[Special Town Hall ]
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THREE MERCED COUNTY VIRTUAL TOWN HALL.
AND IN ADDITION TO BEING THE DISTRICT FIVE SUPERVISOR, I'M ALSO THIS YEAR'S BOARD CHAIR.
DISTRICT TWO SUPERVISOR JOSH PEDROZO.
DISTRICT THREE SUPERVISOR DARREN MCDANIEL.
I APPRECIATE YOU JOINING US TONIGHT TO LEARN ABOUT SOME OF THE WORK BEING DONE BY MERCED COUNTY.
BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, WE LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING YOUR QUESTIONS.
WE HAVE SEVERAL OF OUR DEPARTMENT HEADS AND STAFF MEMBERS ON HAND WHO WILL BE AVAILABLE TO ASSIST WITH ANSWERING THOSE QUESTIONS DURING THE QUESTION AND ANSWER PORTION OF THE MEETING. IF YOU DO HAVE A QUESTION TO SUBMIT, PLEASE DO SO BY TYPING IT INTO THE CHAT BOX ON ZOOM AND HITTING ENTER.
LIVE INTERPRETATION IS ALSO AVAILABLE ON ZOOM AND YOU CAN ACCESS THE ZOOM FEED BY GOING TO WWW.COUNTYOFMERCED.COM/TH. WE'LL ALSO MONITOR QUESTIONS COMING THROUGH ON FACEBOOK, SO FEEL FREE TO START TYPING IN QUESTIONS NOW.
WE'LL GET TO AS MANY OF THEM AS WE CAN TONIGHT.
TONIGHT'S MEETING WILL WRAP UP BY 8 P.M.
OR SOONER IF WE STOP RECEIVING QUESTIONS.
FOR ANYONE ATTENDING IN PERSON, COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS WILL BE LIMITED TO THREE MINUTES TOTAL.
SO WHAT THAT MEANS IS THE BOARD WILL NOT TAKE ANY POLICY ACTION DURING THIS MEETING.
ANY POLICY MATTERS WOULD HAVE TO BE PLACED ON A FUTURE AGENDA.
I WOULD ASK YOU TO PLEASE JOIN ME IN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
SO AND THEN ALSO I'M GOING TO READ THIS, JUST READ OUR AGENDA.
ON TONIGHT'S AGENDA IS TOWN HALL SPECIAL BOARD OF SUPERVISORS MEETING TO HOLD A TOWN HALL TO PROVIDE MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC AN OPPORTUNITY TO HEAR FROM THE SUPERVISORS, RECEIVE UPDATES FROM DEPARTMENT HEADS AND STAFF, LEARN ABOUT COUNTY PROJECTS, AND AN OPPORTUNITY FOR MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC TO INTERACT AND ASK QUESTIONS.
SO NEXT WE WILL HAVE OUR COUNTY LOOKING FORWARD VIDEO.
HELLO AND WELCOME TO THE MERCED COUNTY LOOKING FORWARD 2023 A VIRTUAL WALK THROUGH OF SOME OF WHAT'S BEEN ACCOMPLISHED BY THE COUNTY OVER THE PAST YEAR AND A PREVIEW OF WHAT'S TO COME ON BOARD OF SUPERVISORS CHAIRMAN SCOTT SILVEIRA.
AND IN THIS VIDEO, MY COLLEAGUES AND I WILL PROVIDE BRIEF UPDATES ON SEVERAL KEY AREAS, INCLUDING PUBLIC SAFETY, TRANSPORTATION, INFRASTRUCTURE, PARKS, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND MORE. SO PLEASE SIT BACK AND ENJOY THE MERCED COUNTY LOOKING FORWARD 2023.
THE UPGRADED PARK NOW FEATURES A SPLASH PAD, OUTDOOR PERFORMING ARTS, STAGE PICNIC SHELTERS, EXERCISE EQUIPMENT, A LIGHTED BASKETBALL COURT AND MUCH MORE.
THE PROJECT WAS FUNDED BY A $2.4 MILLION GRANT FROM THE CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION AND HAS BEEN A BIG HIT WITH FAMILIES IN AND AROUND THE PLANADA AREA.
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MOST RECENTLY, STAFF LEARNED THAT IT WAS SUCCESSFUL IN ITS PARTNERSHIP WITH SENATOR ANNA CABALLERO'S OFFICE TO SECURE A $3 MILLION FUNDING ALLOCATION IN THE STATE BUDGET TO BUILD A NEW DOS PALOS BRANCH OF THE MERCED COUNTY LIBRARY IN O'BANION PARK.THIS FUNDING IS COMPLEMENTED BY ANOTHER $2.7 MILLION GRANT MERCED COUNTY, SECURED THROUGH THE CALIFORNIA STATE LIBRARY'S HIGHLY COMPETITIVE BUILDING FORWARD LIBRARY IMPROVEMENT GRANT PROGRAM.
ANOTHER EXCITING PROJECT IN THE WORKS IS THE RESTORATION OF THE MERCED COUNTY COURTHOUSE MUSEUM.
FOR THAT, I'LL TURN IT OVER TO MY FRIEND, DISTRICT TWO SUPERVISOR JOSH PEDROZO.
THANK YOU. SUPERVISOR PAREIRA.
THIS PAST YEAR, WE LEARNED THAT MERCED COUNTY IS RECEIVING A $2 MILLION FEDERAL APPROPRIATION TO REFURBISH THE EXTERIOR OF ITS HISTORIC COURTHOUSE MUSEUM. THE FUNDING IS THE RESULT OF A JOINT EFFORT BY MERCED COUNTY AND CONGRESSMAN JIM COSTA.
THE $2 MILLION WILL BE COUPLED WITH $1 MILLION SET ASIDE BY THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS DURING A PRIOR BUDGET CYCLE AND $50,000 FROM THE MERCED COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY.
THE EXTERIOR SHELL OF THE COURTHOUSE MUSEUM HAS SLOWLY DETERIORATED OVER THE YEARS AND IS IN NEED OF THESE IMPROVEMENTS TO MAINTAIN ITS STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY SO IT CAN BE ENJOYED BY FUTURE GENERATIONS FOR MANY YEARS TO COME.
THE BUILDING SERVED AS A COURTHOUSE FOR 100 YEARS UNTIL 1975.
DURING THAT TIMEFRAME, IT ALSO HOUSED OFFICES FOR SEVERAL COUNTY DEPARTMENTS.
THE COURTHOUSE MUSEUM WAS ADDED TO THE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES IN 1975.
APPROXIMATELY 40,000 PEOPLE TURNED OUT TO GO ON RIDES, WATCH TRACTOR PULLS AND DEMOLITION DERBIES, EAT DEEP FRIED TREATS, WATCH LIVE MUSIC, EXPERIENCE, LIVESTOCK EXHIBITS AND EVERYTHING ELSE THAT GOES ALONG WITH THE LOCALLY RENOWNED FAIR.
YOU WON'T WANT TO MISS OUT ON THIS UNIQUE EXPERIENCE.
WE SAW FANTASTIC TURNOUT AT THE 2022 MERCED COUNTY VETERANS DAY PARADE IN DOWNTOWN MERCED.
THE EVENT WAS A WELCOME SIGHT FOR THOSE IN ATTENDANCE.
OTHER IN-PERSON EVENTS DREW LARGE CROWDS AND EXCITEMENT FROM THE COMMUNITY, INCLUDING THE ANNUAL MERCED COUNTY CHILD SUPPORT SERVICES KIDS CONNECT PROGRAM, WHICH INCLUDES ENTERTAINMENT ACTIVITIES AND RAFFLE PRIZES FOR KIDS AS WELL AS WORK NETS.
JOBS THAT MOVE HIRING EVENT AT CASTLE COMMERCE CENTER, WHERE RESIDENTS AND JOB SEEKERS CONNECTED WITH EMPLOYERS DISCOVER SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNITIES WHILE ENJOYING A RAFFLE ENTERTAINMENT AND FREE FOOD.
LOOK FOR THESE EVENTS AND OTHERS TO CONTINUE THIS YEAR.
CASTLE COMMERCE CENTER IS OFTEN DESCRIBED AS THE HIDDEN JEWEL OF MERCED COUNTY.
RAPID GROWTH HAS TAKEN PLACE IN RECENT YEARS, AND THIS PROGRESS WILL CONTINUE THROUGH 2023.
WE ALREADY HAVE MAJOR COMPANIES OPERATING AT THE SITE, SUCH AS WAYMO, GOOGLE'S DRIVERLESS CAR COMPANY MACKEY AND SONS, WHICH BUILDS CRANES AND OTHER HOIST SYSTEMS. UC MERCED OFFICES.
ASTRA, WHICH TESTS ROCKET ENGINE TECHNOLOGY.
BLAKER BREWING. THE TARMAC AND MANY, MANY MORE.
ONE OF THE MOST EXCITING BREAKTHROUGHS THIS PAST YEAR THAT WILL CONTINUE INTO 2023 IS PATRIOT RAIL, WHICH OFFICIALLY BEGAN ITS OPERATIONS AT CASTLE IN MAY. LOCATED NEAR THE SOUTHEASTERN CORNER OF CASTLE, THE RAIL DISTRICT WILL ENHANCE THE ABILITY OF AGRICULTURAL PRODUCERS, MANUFACTURERS AND OTHER
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ENTERPRISES THROUGHOUT THE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY TO QUICKLY AND EFFICIENTLY SHIP AND RECEIVE PRODUCTS VIA THE BNSF RAILROAD MAIN LINE, WHICH RUNS ADJACENT TO THE SITE.WHILE SIGNIFICANT STRIDES HAVE BEEN MADE IN THE AREA OF LOW BARRIER EMERGENCY SHELTERING CONNECTION TO SUPPORTIVE SERVICES AND ADDRESSING LEGAL BARRIERS, THERE IS WORK TO BE DONE. THE 2022 HOMELESS COUNT AND SURVEY REPORT REFLECTED AN INCREASE OF HOMELESSNESS OF ABOUT 2%, BRINGING OUR MOST CURRENT ESTIMATE TO 855 INDIVIDUALS. HOWEVER, THE DATA SHOWED THAT THE COUNTY'S UNSHELTERED POPULATION ACTUALLY DECREASED BY ABOUT 19%.
MERCED COUNTY AND ITS PARTNERS TOOK PART IN TWO CHALLENGES ONE IN LOS BANOS WITH A GOAL OF FINDING HOUSING FOR 28 HOMELESS INDIVIDUALS, AND ANOTHER TO FIND HOUSING FOR 100 HOMELESS YOUTH AND THEIR FAMILIES.
AT THE END OF THE FIRST CHALLENGE, MERCED COUNTY AND ITS PARTNERS WENT ABOVE AND BEYOND BY FINDING HOUSING FOR 20 INDIVIDUALS WHILE PUTTING 65 ON A PATHWAY TO PERMANENT HOUSING. THE COUNTY AGAIN EXCEEDED EXPECTATIONS FOLLOWING THE SECOND CHALLENGE BY FINDING HOUSING FOR 116 YOUTHS.
WE KNOW THIS ISSUE IS OF UTMOST IMPORTANCE TO THE COMMUNITY AND IT IS FOR US AS WELL.
THIS WILL CONTINUE TO BE A FOCUS AREA INTO 2023 AND BEYOND.
AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR, THE WEST COAST WAS HIT WITH A SERIES OF NINE ATMOSPHERIC RIVERS, BRINGING SIGNIFICANT RAINFALL AND FLOODING TO MANY REGIONS, INCLUDING MERCED COUNTY.
SANDBAGS WERE PLACED IN LOCATIONS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY.
PLANADA MCSWAIN AND OTHER AREAS OUTSIDE OF THE CITY OF MERCED EXPERIENCED MAJOR FLOODING IMPACTS.
EMERGENCY PERSONNEL WERE QUICK TO ACT.
EVACUATION WARNINGS AND ORDERS WERE ISSUED ACROSS MULTIPLE CHANNELS.
THOSE STRANDED IN THE FLOODED AREAS WERE RESCUED BY THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE, WHICH USED HIGH WATER VEHICLES, VESSELS AND OTHER EQUIPMENT TO MOVE RESIDENTS TO SAFETY CARE AND SHELTER ALSO JUMPED INTO ACTION, STANDING UP THREE SHELTER LOCATIONS ACROSS THE COUNTY.
THE MOST VISIBLE WAS AT THE MERCED COUNTY FAIRGROUNDS.
THERE, RESIDENTS IMPACTED BY FLOODING WHO DIDN'T HAVE ANYWHERE ELSE TO GO RECEIVED FOOD, SLEEPING ACCOMMODATIONS AND PERSONAL ITEMS. THEY WERE ALSO CONNECTED WITH LOCAL, STATE AND FEDERAL RESOURCES.
DISASTER DECLARATIONS WERE DECLARED AT THE STATE FEDERAL LEVELS, WITH MERCED COUNTY PROCLAIMING A LOCAL EMERGENCY MOVING FORWARD, MERCED COUNTY HAS ITS DISASTER RECOVERY OPERATIONS CENTER ACTIVATED TO HELP PEOPLE TO GET BACK INTO THEIR HOMES AND BACK TO THEIR NORMAL WAY OF LIFE.
WE WANT EVERYONE TO KNOW THAT WE ARE HERE FOR THE COMMUNITY.
WE HAVE A LOT OF DEDICATED PERSONNEL, WORKING NIGHTS AND WEEKENDS TO HELP EVERYONE RECOVER FROM THESE EVENTS, AND WE'LL CONTINUE DOING SO AS LONG AS THE IMPACTS FROM THIS DISASTER ARE BEING FELT.
YOU CAN HELP US BY PREPARING YOURSELVES FOR FUTURE EMERGENCIES.
SIGN UP FOR THE MERCED COUNTY EMERGENCY ALERTS AT WWW.COUNTYOFMERCED.COM/ALERT SO THAT WE CAN MORE EASILY NOTIFY YOU IN THE EVENT OF AN EMERGENCY.
ALSO, WE ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO HAVE A PLAN, KEEP AN EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS KIT IN YOUR CAR AND HOME AND ALWAYS BE PREPARED TO PUT TOGETHER A QUICK GO BAG IF THERE IS AN EVENT. A GO BAG SHOULD CONTAIN IMPORTANT ITEMS SUCH AS WALLETS, PURSES, KEYS, INSURANCE DOCUMENTS, TOILETRIES, MEDICATIONS, CHANGES OF CLOTHES, ETCETERA.
KNOW WHAT YOUR PLAN OF ACTION IS IN THE EVENT OF AN EMERGENCY.
FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE FOLLOW MERCED COUNTY ON SOCIAL MEDIA.
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YOU CAN ALSO VISIT COUNTYOFMERCED.COM/2023 FLOODS.PROGRESS CONTINUES TO BE MADE TO MERCED COUNTY'S TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE.
LAST YEAR, A SIGNIFICANT MILESTONE WAS REACHED AS WE CUT THE RIBBON AND OFFICIALLY OPENED SEGMENT THREE OF THE CAMPUS PARKWAY PROJECT CONNECTING HIGHWAY 99 WITH YOSEMITE AVENUE.
ALSO IN 2023, STAFF WILL CONTINUE TO EXPLORE FUTURE FUNDING OPTIONS AND COMPLETE PRELIMINARY WORK ON THE ATWATER MERCED EXPRESSWAY PROJECT, WITH THE GOAL OF EXTENDING IT FROM ITS CURRENT INTERCHANGE ALONG HIGHWAY 99 TO CASTLE COMMERCE CENTER AND BEYOND, HELPING GROW ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES AT THE SITE. CAMPUS PARKWAY AND THE ATWATER.
SAID EXPRESSWAY ARE PART OF A LARGER EFFORT TO IMPROVE REGIONAL TRAFFIC FLOW.
PUBLIC SAFETY REMAINS A TOP PRIORITY OF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS AND THERE ARE SOME MAJOR PROJECTS IN THE WORKS TO HELP SUPPORT THE MEN AND WOMEN TASKED WITH KEEPING US SAFE. ONE OF THESE PROJECTS IS THE REFURBISHMENT OF THE JOHNNY LATORRACA CORRECTIONAL CENTER ON SANDY MUSH ROAD TO ADDRESS SECURITY AND INFRASTRUCTURE CONCERNS WHILE IMPROVING THE CAPACITY TO HOUSE PROGRAMS AND REDUCE RECIDIVISM.
A LARGE PORTION OF THIS PROJECT IS FUNDED THROUGH STATE DOLLARS.
THE PLAN INCLUDES MENTAL HEALTH TREATMENT FACILITIES AND ASSESSMENT PROGRAMS IN AN EFFORT TO BETTER ADDRESS INMATE NEEDS AND HELP REDUCE THE NUMBER OF OFFENSES UPON RELEASE.
EFFORTS ARE ALSO UNDERWAY TO REBUILD THE COUNTY'S MAIN JAIL IN JUNE OF 2022.
THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS APPROVED THE FINANCING OF THE REBUILD OF THE DOWNTOWN MAIN JAIL.
THE OUTDATED FACILITY BE RECONSTRUCTED ON THE PROPERTY.
THE NEW MAXIMUM SECURITY JAIL WILL INCLUDE 256 BEDS, DORMS, PROGRAMING ROOMS AND RECREATIONAL SPACES FOR THOSE DEPUTIES IN THE FIELD, MERCED SAID COUNTY IS MOVING FORWARD WITH A PLAN TO UPGRADE ITS PUBLIC SAFETY RADIO SYSTEM TO ELIMINATE DEAD ZONES, DROPS IN COVERAGE AND IMPROVE COMMUNICATIONS BETWEEN THE EAST AND WEST SIDES OF THE COUNTY.
