[00:00:02]
[Call to Order]
I'D LIKE TO WELCOME YOU TO THE APRIL 26, 2022 MEETING OF THE MERCED COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS. I APOLOGIZE FOR STARTING A FEW MINUTES LATE.ARE CLOSED SESSIONS HERE AS OF LATE HAVE REALLY BEEN GOING RIGHT UP TO 10:00.
BUT WE'RE HERE NOW AND AND IT'S A GREAT DAY.
WE'RE DOING SOME HONORING AND THAT'S ALWAYS MY FAVORITE.
ANDREA. WE HAVE CLOSED SESSION.
DURING CLOSED SESSION, STAFF WAS GIVEN DIRECTION.
THANK YOU. AT THIS TIME, WE'LL DO THE INVOCATION AND THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE WE HAVE FROM THE FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH OF ATWATER ANDREW CANTRELL, WHO'S GOING TO LEAD US. AND THEN I'D LIKE TO ASK SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL TO LEAD US IN THE PLEDGE.
AND WHAT A PRIVILEGE AND BLESSING IT IS TO BE GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO BEGIN THIS MEETING IN PRAYER. WHAT A GREATER HONOR.
WHAT A GREATER PRIVILEGE IS IT THAT YOU GIVE US THE OPPORTUNITY TO COME BEFORE YOUR THRONE IN PRAYER? AND SO WE ASK THAT YOU WOULD COME, THAT YOU WOULD FILL THIS PLACE.
WE THANK YOU FOR ALL THE WORK THAT IS BEING DONE.
WE THANK YOU FOR ALL OF THE PEOPLE THAT ARE REPRESENTED IN THIS ROOM THAT HAVE WORKED HARD AND THAT DO THEIR JOBS WELL AND THAT DO THAT WITH THE CITIZEN IN MIND.
AND I PRAY THAT YOU WOULD CONTINUE THAT, THAT THAT WOULD BE A CONTINUAL THING.
WE PRAY THAT YOUR STRENGTH AND YOUR COURAGE, THAT YOUR POWER AND YOUR WISDOM WOULD GO INTO ALL THINGS THAT ARE DECIDED AND DONE TODAY AS WELL.
AND I THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL OF THESE THAT HAVE COME.
WE JUST THANK YOU BECAUSE WE HAVE BEEN BLESSED BY YOU AND POWERFUL AND MIGHTY WAYS.
AND SO WE JUST PRAY THAT YOU WOULD CONTINUE TO WATCH OVER US, THAT YOU WOULD CONTINUE TO PROTECT US AND THAT YOU WOULD CONTINUE TO BLESS US, AND THAT YOU WOULD GIVE ANYBODY THAT HAS THE AUTHORITY TO MAKE A DECISION HERE TODAY YOUR WISDOM, AND THAT THEY WOULD THINK ABOUT OTHERS RATHER THAN THEMSELVES.
AND WE PRAY ALL THIS IN JESUS NAME.
SALUTE. I PLEDGE THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND WHICH IS ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
THANK YOU FOR THOSE KIND WORDS AND GOOD WORDS.
PASTOR CANTRELL, IT'S NOW TIME FOR PUBLIC OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK ON ANY MATTER OF PUBLIC
[PUBLIC OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK]
INTEREST WITHIN THE BOARD'S JURISDICTION, EXCLUDING ITEMS ON THE BOARD'S AGENDA.TESTIMONY IS LIMITED TO 3 MINUTES PER PERSON AND 20 MINUTES TOTAL.
AT THIS TIME, I'LL OPEN UP PUBLIC COMMENT AND THIS AGAIN IS FOR NON AGENDA ITEMS. GOOD MORNING. GOOD MORNING, EVERYBODY.
GOOD MORNING. BOARD OF SUPERVISORS AND THE PUBLIC AND EVERYBODY HERE.
I JUST WANTED TO KIND OF LET YOU KNOW THIS SATURDAY IS OUR LOUD NEW YEAR CELEBRATION.
THIS IS GOING TO BE OUR FOURTH YEAR.
WE'RE HAVING A DOWNTOWN MAYOR SAID RIGHT IN THE PARKING LOT OF BANGKOK RESTAURANT AND MAIN STREET. WE'RE GOING TO CLOSE ON THE STREETS.
WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF A PARADE.
NORMALLY WE DO THE WHOLE ENTIRE MAIN STREET, BUT WE DIDN'T KNOW IF THE PANDEMIC, IF THE STREETS WERE GOING TO BE OPEN FOR US TO USE IN THAT MANNER.
SO WE PLANNED IT FOR JUST IN FRONT OF THAT MAIN STREET.
SO WE'RE GOING TO HAVE VENDORS ALL ON THAT STREET.
WE'RE GOING TO HAVE FOOD VENDORS COMING ALL THE WAY FROM LA TO STOCKTON IN THE CENTRAL VALLEY. SO A LOT OF FOOD VENDORS, WE HAVE A STAGE THAT WILL BE THERE WITH FIVE LIVE BANDS. THEY'LL BE ROTATING IN AND OUT.
WE'LL HAVE PERFORMERS COMING FROM FRESNO.
AND OF COURSE, OUR HOMETOWN OF MERCED SAID THEY'LL BE DOING PERFORMANCES.
WE HAVE THE RELIGIOUS SITE AS WELL.
SO WE'RE GOING TO HAVE OUR TRADITIONAL BUDDHIST MONKS WILL BE COMING DOWN TO DO A BLESSING. WE'RE GOING TO DO ALMS GIVING TO THE MONKS.
AND THEN OUR TRADITIONAL BOSSI BLESSING, WHICH IS OUR SU COIN.
SO WE CAN TIE THE LUCKY, LUCKY THREADS AROUND OUR LOVED ONES AND FRIENDS FOR TO CLEANSE AND, YOU KNOW, WISH A GOOD YEAR.
SO WE'D LIKE TO INVITE EVERYBODY.
I KNOW I HANDED SOME PERSONALLY TO SOME OF YOU ALREADY.
SO IF YOU HAVEN'T RECEIVED THEM, PLEASE DO SO.
BUT WE'D LIKE FOR ALL OF YOU TO COME AND ENJOY SOME TIME AND CELEBRATE WITH US.
ALTHOUGH WE'RE EXCITED FOR YOU.
ANY OTHER PUBLIC COMMENT AT THIS TIME? YES. YOU CAN WORK YOUR WAY UP IF YOU WANT.
[00:05:07]
AND THEN WHEN DARLING'S DONE.GOOD MORNING, CHAIR BOARD OF SUPERVISORS CEO MENDEZ COUNTY COUNCIL HANSON AND MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC. I'M DARLENE INGERSOLL, SERVING AS YOUR MERCED COUNTY REGISTRAR OF VOTERS.
RICHARD COUNTY IS NOW A VOTERS CHOICE ACT COUNTY.
THIS NEW ELECTION MODEL ALLOWS VOTERS TO CHOOSE HOW, WHEN AND WHERE TO CAST THEIR BALLOT. ALL ACTIVE REGISTERED VOTERS ARE MAILED A VOTE BY MAIL BALLOT AND VOTING ASSISTANCE CENTERS ARE ESTABLISHED IN PLACE OF TRADITIONAL POLLING PLACES.
VOTERS CHOOSE TO CAST THEIR BALLOT BY MAIL BY RETURN, POSTAGE FREE MAIL BY SECURE DROP OFF BOXES, ELECTIONS OFFICE AT ANY VOTING ASSISTANCE CENTER IN MERCED COUNTY.
AND OF COURSE, YOU CAN VOTE IN PERSON AT ANY VOTING ASSISTANCE CENTER THIS YEAR FOR THE JUNE SEVEN, 2022 STATEWIDE DIRECT PRIMARY ELECTION.
MERCED COUNTY WILL HAVE 13 VOTING ASSISTANCE CENTERS AND TEN SECURE OFFICIAL BALLOT DROP OFF BOXES. BALLOTS FOR UNIFORMED AND OVERSEAS CITIZENS HAVE ALREADY BEEN SENT OUT APRIL 13TH AND APRIL 14TH.
THIS INCLUDES DOMESTIC AND OVERSEAS MILITARY AND OVERSEAS CIVILIANS AND CITIZENS.
BALLOTS FOR ALL OTHER ACTIVE REGISTERED VOTERS FROM MERCED COUNTY ARE BEING MAILED OUT MAY 9TH.
VOTERS WILL ALSO SOON RECEIVE THEIR STATE AND COUNTY VOTER INFORMATION GUIDES IN THE MAIL. THIS ELECTION WILL BE THE FIRST OPPORTUNITY FOR VOTERS TO VOTE ON CANDIDATES IN NEWLY DRAWN CONGRESSIONAL STATE ASSEMBLY, STATE SENATE BOARD OF EQUALIZATION AND COUNTY SUPERVISOR DISTRICTS DUE TO REDISTRICTING UNTIL THE NEWLY ELECTED OFFICIALS TAKE OFFICE AFTER THE NOVEMBER 2022 GENERAL ELECTION, THE EXISTING BOUNDARIES REMAIN IN EFFECT, AND CONSTITUENTS WILL CONTINUE TO BE REPRESENTED BY THEIR ELECTED OFFICIALS OCCUPYING THOSE OFFICES. I WANTED TO LET EVERYBODY KNOW THAT IN CALIFORNIA, THE OFFICE OF US SENATE WILL HAVE TWO SEPARATE CONTESTS ON THE JUNE 7TH BALLOT.
THE FIRST CONTEST IS THE REGULAR ELECTION FOR THE FULL SIX YEAR TERM OFFICE BEGINNING JANUARY 3RD, 2023, WHICH IS THE FULL TERM CONTEST.
THE SECOND CONTEST IS A SPECIAL VACANCY ELECTION SINCE THE CURRENT OFFICE HOLDER IS TEMPORARILY FILLING A VACANCY CREATED BY VICE PRESIDENT HARRIS FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE TERM ENDING ON JUNE 3RD, 2023, WHICH IS THE UNEXPIRED TERM CONTEST.
AGAIN, YOU MAY VOTE FOR BOTH CONTESTS.
PLEASE CONTACT OUR OFFICE WITH ANY QUESTIONS AT 2093857541.
YOU MAY VISIT OUR WEBSITE MERCED.
ELECTIONS DOT ORG CAN EMAIL AT ELECTIONS AT COUNTY OF MERCED.
MY NAME IS CODY NUNES AND I'M WITH MOS ENERGY WORKS, A DAIRY DIGESTER DEVELOPER.
I'M HERE TO TODAY TODAY TO PROVIDE AN UPDATE OF OUR PROJECTS HERE IN MERCED COUNTY, AS WELL AS INFORM YOU OF WHAT WE ARE PROPOSING TO BUILD AND THE IMPACTS OF THESE PROJECTS.
MASS ENERGY WORKS CURRENTLY HAS 42 PROJECTS IN OPERATIONS HERE IN THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA. WE CURRENTLY HAVE SIX PROJECTS IN OPERATIONS HERE IN MERCED COUNTY AS WELL AS AN OPERATIONAL CLEANUP FACILITY.
WE BUILD COVERED LAGOON STYLE DIGESTERS AT EACH DAIRY AND THEN PIPELINE THE GAS FROM EACH DIGESTER BACK TO OUR CLEANUP FACILITY WHERE IT IS SCRUBBED FROM RAW GAS INTO RENEWABLE NATURAL GAS AND INJECTED INTO A PRIVATE PIPELINE.
OUR GOAL IS TO ENHANCE A DAIRY PRODUCERS OPERATIONS, NOT HURT IT.
SO AT MASS, WE MAKE SURE TO TAKE CARE OF ALL THE DESIGN, FINANCIALS, PERMITTING CONSTRUCTION AND OPERATIONS WHILE STILL MAKING SURE THE PRODUCER IS HAPPY.
AT EACH STEP OF THE WAY, THE PRODUCER HAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO OWN THEIR OWN PROJECT OR HAVE US OWN IT, AND IF THEY CHOOSE FOR US TO OWN IT, THAT MEANS THAT NOT A CENT OUT OF THEIR POCKET AND THEY'RE JUST ASKED TO PROVIDE US WITH MANURE FROM THEIR COWS TO PRODUCE METHANE GAS.
WE ARE CURRENTLY IN THE PROCESS OF APPLYING FOR CDF, A DAIRY DIGESTER RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM GRANTS FOR OUR FOUR DAIRIES IN MERCED COUNTY.
THREE MW DAIRY DEER NORTH DAIRY CDF, HOWARD DAIRY AND GRANDVIEW DAIRY.
THE FIRST TWO WILL BE PART OF THE PIPELINE AND THE OTHER TWO WILL BE TRUCKING THEIR GAS TO THE CLEANUP FACILITY.
THESE PROJECTS COST AN ESTIMATED 4 TO $8 MILLION EACH, WHICH IS WHY GRANTS ARE EXTREMELY VITAL.
AND WE TRY TO WORK WITH AS MANY LOCAL CONTRACTORS AS POSSIBLE TO GET THESE PROJECTS BUILT. ALL PROJECT CONTRACTORS HAVE A LOCAL HIRING REQUIREMENT.
ECONOMICALLY SPEAKING, WE PROVIDE WE ARE PROVIDING LOCAL JOB CREATION, LOCAL SPENDING, EXPANDING TAX BASE AND SUPPORTING AGRICULTURE IN.
[00:10:02]
MENTALLY SPEAKING, WE ARE REDUCING GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS, CONTROLLING ODOR, PROTECTING WATER QUALITY AND ALSO REDUCING EMISSIONS AND CONVERTED CNG FLEETS.RESIDENTS OR PRODUCERS MAY EXPERIENCE INCREASED NOISE AND TRAFFIC DURING CONSTRUCTION. WE MAKE SURE TO GO THROUGH ALL THE PROPER PERMITTING AND MITIGATION EFFORTS TO MAKE SURE WE AND OUR DAIRY PRODUCERS ARE IN FULL COMPLIANCE WITH THE COUNTY WATER AND AIR BOARD. I THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME, AND I WANTED TO CONCLUDE BY ASKING THAT IF YOU, AS MEMBERS OF THE BOARD OR ANY MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY IN ATTENDANCE TODAY, ARE INTERESTED IN WRITING A LETTER OF SUPPORT FOR OUR PROJECTS FOR CDF GRANTS THAT ARE DUE MAY 9TH.
I WILL STAY HERE FOR THE REMAINDER OF PUBLIC COMMENT AND THEN WE'LL RESIDE IN THE BACK FOR A WHILE IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, CONCERNS OR INTEREST IN DOING A LETTER OF SUPPORT.
YOU'RE WELCOME. ANYONE ELSE FOR PUBLIC COMMENT? SEE? NONE. WE WILL CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENT AT THIS TIME.
SO NOW AT THIS TIME, WE HAVE TWO PRESENTATIONS.
[PRESENTATIONS: SERVICE PIN AWARDS]
WELL, ACTUALLY TWO SETS OF PRESENTATIONS.WE WILL BEGIN WITH THE PRESENTATION OF SERVICE PIN AWARDS.
THE INDIVIDUALS BEING RECOGNIZED TODAY RANGE FROM 15 TO 30 YEARS OF SERVICE WITH MERCED COUNTY, AND WE WILL PRESENT THE AWARDS IN THE DISTRICT ORDER AND WE WILL START WITH DISTRICT ONE.
SERVICE PINS. THINK OF IT AS THE PLEASURE OF GOING FIRST.
AND I'M GLAD TO SEE EVERYBODY HERE.
I THINK HALF OF MERCED COUNTY IS HERE.
AND WE'LL HAVE THE HONOR OF PRESENTING THE SERVICE AWARDS FOR YEARS COMPLETED SERVICE FOR MERCED COUNTY. AND I JUST WANT TO SAY AND ALSO ON BEHALF OF THE WHOLE BOARD, THAT WE WE ALL VALUE AND THANK ALL THE EMPLOYEES OF MERCER COUNTY FOR ALL YOUR SERVICE.
SO I'M GOING TO START WITH MR. ROBERT GAMBLE.
WHATEVER YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
THERE'S A DEPARTMENT ASSISTANT ASSESSOR, RIGHT? OKAY. BOB IS A GRADUATE OF SAINT MARY'S COLLEGE OF CALIFORNIA.
HE ATTENDED ON FOOTBALL SCHOLARSHIP WHEN THE COLLEGE STILL HAD A FOOTBALL PROGRAM.
BOB IS AN EXCELLENT TEAM MEMBER WITH AN EXTREMELY STRONG WORK ETHIC.
BOB STARTED IN THE ASSESSOR'S OFFICE AS AN APPRAISER ONE ON MAY 16, 2005, AND HAS WORKED HIS WAY UP TO ASSISTANT ASSESSOR.
HE MODELS THE TYPE OF BEHAVIOR AND WORK HABITS THAT EXEMPLIFY WHAT A PUBLIC SERVANT SHOULD BE. BOB IS ALWAYS WILLING TO PUT IN THE TIME AND EFFORT REQUIRED TO COMPLETE THE JOB. BOB IS A DEDICATED FATHER, HUSBAND AND PLEASURE TO WORK WITH.
THE COUNTY OF MERCED IS FORTUNATE TO HAVE BOB ON OUR TEAM.
OKAY. ANY COMMENTS? I WANT TO THANK MY WIFE, SHANNON, WHO'S IN THE CROWD FOR ALL THE SUPPORT OF MY FAMILY MEMBERS THAT CAN'T BE HERE FOR ALSO THE SUPPORT THEY PROVIDE.
LESLIE IT'S BEEN AN HONOR SERVING THE PUBLIC OF COUNTY WHEN I THANK MY COWORKERS WHO ARE HERE TO SUPPORT ME, THEY'VE BEEN EXCELLENT TO WORK WITH.
WHEN I THINK MERCED COUNTY FOR THE OPPORTUNITY YOU'VE GIVEN ME AS WELL.
THANK YOU. AND AGAIN, THAT WAS A 15 YEAR PANEL.
THANK YOU. YEAH. LISTEN, THANK YOU FOR.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU. YEAH, THANK YOU.
SO I GOT TO. I GOT THE HONOR OF DOING ANOTHER ONE.
MS.. BRINA PARKER, IF YOU COULD COME ON DOWN, PLEASE.
THANK YOU. 20 YEAR SERVICE PIANO.
AND I'D LIKE TO SAY BEFORE I START WITH HER 15 YEARS I WAS MADE 2020.
I KNOW WE'RE A LITTLE BIT LATE BECAUSE OF THE PANDEMIC.
SO AS WELL AS MISS SABRINA, THIS WAS A 20 YEARS NOVEMBER 2021.
SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE TO MERCED COUNTY.
[00:15:01]
SO CURRENT POSITION IS CHIEF DEPUTY PUBLIC GUARDIAN SABRINA PARKER STARTED IN THE COUNTY ON 6401 IN THE HUMAN SERVICES AGENCY AS A FAMILY ASSISTANCE REPRESENTATIVE, AND SHE PROMOTED TO A SOCIAL WORKER.ON JULY 14, 2003, SABRINA PROMOTED AND TRANSFERRED TO BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AS A DEPUTY PUBLIC ADMINISTRATIVE GUARDIAN, A CONTRIBUTOR TO ON JUNE 4TH, 2012.
ON SEPTEMBER 5TH, 2016, SHE PROMOTED TO BEING A SUPERVISING DEPUTY PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION GUARDIAN CONSERVATOR.
VERY HONORED. ON DECEMBER 22 AND 21, SHE BECAME THE COUNTY'S FIRST CHIEF DEPUTY PUBLIC GUARDIAN. SABRINA HAS DONE AMAZING THINGS FOR THE CLIENTS SHE SERVES IN, THE PUBLIC ADMINISTRATOR, GUARDIAN, CONSERVATOR CAPACITY OVER THE LAST TEN YEARS.
SABRINA, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR 20 YEARS TO MERCED COUNTY AND HERE'S YOUR PIN.
AND IF YOU'D LIKE TO SAY SO, I'LL JUST THANK THE BOARD AND GENEVIEVE VALENTINE FOR THE OPPORTUNITIES AFFORDED TO ME.
AND IT'S BEEN AN HONOR TO SERVE.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU, SABRINA.
THANK YOU. NEXT NOW WE'LL MOVE TO DISTRICT TWO AND HERE'S AS A COMPLIMENT.
AS SHE WAS WALKING UP, COUNTY COUNCIL LEANS OVER TO ME AND SAYS SHE IS PHENOMENAL AT HER JOB. SO THAT WAS OFF SCRIPT.
THANK YOU. CAN I HAVE NORA COME UP, PLEASE? SO THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I'VE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO THIS SINCE I'VE BEEN ON THE BOARD. AND IT'S A REALLY AWESOME OPPORTUNITY TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE PEOPLE THAT REALLY GIVE BACK TO THE COMMUNITY AND GIVE BACK TO OUR COUNTY AND WORK REALLY HARD FOR US.
AND I'M JUST GOING TO READ SOME OF YOU KNOW, WHAT SHE'S DONE.
NORRIS SAYS THAT AN IMPLEMENTATION OF OUR STRUCTURED DECISION MAKING TOOLS WITH APPS, SOCIAL WORKERS AND IMPLEMENTATION OF THE HOME SAFE APPS PROGRAM AND FACILITATOR FACILITATES APPS, INTERDISCIPLINARY TEAM MEETINGS.
