NAME IS [INAUDIBLE]. AND I KNOW THAT YOU WILL BE PUBLISHING YOUR ANNUAL REPORT ON HOW YOU WERE SPENDING ARPA FUNDS, BUT I AM REQUESTING THAT YOU PUBLISH YOUR QUARTERLY REPORT AS WELL SO THAT WE CAN KEEP TRACK OF WHAT YOU'RE SPENDING ARPA FUNDS ON. ANOTHER THING THAT I AM REQUESTING FOR IS A TOWN HALL SO THAT YOU CAN GATHER COMMUNITY INPUT ON HOW TO SPEND THE ARPA FUNDS, AND I WANT YOU TO CONSIDER THE COMMUNITY INPUT BEFORE ALLOCATING HOW THE MONEY SHOULD BE SPENT. THE THIRD THING I WANTED TO TALK ABOUT WAS THE UNDOCUMENTED COMMUNITY HERE IN MERCED COUNTY. THE UNDOCUMENTED COMMUNITY IN MERCED COUNTY WORK FOR LOW WAGES ON DAIRY FARMS AND VEGETABLE FARMS. THE UNDOCUMENTED COMMUNITY WERE ESSENTIAL WORKERS DURING COVID 19 PANDEMIC, PROVIDING FOOD TO OUR TABLES. SEVERAL UNDOCUMENTED FAMILIES LIVE IN POOR CONDITIONS IN THE BACKYARDS OF THEIR EMPLOYERS. IF YOU THINK ABOUT IT, THIS IS SIMILAR TO SLAVERY AND LIVING ON A PLANTATION. THE UNDOCUMENTED WORKERS WORK SO HARD THAT THEY GET PAID SO LOW AND THEY CAN'T AFFORD RENT AND THEY DON'T GET HEALTH CARE BENEFITS. THEY DON'T GET RETIREMENT. THEY CAN'T UNIONIZE. THEY CAN'T ASK FOR HIGHER WAGES. AND THEY CAN'T. THEY'RE NOT PROTECTED FROM SEXUAL HARASSMENT. IF THE UNDOCUMENTED AND THEIR CHILDREN ARE NOT OK WITH LIVING IN POVERTY AND THEY MISBEHAVE, THEY ARE SENT TO PRISON FOR MORE COMPANIES TO MAKE A PROFIT. THE DAIRY FARMS, VEGETABLE FARMS AND COUNTY PRISONS ARE THE TRUE CORRUPTION AND EXPLOITING THE UNDOCUMENTED AND THEIR CHILDREN. THE UNDOCUMENTED DO NOT GET A STIMULUS CHECK DESPITE BEING THE CENTRAL WORKERS DURING COVID 19. I AM REQUESTING THE ARPA FUNDS TO BE SPENT FOR PREMIUM PAY FOR THE UNDOCUMENTED WORKERS AND LOW WAGE WORKERS LIKE AMAZON WORKERS, GROCERY STORE WORKERS AND MEAT PACKAGERS. THEY WERE THE FRONT LINES AND THEY KEPT FOOD ON OUR TABLE DURING COVID 19. THEY KEPT OUR ECONOMY GOING AND THEY WORKED IN HAZARDOUS CONDITIONS. I'M ASKING FOR THE ARPA FUNDS TO GO TO AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND HOMELESS SHELTER FOR LGBTQ BECAUSE DURING COVID 19, THE HOMELESSNESS RATE WENT UP. I'M ASKING YOU TO SHUT DOWN YOUR EXPENSIVE PRISONS AND TO BALANCE YOUR GENERAL FUND BUDGET SO THAT YOU CAN INVEST IN ENDING POVERTY AND SUPPORTING MENTAL HEALTH PROGRAMS. I WANT YOU TO VOTE NO ON AGENDA ITEM NUMBER 17 AND 18. [INAUDIBLE] MENTAL HEALTH DEPARTMENT SHOULD ASK FOR MONEY FROM THE GENERAL FUND AND NOT FROM THE ARPA FUNDS. THIS BOARD OF SUPERVISORS SHOULD BALANCE THEIR GENERAL FUND BUDGET BY GETTING RID OF YOUR EXPENSIVE PRISON AND USING THE MONEY TO HELP PEOPLE OUT OF POVERTY AND SUPPORTING PEOPLE WITH MENTAL HEALTH PROGRAMS AND A MENTAL HEALTH RESPONSE TEAM. A SHELTER FOR THE VICTIMS OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING AND A TREATMENT PROGRAM FOR PEOPLE ADDICTED TO DRUGS AND ALCOHOL. INVEST IN A RESTORATIVE JUSTICE PROGRAM AND A TRANSFORMATIVE JUSTICE PROGRAM. [00:10:03] I KNOW YOU HAVE NOT FINALIZED YOUR GENERAL FUND BUDGET. YOUR GENERAL FUND BUDGET IS FINALIZED IN MID-SEPTEMBER, SO YOU HAVE NO EXCUSE TO DO THE RIGHT THING FOR THE PEOPLE OF MERCED COUNTY. I DO WANT TO POINT OUT THAT, IF YOU DO. HOMELESS SHELTER AND $13.5 TO THE CORRECTIONAL FACILITIES, IT IS EMBARRASSING THAT YOU SPEND MORE ON PRISONS THAN HOMELESSNESS OR HOMELESS SHELTER AND HOUSING. AND MY LAST QUESTION IS FOR AGENDA ITEM 17 AND 18. YOU'VE MADE YOUR POINT. WHICH DEPARTMENT IS THE MONEY GOING TO FOR [INAUDIBLE]? GOOD MORNING. GOOD MORNING. HELLO. MY NAME IS FU ZHANG. MERCED COUNTY IS RECEIVING $53.9 MILLION DOLLARS FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AS PART OF THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN ACT, AKA ARPA. MERCED COUNTY HAS PROVIDED DIRECTION TO STAFF TO BEGIN DEVELOPING AN EXPENDITURE PLAN WITHOUT CONSULTING WITH THE RESIDENTS OF MERCED COUNTY. IT IS VITAL THAT THE RESIDENTS OF MERCED COUNTY HAVE A VOICE IN HOW THIS FUND CAN BE USED TO BETTER OUR COMMUNITY. ACCORDING TO MERCED COUNTY 2021 RECOVERY PLAN, MERCED COUNTY INTENDS TO USE ALL OF THE $53.9 MILLION DOLLARS AS REVENUE REPLACEMENT. THE BOARD OF SUPERVISOR IS NOT EVEN CONSIDERING ANYTHING ELSE, NOT SERVICES TO DISPROPORTIONATELY IMPACTED COMMUNITIES, NOT PREMIUM PAY, NOTHING ELSE. AND I THINK THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE. THIS BOARD IS MORE INVESTED IN RETURNING TO THE STATUS QUO THAN HELPING TO BETTER OUR COMMUNITIES INSTEAD OF INVESTING THE FUNDS TO HELP OUR MOST VULNERABLE POPULATION. THIS BOARD HAS THE MENTALITY OF RETURNING TO BUSINESS AS USUAL. THIS DOES NOT PROMOTE EQUITY. THE STATUS QUO DOES NOT HELP OUR COMMUNITY. WE MUST DO BETTER THAN THE STATUS QUO. WE CAN DO BETTER THAN BEFORE COVID 19, BUT ONLY IF THIS BOARD ACTUALLY BELIEVES IN MAKING MERCED COUNTY BETTER. LAST MEETING, WE HEARD THAT THIS FUND IS NOT A GIFT THAT WE SHOULD NOT EXPECT THIS FUND TO BE USED TO HELP OUR COMMUNITY. THE 2021 RECOVERY PLAN DEFINITELY SHOWS THIS. IT IS A TRAVESTY THAT OUR BOARD OF SUPERVISORS CONSIDERS IMPROVING OUR COMMUNITY AS A GIFT. $13.5 MILLION DOLLARS FOR JAILS AND PRISONS. NO PROBLEM. APPARENTLY, WE ARE TO ACCEPT THIS IS A MATTER OF BUSINESS AND IT MUST BE DONE. A PARK, A COMMUNITY CENTER AND YOUTH JOBS. THOSE ARE GIFTS. DESPITE THE MANY COMMUNITY MEMBERS ASKING THIS BOARD TO INVEST IN MERCED COUNTY AND BETTER OUR COMMUNITY. THIS BOARD IS NOT LISTENING. THIS BOARD SHOULD BE ASHAMED THAT IT IS NOT HOSTING ARPA TOWN HALL AND THAT IT IS NOT TAKING COMMUNITY INPUTS ON HOW TO SPEND THE $53.9 MILLION DOLLARS. AND SO I STAND HERE TO ENCOURAGE THIS BOARD TO RECONSIDER AND TO HOST AN ARPA TOWN HALL TO INCLUDE COMMUNITY INPUTS ON HOW TO SPEND THIS FUND. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. YES, HELLO, BOARD. LITTLE BIT, RAISE IT LIKE THIS. NO, ON THE ON THE PODIUM ITSELF TO YOUR RIGHT. OH OK. [INAUDIBLE] OH, OK, THAT'S THANK YOU. YOU'RE WELCOME, I DON'T SEE RODRIGO UP THERE. I WAS LOOKING FOR HIM BACK THERE. I DIDN'T SEE HIM. ANYWAY, I'LL TRY TO GO THROUGH THESE THINGS REAL QUICK BECAUSE YOU GOT RESTRICTED TIME ON US. OK. FIREWORKS. THERE'S A LOT OF FIREWORKS. PEOPLE ARE PUTTING OFF FIREWORKS. I LOOK UP ONE SIDE OF MY HOUSE ON THE FOURTH OF JULY AND EVEN THEY START A WEEK EARLY AND THEY DON'T STOP. THEY DON'T LET UP. AND THESE PEOPLE, YOU SEE THEM GOING UP IN THE AIR, A BLOCK OR TWO BLOCKS AWAY. AND YOU KNOW, THEY BURNED DOWN TWO HOUSES A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO AND IN ATWATER. AND I THINK THE COUNTY SOMETIMES IS TOO LAX ON PEOPLE AND THEY AGREE WITH EVERY LITTLE FUNDRAISING GROUP TO AGREE WITH THESE THINGS. IF YOU GO BACK TO THE 50S, I HAVE A VERY GOOD MEMORY OF EMERY O'BANION AND ALL THOSE PEOPLE THAT USED TO HAVE ON THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS. THEY DIDN'T ALLOW ANY FIREWORKS AT ALL. I THINK THEY NEED TO GO BACK TO THAT SYSTEM. OK, THAT'S NUMBER ONE. OH YEAH. ON SANTA FE, WE NEED SOME TURNOUTS ON SANTA FE. I'M NOT REALLY IN TOO MUCH IN FAVOR OF REBUILDING THE ROADS TOO MUCH. I BELIEVE IN, YOU KNOW, AN ECONOMICAL GOVERNMENT AND YOU JUST NEED TO HAVE IT BECAUSE I [00:15:02] CAN REMEMBER BACK IN THE 50S, THEY HAD THE CITY, HAD A PICKUP TRUCK AND THEY HAD A STEAMROLLER, AND ALL THEY DID IS PUT BLACKTOP IN THE POTHOLES AND RAN OVER IT WITH A STEAMROLLER THAT WAS THERE ROAD MAINTENANCE PROGRAM WAS A LOT CHEAPER, AND I THINK IT'S, YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO ECONOMIZE ON MONEY. OK? LOWER FEES FOR SENIORS AT LAKE YOSEMITE, OVER 65 SHOULD BE LIKE A DOLLAR AND OVER 70 SHOULD BE FREE BECAUSE IF YOU'RE ON SOCIAL SECURITY, THE OLDER YOU GET, THE MORE THEY START JACKING UP YOUR YOUR MEDI-CAL MEDICARE RATES AND ON YOUR YOUR MEDIGAP POLICY. YOU KNOW IT'LL BE $48, AND THE NEXT YEAR IT'LL BE $55, AND NEXT YEAR IT'LL BE $63. SO YOU KNOW, TO ANYTHING YOU CAN DO TO ECONOMIZE THE COST FOR SENIORS BECAUSE WHAT HAPPENS IS THE SENIORS JUST WON'T GO TO THE LAKE BECAUSE THEY DON'T WANT TO PAY $30 A YEAR, $6 TO GO OUT THERE. AND I THINK WE HAVE A RIGHT TO GO TO THE LAKE TOO. OK, THAT'S ONE THING. AND YOU COULD ALSO START A PROGRAM IF PEOPLE WILL VOLUNTEER TO, LIKE, PAINT THE BENCHES OUT THERE OR SOMETHING THAT THEY COULD GET A FREE PASS FOR 5 OR 10 YEARS. SO IN OTHER WORDS, YOU GET FREE LABOR, TO LOWER THE COST OF MAINTENANCE AND YOU'D GET SOME SOME BENEFIT FROM THE COMMUNITY. BUT BY THE SAME TOKEN, YOU WOULD GIVE SOMETHING OUT TO