THE NEW SYSTEM WILL UTILIZE 11 SITES TO CREATE A MORE RELIABLE COMMUNICATIONS NETWORK.
IN CLOSING, WE'D LIKE TO THANK YOU, OUR CONSTITUENTS, FOR ALLOWING US TO SERVE THE COMMUNITY.
WE'RE COMMITTED TO OUR ROLES OF MOVING MERCED COUNTY IN A POSITIVE DIRECTION BY PROVIDING ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY, MAINTAINING OUR AGRICULTURAL HERITAGE, AND CREATING A SAFE, WELCOMING ENVIRONMENT FOR OUR RESIDENTS TO ENJOY.
THANK YOU FOR JOINING US TODAY.
ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING US TO SHOW YOU OUR LOOKING FORWARD VIDEO FOR 2022.
SO WE'LL NOW OPEN UP THE MEETING FOR OUR PUBLIC COMMENT.
AGAIN, THIS IS ALSO THE QUESTION AND ANSWER PORTION OF THE MEETING.
PLEASE NOTE THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A 20 MINUTE TIME LIMIT.
SO AT THIS POINT AND AGAIN, IF YOU ARE JOINING US REMOTELY AND HAVE QUESTIONS, PLEASE TYPE THOSE INTO THE CHAT BOX ON ZOOM OR THE COMMENT SECTION ON FACEBOOK AND HIT ENTER.
SO NOW I'LL TURN TO THE PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICER.
WE'RE GOING TO WE'RE GOING TO START WITH THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD HERE.
AND AGAIN, THIS THIS PORTION THIS WAS OUR THIS WAS OUR MEETING THAT WE SET UP VIRTUALLY FOR FOLKS.
WE DID HOST FIVE EACH IN EACH DISTRICT.
WE HELD A IN-PERSON TOWN HALL MEETING.
BUT WE ARE GOING TO ALLOW FOR 20 MINUTES OF PUBLIC COMMENT HERE.
SO WE'LL NOW GO AHEAD AND OPEN UP THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD.
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YOU JUST STAND UP. YOU STAND UP AND COME UP TO THE MICROPHONE, MA'AM.I DID MENTION THAT WE DO HAVE TRANSLATION SERVICES AVAILABLE ON ZOOM.
DID I MISS IT ON HERE? I KNOW. I KNOW THAT. I'VE SEEN FOLKS THAT ARE COMING IN.
WE DO HAVE TRANSLATION SERVICES AVAILABLE.
IF YOU SEE, I BELIEVE IT'S LIONEL.
ALL RIGHT. WHENEVER YOU'RE READY, MA'AM.
HELLO THERE. MY NAME IS JOY WIDMARK, AND I'M JUST REALLY HERE TO TAKE IT ALL IN AND JUST TO.
I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHERE THESE THINGS ARE POSTED.
I WAS UNDER THE IMPRESSION, THOUGH, THAT OUR QUESTIONS AND THE DIALOG WE COULD HAVE IN THIS TOWN HALL WOULD BE NOT LIMITED TO, YOU KNOW, WHAT IS THREE DIVIDED BY 20. YOU KNOW, LIKE SIX PEOPLE WOULD HAVE THAT MUCH TIME.
IS THAT WHAT'S HAPPENING? SO WHAT I WILL TELL YOU, MA'AM, IS, IS WE DID HAVE THE IN-PERSON TOWN HALL MEETINGS.
AND REALLY THIS ONE, OBVIOUSLY, THIS IS A PUBLIC MEETING.
IT'S IN ORDER FOR ALL FIVE OF US TO BE UP HERE.
THAT HAS TO BE AGENDIZED AS A SPECIAL MEETING OF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS.
BUT THE INTENTION BEHIND IT WAS TO REALLY THIS IS A VIRTUAL MEETING, BUT BUT BECAUSE IT IS A MEETING OF ALL MEMBERS OF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS BY LAW, AND I THINK RIGHTFULLY SO, IT IS A PUBLIC MEETING.
BUT I DO WANT TO MAKE TIME FOR THE FOLKS THAT ARE ONLINE.
WHERE IS THIS PUBLICIZED AND HOW DO WE FIND OUT HOW OFTEN DO THESE THINGS HAPPEN? AND I FEEL THAT IT'S ACTUALLY MORE VALUABLE TO HAVE GENUINE QUESTIONS WHEN WE'RE TOGETHER THAN HOSTING VIRTUAL ONES.
RIGHT NOW, THE GENUINE WORLD IS STARVING FOR THE AMOUNT OF TIME SPENT IN VIRTUAL TIME.
SO I DON'T HAVE MY WHOLE LIKE WHAT I WOULD PRESENT.
I DON'T WANT TO TAKE TIME FROM ANYBODY ELSE WHO'S CLEARLY SPEAKING FOR THAT.
BUT DOES THIS HAPPEN OFTEN? SO THIS IS THIS IS THE SIXTH THIS IS THE VIRTUAL TOWN HALL.
AND SO, YES, THEY ARE ON THE COUNTY'S WEBSITE.
THEY ARE POSTED ON SOCIAL MEDIA.
SO I WOULD JUST PRAY AND HOPE THAT THERE'S A WAY TO, YOU KNOW, TAKE A FEW STEPS BACK INTO THE GENUINE WORLD WHERE A LOT OF PEOPLE LIVE AND THEY'RE NOT ACTUALLY CARING ABOUT THIS VIRTUAL DYNAMIC THAT YOU GUYS ARE SO THINK SO IMPORTANT.
PERFECT. THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS, MA'AM.
THANK YOU. SUPERVISOR PAREIRA.
YOU GOT A COMMENT? YEAH, SURE. JOY OR MRS. WIDMARK? I'D JUST LIKE TO SHARE THAT WE DO HAVE THE TRADITIONAL STYLE OF OUTREACH.
WE POST IT HERE IN THE BUILDING AND ON THIS FLOOR.
THERE'S A KIOSK OUTSIDE WHERE OUR AGENDAS ARE POSTED.
I MEAN, PROBABLY I'M 60 SO AT LEAST 40 YEARS THAT I'M AWARE OF.
SO WE ARE REACHING OUT TO THOSE PEOPLE IN THAT WAY.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. OUR COMMUNITY IS SUPER FRAGMENTED RIGHT NOW, SO I'LL LOOK INTO THOSE.
GOOD EVENING AND HELLO, EVERYONE.
TO MY SUPERVISOR, JOSH PEDROZO AND RODRIGO, ALL OF YOU.
SCOTT SILVEIRA, DARON MCDANIEL, LLOYD PAREIRA.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING OUR SUPERVISORS AND FOR YOU, MR. MENDEZ. I JUST WANT TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF THE CAREGIVERS IN OUR COUNTY THAT ARE WORKING THROUGH THE IHSS PROGRAM. THAT'S A VERY BIG CONCERN.
WE WORK REALLY HARD AND I HAVE A BACKGROUND OF BEING A MEDICAL ASSISTANT, A REALTOR,
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A A LOAN OFFICER IN THE PAST AND AN INSURANCE AGENT.SO I'VE HAD WHAT PEOPLE CALL A REAL JOB, WHICH REALLY WORKS.
IT'S REALLY A LOT OF HARD WORK.
TODAY I HAVE A NONPROFIT AND A PRIVATE BUSINESS AND I'M STILL THE CAREGIVER FOR MY MOM.
SO WHAT WE REALLY WOULD LIKE TO DO IS GET SOME MOMENTUM IN OUR NEGOTIATIONS BECAUSE WE ARE IN NEGOTIATIONS RIGHT NOW IN OUR COUNTY AND Y'ALL AREN'T GIVING US ANYTHING AND WE DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY.
IT'S REALLY, REALLY, REALLY HARD TO DO WHAT WE DO.
AND WE REALLY WOULD LIKE FOR YOU GUYS TO SIT DOWN, NOT LISTEN TO YOUR ATTORNEY, MISS CHARLENE, BUT THINK ABOUT REAL PEOPLE IN YOUR COMMUNITY THAT REALLY DO SERVE. AND WE DO NEED A CONTRACT FROM YOU.
SO WE WANT YOU GUYS TO REALLY THINK ABOUT THAT.
I'M SO GLAD TO SEE ALL OF YOU GUYS TOGETHER TONIGHT.
THANK YOU. OH, ALSO, THANK YOU GUYS FOR SUPPORTING GRAD.
HELLO. I'LL BE EXTREMELY BRIEF.
SO NOT TO TAKE TIME FROM THE IN-PERSON QUESTIONS.
KRISTEN SANTOS HERE REPRESENT OFFICE OF CONGRESSMAN JOHN DUARTE.
JUST WANTED TO THANK THE CHAIRMAN, THE BOARD COUNTY STAFF FOR GIVING THIS OPPORTUNITY TO YOUR CONSTITUENTS AND TO THE COMMUNITY TO AIR OUT THEIR CONCERNS AND LISTEN TO WHAT THE COUNTY IS DOING FOR THEM. SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND FOR ANYONE HERE IN PERSON.
I'LL BE HERE FOR ANY QUESTIONS THAT HAVE COME UP.
THERE HAVE BEEN SOME THAT COME UP AT SOME OF THESE TOWN HALLS REGARDING FEDERAL POLICY.
SO I'LL BE HERE. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE, CHRISTIAN.
GOOD EVENING TO THE BOARD AND GOOD EVENING TO ALL IN ATTENDANCE.
AND MOST OF ALL, I'M HERE TO THANK WITH THE UTMOST RESPECT TO THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT FOR THE JOB THEY DID.
AND WE ALL FROM ELM AVENUE THANK THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT AND KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK.
YOU WILL PUT UP MERCED IN ONE OF THE ONE DAY.
YOU WILL PUT MERCED IN ONE OF THE ONE DAY YOU WILL PUT MERCED IN ONE 150 BEST CITIES TO LIVE IN.
THANK YOU, SHERIFF. THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS AND MY UTMOST THANKS TO LIEUTENANT RAYMOND OLMSTEAD.
THANK YOU. I'LL TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY.
I JUST SAID IT LAST NIGHT AT MY TOWN HALL.
IS. I APPRECIATE YOU COMING HERE AND SAYING THIS, BUT, YOU KNOW, AS AS COUNTY SUPERVISORS AND I THINK I CAN SAY THIS ON BEHALF OF ALL MY COLLEAGUES, AS MUCH AS WE WOULD LOVE TO BE IN EVERY PART OF OUR DISTRICT EVERY DAY, IT'S HUMANLY NOT POSSIBLE.
AND SO WHEN YOU HAVE CONCERNS, THAT'S WHY REACH OUT TO US.
YOU'RE THE EYES AND EARS OUT THERE.
WE CAN'T SEE EVERYTHING EVERY DAY.
SO WHEN YOU BRING THOSE ITEMS TO OUR ATTENTION, OUR JOB IS, YOU KNOW, WE'RE YOUR ADVOCATES HERE.
OUR JOB IS TO HELP TRY TO RESPOND AND GET TO.
SO I APPRECIATE YOU BRINGING THE ITEM TO US AND YOU COULD SEE WHAT THE AFTER EFFECT IS.
SQUEAKY WHEEL GETS THE GREASE.
ABSOLUTELY. I BELIEVE THAT, TOO, SIR.
THANK YOU. HI, MY NAME IS NINO REY, AND I JUST HAVE A FEW QUESTIONS. UM, I'M GOING TO BE TURNING 18 SOON, AND I LIVE IN DISTRICT TWO.
WHAT HAS BEEN DONE OR WHAT HAS BEEN ACCOMPLISHED IN THIS DISTRICT THAT YOU CAN SHARE? OKAY. SUPERVISOR PEDROZO.
SO A LOT HAS BEEN ACCOMPLISHED IN THIS DISTRICT, AS WAS MENTIONED.
SO THERE'S A LOT OF STUFF THAT'S BEEN GOING ON.
I'VE SPENT A LOT OF TIME WORKING WITH THE JUVENILE PROBATION DEPARTMENT AND STUFF LIKE THAT.
WE ALL WORK WITH MR. SERATO AT WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT TO PROVIDE FOR INFORMATION TO GET OUT THERE.
AND THEN I KNOW THAT I'VE SPOKEN WITH A BUNCH OF DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS ABOUT WHAT WE CAN DO TO INCREASE YOUTH ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND GETTING YOUTH MORE INVOLVED IN WHAT'S HAPPENING.
I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO KNOW WHY YOU SHOULD VOTE FOR YOU.
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TO PROVIDE AN ANSWER FOR THAT.BUT I'D BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO SIT DOWN AND TELL YOU OUTSIDE OF IT.
THIS IS MORE ABOUT GETTING INFORMATION OUT TO THE PUBLIC ABOUT WHAT WE'RE DOING AS A COUNTY.
I ALSO COME FROM A VETERAN FAMILY.
CAN YOU GIVE ME A LIST OF WHAT YOU WHAT YOU'VE DONE FOR VETERANS? I'VE WORKED REALLY HARD WITH THE VETERANS ORGANIZATIONS IN MERCED COUNTY, ESPECIALLY THE ONES IN MERCED AT THE VETERANS HALL HERE IN TOWN, TO PROVIDE THEM A MAINTENANCE AGREEMENT THAT BENEFITS ALL VETERANS AND MERCED VETERANS ARE REALLY IMPORTANT TO ME.
I HAVE VETERANS IN MY FAMILY, AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT I'M VERY PASSIONATE ABOUT.
AND I'VE WORKED WITH MY COLLEAGUES TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT IS SOMETHING THAT ISN'T LOST ON THEM.
AND I KNOW THAT OUR STAFF, ONCE I'VE PUT IT TO THEM, THEY'VE WORKED INCREDIBLY HARD AND WE'VE SPENT A LOT OF TIME TO ADDRESS SOME OF THE ISSUES THAT ARE TAKING PLACE.
AND SO WE'RE DOING EVERYTHING WE CAN FOR VETERANS.
THAT'S ALL THE QUESTIONS I HAVE.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS, SIR.
I'VE ASKED SOME OF THE IHSS PROVIDERS THAT WE'RE GOING TO COME UP HERE TO ASK QUESTIONS, TO HOLD ON THOSE QUESTIONS, BECAUSE YOU'VE MENTIONED THERE'S ONLY 20 MINUTES, RIGHT? SO I DON'T WANT TO TAKE TOO MUCH OF THE TIME.
WE WENT TO A LOT OF THE TOWN HALLS.
SORRY, JOSH, WE WEREN'T ABLE TO MAKE IT TO YOURS, BUT WE WILL BE THERE AT THE NEXT ONE.
I AM HERE SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF A LOT OF IHSS PROVIDERS, NOT ONLY THE ONES THAT ARE HERE.
IF YOU CAN RAISE YOUR HAND IF YOU'RE HERE WITH YOU.
THANK YOU. AWESOME. SO I'M SPEAKING ON THE ON ON THE FOLKS THAT COULDN'T MAKE IT HERE TODAY.
AND THANK YOU FOR THE WORK THAT YOU DO, JUST AS PROVIDERS.
SO THE REASON WHY I'M HERE IS I KNOW THAT DURING THESE TOWN HALL MEETINGS, WE'RE COMING OUT AND WE'RE ASKING IF YOU GUYS WERE WILLING TO COME OUT AND SPEND A DAY TO SEE WHAT THE IHSS PROVIDERS DO.
THEY DO A LOT OF GREAT AND AMAZING WORK, SOME OF WHICH GOES OVERLOOKED BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY YOU GUYS HAVEN'T DONE THAT RIGHT? AND MR. MCDANIEL I KNOW YOU MENTIONED YOU'VE DONE THIS IN THE PAST.
YOU DID IT FOR 90 DAYS AS FROM WHAT I RECALL, A LITTLE LONGER THAN THAT.
AND SO WE ARE IN CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS.
I KNOW YOU GUYS CAN TALK ABOUT THAT, BUT IT'S IMPORTANT JUST TO KNOW YOU GUYS CAN SET A PRECEDENT AND MAKE A CHANGE AND DEFINITELY THINK ABOUT THEM WHEN IT COMES TO SITTING DOWN AND HAVING THOSE DISCUSSIONS.
BIERI YOU GOT TO CLICK REALLY QUICK.
I KNOW THAT I HAVE SAID THAT I WOULD GO OUT AND THE ONE TIME THAT THEY HAD IT SCHEDULED, SOMEBODY THEY HAD TO GO THROUGH THE PERSON, THE PERSON THAT THEY WERE TAKING CARE OF. AND SO THEY SAID NO.
HOW MUCH MORE TIME? I HAVE SOME PAPERWORK THAT YOU WANT TO JUST SUBMIT IT IN THE BOX.
THAT WOULD BE PERFECT. MAYBE IF YOU GUYS NEED TO SEE THIS.
MY NAME IS ANGEL MILLMAN. I'M PART OF THE VFW HERE IN MERCED.
I JUST HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS.
YOU SPOKE EARLIER ABOUT THE VETERANS HALL BUILDING.
IS IT THE MERCED COUNTY VETERANS HALL OR THE AMERICAN LEGION? BECAUSE THE PAPERWORK I HAVE HERE IS LISTED AS THE AMERICAN LEGION HALL, NOT THE VETERANS HALL.
