[00:00:01] ALL RIGHT. GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYONE, AND WELCOME TO THE APRIL 25TH, 2023, MEETING OF THE MERCED COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS. [Call to Order] YOUR CLOSED SESSION FOR TODAY IS THE FOLLOWING. [CLOSED SESSION] IT IS THE INTENTION OF THE BOARD TO MEET IN CLOSED SESSION CONCERNING A CONFERENCE WITH REAL PROPERTY NEGOTIATORS. MARK HENDRICKSON ASSISTANT COUNTY EXECUTIVE OFFICER. PURSUANT TO GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 54956.8 AS FOLLOWS PROPERTY 3350 G STREET AT CASTLE COMMERCE CENTER AND INCLUDING APPROXIMATELY 1.70 ACRES OF PROPERTY BORDERED BY G STREET ACADEMY DRIVE, AIRDROME, ENTRY AND F STREET WITH AGENCY NEGOTIATOR MARK HENDRICKSON ASSISTANT COUNTY EXECUTIVE OFFICER. NEGOTIATION PARTIES TRI, LLC UNDER NEGOTIATION TO REQUEST AUTHORITY TO NEGOTIATE PROPOSED ACQUISITION OF FACILITY AND VALUE ALSO PROPERTY BUILDING 1350 INCLUSIVE OF APPROXIMATELY 9.16 ACRES OF ASSOCIATED LAND AGENCY NEGOTIATOR MARK HENDRICKSON ASSISTANT COUNTY EXECUTIVE OFFICER. NEGOTIATION PARTIES. SMOH AVIATION INC. UNDER NEGOTIATION TO REQUEST AUTHORITY TO NEGOTIATE PROPOSED ACQUISITION OF FACILITY AND VALUE AND GROUND LEASE. AND FINALLY WITH PROPERTY NEGOTIATOR DANA HERTFELDER, DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS PURSUANT TO GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 54956.8 AS FOLLOWS PROPERTY APN 025-212-020 LOCATED AT 807TH STREET, LOS BANOS APPROXIMATELY 4100FT², BUILDING ON 0.32 ACRES. AGENCY NEGOTIATOR DANA HERTFELDER, DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS NEGOTIATION PARTY. RICHARD AND LYNNETTE GERBI, 304 I STREET, LOS BANOS, CALIFORNIA 93635 UNDER NEGOTIATION TO REQUEST AUTHORITY TO NEGOTIATE PROPOSED PURCHASE. THE PUBLIC WILL BE PROVIDED AN OPPORTUNITY TO COMMENT ON ANY MATTER TO BE CONSIDERED IN CLOSED SESSION PRIOR TO THE BOARD ADJOURNING INTO THE CLOSED SESSION. TESTIMONY IS LIMITED TO THREE MINUTES PER PERSON. THANK YOU, STACY. ALL RIGHT. THIS IS THE PUBLIC'S OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK ON THE CLOSED SESSION ITEMS. I'M NOT SEEING ANYBODY. WE WILL NOW ADJOURN INTO CLOSED SESSION. WOULD YOU MIND GOING TO THAT PODIUM? RIGHT. AND REPEATING WHAT I JUST SAID IN SPANISH. I'M SORRY. I DIDN'T HEAR WHAT YOU JUST SAID. IT'S OKAY. I'LL SAY IT ONE MORE TIME. SO THERE'S. LOW VIEWING WHERE WE'RE LIVE STREAMING THE MEETING IN THE BASEMENT IN CONFERENCE LOS BANOS AND LIVINGSTON ROOM. LOS BANOS IN LIVINGSTON. THANK YOU. AND THEN I DON'T KNOW IF WE NEED TO, BUT YOU COULD ALSO SAY THAT FOR ANY DEPARTMENT HEADS WE HAVE OVERFLOW SEATING IN ROOM 310. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. GOOD EVENING AND WELCOME BACK TO THE APRIL 25TH, 2023, MEETING OF THE MERCED COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS. WE HAD A CLOSED SESSION AT 4:30 P.M. AND STAFF WAS GIVEN DIRECTION. NEXT WE WILL HAVE THE INVOCATION AND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. WE'LL NOW START WITH THE INVOCATION LED BY PASTOR STEVE HAMMOND OF BETHEL COMMUNITY CHURCH IN LOS BANOS. AND THEN I WILL LEAD THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. PASTOR STEVE, LET'S PRAY TOGETHER. BLESSED, HEAVENLY FATHER, WE COME BEFORE YOU TODAY WITH GRATEFUL HEARTS THAT WE HAVE FREEDOM AS AMERICANS TO GATHER TOGETHER TO CONDUCT THE BUSINESS OF OUR COUNTY THIS EVENING, WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR BLESSINGS, YOUR PROTECTION, YOUR PROVISION FOR OUR LIVES AND FOR OUR COUNTY. WE ASK THAT YOU WOULD GRANT OUR SUPERVISORS, OUR COUNTY LEADERS AND STAFF, THE DIVINE WISDOM TO HELP US NAVIGATE THROUGH DIFFICULT TIMES, TO LEAD US FORWARD INTO UNITY AND PROSPERITY. GRANT THEM THE KNOWLEDGE TO KNOW WHAT IS RIGHT AND THE COURAGE TO DO WHAT IS RIGHT AT ALL TIMES. WE PRAY YOUR BLESSING OVER OUR LEADERS AND THEIR FAMILIES. WE ASK FOR THEIR HEALTH, STRENGTH AND YOUR ABUNDANT BLESSINGS IN THEIR LIVES, THEIR HOMES AND THEIR BUSINESSES. [00:05:03] GIVE THEM DIVINE FAVOR IN THEIR LEADERSHIP POSITIONS SO THAT WE CAN LOOK FORWARD TO A BRIGHT FUTURE IN MERCED COUNTY. WE THANK YOU FOR EACH OF OUR LEADERS HERE THIS EVENING, AND WE ASK THAT YOU WOULD BLESS THIS MEETING. IN THE NAME OF JESUS, WE PRAY. AMEN. 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. PASTOR STEVE. THANK YOU, PASTOR STEVE'S FROM LOS BANOS. SO I APPRECIATE YOU COMING OVER FROM THE WEST SIDE, SIR. ALL RIGHT. NEXT, WE HAVE NON-AGENDA ITEMS. [PUBLIC OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK ] PUBLIC COMMENT. IT IS NOW TIME FOR PUBLIC OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK ON ANY MATTER OF PUBLIC INTEREST WITHIN THE BOARD'S JURISDICTION, EXCLUDING ITEMS ON THE BOARD'S AGENDA. TESTIMONY LIMITED TO THREE MINUTES PER PERSON AND 30 MINUTES TOTAL. SO WE HAVE A 30 MINUTE TOTAL ON NON AGENDA ITEMS. IF YOU'RE HERE TO SPEAK ON A SPECIFIC AGENDA ITEM, I WOULD ASK YOU TO WAIT UNTIL WE GET TO THAT ITEM. BUT YOU MAY START. GO AHEAD. HI. I'M SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF A FEW FOLKS FROM DELHI WHO COULDN'T BE HERE TODAY, AND I'LL TRY TO GET ALL THREE COMMENTS IN UNDER THREE MINUTES. SO THE FIRST IS HELLO, BOARD MEMBERS. MY NAME IS BLANCA LOZANO AND MY DAUGHTER'S NAME IS HAYDEE SANCHEZ. WE DIRECT OUR COMMENT TO OUR DISTRICT SUPERVISOR LLOYD PAREIRA. WE WANT TO REMIND THE SUPERVISOR THAT DELHI HAS ENTRUSTED THEIR FAITH AND CONFIDENCE THAT HE IS WORKING TOWARDS THE PARK FOR THE COMMUNITY AND THE COMMUNITY CENTER FOR OUR COMMUNITY MEETINGS. I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THE IMPORTANCE OF THE CENTER AS A MEMBER OF THE BOARD, BECAUSE THE BOARD CURRENTLY HAS NO PLACE TO HOLD THEIR MEETINGS. WE ARE ALWAYS HAVING TO ASK PLACES TO LET US BORROW THEIR FACILITIES AND MOST OF THE TIME THESE FACILITIES ARE DEMANDING AND OPEN UP THEIR SPACES LATER THAN THE RESERVED TIME. SUPERVISOR LLOYD, THE DELHI COMMUNITY, AND MYSELF WILL BE IN SUPPORT OF YOUR CAMPAIGN FOR 2024. YOU WILL HAVE OUR VOTES AND THE COMMUNITY WILL BRING OUT SUPPORT IN SECURING YOUR WIN FOR REELECTION. HOWEVER, AS YOUR CONSTITUENTS, WE WANT TO REMIND YOU THAT OTHER SMALL, UNINCORPORATED COMMUNITIES SUCH AS PLANADA HAVE THEIR PARK AND COMMUNITY CENTER AND THAT DELHI ALSO HAS THE RIGHT TO HAVE THEIR OWN PARK AND COMMUNITY CENTER. WE PAY OUR TAXES AND WE ARE ALSO A COMMUNITY OF RESIDENTS. WE ASK FOR YOUR SUPPORT IN HELPING MOVE THIS PROJECT FORWARD. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. HELLO, BOARD MEMBERS. MY NAME IS FRANCISCO BRIONES AND I'M A RESIDENT OF DELHI. I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE IT KNOWN THAT DELHI IS IN DESPERATE NEED OF A PARK. OUR TOWN IS OVER 10,000 IN POPULATION AND WE DEFINITELY NEED TO IDENTIFY AND SUPPORT THE LOCATION OF A COMMUNITY PARK SOON. YOUR SUPPORT IN THIS MATTER IS GREATLY APPRECIATED. HELLO, BOARD MEMBERS. MY NAME IS JOSEPH CASTILLO AND I'M A RESIDENT OF DELHI, ALONG WITH MY FELLOW RESIDENTS OF DELHI, I AM ALSO ASKING THE BOARD TO CONTINUE ITS EFFORTS IN SEARCHING AND SECURING LAND, MONEY AND ANY OTHER RESOURCES NEEDED FOR OUR COMMUNITY PARK AND RECREATION BUILDING. AS AN UNINCORPORATED COMMUNITY, WE TRULY RELY ON MERCED COUNTY FOR MOST OF OUR CIVIC NEEDS. WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR DELHI UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT LEADERSHIP COUNCIL AND OTHER SUCH ORGANIZATIONS AND VOLUNTEERS FROM THE COMMUNITY FOR ASSISTANCE THEY PROVIDE FOR OUR RECREATION NEEDS, CLEANUPS, MEETING PLACE, ET CETERA. BUT WE NEED TO RELY ON A PARK AND RECREATION BUILDING THAT BELONGS TO DELHI RESIDENTS. WE HAVE NO CONSISTENT PLACE TO MEET AS A COMMUNITY, INCLUDING OUR MONTHLY MAC MEETINGS, MUCH LESS RECREATION FOR CHILDREN AND ADULTS. THERE ARE MANY NEEDS AT THIS TIME IN MERCED COUNTY, WITH WINTER RAIN, FLOODS AND OTHER ONGOING ISSUES AND NEEDS, PLEASE CONTINUE YOUR WORK FOR DELHI IN ACQUIRING LAND FOR BOTH THE PARK AND COMMUNITY CENTER. I THANK YOU ALL AND I APPRECIATE YOUR EFFORTS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS. ON BOTH SIDES. I'LL TELL YOU WHAT YOU CAME FROM THAT SIDE. NEXT TIME WE'LL GO FROM THAT SIDE. HOW'S THAT? SOUNDS GOOD TO ME. AND THERE'S A BUTTON RIGHT TO YOUR RIGHT THAT YOU CAN LOWER THE PODIUM IF YOU'D LIKE. I THINK I'M GOOD. OKAY. CAN YOU HEAR ME ALL RIGHT. WELL, GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS FLORENCE CROWSON. I'M A HOME CARE PROVIDER IN MERCED COUNTY, AND I AM ONE OF OVER 3700 IHSS PROVIDERS CARING FOR THE SENIORS AND PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES IN MERCED COUNTY. WE WAKE UP EVERY DAY AND DEDICATE OURSELVES TO SERVING OUR CLIENTS, WHETHER THEY ARE FAMILY OR NOT. WE WE CARE WITH LOVE AND COMPASSION THAT THEY DESERVE. AND ALTHOUGH OUR CLIENTS DEPEND ON OUR WORK EVERY DAY, IHSS PROVIDERS ARE AMONG THE LOWEST PAID WORKERS IN THE COUNTY. OUR WORK SAVES MERCED COUNTY AND OUR TAXPAYERS HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS, EVEN MILLIONS, BECAUSE QUALITY SERVICE AT HOME MEANS FEWER STAYS IN NURSING HOMES AND HOSPITALS. CAREGIVING IS PART OF CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE. IT'S A JOB. AND CAREGIVERS DESERVE STABILITY FOR THE WORK THAT WE DO. WE DESERVE TO KNOW THAT OUR FUTURE AS CAREGIVERS, AS RESIDENTS IN THIS COUNTY ARE SAFE. AND OUR CLIENTS DESERVE THE QUALITY AT HOME CARE THAT THEY ARE QUALIFIED TO GET. WHETHER YOU ACKNOWLEDGE IT OR NOT, OUR JOBS AS IN-HOME PROVIDERS ARE NOT ONLY VALUABLE BUT NECESSARY. [00:10:08] AND IT'S ABOUT TIME YOU PAY US THE WAGES THAT COME FROM ESSENTIAL QUALITY WORK. THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS. WE'LL GO TO THIS SIDE. I DO WANT TO SAY THAT HE WILL BE MAKING A SPANISH COMMENT. AND SO IS THERE A TRANSLATION TO PUT THAT TO. RITA IF YOU WANT TO COME UP. OKAY. OKAY. OKAY. OKAY. OKAY. ENGLISH. OKAY. INTERPRETER OKAY. HIS NAME IS EFFREN MONTES. HE'S BEEN A RESIDENT OF DELHI FOR 40 YEARS, AND HE SAYS THE STREETS ARE IN DEPLORABLE CONDITION AND THAT THEY NEED HELP. YEAH, YEAH, YEAH, YEAH. [INAUDIBLE] WEARS THE GLASSES ON MY HEAD. MY NAME IS LISA CORREA. I COME TO YOU TO SPEAK ABOUT THE CRIME IN MERCED 35 HOMICIDES REPORTED IN 2022, WITH THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE INVESTIGATING 21 AND ONLY 13 HAVE HAD ARRESTS MADE. IN 2023, I HAVE LOGGED AT LEAST NINE HOMICIDES ALREADY, ROBBERIES WITH SHOOTINGS, HIGH SPEED CHASES WITH SHOOTINGS FROM MARCH 24TH TO APRIL 8TH. ALMOST EVERY DAY THERE WAS SOME TYPE OF SHOOTING. MERCED SHERIFF'S OFFICE HAS A TOTAL OF 11 DETECTIVES. MY BODY IS SHAKING RIGHT NOW. I'M SORRY. EACH ONE CAN CARRY A CASELOAD OF UP TO 120 CASES. OTHER CRIMES BEING COMMITTED EVERY FIVE MINUTES IN MERCED. WE ARE A PART OF THE FAMILIES OF THE HOMICIDE VICTIMS IN 2022, MY SON ELI CORREA, AND HIS BEST FRIEND SINCE THE AGE OF THREE AND TWO OF THEIR SURVIVING VICTIMS ON JULY 2ND, 2022. SO MUCH CRIME IN THE COUNTY 11 DETECTIVES IS JUST NOT ENOUGH. WHAT CAN BE DONE? HOW DO WE FAMILIES KNOW THE ONES THAT HAVE NO ARREST? HOW DO WE KNOW THAT EVERYBODY IS DOING WHAT THEY SAY THAT THEY'RE DOING? TODAY'S AGENDA, YOU HAVE THIS GRANT ACCEPTANCE MONEY BEING ACCEPTED FOR SO MANY GRANTS IN THIS COUNTY, PLEASE UTILIZE IT TO SOLVE THESE UNSOLVED HOMICIDES AND CONTROL THE GANG VIOLENCE AND CONTROL THE TRIGGER PEOPLE. BECAUSE THE GUNS ISN'T THE PROBLEM. IT'S THE COWARDS PULLING THE TRIGGERS. USE THE MONEY TO MAKE SURE THAT THESE DETECTIVES ARE TAKEN CARE OF, TO GET MORE DETECTIVES, TO GET CLOSURE TO US FAMILIES. I HAVE LIKE ALL KINDS OF THINGS TO SAY, BUT I'M LIKE, MY MIND IS BLANK RIGHT NOW. THE CEREMONY WE ATTENDED TODAY, IT WILL NEVER BRING OUR LOVED ONES BACK. YOU ARE ARRESTING SOMEONE FOR THE SENSELESS CRIMES. IT WILL NEVER BRING OUR LOVED ONES BACK. US ATTENDING MEETINGS AND SPILLING OUR HEARTS OUT TO YOU WILL NEVER BRING HIM BACK EITHER. BUT MAKING CHANGES AND MAKING A DIFFERENCE CAN HONOR EACH AND EVERY ONE OF OUR LOVED ONES. AND THIS IS WHAT MERCED COUNTY NEEDS TO BE DISCUSSING PROVIDING PROPER TRAINING FOR COMPASSION AND TREATING US WITH RESPECT. BECAUSE I HAVE NOT BEEN TREATED WITH RESPECT. I'VE BEEN MADE OUT TO BE A PROBLEM. UPDATING POLICY AND PROCEDURES, GIVING US A VOICE AS FAMILIES THAT DON'T HAVE NO ARREST MADE AND HELPING YOU ATTEMPT TO FIND THE KILLERS RESPONSIBLE FOR TAKING OUR LOVED ONES INSTEAD OF US JUST SITTING AND TWIRLING OUR THUMBS AND ME TURNING LIKE A CRAZY LADY FROM 0 TO 100 IN 2.2 SECONDS. I DON'T WANT TO BE A PROBLEM TO MERCED. I WANT TO EMBRACE MERCED AND I WANT MERCED TO EMBRACE ME. AGAIN MY NAME IS LISA CORREA. MY SON IS ELI CORREA, HIS BEST FRIEND IS FRANCISCO CORREA, AND THEIR SURVIVING VICTIMS ARE NATALIE CORREA AND BRIA VARGAS. I THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS. [00:15:02] WERE THREE YEARS OLD. IT'S VERY HARD TO FOLLOW THIS MY NAME IS MAYA TOKMAN. MY PAID JOB IS I'M A FACULTY AT UC MERCED AND MY VOLUNTEER JOB IS I'M EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE KIDS DISCOVERY STATION. BUT I THINK THIS MESSAGE, AS MANY OTHERS, JUST TELL US MORE ABOUT HOW MUCH WE NEED TO INVEST IN OUR CHILDREN AND INTO OUR FUTURE. BECAUSE EVERYBODY KNOWS RESEARCH SHOWS THAT YOU INVEST IN THE CHILDREN AND THE CRIME GOES DOWN AND THE FAMILIES BECOME STRONGER. AND THERE ARE A LOT OF POSITIVES THAT HAPPEN FOR THE COMMUNITY. SO I WANTED TO THANK THE SUPERVISORS AND THE CEO AND EVERYBODY IN MERCED COUNTY FOR ABOUT 12 MONTHS AGO GIVING US THE PEOPLE'S BUDGET $10,000 GRANT TO CONDUCT ONE FREE DAY FOR THE COMMUNITY EVERY MONTH, EVERY LAST SUNDAY OF THE MONTH. AND I CAN TELL YOU, WE'VE ALREADY HAD NINE OF THEM. AND THE LAST ONE IS COMING UP. IT'S THE LAST SUNDAY. I WOULD LIKE TO INVITE ALL OF YOU TO COME AND VISIT BECAUSE WHAT YOU WILL WITNESS IS A LOT OF JOY, A LOT OF FAMILIES COMING TOGETHER AND A LOT OF JUST HAPPINESS, JUST PURE, UNADULTERATED HAPPINESS. I'D LIKE TO THANK YOU, I KNOW THAT SUPERVISOR PAREIRA AND MCDANIEL AND CEO MENDEZ ALREADY VISITED. I WOULD LIKE TO INVITE AN INVITATION TO ALL OF YOU TO COME AND VISIT JUST TO SEE THAT. AND YOU CAN ALSO TALK TO THE COUNTY EMPLOYEES WHO ARE THERE. THEY'RE BRINGING GUARD DOGS. AND, YOU KNOW, THE KIDS ARE HAVING ABSOLUTE BALL WITH THAT. AND I WANT TO TELL YOU THAT IN THIS FIRST TEN EVENTS THAT WE HAVE HAD, WE'VE HAD AN ATTENDANCE OVER 1,800 PEOPLE. SO 1,800 PEOPLE CAME IN THOSE NINE DAYS. AND WE HAVE ONE MORE COMING. I'M PRETTY SURE WE'RE GOING TO BREAK 2,000. SO THIS IS AN INVESTMENT OF $5 PER PERSON THAT BRINGS SO MUCH JOY AND SO MUCH INTEREST AND SO MUCH HAPPINESS THAT YOU CAN ONLY BE THERE TO WITNESS. SO I WOULD LIKE TO ENCOURAGE AND I WANT TO ALSO MENTION THAT IN GENERAL, WE'VE ONLY BEEN OPEN FOR A YEAR AND A HALF. WE'VE ALREADY HAD 24,000 VISITS TO KIDS DISCOVERY STATION. THESE ARE THE NUMBERS THAT ARE HARD TO FIND FOR ANY OTHER PROGRAM IN MERCED, MERCED COUNTY. AND WE'VE HAD OVER 3000 STUDENTS COMING IN ON FIELD TRIPS WHO ARE LEARNING IN A VERY NEW WAY WHEN THEY DON'T EVEN KNOW THEY'RE LEARNING, THEY'RE PLAYING, AND BY THE WAY, THEY'RE LEARNING. SO I'D LIKE TO EXTEND THE INVITATION. AND ALSO I WOULD LIKE TO ASK THE SUPERVISORS TO CONSIDER TO CONTINUE THIS PROGRAM, BECAUSE WE WOULD VERY MUCH LIKE TO CONTINUE MERCED COUNTY SPONSORED DISCOVERY DAYS BASED ON THE SUCCESS THAT WE'VE ALREADY HAD SO FAR. SO I'M HAPPY TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT THIS, BUT THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION. COULD YOU REPEAT THE DATE AND TIME? SURE. IT'S THIS SUNDAY. SUNDAY. LET ME SEE WHAT THIS IS? THE CALENDAR. IT'S THE 30TH. SUNDAY THE 30TH. IT'S AN OFFICIAL LAST DISCOVERY DAY SPONSORED BY MERCED COUNTY. AND IT'S A FREE DAY OF THE MUSEUM. IT'S OPEN TO ANYBODY. AND THEN THE TIME. WHAT TIME DOES IT START? THE MUSEUM OPENS AT 10:00 AND IT'S OPEN TILL FIVE. THANK YOU. SO THAT'S IT? IF YOU DIDN'T HEAR THAT