Feb 28, 2023 Board Meeting

[Call to Order]

[00:00:03]

GOOD MORNING AND WELCOME BACK TO THE FEBRUARY 28TH, 2023 MEETING OF THE MERCER COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS.

IN CLOSED SESSION THIS MORNING, WE HAD A CLOSED SESSION MEETING AND STAFF WAS GIVEN DIRECTIONS.

WE'LL NOW START WITH THE INVOCATION LED BY PASTOR JOHN MOSS FROM THE NEW LIFE COMMUNITY CHURCH.

AND THEN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE WILL BE LED BY SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL.

LET US PRAY. FATHER, WE ARE THANKFUL THIS MORNING AS WE GATHER TOGETHER, THAT YOU GIVE US JUST THE OPPORTUNITY OF BEING TOGETHER, TO KNOW ONE ANOTHER, TO HEAR FROM ONE ANOTHER, TO CARE FOR ONE ANOTHER, TO DEEPEN OUR COMMITMENT TO BEING COMMUNITY TOGETHER.

FATHER, WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR PROVISION, EVEN AS WE SEE THE SNOW ON THE MOUNTAINTOPS AND AS WE AWAIT THE RAIN THAT IS YET COMING AGAIN TODAY.

FATHER, WE THANK YOU FOR THE WAY YOU HAVE PROVIDED FOR US AND YOU CONTINUE TO PROVIDE FOR US, PROVIDING FOR US THROUGH THIS CRISIS OF THESE RECENT DAYS.

FOR THOSE WHO CONTINUE TO STRUGGLE, FATHER, FOR THE CONTINUED STRUGGLE OF THOSE WHO ARE STILL TRYING TO REBUILD AND COME THROUGH WHAT WE'VE HAD TO ENDURE.

BUT ALSO, LORD, WE GIVE YOU THANKS.

THANKS FOR THE OUTPOURING OF CARE.

THANKS FOR THE SUPPORT AND HELP.

THANKS FOR THE MANY VOLUNTEERS WHO HAVE GONE TO ASSIST DEMONSTRATING THAT SENSE OF LOVE FOR ONE ANOTHER.

FATHER, I PRAY YOU DEEPEN OUR SENSE OF YOUR PRESENCE HERE IN THE MIDST OF OUR COUNTY.

THAT YOU WOULD HELP US TO CONTINUE TO REPRESENT THAT VERY THAT REALITY OF CARE FOR ONE ANOTHER, LOVING OUR NEIGHBOR AS SELF.

FATHER EXTEND TO US THE GRACE TO BE EXTENDERS OF GRACE TO THOSE AROUND US.

AND, FATHER, I WANT TO LIFT UP OUR LEADERS, LEADERS WHO ARE HERE TODAY, WHO WILL BE HEARING, WHO WILL BE RESPONDING, WHO WILL CONTINUE TO HELP GUIDE US AS WE CONTINUE TO MOVE FORWARD. LORD, WE ASK THAT YOU WOULD HELP THEM GUIDE THEIR STEPS.

I WANT TO PRAY SPECIFICALLY FOR SUPERVISOR ESPINOSA AND SUPERVISOR PEDROZO SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL, SUPERVISOR PAREIRA AND SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA.

LORD FOR THE CHALLENGES THEY FACE IN THEIR ROLE AS LEADERS WITHIN THE MANTLE OF LEADERSHIP THAT THEY BEAR.

ALSO PRAY OVER THEIR LIVES AND THEIR FAMILIES AND THEIR PERSONAL LIVES GOD, THAT THEY WOULD BE ABLE TO FOCUS AT THIS TIME ON THE WORK THAT YOU HAVE FOR THEM TO DO HERE IN THE MIDST OF OUR COMMUNITIES.

FATHER, EVEN AS WE GATHER TODAY, WE BRACE FOR THE UNCERTAINTY OF WHAT THE FUTURE MAY BRING GOD, BUT ALSO HELP US TO REST IN THE CERTAINTY OF YOUR CARE AND YOUR GUIDANCE FOR US THAT WE WOULD REST IN THAT.

SO WE ASK FOR YOUR BLESSING OVER THIS TIME, AS WELL AS THE WORK THAT WILL BE SET TO DO THROUGH THIS MEETING TODAY.

IN JESUS NAME, AMEN.

READY, BEGIN.

THANK YOU, PASTOR, AND THANK YOU, SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL.

SO BEFORE WE START THE MEETING, I JUST WANT TO MAKE A FEW COMMENTS.

SO WE'RE GOING TO MOVE ITEM NUMBER 29, WHICH IS THE CONTINUE THE PROCLAMATION OF THE EXISTING OF A LOCAL EMERGENCY CAUSED BY THE DECEMBER 22, DECEMBER 2022, AND JANUARY 2023 MERCED RAINS.

WE'RE GOING TO MOVE THAT ITEM TO NUMBER ONE.

WE WILL BE ADDRESSING THAT ITEM FIRST.

AND I'M GOING TO ASK JUAN TO TRANSLATE THIS AND SO THAT WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY HAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK BECAUSE WE DO HAVE A 30 MINUTE TIME LIMIT ON NON AGENDA ITEMS. AND I WANT TO BE RESPECTFUL OF EVERYBODY'S TIME AND GIVE EVERYBODY AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK.

SO IF YOU'RE HERE TO SPEAK ON FLOOD OR FLOOD RELATED ISSUES, THAT WOULD BE YOUR OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK.

[PUBLIC OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK]

AND THEN WHAT I'LL ALSO ADD IS, IS I SEE THAT SOME OF OUR CONSTITUENTS HAVE SIGNS JUST ASKING THAT YOU BE RESPECTFUL.

YOU'RE MORE THAN WELCOME TO DISPLAY THOSE SIGNS.

[00:05:01]

THANK YOU. SO WITH THAT, WE WILL NOW I WILL OPEN THE PUBLIC COMMENT AND THIS IS FOR NON AGENDA ITEMS ONLY. IT'S NOW TIME FOR PUBLIC OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK ON ANY MATTER OF PUBLIC INTEREST WITHIN THE BOARD'S JURISDICTION, EXCLUDING ITEMS ON THE BOARD'S AGENDA. TESTIMONY LIMITED TO 3 MINUTES PER PERSON AND 30 MINUTES TOTAL.

SO IF THERE IS ANYBODY THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON NON AGENDA ITEMS, I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO COME UP NOW.

CAN YOU HEAR ME? YES.

GOOD MORNING, SUPERVISOR [INAUDIBLE] MENDEZ.

MY NAME IS MADELINE HARRIS.

I'M A REGIONAL POLICY MANAGER WITH LEADERSHIP COUNCIL FOR JUSTICE AND ACCOUNTABILITY.

AND IN A MOMENT, YOU'LL HEAR FROM SEVERAL RESIDENTS FROM PLANADA ABOUT AN ORDINANCE THAT'S VERY MUCH NEEDED AS AN EMERGENCY FLOOD RESPONSE ORDINANCE.

BUT SINCE IT'S NOT ON YOUR AGENDA, I WANTED TO MAKE A COMMENT ABOUT IT NOW.

I SENT YOU A DRAFT ORDINANCE THAT WAS SHAPED BY FEEDBACK THAT WE HEARD FROM RESIDENTS ABOUT WHAT THEY NEED RIGHT NOW, AND THAT ORDINANCE WOULD BE AN EMERGENCY EVICTION MORATORIUM AND A HALT ON RENTAL PAYMENTS TO PROPERTIES WHERE IT'S NOT HABITABLE AND IT'S NOT SAFE FOR FOLKS TO RETURN TO THEIR HOMES.

SO I WOULD ASK THAT THIS BE AGENDIZED FOR THE NEXT BOARD MEETING SO THAT IT CAN BE BEFORE YOUR CONSIDERATION AS THIS IS SOMETHING THAT PLANADA RESIDENTS HAVE REQUESTED.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS.

HI, I'M SEBASTIAN.

WE ALL KNOW HOW HORRIBLE THE DAMAGES WERE.

I KNOW, YOU KNOW, EVERYONE KNOWS.

BUT THE QUESTION IS, DO YOU CARE? EVERYONE HERE HAS EXPERIENCED THE STRUGGLES OF THE FLOOD, UNABLE TO GO TO THEIR HOMES BECAUSE OF THE MOLD OR DAMAGES OR EVEN THE LANDLORDS RAISING THE PRICES OF THEIR HOMES.

THIS IS JUST THE RESIDENTS OF PLANADA.

THE FLOOD HAS IMPACTED FAMILIES IN ALL OF MERCED COUNTY.

THERE SHOULD BE MORE PEOPLE HERE TELLING YOU THEIR STRUGGLES AND EXPERIENCES BUT WEREN'T ABLE TO BECAUSE THEY'RE ALREADY UNMOTIVATED TO BELIEVE THAT YOU WILL HELP THEM.

WHICH I CAN SEE WHY, 10 A.M.

ON THE TUESDAY. PEOPLE ARE AT WORK RIGHT NOW.

THEY'RE NOT GOING TO MISS WORK AND LOSE MORE MONEY JUST TO HEAR YOU SAY THE SAME THING, ONLY TO IGNORE THEM IN THE FUTURE.

THE RESIDENTS KNOW THE STRUGGLE AND WANT HELP.

IF YOU CARED ABOUT THE PEOPLE, YOU WOULD GO TO THEM AND NOT HAVE THEM COME TO YOU.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS.

AGAIN, I JUST REMIND EVERYBODY, IF YOU'RE SPEAKING ON FLOOD RELATED ISSUES, I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO SPEAK WHEN WE GET TO ITEM 29, BUT YOU'RE MORE THAN WELCOME TO MAKE.

YEAH. SO THAT'S, UM.

SORRY. [INAUDIBLE] WITH LEADERSHIP COUNSEL FOR JUSTICE AND ACCOUNTABILITY, I WAS CONFUSED ON THAT.

SO JUST TO UNDERSTAND ANYTHING RELATED TO FLOOD RECOVERY, YOU ALL WANT FOLKS TO COMMENT ON THAT ITEM LIKE ANYTHING AT ALL? WHAT I WOULD SAY IS, IS THAT ITEM 29 IS A FLOOD RELATED ITEM, AND IT WOULD BE A GOOD OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK ON THOSE ITEMS, WHEN WE GET TO ITEM 29, AGAIN, WE HAVE A 30 MINUTE TIME LIMIT ON PUBLIC COMMENT.

AND IN ORDER TO GIVE EVERYBODY AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK, I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO SPEAK ON THAT ITEM.

BUT THERE'S NOTHING PRECLUDING YOU FROM SPEAKING NOW.

GOT IT. OKAY. I CAN JUST MAKE MY COMMENT NOW.

[INAUDIBLE] WITH LEADERSHIP COUNCIL FOR JUST AS AN ACCOUNTABILITY, I ALSO JUST WANT TO RAISE THAT WE'VE TRIED MANY ATTEMPTS TO NOT ONLY COMMUNICATE TO THE COUNTY STAFF BUT ALSO TO THE STATE STAFF.

WE DO SEE THAT THERE ARE TWO AGENDAS ITEMS CURRENTLY RELATING TO THE PLANADA COMMUNITY CENTER AND THE FIRE STATION.

SO WE DO APPRECIATE THOSE EFFORTS.

BUT JUST WANTING TO REITERATE THAT THERE'S STILL A LOT OF GAPS HAPPENING WITH THE COMMENT LETTER THAT WE SUBMITTED.

IT ADDRESSES IT VERY MUCH OF ALL THE DIFFERENT AREAS WHERE FOLKS ARE SEEING THOSE CONCERNS.

AND SO I JUST KIND OF WANT TO ASK WHAT THE MOVEMENT IS ON THAT AND ANY COLLABORATION THAT THE COUNTY HAS BEEN DOING WITH STATE FUNDS.

WHAT WE'RE SEEING IS THAT CURRENTLY FEMA ISN'T WORKING.

THE RED CROSS, WHEN THEY WENT, WASN'T WORKING.

THERE'S A LOT OF GAPS IN THE SERVICES THAT ARE CURRENTLY AVAILABLE FOR RESIDENTS AND PLANADA.

UNFORTUNATELY, A LOT OF THEM DON'T QUALIFY FOR FEMA BECAUSE OF DOCUMENTATION STATUS.

AND SO NOW FOLKS ARE JUST WANTING THE COUNTY TO WORK WITH THE STATE TO IMPLEMENT ORDINANCES.

ONE OF THEM WOULD BE AN EVICTION MORATORIUM.

MARCH 15TH IS COMING UP.

AND WHAT WE'RE HEARING FROM HCD AND HOUSING AUTHORITY IS THAT THE FELIX SOTO'S UNITS ARE GOING TO BE AT CAPACITY WITH THE MIGRANT SEASON.

SO FOLKS ARE KIND OF JUST WANTING TO KNOW WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN NEXT FOR MARCH 15TH IS APPROACHING REALLY SOON.

AND TO PROTECT FOLKS FROM THAT, THEY WANT TO ENSURE THAT, LIKE WITH AN EVICTION MORATORIUM, THEY ALSO WANT A RENT STABILIZATION ORDINANCE, AS MADELEINE MENTIONED.

[00:10:01]

FOLKS ARE SAYING THAT COUNTY STAFF ARE GOING TO DO HOME INSPECTIONS, BUT IT'S ONLY REALLY ON SURFACE LEVEL AND THEY FEEL THAT THAT PROCESS IS BEING RUSHED.

THEY FEEL THAT THEY'RE GOING HOME TO A LOT OF LIKE, UM, STILL UNINHABITABLE HOMES WHERE THERE'S STILL A LOT OF MOLD AND IT SMELLS LIKE STILL VERY HUMID.

AND SO ALSO PROPER INSPECTIONS ARE STILL NEEDED.

WE'RE JUST HOPING THAT THE PROCESS ISN'T BEING RUSHED JUST TO GET PEOPLE BACK BEFORE MARCH 15TH, BUT THAT PROPER MEASUREMENTS ARE BEING TAKEN IN PLACE TO SUPPORT THE COMMUNITY.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS.

ALL RIGHT.

NOT SEEING ANYONE ELSE.

WE WILL NOW CLOSE.

OH, I'M SORRY, SIR.

OH, GENTLEMEN.

I'M GEORGE DEANE.

I'M THE PAST COMMODORE OF LYSA, THE LAKE 70 SAILING ASSOCIATION, WHICH CONTRACTS WITH THE COUNTY TO RUN THE DOCKS OUT THERE LIKE YOSEMITE.

AND A FEW.

A COUPLE OF ISSUES HAVE EVOLVED AND ARE PROBABLY NOT AS PRESSING OR AS CONTENTIOUS AS THE FLOOD ISSUES.

BUT I THINK THAT IT'S APPROPRIATE TO BRING IT TO THE ATTENTION OF THE BOARD.

BY WAY OF HISTORY, I WAS A LIFEGUARD OUT AT LAKE YOSEMITE BACK IN 1969, AND I KNOW THAT THE DOCKS THAT ARE CURRENTLY IN PLACE OUT OF LAKE YOSEMITE ARE THE SAME DOCKS THAT WERE IN PLACE BACK IN 1969, BACK IN 1969, AND MID WAS ABLE TO KEEP THE LAKE AT A CONSISTENT LEVEL BECAUSE THERE WAS PLENTY OF WATER.

I HAVE BEEN OUT AND TALKED TO THE MID ENGINEERS AND IN ORDER TO PRESERVE WATER, THEY'VE MADE A POINT OF NOT SENDING EXTRA WATER DOWN BEAR CREEK, WHICH IS KIND OF NECESSARY TO KEEP THE CONSTANT LEVEL IN PLACE.

ACCORDINGLY, THERE ARE GOING TO BE FLUCTUATIONS IN WATER LEVELS FROM THIS POINT FORWARD.

NOW, MR. PEDROSA WAS KIND ENOUGH TO COME OUT WITH ME AND TAKE A LOOK AT THE DOCKS AND SEE THAT THE CURRENT STATE THEY'RE IN IS PRETTY DIRE AND THEY ARE FALLING APART.

I KNOW THEY'RE AT LEAST 60 YEARS OLD.

WE'VE CONTRACTED TO MAINTAIN THEM AND WE'VE USED THE BIGGEST BANDAGES WE'VE GOT, BUT IT'S NOT POSSIBLE TO CONTINUE THAT FOREVER IN ORDER TO ACCOMMODATE MY KIDS PROBABLY REAL LEGITIMATE CONCERNS ON WATER LEVELS AND CONSERVING WATER.

WE'RE GOING TO NEED FLOATING DOCKS, WHICH THE WATER LEVELS HAVE BEEN FLUCTUATING 3 TO 4 FEET OVERNIGHT.

ALL LAST SEASON I WAS ONLY ABLE TO HAVE MY BOAT IN THE WATER FOR ABOUT TWO WEEKS.

AND THE PROBLEM IS WITH FIXED DOCKS, BOATS GO UNDER THE DOCKS.

THEY'RE DAMAGED.

THE DOCKS THEMSELVES ARE DAMAGED, AND IT'S JUST IMPOSSIBLE TO PUT THE BOAT IN THE WATER.

THAT MAKES IT EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO PROPERLY CONTRACT THE DOCKS AND GET REVENUE FOR THE DOCKS TO CONTINUE THE MAINTENANCE FOR THE DOCKS.

SO THAT'S CERTAINLY THE ISSUE.

I ALSO UNDERSTAND THAT RIGHT NOW, IN ORDER TO GO FORWARD ON THE DOCKS, THERE'S THE NECESSITY FOR AN AGREEMENT BETWEEN MID AND THE COUNTY TO WORK OUT THE MANAGEMENT AND RUNNING OF THE PARK.

NOW, I THINK WE ALL KNOW THAT RECREATION IS A BIG PART OF THAT PART AND WHETHER THE DOCKS ARE RUN BY MID OR WHETHER THE DOCKS ARE RUN BY THE COUNTY.

IF THERE'S NOT DOCKS, THERE WILL NOT BE SAILBOATS IN THE LAKE AND LISA WILL.

Q MR. DEAN, YOUR TIME IS EXPIRED.

I'LL GIVE YOU 10 SECONDS TO FINISH YOUR FINISH UP YOUR THOUGHT.

I SURE HOPE YOU CAN WORK OUT OF THEIR MIND IN THE FORESEEABLE FUTURE.

IT'S A 2 TO 3 YEAR PROJECT.

IT'S 2 TO 300000.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS.

GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS MARIA NAVA.

I APOLOGIZE. I'M NOT ABLE TO WAIT VERY LONG.

I HAVE TO GET BACK TO WORK.

I WOULD LIKE TO GIVE MY COMMENT NOW.

THANK YOU. I'M A LIFELONG RESIDENT OF PLANADA, CALIFORNIA, AND I AM ONE OF THE MANY FAMILIES STAYING AT THE FELIX TORRES MIGRANT HOUSING.

I'M HERE TODAY TO REQUEST YOUR HELP IN KEEPING OUR FAMILIES FROM BEING DISPLACED ONCE AGAIN.

WE CURRENTLY HAVE UNTIL MARCH 15TH TO VACANT THE TEMPORARY HOUSING, AND THE SAD REALITY IS THAT MANY OF US HAVE NOWHERE TO GO.

THE FLOOD DIDN'T JUST TAKE MATERIAL THINGS.

IT TOOK OUR HAPPINESS, OUR PEACE AND OUR DIGNITY FROM ONE DAY TO THE NEXT, THE COMFORT OF OUR BEDS, THE TRANQUILITY WE FIND AND COMING HOME AFTER A LONG DAY OF WORK TO RELAX,

[00:15:06]

IT TOOK WITH IT THE JOY AND LAUGHTER FROM OUR CHILDREN.

WE HAVE LIVED THIS NIGHTMARE FOR THE PAST 51 DAYS.

THE FAMILIES AT FELIX TORRES HAVE DIFFERENT FAMILY DYNAMICS.

WE LIVE DIFFERENT LIVES, BUT WE SHARE OUR GRIEF.

WE GO TO WORK AND SCHOOL EVERY DAY WITH A SMILE ON OUR FACES.

BUT WE'RE HURTING INSIDE.

WE HIDE THE TEARS FROM OUR KIDS AND OUR COLLEAGUES, AND WE PUSH FORWARD BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT WE WERE RAISED TO DO, TO BE RESILIENT IN TIMES OF HARDSHIP AND TO MOVE FORWARD AS BEST AS WE CAN.

BUT WE CAN'T DO THAT WITHOUT YOUR HELP.

SOME OF OUR FAMILIES HAVE ALREADY RECEIVED EVICTION NOTICES FROM THEIR LANDLORDS AND SOME HAVE BEEN THREATENED WITH EVICTION IF THEY DON'T CONTINUE PAYING RENT EVEN THOUGH THEY ARE NOT LIVING IN THE HOME.

SOME HAVE NOT EVEN HEARD FROM THE LANDLORDS AT ALL, WHILE OTHERS ARE BEING TOLD THAT THERE'S NO DATE FOR RETURN AND THEY NEED TO BE PATIENT.

I'M ASKING FOR YOUR HELP TO EXTEND OUR STAY AT FELIX TORRES.

FROM MY UNDERSTANDING, THE WORKERS WHO OCCUPY THE UNITS DO NOT ARRIVE UNTIL SOMETIME IN MAY.

AND EVEN IF THE DATE IS SOONER, WHAT ARE THESE 40 PLUS FAMILIES SUPPOSED TO DO? MY HUSBAND IS AN EGG WORKER.

HE HAS BEEN AN EGG WORKER HIS ENTIRE LIFE AND HE HAS LIVED IN PLANADA HIS ENTIRE LIFE.

HE HAS ROOTS IN THAT TOWN THAT FAR SUPERSEDE THOSE OF ANYBODY ELSE COMING TO WORK FOR A SIMPLE SEASON.

WE HAVE DONE OUR PART.

WE APPLIED FOR DISASTER RELIEF WITH ALL OF THE AGENCIES WE WERE TOLD TO, AND THEN SOME SOME OF THEM HAVE SOME OF US HAVE TAKEN LOANS AGAINST OUR RETIREMENT, EXHAUSTED OUR SAVINGS AND SOLD THE LITTLE BELONGINGS WE WERE ABLE TO SALVAGE FROM THE FLOODS.

WE ARE READY TO GO HOME, BUT THERE'S NO HOME FOR US TO RETURN TO.

WE HAVE BEEN ASKED TO BE PATIENT THAT FUNDS TAKE TIME TO BE RELEASED, THAT APPLICATIONS ARE STILL BEING PROCESSED.

BUT WHERE IS THE PATIENCE FOR US? WHO DO WE ASK TO GIVE US TIME? WHO DO WE ASK? PLEASE BE CONSIDERATE OF WHAT THE SITUATION IS AND EVERYTHING WE HAVE ALREADY BEEN THROUGH.

MARCH 15TH WILL BE HERE IN A MATTER OF DAYS.

WHO WILL BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR THOSE FAMILIES WHO FALL THROUGH THE CRACKS? THE FAMILIES WHO WERE TOLD THAT WE WOULD GET THE HELP WE NEEDED.

FAMILIES WHO HAD TO APPEAL AND RECEIVE DENIAL LETTERS FROM FEMA, WHO HAVE HAD NO CONTACT WITH THEIR.

OTHER THAN TO RECEIVE THEIR EVICTION NOTICE.

GIVE YOU 10 SECONDS TO FINISH UP YOUR FINAL THOUGHT.

A FEW WEEKS AGO, I WROTE A LETTER ASKING FOR HELP.

I SENT THIS LETTER TO ELECTED OFFICIALS OF THIS COUNTY AND THE STATE.

THE LETTER WENT ON, NOTICED THE LETTER, WENT OUT TO DOZENS.

AND THIS? BRING BALL.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS.

GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS DANIELA [INAUDIBLE].

I HOPE THIS MESSAGE REACHES THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.

I AM HERE TODAY BEFORE MERCED COUNTY.

CALIFORNIA'S ELECTED OFFICIALS.

RAUL MENDEZ. FOREST HANSON, RODRIGO ESPINOSA, JOHN PEDROZA, DARREN MCDANIEL, LLOYD PAREIRA AND SCOTT SILVEIRA.

BEHIND ME SITS THE FRIGHTENING, THE TRAUMATIZED AND THE HOMELESS CITIZENS OF PLANADA, CALIFORNIA.

ON JANUARY 9TH, THE HARSH RAINS REACHED THEIR TIPPING POINT AND OVERFLOWED INTO MY TOWN, DESTROYING OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT, CLINIC, POST OFFICE AND 90 FAMILIES HOMES.

THERE ARE 90 HOMELESS FAMILIES THAT THE UNITED STATES HAS FAILED.

THERE ARE 90 FAMILIES THAT THIS GOVERNMENT HAS ABANDONED, 90 FAMILIES WHOSE WHEREABOUTS OUR GOVERNMENT KNOWS NOTHING OF.

WHERE ARE THEY? ARE THEY SLEEPING IN THEIR MOLD INFESTED HOMES? ARE THEY UNDER BRIDGES? WHERE ARE THEY? I ASK YOU, WOULD YOU EVER LOSE ACCOUNTABILITY FOR A NUCLEAR BOMB? NO, YOU WOULDN'T.

YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE.

A FAMILY IS NO DIFFERENT, 90 FAMILIES AT THAT.

YOU'RE RESPONSIBLE FOR THEIR ACCOUNTABILITY.

YOU'RE RESPONSIBLE TO FIND THEM AND PLACE EACH AND EVERY ONE OF THOSE ABANDONED PEOPLE IN A HOME.

YOU CANNOT JUST LOSE A NUCLEAR BOMB AND SAY, WELL, I DON'T KNOW WHERE IT WENT, BUT IT WILL WORK ITSELF OUT ON ITS OWN.

NO, IT WON'T.

A DISASTER HAS RAVAGED PLANADA.

WE ARE IN A STATE OF EMERGENCY.

DO I NEED TO PAINT A PICTURE FOR YOU? DO THERE NEED TO BE PICTURES OF HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE BLEEDING? PICTURES OF BOMBS, DESTROYED BUILDINGS.

WHAT DOES IT TAKE? DO YOU NEED TO SEE CHILDREN SEPARATED FROM THEIR PARENTS AND PUT INTO FOSTER CARE BECAUSE THEIR PARENTS LOST THEIR ABILITY TO SUPPORT THEM? DO YOU NEED TO SEE THEM STARVING? DO YOU NEED TO SEE THE WOMAN WHO IS DYING OF CANCER, WHO HAS A NINE YEAR OLD CHILD AND LOST HER HOME AND WHO IS CURRENTLY BEING HOUSED AT FELIX STORES? DO YOU NEED TO SEE THE MAN I WATCH AS HE PUSHES HIMSELF ON HIS WHEELCHAIR SEVERAL MILES INTO TOWN ON PLAINSBURG ROAD, A ROAD THAT IS SO FLOODED IN HALF OF IT CANNOT BE

[00:20:05]

THIS IS THE ROAD, THE PEOPLE WHO LOST THEIR CARS AND HOMES HAVE TO TAKE BY FOOT TO GET GROCERIES FROM THEIR SHELTER AT FELIX STORES.

ON MARCH 15, 41 OF THOSE FAMILIES WHO ARE CURRENTLY BEING SHELTERED AT FELIX STORES, MIGRANT HOUSING WILL BE UNJUSTLY PUT BACK ON THE STREETS BY THE HOUSING AUTHORITY. THIS IS OUR DEVASTATING REALITY.

THIS IS A DESTRUCTION OF AN ENTIRE COMMUNITY.

AMERICA, THE GREAT, THE CHAMPION OF THE WORLD, CANNOT SAVE ITS OWN PEOPLE.

CAN YOU BEGIN TO WRAP YOUR HEAD AROUND WHAT IS GOING ON? WE MAY NOT HAVE BEEN BOMBED BY AN ENEMY, BUT THE PEOPLE OF MY TOWN ARE LIVING IN A WAR ZONE.

IT WILL TAKE THEM YEARS TO RECOVER FROM TRAUMA THEY HAVE ENDURED FROM THE FINANCIAL CRISIS THEY HAVE BEEN STRUCK WITH, FROM LOSING EVERYTHING, IF THEY EVER.

I WILL GIVE YOU 10 SECONDS TO FINISH YOUR COMMENT.

FOR PUBLIC COMMENT, I WILL FINISH MY SPEECH.

I DO NOT KNOW HOW MANY FAMILIES WILL BE TORN APART.

I DO NOT KNOW WHAT THEY WILL HAVE TO DO TO GET MONEY.

I DO NOT KNOW WHERE THEY WILL LIVE.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS AND THEY WILL SURVIVE.

TAKE A GREAT LOOK AROUND THIS ROOM.

I HOPE THAT YOU CAN NOT SLEEP AT NIGHT UNTIL YOU SHELTER THESE HUMAN BEINGS.

I HOPE THAT IT TEARS AT YOUR SOUL.

I HOPE THEY EATS YOU ALIVE.

I WANT YOU TO DO WHATEVER IT TAKES TO HELP THESE HUMAN BEINGS SURVIVE.

I WANT YOU TO BE RELENTLESS.

I CARE NOT FOR WHAT POLICIES, LAWS OR POLITICS STAND IN YOUR WAY.

I CARE NOT WHERE YOU MUST TAKE THESE PEOPLE.

AS LONG AS YOU HAVE ACCOUNTABILITY FOR EACH AND EVERY DAY.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS.