THEM AT THE SAME TIME. OK. COUNTING CARS, THEY SHOULD BE ALL ELECTRIC. I'M VERY CONSERVATIVE, BUT I BELIEVE IN ENVIRONMENTALISM AND I THINK THE COUNTY, YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOT THE DIRTIEST AIR IN THE WHOLE NATION AND WE'VE HAD ALL THIS SMOKE TO DEAL WITH BECAUSE THEY WON'T THIN OUT THE FORRESTS AND CUT DOWN. GET RID OF ALL THE DEAD TREES. THERE'S NO FORREST SERVICE. THEY GOT RID OF THE FORREST DEPARTMENT THAT THEY USED TO LET OUT TIMBER CONTRACTS SO THAT YOU COULD HAVE FIRE BREAKS. SO WE'RE SUFFERING EVERYBODY YEAR AFTER YEAR AFTER YEAR, AND THE GOVERNOR HASN'T DONE ANYTHING. AND I THINK THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS FOR SENIORS, GO AHEAD MAKE YOUR POINT THAT WAS YOUR TIME LIMIT. TAXI SERVICE FOR SENIORS HELP TO PEOPLE OVER THE DRIVING AGE. YOU CAN HAVE A FEE STRUCTURE OF 25 TO 100 DOLLARS USE COUNTY EMPLOYEES RUN IT THROUGH THE 23RD STREET SENIOR CENTER. IF YOU STILL HAVE THAT AND THEN, THEN ALSO YOU CAN START A JOB SERVICE BECAUSE THE EDD DOES A VERY POOR JOB AT 6 OR 8 BILLION WORTH OF FRAUD IN THE EDD AND GIVEN OUT MONEY TO PEOPLE IN PRISONS AND THERE'S NO BASICALLY NO JOB SERVICE ANYMORE AS THERE WAS IN THE 60S AND 70S BECAUSE I USED TO AVAIL MYSELF TO THEIR SERVICES. OK, SO I THINK THE COUNTY NEEDS TO TAKE UP THE SLACK. OK, YOUR TIME IS UP. OK. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THAT'S RIGHT. THANK YOU. OK, IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE ? SEEING NONE, WE'LL GO AHEAD AND MOVE TO THE VOICEMAILS. AND I BELIEVE WE HAVE SIX VOICEMAILS. HELLO, MY NAME IS [INAUDIBLE], AND I'M CALLING IN REGARDS TO THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN ACT. I BELIEVE THAT THE MERCED COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS SHOULD HAVE A PUBLIC MEETING AFTER 5 P.M. IN BOTH SPANISH AND [INAUDIBLE] AVAILABLE FOR THE RESIDENTS TO CONTRIBUTE TO THIS CONVERSATION AND HOW THIS FUNDS WILL BE SPENT. THANK YOU. HELLO, MY NAME IS [INAUDIBLE], AND I AM A RESIDENT OF MERCED COUNTY, I'M CALLING BECAUSE I WOULD LIKE TO REQUEST THAT THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS [INAUDIBLE] TOWN HALL FOR COMMUNITY INPUT. AND I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WITH THE COVID RELIEF MONEY WE RECEIVED, COMMUNITY NEEDS ARE CENTERED. I HAVEN'T HAD ANY OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE WHAT I SEE THE NEEDS ARE, AND MY COMMUNITY HAD REALLY VALUE THAT OPPORTUNITY. AND I THINK A LOT OF OTHER PEOPLE WITH WITHIN OUR COUNTY WOULD VALUE THAT AS WELL. I'D REALLY LIKE TO SEE THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS RECEIVE COMMUNITY INPUT BEFORE DECIDING WHERE TO SPEND THAT MONEY. HI, MY NAME IS GABRIELLA, AND I'M CALLING TO DEMAND THAT THE BOARD HOST MEETINGS TO TALK ABOUT HOW THEY WOULD SPEND THAT $54 MILLION. THANK YOU. GOODBYE. HI, MY NAME IS JEANETTE. I'M CALLING TO DEMAND THAT THE BOARD HOST A MEETING TO TALK ABOUT HOW THEY WILL SPEND $54 [00:20:03] MILLION DOLLARS FROM THE ARPA. THANK YOU. HELLO. I'M CALLING ABOUT AGENDA ITEM 39 ON THE REAPPOINTMENT OF VINCE RAMOS AS A MEMBER OF THE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH ADVISORY BOARD FOR DISTRICT TWO. IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT MR. RAMOS HAS SERVED AS A MEMBER OF THIS ADVISORY BOARD SINCE 2009, AND THAT IS TWELVE YEARS TO DATE. EACH TERM IS THREE YEARS, AND ACCORDING TO BYLAWS, EACH MEMBER CAN ONLY SERVE TWO CONSECUTIVE TERMS. SO I HAVE A FEW QUESTIONS. ONE: HOW MANY TERMS HAVE MR. RAMOS SERVED SINCE 2009? TWO: HAVE MR. RAMOS OR ANY OTHER MEMBERS SERVED FOR MORE THAN TWO CONSECUTIVE TERMS AND ARE STILL ON THIS ADVISORY BOARD? THREE: CAN THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS EXPLAIN THE CURRENT APPOINTMENT PROCESS FOR THIS ADVISORY BOARD? FOUR: IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THE PROCESS, PROCEDURES AND POLICY REGARDING THIS ADVISORY BOARD APPOINTMENT HAVE RECENTLY BEEN AMENDED ON SEPTEMBER 7TH. WHAT INSTIGATED THIS AMENDMENT? WHEN WAS THE AMENDMENT FIRST PROPOSED AND WHEN WAS IMPLEMENTED? AND ALSO WHEN DID THE ADVISORY BOARD RECEIVE NOTICE THAT THERE IS A 14 STEP PROCESS FOR APPOINTMENTS? I LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR RESPONSES. THANK YOU. HI, MY NAME IS LAUREN [INAUDIBLE], I LIVE IN MERCED COUNTY AND I AM COMMENTING ON THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN ACT. I WANT THIS MONEY TO BE USED TO SUPPORT PUBLIC HEALTH [INAUDIBLE] NEGATIVE ECONOMIC IMPACT CAUSED BY COVID, BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT WE GOT THE MONEY FOR, TO REPLACE LOST REVENUE, PROVIDE PREMIUM PAY [INAUDIBLE] WATER, SEWER AND BROADBAND INFRASTRUCTURE, I WANT NEW JOBS TO BE PRIORITIZED. HOUSING ASSISTANCE, ESPECIALLY A LOT OF FOLKS ARE SUFFERING FROM RENT INCREASES AND THE END OF THE EVICTION MORATORIUM AND ALSO HEALTH CARE COMMUNITY CENTERS, PREMIUM PAY. I WANT OUR COMMUNITY TO BE PRIORITIZED AND THE NEEDS ARE HOUSING, SAFETY AND PREMIUM PAY ESPECIALLY. SO PLEASE USE THAT MONEY IN THE WAYS THAT OUR COMMUNITY NEEDS IT MOST. AND YES, THANK YOU. THIS CONCLUDES VOICEMAIL PUBLIC COMMENT. OK, THANK YOU. MOVING RIGHT ALONG, WE WILL NOW MOVE TO OUR CONSENT AGENDA. OH NO, WE HAVE A PRESENTATION. [PRESENTATION: BEHAVIORAL HEALTH ADVISORY BOARD ANNUAL REPORT ] SORRY, I JUMPED AHEAD. THANK YOU. GOOD MORNING, CHAIRMAN, SUPERVISORS, COUNTY COUNSEL CEO BROWN, GENEVIEVE VALENTINE, DEPARTMENT HEAD FOR BHRS. I AM HAPPY TO BRING WITH ME TODAY TWO MEMBERS OF OUR BEHAVIORAL HEALTH ADVISORY BOARD TO PRESENT FOR YOU TODAY, THE FISCAL YEAR 2021 ANNUAL SUMMARY. I'M GOING TO BRING UP TO YOU BOTH CHAIR AND CO-CHAIR BRUCE METCALF AND SALLY RAGONUT. TO GO THROUGH THE SLIDES FOR YOU. I WILL BE PRESENT TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS FOR YOU. COZY RIGHT IN HERE. THANK YOU. GET THIS OUT OF THE WAY AND GET CLOSER. DO YOU WANT ME TO CHANGE THE SLIDES FOR YOU? YES, THE ONES UP THERE? YES, THAT'D BE GREAT. I'M GOING TO JUST CHANGE THESE SLIDES. GOOD MORNING. GOOD MORNING. THANKS SO MUCH FOR THIS PLATFORM THAT DROPS. THAT MAKES IT REALLY AWESOME FOR THOSE OF US IN WHEELCHAIRS. THANK YOU SO MUCH. WELL, I HAD THE BACKUP MICROPHONE JUST IN CASE, BUT IT PASSED THE TEST . BRUCE WILL HAVE TO LIFT IT UP AGAIN WHEN HE'S [INAUDIBLE] [CHUCKLING]. GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS SALLY RAGONUT AND I AM THE VICE CHAIR THIS YEAR OF THE MERCED COUNTY MENTAL HEALTH ADVISORY BOARD, AND I'M ALSO THE CHAIRPERSON OF THE ANNUAL REPORT [00:25:06] COMMITTEE. AND I DO WANT TO MAKE NOTICE THAT I'VE BEEN ON THIS BOARD FOR 17 YEARS. EVERY THREE YEARS I GET RE-APPROVED AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH AND I HOPE TO HAVE A FEW MORE TOO. I WOULD LIKE TO BRING YOU A SUMMARY OF OUR ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 2020-2021. IT IS A PRIVILEGE AND AN HONOR TO BE ADDRESSING THIS BOARD OF SUPERVISORS TODAY. THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY. NEXT SLIDE. OUR PURPOSE AND VISION THE BOARD SERVES IN AN ADVISORY ROLE TO THE EXECUTIVE TEAM AT BEHAVIORAL HEALTH RECOVERY SERVICE AND SHALL PROVIDE INFORMATION TO THE COUNTY GOVERNING BODY, WHICH MUST INCLUDE AN ANNUAL REPORT TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS. THE PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITY OF THE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH ADVISORY BOARD IS TO REVIEW AND EVALUATE THE COMMUNITY'S MENTAL HEALTH NEEDS, SERVICES, FACILITIES AND SPECIAL PROBLEMS. THIS INCLUDES THE USAGE OF A DATA NOTEBOOK, WHICH HELPS BOTH LOCAL AND STATE COUNCILS TO COMMUNICATE PERFORMANCE OUTCOME MEASURES. OUR VISION STATEMENT: TO REPRESENT AND ADVOCATE FOR ALL OF OUR DIVERSE COMMUNITY MEMBERS BY EDUCATING ABOUT AVAILABLE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SERVICES AND PROMOTING A WELCOMING AND EQUITABLE ATMOSPHERE OF WELLNESS AND RECOVERY, WHILE ACTING IN AN ADVISORY CAPACITY TO THE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH RECOVERY SERVICE TO AID AND CONTINUING QUALITY IMPROVEMENT. THE VISION STATEMENT THAT YOU READ IN THE ANNUAL REPORT WAS OUR OLD VISION STATEMENT. THIS VISION STATEMENT WAS REVISED AND APPROVED IN JULY 2021 TO ASSIST THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS IN RECRUITING NEW MEMBERSHIP FOR THE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH BOARD