[Supervisor Pedrozo Town Hall Meeting ]
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THANK YOU FOR, UH, JOINING ME TONIGHT AND I WANT TO WELCOME YOU TO THE MERSEYSIDE COUNTY VIRTUAL TOWN HALL FOR DISTRICT TWO.
PEDROSO YOUR MERCER COUNTY SUPERVISOR.
THAT COVERS A MAJORITY OF THE CITY OF MURCIA.
I WANT TO GO OVER A COUPLE HOUSEKEEPING ITEMS REALLY QUICKLY.
UM, BUT I DO WANT TO SAY, I APPRECIATE YOUR JOINING US TONIGHT.
THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR YOU TO ASK QUESTIONS FOR YOU TO GET INFORMATION BASED ON WHAT WE'RE DOING AND THE COUNTY AND HOW WE ARE ACHIEVING THE GOALS OF MAKING MERCER COUNTY, A SUCCESSFUL, UM, UH, ORGANIZATION IT'S SUCCESSFUL PLACE TO LIVE, WORK, RAISE A FAMILY AND DO BUSINESS.
I COULDN'T BE MORE HAPPY AT THE WORK THAT WE'VE DONE MOVING FORWARD.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT YOU'LL HEAR A LOT FROM ME TONIGHT IS ABOUT US AND OUR COLLABORATION ABOUT COLLABORATING WITH OUR LOCAL PARTNERS, UH, WHETHER WHATEVER CITY THEY'RE IN OUR STATE, OUR FEDERAL OFFICIALS, REALLY WORKING TOGETHER TO, UM, UH, SUBSCRIBE TO THE MOTTO THAT WE AS A BOARD OF, UH, HAVE TAKEN AS GSD GSD IS GET STUFF DONE DEPENDING ON WHO YOU ASK THE S COULD BE DIFFERENT THINGS, BUT I TRY TO KEEP IT G AND I SAY, GET STUFF DONE.
SO LET'S MAKE SURE WE WERE GETTING STUFF DONE.
AND I THINK WE HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT SUBSCRIBED TO THAT.
I DO WANT TO READ SOME THINGS REAL QUICK.
IF YOU DO HAVE A QUESTION TO SUBMIT, PLEASE DO SO BY TYPING IT INTO THE CHAT BOX ON ZOOM AND HITTING ENTER.
IF YOU'RE WATCHING ON FACEBOOK OR GOVERNMENT ACCESS CHANNEL, YOU'LL NEED TO LOG IN THROUGH ZOOM TO ASK QUESTIONS AND YOU CAN DO SO BY VISITING COUNTY OF MERCER.COM BACKSLASH TOWN HALLS, AND CLICKING THE LINK FOR THE DISTRICT TO TOWN HALL EVENT.
PLEASE NOTE THAT TONIGHT'S PUBLIC ACCESS BROADCAST WILL ONLY RUN FROM SIX TO 7:00 PM.
I'D LIKE TO KICK THINGS OFF RIGHT NOW BY SHOWING A SHORT VIDEO THAT MY COLLEAGUES AND I WORKED ON TO LET YOU KNOW, UH, WHAT WE'RE HIGHLIGHTING SOME OF THE MAJOR PROJECTS AND LET YOU KNOW WHAT WE'RE DOING.
SO WITH THAT, LET'S GO AHEAD FOLLOWING HELLO AND WELCOME TO THE MERSEYSIDE COUNTY.
LOOKING FORWARD TO 2022, A VIRTUAL WALKTHROUGH OF SOME OF WHAT'S BEEN ACCOMPLISHED BY THE COUNTY OVER THE PAST YEAR AND A PREVIEW OF WHAT'S TO COME I'M BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, CHAIRMAN, LLOYD PERRERA.
AND FOR THE NEXT SEVERAL MINUTES, MY COLLEAGUES AND I WILL PROVIDE UPDATES ON SEVERAL KEY AREAS, INCLUDING PUBLIC SAFETY, TRANSPORTATION, INFRASTRUCTURE, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT EFFORTS, AND MORE.
SO PLEASE SIT BACK AND ENJOY THE MERCER COUNTY LOOKING FORWARD 2022.
AND NOW I'LL KICK IT OVER TO MY COLLEAGUE, DARREN MCDANIEL.
I'M DARREN MCDANIEL, MERCY COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS REPRESENTING THAT THEIR DISTRICT 2021 WAS A BIG YEAR FOR MERCER COUNTY WHEN IT COMES TO EXPANDING OUR ECONOMIC HORIZONS.
AND SO FAR IN 2022, WE'RE SEEING THAT PROGRESS ACCELERATING AT A RAPID PACE WHILE GROWTH AND SUCCESS CAN BE FOUND THROUGHOUT MERCEDE COUNTY AND ITS CITIES.
WE'VE SEEN A PARTICULAR RESURGENCE OF CASTLE COMMERCE CENTER AS A DESTINATION POINT TO CONDUCT BUSINESS.
THIS SITE IS ALREADY HOME TO OR BREWERY THE TARMAC WAYMO GOOGLE'S DRIVERLESS CAR COMPANY, AND NUMEROUS MANUFACTURERS, MEDICAL CENTERS, OFFICES, AND TRAINING CENTERS IN 2021 MERCER COUNTY COMPLETED A $2.1 MILLION EXPANSION PROJECT OF THE AUTOMOTIVE RESEARCH AND TESTING COMPLEX LOCATED AT CASTLE.
THE SITE INCLUDES A 2.2 MILE OVAL TEST TRACK, A ONE MILE CITY COURSE AND TWO LARGE VEHICLE DYNAMIC AREAS.
AND THE 225 ACRE SITE IS ALREADY ATTRACTING A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF BUSINESS INTEREST FROM MAJOR CAR COMPANIES.
WE EXPECT EXPANSION TO CONTINUE IN THE COMING YEARS AS TESTING DEMAND AT THE SITE INCREASES.
IN ADDITION TO VEHICLE TECHNOLOGY, CASEL HAS ALSO BECOME A FOCAL POINT FOR GOODS MOVEMENT.
IN EARLY FEBRUARY, THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS ARE APPROVED AND AGREEMENT WITH PATRIOT RAIL TO ESTABLISH A RAIL DISTRICT AT CASTLE COMMERCE CENTER.
THE RAIL DISTRICT WILL ENHANCE THE ABILITY OF AGRICULTURAL PRODUCERS, MANUFACTURERS AND OTHER ENTERPRISES THROUGHOUT THE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY TO QUICKLY AND EFFICIENTLY SHIP AND RECEIVE PRODUCTS VIA THE BNSF RAILROAD, WHICH RUNS ADJACENT TO THE SITE.
A RAIL SPUR FROM BNSF LINES CURRENTLY CONNECTS TO CASTLE AND PATRIOT RAIL WILL SOON DEVELOP ADDITIONAL INFRASTRUCTURE TO FACILITATE ENHANCED RAIL FREIGHT SERVICES FROM THE LOCATION.
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BUT WAIT, THERE'S MORE, WE'RE EXPECTING MORE GROWTH AT CASTLE IN THE FUTURE IN ORDER TO MAKE MORE ROOM AT THE SITE AND IMPROVE CASTLE'S VERSATILITY AND SAFETY.MERCY COUNTY IS IN THE PROCESS OF DEMOLISHING OLD BUILDINGS THAT ARE UNINHABITABLE AND UNUSABLE PAVING THE WAY FOR FUTURE GROWTH.
UM, SCOTT SILVEIRA, THE MERSEYSIDE COUNTY SUPERVISOR FOR DISTRICT FIVE, OUR COUNTY ROAD SYSTEM CONTINUES TO BE A PRIMARY CONCERN OF THE BOARD.
AND WE SEEN SIGNIFICANT PROGRESS AFTER YEARS OF DEFERRED MAINTENANCE.
THERE IS HOWEVER, A LOT OF WORK STILL TO BE DONE IN 2021.
THE MERCY COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS UTILIZE MEASURE V AND SB ONE FUNDING TO RESURFACE NEARLY 19 MILES OF COUNTY ROADS.
WELL, THE TOTAL CONSTRUCTION COST OF 5.8 MILLION IT'S WORTH NOTING THAT IT CAN COST MORE THAN $300,000 A MILE TO REPAID ONE MILE OF ROADWAY.
SOME REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION PROJECTS ARE ALSO IN THE PLANNING STAGES OR IN DEVELOPMENT, THE MOST VISIBLE BEING CAMPUS PARKWAY, WHICH WILL CONNECT HIGHWAY 99 WITH THE UC MERCY COMMUNITY VIA A FOUR LANE EXPRESSWAY SEGMENTS.
ONE AND TWO ARE COMPLETE SEGMENT THREE, WHICH WILL EXTEND THE EXPRESSWAY FROM HIGHWAY ONE 40 TO 70 AVENUE IS NOW MORE THAN 80% COMPLETE.
IN ADDITION TO CAMPUS PARKWAY STAFF IS ALSO IN THE PROCESS OF COMPLETING PRELIMINARY WORK AND SEARCHING FOR FUNDING FOR PHASE ONE B OF THE ATWATER MERCEDES EXPRESSWAY PROJECT, WHICH WILL EXTEND THE EXPRESSWAY FROM ITS CURRENT INTERCHANGE ALONG HIGHWAY 99 AND OVER TO CASTLE COMMERCE CENTER, OPENING THE DOOR FOR CONTINUED ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AT THAT SITE.
WELL, I'M SPINOSA MERCER COUNTY SUPERVISOR DISTRICT ONE PARKS AND RECREATION OPPORTUNITIES ARE PRIORITY FOR RESIDENTS AND THEY ARE FOR THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS AS WELL.
IN AUGUST OF LAST YEAR, PRESET COUNTY WAS JOINED BY MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY AND PARTNERING AGENCIES TO BREAK GROUND ON A RENOVATION PROJECT, HOULIHAN PARK IN PLANADA.
THE PROJECT IS FUNDED BY A $2.4 MILLION CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION GRANT SECURED BY MERCER COUNTY.
AND THE RENOVATION WORK INCORPORATES NUMEROUS FEATURES, INCLUDING A SPLASH PAD AND OTHER PERFORMING ARTS AND STAGE PICNIC SHELTERS, AND A LOT OF BASKETBALL COURT, JUST TO NAME A FEW.
AND JUST RECENTLY MERCER COUNTY LEARNED THAT HE WAS SUCCESSFUL IN SECURING A $3.7 MILLION GRANT TO RENOVATE WINTER COMMUNITY PARK WORK WILL INCLUDE RENOVATED BALL FIELDS AND NEW PLAYGROUND, NEW BENCHES AND GRAFFITI RESISTANT PICNIC TABLES, AND MUCH MORE.
THESE ARE MAJOR SUCCESSES FOR MERCER COUNTY, BUT WE'RE NOT STOPPING HERE.
THAT WAS IN THE PROCESS OF PLANNING SEVERAL OTHER FEATURE PART REMODELS IN OTHER PARTS OF THE COUNTY I'M DISTRICT TWO SUPERVISOR JOSH PEDROZA.
ANOTHER HIGH PRIORITY AREA FOR THIS BOARD IS ONE THAT HAS PROVEN TO BE A CHALLENGE ACROSS THE STATE.
THAT IS THE ISSUE OF HOMELESSNESS.
LAST YEAR, WE ANNOUNCED THE COMPLETION OF THE MERSEYSIDE COUNTY NAVIGATION CENTER, A 24 7 LOW BARRIER EMERGENCY HOMELESS SHELTER.
THIS NEW FACILITY WILL HELP TRANSITION PEOPLE OUT OF HOMELESSNESS BY PROVIDING A SAFE AND SERVICE RICH TEMPORARY SHELTER WITH CONNECTIONS TO ONSITE SUPPORTIVE SERVICES.
WE'RE PROUD TO REPORT THAT THE NAVIGATION CENTER IS ALREADY MAKING SIGNIFICANT PROGRESS TOWARD ADDRESSING HOMELESSNESS IN THE LATTER HALF OF 2021, NEARLY 200 CLIENTS WENT THROUGH THE FACILITY AND JUST UNDER 30 WERE HOUSED, WHICH IS A SIGNIFICANT ACCOMPLISHMENT IN A SHORT SPAN OF TIME AND EARLY 2021.
THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS RENEWED AN AGREEMENT WITH THE MERCER COUNTY RESCUE MISSION TO PROVIDE OTHER COMMUNITIES OUTSIDE OF THE CITY OF MERSEYSIDE WITH ACCESS TO SIMILAR SERVICES ON AN APPROPRIATE SCALE BY RENTING HOMES ACROSS MERSEYSIDE COUNTY, THAT WILL ALSO BE USED AS LOW BARRIER NAVIGATION CENTERS.
IT IS EVIDENT THAT A LOT OF WORK REMAINS.
WE'RE PROUD TO REPORT THAT WORK IS HAPPENING.
THE NAVIGATION CENTER IS ONE ELEMENT OF THE PROPOSED REGIONAL PLAN TO ADDRESS HOMELESSNESS, A COLLABORATIVE EFFORT BETWEEN MERSEYSIDE IT'S, SIX CITIES AND THE CONTINUUM OF CARE.
OTHER ELEMENTS INCLUDE OUTREACH AND ENGAGEMENT, TRANSITIONAL HOUSING, AND LONG-TERM SUPPORTIVE HOUSING WHILE THIS ISSUE WILL NOT RESOLVE ITSELF OVERNIGHT.
WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT THE RAPID PROGRESS THAT IS HAPPENING IN 2015 MERCEDE COUNTY SUCCESSFULLY APPLIED FOR $40 MILLION IN STATE GRANT FUNDING TO RENOVATE THE JOHN LOTTER ROCKET CORRECTIONAL CENTER ALONG SANDY MUSH ROAD.
AND MERCE SAID UPON COMPLETION, THIS PROJECT WILL HELP ADDRESS SECURITY AND INFRASTRUCTURE CONCERNS AT THE JLC CC WHILE IMPROVING THE CAPACITY TO HOUSE PROGRAMS THAT REDUCE RECIDIVISM.
THE PLAN ALSO INCLUDES MENTAL HEALTH AND HEALTH TREATMENT FACILITIES IN AN EFFORT TO BETTER ADDRESS INMATE NEEDS AND HELP REDUCE THE NUMBER OF RE OFFENSES UPON RELEASE.
THE RESULT IS A SAFER ENVIRONMENT FOR OUR CORRECTIONAL OFFICERS, AS WELL AS OUR INMATES WHILE THE INITIAL PROJECT BUDGET TOTAL 45 MILLION, THAT PRICE TAG HAS BALLOONED TO APPROXIMATELY $71 MILLION DUE TO DELAYS AT THE STATE LEVEL MERCEDE COUNTY IS CURRENTLY EXPLORING ADDITIONAL FUNDING OPTIONS FOR FUTURE PHASES
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OF THE PROJECT.THE BOARD ADOPTED A BALANCED FINAL BUDGET IN SEPTEMBER INCREASING RESERVES TO $39.1 MILLION.
