[00:00:02] OK. GOOD MORNING. [CALL TO ORDER] WE'LL GO AHEAD AND START THE 2021-2022 FINAL BUDGET HEARING. [PUBLIC OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK] 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. PLEASE NOTE THAT WE WILL BE TAKING PUBLIC COMMENT FOR ALL ITEMS AT THIS TIME. THANK YOU. AND THEN WE'LL GO AHEAD AND OPEN IT UP TO THE VOICEMAILS FIRST. AND I WANT THE FOLKS TO REMEMBER THAT IF YOU LEFT A VOICEMAIL THAT COUNTS AS YOUR TIME TO SPEAK, YOU WILL NOT HAVE A TURN IN PUBLIC. SO LET'S GO AHEAD AND START THE VOICEMAILS. HELLO I AM HERE TO TALK ABOUT THE ARPA FUNDS DURING COVID 19. MY MOM WORKED AS A MEAT PACKAGER AT FOSTER FARMS. FOSTER FARMS DOES NOT CARE ABOUT MY MOM OR OTHER WORKERS AND CONTINUE TO OPERATE THEIR BUSINESS UNDER HAZARDOUS CONDITIONS. THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE INFECTED WITH CORONAVIRUS INCREASED. NOW SCARED FOR MY MOM'S LIFE. MERCED COUNTY FAILED TO SHUT DOWN FOSTER FARMS DURING THE OUTBREAK MERCED COUNTY CONTINUED TO KEEP THE [INAUDIBLE] OPEN AND DID NOT CARE FOR ESSENTIAL WORKERS LIKE MY MOM SINCE [INAUDIBLE] NOW HAS ARPA FUNDS $54 MILLION AND WANTS TO SPEND 100 PERCENT OF IT ON REVENUE REPLACEMENT. [INAUDIBLE] COMPANY DOES NOT CARE FOR ESSENTIAL WORKERS LIKE MY MOM. [INAUDIBLE] BOARD THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS TO HOLD A TOWN MEETING FOR COMMUNITY INPUT ON HOW TO SPEND ARPA FUNDS AND REQUESTING THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS TO VOTE NO FOR AGENDA ITEM EIGHT. I WANT $10 MILLION FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN MERCED COUNTY. I WANT $15 MILLION FOR BUILDING NEW COMMUNITY CENTERS IN SMALL TOWNS LIKE DELHI, HILMAR, LIVINGSTON, SANTA NELLA, AND LE GRAND. I WANT $5 MILLION FOR BUILDING PARKS AND IMPROVING PARKS IN DELHI, HILMAR, LIVINGSTON, SANTA NELLA AND LE GRAND. I WOULD SAVE ABOUT $5 MILLION FOR NEW [INAUDIBLE] $10 MILLION, FOR PREMIUM PAY FOR ESSENTIAL WORKERS LIKE MY MOM, WHO WORKED FOR LOW WAGES AND LONG HOURS DURING COVID. [INAUDIBLE]. IS IT POSSIBLE TO CHANGE THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS TO CHANGE THEIR MEETING TIME FROM TUESDAYS AT 10 A.M., TUESDAY AT 6 P.M. SO I'M ABLE TO COME AND SPEAK TO YOU IN PERSON ABOUT MY CONCERNS. THANK YOU. HELLO, THIS IS KAREN [INAUDIBLE] IN REGARDS TO THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN. [INAUDIBLE] THE FUNDING WE HAVE IS SUPPOSED TO BE USED TOWARDS COVID 19 RECOVERY THE FUNDING SHOULD BE GOING TO THE PEOPLE MOST NEED PEOPLE WHO ARE IN POVERTY, WHO ARE FIRST RESPONDERS, WHO ARE MOST IMPACTED BY COVID 19. TO USE THIS MONEY FOR REVENUE REPLACEMENT IS A COMPLETE MISUSE OF THE FUNDS. PLEASE ENSURE THAT THIS FUNDING IS USED APPROPRIATELY BY HAVING A TOWN HALL THAT IS AN APPROPRIATE TIME, NOT AT 6 P.M. UNTIL MIDNIGHT THAT IT'S WAY TOO LATE. THIS IS KELLY [INAUDIBLE] AND I AM CALLING IN REGARDS TO SUBJECT ARPA FUNDS, AND I'M CALLING BECAUSE I'M TOTALLY IN A DISAGREEMENT OF 100 PERCENT OF THE FUNDS BEING USED AS A REVENUE REPLACEMENT, AND I AM IN SUPPORT OF FIVE MILLION DOLLARS GOING TOWARDS THESE JOBS FACILITATED THROUGH MERCED COUNTY. I AM ALSO IN SUPPORT OF TWO MILLION DOLLARS GOING TOWARDS AFFORDABLE HOUSING, AND I ALSO BELIEVE THAT THE MEETINGS SHOULD BE HELD AT 6 P.M. VS. 10 A.M. SO THAT COMMUNITY MEMBERS HAVE TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE ENGAGED IN THIS EXTREMELY CRUCIAL PROCESS. SO THANK YOU AND I HOPE THAT THE BOARD LISTENS TO THE CONCERNS AND THE DESIRES OF YOUR CONSTITUENTS. THANK YOU. HELLO, MY NAME IS WHITNEY PIRTLE, AND I LIVE IN MERCED COUNTY. I WORK AT UC MERCED. AND I'M HAPPY TO MAKE THIS AREA MY HOME. [00:05:03] I AM CALLING BECAUSE I REQUEST THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS TO VOTE NO FOR AGENDA ITEM EIGHT. I DO NOT THINK IT'S RIGHT OR ETHICAL FOR THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS TO USE ARPA FUNDS ON REVENUE REPLACEMENT, AND I'M THEREFORE JOINING THE HOST OF OTHERS AND REQUESTING THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS TO HOST A TOWN HALL MEETING TO LISTEN TO THE COMMUNITY ON HOW TO BEST SPEND THESE FUNDS. THIS MEETING WOULD BE REALLY IMPORTANT, AND IT'S NOT JUST IN TERMS OF LISTENING, BUT ALSO DOING AND WORKING WITH ALL OF US. I THINK THE FUNDS SHOULD GO TO AFFORDABLE HOUSING, COMMUNITY CENTERS, [INAUDIBLE] JOBS THAT CAN REBUILD AND UPHOLD THIS COMMUNITY THAT WE DO LOVE. THANK YOU. GOOD MORNING, MERCED COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS. MY NAME IS JOSEPH COSTELLO, RESIDENT HERE OF DELHI, AND I'M CALLING REGARDING TODAY'S AGENDA SPECIFICALLY ARPA FUNDS DISTRIBUTION, AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN EXCHANGE DISTRIBUTION, AND I'M CALLING REGARDING DELHI'S NEED FOR A PARK AND COMMUNITY CENTER. AND AS I LOOK AT THE DISTRIBUTION OF FUNDS, I SEE NOTHING REGARDING A PARK OR COMMUNITY CENTER OR DELHI. AND I WOULD CONVEY TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS WHETHER IT'S THROUGH THE ARPA FUNDS, WHETHER BUDGET PROCESS GRANTS OR ANY OTHER FUNDS, OR MEANS DELHI HAS A NEED FOR A VERY IMPORTANT NEED FOR A PARK AND COMMUNITY CENTER AS IT WAS. THIS CONTRIBUTE TO THE OVERALL POSITIVE, HEALTHY AND PROSPEROUS GROWTH OF DELHI. AND I WANTED TO ALSO SAY BEFORE CLOSING THAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE LONG AWAITED AND NEEDED INFRASTRUCTURE ROAD PROJECTS AND HAVE BEEN COMPLETED OR STARTED, AND WE'RE THANKFUL AND GRATEFUL HERE IN DELHI FOR THESE PROJECTS, AS THEY WILL ALSO ENHANCE AND PROVIDE A HEALTHY AND PROSPEROUS GROWTH FOR OUR COMMUNITY. WITH THAT, I THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND ATTENTION AND HAVE A GOOD DAY. MY NAME IS MARINA AND I'M A DELHI RESIDENT. I AM DISCOURAGED TO FIND OUT, BUT UNFORTUNATELY THERE IS. THERE ARE NO PLANS OF THE MONEY GIVEN TO OUR COUNTY, TO THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA THAT DELHI ISN'T BEING CONSIDERED AS AN INVESTMENT. WE IN DELHI HAVE PRETTY MUCH NOTHING, NO PARK. WE NEED YOUR SUPPORT. WE NEED FOR YOU TO ENCOURAGE OUR [INAUDIBLE] TOWN DELHI TO GET EITHER A COMMUNITY HALL OR GET A PARK IN THE AGENDA. PLEASE, PLEASE HELP US. PLEASE CONSIDER DELHI FOR INVESTMENT. THANK YOU. HELLO, MY NAME IS REVEREND NAIMA HEBERT, AND I LIVE IN MERCED COUNTY, OF COURSE. AND I HAVE AN ISSUE WITH THE REVENUE REPLACEMENT FUNDING. I'D LIKE TO EXPLANATION, OF COURSE, AS TO WHERE THIS MONEY IS GOING AND WHY. BUT I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE SURE THAT MONEY IS GOING TO BE PEOPLE IN MERCED THAT WE NEED SOME SUPPORT RECOVERING FROM COVID 19. FOR EXAMPLE, MAYBE $10 MILLION FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN MERCED COUNTY. ANOTHER $10 MILLION TO YOUTH PROGRAMING. $20 MILLION TO GO TO UNLAWFUL EVICTIONS, BUT ALSO IN RENTAL SUPPORT FOR LANDLORDS SO THAT THEY DON'T HAVE TO EVICT PEOPLE. I NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT MONEY IS BEING DEDICATED TO OUR SCHOOLS AND OF COURSE, FUNDING FOR SMALL BUSINESSES IN MERCED COUNTY, PARTICULARLY ABOUT 25 MILLION TO SMALL BUSINESSES IN MERCED COUNTY. I THINK ANOTHER $5 MILLION SHOULD GO TO THE FAITH-BASED COMMUNITY FOR ALL OF THE WORK THEY'RE DOING TO KEEP FOLKS OFF THE STREETS TO MAKE SURE PEOPLE GET VACCINATED. [00:10:03] AND OF COURSE, THAT WORK IS ALWAYS DONE AT NO CHARGE. I PARTICULARLY WANT TO ADDRESS ISSUES GOING TO SMALL BUSINESSES AND THE FAITH-BASED COMMUNITY BECAUSE DOESN'T LOOK LIKE THERE ARE ANY FUNDS GOING THERE. I'M NOT SURE WHY THERE'S 13 MILLION GOING TO PRISONS, BUT I WOULD LOVE AN EXPLANATION FOR THAT. YOU CAN FEEL FREE TO CALL ME AT 408-644-9173 AGAIN 408-644-9173 AND OF COURSE, THE TAXPAYER OF VOTER AND I WOULD LOVE TO UNDERSTAND WHY THIS IS HAPPENING THIS WAY. AGAIN, THE FUNDS NEED TO GO TO SUPPORT COVID RELIEF, AND I'M NOT SURE HOW THIRTEEN POINT FIVE MILLION DOLLARS TO PRISONS IS ACTUALLY COVID RELIEF OR FUNDS GOING TO REVENUE REPLACEMENT. I'M JUST NOT SURE ABOUT THAT. SO SOMEONE COULD GIVE ME A CALL BACK. I WILL TRY TO DIAL INTO THE MEETING ON THE 21ST, BUT I LIKE AN EXPLANATION. THANK YOU. MY NAME IS LAUREN I LIVE IN MERCED COUNTY [INAUDIBLE]. ALSO REGARDING THE ARPA FUND, I'M REQUESTING THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS TO VOTE NO FOR AGENDA ITEM EIGHT. I DO NOT WANT THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS TO USE THE ARPA FUNDS ON REVENUE REPLACEMENT. I AM REQUESTING THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS TO HOST A TOWN HALL MEETING TO LISTEN TO THE COMMUNITY ON HOW TO SPEND THE ARPA FUNDS BECAUSE THE COMMUNITY IS WHO SHOULD BE RECEIVING THE FUNDS AND ESPECIALLY THOSE MOST IMPACTED BY THE COVID 19 PANDEMIC. I WANT $5 MILLION TO GO TO A RIGHT TO COUNSEL PROGRAM TO SUPPORT PROTECTIONS AGAINST UNLAWFUL EVICTIONS. IT IS RIDICULOUS THAT PEOPLE ARE EVEN BEING EVICTED IN THIS TIME. I ALSO WANT $10 MILLION FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN MERCED COUNTY. HOUSING PRICES ARE SKYROCKETING, AND IT IS RIDICULOUS THAT PEOPLE HAVE TO PAY THESE PRICES IN ORDER TO JUST HAVE A PLACE TO LIVE. I WANT $15 MILLION FOR BUILDING COMMUNITY CENTERS IN RURAL PARTS OF THE COUNTY LIKE DELHI, HILMAR, LIVINGSTON, SANTA NELLA, LE GRAND [INAUDIBLE]. THESE PLACES ARE OFTEN LEFT OUT OF ALL THESE CONVERSATIONS THAT WE ARE HAVING AND THEY'RE JUST LEFT OUT OF THE CONVERSATION SO MANY TIMES AND WE NEED TO CENTER THEM AND, YOU KNOW, ADDRESS THEIR NEEDS. I WANT FIVE MILLION DOLLARS FOR BUILDING, BUILDING PARKS AND IMPROVING PARKS IN THOSE AREAS. ALSO, I WANT FIVE MILLION DOLLARS FOR YOUTH JOBS FACILITATED THROUGH MERCED COUNTY AND IN PARTNERSHIP WITH CITY AND MUNICIPALITIES AND MERCED SCHOOL DISTRICTS. OUR YOUTH ARE STRUGGLING TO FIND JOBS AND ESPECIALLY JOBS THAT PAY WELL AND NOT TREAT THEM WELL. AND WE NEED TO INVEST IN OUR YOUTH. THEY ARE OUR FUTURE. I HOPE THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS HOSTS A TOWN HALL FOR COMMUNITY INPUT ON HOW TO SPEND ARPA FUNDS. IT IS WOULD BE VERY [INAUDIBLE] IF THERE WAS NO COMMUNITY INPUT ON THIS, AND I KNOW THAT Y'ALL HAVE BEEN REACHING OUT WITH THAT SURVEY OF HOW TO SPEND THE FUNDS, BUT WE NEED TO REALLY MAKE SURE WE ARE INVOLVING THE COMMUNITY IN THIS AND ALSO PLEASE CHANGE THE MEETING TIME FROM TUESDAYS AT 10 A.M. TO 6 P.M. SO THE COMMUNITY CAN ACTUALLY COME AND MAKE IT TO TO YOU IN PERSON ABOUT OUR CONCERNS. A LOT OF US WORK ALL DAY. AND WHAT IS THE USE OF HAVING A TOWN HAVING THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS MEETING DURING THE DAY IF THE COMMUNITY CANNOT SAY ANYTHING WHEN MOST OF US ARE WORKING? SO THANK YOU. I HOPE YOU LISTEN TO THE COMMUNITY AND DO YOUR JOB AS CIVIL SERVANTS OF THE COMMUNITY. SO THANK YOU. HELLO, GOOD MORNING, MY NAME IS HEIDI SPENCER, AND I'M CALLING REGARDING THE [INAUDIBLE] SO WE CAN HAVE A BETTER OPPORTUNITY FOR DELHI, FOR COMMUNITIES TO HAVE ACCESS AND [INAUDIBLE] NEED. AND WE WANTED TO HAVE A LIKE A PARK FOR FAMILIES AND FOR KIDS TO COME UNITED AND ALSO LIKE A WATER PARK AND ANYTHING ELSE, LIKE A COMMUNITY CENTER. SO THIS WILL HELP US WITH SOME FUNDING BECAUSE WE DIDN'T GET ANY FUNDING FOR DELHI [00:15:01] [INAUDIBLE]. GOOD MORNING, THIS IS GLORIA MORRIS REPRESENTING VALLEY HARVEST, CHURCH OF MERCED AND HARVEST PARK EDUCATIONAL CENTER. I'M CALLING TO MAKE A STATEMENT ASKING THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS TO VOTE NO ON TODAY'S AGENDA ITEM 18 REGARDING THE $54 MILLION, THESE DOLLARS ARE EARMARKED FOR COVID 19 USE AND TO TAKE THEM AWAY AND TO GIVE THEM FOR THE REPLACEMENT. REVENUE IS NOT GOING TO WORK AS A COMMUNITY CITIZEN AND ONE WHO IS VERY CONCERNED ABOUT OUR CHILDREN AND OUR SUFFERING IMPOVERISHED FAMILIES. I REQUEST THAT THOSE FUNDS BE TARGETED DIRECTLY TO COVID 19 USES. I'M IN AGREEMENT AND STAND WITH TAMARA COBB, KIM MCMILLAN AND KELLY TURNER ON THIS ISSUE, AND I REPRESENT THE NAACP AS A MEMBER, ACTIVE AND IN GOOD STANDING IN THE COUNTY OF M ERCED. YOU MAY REACH ME AT AREA CODE 209-756-6777. THIS IS AN OUTCRY AND A CALL TO JUSTICE NOT TO USE THOSE FUNDS FOR REPLACEMENT REVENUE OR REVENUE REPLACEMENT. THEY SHOULD BE TARGETED FOR THEIR INTENDED PURPOSE. COVID 19 ISSUES. THANK YOU SO MUCH. GOOD DAY. MY IS [INAUDIBLE] MY TELEPHONE NUMBER 209-205-5676 AND I'M CALLING IN REGARDS TO PUBLIC [INAUDIBLE] TO ALLOCATE THAT MONEY OUT TO ORGANIZATIONS [INAUDIBLE]. YOU ARE OUR REPRESENTATIVE. YOU CANNOT REPRESENT UNLESS YOU KNOW OUR IDEAS AND OUR AGENDA. THANK YOU. [INAUDIBLE] THANK YOU, BYE. [SPANISH] [SPANISH] GOOD MORNING, SUPERVISOR FOR MERCED COUNTY. MY NAME IS BLANCA LOZANO. I'M CALLING ABOUT THE FUNDS RECEIVED AND THE LIST OF PROJECTS. DELHI NEEDS A COMMUNITY CENTER AND A PARK FOR THE YOUTH SO THAT THEY SO THAT FAMILIES CAN REUNITE AND MEET AND CHAT. IT'S VERY IMPORTANT. [00:20:02] I KNOW THAT THE STREETS GOT WORKED ON, BUT THAT WAS ON THE BOOKS FOR THREE YEARS. DELHI NEEDS A COMMUNITY CENTER AND A PARK FOR KIDS AND FAMILIES TO BE ABLE TO MEET AND HANG OUT AND PLAY. WE'D LIKE TO HAVE SOME OF THESE RURAL AREAS RENOVATED. THANK YOU. BLANCA LOZANO FROM DELHI. SO MY NAME IS [INAUDIBLE] MERCED COUNTY IS RECEIVING 54 MILLION DOLLARS FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AS PART OF PART OF ARPA IT IS VITAL THAT OUR 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 $54 MILLION AS REVENUE REPLACEMENT. THERE IS NO SERVICES TO DISTRIBUTE TO DISPROPORTIONATELY IMPACTED COMMUNITIES. NO PREMIUM PAY. NOTHING ELSE. AND THIS IS NOT ACCEPTABLE. THIS BOARD IS MORE INVESTED IN RETURNING TO THE STATUS QUO THAN HELPING OUR MOST VULNERABLE POPULATION. IT IS BACK TO BUSINESS AS USUAL. THIS DOES NOT PROMOTE EQUITY. WE MUST HELP THOSE DISPROPORTIONATELY IMPACTED BY COVID DURING THE PANDEMIC. WE CALL THEM ESSENTIAL WORKERS AND HEROES FOR PUTTING THEMSELVES AT RISK TO KEEP SOCIETY MOVING. WE GIVE THEM WORDS OF PRAISE, AND WHEN THE MONEY COMES IN TO PROVIDE PREMIUM PAY TO THESE ESSENTIAL WORKERS, THIS BOARD IS TURNING ITS BACK ON THEM. THIS BOARD HAS SAID THAT ARPA FUNDS ARE NOT A GIFT TO THE COMMUNITY. THEY DID THEIR JOBS. IT IS TIME YOU DO YOURS AND PROVIDE THEM THE PREMIUM PAY THEY DESERVE. THIS BOARD HAS THE AUDACITY TO SAY THE PREMIUM PAID TO OUR ESSENTIAL WORKERS ARE GIFTS THAT SUPPORTING OUR MOST VULNERABLE AND IMPACTED COMMUNITY IS A GIFT THAT GOES TO SHOW HOW LITTLE THIS BOARD VALUES OUR COMMUNITY AND OUR ESSENTIAL WORKERS. THIS BOARD MUST HOLD A TOWN HALL FOR COMMUNITY INPUT ON HOW TO USE ARPA FUNDS. THANK YOU. THIS CONCLUDES THE VOICEMAILS RECEIVED. OK, THANK YOU. SO WE'LL OPEN IT UP HERE. 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 FUNDS AND SPECIFICALLY BUDGET ITEM NUMBER EIGHT. I FIRST WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE COUNTY THE PARAGRAPH IN THE AGENDA WHERE YOU SAID YOU'RE PLANNING TO CONDUCT SURVEYS AND A PUBLIC HEARING TO GIVE COMMUNITY MEMBERS AN OPPORTUNITY TO ELEVATE THEIR SPECIFIC NEEDS. I LOOK FORWARD TO RECEIVING MORE INFORMATION ABOUT HOW THIS PLANNING IS GOING SO THAT I CAN HELP DISTRIBUTE SURVEYS AND ENSURE THAT RESIDENTS ATTEND THIS PUBLIC HEARING. I'M ASKING THE BOARD THAT IN ORDER TO ENSURE THAT THERE'S A WIDESPREAD PARTICIPATION THAT YOU LOOP IN PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS ABOUT THIS PLANNING SO THAT WE HAVE ENOUGH TIME TO GET PEOPLE TO SHOW UP, I REALLY ASK THAT AS SOON AS YOU HAVE A DATE SET THAT YOU LET US KNOW SO THAT WE HAVE ENOUGH TIME TO TELL PEOPLE ABOUT THIS. I'M ALSO ASKING OR REALLY WANTING TO GIVE FEEDBACK ABOUT YOUR VIRTUAL TOWN HALLS THAT YOU HAD A FEW MONTHS AGO. IT WASN'T VERY INTERACTIVE, AND A LOT OF PEOPLE HAD AN ISSUE WITH NOT BEING ABLE TO RESPOND OR ASK FOLLOW UP QUESTIONS. IT WASN'T CLEAR HOW THE Q WORKED FOR QUESTIONS AND HOW YOUR QUESTION WAS SELECTED. A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT I WORKED WITH FELT LIKE THEIR QUESTIONS WEREN'T BEING ANSWERED, AND I ASSURED THEM THAT IT WAS LIKELY BECAUSE THERE WERE A LOT OF QUESTIONS AND IT WAS HARD TO GET THROUGH THEM IN THE ALLOTTED TIME. HOWEVER, I'M ASKING THAT YOU TAKE THIS FEEDBACK AND YOU FIND A WAY TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYONE FEELS HEARD IN WHATEVER FORMAT YOU CHOOSE THIS TOWN HALL. I ALSO ASKED THAT IT'S AT A TIME WHERE MULTIPLE PEOPLE CAN GO, AND MAYBE YOU CONSIDER HAVING MORE THAN ONE. SECONDLY, I HAVE A FEW QUESTIONS ABOUT BUDGET ITEM NUMBER EIGHT. I APPRECIATE THE TABLES YOU'VE PROVIDED. THEY HAVE SPECIFIC CATEGORIES OF PROJECTS, BUT SOME OF THEM ARE A LITTLE VAGUE. SOME OF THEM HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF INFORMATION. FOR EXAMPLE, THERE'S SOME WITH AN ACRONYM HVAC, WHICH I ASSUMED TO MEAN HEATING AND VENTILATION AND AIR CONDITIONING. BUT THE LE GRAND COMMUNITY CENTER HALL HAS NO SPECIFICITY, SO I'M NOT SURE IF YOUR PRESENTATION IS GOING TO ADDRESS THAT, BUT IT'S VERY UNCLEAR ABOUT WHAT THESE FUNDS ARE ACTUALLY PAYING FOR. AND I ALSO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT DELHI'S VETERAN HALL IS NOT ON HERE. I WAS THERE A FEW WEEKS AGO. THE VENTILATION IS TERRIBLE THERE AND THE COUNTY'S HAVING PUBLIC MEETINGS [00:25:01] THERE. SO I THINK THAT YOU SHOULD REALLY PRIORITIZE ENSURING THAT DELHI'S VETERAN HALL IS RECEIVING THESE FUNDS AS WELL. IN GENERAL DELHI, BEACHWOOD, AND FRANKLIN AREN'T INCLUDED AT ALL IN THE PROJECTS. AND WHILE I KNOW THAT THESE ARE PROJECTS PREVIOUSLY APPROVED BY THE COUNTY, I WOULD STILL LIKE TO ASK WHY DELHI BEACHWOOD FRANKLIN DON'T ARE ON THIS LIST, AND IF YOU COULD BE MORE SPECIFIC ABOUT HOW THESE DECISIONS WERE MADE. THANK YOU. HOW ARE COMMITTEE MEMBERS WILL BE INVOLVED IN THIS PROCESS OF THESE PROJECTS AND WILL THEY BE ABLE TO GIVE INPUT? MY SECOND QUESTION IS WHAT UPDATES OR RENOVATIONS ARE HAPPENING AT THESE COMMUNITY CENTERS, ARE COMMUNITIES BEING CONSULTED WITH, WHICH UPDATES ARE MOST URGENT AND WHY ISN'T A PLAN FOR A PARK AND COMMUNITY CENTER AND DELHI OR BEECHWOOD FRANKLIN AND INCORPORATED HERE? DOES THE COUNTY PLAN ON CONSULTING WITH DELHI, BEECHWOOD AND FRANKLIN RESIDENTS? THANK YOU. IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE THAT WOULD LIKE TO PARTICIPATE IN A PUBLIC COMMENT? YES, MY NAME IS JAMES HODGES, I HAVE A COUPLE OF COMMENTS I WANT TO MAKE, AND I WON'T DIVERGE TO TOO MANY THINGS. IT WON'T TAKE TOO MUCH TIME. IF YOU HAVE AN EXISTING SENIOR CENTER, I BELIEVE IN SAVING MONEY IN ECONOMICAL GOVERNMENT. SO BUT I DO THINK THERE'S SOME SERVICES YOU'VE MISSED OUT ON THAT YOU COULD BE DOING BECAUSE A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT ARE SENIOR CITIZENS, AT SOME POINT THE THE THEY EITHER LOSE THEIR DRIVER'S LICENSE SO THEY BECOME MORE OR LESS IMMOBILE. YOU KNOW, THEY CAN'T IF IF THEY GET TOO OLD AND THEN THEY CAN'T TRAVEL AS MUCH, THEY MAY HAVE A DOCTOR IN FRESNO OR THEY MAY HAVE A DOCTOR AND RIVERBANK. I HAVE ALL MY DOCTORS ARE OUT OF TOWN. MY WIFE'S TOO. SO WHAT I'M PROPOSING IS THAT YOU IMPLEMENT A FEE SCHEDULE USING THE EXISTING PEOPLE THAT YOU HAVE IN THE SENIOR CENTER AND THEN USE EXISTING PERSONNEL SO YOU DON'T ADD TO THE COST OF THE AND THEN WHAT YOU USE AS A COUNTY VEHICLE AND THEN TAKE PEOPLE TO THEIR MD APPOINTMENTS. IF THEY'RE SENIORS, YOU KNOW, AND THEN CHARGE A FEE SCHEDULE IF IT'S YOU SHOULD HAVE IT FROM FRESNO TO RIVERBANK. AND IF THEY'RE GOING TO RIVERBANK OR THEY'RE GOING TO FRESNO, CHARGE A HUNDRED DOLLARS, IF THEY'RE GOING TO A CLOSER AREA, CHARGE FIFTY OR SEVENTY FIVE DOLLARS. AND THEN THAT WAY THEY WOULD BE THEY WOULDN'T BE LIMITED BY THEIR OLD AGE SO MUCH, AND THEY WOULD STILL HAVE A WAY TO GO TO THE DOCTORS THAT THEY WANT TO GO TO. AND YOU'VE GOT TO REALIZE ANOTHER THING, TOO. I PAY SEVEN OR EIGHT HUNDRED DOLLARS A YEAR ON INSURANCE CAR INSURANCE. I PAY ANOTHER, YOU KNOW, TWO HUNDRED DOLLARS FOR RENEW YOUR MY LICENSE. AND EVEN THOUGH, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE THE FEES ARE VERY HIGH, THEY'RE NOT LIKE THEY USED TO BE. WHETHER IT BE FIFTEEN DOLLARS OR YOUR CAR RENEWAL WOULD BE FIFTEEN DOLLARS IF YOU HAD AN OLD CAR, NOW THEY'RE ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY. SO, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE SPEND A COUPLE OF THOUSAND DOLLARS A YEAR ON JUST HAVING A VEHICLE. SO PEOPLE GET TO THE POINT WHERE THEY CAN'T AFFORD, THEY CAN'T DRIVE ANYMORE, THEN THEY'VE GOT A WAY TO STILL CONTINUE ON WITH THEIR DESIRED METHODS OF GOING TO THE DOCTOR, THE DOCTORS THEY WANT TO GO TO NOT. PEOPLE WANT TO PICK FOR THEM. AND THEN THAT WAY, IF YOU IF YOU USE THE EXISTING COUNTY DEPARTMENTS TO FACILITATE THAT AND THEN USE THE FEE SCHEDULE BECAUSE I'M NOT REALLY ONE TO EXPECT PEOPLE TO DO THINGS FOR ME, FOR NOTHING I I'VE ALWAYS BEEN WILLING TO PAY. SO IF YOU KNOW OTHERWISE, I JUST DON'T DO IT. SO, YOU KNOW, THAT'S WHY I WAS ABOUT OBAMACARE. YOU KNOW, I DIDN'T WANT TO PARTICIPATE IN IT, BUT WE WERE FORCED TO BECAUSE OF THE INDIVIDUAL MANDATE, AND IT PUT A LEAN ON MY HOUSE THAT WAS VERY UPSET ABOUT THAT. AND SO THAT'S THE WAY I WOULD THINK YOU SHOULD. THINK THAT YOU SHOULD DO IS TO USE THE EXISTING SENIOR SERVICES. AND THEN, YOU KNOW [00:30:03] MIC]. OK, THANK YOU. ARE THERE ANY FURTHER PUBLIC COMMENTS? IF NOT. GLORIA SANDOVAL, I WOULD LIKE FOR CONSIDERATION OF SOME OF THESE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN MONIES TO CONSIDER INVESTMENT IN YOUTH. NOW I KNOW THAT THERE'S A I BELIEVE THAT THERE'S A REQUIREMENT FOR THESE MONIES TO BE USED FOR COVID RELATED. AND IF YOU THINK ABOUT IT, OUR OUR YOUTH ARE VICTIMS OF THAT. MAYBE THEY'RE NOT DIRECTLY, YOU KNOW, BEEN AFFECTED BY IT, BUT THEIR FAMILIES HAVE SUFFERED. I REALLY THINK THERE'S THERE'S A LOT OF DEPRESSION WITH YOUNG PEOPLE THAT NEED SOME SUPPORT. WE REALLY NEED AT LEAST TO PROVIDE AN OPPORTUNITY OF A PROGRAM TO HELP THEM AND GIVE THEM SUPPORT TO BRING THEM UP TO SPEED ON BEING SUPPORTIVE. I KNOW THAT WORKING AT THE HIGH SCHOOL, I REALLY FOUND A LOT OF YOUNG PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, LACKING AND SUPPORTS AT HOME. BUT I THINK, LIKE WE SAY THAT IF OUR YOUNG PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, ARE RAISED BY A VILLAGE, OUR COUNTY IS OUR VILLAGE. AND RIGHT NOW WE HAVE THIS OPPORTUNITY WITH THESE MONIES, I REALLY THINK THAT THERE HAS TO BE, YOU KNOW, AN OPPORTUNITY FOR OUR YOUNG PEOPLE, AT LEAST AS A PILOT PROGRAM. I KNOW THAT ROUTE 99 HAS APPROACHED YOU WITH SOME IDEAS. OTHER COUNTIES HAVE EXPERIMENTED WITH PILOT PROGRAMS GIVING SUPPORT TO ADULTS. THE IDEA HERE IS TO SUPPORT A PROJECT THAT WOULD HELP 18 TO 24 YEAR OLD'S OR, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER IS DESIGNATED. THAT'S A REAL CRUCIAL, VITAL TIME AFTER GRADUATION FROM HIGH SCHOOL OR DROPPING OUT, GOING TO COLLEGE, GETTING THEIR FIRST JOBS, YOU KNOW, POSSIBLY. I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT YOU CONSIDER SUCH A PROGRAM. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. GOOD MORNING, BOARD. GOOD MORNING, MY NAME IS DEBBIE MACIAS, I'M THE BUSINESS AGENT WITH THE LABOR UNION [INAUDIBLE] LOCAL 2703 HERE IN THE MERCED AREA. I'M HERE TO CHANGE THE TOPIC. THIS IS NOT ABOUT ITEM NUMBER EIGHT. THIS IS ABOUT THE FINAL BUDGET. THIS IS ABOUT PEOPLE, PEOPLE THAT WORK HERE, PEOPLE WHOSE JOBS ARE BEING DISPLACED. THERE ARE SIX INCUMBENTS WHO IN THIS FINAL BUDGET ARE SLATED FOR REMOVAL. FIVE OF THOSE ARE REPRESENTED IN MY BARGAINING UNIT. FOUR OF THEM ARE BUSINESS SYSTEMS INFORMATION ANALYSTS IN THE HUMAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT, UNDERSTANDABLY. SERVICES ARE BEING CENTRALIZED. THAT'S NOT THE ISSUE. THE OTHER POSITION IS A FIRE INSPECTOR, THREE IN A FIRE PREVENTION INSPECTOR THREE FORGIVE ME IN THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. WE WORK VERY HARD WITH HUMAN RESOURCES, AND UNFORTUNATELY, IT APPEARS THAT THIS BUDGET TOOK QUITE A WHILE TO PUT TOGETHER AND TO BECOME PUBLIC. I'VE BEEN TRYING TO TRACK THIS BUDGET SINCE FRIDAY MORNING. FIND OUT. IT COMES OUT FRIDAY AFTERNOON, FRIDAY AFTERNOON. EVERY HOUR I'M CHECKING, IT'S NOT OUT. FINALLY, MONDAY MORNING I GET THE INFORMATION. WEDNESDAY NIGHT, WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON, I WAS CONTACTED AND TOLD BASICALLY DROPPED A TON OF BRICKS ON ME THAT MY PEOPLE ARE LOSING THEIR JOBS AND BEING DISPLACED NOW. YES, WE'LL TALK ABOUT WHERE CAN THEY POSSIBLY GO? BUT THIS WAS ABOUT AN HOUR BEFORE THE PEOPLE WHO WERE LOSING THEIR JOBS AND BEING DISPLACED WERE GOING TO BE TOLD. SO I'VE HAD VERY LITTLE TIME AND I'VE LOST A LITTLE BIT OF SLEEP. SO AT THIS POINT IN TIME, I'M HERE TO GIVE YOU MY BURDEN. I HAVE SPOKEN TO A DEPARTMENT HEAD IN INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY SYSTEMS, [INAUDIBLE], ABOUT HIS BUDGET AND HOW HE'S POTENTIALLY ABSORBING SOME OF THESE POSITIONS. THESE BUSINESS SYSTEMS, INFORMATION ANALYSTS. HE'S ABLE TO ABSORB TWO LATERAL TRANSFERS. [00:35:01] THE OTHER POSITION THAT IS SLATED TO TO BE ADDED TO HIS BUDGET TO TO POTENTIALLY ABSORB ONE OF THESE PARTIES. BEING DISENFRANCHISED IS A DEMOTION. IT'S A CUT IN PAY. IT'S ABOUT A 10 TO 12 PERCENT CUT IN PAY. WHAT I'VE ASKED HIM IS IF HE COULD HAVE THE FLEXIBILITY. THIS WOULD BE MY PROPOSAL TO TRY TO, YOU KNOW, HEY, IF THE BOARD CAN ACT, CAN YOU UP THAT POSITION TO GIVE ME THREE LATERALS BECAUSE MY FOURTH PERSON IN THAT POSITION LOOKS LIKE HE MIGHT BE ABLE HE'S THE LEAST SENIOR AND LOOKS LIKE HE MIGHT BE ABLE TO LAND IN A SAFE PLACE SOMEWHERE ELSE. AND THAT WOULD SOLVE THE PROBLEM FOR MY BUSINESS INFORMATION ANALYSTS. THEY'D SLIDE OVER INTO LATERALS. YOU'D ALL HAVE THE SAME COMPETENCY AND SAME PEOPLE WE'VE GOT. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT PEOPLE WHO'VE WORKED HERE FOR DECADES. I'M DONE AND I APPRECIATE YOUR TIME, I JUST I REALLY I HOPE THAT AGAIN, YOU CAN TAKE ACTION ONLY YOU CAN FIX THIS. I CAN'T. I'VE DONE ALL I CAN DO. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. SO IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE LIKE MAKE COMMENTS ON THE FINAL BUDGET? [PRESENTATION: COUNTY EXECUTIVE OFFICE - FISCAL YEAR 2021/2022 FINAL BUDGET] IF NOT, I WILL TURN IT OVER TO THE PRESENTATION. MR. BROWN. GOOD MORNING, MR. CHAIRMAN, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD AND PUBLIC. BEFORE WE BEGIN, WE WOULD LIKE TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYONE HAS HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO PICK UP A COPY OF THE PRESENTATION FROM THE TABLE IN THE BACK AND AS WELL AS THE BUDGET AT A GLANCE. IF YOU HAVEN'T, PLEASE FEEL FREE TO GET ONE AT THIS POINT. I'D LIKE TO START BY SAYING THANK YOU TO ALL THE ELECTED OFFICIALS, DEPARTMENT HEADS AND STAFF FOR YOUR COOPERATION WITH PUTTING THIS BUDGET TOGETHER. WE KNOW THAT THE PROCESS HAS BEEN CHALLENGING. YOUR EFFORTS ARE MOST APPRECIATED AND A SPECIAL THANK YOU TO STAFF IN THE AUDITOR, HUMAN RESOURCES AND THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE OFFICE FOR YOUR PERSEVERANCE THROUGH IT ALL IN PUTTING THIS BUDGET TOGETHER. ALTHOUGH THE PROPOSED BUDGET INCLUDED A PRELIMINARY SHORTFALL OF POINT FOUR POINT SIX MILLION DOLLARS, WE WERE OPTIMISTIC ABOUT BEING ABLE TO CLOSE THE GAP FOR FINAL BUDGET. WE ARE HAPPY TO REPORT THAT YOU DO HAVE A FINAL BUDGET THAT IS BALANCED. AS WE JUST DISCUSSED, IT PROPOSED THAT ALTHOUGH OUR LOCAL REVENUES HAD WEATHERED THE PROVERBIAL STORM AND REMAINED RELATIVELY STABLE, WE USE CONSERVATIVE REVENUE ESTIMATES AND FUND BALANCE ESTIMATES UNTIL WE COULD SEE A COUPLE MORE MONTHS OF TRENDS BEFORE FINALIZING THE BUDGET FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION. REVENUES DID THE END OF THE YEAR STRONG, AND THERE WERE SIGNIFICANT ONE TIME REVENUES WHICH HELPED FOR A LARGER THAN NORMAL FUND BALANCE. ALTHOUGH THE ECONOMY CONTINUES TO MOVE FORWARD AND THE OUTLOOK IS POSITIVE, THERE ARE A COUPLE OF AREAS THAT WE WOULD SUGGEST SOME CAUTION AND TO WATCH CAREFULLY. THE FIRST ONE IS PROBABLY SHORTER TERM. HOW WILL PHASING OUT OF THE SIGNIFICANT FEDERAL AND STATE STIMULUS AFFECT THE ECONOMY, ESPECIALLY HOW THE SEPTEMBER 4TH EXPIRATION OF THE PANDEMIC UNEMPLOYMENT ASSISTANCE FUNDING MAY AFFECT CONSUMER SPENDING IN MERCED COUNTY. THE ESTIMATED FUNDING PROVIDED TO COUNTY CONSUMERS WAS ABOUT $3 MILLION A WEEK, OR APPROXIMATELY 13 MILLION A MONTH. AND THE SECOND AND POSSIBLY LONGER TERM, IS THE DROUGHT. IF THERE IS ANOTHER DRY SEASON THIS YEAR. AGRICULTURE, THE COUNTY'S PRIMARY ECONOMIC DRIVER, MAY SEE SIGNIFICANT REDUCTION IN CROP PRODUCTION AND EVEN POSSIBLY THE FOLLOWING OF LAND, WHICH COULD AFFECT LOCAL PROPERTY TAX AND SALES TAX REVENUES. THEREFORE, AS WE WERE FINALIZING RECOMMENDATIONS, WE TOOK A HARD LOOK AT ONE TIME REVENUES AND EXPENDITURES WITH A SIGNIFICANT ONE TIME REVENUES FROM LAST YEAR. THE FINAL BUDGET INCLUDES RECOMMENDATIONS TO USE THEM TOWARDS EITHER THE LONG TERM FISCAL STABILITY OF THE COUNTY, SUCH AS RESERVES OR ONE TIME INFRASTRUCTURE EXPENDITURES LIKE CAPITAL PROJECTS OR FACILITY IMPROVEMENTS FOR SAFETY, ACCESSIBILITY AND DEFERRED MAINTENANCE. WE ALSO WANT TO POINT OUT THAT FROM AN OPERATIONAL PERSPECTIVE, THE FINAL BUDGET DOES INCLUDE SOME RECOMMENDATIONS THAT CONTINUE EFFORTS TO RESTORE SOME POSITIONS IN KEY AREAS THAT ARE STILL FAR BELOW THE LEVELS PRIOR TO THE GREAT RECESSION. IN ADDITION, THERE ARE RECOMMENDATIONS TO STRATEGICALLY RESTRUCTURE A FEW AREAS TO ADDRESS SOME OPERATIONAL NEEDS. THESE WERE NOT EASY DECISIONS. WE TRULY UNDERSTAND THE IMPACT THIS WILL HAVE ON LIVES AND DO NOT TAKE THESE LIGHTLY. WE KNOW THAT IT ISN'T EASY AND WE WILL WORK THE BEST WE CAN WITH THE AFFECTED EMPLOYEES TO IDENTIFY POSSIBLE ALTERNATIVES WITH THE COUNTY. IF YOU LOOK AT OUR HISTORY, WE'VE BEEN VERY GOOD AT BEING ABLE TO REPLACE COUNTY EMPLOYEES WHO HAVE GONE THROUGH SOME CHALLENGING AND DIFFICULT TIMES WITH RELATED TO REDUCTION AND FORCE YOUR FORESIGHT AND PRIORITIZING THE COUNTY'S FISCAL STABILITY DURING THE PAST YEARS WITH PRUDENT AND CAUTIOUS BUDGETING PRACTICES AND A FOCUSED EFFORT OF ALLOCATING RESOURCES TOWARDS ONE TIME ISSUES HAS POSITIONED THE COUNTY WELL. AS A REMINDER, A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO, YOUR FISCAL PRUDENCE AND FINANCIAL [00:40:04] MANAGEMENT EFFORTS WERE RECOGNIZED FROM THE FINANCIAL RATING AGENCIES WHEN STANDARD [INAUDIBLE] UPGRADED THE COUNTY'S FINANCIAL RATING ON THE COUNTY'S OUTSTANDING CERTIFICATES PARTICIPATION NOTES, WHICH IS USUALLY NOT VERY EASY. WE ARE OPTIMISTIC THAT THIS BUDGET CONTINUES THESE EFFORTS, AND AS YOU LOOK FORWARD, WE ENCOURAGE YOU TO CONTINUE THIS APPROACH WITH YOUR DISCUSSIONS AND CONSIDERATION OF THIS YEAR'S FINAL BUDGET. AT THIS TIME, I'LL TURN IT OVER TO MR. MIRRIONE AND MR. DOCKSTADER, WHO WILL WALK THROUGH AN OVERVIEW AND HIGHLIGHT THE MAJOR CHANGES FROM THE PROPOSED BUDGET. GOOD MORNING, CHAIRMAN MCDANIEL, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, CEO BROWN AND COUNTY COUNCIL HANSEN, DAVID MIRRIONE, ASSISTANT COUNTY EXECUTIVE OFFICER TODAY, BUDGET MANAGER SCOTT DOCKSTADER AND I HAVE THE DISTINCT PRIVILEGE OF PRESENTING THE 2021-22 COUNTY BUDGET. PRIOR TO STARTING OUR PRESENTATION, I'D LIKE TO THANK ALL OF THE COUNTY STAFF AND THE VARIOUS DEPARTMENTS THAT PARTNERED WITH THE BUDGET OFFICE THROUGHOUT THE YEAR TO PREPARE THIS YEAR'S BUDGET. I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO THANK THE STAFF AND THE COUNTY AUDITOR COMPTROLLER'S OFFICE AND THE HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT FOR THEIR PARTICIPATION AND PARTNERSHIP. LASTLY, I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE A MOMENT TO THANK THE STAFF OF THE CEO'S OFFICE WHO'VE WORKED TIRELESSLY TO BRING TODAY'S BUDGET TO YOUR BOARD. THANK YOU TO NICOLE DESMOND, LINDSAY JOHNSON, AMBER PHILLIPS, ADRIANA VALDEZ, DOLLY ACOSTA, ARACELI SANCHEZ AND OUR BOARD STAFF TAMARA WILLIAMS AND [INAUDIBLE]. AND LASTLY, OUR COUNTY BUDGET MANAGER, SCOTT DOCKSTADER. SO OUR FIRST SLIDE THAT WE BRING TO YOU TODAY IS OUR REVENUES VERSUS EXPENDITURES FOR THE GENERAL FUND. AND THIS IS A, YOU KNOW, IT GOES BACK 14 YEARS BACK TO 07-08 TO SHOW OUR TRENDS OF REVENUE AND EXPENDITURES. YOU'LL NOTICE THAT FOR FISCAL YEAR 21-22, WE CLOSED THE YEAR WITH 480 MILLION IN REVENUE AND 458 MILLION IN EXPENDITURES. THIS REPRESENTS A 35 MILLION INCREASE IN REVENUE AND A 19 MILLION INCREASE IN EXPENDITURE FROM PRIOR YEAR. I WOULD LIKE TO POINT OUT WE HAVE AN ASTERISK DOWN AT THE BOTTOM THAT WE HAD ONE TIME REVENUE IN THE AMOUNT OF SEVENTEEN POINT NINE MILLION. SO YOU WILL NOTICE THAT THERE IS A BLACK DOTTED LINE ON THAT CHART, WHICH REPRESENTS 462 MILLION, AND THAT IS WHAT THE REVENUE WOULD HAVE BEEN WITHOUT THAT ONE TIME REVENUE. SO WE WANT TO PUT THAT IN PERSPECTIVE. AS CEO BROWN MENTIONED IN HIS OPENING REMARKS, THERE WERE STRONG ONE TIME REVENUES THAT CAME IN THIS YEAR. SO THE BIGGEST DRIVER OF THE 19 MILLION INCREASE OF EXPENSE IS FROM A THIRTEEN POINT SIX MILLION DOLLARS INCREASE IN THE HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICE FUNCTIONAL AREA AND BIGGEST DRIVER OF REVENUE IS ALSO IN THE HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES FUNCTIONAL AREA. THE NEXT SLIDE IS OUR CASH FLOW IN THE GENERAL FUND FOR THE GENERAL FOR THE JUNE YEAR END. THIS IS IN THE GENERAL FUND AND SO WE FINISHED THE YEAR WITH A HUNDRED AND THIRTEEN POINT FOUR MILLION. NOW I WOULD LIKE TO POINT OUT AGAIN, WE DID INCLUDE A DOTTED LINE THERE, WHICH SHOWS THE IMPACT OF THE SEVENTEEN POINT NINE OF ONE TIME REVENUES, AND THAT BRINGS IT TO NINETY FIVE POINT FIVE MILLION. SO THE AVAILABLE FUND BALANCE AFTER OUR RESERVES, YOU WILL SEE HERE, AND THIS TAKES US BACK TO 07-08. AND SO WHAT THIS SHOWS IS A TOTAL FUND BALANCE OF SIXTY POINT ONE MILLION. AGAIN, THAT'S SEVENTEEN POINT NINE MILLION IS REPRESENTED THERE AS AS AS A ONE TIME INCREASE. AND THE FORTY TWO POINT TWO MILLION IS IS OUR ONGOING FUND BALANCE. SO OUR BUDGETED LOCAL REVENUE WE HAVE BUDGETED THIS YEAR AT ONE HUNDRED AND FIVE POINT THREE MILLION, THAT IS UP FROM NINETY NINE POINT NINE MILLION. I WOULD LIKE TO POINT OUT THAT, YOU KNOW, AT LAST YEAR'S BUDGET, WE WERE STILL VERY MUCH, YOU KNOW, DEALING WITH COVID AS WE ARE TODAY. AND SO THAT WAS A CONSERVATIVE ESTIMATE AT NINETY NINE POINT NINE. AND SO WHEN WHEN YOU TAKE THAT INTO CONSIDERATION, WE ARE SEEING, YOU KNOW, NORMAL GROWTH YEAR OVER YEAR. SO I WOULD LIKE TO POINT THAT OUT. SO THIS NEXT SLIDE SHOWS THE BREAKDOWN OF HOW THAT, EXCUSE ME, ONE HUNDRED AND FIVE POINT THREE MILLION DOLLARS OF LOCAL RESOURCES IS BUDGETED. [00:45:01] YOU WILL SEE THE FIRST COLUMN TO THE LEFT IS WHERE WE ENDED LAST YEAR, WHERE YOUR WHERE YOUR BUDGET WAS APPROVED AT 2021. AND THEN WHAT WE BROUGHT FORWARD AT THE 21-22 PROPOSED BUDGET BACK IN JUNE. AND THEN WE ARE WHERE WE ARE AT TODAY AFTER GOING THROUGH AND AND REVISITING THE BUDGET, AS CEO BROWN MENTIONED IN HIS REMARKS. AND SO THE BIGGEST INCREASE THOSE FIRST TWO LINES, WE'VE INCREASED OUR OUR BUDGET BY TWO POINT TWO MILLION FOR OUR PROPERTY TAX ITEMS AND AND HAD SOME MINOR ADJUSTMENTS IN THE STATE, FEDERAL AND OTHER CHARGES, AS WELL AS THE CHARGES FOR SERVICE. SO WHAT THAT DOES IS THAT SHOWS YOU THERE AT THE BOTTOM OF THAT COLUMN, THE ONE HUNDRED AND FIVE POINT THREE THAT WE DISCUSSED ON THE LAST SLIDE, AS WELL AS THE SIXTY POINT ONE MILLION OF FUND RESERVES FOR OUR TOTAL LOCAL RESOURCES OF ONE HUNDRED AND SIXTY FIVE POINT FOUR MILLION. SO THIS NEXT CHART SHOWS THE HISTORICAL TREND OF THE LOCAL BUDGET, THE BUDGETED LOCAL RESOURCES AFTER THE LAST 15 YEARS. SO AGAIN, ON THE FAR RIGHT YOU HAVE THE ONE HUNDRED AND FIVE POINT THREE THAT WE HAVE BUDGETED. OF OUR LOCAL RESOURCES. AND THEN THE FUND BALANCE OF SIXTY POINT ONE WITH THE SEVENTEEN POINT NINE OF THAT IS THE ONE TIME. AND SO THAT BRINGS US TO A TOTAL OF ONE HUNDRED AND SIXTY FIVE POINT FOUR MILLION. AND SO HERE IS OUR NET COUNTY COST, WHICH AGAIN, ONE HUNDRED AND SIXTY FIVE POINT FOUR MILLION. THAT'S A NINETEEN POINT ONE MILLION DOLLARS INCREASE YEAR OVER YEAR. AND AND SO WE DID WANT TO HIGHLIGHT AGAIN WE HAD SIGNIFICANT ONE TIME REVENUES AND EXPENDITURES. SO I'D LIKE TO TO GO OVER THE NET COUNTY COST TO GIVE A BREAKDOWN HERE, SO YOU'LL SEE TO THE FAR LEFT ONE HUNDRED AND SIXTY FIVE POINT FOUR MILLION OF TOTAL NET COUNTY COST. AND WE ARE USING ONE HUNDRED AND FIVE POINT THREE MILLION OF COUNTY WIDE REVENUE. AND THAT SIXTY POINT ONE A FUND BALANCE, AS WE'VE MENTIONED. WE WANTED TO BREAK THAT OUT A LITTLE FURTHER AND SHOW THE ONGOING NET COUNTY COSTS VERSUS THE ONE TIME NET COUNTY COSTS. SO ONE TIME PROJECTS VERSUS ONGOING PROJECTS THAT THAT MAKE UP THAT ONE HUNDRED AND SIXTY FIVE POINT FOUR MILLION. SO OF THE ONGOING, THAT TOTAL IS ONE HUNDRED AND FORTY SEVEN POINT THREE MILLION OF WHICH, YOU KNOW, WE'RE USING ALL COUNTYWIDE REVENUE TO TO TO FUND THAT, AS WELL AS FORTY TWO MILLION OF AVAILABLE FUND BALANCE AND THEN THE EIGHTEEN POINT ONE OF ONE TIME COSTS. WE ARE ALSO USING FUND BALANCE TO TO TO COVER THOSE EXPENSES. THE NEXT SLIDE IS OUR TOTAL RESERVES FOR THE GENERAL FUND, AS YOU MAY REMEMBER, LAST YEAR, AT THIS TIME, WE BROUGHT FORWARD AND YOUR BOARD ADOPTED A GENERAL FUND RESERVE POLICY. AND WHAT THAT POLICY DID WAS TOOK BASICALLY, WE TAKE A THREE YEAR PREVIOUS THREE YEAR ACTUAL AVERAGE OF THE GENERAL FUND REVENUE AND THEN APPLY A SEVEN TO NINE PERCENT RANGE THAT THE RESERVE NEEDS TO BE SET WITHIN. AND SO LAST YEAR, WE WERE AT THIRTY ONE POINT ONE. THIS YEAR, WE'RE RECOMMENDING A THIRTY NINE POINT ONE MILLION DOLLAR RESERVE THAT TAKES US TO EIGHT POINT EIGHT PERCENT IN THAT RANGE. AND YOU KNOW, WE USE THE BENCHMARK IN YEARS PAST OF LOOKING AT THE 08 09, YOU KNOW, JUST PRIOR TO THE LOCAL IMPACT OF THE RECESSION AND THAT THIRTY ONE POINT ONE MILLION DOLLAR MARK, IF WE APPLY THAT SAME CONCEPT OF THE THREE YEAR ACTUAL AVERAGE AND APPLY THAT POLICY TO IT, THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN AT TEN POINT ONE NINE PERCENT BACK THEN OF THAT THREE YEAR AVERAGE. AND SO JUST TO PUT IT IN PERSPECTIVE, TEN POINT ONE NINE PERCENT IN THIS YEAR BASED ON ON ON THIS POLICY WOULD BE FORTY FIVE POINT TWO MILLION DOLLARS. SO, YOU KNOW, IT JUST GOES TO SHOW THAT THIRTY ONE POINT ONE MILLION DOLLARS IS NOT THE SAME NOW AS IT WAS IN 08-09, AND WE WANTED TO GIVE THAT COMPARISON. WE WILL HAVE AN AGENDA ITEM LATER TODAY TO DISCUSS THE RESERVE POLICY AT IN LENGTH. THE NEXT SLIDE SHOWS OUR GENERAL FUND CONTINGENCY. AND SO LAST YEAR, THAT WAS INCREASED FROM SEVEN AND A HALF MILLION TO NINE AND A HALF MILLION. WE ARE RECOMMENDING TO KEEP THAT AT NINE AND A HALF MILLION. THAT WAS, YOU KNOW, THE WHEN WHEN WE WALKED THROUGH IT. LAST YEAR, THERE WERE THE UNCERTAINTIES AROUND THE ECONOMY AND AND COVID IN [00:50:01] GENERAL. I THINK WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE MR. BROWN'S OPENING REMARKS, WE ALSO NOW ARE LOOKING AT THE UNEMPLOYMENT, DROUGHT AND CHALLENGES WITH WATER. AND SO WE THOUGHT IT WAS BEST TO KEEP IT BUDGETED AT THE NINE AND A HALF MILLION BECAUSE MANY OF THE UNCERTAINTIES THAT WERE IN PLACE WHEN THAT WAS INCREASED ARE STILL PRESENT TODAY. SO WITH THE NEXT SLIDE, I'M GOING TO ASK OUR COUNTY BUDGET MANAGER, MR. SCOTT DOCKSTADER, TO STEP FORWARD AND WALK YOU THROUGH THE NEXT HANDFUL OF SLIDES. GOOD MORNING, BOARD, GOOD MORNING, GOOD AFTERNOON NOW. NOPE, NOT QUITE. BOARD CHAIR CEO BROWN. SO THIS NEXT SLIDE IS OUR COUNTYWIDE POSITIONS. THERE'S ALREADY BEEN SOME DISCUSSION ABOUT THE BEEN BROUGHT UP ABOUT POSITIONS. YOU'LL NOTICE WE ARE RECOMMENDING TO ADD POSITIONS AS PART OF THE PACKAGE HERE FOR FINAL BUDGET TODAY. IF YOU RECALL, LAST YEAR'S PROPOSED BUDGET, AS WAS PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED ALREADY WITH COVID. THERE WAS GREAT CONCERN ABOUT THE ECONOMY AND WHERE WE WERE GOING AND OUR ONGOING ABILITY WITH REVENUES TO BE ABLE TO SUPPORT AND CONTINUE ON. SO THERE WAS LAST YEAR AT BUDGET THERE QUITE A NUMBER OF POSITIONS THAT WERE REDUCED THIS YEAR WITH PROPOSED BUDGET, WE ARE PROPOSING TO ADD A NUMBER OF POSITIONS BACK. AS PART OF YOUR FINAL BUDGET AGENDA TODAY. YOU HAVE NO ITEM NUMBER 14 IN THAT. THERE ARE FORTY SEVEN POSITIONS THAT ARE BEING PROPOSED TO BE ADDED TO THE BUDGET, AS WELL AS THE SIX REDUCTIONS IN FORCE THAT WERE ALREADY SPOKEN OF THESE POSITIONS. AND YOU CAN LOOK AT ITEM NUMBER 14 TO SEE THEM ALL LISTED OUT, BUT YOU'LL NOTICE QUITE A FEW OF THEM OR ARE BEING RECOMMENDED FOR SUPPORT. WE ALSO HAVE SOME FOR OUR CORRECTIONS AND AND KIND OF SOME VARIOUS THINGS THROUGHOUT. OVERALL, YOU'LL NOTICE HERE THE TOTAL NUMBER OF POSITIONS IS INCREASED BY MORE THAN FORTY SEVEN IN BETWEEN PROPOSED AND FINAL. YOUR BOARD HAS ALREADY TAKEN ACTION TO ADD SOME POSITIONS TO BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AND TO PUBLIC HEALTH RELATED TO DIFFERENT FUNDING THAT THEY ALREADY HAVE. SO THAT'S THE VARIANCE THERE BETWEEN. SO OVERALL, BETWEEN PROPOSED AND FINAL, IT'S ABOUT A SEVENTY FIVE POSITION ADDITION OF ALL THE POSITIONS. THIS NEXT SLIDE KIND OF WALKS THROUGH THE ADJUSTMENTS FROM PROPOSED BUDGET TO FINAL. AS MENTIONED ALREADY BY CEO BROWN, A PROPOSED BUDGET, WE HAD A SHORTFALL OF FOUR POINT FIVE MILLION DOLLARS FOR FINAL BUDGET. WE ARE RECOMMENDING TO INCREASE OUR COUNTYWIDE REVENUES FROM WHERE THEY WERE AT, PROPOSED BY ANOTHER THREE MILLION HAS ALREADY SPOKEN OF BY ASSISTANT CEO MIRRIONE. THAT'S MAINLY IN PROPERTY TAXES AND SALES TAX. AND THEN WE ALSO HAD A LARGE FUND BALANCE COME IN AN ADDITIONAL EIGHT POINT SIX MILLION DOLLARS. MOST OF THAT ONE TIME REVENUES COMING INTO TO BOLSTER OUR FUND BALANCE AND THINGS THAT ARE THAT HAVE CHANGED OUR NET ACCOUNTING COST. WE HAVE FIVE MILLION INCREASE OF NET COUNTY COST TO OUR CORRECTIONAL FACILITIES, PHASE ONE AS THAT PROJECT MOVES FORWARD. AND THEN WE HAVE ADJUSTMENTS TO OUR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS. THERE'S AN ITEM THAT LISTS ALL OF THOSE OUT AS WELL, BUT IN TOTALITY, THAT WAS AN INCREASE IN THE COUNTY COST OF SIX POINT FOUR MILLION. WE DID INCREASE OUR PROP 172 REVENUES. IF YOU RECALL, LAST YEAR AT BUDGET, WE WERE AGAIN CONCERNED WITH THE ECONOMY. SO WE REDUCED OUR PROP 172 REVENUES BY ONE POINT FIVE MILLION DOLLARS. WE'VE RESTORED THAT AND ADDED AN ADDITIONAL ONE POINT FIVE MILLION AT THIS TIME. AND THEN IT PROPOSED BUDGET. WE HAD A TWO AND A HALF MILLION DOLLAR NET COUNTY COST FOR OUR CREEKS, FOR FLOOD CONTROL. WE ARE PROPOSING TO USE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN DOLLARS FOR THAT FLOOD CONTROL PROJECT AT THIS TIME AND THEN STAFFING ADJUSTMENTS. ALL THOSE ADJUSTMENTS HAVE A NET COUNTY COST OF ABOUT ONE POINT FOUR MILLION DOLLARS OPERATING TRANSFERS FOR OES. AGAIN, JUST TO HELP BOLSTER ANY UNFORESEEN THINGS THAT WE MAY NEED TO DO