MEMBERSHIP. THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS REPRESENTATIVES, WE DID HAVE TWO BOARD OF SUPERVISOR REPRESENTATIVES THIS YEAR, SUPERVISOR LEE LOR WAS OUR REPRESENTATIVE UNTIL DECEMBER AND THEN IN FEBRUARY SUPERVISOR LLOYD PAREIRA TOOK OVER. IN DISTRICT ONE, WHICH REPRESENTS EL NIDO, LIVINGSTON, LE GRAND PLANADA. WE HAVE ONE BOARD MEMBER, IRIS MOJICA DE TATUM. IN DISTRICT TWO, WHICH REPRESENTS MERCED OUR BOARD MEMBERS ARE MARY ELLIS AND VINCE RAMOS IN DISTRICT THREE, WHICH REPRESENTS ATWATER AND THE BEACHWOOD FRANKLIN AREA. OUR BOARD MEMBERS ARE [INAUDIBLE] AND SALLY REAGANITE. LAST YEAR I WAS CHAIR IN DISTRICT FOUR, WHICH REPRESENTS DELHI, [INAUDIBLE], HILMAR AND SNELLING. OUR MEMBERS WERE BRUCE METCALF, WHO WAS SECRETARY LAST YEAR, VICKI HUMBLE AND ZACHARY RAMOS. DISTRICT FIVE REPRESENTS DOS PALOS, LOS BANOS AND SANTA NELLA, AND OUR BOARD MEMBER WAS [INAUDIBLE]. WE HAD THREE MEMBERS AT-LARGE LAST YEAR MICKEY ARCHULETA, PAULA MASON, WHO WAS OUR VICE CHAIR, AND KIM CARTER, THE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH BOARD MEMBERS, PARTICIPATE IN COMMITTEES IN ORDER TO OBTAIN REAL TIME INFORMATION ABOUT POLICIES, PROTOCOLS, DATA AND PRACTICES OF THE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH RECOVERY SERVICES. AT THE END OF FISCAL YEAR 2020-2021 WE HAD TWELVE MEMBERS, WHICH INCLUDED A VARIETY OF ETHNICITIES AND AGES, AND REPRESENTING COMMUNITY CONSUMERS, FAMILY MEMBERS AND OTHER INTERESTED PARTIES. ALSO, WE HAD ONE MEMBER OF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, WHICH IS GREATLY APPRECIATED. THE PURPOSE OF THIS ANNUAL REPORT IS TO PROVIDE YOU, THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, A SUMMARY OF THE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH ADVISORY BOARDS FISCAL YEAR 2021 TOP PRIORITIES, GOALS AND ACTIVITIES AND TO GIVE YOU A REVIEW OF THE 2020 DATA NOTEBOOK. OUR FISCAL YEAR 2021 GOALS WERE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH THROUGH THE EYES OF THE CLIENT. AND FOR THIS GOAL, WE ASKED THE PATIENT'S RIGHTS ADVOCATE [INAUDIBLE] IF SHE WOULD HELP US WITH THIS ITEM, AND SHE AGREED TO HELP. HER WORK WAS VALUABLE. HOWEVER, THERE WERE CHALLENGES IN OBTAINING CLIENT FEEDBACK DUE TO LIMITED ACCESS UNDER THE COVID RESTRICTIONS. OUR SECOND GOAL WAS LAW ENFORCEMENT PROCEDURES WITH THE HOMELESS AND OUR THIRD GOAL WAS SHINING AREAS IN BEHAVIORAL HEALTH VERSUS AREAS THAT NEED HELP. OUR 2020 DATA NOTEBOOK, THERE WERE FOUR ITEMS THAT WERE IN THIS DATA NOTEBOOK. THE FIRST ONE WAS ADULT RESIDENTIAL FACILITIES CALLED ARF. [00:30:01] THE SECOND ONE WAS HOMELESS PROGRAMS AND SERVICES. THE THIRD ONE WAS CHILDREN AND YOUTH IN SHORT TERM RESIDENTIAL THERAPEUTIC PROGRAM GROUP HOMES - SGRTP. AND THE FOURTH ONE WAS TELEHEALTH TECHNOLOGY FOR BEHAVIORAL HEALTH. SO WHAT WE LEARNED BRIEFLY FROM THE 2020 DATA NOTEBOOK. FIRST OF ALL, ADULT RESIDENTIAL FACILITIES, THERE ARE SERVICES PROVIDED TO 101 CONSUMERS AND LICENSED ARFS. THERE ARE 36 IN COUNTY CONSUMERS AND THAT INCLUDES THE GLOM HOMES, GOD'S LOVING OUTREACH AND SIXTY FIVE CONSUMERS WERE PLACED OUT OF COUNTY. WE HAVE TWO ADULT RESIDENTIAL FACILITIES IN COUNTY LAST YEAR AND TWO INSTITUTES FOR MENTAL DISEASE IN COUNTY IMD'S, AND I'M GOING TO ASK BRUCE IF HE WOULD COME AND SPEAK TO THE HOMELESS PROGRAM. I'LL JUST USE IT. OKAY, COOL. IS THIS ON? OK, GREAT. BRUCE METCALF, CHAIR OF THE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH ADVISORY BOARD. IT'S A PRIVILEGE TO BE HERE AND TO BE ABLE TO SHARE A LITTLE BIT, AND THANK YOU, SALLY, FOR ALL OF YOUR WORK, GENEVIEVE, IN MAKING THIS HAPPEN. A LITTLE BIT ON THE HOMELESS PROGRAMS AND SERVICES IN HOUSING KIND OF THE TRANSITIONAL HOUSING, SUPPORTIVE HOUSING TOGETHER, BEHAVIORAL HEALTH HAS MULTIPLE SITES THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY, HELPING PEOPLE WITH TRANSITIONS BACK INTO OPPORTUNITIES TO HAVE PLACES TO LIVE, AS WELL AS SUPPORTIVE HOUSING. THERE ARE TWO HOUSES THROUGH HUD THAT ARE SUPPORTIVE HOUSING AND ALSO THROUGH THE CRISIS RESIDENTIAL UNIT. THERE ARE EIGHT PEOPLE WHO RECEIVE HELP AT THAT TIME FOR UP TO A THREE MONTH PERIOD OF TIME. THE MOTEL HOUSING VOUCHERS, WHICH WAS THE ROOM KEY PROGRAM, WHICH YOU'RE PROBABLY QUITE AWARE OF, THAT THE COUNTY PLAYED A BIG ROLE IN AND THE COUNTY HSA BEHAVIORAL HEALTH DEPARTMENT RESCUE MISSION AND A NUMBER OF OTHER PROVIDERS ALL WORKED COLLABORATIVELY TOGETHER TO PROVIDE THAT SERVICE. AND THAT HAS BEEN DOWNGRADED IN A SENSE NOW SO THAT NOW WE HAVE WHAT'S CALLED SAFE HARBOR. SO IT'S BEEN DIMINISHED FROM, YOU KNOW, MAYBE UP TO A HUNDRED ROOMS AT ONE TIME OR MORE. AND SO NOW WE HAVE FIVE ROOMS AND THIS HELPS, ESPECIALLY IN SITUATIONS WHERE COVID CASES ARE IDENTIFIED AND WE'RE ABLE TO HOUSE PEOPLE AND ISOLATE THEM. AND SO THAT IS STILL A GREAT HELP EVEN DURING THIS TIME. ANOTHER ITEM THERE IS A NAVIGATION CENTER, WHICH THE COUNTY HAS PLAYED A HUGE ROLE IN AND BEHAVIORAL HEALTH DEPARTMENT SUPPLIES ONE POINT FIVE FULL TIME EQUIVALENT PEOPLE ON STAFF THERE, TRYING TO IDENTIFY AND SCREEN PEOPLE WITH THE MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES, AND ALSO THEY HAVE INTERNS AT THAT PROGRAM, WHICH IS REALLY A TREMENDOUS BENEFIT. AND THERE AGAIN, YOU SEE A REAL COLLABORATIVE EFFORT BETWEEN A HUMAN SERVICES AGENCY BHRS, RESCUE MISSION, THE COUNTY ALL WORKING TOGETHER. AND THAT PROGRAM, WHILE WE'RE STILL IN THE INITIAL STAGES THREE OR FOUR MONTHS INTO IT, WE'RE COMING ALONG. BUT A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE BEING HELPED AND IT'S REALLY GREAT. THE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH DEPARTMENT IS DOING A GREAT JOB WORKING AT THE NAVIGATION CENTER. BACK TO SALLY. THANKS, BRUCE. YOU CAN SEE WHY WE'RE SO GLAD HE KNOWS ALL ABOUT HOUSING IN MERCED COUNTY. I'M GOING TO MOVE ON NOW TO THE NEXT ITEM IN OUR DATA NOTEBOOK, WHICH INCLUDES ITEM NUMBER THREE, WHICH IS CHILDREN AND YOUTH IN SHORT TERM RESIDENTIAL THERAPEUTIC PROGRAM GROUP HOMES, OR STRTP. CREATIVE ALTERNATIVES HAD THIRTY TWO YOUTHS PLACED FROM OUTSIDE OUR COUNTY. RAINBOW VALLEY HAD TWENTY EIGHT YOUTHS PLACED FROM OUTSIDE OUR COUNTY, AND MERCED COUNTY TRANSFERRED THIRTY SIX YOUTHS OUT OF COUNTY FOR GROUP HOME LEVEL OF CARE AND ITEM NUMBER FOUR IN THE DATA NOTEBOOK WAS TELEHEALTH TECHNOLOGY FOR BEHAVIORAL HEALTH. FORTUNATELY, TELEHEALTH TECHNOLOGY WAS ALREADY IMPLEMENTED BEFORE COVID 19 PANDEMIC OCCURRED. BUT AFTER A COVID EMERGENCY, TELEHEALTH WAS GREATLY EXPANDED. GENEVIEVE VALENTINE WOULD KEEP US AWARE EVERY SINGLE BOARD MEETING OF ALL THAT WAS GOING ON IN BEHAVIORAL HEALTH TO ACCOMMODATE ALL OF OUR CONSUMERS. [00:35:04] THERE WAS AN IMMEDIATE INCREASE IN AVAILABILITY OF SERVICES THROUGH TELEHEALTH TECHNOLOGY. CONSUMERS WERE USING MOBILE DEVICES, LANDLINES, COMMUNITY CLINICS AND WELLNESS CENTERS. THERE WERE SOME CHALLENGES. THERE WAS A LACK OF INTERNET SERVICES, LACK OF CLIENT ACCESS TO DEVICES OR COMPUTER SERVICES, OR INADEQUATE NETWORK INTERNET CONNECTION. OK, NEXT SLIDE. ACTIVITIES IN OUR 2020-2021 FISCAL YEAR, THE NEW CRISIS STABILIZATION UNIT WAS OPENED IN SEPTEMBER 2020. THE NEW NAVIGATION CENTER WAS OPENED IN MARCH OF 2021. WE WELCOMED A NEW MEDICAL DIRECTOR, DR. JIN SOOFI, IN OCTOBER OF 2020 AND ALSO RESEARCH LOCATIONS TO REPLACE THE LIVINGSTON CLINIC WITH A MORE APPROPRIATE NORTH COUNTY SITE. LOOKING FORWARD, OUR 2021-2022 GOALS, WE WOULD LIKE TO CONTINUE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH THROUGH THE EYES OF THE CLIENT AND PATIENT'S RIGHTS ADVOCATE [INAUDIBLE] HAS AGREED TO CONTINUE WITH THIS FOR US. WE'D LIKE TO CONTINUE LEARNING MORE ABOUT HOW LAW ENFORCEMENT HAS PROCEDURES AND HOW THEY HANDLE ISSUES WITH HOMELESS PEOPLE WITH MENTAL HEALTH NEEDS. WE WOULD ALSO LIKE TO BEGIN LOOKING AT SUD, SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER AND INNOVATIVE STRATEGIES AND FOCUS ON BOARD DEVELOPMENT, NEW MEMBER ONBOARDING. IN ADDITION, WE ARE SEEKING NEW MEMBERS THAT WAS IDENTIFIED AS AN IMPORTANT FOCUS, WHICH LED US TO REWRITE OUR VISION STATEMENT AND CREATE BETTER GUIDELINES FOR THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS TO HELP THEM IDENTIFY QUALIFIED AND PASSIONATE APPLICANTS FOR THIS BOARD. AND THAT ENDS MY PROGRAM. ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS? AND DIRECTOR VALENTINE IS HERE TO ANSWER THEM ALL. [CHUCKLING] THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR LISTENING. I'M GOING TO MOVE OUT OF THE WAY. THANK YOU, SALLY. OK, I'LL BRING IT BACK UP HERE TO THE BOARD. LLOYD, BEING THE NEW MEMBER ON THE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH, I'M SURE YOU HAVE SOMETHING YOU'D LIKE TO SHARE. SO THE BOARD RECOGNIZES SUPERVISOR PAREIRA. THANK YOU, CHAIR. WELL, FIRST OF ALL, I WOULD LIKE TO SAY A SINCERE THANK YOU TO SALLY. YOU KNOW, HER PASSION FOR FOR, YOU KNOW, HELPING AND BEING INVOLVED AND GETTING TO THE ANSWERS IS JUST EXEMPLARY. AND YOU KNOW, AND I KNOW IT STARTED FROM A PERSONAL, YOU KNOW, SPOT, WHICH ALWAYS HELPS. HOWEVER, THAT'S BEEN A LONG TIME AGO AND YOU STILL HAVE THAT SAME PASSION TODAY. AND YOU'RE A TRUE EXAMPLE REALLY TO ALL OF US, NOT JUST BEHAVIORAL HEALTH BOARD, BUT JUST PEOPLE IN GENERAL. THE PASSION THAT YOU HAVE AFTER SO MANY YEARS IS JUST REALLY AWESOME. AND I'D LIKE TO THANK BRUCE METCALF. BRUCE HAS BEEN IN OUR COMMUNITY FOR, YOU KNOW, FOR MANY, MANY YEARS. AND A FEW YEARS AGO, I ASKED HIM IF HE WOULD BE INTERESTED IN STEPPING UP AND SERVING ON THE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH BOARD AND IT TOOK HIM ABOUT, I DON'T KNOW, WELL, I WASN'T DONE ASKING THE QUESTION WHEN HE SAID, YES [CHUCKLING]. I THINK THAT'S ENTHUSIASM. BUT ANYWAY, I SURE APPRECIATE THAT. AND HE'S OUR NEW CHAIR. AND YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU HAVE PEOPLE THAT UNDERSTAND BEHAVIORAL HEALTH, RIGHT, AND AREN'T, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE NOT CLINICIANS, RIGHT? THEY DIDN'T STUDY THIS, BUT THEY LEARNED IT OVER A LIFETIME OF OF SERVICE. AND SO ANYWAYS, IT JUST REALLY HELPS, ESPECIALLY ME AS A BOARD OF SUPERVISOR TO KNOW THAT WE'VE GOT SOME FOLKS THAT REALLY DO WELL. AND, YOU KNOW, THE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH BOARD. I DON'T KNOW IF EVERYBODY IN THE AUDIENCE KNOWS, BUT YOU KNOW, WE HAVE CLIENTS, WE HAVE FAMILY MEMBERS THAT ARE AFFECTED THAT SERVE ON THE BOARD. AND THAT'S PART OF THE CALL RIGHT IS THAT WE HAVE A DIVERSE BOARD IN THAT WAY. AND YOU KNOW, AND IT'S JUST AWESOME THAT IN THAT WE HAVE SOME REALLY GOOD PEOPLE. SO I'LL STOP THERE. BUT I JUST AGAIN WANT TO THANK BOTH OF YOU. AND THEN WE HAVE A DIRECTOR THAT REALLY IS PASSIONATE AS WELL. AND SO WE HIT THE TRIFECTA IN THIS ONE. SO ANYWAYS, I'LL LET YOU TALK AND ANSWER QUESTIONS, MY COLLEAGUES. THANKS. THANK YOU. SUPERVISOR CHAIR RECOGNIZES SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. SALLY, BRUCE, THANK YOU FOR YOUR PASSION. IT REALLY COMES THROUGH. I MET WITH YOU THIS PAST, I THINK IT WAS THIS WEEK; MY DAYS ARE ALL RUNNING TOGETHER AT THIS POINT. BUT A COUPLE OF THINGS, YOU KNOW, SUPERVISOR PAREIRA HIT ON IT, THIS IS A VERY UNIQUE BOARD IN THAT BY STATUTE, THERE'S CERTAIN REQUIREMENTS WHEN WE TALK ABOUT, [00:40:02] YOU KNOW, A CERTAIN PERCENTAGE OF THE BOARD MEMBERS HAVE TO BE CLIENTS AND OR YOU KNOW THAT OR PEOPLE THAT HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN THE SYSTEM, IF YOU WILL, OR FAMILY MEMBERS AND IT'S RIGHTFULLY SO BECAUSE IT'S ULTIMATELY WE'RE ASKING THIS BOARD TO ADVISE OR THIS COMMITTEE TO ADVISE THIS BOARD ON, YOU KNOW, REALLY BOOTS ON THE GROUND. WHAT ARE WE DOING? WHAT CAN WE DO BETTER? AND I THINK WE'VE GOT A GOOD TEAM IN PLACE. THAT BEING SAID, YOUR REPORT WAS VERY GENEROUS IN THAT I USED TO HAVE ONE MEMBER FROM DISTRICT FIVE ON THERE. SO I'M GOING TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO PUT A CALL OUT THERE TO ANYBODY, YOU KNOW, IN DISTRICT FIVE THAT HAS AN INTEREST IN THIS REACH OUT TO ME. AND YES, I'M GOING TO SAY, IT'S A PRETTY CUMBERSOME PROCESS. BUT ULTIMATELY WHAT YOU'RE BEING TASKED WITH, WE REALLY WANT TO VET YOU AND MAKE SURE THAT YOU'RE WILLING TO PUT IN THE TIME AND THE EFFORT BECAUSE THIS, YOU KNOW, GENEVIEVE, I KNOW THAT YOU RELY ON THIS BOARD AND I KNOW THAT STATUTE SAYS YOU HAVE TO HAVE THIS BOARD IN PLACE? THERE'S A LOT OF TIME AND ENERGY AND EFFORT THAT GOES INTO GETTING A PERSON THERE, AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU'RE REALLY, TRULY INTERESTED AND SHOW THE PASSION THAT BRUCE AND SALLY BOTH DID. AND WITH THAT, I DON'T KNOW HOW WELL THIS IS GOING TO GO OVER, BUT I'M GOING TO BRING IT UP BECAUSE IT'S A CONCERN AND A CHALLENGE FOR ME GETTING PEOPLE ON THIS BOARD FROM THE WEST SIDE. MEETINGS ARE HELD AT THREE O'CLOCK, PERFECTLY UNDERSTAND THAT. BUT I KNOW THAT ANYBODY [INAUDIBLE] DO STUFF WITH THE COUNTY OR WHATEVER THAT YOU CAN BE ELIGIBLE FOR MILEAGE REIMBURSEMENT. FOUR O'CLOCK, I'M SORRY, FOUR O'CLOCK MEETING. MILEAGE REIMBURSEMENT. I JUST THINK THAT GETS VERY BURDENSOME TO HAVE TO TRACK YOUR MILES, EVERY MEETING THAT YOU GO TO OR WHATEVER. SO WHAT I'M ASKING FOR IS TO LOOK FOR A WAY. IS THERE A WAY, I DON'T THINK THAT ANYBODY THAT WOULD WANT TO BE ON THIS BOARD IS TRYING TO GET RICH BEING ON THIS BOARD. SO I'M NOT ASKING FOR ANYTHING CRAZY. BUT IS THERE A WAY THAT WE CAN DO SOME KIND OF STIPEND? AND REALLY, IT'S JUST TO HELP OUT. I MEAN, WHEN WE LOOK AT, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE'RE ASKING POTENTIAL CLIENTS TO BE ON THIS BOARD AND I'M NOT TRYING TO REALLY STEREOTYPE ANYBODY, BUT, YOU KNOW, GAS IS FOUR SOMETHING A GALLON AND TO ASK A PERSON TO DRIVE FROM SANTA NELLA OR LOS BANOS, OVER TO MERCED, YOU KNOW, IT'S THE GOOD WORK THAT THEY'RE DOING, BUT IT'S ALSO PUTTING AN EXTRA BURDEN ON THEM AND THAT THERE IN ITSELF ELIMINATES MAYBE A POTENTIALLY GOOD BOARD MEMBER FROM BEING A PART OF THIS PROCESS BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE THE EXTRA RESOURCES TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT. SO MY ASK IS TO THE CEO AND THE CEO'S OFFICE, IS THERE A WAY THAT WE CAN COME UP WITH A FLAT STIPEND PER MEETING? I'M NOT LOOKING, AGAIN, I DON'T THINK IT'S TO BE SOMETHING THAT YOU THINK YOU'RE GOING TO GET RICH ON, BUT AT LEAST IT COVERS THE COST OF YOUR FUEL TO COME OVER TO THE MEETING. AND I DON'T KNOW AT THE END OF THE DAY IF THAT WOULD HELP ME TO GET MORE PEOPLE. BUT AT THIS POINT, I DON'T HAVE ANYBODY, AND IT'S, YOU KNOW, TO BE HONEST WITH YOU, I DON'T HAVE PEOPLE CALLING ME, EMAILING ME, KNOCKING DOWN MY DOOR TO BE A PART OF THIS. BUT I THINK THAT WOULD HELP ME IN BEING ABLE TO FULFILL MY DUTIES IS HAVING MY THREE MEMBERS SO THAT I CAN MAKE SURE THAT THE WEST SIDE IS REPRESENTED ON THIS VERY, VERY IMPORTANT COMMITTEE. SO THAT'S ALL I HAVE FOR NOW, CHAIR, THANK YOU. THANK YOU, SUPERVISOR. AND WITH THAT, I'LL SAY THANK YOU, SALLY, AND I THINK IT'S VERY I ALWAYS HAVE TO RECOGNIZE MY DISTRICT THREE, FOLKS. SHE DOES LIVE IN MY DISTRICT AND WE APPRECIATE HOW WELL WE'RE REPRESENTED. BUT I DO LOOK TO YOU TO HELP ME RECRUIT BECAUSE I SEE I HAVE ONE MORE SPOT ON THERE. SO WE NEED TO FIND FIND MORE FOLKS TO SERVE ON THIS BOARD. AND BRUCE, ALL THE WORK THAT YOU'VE DONE NOT ONLY ON THIS BOARD, BUT EVERYTHING ELSE IN THE COMMUNITY IS VERY, VERY THANKFUL FOR FOR THAT. WITH THAT, ARE THERE ANY OTHER COMMENTS? SEEING NONE, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION. [CONSENT CALENDAR ] NOW WE WILL MOVE ON TO THE CONSENT AGENDA CALENDAR. NEXT IS APPROVAL OF CONSENT CALENDAR ITEMS ONE THROUGH NINE . I HAVE A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR PAREIRA SECONDED BY SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA. OK. OH, SORRY ABOUT THAT. CHAIR RECOGNIZES SUPERVISOR PEDROZO. THANK YOU. I JUST WANTED TO COMMENT ON NUMBER FIVE AUTHORIZING THE PROCLAMATION AND RECOGNITION OF SEPTEMBER 2021 AS A LIBRARY CARD SIGN UP MONTH WITHIN MERCED COUNTY. I'M A LITTLE BIASED BECAUSE MY WIFE IS A TEACHER/LIBRARIAN AND I KNOW HOW IMPORTANT LITERACY IS IN OUR COMMUNITY, AND I KNOW THAT WE FALL BEHIND A LOT OF THE NATIONAL AND [00:45:02] STATE AVERAGES. AND I THINK THIS IS SOMETHING ESPECIALLY WHEN WHEN STUDENTS GET TO A CERTAIN LEVEL LIKE THE THIRD GRADE IS WHEN IT REALLY DROPS OFF. AND SO I THINK THIS IS SOMETHING THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE HIGHLIGHT AND DO. AND SO I'M IN COMPLETE FAVOR OF IT. I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE WERE HIGHLIGHTING IT. GO AHEAD AND CALL FOR THE VOTE, AND I WOULD TELL EVERYBODY, I DO HAVE A LIBRARY CARD. I HOPE EVERYBODY ELSE DOES. LET'S TALLY THE VOTE. MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. [BOARD ACTION ] WE'LL MOVE ON TO THE BOARD ACTION NEXT AS BOARD ACTION, PUBLIC WORKS ITEMS 10 THROUGH 13. PLEASE NOTE, A FOUR