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PERFECT.[Call to Order]
WELCOME BACK TO THE NOVEMBER 28TH, 2023 MEETING OF THE MERCED COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS.THIS MORNING WE HAD A CLOSED SESSION MEETING AS BOTH THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS AND ACTING AS THE IN-HOME SUPPORTIVE SERVICES, PUBLIC AUTHORITY GOVERNING BOARD.
AND WE DIDN'T FINISH, SO WE WILL BE RECONVENING BACK INTO CLOSED SESSION AFTER OUR REGULAR SESSION.
SO WITH THAT, WE'LL NOW START WITH THE INVOCATION LED BY FATHER ROBERT BORGES OF ST.
AND THEN SUPERVISOR PEDROZA WILL LEAD US IN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE, HEAVENLY FATHER AND GOD OF US ALL.
WE GATHER IN YOUR PRESENCE THIS MORNING HAVING JUST CELEBRATED THANKSGIVING DAY.
WE CONTINUE TO APPROACH YOU WITH GRATEFUL HEARTS AS YOU ARE THE SOURCE OF ALL GOOD THINGS AND YOUR ABUNDANT GRACES.
WE THANK YOU FOR THE BOUNTIFUL HARVEST OF THIS SEASON AND FOR ALL THOSE WHO LABOR IN THE FIELDS, WE ALSO RECOGNIZE THAT MANY STILL STRUGGLE DAILY.
WE LIFT THEM UP AND THANK YOU FOR THE MANY ORGANIZATIONS THAT AID THOSE THAT SUFFER FROM IN, FROM FOOD'S INSECURITY IN OUR COMMUNITIES.
WE TRUST IN YOUR GUIDANCE TO HELP US MAKE A BETTER WORLD FOR ALL YOUR CHILDREN.
MAY THE HOLY SPIRIT COME UPON US, REMAIN WITH US, AND ENLIGHTEN OUR HEARTS THIS DAY.
GIVE US THE WISDOM AND UNDERSTANDING TO KNOW YOUR WILL AND THE COURAGE TO MAKE IT OUR OWN AND THE STRENGTH TO LIVE IT IN OUR LIVES.
MAY THE DELIBERATIONS OF THIS BOARD AND THE ACTIONS THEY PROMULGATE TODAY BE FOR THE BUILDING UP AND SUSTAINING OF OUR COMMUNITY.
MAY ALL WHO APPROACH THIS STATUS COME WITH A SPIRIT OF COOPERATION AND DESIRE FOR THE COMMON GOOD.
BLESS OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE WE ASK YOUR BLESSING UPON OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT AND FIRST RESPONDERS THAT KEEP US SAFE.
BLESS THOSE THAT REACH OUT TO THE STRUGGLING AND THE MARGINALIZED WHOSE EFFORTS RENEW AND SUSTAIN OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN THEIR HUMAN DIGNITY.
BLESS THE MEMBERS OF THIS BOARD AND ALL WHO WORK TO STRENGTHEN OUR COUNTY, OUR COMMUNITIES, AND OUR FAMILIES.
HEAVENLY FATHER, MAY WE NEVER BECOME DISCOURAGED, BUT RATHER RENEW OUR TRUST IN YOU WHO MAKE ALL GOOD THINGS POSSIBLE.
BE WITH US TODAY TO GUIDE THE WORK OF OUR HANDS AND SUSTAIN US ALWAYS IN YOUR LOVE AND PROTECTION.
WE MAKE THIS PRAYER THROUGH JESUS CHRIST OUR LORD.
ALLEGIANCE IS THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
THANK YOU FATHER AND THANK YOU SUPERVISOR PEDROSO.
[PUBLIC OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK]
STEP, WE'LL HAVE NON AGENDA ITEM, PUBLIC COMMENT.IT IS NOW TIME FOR PUBLIC OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK ON ANY MATTER OF PUBLIC INTEREST WITHIN THE BOARD'S JURISDICTION, EXCLUDING ITEMS ON THE BOARD'S AGENDA, TESTIMONY LIMITED TO THREE MINUTES PER PERSON AND 30 MINUTES TOTAL.
SO CAPTAIN THE FLOOR IS YOURS.
UH, I JUST WANNA TAKE A FEW SECONDS TO INTRODUCE MYSELF.
I AM THE NEW CAPTAIN OF THE MERCEDES CHP OFFICE IN ATWATER.
AND ALTHOUGH I'M THE NEW CAPTAIN, I HAVE WORKED IN THIS COMMUNITY SINCE 2006 IN AND OUT AND I LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING TO WORK IN COLLABORATION WITH YOU GUYS, OUR PARTNERS, AND CONTINUE TO SERVE OUR PUBLIC.
SO ANYTHING WE COULD DO IN THE HIGHWAY PATROL, FEEL FREE TO GIMME A CALL.
THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE, SIR.
WE, I'M THE, UH, CHIEF HUMAN STEWARD FOR AFME LOCAL 27 0 3.
UM, I'M HERE REGARDING THE INSURANCE AGAIN.
UM, WE'VE ASKED TIME AND TIME AGAIN.
MAYBE YOU KNOW, SOMEONE TO REACH OUT BOARD OF SUPERVISORS TO REACH OUT TO US, DO SOMETHING, HELP US OUT WITH THE INSURANCE.
WE'LL LET YOU KNOW THE RESULTS OF WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN IS BECAUSE WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT RIGHT NOW IS WE'RE LOOKING AT PEOPLE THAT ARE LEAVING THE COUNTY FOR OTHER COUNTIES, FOR OTHER JOBS IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR, FOR OTHER JOBS, ANYWHERE THAT THEY CAN FIND THEM BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT GETTING THE SUPPORT THAT THEY FEEL THAT THEY NEED FROM OUR BOARD OF SUPERVISORS OR FROM, UM, ANYONE TO HELP THEM ALLEVIATE THESE, UH, INSURANCE COSTS.
UM, SOME OF OUR GUYS AND LADIES THAT ARE IN ROADS, THEIR PAYCHECK'S GONNA GO FROM $700 EVERY TWO WEEKS, WHICH IS RIDICULOUSLY LOW AMOUNT TO $300 EVERY TWO WEEKS.
THEY CAN'T, THEY CAN'T AFFORD TO SURVIVE ON THAT.
NOBODY CAN NOT IN THIS ECONOMY NOT, AND I KNOW THAT THERE'S A LOT OF, A LOT OF YOU HAVE VOICED YOUR CONCERNS AND VOICED YOUR, UH, SUPPORT OF US, UM, OF TRYING TO DO SOMETHING.
UM, SO I'M BACKTRACKED ON STATEMENTS THAT THEY'VE MADE AND RECANTED THOSE AND, AND SAID THAT WE DO SUPPORT IT.
WE WANT TO DO SOMETHING, BUT WE'RE STILL NOT HEARING ANYTHING.
WE'D LOVE TO HEAR SOMETHING FROM YOU GUYS, WHETHER THAT JUST BE A REACHING OUT AND SAY, HEY, WE'RE WORKING
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ON SOMETHING.GIVE US SOME TIME OR JUST LET US KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON.
IF THERE'S ANYTHING GOING ON WHATSOEVER.
UM, AND I KNOW THIS IS GONNA HIT EVERYBODY.
THIS IS GONNA HIT EVERYBODY FROM THE TOP $300,000 MAKER TO THE LOWEST, UM, PAID PERSON IN IN THE COUNTY.
IT'S GONNA HIT THE, IT'S GONNA HIT EVERYBODY HARD.
UM, AND HERE'S, HERE'S WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN.
WE HAVE ALREADY DANGEROUSLY LOW STAFFS BOTH IN SOCIAL SERVICES AT HSA AS WELL AS, UM, THE FAMILY SERVICES BRANCHES ARE ONES THAT PROVIDE THE BENEFITS TO OUR FOLKS HERE IN THE COUNTY.
AND, UM, THEY'RE NOT GONNA, THEY'RE GONNA LOOK FOR OTHER JOBS AND WE CAN'T FILL THOSE JOBS BECAUSE NO ONE'S GONNA, NO ONE'S ENTICED TO COME HERE TO COME TO THIS COUNTY.
UM, YOU HAVE JUVENILE HALL, WHICH IS DANGEROUSLY LOW STAFFED, ROADS IS LOW STAFFED, AND THEY'RE GONNA TAKE THAT HUGE PAY CUT AS WELL WHERE THEY'RE NOT REALLY MAKING THAT MUCH MONEY TO BEGIN WITH.
I JUST IMPLORE YOU GUYS TO TAKE A LOOK AT IT.
I MEAN, I KNOW THIS IS FOR A LOT OF YOU.
THIS IS A SIDE HUSTLE DOING THE, UH, COUNTY'S, UH, BOARD OF SUPERVISORS THING.
THIS IS A SIDE HUSTLE TO YOUR REAL, TO YOUR REAL JOBS AND WE, WE CAN APPRECIATE THAT.
BUT THERE'S PEOPLE THAT ARE REALLY SUFFERING OUT HERE THAT ARE
AND I KNOW THAT THERE'S, YOU KNOW, THERE'S ANTICIPATED SHORTFALLS AND ALL THIS OTHER STUFF THAT'S GONNA END UP HAPPENING, BUT WE REALLY WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU GUYS AND JUST, YOU KNOW, OFFER SOMETHING THAT'S GONNA GIVE US SOME SORT OF HOPE AT THE END OF THE DAY.
BECAUSE AT THIS RATE, WE'RE LOSING PEOPLE.
WE'RE HEMORRHAGING SOCIAL WORKERS AT HSA, UM, YOU KNOW, WE'RE DANGEROUSLY LOW AND THAT'S GONNA CUT SERVICES BOTH TO OUR FAMILIES AS WELL AS TO OUR MOST VULNERABLE POPULATIONS, WHICH ARE CHILDREN AND, UM, THE AGED ADULTS.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS, SIR.
I'M THE PRESIDENT OF ASME LOCAL 27 0 3.
ONCE AGAIN, I'M HERE TO SPEAK ABOUT THE JANUARY 1ST, 2020 4, 20 24 HEALTH INSURANCE PREMIUM INCREASE.
IT HAS BEEN 69 DAYS SINCE THE PREMIUM INCREASE WAS ANNOUNCED TO COUNTY EMPLOYEES 63 DAYS SINCE THE FINAL BUDGET WAS VOTED ON.
AND THE FIRST BOARD MEETING THAT COUNTY EMPLOYEES LET THIS BOARD KNOW THESE INCREASES WOULD BREAK COUNTY WORKERS AND THEIR FAMILY OPEN.
ENROLLMENT CLOSED ON OCTOBER 23RD, WHICH WAS 37 DAYS AGO.
IN THAT TIMEFRAME, I HAVE SPOKEN TO MR. PEDROZA, MR. ESPINOZA, AND THEY HAVE ASSURED ME THAT THEY ARE AWARE THAT THE SOLUTION NEEDS TO BE REACHED AND THEY ARE WORKING ON IT.
I HAVE HEARD THE EMAILS RESPONSES FROM MR. MCDANIELS TO THE COUNTY WORKERS AND THEIR CONSTITUENTS, LETTING THEM KNOW THAT THEY ARE WORKING ON A SOLUTION AS WELL.
HOPEFULLY BY NOW, MR. PEREIRA HAS FOUND TIME TO RESPOND TO HIS EMAILS HE HAS RECEIVED AS WELL.
MOST IMPORTANTLY, WE HAVE HEARD DURING THESE BOARD MEETINGS FROM EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU THAT YOU ARE COMMITTED TO GETTING THESE INCREASES ADDRESSED.
THE PROBLEM IS WE KEEP HEARING, HEARING WITHOUT ACTION EQUALS NOTHING.
LISTENING WITHOUT ACTION EQUALS NOTHING.
LISTENING WITHOUT ACTION EQUALS NOTHING.
SPEAKING WITHOUT ACTION EQUALS NOTHING.
ACTION WITHOUT RESULTS EQUALS NOTHING.
COUNTY WORKERS ARE COMMITTED TO ACTION.
WE HAVE SHOWN THAT BY OUR WEEKLY DEMONSTRATIONS RIGHT HERE IN FRONT OF THIS BUILDING, WITH A COMMITMENT TO MAKE OUR VOICES HEARD THROUGH THE REMAINDER OF THE YEAR INTO NEXT YEAR'S PRIMARIES ONTO THE GENERAL ELECTION.
WHETHER THIS THERE IS FIVE OF US OUT THERE OR A THOUSAND WE WILL BE, WE WILL CONTINUE TO MAKE OUR VOICES HEARD EVERY WEEK, EITHER IN FRONT OF THIS BUILDING OR DOOR TO DOOR.
IN DISTRICTS THROUGHOUT MERC STATE COUNTY, NO COUNTY WORKER DESERVES TO WORK AND STILL END UP IN UNDER THE POVERTY LEVEL.
THESE INCREASES WILL HARM COUNTY WORKERS AND THEIR FAMILIES.
THEY WILL CAUSE COUNTY WORKERS TO CHOOSE BETWEEN THE HEALTHCARE THEY NEED OR PAYING THEIR RENT OR MORTGAGE.
THESE INCREASES WILL NOT ONLY IMPACT COUNTY WORKERS, THEY WILL ALSO IMPACT OUR LOCAL ECONOMY.
THE BUSINESSES THAT THIS COUNTY IS WORKING HARD TO INCENTIVIZE TO COME TO MERCED WILL REALIZE QUICKLY THE RISK WHEN THE COUNTY'S LARGEST EMPLOYER SITS QUIETLY WHILE ITS WORKERS WAGES FALL BELOW THE PAY THEY MADE IN THE EARLY TWO THOUSANDS BECAUSE OF THESE PREMIUMS AND LACK OF PAY INCREASES THAT KEEP UP WITH INFLATION.
WE HAVE 33 DAYS LEFT UNTIL THE INSURANCE PREMIUMS PREMIUMS INCREASES FOR ALL COUNTY WORKERS GO UP WITHIN THOSE 23 BUSINESS DAYS.
WE WILL CONTINUE TO HEAR THAT YOU WILL ADDRESS THE PROBLEM OR WILL WE FINALLY SEE ACTIONS THAT RESULT IN A POSITIVE OUTCOME FOR COUNTY WORKERS AND THEIR FAMILY.
FINALLY, I LEAVE YOU WITH THIS NUMBER 99.
THAT'S THE NUMBER OF DAYS UNTIL MARCH 5TH, 2024 PRIMARIES.
ON THAT DAY, THREE MEMBERS OF THIS BOARD WILL BE RUNNING TO KEEP THEIR SEATS WHEN THE RESIDENTS OF THIS COUNTY ENTERED THE VOTING BOOTH.
PLEASE REMEMBER WHO STOOD WITH US WHEN WE NEEDED THEM AND THE ONES THAT SIMPLY CHOSE TO LISTEN AND HOPE THAT WE WOULD GO AWAY.
I WORK AT BHRS WHERE WE ON A DAILY BASIS ARE FIGHTING TO SAVE LIVES.
WE SERVE INDIVIDUALS WHOSE LIVES ARE THE MOST SEVERELY IMPACTED BY THEIR MENTAL HEALTH CHALLENGES.
WE SERVE THE MOST VULNERABLE PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY, BUT ALSO HAVE SIGNIFICANT CHALLENGES REACHING A
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LARGE PORTION OF THOSE MOST IN NEED.I KNOW THIS BOARD TRUSTS THE EXPERIENCE OF COUNTY EMPLOYEES IN THE FIELD.
SO LET ME SHARE MY BACKGROUND FIRST.
I HAVE A BACHELOR'S DEGREE IN PSYCHOLOGY.
I'M A CERTIFIED ADDICTION SPECIALIST.
I'VE BEEN WORKING AS A SUBSTANCE USE COUNSELOR FOR 15 YEARS WITH 10 OF THOSE YEARS BEING IN MERCED COUNTY DUAL DIAGNOSIS PROGRAM AT BHS AND NEXT MONTH I WILL COMPLETE A MASTER'S DEGREE IN SOCIAL WORK.
DO YOU KNOW WHAT THE MOST SIGNIFICANT THING FOR RECOVERY AND TREATMENT IS FOR AN INDIVIDUAL? IT'S NOT A PARTICULAR KIND OF THERAPY LIKE COGNITIVE BEHAVIORAL THERAPY, NOT A PARTICULAR INTERVENTION OR EVEN A MEDICATION.
IT IS THE THERAPEUTIC RELATIONSHIP YOU CAN BUILD WITH THE INDIVIDUAL.
THE RELATIONSHIP THAT IS BUILT CAN BRING PEOPLE BACK TO TREATMENT, KEEP THEM IN TREATMENT, AND CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN SAVING SOMEONE'S LIFE.
DATA OUTCOMES AND COUNTLESS RESEARCH STUDIES DEMONSTRATE THIS AN IDENTIFIED SYSTEMS CHALLENGE IN THE MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES ACT THREE YEAR PROGRAM AND EXPENDITURE PLAN.
AND I QUOTE, BHS HAS LIMITED CAPACITY TO SERVE CLIENTS BECAUSE OF DIFFICULTY IN HIRING AND RETAINING STAFF, INCLUDING PSYCHIATRISTS, NURSES, AND CLINICIANS DUE TO LACK OF GRADUATE LEVEL TRAINING PROGRAMS, GEOGRAPHIC REMOTENESS, AND LOWER PAY.
WE HAVE BEEN EXPERIENCING AN INCREASE IN STAFFING ISSUES FOR YEARS AND THAT WILL CONTINUE TO GET WORSE WITH A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN HEALTHCARE PREMIUMS. COMMUNITY MEMBERS ARE UPSET, THE COUNTY EMPLOYEES ARE NOT GETTING BACK TO THEM IN A TIMELY MANNER AND DISSATISFIED WITH THE QUALITY OF SERVICES THEY'RE RECEIVING.
WE ARE UNDERSTAFFED IN ALL DEPARTMENTS, NOT JUST BHS AND IT IS IMPACTING THE QUALITY OF SERVICES PROVIDED.
WE HAVE CLIENTS THAT HAVE CHANGED THERAPISTS AT BH S3 TIMES IN THE LAST THREE MONTHS.
CLIENTS THAT ARE ON AVERAGE SEEING THEIR THERAPIST ONE TIME A MONTH.
THE SEVERELY MENTALLY ILL IN THIS COUNTY ARE ONLY ABLE TO GET MONTHLY THE THERAPY SESSIONS DUE TO HIGH CASELOADS.
I WAS BORN AND RAISED IN THIS COUNTY AND I'M COMMITTED TO THIS COUNTY, BUT FOR THE FIRST TIME IN 10 YEARS, I'VE STARTED LOOKING AT OBTAINING EMPLOYMENT OUTSIDE OF THIS COUNTY.
MY SUGGESTION TO THIS BOARD IS TO SHIFT FROM A SET DOLLAR AMOUNT CAP ON INSURANCE PREMIUMS AND INSTEAD TO A PERCENTAGE AMOUNT OF COUNTY CONTRIBUTIONS AND A PERCENTAGE OF THE EMPLOYEE CONTRIBUTES.
MY REQUEST IS THAT THE BOARD CONSIDER THE INCREASED INVESTMENT IN HEALTHCARE PREMIUMS, PREMIUMS AS AN INVESTMENT IN THIS COMMUNITY.
WHEN WE MAINTAIN STAFF THAT ARE RESIDENTS OF THE COUNTY THAT ARE INVESTED IN THIS COMMUNITY AND MAINTAIN STAFF FOR LONGER PERIODS OF TIME, IT TRULY CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN SAVING LIVES.
AND IN MY OPINION, YOU CAN'T PUT A PRICE ON THAT.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS, MA'AM.
GOOD MORNING, UH, MR. CHAIRMAN AND HONORABLE BOARD MEMBERS, MY NAME IS TODD GOSS.
I'M ONE OF THE UNION REPRESENTATIVES WITH UDW, THE IHSS HOME CARE PROVIDERS UNION.
TODAY, AS YOU CAN SEE, HALF YOUR ROOM IS FILLED WITH IHSS PROVIDERS.
THIS IS THE CORE GROUP OF PEOPLE THAT ARE CARING FOR THE ELDERLY TO DISABLED THE HANDICAP IN YOUR COMMUNITY.
IT IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY TO TAKE CARE OF YOUR CONSTITUENTS, TO TAKE CARE OF THE PEOPLE IN YOUR COMMUNITY.
THIS IS THE FASTEST GROWING OCCUPATION, THE FASTEST WITH MORE AND MORE, UM, GROWING ELDER, MORE PEOPLE NEEDING CARE.
HOW DARE YOU ONLY PAY 16, 10 AN HOUR? HOW CAN ANYBODY LIVE OFF OF THAT? IMAGINE, THINK, THINK WITHIN YOURSELVES.
WHAT IF IT WAS YOUR CHILDREN? NOBODY PLANS ON HAVING AN AUTISTIC CHILD.
NOBODY PLANS ON GRANDMA AND MOM HAVING DEMENTIA.
AND YOU HAVE THE ABILITY, THE OBLIGATION TO TAKE CARE OF YOUR COMMUNITY.
WHAT A BEAUTIFUL INVOCATION THAT WAS.
RIGHT? TAKE CARE OF YOUR COMMUNITY.
TAKE CARE OF THE PEOPLE IN YOUR COMMUNITY.
NEVER GIVE, GIVE WITHOUT FAITH.
WE ARE NOT GIVING UP AND WE ARE DEMANDING THAT WE BE HEARD AND BE BARGAINED IN GOOD FAITH BECAUSE IT IS YOUR FIDUCIAL RESPONSIBILITY TO DO SO.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO KEEP STARING AT ME.
LOOK AT ALL THE PEOPLE IN THIS ROOM THAT ARE HERE THAT YOU CAN IMPACT.
YOUR DECISION WILL CHANGE THE LIVES OF THE BETTER.
AND WHAT A BETTER WAY TO BOOST THE ECONOMY WITHIN MERCED COUNTY IS TO PAY THE PEOPLE THAT ARE GONNA SPEND WITHIN THIS COUNTY NOT TAKE THE FUNDS ELSEWHERE.
SO AGAIN, THINK DEEP WITHIN YOURSELVES.
WHEN YOU GO HOME AND YOU HUNG YOUR CHILDREN, WHEN YOU SEE LOOK IN YOUR WIFE'S EYES OR TALK TO YOUR MOTHER, REMEMBER THOSE WHO CAN'T DO SO BECAUSE OF THE DISABILITIES.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENT, SIR.
I'M AN IHSS PROVIDER AND A MEMBER OF THE UDW FROM MERCED COUNTY.
UH, IN MY TIME AS A CAREGIVER FOR THE PAST 12 YEARS AND A NURSE FOR THE PAST 24 YEARS, I'VE SEEN SO MANY GREAT PEOPLE STEP INTO THE ROLE OF CARE PROVIDER AT A MOMENT'S NOTICE.
UH, IT WASN'T JUST BEING A CAREGIVER, IT'S A CALLING.
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AND, UM, I CAN GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE OF A CLIENT THAT, UM, SHE'S MY DAUGHTER, ANNA, AND, UM, WHERE THE, IT JUST DOESN'T STOP THERE.WITH THE CAREGIVING WITH HER, A YOUNG MOTHER, MENTALLY DISABLED WITH DEPRESSION, DIAGNOSED WITH SCHIZOPHRENIA DUE TO A SEXUAL ASSAULT, BECAME PREGNANT, UNABLE TO CARE FOR HER CHILD SO THAT THE CARE DOESN'T JUST END THERE WITH THE CLIENT.
PROGRAMS LIKE IHSS WAS ABLE TO MAKE THE IMPOSSIBLE POSSIBLE FOR THE MOTHER TO REMAIN IN THE HOME WITH HER CHILD INSTEAD OF THE MOTHER GOING INTO AN INSTITUTION AND THE CHILD TO FOSTER CARE.
AND, UH, THE OTHER TWO CLIENTS THAT I SERVE, UH, TWO ELDERLY BROTHERS HOMELESS AND THE WORST HEALTHCARE, UM, YOU COULD IMAGINE NOW THEY ARE IN THE BEST OF CARE BECAUSE NOW THEY HAVE ESTABLISHED PROVIDERS.
THEY'RE OFF THE STREET, THEY'RE NOT HOMELESS ANYMORE AND GOING HUNGRY.
AND AS A CAREGIVER, I STRUGGLE FINANCIALLY SPENDING OVER 25% OF MY EARNED INCOME OUT-OF-POCKET COSTS JUST TO KEEP EVERYBODY SAFE AND HEALTHY.