COMING THROUGH THIS YEAR AS WE'RE STILL IN COVID. ANOTHER $TWO HUNDRED FIFTY THOUSAND DOLLARS. AND THEN WE HAD ELECTIONS WE SINCE PROPOSED BUDGET HAVE RECEIVED RECALL REVENUES. SO THOSE ARE OFFSETTING NOW APPROPRIATIONS THAT WE HAD IN BUDGET AT PROPOSED BUDGET AND [00:55:01] THEN ALL OTHER DEPARTMENTAL ADJUSTMENTS HAD HAD A NET EFFECT OF ABOUT THREE HUNDRED AND EIGHTY THOUSAND DOLLARS INCREASE IN THAT COUNTY COST. SO THIS SLIDE IS MORE OF AN OVERVIEW OF OUR TOTAL BUDGET. YOU'LL NOTICE OUR TOTAL BUDGET OF EIGHT HUNDRED AND FORTY FOUR POINT EIGHT MILLION DOLLARS. THIS IS A RATHER LARGE INCREASE FROM LAST YEAR. A LARGE PORTION OF THAT IS IN OUR HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES AGENCY OF ABOUT FORTY FORTY FIVE POINT SIX MILLION DOLLARS. WE ALSO HAVE OUR CREEKS PROJECT, OUR CORRECTIONAL FACILITIES, COMMUNITY VETERANS, HALLS AND COUNTY FACILITIES THAT ARE ALL PROJECTS THAT ARE IN THE BUDGET CURRENTLY THAT ARE HELPING TO INCREASE THAT TOTAL BUDGET. SO A NUMBER OF THOSE ARE IN OUR OTHER FUNDS, SO YOU'LL NOTICE TWO HUNDRED AND TEN POINT ONE MILLION DOLLARS IN OUR OTHER FUNDS ARE WE HAVE A LOT OF CAPITAL PROJECTS, SUCH AS OUR CORRECTIONAL FACILITY AT FOURTEEN POINT THREE MILLION DOLLARS. WE HAVE FIRE ASSETS THAT ARE BEING PURCHASED THAT ARE PART OF THIS PROPOSED BUDGET AS WELL AND THEN INCREASES ALSO IN OUR FIRST FIVE FIRST FIVE PROGRAM AND THEN OUR GENERAL FUND SIX HUNDRED AND THIRTY FOUR POINT SEVEN MILLION DOLLARS. THIS ALSO IS AN INCREASE FROM PROPOSED BUDGET, AND A LARGE PORTION OF THIS AGAIN, IS OUR HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES FUNCTIONAL AREA I MENTIONED EARLIER AND THEN A LOT OF CAPITAL PROJECTS BEING PROPOSED USING THOSE ONE TIME DOLLARS THAT WE SPOKE OF. SO THE GENERAL FUND INCREASE IS LARGELY OFFSET BY, YOU KNOW, DEPARTMENT DEDICATED REVENUES THAT FOUR HUNDRED SIXTY NINE POINT THREE MILLION DOLLARS TO GET US TO A NET COUNTY COST OF ONE HUNDRED AND SIXTY FIVE POINT FOUR MILLION DOLLARS. AND THOSE ARE BEING SUPPORTED BY THE REVENUES IN GENERAL FUND THAT MR. MIRRIONE SPOKE OF EARLIER. OUR TOTAL BUDGET OF EIGHT HUNDRED AND FORTY FOUR POINT EIGHT MILLION DOLLARS IN THOSE THAT ARE HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES IS FORTY SEVEN PERCENT OF THE OVERALL TOTAL BUDGET MUNICIPAL COUNTYWIDE SERVICES, TWENTY ONE PERCENT LOCAL PUBLIC SAFETY. SIXTEEN PERCENT. AND OUR SUPPORT SERVICES, CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS SIXTEEN PERCENT. AND THEN OUR GENERAL FUND BUDGET OF SIX HUNDRED AND THIRTY FOUR POINT SEVEN MILLION DOLLARS. OUR HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES AGAIN IS THE LARGEST FUNCTIONAL AREA THREE HUNDRED SEVENTY FIVE POINT THREE HUNDRED SEVENTY FIVE POINT NINE MILLION DOLLARS, OR FIFTY NINE PERCENT OF THE OVERALL GENERAL FUND BUDGET, FOLLOWED BY MUNICIPAL COUNTYWIDE SERVICES AT EIGHT PERCENT. LOCAL PUBLIC SAFETY AT TWENTY ONE PERCENT. SUPPORT SERVICES AT TWELVE PERCENT. THIS SLIDE SHOWS THE ALL FUNDS KIND OF THE TOTAL BUDGET, IF YOU WILL, IN EACH OF THOSE DIFFERENT FUNCTIONAL AREAS FOR THE LAST FOUR FISCAL YEARS. YOU'LL NOTICE THAT WE CONTINUE TO HAVE INCREASES IN OUR HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES FUNCTIONAL AREA SUPPORTED BY FEDERAL AND STATE REVENUES. WE ALSO HAVE AN INCREASE IN OUR COUNTYWIDE MUNICIPAL SERVICES. THAT'S OUR CREEKS PROJECTS AND FIRE PUBLIC SAFETY AND JUSTICE. WE HAVE AN INCREASE OF ABOUT THIRTEEN POINT FOUR MILLION DOLLARS. THERE IS A FIVE MILLION INCREASE IN THERE FOR OUR CORRECTIONAL FACILITY. THAT'S A LARGE PORTION OF THAT. ALSO, SOME INCREASES IN PROBATION AND JUVENILE HALL AND SHERIFF OPERATIONS AS WELL, AND STAFFING SUPPORT SERVICES AND OUR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM. THIRTY FOUR, IT'S OVERALL ONE THIRTY THREE POINT ONE HUNDRED AND THIRTY THREE POINT SIX MILLION DOLLARS, OR A THIRTY EIGHT POINT FOUR MILLION DOLLARS INCREASE. AND THIS THESE INCREASES ARE MAINLY DUE TO, YOU KNOW, OUR CORRECTIONAL FACILITY, A FOURTEEN POINT ONE MILLION DOLLARS. OUR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS AT ABOUT TWELVE POINT FOUR MILLION DOLLARS. SO THERE'S A LOT OF CAPITAL PROJECTS THAT ARE IN THIS BUDGET. YOUR TOTAL BUDGET OF EIGHT HUNDRED AND FORTY FOUR POINT EIGHT MILLION DOLLARS. OTHER FUNDS AT TWO HUNDRED AND TEN POINT ONE MILLION AND OUR GENERAL FUND SIX HUNDRED AND THIRTY FOUR POINT SEVEN AND OF THAT GENERAL FUND. THE NET COUNTY COST OF ONE HUNDRED AND SIXTY FIVE POINT FOUR MILLION DOLLARS, WITH DEPARTMENT DEDICATED REVENUES AT FOUR HUNDRED SIXTY NINE POINT THREE MILLION DOLLARS. [01:00:04] SO THIS SLIDE SHOWS OUR NET COUNTY COST BROKEN DOWN INTO THE DIFFERENT FUNCTIONAL AREAS. SO IN OUR NET COUNTY COST, OUR LOCAL PUBLIC SAFETY JUSTICE MAKE UP EIGHTY FIVE POINT FIVE MILLION DOLLARS, OR FIFTY TWO PERCENT OF OUR NET COUNTY COST, FOLLOWED BY OUR SUPPORT SERVICES CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM AT THIRTY TWO PERCENT. OUR HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES AREA AT FOUR PERCENT. OUR MUNICIPAL COUNTYWIDE SERVICES AT TWELVE PERCENT OF YOUR OVERALL NET COUNTY COST. THIS SLIDE SHOWS THAT NET CAN COST BY FUNCTIONAL AREA AGAIN OVER THE LAST FEW FISCAL YEARS. SO YOU'LL NOTICE THAT OUR LOCAL PUBLIC SAFETY JUSTICE SYSTEM INCREASED OF THREE POINT ONE MILLION DOLLARS FROM PROPOSED BUDGET TO SPOKEN OF THE CORRECTIONAL FACILITY. THE FIVE MILLION SO THAT THAT IS THE INCREASE IN OUR LOCAL PUBLIC SAFETY JUSTICE AND THAT CAN COST HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES. WE HAD A SLIGHT CHANGE, BUT OVERALL NET COUNTY COST STAYED ABOUT THE SAME. MUNICIPAL COUNTY WIDE SERVICES, WE HAD A DECREASE OF ABOUT TWO POINT FOUR MILLION DOLLARS TO TWENTY POINT NINE MILLION DOLLARS, AND THAT REALLY WAS THE CREEK'S PROJECTS BEING OFFSET BY THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN FUNDING. SO THAT DECREASED OUR NET COUNTY COSTS THERE AND OUR SUPPORT SERVICES. CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS INCREASE OF SIX POINT FOUR MILLION DOLLARS FROM PROPOSED. AND THAT REALLY IS THE NET COUNTY COST OF THE CAPITAL PROJECTS THAT WE'RE PROPOSING TO MOVE FORWARD WITH AS PART OF THIS FINAL BUDGET. WITH THAT, I'LL TURN THE TIME BACK OVER TO CEO BROWN. SO AS YOU LOOK AT THE YOUR AGENDA FOR TODAY AND LOOK AT THE ITEMS SUGGESTED FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION, YOU KNOW, KIND OF HITTING HIGH LEVEL ON THESE, NOT ALL OF THEM, BUT RESERVES. IF YOU RECALL AT YOUR PROPOSED BUDGET, THERE WAS SOME INTEREST EXPRESSED TO STAFF TO CONSIDER IF WE HAD THE FLEXIBILITY OF INCREASING THE RESERVE AND THEN POSSIBLY THERE SEEMED TO BE SOME INTEREST OF POSSIBILITY OF DISCUSSING MODIFYING THE POLICY YOU PUT IN PLACE LAST YEAR. SO THE ITEM ON THE RESERVE POLICY IS ESSENTIALLY PROVIDING YOU THAT OPPORTUNITY TO WHETHER, YOU KNOW, TO MODIFY THE SUGGESTED LEVEL OF RESERVES AND OR TO GIVE US SOME DIRECTION RELATED TO THE RESERVE POLICY THAT YOU, YOU KNOW, THAT YOU ESTABLISH LAST YEAR CORRECTIONAL FACILITIES, AS FAR AS PHASE ONE IS CONCERNED, JUST A LITTLE UPDATE FOR EVERYBODY. WE WERE SUPPOSED TO BE AT THE BSCC LAST WEEK. IT DID NOT MAKE THE AGENDA FOR, FOR SOME, FOR SOME REASONS. WE ARE HOPING THAT AT THE NEXT BSCC MEETING IN NOVEMBER THAT YOU KNOW THEY WILL BE CONSIDERING THE CHANGE OF SCOPE AS A RESULT OF THE ESTIMATED COST COMING IN SIGNIFICANTLY GREATER ON PHASE ONE. SO WE HAD TO KIND OF DOWNSIZE A SCOPE A LITTLE BIT AND ESSENTIALLY AS AS WAS MENTIONED TO YOU, WE DID TRY TO BACKFILL, YOU KNOW, THE FUNDING, YOU KNOW, TO GO WITH PHASE ONE, WHICH IS THAT FORTY MILLION GRANT, WHICH IS PART OF THAT AND THAT WOULD COME TO YOU AT SOME POINT AROUND THAT BSCC BOARD MEETING. THE ITEM FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION IS RELATED TO PHASE TWO. WE ARE AT THE POINT WHERE WE'RE CONTINUING A PARALLEL PROCESS BETWEEN PHASE ONE AND PHASE TWO. IF YOU WANT TO MOVE FORWARD WITH PHASE TWO, ESSENTIALLY, THE NEXT STEP IS AUTHORIZING US TO ISSUE AN RFQ TO BASICALLY ESTABLISH A NARROWED DOWN TO POTENTIAL BIDDERS FOR, YOU KNOW, AN RFP PROCESS. AND SO THAT IS THE ACTION FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION UNDER CORRECTIONAL FACILITIES TODAY IS WHETHER YOU WANT US TO GO ISSUE IN RFQ TO START THAT PROCESS. FIRE FIRE IS ALSO THE REVENUES THAT COME IN, SIMILAR TO WHAT ON THE GENERAL FUND SIDE. AS WE MENTIONED A PROPOSED BUDGET, THERE ARE A NUMBER OF THINGS IN FIRE. I THINK FROM A FIRE, YOU KNOW YOUR ASSISTANT CHIEF WILL BE COMING TO YOU TO PROVIDE YOU A SO I DON'T WANT TO STEAL ANY OF HIS THUNDER. BUT ESSENTIALLY THE TWO BIG ISSUES ON FIRE REALLY ARE [INAUDIBLE] STAFFING AND FACILITIES. IT'S FROM A SERVICE DELIVERY STANDPOINT. THOSE ARE THE TWO ISSUES, AND WE LIKE TO THINK THAT THE WHAT WERE THE SUGGESTIONS THAT ARE BEING MOVED FORWARD MOVE THAT BALL FORWARD ON THESE AREAS. BUT I'LL JUST SAY THE ITEM FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION TODAY IS ESSENTIALLY JUST EXTENDING THE CAL FIRE CONTRACT BY A YEAR, NOT ENTERING INTO A THREE OR FOUR YEAR MULTIYEAR AT THIS POINT, PRIMARILY RELATED TO. [01:05:02] THERE ARE SOME THINGS THAT ARE GOING TO BE PLAYING OUT AT THE STATE OVER THE NEXT YEAR. THE WE SUGGEST YOU GET A BETTER FEEL FOR BEFORE ENTERING AND LOCKING UP A MULTI-YEAR AT THIS POINT AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN. AND WE DO HAVE SOME SLIDES FOR YOU TODAY TO WALK THROUGH. I WOULD JUST CAUTION YOU THAT YOU DO NOT HAVE TO SPEND THIS MONEY ALL AT ONCE. YOU HAVE SOME TIME AND YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TRIED TO PUT TOGETHER AND WE WILL BE REACHING OUT TO THE COMMUNITY. CONTRARY TO MESSAGES THAT ARE BEING DELIVERED AND BUT WE ARE TRYING TO FIND THAT BALANCE THAT YOU HAD A PLAN IN PLACE. YOU HAVE FACILITIES SPREAD IN THOSE UNINCORPORATED COMMUNITIES THAT YOU HAVE BEEN HEARING FROM YOUR COMMUNITIES FOR YEARS TO FIX. AND SO WE ARE TRYING TO FIND THAT BALANCE OF MOVING FORWARD, FIXING WHAT YOU'VE BEEN HEARING FROM YOUR CONSTITUENTS FOR YEARS ON AND THE BALANCE OF GETTING INPUT. THERE'S A BALANCE THERE AND YOU KNOW, IT'S A CHALLENGE, BUT WE ARE TRYING TO NAVIGATE THAT BALANCE. I WILL REMIND YOU, DURING LAST YEAR'S FINAL BUDGET HEARING, YOU ACTUALLY HAD SOMEONE COME TO THE PODIUM THANKING YOU FOR MOVING FORWARD ON THOSE COMMUNITY FACILITIES AND ENCOURAGED YOU TO CONTINUE TO MOVE FORWARD ON FIXING AND TRYING TO, YOU KNOW, PUT NEW AIR CONDITIONERS AND HEATING AND ACCESSIBILITY AND DOING THOSE IN YOUR COMMUNITY FACILITIES THAT THOSE ARE ALSO SERVING YOUR COMMUNITIES AND YOU HAVE RECEIVED INPUT, I KNOW NOT JUST RECENTLY, BUT FOR YEARS ON THOSE TO TRY AND FIX. AND YOU HAD A PLAN IN PLACE. WE HAD PUT A PAUSE ON IT. WE'RE JUST SUGGESTING NOW YOU, YOU MOVE FORWARD AND TRY TO GET THOSE THINGS DONE. SO YOUR COMMUNITIES HAVE AREAS AND THAT'S COMMUNITY HALLS, VETERANS HALLS. THERE'S PARKS, THERE'S LIBRARIES. ALL THOSE TYPES OF THINGS ARE ALL ENCOMPASSED ON THE RECOMMENDATIONS TODAY. THERE ARE NO RECOMMENDATIONS RELATED TO WHAT I WILL CALL WHAT'S A COUNTY ADMINISTRATION FACILITY OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT TODAY. IT'S COMMUNITY FACILITIES WHERE YOUR COMMUNITIES UTILIZE THEM. ON ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH, YOU KNOW, FROM A STANDPOINT RELATED TO YOU'VE TAKEN ACTION TO TRY AND CONSOLIDATE AND, YOU KNOW, CREATE A TRUE ONE STOP SHOP UNDER ONE AREA. THE LAST PIECE OUT THERE WAS ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH. WE HAVE SUBMITTED THE PLAN TO THE STATE. THE STATE HAS GOTTEN BACK TO US AND IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S A TENTATIVELY AN APPROVAL. BUT THEY NEED YOUR ACTION TO SAY YES, YOU WANT TO DO THIS, OR NO, YOU DON'T WANT TO DO THIS. IF YOU SAY YES, WE WILL GO BACK TO THE STATE AND THEN IF THEY ALL GIVE THEIR ULTIMATE APPROVAL, THEN WE WILL COME BACK TO YOU. AFTER HEARING THAT FOR ANY CHANGES IN COUNTY CODE STAFFING ISSUES AND ALL THAT TYPE STUFF, WE'LL FOLLOW UP AFTER THAT. SUBSTANDARD HOUSING: OVER THE PAST YEARS, WE HAVE BUILT IN ONE HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS A YEAR TO TRANSFER TO ASSIST WITH WHAT I CALL QUALITY OF LIFE ISSUES IN YOUR COMMUNITIES AND RELATING TO WHETHER IT'S UNSAFE BUILDING STRUCTURES AND SUCH AS THAT. AND THEN WE COME BACK TO YOU FOR A POSSIBLE LIEN ON THE HOUSE FOR A POTENTIAL RECOVERY. RECENTLY, YOU HAVE SHIFTED CODE COMPLIANCE UNDERNEATH THE SHERIFF AND THERE HAS BEEN AN AGGRESSIVE EFFORT OUT THERE RELATED TO THESE. YOU HAVE ASKED US TO BE AGGRESSIVE ON THESE PROPOSED SO PRIOR TO YOUR SHIFTING. WE DID BECAUSE OF THE WE THOUGHT ONE TIME BENEFIT. WE DID BUMP THAT HUNDRED UP TO TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTY THOUSAND. SO THERE IS A RECOMMENDED TRANSFER OF TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTY THOUSAND DOLLARS TO PROVIDE MORE FLEXIBILITY IF YOU SO DESIRE AND RESOURCES AVAILABLE TO HELP WITH SOME OF THE CLEANUPS. WHAT WE'RE ASKING OF YOU AT THIS POINT IS TO GIVE US GUIDANCE ON, YOU KNOW, HOW TO USE THOSE ON UNSAFE BUILDING STRUCTURES ON, YOU KNOW, ACCUMULATED WASTE, AND VERY CANDIDLY, AS YOU'LL SEE FROM MR. CHECKLEY AND MR. MIRRIONE, THERE ARE SOME AREAS WHERE WE DO QUESTION OF WHETHER WE CAN RECOVER THE FULL VALUE OF THE COST OF THE CLEANUP, BUT WE'D LIKE TO HEAR FROM YOU HOW YOU'D LIKE US TO MOVE FORWARD. ROAD WORK PROGRAM IS YOUR ANNUAL ROAD WORK PROGRAM. WILLIAM SNACKED IS THE ANNUAL, YOU KNOW, MECHANISM THAT WE'VE GOT TO COME FORWARD. IF YOU RECALL, MANY YEARS AGO, THE STATE STOPPED THE SUBVENTIONS. THERE WAS A TEMPORARY PLAN PUT IN PLACE. I THINK ABOUT 2010 OR SO IT BECAME PERMANENT AND ESSENTIALLY THAT PLAN, NOW, ESSENTIALLY, [INAUDIBLE] OF THE STATE SUBVENTIONS THAT THOSE WHO PROPERTY OWNERS ARE PARTICIPATING IN THE WILLIAMSON ACT NOW GO FROM A 10 YEAR CONTRACT TO A NINE YEAR CONTRACT. AND SO THERE'S A 10 PERCENT FEE THAT ESSENTIALLY COMES BACK TO THE COUNTY THAT LAST YEAR WAS ABOUT 7 HUNDRED AND 7TY THOUSAND DOLLARS. I SAW, YOU KNOW, THE FARM BUREAU DIRECTOR, LEE, BUT WE FROM OUR UNDERSTANDING THIS [01:10:02] STILL IS VERY SUPPORTIVE FROM THE AG INDUSTRY VERSUS THE ALTERNATIVE OF NO PROGRAM. AND SO IN ORDER TO CONTINUE THE PROGRAM, AS IS, YOU HAVE TO MAKE AN ANNUAL FINDING THAT WE DID NOT RECEIVE THE STATE SUBVENTION. AND I CAN TELL YOU, WE DID NOT RECEIVE IT, ALTHOUGH MANY EFFORTS, EVEN FROM RCRC, THERE ARE EFFORTS TO TRY AND PUT THE WILLIAMSON ACT BACK IN OR SUBVENTION, AND IT DID NOT MATERIALIZE IN THIS YEAR. AB 109 COMMUNITY CORRECTIONS PARTNERSHIP AGAIN, THIS IS KIND OF AN ANNUAL. YOUR CCP DEVELOPS A BUDGET, AND THIS YEAR THERE'S RECOMMENDED FUNDING FOR A COUPLE NEW POSITIONS OR A COUPLE OF POSITIONS. ONE IS NEW, ONE IS KIND OF A REFOCUSED CCP AND THE BOARD IS REQUIRED TO ADOPT THAT AT THE RECOMMENDATION OF YOUR LOCAL CCP. AND THE STAFFING ADJUSTMENTS WERE PRETTY MUCH GONE THROUGH, YOU KNOW, AS YOU'VE HEARD ABOUT. SO THAT IS KIND OF WHAT WE SEE AS YOUR AGENDA FOR TODAY, FOR YOUR CONSIDERATIONS. AND WE DO HAVE A COUPLE ITEMS IN THERE WHERE WE DO HAVE A EITHER SOME VERBAL INPUT OR A SHORT PRESENTATION. THANK YOU, MR. BROWN. I'LL LOOK UP, IS THERE ANY COMMENTS AT THIS TIME OR DO WE WANT TO WAIT UNTIL THE PUBLIC HEARING? NOTHING AT THIS TIME? [PUBLIC HEARING] WELL, THEN AT THIS TIME WE'LL GO AHEAD AND OPEN UP THE PUBLIC HEARING. THAT'S ITEM NUMBER. .. YEAH, RIGHT. DO YOU WANT THE CLERK TO READ IT? YEAH, WHY DON'T YOU GO AHEAD AND READ IT, AND THEN I'LL GIVE YOU MY GUIDELINES. WE HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING FROM THE AUDITOR TO CONSIDER THE APPROPRIATION LIMITATION FOR FISCAL YEAR '21-22 ESTABLISHED UNDER ARTICLE 13 B OF THE STATE CONSTITUTION. THANK YOU. AND SO AT THIS TIME, I'M GOING TO OPEN UP THE PUBLIC HEARING. WE'RE GOING TO GO TO A BREAK AND WE'LL RETURN AT 12:30. SO AT THIS TIME, WE CAN RECEIVE VOICEMAILS OR EMAILS FOR THE PUBLIC HEARING. SO WE'LL RETURN AT 12:30. THANK YOU. OK, IT'S NOW 12:30. WE'LL GO AHEAD AND START THE MEETING, WE ARE IN A PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD. AND WE DID IT TO RECEIVE VOICEMAILS. WERE THERE ANY EMAILS OR VOICEMAILS RECEIVED AT THIS TIME? GO AHEAD AND OPEN UP TO THE PUBLIC HERE IN THE ROOM. YOU EACH HAVE THREE MINUTES. YES, ON THE APPROPRIATIONS. I WAS LOOKING AT YOUR COST AND YOU'RE SPENDING ABOUT EIGHTY FIVE POINT FIVE ON THE PIE CHART. AND THAT'S A LOT OF MONEY THAT YOU'RE SPENDING FOR THE COST OF PUBLIC SAFETY AND JUSTICE SYSTEM. THAT'S A LOT. IT'S VERY EXPENSIVE TO MAINTAIN IT AND TO FIX IT. I'M THINKING THAT YOU COULD USE THAT BETTER AND FUNDING RESTORATIVE JUSTICE AND TRANSFORMATIVE JUSTICE PROGRAMS AND MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES. YOUR MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES DOESN'T COST YOU A LOT OF MONEY, AND IT'S BETTER FUNDED BECAUSE PEOPLE BENEFIT FROM MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES, YOU KNOW? YOU KNOW, TWO MAIN REASONS WHY PEOPLE GO TO PRISON IS BECAUSE OF MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES WHERE THEY'RE FACING POVERTY. AND SO IF YOU STOP SPENDING ON THE EXPENSIVE PRISONS, YOU COULD ACTUALLY HELP PEOPLE OUT OF POVERTY AND TO RESPOND TO MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES BETTER. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK AT THIS TIME? GLORIA SANDOVAL, I'M NOT SURE IF THIS IS THE APPROPRIATE TIME, BECAUSE I KNOW YOU MENTIONED THAT THERE WOULD BE AN AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN, YOU KNOW, KIND OF DISCUSSION OR PRESENTATION, SO I'M NOT REAL SURE IF THIS IS THE CORRECT COMMENTS HERE, BUT I WOULD. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THAT YOU CONSIDER LESS RESERVES, ESPECIALLY IF WE'RE STILL BEING IMPACTED BY COVID. YOU KNOW, I DON'T THINK THAT WE SHOULD GET THAT COCKY WITH PUTTING SO MUCH AWAY FOR ANOTHER RAINY DAY. I ALSO AGREE WITH THE PREVIOUS SPEAKER THAT THERE SHOULD BE LESS INVESTED IN CORRECTIONAL FACILITIES AT THIS TIME, AND I THINK THAT THERE SHOULD BE MORE EMPHASIS ON PREVENTION PROGRAMS THAT TEND TO REDUCE CRIME. SO IF YOU INVEST AND IN PUBLIC NEEDS, THEN THERE WON'T BE THOSE OTHER, YOU KNOW, COMMITTED CRIMES. AND I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THAT YOU INCLUDE MORE IN COMMUNITY INVESTMENT [01:15:05] PROPOSED PROJECTS. I THINK THAT THERE ARE SOME THAT ARE, YOU KNOW, THAT WOULD HELP TO GIVE SUPPORT TO OUR COMMUNITY AND NET US RESULTS THAT WILL BE, YOU KNOW, POSITIVE FOR A LONGER TERM. ALSO, SO THOSE ARE MY COMMENTS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE WHO'D LIKE TO COMMENT DURING THE PUBLIC HEARING? SEEING NONE, I'LL GO AHEAD AND CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING. AND WE'LL MOVE TO OUR AGENDA ITEMS. OK, I'M LOOKING FOR A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CHANGE IN COUNTY POPULATION, COMBINED WITH THE CHANGE IN ALL COUNTIES HAVING CONTIGUOUS BORDERS AS A POPULATION FACTOR AND THE CHANGE IN CALIFORNIA PER CAPITA PERSONAL INCOME AS THE COST OF LIVING FACTOR TO ESTABLISH FISCAL YEAR 2021-2022 APPROPRIATION LIMITATION AND ADOPT THE RESOLUTION ESTABLISHING FISCAL YEAR 2021-2022 APPROPRIATION LIMITATION AS ONE BILLION, NINE HUNDRED AND THREE MILLION NINE HUNDRED EIGHTEEN THOUSAND EIGHT HUNDRED AND 7TY THREE. YES, THANK YOU. SO MOVED. SECOND. SO I HAVE A FIRST BY SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA SECONDED BY SUPERVISOR PAREIRA. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE: AYE. ANY OPPOSED? MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. [BUDGET CALENDAR] NEXT IS THE BUDGET CALENDAR FINAL BUDGET ADJUSTMENTS ITEM NUMBER ONE. OK, I HAVE A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA, SECONDED BY SUPERVISOR PEDROZO. IS THERE FURTHER DISCUSSION HERE AT THE DAIS? SEEING NONE, I DO HAVE A FIRST AND A SECOND, LET'S CALL FOR THE VOTE. LET'S TALLY THE VOTE, MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. NUMBER TWO, LEASE PURCHASE AGREEMENTS. I HAVE A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA, SECONDED BY SUPERVISOR PAREIRA. IS THERE FURTHER DISCUSSION HERE AT THE DAIS? ANY QUESTIONS? THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA. CHAIR, I JUST WANT TO THANK STAFF ON BRINGING THIS ITEM FORWARD, IT'S JUST ANOTHER ONE OF THOSE WAYS THAT WE'RE TRYING TO BE A LITTLE BIT MORE EFFICIENT IN THINGS THAT ARE REALLY MORE ITEMS OF ROUTINE THAT DON'T HAVE TO COME BACK TO THE BOARD FOR APPROVAL. IT JUST AUTHORIZES THE ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES DIRECTOR WITH HAVING COUNSEL FROM COUNCIL AND THE AUDITOR COMPTROLLER'S OFFICE TO BE ABLE TO ROUTINE LEASE AGREEMENTS THAT WE GET INTO ALL THE TIME FOR EQUIPMENT, DIFFERENT THINGS THAT JUST ALLOWS THEM OR GIVING THEM THE AUTHORITY TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT WITHOUT HAVING TO TAKE UP TIME AND BRING THESE ITEMS BACK TO THE BOARD FOR AN ADDITIONAL APPROVAL. SO I JUST WANT TO THANK THEM FOR THAT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, SUPERVISOR. SO I DO HAVE A MOTION BY SILVEIRA SECONDED BY PAREIRA, SEEING NO FURTHER COMMENTS, WE'LL CALL FOR THE VOTE. LET'S TALLY THE VOTE. MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. NUMBER THREE OUT-OF-STATE TRANSPORTATION AND TRAINING FOR FISCAL YEAR 2021-2022. I'LL LOOK AT THE DAIS. IS THERE FURTHER QUESTIONS? I HAVE A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR ESPINOZA, SECONDED BY SUPERVISOR PEDROZO. SEEING NO FURTHER COMMENTS, I'LL CALL FOR THE VOTE. LET'S TALLY THE VOTE, MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. NEXT IS POLICY ACTION ITEM NUMBER FOUR. GOOD AFTERNOON, CHAIRMAN MCDANIEL, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, CEO BROWN AND COUNTY COUNSEL HANSEN. AGAIN, DAVID MIRRIONE, ASSISTANT COUNTY EXECUTIVE OFFICER AND SO AGENDA ITEM [01:20:03] NUMBER FOR TODAY IS REGARDING THE GENERAL FUND RESERVE POLICY. LAST YEAR, AT THIS TIME, YOUR BOARD APPROVED THE GENERAL FUND RESERVE POLICY, WHICH SET A 7 TO NINE PERCENT RANGE OF THE THREE YEAR AVERAGE OF THE GENERAL FUND REVENUE. AND SO THAT, YOU KNOW, THE GOAL OF THE POLICIES TO ENSURE THAT THE COMMUNITY CONTINUES TO BE SERVED IN THE EVENT OF ANY ANY EVENT, ANY EVENTS THAT NEGATIVELY IMPACT THE ECONOMY. DURING OUR PROPOSED BUDGET HEARINGS BACK IN JUNE, SOME SOME OF THE BOARD MEMBERS EXPRESSED AN INTEREST IN INCREASING THE GENERAL FUND RESERVE AND THE BALANCE AS WITHIN THE ALLOWABLE RANGE, AS WELL AS POSSIBLY MODIFYING THE POLICY. SO AS CEO BROWN MENTIONED EARLIER, WE STILL HAVE COVID-19 CHALLENGES, A SLOW ECONOMIC RECOVERY, THE CHALLENGES WITH THE ENDING OF THE PANDEMIC UNEMPLOYMENT ASSISTANCE PROGRAM DROUGHT AND THEN THE ONGOING CHALLENGES WITH WATER TIED TO THE DROUGHT. SO STAFF IS RECOMMENDING TO INCREASE THE GENERAL FUND RESERVE THIS YEAR TO THIRTY NINE POINT ONE MILLION, WHICH IS AN 8.8 PERCENT RANGE OF THAT THREE YEAR AVERAGE GENERAL FUND REVENUE. AGAIN, YOU HAVE A 7 TO NINE PERCENT RANGE, AND SO THAT IS OUR RECOMMENDATION ALONG WITH SEEKING DIRECTION REGARDING THE POLICY ITSELF. THANK YOU, MR. MIRRIONE. THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES MR. BROWN. SORRY, JUST JUST WANT TO CLARIFY, AS FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION, IS THE ITEM OR AGENDA ITEM THAT YOU WOULD ACTUALLY ADOPT YOUR RESERVE IS UNDER 15 WHEN YOU ADOPT THE SCHEDULES, BUT YOU YOU HAVE THE ABILITY TO GUIDE OR DIRECT US HOWEVER YOU WANT RELATED TO THE RESERVE NUMBER IF YOU IDENTIFY AND WANT TO SET IT AT A DIFFERENT AMOUNT. WE WILL HAVE TO EITHER ONE, FIGURE OUT THAT WE WILL, YOU KNOW HOW TO COME UP WITH A DIFFERENT NUMBER, BUT ALSO RELATED TO THE POSSIBLE MODIFICATION, WE'RE LOOKING MORE FOR YOUR GUIDANCE AND DIRECTION AT THIS POINT. YOU KNOW, AS IT WAS EXPRESSED AND PROPOSED. SO WE DON'T HAVE AN OPTION FOR YOU OUT ON THE TABLE RIGHT NOW TO CONSIDER. THANK YOU, CHAIR. RECOGNIZE THE SUPERVISOR PAREIRA. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. MY THOUGHTS ARE THAT I'M GLAD WE'RE EXTENDING THE DOLLAR AMOUNT THAT WE WILL HAVE IN RESERVES. I THINK, YOU KNOW, WE'RE LIVING IN A BIT OF A FALSE ECONOMY RIGHT NOW WITH ALL THE FEDERAL AND STATE MONEY THAT'S BEEN GIVEN TO US. AND SO, YOU KNOW, I DO SEE THAT THE POTENTIAL FOR DOWNTURN. HOWEVER, I LIKE OUR POLICY AT 7 TO NINE PERCENT OF BUDGET. AND SO I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT WE IN THAT CONTEXT HAVE THE ABILITY TO PUT AWAY MONEY THAT I THINK IS PRUDENT. IF YOU TAKE A LOOK AT THE LAST DOWNTURN WHERE WE HAD A $31 MILLION OR THIRTY POINT ONE MILLION DOLLAR RESERVE. WE GOT DOWN TO ABOUT 18 MILLION. YOU KNOW, I JUST DON'T THINK WE SHOULD GO OVERBOARD ON PUTTING MONEY IN RESERVES AT THIS TIME. WE'VE GOT A LOT OF THINGS WE NEED TO GET DONE HERE IN THE COUNTY AND SO I ALTHOUGH I MEAN, I AGREE WITH THE EIGHT PLUS MILLION DOLLAR INCREASE IN THE RESERVES. I'M NOT INTERESTED IN CHANGING THE POLICY. THANK YOU. CHAIR RECOGNIZES SUPERVISOR PEDROZO. THANK YOU. I WAS ONE OF THOSE ONES THAT WANTED TO CHANGE THE POLICY TO POTENTIALLY PUT MORE IN. BUT AFTER GOING THROUGH AND HAVING THE DISCUSSIONS THAT WE'VE HAD AND GOING THROUGH THE REPORT AND STUFF, I TEND TO AGREE WITH SUPERVISOR PAREIRA. I THINK THAT THE POLICY IS GOOD WHERE IT'S AT. I DO ALSO BELIEVE THAT IT IS A FALSE ECONOMY AND THAT WE ARE GOING TO SEE SOME ECONOMIC DOWNTURN. WE JUST DON'T KNOW WHAT'S OUT THERE YET. AND SO I THINK THAT WE ARE IN A GOOD POSITION RIGHT NOW, BUT TO CHANGE IT RIGHT NOW, I JUST DON'T THINK IT WOULD BE PRUDENT. CHAIR RECOGNIZES SUPERVISOR ESPINOZA. THANK YOU. YEAH, I'M OK WITH KEEPING THE POLICY AS IT IS. I'M OK WITH THE INCREASE IN THE FUNDS AND THE RESERVE BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN IN WITH BEING IN PAST COUNCIL IN LIVINGSTON AND THE ECONOMY HAS GONE UP AND DOWN, YOU KNOW, AS MAYOR WHEN DURING THE DOWNTURN, AND IT'S VERY HARD ON ON GOVERNMENT TO WHEN THERE'S NOT ENOUGH FUNDS TO, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, FIRE A LOT OF PEOPLE. SO IT'S VERY HARD, ESPECIALLY IT'S HARD ON PUBLIC SAFETY. AND YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE TO TELL PEOPLE THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU MIGHT HAVE TO LET GO OF SOME POLICE OFFICERS. SO THAT'S NOT FINE WITH ME. [01:25:01] SO I'M OK WITH LEAVING IT LIKE THAT, AS IT IS. THANK YOU, SUPERVISOR. CHAIR RECOGNIZES SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA. THANK YOU, CHAIR. SO I'M GOOD WITH THE THIRTY NINE ONE. IF IT WAS ME, I PROBABLY WOULD HAVE MADE IT JUST AN EVEN THIRTY NINE JUST FOR AN EVEN NUMBER OF SAKE. BUT I GET IT. WE'RE FOLLOWING PERCENTAGES. I THINK REALLY WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IS INCREASE THAT RANGE FROM 7 TO NINE TO 7 TO TEN, AND THAT DOESN'T AFFECT NOTHING THIS YEAR. BUT IT JUST GIVES THAT US THAT THE ABILITY FOR TO BE ABLE TO PUT IT IN FOR NEXT YEAR WHEN NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET COMES. I, TOO, YOU KNOW, WHEN I GOT ON COUNCIL BECAUSE THE COUNCIL THAT CAME BEFORE ME HAD MADE SOME TOUGH DECISIONS TO LAY FOLKS OFF REALLY BEFORE EVERYBODY ELSE DID, THEY WERE ABLE TO WEATHER THE STORM. AND THE ONE THING THAT I WANT TO REMIND EVERYBODY IS ON THIS GENERAL FUND RESERVE POLICY, IT IS A RESERVE. IT IS THERE. WE HAVE THE ABILITY IN AN EMERGENCY SITUATION TO BE ABLE TO SPEND THAT MONEY. THE ONLY THING THAT IT DOES IS IT PUTS THAT FOUR FIFTHS VOTE AROUND IT, WHICH I THINK IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE IT'S IF YOU CAN AT LEAST GET FOUR OF THE MEMBERS OF THIS BODY TO AGREE THAT IT'S AN EMERGENCY, MAYBE THEN YOU REALLY NEED TO BE RECONSIDERING WHETHER YOU'RE PULLING IT OUT OF THE GENERAL FUND OR OUT OF YOUR GENERAL FUND RESERVE. SO I'M GOOD WITH THE NUMBER AT THIRTY NINE POINT ONE MILLION. I THINK THAT IT'S WISE. THERE WAS A COMMENT MADE EARLIER THAT, YOU KNOW, DON'T GET TOO COCKY ABOUT, YOU KNOW, PUTTING MONEY AWAY, BUT REALLY, THIS IS IS FOR THAT RAINY DAY WHEN STUFF REALLY HITS THE FAN THAT WE'RE IN A FINANCIAL POSITION TO BE ABLE TO WEATHER THAT STORM. AND I JUST I'M WITH EVERYBODY IN AGREEMENT ON THIS ECONOMY THAT WE'RE LIVING IN RIGHT NOW IS A FALSE ECONOMY. HOUSING PRICES ARE GOING THROUGH THE ROOF. WAGES HAVE NOT GONE UP TO SUSTAIN THOSE HOUSING PRICES. SOMEHOW, SOME WAY WE'RE GOING TO SEE SOME KIND OF CRASH AGAIN. SO, I THINK WE HAVE A FIDUCIARY DUTY TO THE RESIDENTS OF THIS COUNTY TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE PROTECTING SO THAT WHAT DOES GOVERNMENT DO? WE PROVIDE FOR THE HEALTH, WELFARE AND SAFETY OF OUR CITIZENS, AND THIS IS THE WAY THAT WE DO THAT BY BEING BY BEING RESPONSIBLE, PUTTING MONEY IN RESERVES THAT WHEN WE DO HAVE THAT RAINY DAY THAT WE'RE STILL ABLE TO FUNCTION AND WE'RE NOT HAVING TO LAY OFF FOLKS, YOU KNOW, AND I KNOW SUPERVISOR ESPINOZA BROUGHT UP PUBLIC SAFETY BECAUSE THAT'S ALWAYS A BIG ONE. WHEN YOU DON'T HAVE THE MONEY AND THEY'LL START THINKING ABOUT, LOOK AT HOW BIG OUR BUDGET IS IN HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, WHEN IT'S PUBLIC HEALTH, WHEN IT'S BHRS, WHEN IT'S HSA, THOSE MONEYS START TO DRY UP. WE START LOSING SOME OF THOSE FOLKS, AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE STILL HAVE THEM. SO I WILL SUPPORT WHAT THE MAJORITY OF MY BOARD WANTS TO DO. BUT I WAS ONE OF THE ONES AT PROPOSED BUDGET THAT SAID, YOU KNOW, I'D LIKE TO SEE THAT RANGE WIDEN UP A LITTLE BIT TO GIVE US THE OPPORTUNITY WHEN THINGS ARE DOING GOOD AND LISTEN, I THINK WE'RE HEALTHY, WE'RE NOT WEALTHY IN THIS COUNTY. I THINK THAT WE'RE BENEFITING FROM SOME OF THESE, THESE ADDITIONAL ONE TIME DOLLARS THAT ARE COMING IN FROM THE STATE AND MOSTLY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. SO IF WE'RE ABLE TO, I KNOW THOSE DOLLARS CANNOT GO TO RESERVES, BUT WE'RE ABLE TO PUT A LITTLE BIT AWAY FOR THAT RAINY DAY AND AGAIN IN THE BACK OF MY MIND KNOWING THAT IF WE NEED IT, IT'S THERE. SO THOSE ARE MY COMMENTS. THANK YOU, CHAIR. THANK YOU, SUPERVISOR. I, TOO, WAS ADVOCATING TO DO IT, I DO LIKE MY COLLEAGUES, DUE TO THE 7 TO TEN, I PROBABLY ROUNDED IT TO 40 MILLION BECAUSE WITH THE UNDERSTANDING THAT WHEN THE REVENUE STOPPED COMING IN, WE START CUTTING POSITIONS AND OUR WHOLE GOAL UP HERE IS TO HELP THOSE. IN A DOWNTURN ECONOMY FOLKS WILL BE LOOKING TO US FOR MORE HELP. MORE PEOPLE WILL BE COMING US FOR HELP. AND IF WE HAVE TO LET PEOPLE GO, WE HAVE LESS PEOPLE THAT WOULD BE ABLE TO HELP. AND THAT'S WHERE I THINK THIS RESERVE FUND IS THERE. I'VE HEARD IT HERE ON THE DAIS. I WOULD GO WITH THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE A LITTLE MORE AND I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IT THE 7 TO TEN RANGE AS WELL. I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S UP FOR DISCUSSION UP HERE. IT SOUNDS LIKE SOME FOLKS WERE TEETERING ON IT, BUT I JUST THINK IN A DOWNTURN, WHEN FOLKS NEED MORE HELP, WE CAN'T BE CUTTING JOBS BECAUSE THEN WE HAVE LESS PEOPLE TO HELP THEM WHO NEED THE HELP WHEN MORE PEOPLE NEED IT. CHAIR RECOGNIZES SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA. YEAH, JUST ONE MORE QUICK COMMENT I WANT TO POINT OUT IS WHEN WE HAD THE DOWNTURN, MERCED COUNTY HAD TWO THOUSAND THREE HUNDRED AND THIRTY SIX EMPLOYEES. I'M GOING TO BE A REALIST AND SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, WE PROBABLY LEARNED TO BE A LITTLE BIT MORE EFFICIENT AND THAT'S WHY WE DIDN'T NEED ALL THOSE EMPLOYEES BACK. BUT TODAY, WITH THE PROPOSED BUDGET, WE'RE AT TWO THOUSAND TWO HUNDRED AND [01:30:01] FORTY NINE. THAT'S THAT MANY LESS EMPLOYEES THAT WE HAVE, THAT DOWNTURN IN THE ECONOMY FORCED US TO LAY OFF THAT, THAT OVER TIME, WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO ADD A FEW OF THOSE BACK. BUT THERE'S STILL DEPARTMENTS OUT THERE THAT ARE NOT AT PRE-RECESSION LEVELS. SO AGAIN, ANOTHER REASON WHY I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO HAVE THOSE RESERVES SO THAT WE CAN PROTECT OUR WORKFORCE AGAIN, SO THAT WE CAN DELIVER THE HEALTH AND WELFARE AND SAFETY TO OUR CITIZENS, WHICH IS OUR NUMBER ONE JOB. CHAIR RECOGNIZES SUPERVISOR PEDROZO. YEAH, I'M FINE WITH WHERE WE'RE AT RIGHT NOW AND I WOULD BE OK LOOKING AT IT MOVING FORWARD TO INCREASE THAT TO 10 PERCENT. I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT. BUT YOU KNOW, I TOO LIKE SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA SAID AND SUPERVISORS THERE ESPINOZA ONE OF THE THINGS WHEN I WAS ON THE CITY COUNCIL, WE HAD TO LAY PEOPLE OFF WAS THE HARDEST VOTE I'VE EVER HAD TO MAKE MY LIFE. AND THAT'S WHEN WE STARTED TO BUILD BACK OUR RESERVES TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DON'T HAVE TO DO THAT BECAUSE WE HAVE TO, YOU KNOW, PROVIDE SERVICES TO OUR CONSTITUENTS AND OUR COUNTY. AND I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE ARE SMART ABOUT THIS AND MOVE FORWARD. OBVIOUSLY, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE AS MUCH AS WE CAN, BUT I THINK WHERE WE'RE AT RIGHT NOW AT THE 8.8 PERCENT. BUT LOOK AT MAYBE BEFORE NEXT YEAR, YOU KNOW, MOVING IT TO THE 10 PERCENT. OK. FURTHER DISCUSSION, I SEE NOBODY IN THE QUEUE. MR. BROWN, DO YOU HAVE COMMENTS? CHAIR RECOGNIZES MR. BROWN. SORRY, FROM A STAFF PERSPECTIVE, I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE MEETING THE EXPECTATIONS OF THE BOARD. SO WE'VE HEARD THE DISCUSSION UP HERE. AGAIN, THIS ITEM WAS FOR DISCUSSION RELATED TO CURRENT AND FUTURE. THE QUESTION FROM STAFF AGAIN TO MAKE SURE WHAT THE EXPECTATIONS ARE. DO YOU WANT US JUST TO MOVE FORWARD THE WAY IT IS AND THEN BRING THE POLICY BACK TO YOU NEXT YEAR, AS YOU CONSIDER? OR WOULD YOU LIKE US TO, BECAUSE I'M HEARING DIFFERENT 7 TO 10, JUST ADD A PERCENTAGE ON THE BACK END OR WOULD YOU LIKE TO MODIFY IT THIS YEAR? I THINK IT'S A THREE TO TWO TO KEEP IT THE WAY IT IS. I DON'T THINK THERE NEEDS TO BE FURTHER DISCUSSION ON THAT. IT'S NOT A HILL THAT I WOULD DIE ON, BUT DEFINITELY LOOKING FORWARD. I THINK WE NEED TO DO THAT BECAUSE--OKAY, WE HAVE OUR DIRECTION. THANK YOU. NEXT IS NUMBER FIVE, RFQ. PHASE TWO OF THE JOHN LATORRACA CORRECTIONAL CENTER EXPANSION PROJECT. OKAY, BOARD, WE DO HAVE ITEM FIVE BEFORE US. IS THERE FURTHER COMMENTS OR DISCUSSIONS ON THIS? I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION. CHAIR RECOGNIZES SUPERVISOR PAREIRA. OH, IT WON'T LET ME. I MADE THE MOTION AND THEN IT LIKE WENT AWAY, SO I'M NOT SURE IF WE GOT A GLITCH IN OUR SYSTEM, OR MAYBE I MADE THE MOTION ON THE NEXT ITEM. I DON'T KNOW. BUT WHILE WE'RE WAITING FOR THAT TO GET CORRECTED, YOU KNOW, WHEN I HEAR PUBLIC COMMENT ABOUT THE JAIL FACILITIES, YOU KNOW, I TOO, I DON'T WANT TO BUILD JAILS, RIGHT? I MEAN, I WISH THAT PEOPLE WOULDN'T COMMIT CRIMES AND WE WOULDN'T NEED JAILS, RIGHT? THAT'S ULTIMATELY THE GOAL. AND I BELIEVE THAT IN THIS CASE, WE ARE LOOKING AT PHASE TWO, WHICH IS REPLACING THE DOWNTOWN JAIL. AND SO WE'RE REALLY NOT INCREASING, YOU KNOW, WE'RE TAKING AWAY AN OUTDATED UNSAFE CONDITION AND WE'RE REPLACING IT WITH A NEW, SAFER FACILITY. AND IT'S SAFER FOR NOT ONLY THE CORRECTION OFFICERS, WHICH IS, YOU KNOW, IS A HIGH PRIORITY FOR US, BUT IT ALSO MAKES IT SAFER FOR THE INMATES. YOU KNOW, OVER TIME, WE'VE HAD SOME ISSUES IN THE JAIL AND I MEAN, I JUST DON'T SEE, YOU KNOW, A REASON NOT TO GO FORWARD WITH PHASE TWO. AND YOU KNOW, WE PROVIDE AND ALLOW FOR THE OPPORTUNITY OF CLASSES IN THE JAILS FOR PEOPLE THAT WANT TO CHANGE THEIR TRAJECTORY IN LIFE, YOU KNOW, AND WE'VE SUPPORTED THAT. WE HAVE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH GOING IN THERE TO CATCH THOSE THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT [01:35:03] MAY NEED SOME HELP PROCESSING. BUT WHEN SOMEBODY DECIDES TO GO KILL SOMEBODY, IT DOES NOT BOTHER ME ONE BIT THAT THEY SPEND TIME IN JAIL. AND IF SOMEBODY RAPES SOMEBODY, IT DOES NOT BOTHER ME ONE BIT THAT THEY SPEND TIME IN JAIL. AND SO I THINK IF YOU IF YOU SAY WE SHOULDN'T HAVE JAILS, THAT FALLS ON DEAF EARS WITH ME. DO WE NEED MORE JAILS? WE'LL HOPEFULLY NOT. AND THAT'S NOT WHAT WE'RE PROPOSING TODAY. OUR PHASE ONE ISN'T ADDING MORE JAILS, IT'S REALLY REPAIRING A FACILITY THAT WE HAVE. AND SO ANYWAYS, I WHOLEHEARTEDLY SUPPORT THIS ITEM AND GLAD THAT I WAS ABLE TO MAKE THE MOTION. THANK YOU, SUPERVISOR. CHAIR RECOGNIZES MR. BROWN. SORRY, MR. CHAIRMAN. SUPERVISOR PAREIRA KIND OF TOOK, DID IT VERY WELL. I WAS GOING TO ADD A LITTLE BIT MORE AND I PROBABLY SHOULD HAVE DID IT IN MY COMMENTS. PHASE ONE IS THE $40 MILLION GRANT. IT IS ACTUALLY HARDENING. YES, MAKING IT SAFER. IT HAS A MEDICAL UNIT WHERE THERE'S GOING TO BE 20 BEHAVIORAL HEALTH BEDS, 10 ADDITIONAL MEDICAL BEDS. SO IT'S ACTUALLY CREATING AS PHASE ONE AS CREATING A SAFER ENVIRONMENT. IT'S ACTUALLY ADDING AND RESTRUCTURING THE CLASSROOMS TO ACTUALLY MAKE, YOU KNOW, PROGRAMING AND THOSE TYPES OF SERVICES BETTER. SO PHASE ONE ACTUALLY MOVES THAT ALONG. AND AS A S U P E RVISOR[INAUDIBLE] PHASE TWO. YOU'VE GOT A FACILITY DOWNTOWN THAT YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO SPEND 20-30 MILLION ON, PROBABLY, BECAUSE IT IS SO UNSAFE AS IT IS AND IT JUST, YOU KNOW, AS WE GO FORWARD. THANK YOU, MR. BROWN. CHAIR RECOGNIZES SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA. AND JUST TO PIGGYBACK ON CEO BROWN'S COMMENTS, THIS ISN'T BRAND NEW. WE'RE NOT JUST PULLING THIS OUT OF THIN AIR BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WE THINK WE HAVE ADDITIONAL MONEY. THIS HAS BEEN ON THE BOOKS. I BELIEVE THAT THE GRAND JURY HAS TOLD US THAT THIS IS AN ISSUE. THIS IS AND REALLY IT GOES BACK TO, YOU KNOW, IT'S INTERESTING WHEN PEOPLE KIND OF SPEAK OUT BOTH SIDES OF THEIR MOUTH, THEY DON'T WANT ANYBODY IN JAIL. BUT THEN IN THE NEXT BREATH, THEY'RE ADVOCATING THAT THEY HAVE EVEN MORE RIGHTS AND BETTER CONDITIONS. WE'RE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH THAT HERE, AND IT GOES BACK TO, YOU KNOW, AT SOME POINT WE'VE GOT TO PAY THE PIPER. IT'S GOT TO BE DONE. AND I DON'T THINK IT'S WITHIN OUR OUR INTEREST AS A COUNTY, THE TAXPAYERS INTEREST TO SPEND MONEY IN AN OLD FACILITY THAT WHEN YOU GET DONE, WE'RE GOING TO FIX A FEW THINGS IN THERE, BUT YOU STILL HAVE A FACILITY THAT WAS BUILT IN THE 60S. A LOT OF THINGS HAVE CHANGED. SINCE THEN, BUILDING CODE ADJUSTMENTS, YOU HAVE SEISMIC STUFF THAT YOU HAVE TO BE PREPARED FOR. THERE'S A WHOLE HOST OF THINGS. AND SO WE'VE GOT TO START AT SOME POINT BECAUSE WHAT I KNOW TO BE TRUE AND I DARE ANYBODY TO FIND INFORMATION THAT DOESN'T BACK UP WHAT I'M ABOUT TO SAY. IT'S GOING TO COST MORE TOMORROW THAN IT COSTS TODAY, AND THESE DEALS DON'T HAPPEN OVERNIGHT. WE'RE TALKING A COUPLE THREE YEARS BEFORE YOU COULD FINISH SOMETHING LIKE THIS. WE WAIT THREE MORE YEARS. I GUARANTEE YOU IT WILL COST MORE TO DO IT IN THREE YEARS FROM NOW. YOU WAIT FIVE YEARS, I GUARANTEE YOU IT WILL COST MORE TO BUILD IT FIVE YEARS FROM NOW. AT SOME POINT, WE KNOW WE HAVE TO DO THESE THINGS AND SO WE NEED TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THEM AND AT LEAST COME UP WITH A PLAN ON HOW WE'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO PAY FOR IT. THAT'S THE BOTTOM LINE. SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU, SUPERVISOR. AND I THINK IT GOES WE HAVE TO MENTION TO OUR PROBATION DEPARTMENT WINNING AWARDS FOR THE RECIDIVISM AND ALL THE WORK THAT THEY'RE DOING OF WORKING WITH FOLKS AND GETTING THEM BACK OUT AND BEING ABLE TO PARTICIPATE AT A HIGH LEVEL IN OUR SOCIETY, KALISA JUST HAPPENS TO BE HERE. SO THANK YOU, CHIEF. OK, I DO HAVE A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR PAREIRA AND SECONDED BY SUPERVISOR PEDROZO. ARE THERE FURTHER COMMENTS HERE AT THE DAIS? SEEING NONE, I'LL CALL FOR THE VOTE. TALLY THE VOTE MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. NEXT IS SIX RESOLUTION FOR FIRE PROTECTION SERVICES. CHIEF PIMENTAL, NICE TO SEE YOU. GOOD TO SEE YOU, TOO, CHAIR. DO YOU NEED TO ADJUST THE MICROPHONE OR? [INAUDIBLE] A LITTLE LOWER NOW. [CHUCKLING] WELL, GOOD AFTERNOON, BOARD MEMBERS CHAIRMAN CEO BROWN, COUNTY COUNCIL, ALSO PUBLIC. TODAY, WE'RE HERE TO TALK ABOUT THE AGREEMENT THAT CAL FIRE HAS BEEN WITH THE COUNTY. WE'VE BEEN IN THIS AGREEMENT FOR MANY YEARS. WE'RE EXCITED TO EXTEND IT FOR ANOTHER YEAR. OBVIOUSLY, WHAT CEO BROWN ALLUDED TO IS WE'RE LOOKING AT THE STATE DOING SOME OF THEIR ACTIONS SO THAT WE CAN GO FOR A LONGER EXTENSION. WITHIN THIS AGREEMENT, I'M VERY EXCITED TO TALK ABOUT IS THE 2/0 STAFFING. WE WERE ABLE TO WORK WITH THE COUNTY. WE'RE ABLE TO GO TO A 2/0 STAFFING AT GUSTINE AND HILMAR. [01:40:02] IT'S MOVING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION. THIS WILL PUT US AT 10 STATIONS THAT WILL ALLOW 2/0 STAFFING AND BE ABLE TO PROVIDE BETTER SERVICE FOR THE COMMUNITY WITHIN THE COUNTIES. AND WITH THAT 2/0 STAFFING, IT LEAVES US WITH NINE MORE STATIONS THAT WE'RE AGGRESSIVELY WORKING TOWARDS. AND HOPEFULLY IN THE NEAR FUTURE, WE'LL BE ABLE TO BE SUCCESSFUL WITH YOUR HELP AND YOUR SUPPORT. ALSO, WE'RE LOOKING AT DOWNGRADING THE BATTALION CHIEF FOR THE PREVENTION OFFICE. IF YOU'RE AWARE THAT WE HAD SOME REORGANIZATIONS WITHIN THE COUNTY AND BUILDING HAS ASSUME THE RESPONSIBILITIES OF OUR PREVENTION OFFICE. WE STILL ACQUIRED AND KEPT HIM IN LINE AS OUR WEED ABATEMENT, OUR OPS AND THE BUILDING DEPARTMENT HAS TAKEN ON THE PERMITS AND NEW CONSTRUCTIONS, SO WE WERE DOWNGRADING THE BATTALION CHIEF SPOT TO A FIRE CAPTAIN POSITION. THAT FIRE CAPTAIN POSITION WILL BE TRANSITIONING OVER TO THE TRAINING TO BOOST OUR TRAINING FOR OUR STAFF AND OUR PCFS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY. WITH THAT ALSO, WE WILL BE ELIMINATING OUR FIRE INSPECTOR POSITION, THE FIRE INSPECTOR POSITION, AFTER REVIEWING IT FOR A COUPLE OF MONTHS, REALIZING THAT IT WASN'T VERY EFFICIENT OF OURSELVES WITHIN THE FIRE. AND WE CAN DO IT WITH IN-HOUSE, WITH DOWNGRADING AND HAVING A CLINICAL STAFF COME IN AND HELP KIND OF ORGANIZING. SO YES, WE ARE BRINGING THAT DOWN, BUT IT WOULD BE MORE EFFICIENT FOR US IN THE FIRE SENSE TO ACTUALLY DO THOSE DUTIES WITHIN THE STATION IN THE HOUSE. ALSO, WITH THE RESTRUCTURING, WE ARE ALSO TAKING THE FIRE CAPTAIN THAT'S IN OUR OES AND WE ARE GOING TO TRANSITION AND SLIDE THEM OVER TO THAT GUSTINE FIRE STATION, WHICH WOULD HELP WITH THAT 2/0 STAFFING. WE FEEL IT'S BETTER BENEFICIAL TO ACTUALLY USE THOSE FIRE PERSONNEL TO WORK IN THOSE FIRE STATIONS. WE CAN HAVE THE OES INDIVIDUAL SIT THERE AND MANAGE THE OES ON A DAY TO DAY BASIS AND WORK DILIGENTLY WITH THE COUNTY NOT TO CHANGE. ANYTHING THAT WE CURRENTLY DO RIGHT NOW IS WITH THE COUNTY, BUT WILL HELP BOLSTER THE THINGS THAT WE DO