FIFTHS VOTE IS REQUIRED ON ITEMS 12 AND 13. ARE THERE FURTHER COMMENTS BY THE SUPERVISORS HERE AT THE DAIS? IF NOT, I HAVE A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA AND SECONDED BY SUPERVISOR PAREIRA. WE'LL GO AHEAD AND CALL FOR THE VOTE. LET'S TALLY THE VOTE. THE SUSPENSE IS KILLING US. YEAH, LET'S GO AHEAD--IT'S JUST, YEAH, IT WAS THE SYSTEM HERE. IT WAS THE SYSTEM. NO, I SAID, LET'S TALLY THE VOTE. MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. NEXT, IS HEALTH, ITEMS 14 AND 15. IS THERE ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION UP HERE AT THE DAIS? SEEING NONE, I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION. YOU ALREADY HAVE A MOTION. A SUPERVISOR, PEDROZO. IT'S GOOD SEEING SUPERVISOR PEDROZO GET IN ON THE ACTION HERE. [CHUCKLING] WE'LL CALL FOR THE VOTE. OK, LET'S TALLY THE VOTE. MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. NEXT IS BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AND RECOVERY SERVICES ITEM SIXTEEN THROUGH TWENTY THREE. ARE THERE FURTHER COMMENTS HERE AT THE DAIS OR FURTHER DISCUSSION? SEEING NONE, I DO HAVE A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR PAREIRA, SECONDED BY SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA. I'LL CALL FOR THE VOTE. LET'S TALLY THE VOTE, MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. NEXT IS HUMAN SERVICES AGENCY ITEMS TWENTY FOUR THROUGH 30. IS THERE FURTHER DISCUSSION HERE AT THE DAIS? SEEING NONE, I HAVE A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA, SECONDED BY SUPERVISOR PEDROZO. GO AHEAD AND CALL FOR THE VOTE. LET'S TALLY THE VOTE. MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. SLIDE THIS UP. GIVE ME JUST A SECOND. GOOD MORNING, CHAIRMAN MCDANIEL, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD CEO JIM BROWN AND COUNTY COUNSEL FORREST HANSEN. MY NAME IS YVONNIA BROWN, THE HSA HUMAN SERVICES AGENCY DIRECTOR. I STAND BEFORE YOU WITH GREAT PLEASURE TO INTRODUCE TO YOU, MR. GLEN G., WHO IS BEING RECOMMENDED AND HOPEFULLY APPOINTED AS THE COUNTY VETERANS SERVICE OFFICER. GLEN SERVED IN THE U.S. COAST GUARD FOR 24 YEARS, AND HE'S RETIRED. I'M NOT GOING TO COMMENT ON THAT. IN SEVERAL LEADERSHIP POSITIONS, INCLUDING COMMANDING OFFICER, CHIEF EXECUTIVE, CHIEF EXERCISE BRANCH, SENIOR, MULTI MARITIME TRAINER ADVISOR AND DISPATCH DETACHMENT, AND MUCH MORE. HE ALSO EARNED A BACHELOR'S DEGREE IN MARINE ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND ALSO A MASTER'S IN PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION. I KNOW YOU HAD THE OPPORTUNITY INDIVIDUALLY TO MEET MR. GLENN, BUT I ALSO WOULD LIKE TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO INTRODUCE YOU TO HIM, BUT ALSO TO YOU GUYS, BUT ALSO TO THE COMMUNITY. SO AT THIS TIME, I'LL CALL GLENN OVER. WELCOME, GLENN. THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. CHAIR BOARD OF SUPERVISORS COUNCIL CEO BROWN. DEFINITELY VERY HUMBLED FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO KIND OF CONTINUE TO SERVE IN A PASSION OF [00:50:06] MINE. THROUGH MY ENTIRE CAREER, I'VE ALWAYS BEEN VERY HUMBLED BY THE OPPORTUNITIES TO SERVE ALONG SIDE VERY TALENTED MEN AND WOMEN OF OUR U.S. MILITARY AND CONTINUE TO SERVE THEM IN A CAPACITY WHERE THEY CAN FIND SUCCESS, WHETHER IT WAS A PROFESSIONAL OR PERSONAL GOAL. AND NOW IN RETIREMENT, I KNOW IT'S STILL HARD TO BELIEVE. SOMETIMES I LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING TO SERVE OUR VETERAN COMMUNITY NOW IN A DIFFERENT CAPACITY AND WORKING WITH ALL OF YOU, AS WELL AS THE COMMUNITY TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR VETERAN COMMUNITY IS DEFINITELY WELL SERVED AND TAKEN CARE OF. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE OPPORTUNITY. THANK YOU, GLENN. CHAIR RECOGNIZES SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA. THANK YOU. GLENN, I HAVE OFFICIALLY GOT TO MEET YOU. JUST SCHEDULING-WISE, IT WAS A CRAZY WEEK AND THEN I WAS ON A PARTNERSHIP MEETING CALL, AND SO I LOOK FORWARD TO BEING ABLE TO MEET WITH YOU. AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE. JUST LOOKING AND GOING THROUGH YOUR BIO THERE, YOU'RE QUITE A BUSY GUY. SO I COULD SEE WHY YOU CAN BE RETIRED AT NEARLY 40 YEARS OLD. SO CONGRATULATIONS TO YOU ON THAT. AND THEN THE SECOND THING THAT I WILL MENTION IS SHORTLY AFTER YOU KIND OF GET ONBOARDED AND GET SETTLED IN, I DEFINITELY WOULD LOVE TO SET UP A MEETING AND GET YOU OUT OVER TO THE WEST SIDE AND MEET WITH MY FRIENDS OVER AT THE AMERICAN LEGION. AND... WHY DID IT JUST ESCAPE ME. THE VFW, THERE YOU GO, IN LOS BANOS. THEY GOT SOME PRETTY UNIQUE PROGRAMS THAT THEY'RE RUNNING OUT THERE AND DEFINITELY WANT YOU TO HAVE A CLOSE RELATIONSHIP WITH THOSE FOLKS. SO THANK YOU AND WELCOME ABOARD. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU, SUPERVISOR. CHAIR RECOGNIZES SUPERVISOR PAREIRA. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. WELL, GLEN, WELCOME TO THE TEAM. YOU KNOW, MERCED COUNTY BEEN BLESSED WITH SOME REALLY EFFECTIVE VSOS IN THE PAST. JOHN CHECKLEY AND RICKY POWELL, OF COURSE. AND THOSE ARE BIG SHOES TO FOLLOW. BUT MAN, I JUST GOT A SENSE WHEN I MET WITH YOU THAT YOU'RE UP TO THAT TASK. AND SO I THINK AS A BOARD MEMBER, I'M THANKFUL YOU'RE HERE AND I'M THANKFUL THAT YOUR PASSION AND TALENTS ARE HERE IN MERCED COUNTY SO WELCOME AND YOU KNOW YOU'RE NEW TO THE AREA, SO IF YOU'VE GOT ANY QUESTIONS YOU NEED, YOU KNOW SOME CONNECTIONS, LET ME KNOW. GOOD PLACES TO EAT. YEAH, RIDE A CAMEL, WHATEVER. [CHUCKLING] THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I THINK HE'S CURRENTLY LOOKING IN DISTRICT THREE, SO BACK OFF. [LAUGHTER] CHAIR RECOGNIZES SUPERVISOR PEDROZO. THANK YOU. YEAH, WELCOME ABOARD. GETTING A CHANCE TO SIT DOWN AND MEET WITH YOU WITH SUPERVISOR PAREIRA WAS REALLY ENLIGHTENING AND YOUR PASSION. AND THE GOALS AND THE STUFF THAT YOU WANT TO ACCOMPLISH, I THINK, ARE REALLY COOL AND LIKE SUPERVISOR PAREIRA SAID, THERE ARE BIG SHOES TO FILL AND I'M SURE WE HAVE THE RIGHT PERSON FOR IT. SO THANK YOU. VERY MUCH AND I LOOK FORWARD TO BEING HERE FOR A WHILE. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH AND LOOKING FORWARD TO WORKING WITH EVERYONE. VERY GOOD, GLENN. YEAH, WELCOME. WE'RE VERY THANKFUL YOU'RE HERE AND I THINK IT'S YOU'VE HEARD ON THE BOARD YOU GOT BIG SHOES TO FILL. YOU'RE DEFINITELY CAPABLE OF IT. AND WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO WHAT YOU HAVE [INAUDIBLE]. I THINK EVERYBODY HAS KIND OF SET THE PATH FOR YOU. SO NOW YOU CAN REALLY GET OUT THERE AND DO SOME GOOD. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH. GOODBYE. ONE CONCERN, THOUGH, I THINK I EVEN BROUGHT IT UP, YOU'VE GROWN UP AND LIVED ALL YOUR LIFE AROUND WATER, SO, PLEASE MAKE LAKE YOSEMITE, BE YOUR WATER SOURCE. [CHUCKLING] ALREADY SCOPED IT OUT AND LOOKING FORWARD TO GETTING MY ANNUAL PASS. [CHUCKLING] PERFECT. THANK YOU. ITEM THIRTY ONE IS FROM THE RECORDER. I'LL LOOKED AT THE DAIS. FURTHER DISCUSSION ON THIS ITEM? SEEING NONE, I HAVE A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA, SECONDED BY SUPERVISOR PEDROZO. GO AHEAD AND CALL FOR THE VOTE. LET'S TALLY THE VOTE. MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. LIBRARY ITEM THIRTY TWO. ITEM NUMBER THIRTY TWO IS THERE FURTHER DISCUSSION ON THIS ITEM HERE AT THE DAIS? SEEING NONE. I HAVE A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR PEDROZO SECONDED BY SUPERVISOR, SILVEIRA. I DO HAVE COMMENTS. CHAIR RECOGNIZES THE SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA. THANK YOU, CHAIR. JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THIS, ITEM THIRTY TWO IS GIVE YOU AN AUTHORIZATION TO APPLY FOR A GRANT FOR THE SANTA NELLA AREA. JUST WANTED TO PUT THAT OUT THERE. AND THIS WOULD BE THE SUNLIGHT GIVING FOUNDATION FOR FUNDS TO CREATE AN OUTDOOR LEARNING SPACE FOR YOUNG CHILDREN OUTSIDE ITS BRANCH LIBRARY IN SANTA NELLA, COMPLETE WITH ARTS AND CRAFTS SUPPLIES, OUTDOOR FURNITURE AND FENCING. THE LIBRARIES IS RIGHT ADJACENT TO THE MOBILE HOME PARK THERE IN SANTA NELLA, WHICH SERVES A LOT OF LOW INCOME FAMILIES, SO I THINK IT'S REALLY SOMETHING GREAT FOR THE [00:55:01] DISTRICT. I KNOW THAT WE HAVEN'T BEEN AWARDED IT YET. THE ANNOUNCEMENTS ARE IN NOVEMBER. BUT AMY, I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THINKING OF THOSE FOLKS OUT THERE, AND I HOPE THAT THIS IS A GOOD FIT