SO HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO SURVIVE FINANCIALLY? MOST IMPORTANTLY, HOW ARE MY CLIENTS GONNA SURVIVE WITHOUT THE MUCH NEEDED CARE? UM, SO I'M IN NEED.
WE ARE IN NEED OF MORE DIRECT SUPPORT TO DEFRAY THE COSTS INVOLVED IN CARING FOR THE CLIENTS, FOR OUR CLIENTS.
IT'S FRUSTRATING, SAD, AND VERY OVERWHELMING TO SAY THE LEAST.
UM, OVER THE YEARS, UM, EFFICIENT HEALTHCARE HAS FALLEN THROUGH THE CRACKS AND FOR MANY DIFFERENT REASONS.
UH, ONE OF THE BIG REASONS I HAVE FOUND CAREGIVERS ARE HAVING TO FACE UNN UNNECESSARY FINANCIAL BURDENS.
UH, THOSE WITHOUT HEALTHCARE WILL EXPERIENCE OUT-OF-POCKET COSTS FOR MEDICAL SERVICES.
AND WE ALL KNOW WHAT A TWO MILD AMBULANCE RIDE WOULD COST.
SO THE WHOLE IDEA IS TO KEEP THE CLIENT HOME AND SAFE, TO CUT THE COSTS.
WE NEED THAT SUPPORT FROM YOU ALL.
AND, UH, CARING FOR CLIENTS FOR OUR CLIENTS IS IMPERATIVE.
BEING A CAREGIVER COMES WITH DIFFICULTIES OF COURSE, BUT IT'S ALSO A VERY REWARDING EXPERIENCE.
UM, AS A CAREGIVER MYSELF, I HAVE JUST BEEN, AND I'VE NOTICED OTHERS IN THE HEALTHCARE FIELD, UH, WITH A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF FINANCIAL BURDEN DUE TO THE COST OF LIVING.
EVERYTHING'S JUST GOING SKY HIGH.
AND THE NATURE OF A CAREGIVER IS TO BE CONCERNED ABOUT THE HEALTH AND WELLNESS OF OTHERS, NOT JUST OURSELVES, BUT IT SHOULD NOT COME AT THE EXPENSE OF NOT BEING ABLE.
I'M GONNA GIVE YOU A FEW MORE SECONDS TO FINISH UP YOUR FINAL THOUGHT.
WELL, UH, BUT IT SHOULDN'T COME AT THE EXPENSE OF NOT BEING ABLE TO GIVE OUR CLIENTS WHAT THEY DESERVE.
HELLO, I'M ROBERTA MARTINEZ AND I AM IHSS CARE PROVIDER FOR MY SON.
I COME HERE TODAY TO ASK, PLEASE TO CONSIDER PAY RAISE FOR US, FOR PEOPLE LIKE US, OUR CHILDREN, OUR CAROLINES, WE NEED TO PROVIDE TO HAVE MORE MONEY, TO BE ABLE TO TAKE CARE OF THEM, TO PAY OUR MEDICAL EXPENSES, OUR, OUR GAS MILEAGES, TO GET TO WHERE THEY NEED, UM, TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY CAN LIVE A HEALTHY LIFE.
AND WE LIVE A HEALTHY LIFE, HAVING THE MONEY THAT WE NEED TO GIVE TO THEM WHAT WE DO.
UM, I DO HOPE THAT YOU CONSIDER HELPING US ALL, EVERYONE HERE.
WE'RE HERE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN PROVIDE FOR OUR CLIENTS, OUR LOVED ONES OURSELVES, AND MAKE SURE THAT FOR THE NEXT THREE YEARS WE'RE NOT GONNA BE STRUGGLING AND FEELING LIKE WE'RE DROWNING BECAUSE WE FINANCIALLY CAN'T DO WHAT WE NEED TO DO FOR WHAT WE'RE IN OUR SITUATIONS FOR.
AND I HOPE THAT YOU HEAR US TODAY AND UNDERSTAND HOW IMPORTANT IT IS TO HELP MAKE THIS CHANGE.
AND MY NAME IS FLORENCE CROWSON AND I AM A CONSTITUENT IN YOUR COMMUNITY IN DISTRICT TWO.
AND I WAS LISTENING TO THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE AND WE ENDED WITH AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
WE'RE ASKING FOR JUSTICE FOR A LIVABLE WAGE BENEFITS.
WHAT YOU TAKE FOR GRANTED, WE DON'T GET AND IT'S NECESSARY.
AND ALL OUR PROVIDERS HERE ARE, THEY'RE SPEAKING ON THAT.
IT'S IMPORTANT FOR THEM TO GET A LIVABLE WAGE TO, TO HAVE SOME RESPECT AND
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NOT GET A STATUS QUO, WHICH IS CALLING OF INSULTING.SO I WOULD LIKE TO ENCOURAGE YOU TO PLEASE DO THE RIGHT THING AND DO BETTER.
MY NAME IS ELLIE PAINT CROW SERGEANT, FIRST CLASS RETIRED IRAQ VETERAN.
AS THE VETERANS' RECOGNITION ENDS THIS MONTH TO BE FORGOTTEN BY THIS BOARD UNTIL NEXT NOVEMBER, I SHARE A COMMENT MADE BY A FELLOW VETERAN COMMAND SERGEANT, MAJOR GRANADO, WHO ATTENDED THE PARADE.
THIS YEAR'S EVENT SEEMS MORE LIKE A CAMPAIGN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE POLITICIANS THAT ATTENDED THE MERCED COUNTY VETERANS DAY PARADE.
THERE WAS A CONGRESSMAN AND ASSEMBLYWOMAN, A COUPLE OTHER OFFICIALS ALONG WITH THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS OF MERCED COUNTY WHO WERE PRESENT ABOVE HAR SQUARE.
THE HOST OF THE VETERAN SERVICE OFFICE READ EXTENSIVE BIOGRAPHIES AND OF THE POLITICIANS AND THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS ON WHAT THEY CLAIM THEY HAVE ACCOMPLISHED FOR VETERANS IN MERCED COUNTY.
I FIND IT INTERESTING THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS COULD NOT COME UP WITH AN EQUITABLE SOLUTION FOR THE SAFE AND SECURE USE OF THE MEMORIAL BUILDING FOR ALL VETERANS AND VETERANS ORGANIZATIONS.
ALL THAT RESULTED FROM MONTHS OF CONVERSATIONS WITH THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS WAS TO HAVE THE VFW CHAPTER AND ITS MEMBERSHIP ENC CLOSE DOWN ITS CHAPTER IN MERCED.
YET, ON THE DAY OF VETERANS, WE HAVE OFFICIALS CAMPAIGNING CLAIMING WHAT THEY SAY THEY HAVE DONE FOR VETERANS.
THAT'S YOU ALL JUST CALLING YOU OUT ON WHAT YOU SAY AND WHAT YOU DO DOESN'T MATTER 'CAUSE THEY DON'T MATCH.
ON SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 19TH, WE HAD A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO PARTICIPATE IN HONORING A LOCAL VETERAN FAMILIES WITH INCREDIBLE STORY OF VALOR.
THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS WERE INVITED.
MR. PEDROZA AND SUPERVISOR ESPINOZA BOTH STATED THEY WOULD BE OUT OF TOWN.
HOWEVER, MR. PER CO COMMITTED TO ATTEND, HE WAS A NO-SHOW, A VERY TELLING ACT.
HE CALLED TO CANCEL AT 10:00 AM THE DAY OF THE FUNCTION.
THIS WAS IMPORTANT TO SEE THESE VETERAN FAMILIES AND YOUR PRESENCE MATTERED AS A REPRESENTATIVE OF THIS COMMUNITY.
IT WAS THE LEAST YOU COULD HAVE DONE.
AND NONE OF YOU EVER EVEN RESPONDED THAT YOU COULDN'T MAKE IT EXCEPT FOR THOSE TWO.
I JUST WANT COMMUNITY TO KNOW WHEN IT COMES TO VETERANS, THE WORDS OF THIS BOARD ARE ALL EMPTY.
IF YOU'RE NOT A FARMER OR A BUSINESS THAT SUPPORTS THEM, YOU DON'T MATTER.
WE KNOW FOR SURE VETERANS DON'T MATTER.
WE SEE YOU AND WILL CONTINUE TO CALL OUT ON WHAT YOU CLAIM OF LACK OF COMMITMENT AND SUPPORT FOR VETERANS.
I WOULD SAY SHAME ON ALL OF YOU, BUT YOU DON'T EVEN HAVE THE CAPACITY TO HAVE ANY.
YOU SERVE, DO NOT SERVE VETERAN COMMUNITIES.
I UNDERSTAND YOU RECENTLY HIRED A VETERAN SERVICE OFFICER FOR ANOTHER STATE, AND THAT IS VERY TELLING.
YOU NEED A BODY, NOT SOMEONE WHO KNOWS THIS COMMUNITY.
NOTHING, UH, ON THE NEW EMPLOYEE.
BUT HE WILL SOON FIND OUT HE'S JUST A PAWN AND HIRED TO HELP THIS BOARD SAFE FACE.
JUST WANT HIM TO KNOW THAT WE WISH HIM THE BEST IN SENDING HIM BLESSINGS.
WE WANT TO LET YOU ALL KNOW WE SEE YOU.
WE ASK COMMUNITY TO VISIT OUR BLOG, MERCED COUNTY VETERANS ALLIANCE.COM.
GOOD MORNING, CHAIRMAN SILVERA AND THE BOARD.
GOOD MORNING, CHAIRMAN VER AND THE BOARD CHRIS SAN SANTOS.
HERE AGAIN REPRESENTING THE OFFICE OF CONGRESSMAN JOHN DTE.
SINCERELY, HOPE YOU ALL HAD A HAPPY AND HEALTHY THANKSGIVING.
I WAS GLAD TO BE ABLE TO JOIN MERCED LAU FAMILY FOR AND THE MONK COMMUNITY FOR THEIR ANNUAL THANKSGIVING LUNCHEON.
THE CONGRESSMAN IS GRATEFUL TO HAVE NA ABLE TO SPEND THANKSGIVING BACK IN HIS RANCH WITH THE FAMILY.
AND IN A VIDEO MESSAGE, HE GAVE A VERY SPECIAL THANK YOU TO OUR FIGHTING MEN AND WOMEN AROUND THE WORLD WHO ARE DEFENDING OUR FREEDOM AND HONOREE.
CONGRESSMAN DUARTE WAS ALSO HONORED TO BE ABLE TO TAKE PART IN THE OPENING CEREMONY FOR THE 2023 MERCED COUNTY VETERANS STATE PARADE AND PRESENT PLAQUES FOR GRAND MARSHALS.
THE CONGRESSMAN SPENT VETERANS DAY EVERYWHERE FROM MODESTO TO LIVINGSTON, MEAD AND ATWATER PARTICIPATING IN CEREMONIES HONORING OUR NATION'S VETERANS FOR THEIR SERVICE AND SACRIFICE.
OUR OFFICE WAS ABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN A CEREMONY COMMEMORATING THE 80TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE BATTLE OF TERRE AND THE PACIFIC THEATER OF WORLD WAR II AND HONORING TWO UNITED STATES MARINES.
FAMILIES FINALLY JOINED AFTER EIGHT DECADES.
AGAIN, KUDOS TO IAN WHITAKER OF THE COUNTY TIMES FOR WORKING ON THIS INCREDIBLE STORY.
CORPORAL LESTER, JAY MARTINEZ, A SON OF MEXICAN IMMIGRANTS AND A NATIVE IN MERCED COUNTY, SPENT HIS LAST MINUTES ON EARTH SAVING THE LIFE OF LANCE CORPORAL MAX BROWN, A SON OF BALTIC JEWS FROM NEW YORK CITY.
AS A GRANDSON OF A WOMAN WHO RAISED ME ON THE STORIES OF HER CHILDHOOD UNDER THE BRUTAL JAPANESE AND INVASION AND OCCUPATION OF THE PHILIPPINES.
I'M ETERNALLY GRATEFUL TO HAVE BEEN ABLE TO COMMEMORATE THESE
[00:25:01]
AMERICAN HEROES AND OUR GREATEST GENERATION.AND MAY THEY NEVER BE FORGOTTEN.
TWO WEEKS AGO, A CONTINUING RESOLUTION ARRIVED ON THE HOUSE FLOOR FOR A VOTE TO KEEP THE GOVERNMENT OPEN AND OUR OFFICE RELEASED THE FOLLOWING STATEMENT.
CONGRESSMAN DUARTE VOTED FOR THE CONTINUING RESOLUTION TO KEEP OUR GOVERNMENT OPEN AND WORKING ON BEHALF OF THE AMERICAN PEOPLE.
A GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN WOULD'VE DISRUPTED MANY FEDERAL PROGRAMS EV EVERYDAY AMERICANS RELY ON INCLUDING VITAL SERVICES TO OUR NATION'S VETERANS.
NOW WE HAVE TIME TO CONTINUE OUR APPROPRIATIONS PROCESS THROUGH REGULAR ORDER FOR A FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE BUDGET THAT WILL PUT OUR NATION BACK ON THE RIGHT TRACK FREE FROM EXCESSIVE GOVERNMENT SPENDING.
OUR OFFICE WILL BE SURE TO KEEP OUR CONSTITUENTS INFORMED OF ANY UPDATES AS WE APPROACH THE LADDERED BUDGET DEADLINES IN JANUARY AND FEBRUARY.
I HAD A WONDERFUL TIME AT THE AUGUSTINE CHRISTMAS TREE LIGHTING.
I SAW SUPERVISOR PEREIRA THERE AND I HOPE EVERY FAMILY IN MERCED COUNTY HAS A SAFE AND JOYFUL TIME AT THE VARIOUS COMMUNITY CHRISTMAS CELEBRATIONS OVER THE NEXT TWO WEEKENDS.
I LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING ABOUT THE PLANADA FINAL PLAN PRESENTATION NEXT WEEK.
IT WAS REALLY COOL TO SEE THE INNOVATIVE WAY THAT THE WORKSHOPS WERE BEING CONDUCTED AT THE PLAN COMMUNITY CENTER.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENT, SIR.
HOW ARE YOU GUYS TODAY? MORNING.
MAGDALENA CASTILLO, MY DAUGHTER.
I AM A, UH, I'VE BEEN A PROVIDER FOR OVER 15 YEARS, SO WE'VE BEEN AT THIS QUITE A BIT.
COME HERE, WE ASK YOU, WE SIT DOWN, WE SHOW YOU.
OKAY, I'M NOT GONNA ASK ANYMORE.
YOU KNOW, YOU GUYS NEED TO UNDERSTAND THAT WE AS PROVIDERS DO THIS NOT FOR THE GLORY OF NOT FOR THE GLORY OF BEING A BABYSITTER, NOT FOR THE GLORIA JUST SITTING OUR ASSES DOWN AT HOME.
WE DO THIS BECAUSE THEY NEED US.
WE HAVE SO MANY PEOPLE OUT THERE THAT REQUEST, UH, SOMEBODY TO CARE FOR THEM.
I LITERALLY HAVE FRIENDS WHO HAVE SIGNED UP, NOT FOR THE GLORY OF THE MONEY, BUT THE FACT OF HELPING OTHERS.
THAT IS PART OF OUR, OUR OUR DUE DILIGENCE IN THIS WORLD.
OKAY? SO MANY, YOU KNOW, YOU GUYS ARE PROBABLY ON THE FENCE.
SHOULD WE GIVE THEM A RAISE? SHOULD WE NOT? YOU KNOW WHAT? WE DESERVE A RAISE.
WE DESERVE TO PROVIDE FOR OUR HOMES AND OUR FOOD, PAY FOR OUR FOOD AND UTILITIES AND EVERYTHING ELSE THAT COMES WITH THAT.
THE FACT THAT YOU GUYS ARE ON THIS FENCE, PLEASE GET OFF OF IT.
UNDERSTAND THAT WE DESERVE ALSO A LIVING WAGE.
THIS MONEY GOES BACK INTO OUR COMMUNITY.
IT GOES BACK IN TO PROVIDE FOR HER AS FAR AS MAKING SURE SHE HAS A ROOF OVER HER HEAD, MAKING SURE THERE'S FOOD ON THE TABLE.
I'M JUST ASKING PLEASE, AND I SHOULDN'T EVEN HAVE TO HEAR, COME AND BEG YOU GUYS TO PLEASE.
YOU GUYS SHOULD JUST, JUST CONSCIOUSLY UNDERSTAND THAT THIS IS PART OF THIS HUMAN RACE THAT WE HAVE GOING ON.
I MEAN, CAN YOU GUYS JUST COME TOGETHER AND SAY, HEY, MAYBE THERE'S SOMETHING HERE.
WE'RE NOT, WE'RE NOT DIMINISHED.
WE ARE GROWING AND WE WILL COME EVERY MONTH, SHOW MY GREEN SHORT TEAR, YOU KNOW THAT I'M HERE AND HAVE TO TALK TO YOU GUYS OVER AND OVER AND OVER.
SO PLEASE, YOU KNOW, LET'S BE THERE.
GET OFF THE FENCE, MAKE THOSE DECISIONS BECAUSE IF YOU DON'T, WE'LL BE BACK OVER AND OVER.
YOU JUST WANNA MAKE PUBLIC COMMENT, CORRECT? I DO, YES.
BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, CEO MENDEZ.
I WORK FOR THE COUNTY OFFICE OF EDUCATION.
THIS PAST, LET'S SEE, ON NOVEMBER 19TH, WE HOSTED THE FIRST GATEWAY TO YOSEMITE, 5K, 10 K RUN AND WALK.
WE HAD, UH, SEVERAL FOLKS RUN AND WALK.
BOTH OF THEM, THE MERCED COUNTY OFFICE OF EDUCATION, CITY OF MERCED PARKS AND COMMUNITY SERVICES AND CALLED TIVA SALUD ALL HELPED ORGANIZE IT.
WE RAISED MORE THAN $4,500 FOR KITTY LAND AT APPLEGATE PARK AND WE HAD MORE THAN 130 PARTICIPANTS.
I ALSO WANTED TO THANK DIGNITY HEALTH AND GOLDEN VALLEY HEALTH CENTERS FOR POSTING UP THE HYDRATION STATIONS.
IT'S A GREAT EVENT AND WE PLAN TO HAVE AN ANNUAL LOVE TO SEE ALL OF YOU OUT THERE.
UH, CEO MENDEZ DID PARTICIPATE AND DID A PRETTY GOOD JOB IN THAT 10 K.
UM, THE SECOND ITEM, REAL QUICKLY, ON THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 8TH, UH, WE HAVE OUR ANNUAL EDUCATION REPORT AT MCOE, RIGHT DOWN THE ROAD HERE AT MONDO.
WE'D LIKE TO INVITE ALL OF YOU.
IT STARTS AT 11:30 AM AND I'M GONNA GO AHEAD AND PLACE THESE RIGHT IN HERE.
UH, SO THIS YEAR WE'RE FOCUSING ON HOW THE COUNTY OFFICE OF EDUCATION SERVES SMALL SCHOOL
[00:30:01]
DISTRICTS.WE HAVE AN INCREDIBLE AMOUNT OF SMALL SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN THIS RURAL PART OF CALIFORNIA.
SO I HOPE THAT Y'ALL ALL JOIN US.
MORE INFORMATION WILL BE SENT TO YOU TO RSVP.
AND I THINK I'M UP FIRST ON THE AGENDA.
I JUST, UM, WANTED TO ADDRESS THE LADY THAT WAS SPEAKING AGAINST YOU GUYS.
AND I JUST THINK IT'S REALLY SAD THAT PEOPLE DON'T DO THE RESEARCH AND WE KNOW ALL OF YOU LOVE THE VETERANS AND THAT, UM, YOU GUYS ALL HAVE A HEART FOR THE VETERANS.
SO, UM, I THINK IT'S REALLY SAD THE DISRESPECT THAT YOU GUYS GET, THAT THE SHERIFF GETS AND THAT, YOU KNOW, EVERYBODY DESERVES CREDIT WHERE CREDIT'S DUE.
AND, UM, YOU GUYS ARE GREAT, YOU KNOW, AND WONDERFUL.
AND YOU ALL LIKE THE VETERANS, NOT JUST ONE OR TWO OF YOU.
AND, AND YOU ALL DO HARD WORK AND TRY AND, UM, HELP YOUR DISTRICTS AS THE SHERIFF DOES AS WELL.
AND WHEN PEOPLE DON'T SEE THIS, IT'S FRUSTRATING BECAUSE THEY DON'T SEE WHAT GOES ON IN THE BACKGROUND IN ALL THE MEETINGS AND EVERYTHING THAT'S BEING TAKEN CARE OF.
WHETHER IT'S THE SHERIFF, THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, THE HIGHWAY PATROL, THE POLICE, YOU KNOW, WE JUST NEED TO, UM, AS A CITY LEARN TO GIVE THEM CREDIT WHERE CREDIT'S DUE.
EVERYBODY COMING UP HERE AND COMPLAINING IT WAS SAYING THINGS THAT ARE NOT TRUE.
SO JUST WANNA GIVE YOU ALL ACCOLADES.
WE WILL CLOSE THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD FOR NON-AG AGENDA ITEMS. SO, MOVING RIGHT
[PRESENTATIONS]
ALONG TODAY, WE HAVE FOUR PRESENTATIONS ON THE AGENDA THIS MORNING.WE WILL BEGIN WITH, UM, NATHAN CAVUTO, WHO WILL BE PROVIDE THE MERCED COUNTY OFFICE OF EDUCATION, ANNUAL WILLIAMS REPORT FOR 20 23 20 24.
THERE'S A LITTLE, THERE'S A LITTLE BUTTON RIGHT THERE ON YOUR RIGHT HAND SIDE IF YOU WANT TO.
THAT PODIUM WILL LIFT UP A LITTLE BIT.
OKAY, WELL, GOOD MORNING, CHAIRMAN BOARD, UH, CEO MENDEZ.
I'M NATHAN VETO, AGAIN, WORK AT THE COUNTY OFFICE OF EDUCATION.
UH, ON BEHALF OF THE COUNTY SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS, I'M HERE TO PRESENT THE WILLIAMS REPORT.
UH, A LITTLE BIT OF CONTEXT ON WHAT EXACTLY THIS IS.
THE WILLIAMS SETTLEMENT OF 2004 CREATED NEW STANDARDS FOR TEXTBOOK SUFFICIENCY, GOOD REPAIR OF FACILITIES, TEACHER ASSIGNMENT FOR ALL CALIFORNIA SCHOOLS.
UH, THE SETTLEMENT ALSO REQUIRED COUNTY SUPERINTENDENTS AS THE MONITORING AGENT TO ENSURE THAT THESE NEW STANDARDS WERE IMPLEMENTED.
AND THAT'S WHAT WE DO WITH THE COUNTY OFFICE OF EDUCATION.
SO THE EDUCATION CODE 1240 REQUIRES THAT ANNUALLY THE COUNTY BOARD SUBMIT A REPORT AT A REGULARLY SCHEDULED NOVEMBER BOARD MEETING TO THE GOVERNING BOARD OF EACH SCHOOL DISTRICT.
I'M HERE TODAY AS A COURTESY, JUST TO LET YOU KNOW WHAT WE'RE DOING.
UH, WILLIAMS VISITS MUST BE CONDUCTED, CONDUCTED AT LEAST ANNUALLY, WITHIN THE FIRST FOUR WEEKS OF SCHOOL WITH AT LEAST 25% OF THE VISITS UNANNOUNCED.
AND THE ANNUAL REPORT MUST INCLUDE FINDINGS THAT RELATE TO STUDENT ACCESS TO INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS, COMPLIANCE WITH FACILITIES, MAINTENANCE REQUIREMENTS, ACCURACY OF WILLIAMS DATA REPORTED ON THE SCHOOL ACCOUNTABILITY REPORT CARD AND TEACHER MIS ASSIGNMENT AND TEACHER VACANCIES.
SO I AM VERY HAPPY TO REPORT THAT OUR FINDINGS WERE ZERO FOR ALL OF THOSE AREAS.
OUR SCHOOLS ARE IN GOOD REPAIR.
UM, WE DID VISIT, UH, 18 DIFFERENT SCHOOLS, AND I BELIEVE YOU HAVE IN YOUR PACKET THE LIST OF ALL THE SCHOOLS THAT WE VISITED ACROSS THE COUNTY.
