[00:00:05] FIRST A MEETING OF THE MERCED COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS THIS MORNING. WE DID HAVE A CLOSED SESSION AND STAFF WAS GIVEN DIRECTION. AT THIS TIME, WE'LL HAVE THE INVOCATION AND THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. STACEY COOLEY WILL BE DOING THE INVOCATION. AND SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA, WOULD YOU LEAD US IN THE PLEDGE AFTERWARDS? THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS HONOR AND PRIVILEGE. PLEASE, BOW YOUR HEARTS AND HEADS WITH ME THIS MORNING. DEAR, GRACIOUS HEAVENLY FATHER, WE COME BEFORE YOU TODAY AND THANK YOU FOR OUR MANY BLESSINGS. WE THANK YOU THAT YOUR WORD SAYS IN HEBREWS THAT WE CAN COME BOLDLY TO YOUR THRONE OF GRACE TO OBTAIN MERCY. SO WE DO THAT TODAY, FATHER, FOR ANY AREA THAT WE HAVE FALLEN SHORT, FOR ANY AREA THAT WE MAY HAVE WEAKNESS, WE ASK FOR YOUR FORGIVENESS AND PRAY THAT YOU WOULD MAKE UP FOR ANY SHORTCOMINGS. YOUR WORD SAYS THAT YOUR STRENGTH IS MADE PERFECT IN OUR WEAKNESS. SO WE ASK FOR YOUR STRENGTH TODAY, LORD, WE INVITE YOUR PRESENCE INTO THIS ROOM, AS YOUR WORD SAYS THAT WE'RE TWO OR MORE GATHERED IN YOUR NAME. THERE YOU ARE IN THE MIDST. SO WE THANK YOU THAT YOU ARE HERE TODAY AND THAT YOUR HAND IS MOVING AND GUIDING US. FATHER, WE DEDICATE THIS BOARD MEETING TO YOU AND ASK THAT YOU WOULD ANOINT OUR BOARD, COUNTY COUNCIL AND CEO MENDEZ TO DO YOUR WILL ON THIS DAY, WE ASK THAT YOUR PRESENCE WOULD PROVIDE PEACE, COMFORT, WISDOM AND BOLDNESS TO DO WHAT YOU HAVE APPOINTED THEM TO DO ON THIS DAY. TOUCH ALL STAFF THAT ARE OPERATING THIS BOARD MEETING. GRANT THEM THE SKILL, GRACE AND WISDOM TO PERFORM THEIR FUNCTION. WE ASK FOR YOUR DIVINE PROTECTION AND GUIDANCE AND THANK YOU FOR THESE THINGS. AND PARTICULARLY THANK YOU FOR BEING SUCH A FAITHFUL AND LOVING FATHER. WE GIVE YOU THIS DAY AND ASK THAT YOU WOULD USE EACH OF US TO SHARPEN EACH OTHER AS IT SAYS IN PROVERBS, AS IRON SHARPENS IRON. SO WHEN MAN SHARPENS THE COUNTENANCE OF A FRIEND, HELP US TO KEEP EACH OTHER ACCOUNTABLE AND TO WORK TOWARDS YOUR GOOD. WE ASK ALL OF THESE THINGS IN THE PRECIOUS AND HOLY NAME OF JESUS. AMEN. THANK YOU FOR THAT INVOCATION, STACEY. I APPRECIATE IT. [PUBLIC OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK] IT'S TIME FOR A PUBLIC OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK ON ANY MATTER OF PUBLIC 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. GOOD MORNING, HONORABLE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, AND, OF COURSE, OUR CHAIRMAN, KAREN ADAMS, YOUR FAVORITE TAX COLLECTOR, MERCED COUNTY TREASURER, TAX COLLECTOR. AND I'M HERE TODAY JUST TO CROW. IT'S ALWAYS NICE WHEN YOU HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY AND I SHOULD DO A LOT MORE OF THIS BECAUSE I'M ONLY AS GREAT AS THE GREAT PEOPLE I SURROUND MYSELF WITH. AND SEVERAL YEARS AGO, NACO HAD A NATIONAL PROGRAM THAT THEY SOUGHT COLLABORATION WITH CSAC AND CALTRECHS WAS FORMED. AND KAREN HELMS, MY ASSISTANT TREASURER, TAX COLLECTOR, I'M A GREAT DELEGATOR, TOOK ON THIS PROGRAM AND WE BECAME THE FIRST CALIFORNIA COUNTY TO MOVE FORWARD, INTEGRATING MEGABYTE TAX SYSTEM WITH THE CALTRECHS. SO IT'S A STREAMLINED PROGRAM WORKING WITH THE FRANCHISE TAX BOARD. SO I'LL LET KAREN HELMS SPEAK ON THIS. AND I IN OUR OCTOBER CONFERENCE AT OUR OCTOBER CONFERENCE, KAREN WAS AWARDED THIS CHECK AND RECOGNIZED STATEWIDE. SO IT WAS A GREAT PRIVILEGE OF ME TO WITNESS THIS. AND I'M VERY GRATEFUL AGAIN FOR KAREN AND ALL OF MY STAFF. AND THANK YOU. KAREN PRETTY MUCH SAID IT ALL, BUT IT WAS REALLY A GREAT PLEASURE TO BE THE PILOT COUNTY FOR THIS PROGRAM, CALTRECHS. WE PARTNERED WITH NACO, CSAC AND OUR MEGABYTE PROGRAM IN ORDER TO MAKE THIS PROGRAM SEAMLESS. SO REALLY, IT'S JUST AN HONOR TO BE ABLE TO DO THIS. AND ALSO, IT'S GREAT TO SEE THE NUMBER AS BIG AS DAY, AND THAT'S ALL I HAVE. ALL RIGHT. WELL, THANK YOU AND CONGRATULATIONS. YOU'RE WELCOME. THAT'S GOOD. GOOD MORNING. GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS ANDREW AND I'M A DISPATCHER WITH THE MERCED COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE. I'VE ADDRESSED THIS BOARD IN THE PAST. SADLY, I'M STANDING HERE THIS MORNING AGAIN, DISAPPOINTED AS A MERCED COUNTY EMPLOYEE. I'M DISAPPOINTED IN THE LACK OF LEADERSHIP PROVIDED BY THIS BOARD IN FRONT OF ME TO EVEN INCLUDE THE NEWLY MINTED EXECUTIVE OFFICER MENDEZ, WHO, UPON BEING [00:05:09] APPOINTED, SPOKE ABOUT HIS DESIRE TO SERVE THIS COMMUNITY. IN ORDER TO SERVE THIS COMMUNITY. YOU ALSO HAVE TO SERVE THE INDIVIDUALS YOU EMPLOY WHO DIRECTLY SERVE THIS COMMUNITY MEMBERS EVERY DAY. AS THE BOARD IS WELL AWARE. UNIT 14, WHICH INCLUDES DISPATCHERS AND DEPUTY CORNERS, STILL NOT COME TO TERMS WITH A NEW CONTRACT WITH THE COUNTY. IN A TIME PERIOD WHERE HIRING FIRST RESPONDERS IS INCREASINGLY DIFFICULT. SOCIETY'S VIEW OF LAW ENFORCEMENT IS INCREASINGLY NEGATIVE AND BURNOUT RATES ARE INCREASING EXPONENTIALLY. OUR QUOTE UNQUOTE, COUNTY LEADERSHIP IS ABANDONING ITS EMPLOYEES AND FAILING TO FACILITATE AND SOLVING OUR CRISIS. I'M WELL AWARE OUR REPRESENTATION HAS REACHED OUT TO THE COUNTY'S REPRESENTATION, THE ATTEMPT TO COME TO THE TABLE TO AGREE ON A CONTRACT. YET WE WERE UNFORTUNATELY INFORMED THAT THE COUNTY HAS NO CHANGE IN THEIR PREVIOUS POSITION. SO UNFORTUNATELY MEANS THAT IT'S ESSENTIALLY A WASTE OF TIME ON ALL PARTIES INVOLVED PARTS TO CONTINUE WITH A CONVERSATION. FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, PERSONALLY, THE COUNTY LED BY THIS BOARD, IS PROVIDING ALL THE SIGNS AND SIGNALS THAT THEY'RE HAPPILY AT IMPASSE WITH UNIT 14, STRATEGICALLY KNOWING EACH DAY THAT COMES AND PASSES IS A DOLLAR SAVED IN THE BUDGET. THEY'RE NOT WANTING TO ACTUALLY VOCALIZE THE WORD THAT YOUR ACTIONS ARE SPEAKING. IMPASSE. I'M HERE TODAY TO INFORM THE BOARD THAT UNIT 14 IS NOT THE ONE HOLDING THIS PROCESS UP. IT'S YOU AND YOUR REPRESENTATION. THIS BOARD HEARS UPDATES REGULARLY ON OUR SITUATION AS OF TODAY, POSSESS THE ULTIMATE AUTHORITY OVER OUR SITUATION, YET DO NOTHING TO PRECIPITATE MENDING THE FRACTURE. I UNDERSTAND THAT NEARLY EVERY PERSON SITTING BEFORE ME IS EITHER A POLITICIAN OR IN A POLITICAL ROLE. I'LL BE THE FIRST TO INFORM YOU THAT IT'S GLARINGLY OBVIOUS. BY THE WAY, YOUR PAST WORDS OF WANTING TO SERVE YOUR EMPLOYEES ISN'T TRANSITIONING INTO EVIDENCE OF SERVICE. TO SUM UP THE SITUATION, I'LL QUOTE SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA FROM A MEETING THAT TOOK PLACE IN THIS VERY ROOM IN 2020. THIS IS YOUR JOB AND THIS IS WHAT YOU SIGNED UP FOR. IF YOU CAN'T SEE IT IN YOUR HEART THAT YOU CAN HANDLE THIS KIND OF WORK, THEN MAYBE YOU OUGHT TO RETHINK YOUR LINE OF WORK. I HOPE YOU TAKE THIS MESSAGE TO HEART AND YOU TRANSFORM YOURSELF INTO LEADERS YOU PROMISE TO BE WHEN THE POSSIBILITY ARISES. THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE? ANYBODY ONLINE. JUST KIDDING. THAT WAS FROM THE OLD DAYS. ALL RIGHT. WITH THAT, THEN I WILL HOPE I KNEW IF I STALLED LONG ENOUGH SOMEBODY HAD COME. YEAH. GOOD MORNING, JOHN PEDROSA, MERCED. AND LET ME FIRST ITERATE THAT MY SON HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THIS. THIS IS JOHN PEDROSA AS A PRIVATE CITIZEN, AND I WANT TO REITERATE THAT. BUT I'M HERE TODAY BECAUSE OF THE LAST COUPLE, TWO THREE MONTHS I'VE BEEN FOLLOWING THE THE COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE DAIRY AND PLANADA AND THE DAIRY THAT'S DOING THE BIO GAS LINE IN HILMAR. AND IT REALLY HIT A NERVE. AND I'M VERY PASSIONATE ABOUT IT BECAUSE I, LIKE THREE OF YOU ON THE BOARD, HAVE ALL BEEN RAISED, BORN AND RAISED IN THE DAIRY BUSINESS. AND AS WE SEE IT TODAY, IT'S NOT LIKE IT WAS BACK IN THE SIXTIES, SEVENTIES AND EIGHTIES AND NINETIES, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE WE'VE GONE TO THE MEGA DAIRIES WHICH HAS ALLEVIATED OR TERMINATED THE 200 COW DAIRIES THAT WE GREW UP ON. AND NOW WHEN YOU HAVE THESE PEOPLE THAT ARE COMPLAINING ABOUT SMELL AND YOU'RE COMPLAINING ABOUT THE METHANE GAS AND IT'S UP IN THE AIR AND ALL THIS STUFF, I ASKED THE PEOPLE WHEN I WAS WATCHING THIS THE OTHER DAY ON TV WITH YOUR BOARD MEETING, WHAT ARE THESE FARMERS SUPPOSED TO DO? SO YOU HAVE A DAIRYMAN OUT IN PLANADA THAT'S UP ON A HILL THAT IN MY PAST LIFE I TOOK CONSTITUENTS TO THIS DAIRY TO SEE THE OPERATION, HOW INEFFICIENT IT WAS. AND HE WANTS TO DO AN EXPANSION NOT TO BENEFIT HIMSELF ONLY, BUT TO BENEFIT HIS WAY OF LIFE. AND SIR AND AND HELP THE COMMUNITY. HE EMPLOYS OVER 50 PEOPLE THERE THAT ARE IN THE SURROUNDING AREA. ALSO, I LOOKED ON THE COUNTY REPORT ON COMMODITIES AND DAIRY INDUSTRY IS STILL THE NUMBER ONE COMMODITY HERE IN MERCED COUNTY. SO WE HAVE PEOPLE COMING FROM UP NORTH AND ALL THESE GROUPS COME IN TO COMPLAIN ABOUT SMELL, WATER. [00:10:10] YOU'RE NOT GOING TO FIND ANYBODY MORE STEWARDS OF THE LAND THAN THE PEOPLE IN AGRICULTURE BECAUSE THEY'RE MANDATED TO DO WHAT THEY ARE TOLD TO DO BY THE STATE AND THE FED FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. AND IF THEY DON'T, THEN THEY'RE OUT OF BUSINESS, BUT THEY HAVE TO COME IN TO COMPLIANCE. SO WHEN I HEAR THESE PEOPLE TALK ABOUT THE SMELL AND I'VE BEEN BORN AND RAISED AND LIVED STILL IN WHERE I WAS BORN AND YEAH, I CAN TELL YOU THE SMELL ONCE IN A WHILE DOES BOTHER ME, BUT IT GOES AWAY. WE ARE THE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY. WE FEED THE