THIS YEAR'S FINAL BUDGET OF $844.8 MILLION REFLECTS AN INCREASE OF JUST OVER 16% FROM LAST YEAR, MAINLY DUE TO INCREASED 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 A LONGTERM FISCAL STABILITY DURING PERIODS OF ECONOMIC UNCERTAINTY.
IN ADDITION TO REGULAR BUDGET CONSIDERATIONS, THE BOARD IS ALSO PUTTING TO USE APPROXIMATELY $54 MILLION IN FEDERAL FUNDING.
WE'RE SET TO RECEIVE THROUGH THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN ACT.
THE COUNTY RECENTLY CONDUCTED AN EXTENSIVE PUBLIC OUTREACH PROCESS TO COLLECT INPUT FROM RESIDENTS ON HOW THEY'D LIKE TO SEE THE FUNDING ALLOCATED FOLLOWING MULTIPLE PUBLIC PRESENTATIONS, PUBLIC HEARING, A LIVE INTERACTIVE WEBINAR, HOUSEHOLD MAILERS, AND OTHER FORMS OF OUTREACH.
WE RECEIVED MORE THAN 9,600 RESPONSES TO OUR COMMUNITY OUTREACH SURVEY.
THE OUTCOME OF THE SURVEY RESPONSES SHOWED THAT RESIDENTS LARGELY WANTED TO SEE FUNDING ALLOCATED PRIMARILY TOWARD ROADS, PUBLIC SAFETY AND HOMELESSNESS SERVICES.
JUST TO NAME A FEW IN EARLY FEBRUARY, THE BOARD VOTED TO BUDGET A PORTION OF THE FUNDING CONSISTENT WITH PUBLIC INPUT.
NOW BACK TO DARREN, THANKS, JOSH VOLUNTEER, EXTENSIVE PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT CAMPAIGN.
THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS ADOPTED A REVISED DISTRICT MAP ON DECEMBER SEVEN.
REDISTRICTING IS PERFORMED EVERY 10 YEARS.
IT USES THE NEW CENSUS DATA TO REDRAW DISTRICT LINES TO REFLECT HOW LOCAL POPULATIONS HAVE CHANGED.
THEIR PROCESS ENSURES FAIR AND EQUITABLE GOVERNMENT REPRESENTATION.
HERE'S AN IMAGE OF OUR UPDATED MAP, WHICH IS ALSO AVAILABLE AT THE COUNTY WEBSITE AT THE END OF 2021.
THE BOARD ANNOUNCED A REPLACEMENT FOR RETIRING CEO, JIM BROWN
MR. MENDEZ WAS IDENTIFIED AS THE TOP CANDIDATE FOLLOWING AN EXTENSIVE RECRUITMENT PROCESS.
THE BOARD WELCOMES MICHELLE MENDEZ AND WOULD ALSO LIKE TO EXTEND HIS HEARTFELT THANKS AND APPRECIATION TO WHERE MR. BROWN, WHO SERVED ROSETTE COUNTY FOR NEARLY 32 YEARS AND MADE A LASTING IMPACT TO THIS ORGANIZATION AND THE COUNTY AS A WHOLE AND CLOSING, I WOULD LIKE TO THANK ALL OF YOU, OUR CONSTITUENTS AS A PUBLIC FACING ORGANIZATION, WE'RE HERE TO SERVE YOU, AND WE'LL NEVER LOSE SIGHT OF THAT.
THE PAST COUPLE OF YEARS HAVE BEEN A CHALLENGE, BUT WE'VE CONTINUED TO ADVANCE MANY KEY PROJECTS, A FEW OF WHICH YOU'VE HEARD ABOUT TODAY.
WE'RE CONFIDENT THAT THIS PROGRESS WILL CONTINUE.
THANK YOU ALL FOR SPENDING TIME WITH US TODAY.
I HOPE YOU ENJOYED THAT VIDEO.
UM, BEFORE WE START, UH, THE, UH, Q AND A PORTION OF THE MEETING, I WANTED TO GO OVER SOME OF THE TOPICS OF INTEREST THAT I'VE REALLY FOCUSED ON, UH, DURING MY YEAR AND A HALF AS, UH, YOUR SUPERVISOR FOR DISTRICT TWO, ONE OF THEM.
UH, AND THIS STARTED WHEN I FIRST GOT ONTO THE BOARD WAS A COURTHOUSE MUSEUM.
AND WITH THE COURTHOUSE MUSEUM, THE COUNTY HAD BUDGETED A MILLION DOLLARS FOR IT.
AND WITH THE EARMARK PROCESS THAT CAME BACK WORKING WITH OUR PARTNERS IN THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, THE STATE LOCAL EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS TO PROVIDE SUPPORT, WE WERE ABLE TO SECURE $2.1 MILLION.
UM, FOR THAT WITH THE MILLION THAT'S ALREADY BEEN BUDGETED PLUS A $50,000 SUPPLEMENTAL A SUPPLEMENTAL MONEY FROM THE HISTORICAL SOCIETY.
SOMETHING THAT IS REALLY IMPORTANT.
AND THE REASON WHY IT'S IMPORTANT TO ME IS BECAUSE WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT MERCY COUNTY, THAT'S THE FIRST THING THAT YOU THINK ABOUT.
YOU LOOK AT SUCH AN IDENTIFIABLE, A BUILDING AND IT'S FALLING APART, AND IT REALLY NEEDS A LOT OF HELP.
AND SO THIS IS SOMETHING THAT IS GOING TO START THE EXTERIOR PROCESS AND START RENOVATING THE EXTERIOR PROCESS OF IT.
AND I MEAN, INCREDIBLY ENCOURAGED, UH, AND HAPPY AND THANKFUL TO, UH, ESPECIALLY CONGRESSMAN JIM COSTA FOR, UH, HELPING KEEP THAT ALIVE AND, AND REALLY PUSHING IT THROUGH, UH, THE DROUGHT, AS WE KNOW, THE MAJORITY OF MERSEYSIDE COUNTIES IN A SEVERE DROUGHT, UM, ACCORDING TO THE US MONITOR THERE'S SLIVERS THAT ARE SEVERE, BUT SEVERAL YEARS OF BELOW AVERAGE RAINFALL HAS RESULTED IN GREAT, GREATER DRAW ON OUR GROUNDWATER RESOURCES,
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WHICH ARE NOT GETTING RECHARGED AT THE SAME RATE THAT WE'RE PULLING WATER OUT.AND DESPITE HEAVY RAINFALL IN DECEMBER, WE'RE JUST OVER HALF OF WHAT WE USUALLY RECEIVE IN ONE RAIN SEASON BELOW AVERAGE RAINFALL DURING, UH, THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS HAS REALLY EXACERBATED THE ISSUE OF OVERUSE.
AND SO WHAT I'D LIKE TO DO IS ENCOURAGE EVERYBODY TO CONSERVE WATER WHENEVER POSSIBLE.
THAT INCLUDES INDOOR USE AS WELL AS LANDSCAPE WATERING AND MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE JUST COGNIZANT OF THE FACT THAT A MAJORITY OF OUR ECONOMIC GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT IN MERSEYSIDE COUNTY IS BASED ON AGRICULTURE AND AGRICULTURE USES A LOT OF WATER.
THERE'S A LOT OF CONSEQUENCES FROM THAT.
SO LET'S MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE LOOKING AT CERTAIN THINGS THAT WE CAN DO TO CONSERVE WATER AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.
I ALSO WANT TO MENTION THAT FOR DROUGHT RELATED INFORMATION AND TIPS ON HOW TO INCUR CONSERVE WATER, YOU CAN VISIT COUNTY AND MARIE SAID.COM BACKSLASH BACKSLASH DROUGHT.
AND YOU CAN ALSO VISIT MY WELL WET AND DRY.ORG.
THERE ARE A NUMBER OF AMOUNT OF RESOURCES OUT THERE TO PROVIDE YOU WITH INFORMATION IF THAT'S THE CASE, BECAUSE I KNOW THAT PEOPLE, UH, WHOSE WILL HAS GONE DRY ALREADY, UM, ARE HAVING A DIFFICULT TIME GETTING IT BACK UP, BUT THERE ARE PLANS AND THERE'S PEOPLE OUT THERE THAT CAN HELP YOU, UM, MAKE SURE THAT THAT'S NOT AN ISSUE FOR YOU.
THE NEXT ONE IS THE MOBILE APP WITH THE MOBILE APP.
UH, YOU CAN SEARCH CIVIC, MOBILE AND ANDROID SEARCH AND MERCER COUNTY DEVICES AND ALLOWS USERS TO ACCESS MEETING AGENDAS, PAY BILLS.
DO THE COUNTY CALENDAR SIGN UP FOR THE EMERGENCY NOTIFICATION SYSTEM.
WATCH FOR COUNTY NEWS FLASHES, RENT COUNTY FACILITIES REPORT A CONCERN OR HAZARD AND UNINCORPORATED AREAS, ACCESS COUNTY, SOCIAL MEDIA, AND MORE, I GOT TO TELL YOU ONE OF THE THINGS I HEARD THIS MORNING THAT IS, YOU DON'T REALLY THINK ABOUT IT UNTIL YOU ACTUALLY HEAR IT, BUT MOST OF US USE OUR PHONES FOR EVERYTHING, RIGHT? I MEAN, INSTEAD OF, YOU KNOW, A LAPTOP, A LOT OF IT IS ON THE PHONE.
AND SO, UH, THIS IS A REALLY GOOD TOOL TO UTILIZE, TO LET PEOPLE KNOW, AND TO CONNECT DIRECTLY WITH OUR COUNTY STAFF SO THAT THEY'RE ABLE TO BETTER ADDRESS SOME OF THE ISSUES THAT, UM, YOU SEE FACE THAT YOU'RE FACING, UM, TO GET THE APP ON ANDROID OR GOOGLE PLAY SEARCH MERCER COUNTY AND DOWNLOAD IT FOR IPHONES, DOWNLOAD AGAIN, THE CIVIC MOBILE APP, OPEN IT, THEN SEARCH FOR AND SELECT A MERCER COUNTY.
AND THE MERCER COUNTY MOBILE APP IS FREE TO DOWNLOAD AND USE.
THIS IS THE BEST WAY FOR US TO GET INFORMATION.
I KNOW THAT STAFF APPRECIATES IT BECAUSE THEY'RE BETTER ABLE TO GET THAT INFORMATION AND BE ABLE TO CONNECT, UH, QUITE A BIT WITH, WITH SOME OF THE QUESTIONS AND CONCERNS, BUT THEN ALSO OUR, UH, SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORM IS VERY GOOD AT PROVIDING INFORMATION.
AND THAT'S THE BEST WAY FOR THE COUNTY TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE YOU WITH THE INFORMATION THAT YOU NEED, UH, WITHIN THE COUNTY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, LOTS OF PROGRESS IN OUR UNINCORPORATED MERSEYSIDE COUNTY AREAS.
UM, WE'RE PUSHING DEVELOPMENT INTO PROJECT OR DEVELOPMENT PROJECT INTO CITIES.
WE WORK WELL WITH OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PARTNERS AND ALL SIX OF OUR CITIES, BECAUSE THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE, LIKE I MENTIONED EARLIER, IT'S ABOUT COLLABORATING WITH EVERYBODY AND MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR AREAS OF GROWTH AND AREAS OF DEVELOPMENT BY BEING ABLE TO COLLABORATE, WHETHER IT'S THE EAST SIDE OR THE WEST SIDE OF THE COUNTY, WE'RE LOOKING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE FULFILLING OUR, OUR JOBS, UH, TO BUILD, UH, OUR ECONOMY HERE IN, IN SENTENCE COUNTY.
THE NEXT ONE I'M GOING TO GO THROUGH IS THE CASTLE COMMERCE CENTER SLIDE.
AND I'D LIKE TO DELVE INTO A FEW KEY AREAS THAT WERE ADDRESSED EARLIER IN THE VIDEO.
AND FOR THAT, I'M GOING TO ASK, UH, MR. HENDRICKSON, UM, TO COME ON AND GIVE, UH, GIVE A QUICK UPDATE, MARK.
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AND AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY AND THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO ENGAGE WITH, WITH YOUR CONSTITUENTS.
AND AGAIN, PUT THE SLIDE ON THE SCREEN.
MY GOAL TONIGHT, AS A SUPERVISOR JUST MENTIONED IS TO BRIEFLY HIGHLIGHT THREE PRIORITIES OF OUR BOARD RELATED TO CASTLE ONE.
THE WORK THAT THOUGH OUR BOARD IS DOING TO DEVELOP AN INLAND PORT AND RAIL DISTRICT ONSITE TO OUR COUNTY'S LEADERSHIP, DEVELOPING A WORLD-CLASS DRIVERLESS CAR TESTING GROUND AND THREE, OUR BOARD'S LEADERSHIP TO REMOVE BLIGHT ON CASTLE.
NOW, EACH OF THESE, EACH OF THESE TOPICS THAT WERE JUST MENTIONED, THE VIDEO, YOU WATCH SOMEBODY DO MY BEST JUST TO PROVIDE YOU THE VIEWER WITH SOME ADDITIONAL CONTEXT.
SO IN THIS RESPECT, AGAIN, AS RELATES TO CASTLE, THE COUNTY HAS UNDERTAKEN NUMEROUS STEPS OVER THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS TO ADVANCE THE DEVELOPMENT OF CASTLE COMMERCE CENTER, ALL OF WHICH ARE DESIGNED TO DEMONSTRATE THAT THE COUNTY MERCEDES IS THE PLACE TO BE FOR BOTH TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT AND LOGISTICS IN CALIFORNIA.
NOW, OUR BOARD CONTINUES TO BE FOCUSED ON BRINGING HIGH CALIBER JOBS AND MEANINGFUL ECONOMIC ACTIVITY TO OUR RESIDENTS AND TO OUR REGION.
NOW, TWO CORNERSTONE PROJECTS WERE IDENTIFIED YEARS AGO AND INLAND PORT AND A DRIVERLESS CAR TESTING ENVIRONMENT.
AS I MENTIONED A FEW SECONDS AGO, NOW THIS WAS BASED ON DOING SOME MARKET ANALYSIS, SOME INFRASTRUCTURE ANALYSIS ON SITE AND INDUSTRY OUTREACH, AND NOW WE'RE ACTUALLY EXECUTING AND POSITIONING THE COUNTY AS THE GO-TO PLACE TO DO BUSINESS.
NOW, REGARDING THE REAL DISTRICT FIRST, WE WERE TAKING FULL ADVANTAGE OF THE EXISTING 6,500 FEET OF RAIL ONSITE AND CONNECTING THE DOTS BETWEEN OUR AIRPORT, WHICH HAS ROUGHLY A 12,000 FOOT LONG RUNWAY, AS WELL AS A FUTURE AT WATERMARK THE EXPRESSWAY.
THIS IS A REALLY GOOD EXAMPLE OF CONNECTING DOTS BETWEEN INFRASTRUCTURE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
AS MENTIONED DURING THE VIDEO, OUR BOARD IN FEBRUARY ENTERED INTO AN AGREEMENT WITH PATRIOT RAIL, A LEADING RAIL COMPANY WHO OPERATES IN 16 STATES, INCLUDING AT A FORMER MILITARY INSTALLATION IN SACRAMENTO.