UH, SO WE HAD ZERO FINDINGS FOR THE INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS AND READING LANGUAGE ARTS, MATHEMATICS HISTORY, SOCIAL SCIENCE, SCIENCE AND FOREIGN LANGUAGE.
SO STUDENTS HAVE ACCESS TO THE TEXTBOOKS AT THESE SCHOOLS.
UH, THE SCHOOL FACILITIES ZERO OUT OF 18 FOR ANY EMERGENCY SITUATIONS.
LIKE I SAID, THE SCHOOLS ARE IN GOOD REPAIR AND THE, UH, SCHOOL ACCOUNTABILITY REPORT CARD WAS COMPLIANT AND LISTED ON THEIR WEBSITE.
AND THAT GOES OVER THE STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT ENVIRONMENT RESOURCES AND OTHER DEMOGRAPHIC INFORMATION ABOUT THOSE SCHOOLS.
SO I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS, SUPERVISOR PEDROZA.
UM, I THINK I'VE ASKED THIS BEFORE, BUT HOW COME ON THE REPORT, IT'S JUST ELEMENTARY, IT'S NOT HIGH SCHOOLS OR ANYTHING, SO LET'S LOOK THROUGH.
THIS ONE IS JUST ELEMENTARIES.
I BELIEVE THAT WAS PART OF THE, THE WILLIAMS SETTLEMENT WAS FOCUSED ON THE, UH, THE ELEMENTARY AND MIDDLE SCHOOLS.
I'D HAVE TO GET BACK TO YOU ON THE SPECIFIC REASON ABOUT WHY THIS REPORT IS JUST ELEMENTARY AND MIDDLE SCHOOLS.
[00:35:01]
THEY'RE JUST PICKED RANDOMLY THE SCHOOLS THAT, THE 18 THAT YOU PICKED? YES.SO THIS IS PART OF, THERE'S ANOTHER PARAGRAPH HERE ABOUT HOW THE CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION GENERATES A WILLIAMS LIST ONCE EVERY THREE FISCAL YEARS.
SO SOME OF IT'S BASED ON STUDENT PERFORMANCE AT THOSE SCHOOLS, IF THEY'RE LOW PERFORMING SCHOOLS.
AND IT ALSO IS BASED ON THE TEACHER ASSIGNMENTS AND HOW MANY MIS ASSIGNMENTS OR, UM, HOW MANY TEACHERS HAVE EMERGENCY CREDENTIALS.
SO THOSE ARE THE SCHOOLS THAT WE'RE TYPICALLY TARGETING AND ENSURING THAT THEY HAVE THE PROPER FACILITIES, THEY HAVE THE PROPER, UM, ACCESS TO BE GOOD STEWARDS OF OUR STUDENTS.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS? JUST ONE QUICK QUESTION FOR YOU ON THE, ON THE SCORECARD IT SAYS INEFFECTIVE.
WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? YOU KNOW, AND THAT'S ONE THAT I CIRCLED AND I'M GLAD I DID BECAUSE I, I WAS CURIOUS ABOUT THAT.
INEFFECTIVE TEACHER IS A TEACHER WHOSE ASSIGNMENT IS AUTHORIZED BY AN EMERGENCY PERMIT.
IT DOES NOT MEAN THE LITERAL WORD INEFFECTIVE AND IT'S FAIRLY MISLEADING.
UM, TO HEAR THIS IS SOMETHING THAT MY COLLEAGUES AND I HAVE GONE BACK AND FORTH WITH CD ABOUT AND THEY'RE NOT GONNA CHANGE IT FOR US.
SO, UH, INEFFECTIVE SIMPLY MEANS THAT THEY HAVE AN EMERGENCY CREDENTIAL AND THERE'S A TEACHER SHORTAGE, YOU KNOW, AND WE'RE ENCOURAGING FOLKS TO GO INTO THE PROFESSION.
AND MCE HAS A LOT OF RESOURCES THAT FOLKS COULD FIND@MCE.ORG TO LEARN MORE ABOUT HOW THEY COULD BECOME A TEACHER.
AND MAYBE YOU JUST PUT A SLASH THERE AND THEN PUT EMERGENCY CREDENTIAL.
'CAUSE WHEN YOU READ THAT AS JUST INEFFECTIVE, IT, IT, YOU TAKE ON A DIFFERENT INTERPRETATION OF IT.
YOU'RE THE RESIDENT TEACHER HERE SUPERVISOR.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
NEXT UP WE WILL HAVE AG COMMISSIONER SEAN RUNYAN, WHO WILL BE PRESENTING INFORMATION RELATED TO THE ANNUAL CROP REPORT.
ALRIGHT, UH, GOOD MORNING, MR. CHAIRMAN, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD COUNTY COUNCIL HANSON, CEO MENDEZ, UH, SEAN RENON, AG COMMISSIONER SEALER OF WEIGHTS AND MEASURES, UH, VERY APPROPRIATELY AFTER OUR THANKSGIVING HOLIDAY, I GET THE DISTINCT HONOR AND PLEASURE TODAY OF PRESENTING TO YOU THE 2022 CROP REPORT, WHICH WAS RELEASED BACK ON OCTOBER 31ST.
SO, WHILE THE CROP REPORT IS A CULMINATION OF WORK BY OUR STAFF TO GATHER DATA ABOUT MERCED COUNTY CROP PRODUCTION, IT IS ALSO AN OPPORTUNITY TO HIGHLIGHT THE IMPORTANCE OF AGRICULTURE TO OUR COUNTY AND PROVIDES AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO SHARE SOME OF THE OTHER ACTIVITIES OUR DEPARTMENT IS RESPONSIBLE FOR FOUR.
SO FIRST OFF, UH, BEFORE GETTING INTO SOME OF THE HIGHLIGHTS OF THE CROP REPORT, I DO WANNA EXPRESS MY SINCERE THANKS TO A FEW WHO HAVE MADE THE CROP REPORT POSSIBLE.
UH, FIRST I'D LIKE TO THANK OUR MANY GROWERS, RANCHERS, PROCESSORS, INDUSTRY GROUPS, AND OTHER GOVERNMENT AGENCIES WHO PROVIDE INFORMATION.
WITHOUT THIS SUPPORT AND PARTICIPATION IN THIS REPORT WOULD NOT BE POSSIBLE.
SECONDLY, I WOULD LIKE TO THANK, UH, OUR ENTIRE STAFF FOR THE EFFORTS OF THIS YEAR LONG ENDEAVOR.
UH, THE STAFF BEGINS WORKING TO GATHER DATA FOR NEXT YEAR'S CROP REPORT ALMOST IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE RELEASE OF THE PREVIOUS YEAR AS WE SPEAK.
SURVEYS FOR THE 2023 CROP REPORT HAVE ALREADY WENT OUT.
UM, I WANT TO THANK ALL OF OUR STAFF FOR THE TIRELESS WORK THIS YEAR IN COMPILING AND SORTING THROUGH THE DATA THAT WE RECEIVED TO PRODUCE THE 22 REPORT.
SO AT THIS TIME, I DO WANNA RECOGNIZE DEPUTY AG COMMISSIONER KERRY MITCHELL, WHO IS HERE TODAY FOR A GREAT WORK LEADING OUR EFFORTS IN THE 22 COOP REPORT.
SO I ALSO WANNA POINT OUT THAT ALL THE INFORMATION THAT WE RECEIVE IS REPORTED VOLUNTARILY AND IS KEPT CONFIDENTIAL.
OUR REPORTING METHODS ARE ALSO DESIGNED TO KEEP INFORMATION CONFIDENTIAL, WHICH IS IMPORTANT IN FACILITATING VOLUNTARY PARTICIPATION IN NEXT YEAR'S AND FUTURE CROP REPORTS.
SO, SO GETTING INTO TO THE, UH, 22 PRODUCTION YEAR.
SO FOR THE 22 PRODUCTION YEAR, TOTAL PRODUCTION CAME OUT AT AN ALL TIME RECORD FROM MERCED COUNTY AT $4.56 BILLION.
UH, THIS BROKE THE PREVIOUS HIGH, WHICH OCCURRED BACK IN 2014 OF, UH, $4.43 BILLION.
THIS REPRESENTED A 23% INCREASE FROM 2020 ONES REPORT OF $3.7 BILLION, WHICH IS AN $841 MILLION INCREASE.
IT IS IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER THAT THESE NUMBERS REPRESENT THE GROSS RETURN VALUES TO PRODUCERS AND DO NOT TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THE COST OF PRODUCTION, MARKETING, OR TRANSPORTATION.
SO WHILE THE 22, UH, 2022 CROP REPORT, TOTAL PRODUCTION VALUE WAS AT AN ALL TIME HIGH, SEVERAL CHALLENGES WERE IN THE FOREFRONT OF THE 2022 YEAR WITH THE WAR IN UKRAINE, STARTING CONTINUATION OF THE DROUGHT, LOGISTICS
[00:40:01]
PROBLEMS AND INFLATION TO NAME JUST A FEW.ONE OF OUR DAIRY FARMERS SUMMED IT UP, UH, RIGHTFULLY SO.
UH, THE RECORD BREAKING YEAR BY SAYING MONEY CAME IN ONE BARN DOOR AND RIGHT OUT THE OTHER.
UM, EVEN WITH THAT IN MIND, THE 4.56 BILLION REPORTED VALUE IS A JAW DROPPING FIGURE FOR ONE COUNTY.
JUST TO PUT THAT IN PERSPECTIVE, IF RANKED AS A STATE, MERCED COUNTY BY ITSELF WOULD RANK NUMBER 32 AFTER VIRGINIA AND JUST AHEAD OF MONTANA.
SO, GETTING INTO SOME OF THE HIGHLIGHTS OF, UM, MILK CONTINUED ITS RAIN AS THE NUMBER ONE COMMODITY IN MERCED, UM, WITH THE 37% INCREASE IN VALUE, MERCED RANKS AS THE NUMBER TWO COUNTY IN MILK PRODUCTION ONLY BEHIND TULARE COUNTY, WHICH ALSO SAW A SIGNIFICANT RISE IN ITS PRODUCTION VALUES FOR 2022.
AND WHOPPING 470 $407 MILLION INCREASE ATTRIBUTED BY MILK PRODUCTION ALONE CONTRIBUTES SIGNIFICANTLY TO THE 2022 REPORT INCREASE.
EGGS ADDED ANOTHER 76 MILLION INCREASE OVER THE 2021 REPORTS VALUE, MAINLY DUE TO PRICE INCREASES CAUSED BY AVIAN AVIAN INFLUENZA OUTBREAKS.
MORE DIVERSIFICATION OF MERCED COUNTY CROPS IS BECOMING APPARENT AS OUR MISCELLANEOUS VEGETABLES CATEGORY MOVED UP THREE SPACES AND ADDED $63 MILLION FROM THE PREVIOUS YEAR.
ASPARAGUS, BASIL, BROCCOLI, CARROTS, CILANTRO, GARLIC, KALE, ONIONS, PARSLEY, SPEARMINT, AND SQUASH ARE JUST SOME OF THE DIFFERENT COMMODITIES THAT MAKE UP THE SCRIPT.
ALFALFA HAY AS WELL AS OTHER DAIRY FORAGE CROPS SAW SOME SIGNIFICANT GAINS AS THEY INCREASED FOR A COMBINED TOTAL OF 160 MILLION FROM 2021 VALUES HIGH DEMAND AND LIMITED SUPPLY DUE TO DROUGHT, INCREASED PRICES SIGNIFICANTLY IN 2022.
IN OUR REPORT EVERY YEAR, WE INCLUDE SOME HISTORICAL DATA AS WELL AS LOOK AT THE DIVERSITY AND MAKEUP OF THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF SOME OF THE DIFFERENT CROP CATEGORIES.
LOOKING BACK AT THE HISTORY OF PRODUCTION VALUES, WE HAD TO GO BACK TO 1989 TO FIND WHEN OUR COUNTY FIRST HIT THE BILLION DOLLAR PLATEAU, WHICH GREW AT A MODEST RATE UNTIL 15 YEARS LATER IN 2004 WHEN WE HIT THE $2 BILLION MARK.
SO 3 BILLION CAME FAST ONLY THREE YEARS LATER IN 2007 WITH THE 4 BILLION MARK BEING MET SEVEN YEARS LATER IN 2014, UH, OVER 50% OF THE VALUE OF OUR 20 UH, 2022 CROP REPORT CAME FROM LIVESTOCK AND LIVESTOCK PRODUCTS, WHICH IS FAIRLY CONSISTENT WITH PAST HISTORY.
OVERALL, EVEN WITH THE LARGE INCREASE IN MILK PRICES IN 22, OUR CROP CATEGORY COMPOSITION HAS STAYED CONSISTENT IN MAKEUP OVER THE LAST 10 YEARS.
SO OUR ANNUAL CROP REPORT ALLOWS US TO ILLUSTRATE THE DISTRIBUTION AND BREADTH OF MERCED COUNTY'S AGRICULTURAL EXPORTS TO THE REST OF THE WORLD, WHILE ALSO ALLOWING US TO REPORT ON OUR DEPARTMENT'S ACTIVITIES ASSISTING WITH THE PROTECTION OF AGRICULTURE.
OUR PEST EXCLUSION PROGRAM IS ONE OF THE LARGER, IS ONE OF OUR LARGER PROGRAMS, AND IS OUR FIRST LINE OF DEFENSE.
ONE OF THE PRIMARY ACTIVITIES OF THIS PROGRAM AND OUR FEDERALLY LICENSED STAFF IS TO INSPECT AND CERTIFY OUTGOING COMMODITIES, ASSURING THEY MEET THE ENTRY REQUIREMENTS OF OTHER COUNTRIES PLANT PROTECTION AGENCIES.
IN 2000, IN 2022, STAFF ISSUED 6,941 FEDERAL FIDO SANITARY CERTIFICATES, UH, FOR EXPORTS OF 22 UNIQUE COMMODITIES TO 84 COUNTRIES.
ADDITIONALLY, STAFF ROUTINELY INSPECTS INCOMING COMMODITIES AND ITEMS FROM OTHER COUNTRIES, STATES AND COUNTIES ASSURING FEDERAL AND DOMESTIC QUARANTINES AND REQUIREMENTS ARE COMPLIED WITH.
INSPECTED ITEMS INCLUDE INCOMING BEEHIVES FOR POLLINATION NURSERY SHIPMENTS, PARCEL PACKAGES AT UPS AND FEDEX FACILITIES, TRUCKS COMING ACROSS BORDER STATIONS, CARRYING REGULATED ARTICLES, PATIO FURNITURE, CHRISTMAS TREES, AND OTHER REGULATED AND HIGH RISK ARTICLES.
STAFF INSPECTED OVER 4,500 SUCH ITEMS IN LOADS ENTERING MERCED COUNTY IN 2022.
SO THE 2022 CROP REPORT ALSO ALLOWS US TO REPORT OUR PEST DETECTION ACTIVITIES FOR THE YEAR.
OUR PEST DETECTION PROGRAM IS MEANT TO BE A SECOND LINE OF DEFENSE AGAINST HARMFUL AGRICULTURAL PEST AND ANOTHER ONE OF OUR LARGER PROGRAMS THROUGHOUT THE STATE.
CALIFORNIA IS ALWAYS UNDER THREAT FROM INVASIVE PESTS, WHICH COULD CAUSE DETRIMENTAL DAMAGE TO OUR VAST ARRAY OF FRUITS, VEGETABLES, AND NUTS.
BY DETECTING THESE QUICKLY, IT GIVES US THE OPPORTUNITY TO ERADICATE THEM BEFORE THEY GET ESTABLISHED AND DO BILLIONS OF DOLLARS WORTH OF DAMAGE TO AGRICULTURAL CROPS.
IN OUR COUNTY, OUR AND COUNTIES THROUGHOUT CALIFORNIA, SEVERAL DIFFERENT TYPES OF TRAPS REPLACED TO DETECT MANY TYPES OF INSECTS PAST.
WE'RE MONITORING FOR OUR COUNTY WORKS AS PART OF A TEAM WITH THE CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF FOOD AND AG AND OTHER COUNTY'S PEST DETECTION PROGRAMS TO PROTECT CALIFORNIA'S 50 PLUS BILLION DOLLAR AGRICULTURAL INDUSTRY.
[00:45:01]
IN 2022, OUR DEPARTMENT'S PEST DETECTION PROGRAM PLACED OVER 3,600 DIFFERENT INSECT TRAPS, WHICH WERE RELOCATED AND INSPECTED ALMOST 32,000 TIMES.SO THE CROP REPORT ALSO GIVES AN OPPORTUNITY TO HIGHLIGHT SOME OF THE RESPONSIBILITIES OF OUR WEIGHTS AND MEASURES PROGRAM.
UH, MANY PEOPLE DO NOT REALIZE THAT THE COUNTY HAS THISS DIVISION, WHICH PROTECTS CONSUMERS BY ENSURING ADVERTISING OR QUALITY STATEMENTS ARE ACCORDING TO LAW.
AND DEVICES USED TO MEASURE PURCHASES ARE ACCURATE.
COMMON MEASURING DEVICES THAT ARE CHECKED FOR, UH, THAT THAT CHECKED FOR CORRECT MEASUREMENTS INCLUDE GROCERY AND DELI COUNTER SCALES, PROPANE METERS, GAS AND DIESEL PUMPS, TRUCK SCALES, LANDSCAPE MATERIAL, UH, SCALES, EVEN TAXI METERS.
IN 2022, OVER 5,000 OF THE 5,000 OF THESE DEVICES WERE INSPECTED AND SEALED.
WHEN PURCHASING SOMETHING THAT REQUIRES A MEASUREMENT DEVICE SUCH AS A SCALE OR METER LOOK FOR THE COUNTY SEAL WITH THE, WITH THE YEAR 2023 IS YELLOW WITH A BLACK BACKGROUND, 2024 WILL BE WHITE WITH A GREEN BACKGROUND.
OUR WEIGHTS AND MEASURES DIVISION ALSO INVESTIGATES COMPLAINTS CONCERNING MEASUREMENT AND ADVERTISING AND CAN BE CONTACTED IN THE EVENT THAT THE CONSUMERS IN OUR COUNTY WISH TO FILE A COMPLAINT CONCERNING AN ACCURATE DEVICES QUANTITY OR ADVERTISING IS ADVERTISEMENT ISSUES.
SO THE PHOTO I I HAD TO INCLUDE THIS PHOTO JUST BECAUSE IT KIND OF SHOWS SOME OF OUR RICH HISTORY.
THIS IS AT A CATTLE SCALE AND IT GOES BACK 65 YEARS.
UM, AND IT COVERS FOUR DIFFERENT AD COMMISSIONERS AND SEALERS.
SO, SO IN, IN CLOSING, I JUST WANTED TO MAKE A FEW REMARKS.
SO AGRICULTURE IS THE DRIVING FORCE BEHIND THE ECONOMY HERE IN MERCED.
SO COMMONLY USED ESTIMATES FOR ECONOMIC MULTIPLIER EFFECTS OF 0.5 TO THREE WOULD PUT THE INDIRECT IMPACT OF THE 2022 REPORTED VALUES OF AGRICULTURE TO MERCED COUNTY'S ECONOMY AT SEVEN TO $14 BILLION.
SO GOING BACK TO THE THANKSGIVING THEME THAT I ALLUDED TO AT THE BEGINNING OF THE PRESENTATION, I THINK IT'S APPROPRIATE FOR ME TO EXPRESS MY GRATITUDE AND THANKFULNESS TO OUR GROWERS, UH, RANCHERS AND ALL THOSE THAT WORK IN AGRICULTURE INDUSTRY FOR THE CONTRIBUTIONS IN 2022 TO OUR COMMUNITIES AND ECONOMY.
ADDITIONALLY, AS THE FIFTH LARGEST COUNTY IN TERMS OF PRODUCTION IN THE NATION, IT'S IMPORTANT TO RECOGNIZE AGRICULTURE'S CONTRIBUTION TO OUR NATIONAL SECURITY AND THE IMPACT IT MAKES ON GLOBAL FOOD PRODUCTION.
SO I HAVE THE UNIQUE PERSPECTIVE, UH, IN MY POSITION AND GET TO WITNESS AND HEAR ABOUT THE MANY CHALLENGES THAT GROWERS FACE WHILE PRODUCING CROPS YEAR AFTER YEAR.
IN SPITE OF THE RECORD BREAKING RETURNS, MERCED COUNTY SAW IN 2022 VALUES GROWERS CONTINUE TO STRUGGLE WITH A MYRIAD OF DIFFERENT ISSUES, BUT YET CONTINUE TO PERSEVERE.
I KNOW I'M PREACHING TO THE CHOIR HERE, BUT, UM, I HOPE THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO STRONGLY SUPPORT AGRICULTURE INDUSTRY HERE IN MERCED AND MORE PEOPLE THROUGHOUT THE STATE COME TO RECOGNIZE AND PRIORITIZE ITS IMPORTANCE.
SO WITH THAT, UM, I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO DISCUSS THIS A LITTLE BIT.
UM, AND, UH, THE CONTACT INFORMATION IS UP THERE AND OUR, OUR WEBSITE ADDRESS IS ALSO UP THERE WHERE YOU CAN OBTAIN COPIES, DIGITAL COPIES OF THE CROP REPORT.
SO WITH THAT, I'M OPEN FOR QUESTIONS.
JOHN, THANK YOU FOR THIS PRESENTATION.
THANKS FOR THE WORK YOU'RE DOING OUT THERE.
IT'S NICE SEEING YOUR NAME ON THE STICKERS AT THE GAS PUMPS
UH, SOMETHING I ALWAYS ASK YOUR PREDECESSOR, DID WE GET OUR REPORT DONE BEFORE STANISLAUS COUNTY? WE, WE DID NOT GET OUR REPORT DONE BEFORE STANISLAU COUNTY BECAUSE HE ALWAYS CLAIMED THAT STANISLAUS WOULD WAIT TO GET THEIR REPORT DONE AFTER US, JUST SO THEY COULD BEAT US.
DID WE BEAT THEM THIS YEAR? WE DID BEAT THEM.
SO THAT'S ALL I WANTED TO KNOW.
YEAH, THIS IS A, WE JUST CAME BACK FROM OUR CSAC ANNUAL MEETING AND THIS WAS DURING OUR, OUR, UH, CAUCUS MEETING.
THIS WAS A BIG TOPIC OF DISCUSSION ON WHO WAS RANKED HIGHER, WHAT, WHAT AREAS THEY WERE RANKED HIGHER IN.
SO IT'S NOT LOST ON, ON COUNTY SUPERVISORS, SUPERVISOR PEDROSO.
UM, I, I MEANT TO ASK YOU THIS YESTERDAY.
WHAT'S MISCELLANEOUS VEGETABLES? UM, MISCELLANEOUS VEGETABLES.
I, I DON'T KNOW IF I ALLUDED TO THAT IN THE CROP REPORT.
UM, SO THOSE ARE SUCH LIKE, UH, ASPARAGUS, BASIL, BROCCOLI, CARROT, CILANTRO, GARLIC, KALE, ONIONS, PARSLEY, SPEARMINT AND SQUASH.
THOSE ARE, THOSE ARE SOME OF THE, THE, UH, VEGETABLES THOUGH.
UM, I, I I JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU, UH, AND YOUR STAFF AND EVERYBODY FOR THIS.
AGRICULTURE IS INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT TO ALL OF US UP HERE, AND NOT JUST IN THE COUNTY, BUT EVERYWHERE THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY IN THE WORLD.
AND I THINK THAT NUMBER THAT YOU SAID, I'VE BEEN LIKE
[00:50:01]
BRAGGING ABOUT IT TO MY CHILDREN SINCE YOU TOLD ME YESTERDAY ABOUT THE 30 WOULD BE THE 32ND, UH, STATE OR WHATEVER FOR AGRICULTURE.'CAUSE I THINK IT'S INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT AND I THINK IT'S INCREDIBLY COOL.
SO, UM, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THIS INFORMATION.
EVERY YEAR WHEN I GET THIS REPORT, IT'S LIKE, UH, EARLY CHRISTMAS, SO THANK YOU.
YOU KNOW, SUPERVISOR PEDROZA, I TALKED TO YOUR DAD AND HE SAID, WHEN YOU WERE YOUNG, THIS WASN'T ALL YOU WANTED FOR CHRISTMAS.
UM, ANYWAYS, I WANT TO, UH, THANK YOU FOR HIGHLIGHTING, YOU KNOW, AGRICULTURE, UM, HERE IN MERCED COUNTY, PROTECTING AGRICULTURE.