WITHIN OUR OES AS FAR AS ANY KIND OF MAJOR DISASTERS AND EMERGENCIES AND THINGS OF THOSE NATURES. WE'RE ALSO LOOKING AT FUNDING A TYPE ONE ENGINE AND A TYPE SIX ENGINE FOR THE COUNTY. THOSE ARE GOING TO FALL IN LINE WITH OUR 20 YEAR PLAN. THE 20 YEAR PLAN IS SOMETHING THAT MYSELF AND CHIEF [INAUDIBLE] HAVE WORKED DILIGENTLY TO BUILD OUT SOMETHING 20 YEARS OUT AND NOTHING THAT'S WE CONSTANTLY JUST CHANGING FROM YEAR TO YEAR DUE TO WHAT FUNDS WE HAVE. THIS 20 YEAR PLAN WILL ALLOW US IN 20 YEARS--I PROBABLY WON'T BE AROUND HERE--BUT WE'LL BE ABLE TO AT LEAST SEE THAT THE FIRE STATIONS WILL HAVE A PIECE OF APPARATUS THAT WILL SERVE THEIR COMMUNITIES AT A HIGH LEVEL. THEY'LL FIT IN THE DOORS? THEY WILL DEFINITELY FIT IN THE DOORS; THAT'S A GUARANTEE. AGAIN, WE'VE GONE THROUGH AND RESEARCHED AND WORKED WITH ROSENBAUER TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE BUYING AN APPARATUS THAT WILL FIT IN THE CURRENT BAYS THAT WE HAVE FOR THE FUTURE. THE COMMAND VEHICLE FOR ONE OF OUR CHIEF OFFICERS WILL BE ALSO ON THAT AND THEN ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR PLANADA STATION. PLANADA STATION IS ONE OF OUR OLDER STATIONS AND WE ARE MOVING FORWARD HOPES TO BE ANOTHER 2/0 STAFFED STATION. SO WITH THE ADDITIONAL FUNDING, WE'RE GOING TO BE DOING SOME REMODELING. LOOKING ABOUT BRINGING THAT UP TO A 2/0 STAFFED STATION SO THAT WE CAN HOUSE THE INDIVIDUALS AND ALSO HOUSE OTHER EQUIPMENT. SO WE'RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT WHAT WE'VE GOT GOING ON IN PLANADA. FINALLY, THE BIGGEST THING IS SOME OF THE MONEY WE WOULD BE PUTTING INTO CONTINGENCY. THIS WILL ALLOW US THE OPPORTUNITY TO LOOK AT PROPERTY LANDS WITHIN MERCED COUNTY THAT WILL ALLOW US TO LOOK AT BUILDING A NEW FIRE STATION IN THE COUNTY. NOT NECESSARILY TAKING ANYTHING AWAY FROM ANY COMMUNITIES. WE'RE STAYING WITHIN THOSE COMMUNITIES TO MAKE SURE THAT WE STILL PROVIDE THAT SERVICE, BUT WE DO NEED TO LOOK AT SOME NEW AREAS AND ABLE TO PROVIDE A BETTER SERVICE FOR THOSE INDIVIDUALS AND ALSO THE SAFETY OF OUR FIREFIGHTERS THAT LIVE IN THOSE STATIONS DAILY. AS FAR AS THAT GOES, THAT WOULD BE, I'M HERE FOR ANY QUESTIONS OR ANYTHING ELSE THAT YOU MAY HAVE. CHAIR RECOGNIZES SUPERVISOR PAREIRA. CHIEF PIMENTEL, I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU FOR USING ONE WORD SPECIFICALLY, AND THAT IS EFFECTIVE. YOU KNOW, GOVERNMENT, I MEAN, EFFECTIVE AND EFFICIENT, YOU KNOW, IT'S VERY, VERY IMPORTANT TO US AND I BELIEVE THAT'S PART OF WHY WE GET AS MUCH DONE AS WE DO IN THE COUNTY, NOT HAVING THE STAFF THAT WE USED TO HAVE. SOMETIMES EQUIPMENT UPGRADES ALLOWS YOU TO BE MORE EFFICIENT. BUT YOU KNOW, JUST BEING WILLING TO TAKE A LOOK AT HOW CAN WE FIX THINGS HERE IN MERCED COUNTY, I JUST WANT TO APPLAUD YOU FOR THAT. I APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU. YOU'RE WELCOME. THANK YOU, SUPERVISOR. CHAIR RECOGNIZES SUPERVISOR PEDROZO. THANK YOU. I ALSO WANT TO THANK YOU. 2/0 STAFFING IS SOMETHING THAT'S INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT TO ME BECAUSE I RECOGNIZE THE AMOUNT OF SAFETY THAT PROVIDES FOR THE COMMUNITY AND THEN ALSO FOR THE FIREFIGHTERS THEMSELVES THAT ARE GOING OUT TO A CALL. I THINK IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT, YOU KNOW, LOOKING AT THAT AND HAVING THAT 20 YEAR [01:45:06] PLAN, YOU KNOW, JUST HAVING A VISION, SEEING WHERE WE'RE GOING AND WHAT WE MIGHT NEED IN THE FUTURE. YOU KNOW, IT WAS NO JOKE THAT WHEN SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL SAID, ARE THE PIECES OF EQUIPMENT GOING TO FIT IN THE BUILDINGS AND IT'S BECAUSE THEY ARE OLD. I MEAN, WE NEED NEW FACILITIES. AND I THINK THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S I'VE NOTICED SINCE I'VE BEEN HERE IS THAT OUR FACILITIES ARE LACKING A LOT AND ESPECIALLY SOME OF OUR OUR PUBLIC SAFETY FACILITIES. AND SO WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE, YOU KNOW, PLANNING FOR THE FUTURE FOR THAT. SO I APPRECIATE, YOU KNOW, HAVING THAT VISION AND WORKING TOWARDS THAT. SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, SUPERVISOR. CHAIR RECOGNIZES SUPERVISOR ESPINOZA. I KNEW HE'D HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY WHEN HE HEARD PLANADA. OH, YEAH, OF COURSE. [CHUCKLING] ESPECIALLY IN, YOU KNOW, RURAL COMMUNITIES, LOW INCOME, THEY NEED THE 2/0 STAFFING AND INFRASTRUCTURE SUPPORT. YOU KNOW, WITH THIS BUDGET, WE'RE APPROVING MODIFICATIONS TO NOT ONLY PLANADA, BUT OTHER SMALL COMMUNITIES AROUND OUR COUNTY. SO I WANT TO THANK YOU AND ALL THE STAFF AT CAL FIRE FOR BEING PROACTIVE. AND LIKE HE SAID, THIS IS EFFICIENCY AND LOOKING FORWARD TO IT ALL. THANK YOU. CHAIR RECOGNIZES SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA. THANK YOU, CHAIR. YEAH, JUST KUDOS AGAIN TO THE WHOLE FIRE TEAM, JUST THEIR APPROACH. WHAT I DO ALWAYS APPRECIATE IS THEY'RE KIND OF SOLUTION ORIENTED FOLKS AND THEY COME TO THE COUNTY WITH MAKING DO WITH WHAT WE HAVE REALLY. YOU KNOW, WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT DOWNGRADING A BATTALION CHIEF'S POSITION TO A CAPTAIN'S POSITIONS, WHICH OBVIOUSLY SAVES MONEY WITHIN THE CONTRACT, BUT THEN SAYING THAT, YOU KNOW, IT'S MORE BENEFICIAL FOR US TO HAVE A CAPTAIN OVER HERE AT THIS STATION THAN IT DID TO HAVE A BATTALION CHIEF IN THIS POSITION OVER HERE, JUST ACROSS THE BOARD, YOU KNOW, AS WE TALK ABOUT MONEY AND CONTINGENCIES FOR POTENTIALLY, YOU KNOW, FIRE STATIONS, LOOKING AT PROPERTY, TRYING TO FIGURE OUT, YOU KNOW, WHEN STATIONS WERE BUILT BACK WAY BACK WHEN IT MADE SENSE TO HAVE A STATION FIVE MILES APART FROM EACH OTHER. THAT WAS, YOU KNOW, THEY DIDN'T GO TOO FAST. THEY PROBABLY WENT ABOUT 30 MILES AN HOUR OR 40 MILES AN HOUR BACK THEN. WE HAVE A LOT MORE EFFICIENT EQUIPMENT AND IT'S REALLY AGAIN TRYING TO GET TO THAT, THAT 2/0 STAFFING ACROSS THE BOARD. HOW DO WE DO THAT WITHOUT REALLY IMPACTING ANY ONE COMMUNITY? I THINK THAT LOOKS, FOR ME, I THINK THAT IT'S YOU TAKE A HARD LOOK AT HOW DO YOU WE'RE NOT CLOSING STATIONS, BUT RELOCATING STATIONS THAT MAKES THEM MORE EFFICIENT, BUT STILL GIVING THOSE COMMUNITIES THE COVERAGE THAT THEY HAVE NOT ONLY COME TO EXPECT BUT DESERVE. SO AGAIN, THE TEAM THAT WE HAVE IN PLACE NOW, I THINK AS A TEAM WE'RE GOING TO HAVE AROUND FOR A WHILE. I APPRECIATE ALL THEIR GOOD WORK AND I'M GLAD TO BE SUPPORTING THESE ITEMS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, SUPERVISOR. CHAIR RECOGNIZES SUPERVISOR PAREIRA. THANK YOU, CHAIR. AND I WOULD BE REMISS IF I DIDN'T GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO OUR FOLKS AND PARTNERS IN GUSTINE. MAYOR NAGY AND HIS CITY COUNCIL ARE ACTUALLY WORKING WITH US TO HELP US FUND THAT SECOND POSITION IN GUSTINE. AND YOU KNOW, WHEN WE WORK WITH WITH OUR COMMUNITIES OR CITIES, YOU KNOW, IT REALLY MAKES IT EASIER ON US TO ACCOMPLISH FOR THE GREATER GOOD OF EVERYBODY. YOU KNOW, THAT STATION, YOU KNOW, GOES OUT TO SANTA NELLA AND OTHER COMMUNITIES AS WELL AND IN ANY WAY, SO I'M THANKFUL FOR THAT. SO, THANKS, GENTLEMEN. THANK YOU, SUPERVISOR. THERE'S REALLY NOTHING LEFT FOR ME TO SAY, I THINK THEY SAID IT ALL. SO IT IS GREAT. AND I JUST ECHOING WHAT EVERYBODY ELSE SAID, WORKING WITH YOU, FOLKS, YOU KNOW WHAT'S THERE. YOU'RE VERY ACCESSIBLE AND YOU'RE ALWAYS WALKING THE HALLS AND TAKING OUR INPUT. IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO A BOARD OF SUPERVISORS BECAUSE IF YOUR HOUSE IS ON FIRE AND YOU DIAL 9-1-1, YOU WANT THAT FIRE TRUCK TO SHOW UP AND APPRECIATE ALL THE WORK THAT YOU GUYS ARE DOING. THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT. SO WE HAVE A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA, SECONDED BY SUPERVISOR PAREIRA, IS THERE FURTHER DISCUSSION AT THE DAIS? SEEING NONE, I'LL CALL FOR THE VOTE. LET'S TALLY THE VOTE. MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. NEXT IS ITEM NUMBER 7 ROAD DIVISION WORK PROGRAM. I DON'T SEE ANYBODY IN THE REQUEST QUEUE. I DO SEE A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA SECONDED BY SUPERVISOR PEDROZO. THIS IS ONE THAT SUPERVISOR PEDROZO AND I DO HAVE DISCUSSIONS ABOUT AND WITH NOBODY ELSE, WE HAVE THE LEAST AMOUNT OF ROADS IN OUR DISTRICT. I THINK I'M AT FOUR POINT EIGHT PERCENT OF THE ROADS AND HE'S AT THREE PERCENT. [01:50:04] AND SO WE'VE ALWAYS REFLECTED THE BUDGET TO LOOK THAT WAY ACCORDINGLY. BUT IN FURTHER DISCUSSION, WE DO HAVE THE SAME AMOUNT OF POPULATION IN OUR DISTRICTS AS EVERYBODY ELSE DO. SO THE ROADS THAT WE HAVE, EVEN THOUGH THERE'S LESS, THERE'S PROBABLY MORE IMPACT ON THEM. SO GOING FORWARD, I'M JUST TEEING IT UP WHAT THE DISCUSSIONS ARE GOING TO BE LIKE. YOU GUYS HAVE HAD IT PRETTY EASY. SO WITH THAT, [LAUGHTER]. CHAIR RECOGNIZES SUPERVISOR PAREIRA. YOU KNOW, I WANT TO THANK OUR PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT, DANA HERTFELDER, FOR PUTTING TOGETHER THIS PLAN AND REALLY TAKING CARE OF OUR ROADS, OUR BRIDGES AND ALL OF THAT. YOU KNOW, I MEAN, THERE'S NOTHING I GET MORE CALLS ON THAN THAN OUR INFRASTRUCTURE. AND SO I'M THANKFUL FOR THAT. YOU KNOW, AND THEN TO SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL'S POINT, YOU KNOW, THAT'S THAT'S REAL SWEET. [CHUCKLING] BUT YOU KNOW, THE CITIES, IF YOU TAKE THE UNINCORPORATED PEOPLE AND PUT THEM INTO THE EQUATION, YOU KNOW, PROBABLY SHOULD BE EVEN MORE TOWARDS SOME OF THE RURAL DISTRICTS. YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW, PROBABLY 60 PERCENT OF YOUR FOLKS LIVE IN CITY LIMITS. SO ANYWAY, SO WE WELCOME THE DISCUSSION. THAT'S IT. THEY DON'T JUST STAY WITHIN THE CITY LIMITS, THOUGH. CHAIR RECOGNIZES SUPERVISOR PEDROZO. THANK YOU. I JUST CONCUR WITH SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL . YOU KNOW, THE FUNNY THING IS, THOUGH, AND I WANT TO THANK DANA BECAUSE I KNOW THAT A MAJORITY OF THE CALLS THAT I GET ARE FOR ROADS OR FOR SOMETHING, EVEN THOUGH IT'S NOT VERY MUCH, BUT IT'S STILL THAT'S A LOT. AND SO I'M TALKING TO DANA CONSISTENTLY ABOUT THAT. BUT AGAIN, I CONCUR WITH SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL, AND I CAN'T WAIT FOR THE DISCUSSION. CHAIR RECOGNIZES SUPERVISOR--CAN I SKIP HIM? HOW CAN I SKIP HIM? SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA. [CHUCKLING] YEAH. YOU KNOW, I JUST SUPERVISOR PEDROZO HAS LITERALLY PROBABLY LIKE ONE OR TWO ROADS IN HIS DISTRICT. AND MAYBE SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL HAS LIKE FIVE OR SIX ROADS IN THEIR DISTRICT. AND SUPERVISOR PAREIRA AND I WE'RE AT THE TOP AND WE'VE GOT THOUSANDS OF ROADS IN OUR DISTRICT. SO IT'LL BE AN INTERESTING DISCUSSION, TO SAY THE LEAST. AND I WILL CONTINUE TO ADVOCATE FOR, AS I'M SURE, SUPERVISOR ESPINOZA AND SUPERVISOR PAREIRA FOR THE ROADS IN THEIR DISTRICT TO BE ABLE LIKE WHEN MOST OF THE ROADS IN YOUR DISTRICT ARE ALREADY BEING MAINTAINED BY THE CITY, IT'S KIND OF A HARD ARGUMENT TO WIN. SO I'M JUST GOING TO PUT THAT OUT THERE. SECONDLY, I DO WANT TO THANK OUR PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR BECAUSE IN ALL KIDDING ASIDE, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE NUMBERS AND YOU LOOK AT THE ROAD MILES PER DISTRICT, THEY JUST GO TO TRY TO FIX ROADS. AND YES, SOMETIMES IT MAY SEEM THAT ONE DISTRICT IS GETTING MORE OR LESS THAN THE OTHER. BUT WHEN YOU LOOK AT IT AS A WHOLE, THEY DO A PRETTY GOOD JOB OF SPREADING IT AROUND AND REALLY TRYING TO TAKE CARE OF THE WORST ROADS. AND REALLY, WHETHER YOU AGREED WITH SB ONE OR NOT, WE NOW HAVE MEASURE V SB ONE. YOU KNOW, WE ACTUALLY HAVE SOME MONEY FOR ROADS TO BE GETTING FIXED, AND I JUST WANT TO COME IN BECAUSE THE GUYS ARE DOING A GREAT JOB. I KNOW THAT THEY'RE DOING SOME ROADS THAT WE'RE NOT, YOU KNOW, HIRING OUT TO ANYBODY ELSE. WE'RE DOING THEM INTERNALLY, AND WITH OUR FOLKS, CHANGES IT UP FOR THEM A LITTLE BIT. AND WE'RE ACTUALLY ESPECIALLY WITH OUR MEASURE OF STUFF, LETTING THE TAXPAYER SEE THAT THEIR DOLLARS ARE GOING TO WORK OR ACTUALLY GETTING SOME STUFF DONE, SO, DANA, THANK YOU. THANK YOU TO YOUR STAFF AND I LOOK FORWARD TO ANY CONVERSATION THAT MY SMALLER DISTRICT COLLEAGUES WANT TO HAVE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, SUPERVISOR. AND NOW THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES THE NEXT SUPERVISOR WHO TENDS TO GET A LOT DONE BY CALTRANS, SO I'VE GOT TO HEAR WHAT HE HAS TO SAY. CHAIR RECOGNIZES SUPERVISOR ESPINOZA. THANK YOU. HOW CAN I NOT THANK DANA HERTFELDER AS WELL? YOU KNOW, ALL CONSTITUENTS, THEY TEND TO CALL US A LOT, AND A LOT OF THEM ARE OUTRAGED BECAUSE OF POTHOLES AND GARBAGE DUMPING ALL OVER, YOU KNOW, MERCED COUNTY, AND IT'S EVERY DAY, EVERY DAY. YOU KNOW, I KNOW, YOU KNOW, WE BOTHER HIM A LOT BECAUSE OF THE CALLS AND THE PEOPLE HE HAS TO DEAL WITH. AND I UNDERSTAND THE CITIZENS, YOU KNOW, WITH SO MUCH TAXES THAT WE PAY. AND YOU KNOW, AND ESPECIALLY RIGHT NOW, IT SEEMS LIKE, YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST A LOT MORE DUMPING. SO, YOU KNOW, I GOT OTHER COMMENTS ON DUMPING AS WELL LATER ON, BUT I JUST WANT TO THANK DANA FOR DOING SO MUCH. AND YOU KNOW, WITH ALL THE PROJECTS, ALL THESE PROJECTS COMING FORWARD, WE HAVE CLOSED [01:55:01] BRIDGES THAT NEED TO BE REPAIRED IN MY DISTRICT. I'M PRETTY SURE IN EVERY DISTRICT. SO I KNOW WE'RE GETTING CALLS ON THAT AS WELL. SO WHEN IS IT GOING TO GET FIX? BUT I KNOW WE HAVE TO GO THROUGH ENVIRONMENTAL PROCESSES, THE STATE AND ALL THAT STUFF. SO IT TAKES TIME AND I WANT TO THANK EVERYBODY FOR CALLING IN, CALL ME OR, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES I GIVE THEM THE INFORMATION FOR DANA AND HE TAKES THE CALL. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH AGAIN. THANK YOU, SUPERVISOR. DID YOU NOT GET IT ALL OUT THAT TIME? I DIDN'T. CHAIR RECOGNIZES SUPERVISOR PAREIRA? YEAH, I JUST WANT TO MENTION ONE MORE ITEM. SO WE HAVE IN OUR BUDGET, YOU KNOW, SOME I GUESS IT WOULDN'T BE. IT'S NOT ROAD SPECIFIC DOLLARS. AND I JUST WANT TO ENCOURAGE PUBLIC WORKS AND I HAVE IN THE PAST AND THEY'VE DONE A GOOD JOB, BUT I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE IT STAYS ON OUR RADAR THAT WE DELINEATE THE STOP SIGNS AND THE PAINTING ON THE PAVEMENT. YOU KNOW, AS I THINK, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE BIG ISSUES IN MY DISTRICT IS PEOPLE RUNNING STOP SIGNS AND I'VE HEARD FROM MY COLLEAGUES, RIGHT, IT'S EVERYWHERE. AND I THINK IF WE LET LAX THE APPEARANCE OF THE VISUAL OF THE STOP SIGN, IT MAKES PEOPLE LESS LIKELY TO STOP. AND SO, YOU KNOW, IT'S KIND OF THAT LOOK SHARP, BE SHARP. OR IF WE PAY ATTENTION TO DETAIL, THEN WE CAN EXPECT OTHERS TO PAY ATTENTION TO DETAIL. SO, YOU KNOW, I JUST LIKE TO MAKE SURE THAT PUBLIC WORKS IS AWARE OF THAT AND THAT WE GET THE PAINTING AND STRIPING DONE AS WELL, BECAUSE I THINK THAT'S ALSO, ALTHOUGH IT'S A LESSER DOLLAR AMOUNT, IT'S ALSO VERY IMPORTANT IN KIND OF GUIDING PEOPLE'S PERCEPTIONS OF HOW THEY SHOULD DRIVE. SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU, LLOYD. AND DANA, I THANK YOU AS WELL. PUBLIC WORKS IS ONE WHERE IT'S USUALLY IT IS COMPLAINT DRIVEN. IT'S USUALLY NOTHING BUT COMPLAINTS AND YOU THINK IF YOU GET A PAT ON THE BACK ONE TIME, ONCE WE DO A ROAD, THEN THEY COMPLAIN ABOUT PEOPLE SPEEDING ON THAT ROAD. SO IT SEEMS LIKE IT'S A NEVER ENDING AND APPRECIATE ALL THE WORK YOU'RE DOING. I MEAN, WHEN THERE'S POTHOLES REPORTED, WE'RE GETTING OUT THERE RIGHT AWAY AND ACTUALLY WE DO GET THE COMPLIMENTS LIKE, THEY HAD NO IDEA THEY COULD BE OUT THERE THAT FAST AND A LOT OF THE CLEANUPS TOO. AND WHAT PEOPLE DON'T UNDERSTAND IS WE DON'T HAVE CREWS JUST DRIVING AROUND LOOKING TO WHAT POTHOLES THEY CAN FILL. IT HAS TO BE COMPLAINT DRIVEN. AND SO FOLKS NEED TO CALL IN. IF THEY NEED SOMETHING FIXED, CALL US AND WE GET IT FIXED. SO WITH THAT, I DON'T SEE ANYBODY ELSE IN THE SPEAKER. LLOYD, DID YOU HAVE ANYTHING ELSE? I HAVE A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA, SECONDED BY SUPERVISOR PEDROZO. LET'S CALL FOR THE VOTE. LET'S TALLY THE VOTE. MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. THANK YOU, DANA. NEXT IS ITEM EIGHT ARPA FUNDING TOWARD CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS. MAYBE YOU SHOULD JUST SIT RIGHT THERE IN FRONT SO YOU DON'T HAVE TO WALK SO FAR. [CHUCKLING] GOOD AFTERNOON AGAIN. DAVID MIRRIONE, ASSISTANT COUNTY EXECUTIVE OFFICER. SO TODAY I'LL BE WALKING YOU THROUGH A PRESENTATION ON AGENDA ITEM NUMBER EIGHT, THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN ACT. AND SO WE WANTED TO START WITH A BRIEF TIMELINE OF THE OF THE ACT. MARCH 11TH IS WHEN IT WAS SIGNED INTO LAW OF 2021. AND IN IT, IT ESTABLISHED THE CLFRF, WHICH IS THE STATE AND LOCAL CORONAVIRUS FISCAL RECOVERY FUNDS, AND THAT PROVIDED SIXTY FIVE POINT ONE BILLION IN AID TO EVERY COUNTY, PARISH AND BOROUGH IN THE UNITED STATES. AND SO THERE WAS FUNDING DIRECTLY TO STATES IN CERTAIN COUNTIES AND CITIES, WITH POPULATIONS OVER TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTY THOUSAND. CALIFORNIA RECEIVED TWENTY SIX POINT TWO BILLION, WITH MERCED COUNTY RECEIVING JUST SHY OF FIFTY FOUR MILLION. SO LATE IN 2021, WE'RE EXPECTING THE FINAL RULE TO BE PUBLISHED, SO WE'RE STILL OPERATING UNDER THE INTERIM FINAL RULE. MARCH 3RD, 2021 THROUGH DECEMBER 31ST OF 204, THAT'S WHEN FUNDS MUST BE INCURRED AND OBLIGATED. AND SO JUST THAT TO KEEP IN MIND AS WE LOOK AT THE PLAN OVERALL, WE HAVE TIME TO WORK THROUGH A PLAN AND TO GET THOSE FUNDS OBLIGATED. ONCE THEY ARE OBLIGATED, YOU HAVE THROUGH DECEMBER 31ST OF 2026 TO GET THOSE FUNDS EXPENDED, AS MANY TIMES PROJECTS, YOU KNOW, ESPECIALLY CAPITAL PROJECTS, WILL TAKE A WHILE, AND SO THAT ALLOWS FOR FOR THE WORK TO BE DONE AND THE EXPENSES TO BE PAID THROUGH THAT TIME. BUT WE COULDN'T COME BEFORE YOU WITH A NEW PROJECT IN 2025, LET'S SAY, FOR THE RESCUE PLAN. ON AUGUST 10TH, THE BOARD PROVIDED GUIDANCE ON A FUNDING FRAMEWORK AND APPROVED A BUDGET TRANSFER TO REIMBURSE FOR COVID RELATED EXPENDITURES AND [02:00:05] SOME PROJECTS COMPLETED IN 2021. AND ON AUGUST 31ST, WE DID SUBMIT OUR ANNUAL RECOVERY PLAN, PERFORMANCE REPORT AND INTERIM REPORT THROUGH THE TREASURY'S PORTAL AND MADE THE REQUIRED REPORT ACCESSIBLE ONLINE WITH OUR FIRST QUARTERLY PROJECT AND EXPENDITURE REPORT DUE OCTOBER 31ST. SO THE FIRST REPORT IS NOT DUE UNTIL OCTOBER 31ST. SO JUST A REFRESHER ON THE FUNDING FRAMEWORK, WE HAD FOUR MILLION FOR HOMELESS SERVICES, TWO MILLION OF COVID-19 SUPPORT, COMMUNITY FACILITIES AT 14.8, FLOOD CONTROL AND WATER AT 7.2. ROADS AT 10 MILLION. CORRECTIONAL FACILITIES AT 13.5 WITH A $2.5M CONTINGENCY TO GET TO THAT $54M FIGURE. SO THE FUNDING FRAMEWORK PROVIDES 14.8M IN FUNDING FOR COMMUNITY FACILITIES, PROJECTS, AND SO IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE POLICY OR WITH THE FRAMEWORK, WE'RE RECOMMENDING TO UTILIZE JUST SHY OF 1.7M OF THE COMMUNITY FACILITY PROJECT'S FUNDING FOR THE FOLLOWING PROJECTS. AND THESE ARE PROJECTS THAT WERE IN PROCESS BUT APPROVED BY YOUR BOARD PRIOR TO THE 2021 PROPOSED BUDGET HEARINGS. AND SO WE HAVE THOSE PROGRAMS, THESE HAVE ALL COME BEFORE YOUR BOARD AT PREVIOUS MEETINGS AND APPROVED. THE NEXT SLIDE, THESE ARE A SMALL HANDFUL OF PROJECTS THAT WERE APPROVED DURING THE PROPOSED BUDGET HEARINGS, SO WE WANTED TO SEPARATE THOSE OUT SO YOU COULD SEE THE DIFFERENCE. AND SO THOSE PROJECTS COME IN AT THREE HUNDRED AND SEVENTY THREE THOUSAND SEVEN HUNDRED AND FIFTY DOLLARS AND THERE ARE THREE PROJECTS THERE. AGAIN, THOSE WERE PART OF YOUR PROPOSED BUDGET. AND THEN WE HAVE NEW PROJECTS THAT ARE BEING RECOMMENDED AND WITH $4.4M OF RESCUE PLAN FUNDING, I'LL GIVE A MOMENT TO LET YOU TAKE A LOOK THERE. THE HVAC THAT IS THE HEATING AND VENTILATION, BUT YOU'LL NOTICE THAT THROUGHOUT YOUR SEEING VETS, HALLS, COMMUNITY HALLS, LIBRARIES, PARKS, THAT IS THEME WE ARE GETTING TO THOSE PROJECTS THAT ARE IN NEED AND HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED. WE TALKED ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THE PLANS IN THE PAST AND WE ARE LOOKING AT THOSE AND THESE ARE THE ONES THAT WE'RE BRINGING FORWARD FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION TODAY. SO AS FAR AS THE OVERALL FUNDING RECOMMENDATIONS, WE ARE RECOMMENDING THE 7 . 