Mar 14, 2023 Board Meeting

IN CLOSED SESSION THIS MORNING.

[00:00:02]

[Call to Order]

HE IS THE CHAPLAIN OF THE MERCED SPEEDWAY.

AND THEN WE WILL HAVE THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE BY SUPERVISOR PAREIRA.

LET US PRAY.

FATHER GOD, WE'RE SO GRATEFUL FOR TODAY.

FATHER, WE ASK YOUR BLESSINGS OF OUR MILITARY, OUR FIRST RESPONDERS.

WE ASK THAT YOU BLESS THEM AND THEIR FAMILIES AS THEY PROTECT US.

FATHER GOD, WE PRAY FOR THE FAMILIES AFFECTED BY ALL THE RAIN AND FLOODING.

WE ASK THAT YOU WATCH OVER THEM AND YOU BLESS THEM SO THEY CAN GET BACK TO LIVING THEIR NORMAL LIFE.

FATHER, WE PRAY FOR YOUR PRESENCE HERE IN THESE CHAMBERS TODAY.

WE PRAY THAT YOU GIVE OUR SUPERVISORS WISDOM WHEN IT COMES TO MAKING TOUGH DECISIONS.

FATHER GOD, I WANT TO PRAY FOR THE MENTAL HEALTH OF ALL OF OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS.

I CAN ONLY IMAGINE THE AMOUNT OF STRESS THAT THEY CAN COME UNDER WHILE MAKING TOUGH DECISIONS.

SO, FATHER GOD, PLEASE LEAD THEM IN A DIRECTION THAT IS PLEASING TO YOU AND THE WELL BEING OF THE RESIDENTS OF MERCED COUNTY.

FATHER, WE PRAY FOR THE ABILITY TO SEE OTHERS THROUGH YOUR EYES.

I PRAY YOU BRING US ALL TOGETHER IN UNITY.

FOR WE ARE ONE NATION UNDER GOD.

WE GIVE YOU ALL THE PRAISE AND GLORY.

IN JESUS NAME WE PRAY.

AMEN. AMEN. AMEN.

PLEASE JOIN ME I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, FOR LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.

[PUBLIC OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK]

ALL RIGHT. AT THIS TIME, I WILL OPEN THE PUBLIC COMMENT.

THIS IS FOR NON AGENDA ITEMS ONLY.

YES, MA'AM. THERE'S A BUTTON TO YOUR RIGHT ON THERE THAT YOU CAN LIFT OR LOWER THAT PODIUM.

OKAY. AND THIS IS THE FIRST TIME COMING TO THIS TO THIS BOARD MEETING.

I'VE NEVER EVEN THOUGH I'VE LIVED HERE FOR 35 YEARS.

WELL, WELCOME. I'M IMPRESSED WITH THE PRAYER AND.

YEAH, SO THANK YOU.

SO GOOD MORNING. I WANT TO.

GOOD MORNING. BOARD OF SUPERVISORS.

THANK YOU FOR GIVING US THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK THIS MORNING.

MY NAME IS LAURA HURTADO AND I LIVE ON 1207 LYNN PLACE, AN UNINCORPORATED STREET IN THE MIDDLE OF THE CITY.

THE ENTRANCE TO OUR STREET IS NORTH BEAR CREEK.

THE STREET BEHIND MY HOUSE IS OLIVE WOOD DRIVE, WHICH IS WHICH IS SEPARATED FROM MY STREET BY A LONG CINDERBLOCK WALL.

THE WALL RUNS THROUGH OUR STREET TO MEADOWS, MEADOW AVENUE, AND PROVIDES NO OUTLET, NO DRAINAGE HOLES, AND IS IN THE CITY.

THERE ARE 12 HOUSES THAT RUN ALONG THAT WALL FROM JULIE DRIVE, PIRA DRIVE AND DEVONWOOD DRIVE.

ON JANUARY 12TH.

ON JANUARY 10TH, 2023, OUR ENTIRE NEIGHBORHOOD WAS FLOODED FROM BEAR CREEK, WHICH HAD NO OUTLET DUE TO THE CINDER BLOCK WALL.

MY HUSBAND AND I HAVE LIVED IN OUR HOUSE FOR 35 YEARS AND DUE TO THE FLOODING, WE LOST EVERYTHING.

THE WATER FROM BEAR CREEK HAD NO OUTLET UNTIL NEIGHBORS BROKE SEVERAL FENCES TO MEADOW MEADOWS AVENUE AND THE WATER DRAINED INTO THE CITY DRAIN.

WE COME TODAY TO ASK PLEASE COORDINATE WITH THE CITY TO FIX THE ISSUES WITH THE CINDERBLOCK WALL TO PROVIDE SUFFICIENT DRAINAGE DRAINAGE.

I DON'T CONSIDER MYSELF A COUNTY RESIDENT OR A CITY RESIDENT.

I CONSIDER MYSELF A CITIZEN.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS.

GOOD MORNING. ALSO, MY FIRST TIME HERE.

SO HOLD ON ONE SECOND.

IF YOU COULD GIVE ME ONE SECOND, SIR.

EXCUSE ME. SUPERVISOR PEDROZO JUST ASKED IF YOU COULD GIVE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR.

OR LEAVE YOUR CONTACT INFORMATION FOR HIM.

YES. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

ALL RIGHT. GO AHEAD, SIR.

MY NAME IS ALFONSO HURTADO AND I LIVE AT 1207 LYNN PLACE, MY WIFE LAURA.

AND WE LIVED THERE FOR 30 YEARS.

WE WERE AFFECTED BY THE FLOOD.

UM, SO AFTER ATTENDING LAST NIGHT'S EMERGENCY CITY COUNCIL MEETING, I'M HERE TO ASK THE COUNTY TO COORDINATE WITH THE CITY ABOUT FIXING THE DRAINAGE PROBLEM IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD. I WOULD ALSO ASK THE COUNTY TO PROVIDE SOME ESSENTIAL SERVICES TO HELP WITH THE FLOOD VICTIMS TO RECOVER.

THE CITY PROVIDED THREE DUMPSTERS OVER IN THE SHADOW BROOK DRIVE FOR PEOPLE TO GET RID OF ALL THEIR WET DRYWALL AND EVERYTHING THERE.

BY THE TIME I FOUND OUT ABOUT THAT, I WAS $1,000 INTO DUMPING FEES, HIRING PEOPLE TO COME AND TAKE MY WET STUFF AWAY.

[00:05:06]

UM, AT THIS TIME, I'M LOOKING AT LIKE BETWEEN $80 TO $100,000 IN LOSSES.

I WISH I COULD HAVE KNOWN ABOUT THE DUMPSTER OR I WISH THE COUNTY WOULD HAVE DONE SOMETHING TO HELP US OUT IN GETTING RID OF OUR WET STUFF.

UM. I WOULD ALSO LIKE THE COUNTY TO COORDINATE WITH THE CITY ABOUT THAT DRAINAGE THAT'S AT THE END OF OUR STREET.

I'M AT THE END OF PIRA DRIVE WE'RE THE LAST CUL DE SAC 1207 LYNN PLACE AND PIRA.

MY NEIGHBORS WERE FLOODED OUT IN THEIR GARAGES, BUT AS FAR AS I KNOW, I WAS THE ONLY RESIDENT IN THAT WHOLE NEIGHBORHOOD THAT LOST CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT OF LOSSES LIKE I DID.

SO THE CITY'S BEEN REALLY PROACTIVE UP AND DOWN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD AND THEY SANDBAGGED UP AND DOWN THE STREET.

BUT I STILL HAVE YET TO SEE A COUNTY TRUCK OR A COUNTY WORKER OR TALK TO A COUNTY WORKER.

I'VE TALKED TO LIKE THREE CITY PEOPLE THAT ASSURED ME THAT THEY WERE GOING TO SANDBAG UP BY BEAR CREEK AND THEY WERE REINFORCING THE BANKS AND DOING ALL THAT.

SO THAT KIND OF PUT ME AT EASE.

AND FOR THE SECOND TIME IN MY LIFE, I'M EXPERIENCING PTSD FROM THIS ANXIETY.

I CAN'T SLEEP AT NIGHT, DEPRESSION, ALL THE CLASSICS, YOU KNOW.

BUT I'M SHARING THIS PERSONAL STORY WITH YOU BECAUSE THROUGH EXPERIENCE I FOUND OUT THAT TALKING ABOUT IT HELPS.

SO I'M JUST HERE TO TRY TO HELP MYSELF AND HELP MY FAMILY AND JUST ASKED IF YOU COULD DO WHATEVER YOU CAN.

WE'RE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER.

I LOVE MY CITY.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS, SIR.

MA'AM. GOOD MORNING, EVERYONE.

MY NAME IS MARTHA AVALAR.

I'M AT 1235 LYNN PLACE MERCED, CALIFORNIA.

THE NEIGHBOR OF THE COUPLE THAT JUST SPOKE.

JANUARY 10TH WAS VERY SCARY FOR SOME FAMILIES, ESPECIALLY THE ONES AT THE END OF THE COURT THAT ARE NOT AS HIGH ELEVATED.

AND WHEN IT HAPPENED, IT WAS 2 A.M.

AND MY SON, OLDER SON, WOKE US UP AND I ACTUALLY CALLED 911 BECAUSE I SAW THE WATER COMING REALLY FAST.

AND THE ONLY WAY OUT IS BEAR CREEK.

SO THAT DIDN'T SOUND LIKE A GOOD IDEA.

SO I CALLED 911 TO ASK WHAT THE STATUS WAS, IF IT WAS SAFE TO DRIVE OUT.

THEY SAID THEY WOULD CALL ME BACK.

THEY NEVER DID.

BUT SO I HAVE AN OLDER SON IN TOWN AND HE SAID, MOM, I'LL JUST GO ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE BRICK WALL WITH A LADDER.

AND MY HUSBAND GOT A LADDER FROM THE OTHER SIDE.

AND THE WHOLE FAMILY, I HAVE TWO YOUNGER CHILDREN.

WE CLIMBED UP THE LADDER.

LATER, MY HUSBAND AND SONS CAME BACK AND THEY JUST OPENED THE FENCE TO THE STREET FROM OUR FRIENDS AND OUR NEIGHBORS AND OPENED THE GATE SO PIRA WATER COULD COME OUT.

AND IT ALL WENT OUT TO A NICE GUTTER IN THE CITY THAT WAS BEING BLOCKED BY THE WALL AND THE FENCES.

SO WE NEED A LONG TERM PLAN FOR PIRA AND THE COURTS THERE SO THAT THIS DOESN'T HAPPEN.

IT COULD BE WORSE. WHAT IF A LEVEE BREAKS AND IT'S NOT JUST LOW FLOODING? WHAT IF IT'S THE HOUSES WILL BE COVERED IN WATER AND THERE'S JUST A LOT OF SENIOR CITIZENS THAT WON'T BE ABLE TO CLIMB THAT WALL LIKE WE WERE BLESSED TO BE ABLE TO DO.

WE WE ONLY FLOODED OUR GARAGE AND OUR LOWER, BUT WE DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO EXPECT.

WE DIDN'T KNOW WHAT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN.

I KNEW MY NEIGHBORS HAD ALREADY EVACUATED FOR THAT DAY, SO I KNEW THEY WERE GOING TO BE OKAY.

BUT I WAS REALLY CONCERNED ABOUT SOME MORE ELDERLY FAMILIES DOWN THE STREET UP THERE.

BUT WE NEED TO FIND A SOLUTION, A SAFETY EVALUATION, BOTH FIRE HAZARD AND FLOOD AND MAINTENANCE, WHICH WERE PART OF THIS COMMUNITY.

WE DESERVE TO BE NOT OVERLOOKED.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS.

GOOD MORNING. BOARD CHAIR SILVEIRA.

BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, COUNTY COUNCIL HANSON AND CEO MENDEZ.

JUST WANT TO TAKE A BRIEF MOMENT OF YOUR TIME TO INTRODUCE YOU TO MY NEWEST DEPUTY CHIEF, JOEL DAFFRON.

JOEL STARTED WORKING FOR OUR AGENCY IN 2007, AND HE'S WORKED HIS WAY UP THE RANKS.

[00:10:04]

HE'S BEEN A DIVISION MANAGER FOR SEVERAL YEARS AND NOW HE IS ONE OF OUR DEPUTY CHIEF PROBATION OFFICERS.

SO JOEL WILL BE OVERSEEING THE FIELD SERVICES DIVISION, AND DEPUTY CHIEF HENN WILL NOW BE OVERSEEING THE CUSTODY DIVISION.

SO PLEASE JOIN ME IN WELCOMING HIM.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

WOULD YOU LIKE TO SAY A FEW WORDS, SIR? FIRST AND FOREMOST, THANK YOU, CHIEF ROCHESTER, FOR GIVING ME THE OPPORTUNITY.

I LOOK FORWARD TO TAKING ON THIS THIS CHALLENGE.

IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME IN THE MAKING, SOMETHING THAT I'VE ASPIRED FOR.

SO I'M GLAD TO BE HERE AND I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH THE BOARD MOVING FORWARD IN THE FUTURE.

SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

THANK YOU. WELCOME ABOARD.

THANK YOU. IS THERE ANY OTHER PUBLIC COMMENT? MY NAME IS ADAM SCHEIN. I WORK AS A NURSE AT DIGNITY.

I WAS JUST COMING IN TODAY BECAUSE I WAS I'VE BEEN SEEING OVER AT NEXT TO THE LIBRARY, COURTHOUSE PARK THAT WE'VE JUST BEEN I'VE BEEN TALKING TO SOME OTHER FRIENDS IN THE COMMUNITY TOO, ABOUT MAYBE SEEING HOW THERE MIGHT BE A WAY TO BUILD A KID'S PLAYGROUND THERE.

I DON'T KNOW. I WAS JUST THROWING THE IDEA OUT THERE, BUT I WAS TOLD THIS IS THE PLACE TO GO TO BRING UP THAT IDEA.

UM, I'M NOT SURE HOW I WOULD MOVE FORWARD WITH IT OR IF IT'S EVEN A POSSIBILITY, BUT YEAH.

THANKS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENT, SIR.

IS THERE ANY OTHER PUBLIC COMMENT? GOOD MORNING, BOARD. JESUS NUNEZ I'M REPRESENTING A LOCAL NONPROFIT CALLED VALLEY WATER COLLABORATIVE.

WHAT THIS NONPROFIT DOES IS IT PROVIDES FREE WELL TESTING TO RESIDENTS WITH A WELL THAT ARE OFF OF PUBLIC WATER SYSTEMS. WE CAN TEST THE QUALITY OF THEIR WATER IF THEY EXCEED STATE STANDARDS.

WE CAN ALSO POTENTIALLY PROVIDE THE HOME WITH FREE BOTTLED WATER DELIVERY SERVICES OR A WATER TREATMENT SYSTEM.

THIS NONPROFIT STARTED ALMOST TWO YEARS AGO.

AS OF FEBRUARY, WE'VE RECEIVED OVER 800 APPLICATIONS AND OVER 300 PEOPLE ARE RECEIVING FREE BOTTLED WATER THROUGH THE VALLEY WATER COLLABORATIVE PROGRAM.

THIS IS A UNIQUE LOCAL NONPROFIT THAT'S PROVIDING SERVICES IN THE MERCED COUNTY, NORTH OF THE MERCED RIVER.

SO UNINCORPORATED AREAS LIKE BALLICO, THE CITY OF DELHI, HILMAR, ARE ALSO ELIGIBLE TO RECEIVE THE FREE SERVICES. SOMETHING THAT THE NONPROFIT IS CURRENTLY DOING IS WE'RE PROMOTING A HIGH SCHOOL CONTEST.

