GOOD MORNING, WE'RE STARTING LATE JUST BECAUSE AS THE CHAIRMAN'S PREROGATIVE, I WANTED TO [00:00:04] EXTEND MY CHAIRMANSHIP FOR A LITTLE BIT LONGER. GOOD MORNING. WELCOME BACK TO THE JANUARY 11TH, 2022 MERCED COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS MEETING. WE HAVE RETURNED FROM CLOSED SESSION AND STAFF WAS GIVEN DIRECTION. WE'LL NOW START WITH THE INVOCATION LED BY REVEREND STEPHEN HAMMOND, SENIOR PASTOR OF BETHEL COMMUNITY CHURCH IN LOS BANOS, AND THEN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE WILL BE LED BY SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA. THANK YOU. LET'S PRAY. HEAVENLY FATHER, WE THANK YOU FOR THE PRIVILEGE AND FREEDOMS THAT WE ENJOY TO MEET HERE PUBLICLY AND CONDUCT A BUSINESS OF OUR COUNTY. WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR FAVOR AND DIVINE FAITHFULNESS THAT YOU HAVE BEEN WITH US AND WILL CONTINUE TO BE WITH US IN THE DAYS TO COME. GIVE WISDOM, DIRECTION AND GUIDANCE TO NAVIGATE THROUGH THESE DIFFICULT CIRCUMSTANCES THAT WE CONTINUE TO FIND OURSELVES IN. GIVE STRENGTH, WISDOM AND PROTECTION AS WE GO FORWARD AND CONTINUE TO DO THE WORK OF OUR COUNTY AND CONTINUE TO HELP ONE ANOTHER THROUGH THESE DIFFICULT TIMES. WE THANK YOU FOR OUR BOARD OF SUPERVISORS AND OUR EXECUTIVE OFFICER AND ALL OF OUR DEPARTMENT HEADS. WE ASK YOUR BLESSING UPON THEM AND THEIR FAMILIES. WE ASK FOR PROTECTION AND FAVOR UPON THEM. BLESS THEM ABUNDANTLY AND KEEP THEM SAFE. GIVE THEM WISDOM TO MAKE THE DECISIONS THAT WOULD BENEFIT ALL OF OUR RESIDENTS. AND WE GIVE YOU ALL GLORY, HONOR AND PRAISE IN JESUS NAME. AMEN. I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. THANK YOU, REVEREND, FOR THAT PRAYER. WE CONTINUE TO PAUSE TO EXTEND MY CHAIRMANSHIP. [PUBLIC OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK] IT IS NOW TIME FOR PUBLIC OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK ON ANY MATTER OF PUBLIC INTEREST WITHIN THE BOARD'S JURISDICTION, INCLUDING ITEMS ON THE BOARD'S AGENDA, EXCEPT FOR THOSE ITEMS SPECIFICALLY SCHEDULED AS PUBLIC HEARINGS TESTIMONY IS LIMITED TO THREE MINUTES PER PERSON. PLEASE NOTE THAT EMAIL PUBLIC COMMENTS WILL NOT BE READ DURING THE MEETING. ALL EMAILS RECEIVED BY THE CONCLUSION OF THE MEETING WILL BE PLACED INTO THE MEETING RECORD. I'D LIKE TO CLARIFY THAT THIS IS NOW TIME TO RECEIVE PUBLIC COMMENT, BOTH NON AGENDA AND AGENDA ITEMS. THIS IS YOUR OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE PUBLIC COMMENTS ON ALL AGENDA ITEMS. IF ANYBODY WOULD LIKE TO MAKE COMMENT, WE WILL NOW TAKE COMMENTS FROM MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC. IF YOU ARE HERE IN PERSON, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND AND YOU WILL BE DIRECTED TO THE PODIUM IF YOU ARE JOINING US REMOTELY VIA ZOOM. PLEASE USE THE ZOOM FEATURE TO RAISE YOUR HAND FOR INDIVIDUALS CALLING IN THROUGH ZOOM, YOU CAN RAISE YOUR HAND BY PRESSING STAR NINE WHEN YOU ARE CALLED UPON EITHER BY NAME OR THE LAST FOUR DIGITS OF YOUR PHONE NUMBER. YOU WILL BE DIRECTED TO UNMUTE YOUR MIC OVER THE PHONE. THIS CAN BE DONE BY PRESSING STAR SIX. AND YOU ALREADY DO THE INSTRUCTION, SO WE APPRECIATE THAT. GOOD MORNING, KENNEWICK BEGONIA HERE, RESIDENT OF MERCED COUNTY AND REPRESENTING THE FRIENDS OF THE MERCED COUNTY LIBRARY TODAY. THIS IS OUR ASK OF YOU. PLEASE APPROVE ARPA FUNDS FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE MARY HOFFMAN TEEN CENTER AT MERCED LIBRARY. AS THE FRIENDS HAVE CONSIDERED THE MANY LITERACY NEEDS IN OUR COUNTY, WE REALIZE THAT TEENS IN OUR COMMUNITY NEED MORE, BETTER AND TARGETED PROGRAMS AND SERVICES. THAT'S WHY WE SUPPORT THE MARY HOFFMAN TEEN CENTER. THE FRIENDS IS COMMITTED TO BASELINE FUNDING OF TWENTY FIVE THOUSAND DOLLARS TOWARD THIS TEEN CENTER. RESEARCH CONFIRMS THE BEST APPROACH TO SERVE THE NEEDS OF TEENS IS TO HAVE A DEDICATED TEEN CENTER BECAUSE OF THE LARGER NUMBER OF TEENS THE MERCED LIBRARY COULD SERVE. IT MAKES SENSE FOR THE FIRST DEDICATED TEEN CENTER TO BE IN THE MERCED BRANCH, WHICH WOULD SERVE AS A PILOT PROJECT OR MODEL FOR CREATING CENTERS IN OTHER BRANCHES. WE ARE VERY MINDFUL THAT TEENS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY SHOULD SHARE IN THE BENEFITS OF A TEEN CENTER, SO WE HAVE BEEN ASSURED BY AIMEE TAYLOR THAT PROGRAMS FOR TEENS DEVELOPED AT THE MERCED LIBRARY WOULD BE PROVIDED TO THE OTHER BRANCHES AND STAFF IS ACTIVELY APPLYING [00:05:05] FOR GRANTS THAT WOULD EXPAND THESE OPPORTUNITIES. ON JANUARY 1ST, THE WASHINGTON POST RAN AN EDITORIAL ENTITLED THE GOLDEN AGE OF PUBLIC LIBRARIES DAWNS AGAIN, WHICH PRESENTS A GLOBAL PERSPECTIVE ON PUBLIC LIBRARIES. A GLOBAL PERSPECTIVE IS ENLIGHTENING, BUT I WANT TO TO SHINE THE LIGHT ON OUR MERCED COUNTY LIBRARY SYSTEM. RECENT REMARKS BY A FORMER ALA PRESIDENT REFLECTS OUR MERCED COUNTY LIBRARY SYSTEM VERY WELL. TO QUOTE, BUILDINGS MAY HAVE BEEN OPEN, MAY NOT HAVE BEEN OPEN, BUT LIBRARIES WERE NEVER CLOSED. THAT PERFECTLY DESCRIBES OUR COUNTY LIBRARIES, WHERE STAFF QUICKLY AT THE START OF THE PANDEMIC MADE ACCESS TO LIBRARY MATERIALS AND SERVICES AVAILABLE TO ALL AGES WITH CURBSIDE SERVICE E-BOOKS AND VIRTUAL PROGRAMING FOR MANY OF MERCED COUNTY RESIDENTS. THIS HAS BEEN AN ANCHOR IN GETTING THROUGH THIS DIFFICULT TIME OF THE PANDEMIC. ALSO IN THIS EDITORIAL AND OF PARTICULAR RELEVANCE TO OUR REQUEST IS THIS QUOTE. MANY NOTABLE RENOVATIONS IN RECENT YEARS WERE FUNDED BY A COMBINATION OF TAXPAYER MONEY AND PRIVATE DONATIONS. NOW IS AN IDEAL TIME FOR LOCAL GOVERNMENTS IN THE UNITED STATES TO TAP INTO AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN FUNDING TO JUMPSTART A LIBRARY PROJECT. WE COULD NOT AGREE MORE. A TEEN CENTER CAN ONLY BECOME A REALITY IF