THE MUSEUM OPENS FROM 10:00 UNTIL 5:00, IT'S AN ALL DAY EVENT. WE HAD SOMEBODY FROM THIS SIDE. NO, I'M NOT SEEING IT. COME ON UP, SIR. OKAY. GOOD EVENING, SUPERVISOR. SO MY NAME IS ANGELO KIRILOV AND I'M A PROFESSOR OF COMPUTER SCIENCE AT UC MERCED AND ALSO A CO-EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF KIDS DISCOVERY STATION THAT MY WIFE MAYA JUST TALKED ABOUT. AND I JUST WANTED TO SHARE A COUPLE OF STORIES FROM THE DISCOVERY DAYS THAT I'VE ATTENDED. AND IT'S SOME OF THE MOST HEARTWARMING STORIES THAT I'VE SEEN BECAUSE IT'S BASICALLY, I THINK, UNLIKE SOME OTHER CHILDREN'S MUSEUMS THAT EXIST ALL OVER THE WORLD, WE ARE KIND OF A MUSEUM FOR EVERYONE WHERE YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE THAT RICH IN ORDER TO COME INTO OUR MUSEUM. AND THANKS TO THE SUPPORT FROM THE $10,000 THAT YOU GUYS HAVE GIVEN US, WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO BRING A LOT OF LOW INCOME PEOPLE. AND IT'S BEEN THE MOST REWARDING EXPERIENCE FOR ME TO SEE SOME OF THE STUDENTS WHO ARE IN MY CLASSES WHO HAVE YOUNG CHILDREN BECAUSE WE HAVE SOME SOME STUDENTS WHO ARE PARENTS AND THEY DON'T HAVE THAT MUCH MONEY. SO SEEING THEM IN THE MUSEUM, SHARING SPECIAL MOMENTS WITH THEIR KIDS IS JUST, YEAH, SOME OF THE MOST HEARTWARMING STUFF. [00:20:02] AND I WOULD LIKE TO ASK YOU TO CONSIDER CONTINUING THAT SUPPORT FOR FOR KIDS DISCOVERY STATION SO THAT WE CAN BRING DISCOVERY DAY FOR THE NEXT YEAR AND CONTINUE SOME OF THOSE EVENTS. YEAH THANK YOU. PERFECT. THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS. AND I DON'T SEE ANYBODY ON THIS SIDE. SO I'M GOING TO CONTINUE ON MY LEFT, YOUR RIGHT. GOOD EVENING, CHAIRPERSON AND BOARD OF SUPERVISORS. I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THIS EVENING MEETING DEMOCRACY IN ACTION HERE, IMPORTANT FOR PEOPLE TO PARTICIPATE THIS EVENING. WHAT I'D LIKE TO DO IS SHARE A LITTLE BIT OF DATA FROM THE POINT IN TIME SURVEY THAT'S REQUIRED BY GOVERNMENT HAPPENED IN FEBRUARY AND MR. PEDROZO IS PART OF THE CONTINUUM OF CARE AND IS VERY AWARE OF THIS. I'D LIKE TO REPORT THAT ABOUT 68% OF THE 389 HOMELESS PEOPLE THAT WERE UNSHELTERED HAD LESS THAN $500 A MONTH INCOME. ALMOST 57% HAD NO INCOME. THAT WAS 219 PEOPLE. AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT, YOU KNOW, OTHER CITIES HAVE TRIED GUARANTEED INCOME TYPES OF PROGRAMS, OTHER THINGS THAT WOULD HELP SUBSIDIZE THE INCOME THAT PEOPLE HAVE. BUT WE HAVE TO TRY TO DEAL WITH THE ISSUE OF HOMELESSNESS. SO MANY PEOPLE ARE ALWAYS ASKING TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT. WE DON'T WANT TO ARREST THEM. I'M POSITIVE THAT THE JAIL THAT WE HAVE WOULD NOT HAVE ENOUGH SPACE TO PUT EVERYBODY IN THERE AND THAT WOULD NOT BE A GOOD SOLUTION. BUT I WOULD LIKE TO ASK FOR YOU TO PLEASE CONSIDER PROGRAMS THAT OTHER CITIES I KNOW STOCKTON FOR ONE, AND THEY EVEN HAVE STATISTICS ON HOW THINGS HAVE GONE. YOU KNOW, WHAT PEOPLE HAVE DONE WITH THE MONEY. AND IT'S BEEN, YOU KNOW, VERY HELPFUL TO THE COMMUNITY. AND YOU KNOW THAT WE LIVE IN A COUNTY WITH HIGH POVERTY RATE. I MEAN, EVEN MAYBE THE IN-HOME SUPPORTIVE SERVICES PEOPLE CANNOT AFFORD RIGHT NOW, EVEN AFFORDABLE RENT, THAT'S ALL A REAL PROBLEM. WE NEED YOU TO TAKE CARE OF SOME OF THE SOLUTIONS FOR PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS. GOOD EVENING. CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD, BOARD MEMBERS, CEO MENDEZ, COUNTY COUNSEL HANSEN. MY NAME IS KIMIKO VANG AND I AM THE DIRECTOR OF BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AND RECOVERY SERVICES. I AM PLEASED TO INTRODUCE YOU TONIGHT TO JULIANNE SIMS, WHO HAS JOINED OUR DEPARTMENT AS THE NEW ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OVER CLINICAL SERVICES. JULIANNE IS A LICENSED CLINICAL SOCIAL WORKER WITH OVER 20 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE IN BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, INCLUDING TEN YEARS IN LEADERSHIP POSITIONS IN COUNTY GOVERNMENT. JULIANNE HAS SPENT THE LAST TWO YEARS AS A DIVISION DIRECTOR FOR MARIPOSA COUNTY HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES AGENCY, WHERE SHE WORKED ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF CALAIM AND OTHER STATEWIDE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH INITIATIVES. JULIANNE HAS ALSO SERVED IN THE ADMINISTRATION AND HUMAN SERVICES DIVISIONS. GOOD EVENING. THANK YOU, DR. VANG, FOR THE LOVELY INTRODUCTION. I'M REALLY EXCITED TO BE BACK IN MERCED COUNTY. AS MENTIONED, I WAS IN MARIPOSA FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS AND IT'S LOVELY, BUT THE WEATHER WAS A BIT MUCH AND SO GLAD TO BE BACK AND GLAD TO BE PROMOTING WELLNESS AND RECOVERY IN OUR COMMUNITY. SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU. AND WELCOME ABOARD. GOOD EVENING. BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, COMMUNITY AND STAFF. MY NAME IS CECILIA CERVANTES AND I COME FROM THE COMMUNITY OF DELHI, CALIFORNIA. I'M HERE TO ACTUALLY VOICE AN ADDITION TO THE OTHER INDIVIDUAL EARLIER, THE NEED FOR THE PARK AND THE COMMUNITY HALL IN DELHI. WE DO HAVE SOME MONIES OUT THERE. HOWEVER, WE NEED A LOT MORE. AND SO BASICALLY MY QUESTION HERE IS TO OUR COUNTY DISTRICT SUPERVISOR IS, IS THERE A PLAN ON HOW TO ACQUIRE MORE MONEY AND FOR THIS VISION AND WHEN WE EXPECT TO SEE THAT PLAN? AND THE SECOND THING WE WANT IS CONTINUOUS UPDATES AS TO HOW THINGS ARE MOVING ALONG. DEFINITELY WE CAN HELP IN ANY WAY THAT WE CAN AS COMMUNITY MEMBERS AS WELL, BUT WE ALSO NEED TO KEEP MOVING THIS REQUEST. I'M GOING TO SHARE A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHY I'M EXCITED ABOUT THIS PROJECT. [00:25:02] I'M PERSONALLY WORKING ON BRINGING IN SERVICES FOR OUR SENIOR CITIZENS, SO I WORK REALLY HARD TO FIND A SPACE TO BRING ACTIVITIES FOR THEM. AND SO I WAS NOT ABLE TO GET ANY SITE OR HOW DO I SAY SPECIFIC LOCATION THAT WOULD BE APPROPRIATE FOR THEM. I'M GRATEFUL THE DISTRICT SCHOOL OF DELHI IS GOING TO ALLOW US TO UTILIZE THEIR CAFETERIA ON A TEMPORARY BASIS. HOWEVER, THERE'S A LOT OF OTHER ACTIVITIES GOING ON IN DELHI, AND I'M VERY PROUD TO SAY THAT A LOT OF PARENTS ARE VERY INVOLVED IN DIFFERENT PROJECTS. SO IT'S GETTING THE SPACE KIND OF LIMITED TO UTILIZE SOME OF THESE FACILITIES. SO THEREFORE, I URGE OUR COUNTY SUPERVISOR TO HELP US MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS PARTICULAR PROJECT AS EVERYBODY IS PRETTY EXCITED ABOUT IT. AND BASICALLY, HONESTLY, WE NEED A PARK AND A COMMUNITY HALL IN DELHI. WE DON'T HAVE ANYTHING. WE JUST HAVE TO KIND OF LIVINGSTON DEAL WITH LIVINGSTON OR TURLOCK AND THEN KIND OF DELHI IS KIND OF FORGOTTEN. SO WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT AT LEAST WE HAVE WHAT WE NEED. AND THAT'S A BIG, BIG PART OF IT. SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS. OKAY. GOOD EVENING, BOARD MEMBERS. MY NAME IS SARIAH RAMIREZ WITH LEADERSHIP COUNCIL FOR JUSTICE AND ACCOUNTABILITY. RESIDENTS OF DELHI HAVE BEEN WAITING TO RECEIVE UPDATES ON A SITE ACQUISITION FOR THE DELHI COMMUNITY CENTER AND PARK. THE $550,000 ALLOCATED FOR THE PARK AND CENTER PROJECT, WHICH ORIGINATE FROM ARPA DOLLARS. AS YOU ALL KNOW, IS ON A TIMELINE. SO ARPA FUNDS MUST BE OBLIGATED BY DECEMBER OF 2024, BUT SPENT ON DECEMBER OF 2026. THE ACQUISITION FOR THE PARK IS A LENGTHY PROCESS AS THE COUNTY HAS TO INVESTIGATE AVAILABLE LAND, SPEAK WITH PROPERTY OWNERS AND PURCHASE THE LAND. WHICH IS WHY RESIDENTS FEEL AN URGENCY FOR THE COUNTY TO BE MORE INVOLVED WITH THIS PROCESS TO GET PROGRESS FOR THE COMMUNITY CENTER AND PARK. RESIDENTS ARE ALSO ASKING THAT THE COUNTY AND SUPERVISOR PAREIRA TAKE ON A MORE COMMUNITY FOCUSED APPROACH AS THE PARK AND CENTER ARE OUR TOP COMMUNITY PRIORITY. SPECIFICALLY, RESIDENTS ARE REQUESTING PERIODIC MONTHLY DISCUSSIONS WITH COUNTY STAFF, PARK AND RECREATION SUPERINTENDENTS AND DIRECTOR AND THEN ALSO SUPERVISOR PAREIRA THAT FOCUSES ON SITE ACQUISITION, PARK FUNDS, PROJECT PLANNING AND STATUS UPDATES. RESIDENTS ARE AWARE THAT THE SITE ON SHANKS AND SCHENDEL IS NO LONGER AVAILABLE SINCE THE SCHOOL WILL BE UTILIZING THAT. BUT OUR LAST COMMUNITY MEETING RESIDENTS DID STRATEGIZE ON THREE DIFFERENT ALTERNATIVE PROJECT SITES ONE ON AUGUST AVENUE NEAR HARMONY SCHOOL, THE SECOND ONE MERCED AND SCHENDEL ON SOUTHWEST FACING CORNER. THERE'S LIKE AN OLD PARCEL AVAILABLE. VINCENT AND FIRST AVENUE, WHICH IS ALSO ANOTHER CORNER AREA THAT'S CLOSE TO EL CAPITAN AND THE SWEET POTATO FIELDS. ALL OF THESE SITES HAVE BEEN EMAILED IN A FOLLOW UP TO COUNTY STAFF ON APRIL 12TH, AND SO RESIDENTS ARE WANTING TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THE STATUS UPDATE IS ON THOSE SITES AND IF SUPERVISOR PAREIRA AND ANY RELEVANT COUNTY STAFF COULD FOLLOW UP IN A MEETING TO PRESENT ANY OTHER SITES THAT THE COUNTY MAY HAVE LOOKED INTO. LASTLY, IN THE FOLLOW UP EMAIL AND IN A PREVIOUS MEETING, RESIDENTS MENTIONED A POTHOLE ON SYCAMORE AVENUE. IT'S GOTTEN WORSE WITH RAIN AND SO THEY'RE REQUESTING THAT THE COUNTY GO OUT TO INSPECT AND REPAIR THE ROAD WHERE IT'S LOCATED. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS. OKAY MY NAME IS ANA MARIA FABIAN. OKAY, I'M HERE AGAIN BECAUSE I'M TIRED OF ASKING FOR SOME THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN ASKED FOR BEFORE FOR THE SOUTH OF MERCED. THE COMPARISON BETWEEN SOUTH MERCED AND NORTH MERCED IS PRETTY HORRIBLE IN NORTH MERCED EVERYTHING IS PRETTY NICE. SOUTH MERCED WE ARE NOT DIGNIFIED WITH EVEN HAVING A GROCERY STORE OR SOMEWHERE, A STORE WHERE WE CAN BUY PRODUCE. [00:30:32] . 77 SOUTH P STREET IS IN HORRIBLE CONDITION. THERE'S NO DRAINAGE. IT'S IN BAD CONDITION. SHE HAS GONE TO THE CITY COUNCIL SEVERAL TIMES ASKING FOR HELP AND WHAT THEY TELL HER IS THAT IT'S NOT THEIR RESPONSIBILITY. SO SHE IS ASKING, WANTING TO KNOW WHO IS RESPONSIBLE TO MAKE THE SITUATION OF THE STREET BETTER. IT'S CONTAMINATED, THE WATER IS CONTAMINATED. SHE HAS HAD MEETINGS WITH THE CITY MANAGER AND WITH OTHER PEOPLE IN THE CITY OF MERCED, BUT NOTHING SEEMS TO GET BETTER. SO SHE HAS HERE THE SIGNATURES OF MOST OF THE PEOPLE THAT LIVE ON THAT STREET, WHICH ARE SENIOR CITIZENS. THEY ARE NOT ABLE TO COME TODAY. SO SHE IS HERE REPRESENTING THEM. OKAY? AND SO SHE SAYS THAT THEY ARE VERY, VERY IMPORTANT, JUST LIKE ANYBODY ELSE. WHEN YOU COUNT THE CENSUS, THEY DON'T RECEIVE THE MONEY THAT THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO, BUT THEY ARE JUST AS IMPORTANT AS ANYBODY ELSE. AND SHE HAS BEEN DOING THIS FOR 25 YEARS. TODAY SHE CAME. SHE PAID HER OWN GAS. NOBODY HELPS HER, BUT SHE IS VERY PASSIONATE ABOUT WHAT SHE'S DOING AND SHE'S REALLY HOPING THAT YOU WILL ALSO BE PASSIONATE FOR THE CAUSE THAT SHE CAME TO REPRESENT TODAY. THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS. GOOD EVENING, MR. CHAIR, MEMBERS OF THE MERCED COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS. MY NAME IS JOHN CHECKLEY. I'M A DEPUTY DIRECTOR WITH MERCED COUNTY HUMAN SERVICE AGENCY. I'M HERE TO THANK YOU TODAY FOR YOUR SUPPORT, YOUR CONTINUED AND ONGOING SUPPORT FOR THE VETERANS IN THIS COMMUNITY. RECENTLY, YOU ALL FILMED A VIDEO THAT WAS PART OF A SOCIAL MEDIA CAMPAIGN IN REGARDS TO THE VETERANS MERCED COUNTY VETERANS STAND-DOWN. ALSO CEO MENDEZ, I SAW THAT YOU HAD ADDED THAT AS WELL TO YOUR CEO MESSAGE TODAY THAT WILL REACH POTENTIALLY UP TO 2500 COUNTY EMPLOYEES. SO THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR SUPPORT FOR THAT VIDEO, FOR THE CAMPAIGN, ONGOING SUPPORT FOR THESE EVENTS THAT WE'RE HOLDING. THIS SPECIFIC EVENT WILL BE ON MAY 5TH, WHICH IS NEXT FRIDAY AT THE MERCED COUNTY FAIRGROUNDS IN THE BEAR CREEK PLAZA. IT'S SCHEDULED FROM 8 TO 5. TYPICALLY, VETERANS STAND DOWNS ARE TARGETED FOR VETERANS WHO ARE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS. AT THIS EVENT, ALL VETERANS ARE WELCOME TO COME. THE CAMARADERIE SHIP. THERE WILL BE THE VA ON SITE AND OTHER SERVICE PROVIDERS TO ANSWER QUESTIONS DIRECTLY. [00:35:02] SO I WOULD LIKE TO ENCOURAGE ALL VETERANS IN THE COMMUNITY WHO MAY BE HEARING ME NOW OR HAVE BEEN TOUCHED BY OUR SOCIAL MEDIA OR PRINT EXCUSE ME, RADIO AD CAMPAIGN TO COME IN AND AND PARTICIPATE IN THIS OPPORTUNITY TO REALLY CONNECT WITH NOT ONLY FELLOW VETERANS, BUT ALSO THE VA DIRECTLY. I HAVE LEFT SOME FLIERS IN THE BACK. SO ANYONE IN ATTENDANCE WHO WOULD LIKE TO GRAB A FLIER, PLEASE DO SO. HELP US GET THIS MESSAGE OUT. WE HAVE A FAIRLY SMALLER VETERAN SERVICE OFFICE, SO WE REALLY DO COUNT ON THE VETERANS IN OUR COMMUNITY TO HELP US GET THAT MESSAGE OUT SO THEY CAN GET CONNECTED TO OUR OFFICE AS WELL AS THE VA. AGAIN, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR CONTINUED AND ONGOING SUPPORT, AND I'LL LEAVE SOME FLIERS HERE FOR YOU ALL. THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS, JOHN. FOR YOU FOLKS THAT ARE GETTING A LITTLE BIT WARM, I DID SEND A MESSAGE TO ASK THEM TO TURN THE AIR DOWN A LITTLE BIT IN HERE. GOOD EVENING TO YOU ALL. ANA MARIA CALDERON. AND I'M HERE ON BEHALF OF OUR COMMUNITY ON SOUTH MERCED, SOUTH P STREET. I LIVE DOWN THERE. AND AGAIN, THE SEWER AND THE WATER, WE HAVE ISSUES WITH THAT. IT IS VERY, VERY EXPENSIVE TO WHEN YOUR [INAUDIBLE] LINE BREAKS. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT 4 OR $5,000. I DON'T HAVE THAT KIND OF MONEY SITTING ON THE BANK, YOU KNOW, TO GET THAT TAKEN CARE OF. I'VE BEEN THAT ADDRESS ON SOUTH P STREET SINCE 2000 [INAUDIBLE], AND WE HAVE FIXED A SEPTIC TANK A COUPLE OF TIMES. WE HAVE TO DIP IN THE PIPE FOR THE WATER BECAUSE I DON'T HAVE WATER FROM THE CITY. AND AGAIN, WE PAY OUR TAXES AND WE NEED YOUR HELP. WE WENT TO THE CITY COUNCIL. THEY SAID, WELL, THE COUNTY, BECAUSE WE'RE IN THE COUNTY, WE'LL TALK TO THEM. THEY CAN PUT AN APPLICATION, SUBMIT A GRANT FROM THE STATE. AND IT SEEMS LIKE WE KIND OF JUST GETTING THE RUNAROUND, YOU KNOW, GO TO THE CITY. THE CITY SAYS GO TO THE COUNTY AND NOTHING HAPPENS. DURING THE FLOOD WHERE I HAVE MY WELL, THE WATER WENT UP PROBABLY LIKE ABOUT A FEET OR TWO FEET FROM THE BASE OF THE WHERE THE WELL SITS. AND I WAS VERY CONCERNED BECAUSE THE SEWER SEPTIC IS PROBABLY ABOUT 20FT ON THE SAME, YOU KNOW, SIDE. AND SO I WAS VERY CONCERNED THAT IF WE MIGHT HAVE, THE WATER MIGHT BE CONTAMINATED. SO I WENT TO FEMA AND I PUT AN APPLICATION AND THEY SENT SOMEBODY TO TO LOOK AT IT. THEY TOOK A SAMPLE. HE TOOK A SAMPLE AND HE SAID, WE'LL GET THAT WAS ON A FRIDAY. HE SAID, I WILL GET SOMEBODY WILL CALL YOU ON MONDAY TO LET YOU KNOW IF YOUR WATER IS CONTAMINATED. AND HE SAID, AND IF THE WATER IS CONTAMINATED, THEY'RE NOT GOING TO. THEY'RE I GOT A PHONE CALL. YOUR TIME IS EXPIRED. TIME IS UP. YOU GOT TEN MORE SECONDS JUST TO FINISH UP YOUR THOUGHT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. AND I HOPE YOU GUYS DO WHAT THE CITY'S SAYING. AND IF NOT, PLEASE LET. I DON'T KNOW, SOMEHOW LET US KNOW. THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS. STREET AS WELL. YES. [00:40:09] HOUSES TOGETHER. TWO YEARS AGO. TWO YEARS AGO THE WATER LEVEL WASN'T HIGH ENOUGH. SO THEY HAD TO CONTRACT A COMPANY TO GO DOWN 57M MORE TO FIND THE WATER. YEAH. I HAVE TWO GRANDCHILDREN SIX AND THREE. WE NEED THE WATER. AND FORTUNATELY WE ARE ABOUT 1000FT FROM THE CITY LIMIT. WE COULD GET THE DRAINAGE OF THE CITY. GRACIAS. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS, SIR. MADELINE HARRIS FROM LEADERSHIP COUNCIL. SO I WANT TO TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT WHAT RESIDENTS FROM SOUTH P STREET ARE BRINGING TO YOUR ATTENTION TONIGHT. SO AS YOU MAY KNOW, ALREADY A LOT OF FOLKS ON SOUTH P STREET AND IN THE UNINCORPORATED AREAS JUST OUTSIDE OF CITY LIMITS IN SOUTH MERCED ARE RELIANT ON SEPTIC TANKS, MANY OF WHICH ARE FAILING. AND SO THAT'S WHAT IS BEING MENTIONED ABOUT THE WATER POTENTIALLY GETTING CONTAMINATED FROM LEAKING SEPTIC TANKS. AND MANY RESIDENTS ARE ALSO RELIANT ON DOMESTIC WELLS. AND SO RESIDENTS WOULD LIKE TO CONNECT TO THE CITY OF MERCED'S SEWER AND WATER SERVICES. AND THE LAST THAT WE HEARD FROM THE CITY WAS THAT THEY'RE MORE THAN WILLING TO CONNECT THE SERVICES TO UNINCORPORATED AREAS IN SOUTH MERCED SO LONG AS THE COUNTY WOULD TAKE THE LEAD ON APPLYING TO THE STATE FOR FUNDING TO PAY FOR THE PLANNING AND CONSTRUCTION COSTS, AS WELL AS CONNECTION FEES FOR RESIDENTS. AND THE REASON WHY THAT'S SO IMPORTANT IS BECAUSE THIS IS A LOW INCOME COMMUNITY AND CONNECTION FEES CAN BE AS MUCH AS $18,000 PER HOUSEHOLD. SO IT'S INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT THAT THE COUNTY, YOU KNOW, PLAY A ROLE IN THIS PROJECTS SUCCESS SO THE RESIDENTS DON'T HAVE TO PAY THOSE FEES. SO THE COUNTY CAN APPLY TO THE STATE WATER BOARD UNDER THE PROP ONE GRANT FOR FUNDING FOR WATER AND WASTEWATER CONNECTION PROJECTS. AND SO WE WOULD LIKE TO ASK FOR THE COUNTY'S COLLABORATION ON THIS PROJECT. OUR ORGANIZATION WILL BE DOING TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE UNDER PROP ONE FOR THIS TO GET SURVEYS FILLED OUT FOR FOLKS IN SOUTH MERCED TO SEE HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE ACTUALLY INTERESTED IN CONNECTING TO THE CITY'S WATER AND SEWER. AND THAT'S PART OF THAT PROCESS. BUT WE REALLY JUST NEED YOU AS THE, YOU KNOW, AGENCY THAT THIS FALLS UNDER YOUR JURISDICTION TO TAKE THE LEAD ON THAT FUNDING APPLICATION. AND THEN SECONDLY, I WANTED TO BRING UP THE PETITION THAT ANA MARIE RESUBMITTED. THIS IS A PETITION FOR PEDESTRIAN SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS ON [INAUDIBLE] AVENUE, SOUTH P STREET AND JOYCE AVENUE. AND SO SPECIFICALLY, WHAT PEOPLE ARE LOOKING FOR IS SPEED BUMPS, STREET LIGHTING, STREET REPAIRS AND SIDEWALKS. AND THIS IS SUPER IMPORTANT FOR THE WALKABILITY AND SAFETY IN THE COMMUNITY, ESPECIALLY WITH THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL SO CLOSE BY, GOLDEN VALLEY HEALTH CENTER SO CLOSE BY. THIS IS A MAJOR CORRIDOR THAT PEOPLE NEED TO WALK ON. AND SOUTH MERCED RESIDENTS WOULD LIKE TO SEE THEIR MEASURE V TAX PAYER DOLLARS GET INVESTED INTO THEIR COMMUNITY. IN THIS WAY, FOLKS HAVE BEEN PAYING THEIR TAX DOLLARS INTO MEASURE V SINCE IT PASSED, AND UNINCORPORATED SOUTH MERCED STILL HASN'T SEEN MEASURE V DOLLARS GET IMPLEMENTED AND PROJECTS COMPLETED IN THEIR COMMUNITY, SO THEY'D LIKE TO SEE THEIR TAX DOLLARS AT WORK. SO AGAIN, WE'RE JUST ASKING FOR THE COUNTY TO INVEST IN UNINCORPORATED SOUTH MERCED AND PLEASE FOLLOW UP WITH RESIDENTS ON THESE REQUESTS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS. MY NAME IS ELLIE PAINTED CROW. [00:45:01] AND I WANT TO SAY FOR THE RECORD THAT WHAT I WILL BE SHARING IN THE NEXT 4 OR 5 MEETINGS HAS CAUSED ALARM WITH SOME OF MY FELLOW VETERANS. THEY ARE WARNING ME THAT SHARING THIS INFORMATION MAY CAUSE HARM TO ME OR MY FAMILY. I AM NOT AFRAID AND NEITHER IS MY FAMILY. AND I HOPE IT WILL NOT COME TO THIS. FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE NOT CLEAR ON WHAT THE CONFLICT IS BETWEEN THE TWO VETERAN ORGANIZATIONS THAT HAVE BEEN BATTLED FOR THE LAST TEN YEARS, I'D LIKE TO SHARE AN OLD MEMO, AND THEN NEXT TIME I WILL SHARE A NEWER MEMO. THIS IS A MEMO FROM A COMMANDER AND IT READS AS FOLLOWS THE VETERANS NAME IS DELETED FOR HIS SAFETY AND OR HER SAFETY. I HAVE READ YOUR LAST EMAIL THAT YOU SENT. AND SO THE DEPARTMENT COMMANDER AS YOUR DEPARTMENT COMMANDER, I, JODY GRIFFIN, HAVE PROMISED YOU THAT MERCED POST 8 30 83 WILL DEAL WITH IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONSTITUTION BY LAWS SITUATIONS SUCH AS SERIOUS AS MERCED TAKES IT. THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS STATUS OF LIMITATION. IN THE AMERICAN LEGION I HAVE BEEN IN CONTACT NUMEROUS TIMES WITH DEPARTMENT COMMANDER OVER THE ISSUES. WE HAVE NOT ABANDONED OR DISREGARDED ANY COMPLAINTS THAT YOU WERE FILED BY YOU OR MEMBERS. AGAIN, THE REASON I CANNOT COME FROM MERCED POST 83 IS BECAUSE THREATS HAVE BEEN MADE AGAINST ME. THE OTHER REASON FOR MINIMAL COMMITMENT IS MERCED MEMBERS IN GOOD STANDING. SO I'M NOT GOING TO READ IT ALL BECAUSE I'M GOING TO RUN OUT OF TIME. BUT BASICALLY WHAT SHE'S SAYING, SHE WAS THE COMMANDER. SHE COULDN'T COME BECAUSE HER LIFE WAS THREATENED BY MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, BY MEMBERS OF THE GROUP THERE. AND SHE TRIED HER BEST TO SOLVE THIS PROBLEM, WHICH SHE WAS UNABLE TO DO, AND SHE IS NO LONGER THERE. THAT WAS IN 2012. SO WE HAVE A PROBLEM THAT HAS BEEN HERE FOR TEN YEARS. SO WHAT I AM SAYING TO YOU GUYS IS THAT YOU GUYS ARE GOING TO BE VOTING ON THIS PRETTY SOON ON THIS LEASE. AND THIS LEASE HAS A LOT TO DO WITH THE VIOLENCE THAT HAS OCCURRED HERE. BUT YOU'VE REFUSED TO LISTEN TO THIS. AND SO WHAT I'M GOING TO DO IS I'M GOING TO BRING THE MEMOS. I'M GOING TO BRING THE STORIES OF ALL THESE VETERANS WHO HAVE BEEN INFLICTED WITH VIOLENCE, WITH DISCRIMINATION, WITH ABUSE AND THEIR ELDERS, THEIR RIGHTS OF VIOLATION. I'M GOING TO COME HERE TO EVERY MEETING AND I'M GOING TO READ EVERY MEMO AND EVERY STORY UNTIL YOU LISTEN TO WHAT THE PROBLEM IS WITH THE LEASE. THE PROBLEM IS NOT THE VETERANS FIGHTING WITH EACH OTHER. THE PROBLEM IS HOW YOU ARE CREATING THIS PROBLEM AND ALLOWING IT TO CONTINUE BY NOT LISTENING. SO SINCE YOU DON'T WANT TO HEAR THE VETERANS, MAYBE THE COMMUNITY WANTS TO HEAR THE VETERANS STORIES BECAUSE YOU SURE DON'T. AND I'M ASKING FOR THE COMMUNITY SUPPORT. THESE VETERANS ARE VIETNAM VETERANS. THEY HAVE BEEN BEATEN. YOUR TIME IS EXPIRED. I'LL GIVE YOU TEN MORE SECONDS TO FINISH YOUR LAST THOUGHT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THEY'VE BEEN. THEY'VE BEEN BEATEN AND THEY HAVE TRIED THEIR BEST OVER THE YEARS TO SOLVE THIS PROBLEM AND HAVE COME TO YOU GUYS FOR MANY, MANY TIMES. AND YOU HAVE DONE NOTHING. THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS. ALL RIGHT. THIS WILL BE OUR LAST PUBLIC COMMENT. WE'VE REACHED OUR 30 MINUTE TIME FRAME. MY NAME IS SERGEANT ANGEL MILLMAN AND I JUST WANT TO SHARE THE FOLLOWING. SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL, WHO IS ON THE LEASE COMMITTEE, SHOULD HAVE RECUSED HIMSELF FROM THIS COMMITTEE. HIS WIFE IS OR HAS BEEN AN AUXILIARY MEMBER OF THE AMERICAN LEGION POST 83 AND IS THEREFORE A CONFLICT OF INTEREST FOR HIM. HE KNOWS THAT. YOU ALL KNOW THAT. WHY DID YOU ALL ALLOW IT? IS THIS ANOTHER FORM OF CRONYISM HAPPENING? JUST ASKING. THIS VETERANS DILEMMA HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR OVER A DECADE, AND THIS BOARD CONTINUES TO BLAME THE VETERANS FOR THE CONFLICTS OCCURRING BETWEEN ORGANIZATIONS AND TAKING NO RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE CONTRIBUTIONS THIS BOARD MAKES IN PERPETUATING THE NOW UNREPORTED ACTS OF VIOLENCE AGAINST THE ELDERLY, DISABLED VETERANS OF THIS COMMUNITY. HOW DOES THIS BENEFIT THE BOARD? WHY ARE YOU SO DETERMINED TO KEEP THE STATUS QUO KNOWING THIS EXISTS? WHAT DO YOU STAND TO GAIN? THESE ARE IMPORTANT QUESTIONS WE NEED ANSWERS TO SO THAT WE MAY BETTER UNDERSTAND WHY THIS IS BEING ALLOWED. I WANT TO KNOW HOW THIS IS GOING TO BE RESOLVED, AS IT WILL SOON BE TIME FOR REELECTION FOR SOME OF YOU. I THINK THIS ISSUE IS WORTH ADDRESSING. WHY SHOULD WE ELECT YOU IF YOU HAVE NO DESIRE OR THE SKILLS TO ADDRESS A DECADE OLD PROBLEM THAT REQUIRES A NEGOTIATION THAT IS EQUITABLE? IF IT WAS THERE FOR DECADES BEFORE 2012. I HOPE THIS IS ADDRESSED IN YOUR TOWN HALL MEETINGS. THIS COMPLACENCY OF CONCERN FOR DISABLED ELDERLY VETS IS APPARENT. MAYBE WE NEED BETTER NEGOTIATORS ON THIS BOARD. MAYBE WE NEED SOMEONE WHO REALLY CARES ABOUT THE 12,000 PLUS VETERANS WHO LIVE IN MERCED COUNTY. [00:50:03] SOMETHING FOR ALL OF US WHO WILL BE VOTING TO THINK ABOUT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS, SIR. ALL RIGHT. THAT CONCLUDES OUR 30 MINUTES OF COMMENTS. JUST TAKE THREE MINUTES TO SEE WHAT I HAVE TO SAY, SIR. THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT. SO I'M GOING TO ALLOW ONE MORE AND THAT'S IT. OKAY. BECAUSE WE HAVE WE HAVE A LOT OF VOLUNTEER PRESENTATIONS THAT WE'RE GOING TO DO TONIGHT. THANK YOU. MY NAME IS SHARON JOHNSON, AND I THANK YOU ALL FOR ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF MY DISPLACEMENT FROM 2355 K STREET APARTMENT 209 DUE TO AN ELECTRICAL FIRE WHICH TOOK PLACE ON WEDNESDAY, APRIL THE 12TH, 2023. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU GUYS ARE FAMILIAR WITH IT. UPON RECEIVING A TELEPHONE CALL FROM SEDOV'S MANAGER ON 4-13, FLORENCE BAKER STATING WE HAVE TO LEAVE IMMEDIATELY DUE TO THE BUILDING BEING RED TAGGED AND TOLD TO GRAB WHAT WE CAN AND A DEADBOLT WILL BE PLACED ON DOORS TO PROTECT PROPERTY. SHOULD WE NOT ABIDE WE WILL BE ARRESTED FOR TRESPASSING. ALSO STATED THAT THEY CANNOT ACCOMMODATE US. THE DISPLACED TENANTS ARE TEMPORARILY HOUSED AT MOTEL SIX. WE DON'T KNOW HOW LONG WE WILL GO OR HOW LONG THIS WILL LAST. WE ARE BEING SUPPORTED BY BLANCA O'JACOB. I'M SORRY IF I'M MISPRONOUNCING YOUR NAME, FAITH IN THE VALLEY ORGANIZATION. AND GLORIA AND SAUL UNITED METHODIST CHURCH, WHICH IS SUPPORTING US. ANY TYPE OF SUPPORT, IF ANY, WOULD BE GRATEFULLY APPRECIATED. IF YOU ALL CAN HELP US OR PASS IT ON TO THOSE THAT CAN HELP US. AND THIS IS SOME OF THE PICTURES OF THE DAMAGES OF THE APARTMENT AND THEY'RE NOT ALLOWING US BACK IN. THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS. ALL RIGHT. WE ARE MOVING ON NOW TO OUR 2023 VOLUNTEER RECOGNITION. [PRESENTATIONS: VOLUNTEER RECOGNITION ] WE'LL START FROM RIGHT UP HERE AND THEN WE WILL MOVE DOWN THERE. SO I'D LIKE TO WELCOME EVERYONE WHO IS HERE TODAY FOR OUR VOLUNTEER RECOGNITION CEREMONY. THIS YEAR MARKS THE 49TH ANNIVERSARY OF NATIONAL VOLUNTEER WEEK. MERCED COUNTY'S PROGRAM WAS ESTABLISHED IN 1999. WE ARE VERY GRATEFUL FOR THE VOLUNTEERS IN OUR COMMUNITIES. THE WIDE ARRAY OF PROGRAMS AND SERVICES THEY PROVIDE WOULD NOT BE POSSIBLE WITHOUT THEIR COMMITMENT TIME AND ENERGY. FIRST OFF, I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE AND THANK OUR SCREENING COMMITTEE MEMBERS WHO SCORED THIS YEAR'S NOMINEES, AND I'LL ASK THEM TO RAISE THEIR HAND IF THEY'RE IN ATTENDANCE. EXCUSE ME, FROM DISTRICT ONE, WE HAD DAVID RODRIGUEZ FROM DISTRICT TWO WE HAD TRACY PERETTI. THANK YOU. DISTRICT FOUR, JEANNIE KNIGHT, EXCUSE ME, DISTRICT THREE, JEANNIE KNIGHT, DISTRICT FOUR, CHARLENE BORELLI. AND CHARLENE'S BEEN DOING THIS IS HER SIXTH YEAR OF DOING IT. AND THEN FROM DISTRICT FIVE, ANNE MCCAULEY, AND THIS IS HER NINTH YEAR OF DOING THAT. ANNE THANK YOU FOR ALWAYS VOLUNTEERING TO HELP US OUT. SO WE RECEIVED MANY FANTASTIC NOMINATIONS THIS YEAR, AND TODAY WE'RE HONORING TEN OF THEM, TWO FROM EACH SUPERVISORIAL DISTRICT. WE WILL BE INTRODUCING EACH OF THE RECIPIENTS, STARTING WITH DISTRICT ONE AND TELLING YOU ABOUT THE WORK THEY'VE BEEN DOING IN THE COMMUNITY AND PRESENTING THEM WITH CERTIFICATES OF RECOGNITION AS WELL AS A COUNTY PIN. IF ANYONE IN ATTENDANCE NOMINATED ONE OF TODAY'S RECIPIENTS, PLEASE FEEL FREE TO JOIN US UP FRONT AS THEY RECEIVE THEIR CERTIFICATES. AND WITH US TONIGHT I HAVE THAT ARE ALSO GOING TO BE PRESENTING CERTIFICATES. I HAVE CHRISTIANE SANTOS FROM CONGRESSMAN DUARTE'S OFFICE. CRISTIAN IS HERE, AND I ALSO HAVE ALEJANDRO CARRILLO FROM ASSEMBLYWOMAN SORIA'S OFFICE. AND I SEE WE HAVE SOMEONE ALSO HERE FROM STATE SENATOR'S OFFICE. SO THANK YOU GUYS FOR BEING HERE. AFTER WE'RE DONE PRESENTING ALL THE CERTIFICATES, WE'LL GATHER UP FRONT, OUT IN FRONT IN THE LOBBY. WE'LL GATHER UP FOR A GROUP PHOTO, WHICH WILL BE FOLLOWED BY A BRIEF RECEPTION IN THE LOBBY AREA OUTSIDE THE BOARD CHAMBERS. THERE WILL ALSO BE A PHOTO SCREEN SET UP AT THE RECEPTION WHERE YOU CAN TAKE A PHOTO WITH FAMILY, FRIENDS, OR MAYBE EVEN YOUR FAVORITE SUPERVISOR. [LAUGHTER] CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL OF YOU FOR A JOB WELL DONE. AND NOW LET'S LET THE CEREMONY START. AND FIRST UP, WE HAVE SUPERVISOR ESPINOZA AND FOR DISTRICT ONE. MICROPHONE IS OVER THERE. THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING. SO WELCOME AGAIN TO THE FIRST EVENING MEETING OF THE YEAR. I KNOW WE'VE BEEN TRYING FOR YEARS TO TRY TO HAVE MORE EVENING MEETINGS SO MORE OF THE PUBLIC CAN COME IN AND ENJOY THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS MEETINGS. [00:55:03] WELL, FIRST OF ALL, I'M GOING TO CALL UP WELL, LET ME SAY A FEW WORDS. THERE ARE SO MANY VOLUNTEERS, ESPECIALLY AFTER THE FLOODS. YOU KNOW, SO MUCH SO MANY WONDERFUL PEOPLE HELPED ALL THE COMMUNITIES MERCED, MCSWAIN, AND PLANADA, AND LE GRAND, WHICH GOT AFFECTED A LITTLE BIT. BUT STILL THEY WERE ABLE TO, YOU KNOW, HELP OUT SO MUCH. SO I WANT TO THANK EVERYBODY. A LOT OF THE COMMUNITY, CHURCHES, PEOPLE NOT JUST FROM MERCED COUNTY OUT OF THE COUNTY, CAME AND HELPED SO, SO MANY WONDERFUL PEOPLE AND INDIVIDUALLY, YOU KNOW, THANK YOU FOR EVERYBODY THAT DONATED, BROUGHT UP BROUGHT OVER FOOD. SO I CAN'T THANK YOU ENOUGH. SO I WISH I COULD RECOGNIZE EVERYBODY TODAY, YOU KNOW, AND UNFORTUNATELY, WE'RE TRYING TO GET MORE NAMES SO I CAN HAND OUT MORE CERTIFICATES ALONG WITH MY COLLEAGUES, TO THANK AS MANY PEOPLE AS WE CAN. SO I WANT TO THANK EVERYBODY THAT SUPPORTED US. FIRST OF ALL, HAVE LE GRAND HIGH SCHOOL IF THEY CAN COME UP, PLEASE. [APPLAUSE] I THINK LIKE THE CHAIR SAID, WE HAD A COMMITTEE THAT FROM EACH DISTRICT THAT WAS MADE UP OF EACH DISTRICT MEMBERS THAT CHOSE LE GRAND HIGH SCHOOL FOR THEIR WONDERFUL WORK IN THE AREA FOR HELPING PLANADA AND THE COMMUNITY OF LE GRAND AS WELL. SO. WE HAVE THE WONDERFUL STUDENTS, VOLUNTEERS THEY HELPED OUT, THE PRINCIPAL AND THE SUPERINTENDENT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, EVERYONE, FOR HELPING OUT SO MUCH. LIKE I SAID, TEACHERS, STUDENTS AND STAFF AT LE GRAND HIGH SCHOOL HAVE ALWAYS JUMPED INTO ACTION WHEN NEEDED. THAT WAS NO DIFFERENT DURING THE FLOODING EVENTS IN PLANADA EARLIER THIS YEAR. THEY COLLECTED DONATIONS FOR IMPACTED RESIDENTS, MADE FOOD DISTRIBUTIONS AND HELPED BRING SUPPLIES TO FAMILIES BEING TEMPORARILY HOUSED AT THE FELIX TORRES MIGRANT CENTER. WITHOUT THEIR HELP AND MANY OTHERS, MANY FAMILIES WOULDN'T HAVE HAD THE ESSENTIALS THEY NEEDED, ESPECIALLY IN THE IMMEDIATE AFTERMATH OF THE FLOODS. I'D LIKE TO PERSONALLY THANK LE GRAND HIGH SCHOOL FOR THEIR COMMITMENT TO HELPING OTHERS AND PLEASED TO BE ABLE TO SHARE THIS RECOGNITION WITH THEM TODAY. SO HERE THEY ARE, LE GRAND HIGH SCHOOL. THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE] WANT TO SAY A FEW WORDS? SUPERINTENDENT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I HAVE TO RECOGNIZE OUR STUDENTS WHO ARE UP HERE, BECAUSE WITHOUT THEM, THIS WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN ABLE TO HAPPEN. AND THE FFA GROUP AND OUR FFA TEACHERS, THE VERY NEXT DAY AFTER THE FLOOD, THEY WENT INTO ACTION AND WE STARTED DELIVERING THINGS TO PEOPLE. SO EVERYBODY STEPPED IN. THANK YOU. SO ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, I PRESENT YOU WITH A CERTIFICATE OF MANY THANKS. AND HOPEFULLY, LIKE I SAID THIS OUR YOUTH IS ABLE TO WATCH, YOU KNOW, LIKE I SAID, THE WONDERFUL SUPPORT THAT WE HAD AND HOPEFULLY THEY'LL CONTINUE IN THE FUTURE. SO I KNOW WE HAVE OTHER REPRESENTATIVES IF THEY WANT TO SAY SOMETHING? ON BEHALF OF CONGRESSMAN JOHN DUARTE, CONGRATULATIONS AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE TO THE COMMUNITY AND THE FLOODING. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. ON BEHALF OF SENATOR CABALLERO, THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE TO OUR COMMUNITY. AND ON BEHALF OF ASSEMBLYWOMAN ESMERALDA SORIA, THANK YOU SO MUCH, ALL OF YOU, FOR YOUR VOLUNTEER WORK. [APPLAUSE] POINT IT THAT WAY. THANK YOU AGAIN. APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU. THERE YOU GO. THANK YOU, SIR. THANK YOU. THANK YOU AGAIN. OKAY. THANK YOU. WE GOT SOME SERVICE PINS. WE JUST START HANDING THEM OUT. