Apr 04, 2023 Board Meeting

[Call to Order]

[00:00:02]

GOOD MORNING AND WELCOME BACK TO THE APRIL 4TH, 2023 MEETING OF THE MERCED COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS.

THIS MORNING WE HAD A CLOSED SESSION MEETING AND STAFF WAS GIVEN DIRECTION.

IF I COULD ASK ALL MY FRIENDS THAT ARE BEHIND THE WALL BACK THERE THAT WE'VE STARTED THE MEETING, IF THEY COULD, THEY COULD CALM DOWN A LITTLE BIT BACK THERE.

WE'D APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU.

WE'LL NOW START WITH THE INVOCATION LED BY BISHOP DOUG YOUNG FROM OUR FATHER'S HOUSE.

AND THEN I WILL LEAD THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.

[INAUDIBLE] LET US PRAY.

DEAR HEAVENLY FATHER, GOD OF ALL CREATION.

WE STAND BEFORE YOU THIS DAY WITH GRATITUDE AND HUMILITY.

WE'RE GRATEFUL FOR YOUR GUIDANCE AND CARE FOR US ALL.

AND EVERY BLESSING THAT YOU HAVE GENEROUSLY GIVEN TO EACH OF US.

YOU ARE THE SOURCE OF OUR STRENGTH AND CONFIDENCE.

WE ARE THANKFUL FOR THE PROGRESS THAT YOU HAVE GRANTED OUR COUNTY AND ITS LEADERS THIS YEAR SO FAR.

WE DECLARE OUR NEED FOR YOUR CONTINUED GUIDANCE.

WE DEPEND ON YOU AND WE NEED YOUR HELP IN EVERY DECISION WE MAKE AS WE GO FORWARD TODAY AND EVERY DAY INTO THE FUTURE.

BLESS OUR COUNTY AND OUR SUPERVISORS AS THEY PLAN AND DREAM FOR THE PROGRESS OF OUR PEOPLES.

MAY THEIR PLANS AND DISCUSSIONS BE GUIDED BY YOUR WILL AND PURPOSE FOR OUR COUNTY.

AND LORD BLESS THEM PERSONALLY WE ASK FOR THEIR SERVICE AND FOR ALL THAT THEY DO FOR US, BOTH PUBLICLY AND PRIVATELY.

MAY THE NEEDS OF THEIR FAMILIES BE MET AND OVERWHELMING ABUNDANCE GIVE THEM PEACE AND STRENGTH AS THEY CONTINUE TO LEAD ALL OF US WITH PURE HEARTS AND PURPOSE. WE HONOR YOU, ESPECIALLY AS WE GO INTO THIS HOLY WEEK OF REMEMBERING HOW MUCH YOU LOVE US AND WHAT YOU HAVE DONE TO SAVE US. KEEP US ALL IN YOUR LOVE.

AND MAY WE NEVER FORGET WHERE OUR HELP COMES FROM.

WE ASK ALL THESE THINGS IN YOUR HOLY NAME, CHRIST JESUS, OUR LORD AND SAVIOR.

AMEN. AMEN.

THANK YOU, PASTOR BISHOP DOUG.

READY SALUTE. 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, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.

AGAIN. THANK YOU, BISHOP DOUG AND IT'S ALWAYS A PLEASURE TO HAVE FOLKS COME OVER FROM THE WEST SIDE AND COME AND DO THE OPENING PRAYER.

SO THANK YOU FOR THAT, SIR.

WE APPRECIATE YOU.

NEXT, WE HAVE A NON AGENDA ITEM PUBLIC COMMENT.

[PUBLIC OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK]

THIS IS FOR NON AGENDA ITEMS ONLY.

IT'S NOW TIME FOR PUBLIC OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK ON ANY MATTER OF THE PUBLIC'S INTEREST WITHIN THE BOARD'S JURISDICTION, EXCLUDING ITEMS ON THE BOARD'S AGENDA.

TESTIMONY LIMITED TO THREE MINUTES PER PERSON AND 30 MINUTES TOTAL.

THANK YOU, ANGIE.

LADIES FIRST.

THANK YOU. I'LL BE BRIEF.

GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS PAULA HEUPEL.

I'M BEFORE YOU TODAY REPRESENTING THE EL NIDO COMMUNITY AND ELEMENTARY SCHOOL DISTRICT AS THE SUPERINTENDENT.

I'M A LIFELONG RESIDENT OF MERCED COUNTY, AND I'D LIKE TO BEGIN WITH SOME AFFIRMATIONS AND APPRECIATION.

FIRSTLY TO THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT DURING THESE WINTER STORMS, THE COMMUNITY IS VERY MUCH USED TO HANDLING THINGS ON THEIR OWN.

AND WITH EACH STORM, EACH LITTLE, EVEN SPRINKLE OUR ROADWAY RIGHT IN FRONT OF OUR SCHOOL IS FLOODED EVERY YEAR IMPASSABLE. PARENTS HAVE TO RESORT TO DRIVING THROUGH PRIVATE PROPERTY AT TIMES.

AND SO THE RESPONSIVENESS OF THE PUBLIC WORKS, WHEN WE CALL THEM EVERY DAY, MULTIPLE TIMES A DAY, HAS BEEN VERY POSITIVE EVERY TIME.

AND THEY DO THEIR VERY BEST TO GET OUT THERE AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.

I'D ALSO LIKE TO APPRECIATE SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA FOR SOME GUIDANCE EARLIER THIS YEAR AND HELPING US WITH SOME [INAUDIBLE] CHALLENGES AS WE HAVE BEGUN SOME NEW BUILDING PROJECTS.

AGAIN, THE COMMUNITY HAS PUT FORTH A LARGE BOND SUPPORT FOR THE SCHOOL.

AND THANK YOU, SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA.

AND FINALLY, APPRECIATION TO SUPERVISOR ESPINOSA, WHO MET WITH ME RECENTLY THERE AT THE SCHOOL.

AND AS OF TODAY, WE CAN ALREADY SEE A DIFFERENCE IN THE IMPASSABLE ROADS CONDITIONS IN FRONT OF THE SCHOOL.

[00:05:05]

THE LARGEST BARRIER TO THIS COMMUNITY IS NOT REALLY JUST ECONOMICS.

IT'S ACCESS.

AND OUR ROADWAYS ARE CRITICAL FOR THAT.

IT'S ACCESS FOR OUR FAMILIES TO GET TO WORK.

IT'S ACCESS TO HEALTH CARE, TO FOOD AND THOSE THINGS DIRECTLY CORRELATE TO THEIR CHILDREN AND THEIR ATTENDANCE IN SCHOOL AND THEREFORE THEIR SUCCESS.

SO I ENCOURAGE YOU TO CONTINUE TO FIGHT THE FIGHT AND MAKE THOSE DECISIONS ABOUT MAYBE THE LESS GLAMOROUS THINGS.

OUR INFRASTRUCTURES ARE CRITICAL.

AND ON BEHALF OF EL NIDO, I THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS.

GOOD MORNING, SUPERVISORS.

RICK WENDLING, MERCED.

A FEW QUESTIONS FOR YOU PERHAPS TO ANSWER, BUT CERTAINLY TO THINK ABOUT AS YOU DELVE INTO TODAY'S BUSINESS.

WHAT IF PERMITTING OPEN BORDERS INCREASES US CRIME? WHAT IF DRUGS, GUNS AND TERRORISTS CROSS BOTH BORDERS? WHAT IF REDUCING INFLATION BY INCREASING INTEREST RATES HURTS OUR ECONOMY? WHAT IF BAILING OUT BIG BANKS KILLS THE SMALL BANKS? WHAT IF MANDATING DIGITAL CURRENCY KILLS THE FREE MARKET? WHAT IF BANNING TIKTOK INCREASES SOCIAL MEDIA AND GOVERNMENT CENSORSHIP? WHAT IF PROSECUTING DONALD JOHN TRUMP WHILE IGNORING HUNTER BIDEN CREATES A TWO TIER JUSTICE SYSTEM? WHAT IF SENDING BILLIONS TO UKRAINE HELPS CHINA? WHAT IF CHINA INVADES TAIWAN? WHAT IF MORE CARBON DIOXIDE IS GOOD FOR TREES AND HUMANITY? WHAT IF MANDATING ELECTRIC VEHICLES DOESN'T STOP GLOBAL CLIMATE CHANGE? WHAT IF RARE EARTH METAL PRODUCING NATIONS RAISE THE BATTERY COSTS? WHAT IF A SOLUTION TO MERCED HOMELESSNESS IS NOT HOUSING THEM? WHAT IF A SOLUTION TO YOUTH SUICIDE IS NOT PROMOTING THE TRANS AGENDA? AND WHAT IF A SOLUTION TO DECREASING DRUG USE IS NOT MORE CANNABIS AVAILABILITY? AND WHAT IF LISTENING TO DAN BONGINO INSTEAD OF MSNBC HELPS YOUR ADMINISTRATION? GRACIAS. [SPANISH] THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS.

ALL RIGHT. I DON'T SEE ANYBODY.

SO WE WILL NOW CLOSE OUR PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD FOR NON AGENDA ITEMS.

[PRESENTATION: MISSION, VISION, VALUES AWARD PROGRAM]

THE MVV AWARDS PROGRAM WAS ESTABLISHED BY THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS IN 2019 WITH THE PURPOSE OF RECOGNIZING COUNTY AGENCIES, PROGRAMS, COMMITTEES, COMMISSIONS AND THE DISTRICTS THAT BEST EXEMPLIFY THE COUNTY'S MISSION, VISION AND VALUES.

THIS YEAR WE RECEIVED SEVEN ENTRIES.

ALL WERE COMPETITIVE IN ORDER TO DETERMINE WINNERS A SCORING COMMITTEE COMPRISED OF THE BOARD, CHAIR, VICE CHAIR AND THREE AT LARGE MEMBERS APPOINTED BY THE REMAINING SUPERVISORS WAS CREATED TO RANK THE NOMINEES AND SELECT A WINNER FROM AN INTERNAL COUNTY ORGANIZATION CATEGORY, AS WELL AS AN EXTERNAL ORGANIZATION CATEGORY.

AND WE'D LIKE TO GIVE A BIG THANK YOU TO THE THREE AT LARGE MEMBERS OF THE SCORING COMMITTEE RENO MARTINELLI, FRANCISCO BRIONES AND JEANNIE KNIGHT. SO WE ARE PROUD TO ANNOUNCE THAT THE HOUSING SUPPORT PROGRAM OF HUMAN SERVICES AGENCY DEPARTMENT AND THE TREASURY OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE WERE SELECTED AS THIS AS THIS YEAR'S WINNERS.

CONGRATULATIONS TO BOTH.

WE'LL GIVE THEM A ROUND OF APPLAUSE [APPLAUSE].

THANK YOU. AND AT THIS TIME, IF I CAN HAVE THE REPRESENTATIVE FROM HEALTH OR EXCUSE ME, THE HUMAN SERVICES AGENCY, TO JOIN ME OUT FRONT OF THE DAIS.

[00:10:03]

IN ADDITION TO PROVIDING SERVICE, THE POLICY AND PROCEDURES COMMITTEE MADE CHANGES THAT RESULTED IN 142 FAMILIES BEING PLACED INTO PERMANENT HOUSING BETWEEN JANUARY 22ND TO DECEMBER 22ND.

THIS IS A 273% INCREASE IN COMPARISON TO THE SAME TIME PERIOD IN 2021.

THEIR INNOVATIVE METHODS TO SERVE FAMILIES WHILE BEING INCLUSIVE AND UPHOLDING THE INTEGRITY OF THEIR SERVICES DEMONSTRATES THE COUNTY'S MISSION TO PROVIDE QUALITY PUBLIC SERVICE THAT ENHANCES AND PROTECTS OUR DIVERSE COMMUNITIES.

SO CONGRATULATIONS TO HSA'S HOUSING AND HOMELESS SERVICE BRANCH FOR BEING A RECIPIENT OF THIS YEAR'S MISSION VISION VALUE AWARDS [APPLAUSE].

AND I'M GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO MR. CHECKLEY FOR A FEW WORDS.

WELL, I APPRECIATE THAT.

I'D LIKE TO START BY JUST RECOGNIZING THE TEAM.

YOU KNOW, THERE'S 30 INDIVIDUALS, BUT COLLECTIVELY AS A TEAM, THEY DID ALL THAT WORK AND WE WOULDN'T BE UP HERE WITHOUT THAT WORK THAT YOU'VE ALL DONE OVER THE LAST YEAR.

AND IT REALLY DID PROVIDE QUALITY PUBLIC SERVICE THAT ENHANCED AND PROVIDED PROTECTION FOR OUR DIVERSE COMMUNITY.

AND FOR THAT, I'M GRATEFUL AND HONORED TO BE ABLE TO TO STAND HERE AND REPRESENT THE WORK THAT YOU ALL HAVE DONE JOHN, CAN YOU ASK THOSE INDIVIDUALS IN THE AUDIENCE IF THEY'RE HERE TO STAND UP, TO BE RECOGNIZED? ABSOLUTELY. THANK YOU IF YALL DON'T MIND [APPLAUSE].

AND EVERY DAY I GET TO WATCH THEM AND BE INSPIRED BY THE TEAMWORK.

THAT'S 30 INDIVIDUALS BUT AGAIN, COLLECTIVELY AS A TEAM, THEY'VE REALLY YOU'VE ALL REALLY ACHIEVED SOMETHING THIS YEAR.