THEY ALL HAVE A SANITARY AND SAFE PLACE TO LIVE.

IF YOU MUST BUILD AND YOU NEED TO STOP, YOU NEED TO STOP.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS.

YOU NEED TO STOP INTERRUPTING.

OKAY. WE'RE GOING TO TAKE A FIVE MINUTE RECESS, THEN.

THAT IS WHAT YOU MUST DO.

IF YOU MUST FIND A REFUGEE CAMP, YOU MUST BUILD A REFUGEE CAMP.

THEN THAT IS WHAT YOU MUST DO.

IF YOU MUST BRING IN A FLEET OF MOBILE HOMES OR MOBILE UNITS, THEN STOP.

ALL RIGHT. WELCOME BACK. IF I COULD ASK JUAN TO COME UP BECAUSE I WANT TO JUST KIND OF RESET THE TABLE HERE.

WE ON PUBLIC COMMENT ON NON AGENDA ITEMS. WE HAVE A 30 MINUTE TIME LIMIT AND A THREE PERSON EXCUSE ME, THREE MINUTE PER PERSON MAXIMUM.

SO, AGAIN, I WILL ENCOURAGE YOU IF YOU IF YOU WANT TO SPEAK ON SPECIFICALLY ON FLOOD RELATED ITEMS WE HAD, WE'VE MOVED ITEM 29 UP TO FIRST ON OUR AGENDA.

IT'S A NEW AND AT THAT POINT PEOPLE WILL HAVE 3 MINUTES PER PERSON.

BUT WE DON'T HAVE A TIME LIMIT ON HOW HOW LONG THAT CAN GO.

AND THEN I WANT TO APOLOGIZE FOR THE INCONVENIENCE AND HAVING EVERYBODY HAVE TO WALK OUT AND COME BACK IN.

INVOLVED. BUT I WANT TO FOLLOW THE RULES SO THAT WE MAKE IT FAIR, FIRM AND CONSISTENT FOR EVERYBODY TO PARTICIPATE.

SO I WILL GIVE YOU AN OPPORTUNITY TO FINISH UP YOUR COMMENT IF YOU GO A LITTLE BIT OVER THE 3 MINUTES.

BUT IF IF IT CONTINUES ON LIKE IT DID BEFORE, WE'LL TAKE ANOTHER RECESS, AND I'M SORRY FOR THE INCONVENIENCE.

GRACIAS. RIGHT. SO OUR PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD IS STILL OPEN.

WE STILL HAVE MINUTES LEFT ON OUR 30 MINUTE TIME LIMIT.

SO AGAIN, IF YOU WANT TO SPEAK ON THE FLOOD ITEM, THAT'LL BE COMING UP HERE SHORTLY, BUT YOU'RE MORE THAN WELCOME TO SPEAK NOW.

GOOD MORNING. YES, MY NAME IS [INAUDIBLE], AND I JUST WANT TO REMIND YOU PEOPLE AND FIRST OF ALL, I WANT TO THANK YOU ALSO.

[00:25:02]

BUT I COULD JUST SEE THAT YOU GUYS DIDN'T CARE ABOUT US.

OKAY. BECAUSE I CAN UNDERSTAND TAKING A BREAK, BUT COME ON, IT'S NOT EVEN AN HOUR.

AND WHEN WE GOING TO WORK IN THE FIELDS, WE WORK FOR TWO OR 3 HOURS SOMETIMES AND WE DON'T GET A BREAK.

NOW, NOWADAYS IT'S VERY USEFUL THAT EVERYTHING HAS CHANGED.

AND YES, EVERY 2 HOURS WE GET A BREAK.

NOW WHY? BECAUSE THAT'S IMPLEMENTED AND THANK GOD AND THANK SOME PEOPLE THAT REALLY MADE SOMETHING FOR US.

FOR ALL THE FIELD WORKS LIKE ME.

NOW. I'VE BEEN LIVING IN PLANADA FOR 58 YEARS AND NOTHING THAT I HAVE EVER SEEN LIKE THIS HAPPENED THIS TIME, THIS FLOODING.

WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IN AN UNDERSTANDING IS THAT WE VOTE FOR ALL YOU PEOPLE, SO YOU CAN BE UP THERE WHERE YOU'RE SITTING RIGHT THERE WITH ALL THESE NICE HEATING THINGS AND HAVING GOOD COFFEE.

US IN THE FIELD, WE DON'T HAVE THAT.

SEE, IT'S COLD.

IT'S HARD, HARD WORK THAT YOU GUYS KNOW THAT WE DO.

BUT THEN AGAIN, MY LAST THING THAT I GOT TO SAY TO YOU PEOPLE IS THAT WE NEED ACTIONS, NOT PROMISES.

OKAY? SO PLEASE CONSIDER OUR WAY OF LIVING RIGHT NOW.

AND IT'S NOT ONLY PLANADA OKAY, I'M SPEAKING FOR EVERYBODY AROUND THE WORLD.

AROUND THE WORLD. NOT ONLY PLANADA, MERCED FOR EVERY PLACE, ANY PLACE.

AND ONE LAST THING.

WE ARE NOT DIFFERENT FROM OTHER PEOPLE, FROM OTHER RACE OF PEOPLE.

WE ARE ALL THE SAME.

I THINK YOUR BLOOD IS THE SAME AS MINE AND EVERYBODY'S SAME COLOR.

OKAY. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS.

RIGHT. I DON'T SEE ANYBODY ELSE.

SO WE WILL NOW CLOSE THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD.

AND AT THIS TIME, I'D LIKE TO CALL UP THE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY AIR POLLUTION CONTROL DISTRICT EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR SAMIR XI TO PROVIDE US WITH AN UPDATE ON VALLEY AIR

[PRESENTATION: AIR QUALITY UPDATE]

GOOD MORNING. AND I'M I'LL WAIT FOR THE CLICKER.

I BELIEVE I'M GOING TO CLICK MY WAY THROUGH THIS PRESENTATION.

BUT I WANTED TO FIRST START OFF BY THANKING ALL OF YOU AND FOR THE PUBLIC WHO'S HERE TO HEAR AN UPDATE ON WHERE WE ARE WITH THE AIR QUALITY EFFORTS IN THE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY. IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT FOR US AS AN AGENCY TO BE HERE BEFORE YOU ELECTED OFFICIALS, BUT ALSO EQUALLY AS IMPORTANTLY, THE PUBLIC TO TALK ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON AND TO PROVIDE AN UPDATE AND TO REALLY LET YOU KNOW WHAT RESOURCES ARE AVAILABLE TO RESIDENTS AND BUSINESSES AS WE KEEP WORKING TOGETHER TO CLEAN UP THE VALLEYS AIR.

SO I REALLY APPRECIATE THE TIME THAT YOU'RE PROVIDING ME TO PROVIDE THIS VERY QUICK UPDATE.

I KNOW YOU HAVE A LOT ON YOUR AGENDA, SO I WILL TRY TO BE VERY FAST ABOUT THIS.

I ALSO WANTED TO RECOGNIZE SUPERVISOR PAREIRA WHO SITS ON OUR BOARD.

WE ACTUALLY HAVE 15 EXCELLENT BOARD MEMBERS WHO WORK VERY HARD TO TRY TO COME UP WITH INNOVATIVE WAYS TO CLEAN UP THE VALLEY'S AIR.

AND HE'S BEEN ON THE BOARD FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS.

HE REPRESENTS NOT ONLY MERCED COUNTY BUT REPRESENTS THE VALLEY AS A WHOLE AND BRINGS A LOT OF REALLY UNIQUE AND REALLY GREAT PERSPECTIVE AND TO EVERYTHING THAT WE DO.

SO I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR HAVING THIS IDEA AS WELL FOR ME TO COME IN AND PROVIDE THIS UPDATE AND FOR BEING A GREAT BOARD MEMBER AND SERVING THE VALLEY VERY, VERY WELL IN THIS CAPACITY. SO AGAIN, MY NAME IS SAMIR.

I'M THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AND AIR POLLUTION CONTROL OFFICER FOR THE VALLEY AIR DISTRICT.

AND WHY DO WE HAVE AN AIR QUALITY PROBLEM? WELL, THE VALLEY IS UNIQUELY CHALLENGED IN A LOT OF DIFFERENT WAYS, AS YOU CAN SEE IN THIS IMAGE, WHICH IS VERY, I THINK, POWERFUL AND TELLING THE VALLEY IS SURROUNDED BY MOUNTAINS. WE OFTEN GET CONDITIONS HERE IN THE VALLEY THAT TRAP AIR POLLUTION ON THE VALLEY FLOOR.

AND SO WHAT HAPPENS HERE IS FOR ALL THE REASONS THAT MAKES THIS REGION SUCH A BEAUTIFUL PLACE TO LIVE, THE MOUNTAINS AND ALL THE GREAT SCENES AND ACCESS TO DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE STATE THAT WE HAVE HERE.

WE ALSO HAPPEN TO BE IMPACTED BY THOSE SAME NATURAL CONDITIONS TO WHERE WE ACTUALLY HAVE TO REDUCE AIR POLLUTION IN OUR REGION A LOT MORE THAN PRETTY MUCH ANYWHERE ELSE IN THE COUNTRY TO ACHIEVE THE SAME GOALS.

AND SO EVERYTHING THAT WE DO TOGETHER TO KEEP REDUCING AIR POLLUTION IS THAT MUCH MORE IMPORTANT.

AND YOU'LL SEE AS I AS I TALK A BIT MORE ABOUT ALL THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF THINGS THAT WE'VE HAD TO DO HERE IN OUR REGION TO BASICALLY ADDRESS THIS CHALLENGE.

WE'RE ALSO IMPACTED BY TRANSPORTS FROM FROM OTHER PARTS OF THE STATE AND THE COUNTRY AND EVEN EVEN THE WORLD.

AND SO, YOU KNOW, OUR MISSION IS IS PUBLIC HEALTH MISSION.

OUR MISSION IS TO IMPROVE THE LIVES AND THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR OUR RESIDENTS HERE.

AND SO IT REALLY HIGHLIGHTS JUST HOW IMPORTANT IT IS TO REDUCE AIR POLLUTION AND TO TRY TO MEET THOSE HEALTH DRIVEN GOALS THAT WE ALL STRIVE VERY, VERY HARD TO MEET, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR OUR RESIDENTS.

ANOTHER FACTOR, AND MERCED IS NO STRANGER TO THIS ISSUE.

MERCED COUNTY IS THE GOODS MOVEMENT THAT WE SEE IN THE REGION.

WE'RE TRAVERSED IN THE VALLEY UP AND DOWN BY BY A LOT OF FREIGHT RELATED ACTIVITY.

[00:30:03]

WE, YOU KNOW, WE CONNECT THE PORTS, SOME OF THE BIGGEST PORTS IN THE WORLD HERE ON THE COAST.

TO THE REST OF THE WORLD, THERE'S A LOT OF AGRICULTURAL ACTIVITY AND PASS THROUGH TRAFFIC.

SO BECAUSE OF THIS ISSUE, BECAUSE OF THE GEOGRAPHIC ISSUES AND A FEW OTHER ISSUES, AND WE DO HAVE A VERY SIGNIFICANT AIR POLLUTION PROBLEM, THIS THIS MAP JUST KIND OF GIVES YOU A LITTLE BIT OF PERSPECTIVE ON ON THE AMOUNT OF TRAFFIC THAT WE ACTUALLY SEE ON THE FIVE OF THE NINE.

AND I KNOW THERE'S A LOT OF REALLY INNOVATIVE PROJECTS AND A LOT OF WORK GOING ON TO LOOK AT THESE ISSUES AND TO SEE IF THERE'S CREATIVE WAYS PERHAPS TO DEAL WITH SOME OF THIS FREIGHT RELATED ACTIVITY AND SOME OF THAT WORK HAPPENING RIGHT HERE IN MERCED COUNTY.

SO I WANT TO JUST SORT OF HIGHLIGHT THAT, THAT THE IMPORTANCE OF THAT WORK AND HOW MUCH WE DO NEED TO REALLY UNDERSTAND WHERE OUR POLLUTION PROBLEMS ARE COMING FROM SO THAT WE CAN WORK TOGETHER TO ADDRESS THOSE ISSUES.

SO THESE ARE JUST EXAMPLES OF SOME OF THE THINGS THAT THE ACTIVITIES THAT OCCUR IN OUR REGION THAT CONTRIBUTE TO AIR POLLUTION.

AS YOU CAN SEE ON THIS CHART, IT'S WIDE RANGING.

THERE ISN'T A SINGLE SOURCE THAT'S GOING TO BE THE KEY TO TO SOLVING OUR AIR POLLUTION PROBLEMS. AND AS YOU'LL SEE IN A MINUTE HERE, WE'VE MADE SIGNIFICANT PROGRESS IN REDUCING AIR POLLUTION AND ALSO IMPROVING AIR QUALITY.

AND SO EVERY ONE OF THESE CATEGORIES THAT YOU SEE UP HERE HAVE BEEN SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCED.

IN FACT, THOSE SMOKESTACKS THAT YOU SEE UP THERE, THOSE AREN'T IN THE VALLEY.

SO WE ACTUALLY HAVE QUITE EXTENSIVE POLLUTION CONTROLS ON THOSE FACILITIES.

WE KNOW THAT TRUCKING CONTINUES TO BE ADDRESSED THROUGH VARIOUS RULES AND OTHER OTHER INNOVATIVE PROJECTS.

VEHICLES CONTINUE TO GET CLEANER.

WE REPLACE MANY, MANY TRACTORS EVERY YEAR WHERE RESIDENTIAL WOOD BURNING IS SOMETHING THAT WE WORK ON VERY CLOSELY WITH OUR RESIDENTS TO BASICALLY REDUCE THAT WHEN WE HAVE CONDITIONS THAT ARE NOT GOOD FOR FOR PEOPLE TO BE BURNING.

SO THERE'S A LOT OF.

ACROSS ALL THESE DIFFERENT SOURCES.

BUT AGAIN, THERE'S A LOT OF DIFFERENT ACTIVITIES THAT CONTRIBUTE TO OUR AIR POLLUTION PROBLEM.

SO THE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY IS A LARGE GEOGRAPHIC ENTITY WITH A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING IN OUR REGION.

SO WE HAVE EIGHT COUNTIES, 60 CITIES, OVER 4 MILLION RESIDENTS IN OUR REGION, LARGER THAN MANY STATES.

GEOGRAPHICALLY IS THE BIGGEST AREA IN CALIFORNIA AS FAR AS AIR POLLUTION CONTROL CONTROL DISTRICTS GO.

SO THERE'S THERE'S A LOT THAT GOES ON IN OUR REGION, A LOT OF DIVERSITY WITHIN OUR REGION AS WELL.

AS I MENTIONED, WE HAVE 15 BOARD MEMBERS.

EIGHT OF THOSE ARE COUNTY SUPERVISORS.

WE HAVE FIVE COUNCIL MEMBERS AND TWO GOVERNOR APPOINTEES.

SO QUITE A DIVERSE BOARD AS WELL IN TERMS OF PERSPECTIVE AND BACKGROUNDS AND JUST CAPACITIES WITHIN THE BOARD.

OUR MAIN JURISDICTION IS REGULATING WHAT WE CALL STATIONARY SOURCES OF AIR POLLUTION.

SO EVERYTHING FROM AN AUTO BODY SHOP ALL THE WAY UP TO A LARGE POWER PLANT, REFINERIES, EVERYTHING IN BETWEEN.

WE HAVE AUTHORITY TO REGULATE THOSE SOURCES.

THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, THE STATE GOVERNMENT DEALS WITH MOBILE SOURCES.

SO WE WE DON'T HAVE THE AUTHORITY, THE PRIMARY AUTHORITY OVER TRUCKS AND VEHICLES AND OTHER ACTIVITIES, THE PLANES, LOCOMOTIVES, WHICH ARE ACTUALLY THE MAJORITY OF OUR OF OUR AIR POLLUTION PROBLEM. AND SO I'M GOING TO TALK A BIT ABOUT SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE DOING TO TRY TO TO DEAL WITH THAT.

BUT OVER THE YEARS, AS I MENTIONED TO YOU, AND I'LL SKIP THROUGH THIS GRAPH REALLY QUICK HERE TO SHOW YOU A MORE ILLUSTRATIVE EXAMPLE OF THIS.

BUT WE HAVE WORKED REALLY HARD WORKING WITH OUR RESIDENTS, BUSINESSES, PUBLIC AGENCIES, FARMERS, COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS TO LOOK AT EVERYTHING WE COULD POSSIBLY BE DOING TO REDUCE AIR POLLUTION. WE'VE GOT THE TOUGHEST RULES ANYWHERE IN THE COUNTRY.

HERE IN THE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY.

WE KEEP UPDATING THOSE AS TECHNOLOGY CONTINUES TO DEVELOP, WE GO BACK AND UPDATE OUR RULES.

WE'VE REDUCED OUR POLLUTION SOURCES THAT ARE UNDER OUR JURISDICTION BY OVER 90% OVER THE DECADES THAT WE'VE BEEN IMPLEMENTING THIS VERY TOUGH REGULATORY CONTROL PROGRAM.

AND, YOU KNOW, YOU PROBABLY HEARD FROM DIFFERENT SOURCES AT TIMES ABOUT THE PERMITTING AND THE THE REGULATORY ENVIRONMENT THAT WE OPERATE UNDER.

WE DO HAVE AMONGST THE TOUGHEST REGULATIONS ANYWHERE HERE, AND IT'S BECAUSE OF THAT AIR QUALITY CHALLENGE THAT WE HAVE.

BUT WE ALSO WORK TO TRY TO MAKE THESE THINGS FEASIBLE.

SO WE WE ADVOCATE VERY HEAVILY, AS YOU'LL SEE UP THERE, WE HAVE A 4.5 BILLION HISTORY AND IMPLEMENTING CLEAN AIR GRANT PROGRAMS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH OUR RESIDENTS, BUSINESSES, AGENCIES AND OTHERS TO TURN OVER FLEETS TO PUT INTO PLACE AIR POLLUTION BENEFICIAL PROJECTS.

SO WE DO HAVE A VERY LONG HISTORY AS A REGION OF BRINGING THESE FUNDS AND DOING SOME REALLY GREAT AND COST EFFECTIVE PROJECTS.

AND SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE DEFINITELY WORK VERY CLOSELY WITH ALL OF OUR PARTNERS HERE IN THE REGION TO TRY TO TO ADDRESS.

AND SO WE HAVE SEEN MAJOR PROGRESS.

WE'VE SEEN TREMENDOUS IMPROVEMENTS IN AIR QUALITY SOMETIMES, AND THAT'S PART OF WHY IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO GET OUT AND TALK ABOUT THIS.

SOMETIMES YOU MAY NOT REALIZE THAT.

AND SO IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT AS WE KEEP INVESTING AND ASKING FOR MORE FROM OUR RESIDENTS AND BUSINESSES AND AGENCIES AND OTHERS THAT WE POINT TO THE TRACK RECORD ON THIS, IF YOU DO REPLACE A TRUCK OR WHATEVER IT MIGHT BE, THERE IS A CORRESPONDING BENEFIT TO THAT AND IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE SHOW THAT TRACK RECORD AS WE KEEP ASKING FOR

[00:35:05]

THIS CHART ILLUSTRATES WHERE WE WERE BACK IN 1980 OR SO AND WHERE WE ARE TODAY IN TERMS OF DIFFERENT AIR POLLUTION SOURCES.

SO IN BLUE, THAT IS THE CATEGORY OF AIR POLLUTION SOURCE THAT WE PRIMARILY REGULATE.

AND AS YOU CAN SEE, SIGNIFICANT REDUCTIONS OVER THE YEARS, OVER 90% REDUCTION IN OZONE AND PARTICULATE FORMING.

THESE ARE THE TWO KEY AREAS THAT WE FOCUS ON POLLUTION OVER THE OVER THAT TIME FRAME.

YOU SEE MOBILE SOURCES AS WELL GOING DOWN QUITE A BIT ON ROAD MOBILE, OTHER MOBILE, WHICH IS OFF ROAD EQUIPMENT, FARM EQUIPMENT AND OTHER OTHER TYPES OF MOBILE EQUIPMENT AND JUST TREMENDOUS REDUCTIONS OVER THE YEARS.

BUT THAT AMOUNT THAT'S STILL LEFT IS STILL NEEDS TO BE REDUCED BECAUSE WE HAVE A HARD TIME MEETING THE VARIOUS FEDERAL AIR QUALITY CHALLENGES.

SO TREMENDOUS PROGRESS, BUT STILL MORE WORK TO BE DONE.

A COUPLE OF GRAPHS I JUST WANTED TO SHARE WITH YOU, AND THE EASIEST WAY TO FOLLOW THESE WOULD BE RED AND YELLOW.

THAT'S WHEN THE AIR QUALITY LEVELS ARE ARE AT THEIR POOREST AND NOT WHERE YOU WANT THEM TO BE AS THEY TURN GREEN AND, YOU KNOW, TOWARDS THE BLUE SORT OF LEVELS THERE, THAT'S CLEANER LEVELS.

AND SO OVER TIME, YOU'RE GOING BACK ABOUT 20 YEARS OR SO.

YOU SEE DRAMATIC IMPROVEMENTS IN THIS CASE WITH PM 2.5 ACROSS A COUPLE OF THE DIFFERENT STANDARDS.

I'M NOT GOING TO DWELL ON ON THESE GRAPHS BEING SENSITIVE TO TIME HERE THIS MORNING FOR OZONE, WHICH IS A SUMMERTIME ISSUE FOR FOR US HERE IN THE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY, SOMETIMES YOU'LL HEAR ABOUT THIS CALLED SMOG IS ANOTHER TERM THAT YOU'LL HEAR USED MORE COMMONLY.

AGAIN, THE REDS AND THE PURPLES.

THAT'S WHERE WE USED TO BE BACK IN THE YEAR 2000 OR SO WHERE WE ARE TODAY.

TREMENDOUS IMPROVEMENTS, BUT WE'RE STILL WORKING ON THIS AND STILL HAVE SOME WAYS TO GO TO MEET ALL THE VARIOUS STANDARDS THAT WE THAT WE NEED TO MEET NOW MORE SPECIFIC TO.

OR SAID COUNTY. JUST TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT OF OF AN IDEA OF WHERE MERCED IS RIGHT NOW WITH WITH RESPECT TO THESE DIFFERENT STANDARDS, STARTING WITH THE DAILY PM 2.5 TRENDS.

SO THIS IS PARTICULATE MATTER, SMALL PARTICULATES.

THESE ARE THESE ARE VERY DANGEROUS.

YOU KNOW, THEY ENTERED THE LUNGS ACTUALLY WORK THEIR WAY INTO THE BLOODSTREAM, CAN HAVE SIGNIFICANT IMPACTS ON HEALTH.

SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENTS OVER THE YEARS.

AS YOU CAN SEE, THERE'S A COUPLE OF LINES ON THIS GRAPH.

ONE OF THEM IS THE 1997 STANDARD.

RIVERSIDE COUNTY IS WELL BELOW THAT STANDARD.

NOW WE'RE APPROACHING AND HOPING TO MEET THE 2006 STANDARD HERE IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF YEARS.

WILDFIRES HAVE BEEN A HUGE IMPACT TO THE AIR QUALITY HERE, ESPECIALLY FOR PM 2.5.

AND SO YOU'LL SEE THAT SPIKE THERE THESE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS.

THOSE ARE ALL THE WILDFIRE IMPACTS THAT WE SAW, NOT AS MUCH AS LAST YEAR, BUT OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS HAVE SIGNIFICANTLY IMPACTED THIS REGION AMONGST OTHER REGIONS THROUGHOUT THE STATE. SO I JUST WANT TO NOTE THAT WILDFIRES ARE IMPACTING THAT TREND OVER TIME.

AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE ALL VERY CONCERNED ABOUT AND WORKING ON IS AS WE KEEP THINKING ABOUT THIS FOR THE ANNUAL PM 2.5 TREND.

SO I TALKED ABOUT THE DAILY PEAKS.

NOW THIS IS SPREAD OUT OVER THE ENTIRE YEAR.

AGAIN, THAT'S SIGNIFICANT DECLINE OVER THE YEARS, BUT SOME PEAKS THERE THAT ARE DUE TO THOSE WILDFIRE IMPACTS.

SO WE DO NEED TO KEEP THINKING ABOUT WAYS TO DEAL WITH WITH THOSE ISSUES OVER TIME BECAUSE ALL THESE REDUCTIONS THAT WE'RE PUTTING INTO PLACE FROM THESE VARIOUS REGULATIONS AND OTHER EFFORTS, THEN YOU HAVE A WILDFIRE THAT ACTUALLY OVERWHELMS ANYTHING YOU EVER DO ON THE VALLEY FLOOR.

AND THAT IS A PROBLEM AND IT IS SOMETHING THAT'S IMPACTING PUBLIC HEALTH.

BUT AS YOU CAN SEE, WELL BELOW THE 97 STANDARD RIGHT THERE AT THE 2012 STANDARD, THESE THESE ARE THESE ARE STANDARDS THAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON ACTUALLY FOR MANY, MANY YEARS TO TRY TO MEET.

FOR OZONE, AGAIN, THAT STRONG DECLINE AS TO WHERE WE USED TO BE WELL ABOVE THE 1997 STANDARD JUST 20 OR 30 YEARS AGO.

NOW WE'RE WELL BELOW THE 1997 STANDARD.

THIS IS A STANDARD THAT WE WERE HOPING TO MEET ACTUALLY BY THIS YEAR THROUGHOUT THE VALLEY.

AND WE THINK THAT WE'RE MEETING THE STANDARD HERE IN THE VALLEY THIS YEAR.

MERCED COUNTY HAS ACTUALLY BEEN MEETING THAT STANDARD FOR WELL OVER A DECADE NOW.

THIS PART OF THE VALLEY IS SIGNIFICANTLY IMPROVED FROM WHERE IT USED TO BE.

THERE'S A COUPLE OF OTHER PARTS OF THE VALLEY DOWN, ESPECIALLY IN KERN COUNTY, WHERE WE'RE STILL WORKING ON IT AND HOPEFULLY WE'RE THERE THIS YEAR.

BUT EMBER SAID IT'S BEEN DECLINING QUITE A BIT OVER THE YEARS.

AND AS YOU CAN SEE THERE, WE WANT TO KEEP GETTING THAT DOWN BELOW THAT 2008 STANDARD THAT'S ACTUALLY BY 2032 IS A GOAL FOR MEETING THAT NEXT LINE BELOW.

AND SO WE HAVE A FEW YEARS TO TO MEET IT, BUT WE'RE BASICALLY THERE AND WE'RE JUST MARCHING TOWARDS MEETING THESE VARIOUS FEDERAL OZONE STANDARDS WITH ALL THE ONGOING WORK THAT'S GOING ON. I WANTED TO SPEND JUST A MINUTE ON THIS SLIDE.

JUST BECAUSE THERE IS SO MUCH AVAILABLE GRANT FUNDING RIGHT NOW FOR RESIDENTS, BUSINESSES, PUBLIC AGENCIES AND OTHER ORGANIZATIONS TO HELP BE A PART OF THE CLEAN AIR SOLUTION.

AND SO THESE ARE JUST EXAMPLES.

I WOULD JUST ENCOURAGE EVERYBODY TO GO TO VALLEY AIR DOT ORG SLASH GRANTS.

AND I THINK I HAVE SOMETHING HERE AND I ALSO BROUGHT SOME ANNUAL REPORTS HARD COPY A SEVERAL FOR THE COUNTY BOARD OR THE PUBLIC THAT'S INTERESTED IN PICKING ONE UP.

WE HAVE A LOT OF GREAT INFORMATION IN THAT REPORT.

[00:40:01]

BUT I BROUGHT A COUPLE JUST TO TO SHARE THAT WITH YOU ALL.

A LOT OF DIFFERENT GRANT OPPORTUNITIES FOR FARMERS, ESPECIALLY FOR SMALL FARMERS.

OUR BOARD, JUST JUST A WEEK AGO UPDATED OUR GRANT PROGRAM TO ADD EVEN MORE FUNDING FOR THE SMALLEST FARMERS FROM EVERYTHING RELATED TO THEIR FLEET FOR TRACTORS TO TO CHIPPING AND GRINDING AS THEY THINK ABOUT PHASING OUT OPEN BURNING, WHICH I'LL TALK ABOUT HERE IN A MINUTE.

WE HAVE A LOT OF FUNDING AVAILABLE FOR FOLKS TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF AND SO HOPEFULLY YOU CAN HELP GET THE WORD OUT AS YOU HEAR CONCERNS ABOUT HOW TO MEET THESE VARIOUS REQUIREMENTS.

ELECTRIC YARD TRUCKS, RESIDENTIAL WOOD BURNING.

I'M NOT GOING TO GO OVER ALL THE VARIOUS PROGRAMS HERE, BUT WE HAVE A WIDE RANGE OF SUITE OF DIFFERENT PROGRAMS THAT CAN BE MADE AVAILABLE, AND MANY OF THEM FACING COMMUNITY FACING FOR RESIDENTS, ELECTRIC LAWNMOWERS.

AND WE ACTUALLY DO EVENTS.

WE DO ELECTRIC VEHICLE AND HYBRID VEHICLE REPLACEMENT WITH OUR RESIDENTS.