EXCUSE ME, WHERE HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS WILL CREATE A DISPLAY OUT OF FIVE GALLON WATER BOTTLES.

IT'LL BE OUR SECOND ANNUAL HIGH SCHOOL CONTEST.

LAST YEAR, CENTRAL VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL FROM CERES IN STANISLAUS COUNTY TOOK THE $2,000 CASH PRIZE.

WE HAVE $1,000 CASH PRIZE AS WELL, AND $500 CASH PRIZE.

WE HOPE THAT THIS HIGH SCHOOL CONTEST OPPORTUNITY CAN YEAH, ENGAGE THE LOCAL SCHOOLS AND STUDENTS AND THEIR PARENTS TO BE AWARE OF THE SERVICES THE NONPROFIT PROVIDES. AND I'M HERE SEEKING ANYBODY THAT'S IN CONTACT OR CONNECTION WITH POTENTIALLY THE DELHI AND HILMAR HIGH SCHOOLS THAT ARE IN THE MERCED COUNTY, NORTH OF THE MERCED RIVER, TO SEE IF WE CAN.

IF WE CAN, YEAH, IF I CAN GO IN AND PRESENT TO THE PRINCIPAL, WHETHER IT BE FACULTY, STAFF, STUDENT GROUPS, AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAMS, ANYTHING OF THAT SORT.

I HAVE FLYERS FOR THE HIGH SCHOOL CONTEST FLYERS FOR THE FREE SERVICES THE NONPROFIT PROVIDES, AND I ALSO HAVE MY BUSINESS CARD.

I'LL BE STICKING AROUND FOR A BIT IF THAT'S HELPFUL TO ANYBODY.

AND HOPEFULLY I CAN GET SOME HELP TOO WITH THAT OUTREACH ASPECT.

IF YOU'D LIKE TO LEAVE IN THAT BASKET RIGHT THERE TO YOUR RIGHT, LEAVE THOSE FLYERS AND BUSINESS CARD THERE.

IT WOULD BE MUCH APPRECIATED.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS.

GO AHEAD. JUAN MARTINEZ WITH THE UNITED WAY.

ON BEHALF OF THE MERCED COUNTY POLYNESIAN DANCE COMPANY AND AUNTIE BECKY, I'D LIKE TO WELCOME YOU TO THIS YEAR'S 42ND ANNUAL KIKI RAINA TAHITI FED AT GOLDEN VALLEY.

WE WILL BE OUT THERE FRIDAY, SATURDAY AND SUNDAY.

THIS WILL BE MY FIFTH YEAR VOLUNTEERING TO RUN THE BOOTH, SO I HAVE SOME INFORMATION FOR YOU HERE.

I'LL LEAVE IT IN THE DESIGNATED AREA HERE, BUT I'D LOVE TO SEE YOU OUT THERE.

AND SOME OF THE BEST DANCERS IN THE COUNTRY WILL BE COMPETING.

AND IT'S ALSO A CULTURAL FESTIVAL AS WELL.

COME AND ENJOY THE FOOD.

IT'S DELICIOUS. AND I HOPE TO SEE YOU THERE.

[00:15:02]

IS THERE ANYONE ELSE WHO'D LIKE TO SPEAK AT PUBLIC COMMENT? NOT SEEING THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD IS NOW CLOSED FOR NON AGENDA ITEMS. WE ARE RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE FLOODS, SO BECAUSE OF THAT WE HAVE A LOT OF STAFF THAT ARE IN HERE THAT NEED TO GET OUT TOO.

WE HAVE OUR EMERGENCY OPERATIONS CENTER RUNNING, SO WE'RE GOING TO MOVE ITEM 31 UP.

[BOARD ACTION (Part 1 of 2) ]

AND I'LL TURN IT. YEAH, I'LL LET YOU READ IT.

ADDENDUM ITEM FROM FIRE.

ITEM 31, RECEIVE PRESENTATION AND UPDATE ON FLOOD RECOVERY AND RESPONSE.

ADOPT THE RESOLUTION CONFIRMING THE EXISTENCE OF A LOCAL EMERGENCY CAUSED BY MARCH 2023 RAIN EVENTS.

PERFECT. AND I WILL TURN IT OVER TO DIRECTOR HENDRICKSON FOR A PRESENTATION.

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

MARK HENDRICKSON, YOUR DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.

THE PRESENTATION OF THIS, THE PURPOSE OF THIS PRESENTATION, RATHER, IS REALLY THREEFOLD THIS MORNING.

FIRST, IT'S WHICH TO SECURE YOUR RATIFICATION OF EMERGENCY DECLARATION OF MARCH 8TH, WHICH CHIEF PIMENTEL WILL WALK YOU THROUGH MOMENTARILY.

SECONDLY, IT'S DESIGNED TO PROVIDE YOU WITH AN UPDATE PERTAINING TO OUR CURRENT STORM RESPONSE.

BUT THEN THIRDLY, WE DO WISH TO PROVIDE YOU WITH A GENERAL UPDATE AS TO OUR ONGOING JANUARY STORM RECOVERY EFFORTS.

PRIOR TO LAUNCHING INTO THE PRESENTATION, THOUGH, I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE A MOMENT TO RECOGNIZE EVERY SINGLE DEPARTMENT, EACH OF WHICH HAS BEEN INSTRUMENTAL IN BOTH OUR JANUARY AND NOW MARCH INCLEMENT WEATHER EVENTS.

THEY HAVE CONSISTENTLY DEMONSTRATED HEART AND COMPASSION FOR ALL OF OUR RESIDENTS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY OF MERCED AND I WOULD JUST SAY THAT THIS HAS BEEN AN EXTRAORDINARY TEAM EFFORT AT THIS POINT.

JUST A COUPLE OF QUICK THINGS WE'RE GOING TO TO SHIFT OVER TO CHIEF PIMENTEL, WHO'S GOING TO WALK YOU THROUGH SOME QUICK, QUICK FACTS WITH REGARD TO THE CURRENT EVENTS.

SHOW YOU A QUICK VIDEO, BUT THEN WE CERTAINLY WANT THE SHERIFF TO PROVIDE HIS PERSPECTIVE AS IT RELATES TO THE SHERIFF'S ONGOING ACTIVITIES.

SO AT THIS POINT, WE'LL TURN IT OVER TO CHIEF PIMENTEL.

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

AS WE TALK ABOUT THE RATIFICATION THAT IS BEFORE YOU TODAY, YOU ARE VERY AWARE OF ALL THE MULTIPLE ATMOSPHERIC RIVERS THAT HAVE STARTED BACK FROM DECEMBER OF 27, 2022.

THIS HAS IMPACTED THE PUBLIC PRIVATE PROPERTY AREAS, INCLUDING CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE THROUGH THE COUNTY.

SO AS A COUNTY, WE HAVE PROCLAIMED AND LOOKING FOR YOUR RATIFICATION MOVING FORWARD.

THE PRESIDENT BIDEN HAS APPROVED A CALIFORNIA EMERGENCY DECLARATION AS OF MARCH 9TH AND WITH THAT IS INCLUDED SEVERAL COUNTIES AND ALSO ENCOUNTERED MERCED COUNTY AS WELL.

AS WE LOOK AT SOME OF THE OPERATIONS THAT WE ARE LOOKING AT IS MERCED RIVER.

MERCED RIVER HAS INCREASED THEIR FLOWS AS OF MARCH 12TH.

THESE FLOWS ARE REFERENCED TO THEIR EMERGENCY ACTION PLAN, WHICH THEY HAVE ENACTED AND IS CONTINUALLY ADVISING THE COUNTY AND THEIR AREAS OF THOSE CONCERNS WITH US TO MAKE SURE THAT WE KNOW OF THOSE FLOWS OF ARE BEING INCREASED AND WE ARE CURRENTLY MONITORING THOSE AS WE GO.

IF YOU LOOK TOWARDS MARIPOSA CREEK, THESE ARE ANOTHER AREA OF CONCERN THAT WE ARE MONITORING DAILY.

THERE IS THERE HAS BEEN DEBRIS REMOVAL FROM THOSE AREAS, FROM THOSE BRIDGE AREAS WHICH ACTUALLY HAVE CAUSED SOME OF THAT DAMMING AND OVERTOPPING.

SO AS WE MOVE FORWARD, WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO EVALUATE AND WATCH AS THE LEVELS INCREASE THROUGHOUT THE NEXT DAYS TO COME.

BEAR CREEK, THE DEPARTMENT OF WATER RESOURCES, HAS PROVIDED A COUPLE ABOUT A WEEK OR SO AGO, CAME OUT AND SENT TWO SPECIALISTS OUT TO ASSIST WITH SOME EVACUATIONS OF THE COUNTY THROUGHOUT.

THESE INDIVIDUALS WERE ACTUALLY THROUGH THE BEAR CREEK AREA AND WAS ABLE TO PROVIDE SOME PRIORITIZE PROJECTS FOR US AND THE CONCERNS THAT THEY BELIEVE.

AND WE WORKED WITH THE CITIES, THEY WORKED WITH THE CITIES AND COUNTIES IN DOING SO.

AND AGAIN, WE ARE EVALUATING THEM HOURLY TO SEE THOSE THOSE PEAKS THAT WE EXPECT TO COME IN THE DAYS TO COME.

AND WE'LL BE ADDRESSING THOSE AS THEY AS THEY AS WE MOVE FORWARD.

AS WE LOOK AT CREW WORK CHIEF VAN LOBEN SELS AND MYSELF WERE INSTRUMENTAL IN WORKING WITH THE STATE.

WE DID REACH OUT AND DO THROUGH SOME MISSION TASKING, REACHED OUT AND TRIED TO GET SOME THREE SEAS CREWS.

THOSE CREWS HAVE BEEN USED UP AND DOWN THE STATE AND WERE NOT AVAILABLE.

SO US HAVING DISCUSSIONS WITH OUR STATE PARTNERS WERE ABLE TO ACQUIRE SIX CREWS.

THOSE INDIVIDUALS IS ESTIMATED SOMEWHERE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD OF ABOUT 103 INDIVIDUALS.

THOSE CREWS WERE DOING DILIGENT WORK THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY.

WE STARTED OFF WITH DOING SOME OF THE WORK ALONG MILES CREEK, OBVIOUSLY FOR THE REASONS THAT WE HAD FROM THE PREVIOUS EVENTS.

WE MOVED FROM THERE TO THE MCSWAIN AREA, SEVERAL AREAS OF THE DAM OR EXCUSE ME, THE LEVEES WERE HAVING SOME SEEPING AND SOME WEAKENED AREAS THAT THEY NEEDED TO BE RAISED.

[00:20:10]

BEAR CREEK, A LOT OF WORK DONE ALONG BEAR CREEK AND BOTH THE COUNTY AND CITY AREAS THAT ARE ALONG THAT WAY.

AND THEN WE HAVE BEEN WORKING ON BLACK RASCAL CREEK ALONG OAK, AND YESTERDAY THEY WERE DOING SOME WORK ALONG COTTONWOOD AND AROUND THE HOSPITAL AREA.

AND THEN ALSO WE'RE WORKING ON SOME AREAS AROUND THE PRISON AND THEN ALSO LOOKING TOWARDS THAT LE GRAND AREA TO GET SOME OF THAT WORK DONE.

WE STILL HAVE THOSE CREWS EMBEDDED IN THE COUNTY AND THE CITY AREAS AND DOING SOME WORK.

WE ESTIMATED SOMEWHERE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD OF OVER 100,000 BAGS WERE FILLED AND DEPLOYED IN THE LAST WEEK.

THAT CREW ALSO HELPED WITH MERCED CITY, SETTING UP THEIR MUSCLE WALL ALONG THAT BEAR CREEK 59 AREA AND WERE SUCCESSFUL IN SETTING THAT UP.

AS WE MOVE FORWARD, THOUGH, WE DEFINITELY ARE KEEPING ABREAST OF ALL THE INCREASES THROUGHOUT OUR WATERWAYS AND WE'LL KEEP ADVISING YOURSELVES AND THE COUNTY AS WE MOVE FORWARD.

AND I'LL GO AHEAD FROM THAT POINT.

GO AHEAD AND TURN IT OVER TO THE SHERIFF.

MORNING. SEE YOU ALL AGAIN.

JANUARY PROVED TO US THAT WAS A TRYING TIME DURING THE RAIN EVENT.

AND WE ALSO HAVE ONE AS WE'RE STANDING HERE TODAY.

JUST TO KEEP YOU UPDATED ON WHAT THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE HAS BEEN INVOLVED WITH AND PROVIDING.

WE'VE BEEN DAILY AIR SUPPORT, TAKING DIFFERENT PERSONNEL UP TO SEE FIRSTHAND WHAT THE DEVASTATION HAS BEEN LIKE AND THE HIGH WATERS.

WE'VE GOT THAT ON STANDBY.

WE ALSO HAVE OUR DIVE RESCUE, SEARCH AND RESCUE, HIGH WATER RESCUE, ALL VEHICLES.

EVERYTHING'S BEEN STRATEGICALLY PLACED IN THE HOPEFULLY NON EVENT THAT IT MIGHT BE NEEDED.

OUR AREA OF CONCERN RIGHT NOW IS MARIPOSA CREEK IN THE LE GRAND AREA.

DON'T KNOW WHERE THAT WATER IS GOING TO GO.

IF THE ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS PREDICTION COMES TO FRUITION, IT'S GOING TO BE MORE WATER COMING DOWN THAT CREEK THAN IT IS IN THE MERCED RIVER.

SO WE DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN.

FORTUNATELY, THE DEBRIS HAS BEEN REMOVED BECAUSE I WAS VERY FEARFUL OF THE BRIDGE UNDER OR OVER FRESNO ROAD.

SO OUR AGENCY HAS HAD PERSONNEL ON STANDBY.

WE'VE HAD AT A MOMENT'S NOTICE WE'VE GOT SHIFTS OVERLAPPING.

SO AT ANY MOMENT WE COULD HAVE ANYWHERE FROM 20 TO 30 DEPUTIES ON THE STREET WITHIN 30 MINUTES.

SO ALL CREWS REMAIN TO BE VIGILANT.

AND HOPEFULLY THAT ALL THE STUFF THAT'S GOING ON THROUGHOUT THE REST OF THE STATE DOESN'T HAPPEN HERE LIKE IT DID IN JANUARY.

SO I'M THINKING WE'RE DOING PRETTY GOOD FOR THE FOLKS ALONG BEAR CREEK.

I'M PRETTY CONFIDENT IN THAT ONE.

IT'S GOING TO RAISE, OBVIOUSLY, BUT I FLEW THOSE TWO DAMS YESTERDAY AND I REALLY THINK THAT THERE'S SOME ROOM BEHIND THEM TO HOLD BACK THE WATER THAT IS PREDICTED.

AGAIN, MARIPOSA CREEK IS THE ONE WE'RE CONCERNED WITH.

[INAUDIBLE]. IS THERE ANYTHING I'M MISSING? OKAY. SO WE'RE ON WE'RE ON STANDBY.

WE'RE READY TO GO.

OUR OPERATION CENTER IS WILL BE ACTIVATED ABOUT NOON HERE.

SO WE'LL HAVE ALL OF OUR EXPERTS SITTING INSIDE MONITORING AS IT GOES IN HAND ON A MOMENT'S NOTICE.

AND OBVIOUSLY, FOR FOLKS HERE THAT YOU'RE WELCOME TO STOP BY IF YOU NEED TO OR WANT TO.

SO APPRECIATE YOUR TIME.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU, SHERIFF.