THERE IS NO MENTION OF THE IT'S NOT POSTED AS VETERANS HALL.
SECOND QUESTION I HAVE IS DO THE MEMBERS OF THE AMERICAN LEGION FALL UNDER MEMBERS OF VETERANS OF THE ASSOCIATIONS UNDER THE 2022 CALIFORNIA CODE DIVISION SIX, CHAPTER TWO, SECTION 1260.
SO HOW DOES THAT WORK IF THEY'RE NOT VETERANS? I CAN'T SPEAK TO THAT 100%.
WHAT I CAN SAY IS THAT THE VETERANS THAT BUILDING IS OWNED BY MERCED COUNTY.
RIGHT. OKAY. SO THAT'S A MERCED COUNTY BUILDING THAT IS MAINTAINED BY THE AMERICAN LEGION, POST 83, WHO ARE VETERANS AND WHO REPRESENT THE VETERANS.
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THROUGH THAT CODE.SO I CAN'T SPEAK VERBATIM ON THE CODE ITSELF, BUT IF THEY'RE CHARTERED UNDER THE CODES, THEN THAT'S HOW THEY ARE ABLE TO ACCESS THAT.
SO THEY WEREN'T I CAN'T I CAN'T SPEAK 100% TO YOUR QUESTION BECAUSE I GUESS I'M NOT UNDERSTANDING.
I FEEL LIKE YOU'RE I'M JUST WHAT I'M SAYING IS THIS IS THE ORGANIZATION THAT HAS HAD THE AGREEMENT AND THAT WE'VE ENTERED INTO AN AGREEMENT AND WE'RE WORKING ON FIXING THAT AGREEMENT.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENT, SIR.
GOOD EVENING. LONG TIME NO SEE.
BUT IN REGARDS TO HIS QUESTION, THE REASON THAT THAT IS IN QUESTION IS UNDER UNDER THE THE CALIFORNIA CODE, THERE'S SPECIFIC RULES ABOUT WHO CAN ACTUALLY HOLD THAT BUILDING AND THEY HAVE TO HAVE HAD A MEDAL.
OKAY. AND SO WHAT I RESEARCHED IS THAT THE AMERICAN LEGION'S DEFINITION OF VETERAN DOES NOT MATCH THE VETERAN DEFINITION THAT IS IN YOUR LEASE. THE DEFINITION OF VETERAN THAT IS DEFINED BY THE AMERICAN LEGION IS THE THE VA'S DEFINITION OF VETERAN. SO THEY CAN SO A PERSON WHO SERVES ONE DAY CAN BECOME AN AMERICAN LEGION AND ACCORDING TO YOUR LEASE AND THAT CODE.
LET ME GO AHEAD AND PULL IT OUT.
THAT CODE SAYS THAT ONLY PERSONS WHO HAVE RECEIVED A MEDAL.
AN ORGANIZATION THAT HAS RECEIVED A MEDAL.
AND IF YOU'VE BEEN IN THE MILITARY ONE DAY YOU'RE NOT GOING TO GET A MEDAL.
THEY HOLD THE VA'S DEFINITION OF VETERAN, SO IT DOES NOT MATCH THE CODE.
AND WHEN I LOOK ONLINE, AND WHEN I LOOK ONLINE AND YOU LOOK AT ANY, IN THE NEWSPAPER, WHEN THEY ANNOUNCE THAT BUILDING, THEY CALL IT THE AMERICAN LEGION HALL.
THEY DON'T CALL IT THE VETERANS HALL WHEN THEY ADVERTISE ANYTHING.
WHEN YOU LOOK ONLINE, IT SAYS AMERICAN LEGION HALL.
WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE ADDRESS FOR THE VFW, IT SAYS THERE IS NO ADDRESS.
I HAVE QUESTIONS ON THE LEASE AND THE CODE AND THE DEFINITION OF VETERANS.
THOSE THINGS, I THINK ARE REALLY IMPORTANT TO LOOK AT AND YOUR LEGAL SHOULD LOOK AT IT BECAUSE ACCORDING TO THE CODE OF CALIFORNIA, YOU HAVE TO HAVE HAD A MEDAL. THE ORGANIZATION HAS TO HOLD PEOPLE WHO HAVE HAD A MEDAL.
AND I READ A COPY OF IT FOR YOU HERE.
SO THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I'M QUESTIONING.
THE OTHER THING THAT I'M QUESTIONING IS THAT THE I WANT TO CLEAR UP SOME THINGS BECAUSE I THINK THERE'S SOME MISNOMERS ABOUT OR MISUNDERSTANDING ABOUT WHAT THIS TEN YEAR BATTLE HAS BEEN.
AND EVERYBODY HAS SAID IT'S THE VFW AGAINST THE AMERICAN LEGION.
I'M GOING TO GIVE YOU JUST A FEW MORE SECONDS TO KIND OF FINISH UP YOUR THOUGHT.
I'M SORRY, WE'RE KIND OF RUNNING SHORT ON TIME HERE.
AND I HAVE NAMES. I HAVE PEOPLE WHO CAN ATTEST TO THESE THINGS THAT WERE NOT VFW PEOPLE.
SO YOU HAVE MISUNDERSTANDING OF WHAT THAT'S ABOUT.
AND THE LAST THING I WANT TO SAY IS THAT THIS LEASE HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR A LONG TIME.
AND I DON'T KNOW WHY IT'S SO HARD TO BE INCLUSIVE.
[00:40:02]
SO THERE IS AN INTERNAL PROBLEM THAT YOU'RE NOT ADDRESSING.AND THIS LEASE PROMOTES PROMOTES THAT TO CONTINUE.
AND THAT LEASE HAS TO CHANGE IF YOU'RE GOING TO REALLY MAKE IT INCLUSIVE.
I WANT TO RESPOND TO THAT REALLY QUICKLY.
IT'S A MAINTENANCE AGREEMENT, NUMBER ONE.
AND I AND I AND LISTEN, I UNDERSTAND YOUR FRUSTRATION AND I UNDERSTAND YOUR QUESTIONS.
WE'RE JUST NOT GOING TO BE DISCUSSING POLICY ISSUES UP HERE.
I UNDERSTAND THAT. BUT I MISSED HIS MEETING TO ASK QUESTIONS BECAUSE HE HAD IT OUT.
THAT'S NOT TRUE. A PLACE THAT WAS UNSAFE FOR ME TO ATTEND.
YOU READY? YEP. MR. ESPINOSA, HOW ARE YOU? BOARD MEMBERS.
E-9, VETERAN OF THE VIETNAM DESERT STORM, IRAQ AND AFGHAN WARS.
AND I FIRST CAME HERE TO TALK TO YOU GUYS ABOUT, AGAIN, THE VETERANS MEMORIAL HALL.
DID YOU KNOW THAT THAT BUILDING WAS DEDICATED IN 1929? OKAY. BUT IT'S IN DEPLORABLE CONDITION.
YOU MAY NEED TO LOOK AT THAT, ESPECIALLY IN YOUR DISTRICT THERE, MR. PEDROZO, SO THAT WE CAN BRING THAT UP TO PAR.
IF YOU'RE TRYING TO ESTABLISH A YOU'RE CALLING IT NOW A MAINTENANCE AGREEMENT.
ALL THE AGREEMENTS THAT I LOOKED AT IN THE PAST, THEY'RE ALL LEASE AGREEMENTS.
WE NEED TO REMEMBER, WE JUST HAD MEMORIAL DAY.
THESE VETERANS THAT ARE HERE BEFORE YOU HAVE ALSO SACRIFICED, BUT THEY CAME HOME WITH THE GRACE OF GOD TO BE HERE AND LIVE AND WORK AND ENJOY THEIR TIME THAT THEY HAVE HERE AS VETERANS.
DID YOU KNOW THAT MERCED COUNTY PER CAPITA HAS THE LARGEST VETERAN GROUP IN THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA THAT YOU SHOULD TAKE PRIDE IN AND ESTABLISHING SOMETHING HERE SO THAT EVERYONE ELSE CAN SEE WHAT YOU'RE DOING FOR VETERANS, PEOPLE ARE GOING TO LOOK AT YOU AND REMEMBER WHAT YOU HAVE DONE IN YOUR SEAT.
I'M GOING TO ASK YOU, IS THERE A WORKING DRAFT OF A LEASE AND OR MAINTENANCE AGREEMENT FOR THIS VETERANS MEMORIAL BUILDING? YES, THERE IS A WORKING DRAFT OF IT.
OKAY. DO WE HAVE A TIME FRAME IN WHICH THAT WILL BE ISSUED? I'M NOT GOING TO DISCUSS POLICY MATTERS.
THAT'S NOT WHAT THIS FORUM IS FOR THIS YEAR.
NEXT YEAR? YOU DON'T HAVE TO GIVE ME AN EXACT DATE.
I'M GOING TO JUST GO OUT ON A LIMB HERE AND JUST SPEAK FOR MYSELF.
I'M PRETTY SURE IT'S GOING TO BE THIS YEAR.
OKAY. BECAUSE THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON TOO LONG.
I'VE BEEN HERE BEFORE YOU FOR NOW TEN MONTHS.
MY UNDERSTANDING IS THIS ISSUE HAS BEEN ONGOING FOR OVER TEN YEARS.
SO LET'S DO SOMETHING, PLEASE.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS, SIR.
HELLO. I'M NEW TO THIS, SO NOT FAMILIAR WITH YOUR FACES, BUT.
HELLO. SO I JUST WANTED TO START OFF BY SAYING THE BOARD CURRENTLY ALLOWS THREE MINUTES FOR EXPRESSION BI MONTHLY MEETINGS. THIS CAUSES STRESS AND MAKES IT DIFFICULT FOR THOSE WITH LANGUAGE BARRIERS AND PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES.
FOR EXAMPLE, MY NEIGHBOR IS DEAF AND I JUST WANT TO UNDERSTAND HOW SHE IS SUPPOSED TO UNDERSTAND WHAT IS GOING ON IN HER COMMUNITY WITHOUT SOMEONE SIGNING UP HERE TO TRANSLATE FOR HER.
AND I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'D LIKE TO SPEAK ON THAT BEFORE I BRING UP THE NEXT.
IF YOU TAKE YOUR QUESTIONS, WE HAVE SOMEBODY WRITING DOWN.
OKAY. ANOTHER ISSUE I WANT TO ADDRESS IS THE TIME AT WHICH BIMONTHLY MEETINGS ARE BEING HELD.
[00:45:06]
I UNDERSTAND THE MAJORITY OF THESE MEETINGS ARE HELD AT 10 A.M.WHILE MOST PEOPLE ARE AT WORK OR GOING TO COLLEGE DURING THE DAY.
AS YOUR CONSTITUENT WHO ATTENDS SCHOOL DURING THE DAY, HOW AM I OR OTHERS SUPPOSED TO VOICE OUR CONCERNS IF WE'RE NOT ABLE TO ATTEND THE MORNING MEETINGS? BASICALLY, I GUESS I'M TRYING TO SAY IF YOU WANT YOUNGER VOTERS TO SHOW UP AND PEOPLE IN YOUR COMMUNITY, YOU KNOW, WORKING CLASS PEOPLE WHO WORK DURING THE DAY, IT WOULD BE IT WOULD BE BEST TO HOLD THESE MEETINGS IN THE EVENING.
AND YEAH, AND I'M CURRENTLY STUDYING LAW, SO I KNOW THAT LAWS CAN BE AMENDED AND I KNOW THAT LAWS ARE DRIVEN BY THE NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITY AND SOCIETY.
AND WE JUST ASK THAT YOU ALLOW FIVE MINUTES INSTEAD OF THREE, AND ALSO THAT YOU MAKE THESE MEETINGS AVAILABLE IN THE EVENING TIME.
PERFECT. THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS.
ALL RIGHT. NOT SEEING ANYBODY.
WE ARE GOING TO MAKE SURE THAT I'M STAYING ON SCRIPT HERE.
AND I DO KNOW THAT MIKE SENT ME A MESSAGE THAT WE ALREADY DO HAVE SOME, SO.
MIKE YEAH. THANK YOU, CHAIRMAN SILVERA.
WE DO HAVE SOME QUESTIONS COMING IN.
THE FIRST SET PERTAINS TO OUR PUBLIC SAFETY PARTNERS, POSSIBLY THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE AND DEA.
I'LL TAKE THESE AS A GROUP ONE AT A TIME.
THE FIRST ONE IS WHAT CAN BE DONE TO REDUCE THE AMOUNT OF GRAFFITI IN OUR COMMUNITIES? WHAT ARE THE PENALTIES WHEN SOMEONE IS CAUGHT TAGGING PRIVATE OR PUBLIC PROPERTY? WHO DO WE WANT TO SEND THAT TO? I THINK WE'RE GOING TO START THAT.
GOOD EVENING. COREY GIBSON, UNDERSHERIFF REPRESENTING SHERIFF WARNKE AND THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE.
YEAH, GRAFFITI IS A BLIGHT ON THE COMMUNITY AND IT REALLY AFFECTS MANY.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S VERY HELPFUL IS IF YOU'RE ABLE TO DO VEGETATION OR SOME TYPE OF BARRIER BETWEEN WHATEVER BEING BEING MARKED UP AND REPORT THOSE THINGS IMMEDIATELY TO LAW ENFORCEMENT, SOME GRAFFITI HAS CRIMINAL ELEMENTS TO IT.
SOME OF THE GRAFFITI DOES NOT DOES NOT REALLY PERTAIN TO CRIMINAL ACTIVITY.
IT MAY JUST BE YOUNG ADULTS THAT ARE DOING INAPPROPRIATE BEHAVIOR.
SO THAT'S KIND OF THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT YOU HAVE TO PREVENT GRAFFITI.
AND YEAH, LIKE I SAID, CAMERAS LIGHTING AND ANY TYPE OF BARRIER.
PERFECT. MADAM, DO YOU WANT TO SPEAK TO WHAT ARE SOME OF THE PENALTIES IF SOMEONE IS CAUGHT? SO THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION AND THE OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS IT.
I AGREE WITH EVERYTHING THAT UNDERSHERIFF GIBSON SAID.
THE PENALTIES GRAFFITI IS A FORM OF VANDALISM.
SO BASICALLY IT MATTERS IF IT'S UNDER $400 OR OVER $400 OF DAMAGE.
WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT WHETHER OR NOT IT'S A MISDEMEANOR OR A FELONY, THAT'S THE THRESHOLD.
YEAH. SO IF THERE ARE PRIORS, THERE IS THAT ADDED ELEMENT.
I DON'T KNOW IF CHIEF ROCHESTER HAD SOMETHING TO ADD AS WELL.
THE PROBATION DEPARTMENT ALSO OPERATES A GRAFFITI ABATEMENT PROGRAM.
SO YOU CAN GO ON TO THE COUNTY WEBSITE, YOU CAN CLICK ON THE PROBATION LINK.
YOU'LL FIND THE GRAFFITI ABATEMENT.
BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE ARE VERY PROTECTIVE OF THEIR PRIVATE PROPERTY RIGHTS.
[00:50:06]
SO VERY IMPORTANT PIECE THERE.AND WE HAVE ANOTHER QUESTION FOR YOU.
YEAH, THE NEXT QUESTION IS WHAT STEPS CAN WE TAKE TO KEEP OUR KIDS AWAY FROM GANGS? THAT'S A VERY GOOD QUESTION.
IT'S VERY, VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE'RE VERY INVOLVED WITH THE YOUTH.
BE INVOLVED WITH YOUR KIDS, KNOW WHAT THEY'RE DOING.
IF YOU START SEEING THINGS THAT ARE CONCERNING, THERE'S A COUPLE OF OPPORTUNITIES.
I THINK THAT MIKE, I BELIEVE AND IF YOU COULD TELL MIKE, WE'VE BEEN HAVING QUESTIONS COME IN AND RIGHT BEFORE WE STARTED THE PUBLIC Q&A SECTION, MIKE, I KIND OF KNOW THE QUESTIONS HE'S GOING TO ASK BECAUSE HE JUST HANDED THEM OVER TO ME.
SO YOU HAVE SOME LIVE ONES COMING IN TO YOU WHEN WE'RE READY.
SO. OKAY, PERFECT. WELL, WE'RE GOING TO WE'RE GOING TO THE NEXT ONES THAT WE HAVE ON HERE IS FLOOD.
THERE'S A PARTICULAR QUESTION ABOUT FLOOD.
SO THE FLOOD QUESTION IS WHAT IS MERCED COUNTY DOING TO HELP PREVENT FLOODS? LIKE WHAT WE SAW IN JANUARY IS DEBRIS BEING CLEANED UP FROM OUR WATERWAYS AND LEVEES? MR. MENDEZ, DO YOU WANT TO TAKE THAT? YES, HAPPY TO.
THE COST TO REMOVE THE DEBRIS THAT'S THERE IS IS EXTENSIVE.
I KNOW WE RECENTLY RECEIVED SOME CORRESPONDENCE FROM CARLOS INDICATING THAT THAT SOME FUNDING WAS AVAILABLE TO TO MERCED COUNTY WHO WENT THROUGH THE PROCESS OF APPLICATION. THAT'S INFORMATION THAT WE'LL BE BRINGING TO THE BOARD PROBABLY AT YOUR NEXT BOARD MEETING, WHERE WE ALSO PLAN TO GIVE AN UPDATE ON OUR FLOOD RESPONSE AND RECOVERY EFFORTS. I KNOW BRIAN CAN SHARE SOME MORE DETAILS AS TO KIND OF WHAT OUR CREWS ARE DOING, BECAUSE I KNOW THEY'RE ALSO ACTIVELY RESPONDING TO INDIVIDUAL REQUESTS BECAUSE THE AMOUNT OF WORK THAT'S REQUIRED IS EXTENSIVE.