EVERY YEAR WE'LL YIELD THE POINT IN TIME COUNT.

AND LAST YEAR WE NOTICED OVER THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS A TREND OF INCREASED FAMILIES EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS AND BEING PROVIDED SHELTER.

AND WE FOCUSED ON THAT AND WE CHANGED OUR PAYMENT STANDARDS.

WE PARTICIPATED IN THE GOVERNOR'S 100 DAY CHALLENGE.

AND ALL OF THAT HARD WORK RESULTED IN THIS YEAR'S NUMBERS COMING OUT WITH THE REDUCTION OF ABOUT, I BELIEVE IT WAS 83 CHILDREN LESS EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS, AND THAT THAT RESULTED IN AN OVERALL 8.3% DECREASE IN INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS AND DIRECT CORRELATION TO THE HARD WORK YOU ALL HAVE DONE.

SOMETHING YOU COULD BE PROUD OF FOREVER FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIVES.

YOU KNOW, EVERY DAY WHAT YOU DO, THE SERVICE YOU PROVIDE TO THIS COMMUNITY.

I APPRECIATE THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS AND THE CEO FOR THE SUPPORT THAT YOU ALL HAVE PROVIDED OVER THE YEARS AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO TO CHARGE HARD GET STUFF DONE.

THAT'S RIGHT. THANK YOU, JOHN.

APPRECIATE IT [APPLAUSE]. JOHN THERE'S PINS FOR YOU TO HAND OUT TO EVERYBODY THERE.

YEP. ALL RIGHT, IF WE CAN PLEASE HAVE THE REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE TREASURY OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE JOIN ME IN THE FRONT.

I ALSO AM THE BOARD'S APPOINTMENT TO THIS COMMITTEE.

A FEW A FEW LESS OF THESE THAN THERE WAS OF YOU GUYS, SO.

ALL RIGHT, WHO WANTS TO HOLD THAT RIGHT THERE? PERFECT. THANK YOU.

SO THE TREASURY OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE IS COMMITTED TO THE SAFE KEEPING OF MERCED COUNTY'S POOLED INVESTMENTS PORTFOLIO BY MAINTAINING AN INDEPENDENT PROCESS FOR REVIEW OF THE COUNTY'S TREASURER'S INVESTMENT POLICY AND FOR CAUSING AN ANNUAL INVESTMENT COMPLIANCE AUDIT.

THE PURPOSE OF THE COMMITTEE IS TO MONITOR AND REVIEW THE QUARTERLY INVESTMENT REPORT INVESTMENT POLICY, MAINTAIN A CONFLICT OF INTEREST POLICY AND REVIEW TREASURY OPERATIONS, ENSURING COMPLIANCE WITH INVESTMENT PRACTICES FOR SAFETY, LIQUIDITY AND YIELD MANDATES WITHIN THE GOVERNMENT CODE AND GRANTS WATCHDOG AUTHORITY OVER THE TREASURER , NOT THAT SHE NEEDS THAT MUCH.

BUT WE'RE HER OVERSIGHT AS THE COMMITTEE SAYS.

THE COMMITTEE IS COMPOSED OF THE MERCED COUNTY BOARD MEMBER, WHICH IS MYSELF, THE COUNTY AUDITOR, A REPRESENTATIVE FOR THE MERCED COUNTY OFFICE OF EDUCATION, MERCED COLLEGE, A

[00:15:09]

THEIR MEETINGS ARE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC AND UPHOLD THE STANDARDS OF THE BROWN ACT.

THE TREASURY OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE OPERATIONS EXEMPLIFIES INTEGRITY BY PROVIDING ACCOUNTABILITY AND TRANSPARENCY.

WE'RE PROUD TO RECOGNIZE THE TEAM AS A WINNER OF THIS YEAR'S MISSION, VISION AND VALUES AWARDS.

CONGRATULATIONS. AND WHO WOULD LIKE TO SAY A FEW WORDS? I'M REALLY BASHFUL, YOU KNOW THAT SCOTT AND I DO LOVE THE TREASURY OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE.

IN 1992, AFTER ORANGE COUNTY EXPERIENCED MASSIVE INVESTMENT LOSSES AND FILED BANKRUPTCY, THE LEGISLATORS IN CALIFORNIA ESTABLISHED THE TREASURY OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE.

AND I'M PROUD AFTER THE LAW SUNSET IT IN 2010, THE TREASURY OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE ELECTED TO CONTINUE THE REPORTING AND OVERSIGHT AUTHORITY.

SO, YES, THEY ARE THE WATCHDOGS OVER ME.

THEY MAKE SURE THAT I AM INVESTING WITHIN THE MANDATED GOVERNMENT CODE AND FOLLOW ALL OF THE PROVISIONS WE REPORT.

AND I REALLY WANT TO THANK ALL OF THEM AND ESPECIALLY MY TREASURY TEAM.

SO WITHOUT THE ASSISTANT TREASURER, TAX COLLECTOR KAREN HELMS AND THE CHIEF DEPUTY TREASURER, MARGIE LEONARD, NONE OF THE COMPILATION AND THE REPORTING WOULD BE POSSIBLE.

SO IN 26 YEARS WHEN I STARTED OUR PORTFOLIO WAS $98 MILLION AND IT WAS A TWO PAGE REPORT, WE'VE TAKEN THAT TO A 20 PAGE, FULLY DETAILED REPORT REPRESENTING $1.9 BILLION TODAY IN THE MERCED COUNTY TREASURY.

SO WE DO A LOT MORE THAN JUST DEPLETE YOUR PERSONAL PERSONAL WEALTH THROUGH TAXATION EACH YEAR WE COLLECT ALL THE MONIES FROM THE SCHOOL DISTRICT.

WE HAVE A COLLEGE REPRESENTATIVE, SPECIAL DISTRICT REPRESENTATIVE, MERCED COUNTY OFFICE OF ED, AND AS SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA SAID, HIS INVOLVEMENT REPRESENTING THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS.

SO I'M VERY GRATEFUL FOR THEIR ACTIVE PARTICIPATION AND THANK YOU ALL [APPLAUSE].

ALL RIGHT, NEXT, WE HAVE THE CONSENT CALENDAR ITEMS 1 THROUGH 11.

[CONSENT CALENDAR]

ALL RIGHT. WE'LL NOW OPEN UP THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD FOR THE CONSENT CALENDAR ITEMS 1 THROUGH 11.

NOT SEEING ANYONE WE'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD AND BRING IT BACK TO THE DAIS.

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

CALL FOR THE VOTE.

PLEASE RECORD THE VOTE.

THE MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY 5 TO 0.

AT THIS TIME, WE'LL HAVE PUBLIC HEALTH DIRECTOR, REBECCA.

DR. REBECCA NANYONJO-KEMP COME UP TO RECEIVE THE PROCLAMATION FOR NATIONAL PUBLIC HEALTH WEEK, PROVIDING RECOGNITION OF THE PUBLIC HEALTH CHAMPION AND PROVIDE US WITH A PRESENTATION REGARDING ITEM NUMBER THREE.

SO I'M GOING TO PRESENT THIS TO DR.

KIM, AND THEN SHE IS GOING TO SAY A FEW WORDS.

SO HERE YOU GO.

CONGRATULATIONS. WE GOT TO GET WE GOT TO GET A PICTURE WITH IT.

YOU CAN AND THEN WE'LL GET A PICTURE WITH WHO YOU'RE CHATTING WITH.

THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT.

[00:20:01]

GOOD MORNING MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.

SORRY, THAT KIND OF THREW ME OFF BECAUSE I WAS THAT WAS MY GROOVE OVER THERE.

BUT MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, CHAIRMAN SILVEIRA, CEO RAUL MENDEZ AND COUNTY COUNSEL HANSEN, GOOD MORNING.

THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING US THIS OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE A DECLARATION OF THIS FIRST WEEK BEING NATIONAL PUBLIC HEALTH WEEK.

I STARTED WITH THE COUNTY OF MERCED IN 2018 AND I DON'T THINK THERE'S BEEN ONE YEAR SINCE I'VE BEEN HERE THAT WE'VE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO CELEBRATE THIS.

IT'S SIGNIFICANT.

AND SO MEMBERS OF MY STAFF ARE HERE.

IF IT'S OKAY, IF I COULD ASK THEM TO COME UP AND IF I COULD JUST READ A COUPLE OF BULLET POINTS ON THIS, BECAUSE THERE IS AN EMPLOYEE WE'D LIKE TO TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO RECOGNIZE OUR NURSE, REBECCA MOLERO.

UM, WHEREAS PUBLIC HEALTH HAS MADE SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTIONS TO IMPROVING HEALTH STATUS AND LIFE EXPECTANCY AND REDUCING INJURY, DISABILITY AND DISEASE AND NATIONAL PUBLIC HEALTH WEEK, WHICH IS ALWAYS A FIRST WEEK OF APRIL FROM APRIL 3RD TO 7TH, PROVIDES THE OPPORTUNITY FOR THE PUBLIC TO LEARN ABOUT GAINS ATTRIBUTABLE TO ADVANCES IN PUBLIC HEALTH OVER THE PAST 100 YEARS.

EACH YEAR, THE MERCED COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH TAKES THE OPPORTUNITY, WITH EXCEPTION OF THE LAST FIVE, TO RECOGNIZE EMPLOYEES AS PUBLIC HEALTH CHAMPIONS FOR THEIR WORK TO IMPROVE THE HEALTH AND WELL-BEING OF MERCED COUNTY RESIDENTS AND ALSO THEIR ATTITUDE, THEIR SPIRIT, AND THEIR DEDICATION IN WHICH THE WORK IS BEING CONDUCTED.

AND THIS YEAR I'M REALLY, REALLY HONORED FOR 2023 TO ANNOUNCE THAT OUR PUBLIC HEALTH CHAMPION IS REBECCA MOLERO.

IF YOU WOULDN'T MIND COMING ON UP HERE, REBECCA [APPLAUSE].

AND I'M GOING TO CONTINUE TO READ WHILE YOU'RE UP HERE.

REBECCA MOLERO IS A PUBLIC HEALTH NURSE.

SHE HAS PROVIDED EXCEPTIONAL SERVICE THROUGHOUT THE COURSE OF HER DURATION AS AN EMPLOYEE HERE.

SHE'S COMMITTED TO THE DEPARTMENT VALUES AND CONTRIBUTES TO THE DEPARTMENT'S GOALS AND MISSIONS DURING AND AFTER THE COVID 19 PANDEMIC, PUBLIC HEALTH FACED STAFFING SHORTAGES AND REBECCA CONSISTENTLY TOOK ON ADDITIONAL ASSIGNMENTS WHILE MAINTAINING A POSITIVE ATTITUDE AND PROVIDED EXCELLENT CUSTOMER SERVICE TO THE COMMUNITY AND ALL ITS RESIDENTS WITHIN MERCED. NO MATTER THE CHALLENGE, REBECCA ALWAYS HAS A SMILE ON HER FACE AND HAS TREATED EVERY PERSON WITH PROFESSIONALISM, GRACE AND COMPASSION.

SO CONGRATULATIONS, REBECCA.

SMALL, SMALL, SMALL.

I GUESS CELEBRATION IN TERMS OF WHAT ALL IT COSTS.

AND WE REALLY APPRECIATE JUST, I GUESS, ON BEHALF OF THE COUNTY AND BEHALF OF THE DEPARTMENT, THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE [APPLAUSE].

I JUST WANT TO SAY I'M VERY GRATEFUL TO WORK WITH THE WONDERFUL PEOPLE I DO SERVING OUR COMMUNITY.

WHEN WE WERE ALL HIRED HERE, WE, I BELIEVE, WERE IN THE SAME ROOM.

AND WE WERE REMINDED THAT EVERY DAY WHEN WE WAKE UP, WE SHOULD BE CAUTIOUS OF THE FACT THAT WE ARE SERVING OUR COMMUNITY.

AND I THINK ABOUT THAT EVERY DAY.

SO THANK YOU.

THANK YOU [APPLAUSE].

MIC] ALL RIGHT. AND NOW WE'LL FOLLOW UP WITH A PRESENTATION.

OKAY. I HAVE SOME HANDOUTS FOR THE BOARD.

IS IT POSSIBLE TO GET THEM NOW? THANK YOU. THESE ARE ADVANCED COPIES.

HOT OFF THE PRESS FOR YOU.

AGAIN, I'D LIKE TO THANK THE BOARD CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, COUNTY CEO, AS WELL AS OUR COUNTY COUNCIL.

[00:25:01]

WE SPEAK ABOUT DATA, WE SPEAK ABOUT SOURCES OF DATA, WE SPEAK ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF DATA.

BUT THERE'S NEVER A COLLECTIVE AREA WHERE WE CAN FIND ALL OF OUR COMMUNITY DATA.

AND I'M REALLY PLEASED TO PRESENT TO YOU OUR COMMUNITY HEALTH ASSESSMENT.

AND YOU DO HAVE A COURTESY COPY IN FRONT OF YOU AND THERE IS AN ACKNOWLEDGMENT PAGE NOT TO ONLY POINT OUT THAT PAGE, BUT ON THE THIRD PAGE FOR THE BOARD AS WELL AS AS ALL OF YOUR ROLES. NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.

SO I AM GOING TO BE USING THE ACRONYM FOR WHAT THE COMMUNITY HEALTH ASSESSMENT IS FOR THE PURPOSES NOT ONLY OF THIS, JUST THIS BOARD, BUT WE USE ACRONYMS. I THINK ALL THE DEPARTMENTS DO.