IT'S AN INCOME QUALIFIED PROGRAM.

WE HAVE EVENTS UP AND DOWN THE VALLEY.

WE HAVE THEM RIGHT HERE IN MERCED WHERE WE TRY TO GET EVERYBODY INVOLVED IN DOING SOMETHING TO HELP CLEAN UP THE AIR.

AND THAT'S THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE FIGHT VERY HARD AS A REGION BECAUSE OF THIS TRACK RECORD AND BEING ABLE TO DELIVER ON THESE PROJECTS ARE ABLE TO CONTINUE TO TO ADVOCATE AT THE STATE AND FEDERAL LEVEL FOR EVEN MORE FUNDING TO SUPPORT THESE VARIOUS PROGRAMS. MORE EXAMPLES HERE OF THE DIFFERENT PROGRAMS THAT WE'RE ALL WORKING TOGETHER WITH OUR PARTNERS IN THE VALLEY.

I'M NOT GOING TO GO OVER ALL OF THESE, BUT I JUST AGAIN, SENSITIVE TO TIME AND JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE YOU UNDERSTAND AND EVERYBODY OUT THERE HEARS THAT THERE'S OPPORTUNITIES FOR FOLKS TO HOPEFULLY TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THESE PROGRAMS. ONE QUICK NOTE.

WE DO HAVE A PROGRAM CALLED THE HEALTHIER LIVING SCHOOLS PROGRAM.

JAMIE HOLTZ, WHO'S OUR CHIEF COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER OVER HERE.

SHE'S THE MAIN PERSON AND THE, YOU KNOW, THE BRILLIANT PERSON WHO HELPS OPERATE THAT PROGRAM.

WE ACTUALLY HAVE RELATIONSHIPS WITH WELL OVER 1000 SCHOOLS THROUGHOUT THE VALLEY WHERE WE WORK WITH THEM TO THINK ABOUT AIR QUALITY, TO BE HEALTH PROTECTIVE WHEN IT COMES TO KIDS BEING OUTDOORS, FOR EXAMPLE, WHEN THERE ARE IMPACTS OUT THERE REPLACING THEIR BUSSES WITH ELECTRIC BUSSES, A VARIETY OF ANTI IDLING CAMPAIGNS DO IN SCHOOL CURRICULUM AND JUST REALLY TRYING TO EMPOWER OUR KIDS TO BE MORE INVOLVED IN THINKING ABOUT CLEAN AIR SOLUTIONS AND REALLY EMBRACING WAYS TO BE MORE GREEN AND EVERYTHING THAT WE DO. AND SO THAT'S THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE VERY PROUD OF.

AND AND I'VE WORKED VERY CLOSELY WITH OUR SCHOOL DISTRICTS TO IMPLEMENT AND HAVE A LOT OF PARTNERSHIPS RIGHT HERE IN MERCED COUNTY.

JUST A COUPLE OF IMAGES OF SOME OF THE EFFORTS THAT GO ON IN THAT PROGRAM.

REAL TIME AIR ADVISORY NETWORK DOES VARIOUS TOOLS THAT WE TRY TO PROVIDE TO OUR SCHOOLS.

I WANTED TO NOTE REALLY QUICK SOMETHING THAT IS REALLY IMPORTANT THAT'S IMPACTING MERCED COUNTY RIGHT NOW.

AND I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THE COUNTY BOARD AND THE PUBLIC WAS WAS FULLY AWARE OF THIS AND THAT.

I JUST WANTED TO GIVE YOU A QUICK REPORT AS TO HOW IT'S GOING.

THE BOARD DID ADOPT A PHASE OUT STRATEGY FOR AGRICULTURAL OPEN BURNING IN JUNE OF 2021.

AND SO WE'VE ALREADY SEEN THE MAJORITY OF WHAT USED TO BE OPEN, BURNED, NOW PHASED OUT.

BUT THERE IS STILL A BIT OF TIME LEFT FOR THE SMALLEST OF GROWERS.

THEY'RE THE ONES WHO ARE BASICALLY REMAINING UNDER THE CURRENT PHASE OUT THAT WE HAVE IN PLACE.

BY THE END OF NEXT YEAR, IT'LL VIRTUALLY BE ELIMINATED IN THE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'VE WORKED ON VERY CLOSELY WITH OUR AGRICULTURAL COMMUNITY, WITH THE STATE. WE BROUGHT IN $180 MILLION OF NEW STATE FUNDING TO SUPPORT THIS TRANSITION LAST YEAR, AND SO WE ARE IMPLEMENTING THAT FUNDING RIGHT NOW.

WE'RE PROVIDING IT TO FARMERS.

WE JUST INCREASE THE LEVEL OF FUNDING FOR FARMERS THAT ARE LESS THAN 100 ACRES.

THEY ACTUALLY GET ANOTHER $400 PER ACRE TO HELP THEM WITH THESE DIFFERENT ALTERNATIVES.

SO IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT FARMERS OUT THERE THROUGHOUT THE VALLEY ARE AWARE OF THIS AND ARE PLANNING FOR THIS.

SO IF YOU'RE REMOVING AN ORCHARD, REMOVING A VINEYARD, IT DOES TAKE A LOT OF PLANNING.

IT DOES TAKE SOME FUNDING TO ASSIST WITH WHATEVER YOU'RE GOING TO DO WITH THAT MATERIAL.

AND WE'VE ACTUALLY SEEN AN OVER 90% REDUCTION FROM WHERE WE USED TO BE WITH OPEN BURNING ALREADY AS OF LAST YEAR.

SO THERE'S TREMENDOUS IMPROVEMENTS THAT WE'VE SEEN IN THIS AREA, BUT IT'S ALSO VERY, VERY DIFFICULT IF YOU'RE A FARMER TO DEAL WITH THIS MATERIAL.

SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE PROVIDING AS MUCH ASSISTANCE AS POSSIBLE AND THAT THE SMALLEST OF FARMERS ESPECIALLY KNOW THAT THERE ARE RESOURCES AVAILABLE AND THAT THERE IS HELP THAT'S THERE FOR THEM AS THEY THINK ABOUT THESE DIFFERENT TRANSITIONS.

I'M NOT GOING TO RECAP THIS.

THERE'S A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS THE PUBLIC CAN DO TO GET INVOLVED IN OUR CLEAN AIR JOURNEY HERE IN THE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY.

THERE'S EXAMPLES THAT ARE ON HERE WORKING WITH US, WORKING WITH THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY, WORKING WITH THE COMMUNITY BASED ORGANIZATIONS.

JUST A LOT OF OPPORTUNITY AND CONTINUING TO WORK TO REDUCE AIR POLLUTION AND IMPROVE AIR QUALITY AND PUBLIC HEALTH HERE FOR ALL OF OUR RESIDENTS.

ONE THING THAT WE'RE WORKING ON RIGHT NOW IS WE'RE ADVOCATING VERY STRONGLY FOR BRINGING MORE FUNDING INTO THE REGION.

SO I'M SURE EVERYBODY HERE IS MORE THAN AWARE, MORE THAN INVOLVED IN THE INFLATION REDUCTION ACT, THE BIPARTISAN INFRASTRUCTURE LAW, THE STATE BUDGET PROCESS.

THERE'S A LOT OF OPPORTUNITY ACTUALLY WITHIN THOSE FUNDS TO PARTNER UP AND TO DO MORE SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE, TO CONTINUE REPLACING EQUIPMENT, TO CONTINUE DEPLOYING, SAY,

[00:45:06]

SO WE'RE WORKING VERY, VERY CLOSELY WITH A LOT OF PARTNERS THROUGHOUT THE VALLEY TO ADVOCATE FOR THIS FUNDING.

AND OF COURSE, THE COUNTY HAS ALWAYS BEEN A GREAT PARTNER TO SUPPORT THOSE EFFORTS AND TO HELP MAKE THE CASE FOR THOSE FUNDS BEING USED HERE TO THE BENEFIT OF OUR OF OUR COMMUNITIES HERE IN THE REGION.

SO WE CONTINUE LOOKING FORWARD TO WORKING ON THOSE PARTNERSHIPS.

A LOT OF CLIMATE RELATED FUNDING THAT'S A PART OF THAT THAT WE NEED TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF HERE IN OUR REGION AND JUST CONTINUING TO WORK WITH OUR COMMUNITIES AND RAMPING UP OUR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.

A LOT OF GREAT PARTNERSHIPS THAT WE'VE BEEN DEVELOPING OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS TO REALLY UNDERSTAND WHAT OUR COMMUNITIES NEED.

THE BOARD, FOR EXAMPLE, ADOPTED A PROGRAM RECENTLY FOR PROVIDING FREE AIR PURIFIERS TO SEVERAL OF OUR COMMUNITIES.

WE'RE ACTUALLY GOING TO DO ANOTHER ROUND OF A VALLEY WIDE PROGRAM FOR THAT.

SO THESE ARE PROGRAMS THAT ARE ACTUALLY STARTING AT THE COMMUNITY LEVEL, AND THE BOARD IS NOW USING SOME OF THESE FUNDS ABLE TO PROVIDE TO OUR COMMUNITIES.

SO WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO GET THE WORD OUT ABOUT THESE PROGRAMS. AND I CAN'T TELL YOU HOW MUCH THAT WE APPRECIATE THE PARTNERSHIP THAT WE HAVE WITH MERCED COUNTY.

AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING TO WORK WITH YOU AND WITH ALL THE PARTNERS HERE TO REALLY EMPOWER OUR RESIDENTS AND PROVIDE THE BENEFITS THAT ALL OF OUR COMMUNITIES ARE LOOKING FOR. AND WITH THAT, I'M HAPPY TO TAKE ANY ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS, AND I'LL TURN IT BACK OVER TO YOU FOR THE REST OF YOUR AGENDA HERE.

THANK YOU, SAMIR. APPRECIATE THE UPDATE, SUPERVISOR PAREIRA.

THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR.

SAMIR, THANK YOU FOR COMING TO MERCED, AND KIND OF HIGHLIGHTING THE FACT THAT THERE'S OPPORTUNITIES FOR MERCED COUNTY RESIDENTS AND REALLY ALL RESIDENTS IN THE VALLEY TO WORK AND HELP MAKE OUR AIR CLEANER.

AND SO KIND OF APPRECIATE THAT.

AND THEN FOR MY COLLEAGUES, YOU KNOW, THE BEING ON THE AIR DISTRICT BOARD IS REALLY KIND OF AN HONOR FOR ME.

THE AIR DISTRICT, RIGHT? THAT'S A REGULATORY AGENCY.

YET, YOU KNOW, THEY ALWAYS TRY TO FIND THE SOLUTION WITH EVERYBODY THAT HAS A PROBLEM.

AND SO I JUST WANT TO HONOR AND TAKE THAT BACK TO YOUR STAFF THAT THAT YOU REALLY DO A GREAT JOB.

THANK YOU. SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL.

THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. SAMIR, THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.

MANY TRIPS BACK TO WASHINGTON, DC ADVOCATING, AND I'VE ALWAYS BEEN VERY IMPRESSED WITH YOUR PRESENTATIONS AND A LOT OF THE FOLKS IN DC JUST LOOK AT THE VALLEY AS HAVING BAD AIR. BUT AFTER YOU GUYS ARE ABLE TO PRESENT IT TO THEM AND MAKE THEM UNDERSTAND THAT YOU GET A WHOLE DIFFERENT OUTLOOK ON IT.

I THINK BECAUSE OF THAT, YOU'VE BROUGHT A LOT OF ATTENTION HERE TO THE VALLEY AND APPRECIATE YOUR EFFORTS THERE.

AND WITH MY COLLEAGUE, HE ACTUALLY COMES BACK FROM ALL THE MEETINGS VERY, I DON'T WANT TO SAY GIDDY BUT EXCITED WITH ALL THE WORK THAT WE HAVE.

AND EVERY TIME WE'RE IN A PUBLIC SETTING, HE LIKES TO SHARE WHAT WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE IN THE VALLEY.

AND HE ALWAYS REMINDS EVERYBODY THE AIR BACK IN 1980 WAS REALLY BAD.

AND THERE ARE CERTAIN PARTS OF THE MOUNTAINS THAT YOU CAN'T SEE BACK IN THOSE DAYS.

AND TODAY HE'S ABLE TO WITNESS THAT.

AND IT'S I APPRECIATE EVERY TIME HE DOES IT AND ALL HIS HARD WORK THERE.

SO THANK YOU. SUPERVISOR THANK YOU.

CHAIR THANK YOU.

SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL YEAH.

SAMIR I AGAIN, I WILL SAY SUPERVISOR PAREIRA DOES COME BACK WITH A LOT OF ENTHUSIASM.

I FEEL LIKE, AND I'M GOING TO PARAPHRASE IT, BUT AS WE DEAL WITH A LOT OF GOVERNMENT ORGANIZATIONS STATE WIDE FEDERALLY THAT WE DON'T THINK OPERATE VERY EFFICIENTLY, THAT YOU GUYS ARE KIND OF LIKE THE SHINING STAR OF ONE THAT KIND OF GETS IT RIGHT.

AND SO AS A RESIDENT, I APPRECIATE THAT.

AND THEN THE LAST THING THAT I WILL LEAVE YOU WITH, I'M GOING TO ASK YOU A QUESTION AND THEN LEAVE YOU WITH A COMMENT IS IF YOU COULD PUT IT IN A PERCENTAGE, THE POLLUTION THAT WE STILL HAVE LEFT TO DEAL WITH, WHAT PERCENTAGE OF THAT IS ACTUALLY CAUSED BY THINGS THAT HAPPEN WITHIN OUR AIR POLLUTION CONTROL DISTRICT? AND WHAT PERCENTAGE OF THAT ACTUALLY FILTERS IN FROM OTHER PARTS OF THE STATE? DO YOU HAVE A ROUGH NUMBER THERE? YEAH. SO THAT'LL IT'S A GREAT QUESTION THAT WE GET ALL THE TIME.

AND THE NORTHERN PART OF THE VALLEY IS MOST IMPACTED BY, SAY, BAY AREA RELATED TRANSPORT, AND THAT'S PROBABLY IN THE 30% OR SO RANGE.

AND AS YOU WORK YOUR WAY DOWN THE VALLEY, THAT IMPACT IS LESSER AND LESSER.

SO IT'LL BECOME, YOU KNOW, TEN, 15% MAYBE IN THE CENTRAL PART OF THE VALLEY AND THEN LESSER AS YOU WORK YOUR WAY DOWN.

NOW, OF COURSE, LOCAL SOURCES WILL INCLUDE INTERSTATE TRUCKING AND THERE ARE ARE STILL THE LION'S SHARE OF WHAT HAPPENS LOCALLY.

BUT THE VALLEY IS THAT MUCH MORE SENSITIVE TO THAT POLLUTION.

THAT'S KIND OF THE ISSUE THAT WE HAVE HERE, IS THAT YOU COULD GENERATE ONE POUND OF POLLUTION HERE.

THAT'S TEN TIMES MORE IMPORTANT THAT THAT SAME POUND IN THE BAY AREA OR THAT POUND COMING FROM THE BAY AREA IS TEN TIMES MORE IMPORTANT THAN THAT POUND STAYING IN THE BAY AREA.

SO, YOU KNOW, WE ACTUALLY REDUCE ON A PER SQUARE MILE BASIS HERE, PER POLLUTION BASIS HERE A LOT MORE THAN SAY THE BAY AREA DOES OR OTHER PARTS OF THE COUNTRY DO

[00:50:04]

BUT BECAUSE OF THAT CHALLENGE, WE STILL HAVE SOME CHALLENGES THAT YOU DON'T GET BECAUSE OF THE COASTAL BREEZE SAY..

SO WHERE I'M GOING WITH.. ON THE COAST..

IS NOT TO JEOPARDIZE UNDERSTANDING THAT A LOT OF OUR FUNDING COMES FROM FROM STATE AND FEDERAL IS OUR RESIDENTS GET PUNISHED FOR POLLUTION THAT'S CAUSED BY THE BAY AREA AND SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA.

AND SO I ALWAYS THINK ABOUT THINGS AS IS WHEN I SAY OUR RESIDENTS GET PUNISHED.

WE HAVE TIGHTER RESTRICTIONS THAT WE HAVE TO FOLLOW TO TRY TO MEET THESE NUMBERS.

SO AT WHAT POINT DO WE LOOK AT ASSESSING THEM, ASSESSING THEM FOR THE POLLUTION? BECAUSE IF YOU LIVE ON THE COAST, WELL, THE COASTAL BREEZE JUST BLOWS IT INTO THE BOWL THAT IS THE VALLEY.

AND SO THEY DON'T HAVE TO TO TO SUFFER THE SAME PAIN.

SO I SAY WE ALL KIND OF TAKE THE HAIRCUT EVENLY AND HOW DO WE ASSESS THEM WHEN WE'RE CREATING REGULATIONS TO SO THAT THEY CAN HELP CHIP IN SO THAT IT'S NOT ON THE BACKS OF ALL OF THE VALLEY RESIDENTS? SO AGAIN, JUST A COMMENT, PROBABLY NEVER GOING TO HAPPEN.

BUT IF WE'RE ALL TRYING TO BE FAIR AND EQUAL, I THINK THAT THEY SHOULD HAVE A LITTLE BIT MORE RESPONSIBILITY IN IT.

AND I CAN ASSURE YOU THAT THE BOARD HAS, THAT'S ABSOLUTELY SOMETHING THAT WE ARE INTERESTED IN AND LOOKING FOR WAYS TO GET SOME EQUITABLE AND FAIR SHARE EFFORTS FOR FROM ANYBODY WHO'S IMPACTING US.

SO IT DEPENDS, I THINK, ON IF YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT, SAY, THE 580 CORRIDOR IS ONE, JUST ONE OBVIOUS EXAMPLE OF WHERE YOU GET A LOT OF THAT HEAVY DUTY TRUCKING COMING IN RIGHT THERE FROM THE BAY, YOU KNOW, BACK AND FORTH.

IT'S JUST ONE EXAMPLE OF WHERE WE'VE WE'VE ALWAYS BEEN LOOKING FOR WAYS TO TRY TO ADDRESS THAT.

THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF CONVERSATION AROUND EVERYTHING FROM SMOG, SMOG CHECK REQUIREMENTS TO EVERYTHING IN BETWEEN ABOUT HOW DO WE MAKE SURE THE BAY AREA KEEPS UP AND DOES WHAT THEY NEED TO DO TO MAKE SURE THEY'RE IMPACTING US LESS THAN THAN THEY NEED TO BE.

BUT IT'S A PERSISTENT CHALLENGE.

SO I CAN ASSURE YOU THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR IDEAS ON HOW TO HOW TO ADDRESS.

PERFECT. THANK YOU. SUPERVISOR PAREIRA, DID YOU HAVE ANOTHER COMMENT? ALL RIGHT. YES.

GOOD. YEAH. YOU KNOW, AND I DO NEED TO HIGHLIGHT THAT OUR AIR DISTRICT GETS A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF FUNDING FROM THE STATE, RIGHT, FROM CARB.

AND THAT IS A BIT OF OF EVERYBODY PAYING TO HELP US HERE IN THE VALLEY FOR THEIR POLLUTION.

I GUESS I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S EQUITABLE BUT I WILL SAY THAT THAT OUR STAFF AT THE AIR DISTRICT HAS WORKED REALLY HARD TO BE PROFESSIONAL AND GET GRANTS BECAUSE WE DO GOOD WORK.

THE STATE AND CARB ARE WILLING TO GIVE US FUNDING AND THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AS WELL.

SO, YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT 100% THEIR FAULT AND THEY DON'T PAY.

BUT ANYWAYS, THANK YOU, SUPERVISOR PEDROZO.

YES, THANK YOU. THE ONE THING AND THIS IS VERY INFORMATIVE AND I APPRECIATE IT VERY MUCH, THE ONE THING THAT I ALSO LIKE ABOUT THIS ORGANIZATION IS THAT IT REALLY DOES A LOT TO TELL RESIDENTS THINGS THAT THEY CAN DO.

SO LIKE THE COMMERCIALS THAT YOU GUYS HAVE AND ALL OF THE INFORMATION THAT'S OUT THERE, IT'S VERY SIMPLE, IF YOU WILL, SO THAT PEOPLE IT MAKES THEM THINK ABOUT, OKAY, WELL, WHAT IS IT THAT I CAN BE DOING AND THAT TYPE OF STUFF.

AND SO I APPRECIATE IT.

I WOULD ALSO APPRECIATE, THOUGH, IF LLOYD'S GOT A BETTER FACE FOR RADIO.

SO LET'S KEEP HIM OFF THE TV.

AND I'M JUST KIDDING. BUT THANK YOU.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.

THANK YOU GUYS FOR BEING HERE. AND IF YOU WANT TO LEAVE THOSE BOOKLETS IN THAT BASKET RIGHT THERE, RIGHT TO THE RIGHT OF THE AND I JUST WANTED TO NOTE, WE PRODUCED THIS REPORT.

IT'S VERY EXTENSIVE AND WE DO IT IN ENGLISH AND SPANISH FULLY 100%.

SO I BROUGHT A SPANISH VERSION AS WELL AND SOMETHING THAT'S BEEN IMPORTANT TO OUR BOARD TO MAKE SURE WE'RE AS ACCESSIBLE AS POSSIBLE IN ALL WAYS THAT WE CAN BE.

SO I JUST WANTED TO NOTE THAT AS WELL.

PERFECT. THANK YOU. GO AHEAD, SUPERVISOR PAREIRA.

YEAH, AND THEN JUST ONE LAST COMMENT IS THAT THE AIR DISTRICT IS AVAILABLE, AND THAT'S PART OF JAMIE'S OUTREACH TO COME TO ANY CLUB, WHETHER IT'S 4H, FFA, ROTARY, IT, THE ITALO CLUB, WHATEVER IT IS, THEY'RE WILLING TO COME AND PRESENT INFORMATION AND EDUCATE.

AND SO IF ANYBODY OUT THERE WATCHING THE MEETING OR IF ANY OF US KNOW PEOPLE THAT WOULD LIKE TO HAVE THEM COME AND GIVE INFORMATION, THEY'RE MORE THAN HAPPY TO DO THAT.

SO THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. NOW, I MEAN, THE MARKETING WORKS BECAUSE I KNOW VALLEYAIR.ORG.

I KNOW THAT JUST BECAUSE I'VE SEEN IT A LOT AND A LOT OF PLACES.

SO IT'S WORKING. YEP.

PERFECT. ALL RIGHT.

THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT.

I'M GOING TO WE'RE GOING TO BE MOVING ON TO LET ME GET MY NUMBER HERE.

[BOARD ACTION (Part 1 of 2)]

ITEM 29, FIRE.

WE HAVEN'T OPENED UP THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD.

[00:55:02]

WE HAVE CHIEF PIMENTEL.

GOOD MORNING, CHAIR, BOARD CEO, MARK PIMENTEL, ASSISTANT CHIEF FROM MERCED COUNTY FIRE.

TODAY, THIS ITEM THAT IS BROUGHT BEFORE YOU IS FROM THE PREVIOUS PROCLAMATION THAT WAS DECLARED BACK IN JANUARY 4TH AND RATIFIED BY YOURSELVES ON THE 10TH.

WE ARE COMING TO THE ENTAIL OF THIS PROCLAMATION AND OUR STAFF IS RECOMMENDING THAT WE CONTINUE THIS MOVING FORWARD, CONTINUE THIS STATE AND FEDERAL FUNDING BECOMES AVAILABLE TO MITIGATE THE EMERGENCIES THE PROCLAMATION REQUIRES TO BE IN ORDER TO BE ELIGIBLE TO RECEIVE FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE LOCALLY. STAFF RECOMMENDS THAT WE CONTINUE THIS PROCLAMATION TO APPROVE IN ORDER TO MAXIMIZE THE AVAILABLE FUNDS FOR MERCED COUNTY RESIDENTS. ALSO TO JUST GIVE A LITTLE BIT OF AN UPDATE.

WE ARE WE'RE THANKFUL FOR ALL THE DEPARTMENTS ACROSS THE COUNTY, BOTH AT ALL LEVELS.

THEY HAVE BEEN VERY FORWARD AND HELPING WITH THE OES OFFICE AND BEING SUCCESSFUL AND A LOT OF THINGS THAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY.

SO JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE SAY THANK YOU FOR ALL THEIR EFFORTS AND OF COURSE, THE BOARD'S SUPPORT THROUGH THESE TRYING TIMES.

WE DO ALSO HAVE SETTING UP IF THE PUBLIC COULD IF THEY COULD TEXT 888-7777.

TEXT MC RECOVERY, THAT WILL ALLOW THEM TO RECEIVE FLOOD RECOVERY UPDATES.

AND ALSO IN THAT PROCESS, THEY CAN ALSO DO AN EMAIL TO THAT TEXT MESSAGE AND THEN ALSO GET EMAILS TO HELP THEM GET UPDATES MOVING FORWARD.

THIS IS THROUGH OUR NEXT HOPE PROGRAM AND PROVIDE SOME ADDITIONAL INFORMATION FOR THE PUBLIC OUT THERE.

WE HAVE ESTABLISHED A MOBILE DRC IN PLANADA THAT'S OPEN ON MONDAY AND SATURDAY FROM 8 TO 5.

WE ARE STILL ACTIVE IN OUR EOC.

WE CURRENTLY HAVE STATE AND FEDERAL PERSONNEL IN THE EOC DAILY TRYING TO WORK MOSTLY THERE FROM MONDAY TO SATURDAY.

OBVIOUSLY, IF NEED THERE IS SUNDAY, IF THEY NEED TO BE, THEY WILL BE THERE.

BUT JUST HELPING TO THE PROCESS OF THE DEBRIS REMOVAL AND OTHER THINGS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY.

SO THEY'RE ALWAYS THERE.

THEY'VE BEEN THERE MONDAY THROUGH THROUGH SATURDAY, LIKE WE SAID.

AND THEN, OF COURSE, IF WE CAN EXTEND IF IT NEEDED TO BE EXTENDED, EXTEND ON SUNDAY IS HELP.

BUT THEY'VE BEEN THERE TRYING TO HELP OUT WITH EVERY LITTLE MEANS WITHIN THE GRANTS, WITHIN THE DRC, WITHIN THE DEBRIS REMOVAL OF SOME OF THE HOUSING STUFF AS THEY KIND OF COORDINATE WITH THE COUNTY TO THE PROCESS.

WE ARE STILL AT A HEIGHTENED AWARENESS.

I YOU KNOW, RECENT WEATHER EVENTS OBVIOUSLY IS AS EARLY AS YESTERDAY.

WE NOTICED QUITE A BIT OF RAIN COMING IN.

AND I KNOW THE CONCERN OF THE PUBLIC AND THE COUNTY.

THERE'S BEEN CONCERNS.

WE ARE OUT THERE KEEPING READY FOR A READY RESPONSE.

MY CREW AND WITH THE SHERIFF AND DPW ARE ALL OUT THERE EVALUATING OUR CREEKS AND WATERWAYS CONTINUOUSLY.

SO I KNOW THAT THERE IS SOME TRYING WEATHER THAT'S COMING FORWARD AND LIKE WE SAID BEFORE, SOUND LIKE A BROKEN RECORD, BUT THIS IS GOING TO BE A MARATHON.

SO WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO CONTINUE TO EVALUATE AND WATCH THE WEATHER AS IT COMES.

SO WE ARE OUT THERE.

THAT'S WHY ACTUALLY ADAM, ADMIRAL IS NOT HERE RIGHT NOW BECAUSE HE'S OUT THERE EVALUATING WITH SOME OF THE FEMA AND CALLOWAY'S FOLKS.

BUT WE ARE DEFINITELY MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE READY TO BE RESPONSE READY IF WE HAVE TO REACTIVATE THE EOC AND GET A RESPONSE IN THERE, WE WILL BE READY TO DO SO AT A MOMENT'S NOTICE. LASTLY, LASTLY, THE COUNTY'S OFFICE WILL BE SCHEDULING A REQUIRED AFTER ACTION.

THIS IS REQUIRED BY THE STATE AND WE DO THIS ON RECORDS TO OUR EMERGENCY WHEN THERE IS A STATE OF EMERGENCY PROCLAIMED IN THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA, THEY ASK FOR IT AFTER ACTION. SO WE'LL BE DOING THAT.

AND THEN IN RECENT MONTHS, MOVING FORWARD, AS FAR AS EFFORTS IN IN MY REPORT, IF THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS, I'D BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO TO ANSWER AS WE MOVE FORWARD.

ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS FROM MY COLLEAGUES? I HAVE SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. CHIEF, THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.

BEING THAT WE'RE MONITORING THESE STORMS COMING IN.

AND I KNOW WHEN THE WARMER STORMS HIT WITH ALL THE SNOW IN THE MOUNTAINS WE'RE GOING TO HAVE, IS THAT STILL OPEN AT THIS POINT? YES, WE ARE ALWAYS READY FOR A RESPONSE NEED AS WELL.

AND THAT'S ANOTHER REASON WHY WE WE ENCOURAGED THE FEMA AND CALLOWAY'S FOLKS TO STAY AT OUR LOCATION JUST WITH THE RECENT EVENTS AND THE STUFF THAT WE'RE STILL DEALING WITH DAILY. WE RECOMMEND THAT THEY STAYED THERE AND WE'RE GIVING THEM A PLACE TO STAY SO THAT WE CAN HAVE DIRECT CONTACT WITH THEM IMMEDIATELY IF THIS DOES ARISE AS WE MOVE FORWARD. VERY GOOD. THANK YOU.