NORA HAS BEEN A TREMENDOUS ASSET TO THE APPS TEAM.
SHE IS DEDICATED TO INCREASING THE WELL-BEING OF OUR COMMUNITY.
THROUGHOUT HER 15 YEARS IN SOCIAL WORK, SHE HAS DEMONSTRATED HER DESIRE TO LEAVE A POSITIVE IMPACT ON THE COMMUNITY.
SHE ADVOCATES FOR NECESSARY SERVICES FOR HIGHLY VULNERABLE POPULATION THAT OFTEN CAN'T SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES. SOMETHING THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT.
NORA HAS A GREAT APPRECIATION FOR HER STAFF AND SUPPORTS THEM DAILY.
THANK YOU. DO YOU WANT TO SAY? THANK YOU FOR ALL MY TEAM THAT'S HERE.
AND ESPECIALLY MY TWO GIRLS, ISABELLA AND LILIANA.
PROBABLY THE PERSON OF MOST INTEREST TO ALL THE COUNTY EMPLOYEES BECAUSE SHE'S IN RETIREMENT. SO MONICA WAS ONE OF THE INITIAL MEMBERS TO SERVE ON LAKE COUNTY'S WELLNESS FOR YOU COMMITTEE WHEN IT FIRST BEGAN IN 2018 UNTIL RECENTLY IN 2021.
WELLNESS FOR YOU WAS ORIGINALLY CREATED AS A PILOT PILOT PROGRAM THAT STEMMED FROM THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT, WHERE SHE DEVELOPED AND IMPLEMENTED AN EMPLOYEE WELLNESS MORAL MORALE COMMITTEE AND SERVED AS THE COMMITTEE'S FIRST CHAIRPERSON.
MONICA ACCEPTED A LATERAL TRANSFER AS A STAFF SERVICE ANALYST TO TO MERCED COUNTY EMPLOYEES RETIREMENT ASSOCIATION IN FEBRUARY OF THIS YEAR FROM THE LIBRARY.
[00:20:01]
MERCER SAID SARA IS EXCITED TO HAVE MONICA JOIN OUR MEMBER BENEFITS TEAM PROVIDING SERVICES TO BOTH OUR EMPLOYEE AND OUR EMPLOYER MEMBERS.WE LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING TOGETHER WITH MONICA, SHARING HER VAST KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE GAINED IN THESE 15 PLUS YEARS.
THANK YOU, EVERYBODY. IT'S BEEN A COLORFUL RIDE THROUGH THESE YEARS, BUT THAT'S WHAT WE'RE HERE FOR, TO SERVE THE PUBLIC AND SERVE EACH OTHER AND LOOKING FORWARD TO MANY MORE YEARS. THANK YOU.
WHAT'S THAT? ALL RIGHT. MS.. FELICIA GRAY IS THE DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF HUMAN SERVICES AGENCY.
SHE CURRENTLY LEADS THE ADULTS AND AGING BRANCH THROUGH THE INITIAL IMPLEMENTATION OF THE TEN YEAR MASTER PLAN FOR AGING, AS WELL AS WORKING WITH THE HOMELESS AND HOUSING SERVICES BRANCH AND MERCED CITY POLICE DEPARTMENT TO IMPLEMENT YOUR PILOT PROJECT.
WHOLE PERSON CARE LIKE PROGRAM.
AND I SAY YOU'RE BECAUSE IT'S A COUNTY WIDE ISSUE.
SHE MOBILIZED HER BRANCH TO ASSIST ASSIST WITH PROJECT ROOMKEY, OF WHICH 70 CLIENTS WERE ASSESSED FOR THE APS HOME SAFE PROGRAM TRANSITIONED MEAL PROGRAM TO A TO-GO MEAL PROGRAM, INCREASING FOOD ACCESS TO SENIORS THAT WERE SHELTERING IN PLACE.
DEPUTY GRAY HAS COLLABORATED, COLLABORATING WITH VARIOUS AGENCIES, INCLUDING UCS, TO DEVELOP THE SOCIAL SERVICE PROGRAM.
IN ADDITION TO FACILITATING ADULT PROTECTIVE SERVICES TRAINING WITH LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT, SHE'S TOOK ON MULTIPLE PROGRAM INITIATIVES, MOST RECENTLY INITIATING HOME SAFE.
I WILL TELL YOU THIS ONE THING AND WORKING WITH HER IN MY POSITION ON THE AREA AGENCY ON AGING, I GET A LOT OF DIFFERENT CALLS AND THE FIRST PERSON I GO TO IS I'LL CALL HER AND WE GET A RESPONSE RIGHT AWAY.
AND THAT'S THE THING WITH OUR STAFF.
ON TOP OF WHEN WE ASK A QUESTION, THEY'RE REALLY GOOD AT LETTING US KNOW SO THAT WE CAN PROVIDE THE SERVICES TO THE CONSTITUENTS.
AND SHE'S ONE OF THE BEST THAT WE HAVE.
WELL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THAT.
AND THANK YOU TO ALL OF MY TEAMMATES, ALL OF MY COWORKERS THAT I ACTUALLY SEE HERE THAT I STARTED WITH IN CLASSES.
AND WE'VE BEEN TOGETHER FOR 20 YEARS.
IT'S IT HSA AND THE COUNTY HAS BEEN WONDERFUL AND I AM VERY GRATEFUL FOR EVERYTHING THAT I'VE BEEN AFFORDED.
ALL RIGHT. MARTHA ESPINOSA, PLEASE.
CONGRATULATIONS. MARTHA IS A LEADER AND MENTOR AMONG HER PEERS.
SHE HAS TRAINED AND MENTORED OTHER STAFF FOR OVER TEN YEARS IN MANY DIFFERENT AREAS OF CHILD WELFARE.
SHE HAS WORKED IN THE COURT UNIT, FAMILY MAINTENANCE UNIT AND EMERGENCY RESPONSE UNIT.
[00:25:02]
MARTHA TAKES ON CHALLENGES AND VOLUNTEERS FOR PILOT PROGRAMS THAT HAVE INCLUDED CHILD WELFARE WELFARE'S POD TEAM, ONE VISION, ONE VOICE, TEAM TOPS AND FAMILY GROUP DECISION MAKING. IT'S A LOT.IN ADDITION, SHE HAS COLLABORATED WITH PUBLIC HEALTH TO PERFORM SOCIAL WORK DUTIES AND REFER FAMILIES TO THE FIRST STEPS PROGRAM THAT PROVIDES MATERNITY AND INFANT CARE SERVICES.
AND. IN TRAINING TO WORK WITH KAL, LEARN ELIGIBLE FAMILIES AND MARTHAS.
OFTEN VOLUNTEERING TO ASSIST PEERS, MENTOR PEERS AND VOLUNTEERING TO FULFILL ON CALL AFTER WORK HOURS.
I DIDN'T KNOW I WAS GOING TO HAVE TO TALK, BUT SURPRISE AND SURPRISE.
THANK YOU TO MY FAMILY AND MY FRIENDS WHO DEAL WITH MY CRAZY SCHEDULE, MY CANCELATION SOMETIMES. AND I JUST LOVE WHAT I DO.
MR. GRAY HAS BEEN HERE FOR 30 YEARS IN THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT.
HE'S A 20 YEAR VETERAN OF THE UNITED STATES AIR FORCE, SERVING AT SIX DIFFERENT LOCATIONS, BEGINNING HIS CAREER AS A JET ENGINE MECHANIC AND ULTIMATELY SERVED AS A B52 GUNNER, INCLUDING SERVICE DURING THE VIETNAM WAR.
I THINK THAT DESERVES A ROUND OF APPLAUSE.
THE THE MOST IMPORTANT PART OF THAT WAS MR. GRAY EARNED THE DISTINGUISHED FLYING CROSS AND RETIRED AS A SENIOR MASTER SERGEANT IN 1988, WHICH IS A REALLY COOL.
MR. GRAY HAS DEDICATED MORE THAN HALF OF HIS LIFE TO PUBLIC SERVICE, HONORABLY SERVING THE UNITED STATES AND COUNTY OF MERCY IN HIS ROLE AS A PERMIT TECHNICIAN.
MERCED SAID GRAY INTERFACES DAILY WITH CUSTOMERS, PROVIDING THEM WITH THE GUIDANCE NECESSARY TO ENSURE SUCCESSFUL PROJECTS.
HE HAS NEAR ENCYCLOPEDIC KNOWLEDGE AND HAS AN UNMATCHED ABILITY TO RECALL THE NUANCES OF PAST PROJECTS AND THEIR COMPLEX HISTORIES.
MORE IMPORTANTLY, MR. GRAY IS A LOVING HUSBAND, FATHER, GRANDFATHER AND GREAT GRANDFATHER.
HIS FATHER WAS ALSO A WORLD WAR TWO VETERAN WHO SERVED IN FRANCE.
HIS MOTHER STAYED AT HOME IN MINNEAPOLIS.
I HOPE I HOPE YOU GUYS AREN'T TWINS FANS OR VIKINGS FANS OR ANYTHING.
I'M JUST KIDDING. TAKING CARE OF TAKING WONDERFUL CARE OF MR. GRAY AND HIS THREE OTHER SIBLINGS.
ULTIMATELY, WHAT DEFINES MR. GRAY IS NOT HOW SUCCESSFUL HE'S BEEN PROFESSIONALLY, WHICH IS UNQUESTIONABLE, BUT RATHER HIS LOVE AND DEDICATION TO HIS WIFE, SUSAN, OF 46 YEARS, HIS THREE SONS MIKE, BRIAN AND MARK AND HIS SIX GRANDCHILDREN AND HIS GREAT GRANDCHILD.
MR. GRAY'S CONTRIBUTIONS ARE MANY, AND THE DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT WISHES TO CONGRATULATE HIM AND HIS FAMILY ON HIS 30 PLUS YEARS OF SERVICE TO THE COUNTY AND SAID, MR. HENDRICKSON, DID YOU WANT TO SAY SOMETHING? SUPERVISOR. THANK YOU, SIR.
MR. GRAY. IS A PRIVILEGE ON BEHALF OF THE ORGANIZATION.
AND WE'VE GOT A NUMBER OF OF OUR TEAM IN THE BACK CORNER.
AND SO ON BEHALF OF MR. MAXEY, ALL THE PLANNERS BUT THE ENTIRE ORGANIZATION, I CAN ONLY SAY THAT IT HAS BEEN MY PRIVILEGE TO WORK WITH YOU FOR MORE THAN THE LAST DECADE.
I THINK, AS SUPERVISOR PEDROZO MENTIONED IN HIS COMMENTS.
THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS THAT I THINK DEFINE MR. GRAY. YOU KNOW, HE IS INCREDIBLY SMART.
HE'S ADEPT. HE KNOWS HIS JOB VERY, VERY WELL.
HE'S BEEN INVOLVED WITH SEVERAL THINGS TO INCLUDE COMPREHENSIVE REWRITES OF THE COUNTY ZONING CODE AND BEEN VERY ACTIVE WITH THE GENERAL PLANNING UPDATE PROCESS OVER MANY YEARS. BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, THAT'S NOT WHAT I APPRECIATE MOST.
WHAT I'VE APPRECIATED MOST, AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, THIS ALREADY ARE THE CONVERSATIONS WE'VE HAD IN MY OFFICE WHERE YOU HAVE BEEN A MENTOR AND AND I VERY MUCH VALUE AND CHERISH THOSE TIMES WITH YOU.
I THINK BEYOND THAT, I THINK IT'S THE SUPERVISOR MENTIONED IN HIS COMMENTS, YOU ARE AN INCREDIBLE FATHER, GRANDFATHER, HUSBAND AND GREAT GRANDFATHER.
[00:30:01]
AND THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT THAT I THINK ULTIMATELY DEFINE WHO YOU ARE AS A PERSON.AND SO JUST TO GET ON BEHALF OF THE ORGANIZATION, IT'S MY PRIVILEGE TO SERVE WITH YOU. AND AND I REALLY THANK YOU FOR ALL THE WORK THAT YOU DO EVERY SINGLE DAY TO BENEFIT THE PEOPLE OF THIS COUNTY.
THANK YOU ALL. THANK YOU, MR. HENDRICKSON. THANK YOU, THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS.
AND THANK YOU FOR MERCED COUNTY RESIDENTS.
I'VE TRIED TO DO AS GOOD A JOB AS I POSSIBLY CAN AND HAVE CERTAINLY KNOWN A LOT OF PEOPLE THROUGH THE YEARS.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT STRIKES ME ABOUT MERCED, IF WE GO BACK 30 YEARS, YOU'LL KNOW THIS EVERY TIME YOU GO TO WORK IN THE MORNING AND AT NIGHT WHEN YOU RETURN, THE AMOUNT OF TRAFFIC THAT HAS BEEN GENERATED IN THIS AREA IN THE LAST 30 YEARS IS UNBELIEVABLE. I THINK ALL OF YOU COULD SAY THAT.
BUT HOPEFULLY MYSELF BEING IN PLANNING DEPARTMENT, WE CAN PROVIDE SOME SMART PLANNING. ONCE AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR YOUR PARTICIPATION AND THANK YOU FOR SUCH HAVING SUCH GOOD SUPERVISORS ALL THROUGH THE YEARS.
NEXT, WE'LL HAVE DISTRICT THREE.
THAT'S WHY. THAT'S YOU, DARREN.
THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. USUALLY I'M USED TO GOING FIRST BECAUSE DISTRICT THREE IS THE BEST DISTRICT IN MERCED COUNTY.
IT'S AN HONOR FOR ME TO INTRODUCE MS..
PARAMJIT IS THE DEPARTMENT EXPERT ON SYPHILIS.
I WAS NOT GOING TO LAUGH WHEN I SAID THAT.
SHE HAS WORKED EXTENSIVELY, EXTENSIVELY WITH THE HIGHEST RISK COMMUNITY MEMBERS IN OUR COUNTY TO PREVENT CONGENITAL SYPHILIS.
CONGENITAL SYPHILIS IS A DEVASTATING DISEASE THAT CAN HAVE LIFELONG IMPACTS ON CHILDREN BORN WITH IT AND IS COMPLETELY PREVENTABLE WITH PARENTAL TREATMENT.
OUR PERINATAL PRENATAL TREATMENT FARM WORKS TIRELESSLY TO FIND THESE MOMS AND TO PROVIDE THEM WITH RESOURCES AND SUPPORT TO GET TREATED TO KEEP THEIR BABIES SAFE.
THIS INCLUDES FIELD HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS AND STATE TO ENSURE TESTING AND TREATMENT.
SHE IS ABLE TO BUILD TRUST WITH THE WOMEN WHO OFTEN DO NOT HAVE MUCH TRUST TO GIVE AND HAS LIKELY PREVENTED COUNTLESS CONGENITAL SYPHILIS CASES OVER HER ENTIRE CAREER.
GREAT JOB. AND IF I COULD ASK BECKY TO COME UP, HERE'S BECKY.
BECKY, DID YOU WRITE THIS? NO, I DID NOT. BUT I DID SEE IT.
YOU DID A GREAT JOB. YOU DID A GREAT JOB.
I ALSO AM AN EXPERT ON SYPHILIS.
SO YOU'RE IN GOOD COMPANY, SO.
AND I'M NOT. NO JUDGMENT, RIGHT? I'M PLEASED TO BE UP HERE WITH PARM.
PARM AND I HAVE WORKED TOGETHER FOR THE LAST FOUR YEARS SINCE I STARTED WITH MERCED COUNTY. AND I CAN SAY THIS ABOUT PALM.
SHE EMBODIES WHAT MANAGEMENT AND LEADERSHIP LOOK FOR IN AN EMPLOYEE HER TEMPERAMENT, HER APPROACH, HER WILLINGNESS TO ALWAYS GO ABOVE AND BEYOND.
AND ALSO THE FACT THAT SHE DOES SHARE HER SAMOSAS AND HER DELICIOUS FOOD WITH THE REST OF THE GROUP. AND MOM, THANK YOU FOR THAT, BECAUSE IT'S DELICIOUS.
SO I KNOW HER FAMILY IS HERE AND I'M HAPPY THEY'RE HERE TO SEE THIS.
AND IT GIVES ME GREAT HONOR TO NOT JUST CONGRATULATE YOU ON A JOB WELL DONE IN YOUR ROLE AS COMMUNICABLE DISEASE INVESTIGATOR, BUT THROUGHOUT THE PANDEMIC AND JUST IN WHO YOU ARE, WHO YOU PRESENT, AND WHO YOU SERVE.
SO CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR TIME OF SERVICE WITH MERCED COUNTY.
AND HERE'S TO ANOTHER TOE AND PALM.
HERE IS YOUR PEN FOR 20 YEARS.
NOW IT'S YOUR TURN. THANK YOU, BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, FOR ALLOWING ME TO COME TODAY.
AND ALSO, YOU KNOW, FOR ALLOWING ME TO BRING MY MOTHER, WHO HAS NEVER BEEN TO A BOARD OF SUPERVISORS MEETINGS. SO IT'S AN HONOR TO HAVE HER HERE AS WELL.
YES, I'M A COMMUNICABLE DISEASE INVESTIGATOR.
I DON'T YOU KNOW, BUT MY PRIMARY JOB IS, YOU KNOW, SYPHILIS.
[00:35:07]
AND I THINK IF IT WASN'T FOR THE SUPPORT THAT I HAVE WITH ADMINISTRATION, I WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO DO MY JOB TO THE FULLEST.I HAVE THE SUPPORT OF MY FAMILY AS WELL, AND I AM GREAT TO BE HERE.
AND I CAN DO ANOTHER DECADE OR SO, I THINK, AND I'LL BE HERE AGAIN.
OKAY, WE'LL MOVE ON TO DISTRICT FOUR.
I'D LIKE TO CALL UP MR. SHERRY VILLA GRANA.
OH, THERE YOU ARE. HI, CHERIE.
YOU'RE NOT SMILING, ARE YOU A LITTLE NERVOUS OR.
OH, WELL, I'M GOING TO GIVE YOU THE MIC IN A MINUTE.
ALL RIGHT. I GOT IT RIGHT. THANK YOU FOR CORRECTING ME.
MY NAME IS PAREIRA, AND I FEEL YOUR PAIN.
RIGHT. SO SHERRIE IS A STAFF SERVICE ANALYST, TOO, WITH MERCED COUNTY, AND SHE IS RECEIVING HER 15 YEAR PIN TODAY.
SHERRY PREVIOUSLY WORKED FOR REVENUE AND REIMBURSEMENT PRIOR TO COMING TO MERCED.
SARAH OR IM SARAH AS WE CALL IT.
SHERRY IS CONTINUES TO BE INVOLVED IN OUR PENSION MANAGEMENT PROGRAM AND SPENDS A GREAT DEAL OF TIME COUNSELING OUR MEMBERS ON IMPORTANT LIFELONG DECISIONS AROUND THEIR PENSIONS. THIS IS COMMENTS FROM HER SUPERVISOR.
SHERRY IS A DEDICATED EMPLOYEE AS WELL AS A DEDICATED MOTHER AND GRAND GRANDMOTHER.
LOOKED KIND OF YOUNG FOR THAT.
I'M TRYING TO EARN BACK THE POINTS I LOST A MINUTE AGO, BUT IT'S ALSO TRUE.
RIGHT? AND THAT'S THE BEAUTY OF THAT.
SO SHERRY PUT HER OH, SHE IS VERY FAMILY ORIENTED AND DEDICATED TO THE SARAH MEMBERS.
SHERRY PUTS HER PUT HERSELF THROUGH COLLEGE, EARNING HER BACHELOR'S DEGREE.
SHERRY HAS A GREAT DEAL OF PENSION KNOWLEDGE AND IS OFTEN ONE OF OUR GO TO EMPLOYEES ABOUT ALL THINGS BENEFITS.
AND FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT HAVE EMPLOYEES, YOU KNOW WHEN YOU HAVE THAT GO TO PERSON, JUST HOW VALUABLE THEY ARE.
M SARAH IS VERY FORTUNATE TO HAVE SHERRY ON OUR STAFF AND SHE IS VERY HELPFUL TO OUR MEMBERS. SO ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, I WOULD LIKE TO CONGRATULATE YOU AND PRESENT YOU WITH YOUR 15 YEAR PIN.
DO I? DO I DARE GIVE HER THE MIC, BUT HERE WE GO.
I PROMISE I WON'T THROW IT AT YOU.
ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU ALL FOR ALLOWING ME TO BE HERE.
I DO WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO MY HUSBAND, DAVID.
HE'S BEEN A GREAT SUPPORT OVER THESE LAST 15 YEARS.
I APPRECIATE ALL OF YOUR SUPPORT OVER THESE YEARS AS WELL.
I ENJOY HELPING ALL OF OUR MEMBERS.
I FEEL LIKE YOU'RE ALL MINE AND I WANT TO HELP YOU AS BEST AS I CAN, BECAUSE I WANT YOU TO HAVE ALL THE MONEY THAT YOU POSSIBLY CAN.
SO WHEN YOU WANT THE MOST MONEY, COME SEE ME.
COME TALK TO ME. I'M GOING TO HELP YOU WITH THE MAXIMUM WAYS TO MAXIMIZE YOUR PENSION.
SO I JUST LOVE HELPING YOU GUYS ALL.
AND SO THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO TO SERVE.
AND NOW WE HAVE DISTRICT FIVE AND NOW WE DON'T HAVE DISTRICT FIVE.