AND PEOPLE ARE LIKE, WHAT IS THAT? WHAT IS THAT? WHAT IS THAT? SO I'M GOING TO USE THIS PODIUM AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO KEEP SAYING CHA AS A REMINDER THAT THAT IS SYNONYMOUS TO THE COMMUNITY HEALTH ASSESSMENT.

SO CHA AND COMMUNITY HEALTH ASSESSMENT ARE ONE AND THE SAME.

SO YOU MAY BE ASKING WHAT THE CHA IS.

FIRST OF ALL, LET ME GO BACK A LITTLE BIT AND SAY THIS OVERALL DOCUMENT IDENTIFIES AND DESCRIBES THE FACTORS WHICH AFFECT HEALTH OF A COMMUNITY, OVERALL HEALTH OF A COMMUNITY, NOT JUST THE MEDICAL METRICS, NOT ONLY THE HEALTH METRICS, BUT EVERYTHING THAT HAS AN IMPACT ON A PERSON'S HEALTH.

AND IT COULD BE OUTSIDE INFLUENCES THAT WE WOULDN'T THINK ABOUT TRADITIONALLY.

WE LOOK AT WHAT THE UPBRINGING OF A PERSON IS, WHERE DID THEY LIVE, WORK AND PLAY.

WE HEAR THOSE THOSE COMMENTS ALL THE TIME.

THIS ASSESSMENT IS A REFLECTION OF ALL OF THAT INFORMATION AND WE USE THAT INFORMATION TO DETERMINE AVAILABLE RESOURCES TO ADDRESS THOSE FACTORS THAT WE KNOW ARE DEFICIENCIES IN HOTSPOTS THROUGHOUT OUR DEPARTMENT, THROUGHOUT OUR COMMUNITY.

SO THE COMMUNITY HEALTH ASSESSMENT OR CHA REPRESENTS A NUMERICAL ANALYSIS OF THE DATA.

AND IT'S NOT JUST COUNTY WIDE DATA.

DATA IN AND OF ITSELF IS USELESS, RIGHT? UNLESS WE'RE COMPARING OURSELVES AGAINST A CONSISTENT, CONSISTENT REPRESENTATIVE, WHICH IS STATE AND LOCAL DATA IN THIS CASE, AND ALSO SOMETIMES DOWN TO THE CITY LEVEL IF IT GOES THAT GRANULAR, WE USE THAT DATA TO EVALUATE THE HEALTH STATUS OF THE COUNTY BY LOOKING AT THOSE FACTORS WHICH AFFECT AND IMPACT THE HEALTH OF THE COMMUNITY.

[INAUDIBLE] WHAT IS THE FREQUENCY OF THE COMPLETION OF THIS DOCUMENT? EVERY FIVE YEARS.

BUT FOR THOSE WHO HAVE WORKED IN HEALTH, AND ESPECIALLY THE HOSPITAL, THE HOSPITAL IS REQUIRED EVERY THREE YEARS TO COMPLETE A COMMUNITY HEALTH NEEDS ASSESSMENT.

AND IT'S DONE FOR THE PURPOSES OF TAX EXEMPTION ON CERTAIN ITEMS. AND SO WHERE POSSIBLE, WE DO TRY AND ALIGN WITH THE CHNAS FOR BOTH OF OUR HOSPITALS.

SO THERE'S ONE CONSISTENTLY PRODUCED DOCUMENT, AGAIN WITH COVID THAT HAS BEEN A LITTLE BIT MORE DIFFICULT THAN IT ORDINARILY WOULD BE, BUT JUST SO YOU KNOW THAT .IT IS ONE OF THE THREE DOCUMENTS THAT ARE USED TO SUBMIT AN APPLICATION FOR NATIONAL PUBLIC HEALTH ACCREDITATION.

THE COMMUNITY HEALTH ASSESSMENT IS THE FIRST IN IN TERMS OF THE TIMELINE OF THE DOCUMENTS THAT ARE REQUIRED FOR COMPLETION.

WE START WITH THE DATA AND THEN WE USE THE DATA TO FORM A NARRATIVE WHICH LEADS INTO THE COMMUNITY HEALTH IMPROVEMENT PLAN.

SO NOT JUST SAYING THESE ARE THE NUMBERS, BUT THESE ARE THE ACTUAL GOALS OR THESE ARE THE OBJECTIVES OR, YOU KNOW, THE PARTNERS THAT WE'RE GOING TO LOOK AT TO RESOLVE SOME OF THESE ISSUES OR AT LEAST MAKE A DENT IN SOME OF THESE AREAS THAT WE KNOW ARE OF CONCERN.

SO ON THE HEELS OF THIS COMMUNITY HEALTH ASSESSMENT, AND WHEN I SAY HEELS, I MEAN, YOU KNOW, WITHIN THE NEXT YEAR OR SO, BECAUSE THESE DOCUMENTS TAKE QUITE A BIT OF TIME TO COLLATE INFORMATION WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT STATE AND AND NATIONAL DATA, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT MULTIPLE SOURCES REALLY RESTRICTED TO THE USERS OF THAT DATA, UNDERSTANDING IT, MAKING SURE THAT IT'S DE-IDENTIFIED AND AS CONFIDENTIAL AS POSSIBLE BEFORE IT GETS CIRCULATED.

SO WHAT YOU SEE IS A PRETTY REPRESENTATION FROM THE RAW FILES THAT THAT HAD TO BE SCRUBBED THROUGH TO COLLATE THE INFORMATION.

SO ON THE HEELS OF THIS, THE COMMUNITY HEALTH IMPROVEMENT PLAN WILL BE DEVELOPED AND I WON'T GO INTO THAT NOW.

THERE'LL BE HOPEFULLY MAYBE NOT ANOTHER PRESENTATION, BUT AN EMAIL EXPLAINING WHAT THAT PROCESS WILL LOOK LIKE.

BUT THE REASON THAT THE CHA IS SO IMPORTANT TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE COMMUNITY HEALTH IMPROVEMENT PLAN, ALSO KNOWN AS THE CHIP, IS BECAUSE YOU CANNOT PUT TOGETHER YOUR COMMUNITY GOALS WITHOUT KNOWING WHERE YOUR PAIN POINTS ARE.

AND THAT DATA ALLOWS FOR US TO SAY THERE'S TEN PAIN POINTS, BUT WE WANT TO MAKE PRIORITY OF THESE FOUR, THESE THREE, THESE FIVE, WHATEVER THE CASE MAY BE.

AND IT'S NOT DONE IN A SILO OR A VACUUM.

IT IS DONE WITH STAKEHOLDERS, COMMUNITY PARTNERS, INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE VESTED INTERESTS IN MAKING SURE THERE ARE IMPROVEMENTS.

IT'S LONG BEEN USED AS A TOOL, THE COMMUNITY HEALTH ASSESSMENT LIKE PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENTS, HOSPITALS I'VE ALREADY SPOKE ABOUT AND OTHER SOCIAL SERVICES AGENCIES TO IDENTIFY KEY COMMUNITY HEALTH CONCERNS.

WHAT'S NOT ON THIS SLIDE IS OFTENTIMES THE COMMUNITY HEALTH ASSESSMENT TOOL, OR PARDON ME, IS ALSO USED FOR PUTTING IN GRANT APPLICATIONS SUBMISSIONS, YOU KNOW, THEY ASK FOR DATA. THERE'S ALWAYS A NARRATIVE THAT'S REQUIRED OF EVERY GRANT AND THIS CONTAINS ALL OF THAT.

AND SO THAT JUST IS AN OVERVIEW OF KIND OF WHAT THE CHA IS.

NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. HOW IT'S DONE IS WHAT WE GET INTO THE NEXT SUBSEQUENT SLIDES.

I WON'T TALK ABOUT THIS TOO MUCH, BUT WHAT I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THOUGH, IS THAT IT'S NOT JUST DONE TO DO.

[00:30:05]

THE FIRST STEP IS REFLECTION AND STRATEGY.

YOU KNOW, PUTTING UNDERSTANDING WHAT IT IS THAT WE'RE GOING TO LOOK AT, WHY WE'RE GOING TO LOOK AT IT.

WHAT ARE SOME OF THE CONSIDERATIONS THAT HAVE HAPPENED OVER THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS THAT MAY BE WHY THE DATA LOOKS THE WAY THAT IT LOOKS.

AND THEN THERE'S A LOT OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, A LOT OF STAKEHOLDERS, A LOT OF FOCUS GROUPS THAT ARE CONDUCTED THROUGHOUT THE DURATION OF BEFORE THIS IS COMPILED TOGETHER.

AND WE DOCUMENT STEP SIX DOCUMENT AND COMMUNICATE THE RESULTS.

I THINK I'LL SAY THIS AT THIS PODIUM.

I THINK A LOT OF THE TIMES THE REASON THAT DATA FALLS SHORT IS BECAUSE THERE'S AN INABILITY TO UNDERSTAND AND ENGAGE AND COMMUNICATE WITH AN AUDIENCE THAT WE UNDERSTAND.

WE ARE AWARE OF THE DEMOGRAPHICS WITHIN MERCED COUNTY.

AND SO THIS DOCUMENT HAS BEEN WRITTEN IN A WAY TO REFLECT HOW IT WOULD BE READ BY THE MOST IMPORTANT AUDIENCE MEMBERS OF THIS DOCUMENT, WHICH IS THE COMMUNITY.

SO WE DO TAKE A LOOK AT THAT.

THERE'S A LOT THAT GOES INTO IT.

I WON'T GO INTO TOO MUCH, BUT JUST SO YOU HAVE SOME IDEA, THIS WAS OVER A YEAR TO COMPILE.

IT TOOK OVER ONE YEAR TO COMPILE ALL THIS INFORMATION.

NEXT SLIDE. THE SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH.

WE OFTEN HEARD THOSE SAY STATED.

I'M SURE MANY OF YOU HAVE HEARD IT AT ONE JUNCTION IN TIME OR ANOTHER.

BUT THE SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH, IN SHORT, ARE HOW IS THAT WE OPTIMIZE THE SITUATIONS AND CONDITIONS WHERE PEOPLE LIVE, WORK AND PLAY TO ACHIEVE THE BEST POSSIBLE OUTCOME OF HEALTH. THAT'S ESSENTIALLY WHAT IT DOES.

AND THOSE FOUR, FIVE QUADRANTS THAT YOU SEE UP THERE ARE A REFLECTION OF WHAT THOSE SOCIAL DETERMINANTS ARE.

EDUCATION, ACCESS AND QUALITY.

WE KNOW THAT EARLY INTERVENTIONS ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT INTERVENTIONS.

BY THE TIME SOMEBODY SO DEEP INTO NOT HAVING A METHOD OF LEARNING OR NOT HAVING LEARNED CORRECTLY, NOT HAVING ACCESS TO QUALITY INFORMATION THAT WOULD ALLOW FOR THEM TO BE PRODUCTIVE AND BE ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH THOSE GOALS IN LIFE, WE KNOW IS AN IMPERATIVE.

ALSO, HEALTH CARE ACCESS AND QUALITY WILL GO INTO A LITTLE BIT MORE THROUGHOUT THIS PRESENTATION.

BUT WE ARE IN A HEALTH CARE DESERT.

WE'RE IN A DESERT FOR A LOT OF THINGS.

BUT HEALTH IS A SIGNIFICANT CONCERN BECAUSE IF YOU CANNOT FORM A RELATIONSHIP OR YOU DON'T HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO ESTABLISH CARE WITH THE PHYSICIAN WHO'S GOING TO BE HERE LONG TERM, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF US HAVE HAD OUR DOCTORS TO THE POINT WHERE WE JUST CALL THEM, HEY, I NEED THIS, I NEED THAT.

THERE'S AN INABILITY TO FORM THAT RELATIONSHIP.

AND WHEN IT COMES TO TO POINTS OF CARE AND THE IMPORTANCE OF PRIMARY CARE, THAT'S WHAT KEEPS OUR HOSPITALS EMPTIER.

THAT'S WHAT KEEPS OUR EMERGENCY ROOMS EMPTIER.

THAT'S WHAT KEEPS OUR URGENT CARE CENTERS EMPTIER.

PRIMARY CARE IS SO IT'S TANTAMOUNT TO HOW ONE LIVES AND WORKS AND PLAYS.

YOU KNOW, IF YOU'RE SICK AND YOU DON'T KNOW IT AND WE'LL GET TO THAT TOO ALSO THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN DISEASE OUTCOMES IN THIS COMMUNITY VERSUS DEATH OUTCOMES, WE SEE A LOT MORE DEATH THAN WE DO DISEASE FOR THINGS THAT ARE PREVENTABLE.

AND SO THAT'S ONE OF THE PAIN POINTS THAT WE WE BRING UP IN THIS DOCUMENT AS WELL.

SO THESE SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH, SOCIAL AND COMMUNITY CONTEXT ISOLATION, WE SAW THAT DURING COVID PEOPLE FEELING ISOLATED.

WE SAW THAT IN NURSING HOMES WHERE PEOPLE DIDN'T HAVE AN ABILITY TO TO BE WITH THEIR LOVED ONES, THEIR RELATIVES, THEIR FRIENDS, NEIGHBORHOOD AND BUILT ENVIRONMENT.

IF YOU LIVE IN AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE YOU'RE NOT ABLE TO OPTIMIZE ALL OF THOSE OTHER METRICS, THAT BECOMES VERY COMPOUNDING AND ALSO ECONOMIC STABILITY.