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. DO YOU WANT TO GIVE THEM TO HER? SHE CAN HAVE. OKAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. OUR SECOND WINNER IS KONGPHENG THAO. [APPLAUSE] CAMPAIGN FOR A FULL TIME STUDENT AT MERCED COLLEGE IS COMMITTED TO SERVING HIS COMMUNITY IN MANY WAYS. MR. THAO HAS BEEN A COVID 19 PROGRAM COORDINATOR WITH MERCED LAO FAMILY AND ESTABLISHED RELATIONSHIPS WITH COMMUNITY LEADERS AND AGENCIES THROUGHOUT THE CENTRAL VALLEY, INCLUDING [01:00:10] THE MERCED COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH, THE MERCED COUNTY HUMAN SERVICES AGENCY, CENTRAL CALIFORNIA ALLIANCE FOR HEALTH, HEALTHY HOUSE, THE HUB HMONG CENTER, UC MERCED, FRESNO FIRM AND THE FRESNO CENTER. HE VOLUNTEERED AT COVID 19 VACCINATION CLINICS AND HELPED TO COORDINATE AND TRANSLATE FOR MEMBERS OF THE SOUTHEAST ASIAN COMMUNITY THROUGH THE MERCED LAO FAMILY MR . THAO HELPS WITH FOOD BOX DISTRIBUTION EVERY THURSDAY MORNING. MR. THAO IS HUMBLE AND DEDICATED. HE CARES DEEPLY FOR HIS COMMUNITY AND WE ARE PRIVILEGED TO HAVE HIM HERE WITH US TODAY SO WE CAN THANK HIM FOR HIS EFFORTS. [APPLAUSE] LET'S THANK HIM. LET'S TAKE A PICTURE. LET'S SEE. NEXT, WE'LL HAVE FROM DISTRICT 2 SUPERVISOR PEDROZO. THANK YOU. AND I THINK MY COLLEAGUE FROM DISTRICT ONE SAID IT THE BEST AND I'M GOING TO ADD TO IT, YOU KNOW, IT'S ONE OF THOSE THINGS TO WHERE I'M REALLY GLAD THAT WE DON'T HAVE TO JUDGE THESE APPLICATIONS BECAUSE IT GETS REALLY DIFFICULT. AND SO I WANT TO THANK THE PEOPLE THAT DID JUDGE TO PICK. IT'S A VERY DIFFICULT SITUATION WHEN YOU'RE PICKING, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE BEST PEOPLE THAT ARE HELPING OUT. AND THAT'S ONE OF THE GREATEST THINGS ABOUT MERCED AND MERCED COUNTY IS THAT NOT JUST IN TIMES OF CRISES DO PEOPLE COME TOGETHER AND THEY DON'T LOOK FOR RECOGNITION, BUT THEY GET IT AND THEY VERY MUCH DESERVE IT. SO MY FIRST AWARD GOES TO HARVEST TIME. SO IT IS HARVEST TIME HERE, SHEILA. I THINK THAT'S OKAY. I GET THE TWO CONFUSED. WELL, HARVEST TIME. THANK YOU, MA'AM. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, SIR. YOU GOT IT. WE GOT ENOUGH. OKAY. I WANT THEM TO SEE YOU. YOU GUYS ARE THE. ALL RIGHT, I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD AND READ THIS. THIS IS A FOOD DISTRIBUTION TO THE HUNGRY AND NEEDY OF MERCED COUNTY. HARVEST TIME IS COMPOSED OF A SPECIAL GROUP OF VOLUNTEERS WHO WORK TO FEED THOSE IN NEED OF ASSISTANCE. COMPOSED OF MOSTLY SENIORS, SOME IN THEIR 80S, THE MEMBERS ARRIVE BEFORE DAWN TO PREPARE FRESH FRUITS AND VEGETABLES, ALONG WITH OTHER PERISHABLE ITEMS, PREPARE LUNCHES FOR THE UNHOUSED AND DRIVE TO VARIOUS SITES TO PICK UP DONATED FOOD. TWICE A MONTH. IT'S ALL HANDS ON DECK WITH THE ENTIRE VOLUNTEER TEAM ARRIVING TO FILL 250 TO 300 FAMILY FOOD BOXES WITH AN ARRAY OF NUTRITIOUS FOOD. THE FOLLOWING DAY, THEY ARRIVE BRIGHT AND EARLY AND ONCE AGAIN TO DISTRIBUTE THESE FOOD BOXES THROUGH A DRIVE THRU STYLE OPERATION. AS PARTICIPANTS COME THROUGH, THE VOLUNTEERS FORM AN ASSEMBLY LINE TO FILL THE BOXES WITH FRUITS AND VEGETABLES, DAIRY PRODUCTS, BREAD, MEATS, JUICE, FROZEN ITEMS AND DESSERTS. EACH BOX WEIGHS APPROXIMATELY 65 POUNDS, AND YOU CAN TELL THAT I'M SURE THEY ALL LIFT, CAN DO IT. THEY DO ALL OF THIS WITH A SMILE AND A WARM GREETING. THERE'S ALSO A LOT OF BEHIND THE SCENES WORK INVOLVING SORTING REBOXING AND STORING DONATIONS. I'D ALSO LIKE TO POINT OUT THAT HARVEST TIME WILL BE CELEBRATING A VERY SIGNIFICANT MILESTONE NEXT MONTH. 25 YEARS OF SERVING THOSE IN NEED OF FOOD ASSISTANCE. THAT ALONE DESERVES A ROUND OF APPLAUSE. [APPLAUSE] THE VOLUNTEERS AT HARVEST TIME ARE TRULY AMAZING. WE'RE VERY FORTUNATE TO HAVE SOME OF THEM HERE WITH US THIS EVENING, AND I'M PROUD TO PRESENT THEM WITH THIS AWARD.[APPLAUSE] I'M ALSO GOING TO PRESENT TO YOU NOT JUST THE CERTIFICATE, BUT ALSO A CHALLENGE COIN. [01:05:06] AND IT'S FOR COMMUNITY VOLUNTEERS. AND IT SAYS IN GRATEFUL APPRECIATION FOR YOUR DEDICATED CONTRIBUTIONS TO MERCED COUNTY. [APPLAUSE] THERE YOU GO. WOULD YOU LIKE TO SAY SOMETHING, PLEASE? OH, I'M JUST VERY PROUD OF OUR GROUP THAT WORKS HARD, PRETTY MUCH SEVEN DAYS A WEEK. AND THEY'RE JUST AN INSPIRATION. AND IT'S BEEN AN INSPIRATION TO SEE ALL OF THE OTHER GROUPS HERE IN MERCED COUNTY. AND IT TAKES EVERYONE TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN OUR COMMUNITIES. THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE] OUR NEXT VOLUNTEER IS THE MERCED SUNRISE ROTARY CLUB. SO I SEE MR. CHAIR IF GINA AND ANGIE AND THEN EVERYBODY ELSE WHO'S WITH THEM. COME ON UP, AGGIE. SORRY. SORRY, SORRY, SORRY. I KNEW THAT. SO THIS ORGANIZATION IS ONE OF MANY OF THE ROTARIES IN MERCED AND MERCED COUNTY, BUT THEY'RE THE SHRIMP ONES. SO MAKE SURE THAT YOU WHEN THE SHRIMP FEED COMES AROUND, THEY'RE THE ONE TO GO TO AND THEY'LL DEFINITELY SELL YOU TICKETS. I KNOW THAT. THEY PROVIDE YOUTH SERVICE OR YOUTH SCHOLARSHIPS, CLOTHING FOR KIDS IN NEED AND A HOST OF OTHER THINGS. THERE'S NOT A THE LIST IS WAY TOO LONG. THE MERCED SUNRISE ROTARY CLUB PERFORMS A VAST ARRAY OF SERVICES FOR THE LOCAL COMMUNITY AND BEYOND. ALTHOUGH THERE ARE TOO MANY TO LIST HERE AT THIS CEREMONY, I'D LIKE TO TAKE A MOMENT TO HIGHLIGHT A FEW OF THE EFFORTS FOR WHICH THEY WERE NOMINATED. ONE OF THESE EFFORTS INVOLVES PURCHASING CLOTHING FOR CHILDREN IN NEED EVERY YEAR. THE MERCED SUNRISE ROTARY CLUB CHARITY CONTRIBUTES AROUND $10,000 TO PURCHASE CLOTHING FOR SCHOOL CHILDREN IN DECEMBER. THE CLUB ALSO PARTNERS WITH OTHER LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS AND VOLUNTEERS TO BE PERSONAL SHOPPERS, WITH THE RECIPIENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES. CHILDREN RECEIVE SHOES, JACKETS AND SMILES BECAUSE OF THIS CLUB. THE CLUB ALSO WORKS TO DEVELOP THE YOUTH WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY. THEY WORK WITH CLUBS WITHIN MERCED HIGH SCHOOL AND UC MERCED, PROVIDING OPPORTUNITIES FOR DEVELOPING SKILLS THAT WILL BENEFIT STUDENTS AS THEY MOVE INTO ADULT LIVES. THIS CLUB PROVIDES SCHOLARSHIPS ANNUALLY AND INVITES STUDENTS TO PARTICIPATE IN A SPEECH CONTEST TO PRACTICE THEIR PRESENTATION SKILLS. FINALLY, THE MERCED SUNRISE ROTARY CLUB WORKS CLOSELY WITH THE SISTER CITY OF SOMOTO, NICARAGUA. FOR MORE THAN 25 YEARS, THE CLUB HAS PROVIDED EDUCATIONAL SCHOLARSHIPS TO UNIVERSITY STUDENTS THERE AND HAS BEEN INSTRUMENTAL IN RAISING FUNDS TO PROVIDE CLEAN WATER AND MEDICAL SUPPORT TO THE COMMUNITY. THE MERCED SUNRISE ROTARY CLUB SPREADS JOY, HOPE AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR SO MANY PEOPLE IN SO MANY DIFFERENT WAYS. THIS GROUP IS A SPECIAL PART OF MERCED AND I'M HONORED TO PRESENT THEM WITH THIS AWARD TODAY. [APPLAUSE]. THANK YOU SO MUCH. GOT YOUR COIN. IT'S NOT MONEY. THANK YOU SO MUCH. AS JOSH MENTIONED, WE DO HAVE A LOT OF DIFFERENT PROJECTS THAT WE DO. THE MOST RECOGNIZABLE PROJECT FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE AWARE OF THE 1,000 EXCUSE ME, THE 2,000 FLAGS WE PUT UP THIS YEAR AT MERCED COLLEGE OVER VETERANS WEEK IN NOVEMBER. THAT'S THAT'S A COMPILATION OF PROBABLY 20 TO 25 DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS IN THE COMMUNITY. WE BASICALLY JUST SPEARHEAD IT. WE JUST BASICALLY SAY THAT WE WANT TO DO THIS EVENT FOR VETERANS, FIRST RESPONDERS, AND WE DO EDUCATIONAL FIELD TRIPS FOR THE STUDENTS. WE DO FOCUS ON A LOT ON STUDENTS, BUT WE DO FOCUS A LOT ON VETERANS IN OUR ORGANIZATION. AND I AM PRESENTING ALL OF YOU WITH A CHALLENGE COIN AS WELL. WE HAD OUR 10TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE FIELD OF HONOR THIS YEAR AND IT WAS JUST AN AMAZING EVENT. I STRUGGLED AND STRUGGLED. I WANTED TO MAKE SURE WE GOT 2,000 FLAGS. WE ACTUALLY GOT 2,022 FLAGS THIS YEAR. SO WELL, IT WAS IN 2022. SO THAT WORKED OUT VERY WELL. BUT SO I'M GOING TO PRESENT YOU GUYS WITH A CHALLENGE COIN OF YOUR OWN, SO. ALL RIGHT. YOU GOT IT. ALL RIGHTY. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS HONOR AND WE GREATLY APPRECIATE IT. SO THANK YOU. I DO. THERE YOU GO. THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE] OH [01:10:05] I'VE NEVER BEEN [APPLAUSE] YEAH, YOU HAVE GET A QUICK PHOTO. AND YOU'RE MORE THAN WELCOME TO JOIN US ANY FRIDAY MORNING AT PAUL'S PLACE AT 6:30. WE'RE CALLED THE SUNRISE CLUB. SO APPRECIATE YOU. THANK YOU LLOYD. THANK YOU. THEY WANT TO TAKE A PICTURE REAL QUICK. WE'RE GOING TO TAKE A PICTURE. OKAY. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. ALL RIGHT. ALL RIGHT. NEXT, WE'LL HAVE UP FROM DISTRICT AFTER THE PICTURE IS DONE. SORRY. NEXT, WE'LL HAVE SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL FROM DISTRICT 3. MENTION ARTURO'S NAME FROM SENATOR CABALLERO'S OFFICE. IT'S ARTURO MARTINEZ. SO ARTURO, THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING. AND IT'S AN HONOR TO REPRESENT DISTRICT 3. MY COLLEAGUES KNOW IT'S THE HEART OF MERCED COUNTY. YOU CAN FEEL THE ECONOMIC PULSE. FIRST UP, I'D LIKE TO HAVE A TSIA XIONG COME UP, PLEASE. HE WAS NOMINATED BY KIMIKO VANG, AND WHEN IT CROSSED MY DESK, I WAS VERY EXCITED TO DO THIS. MR. XIONG HAS BEEN INVOLVED IN A NUMBER OF VOLUNTEER AND CHARITABLE ORGANIZATIONS IN MERCED COUNTY OVER THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS. HE IS A STAUNCH ADVOCATE FOR CHILDREN'S EDUCATION, SERVING AS THE HMONG CENTER PARENT CHAMPION SINCE 2020. IN THIS ROLE, HE MEETS REGULARLY WITH PARENTS TO DISCUSS CURRENT EDUCATIONAL ISSUES WITH THEIR CHILDREN AND FACILITATES COMMUNICATIONS WITH SCHOOLS. MR. XIONG ENCOURAGES CIVIC PARTICIPATION AND REGULARLY ENGAGES IN VOTER REGISTRATION DRIVES. HE ASSISTS IN THE HMONG COMMUNITY AND ISSUES. DURING THE COVID 19 PANDEMIC, MR. XIONG HELPED PEOPLE TO REGISTER FOR VACCINATION CLINICS. HE ADVOCATES FOR HEALTH EQUITY AND SERVES AS THE ADVISORY BOARD FOR UC DAVIS CANCER CENTER. NOT IN THIS. HE ACTUALLY SERVES ON MY MUNICIPAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE IN THE BEACHWOOD FRANKLIN AREA. HE'S BEEN ON THERE FOR A WHILE NOW. 10 YEARS. TEN YEARS. AND WE HAVE A LOT OF COMMUNICATIONS WITH EACH OTHER. HE'S BEEN LIKE HE'S BEEN A GOOD FRIEND AND HE KEEPS ME WELL INFORMED OF WHAT I NEED TO KNOW. AND IF I DON'T KNOW IT, HE REMINDS ME OF WHAT I NEED TO KNOW. [LAUGHTER] BUT I LIKE TO PERSONALLY THANK MR. XIONG FOR HIS DEDICATION TO THE COMMUNITY AND ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, I'D LIKE TO GIVE YOU THIS CERTIFICATE, WHICH IS A SMALL RECOGNITION OF ALL THAT YOU'VE DONE. [APPLAUSE] THANK YOU, GENTLEMEN. DID YOU GET A PICTURE? NOW IT'S YOUR TURN. OKAY. SOMETIMES I DON'T KNOW IF I WANT TO GIVE HIM THE MIC. I HEAR HIM AT MY MAC MEETINGS. YEAH. NOT EVERY DAY WE GET A RECOGNITIONS BY THE COUNTY SUPERVISORS. BUT ANYWAY, I WANTED TO THANK KIMIKO FOR SUBMITTING MY NAME. AND AS I WAS TELLING MY PARENTS, VOLUNTEERING IS PART OF MY DNA AND I'VE BEEN DOING IT OVER 30 YEARS AND I LOVE JUST PUTTING SMILES ON THE PARENTS WHEN THEY COME TO MEETING, GOING BACK THERE WITH A BIG OLD SMILE. AND I ALSO GO BY A PRINCIPLE THAT IF YOU DO NOTHING, YOU PRODUCE NOTHING. AND AS A PERSON OF FAITH, I THINK THE REWARD IS BIGGER UP THERE. [APPLAUSE] THANK YOU. YEAH. AND I CAN SAY TSIA AND I DON'T AGREE ON EVERYTHING, BUT WE CAN ACTUALLY HAVE A CIVIL DISCUSSION ABOUT EVERYTHING. YEAH. [APPLAUSE] THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THE NEXT PERSON FOR DISTRICT 3. FEEL THAT ECONOMIC PULSE. CAN YOU FEEL IT? MR. SHANE PARSONS. [01:15:02] NOMINATED BY MARK MIMS. SHANE PARSONS HAS BEEN ABSOLUTELY INSTRUMENTAL IN THE CASTLE COMMERCE CENTER AREA FOR MERCED COUNTY AS A WHOLE. HE MENTORS AND ASSISTS NEW BUSINESSES IN THEIR START UP PROCESS AND HAS HELPED AND MENTORED MANY COMPANIES AND STRUGGLED THROUGH COVID RESTRICTIONS OR FINANCIAL ISSUES LINKING THEM WITH THE RESOURCES TO STAY AFLOAT. MR. PARSONS IS AN ASSET TO OUR COMMUNITY AND DEVOTES MUCH OF HIS TIME BY VOLUNTEERING AND SIMPLY LENDING A HELPING HAND TO INDIVIDUALS OR ORGANIZATIONS IN NEED. THERE IS NO JOB TOO BIG OR TOO SMALL FOR MR. PARSONS. HE IS A FRIEND OF MANY. HE'S A FRIEND OF OUR COMMUNITY. HE'S A FRIEND OF MINE AND TO MERCED COUNTY. AND I DO WANT TO MENTION, TOO, THIS ISN'T ON THERE, BUT WHEN PLANADA NEEDED SOME STORAGE BOXES, MR. PARSONS DELIVERED. [APPLAUSE] AND ON A PERSONAL NOTE WITH SHANE, I DON'T LIKE TO CALL HIM TOO MUCH BECAUSE HE NEVER, NEVER SAYS NO. AND YOU DON'T WANT TO ASK OF TOO MUCH OF AN INDIVIDUAL, BUT THIS MAN DELIVERS. THANK YOU. BIG TIME. [APPLAUSE] THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THIS IS REALLY AN HONOR TO DO THIS. AND LIKE THE MAN SAID BEFORE ME, YOU JUST VOLUNTEER. YOU DO WHAT YOU CAN DO TO HELP. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH. [APPLAUSE] ON BEHALF OF MERCED COUNTY SUPERVISORS, IT'S A SMALL APPRECIATION WITH THIS CERTIFICATE. THANK YOU, SIR. AND I'M GOING TO DO IT PROPERLY. OKAY. THANK YOU. [LAUGHTER] THANK. ALL RIGHT. [APPLAUSE] AND NEXT, WE HAVE UP SUPERVISOR PEDROZO OR EXCUSE ME, PAREIRA FROM DISTRICT 4. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. FIRST, I'D LIKE TO CALL UP ROSA NUNO. COME ON UP, PLEASE. [APPLAUSE] FOR THAT. WHAT'S KIND OF INTERESTING IS SHE WAS NOMINATED BY FRANCISCO BRIONES, WHO IN THE PAST HAS BEEN ONE OF OUR VOLUNTEER RECOGNITION PEOPLE. SO ANYWAYS, VERY, VERY, YOU KNOW, SOMEBODY WHO KNOWS HOW TO GIVE AND SERVE, RECOMMENDED SOMEBODY WHO GIVES AND SERVES IS OKAY IN MY BOOK . THE ORGANIZATIONS THAT SHE VOLUNTEERS FOR IS THE PARENTS LEADERSHIP TRAINING INSTITUTE VALLEY ONWARD. AND SHE'S ALSO ON OUR MUNICIPAL ADVISORY COUNCIL IN DELHI. ROSA HAS BEEN ACTIVE IN THE DELHI COMMUNITY FOR MANY YEARS. SHE BEGAN VOLUNTEERING IN 2014 AS A PARENT AT EL CAPITAN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, WHERE HER CHILDREN WERE ATTENDING. MS. NUNO LED MANY EVENTS THROUGH THE SCHOOL, RESULTING IN SIGNIFICANT FUNDRAISING FOR STUDENTS ACTIVITIES. SHE ALSO WAS TRAINED THROUGH THE PARENT LEADERSHIP TRAINING INSTITUTE PROGRAM, WHICH IS A PROJECT BASED COURSE. FOR HER COMMUNITY PROJECTS SHE BEGAN A MEXICAN FOLKLÓRICO DANCE GROUP CALLED OH, HOW DO YOU SAY THAT? [INAUDIBLE]. YES. [LAUGHTER]. IN DELHI. THIS GROUP HAS PARTICIPATED IN MANY LOCAL EVENTS SUCH AS THE DELHI MULTICULTURAL FESTIVAL AND THE LIVINGSTON STREET MARKET. SHE EVEN PRESENTED AT THE GALLO CENTER FOR THE ARTS IN MODESTO AND PERFORMED LIVE ON SPANISH TV. SHE'S WORKED HARD TO GET CHILDREN TO PARTICIPATE IN THE GROUP AND HAS MADE IT A PART OF THE DELHI UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT. ADDITIONALLY, MS. NUNO HAS BEEN AN INTEGRAL PART IN THE PLANNING OF THE DELHI MULTICULTURAL FESTIVAL. THROUGH VALLEY ONWARD SHE ALSO VOLUNTEERED FOR HEALTH CLINICS AND HELPED PLANADA DURING THEIR FLOOD EVENT. MS. NUNO HAS BEEN A MEMBER OF THE DELHI MUNICIPAL ADVISORY COUNCIL SINCE 2016 AND SHE IS TRULY DEDICATED TO HER COMMUNITY AND WE THANK HER FOR ALL THAT SHE DOES. PLEASE ACCEPT THIS AWARD AND MY SINCEREST APPRECIATION. THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE] DO YOU WANT TO FOLD THAT FOR ME? WOULD YOU. OH, GO AHEAD. SORRY. NO, GO AHEAD. AND. I APOLOGIZE. [01:20:07] THIS IS MY NOTE. I CAN'T WAIT. I HAVE OKAY. WOULD YOU LIKE TO SAY A FEW WORDS? NO. OH, YOU KNOW, I'VE KNOWN ROSA SINCE I STARTED RUNNING FOR THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS BACK IN 2016. AND ALWAYS THIS BEAUTIFUL SMILE, ALWAYS WILLING TO HELP. NEVER NEGATIVE. ALWAYS LOOKS FOR THE POSITIVE AND REALLY IS A GREAT CONTRIBUTOR TO THE COMMUNITY OF DELHI. SO THANK YOU. AND I HAVE A COUPLE OF TOKENS FOR YOU AS WELL. HERE'S A CHALLENGE COIN. OKAY. AND THEN HERE IS TWO MERCED COUNTY PINS THAT YOU COULD WEAR IF YOU WOULD LIKE. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU SO MUCH. [APPLAUSE] YOU'RE WELCOME. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. THE NEXT HONOREE FOR DISTRICT 4 HAILS FROM THE TOWN OF GUSTINE. AND I WOULD LIKE TO ASK FILBERTO OR FILBERT SOUZA TO COME UP, PLEASE. SO HIS ORGANIZATION THAT HE VOLUNTEERS FOR IS THE PORTUGUESE PENTECOST. AND HE'S GOING TO BRING A COUPLE OF FRIENDS UP WITH HIM. HE WAS HE WAS NOMINATED BY THE POLICE CHIEF, AGUSTINE RUBEN CHAVEZ. COME ON UP, PLEASE. AND ANYWAYS, IT'S JUST AN HONOR TO BE HERE AND TO GIVE THIS TO YOU, MR. SOUZA. [APPLAUSE] CALM DOWN. CALM DOWN. MR. SOUZA IS A ONE OF A KIND INDIVIDUAL. HE HAS A BIG HEART AND SERVES HIS COMMUNITY WITH A SMILE. MR. SOUZA IS A STAPLE AROUND THE BIG PORTUGUESE FESTIVALS AND DINNERS. IT'S SAID THAT HE'S THE FIRST TO HELP SET UP SERVE FOOD, EMPTY GARBAGE CANS AND CLEAN THE TABLES. HE ASSISTS WITH THE PARADES AND EVEN WAS ABLE TO WALK A COW THROUGH THE BODO DE LEITE IN ONE OF THEM. BODO DE LEITE IS THE PARADE OF COWS IN PORTUGUESE. IT SEEMS THAT THERE IS NO TASK THAT MR. SOUZA CAN'T HANDLE. HE'S WELL KNOWN IN THE GUSTINE AREA AS WELL AS THE SURROUNDING AREAS. AND IT'S MY PRIVILEGE TO HONOR YOU THIS EVENING. AND THANK YOU FOR FOR COMING HERE AND ACCEPTING THIS AWARD. MR. SOUZA IS A MAJOR ASSET TO OUR COMMUNITY, AND I THANK YOU FOR YOUR EFFORTS. [APPLAUSE] OKAY, HOLD ON TO THAT. OKAY, HOLD ON TO THAT. YEAH, THAT'S NICE. VERY NICE. CAN YOU SHOW IT TO EVERYBODY? TAKE A PICTURE. SMILE. [APPLAUSE] LOOK OVER THIS WAY. SEE THAT GENTLEMAN WITH THE TIE? ONE MORE. ONE MORE. ONE MORE. OH, NO. YOU'RE GOING TO BE FAMOUS TONIGHT. THANK YOU. MY BOSS WANTS TO SAY YES. WELL, AND AND AS YOU CAN SEE, YOU KNOW, FILBERT'S EMOTIONAL. AND SO WE'RE GOING TO LET THE CHIEF SAY A FEW WORDS ON HIS BEHALF. AND OR DO YOU WANT TO? SURE. I JUST WANTED TO SAY ABOUT FILBERT, I'VE KNOWN HIM FROM HIS SCHOOL YEARS AND HE'S ALWAYS BEEN PUSHED AROUND BY MANY PEOPLE, THAT MADE ME PRETTY MAD BECAUSE I'VE BEEN INVOLVED IN THE PORTUGUESE COMMUNITY FOR OVER 50 YEARS. I'VE BEEN HERE 63, AND I'VE ALWAYS TOOK PART OF IT FOR HIM. AND WHAT MAKES ME GREAT, IT MAKES ME REALLY WONDER, IS HIM. HE'S GOT A HEART OF GOLD. HE'LL SEE A PERSON WITH A WHEELCHAIR HAVING TROUBLE ON THE SIDEWALK. HE GETS OUT OF THE CAR, RUNS TO HELP THEM AT THE PORTUGUESE FOR MAYBE, I'D SAY 38 YEARS. HE'S PUT ON THAT VEST BEFORE ANYBODY EVEN ASKS. AND THEN I'VE WORKED WITH THE VETERANS OF FOREIGN WARS POST 3199, AND BEFORE I EVEN ASK, HE'S ALREADY THERE WAITING TO HELP THE VETERANS. IT'S ALL I CAN SAY. YOU KNOW, HE'S A BLESSING TO THE PORTUGUESE COMMUNITY AND WE ARE VERY PROUD TO BE WITH HIM. [APPLAUSE] GOT THESE FOR YOU. SO I'VE KNOWN FILBERT FOR THREE YEARS AND I CAN ATTEST TO EVERYTHING WAS SAID. FIRST TO VOLUNTEER FOR ANYTHING. BUT AS YOU KNOW, BATMAN HAS ROBIN.[LAUGHTER] THE GREEN HORNET HAS KATO. I KNOW SOME OF THE YOUNG FOLKS DON'T KNOW WHO THE GREEN HORNET IS YOU KNOW. AND ROBIN HOOD HAS HIS TRUSTY SERVANT, LITTLE JOHN. AND THE GUSTINE COMMITTEE HAS OUR GOOD FRIEND AND OUR TRUSTY SERVANT HERE, FILBERTO. [APPLAUSE] SO AND WE'RE BLESSED. WE'RE BLESSED TO HAVE HIM IN OUR COMMUNITY. [01:25:03] I'M JUST GOING TO SAY ONE MORE THING THAT IT'S KIND OF FUNNY WHEN WE HAVE THE AUGUSTINE CELEBRATION, OUR BISHOP, MYRON CARTER, WHICH WAS A YOUNGSTER, I REMEMBER HIM, HE KNOWS ME AND I'M ALWAYS PICKING ON HIM. AND HE'S FILBERT ALWAYS COMES RUNNING TO GIVE HIM A HUG. AND THE BISHOP KIND OF HOLDS ON BECAUSE HE MIGHT KNOCK HIM OVER, BUT HE'S ALWAYS HIS FRIEND. [LAUGHTER]. AGAIN, CONGRATULATIONS AND THANK YOU FILBERTO. THANK YOU. YOU BET. THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE] OKAY. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANKS FOR BEING HERE. GOOD TO SEE YOU. SUPERVISOR. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. LAST BUT NOT CERTAINLY NOT LEAST, I GET TO DO DISTRICT 5. SO I'M GOING TO ASK THE AMERICAN LEGION AND VFW IF YOU FOLKS WOULD COME ON UP. YOU GOT MY STUFF OVER HERE. YEAH. I'LL GET TO STAND UP HERE. [APPLAUSE] MICHAEL. HOW YOU DOING SIR? NICE TO SEE YOU GUYS. GET YOU GUYS ALL UP HERE. OH, BOY. FIRST OFF, I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU GUYS FOR DRIVING ALL THE WAY OVER HERE FROM THE WEST SIDE. BUT IT'S MY HONOR AND PRIVILEGE TO BE ABLE TO HONOR THESE FOLKS. THE AMERICAN LEGION POST 166 WAS ESTABLISHED IN LOS BANOS IN 1920, AND THE VETERANS OF FOREIGN WAR POST 2487 WAS ESTABLISHED IN 1932. IN MOST PARTS OF THE COUNTRY, THE AMERICAN LEGION AND THE VFW FUNCTIONS SEPARATELY AND RARELY JOIN TOGETHER FOR ACTIVITIES. IN LOS BANOS, THE TWO ORGANIZATIONS HAVE JOINED TOGETHER IN A COMBINED EFFORT TO SERVE VETERANS AND THE LOCAL COMMUNITY. THEY SPONSOR MANY COMMUNITY PROGRAMS AND ACTIVITIES HIGHLIGHTED BY THE FLAG SERVICES PROGRAM AND THE ANNUAL VETERANS PARADE. THEY ARE ALSO THE ONLY ATLAS CARE CENTER IN CALIFORNIA. THIS IS AN INNOVATIVE PROGRAM, IT PROVIDES TELEHEALTH SERVICES TO REDUCE THE NEED FOR LONG TRAVEL TIMES TO VA FACILITIES. THIS ORGANIZATION IS AN INTEGRAL PART OF SERVING OUR VETERANS AND OUR COMMUNITY AT LARGE, AND THEY CERTAINLY DESERVE THIS RECOGNITION FOR THEIR EFFORTS, OF WHICH THEY ARE TOO MANY TO LIST. AND SO I'M GOING TO GO OFF SCRIPT A LITTLE BIT AND JUST KIND OF WHAT I LOVE ABOUT HAVING THESE FOLKS IN MY COMMUNITY AND YOU GUYS MIGHT HAVE HEARD A LITTLE BIT EARLIER, IT'S THOSE GROUPS DON'T ALWAYS GET ALONG. I'M PRIVILEGED TO HAVE IN MY DISTRICT A GROUP THAT GETS ALONG WELL AND THERE IS NOTHING THAT I CAN'T CALL ANY ONE OF THESE FOLKS, BUT ESPECIALLY THESE TWO GENTLEMEN RIGHT HERE. I DON'T CARE WHAT THE NEED IS. I CAN CALL THOSE FOLKS AND YOU CAN CONSIDER IT DONE AND YOU CAN CONSIDER THEM TO BE THERE. THEY'RE A STAPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY, WHETHER IT'S THE FLAG SERVICES THAT'S 11 TIMES A YEAR. HOW MANY? EIGHT, SORRY, EIGHT TIMES A YEAR WHERE THEY WHERE THEY PUT FLAGS OUT AROUND THE COMMUNITY, 900 FLAGS THAT THEY PUT OUT AROUND THE COMMUNITY FOR THESE SPECIAL HOLIDAYS. OUR HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL GAMES THEY'RE THERE OUT THERE, THEY'RE POSTING THE COLORS AND LEADING US IN OUR NATIONAL ANTHEM BECAUSE THERE'S SO MANY THINGS THAT THEY DO. AND NOT TO MENTION ALL OF THE MILITARY FUNERALS THAT THEY PROVIDE SERVICES FOR. I'M LUCKY TO NOT ONLY CALL THEM MY BOSSES, BUT ALSO MY FRIENDS. AND SO I'D LIKE TO PERSONALLY THANK THIS ORGANIZATION AND ITS MEMBERS FOR THEIR COMMITMENT TO THE COMMUNITY AND OUR RESIDENTS. LOS BANOS AND THE SURROUNDING AREA IS A MUCH BETTER PLACE BECAUSE OF THEM. SO WITH THAT, THE AMERICAN LEGION AND VFW FROM LOS BANOS. [APPLAUSE] AND I WILL GIVE EACH ONE OF YOU GUYS A MINUTE OR SO TO SAY A FEW WORDS. THANK YOU, SCOTTY. WE'D LIKE TO LIKE TO THANK THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS FOR THIS. WE WE GREATLY, GREATLY APPRECIATE IT. WE HAVE A MOTTO IN LOS BANOS. IT'S CALLED LOS BANOS VETERANS, WHERE WE TAKE CARE OF ALL THE VETERANS. WE DON'T CARE WHAT BRANCH OF THE SERVICE THEY WERE IN, WHERE THEY SERVED. WE WANT TO PROVIDE SERVICES FOR ALL VETERANS AND WE DO IT TOGETHER. [APPLAUSE] I JUST WANT TO THANK SCOTTY AND THE COMMUNITY, ALL THESE PEOPLE AROUND US. WE COULDN'T GET IT DONE WITHOUT THEIR HELP. PERFECT. THANK YOU, GENTLEMEN. AND SO I KNOW I'M GOING TO LET YOU GUYS JUST WALK OVER HERE AND PRESENT THOSE, AND THEN I'VE GOT A FEW CHALLENGE COINS. AND THEN AS YOU WALK OFF, TAMARA'S GOING TO GIVE YOU GUYS A COUNTY PIN. THANKS. THANKS, [01:30:07] THANK YOU FOR ALL THINGS. THANK YOU, SIR. ALL RIGHT. WE'RE GOING TO GET SOME MORE PICTURES THERE. PERFECT. THANK YOU, GENTLEMEN AND LADIES, I APPRECIATE YOU VERY MUCH. [APPLAUSE] AS THESE FINE FOLKS ARE MAKING THEIR WAY BACK DOWN, I'D NOW LIKE TO CALL UP REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE DOS PALOS Y SERVICE CLUB. [APPLAUSE] JOINING ME UP HERE TONIGHT IS RANDY MILES, DANNY OROZCO AND CHARLES. 1950. THE CLUB'S MISSION IS TO PROMOTE AND ENCOURAGE SERVICE, FELLOWSHIP AND GOODWILL IN THE COMMUNITY. OVER THE YEARS, THEY HAVE ORGANIZED NUMEROUS EVENTS AND INITIATIVES THAT HAVE HAD A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ON THE COMMUNITY. THE CLUB HAS BEEN INSTRUMENTAL IN RAISING MONEY FOR VALLEY CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL AND HAS ALSO HELPED LOCAL YOUTH ORGANIZATIONS SUCH AS 4H, FFA, DOS PALOS HIGH SCHOOL, SENIOR AWARDS AND SCHOLARSHIPS AND THE MERCED COUNTY SPRING FAIR. THEY HAVE ALSO SUPPORTED PUBLIC SPACES AND FACILITIES SUCH AS PARKS AND SCHOOLS. THIS ORGANIZATION HAS FOSTERED A STRONG SENSE OF COMMUNITY SPIRIT AND COLLABORATION IN THE DOS PALOS Y AREA. THIS GROUP'S PASSION AND COMMITMENT TO SERVICE MAKES IT A VALUABLE ASSET TO DOS PALOS, AND I'M CONFIDENT THAT THEY WILL CONTINUE TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE FOR YEARS TO COME. I'M ALSO PROUD TO SAY THAT I'M ACTUALLY A MEMBER OF THE DOS PALOS Y SERVICE CLUB. I GOT A CALL FROM CHARLES. I WAS ACTUALLY ON VACATION IN HAWAII AND I GOT A CALL AND SAID, HEY, YOU'RE A MEMBER OF THE DOS PALOS Y SERVICE CLUB. I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW THAT I WAS NOMINATED, BUT I'M SO THANKFUL THAT THEY THOUGHT OF ME TO BE A PART OF THE ORGANIZATION. A GREAT GROUP OF FELLOWS, AGAIN, JUST LIKE OUR GROUP FROM LOS BANOS. I KNOW THAT I CAN CALL ON THESE FOLKS AT ANY TIME FOR ANY REASON AND THEY'LL BE THERE TO HELP SUPPORT OUR COMMUNITY. SO I AM PROUD TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO RECOGNIZE THE MEMBERS OF THE DOS PALOS Y SERVICE CLUB. AND I'M GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO THE PRESIDENT, RANDY MILES, TO SAY A FEW WORDS. THANK YOU, SCOTTY. [APPLAUSE] WE'RE GLAD TO HAVE SCOTTY IN OUR CLUB. HE'S I TAKE HIS BACK ALL THE TIME BECAUSE OUR PEOPLE IN OUR CLUB LIKE TO BEING HE'S A SUPERVISOR LIKE TO DOWN HIM AND I DON'T DOWN HIM. I LIFT HIM UP. HE'S VERY, VERY HIGH, AND I APPRECIATE HIM FOR THAT. AND THEN WE HAVE OUR VICE PRESIDENT, CHARLES LOWE, AND THEN DANNY OROZCO. HE MY CLUB. HE CAN TELL YOU I FIND A LOT. AND THAT'S HOW WE HAVE FUN. AND SO HE'S OUR MONEY COLLECTOR. SO DANNY OROZCO IS OUR SERGEANT ARM AND OUR MONEY COLLECTOR. SO AND LIKE HE SAID, OUR ORGANIZATION'S BEEN THERE SINCE 1950 AND WE LOVE TO DO WHATEVER WE CAN DO FOR THE COMMUNITY, FOR FUNERALS OR HIGH SCHOOLS OR WHATEVER. AND SO WE APPRECIATE AND WE JUST GOT THROUGH DOING SATURDAY NIGHT, THE KICKOFF DINNER FOR THE QUEENS DINNER FOR THE MERCED COUNTY LOS BANOS FAIR. SO THANK YOU, SCOTTY. AND WE THANK YOU, BOARD OF SUPERVISORS FOR HAVING US HERE TONIGHT, ALL OF YOU. [APPLAUSE] THANK YOU. AND THEY'RE ALSO A REALLY GREAT GROUP OF COOKS. YOU WON'T FIND BETTER COOKS THAN WHAT WE HAVE AT THE DOS PALOS Y SERVICE CLUB. [LAUGHTER] YOU CAN TELL. SEE? YEAH. ALL RIGHT. I WILL LET THESE GENTLEMEN HANDLE YOUR AWARDS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. I SAY THANK YOU. I TELL YOU. CONGRATULATIONS. THANK YOU. THAT'S FOR YOU, BUDDY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, SIR. THANK YOU. I THINK THEY'RE GOING TO WANT TO TAKE ONE MORE PICTURE HERE. SET THOSE RIGHT THERE. ALL RIGHT. [01:35:18] THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE] AND FOLKS, WE'RE GOING TO TAKE A AROUND 15 MINUTE RECESS. WE HAVE THE LITTLE PICTURE BOARD OUT THERE THAT YOU CAN STAND IN FRONT OF AND WE HAVE SOME FRESH REFRESHMENTS AND A FEW SNACKS OUT THERE. SO ABOUT A 15 MINUTE BREAK AND THEN WE'LL CONTINUE ON WITH OUR MEETING. [CONSENT CALENDAR] [01:54:49] ALL [01:54:49] RIGHT. IF I COULD ASK MAYBE MARCI OR SOMEBODY IF WE CAN CLOSE THE DOORS IN THE BACK BECAUSE WE'RE GOING TO GO AHEAD AND GET STARTED. [01:54:49] ALL RIGHT. IT'S 7:51 AND WE WILL CALL THE MEETING BACK TO ORDER. NEXT, WE HAVE CONSENT CALENDAR ITEMS. ITEM NUMBERS 1 THROUGH 26, PLEASE NOTE ITEM ONE HAS BEEN PULLED. A MODIFICATION IS NEEDED FOR ITEM TWO ON THE CONSENT CALENDAR. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION REGARDING REPLACEMENT OF THE BROKEN FIRE HYDRANT AT THE MERCED ROADS YARD PROJECT WAS RECEIVED AFTER THE AGENDA HAD POSTED. THE REQUESTED AMOUNT OF THE BUDGET TRANSFER WILL NEED TO BE MODIFIED FROM $17,500 TO $25,000. STAFF REQUESTS THE BOARD APPROVE THE ITEM AS MODIFIED AND ITEMS 2, 3, 4, 13, 18 AND 19 REQUIRE A 4/5 VOTE. ALL RIGHT. WE'RE DOING THE PRESENTATIONS NOW OR AFTER? NOW. ALL RIGHT. SO WE HAVE A FEW PRESENTATIONS ON THESE ITEMS. [01:55:02] SO I'M GOING TO START WITH GOING IN ORDER ON THE AGENDA, OUR BEHAVIORAL HEALTH DIRECTOR, KIMIKO VANG. GOOD EVENING AGAIN, CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD, BOARD MEMBERS, CEO MENDEZ AND COUNTY COUNSEL HANSEN. MY NAME IS KIMIKO VANG AND I'M THE DIRECTOR OF BHRS. I AM HERE TO TALK ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS MONTH. EACH YEAR BHRS, ALONG WITH MENTAL HEALTH PARTNERS AND ADVOCATES, RECOGNIZE THE MONTH OF MAY AS MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS MONTH AS A WAY TO RAISE AWARENESS OF THE IMPORTANCE OF MENTAL HEALTH AND WELLNESS AND TO CELEBRATE RECOVERY FROM MENTAL ILLNESS. UNDOUBTEDLY, MENTAL HEALTH IS ESSENTIAL TO AN INDIVIDUAL'S OVERALL HEALTH. IN SUPPORT OF THIS EFFORT, BHRS WILL BE HOSTING AN OUTREACH EVENT ON MAY THE 24TH FROM 9 A.M. TO 12 P.M. AT THE BHRS PARKING LOT, LOCATED AT 301 EAST 13TH STREET IN MERCED. I WOULD LIKE TO INVITE YOU AND THE MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC TO ATTEND THIS EVENT. INFORMATION ABOUT SERVICES AND PROGRAMS WILL BE PROVIDED AND WE WILL HAVE BILINGUAL STAFF TO ASSIST AS WELL. THIS MONTH OF MAY IS ALSO RECOGNIZED AS DRUG COURT MONTH IN MERCED COUNTY. THERE ARE THREE DIFFERENT DRUG COURTS IN MERCED COUNTY. THE ADULT DRUG TREATMENT COURT, WHICH WAS IMPLEMENTED ON JANUARY 4TH, 2000. THE JUVENILE DRUG TREATMENT COURT, WHICH WAS IMPLEMENTED ON AUGUST 2ND, 2001, AND THE DEPENDENCY DRUG TREATMENT COURT, WHICH WAS IMPLEMENTED ON JULY 1ST, 2006. THE SUCCESS OF THE DRUG COURT SYSTEM IS WELL DOCUMENTED, WITH MORE THAN 70% OF DRUG COURT PARTICIPANTS HAVING SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETED THE PROGRAM OR REMAINING ACTIVE PARTICIPANTS. THE COST OF DRUG COURT PROGRAMS IS SIGNIFICANTLY LESS THAN THE COST OF INCARCERATION IN THE TRADITIONAL CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM. IN SUPPORT OF THESE EFFORTS, IT IS REQUESTED THAT THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS PROCLAIM THE MONTH OF MAY 2023 AS DRUG COURT MONTH IN MERCED COUNTY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, KIMIKO. NEXT, WE WILL HAVE DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF HSA, FELIZA GRAY. GOOD EVENING, CHAIR, BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, CEO AND COUNTY COUNSEL. I AM HERE TO GIVE SOME INFORMATION ON OLDER AMERICANS MONTH WHICH WE WILL BE PROCLAIMING, HOPEFULLY IF EVERYTHING GOES THROUGH FOR THE MONTH OF MAY AS WELL. SO ESTABLISHED IN 1963, OLDER AMERICANS MONTH IS CELEBRATED EVERY MAY LED BY THE FEDERAL ADMINISTRATION FOR COMMUNITY LIVING, OLDER AMERICANS MONTH IS A TIME FOR US TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE CONTRIBUTIONS AND ACHIEVEMENTS OF OLDER AMERICANS, HIGHLIGHT IMPORTANT TRENDS AND STRENGTHEN OUR COMMITMENT TO HONORING OUR OLDER CITIZENS. THIS YEAR'S THEME, AGING UNBOUND, OFFERS AN OPPORTUNITY TO EXPLORE A WIDE RANGE OF AGING EXPERIENCES AND TO PROMOTE THE IMPORTANCE OF ENJOYING INDEPENDENCE AND FULFILLMENT BY PAVING OUR OWN PATH AS WE AGE. THIS MAY JOIN US AS WE RECOGNIZE THE 60TH ANNIVERSARY OF OLDER AMERICANS MONTH AND CHALLENGE THE NARRATIVE ON AGING. HERE ARE SOME WAYS WE CAN ALL PARTICIPATE IN AGING UNBOUND; EMBRACE THE OPPORTUNITY TO CHANGE, FIND A NEW PASSION, GO ON AN ADVENTURE AND PUSH BOUNDARIES BY NOT LETTING AGE DEFINE YOUR LIMITS. INVITE CREATIVITY AND PURPOSE INTO YOUR LIFE BY TRYING NEW ACTIVITIES IN YOUR COMMUNITY TO BRING IN MORE GROWTH, JOY AND ENERGY. EXPLORE THE REWARDS OF GROWING OLDER. WITH AGE COMES KNOWLEDGE, WHICH PROVIDES INSIGHT AND CONFIDENCE TO UNDERSTAND AND EXPERIENCE THE WORLD MORE DEEPLY. CONTINUE TO GROW