[*This meeting was joined in progress*]
[Call to Order]
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THIS MORNING WE HAD A CLOSED SESSION MEETING AND STAFF WAS GIVEN DIRECTION.LORD, THANK YOU FOR OUR MANY BLESSINGS.
THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE OUR COMMUNITY.
PUBLIC SERVICE, AFTER ALL, IS A GIFT.
THANK YOU FOR THIS BOARD, WHOM I SEE FIRSTHAND HOW MUCH THEY CARE ABOUT THEIR CONSTITUENTS.
LORD, MAY YOU PLEASE GRANT THIS BOARD WITH THE STRENGTH AND COURAGE TO MAKE WISE DECISIONS AND KEEP THEM IN EACH OF THEIR FAMILIES SAFE IN THEIR DAILY TRAVELS AND ENDEAVORS. IN CLOSING, ONE QUICK PASSAGE FROM COLOSSIANS THREE TWO TODAY THAT SPOKE TO MY HEART.
THIS IS A GOOD REMINDER FOR US ALL.
SET YOUR MINDS ON THINGS ABOVE, NOT ON EARTHLY THINGS.
OF ALLEGIANCE] ALL RIGHT, NEXT WE HAVE.
[PUBLIC OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK]
TESTIMONY IS LIMITED TO THREE MINUTES PER PERSON AND 30 MINUTES TOTAL.GOOD MORNING, BOARD OF SUPERVISORS AND STAFF.
WE'RE GOING TO GET THIS OUT OF THE WAY.
WE WANTED TO TALK ABOUT SAINT VINCENT DE PAUL IN PLANADA.
IT'S A 501 C NONPROFIT, AND IT'S BEEN SERVING PLANADA FOR OVER 20 YEARS.
IN THE LAST FIVE YEARS, IT'S BEEN HELPING RESIDENTS IN MERCED COUNTY THROUGH PERSONAL HARDSHIPS.
JANUARY 9TH WAS THE DAY WE WON'T FORGET THE FLOOD DAMAGED HALF OF OUR TOWN.
WE HAD OVER 242 HOUSEHOLDS THAT REGISTERED WITH US AT THE PARK.
WE CALLED IT THE BROADWAY GIVERS PLACE.
WE GAVE OVER 298 HOUSEHOLDS, THREE MONTHS OF NECESSITIES AND GIFT CARDS FOR FOOD AND GAS.
AS YOU KNOW THAT THE POST OFFICE IS IN MERCED.
WE HAD GAS WAS ONE OF THE THE THINGS THAT WE WANTED TO HELP OUT WITH.
WE HAD MANY, MANY VISITORS THAT CAME BY.
WE HAD THE WESTERN SAINT VINCENT DE PAUL NATIONAL OFFICE COME BY AND WE ALSO HAD THE NATIONAL OFFICE PRESIDENT COME BY AND WE ALSO HAD CALIFORNIA OES COME BY. WE ALSO SET UP AN OUTREACH FOR FEMA TO BE LOCALLY THERE AT THE PLACE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH LEGAL HELP.
THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY WAS THERE [INAUDIBLE] PUBLIC HEALTH, AND WE ALSO ASSISTED MERCED COUNTY HUMAN RESOURCES WITH THE TRANSITION OF THE FELIX TORRES HOUSING TO HELP THEM MOVE BACK HOME.
WE HAVEN'T REALLY SAID ANYTHING BECAUSE WE ARE FAITH BASED AND THERE'S A SAYING THAT YOU DON'T LET THE RIGHT HAND DO WHAT YOU'RE DOING, RIGHT? SO THAT'S KIND OF WE NEVER REALLY COME FORWARD, BUT WE WANTED TO GIVE THE STATS.
WE ARE DOING MORE ASSESSMENTS AND REVISITING SOME OF THE HOMES AND HELPING 33 HOMES.
WE HAVE ACTUALLY HELPED 33 HOMES PERSONALLY GIVE THEM ANYWHERE FROM 500 TO $2000, WHETHER IT BE A GIFT CARD OR AN APPLIANCE OR NEEDED ITEM THAT WAS A NECESSITY TO HAVE FOOD OR WARMTH OR A ROOF OVER THEIR HEAD.
UNFORTUNATELY, WE ARE TO OUR END OF OUR FUNDS.
WE APPRECIATE ALL THOSE THAT DONATED TO HELP US TO GIVE TO OTHERS AND ALL THE IN-KIND THAT HAPPENED, BUT WE STILL THERE'S A LOT OF WORK TO BE DONE, AND FELIX TORRES STILL HAS SOME PEOPLE THAT ARE NOT ABLE TO GO BACK.
WE HAVE PEOPLE IN MOTELS STILL.
YOU KNOW, WE WERE BROUGHT UP WITH A ROOF OVER OUR HEAD, FOOD IN OUR TUMMY AND A PLACE TO SLEEP, AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT PLANADA GETS THAT, AND DON'T FORGET PLANADA AND WE'RE GOING TO KEEP GOING STRONG.
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THANK YOU. THANK YOU.THANK YOU BOTH FOR YOUR COMMENTS.
GOOD MORNING TO THE BOARD AND THE PUBLIC RIGHT HERE.
I'M A RESIDENT OF MERCED SINCE OCTOBER 2022.
OUR MAIN CONCERN OF THE NEIGHBORS IS THAT WE'VE GOT SQUATTERS NOW MOVING INTO THIS VACANT PROPERTY THAT IS BEHIND OUR HOUSE AND WE CALLED THE SHERIFFS.
THE SHERIFFS TOLD US THAT IT'S OWNED BY THE BANK.
NOW, IT WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL IF SOMEONE FROM THE COUNTY COULD TELL US WHICH BANK OWNS IT OR HAVE THE BANK POST SOME SIGNS OUT THERE THAT, LIKE THE SHERIFFS HAVE TOLD US, TO HAVE SOME SIGNS POSTED FOR NO TRESPASSING SIGN, YOU KNOW, AND THESE WE STARTED OFF WITH ONE.
WE WERE TOLD THAT THIS [INAUDIBLE] FAMILY OWNS THE PROPERTY.
IT STARTED OFF WITH ONE, AND NOW THERE'S ANOTHER ONE COMING IN.
THE THIRD ONE IS IN LINE WAITING TO COME IN.
WE AS RESIDENTS DON'T MIND SOMEONE COMING IN THERE AND LIVING, BUT WE'RE CONCERNED ABOUT THE FECES, THE URINE, NO RUNNING WATER, KIDS THAT ARE RUNNING OUT THERE FROM ONE TRAILER TO ANOTHER AND THEN COMING OUT ON THE SIDEWALK ACTING LIKE THEY'RE ON SOME KIND OF DRUGS, JUMPING IN FRONT OF CARS.
YOU KNOW, WE HAVE KIDS THAT ARE LIVING UP THERE IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
I WOULD LIKE TO ASK THE COUNTY TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT, AND THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENT, SIR.
I'M HERE THIS MORNING JUST TO SYMPATHIZE WITH YOU AS YOU PERFORM YOUR CONSTITUTIONAL AND DUTIES HERE IN THE COUNTY TO SPEND $1 BILLION OF TAXPAYERS MONEY.
HOPEFULLY YOU'RE SPENDING SOME OF IT ON CONSTITUTIONAL THINGS AS WELL AS THINGS THAT ARE MANDATED BY THE STATE AND THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, WHICH MAKES YOUR JOB EVEN MORE DIFFICULT.
I WISH I COULD UNDERSTAND MORE.
HOWEVER, THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE HERE COMING TO YOU LOOKING FOR UNCONSTITUTIONAL HELP ON THINGS THAT YOU SHOULD NOT BE HELPING THEM WITH. THAT'S THE DUTY OF PEOPLE IN THE CHARITY BUSINESS.
I HOPE YOU CAN DO EVEN BETTER IN SPENDING THE BILLION DOLLARS YOU'RE CHARGED WITH.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS, SIR.
ON THIS HAND, I GOT MY AMERICAN LEGION HAT.
ON THIS HAND, I GOT MY VETERANS OF WAR HAT, AND I HEARD AND I SAW IT IN THE THING, AND I GOT TO EXPLAIN TO YOU, I DON'T EVEN KNOW I'VE LOST SLEEP OVER IT ABOUT THAT BUILDING DOWNTOWN.
HOW THE AMERICAN LEGION AND THE VETERANS OF FOREIGN WARS ARE FIGHTING OVER THAT BUILDING.
I'M NOT HERE TO TELL YOU WHAT YOUR JOB IS.
THAT'S NOT ME. I'M HERE TO HOPE THAT I CAN BE A VOICE OF REASON.
TO BE IN THE AMERICAN LEGION, YOU HAVE TO HAVE SERVED ONE DAY OF ACTIVE DUTY.
TO BE IN THE VFW, YOU HAVE TO BE A VETERAN OF FOREIGN WARS.
I'M IN BOTH BECAUSE I BELIEVE IN BOTH.
NOW, THE AMERICAN LEGION IS FIGHTING FOR THAT BUILDING.
I'VE BEEN IN THAT BUILDING MANY A TIMES.
MY SOLUTION WOULD BE LEFT SIDE AMERICAN LEGION, WHERE THEY GOT THE BAR, RIGHT SIDE, VFW.
THEY BOTH HAVE BATHROOMS. PUT THEM BOTH ON THE LEASE, AND JUST LIKE YOU GUYS ARE HERE AS BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, THEY GET A BOARD OF SUPERVISORS FOR THAT BUILDING WITH A REPRESENTATIVE FROM EVERY
[00:10:03]
ORGANIZATION AND VETS FROM VFW, FROM DISABLED AMERICAN VETERANS THAT I'M ALSO A MEMBER OF.I'M 100% DISABLED VETERAN AND THEN A CIVILIAN COUNTERPART IN CHARGE OF THAT AS A TIEBREAKER VOTE, AND THEN WHAT I WOULD DO IS I WOULD SAY, OKAY, YOU GUYS NEED THE FLOOR THIS WEEK.
YOU NEED THE KITCHEN THIS DAY.
THERE'S GOT TO BE A WAY TO COEXIST.
THERE'S 80,000 PLUS PEOPLE IN MERCED, A LARGE VETERAN POPULATION.
I SPEND MY MONDAYS THROUGH FRIDAYS GOING OUT IN THE STREETS AND FINDING HOMELESS VETERANS AND TRYING TO GET THEM HOUSED, SETTING THEM UP WITH MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES BECAUSE I'VE BEEN THERE. I AM HERE TODAY BECAUSE OF THE VFW AND THE AMERICAN LEGION, OR ELSE I'D BE SIX FEET UNDER BECAUSE I FOUGHT THOSE BATTLES.
SO THERE'S GOT TO BE A WAY TO MAKE IT WORK TO BRING THESE VETERANS TOGETHER, BECAUSE CIVILIANS THAT'VE NEVER BEEN TO WAR, DON'T UNDERSTAND THE HORRORS, BUT PEOPLE THAT HAVE BEEN THERE, THE VFW, THEY'RE THE ONES THAT I TALK TO THAT UNDERSTAND ME.
I STILL GO TO MY MEETINGS EVERY MONTH.
I'M GOING TO GIVE YOU A FEW MORE SECONDS JUST TO FINISH UP YOUR THOUGHTS, SIR.
THE VETERANS, THEY SACRIFICED.
WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO GET ALONG, AND I WILL DO WHATEVER IT TAKES TO WORK WITH YOU GUYS.
SO THESE PEOPLE, CAN MAYBE ONE DAY BE ONE PEOPLE.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE, SIR.
GOOD MORNING, BOARD OF SUPERVISORS.
I'M A FAMILIAR FACE BECAUSE I AM PART OF MERCED.
IT'S A PRIVILEGE TO BE IN THIS COMMUNITY, BUT AS I SING AND AM A VOCALIST AND I'VE BEEN AT MANY EVENTS WHERE WE ARE HONORING OUR VETS AND WE ARE IN POSITION.
I'VE GONE TO BUNCO AT THE AMERICAN LEGION, I'VE GONE TO MANY EVENTS WITH THE VFW.
THEY'RE CLOSE TO MY HEART BECAUSE I LIVE AND BREATHE THE PRIVILEGE OF BEING ABLE TO HAVE THESE FREEDOMS THROUGH THEIR SACRIFICE, AND BECAUSE I DIDN'T GO TO BATTLE OR I DIDN'T GO TO WAR OR EVEN SERVE, THE LEAST I CAN DO IS OFFER MY VOICE AND MY PETITIONS FOR THE FAVOR OF THOSE THAT HAVE BEEN MOST MARGINALIZED.
HOMELESSNESS IS ONE OF THE HIGHEST IN THE VETERANS LACK OF WORK AND REPRESENTATION.
I'M NOT SAYING THAT YOU ARE NOT AWARE OF WHAT'S GOING ON BECAUSE IT'S BEEN IN THE PAPERS FOR A WHILE, BUT THE HEART AND THE BURDEN OF THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE SERVED CAN NO LONGER BE DISMISSED.
WE ARE HERE BECAUSE--I AM HERE--BECAUSE I FEEL THAT WHAT THIS GENTLEMAN SAID IS THE TRUTH.
YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO GET ALONG AND WE HAVE TO CREATE A SPACE.
RIGHT NOW, THIS ADVISORY COUNCIL HAS SEVEN MEMBERS FROM ONE GROUP, AND IT'S SEVERELY ONE-SIDED.
IT WAS MEANT TO BE FOR REPRESENTATIVES FROM EACH GROUP AND ONE ADVISORY LIKE DEALBREAKER, WHICH WOULD BE THE BOARD OF SUPERVISOR OVERSEEING, BUT I FURTHER CONTEND THAT IT SHOULD BE EVEN SOME COMMUNITY MEMBERS INVOLVED ARBITRARILY THAT ARE DOING THE WORK, THAT ARE ACTUALLY VOLUNTEERING AND PARTICIPATING SO THAT THERE'S SOME TYPE OF MITIGATION OR GOVERNANCE OR SUPERVISION AS TO WHAT IS HAPPENING.
I WORK AS AN ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE COORDINATOR AND MY WORK HAS BEEN PRIMARILY.