SO THAT BEING SAID, ARE YOU HAVING TROUBLE KEEPING THEM HERE?

[01:00:01]

AND AS. AS I DEAL WITH THEM DAILY, WE DEAL WITH THEM AT OUR GIC AS WELL.

WE SET ASIDE A PIECE OF THE EOC FOR THEM TO WORK IN AND THEY HAVE JUST BEEN MORE THAN WILLING TO STAY.

THERE'S NOT BEEN ANY INFORMATION ABOUT THEM LEAVING.

THEY WERE JUST CONTINUALLY ASKING INFORMATION ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE COUNTY AND GOING WITH US TO EVALUATE THINGS THAT WE'VE BEEN HAVING GOING ON OUT THERE.

BUT THEY ARE WILLING TO STAY IN HERE, TO STAY HERE FOR THE LONG HAUL.

VERY GOOD. AND I CAN SAY MY TIME OUT THERE WITH YOU GUYS FOR ABOUT FIVE DAYS STRAIGHT, VERY IMPRESSED AT HOW EVERY ENTITY WAS THERE WORKING TOGETHER.

AND WHEN YOU THINK THE OTHER DEPARTMENTS OF THE COUNTY, IT WAS ALL HANDS ON DECK AND EVERYBODY WAS THERE AND MUCH APPRECIATED.

I'M HAVING SOME OF THE REAL TIME INFORMATION FLOWING THROUGH THAT SYSTEM AND THE RIGHT PEOPLE GETTING THE INFORMATION AND DOING THE WORK THEY NEED TO DO.

I APPRECIATE, APPRECIATE YOUR LEADERSHIP, ADAM'S LEADERSHIP IN THAT.

AND IT WAS A VERY GOOD EFFORT.

THANKS. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

SUPERVISOR ESPINOZA.

UM, WELL, THANK YOU, MARK, FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.

UH, AGAIN. UM, I KNOW THAT THE FIRE AT CAL FIRE HAS BEEN GREAT AT BEING SUPPORTIVE, ESPECIALLY THE COMMUNITY OF PLANADA AND AROUND THE COUNTY.

UM, BUT I KNOW THAT THE COMMUNITY IS STILL AT RISK BECAUSE MILES CREEK HASN'T BEEN CLEARED AS A MAIN REPAIR.

THERE'S THREE BRICKS NORTH OF CHILES OR YEAH NORTH OF CHILES.

I WALKED OUT THERE AND MR. MCCURDY CALLED ME OUT THERE AND HE SHOWED ME THE BRICKS.

A FEW HUNDRED ACRES OF HIS OF HIS LAND WAS WAS, UH, FLOODED LAST TIME.

AND HE'S GOT, YOU KNOW, OATS GROWING OUT THERE.

SO HE'S STILL WORRIED ABOUT BEING FLOODED, IF, YOU KNOW, I'M PRETTY SURE THERE'S STILL SOME MORE GOT FLOODED IF IT WASN'T REPAIRED.

AND I KNOW THAT'S THE COUNTY IS SUPPOSED TO BE OUT THERE, YOU KNOW, FIXING THAT ALL BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, IT'S YOU KNOW, HE SAID, I CAN'T TOUCH IT.

THEY WON'T LET ME TOUCH IT.

EVEN THOUGH IT'S IN THE MIDDLE OF MY PROPERTY THAT'S FEDERAL OR STATE, IT NEEDS TO BE CLEARED.

OTHER PARTS OF THE COUNTY HAVE BEEN ALREADY CLEARED.

BUT, YOU KNOW, PLANADA IS NOT THERE, YOU KNOW, AND PLANADA WAS THE ONE THAT SUFFERED THE MOST.

SO WE NEED TO BE OUT THERE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

SO AND I KNOW I'M HOPING THAT YOUR, UM, YOUR STATION IS, UH, FIXED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

SO IT'S ON THE AGENDA AS WELL AS THE COMMUNITY CENTER.

SO THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU DOING AND ALSO HAVING ALL THE VOLUNTEERS AND, AND FROM THE BATTALION, UH, AND SUPPORT AND, YOU KNOW, THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT WAS OUT THERE, YOU KNOW, SUPPORTING US AS WELL. SO THANK YOU.

THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT.

THANK YOU, CHIEF. I DON'T SEE ANY MORE QUESTIONS.

DIRECTOR HENDRICKSON.

MR. CHAIRMAN, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD. GOOD MORNING.

MARK HENDRICKSON, DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.

JUST TO PROVIDE YOU WITH MAYBE A LITTLE ADDITIONAL CONTEXT, IN ADDITION TO THE CHIEF'S REPORT THIS MORNING, SOME OF WHICH I DO BELIEVE IT DOES SHOW SOME POSITIVE PROGRESS AND COLLABORATION AND COOPERATION WITH OUR HUMAN SERVICES AGENCY, CAL FIRE OES PROPERTY OWNERS AND TENANTS IN THE PLANADA COMMUNITY, SPECIFICALLY THOSE WHO WERE SHELTERED AT THE WHO HAVE BEEN SHELTERED AT THE FELIX TOURIST SITE.

WE HAVE SUCCESSFULLY UNDERTAKEN INITIAL ASSESSMENTS OF THE HOMES THAT WERE VACATED.

I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE JUST A QUICK MOMENT TO ACKNOWLEDGE BOTH OUR BUILDINGS AND ENVIRONMENT HEALTH DIVISIONS FOR THE WORK THAT THEY DID ACCOMPLISH IN THIS REGARD.

IN THIS RESPECT, I DO UNDERSTAND THAT OF THE 42 FAMILIES THAT WERE HOUSED AT THE SITE, NEARLY 30 ARE ANTICIPATED TO RETURN, BE ABLE TO RETURN TO THEIR HOMES BY MARCH 15TH, THE BALANCE OF WHICH FIVE OF WHICH EXCUSE ME, FIVE OF WHICH HAVE ALREADY TURNED IN THEIR KEYS.

SO THAT'S THAT DOES SEEM TO BE AT LEAST SOME POSITIVE PROGRESS.

WE DO FURTHER UNDERSTAND, THOUGH, AND THIS IS SOMETHING I DO WANT TO STRESS THAT CERTAINLY OUR HUMAN SERVICES AGENCY IS WORKING LITERALLY AROUND THE CLOCK TO ENSURE THAT THE BALANCE OF THOSE THAT HAVE BEEN IMPACTED ARE GOING TO HAVE ACCESS TO HOMES AND AND LIVING ARRANGEMENTS.

OVER 90% OF THE PROPERTIES, AGAIN, THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN HOUSED AT THE FELIX TOURIST SITE ARE IN A STATE OF ACTIVE, ACTIVE REPAIR OR HAVE ENTIRELY COMPLETED ALL REPAIRS NECESSARY. IN FACT, AS LATE AS LAST WEEK, NINE PROPERTIES WERE AT 100% COMPLETION.

SO AGAIN, JUST IN JUST BRIEF CLOSING, I WOULD LIKE TO CERTAINLY ACKNOWLEDGE OUR COUNTY PARTNERS.

JUST AS THE CHIEF DID A FEW MINUTES AGO, I WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE PLANADA COMMUNITY AS AS WELL AS OUR COLLECTIVE FOCUS HAS BEEN ON WHAT WE CAN DELIVERING, WHAT WE CAN DO TO ACTUALLY HELP THOSE MOST IN NEED.

MR. CHAIRMAN, THANK YOU.

THANK YOU. JUST HOLD TIGHT.

I HAVE A QUESTION OR COMMENT BY SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL.

THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. MARK, SINCE YOU BROUGHT THAT UP, THE FELIX TORRES HOUSING SITE, FROM MY UNDERSTANDING, WE HAVE NO CONTROL OVER THAT.

YES. AND THAT IS ACTUALLY MERSED COUNTY HOUSING AUTHORITY, WHICH IS ANOTHER GROUP WHICH IS PROVIDED BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.

SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL THROUGH THE CHAIR.

YOU'RE EXACTLY CORRECT.

THE COUNTY MERCED HAS NO JURISDICTION WHATSOEVER OVER THE FELIX TORRES SITE.

[01:05:06]

SO THAT WAS AN ADDITIONAL SHELTER LOCATION DONE IN COOPERATION WITH ANOTHER LOCAL AGENCY.

THAT'S EXACTLY RIGHT. YEAH. THANK YOU FOR THAT.

AND I JUST KNOW THAT WE WORKED VERY HARD ON CALLING THOSE BOARD MEMBERS OF THE HOUSING AUTHORITY TO GET THAT OPENED UP.

AND IT WAS QUITE A BIT OF A CHALLENGE BY ALL OF US.

I MEAN, I THINK EVERY BOARD MEMBER HERE MADE THOSE PHONE CALLS IN TRYING TO GET THEM TO OPEN THAT UP.

SO THANK YOU FOR THAT. I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WAS CLARIFIED BECAUSE SOMETIMES IT GETS MIXED UP WHEN IT'S MERCED COUNTY HOUSING AUTHORITY.

THEY THINK IT'S MERCED COUNTY WITH THIS BOARD OF SUPERVISORS.

AND IT'S NOT WHAT THIS BOARD IS ACTUALLY ANOTHER BOARD AND ANOTHER ENTITY THROUGH THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.

SO THANKS, MARK, FOR CLARIFYING THAT.

THANKS CHAIR.

SUPERVISOR ESPINOZA.

WELL, THANK YOU, SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL IS CORRECT, BUT I KNOW THAT WE APPOINT EVERY MEMBER ON THE HOUSING AUTHORITY SO WE CAN ALWAYS REQUEST THAT THEY EXTEND, YOU KNOW, WORK WITH THE DIRECTOR TO EXTEND AND ASK THE THE BOARD THERE TO EXTEND THEIR TIME THERE AND WORK WITH.

ALSO, I'VE REACHED OUT TO AMANDA SORIA AND ANNA CABRERA TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY WORK WITH HCD WHICH, YOU KNOW, ALSO COMES DOWN TO CONTROLLING THE HOUSING AUTHORITY TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY EXTEND THEIR TIME.

I, YOU KNOW, LIKE I SAID, I HEARD YOUR COMMENTS, BUT I KNOW I WALKED PERSONALLY MYSELF THE STREETS THERE AND SOME RESIDENTS THAT ARE HERE STILL SOME HOMES ARE STILL GUTTED, THEY WON'T BE ABLE TO BE OUT BY THE 15TH OF MARCH BECAUSE THEY'RE PULLING OUT ANOTHER MONTH OR TWO, ESPECIALLY WITH ALL THE SUPPLIES ARE SO EXPENSIVE.

YOU KNOW, SOME HAVE BEEN TURNED DOWN BY BY LOANS.

SO THEY HAVE BEEN ABLE TO GET ANY LOANS BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T QUALIFY FOR FOR THE FEMA GRANTS OR, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE PROBABLY MAYBE A THOUSAND OR $2,000.

BUT THAT'S NOT ENOUGH. WHENEVER THINGS ARE EXPENSIVE, LIKE I SAID, IT'S TOUGH TO LIVE.

AND, YOU KNOW, IF WE HAVE SOME RESIDENTS THAT MOVED OUT, I THINK WE SHOULD MAKE MAKE IT ACCESSIBLE TO OTHER RENTERS BECAUSE I'VE GOTTEN CALLS WHERE SOME PEOPLE ARE, TENANTS ARE BEING HELD THERE WHERE THEIR LANDLORDS DON'T WANT TO FIX ANYTHING.

THEY JUST PAINT IT OVER THE MOLD AND THAT'S UNSAFE.

SO I THINK THE COUNTY SHOULD GO IN THERE AND, YOU KNOW, TO ALL THE AFFECTED AREAS TO MAKE SURE THAT THE, YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT UNSAFE BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, SOONER OR LATER WE'RE GOING TO HAVE ISSUES ON HEALTH ISSUES IN THE COUNTY.

SO IT WILL BE ADDRESSED.

SO I JUST THINK THAT WE NEED TO DO A BETTER JOB.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU, SUPERVISOR ESPINOZA, SUPERVISOR PAREIRA.

THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR.

SO I WANT TO I WENT TO THE MERCED COUNTY HOUSING AUTHORITY MEETING LAST WEEK AND SO I JUST WANT TO EXPLAIN WHAT WHAT WHAT'S HAPPENING. RIGHT.

AND I SUPERVISOR ESPINOZA ASKED FOR PEOPLE TO BE STAY THERE LONGER AND AT A MEETING AND I AND AT THAT TIME I SAID THAT'S PROBABLY NOT GOOD TO BE TELLING PEOPLE WHO ARE LIVING THERE THAT YOU CAN STAY LONGER AND THIS IS THE REASON WHY.

AND IT WAS REAFFIRMED AT LAST WEEK'S MEETING.

ON APRIL 1ST, THE HOUSING AUTHORITY LOSES CONTROL OF THE SITE AND IT GOES BACK TO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT RIGHT.

THEY HAVE IT FOR THE MIGRANT WORKING PROGRAM.

AND SO THE REASON WHY PEOPLE HAVE TO BE OUT BY THE 15TH IS BECAUSE THEY HAVE TO HAVE ENOUGH TIME TO HAVE THOSE UNITS BACK INTO PERFECT CONDITION FOR THE NEW TENANTS THAT ARE COMING IN.

AND SO I DON'T WANT PEOPLE IN OUR AUDIENCE TO THINK THAT THEY CAN GO TO THE HOUSING AUTHORITY AND COMPLAIN THERE BECAUSE IT'S LITERALLY OUT OF THEIR CONTROL.

AS OF APRIL 1ST, THEY NO LONGER CAN LET YOU BE THERE AND THEY DON'T HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO LET YOU STAY.

SO, YOU KNOW, YOU NEED TO WORK WITH SOMEBODY HIGHER THAN THE HOUSING AUTHORITY, HIGHER THAN THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS TO GET THAT ISSUE RESOLVED, IF IT CAN BE RESOLVED, I DON'T THINK IT CAN BECAUSE THERE'S A CONTRACT IN PLACE.

HOWEVER, I JUST WANT PEOPLE TO HAVE THAT INFORMATION.

SO. AND THEN WHEN THEN YEAH, IT'S THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, RIGHT.

AND SO ANYWAYS, AS FAR AS, AS HOUSES THAT WERE FLOODED HAS EVERY I MEAN, WILL EVERYONE BE INSPECTED BY ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH AND BUILDINGS. SO IF SOMEBODY'S PAINTED OVER MOLD, WILL THAT ISSUE BE FOUND AND RESOLVED OR HOW HOW DOES THAT WORK? YOU KNOW, THANK YOU FOR THAT QUESTION.

AND THROUGH THE THROUGH THE CHAIR, A QUICK ANSWER IS, IS WE HAVE OBVIOUSLY THE NUMBERS I SPOKE TO TODAY WERE SPECIFICALLY RELATED TO THOSE ACTUALLY HOUSED AT THE FELIX TORRES SITE. FOR THOSE OUTSIDE OF THE FELIX TORRES AREAS, I WOULD ACTUALLY LIKE TO USE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO HIGHLIGHT A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT MEANS BY WHICH PEOPLE CAN CONTACT US FOR THE PURPOSES OF SCHEDULING INSPECTIONS, ETC., ETC., THINGS OF WHICH HAVE BEEN BROADCAST PREVIOUSLY.

YOU COULD DO SO THROUGH FLOODRECOVERY@COUNTYOFMERCED.COM.

AGAIN, THAT'S FLOOD RECOVERY@COUNTYOFMERCED.COM OR YOU CAN CALL A NUMBER THAT'S BEEN SPECIALLY DESIGNED FOR THIS PURPOSE

[01:10:10]

YOU CAN DO THAT AT 209-381-1075.

AGAIN, THAT'S 209-381-1075.

AND SO THEN CAN TENANTS CALL THAT NUMBER AND GET A HOUSE INSPECTED IF THEIR LANDLORDS SAID, HEY, IT'S SAFE TO MOVE BACK IN BUT THEY'RE NOT SURE THEY CAN GO THROUGH THAT PROCESS AND PROTECT THEMSELVES? THAT'S CORRECT.

OKAY. YES, SIR. AWESOME.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU, SUPERVISOR ESPINOZA.

I JUST WANT JUST ONE LAST COMMENT.

UM, YOU KNOW, I AGREE WITH THE COMMENTS, BUT ALSO THIS IS A STATE NATIONAL EMERGENCY.

THERE'S EXCEPTIONS THAT IF WE CALL THE STATE LEGISLATORS AND CONGRESS TO ASK FOR AN EXTENSION, THIS IS A MIGRANT CAMP, WHICH IS FEDERAL, RIGHT? SO WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO GET THAT EXTENSION FOR THE MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY.

THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT.

I WOULD ASK YOU GUYS TO HOLD YOUR APPLAUSE, PLEASE.

ALL RIGHT. NOW.

THANK YOU, DIRECTOR HENDRICKSON.

WE WILL OPEN UP THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD ON THIS ITEM.

AND JUST AS A REMINDER, EVERYBODY HERE IS A THREE MINUTE TIME LIMIT.

SCOTT, I WOULD LIKE TO BE THE BIGGER PERSON AND FINISH MY SECOND HALF OF THE SPEECH THAT YOU GUYS WOULD BE ACTUALLY HAPPY TO HEAR.

I WAS GOING TO SAY THAT I DO NOT SEND THIS MESSAGE WITH MALICE FOR ANY OF YOU.

I DO NOT WANT TO DISCREDIT THE HELP WE HAVE ALREADY RECEIVED.

I AM FOREVER GRATEFUL AND THANKFUL FOR WHAT YOU ALREADY HAVE DONE.

I SAW RODRIGO ESPINOSA PUTTING SAND IN SANDBAGS MYSELF, BUT WHAT I AM SAYING IS THAT IT IS NOT ENOUGH.

I NEED YOU AS ELECTED OFFICIALS, TO REACH OUT TO EVERY CONTACT YOU HAVE AND DO EVERYTHING YOU CAN.

THIS IS A BIGGER ISSUE THAN YOU CAN HANDLE ON YOUR OWN.

SORRY. AND YOU NEED TO ASK FOR HELP FROM HIGHER GOVERNMENT.

IF YOU MUST BUILD A REFUGEE CAMP, THEN THAT IS WHAT YOU MUST DO.

IF YOU MUST BRING IN A FLEET OF MOBILE HOMES OR MOBILE UNITS, THEN SO BE IT.

I BEG YOU TO CONTINUE TO DO RIGHT BY US.

I BEG YOU NOT TO ABANDON US.

I SAID THIS ONCE BEFORE AND I WILL SAY IT AGAIN.

IF I SAW ANY OF YOU DROWNING, I WOULD NOT ABANDON YOU.

EVEN THOUGH YOU CUT ME OFF EARLIER, I WOULD STILL NEVER LEAVE YOU BEHIND.

DO NOT LEAVE US BEHIND.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS.

AGAIN, I WILL ASK YOU GUYS TO HOLD YOUR APPLAUSE.

I APPRECIATE THE EXCITEMENT, BUT I'M TRYING TO KEEP ORDERLY MEETING.

I LOVE SOME OF YOU ALREADY KNOW ME.

I'M THE PERSON WHO SELLS THE ICE CREAMS OVER IN PLANADA.

I WAS ALSO AFFECTED BY THE FLOOD.

HE GAVE THE NAME. I DIDN'T GET THE NAME, BUT HE'S NOT HERE AT THIS TIME.

SO YOU, THAT OR THAT PERSON NOT PERSONA CAN STAY ON ESTA KAGAWA JABBA LOS NINOS YO KERO LIKE YOU.

BUT I HAVE TO SAY I'M A SIMPLE ICE CREAM MAN AND I'M AN HONEST ICE CREAM MAN.

AND IT BRINGS ME JOY TO PUT THE SMILES ON THE KIDS FACES.

AND THAT'S WHY I'M HERE THIS MORNING.

TO TALK ABOUT WHAT? BINGO. DIABLO POR EL PUEBLO DE PLANADA.

I'M SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF THE CITY OR THE CITY OF PLANADA NOSOTROS LES TENEMOS ARE ON MUTUAL RESPECT OF STATUS.

HE KNOWS. I KNOW. AND WE STILL HAVE MUCH RESPECT FOR ALL OF YOU.

THESE ARE THE MEMOS THAT PETAR AND MR. HERNANDEZ. HE ARE CLOSE TO THE END OF STORY.

THE WORD SAYS THAT WE SHOULD RESPECT OUR GOVERNING BOARD, AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE DOING NOW.

PUNTO. NUMERO UNO.

POINT NUMBER ONE WAS THAT ASK AT THE ELBOW.

THERE WAS A PARTY IN LA RENTA.

YOU THAT HAVE THE POWER.

WE WANT FOR YOU TO STOP THE RENT.

PUNTO THOSE NUMBER TWO CARAMELS COMMANDING UNA PERSONA INSPECTION, SAME PORSIYENTO CAPACITY.

JACKIE ALSO, YOU KNOW THE LAS PERSONAS.

SARA CASTLE THE OTHER MANANA JAFFREY THEM OIL CAFE.

[01:15:01]

LIKE I SAID, THEY WERE DE LA RENTA OKAY, EVERYBODY, I SHARE YOUR CARE.

OKAY, THEN WHEN A SOLUTION FOR CARLOS DUENAS DE LAS CASAS JUST TAMPOCO CULPA, YOU STARTED AS HAVING THE COLORS.

THE STORY OF LAND.

I WANT FOR SOMEONE TO SOMEONE WHO IS AN INSPECTOR TO COME OUT, SOMEONE WHO'S AN INSPECTOR AND IS CAPACITATED 100% TO COME OUT AND DO THE EVALUATIONS. I MYSELF WAS AFFECTED.

I'M SCHEDULED TO GO BACK TO MY HOME AS OF TOMORROW, BUT I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO.

MY RENT IS DUE.

FUNDS ARE NOT THERE, SO I'M ASKING FOR THAT AID.

INSPECTOR COMMANDER ON WHEN COME IN TO INTRODUCE RAPIDO.

HEY, I SAID I'M GOING.

ME, YOU THE INSPECTOR WHO HANDLED MY CASE SIMPLY WENT IN, WENT OUT, SIGNED.

AND THAT'S ABOUT WHAT TOOK PLACE AND THE INFORMATION WAS GIVEN TO US.

BUT I CAN SAY MI CASA COMO ESTA TODA.

WE ARE ON THE GUITAR.

THAT'S WHERE LA LA LA TENGO.

AND THEN THEY THE SOON TO BE ABLE TO LOCATE ALL THE OTHER.

BUT YOUR AGGRESSIVE MANANA.

IF ANY OF YOU WOULD LIKE TO COME OUT TO MY HOME TODAY, YOU'RE WELCOME TO.

I'M SCHEDULED TO GO BACK INTO MY HOME.

I WAS ALSO WOULD LIKE TO MENTION THAT I BELIEVE THAT THE HOME NEEDS TO AIR OUT SO THAT I CAN SAFELY RETURN BACK TO MY HOME BEFORE I'M ABLE.

AND HERMOSA, ME AS BOTH A YOUNG ME WHO HAS TO WORK CLEAN AND BE NO DRESS MANNERS MEAN OBVIOUSLY DARKNESS INSIDE YOUR GUEST WAS YOUR ARMS WAS ON THE NOSE.

WE GOT ON Y INTERNET L STAR HAS NO POODLE.

LA LA LA LA MANANA US TO THE AIR.

I'M SICK. MY WIFE IS ALSO SICK.

WE'RE BOTH SICK. AND WE HAVE A SON WHO ATTENDS BERKELEY.

HE WAS HERE OVER A COUPLE OF DAYS AGO.

HE CAME TO THE LOCATION WHERE WE'RE BEING HOUSED.

UNFORTUNATELY, HE WASN'T ABLE TO DO ANY HOMEWORK OR THAT KIND OF A THING BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE INTERNET AND I NEED THIS PERSON IS THE CASE.

HERE YOU ARE, SENOR RODRIGO ESPINOSA, I WANT TO SPOTLIGHT YOU LIKE THE STORY.

I WANT TO EXTEND MY GRATITUDE TO MR. ESPINOSA, WHO'S REALLY STEPPED UP AND HELPED THE COMMUNITY OF PLANADA.

THAT'S GOOD FOR HIM.

UNFORTUNATELY, I'M NOT ABLE TO SAY THE SAME FOR FEMA, FREEMAN OR ZAPATERO.

SAY. SEATTLE PRESS DEMO SIENDO SU STATISTICIAN STEERING EL RESTO MOZZARELLA SIPPY THE NOODLES OR SOCIAL PORK.

AND ONE CAN ONLY WONDER HOW FEMA HAS ASKED FOR SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBERS.

AND BECAUSE OF SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBERS, NOT BECAUSE WE NOT HAVING DON'T HAVE THE SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBERS, THE FUNDING, SOME OF THE FUNDING WASN'T ABLE WE WEREN'T ABLE TO QUALIFY FOR SOME OF THE FUNDING.

I ASKED THAT IF YOU FEMA, IF YOU KNOW THAT FEMA IS GOING TO REQUIRE SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBERS, WHY AREN'T THOSE SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBERS THEN BEING GIVEN TO US? WE SHOW OUR RESPECT TO YOU AND WE'RE THANKFUL.

AND JUST WANT TO MENTION THAT.

GO AHEAD. YOUR TIME IS EXPIRED.

BUT GO AHEAD AND FINISH.

FINISH UP. I JUST WANT TO.

OKAY. OKAY.

OKAY. AND MR. ROMERO, THE STATE SECRETARY OF STATE AND MARIO, GRACIAS.

YOU WANT TO SAY THANK YOU? GRACIAS. THANK YOU.

WE'RE NOT HERE TO BEG FOR ANYTHING.

WE JUST WANT FOR THOSE THINGS THAT WERE LOST TO BE REPAIRED DURING THIS RAIN THAT WE HAD.

AGAIN, WE'RE SHOWING OUR RESPECT.

I UNDERSTAND THAT YOU'RE THE SUPERIOR HERE, SO RESPECTFULLY, PLEASE HELP US OUT.

I LIKE TO SAY THAT HE'S GRATEFUL AGAIN AND REMEMBER THAT A LOT OF THE FOOD THAT YOU EAT ON YOUR TABLES ARE BROUGHT TO YOU BY OURSELVES.

[01:20:06]

THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS.

A REMINDER, IF YOU ARE USING AN INTERPRETER, YOU'RE GETTING ADDITIONAL TIME SO THAT WE HAVE THE INTERPRETATION.

MY NAME IS ANTONIO SALDANA.

I'VE BEEN LIVING FOR THE LAST ALMOST 50 YEARS IN PLANADA.

ALL MY INCOME WENT IN THERE.

MY WIFE WORKS THE COMPANY IN THE PACKING HOUSE OR IN [INAUDIBLE].

SHE PUT TOGETHER LIKE 5000 A YEAR AND PUT THEM INTO THE HOUSE AND EVERYTHING'S GONE.

I WANT TO KNOW WHO'S RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS.

THE LAST TIME I HEARD IT WAS $50 MILLION AND WE DECLARED THE STATE A STATE OF EMERGENCY.

WHERE ARE ALL OF THE MONEY? I WANT YOU GUYS TO DISTRIBUTE THE MONEY WITH ARE SUPPOSED TO GO FOR THE NEEDY FAMILIES, FOR ALL THE CARE THAT ALL THE PEOPLE THAT NEED HELP LIKE ME AND PUT IT BACK TOGETHER.

MY HOUSE PUT THIS HAD TO BREAK THE MY PIGGY BANK TO TAKE CARE OF WHATEVER IS NEEDED.

MR. ESPINOSA WAS GIVE ME A DIRECTIONS TO WHERE I CAN GET FUNDING AND HELP BUT STILL HOLDING UP THE STILL DIRECTED TO DIFFERENT WAY.

I WANT YOU GUYS DIRECT THE MONEY WHERE IT'S SUPPOSED TO GO, NOT TO DON'T SEND THE MONEY TO SAN JOSE, SAN FRANCISCO, SACRAMENTO, LA.

NO WE NEED HERE IN PLANADA PLANADA, CALIFORNIA.

IT'S CALIFORNIA TOO.

IT'S NOT. IT'S NOT OUT OF STATE.

WE'RE IN THE STATE OF EMERGENCY.

AND THANKS FOR YOUR HELP.

AND I WOULD LIKE FOR YOU GUYS TO SPEAK ABOUT WHAT I SAY.

YOU KNOW, ALL YOU GUYS GO HOME.

WARM BLANKET, WARM, BAD FOUR WALLS AND A ROOF.

BUT WHAT? WE STILL HAVE A SUFFERING IN THE CAMP.

COLD NIGHTS, THE HEATERS ON ALL NIGHT.

IT'S STILL IT WON'T GO UP ABOUT 50 DEGREES.

THAT'S IT. THANKS FOR YOUR HELP.

AND I WOULD LIKE TO YOU GUYS FOR COMING FOR SOME OF THIS AND PUT YOUR EFFORT AND WORK HARD.

I KNOW YOU GUYS ARE BE WORKING HARD, BUT YOU GUYS TO WORK HARD.