WORLD. THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE. HELLO. [INAUDIBLE] I'M GOING TO READ WHAT I WROTE BECAUSE I'LL FORGET WHEN I COME UP HERE. BUT GOOD MORNING, SUPERVISORS. MA'AM. TO YOUR RIGHT, THERE'S A LITTLE TRIANGLE DOWN ON THE PODIUM AND PRESS THE DOWN ONE AND I'LL PUT THE MICROPHONE PROBABLY IN A LITTLE BETTER TOUCH. AND I WAS SCARED TO TOUCH IT. YEAH. NOW I DON'T WANT TO BREAK ANYTHING. OH, YOU'RE DOING WELL. ALL RIGHT. SO MY NAME IS ALICIA RODRIGUEZ, AND MY ADDRESS IS LE GRAND. BUT MY PROPERTY, HOME AND LAND TAXES PAY INTO THE PLANADA. I DON'T KNOW WHY THAT IS, BUT THAT'S JUST THE WAY IT IS, AND WE ARE NOT GOING TO COMPLAIN ABOUT IT. MY HOME IS SURROUNDED BY SURROUNDED BY SEVERAL FARMING BUSINESSES. WE HAVE CORNFIELDS, I HAVE ALMONDS, I HAVE A COW FEED. I HAVE TWO LARGE DAIRIES THAT ARE NEARBY. THE STREET IS RIGHT IN FRONT OF MY HOME IS THE ONE THE BUSIEST ONES THAT IS USED FOR MAJORITY OF FOR FARMING IS CHARLES AVENUE BETWEEN CUNNINGHAM AND BURCHILL. I HAVE TRUCKS GOING BY. I HAVE TRUCK BUSINESSES. I HAVE EQUIPMENT GOING BY. I HAVE COWS SOMETIMES GOING BY, HORSES GOING BY, AND YOU NAME IT, IT'S GOING BY MY ROAD. BUT I LOVE MY COUNTRY, MY LIVING IN THE COUNTRY. I'VE LIVED OUT THERE FOR 30 YEARS. I WAS RAISED THEM OR SAD, BUT I MARRIED AN FFA MAN. MY HUSBAND WAS AN FFA WHEN HE WAS IN HIGH SCHOOL. I LOVE MY COUNTRY. LIKE I SAID, I LOVE MY COUNTRY SURROUNDINGS, I LOVE MY COMMUNITY. BUT WHEN I DO COME TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, I ALWAYS LIKE TO MAKE SURE THAT THE TRUTH BE SAID AND PUT ON THE RECORD. PLANADA HAS THREE AREAS FOR JOBS. IT IS OUR PLANADA RESIDENTS THAT GO THAT DEPEND ON PLANADA SCHOOL DISTRICT IS ONE OF THEM. THESE ARE THE HIGHEST JOBS IN PLANADA. THE SECOND ONE IS GARCIA'S TRUCKING AND THE HILLCREST DAIRY. THOSE ARE PRETTY COMMON PLACES WHERE THE THE FAMILIES IN PLANADA WORK AT. PLANADA RESIDENCE AND ORGANIZATIONS OR SCHOOLS HAVE AN EVENT THEY ARE CAUSE THEY WILL GO TO EITHER ONE OR BOTH OF THEM, GARCIA'S OR HILLCREST. THAT'S JUST THE BOTTOM LINE FOR SUPPORT. I'VE BEEN GOING TO THE MAC MEETINGS AND I'VE SERVED IN THE MAC MINIS FOR 30 YEARS AND I'M VERY INVOLVED IN THE COMMUNITY, AS YOU KNOW WHAT I DO. BUT I'M GOING TO TELL YOU, SUPERVISOR ESPINOZA, WHEN YOU SINCE YOU CAME ONTO BOARD ON THE PLANADA AND APPOINTED A COUPLE OF YOUR SUPPORTERS TO BE ON THIS BOARD, ALL THEY WANT TO DO IS COMPLAIN TWO THINGS IN THE MEETING ABOUT THE FARMING TRUCKING COMPANY, THE TRUCKING COMPANIES THAT WE HAVE, AND ABOUT THE HILLCREST DAIRY. THAT'S WHAT'S BEEN GOING ON SINCE. FOR THE RECORD, THEY'RE NOT EVEN RECORDING THEIR MINUTES. THEY'RE NOT EVEN APPROVING THEIR MINUTES. BUT YET WE HAVE THESE BOARD MEMBERS THAT SIT THERE AND ALSO THEY WANT TO TALK ABOUT DURING PUBLIC COMMENT. AND I KNOW HOW THE BROWN ACT RUNS. SO THEY JUST WANT TO PUT THEIR PERSONAL CONVERSATIONS. AND THEN WE HAVE A SPOUSE WILL COME UP HERE TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS AND TALK TO YOU GUYS. I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT RESIDENTS DON'T ATTEND THESE MEETINGS BECAUSE OF THIS REASON. THEY DON'T WANT TO ATTEND. THEY WANT TO BE PART OF THIS. THEY'RE TIRED OF THIS. AND I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD AND END THIS. BUT I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT I SUPPORT MY COMMUNITY, PLANADA. THANK YOU. YOU'RE WELCOME. ANYONE ELSE ON THIS FINE, BLUSTERY DAY. OKAY. WITH THAT, I WILL CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENT FOR THE NON AGENDA ITEMS. [PRESENTATIONS] WE HAVE THREE PRESENTATIONS ON THE AGENDA THIS MORNING, AND WE'LL BEGIN WITH DR. TIETJEN AND THE MERCED COUNTY, WHO IS THE MERCED COUNTY SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS, WHO WILL PROVIDE US WITH THE ANNUAL WILLIAMS REPORT. WELL, GOOD MORNING. IT'S ALWAYS SO MUCH FUN TO BE ABLE TO USE YOUR LECTERN HERE. GOOD MORNING. CHAIRMAN PAREIRA, BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, COUNTY COUNCIL AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER MENDEZ. IT'S A PLEASURE TO BE HERE THIS MORNING. AS YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A DUTY TO REPORT TO YOU ONCE A YEAR ON THE WILLIAMS REPORT. [00:15:02] AND I'M GOING TO DO A QUICK OVERVIEW FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE AUDIENCE, BECAUSE I'M SURE YOU ALL REMEMBER WHAT THIS IS ABOUT. THIS IS A PIECE OF LEGISLATION TURNED INTO EDUCATION CODE 1240 THAT OCCURRED BACK DURING THE SCHWARZENEGGER ADMINISTRATION, CAME FROM A LAWSUIT FILED AGAINST SCHOOL DISTRICTS THAT DIDN'T MAINTAIN THEIR SCHOOL BUILDINGS OR DIDN'T PROVIDE ADEQUATE STRUCTURAL MATERIALS OR DIDN'T REALLY MONITOR THEIR TEACHER ASSIGNMENTS EFFECTIVELY. AND SO COUNTY OFFICES WERE GIFTED THE ASSIGNMENT OF GOING INTO SCHOOL DISTRICTS EVERY YEAR AND CHECKING ON SPECIFIC SCHOOLS THAT WERE IDENTIFIED BASED ON TEST SCORES. AND FOR THE LAST SEVEN YEARS, THOSE SCHOOLS HAVE BEEN THE EXACT SAME SCHOOLS BECAUSE THE STATE WAS STUCK IN A LOOP OF NOT REALLY HAVING THE DATA TOGETHER THAT THEY NEEDED TO CHANGE THE SCHOOLS PER THE ORIGINAL LEGISLATION EVERY YEAR. THE SCHOOLS ARE SUPPOSED TO CHANGE. SO TODAY YOU HAVE IN FRONT OF YOU A 13 PAGE REPORT. I WON'T GO THROUGH ALL OF IT, BUT I WILL HIGHLIGHT A COUPLE OF CHANGES THAT HAVE OCCURRED IN THE REPORT DUE TO THE THE UPDATE. SO THERE ARE NEW SCHOOLS IN THE REPORT. NONE OF THOSE SCHOOLS WERE IDENTIFIED FOR HAVING ANY PROBLEMS WITH INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS OR FACILITIES. SO WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT THAT. AND THAT'S THAT'S REALLY MOVING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION. THE CHALLENGE THIS YEAR IS, OF COURSE, THE CHALLENGE THAT MOST MOST BUSINESSES AND AGENCIES HAVE, AND THAT'S WITH PERSONNEL. AND AS YOU LOOK THROUGH THE REPORT, THERE ARE MANY SCHOOLS THAT ONLY HAVE ABOUT 85% OF THEIR STAFF FULLY CREDENTIALED WITH THE OTHER 15% OR SO IN SOME OTHER STATUS. NOW, THAT OTHER STATUS INCLUDES SEVERAL DESIGNATIONS THAT ARE TECHNICAL IN NATURE BASED ON THE NUMBER OF UNITS A PERSON HAS ACQUIRED AFTER THEIR BA OR THE PROGRAM THEY HAPPEN TO BE IN. AND SO THEY ARE LISTED AS UNFORTUNATELY GIVEN THE TERM INEFFECTIVE. AND REALLY WHAT THAT SIGNIFIES IS THEY'RE NOT FULLY CREDENTIALED. IT DOESN'T MEAN THEY'RE INEFFECTIVE WITH A USE THAT WE WOULD COMMONLY APPLY. IT MEANS THEY'RE AN EFFECTIVE TEACHER. IT SIMPLY MEANS THAT THEIR CREDENTIALING IS NOT YET TO A POINT WHERE THE STATE COMMISSION ON TEACHER CREDENTIALING SAYS THAT THEY'RE COMPLETELY PREPARED TO TEACH IN A CLASSROOM WITHOUT ANY SUPERVISION. AND SO THAT'S WHERE WE ARE TODAY. AND YOU CAN WALK THROUGH THE REPORT ON YOUR OWN. IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, I'D BE HAPPY TO RESPOND OR TAKE THEM UP WITH YOU. BUT I DON'T WANT TO BELABOR ALL 13 PAGES. ANY QUESTIONS? ANY QUESTIONS? I SEE NONE FROM MY COLLEAGUES. WELL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. IT'S ALWAYS A PLEASURE TO BE HERE. HAVE A GREAT DAY. ALL RIGHT. ENJOY THE RAIN LATER TODAY. OKAY. NEXT, WE HAVE PATRICK BLACKLOCK. HE IS THE PRESIDENT AND CEO OF RURAL COUNTY, REPRESENTATIVES OF CALIFORNIA, WHICH WE CALL OUR CRC. AND HE WILL PROVIDE US WITH AN OVERVIEW OF THEIR ANNUAL REPORTS. THANK YOU, CHAIR, AND MEMBERS. I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE BACK HERE BEFORE YOU AGAIN. AND I THINK WHEN I WAS LAST YEAR, WE PROBABLY HAD NOT YET QUITE ADOPTED THE STRATEGIC PLAN OR WE WERE IN THE PROCESS OF DOING SO. SO I'M HOPEFUL THAT TODAY SOME OF IT WILL SEEM FAMILIAR, BUT ALSO YOU'LL SEE PROGRESS IN A NUMBER OF AREAS. AND IN FACT, THIS FIRST SLIDE GIVES YOU A SNAPSHOT OF WHAT'S IN OUR STRATEGIC PLAN. AND I WANT TO NOTE THAT THIS IS REALLY, AS I MENTIONED, OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE YOU AN UPDATE. BUT I'M HOPEFUL, TOO, THAT IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS OR FEEDBACK ALONG THE WAY, THAT YOU'LL YOU'LL OFFER THAT, BECAUSE PART OF THE VALUE FOR ME IS TO HEAR THAT AND BE ABLE TO TAKE THAT BACK IN TERMS OF WHAT YOU'RE EXPERIENCING ON THE GROUND. I ALSO WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT AT THE START TO THANK SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP WITHIN RCRC. AS YOU MAY KNOW, SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL IS ON OUR EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE AS WELL AS OUR VICE CHAIR WITH WITH OUR GOLDEN STATE FINANCE AUTHORITY. AND SO THAT LEADERSHIP IS YOU'LL SEE THAT IMPRINT HERE AND YOU'LL SEE SOME OF THE WAYS MERCED COUNTY BENEFITS AS WE GO THROUGH THIS HOPEFULLY. THE ONE THING I'LL CALL OUT ON THIS SLIDE IS ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE, YOU'LL SEE THE BOX DESCRIBING OUR VISION WHERE WE SEEK TO BE THE PREMIER ADVOCATE ON RURAL ISSUES, BUT ALSO AN INNOVATIVE SERVICE PROVIDER. AND MUCH OF THE CONTENT IN HERE MAY FOCUS ON THAT LATTER PART AS WE MOVE THROUGH IT. THIS IS A SLIDE YOU MAY REMEMBER FROM LAST TIME, AND IT SPEAKS TO OUR WORK IN THE HOUSING AREA, AND YOU'LL SEE THAT CLOSE TO 1800 FAMILIES HAVE BENEFITED FROM OUR WORK TO PROVIDE DOWN PAYMENT ASSISTANCE IN FOR THOSE LOOKING TO MAYBE PURCHASE THEIR FIRST HOME OR IN SOME CASES IT MAY BE THEY'VE MOVED TO THE AREA AND THEY'RE LOOKING TO PURCHASE A HOME. AND GSFA, AS I MENTIONED IN SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL, IS