YOU KNOW, UH, JUST TODAY WE GOT BASHED FOR, UH, SUPPORTING AG AND, UM, YOU KNOW, UH, COME FROM A, A DAIRY FAMILY.
SO, UH, YOU KNOW, IT'S KIND OF INGRAINED IN ME TO SUPPORT AG.
HOWEVER, UH, ONCE I BECAME A BOARD OF SUPERVISOR, I REALIZED WHAT OUR COUNTY COULD NOT DO IF IT WASN'T, BUT FOR AGRICULTURE, RIGHT? IT'S OUR, IT'S OUR NUMBER ONE INDUSTRY.
AND WITHOUT THOSE DOLLARS, AND, YOU KNOW, FARMERS JUST LIKE ANYBODY ELSE, HATE PAYING TAXES, BUT IF IT WASN'T FOR THOSE DOLLARS, WE COULDN'T DO REALLY ANYTHING ELSE THAT WE DO.
AND SO, UM, YOU KNOW, IT'S GREAT TO HAVE AN INDUSTRY THAT'S SO IMPORTANT TO MERCED COUNTY HIGHLIGHTED TODAY.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, YOUR PREDECESSOR DID A GREAT JOB, UM, IN THAT POSITION.
AND I THINK YOU DO A, A GREAT JOB.
YOU KNOW, WHENEVER, YOU KNOW, WHENEVER SOMEONE THAT'S, UH, THAT'S KIND OF AN ICON IN THE INDUSTRY LEAVES, YOU KNOW, THE NEW GUY, UM, YOU KNOW, GETS, UH, GETS KIND OF PUT UNDER SCRUTINY AND YOU'VE CERTAINLY PASSED THE TEST AND THEY'RE DOING A WONDERFUL JOB.
PEOPLE IN AG APPRECIATE, YOU KNOW, WHAT YOU DO, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE, YOU, YOU DO SOME REGULATION RIGHT, ON PESTICIDES AND I DON'T GET COMPLAINTS, WHICH TELLS ME THAT YOU'RE FAIR AND EQUITABLE WITH, WITH EVERYBODY THAT YOU DEAL WITH AND THAT YOUR STAFF DEALS WITH.
SO IN ADDITION TO HIGHLIGHTING OUR NUMBER ONE INDUSTRY, UH, BUT I JUST WANT FOLKS TO KNOW, UM, THAT, THAT THE AG INDUSTRY APPRECIATES YOU ON THE BACKSIDE AND HELPING THEM HAVE A WONDERFUL INDUSTRY AS WELL.
WELL, SPEAKING ABOUT MY PREDECESSOR TOO THERE,
SO, YOU KNOW, I, I THINK I THANKED HIM LAST YEAR QUITE A BIT, BUT, UH, I THINK WE ALL CAN APPRECIATE THE WORK THAT HE DID OVER THE LAST 20 YEARS.
AND SO IT'S, IT'S DEFINITELY HARD TO FILL HIS SHOES.
SO YOU'RE DOING WELL OUT THAT, YES.
NO, AND, AND JUST TO KIND OF HIGHLIGHT ON WHAT SUPERVISOR PER SAID IS, YOU KNOW, YOU THINK, OH, THE AG COMMISSIONER, BUT I I'M GLAD THAT YOU HIGHLIGHTED THAT, YOU KNOW, THE WEIGHTS AND MEASURES PART OF IT BECAUSE EVERY PERSON THAT'S IN HERE, EVERY PERSON THAT WAS IN HERE A LITTLE WHILE AGO, THAT AFFECTS THEIR DAILY LIVES, THAT, THAT IT'S, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU GO TO THAT GAS PUMP, YOU KNOW, THE, THE, THE, UH, WEIGHTS AND MEASURES FOLKS, THE SEALER IS THE ONE THAT GOES AND MAKES SURE THAT IT'S ACTUALLY PUMPING WHAT IT SAY IT'S, IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE PUMPING.
AND SO, UM, IT'S A HUGE PART OF IT.
AND THEN IT JUST, FOR ME, I ALSO WANNA JUST HIGHLIGHT AGAIN, IS AS A FORMER DAIRYMAN, UM, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S NICE TO SEE DAIRIES UP THERE AS NUMBER ONE.
I'M ALWAYS, THAT ALWAYS MAKES ME HAPPY, BUT IT'S HUGE, YOU KNOW, $1.5 BILLION, UH, OF, UH, OR THIS IS, IT'S, IT'S GROSS.
IT'S NOT NET AND BELIEVE ME IN WHEN YOU'RE IN THE DAIRY BUSINESS, YOU KNOW, IN ONE DOOR AND OUT THE OTHER DOOR.
UM, BUT THOSE FOLKS DO EMPLOY A LOT OF PEOPLE.
UM, THE ONES THAT I KNOW ARE VERY ACTIVE IN THEIR COMMUNITIES GIVE BACK TO THEIR COMMUNITIES INVOLVED IN THEIR LOCAL CHURCHES.
UM, SO JUST A, IT'S A GREAT INDUSTRY AND IT'S WHY I'M SO SUPPORTIVE OF THAT INDUSTRY AND, AND, AND YOU KNOW, THAT WE GET COMMENTS ON DAIRIES AND, AND I'LL TELL YOU, THESE DAIRYMEN TODAY ARE DOING THINGS WAY BETTER, WAY MORE ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY THAN, THAN THAN THEY DID 30, 40, 20 YEARS AGO EVEN.
SO, UM, HAPPY TO SEE THEM, YOU KNOW, AND, AND HOPEFULLY WITH THEIR, WITH THEIR CONTINUED SUCCESS 'CAUSE THEY ARE A BIG PART OF, OF WHAT WE DO HERE IN MERCED COUNTY SUPERVISOR PRAYER.
WELL, ONE OTHER, UH, QUESTION THAT I HAD, UM, YOU, YOU KIND OF ALLUDED TO RIGHT, THAT THESE ARE GROSS INCOMES AND NOT, NOT NET DOLLARS.
UM, IS THERE ANY THOUGHT OF TRYING TO FIGURE OUT A WAY TO, TO LIKE, UH, PUT COST IN, UH, INTO THE ANNUAL REPORT? OR IS THAT, DOES ANY COUNTY DO THAT? NO, NO, NO COUNTIES DO THAT.
BUT THERE ARE, THERE IS SOMETHING CALLED A, A CROP, UH, CROP REPORT PLUS PROGRAM THAT I HAVE TALKED TO A COUPLE OF THE OTHER DEPARTMENT HEADS TO ABOUT MAYBE KIND OF PULLING TOGETHER, IT'S, IT'S ABOUT $20,000, BUT IT GETS IN MORE INTO THE ECONOMIC VALUE OF AGRICULTURE AND HOW IT AFFECTS, LIKE I MENTIONED, THE MULTIPLIER EFFECTS.
SO I'M KIND OF, YOU KNOW, THINKING ABOUT DOING THAT IN THE FUTURE AND HAVING THEM COME IN AND THEY COME IN AND WE DO A WHOLE PRESENTATION.
THERE'S A COUPLE OF PROFESSORS THAT HAVE, I THINK UC, DAVIS THAT DO THAT, SO, ALRIGHT, THANK YOU.
AND JUST TO THAT MULTIPLIER EFFECT AND MILK, DO WE MILK 250, 300 JERSEYS IN LOS BANNIS AND EVERY, EVERY MONTH MY LITTLE OPERATION WROTE AT LEAST 40 CHECKS OUT A MONTH.
THAT'S, THAT'S HOW MANY, THAT'S, THAT'S NOT COUNTING EMPLOYEE WAGES, THAT'S JUST COUNTING ALL THE LITTLE BUSINESSES THAT A DAIRY DOES BUSINESS WITH.
SO YOU, WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT THAT MULTIPLIER EFFECT AND HOW THAT MONEY, YOU KNOW, WE ARE ALWAYS STIMULATING THE ECONOMY AND THE DAIRY BUSINESS.
ALRIGHT SIR, I APPRECIATE, THANK YOU FOR
[00:55:01]
YOUR TIME AND YOUR PRESENTATION.ALRIGHT, NEXT UP WE WILL HAVE OUR BEHAVIORAL HEALTH ADVISORY BOARD ANNUAL REPORT.
PUSH THE BUTTON, PUSH THE BUTTON.
LOOK AT THIS OUTTA THE WAY SO I CAN GET A LITTLE CLOSER.
SO, UM, BEFORE I GET STARTED, I NEVER KNOW IF I NEED THIS OR DON'T NEED THIS.
I THINK ALL OF YOU RECEIVED AND WE ARE GONNA PUT SOME MORE REPORTS IN, UM, THE BOX THERE.
SO I'M GONNA START MY PRESENTATION.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE THE ANNUAL REPORT OF THE MERCED COUNTY BEHAVIORAL HEALTH ADVISORY BOARD WITH ALL OF YOU TODAY.
I'M FROM DISTRICT THREE, AND THIS IS MY 20TH YEAR TO SERVE OUR CLIENTS IN MERCED COUNTY.
UH, TED WARNER IS FROM DISTRICT TWO AND HE'S BEEN A MEMBER OF THE BOARD SINCE JANUARY, 2022.
HE IS NOW THE VICE CHAIR OF THE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH ADVISORY BOARD.
BRUCE METCALF, WHO WAS THE CHAIRPERSON LAST YEAR, IS UNABLE TO ATTEND TODAY AND HE'S FROM DISTRICT FOUR.
TODAY I'D LIKE TO BRIEFLY SHARE WITH YOU SOME OF THE ACTIVITIES WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON THIS PAST YEAR.
STRIVING TO HELP THE CLIENTS OF THE MERCED HEALTH, UH, BEHAVIORAL HEALTH, UH, RECOVERY SERVICES.
SINCE THE TRANSITION FROM COVID, WE HAVE BEEN ADVISING THE DIRECTORS TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF STAFF MEMBERS IN THE BEHAVIOR HEALTH DEPARTMENT DIRECTOR KAKO VANG HAS BEEN DILIGENTLY WORKING TO BRING IN MORE STAFF THROUGH A VARIETY OF METHODS EVER SINCE SHE FIRST JOINED US, AND SHE KEEPS US UPDATED EVERY MONTH.
WE HAVE ALSO CONTINUED TO DISCUSS THE NEED FOR MORE BOARD MEMBERS FROM DISTRICT FIVE.
WE HAVE HAD FEWER MEMBERS ON THE BEHAVIOR OF HEALTH ADVISORY BOARD DURING THIS PAST YEAR, AND WE ARE ACTIVELY SEEKING MEMBERS.
WE WELCOME ANY OF YOUR SUGGESTIONS.
AT THE END OF THE FISCAL YEAR 20 22, 20 23, WE HAD NINE MEMBERS, INCLUDING SUPERVISOR PEREIRA.
THE DATA NOTEBOOK FROM 2022 INCLUDED QUESTIONS FOR THE MERCED COUNTY BEHAVIORAL HEALTH DEPARTMENT FROM THE CALIFORNIA BEHAVIORAL HEALTH PLANNING COUNCIL.
THESE QUESTIONS REFERENCED ADULT RESIDENTIAL HEALTHCARE FACILITIES, HOMELESSNESS, CHILD WELFARE SERVICES, AND THE IMPACT OF COVID-19 ON ALL FACETS OF SERVICES GIVEN TO OUR CLIENTS THROUGH THE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH RECOVERY SERVICES.
THESE QUESTIONS AND A SUMMARY OF THE ANSWERS FROM THE MERCED COUNTY DATA NOTEBOOK ARE LISTED IN THE ANNUAL REPORT.
THE TOP PRIORITIES IN BOARD PROJECT OF FISCAL YEAR 20 22 23 INCLUDED EDUCATION FOR OUR BOARD AND THE COMMUNITY AND AWARENESS OF OUR CLIENTS, CAREGIVERS, AND FAMILIES.
OUR GOALS WERE TO REQUEST CONTINUED EDUCATION FOR OUR BOARD IN THE AREA OF SERVICES GIVEN THROUGH BHRS FOR OUR CLIENTS, AND ALSO TO INCREASE AWARENESS AND EDUCATION ABOUT BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SERVICES THROUGHOUT MERCED COUNTY COMMUNITIES.
OUR GOALS WERE COMPLETED AS THE BHRS PARTNERED WITH THE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH BOARD TO RECEIVE PRESENTATIONS FROM A WIDE VARIETY OF STAFF MEMBERS.
THESE PRESENTATIONS ARE LISTED IN THE ANNUAL REPORT.
OUR GOALS WERE ALSO MET AS OUR BEHAVIORAL HEALTH ADVISORY BOARD MEMBERS WERE GIVEN ACCESS TO THE BHRS COMMUNITY OUTREACH CALENDAR SO THAT WE COULD ATTEND A VARIETY OF EVENTS HELD FOR THE PUBLIC THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY.
DURING THESE EVENTS OR BOARD MEMBERS PASSED OUT INFORMATION REGARDING SERVICES AVAILABLE THROUGH THE BHRS, AND WE MADE THE PUBLIC AWARE OF THE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH ADVISORY BOARD.
WE MET MANY PEOPLE, INCLUDING STAFF MEMBERS, CLIENTS, AND THEIR FAMILIES, AND A WIDE RANGE OF PROVIDERS WHO PARTNER WITH THE BHRS IN
[01:00:01]
THE ANNUAL REPORT.YOU CAN READ ABOUT THE WIDE VARIETY OF COMMUNITY EVENTS OUR BOARD MEMBERS HAVE ATTENDED THIS PAST YEAR.
ALSO, IN THE REPORT, YOU WILL FIND A LIST OF THE MANY PRESENTATIONS WE HAVE RECEIVED THIS PAST YEAR, INCLUDING FROM THE DIRECTORS, THE CHIEF PUBLIC GUARDIAN, A VARIETY OF PROGRAM MANAGERS, COUNTY COUNCIL, THE ALLIANCE GLOM, OR GOD'S LOVING OUTREACH MINISTRIES, AND THE CHILDREN'S SYSTEM OF CARE.
WE HAD A TOTAL OF 20 INDIVIDUALS WHO PRESENTED WHAT THEY DO FOR OUR CLIENTS, HELPING US TO ACCESS, ACCESS INFORMATION NOT ONLY FOR OURSELVES, BUT SO WE CAN ADVOCATE FOR OUR CLIENTS AND COMMUNITY.
IN CLOSING, HERE ARE SOME OF THE ITEMS OUR BOARD WILL BE FOCUSING ON IN THE FISCAL YEAR 20 23, 20 24.
WE WILL CONTINUE TO ATTEND OUTREACH EVENTS.
WE WILL BE WATCHING THE NORTH COUNTY CAMPUS IN WINTON CONTINUE TO GROW.
WE WILL HAVE CONTINUED FOCUS ON THE BUILDING CONSTRUCTION FOR THE CHILDREN'S SYSTEM OF CARE, INCLUDING THE RESILIENCY CENTER IN DOWNTOWN MERCED, AND THE RENOVATION PROJECT FOR BUILDING ONE.
WE WILL ALSO BE SEEKING MORE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH ADVISORY BOARD MEMBERS, HOPEFULLY SOME FROM DISTRICT FIVE, AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO ADVOCATE FOR THE ADDITION OF MORE STAFF MEMBERS IN THE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH DEPARTMENT.
THIS CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS? THANK YOU.
ANY QUESTIONS FROM MY COLLEAGUES? SUPERVISOR MCD? I'D JUST LIKE TO SAY, SALLY, THANK YOU FOR REPRESENTING DISTRICT THREE, SO WELL, MUCH APPRECIATED.
AND I SEE WE DO HAVE A VACANT POSITION THERE.
UM, IF YOU HAVE ANYBODY IN MIND AS WELL, I, I WILL CONTINUE TO SEARCH TO SEE IF WE CAN FILL THAT VACANT YES.
SPOT AT ONE TIME WE HAD 17 MEMBERS THAT I REMEMBER IN THE PAST, SO WE'RE DOWN TO NINE, I BELIEVE WE'RE DOWN TO EIGHT, INCLUDING SUPERVISOR PEREIRA.
SO WE DEFINITELY NEED MEMBERS.
WELL, THANK YOU FOR REPRESENTING DISTRICT THREE SO WELL.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? JUST A COMMENT.
AND, YOU KNOW, WE'VE HAD THIS CONVERSATION BEFORE ON THE REPRESENTATION FROM DISTRICT FIVE, AND IT'S, IT'S NOT ALWAYS EASY TO FIND SOMEONE.
AND, AND WE'VE HAD DISCUSSIONS AND I KNOW COUNCIL'S BEEN WORKING WITH STAFF TO TRY TO FIGURE OUT HOW DO WE EASE SOME OF THAT BURDEN, THE MEETING TIMES ALL THE WAY OVER HERE IN MERCED COUNTY.
AND, AND I'VE, I'VE, I'VE TALKED TO A FEW FOLKS AND THAT'S THEIR BARRIER TO ENTRY IS, IS IS THAT COMMITMENT TO COME OVER.
AND SO I KNOW, UM, COUNCIL HANSON UPDATED ME AS RECENTLY AS I THINK IT WAS YESTERDAY OR, YEAH, I THINK IT WAS YESTERDAY.
UM, ON LOOKING AT, AT, AT TRYING TO FIGURE OUT A SIMPLE SOLUTION TO BE ABLE TO KIND OF TRY TO HELP WITH THAT.
I'M NOT LOOKING, YOU KNOW, TO, IF YOU DO THESE, IF YOU'RE, YOU KNOW THIS BETTER THAN ANYBODY VOLUNTEERING FOR THIS POSITION, YOU'RE NOT DOING IT.
YOU'RE NOT GETTING RICH, YOU'RE NOT MAKING ANY MONEY ON IT.
BUT WHEN, WHEN THE WAY THAT THIS BOARD AND THE MAKEUP OF IT, THAT'S IN STATUTE, SOME OF THE FOLKS THAT, THAT POTENTIALLY HAVE INTEREST IN IT, THEIR BARRIER TO ENTRY IS IT'S JUST NOT HAVING THE RESOURCES TO BE ABLE TO MAKE THAT JAUNT ACROSS THE COUNTY WITH GAS PRICES THE WAY THEY'RE BEING OR WHATEVER.
AND SO WHEN WE FIGURE OUT THAT, I THINK WE'LL SEE THAT DISTRICT FIVE REPRESENTATION, UM, GET A LITTLE BIT BETTER.
AND THAT'S, I WILL CONTINUE TO, TO WORK ON THAT.
YEAH, WE, WE DO HAVE SOME SUGGESTIONS THAT WE CAME UP AT OUR BOARD.
UM, AND I WON'T GO INTO 'EM RIGHT NOW, BUT, UM, SUPERVISOR WANG, UM, CAN GIVE YOU SOME IDEAS OF WHAT THINGS WE'VE COME UP WITH TO, SO THEY DON'T, A MEMBER WOULDN'T HAVE TO DRIVE ALL THE WAY INTO MERCED, WHICH COULD MEET THERE AT THE WELLNESS CENTER IN, UM, LOS BANOS.
SO THOSE ARE JUST SOME OF THE IDEAS WE'VE TRIED TO COME UP WITH SO THAT WE CAN HAVE SOME MEMBERS FROM YOUR DISTRICT.
SUPERVISOR PEREIRA, MR. CHAIR.
UM, WELL, SALLY AND TED, THANK YOU.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE KIND OF HAVE THE LONGEST SERVING MEMBER HERE AND ONE OF THE NEWER ONES.
AND, UH, YOU KNOW, UM, ALTHOUGH WE'RE ALL SIMILAR IN AGE, YOU KNOW, I KIND OF LOOK TOWARDS SALLY AS KINDA LIKE THE, I DON'T KNOW THE, THE MOM OF THE GROUP
UM, THAT I REALLY APPRECIATE IT.
AND, AND TED'S YOU KNOW, BEEN ON THE BOARD FOR JUST, UM, UH, NOT EVEN TWO YEARS YET.
UM, AND ALREADY WILLING TO HELP AND, AND DELVING IN AND BRINGING STUFF TO THE TABLE.
SO IT'S AN HONOR TO SERVE THE BOARD HERE ON THAT.
UH, AND THEN SUPERVISOR PEDROZA IS, UM, IS MY ALTERNATE.
AND, UH, IT'S KIND OF FUNNY YOU, I MAKE ALMOST ALL THE MEETINGS, BUT THERE WAS A TIME WHERE I MISSED TWO IN A ROW.
AND THEN, UH, SO ONE DAY I GET A CALL FROM HIM, YOU KNOW, SAYING, HEY, ARE YOU GONNA BE AT THE MEETING? AND, AND I WAS.
AND ANYWAYS, BUT, SO HE'S WATCHING AS WELL AND, AND IS PREPARED AND, AND THOSE TWO TIMES I SHOULD HAVE LET HIM KNOW THAT I WASN'T GONNA BE THERE AND THAT WAS MY ERROR.
[01:05:01]
BUT, UH, ANYWAYS, UM, YOU HAVE REAL GOOD SUPPORT FROM THE BOARD HERE.I WAS GONNA DEFEND, UH, DISTRICT FIVE A LITTLE BIT 'CAUSE YOU MENTIONED IT TWICE AND YEAH.
AND THOSE ARE SOME OF THE THINGS WE'RE, WE'RE TRYING TO WORK THROUGH.
I THINK HAVING, UM, HAVING VIDEO CONFERENCE FROM THE WEST SIDE WOULD BE THE EASIEST WAY, UM, YOU KNOW, TO ACCOMPLISH THAT GOAL.
UM, AND, UH, ANYWAYS, BUT IT'S, I JUST WANT THE PUBLIC TO KNOW IT'S NOT FROM SUPERVISOR.
VERA'S LACK OF TRYING, BUT IT'S JUST KIND OF THE, AS HE SHARED.
UM, AND THEN THE, THE LAST THING I'LL SAY IS THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE THREE THINGS I RAN ON WAS KIND OF THE HOMELESS ISSUE AND, AND, UM, YOU KNOW, BEHAVIORAL HEALTH WAS HOW I GOT THAT ORIGINAL COUNTY BOARD MORE INVOLVED.
UM, IS THAT, YOU KNOW, MOST OF THE PEOPLE THAT ARE HOMELESS HAVE A BEHAVIORAL HEALTH ISSUE.
AND, AND, AND THE COUNTY'S RESPONSIBLE FOR THAT, NOT THE CITIES.
AND, AND SO, UH, IT'S JUST BEEN A PLEASURE TO WATCH THAT DEVELOP AND TO WATCH, UM, UH, DIRECTOR VING AND, AND HER PREDECESSORS, UM, PRESS ATTENTION TO THAT.
UM, WE KIND OF HAD A BIG BREAKTHROUGH.
ONE OF THE, ONE OF THE, I GUESS THE TOP THREE, UM, BEHAVIORAL HEALTH HOMELESS ISSUE PEOPLE HAPPENS TO RESIDE IN MY DISTRICT.
AND, UH, AND SO I, IN WORKING WITH, UH, DIRECTOR VAN, WE KIND OF CHANGE STRATEGIES A LITTLE BIT.
AND FOR THE FIRST TIME IN YEARS, THIS PERSON IS ENGAGING WITH OUR STAFF.
AND, UH, SO THOSE ARE THE KIND OF THINGS THAT WE DO, RIGHT.
WE REALLY TRY TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
AND THE BOARD IS A, A BIG PORTION OF THAT ALONG WITH STAFF.
SO JUST WANT TO THANK EVERYBODY INVOLVED AND WE APPRECIATE YOU SUPERVISOR FERRERA FOR COMING TO OUR MEETINGS.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION.
YOU'RE NOT BACK THERE, ARE YOU? I'LL LEAVE SOME COPIES TODAY.
AND THERE ARE SOME COPIES OUT IN THE ROOM BACK THERE TOO, IF ANYONE IN THE PUBLIC WANTS TO SEE THEM.
ALRIGHT, LAST, BUT NOT CERTAINLY, NOT LEAST AT THIS TIME, I'LL OPEN, OH, NO, WE'RE NOT DOING THAT.
LAST PRESENTATION IS AN UPDATE ON OPERATIONS AND STAFFING FROM THE SHERIFF.
I'M GONNA TAKE THIS OFF AND GET RELAXED, SO BE PREPARED.
UM, AGAIN, JUST GONNA GIVE YOU INFORMATION THAT YOU DIDN'T HAVE LAST TIME WE SPOKE.