THANK YOU, SHERIFF. I THINK AT THIS POINT, WE'RE GOING TO PLAY JUST A VERY SHORT VIDEO.

AND THIS IS THIS WAS TAKEN YESTERDAY.

I WANT TO GIVE THE SHERIFF CREDIT FOR GIVING ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO FLY.

THIS IS AT THE CONFLUENCE OF THE SAN JOAQUIN AND MERCED RIVERS, REALLY ON THE STANISLAUS MERCED COUNTY BORDER.

AGAIN, AS YOU CAN WELL SEE, A IT'S A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF WATER IN THAT AREA.

I DO WANT TO TAKE AN ADDITIONAL ONE STEP BACK AS WELL WITH REGARD TO THE SANDBAGS THAT THAT THE CHIEF SPOKE TO.

DO CERTAINLY WANT TO RECOGNIZE THE LEGISLATIVE EFFORTS OF SEVERAL FOLKS WHO HELPED THIS COUNTY SECURE HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF ADDITIONAL SANDBAGS.

THAT INCLUDES SENATOR CABALLERO, SENATOR ALVARADO-GIL, ASSEMBLYMEMBER SORIA, AND ASSEMBLYMEMBER ALANIS.

SO, AGAIN, PLEASE, WHEN YOU DO SEE THEM, GIVE THEM A HIGH FIVE AND ALL THOSE SANDBAGS ARE GOING TO BE UTILIZED TO PROTECT CRITICAL PUBLIC INFRASTRUCTURE AND THE PUBLIC AT LARGE.

SO AGAIN, THANKS TO THEM FOR THEIR EFFORTS.

REGARDING OUR MASS CARE AND SHELTER OPERATION FOR THE CURRENT EVENTS, WE CAN GO BACK ONE SLIDE IF WE CAN.

ONE MORE. ONE MORE.

THERE WE GO. THANK YOU. WITH REGARD TO OUR CURRENT MASS CARE AND SHELTER OPERATION, OUR TEAM HAS SUCCESSFULLY STOOD UP FIVE SHELTERS LITERALLY IN A MATTER OF HOURS.

THESE SHELTERS CURRENTLY INCLUDE THE MERCED COUNTY FAIRGROUNDS, THE CHRISTIAN LIFE CENTER HERE IN MERCED, THE ATWATER COMMUNITY CENTER, THE AL GOMAN COMMUNITY CENTER IN GUSTINE AND THE LOS BANOS COMMUNITY CENTER AS WELL.

IN THIS CURRENT EVENT, OUR PEAK SHELTER COUNT AT ONE POINT WAS 41.

THAT NUMBER HAS COME DOWN CONSIDERABLY OVER THE COURSE OF THE PAST SEVERAL DAYS, BUT IN THAT REGARD, MOST HAVE BEEN HOUSED AT THE COUNTY FAIRGROUNDS.

[00:25:06]

COLLABORATION WITH THE MERCED COUNTY ASSOCIATION OF GOVERNMENTS.

THE BUS HAS BEEN SIMPLE AND SWIFT, SO WE CERTAINLY WANT TO RECOGNIZE THEM AS WELL.

NOW WE'RE GOING TO TURN OVER TO TO OUR ASSISTANT PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR, BRIAN BRIAN BANE, WHO'S GOING TO PROVIDE YOU WITH AN UPDATE FROM OUR PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT.

BEFORE WE GET THERE, THOUGH, LET'S DO A QUICK LITTLE TRANSITION.

AND THIS IS JUST KIND OF GOING BACK A LITTLE BIT.

THIS WAS TAKEN IN OUR COMMUNITY OF MCSWAIN BACK IN JANUARY.

SO AGAIN, WE'RE GOING TO RUN THIS VIDEO FOR JUST A HANDFUL OF SECONDS, EACH OF YOU.

BUT I WANTED THE THE PUBLIC TO ALSO SEE JUST HOW SIGNIFICANT OF AN UNDERTAKING THAT THAT OUR TEAM HAS HAS BEEN DEALING WITH FOR FOR A FEW MONTHS NOW.

BUT THIS WAS TAKEN DURING THE MONTH OF JANUARY.

BUT THAT BEING SAID, WE'LL GO AHEAD AND TURN IT OVER TO OUR ASSISTANT PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR WHO WILL PROVIDE YOU WITH AN UPDATE.

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

THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE HERE TODAY.

SINCE THE LAST STORM, PUBLIC WORKS HAS BEEN VERY BUSY WITH BOTH CLEANUP AND PREPARATION FOR CLEANUP THE LAST EFFORT AND LAST STORM PREPARATION FOR THE NEXT ONE.

OUR CONTRACT WITH SERIES ENVIRONMENTAL AT THIS POINT HAS CLEARED ALMOST 3000YD³ FROM OF FLOOD DEBRIS FROM THE COMMUNITIES TO GO ALONG WITH OVER 4000YD³ COLLECTED WHEN WE HAD DUMPSTERS IN PLACE IN THE IMPACTED AREAS.

WE'VE BEEN VERY BUSY DOING CREEK REPAIR AND MAINTENANCE ALONG EVERY CREEK IN THE COUNTY WITH A SPECIAL ATTENTION BEING PAID TO MILES CREEK, BEAR CREEK, BLACK ROSCOE AND THE OTHERS, QUINTO AND GARZA CREEKS, WHERE WE HAD ISSUES IN THE PAST.

I'D LIKE TO THANK ALL OF THE CDC CREWS THAT WERE HERE OVER THE LAST WEEK OR SO.

OUR NUMBER OF SANDBAGS BEING PLACED BETWEEN THE CITY AND COUNTY NOW IS NEARING 200,000, NOT JUST THE 100,000.

WE HAVE HAD BOTH CITY AND COUNTY PUBLIC WORKS CREWS LEADING AND ENGINEERS LEADING THESE CREWS.

AND WITH SPECIAL ATTENTION BEING PLACED TO THE AREAS THAT WERE IMPACTED BY THE LAST STORM.

FOR EXAMPLE, THE BEAR CREEK, NORTHWEST BEAR CREEK AREA, WE'VE GOT SANDBAGS GOING FROM HIGHWAY 59 ALL THE WAY TO [INAUDIBLE] STREET.

IT'S A SIGNIFICANT STRETCH OF ROAD TO HELP THOSE THAT WERE IMPACTED.

WE'VE ALSO BEEN ABLE TO PLACE BAGS ALONG AREAS OF BEAR CREEK WHERE WE HAD BREACHES IN THE LAST STORM AS WELL AS MILES CREEK.

SO TODAY THEY ARE NOT JUST FINISHING UP ON THE BLACK RASCAL PORTION SOUTH OF 140, BUT THEY'RE ALSO GOING TO BE BEHIND THE JLCC SHORING UP FOR POTENTIAL BREACHES ON DEAD MAN'S CREEK. SO I'D LIKE TO THANK EVERYONE WHO HAD A PART IN THAT.

ESPECIALLY, I'D LIKE TO THANK OUR PUBLIC WORKS STAFF ENGINEERS.

WE HAVE MEMBERS FROM OUR ROADS AND PARKS CREWS OUT IN THE FIELD, AS WELL AS MEMBERS OF OUR ADMINISTRATION TEAM THAT HAVE ALL BEEN HELPING, WHETHER IT BE EOC HOURS OR PUTTING IN THE EXTRA TIME TO MAKE SURE THAT THE COMMUNITIES AS PREPARED AS WE CAN FOR THIS NEXT EVENT.

THANK YOU. JUST A COUPLE OF QUICK, QUICK POINTS HERE AS WELL.

I DO WANT TO CERTAINLY ACKNOWLEDGE THIS BOARD.

THIS BOARD POST, OUR FIRST EVENT SUCCESSFULLY ADVOCATED FOR OUR GAINING NECESSARY PERMITS TO DO SOME OF THE WORK THAT BRIAN JUST SPOKE OF. SO CERTAINLY WANT TO COMPLIMENT THE BOARD FOR YOUR ADVOCACY EFFORTS AS WELL.

WE HAVE A SHORT VIDEO AS WELL.

WE'RE GOING TO SHOW YOU. THIS WAS, I BELIEVE, TAKEN YESTERDAY AGAIN, AND WE'LL DEMONSTRATE SOME OF THE WORK THAT'S BEEN DONE AS CHIEF PIMENTEL SPOKE OF EARLIER.

A LOT OF WORK, A LOT OF COLLABORATIVE WORK WITH OUR CDC CREWS.

THEY'VE BEEN WORKING LITERALLY AROUND THE CLOCK.

AND SO, AGAIN, HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF SANDBAGS FILLED AND PUT IN PLACE REALLY THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE COUNTY.

SO, AGAIN, WANTED TO TO SHARE THIS WITH YOU.

THAT WAS ACTUALLY TAKEN AS RECENTLY AS YESTERDAY.

SO ONCE WE'RE GIVE IT A FEW FEW MORE SECONDS, WE'RE GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO OUR HSA TEAM WHO WILL BE ABLE TO TALK ABOUT THE WORK THAT THEY'VE BEEN UNDERTAKING AT FELIX TORRES.

GOOD MORNING, CHAIR AND BOARD OF SUPERVISORS AND CEO FELIZA GRAY FOR HSA DEPUTY DIRECTOR, MASS CARE AND SHELTER COORDINATOR.

WE HAVE BEEN WORKING ON THE RECOVERY EFFORTS SINCE JANUARY.

AND SINCE MID-JANUARY WE HAVE BEEN THE SOCIAL SUPPORTS OF RECOVERY AND BEEN WORKING WITH THE RESIDENTS THAT ARE TEMPORARILY HOUSED AT THE MIGRANT HOUSING ONE ON ONE INTERVIEWS TO HELP THEM ESTABLISH THEIR PLAN OF WHAT THEIR HOUSING PLANS AND HOUSING NEEDS WOULD BE.

I'M VERY GRATEFUL.

[00:30:01]

CATHOLIC CHARITIES IS ALSO PLAYED A HUGE ROLE IN BEING THE DISASTER CASE MANAGERS.

SO OF THE 45 HOUSEHOLDS THAT WERE TEMPORARILY HOUSED AT THIS FACILITY, 27 OF THE FAMILIES WERE ABLE TO IDENTIFY THEIR OWN HOUSING PLAN, WHICH WAS EITHER RETURNING TO THEIR OWN HOMES OR BEING ABLE TO STAY WITH FAMILIES AND FRIENDS.

18 OF THOSE HOUSEHOLDS DID NEED SHORT TERM OR LONG TERM HOUSING IN THE INTERIM, WHILE THEIR HOMES WERE EITHER BEING CONTINUED TO REPAIR OR THEY WERE JUST IN NEW NEED OF PERMANENT HOUSING.

YESTERDAY, WE SUCCESSFULLY MOVED TEN FAMILIES TO ADDITIONAL HOUSING UNITS ON THE FELIX TORRES, A DIFFERENT LOCATION.

THESE ARE DIFFERENT HOUSING THAN THE ORIGINAL 58 UNITS THAT THESE HOUSEHOLDS WERE PART OF.

THESE ARE MORE LONG TERM HOUSING UNITS THAT WILL BE ABLE TO SUSTAIN THEM WHILE THEY'RE THEY'RE TEMPORARILY ABLE TO FIX UP THEIR CURRENT HOME THAT THEY'RE WAITING ON.

AND I KNOW THAT THERE HAS BEEN A LOT OF COLLABORATION WITH THE LANDLORDS, IF SOME OF THEM WERE RENTALS AS WELL.

AS FAR AS HELPING THEM MAINTAIN THAT RENTAL PRIOR TO THE FLOOD.

OTHER SUPPORTS THAT WE HAVE GIVEN MERCED COUNTY HAS SUBMITTED A REQUEST FOR DIRECT HOUSING ASSISTANCE WITH CAL OES.

THIS IS FOR OUR JANUARY EVENT.

DIRECT HOUSING ASSISTANCE IS AVAILABLE WHEN WE CAN SHOW AND DEMONSTRATE THAT THERE'S A LACK OF HOUSING AVAILABILITY IN OUR COUNTY DUE TO THE IMPACTS OF THE JANUARY FLOOD.

CAL OES IS CURRENTLY WORKING ON THIS LETTER TO SUBMIT WITH OUR REPORT THAT WE HAD BEEN ABLE TO PROVIDE.

THIS IS SOMETHING THAT IS LONG TERM AND THAT IT COULD TAKE 6 TO 12 MONTHS BEFORE BEING ABLE TO ESTABLISH AND THIS IS DIRECT HOUSING SUCH AS I GUESS THE THE FEMA TRAILERS THAT PEOPLE ARE USED TO SEEING.

SO THAT IS SOMETHING THAT CAN TAKE A LONG TIME.

CATHOLIC CHARITIES IS GOING TO CONTINUE TO DO DISASTER CASE MANAGEMENT FOR THE FAMILIES.

ALL OF THE IMPACTED MERCED COUNTY FAMILIES WILL BE ELIGIBLE FOR DISASTER CASE MANAGEMENT.

CATHOLIC CHARITIES DOES RECEIVE A LIST FROM FEMA FOR THOSE FAMILIES THAT HAVE REGISTERED THROUGH FEMA.

I DO WANT TO REMIND EVERYBODY THAT THE FEMA APPLICATION DEADLINE IS MARCH 16TH FOR THE JANUARY INCIDENT.

ALL OF THE RESOURCES THAT COULD POTENTIALLY BE AVAILABLE, WHETHER IT BE DIRECT HOUSING OR CATHOLIC CHARITIES DISASTER CASE MANAGEMENT ASSISTANCE IS DIRECTED THROUGH FEMA.

THERE ARE A LOT OF COMMUNITY RESOURCES THAT ARE ALSO BEING ORGANIZED BY UNITED WAY, 211 AND OTHER CBOS.

THEY HAVE A LONG TERM RECOVERY GROUP THAT THEY WORK TO TO GATHER UNMET NEEDS THROUGH THE COMMUNITY AND BE ABLE TO FASTLY PROVIDE ASSISTANCE, WHETHER IT BE A HOUSING HABITABILITY ITEM SUCH AS COUCHES OR THINGS SUCH AS THAT OR OTHER ITEMS SUCH AS FOOD AND THOSE ITEMS. WE'RE CURRENTLY WORKING WITH OTHER COMMUNITY PARTNERS TO CONTINUE THE SUPPORT AND WE KNOW THAT THE RECOVERY PROCESS WILL BE A LONG PROCESS.

BUT HSA IS HERE TO ASSIST THE RESIDENTS OF ALL OF MERCED COUNTY ON THESE NEEDS.

THANK YOU. I BELIEVE NEXT UP IS GOING TO BE OUR OUR DISTRICT ATTORNEY WHO'S GOING TO BE GIVING YOU A QUICK, QUICK PRESENTATION AS WELL.

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

MY NAME IS NICOLE SILVERA.

I'M THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY HERE IN MERCED COUNTY.

I COME BEFORE YOU TODAY TO LET YOU KNOW ABOUT SOME OF THE EFFORTS THAT WE HAVE BEEN MAKING IN THE COMMUNITY TO EDUCATE THOSE AFFECTED ON THEIR RIGHTS INSOFAR AS RENTERS. I WANT TO THANK, FIRST OF ALL, DIRECTOR HENDRICKSON FOR BRINGING THIS ISSUE TO MY ATTENTION AND GIVING US THE OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE THE COMMUNITY.

IT WAS BROUGHT TO OUR ATTENTION THAT DURING THIS NATURAL DISASTER, IT'S SORT OF AN UNKNOWN TERRITORY FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE RENTING AND LANDLORDS AS WELL AS TO WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE DAMAGE THAT OCCURS TO PROPERTIES.