YEAH, HE'S ON THE RETIREMENT BOARD AND HE GOT THEM ALL EARLY RETIREMENT.
OKAY, SO AT THIS TIME, WE'LL MOVE TO OUR SECOND SET OF PRESENTATIONS.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO WELCOME EVERYONE WHO IS HERE TODAY FOR OUR VOLUNTEER RECOGNITION CEREMONY. THIS MARKS THE 48TH YEAR OF NATIONAL VOLUNTEERS WEEK, AND IT'S A GREAT TIME TO HONOR THOSE WHO GIVE SO MUCH TO OUR COMMUNITIES.
THE WIDE ARRAY OF PROGRAMS AND SERVICES THEY PROVIDE WOULD NOT BE POSSIBLE WITHOUT THEIR
[00:40:01]
COMMITMENT, TIME, ENERGY AND TALENTS.FIRST OFF, I WOULD LIKE TO INTRODUCE AND THANK OUR SCREENING COMMITTEE MEMBERS.
AND IF YOU'RE HERE, RAISE YOUR HAND OR STAND UP.
IF NOT, WE'D STILL LIKE TO THANK YOU.
THESE SCREENING COMMITTEE MEMBERS SCORED OUR NOMINEES APPLICATIONS AND AND GAVE US OUR OUR WINNERS. SO DISTRICT ONE IS PAUL SAMRA.
I DIDN'T SEE HIM IN THE AUDIENCE.
DISTRICT TWO IS TRACEY PERETTI.
DISTRICT THREE IS JEANNIE KNIGHT.
OKAY. AND JEANNIE HERSELF IS A WONDERFUL VOLUNTEER IN OUR COMMUNITY.
DISTRICT FOUR IS CHARLENE BORELLI AND THE FIRST THREE MEMBERS.
THIS IS THEIR FIRST YEAR TO JUDGE THE APPLICATIONS CHARLENE HAS JUDGED FOR FIVE YEARS, AND CHARLENE IS NOT HERE TODAY.
DISTRICT FIVE WE HAVE AN MCAULEY WHO'S ACTUALLY HIGH END WHO'S ACTUALLY SERVED FOR EIGHT YEARS. SO THANK YOU.
WE RECEIVED MANY FANTASTIC NOMINATIONS THIS YEAR.
AND TODAY WE'RE HONORING TEN OF THEM, TWO FROM EACH SUPERVISORY DISTRICT.
WE WILL BE INTRODUCING EACH OF THE RECIPIENTS, STARTING WITH DISTRICT ONE AND TELLING YOU ABOUT THE WORK THEY'VE BEEN DOING IN THE COMMUNITY AND PRESENTING THEM WITH CERTIFICATES OF RECOGNITION AS WELL AS THE COUNTY PIN.
WE ALSO HAVE WITH US TODAY NICK GOMEZ, WHO WILL BE PRESENTING CERTIFICATES FROM OUR CONGRESSMAN COSTA AND AND FROM SENATOR ANA CABRERA.
SO THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE, NICK.
IF ANYONE IN ATTENDANCE NOMINATED ONE OF TODAY'S RECIPIENTS, PLEASE FEEL FREE TO JOIN THEM UP FRONT AS THEY RECEIVE THEIR CERTIFICATES.
AFTER WE'RE DONE PRESENTING, ALL CERTIFICATES WILL GATHER UP FOR A GROUP PHOTO, WHICH WILL BE FOLLOWED UP BY A BRIEF RECEPTION OUT IN OUR LOBBY.
AND THERE WE CAN TAKE PHOTOS WITH THE AWARD WINNERS, THEIR FAMILY, FRIENDS, AND MAYBE EVEN YOUR FAVORITE SUPERVISOR.
CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL OF YOU ON A JOB WELL DONE.
SO WE'LL MOVE TO DISTRICT ONE.
WE'LL START AGAIN WITH NUMBER ONE.
DO WE HAVE MR. GONZALEZ? THERE WE GO. I DIDN'T THINK IT WAS GOING TO BE HERE.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK.
SO WE HAVE AN EXCEPTIONAL PERSON.
EXCEPTIONAL SUPERINTENDENT OF THE TOWN OF PLANADA IN MY DISTRICT.
YOU KNOW, I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANYBODY IN PLANADA THAT DOESN'T LIKE MR. GONZALEZ JUST A LITTLE BIT, YOU KNOW.
WE GREW UP TOGETHER IN DEL HIGH AND THEN LIVINGSTON HIGH SCHOOL, AND THEN I SEE HIM GO TO PLANADA, WHERE HE'S DONE A WONDERFUL JOB.
AND I THINK THERE'S, LIKE I SAID, THAT ONE PERSON DOESN'T LIKE HIM.
AND HOPEFULLY AFTER THIS, I KNOW THERE'S SOME SEVERAL PEOPLE HERE IN IN THE AUDIENCE THAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO COME UP AND TAKE A PICTURE WITH US AT THE END.
I WOULD APPRECIATE IT BECAUSE LIKE I SAID, HE'S VERY WELL LIKED IN PLANADA.
SO IN THE PAST IN THE PAST TWO YEARS OF THE PANDEMIC, JOSE GONZALEZ, SUPERINTENDENT OF PLANADA ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, DEFINITELY WENT ABOVE AND BEYOND THE CALL OF DUTY.
BEING THE PLANADA IS SO SMALL.
THE SCHOOLS ARE A PLACE MANY FAMILIES RELY ON FOR HELP.
A CONNECTION WAS MADE WITH THE STATE FOR FOOD BOXES.
MR. GONZALEZ WAS OUT THERE, RAIN OR SHINE.
RAIN OR SHINE, DISTRIBUTING THE BOXES TO FAMILIES.
HE ALSO COLLABORATED WITH THE METHODIST CHURCH TO DISTRIBUTE FOOD BOXES FOR THE COMMUNITY, FOR THE COMMUNITY AND COLLABORATED ON SEVERAL VACCINATION CLINICS OR A LOT OF VACCINATION CLINICS, I SHOULD SAY, AS SCHOOL SITES.
THESE CLINICS WOULD HAPPEN AFTER HOURS.
MANY OF THE SCHOOL STAFF WOULD GIVE UP THEIR TIME AND HOURS TO SUPPORT AND STAFF THESE VACCINE CLINICS. MR. GONZALEZ HAS GONE ABOVE AND BEYOND IN HIS SUPPORT OF THE COMMUNITY, AND I'M JUST SAYING I'M GOING TO SAY JUST THE COMMUNITY, BUT MERCED COUNTY AS A WHOLE, WE'RE PROUD OF TO
[00:45:03]
RECOGNIZE HIM HERE TODAY FOR HIS EFFORTS.I'D LIKE TO SAY, YOU KNOW, MY DAUGHTER AND HIS DAUGHTER PLAYED I THINK THERE WERE SEPARATE YEARS. RIGHT. BUT, YOU KNOW, THEY WERE THE LIVINGSTON HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL PLAYERS. SO WE WERE THERE CHEERING ON OUR GIRLS.
RIGHT. SO, GONZALEZ, CONGRATULATIONS.
AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND DEDICATION TO MERCER COUNTY.
AND WE HAVE AN AWARD FROM BEHALF OF MERCER COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS AND ONE FROM STATE ASSEMBLY MEMBER ADAM GRAY.
AND WE ALSO WOULD LIKE TO CALL UP FOR THE CERTIFICATES FROM THE CONGRESSMAN AND SENATOR. THANK YOU, EVERYBODY.
AGAIN, MY NAME IS NICK GOMEZ, DISTRICT REPRESENTATIVE FOR CONGRESSMAN JIM COSTA.
AS MY HONOR TO NOT ONLY PRESENT A CERTIFICATE OF RECOGNITION FROM THE CONGRESSMAN, BUT FROM STATE SENATOR ANNA CABALLERO.
MR. GONZALEZ, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR SERVICE.
APPRECIATE IT. I DEFINITELY WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS SUPERVISOR ESPINOZA FOR THIS RECOGNITION.
ON BEHALF OF THE PLANADA LEARNING COMMUNITY.
OUR TEAM EARLY ON THROUGHOUT THE PANDEMIC KNEW THAT WE NEEDED TO BE MORE THAN JUST SERVICE PROVIDERS. WE NEEDED TO EMBRACE THE COMMUNITY, BE EVERYTHING THAT WE COULD BE.
AND SO I'M BLESSED TO HAVE A BOARD OF TRUSTEES THAT ALLOWED ME THAT FLEXIBILITY.
BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, IT WAS A COLLECTIVE EFFORT.
I WAS I WAS LEADING OUT FRONT, BUT THEY WERE RIGHT THERE, RIGHT BEHIND ME.
SO I APPRECIATE THEIR SERVICE AND THANK YOU AND EVERYONE ELSE THAT'S BEING RECOGNIZED HERE THIS MORNING.
THANK YOU. I'M GOING TO TAKE A PICTURE WITH YOU AND THEN I'LL TAKE A PICTURE WITH.
OLIVIA. MR. CHAVEZ. AND I KNOW HE'S GOT A SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER HERE.
DAVID. DAVID RODRIGUEZ HERE IS NOT HERE.
I THOUGHT I SEEN HIM OUTSIDE, SO.
YEAH. YOU KNOW, I THINK WE'RE ALL PROUD OF YOU.
AND THANK YOU. WE WANT TO SHARE THE GLORY WITH YOU.
ANYBODY ELSE FROM PLANADA HERE? JUST A FEW. WE'LL TAKE IT OUTSIDE.
YEAH. LET'S JUST TAKE A PICTURE HERE.
YEAH. THE PROUD MAYOR OF PLAINVIEW, OLIVIA GOMEZ.
THANK YOU VERY. ONE MORE YEAR. HOW? I HAVE SEEN THIS GENTLEMAN HELP OUT A LOT TOO AS WELL, TOO.
THAT'S RIGHT. UTAH IS AN EXEMPLARY MERCED COUNTY COMMUNITY MEMBER WHO HAS VOLUNTEERED OVER A THOUSAND UNPAID HOURS HIS PAST YEAR IN SEVERAL DIFFERENT CAPACITIES TO ASSIST THE COMMUNITY, ESPECIALLY VULNERABLE INDIVIDUALS.
MR. THOR WORKS WITH THE MERCHANT LAO FAMILY, WHERE HE PROVIDES SOCIAL SERVICES FOR THE HMONG, LAO AND MIAN COMMUNITIES OUTSIDE OF HIS WORK HOURS.
HE WORKS WITH FOSTER FARMS, METHODIST CHURCH AND THE USDA TO DISTRIBUTE FOOD BOXES TO FOOD INSECURE INDIVIDUALS.
HE HAS ALSO WORKED TO SECURE GRANTS TO FUND CULTURALLY RELEVANT VEGETABLES AND FOOD FOR THE SOUTHEAST ASIAN SIKH COMMUNITY.
MR. THAO IS FLUENT IN THAI LAW AND HMONG AND USES HIS TALENT TO HELP COMMUNITY PARTNERS AND INDIVIDUALS DURING THE PANDEMIC.
MR. THOR HAS DILIGENTLY PARTNER WITH THE COUNTY SOUTH ASIAN COVID 19 COMMITTEE, WHICH INCLUDES COUNTY DEPARTMENTS AND OTHER CBOS, TO DO OUTREACH BOTH IN PERSON AND SOCIAL MEDIA AND PROVIDE PPE KITS.
MR. THOR HAS VOLUNTEERED AT MORE THAN 20 COVID CLINICS SINCE EARLY 2021 BY PROVIDING ONSITE ASSISTANCE AND TRANSLATION DURING AND AFTER, DURING AND AFTER BUSINESS HOURS AND ON THE WEEKENDS, THEREBY HELPING THE COUNTY DECREASE COVID RATES.
MR. THOR HAS WORKED WITH PARTNERS TO EDUCATE AND SECURE BASIC NEEDS TO FOR VULNERABLE POPULATIONS WHO HAVE BEEN HIT ESPECIALLY HARD BY COVID 19.
ADDITIONALLY, MR. THOR PROVIDES AN IMPORTANT COMMUNITY SERVICE BY PLAYING THE KITCH, THE
[00:50:08]
K'ICHE OAK KING CALL BAMBOO FLUTE ON A TRADITIONAL HMONG MUSICAL INSTRUMENT AT HMONG FUNERAL RITUALS.THIS IS A CRITICAL, HOURS LONG COMPONENT OF ANY HMONG FUNERALS THAT HE PERFORMS FREE OF CHARGE. WE ARE PRIVILEGED TO HAVE MR. THOR IN OUR COMMUNITY AND THANK HIM FOR HIS TIME AND HIS MANY, MANY EFFORTS IN HELPING OUR COMMUNITY. THANK YOU. MR..
I HAVE A CERTIFICATE HERE FROM MERCED COUNTY, ALSO FROM ASSEMBLYMEMBER ADAM GRAY, AND I THINK WE HAVE A COUPLE OTHER ONES.
THANK YOU. CONGRESSMAN, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
THANK YOU. YOU WANT TO HURRY ONE? I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU MORE SUPERVISOR MERCED COUNTY, AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS AWARD. I THINK WE HAVE MANY OUT THERE THAT DESERVE BUT THEY CHOSE ME.
SO I APPRECIATE AND I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THANK YOU TO ONE OF MY AGENCY.
THANK YOU. KIMIKO WANG FROM HRSA FOR NOMINATING ME AND ALSO BOEING, MY CLINICAL SUPERVISOR FROM SELA FAMILY.
SHE ALSO HERE AS WELL FOR NOMINATING ME AS WELL.
ALL RIGHT. YOU KNOW WHAT? WHAT I SAID EARLIER ABOUT THE PEOPLE THAT SERVE NOT JUST OUR ORGANIZATION, BUT THE PEOPLE THAT SERVE OUR COMMUNITY IS IS REALLY INSPIRATIONAL.
AND THE AMOUNT OF TIME AND EFFORT THAT PEOPLE GIVE OF THEMSELVES TO HELP OTHER ORGANIZATIONS, ORGANIZATIONS AND TO HELP THE COMMUNITY IS VERY ADMIRABLE.
WHEN I SAW THE LIST OF PEOPLE, I WAS THANKING GOD THAT I DIDN'T HAVE TO BE A JUDGE ON THAT BECAUSE EVERYBODY IT WAS I'M SURE IT WAS INCREDIBLY DIFFICULT TO DO.
AND IT JUST GOES TO SHOW YOU THE AMOUNT OF SUPPORT THAT PEOPLE ARE WILLING TO DONATE TO MERCED COUNTY.
SO FOR DISTRICT TWO, I WOULD LIKE TO INVITE UP OLIVIA OLSON, WHO WAS NOMINATED BY ANNA THOMPSON, ERIC CARTER AND MARK COZIER.
AND THEN IF ANYBODY IS FROM KOHL'S THAT WANTS TO COME UP HERE, YOU'RE MORE THAN WELCOME.
OLIVIA OLSON DEMONSTRATES AN EXTRAORDINARY COMMITMENT TO HER COMMUNITY.
AT KOHL'S, SHE OVERSEES A PROGRAM CALLED THE ASSOCIATES IN ACTION.
OLSON PARTNERS WITH NONPROFITS IN THE MERCED AREA THAT NEED VOLUNTEERS.
SHE THEN WORKS WITH HER KOHL'S COLLEAGUES TO GET VOLUNTEERS TO GO ONSITE TO THAT NONPROFIT AND ASSIST WITHIN THE ASSOCIATES IN ACTION PROGRAM.
OLIVIA HAS HELPED NUMEROUS LOCAL NONPROFITS SUCH AS THE D STREET HOMELESS SHELTER BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB, MERCED COUNTY FOOD BANK, MERCED CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT, LOCAL CHURCHES, THE WALK AGAINST DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, ROTARY CLUB, LIONS CLUB CLUB, MERCEDES, UNITED WAY AND AND MANY MORE.
SHE'S ALSO BEEN ACTIVE WITH FREMONT SCHOOL, PTA AND MERCED RELAY FOR LIFE.
DO YOU EVER SLEEP BECAUSE OF HER SUCCESS MANAGING THE LOCAL KOHL'S VOLUNTEER PROGRAM? THE COMPANY HAS EVEN ASKED OLIVIA TO HELP 16 OTHER KOHL'S STORES IN THE CENTRAL VALLEY LEARN HOW TO GIVE BACK TO THEIR COMMUNITIES.
WE'RE VERY FORTUNATE TO HAVE MS..
OLSON IN MERCED COUNTY, AND I'M PROUD TO PRESENT HER WITH THIS AWARD TODAY.
OH, THANK YOU. CONGRATULATIONS.
I'M JUST GOING TO SAY THANK YOU.
[00:55:16]
ALL RIGHT.THE NEXT ONE IS FOR THE ORGANIZATION, THE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH FOOD PANTRY.
SO IF I CAN GET THE PEOPLE FROM THERE TO COME ON UP HERE, PLEASE.
SO I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO OUT AND HELP OUT WITH ONE OF THE FOOD BOX DISTRIBUTIONS AND THE WELL RUN AND EFFICIENT PROGRESS THAT THEY HAD.
AND THE AMOUNT OF PEOPLE THAT THEY SERVED WAS VERY IMPRESSIVE.
IN FACT, AT ONE POINT IN TIME THEY TOLD ME, GET OUT OF THE WAY, YOU'RE BLOCKING OUR OUR PROGRESS. BUT I WANT TO READ THIS.
SO THIS IS THE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH FOOD PANTRY NOMINATED BY NICOLE ADAMS. THE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH FOOD PANTRY IS FOCUSED ON PREPARING AND DISTRIBUTING FOOD TO FAMILY AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS IN NEED.
OVER THE PAST YEAR, THE CHURCH FOOD PANTRY HAS SERVED MORE THAN 20,000 FAMILY DISTRIBUTIONS, 1200 HOMELESS PERSONS, AND DISTRIBUTED MORE THAN ONE AND A HALF MILLION POUNDS OF FOOD.
THINK ABOUT THAT. THAT'S A LOT TO SUSTAIN THE HEALTH AND WHOLENESS OF OUR COMMUNITY.
THE WORK ENTAILS COORDINATING, COORDINATING VOLUNTEERS TO PACK, PICK UP, STORE, DISTRIBUTE SALT, PURCHASE, MOVE STACK AND PREPARE BOXES OF FOOD FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
MANY FAMILIES RELY ON THE FOOD TO PROVIDE FOR THEIR CHILDREN VULNERABLE LOVED ONES, COVID STRICKEN, DISABLED, MEDICALLY COMPROMISED, OR OTHER FOOD INSECURE.
THE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH FOOD PANTRY BENEFITS OUR COMMUNITY IN A BIG WAY, AND I'M HONORED TO PRESENT THEM WITH THIS AWARD TODAY.
IT'S LIKE TURNING INTO AN ACADEMY AWARD PRESENTATION BECAUSE SHE ALSO WON VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR FOR THE CITY OF MERCY.
AND NOW BEING RECOGNIZED AGAIN IS SOMETHING THAT'S INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT.
IT JUST GOES TO SHOW HOW IMPORTANT THE WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING FOR MERCY COUNTY DOESN'T GO UNRECOGNIZED. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR EVERYTHING.
SO, REALLY, THESE ARE THE TWO THAT WORK THE MOST? YES. YES.
YES. WHY DON'T WE? OKAY. SO THE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH FOOD PANTRY IS A LOT MORE THAN JUST FOOD.
REALLY, IT'S OUR EXTENSION OF LOVE TO THE COMMUNITY.
WE GIVE OUT FOOD. WE'VE GIVEN OUT DIAPERS AND SCHOOL SUPPLIES AND HYGIENE KITS AND WATER AND HOME COVID TESTS ALL THROUGHOUT THIS LAST YEAR.
IT REALLY DOES. WE HAVE OVER 200 ROTATING VOLUNTEERS TO KEEP IT GOING, TO FEED 500 FAMILIES A MONTH.
AND SO THAT MEANS THAT IF YOU NEED A HELP, IF YOU WANT TO HELP, COME HELP.
TAKE ALL VOLUNTEER. IF YOU NEED HELP, COME GET HELP.
AGAIN, IT'S MORE OF AN EXTENSION OF LOVE.
AND SO IT TAKES THESE AND THEN SOME.
THANK YOU. ARE YOU? CERTIFICATES.
YOU CAN MAKE TWO. BE THE TEACHER.
JOSH? THE TEACHER. THE SHORT. EVEN.
[01:00:26]
NO PROBLEM.OH, YES. WE WORKED HER BUTT OFF RIGHT HERE.
YEAH. WHAT'S THIS PICTURE? THAT'S. IT'S.
EVERYBODY ELSE. SORRY FOR ANTICIPATION.
NO, FOR NOW, FOR DISTRICT THREE.
I'VE ALREADY GONE THROUGH THIS. MOST OF YOU HAVE BEEN HERE.
DISTRICT THREE, THE WE CALL IT THE HEART OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN MERCED COUNTY, BECAUSE YOU CAN FEEL THE PULSE.
BUT IT IS A DISTINCT HONOR FOR ME TO INVITE UP BRAD KESSLER FROM ATWATER.
AND LAURIE, IF YOU WANT TO COME UP TO LORI WATERMAN HAD PUT YOUR NAME IN SO.
THANK YOU, SIR. HERE'S THE PIN.