AND I, UH, HAD THE OPPORTUNITY WITH THE UNDERSHERIFF TO SIT DOWN WITH EACH OF YOU INDIVIDUALLY, KIND OF BRING YOU UP TO DATE, BUT, UM, IT'S GETTING KIND OF SCARY.
AND SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL, I BELIEVE YOU WERE ON THE BOARD IN 2015 WHEN THIS CAME OUT, BUT I'LL HAVE YOU GUYS DO A LITTLE READING BECAUSE WE'RE REPEATING HISTORY AND IT'S WORSE THIS TIME.
UM, IT'S THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE ENCOMPASSES SO MANY DIFFERENT VENUES IN THE COUNTY ABOUT HOW WE REACT AND INTERACT WITH IT.
UH, WE HAVE ANIMAL SERVICES AND IN RIGHT NOW, YOU KNOW, WE, OVER 6,000 ANIMALS, UH, HAVE COME THROUGH THE DOORS AT ANIMAL CONTROL AND IT BREAKS MY HEART TO KNOW HOW MANY OF 'EM HAVE TO BE PUT DOWN.
WE'RE RUNNING OUTTA PEOPLE THERE TOO.
UH, OUR INVESTIGATIONS BUREAU SHOULD HAVE AT LEAST 17 OR 18 INVESTIGATORS WE'RE DOWN TO NINE.
UH, IN SEPTEMBER OF 2015, I SPOKE ABOUT STAFFING ISSUES WITH LOCAL COMMUNITY GATHERING.
AND IT WAS REPORTED IN THE MERCED COUNTY TIMES, WHICH I'VE GOT RIGHT HERE FOR YOU.
THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE AT THAT TIME WAS DOWN 22 DEPUTIES.
DO YOU THINK THAT'S ALL RIGHT? I GOT 15 CONFIRMED THAT ARE IN BACKGROUNDS ARE APPLIED TO OTHER AGENCIES.
AS OF TODAY, ON TOP OF THAT VACANCY LIST, WE'RE DOWN 30 POSITIONS IN CORRECTIONS WITH MORE PUTTING IN FOR OTHER AGENCIES.
WE'VE SAT AND CHATTED AT LENGTH AT NOUM ABOUT WHAT IT'S GONNA TAKE TO KEEP, RETAIN, ATTRACT FOLKS HERE.
THE, UH, YOU DEAL WITH A TOTALITY OF CIRCUMSTANCES AND, YOU KNOW, WE JUST HAD THIS CONVERSATION WITH, REGARDING A NEW ADMINISTRATION BUILDING.
BUT IF YOU WERE TO TAKE THE TIME AND WALK THROUGH OUR CURRENT ADMINISTRATION BUILDING, IT'S EMBARRASSING.
THE MEN'S RESTROOM HAD THE URINALS TORN OUT OF IT BECAUSE OF JUST DISREPAIR.
IT'S JUST AGE, BUT THERE'S NO URINALS IN THE, UH, UPSTAIRS FOR OUR DETECTIVE BUREAUS.
YOU GOT PEOPLE THAT WE'RE TRYING TO RECRUIT TO COME INTO THAT BUILDING.
AND AGAIN, NOBODY'S FAULT, BUT THIS IS WHAT WE'RE DEALING WITH.
AND YET THEY, YOU KNOW, WE GOT FOLKS THAT DON'T WANT TO BE HERE BASED UPON HOW THEY THINK THEY'RE GONNA BE TREATED.
WE GOT PEOPLE LEAVING THAT WE'RE ABSOLUTELY DEDICATED TO WHERE THIS BRAND BECAUSE THEY DON'T SEE A LIGHT AT THE END OF OUR TUNNEL.
18 DEPUTY VACANCIES, EIGHT DEPUTIES OUT ON INJURIES OR
[01:10:01]
LONG-TERM LEAVE.NOW WE'RE DOWN 27% IN STAFFING OUT OF 98 POSITIONS.
WE GOT, UH, SERGEANT VACANCY VACANCY.
AND THIS SERGEANT LEFT US FOR STANISLAU COUNTY AS A DEPUTY SHERIFF ONE.
HE'S GONNA MAKE MORE MONEY AS A DEPUTY SHERIFF ONE THAN HE DID AS A SERGEANT HERE IN THIS COUNTY.
AND AGAIN, HE WAS DEDICATED TO THIS BRAND, BUT HIS FEELING WAS THAT HE WASN'T GONNA SEE ANY LIGHT AT THE END OF THIS TUNNEL.
WE'VE GOTTA DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT.
CORRECTIONAL OFFICERS, 30 CO VACANCIES DOWN.
DISPATCHERS WERE FOUR VACANCIES DOWN 29%.
WE HAD TO DROP PATROL STAFFING TO SEVEN DEPUTIES.
IT'S NOT THAT I WANT TO, I DON'T HAVE ANY PLACE TO GRAB FROM.
WE USE THAT AS A MINIMUM STANDARD IN THE COUNTY.
WE HAVE NO ACTIVE GANG ENFORCEMENT OR PROACTIVE ENFORCEMENT TEAM, WHICH WAS OUR STAR TEAM.
'CAUSE WE HAD TO PUT THEM ON PATROL.
WE'RE DOWN TO ONE DEPUTY IN THE QUALITY LIFE TEAM, WHICH IS THAT SET TEAM.
AND THAT DEALS WITH OUR HOMELESS POPULATION.
AND AS SUPERVISORS, EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU HAVE REACHED OUT FOR HELP IN THAT AREA.
WE GOT NOBODY ELSE WE CAN PUT IN.
AND IF WE CONTINUE TO LOSE, WE'RE GONNA BE TAKING THAT PERSON AND PUTTING 'EM ON THE STREET.
IF WE ELIMINATE THE SET TEAM, WE GOT NOBODY TO DEAL WITH OUR HOMELESS.
WE ALSO HAVE NOBODY TO DEAL WITH.
WE'RE GETTING AT DESPERATE TIMES.
FOLKS, I'M, I'M RINGING THE ALARM AND WE'VE GOT IT HERE.
IF THIS CONTINUES, WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO DROP PATROL TO A MINIMUM OF SIX DEPUTIES TWO IN A CAR, BECAUSE I'M NOT GONNA, I'M LOOKING OUT FOR OFFICER SAFETY NOW.
IT MEANS THREE CARS ON PATROL IN 2000 SQUARE MILES.
AND I KNOW YOU BELIEVE THAT'S UNACCEPTABLE.
I'M NOT TELLING YOU ANYTHING YOU DON'T KNOW, BUT THE PEOPLE NEED TO KNOW THAT WHEN THEY START CALLING IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT, THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE GONNA HAVE.
BECAUSE WE'RE GONNA HAVE ONE DEPUTY WORKING FROM SNELLING TO ATWATER TO EL NIDO.
ONE DEPUTY, ONE PATROL CAR, THE THE NORTH AREA DEPUTIES LLOYD, YOUR AREA THERE.
UM, GONNA BE ONE, ONE PATROL CAR AND THEN ONE ON THE WEST SIDE FROM PACHECO PASS TO THE MADERA COUNTY LINE ON 1 52.
THIS IS WHERE IT'S COMING DOWN TO.
I KNOW THAT YOU FOLKS HAVE BEEN WORKING HARD.
I KNOW THAT YOU'VE BEEN WORKING, TRYING TO FIGURE OUT A, A WAY.
IN 2015 WE DID FIGURE OUT A WAY WE STOPPED THE HEMORRHAGING.
WE ACTUALLY GOT DEPUTIES BACK.
YOU'RE GONNA HAVE FIGURE IT OUT.
I'M LETTING YOU KNOW WHAT WE'RE GONNA NEED.
AND THIS IS MY PLEDGE TO THE COMMUNITY.
IF EVERY DEPUTY LEAVES, YOU'RE GONNA SEE ME OUT ON PATROL TAKING CALLS IN MY CAR AS, AS MY OWN DISPATCHER.
I'LL HAVE TO DISPATCH MYSELF BECAUSE WE'RE NOT GONNA HAVE ANYBODY WORKING.
WE'RE NOT GONNA HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY OR AVAILABILITY TO GET MUTUAL AID BECAUSE THEY'RE IN THE SAME BOAT.
HIGHWAY PATROL'S DOWN MERCED CITIES, DOWN ATWATER CITY, UM, IS GOT, IS GOT ISSUES.
WE, THEY ALL HAVE ISSUES AND WE KNOW THAT, BUT WE'RE NOT GONNA HAVE THE REGIONAL MUTUAL AID THAT WE NEED BECAUSE WE'RE GONNA HAVE NOBODY TO SEND.
BUT MY COMMITMENT TO THIS COUNTY AND TO THIS SUPERVISORS IS I'LL BE THE LAST ONE STANDING AND I WILL GO, I'LL LET YOU EXPLAIN TO MY BRIDE WHY THAT'S HAPPENING.
OTHER THAN THAT, WE'RE NOT GONNA BE ABLE TO RESPOND.
ALL OTHER CALLS WILL BE REPORTED ONLINE.
WE WANT TO GO TO THE VICTIMS. DETECTIVES WILL NOT WORK PROPERTY CRIMES UNLESS AGRICULTURALLY RELATED BECAUSE OF THE, UH, COLLABORATION BETWEEN US AND THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY.
AND OUR COMMITMENT TO OUR AG COMMUNITY.
WELL, WE'LL HAVE TO ELIMINATE THE SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICERS AND PUT THEM BACK ON THERE.
AND I CAN TELL YOU RIGHT NOW THAT I CAN GET THE SUPERINTENDENTS IN HERE TO, TO EXPLAIN HOW VALUABLE THOSE DEPUTIES HAVE BEEN INTO THESE SCHOOLS DEALING WITH THOUSANDS OF STUDENTS.
AND THEY TAKE SOME OF THESE CALLS THAT WE DON'T HAVE TO DEAL WITH ON THE STREET.
WELL, THESE ARE GONNA BE CALLS THAT AREN'T GONNA BE ABLE TO BE TAKEN.
AND THE SCHOOLS ARE GONNA BE FELT, UH, DISRUPTED BECAUSE OF THIS.
AND WE'LL HAVE TO ELIMINATE THE DEPUTY ASSIGNED TO HSA DEALING WITH THE CHILD ABUSE CASES.
AND I CAN'T EVEN BEGIN TO TELL YOU HOW MUCH, UH, THAT DEPUTY TAKES ON A DAILY BASIS DEALING WITH CHILD SERVICES.
WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO PULL OUT AND PUT BACK ON THE STREET.
AND WE DON'T, IT DOESN'T SEEM LIKE WE HAVE AN END IN SIGHT THAT THE UNDERSHERIFF HERE'S GOT INFORMATION AND, AND SO ON.
WE DO WITH OUR, UH, JAIL CONSTRUCTION, WE HAVE CLOSED TWO, THE DORMITORIES DUE.
OUR LACK OF STAFF, WHICH IS ASSISTING IN THE REMODEL.
[01:15:01]
THE BEAST.WE HAVE TO DO IT DUE TO LACK OF STAFFING.
CORRECTIONAL ARE WORKING THREE 16 HOUR SHIFTS A WEEK.
NO OTHER AGENCY IN THIS COUNTY HAS TO DO THAT OR WILL DO THAT.
BUT WE HAVE TO, WE DON'T HAVE A CHOICE.
WE'RE OPEN 24 HOURS A DAY, SEVEN DAYS A WEEK.
'CAUSE WE'RE DEALING WITH PEOPLE.
MOST OF THE AGENCIES IN HERE CAN HAVE A PROBLEM ARISE ON MONDAY OR ON A FRIDAY.
AND THEY SAID, YEAH, WE CAN DEAL WITH IT ON MONDAY OR THURSDAY BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE STAFFING.
WE DON'T HAVE THAT OPPORTUNITY.
THE STATE OF THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE IS DIRE.
I KNOW THAT, UH, YOU HAVE TO DEAL WITH UNIONS.
I HAVE TO DEAL WITH THE SAFETY OF THIS COMMUNITY, THIS ENTIRE COUNTY.
AND YOUR JOB IS TO HELP ME GET THAT DONE.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT ELSE TO DO OR SAY, UH, ON HOW WE'RE TAKING CARE OF IT.
UH, IT'S, BUT IT'S FRIGHTENING, UH, AT THE, THE POINT NOW, UH, MADERA COUNTY GOT IN A PURSUIT YESTERDAY, WENT THROUGH OUR COUNTY AND ENDED IN OUR COUNTY ON A HOMICIDE SUSPECT.
OKAY? AND IT HIT THE AREA OFF OF, UM, SP AND GER AND THAT AREA GUY WENT BOLTING THROUGH A HOUSE.
SO I CALLED A COUPLE OF THE PEOPLE I KNOW IN THE AREAS, LOCK YOUR DOORS UNTIL THEY GOT HIM IN CUSTODY.
AND, UH, OFFICER INVOLVED SHOOTING.
I MEAN, THE FIRST 20 YEARS AS A DEPUTY, WE, IT WAS, IT WAS ALMOST UNHEARD OF TO HAVE AN OFFICER INVOLVED SHOOTING UNLESS SWAT WAS CALLED IN.
IT'S HAPPENING MORE AND MORE IN THE RESISTANCE.
I WAS TALKING TO LIEUTENANT FROM HIGHWAY PATROL JUST A LITTLE BIT AGO ON THE AMOUNT OF EFFORT IT HAS TO GO INTO DEESCALATING SITUATIONS NOW.
AND SOMETIMES IT DOESN'T WORK.
FOLKS, I'M HERE TO TELL YOU WE'RE AT THAT, WE'RE AT THAT LEVEL.
'CAUSE I JUST WANNA GIVE YOU INFORMATION THAT'S GONNA BE DIALOGUE.
OKAY? I'M RESPONDING TO CALLS WHEN I'M OUT THERE AND I ALWAYS WILL ALWAYS HAVE, BUT WE HAVE TO DO SOMETHING THAT'S GONNA BE MORE ATTRACTIVE.
STANISLAU COUNTY IS P NEAR FULL, IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN.
AND THEIR SUPERVISORS IN STANISLAU COUNTY, WHEN MODESTO GAVE THEIR POLICE OFFICERS ERASE, THE SUPERVISORS REACHED OUT TO THE DSA AND TOLD THEM, DON'T PANIC, WE'LL WORK WITH YOU AND CATCH YOU GUYS.
BUT IT WAS THE SUPERVISORS THAT REACHED OUT KNOWING THAT THEY HAVE IT.
NOW, I KNOW THAT THEIR RESOURCES ARE DIFFERENT THAN OURS, BUT THE CRIMES ARE STILL THE SAME.
AND WE HAVE TO THINK ABOUT PUBLIC SAFETY.
THE FOLKS THAT ARE OUT HERE DESERVE THE ABSOLUTE BEST FROM THE PEOPLE THAT THEY'VE ELECTED INTO THESE POSITIONS, MYSELF INCLUDED.
THAT'S WHERE YOU GUYS ARE GONNA NEED TO COME IN AND REALIZE WE'VE GOT TO DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT.
THIS DOING THE SAME THING AGAIN.
WE, 2015, WE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM.
WE ARE HEMORRHAGING AND WE'RE BACK AT IT AGAIN.
WHY THAT DEFINITION OF INSANITY DOING THE SAME THING OVER AND OVER AGAIN, THINKING IT'S GONNA CHANGE.
IT'S NOT GONNA, WE HAVE TO DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT.
YOU GUYS HAVE GOT YOUR PLATES FULL.
I LISTEN TO THE STUFF COMING OUT HERE, UH, AND THE CITIZENS AND THE FRUSTRATIONS, AND I GET THAT.
BUT I DO WANT YOU TO KNOW THE LADY IN THE BACK THERE, SHE TUNED THAT ONE GAL UP WHEN SHE WAS LEAVING
SHE, SHE WAS HAVING ENOUGH OF THAT.
SO I WAS VERY PROUD OF THAT MOMENT.
BUT YOU GUYS HAVE YOUR HANDS FULL AND I KNOW WHAT YOU HAVE TO PRIORITIZE.
MY PRIORITY IS THE SAFETY OF THIS COUNTY.
I CAN ONLY DO IT WITH THE TOOLS YOU'RE ALLOWING ME TO GET.
SO, UNDERSHERIFF, DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING YOU NEED TO BRING UP ON THIS QUESTIONS FROM ANYBODY? I HAVE A QUESTION JUST RIGHT.
HOW MANY, HOW MANY SROS DO WE HAVE, SHERIFF, RIGHT NOW WE HAVE FOUR ONES LEAVING TO UC, MERCED.
SO WE'LL BE DOWN TO THREE SUPERVISOR PRAYER.
UM, WELL, I, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, I, I GUESS, UM, I'LL JUST SAY, UM, WE WE'RE WORKING ON A, ON, ON, ON, UH, YOU KNOW,
AND, AND, UM, UH, I, UH, I, I KIND OF GOT SHORT WITH STAFF HERE.
UH, WELL AT LEAST WITH OUR CEO.
UM, AND, AND SO BECAUSE I WANTED SOMETHING DONE QUICKER.
AND, UH, BUT TO BE HONEST, UM, YOU KNOW, AS IT'S KIND OF UNFOLDED, YOU KNOW, STAFF IS WORKING DILIGENTLY ON TRYING TO FIGURE THIS OUT.
UM, I BELIEVE THAT, UH, THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE CLOSER TO, I JUST WANNA SHARE WITH YOUR STAFF THAT WE'RE CLOSER TO GETTING THERE THAN, THAN WE ARE NOT.
UM, I, UH, YOU KNOW, THIS, THE HEALTHCARE, UH, COST GOING UP, YOU KNOW, THAT'S KIND OF A COUNTYWIDE ISSUE, UM, WHICH KIND OF, I THINK SLOWED DOWN THE PROCESS.
UM, BUT, UH, YOU KNOW, WE HAD CLOSED SESSION THIS MORNING.
I FEEL LIKE WE'RE CLOSE TO BEING WHERE WE NEED TO BE.
AND, UM, SO MY, MY FRUSTRATION IS GONE WITH STAFF.
I, I THINK, UH, THEY, THEY'RE PUTTING TOGETHER SOME VERY VALUABLE INFORMATION FOR US.
AND SO, UM, YOU KNOW, I I JUST, UH, YOU KNOW, I THINK WE'RE A SPOT WHERE YOU MAY
[01:20:01]
NOT HAVE TO SHOW UP WITH YOUR BLACK HATWELL, I, YOU, I AND EACH, EVERY, ALL OF YOU KNOW HOW PASSIONATE I AM HERE.
AND IT'S, UM, IT'S NOTHING PERSONAL AT ALL.
THE SHERIFF'S GOT A JOB TO DO.
AND, UH, WE NEED TO GET TOGETHER ON THIS.
UM, AND I KNOW THAT THE UNIONS SHOULD BE UP HERE DEALING WITH UNION STUFF, BUT, UM, SOMETIMES THAT DOESN'T EVEN WORK.
WE'VE GOTTA DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT.
YOU'VE GOTTA REACH INTO THE WHATEVER MAGIC HAT YOU'VE GOT AND COME UP WITH SOMETHING BECAUSE THE WAY WE'RE DOING IT ISN'T WORKING.
AND TO HAVE THESE FOLKS COMING IN NEAR TEARS, 'CAUSE THEY WANT TO STAY, BUT THE HEALTH INSURANCE ALONE IS CAUSING FOLKS TO, TO LEAVE.
YOU KNOW, THEY CAN LEAVE US, GO TO MADERA COUNTY, TECHNICALLY MAKE LESS MONEY, BUT THEY DON'T HAVE TO PAY FOR THE, THE INSURANCE LIKE THEY HAVE TO HERE.
AND THEY, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE GIVEN ANOTHER, THEY'RE GIVEN A CAR, YOU KNOW, AND THAT'S WHAT THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE, SO IT KIND OF OFFSETS SOME THINGS.
WE'VE GOTTA, WE'VE GOTTA COLLECTIVELY DO THAT.
AND I KNOW THAT THE UNDERSHERIFF HAS BEEN WORKING DILIGENTLY WITH THE CEO'S OFFICE AND HIS STAFF.
AND I STILL DON'T SEE ANYTHING MOVING.
ALLS I SEE IS THAT DUCK ON THE TOP OF THE WATER.
AND I THINK THE REST OF, UH, THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE FEELS THAT SAME WAY.
WE KNOW THE FEET ARE GOING, WE JUST CAN'T SEE IT.
UNTIL THAT HAPPENS, I THINK THAT'S, WE'RE GONNA END UP KEEP LOSING PEOPLE.
OUR DISPATCHERS ARE WORKING GODAWFUL SHIFTS.
THE DEPUTIES ARE WORKING GODAWFUL SHIFTS.
EV EVERY DAY WHEN I LOG ON, I GOT DEPUTIES LEAVING AT SEVEN O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING AND THEY SAY WE'RE 10 10 FROM PATROL, GOING RIGHT INTO COURT OVERTIME AFTER PULLING IN A 12 HOUR SHIFT.
YOU KNOW IT, THEY'RE JUST TIRED.
SO, UH, ANYTHING, ANY QUESTIONS IS, UH, THE SILENCE IS DEAFENING.
WELL, I'M, I WAS WAITING FOR YOU TO FINISH SURPRISE MCDONALD.
YOU KNOW BETTER THAN THAT SHERIFF.
AND I LIKE THIS FORUM WITH YOU COMING, GIVING US THIS UPDATE.
I KNOW WE ARE HEARING IT, BUT I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT.
I MEAN, IT'S NICE THAT THE SUN STARTS IN THE AUDIENCE TODAY, UH, TO HEAR, YOU KNOW, THE SITUATION THAT WE'RE IN.
EVEN UNDER THE CIRCUMSTANCES WE'RE IN.
UH, I STILL GET COMPLIMENTS FROM MY CONSTITUENTS OF YOUR STAFF SHOWING UP WHENEVER THEY DO CALL.
AND I APPRECIATE, AND I KNOW THAT'S A BIG EFFORT AND A, A TALL THING, UH, A A TALL TASK TO TOW.
UM, I CAN'T REALLY SAY MORE THAN WHAT MY COLLEAGUE SHARED WITH YOU.
I KNOW IT'S SOMETHING, UH, THAT 2015, I REMEMBER YOU AND I HAVING A LOT OF CONVERSATIONS, BUT, BUT WE WORKED IT OUT.
AND, UH, I REMEMBER WE HAD THE AGREEMENT THAT, UM, IF WHAT YOU SAID IS WHAT WE NEEDED AND ONCE WE COMPLETED IT, YOU WOULD COME.
AND ANYWAY, UM, MY COLLEAGUES PREDECESSOR FROM DISTRICT FIVE APPRECIATED THE, WHAT WE WORKED OUT AND THE RESULTS THAT WE HAD.
SO, UM, I APPRECIATE THIS FORUM, UM, TALKING WITH YOUR UNDERSHERIFF AND A LOT OF OTHER FOLKS AS WELL.
WE, WE, WE SEE IT HAPPENING OUT THERE AND WE KNOW WE HAVE TO DO SOMETHING.
YOU KNOW, UM, I AGREE WITH EVERYTHING THAT MY COLLEAGUES JUST SAID, AND I'VE HAD MULTIPLE CONVERSATIONS WITH YOU ABOUT THIS, WITH THE UNDERS SHERIFF ABOUT THIS BECAUSE JUST THE FACT THAT HAVING THAT MANY PATROL ON, UH, AT ANY ONE TIME COVERING THE COUNTY, WHICH IS GEOGRAPHICALLY LARGER THAN THE STATE OF RHODE ISLAND IS NOT SAFE FOR OUR RESIDENTS.
IT'S NOT SAFE FOR YOUR DEPUTIES.
BUT HAVING SAID ALL THAT, LIKE WHAT SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL SAID WITH THE AMOUNT OF STRESS AND HOW TIRED AND HOW OVERWORKED YOUR PEOPLE ARE, I'VE NEVER HAD A COMPLAINT ABOUT, UM, A DEPUTY OR THE SHERIFF OR UNDERSHERIFF OR ANYBODY.
SO YOU SHOULD BE PROUD OF THAT.
AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I'M PROUD OF.
BUT WE ALSO DO NEED TO FIND YOU SOMETHING.
AND I, AND I'VE, I, I'VE THOUGHT ABOUT THIS AND I CONTINUE TO THINK ABOUT THIS AND HOW WE CAN DO THAT.