FOR EVERYBODY. SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU, SUPERVISOR. I'LL GO AHEAD AND CALL FOR THE VOTE. LET'S TALLY THE VOTE. MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. NEXT IS FIRE ITEM THIRTY THREE. ITEM THIRTY THREE, IS THERE FURTHER DISCUSSION? I HAVE A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA SECONDED BY SUPERVISOR, PAREIRA. LET'S GO AHEAD AND CALL FOR THE VOTE. LET'S TALLY THE VOTE. MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. ITEM 34 IS FROM PROBATION. FURTHER DISCUSSION ON ITEM 34. SEEING NONE, I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION. I HAVE A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR PAREIRA, SECONDED BY SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA. CALL FOR THE VOTE. LET'S TALLY THE VOTES. MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. ITEM 35 IS FROM THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY. ITEM NUMBER THIRTY FIVE, IS THERE FURTHER DISCUSSION ON THIS ITEM? SEEING NONE, WE'LL GO AHEAD. I HAVE A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR PAREIRA, SECONDED BY SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA. WE'LL CALL FOR THE VOTE. WE'LL TALLY THE VOTE MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. SHERIFF ITEM THIRTY SIX. IS THERE FURTHER DISCUSSION ON ITEM THIRTY SIX? CHAIR RECOGNIZES SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA. I JUST WANT TO POINT OUT HERE THIS IS, YOU KNOW, GIVING THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE AND THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. WE'RE GIVING THEM THE ABILITY TO COLLECT DONATIONS FOR THE CHRISTMAS STAR TOY DRIVE. BUT IT'S JUST I APPRECIATE THEIR PROMPTNESS BRINGING THIS TO US ALREADY NOW HERE IN SEPTEMBER. BUT IT JUST KIND OF SHOWS YOU HOW FAST THIS YEAR IS GOING BY THAT. WE'RE ALREADY TALKING ABOUT CHRISTMAS STUFF, SO IT'S A REALLY HIGHLY SUCCESSFUL PROGRAM THAT I KNOW THAT ALL OF OUR FIRST RESPONDERS REALLY APPRECIATE AND ULTIMATELY, THE FOLKS THAT GET TO BE THE BENEFICIARIES OF THAT REALLY DO APPRECIATE SO GOOD WORK TO THE TEAM. THEY DO A GREAT JOB EVERY YEAR AND THANK YOU. THANK YOU, SUPERVISOR. CHAIR RECOGNIZES SUPERVISOR PEDROZO. THANK YOU. AND I WANTED TO WAIT FOR THIS ONE ALSO, BECAUSE I KNOW ON A NUMBER TWENTY ONE WITH BEHAVIORAL HEALTH, TWENTY SIX WITH HSA AND THEN THIRTY SIX WITH THIS, I THINK THESE ARE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE NEED TO HIGHLIGHT A LITTLE BIT BETTER AND WHAT WE'RE DOING AS A COUNTY AND SEEING THAT THEY'RE OUT THERE VERY PROACTIVELY, TRYING TO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO DONATE AND THEN HOPEFULLY ACCEPTING THE DONATIONS FOR TOYS AND WHATEVER PEOPLE CAN GIVE AND THEN BEING ABLE TO OFFER OR GIVE THEM TO THE COMMUNITY FOR THOSE WHO ARE LESS FORTUNATE, I THINK IS REALLY IMPORTANT. SO I JUST WANTED TO THANK ALL THREE OF THOSE DEPARTMENTS AND EVERYBODY THAT DOES THAT. SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU. SUPERVISOR CHAIR RECOGNIZES SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA. JUST A QUICK QUESTION. I REALLY DO WANT TO JUST POINT OUT THERE AND I WAS GOING TO MENTION IT EARLIER, JOSH. I'M GLAD YOU BROUGHT IT UP, BUT ON THESE THINGS, I NOTICED THAT ON HSA'S ITEM. THEY BASICALLY ASKED FOR THE PERMISSION ALL THE WAY TILL JUNE OF 2022 AND THEN WE LOOK AT LIKE, YOU KNOW, THE SHERIFF'S ITEM HERE FOR FIRE AND SHERIFF. IT GOES TO DECEMBER 31ST, 2021, CAN FORREST OR JIM, COULD YOU EXPLAIN TO ME LIKE WHY THAT IS THAT THEY HAVE TO COME AND ASK PERMISSION EVERY YEAR? SORRY, I SHOULD HAVE LET YOU KNOW THAT WAS COMING, BUT IT JUST KIND OF CAME TO ME NOW. CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNTY COUNSEL. THANK YOU, CHAIR. SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA, MAYBE JIM COULD EXPAND ON THIS A LITTLE BIT, BUT ANY TIME THE COUNTY IS ASKING FROM DONATIONS FROM THE PUBLIC, THE BOARD GENERALLY HAS TO APPROVE THE ACCEPTANCE OF THOSE AND I THINK THIS IS JUST DOING THAT SORT OF IN ADVANCE OF THAT. WE DO DELEGATE SOME OF THAT AUTHORITY TO YOUR CEO TO ALLOW FOR DONATIONS. [01:00:07] BUT THE GENERAL, BY LAW, YOU'RE THE PRIMARY SOURCE OF THAT AUTHORITY FOR DONATIONS. DID THAT ANSWER YOUR QUESTION? YEAH. CHAIR RECOGNIZES MR. BROWN. COUNSEL, YOU KNOW, PRETTY MUCH ANSWERED IT. BY LAW, YOU'RE REQUIRED, THERE ARE AREAS WHERE WE HAVE, AND THEN WHEN YOU MODIFIED YOUR ORDINANCE LAST YEAR, THERE WAS SOME DONATION AUTHORITY BUILT INTO WHERE WE COULD, YOU KNOW, BUT THERE'S STILL SOME AREAS THAT WE CAN TAKE A FURTHER LOOK AT IT. I LIKE THAT IT'S STILL ON THE AGENDAS BECAUSE IT GIVES US AN OPPORTUNITY TO TALK ABOUT IT AND KIND OF REMIND FOLKS THAT IT'S COMING BACK UP AGAIN. BUT I JUST KIND OF WANTED FOR THE PUBLIC'S BENEFIT, JUST KIND OF HELP THEM UNDERSTAND, LIKE WHY THEY'RE COMING TO ASK FOR PERMISSION TO RECEIVE DONATIONS. SO BUT I DO LIKE THAT THOSE, YOU KNOW, STAY ON THE AGENDA BECAUSE IT GIVES US AN OPPORTUNITY TO REMIND FOLKS THAT THOSE THINGS ARE COMING UP. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, SUPERVISOR. WE DO HAVE A FIRST AND A SECOND. I THINK I'VE ALREADY ANNOUNCED THE FIRST AND THE SECOND, AND WE'VE VOTED, SO LET'S GO AHEAD AND TALLY THE VOTES. MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. ITEM THIRTY SEVEN IS FROM THE TREASURER. IS THERE FURTHER DISCUSSION HERE AT THE DAIS ON ITEM NUMBER THIRTY SEVEN? SEEING NONE, I HAVE A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR PAREIRA SECONDED BY SUPERVISOR PEDROZO. CALL FOR THE VOTE. LET'S TALLY THE VOTE. MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. NEXT IS HUMAN RESOURCES RISK MANAGEMENT ITEM THIRTY EIGHT. IS THERE FURTHER DISCUSSION HERE AT THE DAIS ON ITEM THIRTY EIGHT. SEEING NONE, WE WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION. I HAVE A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA, SECONDED BY SUPERVISOR PAREIRA. LET'S CALL FOR THE VOTE. LET'S TALLY THE VOTE, MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. NEXT IS BOARD APPOINTMENTS ITEM 39. CHAIR RECOGNIZES SUPERVISOR PEDROZO. THANK YOU. THIS WAS BROUGHT TO MY ATTENTION RIGHT BEFORE THE MEETING. SOME OF THESE QUESTIONS ABOUT THE TERM LIMITS AND I HAD ASKED FORREST, COUNSEL, TO LOOK INTO THAT. SO IF YOU COULD ANSWER SOME OF THE QUESTIONS IN REGARDS TO THE TERM LIMITS AND SOME OF THOSE QUESTIONS THAT WERE ASKED. CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNTY COUNSEL. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR, SUPERVISOR PEDROZO. YES, WE DID CONFIRM THAT THERE ARE NO LIMITS ON LIMITS EITHER BY THE WELFARE AND INSTITUTIONS CODE OR BY THE CURRENT BYLAWS OF THE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH ADVISORY BOARD THAT LIMIT MEMBERS ABILITY TO SERVE, LIMIT THE AMOUNT OF TIME A MEMBER CAN SERVE ON THAT BOARD. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. CHAIR RECOGNIZES SUPERVISOR PAREIRA. WELL, JUST A CLARIFICATION. THEN WE SHOULD CHANGE THE BOARDS COMMISSIONS WEBSITE BECAUSE IT DOES SAY NO MORE THAN TWO CONSECUTIVE TERMS. SO WE SHOULD LET PEOPLE KNOW. BUT I WILL MAKE A COMMENT. WE DO HAVE VACANT SPACES ON THE BOARD. AND SO, YOU KNOW, I THINK FOLKS THAT ARE WILLING TO SERVE THAT ARE GOOD MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE, YOU KNOW, WE NEED THEM. AND IT'S NOT LIKE IF SOMEBODY ELSE WANTS TO SERVE, THEY CAN'T. WE HAVE THREE AT LARGE POSITIONS OPEN. AND SO IF SOMEBODY'S INTERESTED IN GOING THROUGH THE PROCESS, WE'D LOVE TO HAVE YOU. CHAIR RECOGNIZES SUPERVISOR PEDROZO. I'M DONE. OK, I HAVE A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR PAREIRA, SECONDED BY SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA. IS THERE FURTHER DISCUSSION OR QUESTIONS? YOU HAVE SOMETHING? SORRY. THAT'S FINE. GENEVIEVE, BEHAVIORAL HEALTH DIRECTOR, I JUST WANTED TO LET EVERYONE KNOW THAT TWO CONSECUTIVE IS FOR THE EXECUTIVE BOARD OF THE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH ADVISORY BOARD, WHICH MEANS IT'S THE CHAIR, THE VICE CHAIR AND THE SECRETARY. IT IS NOT MEMBERS AS ON THE GREATER LARGE, WHICH IS PART OF THE BYLAWS. IN ADDITION TO THAT, THE REAPPOINTMENT OF VINCE RAMOS, WHO HAD BEEN APPROVED BY THE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH BOARD PRIOR TO THIS BEING ON THE AGENDA AS A WHOLE. SO THE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH ADVISORY BOARD