NOW, PATRIOT IS CURRENTLY UNDERWAY WITH A $1.2 MILLION TRACK OPTIMIZATION PROJECT AT CASTLE, WHICH IS DESIGNED TO ENHANCE SHIPPING OPPORTUNITIES FOR VALLEY GROWERS, AG, PROCESSORS, AND MANUFACTURERS.
WE ARE NOW WORKING WITH THEM ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF A 70 ACRE PIECE OF PROPERTY DEDICATED SOLELY TO LOGISTICS ACTIVITY.
NOW LAST WEEK HAS A, AS INDICATED ON YOUR SCREEN, THE FIRST LOCOMOTIVE WAS POSITIONED ON CASTLE.
AND AGAIN, THIS IS A REALLY GOOD FIRST STEP, UH, FOR OUR PROJECT AT, UH, AT CASTLE COMMERCE CENTER.
NOW SHIFTING GEARS SLIGHTLY TO DRIVERLESS VEHICLES, WE'VE BEEN HOME TO WAYMO'S 115 ACRE DRIVERLESS CAR TESTING GROUND FOR SEVERAL YEARS.
WAYMO OF COURSE, BEING A PART OF THE GOOGLE FAMILY.
NOW THIS PROJECT DROVE CONSIDERABLE INTEREST FROM AROUND THE GLOBE AND OUR COUNTY WAS CAST INTO A VERY FAVORABLE LIGHT AS A RESULT NOW, THANKS TO OUR PROXIMITY TO THE SILICON VALLEY, WHERE TECHNOLOGY IS BEING DEVELOPED AS WELL AS INTERESTING FOR THE INDUSTRY ITSELF.
WE WORK CLOSELY WITH ASSEMBLE MEMORY, ADAM GRAY, WHO HELPED US SECURE A $6.5 MILLION GRANT TO DEVELOP A 225 ACRE MULTI-USER TESTING GROUND, WHICH NOW INCLUDES A BRAND NEW 2.25 MILE HIGH-SPEED OVAL TRACK.
NOW LAST YEAR, OUR BOARD WORKED TO IDENTIFY AN OPERATOR AND WE HAD INTEREST FROM EUROPE, FROM ASIA AND FROM NORTH AMERICA.
ULTIMATELY THE COMPANY WITH THEIR 50 YEAR PROVEN TRACK RECORD OF OPERATING AT PROVING GROUND IN OHIO WAS IDENTIFIED AND SELECTED THAT BEING THE TRANSPORTATION RESEARCH CENTER, THEY OVERSEE THE LARGEST PROVING GROUND IN NORTH AMERICA TODAY AND HAVE OVER A THOUSAND EXISTING CLIENTS, MANY OF WHICH ARE NOW TESTING AT CASTLE.
NOW, LASTLY, THE LAST ITEM ON, ON THE, UH, ON THE SLIDE IS WITH REGARD TO BLIGHT AND OUR BOARD MOVED FORWARD WITH A ONE POINT MILLION DOLLAR INVESTMENT REMOVE BLIGHT, UH, LEFT AT A CASTLE BY THE AIR FORCE.
IN THE COMING DAYS, WE'LL BE UNDERTAKING A FAIRLY SIGNIFICANT PROJECT, WHICH WILL, UH, IN A DEMOLITION, UH, REMOVING SEVERAL UNSAFE BUILDINGS THAT NO LONGER HAVE ANY USEFULNESS AND HAVE STRUCTURAL DEFICIENCIES.
THIS WILL NOW PAVE THE WAY FOR NEW DEVELOPMENT AND NEW OPPORTUNITIES.
AGAIN, CONSISTENT WITH THOSE AFOREMENTIONED CORNERSTONE PROJECTS, UH, THAT I SPOKE OF JUST A FEW MOMENTS AGO.
SO AT THIS POINT, I'M GOING TO TURN IT BACK OVER TO YOU, SUPERVISOR PEDROZA AND AGAIN, JUST THANK YOU AND YOUR VIEWERS FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO, TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE ADDITIONAL CONTEXT WITH WHAT WE'RE DOING AT CAPITAL CONGRESSMAN.
AND I APPRECIATE ALL THE HARD WORK.
I KNOW THAT'S SOMETHING THAT, UH, IT GETS BROUGHT UP QUITE A BIT AND, UM, FOR PEOPLE THAT UNDERSTAND THAT IT, IT HASN'T BEEN LOST ON THE FOCUS HASN'T BEEN LOST ON THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, AS IT COMES TO CASTLE COMMERCE, JUST SOMETHING THAT'S GOING TO BE INCREDIBLY BENEFICIAL, UH, TO OUR AREA.
SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THAT NOW.
ALL RIGHT, NEXT, WE'RE GOING TO COVER, BELIEVE IT OR NOT.
ONE OF THE TOPICS THAT I GET A QUESTION ABOUT MORE, UH,
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ALMOST MORE THAN HOMELESSNESS, UH, OUR ROADS, UH, AND THAT HAS TO DO WITH, UM, WHEN ARE THEY BUILDING NEW ROADS AND WHAT ARE WE DOING WITH ROADS? AND IT TAKES TIME TO CATCH UP ON THE DEFERRED MAINTENANCE OF OUR ROAD SYSTEM, BUT PROGRESS IS HAPPENING.SOMETHING THAT I'M INCREDIBLY HAPPY ABOUT BECAUSE IN 2016 MEASURE V WAS PASSED AND IT WAS A PROJECT THAT I WAS, UH, I HELPED, UH, WORK ON.
AND IT WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS VERY, UM, UH, IT WAS A PASSION FOR ME BECAUSE THE ROADS ARE, ARE, ARE FAILING, BUT JUST LIKE ANYTHING ELSE, ROADS HAVE A LIFESPAN AS WELL.
AND SO IT DOES TAKE TIME, BUT THROUGH THE PAVEMENT MANAGEMENT SYSTEM THROUGH MEASURE V UM, THROUGH SB ONE FUNDS, WE, UH, HAVE BEEN ABLE TO, UM, RESURFACE NEARLY 19 MILES OF COUNTY ROADS, UH, WITH TOTAL CONSTRUCTION COSTS OF $5.8 MILLION.
BUT KEEP IN MIND, IT'S ABOUT $300,000, IF I'M CORRECT, UM, TO, UH, TO REDO A ROAD, SO W TO REPAVE ONE MILE OF ROAD.
SO WITH THAT, WHAT I'D LIKE TO DO IS TURN IT OVER TO, UH, THE MR. DANA HURT FILTER.
THANK YOU, SUPERVISOR PEDROSO.
UM, MEASURE V IS A HALF CENT SALES TAX THAT IS, THAT WAS PASSED IN NOVEMBER, 2016.
50% OF MEASURE B FUNDS ARE ALLOCATED TO THE CITIES AND COUNTY, AND CAN ONLY BE USED FOR TRANSPORTATION RELATED PROJECTS.
THE ROAD REPAIR AND ACCOUNTABILITY ACT ALSO KNOWN AS SB.
ONE WAS PASSED BY THE CALIFORNIA STATE LEGISLATURE IN APRIL OF 2017.
SB ONE IS PRIMARILY FUNDED THROUGH A FUEL EXCISE TAX ON GASOLINE AND DIESEL.
ALL SB ONE FUNDS ARE PROTECTED BY LAW AND MUST BE USED TO REPAIR AND MAINTAIN THE COUNTY'S EXISTING ROAD SYSTEM.
THESE FUNDS CANNOT BE USED TO BUILD NEW ROADS FROM 2018 TO 2021, THE COUNTY RECONSTRUCTED, A TOTAL OF 105 MILES OF COUNTY MAINTAINED ROADS AT A COST OF APPROXIMATELY 31 MILLION.
USE IT MEASURE B AND SB ONE FONTS AND DISTRICT TWO.
WE HAVE CONSTRUCTED TWO MILES OF COUNTY MAINTAINED ROADS AT A COST OF JUST UNDER HALF A MILLION.
WE ALSO HAVE, UM, A COUPLE OF ROADS SCHEDULED THIS YEAR FOR RECONSTRUCTION, AND THAT IS END STREET FROM 20TH TO 21ST AND 21ST STREET FROM M TO N STREET.
THESE ARE THE STREETS THAT ARE WITHIN THE COUNTY COURTHOUSE PARK.
TOTAL MEASURE V FUNDS FOR THESE TWO PROJECTS IS APPROXIMATELY 750,000.
IN ADDITION TO SB ONE, A MEASURE B THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS RECENTLY SET ASIDE 10 MILLION IN AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN ACT FUNDS SPECIFICALLY FOR LOCAL ROAD PROJECTS.
THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS WILL BE RETURNED INTO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS WITH A RECOMMENDATION FOR THE USE OF THESE FUNDS DURING THIS YEAR'S BUDGET HEARINGS.
UM, AS MENTIONED EARLIER, ROSETTE COUNTY ASSOCIATION OF GOVERNMENTS AND THE COUNTY AND THE INCORPORATED CITIES, ALL PARTNER TO HAVE A COUNTY WIDE PAVEMENT CONDITION SURVEY PURPOSE OF THE SURVEY WAS TO PROVIDE AN UNBIASED ASSESSMENT OF THE ROAD SYSTEM WITHIN THE COUNTY.
THIS INFORMATION ALONG WITH TRAFFIC VOLUMES ROAD, CLASSIFICATIONS, SAFETY CONCERNS, MAINTENANCE ISSUES, AND OTHER FACTORS IS USED TO HELP US SELECT WHICH ROADS WILL BE NOMINATED EACH YEAR FOR REHABILITATION AND RECONSTRUCTION.
UM, FINALLY, THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS IS RESPONSIBLE FOR MAINTAINING OVER 1700 MILES OF ROADS IN MERSEYSIDE COUNTY.
AND WE DO NOT HAVE THE STAFF COVER EVERY MILE OF ROAD ON A REGULAR BASIS.
WE RELY ON INPUT FROM THE GENERAL PUBLIC AND OTHER STATE AND COUNTY AGENCIES TO HELP US MONITOR OUR ROAD SYSTEMS. SO TO INQUIRE ABOUT A SPECIFIC ROAD OR SUBMIT A ROAD SERVICE REQUESTS, INCLUDING ILLEGAL DUMPING COMPLAINTS, PLEASE CALL MERSEYSIDE COUNTY PUBLIC WORKS ROAD DIVISION AT 2 0 9 3 8 5 7 6 0 1.
THANK YOU, SUPERVISOR PEDROZA.
YOU KNOW, THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, AND I ALWAYS MAKE A JOKE WHENEVER I SEE ANOTHER ROAD OR A POTHOLE OR SOMETHING.
SO, UH, I KNOW THAT YOU, UH, WERE VERY MANY, A LOT OF DIFFERENT HATS, BUT, UH, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE RECOGNIZES AS A BIG ISSUE, UH, ESPECIALLY IN THE UNINCORPORATED
[00:30:01]
AREAS.ANOTHER COMMON TOPIC OF INTEREST, UH, DURING THESE TOWN HALLS IS HOMELESSNESS.
UM, IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE ALL SEE.
IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE DEAL WITH AND REALLY IT'S A QUALITY OF LIFE ISSUE.
UM, WE HAVE, UH, JOHN CHECKLEY HERE TO PROVIDE A QUICK UPDATE ON OUR EFFORTS TO HELP ALLEVIATE HOMELESSNESS IN OUR COMMUNITY.
IT'S NO SMALL TASK, BUT, UH, I KNOW JOHN, UM, PRETTY MUCH LIVES IN BREATHES THIS, UH, ISSUE.
AND SO I WANTED HIM TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE, UH, A QUICK UPDATE.
THANK YOU, SUPERVISOR, UH, GIRLS.
AND I THINK THEY TALK ABOUT OUR CURRENT STATE FUTURE STATE OF HOMELESSNESS.
IT WOULD, IT WOULD DO US WELL TO, TO STEP BACK TO 2018 WHEN THIS EFFORT REALLY GOT FORMALIZED, UH, THROUGH A REGIONAL PLANNING GROUP LED BY ASSEMBLY MEMBER, ADAM GRAY, AS WELL AS PARTICIPANTS FROM THE OTHER JURISDICTIONS WITHIN MERCER COUNTY, INCLUDING THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, AND THEN REPRESENTATIVES EXECUTIVE LEVEL REPRESENTATIVES AND ELECTED OFFICIALS FROM THE JURISDICTIONS, AS WELL AS THE CONTINUUM OF CARE, WHICH IS THE HUD DESIGNATED BODY, UM, TO ADDRESS AND PLAN FOR HOMELESSNESS IN THE RESPONSE TO HOMELESSNESS.
SO OUT OF THAT PLANNING GROUP, WE REALLY FOCUSED ON TWO GUIDING PRINCIPLES.
HOW COULD WE BETTER AS A COMMUNITY, UM, MANAGE PUBLIC SPACES AND INCREASE AFFORDABLE HOUSING STOCK TO GIVE THESE INDIVIDUALS AN OFF-RAMP FROM LIVING IN PUBLIC SPACES OR IN OUR EMERGENCY SHELTERS.
UM, WE FOCUSED ON FOUR PRIMARY ACTIVITIES AND THAT'S OUTREACH AND ENGAGEMENT, UM, RENTAL ASSISTANCE, RAPID REHOUSING, YOU KNOW, GETTING FOLKS HOUSED, UM, THE EMERGENCY SHELTERING SYSTEM TO GET FOLKS FROM OUR PUBLIC SPACES INTO A SAFE AND SECURE ENVIRONMENT AND CONNECTED TO CASE MANAGERS.
AND THEN THE SYSTEM SUPPORTS TO MAKE SURE THOSE ARE ALL COMMUNICATING WELL, NOT ONLY ACROSS JURISDICTIONS, BUT ACROSS COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS.
HOW COULD WE AS A COMMUNITY COME TOGETHER AND REALLY HELP TO BETTER ADDRESS THE NEEDS OF INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS.
AND ONE OF THE FIRST INITIATIVES THAT WE WE IMPLEMENTED WAS AN OUTREACH AND ENGAGEMENT CENTER.
UH, YOU KNOW, WE'D HAD TO GO OUT AND ASSESS FOLKS, UM, ENGAGE WITH THEM ON THE STREETS AND THEN REFER THEM TO SERVICE PROVIDERS WHO HAD THE CAPACITY TO ADDRESS THOSE NEEDS.
UM, I'M HAPPY TO REPORT, YOU KNOW, FROM THAT 2018 IMPLEMENTATION WHEN IT WAS A COUNTY KIND OF DRIVEN PROJECT THAT HAS SINCE SHIFTED TO SHIFTED TO THE CONTINUUM OF CARE AND TO AUGMENT THAT EFFORT, WE'VE ACTUALLY IDENTIFIED ADDITIONAL RESOURCES TO GET A DEDICATED WEST SIDE OUTREACH WORKER, AS WELL AS TWO OUTREACH WORKERS THAT CAME WITH THE NAVIGATION CENTER TO FOCUS HERE EXPLICITLY ON THE CITY OF NARSAD.