AND SO BASIC RULE OF THUMB THAT WE HAVE IS THAT THE TENANT IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR THE DAMAGE TO THE DWELLING, BUT THEY ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE DAMAGE TO THEIR PERSONAL PROPERTY. YOU COULD REALLY YOU KNOW, IT'S REALLY FACT SPECIFIC ONCE YOU GO FROM THERE AS TO DIFFERENT SCENARIOS AND HOW THINGS HAPPEN.

SO WE PUT TOGETHER A BULLET POINT.

IT'S ABOUT TWO AND A HALF PAGES OF KIND OF THE MOST COMMON SCENARIOS THAT WE POSTED ON OUR WEBSITE FOR PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND AS TO WHAT THEIR RIGHTS ARE AND HOW THEY CAN GO ABOUT SEEKING RELIEF.

WE HAVE LINKS TO THE COURTS SELF-HELP PAGE AS WELL AS OUR OFFICE FOR FILING REPORTS IF THEY BELIEVE THAT THEY'VE BEEN WRONGED IN ANY WAY.

WE WILL BE GOING OUT TO PLANADA ON MARCH 29TH TO DO A QUESTION AND ANSWER WITH THE COMMUNITY.

WE WERE SCHEDULED FOR TOMORROW, BUT GIVEN THE WEATHER, WE HAVE RESCHEDULED THAT FOR TWO WEEKS OUT.

[00:35:04]

SO THAT'S WHY WE HAVE FOCUSED OUR EFFORTS ON PLANADA.

AND I'M ALSO BEING TOLD THAT THERE MIGHT BE A NEED IN THE CITY OF MERCED TO SPREAD THIS INFORMATION AS WELL.

SO WE ARE GOING TO LOOK INTO SCHEDULING A QUESTION AND ANSWER FOR THE CITY RESIDENTS AS WELL.

THANK YOU.

MADAM I THINK WE HAVE A QUESTION FOR YOU FROM SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL.

ACTUALLY, IT'S NOT FOR THE DA.

IT WAS FOR SOMEBODY ELSE.

I WAS JUST GOING TO WAIT TILL THE END.

OH, I'M SORRY. I JUST LOOKED OVER THERE.

I'M SORRY ABOUT THAT.

THANK YOU. GOOD MORNING, CHAIR.

MEMBERS OF THE BOARD. MY NAME IS TOM EBERSOLE.

I'M THE ASSISTANT COUNTY COUNSEL, AND I'VE BEEN ASKED TO TAKE A FEW MOMENTS TO ADDRESS THE TOPIC OF TENANT PROTECTIONS AND POTENTIAL URGENCY AND POTENTIAL URGENCY ORDINANCE WITH RESPECT TO RESTRICTING EVICTIONS IN THE STATE OF EMERGENCY.

I'VE BEEN MADE AWARE OF A PROPOSED URGENCY ORDINANCE MADE AVAILABLE TO STAFF, AND I'VE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO REVIEW THAT PROPOSAL.

BUT THAT SPECIFIC POTENTIAL URGENCY ORDINANCE ISN'T BEFORE THE BOARD TODAY, AND I'M NOT GOING TO BE ADDRESSING IT SPECIFICALLY.

I'M GOING TO TALK ABOUT URGENCY ORDINANCES IN GENERAL.

COUNTY URGENCY ORDINANCES ARE GOVERNED BY THE CALIFORNIA GOVERNMENT CODE, SECTION 25 123, SUBSECTION D.

THERE ARE THREE ESSENTIAL ELEMENTS OF AN URGENCY ORDINANCE.

THEY ARE ONE, THEY HAVE TO ADDRESS THE IMMEDIATE PRESERVATION OF PUBLIC PEACE, HEALTH OR SAFETY.

TWO THAT THE ORDINANCE ITSELF DECLARE A VALID, PERSUASIVE CONSTITUTIONAL FACTS THAT CONSTITUTES THE EMERGENCY.

AND THREE THAT THE ORDINANCE WOULD BE PASSED BY 4/5 VOTE OF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS.

IN ORDER FOR ANY POTENTIAL URGENCY ORDINANCE TO BE BROUGHT BEFORE THE BOARD, OUR OFFICE WOULD NEED TO BE OF THE OPINION THAT EACH OF THOSE THREE AREAS ARE MET.

ACCORDINGLY AT A MINIMUM, WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT LANDLORD AND TENANT, A POTENTIAL URGENCY ORDINANCE WITH RESPECT TO THOSE, WE WOULD NEED TO BE COMFORTABLE THAT THE TERM TENANT IS ADDRESSED OR SPECIFICALLY DEFINED.

TENANT IS DEFINED UNDER CALIFORNIA LAW, BUT LODGERS AND GUESTS ALSO CAN SOMETIMES TAKE ON THE SAME PROTECTIONS AS A TENANT.

AND WE WOULD NEED TO SPELL OUT THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN EACH OF THOSE.

ALSO THE ACTUAL SCOPE OF THE ISSUE AND THE NUMBER OF AFFECTED INDIVIDUALS OR FAMILIES WOULD NEED TO BE KNOWN OR AT LEAST HAVE A RANGE OF NUMBERS OF PEOPLE WHO WOULD NOT QUALIFY FOR THE OTHER PROTECTIONS THAT ARE OUTLINED BY THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY AND ADDRESSED AT THESE OPEN MEETINGS THAT THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY HAS JUST TALKED ABOUT.

THE URGENCY ORDINANCE WOULD NEED TO BE NARROW ENOUGH IN SCOPE TO ENSURE THAT THOSE WHO ARE ACTUALLY COVERED BY THE ORDINANCE ARE THE ONES WHO ARE SOUGHT TO BE PROTECTED.

IN OTHER WORDS, OUR COUNTY IS LARGER IN SIZE THAN THE STATE OF RHODE ISLAND.

WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT ANY URGENCY ORDINANCE WOULD NEED TO TAKE CARE TO ENSURE THAT THE RIGHTS OF SOMEONE 50 MILES AWAY FROM THE EMERGENCY AND NOT OTHERWISE IMPACTED BY THE EMERGENCY ARE NOT IMPACTED BY ANY POTENTIAL URGENCY ORDINANCE.

AND FINALLY, WE WOULD NEED TO BE COMFORTABLE THAT THE ORDINANCE WOULD NOT POSE A SIGNIFICANT RISK OF BEING CIRCUMVENTED AND NEGATIVELY IMPACTING THE RENTAL STOCK IN THE COUNTY. SORT OF A WE DON'T WANT THE CURE TO BE WORSE THAN THE AILMENT.

THIS IS NOT AN EXHAUSTIVE LIST, BUT I BELIEVE THAT IT LETS YOU KNOW WHERE OUR OFFICE STANDS WITH RESPECT TO A POTENTIAL URGENCY ORDINANCE CONCERNING TENANT EVICTION PROTECTIONS, GIVEN THAT WE ARE AT THIS TIME NOT SURE OF HOW MANY PEOPLE WE WOULD BE ADDRESSING WITH THIS POTENTIAL URGENCY ORDINANCE.

WE HAVE HEARD A RANGE OF NUMBER OF FEWER THAN TEN AND A NUMBER THAT GOES NORTH OF THAT, BUT WE HAVE NO IDEA WHAT THAT NUMBER IS.

AND GIVEN THE OTHER THINGS THAT I'VE MENTIONED BEFORE, I DON'T SEE THIS AS A SITUATION WHERE OUR OFFICE IS IN A POSITION TO RECOMMEND PASSING AN URGENCY ORDINANCE AT THIS TIME.

THANK YOU. SO, MR. CHAIRMAN, AS WE WRAP UP OUR PRESENTATION, WE WOULD LIKE TO REMIND AND OR INFORM THE PUBLIC THAT WE DO HAVE MULTIPLE WAYS THAT THE THAT THE PUBLIC CAN CAN CERTAINLY ACCESS INFORMATION.

ONE THING I'M VERY HOPEFUL THAT THIS BOARD RECOGNIZES AND THE PUBLIC RECOGNIZES THE SHERIFF, OUR CEO, OUR CHIEF.

WE ALL HAVE A RAZOR SHARP FOCUS ON DOING WHAT WE CAN DO TO ENSURE THAT THE PUBLIC HAS ADEQUATE ACCESS TO INFORMATION.

IN THAT REGARD, WE CERTAINLY ENCOURAGE FOLKS, IF THEY HAVEN'T DONE SO ALREADY, TO TEXT MCFLOODS TO 888777.

DO WANT TO REMIND EVERYONE THAT OUR HUMAN SERVICES AGENCY HAS HAD AN ACTIVE CALL CENTER FOR QUITE SOME TIME AND THEY CAN BETWEEN THE HOURS OF 8 A.M.

TO 7 P.M.

FEEL FREE TO CALL (209) 385-7563.

AGAIN, TO DATE, CALLS HAVE BEEN COMING IN OF RANGE FROM SANDBAG LOCATIONS TO JUST GENERAL FLOOD INFORMATION.

[00:40:02]

OUR COUNTY WEBSITE HAS JUST A PLETHORA OF INFORMATION, SO CERTAINLY WOULD ENCOURAGE FOLKS TO VISIT OUR WEBSITE.

AND THEN LASTLY, FOR THOSE WHO HAVE NOT GOT ON OUR PERIMETER PLATFORM, THIS IS AN INNOVATIVE PLATFORM THAT WE IMPLEMENTED IN EARLY JANUARY THAT PROVIDES UP TO THE MINUTE INFORMATION WITH REGARD TO EVERYTHING FROM SHELTER LOCATIONS TO SANDBAG LOCATIONS AND EVERYTHING IN BETWEEN.

ALSO AS EVACUATION WARNINGS OR ORDERS ARE MADE, WE'RE ABLE TO IN REAL TIME POST THAT SO THAT FOLKS IN THESE RESPECTIVE COMMUNITIES CAN CAN REACT ACCORDINGLY.

SO AT THIS POINT, I DO WANT TO JUST ONE LAST HOUSEKEEPING MEASURE BEFORE I TURN OVER TO THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE OFFICER.

CERTAINLY WOULD LIKE TO RECOGNIZE AND THANK LINDSEY JOHNSON FOR HER OUTSTANDING WORK PULLING THIS PRESENTATION TOGETHER.

NOT AN EASY TASK IN A SHORT AMOUNT OF TIME.

SO, LINDSEY, THANK YOU.

AND WITH THAT, I'LL TURN IT OVER TO MR. MENDEZ, WHO HAS SOME CLOSING COMMENTS.

CEO MENDEZ OKAY.

THANK YOU. DIRECTOR HENDRICKSON.

I DID WANT TO ALSO TAKE SOME TIME TO JUST THANK THE STAFF THAT WAS HERE TO PROVIDE THIS IMPORTANT INFORMATION TO THE BOARD AND TO THE COMMUNITY.

OBVIOUSLY, SHERIFF WARNKE, OUR DISTRICT ATTORNEY, OUR CHIEF PIMENTEL AND OTHERS, OBVIOUSLY, THIS HAS BEEN AN ALL HANDS ON DECK RESPONSE FROM YOUR COUNTY TEAM, WHICH I'M REALLY PROUD OF.

SO JUST TO REMIND THE BOARD IN THE COMMUNITY, THE ITEM THAT'S BEFORE YOU THIS MORNING IS A RECOMMENDATION THAT YOU ADOPT THE RESOLUTION CONFIRMING THE LOCAL EMERGENCY THAT WAS DECLARED BY OUR DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF EMERGENCY SERVICES BACK ON MARCH 18TH, MARCH 8TH.

EXCUSE ME. YOUR STAFF, IT WAS FELT IT WAS ALSO APPROPRIATE AT THAT TIME TO PROVIDE KIND OF AN UPDATE ON NOT ONLY THE EFFORT THAT WAS UNDERWAY WITH THE RECOVERY AND REMEDIATION, BUT ALSO THE MORE RECENT PREPARATION FOR OBVIOUSLY THE EVENT THAT'S UPON US, THE ATMOSPHERIC RIVER EVENT.

AND SO WE THOUGHT IT WAS A GOOD OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE SOME INFORMATION WITH BOTH YOU AND THE COMMUNITY.

YOUR TEAM HAS CONTINUED TO WORK COOPERATIVELY AS SEEN BY THE PRESENTATION WITH ALL OUR PARTNER AGENCIES, CITIES, IRRIGATION DISTRICTS, NONPROFITS.

THE LIST IS MANY.

AND WE DO ALSO WANT TO THANK THOSE PARTNERS FOR THEIR PARTICIPATION, THEIR ENGAGEMENT FROM DAY ONE.

AND IT'S BEEN SOMETHING THAT'S IMPROVED OVER TIME, OVER THE COURSE OF THE LAST THREE MONTHS.

SO GOING FORWARD, WE'LL CONTINUE TO STAY POISED AND COORDINATE, COMMUNICATE OFTEN AND JUST LEARN FROM OUR EXPERIENCE.

YOU CAN REST ASSURED THAT YOUR COUNTY TEAM AND WHEN I SAY COUNTY, IT'S MERCED COUNTY IS ALL WORKING TOGETHER COOPERATIVELY TO ADDRESS ISSUES THAT ARE THAT WERE EITHER OBSERVING AS WE'RE MONITORING THE DIFFERENT CONDITIONS OR THAT WE'RE HEARING ABOUT FROM RESIDENTS.

THAT PIECE IS VERY IMPORTANT.

WE RECOGNIZE THAT THE RESIDENTS PLAY A VERY IMPORTANT ROLE IN OUR RESPONSE.

AND SO I APPRECIATE THE FOLKS THAT WERE HERE THIS MORNING TO SHARE SOME OF THEIR CONCERNS, SOME OF THEIR ISSUES, SOME OF THEIR EXPERIENCES.

PLEASE KNOW THAT WE HAVE TAKEN NOTE AND WE WILL RESPOND ACCORDINGLY.

AT THIS POINT AGAIN, JUST WANT TO THANK EVERYBODY THAT CAME TOGETHER THIS MORNING.

WE EXPECT THE NEXT FEW DAYS TO BE OBVIOUSLY SOMETHING THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE FOCUSED ON, JUST SEEING WHAT THE WEATHER BRINGS.

SO I KNOW A LOT OF THE FOLKS THAT ARE HERE WILL BE OUT IN THE FIELD HERE SHORTLY, THIS LATER THIS MORNING, THIS AFTERNOON, BUT CERTAINLY FELT IT WAS APPROPRIATE TO HAVE SOME INFORMATION THAT WE SHARED AS PART OF THIS ITEM.

AT THIS POINT, WE'RE AVAILABLE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT THE BOARD MAY HAVE.

AND I'LL TURN IT OVER TO YOU, MR. CHAIR. THANK YOU, MR. MENDEZ. WE WILL GO TO FIRST IN THE QUEUE IS SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL.

THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR.

I DID. I HAD A QUESTION RIGHT AT THE BEGINNING.

FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

THIS WAS A VERY GOOD PRESENTATION.

I WISH THERE WAS MORE FOLKS HERE THAT COULD SEE WHAT THE COUNTY HAS DONE.

IN FACT, I'VE HAD SOME OF MY CONCERNED FOLKS THAT I'VE GIVEN A TOUR AT THE EOC WHEN IT WAS VERY LOW KEY, BUT THEY WERE COMPLETELY IMPRESSED, THINKING THAT WE WEREN'T DOING ANYTHING.

AND AFTER SEEING WHAT IS BEING DONE AT THE EOC, IT WAS, WHICH IS THE EMERGENCY OPERATIONS CENTER, SOMETIMES WE GET STUCK ON ACRONYMS, BUT THEY WERE THOROUGHLY IMPRESSED AT EVERY ANGLE THAT WE HAVE COVERED ON THIS.