SO IT'S KIND OF BEEN MORE STRATEGIC USING SOME OF OUR PUBLIC WORK CREWS TO GET TO CERTAIN AREAS JUST TO ENSURE THAT WE'RE KEEPING HEALTH AND SAFETY ISSUES AT BAY. BUT I'LL TURN IT OVER TO BRIAN AND MAYBE SHARE A LITTLE BIT MORE INFORMATION ON THE DETAILS.
THE THE CREEKS HAVE BEEN CLEARED OF APPROXIMATELY 200,000YD³ OF VEGETATIVE DEBRIS THAT WE ARE WORKING TO GET CONTRACTS, EVERYTHING IN PLACE SO WE CAN START REMOVING THAT OFF OF THE CREEK BANKS NOW SO WE CAN START GETTING THAT UP, GETTING THOSE AREAS OPENED UP TO THE THE RESIDENTS THAT NEED THEM FOR THEIR BUSINESSES OR WHATEVER ELSE THAT IS BEING IMPACTED.
AT THIS POINT, WE HAVE OUR CREWS OUT REMOVING THAT DEBRIS, GETTING THAT, GETTING AHEAD OF THE GAME SO THAT THEY CAN GET OUT AND THEY CAN ACCESS ALL OF THEIR ORCHARDS OR THEIR AG LAND SO THAT THEY CAN CONTINUE THEIR OPERATIONS WHILE THIS PROCESS IS TAKING PLACE.
SO IT'S DEFINITELY A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT.
LUCKILY FOR US, WE'VE GOT A CONTRACTOR THAT HAS BEEN THERE, THE LOW BID.
SO WE'RE VERY FORTUNATE IN THAT REGARD.
BUT WE ARE WE ARE REMOVING IT IN DIFFERENT MANNER.
SOME OF IT WILL BE AS SIMPLE AS PICKING IT UP, PUTTING IN A TRUCK AND HAULING IT OFF.
[00:55:04]
SOME OF IT WILL BE CHIPPING, WHETHER IT'S THE LOGS AND LIMBS, CHIPPING THEM UP AND HAULING OFF THE SMALLER PORTIONS.SO IN REGARDS TO THE FIRST PART OF THE QUESTION, WHICH WAS WHAT ARE WE DOING TO TRY AND PREVENT THIS FROM OCCURRING AGAIN? SO WE ARE ALSO ACTIVELY ASSESSING VULNERABLE AREAS.
WE'RE WORKING WITH [INAUDIBLE] AND OUR FOLKS AND OTHERS TO IDENTIFY PROJECTS THAT WE CAN SUBMIT FOR FUNDING TO BE ABLE TO MAKE IMPROVEMENTS, LONG TERM IMPROVEMENTS, PERMANENT IMPROVEMENTS TO THOSE AREAS TO KIND OF SHORE UP AND DO THE PROPER REINFORCEMENT OF AREAS THAT THAT GAVE WAY RIGHT DURING THE STORM.
SO I KNOW, BRIAN AND MAYBE CHIEF PIMENTEL CAN KIND OF TALK TO THAT AS WELL.
CORRECT. YOU KNOW, WE ARE DOING EVERYTHING.
ONE OTHER THING THAT WE'VE DONE IS WE'VE ACTUALLY INSTALLED WATER LEVEL MONITORS IN THREE CREEKS THAT DID NOT HAVE THEM PRIOR TO SO SOME OF THE AREAS THAT HAVE BEEN IMPACTED WHERE WE HAD TO HAVE PEOPLE LITERALLY ON SITE LOOKING AND WATCHING TO SEE WHAT THE CANALS ARE DOING OR WHAT THE CREEK LEVEL IS.
WE ACTUALLY HAVE REMOTE MONITORING AVAILABLE FOR THREE OF THOSE AREAS NOW.
SO IT WILL HELP US KEEP AN EYE ON THINGS FROM A DISTANCE.
AND JUST ONE THING, IF ANY OF MY COLLEAGUES WANT TO JUMP IN AND COMMENT, PLEASE DON'T BE AFRAID TO.
BUT I JUST WANTED TO ADD, YOU KNOW, SO AS WE TALK AND FOLKS ARE LISTENING, FOLKS IN MCSWAIN, OUR FOLKS IN PLANADA THAT HAVE HAD TO DEAL WITH FEMA AND THE CHALLENGES THAT, YOU KNOW, THESE ARE FEDERAL RULES.
WE WE WE HAVE TO FOLLOW THOSE SAME RULES.
SO IN THIS DEBRIS REMOVAL, WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL THE DOCUMENTATION THAT WE SUBMIT THAT EVERY I IS DOTTED AND EVERY T IS CROSSED BECAUSE IN SOME CASES, THE COUNTY, THE LOCAL TAXPAYERS WERE FRONTING THE BILL.
THERE'S WORK THAT HAS BEEN GOING ON THAT WE'RE HOPING THAT WE DO.
SO JUST AS FRUSTRATED AS MAYBE SOME FOLKS THAT ARE WATCHING ARE WITH THE FEMA PROCESS HERE AT THE COUNTY, WE'RE, AT LEAST I'LL SAY FOR ME, WE'RE FRUSTRATED WITH IT, TOO.
AND AND I JUST WANT TO ADD TO THAT.
I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, HOPEFULLY WE NEVER HAVE TO SEE FEMA HERE AGAIN.
AND I REALLY THOUGHT IT WAS BENEFICIAL FOR THE SHORT TIME THAT I WAS ABLE TO ATTEND AND TALKING ABOUT SOME OF THOSE ASPECTS SO THAT WE CAN BE MORE PROACTIVE INSTEAD OF REACTIVE. AND SO I THINK THAT WAS REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE UNDERSTAND WE CAN'T STOP THE FLOODING EVER, BUT WE CAN AT LEAST MAKE SURE THAT IT'S NOT AS DRASTIC. OKAY.
GOOD EVENING, EVERYBODY. MR. CHAIR, I HAD MORE AND MORE COMMENT FOR.
OKAY, IF YOU WOULDN'T MIND ONE SECOND.
GO AHEAD. YEAH, I JUST WANTED TO ADDRESS PUBLIC WORKS BECAUSE I HAVE GOTTEN CALLS REGARDING THE BANKS, ALL THE DEBRIS THAT WE CLEANED IT FROM THE CREEKS ON TOP OF THE CANALS. AND I KNOW THAT WE'RE TRYING TO ADDRESS IT, BUT ALSO, TOO, ON THE CANALS BEHIND PLANADA, A LOT CONCERNS WITH RESIDENTS SOMETIMES DIGGING INTO THE CANALS SO WE CAN ALSO ADDRESS IT WITH THEM AND MAKE SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, LIKE I SAID, WE GOT A LOT OF HOMELESS IN THE BACK LIVING AROUND THERE CLOSE TO THE CANALS.
AND SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE CANALS ARE BRINGING HIGH WATERS.
NOW THAT THEY DON'T YOU KNOW, THE WATER DOESN'T GO INTO BEHIND THOSE HOMES.
SO IF WE CAN ADDRESS THAT, PLEASE.
GREAT. CHIEF, THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY.
I JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WERE MENTIONED HERE.
SOME OF THOSE AREAS THAT YOU JUST MENTIONED.
NOW WE'RE WORKING WITH DPW, OUR OFFICE AND THOSE FEDERAL PARTNERS AND THE STATE [INAUDIBLE] PARTNERS AS WELL, TRYING TO ASSESS SOME OF THOSE ISSUES THAT WE NOTICED THAT WE HAD SEEN THROUGH THESE EVENTS AND OBVIOUSLY TRY TO CONTINUE TO MOVE FORWARD IN IMPROVING THOSE WATERWAYS.
[01:00:09]
AGAIN. BUT I JUST ASSURE YOU THE WEATHER IS GETTING A LITTLE BIT BETTER.IT'S GETTING A LITTLE WARMER, BUT THEN STILL HAVE THOSE FLOOD ISSUES THAT WE'RE STILL ADDRESSING.
AND I THINK WE'LL BE ADDRESSING THOSE FOR THE NEXT YEAR TO COME.
WORKING ON ASSESSING AND GETTING THOSE FUNDS AND SOME OF THAT DOCUMENTATION THAT HAD BEEN REFERRED TO EARLIER TO THOSE AGENCIES IN ORDER TO GET SOME REFUNDING BACK FOR THE COUNTY TO ACTUALLY BOLSTER UP OUR PROGRAMS AND WORK ON THOSE WATERWAYS AND MAKE SURE THAT WE DON'T HAVE THOSE ISSUES AGAIN.
RIGHT. OKAY. I THINK WE'LL NOW TAKE A QUESTION COMING IN ON FACEBOOK.
YANIV IS ASKING FOR AN UPDATE ON SANTANELLA PARK.
ALSO, IS THE MAINTENANCE SLASH LANDSCAPING GOING TO CONTINUE OR IS IT A ONE TIME CLEANUP IN THE SANTANELLA RESIDENTIAL AREA? MR. BAIN I THINK THAT WILL BE A QUESTION FOR YOU, SIR.
SO VERY EXCITING NEWS COMING OUT OF SANTANELLA.
WE'RE WORKING WITH AN ENGINEERING FIRM, O'DELL ENGINEERING, TO DO SOME DESIGN WORK FOR THAT PARK.
WE HAD COMMUNITY MEETING BACK IN DECEMBER.
WE MET WITH SUPERVISOR ESPINOZA, SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA WERE THERE AND GOT INPUT.
DESIGN THAT WE HAVE THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT THERE.
WE SHOULD BE FINALIZING THOSE PLANS HERE COMING UP.
AND THE COUNTY HAS APPLIED FOR A GRANT THAT WOULD HELP START FUNDING THIS PROJECT.
WE'RE WORKING WITH THE WATER DISTRICT HERE SO WE CAN GET A CAN AND WILL SERVE LETTER.
THAT'S GOING TO BE A BIG HURDLE FOR US BECAUSE WATER IS SO VALUABLE IN THE SANTANELLA AREA.
THEY SAID ON PAPER EVERYTHING LOOKS GOOD.
THEY JUST NEED TO GET THAT FINALIZED SO WE CAN GET THAT SET UP AND READY TO GO.
SO THAT IS SOMETHING I KNOW IS, YOU KNOW, NEGLECTED FOR A LITTLE BIT.
BUT WE DID GET A NEW LANDSCAPING SERVICE, GOT THEM IN THERE.
SO THEY'RE PLAYING CATCH UP NOW.
BUT THAT IS GOING TO BE A LONG TERM SOLUTION, NOT JUST A ONE TIME THING.
SO SO JUST TO REITERATE THAT THE LANDSCAPING CONTRACT THAT'S ONGOING SERVICE OUT THERE.
YEP. YEAH. IT'S NOT A ONE TIME SERVICE.
VERY GOOD. THANK YOU, SIR. YEAH. JUST TO MENTION AGAIN, BRIAN, REGARDING SANTANELLA, WHEN I MET LAST WEEK WITH SOME OF THE CULTIVARS ALLOWED, THEY HAD A MEETING REGARDING THE PARK AS WELL WHICH I ADDRESSED ALREADY WITH YOU AND, AND YOU KNOW, THE LAST MEETING AS WELL ON THE LANDSCAPING.
IT'S CALLED SANTANELLA ROAD; RIGHT? RIGHT. SO, UM, UH, AS WELL.
AND THEN ALSO THE, THE ROAD THAT GOES TO, UH, UH, THE MARINO SCHOOL, CORRECT? YEAH, THAT THE LANDSCAPING.
I THINK IT'S ALL THE EASEMENT COUNTY EASEMENT.
IT'S, THERE'S TALL GRASS ALREADY, SO.
AND I KNOW THE FIRE DEPARTMENT IS CLOSE BY THERE, SO I THINK ADDRESS IT WITH MARK PIMENTEL TO MAKE SURE THAT WE, YOU KNOW, WE CLEAN THAT UP AS WELL BECAUSE EVERYBODY'S CONCERNED BECAUSE THE HOMES ARE JUST YOU KNOW, THE WIND COMES EVERY NIGHT AND, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A FIRE THERE.
I DON'T WANT TO MENTION HIS NAME, BUT HE NEVER DOES ANYTHING.
OKAY. YEAH. THE ABATEMENT NOTICES COME FROM THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.
AND AFTER YOU AND I TALKED, I DID TALK WITH CHIEF PIMENTEL AND HE SAID THAT THEY HAVE BEEN ISSUED A NOTICE THIS YEAR, SO THEY SHOULD BE GETTING THAT CLEARED UP HERE SOONER RATHER THAN LATER. OKAY.
AND ALSO, I KNOW THAT THE COUNTY IS WORKING ON THE CROSSING THERE ON THE CROSSING LANE OR SIGNALIZATION, TO MAKE SURE TO PREVENT ACCIDENTS OR PEDESTRIANS FROM BEING HIT.
SO ACROSS HENRY MILLER, I THINK IN 33.
OKAY. OUR NEXT QUESTION IS FROM ALEJANDRO ON FACEBOOK.
THE QUESTION IS, WHAT MEASURES IS MERCED COUNTY TAKING TO ADDRESS THE SIGNIFICANT IMPACT OF UC MERCED'S GROWTH ON THE ALREADY EXISTING HOUSING PROBLEM IN THE COUNTY? HOW IS THE COUNTY COLLABORATING WITH THE UNIVERSITY TO ENSURE THAT ADEQUATE HOUSING SOLUTIONS ARE IN PLACE TO MITIGATE THE STRAIN ON THE LOCAL HOUSING MARKET? GIVE ME ONE SECOND HERE AND PREVENT FURTHER EXACERBATION OF THE ISSUE.
[01:05:01]
OKAY. WHO WANTS TO TAKE THAT ONE? UM, MR. MISTER MENDEZ, I'LL LET YOU START AND THEN.YEAH, I THINK I'M GOING TO CALL OUR ASSISTANT CEO, MARK HENDRICKSON, WHO ALSO WEARS OUR COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR HAT FOR A FEW MORE WEEKS TO KIND OF ADDRESS SOME OF THE COLLABORATION THAT'S OCCURRING BETWEEN THE COUNTY, CITY AND MERCED, MERCED AND OTHER ADJOINING PROPERTIES.
PERFECT. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
GOOD EVENING. AND I THINK THE CEO'S TEED IT UP VERY WELL.
I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF DIFFERENT ANSWERS TO THAT QUESTION, ALL OF WHICH ARE REALLY ROOTED IN WHAT? ARE WE DOING AS A COUNTY IN PARTNERSHIP WITH OTHER AGENCIES? ONE QUICK PROJECT THAT I ACTUALLY JUST WANT TO MAYBE BRIEFLY HIGHLIGHT IS THE VIRGINIA SMITH TRUST PROJECT, WHICH IS A PROJECT THAT'S GOING TO BRING LITERALLY THOUSANDS UPON THOUSANDS OF UNITS OF VERY VARYING TYPES FOR LOW INCOME INDIVIDUALS, FOR PROFESSORS, FOR POTENTIAL COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENTS. ESSENTIALLY GOING TO BE A BRAND NEW TOWN IN FAIRLY CLOSE PROXIMITY TO THE UNIVERSITY ITSELF.
THAT'S A PRETTY PHENOMENAL OPPORTUNITY AND PROJECT.
BUT EVEN BEYOND THE HOUSING BENEFITS THAT THAT PROJECT WILL BRING, WHICH ARE MANY.
WHAT THAT PROJECT WILL DO WILL ACTUALLY GENERATE SCHOLARSHIP REVENUE SO THAT CHILDREN FROM THIS COUNTY ULTIMATELY, I THINK THE GOAL IS FOR ALL STUDENTS IN THIS COUNTY TO ACTUALLY GET SCHOLARSHIPS TO SCHOOLS OF HIGHER LEARNING, NOTABLY THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, MERCED.
THIS IS A PROJECT THAT, AGAIN, IS IS IS BEING DONE AGAIN IN CONCERT WITH THE UNIVERSITY, THE CITY OF MERCED, THE MERCED COUNTY OFFICE OF EDUCATION, ALL BEING VERY MINDFUL OF THE FACT THAT WE DO HAVE A NEED IN THIS COMMUNITY.
BUT THE BROADER QUESTION, EVEN ASIDE FROM OBVIOUSLY THE UNIVERSITY QUESTION AND THE GROWTH THAT'S BEING INDUCED FROM IT IS WHAT ARE WE DOING ON A BROADER SCALE? THIS BOARD HAS BEEN FIRMLY COMMITTED TO A WHOLE HOST OF DIFFERENT STRATEGIES RELATED TO WHAT CAN WE DO TO BRING AFFORDABLE HOUSING, WHAT CAN WE DO TO BRING ADDITIONAL HOUSING STOCK? THERE ARE POCKETS THROUGHOUT THIS ENTIRE COUNTY WHERE THIS BOARD IS TAKING AFFIRMATIVE ACTIONS IN THAT RESPECT.
AND SO WE'RE PRETTY PROUD OF THAT.
WE'VE GOT MORE WORK TO DO. OF COURSE, THIS IS A IT'S A TOUGH, TOUGH ISSUE.