SO BY HAVING OUTREACH WORKERS IN THE FIELD ASSESSING INDIVIDUAL'S NEEDS, AND THEN REFERRING THEM INTO OUR EMERGENCY SHELTER SYSTEM, UM, WE'VE, WE'VE SEEN A LOT, A LOT OF SUCCESS IN THAT.
IT'S A VERY RESPONSIVE OUTREACH AND ENGAGEMENT TEAM.
AND REALLY THE FIRST CALL I GET WHEN, WHEN SOMEONE FROM THE COMMUNITY LIKE I RECEIVED TODAY, REACHES OUT TO PROVIDE US A REFERRAL.
THAT SECOND ACTIVITY WAS AN EMERGENCY SHELTER IN 2018.
UM, ACCORDING TO HUD, WE HAD 90, WHAT WE COULD CALL A KIND OF TRADITIONAL EMERGENCY SHELTER BEDS TODAY WITH SOME OF THE PROJECTS THAT YOU'VE HIGHLIGHTED, UH, DURING THE ENTRY, UH, VIDEO WE'VE, WE'VE OPENED A NAVIGATION CENTER THAT HAS 75 BED CAPACITY.
WE'VE OPENED SOME DISTRIBUTED HOUSING TO BE COUNTY-WIDE.
I WAS VERY IMPORTANT THAT IN OUR REGIONAL APPROACH WERE COUNTY-WIDE.
UM, THIS YEAR WE'RE ANTICIPATING ABOUT 250 EMERGENCY SHELTER BEDS.
SO JUST A BIG INCREASE FROM 90 TO TWO 50, AND WE'VE SEEN THE RESULT OF THAT.
AND THIS YEAR'S MOST RECENT POINT IN TIME COUNT.
THERE WAS A 19% REDUCTION IN UNSHELTERED HOMELESSNESS.
SO THERE WAS A 2% OVERALL INCREASE, BUT FROM A PUBLIC SPACE MANAGEMENT PERSPECTIVE, WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE REALLY PROUD OF THE FACT THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO WOULD HAVE LIVED IN PUBLIC SPACES WERE ACTUALLY MOVED INTO IT TO THESE NAVIGATION CENTERS AND ALL OF OUR SHELTERS TO D STREET SHELTER.
UM, YOU KNOW, THE B STREET SHELTER, THEY ALL OPERATE IN A NAVIGATION CENTER MODEL WHERE THERE'S EITHER CO LOCATED, UM, COMMUNITY-BASED PARTNERS, THERE'S CASE MANAGERS DOING ASSESSMENTS AND REFERRING, UM, REALLY CLOSE, LIKE SIDE-BY-SIDE WORK BETWEEN VARIOUS COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS THAT PROVIDE SERVICES AND THE CASE MANAGERS THAT ARE ASSIGNED AT THESE DISTRIBUTED HOMES, UM, D STREET AND B STREET, UH, NAVIGATION CENTER.
SO, UH, A LOT OF WORK HAS GONE INTO THAT.
AND AGAIN, THAT ALL STEMS FROM THIS REGIONAL PLANNING GROUP, UH, MAKING SURE WE'RE A COUNTY WIDE THAT THE THIRD, AND MAYBE THE MOST EXCITED AND KIND OF A FUTURE STATE, UH, LOOK HERE IS THE DEVELOPMENT OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING, AND MAYBE EVEN MORE IMPORTANTLY, RESTRICTED HOUSING FOR THE HOMELESS POPULATION, THE NEW HOUSING UNITS THAT, THAT HAVE WE'VE BEEN AWARDED RECENTLY.
AND BY WE, I MEAN, COLLECTIVELY AS A COMMUNITY, THIS IS CITY OF MARCEL LED PROJECTS, AND THESE ARE CALLED PROJECT
[00:35:01]
HOME KEY.UH, THEY'VE BEEN AWARDED TWO PROJECTS, 110 HOUSING UNITS, UH, 45 OF THOSE TARGETING CHRONICALLY HOMELESS INDIVIDUALS, 20 OF THOSE TARGETING, UH, VETERANS.
UM, IT MAKES UP A GOOD PERCENTAGE OF THE HOMELESS INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE IN MERSEYSIDE COUNTY, UM, IN THE CITY OF SAID, THOSE PROJECTS NEED TO BE IMPLEMENTED QUICKLY.
UM, WE'RE THINKING EIGHT MONTHS OR SO.
SO, YOU KNOW, NINE, NINE OR 10 MONTHS AGO, WE WERE SITTING DOWN WITH THE MAYOR AND HER SAID, AND THE CITY MANAGER AND, AND SOME OTHER STAKEHOLDERS.
AND SEE IF WE SAID WHAT'S AN AUDACIOUS GOAL.
AND WE DETERMINED IF WE COULD GET 200 HOUSING UNITS IN PRODUCTION, THAT WOULD BE A PRETTY AUDACIOUS GOAL.
OVER THE NEXT TWO YEARS, I HAPPEN TO SAY WITHIN A YEAR WE HAVE 215 HOUSING UNITS IN SOME FORM OF EITHER PRODUCTION OR APPLICATION PHASE, INCLUDING 65 UNITS OF NO PLACE LIKE HOME.
UH, THOSE THAT THAT PROJECT IS, IS FOR INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE SERIOUS MENTAL ILLNESS, AND YOU'RE EITHER AT RISK OR LITERALLY HOMELESS.
IT'S A PARTNERSHIP WITH BEHAVIORAL HEALTH.
IT'S A PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CITY OF MERCEDES.
IT'S A PARTNERSHIP WITH THE HOUSING AUTHORITY FOR ONGOING RENTAL ASSISTANCE.
AGAIN, I WANT TO PAINT THE PICTURE THAT THESE ARE BROAD PARTNERSHIPS, NO SINGLE ENTITY ORGANIZATION JURISDICTION CAN, CAN REALLY MAKE THESE THINGS COME TO FRUITION WITHOUT PARTNERING TOGETHER.
AND THE REGIONAL PLANNING GROUP AGAIN, HAS REALLY ENHANCED THOSE PARTNERSHIPS.
AND WE'RE STARTING TO SEE, UM, THOSE PARTNERSHIPS PAY OFF IN, IN UNITS UNITS, WHERE FOLKS WHO ARE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS, EITHER IN OUR SHELTERING SYSTEM OR ON OUR STREETS ARE ABLE TO GO AND BE PERMANENTLY HOUSED AND CONNECTED TO RESOURCES.
UH, I'D LIKE TO POINT OUT A COUPLE OF OTHER PROJECTS THAT ARE AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROJECTS.
ONE IS ON CHILDS AND B AGAIN, A CITY OF MARCELLA PROJECT.
AND MAYBE MOST IMPORTANTLY IT WAS, WAS A PROJECT THAT THE MISSAID RESCUE MISSION HAS DEVELOPED ON CONE AVENUE.
THAT PROJECT PROVIDES 32 BEDS OF RESPITE CARE FOR FOLKS WHO ARE DISCHARGING FROM THE HOSPITAL.
IF YOU'RE, IF YOU'RE AN INDIVIDUALS EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS ARE IN THE EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT, QUITE OFTEN, YOU'D BE DISCHARGED BACK TO THE STREET AND YOU'D BE RIGHT BACK IN OUR EMERGENCY DEPARTMENTS.
WE RECOGNIZE WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT BEDS FOR THAT TO BE A SUSTAINABLE SYSTEM.
AND THE RESCUE MISSION WAS ABLE TO GO OUT, UM, GATHER FUNDING, UH, NOT, NOT GOVERNMENT FUNDING, PRIVATE FUNDING, UM, TO CREATE 32 BEDS OF RESPITE CARE, 10 BEDS OF PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING FOR VETERANS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE VA AND 10 BEDS OF TRANSITIONAL HOUSING FOR FAMILIES.
SO A LOT OF, A LOT OF EXCITING PROJECTS THAT WE'RE SEEING IMPLEMENTED OVER THIS YEAR, AND THE FACT THAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO DO THIS WITH THE RESTRICTIONS OF COVID, UM, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE EMPLOYMENT RESTRICTIONS, ALL OF THOSE BARRIERS REALLY SPEAKS A LOT TO THE COMMUNITIES WILL TO MOVE THIS FORWARD.
AND LASTLY SYSTEM SUPPORTS, UM, IF SOMEONE'S GOT TO KEEP TRACK OF THIS, THERE'S A HOMELESS MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SYSTEM.
THERE'S A COORDINATED ENTRY SYSTEM TO MAKE SURE WE'RE TARGETING FOLKS WHO ARE MOST VULNERABLE FOR THESE RESOURCES.
WE CLEARLY DON'T HAVE ENOUGH RESOURCES FOR EVERYONE.
SO YOU HAVE TO HAVE A VERY STRONG, COORDINATED ENTRY SYSTEM.
AND THEN THE COUNTY, SINCE 2018 HAS BEEN DESIGNATED AS THE COLLABORATIVE APPLICANT AND ADMINISTRATIVE ENTITY FOR THE, FOR THE GREAT WORK THAT THE MERCEDES CITY AND COUNTY CONTINUUM OF CARE, UH, CONTINUES TO DO TO THIS DAY, UM, THAT CONTINUUM OF CARE BOARD, UM, RECEIVES POTS OF FUNDING.
AND WE HELP ADMINISTER THAT FOR THEM AND WE'RE MAKE SURE, UM, THAT IT'S EFFECTIVE AND THAT IT'S, IT'S HAVING A PURPOSEFUL IMPACT IN THE COMMUNITY.
SO REALLY, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF A LOT HAS HAPPENED IN THE LAST FIVE YEARS, BUT THAT'S BEEN OUR APPROACH, THE REGIONAL APPROACH, THE BUILDING PARTNERSHIPS, UM, THE MAKING SURE THAT, THAT RESOURCES, WHETHER IT'S LAW ENFORCEMENT AND BEHAVIORAL HEALTH OUTREACH WORKERS OR SOCIAL WORKERS, ARE ALL WORKING WITH A SINGLE GOAL OF TRYING TO HELP AS MANY FOLKS AS WE CAN IN OUR PUBLIC SPACES WHO ARE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS, MOVE ON, REGAIN THEIR IDENTITY, REGAIN SOME HOPE, AND THEN, UH, HOPEFULLY BECOME OUTSTANDING CITIZENS OF THIS COMMUNITY.
THAT'S, THAT'S OUR GOAL TO HELP AS MANY PEOPLE AS POSSIBLE AND AS DEEP A PARTNERSHIP AS POSSIBLE.
SO THANK YOU SUPERVISOR, PEDROZA APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO COME HERE, UM, AND, AND, AND PROVIDE THIS UPDATE TO THE COMMUNITY THAT'S ONLINE.
UM, I REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR WORK.
I THINK IT'S, IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT.
AND LIKE I MENTIONED EARLIER, I THINK, UH, HAVING THAT COLLABORATIVE APPROACH AND WORKING WITH EVERYBODY, UH, IN THE COUNTY AND LOOKING AT THINGS, WHETHER IT IS MARCEL, WHETHER IT'S ALL SPANISH, WHATEVER, I THINK WE'RE REALLY, UM, I THINK WE'RE MAKING GREAT STRIDES AND WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO FIX THIS OVERNIGHT.
I UNDERSTAND THAT, AND IT'S TAKING TIME AND IT'S GOING TO CONTINUE TO TAKE TIME, BUT, UH, I APPRECIATE THE WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING.
UM, I ALSO WANTED TO SAY, YOU DEFINITELY, UH, WIN THE AWARD FOR USING THE WORD AUDACIOUS THE MOST.
AT THIS TIME, WE'RE GOING TO GO THROUGH THE VOTER'S CHOICE ACT AND REDISTRICTING SIDE, DARLENE INGERSOLL, THE MERSEYSIDE COUNTY REGISTERED VOTERS
[00:40:01]
WILL PROVIDE AN UPDATE ON A COUPLE OF IMPORTANT ITEMS THAT IMPACT OUR ELECTIONS.THE VOTER'S CHOICE ACT AS WELL AS REDISTRICT D DARLENE, TAKE IT AWAY.
I'M DARLENE INGERSOLL SERVING AS YOUR MERSEYSIDE COUNTY REGISTERED VOTERS.
IT'S A PLEASURE TO SPEAK THIS EVENING AT THIS TOWN HALL MEETING AND SHARE INFORMATION WITH THE COMMUNITY.
RUSTED COUNTY IS NOW A VOTER'S CHOICE AT COUNTY COMMONLY KNOWN AS THE ACRONYM BCA THIS DUAL ELECTION MODEL ALLOWS VOTERS TO CHOOSE HOW, WHEN AND WHERE TO CAST THEIR BALLOT.
ALL ACTIVE REGISTERED VOTERS ARE MAILED TO VOTE BY MAIL BALLOT 29 DAYS BY 29 DAYS PRIOR TO ELECTION DAY AND VOTING ASSISTANCE CENTERS ARE REPLACING TRADITIONAL POLLING PLACES.
VOTERS CHOOSE TO CAST THEIR BALLOT BY MAIL.
THEY CAN RETURN IT POSTAGE FREE BY SECURE, OFFICIAL DROP OFF BOXES AT OUR ELECTIONS OFFICE OR AT ANY VOTING ASSISTANCE CENTER.
AND OF COURSE YOU CAN VOTE IN-PERSON AT ANY VOTING ASSISTANT CENTER IN MERSEYSIDE COUNTY SITTERS PROVIDE A HIGH LEVEL OF SERVICE FOR THE UPCOMING JUNE 7TH, 2022 STATEWIDE DIRECT PRIMARY ELECTION, WHERE SAID COUNTY WILL HAVE 13 VOTING ASSISTANCE CENTERS, THREE BEING 11 DAY CENTERS OPENING OPEN BEGINNING SATURDAY, MAY 28TH THROUGH ELECTION DAY, WHICH IS JUNE 7TH AND 10 MORE FOUR DAYS CENTERS OPEN ON JUNE 4TH THROUGH ELECTION DAY.
THIS YEAR, OUR 11 DAY BUILDING ASSISTANCE CENTERS ARE LOCATED AT, AT WATER COMMUNITY CENTER, LOS BANOS COMMUNITY CENTER AND MERSEYSIDE COMMUNITY COLLEGE, PUBLIC SAFETY COMPLEX.
THERE WILL BE 10 OFFICIAL DROP OFF BOXES IN THE COUNTY, INCLUDING OUR COUNTY ADMINISTRATION BUILDING ALL SIX CITY HALL OFFICES.
AND THIS YEAR WE'RE PARTNERING WITH LOCAL BUSINESSES, RANCHO SAN MIGUEL IN MERSIN LIBERTY MARKET IN DEL HI, AND RALEY'S IN MERCET.
IN FACT, RALEY'S IS PARTNERING WITH ALL COUNTIES IN CALIFORNIA.
ALMER SAID, COUNTY VOTERS NEED TO BE AWARE THAT THERE ARE REDISTRICTING IMPACTS AND MAY SEE A CHANGE IN THEIR DISTRICT ON THEIR JUNE 7TH BALLOT, INCLUDING CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT.