SO THAT'S JUST A BRIEF EXPLANATION OF THE SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH.

NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.

SO NOW WE'RE GOING TO GET INTO THE MOST IMPORTANT PART OF THIS PRESENT.

WELL, NO, IT'S NOT, BUT IT'S THE OUTCOME, I GUESS, OF THIS PRESENTATION, WHICH IS THE DATA.

AND IT'S JUST GOING TO BE A BRIEF SUMMARY.

I'VE LEFT YOU WITH THESE. I ASK THAT YOU NOT CIRCULATE THEM BROADLY BECAUSE THE REASON THEY WERE GIVEN TO YOU IS THAT IF YOU MAY HAVE SOME SLIGHT CHANGES OR TWEAKS THAT YOU'D LIKE TO SEE, THIS IS FIRST BLUSH, FIRST COPY, SO WE'LL BE ABLE TO INCORPORATE THOSE IF THAT'S WHAT YOU'D LIKE TO SEE OR ANY FEEDBACK WOULD ALWAYS BE WELCOME AS WELL.

AND IT'S IMPORTANT BECAUSE YOU ARE OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS AND YOU ARE THE DECISION MAKERS ON BEHALF OF THIS COUNTY.

SO IT'S IMPORTANT THAT YOU HAVE THIS.

[INAUDIBLE] THE DATA.

SO NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.

SO THIS IS THE DEMOGRAPHICS OR BREAKDOWN OF WHAT WE SEE IN THE COMMUNITY.

I'M SORRY THE NUMBERS ARE SO TINY.

I HOPE YOU CAN SEE.

BUT ESSENTIALLY, THERE ARE ABOUT 285,000 INDIVIDUALS AS OF THE CENSUS DATA THAT WAS PROVIDED, I BELIEVE IT WAS IN 2021, OF WHICH WE SEE 61% WHO IDENTIFY AS HISPANIC OR LATINO.

WE HAVE 26.5% WHO IDENTIFY AS WHITE, 7.8% IDENTIFIED AS ASIAN 13.9% WHO IDENTIFY AS BLACK AFRICAN AMERICAN AND 0.8% OTHER.

AS OF 2019, THE POPULATION SORRY, IT'S 2019 WAS 286,461.

THERE'S ABOUT A HALF AND A HALF SPLIT.

BUT WHAT YOU'LL NOTICE IS THAT THE MEDIAN AGE HERE IS MUCH YOUNGER THAN YOU WOULD SEE THROUGHOUT THE REST OF THE STATE AND PROBABLY THROUGHOUT OTHER AREAS IN THE NATION.

WITH 31 YEARS OF AGE, ALMOST 30% OF COUNTY RESIDENTS ARE UNDER THE AGE OF 18 AND 11, AND A HALF PERCENT ARE GREATER THAN THE AGE OF

[00:35:02]

26.5% OF COUNTY RESIDENTS WERE FOREIGN BORN.

THAT IS SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER THAN YOU WOULD FIND IN OTHER COMMUNITIES.

AND 23% OF RESIDENTS FIVE YEARS OF AGE OR OLDER HAVE A LIMITED ENGLISH PROFICIENCY.

NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.

HEALTH CARE ACCESS AND QUALITY.

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE DISCUSSED ABOUT WITH THE SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH SLIDES SO PREVENTABLE HOSPITALIZATIONS WE SPOKE ABOUT ACCESS TO PRIMARY CARE ALLOWS FOR A LOT OF THINGS TO BE IDENTIFIED BEFORE THEY LEAD TO HOSPITALIZATIONS OR VISITS TO HOSPITAL CARE OR HEALTH CARE SETTINGS THAT ARE REALLY SUPPOSED TO BE FOR URGENT AND IMMINENT CARE.

AND THIS IS ACTUALLY, YOU KNOW, TO DEVIATE A LITTLE BIT.

THIS IS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S BROUGHT UP IN OUR EMERGENCY MEDICAL CARE COMMITTEE, WHICH IS THE COMMITTEE THAT WAS BY ORDINANCE REQUIRED FOR OUR EMS AGENCY.

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE SPEAK ABOUT IS HOW WE ARE SO IMPACTED IN OUR EMERGENCY ROOMS, HOW PEOPLE ARE CALLING AMBULANCE SERVICES JUST FOR THINGS THAT WOULD OTHERWISE BE SIMPLE.

YOU KNOW, I MEAN, THERE'S BEEN A HUGE SHIFT BECAUSE OF ACCESS, BECAUSE OF TRANSPORTATION, BECAUSE A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS GOING INTO THE EQUATION.

BUT IF THIS IS SOMETHING THAT CAN BE RESOLVED AND I HAVE TO THANK FORMER ASSEMBLY MEMBER GRAY IN TERMS OF BEING ABLE TO BRING MONIES TO THIS AREA FOR MEDICAL SCHOOL.

BUT A LOT OF THE TIMES PHYSICIANS ACTUALLY REMAIN WHERE THEY CONDUCT THEIR RESIDENCY.

THEY LOVE THEIR PATIENTS, THEY LOVE THE COMMUNITY.

I WANT TO STAY HERE NOW.

AND SO HOPEFULLY WE'LL START TO SEE MORE TAKE PLACE IN THAT AREA OF MEDICINE, NOT JUST THE SCHOOL, BUT ALSO THE RESIDENCY PROGRAM AND REALLY ESTABLISHING THAT IN MERCED COUNTY.

THERE WERE 3,300.

THIS IS A RATE PER 100,000, BY THE WAY, 3,300 PREVENTABLE HOSPITALIZATIONS.

AND IF YOU COMPARE IT AGAINST THE REST OF THE STATE, 2087 IN CALIFORNIA AND 2865, 92% OF RESIDENTS IN MERCED COUNTY DO LIVE IN A SHORTAGE AREA.

AND IT'S NOT JUST FOR PRIMARY CARE PROVIDERS.

IT ALSO GOES TO OUR MENTAL HEALTH CLINICIANS SPECIALTY CARE SERVICES.

ALMOST A LITTLE OVER 8% OF RESIDENTS ARE UNINSURED, ALTHOUGH THAT NUMBER MAY CHANGE NOW THAT THERE'S BEEN CHANGES CONDUCTED AT THE STATE LEVEL BY THE GOVERNOR.

WHEN RESIDENTS WERE ASKED THE QUESTION OF HOW MUCH, WHAT WHAT THEIR IMPRESSION OF THE QUALITY OF HEALTH CARE WAS, ALMOST HALF OF THOSE WHO WERE SURVEYED IDENTIFIED THE QUALITY OVERALL AS BEING POOR.

IN 2021 AS YOU SEE ON THERE, WE HAD NEARLY 3300 PREVENTABLE HOSPITALIZATIONS FOR THE SIZE THAT WE HAVE OF THE HEALTH CARE INSTITUTIONS AND FACILITIES BY WAY OF OUR HOSPITALS. THAT MAKES A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT.

THAT TAKES UP A LOT OF SPACE AND THIS IS AS OF 2021.

SO I'M SURE A LOT OF THOSE HAD TO DO WITH COVID AS WELL.

AND SO THESE THINGS OFTEN GET STARTS OFF AS ONE THING, BUT IT GETS COMPOUNDED INTO OTHERS AND OTHERS.

AND SOONER OR LATER YOU JUST HAVE AN ONGOING CRISIS THAT YOU'RE DEALING WITH BY WAY OF HEALTH IN YOUR COMMUNITY.

NEXT SLIDE. EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT.

AGAIN, GOING BACK TO THE SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT EDUCATIONAL ACCESS AND QUALITY.

SO THIS IS EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT BY RACE, ETHNICITY STRATIFIED BY DIFFERENT DEGREES.

SO LESS THAN MERCED COUNTY HAS OVERALL LOWER RATES OF EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT.

56% OF RESIDENTS WHO WERE ASKED, AGREED OR STRONGLY AGREED THAT THE QUALITY OF EDUCATION IS LOW.

CERTAIN RACIAL AND ETHNIC GROUPS.

OBVIOUSLY YOU SEE THAT THERE ARE DISPROPORTIONATE LEVELS OF EDUCATIONAL COMPLETION.

SO AS I SPOKE ABOUT BEFORE, EDUCATION CAN CREATE ADDITIONAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR OVERALL HEALTH.

ANYWAYS, AND I'LL LEAVE IT AT THAT.

AND AGAIN, THAT GOES INTO GREATER DETAIL WITHIN YOUR COMMUNITY HEALTH ASSESSMENT BOOK AS WELL SOCIAL.

COMMUNITY CONTEXTS, SOCIAL AND COMMUNITY, SOCIAL IMPACT AND THE ABILITY OF SOCIAL COHESION AND ITS IMPORTANCE, I THINK ARE OFTEN UNDERRATED IN THIS COUNTRY.

IN THE UNITED STATES, WE LIVE IN A VERY INDIVIDUALISTIC, YOU KNOW, YOU MAKE DECISIONS BY YOURSELF.

YOU HOLD TO THOSE DECISIONS.

IF WE HAVE A DO YOU TYPE OF MENTALITY, THERE'S ONE ACTUALLY FROM MY DISSERTATION.

ONE OF THE PARADOX, A PARADOX THAT WAS IDENTIFIED IS WHEN PEOPLE COME IN COMMUNITIES, EVEN IF THEY'RE DISENFRANCHISED, EVEN IF THEY'RE POOR, TEND TO HAVE BETTER BIRTH OUTCOMES THAN PEOPLE WHO ARE BORN IN THE UNITED STATES.

SO EVEN ME WHO HAS AFRICAN PARENTS, MY MOM WOULD HAVE HAD BETTER BIRTH OUTCOMES THAN I.

WHO MIGHT HAVE HIGHER SOCIOECONOMIC AND EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT.

BECAUSE OF THAT COLLECTIVIST NATURE THAT A LOT IS BROUGHT THAT PEOPLE BRING FORMING A SENSE OF COMMUNITY.

AS THE GENERATIONS CONTINUE, THOUGH, YOU'LL SEE THAT THAT SOCIAL COHESION ACTUALLY STARTS TO BECOME AN ISSUE BECAUSE THOSE ARE BONDS, THOSE ARE EMOTIONAL BONDS THAT ARE DEVELOPED.

I'VE HEARD MULTIPLE TIMES WHEN DIRECTOR VALENTINE WAS OVER BEHAVIORAL HEALTH, THE IMPORTANCE OF HAVING THOSE BONDS, THAT ISOLATION AND WHAT IT DOES TO SOMEBODY EMOTIONALLY AND PHYSICALLY.

[00:40:01]

SO THAT'S WITHOUT SMOKING.

JUST BEING ALONE IS THE EQUIVALENT OF SMOKING 15 CIGARETTES A DAY.

SO MERCED COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH DID CONDUCT A SURVEY OF RESIDENTS FROM THE PERIODS OF DECEMBER 2021 TO APRIL 2022.

LONELINESS AND ISOLATION OVERALL WERE SHOWN TO HAVE BEEN LINKED TO INCREASED OVERALL MORTALITY AND POORER FUNCTIONAL CAPABILITY AND CAPACITY.

ALMOST 40% OF RESIDENTS REPORT HAVING BEEN UNABLE TO WORK 8 TO 30 DAYS IN THE PAST YEAR BECAUSE OF DEALING WITH ONGOING MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES.

AND 45% OF RESIDENTS WHO CONDUCTED THE SURVEY EITHER AGREE OR STRONGLY AGREE THAT THERE IS AN OVERALL LACK OF SOCIAL SUPPORT THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY AND FOR THE SAME AMOUNT AGREED THAT THERE'S A LACK OF FAMILY SUPPORT IN THEIR THEIR COMMUNITY AS WELL.

ECONOMIC STABILITY.

ANOTHER ONE OF THE SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH THAT WE LOOKED AT.

ECONOMICS DOESN'T ALWAYS LEAD TO OPPORTUNITY, BUT THERE IT RAISES BY SIGNIFICANT AMOUNTS, RIGHT? I WOULD SAY BY LOGS IT RAISES THE OPPORTUNITY FOR ONE TO HAVE BETTER OUTCOMES THAN THEY WOULD IF THEY HAD BEEN IN POVERTY.

1 IN 5 RESIDENTS AND 1 IN 3 CHILDREN LIVE IN POVERTY.

AND AGAIN, THIS IS SPECIFIC TO THE COUNTY.

61% OF SURVEYED RESIDENTS AGREE OR STRONGLY AGREE THAT THE AVERAGE INCOME WITHIN THE COUNTY IS LOW AND THE UNEMPLOYMENT RATE, AGAIN, SOME OF THIS DATA IS A BIT DATED BECAUSE THERE'S COPIOUS AMOUNTS OF IT.

AND SO THIS ISN'T A REFLECTION AS OF YESTERDAY'S INFORMATION.

THIS IS WHAT YOU'RE SEEING RIGHT NOW WOULD BE MORE A REFLECTION OF 2021 DEPENDING ON AND YOU'LL SEE THE METHODOLOGY LISTED OUT.

UNEMPLOYMENT RATE IN MERCED COUNTY IS 12.2 COMPARED TO 10% IN CALIFORNIA.

AND I KNOW WE HAVE WORKFORCE INVESTMENT HERE, SO IT MAY BE A LITTLE OFF, BUT IT WAS RIGHT AT ONE POINT.