IN CONFLICT RESOLUTION WITH GROUPS AND COMMUNITY, AND I'D BE WILLING TO SERVE OR EVEN HELP OUT AND DO MY DUE DILIGENCE AS A COMMUNITY MEMBER, AND WHEN ALICIA WAS TALKING ABOUT PLANADA, I CAN'T GO WITHOUT SAYING ONE MORE THING ABOUT PLANADA.
THE PEOPLE THERE ARE STILL HURTING AND LITIGATORS CAN COME AND THEY COULD SAY THAT WHAT THEY KNOW WHAT HAS HAPPENED, BUT MY MAIN CONCERN ARE THE PEOPLE, AND I KNOW THAT THERE ARE GRANTS THAT CAN BE WRITTEN.
I'M GOING TO GIVE YOU ALREADY AVAILABLE TO US, AND I'D BE WILLING TO HELP.
[00:15:02]
I HAVE A LOT OF FREE TIME.I HAD A HEART ATTACK NOT TOO LONG AGO, AND IT WAS BECAUSE I HAVE THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS.
TALK ABOUT A COUPLE OF THINGS.
I'M NOT REPRESENTING ANY ORGANIZATION.
ON A SIDE POINT, MR. PEDROZO, THE LOCATION OF YOUR TOWN HALL MEETING WAS NOT INCLUSIVE OF ALL VETERANS, AS SOME WILL NOT GO THERE BECAUSE THEY HAVE BEEN THREATENED OR BEATEN UP.
WANT TO KNOW WHY THAT HAPPENED AND THAT YOU DIDN'T THINK OF THAT? YOU KNOW, WAS THAT PURPOSELY DONE OR WAS IT AN OVERSIGHT ON THE TOPIC OF VIOLENCE? A FEW MONTHS AGO, IT WAS REPORTED TO ME BY A MEMBER OF THE AMERICAN LEGION WHO WENT TO THE DISTRICT, WHO WENT TO THE VETERANS HALL FOR A MEETING.
THERE SHOULD HAVE BEEN A POLICE REPORT, AND HE'S AN ELDER.
THERE SHOULD HAVE BEEN A REPORT TO ADULT PROTECTIVE SERVICES, AND I DON'T KNOW THAT THAT HAPPENED.
SO THE PROBLEM THAT YOU KEEP SAYING IS BETWEEN THE VFW AND THE AMERICAN LEGION IS NOT TRUE.
THE PROBLEM IS THAT THE LEGION WRITERS ARE DICTATING WHO COMES IN AND WHO COMES OUT.
THEY EVEN KICK OUT THEIR OWN MEMBERS AND VIOLENTLY, I MIGHT ADD.
SO I JUST WANT TO POINT THAT OUT.
IN REGARDS TO THE LEASE, I TALKED TO A COUPLE ONE OF THE GUYS WHO WAS PART OF THAT MEDIATION.
THERE WAS NO RESOLUTION AND THAT THINGS ARE STILL THE SAME.
THE OTHER THING I WANT TO SAY THAT I'M WONDERING WHY IT'S SO HARD TO CHANGE IT AND TO BE INCLUSIVE, AND AND I'M WONDERING IF ANYBODY IS RECEIVING DONATIONS FROM THE AMERICAN LEGION AND THAT'S WHY THIS IS HAPPENING, AND AND EVERYBODY'S STUCK ON MAKING THEM THE LEAD GROUP OR IS THE BOARD OF WAITING FOR THE VFW TO DISBAND SO THAT YOU CAN GO ON FOR THE LEASE.
THIS LEASE EXPIRED IN 2021 AND WE ARE IN 2023.
REGARDING THE BUILDING, THAT BUILDING WAS MEANT FOR VETERANS OF WAR, AND YET NONE OF THEM GO THERE UNLESS THEY'RE PART OF THE AMERICAN LEGION AND THEY'RE LIKED BY THE WRITERS, AND IF THEY'RE NOT, THEY'RE KICKED OUT, AND AGAIN, I SAY VIOLENTLY.
SO I'M ASKING YOU TO TAKE A LOOK AT THAT BECAUSE WE'RE WATCHING YOU.
THERE IS A REASONABLE SOLUTION TO THIS IF YOU GUYS TAKE ACTION.
I'M NOT HERE ASKING FOR YOU TO LISTEN BECAUSE ALL OF YOU WORK FOR US.
I'M HERE SAYING YOU GUYS NEED TO MAKE THIS RIGHT.
YOU NEED TO TAKE CARE OF THIS, AND YOU NEED TO BE INCLUSIVE OF ALL VETERANS.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS, MA'AM.
MORNING. I'VE SPOKEN PRETTY MUCH TO ALL OF YOU.
YOU KNOW ME AS COMMAND SERGEANT MAJOR, RETIRED, 37 YEARS, E-9 AND I'M REALLY CONFUSED, CONFOUNDED, PERPLEXED AS TO WHY WE CANNOT COME UP WITH AN AGREEMENT ON THE MEMORIAL BUILDING.
THE TASK ITSELF HAS BEEN BROUGHT TO YOU.
THE UNDERSTANDING WHAT'S TAKING PLACE HAS BEEN BROUGHT TO YOU.
A SOLUTION HAS BEEN BROUGHT TO YOU, YET NOTHING IS BEING DONE TO RESOLVE THIS ISSUE.
BY VIRTUE OF YOUR OWN LEASE AGREEMENT, YOU CITE CALIFORNIA CODE MILITARY AND VETERANS CODE CHAPTER TWO, SECTION 12.60.
I ASK YOU TO READ THAT AGAIN, WHICH IDENTIFIES EXACTLY A VETERANS ASSOCIATION.
VETERAN SERVICE ORGANIZATION MEANS ANY ASSOCIATION OR ORGANIZATION WHICH IS COMPOSED SOLELY OF PERSONS WHO SERVE HONORABLY IN TIME OF WAR OR IN TIME OF PEACE, IN A CAMPAIGN OR EXPEDITION FOR SERVICE IN WHICH A MEDAL HAS BEEN AUTHORIZED BY THE GOVERNMENT OF THE UNITED STATES AS MEMBERS OF THE ARMED FORCES OF
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THE UNITED STATES.OKAY, WE NEED TO REALLY GET DOWN INTO THE WEEDS TO FIND OUT WHO ARE, IN FACT, OUR VETERANS THAT SHOULD OCCUPY THAT BUILDING, WHAT VETERAN ORGANIZATION THAT OCCUPIES THAT BUILDING BY VIRTUE OF THE RECORDS ITSELF, YOU JUST PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE IN YOUR OWN WORDS.
THAT'S WHAT WE'RE ASKING HERE AS VETERANS, JUSTICE FOR ALL.
I ALSO ASK YOU TO LOOK AT YOUR MISSION STATEMENT.
WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU LOOKED AT YOUR MISSION STATEMENT? YOUR MISSION STATEMENT SAYS QUALITY PUBLIC SERVICE THAT ENHANCE AND PROTECT OUR DIVERSE COMMUNITY.
THESE ARE WORDS THAT YOU SHOULD LIVE BY.
YOU'VE BEEN ASKED TO STEP OUT OF YOUR COMFORT ZONE.
YOU NEED TO DO THIS TO RESOLVE THIS.
THIS HAS GONE ON TOO LONG, TOO FAR, AND PEOPLE ARE GETTING HURT.
SO I ASK YOU TO STEP FORWARD AND GET THIS RESOLVED.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS, SIR.
GOOD MORNING, CHAIRMAN SILVEIRA AND THE BOARD.
[INAUDIBLE] SANTOS HERE REPRESENTING THE OFFICE OF CONGRESSMAN JOHN DUARTE.
I WOULD LIKE TO RESTATE HOW IMMENSELY HONORED OUR OFFICE WAS TO BE ABLE TO JOIN SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA AND PRESENT CONGRESSIONAL RECORDS TO PAUL [INAUDIBLE] AND LLOYD PAREIRA FOR THEIR DECADES OF SERVICE TO THE MERCED COUNTY SPRING FAIR IN LOS BANOS, AND OUR OFFICE WOULD ALSO LIKE TO TAKE A MOMENT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT IN LESS THAN A WEEK'S TIME, COMMUNITIES ACROSS THIS VALLEY AND THE COUNTRY WILL BE OBSERVING NATIONAL PEACE OFFICERS MEMORIAL DAY, AND WE CAN NEVER THANK OUR MEN AND WOMEN IN LAW ENFORCEMENT ENOUGH FOR THEIR SERVICE TO OUR COMMUNITY AND ESPECIALLY THOSE WHO SACRIFICED THEIR LIVES IN THE LINE OF DUTY IN OUR STREETS.
THE NUMBER ONE PRIORITY OF OUR OFFICE IS MAKING SURE THAT OUR VALLEY HAS ACCESS TO ABUNDANT AND CLEAN WATER, AND CONGRESSMAN DUARTE WAS HONORED TO RECENTLY JOIN THE CALIFORNIA WATER ALLIANCE FOR THEIR THIRD ANNUAL.
IS THE DROUGHT REALLY OVER FORM? THE CONVERSATION FOCUSED ON THE CURRENT STATE OF CALIFORNIA'S WATER RESOURCES AND THE FUTURE OF WATER MANAGEMENT, AND THE CONGRESSMAN WAS PROUD TO SUBMIT COMMUNITY FUNDING REQUESTS FOR WATER INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS, INCLUDING THE DEL PRADO CANYON RESERVOIR, THE RAISING OF BUCHANAN DAM AND THE LOS BANOS RECHARGE AND RECOVERY PROJECT.
REGARDING FLOOD SAFETY, WE'VE BEEN IN CONSTANT COMMUNICATION WITH CITY AND COUNTY STAKEHOLDERS, SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENTS AND IRRIGATION DISTRICTS UP AND DOWN THE VALLEY TO EXPLORE HOW THEIR FLOOD CONTROL APPARATUSES AND WATERWAYS COULD BENEFIT FROM EMERGENCY CLEANUP PERMITS ISSUED BY THE ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS OR OTHER FEDERAL AGENCIES, AND THANK YOU TO SUPERVISORS MCDANIEL AND PAREIRA ESPECIALLY FOR CONNECTING ME PERSONALLY WITH COUNTY STAKEHOLDERS AND COUNTY STAFF ON THIS MATTER.
OUR OFFICE IS EXCITED TO HOST THE MERCED COUNTY ASSOCIATION OF GOVERNMENTS ONE VOICE DELEGATION THIS WEEK IN DC, AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO LISTENING TO YOUR CONCERNS AND SEEING HOW WE CAN PARTNER IN ADVOCATING FOR QUALITY OF LIFE IMPROVING PROJECTS FOR MERCED COUNTY.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME THIS MORNING.
THANK YOU, SIR. THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS.
GOOD MORNING. TODAY OR THIS WEEK IS NATIONAL CORRECTIONAL OFFICER APPRECIATION WEEK.
I'M SURE YOU'VE SEEN THE FLYERS.
ALSO WANTED TO REMIND EVERYBODY THAT WE'RE STILL 27 PEOPLE DOWN IN THAT BUREAU.
WE'RE ALSO SEVEN PEOPLE DOWN IN THE OPERATIONAL BUREAU.
I'VE COME TO A COUPLE OF YOU AT A MEETING AND HAVE SUGGESTED WAYS TO GET THIS DONE.
ALSO, IN THE BACK OF THIS PORAC MAGAZINE, LET YOU GUYS PERUSE THROUGH THAT TO SEE WHAT WE'RE UP AGAINST, BECAUSE EVERY MEMBER OF OUR AGENCY THAT BELONGS TO PORAC GETS THAT MAGAZINE ON A REGULAR BASIS.
I'D LOVE TO SIT DOWN AND BE ABLE TO START CHATTING ABOUT IT.
SO HAVING SAID THAT, REMEMBER NEXT WEEK, OUR PEACE OFFICERS MEMORIAL OUTSIDE OUR BUILDING.
PLEASE BE THERE, AND ALSO TOMORROW NIGHT IS OUR OFFICER OF THE YEAR BANQUET HELD AT THE ELKS LODGE.
SO HOPE TO SEE YOU GUYS THERE, AND PLEASE REACH OUT IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.
THANK YOU, SHERIFF. ALL RIGHT, I'M NOT SEEING ANY FURTHER PUBLIC
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COMMENTS. SO WE WILL CLOSE THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD FOR NON AGENDA ITEMS, AND WE HAVE TWO PRESENTATIONS THIS MORNING.WE'LL BEGIN WITH THE PLANADA FLOOD RECOVERY SURVEY RESULTS BY U.S.
[PRESENTATIONS]
MERCED COMMUNITY AND LABOR CENTER , AND JUST REMEMBER, WE HAVE A TEN MINUTE PRESENTATION TIME.ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU TO THE COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS FOR GIVING US TIME ON THE AGENDA TO SHARE THE FINDINGS OF A COMMUNITY NEEDS ASSESSMENT THAT HAD BEEN DONE TOGETHER WITH MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY IN PLANADA.
WE'RE HERE TO SHARE OUR FINDINGS FROM THAT BRIEF AS WELL AS THE POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS.
SO JOINING ME ARE MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY THAT HAD BEEN INVOLVED IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE SURVEY INSTRUMENT, AS WELL AS THE EXECUTION OF IT AND SO THAT INCLUDES THE ORGANIZATIONS SITTING RIGHT HERE IN THE FRONT ROW: VALLEY ONWARD LEADERSHIP COUNCIL COMMUNITY LEADERS OLIVIA GOMEZ AND ALICIA RODRIGUEZ.
I HOPE I'M NOT MISSING ANYONE.