2M IN, PLEASE FORGIVE ME, IT'S NOT THE FLOOD CONTROL AND WATER, THERE'S AN ERROR THERE. AND SO THAT IS UNDER THE COMMUNITY FACILITIES. THE TWO POINT FIVE IS UNDER THE FLOOD CONTROL PROJECT FOR BLACK RASCAL, AND THAT PROJECT IS IDENTIFIED. EXCUSE ME, I NEED TO TAKE A STEP BACK TO 7.2 IS THE OVERALL FRAMEWORK THAT WAS ALLOCATED THE 7.2 AND THE TWO AND A HALF IS WHAT WE'RE BRINGING FORWARD TODAY AS PART OF THE BLACK RASCAL PROJECT. BUDGET MANAGER SCOTT DOCKSTADDER DID MENTION THAT IN HIS PRESENTATION. SO, I WANTED TO TIE THAT BACK. THE PROJECT IS IDENTIFIED TO PROVIDE ESSENTIAL FLOOD PROTECTION TO THE COMMUNITIES OF MERCED AND FRANKLIN-BEACHWOOD, SO WE'RE RECOMMENDING TO OFFSET THE TWO AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS OF BLACK RASCAL CREEK FLOOD CONTROL EXPENDITURES WITH THESE FUNDS, AND IF I COULD MAKE REFERENCE, THAT PICTURE IS BEACHWOOD-FRANKLIN AFTER THE LAST FLOOD EVENT. NEXT SLIDE IS ON COMMUNITY OUTREACH, SO STAFF IS CURRENTLY DEVELOPING AN ARPA COMMUNITY OUTREACH PLAN. ELEMENTS OF THE PLAN INCLUDE COMMUNITY SURVEYS, MEETINGS WITH THE MUNICIPAL ADVISORY COUNCILS, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS MACS, ONGOING UPDATES TO THE COUNTY ARPA PAGE AND PUBLIC HEARING. SO BEFORE YOU TODAY, I HAVE THE RECOMMENDED ACTIONS THAT ARE PART OF YOUR AGENDA ITEM FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION. CHAIR RECOGNIZES MR. BROWN. MR. CHAIRMAN, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD JUST THERE WERE SOME COMMENTS RELATED TO WHY SOME [02:05:14] COMMUNITIES OR SOME PROJECTS, SO WE THOUGHT WE'D JUST GIVE A HIGH LEVEL. AS WE'VE SHARED, YOU HAVE MULTIPLE FACILITIES ACROSS THIS COUNTY IN MANY [INAUDIBLE] ALL UNINCORPORATED COMMUNITIES. AND THERE, AS WE SAID, ALSO DURING OUR COMMENTS, WE WERE AND ARE TRYING TO ACHIEVE SOMEWHAT OF A BALANCE IN MOVING SOME OF THESE PROJECTS ALONG THAT WE HAD TO STOP DURING COVID. AND ALSO THAT YOU HAVE BEEN HEARING FROM YOUR CONSTITUENTS FOR MANY YEARS. SO WORKING WITH PUBLIC WORKS, WE WENT THROUGH ALL THE COMMUNITY HALLS AND VETERANS HALLS AND LOOK AT IRRIGATION SYSTEMS IN THE PARKS AND THOSE TYPES OF THINGS AND OTHER AMENITIES IN PARKS AND THINGS, AND TRY TO PRIORITIZE WHERE WE COULD, YOU KNOW, SO IT WASN'T ALL BEING BROUGHT TO YOU RIGHT AWAY. AND SO WE ARE LOOKING AT WHERE FACILITIES THAT ARE NOT ON HERE, THEY'RE ON EITHER A PHASE TWO OR THREE FOR EITHER NEXT YEAR OR AFTER WE GET THROUGH COMMUNITY INPUT, YOU KNOW, TYPES OF THINGS. SO I JUST WANTED TO COMMENT AND KIND OF PROVIDE SOME, TO ANSWER TO THAT QUESTION IS, YOU KNOW, NO, THIS ISN'T ALL OF THEM. THERE'S MORE OUT THERE. WE JUST HAD TO AGAIN TRYING TO ACHIEVE THAT BALANCE OF MOVING FORWARD ON SOME THAT ABSOLUTELY HAVE TO GET DONE SOON VERSUS OTHERS THAT IN PUBLIC WORKS' PROFESSIONAL OPINION COULD WAIT, YOU KNOW, FOR A LITTLE WHILE LONGER. THANKS. AND I THINK WE NEED TO MENTION, TOO, THAT A LOT OF THESE HAVE NONPROFITS IN THOSE BUILDINGS AND THEY HAVE NOT HAD THE AVAILABILITY TO RAISE FUNDS BECAUSE THEY USUALLY PUT IN MONEY TOWARDS THE MAINTENANCE FOR THEM AS WELL. CHAIR RECOGNIZES SUPERVISOR ESPINOZA. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. DAVID, COULD YOU PUT THE LIST BACK OF THE PROJECTS. YOU KNOW, AS YOU CAN SEE, ALMOST EVERY COMMUNITY, NOT ALL COMMUNITY, AS I UNDERSTAND IN THE COUNTY. BUT, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE HAVE ASKED, WHY ARE WE USING THESE ARPA FUNDS? WHICH WE USE, YOU KNOW, TO CREATE MORE PARKS. BUT THIS IS SOME OF THESE ARE PARKS. SOME OF THESE ARE ENHANCING [INAUDIBLE] OF THE PUBLIC. IT'S ALL FOR [INAUDIBLE] SO MANY COMMUNITIES WHO ARE FIXING UP THE [INAUDIBLE] APPEARANCE OF [INAUDIBLE] COURTHOUSE AND NIDO COMMUNITY HALL. ALL THESE [INAUDIBLE] COMMUNITY HALLS ARE USED BY THE PUBLIC THAT LIVE AROUND THOSE COMMUNITIES, WHETHER IT'S, YOU KNOW, [INAUDIBLE] EVENT FOR FOR A QUINCEANERA OR A LITTLE PARTY BIRTHDAY PARTY OR WEDDINGS, YOU KNOW, SO ARE THESE LIKE SAID, LIKE THE CHAIR SAID, ALL THESE COMMUNITY HALLS ARE RUN BY NON-PROFITS AND THEY ARE BEING RENTED TO THE COMMUNITY, SO THE COMMUNITY IS ENJOYING. SO IF WE DON'T FIX THEM, SO WE'VE BEEN GETTING HEAT FROM THE COMMUNITY RESIDENTS THAT WE HAVEN'T UPDATED THE HC AND ESPECIALLY IN LIKE I SAID, THE DELHI, I WAS THERE AT THE DELHI MAC. A COUPLE WEEKS AGO, THEY WANTED TO ENHANCE IT. [INAUDIBLE] BUT YOU KNOW, WE'RE TRYING TO GET IT ON THERE AND THERE'S EXTRA FUNDS AVAILABLE. I KNOW IN MAY WE'LL BE GETTING ANOTHER HALF OF THE ARPA FUND, SO HOPEFULLY WE CAN GET THAT ON HERE AND MANY OTHERS AROUND OUR COUNTY. SO YOU KNOW, [INAUDIBLE] PUBLIC SERVICE COUNTER THE LIBRARIES. WE'RE LOOKING AT LIBRARIES, THE PEOPLE THAT LIKE TO GO, READ A BOOK OR JUST GO TO THE LIBRARY, THE BROADWAY IRRIGATION SYSTEM. SO THAT'S PART OF THE, YOU KNOW, ENHANCEMENTS OF OF OUR COMMUNITIES AROUND, YOU KNOW, THE COUNTY, THE TERMINAL BUILDING THAT'S IN THE FAIRGROUNDS IN LOS BANOS THAT'S BEING USED BY THE COMMUNITY AND ALL RESIDENTS WHEN THE [INAUDIBLE] COME IN TO, YOU KNOW, IT HAPPENS AGAIN IN LOS BANOS. SO I THINK EVERYBODY AROUND THE COMMUNITY IN OUR COUNTY IS [INAUDIBLE] AND THEY'RE ALL SERVICE SO THAT JUST NO, I THINK WE WE LISTEN, BUT ALSO, LIKE I SAID, HOPEFULLY WE CAN TAKE PUBLIC INPUT FOR THE REST OF THE FUNDS THAT COME IN NEXT YEAR. SO I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO YOUR CALLS AND HOPEFULLY, LIKE I SAID, MY COLLEAGUES WILL ADDRESS THAT AS WELL. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, SUPERVISOR. WELL-SAID. CHAIR RECOGNIZES SUPERVISOR PAREIRA. OH, I TURNED IT OFF. I'M NOT SURE WHAT HAPPENED. OH, CHAIR RECOGNIZES--WELL, AS MANY TIMES YOU'VE BEEN PUSHING TO SPEAK, I THOUGHT IT WAS YOU. [CHUCKLING] CHAIR RECOGNIZES SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA. YEAH, YOU KNOW, LISTEN, WHAT WE'RE MAKING A DECISION ON TODAY'S SPENDING ROUGHLY SEVEN POINT TWO MILLION OF THE ARPA FUNDS AND ON THIS SPECIFIC ITEM RIGHT HERE. AM I CORRECT IN THAT? WE WOULD ALSO HAVE THE TWO AND A HALF MILLION OF THE REIMBURSEMENT OR THE BLACK RASCAL. I THOUGHT WHEN I ADDED IT UP, IT ALL ADDED UP TO SEVEN POINT TWO. ON THIS PARTICULAR ITEM, THE FOUR POINT FOUR MILLION IN THE PROJECTS THAT YOU HAVE LISTED THE ONE POINT SEVEN, LET'S CALL IT ON THE CAPITAL PROJECTS AND THEN THE TWO POINT FIVE ON THE--RIGHT, SO THAT WORKS OUT TO BE ABOUT 7.075. [02:10:12] SO THAT'S FIRST, I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE UNDERSTAND BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE IT'S BEEN MISREPRESENTED THAT WE'RE ON ITEM EIGHT TODAY SPENDING $54 MILLION. WE DON'T EVEN HAVE ALL THE MONEY YET. THE NEXT HALF OF THE MONEY DOESN'T COME IN UNTIL NEXT YEAR AT SOME POINT AND AGAIN, ALL OF THESE, YOU KNOW, TO ME, WHEN I SEE A VETERANS HALL ON THERE AND YOU KNOW, WE WERE ABLE TO DO ONE A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO WITH THE AMERICAN LEGION HALL IN DOS PALOS, THEY HAD SWAMP COOLERS BEFORE THAT. I PUT MY MONEY WHERE MY MOUTH IS. I'LL PUT THE TAXPAYERS MONEY, WHERE MY MOUTH IS IN THAT OUR VETERANS SHOULD HAVE AC. THEY SHOULDN'T BE USING SWAMP COOLERS, AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH HERE AND THE OTHER PIECE IS YES, SOME OF THESE PLACES DO HAVE AIR CONDITIONERS, BUT HOW OLD ARE THEY? ARE THEY VERY EFFICIENT? YOU KNOW, AGAIN, SPEND THE MONEY, PUT A NEW EFFICIENT HVAC SYSTEM IN THERE. SAVES US MONEY IN THE POWER BILL IN THE LONG RUN, RIGHT AND A LOT OF THESE GROUPS, THEY'RE NOT FOR PROFIT OR THE DIFFERENT VETERANS GROUPS THAT ARE KIND OF RUNNING THESE FACILITIES FOR US, THEY DON'T HAVE A WHOLE BUNCH OF MONEY TO SPEND. SO I THINK WE'RE ANSWERING MAYBE NOT WHAT EVERY COMMUNITY MEMBER THAT COMES UP HERE AND SPEAKS OR CALLS IN ON THE VOICEMAIL, ALL OF THEIR DEMANDS. BUT THESE ARE ALL PEOPLE THAT WE TALK TO IN OUR DISTRICTS. WE GO TO FUNCTIONS AT THESE DIFFERENT HALLS. THESE ARE THE THINGS THAT THEY WANT, AND WE'RE TRYING TO ADDRESS SOME OF THOSE THINGS. AND THEN WHAT YOU SEE UP HERE IS JUST WHAT WE'RE APPROVING RIGHT NOW AND SO LET'S THINK ABOUT WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE IS WE'RE DOING A WHOLE BUNCH OF ADDITIONAL HVAC, WE'RE TAKING AWAY THOSE CONCERNS. WE'RE GOING TO WE'RE GOING TO APPROVE OR HOPEFULLY WE APPROVE THAT WE'RE GOING TO START ON THAT. THERE'S ONLY SO MANY GUYS OUT THERE THAT CAN DO THE WORK. LET'S GET THROUGH THOSE. I KNOW WHEN WE PUT OUT A LIST FOR PROJECTS TO ALL DEPARTMENTS, WE GOT LIKE A HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS WORTH OF PROJECTS THAT POTENTIALLY ARE OUT THERE. SO WE'RE JUST TAKING A BITE OF THE APPLE, YOU KNOW, ONE AT A TIME AND THERE ARE PROJECTS IN SPECIFICALLY THE DELHI, I KNOW THAT DELHI IS ON A LIST TO HAVE THEIR HVAC SYSTEM UPGRADED. AGAIN, WHEN WE KIND OF AGREED TO THIS FUNDING PLAN, THE FRAMEWORK OF WAS, I GUESS IT WAS LAST MONTH, AUGUST IT WAS SAID, WE'RE NOT TAKING THIS ALL AT ONCE. WE'RE GOING TO KIND OF LIKE, GET OUR HEADS AROUND DOING THIS NOW WITH FINAL BUDGET AND THEN ANYTHING WILL STILL COME BACK TO US FOR FURTHER APPROVAL AND IT WILL BE UPON US AS BOARD MEMBERS TO LISTEN TO OUR COMMUNITIES, HEAR WHAT THEY WANT AND TRY TO MAKE THE BEST DECISION MOVING FORWARD. SO I JUST, YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT THESE PROJECTS ARE, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE GOOD PROJECTS. I THINK THAT IT REALLY KILLS TWO BIRDS WITH ONE STONE FOR US, RIGHT? IT'S STUFF THAT WE HAVE TO DO AND IT'S STUFF THAT IS THAT THE COMMUNITY WANTS AND WE JUST KIND OF TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS OPPORTUNITY OF ONE TIME FUNDING. THE FIFTY FOUR MILLION DOLLARS RUNS OUT. THERE'S NO MORE AND I WILL STAY STEADFAST AND COMMITTED TO THAT WE'RE SPENDING ONE TIME MONEY ON ONE TIME THINGS BECAUSE WE'VE ALL MENTIONED IT THIS FALSE ECONOMY WE LIVE IN, YOU KNOW, A COUPLE OF YEARS FROM NOW, THAT MONEY RUNS OUT. I STILL WANT TO POINT BACK AND I KNOW WE HAVEN'T PASSED THE BUDGET YET, BUT I'M GOING TO TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY. OUR LOCAL REVENUES, THE LOCAL PART FROM OUR SALES TAX, OUR PROPERTY TAX THAT COMES IN HAS GROWN BY WE'RE PROJECTING IT TO BE ONE HUNDRED AND FIVE MILLION GIVE OR TAKE JUST A COUPLE OF YEARS. LAST YEAR WE PROJECTED IT TO BE NINETY NINE. IT CAME IN A LITTLE BIT HIGHER THAN THAT THE YEAR BEFORE THAT, ONE HUNDRED AND TWO, I THINK, IS WHAT MY NUMBER SAID. BUT YET OUR BUDGET THAT WE'RE GOING TO LOOK AT TODAY IS SIX HUNDRED, EXCUSE ME, EIGHT HUNDRED AND FORTY FOUR MILLION THAT DIDN'T COME FROM LOCAL REVENUES THAT CAME FROM ONE TIME MONEYS THAT IT'S BEING INFUSED INTO US BY THE STATE AND THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, MOSTLY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. SO WE'VE GOT TO BE CAUTIOUS OF THAT AND NOT GET LIKE ALL OF A SUDDEN. WE'RE JUST WE'VE GOT ALL THIS MONEY AND WE'RE AGAIN, ALL THE THINGS THAT WE'RE DOING IS STUFF THAT THE COUNTY IS RESPONSIBLE TO DO. SO I WOULD ENCOURAGE MY COLLEAGUES TO SUPPORT THESE THINGS AND KNOWING THAT WE ARE GOING TO DO SOME COMMUNITY OUTREACH AND LISTEN TO FOLKS AND FIND OUT WHAT THEIR PRIORITIES ARE TO HELP US WITH THE OTHER FORTY SIX MILLION EIGHT HUNDRED THOUSAND THAT WE STILL HAVEN'T, WE HAVEN'T ALLOCATED YET. WE HAVE A FRAMEWORK, BUT WE STILL HAVE THE ABILITY TO WE CAN CHANGE THOSE. THANK YOU, CHAIR. THANK YOU. CHAIR RECOGNIZES SUPERVISOR PEDROZO. THANK YOU. I AGREE WITH EVERYTHING THAT'S BEEN SAID. YOU KNOW, AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, WE HAVE FACILITIES THAT ARE IN DESPERATE NEED OF REPAIR AND THIS IS SOMETHING THAT YOU KNOW THIS MONEY CAN BE USED FOR. LIKE SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA SAID, THESE ARE ONE TIME FUNDS, AND I THINK TO USE ONE TIME FUNDS FOR ONGOING PROGRAMS IS IRRESPONSIBLE. [02:15:06] IT PUTS US IN A VERY BAD POSITION BECAUSE THOSE FUNDS, YOU KNOW, WHEN THEY RUN OUT, THERE'S NOTHING THERE AND SO YOU HAVE TO CUT. SO BY ADDING SOMETHING THAT DOESN'T HAVE A GUARANTEED SOURCE OF REVENUE IS REALLY DIFFICULT TO DO BECAUSE AT THE END OF THE DAY, YOU'RE GOING TO START CUTTING THOSE THINGS FIRST AND TYPICALLY, THOSE ARE THE PROGRAMS THAT YOU BRING IN, YOU KNOW, WITH THESE ONE TIME FUNDS. SO, I THINK THIS PLAN IS SMART. I ENCOURAGE, YOU KNOW, THE CALLS THAT COME IN AND THE PEOPLE TO TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE DIFFERENT THINGS THAT WE CAN DO WITH ONE TIME MONEY. BUT OTHER THAN THAT, IT MAKES IT VERY DIFFICULT TO SUPPORT ANYTHING LIKE THAT. THANK YOU. SO THERE'S NO OTHER COMMENTS? DO YOU WANT TO FINISH THE PRESENTATION OR? OK, SO BEFORE YOU, WE JUST HAVE THE RECOMMENDED ACTIONS THAT ARE IN YOUR BOARD AGENDA ITEM UP ON THE SCREEN FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION. THANK YOU. CHAIR RECOGNIZES SUPERVISOR PAREIRA. I WOULD LIKE TO MOVE STAFF RECOMMENDATION ON THOSE FOUR ITEMS THAT JUST WENT AWAY. I THINK SHE'S GETTING IT READY. OH OH OH, YOU NEED EACH ONE SEPARATE? NO, NO, THIS IS ITEM EIGHT. OK. DO YOU WANT A SECOND? OK, SO A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR PEDROZO SECONDED BY SUPERVISOR PAREIRA. LET'S CALL FOR THE VOTE. LET'S TALLY THE VOTES. MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. NEXT IS ITEM NUMBER NINE APPROVED CAPITAL ASSETS LIST. OK, I'LL LOOK AT THE DAIS TO SEE IF THERE'S FURTHER DISCUSSION ON THIS ITEM. SEEING NONE, I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION. I HAVE A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR PEDROZO SECONDED BY SUPERVISOR PAREIRA. IS THERE FURTHER DISCUSSION? SEEING NONE, I'LL CALL FOR THE VOTE. LET'S TALLY THE VOTE, MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. NEXT IS ITEM 10 ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH DIVISION MOVE FROM THE PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENT TO COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. OK, WE HAVE ITEM 10 BEFORE US. I HAVE A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR ESPINOZA, SECONDED BY SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA. THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA. THANK YOU, CHAIR. I DO THINK OVER THE COURSE OF THE PAST FEW MONTHS THAT WE'RE GOING DOWN THIS ROAD. I THINK WE'VE ADDRESSED SOME OF THE CHALLENGES THAT MAYBE WE SOLVE. MOVING THE WHOLE ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH DEPARTMENT DOWN TO THE SECOND FLOOR MIGHT BE A CHALLENGE. BUT I STILL THINK THAT MOVING FORWARD AND HAVING THAT FUNCTION BE A PART OF THE NEW CED DEPARTMENT, IN MY OPINION, IS WHERE WE NEED TO BE HEADING WITH THIS. THANK YOU, CHAIR RECOGNIZES MR. BROWN. SORRY, JUST TO RESPOND AND CLARIFY FOR EVERYBODY, YES, THERE WERE CHALLENGES. WANT TO MAKE SURE THE BOARD BEFORE THEY TAKE THE ACTION, AS WE'VE SHARED, IS THAT WE WILL NOT BE ABLE TO MOVE THE WHOLE ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH. SO WE WOULD END UP LOOKING AT THE LAND WATER SECTION TO FIT IN SINCE THEY ARE RELATED TO THE PERMITTING FUNCTIONS AND THE CONSUMER PROTECTION AND HAZMAT WOULD REMAIN AT THE PUBLIC HEALTH BUILDING TEMPORARILY UNTIL WE CAN IDENTIFY THEIR SPACE. I CAN'T CLARIFY HOW LONG TEMPORARY IS. I WON'T QUOTE MR. HERTFELDER WHAT HE SAYS AND WHAT TEMPORARY IS AROUND HERE. BUT YOU KNOW, WE WILL BE, AS YOU KNOW, DILIGENTLY TRYING TO IDENTIFY ADDITIONAL SPACE. THANK YOU, MR. BROWN. I DO HAVE A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR ESPINOZA SECONDED BY SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA. ARE THERE FURTHER COMMENTS? IF NOT, I WILL CALL FOR THE VOTE. LET'S TALLY THE VOTE MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. [02:20:06] NEXT IS ITEM 11 APPROACH TO IDENTIFY AND DEBATE SOLID WASTE NUISANCES AND SUBSTANDARD HOUSING. MR. MIRRIONE, YOU STILL HAVEN'T MOVED CLOSER TO THE MIC. I PROMISE THIS IS MY LAST PRESENTATION, AND SO I HAVE THE PRIVILEGE THIS AFTERNOON, ALONG WITH OUR DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF THE HUMAN SERVICES AGENCY, MR. JOHN CHECKLEY, TO PROVIDE A PRESENTATION ON THE SUBSTANDARD HOUSING AND NUISANCE ABATEMENT AND I'M GOING TO KICK IT OFF AND JUST PASS IT RIGHT TO JOHN TO GET STARTED. JOHN. THANK YOU, MR. MIRRIONE. CHAIRMAN MCDANIEL, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, JOHN CHECKLEY, DEPUTY DIRECTOR FOR THE HUMAN SERVICE AGENCY HOUSING HOMELESS SERVICES BRANCH. WE'RE GOING TO PROVIDE A BRIEF PRESENTATION HERE ON SUBSTANDARD HOUSING AND NUISANCE ABATEMENT. I DO WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT JUST TO RECOGNIZE. THIS IS A FAIRLY COMPLEX PROCESS THAT INVOLVES MULTIPLE DEPARTMENTS. I DO WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT JUST TO HIGHLIGHT THOSE DEPARTMENTS, WHICH INCLUDE THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT AND CODE COMPLIANCE, DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH AND THE ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH DIVISION, THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS, INCLUDING THE ROADS DIVISION AND THE BUILDINGS DIVISION, THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE OFFICE, COUNTY COUNCIL AND THE TREASURER TAX COLLECTOR. SO I DID WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT TO HIGHLIGHT THE FACT THAT THIS IS A PROCESS THAT INVOLVES MULTIPLE DEPARTMENTS AND BEING PART OF THAT TEAM, THIS IS ONE OF THE MOST HIGH FUNCTIONING TEAMS I'VE BEEN INVOLVED WITH, AND IT'S MY HONOR TO BE UP HERE AND REPRESENTING MANY OF THEM TODAY. SO THERE'S TWO PRIMARY MECHANISMS THAT WE UTILIZE AS A COUNTY IN ORDER TO ABATE NUISANCES. THAT'S MERCED COUNTY NUISANCE ABATEMENT ORDINANCE AND THEN FOR SUBSTANDARD HOUSING, WE'RE USING THE UNIFORM HOUSING CODE. THIS IS WHAT PROVIDES US THE AUTHORITY TO NOTICE PRIVATE PROPERTY OWNERS AND ABATE THESE NUISANCES. IN GENERAL, THE PROCESS INVOLVES IDENTIFYING AND JUST LIKE IT'S BEEN DESCRIBED AND MENTIONED A COUPLE OF TIMES A DAY FAIRLY REACTIONARY PROCESS TO PUBLIC COMPLAINTS THAT COMES IN THROUGH BOTH OUR ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH DIVISION AND TO CODE ENFORCEMENT AND THE FIRST THING THAT WE DO IS TRY TO IDENTIFY WHO THE RESPONSIBLE PROPERTY OWNER IS, AND THOSE REALLY FALL INTO TWO CATEGORIES EITHER PUBLIC PROPERTY OR PRIVATE PROPERTY, DEPENDING ON ONE OF THOSE CATEGORIES. OUR RESPONSE IS GOING TO BE DEPENDENT ON THAT. OUR FIRST CHOICE IS ALWAYS TO WORK WITH THE PRIVATE PROPERTY OWNER FOR VOLUNTARY ABATEMENT, AND WE GO TO GREAT EXTREMES TO MAKE EVERY EFFORT POSSIBLE TO IDENTIFY, CONTACT AND WORK WITH THOSE PRIVATE PROPERTY OWNERS TO GET A VOLUNTARY ABATEMENT. WHAT WE DO FIND QUITE OFTEN IS THAT THESE THESE PROPERTIES, THEY BECOME NUISANCES. A LOT OF TIMES THESE PROPERTY OWNERS ARE NOT COUNTY RESIDENTS, THEY'RE OUT OF COUNTY RESIDENTS, OUT OF STATE RESIDENTS. SO THERE ARE CHALLENGES AS WE TRY TO VOLUNTARILY GET COMPLIANCE IF WE'RE UNABLE TO CONTACT OR GET VOLUNTARY COMPLIANCE. WE GO THROUGH THE NOTICE OF VIOLATION PROCESS AND TYPICALLY THAT IS GOING TO TAKE SOME WEEKS. WE'LL ISSUE THESE NOTICES TYPICALLY WILL ISSUE THREE NOTICES TO PROVIDE PEOPLE AMPLE OPPORTUNITY TO COME INTO VOLUNTARY COMPLIANCE. AGAIN, THE COORDINATION OF SERVICES, THOSE NOTICES CAN COME FROM EITHER THE ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH DIVISION OR FROM THE CODE COMPLIANCE. SO INVOLVED IN THAT CAN BE INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS WHERE WE'LL REACH OUT TO COMMUNITY BASED ORGANIZATIONS. AGAIN, WE WANT TO PROVIDE SERVICES TO THOSE INDIVIDUALS. WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE SAFE. SO THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT IS GOING TO BE WITH US. IF THERE'S SOME WAY THAT WE CAN, IF IT'S PUBLIC PROPERTY, THEN OF COURSE, WE'RE GOING TO GET ROADS INVOLVED FOR SOME OF THE CLEANUP AS WELL. SO OUR LAST CHOICE IS TYPICALLY TO GO TO THE SUPERIOR COURT FOR AN ABATEMENT WARRANT THAT AT THAT POINT, WE'D HAVE TO PRESENT ALL THE INFORMATION THAT WE'VE PROVIDED TO THE PRIVATE PROPERTY OWNER. YOU KNOW, GIVE THEM ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY TO COME IN AND SAY, HEY, LOOK, I CAN TEST THIS. I HAVE A PLAN TO CLEAN UP. THIS IS MY PLAN. SO WE'RE WORKING VERY CLOSELY THROUGHOUT THIS WHOLE PROCESS INTERDEPARTMENTALLY AS WELL AS WITH THE PUBLIC AND THEN IF A SUPERIOR COURT ABATEMENT WARRANT IS ISSUED, WE WILL EVENTUALLY COME BACK TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS TO PLACE A LIEN ON THOSE PROPERTIES TO RECOUP THOSE COSTS. I HAVE A COUPLE OF PICTURES HERE. THE PRIVATE ONE ON THE LEFT HAND SIDE OF THE SCREEN, AS I'M FACING IT HERE IS A PRIVATE PROPERTY IN ONE OF OUR BOARD OF SUPERVISORS DISTRICTS. I REALLY WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THAT BLUE HOUSE IN THE BACK. YOU KNOW HOW IMPACTFUL A NUISANCE CAN BE TO A COMMUNITY THAT LITERALLY RIGHT NEXT DOOR ON EITHER SIDE IS SOMEONE'S RESIDENCE AND THAT'S WHY WE TAKE THESE SERIOUSLY, AND THAT'S WHY WE APPROACH THESE. THEY BECOME QUITE A PROBLEM INSIDE THE COMMUNITY WHERE THEY EXIST ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE. AGAIN, IN ONE OF OUR INCORPORATED AREAS, THIS IS PUBLIC PROPERTY. [02:25:02] SO A LITTLE DIFFERENT APPROACH ON PUBLIC PROPERTY, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT INVOLVES SOMEONE WHO'S EXPERIENCING HOMELESS LIKE THESE QUITE OFTEN DO. MARTIN VS. BOISE, WE HAVE SOME LIMITATIONS ON WHAT WE CAN ENFORCE. SO AGAIN, WE'RE GOING TO COORDINATE WITH COMMUNITY BASED ORGANIZATIONS. WE'RE GOING TO MAKE CONTACT, TRY TO CONDUCT AN ASSESSMENT, SEE WHAT KIND OF HOUSING RESOURCES ARE AVAILABLE, AND AGAIN, GET VOLUNTARY COMPLIANCE FOR THOSE INDIVIDUALS TO REMOVE THEMSELVES FROM PUBLIC SPACES. SO REALLY, WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IS A QUALITY OF LIFE VERSUS RISK TO GENERAL FUND. YOU KNOW, AS THESE MULTIPLE PARTIES, BOTH PUBLIC AND PRIVATE ARE COORDINATING. IF WE DO GET TO THE POINT WHERE THERE IS AN ABATEMENT WARRANT AND SOME COST TO CLEAN THAT PROPERTY, THAT THERE'S SOME JEOPARDY; THERE'S RISK TO THE GENERAL FUND. SO WE WANT TO REALLY PROVIDE THIS BOARD THAT INFORMATION THAT DEPENDING ON WHICH DIRECTION YOU GO TODAY, THERE IS SOME ASSOCIATED RISK FOR THE RECRUITMENT OF ANY ABATEMENT EXPENSES. THOSE ABATEMENT EXPENSES CAN BE PUT ON THE PROPERTY TAX WHEN THERE'S A PROPERTY TAX SALE. QUITE OFTEN, THESE ARE IN MARGINAL AREAS AND HAVE A LOW RESALE VALUE. SO THE TREASURER TAX COLLECTOR WAS ABLE TO GET SOME INFORMATION. LAST YEAR THERE WERE THREE PROPERTY TAX SALES THAT HAD LIENS ON THEM. WE WERE ABLE TO RECOUP THOSE LIENS, BUT THIS IS DURING A TIME WHEN PROPERTY SALES ARE HIGH. SO THAT'S NOT ALWAYS GOING TO BE THE CASE. AGAIN, JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE WE'RE VERY CLEAR THAT THERE IS SOME RISK HERE ON ONE OF THOSE SALES, SOME OF THE FEES NEEDED TO BE REMOVED IN ORDER TO GET TO THAT SALE. IT WAS A I DON'T WANT TO SAY A NEGLIGIBLE AMOUNT. ANY PUBLIC MONEY IS NOT A NEGLIGIBLE AMOUNT, BUT IT DID ALLOW THEM TO EXECUTE THAT SALE AND THEN THERE IS THE OPTION TO REMOVE ANY ABATEMENT LIEN FROM THE PROPERTY TAX SALE. SO WE DO HAVE THAT OPTION. YOU KNOW, DURING OUR COORDINATION, ONE OF THE CONCERNS FROM THE TREASURER TAX COLLECTOR IS, LOOK, THIS COULD BE $20000 ADDED TO THIS TAX LIEN. IT COULD MAKE IT WHERE IT'S NOT AN ATTRACTIVE SALE ANYMORE AND WE CAN'T EXECUTE THAT SALE. YOU KNOW, WE WORK VERY CLOSELY WITH THEM ON HOW WE'RE GOING TO MOVE THROUGH THAT AND MAKING SURE WE'RE WE'RE TRYING TO MINIMIZE THE RISK OF COUNTY GENERAL FUND. AND AGAIN, YOU SEE PUBLIC AND PRIVATE PUBLIC THAT'S UNDER THE CHILD'S OVERPASS THAT WAS RECENTLY ABATED THROUGH THE EFFORTS OF CODE COMPLIANCE AND ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE, THAT'S PRIVATE PROPERTY OVER ON BERMUDA STREET, WHICH AGAIN HAS RESIDENCES REALLY CLOSE. WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON THE BERMUDA STREET ONE FOR QUITE SOME TIME. COVID DID SLOW US DOWN WITH THAT, BUT WE DO HAVE A COURT DATE FOR AN ABATEMENT IN ORDER TO GET THAT PROPERTY CLEANED UP AND I WAS HONORED TO GIVE MR. MIRRIONE A SHORT BREAK HERE, BUT HE'S GOING TO COME BACK AND FINISH OFF THE PRESENTATION. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, JOHN. SO ON JUNE 22ND, THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS MOVED CODE ENFORCEMENT UNDER THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT AND SO TODAY WE'RE SEEKING FURTHER GUIDANCE. YOU KNOW, WE DID INCREASE THE NUISANCE ABATEMENT, SUBSTANDARD HOUSING ALLOCATION FROM 100000 TO 250000 AND SO NOW WE WANT TO LOOK AT THE BOARD'S TOLERANCE TO UTILIZING THE GENERAL FUND FOR ABATEMENTS, WHICH MAY BE UNRECOVERABLE AND 100000 TO 250. YOU KNOW, THAT WAS ONE TIME INCREASE. SO WE REALLY WANT TO GET THAT DIRECTION FROM YOUR BOARD. YOU KNOW, AS JOHN MENTIONED, THERE IS SOME RISK OUT THERE THE QUALITY OF LIFE VERSUS THE GENERAL FUND. SO WE WOULD LIKE TO WE'RE SEEKING YOUR GUIDANCE ON ON THAT. THE PROACTIVE MEASURES FOR IDENTIFYING AND ABATING NUISANCES AND SUBSTANDARD HOUSING BASED ON THE IMPACT OF THE QUALITY OF LIFE IN MERCED COUNTY. WHAT I WANT TO SHOW YOU THERE IS THE PHOTOS. YOU COULD SEE THE BEFORE AND AFTER TO REALLY GIVE YOU, YOU KNOW, AN IDEA OF WHAT ALL OF THAT WORK ENDS UP LOOKING LIKE. SO, YOU KNOW, JOHN SHOWED SOME PHOTOS OF OF RESIDENTS WHERE, YOU KNOW, YOU SAW ALL OF THAT WASTE AND IN THE CORNER WAS SOMEONE ELSE'S HOUSE. THAT WASN'T THEIR HOUSE, THAT WAS THE NEIGHBOR'S HOUSE AND SO THE EFFORTS OF ALL OF THESE DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS WORKING TOGETHER IN LOCKSTEP AND GOING THROUGH ALL OF THE DIFFERENT STEPS THEY HAVE TO TAKE, THERE'S THE RESULT OF THAT WORK AND SO WITH TODAY'S BOARD AGENDA ITEM, WE'RE SEEKING YOUR DIRECTION ON THIS. THANK YOU. OK, CHAIR RECOGNIZES SUPERVISOR ESPINOZA. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. I CERTAINLY HAVE NO PROBLEM INCREASING THE ALLOCATION FROM 100 TO 250000. I THINK ALL OUR NEIGHBORS WILL GLADLY THANK US. YOU KNOW, WE HAVE NEIGHBORS ALL AROUND THE COUNTY THAT COMPLAIN CONTINUOUSLY ABOUT [02:30:05] THEIR NEIGHBORS HAVING SO MUCH TRASH IN FRONT OF THEIR HOUSES, VEHICLES, ABANDONED VEHICLES HAVE BEEN THERE FOREVER. YOU KNOW, I CAN JUST THINK OF TWO PEOPLE THAT HAVE NICE HOMES AND THEN NEXT LOT IS JUST FILLED WITH TRASH UP TO TRASH AND DUMP AND THE HOUSE BURNED DOWN AND, YOU KNOW, I'VE ADDRESSED IT TO CODE ENFORCEMENT AND SO THEY'RE LOOKING INTO IT. AND, YOU KNOW, HOUSES LIKE I SAID, ARE BURNED AND, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF THE HOMELESS ARE STARTING TO GO IN THERE. SO THAT'S THE ISSUE IS THAT, YOU KNOW, THEN THEY'VE BEEN GOING IN THERE AND CREATING ISSUES AND CONTINUE BURNING THE PROPERTY. SO I DEFINITELY AGREE THAT WE SHOULD BE A BIT MORE PUSHY AND WITH ALL THE DUMPINGS AROUND OUR COUNTY AND PLUS ALL THOSE IN ALL THE GARBAGE, I THINK WE NEED TO PUSH THIS MORE. SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU, SUPERVISOR. CHAIR RECOGNIZES SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA. THANK YOU, CHAIR. HOW FAR DID THE 100000 GET US? HOW MANY WERE WE ABLE TO DO WITH 100000? TYPICALLY, AND ONE OF THE LIMITING FACTORS HERE THAT I WOULD WANT TO THROW OUT HERE ON BEHALF OF THE DEPARTMENT SOMETIMES CAN BE JUST BANDWIDTH RIGHT THERE CAN ONLY DO SO MANY. SO I DO WANT TO MAKE SURE TO ADD THAT IN. TYPICALLY, WE'RE ADDRESSING THREE TO FOUR PROPERTIES ANNUALLY. OK, AND SO LIKE THE FIRST THING I'LL JUST SAY, YOU GUYS WANT DIRECTION. I QUESTION WHETHER THE 250 IS ENOUGH. I THINK THAT IN MY MIND, YOU KNOW, EVENTUALLY SOME OF THESE ARE GOING TO GET PAID BACK. I'M FULLY AWARE THAT IN SOME CIRCUMSTANCES, IT'S GOING TO COST US MORE TO CLEAN IT UP THAN IT THAN WE'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO GET BACK INTO A LIEN. I GET THE TAX COLLECTORS ISSUES OF, YOU KNOW, HAVING A, YOU KNOW, $30-40K LEAD ON THEIR PRECLUDES IT FROM EVEN BEING ATTRACTIVE TO SELL. I'M NOT IN FAVOR OF JUST WIPING THE WHOLE THING AWAY, BUT WORKING WITH THEM IN A WAY THAT YOU CAN. MAYBE YOU CAN REDUCE THAT NUMBER DOWN. GETTING SOMETHING IS BETTER THAN NOTHING. SO I GUESS WHERE I'M GOING IS AGAIN BACK TO I MENTIONED EARLIER, YOU KNOW, FIRST AND FOREMOST JOB IS FOR THE HEALTH, WELFARE AND SAFETY OF OUR CITIZENS. WHEN YOU HAVE A HOUSE THAT'S BURNT OUT, YOU HAVE HOMELESS PEOPLE THAT ARE MOVING INTO THAT HOUSE, THEY FINISHED BURNING IT DOWN AND THEN CATCHES THE NEIGHBOR'S HOUSE ON FIRE. OR THERE'S SO MUCH TRASH THAT IF SOMETHING HAPPENS AT ONE PLACE, IT'S AUTOMATICALLY, YOU KNOW, NO MATTER HOW QUICK THE FIRE DEPARTMENT CAN GET THERE, IT'S BURNING THE NEXT PLACE. THESE ARE ALL THINGS THAT TIE TO HEALTH, WELFARE AND SAFETY AND I KNOW OUR APPROACH, I KNOW IT WAS OUR APPROACH WHEN WE HAD CODE ENFORCEMENT UNDER CED AND NOW THAT IT'S OUT OF THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT AND TALKING TO [INAUDIBLE], IT'S, YOU KNOW, WE WANT VOLUNTARY COMPLIANCE. BUT AT THE SAME TIME, WE'RE NOT GOING TO PLAY THE GAMES OF, YEAH, I'M GOING TO DO IT NEXT WEEK AND THEN YOU GIVE THEM ANOTHER WEEK. WE WANT PEOPLE TO COMPLY AND I THINK REALLY SETTING SENDING THE MESSAGE OUT THERE, THAT IS, YOU KNOW, WE'RE CLEANING UP THESE PROPERTIES. WE'RE NOT GOING TOLERATE THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE PUTTING THE MESSAGE OUT THERE TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT, YEAH, YOU KNOW, YOU NEED TO KEEP CARE OF YOUR STUFF. I'M OK WITH MOVING FORWARD ON AND EVEN SOME OF THE STUFF ON THE ON THE PRIVATE, EXCUSE ME, THE PUBLIC PROPERTY, SOME OF THOSE WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO DO. YOU KNOW, THOSE TYPICALLY ARE A LOT LESS. YOU'RE NOT TEARING DOWN A STRUCTURE, YOU KNOW, A HOUSE OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. SO I'M OK. IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE A MONEYMAKER AND I'M OK WITH WITH SOME GENERAL FUND DOLLARS PROVIDING FOR THE HEALTH AND WELFARE AND SAFETY OF OUR CITIZENS. SO THAT'S MY THOUGHTS ON IT AND AGAIN, QUESTION THE 250. IF THAT'S ENOUGH AND I GET THERE'S A BANDWIDTH PIECE, BUT I DON'T WANT THAT TO BE OUR BARRIER TO BEING ABLE TO GET IN THE GOOD WORK DONE. THANK YOU, SUPERVISOR. SUPERVISOR PAREIRA. YES. COULD ONE OF YOU FOR INFORMATION, COULD YOU WALK THROUGH, SAY, THE $100000 AND KIND OF EXPLAIN HOW THAT'S USED, WHAT GETS LIENED, WHAT GETS RECOVERED? ARE WE OUT ONE HUNDRED THOUSAND? OR IS THERE MONEY OUT ON LIENS NOW, AND WE'RE WAITING FOR PROPERTIES TO SELL BEFORE WE GET-- YOU KNOW, JUST KIND OF WALK US THROUGH THAT, PLEASE. CERTAINLY SO THROUGH THESE PHOTOGRAPHS, AND I MIGHT LOOK TO I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HAVE ANY INFORMATION ON HOW MANY LIENS ARE CURRENTLY BECAUSE IT DOES TAKE IT DOES TAKE FIVE YEARS OR SO FOR, YOU KNOW, PROPERTIES NOT TO PAY. OVER THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS, WE'VE BEEN MORE FOCUSED ON THIS. SO I THINK LAST YEAR WAS REALLY THE FIRST YEAR WHERE WE FOCUSED ON, OH, HERE'S A LIEN, HERE'S THE IMPACT, IT'S BECOME MORE OF A STATEWIDE ISSUE. SO FOR EXAMPLE, I THINK WHAT WE'RE FACING NOW, IT WAS ABOUT TWELVE THOUSAND FIVE HUNDRED DOLLARS, RIGHT? THIS WAS THE LAST ESTIMATE THAT WE HAD FOR ONE THAT WAS IN BEACHWOOD-FRANKLIN AND I [02:35:03] KNOW, YOU KNOW, CHAIRMAN MCDANIEL IS VERY FAMILIAR WITH THAT. SO WHAT YOU SEE ON THE LEFT THERE, THAT'S THE BEACHWOOD-FRANKLIN. THAT'S THE PICTURE THAT WE USE BECAUSE IT DOES HIGHLIGHT THE HOME AND BACK. I WOULD GUESS IT'S ABOUT 6500 SQUARE FEET, SO NOT A HUGE LOT, AND IT'S PACKED FROM FRONT TO BACK. SO, THAT ESTIMATE WAS ABOUT TWELVE THOUSAND FIVE HUNDRED DOLLARS. WHAT WE DO IS WE CONTRACT WITH LEE'S DEMOLITION TO EXECUTE THE CLEANUP. ONCE THAT'S ALL DONE, WE'LL BRING THAT LIEN THE AMOUNT FOR THE CLEANUP BACK TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS THAT WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THAT PROPERTY AS THAT PROPERTY GOES THROUGH AND THIS PROPERTY HERE, MY UNDERSTANDING, IS IN FEBRUARY THAT THEY'RE GOING TO BE UP FOR A TAX SALE SO THAT TWELVE THOUSAND FIVE HUNDRED DOLLARS LIEN WOULD BE ASSESSED AGAINST THAT. SO AS IT'S BROUGHT TO MARKET FOR SALE, THAT WOULD BE ONE OF THE OTHER, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WOULD NEED TO BE PAID TO GET TO THAT DOLLAR AMOUNT. IF FOR SOME REASON WE COULDN'T, THAT'S ONE OF THE TREASURER TAX ASSESSOR, AND I IMAGINE WORKING CLOSELY WITH THE WHOLE DEPARTMENT OR THE WHOLE TEAM WOULD START TO FIGURE OUT HOW DO WE, YOU KNOW, GET THIS PROPERTY TO SELL? THE ONE LAST YEAR WHERE THEY REMOVED SOME OF THE ASSESSMENTS AND SOME OF THE FEES. THAT WAS A NEGOTIATION DIRECTLY WITH THE PERSON WHO EVENTUALLY PURCHASED IT. SO IT WASN'T JUST, OH, WE'RE GOING TO WIPE ALL OF THIS OUT TO YOUR POINT, SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA. IT WAS HOW DO WE GET TO, YOU KNOW, A PRICE POINT THAT'S AGREEABLE TO BOTH PARTIES? SO I HOPE THAT ANSWERS YOUR QUESTION AS FAR AS THE PROCESS OF HOW WE GET TO A LIEN, HOW THE LIEN IS PLACED AGAINST IT, HOW WE GET TO THE CLEANUP, WE GET AN ESTIMATE BEFORE WE'VE DONE THAT AS WELL. SOUTH HIGHWAY 59 NOW THAT'S ONE WE HAVEN'T RECOUPED BECAUSE IT HASN'T GONE TO TAX SALE YET. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU REMEMBER THAT. I IMAGINE YOU DO. THAT WAS THAT WAS ONE THAT WE HAVEN'T RECOUPED YET. SO AGAIN, SOME OF THE RISK IS IT'S PROLONGED OUT AS THEY EITHER PAY THE FINE OR DO NOT PAY THE FINE, AND IT SLOWLY ACCUMULATES INTO A TAX SALE, WHICH COULD BE UP TO THE FIVE YEARS. OKAY, SO MY QUESTION ACTUALLY WAS MORE 30000 FOOT. SO THE ONE HUNDRED THOUSAND IS THAT IN A FUND WE USE TWELVE THOUSAND FIVE TO A BETA HOUSE THAT BECOMES A LIEN AND THEN AT SOME POINT IN TIME, IF THAT PROPERTY SELLS, THEN THAT LIEN GETS PAID BACK AND IT'S REIMBURSED BACK TO THE $100000 COMES BACK TO THE GENERAL FUND, RIGHT? OH, OK. I MEAN, THAT'S WHAT WE'RE DOING. WE'RE NOT PLANNING ON SPENDING TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTY THOUSAND OF GENERAL FUND MONEY TO ABATE PROPERTIES. WE'RE USING IT AS SEED MONEY TO GET THEM ABATED. SO THEN WE COULD BE PAID BACK LATER. THAT'S WHAT I WAS CURIOUS ABOUT. IS THAT HOW IT WORKS? YES, SIR. OK. THIRTY THOUSAND FEET. YES, MR. BROWN. SORRY SUPERVISOR, MAYBE THOUGHT BECAUSE I WANT FOR CLARIFICATION JUST AND ALSO THE GUIDANCE WE GET FROM THE BOARD. WILL WE ALWAYS BE COMING BACK TO THE BOARD TO PLACE A LIEN? OR WILL THERE BE PROPERTIES WHERE WE WILL NOT BE ABLE TO PLACE A LIEN? JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE EVERYBODY UNDERSTANDS THAT? MY UNDERSTANDING WE WILL ALWAYS BE COMING BACK TO THE BOARD TO PLACE A LIEN IF IT'S PRIVATE PROPERTY YESTERDAY. WE'RE NOT LIENING HIGHWAY 99, ARE WE BECAUSE WE DON'T WANT THAT? AND JUST TO MENTION THAT PICTURE THERE WAS BEFORE THE ENCAMPMENT FIRE, SO IT'S A PUBLIC SAFETY ISSUE AS WELL AND IF I MAY ADD THE TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTY THOUSAND THAT WAS INCLUDED IN YOUR PROPOSED BUDGET, AND SO THAT CARRIES FORWARD AS PART OF YOUR FINAL BUDGET TODAY, SO THERE'S NOT A SEPARATE ACTION REQUIRED TO GO FROM THE 100000 TO THE 250000. CHAIR RECOGNIZES SUPERVISOR ESPINOZA. YEAH, ONE [INAUDIBLE] THING IS THAT, YOU KNOW, JUST IMAGINE BEING SIX MONTHS A YEAR LIVING IN THAT COMMUNITY. THE PROCESS IS SLOW. YOU KNOW, I KNOW THE PROCESS OF COLLECTION, BUT THE PROCESSES OF SENDING THE NOTICES, SOMETIMES IT CAN GO ONE TO THREE MONTHS AND THEN WE HAVE TO SEND ANOTHER NOTICE SOMETIMES OR TWO AND I KNOW THERE ARE STAFF SOMETIMES GETS DELAYED ON OTHER ISSUES AND THEN SIX MONTHS A YEAR PASSES, AND THE RESIDENTS ARE CALLING, THE NEIGHBORS, NOT JUST THE NEIGHBOR NEXT DOOR, BUT THE WHOLE NEIGHBORHOOD AROUND THERE. SO THAT'S THE COMPLAINT, IS THAT WE GET CALLS ALL THE TIME FOR BECAUSE OF THE PROCESS IS SO SLOW. SO LIVING NEXT TO THAT IS IT'S NOT PLEASANT. SO IT'S JUST A TOTAL NUISANCE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, SUPERVISOR. CHAIR RECOGNIZES SUPERVISOR PEDROZO THANK YOU. THANK YOU. CHIAR RECOGNIZES SUPERVISOR PEDROZO, I JUST WANT TO I AGREE WITH SCOTTIE, I THINK THIS IS A QUALITY OF LIFE ISSUE, AND SO I'M FINE WITH, YOU KNOW, UTILIZING GENERAL FUND FOR ABATEMENTS, EVEN IF IT'S UNRECOVERABLE BECAUSE A LOT OF TIMES THESE ARE THINGS THAT, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, IT'S A QUALITY OF LIFE AND YOU KNOW, YOU DON'T WANT TO LIVE NEXT TO SOMETHING LIKE THAT. IT'S JUST NOT RIGHT. BUT THEN THERE'S ALSO THE SAFETY OF THE PEOPLE THAT, YOU KNOW, MIGHT COME IN AND [02:40:03] LIVE IN THESE PLACES. SO I'M GOOD WITH IT. CHAIR RECOGNIZES SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA AND SO AS PART IS, IF YOU GUYS WANT DIRECTION AND SOMETHING THAT I'D LIKE TO SEE IS IS I KNOW THAT IT COMES BACK TO THE GENERAL FUND. BUT IN MY MIND, YOU KNOW, I KNOW WE'RE NOT NOT ALL OF THEM ARE GOING TO BE WINNERS AND WE'RE GOING TO PROBABLY HAVE TO SACRIFICE A LITTLE BIT OF GENERAL FUND DOLLARS TO KIND OF MAKE THE PROGRAM WORK. BUT JUST KEEPING TRACK OF THAT TO WHAT'S COMING BACK IN ON THESE LIENS SO THAT WE KNOW, YOU KNOW, IF WE PUT AN ITEM ON THERE, THAT IT'S TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTY THOUSAND A YEAR THAT WE PUT IN THERE. BUT YOU KNOW, AT THE END OF, YOU KNOW, ONE YEAR, WE ENDED UP GETTING LIKE TWO HUNDRED AND FORTY THOUSAND OF IT BACK. WE'RE GOING TO SEE ON THE LINE ITEM ON THE BUDGET IS THAT WE PUT TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTY THOUSAND AGAIN. SO JUST THAT TRACKING OF IT, AND TO HELP US UNDERSTAND LIKE WHAT KIND OF BANG ARE WE GETTING FOR OUR BUCK? HOW MANY WINNERS DID WE HAVE? AND YOU KNOW, HOW MANY OF THEM THAT WAS JUST A DRAG ON THE GENERAL FUND? I THINK THAT'S ALL IMPORTANT AS WE'RE MOVING FORWARD BECAUSE THEY DO THINK NOW WITH CODE ENFORCEMENT BEING UNDER THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT, YOU KNOW, JUST BY NATURE OF THEM MOVING OVER TO THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT, WE GOT LIKE A BUNCH MORE OF THEM BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, YOU'VE GOT DEPUTIES THAT ARE NOT CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS, BUT THEY ALL TALK AND HAVE THE SAME RADIOS. SO, WE'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO ADDRESS SOME OF THESE THINGS, PROBABLY A LITTLE BIT QUICKER. SO I HOPE THAT HELPS WITH GIVING THE DIRECTION, BUT I THINK THAT IT'S IMPORTANT BECAUSE, AGAIN, HEALTH, WELFARE AND SAFETY OF OUR CITIZENS, AND THESE ARE THE WAYS THAT WE CAN TRY TO ELIMINATE SOME OF THOSE THINGS BEFORE THEY BECOME A DISASTER. CHAIR RECOGNIZES MR. BROWN. I'LL DEFER TO THE SUPERVISOR; I WAS GOING TO TRY TO SUMMARIZE OH, OK. THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES SUPERVISOR PAREIRA. THANK YOU, CHAIR. YOU KNOW, I WANT TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO THANK BOTH PLANNING DIRECTOR OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR HENDRICKSON AND OUR SHERIFF WARNKE FOR REALLY PUTTING THIS DEAL TOGETHER. RIGHT? WHERE JESSICA GARCIA IS THE CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICER THAT I WORK WITH MOSTLY AND SHE DOES A PHENOMENAL JOB AND, YOU KNOW, AND MOVING IT TO THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT, YOU KNOW, MAKES ME FEEL THAT SHE'S IN A SAFER SPOT IN DOING WHAT SHE'S GOT TO DO BECAUSE I'VE BEEN OUT ON SOME OF THESE SITES AND PEOPLE AREN'T HAPPY TO SEE YOU BUT I JUST WANT TO GIVE JESSICA A LITTLE BIT OF CHEER AND PRAISE HERE BECAUSE WHAT I HAVE FOUND, YOU KNOW, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT WORST CASE SCENARIO, RIGHT? BUT WHAT I HAVE FOUND IS SHE'S GOTTEN PEOPLE TO CLEAN UP THEIR PLACES AND DO IT TWO WEEKS AHEAD OF OF SCHEDULE, RIGHT? AND I DON'T KNOW HOW SHE DOES IT, BUT I JUST THINK WE HAVE A GREAT PERSON IN THAT SPOT. AND ANYWAYS, YOU KNOW, WHERE WE AT, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, IT'S A BIG ISSUE FOR ALL OF US AND I JUST WANTED TO TAKE THAT MOMENT TO THANK EVERYBODY THAT'S MAKING IT HAPPEN. THANK YOU, SUPERVISOR. MR. BROWN. MR. CHAIRMAN, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, SO IF I MAY TRY TO SUMMARIZE WHAT I THINK WE'RE HEARING. FIRST OF ALL, AND I THANK MR. CHECKLEY FOR ACKNOWLEDGING [INAUDIBLE] WANTED TO GET TO IT IS YES BY YOU MOVING CODE ENFORCEMENT OVER THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE DID NOT EXPAND RESOURCES COMPLETELY. I MEAN, IT DID PROVIDE BECAUSE OF ALL THE DEPUTIES THAT ARE OUT THERE AND, YOU KNOW, A LITTLE MORE RESOURCES ON THE STREET. IT DID EXPAND RESOURCES FROM THAT PERSPECTIVE. BUT AT THE SAME TIME, THERE IS STILL LIMITED BANDWIDTH AS MR. CHECKLEY [INAUDIBLE]. SO I WANT TO JUST CAUTION THE BOARD FROM AN EXPECTATION STANDPOINT AS WE MOVE FORWARD. WE DID HEAR DIRECTLY AS SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA AS FAR AS YOU KNOW, SOME TYPE OF TRACKING AND REPORTING. SO WE NEED TO DO IS PUT TOGETHER SOME TYPE OF A MECHANISM TO WHERE WE CAN SHARE BACK WITH YOU HOW MANY WE'VE DONE, WHAT'S THE AVERAGE COST, YOU KNOW, AND THEN KIND OF HOW MANY WERE TURNED INTO LIENS AND THEN HOW THOSE LIENS ARE PRODUCING AND HOW MANY ARE ON THE BOOKS. I THINK I'VE HEARD PRETTY SOUNDS LIKE PRETTY UNANIMOUS THAT THE BOARD IS WILLING TO TAKE SOME RISK AND MOVE FORWARD ON THESE ON PROPERTIES THAT MAY NOT HAVE AS MUCH VALUE AS POTENTIALLY AND WHEN WE BRING BACK THAT TYPE OF TRACKING AND REPORTING, THEN THAT WOULD PROVIDE THE OPPORTUNITY TO VISIT AT THAT POINT. THE OTHER THING I WANT TO ADD TO HERE FOR US MORE AND I WANT TO HEAR I THINK I'M HEARING COLLECTIVELY FROM THE BOARD IS THAT SEED MONEY THAT SUPERVISOR PAREIRA MENTIONED IS MORE KIND OF LIKE THE OLD REVOLVING LOAN IS AS LIENS ARE PAYING BACK, WE NEED TO REINVEST THAT PAYBACK INTO THIS PROGRAM AND SO MECHANISM WHY FOR US AS STAFF TRYING TO LOOK AT THAT AND HOW WE MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE REINVESTING THAT MONEY BACK INTO THE PROGRAM. [02:45:01] IF THAT SOUNDS LIKE--OK. THAT WAS A GOOD SUMMARY. THANK YOU. SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA, YOU'RE RECOGNIZED. THANK YOU, AND THE LAST THING SINCE WE'RE GIVING YOU OUR THOUGHTS IS I KNOW WE'RE GETTING THROUGH THIS BUDGET NOW, AND I KIND OF FEEL LIKE I TOOK A BREAK FROM IT. BUT CODE ENFORCEMENT YOU BROUGHT UP, WE DIDN'T ADDRESS ANY MORE RESOURCES. I KNOW THAT WE DID A GRANT. WE ACTUALLY VOTED ON THAT EARLIER TO MOVE THE ADMINISTRATION OF THAT GRANT OVER TO THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT. BUT IT'S SOMETHING THAT AGAIN, WE HAVE I KNOW WE GAINED SOME ADDITIONAL RESOURCES, IF YOU WILL, BY MOVING IT UNDER SHERIFF, BUT WE ARE SEVERELY UNDERSTAFFED IN THE CODE ENFORCEMENT DEPARTMENT. WE HAVE TWO CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS FOR THE WHOLE COUNTY OF MERCED. IT'S JUST NOT ENOUGH AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT I WILL KEEP AND IT'S GOING TO BE MY PRIORITY IS HOW ARE WE GOING TO LOOK AT ADDRESSING THAT? BECAUSE AS GREAT OF A JOB AS OUR TWO CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS DO, JUST IMAGINE TRYING TO COVER THIS WHOLE COUNTY WITH TWO PEOPLE. IT'S JUST IT'S IMPOSSIBLE. SO IT'LL BE SOMETHING THAT I'D LIKE US TO KIND OF START THINKING ABOUT AND WORKING ON A PLAN ON HOW WE'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO REALLY KIND OF GIVE THAT DEPARTMENT THE SUPPORT THAT IT REALLY NEEDS SO THAT THEY CAN DO THE JOB SO THAT IT DOESN'T BECOME A BANDWIDTH ISSUE. THERE'S JUST NOT ENOUGH OF THEM. BUT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GIVING THEM THE RESOURCES THAT THEY NEED TO BE SUCCESSFUL. THANK YOU, SUPERVISOR. I THINK STAFF WAS GIVEN DIRECTION. GO AHEAD AND MOVE ON TO ITEM 12. ITEM NUMBER 12 APPROVE THE AB 109 FISCAL YEAR, 2021 2022 STRATEGIC PLAN AS RECOMMENDED BY THE EXECUTIVE