HARDER THAN THAT.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS.

OH, I TALKED TO ONE OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS YESTERDAY.

SIR, IF NOBODY CAN, WE CAN'T HEAR YOU.

SO IF YOU GO TO THE MIC, I'LL START YOUR TIME.

I'M FROM EL NIDO, CALIFORNIA, AND IT'S KIND OF RELATED.

I JUST HAPPENED TO COME IN AND I HEARD THAT THERE WAS A LOT OF PEOPLE HERE AND WE USED TO PLAY BASEBALL AND EVERYTHING SINCE 1935.

WELL, YESTERDAY I CAME TO ONE OF THE BOARD AND HE PROBABLY I DON'T REMEMBER HIS NAME ESPANOLA.

WHOEVER I TALKED TO, HE KNOWS WHO I AM.

MID DID NOT.

I WENT OVER THERE DIRECT IT, AND IT'S GOING TO GO OVER.

HIGHWAY PATROL'S GOT ON 59 NOW.

THEY'RE NOT DIVERTING ANYTHING WITH EVEN IN KNOWLEDGE THIS LAST RAIN THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE TO CLOSE 59 AND NOT DIVERTING ANY [INAUDIBLE].

SO I FEEL FOR THESE PEOPLE.

THERE'S SOME MAJOR ISSUES HERE AND I WISHED I WAS ON THEIR SIDE.

I KNOW WHAT THEY'RE PROBABLY GOING THROUGH BECAUSE WE PLAYED BASEBALL LITTLE LEAGUE AGAINST PLANADA AND EL NIDO.

BUT I WANT TO TALK TO THE SUPERVISOR I TALKED TO YESTERDAY AND HE'S GOT TO GET WITH JEFF MARCHINI AND OTHER ONES THAT ARE DOING NOTHING.

I'M NOT SAYING THEY WOULD STOP THAT, BUT 59 IS GOING TO GET FLOODED AND SHUT DOWN AGAIN AND MID IS NOT I WANT THIS ON THE RECORD DIVERTING ANYTHING OUT OF THERE.

THEY WERE THREE OR FOUR DAYS AGO.

THEY QUIT. IT'S LIKE THEY WANTED IT TO FLOOD.

THAT'S THE ONLY THING I CAN THINK LOGICALLY BECAUSE I'VE ASKED THEM AND TALKED TO ME.

THEY SAID, WE CAN'T THINK WE'RE IN MEETINGS, WE'RE DOING THIS, WE'RE DOING THAT.

HISHAM, ALL THESE PEOPLE, THERE ARE SOME MAJOR ISSUES IN THIS.

I DON'T KNOW IF PLANADA WAS INVOLVED WITH THAT.

IT WASN'T PROBABLY MID, BUT IT'S ALL FLOOD WATER AND IT'S GOING TO FLOOD AGAIN.

[01:25:04]

THEY'VE GOT TO RECHARGE SIGMA AND ALL THOSE OTHER THINGS.

THEY'VE GOT A LOT TO SAY THAT I WANTED ON THIS PART OF THE RECORD AND I FEEL FOR YOU PEOPLE.

THANK YOU FOR THE TIME.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS, SIR.

GOOD MORNING AGAIN. BOARD MEMBERS, MADELINE HARRIS FROM LEADERSHIP COUNCIL.

SO I JUST WANT TO EXPLAIN FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO MIGHT NOT BE QUITE AS FAMILIAR ABOUT WHAT SOME OF THE ISSUES ARE, WHAT WE'VE BEEN HEARING FROM RESIDENTS.

SO WE HAD A COMMUNITY MEETING LAST NIGHT WITH FOLKS WHO ARE RESIDING AT THE FELIX TAURUS HOUSING.

THERE'S ABOUT 30 OR 40 PEOPLE IN THE ROOM.

AND SO I'M JUST GOING TO EXPLAIN WHAT ARE THE ISSUES THAT THEY OUTLINED THERE ONGOING AND WHAT ARE THE SOLUTIONS THAT WE WROTE ON OUR POSTER PAPER AS A GROUP ARE WHAT FOLKS WANT TO SEE THE COUNTY ACT ON.

SO THE ISSUES, SO FAMILIES HAVE UNTIL MARCH 15TH AT FELIX TORRES.

AS MARK HENDRICKSON NOTED, A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE BEING TOLD THAT THEY CAN RETURN BACK TO THEIR HOMES.

HOWEVER, THESE ARE BASED ON SUBSTANDARD HOME INSPECTIONS AND THERE'S VISIBLE MOLD GROWING UP THE WALLS.

PEOPLE SAY THAT THE WALLS ARE DETERIORATING.

THEY'RE STILL VERY WET, LIKE THERE'S SERIOUS PUBLIC HEALTH CONCERNS WITH PEOPLE RETURNING TO HOMES THAT ARE NOT HABITABLE AND HAVE BEEN WRONGFULLY DEEMED HABITABLE.

SO THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO ARE BEING TOLD THEY SHOULD GO BACK TO HOMES, THAT THEY DON'T WANT TO PUT THEIR FAMILIES IN, BECAUSE THAT WILL BE A PUBLIC HEALTH CRISIS.

SO A LOT OF PEOPLE FOR THAT REASON ARE EXPECTING THAT THEY WILL BE HOMELESS STARTING ON MARCH 16TH.

FOR RENT ON PROPERTY, THAT'S NOT SAFE FOR FOLKS TO INHABIT.

PEOPLE DON'T WANT TO BE EVICTED FOR NOT PAYING RENT SOMEWHERE WHERE THEY DON'T FEEL THEY CAN SAFELY INHABIT THE HOME.

AND THAT'S THE REASON FOR ASKING FOR A HALT ON RENTAL PAYMENTS WHERE IT'S NOT SAFE TO INHABIT THE HOME.

EVEN IF THE HOME HAS BEEN WRONGFULLY DEEMED HABITABLE BY A HEALTH INSPECTOR.

AND SO THERE ARE WAYS THAT WE CAN DO THAT.

ONE, HALT ON RENTAL PAYMENTS WHERE THE INSPECTORS HAVE DEEMED IT UNINHABITABLE, AND THEN TWO, HALTING RENTAL PAYMENTS ON PROPERTIES WHERE THERE'S VISIBLE DAMAGE FROM THE FLOODING AND MOLD THAT WOULD CAUSE A HEALTH CONCERN.

AND THEN THE REASON FOR AN EVICTION MORATORIUM IS BECAUSE, AS NOTED BY SOME PREVIOUS SPEAKERS, A LOT OF FOLKS HAVE BEEN RECEIVING EVICTION NOTICES AT THE PROPERTIES THAT THEY RENT, SO THEY HAVE NOWHERE TO GO BACK TO AFTER THE HOMES ARE REPAIRED.

SO WE WANT TO PREVENT THAT.

A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T HAVE CARS BECAUSE THEY WERE LOST IN THE FLOODS AND THEIR CAR INSURANCE ISN'T FUNDING THAT RECOVERY FOR THEIR CARS.

AND PEOPLE STAYING AT FELIX TORRES HAVE CHILDREN WHO GO TO SCHOOL IN PLANADA.

SO IT'S IMPORTANT TO KEEP FOLKS HOUSED IN PLANADA, IF AT ALL POSSIBLE.

SO WHAT DO PEOPLE WANT THE COUNTY TO DO? THE COUNTY HAS THE POWER TO ADDRESS THESE PROBLEMS. I THINK IN THE PAST WE'VE HEARD COMMENTS SAYING THAT WE'RE ASKING THE COUNTY TO DO THINGS THAT YOU'RE NOT DESIGNED TO DO, BUT THESE ARE THINGS THE COUNTY CAN DO.

THE COUNTY CAN PASS AN EVICTION MORATORIUM AND AGENDIZE IS THIS FOR AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

THE COUNTY CAN INCORPORATE INTO THAT MORATORIUM A HALT ON RENTAL PAYMENTS.

THE COUNTY CAN WORK WITH FEDERAL AND HOUSING AUTHORITY AGENCIES ON EXTENSION OF EMERGENCY ARRANGEMENTS, AND THE COUNTY CAN HALT RENT INCREASES.

GIVE ME 10 SECONDS TO FINISH YOUR THOUGHTS.

SO THESE ARE ALL ACTIONS? THESE ARE ALL ACTIONS THAT THE COUNTY CAN TAKE.

AND SO THAT'S THE ACTION THAT PEOPLE ARE REQUESTING OF YOU.

AND SO WE WOULD ASK THAT THESE BE AGENDIZED IMMEDIATELY FOR DISCUSSION AND ACTION.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS.

AND THEN JUST ONE OTHER THING THAT I WANTED TO ADD ON TO MADELINE'S COMMENT.

ANOTHER KIND OF STRUCTURAL POLICY THAT FOLKS ARE WANTING TO SET IN PLACE IS THE RENT STABILIZATION ORDINANCE AS WELL.

SO A LOT OF FOLKS HAVE BEEN HEARING FROM LANDLORDS THAT EITHER RENT WILL INCREASE OR THEY'RE NOT TOO SURE IF THE RENT WILL STAY THE SAME BECAUSE OF THE REPAIRS THAT ARE TAKING PLACE. BUT THEN ALSO, IT'S JUST A MATTER OF MEANS.

I MEAN, I THINK YOU ALL KIND OF SAW THE PASSION TODAY, EVEN WITH THE ALTERCATION THAT HAPPENED EARLIER.

FOLKS REALLY WANT A MORE PROACTIVE MOVEMENT FROM THE COUNTY AND MAKING SURE THAT A COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PLAN FOR THEM TO KEEP THEM INFORMED, TO KEEP THEM UPDATED ON WHAT THE NEXT STEP, WHAT THE PLANS ARE.

YOU KNOW, THE 15TH OF MARCH IS LOOMING.

AND SO I FEEL LIKE AS MUCH POSSIBLE COMMUNICATION THAT FOLKS CAN RECEIVE AS NEEDED.

AND THEN ALSO JUST WANT TO REITERATE TOO FOR THESE MEETINGS THE IMPORTANCE OF HAVING TRANSLATION AND PROPER TRANSLATING EQUIPMENT. A LOT OF FOLKS EARLIER WITH THE PRESENTATION WITH MARK HENDRICKSON, THEY DIDN'T KNOW WHAT WAS BEING MENTIONED.

[01:30:04]

AND SO JUST MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE THAT EQUIPMENT AT HAND FOR ANY ENGAGEMENT THAT WE'RE HAVING ON FLOOD RECOVERY FOR THIS.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS.

GOOD MORNING, MERCED COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS.

MY NAME IS BLANCA AND I WANT TO SHARE WITH YOU TODAY THAT I THINK THIS IS ABOUT TENANTS IN GENERAL.

I THINK THE FLOOD RECOVERY JUST REALLY SHOWED US THAT IN MOMENTS OF DISASTERS AND EMERGENCIES, SOMETIMES THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO WILL TAKE ADVANTAGE OF OTHERS.

AND WE'RE SEEING THIS WITH A LOT OF WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH THE TENANTS.

I SPECIFICALLY AM SPEAKING TO SOME OF THE TENANTS THAT I'M WORKING WITH.

NOW THEY ARE WITHIN THE CITY OF MERCED JURISDICTION, BUT I'M NOTICING THIS IMPACTED SO MANY OTHER PEOPLE MORE THAN JUST THE I THINK IT WAS LIKE THE 800 OR 900 FOLKS IN PLANADA FOLKS IN MERCED WERE ALSO IMPACTED.

WE DO NEED TO PASS JUST TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION I WAS THINKING OF A RIGHT TO COUNSEL FOR FOLKS TO TO IF THEY WOULD HAVE HAD A RIGHT TO COUNSEL, THEY WOULD HAVE BEEN ABLE TO HAVE MORE ADVICE ON WHAT HAPPENED.

A LOT OF THEM WERE EVICTED RIGHT AWAY, GIVEN JUST A TWO DAY TURNAROUND AFTER THEY FLOOD THE APARTMENTS FLOODED BEHIND WAL MART.

SO I KNEW THAT FOLKS FROM PLANADA WE'RE GOING TO BE SPEAKING TODAY AND I WANTED TO COME UP AND SHARE THE STORIES, TOO, THAT WE'RE SEEING HERE IN THE CITY OF MERCED SAID FAMILIES WERE SEPARATED, PEOPLE HAD TO LEAVE.

THEY DIDN'T HAVE FAMILY IN MERCED OR PLACES TO MOVE INTO.

SO THEY I KNOW FOLKS HAD TO GO ALL THE WAY BACK TO LIKE ARIZONA, LEAVING THEIR TWO SONS BEHIND AND ONLY TAKING THEIR DAUGHTER.

SO FAMILY SEPARATION DID OCCUR.

A LOT OF FOLKS, THERE'S A FAMILY THAT I'M WORKING WITH.

THE HUSBAND IS 80, THE MOM IS 75, ALZHEIMER'S, I MEAN, THESE ARE PEOPLE THAT ARE ALREADY STRUGGLING.

AND ON TOP OF THAT, THEY WERE EVICTED.

THEY WERE TOLD THAT FIRST THEY WERE TOLD THAT THE APARTMENTS WERE GOING TO BE HABITABLE AND THE NEXT THEY TOLD THEM THAT THEY WERE RED TAGGED.

AND I BELIEVE THEY ARE NOT ACTUALLY RED TAGGED, BUT I KNOW THAT THEY ARE THEY ALL GOT EVICTED AND NOW THEY ARE TAKING APPLICATIONS AGAIN FOR NEW PEOPLE TO MOVE IN, HIKING UP THE RENTS.

SO I THINK WE NEED TO HOLD SOME OF THESE LANDLORDS ACCOUNTABLE.

THERE ARE EGREGIOUS LANDLORDS THAT ARE TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THE SITUATION AND I THINK THAT WE NEED TO CONSIDER MORE POLICIES PUT IN PLACE AS WELL TO CONTINUE TO PROTECT TENANTS AND SO THAT IN THE FUTURE, WHEN A SITUATION LIKE THIS HAPPENS, PEOPLE DON'T TAKE ADVANTAGE OF TENANTS.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS.

GOOD MORNING.

COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS.

GOOD TO SEE YOU ALL.

I'M CLAUDIA CORCHADO WITH [INAUDIBLE] AND WE HAVE BEEN ON THE GROUND.

AND WHEN I SAY WE, IT'S WHAT THE NETWORK OF AMAZING [INAUDIBLE] THAT MAKE MAKE ME LOOK GOOD WHO HAVE BEEN VOLUNTEERING SINCE THIS HAPPENED IN THE COMMUNITY OF PLANADA.

WE WE'RE DOING WHAT WE CAN BUT IT'S A BAND AID.

I MEAN, WE WERE OUT THERE HANDING OUT WHATEVER DONATIONS WERE GIVEN OUT BY THE COMMUNITY AND IT WAS A GREAT RESPONSE OF DONATIONS FROM THE COMMUNITY THAT CAME FROM EVERYWHERE.

BUT THAT THAT'S JUST A BAND-AID, RIGHT.

AND WHAT WE NEED TO DO MORE OF, WE KNOW THAT THE PLANADA COMMUNITY HAS A VERY HIGH POPULATION OF ELDERLY PEOPLE LIKE THE SENIORS THAT DON'T CAN'T GET OUT OF THEIR HOMES.

LA SALUD WENT LITERALLY DOOR TO DOOR WALKING WITH FEMA TO HELP PEOPLE GET REGISTERED FOR FEMA.

BUT IT'S A VERY INTIMIDATING PROCESS TO HAVE FOLKS REGISTER TO ANY FORM OF GOVERNMENT.

RIGHT. SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE NOTICE THAT WE NEED MORE SUPPORT OF IS LANGUAGE ACCESS.

WE KNOW THAT THE COMMUNITY OF PLANADA PRIMARILY SPEAKS ESPANOL LANGUAGE, ACCESS, NAVIGATION OF ALL OF THESE DIFFERENT SYSTEMS, WHICH IS AN EXAMPLE THAT WE JUST IN HERE TRYING TO GET THE MIGRANT CAMP EXTENDED.

NO, IT'S NOT THE COUNTY.

NO, IT'S NOT THIS ONE.

NO. NOW WE HAVE TO GO TO CONGRESSMAN.

SO IT'S AN AGGREGATION OF ALL OF THESE DIFFERENT SYSTEMS THAT A LOT OF FOLKS DON'T UNDERSTAND.

A LOT OF FOLKS FOR THEM, IT'S THEIR FIRST TIME BEING HERE AND THEY PROBABLY LEFT WORK BECAUSE THEY WERE TOLD YOU GUYS ARE THE ONES THAT CAN HELP YOU.

YOU GUYS ARE THE DECISION MAKERS.

RIGHT. AND THEN THE OTHER THING, TOO, IS WE JUST WE NEED MORE SUPPORT IN HELPING FOLKS NAVIGATE.

[01:35:09]

DOOR TO DOOR KNOCKING BECAUSE THERE IS STILL A HUGE POPULATION THAT HASN'T REGISTERED FOR FEMA IS JUST DOING WHAT THEY CAN.

THERE'S A SITUATION WITH AN ELDERLY COUPLE THAT HAS A RAT SITUATION NOW GOING ON.

AND WHERE DO WHERE DO WE TURN TO TOO AS A NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS WHEN WE DO CALL SOME OF THE AGENCIES AND THEN WE JUST GET A ROAD BLOCK. SO A LOT OF THESE CHALLENGES IS HAS TO DO WITH LANGUAGE ACCESS.

BUT WE NEED TO SEE YOU.

WE NEED TO SEE THE COUNTY ON THE GROUND.

WE'VE SEEN THE SUPERVISOR THERE SINCE DAY ONE IN THE RAIN AND THE COLD AND THE WIND.

BUT WE NEED TO DO A LOT MORE THAN THAT, THAN JUST THESE LITTLE BAND-AIDS THAT ARE CURRENTLY HAPPENING.

AND THEN WE NEED TO ESTABLISH SOMETHING THAT'S GOING TO PREVENT THIS FROM HAPPENING IN THE FUTURE.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS.

ALL RIGHT. NOT SEEING ANYONE ELSE.

WE'LL NOW CLOSE THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD FOR ITEM 29 AND WE'LL BRING IT BACK TO THE DAIS.

ALL RIGHT. WE HAVE A MOTION.

YOU KNOW, JUST FOR EVERYONE'S SAKE, IT'S BEEN A MINUTE.

IF I COULD ASK THE CLERK TO REREAD THE ITEM.

FIRE ITEM 29, CONTINUE THE PROCLAMATION OF EXISTENCE OF A LOCAL EMERGENCY CAUSED BY THE DECEMBER 2022 AND JANUARY 2023.

MERCED RAINS.

THANK YOU CLERK. SO WE HAVE A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR PAREIRA A SECOND BY SUPERVISOR ESPINOZA.

WE'LL CALL FOR THE VOTE.

CALL FOR THE VOTE. PLEASE RECORD THE VOTE.

THE MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY.

NEXT, WE HAVE THE CONSENT CALENDAR.

[CONSENT CALENDAR]

PLEASE NOTE ITEMS ONE, THREE, FOUR, FIVE, SIX AND SEVEN AND NINE REQUIRE A 4/5 VOTE.

ALL RIGHT, I HAVE A COMMENT OR QUESTION BY SUPERVISOR ESPINOZA.

YEAH, THANK YOU. I WANT TO ADDRESS ITEM NUMBER FOUR OR FIVE AND SIX AND THE FLOOD DAMAGE TO THE PLANADA [INAUDIBLE] BUILDING, THE COMMUNITY CENTER AND THE FIRE STATION. I HOPE THAT ALL THE ASBESTOS IS BEING ADDRESSED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE NONE ASBESTOS IN THESE BUILDINGS AND THAT ALSO THE ONES BECAUSE WE'RE ALREADY DOING ALL THIS RENOVATIONS AND ALSO HOPEFULLY WE CAN GET THAT BACK TO FEMA.

YOU KNOW, IT'S ALREADY THERE.

ALL THE WORK IS BEING DONE.

AND SO TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE ARE ADA ACCESSIBLE, SO I KNOW THAT THE COMMUNITY CENTER NEEDS IT.

THE RESTROOMS ARE NOT ADA COMPLIANT, SO I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT GETS ADDRESSED AND I'VE BEEN ADDRESSING THAT IN THE PAST.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU, SUPERVISOR ESPINOZA.

SUPERVISOR PEDROZO.

THANK YOU. I DON'T NECESSARILY HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THE BUDGET TRANSFER FOR NUMBER SEVEN.

IT'S THE $18,000 FOR THE HUMAN SERVICE WARDROBE ROOF PROJECT BECAUSE AS THEY WERE DOING IT, THERE WAS SOME CORROSION THAT THEY FOUND ON THE PIPES THAT THEY NEEDED TO FIX OUT AND STUFF. AND THAT'S FINE.

I DON'T MIND THAT.

WHAT I WOULD LIKE US TO SEE, AND BECAUSE IT SEEMS LIKE EVERY SINGLE MEETING WE HAVE EMERGENCIES THAT WE NEED TO MOVE MONEY OVER.

AND I THINK IT'S BECAUSE WE DON'T REALLY HAVE A WE'VE BEEN KICKING THE CAN DOWN THE ROAD.

WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE US DO IS DO A DEFERRED MAINTENANCE PLAN, AT LEAST INITIATE A PROCESS.

WE HAVE A LOT OF OLDER BUILDINGS THAT AS WE GET INTO SOME OF THESE BUILDINGS, WE'RE SEEING SOME OF THESE ISSUES ARISE QUICKLY.

AND SO THEN WE HAVE TO COME AROUND AND PROVIDE US AN EMERGENCY.

NOW, ARE WE GOING TO BE ABLE TO FIX EVERYTHING ALL AT ONCE? NO, BUT I THINK WE CAN ACTUALLY START THE PROCESS OF LOOKING AT THE THE GLARING NEEDS THAT WE HAVE.

SO I WOULD LIKE US TO START INITIATING THAT PLAN OR INITIATING SO WE SEE WHAT WE'RE WHAT NEEDS TO BE FIXED AND THEN MOVE FORWARD.

THANK YOU, SUPERVISOR PEDROZO.

AT THIS TIME I'LL OPEN UP PUBLIC COMMENT FOR CONSENT CALENDAR ITEMS ONE THROUGH 16 AND THE AGENDA ITEM NUMBER ONE.

[01:40:09]

WE HAVE A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR PAREIRA AND A SECOND BY SUPERVISOR PEDROZO TO CALL FOR THE VOTE.

PLEASE RECORD THE VOTE.

THE MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY AND I HAVE A PRESENTATION.

[Additional Item]

CHAIR. SOFT TOUCH.

THERE WE GO. THANK YOU FOR FOR BEARING WITH US.

IT WAS A IT WAS A LONGER THAN NORMAL FRONT END OF OUR MEETING.

BUT THIS IS A CERTIFICATE ON BEHALF OF THE MERCED COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS RECOGNIZING 50 YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF THE REGIONAL OCCUPATION PROGRAM.

AND WE'RE PRESENTING THIS TO THE MERCER COUNTY OFFICE OF EDUCATION.

I'LL SHARE A LITTLE STORY.

I DIDN'T PARTICIPATE IN ROP, BUT MY BROTHER AND MY SISTER DID.

AND NOW MY DAUGHTER IS CURRENTLY PARTICIPATING IN THE ROP PROGRAM IN LOS BANOS.

SO A GREAT PROGRAM.

THANK YOU GUYS FOR THE CONTINUED SERVICE.

WE WERE JUST AT THE STATE OF THE STATE OF THE, UM, I GUESS WAS THE OFFICE OF EDUCATION.

WE GOT THE YESTERDAY'S LUNCHEON AND THAT WAS ONE OF THEIR HIGHLIGHTS.

UM, NOT ALL COUNTIES STILL PARTICIPATE IN THE ROP PROGRAM, AND I'M THANKFUL THAT OUR LEADERS HERE HAVE SEEN THE VALUE IN IT AND CONTINUED AND NOW IT'S MADE THE 50 YEAR ANNIVERSARY. SO ON BEHALF OF MYSELF AND MY COLLEAGUES, I'M GOING TO PRESENT THIS CERTIFICATE TO YOU AND WHO WANTS TO DO THE TALKING? ALL RIGHT. THEY ALL WANT TO SAY THANK YOU.

SO HERE WE GO. THANK YOU.

PERFECT. ALL RIGHT, NOW, IF YOU GUYS WANNA JOIN ME, WE'LL GET A PICTURE REALLY QUICK.

YES. HOLD THAT JOSH, DID I INVITE MY WHOLE ALL MY COLLEAGUES TO COME UP IF THEY WANT TO TAKE THE PICTURE, TOO, PLEASE? YEAH. THANKS FOR THE INVITE.

SORRY, DARREN.

IT'S NOT LIKE YOU TO NOT, UM, OFFER YOURSELF DOWN HERE, SO.

GO. PAREIRA.

DID YOU WANNA. DID YOU? WELL, I WAS JUST GONNA SAY SO.

I GRADUATED FROM MERCED HIGH SCHOOL IN 1980, AND I PARTICIPATED IN THE ROP PROGRAM.

SO I GREW UP ON A DAIRY FARM.

AND SO FROM THE TIME I WAS PROBABLY ABOUT SIX OR SEVEN, RIGHT, I HAD CHORES AND WORKED AND FED CALVES, AND THE ROP PROGRAM ALLOWED ME TO GET A CHECK FROM MY DAD FOR THAT WORK.

SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

SORRY, TAMARA. I WENT A LITTLE OFF SCRIPT THERE.

OKAY. NEXT WE HAVE PUBLIC WORKS.

[BOARD ACTION (Part 2 of 2)]

WE HAVE A YOU WANT TO MAKE SOME COMMENTS? NO, I DON'T NEED IT, BUT THANK YOU.

SO I'LL OPEN UP THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD ON PUBLIC WORKS ITEMS. NOT SEEING ANYONE. WE WILL CLOSE THE PUBLIC WORKS ITEM OR EXCUSE ME, THE PUBLIC COMMENT.

WE HAVE A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR PEDROZO A SECOND BY SUPERVISOR PAREIRA.

CALL FOR THE VOTE. WE'LL CALL FOR THE VOTE.

PLEASE RECORD THE VOTE.

THE ITEM PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.

NEXT, WE HAVE HEALTH.

ITEMS 21 AND 22.

WE'LL OPEN UP THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD.

NOT SEEING ANY, WE'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD.

BRING IT BACK TO THE DAIS.

PLEASURE OF THE BOARD. WE HAVE A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR PEDROZO.

A SECOND BY SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL.

PLEASE CALL FOR THE VOTE.

PLEASE RECORD THE VOTE. THE MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.

NEXT, WE HAVE THE HUMAN SERVICES AGENCY.

ITEM 23.

[01:45:02]

NOT SEEING ANYONE. WE'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD.

BRING IT BACK TO THE DAIS.

WE HAVE A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR ESPINOZA, A SECOND BY SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL.

CALL FOR THE VOTE.

PLEASE. WE'LL CALL FOR THE VOTE.

THANK YOU. PLEASE RECORD THE VOTE.

THE MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY 5 TO 0.

NEXT, WE HAVE ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES.

ITEMS 24 AND 25, PLEASE NOTE NUMBER 25 REQUIRES A 4/5 VOTE.

WE WILL OPEN UP THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD FOR ITEMS 24 AND FIVE.

SEEING NO ONE, WE'LL NOW CLOSE THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD AND BRING IT BACK TO THE DAIS WHERE WE HAVE A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR PEDROZO.

A SECOND BY SUPERVISOR PAREIRA.

SUPERVISOR PAREIRA. YOU HAVE A COMMENT? YEAH. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR.

I'D LIKE TO ASK FOR WHEN THE AUCTION IS SCHEDULED.

I'D LIKE TO BE EMAILED THE LINK TO THE AUCTION.

I'VE ASKED THAT IN THE PAST AND IT HADN'T GOTTEN HADN'T HAPPENED.

BUT IF THAT COULD HAPPEN, I'D APPRECIATE IT.

THANK YOU. I SEE DIRECTOR [INAUDIBLE] IS HERE.

I THINK DIRECTION HAS BEEN GIVEN AND I WOULD EXPECT YOU'LL SEE AN EMAIL.

ALL RIGHT. NO FURTHER COMMENTS.

I'LL CALL FOR THE VOTE.

PLEASE RECORD THE VOTE.

THE MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY 5 TO 0.

NEXT, WE HAVE COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.

ITEM 26 PLEASE NOTE THIS ITEM REQUIRES A 4/5 VOTE AND WE HAVE A PRESENTATION BY DIRECTOR HENDRICKSON.

MR. CHAIRMAN, MEMBERS OF BOARD GOOD MORNING.

I'LL ASSUME IT'S STILL MORNING.

MARK HENDRICKSON, DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.

THE PURPOSE OF THIS BRIEF PRESENTATION, THIS ITEM FOR YOU TODAY, IS FOR YOU TO CONSIDER APPROVAL OF A CONTRACT WITH ACCELA TO UTILIZE THEIR ONE STOP PERMITTING PLATFORM.

THIS WOULD BE, STAFF WOULD CONTEND CONSISTENT WITH PRIOR BOARD ACTIONS WHICH WERE DESIGNED TO MAKE OUR PERMITTING PROCESSES MORE CUSTOMER FOCUSED AND CUSTOMER FRIENDLY.