BRAD KESSLER IS A LONGSTANDING AND INITIATIVE TAKING VOLUNTEER WITH DRIVE AND ABILITY TO HELP AND SUPPORT OTHER ORGANIZATIONS AND LOCAL CIVIC GROUPS.
MR. KESSLER IS AN EXCELLENT MOTIVATOR, ENCOURAGING WITH ENCOURAGING OTHER RESIDENTS TO GET INVOLVED.
YOU DO HAVE A UNIQUE ABILITY TO GET EVERYBODY ELSE INVOLVED.
WHEN HE GETS INVOLVED, EVERYBODY HAS TO GET INVOLVED.
HE IS A MEMBER OF SEVERAL LOCAL GROUPS AND ALWAYS TAKES A HIGHLY ACTIVE ROLE.
IN OTHER WORDS, JUST GET OUT OF THE WAY.
MR. KESSLER HAS A PASSION FOR AGRICULTURE AND WELDING.
HE CREATED A SCHOLARSHIP FUND FOR FUTURE FARMERS OF AMERICA STUDENTS TO BETTER THEMSELVES AS THEY ENTER THEIR COLLEGE YEARS.
ALL IN HIS FATHER'S NAME, HIS COMMUNITY PRIDE IS INTERTWINED IN EVERY DETAIL THAT HE TOUCHES. IN FACT, WE'RE GOING TO BE SEEING THE CLOCK TOWER CLOCK IN DOWNTOWN ATWATER.
MR. KESSLER IS THE KIND OF VOLUNTEER OF THE CITY OF ATWATER RESIDENTS NEED.
HE TRULY GIVES BACK TO HIS COMMUNITY AND DEDICATION, COMPASSION AND CONTRIBUTION.
HE HAS LED THE CHARGE WITH OLD TOWN ATWATER TO BRING AN ICE SKATING RINK, ALONG WITH MANY SPONSORS TO DOWNTOWN ATWATER.
HOW MANY PEOPLE DID ICE SKATING THIS YEAR AT THE ICE SKATING RINK? HE AND ALL TOWN ATWATER VISITED ALL ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS IN ATWATER TO ENSURE 8000 MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS RECEIVED ONE FREE SKATE TICKET.
I AM PROUD TO PRESENT THIS AWARD TO YOU TODAY.
SO ON BEHALF OF ASSEMBLY MEMBER GRAY AND ALSO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS AND I'M GOING TO GIVE THE MIC, DOLORES, TO YOU, I'M SURE SHE HAS SOMETHING TO ADD.
THANK YOU. I JUST WANT TO PERSONALLY THANK BRAD FOR ALL THAT HE DOES FOR ATWATER.
WE HAVE A LOT OF GREAT COMMUNITY VOLUNTEERS.
BRAD WILL PROBABLY BE THE FIRST TO SAY THAT HE DOESN'T DO ANYTHING ALONE, BUT HE CAN LEAD THE CHARGE AND HE HAS THE SUPPORT AND HE RALLIES THE TROOPS WHEN WE NEED THEM.
AND I THANK HIM PERSONALLY FOR EVERYTHING THAT HE DOES TO MAKE OUR COMMUNITY BETTER.
YES, ABSOLUTELY. THANK YOU, SIR.
THAT'S PRETTY GOOD ON THE MIC, TOO, SO HOLD ON.
NO, I JUST I'M BLOWN AWAY BY THIS AND VERY HONORED.
FIRST AND FOREMOST, JEANNIE, YOU CALLED IT.
I'D LIKE TO THANK MY WIFE FOR SUPPORTING ME AND ALLOWING ME TO PUT IN ALL THE TIME THAT I DO WITH THE YOUNG FAMILY AT HOME.
AND I'D LIKE TO THANK LORI FOR JUST BEING AVAILABLE AND PROVIDING THE SUPPORT STAFF COUNSEL AT CITY OF ATWATER.
OBVIOUSLY, I, I HELP OUT AS MUCH AS I CAN IN ATWATER AND EVERYBODY THERE IS, IS ABSOLUTELY WONDERFUL TO DEAL WITH DARREN AS WELL.
AND I WOULDN'T I WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO BE HERE IF I DIDN'T HAVE THE SUPPORT FROM THEM AND
[01:05:06]
AND OBVIOUSLY MY WIFE.AND THIS IS AN ABSOLUTE HONOR.
THANK YOU. THE PROBLEM IS WE JUST CAN'T TELL THEM.
NO, LIKE LET'S GET HERE IN THE CENTER.
MY. THANKS, BRAD, FOR EVERYTHING YOU DO.
THE NEXT ONE. WE ALWAYS LIKE TO RECOGNIZE AN ORGANIZATION IN DISTRICT THREE.
THIS IS THE ATWATER VETERANS ORGANIZATION.
IF I COULD ASK TOM AND JOHN TO COME UP.
SO COME ON DOWN HERE IN THE FRONT.
IT'S SO HARD TO GET TOM OUT IN FRONT OF PEOPLE BECAUSE HE DOES SO MUCH FOR THE COMMUNITY. IN FACT, MIKE NORTH, WHENEVER WE WERE NOMINATED AND RECEIVED THE AWARD, WE COULDN'T GET HIM TO ANSWER THE PHONE.
SO I CALLED HIM PERSONALLY AND SAID, I NEED TO HAVE YOU DOWN HERE TODAY.
BUT THE CASTLE VETERANS ORGANIZATION STEPPED UP DURING A TIME OF NEED.
ITS ULTIMATE GOAL WAS TO KEEP THE ATWATER VETERANS MEMORIAL BUILDING OPEN FOR VETERANS.
FOR THE FOR THEM TO USE ENJOY ALONG WITH THE COMMUNITY AT LARGE, THE ORGANIZATION WAS ABLE TO DO THIS PLUS MUCH MORE.
IT IS NOW THE BEST IT HAS EVER BEEN.
I DON'T KNOW HOW LAST TIME YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN IN THERE.
THAT PLACE LOOKS BETTER THAN I'VE EVER SEEN IT.
THEY'VE EVEN CONTINUED THE WEDNESDAY HAMBURGER NIGHTS.
THE FACILITY IS NOW AVAILABLE FOR ALL VETERANS ORGANIZATIONS, AND I CAN'T THANK THEM ENOUGH FOR THEIR HARD WORK AND DEDICATION.
THE COUNTY RAN INTO A SNAFU WHEN WE HAD A LARGE NATIONAL ORGANIZATION THAT INHABITED IT. THEY WERE A LITTLE OVER CONTROLLING.
IT WASN'T EXACTLY OFFERED TO ALL VETERANS ORGANIZATIONS OR ALL VETERANS TO USE.
WHEN THAT NATIONAL ORGANIZATION DECIDED TO PULL THEIR CHARTER, IT CLOSED THE BUILDING.
AND I LOOKED AT THESE TWO INDIVIDUALS FOR.
I SAID, OUR ULTIMATE GOAL IS IS TO MAKE SURE THIS BUILDING REMAINS OPEN FOR VETERANS.
AND WE'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE SOMEBODY FROM THE OUTSIDE.
WE'RE GOING TO KEEP LOCAL CONTROL.
WE'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE SOMEBODY FROM THE OUTSIDE OR FROM SOMEPLACE IN KANSAS CITY TELLING US WHETHER THIS PLACE CAN BE OPEN OR CLOSED.
THESE GENTLEMEN STEPPED UP IN THE TIME IN NEED.
THEY THEY GOT THEIR NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION SET UP.
THEY HAD THE SAME EXACT GOAL THAT I HAD.
AND THEN SOME THEY'VE TAKEN IT FURTHER THAN I EVER THOUGHT THEY COULD.
BUT NOW IT'S JUST NICE TO KNOW THAT OUR VETERANS BUILDING IS NOW OPEN FOR ALL VETERANS ORGANIZATIONS.
IT'S CLEANER AND KEPT UP BETTER THAN IT EVER HAS BEEN, AND IT'S ALL DUE TO THESE GUYS.
SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR BEING OUR VOLUNTEERS OF THE YEAR FOR DISTRICT THREE.
I'LL BE HALF OF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS.
THAT'S JUST A SMALL TOKEN OF WHAT WE HAVE AND WHAT GAVE YOU THE PINS.
AND THIS IS FROM ASSEMBLY MEMBER GRAY AND ALSO FROM CONGRESSMAN COSTA'S OFFICE.
THANK YOU. TOM DOESN'T LIKE TO SPEAK ON THE MIKE VERY MUCH, BUT I'LL HAND IT OVER TO YOU.
WELL, I WANT TO I WANT TO THANK SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL FOR THIS RECOGNITION, BUT IT IS NOT SOMETHING THAT I DID ALONE.
MR. CALE HERE WAS VERY, VERY INSTRUMENTAL IN GETTING US UP AND RUNNING.
WE HAD THE SUPPORT OF THE CITY CITY MANAGER WATERMAN, BUT WE HAD EXTRA STRENGTH COMING FROM THE COUNTY.
WE TOLD THEM WHAT WE NEEDED TO GET THE BUILDING INSPECTION READY, AND THEY DID IT.
IT WAS IT WAS A WONDERFUL EXPERIENCE.
IT IS OPEN. IT IS OPEN FOR YOU.
THE PUBLIC HAMBURGER NIGHT IS WEDNESDAY NIGHTS.
TOMORROW NIGHT. WE ALSO HAVE OTHER ACTIVITIES, BUT WE NEED SUPPORT FROM THE COMMUNITY. IF YOU KNOW A VETERAN THAT IS NOT AFFILIATED WITH ANOTHER ORGANIZATION OR EVEN IF THEY ARE, LET THEM KNOW THAT WE'RE AVAILABLE.
WE'RE TRYING TO MAKE THE THE TRANSITION FROM THE COUNTY SERVICES TO SOMETHING LOCAL THAT
[01:10:06]
WE CAN DO IN THAT WATER TO HELP THEM GET THE BENEFITS THAT THEY DESERVE AND POSSIBLY A MORE LIKELY NEED.SO, PLEASE, IF YOU KNOW A VETERAN, HAVE THEM GET IN TOUCH WITH US.
AND WE COULD USE SOME HELP IN THE KITCHEN AND THE CLEAN UP AND EVERYTHING ELSE.
BUT AT THAT, I REALLY WANT TO THANK MY WIFE, DEBORAH, WHO'S NOT HERE TODAY BECAUSE SHE HAD A MEDICAL APPOINTMENT.
BUT IF YOU WANT TO KNOW WHO'S IN THE BACKGROUND, IT'S HER.
SHE DOES ALL THE FINANCIAL STUFF FOR ME AND HELPS ME OUT TREMENDOUSLY.
SO IF YOU SEE MY WIFE SITTING AT THE CASH REGISTER, PLEASE THANK HER.
OKAY, I'M GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO JOHN.
LET HIM. WELL, I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT THANK YOU TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL NICK.
AND I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT I DON'T KNOW WHY I'M UP HERE.
JOHN AND HIS WIFE DEBORAH DOES ALL THE WORK, AND TOM JUST CALLED ME UP AND SAID, HEY, CAN YOU OPEN THE BUILDING? I'M LIKE, OKAY, I CAN GET THERE.
I GET IT. BUT THIS GUY RIGHT HERE AND HIS WIFE, THAT DOES THE MAJORITY OF THE WORK.
I JUST DID THE PAPERWORK AND I HAD THE CONTACTS AND SAID, LET'S GO DO THIS.
AND WE APPRECIATE THE SUPERVISORS IN THAT COUNTY FOR ALLOWING US TO GO BACK TO VETERANS. AND TOM CAME UP WITH OUR SLOGAN, VETERANS CONTINUING TO SERVE.
AND THAT'S WHAT WE TRY TO DO IS SHOW THE COMMUNITY OF APPRECIATE IT.
AND WHAT I CAN SAY. IT'S NOT JUST A 501.
C THREE. THEY HAD TO GO THROUGH THE WHOLE RANK AND FILE TO BECOME A NATIONALLY CERTIFIED VETERANS ORGANIZATION TO BE ABLE TO OCCUPY THAT SPACE.
SO THEY WENT ABOVE AND BEYOND.
WELL, OKAY. AT THIS TIME, I'D LIKE TO INVITE ROBERT RAMIREZ TO COME UP FOR HIS HONOR.
ANNETTE KELLY, ARE YOU GOING TO TAKE PICTURES OR COME UP? OKAY. HOW ARE YOU DOING? GOOD. SO ROBERT RAMIREZ IS THE INDIVIDUAL FOR DISTRICT FOUR.
HE WAS NOMINATED BY KELLY THOMAS, WHO IS ALSO A VOLUNTEER EXTRAORDINAIRE IN THE COMMUNITY OF WINTON.
ROBERT IS A MAN OF THE COMMUNITY.
HE HAS HELPED WITH THE WINTON RECREATION PROGRAM FOR THE PAST TEN YEARS.
PLUS AS HOW MANY? TEN, 11 YEARS NOW.
AND HE COACHES SEVERAL TEAMS EVERY YEAR.
MR. RAMIREZ ALSO HELPS WITH THE WINTON SPRING FESTIVAL AND HE IS ALWAYS AVAILABLE TO HELP WHEN NEEDED WITH ANY YOUTH PROGRAM HAPPENING IN WINTON.
HE'S VERY INVOLVED WITH THE SPORTS WE PROVIDE FOR THE YOUTH AND WINTON COMMUNITY AND IS NEVER SHY ABOUT LENDING A HELPING HAND.
THIS YEAR THE COMMUNITY IS DOING FLAG FOOTBALL AS WELL AND HE WAS OUR FIRST TO VOLUNTEER, TO COACH AND TO GET OTHER COACHES SO KIDS CAN PLAY AND STAY INVOLVED IN SPORTS.
MR. RAMIREZ IS TRULY A DEDICATED VOLUNTEER AND THE BENEFITS OF HIS EFFORTS ARE VERY EVIDENT. THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU DO.
THIS IS A COMMUNITY VOLUNTEER.
NO, NO. AND THEN THIS IS A CERTIFICATE FROM THE MERCER COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THAT'S GREAT.
CONGRATULATIONS. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
THANK YOU. IT'S AN HONOR TO STAND HERE WITH YOU.
AND WOULD YOU SAY A FEW WORDS? YES. ALL RIGHT. I WANT TO THANK THE BOARD FOR HAVING ME HERE TODAY, MISS KELLY THOMAS.
THANK YOU. MY MOTHER, MY KIDS, EVERYBODY FOR SUPPORTING ME.
SO I DO IT ALL FOR THEM AND FOR THE COMMUNITY.
WYNTON, WE, YOU KNOW, ONE TEAM, ONE WYNTON.
COME COME ON UP. WE'RE GOING TO DO THE PICTURE.
[01:15:02]
KELLY YOU GOT TO BE IN THIS ONE.LOSE IN THERE. CAN I SAY ONE MORE THING? YEAH. I DON'T KNOW WHO MIKE NORTH IS, BUT WHEN I GOT A PHONE CALL FROM HIM, I THOUGHT IT WAS A JOKE. I PULLED OVER.
I WAS TAKING MY DAUGHTER TO BALLET AND I SAID, NOW THIS IS A PRANK CALL.
HE KEPT TALKING AND I STILL THOUGHT IT WAS A PRANK.
AND TELL MISS CALIFORNIA ME THE EMAIL.
SO THANK YOU, BUT I APPRECIATE IT.
I ALMOST DIDN'T ANSWER THE CALL LIKE OTHER PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, ISN'T THAT WONDERFUL? MANY OF OUR VOLUNTEERS TODAY, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE HUMBLE.
THEY DON'T WANT THE RECOGNITION.
BUT YET, YOU KNOW, IT'S OUR PRIVILEGE TO HONOR THEM.
AND THOSE OF YOU THAT KNOW HIM WOULD THINK THAT HE'S NOT HERE BECAUSE HE'S AVAILABLE BUT DOESN'T WANT THE RECOGNITION.
AND HE'S A MAN THAT SERVES IN THE COMMUNITY.
HILMAR AND AND THAT'S TRULY HIS SPIRIT.
HE HE WORKS JUST AS HARD OR HARDER THAN ANYONE IN THAT COMMUNITY AND AND REALLY NEVER, EVER WANTS THE RECOGNITION.
SO IT'S REALLY AN HONOR FOR ME.
I WENT TO GRAMMAR SCHOOL WITH THIS GENTLEMAN.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, WE GO BACK WELL OVER 50 YEARS.
AND SO THE ANOTHER INDIVIDUAL THAT IS RECOGNIZED FOR DISTRICT FOR VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR IS A GENTLEMAN NAMED FRANK MARKS.
HE'S ON VACATION WITH HIS FAMILY AND AND AND WHICH MADE HIM HAPPY BECAUSE HE HE REALLY HE WAS NOMINATED BY A GENTLEMAN NAMED MATTHEW STEELE.
AND FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO DON'T KNOW MATTHEW STEELE, HE ACTUALLY LIVES IN FRESNO.
AND HE IS THE WORK FOR THE VALLEY CHILDREN'S FOUNDATION, WHICH IS KIND OF THE FUNDRAISING ARM OF VALLEY CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL, WHICH IS A WONDERFUL ORGANIZATION.
FRANKS HAS VOLUNTEERED IN RAISING FUNDS FOR VALLEY CHILDREN'S.
AND SO THAT'S WHY, YOU KNOW, MATTHEW THOUGHT THAT IT WAS APPROPRIATE THAT HE BE HONORED.
AND OF COURSE, UNFORTUNATELY, HE COULDN'T BE HERE TODAY.
BUT I'D LIKE TO READ HIS NOMINATION FORM THAT WAS SUBMITTED BY MR. STEELE FOR THE PAST SIX YEARS, WORKING WITH OR WORKING AS A SENIOR DEVELOPMENT OFFICER FOR VALLEY CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL.
I'VE HAD THE PLEASURE TO KNOW.
FRANK MARKS. FRANK TEACHES AND ACTIVITIES CLASS AT HILMAR HIGH AND IS ALSO THEIR HEAD VARSITY FOOTBALL COACH, AND HE SPENT ENDLESS HOURS HELPING AND TEACHING HIS STUDENTS AT HILMAR HIGH SCHOOL THE IMPORTANCE OF VOLUNTEERING AND GIVING BACK TO THEIR COMMUNITY. AND THESE SIX YEARS, FRANK, UNDER FRANK'S LEADERSHIP, HILMAR HIGH, HILMAR MIDDLE SCHOOL AND HILLMAN ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS HAVE RAISED MORE THAN IN SIX YEARS OVER $150,000 FOR VALLEY CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL.
AND THOSE FUNDS ARE USED TO HELP CHILDREN AT VALLEY CHILDREN'S HOSPITALS.
PELL DALE SPECIALTY CARE CENTER IN MODESTO.
FRANK HAS HIS STUDENTS COME UP WITH THEIR OWN VOLUNTEERING IDEAS, AND THAT TEACHES THEM THE IMPORTANCE OF IT'S BETTER TO GIVE THAN RECEIVE.
FRANK IS A GREAT FRIEND, A GREAT TEACHER, BUT MOST OF ALL IS.
HE DESERVES THIS AWARD BECAUSE HE TRULY BELIEVES IN HELPING PEOPLE WHEN THEY CANNOT PROVIDE FOR THEMSELVES.
I AM A BETTER PERSON FOR KNOWING FRANK AND WILL ALWAYS BE IN THE DEBT FOR ALL HIS GREAT THINGS WE HAVE ACCOMPLISHED TOGETHER.
I WOULD LIKE TO THANK MR. MARKS AND HIS EFFORTS AND WE WILL BE SURE TO GET THIS AWARD TO HIM, YOU KNOW, AND IT'S WITH FUN, TOO.
A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO, THEY HAD A TEXAS HOLD'EM POKER TOURNAMENT.
AND OF COURSE, I GET INVITED AND I GO AND I PLAY AND AND I LOST MY $100 PRETTY QUICK BECAUSE I'M NOT A VERY GOOD POKER PLAYER.
BUT BUT, YOU KNOW, THAT NIGHT THEY RAISED OVER $15,000, YOU KNOW, JUST IN YOU KNOW, SOMEBODY DONATED, YOU KNOW, LITTLE AUCTION ITEMS THAT MIGHT BE WORTH 50 OR $100 AND THEY'D BRING SEVEN, $800.
AND SO FRANK REALLY SHARES THE VISION OF VALLEY CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL AND PEOPLE WANT TO GIVE. AND SO FRANK'S JUST A GREAT MAN AND THANK YOU.
OH. Q MR. CHAIRMAN, SO WE SAVED THE BEST FOR LAST.
[01:20:05]
AS MY COLLEAGUE TRIES TO GET A SAYING FOR DISTRICT THREE TO STICK, MINORITY HAS STUCK.IT'S CALLED THE WEST SIDE IS THE BEST SIDE.
I'M SURE YOU GUYS HAVE ALL HEARD THAT BEFORE.
MY FIRST ONE WASN'T ABLE TO MAKE IT WITH US TODAY, SO I DO WANT TO READ THE LITTLE BIO HERE. SHE WAS NOMINATED BY JANET CASPER AND UNFORTUNATELY, JERRY BLEVINS WASN'T ABLE TO JOIN US TODAY, BUT I'D LIKE TO READ HER NOMINATION.
MS.. BLEVINS BEGAN VOLUNTEERING AT THE MERCY COUNTY VACCINATION CLINIC HELD IN LOS BANOS.