SO I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT AND WE RANKED 15TH ON A NATIONAL LIST OF COUNTIES WHERE HOMEOWNERSHIP HAS BECOME UNAFFORDABLE.

I WOULD SAY OUR RANK IS PROBABLY EVEN HIGHER WITH THE LOWER NUMBER NOW BECAUSE AT THE TIME IT WAS PROBABLY MORE AFFORDABLE THAN IT IS NOW.

THERE'S BEEN AN INCREASE IN UNHOUSED INDIVIDUALS SINCE 2017 AND YOU CAN SEE THE DATA THERE.

BUT FOR THOSE WHO CAN'T SEE IT IN THE BACK, 46% OF THE UNSHELTERED UNHOUSED ADULT POPULATION ARE CHRONICALLY UNHOUSED.

24% OF THE UNHOUSED POPULATION HAVE SERIOUS MENTAL HEALTH PROBLEMS. 58% OF THOSE WHO WERE SURVEYED AGREED OR STRONGLY AGREE THAT THERE IS LIMITED ACCESS TO JOBS IN THE COUNTY.

AND AGAIN, WHETHER THIS IS WHERE THEY WERE SURVEYED, THESE WERE THE RESPONSES THAT WERE GIVEN, WHETHER IT'S BASED ON FACTUAL INFORMATION OR NOT.

THAT'S DEFINITELY THE PERCEPTION AMONGST AND THE ONES WHO WERE SURVEYED ARE I WOULD SAY THEY UNDERSTAND THE COMMUNITY AND HOW THE COMMUNITY WORKS AND AND THE INFORMATION AND THE RESOURCES THAT ARE AVAILABLE.

NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.

NEIGHBORHOOD AND BUILT ENVIRONMENT.

SO I WON'T GO TOO MUCH INTO THIS.

BUT AGAIN, NEIGHBORHOOD BUILT ENVIRONMENT IS JUST THAT, YOU KNOW, DO YOU HAVE ACCESS TO PHYSICAL SPACE, GREEN SPACE? WHERE DO YOU LIVE? IS IT A PLACE THAT'S KNOWN FOR A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF VIOLENCE, NEFARIOUS ACTIVITY THAT TAKES PLACE? PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENTS WHERE THE NEIGHBORHOODS WHERE PEOPLE LIVE, OBVIOUSLY HAVE AN OVERALL HUGE IMPACT ON ONE'S HEALTH AND WELL BEING.

SUBSTANDARD HOUSING, LOW ACCESS TO HEALTHY FOOD OPTIONS AND LACK OF GREEN SPACE ARE OFTEN ASSOCIATED WITH LOWER SOCIOECONOMIC NEIGHBORHOODS OR WHERE THE ENVIRONMENT HAS ACTUALLY NOT BEEN BUILT OUT THE WAY, YOU KNOW, BEING HAVING ACCESS TO THOSE RESOURCES WOULD WOULD BE ALLOWED.

MERCED COUNTY FROM THE MERCED COUNTY RESIDENTS SURVEY, 43% OF THE RESPONDENTS AGREED OR STRONGLY AGREED THERE ARE NO SIDEWALKS IN MANY NEIGHBORHOODS AND 53% ALSO AGREED OR STRONGLY AGREED THAT THERE ARE LIMITED PARKS, PLAYGROUNDS OR GREEN SPACES THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY.

NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. I'M GOING TO GO BRIEFLY OVER THE TOP SEVEN CAUSES OF DEATH.

THE FIRST IS CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE, WHICH IS CONSISTENT WITH THE NUMBER ONE LEADING CAUSE OF DEATH IN THE NATION.

NUMBER TWO, COVID 19.

WE WERE PARTICULARLY IMPACTED BY COVID 19 IN 2021.

MALIGNANT NEOPLASMS OR ALL DIFFERENT SORTS OF CANCERS WITH THE NUMBER THREE LEADING CAUSE ACCIDENTS AND UNINTENTIONAL INJURIES WAS THE FOURTH LEADING CAUSE OF DEATH AND CEREBRAL VASCULAR DISEASES WAS THE FIFTH LEADING CAUSE OF DEATH.

AND SO THERE WAS AN OVERALL INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF DEATHS WE WOULD ORDINARILY SEE FOR THIS TIME FRAME BECAUSE OF COVID.

THAT SIGNIFICANTLY RAISED THE MORTALITY THROUGHOUT THIS COMMUNITY.

AND JUST TO GIVE SOME PERSPECTIVE, AND I'LL GO BACKWARDS IN 2021, AS YOU SEE HERE, THERE WERE 203,024 DEATHS.

THE YEAR PRIOR THERE WERE 2,246 DEATHS, BUT THE YEAR PRIOR TO THAT, IN 2019, THERE WERE 1,730 DEATHS.

[00:45:05]

AND WE'VE BEEN SEEING THAT CONSISTENTLY SINCE THAT TIME.

AND WHEN THIS FROM THE TIME THIS DATA WAS CAPTURED, AGAIN, IT WAS IN THE 1700S UP UNTIL IT JUMPED IN 2020 AND 2021.

AND THEN THE LAST TWO ARE CHRONIC, LOWER RESPIRATORY DISEASES AND DIABETES.

YOU WILL SEE A SECTION ON AIR POLLUTION AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE.

AND THERE WAS AN AIR POLLUTION REPORT THAT WENT OUT, I THINK, JUST THE OTHER DAY THAT I ALSO READ TOO, WHICH WAS VERY INTERESTING.

NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.

THESE ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT HEALTH PROBLEMS. AND I DID HIGHLIGHT IN THERE THAT THIS IS COMMUNITY PERCEPTION.

SO THE RANK NUMBER ONE AND THIS IS BASED ON THE PERCENT OF RESPONDENTS WHO BELIEVE THE HEALTH PROBLEM IS AT LEAST IMPORTANT, IF NOT VERY IMPORTANT.

THE NUMBER ONE WAS COVID 19 OR OTHER INFECTIOUS DISEASES.

THE SECOND WAS AGING ISSUES SUCH AS ALZHEIMER'S, HEARING LOSS, MEMORY LOSS OR ARTHRITIS.

THE THIRD WAS MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES.

BUT YOU'LL SEE THOSE PERCENTAGES ARE SUPER DUPER CLOSE 44.8% AND I THINK IT WAS LIKE 44.7% LOW.

SO BUT THEY ALMOST RANKED AT THE SECOND ISSUE CAUSE FOR CONCERN.

THE FOURTH, HIV AIDS AND OTHER TRANSMITTED SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED INFECTIONS.

THE FIFTH IS CEREBROVASCULAR DISEASES WHICH COMMONLY ARE STROKES OR TIAS.

ORAL HEALTH IS THE SIXTH BIGGEST PROBLEM THAT WAS IDENTIFIED BY THE COMMUNITY'S PERCEPTION, AND THE SEVENTH IS MALIGNANT NEOPLASMS. SO NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.

ORAL HEALTH IS ANOTHER TOPIC.

ORAL HEALTH. THE ONE THING THAT I THINK WE DON'T TALK ABOUT A LOT IS NOT JUST GETTING YOUR TEETH CLEANED.

IT'S WHAT HAVING POOR ORAL HEALTH LEADS TO.

YOU CAN GET YOU CAN HAVE HEART ISSUES BECAUSE OF POOR ORAL HEALTH.

YOU CAN DEVELOP CHRONIC LUNG DISEASE BECAUSE YOU HAVE POOR ORAL HEALTH.

WHEN YOU HAVE ESPECIALLY CHILDREN UNDER THE AGE OF SIX, WHEN THEY HAVEN'T RECEIVED JUST BASIC ORAL HEALTH, THAT LEADS TO OVERALL IMPACTS AND OUTCOMES LATER ON IN LIFE THAT CAN BE DEBILITATING.

I'M SORRY I WENT ON ORAL HEALTH, BUT THESE ARE OVERALL OTHER HEALTH.

BUT THE SECOND POINT, SECOND BULLET THE POOR ORAL HEALTH CAN CAUSE SPEECH DEVELOPMENT ISSUES PATTERNS IN CHILDREN, ABSENTEEISM AFFECT NUTRITIONAL INTAKE, WHICH WOULD BE AN OBVIOUS THING AND OVERALL IMPACT QUALITY OF LIFE, NOT JUST IN CHILDREN, BUT ALSO IN ADULTS AS WELL.

PREGNANCY, BIRTH OUTCOMES AND BREASTFEEDING, WHICH IS THE FIRST TOPIC LIFTED ON THAT SLIDE.

MERCED COUNTY HAS THE FIFTH HIGHEST BIRTH RATE IN THE STATE, AND THE TEENAGE BIRTH RATE IS 1.68 TIMES HIGHER THAN YOU WOULD SEE THROUGHOUT THE REST OF CALIFORNIA.

THE INFANT MORTALITY RATE ALSO IS THE SAME AS THE BIRTH RATE, WHICH IS THE FIFTH HIGHEST IN THE STATE.

AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, OBESITY ASSOCIATED WITH INCREASED RISK OF ALMOST ALL THE TOP CAUSES OF MORTALITY IN MERCED COUNTY AND WITHIN FOR OUR YOUNGER POPULATIONS, FIFTH, SEVENTH AND NINTH GRADE, THE RATES AMONGST THOSE CHILDREN ARE HIGHER THAN YOU WOULD SEE THROUGHOUT THE REMAINDER OF THE STATE.

SO I DON'T KNOW HOW LONG THAT TOOK ME, BUT I DEFINITELY WANTED TO JUST GIVE AN OVERVIEW.

I'D BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO PRESENT TO YOU IF YOU WANTED TO HAVE INDIVIDUAL MEETINGS, I'D BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO DO THAT.

BUT I DEFINITELY HE'S NOT HERE WANTING TO THANK DR.

RAVI SINGH, WHO'S OUR SUPERVISING EPIDEMIOLOGIST WHO LED THIS EFFORT.

HE WAS THE CHAMPION BEHIND THIS, AND IF IT WEREN'T ME, HE WOULD BE THE ONE SPEAKING HERE TODAY.

AND I DEFINITELY WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE EPIDEMIOLOGY AND COMMUNICATIONS DIVISIONS WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT.

THIS IS A RELATABLE AND UNDERSTANDABLE DOCUMENT, AND IT WAS INTENDED TO BE WRITTEN AS SUCH, BECAUSE WE DO RECOGNIZE THAT THE MOST IMPORTANT AUDIENCE PERSON WHO READS THIS IS ANY SINGULAR MEMBER OF THE COMMUNITY, DESPITE THEIR RANK, DESPITE WHAT LOT THEY HOLD.

AND I ALSO WANTED TO REALLY HIGHLIGHT THAT THIS WAS A DOCUMENT DEVELOPED IN-HOUSE BY OUR EPIDEMIOLOGY AND COMMUNICATIONS DIVISION.

SO EVERYTHING YOU SEE HERE WAS NOT DONE BY SOME OTHER GROUP OR SET OF INDIVIDUALS.

IT WAS DONE IN-HOUSE, WHICH I'M VERY, VERY PROUD OF THE TEAM.

THEY PUT A LOT OF WORK, A LOT OF EFFORT INTO THIS AND THIS IS A RESULT OF THAT.

SO I SHALL STOP HERE AND ASK IF THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS.

THANK YOU FOR THAT DETAILED PRESENTATION.

I APPRECIATE THAT.

ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS FROM MY COLLEAGUES? LET ME HOLD ON. LET ME SWITCH IT INTO.

SUPERVISOR PEDROZO.

THANK YOU. THIS IS REALLY GOOD.

AND I WAS ALREADY GOING THROUGH SOME OF THE BOOK AND STUFF AND I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT.

I WOULD BE I WOULD LIKE TO TALK WITH YOU MORE ABOUT THIS, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO KIND OF LOOK AT THE A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT THE NUMBERS.

I MEAN, I ASSUME LIKE IN THE PREVENTABLE HOSPITALIZATIONS, I'M JUST CURIOUS AS TO HOW THIS NUMBER COMPARES TO OTHER YEARS, BECAUSE IF YOU'RE JUST GOING OFF 2021 AND IT'S, YOU KNOW, SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A LOT OF FACTORS INVOLVED IN THAT, WHICH I UNDERSTAND.

[00:50:01]

GO AHEAD. SORRY. I BELIEVE SOME OF THAT YOU'LL FIND HERE.

WE JUST WANTED TO TAKE SNAPSHOTS TO GIVE AN OVERALL OVERALL.

BUT IF NOT, I MEAN, I'D BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO DISCUSS WITH YOU.

YEAH, I'M JUST IT'S JUST CURIOUS.

OKAY. AND THEN THE OTHER ONE WAS THE.

SO WHEN YOU SAY THE HOLD ON.

COUPLE DIFFERENT ONES ON THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND BUILT ENVIRONMENT.

I NOTICED THAT THERE'S THE COLORS ARE ONLY ON CERTAIN AREAS.

SO LIKE WYNTON GUSTINE AND THOSE WEREN'T PART OF THE STUDY OR THAT'S JUST A SNAPSHOT AGAIN.

I THINK WITHIN THE LET ME SEE THE DIFFERENT COLORS.

SO WHATEVER THE METRIC IS THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT LOW ACCESS, FOR INSTANCE, ON PAGE 27, IN THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT, WHEN IT SAYS FOOD ACCESS ISSUES, THE AREAS THAT ARE HIGHLIGHTED IN PINK REPRESENT LOW ACCESS AREAS.