THOSE ARE CLEARLY BEEN HIGH PRIORITIES OF THIS BOARD.

CERTAINLY WITH THE CONSOLIDATIONS OF THE BUILDINGS AND SAFETY TEAM AND THE ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH DIVISIONS INTO THE COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS. THIS PRESENTATION AGAIN, JUST OVER A FEW HANDFUL OF SLIDES WE'RE GOING TO ATTEMPT TO PROVIDE YOU WITH JUST SOME KEY HIGHLIGHTS OF THE PROPOSAL IN FRONT OF YOU TODAY.

FIRST, AGAIN, RELATING TO REALLY THE CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE.

AND THIS IS AGAIN, OUR HIGHEST PRIORITY WITH THIS ITEM FOR YOU.

THIS WILL BETTER ENABLE STAFF TO DELIVER THE HIGHER A HIGHER LEVEL OF CUSTOMER SERVICE.

AGAIN, ENHANCING THE EXPERIENCE OF THE CUSTOMER IN THE PROCESS.

THIS PLATFORM. JUST IN SHORT, WILL ONE GUIDE OUR CUSTOMERS THROUGH THE PERMIT PROCESS MORE EASILY, TWO, PROVIDE OUR CUSTOMERS WITH REAL TIME APPLICATION INFORMATION AND STATUS? THREE WILL ALLOW OUR CUSTOMERS TO MAKE PAYMENTS ONLINE.

FOUR, IT WILL ALLOW US TO TO LAUNCH CUSTOMER SATISFACTION SURVEYS AND FIVE AND I THINK THIS IS CERTAINLY IMPORTANT.

IT WILL ALLOW US TO TO TRANSLATE OUR PERMITS AND OUR APPLICATIONS, MAKING IT MORE SIMPLE AND EASIER FOR RESIDENTS AND USERS TO UTILIZE.

WITH REGARD TO INTEGRATION OF OF REALLY OUR OUR EFFORTS WITH MULTIPLE COUNTY AGENCIES, HISTORICALLY THEY'VE ALL BEEN USING DIFFERENT PLATFORMS. THIS PLATFORM WILL ALLOW US TO TO DO A NUMBER OF THINGS, NOTABLY TO UNDERTAKE SEAMLESS PLAN, REVIEW AND PROCESSING OF APPLICATIONS.

IT WILL HELP US IDENTIFY POTENTIAL CHALLENGES WITH PERMIT APPLICATIONS.

EARLIER IN THE PROCESS, AGAIN, THROUGH BETTER COORDINATION.

THREE, WE'RE GOING TO ELIMINATE UNNECESSARY DUPLICATE DATA ENTRY.

BUSINESS LICENSES WILL BE COORDINATED MORE EFFICIENTLY THROUGH GREATER INTEGRATION WITH OUR ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH INFORMATION.

AND THEN LASTLY, AND CERTAINLY NOT LEAST, IT'S GOING TO PROVIDE FOR GREATER ACCOUNTABILITY, WE WILL BE ABLE TO MORE EASILY CREATE DASHBOARDS TO.

TO VIEW AGGREGATED DATA.

AND THIS WILL BE, I THINK, IMPORTANT FOR BOTH OUR POLICYMAKERS AS WELL AS OUR EXECUTIVE TEAM.

THIS PLATFORM WILL ALLOW US TO BE COMPLIANT WITH AB 2234 AND SB 379, BOTH OF WHICH NOW REQUIRE PUBLIC AGENCIES TO PROVIDE THE PUBLIC WITH ONLINE ACCESS TO.

TO TRACK THE STATUS OF POST ENTITLEMENT PERMIT APPLICATIONS AS WELL AS SOLAR PROJECTS.

THIS PLATFORM WILL ENABLE US TO MEET THOSE LEGISLATIVE REQUIREMENTS.

THIS SLIDE I'M ACTUALLY GOING TO TO TO ASK NICOLE DESMOND TO COME UP HERE AND AND PROVIDE YOU WITH A LITTLE BIT OF INFORMATION WITH REGARD TO REALLY THE STRUCTURE OF THE AGREEMENT AND SOME SPECIFICS ABOUT OUR COLLABORATIVE PARTNERSHIP WITH EXCEL.

[01:50:03]

MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, NICOLE DESMOND, COMMUNITY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, DIRECTOR OF ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES.

I THANK YOU, MARK, FOR THE OPPORTUNITY.

AS MARK SHARED, OUR TEAM HAS WORKED WITH ACCELA TO DEVELOP TWO DIFFERENT AGREEMENTS A SERVICES AGREEMENT AND A SOFTWARE SUBSCRIPTION SERVICES AGREEMENT.

THE SERVICES AGREEMENT INCORPORATES A THOROUGH SCOPE OF WORK TO CONFIGURE AND IMPLEMENT THE EXCEL CIVIC PLATFORM.

THE AGREEMENT IS FOR 1,000,791 EXCUSE ME $1,791,784 AND INCLUDES $150,000 DISCOUNT THAT OUR TEAM NEGOTIATED WITH ACCELA THE BUDGETED AMOUNT OF $1,970,962 REFLECTS A 10% CONTINGENCY SHOULD A NEED ARISE TO ADJUST THE SCOPE OF WORK DURING THE IMPLEMENTATION.

THE COST OF THE SERVICES AGREEMENT IS SHARED BY OUR CED DIVISIONS OF BUILDING AND SAFETY, PLANNING, ENVIRONMENTAL, HEALTH AND ECONOMIC EXCUSE ME, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.

ALONG WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS ROAD DIVISION.

THE OVERALL BUDGETED NET COST TO THE COUNTY GENERAL FUND IS $660,707.

THE TERM OF THE AGREEMENT IS FOR 23 MONTHS THROUGH JANUARY 31ST, 2025, WITH THE EXPECTED GO LIVE TO OCCUR 18 TO 20 MONTHS FROM THE PROJECT KICKOFF, WHICH IS APPROXIMATELY 45 DAYS FROM CONTRACT EXECUTION.

SHOULD THIS BE APPROVED? ANY QUESTIONS ON THE IMPLEMENTATION AGREEMENT? I'LL COVER THE SOFTWARE SUBSCRIPTION SERVICES NEXT.

OKAY. I DON'T SEE ANYBODY IN THE QUEUE, SO PLEASE CONTINUE.

THE SOFTWARE SERVICES AGREEMENT IS FOR TEN YEARS AT A TOTAL COST OF $4,523,608.69.

THE TOTAL IMPACT TO THE COUNTY'S GENERAL FUND OVER THE ENTIRE TERM OF THE AGREEMENT IS $1,122,416.

THE COST OF THE SUBSCRIPTION SERVICES AGREEMENT IS SHARED ON A PRO RATA BASIS BY THE NUMBER OF USERS IN EACH DEPARTMENT OR DIVISION UTILIZING THE SYSTEM, WHICH INCLUDES, AGAIN, THE CED DIVISIONS, PUBLIC WORKS, ROAD DIVISION, ASSESSOR AND CODE ENFORCEMENT.

I WOULD LIKE TO NOTE THAT THE TOTAL CONTRACT AMOUNT NOTED IN THE FISCAL IMPACT OF YOUR BOARD AGENDA ITEM REFLECTS A PRORATED CREDIT FOR ENVIRONMENTAL, HEALTH AND VISION CONNECT SUBSCRIPTION, WHICH HAS ALREADY BEEN INCURRED IN THE CURRENT FISCAL YEAR, THUS REDUCING THE FIRST YEAR COST.

THE SUBSCRIPTION SERVICES AGREEMENT IS STRUCTURED TO PROVIDE A DEFERRAL OF COSTS IN THE FIRST YEAR.

WHILE THE SYSTEM IS BEING CONFIGURED TO THE CURRENT PERMITTING SYSTEM IS CONTINUES TO BE UTILIZED.

THE DEFERRED COSTS ARE RECOGNIZED IN THE SECOND YEAR WHERE GO LIVE OCCURS.

THE NEED TO BEGIN OUR SUBSCRIPTION SERVICES PRIOR TO THE GO LIVE IS TO PROVIDE THE NECESSARY INFRASTRUCTURE FOR THE NEW SYSTEM, MOST NOTABLY THE MICROSOFT ASURE HOSTING . SYSTEM SECURITY AND THE OUT OF THE BOX PLATFORM, ALONG WITH THIRD PARTY TOOLS WHICH EXCEL IN THE COUNTY.

TEAMS WILL UTILIZE TO CONFIGURE TO MEET THE COUNTY'S NEEDS DURING THE IMPLEMENTATION PERIOD.

ALSO, I'D LIKE TO POINT OUT THAT THROUGH OUR THE THIRD PARTY TOOLS THAT WE'LL BE USING WHEN WE BEGIN NEGOTIATIONS OF THIS CONTRACT, WE WERE TRYING TO BRING THIS TO YOU BEFORE THE END OF THE CALENDAR YEAR OF 2022.

WHEN WE MOVED INTO THIS YEAR, THE THIRD PARTY TOOLS RESTRUCTURED THEIR PRICING, WHICH WE WERE GOING TO SEE AN INCREASE OF $20,400 IN THE FIRST YEAR AND THEN INCREASING OVER 5% OVER THE NEXT TEN YEARS.

THEY CAME BACK AND HONORED THE 2022 PRICING AND THERE IS NO JUMP IN PRICE.

IT'S JUST THE INCREASE OF 5% EACH YEAR.

SO WE WILL SEE A SAVINGS OVER THE TERM OF $256,000.

OKAY. IF I HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.

I'LL GET THE LIGHTS BACK ON.

SUPERVISOR PAREIRA.

THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. SO DURING OUR MY BOARD BRIEFING, I BROUGHT UP THE POINT OF US HAVING TO PAY LICENSING FEES BEFORE WE CAN USE THE THE LICENSE.

RIGHT. WE'RE PAYING THE SELLER $1.78, AND THAT'S OUR DEVELOPMENT COST.

RIGHT. AND SO I JUST I JUST CAN'T SEE US HAVING TO PAY A LICENSE FEE FOR SOMETHING THAT WE CAN'T USE.

RIGHT. WE'RE PAYING THEM TO DEVELOP IT AND WE'RE PARTICIPATING IN THAT.

BUT, YOU KNOW, AND SO STAFF WENT BACK AND MET WITH THE SELLER, CAME BACK WITH A $12,000 DISCOUNT I GUESS IS THE WAY IT IT IT PLAYS OUT. BUT REALLY NO SIGNIFICANT CHANGE.

[01:55:02]

AND SO ANYWAYS, SO I'M I'M STILL BOTHERED BY THAT AND IT WILL PROBABLY BE A NO VOTE.

THANK YOU. ANY OTHER COMMENTS.

SO I HAVE SOME COMMENTS BECAUSE I PARTICIPATED IN SUPERVISOR ESPINOZA EXCUSE ME, SUPERVISOR PAREIRA IS BRIEFING AND HE TOO WAS BOTHERED BY THAT.

AND IT REALLY, IF THEY WANT TO CALL IT AS PART OF THE IMPLEMENTATION COST, IF THEY WOULD SIMPLY JUST MOVE THOSE NUMBERS INTO THE IMPLEMENTATION COST, I PROBABLY WOULDN'T EVEN IT WOULDN'T EVEN HAVE CAUGHT MY ATTENTION.

AND, AND BECAUSE I KNOW THERE ARE FAR AND FEW BETWEEN CELEBRATING, I KNOW IT'S NOT MUCH, BUT THE BECAUSE OF COMMENTS I'M GOING TO SAY BY MYSELF AND SUPERVISOR PAREIRA STAFF WENT BACK AND NEGOTIATED WITH THE SELLER AGAIN AND SAVE THE TAXPAYERS $12,000 THAT WE OTHERWISE WOULDN'T HAVE SAVED.

AND SO I'M GOING TO TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO TO REALLY REINFORCE TO AND THIS MESSAGE GOES OUT TO ALL DEPARTMENT HEADS AND ALL SENIOR LEVEL MANAGEMENT.

I CAN SPEAK FOR MYSELF IN TELLING YOU THAT IT'S OKAY TO PUSH BACK ON THESE COMPANIES.

IT'S OKAY TO ASK THEM TO GO BACK AND SHARPEN THEIR PENCILS.

YOU'RE DOING IT FOR THE TAXPAYER, RIGHT? AND SO WHERE I, I THINK THAT SOMETIMES WE GET KIND OF LOST IN WELL, YOU KNOW, WE KNOW WE NEED THIS SERVICE.

I AM NOT AT ALL DISCOUNTING THAT.

WE NEED THIS SERVICE AND THIS IS MOVING US IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.

I THINK THIS IS ONE OF THE FINAL STEPS THAT WE NEED TO DO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE ONE STOP SHOP, EVERYBODY SPEAKING THE SAME LANGUAGE NOW, EVERYBODY IS ON THE SAME PLATFORM.

YOU DON'T HAVE ONE GROUP UTILIZING ONE, ONE GROUP UTILIZING ANOTHER ONE, ALL GREAT THINGS.

BUT BUT JUST YOU HAVE MY PERMISSION ANYWAYS TO PUSH BACK HAD I NOT AND MYSELF AND SUPERVISOR PAREIRA HAD NOT ASKED THOSE QUESTIONS, THE TAXPAYERS WOULD BE PAYING 12,000 MORE FOR THIS CONTRACT THEN THEN WE'RE GOING TO PAY TODAY.

AND I THINK THAT'S THAT'S A SMALL VICTORY IN THE GRAND SCHEME OF THINGS AND A ALMOST $5 MILLION CONTRACT.

IT'S IT'S ONLY 12,000, BUT THAT'S 12,000 THAT WE HAVE TO SPEND ON SOMETHING ELSE THAT WE OTHERWISE WOULDN'T HAVE.

SO I JUST WANT TO ENCOURAGE DEPARTMENT HEADS, SENIOR LEVEL MANAGEMENT TO PUSH BACK, DON'T JUST TAKE THEIR FIRST WORD ON IT AND IT GOES BACK TO YOU.

AND YOU GUYS HAVE HEARD ME SAY THIS BEFORE.

IF YOU'RE EVER IN A POSITION TO SPEND THE COUNTY'S MONEY, ASK YOURSELF ONE QUESTION.

WOULD YOU PERSONALLY WRITE THAT CHECK? RIGHT. AND I AM FULL, FULLY AWARE THAT THERE ARE SOME PEOPLE THAT ARE JUST NOT GOOD WITH MONEY, WOULD MAKE BAD DECISIONS WITH MONEY EVERY TIME.

I COULD PROBABLY SHOW YOU SOME EXAMPLES OF ONE OF MY CHILDREN DOING THAT.

BUT WE'RE ALL GROWN UPS AND ADULTS HERE, AND WHAT I WILL SAY IS WAY MORE TIMES THAN NOT, IF YOU PERSONALLY WOULDN'T WRITE THAT CHECK, WHY WOULD YOU WRITE IT FOR THE TAXPAYERS? AND THEN I'M GOING TO REMIND YOU THAT YOU WORK FOR MERCY COUNTY, AND IF YOU WORK FOR MERCY COUNTY, YOU'RE PAYING TAXES.

SO THEREFORE IT IS YOUR MONEY.

RIGHT? AND WE AS A COUNTY THAT HAS A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT MORE OF THINGS THAT WE NEED TO SPEND MONEY ON, THEN WE HAVE MONEY TO SPEND.

EVERY TIME YOU LOOK AT ONE OF THOSE AND ARE ABLE TO GO BACK AND REALIZE SOME SAVINGS FOR THE TAXPAYERS, THAT'S THAT MANY MORE DOLLARS THAT WE HAVE TO TACKLE ONE OF THOSE OTHER PROJECTS. SO AGAIN, IT'S I COME BACK TO FOR THIS I WOULD HAVE LIKED TO SEE I MEAN, I THINK IT WAS VERY CEREMONIAL, THE 12,000, BUT IT'S 12,000 THAT WE'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE TO SPEND.

BUT AGAIN, I RELY ON MY RESIDENT EXPERTS, THE PEOPLE THAT WE HIRE TO PUT IN THESE POSITIONS.

AND WHEN THEY COME TO ME AND THEY TELL ME THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE NEED, THIS IS GOING TO HELP US COME IN COMPLIANCE WITH WITH LAWS THAT ARE ON THE BOOKS.

IT'S GOING TO MAKE OUR SYSTEM BETTER.

I'M RELYING ON YOU TO GIVE ME THAT INFORMATION TO HELP MAKE AN EDUCATED DECISION HERE.

BUT I STILL THINK, THOUGH, THAT WE NEED TO DO A BETTER JOB AT BEING FISCAL STEWARDS OF THE TAXPAYERS MONEY.

AND I APPRECIATE THAT WE WERE ABLE TO NEGOTIATE THAT.

THEY HONORED LAST YEAR'S PRICES.

BUT BUT, YOU KNOW, IN MY OWN PRIVATE LIFE, IF I'M GOING TO GO DO A PROJECT, I DON'T JUST CALL SOMEBODY UP AND THEY THROW ME A BILL AND I JUST SAY, OH, YEAH, HERE, LET ME GO. LET ME WRITE THE CHECK FOR IT.

I DO MY HOMEWORK, I MAKE SURE THAT I'M GETTING A COUPLE OF BIDS AND THEN I'M MAKING AN EDUCATED DECISION.

AND I WOULD ENCOURAGE AND I'M GIVING YOU PERMISSION FROM ME AND YOU TAKE IT FOR WHAT IT'S WORTH, I'M ONLY ONE OF FIVE BOARD MEMBERS UP HERE, BUT I SUSPECT THAT SOME OF MY COLLEAGUES MIGHT AGREE WITH ME THAT YOU NEED TO NEGOTIATE BETTER DEALS ON BEHALF OF THE TAXPAYERS OF MERCED COUNTY.

YOU KNOW, THE OTHER DAY I WAS WALKING OUT OF A MEETING AND A GENTLEMAN SAID TO ME, BECAUSE I BET YOU WISH THAT YOU HAD A 10TH OF THE POWER THAT EVERYBODY THINKS YOU HAVE AS A COUNTY SUPERVISOR.

AND I SAID, BELIEVE ME, I DO ALL THE TIME.

SO AGAIN, I'M ENCOURAGING YOU TO THINK HARDER WHEN WE'RE DOING THESE PROJECTS.

WE, LISTEN, THE MONEY TRAIN SLOWING WAY DOWN.

FEDERAL MONEY, ALL THESE ONE TIME MONIES ARE GOING AWAY.

WE'RE GOING TO GET BACK TO REALITY REALLY QUICK HERE.

AND I WANT PEOPLE TO START NEGOTIATING AS IF IT WAS THEIR OWN MONEY.

AND IF THAT MEANS THAT EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE WE LOSE A CONTRACT SOMEWHERE BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT WILLING TO DO BUSINESS WITH US.

[02:00:03]

WE'RE THE COUNTY IS WE PAY.

WE PAY WELL, TOO.

SO THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO TAKE THAT OPPORTUNITY.

SUPERVISOR PAREIRA. YEAH.

A QUESTION FOR COUNCIL.

I MEAN, IT REALLY IS BOTHERING ME ON THIS, ON PAYING FOR A LICENSE THAT WE CAN'T USE.

I MEAN, IS THAT IS THERE IS THERE ANY LEGAL OPPOSITION TO PAY AN A FEE FOR A LICENSE THAT WE CAN'T USE? CAN YOU? I SHOULD HAVE ASKED THIS QUESTION AHEAD OF TIME.

I DIDN'T THINK ABOUT IT UNTIL I WAS JUST SITTING HERE NOW.

SO APOLOGIZE FOR THAT.

COUNSEL HANSEN.

I THINK SUPERVISOR PAREIRA GENERALLY, WITHOUT GETTING INTO THE SPECIFICS OF THE ISSUES IN THIS CONTRACT, IT'S A COMMERCIAL AGREEMENT AND SO THE TERMS WOULD CONTROL.

RIGHT. IT'S TWO WILLING PARTIES ENTERING INTO A COMMERCIAL AGREEMENT.

SO IF WE'RE AGREEING TO PAY THE LICENSE FEE, AS OF I BELIEVE IT'S MARCH 1ST, 2023, THAT'S THERE'S NOTHING PROHIBITING THAT LEGALLY.

OKAY. SO TAXPAYERS COULDN'T COME BACK TO US AND SAY, HEY, YOU'RE PAYING THIS MONEY FOR SOMETHING WE CAN'T USE.

COULD THEY RAISE A CONCERN THAT WOULD HAVE LEGAL STANDING? I BELIEVE THIS BOARD'S LEGISLATIVE ACTION WOULD BE THE FINAL WORD ON THAT.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

AND I THINK, AT LEAST FOR ME IN MY MIND, I'M GOING TO GO TO IS IS THAT I KNOW THAT WE'RE NOT USING THE LICENSES AS THEY'RE FULLY INTENDED TO BE USED ONCE THEY'RE FULLY ONBOARDED.

BUT I DO BELIEVE THE WAY THAT IT WAS EXPLAINED TO ME IS THAT YOU STILL NEED TO HAVE SOME ACTIVE LICENSES TO BE ABLE TO TRAIN THE PEOPLE, TO BE ABLE TO GET CAUGHT UP SO THAT WHEN WE HIT THAT ALL END DATE OF WE'RE SWITCHING OVER TO THE NEW SYSTEM TO BE ABLE TO UTILIZE IT.

SUPERVISOR PAREIRA.

WE'RE PAYING $1.78 MILLION TO DO THAT RIGHT THAT'S THE PROCESS OF THE DEVELOPMENT, THE IMPLEMENTATION.

SO WE'RE PAYING TO.

FOR OUR PEOPLE TO BE ABLE TO UTILIZE IT AND GIVE A SELLER INFORMATION OF AND GO BACK AND FORTH AND MAKE THIS WORK FOR US SO THAT WHEN WE DO HAVE THE GO LIVE DATE, THE SYSTEM WORKS, RIGHT? SO SO THAT PAYMENT SHOULD BE INCLUDED IN THE 1.78 MILLION.

AND I JUST, I DON'T KNOW, I JUST IN MY.

MY BUSINESS AND MY PERSONAL LIFE, I'VE NEVER PAID FOR SOMETHING THAT I COULDN'T DO.

I COULDN'T USE TILL TILL I COULD USE IT.

SO. THANK YOU, DIRECTOR HENDRICKSON.

MR. CHAIRMAN, MEMBERS, THE BOARD. IF I COULD MAYBE MAKE A SUGGESTION AND MAYBE ALLOW THE SLA REPRESENTATIVE TO MAYBE EXPLAIN, YOU KNOW, HIS, HIS POINT OF VIEW ON THIS ISSUE AND OR. MR. COWARD. I DID WANT TO, YOU KNOW, KIND OF LOOK A LITTLE SIDETRACK FROM FROM MY MY COMMENTS.

BUT I DO WANT TO AT LEAST ACKNOWLEDGE CERTAINLY THE WORK THAT NICOLE HAS DONE, THE WORK THAT MARK HOWARD HAS DONE, THE WORK THAT THEY'VE DONE COLLABORATIVELY WITH EXCEL.

BUT MR. BRAD JACOBS IS HERE FROM EXCEL, WHO MAY BE WELL POSITIONED TO TO ADDRESS THE SUPERVISORS CONCERNS.

CHAIR AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, ESPECIALLY SUPERVISOR PAREIRA.

IT IS A COMMON PRACTICE IN SOFTWARE FOR THE CUSTOMER TO PAY FOR THE SOFTWARE DURING THE IMPLEMENTATION.

AS MR. CHAIR MENTIONED, COUNTY STAFF WILL BE IN THE SYSTEM FROM DAY ONE.

THE AGREEMENT STARTS MARCH 1ST, WHICH IS TOMORROW.

FROM DAY ONE, COUNTY STAFF, ALBEIT NOT ALL 90 USERS, 35 USERS WILL BE IN THE SYSTEM GUIDING THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE SYSTEM, TRAINING ON THE SYSTEM, USING THE SYSTEM EVERY DAY FOR THE NEXT 18 MONTHS, SUCH THAT 18 MONTHS FROM NOW IT DOESN'T GO LIVE AND NOBODY KNOWS HOW TO USE IT.

SO IT'S ACTUALLY GOING TO IMPROVE THE EFFICIENCY OF THE ONBOARDING OF STAFF BY THEM USING THE SYSTEM FROM DAY ONE.

AS MENTIONED BEFORE, WE ALSO INCUR COSTS.

THE $1.7 MILLION FOR THE PROJECTS IS STRICTLY FOR OUR TEAM AT AN HOURLY RATE TO COME.

DO EVERYTHING, MIGRATE YOUR DATA FROM YOUR CURRENT SYSTEM, SET IT UP ACCORDING TO COUNTY POLICY, ETC.

BUT WE ALSO INCUR SUBSCRIPTION COSTS.

WE DON'T HOST THE SOFTWARE OURSELVES.

WE HOST WITH MICROSOFT.

THEY HAVE A DATA CENTER CALLED MICROSOFT AZURE AND WE PAY THEM.

WE PAY THEM FOR COMPUTING POWER, WE PAY THEM FOR STORAGE, SUCH THAT WHEN WE MOVE YOUR DATA OVER, THERE IS SUFFICIENT ROOM TO PUT THAT DATA RIGHT.

THERE'S A FILE CABINET FOR ALL THE FILES.

WE ALSO PAY EXCEL SECURITY TEAM AND MICROSOFT SECURITY TEAM TO MAKE SURE THAT SOFTWARE IS SECURE DURING THE PROJECT.

[02:05:07]

AND ALTHOUGH YOU'RE NOT LIVE AND THE CONSTITUENTS AREN'T ACCESSING THE SYSTEM, IT VERY MUCH COULD BE A BRIDGE INTO THE COUNTY'S DATA CENTER, INTO THE COUNTY'S NETWORK.

AND SO ALL OF THESE COSTS ARE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT ARE PAID FOR WITH THE USER LICENSING.

NOW WE REDUCE THE PER USER PRICE FOR THE FIRST YEAR, HAVING TAKEN IN ALL THE FEEDBACK YOU GAVE AND WE ALSO REDUCED IT FROM 90 USERS TO 35 USERS.

SO THOSE CONCESSIONS WE GAVE, WE BELIEVE HONOR HOW YOU FEEL ABOUT THINGS AND WE HOPE YOU WILL APPROVE THE PROJECT.

SUPERVISOR PAREIRA I HAVE A QUESTION.

I HAVE A QUESTION, SURE.

SO IF YOU IF YOU'VE REDUCED THE ALL THOSE COST, THEN HOW DO WE ONLY SAVE 12,000 OVER THE ORIGINAL AMOUNT? I BELIEVE THOSE REDUCTIONS HAPPENED BEFORE THIS RECENT REDUCTION.

SO IT'S MORE THAN JUST 12,000 OFF, RIGHT? WE GAVE 150,000 OFF THE IMPLEMENTATION SERVICES EARLY ON.

THIS IS MONTHS AGO IN THE NEGOTIATION.

WE'VE GIVEN 11 PASSES TO OUR CONFERENCE.

THOSE ARE 1000 A PIECE.

THAT'S 11,000 TRAINING CREDITS WORTH $800 APIECE.

THAT'S 16,000 BECAUSE THERE ARE 20 OF THEM.

WE'VE ALSO GIVEN 257,000 OR 256 AND CHANGE OFF THE SOFTWARE.

A CREDIT TO THE ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH TEAM FOR INVISION CONNECT.

SO I THINK IN TOTAL IT'S ALMOST 500,000 OF SAVINGS THAT WE'VE GIVEN.

BUT YOU'RE RIGHT, THIS RECENT ROUND OF NEGOTIATION WHICH HAPPENED I GUESS IN THE PAST COUPLE OF WEEKS, WE HEARD YOU AND THE EXCEL FINANCE TEAM SAID WE'VE GIVEN MANY CONCESSIONS ALREADY.

WE'RE HAPPY TO DEFER.

WE'RE HAPPY TO SHIFT THE MONEY LATER IN THE CONTRACT.

THAT BEING SAID, THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF THE CONTRACT HAS TO STAY THE SAME FOR EXCEL TO BE ABLE TO PAY EVERYTHING THAT WE NEED TO PAY IN THE FIRST YEAR.

OKAY. SO THANK YOU FOR THE COMMENTS.

AND SO I JUST I'LL JUST TELL YOU, JUST BECAUSE IT'S THE STANDARD WAY THAT WE'VE ALWAYS DONE IT, I DON'T LIKE IT THAT WAY.

I LIKE TO BE CONSIDERED A TRENDSETTER.

AND SO TO ME, IF YOU SIMPLY WOULD HAVE SAID THAT ALL THOSE COSTS THAT THAT I BELIEVE THAT YOU HAVE, YOU DON'T NEED ANY SECURITY, ALL THOSE THINGS THAT YOU NEED TO HAVE, IF YOU WOULD HAVE JUST PUT THAT IN THE PRICE TAG OF THE IMPLEMENTATION PIECE AND THEN AND THEN SAID THAT THE FIRST TWO YEARS YOU DIDN'T HAVE TO PAY FOR THE LICENSES, THEN YOU START PAYING ON THE THIRD YEAR.

WE'RE NOT EVEN HAVING THIS CONVERSATION RIGHT NOW.

SO I DON'T KNOW. AND WE'RE ONLY ONE COUNTY AND I'M ONLY ONE PERSON.