YOU KNOW, IN THIS ENTIRE STATE.
THIS IS NOT UNIQUE TO MERCED COUNTY.
SO THIS COUNTY AND THIS BOARD IS GOING TO, I THINK IT'S FAIR TO SAY, CONTINUE TO HAVE A RAZOR SHARP FOCUS ON DOING WHAT IS NECESSARY TO ADVANCE HOUSING STOCK, TO INCREASE OPPORTUNITIES FOR RESIDENTS, WHICH IS NOT ONLY IMPORTANT FOR WHERE PEOPLE LIVE, BUT WHERE PEOPLE ARE GOING TO BE WORKING.
TIFFANY, ANYTHING ELSE YOU WANT TO ADD TO THAT? GOOD. GOOD EVENING, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
AND SO IN TALKING ABOUT COLLABORATION WITH THE U.S.
AND WITH THE CITY ON WORKING ON HOUSING ISSUES KIND OF RELATED TO THE U.S.
SO THE COUNTY IS COMMITTED IN COLLABORATION WITH THE MERCED COUNTY ASSOCIATION OF GOVERNMENTS, AS WELL AS OUR SIX INCORPORATED CITIES ON A MULTI JURISDICTIONAL HOUSING ELEMENT, WHICH WILL LOOK AT HOW THE COUNTY AND THOSE SIX CITIES ADDRESS HOUSING FOR ALL INCOME LEVELS IN THE COUNTY.
SO IF YOU WANT TO CHECK IT OUT, WE DO HAVE LINKS TO OUR WEBSITE, WW DOT COUNTY Z.COM THAT HAS A LINK TO OUR PROJECT WEBSITE, WHICH IS BEING SPONSORED BY MERCED COUNTY ASSOCIATION OF GOVERNMENTS.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU, TIFFANY.
ANY COMMENTS? SUPERVISOR MENDOZA? YEAH, MR. CHAIR. THANK YOU.
ONE OF THE THINGS ABOUT IN REGARDS TO USING MERCED GROWTH AND THAT THAT ALSO DEALS WITH IS ALSO THE THE ADDITION OF THE LOW INCOME COMMUNITIES AROUND AROUND THE CITY OF MERCED.
I THINK WE HAVE AN OBLIGATION.
YOU KNOW, I FEEL LIKE I HAVE AN OBLIGATION TO ALSO PUSH THE CITY OF MERCED TO INCORPORATE THOSE SOUNDS, THOSE COMMUNITIES OR ISLANDS AROUND THE CITY, ESPECIALLY THE LOW INCOME AND P STREET AND CHARLES, WHICH AS WE'VE BEEN ADDRESSING SIDEWALKS AND SERVICES ON THE WEST SIDE, ALSO ON THE EAST SIDE, HIGHWAY 140, WHICH GOES ON EASY STREET, JUST PAST CAMPUS PARKWAY.
ALL THAT ALL THOSE OLDER HOMES WHICH IS BEING SERVICED BY WATER FROM THE CITY OF OF MERCED.
BUT THERE'S BARELY ENOUGH WATER.
THERE'S ONLY A SMALL LINES THAT FEED TO THOSE CITIES.
THERE'S A FIRE ON ANY OF THE HOMES.
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THERE'S NOT ENOUGH WATER TO TO SUPPLEMENT TO PUT OUT THOSE FIRES.SO THAT'S YOU KNOW, I ASSUME THEY HAVE HIGH INSURANCE RATES FOR THOSE HOMES.
THEY IT'S AN OBLIGATION FOR THEM TO ALSO CONSIDER APPROVING THOSE AREAS INTO THE CITY LIMITS.
RIGHT? THEY DID THAT TO SOME PART OF THE ATWATER AREA AS WELL, TOO.
SO I JUST WANT TO ADDRESS THAT.
THANK YOU. YEAH, I'LL TAKE AN OPPORTUNITY TO COMMENT ON IT IS, AS THE QUESTION WAS SPECIFIC TO UC MERCED, UC MERCED HAS ACHIEVED SPECIAL LEGISLATION TO ALLOW IT TO BE ANNEXED.
IT ALLOWS FOR UC MERCED TO BE ANNEXED.
WHAT I THINK MY COLLEAGUE WAS ALLUDING TO IS, IS AS THE CITY GROWS, I'M GOING TO CALL IT MORE ORGANICALLY, YOU KNOW, THE WHOLE WHOLE REASON FOR LAFCO IS FOR YOU'RE LOOKING FOR UNIFORMED ANNEXATIONS BACK IN THE DAY, THEY USED TO ANNEX ONE LANE OF ONE ROAD FOR MILES DOWN THE ROAD TO GET TO A NEIGHBORHOOD THAT THEY WANTED IN THEIR CITY.
AND THEREFORE LAFCO WAS STARTED.
AND I THINK THAT THAT'S PART OF THE CONSIDERATIONS THAT ANY LAFCO MEMBER MAKES WHEN THE CITY WANTS TO DEVELOP IS THERE'S SPECIAL PARTS OF THE KURT KNOX HERTZBERG ACT THAT REQUIRES CITIES, THESE DISADVANTAGED, UNINCORPORATED COMMUNITIES, THEY CALL THEM DUCKS, RIGHT? DISADVANTAGED, UNINCORPORATED COMMUNITIES.
SO AS AS CITIES LOOK TO EXPAND THEIR SPHERE, EXPAND, RIGHT.
COUNTY DOESN'T ANNEX FROM CITIES, CITIES ANNEX FROM COUNTIES.
BUT AS THEY THEY LOOK FOR THOSE ANNEXATIONS ABSOLUTELY.
I AGREE WITH YOU THAT THAT WE'RE TASKED WITH SAYING THAT YOU IN ORDER TO CONSIDER ANNEXING OR WHERE IT'S NOT AN UNINCORPORATED COMMUNITY BUT JUST UNINCORPORATED LAND, YOU HAVE TO CONSIDER ANNEXING THOSE UNINCORPORATED THOSE DISADVANTAGED, UNINCORPORATED COMMUNITIES.
SO ANYBODY ELSE HAVE ANY COMMENTS ON THAT? ALL RIGHT. OKAY.
OUR NEXT QUESTION IS ON ZOOM, AND IT'S FROM LEADERSHIP COUNCIL.
AND MR. CHAIR, THIS IS A MULTI-PART QUESTION, SO LET'S TAKE THEM ONE AT A TIME.
I HAVE A FEW QUESTIONS. FIRST, WHAT IS MERCED COUNTY'S PLAN TO ADDRESS RESIDENTS TRANSPORTATION PRIORITIES IN UNINCORPORATED SOUTH MERCED ON CONE AVENUE, JOYCE AVENUE AND SP STREET? OKAY, I'M GOING TO BELIEVE SUPERVISOR ESPINOZA.
THAT'S IN YOUR DISTRICT. YOU WANT TO? WELL, WE ADDRESSED CONE STREET, RIGHT? THEY WANTED SPEED BUMPS.
THIS I THINK THE COUNTY ADDRESSED IT, THAT THERE WAS A PART OF THAT IS CITY.
PART OF THAT IS COUNTY. SO THERE'S ENOUGH THERE'S NOT ENOUGH ROAD THERE OR YOU KNOW, THERE WAS A ANALYSIS AND IT DIDN'T QUALIFY FOR A SPEED BUMP. SO THAT WASN'T ABLE TO MOVE TO.
I KNOW THAT TRANSPORTATION IS AN ISSUE THERE WITH HIGH SPEEDERS THERE.
SO I GUESS WE HAVE TO DO SOMETHING.
SO WE'RE STILL ADDRESSING THAT.
WHAT WAS THE OTHER ONE? UH, YOU GOT CONE AVENUE.
THERE'S JOYCE AVENUE AND SP STREET, SOUTH SOUTH STREET.
JOYCE AVENUE, SUPERVISOR ESPINOZA.
JOYCE? I CAN'T REMEMBER THAT ONE.
OKAY. OKAY. JUST I JUST WANT TO COMMENT JUST QUICKLY OR CAN YOU SAY IS IT ABOUT THE TRANSPORTATION TALK ON YOUR MICROPHONE? WHAT ARE WE DOING TO ADDRESS RESIDENTS TRANSPORTATION, TRANSPORTATION PRIORITIES IN UNINCORPORATED SOUTH MERCED? OKAY, WELL, THE TRANSPORTATION, UM, THEY HAVEN'T, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A BUS BUSSING.
BUT THEY WOULD NEED TO COME CALL US REGARDING THE BUS IF THERE'S ANY SERVICES THAT ARE NEEDED THERE.
AND THEN WE'LL ADDRESS IT AND WE'LL PUSH IT THROUGH.
THE SECOND PART OF THE QUESTION IS SIMILARLY WHAT IS THE PLAN TO ADDRESS SIDEWALKS AND SPEED REDUCTION INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDED IN DELHI ON SYCAMORE LEWIS COURT, MERCED AVENUE AND SHINDELL AVENUE? SUPERVISOR PAREIRA I'VE WELL, SO I THINK THOSE ARE WELL, FIRST OF ALL, SIDEWALKS.
UM, WE'LL ADDRESS THAT ONE FIRST.
SIDEWALKS ARE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE PROPERTY OWNER.
[01:15:01]
AND SO IF YOU KNOW, THE COUNTY CAN HELP FACILITATE, IF THERE'S A GROUP OF PROPERTY OWNERS THAT WANT TO CREATE SIDEWALKS IN FRONT OF THEIR PLACE, YOU KNOW, I THINK WE CAN SIT DOWN AND TALK AND AND WORK THROUGH THAT WITH THEM.WHAT WE DO AND WHAT WE HAVE DONE RIGHT.
WE DID STEFAN STREET ALREADY AND THEN WE DID SHANKS ROAD AND YOU SAID LEWIS COURT.
SO WE JUST DID SIDEWALKS ON SHANKS ALL THE WAY FROM LA TO WHERE THE SIDEWALKS ENDED DOWN TO LEWIS CIRCLE, WHERE THE SIDEWALK STARTED AGAIN AT THE AT THE OPPOSITE END.
AS FAR AS SPEEDING, YOU KNOW, AT MY MAC MEETINGS, I TELL EVERYBODY, IF PEOPLE ARE SPEEDING, YOU KNOW, CALL CHP AND IF YOU CAN GIVE THEM THE TIME OF DAY THAT THAT THIS IS HAPPENING, THAT THEY'LL COME OUT.
AND THEN THAT SLOWS DOWN THE SPEEDING.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, THAT ONE JUST BECOMES AN ENFORCEMENT ISSUE.
OKAY. THANK YOU. THIRD PART OF THE QUESTION, IT'S KIND OF A LENGTHY ONE.
HOW WILL MERCED COUNTY ADDRESS ODOR COMPLAINTS FROM DAIRIES? HOW WILL MERCED COUNTY ADDRESS RESIDENTS AIR QUALITY, GROUNDWATER QUALITY AND GROUNDWATER OVERDRAFT CONCERNS ABOUT THE EIGHT DIFFERENT LARGE SCALE DAIRY EXPANSIONS UNDERWAY RIGHT NOW? WHEN WILL MERCED COUNTY DO CLIMATE ADAPTION PLANNING AS REQUIRED BY SB 379 TO BETTER BE PREPARED FOR CLIMATE DISASTERS IN THE FUTURE? SO, MR. CHAIR, BEFORE WE GO ON, I THINK THERE WAS A QUESTION REGARDING TRANSLATION.
I THOUGHT WE HAD SOMEBODY TRANSLATING.
DID THEY LEAVE? NO, THEY'RE STILL HERE, RIGHT? TRANSLATION SERVICES ARE STILL HERE.
IS THERE SOMEBODY NEW THAT NEEDED THAT JUST WALKED IN? OKAY. I THINK IT WAS. AND BACK.
THANK YOU. SO I THINK WHAT I'M GOING TO DO IS I'M.
TIFFANY. WOULD YOU LIKE TO ADDRESS WHEN MERCED COUNTY DO CLIMATE ADAPTATION PLANNING AS REQUIRED BY SB 379 TO BETTER BE PREPARED FOR CLIMATE DISASTERS IN THE FUTURE? YEAH. SO WE ARE CURRENTLY IN THE PROCESS OF WORKING ON OUR CLIMATE ACTION PLANNING.
IT HAS BEEN QUITE SOME TIME BECAUSE WE ARE LOOKING AT ALSO DOING AN INVENTORY ON AG.
USUALLY A LOT OF OTHER CLIMATE ACTION PLANS HAVE NOT INCORPORATED IN AGRICULTURE IN.
TORY, BUT BECAUSE AGRICULTURE.
AGRICULTURE IS SUCH A BIG INDUSTRY HERE.
WE ALSO HOPE TO INCORPORATE THAT IN OUR ACTION PLANNING INTO GENERAL PLAN UPDATES, WHICH WE'RE HOPING TO KIND OF START SOON AFTER OUR HOUSING ELEMENT UPDATE. BUT OF COURSE, ONE THING AT A TIME, LOTS OF POLICIES GOING ON, BUT AS TIME PROGRESSES, WE'LL KEEP THE BOARD INFORMED ON THESE.
YEAH, PERFECT. SO ANYONE WANT TO ADDRESS HOW MERCED COUNTY ADDRESSES ODOR COMPLAINTS FROM DAIRIES? YOU WANT TO TAKE A STAB AT THAT? YEAH, I CAN TAKE A STAB.
SO WHENEVER WE DO DAIRY EXPANSIONS, WE DO LOOK AT NUMEROUS DIFFERENT TYPES OF POLICY CONSIDERATIONS.
WHEN IT COMES TO ODOR, WE DO HAVE A 1000 FOOT WIND SHED.
SO ANY RESIDENTS THAT ARE IN THE 1000 FOOT ARE NOTIFIED THAT THEY HAVE TO BASICALLY PROVIDE PERMISSION TO THE DAIRIES AND THE COUNTY OF MERCED TO PROCEED ON APPLICATIONS THAT WILL LOOK TO EXPANSIONS.
IF THERE WAS A NEW RESIDENCE THAT WOULD LIKE TO ESTABLISH WITHIN 1000FT OF A DAIRY, THEN THOSE SAME RESIDENTS HAVE TO GET PERMISSION FROM THE DAIRIES BECAUSE OF THE IMPACTS TO THAT DAIRY OPERATION AND ITS ABILITY TO EXPAND.
IF THERE ARE ANY ISSUES THAT COMES WITH ODOR COMPLAINTS, WE CAN TAKE THEM IN THROUGH OUR DIVISION OF ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH AND WE CAN INVESTIGATE IT AND SEE WHAT CAN BE DONE ON THAT PART. PERFECT.
THANK YOU. YEAH. AND I GUESS I'M JUST GOING TO SAY I'M PROBABLY THE WRONG PERSON TO ASK ABOUT ODOR COMPLAINTS ON DAIRIES THAT I'VE MADE NO SECRET HERE THAT I GREW UP IN THE DAIRY BUSINESS. AND I JUST HAVE A DIFFERENT TAKE WHEN I SMELL A DAIRY.
I MEAN, THAT BRINGS BACK NOW THAT I'M NOT IN THE BUSINESS, BRINGS BACK A LOT OF MEMORIES.
IT'S THE MONEY THAT IT COSTS TO MAKE IT.
IT'S THE MONEY THAT THAT POTENTIALLY COULD BE GENERATED WHEN IT GETS FED TO COWS.
[01:20:04]
SO I'M PROBABLY THE WRONG I DON'T YOU COULD EVEN ASK MY KIDS.YES. WHEN YOU DRIVE BY DAIRIES, SOMETIMES YOU CATCH THE WIND, RIGHT? YOU CATCH A LITTLE BIT OF ODOR.
BUT IT'S NOT A BAD THING IN MY HOUSE.
SO I'M PROBABLY THE WRONG PERSON TO ASK ABOUT THAT.
THEY'RE ALWAYS HERE TO COMMENT AND WE ALWAYS APPRECIATE EVERYONE'S COMMENTS.
DAIRY AND DAIRIES HAVE BEEN HERE FOR FOR A LONG, LONG TIME.
AND I KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, IT'S IN MOST CASES THE DAIRIES HAVE BEEN THERE BEFORE THE HOUSES CAME.
AND THEN PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, I CAN SPEAK SPECIFICALLY TO LIKE THE CITY OF LOS BANOS WHEN YOU BUY A HOME IN THE CITY OF LOS BANOS ON YOUR DEED, IT SAYS FARMERS HAVE THE RIGHT TO FARM YOU IF YOU IF YOU READ ALL THE PAPERWORK.
THERE'S AN OLD SAYING IN AGRICULTURE, YOU'VE GOT TO MAKE HAY WHEN THE SUN SHINES.
YOU KNOW, FOR EXAMPLE, 30 YEARS AGO, YOU WANT A BIG YOU WANTED A BIGGER LAGOON.
YOU JUST WENT OUT AND DUG ONE.
I'M SORRY, AND I'M NOT AFRAID TO ADMIT THAT IT'S OUR NUMBER ONE INDUSTRY.
AND, YOU KNOW, IN MY LITTLE, YOU KNOW, WE MILKED 250 TO 300 COWS BACK TO BACK.
YOU KNOW, WE HAD A TOTAL OF ABOUT 450 HEAD.
MY LITTLE OPERATION I USED EVERY MONTH WHEN I WROTE OUT CHECKS, I WROTE OUT 40 CHECKS A MONTH.
SO I FEEL LIKE SOMETIMES PEOPLE WANT TO LOOK AT IT JUST ONE SIDED.