THE VICE CHAIR THAT THAT'S ONE OF THEIR PRIMARY FOCUS AREAS, IS TO PROVIDE THAT DOWN PAYMENT ASSISTANCE. BUT ON THE RIGHT IS A NEW PROGRAM. WE CALL IT ASSISTANT ZONE, AND HERE IT'S TARGETING COUNTY EMPLOYEES. WE'VE HEARD IN TALKING TO COUNTIES THROUGHOUT THE CRC AREA THAT COUNTY EMPLOYEES WERE STRUGGLING TO BE ABLE TO BUY HOMES WITHIN THEIR COMMUNITIES. AND SO WORKING WITH THE CFA BOARD, WE DEVELOPED A PROGRAM WHERE A COUNTY EMPLOYEE CAN RECEIVE 3.5% IN THE FORM OF A DOWN PAYMENT ASSISTANCE AT NO [00:20:10] ADDITIONAL COST. OR PUT DIFFERENTLY, THEY'RE GETTING A STANDARD MARKET RATE LOAN, BUT IT'S COMING WITH 3.5% DOWN PAYMENT ASSISTANCE. SO WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH INDIVIDUAL COUNTIES TO GET THAT WORD OUT. AND IN FACT, OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF MONTHS, WE'VE HAD COUNTY EMPLOYEES FROM GLEN TO IMPERIAL TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS PROGRAM. AND SO WE'RE STARTING TO SEE A NUMBER OF INDIVIDUALS USE THAT IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN LEARNING MORE ABOUT IT. AND I HAVE TO ADMIT, I DON'T KNOW WHETHER WE'VE DONE ANY WEBINARS OR ANYTHING DOWN HERE, BUT I KNOW IN SOME AREAS WE HAVE. AND SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE CAN OFFER IS TO PROVIDE INFORMATION DIRECTLY TO YOUR COUNTY EMPLOYEES AND THAT ON THAT PROGRAM. BUT MOVING INTO SOMETHING THAT'S I THINK EVERYONE IS ON TOP OF MINE RIGHT NOW AND THAT IS BROADBAND. YOU SINCE I THINK SINCE I WAS LAST HERE AS WELL, WE FORMED A NEW JOINT POWERS AGENCY, GOLDEN STATE CONNECT AUTHORITY, OR GSCA, AS WE REFER TO IT. AND REALLY THE REASON FOR THAT IS TO HAVE A GOVERNMENTAL ENTITY THAT CAN BE THE LEAD FOR GETTING BROADBAND DEPLOYED IN RURAL COMMUNITIES WHERE PRIVATE PROVIDERS ARE EITHER UNWILLING OR UNABLE TO DO SO. GSCA IS THERE TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN, AND GSCA CAME ALIVE LAST DECEMBER WAS THEIR INAUGURAL MEETING AND IS MOVING QUICKLY BECAUSE AT THE SAME TIME GSCA CAME ALIVE, FUNDING CAME FIRST FROM SB 156. IT FLOWED TO THE CALIFORNIA PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION AND NOW IT'S AVAILABLE FOR COUNTIES. THE FIRST TRANCHE OF FUNDING IS AVAILABLE TO DO ENGINEERING. THE SECOND TRANCHE WILL BE AVAILABLE TO DO ACTUAL CONSTRUCTION WITH GCA. WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE OUR RURAL COMMUNITIES DIDN'T GET LEFT BEHIND. AND SO WE'VE BEEN FOCUSED ON ON MAKING SURE ALL OF THE INTERESTED COUNTIES, ANY COUNTY THAT'S INTERESTED, GETS THAT LATER FUNDING AND IT'S UP TO 500,000 PER JURISDICTION. AND MERCED COUNTY SUBMITTED AN APPLICATION IN SEPTEMBER, IF I'M REMEMBERING CORRECTLY, FOR THE FULL 500,000 HASN'T BEEN APPROVED YET, BUT THERE'S EVERY REASON TO THINK THAT IT WILL BE BECAUSE ALL THE APPLICATIONS SUBMITTED IN AUGUST WERE APPROVED. NOW THE CPU IS CPUC IS REVIEWING THE SEPTEMBER APPLICATIONS FULLY EXPECTED TO HAPPEN. AND THAT MAP SHOWS YOU THAT THOSE THAT ARE IN GOLD ARE WORKING THROUGH GCA TO TO ACCESS THOSE LATER FUNDS, AND THAT INCLUDES MERCED. AND SO IN THAT MODEL, WHAT WE'VE DONE IS WE PARTNERED AND YOU MAY REMEMBER ME MENTIONING THIS BEFORE WITH UTOPIA FIBER OUT OF UTAH, THEY ARE A FORM OF JOINT POWERS AGENCY IN UTAH, AND THEY ARE THE LARGEST OPEN ACCESS PUBLIC BROADBAND PROVIDER IN THE NATION. SO WE'VE PARTNERED WITH THEM TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THEIR EXPERTISE. WE'VE ALSO PARTNERED WITH TILSON ENGINEERING, WHICH IS A NATIONAL ENGINEERING FIRM. THROUGH THAT PARTNERSHIP WE'RE TRYING TO HAVE READY AS A TURNKEY SOLUTION FOR YOU SO THAT ONCE THOSE FUNDS ARRIVE, YOU CAN IDENTIFY THE AREAS WORKING WITH THEM, THAT YOU WANT TO SEE ENGINEERING STARTING AT CONCEPTUAL WORKING DOWN TO VERY SPECIFIC. BUT THE AREAS WITHIN YOUR COMMUNITY WHERE YOU WANT TO SEE THAT COMPLETED. AND SO HOPEFULLY THOSE FUNDS WILL SOON BE APPROVED. WE'VE GOT ALL OF THE SYSTEMS IN PLACE TO. GO ACTION, DO THE ACTUAL ENGINEERING. AND ONCE THAT'S READY, THEN WHEN THAT NEXT TRANCHE OF FUNDING COMES, WHICH WILL BE CONSTRUCTION MONIES, YOU'LL BE POSITIONED TO SAY, THIS IS WHERE WE WANT IT TO GO, AND WE HAVE THE ENGINEERING READY TO DO IT. SO I MENTIONED SB 156. I THINK OUR CRC HAS LONG BEEN KNOWN FOR OUR ADVOCACY WORK AND THIS SLIDE GIVES YOU A SENSE OF THE ISSUES THAT WE ARE WORKING ON PRESENTLY. A COUPLE OF THINGS I WANT TO CALL OUT. OVER THE LAST YEAR WE HAVE HAD THREE AD HOC COMMITTEES COMPRISED OF COUNTY SUPERVISORS FOCUSED ON CANNABIS, WILDFIRE AND WATER RESILIENCY. AND I CALL THOSE OUT JUST TO GIVE YOU A SENSE OF WHAT ARE THE KIND OF THE TOP ISSUES THAT WE'RE FOCUSING ON AND THOSE EACH OF THOSE COMMITTEES. THEY START BY BRINGING IN EXPERTS TO KIND OF BRING UP THE LEVEL OF UNDERSTANDING ON THOSE ISSUES. THEN THEY TAKE A LOOK AT OUR POLICIES AND DECIDE AND THEN DETERMINE WHERE WE NEED TO MAKE CHANGES. AND ULTIMATELY THAT GOES TO THE BOARD. AND THAT'S REALLY HOW OUR POLICY PLATFORM IS BUILT THROUGH WORK LIKE THAT. I WOULD EXPECT SOME OF THESE SAME ISSUES TO CONTINUE OVER INTO THE NEW LEGISLATIVE SESSION. BUT THE LAST BULLET IS THE CALIFORNIA PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION THAT I MENTIONED EARLIER, AND WE ARE INCREASINGLY ENGAGED WITH THEM ON BOTH BROADBAND AND UTILITY IMPACTS. AND WE HAVE I THINK WE'RE PARTICIPATING IN A DOZEN DIFFERENT PROCEEDINGS WITH THE CPC NOW. AND I THINK RECENTLY ONE OF THE CPUC COMMISSIONERS WAS IN THIS AREA AND WE WERE WORKING TO ASSIST HER IN GETTING CONNECTED WITH LOCAL REPRESENTATIVES TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE HEARING DIRECTLY FROM YOU ON BROADBAND AND UTILITY IMPACTS. A NEW NONPROFIT THAT I DON'T THINK I MENTIONED LAST TIME NEW AND THAT IT'S BEEN DORMANT FOR MUCH OF ITS EXISTENCE. BUT THE BOARD HAS SAID, LET'S BRING IT BACK TO LIFE BECAUSE THERE'S A GREAT NEED FOR EDUCATION ON RURAL ISSUES AND THERE IS A NEED FOR FOCUSED ACADEMIC RESEARCH ON RURAL ISSUES. AND SO WE'RE ALL ALLIANCE IS A NONPROFIT THAT WE WILL ADMINISTER, AND THEY'VE ALREADY RECEIVED SOME SOME CHARITABLE FUNDING FOR THIS PURPOSE. AND IN 2023, WE ANTICIPATE THEM DOING THEIR FIRST EDUCATIONAL TOURS AND THEIR FIRST TARGETED ACADEMIC RESEARCH. IT'LL PROBABLY ALIGN WITH OUR STRATEGIC PLAN. SO WE'LL LOOK FOR ISSUE AREAS WITHIN THAT THAT I CAN THEN WORK WITH TO DO EDUCATION AND RESEARCH AROUND. [00:25:03] BUT THAT'S SOMETHING WILL BE NEW FOR US. ANOTHER ONE I MENTIONED LAST TIME WAS GOLDEN STATE NATURAL RESOURCES, OR GSR. THIS NONPROFIT WAS DEVELOPED AS A FOREIGN FOREST RESILIENCY COMPANY OUT OF RECOGNITION THAT MORE NEEDED TO BE DONE TO ADDRESS THE WILDFIRE SITUATION IN CALIFORNIA AND THE LACK OF MAINTENANCE AND MANAGEMENT AND FORESTS. AND ONE OF THE INITIAL AREAS THEY'VE IDENTIFIED IS THAT THERE ARE NUMEROUS FOREST HEALTH PROJECTS THAT ARE SITTING ON THE BOOKS AND NOT PROCEEDING BECAUSE THERE'S NOT ENOUGH MARKETABLE TIMBER WITHIN THE AREA WHERE THE FOREST HEALTH PROJECT IS TO OCCUR TO ENTICE BIDDERS TO COME IN AND DO THAT WORK. SO IF THERE COULD BE AN OUTLET FOR THAT NON MARKETABLE BIOMASS, THEN MANY OF THESE PROJECTS WOULD START TO HAPPEN. GESSNER HAS BEEN FOCUSED ON THAT. TO DATE, NON MARKETABLE BIOMASS HAS WORKED WITH THE FOREST SERVICE TO DEVELOP A A PROPOSED METHODOLOGY WHERE THAT BIOMASS WOULD GO TO TWO PLANTS IN CALIFORNIA, BE CONVERTED TO INDUSTRIAL PELLET STOCK. THEN IT WOULD TRAVEL BY TRAIN TO A PORT AND FROM THERE WOULD GO OVERSEAS AS A REPLACEMENT FOR COAL AND ENERGY PRODUCTION. AND WE ARE WE'RE OPTIMISTIC THAT IF WE CAN BRING THIS TO FRUITION, THAT WILL THEN INCENT MANY OF THESE FOREST HEALTH PROJECTS TO OCCUR. THAT OPTIMISM, OPTIMISM IS TEMPERED BY. WE HAVE SOME PRETTY SIGNIFICANT STEPS AHEAD OF US REALLY IN THE NEXT SIX MONTHS IS WHERE THE RUBBER IS GOING TO HIT THE ROAD. WE'RE GETTING READY TO LAUNCH CEQA ON THIS EFFORT IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS. AND THEN FROM THERE, REALLY THE ISSUE WILL BE ATTRACTING THE FINANCIAL INVESTMENT NEEDED TO MAKE THIS PROJECT GO. AND ALL THAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN REALLY IN THE NEXT 6 TO 8 MONTHS. SO IT'S GOING TO BE A VERY BUSY AND TELLING TIME FOR THIS PROJECT AS WE MOVE FORWARD. IF I MIGHT INTERRUPT YOU FOR JUST A SECOND, WHAT DOES THE WHAT IS THE MARKET LOOK LIKE FOR THE END PRODUCT RIGHT NOW? IT'S WONDERFUL, PARTLY BECAUSE OF, FRANKLY, THE RUSSIAN-UKRAINIAN CONFLICT HAS SO CHANGED THE ENERGY MARKETS THAT THERE IS A NOW SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASED DEMAND FOR INDUSTRIAL PELLET STOCK AS A FUEL STOCK FOR ENERGY PRODUCTION. SO THAT HAS CAUSED THE SPOT MARKET PRICING TO RISE IN SOME CASES TWICE OR EVEN THREE TIMES WHAT IT WAS NOT TOO LONG AGO. IF THESE IF THESE PLANTS WERE IN PRODUCTION RIGHT NOW, THERE WOULD BE NO PROBLEM HAVING THEM IN THE BLACK. BUT THAT'S WHERE WE ARE RIGHT NOW. DEMAND IS STILL FORECASTED TO INCREASE. AND PARTLY AGAIN, BECAUSE WE'RE SEEING A SWITCH FROM RUSSIAN SOURCES OF OF COMMODITIES TO ALTERNATIVES. SO IF THAT DEMAND INCREASE THAT IS PROJECTED HOLDS TRUE, THIS PROJECT'S IN THE BLACK AND IS LOOKING VERY POSITIVE. BUT UNTIL WE HAVE ACTUAL OFFTAKE AGREEMENTS IN PLACE TO STIPULATE PRICE, THAT'S WHY MY REMARKS ARE A LITTLE TEMPERED. I GET THAT. THANK YOU. ANOTHER AREA THAT WE'RE WORKING ON IS TO HELP RURAL COUNTIES WITH THE COMING TRANSITION WITH ELECTRIC VEHICLES. I THINK LAST MONTH I