BUT LIKE THEY SAID, WITHOUT REALLY SOMETHING THAT'S NOT LOST ON, ON ME, THAT'S, AND I WOULD SAY ON THE REST OF THIS BOARD, WE GOTTA FIGURE OUT A SOLUTION TO THIS.
AND I, I DON'T WANNA SAY THAT WE, YOU LIVE IN AN UNSAFE COUNTY BECAUSE I DON'T BELIEVE WE DO.
BUT IT'S GETTING TO THAT POINT.
IF YOU'RE NOT GONNA HAVE THE BODIES TO, TO GO ON, ON PATROL, IT'S NOT A POLICE STATE.
IT'S A MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE CONTINUING TO BE SAFE WHERE WE'RE AT.
YOU KNOW, WE JUST NEED TO BE ABLE TO RESPOND TO SOME OF THESE, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN IS I'M ALSO THE ISSUER OF CCWS, AND THAT'S EVERY SINGLE DAY I GOT PEOPLE COMING IN, BRAND NEW PEOPLE WANTING TO CARRY.
AND IT'S 'CAUSE THEY, THEY WANT TO IMPROVE THEIR QUALITY OF LIFE.
THEY WANT TO IMPROVE THEIR ABILITY TO PROTECT THEMSELVES.
OKAY? THEY SHOULDN'T HAVE TO FEEL THAT WAY.
[01:25:01]
NOT THAT WE HAVE THIS MAGIC CRYSTAL BALL WHERE WE CAN FIND THE END.I EXPLAINED WHAT I FEEL WOULD BE THE SOLUTION.
I KNOW THAT YOU GUYS ARE GOING TO WORK YOUR BUTTS OFF TO GET TO THAT.
BUT EVERY MOMENT THAT GOES BY, EVERY DAY THAT GOES BY, WE DON'T DO ANYTHING.
WE'RE LOSING DEPUTIES, WE'RE LOSING CORRECTIONAL OFFICERS, WE'RE LOSING DISPATCHERS.
I, I, I, AGAIN, DON'T KNOW WHAT TO TELL YOU.
YOU KNOW, I RESPOND FROM MY HOUSE TO A SUICIDAL SUBJECT.
'CAUSE I HAD NO DEPUTIES TO RESPOND TO.
I WENT AND DEALT WITH THIS GUY BY MYSELF FOR THE LONGEST PERIOD OF TIME.
FINALLY, A DETECTIVE SHOWED UP, TOOK HIM A WHILE TO GET THERE, HAPPY ENDING ON IT.
BUT IT WAS STILL THE IDEA THAT WHEN I'M THE ONLY ONE AVAILABLE, THAT KIND OF SPEAKS A LITTLE BIT OF VOLUME ABOUT WHAT WE DON'T HAVE GOING ON HERE.
I'M GONNA CONTINUE TO RESPOND.
AND THAT'S NOT A COMPLAINT ABOUT IT.
SHERIFF, AND, AND LISTEN, I'VE, I'VE SAID THIS FROM BEFORE I GOT ELECTED WHEN I RAN AS, AS I THINK AS, AS I THINK AS SUPERVISORS.
OUR JOB IS TO LISTEN TO THE SHERIFF.
AND THE SHERIFF TELLS US THE TOOLS THAT THE SHERIFF NEEDS.
AND THEN WITHIN REASON, WE TRY TO FIND THE ABILITY TO GIVE YOU THOSE TOOLS.
AND, AND THE WITHIN REASON PART IS, IS WE'RE ALL CONSTRAINED BY BUDGETS, RIGHT? I PROMISE YOU, IF, IF I DID HAVE THE MONEY TREE, WE WOULD DO STUFF FASTER AND QUICKER AND, AND HAVE MORE MONEY TO THROW.
BUT I, I APPRECIATE YOU COMING HERE.
I'M GLAD THAT YOU TOOK ME UP ON THE, THIS, THE, THE, THE OFFER.
I KNOW WE GOT A LITTLE WONKY NOT GETTING IT IN TIME TO GET ON THE LAST MEETING, BUT I APPRECIATE THE TWO-WAY CONVERSATION.
HAVING YOU COME AND SPEAK AT AT PUBLIC COMMENT.
YOU GET YOUR THREE MINUTES LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE DOES.
AND THEN IT'S A LITTLE BIT TOUGH.
AND I'M, I I THINK MY COLLEAGUES APPRECIATE BEING ABLE TO HAVE THESE CONVERSATIONS WITH YOU.
I THINK THIS BOARD IS COMMITTED TO, TO, TO PUBLIC SAFETY.
I, I, I DON'T, I DON'T KNOW HOW ANYBODY COULD REALLY SAY THAT WE'RE NOT, I I JUST, UM, IT'S IN DUE TIME.
I, IF, IF OUR BARGAINING GROUPS ARE LISTENING, I MEAN, YOU KNOW, IF IF THEY'RE THAT SERIOUS ABOUT IT, WE, WE, WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO COME UP WITH SOMETHING AND GET IT DONE, UH, SOONER RATHER THAN LATER.
BUT THAT'S NOT ALWAYS THE CASE, SHERIFF.
BUT I ALSO KNOW THAT THIS, THIS BOARD HAS IN THE PAST REACHED OUT.
THEY HAD TO GO THROUGH THE HOOPS, BUT THE BOARD REACHED OUT AND SAID, LET'S DO SOMETHING NOW.
AND THAT'S WHY WE STOPPED THE BLEEDING BACK IN 2015.
THIS BOARD NEEDS TO THINK ABOUT DOING THAT AGAIN.
LIKE I SAID, HERE WE ARE EIGHT YEARS LATER AND WE'VE GOT A WORSE PROBLEM.
AND WE SHOULD HAVE KNOWN FROM THE VERY BEGINNING THAT THIS WAS COMING.
WE'VE KNOWN IT'S BEEN COMING AND, YOU KNOW, THIS KICK IN THE CAN DOWN THE ROAD, UH, PHILOSOPHY HAS GOTTA STOP.
THE CITIZENS DESERVE BETTER THAN WHAT WE'RE ABLE TO GIVE THEM.
OKAY? UH, AND I SAY ABLE, I THINK WE'RE ABLE TO DO A LITTLE BIT.
SOME PLACES IN THE COUNTY MAY HAVE TO SUFFER FOR IT, BUT THEY'RE GONNA HAVE TO DO IT.
UH, AND I KNOW YOU DON'T HAVE THAT KIND OF END FUNDING THAT'S GONNA, YOU KNOW, MAGICALLY APPEAR.
BUT WE ALSO HAVE TO REALIZE THAT IF WE WANNA KEEP THIS COMMUNITY SAFE, THERE ARE PROGRAMS, THERE ARE AREAS IN THIS COUNTY THAT'S GONNA HAVE TO BE LOOKED AT AS THE, YOU KNOW, SACRIFICE.
BECAUSE IT'S GONNA HAVE TO HAPPEN BECAUSE NOBODY ELSE IS GOING TO THESE CALLS.
WE ARE, NOBODY ELSE IS GOING INTO THE JAIL.
AND WE DON'T HAVE THE OPPORT OPTION TO CLOSE.
EVERY OTHER DEPARTMENT IN THIS COUNTY CAN LITERALLY CLOSE AND REGROUP.
UM, SHERIFF, UH, A QUICK, UH, JUST A POINT OF INFORMATION.
SO YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT 2015, AND I REMEMBER GETTING HERE IN 2017 AND US DOING A OFF, OFF CONTRACT, UM, RAISE TO THE, TO THE DEPUTIES.
IS THAT, DID IT TAKE TWO YEARS FOR THAT TO HAPPEN? IS THAT OH, THAT ONE OR THERE TWO? IT WAS VOTED ON THAT DAY.
THAT WAS TWO SEPARATE TIMES IT WAS VOTED ON THAT DAY.
THE DEPUTIES HAD JUST SECURED A 10% RAISE AND THAT DAY THE BOARD ON, ON THE SPOT VOTED AND APPROVED ANOTHER 10% LUMP INCREASE IN PAY.
I'D RECEIVED NO LESS THAN 12 PHONE CALLS FROM DEPUTIES THAT HAD LEFT US WANTING THEIR JOBS BACK.
AND I KNOW THAT YOU HAD TO GO TO THE UNION.
I, IT JUST BLOWS MY MIND THAT YOU HAVE TO GET PERMISSION TO GIVE THEM MONEY.
YOU KNOW, IT JUST MAKES NO SENSE TO ME.
AND I KNOW THAT THERE WAS SOME OTHER COUNTY AGENCIES THAT FELT THAT PINCH, BUT AGAIN, YOU GOTTA REALIZE, YEAH, THEY'RE NOT THE ONES RESPONDING.
MATTER OF FACT, WE GET CALLS TO HELP THOSE AGENCIES.
WE DON'T HAVE THE OPTION TO SAY NO, BUT WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO START.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, COMMENTS? ALRIGHT, SHERIFF, THANK YOU FOR THE TIME.
AT THIS TIME I'LL OPEN PUBLIC COMMENT.
IF ANYONE WOULD LIKE TO COMMENT ON ANY OF THE FOUR PRESENTATIONS, UM, NOT SEEING ANYONE, WE'LL CLOSE THAT PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD AND WE'LL MOVE ON TO OUR REGULAR
[CONSENT CALENDAR]
[01:30:01]
CONSENT CALENDAR.CALENDAR ITEMS ONE THROUGH 21.
PLEASE NOTE, ITEMS TWO AND SIX REQUIRE A FOUR-FIFTHS VOTE.
ALRIGHT, THIS IS THE PUBLIC'S OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK ON CONSENT CALENDAR.
ITEMS ONE THROUGH 21, NOT SEEING ANYONE.
WE'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD.
BRING IT BACK TO THE DES, WHERE WE HAVE A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR PEREIRA AND A SECOND BY SUPERVISOR ESPINOZA.
THE MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY FIVE TO ZERO.
[BOARD ACTION]
UP, WE'LL MOVE TO BOARD ACTION, WHERE WE'LL START WITH PUBLIC WORKS.ITEMS 22 AND 23, PLEASE NOTE, ITEM 23 REQUIRES A FOUR-FIFTHS VOTE.
ALL RIGHT, THIS IS THE PUBLIC'S OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK ON PUBLIC WORKS.
ITEMS 22 AND 23, I'M NOT SAYING ANYONE.
WE'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD.
BRING IT BACK TO THES WHERE WE HAVE A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR PEDROSO, A SECOND BY SUPERVISOR PER CALL FOR THE VOTE, PLEASE RECORD THE VOTE.
THE MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY, FIVE TO ZERO.
NEXT WE'LL HAVE PUBLIC HEALTH ITEM 24, WHICH REQUIRES A FOUR FIFTHS VOTE.
ALRIGHT, THIS IS THE PUBLIC'S OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK ON ITEM 24, NOT SEEING ANYONE.
WE'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD.
BRING IT BACK TO THE DS WHERE WE HAVE A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR ESPINOZA, A SECOND BY SUPERVISOR PEDROZA.
THE MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY.
TAMARA, THANK YOU FOR GETTING THE NEW SCREEN UP OVER THERE.
I KNOW, I THINK IT WAS UP LAST MEETING TOO, BUT I'M JUST REALLY RECOGNIZING IT TODAY.
UM, NEXT UP WE HAVE BHRS ITEMS 25 THROUGH 27.
ALRIGHT, THIS IS THE PUBLIC'S OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK ON ITEMS 25 THROUGH 27.
WE'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD.
BRING IT BACK TO THE DICE WHERE WE HAVE A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR PEREIRA IS SECOND BY SUPERVISOR PEDROSO.
THE MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY FIVE TO ZERO.
NEXT UP WE HAVE THE HUMAN SERVICES AGENCY, ITEM 28.
AND, UH, WE HAVE DIRECTOR YVONNE BROWN.
UM, CHAIRMAN RA, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD SUPERVISOR, UM, SORRY, COUNTY COUNCIL HENSON AND CEO, NOT SUPERVISOR, UM, MENDEZ.
UM, IT'S BEEN GREAT PLEASURE TO STAND BEFORE YOU TO INTRODUCE OUR NEW VETERAN SERVICE OFFICER.
I'M NOT GONNA TAKE AWAY FROM HIS ABILITY TO TELL YOU HIS, HIS BACKGROUND AND WHAT, WHAT WE ARE EXCITED.
YES, HE CAME FROM ANOTHER STATE, BUT I THINK WHAT YOU'LL FIND OUT, HE HAS A BACKGROUND IN VETERAN SERVICES AND I THINK HE'LL BE A TREMENDOUS ASSET TO OUR COMMUNITY.
HE'S LOOKING TO BE HERE LONG TERM.
UM, SO I KNOW THAT'S ONE OF YOUR QUESTIONS, UM, BUT I'LL, WITHOUT FURTHER ADO, I WILL PASS MR. SKELTON OVER TO YOU TO INTRODUCE HIMSELF.
I HAVE BEEN A VETERAN SERVICE OFFICER IN THE STATE OF ARKANSAS, COUNTY OF SEBASTIAN FOR THE LAST THREE YEARS, BUT I AM A CALIFORNIA BORN AND BRED.
I SPENT 23 YEARS IN THE MILITARY AFTER HIGH SCHOOL.
MOST OF IT IN THE CALIFORNIA NATIONAL GUARD.
AND I AM SO EXCITED TO BE HERE.
I THANK YOU ALL FOR THE OPPORTUNITY AND IF THERE'S ANYTHING, I, I'VE BEEN HERE FIVE DAYS, SO
BUT I'M STARTING BY DOING OUTREACH AND MEETING THE DIFFERENT SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS, GETTING TO KNOW THEM.
AND ANYTHING I CAN DO FOR YOU, I'M HERE FOR YOU.
PLEASE DON'T LET THE PREVIOUS COMMENTS EARLIER TODAY SCARE YOU OFF FROM, UH, WHAT WE'RE DOING BECAUSE WE WERE VERY INVOLVED WITH THE VETERANS' OFFICE.
UM, WORKING AS A FORMER CONGRESSIONAL AID AND SENATE AID, I WAS VERY INVOLVED WITH THE VETERANS AND THE VA AND I HAVE A WHOLE LOT OF CONTACTS THERE AND, AND OUR, ALL OUR PREVIOUS BSOS I'VE BEEN VERY INTIMATELY INVOLVED IN HELPING OUT.
SO I OFFER THE HANDOUT AS WELL.
UM, PLEASE LEAN ON ME IF YOU NEED TO GET ANYTHING, ANYTHING DONE.
I HAVE SOME REALLY KEY FOLKS UP THERE THAT WE CAN MAKE THINGS,
[01:35:01]
MAKE THINGS HAPPEN.SO APPRECIATE YOUR SACRIFICE AND APPRECIATE YOU.
UM, WE, UH, WELL, AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE, UM, THAT, UH, THAT, UM, UH, I COULDN'T IMAGINE WHAT YOU WENT THROUGH, BUT, UH, BEING DEPLOYED TO THOSE COUNTRIES THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, IS JUST, UM, I DON'T KNOW.
I'M GLAD, I'M GLAD YOU DID IT AND, AND NOT ME.
UM, AND THEN, UH, AND, AND THE SAME THING, RIGHT? THE VETERAN SERVICE OFFICE IS, IS REALLY, UH, IMPORTANT TO ALL OF US.
UM, YOU KNOW, WHEN, WHEN YOU HEAR, YOU KNOW, 22 VETERANS A DAY COMMITTING SUICIDE, YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW IF THAT NUMBER'S GONE UP OR DOWN.
I, I WOULD THINK THAT IT MAY GO UP JUST AS WE WENT THROUGH COVID AND PEOPLE ISOLATED.
UM, YOU KNOW, THAT WOULD LEAD ME TO BELIEVE THAT, THAT IT'S WORSE NOW THAN IT WAS.
AND SO, UM, YOU KNOW, PROBABLY MY HIGHEST PRIORITY.
RIGHT? AND THEN FROM THERE IS PROVIDING THE SERVICES THAT, UH, THAT OUR VETERANS DESERVE.
UM, I DON'T KNOW ABOUT ARKANSAS, BUT, UH, HERE WE HAVE, UH, WE HAVE A CONGRESSMAN THAT'S INTERESTED IN HELPING.
AND, YOU KNOW, CHRIST SANTOS, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU TWO HAVE MET YET, BUT I SUGGEST THAT YOU GUYS SHAKE HANDS AND SWAP NUMBERS BEFORE YOU GO.
'CAUSE THERE'LL BE THINGS THAT YOU CAN'T, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN'T GET DONE, BUT YET THE CONGRESSMAN'S OFFICE CAN.
AND SO, UM, RELY ON THAT AS WELL.
AND, AND, UH, YOU KNOW, ANYTHING I CAN DO TO HELP, UM, YOU KNOW, I'D BE INTERESTED IN, IN HELPING.
AND ONCE YOU GET KIND OF SETTLED IN, UM, YOU KNOW, I'D, I'D ALSO OFFER TO TAKE YOU TO THE, UH, UH, VFW HOLES IN MY DISTRICT, UH, UH, DISTRICT FOUR.
SO, UM, AND INTRODUCE YOU TO FOLKS THERE.
AND, AND I THINK A WARM AND HANDOFF AND HANDSHAKE, UH, GOES A LONG WAYS AND, AND LETTING THEM FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH YOU AND, AND ENGAGING WITH YOU.
SO, UM, THAT'S, UH, SOMETHING THAT I COULD DO, UH, FOR YOU.
THANK YOU, SUPERVISOR PEDROZA.
UM, AND WELCOME, UH, ON BOARD AND PRETTY MUCH EVERYTHING EVERYBODY SAID, BUT, UM, WHATEVER WE CAN DO TO HELP YOU OUT, YOU KNOW, VETERANS ARE SOMETHING THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO US HERE IN MERCED COUNTY WITH THE HISTORY OF, YOU KNOW, THE AIR FORCE BASE AND EVERYTHING.
AND SO, UM, IT'S, IT'S ABOUT HELPING YOU OUT, MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE HELPING OUT OUR VETERANS.
AND I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT, UM, ISN'T, AGAIN, LOST ON US.
BUT, UM, TWO, I WANNA SAY THE SAME THING.
YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU GET SETTLED IN, I'D LIKE TO TAKE YOU AROUND TO THE VFW OR THE COUPLE DIFFERENT HALLS HERE IN TOWN.
UM, SO YOU CAN GET TO MEET SOME OF THE PEOPLE HERE AND, AND WHAT THEY'RE DOING.
AND, UM, JUST TO GET TO KNOW 'EM.
UM, IT'D BE, UH, REALLY GOOD IF, UH, IF POSSIBLE WHEN, UH, WHENEVER YOU GET, UH, AROUND THE COUNTY TO GO AROUND ALL THE VETERANS, UH, UH, HALLS.
AND I'M PRETTY SURE THEY'LL BE, UH, UH, YOU KNOW, HELPFUL IN WHATEVER YOU NEED.
AND, UH, I KNOW THAT THERE'S MANY, UH, DIFFERENT ISSUES WITH THE VETERANS HALL AROUND THE COUNTY, JUST, UH, YOU KNOW, LIKE IN MERCED, BUT I'M PRETTY SURE YOU'LL, YOU'LL BE ABLE TO GET ALONG.
AND LIKE I SAID, IF YOU, IF YOU NEED US, I'LL, UH, JUST GIVE US A CALL AND WE'LL BE HAPPY TO GET TOGETHER WITH YOU.
SO I ALREADY GOT A DATE FOR YOU, UH, DECEMBER THE 12TH, 6:00 PM THAT'S THE YES, UH, CHRISTMAS PARTY FOR THE VFW AND AMERICAN LEGION IN LOS SPAN.
SO I'LL, I'D INVITE YOU IF YOU, IF YOU CAN PUT THAT ON YOUR CALENDAR.
I'LL INTRODUCE YOU TO MY TWO GOOD FRIENDS OVER THERE, AL-QAEDA AND MY QS.
WHO ARE I, IN MY OPINION, IT'S IN LOSAN.
WE, OUR AMERICAN LEGION AND OUR VFW OUR FRIENDS, THEY, IF YOU DIDN'T KNOW ANY BETTER WHEN YOU WALK IN THERE, YOU WOULD THINK THAT THEY'RE JUST ONE BIG VETERANS ORGANIZATION.
UM, REALLY GOOD GROUP OF PEOPLE OVER THERE.
UM, I MEAN, THEY'RE, THEY'RE THE TYPE OF COMMUNITY MEMBERS THAT YOU JUST LOVE TO HAVE BECAUSE NO MATTER WHEN, WHERE, WHAT THE ASK WHAT THE NEED IS, I NEED HELP WITH THIS, AND THEY'RE THERE FOR YOU.
SO I REALLY WANT TO, UH, INTRODUCE YOU TO THOSE.
AND I KNOW WE HAD A MEETING SCHEDULED FOR LAST WEEK, AND IT WAS THE ONLY THING ON MY CALENDAR ON WEDNESDAY, AND I'M SORRY, KIND OF CANCELED ON IT LAST MINUTE, BUT I LOOK FORWARD TO YOU MAYBE COMING UP AND WALKING THE THIRD FLOOR SO WE ALL GET TO HAVE A FEW CONVERSATIONS.
IT'S AN, IT'S AN IMPORTANT THING AND, AND CONTRARY TO WHAT A FEW PEOPLE MIGHT BELIEVE OUT THERE, I, I DON'T THINK, YOU KNOW, THIS GROUP HAS ALWAYS BEEN VERY SUPPORTIVE OF OUR VETERANS, OUR VETERANS ORGANIZATIONS, UM, AND MAKE, AND I KNOW MYSELF AND, AND SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL WITH, WITH, ALONG WITH ALL OF MY OTHER COLLEAGUES, REALLY PUSH FOR THIS POSITION, YOU KNOW, TO, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE, WE'RE PAYING A GOOD ENOUGH SALARY THAT WE CAN KEEP SOMEBODY.
AND THE ONE THING THAT I HOPE FOR YOU IS LONGEVITY IS, IS I THINK THAT'S WHAT, I THINK, THAT'S WHAT OUR VETERANS ORGANIZATIONS IS CRAVING, IS SOMEBODY WHO'S GONNA BE HERE FOR A WHILE AND, AND, YOU KNOW, IS NOT LOOKING TO GO TAKE A JOB WITH CALVE OR, OR SOMEWHERE ELSE.
WE WANT SOMEBODY THAT'S GONNA BE HERE AND, AND WORK WITH THESE FOLKS.
I'LL BE THERE AND I'LL BE AT THE DINNER.
ALRIGHT, I DON'T SEE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS IN THE QUEUE, SO I'M GOING TO OPEN THIS UP, OR THIS IS THE PUBLIC'S OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK ON HSA ITEM 28,
[01:40:03]
NOT SEE ANYONE.WE WILL CLOSE THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD AND BRING IT BACK TO THE DICE WHERE WE HAVE A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR PEREIRA AND A SECOND BY SUPERVISOR PEDROSO.
THE MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY FIVE TO ZERO.
NEXT UP WE HAVE COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
ALRIGHT, THIS IS, WE HAVE DIRECTOR MAXEY GONNA COME UP AND SAY A FEW WORDS.
THANK YOU MR. CHAIR, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, STEVE MAXEY, DIRECTOR FOR COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
I'LL KEEP THIS BRIEF, UH, THIS ITEM BEFORE YOU USE A PROPOSED AMENDMENT TO THE EXISTING GROUNDWATER MINING AND EXPORT ORDINANCE THAT WAS ADOPTED BY THE BOARD IN MARCH OF 2015.
UH, THE INTENT OF THE ORDINANCE AT THAT TIME WAS TO ACT AS A BRIDGE THROUGH THE IMPLEMENTATION, UH, AND REALLY THE EARLY STAGES OF THE SUSTAINABLE GROUNDWATER MANAGEMENT ACT, UM, REALLY BY REGULATING GROUNDWATER EXTRACTION AT THE COUNTY LEVEL.
AND NOW AS GSAS HAVE BEEN ESTABLISHED IN GSPS, UH, EXCUSE ME, GROUNDWATER SUSTAINABILITY AGENCIES AND GROUNDWATER SUSTAINABILITY PLANS, GSAS AND GSPS, UH, ARE, UH, ADOPTED AND IMPLEMENTED.
THERE ARE ASPECTS OF OUR CURRENT ORDINANCE THAT, UM, ARE REALLY IN ESSENCE AND IN FACT, UH, MALFUNCTIONS AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THOSE GSAS.