AND SO, AGAIN, I THINK THAT THERE'S A REASON WHY DAIRY IS OUR IS OUR NUMBER ONE INDUSTRY.
AND IT'S NOT ONLY THE PEOPLE THAT IT DIRECTLY EMPLOYS, BUT IT'S ALL THE PEOPLE AROUND IT.
YES. SUPERVISOR PEDROZO YEAH, I JUST WANT TO SECOND WHAT HE SAID.
AND SHE SAID, WHAT IS THAT SMELL? I SAID, IT'S THE SMELL OF MONEY.
AND SO IT IS IT IS AN INCONVENIENCE.
I UNDERSTAND THAT, BUT DAIRY FARMERS TODAY ARE DOING SO MUCH.
AND I WOULD I WOULD PUT UP DAIRY FARMERS AS GREAT ENVIRONMENTALISTS AND STEWARDS OF THE ENVIRONMENT BECAUSE THEY'RE DOING EVERYTHING THEY CAN TO BE GOOD NEIGHBORS AROUND THE PEOPLE THAT THEY THEY LIVE BY AND THEY WORK BY.
IT'S ABOUT THE BUSINESS ASPECT OF IT.
AND SO THERE'S MONEY THAT COMES FROM IT, BUT IT'S ALSO IT'S MULTIPLYING, RIGHT? SO IF YOU'RE PAYING YOUR PHARMACEUTICAL GUY, YOU'RE PAYING YOUR EMPLOYEES, YOU'RE PAYING YOUR HARDWARE STORE, THEY HAVE TO PAY SOMETHING ALSO.
SO THAT MONEY'S GOING TO MULTIPLY.
SO IT'S A VERY BIG INDUSTRY BECAUSE OF THAT REASON.
SO I UNDERSTAND THE CONCERNS, BUT I DO THINK THAT WE HAVE TO REALLY LOOK AT WHAT WE'RE DOING AND HOW WE'RE WHAT THE DAIRY FARMERS ARE ACTUALLY PROVIDING TO OUR COMMUNITY.
AND I'LL JUST ADD ONE MORE THING.
YOU KNOW, IT'S IT'S SO MUCH FURTHER ABOVE AND BEYOND WHERE IT IS ANYWHERE ELSE IN THE COUNTRY.
AND SO I THINK THAT THEY'RE DOING IT RIGHT.
THIS IS HOW THEIR FAMILIES AND THE FAMILIES THAT WORK WITH THEM, THAT'S HOW THEY MAKE THEIR LIVING.
THEY HAVE NO INTENTION OF DESTROYING THE VERY THING THAT THAT FEEDS THEIR FAMILY.
[01:25:07]
ANYBODY ELSE? THANK YOU, SIR.MIKE. OKAY, NEXT UP IS YANETH AGAIN ON FACEBOOK.
WHY HAS MERCED COUNTY CONSISTENTLY FAILED TO ADEQUATELY ADEQUATELY ADDRESS THE DEPLORABLE STATE OF COUNTY ROADS? DESPITE YEARS OF COMPLAINTS AND CONCERNS FROM RESIDENTS? WHAT CONCRETE STEPS IS THE COUNTY TAKING TO RECTIFY THIS PROBLEM? ARE THERE ANY PLANS TO ALLOCATE ADDITIONAL RESOURCES OR PRIORITIZE ROAD REPAIR PROJECTS TO FINALLY IMPROVE THE DIRE CONDITION OF MERCED COUNTY'S ROAD INFRASTRUCTURE? BRIAN, RIGHT ON CUE, SIR.
SO BETWEEN THE MEASURE V SALES TAX INCREASE HERE AND THE SB 1 GAS TAX, MERCED COUNTY HAS MADE A LOT OF PROGRESS IN ROAD IMPROVEMENTS OVER THE LAST ABOUT SIX YEARS OR SO.
I ACTUALLY HAPPEN TO HAVE A LIST HERE OF ALL THE ROADS PROJECTS THAT WERE FUNDED BY SB ONE AND MEASURE V, AND THERE ARE ROADS IN EVERY DISTRICT THAT HAVE BEEN COMPLETED ARE SCHEDULED TO BE COMPLETED AND ARE ON UPCOMING REPLACEMENT.
WE WORK WITH THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS EVERY YEAR, SHARE, YOU KNOW, GET LISTS WITH THEM.
I THINK WE DISCUSSED THIS LAST NIGHT AT YOUR TOWN HALL CHAIRMAN.
I THINK IT WAS 1700 MILES OF ROADWAY, 1700 MILES OF ROADWAY THAT MERCED COUNTY IS RESPONSIBLE FOR.
AND THAT DOESN'T COUNT STATE HIGHWAYS 1700 MILES.
AND I'M GOING TO STEAL YOUR THUNDER A LITTLE BIT.
BUT PRIOR TO MEASURE V AND SB 1 MERCED COUNTY REPAVED ON AVERAGE OF FIVE MILES OF ROAD PER YEAR FIVE NOT 55 WITH SB 1 AND MEASURE V, WE ARE REPAVING ON AVERAGE BETWEEN 40 AND 50 MILES OF ROAD PER YEAR.
BUT IS WHEN WE WEREN'T DOING ANY ROAD REPAIR BECAUSE WE WERE DOING VERY LITTLE, I'LL CALL IT.
NOT HARDLY ANY. IT'S PRETTY MUCH NOTHING FOR FOR A FEW YEARS THE EVERYBODY WAS EQUALLY UPSET THAT THEIR ROADS WEREN'T BEING DONE, BUT NOT SO UPSET THAT THEY WERE GOING TO VOICE THEIR CONCERNS.
NOW THAT WE'RE ACTUALLY MAKING SOME MEANINGFUL PROGRESS AND REPAVING SOME ROADS, NOW WHAT WE'RE GETTING IS, IS PEOPLE ARE REALLY UPSET BECAUSE THE ROAD OVER THERE GOT REPAVED. AND THEIR ROAD DIDN'T GET REPAVED.
I MEAN, WHEN YOU GO FROM DOING FIVE MILES A YEAR TO 50 MILES PER YEAR, THAT'S A BIG JUMP.
BUT, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, WHEN YOU PRIORITIZE, IT'S SIMPLE.
AND BASICALLY EVERY ROAD WITHIN THE COUNTY AND THE CITIES ALL GOT DRIVEN DOWN.
THERE WAS A MACHINE ON THE BACK OF A VAN.
I GUESS THAT IT MEASURED THE ROAD INDEX, LIKE THE CONDITION OF THE ROAD.
OR YOU HAVE CHILDS AVENUE THAT HAS THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS OF TRIPS PER DAY.
AT SOME POINT YOU HAVE TO YOU KNOW, WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH MONEY TO DO THEM ALL AT ONCE.
THE ISSUE IS, IS WHEN YOU WHEN YOU LOOK AT LIKE A HENRY MILLER IN MY DISTRICT, THAT'S SUCH A LONG SECTION, YOU'RE DOING YOU'RE DOING 8 OR 9 MILE, TEN MILE STRETCHES AT A TIME. WELL, JUST DO THE MATH ON THAT.
AT HALF $1 MILLION A MILE ON ON TEN MILES, IT'S $5 MILLION.
WELL, WE DON'T HAVE HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS TO SPEND ON ROADS.
WE HAVE MILLIONS OF DOLLARS LIKE, YOU KNOW, LIKE IN THE WE PRIORITIZE.
OOPS. I DO NOT KNOW WHY THAT WENT OFF.
SORRY ABOUT THAT. UM, YEAH, SO IT JUST THERE IS, YOU KNOW, AND BACK TO I THINK PART OF IT IS LIKE
[01:30:09]
LET US KNOW, RIGHT? IF YOU LET US KNOW THAT THERE'S CONCERNS, WE ADDRESS THOSE CONCERNS.I WILL TELL YOU, BRIAN, I KNOW THIS TO BE TRUE WHEN WHEN OUR PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR IS ALSO THE ROAD COMMISSIONER FOR THE COUNTY, WHEN THEY PICK SOME OF THESE ROADS, THEY TALK TO THE ACTUAL MAINTENANCE WORKERS, THE ONES THAT ARE OUT THERE DOING THE REPAIRS, THE ONES THAT ARE OUT THERE FILLING THE POTHOLES, AND THEY'RE ASKING THEM, OKAY, WHAT ARE SOME OF YOUR PROBLEM ROADS? BECAUSE WE'RE TRYING TO LOOK AT IT FINANCIALLY IS AT WHAT POINT DO WE QUIT THROWING GOOD MONEY AFTER A BAD SITUATION? RIGHT. SO DOES IT IS IT MORE IF WE'RE SPENDING X AMOUNT OF DOLLARS PER YEAR FILLING POTHOLES OUT THERE? AT SOME POINT WE JUST GOT TO REPAVE THE ROAD.
AND SO I THINK THERE IS, YOU KNOW, ARE WE ARE WE TAKING POLLS AND ASKING EVERY CITIZEN, WHICH ROAD DO THEY WANT TO SEE GET DONE FIRST? WELL, I CAN SPOILER ALERT, I CAN TELL YOU WHATEVER ROAD YOU LIVE ON IS GOING TO BE THE ROAD THAT YOU PICK TO GET DONE FIRST.
I THINK, YOU KNOW, TRANSPARENCY.
SO THAT IS THAT'S THAT'S THE TRANSPARENCY.
AND YOU'RE MORE THAN WELCOME TO COME TO ANY ONE OF THOSE MEETINGS AND PARTICIPATE IN THEM.
YOUR SUPERVISORS AND YOUR STAFF IS ENGAGED IN THOSE MEETINGS AND THAT'S A PERFECT OPPORTUNITY TO ALSO KIND OF EXPRESS, YOU KNOW, YOUR NEEDS CONCERNS FOR FOR ROADWAY CONDITIONS.
I KNOW THE BOARD RECEIVES EMAILS, PHONE CALLS.
SO THERE'S A LOT OF OPPORTUNITY FOR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.
IT'S JUST TRYING TO DETERMINE WHAT'S GOING TO WORK BEST FOR YOU.
THE ONE THING I CAN SAY IS I BELIEVE THE COUNTY CAN DO A BETTER JOB OF COMMUNICATING WHEN PROJECTS ARE COMPLETED SO THAT THE COMMUNITY KNOWS HOW WE'RE MAKING THIS PROGRESS.
THAT'S GOING TO TAKE SOME TIME NOW, NO DOUBT ABOUT IT.
THANK YOU. ANYBODY ELSE WANT TO COMMENT? ALL RIGHT, MISS NORTH.
OKAY. WE'RE STILL ON FACEBOOK HERE.
HOW WAS THE COUNTY WORKING TO CREATE A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING, BOTH RENTAL AND HOME OWNERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES? I'M GOING TO ASK MR. HENDRICKSON TO COME UP AND BE ON DECK, TIFFANY, BECAUSE HE MIGHT ASK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD AGAIN, I THINK TIFFANY DID A NICE JOB OF SOMEWHAT ADDRESSING THIS EARLIER WITH REGARD TO THE WORK THAT THIS COUNTY IS DOING IN CONCERT WITH EACH OF ITS SIX CITIES AND OUR MCAG PARTNERS WITH OUR MULTI JURISDICTIONAL HOUSING ELEMENT.
UPDATE BUT I WANT TO TAKE IT ACTUALLY ONE STEP FURTHER.
ONE THING THAT OUR ORGANIZATION DOES, THE DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IS ACTUALLY ADMINISTER VARIOUS PROGRAMS THAT ACTUALLY HELP PEOPLE WITH FIRST TIME HOMEBUYER ASSISTANCE.
THAT'S SOMETHING I WOULD REALLY ENCOURAGE THOSE TO TAKE A LOOK AT ONLINE.
GO TO OUR WEBSITE ON THE ON THE COUNTY'S ON THE COUNTY'S WEBSITE, THE CD PAGE.
SO THAT'S WHAT I HAVE, MR. CHAIRMAN. OKAY.
THANK YOU. NEXT QUESTION IS FROM SHERRY ON FACEBOOK.
THERE WAS SUPPOSED TO BE A PARK BUILT OFF OF GIRARD AVENUE IN MERCED ABOUT 18 YEARS AGO.
THE DOGS AND MERCED GOT A PARK BEFORE A PARK FOR THE KIDS.
YEAH, I'M NOT. I'VE NOT HEARD OF THAT.
DO YOU KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THAT, BRIAN? I BELIEVE THAT'S WHAT THE CITY REFERS TO AS CP 42 OUT IN THE GIRARD MISSION AVENUE AREA, WHERE THERE'S A REGIONAL SPORTS COMPLEX THAT THE CITY HAS BEEN HAVING DISCUSSIONS ABOUT BUILDING FOR YEARS.
AND THE COUNTY IS ACTUALLY, IF THAT IS THE PARK THAT SHE'S TALKING ABOUT, HAS BEEN IN CONTACT AND TALKING WITH THE CITY ABOUT A CONTRIBUTION WITH SOME OF OUR LOCAL OR SOME OF OUR ARPA FUNDS TO CONTRIBUTE TO THAT PROJECT TO ASSIST WITH BRINGING IT TO A REALITY.
SO I BELIEVE THAT'S THE AREA SHE'S TALKING ABOUT.
YEAH, I BELIEVE AND WE'RE MOVING FORWARD ON THAT PROJECT QUITE A BIT.
YEAH. THANK YOU. SUPERVISOR PEDROZO.
IF THAT CP 42 THERE IS A ANOTHER AREA THAT WE'RE WORKING IN COLLABORATION WITH THE CITY OF MERCED, THE MERCED HIGH SCHOOL DISTRICT, AND I BELIEVE AS WELL, $1.5 MILLION THAT WAS ALLOCATED BY THIS BOARD OF SUPERVISORS FROM ARPA AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN ACT TO
[01:35:10]
ADVANCE THE DEVELOPMENT OF THAT SITE AS WELL.AT THE SAME TIME THAT THE CITY IS DEVELOPING PROPERTY THAT THEY OWN.
I UNDERSTAND THAT THE CITY RECENTLY THE CITY COUNCIL RECENTLY ALLOCATED ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR THEIR PORTION OF THE PROJECT ON THE CITY PROPERTY, SO THAT SHOULD ADVANCE SOME OF THOSE CONVERSATIONS.
THERE IS A MOU THAT'S IN DRAFT FORM THAT'S MAKING ITS WAY THROUGH ALL THE ESSENTIALLY ESSENTIALLY THE PARTNERS AND SHOULD BE COMING BACK TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS HERE. AND THEN FORESEEABLE FUTURE.
THANK YOU. IT'S IN THAT SAME AREA, BUT IT'S ON MISSION AND TYLER.
SO GIRARD IS CLOSE TO IT, BUT IT'S ON THE OTHER.
I MET WITH THE MAYOR AND THE CEO, RAUL, BACK LAST YEAR, RIGHT BEFORE THE STORMS. AND SO WE TALKED ABOUT IT.
THAT'S WHAT WE YOU KNOW, WE'RE ALL PUTTING IN FUNDS.
SO HOPEFULLY THE AGREEMENT WILL COME SO WE CAN START START ON THAT.
ANYBODY ELSE WANT TO MAKE COMMENTS? OKAY. NEXT, WE HAVE A QUESTION FROM CAROLINA ON FACEBOOK SAYS WE NEED A SIDEWALK ON SULLIVAN ROAD AND GUSTIN.
SO THE GUSTIN MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS CAN WALK SAFELY.
WHO WAS RESPONSIBLE TO MAKE THOSE SUPERVISOR PAREIRA? I'M GONNA LET YOU TAKE THAT ONE.
OH, NOW CONSIDER ME THE GUSTIN EXPERT, HUH? ALL RIGHT. WELL, ANYWAYS, SO THE.
I BELIEVE IT'S GOING TO BE THE CITY OF GUSTIN.
THEY THE CITY LIMITS COMES OUT TO SULLIVAN ROAD, AND.
AND I, YOU KNOW, AND I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S ON BOTH SIDES OF THE ROAD.
I TRY TO PULL UP THE MAP REAL QUICK.
BUT WE WILL WE WILL DO SOME FOLLOW UP WORK ON THIS STUFF.
SOMEONE SENT ME A QUESTION OVER TEXT MESSAGE.
HE'S ASKING HOW INVOLVED IS THE COUNTY WITH HIGH SPEED RAIL AND ACE TRAIN AND ITS FUTURE FOR THE COUNTY? SUPERVISOR PEDROZO OR EXCUSE ME.
ESPINOZA? YEAH. THANK YOU. OF COURSE WE'RE INVOLVED.
AND, YOU KNOW, WE'RE EXPANDING THE PARKING HERE IN THE CITY OF MERCED, THE AMTRAK STATION.
AND WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THE ACE TRAIN.
I THINK THERE'S A MEETING COMING UP ON THE ON THE VALLEY RAIL COMMISSION.
SO WE'LL BE TALKING ABOUT HOW FAST THE ACE TRAIN IS MOVING DOWN TO TO MERCED.
SO HOPEFULLY WE GET SOONER THAN THAN LATER AND AS WELL AS THE ROUND TRIPS THAT THEY DO, THEY HAVE I KNOW THEY HAVE SIX ROUND TRIPS, BUT THEY'RE TRYING TO ADD ANOTHER TRAIN. SO THERE'S MORE ROUND TRIPS, MORE ROUND TRIPS FROM SACRAMENTO TO BAKERSFIELD, SO AS MANY AND TO THE BAY AREA. AND ALSO WE'RE ADDRESSING THE MARKETING, THE ADVERTISING SO THAT MORE PEOPLE HOP ON THE TRAIN, WHETHER IT'S THE ACE TRAIN IN THE FUTURE, AND ALSO THE SAN JOAQUINS, WHICH ARE CALLED.
THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. I JUST WANTED TO ADD TO THAT AS WELL.
AND SO WE ARE VERY MUCH INVOLVED IN WHAT'S HAPPENING AND EXPANDING THE RAIL SYSTEM.
I KNOW THAT THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF CONVERSATION ABOUT WHERE THE DIFFERENT TRANSPORTATION CENTER IS GOING TO GO AND WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN WITH SOME OF THE SURROUNDING PROPERTIES AND INCREASING THE SAN JOAQUINS.
AND I KNOW THAT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT MR. LEAVITT ALSO SPOKE ABOUT WAS INCREASING THE BUS, A BUS ROUTE TO SAN JOSE, BUT THEN ALSO HOW THEY'RE USING UTILIZING
[01:40:01]
YARTS QUITE A BIT AS WELL.SO MAYBE YOU OR SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL, MR. CHAIR, WANT TO ADDRESS THAT, BUT IT'S SOMETHING THAT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO MYSELF AND THAT TRANSPORTATION, BECAUSE AS WE ALL KNOW, YOU KNOW, TRAVELING ON 99 IS VERY DIFFICULT RIGHT NOW.
I THINK WE'VE TAKEN IT VERY SERIOUSLY AND PUT A LOT OF TIME AND EFFORT INTO IT.
I WAS GETTING READY FOR THE NEXT QUESTION.
I DIDN'T HEAR YOUR SPECIFIC QUESTION OF ME.
SO RIGHT NOW, IF YOU CURRENTLY IF YOU'RE BUYING A TICKET ON AMTRAK TO GET TO YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK, IT ACTUALLY IS THROUGH AMTRAK INTO MERCED.
AND AT THAT TIME, THEY DO CONNECT WITH YARTS TO GET UP TO YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK.
SO THAT IS UTILIZED QUITE A BIT, ESPECIALLY THE EUROPEAN POPULATION.
AND THEN AND JUST SINCE WE'RE ON YARTS, I ALWAYS LIKE TO TO PLUG YARTS MYSELF AND SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL SIT ON A FIVE COUNTY JPA THAT IT'S REALLY WE IT'S A LOCAL SOLUTION TO A FEDERAL PROBLEM.
AND WHAT ENDS UP HAPPENING IS THEY HAVE TOO MUCH TRAFFIC IN THE PARK.
AND SO 20 PLUS YEARS AGO NOW, SOME FOLKS IN MERCED, MERCED, MARIPOSA AND MONO COUNTIES CAME TOGETHER AND FORMED YARTS.
AND THIS IS THEIR CREATED PATHWAYS WITH BUSSES TO GET IN AND OUT OF THE PARK.
AND SO IN CASE OUR FEDERAL LEGISLATORS ARE LISTENING, I KNOW CHRISTIANE'S HERE SOMEWHERE.
YEAH, WE'RE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR HELP BECAUSE IF WE DON'T GET SOME SUPPORT FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT ON THEIR ISSUE, IT MIGHT VERY WELL GO AWAY, WHICH THEN WOULD INCREASE THE PROBLEMS THAT THEY HAVE THERE.
BUT A GREAT JPA AND HOPEFULLY SOON TO BE THIS SUMMER ADDING A FIFTH COUNTY.
YOSEMITE INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT IS WHAT THAT WHAT IT'S CALLED.
ONE IS HIGHWAY 99 IS A MESS THROUGH MERCED.
I KNOW THIS IS A CALTRANS ISSUE, BUT IS THERE ANYTHING MERCED COUNTY CAN DO TO GET THEM TO GET THIS WORK FINISHED? IT'S BEEN GOING ON FAR TOO LONG.
SUPERVISOR PEDROZO I'LL LET YOU TAKE THAT ONE.
WHAT? WHAT WAS THAT? I WAS LOOKING AT SOMETHING ELSE.
SO ONE OF THE THINGS, AS YOU KNOW, WE ALL SIT ON THE MERCED COUNTY ASSOCIATION OF GOVERNMENT BOARDS AND WE GET A MONTHLY UPDATE FROM CALTRANS AND OUR CALTRANS PERSON, I'VE.
AND LIKE I SAID, I TRY TO AVOID IT AS MUCH AS I CAN BECAUSE IT NARROWS UP.
AND I KNOW I AM GOING TO PASS THIS OVER TO SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL BECAUSE I KNOW THAT HE HAS GONE TO FINISH THE 99 PROJECTS OR CONFERENCES AND MEETINGS BECAUSE IT IS A FRUSTRATION.
BUT CALTRANS IS VERY SEGMENTED IN THE SENSE THAT THERE'S DIFFERENT DISTRICTS AND SO GETTING EVERYBODY ON THE SAME PAGE AND MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE ALL IN LINE WITH EACH OTHER HAS BEEN VERY FRUSTRATING.
I HAVE BEEN SITTING ON THAT NOW FOR PROBABLY ABOUT FIVE YEARS.
WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO FINISH THE 99.
I HATE TO TELL YOU THAT THE SEGMENTS ARE DOING THROUGH MERCED IS JUST RESURFACING THE ROAD.
IF YOU NOTICE, YOU GO THROUGH OTHER CITIES, IT DROPS DOWN BELOW THE CITIES.
WELL, THEY'RE ABLE TO EXPAND THOSE A LOT EASIER.
[01:45:08]
CAN SEE IT'S BEAUTIFUL.BUT THAT LIMITS US TO WHAT WE CAN DO FOR OUR EXPANSION.
SO WE'RE ACTUALLY SLATED FOR THE LAST SEGMENT OF 99 TO BE EXPANDED.
BUT FINISHING THE 99 IS GOING TO BE A WHILE.
THAT'S WHAT THEY KEEP TELLING US.
SO IN TWO YEARS IT SHOULD BE COMPLETED HERE, BUT THE EXPANSION WILL BE A LOT LONGER BECAUSE WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO TAKE OUT IT'S GOING TO HAVE TO BECOME OUT WIDER, MORE RESURFACING. THE BRIDGES WILL HAVE TO BE REDONE.
IT'S A BIG UNDERTAKING TO DO IT.
WE KEEP UP THE FIGHT AND WE KEEP ASKING FOR IT.
RIGHT NOW, A LOT OF THE ENVIRONMENTALISTS DO NOT WANT THE ROADS WIDENED ANYMORE.
AND I BEG AND PLEAD THEM THAT EVEN IF WE GO TO EVS, ELECTRICAL VEHICLES, THEY STILL NEED THE ROADS.
AND ACTUALLY THOSE CARS ARE A LITTLE HEAVIER THAN THE CARS WERE DRIVING RIGHT NOW.
SO WE WE CONTINUE THE QUEST TO DO THAT.
VERY GOOD. SUPERVISOR PAREIRA SO CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, BUT SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL JUST SAID TWO YEARS TO FINISH THE 99 IN MERCED I BELIEVE IT'S DOWN TO ABOUT 15 MONTHS, MAYBE LESS.
IT'S AN OVER UNDER. I'LL TAKE THE TWO.
YEAH, I KNOW. WELL, WITH GOVERNMENT, YOU NEVER KNOW.
I CAN SPEAK FOR ALL MY COLLEAGUES.
THAT HIGHWAY 99 COMES UP AT EVERY ONE OF OUR MCAG MEETINGS.
SO WE HAVE A SPECIAL SPOT ON OUR AGENDA FOR THE CALTRANS REPRESENTATIVE.
AND WHETHER IT'S DENNIS OR MARLON, THOSE ARE OUR TWO REPS THAT WE DIRECTLY SPEAK WITH.
THEY HEAR ABOUT IT EVERY TIME.
SOMEBODY MRS THAT ONCE YOU GET TO A CERTAIN POINT, THEY'RE COMING FROM FRESNO.
ONCE YOU GET TO A CERTAIN POINT, IF YOU TAKE THAT INSIDE LANE, YOU CAN'T GET OFF ANYWHERE.
YOU HAVE TO GO ALL. SO WE'VE I THINK WE'VE ALL PROBABLY EXPERIENCED WAITING ON PEOPLE COMING TO MEETINGS BECAUSE THEY THEY STAYED IN THAT INSIDE LANE AND THEY HAD TO GO ALL THE WAY DOWN TO ATWATER.
AND YEAH, IT'S KIND OF CRAZY FRUSTRATING YOU KNOW SOUTHBOUND HAS THE LANE NOW.
SO AND IT'S WHAT'S WHAT'S FRUSTRATING IS I MEAN MAN CALTRANS YOU KNOW SAYS THE SCIENCE SAYS GIVE THEM A BREAK RIGHT AND I DO BUT IT'S, THERE'S NOTHING FAST IN ANYTHING THAT CALTRANS DOES.
WE TALK ABOUT MIRACLES MARIPOSA CREEK.
THERE'S, JUST IT BLOWS YOUR MIND.
AND AND QUITE HONESTLY, I WOULD TELL YOU, YOU HAVE CONCERNS, RIGHT? YOUR STATE ASSEMBLY MEMBER, ESMERALDA SORIA, RIGHT.
YES. WE TRY TO DO THINGS LOCALLY TO HELP FACILITATE AND AND MOVE PROJECTS ALONG.
AND, YOU KNOW, WE'RE A SELF HELP COUNTY AND DO THINGS TO TRY TO ADVANCE IT.
BUT ULTIMATELY THAT'S GOING TO BE A STATE CALL.
AND SO. SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL YEAH.
RIGHT NOW IN THE SOUTHBOUND, IT IS 45MPH.
AND SO THOSE ACCIDENTS CAN BE AVOIDED.
SO I DO AVOID THE 99 AT ALL COSTS.
I KNOW WE'RE GETTING DOWN TOWARD THE END HERE.
I HAVE ONE MORE PRE-SUBMITTED QUESTION.
THIS ONE PERTAINS TO HOMELESSNESS.
I DON'T THINK I'VE ASKED THIS ONE YET.
IS THERE ANY PROGRESS BEING MADE IN REGARDS TO THE HOMELESS POPULATION? IT SEEMS LIKE WHEN THEY'RE MOVED OUT OF ONE ENCAMPMENT, THEY GO RIGHT TO ANOTHER.
OUR HOMELESS CZAR, I CALL HIM MR. CHECKLEY. GOOD MORNING, MR. CHAIRMAN. MEMBERS OF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS.
JOHN CHECKLEY, DEPUTY DIRECTOR FOR OUR HUMAN SERVICE AGENCY, HOUSING HOMELESS SERVICE BRANCH.
[01:50:02]
I THINK IN OUR VIDEO TODAY, WE DID HEAR SOME PROGRESS FROM THE 2022 POINT IN TIME COUNT, AND THAT'S WHAT I'LL REFERENCE HERE.AND OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS, WE HAVE SEEN SOME SOME PROGRESS IN GOOD NEWS.
SO IN 2022, WE DID SEE A 19% REDUCTION IN UNSHELTERED HOMELESSNESS, AND THAT WASN'T AN ACCIDENT.
THIS BOARD HAS BEEN REALLY PURPOSEFUL AND DELIBERATE ABOUT THEIR APPROACH TO HOMELESSNESS.
THROUGH THAT LEADERSHIP, WE'VE SEEN MULTIPLE PROJECTS GET ESTABLISHED OUTREACH AND ENGAGEMENT CENTER THROUGH WHAT WE CALL NEW DIRECTION, COUNTYWIDE OUTREACH ENGAGEMENT, GOING INTO THE ENCAMPMENTS, TALKING TO PEOPLE, OFFERING THEM SUPPORTIVE SERVICES.
WE'VE SEEN DISTRIBUTED HOUSING MODEL ESTABLISHED WHERE WE RENT SINGLE FAMILY HOMES TO ACT AS EMERGENCY SHELTER AND GIVE FOLKS WHO ARE IN OUR PUBLIC SPACES AND AS WAS REFERENCED HERE, ENCAMPMENTS, AN OPPORTUNITY TO GET OUT OF THOSE ENCAMPMENTS, STABILIZE, START REGAINING THEIR IDENTITY, DIGNITY, HOPE AND MOVING ON TO PERMANENT HOUSING.
THAT'S ALLOWS FOR PARTNERS, PETS AND POSSESSIONS.
SO AGAIN, THAT WAS THE CAUSE OF THAT 19% REDUCTION THIS LAST YEAR FOR THE FIRST TIME IN IN THE 5 OR 6 YEARS THAT I'VE BEEN WORKING ON THIS ISSUE, WE DID SEE AN OVERALL DECREASE IN HOMELESSNESS.
WE WENT FROM 855 INDIVIDUALS, BOTH SHELTERED AND UNSHELTERED TO 782.
WE WE HOUSED 116 CHILDREN AND YOUTH YOUTH HOMELESSNESS WAS REALLY DRIVING UP OUR POPULATION.
THE INTERESTING THING ABOUT THAT IS IT'S NOT AS VISIBLE IN THE COMMUNITY.
WE VERY INFREQUENTLY HAVE UNSHELTERED FAMILIES IN ENCAMPMENTS, IN PUBLIC SPACES.
THE HUMAN SERVICE AGENCY IS VERY GOOD ABOUT PROVIDING THEM SHELTER.
AND LASTLY, I WOULD SAY WE'RE AT AN INFLECTION POINT.
SUPERVISOR PAREIRA PASSED THE CROWN TO SUPERVISOR PEDROZO, WHO'S WHO'S NOW JOINED THE CONTINUUM OF CARE BOARD TO TO PROVIDE THAT CONTINUITY OF LEADERSHIP FROM THE COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, WHICH IS SO IMPORTANT.
SUPERVISOR PEDROZO IS AT A VERY GOOD POINT.
NOW WE'VE GOT ACTUAL HOUSING UNITS, RIGHT? OUR APPROACH WAS LET'S ESTABLISH OUTREACH COUNTYWIDE, LET'S ESTABLISH EMERGENCY SHELTERS THROUGH NAVIGATION CENTER, DISTRIBUTIVE HOUSING.
THAT THIRD STEP OF THIS STOOL IS LET'S GET HOUSING UNITS AVAILABLE.
AND THROUGH PARTNERSHIPS WITH OUR CITIES, THE CITY OF MERCED PREDOMINANTLY, THERE'S TWO HOUSING UNITS IN PRODUCTION, 115 BEDS OVERALL IN THE CITY OF MERCED, WE HAD 227 UNSHELTERED HOMELESS INDIVIDUALS COUNTED DURING THE LAST POINT IN TIME COUNT IN MARCH.
YOU KNOW, THAT'S A BIG CHUNK AND IT'S NOT GOING TO BE A ONE FOR ONE.
I DON'T WANT TO PAINT THAT PICTURE.
THERE'S A LOT OF RESISTANCE TO COMING INTO THESE SERVICES.
AND RIGHT NOW THERE'S HOMEKEY ROUND THREE.
THE CITY OF LOS BANOS HAS APPROVED TO APPLY FOR UP TO 55-56 UNITS.
AND THERE'S TWO OTHER PROPOSALS IN THE CITY OF MERCED.
AND LASTLY, I WOULD SAY AT THIS INFLECTION POINT, THE COUNTY OF MERCED ACTUALLY WAS AWARDED FOR NO PLACE LIKE HOME, AND THAT'S GOING TO BE A 65 UNITS, HALF OF THOSE UNITS FOR INDIVIDUALS EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS WHO HAVE SERIOUS MENTAL ILLNESS OR SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER, WHICH IS OBVIOUSLY A REALLY CONFOUNDING FACTOR.
SO WE'RE AT THIS AT THIS POINT WHERE, YOU KNOW, I'D HUMBLY SUBMIT WITH THESE BEDS COMING UP, YOU KNOW, WE'RE KIND OF, IN THE WORDS OF WINSTON CHURCHILL AT THE YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT AT THE BEGINNING OF THE END, BUT MAYBE WE'RE AT THE END OF THE BEGINNING.
AS WE SEE THAT PROGRESS HIGHLIGHTED.
I THINK WE REALLY DO HAVE A PATH THAT'S IT'S STILL A LONG WAYS OFF.
BUT YES, WE ARE ADDRESSING ENCAMPMENTS.
AND LASTLY, I'LL POINT OUT ONE OF THOSE PROJECTS IS FOR 20 VETERANS.
FOR COUNTY VETERANS EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS IS AT 15.
OUR POINT IN TIME COUNT WAS 27 SELF REPORT.
THIS THIS CONTINUUM OF CARE BOARD THAT OUR BOARD OF SUPERVISORS HAVE BEEN ON PRIORITIZED VETERANS AND SUPPORTS THOSE TYPES OF PROGRAMS TO WHERE WE CAN HOPEFULLY GET TO A POINT OF FUNCTIONAL ZERO FOR FOR VETERANS EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS IN MERCED COUNTY.
SO APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. AND I HAD SUPERVISOR PEDROZO YOU HAD A COMMENT? YEAH. I JUST WANT TO SAY REAL QUICK ALSO AND I THINK THAT, JOHN, YOU'VE REALLY TAKEN THIS ON, BUT THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THAT I THINK YOU'VE REALLY SEEN COLLABORATION BETWEEN THE CITIES AND THE COUNTIES THROUGHOUT THE STATE.