OKAY. AND THEN FOR THAT SLIDE.

OH, SORRY. THANK YOU, TAMARA, FOR THAT SLIDE.

THE PINK REPRESENTS LOW ACCESS, NOT LOW INCOME, AND THE GREEN IS LOW ACCESS, LOW INCOME.

AND THEN JUST MY LAST QUESTION, AND THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I'LL JUST ASK YOU TO COME IN ALSO, YOU KNOW, WHEN THE FINAL CAUSE OF DEATH AND YOU SAY THAT THE THIRD IS IS CANCER AND THERE'S 330, DO YOU AND I'M SURE IT'S IN THIS, BUT THE BREAKDOWN BETWEEN HOW THE COMMUNITY VERSUS JUST GENETICS PLAYS A PART IN IT.

SO ONE OF THE PUBLIC HEALTH DOES SERVE AS A REPOSITORY FOR A LOT OF COMMUNITY DATA FOR MALIGNANT NEOPLASM, THAT'S ACTUALLY BY REGISTRY AND THAT'S BY THE STATE AND FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.

IT'S NOT ONE OF THE METRICS THAT WE DO COLLECT.

I CAN FOLLOW UP ON THAT.

I DON'T THINK AT THAT LEVEL WE WOULD HAVE THAT, BUT I'M SURE IT IS AVAILABLE AT SOME OTHER SOURCE OF DATA ELSEWHERE.

SO I CAN FOLLOW UP.

IT'S JUST CURIOUS.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

ANYBODY ELSE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? SUPERVISOR PAREIRA.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU CHAIR.

SO I'M GLAD YOU PULLED UP THIS SLIDE.

SO IT SEEMS TO ME THAT PRE-COVID THERE WERE ABOUT 475 TO 525 DEATHS PER YEAR IN MERCED COUNTY.

AND SO IF WE ADD IN 400 FOR COVID, WE SHOULD ONLY BE AT 1,000.

YET YOU'RE SAYING THAT THERE'S OVER 2,000 DEATHS IN MERCED COUNTY.

SO CAN YOU. IS THERE SOMETHING I'M MISSING? YEAH. SO I MEANT 400 LESS DEATHS SO THAT WE WERE RUNNING AROUND 1800.

A LITTLE UNDER 1,800 THE PREVIOUS YEARS.

WELL, I MEAN, WHEN COVID BROKE OUT AND WE WERE GETTING THE DATA OF THE DEATHS AND MERCED COUNTY, IT WAS CLOSER THAT THE AVERAGE WAS CLOSE TO LIKE 500. AND YOU'RE SAYING THAT THE AVERAGE IS LIKE IN THE HIGH 17 TO 18, 2,000.

SO YEAH.

SO FOR THE YEARS 2017, 18 AND 19, IT WAS ABOUT 1,700 SOMETHING PER YEAR.

AND THEN IN 2020 AND 2021 THAT JUMPED UP A LITTLE TO A LITTLE OVER 2020.

2021 IS WHERE WE SAW 2,324 DEATHS.

BUT WHAT I'M SAYING IS THE DATA COMING OUT OF THE CORONER'S OFFICE WAS HIGH FOUR HUNDREDS TO LOW FIVE HUNDREDS A YEAR PREVIOUS.

AND SO SO IT IS YOUR SO YOUR STATISTICS IS PER YEAR.

YEAH THESE ARE BASED ON ANNUAL STATISTICS AND SOME OF THE I MEAN THERE MAY HAVE BEEN A DEATH CERTIFICATE ISSUED IN ANOTHER COUNTY.

PEOPLE MAY NOT HAVE DIED WITHIN THIS COUNTY.

I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH IS ACCOUNTED FOR BY WAY OF OF THE CORONER'S OFFICE IN TERMS OF DEATH CERTIFICATES.

IF PEOPLE DIE NATURALLY AT HOME, THEY CAN CALL THE PHYSICIAN, THEN IT'S CERTIFIED BY THE HEALTH OFFICER.

AND SO THERE'S A LOT OF DIFFERENT REASONS AND A LOT OF DIFFERENT WAYS THAT WE RECEIVE DEATH CERTIFICATES.

OKAY, THANKS.

THAT WAS IT. THANK YOU.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? JUST A COUPLE COMMENTS.

ONE I JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT IS THE FACT THAT THIS THIS DATA, WHEN IT COMES AS A POOR RURAL COUNTY THAT GOES AFTER A LOT OF GRANTS AND WITH THE EMPHASIS NOT ONLY AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL, BUT EVEN MORE SO AT THE STATE LEVEL, THAT A LOT OF THESE GRANTS REALLY PUT AN EMPHASIS ON OUR DISADVANTAGED COMMUNITIES.

AND SO I'M THANKFUL THAT WE HAVE THIS DATA TO BE BECAUSE THOSE ARE YOU KNOW, I DON'T WANT TO SAY IT SOUND FLIPPANTLY, BUT THOSE ARE BOXES THAT WHEN WE GO TO APPLY FOR THESE GRANTS THAT WE HAVE TO CHECK IN ORDER TO EVEN BE ELIGIBLE FOR THEM TO BE CONSIDERED FOR THEM.

SO THANK YOU FOR THAT PART OF IT.

AND THEN JUST ON THE DEATH NUMBERS, ON THE TOTAL DEATHS, YOU KNOW, OUR POPULATION IS GROWING.

HOW MUCH OF THAT IS FACTORED INTO IT? YOU KNOW, IF YOU KNOW, THE CENSUS DATA SAID THAT WE I USED TO SAY HAD 56,000 BOXES.

[00:55:02]

SO THAT MEANS THAT THERE'S AN ADDITIONAL 10,000 RESIDENTS, GIVE OR TAKE, IN THE COUNTY OVER THE COURSE OF THAT TEN YEARS.

HAS HAS THAT BEEN KIND OF FACTORED INTO THAT OR IS IT? I BELIEVE IN THIS REPORT WE THOUGHT ABSOLUTE NUMBERS WOULD BE BETTER, BUT THE RATES ARE LISTED AND THAT'S PER 100,000 OR PER 1,000 POPULATION.

SO IT'S FURTHER BROKEN DOWN.

SOME OF THESE.

WELL, I'LL LEAVE IT AT THAT AND WE CAN SPEAK ABOUT IT FURTHER BECAUSE THERE'S THERE'S A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF METHODOLOGY WHICH WE THOUGHT WOULD BE IMPORTANT TO INCLUDE IN METHODS OF DATA COLLECTION IN THE BACK.

THE LAST THREE PAGES REALLY HELPS IDENTIFY HOW THE DATA WAS COLLECTED BECAUSE IT WASN'T JUST ONE SINGULAR METHOD.

SO I CAN SPEAK TO YOU ABOUT THAT BECAUSE LUCKILY FOR US, THAT IS LOCAL TO MERCED COUNTY.

OKAY. THANK YOU. AND THEN MY FINAL QUESTION IS, WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME THAT WE DID ONE OF THESE? THE LAST ONE WAS CONDUCTED IN 2016, AND IT WAS DOCTOR KRISTEN SULLIVAN WHO DID IT.

I THINK THIS IS THE FIRST TIME SHE WAS THE LEAD, SUCH AS DOCTOR SINGH.

RAVI SINGH I THINK THIS IS THE FIRST TIME IT'S EVER BEEN PRESENTED, BUT I THINK IT'S SUCH AN IMPORTANT DOCUMENT.

I MEAN, MY STAFF WILL TELL YOU FOR MORE THAN A YEAR, I'M LIKE, WHEN THAT CHILD IS DONE, WE'RE TAKING IT TO THE BOARD.

AND I DEFINITELY WANT BECAUSE IF THERE'S NOT AN AWARENESS OF WHAT WE HAVE, WE CAN'T EXPECT PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND WHAT WE DO.

AND SO I THINK ESPECIALLY TIED IN WITH NATIONAL PUBLIC HEALTH WEEK, THIS IS SUCH AN IMPORTANT DOCUMENT AND IT'S NOT JUST PUBLIC HEALTH.

WE MAY BE PART OF THE OWNERS, BUT REALLY IT'S A DOCUMENT THAT ALL OF YOU CAN USE, WHICH IS WHY YOU'RE INCLUDED IN THIS.

YOU CAN USE TO SPEAK IN SPEAKING WITH YOUR CONSTITUENTS AND ALSO ADVISING THEM OF WHERE AVAILABLE DATA IS.

IT WILL BE AVAILABLE ONLINE PROBABLY WITHIN THE NEXT MONTH BECAUSE WE WANT TO HAVE THE INFORMATION INDEXED.

AND ONCE THAT IS DONE, I'LL SEND THAT TO YOU AS WELL SO YOU KNOW WHERE IT CAN BE LOCATED.

PERFECT. AND I THINK IT IS A GOOD TOOL AND I'M THANKFUL THAT WE HAVE A HARD COPY THAT WE CAN GO THROUGH AND DIG IN A LITTLE BIT MORE.

SORRY EVERYONE ELSE, BUT JUST FOR NOW IT'LL BE AVAILABLE IN 4 TO 6 WEEKS.

SUPERVISOR PAREIRA ANOTHER QUESTION.

YEAH, THANK YOU.

NO QUESTION. BUT JUST IF IT'S A DRAFT, I WOULD SUGGEST PUTTING DRAFT ACROSS IT, THAT WAY IF IT DOES GET OUT AND SOMEBODY COMPLAINS ABOUT SOMETHING, YOU KNOW, WELL, WE'RE STILL WORKING ON IT.

OKAY. BUT I WILL SAY THIS, SUPERVISOR PAREIRA IF IT GETS OUT, I KNOW IT'S ONE OF YOU ALL BECAUSE YOU'RE THE ONLY ONES THAT HAVE IT.

SO BUT NOTED.

AND YOU'RE RIGHT, WE WE HAD SUCH ISSUES GETTING IT PRINTED, BUT UNDERSTOOD THANK YOU.

THAT'S WHY THAT'S WHY THEY DIDN'T GIVE ONE TO THE COUNTY COUNCIL.

YOU CAN HAVE ONE IF YOU WANT.

I CAN GIVE THIS TO YOU.

I'LL LEAVE IT FOR YOU HERE.

ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.

WE WILL NOW MOVE ON TO BOARD ACTION, BEGINNING WITH PUBLIC WORKS.

[BOARD ACTION]

PLEASE NOTE ITEM 13 REQUIRES A 4/5 VOTE.

ALL RIGHT. I'LL OPEN UP THE PUBLIC COMMENT FOR PUBLIC WORKS ITEMS. NOT SEEING ANYONE WE'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC COMMENT, BRING IT BACK TO THE DAIS.

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.

NEXT, WE HAVE PUBLIC HEALTH.

ITEMS 14 AND 15.

WE'LL OPEN THE PUBLIC COMMENT FOR ITEMS 14 AND 15.

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

BRING IT BACK TO THE DAIS.

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

CALL FOR THE VOTE.

PLEASE RECORD THE VOTE.

THE MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY 5 TO 0.

NEXT, WE HAVE PROBATION.

ITEMS 16 AND 17.

WE'LL OPEN UP THE PUBLIC COMMENT FOR ITEMS 16 AND 17.

NOT SEEING ANYONE WE'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC COMMENT.

BRING IT BACK TO THE DAIS.

WE HAVE A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR PAREIRA.

A SECOND BY SUPERVISOR PEDROZO.

LET'S CALL FOR THE VOTE.

PLEASE RECORD THE VOTE.

THE MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY 5 TO 0.

NEXT, WE HAVE WORKFORCE INVESTMENT.

ITEM 18 PLEASE NOTE THIS ITEM REQUIRES A 4/5 VOTE.

ALL RIGHT. PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD IS NOW OPEN FOR ITEM 18, NOT SEEING ANYONE WE'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD.

[01:00:03]

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 SPRING FAIR.

ITEM 19.

WE'LL OPEN UP THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD FOR ITEM NUMBER 18, 19.

EXCUSE ME. NOT SEEING ANYONE WE'LL CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD.

BRING IT BACK TO THE DAIS. WE HAVE A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR PAREIRA.

A SECOND BY SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL.

CALL FOR THE VOTE.

PLEASE RECORD THE VOTE.

THE MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY 5 TO 0.

NEXT, WE HAVE EXECUTIVE OFFICE.

ITEM 20.

IT'S NOW TIME TO OPEN UP THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD FOR ITEM 20.

NOT SEEING ONE WE WILL CLOSE THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD AND BRING IT BACK TO THE DAIS WHEN WE HAVE A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR PAREIRA AND A SECOND BY SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL CALL FOR THE VOTE. PLEASE RECORD THE VOTE.

THE MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY 5 TO 0.

NEXT, WE HAVE BOARD APPOINTMENTS.

ITEM 21.

I WILL OPEN UP THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD FOR ITEM 21.

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

BRING IT BACK TO THE DAIS.

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

CALL FOR THE VOTE.

ALL RIGHT.

PLEASE RECORD THE VOTE.

THE MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY 5 TO 0.

LASTLY, WE HAVE BOARD INFORMATION AND POSSIBLE ACTION.

[BOARD INFORMATION & POSSIBLE ACTION]

WE'LL OPEN UP THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD FOR ITEM 22.

NOT SEEING ANYONE. WE'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD, BRING IT BACK TO THE DAIS WHERE WE HAVE A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR PAREIRA AND A SECOND BY SUPERVISOR PEDROZO.

LET'S CALL FOR THE VOTE.