BUT MAYBE JUST JUST A PIECE OF ADVICE.

I'M TRYING TO BRING A DIFFERENT WAY, A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE TO THE WAY THAT WE DO GOVERNMENT.

AND AND IT WOULD MAKE IT SMOOTHER BECAUSE AT THE END OF THE DAY, I DON'T WANT YOU TO WALK AWAY FROM HERE THINKING THAT WE DON'T NEED THIS PRODUCT.

THAT'S THE REASON WHY OUR TEAM DID THEIR VETTING AND BROUGHT YOU GUYS FORTH IS THE CHOICE TO GO WITH IS BECAUSE WE REALLY NEED IT AND IT'S GOING TO MAKE US BETTER OFF IN THE END FOR IT. IT'S JUST THE SEMANTICS ON HOW WE GOT THERE.

SO THANK YOU. I HEAR YOU.

I UNDERSTAND HOW YOU FEEL. GREAT.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU, SUPERVISOR PAREIRA.

SO, YOU KNOW, I'M TRYING TO SIT HERE AND I'M TRYING TO WRAP MY HEAD AROUND THIS AND I'M TRYING TO GET MYSELF TO A YES VOTE.

AND SO BUT SOMETHING YOU JUST SAID WAS WHEN WHEN THE FIRST NUMBER CAME TO ME AT MY FIRST BRIEFING, IT WAS FOR 90 LICENSES.

RIGHT. AND THESE LICENSES IN THE BEGINNING COST SOMEWHERE AROUND $3,400, AS I BELIEVE WHAT THAT NUMBER IS.

AND SO WHEN THE WHEN IT CAME BACK TO ME, THERE WAS WE ONLY NEEDED TO PAY FOR 35 LICENSES.

WELL, IF YOU TAKE THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN 90 AND 35 AND MULTIPLY THAT BY 3400, IT'S CERTAINLY A LOT LARGER NUMBER THAN THE 12,000.

AND SO THAT'S I'M JUST TRYING TO STRUGGLE TO UNDERSTAND THIS PROCESS.

SO MAYBE I'M MISSING IT.

AND IF I AM, THEN THEN SHAME ON ME AND I'LL LEARN.

BUT IF I'M NOT WELL, THEN THEN I'M A NO VOTE.

SO AM I MISSING IT OR IS THERE SOMETHING, SOMETHING, WHERE AM I MISSING IT, I GUESS IS MY QUESTION? WHEN I GOT THE FEEDBACK FROM NICOLE AND MARK, I WENT BACK TO EXCEL'S FINANCE TEAM AND I SAID, HERE'S HOW THE BOARD FEELS ABOUT IT.

WHAT CAN YOU GIVE THEM? AND THE PREVIOUS OFFER WAS 90 USERS ACROSS THE BOARD EVERY YEAR OF THE TENURE, RIGHT.

BUT THE FIRST TWO YEARS WAS A REDUCED PRICE PER USER.

THE WAY ACCELA BILLS SOFTWARE, IT'S REALLY SIMPLE.

IT'S HOW MANY USERS DOES THE COUNTY HAVE? COUNTY STAFF, NOT CONSTITUENTS AND CUSTOMERS, HOW MANY USERS OF THE COUNTY HAVE, AND WHAT'S THE PRICE PER USER? AND THAT ACROSS THE TEN YEARS MORE OR LESS INFORMS THE TOTAL CONTRACT AMOUNT FOR THE SOFTWARE, RIGHT INDEPENDENT OF THE SERVICES.

SO THE ORIGINAL OFFER ON THE TABLE WAS 90 USERS ACROSS THE BOARD, EVEN THOUGH MAYBE FEW WERE USING THEM THE FIRST YEAR OF THE PROJECT AT A REDUCED PRICE PER USER

[02:10:06]

BECAUSE OF SOME OF THE CONCERNS AROUND PAYING FOR THE SOFTWARE, MAYBE IT'S NOT BEING FULLY USED.

AND SO WHEN I GOT THIS FEEDBACK FROM NICOLE MARK, I WENT BACK TO ACCELA'S FINANCE TEAM TO MAKE THE PITCH ON YOUR BEHALF AND THEY GAVE US A SECOND OFFER.

THEY SAID THE FIRST OFFER STILL STANDS.

90 USERS ACROSS THE BOARD, BUT REDUCE FOR THE FIRST TWO YEARS OR WE'LL CONSOLIDATE ALL OF THOSE SAVINGS INTO THE FIRST YEAR.

IN OTHER WORDS, WE'LL REDUCE IT TO 35 USERS THE FIRST YEAR AT THAT SAME REDUCED PRICE PER USER.

BUT THE SECOND YEAR THE PRICE PER USER GOES UP TO WHAT IT WOULD HAVE OTHERWISE AT THE FULL 90 USERS.

SO THEY CONSOLIDATED THE SAVINGS INTO YEAR ONE WITH A SLIGHT ADDITIONAL CONCESSION OF THE $12,000.

KNOWING THE ALMOST $500,000 OF CONCESSIONS ACCELA HAD ALREADY GIVEN.

SO THEY WERE CONFIDENT THAT IT WAS A GOOD OFFER ON THE TABLE.

WE'D ALREADY GIVEN CONCESSIONS AND SO THEY CHOSE TO CONSOLIDATE TWO YEARS OF SAVINGS INTO ONE UP FRONT.

BUT THAT'S WHY, ALTHOUGH THE [INAUDIBLE] REDUCED FROM 90 TO 35, YOU SEE $12,000 IN SAVINGS.

DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? YEAH, I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, BUT IT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE, RIGHT . IF YOU GO FROM 90 TO 35, THERE SHOULD BE MORE THAN A $12,000 DIFFERENCE.

BUT I'LL JUST LEAVE IT AT THAT BECAUSE, I MEAN, WE NEED THE PROGRAM, BUT I'LL LEAVE IT ON THAT.

ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU.

SO I WILL NOW OPEN UP PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD FOR ITEM 26.

NOT SEEING ANYONE. WE'LL BRING IT BACK TO THE DAIS.

WHAT IS THE PLEASURE OF THE BOARD? ALL RIGHT. WE HAVE A MOTION BY PEDROSA, A SECOND BY SILVEIRA.

LET'S CALL FOR THE VOTE. PLEASE RECORD THE VOTE.

THE MOTION PASSES 4 TO 1.

NEXT, WE HAVE TREASURE.

ITEM 27.

WE'RE GOING TO GET A BRIEF..

HELLO, HONORABLE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS.

NOTHING DAZZLING HERE.

I'M NOT GOING TO BELABOR THE REQUEST TODAY TO APPROVE THE QUARTERLY INVESTMENT REPORT, OUR ANNUAL INVESTMENT POLICY AND THE TOC DIRECTIVE.

INSTEAD, I JUST WANT TO GIVE YOU A BRIEF HISTORY ABOUT THE TREASURY OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE.

AND I WANT TO THANK, OF COURSE, ALL THE MEMBERS, BUT ESPECIALLY I WANT TO THANK THAT THE MEMBERSHIP CHOSE TO CONTINUE THE TREASURY OVERSIGHT DIRECTIVE, AND IT ALL RESULTED IN 1992, ORANGE COUNTY FILED BANKRUPTCY.

THE TREASURER WAS ARRESTED FOR UNLAWFUL LEVERAGING THE PORTFOLIO EXOTIC INVESTMENT PURPOSES.

SO THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA PROMPTLY ISSUED TWO GOVERNMENT CODE REQUIREMENTS FOR COUNTY TREASURERS TO ESTABLISH TREASURY OVERSIGHT COMMITTEES. AND A TREASURY OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE IS COMMITTED TO THE SAFEKEEPING OF THE MERCED COUNTY POOLED INVESTMENT PORTFOLIO BY MAINTAINING AN INDEPENDENT PROCESS FOR REVIEW OF THE COUNTY TREASURY'S INVESTMENT POLICY AND CAUSES AN ANNUAL OUTSIDE AUDIT OF THE INVESTMENT PORTFOLIO AND THE PRACTICES. SO I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT OUR TOC MEMBERS IN 2010, WHEN THE THE STATUTORY CALIFORNIA GOVERNMENT CODE REQUIREMENTS SUNSET, THAT WE CHOSE TO CONTINUE OUR COMMITTEE PRACTICES AND WE'RE ONLY A HANDFUL OUT OF 58 CALIFORNIA COUNTIES WHERE THERE'S ONLY A HANDFUL OF US THAT STILL OPERATE.

I'M VERY PROUD. WE STILL HAVE QUARTERLY INVESTMENT REPORT MEETINGS AND AGAIN, WE WORK DIRECTLY WITH DISCLOSING TREASURY OPERATIONS. SO I WANT TO THANK THE TOC MEMBERS.

OF COURSE, HONORABLE SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA IS ON OUR COMMITTEE.

LISA, OUR AUDITOR CONTROLLER STEVE TEAGAN FROM MERCED COUNTY OFFICE OF ED.

FOR ALL THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS, WE HAVE JOE ALLISON FOR MERCED COLLEGE.

OF COURSE, ALL OF THESE ARE PARTICIPANT AGENCIES.

RIANNA JONES FOR MOSQUITO ABATEMENT DISTRICT.

SHE'S OUR SPECIAL DISTRICT REPRESENTATIVE AND WE HAVE TWO MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC.

SO I WANT TO THANK DAVID NESS WITH MERCO.

HE'S BEEN A MEMBER FOR OVER A DECADE, BUT WE RECENTLY HAVE A VACANCY FOR A MEMBER AT LARGE FOR THE TREASURY OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE.

AND I KNOW WE'RE WORKING WITH THE CLERK OF THE BOARD TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT'S AVAILABLE FOR PEOPLE TO REALIZE THAT THEY HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE TRANSPARENCY AND OVERSIGHT OF MY PORTFOLIO.

THAT AS YOUR ELECTRIC TREASURER, I WELCOME.

[02:15:01]

HOPEFULLY YOU HAVE NO QUESTIONS ABOUT WHAT WE'VE RENDERED FOR YOUR APPROVAL TODAY, BUT I AM VERY, VERY GRATEFUL TO BE A TREASURER THAT REPORTS THAT WE STILL HAVE ACTIVE PARTICIPATION IN THE COMMITTEE.

SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

I WILL NOW OPEN UP THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD FOR ITEM 27.

SEEING NO ONE, WE'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD, BRING IT BACK TO THE DAIS.

WE HAVE A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR PAREIRA, A SECOND BY SUPERVISOR PEDROZO.

CALL FOR THE VOTE.

PLEASE RECORD THE VOTE.

THE MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY 5 TO 0.

NEXT, WE HAVE CHILD SUPPORT SERVICES.

ITEM 28.

WE'LL OPEN UP THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD FOR CHILD SUPPORT.

NOT SEEING ANYONE, WE'LL CLOSE IT.

BRING IT BACK TO THE DAIS.

WE HAVE A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR PEDROZO, A SECOND BY SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL.

CALL FOR THE VOTE. PLEASE RECORD THE VOTE.

THE MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY 5 TO 0.

WE MOVED ITEM 29 TO THE FRONT OF THE MEETING, SO WE'LL NOW GO TO EXECUTIVE OFFICE.

I'D LIKE TO CALL UP DEPUTY COUNTY EXECUTIVE OFFICER VANESSA ANDERSON, WHO WILL BE PROVIDING INFORMATION TO US ON ITEM 31 FOR THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN ACT.

STATE AND LOCAL CORONAVIRUS FISCAL RECOVERY FUNDS.

UPDATE TO THE FRAMEWORK.

I KNOW I'M NOT THAT TALL.

GOOD AFTERNOON, MR. CHAIRMAN. MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.

THIS AFTERNOON, I WILL BE PROVIDING A BRIEF PRESENTATION ON RECOMMENDED UPDATES TO THE ARPA SLFRF FRAMEWORK TO REALLOCATE UNUSED FUNDS ASSOCIATED WITH OUR COMPLETED PROJECTS.

OH, I'M SORRY. YEAH.

DID I JUMP AHEAD? OKAY.

OK. SO I WANTED TO START OFF WITH JUST A BRIEF TIMELINE TO PROVIDE YOU KIND OF AN OVERVIEW, AS YOU ALL KNOW, WHERE WE'VE BEEN AND WHERE WE'RE GOING.

ON MARCH 11, 2021, THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN ACT WAS SIGNED INTO LAW $65.1 BILLION IN FLEXIBLE AID WAS PROVIDED THROUGHOUT THE NATION, AND CALIFORNIA WAS ALLOCATED $26.2 BILLION, WHICH MERCED COUNTY RECEIVED NEARLY $54 MILLION.

ON AUGUST 10/21, THE BOARD PROVIDED GUIDANCE ON ARPA SLFRF FUNDING FRAMEWORK WHICH THEN ALLOWED US STAFF TO COME BACK ON FEBRUARY 8TH, 2022 TO PROVIDE THAT FRAMEWORK.

AND WE HAD A PUBLIC HEARING ON JUNE 7TH, 22.

THE BOARD APPROVED FINAL PROGRAMING OF THE ENTIRE ALLOCATION.

IN FEBRUARY, THE BOARD, THERE WAS A COUPLE ITEMS THAT WEREN'T QUITE ALLOCATED.

WE LEFT IN CONTINGENCY AND KIND OF AN UNATTACHED TO ANY CERTAIN CATEGORY.

SO JUNE 7TH WE CAME BACK AND THAT'S WHERE IT WAS ALL FULLY ALLOCATED.

AND LOOKING FORWARD, WE HAVE DECEMBER 31ST OF 2024 IS THE LAST DATE FOR ARPA, SLFRF FUNDS TO BE OBLIGATED, MEANING ATTACHED TO A SPECIFIC PROJECT.

AND THEN DECEMBER 31, 2026 ARPA SLFRF FUNDS MUST BE FULLY EXPENDED.

THAT'S THE END OF THE STORY THERE.

SPENDING GUIDELINES AND WE HAVE OUR ELIGIBLE USES AND OUR INELIGIBLE USES.

ON THE LEFT SIDE ARE CATEGORIES WE HAVE.

WE CAN SUPPORT PUBLIC HEALTH EXPENDITURES ADDRESS NEGATIVE ECONOMIC IMPACTS CAUSED BY THE PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY, PROVIDE PREMIUM PAY FOR ESSENTIAL WORKERS, WATER, SEWER AND BROADBAND INFRASTRUCTURE, AND REPLACE LOST PUBLIC SECTOR REVENUE, WHICH IS ALSO REFERRED TO AS REVENUE REPLACEMENT AND ELIGIBLE USES.

FUNDING MAY NOT BE DEPOSITED INTO A PENSION FUND, CANNOT PAY INTEREST OR PRINCIPAL ON OUTSTANDING DEBT, NO REPLENISHING OF RAINY DAY OR OTHER RESERVE FUNDS, NO PAYING OF SETTLEMENTS OR JUDGMENTS, OR ANY OTHER USES THAT MAY GO AGAINST ANY LAWS, REGULATIONS, FEDERAL, STATE OR LOCAL.

I WANTED TO TOUCH A LITTLE BIT ON THE COMMUNITY OUTREACH EFFORTS WE DID.

WE HAD PROVIDED ONLINE AND HARDCOPY COMMUNITY SURVEYS, WHICH WERE AVAILABLE OCTOBER 5TH OF 2021 THROUGH JANUARY 31ST OF 22.

OVER 9000 SURVEYS WERE RECEIVED.

THEY WERE DISTRIBUTED IN ENGLISH, SPANISH AND HMONG.

WE PROMOTED THE SURVEY THROUGH COUNTY WIDE TEXT MESSAGING SURVEY.

HARDCOPY MAILERS WERE SENT OUT TO RESIDENTIAL ADDRESSES.

WE HAD MEETINGS WITH MUNICIPAL ADVISORY COUNCILS.

COMMUNITY AND VIRTUAL PRESENTATIONS WERE PROVIDED.

[02:20:03]

OUR WEBSITE IS CONSISTENT, CONSTANTLY BEING UPDATED WITH REPORTING, AND DURING THAT TIME SPECIFICALLY, WE HAD RESOURCES AVAILABLE FOR PEOPLE TO REVIEW.

AND ON FEBRUARY 8TH, 2022, WE HAD OUR PUBLIC HEARING.

TOUCHING HERE A LITTLE BIT ON THE SURVEY RESULTS.

WE HAD A QUESTION IN THERE WHICH WE ASKED FOR COMMUNITY INPUT ON THEIR PREFERENCES FOR THE PROJECTS THAT WE FELT THAT THE CONSTITUENTS FELT WERE MOST IMPORTANT.

AND YOU CAN SEE HERE THAT THE HIGHEST RANKERS WERE ROADS, PUBLIC SAFETY, HOMELESSNESS SERVICES, STORMWATER INFRASTRUCTURE AND PARKS.

ANOTHER QUESTION WE HAD HERE WAS A FREEFORM TYPE QUESTION WHERE WE ASKED FOR THEIR THEIR INPUT IN THEIR OWN WORDS.

AND YOU CAN SEE AGAIN, MOST OF THE CONSISTENT THEMES THAT WERE RESPONDED THERE ROADS, HOMELESS AND HOUSING SERVICES, WATER PARKS, PUBLIC SAFETY, MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES, LIBRARY AND YOUTH.

SO GETTING INTO THE FRAMEWORK HERE, I WANT TO SHOW THAT THE CATEGORIES ON THE LEFT SIDE ARE WHAT THE BOARD HAS APPROVED AS USES OF OUR FUNDING.

I WILL NOTE THAT WE ARE CLASSIFIED UNDER THE REVENUE REPLACEMENT CATEGORY, BUT THERE ARE THESE CATEGORIES THAT WE'RE SPENDING MONEY ON EACH OF THESE PROJECTS.

THE BOARD ALLOCATED ALL $54 MILLION.

YOU CAN SEE $4 MILLION, YEAH .9 MILLION FOR COVID 19 SUPPORT, 22.4 MILLION FOR COMMUNITY FACILITIES, 7.2 MILLION FOR FLOOD AND CONTROL.

FLOOD CONTROL AND WATER, 10 MILLION FOR ROADS.

SIX AND ONE HALF MILLION FOR PUBLIC SAFETY, 3 MILLION TO THE COVID 19 PANDEMIC PAY AND WHICH TOTALS ARE $54 MILLION.

I WANT TO NOTE THAT ON THE FAR RIGHT SIDE, THE RECOMMENDED IS WHAT WE'RE BRINGING FORWARD TODAY WITH THIS ACTION ITEM.

THAT ADJUSTMENT COLUMN SHOWS THE SHUFFLING BETWEEN CATEGORIES AS RECOMMENDED BY STAFF.

SO JUST A GENERAL OVERVIEW OF WHAT THAT FRAMEWORK LOOKS LIKE.

THE EXPENDITURE REPORTS THAT WE SUBMIT QUARTERLY TO THE US DEPARTMENT OF TREASURY, I WANTED TO PROVIDE AN UPDATE ON HOW MUCH WE'VE ACTUALLY SPENT BASED ON THE BOARD'S ALLOCATION.

YOU CAN SEE THAT WE'VE SPENT $9.7 MILLION.

AS OF OUR MOST RECENT REPORT WE SUBMITTED, IT WAS THROUGH MARCH 3RD OF 2021, THE BEGINNING OF THE SPENDING WINDOW THROUGH DECEMBER 31ST OF 2022. THE ASTERISK DOWN BELOW, I JUST WANT TO MAKE A NOTATION.

YOU'LL SEE IT'S $54 MILLION, JUST ABOVE $54 MILLION.

WHEN THE ORIGINAL FRAMEWORK WAS BROUGHT FORWARD, THERE WAS A ROUNDING ERROR PRESENTED WHERE IT IT WAS DONE AT A ROUNDED MILLIONS.

AND SO THIS ARE PROPOSED.

OUR PROPOSAL TODAY WILL CORRECT THAT THE ROUNDING WAS OFF BY ABOUT $72,000.

NOTHING HAS BEEN OVERSPENT IN ANY OF THE CATEGORIES.

BUT AGAIN, THE RECOMMENDED ACTION TODAY WILL WILL CORRECT THAT ROUNDING ERROR.

AND THE OTHER ITEM THAT I WANTED TO TOUCH ON IS THE ROADS CATEGORY.

YOU'LL SEE THAT THERE'S $0 SPENT TO DATE.

WE HAVE DISCUSSED WITH OUR ROADS COMMISSIONER AND THERE WILL BE AN ITEM BROUGHT FORWARD IN A FUTURE MEETING FOR THE BOARD TO CONSIDER THE PLANS AND SPECS AND TO AUTHORIZE DPW TO GO OUT TO BID FOR THE PROJECT.

SO I WOULD ANTICIPATE IN THE VERY NEAR FUTURE THAT WE'LL START SEEING EXPENDITURES THERE AND HAVE SOMETHING TO REPORT AND SHOW AS PROGRESS IN THAT CATEGORY.

OH, AND ONE THING I WANTED TO NOTE ALSO, YOU'LL SEE ON THE UNSPENT BALANCE WITH THAT ADJUSTMENT, IT'LL ACTUALLY BRING OUR REVISED UNSPENT BALANCE TO $44 MILLION 209,005 41.

THIS SLIDE SHOWS THE ADJUSTMENTS THAT ARE BEING PROPOSED WITHIN THE COMMUNITY FACILITIES CATEGORY.

YOU'LL NOTICE THERE'S THE RED NUMBERS AND THEN THE BLACK NUMBERS.

THE RED NUMBERS ARE ACTUALLY REPRESENTING PROJECTS THAT HAVE BEEN COMPLETED AND THEY HAD BEEN OVER PROGRAMED WITH FUNDS.

AND SO THOSE FUNDS NOW ARE AVAILABLE TO BE REPROGRAMED INTO ANOTHER PROJECT THAT'S ALREADY BEEN APPROVED BY THE BOARD THAT POSSIBLY NEED MORE MONEY TO IN ORDER TO MOVE FORWARD OR BE COMPLETED.

THERE WERE THREE PROJECTS THAT, BASED ON THE COMMUNITY'S PREFERENCE, ACCESS TO MODIFYING A FACILITY OR EVALUATION OF THE FACILITY'S ACTUAL CONDITION.

THEY DIDN'T NEED TO BE ON THE LIST.

SO WE HAVEN'T SPENT ANYTHING THAT INCLUDES THE DELHI SHATTUCK PARK UPGRADES AND THE AUGUSTINE VETS HALL HVAC AND THEN THE SNELLING LIBRARY ROOF AND YOU'LL SEE THOSE IN THE RED FONT THERE.

[02:25:06]

THE PRIMARY LINE ITEM CONTRIBUTING HERE IS 350,000 FOR THE TESTING AND VACCINATION ACTIVITIES.

WE HAD ORIGINALLY PROGRAMED BACK IN FEBRUARY AS NEEDING THESE FUNDS IN THE EVENT THAT WE NEEDED TO ADDRESS TESTING AND VACCINATION ACTIVITIES. HOWEVER, STATE AND FEDERAL EFFORTS REALLY MADE THOSE RESOURCES AVAILABLE.

AND AS I'M SURE EVERYONE IS WELL AWARE, THAT THE GOVERNOR'S ANNOUNCED THE END OF THE STATE OF THE COVID 19 EMERGENCY AS OF TODAY.

SO WE FELT IT WOULD BE BETTER SUITED MOVING IN ANOTHER INTO THE COMMUNITY FACILITIES CATEGORY.

TO HELP GIVE A LITTLE BIT MORE, CONTRIBUTE A LITTLE MORE TO THOSE COMMUNITIES THERE.

AND THEN THE $678 IS WAS JUST AGAIN, SOMETHING THAT HAD JUST BEEN SLIGHTLY OVER PROGRAMED IN THAT CATEGORY.

I ALSO WANT TO NOTE THAT THE ADJUSTMENT THAT I SPOKE ABOUT, THE $72,000 THIS THIS WILL BE TAKEN FROM THIS SECTION.

SO WHAT WE'LL ACTUALLY SEE GO UP INTO THE COMMUNITY FACILITIES WILL BE 277,000.

SO IT WON'T BE THE FULL 350, BUT AGAIN, IT'LL BRING US BACK INTO BALANCE.

SO THAT COMPLETES MY PRESENTATION.

WE HAVE HERE THE RECOMMENDED ACTIONS FOR THE BOARD TO CONSIDER TODAY, ONE TO AUTHORIZE THE REDISTRIBUTION OF OUR UNUSED ARPA SLFRF FUNDING IN THE AMOUNT OF 1,143,903 FROM COMPLETED COMMUNITY FACILITIES CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS TO APPROVED ALREADY APPROVED CAPITAL COMMUNITY FACILITIES PROJECTS THAT DO REQUIRE ADDITIONAL FUNDS WITH WE HAVE AN ASSOCIATED BUDGET TRANSFER AND THEN TO REALLOCATE THE 350,678 IN THE UNUSED COVID 19 SUPPORT FUNDS TO UP TO THE APPROVED COMMUNITY FACILITIES CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS THAT REQUIRE ADDITIONAL FUNDS.

SO THAT COMPLETES MY PRESENTATION.

ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS? GET THE LIGHTS BACK ON.

ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS AT THIS TIME FOR MS. ANDERSON? I'M NOT SEEING ANY.

THANK YOU. SO WE WILL OPEN UP THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD ON EXECUTIVE OFFICE ITEMS NUMBER 30 THROUGH 32.

NOT SEEING ANYBODY. WE'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD AND WE'LL BRING IT BACK TO THE DAIS.

I HAVE A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR PAREIRA, A SECOND BY SUPERVISOR PEDROZO, CALL FOR THE VOTE.

PLEASE RECORD THE VOTE.

THE MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY 5 TO 0.

NEXT, WE HAVE BOARD APPOINTMENTS.

ITEMS 33 THROUGH 40.

ALL RIGHT. I'LL OPEN UP THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD FOR THESE ITEMS. NOT SEEING ANYONE. WE'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC COMMENT, PERIOD, BRING IT BACK TO THE DAIS.

PLEASURE OF THE BOARD. I HAVE A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR PEDROZO, A SECOND BY SUPERVISOR PAREIRA TO CALL FOR THE VOTE.

PLEASE RECORD THE VOTE.

THE MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY 5 TO 0 AND LAST IS BOARD REPORTS.

[REPORTS/BOARD DIRECTION]

NO, I MEAN, SO LET ME PUT IT INTO DISCUSSION.

NOTHING TO REPORT.

I APPRECIATE EVERYBODY'S INPUT TODAY, ESPECIALLY FOR THE FOLKS FROM PLANADA.

I DON'T THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THE ADVOCACY THAT WE'RE DOING ON BEHALF OF THIS BOARD, CALLING CONGRESSMAN DUARTE, WORKING WITH OUR STATE REPRESENTATIVES AND EVERYBODY ELSE.

I THINK MY COLLEAGUE, THE CHAIRMAN, SAID IT, IF YOU HAD A LITTLE MUCH MORE POWER THAN WHAT EVERYBODY THINKS WE HAVE, WE COULD PROBABLY GET THINGS DONE.

AND IT IS AN ONGOING ADVOCACY, NOT ONLY WITH THE FOLKS THAT WE KNOW WHO ARE ELECTED, BUT REACHING OUT TO PERSONAL CELL PHONE NUMBERS OF PEOPLE IN THESE DEPARTMENTS IN WASHINGTON, D.C.

AND SACRAMENTO ASKING FOR HELP.

AND SO THE ADVOCACY IS ALWAYS ONGOING, AND WE'RE TRYING TO HELP ALL OF MERCER COUNTY AS A WHOLE.

[02:30:06]

I THINK THIS BOARD UNDERSTANDS THAT.

I KNOW I DO PERSONALLY.

ONE THING I HAD IN A DISCUSSION WITH THE DIRECTOR OF CALIFORNIA FISH AND WILDLIFE IN THAT MEETING, I EXPLAINED TO HIM THAT HIM BEING IN SACRAMENTO AND THAT'S TRYING TO CLEAN THE CREEKS HERE, THAT WE'RE ACTUALLY IN THE GROCERY STORES WEEKLY, WE'RE IN THE CHURCHES WHERE WE'RE WITH BROTHERS, SISTERS, MOTHERS, FATHERS, COUSINS.

TALKING WITH THEM EVERY DAY OF THE ISSUES THAT WE'RE DEALING WITH HERE.

AND I THINK THERE MIGHT BE A LITTLE BIT OF A REMOVAL IN THAT POSITION AT THAT HIGH.

BUT I JUST WANT TO LET THE FOLKS IN MERCED COUNTY KNOW THAT WE ARE USING EVERY CONTACT WE HAVE TO GET EVERYTHING DONE HERE.

AND MERCED COUNTY STAFF HAS DONE AN OUTSTANDING JOB.

LIKE I SAID, SITTING OUT THERE AT THE OC.

AND SOME OF OUR FOLKS, I THINK THE GENTLEMAN STANDING NEXT TO ME, GENTLEMAN SITTING RIGHT THERE IN THE CENTER ROW, 24 HOUR SHIFTS OUT TRYING TO DIRECT TRAFFIC ON WHAT WAS GOING ON. I MEAN, I WAS OUT THERE FOR MORE THAN 12 HOURS, ASKED TO GO HOME BECAUSE SOME PEOPLE WOULDN'T LEAVE BECAUSE I WAS STILL THERE AND THEY WANTED TO SHOW HOW HARD THAT THEY WERE WORKING.