IS IN AGREEMENT WITH THIS REAPPOINTMENT. THANK YOU, GENEVIEVE. YOU'RE WELCOME. [01:05:03] OK, I HAVE A FIRST AND A SECOND. WE'VE CALLED FOR THE VOTE. LET'S TALLY THE VOTE. MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. [BOARD INFORMATION & POSSIBLE ACTION ] NEXT IS BOARD INFORMATION AND POSSIBLE ACTION. ITEM 40. SO FURTHER DISCUSSION, I HAVE A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA, SECONDED BY SUPERVISOR PEDROZO, WE'LL CALL FOR THE VOTE. LET'S TALLY THE VOTE, MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. [PUBLIC HEARING ] NEXT, WE HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING FROM COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. AMENDMENT OF THE AGRICULTURAL PRESERVE AS PER THE CALIFORNIA LAND CONSERVATION ACT OF NINETEEN SIXTY FIVE WILLIAMSON ACT IN MERCED COUNTY. MR. HENDRICKSON HENDRICKSON, DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, AS WAS JUST MENTIONED, THIS IS AN ITEM THAT I BRING TO YOU PERIODICALLY. AND THE PURPOSE OF THIS PUBLIC HEARING IS FOR YOU TO CONSIDER AMENDING THE AGRICULTURAL PRESERVE AND UPON YOUR APPROVAL OF THIS ITEM THREE APPLICANT REQUESTED PROPERTY LINE ADJUSTMENTS WILL BE EFFECTUATED. SECTION 51233 OF THE CALIFORNIA GOVERNMENT CODE REQUIRES THIS BOARD TO HOLD A PUBLIC HEARING TO AMEND YOUR AGRICULTURAL PRESERVE. A TOTAL OF SIX POINT SIXTY SEVEN ACRES WILL BE REMOVED IN SIX POINT SIXTY THREE ACRES WILL BE ADDED UPON YOUR ACTION. NONE OF THE SUBJECT PROPERTIES ARE ACTUALLY UNDER WILLIAMSON ACT CONTRACTS. AT THIS POINT, STAFF RECOMMENDS THE FOLLOWING ONE FOR YOU TO OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING TO CLOSE THAT PUBLIC HEARING. AND THEN THERE ARE TWO SEPARATE ACTIONS FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION THIS MORNING. FIRST OF WHICH IS TO MAKE A MOTION TO FIND THE REMOVAL OF LAND FROM THE AG PRESERVE LISTED IN THE BOARD AGENDA ITEM EXEMPT FROM CEQA UNDER SECTION 15183 PROJECTS CONSISTENT WITH THE COMMUNITY PLAN OR ZONING BASED ON AGAIN THE FINDINGS AS LISTED IN YOUR STAFF REPORT AND THEN TWO SECONDLY MAKE A MOTION TO ADOPT THE RESOLUTION AMENDING THE AG PRESERVE AS PER THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE LAND CONSERVATION ACT OF 1965. AT THIS POINT, STAFF WOULD BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE. SO DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS HERE AT THE DAIS? CHAIR RECOGNIZES SUPERVISOR PAREIRA. YEAH, WOULD YOU JUST SHARE WITH US HOW MANY ACRES ARE COMING OUT AND HOW MANY ARE GOING IN? YES, SIR. SO AGAIN, A TOTAL OF SIX POINT SIXTY SEVEN ACRES WILL BE REMOVED AND SIX POINT SIXTY THREE ACRES WILL BE ADDED UPON YOUR ACTION IF YOU SO APPROVED TODAY. YES, SIR. SO AT THIS TIME, IS THERE ANY? WE'LL GO AHEAD AND OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING, SO WE'LL OPEN IT, AND AT THIS TIME, WE WILL TAKE A WE WILL RETURN AT 11:15. SO THIS WAY WE HAVE FOLKS TO BE ABLE TO CALL IN FOR VOICEMAIL OR EMAIL FOR THEIR COMMENTS ON THIS ITEM. [01:14:57] OK. WE'LL GO AHEAD AND START THE MEETING BACK. [01:15:04] WE'LL GO AHEAD AND WERE THERE ANY VOICEMAILS? WE RECEIVED NO VOICEMAIL PUBLIC COMMENT. OK, I'LL GO AHEAD AND LOOK TO THE AUDIENCE. IS THERE ANY BODY ELSE? SEEING NONE, WE'LL GO AHEAD AND CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENT OR THE PUBLIC HEARING, AND I'LL BRING IT BACK UP HERE TO THE DAIS. CHAIR RECOGNIZES SUPERVISOR PAREIRA. YES, I WAS JUST GOING TO MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE STAFF RECOMMENDATION FOR ITEM THREE, WHICH IS FINDING THAT THE PROPOSED MODIFICATIONS OF THE AG PRESERVE DOES NOT REQUIRE ADDITIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW AND THAT PLA21-004, PLA21-009, AND PLA21-012, THOSE ARE THE SITES. I'M SORRY. YEP, THAT WAS MY MOTION. SECOND, DO YOU WANT TO INCLUDE ADOPTING THE RESOLUTION? I WAS GOING TO DO THAT IN SEPARATE MOTION. OK, SO I HAVE A FIRST AND A SECOND. IS THERE FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE: AYE. ANY OPPOSED? MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. I WOULD THEN LIKE TO MOVE TO ADOPT A RESOLUTION TO AMEND THE AGRICULTURAL PRESERVE AS PER THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE LAND CONSERVATION ACT OF 1965, WHICH WE CALL THE WILLIAMSON ACT. SECTION 51200 OF THE CALIFORNIA GOVERNMENT CODE. SECOND. OKAY, I HAVE A FIRST, AND A SECOND IS THERE FURTHER DISCUSSION? SEEING NONE, I'LL CALL FOR ALL THOSE IN FAVOR TO SAY AYE: AYE. IS THERE ANY OPPOSITION? MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. [REPORTS/BOARD DIRECTION ] NEXT IS BOARD REPORTS. THANK YOU, I'LL LOOK TO MY RIGHT SUPERVISOR PEDROZO. THANK YOU. I WANT TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO THANK ALL OF THOSE GROUPS THAT CELEBRATED OR COMMEMORATED THE ATTACKS ON 9/11, I KNOW HERE IN MERCED, AMERICAN LEGION HAD A BREAKFAST TO RAISE SOME FUNDS FOR FIRST RESPONDERS, AND I THOUGHT THAT WAS--I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE CONTINUE TO RECOGNIZE HOW THAT'S IMPACTED, YOU KNOW, REALLY OUR WORLD. ALSO, I HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO A COMMUNITY CLEANUP WITH MAYOR MATT SERRATTO AND A GROUP OF VOLUNTEERS, SOME OF WHICH WERE HIGH SCHOOL AGED STUDENTS. SOME WERE JUST ADULTS WHO CAME OUT OVER AT BEAR CREEK. AND IT WAS REALLY FUN. IT'S WORTHWHILE. AND THERE'S STILL A LOT OF WORK TO DO, BUT IT WAS A GOOD TIME. ALSO, AS I'VE SAID AT ALL OF THESE MEETINGS, I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT DO YOUR HOMEWORK AND CONSIDER GETTING VACCINATED IF YOU ARE AGAINST IT. BUT JUST DO YOUR HOMEWORK. AND IF YOU'RE ELIGIBLE FOR THE BOOSTER, PLEASE GET IT. I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE ABLE TO KEEP OUR KIDS IN SCHOOLS. WITH EVERYTHING THAT'S GOING ON, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR KIDS ARE IN SCHOOLS. AND IF SOMETHING, IF THERE WAS ANOTHER HUGE OUTBREAK, THEN WE WOULD TAKE THAT AWAY FROM THEM. AND I DON'T AGREE WITH THAT. AND THEN ALSO, I WANTED TO TAKE THIS MOMENT TO ADJOURN THE MEETING FOR KATHY HASSETT. KATHY PASSED AWAY FROM A BATTLE WITH CANCER, AND SHE RETIRED AFTER A 35 YEAR CAREER HERE AT MERCED COUNTY AS THE DIRECTOR OF HUMAN SERVICES, AND SO I'D LIKE TO ADJOURN IN HER MEMORY. I'M SURE ALL OF US KNOW KATHY AND PHILIP VERY WELL. KATHY WAS A VERY GENEROUS PERSON. SHE WAS VERY, VERY, VERY NICE AND SHE'S GOING TO BE MISSED GREATLY. THANK YOU. SUPERVISOR PAREIRA. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. I WOULD LIKE TO RAISE AWARENESS FOR SUICIDE PREVENTION. IT WAS IN A CONVERSATION YESTERDAY AND IT JUST SADDENS ME THAT THROUGH THIS PANDEMIC THAT PEOPLE ARE LOSING HOPE AND THEIR LIVES ARE TURNED UPSIDE DOWN. AND I JUST, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A SUICIDE HOTLINE. AND YOU KNOW, IF YOU HAVE A FRIEND AND THAT FRIEND SEEMS DIFFERENT, YOU KNOW, PRESS IN [01:20:03] AND TRY TO GET THEM SOME HELP. I WOULD LIKE TO THANK ZACHARY RAMOS FROM [INAUDIBLE]. HE HAS CARRIED ON THE TORCH FOR AN EVENT, A 9/11 WALK THAT HAPPENS ON 9/11 IN THE EVENING. JUDY QUINN STARTED THIS WALK 19 YEARS AGO ON THE ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY, AND IT WAS IMPORTANT TO JUDY THAT THE COMMUNITY DIDN'T FORGET, RIGHT? THAT WE UNDERSTAND WHAT HAPPENED, WHY IT HAPPENED, AND THEN ALSO HONOR THOSE THAT LOST THEIR LIVES AND SO FOR 19 YEARS, THIS EVENT HAS BEEN GOING ON. JUDY HAS HER OWN HEALTH BATTLES, AND SO SHE WASN'T ABLE TO BE WITH THIS YEAR. AND ZACHARY RAMOS TOOK THE REINS AND DID A GREAT JOB. AND ANYWAYS, I JUST I HOPE JUDY WILL BE WITH US NEXT YEAR AND BE ABLE TO WALK WITH US JUST TO KIND OF A, YOU KNOW, JUDY'S JUST KIND OF A QUAINT LITTLE SMALL LADY AND, YOU KNOW, SHE JUST INSPIRES PEOPLE. AND SO I MISSED HER AND HOPEFULLY WE WE HONORED HER TRADITION THAT SHE HAD SET FORTH ON SATURDAY NIGHT. THERE WAS ABOUT 100-120 PEOPLE WALKED AND FIRE TRUCKS WERE BEHIND US AND THEN WE MET AT THE STADIUM AND THE MAYOR AND ONE OF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS AND MYSELF WERE ALLOWED TO SAY A FEW WORDS. AND ANYWAYS, I JUST JUST REALLY APPRECIATE THAT EVENT. [INAUDIBLE] IS A NEAT COMMUNITY AND THEIR FOLKS, THEY'RE REALLY, YOU KNOW, CARE ABOUT OUR COUNTRY AND IT WAS AN HONOR TO BE THERE. AND THEN MY DAUGHTER'S BIRTHDAY IS ON THURSDAY, AND SO MY SON AND DAUGHTER-IN-LAW FROM GEORGIA ARE COMING TOWN AND MY DAUGHTER FROM OKLAHOMA IS