YOU APPROVE CONSTRUCTION FUNDING FOR THE TEEN CENTER AND APPROVING ARPA FUNDS FOR IT IS AN IDEAL WAY TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN. SO I REITERATE OUR ASK OF YOU IS TO APPROVE ARPA FUNDING FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE TEEN CENTER IN MERCED LIBRARY. WE'D LOVE TO TALK MORE ABOUT THIS WITH YOU, SO PLEASE CONTACT US AND THANK YOU. THANK YOU. AND I THINK WE'VE COLLECTED OVER TWO HUNDRED POSTCARDS AT THIS POINT, AND IF I LOOK AT MY COLLEAGUES EACH. EXACTLY. IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK? IF NOT, I WILL LOOK OVER. DO WE HAVE ANY HANDS RAISED? WE DO NOT HAVE ANY HANDS RAISED ON ZOOM. OK, THANK YOU. WE'LL GO AHEAD AND MOVE ON. [PRESENTATION: NOMINATION OF CHAIRMAN AND VICE CHAIRMAN FOR THE YEAR 2022] AT THIS TIME, I WILL TURN THE MEETING OVER TO JIM BROWN AS CLERK OF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS TO FACILITATE THE NOMINATION, THE ELECTION OF THE 2022 CHAIRMAN AND VICE CHAIRMAN. GOOD MORNING, MR. CHAIRMAN. MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, TRADITIONALLY AT YOUR FIRST BOARD MEETING OF THE YEAR, YOU SELECT A CHAIR AND VICE CHAIR FOR YOUR UPCOMING YEAR. YOUR CURRENT CHAIR IS REQUESTED THAT AS THE CLERK OF THE BOARD TO HELP FACILITATE THIS PROCESS. AS YOU KNOW, OVER THE YEARS, NOMINATIONS HAVE BEEN DONE A VARIETY OF WAYS. SOMETIMES YOU'VE TAKEN THEM AS A SLATE FOR BOTH CHAIR AND VICE CHAIR OR YOU'VE TAKEN THEM SEPARATELY, YOU KNOW, INDIVIDUALLY CHAIR FIRST AND THEN VICE CHAIR. IT IS TOTALLY UP TO YOU AS FAR AS HOW YOU WANT TO. HOW DO YOU WANT TO HANDLE THAT DURING THE PROCESS, BOARD MEMBERS MAY NOMINATE THEMSELVES OR ANY OTHER BOARD MEMBER. WANT TO REMIND YOU THAT WE WILL BE REQUESTING A SECOND TONY NOMINATION AT THIS POINT IF THERE ARE NO QUESTIONS. WE'LL GO AHEAD AND GET STARTED AND OPEN UP NOMINATIONS EITHER WAY FOR INDEPENDENTLY CHAIR FIRST OR AS A SLATE. DOES THE CHAIR RECOGNIZE. OK, CLERK RECOGNIZES SUPERVISOR PEDROZO. I WOULD LIKE TO NOMINATE AS A SLATE, SUPERVISOR PAREIRA AS CHAIR AND SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA AS VICE CHAIR. SO WE HAVE A NOMINATION ON THE FLOOR FOR SUPERVISOR PAREIRA AS YOUR CHAIR AND SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA AS THE VICE CHAIR. DO WE HAVE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND THAT NOMINATION. OK, WE HAVE A SECOND BY SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL AT THIS POINT. SEEING NO MORE. WE WILL CLOSE THE NOMINATIONS AND WE'LL CALL FOR THE VOTE AND WE'LL JUST DO ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE. ALL RIGHT. ANY AGAINST OPPOSITION? SEEING NONE, CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY. SO AT THIS POINT, I'D LIKE TO, FIRST OF ALL, CONGRATULATE SUPERVISOR PAREIRA AS YOUR NEXT CHAIR AND SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA AS THE VICE CHAIR. AND THANK YOU AND CONGRATULATE YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP IN TWENTY TWENTY ONE. THANK YOU. AT THIS POINT, TURN OVER TO OUTGOING COMMENTS IF I COULD GET DAVID MIRRIONE TO COME UP, PLEASE, BECAUSE I THINK I HAVE A WHAT, A FORTY TWO SLIDE PRESENTATION. HE CUT IT IN HALF, FOLKS. [00:10:03] NO, THANK YOU. AT THIS POINT, I'D LIKE TO. I LIKE TO TAKE SOME TIME TO RECAP A HANDFUL OF OUR COLLECTIVE EFFORTS AND ACHIEVEMENTS OVER THE PAST YEAR. ALTHOUGH IT IS, IT WAS CHALLENGING. YEAR LARGELY DOMINATED BY COVID 19 PANDEMIC, SEVERAL MAJOR PROJECTS CONTINUE MOVING FORWARD THANKS TO OUR ORGANIZATION'S COMMITMENT TO IMPROVE OUR COMMUNITY. OUR FIGHT AGAINST COVID 19 CONTINUED IN 2021 AND WE'LL EXTEND INTO 2022. HOWEVER, WE HAVE BETTER TOOLS NOW TO COMBAT THE DEADLY DISEASE THAT HAS TRAGICALLY TAKEN OUR LIVES MORE THAN HAS TAKEN MORE THAN 700 OF OUR RESIDENTS. THROUGH TESTING, VACCINATION AND OTHER SAFETY PROTOCOLS. WE HAVE LEARNED HOW TO STEM THE SPREAD OF THE DISEASE, AND WE'RE AND WE'RE NOT FIGHTING THE DISEASE AT THE COST OF OUR ECONOMY OR OUR CHILDREN'S FUTURES. WE'VE SEEN WHAT SHUTDOWNS CAN DO TO OUR ECONOMY, OUR CHILDREN AND OUR MENTAL WELL-BEING OF OUR NEIGHBORS. WE HAVE OTHER OPTIONS AVAILABLE TO PUSH BACK ON THE COVID 19 VACCINES, AND TESTING OPTIONS ARE WIDELY ACCESSIBLE TO GET THE VACCINE OR THE BOOSTER SHOT OR THE FLU SHOT. YOU CAN VISIT MY TURN.CA.GOV. FOR TESTING INFORMATION, YOU CAN VISIT COUNTYOFMERCEDCOUNTY.COM/CORONAVIRUS. IMPROVEMENTS TO OUR ECONOMY AND REGION SYSTEMS GAIN PROGRESS IN 2021 AND WE'LL CONTINUE INTO 2022, THANKS TO THE MEASURE V HALF CENT SALES TAX APPROVED BY VOTERS IN 2016 AND THE SB ONE TRANSPORTATION PACKAGE APPROVED BY THE STATE LEGISLATION IN 2017 MERCED COUNTY IS SEEING AN ADDITIONAL INFLUX OF FUNDING TO ADDRESS THIS CRITICAL ISSUE. IN 2021, THE MERCED COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS UTILIZED MEASURE V AND SB ONE FUNDING TO RESURFACE NEARLY 19 MILES OF COUNTY ROADS, WITH A TOTAL CONSTRUCTION COST OF 5.8 MILLION DOLLARS. IT'S WORTH NOTING THAT IT COSTS APPROXIMATELY 360 THOUSAND DOLLARS TO REPAVE ONE MILE OF A ROADWAY. SOME REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION PROJECTS ARE ALSO IN THE PLANNING STAGES OR IN DEVELOPMENT, AND THE MOST VISIBLE BEING CAMPUS PARKWAY, WHICH WILL CONNECT HIGHWAY 99 WITH CITY OF MERCED COMMUNITY VIA A FOUR LANE EXPRESSWAY AND IN 2020. SEGMENT TWO, WHICH CONNECTS THE EXPRESSWAY TO HIGHWAY 140, WAS COMPLETED AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC. SEGMENT THREE IS CURRENTLY UNDERWAY AND WE'LL EXTEND THE EXPRESSWAY AND YOSEMITE AVENUE. ONCE FINISHED, SEGMENT THREE IS NOW MORE THAN 80 PERCENT COMPLETE. IN ADDITION TO CAMPUS PARKWAY, STAFF ALSO IS IN THE PROCESS OF COMPLETING PRELIMINARY WORK ON THE RESEARCH FUNDING FOR