READ THAT 17% OF ELECTRIC VEHICLES SOLD IN CALIFORNIA WERE ELECTRIC. AND WE KNOW THAT INVESTMENT IN ELECTRIC VEHICLE INFRASTRUCTURE IS LAGGING STATEWIDE, BUT DISPROPORTIONATELY SO IN MANY OF OUR RURAL COMMUNITIES. SO WE HAVE BEGUN TO PUT SIMPLY, I GUESS WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WHERE BROADBAND IS TODAY, EV ISN'T IN THE SAME PLACE IN TEN YEARS, WHICH IS BEHIND IN RURAL AREAS. AND SO WE'RE WORKING TO DEVELOP A THREE PHASED INITIATIVE TO TRY TO MAKE SURE THAT DOESN'T HAPPEN AND TO ACCELERATE INVESTMENT OF ELECTRIC EV INFRASTRUCTURE IN RURAL COMMUNITIES. STEP ONE IS TO GET THE STREAMLINING ORDINANCES IN PLACE. EXISTING STATUTE REQUIRES COUNTIES HAVE STREAMLINING ORDINANCES IN PLACE. AND I KNOW THAT MERCED IS IN THE RED HERE, BUT I KNOW THAT YOUR CEO ALREADY HAS YOUR TEAM WORKING AND YOU'LL SOON BE IN THE GREEN ON THIS. SO SOON THAT THAT WILL BE GREEN FOR MERCY. BUT MANY OF OUR OTHER COMMUNITIES, THEY DON'T HAVE THE RESOURCES TO EVEN GET THOSE ORDINANCES IN PLACE. SO WE'RE TRYING TO HELP THE SMALLEST OF COUNTIES BY GETTING THEM THE SAMPLE ORDINANCES IN SOME CASES IS AS SIMPLE AS THAT. THEY ACTUALLY DID ADOPT IT AND THE STATE AGENCY GOPERS WAS UNAWARE. SO WE'RE BEING A CONNECTOR IN THOSE CASES, AND THOSE ARE OBVIOUSLY THE SIMPLE ONES TO ADDRESS. BUT THE GOAL IS TO GET EVERYONE IN GREEN. YOU'RE WELL ON THE WELL ON THE WAY THAT STREAMLINE THE SECOND PHASE OF THE PLAN IS TO DO READINESS PLANS. AND READINESS PLANS REALLY ASSESS TWO THINGS. ONE IS THE ELECTRICAL INFRASTRUCTURE, IS THE GRID WITHIN THAT CAMPUS. AND WE KNOW FROM HEARING FROM SOME OF OUR COUNTIES, PARTICULARLY UP NORTH, THAT THEY FEEL IT IS NOT. SO WE NEED TO ASSESS THAT. AND THEN STEP TWO WILL BE OK ONCE THAT'S DONE, WHERE IS EV INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENT NEEDED? IF YOU LIVE IN A HOME WITH A GARAGE, IT'S A IT'S A MUCH EASIER TASK TO ADDRESS. BUT IF YOU'RE LIVING IN AN APARTMENT COMPLEX OR MULTIFAMILY HOUSING, YOU MAY NOT EVEN HAVE AN ABILITY TO CHARGE AT YOUR HOME. AND IF 17% AND RISING OF THE NEW CAR MARKET IS EV, THAT MEANS THE USED VEHICLE MARKET IS GOING TO BE SIMILARLY, THE FLEET IS GOING TO LOOK SIMILAR AND THEY'RE NOT DISTANT FUTURE. AND IF YOU'RE LIVING IN AN APARTMENT COMPLEX AND YOU DON'T HAVE EV INFRASTRUCTURE, THEN YOU'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE ACCESS TO THE ENTIRE USED CAR MARKET AT THAT POINT. WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT DOESN'T HAPPEN FOR OUR RURAL COMMUNITIES, THAT WE DON'T END UP WITH THEM DISPROPORTIONATELY BEHIND. [00:30:03] IN TERMS OF THE MASSIVE AMOUNT OF EV INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENT THAT'S COMING OUT OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IN PARTICULARLY. SO STREAMLINING READINESS. AND THEN ONCE THOSE READINESS PLANS ARE DONE, THEN HOPEFULLY DEPLOYMENT AND WORKING WITH PRIVATE PARTNERS TO HOPEFULLY HELP THEM DEPLOY EV INFRASTRUCTURE TO THESE COMMUNITIES WHERE THE READINESS PLANS IDENTIFY THE NEED TO BE. LAST ONE IS ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES JOINT POWERS AGENCY. I MENTIONED THAT LAST TIME I WAS HERE. I DON'T BELIEVE MERCED IS A MEMBER OF ESJPA, ESJPA THOUGH, IS FOCUSED ON HELPING COUNTIES WITH CAL RECYCLE AND COMPLIANCE. YOU'VE PROBABLY HEARD SP 1383 AND PROBABLY HEARD MUCH CONCERN AND ANGST AROUND THAT. AND WHAT ESJPA DOES IS PROVIDES A VENUE AND TECHNICAL SUPPORT FOR PARTICULARLY THE SMALLEST OF COUNTIES TO HAVE SUBSTANTIVE CONVERSATION WITH CAL RECYCLE AND TO HELP THEM WITH IMPLEMENTATION WHEN THEY NEED TO, WHEN THEY'RE MOVING INTO THAT PHASE. AND ESJPA JUST COMPLETED A BUSINESS PLAN. THEY ARE LOOKING AT WHETHER OR NOT THEY'LL EXPAND POTENTIALLY INTO SOME OTHER AREAS, NAMELY WITH DISASTER RECOVERY. A NUMBER OF OUR AREAS AFTER A FIRE, FOR EXAMPLE, HAVE A REALLY CHALLENGING TIME NAVIGATING THE LANDSCAPE OF WHICH AGENCY DOES WHAT WITH COMPLIANCE AROUND DISASTER RECOVERY. AND SO SJP IS LOOKING AT WHETHER THEY CAN ASSIST THEM ON THAT FRONT AS WELL. SO THAT WAS A QUICK SUMMARY OF WHAT'S HAPPENING AT OUR CRC, BUT I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS OR RECEIVE, LIKE I SAY, ANY FEEDBACK YOU MAY HAVE WOULD BE HELPFUL TOO. SURE. THANK YOU. SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL SURE. PATRICK, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR COMING HERE TO MERCED TO PRESENT WHAT WE ARE DOING. AND NOW I THINK MAYBE MY COLLEAGUES CAN UNDERSTAND WHY OUR MEETINGS ARE ALL DAY AND THANKFULLY YOU PROVIDE LUNCH, BUT WE WORK THROUGH OUR LUNCHES AT THE SAME TIME. BUT THIS IS ONE I THINK EVERYBODY KNOWS THAT I AM PASSIONATELY INVOLVED WITH RCRC, AND I APPRECIATED YOUR QUESTION ABOUT THE NEWEST ONE THAT WE'VE STARTED, WHICH WE'VE ALL BEEN HAVING THOSE QUESTIONS ABOUT. BUT LIKE YOU SAID, THIS EUROPEAN MARKET WASN'T EVEN ON OUR RADAR AND IS COMPLETELY OPENED UP WHERE THERE'S A DEMAND WHERE THEY'RE ASKING FOR IT AT THIS POINT WHERE WE ARE. BUT NO, I APPRECIATE THE PRESENTATION AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP IN THERE FOR ONE YEAR AND EIGHT MONTHS, I THINK IS.. WHEN YOU'RE HAVING FUN. THAT'S GREAT. BUT NO, AND CONTINUING, I APPRECIATE THE SUPPORT I HAVE FROM MY COLLEAGUES HERE TO REPRESENT US AT RCRC AND ALL THAT WE'RE DOING. SO THANKS PAT. SUPERVISOR PEDROZO THANK YOU FOR THE UPDATE AND I APPRECIATE IT ALSO. BUT LAST TIME YOU CAME, YOU BROUGHT US A CHECK. SO BUT NO I'M JUST KIDDING. BUT I WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU FOR THE UPDATE. I THINK THIS IS REALLY GOOD AND OF ALL OF THE ORGANIZATIONS AND I'VE HAD THIS CONVERSATION WITH MY COLLEAGUES BEFORE THAT WE'RE A PART OF OUR CRC IS SOMETHING THAT WHEN WE GO TO THESE CONFERENCES THAT I GET A LOT OUT OF BECAUSE IT'S VERY SIMILAR COUNTIES AND WE ALL REALLY SHARE THE SAME INTEREST. AND I WANT TO THANK SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL FOR HIS LEADERSHIP AND REALLY TAKING THE REINS ON THIS BECAUSE I THINK HE DOES A GOOD JOB AND HE'S DEFINITELY VERY PASSIONATE ABOUT THIS, SO AND HE'LL LET YOU KNOW. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. AND ANY OTHER. NO. OK. YEAH. JUST KIND OF TO CLOSE IS IS THANK YOU. YOU KNOW, I AS PEOPLE ASK, YOU KNOW, WHERE I'M GOING WHEN I COME TO THE CONFERENCES OR SOME OF THE MEETINGS, YOU KNOW, AND I SEE RCRC AND THEY HAVE NO IDEA. AND YOU KNOW, WE ALSO BELONG TO A STATEWIDE ORGANIZATION. AND I'LL TELL YOU FOR BENEFIT FOR US, RIGHT? REALLY, RCRC IS IS PHENOMENAL. SO THANK YOU FOR, FOR TAKING THE HELM THERE. I WOULD, I WOULD LIKE TO JUST SHARE THAT. YOU KNOW, I KNOW WITH ALL THE FOREST FIRES WE'VE HAD AND AND THE FOREST RESILIENCY AND, AND CLEANING UP THE FOREST WILL CREATE WATER FOR OUR WATERSHED. RIGHT. I GET THAT. BUT, BUT WATER IS PROBABLY, YOU KNOW, WELL OBVIOUSLY MORE IMPORTANT PROBABLY THAN SOME OF THE OTHERS, BUT EQUALLY IMPORTANT. SO ANYWAY, JUST, YOU KNOW, AS TIME GOES ON. I KNOW. I KNOW WE'RE WORKING ON IT ALREADY, BUT I WOULD JUST LIKE TO REITERATE THAT. SO YOUR POINT IS WELL TAKEN. THAT'S WHY I THINK THE BOARD FORMED THE WATER AD HOC COMMITTEE THIS YEAR. SUPERVISOR LOPEZ FROM MONTEREY COUNTY IS CHAIRING THAT INCLUDES ROUGHLY NINE OR TEN SUPERVISORS FROM THROUGHOUT THE STATE. AND THE INTENT IS REALLY TO NO PUN INTENDED, DIVE MORE DEEPLY INTO THAT TOPIC TO SO THAT IT CAN SORT OF ELEVATE IN TERMS OF ITS PROMINENCE WITHIN OUR POLICY PLATFORM. SURE. AND I THINK THAT REALLY THE ANTI PRESSURE THAT WE RECEIVE OR IS FROM THE STATE YOU KNOW AND SO YOU BETWEEN US AND THEM IS PHENOMENAL BECAUSE OF THE GOOD WORK YOU DO SO THANKS APPRECIATE IT THANK YOU FOR THE KIND WORDS AND I'LL SHARE THAT WITH THE TEAM WHEN I GET BACK. ALL RIGHT. OUR THIRD AND FINAL PRESENTATION WILL BE PROVIDED BY RICK BRUSH, CHIEF MEMBER, SERVICES OFFICER AT PUBLIC RISK INNOVATION SOLUTIONS AND MANAGEMENT, WHICH WE CALL PRISM. [00:35:08] AND RICK WILL BE RECOGNIZING MERCED COUNTY VIRTUAL EMPLOYEE WELLNESS FAIR, WHICH WAS AN AWARDEE OF THE 22-23 EXEMPLARY ACHIEVEMENT AND GOVERNMENT LEADERSHIP AND ENRICHMENT, WHICH IS AN EAGLE AWARD. SO GLAD YOU'RE HERE AND THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH FOR HAVING ME THIS MORNING. VERY MUCH APPRECIATE THE TIME ON THE AGENDA. SUPERVISOR I'M SORRY, I'M NOT BRINGING A CHECK EITHER, BUT I AM BRINGING AN AWARD, WHICH IS A GOOD THING. YOUR STAFF HAS DONE A TREMENDOUS JOB AND THAT'S WHAT I WANTED TO RECOGNIZE TODAY. YOU KNOW, MERCED COUNTY HAS BEEN A MEMBER OF PRISM, WHICH WAS CCAR, FORMERLY KNOWN AS SINCE 1986, AND YOU PARTICIPATE AND ACTUALLY 15 OF OUR DIFFERENT COVERAGE PROGRAMS. SO EVERYTHING FROM WORKER'S COMPENSATION TO PROPERTY LIABILITY TO GOSH, MED MAL PROGRAMS AND POLLUTION AND AIRCRAFT, IT'S ALL ACROSS THE BOARD. SO YOU'RE VERY MUCH EMBEDDED IN THE CULTURE OF WHO PRISM IS. WE ARE A MEMBER DIRECTED ORGANIZATION AND WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR MEMBERSHIP. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I DO WANT TO POINT OUT, AS WELL AS PRISM IS NOT AN INSURANCE COMPANY. WE'RE A JPA. WE ARE A GOVERNMENTAL AGENCY JUST LIKE YOURSELVES. WE ARE THERE FOR THE BENEFIT OF OUR MEMBERS. WE ARE NOT THERE TO MAKE MONEY ON ALL OF THIS. WHAT WE'RE A VERY LARGE ORGANIZATION. WE HAVE ACTUALLY 55 OF THE COUNTIES IN THE STATE AND WE HAVE 2100 PUBLIC ENTITIES OVERALL. SO WHY AM I TELLING YOU THIS? BECAUSE IT'S KIND OF A BIG DEAL THAT THE COUNTY OF MERCED WON AN EAGLE AWARD. WHEN YOU HAVE ALL OF THIS COMPETITION OUT THERE, YOUR STAFF TRULY HAS DONE AN INCREDIBLE JOB. AS AS YOU POINT OUT, THE EAGLE BOARD STANDS FOR EXEMPLARY ACHIEVEMENT AND GOVERNMENT LEADERSHIP AND ENRICHMENT. WE CREATED THIS PROGRAM ABOUT SIX YEARS AGO. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE WANT TO DO THROUGH THIS AWARD IS TO BE ABLE TO RECOGNIZE OUR MEMBERS WHO DO A FANTASTIC JOB PUTTING TOGETHER UNIQUE PROGRAMS SUCH AS YOU HAVE DONE. WE ALSO WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE ACKNOWLEDGED AND ENCOURAGED TO CONTINUE TO DO THIS. AND PROBABLY THE BIGGEST THING IN MY MIND IS THIS. WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO DO THIS TO TAKE THINGS THAT INDIVIDUAL MEMBERS CAN DO AND SPREAD IT ACROSS OUR ENTIRE MEMBERSHIP SO WE CAN TELL EVERYONE, LOOK WHAT MERCED DID. THIS IS A GREAT THING. ALL OF YOU SHOULD BE DOING THIS, TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS, SHARE THE BEST PRACTICES. SO IN THIS INSTANCE, THERE ARE SEVERAL DIFFERENT CATEGORIES OF THE EAGLE AWARD. AS YOU SAID MERCED COUNTY HAS WON FOR THE VIRTUAL EMPLOYEE WELLNESS FAIR AND YOU'VE WON IN THE CATEGORY OF EXCELLENCE IN OVERCOMING ADVERSITY. WELL, THERE'S BEEN A WHOLE LOT OF ADVERSITY OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS, RIGHT? THIS WHOLE COVID CRAZY THING THAT WE'VE BEEN GOING THROUGH. AND IT'S THOSE THAT CAN CREATE NEW PROGRAMS AND RISE ABOVE AND FIND OUT UNIQUE, DIFFERENT WAYS TO DO THINGS. THOSE ARE THE ONES THAT WE WANT TO SHARE THE EAGLE AWARD WITH. AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT YOU AND YOUR YOUR STAFF HAS DONE. SO I WANT TO DO A BRIEF BIT OF BACKGROUND OF THE PARTICULARS OF THIS, IF I COULD. SO AMY GONZALEZ AND MAYA YANG WORKED WITH THE HEALTH AND WELLNESS TEAM LAST YEAR AND THEY CREATED THIS VIRTUAL WELLNESS FAIR. WHAT THEY DID IS OVER THE COURSE OF FOUR WEEKS, PUSHED OUT EMAILS, WHICH PUSHED OUT VIDEOS, WHICH PUSHED OUT A VIRTUAL BASICALLY TRADE SHOW TO GIVE ALL OF THE OPPORTUNITIES FOR JOINING THESE WELLNESS PROGRAMS AND THESE BENEFITS PROGRAMS AS IF YOU WERE SITTING THERE AT A NORMAL BOOTH. SO THE NICE THING WAS YOU CAN SPREAD THIS OVER FOUR WEEKS. YOU CAN MAKE IT SO THAT EMPLOYEES CAN DO IT AT THE TIME THAT WORKS FOR THEM. AND BECAUSE OF THAT, YOU ACTUALLY HAD A 100% OF THE PEOPLE OF THE EMPLOYEES PARTICIPATED IN THIS. IT WAS FANTASTIC. THEY ALSO DID A REALLY CREATIVE JOB IN BRINGING SOME UNIQUENESS TO THIS. AND THE EMPLOYEES THAT WERE GOING THROUGH THIS WERE GIVEN TICKETS AND AWARDS ALONG THE WAY AND FOR DRAWINGS, AND THEN THEY WERE GIVEN WELLNESS GIFTS IF THEY WERE THE WINNERS OF THESE RAFFLE PRIZES BECAUSE OF THEIR PARTICIPATION. AND THAT WAS JUST A GREAT WAY OF MAKING SURE THAT PEOPLE WERE REWARDED FOR DOING WHAT THEY SHOULD BE DOING, WHICH IS TAKING CHARGE OF THESE WELLNESS AND BENEFITS PROGRAMS. SO IT'S A PLEASURE FOR ME TO BE ABLE TO JUST SAY, TRULY, THE BOTTOM LINE IS THIS IT WAS INCREDIBLY COST EFFECTIVE AND IT WAS INCREDIBLY I'M SORRY [INAUDIBLE] BUT IT WAS PUSHED OUT THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE EMPLOYEE POPULATION. SO WHAT THEY DID WAS INCREDIBLY UNIQUE. I'D LIKE TO ASK THEM TO COME FORWARD, IF I COULD, PLEASE, SO THAT WE COULD RECOGNIZE AMY GONZALEZ AND MAYA YANG. SUMMER, YOU AND YOUR TEAM ALWAYS DO AN INCREDIBLE JOB, AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR PARTICIPATION ON OUR COMMITTEES AT PRISM AS WELL. SO IF YOU WANT TO COME UP, WE'D LIKE TO PRESENT YOU, I THINK. LET'S SEE, WE HAVE SYDNEY DE DOMENICO WHO'S GOT SOME FLOWERS AND AND JUST GIVING SOME CONGRATULATIONS IN SYDNEY. [00:40:06] YES. OVER TO YOU. JUST REALLY QUICK. AS RICK MENTIONED, I'M SYDNEY DE DOMINICO. I'M THE DIRECTOR OF EMPLOYED BENEFITS FOR PRISM. WHY? SORRY, WE HAVE A HAND, MIKE. AND AND WOULD YOU MIND COMING UP ONE MORE LEVEL WITH EVERYBODY I HAVE HAD ALL OF YOU COME EVERYBODY UP. GOOD. YEAH. THAT MAKES ME EVEN BETTER. I HAVE HAD THE DISTINCT PLEASURE OF WORKING WITH MERCED COUNTY FOR THE LAST TEN YEARS IN THE ADMINISTRATION OVERALL OF YOUR HEALTH PROGRAM AND BENEFITS. SO THIS IS ALL ABOUT YOUR EMPLOYEES. UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF JIM BROWN. AND I KNOW ALL OF YOU ARE FAMILIAR WITH JIM. SO JIM WAS A PIONEER. HE WAS THE ONE THAT LOOKED OUT AND SAID, HOW CAN WE PURCHASE HEALTH CARE MORE EFFICIENTLY? AND SO HE WAS A YOU GUYS WERE A PIONEER FOUNDING COUNTY OF OUR HEALTH PROGRAM. YOU JOIN WITH AMADOR AND TAJIMA AND DEVELOPED A PURCHASING POOL WHERE EVERYBODY PAYS PREMIUMS AND THEN YOU PAY CLAIMS AND YOU SHARE THE RISK. AND THAT LEADERSHIP OF JIM THEN WENT DOWN. SCOTT DEMOSS ANOTHER MAY BE FAMILIAR NAME ON TO NOW, MARCY AND SUMMER AND MY AND AMY AND THESE FOLKS LEAD THE WAY IN SUCH A PASSIONATE WAY. YOU GUYS SHOULD BE VERY PROUD OF WHAT THEY'RE DOING, NOT JUST FOR THE COUNTY, BUT REALLY FOR THE EMPLOYEES WHO ARE REALLY YOUR MOST VALUABLE ASSET. SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU. YOU'RE SO WELCOME. WELL, DON'T PUT DON'T PUT THE MICROPHONE AWAY. WE'D LIKE TO HEAR FROM YOU, AMY. AND. NO, NO. AND MY JUST WELL, WE JUST WANTED TO SAY IT IS SUCH AN HONOR TO BE RECEIVING THIS AWARD, AND WE COULDN'T HAVE DONE IT WITHOUT OUR TEAM HERE, WHO ALL PLAYED A PART IN MAKING THIS IDEA COME TO LIFE. WE JUST HOPE THAT OTHER COUNTIES CAN BENEFIT FROM IT AND IT CAN GO TO HELP THEIR EMPLOYEES AS WELL. OKAY. BYE. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS AWARD FROM FROM PRISM. I MEAN, THIS IS AN HONOR. WE'RE SO GRATEFUL FOR OUR TEAM HERE. WE COULDN'T HAVE DONE IT WITHOUT OUR TEAM. YOU KNOW, WE COULDN'T HAVE DONE IT WITHOUT OUR SUPPORT FROM SUMMER AND MARCY AND WENDY AS WELL. AND SO WE'RE JUST SO GRATEFUL. THANK YOU SO MUCH. OKAY. THANK YOU. THAT'S IT. ALL RIGHT. WELL, YEAH, WE'D LIKE TO DO. WOULD YOU? WE'LL COME OUT FRONT, BUT THE BOARD WOULD LOVE TO TAKE A PICTURE WITH YOU AND HONOR YOU FOR YOUR SUCCESS. WELL, AGAIN, CONGRATULATIONS FOR THAT AWARD. WE'LL NOW MOVE ON TO OUR CALENDAR AGENDA. [CONSENT CALENDAR] NEXT IS APPROVAL OF CONSENT CALENDAR ITEMS ONE THROUGH 15. PLEASE NOTE A 4/5 VOTE IS REQUIRED ON ITEMS FOUR THROUGH SEVEN. ALL RIGHT. DID ANYBODY WANT ANY ITEMS PULLED? NO. OKAY. THANK YOU. AT THIS TIME, I'LL OPEN UP PUBLIC COMMENT ON ITEMS ONE THROUGH 15. ALL RIGHT, SEEING NONE. I'LL CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENT. I HAVE A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA AND A SECOND BY SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL AND I'LL CALL FOR THE VOTE. BEFORE WE RECORD THE VOTE. I'D LIKE TO HEAR FROM SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL. [00:45:01] THANK YOU. SORRY, I'LL GO AHEAD AND VOTE YES ON THIS, BUT I'LL JUST LET EVERYBODY KNOW. JUST ITEMS 16 AND 17 OR I'M SORRY, 17 AND 18 HAVE BEEN LONG TIME PROJECTS. THIS IS ONE THROUGH 15. OH, I'M SORRY. THAT'S OKAY. YOU'RE NOT A LITTLE BIT AHEAD, BUT. YEAH, YOU'RE SO EXCITED. I AM. GOOD TO SEE THE ENTHUSED. I'M GIDDY. ALL RIGHT. PLEASE RECORD THE VOTE. MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY. YES, I. NEXT IS BOARD ACTION PUBLIC WORKS ITEMS 16 THROUGH 20. [BOARD ACTION] PLEASE NOTE A 4/5 VOTE IS REQUIRED ON ITEMS 19 AND 20. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU, SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL. OR DO YOU WANT TO. YEAH. THERE YOU GO. YEAH, I DID MAKE THE MOTION, BUT NO, THIS IS EXCITING FOR DISTRICT THREE, 617 AND 18 ARE TWO LONGTIME PROJECTS THAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON, ESPECIALLY THE [INAUDIBLE] ROAD PROJECT WITH THE BRIDGE THERE. BUT WE HAD TO WAIT TILL AFTER THE END OF THE IRRIGATION SYSTEMS SEASON, SO WE'RE EXCITED FOR THAT TO MOVE FORWARD. AND I WANT TO JUST THANK DANA IN PUBLIC WORKS FOR PUSHING THESE FORWARD. AND I WOULD ASK FOR ALL OF MY COLLEAGUES SUPPORT, WHICH I'M SURE YOU WILL. THANKS. ALL RIGHT. I'LL OPEN UP FOR PUBLIC COMMENT AT THIS TIME. SEEING NONE, I'LL CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENT AND CALL FOR THE VOTE. PLEASE RECORD THE VOTE. MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY. NEXT IS BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AND RECOVERY SERVICES ITEMS 21 AND 22. I'LL OPEN UP FOR PUBLIC COMMENT ON THESE TWO ITEMS. SEEING NO PUBLIC COMMENT. I'LL COME BACK TO THE DAIS. I HAVE A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA, A SECOND BY SUPERVISOR PEDROZO AND I'LL CALL FOR THE VOTE. PLEASE RECORD THE VOTE. THE MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY. NEXT IS COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ITEMS 23 AND 24. PLEASE NOTE THAT ITEM 24 IS TO INTRODUCE AN ORDINANCE ENTITLED AN ORDINANCE REGULATING THE ERECTION CONSTRUCTION, ENLARGEMENT, ALTERATION, REPAIR, MOVING REMOVAL, DEMOLITION, CONVERSION, OCCUPANCY EQUIPMENT, USE, HEIGHT, AREA AND MAINTENANCE OF ALL BUILDINGS OR STRUCTURES IN THE COUNTY OF MERCED AND PROVIDING FOR THE ISSUANCE OF BUILDING PERMITS AND THE COLLECTION OF FEES THEREFOR. AND TO INTRODUCE AN ORDINANCE ENTITLED AN ORDINANCE RELATING TO THE ADOPTION OF THE 2022 CALIFORNIA FIRE CODE. THANK YOU, SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. JUST WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THIS IS ANOTHER ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT COMES BEFORE THIS BOARD THAT EVEN IF WE DON'T AGREE WITH THE NEW FIRE CODE OR SOME OF THE STUFF IN THE NEW FIRE CODE THAT WE ARE FORCED TO ADOPT IT. AND IT'S I DON'T KNOW I JUST WISH THEY WOULD CHANGE THE PROCESS IF IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE FORCED TO DO. I DON'T LIKE IT THAT WE VOTE ON IT. IT ASSUMES THAT WE AGREE WITH IT AND WE'RE RUBBER STAMPING IT. AND I DON'T AND I TAKE MY VOTE SERIOUSLY AND I DON'T JUST ELECT TO GIVE IT AWAY LIKE THAT, BUT UNDERSTANDING THAT I'VE YET TO BE ABLE TO CHANGE THE PROCESS. SO I WILL CONTINUE TO VOTE FOR THESE THINGS THAT WE ARE FORCED TO VOTE YES ON. THERE'S REALLY NO OTHER OPTION. JUST ONE TO HIGHLIGHT THAT. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. YOU'RE WELCOME. AT THIS TIME, I'LL OPEN UP FOR PUBLIC COMMENT ON THESE TWO ITEMS. SEE, THEN I'LL CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENT AND I WILL CALL FOR THE VOTE. PLEASE RECORD THE VOTE. MOTION CARRIES 4 TO 1. WORKFORCE INVESTMENT ITEMS 25 AND 26. PLEASE NOTE A 4/5 VOTE IS REQUIRED ON ITEM 26. ALL RIGHT. I'LL OPEN IT UP FOR PUBLIC COMMENT ON THESE TWO ITEMS. SEE. THEN I'LL CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENT, BRING IT BACK TO THE DAIS. I HAVE A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA AND A SECOND BY SUPERVISOR PEDROZO AND I'LL CALL FOR THE VOTE. PLEASE RECORD THE VOTE. MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY. LIBRARY ITEM 27. PLEASE NOTE A 4/5 VOTE IS REQUIRED. ALL RIGHT, I'LL OPEN UP FOR PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS ITEM SAYING THEN I'LL CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENT. DID THE DIRECTOR HAVE ANY COMMENTS? OUR LIBRARIAN. ALL RIGHT. I HAVE TO BRING IT BACK TO THE DAIS. [00:50:01] I HAVE A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA, A SECOND BY SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL, AND I'LL CALL FOR THE VOTE. PLEASE RECORD THE VOTE. THE MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY. ITEM 28 IS FROM PROBATION. ALL RIGHT, I'LL OPEN UP FOR PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS ITEM. SEEING NONE, I'LL CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENT. I HAVE A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL AND I HAVE A SECOND BY SUPERVISOR PAREIRA. I'LL CALL FOR THE VOTE. PLEASE RECORD THE VOTE. THE MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY. DISTRICT ATTORNEY ITEMS 29 AND 30. ALL RIGHT, I'LL OPEN UP FOR PUBLIC COMMENT ON THESE TWO ITEMS. SEEING NONE, I'LL CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENT AND CALL FOR THE. OH, SHOOT. THERE WE GO. MOTION BY SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA. SECOND BY SUPERVISOR ESPINOZA AND I'LL CALL FOR THE VOTE. ANYBODY ELSE WANT TO VOTE? I'M SORRY. ALL RIGHT. PLEASE RECORD THE VOTE. MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY. BOARD APPOINTMENTS, ITEM 31. ALL RIGHT. I'LL LOOK FOR PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS ITEM, SEEING NONE. I'LL CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENT. I HAVE A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR ESPINOZA AND A SECOND BY SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA AND I'LL CALL FOR THE VOTE. PLEASE RECORD THE VOTE. MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY. MOVE TO THE GSA AGENDA. OH, THAT'S RIGHT. YEP. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. SO AT THIS TIME, I WILL WE WILL MOVE TO THE MERCED OR THE CHOWCHILLA GROUNDWATER SUSTAINABILITY AGENCY. AT THIS TIME, I'LL OPEN UP PUBLIC COMMENT FOR BOTH AGENDA ITEMS AND NON AGENDA ITEMS WITHIN THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS AS THE COUNTY OF MERCED GSA CHOWCHILLA JURISDICTION. IF YOU WANT TO TALK WATER, NOW'S THE TIME. ALL RIGHT. SEEING NONE, I'LL CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENT AND WE'LL TAKE A MANUAL VOTE. AND SHE'S GOING TO ANNOUNCE THE ITEM FIRST AND THEN WE'LL GO. YEP. BOARD ACTION COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. ITEM ONE. HOW MANY? IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND. ALL RIGHT. IT HAS BEEN MOVED BY SUPERVISOR ESPINOZA AND SECONDED BY SUPERVISOR PEDROZO. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE. ANY OPPOSE, SAY NAY. MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY. THAT CONCLUDES OUR BOARD OF SUPERVISORS MEETING. FOR THE COUNTY MERCED GROUNDWATER SUSTAINABILITY AGENCY CHOWCHILLA. AND WE WILL NOW RECONVENE AS THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS. LAST IS BOARD REPORTS. ALL RIGHT, MR. [REPORTS/BOARD DIRECTION] MENDEZ. YOU KNOW. YES. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. JUST KIND OF I WOULD BE REMISS IF I DIDN'T RECOGNIZE THE FACT THAT OUR BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AND RECOVERY SERVICES DIRECTOR, GENEVIEVE VALENTINE, WHO WAS UNFORTUNATELY NOT ABLE TO BE WITH US TODAY, WILL BE TRANSITIONING TO SAN JOAQUIN COUNTY. SO AS THE BOARD IS FULLY AWARE, GENEVIEVE IS HAVING THAT TRANSITION THIS MONTH. WE WISH YOU THE BEST. SHE'S BEEN WITH US AS OUR DIRECTOR SINCE EARLY 2020, HAS NAVIGATED SOME VERY DIFFICULT WATERS OVER THE COURSE OF THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS AND WANTED TO JUST EXTEND OUR APPRECIATION TO GENEVIEVE VALENTINE FOR HER WORK HERE IN MERCED COUNTY. OBVIOUSLY HER PUBLIC SERVICE AND WISH HER WELL IN HER NEW POSITION THERE AT SAN JOAQUIN COUNTY. ALSO WANTED TO SHARE APPRECIATE YVONNE BROWN, WHO HAS KIND OF STEPPED UP TO SERVE IN AN INTERIM LEADERSHIP ROLE WITH BHRS, OBVIOUSLY WORKING ALSO WITH THE TEAM THERE AT BATES AND VANESSA ANDERSON FROM OUR OFFICE. SO WE HAVE A GOOD TEAM THAT'S GOING TO BE ASSISTING IN THE INTERIM PERIOD DURING THE TIME THAT WE HAVE THE RECRUITMENT UNDERWAY FOR THE POSITION. BUT AGAIN, JUST WANTED TO PAUSE AND APPRECIATE GENEVIEVE, AND I KNOW SHARON IS HERE REPRESENTING HER THIS MORNING JUST FOR HER GOOD WORK. [00:55:02] OVER THE COURSE OF THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS, I ONLY HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO WORK WITH HER A SHORT TIME, BUT I ALWAYS FOUND HER TO BE VERY PROFESSIONAL IN HER APPROACH IN EVERYTHING THAT SHE DID, VERY WELL RESPECTED WELL REGARDING THIS COMMUNITY. SO I SUSPECT THAT THAT'S GOING TO YOU KNOW, SHE'S GOING TO CARRY ON THAT PROFESSIONALISM AS SHE GOES OVER TO SAN JOAQUIN. BUT AGAIN, JUST AGAIN, THANK YOU, GENEVIEVE. I KNOW YOU MIGHT BE WATCHING OR LISTENING AND WE WISH YOU THE BEST. THANK YOU. OKAY, MR. HANSON, SUPERVISOR ESPINOZA. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. WELL, I ALSO WANT TO EXPRESS MY MANY THANKS TO, UH, GENEVIEVE VALENTINE FOR HER TIME HERE. MERCED COUNTY. UH, YOU KNOW, WE'RE SORRY, UH, TO HEAR YOU LEAVE, BUT I KNOW THAT, LIKE I SAID, UM, IT'S ALWAYS, UM, YOU KNOW, THERE'S ALWAYS COMPETITION AND, YOU KNOW, BUT LIKE I SAID, THAT'S A FAMILY THING THAT YOU HAVE TO, YOU KNOW, UM, I DO. AND ALSO, YOU KNOW, BETTER HEALTH AND YOUR FUTURE AS WELL. UM, I ATTENDED A CENTRAL VALLEY RAIL WORKING GROUP MEETING LAST FRIDAY, AND THERE WAS A LOT OF DISCUSSION ON THE EIGHTH RAIL COMING DOWN TO MERCED. BUT AS FAR AS I KNOW, I KNOW THAT THEY WILL, THEY'RE WORKING ON THE TRAIN ALL THE WAY TO MERCED SERIES AND MERCED, I THINK IS BY 2025. THEY'LL BE HOPEFULLY CONNECTING TO TURLOCK AND HOPEFULLY BY 2030 DOWN ALL THE WAY TO MERCED. AND SO, YOU KNOW, HOPEFULLY, LIKE I SAID, KEEP OUR PRAYERS AND LIKE I SAID, FOR OUR COMMUNITIES TO BE CONNECTED THROUGH TO THE BAY AREA AND TO THE NORTH OR THE SOUTH, UH, WHERE WE'RE ALL LOOKING FOR IT, SO EVENTUALLY WE'LL BE CONNECTED WITH THE HIGH SPEED RAIL, THE SAN JOAQUIN. AND WE'RE RIGHT HERE IN THE CENTRAL, UH, AND THE BASS VALLEY AND, AND THE BEST COUNTY, MERCED COUNTY. SO WE'RE, WE'RE LOOKING FOR THAT ALSO. AH, JUST NOTICE THAT THERE WILL BE SOME BROWN ACT TRAINING TOMORROW IN THE COMMUNITY OF PLANADA AT 6:00 PM. SO IN CASE ANY COMMITTEE MEMBERS FROM AROUND WANT TO ATTEND THIS COMMITTEE, YOU KNOW, THE OPPORTUNITY TO GET THROUGH THAT TRAINING WHICH IS REQUIRED FOR ALL APPOINTEES AND ELECTED OFFICIALS. BROWN ACT TRAINING ALSO ON MONDAY AT THE SAME WILL BE OUR COUNTY COUNCIL AND ATTORNEYS WILL BE IN THE COMMUNITY OF LE GRAND AS WELL. SO IF SOME OF YOU CAN ATTEND, UH, YOU'RE WELCOME TO ATTEND THAT COMMITTEE. SAME TIME MONDAY AT 6 P.M. I ALSO WANTED TO SAY THAT I ATTENDED THE CALAFCO CONFERENCE LAST WEEK FROM THE 19 12/21 IN NEWPORT BEACH. I WANTED TO ATTEND THE RCRC, BUT I KNOW THAT MY COLLEAGUES HERE FROM SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL AND SIVEIRA APPOINTED ME TO THE TO THAT BOARD. SO I, UM, RECOMMENDED ME TO UH, THAT UH, THE CALAFCO. AND SO I CANCELED MY RCRC CONFERENCE AND I JOINED THIS ONE AND I WAS FORTUNATE TO BE ELECTED TO THE STATE, UH, COLORFUL BOARD ON THAT BOARD. SO I WAS, UH, YOU KNOW, I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO COMMUNICATE WITH SOME MEMBERS THERE, SO I WENT AGAINST THE THREE OTHER COUNTY SUPERVISORS, AND I WAS FORTUNATE TO BE APPOINTED TO THAT STATE BOARD. SO I WANT TO THANK MY COLLEAGUES AT THE CALAFCO CONFERENCE HERE IN THE COUNTY AND THE STATE. SO I KNOW SUPERVISOR RUBBER WAITRESS FROM MADERA COUNTY, UH, MILES, MANDATORY FROM MARIPOSA AND OTHER ELECTED OFFICIALS UP AND DOWN THE STATE. SO WE'RE VERY SUPPORTIVE OF ME. AND SO THAT WAS ABLE, ABLE TO PULL AHEAD AND BE APPOINTED TO THAT. SO I WANT TO THANK MY