OKAY, SO THE PLANADA COMMUNITY NEEDS ASSESSMENT SURVEY CAME TOGETHER A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO FOLLOWING A MEETING WITH SOME STATE ELECTED OFFICIALS. A COUPLE MEMBERS OF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, COUNTY CEO WAS AT THE MEETING, A COMMUNITY LEADERS FROM PLANADA AND THERE WAS A DISCUSSION ON SATURDAY, APRIL 15TH ABOUT THE LACK OF INFORMATION THAT WE HAD ABOUT THE DEVASTATION IN THAT WAS CAUSED AS A RESULT OF THE THE JANUARY 9TH FLOOD IN PLANADA, AND SO WHAT CAME OUT OF THAT MEETING WAS A CONSENSUS THAT WE NEEDED BETTER INFORMATION, THAT THERE WAS A WINDOW OF TIME THAT WE NEEDED TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE THAT INFORMATION TO THE STATE SO THAT THE STATE MIGHT BE ABLE TO THINK ABOUT SOME POLICY SOLUTIONS FOR THE GAPS IN RESOURCES THAT RESIDENTS OF PLANADA ARE FACING AS A RESULT OF OF FEDERAL POLICY THAT DOESN'T COVER EVERY HOUSEHOLD THAT WAS IMPACTED BY THE FLOOD, AND SO WE IMPLEMENTED THE SURVEY ON APRIL 22ND AND 23RD, AND OUT OF THAT CAME A PRESENTATION TO THE COMMUNITY OF THE FINDINGS AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF A LEGISLATIVE ASK LETTER ON APRIL 27TH. SO I'LL JUST VERY BRIEFLY GO THROUGH THE FINDINGS.
HERE ARE SOME PICTURES OF THE CANVASING AS WELL AS THE PRESENTATION TO THE COMMUNITY.
SO THE DATA THAT WE HAVE IN THE PLANADA SURVEY IS REPRESENTATIVE OF THE COMMUNITY OF PLANADA WE RECEIVED. WE RANDOMLY SAMPLED BUT ENDED UP KNOCKING ON VIRTUALLY EVERY DOOR IN PLANADA COLLECTED 207 SURVEYS, AND WHEN WE COMPARE IT WITH DATA FROM THE AMERICAN COMMUNITY SURVEY, WE FIND WE FIND THAT THE HOUSEHOLD SIZE, THE PERCENTAGE OF HOMEOWNERS, THE AVERAGE NUMBER OF CHILDREN, THE AVERAGE NUMBER OF ELDERLY ADULTS IN OUR SURVEY IS WITHIN THE MARGIN OF ERROR OF WHAT THE AMERICAN COMMUNITY SURVEY TELLS US.
THE AMERICAN COMMUNITY SURVEY IS THE LARGEST SURVEY OF ITS KIND IN THE US.
IT SAMPLES FIVE SORRY, 5% OF ALL HOUSEHOLDS EVERY EVERY FIVE YEARS.
SO WE HAVE A LOT OF CONFIDENCE THAT THE DATA THAT WE HAVE REPRESENTS THE COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE.
EVEN THOUGH WE HAD 207 RESPONSES BECAUSE IT WAS RANDOM AND THE CHARACTERISTICS MATCHED WHAT WE KNOW TO BE TRUE ABOUT THE COMMUNITY, THEN THE INFORMATION I'M ABOUT TO SHARE, YOU KNOW, ARE BASED ON ESTIMATES WE PRODUCE FROM THE 207 SURVEYS THAT THAT HAD BEEN ANSWERED.
SO THERE'S ABOUT 1000 HOUSEHOLDS IN PLANADA, AND AND WHAT WE FOUND WAS THAT THERE WERE 1580 WORKERS, THAT 86% OF THE HOUSEHOLDS ARE WORKER HOUSEHOLDS.
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TO THE FLOOD 83%.SO THIS INCLUDES MISSED WORK AND DAMAGED PROPERTY.
41% OF THE RESIDENTS MISSED ONE OR MORE DAYS SORRY, 41% OF HOUSEHOLDS HAD A WORKER. 41% OF THE WORKER HOUSEHOLDS HAD A WORKER THAT MISSED AT LEAST ONE DAY OF WORK.
SO THAT'S 366 HOUSEHOLDS OUT OF 891.
WE ALSO HAVE--SORRY, THAT'S 41% OF ALL HOUSEHOLDS.
OKAY, 34% OF ALL HOUSEHOLDS MISSED ONE OR MORE DAYS OF WORK AND LOST PROPERTY.
17% DID NOT MISS WORK OR LOSE PROPERTY, 8% ONLY LOST PROPERTY BUT DIDN'T MISS ANY WORK.
OKAY, AND WE'LL SHARE WHY THAT'S IMPORTANT RIGHT NOW.
57% OF HOUSEHOLDS IN PLANADA WE ESTIMATE 57% HAVE NO WORKERS THAT ARE ELIGIBLE FOR UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE.
284 HOUSEHOLDS HAVE ONE OR MORE WORKERS THAT ARE ELIGIBLE FOR UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE.
WE ALSO FOUND THAT MOST RENTING HOUSEHOLDS, 94%, DID NOT HAVE FLOOD INSURANCE AT THE TIME OF THE FLOOD, AND MORE THAN ONE FOURTH OF THE RENTING HOUSEHOLDS EXPERIENCED A RENT INCREASE AND OR A THREAT OF EVICTION, WHICH IS NOT IN COMPLIANCE WITH LAW.
WE ALSO FOUND THAT OF THOSE 891 HOUSEHOLDS, WE SAY 891 HOUSEHOLDS, BUT THERE'S 1016 HOUSEHOLDS IN PLANADA. SOME OF THOSE ARE LIKE SECOND UNITS ON ONE PROPERTY.
SO WHEN I SAY HOUSEHOLD, WE MEAN LIKE A PROPERTY, RIGHT? THAT MAY HAVE ONE OR MORE UNITS LIKE A BACK UNIT IN THE BACK.
SO OUT OF THE 891 HOUSEHOLD PROPERTIES, 461, MORE THAN HALF, 52% REPORTED FLOODED PROPERTY, AND OUT OF THOSE 461, 74% LOST PROPERTY INSIDE THEIR HOUSE, 340 AMONG THOSE HOUSEHOLDS THAT LOST PROPERTY, 46% REPORTED LOSING AT LEAST ONE CAR THAT WAS USED TO DRIVE TO WORK.
SEVEN OF THOSE, 56% ALREADY HAD MOLDS BEFORE JANUARY 10TH.
SO 49% OF THE HOUSEHOLDS THAT FLOODED NEVER HAD DIDN'T HAVE ISSUES WITH MOLD BEFORE, AND NOW THEY DO , AND A SUBSTANTIAL NUMBER OF HOUSEHOLDS THAT LOST PROPERTY IN THE HOUSEHOLD BECAUSE WE ASKED THEM IF THEY LOST PROPERTY OUTSIDE OF THE HOUSEHOLD, LIKE A CAR TOOLS OR INSIDE THE HOUSEHOLD. SO 37% OF THE HOUSEHOLDS THAT LOST PROPERTY INSIDE THE HOUSEHOLD DID NOT RECEIVE AN INSPECTION FROM A THIRD PARTY.
SO 37% DID NOT RECEIVE A HOME INSPECTION FROM A THIRD PARTY.
AMONG THE 340 HOUSEHOLDS THAT EXPERIENCED PROPERTY LOSS INSIDE THEIR HOME.
THE VAST MAJORITY, 89%, DID NOT USE LARGE INDUSTRIAL DEHUMIDIFIERS TO DRY OUT THE HOME.
THIS IS WHAT'S NEEDED TO REALLY DRY OUT THE HOME OR ELSE OTHER PROBLEMS CAN HAPPEN.
OTHER FORMS OF DAMAGE AS WELL.
YET 64% DID NOT QUALIFY FOR ANY DISASTER AID . 41 OF THAT 64% WAS BECAUSE THEY WERE INELIGIBLE.
[00:35:07]
FOR FEMA IF IT'S UNDER THE CHILD'S NAME, BUT 41% SAID THEY WERE NOT ELIGIBLE FOR ONE OR MORE FORMS OF DISASTER AID FOR FOR THOSE THAT DID QUALIFY FOR AID, THE AVERAGE QUALIFYING AMOUNT WAS $11,628, SO SIGNIFICANTLY LESS THAN THE 34,518 THAT THAT WAS NEEDED FOR REMEDIATION COSTS ACCORDING TO THE THIRD PARTIES.IN TERMS OF THE 375 HOUSEHOLDS THAT SUSTAINED PROPERTY DAMAGE, ONLY 75% HAD AT LEAST ONE HOUSEHOLD MEMBER WITH A BANK ACCOUNT.
SO 25% HAD NO ONE THAT HAD A BANK ACCOUNT.
ONLY 38% HAD A LINE OF CREDIT, AND THEN WE SAW THAT OF THE 741 HOUSEHOLDS THAT EXPERIENCED PROPERTY LOSS, EITHER, YOU KNOW, THROUGH PROPERTY DAMAGE OR THROUGH LOSING ONE OR MORE DAYS OF WORK.
SO IF THEY EXPERIENCED PROPERTY LOSS OR LOST ONE OR MORE DAYS OF WORK OUT OF THOSE HOUSEHOLDS, 741.
43% REPORTED FALLING BEHIND ON BILLS.
SO THE POLICY BRIEF LANDS ON SOME POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS AND SOL RIVAS IS GOING TO COME UP AND TALK ABOUT THAT BECAUSE THERE WAS A BUDGET LETTER THAT LAID THIS LAID THIS ALL OUT ON BEHALF OF THE COMMUNITY, BUT I JUST WANTED TO SHARE BEFORE I STEP AWAY THAT, YOU KNOW, THE ISSUE OF UNDOCUMENTED FOLKS HAVING ACCESS TO PUBLIC RESOURCES SHOULDN'T BE CONTROVERSIAL. YOU KNOW, I THINK THERE'S PEOPLE THAT TRY TO INTERPRET THE CONSTITUTION IN DIFFERENT WAYS TO THEIR OWN BENEFIT, BUT IT'S NOT IN THE BEST INTERESTS OF OUR ECONOMY.
IT'S NOT IN THE BEST INTERESTS OF OUR BUSINESS OWNERS.
RIGHT. BUSINESS OWNERS NEED WORKERS.
IT'S NOT IN THEIR BEST INTERESTS.
IF PEOPLE LOSE EVERYTHING THEY HAVE AND THEY HAVE TO MOVE.
LOSING WORKERS AND LOSING CONSUMERS ISN'T GOOD FOR BUSINESSES.
IT'S NOT GOOD FOR THE ECONOMY.
SO WHATEVER YOUR INTEREST MAY BE, WHETHER IT'S IN DOING RIGHT BY FOLKS THAT PAY TAXES JUST LIKE THE REST OF US, OR WHETHER IT'S FROM A MORE FISCALLY CONSERVATIVE POINT OF VIEW THAT'S FOCUSED ON THE INTERESTS OF THE BUSINESS SECTOR.
THE FLOOD THAT IMPACTED PLANADA IS GOING TO AFFECT US ALL, AND SO THE POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WE LAY OUT ARE REALLY FOR THE BENEFIT OF THOSE PEOPLE MOST IMPACTED BY THE FLOODS, BUT ALSO TO BENEFIT THE COMMUNITY AND THE COUNTY AS A WHOLE.
SO I'M GOING TO HAND IT OVER TO SOL RIVAS.
GOOD MORNING, CEO MENDEZ BOARD, COUNTY COUNCIL AND PUBLIC.
I'M PROBABLY REALLY SHORT ON TIME, YOU KNOW, ED DID ALL THE DATA, ALL THE IMPORTANT SMART STUFF BUT FOR THOSE THAT KNOW ALL THE PAPERWORK IS IN THE BACK.
IT WAS A TRUE TESTAMENT TO TRUE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.
WHEN WE GOT THE DATA RESULTS, WE CAME BACK TO THE COMMUNITY.
WE DIDN'T MAKE THE ASSUMPTION THAT WE KNEW WHAT THEIR PRIORITIES WERE GOING TO BE.
WE ASKED THE COMMUNITY TO COME TOGETHER AND PUT THOSE PRIORITIES TOGETHER.
I'D LIKE TO ASK THE BOARD TO SUPPORT OUR ASK TO OUR LEGISLATORS AND BE OUR SUPPORT AND ANCHOR TO CONTINUE TO PUSH THAT OUR LEGISLATORS BRING THIS BUDGET, ASK FORWARD TO THE GOVERNOR.
WE'D ALSO ASK FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT.
WE WERE VERY FORTUNATE ENOUGH THAT I KNOW WE DIDN'T.
IT WAS SUCH A SHORT TIME TO GET THIS ASK AND I KNOW YOU'VE ALREADY PUT THAT FORTH, AND SO THE UNIVERSITY, IF WE GET THESE $20 MILLION, OUR HOPE IS THAT THE UNIVERSITY WILL HOUSE THOSE DOLLARS, BUT WE ALSO KNOW THAT THERE IS SOME RESPONSIBILITY ON THE COUNTY FOR INFRASTRUCTURE AND THAT WE COULD HAVE CONTINUED CONVERSATIONS. IF THOSE DOLLARS DO COME TO THE COUNTY ON HOW WE CAN WORK WITH ALL OF YOU TO GET THAT DONE, AND I THINK THAT'S ABOUT IT.
I JUST WANTED TO THANK YOU ALL.
I KNOW IT WAS A LAST MINUTE KIND OF ASK.
AGAIN, WE JUST NEED YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT IN THE GAPS THAT PLANADA NEEDS, BUT YOU ALL KNOW THAT I'M PREACHING UP HERE TO SOMETHING THAT YOU ALL HAVE BEEN HEARING, AND I HOPE YOU PAID CLOSE ATTENTION TO SOME OF THESE FINDINGS AND THAT WE CONTINUE TO WORK TOGETHER.
[00:40:07]
SUPERVISOR ESPINOZA.THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. WOULD YOU LIKE US TO SEND A LETTER OF SUPPORT FROM THE BOARD OR PERSONALLY AS SUPERVISOR? SO I'LL BE GLAD TO PROVIDE ONE.
THANK YOU. PERFECT, AND THEN JUST BEFORE I OPEN UP FOR PUBLIC COMMENT.
SOL, IF I MAY CALL YOU, I APPRECIATE, I WAS OUT AT THAT COMMUNITY MEETING AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE CHATTED ABOUT AND I WAS VERY HAPPY TO HEAR YOU SAY IS WE HAVE A BUNCH OF GROUPS THAT ARE WORKING SOMETIMES IN SILOS, AND WHEN YOU'RE MAKING AN ASK LIKE THIS, I APPRECIATE YOUR LEADERSHIP AND EVERYBODY THAT'S SITTING HERE JUST SAYING, OKAY, LET'S PUT THAT BEHIND US.