PHASE 1B OF THE ATWATER, WHICH IS MOST IMPORTANT TO ME, OF COURSE, ATWATER MERCED EXPRESSWAY PROJECTS, WHICH WILL EXTEND THE EXPRESSWAY FROM THE CURRENT INTERCHANGE ALONG HIGHWAY 99 AND OVER TO CASTLE COMMERCE CENTER, OPENING THE DOOR FOR FUTURE ECONOMIC AND DEVELOPMENT SITE. AS CALIFORNIA CONTINUES TO FACE SEVERE HOUSING SHORTAGE AND INCREASED COST OF LIVING. THE CURRENT HOMELESS CRISIS CONTINUES TO ESCALATE ACROSS THE STATE. THIS IS AN ISSUE THAT CAN'T BE ADDRESSED BY ONE AGENCY ALONE. MERCED COUNTY IS WORKING WITH THE SIX CITIES AND THE CONTINUUM OF CARE TO IMPLEMENT REGIONAL HOMELESS PLAN THAT FOCUSES ON A VARIETY OF KEY AREAS, INCLUDING OUTREACH AND ENGAGEMENT, NAVIGATION SERVICES, TRANSITIONAL HOUSING AND LONG TERM SUPPORTIVE HOUSING. THIS PAST YEAR, SIGNIFICANT PROGRESS WAS MADE THROUGH THE OPENING OF THE MERCED COUNTY NAVIGATION CENTER, WHICH. AIMS TO HELP TRANSITION INDIVIDUALS OUT OF HOMELESSNESS OPERATED BY THE MERCED COUNTY RESCUE MISSION. THE GOAL IS TO LINK NAVIGATION CENTER CLIENTS TO PERMANENT, SUPPORTIVE AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING UNITS AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE, WHILE SIMULTANEOUSLY WORKING ON BARRIERS TO SUSTAINABILITY, SUCH AS LACK OF INCOME AND BEHAVIORAL HEALTH CHALLENGES. THE BOARD ADOPTED A BALANCED FINAL BUDGET IN SEPTEMBER, INCREASING OUR RESERVES TO 39.1 MILLION DOLLARS. THAT IS SOMETHING THAT THIS BOARD HAS WORKED ON SINCE THE LAST TIME I WAS A CHAIRMANSHIP TO INCREASE THOSE, SO THANK YOU FOR THAT SUPPORT. THE YEAR'S FINAL BUDGET IS 844 MILLION, WHICH REFLECTS AN INCREASE OF JUST OVER 16 PERCENT FROM THE LAST YEAR, MAINLY DUE TO THE INCREASE OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES FUNDING FROM THE STATE AND FEDERAL LEVELS AND INCREASES IN CAPITAL PROJECTS. THE BOARD CONTINUES TO FOCUS ON MAINTAINING A SUSTAINABLE BUDGET THAT PROVIDES LONG TERM FISCAL STABILITY PERIODS AND ECONOMIC UNCERTAINTY. WE'RE EXCITED TO REPORT THE RECENT COMPLETION OF AN AUTOMOTIVE TEST CENTER EXPANSION AT CASTLE COMMERCE CENTER, MAKING MERCED COUNTY A FOCAL POINT FOR ADVANCE AUTOMOTIVE RESEARCH AND INNOVATION. THE $2.1 MILLION EXPANSION PROJECT, KNOWN AS MERCED CALIFORNIA AUTOMOTIVE RESEARCH AND TESTING COMPLEX, IS ALREADY ATTRACTING INCREASED INTEREST FROM THE ADVANCED MOBILITY [00:15:05] INDUSTRY. CONSTRUCTION OF THE 2.2 MILE OVAL TEST TRACK, A ONE MILE CITY COURSE AND A TWO LARGE VEHICLE DYNAMIC AREAS, HAS TRANSFORMED A PORTION OF THE FORMER CASTLE AIR FORCE BASE INTO A WORLD CLASS TESTING FACILITY. THESE DEVELOPMENTS CONSTITUTE PHASE ONE. THE LONG TERM EXPANSION PLAN TRC CALIFORNIA OFFERS VEHICLE MANUFACTURERS, SUPPLIERS AND INNOVATORS A RANGE OF SPECIALIZED TEST FACILITIES THAT REPLICATE REAL WORLD HIGHWAY, RURAL AND URBAN DRIVING SCENARIOS. THESE IMPROVEMENTS ALLOW THE SAFE TESTING AND REFINEMENT OF AUTONOMOUS VEHICLE TECHNOLOGY AND OTHER ADVANCED VEHICLE SYSTEMS. MEANWHILE, WAYMO, GOOGLE'S DRIVERLESS CAR COMPANY, CONTINUES TO OPERATE ITS ONE HUNDRED PLUS ACRE PARTIAL SEPARATELY FROM TRC SITE, WHICH IS BELIEVED TO BE THE LARGEST PROPRIETARY AUTONOMOUS VEHICLE TESTING ENVIRONMENT IN NORTH AMERICA. FURTHERMORE, ONCE PHASE 1B OF THE ATWATER MARCI EXPRESSWAY PROJECT CONNECTS HIGHWAY 99 WITH CASTLE, THERE ARE PLANS IN DEVELOPMENT AT THE FORMER AIR FORCE BASE INTO THE FUTURE HUB FOR GOODS, MOVEMENT AND MANUFACTURING. IN AUGUST, WE BROKE GROUND ON A RENOVATION PROJECT FOR HOULIHAN PARK IN PLANADA. THE PROJECT IS BEING FUNDED THROUGH A HIGHLY COMPETITIVE 2.4 MILLION DOLLARS STATE GRANT SECURED BY MERCED COUNTY. THANK YOU, PATTY. I DON'T KNOW IF PATTY IS HERE. SHE HELPED US WITH THAT. THE PARK REMODEL WILL INCLUDE SEVERAL UPGRADES, INCLUDING SPLASH PAD, A LIGHTED WALKWAY LOOP, EXERCISE EQUIPMENT, WATER EFFICIENT IRRIGATION, PLAYGROUND IMPROVEMENTS AND A RENOVATED BASKETBALL COURT WITH LIGHTING, NEW BENCHES AND PICNIC TABLES AND AN OUTDOOR PERFORMING ARTS STAGE. THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS IS CURRENTLY WORKING WITH STAFF TO IDENTIFY POTENTIAL FUNDING FOR PARKS IN OTHER AREAS OF THE COUNTY IN DISTRICT FIVE AND IN DISTRICT THREE. AND FOR. JOSH HAS BEEN TAKEN CARE OF. HE'S GOOD. FOLLOWING EXTENSIVE PUBLIC OUTREACH CAMPAIGN, THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS ADOPTED A REVISED DISTRICT MAP ON DECEMBER 7TH. REDISTRICTING IS PERFORMED EVERY 10 YEARS FOLLOWING THE CENSUS. IT USES THE NEW CENSUS DATA TO REDRAW DISTRICT LINES TO REFLECT HOW LOCAL POPULATIONS HAVE CHANGED. THIS PROCESS ENSURES FAIR AND EQUITABLE GOVERNMENT REPRESENTATION. AT THE END OF 2021, THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS ANNOUNCED A REPLACEMENT FOR RETIRING CEO JIM BROWN. RAUL [INAUDIBLE] MENDEZ, WHO? WELL, THIS ONE SAYS HE CURRENTLY SERVES SORRY. WHEN THIS WAS WRITTEN, YOU WERE CURRENTLY SERVING AS COUNTY EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT COUNTY EXECUTIVE OFFICER OF STANISLAUS COUNTY WAS UNANIMOUSLY APPOINTED BY THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS TO SUCCEED CEO BROWN MR. MENDEZ WAS IDENTIFIED AS A TOP CANDIDATE FOLLOWING AN EXTENSIVE RECRUITING PROCESS THIS PAST MONDAY. MR. MENDEZ JOINED OUR TEAM AS CEO DESIGNEE AND WILL OFFICIALLY BECOME OUR CEO. UPON MR. BROWN'S RETIREMENT ON FEBRUARY 27TH, THIS TRANSITIONARY PERIOD WILL ENABLE MORE SEAMLESS TRANSFER OF KNOWLEDGE AND DUTIES, WHILE ALSO PROVIDING CONTINUITY OF COUNTY SERVICES TO THE COMMUNITY. THE BOARD WELCOMES MR. MENDEZ AND WOULD LIKE TO EXTEND A HEARTFELT THANKS AND APPRECIATION TOWARD MR. BROWN, WHO SERVED AS MERCED COUNTY'S FOR NEARLY 32 YEARS. YOU'RE HERE LONGER THAN GERRY O'BANION. THAT'S AMAZING. MADE LASTING IMPACT ON THE ORGANIZATION AND THE