COLLEAGUES FROM THROUGHOUT THE STATE AND MY COLLEAGUES HERE TO FOR THE SUPPORT. WELL, I JUST WANT TO READ A LITTLE BIT. I KNOW THAT A LOT OF MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY DON'T KNOW WHAT LAFCO IS. SO I WAS GOING TO READ ESTABLISH, YOU KNOW WHAT IT MEANS. IT'S A WELL-ESTABLISHED LAFCO WAS ESTABLISHED BY STATE LAW IN 1963. THE LOCAL AGENCY FORMATION COMMISSION IS RESPONSIBLE FOR COORDINATING LOGICAL AND TIMELY CHANGES IN LOCAL GOVERNMENTAL BOUNDARIES, INCLUDING ANNEXATIONS AND DETACHMENTS OF TERRITORY, INCORPORATION OF CITIES, FORMATIONS OF SPECIAL DISTRICTS AND CONSOLIDATIONS, MERGERS AND DISSOLUTIONS OF DISTRICTS. LAFCO ALSO REVEALS WAYS TO REORGANIZE, SIMPLIFY, AND STREAMLINE GOVERNMENTAL STRUCTURE. LAFCO ALSO HAS THE AUTHORITY TO INITIATE PROPOSALS INVOLVING DISTRICT CONSOLIDATIONS, MERGERS AND REORGANIZATIONS. IN ADDITION, LAFCO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR REVIEWING OUR OUT OF AGENT SERVICES AGREEMENTS BETWEEN PROPERTY OWNERS AND SERVICE PROVIDERS LIKE THE IN THE LAST YEAR WE DID WITH THE CITY OF LIVINGSTON AND ANOTHER ORGANIZATION, PRIVATE ORGANIZATION. SO WE'RE ABLE TO PROVIDE THOSE SERVICES AND THAT WHICH CAME TO TO THE LAFCO. AND SO THE SOLUTIONS OF OF SPECIAL DISTRICTS, I KNOW THERE'S WE HAVE PROBABLY A FEW HERE IN CANADA THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT INTO [01:00:02] DISSOLVING. BUT, YOU KNOW, OUR PROCESS IS TO BE ABLE TO WORK WITH THE SPECIAL DISTRICTS IN THE COUNTIES AND WHETHER THEY CAN STAY AND REMAIN ACTIVE OR IF NOT, YOU KNOW, THEY WILL BE DISSOLVED AND PROBABLY MERGED INTO OTHER SPECIAL DISTRICTS. SO THAT'S PART OF WHAT LAFCO DOES. AND ALSO TO I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT LAST SATURDAY WE HAD A WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITY TO THE BOARD APPROVED A CERTIFICATE FOR MONSIGNOR OR FATHER HARVEY FONSECA OF LIVINGSTON, WHICH THE COMMUNITY REALLY APPRECIATES. IT LIVES IN OUR COMMUNITY. HE'S 30 YEARS AND IT WAS ALSO THE ANNIVERSARY OF SAGE'S CATHOLIC CHURCH, 85TH YEAR THERE. AND THE MAIN THING WAS THAT, YOU KNOW, DOCTOR, I'M DR. FATHER HARVEY APPLIED FOR THE SHRINE, MAKING LIVINGSTON A SHRINE OR, YOU KNOW, AND ESPANOL SO WHICH IS VERY SPECIAL FOR FOR OUR COMMUNITY WHERE OTHER PARISHIONERS ARE OR PRIESTS CAN COME IN AND AND, YOU KNOW, HAVE MORE EDUCATION EVENTUALLY TO BECOMING A PRIEST. SO I WAS GLAD TO HAVE THAT IN OUR COMMUNITY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THAT'S ALL MY COMMENTS. SUPERVISOR PEDROZO. THANK YOU. I JUST WANTED TO MENTION THAT I HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO GO TO THE NUT FESTIVAL ON THE 22ND. I THINK THAT IT WAS THERE WAS A VERY GOOD TURNOUT. A LOT OF PEOPLE ATTENDED AND THERE WAS A LOT OF VOLUNTEERS, WHICH I THOUGHT WAS REALLY AWESOME. THERE WAS A LOT OF HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS THAT CAME OUT AND THEY WERE VERY ENGAGED. THERE WAS LIVE MUSIC. THERE WAS LIKE A TRAIN THAT WAS GOING AROUND. SO IT WAS A LOT OF FUN. SO I WANT TO THANK AND THEN THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT WAS OUT THERE ALSO. SO I WANT TO THANK THEM FOR FOR THAT. I KNOW I'VE SPOKEN ABOUT THIS MULTIPLE TIMES, BUT I DO WANT TO SAY THAT MY SON'S SHOW, THE DESCENDANTS THAT YOU SEE THE THE POSTER OF IS, THANK GOD, FINALLY FINISHED. BUT I'M VERY PROUD OF THOSE KIDS AND WHAT THEY WERE ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH BECAUSE IT'S NOT EASY. AND FOR THEM TO GO INTO IT AND MEMORIZE ALL THAT STUFF. AND IT'S A LOT OF HARD WORK, ESPECIALLY DURING SCHOOL AND ALL THAT. SO WE DO HAVE A VERY, VERY, VERY STRONG ARTS COMMUNITY HERE IN MERCED COUNTY. AND THE THING ABOUT IT THAT THERE'S OTHER PEOPLE FROM OUTSIDE OF THE COUNTY THAT ARE COMING HERE TO AUDITION AND PERFORM IN THESE SHOWS, WHICH I THINK IS A HIGHLIGHT OF OURS. I TOO ATTENDED THE ST JUDE FESTIVAL OR EVENT IN LIVINGSTON. MONSIGNOR HARVEY IS A VERY GOOD PRIEST. I CONSIDER HIM A FRIEND AND I WAS VERY HAPPY TO GO OUT THERE AND ATTEND THAT. AND RODRIGO HAD SAID THAT HE WAS THERE. BUT THAT CHURCH IS VERY IMPORTANT AND UNFORTUNATELY MONSIGNOR HARVEY IS GOING TO BE RETIRING SOON AND THAT'LL BE A HUGE LOSS TO THAT COMMUNITY. ALSO, I WANTED TO MENTION THAT LAST WEEK I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO TO THE PRESS EVENT WHERE THE CITY OF MERCY OR ASSEMBLY MEMBER GRAY WAS ABLE TO SECURE FUNDS OF $6 MILLION FOR BEAR CREEK RESTORATION FROM MCKEE. TO 16TH STREET AND WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO DO. AT FIRST, IT'S THEY'RE GOING TO KIND OF DO AN ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT AND THEN LOOK AT SOME OF THE EMBANKMENT ISSUES, BECAUSE THERE'S AS WE KNOW, THERE'S SOME INVASIVE SPECIES AND THERE'S HOMELESS PEOPLE THAT LIVE ON THE CREEK AND THAT THEY'RE DIGGING OUT THE CREEK. AND SO IT MAKES IT KIND OF UNSAFE. AND SO THIS WILL GO A LONG WAY TO REALLY START THE PROCESS OF RESTORING IT. ALSO, I WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU TO GENEVIEVE. I KNOW THAT SHE'S HAD SOME HEALTH ISSUES AND STUFF, BUT, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE THINGS ABOUT MERCED COUNTY THAT I DON'T THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE GET TO SEE A LOT OF THE TIMES IS THAT WE HAVE SOME REALLY GOOD DEPARTMENT HEADS AND REALLY GOOD STAFF WHO WORK REALLY HARD BEHIND THE SCENES. AND GENEVIEVE WAS ONE OF THOSE WHO REALLY CARED ABOUT THE PEOPLE THAT SHE WORKED WITH AND WORKED FOR. SHE WAS VERY PASSIONATE ABOUT BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AND AND I JUST WISH HER NOTHING BUT THE BEST. BUT THEN ALSO, I WANTED TO, AT THE TIME, ADJOURN FOR FRANCES PALM. SHE WAS MY AUNT'S COUSIN WHO WAS UNFORTUNATELY KILLED IN A RACE OR CAR ACCIDENT WHERE KIDS WERE RACING DOWN M [01:05:05] STREET AND SHE WAS JUST TRYING TO GO HOME. AND THAT'S WHAT HAPPENED. SO I WOULD LIKE TO ADJOURN FOR HER. THANK YOU. SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. I'D LIKE TO CONGRATULATE GENEVIEVE ON BASICALLY THAT'S A PROMOTION FOR HER MOVING TO SAN JOAQUIN COUNTY. I HATE IT THAT WE LOSE HER, BUT I SEE IT AS AN EXPANSION OF OUR NETWORK OF FOLKS WORKING IN DIFFERENT COUNTIES WHERE WE CAN STILL USE THE BRAIN TRUST OUT THERE. ALSO, I ATTENDED RC CRC EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEETING IN SOLANO COUNTY IN FAIRFIELD. WE GOT TO VISIT A PORT. IT WASN'T QUITE THE PORT THAT WE HAVE AN MOU WITH, BUT IT WAS NICE SEEING A SMALL FAMILY OWNED PORT. SO A LOT WAS DISCUSSED THERE. I THINK IT WENT VERY WELL. I ALSO WANT TO ANNOUNCE MY ATWATER OR MY DISTRICT THREE MOBILE DISTRICT OFFICE HOURS OR THE LAST THURSDAY OF EACH MONTH. SO WE'RE GOING INTO THE HOLIDAY SEASON THAT FALLS ON THANKSGIVING AND CHRISTMAS AS WELL. SO THOSE WILL BE CANCELED FOR THE REST OF THE YEAR. BUT WE WILL BE OPENING UP THE MOBILE DISTRICT OFFICE IN THE FOLLOWING YEAR AND IT WILL BE AT THE NEW ATWATER, THEIR ADMINISTRATION, THE NEW CITY OF ATWATER ADMINISTRATION OFFICES. SO WE'VE DISCUSSED THAT. WE'RE GOING TO DO THAT. ALSO, I ATTENDED THE GRAND OPENING OF THE NEW HOPE COFFEE SHOP IN ATWATER, RIGHT ACROSS FROM ATWATER HIGH SCHOOL. IT'S OPEN DURING THE FOOTBALL GAMES AND EVERYTHING ELSE. I THINK THEY'RE DOING GREAT WORK THERE BECAUSE AND IT'S PEACH COFFEE. SO WE ACTUALLY HAVE A PEACH COFFEE IN ATWATER. SO I RECOMMEND EVERYBODY TO STOP BY. AND I THINK THAT IS. OH, AND SUMMER, CONGRATULATIONS ON THAT PRISM AWARD FOR ALL INVOLVED. AND I WAS SERIOUS WHEN I SAID THAT I COMPETE IN THOSE COMPETITIONS AND I'M PRETTY COMPETITIVE AND I CANNOT WIN A ONE OF THEM. BUT ANYWAY, AND THE FOOT, WHEN WE DO THE STEP COUNTS. THESE PEOPLE ARE CRAZY. THEY WALK EVERYWHERE AND I WALK A LOT. BUT ANYWAY, WE HAVE TO GET REAL RAUL ON THOSE TWO. ANYWAY, THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. THAT CONCLUDES MY COMMENTS. WALK A LOT. TALK A LOT. YOU TALK AS MUCH AS THOSE TWO. WELL, THAT'S TRUE, SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA. I MAKE UP FOR MY WALKING WITH TALKING. YES, I AM. A COUPLE OF THINGS I WANTED TO ANNOUNCE. I'M GOING TO SAY CONGRATULATIONS TO GENEVIEVE THAT SHE'S MOVING ON, BUT JUST REALLY WANT TO THANK YVONNE, YOU AND SHARON AND SUMMER AND VANESSA. I THINK THERE'S VANESSA'S PART OF THAT TEAM THAT ARE JUST GOING TO KIND OF IN THAT INTERIM ROLE UNTIL WE CAN FIND A REPLACEMENT THAT THEY'RE STEPPING RIGHT UP AND THERE SO THAT THOSE FOLKS THAT GENERALLY AND DESPERATELY NEED THOSE SERVICES WILL FEEL NO IMPACT. UM, AS OUR ORGANIZATION TRANSITIONS A LITTLE BIT, I DO WANT TO REMIND FOLKS THAT IT'S MORE OF JUST FOR THE COUNTY FOLKS THAT THE COUNTY OFFICIALS ARE COOKING FOR SPORTSMEN'S TOMORROW NIGHT IN LOS BANOS. SO DON'T MAKE SURE YOU KEEP THAT ON YOUR RADAR. ALSO, NOVEMBER 5TH AT AT 11 A.M. IS THE LOS BANOS VETERANS DAY PARADE. THEY TYPICALLY HOLD THEIRS THE WEEKEND BEFORE. SO I ENCOURAGE MY COLLEAGUES, I KNOW THAT FIRE IS GOING TO HAVE A VEHICLE THERE. AND SO YOU'RE MORE THAN WELCOME TO COME OVER AND ENJOY THE FESTIVITIES. QUICK SHOUT OUT TO MARK HENDRICKSON AND OUR COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT, ROBERT AND TIFFANY. JUST AS WE RING STUFF, YOU KNOW, MY BOSSES CALL ME AND THEY GOT PROJECTS AND REALLY JUST KIND OF SETTING THAT TONE WHERE IT'S ALMOST LIKE A PRE PRE MEETING AS THEY WANT TO DO AN EXPANSION THAT IS COMING THREE YEARS EARLIER THAN WHAT THEY ORIGINALLY