THAT WAS THE STATE LEGISLATURE'S TIMELINE THAT THIS HAD TO HAPPEN REALLY QUICKLY TO GET SURVEYS DONE, GET THE RESULTS COMPOUNDED AND BE ABLE TO PRESENT AN ASK.
SO THANK YOU FOR THAT, BECAUSE IT SEEMED TO BE I'M JUST GOING TO SAY IT BEFORE THAT.
IT WAS A LOT OF WORK GOING ON AND A LOT OF AND I THINK SOMETIMES WE'RE DUPLICATING WORK AND WHATNOT.
SO I APPRECIATE IT BECAUSE ULTIMATELY, YOU KNOW, WHAT COMES OUT OF THIS AND WHAT THE STATE LEGISLATURE DOES IS GOING TO BE REALLY IT HINGES ON ON THE GOOD WORK THAT YOU FOLKS DID.
SO WITH THAT, I WILL OPEN IT UP FOR ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS.
THANK YOU FOLKS ALL FOR BEING HERE AND I WILL ASK ERICK SERRATO TO COME UP AND HE IS GOING TO BE DOING WORKFORCE INVESTMENT.
HE'S OUR DIRECTOR OF WORKFORCE INVESTMENT.
I'M SORRY, PRESENTATION ON THE WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT BOARD ANNUAL REPORT.
OH, AND WE HAVE THEIR BOARD CHAIR HERE.
GOOD MORNING, CHAIR. MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, CEO MENDEZ.
IT IS A PRIVILEGE TO BE HERE TODAY AND REALLY TO BE BACK AGAIN FOR ANOTHER YEAR TO PRESENT TO THE BOARD ALL OF THE GREAT WORK THIS DEPARTMENT IS DOING AND THAT I AM SO PRIVILEGED TO BE A PART OF.
THANK YOU. LESLIE, COULD YOU SAY YOUR NAME FOR EVERYBODY? OH, SORRY. I AM LESLIE ABASTA-CUMMINGS.
I AM THE BOARD CHAIR FOR THE WORKFORCE DEPARTMENT.
GOOD MORNING, CHAIR, BOARD CEO MENDEZ.
IT'S AN HONOR TO BE BEFORE YOU AGAIN.
AS YOU KNOW, THE WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT BOARD HAS AN AGREEMENT WITH THE COUNTY THAT IT WOULD COME UP ONCE A YEAR AND TALK ABOUT ITS ACTIVITY AND SORT OF WHAT IT'S DOING OUT IN THE COMMUNITY. BEFORE I START, I DO WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT TO THANK SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL.
SO THIS IS A GENTLEMAN WHO HAS DONE EXACTLY WHAT YOU WOULD HOPE WORKFORCE BOARD MEMBER WOULD DO REMOVE ROADBLOCKS WHEN THEY'RE IN THE WAY, CREATE SPACE FOR OPPORTUNITY, CONNECT US TO PEOPLE THAT ARE MAKING POLICY AND DECISIONS AND REALLY LEAN INTO CONVERSATIONS AND BRING SORT OF EVERYONE IN HIS NETWORK INTO BEAR TO FIND A MIDDLE GROUND AND TO MOVE FORWARD, AND SO I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP ON ON THIS BOARD, AND I HOPE WE DO YOU PROUD.
A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT BOARD.
YOU JUST HEARD FROM OUR CHAIR, LESLIE ABASTA-CUMMINGS.
I'M ALSO JOINED BY ANOTHER BOARD MEMBER, OUR PRINCIPAL OF OUR ADULT SCHOOL, STEVE HOBBS.
WE'RE A FEDERALLY RECOGNIZED WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT BOARD.
THERE ARE 45 OF US IN THE STATE.
WE TAKE OUR MISSION REALLY BROADLY BEYOND SORT OF THE FEDERAL REQUIREMENTS.
WE REALLY THINK ABOUT THE ECONOMY AND SORT OF THE WORKFORCE AND THE LABOR MARKET AND TRY TO UNDERSTAND WHAT'S HAPPENING IN OUR COUNTY AND WAYS THAT WE MIGHT AMPLIFY OR ACCELERATE IMPROVEMENT AND GROWTH.
WE ALSO ARE KNOWN TO THE COMMUNITY THROUGH OUR BRAND OF [INAUDIBLE] WHICH WE SERVE THE COMMUNITY THROUGH TWO JOB CENTERS, ONE IN LOS BANOS AND ONE IN MERCED, AND WE ARE HOUSED, ADMINISTERED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF WORKFORCE INVESTMENT, WHICH IS NOW MADE UP OF ABOUT 20 PART AND FULL TIME STAFF.
WE'VE GOT ABOUT 21 BOARD MEMBERS AND DO HAVE SOME VACANCIES ON OUR BOARD.
I'M GOING TO GO INTO SORT OF THREE CATEGORIES.
I'M GOING TO QUICKLY GO THROUGH SOME PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS.
I WON'T BORE YOU WITH ALL THE DETAILS AND THE STATISTICS OF WHAT WE'VE DONE, BUT I WILL TOUCH ON A COUPLE PROGRAMS. THEN I'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE LABOR MARKET AND SORT OF OUR WORKFORCE OUTLOOK, AND THEN I'LL TALK ABOUT WHAT'S NEXT.
THESE ARE THE NUMBERS OF OUR ENROLLMENTS ACROSS ALL OF OUR PROGRAMS. AS YOU KNOW, WE SERVE YOUTH AS YOUNG AS 16 AND ADULTS IN TWO CATEGORIES.
[00:45:06]
ONE IS GENERALLY SORT OF JOB SEEKERS AND THE OTHER IS DISLOCATED WORKERS, PEOPLE THAT WERE LAID OFF FROM THEIR JOB AND THEY'RE LOOKING TO TRANSITION.WE DID 594 ADULTS AND 287 YOUTH.
THAT'S 881 FOR THE LAST CLOSED PROGRAM YEAR.
THAT IS A NUMBER THAT IS SIGNIFICANT BECAUSE WE CONTINUALLY PUNCH ABOVE OUR WEIGHT.
THAT NUMBER OF 927 IS THE SAME FIGURES FOR THE COUNTY TO OUR NORTH, WHICH IS TWICE OUR SIZE.
JUST SORT OF A NOD TO THIS YEAR.
WE SET SIMILAR GOALS AND WE'RE ALREADY 172% OVER OUR GOAL, WHICH MAKES US INCREDIBLY PROUD AND PROUD OF THE STAFF AND THEIR LEADERSHIP ON EACH OF OUR PROGRAMS. JUST TWO DIFFERENT PROGRAMS. TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA OF SORT OF THE SCALE AND DIVERSITY OF OUR WORK.
ON THE LEFT IS AN EVENT THAT'S BECOME PRETTY FAMOUS.
THIS IS NOW THE JOBS THAT MOVE IN AN ANNUAL EVENT THAT WILL TAKE PLACE AGAIN IN SEPTEMBER , AND THE TOP PHOTO IS ACTUALLY OF THEN CHAIR, PAREIRA, WHO SPOKE TO INDIVIDUALS AS THEY WERE COMING INTO THAT EVENT.
INCREDIBLE EVENT THAT HAD A OVER 300 PEOPLE ATTEND.
THEN THE PHOTO THE RIGHT IS WORK THAT WE'RE DOING IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB.
THIS WAS A YOUNG PERSON WHO GOT HER FIRST EVER PAYCHECK AND SHE GOT IT BY WORKING THROUGH AN AFTER SCHOOL AND SUMMER CAMP PROGRAM HELD IN GUSTINE. WE STARTED THAT LAST YEAR WITH AN INVESTMENT OF ABOUT $55,000 IN TERMS OF YOUTH WAGES, AND THIS YEAR THAT WILL BE $300,000 THAT ACTUALLY MAKES THAT PROGRAM POSSIBLE. HAD THE WORKFORCE BOARD NOT STEPPED IN.
THEY WILL TELL YOU THAT THAT PROGRAM JUST WOULDN'T EXIST.
YOU'LL RECOGNIZE THAT POSTER THAT IS SORT OF A WORKFORCE STATISTIC FACTS OF 2022, BECAUSE THE BOARD UNDERSTOOD THAT IT WAS IMPORTANT TO GET EVERYONE TALKING ABOUT THE SAME DATA AND THE SAME STATISTICS AS WELL AS WHAT OUR PAIN POINTS ARE.
SO INTERESTING STATS AT THE TOP THAT WE'VE GOT 47,000 PEOPLE THAT COMMUTE OUT OF OUR COUNTY EVERY DAY FOR WORK, WHICH IS STAGGERING, AND THEN SORT OF ON THE BARRIERS TO FIX, YOU'LL NOTE THAT OVER 50% OF OUR RESIDENTS QUALIFY FOR SOME FORM OF PUBLIC ASSISTANCE.
THIS IS LISA FICTITIOUS KIND OF PERSON WHO WAS LAID OFF FROM HER JOB IN SAN JOSE, IS NOW LOOKING FOR WORK IN LOS BANOS, AND SO WE LOOK AT THESE WHEN WE DEVELOP PROGRAMS TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR PROGRAMS ARE ALIGNED WITH THE PEOPLE THAT NEED THEM MOST.
THIS IS THE MERCED YOUTH JOBS THAT YOU'VE PROBABLY HEARD A LITTLE BIT ABOUT.
EVEN IF YOU'RE 16 YEARS OLD AND YOU DIDN'T THINK YOU'D GO TO COLLEGE, YOU FINISHED THAT AND YOU REALIZE YOU ALREADY ARE, AND SO WE WERE FUNDED BY THE CITY OF MERCED WITH AN INITIAL $1.025 MILLION, AND LAST WEEK WE WERE AWARDED ANOTHER $1.175 MILLION THAT WILL ALLOW US TO SERVE 360 INDIVIDUALS.
WE'VE HEARD FROM OTHER CITIES THAT WOULD LIKE TO REPLICATE THIS IN DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE COUNTY.
I DO WANT TO MAKE A NOD TO OUR COUNTY PARTNERSHIPS.
EVERYTHING FROM THE DATA THAT WE COLLECT IN PARTNERSHIP WITH ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TO THE INTERNS THAT WE PLACE AT FIRE TO OUR PROGRAMS WITH PROBATION, BOTH ON THE ADULT AND THE JUVENILE SIDE, TO OUR CONTRACT WITH THE HUMAN SERVICE AGENCIES AND THEIR WELFARE TO WORK PROGRAM.
[00:50:01]
PROGRAM SIDE, MADE IT OUT THERE IN THE RAIN, AND CEO MENDEZ JOINED US TO MAKE SURE THAT WE GOT INFORMATION OUT.I AM SUPER FASCINATED ABOUT MERCED COUNTY.
WE ARE A LABOR FORCE THAT IS IN INCREDIBLE CHURN BECAUSE IT'S EXPERIENCING GROWTH AT THE SAME TIME THAT THE STATE IS LOSING WORKERS AND RESIDENTS BECAUSE IT'S MOVING FROM AN AG BASED ECONOMY INTO A MORE DIVERSIFIED ECONOMY BECAUSE WE HAVE MERCED AND THAT IS ABSOLUTELY CHANGED THE MIX OF WORKERS THAT WE'RE SERVING, AND SO I JUST WANTED TO GO THROUGH A COUPLE FACTS.
THIS IS OUR UNEMPLOYMENT RATE FOR LAST MONTH, WHICH I WILL TELL YOU IS TOO HIGH.
PEOPLE WHO HAVE LIVED HERE A LONG TIME SAY THAT'S NOTHING TO GET NERVOUS ABOUT, BUT IT IS HIGH.
SO WE'RE SORT OF COMING OFF OF THAT HIGH MARK.
STANISLAUS COUNTY IS JUST BELOW SEVEN.
THE STATE IS JUST ABOVE FOUR, AND FRESNO IS THERE IN THE MIDDLE.
TRADITIONALLY, MERCED COUNTY AND TULARE COUNTY ALWAYS HAVE THE HIGHEST UNEMPLOYMENT RATES IN THE CENTRAL VALLEY, AND THAT HAS TO DO, OF COURSE, WITH OUR MIX OF JOBS. SORRY, I THINK I MISSED A SLIDE THERE.
IF YOU LOOK AT THE STATS OVER 2020, WHICH WAS OUR HIGHEST YEAR OF UNEMPLOYMENT, THE PANDEMIC BROUGHT US TO 12.5 AND ALAMEDA COUNTY HAD ONLY BROUGHT THEM TO 8.9.
SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S INTERESTING ABOUT HOW OUR ECONOMY DID FROM A LABOR PERSPECTIVE DURING THE PANDEMIC IS THAT THANK YOU THAT A MAJORITY OF OUR JOBS WERE DEEMED ESSENTIAL.
SO THAT MEANT, AS YOU SEE, SORT OF THOSE TWO DIFFERENT ANGLES THAT WE DIDN'T HAVE THE VOLATILITY THAT ALAMEDA COUNTY DID, BUT OUR RATES WERE TYPICALLY HIGHER.
THAT 6.0 IS ACTUALLY THE LOWEST UNEMPLOYMENT RATE THAT WE HAVE EVER HAD SINCE THEY STARTED COUNTING AND IT HAPPENED IN SEPTEMBER OF 2019 AND AGAIN IN SEPTEMBER OF 2022, WHICH LETS US UNDERSTAND THAT THE ECONOMY IS WAS ON ITS PATH BACK TO RECOVERY, BUT HAS SPIKED UP AT THE BEGINNING OF THIS YEAR.
WHY WE HAVE SO MANY ESSENTIAL JOBS IS ALSO AN INTERESTING STORY.
WE MIGHT BELIEVE THAT IT'S SIMPLY BECAUSE WE'RE AN AG-BASED ECONOMY AND SO MANY OF THOSE JOBS ARE NOT AS VULNERABLE TO THIS SWAYS OF THE PANDEMIC, BUT IT'S ALSO BECAUSE WE ARE A GOVERNMENT BASED LABOR MARKET.
GOVERNMENT IS SORT OF THE LARGEST JOB SECTOR NOW.