COUNTY AS A WHOLE. TALKING ABOUT WHAT WE HAD GOING ON, IT HAS BEEN NICE. YOU KNOW, WE CONTINUED ON IN 2020 WHEN IT WAS A CHALLENGE UNDER THE DIRECTION OF OUR FORMER BOARD CHAIR. AND THEN THIS YEAR CREATED SOME OF THEIR CHALLENGES OF THEIR OWN. WE LOST A COLLEAGUE, GERRY O'BANION. I LIKE TO JOKE ABOUT IT. IT MAKES IT EASIER FOR ME TO GET THROUGH IT. BUT HE WAS A MENTOR NOT ONLY TO ME, BUT I THINK EVERY MEMBER UP HERE. HE WAS A BIG MENTOR ALSO TO SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA BEFORE HE TOOK THE SEAT. SO WE'LL MISS GERRY. ALSO OTHER CHALLENGES WE HAD UP HERE WHERE WE LOST SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA'S MOTHER. BUT YOU CAN SEE HOW THIS BOARD WORKS TOGETHER AND HOW THIS COMMUNITY COMES TOGETHER. IT'S AMAZING. [00:20:02] I COULD LOOK TO ANY OF MY BOARD MEMBERS, ANY STAFF, ANY DEPARTMENT HEAD FOR SUPPORT, AND THEY WERE THERE FOR US. I LOST MY MOTHER JUNE 9TH OF THIS YEAR. FORTY DAYS LATER, I LOST MY FATHER IN LAW. IT IS A BIG LOSS, BUT GROWING UP IN A SMALL, RURAL COMMUNITY, IT'S AMAZING OF HOW THE COMMUNITY COMES TOGETHER AND HELPS YOU OUT. ALTHOUGH IT WAS A HARD WALK, A DIFFICULT PATH, I FOUND A LOT OF I DON'T KNOW HOW TO EXPLAIN IT, BUT THE FACT THAT THE COMMUNITY AND THE OUTREACH NOT ONLY HERE IN MERCED COUNTY, NOT ONLY IN DISTRICT THREE, BUT THE ENTIRE STATE OF SUPPORT AND REACH OUT AND HOW PEOPLE REACHED OUT TO HELP HELP ME. I KNOW SCOTT SAW IT ON HIS END, AND I KNOW THE O'BANNON'S FELT IT ON THEIR END AS WELL. WITH THAT, I'D LIKE TO, AS ALWAYS, THANK EVERYONE, INCLUDING STAFF AND FELLOW ELECTEDS, FOR MOVING MERCED COUNTY FORWARD DURING WHAT TURNED OUT TO BE ANOTHER CHALLENGING YEAR. WHAT WOULD TURN OUT TO BE A CHALLENGING YEAR? BUT WE'LL CONTINUE TO SERVE THE PUBLIC TO THE BEST OF OUR ABILITIES FORWARD, AND I'M CONFIDENT THAT IN 2022, THERE'S A LOT OF POSITIVE NEWS IN STORE. WITH THAT, WE'LL TAKE A SHORT FIVE MINUTE BREAK AS WE ADJUST OUR SEATS AND THE PLACARDS HERE AT THE DAIS. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR ALLOWING ME TO SERVE YOU IN THIS CAPACITY. WHILE WE WAIT FOR THE STAFF TO MAKE ONE MORE CHANGE TO THE VOTING SYSTEM, I'D LIKE TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO TO THANK SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL FOR LEADING US THIS PAST YEAR. YOU KNOW, WHEN HE READ OFF THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS REALLY THAT STAFF COMPLETED WHILE DURING WHILE HE WAS CHAIR, YOU KNOW, HE WAS VERY INTEGRAL INTO THAT PROCESS. AND WHENEVER US, AS OTHER SUPERVISORS HAD A QUESTION, HE WAS ALWAYS WILLING TO AND AND TOOK GREAT DETAIL AND KIND OF KEEPING EVERYBODY ABREAST OF WHAT WAS HAPPENING AS AS THINGS WERE WERE UNFOLDING. AND I BELIEVE THAT WE HAD A REALLY SUCCESSFUL YEAR UNDER HIM AND I WOULD LIKE TO TO MAKE A LITTLE PRESENTATION TO HIM. SO IF YOU WOULD JOIN ME OUT IN FRONT OF THE DAIS, WE'LL DO THAT. YEAH. CHECK, CHECK. ALL RIGHT, WE'RE LIVE NOW. WELL, AS I SAID, YOU KNOW, DARON REALLY DID A PHENOMENAL JOB AS CHAIR AND AND, YOU KNOW, WE HATE TELLING HIM THAT BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, HE'S ALREADY, YOU KNOW, NEEDS A LARGER SIZED HAT AT TIMES. BUT ANYWAYS, ON BEHALF OF YOUR COLLEAGUES AND I'D LIKE TO PRESENT YOU WITH A LITTLE TOKEN OF OUR APPRECIATION THAT YOU'LL BE ABLE TO REMEMBER THIS PAST YEAR FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE WITH. WITH THIS GROUP, I AM AFRAID TO OPEN IT. SO. THIS ONE ISN'T ALIVE. OH, WOW. AND TO MY COLLEAGUES, WOULD ANY OF YOU LIKE TO MAKE SOME COMMENT? WELL, I KNOW THAT GERRY BANNON WAS A MENTOR TO ALL OF US A LITTLE BIT, AND I KNOW HE HAD SAID SOME MEMORIES. BUT YOU KNOW, TO MYSELF, DARON HAS BEEN ALSO A MENTOR SINCE I CAME IN, AND HE'S KIND OF OUR SENIOR RIGHT NOW. RIGHT. SO GREAT JOB FOR A GREAT YEAR. MR. CHAIR, THANK YOU. I WANT TO SAY, BEING THAT THIS IS MY FIRST YEAR, I REALLY GET TO WORK WITH DARON QUITE A BIT AND I'VE REALLY APPRECIATED YOUR LEADERSHIP, ESPECIALLY [00:25:02] WITH A LOT OF THE STUFF THAT YOU WENT THROUGH. AND YOU NEVER LET THE PEOPLE OF MERCED COUNTY DOWN OR DISTRICT THREE DOWN. YOU'RE ALWAYS ON TOP OF EVERYTHING, BUT YOU ALSO LOOKED OUT FOR MYSELF AND FOR THE REST OF US HERE ON THE BOARD BY LIKE, LLOYD SAID, KEEPING US ABREAST ON WHAT WAS GOING ON. SO I REALLY APPRECIATED YOUR LEADERSHIP, YOUR GUIDANCE, YOUR ADVICE. JUST LIKE I TOLD YOU, THOUGH, BESIDES THE FACT THAT YOU'RE A BAD PARKER, YOU WERE A REALLY GOOD CHAIRMAN AND I APPRECIATE YOUR LEADERSHIP. YEAH. YOU KNOW, EVERYBODY SAID ABOUT THE LEADERSHIP PART, AND I WHOLEHEARTEDLY AGREE WITH THAT. BUT WHAT I ALSO APPRECIATE IS TO JUST BE IN A GOOD FRIEND, YOU KNOW, CRAZY TIME. THIS PAST YEAR, WE UNFORTUNATELY HAD SOME THINGS IN COMMON JUST THE THE TEXT LATE IN THE EVENING, EARLY IN THE MORNING, JUST JUST THERE TO LEAN ON EACH OTHER. APPRECIATE IT. AND THEN IF YOU GUYS HAVEN'T FIGURED OUT, WE ACTUALLY STILL TRY TO HAVE FUN WHILE WE'RE DOING OUR JOB. AND I APPRECIATE THIS WHOLE GROUP. AND UNDER YOUR LEADERSHIP THIS YEAR IS WE DO REALIZE WE DON'T, WE'RE NOT SO FULL OF OURSELVES. WE CAN HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF FUN. YOU GUYS PROBABLY CAN CATCH IT ONCE IN A WHILE. THERE'S A LITTLE BIT OF JOKING THAT GOES ON AT THE DAIS. WE ALL TAKE THIS JOB VERY SERIOUSLY. WE KNOW THAT WE'RE DOING THE GOOD WORK FOR OUR CONSTITUENTS, BUT HAVING A LITTLE BIT OF FUN OF IT AND THE JOKES AND THE HAPPY BIRTHDAYS AND, YOU KNOW, ALL THOSE TYPE OF THINGS THAT GO ON. AND I STILL LOVE COMING TO WORK EVERY DAY. IT'S REALLY GOOD. AND SO DARON, THANK YOU FOR BEING A PART OF THAT AND THANK YOU FOR BEING A GOOD FRIEND. AND THEN I'LL JUST CLOSE WITH THANKING STAFF FOR MAKING YOU LOOK GOOD. YOU KNOW, AND