NOW DISTRICT 13, WHERE THE EQUALIZATION NOW BOARD, EXCUSE ME, NOW, DISTRICT ONE STATE SENATE.
NOW DISTRICT FOUR AND 14 STATE ASSEMBLY.
NOW DISTRICT 22 AND 27 AND YOUR COUNTY SUPERVISOR DISTRICT MAY HAVE CHANGED.
PLEASE CONTACT OUR OFFICE FOR ANY QUESTIONS OR MORE INFORMATION.
OUR WEBSITE HAS A LISTING OF ALL LOCATIONS, DATES, AND TIMES.
OUR PHONE NUMBER IS (209) 385-7541.
WE DO HAVE A TOLL FREE NUMBER OF 1-800-561-ZERO 6 1 0 6 1 9.
OUR WEBSITE, YOU CAN FIND ALL THIS INFORMATION IS MARCET ELECTIONS.ORG, THAT'S PLURAL OR SET ELECTIONS.ORG.
OF COURSE YOU COULD ALWAYS SEND IT AN EMAIL TO ELECTIONS@COUNTYANDMERCER.COM.
UM, I WAS JUST SAYING, UM, AND I TOLD YOU LAST NIGHT, I THINK, UH, WHAT YOU'RE DOING BY GOING OUT AND LETTING EVERYBODY KNOW IS REALLY IMPORTANT SO THAT PEOPLE HAVE THE INFORMATION BECAUSE A BIG THING IS TRANSPARENCY.
WE'RE TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE COMMUNICATING THAT SO THAT PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THAT WHEN THEY'RE GOING TO VOTE, THAT THEY HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO SO.
SO, UM, THANK YOU VERY MUCH, UH, FOR YOUR REPORT.
AT THIS TIME, I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE OUR, UH, REALLY THE STAR OF THE SHOW.
UM, AS YOU KNOW, UH, OUR CEO, FORMER CEO, JIM BROWN, RETIRED AND TAKING OVER FOR HIM IS RUBBLE, THE MILLIE MENDEZ, UH, WHO, UH, SUCCEEDED HIM AFTER A LONG SEARCH.
AND, UM, GETTING TO KNOW HIM AND WORKING WITH HIM HAS BEEN REALLY, IT'S BEEN A LOT OF FUN, UH, EVEN IF HE LIKES THE DODGERS AND THE LAKERS AND THE RAMS AND ALL THAT TYPE OF STUFF.
SO, UH, I DON'T HOLD THAT AGAINST THEM, BUT I WANT TO GIVE THIS OPPORTUNITY, UH, TO REBEL TO KIND OF INTRODUCE HIMSELF, TELL US A LITTLE BIT OF HIS BACKGROUND AND, AND GO FROM THERE.
IT IS A PRIVILEGE TO BE HERE AGAIN THIS EVENING, ADDRESSING YOUR FROM YOUR DISTRICT AS PART OF THE TOWN HALL MEETING HAS MENTIONED ROLANDA LEE MENDEZ.
UM, YES, UH, DODGER FAN, UH, AND I GUESS WE CAN CREDIT MY FATHER FOR, UH, BEING A DODGER FAN AND PASSING THAT ONTO HIS YOUNGEST SON.
UH, BUT DID WANT TO SHARE A LITTLE BIT ABOUT MYSELF.
UH, I'VE BEEN WITH MERCEDES COUNTY SINCE JANUARY 10 AND INITIALLY AS A, THE CEO DESIGNEE ON FEBRUARY 28TH, I DID, UH, SEXY JIM BROWN, UH, IN THE POSITION.
UH, REALLY APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEND SOME TIME WITH MR. BROWN BEFORE
[00:45:01]
HIS RETIREMENT, UH, UM, BECAUSE NOT OFTEN, UH, AS A TOP EXECUTIVE, YOU HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEND QUALITY TIME WITH YOUR PREDECESSOR.AND SO REALLY IT PROVIDED ME AN OPPORTUNITY TO GET OUT AND START LEARNING ABOUT THIS COMMUNITY.
I AM NOT NEW TO THE CENTRAL VALLEY.
I WAS ACTUALLY BORN IN THE CENTRAL VALLEY.
UM, GRADUATED FROM CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY OF STANIS FALLS.
UH, WENT AWAY FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS TO THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN TO GET MY MASTER'S DEGREE IN PUBLIC POLICY STUDIES CAME BACK TO THE CENTRAL VALLEY, UH, BECAUSE FOR ME, IT WAS ALWAYS ABOUT COMING BACK TO THE COMMUNITY THAT WAS SO GOOD TO MYSELF AND MY FAMILY.
I'M THE YOUNGEST OF FIVE BROTHERS.
UM, YOU KNOW, THE PRODUCTS OF, UH, UH, OUR PARENTS WHO WORKED ON THE WEST SIDE OF THE CENTRAL VALLEY, UH, IN STANISLAUS COUNTY.
AND FOR ME, IT WAS ALWAYS ABOUT GIVING BACK, UH, IN PUBLIC SERVICE.
UM, SO AS I MENTIONED, THE YOUNGEST OF MY BROTHERS WERE ALL IN PUBLIC SERVICE IN SOME WAY OR ANOTHER, A COUPLE OF US SAM, UM, OPERATED IN THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT, UH, B BOTH THE CITY MANAGERS AND COUNTY ADMINISTRATORS NOW, OR COUNTY EXECUTIVE OFFICERS OF A, ANOTHER BROTHER THAT WORKS FOR THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND THEN TWO THAT WORKED FOR EDUCATION.
SO, UH, WE'RE ALL, YOU KNOW, A PRODUCT OF THIS WONDERFUL COMMUNITY THAT WE CALL THE CENTRAL VALLEY.
I BRING, UH, OVER 25 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE IN LOCAL GOVERNMENT, UH, SPECIFICALLY CITY OF SAN JOSE CITY OF HOUSTON STANISLAUS COUNTY.
I WAS MOST RECENTLY THE ASSISTANT EXECUTIVE OFFICER ONE OR TWO FOR STANISLAUS COUNTY.
UH, ONE OF OUR NEIGHBORING COUNTIES AND WAS VERY FORTUNATE THAT WHEN THE BOARD SELECTED ME TO SUCCEED, MR. BROWN IN THIS ROLE, UH, HAVE, UM, YOU KNOW, JUST A PASSION FOR PUBLIC SERVICE.
AND THAT'S THE ONE THING, UH, IN TERMS OF MY LEADERSHIP STYLE AND MY PHILOSOPHY IS, UH, WE SERVE THE PUBLIC.
THAT'S WHAT WE EXIST TO DO AS PUBLIC SERMONS.
AND IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO REALLY UNDERSTAND WHAT THE NEEDS OF OUR COMMUNITY THAT WE SERVE ARE.
AND SO HAVE HAD A PRIVILEGE OF GOING OUT WITH, UH, SUPERVISOR PEDROZA AND ITS COLLEAGUES TO THEIR COMMUNITIES, UH, THROUGH THEIR DISTRICTS TO LEARN MORE ABOUT, UH, WHAT ARE THE NEEDS FOR THE COMMUNITIES THAT WE SERVE AND THAT THEY OBVIOUSLY REPRESENT.
UM, IT'S BEEN, IT'S BEEN GREAT TO GET TO NUMBER SEVEN COUNTY.
A LOT OF THINGS FEEL VERY FAMILIAR, UH, BECAUSE, UH, THE WORK OF COUNTY GOVERNMENT IS, IS SIMILAR.
UH, BUT CERTAINLY THERE'S UNIQUENESS TO THESE COMMUNITIES THAT WE SERVE HERE IN THE FRAMER SAID, I'M ALSO PRIVILEGED TO JOIN A GROUP OF TALENTED PROFESSIONALS.
UH, SOME OF WHICH YOU HEARD OF HER FROM THIS EVENING.
AND I KNOW AS PART OF THE Q AND A YOU'LL HEAR FROM MORE OF OUR COUNTY STAFF, UH, DEPARTMENT DIRECTORS OR, UH, LEADERSHIP TEAM, UH, IT'S REALLY A PRIVILEGE TO JOIN THEM AND TRY TO LEAD THEM IN THIS ORGANIZATION FORWARD.
UM, IT'S BEEN GREAT TO SPEND TIME, UM, YOU KNOW, VISITING THE COUNTY DEPARTMENTS.
I'VE ALREADY BEGUN THAT PROCESS.
IN ADDITION TO GETTING OUT INTO THE COMMUNITY, I'VE BECOME MORE FAMILIAR WITH THIS ORGANIZATION, HAVE MET WITH EVERY, UH, DEPARTMENT DIRECTOR, UH, AND SOME OF THEIR STAFF AND THE PLAN TO GET OUT, UH, IN ANOTHER, UH, ROTATION, UH, GETTING OUT TO ALL THE COUNTY OFFICES.
SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO LOOK FORWARD TO WORK WITH, UH, OBVIOUSLY EVERY MEMBER OF THIS ORGANIZATION.
UH, BUT FOR ME, IT'S BEEN, IT'S BEEN A PRIVILEGE, UH, AGAIN, UH, OVER THE COURSE OF THE LAST FOUR OR SO MONTHS.
UM, BUT IT'S BEEN A LOT OF TIME IN THIS COMMUNITY GETTING TO KNOW, UH, WHAT THE PRIORITIES ARE OF THE BOARD AND THE COMMUNITY BASED ON THE NEEDS THAT HAVE BEEN EXPRESSED BY THE RESIDENTS, AND REALLY FEEL LIKE THERE IS A BRIGHT FUTURE AHEAD FOR, FOR THIS, UH, ORGANIZATION IN THIS COUNTY AND WORKING UNDER THE LEADERSHIP AND DIRECTION OF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS.
UH, JUST, UH, AGAIN, JUST REALLY EXCITED ABOUT WHAT'S AHEAD THE NEXT CHAPTER AND BE PART OF THAT NEXT CHAPTER.
SO SUPERVISOR FOR JOSEPH, THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME THIS EVENING, TO SAY A FEW WORDS, UH, TO THE COMMUNITY, AND DEFINITELY LOOK FORWARD TO GETTING OUT THERE AND MEETING SOME OF THE FOLKS IN PERSON.
UM, ROLE IS, UM, VERY, UH, VERY MUCH INTO GOING OUT AND MEETING THE COMMUNITY AND WORKING WITH THE COMMUNITY.
SOMETHING THAT, UH, I REALLY APPRECIATE, UH, VERY ACTIVE AND HE'S GOING OUT AND MEETING WITH THE DIFFERENT GROUPS, DIFFERENT PEOPLE, UM, AND HE'S VERY ACCESSIBLE, UM, TO THOSE GROUPS.
AND HE'S REALLY WORKING HARD TO AN INGRAINED HIMSELF IN MERSEYSIDE COUNTY.
AND I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT, THAT EFFORT.
SO WITH THAT, WE'RE GOING TO GO INTO THE Q AND A PORTION OF THE MEETING.
AND AGAIN, IF YOU HAVE A QUESTION, PLEASE TYPE IT INTO THE CHAT BOX AND HIT ENTER MIKE, WE HAVE QUESTIONS.
WE DO HAVE SOME QUESTIONS COMING IN.
AND AS A REMINDER, VIEWERS CAN ASK QUESTIONS ON BOTH A SUPERMAN FACEBOOK THAT WE WERE MONITORING BOTH OUR FIRST QUESTION PERTAINS TO BROADBAND.
UH, THE QUESTION IS THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC UNDERSCORED THE NEED FOR GREATER ACCESS TO BROADBAND WHAT'S BEING DONE TO INCREASE ACCESS.
[00:50:01]
A REALLY GOOD QUESTION.AND ONE THAT I WANT TO SAY HAS BEEN A FOCUS FOR A LOT OF THE DIFFERENT, UM, ORGANIZATIONS IN THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA, WHETHER IT'S THE COUNTY ASSOCIATION OF GOVERNMENTS, OR WHETHER IT'S THE RCRC, UH, WHETHER IT'S THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF GOVERNMENTS, IT'S SOMETHING THAT, OR NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF COUNTIES, I'M SORRY, IT'S ONE OF THOSE, UM, ISSUES THAT WE, AND THAT PEOPLE RECOGNIZE, ESPECIALLY AS A FORMER SCHOOL TEACHER, WHEN ALL OF THIS HAPPENED, UM, I KNOW HOW MUCH, UM, PEOPLE WERE STRUGGLING, UH, AND HOW MUCH KIDS ARE STRESSED, ESPECIALLY STUDENTS ARE STRUGGLING, UH, TO BE ABLE TO ACCESS FROM HOME.
SO TO TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THAT, I'D LIKE TO BRING ON, UM, MARK COWARD, UM, TO KIND OF DISCUSS OUR, UH, WHAT'S GOING ON.
THANK YOU, SUPERVISOR FOR ROSEAU.
I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT WE'RE DOING RELATED TO THE BROADBAND IN MERSEYSIDE COUNTY.
UM, AS YOU MENTIONED, AS THE PANDEMIC WAS TAKING HOLD IN 2020, WE WERE ALL SEEING THE NEWS STORIES WHERE PARENTS WERE SITTING IN CARS IN SCHOOL, PARKING LOTS OR NEXT TO BUSINESSES, SO THEY COULD ACCESS WIFI TO HAVE THEIR CHILDREN PARTICIPATE IN SCHOOL.
IT WAS, IT WAS STUFF FOR THAT.
IN ADDITION TO THAT, WE ALSO SAW THE INCREASE UTILIZATION OF THE INTERNET FOR ACCESSING HEALTHCARE SERVICES AND NOT EVERYBODY HAS ACCESS.
SO IT BECAME A BURDEN FOR SOME, OUR MOST VULNERABLE POPULATIONS, FOR EXAMPLE, THE ELDERLY AND LOW INCOME RESIDENTS.
SO IN JULY OF 2021, GOVERNOR NEWSOME SIGNED TO LEGISLATE, UH, STATE SENATE BILL 1 56, WHICH ALLOCATED $6 BILLION AND AUTHORIZES THE STATE TO BEGIN WORKING WITH THE COUNTY CITIES, SCHOOL DISTRICTS, UM, INTERNET SERVICE PROVIDERS, BUSINESSES, AND FARMERS IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF A BROADBAND INFRASTRUCTURE TO SUPPORT AND PROVIDE RELIABLE AND AFFORDABLE INTERNET ACCESS, HIGH SPEED INTERNET ACCESS TO THE RESIDENTS OF CALIFORNIA.
IN ADDITION TO THAT, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IN NOVEMBER OF LAST YEAR, UM, ALLOCATED BILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN COMPETITIVE FUNDING, THEY WERE RIGGING AVAILABLE TO CITIES, MUNICIPALITIES, AND TOWNS THROUGH A COMPETITIVE PROCESS FOR A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT PROJECTS.
SO WITH THAT IN MIND, THE COUNTY DECIDED THAT WE NEEDED TO GO AHEAD AND PUT TOGETHER A, DEVELOP A STRATEGIC PLAN.
SO WE WOULD BE SHOVEL READY WITH SOME IDEAS AND CONCEPTS FOR MOVING FORWARD, SHOULD THAT FUNDING BECOME AVAILABLE AND WE'D BE READY TO DO THAT.