AND I THOUGHT THEY WERE JUST KICKING ME OUT.

I DIDN'T REALIZE THE WHOLE GENERAL ASPECT OF IT.

BUT AS WE CONTINUE TO GO, WE DO HAVE THAT PERMIT.

I'M VERY THANKFUL IN OUR MEETING WITH CALIFORNIA STATE DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND WILDLIFE.

OUR CHAIRMAN DID A VERY GOOD JOB OF FACILITATING THAT MEETING BECAUSE THERE WAS ANGRY PEOPLE AROUND THE TABLE, BUT LETTING HIM HANDLE THE MEETING THE WAY HE DID.

ARE WE SET A GOAL BEFORE WE WENT IN AND OUR GOAL WAS ACHIEVED AND WE GOT THE PERMIT FOR TEN MORE YEARS OF CLEANING OUR CREEKS GOING FORWARD. AND WE ACTUALLY HAD IT BEFORE THE END OF BUSINESS THAT DAY.

SO WE WERE VERY THANKFUL FOR THAT.

I AM THANKFUL THAT CHUCK BONHAM ACTUALLY THE DIRECTOR, SPENT THE TIME WITH US TO AND HE DID A DEEP DIVE.

HE WANT TO KNOW WHAT OUR NEEDS WERE AND WHAT OUR PROBLEMS WAS.

HE LET US KNOW WHERE HE WAS ON IT AS WELL.

AND I RESPECT THAT.

I RESPECT THE CANDIDATE BECAUSE IT OPENED UP THE CONVERSATION FOR US ALL TO HAVE A CANDID CONVERSATION ABOUT WHAT WAS GOING ON AND THE RESULTS WERE STILL POSITIVE AND APPRECIATE THAT. AND HOPEFULLY NOW WE HAVE A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF THE PROCESS AND WHO WE'RE WHO WE'RE DEALING WITH AT THOSE HIGHER LEVELS.

AND VERY THANKFUL THAT HE DID SHARE HIS CELL PHONE NUMBER WITH US IF WE HAD PROBLEMS GETTING THROUGH THE BUREAUCRACY.

AND SO WITH THAT CHAIR, I WILL TURN IT BACK OVER TO YOU.

THANK YOU. SUPERVISOR PEDROZO.

THANK YOU. AND I THINK THIS IS FOR MR. MENDEZ, BUT AS PART OF MY REQUEST TO START A PLAN, I WANT TO MAYBE GET TOGETHER WITH YOU TO FIGURE OUT A REALISTIC TIME FRAME WHEN WE COULD ACTUALLY SEE SOMETHING THAT IS THAT THIS FALL, THIS SUMMER, SOMETHING IN REGARDS TO THAT.

BUT WE CAN TALK ABOUT THAT LATER.

ALSO, I KNOW I HAD BROUGHT THIS TO THE ATTENTION BEFORE AND IT WAS HAD TO DO WITH LAKE YOSEMITE.

SO I WOULD APPRECIATE IF WE COULD GET AN UPDATE AT SOME POINT IN TIME ALSO ABOUT THE NEGOTIATIONS WITHIN MID AND WHERE WE STAND WITH THAT.

BECAUSE LIKE LIKE HE SAID, I WENT OUT TO THOSE DOCKS AND IT'S THEY'RE PRETTY BAD.

AND SO WE NEED TO FIGURE OUT WHERE WE'RE AT WITH THAT.

ALSO, SINCE THE FIRST MEETING, I'VE BEEN BACK FROM THE LEGISLATIVE CONFERENCE FOR NACO, THE LEDGE CONFERENCE WAS THIS YEAR.

IT WAS REALLY INTERESTING.

IT WAS VERY RURAL FOCUSED BECAUSE OF THE UPCOMING EXPIRATION OF THE FARM BILL AND THE FARM BILL.

IT SETS THE STAGE FOR OUR FOOD AND FARM SYSTEMS, BUT ALSO THERE'S A RURAL DEVELOPMENT ASPECT TO IT.

AND SO IT REALLY HELPS AREAS LIKE OURS.

EVEN THOUGH WE'RE NOT CLASSIFIED AS RURAL, IT STILL HELPS US PROVIDE SOME SORT OF VOICE AT THE TABLE, WHICH WAS WHICH IS VERY INTERESTING, AND THE AMOUNT OF DIFFERENT SPEAKERS THAT WE HAD.

AND THEN ALSO TALKING TO JUST DIFFERENT SUPERVISORS FROM THE NATION AND THE DIFFERENT COUNTIES THROUGHOUT THE NATION, YOU RECOGNIZE THAT EVEN THOUGH, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE GROUP, ONE OF THE SUPERVISORS FROM NEW YORK OR WHETHER IT'S NEW YORK, IOWA OR WHATEVER, WE ALL DEAL WITH THE SAME ISSUES.

I MEAN, IT'S VERY IT'S VERY AS BIG AS THIS COUNTRY IS.

THERE'S VERY SIMILAR SITUATIONS THAT WE DEAL WITH.

SO I THOUGHT THAT WAS COOL.

ALSO, I WANT TO ADJOURN FOR ROBERTA SAILING.

[02:35:03]

SHE WAS VERY INVOLVED IN THE HISTORICAL SOCIETY AND SHE WAS A COURTHOUSE VOLUNTEER AND SHE WAS A VERY NICE WOMAN. I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO TEACH HER GRANDSON, AND I'VE KNOWN HER FAMILY FOR A REALLY LONG TIME AND THEY'RE JUST EXCEPTIONAL PEOPLE. SO I JUST WANTED TO DO THAT FOR ME TO SAY THANK YOU.

THANK YOU. SUPERVISOR PEDROZO SUPERVISOR ESPINOZA.

THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. WELL, I'M JUST GOING TO ADDRESS MILES CREEK AGAIN AND MARIPOSA CREEK.

LIKE I SAID, THERE WAS COMMENTS ABOUT MARIPOSA CREEK OVERFLOWING POTENTIALLY OVER HIGHWAY 59.

MAYBE IT'S HAPPENING RIGHT NOW ALREADY.

SO WITH EXPECT MORE STORMS COMING IN AND ESPECIALLY MILES CREEK, YOU KNOW, I KNOW THAT WE HAVE THE PERMIT READY.

AND YOU KNOW, THIS LAST THE BREAK HAPPENED IN JANUARY 9TH AND HERE WE ARE AT THE END OF FEBRUARY I'M SORRY, IT'S BEEN ALMOST TWO MONTHS AND WE HAVEN'T FINISHED CLEARING OUT MILES CREEK AND MOST OF THE COMMUNITY WAS AFFECTED.

SO I THINK THAT WE'RE DROPPING THE BALL.

I HAVEN'T GOT ANY UPDATES OF WHETHER WE'RE WORKING ON IT.

I JUST HEAR THAT. LIKE I SAID, THINGS ARE MOVING, BUT I NEED TO GET UPDATES FROM MY STAFF, FROM ANYBODY, WHAT'S GOING ON? BECAUSE LIKE I SAID, I'M NOT GETTING THE INFORMATION.

AS SUPERVISOR, I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, ALL THE BOARD SHOULD BE ABLE TO GET UPDATES ON WHAT'S HAPPENING AROUND THE COUNTY, EVEN IF IT'S NOT OUR DISTRICT.

THAT WAY WE CAN, YOU KNOW, PASS IT ON TO THE COMMUNITY.

I'M WORRIED ABOUT BEAR CREEK.

I'M MORE WORRIED ABOUT MARIPOSA CREEK.

IT DOESN'T MATTER WHERE IT HAPPENS IN THIS COUNTY.

WE'RE ALL RESPONSIBLE FOR EVERY CONSTITUENT HERE IN THE COUNTY.

AND SO WE NEED TO BE GETTING UPDATES ACROSS THE BOARD OF WHAT'S GOING ON.

REGARDING THE FELIX TORRES MIGRANT CAMP IN PLANADA THAT WE [INAUDIBLE] IN BEAR CREEK WAS BUILT AGAINST THE PLANNING POLICIES OF EVERY CITY, EVERY COUNTY, WHICH GOES AGAINST, LIKE I SAID, IT'S ALMOST A MILE NORTH OF THE COMMUNITY IN PLANADA.

THERE'S NO SIDEWALKS.

WE'RE BUILT BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.

AND AND LIKE I SAID, OBVIOUSLY, UH, SOMETIMES THE COUNTY DOESN'T HAVE A CHOICE.

YOU KNOW, LIKE I SAID, THEY JUST, UH, THE GOVERNMENT COMES IN AND BUILDS IT AND, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GOING TO BUILD IT.

BUT THEY DIDN'T BUILD ANY, ANY SIDEWALKS.

UM, MY PREVIOUS SUPERVISOR, MY DISTRICT, HE HAD PUSHED TO DO SIDEWALKS FROM HIGHWAY 142 IS CESAR CHAVEZ MIDDLE SCHOOL.

AND HERE WE ARE. I'VE BEEN HERE, THIS IS MY SEVENTH YEAR, STARTING MY SEVENTH YEAR, AND THEY'RE NOT DONE YET.

I'VE BEEN PUSHING.

I HAVEN'T GOTTEN ANY PLANS.

WE TALK ABOUT IT HERE AND I HAVEN'T SEEN IT ALL SIX PLUS YEARS PLUS, YOU KNOW, THE PAST TIME.

I CAN'T BELIEVE THAT A A PROJECT CAN TAKE MORE THAN SIX YEARS TO BE FINISHED.

ROADS. I KNOW THAT.

LIKE I SAID, WORKING WE'RE WORKING ON ROADS.

BUT, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES I FEEL LIKE, YOU KNOW, IF I WAS A BUILDER EXCEPT ONE IN MY IN MY DISTRICT, I KNOW, LIKE I SAID, A LOT OF ROADS ARE BEING BUILT.

AND, YOU KNOW, THE RESIDENTS DON'T SEE AS THEY SEE ROADS BEING FIXED, BUT NOT ENOUGH, I GUESS, LIKE I SAID, AND I ADDRESS THAT, YOU KNOW, THERE'S THE FUNDS ARE NOT THERE. SURE THIS IS HELPING, BUT WE CAN BUILD IT IN ONE YEAR OR FIVE YEARS OR TEN YEARS.

LIKE I SAID, IT'S GOING TO TAKE US A LONG TIME TO FIX THAT.

A LOT OF YEARS WENT BY WITHOUT, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY THE TAX REVENUE TO FIX THEM.

THE [INAUDIBLE] I KNOW THAT YOU KNOW, I SEE THAT, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF THE STUFF HAS BEEN, YOU KNOW, REMODELED THE VETERANS HALLS, ESPECIALLY THE HVAC SYSTEMS THAT, YOU KNOW, COMMUNITY VETERANS HALLS ARE USED.

AND SO HOPEFULLY, LIKE I SAID, SOME OF THE VETERANS ARE, YOU KNOW, THE HAPPY I KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, ALSO REGARDING THEM ARE BETTER.

AND SO HOPEFULLY I CAN GET AN UPDATE AS WELL.

AND BEFORE THAT, THE CONTRACT COMES BACK TO OUR BOARD AS WELL.

TODAY IS THE LAST DAY FOR THE RESIDENTS OF PLANADA.

THEY'RE GOING TO BE RECEIVING THE DINNER'S A LOT OF SENSE EARLY IN IN JANUARY.

A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE BEEN GETTING LUNCH AND DINNERS.

SOME OF THE MEMBERS THAT GOT THE CONTRACT WITH THE STATE IS BECAUSE ARMANDO, YOU KNOW, HE DONATED THE FIRST DAYS I WAS THERE, DONATED A COUPLE OF DAYS, THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS JUST FROM HIS, YOU KNOW, HIS OWN POCKET.

HE'S BEEN GIVEN BACK.

I KNOW SOMETIMES THE CONTRACTS THAT THAT THEY GET IS NOT ENOUGH.

YOU KNOW, THEY DON'T MAKE ENOUGH PROFIT, BUT AT LEAST THEY'RE WILLING TO HELP.

ALSO, REBEL MONSIEUR FROM 510 BISTRO HAS BEEN HELPING OUT WITH THE YOU KNOW, WITH THE LUNCHES.

THOUSANDS OF, YOU KNOW, 1000 LUNCHES ARE GIVING OUT THAT LUNCHES AND DINNERS GIVING OUT EVERY DAY.

[02:40:03]

IF ANYBODY WANTS TO STOP BY AND SAY HI TO THE COMMUNITY'S RESIDENTS.

AND, YOU KNOW, LIKE I SAID, HOPEFULLY WE CAN DO A BETTER JOB AND AND CHECK IN WITH THE INSPECTORS AND ALL THE COMMUNITY RESIDENTS AND MAKE SURE THEY ARE IN HEALTH, HEALTHY CONDITIONS. AND, YOU KNOW, HOPEFULLY THERE THEY'LL THEY'LL BE MET.

AND ALSO, THE GENTLEMAN ADDRESSED THE GROUNDWATER RECHARGE.

WE NEED A SENATE COMMITTEE FROM, I THINK THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS WHERE THEY MIGHT MAKE SURE WE RECHARGE.

I'VE BEEN A MEMBER OF THE BOARD FOR A LONG TIME AND WE ALWAYS TALKED, YOU KNOW, ESPECIALLY SINCE AFTER 2017, WHENEVER WE HAD A GOOD YEAR OF RAIN AND IT'S HERE.

BUT IF WE'RE NOT DOING ENOUGH WATER RECHARGE, IT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED TO WORK WITH MID TO MAKE SURE THAT ENOUGH GROUNDWATER IS BEING RECHARGED.

SO THAT LIKE I SAID, HOPEFULLY NEXT YEAR IT RAINS AGAIN ENOUGH THAT, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT, YOU KNOW, A, UH, YOU KNOW, A DROUGHT AGAIN FOR A WHILE, BUT IT MIGHT BE HERE AGAIN PRETTY SOON.

SO AND WITH THAT, THAT'S ALL MY COMMENTS.

THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. THANK YOU.

COUNSEL HANSEN.

CEO MENDEZ.

YES, THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR.

JUST A COUPLE OF COMMENTS THIS AFTERNOON.

I DID WANT TO ALSO KIND OF ECHO THE COMMENTS OF THE BOARD.

APPRECIATE THE COMMUNITY COMING OUT IN FULL FORCE AND SHARING WITH US THEIR PERSPECTIVE.

I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO CONTINUE TO LISTEN AND TRY TO CONNECT WITH THE COMMUNITY.

THE RESIDENTS OF NOT ONLY PLANADA, MCSWAIN, OBVIOUSLY SOME OF THE AREAS OF THE CITY, WE HAVE BEGUN TO BE MORE ENGAGED WITH THE OUTREACH.

OBVIOUSLY, IN ADDITION TO OUR STAFF BEING OUT THERE TO TRY AND RESPOND WITH WITH RESOURCES DIRECTLY WITH FAMILIES.

WE'VE BEEN OUT AT TOWN HALL MEETINGS IN BOTH PLANADA AND MCSWAIN HERE RECENTLY.

I KNOW SUPERVISOR ESPINOZA AND I ALSO ATTENDED A MAC MEETING THAT WAS I CALLED IT A MINI TOWN HALL BECAUSE WE HEARD MUCH OF THE SAME FEEDBACK.

SO PLEASE KNOW THAT SOME OF THE CONCERNS THAT ARE THAT WERE RAISED, WE'RE AWARE OF THEM.

WE'RE DOING OUR BEST, AS WAS INDICATED BY BY THIS BOARD AND BY STAFF OF WORKING WITH THE FEDERAL AND STATE GOVERNMENT TO ENSURE THAT THE RESOURCES, THE ASSISTANCE THAT'S AVAILABLE TO THE RESIDENTS IS THERE.

SO JUST WANTED TO KIND OF SUMMARIZE THAT OUR TEAM'S BEEN FULLY ENGAGED, IT SEEMS, FOR WEEKS, MONTHS NOW.

AND SOME OF THE FOLKS, AS I LOOK THROUGH AT THE AUDIENCE, I KNOW THEY'VE BEEN THERE EVERY MOMENT AS NEEDED.

SO JUST AGAIN, THE ASSURANCE THAT THE STAFF IS ENGAGED.

SECONDLY, AND JUST VERY APPROPRIATELY, I BELIEVE MOST OF YOU KNOW, I WAS OUT LAST WEEK, DIDN'T HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO ATTEND THE DEPARTMENT HEAD MEETING, WANTED TO RECOGNIZE SHARON DEL TREJO FOR HER SERVICE TO MERCED COUNTY.

AS YOU ALL KNOW, SHE IS RETIRING AFTER A VERY SUCCESSFUL CAREER IN PUBLIC SERVICE, TWO STINTS IN MERCED COUNTY, MOST RECENTLY AS OUR DIRECTOR OF CHILD SUPPORT SERVICES. HAD AN OPPORTUNITY OVER THE COURSE OF THE LAST YEAR TO ACTUALLY WORK WITH SHARON, RECONNECT WITH HER IN SOME WAYS, BECAUSE MANY OF YOU KNOW THAT WE BOTH PLAY TENNIS AND SOMEWHERE IN OUR PATHS OR WE WE INTERSECTED AT CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, STANISLAUS, MY ONLY YEAR PLAYING COMPETITIVE TENNIS.

AND I THINK THE LAST YEAR THAT BEFORE THEY CANCELED THE PROGRAM FOR SOME TIME.

OH, OUCH.

UH, MAYBE.

MAYBE, UH, BUT CERTAINLY THEY HAVE BROUGHT THE WOMEN'S PROGRAM BACK, WHICH IS GREAT.

AND OBVIOUSLY SHARON PLAYED FOR THE WOMEN'S TEAM.

BUT YEAH, DEFINITELY JUST WANTED TO PAUSE, RECOGNIZE SHARON.

IT'S BEEN A BLESSING TO WORK WITH HER OVER THE COURSE OF THE LAST YEAR.

OBVIOUSLY, SHE TOO, HAS BEEN ENGAGED IN THE RESPONSE COMING IN, ROLLING UP OUR SLEEVES, AS HAS BEEN HER STAFF.

BUT I THINK SHE HAS SET THE EXAMPLE FOR THAT DEPARTMENT AND THE DIRECTOR POSITION AS A BOARD TO WHERE WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF HOPEFULLY COMPLETING OUR RECRUITMENT PROCESS TO BRING BEFORE YOU A RECOMMENDATION FOR AN APPOINTMENT, BASICALLY HER SUCCESSOR.

BUT RIGHT NOW REALLY JUST WANTED TO RECOGNIZE SHARON FOR HER SERVICE TO THIS COMMUNITY, TO THIS ORGANIZATION.

THANK YOU SO MUCH AND WISH YOU THE BEST IN RETIREMENT.

DIDN'T HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO THAT LAST WEEK.

AND NOW THAT I HAVE MY VOICE BACK, I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT I DID THIS AFTERNOON.

SO THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR.

THANK YOU, SHARON.

BACK TO YOU, SIR. ALL RIGHT.

THANK YOU. SO A COUPLE OF THINGS.

FIRST OFF, I WANT TO SAY CONGRATULATIONS TO TIFFANY HO.

SHE HAS RECENTLY BEEN PROMOTED TO THE DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF PLANNING.

I THINK THAT'S A GOOD FIT IN MY TIME AND WORKING WITH TIFFANY AS A PLANNER.

I APPRECIATE HER.

WE TRY TO FIND EVERY WAY TO SAY YES BEFORE WE SAY NO APPROACH TO SITUATIONS, KNOWING THAT WE CREATE RULES AND REGULATIONS THAT NEVER FITS EVERY

[02:45:02]

SO THANK YOU AND I, I LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING THAT WORK WITH YOU.

A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT I JUST THAT CAME UP IN THE MEETING TODAY THAT I WANT TO.

SO HIGHWAY 59 AND MARIPOSA CREEK.

I'M JUST I TRAVEL THAT WAY.

A LOT OF MY CONSTITUENTS TRAVEL THAT WAY.

I WANT TO THE GENTLEMAN THAT'S HERE AND THAT SPOKE ABOUT IT.

I WANT TO TELL YOU THAT IF YOU TALK TO THE CALTRANS FOLKS EVERY THIRD THURSDAY OF THE MONTH WHEN WE HAVE OUR MCAG MEETING BETWEEN MYSELF AND SUPERVISOR ESPINOZA, WE ARE CONSTANTLY REMINDING THEM, EVEN WHEN WE'RE IN THE DEAD OF SUMMER, ON HOW THE NEXT TIME WE GET ANY RAIN, THAT'S GOING TO BE A PROBLEM AGAIN.

I HOPE THAT OUR CONTINUED NAGGING AT THEM, I'M GOING TO CALL IT HAS HIGHLIGHTED IT TO IT'S BROUGHT KNOW THEY HAVE A PLAN TO FIX IT EXCEPT FOR IT'S CALTRANS AND IT TAKES LIKE TEN YEARS.

HOPEFULLY WE'VE SHAVED A FEW YEARS OFF OF THAT AND WE'LL SEE SOMETHING THAT'S OBVIOUSLY NOT GOING TO BE DONE THIS YEAR, BUT HOPEFULLY WE WILL WE'LL SEE SOME MOVEMENT ON THAT BECAUSE IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THOROUGHFARE FOR NOT ONLY THE FOLKS IN EL NIDA, BUT THE FOLKS IN DOS PALACE.

THAT'S THE WAY THEY COME.

AND THEN THE BIGGER ISSUE IS, IS WHEN THEY CLOSE 59 DOWN, IT'S TYPICALLY WHEN WE HAVE INCLEMENT WEATHER AND NOW WE'RE SENDING ALL THAT TRAFFIC ONTO COUNTY ROADS WHICH WEREN'T DESIGNED TO HANDLE THAT KIND OF TRAFFIC.

AND THEN THE TAXPAYERS ARE ON THE HOOK FOR REPAIRING THOSE ROADS.

SO IT IS AT OUR ATTENTION AND AT EVERY OPPORTUNITY WE GET, WE ARE SHARING WITH THE FOLKS AT CALTRANS.

AND AGAIN, IT'S THE DISTRICT FOLKS ARE GOOD PEOPLE AND THEY REALLY TAKE OUR CONCERNS SERIOUSLY.

BUT THEY ALSO ANSWER TO A PARENT ORGANIZATION THE MISCONCEPTION, THE $50 MILLION.

I HEARD THAT NUMBER BROUGHT UP EARLIER.

I JUST WANT TO SHED A LITTLE BIT OF LIGHT ON THAT.

THE WAY THAT I UNDERSTAND IT IS, IS WHEN THE COMMUNITY WHEN FEMA DEEMS THAT THE COMMUNITY HAS OVER $50 MILLION WORTH OF DAMAGE, THAT'S WHAT TRIGGERS THESE DECLARATIONS.

IT ISN'T THAT ALL OF A SUDDEN THEY SEND US A CHECK FOR $50 MILLION.

IT IS THAT THEY HAVE DEEMED THAT THERE'S $50 MILLION WORTH OF DAMAGE.

THAT DAMAGE COMES IN THE FORM OF ALL THE WAY FROM FROM PERSONAL PROPERTY, HOMES, BUT ROADS, INFRASTRUCTURE, ALL KINDS OF STUFF.

SO SO I JUST WANT TO PUT IT OUT THERE ON THE RECORD THAT WE NEVER RECEIVED A CHECK FOR $50 MILLION FROM FEMA.

WE'RE NOT WITHHOLDING THAT MONEY FROM ANYBODY.

THAT IS JUST A NUMBER THAT THEY USE THAT IF YOU DON'T HAVE THAT KIND OF DAMAGE, THEY DON'T DECLARE THE EMERGENCY.

I WANT TO ALSO HIGHLIGHT ON THE MEETING WITH CHUCK BONHOMME, WHO'S THE DIRECTOR OF THE DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND WILDLIFE FOR THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA.

IT WAS IT WAS A GOOD MEETING.

IT WAS A MEETING WHERE I THINK THAT EVERYBODY GOT TO KIND OF VENT THEIR FRUSTRATIONS.

AND I AM PROUD OF OUR TEAM, AND I LIKE TO EVEN SAY THAT I'M PROUD OF MYSELF BECAUSE I REALLY HELD IT TOGETHER.

IN ORDER TO LET MR. BONHAM EXPRESS HIS FRUSTRATIONS.

AND THEN WE GOT TO EXPRESS OUR FRUSTRATIONS.

BUT WHEN WE WENT INTO THE MEETING, THE ULTIMATE GOAL WAS TO HAVE THAT OPERATING, THAT STREAM BED ALTERATION PERMIT AND BY CLOSE OF BUSINESS ON THAT DAY, IT WAS IN OUR PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTORS INBOX FOR TO BE SIGNED.

SO AGAIN, A SMALL VICTORY AND IT'S THE HIGHLIGHT AGAIN ON SOMETHING THAT SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL SAID I KNOW THAT THAT PEOPLE ARE FRUSTRATED.

I'VE SAID THIS UP HERE BEFORE WHEN IT AFFECTS YOU PERSONALLY, THE HELP IS NEVER FAST ENOUGH.

IT'S YOU WANT IT DONE YESTERDAY.

BUT I CAN TELL YOU AND I'M CONFIDENT IN SAYING NOT ONLY MYSELF BUT ALL OF MY COLLEAGUES ON THIS BOARD.

WE ARE CONSTANTLY ADVOCATING AT THE HIGHER LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT FOR ANY AND EVERY BIT OF ASSISTANCE.

NOT ONLY DO WE NEED, BUT WE DESERVE.

IF YOU GO BY THE MANTRA, THE FIRST JOB OF GOVERNMENT IS TO PROVIDE FOR THE HEALTH, WELFARE AND SAFETY OF ITS CITIZENS.

THIS CHECKS ALL THOSE BOXES.

AND SO WE ARE CONSTANTLY ADVOCATING WITH THOSE FOLKS, BUT UNDERSTANDING THAT I KNOW OUR LIMITATIONS.

AGAIN, YOU'VE HEARD ME SAY THIS UP HERE BEFORE.

SUPERVISOR O'BANION I'M STILL LOOKING FOR THAT MAGIC WAND THAT HE LEFT ME THAT SUPPOSE YOU JUST WAVE IT AND IT MAKES ALL THE PROBLEMS GO AWAY.

WE IF WE COULD, WE WOULD.

BUT I STAND WITH MY COLLEAGUE FROM DISTRICT ONE AND THAT TRYING TO GET THESE FOLKS THE HELP THAT THEY NEED, BUT ALSO UNDERSTANDING THAT THERE ARE SERVICES OUT THERE AND WE ARE DOING OUR VERY BEST AT A COUNTY LEVEL TO BE ABLE TO MARRY THOSE SERVICES WITH THE PEOPLE THAT NEED THEM.

AND THEN THE LAST THING. JUST TO ADDRESS THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD, IT WASN'T PERSONAL WITH ANYBODY, BUT THE ONE THING THAT I'VE COMMITTED TO.

IS, IS THAT WE WILL RUN A FAIR, FIRM AND CONSISTENT MEETING.

AND THE PUBLIC HAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK AT EVERY ONE OF OUR MEETINGS.

I WANT TO HEAR FROM EVERY ONE OF OUR MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC.

THAT'S WHY WE ANNOUNCE THAT IF YOU REALLY YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE FLOOD ITEM, THERE'S NO TIME LIMIT ON THAT.

WE HAVE A TIME LIMIT ON ON PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD FOR THE NON AGENDA ITEMS. SO I WANTED TO EXPRESS THAT TO FOLKS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE GOT TO HEAR FROM EACH AND EVERY ONE OF THEM.

BUT WHAT I WILL NOT ACCEPT IS SOMEBODY THAT'S GOING TO COME AND DISOBEY THE RULES AND WE'RE NOT GOING TO ENTERTAIN THAT.

AND I KNOW IT'S KIND OF HARSH AND I UNDERSTAND THAT FOLKS WERE ASKED TO LEAVE THE CHAMBERS AND THEN HAD TO COME BACK IN.

[02:50:03]

BUT I WANT TO CONDUCT ORDERLY PUBLIC MEETINGS.

I WANT TO HEAR FROM EVERYBODY.

AND AS FRUSTRATED AS ONE PERSON MIGHT BE, IF THEY THINK THEY'RE GOING TO TAKE OVER THE MEETING, THAT REALLY TAKES AWAY FROM THE OTHER FOLKS THAT ARE PARTICIPATING IN THE MEETING. AND SO IT'S UNFORTUNATE THAT IT HAPPENED THAT WAY.

BUT I WILL PROMISE YOU THAT IF IT HAPPENS AGAIN, WE'LL FOLLOW THE SAME PROCEDURE.

IT'S A PUBLIC MEETING, AND I WANT EVERY MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC TO HAVE EQUAL OPPORTUNITY TO BE ABLE TO COME UP AND SPEAK TO THE ELECTED OFFICIALS UP HERE BECAUSE THEY ARE OUR BOSSES.

SO WITH THAT, THAT CONCLUDES OUR BOARD OF SUPERVISORS MEETING FOR FEBRUARY 28TH.

OUR NEXT REGULARLY SCHEDULED BOARD OF SUPERVISORS MEETING WILL BE HELD ON TUESDAY, MARCH THE 14TH.

THANK YOU. MEETING ADJOURNED.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.