I WILL SAY WE GET AN EMAIL EVERY MORNING THAT IT'S BASICALLY A NEWS DROP OF EVERY COUNTY SUPERVISOR IN THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA, RIGHT? SO SO WE KIND OF GET EITHER A HEADLINE OR WE CAN GO IN AND READ IT IF WE'D LIKE OF WHAT GOES ON IN THE OTHER COUNTIES IN CALIFORNIA. AND I'LL TELL YOU, IT'S JUST A PLEASURE TO BE FROM MERCED COUNTY. SOME OF THE BATTLES AND NASTINESS THAT HAPPEN IN OTHER COUNTIES. YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW IF MAYBE HERE IN THE PAST IT WAS LIKE THAT, BUT I WILL SAY IN MY FIVE YEARS THAT THIS BOARD HAS REALLY WORKED TOGETHER, ENJOYED EACH OTHER RIGHT WHEN WE GO TO CONFERENCES AND SPEND TIME TOGETHER. YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST ENJOYABLE. AND YOU KNOW, AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, I THINK YOU'RE JUST A BIG PART OF THAT, RIGHT? YOU'RE YOU'RE KIND OF THE HUB IN THIS WHEEL OR SPOKES OF THE WHEEL. AND ANYWAY, SO IT'S JUST BEEN A PLEASURE TO BE YOUR COLLEAGUE AND YOU DID AN AWESOME JOB AS CHAIR. SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THIS IS JUST A REAL QUICK. I JUST WANT TO SAY, YEAH, THANK YOU TO ALL OF YOU. BUT I THINK WHAT THIS BOARD REPRESENTS, IT'S NOT ABOUT US, IT'S COMPLETELY ABOUT STAFF, OUR CONSTITUENTS AND EVERYBODY ELSE. WE DON'T LOOK AT IT AS A REFLECTION OF US, AND WE CHECK OURSELVES FROM TIME TO TIME IF WE WADE INTO THE WATER TOO FAR AND IF WE THINK IT IS ABOUT US, WE CHECK OURSELVES AND BACK OUT AND KNOWING THAT IT'S ABOUT OUR CONSTITUENTS. IT IS AN HONOR FOR US TO STAND HERE BEFORE YOU AND TO BE ELECTED TO SERVE YOU LIKE THIS. SO THANK YOU. THIS IS A GREAT TEAM. WE ALL HAVE OUR SPECIALTIES AND EACH INTEREST, AND WE LEAN ON EACH OTHER FOR THAT. AND DURING THE HARD TIMES AND THE GOOD TIMES. SO I APPRECIATE IT VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU FOR INDULGING US IN THAT TIME OF THINKING. SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL, THE SYSTEM IS NOW FIXED AND WE WILL GET BACK TO OUR TWO HOUR MEETING. I WILL NOW MOVE TO THE CONSENT AGENDA CALENDAR. [CONSENT CALENDAR] NEXT IS APPROVAL OF CONSENT AGENDA AND CALENDAR ITEMS ONE THROUGH TWENTY FIVE. PLEASE NOTE, ITEM SEVEN HAS BEEN PULLED AND ITEMS FIVE, SIX, 15, 18 AND 19 REQUIRE A FOUR FIFTHS VOTE. WHAT IS THE PLEASURE OF MY COLLEAGUES? GOT IT. OH, MY FIRST TIME HERE IN A WHILE, SO WE HAVE A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA AND A SECOND BY SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL SEEING, NO FURTHER REQUEST TO SPEAK. OH THERE WE GO. SUPERVISOR PEDROZO? THANK YOU. I JUST WANTED TO MAKE A COMMENT ON A NUMBER TWENTY FIVE. [00:30:01] I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO TO THE GRADUATION FOR THE MERCED COUNTY DRUG TREATMENT COURT, AND IT WAS VERY ENLIGHTENING. AND TO SEE THE WORK THAT JUDGE PAUL LLOYD DOES, BUT ALSO EVERYBODY IN THE PROBATION DEPARTMENT DOES TO GET THAT DONE IS REALLY, REALLY ENCOURAGING. AND THE THREE PEOPLE THAT RECEIVED THEIR CERTIFICATES, YOU KNOW, THEY THEIR FAMILIES ARE THERE. THEY MADE A HUGE COMMITMENT TO GET BACK INTO SOCIETY AND THEY ALL HAVE JOBS, WHICH IS REALLY COOL. SO IT WAS A REALLY GOOD EXPERIENCE AND I ENCOURAGE ANY OF MY COLLEAGUES TO GO AND IF THEY HAVE THAT OPPORTUNITY. OK, THANK YOU FOR THAT. SEEING NO ONE ELSE WILL CALL FOR THE VOTE. AND RECORD THE VOTE MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY THANK YOU. [BOARD ACTION] WE WILL NOW MOVE TO BOARD ACTION. FOR OUR REGULAR CALENDAR. HEY, I'LL GET THIS, I'LL GET THIS. I KNOW. NEXT IS BOARD ACTION PUBLIC WORKS ITEMS 26-30. PLEASE NOTE ITEMS 29 AND 30 REQUIRE A FOUR FIFTHS VOTE. OK, AND THEN ON THE SCREEN, WE'RE ONLY SHOWING ITEM 26. SO IF YOU COULD ADD THE OTHERS. THANK YOU. ITEMS 26-30 HAS BEEN MOVED BY SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA AND SECONDED BY SUPERVISOR PEDROZO. LET'S CALL FOR THE VOTE. PLEASE RECORD THE VOTE. MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY. WE'LL MOVE TO BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AND RECOVERY SERVICES. LOOKS LIKE WE'RE GOING IN A DIFFERENT FORMAT. YEAH. HUH? NEXT IS BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AND RECOVERY SERVICES ITEMS 31-34. THANK YOU. WE HAVE A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA AND A SECOND BY SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL SEEING. NO REQUEST TO SPEAK. LET'S CALL FOR THE VOTE. A LITTLE RUSTY, HUH? PLEASE RECORD THE VOTE. MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY. NEXT IS HUMAN SERVICES AGENCY ITEM THIRTY FIVE. THANK YOU. IT HAS BEEN MOVED BY SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA AND SECONDED BY SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL. LET'S CALL FOR THE VOTE. PLEASE RECORD THE VOTE. THIS MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY. NEXT IS DISTRICT ATTORNEY ITEM THIRTY SIX. THANK YOU. IT HAS BEEN MOVED BY SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA AND SECONDED BY SUPERVISOR ESPINOZA. LET'S CALL FOR THE VOTE. PLEASE RECORD THE VOTE. MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY. NEXT IS FIRE ITEM THIRTY SEVEN. [00:35:04] NOW SOMEBODY'S GETTING QUICKER. THIS MOTION WAS MOVED BY SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL AND SECONDED BY SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA CALLED FOR THE VOTE A LITTLE BIT. YEAH, PLEASE RECORD THE VOTE. THE MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY. NEXT IS LIBRARY ITEMS THIRTY EIGHT AND THIRTY NINE, PLEASE NOTE, ITEM THIRTY NINE REQUIRES A FOUR FIFTHS VOTE. THANK YOU. IT HAS BEEN MOVED BY SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA AND SECONDED BY SUPERVISOR