MS.. BLEVINS COULD BE FOUND IN THE MIDDLE OF AN ALMOND ORCHARD REGISTERING FARM WORKERS TO BE VACCINATED OR AT THE FAIRGROUNDS, DIRECTING FOOT TRAFFIC.
ONCE THE VACCINATION CLINIC SLOWED DOWN.
MS.. BLEVINS RECEIVED A REQUEST FOR ASSISTANCE AT THE UNITED WAY, COVID HOME TEST DRIVE THRU GIVEAWAY EVENTS IN LOS BANOS, AND SHE SURELY WAS THERE TO HELP, WHETHER RAIN OR SHINE. SO I'D LIKE TO PERSONALLY THANK MS..
BLEVINS FOR HER DEDICATION TO THE COMMUNITY, AND WE'LL LOOK FORWARD TO GIVING HER HER AWARD SOON.
SO A BIG ROUND OF APPLAUSE FOR MS..
BLEVINS. AND I WOULD NOW LIKE TO CALL PASTOR STEVE HAMMOND FROM BETHEL COMMUNITY CHURCH.
GUYS, BOTH OF YOU GUYS, COME ON UP HERE.
WELL, I GUESS I'M SUPPOSED TO STAND OUT HERE IN FRONT.
THEY WERE NOMINATED BY MYSELF, AND, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A COMMENT MADE EARLIER.
THERE'S THOSE PEOPLE IN YOUR COMMUNITY THAT THEY'RE JUST YOUR ROCK.
THEY'RE JUST LIKE, WHATEVER, WHATEVER THE CHALLENGE IS, WHATEVER YOU NEED, WHATEVER COMES YOUR WAY, YOU CAN CALL ON EM.
I'M FORTUNATE THAT HE'S NOT ONLY ONE OF MY BOSSES IS ONE OF MY CONSTITUENTS, BUT I CONSIDER THEM TO BE A GOOD FRIEND ALWAYS.
WHENEVER I DON'T CARE WHAT THE NEED IS ACROSS THE SPECTRUM, I CAN CALL HIM.
HE'S THE ONE WHERE I WAS NOTIFIED THAT I NEED TO HAVE SOMEONE COME AND DO OPENING PRAYER. AND IT'S LIKE, STEVE, I NEED YOU TO KIND OF BAIL ME OUT.
IT'S MONDAY AND THE MEETING IS TOMORROW, AS ALWAYS, HERE TO STEP UP FOR ME.
SO LET ME JUST READ YOU A LITTLE BIT.
BETHEL COMMUNITY CHURCH IS INSTRUMENTAL IN KEEPING LESS FORTUNATE OF ANGELS FED IN THE LOST BUSINESS COMMUNITY.
EARLY ON IN THE COVID 19 PANDEMIC, BETHEL COMMUNITY CHURCH PARTNERED WITH MERCY COUNTY TO SECURE GRANT FUNDING FOR A FOOD DELIVERY VAN, ENABLING THEM TO DELIVER MEALS TO ELDERLY COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO WEREN'T ABLE TO LEAVE THEIR HOMES OR WERE HESITANT TO DO SO. DUE TO COVID 19.
THE CHURCH ALSO HELD A WEEKLY FRUITS AND VEGGIES DRIVE FOR RESIDENTS, BUT BETHEL COMMUNITY CHURCH ORGANIZERS DIDN'T STOP THERE.
THEY ALSO TOOK IT UPON THEMSELVES TO HOST WEEKLY DRIVE THRU EVENTS WHERE PEOPLE COULD PICK UP FOOD BOXES TO FEED THEIR FAMILIES.
IN ADDITION TO SERVING SENIOR CITIZENS AND FAMILIES, BETHEL COMMUNITY CHURCH ALSO SERVED WEEKLY HOT MEALS TO THE HOMELESS AND CREATED HOMELESS TO GO BAGS.
THESE BAGS CONTAINED READY TO EAT FOOD THAT DOESN'T TAKE ANY PREP WORK OR APPLIANCES IN ORDER TO SPONSOR THESE MINI PROGRAMS. BETHEL COMMUNITY CHURCH PARTNERED WITH WALMART AND GROCERY OUTLET TO REPURPOSE THEIR EXCESS FOOD.
BETHEL COMMUNITY CHURCH TRULY STEPPED UP WHEN THE COMMUNITY WAS IN NEED, AND IN REALITY, THEIR ACTIONS DESCRIBED ABOVE ARE ONLY A SMALL SNAPSHOT OF THE SIGNIFICANT WORK IT DOES FOR THE RESIDENTS OF LOS BANOS IN AND AROUND LOS BANOS.
SO WE'RE FORTUNATE TO HAVE BETHEL COMMUNITY CHURCH AND I'M GLAD THAT WE'RE ABLE TO RECOGNIZE THEM TODAY AS PART OF THE MERCED COUNTY VOLUNTEER RECOGNITION PROGRAM.
SO, PASTOR STEVE, ON BEHALF OF MY COLLEAGUES AND THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, WE HAVE A CERTIFICATE THERE, ALSO A CERTIFICATE FROM ASSEMBLYMEMBER ADAM GRAY.
AND THEN MY BUDDY NICK OVER HERE HAS A FEW MORE OF THEM.
THEN WE HAVE A COUPLE PINS FOR YOU.
AND THEN I GOT THIS LITTLE GUY RIGHT HERE FOR YOU.
PERFECT. SO WITH THAT BETHEL COMMUNITY CHURCH AND I'M GOING TO GIVE THE MICROPHONE TO PASTOR STEVE. IT'S OFTEN A SCARY THING WHEN YOU GET SOMEBODY WHO TALKS FOR A LIVING THE MICROPHONE. BUT WE ARE HONORED AND GRATEFUL FOR THIS RECOGNITION.
BETHEL HAS BEEN THERE FOR 64 YEARS.
WE'VE BEEN BLESSED TO BE THE PASTOR FOR 26 AND SAW A NEED IN OUR COMMUNITY TO START FEEDING IN 2008.
AND WE'VE JUST GROWN OUR OUR PANTRY STAFF WOULD HAVE BEEN HERE, BUT TUESDAY MORNING IS A FOOD DISTRIBUTION DAY.
SO THEY WERE PACKING BOXES AND LINING THEM UP FOR THE DRIVE THRU AS WE WERE LEAVING.
SO WE WANT TO SAY THANK YOU AND IT'S AN HONOR AND A BLESSING TO SERVE OUR COMMUNITY AND OUR GOD THIS WAY.
[01:25:04]
DO YOU THINK THAT EVERYBODY'S GOT A SHOT? ALTHOUGH I WANT TO GIVE A BIG THANKS TO AN MCCAULEY WHO WAS MY GO TO PERSON FOR TO HELP OUT WITH THE SCREENING ON THAT.SHE DOES IT EVERY YEAR AND SHE COMES TO THE EVENT SO AN THANK YOU.
WELL, CONGRATULATIONS, EVERYONE.
WE ARE GOING TO TAKE A 15 MINUTE PHOTO FROM.
OH, YOU WANT IT IN HERE FOR EVERYBODY? IT'LL BE JUST EASIER TO DO IT WHERE THEY'RE AT.
BUT ANYWAYS, WE'RE GOING TO GIVE IT A TRY.
SO. SO ALL OF THE WINNERS, IF YOU WOULD BE WILLING TO COME UP, WE'LL DO A PHOTO.
AND THEN FOR THE GUESTS THAT ARE HERE, IF YOU WANT TO MEET US OUTSIDE IN THE LOBBY, WE'RE GOING TO TAKE A 15 MINUTE BREAK AND HAVE A RECEPTION WHERE WE CAN MAYBE TAKE A FEW MORE PICTURES OR PERSONALLY, THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE.
WILL RECONVENE THE APRIL 26TH MEETING OF THE MERCED COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, AND WE ARE AT OUR CONSENT CALENDAR.
[CONSENT CALENDAR]
NEXT IS APPROVAL OF CONSENT CALENDAR ITEMS ONE THROUGH 34.PLEASE NOTE A 4/5 VOTE IS REQUIRED ON ITEMS THREE, FOUR, FIVE, EIGHT, 18, 21 AND 22.
THANK YOU. ARE THERE ANY DEPARTMENT HEADS THAT HAVE ITEMS ON THE CONSENT CALENDAR THAT WOULD LIKE TO SHARE SOMETHING WITH THE BOARD? COME ON UP, DIRECTOR VALENTINE.
SUPERVISOR CEO AMELIA MENDEZ COUNTY COUNCIL.
I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE A MOMENT AND ACTUALLY HIGHLIGHT CALENDAR ITEM NUMBER 11, WHICH IS BEHAVIORAL HEALTH, ASKING THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS TO PROCLAIM MAY, WHICH IS JUST RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER AS MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS MONTH.
FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO DON'T KNOW, MENTAL HEALTH IS ALWAYS HAS BEEN A GENERATIONAL HEALTH CONDITION THAT OUR COUNTY, STATE, NATION AND WORLD HAS BEEN REALLY NEEDING TO FOCUS ON. BUT COVID HAS DONE A NUMBER ON US, AND WE REALLY NEED TO LOOK AT SOME OF THOSE STATISTICS. SO PRIOR TO THE PANDEMIC, 15% OF CALIFORNIAN ADULTS NEEDED MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES. 7% OF OUR CHILDREN, BASED OFF OF UCSF DATA THAT WAS RELEASED LAST WEEK, 32% OF ADULTS NOW NEED MENTAL HEALTH TREATMENT.
AND 48% OF OUR CHILDREN, WHICH IS ONE IN EVERY TWO CHILD NEEDING MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT. SO WHAT I AM ASKING THE BOARD, THE COMMUNITY IS TO PROCLAIM MAY AS MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS MONTH. I AM ASKING YOU, THE COMMUNITY AND EVERYONE ELSE TO BE ENCOURAGED TO CHECK IN ON YOUR FAMILY MEMBERS, ON THOSE THAT YOU LOVE AND EVEN YOURSELF.
SOMETIMES WE HAVE TO DO OUR OWN PULSE.
IF YOU ARE NOT, BEHAVIORAL HEALTH IS HERE AND ARE ENCOURAGING YOU ALL JUST TO HAVE A FRIENDLY CHECK IN WITH ONE OF OUR STAFF.
OUR PHONE NUMBER IS 38168003816800.
AND I'M ASKING THE BOARD TO PLEASE MAKE MAY MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS MONTH.
THANK YOU. ANY OTHER DEPARTMENT HEADS WHICH MAKE COMMENT.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS ON ANY OF THE ITEMS SEEN? NONE. WHAT'S THE PLEASURE OF THE BOARD? YOU ABOUT ONE? SURE.
I WANT TO DISCUSS ITEM NUMBER ONE.
AS A MATTER OF FACT, I DON'T NEED ANYBODY TO COME UP.
I JUST WANT TO PUT SOME INFORMATION OUT THERE AND WE'LL HAVE SOME FURTHER COMMENTS LATER ON IN THE AGENDA.
JUST WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THAT AS WE APPROVE THESE CONTRACTS WITH OUR ON CALL SERVICES.
I WANT THE PUBLIC TO UNDERSTAND THAT THESE CONTRACTS ARE THERE FOR UP TO TWO AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS. IT'S IT'S 500,000 FOR PROJECTS.
AND I THINK THAT THEY'RE THEY'RE VITAL TO THE WORK THAT WE DO HAVING THESE ON CALL SERVICES AVAILABLE.
I GUESS WHAT PART OF MY ISSUE IS AND I'M NOT I'M NOT TRYING TO SAY THAT IT'S SPECIFICALLY WITH THIS ONE, BUT IT IS MOVING FORWARD IN MY MIND.
I REALLY WANT TO UNDERSTAND AND I WANT THAT THE FOLKS THAT WE'RE ENTERING INTO THESE CONTRACTS WITH THAT WERE AS MUCH OF A PRIORITY FOR THEM AS THEY ARE A PRIORITY FOR US. AND I DON'T ALWAYS FEEL THAT THAT'S THE CASE.
AND SO I JUST WANT TO PUT IT OUT THERE THAT I AM GOING TO BE SCRUTINIZING, LOOKING AT THESE CONTRACTS FURTHER TO UNDERSTAND THAT RELATIONSHIP, HOW WE WHEN WE CALL ON THEM.
AND AGAIN, THE BIG PART FOR ME IS, IS YOU'RE TALKING A LOT OF NOT EVERY PROJECT IS 500,000. THAT'S JUST THE UP TO AMOUNT.
BUT SPENDING A LOT OF MONEY ON THESE ON WITH THESE CONTRACTORS AND WANTING TO KNOW AND I GET IT I GET THAT THE WORLD RIGHT NOW IS VERY BUSY AND THAT THESE FOLKS ARE BUSY.
[01:30:02]
BUT AGAIN, IF WE'RE GOING TO BE EXPANDING TAXPAYER DOLLARS WITH THEM, THAT WE ARE AS MUCH OF A PRIORITY TO THEM AS AS WE ARE.OKAY. NO OTHER REQUESTS TO SPEAK.
I'LL GO OUT FOR A PUBLIC COMMENT.
IS THERE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT ON ANY OF THESE ITEMS? ONE THROUGH 34 C NONE.
IS THERE A SECOND? SO IT'S BEEN MOVED BY SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA AND SECONDED BY SUPERVISOR ESPINOZA.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING I.
I ANY OPPOSE NAY MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY.
AT THIS TIME WE'RE GOING TO DO A CERTIFICATE OF RECOGNITION.
[ADDITIONAL ITEM]
AND I'D LIKE TO ASK JIM CLARK TO COME UP TO THE FRONT, PLEASE.JIM HAS BEEN WITH THE COUNTY FOR OVER EIGHT YEARS AND RETIRED LAST WEEK.
AND, YOU KNOW, HE HE HELD A UNIQUE POSITION IN A VERY IMPORTANT POSITION FOR OUR COUNTY.
IF SCOTT GETS TO IT, I WON'T SAY IT.
PERFECT. THANK YOU. SO JUST TO KIND OF HIGHLIGHT AND I ASKED YOU TO COME UP HERE CAUSE I'M GONNA HAVE HER SAY A FEW WORDS, TOO.
IT'S JUST IN RECOGNITION OF JIM'S EIGHT PLUS YEARS OF DEDICATED SERVICE AS THE EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES MANAGER.
AND SO HE'S. HE'S HE'S THE HEAD EMS GUY, RIGHT? SO SO WHAT THAT INVOLVES IS, IS REALLY I MEAN, HE'S WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT CONTRACT COMPLIANCE WITH REGS, AMBULANCE, THAT'S THE COUNTY'S AMBULANCE PROVIDER.
WE JUST WE'RE IN A NEW CONTRACT NOW.
JIM WAS INSTRUMENTAL IN WRITING KIND OF A NEW WAY THAT WE LOOK AT EMS PROVIDERS REALLY TRYING TO FOCUS ON THESE GROUPS IN ORDER TO REWARD THEM FOR GOOD BEHAVIOR BUT STILL HAVE SOME PUNISHMENT, IF YOU WILL, SOME SOME SOME FINES IN THERE THAT THAT KEEPS THEM KEEPS THEM ON TRACK AND REALLY LOOKING AT IT PERFORMANCE BASED AND LOOKING AT PATIENT OUTCOMES AS AS A WAY TO REWARD THEM VERSUS JUST THE, YOU KNOW, THE I GUESS THE THE FORMER METHOD OF JUST STICKING A CARROT.
SO IT IS ON BEHALF OF MYSELF AND MY COLLEAGUES ON THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS.
JIM, WE'RE GOING TO PRESENT YOU THE CERTIFICATE FOR YOUR EIGHT PLUS YEARS AS THE EMS DIRECTOR. SO THANK YOU, SIR.
AND THEN I'M GONNA TURN IT OVER TO BECKY, AND SHE'S GOING TO SAY A FEW WORDS, AND THEN I'M GONNA LET YOU TALK UNLESS YOU WANT TO TALK AFTER.
I'VE WORKED WITH JIM SINCE ARRIVING TO THE COUNTY FOUR YEARS AGO, AND ONE OF THE TOP PRIORITIES THAT I WAS GIVEN NOT ONLY BY THE PREVIOUS DIRECTOR, MISS KATHLEEN GRASSI, BUT ALSO OUR PREVIOUS COUNTY EXECUTIVE OFFICER, MR. JIM BROWN, WAS EMS, EMS, EMS. AND I CAN SAY THE LION'S SHARE OF WHAT TOOK PLACE THAT FIRST SIX MONTHS I WORKED WITH JIM WAS REALLY FOCUSING IN AND COMING UP WITH A SYSTEM THAT WOULD WORK NOT JUST FOR THE COMMUNITY, BUT FOR ALL OF OUR PROVIDERS, FOR OUR FIRST RESPONDERS.
JIM HAS BEEN A TREMENDOUS ASSET.
HE'S VERY, VERY SOFT SPOKEN, BUT HE'S SHARP WITTED.
HE KNOWS WHAT HE'S TALKING ABOUT.
HE'S WORKED IN OTHER COUNTIES.
AND THIS IS A SIGNIFICANT LOSS FOR MERCED COUNTY.
FOR ME, ESPECIALLY AS SOMEONE HE WORKED WITH OVER THE PAST.
IT FEELS LIKE A LIFETIME, DOESN'T IT? BUT IT'S ONLY BEEN ABOUT FOUR YEARS.
I MET HIS FAMILY AND I KNOW HE HAS EXPERIENCED PERSONAL LOSSES AND HE AND I HAVE BEEN MORE THAN JUST A DIRECTOR AND ADMINISTRATOR IN SHARING THOSE EXPERIENCES ABOUT WHAT TOOK PLACE.
AND I'M JUST SO HAPPY THAT HE GETS TO CALL MOVING FORWARD THESE DAYS AHEAD OF HIM HIS RETIREMENT. BUT THIS IS A SIGNIFICANT LOSS FOR MERCED COUNTY, ITS PARTNERS.
JUST THE PROFESSIONALISM YOU BROUGHT, THE TEMPERAMENT, AS I SAID, WITH WHEN PAM WAS RECEIVING HER AWARD.
AND JUST TO FOLLOW UP THE CUSTOMER SERVICE, THERE HAVE BEEN SEVERAL EXAMPLES THAT HAVE TAKEN PLACE WHERE THERE HAS BEEN DISSATISFACTION OR REASON FOR CONCERN.
AND YOU ALL ALWAYS FOLLOW UP WITHOUT BEING AGITATED TO DO SO, AND YOU DO SO THOROUGHLY.
AND SO I GUESS I WOULD SAY ON BEHALF OF MERCED COUNTY, BUT ON BEHALF OF MYSELF, I'M REALLY GOING TO MISS YOU, NOT JUST AS AN EMPLOYEE, BUT AS SOMEBODY I CALLED MY FRIEND.
AND FUN FACT, EVERYBODY IN THE DEPARTMENT KNOWS THIS.
I SHOULDN'T BE ADMITTING IT, BUT JIM WAS PUBLICLY MY FAVORITE AND HE KNEW IT.
I WAS LIKE, I CAN'T GET MAD AT JIM.
AND HE KNEW IT. HE ACTUALLY WAS LIKE, THAT MADE ME THE HAPPIEST.
AND SO I'M GOING TO MISS HIM COMPREHENSIVELY, NOT JUST FOR THIS STUFF, BUT I'M JUST GOING TO MISS THE PERSON YOU ARE AND WHAT YOU BROUGHT TO THE TABLE.
THANK YOU, BECKY. SO CLOSING OUT MY CAREER.
I'VE BEEN HERE FOR EIGHT YEARS, BUT I BRING WITH ME OR I BROUGHT WITH ME AN ADDITIONAL 42 YEARS WORTH OF SERVICE AND KNOWLEDGE AND MY SKILLS AND ABILITIES TO COME HERE WHERE I'VE
[01:35:01]
LIVED ACTUALLY IN MERCED COUNTY COUNTY FOR THE LAST 30 YEARS.AND SO THAT'S REALLY BEEN AN HONOR 50 YEARS.
SO WHAT'S NEXT FOR ME? AS THE MOUNTAINS HAVE BEEN CALLING ME, SO I'M GOING TO HEAD UP TO THE MOUNTAINS, JUST THE ONES IN OUR IN OUR OWN BACKYARD.
SO I HEAD UP THERE LOOKING FORWARD TO NOW THAT I HAVE THE TIME TO LIVE, LAUGH AND LOVE AGAIN. AND I'D LIKE TO THANK MY COWORKERS, ESPECIALLY TIM WILLIAMS, RON DURAN, FRANKIE ROMERO, OR BEING CLOSE AND BEING MY FRIENDS AND COWORKERS, MY TWO BOSSES, BECKY AND YADIRA. YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN AWESOME.
THANKS FOR PUTTING UP WITH ME AND MY AND MY IDEAS AND MY PROJECTS.
KRISTEN FOR HELPING ME WITH CRUNCHING THE NUMBERS AND PUTTING DATA AND GRAPHS TOGETHER AND RUBY FOR KEEPING MY CONTRACT STRAIGHT.
AND FINALLY, TO THIS BOARD AND TO ALL OF THE BOARDS PRIOR TO ME FOR PLACING YOUR TRUST IN ME, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, I THINK IS JUST ALLOWING ME TO BE CREATIVE IN MY WORK.
IT'S BEEN BEEN AN AWESOME EXPERIENCE.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.