COMMUNITY CORRECTIONS PARTNERSHIP. OK, I DO HAVE A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA, SECONDED BY SUPERVISOR PEDROZO. IS THERE FURTHER DISCUSSION IN THIS ITEM? THEN I'LL CALL FOR THE VOTE. LET'S TALLY THE VOTE, MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. NUMBER 13 WILLIAMSON ACT PROGRAM. THANK YOU. OK, THANK YOU. SUPERVISOR PAREIRA MR. CHAIR. THE SAME HOLDS TRUE FOR MYSELF. OK, NOW THAT WE ALREADY HAVE A MOTION BY SILVEIRA SECONDED BY PEDROZO, I ALWAYS DO THIS. EACH YEAR THAT WE HAVE TO VOTE ON THIS, LET'S DO THE CLARIFICATION. A VOTE FOR THIS IS TO KEEP THE WILLIAMSON ACT WITHIN MERCED COUNTY. YES, A VOTE FOR THIS IS TO MAINTAIN THE EXISTING PROGRAM YOU HAVE IN PLACE, WHICH RETAINS THE WILLIAMSON ACT PROGRAM IN PLACE. YES. YES. THANK YOU. OK, I HAVE A FIRST AND A SECOND, LET'S CALL FOR THE VOTE. LET'S TALLY THE VOTES. MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. WHO IS PRESENT? NEXT IS PERSONNEL ACTIONS, ITEM NUMBER 14 APPROVED THE FOLLOWING DEPARTMENTAL PERSONNEL ACTIONS AS LISTED, THERE WAS A TYPOGRAPHICAL ERROR ON THE ASSISTANT RECORDER CLERK SALARY AS LISTED. THE RANGE SHOULD BE EIGHTY ONE POINT THREE INSTEAD OF THE SHEWN EIGHTY SIX POINT EIGHT, AND THE TOTAL COST SHOULD BE ONE HUNDRED AND NINETY SIX THOUSAND FOUR HUNDRED AND SIXTY NINE INSTEAD OF TWO HUNDRED AND THIRTY THOUSAND THREE HUNDRED AND FORTY SIX. THIS ALSO REDUCES THE FISCAL IMPACT BY THIRTY THREE THOUSAND EIGHT HUNDRED AND SEVENTY SEVEN. STAFF REQUESTS THAT THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS TAKE ACTION ON THIS ITEM AS AMENDED. THANK YOU. ITEM 14. IS THERE FURTHER DISCUSSION? I DO HAVE A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA SECONDED BY SUPERVISOR PEDROZO. [02:50:01] IS THERE FURTHER DISCUSSION? IF NOT, LET'S CALL FOR THE VOTE. LET'S TALLY THE VOTE. MOTION PASSES FOUR TO ONE. NEXT IS AUDITOR SCHEDULES, ITEM NUMBER 15. I HAVE A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA, SECONDED BY SUPERVISOR PEDROZO, IS THEIR FURTHER DISCUSSION ON THIS ITEM. SEEING NONE, I'LL CALL FOR THE VOTE. LET'S TALLY THE VOTE. MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. NUMBER 16 FISCAL YEAR, 2021 2022. FINAL BUDGET ADOPTION. ITEM 16, IS THERE FURTHER DISCUSSION, I THINK WE'VE HAD A FULL DAY OF DISCUSSIONS ON THIS. CHAIR RECOGNIZES SUPERVISOR PEDROZO. THANK YOU. I JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU TO STAFF FOR ALL OF THE WORK THAT THEY DID IN PUTTING THIS TOGETHER, BEING THAT THIS WAS MY FIRST BUDGET, UP HERE, THEY TOOK A LOT OF TIME IN ANSWERING ALL OF MY QUESTIONS, NO MATTER HOW DUMB THEY WERE, BUT THEY WERE ALWAYS VERY HELPFUL AND I'M GRATEFUL FOR THAT. YOU KNOW, AND I THINK THAT WE'VE DONE A REALLY GOOD JOB. I THINK IT'S NOT EASY FOR STAFF TO TAKE, YOU KNOW, RECOMMENDATIONS FROM US OR OUR OPINIONS AND THEN PUT IT INTO ONE DOCUMENT AND THEY'VE DONE A REALLY GOOD JOB WITH THAT AND SO I JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU. THANK YOU, SUPERVISOR. CHAIR RECOGNIZES SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. FIRST OFF, I WANT TO GO BACK AND CORRECT SOMETHING THAT I SAID WHEN WE VOTED ON THE ARPA ITEM, I SAID THAT IT WAS ACTUALLY $9M TOTAL THAT WE VOTED ON THERE, NOT SEVEN, THE WAY THAT I READ IT AND SO I SAID THAT THERE WAS STILL FORTY SIX MILLION EIGHT HUNDRED THOUS AND AND THERE'S ONLY FORTY FIVE MILLION. SO I WANTED TO CORRECT THAT AGAIN WITH THE BUDGET. IT'S BEEN, YOU KNOW, THE BUDGET OFFICE. I KNOW THAT THIS YEAR WITH AND THE AUDITOR COMPTROLLER'S OFFICE THIS YEAR THINGS JUST MOVING AT A RAPID PACE. YOU HAD CARES ACT MONEY THAT YOU'RE DEALING WITH. YOU HAD ARPA MONEY THAT YOU'RE DEALING WITH CLOSING OUT THE END OF THE YEARS. A LOT OF WORK GOES INTO THIS. THINGS ARE CONSTANTLY CHANGING, BUT JUST GREAT WORK TO ALL OF YOU GUYS FOR GETTING US A BUDGET TO VOTE ON. AS MY PREDECESSOR USED TO SAY THAT WHEN WE VOTE ON THIS, IT BECOMES OUR BUDGET AND NOT STAFF'S BUDGET ANYMORE. SO, YOU KNOW, WE'RE TAKING OWNERSHIP OF IT. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I DO WANT TO CONTINUE TO POINT OUT, I MENTIONED IT A LITTLE BIT EARLIER. WE REALLY, WHEN WE LOOK AT THESE THINGS, LOOK AT WHAT THE LOCAL REVENUE HAS GROWN VERSUS THE OVERALL BUDGETS. MY FIRST BUDGET WHEN I WAS HERE WAS SIX HUNDRED AND EIGHTY FOUR DOLLARS MILLION. WE'RE VOTING ON AN EIGHT HUNDRED AND FORTY FOUR DOLLAR MILLION BUDGET, AND THAT'S ONLY JUST A FEW SHORT YEARS LATER. THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF GROWTH AND A LOT OF OUR [INAUDIBLE] DEPARTMENTS, ADDITIONAL MONIES THAT CAME IN DURING COVID BECAUSE JUST THE COST OF THEM DOING BUSINESS WENT UP AGAIN. I THINK THAT WE'RE A HEALTHY COUNTY, NOT A WEALTHY COUNTY, AND IT JUST MEANS THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOT TO WORK TWICE AS HARD TO GET AHEAD AS SOME OF YOUR MORE RICHER BAY AREA COUNTIES. BUT WE'RE UP FOR THE CHALLENGE AND WE'RE UP FOR THE FIGHT TO REALLY WHAT I THINK IS WE GOT SOME KEY ISSUES ADDRESSED IN THIS BUDGET. I THINK IT'S HUGE, YOU KNOW WHAT WE'RE DOING FOR SOME OF OUR COMMUNITY HALLS AND VETERANS HALLS. YOU KNOW, INCREASING SOME STAFFING IN THE CORRECTIONS DEPARTMENT IN ORDER TO REALLY JUST YOU GOT PEOPLE THAT ARE JUST GETTING BURNT OUT. THEY'RE WORKING OVERTIME AND THEY DON'T WANT THE OVERTIME ANYMORE. SO WE NEED SOME ADDITIONAL PEOPLE THERE. I KNOW THAT IN THIS BUDGET, WE ADDRESS SOME THINGS THAT ARE COMING UP THAT THE STATE IS REALLY FORCING US TO DO IN THE WAY THAT THEY'RE GOING TO CHANGE THE WAY THAT THEY DO BUSINESS. SO TRYING TO GET OUT AHEAD OF THOSE THINGS IN BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AND PUBLIC HEALTH AND BRINGING ON SOME ADDITIONAL FOLKS TO BE ABLE TO JUST BE ABLE TO HANDLE THESE CHANGES SO THAT WE CAN STAY OUT ON THE FOREFRONT OF THESE THINGS. OVERALL, I THINK THAT IT'S A GOOD BUDGET. I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, I'M GOING TO GO HOME TONIGHT AND REST EASY KNOWING THAT WE MADE GOOD CHOICES ON PUTTING THIS MONEY AND REALLY STICKING TO WHAT I THINK IS A COMMON THEME WITH THIS GROUP UP HERE IS JUST GETTING STUFF DONE AND SPENDING ONE TIME MONIES ON ONE TIME THINGS. YOU KNOW, JUST WANT TO THANK ALL OF OUR EMPLOYEES AND STAFF AND JUST, WE'RE GETTING WE'RE GETTING THROUGH IT ANOTHER YEAR, RIGHT? IT'S ANOTHER BUDGET. [02:55:01] THIS GETS SET AND THEN THE BUDGET STAFF GETS A LITTLE BREAK AND THEN THEY STARTED ON THE NEXT YEAR'S ONE. SO AGAIN, I THINK THAT IT'S A SOLID BUDGET AND JIM, THANK YOU FOR THE WORK, THE WHOLE TEAM, KEEPING US UP TO DATE GIVING US OUR BRIEFINGS, THEY'RE VERY, VERY HELPFUL. SOMETIMES PEOPLE MIGHT SIT HERE AND, YOU KNOW, AS THEY'RE DOING THE PRESENTATIONS, THEY BRIEFED THE BOARD MEMBERS. THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME THAT WE'RE SEEING THIS BUDGET. THEY'RE KEEPING US IN THE LOOP AS THIS THING IS BEING BUILT OUT ALL THE WAY FROM PROPOSED TO NOW SO THAT WE'RE ABLE TO SIT UP HERE AND MAKE AN INFORMED AND EDUCATED DECISION ON HOW WE'RE GOING TO SPEND, NOT OUR MONEY, THE TAXPAYERS MONEY, AND OUR JOB IS TO BE REALLY, REALLY CAUTIOUS OF THAT. SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU, SUPERVISOR. CHAIR RECOGNIZES SUPERVISOR PAREIRA. A LOT OF WHAT I WAS GOING TO SAY HAS ALREADY BEEN SAID, BUT AND SO WHAT I WILL DO, THOUGH, IS THANK STAFF FOR WORKING SO DILIGENTLY. YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY OF YOU FOLLOW COLLEGE FOOTBALL, BUT YOU KNOW, URBAN MEYER IS IS PRETTY SUCCESSFUL AND ON THE WAY HOME FROM A GAME HE'S ALREADY LOOKING AT AT FILM OF HIS NEXT OPPONENT AND REALLY NEVER LETS UP AND I REALLY FEEL LIKE THAT'S HOW OUR BUDGET STAFF IS. SO MR. BROWN AND MR. MIRRIONE AND MR. DOCKSTADER AND THE TEAM, YOU KNOW, I REALLY APPRECIATE IT BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, THERE'S MILLIONS OF DOLLARS HERE AND I CAN'T LOOK AT EVERY DOLLAR, RIGHT? I'VE GOT TO BE ABLE TO TRUST WHO'S BRINGING THIS TO ME AND I THINK THAT YOU DO A THOROUGH JOB AND I KNOW WE HAD AN AMENDMENT TODAY BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WE MADE A MISTAKE. BUT I MEAN, YOU KNOW, IN THE CONTEXT OF THINGS, I REALLY FEEL CONFIDENT THAT WHAT YOU'RE PRESENTING US IS TRUE. YOU KNOW, IT'S HONEST AND YOU'VE DONE YOUR BEST TO BE FRUGAL WITH THE TAXPAYERS MONEY, RIGHT, ULTIMATELY AND YOU KNOW, AND WE JUST VOTED ON MAKING A BUNCH OF STAFFING CHANGES. BUT, YOU KNOW, AS THOSE WERE PRESENTED TO US, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE VERY THOUGHTFUL CHANGES, RIGHT? IT'S TO MAKE THINGS BETTER TO BE SAFER, TO BE MORE EFFICIENT AND MORE EFFECTIVE, AND I KNOW THAT MY VOTERS IN MY DISTRICT APPRECIATE THAT AND SO THANK YOU ON BEHALF OF ALL OF US. GREAT JOB. THANK YOU, SUPERVISOR. CHAIR RECOGNIZES SUPERVISOR ESPINOZA. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. WELL, I JUST WANT TO THANK JIM BROWN ON HIS LAST BUDGET. I APPRECIATE, YOU KNOW, ALL YOUR INFORMATION. YOU'RE ALWAYS KEEPING US IN TOUCH WITH WHAT'S GOING ON AND THE BUDGET TEAM. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I APPRECIATE, YOU KNOW, ALL THE SUPPORT. LIKE I SAID, I JUST, YOU KNOW, LIKE I SAID, THERE'S A LOT OF NUMBERS. I DON'T AGREE ALWAYS WITH, YOU KNOW, ALL THE STUFF. BUT, YOU KNOW, BUT IT WAS CERTAINLY IT'S VERY INFORMATIVE, ALL THE INFORMATION. SO THANK YOU FOR, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, I TRY TO DO, YOU KNOW THE BEST I CAN DO IN, YOU KNOW, EDUCATING THE PUBLIC OF WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE COUNTY. SO BUT FOR THE INFORMATION, I DEEPLY THANK YOU GUYS AND JIM, THANK YOU. CHAIR RECOGNIZES SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA AND JUST ONE OTHER THING I WANT TO POINT OUT IS YOU CAN'T SEE IT FROM HOME, BUT WE LOOK OUT IN THE AUDIENCE HERE AND AS FAR AS I CAN TELL, THERE'S NO MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC IS HERE. IT'S ALL OUR STAFF, PEOPLE HERE AND SO AND WHAT DO I MEAN BY THAT IS, NUMBER ONE, I KNOW THAT THEY'RE ALL VESTED IN THIS BUDGET AND MAKING SURE BECAUSE THIS IS KIND OF YOUR BLUEPRINT ON HOW YOU'RE GOING TO RUN THE REST OF YOUR YEAR. BUT IT'S ALSO NOT LOST ON ME THAT WE HEARD FROM 13 PEOPLE WHO WEREN'T ABLE TO BE HERE IN PERSON, BUT WE ALSO HAD SOME FOLKS THAT WERE HERE IN PERSON AND HERE WE ARE, VOTING ON AN EIGHT HUNDRED AND FORTY FOUR MILLION DOLLAR BUDGET AND IT WASN'T THAT IMPORTANT FOR THEM TO STICK AROUND TO ACTUALLY SEE WHAT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN WITH THIS. SO I JUST WANTED TO POINT THAT OUT FOR THE FOLKS AT HOME THAT CAN'T SEE THAT. THANK YOU, SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA. YEAH, BIG KUDOS AND CONGRATULATIONS, BUDGET TEAM. JIM BROWN, IT IS YOUR LAST BUDGET. HOW'S THAT FEEL? NO HIGH FIVING US ON THE WAY OUT THE DOOR, PLEASE. [CHUCKLING] EIGHT HUNDRED AND FORTY FOUR MILLION DOLLAR BUDGET, IT IS HARD TO BELIEVE, BUT THE AND I KNOW I SAY THIS ALL THE TIME, BUT 80 PERCENT OF THIS BUDGET'S ALREADY BEEN FEDERALLY AND STATE MANDATED HOW WE HAVE TO SPEND IT. SO WHEN YOU SHRINK THAT DOWN TO WHAT WE REALLY HAVE CONTROL OVER, IT'S NOT A WHOLE LOT OF MONEY AND SO THAT'S WHAT I LIKE MOST ABOUT OUR DEPARTMENT HEADS, OUR STAFF AND OUR EMPLOYEES, THEY'RE VERY FRUGAL. THEY PAY ATTENTION TO WHAT WE'RE DOING WITH THE PUBLIC'S MONEY. YOU FLIP FLOP IT. MARIN COUNTY, THE MOST WEALTHY COUNTY IN THE NATION THEY'RE, 80/20 AS WELL, BUT 20 PERCENT OF THERE FEDERALLY AND STATE MANDATED, 80 PERCENT IS THERE THE MONEY THEY CAN SPEND? SO QUITE A DIFFERENCE. AND I THINK A LOT OF THE FOLKS HERE WHO COMMENT ON OUR BUDGET DON'T UNDERSTAND THAT. THEY SEE HUNDRED, $844M AND THINK WE SHOULD JUST SPREAD IT AROUND TO EVERYBODY. BUT THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE WORK YOU'VE DONE, JIM BROWN. [03:00:03] THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE WORK YOU'VE DONE. I HAVE TO SAY, I THINK THE PRESENTATION ON THIS, EVEN THOUGH WE HAD A COUPLE OF PRESENTATIONS ON IT, IT WAS PROBABLY THE MOST THOROUGH AND THE MOST EASIEST TO UNDERSTAND. MAYBE IT'S BECAUSE I'VE BEEN HERE FOR MY SEVENTH BUDGET, BUT IT JUST SEEMS LIKE IT KEEPS GETTING BETTER AND BETTER AND I GOT TO SAY, BUDGET TEAM, YOU GUYS DID A GREAT JOB. IT WAS VERY UNDERSTANDABLE AND VERY THOROUGH. LIKE SUPERVISOR PAREIRA SAID THAT EVERY DECISION HAD THOUGHT BEHIND IT AND WAS WELL EXPLAINED. SO WITH THAT, I DO HAVE A MOTION ON THE FLOOR BY PAREIRA, SECONDED BY SILVEIRA. I'LL CALL FOR THE VOTE. I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE DONE A VOICE VOTE. [CHUCKLING] OK, LET'S TALLY THE VOTES. MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. CONGRATULATIONS. LAST IS BOARD REPORTS. THANK YOU, BOARD REPORTS TODAY, WE'LL GO AHEAD AND START WITH DISTRICT ONE SUPERVISOR, SUPERVISOR ESPINOSA. HERE, LET ME DO THIS. WHAT IS IT? DISCUSSION MODE. [Additional Item] THANK YOU AGAIN. JUST LIKE, YOU KNOW, THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, YOU KNOW, BEING PROACTIVE AND WITH THE SERVICE AS WELL AROUND THE COUNTY, I'D LIKE TO SEE IF WE CAN GET AN UPDATE REGARDING THE [INAUDIBLE] AMBULANCE CONTRACT, HOW THEIR SERVICE IS COMING IN AND IF THERE'S ANY ISSUES. I KNOW THAT IN THE PAST THERE'S BEEN CONCERN, SO I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY KEEP US, YOU KNOW, AFLOAT ON WHAT'S GOING ON. ALSO LIKE TO SEE IF WE CAN HAVE A DISCUSSION REGARDING THE FIREWORKS ORDINANCE IN THE COUNTY AS WELL AND ALSO, YOU KNOW, [INAUDIBLE] MY COLLEAGUES KNOW THAT I'VE BEEN BRINGING UP THE CHARLES AVENUE OVERPASS REGARDING ITS INADEQUATE, YOU KNOW, SAFETY AND YOU KNOW, IT'S KIND OF FILTHY OVER THE OVERPASS I'VE TALKED TO, YOU KNOW, CALTRANS AS WELL TO SEE WHO CONTROLS THE ESTHETICS ON THE UPPER SIDE AND AS WELL AS THE BOTTOM. I KNOW THERE'S A LOT OF HOMELESS UNDER ENCAMPMENTS AND THEY'RE ALWAYS CLEANING UP. YOU KNOW, AS WELL. SO I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, THERE'S NOT, YOU KNOW, ALSO FOR THE SAFETY OF OUR YOUTH GOING TO SCHOOL TO GOLDEN VALLEY AND BACK EVERY DAY. SO, YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST A CONCERN FOR ME AS WELL, SO AND THE VEHICLES, YOU KNOW, I WOULDN'T WANT NOBODY TO GET KILLED BECAUSE OF THE, YOU KNOW, LIMITED SAFETY ISSUES THERE. SO AND IN ENDING I JUST WANTED TO PASS MY CONDOLENCES TO SILVEIRA AND HIS FAMILY AND MY PRAYERS AS WELL TO YOUR FAMILY AND JUST, YOU KNOW, ON YOUR MOM. I KNOW SHE PASSED AWAY JUST A SHORT WHILE AGO, SO I JUST KEEP IT IN OUR HEARTS ON YOUR BEHALF. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, SUPERVISOR. SUPERVISOR PEDROZO. THANK YOU. LIKE SUPERVISOR ESPINOZA SAID, WE HAD OUR MCAG MEETING LAST THURSDAY. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT MCAG, YOU KNOW, THEY TAKE CARE OF THE BUS, THEY RUN THE BUS. THERE WAS A STOP AT [INAUDIBLE] AND [INAUDIBLE] THAT WASN'T BEING MAINTAINED. THERE WAS GARBAGE ALL OVER THE PLACE AND SO I BROUGHT IT UP TO THEIR ATTENTION AND APPARENTLY THAT WAS OVERLOOKED FOR REMOVAL. SO THAT WON'T BE THERE ANYMORE BECAUSE IT'S NOT BEING USED BY THE JOINT POWERS. SO DON'T EXPECT TO, YOU KNOW, GO TO THAT STOP AND WAIT FOR A BUS BECAUSE IT'S NOT COMING. ALSO, I TOO WANT TO ADJOURN IN HONOR OF SCOTT'S MOM CATHY. I KNOW YOU WERE CLOSE TO YOUR MOM AND I TOLD YOU, YOU KNOW, WHEN I FOUND OUT TO TAKE SOLACE IN THE FACT THAT, YOU KNOW, SHE RAISED A REALLY GOOD MAN AND A GREAT FAMILY AND I KNOW THAT YOUR KIDS ARE REALLY CLOSE WITH HER AS WELL. SO MY THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS ARE WITH YOU AND YOUR FAMILY. THANK YOU, SUPERVISOR. SUPERVISOR PAREIRA. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. FIRST, I WOULD LIKE TO JUST SHARE SOMETHING WITH THE COMMUNITY. YOU KNOW, WE HAVE PEOPLE IN HERE EARLIER TODAY KIND OF REALLY WELL SOME OF THEM DEMANDED THAT WE GIVE THEM MONEY. I MEAN, KIND OF IN A WAY. I JUST WANT TO REMIND FOLKS THAT WE HAVE ALLOCATED $16 MILLION OF OUR FUNDING TO THE STATE FOR RENTAL AND UTILITY ASSISTANCE. SO ANYBODY THAT GOT CUT SHORT ON COVID THAT IS LOW INCOME LIVES IN A [03:05:03] DISADVANTAGED COMMUNITY, THERE IS LOTS OF MONEY THERE FOR YOU AND SO IF YOU DON'T KNOW HOW TO ACCESS THAT MONEY, GIVE ME A CALL. IF YOU'RE IN DISTRICT FOUR, I'M SURE YOUR SUPERVISORS WOULD TAKE YOUR CALLS AS WELL BUT SERIOUSLY, YOU KNOW, WORKFORCE INVESTMENT HAS HAS OFFERED TO HELP. YOU KNOW, WE HAVE PLENTY OF ASSISTANCE HERE FOR FOLKS ALREADY AND SO, YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW IF FOLKS DON'T KNOW THAT IT'S AVAILABLE, BUT I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU DO KNOW AND I KNOW THERE'S PROBABLY NOBODY WATCHING OUR MEETING AT THIS LATE HOUR, BUT MAYBE I'LL CLIP THE RECORDING AND SHARE IT ON SOCIAL MEDIA AND I JUST, YOU KNOW, I JUST THAT'S A LOT OF MONEY THAT COULD COME BACK TO OUR COMMUNITY. IT HELPED FOLKS THAT ARE DISADVANTAGED, AND IT ALSO HELPED KEEP OUR ECONOMY WHOLE BECAUSE WHAT I FEAR IS A LOT OF LANDLORDS, MANY OF WHICH WHO ARE ELDERLY LADIES BECAUSE THEY TEND TO LIVE LONGER THAN THEIR SPOUSES. YOU KNOW, THIS IS THEIR RETIREMENT INCOME AND I'VE HAD A FEW CONTACT ME AND NEED ASSISTANCE. AND SO, YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOT TO THINK EVERYBODY HERE. SECONDLY, THE ESSENTIAL WORKERS, MY DAUGHTER IS AN ESSENTIAL WORKER WORKS AT A LOCAL HOSPITAL IN THE EMERGENCY ROOM, AND SHE IS IMMUNE COMPROMISED AND SHE WENT TO WORK EVERY SHIFT AND I'M VERY, VERY PROUD OF HER. YOU KNOW, AND I ASKED HER ABOUT EXTRA MONEY, YOU KNOW, AND SHE SAID, YOU KNOW, DAD, I GET PAID FOR WHAT I DO AND SO YOU KNOW THAT'S ONE WAY TO TAKE A LOOK AT IT AND I DON'T THINK WE HAVE ENOUGH DOLLARS TO REALLY COMPENSATE EVERY ESSENTIAL WORKER THAT WORKED DURING COVID. I THINK YOU SHOULD BE PROUD OF YOURSELF IF YOU WORK THROUGH COVID AND MANY, MANY OF OUR COUNTY EMPLOYEES DID THAT AND MANY OF OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS DID THAT AND I RESPECT YOU FOR THAT AND I APPRECIATE IT AND I THINK THAT THE WHOLE COUNTY APPRECIATES THAT. SO SCOTTIE'S MOM AND I HAD KIND OF A UNIQUE CONNECTION. WE'RE BOTH ADDICTED TO HAVING LOTS OF ANIMALS AND SO INTERACTED WITH HER OVER THE YEARS, ESPECIALLY AT THE HENRY MILLER FARM AND AT THE LOS BANOS FAIR AND YOU KNOW, OUR COMMUNITY IS GOING TO MISS HER AND I KNOW SCOTTIE AND HIS FAMILY ARE GOING TO MISS HER AS WELL AND SO JUST ON BEHALF OF MYSELF AND MY FAMILY, OUR SINCEREST CONDOLENCES AND I TOO WOULD LIKE TO ADJOURN THE MEETING IN MEMORY OF SCOTTIE'S MOM. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, SUPERVISOR. SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA. THANK YOU, CHAIR. AGAIN, THE BUDGET, WE GOT THROUGH THAT AND I WANT TO THANK EVERYBODY FOR IT. I DON'T HAVE A LOT TO REPORT ON. THE LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS HAVE BEEN JUST PRETTY CHALLENGING TIME IN MY LIFE AND. I WAS SUPER CLOSE WITH MY MOM, AND I KNOW EVERYBODY SAYS IT LIKE THEY HAVE THE GREATEST MOTHER IN THE WORLD AND MINE, SHE DIDN'T ONLY LOVE HER KIDS, SHE LOVED ANIMALS. I PUT IT OUT ON A MESSAGE THAT IF MY MOM HAD HER WAY, HER WHOLE 24 ACRE RANCH WOULD HAVE A BIG, HUGE FENCE AROUND IT IN AND ANY UNWANTED ANIMAL, ANYWHERE WOULD COME AND LIVE THERE. MY PARENTS, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE NOT, WEALTHY, BUT THEY'RE HEALTHY. THEY HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF MONEY. MY MOM NEVER SPENT MONEY ON HANDBAGS, FANCY CLOTHES, NONE OF THAT. SHE SPENT IT ON ANIMALS. SHE NEVER MET AN ANIMAL SHE DIDN'T LOVE. SHE WAS BEST FRIENDS WITH THE GAL THAT RAN THE LOS BANOS ANIMAL SHELTER. ESPECIALLY, BELIEVE ME, SHE BROUGHT HOME PLENTY OF DOGS, BUT ANYTHING THAT WASN'T A DOG OR CAT, SHE GOT A CALL. IT ENDED UP OUT AT THE RANCH. SHE WAS AND STILL IS THE STRONGEST WORKING PERSON I KNOW. SHE HAD A WORK ETHIC THAT WAS JUST UNBELIEVABLE. MY TIME IN THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, I WOULD BRING SOME OF THESE YOUNG GUYS THAT WERE LOOKING TO GET JOBS WITH CAL FIRE AND, YOU KNOW, BRING THEM OVER TO THE RANCH AND LET THEM WORK AND SHE'D OUTWORK THEM. THEY WOULD, YOU KNOW, THEY WOULDN'T BE THERE VERY LONG AND IT GAVE ME A REAL GOOD INDICATION WHETHER THEY WERE GOING TO MAKE A GOOD FIREMAN OR NOT. YOU KNOW, SHE TOUCHED A LOT OF PEOPLE AND THE AMOUNT OF SUPPORT AND JUST THE OUTPOURING OF SUPPORT AND PRAYER AS WE WENT THROUGH JUST A REAL ROUGH COUPLE OF WEEKS. IT JUST IS UNBELIEVABLE. IT'S NOT ONLY THE PEOPLE THAT I KNOW THAT HAVE REACHED OUT TO ME, BUT THAT KNEW HER OR KNEW ONE OF MY FAMILY MEMBERS AND I'M VERY BLESSED TO HAVE A LARGE FAMILY. THERE'S SIX KIDS IN MY FAMILY AND WE ALL GOT TOGETHER HERE AND REALLY KIND OF LEANED ON EACH OTHER, AND IT'S HELPED TO GET THROUGH IT AND THEN LAST BUT NOT LEAST, IS I JUST WANT TO GIVE A BIG SHOUT OUT TO MEMORIAL HOSPITAL LOS BANOS. DOCTOR YU AND HIS STAFF OVER THERE. IT'S A CRAPPY TIME THAT YOU HAVE TO GO THROUGH AND I GET IT THERE. [03:10:04] THE NURSES, WHAT THEY'VE HAD TO GO THROUGH OVER THE LAST YEAR AND A HALF, JUST SUCH GREAT PEOPLE, VERY COMFORTING, REALLY COMFORTING TO MY FAMILY AND I, AS, YOU KNOW, MY MOM TRANSITIONED AND SO AGAIN, I WANTED ADJOURN TODAY'S MEETING IN HONOR OF... LIKE ONE OF THE MOST SPECIAL PEOPLE IN THE WORLD TO ME. SO THANK YOU. WITH THAT, WE'LL ADJOURN THE MEETING. * This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.