BUT MY QUESTION WAS, SO MARCH 16TH IS THE DEADLINE FOR THE JANUARY DECEMBER EVENT.

SO ARE THESE FOLKS GOING TO PULL CHALKS AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO BE INVITING THEM BACK BECAUSE OF THE EVENT THAT WE THINK IS COMING NOW OR HOW IS THAT GOING TO WORK OUT? HI SO WE ARE REQUESTING THAT FEMA STAY TILL AT LEAST APRIL 15TH FOR THE JANUARY INCIDENT.

SO THAT WAY THOSE THAT IF EVERYBODY DECIDES TO APPLYING ON THE 16TH, THEY'LL GET THEIR LETTERS AND THINGS THAT FEMA IA SPECIALISTS, WHICH IS INDIVIDUAL ASSISTANCE CAN WALK

[00:45:05]

SO THEY WILL BE HERE UNTIL APRIL 15TH AS OF RIGHT NOW.

I DO WANT TO MENTION THAT BECAUSE OF THE INCLEMENT WEATHER, WE DID HAVE THE PLANADA COMMUNITY CENTER CLOSED DOWN BECAUSE IT WAS AN OUTSIDE LOCATION. SO THEY WILL BE CLOSED DOWN UNTIL THE WEATHER GETS A LITTLE BIT MORE STABLE.

BUT SO FOR THE NEXT TWO DAYS, THEY'LL BE THEY'LL BE CLOSED IN PLANADA.

BECAUSE MOVING FORWARD, THIS IS A FEDERAL DECLARATION AS WELL.

SO I AM NOT SURE ABOUT THIS INCIDENT.

I THINK THAT WOULD PROBABLY BE CHIEF PIMENTEL THAT COULD BE ABLE TO ANSWER THAT.

YEAH. YES, THERE WILL BE A FEDERAL DECLARATION THAT INCLUDES MERCED COUNTY.

OKAY, VERY GOOD.

AND I JUST WANT TO THANK THE PRESENTERS FOR ACTUALLY SHOWING A VIDEO OF MCSWAIN.

AND SO YOU COULD SEE THE DEVASTATION IN MCSWAIN.

WE'VE BEEN SO FOCUSED ON PLANADA, AS WE SHOULD BE.

BUT JUST DON'T FORGET ABOUT THOSE FOLKS AT MCSWAIN EITHER, BECAUSE AS YOU CAN SEE BY THAT VIDEO, IT WAS FOUR FEET OF WATER UP IN THEIR HOMES.

SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU, SUPERVISOR PAREIRA.

THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR.

WELL, THANK YOU FOR EVERYBODY AT THE COUNTY THAT'S WORKING SO DILIGENTLY TO HELP THE FOLKS THAT HAVE BEEN DISPLACED AND HARMED BY THIS EVENT.

I ALSO WANT TO THANK ADAM AMARAL.

HE'S NOT HERE, BUT HE'S, I GUESS, AT CASTLE WORKING.

AND HE JUST REALLY HAS HELPED KEEP ME UP TO DATE ON WHAT'S GOING ON AS WELL AS EVERYBODY ELSE.

AND SO I WANTED TO SHARE THAT.

AND THEN THANK YOU TO OUR DISTRICT ATTORNEY.

I THINK BEING PROACTIVE AND GOING OUT AND AND KIND OF UNOFFICIALLY GIVING PEOPLE I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S UNOFFICIAL LEGAL ADVICE, BUT AT LEAST LETTING THEM KNOW WHAT THEIR RIGHTS ARE. YOU KNOW, WHO KNOWS, RIGHT? YOU TALK TO ONE PERSON, YOU HEAR ONE THING ANOTHER, YOU KNOW.

SO KUDOS TO YOU FOR TAKING THE TIME TO DO THAT.

HOPEFULLY, YOU KNOW, IT DOESN'T TAKE TWO WEEKS FOR THE WEATHER TO CLEAR AND YOU GET TO PLANADA AGAIN.

BUT, YOU KNOW, IF , THAT'S WHAT IT IS.

I WANTED TO TO SHARE.

AND THE SNELLING AREA, YOU KNOW, WE'VE BEEN TALKING AND SO I LEARNED OVER THE WEEKEND, YOU KNOW, CONFIRMED WHAT I BELIEVED IS THAT AT ABOUT 10,000 CSF AND THE MERCED RIVER.

THE COMMUNITY OF SNELLING FLOODS.

AND SO AS WE HAVE THESE CREWS HERE, I DON'T KNOW HOW LONG THEY'RE GOING TO BE HERE OR NOT BE HERE, BUT MAYBE IF ANY INDICATION FROM ARMY CORPS OR FROM MERCED IRRIGATION DISTRICT THAT THE RIVER IS GOING TO GO OVER THAT 7300 OR CSF MARK THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THAT WE ARE PREEMPTIVE IN THAT AREA AND THANK YOU TO PUBLIC WORKS.

THEY'RE ACTUALLY OUT IN SNELLING ALONG THE RIVER, I BELIEVE, AS WE SPEAK, DOING SOME MITIGATION TO PREVENT FLOODING.

SO THANK YOU. AND THEN THE LAST ITEM IS THE CLIP OF THIS PRESENTATION.

CAN WE GET THAT SPECIFIC CUT OUT AND THEN MADE AN ADDITIONAL POST SO THAT WE COULD SHARE THAT WITH PEOPLE VERSUS SAYING GO WATCH THE MEETING BECAUSE OUR MEETING CAN BE KIND OF LONG. ALL RIGHT.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU, SUPERVISOR PAREIRA SUPERVISOR PEDROZO.

THANK YOU.

I ALSO WANT TO THANK STAFF FOR THEIR CONTINUOUS HARD WORK IN DEALING WITH THIS.

I KNOW IT WAS SOMETHING THAT, YOU KNOW, NOBODY WAS PREPARED FOR, AND I THINK THIS HAS PROVIDED US VALUABLE LESSONS MOVING FORWARD.

MY QUESTION, I THINK IT WAS KIND OF ANSWERED, BUT I WANT TO ASK CHIEF PIMENTEL TO CLARIFY, WITH THE PRESIDENT EXTENDING OR THERE'S A NEW PROCLAMATION FROM MARCH 10TH.

RIGHT. SO AND WE'RE A PART OF THAT, CORRECT? YES, SIR. SO WE'RE GOING TO SO FEMA ISN'T I GUESS I'M CONFUSED.

IF FEMA IS ONLY HERE TILL THE 15TH.

THAT'S FOR THE JANUARY INCIDENT.

YES. THESE ARE GOING TO BE TWO DIFFERENT INCIDENTS.

THAT'S WHY WE ARE PROCLAIMING AGAIN, OKAY, THE INCIDENTS THAT WE'RE DEALING WITH CURRENTLY RIGHT NOW.

OKAY. THANK YOU.

AND THEN TO THE ISSUES THAT WERE BROUGHT UP IN REGARDS TO BEAR CREEK.

I DO BELIEVE THAT, YOU KNOW, AND TO SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL'S POINT IN REGARDS TO MAKING SURE THAT WE SHOWED THAT MCSWAIN AREA, WE CAN'T FORGET ABOUT THE MERCED COUNTY AREAS THAT ARE IN THE CITY OF MERCED. AND I THINK THAT A LOT OF TIMES THAT HAPPENS BECAUSE WHEN YOU WHEN YOU'RE IN MERCED, YOU JUST THINK YOU'RE IN THE CITY AND THERE'S A FINE LINE WHERE IT'S AT.

AND SO I'VE BEEN IN CONTACT WITH OUR CITY MANAGER AND OUR CEO THIS MORNING IN REGARDS TO THE CITY MANAGER OF MERCED, IN REGARDS TO GETTING TOGETHER AFTER STUFF SETTLES DOWN A LITTLE BIT SO WE CAN COME UP WITH AND ADDRESS YOUR CONCERNS

[00:50:06]

I TRULY, REALLY FEEL FOR YOU.

I DON'T THINK ANYBODY SHOULD HAVE TO GO THROUGH THAT STUFF.

AND UNFORTUNATELY, THAT HAPPENED.

AND SO, YOU KNOW, I WISH I COULD APOLOGIZE FOR MOTHER NATURE AND I JUST CAN'T.

AND I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, THAT WE NEED TO BE MORE PROACTIVE.

AND I REALLY THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE GOING TO WORK ON MOVING FORWARD.

BUT WHEN ALL OF THIS STUFF JUST HAPPENED AND THEN ONE AFTER THE OTHER, AND I HATE TO MAKE EXCUSES, BUT I THINK WE'RE LEARNING A LOT SO THAT IF IT DOES HAPPEN AGAIN, WE'LL BE ABLE TO. MITIGATE IT QUICKER, BUT I HAVE YOUR CONTACT INFORMATION.

IF YOU WANT TO PICK UP MY CONTACT INFORMATION.

I HAVE MY CARDS THAT ARE JUST RIGHT THERE IN THE FRONT OFFICE OR SOMEONE YOU KNOW CAN GIVE IT TO YOU.

OR IF YOU WANT TO WAIT TILL AFTER THE MEETING, I CAN GIVE IT TO YOU MYSELF.

BUT I WILL BE IN CONTACT.

THANK YOU. SUPERVISOR PEDROZO.

SUPERVISOR ESPINOZA.

. WELL, I JUST WANT TO ADDRESS EVERYBODY.

I THINK IT'S, THIS WAS A GREAT PRESENTATION ADDRESSING ALL THE ISSUES THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'VE INCURRED IN THE COUNTY, ESPECIALLY THE FELIX TORRES.

THANK YOU, FELICIA.

AND I'LL JUST SAY, FOR SUPPORTING, YOU KNOW, THOSE AFFECTED THERE AT THE MIGRANT CAMP.

UM, I KNOW IT'S JUST A TEAM EFFORT ALONG WITH THE STATE REPRESENTATIVES AND HCD AND GSA WITH SUPPORT OF TRYING TO ACCOMMODATE THE, YOU KNOW, THE DISASTER VICTIMS. AND I KNOW THAT OLIVIA IS HERE, TOO.

SHE'S BEEN VERY SUPPORTIVE ON WITH THE COMMUNITY PLANADA AND GETTING THE CONCERNS ADDRESSED WITH ALL THE RESIDENTS THERE.

UM, YOU KNOW, LAST WEEK WAS THE LAST MEETING WAS VERY HARD FOR SOME RESIDENTS TO COME HERE.

AND I KNOW THAT AS A BOARD, WE TOOK, LIKE I SAID, A LOT OF BRUNT FROM THE COMMUNITY.

BUT I THINK THAT IT'S JUST, YOU KNOW, ANYWHERE IT CAN HAPPEN IN OUR COUNTY.

AND, YOU KNOW, NOW IT'S HAPPENING AROUND IN OTHER COUNTIES IN CALIFORNIA THAT JUST GOT, YOU KNOW, DEVASTATED AS WELL, JUST LIKE US.

SO WE OUR HEART GOES OUT TO THEM AS WELL.

I JUST WANT TO PUBLICLY THANK ALL OUR PUBLIC SAFETY CREWS, CAL FIRE, OES TEAM AND THE CDC, CAL FIRE, FOR BRINGING THE CDC TEAM THAT'S BEEN SO HELPFUL ALL AROUND THE COUNTY.

ESPECIALLY MY DISTRICT THAT, YOU KNOW, LIKE I SAID, IT WAS DEVASTATED IN THE PLANADA AREA.

AND NOW WE GOT TO WATCH OUT FOR LE GRAND AND NOW THE EAST SIDE OF THE COUNTY AS WELL.

I THINK EVERY DISTRICT NEEDS TO BE YOU KNOW, LIKE I SAID, WE JUST HAVE A, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE SO MUCH WORK FOR, YOU KNOW, CONTINUED WORK FOR ALL OUR CREWS AND THE STAFF.

SO I JUST WANT TO APPRECIATE, UM, ALL OUR STAFF, INCLUDING ADMINISTRATION, FROM DOING A GREAT JOB OUT THERE.

SO IT'S NOT EASY, YOU KNOW, AND OF COURSE, LIKE I SAID, WE AS BOARD, WE HAVE TO REACH OUT AND CONSTANTLY, LIKE I SAID, TRY TO GET THE BEST FOR, YOU KNOW, OUR DISTRICTS.

BUT AT THE SAME TIME WE GOT TO WORK TOGETHER.

SO THANK YOU AGAIN FOR ALL OUR STAFF WITH ALL THE SUPPORT BEHIND THE SCENES.

WE APPRECIATE IT.

YOU KNOW, THIS IS NOT THE WAY WE WANTED TO END ANOTHER DISASTER, WHICH WAS THE DROUGHT.

GROUNDWATER RECHARGE WAS NEEDED.

BUT LIKE I SAID, IT JUST, YOU KNOW, IT'S TAKING ANOTHER DISASTER TO FIX THAT ONE.

SO OUR HEART IS OUT WITH EVERYBODY WITH THOSE AFFECTED BECAUSE IT'S LIKE I SAID, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE ARE LIVING IN AND, YOU KNOW, LIKE I SAID, HOPEFULLY IT'S NOT WORSE. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU, SUPERVISOR ESPINOZA.

A COUPLE OF THINGS. YOU KNOW, I COMPLIMENTED THE SHERIFF THE OTHER DAY.

I SAW ONE OF HIS SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS.

AND WHAT HE TALKED ABOUT IS WE'RE NOT OUT OF THE WOODWORKS.

WE'RE NOT OUT OF THE WOODS YET.

IT'S, THERE'S THE POTENTIAL.

EVERYBODY'S LOOKING AT FORECAST MODELS, THINGS THAT COULD HAPPEN.

WE'RE TRYING TO BEST PREPARE AS POSSIBLE, BUT IT'S REMAIN VIGILANT BECAUSE YOU JUST HEARD SOME RESIDENTS COME UP AND SPEAK EARLIER.

IT WAS 2 A.M.

WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN HOLY HECK BROKE LOOSE AND WATER STARTS RUNNING IN THEIR HOUSE.

THERE'S STILL THE POTENTIAL THAT THAT COULD HAPPEN.

AND WE'RE DOING EVERYTHING WE CAN.

I MEAN, THERE WAS A COMMENT MADE EARLIER WHERE MERCED COUNTY IS BIGGER THAN THE STATE OF RHODE ISLAND.

AND SO FOR OUR RESIDENTS, YOU MIGHT NOT SEE EVERYBODY THAT'S OUT DOING THE WORK.

BUT SOME OF THE PICTURES THAT THEY SHARED IN THAT PRESENTATION SHOW YOU THE MASSIVE AMOUNT OF WORK THAT'S GOING ON TO PREPARE FOR THESE FLOODS, TRYING TO DEAL WITH THE AFTERMATH OF THE PREVIOUS FLOODS.

AND OH, BY THE WAY, WE STILL HAVE A COUNTY TO RUN.

[00:55:01]

AND I CAN'T EVEN NAME THE NUMBER OF PROGRAMS, THE AMOUNT OF PROGRAMS THAT ARE GOING ON.

SO I GIVE OUR STAFF RIGHT NOW JUST AN A FOR EFFORT ON REALLY TRYING TO JUGGLE EVERYDAY WORK PLUS CRISIS WORK. SO KUDOS TO YOU.

INCIDENT NUMBERS.

IT'S A FIRE DEPARTMENT THING.

IT'S EVERYTHING GETS TRACKED TO AN INCIDENT NUMBER.

AND SO THE PREVIOUS FLOODS WERE ONE INCIDENT NUMBER.