ESPINOZA. LET'S CALL FOR THE VOTE. ALL RIGHT, PLEASE RECORD THE VOTE. THE MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY. NEXT IS WORKFORCE INVESTMENT ITEMS 40 AND FORTY ONE. THANK YOU. IT HAS BEEN MOVED BY SUPERVISOR ESPINOZA AND SECONDED BY SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL. LET'S CALL FOR THE VOTE. ALL RIGHT, PLEASE RECORD THE VOTE. MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY. TRICKY LITTLE FELLA. OH, JUST TAKE THEM ALL AND TAKE THEM ALL AND ALL. WELL, SURE. NEXT IS BOARD APPOINTMENTS ITEMS 42-45. PLEASE NOTE, WE WILL BE TAKING ITEM 45 SEPARATELY. OK, THANK YOU. SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. MAYBE WE COULD TAKE THEM ALL TOGETHER IF I WOULD JUST WANT TO PUT OUT THERE TO THE BOARD THAT I'M STILL INTERESTED IN SERVING ON THE ON THE RETIREMENT BOARD. AND SO IF NOBODY ELSE IS INTERESTED IN DOING THAT, THEN I WOULD JUST MAKE THAT AS PART OF THE MOTION SO THAT WE CAN TAKE 42-45. WITH THE ADDED THAT I'D LIKE TO REMAIN ON THE [INAUDIBLE] BOARD. OK, I'LL JUST. WOULD SOMEBODY MAKE A MOTION TO THAT EFFECT? ALL RIGHT. OH, OK. ALL RIGHT. IT HAS BEEN MOVED BY SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA, SECONDED BY SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL, AND THAT THAT WOULD BE ON FORTY FIVE THAT ARE REPRESENTATIVE ON [INAUDIBLE] WOULD BE SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA. PLEASE, I'LL CALL FOR THE VOTE. ALL RIGHT, PLEASE RECORD THE VOTE. MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. CONGRATULATIONS SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA. THANK YOU. THAT'S A IT'S A TOUGH JOB AND WE APPRECIATE YOU BEING THERE AND DOING THAT. [BOARD INFORMATION & POSSIBLE ACTION] NEXT IS BOARD INFORMATION AND POSSIBLE ACTION ITEMS, FORTY SIX AND FORTY SEVEN. THANK YOU. NO, IT HAS BEEN MOVED BY SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL AND SECONDED BY SUPERVISOR PEDROZO SEEING, NO COMMENT, I WILL CALL FOR THE VOTE. PLEASE RECORD THE VOTE. MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY. [REPORTS/BOARD DIRECTION] NEXT IS BOARD REPORTS. THANK YOU. I WILL START TO MY RIGHT WITH SUPERVISOR ESPINOZA. OH, SORRY. I'LL PUT US ON DISCUSSION. ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU. OK, THERE WE GO. WELL, HAPPY NEW YEAR, EVERYONE. WELL, FIRST OF ALL, I WANT TO, YOU KNOW, LET THE PUBLIC KNOW TO PLEASE HAVE PATIENCE WITH [00:40:02] OUR PUBLIC WORKS, AS I KNOW THAT WITH MANY POTHOLES ALL AROUND THE COUNTY, ESPECIALLY IN MY DISTRICT. SO, YOU KNOW, NOW MY DISTRICT HAS EXPANDED ALL THE WAY TO NELLIS, SO I GOT PLENTY OF MORE ROADS TO COVER. SO I KNOW DANA IS NOT HERE. SO. OH YEAH, SORRY, I DIDN'T LOOK THAT WAY. HE'S USUALLY OVER HERE ON THE SIDE. SO YEAH, IF ANYBODY RUNS [INAUDIBLE], I'LL BE AROUND YOUR AREA AS WELL. DISTRICT FIVE, DISTRICT FOUR. AND ALSO TALKING ABOUT REDISTRICTING. YOU KNOW, I GOT THE BIGGEST DISTRICT IN THE COUNTY NOW BECAUSE ONE CAN COVER THE WHOLE THING. IT'S A LOT BIGGER NOW. SO THAT'S WHAT YOU KNOW THE BOARD VOTED ON FOR ONE VOTE. ME VOTING NO. I KNOW IT'S KIND OF LIKE FOUR BECAUSE IT'S 40 MINUTES FROM MY HOUSE AND 40 MINUTES FROM MY HOUSE IN LIVINGSTON TO LE GRAND. SO I THOUGHT IT WAS PRETTY WIDE AND, YOU KNOW, A LITTLE BIT HARDER TO, YOU KNOW, TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY HAS FAIR REPRESENTATION. SO BUT I'LL BE GLAD TO TAKE ON THE WORK AND I'LL BE LOOKING FORWARD TO, YOU KNOW, PROVIDING AS MUCH SUPPORT FOR MY CONSTITUENTS AND AROUND THE PLANADA AREA. SO ALSO, I WANT TO THANK THE STAFF THAT. ERIC SERRATTO AND JOHN CHIHULY AND THE REST OF THE LADIES STAFF IN OUR DEPARTMENTS FROM PROVIDING GOOD INFORMATION. MY PLANADA MAC LAST WEDNESDAY AND AND THIS WAS A YESTERDAY YEAH, YESTERDAY IN LE GRAND REGARDING THE ARPA FUNDS. SO IN OUR ALLOCATIONS AND WHAT'S GOING TO BE SPENT IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF YEARS AND WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO THE REST OF THE ARPA FUNDS AS WELL. SO I ALSO, YOU KNOW, LOOKED AROUND THE PLANADA PARK. IT'S ALL THE CONSTRUCTION IS GOING WELL. SO I THINK EVERYONE, ESPECIALLY PATRICK ISD, LIKE LIKE, YOU KNOW, OUR PAST CHAIR SAID, YOU KNOW, SHE DID A GREAT JOB SECURING THAT GRANT AND THE REST OF US HAVE AS WELL. WELL, I DO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT CLAUDIA CORCHADO, WHICH WAS WHERE, YOU KNOW, UNITED WAY DID A BIG CONTRIBUTION IN SUPPORTING US AND AS MAKING US AND GETTING THAT GRANT AS WELL. AND LAST, I WANT TO WELCOME ROBERT MENDEZ TO, YOU KNOW, FIRST MEETING ON OUR BOARD AND I LOOKING FORWARD TO WORKING TOGETHER. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MICHEL. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. SUPERVISOR ESPINOZA. SUPERVISOR PEDROZO? THANK YOU AND HAPPY NEW YEAR TO EVERYBODY. I WANTED TO JUST REPORT ONE OF THE THE BEST THINGS ABOUT MERCED COUNTY THAT I'VE ALWAYS SAID IS THE DIVERSITY THAT WE HAVE, AND I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY IN THIS YEAR. THEY BROUGHT BACK THE HMONG NEW YEAR CELEBRATION AT THE FAIRGROUNDS. IF NOBODY HAS AN OPPORTUNITY HAS EVER HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO GO OUT AND TO EXPERIENCE IT, IT IS REALLY COOL TO SEE THE CULTURE OUT THERE, THE DIFFERENT CULTURAL SHOWS AND JUST KIND OF TALK TO THE DIFFERENT PEOPLE. IT'S A STATEWIDE EVENT. I MEAN, IT'S A REALLY, REALLY COOL THING. YOU HAVE PEOPLE COMING FROM ALL OVER THE STATE, REALLY. I THINK A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO, THERE WERE PEOPLE FROM MINNESOTA THAT CAME TO SEE IT. AND SO IT'S IT'S A REALLY IT'S AN AWESOME EXPERIENCE. I TALKED ABOUT THE DRUG COURT. THE OTHER THING I WANTED TO BRING UP IS THAT I