OKAY. OH, GOOD ONE. THANK YOU, MR. CLARKE, AND THANK YOU, SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA, FOR DOING THAT PRESENTATION.
NEXT IS BOARD ACTION PUBLIC WORKS ITEMS 35 THROUGH 38.
[BOARD ACTION]
PLEASE NOTE THAT ON ITEM 37, THE BOARD AGENDA ITEM HAS THE CORRECT RECOMMENDED ACTION. HOWEVER, THE AGENDA IS MISSING A ZERO ON THE NOT TO EXCEED AMOUNT AND SHOULD BE CORRECTED TO READ 2,500,000.MANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD.
SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. I'M JUST GOING TO I GOT COMMENTS ON ALL OF THEM.
I DO WANT TO THANK THE FOLKS FROM WASTE MANAGEMENT FOR REACHING OUT.
YOU KNOW, I'VE ALREADY SHARED THAT MY FRUSTRATION WITH THE CONTRACT.
I UNDERSTAND, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE NEEDING TO RAISE RATES.
I DON'T I HATE THAT THAT BURDEN GETS PUT BACK ON US ON SOMETHING THAT REALLY SHOULD OCCUR AUTOMATICALLY.
BUT THAT'S THE SITUATION WE'RE IN AND HOPEFULLY MOVING FORWARD.
AS WE LOOK AT SOME STUFF POTENTIALLY COMING DOWN THE ROAD, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO RENEGOTIATE CONTRACTS.
AND IN SPEAKING WITH VANESSA, THIS IS KIND OF LIKE AN ODDITY IN CONTRACTS THAT THAT THAT THIS THIS KIND OF WHERE THEY HAVE TO COME BACK TO THE BOARD EVERY YEAR.
SO WITH THAT, I AM GOING TO SUPPORT IT.
I MIGHT NOT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO SUPPORT IT TODAY, BUT WE DID TOUCH BASES.
AND SO I'M GOING TO BE OKAY WITH SUPPORTING THAT ITEM AGAIN.
AND THIS IS THE PART THAT I WANTED TO TALK TO YOU.
AS YOU LOOK AT ITEM 36, 37 AND 38, THESE ARE ALL ON CALL CONTRACTS WITH SURVEYING AND CIVIL ENGINEERING, STRUCTURAL ENGINEERING.
AND SO I KNOW THAT WE PUT OUT AN RFP EXCUSE ME, AN RFQ, AND THESE ARE THE FIRMS THAT RESPONDED TO IT.
BUT AGAIN, I JUST I WANT TO I WANT AND I GUESS I'M GOING TO ASK OUR PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR, DANA HERTFELDER, IF HE WOULD COME UP, BECAUSE I WANT TO ASK A FEW QUESTIONS JUST REGARDING IF YOU COULD, DANA, IF YOU COULD JUST WALK ME THROUGH THE PROCESS.
IS IT AS SIMPLE AS WE PUT OUT AN RFQ? YOU MEET MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS, NOW YOU'RE ON OUR LIST OR KIND OF EXPLAINED TO ME SO THAT I COULD EXPLAIN TO MY BOSSES, BUT KIND OF WHAT'S THIS PROCESS? THE PROCESS IS WE SEND OUT AN RFQ, WE GET A USUALLY A LARGE NUMBER OF RESPONSES.
PAST PRACTICE USED TO BE WE WOULD GENERALLY ISSUE MAYBE ONE CONTRACT FOR EACH RFQ.
WE FOUND THAT WE DO BETTER WHEN WE ISSUE ONE.
WE'VE ALSO FOUND WE DO BETTER WHEN WE ISSUE 2 TO 3 BECAUSE THEN THAT ALLOWS FOR SOME COMPETITION BETWEEN THEM.
IN THE CASE OF THE ONES WE HAVE TODAY, THEY'RE THEY'RE ALL A LITTLE DIFFERENT, I BELIEVE ONE IS FOR QUINCY ENGINEERING.
WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH THEM FOR 30 PLUS YEARS.
THEY DO DONE A GREAT JOB FOR US.
WE ALSO HAVE ONE WITH NORTHSTAR.
WE USE THEM PRIMARILY FOR SURVEYING.
SO THEY'RE ONE OF THE BETTER FIRMS FOR US TO USE FOR SURVEYING BECAUSE THEY'RE PROMPT, RESPONSIVE AND THEY DON'T HAVE A LONG DRIVE TIME.
[01:40:03]
THE OTHER ONE IS A FIRM WE HAVE NOT USED AND WE LIKE TO GIVE SOME NEW FIRMS. IF THEY LOOK LIKE A GOOD FIRM, A CHANCE DOESN'T ALWAYS WORK OUT.AND IF THEY DON'T, WE DON'T GIVE THEM WORK.
PUBLIC WORKS. WE DO TAKE OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO WATCH OUR THE TAXPAYERS FUNDING VERY SERIOUSLY. AS I SAID, THIS IS A COMPETITIVE PROCESS.
WE WE GO THROUGH A SHORTLIST OF FIRMS AND THEN WE PICK THE ONES WE THINK LOOK THE BEST.
GO AHEAD. THANK YOU FOR THAT NAME AGAIN.
AND I KNOW THAT THESE ARE JUST FOR THE PUBLIC TO UNDERSTAND.
THESE ARE THESE WE'RE ENTERING INTO THESE CONTRACTS THAT THEY COULD ENTER INTO A CONTRACT AND WE MAY NEVER EVEN USE THEM.
IT'S JUST FOR THE ON CALL KNOW ON CALL SERVICES.
AND THOSE TYPICALLY THOSE ON CALL SERVICES IS WHEN WE'RE NEEDED, WHEN WE'RE IN AN EMERGENCY AND WE NEED TO GET SOMETHING DONE.
SO I APPRECIATE YOUR EXPLANATION ON THAT.
AGAIN, JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THESE FOLKS ARE, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE OFFER UP THESE KIND OF CONTRACTS, THAT THEY THAT THEY APPRECIATE US AS MUCH AS WE APPRECIATE THEM.
SO THANK YOU, DANA SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL.
DANA, I STILL WANT TO ASK SO I SEE THIS FOR ON CALL SURVEYING.
I'M WANTING TO KNOW. SO ARE WE STILL ADVERTISING THAT POSITION? BECAUSE I KNOW WE HAD SOMEBODY IN THAT POSITION HERE AT THE COUNTY.
ARE WE STILL CONTINUING TO WE HAD STOPPED ADVERTISING FOR THE COUNTY.
FIRST OF ALL, THIS IS FOR GENERAL SURVEYING FOR OUR CIVIL PROJECTS.
NORTHSTAR ALSO DOES PERFORM WORKFORCE AS THE COUNTY SURVEYOR, WE PULLED THAT ADVERTISEMENT BECAUSE WE WERE GETTING NO RESPONSE.
WE'RE GETTING IT READY TO PUT IT BACK OUT AGAIN AND HOPEFULLY WE'LL GET A RESPONSE.
IT'S A KEY POSITION FOR US, RIGHT? WE'VE JUST NOT BEEN ABLE TO GET ANY APPLICANTS.
ECONOMY IS GOOD. PEOPLE ARE BUILDING.
SO. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU.
AT THIS TIME, WE'LL OPEN UP FOR PUBLIC COMMENT.
DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT ON ITEMS 35 THROUGH 38? SEE? THEN WE'LL CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENT.
WHICH THE PLEASURE OF THE BOARD.
BEEN MOVED BY SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL AND SECONDED BY SUPERVISOR ESPINOZA.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING I II ANY OPPOSED SAME SIGN MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY. NEXT IS HELP.
ALL RIGHT. ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS FROM THE BOARD? SEE, NONE OF GO OUT FOR PUBLIC COMMENT.
ARE THERE ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS ON ITEM 39 SEEING.
THEN I'LL CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENT.
WHAT'S THE PLEASURE OF THE BOARD? SECOND HAS BEEN MOVED BY SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA, SECONDED BY SUPERVISOR PEDROZO.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING I.
SAME SIGN. MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY.
BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AND RECOVERY SERVICES ITEMS 40 AND 41.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE BOARD? SEEING NONE. I'LL GO OUT FOR PUBLIC COMMENT.
IS THERE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT ON ITEM 40 OR 41? SEE. THEN I'LL BRING IT BACK TO THE BOARD.
WHAT'S YOUR PLEASURE? I'LL MOVE TO A.
IT'S BEEN MOVED BY SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL, SECONDED BY SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING I.
SAME SIGN. MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY.
HUMAN SERVICES AGENCY ITEMS 42 AND 43.
I'LL OPEN UP FOR PUBLIC COMMENT AT THIS TIME.
SAYING NO NO CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENT WHICH THE PLEASURE OF THE BOARD.
MOVED TO. THEY'D BEEN MOVED BY SUPERVISOR PEDROZO AND SECONDED BY SUPERVISOR ESPINOZA.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING I.
SAME SIGN. MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY.
COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ITEMS 44 AND 45 OC.
ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD? SEEING. THEN I'LL OPEN UP PUBLIC COMMENT.
PUBLIC COMMENT IS FOR ITEM 44 AND 45.
I'LL CLOSE THAT. WHAT'S THE PLEASURE OF THE BOARD? SURE. I'LL MOVE TO APPROVE SECOND.
IT'S BEEN MOVED BY SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL, SECONDED BY SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA.
[01:45:04]
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING I.I. ANY OPPOSE SAME SIGN MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY.
NEXT IS WORKFORCE INVESTMENT ITEM 46.
PLEASE NOTE A 4/5 VOTE IS REQUIRED.
THANK YOU. I SEE NO QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD.
IS THERE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT? I'LL OPEN UP PUBLIC COMMENT AT THIS TIME.
THEN WE'LL CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENT.
I'LL BRING IT BACK TO THE BOARD.
THANK YOU, CHAIR. IF I GET ERIC TO COME UP HERE, THIS IS KIND OF A UNIQUE SITUATION WITH ARPA FUNDING. SORRY TO CALL YOU OUT ON THE RUG LIKE THAT, BUT I THINK THIS IS A NICE MOVE THAT WE'RE WE'RE DOING.
AND I ALWAYS LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT ANYWAY, SO.
CHAIR BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, CEO MENDEZ.
THIS IS A YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT.
THE CITY OF MERCED DECIDED TO INVEST A LITTLE MORE THAN $1,000,000 IN A TWO YEAR YOUTH WORK EXPERIENCE PROGRAM.
AND SO WE WILL WORK CLOSELY WITH THE CITY TO ENROLL ABOUT 400 YOUNG PEOPLE INTO JOBS ACROSS THE CITY AND ALSO LEVERAGE THAT MONEY IN NEW WAYS TO HELP THEM REALLY START SORT OF A LONG TERM CAREER. SO THEY'RE NOT JUST DOING SUMMER JOBS, BUT REALLY GIVING GETTING THE SKILLS THAT ARE GOING TO ADVANCE THEM, YOU KNOW, INTO THEIR TWENTIES AND BEYOND.
THE WORKFORCE BOARD DWI HAS ALSO SECURED ADDITIONAL FUNDS FROM OTHER SOURCES.
SO ONCE YOUTH ARE DONE WITH THIS SORT OF INITIAL PROGRAM, THEY'LL BE ABLE TO GRADUATE TO EVEN BIGGER OPPORTUNITIES.
THANK YOU. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR ERIC? THANK YOU. THANK YOU. SEEING NO OTHER REQUEST.
OH, SURE. I'LL. YEAH, WE'LL GET THAT FIRST.
IS THERE. IT WAS MOVED BY SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL, THE SEGMENTED BY SUPERVISOR PEDROZO. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING I.
I. ANYBODY WHO OPPOSES PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING I MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY NEXT HIS PROBATION ITEMS 47 THROUGH 50.
PLEASE NOTE A 4/5 VOTE IS REQUIRED ON ITEMS 49 AND 50.
THANK YOU. IS THERE ANYONE WHO WISHES TO MAKE PUBLIC COMMENT ON THESE FOUR ITEMS? WE DON'T HAVE TO MAKE IT AN ALL FOR YOU COULD MAKE IT ON JUST ONE.
CNN WILL CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENT, BRING IT BACK TO THE BOARD.
BEEN MOVED BY SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA, SECONDED BY SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING I ANY OPPOSE.
SAME SIGN. DID YOU WANT TO SPEAK? OH, YEAH, NO WORRIES.
ALL RIGHT. ANY OPPOSE? SAME SIGN. MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY TEXT HIS FIRE ITEMS 51 AND 52.
PLEASE NOTE ON ITEM 51, SECTION NINE OF THE Q ENTITLED NOTICES HAS AN INCORRECT ADDRESS FOR THE CITY OF LOS BANOS THE CONTRACT TO BE SIGNED BY THE BOARD CHAIR WILL HAVE THE CORRECTED ADDRESS, WHICH IS 520 J STREET, LOS BANOS, CALIFORNIA.
93635. THANK YOU, SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA.
YES, THANK YOU, CHAIR. JUST WANT TO HIGHLIGHT ITEM 51.
SO IT'S AN IT'S THE APPROVAL OF A FIRE SUPPRESSION SERVICES AGREEMENT WITH THE CITY OF LOS BANOS.
AND SO BASICALLY THE CITY OF LOS BANOS IS GOING THROUGH A TRANSITION WHERE THEIR FIRE CHIEF IS RETIRING, AS IN, I THINK, IN A COUPLE OF DAYS.
AND THEY'RE IN THE PROCESS OF LOOKING FOR A NEW CHIEF.
AND THAT QUITE HASN'T HAPPENED YET.
SO JUST AS A STOPGAP MEASURE, BASICALLY, THEY'RE CONTRACTING WITH US AND WE'RE GOING TO PROVIDE THROUGH OUR PARTNER OUR AGREEMENT WITH CAL FIRE TO PROVIDE THEM A FULL TIME BATTALION CHIEF THAT'LL BE OVER THERE TO KIND OF PICK UP THOSE ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES, OVERSIGHT DUTIES, IF YOU WILL, FOR FOR THAT COUPLE OF MONTHS.
SO JUST WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THAT THAT'S, YOU KNOW, CITIES AND COUNTIES WORKING TOGETHER JUST TO REALLY ACCOMPLISH THE OVERALL GOAL OF PUBLIC SAFETY FOR OUR CITIZENS.
ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. AT THIS TIME, I'LL OPEN UP FOR PUBLIC COMMENT ON ITEMS 51 AND 52. CNN WILL CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENT AND BRING IT BACK TO THE BOARD.
WHAT'S BEEN MOVED BY SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA? SECONDED BY SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING I I ANY OPPOSE SAME SIGN MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY.
ITEM 5053 IS FROM THE SHERIFF.
[01:50:01]
IS THERE ANYBODY WHO HAS PUBLIC COMMENT ON ITEM 53? SEEN NO PUBLIC COMMENT.I'LL CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENT AND BRING IT BACK TO THE DAIS.
WHAT'S THE PLEASURE OF THE BOARD CHAIR MOTION TO APPROVE THE MOVE BY SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA SECONDED BY SUPERVISOR PEDROZO.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING I I ANY OPPOSE SAME SIGN MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY RETIREMENT ITEM 54.
ALL RIGHT. IS THERE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT ON ITEM 54? SEEING. THEN I'LL CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENT WITH THE PLEASURE OF THE BOARD MOTION TO APPROVE.
IS THERE A SECOND O SECOND THAT IT HAS BEEN MOVED BY SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA AND SECONDED BY SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING I.
I ANY OPPOSE SAME SIGN MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY.
NEXT IS EXECUTIVE OFFICE ITEMS 55 AND 56.
PLEASE NOTE A 4/5 VOTE IS REQUIRED ON ITEM 55.
THANK YOU. IS THERE ANYBODY WHO WOULD LIKE TO MAKE PUBLIC COMMENT ON ITEMS 55 OR 56? SEEING THAT, I'LL CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENT.
WHAT'S A PLEASURE? SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL SURE.
I JUST LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT ITEM NUMBER ONE OR 55 IN THIS SECTION.
IT'S HIGHLIGHTING BROADBAND AS A SHORTFALL.
WE LEARNED THROUGH THIS THROUGH COVID.
IF THERE'S ANYTHING THAT IS HELPED ELEVATE US THROUGH THIS TIME, IT'S FINDING OUT SHORTFALLS THAT WE HAVE.
AND SO THIS IS A STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
I KNOW WE'RE WORKING WITH OUR CRC AND MANY OTHER GROUPS WITH THIS SO WE CAN FIND OUT OUR SHORTFALLS AND MAKE SURE WE GET HIGH SPEED BROADBAND TO EVERY INDIVIDUAL HERE IN MERCED COUNTY COUNTY. AND I THINK THAT'S NOT ONLY GOING TO ELEVATE US AS INDIVIDUALS, BUT PRODUCTION AND EDUCATION AS WELL AS ECONOMICALLY.
YOU'RE WELCOME. SUPERVISOR PEDROZO THANK YOU.
I JUST WANTED TO ECHO WHAT HE SAID AND WORKING WITH OUR PARTNERS, WITH OUR CRC, BUT ALSO WITH NACO AND CSAC, AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT'S A REAL FOCUS ON, ON ALL OF THAT.
AND IT'S BECAUSE THE PEOPLE THAT WERE HIT THE HARDEST WERE SOME OF THE RURAL AREAS.
AND SO WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE MAKING SURE THAT THEY THEY HAVE ACCESS TO TO WHAT THEY NEED. AND SO THIS IS JUST I APPRECIATE YOU HIGHLIGHTING WHAT WHAT THE WORK THAT IT IS BECAUSE IT'S SOMETHING THAT'S INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE HAVE ACCESS TO THAT INFORMATION.
SO, YOU KNOW, LAST NIGHT I SPOKE TO A PARENT LEADERSHIP TRAINING INITIATIVE IN GUSTIN, AND THERE WAS ABOUT 12, MAYBE 15 ADULTS THERE.
AND ONE OF THEM WAS A MOM WHO HAS AN 11 YEAR OLD SPECIAL NEEDS SON, AND SHE MOVED FROM THE BAY AREA. SHE COULDN'T AFFORD TO LIVE THERE, SO SHE MOVED TO GUSTIN AND HER SON DISAPPEARED, GOT LOST.
RIGHT. TOOK OFF. THEY COULDN'T FIND THEM.
SO. SO THEY WERE ABLE TO THEN PLACE A BRACELET ON HIM THAT ALLOWED HIM TO BE TRACKED. AND, AND WHEN THEY MOVED TO MERCED COUNTY, THAT THAT THE INTERNET NO LONGER WORKED. AND SO THAT WAS HER REQUEST LAST NIGHT.
AND, YOU KNOW, AND I SAID, WELL, I GO, I HAVE GOOD NEWS, RIGHT? THAT BECAUSE WE'RE WORKING ON A RADIO SYSTEM FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT AND THEN AND THEN THIS BROADBAND. SO HERE, SOMETIME IN THE NEAR FUTURE, THERE'S A MOM THAT WILL BE ABLE TO SLEEP NIGHTS A LITTLE MORE SOUND BECAUSE SHE KNOWS SHE CAN FIND HER SON IF HE IF HE TAKES OFF AGAIN. AND, YOU KNOW, FOR THOSE PARENTS THAT HAVE SPECIAL NEEDS KIDS, I JUST CAN'T IMAGINE THE WORRY AND THE STRESS THAT THAT CAUSES.
SO ANOTHER GOOD REASON TO BE LOOKING AFTER AND TRYING TO GET BROADBAND BROUGHT HERE.
WHAT'S THE PLEASURE OF THE BOARD CHAIR? I'LL MOVE TO APPROVE BEEN MOVED BY SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL SECONDED BY SUPERVISOR PEDROZO. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING I I ANY OPPOSE SAME SIGN MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY BOARD APPOINTMENTS ITEMS 57 THROUGH 60.
THANK YOU. AT THIS TIME I'LL OPEN UP FOR PUBLIC COMMENT ON ITEMS 57 THROUGH 60.
SEEM NO PUBLIC COMMENT WILL CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENT AND BRING IT BACK TO THE DAIS.
IT'S BEEN MOVED BY SUPERVISOR ESPINOZA AND SECONDED BY SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING I.
I ANY OPPOSE SAME SIGN MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY.
[SCHEDULED ITEMS]
THE FIRST IS A PUBLIC HEARING FROM THE SHERIFF TO CONSIDER PROPOSED ORDINANCE ENTITLED AN ORDINANCE ADOPTING A MILITARY EQUIPMENT USE POLICY.[01:55:01]
OC I WAS WONDERED IF ONE OF YOU IS GOING TO WALK FORWARD AND EDUCATE US.I THINK EVERYBODY ELSE WALKED BACKWARDS AND COREY JUST HAPPENED TO BE.
IT'S STILL AFTER NOON BOARD UNDERSHERIFF COREY GIBSON FROM THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE.
BEFORE YOU TODAY, WE HAVE THE MILITARY POLICY BEGINNING OF THE YEAR.
THE GOVERNMENT, OUR STATE LEGISLATURE AND SIGNED BY THE GOVERNOR ENACTED A BILL TO ENSURE THAT LOCAL GOVERNING BODIES UNDERSTOOD THE CAPABILITIES AND THE USES OF DIFFERENT EQUIPMENT THAT LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT HAS.
THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE IS PROPOSING THE USE POLICY IN FRONT OF YOU TODAY.
THERE ARE SEVERAL THINGS ON THE POLICY THAT ARE IDENTIFIED AS A MILITARY THAT GENERALLY YOU WOULDN'T IDENTIFY AS SOMETHING THAT IS A MILITARY PIECE OF EQUIPMENT.
A COUPLE EXAMPLES WOULD BE A DRONES OR OUR COMMAND POST.
IT COVERS MUNITIONS AND OTHER THINGS.
I WOULD JUST BE HERE FOR QUESTIONS IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS REGARDING SOME OF THE EQUIPMENT THAT'S USED.
SO I GUESS YOU'RE OFF THE HOOK.
YEAH. I'M NOT GOING TO TELL THEM TO STOP.
AT THIS TIME, I'LL OPEN PUBLIC THE PUBLIC HEARING AND ACCEPT PUBLIC COMMENT.
SO ANYBODY WHO WISHES TO MAKE COMMENT, PLEASE COME UP FRONT.
SEEING. THEN WE WILL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
AND WHAT'S THE PLEASURE, MY COLLEAGUES? I'LL MOVE TO APPROVE HAS BEEN MOVED BY SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL AND SECONDED BY SUPERVISOR PEDROZO TO ADOPT AN ORDINANCE ADOPTING THE MILITARY EQUIPMENT USE POLICY.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING I.
NEXT IS A PUBLIC HEARING FROM COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TO CONSIDER AMENDMENT OF THE AGRICULTURAL PRESERVE, AS PER THE CALIFORNIA LAND CONSERVATION ACT OF 1965.
WILLIAMSON ACT AND MERCED COUNTY.
WELL, HELLO, DIRECTOR HENDRICKSON, MR. CHAIRMAN AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD. GOOD AFTERNOON.
THE PURPOSE OF THIS PUBLIC HEARING IS, AND YOU'VE SEEN THIS ITEM BEFORE SEVERAL TIMES, IS FOR YOU TO CONSIDER AMENDING THE AGRICULTURAL PRESERVE.
AND UPON YOUR APPROVAL OF THIS ITEM THREE APPLICANT REQUESTED PROPERTY LINE ADJUSTMENTS WILL BE EFFECTUATED.
SECTION 51233 OF THE CALIFORNIA GOVERNMENT CODE REQUIRES THE BOARD HOLD A PUBLIC HEARING TO AMEND THE AGRICULTURAL PRESERVE.
AND AGAIN, IF YOU WERE SO INCLINED TODAY, A TOTAL OF 51.30 ACRES WILL BE REMOVED AND 4.45 ACRES ADDED.
NOW, NONE OF THE SUBJECT PROPERTIES ARE UNDER WILLIAM THAT CONTRACT.
SO AT THIS POINT, THE STAFF RECOMMENDS TWO THINGS.
ONE, THAT YOU OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING AND THEN, OF COURSE, YOU TAKE PUBLIC TESTIMONY AND CLOSE THAT PUBLIC HEARING.
THEN THERE ARE ACTUALLY TWO SEPARATE ACTIONS FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION TODAY.
FIRST, TO MAKE A MOTION TO FIND THE REMOVAL OF LAND FROM THE AG PRESERVE LISTED IN THE BOARD AGENDA ITEM AS EXEMPT FROM CEQA UNDER SECTION 15183 PROJECTS CONSISTENT WITH THE COMMUNITY PLAN OR ZONING BASED ON THE FINDINGS LISTED IN YOUR STAFF REPORT.
AND THEN TWO TO MAKE A MOTION TO ADOPT THE RESOLUTION AS INCLUDED IN YOUR BOARD ITEM.
AGAIN, AMENDING THE AGRICULTURAL PRESERVE PER THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE LAND CONSERVATION ACT OF 1965.
WE'D LIKE TO TAKE JUST 1/2, THOUGH, TO ACKNOWLEDGE ONE OF MY PLANNERS, CAMERON CHRISTIE, IS RELATIVELY NEW TO MY ORGANIZATION.
THIS WAS HIS FIRST OPPORTUNITY TO WORK ON THIS ITEM.
AND SO I DON'T KNOW IF HE'S WATCHING OR NOT, BUT I WANTED TO LET HIM KNOW.
I VERY MUCH APPRECIATED THE WORK HE PUT INTO THIS ITEM TO GET THIS TO YOU TODAY.
SO AT THIS POINT, AGAIN, STAFF DOES RECOMMEND YOU OPEN YOUR PUBLIC HEARING, MR. CHAIRMAN. ALL RIGHT.
THANK YOU. ANY QUESTIONS, MR. ANDERSON? SEE, NONE WILL OPEN UP THE PUBLIC HEARING AT THIS TIME ON THE SAID HEARING. I SEE NO PUBLIC COMMENT, SO WE'LL CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENT.
DID YOU KNOW IF I DON'T TAP THE GAVEL, IT'S NOT REALLY CLOSED.
AND WHAT'S THE PLEASURE? MY COLLEAGUES, I HOPE.
THANK YOU. I WILL MAKE A MOTION TO FIND THAT THIS ITEM IS EXEMPT FROM SEQUEL UNDER 15317 AND THE FINDINGS THAT ARE BASED ON THE FINDINGS THAT ARE REPRESENTED IN THE STAFF REPORT. SECOND, THAT MOTION HAS BEEN MOVED BY SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA AND SECONDED BY SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING I.
ANY OPPOSED MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY.
THANK YOU, CHAIR. AND I WOULD MAKE THE MOTION TO ADOPT THE RESOLUTION TO AMEND THE AGRICULTURAL PRESERVE BOUNDARY AS REQUIRED BY THE WILLIAMSON ACT.
[02:00:01]
THANK YOU. IS THERE A SECOND BEEN MOVED BY SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA AND SECONDED BY SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING I.SAME SIGN. MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY PASSED HIS BOARD REPORTS.
[REPORTS/BOARD DIRECTION]
ALL RIGHT, WE'LL START TO MY LEFT.THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. I DO HAVE A FEW THINGS THAT I WANT TO DISCUSS WITH YOU TODAY.
NUMBER ONE, I JUST WANT TO TELL YOU THE START OF THE MEETING, I THINK WE ALL IT'S LIKE WE HAD A FULL HOUSE.
AND TYPICALLY WHEN WE HAVE A FULL HOUSE LIKE THAT, WE USUALLY THERE'S GOING TO BE A LOT OF, YOU KNOW, LITTLE ARROWS THROWN BACK AND FORTH.
AND SO TODAY IT WAS A FULL HOUSE FOR A REALLY GREAT REASON.
SO CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL OF OUR VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR AWARD WINNERS.
NOT ALL OF THEM, BUT A LOT OF THEM STEPPED UP DURING THE PANDEMIC.
AND QUITE HONESTLY, I WAS TALKING TO, YOU KNOW, WE HANDED OUT THESE CHALLENGE COINS TO SOME OF THE FOLKS AND AND FOR ALL THE PEOPLE THAT STEPPED UP AND VOLUNTEERED.
IF I HAD, WE HAD TO HAVE ONES FOR EVERY PERSON.
WE WOULD NEED THOUSANDS MORE OF THEM.
THAT'S JUST HOW GREAT OUR COMMUNITIES ARE.
SO A BIG CONGRATULATIONS TO THOSE FOLKS.
ALSO, JUST OUR STAFF FOLKS THAT THAT REACHED MILESTONES, WHETHER THEY WERE 15 YEARS, 20 YEARS IN AN OWL'S CASE.
30 YEARS. THAT'S IT'S YOU KNOW, I'M 44.
THAT'S, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF HIS YEARS.
AND AND I DO APPRECIATE AL THE MAN'S WEALTH OF KNOWLEDGE WHEN IT COMES TO THE STUFF IN THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT.
AND IT'S CRAZY BECAUSE YOU TALK TO PEOPLE ACROSS GENERATIONS, THEY ALL KNOW OUT FROM THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT. SO IT'S REALLY COOL.
AND I LEARNED A LOT MORE TODAY ABOUT KIND OF HIS BACKGROUND.
SO THE OTHER THING THAT I WANTED TO THANK TO DR.
NON NON-JEW ASSEMBLY BILL 2522, SHE WAS UP IN SACRAMENTO TESTIFYING WHILE WE WERE UP THERE FOR THE LEDGE CONFERENCE.
AND THEN BECAUSE OF A TECHNICAL ISSUE, THE, THE BILL, THEY HAD TO STRIKE OR THEY HAD TO DO SOMETHING BECAUSE THEY HAD SOME TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES.
BUT OUR CONSULTANT THAT WAS HELPING OUT WITH THAT, PAUL YODER, DID SEND ME A MESSAGE THAT THEY HAD TO GET A SPECIAL RULING AND IS COMING BACK.
AND SO BUT THANK HER FOR FOR BEING A CHAMPION ON THAT 2522 IS A BILL SPONSORED BY OUR ASSEMBLY MEMBER THAT IT'S FOR NON LICENSED PUBLIC HEALTH WORKERS TO GIVE THEM THE OPPORTUNITY THAT IF THEY WANT TO COME AND WORK IN SOME OF THE POORER RURAL COMMUNITIES SUCH AS OURSELVES, THAT THEY'RE ABLE TO GET SOME OF THEIR STUDENT LOANS FORGIVEN, JUST LIKE WE DO FOR OTHER MEDICAL LICENSED PROFESSIONALS.
SO GOOD ON YOU, BECKY, FOR THAT REMINDER THAT STARTING ON WEDNESDAY, THAT WOULD BE TOMORROW THROUGH SUNDAY, THE MERCED COUNTY SPRING FAIR WILL BE UP AND BACK IN ACTION.
I DO WANT TO REMIND FOLKS THAT THAT TRULY IS THE ONLY COUNTY FAIR IN MERCED COUNTY.
THE MERCED COUNTY FAIR THAT RESIDES HERE IN MERCED IS ACTUALLY A DISTRICT FAIR OF THE STATE. SO JUST KIND OF WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THAT DIFFERENCE THERE.
AND I WANT TO THANK MY COLLEAGUES AND THE STAFF THAT SHOWED UP.
WE ACTUALLY HAD OUR KICKOFF DINNER LAST SATURDAY IN LAS VEGAS AND A GREAT DEAL OF YOU SHOWED UP OUT THERE AND GOT TO SEE HOW IMPORTANT THAT FAIR IS, IS NOT ONLY TO MERCED COUNTY, BUT TO OUR COMMUNITY.
AND SO I'M THANKFUL FOR ALL OF YOU AND GOT A LOT OF LOTS OF POSITIVE COMBAT COMMENTS FROM RESIDENTS, FROM FOLKS THAT WERE THERE.
WOW. THE COUNTY THE COUNTY REALLY DO.
ALSO WANT TO GIVE A SPECIAL THANKS TO SO IF YOU GUYS UNDERSTAND, YOU KNOW, IT'S BEEN ALMOST THREE YEARS WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE CALENDAR FROM WHEN WE HAD OUR LAST FAIR BECAUSE WE WERE GETTING SET AND READY TO GO WITH OUR 2020 FAIR WHEN THE PANDEMIC HAPPENED. SO WE CANCELED 20, 20, 2021 AND NOW WE'RE HERE IN 22.
SO THE ACTUAL LAST FAIR THAT HAPPENED THERE WAS IN 2019.
SO, YOU KNOW, YOU LOSE 100% OF YOUR REVENUES JUST LIKE THAT OVERNIGHT.
SO BASICALLY THE FAIR WENT ON, WHAT WE CALL LIFE SUPPORT.
IT WAS THE MINIMUM THAT NEEDED TO BE DONE TO KEEP IT GOING BECAUSE BY THE GRACIOUSNESS OF THIS BOARD SUPPLEMENTED GENERAL FUND DOLLARS, TAXPAYER DOLLARS WENT INTO JUST KEEPING IT ON LIFE SUPPORT.
SO YOU FAST FORWARD TO NOW GETTING READY TO RAMP UP WHERE YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TENS OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE OVER THE NEXT FIVE.
IS THAT ARE GOING TO BE IN THAT FAIR.
AND WHAT WE HAVE FOUND IS, IS YOU HAVE AN AGING FACILITY AND EVERY TIME YOU TURN SOMETHING ON THAT HASN'T BEEN USED IN THREE YEARS, YOU FIND OUT WHERE ALL THE ISSUES ARE.
YOU GOT THREE YEARS WORTH OF OF BACKLOG.
THAT'S ALL CATCHING UP AT ONCE AND IT NEEDS TO BE FIXED.
AND SO WITH THAT BEING SAID, I WILL TELL YOU, THE COUNTY FAMILY HAS REALLY STEPPED UP FOLKS, THAT DPW, FOR EXAMPLE, YOU KNOW, WE HAD A WATERLINE BREAK OUT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE CARNIVAL LOT.
FOLKS STEPPED UP. WE HAD TO GET SOME SAND.
CALLS WERE MADE OUT TO DPW IN ORDER TO HELP US.
WE NEEDED THING TO KIND OF ROLL THIS SAND IN, KIND OF PACK IT BECAUSE THERE'S GOING TO BE CARNIVAL RIDES SET UP ON THAT.
[02:05:02]
SO I WANT TO THANK DANA AND HIS STAFF FOR FOR REALLY HELPING MAKE MAKE THOSE THINGS HAPPEN. WE GOT NEW LOCKS AT THE FAIRGROUNDS.WELL, WHEN THEY HANDED THE LOCKS OUT, THEY ONLY NEEDED LIKE TWO KEYS BECAUSE THAT'S ABOUT THE MANY PEOPLE THAT WERE THERE.
WELL, NOW HERE WE ARE AT FAIR TIME WHERE YOU NEED YOU GOT SECURITY PEOPLE, YOU GET DIFFERENT PEOPLE. WE NEED LOCKS.
CALL WAS MADE. THESE ARE SPECIAL KEYS.
YOU CAN'T YOU CAN'T DUPLICATE THESE KEYS.
SO, AGAIN, WAYS THAT THEY STEPPED UP.
ANOTHER ONE THAT I WANT TO SHARE IS THE AUDITOR AUDITOR'S OFFICE.
YOU KNOW, YOU KIND OF HAVE TO HAVE PETTY CASH TO START THE FAIR WELL, NEW FAIR MANAGER, A LOT OF NEW PEOPLE.
WE FORGOT TO MAKE THE CALL TO THE BANK TO ORDER PETTY CASH.
IT'S NOT JUST SOMETHING YOU CAN'T JUST GO GET $5,000 IN ONES AND $10,000 IN FIVES.
YOU CAN'T JUST CALL THE BANK AND GET THAT.
YOU GOT TO GOT TO ORDER THAT IN.
BUT WITH THE HELP OF THE AUDITOR COMPTROLLER'S OFFICE, YOU KNOW, LINDSAY JOHNSON, WHO'S THE MANAGEMENT AND MANAGEMENT ANALYST THAT HAS BEEN THERE, WHO'S KIND OF HELPS WITH THE FAIR PHONE CALLS BACK AND FORTH, REALLY JUST STEPPED UP.
AND REALLY AND I WANT TO THANK WELLS FARGO.
THAT IS OUR BANK THAT WE USE HERE AT THE COUNTY FOR REALLY KIND OF LAST MINUTE TRYING TO SCRAMBLE TOGETHER ONES AND FIVES FOR A FAIR THAT'S SUPPOSED TO START TOMORROW.
SO JUST AN ALL HANDS ON DECK APPROACH.
AND THEN JUST THE LAST THING IS I WANT TO SAY IS, IS MARCY BREWER AND HER GROUP STEPPING UP? WE'RE FACING EMPLOYEE CHALLENGES AT THE FAIR.
JUST YOU KNOW, FOLKS, I'M SORRY, I'M GOING TO GO OFF ON A LITTLE BIT HERE.
BUT WHEN YOU MAKE IT EASY FOR PEOPLE TO NOT WANT TO GO TO WORK, THEY DON'T GO TO WORK.
AND SO WE'RE FACING THOSE CHALLENGES.
AGAIN, THE WORD WENT OUT TO COUNTY STAFF TO KIND OF HELP FILL SOME OF THOSE POSITIONS OF BEING THE ONES THAT COLLECT TICKETS, SELL TICKETS OR WHATNOT.
AND AND THEY HAVE FILLED A LOT OF THOSE POSITIONS TO REALLY HELP OUT THE SPRING FAIR.
AND SO WITH THAT, MR. CHAIR, I JUST WANT TO INVITE YOU ALL OUT OF A JOB TO THE BEST SIDE OF THE COUNTY, THE WEST SIDE OF THE COUNTY. WE'RE LOOKING AT LIKE GREAT WEATHER ALL WEEK.
AND I WILL TELL YOU, THINGS ON THE FRONT END LOOK REALLY WELL.
OUR TICKET SALES ARE UP OVER 50% OF WHERE THEY WERE PRE SALES ARE UP OVER 50% OF WHERE THEY WERE WHEN WE HAD OUR LAST FAIR.
I THINK THE NUMBER IS MORE LIKE 60 OR 70% NOW.
SO COME OUT, IT'S GOING TO BE A GOOD TIME.
IT'S THE THEME IS IS GOING NUTS WITH THE ALLMAN THEME, YOU KNOW.
SO AGAIN, WE HAVE COUNTY DAY ON THURSDAY.
I ENCOURAGE YOU GUYS HAVE ALL BEEN INVITED.
OPENING CEREMONIES START AT 10:00 AND IT'LL BE A GOOD TIME.
THANK YOU. SURE. YOU'RE WELCOME.
WHAT WERE WE DOING? OH, JUST KIDDING.
AND TO FOLLOW UP WITH MY COLLEAGUE ON THAT, IT IS A MERCED COUNTY FAIR.
AND I THINK WE KEEP REITERATING THAT BECAUSE A LOT OF PEOPLE STILL CALL IT THE LOS BANOS FAIR, BUT I THINK.
WHAT'S THAT? SO I THINK YOU CAN SEE WE'RE ALL IN ON IT.
AND SO WE'RE REALLY MAKING A PUSH TO ENCOURAGE THE EAST SIDE TO ATTEND AT THE WEST SIDE. I REMINDED THE MAYOR AT MCCAIG LAST WEEK THAT COME OUT TO THE LOS BANOS FAIR AND I CORRECT. SO ONE THING I'D LIKE TO ADDRESS IS IT'S A COMMON PROBLEM.
WE SEE IT THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY, MAYBE SOME OF OUR FRANCHISE AGREEMENTS AND WHETHER THEY HAVE BUSINESS LICENSES TO OPERATE HERE IN MERCED COUNTY.
AND I'M NOT OUT TO DO A CEASE AND DESIST.
IT'S HOW DO WE MAKE THESE FOLKS COMPLIANT? BECAUSE RIGHT NOW THE FOLKS WHO ARE OPERATING UNDER THE BUSINESS LICENSE FRANCHISE AGREEMENTS ARE PUTTING A LOT OF MONEY OUT THERE.
I THINK $1,000,000 LIABILITY JUST TO GUARANTEE THAT THERE ISN'T FOOD WASTE IN CONTAINERS. SO I'M NOT SAYING THAT WE NEED TO CLOSE DOWN THESE BUSINESSES, BUT FOLKS ARE DOING BUSINESS ILLEGALLY AND MERCED COUNTY AND WE NEED TO BRING THEM UP TO COMPLIANCE.
SO, MR. CHAIR, I DON'T KNOW IF WE NEED TO MAKE AN AD HOC COMMITTEE OR IF WE NEED TO DO STAFF DIRECTION ON ADDRESSING THIS.
BUT WE SEE IT EVERY WEEKEND WITH FOLKS CONTINUING TO DO BUSINESS IN MERCED COUNTY.
IT'S GOT TO BE A LEVEL PLAYING FIELD.
MY BUSINESS, I WAS IN FOUR DIFFERENT STATES, A NUMBER OF COUNTIES AND EVERY COUNTY.
I HAD TO PULL A BUSINESS LICENSE BEFORE I CAN CONDUCT BUSINESS IN THERE.
THAT'S JUST THE WAY WE THAT'S THE WAY BUSINESS IS.
WE AGREE WITH IT. A LOT OF TIMES, NO, I DIDN'T.
IT WAS A PAIN IN THE BUTT, I'LL BE HONEST.
BUT I DID IT BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT YOU HAD TO DO.
BOTTOM LINE IS WE HAVE TO KNOW WHEN THE FOLLOW THROUGH ISN'T THERE.
SOMEBODY HAS TO PICK IT UP AND IT DOESN'T FALL ON GOVERNMENT.
SO MOVING FORWARD WITH THAT, I DID ATTEND SEE SEC LEDGE WEEK LAST WEEK.
IT'S TOO BAD THEY HAD THE LAST COMMITTEE TO THE VERY END WITH AGRICULTURE AND NATURAL RESOURCES. BUT FOLKS, THERE'S A LOT OF I DON'T KNOW WHAT OUR STATE LEGISLATURE IS THINKING UP THERE, BUT IT'S ALMOST A COMPETITION TO SEE WHO CAN COME UP WITH THE
[02:10:01]
MOST OUTRAGEOUS OR LIBERAL LAWS.THEY'RE JUST TRYING TO OUTDO EACH OTHER ON HOW CAN WE BE MORE EGREGIOUS TO TO THE PEOPLE HERE IN CALIFORNIA.