[01:55:04]
AND WHAT THAT STANDS FOR IS ACCOUNTABILITY, TRANSPARENCY, HOUSING, OUTREACH, MITIGATION, ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY.SO ALL OF THOSE THINGS ARE IMPORTANT TO REDUCING IF NOT AT SOME POINT IN TIME, ELIMINATING IT.
SO IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'VE ALL TAKEN VERY SERIOUS.
AND THROUGH JOHN'S LEADERSHIP, I THINK HE'S REALLY TAKEN THIS ON REALLY VERY STRONGLY.
THANK YOU. SUPERVISOR PAREIRA YEAH.
FIRST, JOHN, COULD YOU JUST SHARE THE THE THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT WERE UNSHELTERED AND SHELTERED TWO YEARS AGO AND THEN SHELTERED AND UNSHELTERED THIS YEAR JUST SO THAT THE FOLKS UNDERSTAND THAT THAT, YOU KNOW, EVEN THOUGH THEY'RE STILL HOMELESS, MOST MOST OF THEM AREN'T ON THE STREET.
SO SURE IN 2021 BOY, THE UNSHELTERED COUNT WAS AT 444.
AND THAT WAS OVER THE COURSE OF THE SIX YEARS I'VE BEEN INVOLVED.
THE HIGHEST THAT WE THAT'S THE HIGHEST NUMBER WE HAD THIS LAST YEAR.
IT WAS AT 7 OR 3 EXCUSE ME, SEVEN 382, I BELIEVE IT WAS A REDUCTION OF ABOUT 71.
THE SHELTER COUNT INCREASED SIGNIFICANTLY.
I WOULD I DON'T WANT TO VENTURE A GUESS.
AND SO THEN THE SECOND PART OF WHAT I'D LIKE TO TO SAY OR ASK IS, IS THAT WHEN I CAME ON TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, YOU KNOW, HELPING TO REDUCE HOMELESSNESS WAS ONE OF MY CORE ISSUES THAT I WANTED TO DEAL WITH.
RIGHT? ROADS WAS, YOU KNOW, THAT'S ON EVERYBODY'S LIST, RIGHT? THE PERMITTING PROCESS WAS WAS NEXT OR WAS IN THE TOP THREE, AND THEN HOMELESSNESS.
AND AND SO WITH MY COLLEAGUES, YOU KNOW, WE ALL REALIZE THAT BEHAVIORAL OR HOMELESSNESS IS REALLY A BEHAVIORAL HEALTH ISSUE AND THE COUNTY'S RESPONSIBLE FOR BEHAVIORAL HEALTH.
AND SO THERE WAS A SHIFT IN THE PARADIGM.
AND SO ANYWAYS, WHAT I WANT YOU TO DO, BECAUSE I DON'T WANT TO MISS ANYBODY AND MAYBE YOU WILL AND WE'LL BOTH BE IN TROUBLE, BUT JUST KIND OF SHARE, YOU KNOW, BACK WHEN YOU WERE IN THE CEO'S OFFICE AND WE WERE WORKING WITH THE HOMELESSNESS AND THE COUNTY BECAME THE COLLABORATIVE APPLICANT, RIGHT? WE HAD MICHELLE ROWE AND HER TEAM AND JUST KIND OF GIVE THEM A LITTLE BIT OF CREDIT IF YOU IF YOU WOULDN'T MIND.
SURE. AND IT'S A VERY, VERY LONG LIST.
AND AS POINTED OUT, IT'S EVEN BEYOND THE SCOPE OF JUST THE COUNTY.
BUT THE MICHELLE ROWE TAMMY ARIAS CURRENTLY WE'VE GOT MARIBEL BARONE SEE HER? WE HAVE CHRIS HAVE HAD KRISTI MCCAMMOND ON THAT TEAM.
YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY OUR DIRECTOR, VANYA BROWN, AS WELL.
I KNOW OUR SHERIFF'S ENFORCEMENT TEAM.
WE HEARD FROM PUBLIC COMMENT TODAY.
ALL OF THEM HAVE A PIECE OF THIS.
AND IT'S REALLY EXPANDED BEYOND JUST BEHAVIORAL HEALTH OR HUMAN SERVICE AGENCIES.
SO THAT LIST GETS I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S DISTINGUISHED, BUT IT GETS BIG BECAUSE IT IS IT IS A HUGE UNDERTAKING THAT REQUIRES A COLLABORATION BETWEEN A CITY, A COUNTY, A PUBLIC HOUSING AUTHORITY, A DEVELOPER.
AND WE'VE HEARD A LOT OF CONVERSATION ABOUT DEVELOPING AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
YOU KNOW, THE COUNTY'S A PARTNER IN THAT.
WE REQUIRE DEVELOPERS TO COME IN AND WE'VE BEEN SUCCESSFUL ON A FEW OF THESE FRONTS.
AND THEN JUST I'LL KIND OF END WITH THAT.
AND THE REASON WHY I WANT TO KNOW, I WANT TO GIVE CREDIT TO OUR STAFF IS BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, UP HERE WE CAN SET POLICY, WE CAN HAVE A FOCUS, YOU KNOW, BUT IT'S REALLY THE BOOTS ON THE GROUND THAT'S THAT'S HELPING PEOPLE AND.
RIGHT. ALL THE THE PEOPLE THAT WANT HELP, WE'VE HELPED.
AND SO I JUST I JUST WANT TO, YOU KNOW, JUST REALLY COMPLIMENT YOU, JOHN, YOU KNOW, YOU WERE IN OUR VETERAN SERVICE OFFICE WHERE I THINK YOUR PASSION FOR THE HOMELESSNESS VETERANS, YOU KNOW, REALLY SPARKED.
AND THEN, YOU KNOW, JIM BROWN BROUGHT YOU INTO OUR CEO'S OFFICE AND NOW IVANA BROWN HAS TAKEN YOU TO HSA AND AND ALL ALL THOSE MOVES ARE, YOU KNOW, PROMOTIONS, BUT WITH MORE RESPONSIBILITY THAT YOU'VE EARNED.
[02:00:04]
AND AND, YOU KNOW, AND PEOPLE SAY, WELL, WHAT ARE WE DOING? YOU KNOW, AND THEN YOU START ASKING THEM, WELL, WHERE ARE YOU USED TO SEE HOMELESS, YOU KNOW, AND, AND THEY OH YEAH, IT IS LESS ACTUALLY, YOU KNOW, AND I THINK YOU SEE ONE YOU DON'T THINK IT'S BETTER BUT WHEN YOU DON'T SEE 100, YOU ONLY SEE 60.RIGHT? THOSE ARE THE FOLKS, ESPECIALLY A LOT OF THEM, THEY CAN'T HELP THEMSELVES.
SO AS WE'VE NOW DRAWN JUST A FEW MINUTES PAST THE 8:00 HOUR, I'M GOING TO WRAP UP BY ALLOWING MY COLLEAGUES AND I KNOW THIS IS GOING TO BE DIFFICULT, BUT WE'RE GOING TO TRY TO KEEP IT TO ONE MINUTE.
JUST KIND OF CLOSING COMMENTS.
SO I WILL START WITH SUPERVISOR ESPINOZA, DISTRICT ONE.
THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. WELL, IT KIND OF IT WAS KIND OF LEADING TO IT KIND OF LEADS TO A HOMELESS REGARDING THE FELIX TORRES CAMP, IF WE COULD GET AN UPDATE FROM STAFF REGARDING YOU KNOW, I KNOW THAT WE HAD TEN LAST FAMILIES AT THE FELIX TORRES AND I KNOW SOME HOPEFULLY THEY WERE ABLE TO GO BACK INTO THEIR HOMES, BUT I KNOW THERE'S PROBABLY 2 OR 3 THAT THAT WERE IN THE END.
AND I KNOW TODAY IS THE LAST DAY THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO BE IN THERE.
SO I DON'T KNOW IF THEY GOT AN EXTENSION OR IF THEY ALL WENT BACK SOMEWHERE.
SO IF I CAN GET AN UPDATE FROM STAFF.
ALSO ANOTHER UPDATE REGARDING THE POST OFFICE AND PLANADA AND AS WELL AS THE COMMUNITY CENTER, WHEN THE COMMUNITY CENTER WILL BE BACK UP AND AS WELL AS THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. SO THANK YOU.
I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT STAFF WILL GET BACK TO YOU ON.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. SUPERVISOR PEDROZO CLOSING COMMENT.
YEAH, I JUST I WANTED TO JUST SAY THANK YOU, EVERYBODY FOR COMING OUT TO ALL OF THE TOWN HALLS.
BUT THEN ALSO TONIGHT, BEING ABLE TO SIT UP HERE.
AND I'M REALLY HAPPY THAT THE GENTLEMAN CAME UP AND SAID THANK YOU TO MY COLLEAGUE, SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL, BECAUSE ONE OF THE THINGS IS, IF WE HEAR IT, WE CAN TRY AND FIX IT AS BEST AS WE CAN.
WE MAY NOT BE ABLE TO DO EVERYTHING.
AND SO I WANT TO THANK YOU ALL FOR PROVIDING US THAT THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE.
THE VOTERS AND STAFF REALLY TAKES OUR OUR JOB SERIOUSLY AND THEY REALLY HELP US OUT.
SO THANK ALL OF STAFF FOR BEING HERE AND FOR CONTINUING THE WORK THAT THEY DO.
THANK YOU. SUPERVISOR PAREIRA THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. I'LL JUST SAY THANK YOU TO STAFF.
I KNOW THAT THESE TOWN HALLS, YOU KNOW, SOME OF YOU TONIGHT DIDN'T GET ASKED A QUESTION, RIGHT.
BUT YOU'RE HERE AND YOU'RE READY TO.
AND SO THANK YOU FOR, FOR BEING WILLING TO DO THAT.
AND THEN MORE IMPORTANTLY, THANK YOU FOR DOING THE WORK FOR PEOPLE EVERY DAY.
AND JUST FOR OUR COMMISSIONER, SEAN RUNYAN, WHAT'S THE NUMBER ONE PEST? NO, I'M JUST KIDDING. BUT PROBABLY THE LEAST ASKED QUESTIONS ARE FOR THE COMMISSIONER.
AND THEN I ALSO, YOU KNOW, WHEN WHEN PEOPLE SAY, YOU KNOW, THAT WE DON'T HAVE NIGHT MEETINGS VERY OFTEN AND THEY DON'T HAVE ACCESS, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, I JUST I HOPE YOU KNOW, THAT MY PERSONAL CELL PHONE IS ON THE COUNTY WEBSITE AND I ANSWER IT SOMETIMES.
I'LL EVEN ANSWER IT AFTER 9 OR 10.
BUT. YOU CALL ME BETWEEN SIX IN THE MORNING AND NINE AT NIGHT.
AND IF I'M IN A MEETING OR I CAN'T, I'LL CALL YOU BACK.
SO I FEEL LIKE I'M ACCESSIBLE.
AND AND I'LL TELL YOU, I KNOW MY COLLEAGUES ALL I HEAR THEM RIGHT.
SO KUDOS TO TO MY COLLEAGUES AND, YOU KNOW, REACH OUT TO US NOT JUST DURING THE MEETING.
THANK YOU, SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL.
THANK YOU, STAFF, FOR BEING HERE.
YOU GUYS HAVE HEARD THIS A LOT.
USUALLY IT COMES THIS TIME WHEN IT'S THE LAST, LAST ONE.
[02:05:02]
I USUALLY TRY TO ASK YVONNE BROWN A QUESTION BECAUSE HSA NEVER SEEMS TO GET A QUESTION.AND I THINK WE POSED ONE A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO JUST FOR YVONNE TO ANSWER.
BUT I'LL LET IT PASS THIS TIME.
BUT YEAH, I WANTED TO MAKE COMMENTS TOO, ABOUT NIGHT MEETINGS.
AND I'D LIKE TO PIGGYBACK ON MY COLLEAGUE AS WELL.
OUR PHONE NUMBERS. IF YOU CALL MY OFFICE PHONE, A LOT OF TIMES FOLKS WANT TO CALL MY OFFICE PHONE TO LEAVE A MESSAGE THINKING THAT I WON'T ANSWER IT, BUT I'VE ANSWERED PHONE CALLS AS EARLY AS 430 IN THE MORNING WHEN UNION PACIFIC WAS DOING ALL THE WORK ON THEIR RAILROAD, AND THOSE FOLKS IN MCSWAIN WERE WERE GETTING AWAKENED EVERY MORNING.
AND I CAUGHT GENTLEMEN OFF GUARD WHENEVER I PICKED UP MY PHONE.
BUT THIS IS A FULL TIME JOB FOR ALL OF US AND WE'RE ACCESSIBLE ALL THE TIME.
SO I JUST WANTED TO MAKE THAT POINT.
AND SO GOING FORWARD, PLEASE REACH OUT.
SO IF YOU HAVE POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS, POLICY CONVERSATIONS, PLEASE CALL US NOW WITH ANY KIND OF IDEAS BECAUSE BY THE TIME YOU GET HERE, GET TO THE MEETING. IT'S PRETTY YOU'RE LATE IN THE GAME.
YEAH, THEY ALL KIND OF STOLE MY THUNDER JUST THANKING THE STAFF.
I MEAN, I SAW MOST OF YOU GUYS LAST NIGHT, AND THANK YOU FOR COMING OUT TO THE WEST SIDE.
WE HAD A GOOD, GOOD TOWN HALL LAST NIGHT.
DID YOU KNOW? I EXPERIENCED SOME OF MY COLLEAGUES CONSTITUENTS WHEN THEY JUST COULDN'T WAIT TO COME OUT TO THE WEST SIDE AND WANTED TO COME TO ONE OF MY TOWN HALLS.
I'M NOT PERFECT. YOU KNOW, I CAN TELL YOU THE WEEK OF MAY DAY AND THEN THE FOLLOWING WEEK BEING IN DC, I GOT BEHIND ON EMAILS AND SOME PHONE CALLS, BUT I PRIDE MYSELF ON ON TRYING TO GET BACK TO FOLKS, EVEN THE ONES THAT COME IN FIRE PRETTY HOT THAT THEY MAKE IT VERY CLEAR THAT THEY'RE NOT HAPPY WITH ME OR MAYBE ANY KIND OF POLICY DIRECTION THAT I HAD VOTED IN.
BUT I'M ALWAYS WILLING TO ENGAGE SOMEBODY AND LISTEN TO A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE.
THAT'S JUST THE WAY THAT I SEE THE WORLD.
AND BUT I'M NOT I DON'T GO INTO THE ROOM THINKING I'M THE SMARTEST PERSON IN THE ROOM.
I WANT TO HEAR OTHER PEOPLE'S PERSPECTIVE.
AND IN THIS JOB, WE REPRESENT EVERYBODY.
I HAVE 58,000 BOSSES THAT ARE COME IN ALL DIFFERENT SHAPES, SIZES, COLORS, YOU NAME IT.
BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, I STILL REPRESENT THE FOLKS THAT DIDN'T VOTE FOR ME.
I'M STILL THEIR COUNTY ELECTED OFFICIAL AND I'M ALWAYS WILLING TO ENGAGE.
BUT BUT THE ASK IS, IS ENGAGE THE PROCESS EARLY WHEN YOU WANT TO SEND US THE EMAIL IN THE 11TH HOUR, THERE'S SO MUCH WORK THAT ULTIMATELY POLICY DECISIONS ARE MADE WITH THAT FINAL VOTE THAT THAT TAKES PLACE.
SO WITH THAT, I HAVE LET ME GET MY OTHER LITTLE SCRIPT HERE.
OH, WHAT STAFF ARE BEING HERE AND SPECIFICALLY, YOU KNOW, AND I KNOW THERE'S.
BUT THESE THREE I KNOW HAVE BEEN OUT THERE.
BUT MIKE NORTH, CAESAR AND LIONEL, THEY'RE HERE RUNNING BEHIND THE SCENES.
THEY'VE BEEN AT ALL THE ONES JUST AN EXCELLENT JOB.
YOU KNOW, DURING THE PANDEMIC WHEN WE HAD TO GO TO A VIRTUAL WORLD.
I MEAN, WE GOT FIRST CLASS PRODUCTIONS.
YOU SAW THAT VIDEO THAT WAS ALL DONE IN HOUSE.
SO, GENTLEMEN, THANK YOU FOR FOR THE GOOD WORK THAT YOU DO.
AND THEN MY LAST PLUG IS THE MERCED COUNTY APP.
[02:10:08]
THINK WHAT DOES IT SAY ON THERE LIKE CIVIC MOBILE? YEAH, CLICK SEND AND FIX OR SOMETHING.SEECLICKFIX. YOU CAN ACTUALLY SEE A POTHOLE.
AND THAT GOES THROUGH FOR A LOT OF STUFF THAT GOES WITH CODE ENFORCEMENT.
SO DON'T FORGET ABOUT THE MOBILE APP.
AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR JOINING US TONIGHT.
IF YOU HAVE ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS, DON'T HESITATE TO REACH OUT TO ANY ONE OF US.
OUR CONTACT INFORMATION IS LISTED ON THE MERCED COUNTY WEBSITE AT WWW.COUNTYOFMERCED.COM/BOSS.
I'D ALSO LIKE TO ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO REVIEW OUR RECENTLY PUBLISHED 2022 ANNUAL REPORT.
I'M SORRY. THANKS AGAIN FOR WATCHING, EVERYBODY.
HAVE A GREAT NIGHT.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.