KNOW THAT WE HAD TALKED ABOUT BEFORE WE WENT ON BREAK OR BEFORE WE HAD THE TWO WEEKS DURING THE HOLIDAY SEASON OR WHATEVER WAS A FIREWORKS COMMITTEE. AND I WOULD LIKE TO SEE ABOUT GETTING THAT SCHEDULED SO THAT WE CAN START IT SOONER RATHER THAN LATER, BECAUSE I DON'T WANT TO GET IT TO A POINT TO WHERE, YOU KNOW, IT'S TOO LATE AND THEN WE CAN'T PUT ANYTHING INTO EFFECT BY THE TIME THE FOURTH OF JULY COMES AROUND. BUT THEN ALSO, I WANTED TO ADJOURN THIS MEETING FOR TWO PEOPLE. ONE WAS FOR MANUEL CHAVEZ, WHO WAS BORN IN MERCED, SAID HE WORKED AS A CUSTODIAN AT TINEA MIDDLE SCHOOL. I WORKED WITH HIS SON, JOEY CHAVEZ, WHO WAS THE PARKS AND REC DIRECTOR FOR THE CITY OF MERCED FOR QUITE A NUMBER OF YEARS. BUT HE MR. CHAVEZ WAS VERY MUCH CHERISHED TIME WITH HIS FAMILY, AND HE REALLY LIKED SUPPORTING LOCAL SPORTS, ESPECIALLY HIS GRANDCHILDREN. AND THEN ALSO FOR MR. JOHN PAISAN, WHO PASSED AWAY ON NEW YEAR'S EVE. MR. PAYSON WAS. A STALWART IN MERCED COUNTY VERY SUCCESSFUL BUSINESS OWNER, HE WAS A VETERAN OF KOREA. AND WHENEVER I WOULD SEE HIM EITHER AS A COUNCIL MEMBER OR AS A SUPERVISOR, HE WOULD [00:45:03] ALWAYS GRAB MY ARM AND SAY, ARE YOU TAKING CARE OF OUR COMMUNITY? AND I'D SAY YES. AND THEN HE'D USUALLY BE WITH HIS SON, WHO MOST OF US KNOW IS FORMER SHERIFF MARK PAISAN. AND HE WOULD SAY, WELL, DON'T LET THIS GUY GIVE YOU ANY STUFF. AND SO I WOULD SAY, ALL RIGHT. AND SO HE HE HE WAS SOMEBODY WHO WAS REALLY CARED ABOUT MERCED. AND MERCED COUNTY AND I KNOW HIS FAMILY IS REALLY GOING TO MISS HIM, AND IT'S A BIG LOSS FOR MERCED COUNTY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. TO MY LEFT, SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA. THANK YOU, CHAIR. FIRST OFF, CONGRATULATIONS ON BECOMING CHAIR AGAIN AND THANK YOU TO SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL FOR BEING OUR PAST CHAIRMAN. A COUPLE OF THINGS I JUST WANT TO, RAUL, WELCOME ABOARD. I KNOW YOU'RE TAKING COPIOUS AMOUNTS OF NOTES AND KIND OF FIGURING OUT THIS WHOLE DEAL. SO WELCOME ABOARD. WE'RE PRETTY EXCITED ABOUT WHAT'S AHEAD OF US. I WANTED TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT I DO THESE COFFEES. I'M TRYING TO SCHEDULE THEM LIKE EVERY OTHER MONTH OR SO. AND I HAD ONE IN LOS BANOS THIS PAST SATURDAY, AND I HAD TWO PEOPLE SHOW UP, WHICH IS TWO MORE THAN, YOU KNOW, TWO MORE HEARTS AND MINDS THAT I TRY TO TRY TO CONVINCE TO THINK MY WAY. ANYWAYS, BUT I DO WANT TO THANK THEM. THEY ACTUALLY DROVE OVER FROM MERCED TO COME TO MY COFFEE AND LOS BANOS. I GUESS IT JUST KIND OF WANTED TO COME OUT AND CHECK OUT EDDIE'S CAFE. SO BUT I JUST WANTED TO THANK THOSE FOLKS. AND THEN IT'S GOING TO KIND OF GO, IT'S THE REGISTER OF VOTERS STAFF LIKE. SO WE TALKED ABOUT THE REDISTRICTING AND JUST SO THAT EVERYBODY UNDERSTANDS THE PRESSURE AND THE TIMELINE THAT THEY'RE UNDER THE FILING PERIOD TO DO IN LIEU OF SIGNATURES SO YOU CAN COLLECT IN LIEU OF SIGNATURES THERE IN LIEU OF A FILING FEE, LIKE ALL THAT INFORMATION WITH THOSE NEW DISTRICTS HAD TO BE. THEY HAD TO GO THROUGH AND DECIPHER THAT INFORMATION AND MAKE SURE THAT ALL THE ADDRESSES WERE IN THE RIGHT DISTRICT SO THAT ON JANUARY THE DAY WAS IT. AND IT WAS LAST WEEK. LAST TUESDAY, I BELIEVE IT WAS JANUARY 3RD OR 4TH. YOU COULD ACTUALLY GO IN AND SO, SO KUDOS TO THEM ON THE WORK THAT THEY'RE DOING OVER THERE. IT'S NO SMALL TASK BECAUSE IT'S, YOU KNOW, YOU GOT STATE OFFICES THAT HAVE BEEN THAT ARE REDISTRICT, YOU HAVE FEDERAL OFFICES THAT HAVE THAT ARE REDISTRICT AS WELL AS THE COUNTY ONES NOW LIKE OUR SHERIFF AND OUR AUDITOR. AND THOSE FOLKS THERE DOESN'T CHANGE BECAUSE THEY'RE COUNTY WIDE. SOME OF THOSE AREN'T SO BAD. BUT THEN THE KICKER IS THEY GET TO DO IT ALL OVER AGAIN BECAUSE THEY BELIEVE IT'S BY APRIL. ALL OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS AND THE CITIES THAT JUST HAVE NOVEMBER ELECTIONS, THEY GET TO SUBMIT ALL THEIR MAPS. AND SO JUST THE BIG, YOU KNOW, IT'S SOMETHING I TALKED WITH JIM BROWN ABOUT IS JUST MAKING SURE LIKE, IS THIS A DEAL THAT WE CAN'T AFFORD TO BE WRONG ON? AND AND IT WAS A SITUATION WHERE BECAUSE THE CENSUS GOT DELAYED BECAUSE INFORMATION GOT TO US, DELAYED IN OUR WHOLE PROCESS GOT DELAYED, THEY WERE THE ONES THAT WAS WHERE IT ALL HAD TO BE MADE UP BECAUSE YOU'VE GOT TO HAVE STUFF OUT IN SO MANY DAYS BEFORE AN ELECTION. SO AND I LIKE TO TELL YOU IS, YOU KNOW, DARLENE INGERSOLL TOOK OVER FOR BARB LEVY AND BARB HASN'T BEEN GONE THAT LONG. BUT DARLENE HAS EXPERIENCED MORE ELECTIONS. MORE CRAZIER. NEVER, NEVER SEEN BEFORE TYPE OF ELECTIONS IN IN THE SHORT AMOUNT OF TIME SHE'S BEEN AT BARB'S EXPERIENCE THE WHOLE TIME SHE WAS THERE AS THE REGISTER OF VOTERS. SO I JUST I JUST WANT TO SAY, DARLENE, THANK YOU. IT'S I KNOW YOUR WORK ETHIC AND I KNOW YOU WANT TO UNDERSTAND THIS STUFF AND AND I KNOW THAT THERE'S ALSO LIFE THAT HAPPENS. AND SO JUST A KUDOS FROM ME TO YOU, THE STAFF, WHEN WE GO IN, THERE ARE JUST ALWAYS VERY HELPFUL. AND I DON'T JUST SAY THAT BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, I'M THE COUNTY SUPERVISOR. THEY'RE HELPFUL TO ME. I KEEP AN EYE ON IT WHEN I'VE WALKED IN THERE AND THERE'S OTHER FOLKS THAT THEY MIGHT BE, THEY MIGHT BE GOING IN THERE FOR A PASSPORT OR SOMETHING. JUST I THINK YOU'VE GOT A REAL GOOD CULTURE OVER THERE. SO KUDOS TO YOU ON THAT AND MAKING ALL THAT HAPPEN. AND I AND I KNOW THAT NOT ONLY I, BUT BUT MY CONSTITUENTS THANK YOU FOR THAT BECAUSE IT'S IMPORTANT THEY'VE GOT TO KNOW, YOU KNOW, WHO, WHERE ALL THOSE GOOD THINGS. SO THANK YOU FOR THAT, DARLENE. AND COUNTDOWN IS ON JIM BROWN'S ONLY. I'VE GOT A FEW MORE MEETINGS WITH US, BUT I WILL TELL YOU, I'LL REST ASSURED, I THINK HE'S WORKING HARDER ON HIS WAY OUT. AND THAT'S SAYING A LOT