IT WAS REMINISCENT SITTING IN SOME OF THOSE WHEN YOU'RE LISTENING TO WHAT'S BEING PROPOSED. IT'S REMINISCENT OF COVID WHEN IT FIRST TOOK EFFECT.
CALIFORNIA WOULD MAKE THIS EGREGIOUS AGREEMENT AND THEN NEW YORK WOULD OUTDO THEM.
WELL, THEN THE STATE OF NEW YORK WOULD SAY, WELL, I CAN DO BETTER THAN THAT.
AND IT WAS JUST LIKE A STAIR STEP UNTIL IT WAS ALMOST IT WAS OUT OF CONTROL.
BUT THAT'S WHAT'S GOING ON IN SACRAMENTO RIGHT NOW.
AND IT'S WE'RE THANKFUL WE HAVE C SEC AND RC.
RC, THEY'RE TRYING TO RIGHT THE SHIP BECAUSE WE CAN'T LET IT GET TOO FAR OUT OF BALANCE.
I DID WAS ABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE HILLARY COUNTY TOWN HALL.
YOU MIGHT ASK WHAT'S A COUNTY SUPERVISOR DOING THERE? BUT I WAS THERE REPRESENTING 99 MADERA COUNTY, MERCED COUNTY AND TULARE COUNTY ARE TEAMING UP TOGETHER, GOING BACK TO THE STATE, TELLING THEM THE FISH FINISH THE 99 PROJECT. WE'RE THE ONLY THREE COUNTIES THAT HAVE FOUR LANES INSTEAD OF THE SIX.
THAT WAS THE ORIGINAL BUSINESS PLAN 40 YEARS AGO.
THE CALIFORNIA TRANSFER TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION WAS THERE.
THEY GET IT. IT'S JUST HOW DO WE CONTINUE THE FUNDING? THERE'S A BILL SITTING RIGHT NOW IN THE ASSEMBLY WHERE I THINK IT'S ACTUALLY ARAMBULA WHO DOES NOT WANT TO WIDEN ANY MORE ROAD PROJECTS THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE STATE.
AND LAST THING I REMEMBER IS THEY'RE TRYING TO SAY THEY'RE TRYING TO FORCE US INTO ELECTRIC VEHICLES.
WHETHER WE AGREE WITH IT OR DISAGREE WITH IT, WE'RE STILL GOING TO BE IN ELECTRIC VEHICLES AND WE STILL NEED ROADS TO DRIVE ON.
AND WE STILL NEED MORE LANES BECAUSE THERE'S MORE ELECTRIC VEHICLES AND HYDROGEN VEHICLES HAPPENING ALL THE TIME.
THAT'S PART OF THE NON SEXY FIGHT THAT WE HAVE HERE AS BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, BUT IT'S A LOT OF STUFF YOU DON'T. SO I'M KIND OF JUST COMPLAINING TO EVERYBODY ELSE TO KNOW WHAT OUR FIGHT IS. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. SUPERVISOR ESPINOZA THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. WELL, I'M JUST WANT TO SAY I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS BEING FAIR AS SUPERVISORS SURVEYORS SAID THAT THIS IS A MERCER COUNTY FAIR AND ALL THE SUPERVISOR WE APPOINT COMMITTEE MEMBERS TO THE SPRING FAIR.
SO IT IS FUNDED BY THE WHOLE COUNTY AND CITIZENS.
SO, YOU KNOW, I ENCOURAGE EVERYBODY TO ATTEND.
I'VE NEVER ATTENDED. SO THIS WILL BE MY FIRST TIME ATTENDING.
AND, YOU KNOW, LIKE I SAID, I THINK WE'RE ALL EXCITED AFTER THREE YEARS ANYWAY OF ATTENDING EVENTS. SO I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO IT.
SO AND ALSO I'D LIKE TO STATE THAT I ATTENDED AT THE WORLD CONFERENCE IN SELMA, CALIFORNIA ON APRIL 2ND.
THIS IS A WATER EDUCATION FOR LATINO LEADERS.
SO A LOT OF ELECTORS UP AND DOWN THE STATE GET TOGETHER AND ATTEND THIS CONFERENCE.
SO YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE LATINO AS LONG AS YOU'RE ELECTED.
SO WE'RE ALL YOU KNOW, THIS YEAR IT WAS UP HERE IN SELMA IN THE CENTRAL VALLEY.
SO WHAT I LIKE TO SHARE WITH MY COLLEAGUES UP AND DOWN THE STATE IS THAT WE GOT TO SHARE OUR WATER. WE GOT TO COOPERATE IN A USEFUL OF TALK ABOUT WATER AND LEARN HOW TO WE CAN CONSERVE AND ALSO SHARE UP AND DOWN THE VALLEY.
OF COURSE, YOU KNOW, SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA HAS ACTUALLY MORE PARTICIPANTS SINCE THEY HAVE MORE POPULATION. SO THAT'S WHY I TRY TO STRAIN, YOU KNOW, ALWAYS TRY TO SAY, HEY, LET'S SHARE OUR WATER, NOT LET'S NOT FIGHT.
SO EVEN THOSE FIGHTING WORDS, RIGHT.
SO ALSO MAY 7TH IS A COMMUNITY DAY.
I ENCOURAGE EVERYBODY TO ATTEND.
AND ALSO MAY SIX IS THE GRAND OPENING OF THE PLANADA COMMUNITY PARK.
LIKE I SAID, I HOPE YOU GUYS CAN COME IN AND ENJOY THAT GRAND OPENING ON MAY 6TH AND THE MAY 7TH WILL BE THE BLACK COMMUNITY.
SO, YOU KNOW, WE I THINK THE WHOLE COMMUNITY IS IN JUST JOYFUL AND THANKFUL FOR ALL OUR STAFF THAT. APPLY FOR A GRANTS AND WAS ABLE TO MAKE THOSE IMPROVEMENTS ALONG WITH PUBLIC WORKS AND RECREATION.
I THINK THANKFUL FOR THE BOARD AS WELL TO FOR THE SUPPORT.
SO COME ON DOWN TO THE SIXTH AND SEVENTH OF THIS MAY.
THANK YOU. YOU'RE WELCOME, SUPERVISOR PEDROZO.
THANK YOU. I TOO ATTENDED THE CCI CONFERENCE AND I AGREE WITH SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL IN REGARDS TO SOME OF THE LEGISLATION THAT'S COMING OUT.
IT'S VERY FRUSTRATING WHEN YOU'RE SITTING UP THERE AND YOU'RE LISTENING TO THESE DIFFERENT MEETINGS. IT'S VERY DIFFICULT.
I WENT TO THE LOS BANOS FAIR DINNER AND I HAVE TO SAY I ON SATURDAY NIGHT AND
[02:15:07]
SUPERVISOR SYLVIA'S DAUGHTER WAS SPEAKING AND I SENT HIM A MESSAGE SAYING, DID YOU NEED TO TAKE SOME NOTES FROM YOUR YOUR DAUGHTER ON PUBLIC SPEAKING? BECAUSE SHE DID. SHE DID.SO BUT IT WAS REALLY COOL TO GO OUT AND SEE IT.
I WAS ALSO ABLE TO ATTEND THE VILLAGE OF HOPE RIBBON CUTTING ON FRIDAY.
THE VILLAGE OF HOPE IS A IT'S RUN BY THE RESCUE MISSION.
IT'S A PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN THE COUNTY AND THE CITIES TO DO MORE HOUSING FOR HOMELESSNESS. SO THERE'S TEN PERMANENT HOUSING UNITS, TEN TRANSITIONAL HOUSING UNITS FOR FAMILIES, 32 RESPITE CARE BEDS.
AND THEN THEY'RE ALSO WORKING WITH US FOR 12 SOBERING BEDS TO GET PEOPLE OFF OFF THE STREET. SO IT'S IT'S REALLY A PARTNERSHIP AND IT'S REALLY IT'S REALLY COOL TO SEE THAT, YOU KNOW, IF YOU TALK TO JOHN CHECKLEY AND IF YOU TALK TO HIM TWO YEARS AGO, JOHN WOULD ALWAYS SAY, WE HAVE THE PLANS IN PLACE.
AND SO NOW WE'RE GETTING THE HOUSING STUFF TAKEN CARE OF.
I ALSO MEANT TO PULL THIS EARLIER.
EXCUSE ME, BUT I WANTED TO THERE WAS A PART ON HERE AND I WANTED TO WHERE WE DID CERTIFICATES FOR THE MERCED COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT AND AWARDED THE SPEECH THE SPEECH WINNERS FOR THE YEAR.
AND MY SON HAPPENED TO BE ONE OF THEM.
SO THIS IS A PROUD DAD THING FOR ME.
SO I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT I MENTIONED THAT.
BUT ALSO JIM BROWNSON WAS ONE OF THEM AS WELL.
SO IT WAS REALLY COOL TO GO OUT AND SEE THESE KIDS SPEAK.
IT WAS ONE OF THE GIRLS GOT UP AND SPOKE.
IT WAS REALLY INTERESTING AND SHE HAS A LEARNING DISABILITY AND SHE WAS AMAZING.
I MEAN, SHE WAS, I THINK, SIX OR SEVENTH GRADE AND IT WAS IT WAS REALLY GOOD.
AND THEN ALSO I WOULD LIKE TO ADJOURN THE MEETING FOR DAVE NINNY.
MANY OF YOU KNOW DAVE OR DID NO DAVE.
HE WAS A BUSINESS OWNER IN MERCED FOR MANY YEARS, OWN TIRE WORLD.
BUT HE WAS VERY PASSIONATE ABOUT THE YOUTH AND YOUTH SPORTS.
HE RAN MIRSAD YOUTH BASEBALL FOR MANY, MANY, MANY YEARS.
I GOT TO KNOW DAVE THROUGH MERCEDES YOUTH BASEBALL.
BUT AS MOST OF YOU KNOW, IN 2004, HIS TWIN SONS, KEVIN AND BRIAN, WERE TRAGICALLY, TRAGICALLY DIED ON A FISHING TRIP IN IN THE SAN LUIS RESERVOIR, AND THEY NEVER WERE ABLE TO RECOVER THE BODIES OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
DAVE SPENT HIS TIME WITH HIS FAMILY, WITH THE MERCED YOUTH BASEBALL.
BUT THEN ONE OF THE OTHER THINGS THAT HE DID WAS HE ORGANIZED THE NINJA GAME AND THE NINJA GAME STARTED IN 2004.
AND IT'S THE RIVALRY GAME, BASEBALL GAME BETWEEN MERCED HIGH AND GOLDEN VALLEY.
AND EVERY YEAR THEY HAND OUT SCHOLARSHIPS TO THE GRADUATING SENIORS FOR EVERY SENIOR, REGARDLESS OF WHERE THEY GO IN SCHOOL.
IF THEY'RE GOING INTO THE MILITARY, THEN WHAT THEY DO IS THEY HOLD ON TO THE MONEY AND THEN ONCE THEY FINISH, THEY GIVE THEM THE MONEY AFTER THAT.
SO THEY'VE SINCE 2004, I DON'T EVEN I DON'T KNOW THE NUMBERS, BUT THEY'VE BEEN VERY SUCCESSFUL. AND IT JUST GOES TO SHOW, YOU KNOW, AS WE TALKED ABOUT, TALK ABOUT THE VOLUNTEER RECOGNITIONS.
DAVE WASN'T A PERSON AND I'M SURE IF IF IF YOU KNEW DAVE, YOU WOULD KNOW THAT HE WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN HE PROBABLY WOULDN'T HAVE LIKED ME TO EVEN ADJOURN IN HIS HONOR, BECAUSE THAT'S JUST HOW DAVE WAS.
BUT DAVE WAS A GREAT GUY AND HE'S GOING TO BE REALLY MISSED IN OUR COMMUNITY.
SO THAT'S IT. HEY, COUNTY COUNCIL CEO MENDEZ.
YES, THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. JUST A COUPLE OF ITEMS THIS AFTERNOON.
FIRST OFF, GOOD BOARD MEETING.
I APPRECIATE THE BOARD'S SUPPORT OF SEVERAL ITEMS THAT HIGHLIGHT AND SHOWCASE THE COLLABORATION THAT'S EXISTING OR THAT EXISTS BETWEEN THE COUNTY AND SOME OF OUR PARTNER CITIES, WHETHER IT'S WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT.
THERE IS A FOCUS ON MAKING SURE THAT WE WORK TOGETHER.
SO AGAIN APPRECIATE THE BOARD FOR FOR THEIR SUPPORT THERE.
I DID WANT TO REMIND THE COMMUNITY AND THE BOARD THAT TOMORROW WE WILL SUPERVISOR ESPINOZA WILL BE HOSTING THE LAST TOWN HALL MEETING OF OUR SERIES OF TOWN HALLS TOMORROW, 6:00 PM DISTRICT ONE WILL BE THE FOCUS FOR ALL THE INFORMATION YOU CAN.
[02:20:06]
I CAN DIRECT YOU TO OUR COUNTY WEBSITE AND THEN ALSO OUR SOCIAL MEDIA OUTLETS.AND THEN LAST BUT NOT LEAST, IN THE SPIRIT OF APPRECIATION, WHICH SEEMS TO BE THE THEME FOR TODAY, JUST WANT TO REMIND EVERYBODY THAT TOMORROW IS NATIONAL ADMINISTRATIVE PROFESSIONALS DAY.
I BELIEVE THAT THE BOARD AND SOME OF OUR DEPARTMENT HEADS WOULD AGREE THAT THE SUPPORT THAT WE RECEIVE FROM OUR ADMINISTRATIVE PROFESSIONALS IS IS KEY TO OUR SUCCESS.
AND SO I WANTED TO EXTEND JUST A REMARK OF APPRECIATION TO ALL THE FOLKS THAT SERVE IN THAT CAPACITY WITHIN THE COUNTY ORGANIZATION.
WE WILL BE TAKING SOME TIME TOMORROW TO HONOR THOSE INDIVIDUALS.
SO THANK YOU SO MUCH, MR. CHAIR. YOU'RE WELCOME. IF I MIGHT MAKE A LITTLE JOKE, BUT I'M GOING TO APPOINT SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA AND SUPERVISOR ESPINOZA.
YOU'RE IN CHARGE OF THE AD HOC COMMITTEE TO GET HIM SOME FLOWERS FOR TOMORROW.
SO BUT ON A MORE SERIOUS NOTE, DIRECTOR FOR OF BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AND RECOVERY SERVICES VALENTINE CAME UP AND SHARED SOME STATISTICS WITH US EARLIER, AND I WANT TO REITERATE THEM PRE-PANDEMIC. 7% OF THE OF THE YOUTH WERE IN NEED OF MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES.
TODAY, THAT NUMBER AS OF LAST WEEK IS 48%.
I FEAR WE'RE GOING TO LOSE MORE YOUTH TO SUICIDE BY FAR THAN WE DID TO THE PANDEMIC.
AND SO IT JUST SADDENS ME OF WHAT WE DID TO OUR YOUTH BY CLOSING DOWN OUR SCHOOLS FOR SO LONG. I UNDERSTAND IN THE BEGINNING WHEN WE DIDN'T KNOW THE SEVERITY OF IT, BUT BUT ONCE WE KIND OF GOT A HANDLE ON IT IN THE STATISTICS STARTED BEARING OUT THAT THAT THE PANDEMIC, ESPECIALLY IN YOUTH, WAS WAS VERY, VERY MINIMAL IN EFFECT OR ANYWAY.
AND SO I JUST WANT TO SHARE AGAIN THAT IF, YOU KNOW, A YOUTH THAT'S ACTING DIFFERENTLY, YOU KNOW, PLEASE TAKE THE TIME TO TO CONNECT WITH OUR BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AND RECOVERY SERVICES OR JUST TAKE TIME TO ASK THEM QUESTIONS.
RIGHT? SPEND SOME TIME WITH THEM, TAKE THEM FOR AN ICE CREAM AND JUST, YOU KNOW, JUST ASK NOT REAL DIRECT QUESTIONS, BUT JUST LITTLE QUESTIONS IF THEY'RE FEELING OKAY AND AND HOPEFULLY THEY'LL OPEN UP WITH YOU.
I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THAT TONIGHT.
WE HAVE A VICTIMS RIGHTS CEREMONY HERE AT COURTHOUSE PARK AT 6:00.
I HAVE ATTENDED SINCE I BECAME SUPERVISOR.
SO ANYWAYS, IT'S JUST IT'S A REAL HUMBLING EXPERIENCE TO BE THERE AND LISTEN TO THE STORIES OF THOSE WHO'VE HAD LOVED ONES THAT WERE BASICALLY VICTIMS OF VIOLENT CRIMES TELL THEIR STORY. AND, YOU KNOW, ON THE NEWS, YOU ALWAYS SEE ABOUT THE, YOU KNOW, THE CRIMINALS RIGHTS. BUT THE NEWS NEVER SHOWS REALLY THE VICTIMS AND HOW IT AFFECTS THEIR LIVES FOREVER AFTER THAT. SO TONIGHT, 6:00 AT COURTHOUSE PARK, A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO, IT WAS FRIDAY THE EIGHTH. I MY WIFE AND I ACTUALLY ATTENDED THE VALLEY CRISIS CENTER HUMAN TRAFFICKING WORKSHOP.
AND IT WAS VERY EYE OPENING FOR MYSELF AND FOR MY WIFE AS WELL.
AND THIS HIGHLIGHTED BY THE THE YOUNG EIGHT YEAR OLD GIRL THAT WAS FOUND MURDERED IN NORTH MERCED SAID A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO OR A MONTH AGO.
RIGHT. WE WERE SEEING WAS WELL IN THE BAY AREA AND THEN SHE WAS IMMERSED AND THEN SHE WAS IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA AND KIND OF MADE THIS LOOP.
AND AND THEN WHAT CAME AWARE TO MY AWARENESS AT THIS CONFERENCE WAS THAT MERCED IS ON THE LOOP OF THE HUMAN TRAFFICKING CYCLE.
RIGHT. AND SO IT GOES INTO NORTHERN CALIFORNIA.
SO PLEASE BE AWARE OF OF WHAT'S GOING ON.
AND IF YOU SEE STUFF THAT DOESN'T SEEM NORMAL, YOU KNOW, AND PEOPLE ARE IF YOU CALL SOMEBODY, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE THINKING, WELL, WHAT IF I'M WRONG, RIGHT? WELL, WHAT IF YOU'RE RIGHT? RIGHT. THAT LITTLE GIRL MAY HAVE BEEN HER LIFE MAY HAVE BEEN SPARED IF SOMEBODY WOULD HAVE DONE THAT. AND SO ANYWAYS, I'D LIKE TO THANK THE VALLEY CRISIS CENTER FOR PUTTING ON THAT WORKSHOP. AND AND QUITE A FEW OF OUR COUNTY STAFF WERE THERE AND PARTICIPATED ALONG WITH THEIR COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
AND THEN I TOO ATTENDED THE VILLAGE OF HOPE RIBBON CUTTING LAST FRIDAY.
AND AS SUPERVISOR PEDROZO SAID THAT THAT'S A BIG STEP IN HELPING THE LEAST OF THESE IN OUR COMMUNITIES. SO THANK YOU.
NOW THERE'S A THERE'S AN ASSEMBLY BILL THAT'S GOING THROUGH SACRAMENTO.
AND AND I WASN'T GOING TO SAY ANYTHING ABOUT IT, BUT BOTH OF MY COLLEAGUES HIGHLIGHTED THE LUDICROUS SEE THAT'S GOING ON IN SACRAMENTO.
SO THERE IS A BILL THAT'S AB 22, 23.
AND IN THIS BILL, IT ALLOWS A MOTHER.
TO KILL HER INFANT, HER BORN TODDLER, THAT'S THEIR CUTE AND CUDDLY, ALLOWS HER TO KILL THAT INFANT WITHOUT CRIMINAL PROSECUTION.
AND SO ANYWAYS, THOSE OF YOU OUT THERE IN COMPUTER MONITOR LAND, IF YOU'RE LISTENING,
[02:25:02]
GO AHEAD AND SEARCH AB 22, 23 AND MAKE A PHONE CALL NOT TO MERCED COUNTY.WELL, YOU CAN DO THAT TOO, BUT BUT TO YOUR REPRESENTATIVE IN SACRAMENTO AND LET'S STOP THE CRAZINESS THAT THAT IS EVOLVING RIGHT BEFORE OUR EYES.
OH, I'M SORRY. YEAH, SUPERVISOR ESPINOZA.
I ALMOST FORGOT YOU. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. AND THANK YOU, ROBERT MENDEZ, FOR THE REMINDER ON TOMORROW NIGHT'S TOWN HALL MEETING, I ENCOURAGE EVERYBODY TO PLEASE LISTEN IN OR CALL IN, ASK QUESTIONS, AND WE'LL HAVE A GREAT STAFF.
DEPARTMENT HEADS TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT WE NEED MORE SPECIFICS ON.
SO HOPEFULLY YOU GUYS CAN CALL IN OR LISTEN ON.
AND SO THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. SO I'LL BE SHARING IT ALSO ON FACEBOOK.
SO IT'S ON FACEBOOK AND ON TV.
SO PLEASE CALL IN AND CHAT AND SHARE.
THANK YOU. THANKS FOR THAT REMINDER.
AND WITH THAT, I WILL CALL THIS MEETING
ADJOURNED.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.