WHEN YOU ADD UP, YOU KNOW, MUNICIPALITIES AND THE MERCED AND THE SCHOOL SYSTEM, THOSE JOBS ACTUALLY STAYED STRONG, AND SO THAT'S WHAT KEPT US FROM FROM DIPPING BELOW THAT QUICKLY, SORT OF WHERE ARE WE MOST VULNERABLE? THIS, UNFORTUNATELY, IS A PICTURE OF A LAYOFF, A VERSION OF A RAPID RESPONSE ACTIVITY THAT WE DID AT QUAD GRAPHICS, AS YOU KNOW, THEY LAID OFF MORE THAN 250 PEOPLE AS THAT PLANT CLOSES DOWN.
THIS IS ACTUALLY A PHOTO OF OUR STAFF BEING THERE AT THE SORT OF AT THE GRAVEYARD SHIFT.
WE SPOKE TO EVERY ONE OF THOSE INDIVIDUALS AND HELPED THEM UNDERSTAND SORT OF WHAT OPPORTUNITIES THEY CAN CONNECT TO, AND TRAINING TO TRANSITION IN LAYOFFS HAVE BEEN ACTUALLY A BIG THING FOR US.
IN THE LAST COUPLE OF MONTHS, WE'VE HAD TWO MAJOR LAYOFFS, AND SO WE DO THINK AS THE FEDS MAYBE MOVE US INTO A RECESSION, WE'RE GOING TO SEE SOME OF THAT EFFECT HERE BUT WE ARE NOT IN THE JOB SECTORS THAT ARE MOST VULNERABLE TO THOSE KINDS OF SWAYS THAT ARE NOT AS DEPENDENT ON FINANCING, AND SO WE THINK THAT WE WILL DO OKAY.
THAT IS ACTUALLY FOLKS THAT ARE IN THEIR 40S AND 50S THAT NEVER GOT A GED OR A HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA.
THE REASON WHY THAT'S IMPORTANT IS BECAUSE OUR WORKER MIX IS CHANGING AND YOU'RE HAVING A GREATER AMOUNT OF PROFESSIONALS COMING INTO THE AREA, AND SO THERE IS A VULNERABILITY THAT OUR OWN LOCAL SORT OF LONG TIME RESIDENTS WILL BE PUSHED OUT OF OPPORTUNITY WHEN HIRED SKILLED INDIVIDUALS MAKE THEIR WAY INTO THE COUNTY.
JUST A QUICK CAN YOU HELP ME THERE, [INAUDIBLE]?
[00:55:01]
I SEEM TO BE A LITTLE TRIGGER HAPPY.QUICK NOTE ON SORT OF WHAT'S COMING NEXT.
WE, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, JUST RECEIVED A GRANT THAT'S GOING TO HELP US ADDRESS HEALTH CARE WORKER SHORTAGES AND THINK CREATIVELY ABOUT HOW TO ATTRACT MORE DOCTORS AND MEDICAL ASSISTANTS INTO THE AREA.
WE ALSO GOT A GRANT IN THE HEALTH CARE ARENA TO HELP SKILLED NURSING FACILITIES AND OTHER ADULT CARE FACILITIES SORT OF REMAIN VIABLE AND NOT CLOSE OR REDUCE THE NUMBER OF BEDS AND THEN WE HAVE A WHOLE SLEW OF HEALTH CARE PATHWAYS AND CAREER FAIRS SLATED.
WE ALSO JUST GOT $1 MILLION FROM THE US DEPARTMENT OF LABOR AS PART OF A DISASTER RESPONSE EMPLOYMENT PROGRAM WHERE WE'RE GOING TO HELP OUR PUBLIC WORKS AND OTHER ENTITIES SORT OF REPAIR, YOU KNOW, ELEMENTS OF OUR INFRASTRUCTURE THAT WAS DAMAGED DURING THE FLOOD AND WILL BE HIRING LOCAL INDIVIDUALS FOR LIVING WAGE JOBS TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT WORK. AS YOU KNOW, THE WORKFORCE BOARD IS THE CONVENER FOR THE SURF PROCESS, WHICH IS A HUGE ONCE IN A GENERATION MULTI STRATEGIC THREE COUNTY EFFORT TO REQUEST AND BRING DOWN FUNDS FROM THE STATE TO SUPPORT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS IN ALL THREE COUNTIES.
WE'LL BE LAUNCHING OUR JOB CENTER [INAUDIBLE] COUNCIL, WHICH IS A LEANING INTO THE GROWTH AND THE VITALITY OF THAT AREA TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE ARE CONNECTED TO THOSE JOBS, AND THEN WE'VE BEEN TALKING WITH HSA ABOUT HOW TO LEVERAGE A HIRING HOMELESS TAX CREDIT TO MAKE SURE THAT MORE OF OUR SMALL BUSINESSES ARE RECEIVING THE BENEFITS OF HIRING SOMEONE WHO IS UNHOUSED, AND WITH THAT.
I'LL LEAVE YOU WITH A PHOTO FROM OUR SURF EVENT WHICH WAS HELD IN MODESTO.
WE HAD THE HONOR OF PRESENTING AND ORGANIZING MORE THAN 220 INDIVIDUALS FROM ALL THREE COUNTIES TO LOOK AT SORT OF THAT SHARED AGENDA FROM A LABOR WORKFORCE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PERSPECTIVE AND LOOK FORWARD TO SHARING MORE ABOUT THAT IN THE FUTURE.
THANK YOU. SORRY, I WAS WRITING DOWN A QUESTION THERE FOR YOU.
I SEE THAT MY COLLEAGUE FROM DISTRICT THREE HAS A QUESTION FOR YOU.
THIS IS ONE COMMITTEE, AS YOU KNOW.
WE'RE ASSIGNED TO SO MANY OF THEM.
THIS IS THE ONE COMMITTEE, THOUGH, THAT EVERY TIME I SIT ON THE GROUP OF INDIVIDUALS, OUR BOARD MEMBERS, OUR CHAIR, YOU'VE GOT LABOR INVOLVED, YOU HAVE BUSINESS OWNERS INVOLVED, IT'S PRETTY AMAZING.
EVEN THOUGH THEY KICKED ME OUT OF THE SURF DISCUSSIONS, I WON'T GO INTO THAT, BUT JUST TO GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE, AND WE DIDN'T TOUCH ON THIS HERE, BUT FOR CHILD CARE, IF YOU READ CAL MATTERS THIS MORNING, THIS IS SOMETHING OUR BOARD HAS BEEN WORKING ON FOR THREE YEARS NOW, CHILD CARE AND HOW WE CAN HELP INDIVIDUALS BECAUSE WE SEE THAT THAT IS SOMETHING THAT IS KEEPING PEOPLE FROM GETTING INTO THE JOB MARKET, BUT CAL MATTERS TODAY SAID THERE'S GOING TO BE $1 BILLION IS WHAT THEY'RE DOING TO ASK FOR CHILD CARE. YET WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH THE PRIVATE SECTOR IN ADVANCE FOR THREE YEARS TRYING TO FIGURE THIS OUT, AND I JUST WANT TO SAY, LIKE I SAID, THIS IS WHERE GOVERNMENT GETS IT RIGHT.
THIS COMMITTEE IS VERY STRONG FOR US TO TAKE ON THE SURF CHALLENGE AS WELL, AND I HAVE TO THANK ERIC ALL THE TIME BECAUSE HE, LIKE MARK HENDRICKSON, GETS TEXTS EARLY IN THE MORNING A LOT OF TIMES, BUT WHEN QUAD GRAPHICS WAS CLOSING, I WAS TEXTING HIM REAL TIME FROM INDIVIDUALS WITHIN THE PLANT.
AS YOU KNOW, THAT'S HOW I GOT TO CALIFORNIA.
MY FATHER WAS PART OF THE MANAGEMENT TEAM THAT OPENED UP THAT PLANT, AND SO GENERATIONALLY, I STILL HAVE FRIENDS THAT STILL WORK THERE AND THEY WERE GIVING ME REAL TIME. THEY WERE SCARED SOMETHING WAS HAPPENING.
SO AS SOON AS IT HAPPENED IN REAL TIME, HE WAS MAKING IT HAPPEN THROUGH THE STATE, AND I THINK IT WAS ACTUALLY LIKE AT 6:30 IN THE MORNING WHEN WE FIRST STARTED CHATTING ABOUT IT AT ONE TIME BECAUSE THAT NIGHT SHIFT THAT YOU SEE, THERE WERE THE INDIVIDUALS THAT I KNOW.
IN FACT, I CAN I SEE THEIR HEADS IN THERE; I WAS POINTING THEM OUT TO LLOYD.
THEY'VE KNOW NOTHING BUT THAT THEIR ENTIRE LIFE SINCE SINCE THEY WERE IN COLLEGE AND WENT TO WORK RIGHT OUT OF COLLEGE, THEY'RE DOING THE SAME THING THEIR PARENTS WERE DOING WORKING IN THE FACTORY, BUT ERIC, MY FELLOW BOARD MEMBERS, THANK YOU FOR THE JOB WE'RE DOING HERE.
THANK YOU. THANKS, ERIC. THANK YOU.
SUPERVISOR PEDROZO. THANK YOU.
I THINK THIS YOU CAN REALLY TELL YOU'RE PASSIONATE ABOUT THE WORK AND WHAT YOU'RE DOING.
SO I APPRECIATE THAT VERY MUCH.
IN THE SLIDE THAT YOU HAD UP THERE WITH THE THE JOBS AND THEN THE PERSON, LISA OR WHATEVER, WHERE IT
[01:00:03]
SAYS AND I'M JUST CURIOUS.OKAY, SO WHERE IT SAYS LIKE HER WEAKNESSES DO YOU GUYS AND IT'S ON THE ONE THERE IT SAYS TECHNOLOGY AND COMPUTER AND TECHNOLOGY SKILLS ARE REALLY BAD, DO YOU GUYS PROVIDE YOU KNOW, LOOK AT THAT.
LOW, NOT BAD, BUT DO YOU GUYS PROVIDE RESOURCES TO HELP THEM, YOU KNOW, GET NOT BECOME AN EXPERT BUT JUST TO KIND OF BOOST THEIR SKILLS? YEAH. YES, ONE OF THE PROGRAMS THAT WE ACTUALLY SUPPORTED WAS A PARTNERSHIP THAT WE DID WITH THE ADULT SCHOOL TO HELP INDIVIDUALS BUILD THEIR SORT OF COMPUTER LITERACY SO WE DON'T PROVIDE CLASSES OURSELVES.
SO IF WE KNOW THAT LISA DOESN'T HAVE A HIGH LEVEL OF COMPUTER FLUENCY, THEN WE SHOULDN'T EXPECT HER TO FILL OUT AN APP ONLINE FOR A JOB WITHOUT ANY HELP. WE NEED TO, YOU KNOW, SORT OF SHAPE OUR PROGRAMS IN ORDER TO MEET LISA WHERE SHE'S AT.
SO THAT'S WHY THAT INFORMATION IS RECORDED THERE, BUT WE DO WE REFER THEM TO DIFFERENT RESOURCES.
SO IT'S REALLY LIKE A COLLABORATION TYPE THING, WHICH.
ERICK, MY QUESTION IS PROBABLY A SILLY ONE, BUT IT WAS ON ONE OF THE LAST SLIDES THERE, THE HIRING HOMELESS TAX CREDIT, AND I JUST THOUGHT TO MYSELF, SO IF SOMEBODY WHO'S UNHOUSED AND YOU HIRE THEM AND THEY GET A JOB AND THEN THEY BECOME HOUSED, DOES THAT AFFECT THAT? NO, THEY JUST HAVE TO HAVE BEEN AT THE TIME, AND THE WAY THAT WORKS IS THE HSA IS ACTUALLY THE AGENCY THAT WOULD.
SORT OF CERTIFY THEM AS UNHOUSED OR PRECARIOUSLY HOUSED, AND IF AN EMPLOYER TAKES THEM ON, THEN THEY GET SORT OF A TAX CREDIT AT THE END OF THE YEAR THAT CAN BE $10,000 FOR EVERY INDIVIDUAL THAT THEY BRING INTO THEIR BUSINESS.
PERFECT, AND I MEAN, THOSE ARE JUST, I THINK, GREAT OPPORTUNITIES THAT AS BUSINESSES ARE ALWAYS STRUGGLING WITH DOING BUSINESS IN CALIFORNIA, AND THAT'S WHAT I THINK THAT YOU GUYS DO SO GREAT IS AND I THINK THAT'S WHAT THAT MIX OF YOUR BOARD OF BEING LABOR AND BEING PRIVATE SECTOR FOLKS IS KIND OF TELLING YOUR OTHER FRIENDS IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR, HEY, THERE ARE OPPORTUNITIES THAT ARE OUT THERE THAT THAT REALLY WOULD BENEFIT YOUR COMPANY AND HELP YOU, YOU KNOW, A $10,000 TAX CREDIT.
THAT'S HUGE. SO GREAT THINGS THERE.
SUPERVISOR PAREIRA, YOU HAVE A QUESTION? NO, JUST A COMMENT.
SO, YEAH, CONGRATULATIONS ON THE WORK THAT YOU DO.
ONE THING I WANT TO POINT OUT AND THANK YOU FOR IS, YOU KNOW, I'VE KNOWN MR. HOBBS FOR A LONG TIME AND KIND OF WATCHED HIM ACCELERATE IN HIS CAREER OVER THE YEARS, AND IT JUST MAKES ME HAPPY TO SEE HE'S ON THE BOARD AND THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT THE INVESTMENT WE'RE MAKING INTO YOUNG PEOPLE AND NOT ONLY JUST YOUNG PEOPLE, BUT SOMETIMES TROUBLED YOUNG PEOPLE THAT ARE STRUGGLING AND ADULTS AS WELL, THAT I THINK IN A PARENT'S WORLD, A LOT OF THEM DON'T REQUIRE THEIR KIDS TO DO WORK.
RIGHT, AND AND PROBABLY IF I REMEMBER RIGHT, IT WAS ABOUT 15% OF THE KIDS RAISED THEIR HAND, AND SO THIS OPPORTUNITY OF CREATING THAT NEXUS BETWEEN, YOU KNOW, GROWING UP AND GETTING A JOB, IS I JUST REALLY APPRECIATE AND JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU AND KIND OF RECOGNIZE MISTER HOBBS FOR WHAT HE DOES AS WELL.