THIS SERIES OF STORMS IS A NEW INCIDENT NUMBER.

AND IT'S SO IMPORTANT FOR US AND I WANT ALL OUR STAFF TO HEAR THIS AND THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO HEAR THIS, TO TRACK ALL THIS INFORMATION AS THESE DECLARATIONS ARE DECLARED.

AND WHEN WE'RE TRYING TO GO TO GET REIMBURSEMENT FROM STATE AND FEDERAL PARTNERS, WE HAVE TO HAVE EVERY I DOTTED, EVERY T CROSSED IN ORDER TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE MAXIMIZING THAT RETURN. IT'S ALL OUR MONEY.

IT'S TAXPAYER MONEY.

BUT IF WE MAKE MISTAKES THERE, IT FALLS EVEN HEAVIER.

THE BURDEN FALLS ON OUR TAXPAYERS BECAUSE IT COMES OUT OF OUR LOCAL RESOURCES.

SO THERE'S I KNOW IT'S THE MINUTIA OF GOVERNMENT, BUT LISTEN, WE GOT SOME GOOD FOLKS IN THERE THAT KNOW HOW TO PLAY THE GAME THAT WAS PRESENTED TO THEM.

AND I DON'T MEAN THAT FLIPPANTLY WHEN I SAY GAME, I MEAN THAT SERIOUSNESS OF TRACKING EVERYTHING THAT'S GOING ON.

SO THANK YOU.

AND I DO AGREE, YOU KNOW, MR. AMARAL IS NOT HERE.

I'M HIGHLY CONFIDENT THAT HE'S AT THE EOC RIGHT NOW.

I KNOW THAT AS SOON AS THIS ITEM IS OVER, YOU'RE GOING TO SEE SOME FOLKS LEAVE THAT ARE GOING TO BE GOING BACK TO THE EOC.

SO, AGAIN, THANK STAFF ON THAT.

AND JUST QUICKLY WANTED TO YOU KNOW, WE WERE ON A CALL WITH SENATOR CABALLERO AND ASSEMBLY MEMBER SORIA WHEN WE WERE TALKING ABOUT THE FELIX TORRES CENTER HAVING TEN ADDITIONAL UNITS THAT WEREN'T REALLY USED AND FIGURING OUT A WAY.

AND I KNOW THAT THEY WERE ON THE PHONE IMMEDIATELY WITH THEIR STATE PARTNERS IN ORDER TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN.

SO AGAIN, IT'S REALLY A TEAM EFFORT.

EVERYBODY DOWN TO EVERYBODY.

THAT WAS PART OF THE PRESENTATION.

THANK YOU FOR THAT. I THINK THAT IT WAS SOLID AND I DO AGREE WITH MY COLLEAGUE FROM DISTRICT FOUR THAT WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO MAKE THAT INTO ITS OWN LITTLE SOCIAL MEDIA POST BECAUSE I WANT TO SHARE THAT ACROSS MY SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS. AND I'M GUESSING MY COLLEAGUES WANT TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT TOO, JUST TO GIVE PEOPLE INFORMATION.

BECAUSE I THINK RIGHT NOW, THE MORE INFORMATION YOU HAVE, THE BETTER OFF THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE.

SO I DO HAVE SUPERVISOR ESPINOSA.

I ALSO PERSONALLY WANT TO THANK NICOLE RIVERA FOR ADDRESSING THE ISSUE, I KNOW, ON LANDLORDS AND TENANTS RIGHTS AND YOU'LL GET A LOT OF QUESTIONS AND NOT JUST FOR PLANADA, BUT I'M PRETTY SURE KNOW IT'LL HAPPEN AROUND THE COUNTY.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. ALL RIGHT, SUPERVISOR PEDROZO I HAVE YOU IN THE QUEUE.

I'M JUST GOING TO LET YOU CLEAR THAT.

THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT.

IT IS NOW TIME TO OPEN PUBLIC COMMENT FOR ITEM FOR FIRE ITEM NUMBER 31.

BLESS YOU. THANK YOU.

GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS OLIVIA GOMEZ AND I'M A RESIDENT OF THE COMMUNITY OF PLANADA AND I WASN'T PLANNING ON SPEAKING.

I JUST CAME TO HEAR AND MAKE SURE THAT THINGS WERE KIND OF CLEAR.

BUT AT THE SAME TIME, WHAT I'M HEARING IS KIND OF BUBBLING MY BLOOD.

SO I FELT THAT I HAD TO GET UP AND SAY SOMETHING.

I KNOW WE'RE GETTING ALL THESE COMMENDATIONSFOR SENATOR CABALLERO AND ASSEMBLYWOMAN SORIA FOR THE HOUSING AND HOUSING.

I HEAR THE HOUSING, BUT IN REALITY IT WAS ME, TOGETHER WITH THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT, AND HOUSING AUTHORITY THAT WERE ABLE TO GET THE HOUSING FOR THOSE RESIDENTS IN THE COMMUNITY.

SO I KNOW WE HEAR THEIR NAMES BEING THROWN OUT.

AND FROM DAY ONE, YOU KNOW, I WAS THERE TO TAKE THEM OUT OF THE SHELTER.

I ASKED BOTH OF THESE LADIES THAT'S THE ONLY THING THAT THEY COULD DO FOR US.

THEY WERE NOT ABLE TO DO IT.

YOU KNOW, I REACHED OUT TO USDA.

I REACHED OUT TO HOUSING.

SO NOW TO HEAR THEM LIKE, OH, THEY DID THIS FOR YOU, FOR THE COMMUNITY, I FEEL THAT THEY DON'T REALLY DESERVE ANY OF THAT COMMENDATION.

A FEW WEEKS AGO, KNOWING THE NEEDS OF MY COMMUNITY, I REACHED OUT TO HOUSING AUTHORITY.

NOBODY HAS REACHED OUT TO ME.

WHO WAS THE ONE WHO ASKED FOR THAT CAMP? WHO HAS BEEN RESPONSIBLE FOR THOSE PEOPLE IN THAT COMMUNITY FROM DAY ONE? NO ELECTED OFFICIAL HAS GONE TO THE CAMP AND ASKED, WHAT DO YOU NEED? WHAT KIND OF SUPPORT DO YOU NEED TO HELP THESE FAMILIES? SO TO SIT HERE AND LISTEN TO THAT REALLY MAKES ME UPSET BECAUSE NOBODY HAS BEEN THERE FOR ME, FOR MY COMMUNITY, FOR THE PERSON, MY FRONT DOOR NEIGHBOR THAT HAS BEEN HELPING ME.

SOME OF THE AGENCIES, UNITED WAY HAS BEEN THERE, SOME OF THE HIGH SCHOOL HAS BEEN THERE SUPPORTING US.

BUT TO HEAR THEIR NAMES THROWN OUT REALLY MAKES ME UPSET BECAUSE AT NO POINT HAVE THEY BEEN ABLE TO HELP US WITH THE HOUSING AT FELIX TORRES.

[01:00:04]

AND ASKED HOUSING AUTHORITY TO PLEASE AT LEAST HELP US WITH THAT AND WE WERE GRANTED THE PERMISSION TO USE THAT.

SO I JUST WANTED TO COME UP HERE AND JUST MAKE IT CLEAR TO EVERYBODY.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS.

AND SO, OLIVIA, JUST SO I THANK YOU, I THANK YOU FOR REACHING OUT.

AND I WASN'T TRYING TO SAY THAT ANY ONE PERSON WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR IT.

I JUST KNOW THAT SOMETIMES THESE THINGS, IT TAKES SOMEBODY REACHING OUT AND THEN IT TAKES SOME OTHER FOLKS TO BE ABLE TO MEET WITH THE HIGHER UPS TO HELP MAKE IT HAPPEN.

AT THIS POINT, I'M NOT CONCERNED WITH WHO MADE IT HAPPEN.

I'M JUST GLAD THAT IT HAPPENED, BECAUSE ULTIMATELY THOSE TEN FAMILIES THAT ARE LIVING IN THOSE UNITS ARE, NOW HAVE A PLACE TO STAY UNTIL THEY CAN FIND A MORE PERMANENT SOLUTION.

THAT WHEN I WAS ON A CALL, I'M GOING TO SAY IT WAS ABOUT TEN DAYS AGO NOW, THAT WASN'T POSSIBLE, THAT WASN'T GOING TO HAPPEN.

SO HOWEVER IT HAPPENED, I'M JUST GLAD THAT IT HAPPENED.

SO THANK YOU. ARE THERE ANY OTHER COMMENTS ON ITEM NUMBER 31? NOT SEEING ANY. WE WILL CLOSE THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD FOR ITEM 31.

I'LL CALL FOR THE MOTION.

[INAUDIBLE].

ALL RIGHT. I HAVE A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR PAREIRA AND A SECOND BY SUPERVISOR PEDROZO CALL FOR THE VOTE.

PLEASE RECORD THE VOTE.

THE MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY 5 TO 0.

NEXT, WE HAVE CONSENT CALENDAR.

[CONSENT CALENDAR]

PLEASE NOTE A FOUR-FIFTHS VOTE IS REQUIRED ON ITEMS FOUR, FIVE, SIX, EIGHT AND 11 AND AN ON ITEM NUMBER 13.

THE START DATE OF TRAVEL IS LISTED INCORRECTLY.

THE CORRECT START DATE IS APRIL 24TH, 2023.

ALL RIGHT. AT THIS TIME, I'LL OPEN PUBLIC COMMENT FOR CONSENT CALENDAR ITEMS ONE THROUGH 16, NOT SEEING NONE.

WE'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD.

A PLEASURE OF THE BOARD.

I 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.

AND NOW WE'LL HAVE A BRIEF PRESENTATION BY SUPERVISOR PEDROZO.

[BOARD ACTION (Part 2 of 2) ]

PRIYA, DO YOU WANT TO COME UP HERE, PLEASE? SO THIS IS A PROCLAMATION FOR SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CENTER DAY.

SO I'M GOING TO READ IT REALLY QUICKLY AND THEN I'LL HAND IT OVER TO MRS. LAFFERTY. WHEREAS THE MERCED COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS CELEBRATES OUR LOCAL SMALL BUSINESSES AND THE CONTRIBUTIONS THAT THEY MAKE TO OUR ECONOMY AND COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE, ILLUSTRATED BY THE UNITED STATES SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION RESEARCH INDICATING THAT UNITED STATES SMALL BUSINESSES EMPLOYED OVER 46% OF ALL UNITED STATES WORKERS IN 2022.

THEY HAVE CREATED TWO THIRDS OF THE NET NEW JOBS IN THE UNITED STATES OVER THE PAST TWO DECADES, GENERATE 50% OF PRIVATE GROSS DOMESTIC PRODUCT ANNUALLY AND ACCOUNT FOR OVER 55% OF ALL UNITED STATES RETAIL SALES AND 99.9% OF ALL UNITED STATES BUSINESSES HAVE 20 OR FEWER EMPLOYEES.

75% OF THE 30 MILLION BUSINESSES IN THE UNITED STATES ARE OWNER OPERATED WITH NO EMPLOYEES, GENERATING AN AVERAGE OF 44,000 IN SALES ANNUALLY. AND 89% OF CONSUMERS IN THE UNITED STATES INDICATE THAT SMALL BUSINESSES CONTRIBUTE TO THE DIVERSITY, VITALITY AND ECONOMIC HEALTH OF THEIR COMMUNITY, WHILE CREATING MUCH NEEDED JOBS AND GENERATING TAX REVENUES TO SUPPORT THE ESSENTIAL SERVICES PROVIDED BY LOCAL GOVERNMENT.

AND 93% OF CONSUMERS IN THE UNITED STATES AGREE THAT IT IS CRITICALLY IMPORTANT TO SUPPORT LOCAL SMALL BUSINESSES IN THEIR COMMUNITIES AND. WHEREAS, THE MERCED COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS SUPPORTS OUR LOCAL SMALL BUSINESSES THAT CREATE LOCAL JOBS, BOOST OUR LOCAL ECONOMY, SUPPORT OUR SCHOOLS, AND HELP PRESERVE THE WONDERFUL QUALITY OF LIFE ENJOYED BY ALL OF OUR RESIDENTS.

LOCAL, SMALL BUSINESS ASSISTANCE AND ADVOCACY GROUPS SUCH AS THE MERCED SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CENTER, LOCAL CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE, COMMUNITY NONPROFITS,

[01:05:04]

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED WE, THE MERCED COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, PROCLAIM WEDNESDAY, MARCH 15TH, 2023, AS NATIONAL SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CENTER DAY IN MERCED COUNTY.

I JUST WANT TO SAY, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE THE GREAT FORTUNE OF HAVING IN MERCED COUNTY, AND I'M SURE EVERY SINGLE ONE OF US UP HERE ON THE DAIS CAN NAME A SMALL BUSINESS THAT THEY THEY FREQUENT A LOT.

AND I THINK IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO REALLY SUPPORT THEM BECAUSE THEY TRULY ARE THE LIFEBLOOD.

SO I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD AND PASS THIS OVER TO PRIYA IF SHE WANTS TO SAY SOMETHING.

YES. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS RECOGNITION.

BOARD OF SUPERVISORS. IT'S REALLY NICE TO BE ON THIS SIDE.

AND I JUST WANT TO REMIND EVERYONE, WE DO HAVE AN SBDC IN MERCED AND MERCED COUNTY.

WE ACTUALLY ARE THE CENTRAL CALIFORNIA SBDC NETWORK IS WHERE THE REGIONAL HUB.

WE SERVE OVER 14 COUNTIES AND WE OFFER TRAININGS, WEBINARS.

ANYBODY WHO HAS A QUESTION COME SEE US.

WE'RE RIGHT AT, WE'RE ON 18TH STREET, RIGHT ACROSS FROM THE CITY HALL.

WE OPERATE 8 TO 5.

YOU CAN GO TO OUR WEBSITE, CENTRAL CALIFORNIA CENTRAL SBDC.COM.

WE OFFER WEBINARS, TRAINING AND MEETING WITH OUR CONSULTANT IS OF NO COST TO YOU.

WE WE TAKE ON THE COST AND SO RIGHT NOW THE SBA DISASTER RECOVERY BUSINESS DISASTER RECOVERY CENTER IS OPEN IN OUR DOWNTOWN BUILDING AND YOU HAVE TILL THE 16TH TO COME.

THERE ARE ABOUT FIVE SPECIALISTS THAT ARE WORKING OUT OF THAT BUILDING, AND IT'S A BUSINESS DISASTER RECOVERY CENTER, BUT THEY'RE NOT GOING TO TURN AWAY HOMEOWNERS AS WELL. SO I ENCOURAGE YOU ALL TO JUST WALK IN AND YOU DON'T NEED ANY APPOINTMENTS.

YOU CAN WALK IN. AND WE'RE REALLY HERE TO ASSIST OUR SMALL BUSINESSES AND WE'RE VERY PROUD OF THE WORK THAT WE DO.

SO AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR THE RECOGNITION.

TAKE A PICTURE. THANK YOU.

[INAUDIBLE] .

ALL RIGHT, NEXT, WE HAVE PUBLIC WORKS.

ITEM 17 AND 18.

ALL RIGHT. AT THIS TIME, WE'LL OPEN PUBLIC COMMENT FOR PUBLIC WORKS ITEMS. NOT SEE ANYONE. WE'LL NOW CLOSE THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD.

PLEASURE OF THE BOARD.

WE HAVE A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL.

A SECOND BY SUPERVISOR PEDROZO.

CALL FOR THE VOTE.

PLEASE RECORD THE VOTE.

THE MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY 5 TO 0.