SO WE BEGAN WORKING WITH THE CITIES IN THE COUNTY AND THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS TO DEVELOP A ROSETTE STRATEGIC BROADBAND PLAN.
AND WE RELEASED AN RFP IN DECEMBER TO FIND A VENDOR TO HELP US DEVELOP THAT PLAN.
AND THE PLAN IS REALLY THE FIRST STEP IN THE IMPLEMENTATION OF A BROADBAND NETWORK.
UM, PART OF THAT PLAN IS THE EVALUATION OF OUR CURRENT INFRASTRUCTURE THAT EXISTS IN THE COUNTY NOW, UM, IDENTIFYING WHAT THE NEEDS ARE FOR EXPANDING BROADBAND ACCESS, AS WELL AS A PLAN FOR MOVING FORWARD AND WHAT OUR NEXT STEP SHOULD BE.
IN ADDITION TO THAT, THE PLAN ALSO INCLUDES OUTREACH THROUGH SURVEYS AND WORKSHOPS WHERE WE'RE COLLECTING INFORMATION FROM THE PUBLIC RELATED TO CURRENT BROADBAND NEEDS, AS WELL AS NEED FUTURE NEEDS FOR BROADBAND ACCESS AS WELL.
SO SUPER PRODUCED, AS YOU MENTIONED, IT WAS A TOUGH COUPLE OF YEARS WITH ALL OF THE, UM, ZOOM MEETINGS AND SCHOOLS TRYING TO MEET REMOTELY, AS WELL AS EMPLOYEES.
WE UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE OF BROADBAND ALSO FOR ECONOMIC GROWTH IN THE COUNTY AND HOW IMPORTANT IT IS FOR EDUCATING OUR STUDENTS.
SO THEY'RE PREPARED TO ACCEPT JOBS IN, IN THE NEW ENVIRONMENT THAT WE LIVE IN TODAY.
SO THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE THAT INFORMATION.
UM, BECAUSE LIKE I SAID, AS A FORMER TEACHER AND JUST HEARING THAT IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT THE STUDENTS, BUT IT IS ABOUT THE ELDERLY AND MAKING SURE THAT EVERYBODY HAS ACCESS BECAUSE OF THIS NEW WORLD THAT WE LIVE IN, EVERYBODY DOES EVERYTHING THROUGH TECHNOLOGY.
AND SO AS LONG AS WE HAVE THAT CAPABILITY AND WE'RE WORKING TOWARDS THAT, I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT, ESPECIALLY BEING IN A RURAL AREA LIKE WE ARE.
UM, I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT AND I APPRECIATE THE WORK.
OUR NEXT QUESTION PERTAINS TO PUBLIC HEALTH MORE SPECIFICALLY COVID-19 UM, HOW DO MERCY COUNTIES VACCINATION RATES COMPARE WITH THE REST OF THE STATES? UH, WHAT ABOUT WHEN IT COMES TO BOOSTER SHOTS? AND IT MIGHT BE A GOOD OPPORTUNITY TO PLUG MY TERM? YEAH, LET'S GO AHEAD AND, UH, BRING IN, UH, YADIRA TO TALK ON THIS.
UM, I'LL BE SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF MERCER COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH TODAY.
[00:55:01]
NO WORRIES.UM, SO TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, UH, CURRENTLY 49% OF, UH, UH, MORISSETTE COUNTY, UH, POPULATION IS FULLY VACCINATED.
UM, THIS WAS QUITE A BIT LOWER, UM, THAT IS FULLY VACCINATED, WHICH IS ABOUT 71%.
UM, IN TERMS OF BOOSTERS, UM, 35% OF THE FULLY VACCINATED POPULATION IN RIVERSIDE COUNTY, UM, HAS RECEIVED THE BOOSTER DOSE.
UM, AND ONCE AGAIN, THIS IS QUITE A BIT LOWER THAN THE STATE PERCENTAGE, UM, WHICH IS JUST ABOUT 58%.
UM, SO JUST, UM, ABOUT HALF OF THE STATE PERCENTAGE.
UM, SO WE CONTINUE TO STRONGLY RECOMMEND GETTING A COVID A VACCINE, IF YOU HAVE NOT ALREADY, UM, YOU KNOW, IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE TRY AND INCREASE THE PERCENTAGE OF THE COMMUNITY WHO ARE VACCINATED.
UM, AND ALSO WE ENCOURAGE YOU, UM, TO GET YOUR BOOSTER DOSE IF YOU, IF YOU ARE ELIGIBLE.
UM, SO IF YOU'RE AT 12 YEARS OR OLDER, UM, UM, AND IT'S BEEN AT LEAST FIVE MONTHS, UH, SINCE YOU'VE COMPLETED YOUR VACCINATION SERIES, UM, AND THE CDC NOW ALSO RECOMMENDS, UM, THOSE WHO ARE 50 YEARS OR OLDER, UM, OR IMMUNOCOMPROMISED, UM, OR HAVE RECEIVED THE J AND J VACCINE.
AND IT'S BEEN FOUR MONTHS SINCE THEIR LAST BOOSTER, UM, TO GET THEIR SECOND BOOSTER DOSE.
UM, SO YOU CAN SIGN UP FOR YOUR, UH, VACCINE@MYTURN.CA.GOV, UM, WHICH WILL LIST ALL THE LOCATIONS AND CLINICS AVAILABLE, UM, IN YOUR AREA.
I APOLOGIZE FOR CALLING YOU THE WRONG NAME.
I HAVE THE WRONG LIST IN FRONT OF ME.
YOU DEFINITELY DON'T LOOK LIKE A EURO.
SO, UM, BUT THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE GET, UM, THE, WE GET ASKED QUITE A BIT IS ABOUT THAT, UH, ABOUT VACCINATIONS AND WHEN THE, THE, THE COUNTY AND THE BOARD HAVE NEVER MANDATED OR TAKE, TAKEN A POSITION TO SAY THAT YOU HAVE TO DO, UH, BUT THERE HASN'T BEEN RECOMMENDATIONS, UM, FROM PUBLIC HEALTH AND FOLLOWING THE GUIDELINES THAT THE STATE HAS PUT OUT.
AND IT'S BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S ONE OF THOSE OPPORTUNITIES FOR PEOPLE TO MAKE THAT DECISION ON THEIR OWN.
BUT, UM, I APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT PEOPLE HAVE THAT OPPORTUNITY TO GO OUT AND GET IT IF THEY SO CHOOSE TO DO SO, I WOULD RECOMMEND IT, UH, MYSELF.
UH, I KNOW THAT, UM, ALL OF MY FAMILY HAS, HAS RECEIVED OUR VACCINATION AND OUR BOOSTERS.
IT'S JUST SOMETHING THAT, UH, I THINK IS IMPORTANT.
UM, BUT AGAIN, IF PEOPLE DECIDE NOT TO, THEN THAT'S COMPLETELY ON THEM.
AND SO, UH, I APPRECIATE ALL OF THE WORK THAT YOU GUYS HAVE HAD.
IT'S LIKE YOU'VE BEEN PLAYING A, UH, A FOOTBALL.
I THINK ONE OF MY COLLEAGUES SAID, LIKE, YOU'VE BEEN PLAYING A FOOTBALL GAME AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN, IT'S THE SUPER BOWL THE LAST TWO YEARS.
SO, UH, I APPRECIATE WHAT YOU GUYS ARE DOING.
OUR NEXT QUESTION PERTAINS TO PUBLIC SAFETY.
IT'S KIND OF A BROAD WEDDING, PROBABLY TICKETS, MULTIPLE DIRECTIONS HERE.
THE QUESTION IS WITH VIOLENT CRIME ON THE RISE, WHAT CAN WE DO TO BETTER PROTECT OURSELVES? GOOD QUESTION.
I'M GOING TO ASK, UH, CAPTAIN SULLIVAN FROM OUR SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT TO, UM, GIVE SOME RECOMMENDATIONS.
UM, PRIMARILY THE SECRET IS, IS YOU GOTTA BE AWARE OF YOUR SURROUNDINGS.
YOU GOTTA BE AWARE OF WHERE YOU'RE AT, ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU'RE AT HOME.
THE SECRET IS, IS NOW IN THIS DAY AND AGE, WE HAVE TECHNOLOGY.
WE HAVE CAMERAS, UM, BEING ABLE TO HAVE THAT EVIDENCE FOR US HELPS PROTECT YOU BY IDENTIFYING THE PROBLEM AND AT HOME.
ANOTHER VERY IMPORTANT, UH, THING IS KNOW YOUR NEIGHBORS, COOPERATE, WHERE YOUR NEIGHBORS HAVE YOUR NEIGHBORS LOOK OUT FOR YOU AND YOU LOOK OUT FOR YOUR NEIGHBORS.
WE'RE A COMMUNITY IN A LOT OF AREAS.
THAT'S THE SECRET IS THE COMMUNITY SOLVING THE CRIMES BEFORE THEY HAPPEN.
AND IF THERE'S A STRANGER IN THE AREA, STRANGE CAR, UH, YOU CAN CONTACT THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT OR CONTACT YOUR LOCAL POLICE DEPARTMENT.
IF IT'S, IF YOU LIVE IN THE CITIES AND WE WILL RESPOND, W IF WE DON'T GET THE CALL, WE WON'T KNOW IT'S A PROBLEM.
AND THAT'S, THAT'S JUST VERY, VERY IMPORTANT.
AND A BIG THING IS, IS WHEN YOU'RE OUT AND ABOUT, KNOW YOUR SURROUNDINGS, IF YOU'RE GOING TO BE DOWNTOWN, A GOOD THING AT NIGHT IS TO BE WITH SOMEBODY ELSE, BE IN A GROUP, YOU'LL BE A LOT SAFER THAN BEING BY YOURSELF.
AND ANOTHER THING IS WITH, UH, WHEN YOU'RE TRAVELING IN A VEHICLE, WHAT WE'RE SEEING TO BE VERY COMMONPLACE NOWADAYS IS ROAD RAGE.
[01:00:01]
IS DON'T ENGAGE, DON'T REACT.UH, JUST, JUST, JUST TRY TO DRIVE AWAY FROM THE SITUATION, THE OTHER PERSON, HOPEFULLY IT'LL CALM DOWN AND THAT'LL PUT IT, PUT IT INTO IT.
WE DON'T WANT A VIOLENT CONFRONTATION.
AND IT SEEMS TO BE PEOPLE INSIDE AUTOMOBILES SEEM THAT WOULD NORMALLY NEVER DO IT, SEEM TO BE DOING IT.
AND I THINK THAT'S, UH, SOMETHING THAT WE CAN AVOID HERE IN THE FUTURE IF EVERYBODY JUST CALMS DOWN.
UM, AND THE BIGGEST THING, THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT'S HERE FOR YOU.
AND IF YOU NEED US CALL US, DON'T BE AFRAID TO DIAL UP.
AND ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU LIVE OUT IN THE COUNTY, WE'RE SEEING A LARGE INCREASE AND, AND, UH, BURGLARIES AND THEFTS ON FARMS AND RANCHES THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY.
AND WE NEED, EVERYBODY'S HELP EASY SOMETHING CALL US, AND WE'LL BE THERE TO ASSIST.
UM, I, UH, I, THE MORE INFORMATION YOU HAVE THE BETTER.
UM, AND SO, UM, I'M NOT A RAT OUT MIKE CAUSE HE'S GOT SOME PRETTY BAD REAL GRADES AS WELL.
SO, UM, I'M JUST KIDDING, BUT NO, I THINK THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT BECAUSE A LOT OF TIMES WHAT HAPPENS IS PEOPLE ARE AFRAID TO CONTACT, UH, THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT THINKING THAT THEY'RE GOING TO BE IN TROUBLE OR ANY LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY FOR THAT MATTER.
AND SO I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT PEOPLE KNOW THAT YOU'RE THERE TO HELP YOU.
YOU'RE YOU'RE NOT, YOU'RE NOT THE BAD YACHTS, UH, YOU'RE THERE TO, TO HELP OUT AND TO, TO SOLVE STUFF AS QUICKLY AS YOU CAN.
AND THE MORE THAT THE MORE THAT PEOPLE FEEL COMFORTABLE.
I KNOW YOU, I KNOW YOUR DEPARTMENT, UH, I KNOW THE SHERIFF AND YOU GUYS TAKE THIS VERY SERIOUSLY AND ARE REALLY OUT THERE AND WORKING WITH THE COMMUNITIES AND TALKING TO PEOPLE AND MAKING SURE THAT THEY UNDERSTAND WHAT'S WHAT, WHAT YOU'RE, WHAT YOU'RE DOING AND HOW YOU CAN BE, THEY CAN BE OF HELP TO YOU AND HOW YOU CAN HELP THEM.
OUR NEXT QUESTION IS A GOOD ONE, UH, REGARDING OUR WORKFORCE.
UH, THE QUESTION IS, CAN WE HAVE AN UPDATE ON WHAT THE COUNTY IS DOING TO HELP CREATE JOBS? IS THE COUNTY PARTNERING WITH OTHER AGENCIES, SUCH AS MCOE UC LABOR GROUPS, ET CETERA, TO FOSTER JOB CREATION? UH, I'M, I'M REALLY HAPPY ABOUT THIS QUESTION BECAUSE I THINK, UM, I WAS TALKING TO ERIC SERRATO, UH, LAST NIGHT AND I WAS GOING OVER THE UNEMPLOYMENT NUMBERS FOR MERCER COUNTY AND I'VE SEEN THEM AS HIGH AS 20%.
SO IT'S SOMETHING THAT ISN'T LOST ON US.
AND I KNOW THAT THERE ARE A LOT OF OPPORTUNITIES TO PARTNER WITH THESE DIFFERENT GROUPS.
AND I WOULD LIKE ERIC TO KIND OF, UH, TALK ABOUT SOME OF THOSE OPPORTUNITIES AND SOME OF THE SUCCESSES THAT WE'VE HAD, UH, MOVING FORWARD.
THANK YOU, SUPERVISOR PEDROSO I'M HERE WITH MARK HENDRICKSON, A DEPARTMENT HEAD FOR COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
OUR UNEMPLOYMENT RATE IS AT 8.3%, WHICH IS A HUGE DECLINE FROM THE DEPTHS OF THE PANDEMIC AND EVEN A SHARP DECLINE FROM JANUARY, WHICH HAD US AT ABOUT 9.6.
UH, SO THAT IS THE WORK OF OUR EMPLOYERS WHO HAVE, WHO HAVE STEPPED UP AND OPENED UP THE OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUR RESIDENTS.
AND WE'RE JUST EXCITED TO BE ABLE TO CONNECT, UH, YOU KNOW, SKILLED WORKERS WITH, WITH QUALITY JOBS.
UH, THAT'S REALLY OUR ROLE AT THE DEPARTMENT OF WORKFORCE INVESTMENT.
UH, WE AREN'T IN THE BUSINESS OF JOB CREATION, BUT WE'RE IN THE BUSINESS OF, OF JOB FACILITATION SUPERVISOR.