THAT KNOWLEDGE THROUGH READING, LISTENING CLASSES, AND CREATIVE ACTIVITIES. STAY ENGAGED IN YOUR COMMUNITY. EVERYONE BENEFITS WHEN EVERYONE IS CONNECTED AND INVOLVED. STAY ACTIVE BY VOLUNTEERING, WORKING, MENTORING, PARTICIPATING IN SOCIAL CLUBS AND TAKING PART IN ACTIVITIES AT YOUR LOCAL SENIOR CENTER, WHICH IS OUR TRIPLE A AND WE ARE ALWAYS TAKING VOLUNTEERS. OUR PROGRAMS CONTINUE TO GROW. WE ENCOURAGE FORMING RELATIONSHIPS AS AN ESSENTIAL INGREDIENT OF WELL-BEING. [BOARD ACTION] RELATIONSHIPS CAN ENHANCE YOUR QUALITY OF LIFE BY INTRODUCING NEW IDEAS AND UNIQUE PERSPECTIVES. MERCED COUNTY AREA AGENCY ON AGING HAS SERVED OVER 5300 INDIVIDUALS THROUGH OUR INFORMATION AND ASSISTANCE AND SERVED NEARLY 100,000 MEALS SINCE LAST JULY. WE HAVE THREE CELEBRATION EVENTS IN MAY, SO MAY 3RD IN DOS PALOS, MAY 17TH IN MERCED, AND MAY 24TH IN WINTON. THESE CELEBRATIONS INCLUDE RESOURCE FAIRS, BINGO ENTERTAINMENT AND OTHER ACTIVITIES, LUNCH IS PROVIDED BY OUR SENIOR NUTRITION PROGRAM AND IS FREE FOR THOSE AGED [02:00:10] 60 AND OVER. PLEASE CONTACT OUR TRIPLE A OFFICE AT (209) 385-7550. AGAIN (209) 385-7550. FOR MORE INFORMATION IF YOU'D LIKE TO ATTEND. I HAD FLOWERS OR FLOWERS. [LAUGHTER] I DID HAVE FLOWERS, BUT FLIERS ARE OUTSIDE AND I HAVE FLIERS FOR YOU GUYS HERE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, FELIZA. NEXT, I WILL ASK OUR REGISTRAR OF VOTERS, MEL LEVEY, TO COME UP. GOOD EVENING, CHAIRMAN SILVEIRA, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, CEO MENDEZ, COUNTY COUNSEL HANSEN, AND GUESTS. TONIGHT AMONG THE CONSENT ITEMS ARE SEVERAL BUDGET TRANSFERS I'M ASKING FOR YOU TO REVIEW AND APPROVE. THE FUNDS FOR THESE HAVE BEEN ALLOCATED TO THE ELECTIONS DEPARTMENT FOR THIS FISCAL YEAR, BUT HAVEN'T COME THROUGH OUR BUDGET OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF MONTHS. I'M LOOKING TO REALLOCATE THEM AGAINST SOME NEW NEEDS. AMONG THOSE ARE THE COMPLETION OF A SERVER UPGRADE FOR THE DEPARTMENT AND THE PURCHASE OF NEW POLL PAD UNITS. WITH OUR CURRENT POLL PADS REACHING THE END OF THEIR USEFUL LIFE PRETTY SOON, UPGRADED POLL PADS WILL ALLOW US TO CONTINUE TO CHECK VOTERS IN AT VOTING ASSISTANCE CENTERS, MANAGE POLL WORKER TIME CARDS AND GIVE US SECURE COMMUNICATION AMONGST VOTE CENTERS. AT THE AT THE REQUEST OF SOME BOARD MEMBERS, WE'RE LOOKING INTO ORGANIZATIONS THAT MAY BE CANDIDATES TO DONATE OUR CURRENT POLL PADS TO WHICH ARE ESSENTIALLY IPADS. ONCE WE'VE WIPED THEM CLEAN AND KIND OF PREPARED THEM FOR NON ELECTION USE. ADDITIONALLY, I'M ASKING FOR FUNDS TO SUPPORT THE PURCHASE OF SIX ADDITIONAL BALLOT DROP BOXES THAT THE ELECTION CODE MANDATES WE HAVE NOW. MERCED COUNTY CURRENTLY EXCEEDS THE MANDATES IN THE ELECTION CODE FOR THE NUMBER OF DROP BOXES WE HAVE. BUT THERE ARE POCKETS IN THE COMMUNITY, PARTICULARLY KIND OF SMALLER COMMUNITIES IN THE RURAL AREAS THAT ARE FAR FROM A SECURE DROP BOX. AND FOR VOTERS WISHING TO USE DROP BOXES AND NOT THE POSTAL SERVICE, HAVING THESE ADDITIONAL BOXES THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY REALLY WILL INCREASE ACCESSIBILITY FOR OUR VOTERS. LASTLY, I WANT TO MENTION PASSPORT SERVICES. WE'RE LOOKING TO ADD THE CAPABILITY TO TAKE PASSPORT PHOTOS WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT. THIS WILL ELIMINATE THE NEED FOR RESIDENTS TO HAVE TO GO TO A THIRD PARTY LOCATION IN ORDER TO GET THEIR PICTURE TAKEN AND THEN HOPE THAT IT IS TO STANDARD, ACCORDING TO THE STATE DEPARTMENT, RATHER, WE'LL BE ABLE TO OFFER THIS SERVICE HERE ON SITE AND KIND OF PROVIDE A ONE STOP SHOP FOR PASSPORTS. THAT IN CONJUNCTION WITH OUR MOVE JUST TODAY FROM 30 MINUTE APPOINTMENTS TO 15 MINUTE APPOINTMENTS, EFFECTIVELY DOUBLING OUR THROUGHPUT AND CAPACITY WITH PASSPORTS SHOULD IMPROVE THE EXPERIENCE. AND OF COURSE THERE'S OTHER THINGS IN THE FUTURE. NEXT MONTH I'LL BE LOOKING TO COME FORWARD TO PROVIDE A BIT MORE OF AN IN-DEPTH PRESENTATION ABOUT OUR CURRENT REDISTRICTING PROGRAM THAT WE'RE WORKING THROUGH THIS YEAR, AS WELL AS THE STRIDES THAT THE ELECTION DEPARTMENT IS MAKING IN UPGRADING OUR SYSTEMS WITH OTHER EQUIPMENT UPGRADES AND ALSO BUILDING A TRAINED TEAM THAT IS EXPERTLY OPERATING THOSE SYSTEMS. AND AGAIN, I LOOK FORWARD TO SPEAKING TO YOU NEXT MONTH ABOUT THAT. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. THANK YOU, MR. LEVEY. NEXT, WE'LL HAVE ASSISTANT CHIEF PIMENTEL AND MANAGER ADAM AMARAL. ADAM NOT HERE? NOPE. SO IT'S ALL ON YOU, CHIEF? GOOD EVENING, CHAIR BOARD SUPERVISORS CEO MENDEZ, ALSO COUNTY COUNSEL. GLAD TO SEE YOU THIS EVENING. AND JUST WANTED TO GIVE YOU A BRIEF UPDATE ON OUR CURRENT EVENTS THAT WE HAVE GOING ON THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY. OBVIOUSLY, YOU'RE VERY FAMILIAR ABOUT THE FLOODS, AND I KNOW THAT THE WEATHER IS GETTING WARMER. AND SO IT'S A GOOD OPPORTUNITY TO KIND OF GET YOU A QUICK BRIEF ON WHAT'S GOING ON. IF WE LOOK BACK AT LIKE DR46-83, AND I KNOW THAT NUMBER JUST IS A RANDOM NUMBER, BUT IT'S ACTUALLY OUR INCIDENT THAT WOULD OCCURRED BACK IN DECEMBER AND JANUARY DURING THOSE FLOODS THAT WE DEALT WITH, WITH PLANADA AND MCSWAIN AND THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY. SOME OF THOSE EVENTS THAT ARE STILL GOING ON NOW AND WE'RE STILL PURSUING A LOT OF PROJECT DEVELOPMENT AND SOME MITIGATION EFFORTS THAT ARE GOING THROUGH THERE. SO OUR OFFICE IS STILL WORKING DILIGENTLY WITH ALL THE DEPARTMENTS IN THE COUNTY AS DPW, SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT, OUR PARTNERS WITH FEMA AND ALSO CAL OES. WE STILL HAVE THOSE TWO ENTITIES, FEMA AND CAL OES, THAT ARE STILL EMBEDDED AT OUR EOC. THEY'RE CONSTANTLY WORKING ON SEVERAL PROJECTS FOR US AND HELPING US OUTLINE FOR SOME OF OUR GRANT FUNDING. AS FAR AS 406 AND 404. SO HOPEFULLY WE'LL BE ABLE TO PROVIDE SOME ADDITIONAL INFORMATION AS THE MONTHS AND YEARS COME ALONG TO GET US NET PROCESS. YOU ALSO LOOKING AT OUR DRC OR EXCUSE ME, DR4699, AND THAT'S THE MOST RECENT ISSUES THAT WE HAD. [02:05:05] THAT WAS BACK IN MARCH AND WE'RE STILL CURRENTLY WORKING THERE A FEW WEEKS AGO. ADAM AMARAL, SOME OF THE FEMA FOLKS AND CAL OES, ALONG WITH DPW, WERE OUT TO GO OUT AND SEE PROJECTS AND DO WHAT WE CALL THEIR PDAS. AND IT'S BASICALLY IDENTIFYING THOSE PROJECTS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY THAT WILL HELP US KIND OF MITIGATE SOME OF THE ISSUES THAT WE SAW DURING THAT. SO IT WAS A GOOD PROCESS TO GET THAT OUT THERE AND GET THAT INFORMATION TO THOSE FEDERAL PARTNERS IN CAL OES SO THEY CAN START WORKING THROUGH THE PROCESS. AND WITH THAT 4699, WE WERE IDENTIFIED UNDER THE DECLARATION. SO THAT WAS A GOOD NEWS FOR US. AND IT WOULD BE ON THAT PDA SIDE. ALSO, WE WILL BE HAVING FOR THAT SAME EVENT IN MARCH, WE'LL BE HAVING A MAY 10TH WILL BE OUR APPLICANTS BRIEFING AND ADAM AND ALONG WITH THOSE PARTNERS WILL BE KIND OF GATHERING INFORMATION AND KIND OF KICKS THE BALL OFF AND GETS US STARTED DOWN THAT PROCESS FOR THOSE MITIGATION EFFORTS. AS AN OFFICE THOUGH, WITH OES, WITH FIRE, SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT, DPW, WE'RE CURRENTLY MONITORING OUR CURRENT SITUATIONS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY, LOOKING AT ALL OF OUR WATERWAYS AND MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE KEEPING UP TO DATE ON WHAT'S GOING ON OUT THERE. WE DID PURCHASE ON THE OES AND FIRE SIDE WE DID PURCHASE THREE MONITORS JUST TO KIND OF GIVE US SOME ASSESSMENT AS THOSE WATERWAYS INCREASE. BUT WE HAVEN'T PLACED THEM YET. BUT WE ARE WORKING WITH BRYAN WITH DPW AND PLACING THOSE HERE IN THE NEAR FUTURE. AND IT'S JUST ANOTHER TOOL FOR OUR TOOL BELT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE GETTING ACCURATE INFORMATION THAT WE CAN SHARE WITH YOURSELVES AND THE PUBLIC WHEN THAT EVENT ARRIVES. [BOARD INFORMATION & POSSIBLE ACTION] SO LOOKING FORWARD TO GETTING THOSE OUT THERE AND STARTING USING THOSE HERE IN THE NEAR FUTURE. OUR MAJOR AREAS OF CONCERN RIGHT NOW IS GOING TO BE THAT SAN JOAQUIN AND THE MERCED RIVER AREA, AS EVERYBODY KNOWS THAT IN THAT STEVENSON, WE STILL HAVE THAT FLOOD WARNING IN EFFECT AND WE CONTINUE TO WATCH THAT AND KEEP WORKING WITH MID AND OUR PARTNERS WITH THE LOWER LEVEE DISTRICT OVER ON THAT SAN JOAQUIN LOWER LEVEE DISTRICT AND BEEN WORKING WITH THEM. AS I GO FROM THERE, I'LL GO AHEAD AND TURN IT OVER TO MR. [REPORTS/BOARD DIRECTION] HENDRICKSON, AND I KNOW HE HAS SOME ADDITIONAL INFORMATION IN REGARDS TO THAT. SAN JOAQUIN LOWER LEVEE DISTRICT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. UNLESS YOU GUYS HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, I APPRECIATE THE TIME. ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS FOR THE CHIEF? NO, THANK YOU, SIR. GOOD EVENING, MR. CHAIRMAN. MEMBERS OF THE BOARD. MARK HENDRICKSON, ASSISTANT COUNTY EXECUTIVE OFFICER. AS THE BOARD WELL KNOWS, AND AS THE CHIEF JUST MENTIONED, WE STILL DO HAVE A NUMBER OF CHALLENGES IN FRONT OF US, NOTABLY THE INCREASED FLOWS COMING DOWN THE SAN JOAQUIN RIVER AS WATER IS RELEASED FROM FRIANT DAM INTO THE SAN JOAQUIN RIVER AND AS WARMER WEATHER IS EXPECTED TO FURTHER MELT THIS HANDLE THE OR EXPEDITE THE SNOW MELT EXCUSE ME. WE ANTICIPATE FLOWS IN EXCESS OF THE CHANNEL'S CAPACITY OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL MONTHS. THIS WILL ALSO IMPACT THE MERCED RIVER AT THE CONFLUENCE OF THE TWO RIVERS. THIS UNFOLDING SITUATION HAS THE POTENTIAL TO IMPACT RESIDENTS, THEIR PROPERTIES AND OUR AGRICULTURAL PRODUCERS, SPECIFICALLY OUR DAIRY AND POULTRY OPERATORS IN PROXIMITY TO THE SAN JOAQUIN AND THE MERCED RIVERS. ANIMAL RELOCATIONS, AS ONE QUICK EXAMPLE, HAVE BEEN TAKING PLACE IN COUNTIES TO OUR SOUTH AND WE WANT TO BE READY OURSELVES IN THE EVENT THAT THE SITUATION NECESSITATED. IN THIS REGARD OUR TEAM HAS BEEN UNDERTAKING ADVANCED PLANNING WORK TO BEST POSITION OUR COUNTY PROSPECTIVELY. AND ON BEHALF OF THE CEO, I WOULD CERTAINLY LIKE TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO ACKNOWLEDGE OUR SHERIFF AND HIS TEAM, OUR CAL FIRE PARTNERS, OUR AG COMMISSIONER, OUR DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS, AND OUR DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FOR THEIR COLLABORATIVE WORK. THREE QUICK HIGHLIGHTS FOR TONIGHT. ONE, OUR TEAM HAS LAUNCHED A COMMUNICATION STRATEGY THAT IS FOCUSED ON INFORMING, EDUCATING AND PROVIDING MEANINGFUL INFORMATION TO OUR COMMUNITY SO THAT THEY CAN PREPARE IN ADVANCE WHETHER IT'S CARING FOR THEIR FAMILIES, RELOCATING THEIR ANIMALS, OR PROTECTING THEIR LIVELIHOODS. TWO WE ARE IN CONSISTENT COORDINATION WITH A NUMBER OF STAKEHOLDERS, INCLUDING CAL OES, THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE, CDFA, USDA, THE LOWER SAN JOAQUIN LEVEE DISTRICT, AND THE MERCED COUNTY FARM BUREAU, AMONGST SEVERAL OTHERS, TO SHARE AND TO GATHER INTELLIGENCE. AND THEN LASTLY, AND THE ONE THING I WANTED TO SHARE WITH YOU AND CERTAINLY FOR THE PUBLIC TONIGHT, WE HAVE DEVELOPED A GIS BASED INTUITIVE MAPPING TOOL WHERE OUR RESIDENTS CAN ENTER THEIR ADDRESS OR APN AND IT WILL DEPICT THEIR PROPERTY IN PROXIMITY TO EACH OF THESE RIVERS AND POTENTIAL HOTSPOTS OF CONCERN. AND IN ADDITION TO DEPICTING THE HOTSPOTS, IT ALSO INCLUDES PHOTOS FROM THE FIELD. THIS MAP CAN BE VIEWED AT WWW.COUNTYOFMERCED.COM/FLOODRISKMAP. AGAIN, THAT'S W-W-W DOT COUNTY OF MERCED DOT COM BACKSLASH FLOOD RISK MAP. AND AGAIN, I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO THANK AND ACKNOWLEDGE THE OUTSTANDING WORK OF OUR GIS TEAM AND EACH OF THOSE WHO CONTRIBUTED TO ITS DEVELOPMENT. AND WITH THAT, MR. CHAIRMAN, I'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS SHOULD YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS. [02:10:01] THANK YOU. ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS? NOPE. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU GUYS ALL FOR THOSE PRESENTATIONS. I GUESS I HAVE ONE QUESTION. SO I KNOW THAT THIS IS JUST A ITEM NUMBER TWO IS JUST APPROVING A BUDGET TRANSFER. I GUESS MY CONCERN IS, IS THAT I MEAN, THAT'S THE FIRST I HEARD OF IT IS WHEN THE CLERK READ IT. SO, YOU KNOW, WHEN I REVIEW MY AGENDAS, I LOOK AT THE ITEM AND I SAY, OKAY, THERE'S A $17,750 REQUEST TO DO A BUDGET TRANSFER. AND THEN IT'S JUST THERE'S NEW INFORMATION THEN. NOW IT'S $25,000. I GUESS THAT'S A LITTLE CONCERNING TO ME THAT WE WEREN'T MADE AWARE OF IT UNTIL, I MEAN, RIGHT A FEW MINUTES AGO. SO I GUESS CAN I GET MAYBE A LITTLE EXPLANATION ON THAT? BECAUSE OTHERWISE I'M WILLING TO JUST PULL THIS ITEM AND ASK FOR IT TO BE VOTED ON SEPARATELY. CO MENDEZ. YEAH. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. AND I THINK WHAT ENDED UP HAPPENING IN THIS CASE, AFTER THE AGENDA WAS PUBLISHED, THERE WAS SOME NEW INFORMATION THAT WAS RECEIVED KIND OF LOOK FOR OUR PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR REPRESENTED BY BRYAN BEHN TO COME UP HERE AND KIND OF GIVE SOME EXPLANATION AS TO THE VARIANCE BETWEEN THE NUMBER THAT WAS DEPICTED IN THE PUBLISHED AGENDA AND THEN WHAT'S BEING CONSIDERED BY THE BOARD THIS EVENING. THANK YOU, MR. MENDEZ. CHAIRMAN, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD. AND THAT IS CORRECT. WE SUBMITTED THE BT IN ORDER TO GET THIS GOING. AND THEN AS MORE INFORMATION CAME IN, BECAUSE WE SUBMITTED IT BACK PRIOR TO, THE NUMBER, WE ENDED UP BEING HIGHER THAN ORIGINALLY ESTIMATED. AND SO WE MADE THE BT ADJUSTMENT AND COME TO YOU GUYS WITH THE CORRECT AMOUNT SO THAT WE CAN GET THAT PROJECT FINISHED AND AVOID THE WATER LEAK AT THE ROSE YARD. SUPERVISOR PAREIRA. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. AND THEN IN THE CAN OF WORMS IS OPEN, SO I'LL ASK A QUESTION AND SORRY FOR NOT GETTING THIS TO YOU AHEAD OF TIME, BUT I DIDN'T REALIZE IT UNTIL THIS AFTERNOON. BUT THE BOX THAT'S CHECKED ON THE ITEM IS INCREASED APPROPRIATION BASED ON INCREASED ESTIMATED REVENUES. SO IF WE'RE HAVING A LARGER EXPENSE, WHY ARE WE. WELL, I THINK IT'S TALKING ABOUT THE REVENUE TRANSFER IN ACCOUNT FOR IT TO OFFSET THE THE BUDGET TRANSFER. SO ESSENTIALLY, IN ORDER TO HAVE THE EXPENSE, WE HAVE TO HAVE AN OFFSETTING REVENUE. AND SO SINCE THE ONE INCREASE THAT HAS TO OFFSET THE OTHER. SO WHAT WAS I MEAN, I SEE THE TWO ITEMS THAT WE'RE DRAWING THE MONEY FROM. YEAH. SO HOW WAS ONE OF THOSE HAD MORE REVENUE THAN THEY EXPECTED. IT'S JUST THE ACCOUNTING THAT TAKES PLACE FOR THIS ITEM. BUT YEAH, THIS IS THE CORRECT AMOUNT THAT WE NEED SO WE CAN GET THIS DONE AND GET THE PROJECT FINISHED. SO THANKS. SO I GUESS BACK FOR ME, I UNDERSTAND THAT IT JUST. I GUESS WHERE WAS HOW WAS IT THAT THE ESTIMATE WAS $17,750? AND IF WE SUBMIT THAT TO THE BOARD FOR REPAIR, I'M EXPECTING THAT SOMEBODY RESEARCHED IT AND FOUND OUT THAT IT WAS GOING TO COST $17,750. AND THEN THE ESTIMATE COMES IN HIGHER. WE COMPLETELY UNDERSTAND. AND IN ORDER TO COME BACK A SECOND TIME TO GET IT DONE, A LOT OF THIS CONTRACT IS BEING DONE THROUGH ONE OF OUR CONTRACTORS. AND SO THE COST WITH THE MARKUP FOR THE GORDIAN GROUP AND EVERYTHING ELSE IN ORDER TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE ENOUGH TO. THE WHAT? THE GORDIAN. GORDIAN GROUP THEY MONITOR OUR CONTRACTS TO MAKE SURE THAT BOTH THE COUNTY AND THE CONTRACTOR ARE GETTING A FAIR PRICE. IT'S A MANDATED THIRD PARTY OVERSIGHT FOR CONTRACTS. AND FOR THEIR SERVICES THEY GET A PORTION OF THE FEES AS WELL. AND SO WE JUST HAD TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYONE'S GETTING THEIR FAIR SHARE AND THEN WE CAN GET THE PROJECT DONE IN A TIMELY MANNER. OKAY. AND AGAIN, WE'RE SORRY FOR THE CONFUSION. WE DON'T LIKE OPERATING THIS WAY. WE JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE GET IT DONE RIGHT THE FIRST TIME. I APPRECIATE THE EXPEDIENCY AND WANTING TO GET DONE, ESPECIALLY IF WE HAVE A LEAKING HYDRANT. I MEAN, THAT'S YOU KNOW, I KNOW THAT WE'VE HAD A LITTLE BIT MORE RAIN THIS YEAR, BUT LAST YEAR THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN A MORTAL SIN TO BE LETTING WATER LEAK LIKE THAT. I GUESS IT JUST IT'S THE I GUESS I'M GOING TO MAKE A RECOMMENDATION AND I DON'T KNOW THAT I CAN DO THIS, BUT IT'S ON THE AGENDA. SO FORREST HIT ME IF I CAN'T. IN THE FUTURE, IF SOMETHING IS GOING TO CHANGE LIKE THIS BEFORE IT COMES TO THE BOARD, I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE LIKE MAYBE THAT THERE'S FURTHER ANOTHER LINE HERE ON THE AGENDA FOR THE ITEM THAT EXPLAINS ALL OF THAT AND THAT COULD HELP US GET THERE. AND REALLY FOR ME, I'M WILLING TO VOTE YES ON THAT ONE THIS TIME, BUT I PROBABLY WOULDN'T VOTE YES ON IT IF SOMETHING LIKE THIS, IF IT HAPPENS AGAIN. I MEAN, AT THE END OF THE DAY, I FEEL LIKE WE'RE TASKED WITH MONITORING THE TAXPAYERS MONEY. [02:15:03] AND WHEN SOMETHING GETS THROWN IN KIND OF LAST MINUTE LIKE THAT, THAT'S NOT GOOD FOR ME. SO THANK YOU. APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU. MR. MENDEZ. YEAH. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. POINT WELL NOTED. AND WE WILL MAKE THAT ADJUSTMENT GOING FORWARD. TO BE HONEST, THE WAY THAT WE'VE BEEN BRINGING FORWARD BUDGET JOURNALS HAS BEEN A TOPIC OF DISCUSSION INTERNALLY, AND THERE MAY BE CHANGES TO THE WAY WE DO THAT GOING FORWARD JUST TO ENSURE THAT THERE'S GOOD COMMUNICATION AND THAT THE INFORMATION IS BEING SHARED COMPLETELY IN A STAFF REPORT. I KNOW THAT'S NOT THE WAY WE TYPICALLY DO BUDGET JOURNALS FOR MY KNOWLEDGE, BUT CERTAINLY SOMETHING THAT WE WILL LOOK AT AND KIND OF REVISIT AND SEE IF THERE'S A BETTER WAY OF SHARING THAT INFORMATION GOING FORWARD. THANK YOU. SUPERVISOR PEDROZO. YEAH, I ECHO A LOT OF WHAT SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA SAID. YOU KNOW, I'M UNCOMFORTABLE VOTING ON THIS NOW BECAUSE I LIKE TO READ ALL THAT INFORMATION. SO I THINK NEXT TIME IT'D BE VERY [INAUDIBLE]. I MEAN, I'LL VOTE ON IT NOW, BUT I THINK NEXT TIME MOVING FORWARD, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE SOME CLARITY ON THERE. ALL RIGHT. NOW IT IS TIME THAT WE WILL OPEN UP. MIND YOU, I WANT TO JUST REMIND EVERYBODY THAT AS PART OF THIS ACTION IS TO REMOVE ITEM NUMBER ONE AND VOTE ON THE OTHER 25 CONSENT CALENDAR ITEMS. SO I WILL OPEN FOR PUBLIC COMMENT ON THE CONSENT CALENDAR ITEMS 1 THROUGH 26. WELL, WE'RE VOTING TO TAKE ONE OFF. SO THAT'S THE WAY TAMARA EXPLAINED IT TO ME. WE HAVE TO VOTE TO TAKE ONE OFF BECAUSE IT'S WE'RE PULLING WE'VE SEEN PULLED ITEMS BEFORE, BUT THOSE CAME OFF WITH ENOUGH TIME BEFORE THE 72 HOURS. I BELIEVE THIS ONE GOT PULLED TODAY. SO WE HAVE PART OF THE ACTION IS TO VOTE. YOUR VOTE IS APPROVING THE OTHER 25 AND TAKING ONE OFF. OKAY. SO I'M NOT SEEING ANYBODY FROM THE PUBLIC THAT WANTS TO SPEAK ON THESE ITEMS. WE'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC COMMENT, BRING IT BACK TO THE DAIS. CHAIR WOULD ENTERTAIN A MOTION. I HAVE A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR PEDROZO AND A SECOND BY SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL. CALL FOR THE VOTE. PLEASE RECORD THE VOTE. THE MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY 5 TO 0. I WILL SAY THAT, TAMARA, YOU'RE CORRECT. I LOOK AT THE SCREEN TO MY RIGHT MORE I KEEP LOOKING OVER THERE AND THERE'S NOTHING THERE. [LAUGHTER] ALL RIGHT. NEXT, WE HAVE PUBLIC HEALTH. HEALTH ITEMS, 27 THROUGH 28. PLEASE NOTE ITEM 28 REQUIRES A 4/5 VOTE. ALL RIGHT. WE'LL OPEN THE PUBLIC COMMENT FOR ITEMS 27 AND 28. NOT SEEING ANYONE. WE'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD. BRING IT BACK TO THE DAIS. WE HAVE A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR ESPINOZA. A SECOND BY SUPERVISOR PEDROZO. PLEASE CALL FOR THE VOTE. RIGHT NOW THAT SCREEN IS THROWING MY WHOLE ROUTINE OFF OVER HERE. PLEASE RECORD THE VOTE. THE MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY 5 TO 0. NEXT, WE HAVE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AND RECOVERY SERVICES ITEMS 29 AND 30. WE'LL OPEN UP THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD FOR ITEMS 29 AND 30. NOT SEEING ANYONE. WE'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD. WE HAVE A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL. A SECOND BY SUPERVISOR PEDROZO. PLEASE RECORD THE VOTE. ALL RIGHT. I GUESS I'M CALLING FOR THE VOTE. NOW, PLEASE RECORD THE VOTE. THE MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY 5 TO 0. NEXT UP IS THE HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES AGENCY. ITEMS 31 AND 32. WE WILL OPEN UP THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD FOR ITEMS 31 AND 32. I'M NOT SEEING ANYONE. WE'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC COMMENT, PERIOD. BRING IT BACK UP TO THE DAIS. WE HAVE A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR ESPINOZA AND A SECOND BY SUPERVISOR PEDROZO CALL FOR THE VOTE. PLEASE RECORD THE VOTE. THE MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY 5 TO 0. NEXT UP IS COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. ITEM 33. WE'LL OPEN UP THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD FOR ITEM 33. NOT SEEING ANYONE. WE'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC COMMENT. WE WILL CLOSE THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD AND BRING IT BACK TO THE DAIS. WE HAVE A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR PAREIRA AND A SECOND BY SUPERVISOR PEDROZO. I'LL CALL FOR THE VOTE. [02:20:02] PLEASE RECORD THE VOTE. THE MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY 5 TO 0. NEXT UP IS AUDITOR. ITEM 34. WE'LL OPEN UP THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD FOR ITEM 34. NOT SEEING ANYONE. WE'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD. BRING IT BACK TO THE DAIS. ALL RIGHT. WE HAVE A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR PEDROZO. A SECOND BY SUPERVISOR ESPINOZA. CALL FOR THE VOTE. PLEASE RECORD THE VOTE. THE ITEM CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY 5 TO 0. NEXT UP IS THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY. ITEMS 35 AND 36. THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD FOR 35 AND 36 IS NOW OPEN. NOT SEEING ANYONE WE'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD AND BRING IT BACK TO THE DAIS. WE HAVE A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL AND A SECOND BY SUPERVISOR PAREIRA. CALL FOR THE VOTE. PLEASE RECORD THE VOTE. OH, NOT YET. HOLD ON PEDROZO. SLACKING OVER THERE? I DON'T KNOW. OKAY, I GUESS WE GOT TO REDO THAT ONE. YOU CAN VOICE VOTE IN, CAN'T YOU? ARE WE COMFORTABLE WITH THEM VOICE VOTING IN? YOU CAN IF YOU'D LIKE TO, BUT THEY HAVEN'T SET UP. OKAY. I WOULD ASK THE MAKERS OF THE MOTION TO REENTER THOSE. OH, OKAY. MAYBE NOW. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE. AYE. ANY OPPOSED. THE MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY 5 TO 0. MOVING ON TO FIRE. ITEM 37. THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD IS NOW OPEN FOR ITEM 37. NOT SEEING ANYONE. WE'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD BACK UP HERE. WE HAVE A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR PAREIRA. A SECOND BY SUPERVISOR PEDROZO. CALL FOR THE VOTE. PLEASE RECORD THE VOTE. THE MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY 5 TO 0. NEXT UP IS PROBATION. ITEMS 38 THROUGH 41. IT'S NOW THE PUBLIC'S OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK ON ITEMS 38 THROUGH 41. NOT SEEING ANYONE. WE'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD AND BRING IT BACK UP HERE. WE HAVE A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL. A SECOND BY SUPERVISOR PEDROZO. PLEASE CALL FOR THE VOTE. PLEASE RECORD THE VOTE. THE MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY 5 TO 0. NEXT UP, WE HAVE SHERIFF. ITEM 42. THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD IS NOW OPEN FOR ITEM 42. NOT SEEING ANYONE. WE WILL CLOSE THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD AND 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 UP IS WORKFORCE INVESTMENT. ITEMS, 43 AND 44. IT'S NOW THE PUBLIC'S OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK ON ITEMS 43 AND 44. I'M NOT SEEING ANYONE. WE WILL CLOSE THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD AND BRING IT BACK TO THE DAIS. WE HAVE A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL, A SECOND BY SUPERVISOR ESPINOZA. CALL FOR THE VOTE. PLEASE RECORD THE VOTE. THE MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY 5 TO 0. NEXT UP, WE HAVE THE EXECUTIVE OFFICE. ITEM 45. ALL RIGHT. WE'LL OPEN UP THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD FOR ITEM 45. NOT SEEING ANYONE. WE'LL CLOSE IT, BRING IT BACK TO THE DAIS. WE HAVE A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR PEDROZO. A SECOND BY SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL. CALL FOR THE VOTE. PLEASE RECORD THE VOTE. WE'RE TESTING ME OVER THERE. [LAUGHTER] THREE AND FOUR ARE TESTING ME OVER THERE. THE MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY 5 TO 0. NEXT UP IS BOARD INFORMATION AND POSSIBLE ACTION. ITEM 46. AT THIS TIME, I'LL OPEN THE PUBLIC COMMENT FOR ITEM 46. NOT SEEING ANYONE. WE'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC COMMENT, PERIOD. [02:25:01] BRING IT BACK TO THE DAIS. WE HAVE A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR PEDROZO. A SECOND BY SUPERVISOR PAREIRA. CALL FOR THE VOTE. PLEASE RECORD THE VOTE. THE MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY 5 TO 0. LAST IS BOARD REPORTS. ALL RIGHT. AND WE WILL START WITH SUPERVISOR PAREIRA THIS EVENING. THANK YOU. OH, HOLD ON. LET ME GET. WE GOOD? YEP. OKAY. WELL, FIRST OF ALL, I WOULD LIKE TO THANK MIKE NORTH FOR A REALLY WORKING HARD TO PUT THE VOLUNTEER RECOGNITION PROGRAM TOGETHER FOR US. YOU KNOW, IT'S KIND OF FUN. THOSE OF YOU WHO NOTICED ONE OF MY TWO RECIPIENTS WAS A GENTLEMAN THAT FELT VERY, VERY UNCOMFORTABLE BEING UP HERE. BUT MAN, WHEN YOU SEE HIM OUT WORKING, YOU KNOW, HE'S ALL BUSINESS. AND SO, YOU KNOW, THOSE KINDS OF THINGS ARE KIND OF FUN FOR ME, RIGHT? AND ENJOYABLE. AND YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES THE JOB IS, YOU KNOW, GETS TO BROW BEATING YOU. BUT WHEN YOU HAVE A MOMENT LIKE THAT, IT ENCOURAGES YOU TO YOU KNOW, KEEP GOING BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, HERE'S A GENTLEMAN THAT, YOU KNOW, DEFINITELY HAS ISSUES, YOU KNOW, BEING IN PUBLIC. BUT WHEN HE'S WORKING, THAT DOESN'T SEEM TO BOTHER HIM. AND SO MAYBE THAT'S A GOOD SIGN FOR THE REST OF US. KEEP WORKING. AND BEING IN PUBLIC WON'T BOTHER YOU. I'D ALSO LIKE TO CONGRATULATE ROSA, ANOTHER PERSON THAT, YOU KNOW, KIND OF RELATIVELY LIMITED ENGLISH SPEAKING, BUT, YOU KNOW, HAS ALWAYS GOT A SMILE AND ALWAYS WORKING HARD. AND SO ANYWAYS, THANKS MIKE, FOR PUTTING TOGETHER THAT PROGRAM AND ALLOWING ME TO HONOR TWO PEOPLE IN MY DISTRICT. I WOULD JUST LIKE TO REMIND PEOPLE AGAIN, I DON'T KNOW WHO'S GOING TO BE WATCHING THIS AT 8:30 AT NIGHT, BUT SGMA, OUR GROUNDWATER ORDINANCES THAT WE'RE WORKING ON THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY ARE REALLY STARTING TO GET TO THE SPOT WHERE WE'RE MAKING REAL DECISIONS THAT ARE GOING TO AFFECT PEOPLE THAT ARE PUMPING WATER FOR THE NEXT 20 YEARS. AND SO IF YOU KNOW ANYBODY, ASK THEM TO MAKE SURE THEY KNOW WHICH GSA THEY'RE IN AND AND ENCOURAGE THEM TO TO BE INVOLVED. AND THEN I WOULD LIKE TO FINALLY THANK THE FOLKS IN SNELLING. WE HAVE A CITIZEN THAT LIVES IN SNELLING. AND WHEN YOU HAVE A TOWN OF 300 PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, ONE BAD APPLE REALLY CAN CAN AFFECT THE WHOLE COMMUNITY. NEEDLESS TO SAY. AND THE GENTLEMAN HAS, YOU KNOW, HAS BEHAVIORAL HEALTH ISSUES. AND I'D LIKE TO THANK THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT FOR WORKING DILIGENTLY TO TRY TO HELP US. AND BEHAVIORAL HEALTH IS ALSO ENGAGED IN TRYING TO, YOU KNOW, JUST SOMEHOW FIGURE OUT A WAY TO FIX THIS PROBLEM. AND, YOU KNOW, I FEAR THAT SOMEBODY'S GOING TO GET HURT AND IT'S MOST LIKELY GOING TO BE THE GENTLEMAN THAT HAS THE ISSUES. AND UNFORTUNATELY, IT'S GOING TO BE AN ACCIDENT. AND THIS GENTLEMAN IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT 2 OR 3:00 IN THE MORNING, 10:00 AT NIGHT. IT DOESN'T MATTER. WALKS RIGHT DOWN THE ROAD, HIGHWAY 59, [INAUDIBLE] ROAD, TURLOCK ROAD DOESN'T MATTER. AND SO ANYWAYS, I JUST I WOULD JUST LIKE TO SHARE WITH THE COMMUNITY OF SNELLING THAT WE'RE WORKING ON IT THANKS TO OUR TWO TEAMS. WELL, IN ADDITION TO JOHN SHECKLER AND HIS TEAM TRYING TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE AND YOU KNOW, TO STAFF IF ANYBODY ELSE HAS ANY IDEAS OF HOW WE CAN WE CAN FIX THIS ISSUE, PLEASE LET US KNOW. BUT MY REAL FEAR IS THAT SOMEBODY'S CHILD IS GOING TO HIT THIS PERSON COMING BACK HOME OR LEAVING FOR WORK IN THE MORNINGS. AND I JUST, YOU KNOW, WHO WANTS THEIR CHILD TO HAVE TO CARRY THAT WITH THEM FOR THE REST OF THEIR LIFE? SO ANYWAYS, THAT'S JUST BEEN HEAVY ON MY HEART THE LAST TWO WEEKS. AND ANYWAYS, HERE WE ARE. THAT'S IT. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN. THANK YOU. SUPERVISOR PAREIRA. SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL. THANK YOU, SCOTT. OUR CHAIRMAN. TONIGHT, I'D LIKE TO ADJOURN THE MEETING IN HONOR JEAN KIRBY. SHE WAS A LONG TIME OWNER OF GRANNY'S PANTRY DOWNTOWN ATWATER. I ENJOYED GOING IN THERE. SHE WOULD RAZZ ME FROM THE TIME I WALKED INTO THE DOOR TO THE TIME I LEFT, AND I REALLY APPRECIATED THAT. AND I KNOW IN THE LAST FEW MONTHS I WOULD GO IN THERE IF I WOULD DRIVE BY AND SEE HER SITTING AT THE TABLE BECAUSE HER HEALTH WASN'T GOOD. I'D POP IN JUST TO HAVE A CUP OF COFFEE WITH HER. SHE WILL BE MISSED. SHE DID A LOT FOR ATWATER. DURING COVID SHE WAS ONE WHO REALLY HER BUSINESS SUFFERED. I WORKED WITH HER TO MOVE ALL HER TABLES OUTSIDE TO HAVE OUTDOOR DINING, AND WHEN IT WAS RECOGNIZED IN THE MEDIA WHAT SHE WAS DOING, [02:30:06] SOMEBODY ACTUALLY DROVE UP FROM ORANGE COUNTY AND JUST GAVE HER A DONATION TO HELP HER KEEP OPERATING. SO SHE'S A GREAT LADY. WILL TRULY BE MISSED. HER DAUGHTER HAS TAKEN OVER, SO BREAKFAST IS STILL BEING SERVED. IT IS DEFINITELY ONE OF THE BEST BREAKFASTS IN MERCED COUNTY. ALSO, THANK YOU, MIKE NORTH, FOR PUTTING THIS TOGETHER. IT IS A BIG EVENT. I THINK IT RECOGNIZES THE PEOPLE. ONLY A SMALL FRACTION OF THE PEOPLE WHO REALLY DO A LOT OF THE WORK HERE IN OUR COMMUNITY. REALLY DID APPRECIATE I APPRECIATE JEAN KNIGHT FOR BEING MY VOLUNTEER. IT DOES TAKE A LITTLE BIT OF TIME AND THEY HAVE TO GO THROUGH ALL THE APPLICATIONS TO JUDGE THEM. AND I REALLY APPRECIATE HER FOR DOING THAT. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. THANK YOU, SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL. SUPERVISOR ESPINOZA. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. I JUST WANT TO SAY MY CONDOLENCES TO HER. I DIDN'T KNOW HER MUCH, BUT I DID GO INSIDE, YOU KNOW, TO THE RESTAURANT A FEW TIMES AND THEY'RE ALWAYS VERY NICE. AND SO I ACTUALLY BUMPED INTO A FORMER MAYOR, JOHN FALL. AND AND MR. CRANE, TOO, AS WELL. SO. GOOD RESTAURANT. LET ME GO HERE, TO I WANT TO THANK THE RESIDENTS OF SOUTH MERCED AND EVERYBODY THAT CAME HERE TODAY. BUT ON SOUTH MERCED, WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH THE CITY OF MERCED I'VE, OBVIOUSLY CONVERSATIONS AND THE COUNTY AS WELL TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY HOPEFULLY HAVE ACCESS TO BETTER WATER AND SEWER. USUALLY WHEN WHEN RESIDENTS THAT LIVE OUT JUST OUTSIDE THE CITY, THEY COME TO THE CITY AND THEN THE CITY RECOMMENDS THEM TO DO AN APPLICATION, THEN THEY SEND IT TO LAFCO WHERE WE SIT ALONG WITH SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA AND SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL AS AN ALTERNATE. SO WE WHEN WE APPROVE THAT, SO THEY WORK WITH THE CITY FOR THEM TO PROVIDE THE WATER AND THE SEWER SERVICE. AS LONG AS THERE'S FUNDS. I KNOW IN THE COMMUNITY OF DELHI WAS HELPED WITH THE GRANT AND THEY WERE ABLE TO GET WATER AND I THINK SEWER TOO, OR VICE VERSA. RIGHT? SO HOPEFULLY THAT CAN HAPPEN TOO, HERE IN SOUTH MERCED. I KNOW THAT THAT COMMUNITY IS ALWAYS BEEN LOOKING FOR BETTER SIDEWALKS SINCE, YOU KNOW, WITH ALL THE RAINS, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A LOT OF POTHOLES TOO. SO AND LIKE THEY SAID, ALL THE WATER GOES AROUND AND TO THE BACKYARD WHERE THE SEWAGE IS AND NOBODY WANTS TO SEE THAT. AND OF COURSE, IT CONTAMINATES THE GROUNDWATER AS WELL. SO HOPEFULLY WE'LL BE ABLE TO HELP THEM. AND I'M LIKE I SAID, I ALWAYS ENCOURAGE THEM TO ATTEND THE MEETINGS AND LIKE I SAID, GIVE THEIR OPINION. AND HOPEFULLY, LIKE I SAID, WE'LL BE ABLE TO PROVIDE AND, YOU KNOW, APPLY SO WE CAN GET THE GRANTS FOR THEM. THE SAME THING WITH THE COMMUNITY OF CELESTE TUTTLE ON HIGHWAY 140. THE CITY OF MERCED PROVIDES WATER SERVICE ALREADY AND THEY'RE OUTSIDE THE CITY. AND SO I'VE BEEN SPEAKING WITH THE MAYOR OF MERCED [INAUDIBLE], AND AS WELL AS MY LAFCO TEAMMATES THAT WHEN THE CITY OF MERCED EXPANDS, THERE'S [INAUDIBLE] INFLUENCE IN CITY LIMITS THAT IT TAKES OVER CELESTE TUTTLE AREA TO BE ABLE TO, YOU KNOW, ONCE THEY'RE IN THE CITY LIMITS SO THE CITY OR DEVELOPERS WILL BE ABLE TO BUY THE LOTS AND RENOVATE THE LOTS AND MAKE THEM A LOT CLEANER. AND YOU KNOW, AS WELL AS DO, YOU KNOW, SIDEWALKS AND JUST LIKE THEY DID IN ATWATER WHEN THEY APPROVED IT, EXTENDED THE CITY LIMITS INTO THAT SOUTHERN PART OF WHERE THE DEVELOPMENT IS OFF OF [INAUDIBLE] RIGHT. SO HOPEFULLY WE'LL BE ABLE TO IMPROVE OUR COMMUNITIES AND AS WELL WHEN WE SPEAK IN, YOU KNOW, ON THE NORTH SIDE, BEING FROM LIVINGSTON, I'VE ALWAYS YOU KNOW, WHEN I WAS MAYOR AND NOW OVER HERE, I TALK TO, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES LIKE HERE I LIKE TO BRING UP THAT, YOU KNOW, WE SHOULD BE WORKING WITH THE CITIES. ESPECIALLY, I KNOW THAT THE COMMUNITY OF HILMAR AND DELHI ABOUT PROVIDING MORE COMMERCIAL INDUSTRY FOR THESE COMMUNITIES. AND INSTEAD OF HAVING OUR FUNDS OR LEAKAGE OF FUNDS GO OUT TO STANISLAUS COUNTY. SO WE WILL BE ABLE TO PROVIDE BETTER JOBS INDUSTRY WHERE THE JOBS. AND THE MONEY WILL STAY HERE IN MERCED COUNTY. IT'S BETTER TO HAVE A, YOU KNOW, LIKE US, YOU KNOW, BUSINESS THERE TO PREVENT PEOPLE FROM GOING TO THE [INAUDIBLE]. YOU KNOW, WHICH I MYSELF AND LIVINGSTON DELHI WHEN I USED TO LIVE IN DELHI AND LIVINGSTON AND ALL I KNEW IS ABOUT GOING NORTH TO TURLOCK AND MODESTO. SO THAT'S LEAKAGE, YOU KNOW, JUST LIKE WHEN THEY GO TO THE BAY AREA, YOU KNOW, IT'S FINE THAT THEY GO TO WORK, BUT SPEND THE MONEY HERE IN MERCED COUNTY. SO THAT HELPS OUR TAX TAXES HERE. I JUST LIKE TO SAY THAT WE HAD A GOOD CONVERSATION WITH THE MAYOR AND VICE MAYOR OF LIVINGSTON AND OUR CEO AND MYSELF. WE HAD A DISCUSSION ON REVENUE SHARING, ON DIFFERENT ISSUES THAT WE TALKED ABOUT MAKING SURE THAT WE WORK TOGETHER WITH THE COMMUNITY ABOUT THEM MOVING FORWARD. AND SO HOPEFULLY THAT WAY PROGRESS WILL BE MADE IN THE FUTURE. [02:35:04] SO, I'VE BEEN GETTING CALLS, A FEW CALLS AND I THINK THE SUPERVISOR PAREIRA ALSO RECEIVED SOME CALLS REGARDING THE LIGHTING AND LANDSCAPING FEES THAT THE COMMUNITY PAYS. THEY'RE IN, YOU KNOW, IN THAT COMMUNITY. I KNOW THAT EVERY TIME THERE'S A DEVELOPMENT THAT COMES TO THE BOARD, I ALWAYS STRESSED OUT THAT WE SHOULD BE, TO MAKE SURE, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE APPROVE IT, THAT THOSE FEES THAT THOSE RESIDENTS PAY, I MYSELF PAY ONE BECAUSE I LIVE IN A DEVELOPMENT THAT PAYS FEES FOR BETTER LIGHTING AND LANDSCAPING AND ROADS. SO HOPEFULLY THOSE FEES WILL BE PROPERLY OR ARE BEING PROPERLY USED TO MAINTAIN ALL THAT LANDSCAPING BECAUSE I FEEL THAT, YOU KNOW, WHEN THE MAINTENANCE IS NOT DONE, THEN THOSE AESTHETICS OF THAT COMMUNITY SUFFERS. SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE PROPERTY VALUES STAY THERE. IT'S ALWAYS A BENEFIT FOR OUR TAX BASE HERE IN MERCED COUNTY REGARDING TAXES AS WELL. SO I THINK THAT'S ALL FOR TODAY. SO I'LL BE ON VACATION FOR A FEW DAYS. SO BE BACK TO THE 6TH OF MAY AND HOPEFULLY BE BACK. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SUPERVISOR PEDROZO. SUPERVISOR EXCUSE ME. SUPERVISOR ESPINOZA. SUPERVISOR PEDROZO, IT'S YOUR TURN. THANK YOU. SO LAST WEEK I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO ATTEND THE CAL ACT CONFERENCE. IT'S THE TRANSPORTATION CONFERENCE. I WENT AS A REPRESENTATIVE FROM MCAG AND WE THE TRANSIT AUTHORITY, RECEIVED AN ABOVE AND BEYOND AWARD. IT'S A STATEWIDE AWARD. AND THEY GOT THIS AWARD BECAUSE OF THEIR EFFORTS DURING THE FLOODING AND THE ABILITY TO GET PEOPLE OUT OF YOSEMITE, OUT OF THE DIFFERENT AREAS TO SAFETY. AND SO AND THE COOL THING ABOUT IT WAS THEY WERE RECOGNIZED BY DIFFERENT TRANSIT AUTHORITIES THROUGHOUT THE STATE. SO NOBODY FROM WITHIN MERCED COUNTY APPLIED FOR THEM. THEY WERE RECOGNIZED FOR THEIR HARD WORK AND THEIR EFFORTS. ALSO, I WANT TO SAY I ATTENDED THE HOFMANN TEEN CENTER RIBBON CUTTING ON SATURDAY AT THE THE LIBRARY. IT WAS REALLY IT WAS REALLY AWESOME TO SEE. AND TALKING WITH AMY, OUR LIBRARIAN, SHE SAID, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE ARE ALREADY COMING AND UTILIZING THE SERVICES THAT ARE OVER THERE. SO THERE'S BOOKS, THERE'S 3D PRINTERS, THERE'S A GREEN SCREEN, THERE'S A LOT OF REALLY COOL THINGS THAT I THINK THE TEENS WILL REALLY HAVE A GREAT TIME USING. ALSO, IT IS THE TIME TO CELEBRATE THE LAO NEW YEAR. AND SO THERE'S A FESTIVAL THIS SATURDAY. THERE WAS ONE LAST SATURDAY. THERE'S ANOTHER ONE THIS SATURDAY THAT'S GOING TO BE, I BELIEVE, BANGKOK CAFE OR BANGKOK RESTAURANT BY THE THEATER DOWNTOWN. SO THEY'LL CLOSE OFF THE STREET AND IT STARTS AT 10 A.M. WE'LL HAVE LIKE TRADITIONAL BUDDHIST MONKS THERE TO PROVIDE THE BLESSING. AND THEN ALSO WENT OUT TO BOBCAT DAY ON SATURDAY WHERE THEY HAD POTENTIAL STUDENTS WHO HAD RECEIVED THEIR PRE ACCEPTANCE LETTER. SO IT WAS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THEM TO COME OUT AND VIEW THE CAMPUS AND LOOK TO SEE IF IT WAS GOING TO BE A GOOD FIT FOR THEM, WHICH I THOUGHT WAS REALLY WAS REALLY COOL. ALSO, I WANTED TO THANK MR. NORTH FOR HIS TIME AND EFFORT PUTTING THIS TOGETHER, THE VOLUNTEER AWARDS, PLUS THE TOWN HALLS, PLUS EVERYTHING ELSE THAT HE DOES. I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO THANK THEM. A LOT OF THE THINGS THAT WE DO UP HERE, IT'S BECAUSE WE HAVE GREAT STAFF. AND SO MIKE DOES A GREAT JOB IN KEEPING EVERYTHING GOING. AND THEN I ALSO WANT TO THANK MY VOLUNTEER WHO SCORED THE AWARDS, AND SHE DID IT FOR THE SECOND YEAR IN A ROW FOR ME, TRACY PROIETTI. SO IT'S LIKE I SAID EARLIER, IT'S NOT AN EASY THING, YOU KNOW, BEING ON SCHOLARSHIP COMMITTEES AND TRYING TO PICK THE WINNER OF A SCHOLARSHIP IS INCREDIBLY DIFFICULT BECAUSE EVERYBODY IS SO WORTHY. BUT IT'S THOSE ONES THAT STAND OUT. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH. SUPERVISOR ESPINOZA HAD ONE OTHER COMMENT. YEAH. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. I HAD A COUPLE MORE THINGS. NEXT MONTH WE'LL BE HAVING A SUPERVISOR WILL BE HAVING OUR TOWN HALL. SO MY DAY WILL BE MAY 18TH AT TENAYA SCHOOL IN SOUTH MERCED. AND ALSO TENTATIVELY, WE'LL BE HAVING A SANTANELLA COFFEE WITH DISTRICT ONE AND FIVE SUPERVISORS. IF THE SUPERVISOR IS STILL WILLING TO HAVE COFFEE WITH US AND ATTEND TO ANY QUESTIONS OR REGARDING, I KNOW THEY HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT MORE PARK AND MORE AMENITIES FOR THAT PARK OVER THERE, SO HOPEFULLY WE'LL BE ABLE TO ANSWER THE QUESTIONS. AND I KNOW THEY'RE GOING THROUGH A PROCESS OF CHANGING GAS SUPPLIERS OVER THERE TOO. [02:40:05] SO HOPEFULLY WE'LL BE ABLE TO ANSWER MORE QUESTIONS OVER THERE. SO MAY 26TH, OVER THERE IN SANTANELLA AT 10 A.M. AT STARBUCKS. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. SUPERVISOR ESPINOZA. COUNCIL HANSEN NOTHING. ONE OF THESE TIMES. THAT'S ALWAYS A GOOD SIGN WHEN HE HAS NOTHING TO REPORT. THAT MEANS WE DIDN'T SAY ANYTHING WRONG. CEO MENDEZ. YES. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. JUST A COUPLE ITEMS, JUST TO KIND OF FOLLOW UP ON SUPERVISOR ESPINOZA'S COMMENT REGARDING THE TOWN HALLS. THEY WILL BE OCCURRING IN MAY, THE MONTH OF MAY, THE 2023 TOWN HALL MEETINGS OF THE MERCED COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, OPPORTUNITY FOR MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY TO HEAR FROM THEIR SUPERVISORS ON SOME OF THEIR INITIATIVES AND PRIORITIES, UPDATES FROM DEPARTMENT HEADS AND STAFF TO LEARN ABOUT PROJECTS, AND THEN ALSO TO ASK ANY QUESTIONS THAT RESIDENTS HAVE OF MERCED COUNTY AND THE COUNTY TEAM. SO AS SUPERVISOR MENTIONED, WE ARE KICKING OFF IN MAY. THE FIRST ONE IS ACTUALLY ON MAY 3RD, WEDNESDAY AT 6 P.M. AT THE VETERANS MEMORIAL BUILDING, 939 WEST MAIN STREET IN MERCED. SUPERVISOR JOSH PEDROZO WILL BE HOSTING THAT SESSION. AND THEN WE DO HAVE OTHER TOWN HALLS SCHEDULED LATER IN THE MONTH, SPECIFICALLY ON MAY 17TH IN DELHI, MAY 18TH IN SOUTH MERCED. LET'S SEE HERE. MAY 25TH, IN ATWATER, AND THEN MAY 30TH IN DOS PALOS Y. AND THEN WE WILL BE HAVING A VIRTUAL TOWN HALL MEETING WITH THE FULL BOARD OF SUPERVISORS ON MAY 31ST. THAT WILL BE VIRTUAL. WANT TO DIRECT FOLKS TO OUR COUNTY WEBSITE AND OUR SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS TO GET THE SPECIFIC SCHEDULE. DEFINITELY APPRECIATE MR. NORTH AND THE TEAM THAT HAVE BEEN WORKING BEHIND THE SCENES TO KIND OF DO ALL THE LOGISTICS TO MAKE SURE THAT THESE TOWN HALLS GO WELL WITH ALL THE PLANNING. AND WE DO LOOK FORWARD TO TAKING THESE OBVIOUSLY INTO THE COMMUNITY, BEING IN PERSON. SO WE WILL HAVE ONE TOWN HALL MEETING IN EACH SUPERVISORIAL DISTRICT AND THEN OBVIOUSLY THE FULL BOARD, THE VIRTUAL TOWN HALL. SO ENCOURAGE MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY TO ACCESS YOUR BOARD THROUGH THESE TOWN HALL MEETINGS IN MAY. ALSO, JUST VERY BRIEFLY, WANTED TO JUST, YOU KNOW, RECOGNIZE MARK HENDRICKSON, OUR ASSISTANT COUNTY EXECUTIVE OFFICER. I THINK THIS IS HIS FIRST MEETING IN THAT CAPACITY, WHO IS A FAMILIAR FACE TO OBVIOUSLY MERCED COUNTY, AND THEN JEFFREY WITTHUN, WHO STARTED THIS WEEK AS OUR CHILD SUPPORT SERVICES DIRECTOR. SO I BELIEVE THESE ARE BOTH FOR BOTH GENTLEMEN, YOUR FIRST THEIR FIRST MEETINGS IN THOSE LEADERSHIP ROLES. AND THEN LASTLY, I DID WANT TO JUST APPRECIATE OUR CLERK OF THE BOARD STAFF, AN EVENING MEETING, PROBABLY A GOOD IDEA. BUT THERE'S A LOT OF LOGISTICS BEHIND THE SCENES THAT THEY HANDLE. TAMARA WILLIAMS AND HER STAFF SO APPRECIATE THE GOOD WORK. I BELIEVE IT WAS A GOOD SESSION, ALWAYS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO INTERACT WITH MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY IN AN EVENING SESSION. SO I JUST WANTED TO MAYBE CONCLUDE WITH JUST THANKING OUR CLERK STAFF FOR THEIR GOOD WORK AND KIND OF DOING EVERYTHING BEHIND THE SCENES TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS MEETING IN THE EVENING WENT WELL. SO THANK YOU SO MUCH, TAMARA AND TEAM. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. MENDEZ. SO A COUPLE OF THINGS. I HAD ATTENDED THE CSAC LEDGE CONFERENCE A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO, AND THOSE KIND OF A ONCE NEVER REALLY HAD BEEN DONE BEFORE, AT LEAST NOT IN RECENT MEMORY, WHERE WE ACTUALLY HAD A JOINT SESSION WITH THE CALIFORNIA LEAGUE OF CITIES DISCUSSING THE AT HOME PROGRAM, WHICH IS AN ATTEMPT BY THE STATE ASSOCIATION OF COUNTIES TO ACTUALLY TRY TO WORK ON HOW TO DEAL WITH HOMELESS AND STREAMLINING PROCESSES AND MAKING THINGS MONEY THAT COMES FROM MANY DIFFERENT POTS THAT OUR FOLKS OVER AT HSA AND BRHS ARE VERY WELL AWARE OF. HOW DO YOU MAKE THOSE THOSE FUNDING SOURCES TALK TO EACH OTHER BASICALLY IS MY WORDS. AND SO THAT WE LET THE PEOPLE THAT ARE ACTUALLY DOING THE GOOD WORK ON THE GROUND ACTUALLY GIVE THEM A LITTLE MORE FLEXIBILITY ON HOW TO BE ABLE TO UTILIZE THOSE FUNDS SO THAT WE CAN MAXIMIZE THE EFFICIENCIES ON THEM. ALWAYS A GOOD TIME. GREAT INFORMATION AT THESE CONFERENCES. AND I'M THE FIRST PERSON TO SHARE WITH YOU THAT THE NETWORKING THAT GOES ON SOMETIMES AFTER 5:00 WITH OUR COLLEAGUES FROM ALL UP AND DOWN THE STATE IS JUST AS VALUABLE IN SHARING INFORMATION. YOU KNOW, 58 COUNTIES IN CALIFORNIA AND IF YOU'VE BEEN TO ONE, YOU'VE BEEN TO ONE, THEY'RE ALL VERY DIFFERENT. BUT WE DO SHARE A LOT OF SIMILARITIES AND ARE FACING THE SAME ISSUES. SO IT'S ALWAYS GOOD TO HAVE A SOUNDING BOARD TO OTHER FOLKS THAT ARE FACING THOSE ISSUES. THE VOLUNTEER APPRECIATION, YOU KNOW, I CAN'T SAY THANK YOU ENOUGH TO THE TWO GROUPS THAT I RECOGNIZE AND COMING ALL THE WAY OVER FOR A NIGHT MEETING. I THINK SOME OF THEM WERE OUT PAST THEIR BEDTIME. BUT I DO APPRECIATE THEM ALLOWING US TO HONOR THEM. AND WHAT I SAID EARLIER, I DO TRULY MEAN THAT THOSE FOLKS ARE THERE IN MY COMMUNITY. [02:45:05] I MEAN, THE DOS PALOS Y SERVICE CLUB, IT'S A CLUB OF MEN. THEY DON'T RENT THEIR BUILDING OR ANYTHING. BUT I CALLED ON THEM AND ASKED IF WE COULD USE THEIR FACILITY TO HOST MY TOWN HALL OUT THERE. AND THEY'RE MORE THAN WILLING TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT FOR US. I'M NOT GOING TO SAY IT REALLY THREW THE COUNTY OFF, BUT IT DID A LITTLE BIT IN THAT LIGHT BECAUSE IT WAS LIKE A NO COST CONTRACT. RIGHT. WE DIDN'T HAVE TO PAY FOR ANYTHING. SO THAT'S ALWAYS A GOOD THING. HELPS SAVE THE TAXPAYERS A FEW DOLLARS. MAY DAY FAIR. I CANNOT GO WITHOUT LETTING EVERYBODY KNOW THAT THE FAIR IS STARTS NEXT WEEK. IT'S MAY 3RD THROUGH THE SEVENTH. I DON'T HAVE ALL THE PRICES, BUT I KNOW THAT FROM NOW UNTIL 5:00 ON NEXT TUESDAY, THE SECOND YOU CAN YOU CAN GET DISCOUNT ADMISSION PASSES, DISCOUNT RIDE PASSES AT THE FAIR OFFICE. I BELIEVE THERE'S AN ONLINE OPTION AS WELL. SO FOLKS THAT ARE ON A LITTLE BIT TIGHTER BUDGET CAN TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THOSE SAVINGS. SO I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU OUT THERE. SOMETHING THAT WE ALWAYS PRIDE OURSELVES AT THE AT THE SPRING FAIR IS THERE IS NO SAFER PLACE TO BE IN MERCED COUNTY AND THOSE FIVE DAYS OF THE FAIR. AND THAT'S BECAUSE OF THE GREAT LEADERSHIP OF OUR SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT WHO REALLY TAKES AN APPROACH THAT IT IS YOU DON'T HAVE A RIGHT TO BE THERE. YOU HAVE A PRIVILEGE. IT'S A PRIVILEGE TO BE AT THE FAIR AND AND ANY OF THOSE NEFARIOUS ACTORS, THEY'RE ASKED TO JUST TURN AROUND AND LEAVE. AND SO WE APPRECIATE THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE AND WHAT THEY DO FOR US OUT THERE. THE LAST THING THAT I WANT TO DO IS I WANT TO ADJOURN TODAY'S MEETING IN MEMORY OF HELEN GALLICHIO. HELEN PASSED AWAY ON MARCH 31ST. HELEN HAS BEEN A LONG TIME STAPLE IN LOS BANOS. SOME OF THE HIGHLIGHTS, I'LL TELL YOU. SHE WAS THE FIRST FEMALE PUT ON THE MERCED COUNTY SPRING FAIR BOARD BACK IN 1974. SERVED THERE FOR 25 YEARS, WAS A 4H LEADER FOR OVER 50 YEARS. IF YOU WERE TAUGHT SEWING IN 4H IN LOS BANOS, I MEAN, MY MOM WAS TAUGHT THERE. MY DAUGHTER WAS TAUGHT THERE. SO ACROSS GENERATIONS, HELEN GALLICHIO WAS THE SEWING LEADER IN 4H. I DIDN'T EVER TAKE SEWING. I TOOK COOKING. SO BUT JUST A GREAT LADY, A GREAT FAMILY. AND SHE WAS JUST WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT OUR COMMUNITY AND TONIGHT WE'RE HONORING VOLUNTEERS. SHE WAS ONE OF THE BEST AT IT. HER AND HER HUSBAND, FRANK, VOLUNTEERED AT NEW BETHANY RESIDENTIAL CARE CENTER. AND LATER ON, THAT'S WHERE THEY WOULD BOTH BE AT NEW BETHANY. AND THAT'S WHERE SHE PASSED AWAY ON MARCH 31ST. SO WE'LL CERTAINLY BE MISSED. AND SO, AGAIN, ADJOURN TODAY'S MEETING IN HONOR OF HELEN GALLICHIO. AND WITH THAT, THAT CONCLUDES OUR BOARD MEETING FOR APRIL 25TH. OUR NEXT REGULARLY SCHEDULED BOARD MEETING WILL BE HELD ON TUESDAY, MAY 9TH, AT OUR REGULAR OLD TIME OF 10:00. THANK YOU GUYS ALL FOR BEING HERE. GOOD NIGHT. * This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.