COMING TOWN. AND SO IF YOU DON'T HEAR MUCH FROM ME, I WILL BE AT MCAG ON THURSDAY AFTERNOON. BUT IF YOU DON'T HEAR FROM ME, I'LL BE BUSY WITH FAMILY AND APPRECIATE, YOU KNOW, THAT I GET THAT TIME. SO THANK YOU. OH, AND HAPPY BIRTHDAY, BELLA. THANK YOU, SUPERVISOR SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. FIRST THING, I JUST WANT TO THANK EVERYONE THAT REACHED OUT TO ME. AS YOU GUYS WERE AWARE, I MISSED THE LAST MEETING. I HAD A LITTLE BOUT WITH COVID. FOR THE MOST PART, MY EXPERIENCE WAS RELATIVELY MILD AND LIKE BASICALLY LIKE FLU-LIKE SYMPTOMS. AS YOU CAN PROBABLY STILL HEAR, I'M STILL A LITTLE BIT NASALLY. THAT'S KIND OF LIKE THE LINGERING EFFECT. IT'S NOT REALLY GOING AWAY ANYTIME SOON, LIKE MY MILD KIND OF, YOU KNOW, I ATTRIBUTE IT TO THE VACCINE. I WAS VACCINATED. I KNOW THAT THE VACCINES ARE NOT GUARANTEED. MY WIFE AND I WERE BOTH VACCINATED AND WE BOTH ENDED UP GETTING IT. BUT HOWEVER, THEY'RE EXTREMELY EFFECTIVE IN KEEPING YOU OUT OF THE HOSPITAL OR OFF A VENTILATOR AND FROM DYING. SO WHAT I WOULD SAY TO ANYBODY THAT'S ON THE FENCE, TALK TO YOUR DOCTOR, TALK TO YOUR MEDICAL PROVIDER AND ASK THEM IF AND YOU GUYS MAKE THAT CHOICE TOGETHER. I'M NOT HERE TO TELL YOU WHAT TO DO. I'M JUST TELLING YOU WHAT MY EXPERIENCE IS, AND I THINK THAT IT WORKED OUT FOR ME OKAY; I'M HERE TODAY. PRIOR TO COMING DOWN WITH THE SYMPTOMS, SYMPTOMS, I JUST WANT TO PUT IT OUT, YOU KNOW, ON THE RECORD, I DID HAVE A COFFEE WITH THE SUPERVISOR IN THE DOS PALOS AREA AT THAT TIME. I WAS NOT SYMPTOMATIC. I WAS VACCINATED AT THAT TIME. THE GUIDELINES WERE STILL THAT AS LONG AS YOU'VE BEEN VACCINATED, IT WAS INDOORS. YOU DIDN'T HAVE TO WEAR A MASK. AS FAR AS I KNOW, NOBODY CAME DOWN FROM THAT. BUT I KNOW THAT SOME OF THE FOLKS HAD REACHED OUT TO ONE OF MY COLLEAGUES WITH SOME CONCERNS OVER THAT. I'M NOT DENYING THAT, YOU KNOW, IF I HAD A CRYSTAL BALL, I WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN THERE, BUT I DON'T SO. AND THEN AGAIN, JUST WANTED TO THANK EVERYBODY THAT REACHED OUT TO ME, MY COLLEAGUES, THE STAFF HERE, FAMILY, FRIENDS JUST CHECKING IN ON ME. SO I JUST KIND OF WANTED TO PUT THAT OUT THERE AND CONFIRM THE REASON WHY I WASN'T HERE. A COUPLE OTHER THINGS THAT I'VE BEEN ABLE TO SINCE I'VE BEEN PAST MY QUARANTINE NOW, THE LOS BANOS QUILTING CLUB, EVERY YEAR, THEY WEREN'T ABLE TO DO IT LAST YEAR OR I THINK THEY JUST [INAUDIBLE] SO ANYWAYS, THIS GROUP OF FINE LADIES AND A FEW GENTLEMEN THAT HAVE A PASSION FOR QUILTING AND THEY DO SOME PRETTY COOL STUFF. I GOT TO SAY EVERY YEAR THEY HONOR LOCAL VETERANS AND OR FIRST RESPONDERS. THEY HAVE THEIR LITTLE VETTING PROCESS AND THEY HONOR THEM WITH A QUILT. THEY MAKE A QUILT. IT'S REALLY TIED AROUND THIS YEAR WAS ON SEPTEMBER 11TH. IT'S TIED AROUND SEPTEMBER 11TH ON PATRIOT'S DAY, AND THIS YEAR THEY HONORED THE SHERIFF AND ANOTHER ONE OF THE DEPUTY SHERIFFS AND A WHOLE HOST OF OTHER VETERANS AND FIRST RESPONDERS. SO JUST WANTED TO CONGRATULATE THEM ON WHAT I THINK, I WAS THERE FOR THE FIRST PART OF THEIR EVENT, BUT WE'RE REALLY WELL ORGANIZED AND PUT TOGETHER EVENT. LAST WEEK, WE ACTUALLY THE COUNTY DID A CERTIFICATE OF RECOGNITION THAT WAS ON THE AGENDA [01:25:09] TODAY. I JUST WANTED TO CONGRATULATE AGAIN TO BARBARA AND LOUIS PAREIRA. THEY WERE NAMED AS A FARMERS OF THE YEAR PAREIRA'S, ARE A LONGTIME FARMING FAMILY IN LOS BANOS, AND THE LOS BANOS DOWNTOWN ASSOCIATION HONORED THEM AT THEIR FARM TO TABLE DINNER. SO THAT WAS A NICE LITTLE EVENT, AND IT WAS AN OUTDOOR EVENT. IT WAS NICE TO KIND OF GET BACK OUT AND SEE SOME FOLKS. JUST AS A QUICK REMINDER, WHEN YOU DO CALL IN AND LEAVE VOICEMAILS, AND IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS, I MEAN, THE ONE BENEFIT OF COMING INTO THE MEETING IS USUALLY THERE'S A STAFF PERSON THAT CAN KIND OF GRAB YOU AND TO ANSWER SOME OF THE SIMPLE QUESTIONS. THE GENTLEMAN THAT CALLED IN REGARDING THE APPOINTMENT TO THE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH BOARD, YOU KNOW, THOSE QUESTIONS PROBABLY COULD HAVE BEEN SIMPLY ANSWERED TO THEM. BUT WHAT I NOTICED ON HIS VOICEMAIL. AND HE NEVER LEFT A NAME. SO I DON'T KNOW THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO GET BACK TO THAT PERSON BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T LEAVE A NAME. SO JUST PUT IT OUT THERE. IF YOU ARE GOING TO CALL IN, TRY TO LEAVE YOUR NAME SO THAT IF YOU DO HAVE QUESTIONS THAT WE CAN EASILY ANSWER FOR YOU AND A CONTACT, OBVIOUSLY THAT HELPS OUT TOO, YOU KNOW, AND IF YOU DON'T WANT TO LEAVE A PHONE NUMBER, YOU CAN LEAVE AN EMAIL ADDRESS OR SOMETHING. SO IF YOU TRULY WANT TO BE ENGAGED WITH YOUR GOVERNMENT, PLEASE HELP US. I MEAN, WE KNOW THERE'S A LOT OF TECHNOLOGY OUT THERE. IF YOU CALL, YOU KNOW, MY CELL PHONE, I GOT CALLER I.D. BUT WHEN YOU'RE CALLING IN TO THE LANDLINE, WE DON'T HAVE THAT INFORMATION WHEN YOU LEAVE A VOICEMAIL. SO IF YOU WOULD PLEASE CONSIDER THAT WOULD BE GREAT. AND THEN LAST BUT NOT LEAST, I JUST WANT TO ENCOURAGE EVERYBODY. IF YOU HAVEN'T VOTED, TODAY IS THE RECALL ELECTION. EXERCISE YOUR CIVIC DUTY AND CAST YOUR VOTE. I KNOW THAT IT IS OPEN UNTIL EIGHT O'CLOCK. I WANT TO WISH DARLENE INGERSOLL. I WANT TO WISH HER LUCK TODAY. THIS IS HER FIRST ELECTION AND I KNOW SHE'S GOT A GREAT TEAM AROUND AND I KNOW SHE'S GOING TO DO A GREAT JOB. BUT THIS IS HER FIRST ELECTION, ACTUAL LIKE, YOU KNOW, STATEWIDE ELECTION, IF YOU WILL. SHE'S DONE A FEW SPECIAL ELECTIONS, BUT HER FIRST ONE THAT SHE'S DOING ON HER OWN. I KNOW SHE HAD A REALLY GREAT TEACHER AND BARB LEVY, SO I KNOW THAT THEY'RE GOING TO BE BUSY. BUT YOU KNOW, UP UNTIL EIGHT O'CLOCK TONIGHT, IT HAS TO BE POSTMARKED BY TODAY IN ORDER FOR IT TO BE COUNTED. AND I JUST WANT TO ASSURE EVERYBODY WHAT HAPPENS OUT IN LIFE AND IN THE PUBLIC. I CAN'T CONTROL ALL THAT, BUT WHAT I CAN TELL YOU IS WHEN IT GETS INTO THE REGISTER OF VOTERS HANDS, WHEN IT GETS INTO OUR SYSTEM, I AM HIGHLY, HIGHLY CONFIDENT IN OUR SYSTEM. THAT IT IS RUN LEGITIMATELY. THAT THERE IS--I'M NOT GOING TO SIT HERE AND REPRESENT ANYBODY THAT IT'S NOT POSSIBLE TO MAKE A MISTAKE, BUT IT'S HIGHLY UNLIKELY. I'M VERY CONFIDENT IN OUR TEAM. ONCE THE BALLOTS GET TO US AND OUR SYSTEM OF CHECKS AND BALANCES, EVERYTHING'S UNDER THE WATCHFUL EYE OF A CAMERA. SO AGAIN, IT'S ELECTION DAY, IT'S COSTING, I THINK I HEARD THE NUMBER YESTERDAY WAS $300 MILLION IS WHAT IT'S GOING TO COST THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA TO HAVE THIS RECALL ELECTION. SO I JUST ENCOURAGE EVERYBODY TO MAKE THEIR VOTE BE COUNTED. AND THAT'S ALL I HAVE, CHAIR, THANK YOU. THANK YOU, SUPERVISOR. COUNTY COUNSEL HANSEN? CEO BROWN? I DO HAVE TO SAY NOT ALWAYS DO WE GET EXCITED ABOUT HAVING MAC MEETINGS, BUT I WAS VERY HAPPY TO BEACHWOOD FRANKLIN MAC WAS ABLE TO HAVE OUR MEETING. IT'S BEEN THE FIRST ONE SINCE COVID. I WANT TO INSPIRE MY MCSWAIN MAC TO GET GOING AGAIN AS WELL. I AM REPRESENTING YOU NOW WITH VALLEY VOICE D.C. WE ARE DOING IT VIA ZOOM. USUALLY I'D BE IN D.C. THIS WEEK FOR THIS, BUT YESTERDAY WE HAD SOME VERY POSITIVE CONVERSATIONS WITH WHAT'S GOING ON WITH SENATOR PADILLA AND ALSO CONGRESSMAN COSTA. SO IT'S INTERESTING. WE KNOW CONGRESSMAN COSTA'S OUR REPRESENTATIVE, BUT WHENEVER YOU HEAR IT FROM A FULL VALLEY PERSPECTIVE, BECAUSE THIS IS REPRESENTATIVES FROM ALL THE WAY, FROM KERN COUNTY TO SAN JOAQUIN COUNTY AND TO HIS ENGAGEMENT AT THAT LEVEL IS VERY INSPIRING. I MEAN, HE IS VERY AWARE OF EVERYTHING GOING ON IN THE VALLEY. AND YET WHAT I DID LIKE THROUGH SENATOR PADILLA'S CONVERSATION IS THERE'S ACTUALLY A STAFF MEMBER THAT I AM VERY GOOD FRIENDS WITH WHO WAS ON THE CALL. SO I DO HAVE A GOOD RELATIONSHIP WITH SENATOR PADILLA THE WAY IT IS, BUT IT'S EVEN BETTER WHENEVER YOU HAVE THAT STAFF MEMBER WHO IS ACTUALLY A GOOD FRIEND AND IT WAS GOOD INTERACTION THERE. ALSO, I'D LIKE TO SAY THAT THE ATWATER 9/11 PATRIOT'S DAY WAS RUN VERY FANTASTIC. I WANT TO GIVE BIG KUDOS TO COREY BILLINGS, WHO ORCHESTRATED IT. [01:30:02] THERE WAS NO FLAWS. IT WAS FLAWLESS. ALSO THE PAST. MAYOR JOAN FAUL WAS A VERY BIG INSPIRATION IN PLANNING THIS, AND I WANT TO THANK HER FOR THAT AND THE INSPIRATIONAL SPEECH BY CHIEF SALVADOR. HE DID A VERY GOOD JOB AND IN BRINGING THE PERSPECTIVE OF LAW ENFORCEMENT AND FIRE DEPARTMENT IN HIS SPEECH. SO WITH THAT, WE'LL GO AHEAD AND ADJOURN THE MEETING. THANK YOU. * This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.