NEXT, WE HAVE THE HUMAN SERVICES AGENCY ITEMS 19 AND 20.

WE'LL OPEN THE PUBLIC COMMENT FOR ITEMS 19 AND 20, NOT SEEING ANYONE.

WE'LL CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENT.

A PLEASURE OF THE BOARD.

WE HAVE A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR ESPINOSA, A SECOND BY SUPERVISOR PAREIRA CALL FOR THE VOTE.

PLEASE RECORD THE VOTE.

THE MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY 5 TO 0.

NEXT, WE HAVE FIRE.

ITEM 21.

PLEASE NOTE A 4/5 VOTE IS REQUIRED.

ALL RIGHT. WE'LL OPEN UP PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD FOR FIRE ITEMS NOT SEEING ANYONE WE'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD.

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

CALL FOR THE VOTE.

PLEASE RECORD THE VOTE.

THE MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY 5 TO 0.

NEXT, WE HAVE SHERIFF ITEM 20 TO OPEN UP THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD FOR THIS ITEM.

NOT SEEING ANY.

WE'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD.

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

[01:10:04]

PLEASE RECORD THE VOTE.

THE MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY 5 TO 0.

NEXT, WE HAVE PROBATION ITEM 23.

THIS IS NOW THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD FOR ITEM 23.

NOT SEE ANYONE. WE'LL CLOSE THAT PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD.

BRING IT BACK TO THE DAIS.

WE HAVE A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR PEDROZO AND A SECOND BY SUPERVISOR ESPINOSA.

PLEASE CALL FOR THE VOTE.

RECORD THE VOTE. THE MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY 5 TO 0.

NEXT, WE HAVE AUDITOR ITEM 24.

NOW THE PUBLIC'S OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK ON ITEM 24 SEEING ANYONE.

WE'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD.

BRING IT BACK TO THE DAIS.

WE HAVE A MOTION BY PEDROSO AND A SECOND BY SUPERVISOR PAREIRA.

CALL FOR THE VOTE.

PLEASE RECORD THE VOTE.

THE MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY 5 TO 0.

OH, HOLD ON A SECOND HERE.

I GOT TO GET MY STUFF ORGANIZED.

OKAY, NEXT WE HAVE HUMAN RESOURCES ITEM 25.

THIS IS THE PUBLIC'S OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK ON ITEM 25.

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

BRING IT BACK TO THE DAIS.

OKAY. I HAVE A MOTION BY PEDROSO.

SECOND BY PAREIRA CALL FOR THE VOTE.

PLEASE RECORD THE VOTE.

THE MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY 5 TO 0.

NEXT, WE HAVE EXECUTIVE OFFICE ITEM 26 CONFIRM THE APPOINTMENT OF JEFFREY J.

WHITTEN AS THE DIRECTOR OF CHILD SUPPORT SERVICES AT AN ANNUAL SALARY OF $174,720 AND APPROVE A LEVEL BENEFITS EFFECTIVE APRIL 24TH, 2023.

ALL RIGHT. WE'LL GO TO CEO MENDEZ.

YES, THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. JUST VERY BRIEFLY, I DID WANT TO TAKE AN OPPORTUNITY TO TO TEE UP THIS ITEM FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION THIS MORNING.

SO STAFF DID CONCLUDE ITS EXTENSIVE RECRUITMENT FOR THIS POSITION.

CHILD SUPPORT SERVICES DIRECTOR.

AS THE BOARD IS AWARE, SHARON TREJO RECENTLY RETIRED FROM THE POSITION, SO WE INITIATED A RECRUITMENT TO FILL THE POSITION AS SWIFTLY AS POSSIBLE. ITEM BEFORE YOU IS OUR RECOMMENDATION FOR THE TOP CANDIDATE, JEFF WHITTEN FOR THE DIRECTOR OF CHILD SUPPORT SERVICES FOR MERCED COUNTY . MR WOOTEN HAS OVER 20 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE IN THE AREA OF CHILD SUPPORT IN VARIOUS CAPACITIES LEGAL ASSISTANT DIRECTOR, MULTIPLE COUNTIES, MULTIPLE STATES.

AND WE ARE BRINGING THIS ITEM FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION THIS MORNING SO YOU CAN CONSIDER HIS CONFIRMATION OF HIS APPOINTMENT.

I DID WANT TO JUST MENTION REALLY PLEASED WITH THE OUTCOME OF THE RECRUITMENT.

IT WAS VERY EVIDENT BY THE DISCUSSION AND THERE WERE MULTIPLE PANELS THAT INTERVIEWED THE CANDIDATES.

MR PLATOON WAS THE TOP CANDIDATE, AND I'M REALLY OPTIMISTIC IN TERMS OF THE LEADERSHIP BEING ABLE TO TRANSITION FROM MRS WARDELL TREJO, WHO OBVIOUSLY SERVED THIS COMMUNITY FAITHFULLY FOR AND LOYALLY FOR FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS, AND NOW BRINGING ON MR. WOOTEN TO KIND OF WORK WITH OUR LEADERSHIP TEAM THERE AT CHILD SUPPORT SERVICES.

SO THIS ITEM IS ASKING FOR YOUR CONFIRMATION FOR THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF APRIL 24TH.

DID WANT TO NOTE THAT OUR ASSISTANT DIRECTOR, NICOLE CORTEZ, WILL BE SERVING IN LEADERSHIP CAPACITY UNTIL MR. WOOTEN BEGINS A POSITION HE IS CURRENTLY LIVING AT OUT OF STATE.

SO THERE IS A RELOCATION, SO WE'RE TRYING TO WORK WITH HIM.

BUT AS WAS ENVISIONED WHEN WE COMPLETED THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS, THE FORMATION OF A VERY STRONG LEADERSHIP TEAM FOR CHILD SUPPORT SERVICES.

SO REALLY EXCITED ABOUT BRINGING THIS ITEM FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION THIS MORNING.

PASS IT BACK TO YOU, MR. CHAIR, FOR ACTION ON THIS ITEM.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. MENDEZ. AT THIS TIME, WE'LL OPEN UP THE PUBLIC COMMENT FOR ITEM 26.

I'M NOT SEEING ANY. WE'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC COMMENT.

[01:15:01]

PLEASE RECORD THE VOTE.

THE MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY 5 TO 0.

AND I WILL INVITE MR. WOOTEN UP AND SAY A FEW WORDS.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

EXCUSE ME. CEO MENDEZ MR, CHAIRMAN, COUNTY COUNSEL HANSON AND FELLOW BOARD MEMBERS.

IT WAS A PLEASURE TO MEET YOU EARLIER THIS MORNING.

AND I SPENT A LOT OF TIME WITH YOU, CEO MENDEZ AS WELL, AND YOU'VE ALL BEEN VERY GRACIOUS.

I AM HUMBLED AND HONORED TO BE GIVEN YOUR VOTE TODAY AND PROVIDED THIS OPPORTUNITY TO WORK AS A CHILD SUPPORT SERVICES DIRECTOR IN THE FUTURE IN THIS COUNTY AND MERCED COUNTY.

I'M SO EXCITED ABOUT IT.

AS YOU PROBABLY DISCOVERED THIS MORNING WHEN WE SPOKE AND MR. MENDEZ, ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS, THAT I HAVE A BIG EXTREME PASSION FOR THIS PROGRAM AND I AM ANXIOUS AND HONORED AND THRILLED TO BE ABLE TO SPEND PROBABLY THE REST OF MY CAREER HERE IN MERCED COUNTY WORKING FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES, WHICH IS WHAT I DO.

AND I DO THIS TO THE BEST OF MY ABILITY WHEREVER I DO IT.

AND THE OUTCOMES ARE USUALLY GOOD.

AND I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO WORKING WITH ALL OF YOU, ALL OF SOME OF THE DEPARTMENT HEADS THAT I'VE MET TODAY, THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY AND THE FOLKS FROM PROBATION.

AND IT'S JUST IT'S JUST GOING TO BE MY HONOR TO WORK FOR YOU AND FOR THE COMMUNITY.

AND I THINK YOU SHOULD EXPECT GOOD RESULTS TO ME AND HOLD ME TO THAT PROMISE.

AND I PROMISE YOU I'LL DELIVER.

AND I THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TODAY.

THANK YOU. PERFECT.

THANK YOU. AND WELCOME ABOARD.

THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT.

NEXT, WE HAVE BOARD APPOINTMENTS.

ITEMS 27 THROUGH 30.

THIS IS THE PUBLIC'S OPPORTUNITY TO COMMENT, NOT SEEING ANYONE.

WE'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD AND BRING IT BACK TO THE DIAS.

WE HAVE A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR ESPINOSA, A SECOND BY SUPERVISOR PAREIRA CALL FOR THE VOTE.

PLEASE RECORD THE VOTE.

THE MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY 5 TO 0.

NEXT, WE HAVE BOARD INFORMATION AND POSSIBLE ACTION ITEMS.

[BOARD INFORMATION & POSSIBLE ACTION]

THIS IS THE WELL, 30.

IT'S 32 AND 33, I BELIEVE.

32 AND 33.

SO SORRY. NO, NO, THAT'S OKAY.

WE HAD THE ADDENDUM ITEM 31.

ALL RIGHT. THIS IS THE PUBLIC'S OPPORTUNITY TO COMMENT ON THESE ITEMS, NOT SEEING ANYONE.

WE'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD, BRING IT BACK TO THE DAIS.

PLEASURE OF THE BOARD.

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

CALL FOR THE VOTE.

PLEASE RECORD THE VOTE.

THE MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY 5 TO 0.

ALL RIGHT. NEXT WE HAVE LAST IS BOARD REPORTS.

THANK YOU. AND WE WILL START WITH SUPERVISOR ESPINOZA.

UH, HOLD ON.

LET ME PUT IT INTO DISCUSSION MODE.

AGAIN. ALL RIGHTY.

UM, I THINK I ALREADY TALKED ABOUT FELIX TORRES.

I WAS GOING TO TALK ABOUT THAT, TOO.

UM, I THINK DANA LEFT.

WE WERE JUST CHECKING ON THE SINKHOLE IN THE PECAN PLAINSBURG IN PLANADA.

IT'S BEEN ALL OVER SOCIAL MEDIA.

PEOPLE ARE POSTING IT. IT'S A DANGEROUS SINKHOLE, WHICH I PASS ON TO PUBLIC WORKS ALREADY.

UM, I'M GLAD THAT WE WERE ABLE TO HAVE SOME MORE INFORMATION ON THE EVICTION MORATORIUM.

SO WE JUST INFORMATION.

SO WE'LL SEE WHAT HAPPENS.

AND UM, I THINK EVERYBODY HAS WELL, I HAD THIS ON MY FOR MY COMMENTS AND SO THAT'S IT FOR ME.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU, SUPERVISOR PEDROZO.

THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN.

LAST WEEK I ATTENDED THE CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF COUNCILS OF GOVERNMENT, WHICH IS COMPRISED LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE, WHICH IS COMPRISED OF CITIES AND COUNTIES THROUGHOUT THE STATE.

MAINLY FOCUSED ON TRANSPORTATION ISSUES.

MCAG IS A PART OF IT, AND I'M A PART OF THE.

I'M ONE OF THE I'M THE REPRESENTATIVE FOR MERCED COUNTY FOR THE CAL COG.

AND IT WAS REALLY INTERESTING TO HEAR THE DIFFERENCES IN LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES FROM ACROSS THE STATE.

[01:20:03]

I KIND OF THOUGHT THAT'S NOT NECESSARILY INACCURATE SITUATION, BUT LET THEM THINK WHAT THEY WANT.

WE JUST HAVE TO CONTINUE TO FIGHT FOR IT.

I ALSO HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO TO THE COMMON THREADS EVENT AND PRESENT A THE CERTIFICATE THAT WE VOTED ON EARLIER.

THIS EVENT WAS HELD IN FRESNO.

IT'S PART OF THE CALIFORNIA AG LEADERSHIP FOUNDATION.

AND WHAT THEY DO IS THEY HONOR WOMEN UP AND DOWN THE VALLEY WHO HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO HONORING AGRICULTURE, WHETHER THROUGH ACTUAL FARMING PRACTICES OR THEIR PHILANTHROPIC PHILANTHROPIC AREAS OF INTEREST.

AND I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT THIS TO JUANITA CASILLAS PEDROSO, WHO JUST HAPPENS TO BE MY AUNT FOR HER WORK WITH THE FOUR H AND THE YOUTH IN MERCED COUNTY.

AND SO THAT WAS A REALLY COOL THING TO SEE AND BE A PART OF.

ALSO, I'VE ALWAYS BEEN I LIKE TO KIND OF HIGHLIGHT SOME OF THE THE GOOD THINGS ALSO, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO MY CHILDREN.

LAST WEEK ON THE FOURTH, MY SON COMPETED IN THE ACADEMIC DECATHLON ACROSS FROM TEN DIFFERENT SCHOOLS AND HE'S ONLY IN SIXTH GRADE, BUT HE WAS THIRD PLACE HIGH SCORER IN FINE ARTS.

AND I ASKED HIM, I WAS LIKE, WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT FINE ARTS? AND HE GOES, DON'T WORRY ABOUT IT.

AND THEN NOW MY DAUGHTER IS A PIANO PLAYER AND SHE DOESN'T PRACTICE AND SHE'S GOOD.

SO I DON'T KNOW WHERE THIS ART THING COMES FROM, BUT IT WAS REALLY COOL TO SEE.

AND I'LL TELL YOU, IF ALL THE SPORTING EVENTS I'VE GONE TO, I'VE NEVER BEEN SO STRESSED OUT BECAUSE THAT SUPER QUIZ THAT THEY DO AT THE END AND I'M TRYING TO TAKE NOTES AND I'M ASKING ALL THESE QUESTIONS AND I'M LIKE, THAT'S NOT RIGHT.

THAT QUESTION IS WRONG.

SO BUT YEAH, SO I'M VERY PROUD OF THAT.

SO THAT'S ALL I WANTED TO SAY.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

SUPERVISOR PEDROZO SUPERVISOR PAREIRA.

THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR.

FIRST, I'D LIKE TO TO THANK DEL HUMBERT FOR DOING OUR INVOCATION TODAY.

DEL DOESN'T WEAR SHIRTS THAT HAVE BUTTONS ON VERY OFTEN.

HE'S HE'S A MAN OF THE PEOPLE.

AND, AND SO ANYWAYS, THOSE WERE GOOD WORDS AND SO THANK YOU.

UM, I JUST WANT TO SHARE AND I DON'T KNOW IF ANYBODY IN THE COMMUNITY IS WATCHING AT THIS POINT, BUT, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE PEOPLE COME TO OUR MEETINGS TO, YOU KNOW, TO BRING ITEMS TO US. AND, AND I KNOW MY COLLEAGUES, ALL OF US, YOU KNOW, WE'RE VERY INTERESTED IN FINDING OUT AND HELPING PEOPLE.

SO, YOU KNOW, IF YOU'RE LISTENING, YOU KNOW, CALL CALL THE COUNTY, CALL US, CALL YOUR SUPERVISOR.

IF YOU DON'T KNOW WHO YOUR SUPERVISOR IS, JUST JUST CALL THE COUNTY LINE AND AND THEY'LL GET YOU TO US BECAUSE WE'D RATHER KNOW ABOUT YOUR ISSUE AS SOON AS YOU'RE HAVING IT THAN WAITING FOR A MEETING SO WE COULD START WORKING ON HELPING YOU.