UM, MORE RECENTLY THAT WAS, UH, ADDRESSED BY THIS BOARD, UH, AN AMENDMENT OF THIS SAME ORDINANCE TO REFLECT THE ROLE OF GSAS IN, UH, REVIEWING NEW WELLS FOR COMPLIANCE WITH, UH, THEIR RESPECTIVE GSPS.
AND SO, REALLY AS WE LOOK AT THIS ORDINANCE TODAY IS PROPOSED, UH, LOOKS AT THE GROUNDWATER EXPORT PIECE OF THIS GROUNDWATER MINING AND EXPORT ORDINANCE, UM, OR MOVING PUMP GROUNDWATER FROM ONE GROUNDWATER BASIN INTO ANOTHER.
UM, AND IN 2015, EXPORT WAS REALLY IN OUR EXISTING ORDINANCE, LIMITED TO VERY SPECIFIC CIRCUMSTANCES.
AND AS, UM, GSAS HAVE CONTINUED IMPLEMENTING THOSE GSPS EXPORTS BEEN RECOGNIZED AS A, A PRETTY VALUABLE TOOL OR POTENTIAL TOOL FOR GROUNDWATER MANAGEMENT, UH, AS WELL AS A POTENTIAL TOOL FOR PROPERTY OWNERS AND, AND AGRICULTURAL USERS OR GROWERS, UH, THAT MAY HAVE, UH, LAND WITH, UH, WITHIN DIFFERENT BASINS, BUT STILL WANT TO MANAGE WATER WITHIN THEIR, THEIR OWN LAND.
UM, THE ORDINANCE AS IS PROPOSED TODAY AND IN FRONT OF YOU TODAY, WAS DEVELOPED WITH INPUT FROM, UH, REPRESENTATIVES OF GSAS, REPRESENTATIVES OF WATER DISTRICTS, UH, THE AGRICULTURAL COMMUNITIES, CONSULTANTS, UH, BASICALLY EVERYBODY THAT HAS A HAND IN IN HELPING MANAGE GROUND WATER ACROSS THE COUNTY.
UM, IT WOULD CREATE A MINISTERIAL APPLICATION REVIEW PROCESS THAT WOULD ALLOW FOR EXPORT BETWEEN BASINS, UH, ONLY WITH REVIEW FROM, UH, BOTH THE EXPORTING AND RECEIVING GSAS, AND A DETERMINATION FROM THOSE GSAS THAT, UH, THE PROPOSED EXPORT IMPORT WOULD BE CONSISTENT WITH, UH, THEIR IMPLEMENTATION OF THEIR RESPECTIVE GSPS, UM, THAT WOULD AFFORD THE GSAS WITH AN OPPORTUNITY TO REQUEST, UH, REALLY WHATEVER INFORMATION THEY DEEM NECESS NECESSARY TO MAKE, UH, SUCH A DETERMINATION, UH, REALLY WEIGH THAT INFORMATION AGAINST, UH, THEIR ADOPTED POLICIES, UH, AS A REGULATING AUTHORITY FOR MANAGEMENT OF GROUNDWATER.
UH, AND THEN DISCUSS THAT PROJECT IN DETAIL WITH, UH, PROJECT PROPONENTS IF THEY NEEDED TO.
UM, THIS WOULD REALLY ALIGN THIS PROCESS FOR EXPORT AND REVIEW OF EXPORT APPLICATION WITH THE PREVIOUS AMENDMENT MADE BY THIS BOARD FOR A REVIEW OF WELL PERMIT, UH, APPLICATIONS BY GSAS.
AND, UM, REALLY WOULD, WOULD MAKE THAT PROCESS MORE EFFICIENT FOR APPLICANTS THAT ARE LOOKING TO DO, UH, ANY GROUNDWATER WORK WITHIN THE COUNTY.
SO WITH THAT, UH, STAFF HAS TWO RECOMMENDATIONS FOR YOU TODAY.
UH, ONE IS TO INTRODUCE THE ORDINANCE AND WAIT FOR THE READING, AND THEN SET A POSSIBLE ADOPTION OF, UH, THIS ORDINANCE ON, UH, THE AGENDA FOR THE DECEMBER 5TH, 2023 REPORT AGENDA.
WITH THAT, I'M AVAILABLE FOR ANY QUESTIONS.
UH, I ALSO WANT TO, UH, GIVE A QUICK THANKS TO, UH, LACEY MCBRIDE, WHO DID, DID A LOT OF WORK, ESPECIALLY WITH THE STAKEHOLDER OUTREACH COMPONENT OF THIS.
SO, UM, BIG THANKS TO HER AS WELL.
SHE'S AVAILABLE TO HELP OUT WITH ANY QUESTIONS TOO.
ALRIGHT, ANY QUESTIONS, COMMENTS? WELL, MR. MAXEY AND MS. MCBRIDE, THANK YOU BOTH.
I, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I, I KNOW THAT I WAS, I I'M ASKED THAT WE, THAT WE TAKE A LOOK AT THIS AND AS YOU KNOW, THIS ORIGINAL, UM, WELL NOW ORDINANCE WENT INTO PLACE.
WE ARE AT A DIFFERENT TIME AND NOW WE, WE'VE COME, WE'VE COME A LONG WAY WHERE, WHERE THESE GSAS ARE FUNCTIONING AT A LEVEL I BELIEVE THAT, THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT THE LAW INTENDED FOR THEM, AND IT REALLY TAKES US, IT LETS THE PEOPLE THAT ARE ACTUALLY THE MANAGERS OF WATER AND THAT, THAT UNDERSTAND, NOT SAYING THAT WE DON'T UNDERSTAND IT, BUT IT ALLOWS THEM TO HAVE WHERE WE BECOME MORE MINISTERIAL.
AND IT ALLOWS THOSE, THOSE GROUPS TO BE ABLE TO, TO, TO MAKE THOSE DECISIONS BASED UPON THE DATA AND THE INFORMATION THAT THEY HAVE.
AND THIS, THIS IS, I'M GONNA GIVE YOU MY EXAMPLE
[01:45:01]
IS, IS I CAN HAVE, I CAN HAVE A PIECE OF PROPERTY AND A BASIN AND I COULD PUMP IT.I COULD PUMP THAT WATER AND SEND IT 40 MILES ACROSS MY BASIN, STILL IN THE SAME IN THE COUNTY, AND THAT'S FINE.
BUT FOR THAT WATER TO GO LESS THAN A MILE ACROSS THE OTHER SIDE OF THE RIVER INTO A DIFFERENT BASIN, THAT WAS PROHIBITED.
AND, AND TO ME, I'M ALL ABOUT LIKE JUST TRYING TO PUT TOOLS IN, IN THE FARMER'S TOOLBOX IN ORDER FOR THEM TO BE ABLE TO BE SUCCESSFUL.
AND I, AND I, I KNOW IT TOOK US A LITTLE WHILE TO GET HERE, BUT IT'S, IT'S REALLY AT A GOOD TIME BECAUSE WE, YOU KNOW, WE ACTUALLY HAD RAIN LAST YEAR.
IT'S ALWAYS A LOT MORE DIFFICULT OF A DECISION AND, AND, AND YOU'RE TRYING TO FIT STUFF IN WHEN YOU'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DROUGHT AND, AND, AND, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE'S LIVELIHOODS AND, AND, AND ARE AT STAKE.
AND SO I'M GLAD THAT WE'RE GETTING HERE.
ALL TODAY DOES IS JUST INTRODUCE THE ORDINANCE, WAIVE THE READING, AND, AND THEN SETS FOR A POTENTIAL ADOPTION ON DECEMBER THE FIFTH.
SO WITH THAT, I WILL OPEN UP, THIS IS THE PUBLIC'S OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK ON COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
ITEM 29, I'M NOT SEEING ANYBODY.
WE'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD, BRING IT BACK TO THE DIOCESE WHERE SUPERVISOR PEREIRA HAS A COMMENT.
UM, JUST A, UH, A QUESTION FOR YOU.
UM, UNDER, UM, AND THIS IS KIND OF REALLY NOT IT'S GERMANE I GUESS, BUT, UM, UNDER, UH, 9.2 7.70, WHICH IS UNDER THE AUTHORITY, IT SAYS THAT THE, UH, DIRECTOR OF THE MERCED COUNTY DIVISION OF ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH OR AUTHORIZED DESIGNEE IS AUTHORIZED TO TAKE ALL NECESSARY ACTIONS.
SO WHO ARE THE, WHO WOULD BE THE AUTHORIZED DESIGNEES IF IT WEREN'T THE DIRECTOR TO GIVE A STOP ORDER? STOP ORDER FOR THE EXPORT ITSELF? YEAH.
UM, BE REALLY WHOEVER, UH, I MEAN THAT WOULD, THAT WOULD FLOW FROM ME AS THE DEPARTMENT HEAD THROUGH THE, THE DEPUTY DIRECTOR FOR ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH.
UM, BOTH WOULD HAVE THAT DECISION MAKING AUTHORITY IF NECESSARY.
IF ONE OF US WAS UNAVAILABLE TO GET TO, UH, TIME TO MAKE IT AS A DECISION, WHICH WOULD BE VERY UNLIKELY, IT'D FALL TO, UM, LIKELY EITHER THE DEPUTY DIRECTOR FOR PLANNING, WHICH IS CURRENTLY MS. HO.
UM, OR, UH, WE WORK WITH SOMEBODY DEDICATED TO OUR LAND AND WATER TEAM WITHIN ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH.
UH, SO WE HAVE A SUPERVISOR THAT OVERSEES AT THE LAND AND WATER PIECE, SPECIFICALLY WITHIN ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH.
SO IF, IF SOMEONE IN THE STRUCTURE THAT, THAT WAS, UM, I GUESS BELOW THE DIVISION OR THE DIRECTOR OF ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH WERE TO, TO, TO MAKE THAT DETERMINATION, AND MAYBE IT'S AN EMERGENCY RIGHT THERE, NOBODY'S AVAILABLE.
UM, IS THERE A PROCESS THEN WHERE THAT GETS REVIEWED AND LIKE CODIFIED BY THE DIRECTOR? OR IF I, BECAUSE WHAT, WHAT I'M WONDERING IS COULD A LINE STAFF, YOU KNOW, PERSON GO OUT AND MAKE A DETERMINATION AND THEN, UH, THEN IT NOT GET REVIEWED, UH, BY, BY THE DIRECTOR AND KIND OF CODIFIED LATER? THAT'S, UH, SHORT ANSWER IS NO, I DON'T, I DON'T THINK THAT WOULD HAPPEN.
THAT'S, UM, THERE WOULD ABSOLUTELY HAVE TO BE A REVIEW OF, UH, EITHER THAT, THAT LINE STAFF'S MANAGER OR MY OWN REVIEW AS THE, THE DEPARTMENT HEAD.
ALRIGHT, WE HAVE A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL AND SECOND BY SUPERVISOR PEREIRA.
IT'S CALL FOR THE VOTE, PLEASE RECORD THE VOTE.
THE MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY FIVE TO ZERO.
NEXT UP WE HAVE FIRE ITEMS 30 AND 31.
ALRIGHT, THIS IS THE PUBLIC'S OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK ON FIRES.
ITEMS 30 AND 31, NOT SEE ANYONE.
WE'LL BRING IT BACK TO THE DAS WHERE WE HAVE A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR PEDROSO, A SECOND BY SUPERVISOR PEREIRA.
THE MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY FIVE TO ZERO.
ITEM 32, THIS IS THE PUBLIC'S OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK ON PROBATION.
WE WILL CLOSE THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD.
BRING IT BACK TO THE DICE WHERE WE HAVE A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR PEDROSO, A SECOND BY SUPERVISOR ESPINOZA.
CALL FOR THE VOTE AND CALL FOR THE VOTE AGAIN, PLEASE RECORD THE VOTE.
THE MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY FIVE TO ZERO.
NEXT UP WE HAVE THE EXECUTIVE OFFICE.
THIS IS THE PUBLIC'S OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK ON ITEMS 33.
UH, ANYONE WILL CLOSE THE PUBLIC COMMENT
[01:50:01]
PERIOD.BRING BACK TO THE DICE WHERE WE'LL HAVE A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL AND A SUPER SECOND BY SUPERVISOR PEDROSO.
THE MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY FIVE TO ZERO.
NEXT UP WE HAVE BOARD APPOINTMENTS.
UM, I WOULD LIKE TO, UH, TO NOMINATE, UH, SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL TO BE OUR, UH, PRIMARY, UH, FOR RCRC.
HIS LEADERSHIP IS, UM, REALLY PROVED VALUABLE TO NOT ONLY MERCED COUNTY, BUT TO, TO THE RURAL COUNTIES AS A WHOLE.
AND, UM, AND I, I THINK, UH, YOU KNOW, I I'M PROUD TO, UH, TO NOMINATE HIM TO CONTINUE THAT POSITION AND, UH, AND, UH, PERFECT.
YEAH, NO, I, I, I WANNA, I AGREE TO THAT, BUT I ALSO, CAN I PUT LLOYD IN AS WELL TO WE DO AS ALTERNATE, OR DO THEY HAVE TO BE TWO SEPARATE? I THINK WE CAN TAKE IT AS ONE MOTION.
IT'S, I I THINK BOTH OF, UM, BOTH OF YOU REALLY REPRESENT MERCED COUNTY AND REPRESENT THE RCRC VERY WELL.
AND I THINK IT'S, IT'S KIND OF INTERESTING HOW WE ALL KIND OF HAVE A NICHE IN, IN THE DIFFERENT AREAS.
YOU KNOW, WITH, UM, CSAC, RCRC, NACO, I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE ARE GETTING OUT THERE AND REALLY DOING SOME, UH, GOOD WORK.
SO I WOULD, AND APPRECIATE, I APPRECIATE YOU GUYS DOING THAT.
SO, UM, I WOULD, UH, LIKE TO ADD LLOYD, I AMEND THE MOTION.
YEAH, I'M AMEND THE MOTION TO, UM, MAKE GARIN OUR SUPERVISOR, MCDANIEL OUR REPRESENTATIVE, AND THEN, UH, SUPERVISOR PER OUR ALTERNATE.
ALRIGHT, LET ME OPEN IT UP FOR THE PUBLIC.
SO THIS IS THE PUBLIC'S OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK ON ITEM, WHAT WAS THAT ON 34? LET'S C ONE.
WE'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD WHERE WE HAVE A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR PERRA TO NOMINATE SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL.
AND THEN WE HAVE A AMENDMENT TO THE MOTION TO NOMINATE SUPERVISOR PRAYER TO BE THE ALTERNATE BY SUPERVISOR PEDROSO.
I'M SUPPOSED TO VOTE ON ONE OF THOSE FIRST, BUT I'M GONNA JUST, WE'RE GONNA GROUP IT ALL TOGETHER.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.
OPPOSED? THE MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY.
AND SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL, YOU HAVE A COMMENT? I WOULD, I JUST WANNA THANK EVERYBODY FOR, FOR THIS POSITION.
THIS IS ONE THAT I HAVE DEFINITELY TAKEN ON, UH, THE 40 RURAL COUNTIES IN CALIFORNIA.
I AM CURRENTLY THE CHAIRMAN OF THE GOLDEN STATE FINANCE AUTHORITY, WHICH IS ONE OF 'EM THAT YOU, UH, PUT ME ON, UH, ROLLING FORWARD WITH OUR NEXT CHAIR.
HE'S ALREADY SPOKEN TO ME AND ASKED ME TO BE THE, THE, UM, UH, CHAIRMAN OF GSFA GOING FORWARD AND THE CHAIR AFTER THAT AS WELL.
UH, IT IS GOOD WORK AND I JUST WANT TO THANK, UH, SUPERVISOR PEREIRA FOR BEING THERE.
UM, AS AN ALTERNATE, I KNOW I NEVER MISS
AND CURRENTLY FOR RURAL CALIFORNIA, IT IS A FIGHT.
UM, WE'RE THE FORGOTTEN COUNTIES, BUT WE LIKE TO CALL OURSELVES.
AND I THINK, UH, UH, MR. HENDRICKSON HAS COINED IT AND I USE IT AT RCRC ALL THE TIME.
WE ARE THE OTHER CALIFORNIA, YOU CAN ACTUALLY DO BUSINESS IN RURAL CALIFORNIA AND WE'RE VERY FRIENDLY.
BUT THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE, FOR YOUR TRUST IN ME.
AND WE APPRECIATE YOU AND YOUR LEADERSHIP AND, AND BEEN A GOOD VOICE FOR US AT RCRC.
[BOARD INFORMATION & POSSIBLE ACTION]
HAVE BOARD INFORMATION AND POSSIBLE ACTION ITEMS 35 THROUGH 38.ALRIGHT, THIS IS THE PUBLIC'S OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK ON ITEMS 35 THROUGH 38.
WE'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD.
BRING BACK TO THE DIOCESE WHERE WE HAVE A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL AND A SECOND BY SUPERVISOR FOR SUPERVISOR ESPINOZA.
THIS CALL FOR THE VOTE, PLEASE RECORD THE VOTE.
THE MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY FIVE TO ZERO.
[SCHEDULED ITEMS]
ITEMS. NEXT IS A PUBLIC HEARING BY COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.TO CONSIDER ADOPTION OF AN ORDINANCE APPROVING ZONE CHANGE NUMBER 22 DASH 0 0 2 AND SITE PLAN AND DESIGN REVIEW NUMBER SPR 23 DASH 0 0 3 FOR PARCELS IDENTIFIED AS A PN NUMBERS 0 0 9 DASH 6 1 0 1 0 9 DASH SIX ONE DASH ZERO TWO AND 0 0 9 DASH SIX ONE DASH ZERO THREE IN THE DELHI AREA.
ALRIGHT, WE'LL TURN IT OVER TO MR. MAXEY.
STEVE MAXEY, DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
UH, AS MENTIONED, THIS IS A, UH, ZONING AMENDMENT OR ZONE CHANGE NUMBER
[01:55:01]
22 DASH 0 0 2 AND SITE PLAN DESIGN REVIEW.THAT ACCOMPANIES THAT ZONE CHANGE.
UH, THIS PROJECT'S LOCATED IN DELHI AT THE SOUTHWEST CORNER OF STEVEN STREET AND DELHI AVENUE.
THE REQUEST IS TO AMEND THE ZONING DESIGNATION ON THREE PARCELS, UH, FROM THEIR EXISTING DESIGNATION AS C TWO OR GENERAL COMMERCIAL, UH, TO MIXED USE, UH, OR MU.
UH, THIS IS TO ALLOW FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF A TRIPLEX, UH, ON THE EXISTING LOT IN ITS EXISTING CONFIGURATION.
UH, THESE THREE UNITS, ALONG WITH THEIR REQUIRED PARKING, UH, WOULD BE DEVELOPED ONSITE AND SERVED BY THE DELHI COUNTY WATER DISTRICT FOR SEWER AND WATER UTILITIES.
UH, THE PROPOSAL TO REASON THE SITE IS CONSISTENT WITH THE GENERAL PLAN, LAND USE DESIGNATION OF MIXED USE, UH, THAT EXISTS ON THE PARCEL TODAY.
AND THE PROPOSED RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT WOULD MEET RESIDENTIAL DENSITY STANDARDS FOR THAT MIXED USE, LAND USE, UH, AND ZONING DESIGNATIONS.
IN ADDITION, THE PROJECT AS PROPOSED WOULD BE CONSISTENT WITH THE DELHI COMMUNITY PLAN, UH, SPECIFICALLY BY ADDRESSING THAT PLAN'S GOALS FOR ORDERLY DEVELOPMENT AND DESIGN WITHIN THE MIXED USE ZONE, ALONG WITH GOALS, UH, OF, UH, GENERATING, UH, DEVELOPMENT FOR, UH, MULTIPLE HOUSING TYPES IN THIS CASE.
UH, THIS ITEM WAS CONSIDERED BY THE PLANNING COMMISSION AT ITS REGULAR HEARING ON OCTOBER 25TH, 2023, WHERE THE COMMISSION VOTED TO RECOMMEND APPROVAL OF THE PROJECT BY THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS.
UH, SO WITH THAT, STAFF HAS THREE RECOMMENDED ACTIONS FOR THE BOARD TODAY.
UH, ONE IS TO OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING AND ACCEPT PUBLIC COMMENTS, UH, TWO, TO DETERMINE THAT THE PROJECT, UH, REQUIRES NO FURTHER ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW PURSUANT TO SECTION 1 5 1 8 3, UH, PROJECTS CONSISTENT WITH COMMUNITY PLAN AND ZONING OF THE S GUIDELINES.
AND THREE, AND, UH, ADOPT THE ORDINANCE APPROVING THE ZONE CHANGE, AND APPROVE THE SITE PLAN AND DESIGN REVIEW BASED ON THE FINDINGS LISTED IN THE STAFF REPORT, UH, AS PRESENTED TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION AND SUBJECT TO THOSE, UH, RECOMMENDED CONDITIONS OF APPROVAL.
WITH THAT, I'M AVAILABLE FOR ANY QUESTIONS.
PER, DO YOU WANNA COMMENT NOW OR YEAH, I JUST, PERFECT.
UM, WOULD, WOULD THIS ALLOW THE PROPERTY, IT'S ALL ONE PROPERTY OWNER, CORRECT? CORRECT.
FOR THE THREE PARCELS? CORRECT.
WOULD IT ALLOW 'EM TO BUILD A TRIPLEX ON EACH OF THE THREE PARCELS? UH, NO.
SO THEN ARE WE GONNA THEN COMBINE 'EM INTO ONE PARCEL? THEY, IF THEY COME IN WITH A PROJECT THAT, UH, I BELIEVE THAT'S THE INTENT AT THIS POINT IS TO COMBINE, THEY COULD COMBINE OR WE COULD, UM, ALLOW FOR THE TRIPLEX ACROSS THREE PARCELS.
THERE'S, THERE'S A FEW DIFFERENT WAYS THAT WE COULD HANDLE THAT FROM A, A SUBDIVISION STANDPOINT.
BUT IT WILL BE JUST ONE TRIPLEX THAT WILL BE DEVELOPED.
AND, AND, AND THE, THE THREE LOTS ARE NOT LARGE ENOUGH TO HAVE ADDITIONAL DWELLINGS BUILT ON 'EM.
ALRIGHT, SO NO OTHER QUESTIONS IN THE QUEUE.
WE WILL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING AT 12 0 3.
THIS IS THE PUBLIC'S OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK ON THIS COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ITEM.
WE'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AT 12 0 3, BRING IT BACK TO THE DICE WHERE WE STILL HAVE, UM, TWO MORE RECOMMENDED ACTIONS.
SO, UM, I WOULD MOVE THAT, UH, WE APPROVE, UH, STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS ALL THREE AT THIS TIME.
ALRIGHT, SO WE HAVE A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR PEREIRA, A SECOND BY SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.
ANY OPPOSED? THE MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY FIVE TO ZERO.
NEXT IS A PUBLIC HEARING BY THE EXECUTIVE OFFICE TO CONSIDER AND CONFIRM APPOINTMENT OF NATHAN BRAY AS THE COUNTY PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR SLASH ROAD COMMISSIONER.
I THINK I'LL BE TURNING THAT OVER TO CEO MENDEZ.
MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, UH, BEFORE YOU OPEN A PUBLIC HEARING TO CONSIDER AND CONFIRM THE APPOINTMENT OF EIGHTH ANDRE.
AS THE COUNTY PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR WROTE COMMISSIONER, I DID WANT TO JUST PROVIDE SOME BACKGROUND.
AS A BOARD IS AWARE, OUR CURRENT DIRECTOR, UH, OF PUBLIC WORKS AND WROTE COMMISSIONER DINER.
HER FATHER, UH, RECENTLY ANNOUNCED HE WOULD BE RETIRING AT THE END OF THIS YEAR, CALENDAR YEAR.
DANA HAS SERVED THIS, UM, ORGANIZATION AND THIS COMMUNITY FAITHFULLY FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS.
IT DID PAVE A WAY FOR RECRUITMENT TO BE, UM, OPEN BY OUR OFFICE TO, UH, BRING FORTH A TOP CANDIDATE FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION TO FILL THE POSITION.
UH, MR. BRAY JOINED US, UM, THIS, UH, PAST SUMMER AS THE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF, UH, PUBLIC WORKS, UH, OVERSEEING THE ROADS DIVISION.