YEAH, ONE OTHER THING I WANTED TO TOUCH ON REAL QUICK IS WE SEE THE 11.2% UNEMPLOYMENT RIGHT NOW, AND WE TAKE IT PERSONALLY AS A BOARD BECAUSE WE KNOW WE HAVE MORE JOBS AVAILABLE THAN WE HAVE UNEMPLOYED PEOPLE AND FOR US, THAT GETS VERY FRUSTRATING, AND I WOULD LIKE TO SAY MISTER HOBBS ISN'T JUST A MEMBER OF THE BOARD.
THERE ARE JOBS OUT THERE AND WE'RE ALWAYS TRYING TO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO GO, AND THAT'S WHY EVEN MY BUDDIES AT QUAD GRAPHICS AND MOST OF THEM HAVE FOUND JOBS, WHICH IS PRETTY AMAZING, IS EVEN THOUGH THAT PLANT WAS CLOSING, THERE'S THIS IS LIKE THE BEST TIME FOR IT TO CLOSE BECAUSE THERE'S WORK AVAILABLE OUT THERE, AND MOST OF THEM WERE ACTUALLY THE ONES THAT I KNOW WERE IMPRESSED AT WHAT WE DID WHEN WE MOVED IN SO QUICKLY, BUT THE JOBS THAT ARE AVAILABLE TO THEM.
SURE, IF I COULD JUST ADD THAT THAT'S ABSOLUTELY TRUE, AND ONE OF THE WAYS WELL, THE BIGGEST WAY TO KEEP THAT NUMBER DOWN IS TO RECONNECT PEOPLE TO JOBS FASTER THAN THEY NORMALLY WOULD.
[01:05:01]
SO WE ARE IN THE JOB OF CONVINCING PEOPLE THAT IT'S NOT A GOOD IDEA TO USE ALL OF YOUR UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE BECAUSE YOU'RE GOING TO BE SORT OF YOUR SKILLS, YOU KNOW, ARE GOING TO BE NOT AS SHARP IF YOU GET BACK IN OR IF YOU DON'T TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT WE HAVE, AND I THINK WHAT SUPERVISOR IS TALKING ABOUT IS A JOB FAIR THAT WE ACTUALLY HELD AT QUAD GRAPHICS WHERE PEOPLE COULD JUST GO FROM THEIR WORK SHIFT AND INTERVIEW WITH A NEW EMPLOYER AND THEY WERE SCOOPED UP, YOU KNOW, AND SO THAT'S WHAT'S KEEPING THAT NUMBER DOWN.THAT'S PROBABLY AT 11.2 BECAUSE SOME OF THOSE PEOPLE HIT UI, BUT WE'RE ABSOLUTELY LASER FOCUSED ON BRINGING THAT NUMBER DOWN AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE, AND THEN MY FINAL COMMENT BEFORE I OPEN IT UP FOR PUBLIC COMMENT IS JUST AND SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL TOUCHED ON IT.
THIS TO ME IS THE ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE GET RIGHT IN GOVERNMENT, AND I THINK IT'S BECAUSE WE HAVE THAT MIX OF FOLKS THAT THAT SIT ON YOUR BOARD, BUT I TALK A LOT ABOUT JUST PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY, AND I THINK THESE PROGRAMS, THE PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY FALLS BACK ON PEOPLE TO UPSKILL, YOU NAME IT, NAME THE BUZZWORD THAT'S OUT THERE TO GET A JOB.
IF YOU'RE WILLING TO PUT A LITTLE BIT IN.
WE HAVE PLENTY OF PROGRAMS OUT THERE TO HELP YOU TO BE SUCCESSFUL.
I MEAN, I REMEMBER AND I'VE TOLD PEOPLE THIS STORY, YOU KNOW, IF YOU GO TO WORK IN CONSTRUCTION AND YOU DON'T HAVE BOOTS, I'M PRETTY SURE THAT WE HAVE A GRANT AVAILABLE OUT THERE FOR YOU TO GET THE PAIR OF BOOTS, BUT ULTIMATELY, AT THE END OF THE DAY, IT'S A TOOL TO HELP YOU SUCCEED, RIGHT? WE'RE HELPING YOU ALONG THE WAY.
SO I THINK, ERICK, I CAN'T SAY ENOUGH ABOUT THE WORK THAT YOU FOLKS DO OVER THERE AND IT IS MUCH APPRECIATED, AND AGAIN, JUST THAT IT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE GET RIGHT IN GOVERNMENT.
I KNOW THAT IT'S A GOVERNMENT AGENCY.
IT'S FUNDED BY THE TAXPAYERS, BUT ULTIMATELY, WE REWARD PEOPLE IN THE BEST WAY ARE THE ONES THAT HAVE SOME PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY AND AND FOR LACK OF BETTER WORDS, WANT TO PUT SKIN IN THE GAME, AND WE'VE HAD SOME OF THE TESTIMONIALS UP HERE AND THE SUCCESS STORIES.
THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT, NOT SEEING ANYONE.
WE'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD, AND WE WILL NOW MOVE ON TO THE CONSENT CALENDAR.
NEXT IS CONSENT CALENDAR ITEMS ONE THROUGH 21.
[CONSENT CALENDAR]
PLEASE NOTE ITEM THREE HAS BEEN PULLED AND A 4/5 VOTE IS REQUIRED ON ITEMS FIVE, SIX, 11, 15 AND 16.ALL RIGHT, WE'LL OPEN UP THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD FOR CONSENT CALENDAR ITEMS ONE THROUGH 21.
NOT SEEING ANYONE. WE'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD.
WE HAVE A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL, A SECOND BY SUPERVISOR PEDROZO.
THE MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY 5 TO 0.
NEXT, WE HAVE HUMAN SERVICES AGENCY.
[BOARD ACTION]
OH, EXCUSE ME. I SKIPPED PUBLIC WORKS.ITEM 22. PLEASE NOTE A 4/5 VOTE IS REQUIRED.
ALL RIGHT, WE'LL OPEN UP THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD FOR ITEM 22.
WE'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC COMMENT, PERIOD.
WE HAVE A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR PEDROZO AND A SECOND BY SUPERVISOR PAREIRA.
THE MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY 5 TO 0.
NEXT UP IS COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
EXCUSE ME. NOW WE'RE GOING TO GO. HEALTH HAS BEEN PULLED.
YEAH. [CHUCKLING] NEXT, WE'RE GOING TO GO BACK TO HUMAN SERVICES AGENCY ITEMS 23 THROUGH 24 THROUGH 27.
EXCUSE ME. ALL RIGHT, WE'LL OPEN UP THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD FOR ITEMS 24 THROUGH 27.
I'M NOT SEEING ANYONE. WE'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD BACK TO THE DAIS.
WE HAVE A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR ESPINOSA, A SECOND BY SUPERVISOR PEDROZO.
THE MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY 5 TO 0.
NEXT UP IS COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
WE'LL OPEN UP THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD FOR ITEM 28.
NOT SEE ANYONE. WE'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD.
[01:10:03]
THE MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY 5 TO 0.THIS IS THE PUBLIC'S OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK ON ITEM 29.
NOT SEEING ANYONE. CLOSE THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD.
HAVE A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR PAREIRA A SECOND BY SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL.
THE MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY 5 TO 0.
NEXT UP WILL BE PUBLIC DEFENDER.
THIS IS THE PUBLIC'S OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK ON ITEM 30.
I'M NOT SEEING ANYONE. WE'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC COMMENT, PERIOD.
WE HAVE A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR ESPINOSA.
A SECOND BY SUPERVISOR PEDROZO.
THE MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY 5 TO 0.
I'LL OPEN UP THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD FOR ITEM 31.
THE ITEM CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY 5 TO 0.
NEXT UP WAS TREASURER ITEM 32.
THIS IS NOW THE PUBLIC'S OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK ON ITEM 32.
GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS ALAN ASHARI.
I'M NOT SURE IF YOU'VE BEEN BRIEFED ON WHAT THE SITUATION IS.
THIS PROPERTY WAS BOUGHT BY ME IN A PUBLIC AUCTION OFFERED BY TREASURER'S OFFICE IN FEBRUARY OF 28. I PAID $92,000 FOR THIS PROPERTY.
HOWEVER, SHORTLY AFTER THAT, I WAS CONTACTED BY A EPA AND WATER BOARD AS TO WHAT IS MY SOLUTION FOR THE CONTAMINATION OF THIS LAND, AND I TOLD THEM, I SAID, I'M NOT AWARE OF ANY CONTAMINATION BECAUSE IT WAS NOT DISCLOSED TO ME THAT THIS LAND IS CONTAMINATED.
THEY SAID, YES, THE PROPERTY HAS THREE UNDERGROUND TANKS THAT ARE 12,000 GALLON FUEL TANKS THAT HAS BEEN THERE AND ABANDONED OVER DECADES, AND TO APPOINT THE WATER BOARD HAD GONE AND SEALED THE TOP OF THESE UNITS TO MAKE SURE WHATEVER IS IN THERE STAYS THERE.
SO IN THE NEXT FEW MONTHS, I LOOKED INTO IT AND REALIZED THAT THE COUNTY WAS AWARE THAT THIS PROPERTY MAY BE CONTAMINATED, BUT HOWEVER, IT SHOWED UP ON THE SALE TO AN UNSUSPECTING BUYERS AND PUBLIC LIKE ME.
SO ON OCTOBER 7TH, I SENT EMAIL TO MISS KAREN ADAMS TO SAY THAT THIS IS WHAT MY FINDINGS ARE, AND I'D LIKE TO RESCIND THIS BECAUSE I WAS NOT AWARE AND I WAS NOT GIVEN PROPER DISCLOSURE THAT THIS PROPERTY IS CONTAMINATED.
MONTH AND MONTHS, TRIED TO CALL, EMAIL, NOTHING.
SO FINALLY I DROVE UP FROM ORANGE COUNTY, WENT TO THE TAX COLLECTOR'S OFFICE, HAND-DELIVERED MY NOTICE TO THEM, AND THAT SAME DAY, WHICH AT THAT TIME WAS FEBRUARY 17TH, SAME DAY, I RECEIVED A CALL FROM MISS TARA HERNANDEZ SAYING THAT THEY DID RECEIVE MY NOTICE, AND SHE SHE SAID, I DON'T KNOW NOTHING ABOUT IT.
I SAID, WELL, NOW YOU KNOW, AND WHAT IS THE NEXT STEP? SO SHE SENT ME A RESCISSION PETITION TO RESCIND THE SALE.
I SIGNED IT, SEND IT BACK TO ACKNOWLEDGE THEY RECEIVED IT, AND THEN THEY SAID THEY FORWARD IT TO MR. HANSEN'S OFFICE.
THIS IS BACK IN FEBRUARY 27TH.
FROM FEBRUARY 27TH, TILL THIS MAY 5TH, WHICH WAS FRIDAY, 5:01 P.M.
I HAD NOT HEARD FROM MR. HANSEN'S OFFICE NUMEROUS CALLS.
THEY WOULD NOT GIVE ME HIS EMAIL ADDRESS.
SO FINALLY I FOUND IT ON THE FOURTH AND I EMAILED THEM.
I SAID, I NEED TO GET AN UPDATE, SEE WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THIS PROPERTY.
5:01 P.M. I RECEIVED AN EMAIL THAT THIS MEETING IS SET UP AND IT'S BEING RECOMMENDED FOR DENIAL AS FAR AS I KNOW IN THE TAX CODE. 3731 I WAS SUPPOSED TO BE GIVEN A NOTICE THAT THIS WILL BE A MEETING HERE.
RECEIVING SOMETHING AT 5:01 P.M.
ON FRIDAY. AS YOU CAN SEE, DID NOT LEAVE ME ENOUGH TIME TO DO ANY PREPARATION.
[01:15:03]
I JUMPED IN THE CAR MONDAY, YESTERDAY AFTERNOON, DROVE ALL THE WAY DOWN HERE 400 MILES TO PRESENT THIS CASE.THIS IS A CLEAR CASE OF UNTHINKING.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENT, SIR.
FIRST OFF, I'LL JUST ADDRESS THE GENTLEMAN WAS USING THE WRONG EMAIL ADDRESS AND WE DID RESPOND PROMPTLY UPON RECEIPT IN YOUR PACKET THAT WAS PROVIDED TO THE PUBLIC IS OUR TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF A TAX SALE.
NOT FINE PRINT, NOT FINE PRINT AND VERY LEGIBLE TO ALL POTENTIAL BIDDERS.
JUST AS A FEW EXAMPLES ON OUR TAX AUCTION.
LAST YEAR WE AUCTIONED A PROPERTY THAT SOLD FOR $63,000.
THE QUALIFIED BIDDER PAID IMMEDIATELY AS PER THE TERMS AND THEN CALLED ME ON THE PHONE AND SAID, CAN I GET MY $63,000 BACK? I DROVE BY THE HOUSE AND THE HOUSE IS BURNT DOWN AND THEN I WENT OVER THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF THE PROCESS TO BECOME A QUALIFIED BIDDER, AND HE CONFESSED THAT HE HAD ONLY VISITED GOOGLE MAPS TO DO HIS DUE DILIGENCE, AND AT THAT POINT IT WAS PRETTY MUCH MUTED THAT HE HAD NOT FOLLOWED THROUGH WITH HIS OBLIGATION AS A POTENTIAL BIDDER.
THE GENTLEMAN WHO IS REQUESTING A DENIAL AND RETURN, OR I'M REQUESTING A DENIAL FOR HIS PETITION TO RESCIND THE SALE IS BASED ON THE FACT THAT CLEARLY THE PROPERTY IN QUESTION HAS NUMEROUS GAS PUMPS ON THE PROPERTY.
ANYONE DOING A DUE DILIGENCE, EVEN NOT DRIVING BY FROM ORANGE COUNTY AND UTILIZING GOOGLE MAPS WOULD CLEARLY IDENTIFY EXISTING PUMPS ON THE PROPERTY. ANYONE WHO HAS GONE TO A GAS STATION SHOULD BE AWARE THAT THERE IS A POSSIBILITY THAT GAS COULD BE DROPPED ON THE LAND AND CONTAMINATE IT AND THAT SOME KIND OF CONTAMINATION COULD BE RELEVANT RELATED TO THE PUMPS IN THE LAND, THE PROPERTY PURCHASED.