I'VE BEEN TRYING TO TACKLE IT FROM A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT ANGLES HERE.
YOU KNOW, ONE OF WHICH I THINK ERIC JUST SPOKE VERY WELL ABOUT, WHICH IS REALLY HOW CAN WE CONNECT DOTS IN THE COMMUNITY, RIGHT? AND A BIG PART OF THAT IS, IS EVEN YOU AND I HAVE HAD RECENT CONVERSATIONS ABOUT CONNECTING DOTS BETWEEN INFRASTRUCTURE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
SO AS YOU TAKE A LOOK AT PROJECTS LIKE THE OUTLAW MERCY EXPRESSWAY, WHICH WAS HIGHLIGHTED IN YOUR VIDEO TONIGHT, THAT'S A REALLY GOOD EXAMPLE OF, OF, OF REALLY ESTABLISHING A CONDUIT BETWEEN HIGHWAY 99 AND WHAT IS CAST.
THERE'S COUNTLESS EXAMPLES OF THAT THROUGHOUT MERSEYSIDE COUNTY.
THAT'S WHERE YOU HAVE TO GIVE A LOT OF CREDIT TO OUR BOARD, UH, TO OUR PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR, I AND HIS TEAM AS WELL.
AGAIN, CONNECTING DOTS BETWEEN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT TO MAKE THOSE THINGS POSSIBLE.
BUT YOU KNOW, TRUTH BE TOLD COUNTY, MARCEL HAS UNDERTAKEN A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT STEPS THAT MANY COUNTIES AND CITIES HAVE NOT.
WE ACTUALLY, A FEW YEARS AGO REVERSE ENGINEERED THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROCESS AND ACTUALLY UNDERTOOK SOME INDUSTRY OUTREACH EFFORTS, TRY TO IDENTIFY WHAT WERE, ARE GOING TO BE OUR KEY STRENGTHS.
NOW, ONE THING WE DO KNOW THERE'S ACTUALLY SEVERAL THINGS WE KNOW ONE OF WHICH IS WE'VE GOT GOOD REGIONAL PROXIMITY.
WE'RE LOCATED RIGHT IN A REALLY, ALMOST THE DEAD CENTER OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA.
SO WE'VE GOT REALLY GOOD, UM, YOU KNOW, NORTH, SOUTH CONNECTIVITY, UH, BETWEEN BOTH HIGHWAY 99 AND I FIVE,
[01:05:01]
UH, WE'VE GOT GOOD CONNECTIVITY TO THE SILICON VALLEY, UH, VIA HIGHWAY 1 52.SO WE'VE GOT TO DO A REALLY GOOD JOB OF, OF AGAIN, UNDERSTANDING WHAT IS OUR, UH, WHAT OUR KEY STRENGTHS.
AND THAT'S GOING TO HELP POSITION US TO COMPETE FOR A MEANINGFUL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT LEADS, UH, PERSPECTIVELY NOW HISTORICALLY, UH, YOU KNOW, OUR BOARD AND, AND THE BOARD STAFF HAS REALLY UNDERTAKEN THE POSITION THAT WE'RE IN THE BUSINESS OF FACILITATING.
UH, BUT THE GOVERNMENT REALLY DOESN'T CREATE JOBS.
WE CAN, I THINK, AS ERIC TALKED ABOUT BEING FACILITATIVE, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE DO PRETTY WELL WITH.
WE WANT TO BE THE BEST AT AND HELPING BUSINESS FIND SUCCESS IN THIS COUNTY.
AND SO WE'VE BEEN DOING MORE AND MORE OF THAT.
OTHER THING I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT TONIGHT AS AGAIN, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE WORK VERY CLOSELY WITH WITH OUR WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT TEAM AND PARTNERS, UM, IS WE'VE GOT OTHER, UH, YOU KNOW, KIND OF TOOLS IN OUR TOOL BELT, YOU KNOW, FOR THOSE WHO ARE LOOKING TO, TO ESTABLISH, YOU KNOW, SMALL BUSINESSES, WE'VE GOT REVOLVING LOAN FUNDS WHERE YOU INDIVIDUALS CAN, UH, CAN GET LOANS AT THAT THE LOW END OF ABOUT 5,000 BUCKS OR AT THE HIGH END $375,000, I'LL GET ALL WITH THE GOAL AND INTENTION OF TRYING TO PROMOTE THE ENTREPRENEURIAL SPIRIT.
AND AGAIN, SUPERVISOR FOR THOSE INTERESTED, THEY CAN ALWAYS REACH OUT TO US, UH, AT, UH, AT OFFICE, UH, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY HEAR THEM OR SAID AT 2 0 9 3 8 5 7 6, 8, 6, AND WE CAN CERTAINLY HELP LEAD THEM IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION AGAIN, TO TO SEE IF THOSE TYPES OF PROGRAMS WORK FOR THEM.
I THINK PART OF THE ORIGINAL QUESTION WAS ALSO HOW ARE OUR AGENCIES WORKING WITH MCOE AND SOME OF THE LABOR GROUPS, AND WE WORK HAND IN GLOVE, UH, MCOE IS ACTUALLY LEADING AN EVENT ON APRIL 29TH.
IT'S THE CAREER TECHNICAL EDUCATION AND TRAINING FAIR.
AND IT'LL BE AT THE, UH, COUNTY FAIRGROUNDS, UH, FROM NINE TO ONE O'CLOCK ON THE 29TH, UH, WHERE IN SUPPORT OF THAT PROJECT.
AND IT'S A GREAT PLACE FOR A RESIDENT TO GO AND LEARN ABOUT ALL OF THE DIFFERENT, UH, CAREER TECHNICAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS AND HOW TO ENROLL IN THAT.
UH, WE ALSO PARTNER WITH MCOE, UH, IN HELPING, UH, DISCONNECTED YOUNG PEOPLE CONNECT TO GOOD JOBS.
UH, WE DO THAT ALL YEAR LONG AND THEY DO THAT THROUGH THEIR EMPOWER PROGRAM.
WE ALSO SUPPORT A NUMBER OF LABOR TRAINING PROGRAMS. WE'VE NOW DONE THREE, UH, TRAINING COHORTS WITH, UH, LEONA, THE LABORERS UNION.
UH, AND WE CONTINUE TO SUPPORT THAT IN PARTNERSHIP WITH, UH, CBOC IN WINTON.
UH, LASTLY MCOE, UH, PARTNERS WITH US ON THE DELIVERY OF A DIFFERENT TRAINING PROGRAM, UH, RELATED TO CONSTRUCTION.
AND THAT IS THE MC THREE PROGRAM.
UH, WE'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF OUR SECOND COHORT.
UH, BUT AS SOON AS THOSE GRADUATES, UH, FINISH THAT PROGRAM, WE'LL BE CONNECTING THEM TO GOOD JOBS AND CONSTRUCTION.
AND THEN A SUPERVISOR, JUST ONE MORE THING, I'M GONNA TEE IT UP AND MAYBE ERIC CAN HIT IT OUT OF THE PARK, BUT, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, WE TRY TO, AS, AS ERIC JUST SPOKE, I THINK VERY WELL, WE TRIED TO ESTABLISH A WHOLE HOST OF PARTNERSHIPS, UH, IN THE COMMUNITY, UM, TO, TO AGAIN, BUILD OUR, OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, UH, KIND OF KIND OF APPARATUS A BIG PART OF THAT IS ACTUALLY DEVELOPING A GOOD, STRONG WORKING RELATIONSHIP WITH, WITH UC MERCED SET.
YOU KNOW, SO AS UC RIVERSIDE CONTINUES TO GROW, UH, THEY'RE PRODUCING OBVIOUSLY A HIGH CALIBER TALENT.
UM, WE WANT TO CONNECT THOSE FOLKS ULTIMATELY TO SOME OF THOSE INDUSTRIES THAT, THAT WE ARE CITING IN OUR COMMUNITY.
SO AS, JUST AS EVIDENCED BY SOME OF THE WORK THAT WE'VE DONE IN THE PAST WITH, UH, FOR EXAMPLE, THOMAS VEHICLES, THAT'S GREAT.
CAN YOU, YOU, YOU HIT ON AME AND THE IMPORTANCE OF AME, BUT CAN YOU KIND OF EXPLAIN THE AME AND THE LOOP SYSTEM WITH A CAMPUS PARKWAY AND WHY THAT'S SO IMPORTANT ALSO? SO I'M GOING TO DO MY BEST AND THEN PERHAPS MR. FELDER CAN BAIL ME OUT WHERE I GO OFF SCRIPT A LITTLE BIT, BUT THE LONG STORY SHORT, YOU KNOW, TO, TO CONNECT CASTLE TO HIGHWAY 99, THE HOUR MERCE EXPRESSWAY IS, UH, IS, IS THE, IS THE, IS THE BEST WAY TO GET THERE WHEN CASTLE WAS BEING BUILT BACK IN THE FORTIES AND FIFTIES, IT WAS BEING BUILT OUT IN THE MIDDLE OF ESSENTIALLY A BUNCH OF GRAPES.
AND SO IT WAS NOT EVER CONSIDERED, UM, IT BEING ANYTHING OTHER THAN THE MILITARY INSTALLATION.
SO WHEN YOU'RE ABOUT TWO, THREE MILES AWAY FROM HIGHWAY 99, AND YOU'VE GOT SEVEN STOPLIGHTS AND, UM, AND A HIGH SCHOOL AND, AND HOMES THAT WERE NOT THERE HISTORICALLY, WE'VE GOT TO FIGURE OUT HOW DO WE, AGAIN, CONNECT HIGHWAY 99 TO CASTLE TO LEVERAGE, YOU KNOW, THE LOGISTIC OPPORTUNITIES THAT, THAT WE BELIEVE EXISTS.
SO THAT, THAT GETS US TO CASTLE.
AND YOUR QUESTION THOUGH IS EVEN A LITTLE BIT BROADER, WHICH ULTIMATELY IS AS THE, AS THE AFTERWARD, AS THE OUTWARD EXPRESSWAY GETS TO CASTLE AND MAKES ITS WAY ITS TURN UP TO THE, UH, TOWARDS THE UNIVERSITY, IT WILL CREATE THE MOST NORTHERN, UH, PORTION OF THE LOOP AROUND WHAT WILL BE THE, THE CITY OF MARCET.
SO AS, AS THAT LOOP SYSTEM, UH, ULTIMATELY WILL ENVELOP THE ENTIRE CITY OF MORISSET.
THIS IS GOING TO CREATE, UH, AGAIN, ENHANCED ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES AND EASIER WAYS FOR, FOR PEOPLE TO TRAVEL.
KEEPING IN MIND THAT AS WE TAKE A LOOK AT UC MARCET ALONE, MUCH OF THAT COMMUTER SHED IS, IS, AS WE'VE LEARNED OVER TIME IS ACTUALLY COMING FROM THE NORTH.
SO THE OUTWARD MERCE EXPRESSWAY IS GOING TO HELP ALLEVIATE SOME OF THOSE CHALLENGES, SOME THAT CONGESTION
[01:10:01]
TO GET PEOPLE TO THEIR FINAL DESTINATION A LITTLE BIT EASIER.OUR NEXT QUESTION IS A VERY TIMELY ONE AND IT MIGHT BE A GOOD ONE FOR THE HUMAN SERVICES AGENCY.
THE QUESTION IS WHAT PROGRAMS DOES THE COUNTY HAVE AVAILABLE TO HELP OUT FAMILIES WHO ARE HAVING A HARD TIME WITH THE RISING COST OF INFLATION? AND I THINK THAT IS, UH, IVANIA IS GOING TO SPEAK ON THAT.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, SUPERVISOR PUT ROSA.
THAT'S AN EXCELLENT QUESTION THAT WAS POSED FROM THE COMMUNITY.
UM, HUMAN SERVICE AGENCY HAS SEVERAL PROGRAMS THAT COULD HELP PEOPLE WHO ARE IN NEED.
WE HAVE OUR CALFRESH PROGRAMS. WE HAVE GOT TO WORK IN GENERAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM, MANY, MANY MORE, UM, ALL THOSE PROGRAMS OR INCOME ELIGIBILITY PROGRAMS. HOWEVER, THERE ARE COMMUNITY BASED ORGANIZATION THAT CAN ALSO ASSIST PEOPLE WHO ARE IN NEED LIKE UNITED WAY, UM, COMMUNITY ACTION AGENCY, UM, CENTRAL VALLEY OPPORTUNITIES, UM, CENTER CATHOLIC CHARITIES AND THE FOOD BANK.
JUST TO NAME A FEW HIGHER EVER, IF YOU NEED MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE, UH, ROBUST PROGRAMS WE HAVE HS EDIS GAVE A FEW THAT HAVE THE REG ELIGIBILITY INCOME-BASED PROGRAMS, BUT WE ALSO HAVE EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING PROGRAMS AS WELL AS SUBSIDIZED EMPLOYMENT.
AND IN MORE INFORMATION THAT YOU NEED FROM THE PROGRAM, YOU CAN REACH US AT 2 0 9 3 8 5 3000.
WE ALSO HAVE A ONE 800 NUMBER TOLL FREE NUMBER, WHICH IS 1 8 5 5 4 2 1 6 7 7 0.
UM, THERE'S A HOT, IF YOU ASK SOMEONE THEY HAD TO CONTACT AND WE'LL GIVE YOU MORE INFORMATION, BUT THERE ARE SEVERAL PROGRAM.
ONCE AGAIN, THAT WE ARE HAVING OUR AGENCY THAT CAN ASSIST FAMILIES, UM, IN THESE TRYING TIMES AND DEFINITELY WITH THE INFLATION THE WAY IT IS, BUT KEEP IN MIND, THESE PROGRAMS ARE INCOME ELIGIBLE AND OTHER PROGRAMS I GAVE TO YOU, COMMUNITY BELIEFS, ORGANIZATIONS MAY HAVE MORE FLEXIBILITY THAT YOU MIGHT WANT TO REACH OUT TO AS WELL.
I'M GOING TO PUT YOU ON THE SPOT HERE IS AS PART OF YOUR, UH, OR ON YOUR INFORMATION OR ON YOUR WEBSITE.
ARE THERE, IS THERE INFORMATION TO DIRECT PEOPLE TO SOME OF THOSE COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS? ABSOLUTELY.
THERE IS A RESOURCE THAT IS ON THAT WEBSITE.
IF NOT OUR STAFF WERE VERY KNOWLEDGEABLE ABOUT A DIFFERENT COMMUNITY RESOURCES, UM, AND THEY CAN CONTACT ANY ONE OF OUR OFFICE AND WE CAN DIRECT THEM TO THOSE RESOURCES TO INCLUDE ON OUR WEBSITE.
THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY.
THE NEXT ONE IS FOR BEHAVIORAL HEALTH.
THE QUESTION IS, ARE THERE ANY MENTAL HEALTH PROGRAMS AVAILABLE FOR YOUTH WHO ARE STILL HAVING DIFFICULTIES SINCE THE PANDEMIC? A LOT OF THEM FELL BEHIND BOTH SOCIALLY AND EDUCATIONALLY, AND IT'S HARD ON THEM TRYING TO CATCH UP.