PLEASE RECORD THE VOTE.

THE MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY 5 TO 0.

LAST IS BOARD REPORTS.

[REPORTS/BOARD DIRECTION]

THANK YOU, CHAIR. WELL, I JUST WANT TO REPORT OUT THAT I ATTENDED THE WATER EDUCATION FOR LATINO LEADERS IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA.

IT WAS A VERY WELL CONFERENCE GROWING, EDUCATING LATINO LEADERS, WHICH MEANS EVERYBODY, NOT JUST LATINOS, THAT REPRESENTS LATINO COMMUNITIES, WHICH, YOU KNOW, IS THE BEST INTEREST OF OF ALL ELECTEDS TO EDUCATE ELECTEDS ACROSS THE STATE TO TO BE WELL INFORMED ON THE ISSUES OF WATER WORKING TOGETHER TO, YOU KNOW, HELP DISTRIBUTE THE WATER.

ALSO, THERE'S AN UNTAPPED SORT OF UNTAPPED COHORT SESSION WHICH MEMBERS CAN APPLY.

AND IT'S A SIX MONTH COURSE WHERE THEY'RE EDUCATED ON ALL AROUND THE STATE.

THEY WERE TAKEN TO THE BAY DELTA TO REVIEW THAT AND SEE HOW THE WATER FLOWS DOWN AND THEN EVENTUALLY DOWN TO SOUTH CALIFORNIA.

WHERE YOU DO A TOUR OF THE SALTON SEA, THE LOS ANGELES RIVER, THE FRESNO, HOW THE FRESNO CITY, YOU KNOW, THAT'S WHERE YOU KNOW, WHEN I DID IT WHERE THE FRESNO CITY HOW IT DISTRIBUTES THE WATER, YOU KNOW, WHERE THE BLEND THE WATER WITH SURFACE WATER AND GROUNDWATER.

AND ALSO WE'RE IN SANTA CLARA.

I WAS ABLE TO TOUR THE SANTA CLARA WATER DISTRICT, WHERE THEY CLEANED ABOUT 9 TO 10 MILLION GALLONS A DAY, RECYCLED WATER.

SO IT'S A VERY THOROUGH ON TAP COURSE SESSION.

AND IT'S ALL ABOUT EDUCATING FOR THE FUTURE, FOR THE BETTERMENT, BETTERMENT OF OUR COMMUNITIES.

SO IT WAS HAD A GOOD TIME.

ALSO, THERE WAS A DIRECTOR OF I CAN'T REMEMBER WHICH DEPARTMENT OF WATER DOWN IN L.A.

WHERE MOST OF THE CITIES IN L.A.

ARE A PART OF THAT COMMITTEE.

AND THERE WERE LOS ANGELES WILL BE INVESTING BETWEEN 16 AND $20 MILLION TO RECYCLE ABOUT 210 MILLION ACRE FEET OF WATER A YEAR.

SO IT'S A BIG INVESTMENT IN THE FUTURE THAT WILL BE DONE PROBABLY WITH TAX DOLLARS.

SO IT WILL AFFECT US, ALL OF IT.

BUT AT LEAST, LIKE I SAID, IT'S GROWING.

AND THEY'RE ALSO SAYING THEY'RE TRYING TO, LIKE I SAID, RECYCLE AS MUCH WATER AS THEY CAN.

[01:05:01]

SO THEY TAKE LESS.

I ALWAYS SAY, YOU KNOW WHAT, TAKE DON'T TAKE OUR WATER FROM THE VALLEY.

SO AND ALSO, I JUST WANT TO, UM, THANK THE SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOL FOR INVITING ME OVER THERE.

WE DISCUSSED SO MANY ISSUES AND ESPECIALLY, OF COURSE, THE ROADS.

AND, YOU KNOW, I KNOW THAT WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO, OUR PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR HAS LEFT, BUT LIKE I SAID, YOU KNOW, WE ADDRESSED THE POTHOLES.

THE FIRST THING I DID WHEN I TURNED ON ONEIDA ROAD WAS HIT ONE OF THE POTHOLES AND THAT DIP THAT AT LEAST TO THE TO THE SCHOOL.

SO I KNOW THAT DIP WILL BE ADDRESSED.

AND YOU KNOW, EVERY TIME IT RAINS, YOU KNOW, IT FLOODS THAT AREA.

SO WE'LL TRY TO YOU KNOW, LIKE I SAID, WITH THE SUPPORT OF OUR MY COLLEAGUES TO MAKE SURE WE PAVE THAT ROAD.

THANK YOU. THAT'S ALL.

THANK YOU. SUPERVISOR ESPINOZA SUPERVISOR PEDROZO.

THANK YOU.

YEAH IT SEEMS TO BE MORE AND MORE CALLS ON THE ROADS WITH EVERYTHING.

AND I KNOW I'M GETTING A BUNCH OF CALLS FOR THE SMALL AMOUNT OF COUNTY ROADS THAT I HAVE AS WELL.

BUT I WANT TO THANK PUBLIC WORKS.

THEY'RE DOING AN AMAZING JOB AND TRYING TO KEEP UP WITH AS MUCH AS THEY CAN.

SO I APPRECIATE THAT VERY MUCH.

ON SATURDAY, I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO TO THE FIRST FIVE WEEK OF THE YOUNG CHILD EVENT OUT AT APPLEGATE PARK.

IT WAS INCREDIBLY WELL ATTENDED.

THERE WAS A LOT OF DIFFERENT BOOTHS OUT THERE, DIFFERENT GAMES FOR KIDS.

IT WAS REALLY A GOOD TIME.

I ALSO WAS ABLE TO GO TO THE YOUTH TO YOUTH CONFERENCE WITH THERE WAS A BUNCH OF HIGH SCHOOL KIDS AND JUNIOR HIGH KIDS WHO REALLY WERE THERE ALL DAY TEACHING DIFFERENT LEADERSHIP SKILLS FOR THE PEOPLE IN ATTENDANCE.

AND IT WAS REALLY INTERESTING TO SEE JUST THEM INTERACTING WITH ONE ANOTHER FOR THE FIRST TIME IN THESE THREE YEARS THAT THEY'VE BEEN ABLE TO DO THIS.

AND SO IT WAS REALLY IMPORTANT FOR THEM TO BE THERE.

AND THEN YESTERDAY I GOT TO ATTEND THE PLANADA ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.

THEY WELCOMED BACK THE LAST WAVE OF FIFTH GRADE STUDENTS TO TO CAMPUS.

AND IT WAS A IT WAS JUST COOL TO SEE ALL THE KIDS.

AND, YOU KNOW, IT WAS A MONDAY MORNING, SO THEY WEREN'T AS EXCITED AS YOU WOULD THINK, BEING THAT IT WAS A MONDAY.

BUT IT WAS REALLY COOL AND YOU COULD SEE THAT THEY WERE EXCITED TO BE BACK ON CAMPUS.

AND YOU HAD IT WAS LIKE THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL THAT THEIR PARENTS HAD DROPPED THEM OFF AND THEY TAKE PICTURES OF THEM AND EVERYTHING.

AND IT WAS IT WAS REALLY GOOD TO SEE AND I'M HAPPY THAT THEY WERE ALL BACK.

THANK YOU. SUPERVISOR PEDROZO.

SUPERVISOR PAREIRA.

THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR.

SO SUNDAY, THE WELL, SHERRY BORBA PITCHFORD AND THE PAID FOR CALLS.

BUD AND RACHEL SALVADOR HELD AN EASTER EGG HUNT OUT AT HENDERSON PARK.

AND SO THEY INVITED ME TO COME OUT AND, UM, AND ANYWAY, SO I COME PULLING INTO THE PARKING LOT AND I SEE THE SHERIFF'S SEARCH AND RESCUE TEAM AT THE RIVER, AND MY HEART JUST SUNK.

YOU KNOW, I THOUGHT, OH, MY GOD, YOU KNOW, SOMEBODY IN THIS RIVER.

AND ANYWAYS, BUT IT FORTUNATELY TURNED OUT THAT THEY WERE DOING A TRAINING.

AND SO TO THE SHERIFF, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, YOUR CREW WAS OUT THERE, THERE'S A COUPLE OF NEW MEMBERS.

BUT, YOU KNOW, THE SEASONED VETERANS WERE WILLING TO JUMP INTO THE RIVER.

RIGHT. AND BE RESCUED AS A PART OF THIS TRAINING.

AND JUST, YOU KNOW, IT JUST STRUCK ME RIGHT AS THE SERIOUSNESS THAT THAT THE RESCUE TEAM TAKES THEIR RESPONSIBILITY, THAT THEY'RE WILLING TO KIND OF A BIT.

YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW IF RISK MANAGEMENT KNEW ABOUT THAT, BUT, YOU KNOW, BUT THEY'RE REALLY WILLING TO NOW THEY HAD THIS THE BOAT ALREADY BACKED INTO THE WATER.

AND SO IF SOMETHING HAPPENED, THEY THEY COULD RESCUE THEM QUICK.

AND THEY'RE WEARING THEIR THEIR SUITS THAT THAT ARE PROTECTIVE AND CAUSE THEM TO FLOAT HAD FLIPPERS ON.

SO THEY WERE BEING VERY SAFE.

BUT ANYWAYS, SO I SAT AND WATCHED FOR ABOUT A HALF HOUR AND AND TALKED TO HIS TEAM AND YOU KNOW, THEY'RE PASSIONATE ABOUT WHAT THEY DO AND AND THEY'RE REALLY, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE JUST PREPARING BECAUSE THEY KNOW AT SOME POINT IN TIME BETWEEN NOW AND WHEN THE FLOWS GO BACK DOWN, EITHER THIS FALL OR SOMETIME NEXT YEAR, THAT, YOU KNOW, SOMEBODY'S GOING TO DO SOMETHING STUPID. AND ANYWAYS, AND THEN, YOU KNOW, OUR OUR GOOD FOLKS ARE GOING TO GO OUT AND RESCUE THEM, PUT THEMSELVES AT RISK.

BUT THEY'RE VERY WELL PREPARED.

AND IT WAS NEAT TO WATCH, YOU KNOW, AND THEN I'VE BEEN MEANING TO CALL CALL THE SHERIFF, BUT I KNOW FRESNO COUNTY HAS KIND OF CLOSED OFF THE RIVERS. AND I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'VE THOUGHT ABOUT RECOMMENDING SOMETHING LIKE THAT TO US, BUT MIGHT BE A GOOD DISCUSSION.

UM, AND OUTSIDE OF THAT.

OH, AND THEN JUST FOR THE THIS IS FOR THE PEOPLE THAT PUMP GROUNDWATER AND THERE'S PROBABLY NONE OF THEM WATCHING, BUT JUST IN CASE THERE ARE JUST BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE IN AN ABUNDANCE WATER YEAR, YOU KNOW SOME PEOPLE WILL STILL BE PUMPING AND SIGMA IS STILL DEVELOPING AND UNFOLDING.

[01:10:01]

AND, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE THE PLAN, BUT THE IMPLEMENTATION IS STILL BEING DECIDED.

SO ANYWAYS, JUST TO CALL TO EVERYBODY WHO PUMPS GROUNDWATER TO PAY ATTENTION TO YOUR GSA AND AND BE HELPFUL IF YOU CAN.

THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR.

THANK YOU, SUPERVISOR PEREZ SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL.

THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN.

I DIDN'T HAVE A WHOLE LOT TO REPORT, BUT I DID ATTEND AND I THINK I ANNOUNCED IT GOING INTO IT THAT ATTENDED THE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY POLICY CONFERENCE, WHICH I SAID AS VICE CHAIR, WE MET ALL THE NEW STATE LEGISLATURES.

IT WAS AMAZING HOW MANY NEW FOLKS WE HAVE THROUGHOUT THE EIGHT COUNTY FROM SAN JOAQUIN COUNTY ALL THE WAY DOWN TO KERN COUNTY.

UH, IT WAS INTERESTING YOU KNOW, OF COURSE OUR NUMBER ONE THEME IS FIX 99 AND FINISH THE 99.

BUT WE DEVELOPED ANOTHER CONSISTENT MESSAGE MESSAGE THAT WASN'T PUBLISHED BUT THE NEED OF A SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY CAUCUS.

I THINK ASSEMBLY MEMBER GRAY HAD TRIED TO DO THAT AT THE VERY BEGINNING WHEN HE WAS ELECTED, BUT WE CONTINUED THAT MESSAGE WITH ALL OF THEM BECAUSE RIGHT NOW IT SEEMS LIKE WE ARE ALL ON THE SAME PAGE BECAUSE THERE WAS NO PARTY POLITICS WHATSOEVER.

IT WAS ALL ABOUT THE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY.

AND WE DROVE THAT MESSAGE THAT THAT'S WHAT THEY DO NOT LET YOUR POLITICAL LEADERSHIP DETER YOU FROM WHAT WE NEED HERE IN THE VALLEY.

AND SO I CAN SAY WITH A LOT OF CONFIDENCE THAT THOSE ELECTEDS TO THOSE FROM NOT ONLY THE STATE BUT OUR ASSEMBLY WERE ALL ON THE SAME PAGE WITH THE VALLEY AS ITS FOREFRONT AND MOST IMPORTANT POINT.

SO WITH THAT, I WOULD LIKE TO TELL EVERYBODY HAPPY EASTER.

CHRIST IS RISEN.

AMEN. THANK YOU, CHAIRMAN.

YOU SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL COUNCIL HANSON CEO MENDEZ.