SO ANYWAYS, AND THEN, YOU KNOW, I JUST I'VE JUST BEEN PRAYING FOR EVERYBODY THAT'S WORKING ON THESE STORMS. YOU KNOW, THERE'S THE COUNTY CREW IS OUT WORKING ON THE BANK OF THE MERCED RIVER RIGHT NOW.

WELL, THE RIVER'S FLOWING AT 6000 CSF.

THAT'S MOVING SWIFTLY.

AND SO, YOU KNOW, JUST BE SAFE.

HOPEFULLY. NO, NO INCIDENTS HAPPEN.

YOU'RE ON THEY'RE ON GRAVEL ALONG THE RIVER.

AND ANYWAYS, AND FOR EVERYBODY, OUR FIRST RESPONDERS, OUR, YOU KNOW, OUR SHERIFF TEAM, JUST EVERYBODY THAT'S OUT HELPING PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, I JUST PRAY THAT THAT WE DON'T HAVE A CATASTROPHE.

WE MADE IT THROUGH THE LAST ONE WITHOUT I MEAN, PEOPLE'S HOUSES GOT FLOODED.

THAT'S A CATASTROPHE. BUT THERE WAS NO LOSS OF LIFE OR NO, YOU KNOW, SIGNIFICANT INJURIES TO PEOPLE.

AND, YOU KNOW, I HOPE THAT CONTINUES.

THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR.

THANK YOU, SUPERVISOR PEDROZO SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL.

THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN.

WELCOME, MR. I LOOKED OVER AT MY COLLEAGUE HERE, SAID I DIDN'T REALIZE HE WAS FROM YOUR DISTRICT, MR. WYNTOON, BUT WINTON IS IN HIS DISTRICT, SO THAT'S WHY I MADE THAT.

BUT NO. WELCOME.

YOU COME WITH A GOOD PLAN.

AND A LOT OF EXPERIENCE. WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO IT.

AND I REALLY LIKED WHEN YOU SAID AT THE DAIS THAT YOU WERE LOOKING TO MAKE THIS YOUR FINAL PLACE.

SO WELCOME TO MERCED COUNTY.

THANK YOU. VERY GOOD.

UM, ALSO REMIND EVERYBODY THAT I DO MY MOBILE DISTRICT OFFICES IN THE CITY OF ATWATER, AND THAT'S THE FOURTH THURSDAY OF EACH MONTH I DO THIS.

SO A LOT OF FOLKS WHO DON'T WANT TO TRAVEL TO THE COUNTY BUILDING TO MEET WITH ME, THIS GIVES THEM AN OPPORTUNITY TO MEET.

IT'S FROM 1:30 TO 3:30, AND THAT'S THE FOURTH THURSDAY OF EACH MONTH.

SOME PEOPLE SHOW UP ON THE LAST THURSDAY OF THE MONTH, AND THAT HAPPENS TO BE THE FIFTH ONE.

[01:25:03]

I DID REPRESENT MERCED COUNTY WITH RURAL COUNTY REPRESENTATIVES OF CALIFORNIA LAST WEEK, AND DIRECTOR BONHAM HAD THE PLEASURE OF PRESENTING TO THE 40 RURAL COUNTIES OF CALIFORNIA.

AND I CAN SAY THAT IT WAS A LOT MORE CONTENTIOUS THAN THE CONVERSATION WE HAD HERE AT MERCED COUNTY.

BUT I DO APPRECIATE HIM REACHING OUT AND TAKING THE BRUNT OF IT AND HIS THEME THERE WAS THE SAME THEME THAT HE DID TO US IS YOU HAVE TO HAVE THE RIGHT PEOPLE AROUND THE TABLE TO MAKE THE DECISIONS YOU NEED TO MAKE.

BUT I THINK CHUCK HAS I CAN CALL HIM CHUCK NOW.

I ASKED HIM THAT ON THE DAIS LAST WEEK THAT HE SEEMS TO BE THAT PERSON THAT NEEDS TO BE AT THE TABLE.

AND I KNOW HE CAN'T DO THE WHOLE STATE, BUT I THINK HE'S GOT SOME WORK TO DO, SOME OF THE FOLKS BELOW HIM AND HE IS DEFINITELY TRYING TO ADDRESS THAT.

AND I THINK THAT'S IT.

LET'S HUNKER DOWN.

WE'VE GOT SOME RAIN COMING.

THIS IS A WARM RAIN.

I KNOW ONE OF OUR COLLEAGUES UP IN MARIPOSA COUNTY SAID 4000FT BELOW THE SNOW HAS ALREADY BEEN WASHED DOWN HERE.

THIS STORM IS GOING TO BE AT 7000.

SO WE HAVE 3000 MORE FEET OF SNOW THAT'S GOING TO HAVE TO MELT, WHICH WILL PROBABLY HAPPEN IN THIS STORM.

SO PLEASE, EVERYBODY, BE AWARE.

CHECK ON YOUR NEIGHBORS.

LET'S HELP EACH OTHER OUT.

WE'RE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER.

THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR.

ALL RIGHT, SUPERVISOR PEDROZO YOU HAD ANOTHER COMMENT? YEAH, JUST REAL QUICK.

AND I WANTED TO BRING THIS UP AND I FORGOT, BUT I'M GLAD THAT SUPERVISOR PAREIRA SAID SOMETHING.

YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE TAKE VERY SERIOUSLY IS GETTING INFORMATION FROM PEOPLE BECAUSE WE CAN'T DO OUR JOB UNLESS WE KNOW WHAT IS WHAT'S FACING YOU.

AND SO IF YOU CONTACT US OR IF YOU COME INTO THE OFFICE, PLEASE PROVIDE CONTACT INFORMATION SO THAT WE CAN GET BACK TO YOU.

BECAUSE A LOT OF TIMES SOME PEOPLE DON'T WANT TO.

AND EVEN IF IT'S A CONTENTIOUS ISSUE, WE'RE PRETTY PATIENT AND WE WILL LISTEN.

AND THEN IF YOU DO WANT TO COME TO SPEAK AT A MEETING, IT USED TO REALLY BUG ME AS A CITY COUNCIL MEMBER AND IT'S NOT SO MUCH HERE ANYMORE, BUT IF PEOPLE ARE NERVOUS GETTING UP TO SPEAK BECAUSE I KNOW IT CAN BE KIND OF DAUNTING.

DON'T BE. WE'RE HERE TO LISTEN TO YOU.

WE DO THE WORK FOR YOU.

SO PLEASE, YOU KNOW, JUST SAY WHAT YOU WANT TO SAY.

AND WE'RE HERE TO WORK FOR YOU AND TO HELP YOU OUT.

SO THANK YOU FOR RAISING THAT POINT.

SUPERVISOR THANK YOU.

COUNCIL. HANSON ANYTHING? CEO? MENDEZ YEAH.

THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. JUST VERY BRIEF.

AND PROBABLY THE ONLY THING I WOULD LIKE TO KIND OF EMPHASIZE IS REALLY PROUD OF THE COUNTY TEAM EFFORT.

YOU KNOW, THIS YEAR DIDN'T KNOW THAT 2023 WAS GOING TO BRING, OBVIOUSLY THE FLOOD EVENT ISSUES THAT WE'VE EXPERIENCED, BUT WANTED TO THANK THE STAFF.

OBVIOUSLY, EVERY COUNTY DEPARTMENT, EVERY DEPARTMENT HEAD THAT'S BEEN ENGAGED FROM DAY ONE AND THEN THIS BOARD AS WELL.

SO JUST REALLY PROUD OF THE COUNTY ORGANIZATION DEALING WITH SOME REALLY TOUGH ISSUES.

SO THAT WAS IT. JUST WANTED TO KEEP IT BRIEF TODAY.

BUT THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

SO I HAD A COUPLE OF THINGS.

WE VOTED EARLIER ON AN AUDITOR ITEM.

IT'S FOR THEIR COMPREHENSIVE IT'S NOT THE CAFR.

IT'S BASICALLY OUR FINANCIAL OUR OUR FINANCES GOT AUDITED.

AND I KNOW THAT THERE'S A LOT OF WORK THAT GOES INTO THOSE AND IT'S A BIG, BIG, HUGE DOCUMENT.

AND I DON'T READ EVERY PAGE OF IT, BUT I DO THUMB THROUGH IT.

AND SO TO MISS CARDELLA-PRESTO AND HER DEPUTY OR ASSISTANT, JANIE CABRAL, I KNOW THAT A LOT OF WORK GOES INTO THOSE, SO I DIDN'T WANT TO LET THE MOMENT GO BY WITHOUT RECOGNIZING THEM AND THEIR STAFFS FOR THE HARD WORK THAT THEY DO ON THAT STUFF.

WE HAVE A FRIEND BACK IN HERE, MARY ELLEN ARANA IS HERE HELPING US WITH SOME OF THE DISASTER RECOVERY SERVICES.

SHE'S SO GRACIOUSLY BROUGHT HERSELF OUT OF RETIREMENT TO HELP US OUT AND JUST AS NORMAL YOU GUYS DIDN'T SEE THIS, BUT DURING THE MEETING, SOME OF THE FOLKS IN THE BACK OF THE ROOM GOT A LITTLE BIT LOUD. AND I WATCHED MARY ELLEN WALK UP OVER THERE AND GO CLOSE THE DOOR, JUST LIKE SHE DIDN'T EVEN MISS A BEAT.

SO, MARY ELLEN, WELCOME BACK AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED SERVICE TO MERCED COUNTY.

A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO, I WAS IN SACRAMENTO FOR A CSAC BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING WHERE I'M GOING TO READ SOMETHING.

TWO AND IT IS THE IT'S CALLED THE AT HOME PLAN AND IT'S ALL EFFORTS TO ADDRESS HOMELESSNESS WITH WILL FAIL WITHOUT A COMPREHENSIVE SYSTEM IN WHICH ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES ARE CLEAR FOR ALL LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT TO ACCOUNTABILITY IS THE FOUNDATION TO ACHIEVE SUCCESSFUL OUTCOMES.

AND THREE FUNDING MUST BE SUSTAINABLE AND ALIGNED WITH RESPONSIBILITIES AND ACCOUNTABILITY.

FOLKS HAVE HEARD ME SAY FROM THIS VERY DAIS, IT'S ALWAYS FRUSTRATING BECAUSE WE'RE IN THE TEN YEAR PLAN TO END HOMELESSNESS THAT'S ALWAYS TEN YEARS AWAY FROM BEING DONE AND THAT STARTED IN MY TIME WHEN I GOT ELECTED TO CITY COUNCIL IN 2010.

[01:30:03]

AND I WANT TO REALLY COMMEND THE CSAC STAFF CSAC LEADERSHIP.

AND IS THIS GOING TO WORK? I CAN TELL YOU THAT IT WON'T WORK IF WE DON'T GET BUY IN FROM EVERYBODY, BUT IT'S REALLY ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I MENTIONED.

THERE IS CLEAR ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES FOR ALL LEVEL OF GOVERNMENT.

IT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I PREACH TO MY CITY PARTNERS IS WE NEED TO QUIT TALKING ABOUT A HOMELESS HOMELESSNESS AS A YOUR PROBLEM OR MY PROBLEM? IT'S AN OUR ISSUE.

IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE ALL HAVE TO WORK TOGETHER ON IN CERTAIN, YOU KNOW, AND IT'S VERY DIFFERENT IN CALIFORNIA.

YOU LOOK AT OUR COLLEAGUES IN MARIPOSA COUNTY, THEY DON'T HAVE AN INCORPORATED CITY.

THEY ARE THEY DON'T HAVE THAT OTHER LEVEL OF GOVERNMENT THAT THEY HAVE TO DEAL WITH.

IN OUR COUNTY. WE HAVE CITIES, WE HAVE SMALL CITIES, WE HAVE LARGER CITIES, WE HAVE THE COUNTY.

SO THIS APPROACH COMING UP HERE, WHEN WE GO TO SACRAMENTO FOR OUR LEGISLATIVE CONFERENCE, THERE'LL BE A FIRST OF ITS KIND JOINT MEETING OF THE CALIFORNIA LEAGUE OF CITIES AND CALIFORNIA STATE ASSOCIATION OF COUNTIES TO REALLY TRY TO ADDRESS THIS.

I'M MORE OF THE I TOLD THEM I'M NOT THE POLICY WONK ON THIS ISSUE.

WE GOT PEOPLE THAT ARE A LOT SMARTER THAN ME ON THESE ISSUES THAT ARE COMING UP WITH THE PLAN.

I'M MORE ON THE ADVOCACY SIDE AND REALLY JUST WANTING TO PUT IT OUT THERE.

IT'S CALLED THE AT HOME PROGRAM, AND THAT STANDS FOR ACCOUNTABILITY, TRANSPARENCY, HOUSING, OUTREACH, MITIGATE A MOTION AND ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY.

AND IT'S THE HOLISTIC APPROACH AND REALLY WHERE THE STATE PARTNERS COME ON BOARD IS AND MY FRIENDS AT HSA AND BRICK WILL APPRECIATE THIS.

THE STATE OFFERS SO MANY DIFFERENT PROGRAMS, SO MANY DIFFERENT TYPES OF MONEY THAT ALL HAVE DIFFERENT RESTRICTIONS, BUT REALLY IN THE GRAND SCHEME OF THINGS ARE TRYING TO SOLVE THE SAME PROBLEM.

AND AS THE FOLKS THAT ARE BOOTS ON THE GROUND THAT HAVE TO IMPLEMENT THESE POLICIES, IT BECOMES A BUREAUCRATIC NIGHTMARE TO TRY TO NAVIGATE THAT.

AND ONE OF THE ADVOCACY POINTS ON THIS IS REALLY TALKING WITH THE STATE AND HOW DO WE NOT DUPLICATE SERVICES, HAVE PROGRAMS THAT HAVE THE SAME PARAMETERS SO THAT YOU'RE DRAWING ON RESOURCES TO HELP FOLKS.

BUT YOU DON'T, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE YOU DIDN'T DOT AN I HERE ACROSS THE T, THEY'RE NOW THEY'RE NOT ELIGIBLE FOR IT.

SO AGAIN, I JUST WANT TO HIGHLIGHT IT.

THERE WILL BE MORE TO COME ON IT.

IT'S CALLED THE AT HOME PROGRAM.

AND I APPRECIATE THE CSACS APPROACH THAT WE'RE GOING TO TRY SOMETHING BECAUSE WHAT WE'VE BEEN DOING IN THE PAST HAS NOT BEEN WORKING.

I MEAN, I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT THE NUMBER IS, BUT OVER THE LAST TEN YEARS, 15 YEARS, THE MILLIONS LET ME CORRECT THAT BILLIONS OF DOLLARS THAT THE STATE HAS PUT INTO TRYING TO ADDRESS HOMELESSNESS.

I CAN ONLY TELL YOU FROM WHAT I SEE, IT'S GOTTEN WORSE.

THERE ARE SOME SUCCESS STORIES ALONG THE WAY.

I THINK THAT WE HAVE SOME OF THOSE IN MERCED COUNTY WHERE WE'VE HELPED SOME FOLKS, BUT IT IS THE PROBLEM HAS GOTTEN WORSE.

AND SO TRYING A NEW APPROACH, I DON'T THINK IT HURTS BECAUSE WHAT WE'RE DOING RIGHT NOW IS NOT WORKING.

SO MORE TO COME ON THAT.

I'LL SHARE MORE WITH MY COLLEAGUES ON IT BUT GOING TO BE ADVOCATING FOR THE AT HOME PROGRAM.

AND WITH THAT, I WILL SEE YOU FOLKS ALL AT THE NEXT BOARD MEETING ON MARCH THE 28TH.

THANK YOU. MEETING ADJOURNED.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.