BECAUSE THE GUY DOESN'T STOP WORKING, BUT JUST TRYING TO GO THROUGH THIS TRANSITION PERIOD. I ACTUALLY WENT INTO HIS OFFICE THE OTHER DAY AND HE'S DOWN ON HIS KNEES AND THEY'RE GOING THROUGH HIS CUPBOARDS TRYING TO FIND MAKE SURE THAT HE'S GOT ALL OF HIS STUFF LINED UP. SO JIM, I KNOW THAT YOU DON'T HAVE A LOT OF TIME LEFT WITH THIS WHEN IT COMES TO MEETINGS, BUT I KNOW THAT YOU'RE WORKING JUST AS HARD, IF NOT HARDER NOW THAN EVER BEFORE. AND AND I'M FORTUNATE. RAUL HAS THIS TIME TO SHARE WITH YOU, SO THANK YOU. OK, THANK YOU. SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR ON YOUR ELECTION AND BEING CHAIRMAN. [00:50:01] AS YOU KNOW, TAKES A LOT OF RESPONSIBILITY. A LOT OF TIME YOU GOT TO SPEND A LITTLE MORE TIME THAN YOU WANT WITH JIM BROWN. BUT IT'S WHAT I PUSH SO HARD FOR AND CONGRATULATIONS, RAUL, WELCOME. WE'RE PROUD TO HAVE YOU HERE. AND I JUST WANT TO REMIND EVERYBODY FOR THURSDAY OF EACH MONTH, I HAVE MY MOBILE DISTRICT OFFICE HOURS. I DON'T OFFER COFFEE OR BREAKFAST, BUT MAYBE THAT'S WHAT I NEED TO ENTICE MORE CONSTITUENTS TO SHOW UP. IT'S THE FOURTH THURSDAY OF EACH MONTH AT THE ATWATER COMMUNITY CENTER. IT'S FROM 1:30 TO 3:30. WE'RE AVAILABLE THERE. I DO HAVE SOME TRAFFIC AND WHEN WE CHANGE LOCATIONS FROM CITY HALL TO THE COMMUNITY CENTER, IT'S SLOWED DOWN A LITTLE BIT. BUT WE'RE STARTING TO SEE FOLKS. I'VE HAD THE LAST TWO MONTHS OFF BECAUSE IT FELL ON THANKSGIVING AND THE DAY BEFORE CHRISTMAS. SO NOW THAT IT'S A NEW YEAR, WE'LL BE DOING THIS. SO EVERYBODY, HAPPY NEW YEAR AND LOOKING FORWARD TO SITTING TO THE LEFT OF THE CHAIRMAN SO I CAN POKE THEM FROM THIS SIDE. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. YOU'RE WELCOME. MR. EBERSOL, ANYTHING? NO, MR. BROWN? SUPERVISOR PAREIRA? SUPERVISOR PEDROZO? YEAH. I JUST WANTED TO REAL QUICK REMIND EVERYBODY TO CONTINUE TO DO WHAT YOU THINK IT'S BEST IN REGARDS TO GETTING VACCINATED. STAYING VIGILANT. AND, YOU KNOW, WEAR A MASK WHENEVER YOU CAN. AND THEN ALSO, I WOULD BE REMISS IF I DIDN'T, WHICH OUR ESTEEMED COLLEAGUE SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA A HAPPY BIRTHDAY THAT'S COMING UP ON WEDNESDAY THURSDAY. SO CAN WE SING HAPPY BIRTHDAY? I'M NOT SAYING YOU GUYS CAN SING. I'M NOT SINGING. OK, MR. BROWN. YOU SURE? YEAH. OK. ALL RIGHT. WELL, FIRST OF ALL, I'D LIKE TO WISH EVERYBODY A HAPPY NEW YEAR. I CAN'T BELIEVE IT'S ONLY JANUARY 11TH THAT SEEMS LIKE WE'RE TWO OR THREE MONTHS INTO THE NEW YEAR ALREADY. BUT ANYWAYS, AND THEN I WOULD LIKE TO THANK MY COLLEAGUES FOR ALLOWING ME TO SERVE IN THIS POSITION FOR THE NEXT YEAR. I APPRECIATE THAT, AND CONGRATULATIONS TO SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA ON YOUR VICE CHAIRMANSHIP. AND THEN I WOULD LIKE TO THANK DARON FOR ALL THAT YOU DID THIS LAST YEAR. I, YOU KNOW, I CAN'T THANK YOU ENOUGH. YOU'RE ONE A GOOD MAN, ONE A GOOD FRIEND OR ONE GOOD CHAIRMAN. AND IT'S JUST BEEN A PLEASURE TO SERVE WITH YOU. I'D LIKE TO CONGRATULATE RAUL FOR JOINING THE TEAM AND THANK YOU FOR JOINING THE TEAM. YOU KNOW, WHEN WHEN YOU HAVE SOMEBODY LIKE JIM BROWN THAT'S RETIRING, YOU KNOW, AND YOU'RE IN THIS POSITION, YOU KIND OF HAVE A KIND OF MOMENT AND, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE YOU DON'T KNOW WHO'S GOING TO APPLY OR HOW THAT'S ALL GOING TO WORK OUT. AND IT'S JUST REAL COMFORTING TO KNOW THAT THAT WE GOT A HIGHLY QUALIFIED INDIVIDUAL AND AND THAT'LL TAKE OVER THAT HELM. AND I SURE APPRECIATE THAT AND I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT. AND IT WAS WONDERFUL MEETING YOUR WIFE WHEN SHE CAME FOR FOR YOUR CONTRACT OR A CONTRACT APPROVAL. AND SO IT'S WONDERFUL TO SEE TWO NICE PEOPLE COME AND IN HELPING US. AND THEN I WOULD LIKE TO THANK MR. BROWN JUST FOR THE WAY YOU HANDLE THIS. YOU KNOW, YOUR LOVE FOR MERCED COUNTY IS SO GREAT THAT YOU GO OVER AND ABOVE TO MAKE SURE THAT THE TRANSITION IS IS GOING TO BE SMOOTH OR AS SMOOTH AS IT CAN BE. RIGHT? THIS IS A BIG ORGANIZATION. SO THE CHANGING AT THE HELM IS, YOU KNOW, NO, NO INSIGNIFICANT EVENT. AND SO JUST THANK YOU FOR THAT. I'D LIKE TO SHARE WITH MY COLLEAGUES THAT I PARTICIPATED IN A CALL ON MONDAY WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF WATER RESOURCES. AS YOU KNOW, THE MERCED SUB BASIN GSA TURNED IN OUR PLAN TWO YEARS AGO AND AND THE STATE HAS UNTIL THIS THIS NEXT WEEK TO APPROVE OUR PLAN. AND OF COURSE, BACK IN NOVEMBER, LATE NOVEMBER, THEY SENT US A LETTER WITH, YOU KNOW, THREE REALLY CONCERNS IN THAT. AND, YOU KNOW, WE DIDN'T KNOW HOW THE STATE, WHAT THEY WERE REALLY THINKING. AND SO WE SET UP A CALL WITH WITH THEIR STAFF. AND, YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOT THOSE THREE THINGS WE HAVE A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF. THAT WAS WHAT I'D LIKE TO SHARE BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW IF ANY OF THE OTHERS ON THE OTHER GSA HAVE GOTTEN TO THIS SPOT YET, BUT DWR SEEMED VERY SINCERE IN WORKING WITH US TO GET THOSE ISSUES RESOLVED. THEY'RE REALLY NOT ISSUES, THEY'RE INCOMPLETENESS. YOU KNOW, OUR THOUGHTS ON SOME OF THE PLANS ARE A LITTLE DIFFERENT THAN WHAT THEY'D LIKE TO SEE, BUT, YOU KNOW, REALLY WAS PLEASANT. I WORKED WITH STATE AGENCIES BEFORE AND AND THIS, I WOULD SAY, WAS ONE OF THE BETTER CALLS AND I WAS THANKFUL FOR THAT. AND AND JUST WANT TO LET YOU KNOW THAT THE MERCED BASIN IS HEADED IN A GOOD DIRECTION AND [00:55:05] AND THE SERIOUSNESS OF THE INCOMPLETENESS WEREN'T AS GRAVE AS I THINK THEY COULD HAVE MADE THEM BE. AND SO I JUST WANTED TO SHARE THAT AGAIN, THANKS TO MY COLLEAGUES FOR FOR ELECTING ME YOUR CHAIR FOR THIS NEXT YEAR. AND WITH THAT, I WILL ADJOURN THE MEETING. THANK YOU. * This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.