I I'LL, I'LL JUST SPEAK FROM MY OWN EXPERIENCE.
I'VE SEEN MY, MY SON, MY 10 YEAR OLD AND HIS, UH, ANXIETY, UH, GO THROUGH THE ROOF.
HE WAS OUTSIDE OF HIS COMFORT LEVEL FOR SO LONG.
WASN'T ABLE TO INTERACT WITH PEOPLE OUTSIDE OF, UH, LOOKING AT A TABLET.
AND SO I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT, UH, TO ADDRESS SOME OF THAT STUFF BECAUSE IT'S, IT'S AN ISSUE THAT IS VERY DIFFICULT TO, UH, TO, TO HANDLE OR TO TALK ABOUT.
UM, UH, BECAUSE IT'S, IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT PEOPLE THINK ABOUT, BUT IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT YOUTH IN THIS REGARD.
IT'S ALSO ABOUT, YOU KNOW, PROGRAMS FOR ADULTS AS WELL.
AND SO IF YOU COULD TOUCH ON THAT, I'D APPRECIATE IT.
AND THANK YOU, JOSH, FOR PROPOSAL SUPERVISOR PRODUCER FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY.
UM, AND YOU DID TOUCH BASE ON YOUTH AND THE YOUTH DEFINITELY HAVE A VERY HARD JOB RIGHT NOW.
UM, THEY'RE COMING OUT OF, UH, COVID WEARING MASKS AND NOW THEY'RE TRYING TO GET BACK INTO THE, WHAT THEY'VE BEEN DOING A FEW YEARS BACK.
WE HAVE A LOT OF NEW COLLABORATIVE PROGRAMS FOR CHILDREN AND FOR YOUTH, AND WE'RE COLLABORATING WITH THE, UH, OFFICE OF EDUCATION ON THAT.
WE ALSO HAVE OUTREACH IN THE COMMUNITY HOME-BASED SERVICES, OUTPATIENT SERVICES, UM, OUR OUTPATIENT SERVICES.
YOU CAN REACH US AT, UH, 2 0 9 3 8 1 6 8 0 0.
UM, YOU CAN ALWAYS REACH SOMEBODY THERE IF, UM, IF YOU HAVE A CHILD THAT IS IN NEED FOR SERVICES, WE HAVE FAMILY COUNSELING.
WE HAVE A PROGRAM CALLED RAFT, WHICH IS RECOVERY ASSISTANCE FOR TEENS.
AND THAT IS ANOTHER PROGRAM FOR, UM, IF WE HAVE YOUTH THAT IS,
[01:15:01]
UM, POSSIBLY HAVING SOME, UH, DRUG AND ALCOHOL ISSUES, AS WELL AS MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES.WE ALSO FOR THE YOUTH HAVE, UH, A CRISIS STABILIZATION UNIT IT'S RAN BY STARS, BEHAVIORAL HEALTH, AND THEY CAN BE REACHED AT 3 8 6 1 0 9 2.
UM, ALL OF OUR YOUTH SERVICES, UM, ARE THEY'RE LOCATED ON THE CORNER OF 13TH AND B STREET.
UM, THE CRISIS STABILIZATION UNIT IS ACTUALLY, UM, 300 EAST 15TH STREET, WHICH IS JUST DOWN THE ROAD FROM THAT, UM, OUR YOUTH CAMPUS, AS FAR AS OUR ADULT SERVICES, THOSE WE ARE TRYING TO DO ALL WE CAN TO OUTREACH TO THEM AS WELL.
UH, FOR, UH, WE HAVE A SENIORS PROGRAM, WHICH IS CALLED THE PEARLS PROGRAM.
AND, UM, AGAIN, PEOPLE CAN CALL 3 8 1 6 8 0 0, UH, TO GET INVOLVED IN THAT PROGRAM.
UH, FOR SENIORS, THEY'VE BEEN, UM, IN THEIR HOMES FOR A LONG PERIOD OF TIME AND WE WANT TO ENCOURAGE THEM TO, TO COME OUT AND, UH, ALLOW US TO SYSTEM.
WE ALSO HAVE, UM, MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES FOR 'EM BOTH IN OUR WELLNESS CENTER, UM, AS WELL AS OUTPATIENT AND MEDICATION SERVICES.
AND THEN WE HAVE OUR SUD, UM, AND DRUG AND ALCOHOL SERVICES AS WELL.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THAT INFORMATION.
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT, YOU KNOW, NONE OF US, AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, NONE OF US HAD EVER THOUGHT THAT WE HAVE TO EXPERIENCE, BUT IT'S IMPORTANT THAT PEOPLE, UM, RECOGNIZE HOW SERIOUS THIS ISSUE IS, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO YOUTH, BUT THEN ALSO WITH THE ADULTS, LIKE I SAID, BECAUSE IT'S, IT'S, IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT PEOPLE ARE TAKING CARE OF THEMSELVES AND RECOGNIZING, BECAUSE THESE LAST TWO YEARS HAVE GONE BY SO FAST.
AND, UM, LIKE YOU SAID, ESPECIALLY WITH YOUTH, THEY'VE HAD TO GROW UP REALLY QUICKLY.
AND SO, UM, IT'S, IT'S SOMETHING THAT I NEVER THOUGHT I'D HAVE TO EXPLAIN TO MY SON.
UM, BUT I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE ARE LOOKING AT THOSE TYPES OF THINGS.
SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THAT INFORMATION.
OUR NEXT QUESTION COMES FROM TONY ON FACEBOOK.
TONY SAYS, UH, HI JOSH, CAN YOU ADVISE CURRENT STATUS OF CAMPUS PARKWAY? IT'S LOOKING GREAT.
ANY IDEA WHEN THE NEXT SEGMENT OF THE ROAD MIGHT START CONSTRUCTION? I CAMPUS PARKWAY IS SOMETHING THAT IS VERY NEAR AND DEAR TO ME.
I SPENT A LOT OF TIME WORKING ON THAT, UM, BY GOING BACK AND FORTH FROM, UH, EITHER SACRAMENTO OR WASHINGTON DC, AND TO SEE IT COME TO FRUITION, THE WAY IT HAS IS, IS, IS REALLY COOL.
AND SO FOR AN UPDATE, I'M GOING TO ASK, UM, DANA TO COME ON AND LET US KNOW RIGHT NOW, SEGMENT THREE OF THE CAMPUS PARKWAY, WHICH RUNS BASICALLY FROM HIGHWAY ONE 40 TO YOSEMITE AVENUE IS SOMEWHERE BETWEEN 85 TO 90% COMPLETE.
WE EXPECT THAT SEGMENT OF THE ROAD TO BE OPEN THIS JULY.
WE HAVE STARTED WORK ON SEG WHAT WE CALL SEGMENT FOUR, WHICH RUNS FROM YOSEMITE AVENUE AND CONNECTS TO BELLEVUE.
WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH THE VIRGINIA SMITH TRUST AND ALSO THE UC MARCET ON THIS SEGMENT.
WE'RE RIGHT NOW IN THE PRELIMINARY WORK, WHICH IS BASICALLY THE ENVIRONMENTAL WORK SURVEYING AND SOME DESIGN WORK.
UM, I DON'T HAVE A DATE FOR WHEN CONSTRUCTION'S GONNA GONNA START, BUT WE'RE HOPING TO GET THROUGH AT LEAST THE RIGHT OF WAY PHASE AND BE IN A POSITION TO START CONSTRUCTION BY NEXT JUNE BY JUNE OF 2023.
OUR NEXT QUESTION IS FROM JOHN.
HE ASKS, IS THE COUNTY WORKING TOGETHER WITH THE CITY ON THE ACE TRAIN AND CONNECTING TO HIGH-SPEED RAIL? YES, THERE HAS BEEN A LOT OF WORK, UH, THAT HAS BEEN DONE IN JUST GETTING THE ACE TRAIN TUBER SET, BECAUSE THE REALITY OF THE SITUATION IS HIGH STREET RAIL IS GOING TO TAKE A LOT LONGER TO GET HERE THAN, UH, THE ACE TRAIN.
AND IF WE CAN PROVIDE SOME KIND OF ACTIVITY WITH SOME OF THOSE, UH, AREAS, IT'S SOMETHING THAT IS REALLY IMPORTANT FOR AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STAMP FROM AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STANDPOINT, BECAUSE IT'S GOING TO BE ABLE TO CONNECT TO DIFFERENT, UM, AREAS RIGHT NOW THERE'S A STATION PLANNED IN
[01:20:01]
LIVINGSTON ATWATER, I BELIEVE, BRO.AND, UM, SO WE'RE, WE'RE REALLY WORKING ON THAT AND WE'RE FOCUSED ON MAKING SURE THAT THAT BECOMES A, UH, BECOMES A REALITY.
DID YOU WANT TO ADD ANYTHING TO THAT? OKAY, THANK YOU.
OUR NEXT QUESTION IS COMING IN ON ZOOM.
IT ACTUALLY JUST CAME IN FROM AN ANONYMOUS ATTENDEE.
HE SAYS, I'M A BUSINESS LOOKING FOR EMPLOYEES WHO DO I CONTACT FOR MORE INFORMATION THAT WOULD PROBABLY BE WORKING AT ERIC SERATO.
UM, AND HE PROVIDED THAT CONTACT INFORMATION.
ERIC, IF YOU COULD, UH, HOP BACK ON AND GIVE THE CONTACT INFORMATION AGAIN, ABSOLUTELY SUPERVISOR.
SO YOU CAN CONTACT WORK NET@WORKNETORSAID.COM.
UH, WE HAVE TWO JOB CENTERS, ONE IN THOSE VENUES, WHICH IS AT 807TH STREET, UH, AND IN ROSETTE WHERE AT 1205, UH, 18TH STREET, UH, YOU CAN ALSO CALL THE OPPOSITE END TIME AT (209) 724-2100.
OR YOU CAN CALL MY OFFICE AND CALL ME DIRECTLY AT (209) 724-2041.
AND WE'LL CONNECT YOU WITH OUR BUSINESS TEAM THAT WILL HELP YOU FILL THOSE OPENINGS.
ONE MORE QUESTION AT THIS TIME.
IT'S ON ZOOM FROM EARL AND I THINK THIS IS FOR YOU SUPERVISOR PETROSAL, UH, EARL SAYS I'VE HEARD DISTRICT FOUR IS THE BEST DISTRICT.
IS THAT TRUE? UM, MERSEYSIDE COUNTY IS, UH, A VERY, UH, GREAT COUNTY.
UM, AND SO TO RANK THE DISTRICTS AT ALL, I WOULD SAY, UM, DISTRICT TWO IS PROBABLY THE BEST DISTRICT, BUT I DO KNOW THAT THE SUPERVISORS, UM, FOR ME, EACH COUNTY ARE, OR FROM EACH DISTRICT ARE, UM, VERY GOOD AND VERY PASSIONATE ABOUT, UM, WHAT, WHO THEY SERVE AND WHAT THEY SERVE.
AND, UM, I'M REALLY, UH, IT'S, IT'S BEEN A PRIVILEGE TO WORK WITH THEM.
UM, SO I'M NOT GONNA SAY WHICH DISTRICT IS THE BEST DISTRICT TOO, BUT, UM, I WILL SAY THAT THE FOCUS ISN'T EVER JUST ON ONE DISTRICT, IT'S ABOUT MERCER COUNTY ACHIEVING AND MAXIMIZING THE FULL POTENTIAL OF MERSEYSIDE COUNTY.
AND, YOU KNOW, THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I ALWAYS TALK ABOUT IS, YOU KNOW, AS A TEACHER, ONE OF THE THINGS I USED TO TELL PEOPLE ALL THE TIME WAS, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE POTENTIAL.
IF YOU ACT ON IT, IT'S A NEGATIVE.
IF YOU DON'T AND MERCER COUNTY HAS A LOT OF POTENTIAL AND I'M REALLY EXCITED AND ABOUT THE GROWTH THAT WE HAVE AND WHAT WE'RE DOING ECONOMICALLY WITH OUR JOBS, W WHERE WE'RE POSITIONED TO MAKE SURE THAT MERSEYSIDE COUNTY IS A DESTINATION, NOT JUST A LOCATION, I'M REALLY HAPPY ABOUT THAT.
SO I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANY OTHER QUESTIONS.
THAT'S ALL WE HAVE AT THIS TIME.
I DO WANT TO END REALLY QUICK BY SAYING, UM, YOU KNOW, I CAN'T SPEAK FOR THE OTHER MEMBERS OF THE BOARD WHEN IT COMES TO THIS, BUT I HAVE A COLLEAGUE WHO ALWAYS SAYS, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE 54,000 BOSSES AND THAT'S YOU THE PUBLIC.
AND SO IF WE'RE NOT HEARING FROM YOU, UM, IT'S HARD FOR US TO DO OUR JOB, BUT IT'S HARD FOR US TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE REPRESENTING YOU TO THE BEST OF OUR ABILITIES.
SO PLEASE, ANYTIME YOU HAVE A QUESTION, COMMENT, A CONCERN, UH, CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM, PLEASE DON'T HESITATE TO REACH OUT TO ME.
YOU CAN CALL THE OFFICE IS THREE EIGHT FIVE SEVEN THREE SIX SIX.
UM, BUT I WOULD REMISS ALSO IF I DIDN'T SAY THANK YOU SO MUCH, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF TIMES PEOPLE DON'T GET TO SEE THE PEOPLE BEHIND THE SCENES, IF YOU WILL, THE STAFF THAT WORKED FOR US, UM, AND THAT, UM, REALLY GO OUT OF THEIR WAY AND WHO ARE INCREDIBLY INTELLIGENT AND PASSIONATE ABOUT SERVING THE COMMUNITY.
AND WHAT THEY'RE DOING IS THEY ARE TAKING OUR LIST OF PRIORITIES AND THEY'RE TAKING OUR GOALS FROM WHAT WE HEAR FROM YOU AND PUTTING THOSE INTO FRUITION AND INTO MOTION.
AND FOR THE, EVERY, ALL OF THE STAFF MEMBERS WHO ARE HERE TONIGHT, AND FOR EVERY STAFF MEMBER IN THE COUNTY WHO WASN'T HERE, OR WHO WAS ABLE TO WATCH OR TAKE PART, I CERTAINLY KNOW, AND I WILL
[01:25:01]
SPEAK FOR MY COLLEAGUES ON THIS ONE IS THAT, UH, I DO KNOW THAT WE ALL ARE VERY MUCH, UH, WE ALL VERY MUCH APPRECIATE ALL OF YOUR SERVICE, UM, BECAUSE WE, WE CAN'T DO OUR JOBS IF WE'RE, IF THEY'RE NOT DOING THEIRS AND IF WE'RE NOT HEARING FROM YOU.SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH TO STAFF.
THANK YOU FOR ATTENDING THIS ZOOM.
HOPEFULLY NEXT YEAR, WE'LL GET BACK TO, UH, INSTEAD OF THE VIRTUAL TOWN HALL, WE'LL GET BACK TO A, A LIVE ONE.
SO THANK YOU EVERYBODY HAVE A GREAT EVENING.