INTENDED. THIS WOULD BE PHASE THREE OF A PROJECT OUT THERE ON THE WEST SIDE AND REALLY INTERACTING WITH THOSE FOLKS AND REALLY KIND OF GIVING THEM THIS IS BEFORE THEY GO SPEND THE MONEY TO GO ORDER A BUILDING. THINGS LIKE MAKING SURE THE EXACT SETBACKS THAT THEY'RE GOING TO NEED BASED UPON WHERE SOME OF THE PHASE ONE AND TWO EXPANSIONS HAPPEN, THEY'RE TRYING TO MAXIMIZE THEIR SPACE. AND SO HAVING THOSE MEETINGS EARLY ON IN THE PROCESS, YOU THEN DON'T GO ORDER A BUILDING WHICH ARE THERE'S QUITE A LEAD TIME ON GETTING THOSE BUILDINGS. YOU DON'T END UP WITH ONE THAT'S TOO SMALL OR TOO BIG. SO REALLY WANT TO THANK THE TEAM FOR TAKING THE TIME TO MEET WITH OUR PACK AND REALLY KIND OF SET IN THAT STAGE MOVING FORWARD. CSAC, WHICH I KNOW WE'RE GOING TO HAVE ONE MORE MEETING, BUT I WILL BE ATTENDING THE CONFERENCE HERE IN A COUPLE OF WEEKS. AND THEN THE LAST THING I WILL CONCLUDE WITH IS JUST I KNOW THAT THERE WAS SOME COMMUNITY MEMBERS THAT CAME IN AND AND REALLY KIND OF SPOKE ON DAIRIES AND AND I JUST DON'T [01:10:05] I GUESS FOR ME, I JUST DIDN'T UNDERSTAND WHEN DAIRIES BECAME SUCH A BAD THING IN SOME PEOPLE'S EYES. YOU KNOW, IT'S SOME OF THESE PROJECTS WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT THE METHANE DIGESTERS, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE DOUBLE LINING THESE LAGOONS THAT 50 YEARS AGO THEY JUST DUG A HOLE. AND SO SO IN THEORY, YOU DID GET SOME SEEPAGE THAT WENT DOWN INTO POTENTIALLY INTO GROUNDWATER, WHERE NOW THEY'RE TAKING THESE LAGOONS, THEY'RE LINING THEM, DOUBLE LINING THEM, SO THAT THAT DOESN'T THEY DON'T WANT TO LOSE IT. AND THEY ENCAPSULATE IT IN OUR TRAPPING THAT METHANE GAS AND THEN CONVERTING THAT INTO ENERGY. SO AND AGAIN, YOU KNOW, JOHN PEDROSA SPOKE ABOUT IT A LITTLE BIT EARLIER, BUT JUST THE RULES THAT THAT THAT DAIRIES HAVE TO PLAY BY TODAY VERSUS YEARS AGO ARE IT'S PHENOMENALLY DIFFERENT. AND AND YOU HAVE ORGANIZATIONS, DAIRIES THAT EMPLOY YOU KNOW, THEY EMPLOY 50 FAMILIES, 50 FAMILIES THAT THEY EMPLOY ON THAT DAIRY. THEY WANT TO DO THE RIGHT THINGS. BUT ALL OF A SUDDEN, THERE ARE SOME GROUPS OUT THERE THAT WANT TO MAKE THEM OUT TO BE BAD PEOPLE. AND I THINK THAT REALLY FOR ME, ONE OF THE BIG POINTS THAT NEEDS TO BE POINTED OUT IS DAIRY IS STILL THE NUMBER ONE INDUSTRY, AGRICULTURAL INDUSTRY IN MERCED COUNTY. IT YOU KNOW, ALMONDS ARE GETTING UP THERE, BUT I DON'T KNOW WHEN OR IF THEY'LL EVER OVERTAKE THEM. BUT THESE DAIRIES EMPLOY BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT JUST MILKING COWS, THEY GOT FARMING PRACTICES THERE. THERE'S A WHOLE LOT OF STUFF THAT GOES ALONG WITH IT. AND, AND, AND I REALLY LIKE THE POINT THAT I DON'T I FORGOT HER NAME, BUT SHE CAME UP AND SPOKE THAT TALKED ABOUT AS A COMMUNITY. WHEN THAT COMMUNITY HAS AN EVENT GOING ON, WHO ARE SOME OF THE FIRST PLACES THAT YOU GO TO LOOK FOR? FOR SUPPORT FOR THEIR COMMUNITY EVENTS. AND COMING FROM A DAIRY BACKGROUND, KNOWING A LOT OF DAIRY FOLKS THAT ARE VERY COMMUNITY ORIENTED, CHURCH ORIENTED FOLKS THAT ARE THE FIRST ONES TO STEP UP AND REALLY HELP OUT THOSE ORGANIZATIONS. SO I JUST THINK THAT WHENEVER WE'RE HAVING THOSE CONVERSATIONS, I'M WILLING TO HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH ANYBODY ABOUT ANYTHING. BUT REALLY WE HAVE TO BRING ALL THAT STUFF INTO CONSIDERATION. AND SO I KNOW THAT WILL BE COMING DOWN THE ROAD AT SOME POINT, MAYBE NOT EVEN TO US. BUT THERE'S JUST ALL OF A SUDDEN THIS THIS WEIRD TURN OF EVENTS WHERE GROUPS ARE REALLY TRYING TO CRITICIZE THEM. AND I DON'T STAND FOR THAT AND I WON'T STAND FOR THAT. AND SO THAT CONCLUDES MY COMMENTS MR. CHAIR, THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. WELL, I'LL GO LAST. HOW'S THAT? I HAD A BUSY, BUSY TIME AS WELL AS MY COLLEAGUES SINCE OUR LAST BOARD MEETING, I WAS ABLE TO ATTEND TWO HOMECOMING PARADES AND HOMECOMINGS, ONE FOR DELHI, AND PRETTY AMAZED AT THE QUALITY OF THE FLOATS THAT THEY PUT TOGETHER AND THE NUMBER OF FLOATS. REALLY, THEY DID A PHENOMENAL JOB AND A TON OF COMMUNITY CAME OUT, SO THAT WAS AWESOME FOR THEM. THE SECOND ONE WAS IN HILMAR AND THEY HAVE A CLASS FLOATS AND THEIR MOTORIZED FLOATS, YOU KNOW, SAY TAKE AN OLD CAR AND BUILD A CHASSIS AND A FRAME AROUND IT AND MAKE A FLOAT. AND THEY ARE PHENOMENAL. YOU KNOW, THEY'RE NOT MADE WITH FLOWERS. THEY'RE MADE WITH WITH LIKE, OH, WHAT'S THAT PAPER? CREPE PAPER. RIGHT. SO, SO IT'S NOT EXACTLY THE SAME AS THE ROSE BOWL, BUT I'LL TELL YOU, THE FLOATS RIVAL, THEY ALL HAVE MECHANICAL WORKS ON THEM AND IT'S PRETTY PHENOMENAL. AND THEN HILMAR WENT ON TO WIN. I'M NOT SURE WHAT THE FINAL SCORE WAS, BUT IT WAS 41 TO 0 LATE IN THE FOURTH QUARTER. SO CONGRATULATIONS TO COACH MARCUS AND AND HIS COACHING KOREAN TEAM FOR FOR JUST HAVING A CELEBRATION BOTH BEFORE AND THEN ON THE FIELD. SO CONGRATULATIONS. I ATTENDED A MEMORIAL BENCH DEDICATION FOR A FELLOW NAMED JERRY LOWRY AND HE WORKED OUT AT OUR LANDFILL FOR ABOUT 30 YEARS I THINK AND AND I DIDN'T REALLY KNOW JERRY. YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN I'VE BEEN GOING OUT THERE FOR YEARS, SO I MAY HAVE INTERACTED WITH THEM AND JUST NOT KNOWN WHO IT WAS. BUT HIS COLLEAGUES THAT HE WORKED WITH, HE MUST HAVE BEEN A GREAT MAN BECAUSE THEY WANTED TO TAKE THE TIME TO HONOR HIM WITH A PERMANENT BENCH OUT THERE. AND THAT WAS THAT WAS NEAT TO SEE. ANYWAYS, JERRY, YOU'RE A GREAT MAN. THE I'D LIKE TO THANK THE WINTON ROTARY. WE HAVE A WINTON COMMUNITY HALL AND THE LANDSCAPING AROUND. IT HAS BEEN TERRIBLE FOR YEARS AND SO THE WINTON ROTARY HAD AS A COMMUNITY SERVICE PROJECT AS RE LANDSCAPING IT. AND THANK YOU TO DANA AND HIS CREW FROM OUR PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT FOR KIND OF SOMEWHAT GETTING IT READY, BUILDING A FENCE AND CLEANING OUT A BIG OLD TREE [01:15:05] ANYWAYS, SO SO THAT'S GOING TO BE A NEAT, A NEAT ADVANCEMENT IN THE COMMUNITY. KIND OF INTERESTING, THE HILMAR FIRE DEPARTMENT HAD A 75TH ANNIVERSARY AND YOU THINK, WELL, SHOOT, HILMAR HAD TO BE AROUND BEFORE 1947. AND BUT WHAT IT WAS, WAS WHEN THEY FIRST FORMALIZED THEIR VOLUNTEER FIREMAN WAS 75 YEARS AGO. AND SO I WAS ABLE TO GO AND PRESENT HIM WITH THE A CERTIFICATE FROM FROM MY BOARD HERE, WHICH THEY SAID, THANK YOU. YOU KNOW, PEOPLE WERE VOLUNTEERING TO FIGHT FIRES LONG BEFORE THAT, BUT I'M ASSUMING IN 1947 SOMETHING MUST HAVE CHANGED WHERE THEY NEEDED A LIABILITY INSURANCE OR SOMETHING. AND SO THEN THEY FORMALIZED AND ANYWAYS, AND THEY DO A GREAT JOB OUT THERE. ANOTHER LITTLE EVENT THAT HAPPENED THIS PAST SATURDAY WAS A TRACTOR PARADE. I DON'T KNOW THOSE OF YOU THAT KNOW THE SCOTTO BROTHERS AND AND MY COUSIN JUSTIN, AND THEN THE GUYS LIKE TOM RODNER AND A FEW OTHERS, THEY COLLECT OLD TRACTORS AND THEY HAVE SOME PRETTY UNIQUE ONES. THERE'S SOME THAT ARE WORTH UPWARDS OF 70,000, YOU KNOW, PROBABLY TEN TIMES WHAT THEY WERE WORTH WHEN THEY WERE SOLD BRAND NEW ANYWAYS. AND SO THEY STARTED AT SCOTT'S FARM HERE IN THE MCSWAIN AREA AND THEN RODE OUT TO HOPETON, WHERE MY COUSIN'S FARM IS AND HAD A BARBECUE. AND ANYWAYS, I, I JUST AFTER IT HAPPENED, I GOT COMMENTS FROM PEOPLE THAT THEY HAD SEEN THE OLD TRACTORS GOING DOWN THE ROAD. AND, YOU KNOW, AS FARMERS, YOU KNOW, WHEN SOMEBODY'S SHOOTING AT YOU AND GIVING YOU A THUMBS UP, IT KIND OF MAKES YOU FEEL APPRECIATED. AND SO CONGRATULATIONS TO THOSE GUYS. AND JOAQUIM [INAUDIBLE] TOOK AND BUILT AN OLD STEAM ENGINE AND AND IT HAS A LITTLE FIVE HORSE ENGINE ON IT THAT PROPELS IT. AND HE DIDN'T DRIVE IT OUT THERE. HE TRADED IT AS A BARBECUE. AND SO, YOU KNOW, IT JUST KIND OF WAS A NEAT EVENT AND IT'S ONLY GONE ON FOR THREE YEARS. STARTED OUT OF YOU KNOW COVID. SO CONGRATULATIONS TO YOU GUYS. I ATTENDED THE STONE RIDGE GYMNASIUM, RIBBON CUTTING ON BEHALF OF SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL, WHO I THINK YOU'RE AT RCRC THAT DAY, AND IT COULDN'T BE THERE. AND SO CONGRATULATIONS TO THAT GROUP FOR CONTINUING TO BUILD IN OUR COMMUNITY AND TO EDUCATE OUR KIDS. AND, YOU KNOW, AND YOU KNOW, KIND OF A FEW THINGS KIND OF WENT A LITTLE FOUL THERE AT THE BEGINNING. AND AND SO BUT THEY OWNED IT UP AND THEY THEY TOOK CARE OF IT. AND SO CONGRATULATIONS. AND THEN, YOU KNOW, MARK HENDRICKSON, OUR DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, ALSO MET WITH SOME OF MY CONSTITUENTS. ONE OF MY PET PEEVES IS THAT MY DISTRICT IS ON THE NORTH SIDE OF THE COUNTY. AND SO EVERYBODY, YOU KNOW, FROM AUGUSTINE, NOT EVERYBODY, BUT MOST PEOPLE FROM AUGUSTINE DRIVE TO NEWMAN TO DO THEIR SHOPPING. RIGHT. AND THEN FROM HILMAR AND EVEN JUSTIN STEVENSON, YOU KNOW, THEY GO TO STANISLAUS COUNTY AND SO THOSE COUNTIES GET OUR TAX DOLLARS, RIGHT? BUT THEN OUR CONSTITUENTS EXPECT US TO FIX THEIR ROADS AND PROVIDE THEM SERVICES. AND SO IT'S ALWAYS JUST KIND OF BEEN A LITTLE RUB FOR ME. WELL, AT THE INTERSECTION OF BRADBURY AND HIGHWAY 165, WE HAVE A CHEVRON GAS STATION AND THE GENTLEMAN OWNS 23 ACRES. AND, YOU KNOW, THAT'S OUR LAST CHANCE TO SNAG THOSE THOSE SALES TAX DOLLARS BEFORE THEY GET IN TO STANISLAUS COUNTY. AND SO MARK AND HIS TEAM CAME OUT AND MET WITH THE OWNERS AND TRIED TO SEE A PATHWAY FORWARD WHERE WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO ENHANCE THAT. SO THANK YOU, MARK, AND YOUR TEAM FOR THAT. AND I GUESS WE'RE ALL A LITTLE LONG WINDED TODAY, BUT WITH THAT, I WILL ADJOURN OUR MEETING. THANK YOU. * This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.