IN ADDITION TO THIS, THE SUPER SITE, THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA IDENTIFIED SUPER SITES PURSUANT TO ALL OF THE CODE REQUIREMENTS, WHICH WE DO FOLLOW UP AND BEYOND NOT JUST THE SUGGESTIONS FROM THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA AND THE SECRETARY OF STATE, WE ACTUALLY DO MORE THAN MANDATE IT BUT IT IS ONLY MANDATED DISCLOSURE THAT I MANDATE AND PROVIDE INFORMATION.
ADD A FEW MORE SECONDS TO YOUR TIME.
[INAUDIBLE] LET ME GET MY MIC SET UP HERE.
GO AHEAD. IT WOULD BE ONLY MANDATED IF THE SITE WAS A SUPERFUND SITE, THE ONLY SUPERFUND SITE IN MERCED COUNTY PER THE UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY IS CASTLE AIR FORCE BASE.
I HAVE NO REQUIREMENT IN THE STATE STATUTE OR ANY FEDERAL STATUTE THAT WOULD REQUIRE ME TO PROVIDE ANY CONTAMINATION DISCLOSURE TO THE POTENTIAL BIDDER OF A VACANT GAS STATION.
SO PURSUANT TO THAT, I'M OPEN FOR QUESTIONS, AND AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A COMMENT.
I'M SORRY, SIR. YOU HAD YOUR THREE MINUTES.
SHE WANTS TO COME OUT WITH THE WRONG STUFF, SO.
IT SHOULDN'T BE THAT WAY. ALL RIGHT, ARE THERE ANY OTHER PUBLIC COMMENTS ON ITEM 32? NOT SEEING ANY, WE WILL CLOSE THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD AND BRING IT BACK TO THE DAIS.
[01:20:03]
WE HAVE A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL AND A SECOND BY SUPERVISOR PAREIRA.THE MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY 5 TO 0.
SEE YOU IN COURT. ALL RIGHT, MOVING ON TO ITEMS. COUNTY COUNSEL.
THIS IS THE PUBLIC'S OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK ON ITEMS 33 THROUGH 36.
WE'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC COMMENT, PERIOD.
BRING IT BACK TO THE DAIS WHERE WE HAVE A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL.
A SECOND BY SUPERVISOR PEDROZO.
PLEASE-- NO, I GOT TO VOTE FIRST. HOLD ON.
THE MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY 5 TO 0.
NEXT UP, WE HAVE EXECUTIVE OFFICE ITEM 37.
PLEASE NOTE A 4/5 VOTE IS REQUIRED.
THIS IS THE PUBLIC'S OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK ON ITEM 37.
NOT SEEING ANYONE. WE'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD AND BRING IT BACK TO THE DAIS.
WE HAVE A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR PEDROZO.
A SECOND BY SUPERVISOR PAREIRA.
THE MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY 5 TO 0.
ALL RIGHT, NEXT, WE HAVE BOARD APPOINTMENTS, ITEMS 38 THROUGH 42.
THIS IS THE PUBLIC'S OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK ON ITEMS 38 THROUGH 42.
NOT SEEING ANYONE, WE'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC COMMENT, PERIOD.
THE MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY 5 TO 0.
LAST BUT CERTAINLY NOT LEAST, WE HAVE BOARD INFORMATION AND POSSIBLE ACTION ITEM 43.
[BOARD INFORMATION & POSSIBLE ACTION]
THIS IS THE PUBLIC'S OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK ON ITEM 43.NOT SEEING ANYONE. WE'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC COMMENT, PERIOD.
THE MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY 5 TO 0.
OKAY, NEXT UP, WE HAVE A SCHEDULED ITEM.
IS A PUBLIC WORKS PUBLIC HEARING.
[SCHEDULED ITEM]
PUBLIC HEARING TO ACCEPT COMMENTS ON COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT PLANNING PROJECT COMPLIMENT ACCOMPLISHMENTS FOR THE DALE HILL HALL COMMUNITY CENTER IN DOS PALOS LIBRARY ADDITION PROJECT.MEMBERS OF THE BOARD. DANA HERTFELDER, DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS.
THE CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT REQUIRES THE COUNTY TO HOLD A PUBLIC HEARING TO CLOSE OUT THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT PLANNING AWARD FOR THE DALE HILL HALL COMMUNITY CENTER AND DOS PALOS LIBRARY GRANT.
THE PLANNING GRANT REQUIRED THE COUNTY TO COMPLETE SEVERAL TASKS.
SECOND WAS TO DEVELOP ARCHITECTURAL PLANS AND SPECIFICATIONS BASED ON THE PREFERRED ALTERNATIVE, AND THREE WAS TO CONDUCT ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW OF THE PROJECT. THE FEASIBILITY STUDY TO DETERMINE THE MOST FEASIBLE ALTERNATIVE WAS TO RENOVATE THE EXISTING DALE HILL HALL AND CONSTRUCT AN ADDITION TO THE BUILDING FOR USE AS THE LIBRARY.
THE ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW FOR NEPA AND A NOTICE OF FINDING OF NO SIGNIFICANT IMPACT WAS RECORDED ON JULY 21ST OF 2022, AND ON DECEMBER 6TH, 2022, THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS RATIFIED THE COUNTY'S NOTICE OF EXEMPTION FINDING PURSUANT TO THE CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ACT, WHICH WAS RECORDED ORIGINALLY ON FEBRUARY 18TH, 2021.
WE'RE CURRENTLY OUT TO BID ON THE PROJECT RIGHT NOW.
BIDS ARE SCHEDULED TO CLOSE MAY 18TH.
PERFECT. ALL RIGHT, ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS FROM MY COLLEAGUES? OKAY, NOT SEEING ANY.
WE'LL NOW OPEN UP THE PUBLIC HEARING AND ACCEPT PUBLIC COMMENT ON THE DPW PUBLIC HEARING ITEM.
[01:25:06]
SO I'M GOING TO OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING AT 11:25.THIS IS THE PUBLIC'S OPPORTUNITY TO COMMENT.
WE WILL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AT 11:25, AND WHAT IS THE PLEASURE OF THE BOARD? MY COLLEAGUE, MR. MCDANIEL, WOULD LIKE TO SAY SOMETHING.
I KNOW IT'S NOT A CUSTOM FOR THE CHAIRMAN TO MAKE THIS MOTION, BUT I THINK THAT YOU'VE WORKED SO HARD ON THIS.
I THINK YOU SHOULD MAKE THE MOTION FOR THIS GOING FORWARD.
I APPRECIATE THAT, AND I WOULD GLADLY MAKE THE MOTION TO APPROVE CLOSING OUT THIS CDBG GRANT.
I THINK I HEARD SUPERVISOR PEDROZO FIRST AS THE SECOND ON THIS ITEM.
SO ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.
AYE. ANY OPPOSED? THE MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY.
THANK YOU, DANA. APPRECIATE IT.
ALL RIGHT, WE'LL NOW RECESS THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS MEETING AND CONVENE AS THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS AS THE COUNTY OF MERCED GROUNDWATER SUSTAINABILITY AGENCY CHOWCHILLA.
I GOT TO DO THE PUBLIC COMMENT SECTION ONE MORE TIME.
THIS IS REALLY EXCITING STUFF, FOLKS.
THIS IS THE PUBLIC'S OPPORTUNITY TO COMMENT ON BOTH AGENDA ITEMS AND THE NON AGENDA ITEMS WITHIN THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS AS THE COUNTY OF MERCED GROUNDWATER SUSTAINABILITY AGENCY CHOWCHILLA JURISDICTION.
HEY, MARCI, WHY DON'T YOU ASK THOSE FOLKS THAT ARE LEAVING? IF THEY COULD JUST KEEP IT DOWN A LITTLE BIT OUT THERE.
WE'RE STILL RUNNING A MEETING.
THANK YOU. NOT SEE ANYBODY THAT WANTS TO SPEAK ON OUR NON AGENDA OR AGENDA ITEMS. WE'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD AND WE WILL NOW I THINK I'VE GOT THIS.
CAN I HAVE THE CLERK READ WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE? WE'RE ON BOARD ACTION, COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, ITEM ONE.
ALL RIGHT, SO WE HAVE A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR ESPINOSA AND WE HAVE A SECOND BY SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? IF NOT ALL IN FAVOR, SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.
AYE. ANY OPPOSED? THE MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY 5 TO 0.
[REPORTS/BOARD DIRECTION]
DISTRICT ONE. SUPERVISOR--HOLD ON, LET ME GET THIS IN DISCUSSION--ESPINOSA.OKAY, THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. WELL, I JUST WANT TO POINT OUT THAT WE HAVE A PLANADA COMMUNITY DAY THIS SATURDAY, SO EVERYONE IS WELCOME TO ENJOY THE FESTIVITIES, ENJOY THE COMMUNITY, APPRECIATE ALL THE SUPPORTS, ALL THOSE, AND ALSO RECOGNIZE ALL THE VOLUNTEERS, EVERYONE, ALL THE ORGANIZATIONS THAT SUPPORTED THIS COMMUNITY THAT WAS HIT WITH THE DISASTER IN JANUARY WITH THE FLOOD DISASTER.
SO HOPEFULLY EVERYBODY CAN COME IN AND ENJOY AND JUST YOU KNOW, IF YOU WANT TO TALK TO PEOPLE, WE WANT TO AND JUST ENJOY THE DAY, AND THERE'LL BE A PARADE IN THE MORNING AT TEN IN THE MORNING.
SO WELCOME, EVERYBODY, TO THE PLANADA ON SATURDAY.
YOU KNOW, I JUST WANT TO SAY ABOUT LAST MEETING, WE HAD A THE FIRST EVENING MEETING THAT WE'VE HAD, I THINK EVER, YOU KNOW, THAT, YOU KNOW, AS I'VE BEEN HERE, I THINK PEOPLE ENJOYED IT; IT WAS FULL OF PEOPLE AND I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, THE COMMUNITY REALLY ENJOYED THE MEETINGS AND I THINK WE SHOULD HAVE MORE MEETINGS.
I THINK OUR NEXT ONE IS IN DECEMBER.
SO HOPEFULLY FOR NEXT YEAR WE'LL BE CONSIDERING HAVING A FEW MORE THAN JUST TWO IN THE YEAR.
SO I THINK THE COMMUNITY LOVED IT, AND ALSO, I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT IN THE FUTURE I'LL BE HAVING A SESSIONS PERSONALLY AND INVITING GUESTS ON AND I'M GOING TO START A BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS, TALK ABOUT BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS IN THE COUNTY AND WHAT IT TAKES TO RUN FOR OFFICE, WHETHER IT'S SCHOOL BOARD, CITY COUNCILS, BOARD OF SUPERVISORS OR UP IN THE STATE, YOU KNOW, STATE LEGISLATURE.
SO I WILL INVITE, YOU KNOW, HOPEFULLY WE'LL HAVE A FEW SESSIONS THAT CAN INVITE, YOU KNOW, SOME MEMBERS, STATE SENATORS, COUNCIL MEMBERS OR MAYORS FROM DIFFERENT CITIES AND AS WELL AS SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS SO THAT THE PUBLIC CAN UNDERSTAND WHAT IT MEANS TO RUN OR WHAT IT TAKES TO RUN.
SO JUST INFORMATION EDUCATIONAL, UM, YOU KNOW, FOR THE COMMUNITY BECAUSE I KNOW I GET ASKED A LOT OF TIMES I KNOW THAT SOME CITIZENS HAVE HAD OR GROUPS HAVE HAD BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS, YOU KNOW, EDUCATION, BUT I THINK IT'S SOMETIMES, YOU KNOW, I THINK IT'S DIFFERENT WHEN, YOU KNOW, AN ELECTED
[01:30:06]
TALKS ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WHAT IT TAKES TO RUN FOR OFFICE.SO HOPEFULLY I CAN GIVE OUT INFORMATION.
SO, LIKE I SAID, MIGHT, MIGHT SEE THIS COMING UP IN, UH, NEXT YEAR.
SO ANYBODY CAN RUN FOR OFFICE, ANY OFFICE ALSO, JUST TO LET EVERYBODY KNOW IN THE COMMUNITY THAT, DISTRICT ONE TOWN HALL WILL BE AT TENAYA SCHOOL IN SOUTH MERCED ON THE 18TH OF MAY AT 6 P.M..
SO EVERYBODY'S IN, YOU KNOW, INVITED TO ASK QUESTIONS.
IT'LL BE AT 6 P.M., SO COME ON IN, AND EVEN IF YOU'RE NOT IN MY DISTRICT, YOU'RE WELCOME TO COME IN AND ASK QUESTIONS, AND I'LL BE GLAD TO SUPPORT, AND WE'LL HAVE ALL OUR STAFF AVAILABLE TO ANSWER AS MANY QUESTIONS AS POSSIBLE OR PROVIDE INFO.
THANK YOU. THAT'S ALL, MR. CHAIR. THANK YOU, SUPERVISOR ESPINOZA.
THANK YOU. I WANT TO SAY A HUGE SHOUT OUT TO THE PEOPLE OF LOS BANOS FAIR [INAUDIBLE] AND I KNOW HOW MUCH WORK SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA PUTS INTO IT.
WE WENT OUT THERE FOR THE COUNTY DAY AND IT WAS REALLY COOL TO SEE ALL OF THE ANIMALS AND THE KIDS HAVING A GOOD TIME OUT THERE IN THE SHOWING AND PRESENTING ALL THEIR HARD WORK.
THAT SAME DAY. I ALSO HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO TO THE JUVENILE HALL GRADUATION.
THERE WAS FOUR EIGHTH GRADERS THAT GRADUATED OR I'M SORRY, SENIORS THAT GRADUATED FROM THE PROGRAM, AND THEY WERE VERY EXCITED TO BE DONE AND IT WAS VERY COOL.
WE GAVE THEM CERTIFICATES FROM OUR OFFICE, AND ONE OF THE PEOPLE THAT HAD LEFT GAVE HIS DIPLOMA TO HIS FAMILY AND HE SAID, NO, I WANT TO KEEP THESE CERTIFICATES BECAUSE I WANT TO HANG THEM UP IN MY CELL, WHICH I THOUGHT WAS IS COOL BECAUSE HE SAID THAT IT WAS KIND OF AN INSPIRATION FOR HIM TO DO BETTER. I HAD MY TOWN HALL LAST WEEK AT THE AMERICAN LEGION HALL, AND THE WHOLE IDEA BEHIND THAT AND THE REASONING BEHIND THAT WAS BECAUSE WE WANTED TO GET AWAY FROM THE COUNTY BUILDING AND LET PEOPLE KIND OF GO SOMEPLACE DIFFERENT , AND SO IT WAS VERY WELL ATTENDED.