YES. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. GOOD MORNING, EVERYONE.

JUST A COUPLE OF ITEMS, KIND OF IN THE SPIRIT OF THE BOARD ACTIONS EARLIER TODAY.

DID WANT TO ONCE AGAIN JUST CONGRATULATE THE TWO GROUPS THAT RECEIVED THE MVP AWARDS FOR THIS YEAR, THE HSA HOUSING SUPPORT PROGRAM, AND OBVIOUSLY OUR TREASURY OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE.

I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO REMIND OURSELVES OUR MISSION VISION, VALUES, RIGHT, PROVIDE QUALITY PUBLIC SERVICES THAT ENHANCE AND PROTECT OUR DIVERSE COMMUNITY.

OUR MISSION STATEMENT A THRIVING AND INCLUSIVE MERCED COUNTY.

AND THEN OBVIOUSLY, INTEGRITY, INNOVATION AND INCLUSION.

IT'S IMPORTANT TO RECOGNIZE FOLKS AND GROUPS THAT EXEMPLIFY THOSE BOARD APPROVED MVVS.

SO I JUST WANTED TO KIND OF STATE THAT.

AND THEN IN THE SPIRIT OF OBVIOUSLY NATIONAL PUBLIC HEALTH WEEK, WANTED TO ALSO JUST THANK OUR PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENT FOR THE WORK THAT THEY DO.

THIS IS THEIR WEEK, SO LET'S JUST TAKE A MOMENT TO RECOGNIZE THEM FOR THE GOOD WORK THAT THEY DO, OBVIOUSLY YEAR ROUND.

SO THAT'S IT, MR. CHAIR. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU, MR. MENDEZ.

SO MY COMMENTS TODAY, I'M GOING TO GET RIGHT TO THE POINT OF JUST MY LEVEL OF FRUSTRATION SPECIFICALLY REGARDING THE SPRING FAIR IRRIGATION PROJECT.

AND I FEEL THAT IT'S BEEN AN UTTER FAILURE FROM START TO FINISH.

AND WHAT DO I MEAN BY THAT? AND I'M VERY FRUSTRATED WITH IT.

AND IF YOU GUYS AREN'T AWARE I WAS A MEMBER OF THE SPRING FAIR BOARD FOR I THINK IT WAS 15 OR 16 YEARS BEFORE I BECAME COUNTY SUPERVISOR.

IT'S SOMETHING THAT NOT ONLY I'M PASSIONATE ABOUT, QUITE HONESTLY, I KNOW WE KIND OF JOKE THAT IT'S KIND OF LIKE THE LOS BANOS FAIR AND IT TYPICALLY IS MORE OF OF A WEST SIDE FAIR.

I'M NOT SAYING THAT EAST SIDE FOLKS ARE NOT INVITED TO PARTICIPATE.

BUT LOGISTICALLY, YOU KNOW, OVER THE YEARS, IT TYPICALLY, YOU KNOW, AUGUSTINE LOS BANOS AND DOS PALOS ARE THE MOST PREVALENT EXHIBITORS THERE.

BUT IT'S BEEN IT'S BEEN THE FAIR HAS BEEN AROUND FOR 125 YEARS.

AND AND THIS PROJECT I'M GOING TO SHARE A LITTLE HISTORY WITH YOU.

IT WAS ONE WEEK AFTER LAST YEAR'S FAIR WHEN THIS PROJECT HAD ALREADY BEEN IN THE WORKS, AND IT WAS ONE WEEK AFTER LAST YEAR'S FAIR WHERE THERE WAS A MEETING THAT WAS HELD IN THE FAIR MANAGER'S OFFICE THAT EXPRESSED THE IMPORTANCE OF THIS PROJECT GETTING DONE IN A TIMELY MANNER AND BEING DONE CORRECTLY.

AND I THINK THAT THERE WAS UTTER FAILURE FROM ALL THE WAY FROM THE PERSON THAT DESIGNED IT TO THE SUBMISSION OF THE BID TO THE PROJECT MANAGEMENT AND OVERSIGHT.

AND SO NOW WHAT WE'RE UP AGAINST IS WE'RE 28 DAYS AWAY FROM A FAIR THAT TYPICALLY TAKES REALISTICALLY TWO MONTHS WHEN MARCH 1ST KICKS AROUND. PREPARATIONS ARE BEING MADE FOR THAT FAIR.

[01:15:01]

AND I DON'T I DON'T WANT TO LET IT GO WITHOUT BEING SAID THAT THE CONTRACTOR HAS A LOT OF RESPONSIBILITY IN THIS AS WELL.

BUT HERE WE ARE AS A PROJECT THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE DELIVERED BY MARCH 31ST, THEY WERE GIVEN A TWO WEEK EXTENSION.

I DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHAT THAT MEANS, BUT WE'RE 28 DAYS AWAY FROM A FAIR THAT THAT QUITE HONESTLY, NOW MY COMMUNITY MEMBERS THAT ARE PASSIONATE THAT YOU KNOW MY DAUGHTER IS GOING TO SHOW THERE AND SHE WILL BE FOURTH GENERATION OF MY FAMILY THAT'S BEEN SHOWING AT THAT FAIR.

AND THE QUESTIONS THAT ARE COMING FROM THE COMMUNITY ARE ARE WE GOING TO BE ABLE TO PULL THIS OFF? I THINK BY HOOK OR CROOK, WE'RE GOING TO DO OUR DAMNEDEST TO TO GET IT DONE.

BUT BUT THE LEVEL OF FRUSTRATION THAT I HAVE RIGHT NOW, I FEEL LIKE LIKE AND IT'S ME, I'M GOING TO TAKE OWNERSHIP OF IT.

BECAUSE IF YOU LOOK AT IT MYSELF AND MY COLLEAGUES, WE'RE THE TIP OF THE SPEAR THAT IS CALLED MERCED COUNTY.

SO I WILL TAKE OWNERSHIP OF IT.

BUT BUT WE HAVE FAILED.

WE HAVE FAILED THE TAXPAYERS.

I JUST I DON'T KNOW WHAT I DON'T KNOW AT THIS POINT.

BUT I THINK THAT THIS PROJECT IS IS GOING TO BE JUST IT'S GOING TO BE A THORN IN OUR SIDE FOR A LONG TIME.

WHILE IT STARTED OUT WITH GREAT INTENTIONS OF PUTTING IN AN IRRIGATION SYSTEM.

WE HAVE A WELL THERE SO THAT WE'RE NOT USING PAYING FOR CITY WATER TO IRRIGATE THE PARK PART OF THE FAIR.

IT WAS IT WAS DESIGNED WAS SUPPOSED TO BE DESIGNED IN A WAY THAT MADE THINGS MORE EFFICIENT, THAT YOU HAVE SPRINKLERS THAT ARE ON TIMERS AND YOUR POTABLE WATER ARE ON SEPARATE LINES. THE WHOLE THING IS IT REALLY HAS DISGUSTED ME.

I AM DISAPPOINTED.

I AM DISAPPOINTED THAT I LET DOWN MY CONSTITUENTS.

I'M DISAPPOINTED IN OUR TEAM RIGHT NOW.

AND THIS ISN'T TO POINT OUT ANY ONE PERSON.

IT'S JUST THE PROCESS.

AND SO WHAT I CAN TELL YOU IS GOING TO HAPPEN IS IS OUR TEAM WILL PULL TOGETHER AND WE'RE GOING TO FIGURE OUT A WAY THROUGH THIS.

BUT THIS DRIVES ME EVEN MORE TO YOU KNOW, AS A POLICYMAKER, I KNOW WHAT MY LANE IS, RIGHT? WE'RE SUPPOSED TO BE KIND OF A LITTLE BIT HIGHER LEVEL AND MAKING POLICY DECISIONS.

BUT THE WAY THAT MY BRAIN WORKS IS THAT I HAVE TO BE ABLE TO DIVE INTO THINGS IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO MAKE GOOD POLICY DECISIONS.

AND THIS WILL REINVIGORATE ME AS FRUSTRATED AS I'VE BEEN, AS DISAPPOINTED AS I'VE BEEN.

YOU NAME THE ADJECTIVE, AND THAT'S WHAT I'M FEELING RIGHT NOW.

THIS WILL DRIVE ME MORE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE HOLDING PEOPLE ACCOUNTABLE TO DO THE JOBS THAT THEY'RE PAID TO DO.

THAT'S THE BOTTOM LINE OF IT, BECAUSE ULTIMATELY, WHEN WE FAIL AS A TEAM, WHO'S WHO PAYS THE BILL? THE TAXPAYERS. AND I TAKE THAT TASK VERY SERIOUSLY, THAT BEING A STEWARD OF THE TAXPAYERS MONEY.

AND WE'VE WE HAVE FAILED THEM.

AND THERE'S ENOUGH BLAME TO GO AROUND.

BUT I WILL FULLY TAKE IT'S HAPPENED IN MY DISTRICT.

I WAS AWARE OF THESE PROBLEMS AND BROUGHT THEM FORWARD.

AND NOW WE'RE IN THIS SITUATION TO WHERE I SAID IT AT LAST MEETING WE'RE KIND OF HOPING AND PRAYING THAT EVERYTHING WORKS OUT.

WHAT I KNOW TO BE TRUE IS I WILL MAKE A CALL TO ACTION FOR FOR MY COMMUNITY.

AND I KNOW THAT THEY WILL DELIVER.

AND WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? THAT MEANS THAT IF I GOT A CALL IN FAVORS OF FRIENDS TO SAY, HEY, WE JUST NEED EXTRA HANDS TO BE ABLE TO GET US OVER THE FINISH LINE.

I MAKE THOSE PHONE CALLS AND THOSE PEOPLE WERE THERE BECAUSE JUST AS PASSIONATE AS I AM ABOUT SPRING FAIR, ALL OF THOSE FOLKS ARE ABOUT SPRING FAIR.

SO WE WILL GET THROUGH THIS.

BUT I WANT TO I JUST WANT IT OUT IN THE RECORD IS, YOU KNOW, AT THE POINT WHEN MY BOSSES ARE QUESTIONING MY LEADERSHIP, I WANT THEM TO KNOW AND PUT IT ON RECORD THAT I AM JUST AS FRUSTRATED AS THEY ARE.

AND I HOPE THAT'S A WARNING TO EVERYBODY.

THIS IS IT'S THE WAY OF DOING BUSINESS THAT IT JUST SEEMS LIKE, YOU KNOW, WE JUST THERE'S THIS ENDLESS PILE OF MONEY THAT IS WE JUST KEEP GOING AND GOING AND GOING.

WE JUST COME BACK AND WE ASK FOR MORE AND WE ASK FOR MORE.

THE DAYS ARE OVER AND THE BUCK ULTIMATELY STOPS WITH US.

AND SO JUST JUST PUTTING IT OUT THERE THAT I AM INVIGORATED NOW, I WILL I WILL BE WATCHING THINGS EVEN CLOSER THAN I WAS WATCHING THEM BEFORE.

AND THERE'S GOING TO BE PEOPLE THAT ARE GOING TO BE FRUSTRATED WITH ME.

BUT ULTIMATELY, I'M HERE TO DO A JOB AND I WILL CONTINUE TO DO THAT JOB.

SO THAT'S MY RANT ON THAT.

I WANT TO END ON A COUPLE LIGHTER NOTES.

NUMBER ONE, THE BUREAU OF AERONAUTICAL FLYING OBJECTS AND LOGISTICS WAS AN APRIL FOOL'S JOKE.

SO JUST SO EVERYBODY, EVERYBODY KNOWS THE SHERIFF DID NOT START A NEW DEPARTMENT.

I WANT TO GIVE THE CREDIT TO HIM AND THE DEPUTIES AND I DON'T KNOW ALL THEIR RANKS, BUT I'LL CALL THEM DEPUTIES FOR THE FOR THE PURPOSE OF THIS THAT ARE STANDING BEHIND HIM.

THE AMOUNT OF I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT YOU WANT TO CALL IT TO BE ABLE TO GET THROUGH THAT WITH A STRAIGHT FACE WAS NOT LOST ON ME, SIR.

SO BUT BUT FOR THOSE FOLKS OUT THERE AND THE SHERIFF SHARED A LITTLE STORY WITH ME THIS MORNING OF SOMEBODY THAT REALLY BELIEVED IT AND WAS PROBABLY FRUSTRATED THAT IT WASN'T TRUE. THAT WAS THAT WAS A WELL TIMED, WELL PLACED APRIL FOOL'S JOKE FOR ALL OF YOU GUYS OUT THERE.

[01:20:01]

THANK YOU. OH, AND LAST NOTE.

THIS CONCLUDES OUR BOARD OF SUPERVISORS MEETING FOR TODAY.

OUR NEXT REGULARLY SCHEDULED BOARD OF SUPERVISORS MEETING WILL BE HELD ON THE WEEK OF TUESDAY, APRIL THE 25TH, 2023.

PLEASE NOTE THAT THAT IS GOING TO BE A NIGHT MEETING, SO THE MEETING WILL START AT 6 P.M.

SO WE WON'T BE HERE AT 10 A.M.

SO HOPEFULLY NOBODY SHOWS UP DOWN HERE AT 10 AND IS DISAPPOINTED.

PLEASE SHARE WITH YOUR FRIENDS AND COLLEAGUES THAT OUR NEXT MEETING WILL BE A NIGHT MEETING AT 6 P.M.

AND WITH THAT MEETING ADJOURNED.

THANK YOU.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.