THE DIFFICULT THING WAS THERE WAS A LOT MORE OF QUESTIONS AS IT PERTAINED TO CITIES VERSUS THE COUNTY, BUT I THINK THAT THEY WERE ABLE TO VOICE A LOT OF CONCERNS AND ASK SOME QUESTIONS AND GET ANSWERS THAT WERE BENEFICIAL TO THEM.
SO WITH THAT, THAT'S ALL I HAVE.
I WANTED TO DRAG IT OUT A LITTLE BIT LONGER TO WATCH YOU GUYS SWEAT, BUT YEAH.
SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION.
FIRST OF ALL, I'D LIKE TO CONGRATULATE YOU AND EVERYBODY THAT WAS INVOLVED WITH THE LOS BANOS FAIR.
IT WAS REALLY A WONDERFUL EVENT AND WELL IT'S THE MERCED COUNTY FAIR IN LOS BANOS MERCED COUNTY SPRING FAIR, THE TRUE COUNTY FAIR IN MERCED COUNTY.
MAY DAY. WE GOT LOTS OF NAMES OUT THERE.
SO CONGRATULATIONS AND HEY AND I DIDN'T EVEN NOTICE ANY TRENCHES THAT DIDN'T HAVE GRASS IN THEM.
SO I DON'T THINK ANY OF THE OTHER PEOPLE DID EITHER.
I THINK SCOTT IS THE ONLY ONE.
HE HAS A YELLOW COLORED GLASSES AND HE CAN SEE THEM, BUT ANYWAYS, I ALSO WANT TO LET THE THREE PEOPLE WATCHING ONLINE KNOW THAT MY TOWN HALL IS IN DELHI ON MAY 17TH AT 6 P.M.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE FROM DELHI TO ATTEND.
IN FACT, YOU DON'T EVEN HAVE TO BE FROM DISTRICT FOUR TO ATTEND.
IF YOU WERE IN DISTRICT TWO AND YOU MISSED AN OPPORTUNITY BECAUSE YOU WERE WORKING OR OUT OF TOWN, YOU'RE WELCOME TO COME DOWN AND LISTEN TO OUR COUNTY STAFF AND ASK QUESTIONS OR MAKE COMMENTS, AND ANYWAYS, WITH THAT, I WILL RELINQUISH MY TIME.
THANK YOU. SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL.
THANK YOU, CHAIR. I WANT TO THANK CHIEF PIMENTEL FOR INVITING ME OUT TO THE CAL FIRE WILDFIRE PREPAREDNESS WEEK KICKOFF OUT AT CASTLE ON THE TARMAC GAVE ME A GOOD OPPORTUNITY TO SELL THE TWO MILE AIRSTRIP, AND I THINK I DID IT WELL AND MEANINGFUL, AND HOPEFULLY THOSE CAL FIRE FOLKS TOOK NOTE BUT NO, THANK YOU FOR THAT.
IT WAS IMPRESSIVE. WE HAD THE STATE FIRE CHIEF THERE AND MANY AIRCRAFT, BUT WITH THAT, I'D ALSO LIKE TO I GOT THE INVITE TO SPEAK AT THE VETERANS STAND DOWN, WHICH WAS VERY IMPRESSIVE.
[01:35:03]
THAT WAS ALWAYS TOUCHING TO MY HEART.MAYBE SOME OF THE COMMENTS EARLIER TODAY WERE SAYING THAT WE DON'T SUPPORT VETERANS, BUT WE KNOW THAT THAT IS WRONG, THAT WE HAVE ALL VETERANS BECAUSE WE KNOW OUR FREEDOM AND WE KNOW WHO TO THANK FOR OUR FREEDOM AND THEN I ALSO WANT TO REMIND EVERYBODY THAT I DO HAVE MY MOBILE DISTRICT HOURS AT CITY HALL AND ATWATER, AND THAT'S ON THE FOURTH THURSDAY OF EACH MONTH FROM 1:30 TO 3:30, AND I'LL INVITE MY STAFFER FRIEND FROM CONGRESSMAN DUARTE'S OFFICE.
YOU CAN JOIN ME AND ADVERTISE THOSE AS WELL, AND WE GET CONSTITUENTS IN THERE.
I'VE CONTINUED MY OFFICE HOURS, SO I'D LIKE TO REACH OUT AND INVITE INVITE YOU TO ATTEND THOSE WITH ME SO WE CAN HELP THOSE FOLKS WHO CAN'T NECESSARILY GET TO THE COUNTY BUILDING, BUT THEY CAN GET DOWNTOWN ATWATER.
SO. YEP, I WILL, WE'RE GOING TO RECONVENE AS THE CHOWCHILLA MERCED COUNTY, CHOWCHILLA GSA, AND WE'RE GOING TO GIVE THIS GENTLEMAN AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK BECAUSE I DID KIND OF FUMBLE THROUGH THAT RELATIVELY QUICKLY.
THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE THAT AND YOUR TIME.
MY NAME IS ANTHONY RUGGIERO, AND WE'RE IN THE SIGMA OF MID, AND THERE'S BEEN OTHER ISSUES BECAUSE AT NOVEMBER WE HAVE A RANCH IN EL NIDO AND LEASED TO DOUG BRUNER AND [INAUDIBLE] YEAGER'S GRANDSON.
SO MID AT THAT TIME, JUST BE QUICK.
I'LL TRY TO BE QUICK. MY THREE MINUTES.
I APPRECIATE IT. THERE WAS NO WATER IN THE RESERVOIR AND WE WENT TO THE SIGMA MEETING AND WE WERE GOING TO BE ALLOWED ONE ACRE FOOT OF GROUNDWATER PUMPING WITH THE POSSIBILITY IN NOVEMBER.
DISTINCT POSSIBILITY--MR PAREIRA, YOU KNOW THAT--OF NO SURFACE WATER.
WELL, THANK GOD WE GOT ALL THIS RAIN.
WE WERE LOOKING AT ONE ACRE FOOT THROUGH THE MID SIGMA AND THEY WERE GOING TO BE CHARGED, OF COURSE MR. MARCHINI AND THE OTHER DIRECTORS, THEY VOTED THAT CHARGE OUT THEY WERE GOING TO CHARGE US FOR OUR OWN PRIVATE GROUNDWATER, AND THAT WASN'T ENOUGH.
SO WHAT I WAS TRYING TO DO IS I FOUND OTHER ONES LIKE [INAUDIBLE] OUTSIDE AND THEY'RE GETTING TWO.
CAN YOU TELL ME HOW MUCH CHOWCHILLA IS ALLOTTED ON THEIR GROUNDWATER WELLS OR PRIVATE WELLS ALLOWED TO PUMP? DO YOU KNOW THAT FIGURE LLOYD BY ANY CHANCE? I DON'T. I KNOW WE'RE AT 1.1, AND WITH ALL THIS RAIN, IT SHOULD CHANGE, AND I'M WORKING WITH [INAUDIBLE] ON THAT.
I'VE GONE TO THOSE SIGMA MEETINGS, BUT I WAS INTERESTED AND I JUST FOUND OUT ABOUT THIS TODAY.
I HAD SOME OTHER ISSUES AND THEY GAVE ME THIS.
DO YOU KNOW ABOUT WHAT ADJOINING US? BECAUSE I KNOW THE LANDLORDS ADJOINING US, LIKE [INAUDIBLE], WHO PASSED AWAY, DAVID FARMER AND ALL THAT.
DO YOU KNOW WHY THERE'S SUCH A, COMMENT WHY THERE'S SUCH A DIFFERENCE? WHY WE'D ONLY BE ALLOWED 1.1? BECAUSE MY TENANT IS INVESTED A HALF MILLION DOLLARS AND WE'RE GOING TO PUT ANOTHER WELL IN EFFECT, WE'RE NOT GOING TO USE IT, IF WE CAN'T USE IT.
I'M SURE YOU'RE AWARE OF ANY COMMENT YOU COULD GIVE.
THANK YOU. AT THIS POINT, WE'VE MOVED PAST THAT.
I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO TALK TO MRS. MCBRIDE RIGHT OVER THERE.
THAT'S WHAT I COULD HELP YOU WITH, SIR.
THANK YOU. SURE. ALL RIGHT, WE'LL RECONVENE WITH OUR BOARD OF SUPERVISORS MEETING, AND I WAS ASKING COUNSEL HANSON IF HE HAD ANY COMMENTS. NOPE.
THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. JUST A COUPLE ITEMS TODAY.
WANTED TO JUST BRING SOME AWARENESS TO THE BOARD.
PREVIOUSLY PROCLAIM MAY AS MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS MONTH WOULD LIKE TO THANK KUMIKO VANG AND HER STAFF FOR SUPPLYING US WITH SOME GREEN RIBBONS THAT WE'RE WEARING PROUDLY TO BRING AWARENESS TO THIS IMPORTANT CAUSE FOR OUR COMMUNITY, AND THEN THE ONLY THE SECOND ITEM IS DID WANT TO JUST NOTE THAT, YOU KNOW, OUR
[01:40:03]
STATE LOBBYIST HAS INDICATED THAT THE GOVERNOR'S MAY REVISE HIS SCHEDULE TO COME OUT THIS FRIDAY LATER THIS WEEK.SO THAT'S IT, MR. CHAIRMAN. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.
SO JUST A COUPLE OF CLOSING COMMENTS.
I WANT TO THANK ALL MY COLLEAGUES FOR THE COMPLIMENTS ON SPRING FAIR.
DO WANT TO THANK ON THURSDAY, WE HAD COUNTY DAY AT A SPRING FAIR, WHERE WE INVITED ALL OF OUR COUNTY DEPARTMENT HEADS AND CEO OFFICE STAFF TO COME OUT AND EXPERIENCE THE FAIR.
HAD A LITTLE LUNCH FOR THEM OUT THERE.
I WAS VERY THANKFUL FOR FOR THE TURNOUT.
YOU KNOW, IT'S YOU GUYS HAVE HEARD ME TALK ABOUT SPRING FAIR UP HERE.
I'M VERY PASSIONATE ABOUT SPRING FAIR.
I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO SUPERVISOR [INAUDIBLE], ALL MY COLLEAGUES FOR PICKING UP SOME SLACK BECAUSE DURING THE WEEK OF SPRING FAIR, ONCE IT STARTS, I'M PRETTY BUSY EVERY DAY WITH STUFF OUT THERE.
SO FOR PICKING UP, YOU KNOW, SPEAKING AT THE VETERANS STAND DOWN EVENT AND ALL KINDS OF DIFFERENT EVENTS, I THANK YOU GUYS FOR THAT , AND IT'S HELPFUL FOR ME AS I TALK WITH MY FAIR BOARD MEMBERS, ALL THE FAIR BOARD MEMBERS OUT THERE.
YOU KNOW, I LET THEM KNOW THAT THE COUNTY HAS MADE HUGE INVESTMENTS IN THIS FAIR, AND MY COLLEAGUES AND I'M VERY THANKFUL FOR THE ATTENTION THAT WE GIVE IT, AND REALLY, WE STRUGGLED THE FIRST COUPLE OF DAYS WITH SOME NOT SO GREAT WEATHER, BUT, YOU KNOW, OVERALL, I KNOW THAT WE DID A FACEBOOK RELEASE YESTERDAY.
OUR NUMBERS WERE DOWN A LITTLE BIT FROM THE PREVIOUS YEAR, BUT AS THE NUMBERS CONTINUE TO ROLL IN ON REVENUES GENERATED, THEY THEY'VE EXCEEDED LAST YEAR'S.
SO RIGHT AT OR A LITTLE BIT EVEN ABOVE LAST YEAR'S NUMBERS SO VERY THANKFUL FOR THAT.
YOU KNOW, IT JUST IT NEVER CEASES THAT COMMUNITY NEVER CEASES TO AMAZE ME, YOU KNOW, WHAT WAS IT I SAID IT WAS 502 LOTS OF ANIMALS THAT WERE SOLD OVER THE COURSE OF THE THREE DAYS THERE AND AT LAST COUNT, OVER $960,000 RAISED.
SO MAY DAY IS ALWAYS THE TRENDSETTER.
IT IS THE FIRST IT KICKS OFF THE FAIR SEASON, AND I KNOW THIS WEEK CHOWCHILLA FAIR IS GOING ON, AND A MONTH OR SO FROM NOW YOU'RE GOING TO SEE MERCED FAIR GOING ON, AND THAT'S KIND OF WHERE EVERYBODY SETS THEIR BAR AT IS HOW DID HOW DID MAY DAY'S ANIMALS DO? SO IT'S THE COMMUNITY THAT PUTS THAT TOGETHER AND REALLY THE FAIR BOARD MEMBERS OVER THERE.
THEY REALLY ARE A WORKING FAIR BOARD.
THEY ARE RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF WHEREVER, WHATEVER THE CHALLENGE THAT MAY COME UP.
THEY LEND THEIR SERVICES, THEIR TALENTS TO HELP TO ADDRESS THOSE ISSUES, AND SO OVERALL, WITH WHAT I WAS NERVOUS ABOUT, BECAUSE I TEND TO GET NERVOUS ABOUT THESE THINGS, STARTED OUT WITH SOME STRUGGLES WITH THE IRRIGATION PROJECT AND REALLY WHAT NORMALLY WOULD TAKE TWO MONTHS TO PUT TOGETHER WAS DONE IN THREE WEEKS, AND SO BUT IT ALL CAME TOGETHER, AND I DID MENTION THAT AT PREVIOUS MEETING, NOT ONLY WITH THE STAFF THAT WERE THERE, BUT ALSO COMMUNITY MEMBERS THAT STEPPED UP.
WE HAD WHAT I THOUGHT WAS TO BE A GREAT, GREAT FAIR.
SO WITH THAT, I HAVE NO OTHER COMMENTS AND WE'LL ADJOURN THE MEETING.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.