HE HAS OVER 17 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE, BOTH IN PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SECTOR, UH, LOCAL PRODUCT OF, OF THE CENTRAL VALLEY.
UM, WE'VE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPEND
[02:00:01]
SOME TIME WITH NATHAN HERE IN THE LAST FIVE MONTHS OR SO.UH, WE BOTH, UM, YOU KNOW, PRIOR TO COMING TO MERCED COUNTY, HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO WORK TOGETHER.
SO REALLY AM EXCITED TO PUT FORTH THIS CANDIDATE FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION.
UM, IF, UH, YOU KNOW, PENDING BOARD ACTION, UM, HE WOULD BE SLATED TO BEGIN HIS TENURE AS OF JANUARY 1ST OF THE NEW YEAR, 2024.
SO THERE IS GOING TO BE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR, UH, DANA AND NATHAN TO CONTINUE TO SPEND TIME TOGETHER.
UH, THE TRANSITION SHOULD BE SEAMLESS AT THE TOP EXECUTIVE LEVEL POSITION.
UH, WHAT WILL, UH, BE CREATED IS, IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR, FOR NATHAN TO ESSENTIALLY FILL THE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR POSITIONS.
WE HAVE CURRENTLY ONE VACANCY AND THEN PENDING HIS, UM, APPOINTMENT BASED ON YOUR ACTION TODAY, POTENTIALLY TO.
SO IT'S A REALLY EXCITING TIME FOR THE DEPARTMENT.
OBVIOUSLY NOT, NOT WITHOUT, UH, THERE'S GONNA BE CHANGE, BUT REALLY AN OPPORTUNITY TO, YOU KNOW, UH, SUPPORT, UH, THE CANDIDATE IF YOU'RE SO, CHOOSE TO KIND OF RE, UM, STRUCTURE AND MAYBE CREATE A DIFFERENT ENVIRONMENT AND CULTURE FOR, FOR THE DEPARTMENT.
WE'LL HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO RECOGNIZE DANA FELDER AT A LATER DATE.
BUT FOR TODAY, IT'S ABOUT NATHAN BRAY.
EXCITED TO BRING THIS FORWARD AS YOUR RECOMMENDATION FROM STAFF.
ALRIGHT, THANK YOU MR. MENDEZ.
SO THIS IS, UM, I'M GONNA OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING WHERE TESTIMONY IS LIMITED TO THREE MINUTES PER PERSON.
SO WE'LL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING AT 1207.
ANYBODY LIKE TO COMMENT? THIS IS WHERE YOU GET TO TESTIFY.
RECEIVE TESTIMONY, IT SAYS ANYBODY.
WE'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD OR PUBLIC HEARING AT 12 0 7.
WE'LL BRING IT BACK TO THE DA WHERE I HAVE SUPERVISOR PRAYER.
WELL, UH, I WOULD LIKE TO MOVE THAT WE, UH, CONFIRM THE APPOINTMENT OF NATHAN BRAY AS OUR, UH, COUNTY PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR AND RHODES COMMISSIONER AT THE ANNUAL SALARY OF 184,039 $390, AND APPROVE A LEVEL BENEFITS EFFECTIVE JANUARY 1ST.
HOWEVER, I WOULD LIKE TO ALSO BE THE FIRST TO INVITE 'EM TO COME TO THE, UH, CHRISTMAS, UH, DINNER THAT THE, UH, EXECUTIVES HAVE.
IS THERE A SECOND? WE HAVE A SECOND.
SO WE HAVE A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR PER A SECOND BY SUPERVISOR ESPINOZA.
ALL IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.
ARE THERE ANY OPPOSED? THE MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY FIVE TO ZERO, AND I WILL GIVE MR. BRAY THE OPPORTUNITY TO SAY A FEW WORDS.
TESTIMONY IS LIMITED TO THREE MINUTES OR LESS, SIR, THREE MINUTES.
UH, I HAD GOOD MORNING, BUT IT'S GOOD AFTERNOON ALREADY.
UH, I AM PROUD AND HUMBLED FOR THE OPPORTUNITY, OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE AS MERCED COUNTY'S NEXT ROAD COMMISSIONER.
UM, WHAT A JOURNEY IT'S BEEN OVER THE PAST 20 YEARS TO GET TO THIS POINT IN MY LIFE AND CAREER.
UM, CEO MENDEZ, THANK YOU FOR THE, UH, NICE WORDS.
UH, I GRADUATED CSU CHICO WITH A DEGREE IN CIVIL ENGINEERING, AND I'VE WORKED LOCALLY, UH, FOR ABOUT 20 YEARS, BOTH PRIVATE AND, UH, PUBLIC ORGANIZATIONS.
UH, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I, UH, WAS SO INSPIRED TO BECOME A CIVIL ENGINEER WAS THAT I HAVE MY, UH, AN OPPORTUNITY TO GIVE BACK TO THE COMMUNITY THAT I'M INVOLVED WITH, UH, THROUGH MY UNIQUE SKILLSET AND TRAINING.
SO, VERY HONORED TO, UM, CALL MERCED COUNTY HOME.
UM, THERE'S A LOT OF EXCITING PROJECTS ON THE HORIZON, AS WELL AS A LOT OF DEFERRED, UH, ROAD MAINTENANCE, AND I LOOKED FORWARD TO DELIVERING THOSE IMPORTANT PROJECTS AND, UH, IMPLEMENTING STRATEGIES TO INCREASE MERCED COUNTY'S, UH, PAVEMENT CONDITION INDEX.
THERE'S A LOT OF WORK TO BE DONE, BUT I AM UP TO THE CHALLENGE.
AND ONCE AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE AS YOUR NEXT ROAD COMMISSIONER.
I HAVE SUPERVISOR ESPINOZA WITH A COMMENT.
WELL, NATHAN, UH, I WANT TO CONGRATULATE YOU IN WHAT YOU KNOW, UM, I KNOW YOU'VE BEEN HERE FOR FIVE PLUS MONTHS AND I JUST WANNA SAY IT IS NOT AN EASY DEPARTMENT.
YOU KNOW, WE GET HAMMERED ON CALLS, CONSTANT CALLS FROM ROADS ALL AROUND THE COUNTY, AND WE'RE AT THE SAME TIME, YOU KNOW, PASSING 'EM ALONG TO YOU.
IT'S PRETTY STRESSFUL JOB, YOU KNOW, NOT MORE IN A LOT OF THE DEPARTMENTS, BUT, UM, BUT IT IS, YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT'S ONE OF THE, THE MOST, UH, UH, YOU KNOW, TREACHEROUS POSITIONS THAT YOU CAN HAVE, LIKE I SAID, WHERE YOU'VE GOT A LOT MOWER ROADS TO FIX AND A LOT MORE HEADACHES AND CONSTANT CALLS ON GARBAGE DUMPS ALL AROUND THE COUNTY.
PLUS, YOU KNOW, ALL THE INFRASTRUCTURE BRIDGES AND EVERYTHING ELSE TOO THAT COMES ALONG WITH IT.
SO, UH, MY BEST OF LUCK AND WE'RE HERE FOR, FOR YOUR SUPPORT.
NOT SEEING ANY OTHER CON I WILL JUST REITERATE THAT WHAT I HAD CHATTED WITH YOU EARLIER ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WE LOOK FORWARD TO THE CHALLENGE.
WE KNOW THAT THERE'S MANY CHALLENGES OUT THERE AND, YOU KNOW, THIS IS A UNIQUE POSITION IN THAT BECAUSE IT HAS THAT ROAD COMMISSIONER TITLE.
[02:05:01]
APPOINTMENT BY THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS TO THIS POSITION THAT'S TIED TO PUBLIC WORKS.AND, AND PUBLIC WORKS IS A BIG, IT'S A BIG ANIMAL.
IT'S GOT A LOT OF, A LOT OF, A LOT OF TENTACLES COMING OFF OF THAT THING.
BUT I THINK YOU'RE UP FOR THE CHALLENGE AND I MYSELF LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU AS WE OVERCOME THOSE CHALLENGES.
YEAH, JUST, UH, DIDN'T WANNA MISS THE OPPORTUNITY TO SAY CONGRATULATIONS.
AND, UH, YOU KNOW, IT'S NICE TO SEE A NICE YOUNG MAN WITH PLENTY OF ENTHUSIASM AND, AND SKILLSET TO TAKE ON A THIS BIG TASK.
AND GLAD YOU, UH, STEPPED UP AND APPRECIATE YOU FOR THAT.
THAT MEANS WE GOT LOTS OF YEARS WITH HIM.
JUST WANTED TO WISH YOU CONGRATULATIONS AND EVERYTHING I SAID.
UM, YOU KNOW, UH, IN OUR MEETING EARLIER, UM, I'M REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS AND, AND EXCITED ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WHAT, WHAT THE WORK THAT YOU'RE GOING TO BE TO BE ABLE TO DO.
AND LAST, BUT CERTAINLY NOT AT LEAST SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL.
UH, RIGHT, RIGHT PERSON, RIGHT SPOT.
UH, LOOKING FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU.
ALSO, MY YEARS OF WORKING, UM, I WAS RIGHT THERE WHERE CHRIS DON WAS IN, IN MANY BOARD MEETINGS AND DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS SEEMS LIKE IT GETS THE MOST COMPLAINTS AND IT'S COMPLAINT DRIVEN, SO YOU GOTTA HAVE A SPECIAL PERSONALITY TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT.
I DON'T KNOW HOW HE COULD HANDLE HIMSELF IN SOME OF OUR MAC MEETINGS.
UH, BUT JUST WITH THAT UNDERSTANDING AND KNOWING IT, UH, APPRECIATE YOU, UH, STEPPING UP AND, UH, DOING THIS.
[REPORTS/BOARD DIRECTION]
LAST IS BOARD REPORTS.AND TODAY WE'RE GONNA START WITH SUPERVISOR PEREIRA.
LET ME SWITCH TO DISCUSSION MODE.
WELL, UH, FIRST I'D LIKE TO, UM, AGAIN, CONGRATULATE, UH, NATHAN FOR THIS, UH, UH, POSITION.
IT'S, UM, UH, YOU KNOW, REALLY GIVEN WITH, UH, A LOT OF TRUST AND, UH, YOU'VE EARNED IT.
AND, UH, WE LOOK FORWARD TO THAT.
UH, I'D LIKE TO CONGRATULATE THE, UH, CITY OF GUSTINE.
UM, THEY HAD THEIR, UH, CHRISTMAS SEASON KICKOFF, UH, ON SATURDAY.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, BEING IN MY DISTRICT, IT ALWAYS GETS ME IN THE MOOD.
UH, THIS YEAR I PARTICIPATED IN THEIR BREAKFAST, UM, IN THE MORNING.
AND, UH, I DUNNO, THERE MUST'VE BEEN FIVE OR 600 PEOPLE CAME THROUGH A LOT OF 'EM FROM STANISLAUS COUNTY.
SO I'M EXPECTING A THANK YOU FROM A SUPERVISOR CHANCE CONDUCT FOR, UH, SERVING BREAKFAST TO HIS CONSTITUENTS AS WELL.
UH, AND THEN THE PARADE THAT EVENING, UH, IT WAS A, YOU KNOW, KIND OF A FEW LESS, UH, UM, UH, VEHICLES AND BANDS AND, AND STUFF IN THE PARADE.
AND I'M NOT SURE WHY THAT WAS, BUT THE TURNOUT TO WATCH WAS JUST PHENOMENAL.
AND, UH, THESE LITTLE COMMUNITIES WE HAVE IN OUR COUNTY SURE.
UH, OUTDO THEMSELVES IN, IN SUPPORT FOR EACH OTHER AND, AND FOR THEMSELVES.
UM, SO ANYWAY, SO THANK YOU TO, UH, TO MAYOR NAGI AND, AND HIS COUNSEL FOR INVITING ME AND, UH, AND MAKING ME FEEL WELCOMED.
UH, THIS COMING SATURDAY IS THE HILMAR, UH, CHRISTMAS PARADE.
IT, UH, IT, UM, YOU KNOW, THE, THIS, THE, THE PARADE IN GUSTINE KIND OF WINDS THROUGH THE BUSINESS DISTRICT.
UH, THE PARADE IN HILMAR WINDS THROUGH THE RESIDENTIAL DISTRICT.
AND, AND I'LL TELL YOU, IT'S, IT'S JUST KIND OF FUN TO SEE ALL THESE, UH, DOORS THAT ARE OPEN AND WARMING FIRES ON THE DRIVEWAY, AND ALL THE KIDS AND PEOPLE OUT.
UM, IT'S JUST PHENOMENAL HOW, HOW, UH, HOW MUCH IT'LL, UH, I KNOW WARM MY HEART.
UM, THE FIRST TIME I RODE IN THAT PARADE, IT WAS ON A TRACTOR.
UH, THIS TIME I'M GONNA BE IN A PICKUP.
UH, YOU KNOW, I GOT RAINED ON ONE YEAR AND, UH, ANYWAYS, BUT, UH, BUT IT DIDN'T, IT DIDN'T STOP THE ENTHUSIASM OF THE COMMUNITY.
UM, I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO SHARE, I WENT TO, UH, CSAC, UM, UH, THE WEEK BEFORE THANKSGIVING.
AND, UM, I THINK WE'RE WELL REPRESENTED THERE.
SUPERVISOR RA IS ON THE EXECUTIVE TEAM AND, UH, UM, REALLY REPRESENTS, UH, US WELL, YOU KNOW, CSAC IS STATEWIDE, SO YOU HAVE ALL THE, THE BIG COUNTIES, RIGHT? THAT, THAT ARE USED TO YIELDING A LOT OF POWER OR WIELDING A LOT OF POWER.
AND, UM, I, IT WAS JUST, UM, IT'S JUST GREAT TO SEE THE, YOU HAVE THE URBAN CAUCUS, THE SUBURBAN CAUCUS, WHICH WE BELONG TO, AND THEN THE RURAL CAUCUS.
AND JUST KIND OF THE EFFECT THAT, THAT THE SUBURBAN CAUCUS HAS ON THE WHOLE SYSTEM, UH, GIVES ME HOPE BECAUSE IF IT WAS LEFT UP TO THE URBANS, WE WOULD BE LIKE SACRAMENTO.
AND, UH, AND I THINK WE'RE DIFFERENT THAN THAT.
AND, UH, SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP SUPERVISOR, SRA AND, AND, UH, AND THANK YOU TO STAFF FOR, UH, ENGAGING WITH US THERE AND GET A CHANCE TO KNOW EACH OTHER A LITTLE BETTER AND, AND BOUNCE IDEAS.
AND I, I THINK, UM, YOU KNOW, NOT, NOT TOO MANY PEOPLE WERE, WERE EXCITED TO HEAD TO, UH, ALAMEDA COUNTY.
BUT, UH, I THINK OVERALL IT, IT WAS, UH, SAFE AND WE HAD A GOOD TIME.
AND, UH, AND I WAS KIND OF WORRIED, YOU KNOW, THE GOVERNOR HAD CLEANED OUT SA UH, SAN FRANCISCO
[02:10:01]
THE WEEK BEFORE.UH, AND UH, SO I DIDN'T KNOW WHERE ALL THOSE PEOPLE THAT HE CLEANED OUT WERE GONNA BE, BUT THEY OBVIOUSLY WEREN'T WHERE WE WERE.
SO, UM, AND THEN I GUESS WE SHOULD ACTUALLY, UH, GO TO THE, GO TO SACRAMENTO AND LEARN HOW WE COULD SOLVE HOMELESS SO QUICK, BECAUSE, UH, WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON IT FOR YEARS.
ALL RIGHT, SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL.
UM, I TOO, UH, WELL, I JUST WANNA MENTION THAT WE ATTENDED THE VETERANS DAY PARADE HERE IN MERCED.
UM, I DID, 'CAUSE WE STARTED A LITTLE LATER THIS YEAR, SO I HAD TO SCOOT OUT TO ALSO ATTEND THE CELEBRATION FOR VETERANS IN THE CITY OF ATWATER.
HE IS A NAVY BRATT, LET'S REMEMBER THAT.
AND HE CARRIES THAT VERY PROUDLY.
UM, ALSO ATTENDED THE CSAC LAST WEEK, UM, AS YOUR VICE CHAIR OF THE AG, UH, COMMITTEE.
AS YOU CAN TELL, THE AG COMMITTEE CONTINUES TO GROW.
WE CONTINUE TO GET A BIGGER, BIGGER ROOM FOR GREATER DISCUSSION.
AND IT SHOWS YOU HOW IMPORTANT AG IS IN EVERY COUNTY.
SO WITH CSAC, WE'RE REPRESENTED VERY WELL THERE AS WELL.
UH, AGAIN, CONGRATULATIONS TO NATHAN BRAY.
AND TODAY I WOULD LIKE TO ADJOURN IN HONOR OF MICKEY RUCKER, A LONGTIME, UM, COMMUNITY PERSON HERE WHO PASSED AWAY THIS PAST FRIDAY.
SUDDENLY, UM, SHE DID MOVE AWAY FOR A LITTLE BIT, BUT HAS ALWAYS HAD HER ROOTS HERE IN MERCED COUNTY.
AGAIN, SHE IS A VETERAN BRATT AS WELL, AND WAS VERY PROUD OF THAT.
HER FATHER SERVED ADMIRABLY AND WAS VERY INVOLVED WITH THE VETERANS HERE AS WELL.
SO, WITH THAT, MR. CHAIR, THANK YOU.
UM, WELL, I JUST WANNA SAY BEFORE I WENT ON, UH, VACATION FOR A COUPLE WEEKS, I HAD ATTENDED A COUPLE OF, UH, WORKSHOPS IN PLAN ABOUT TO DISCUSS THE $20 MILLION PROCESS.
AND, UH, WE HAD A GREAT TURNOUT, UM, YOU KNOW, IN MY NOTE FOR ALL THREE.
AND, UH, I MISSED A COUPLE, BUT I KNOW THAT WE'RE GONNA HAVE ANOTHER WORKSHOP, UH, TO DISCUSS, UH, YOU KNOW, THE RECAP ON, ON WHAT THE CITIZENS', UH, YOU KNOW, COMMENTS AND INFORMATION THAT THEY REQUESTED.
UH, BE, UH, I KNOW IT'S GONNA BE ON THE FIFTH OF, UH, OF, UH, DECEMBER, AND WE HAVE THE BOARD MEETING ON THAT NIGHT.
SO, UH, IT WOULD BE HERE, THAT BOARD MEETING.
ALSO, I WANT TO THANK THE COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS AND TO THE RESIDENTS OF PLANAR FOR THEIR ASSISTANCE IN THIS PROCESS.
AND ALSO UC, MERC, AND THEIR LABOR RESOURCE CENTER FOR ALL THE COOPERATION AND INFORMATION.
UH, REMINDER, IT IS ANTICIPA ANTICIPATED TO ROLL OUT THE PLAN IN THE BEGINNING OF 2024, UM, AT $20 MILLION.
UH, THE COUNTY HAS HOSTED THREE WORKSHOPS.
THE COMMITTEE WAS ABLE TO ATTEND ONE OF THEIR CHOICE OR, OR MORE ON TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 23, WE HAD A DRAFT PRESENTATION IN WHICH THE PUBLIC WAS ASKED QUESTIONS TO HELP PROVIDE THE COUNTY WITH DIRECTION ON THE PLAN.
THE QUESTIONS WERE BASED ON THE DATA FROM THE THREE PREVIOUS WORKSHOPS.
NEXT STEPS IS TO EDUCATE THE COMMUNITY ON WHERE WE ARE WITH THE DATA COLLECTION FOR THE PLAN, CLARIFY NON-NEGOTIABLE ITEMS AS WE CONTINUE TO RECEIVE INFORMATION FROM THE STATE, POTENTIAL LIMITATIONS ON SERVICES TO AVOID APPLICATION OF SERVICES.
AND, UH, I KNOW THAT THIS FRIDAY WE HAVE A, UH, UH, PARADE, A CHRISTMAS PARADE IN, IN, UH, MANY PARTS OF THE COMMUNITY.
I KNOW THAT STARTING IN THAT WATER AS WELL, AND, UM, ON SATURDAY IN, UH, MERCED AND OTHERS AROUND THE COUNTY.
LOOKING FORWARD TO IT, SUPERVISOR
UM, YEAH, I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO ALSO DO THE VETERANS PARADE, BUT I ALSO WENT TO THE OPENING AND CLOSING OF THE FIELD OF HONOR, UM, OVER AT MERCED COLLEGE, WHICH IS A REALLY, UM, IMPRESSIVE, UH, DISPLAY OF FLAGS HONORING VETERANS, AND I HIGHLY RECOMMEND ANYBODY TO GO VISIT THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, NEXT YEAR.
UM, LET'S SEE, I TOO ATTENDED CSAC AND THERE WAS AN HSR MEETING, UM, TWO WEEKS AGO AS WELL HERE IN MERCED.
I THINK THERE'S ANOTHER ONE COMING UP ON FRIDAY.
AND THEN, UM, THE, UH, CHRISTMAS PARADE, AS MY COLLEAGUE SAID, IS ON SATURDAY HERE IN MERCED AT BOB HART SQUARE, WHERE IT STARTS AT THREE O'CLOCK, AND THEN THEY'LL DO THE TREE LIGHTING, I BELIEVE AT FIVE O'CLOCK IN BOB HART SQUARE.
AND THEN BETWEEN ONE, AND THERE'S A LOT OF CHRISTMAS STUFF GOING ON IN MERCED, UH, THIS WEEKEND ON SATURDAY BETWEEN ONE AND 10 AT THE TIOGA SEQUOIA, THEY'RE DOING A BLOCK PARTY WHERE THEY'RE GONNA RAISE MONEY FOR THE FIREFIGHTERS, UH, ASSOCIATION, MERCED CITY FIREFIGHTERS ASSOCIATION, UM, FOR SCHOLARSHIPS.
SO, UM, IF, IF YOU WANT TO GO OUT THERE, IT'S ALWAYS A GOOD TIME WHEN THEY CLOSE DOWN THAT PART, UH, PORTION OF THE STREET.
[02:15:01]
THEN ALSO JUST, I HAVE TO PLUG IT BECAUSE, UM, I'M GOING TO, UM, ELF THAT PLAYOFFS.MERCED STARTS ON FRIDAY AND WILL RUN FOR THE NEXT THREE WEEKS.
AND I'M PLUGGING IT BECAUSE MY SON IS, UH, MICHAEL, WHO'S BUDDY, THE ELF'S BROTHER IN THE PLAY.
SO, UH, I THINK TICKETS ARE STILL AVAILABLE.
UM, AND MY SI MY SON WILL SIGN AUTOGRAPHS ONLY FLAT OBJECTS.
ALRIGHT, COUNCIL HANSON, ROLL SUPER RA I'M GONNA GIVE YOU A NEW TITLE HERE, MR. MENDEZ.
UH, THANK YOU, UH, MR. CHAIR, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, JUST VERY BRIEFLY.
OBVIOUSLY WE'RE STILL KIND OF IN THE THANKSGIVING SEASON, UH, HOLIDAY SEASON.
I LOOK INTO THE AUDIENCE AND I SEE OUR, OUR DEPARTMENT HEAD LEADERSHIP, UH, JUST APPRECIATE EVERY ONE OF YOU.
UH, THERE'S A LOT OF WORK THAT WE'VE DONE IN THIS PAST YEAR AND IN MY FIRST YEAR IN MERCED COUNTY, CEO, AND SOME OF THE WORK HAS BEEN CHALLENGING.
UH, BUT, UM, ALL IN ALL, I THINK OUR, OUR TEAM HAS GROWN STRONGER.
SO I KNOW THAT, UH, WE WILL CONTINUE TO WORK TOGETHER AS ONE TEAM.
WE'RE OBVIOUSLY ONE ORGANIZATION.
UM, AND I FEEL REALLY CONFIDENT ABOUT THE TEAM THAT'S, THAT'S HERE LEADING THIS, UH, THIS ORGANIZATION FORWARD.
ALL THE COUNTY DEPARTMENTS, WE HAVE KIND OF THE CONVERGING OF, UH, FOLKS THAT HAVE BEEN WITH US FOR SOME TIME, UH, INSTITUTIONAL KNOWLEDGE IN ABUNDANCE AND, AND KIND OF THIS, UH, FRESHER PERSPECTIVE, UH, GROUP.
UH, WE'VE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO FILL SOME VERY KEY POSITIONS, OBVIOUSLY EARLIER TODAY.
UH, THE BOARD TOOK ACTION ON OUR DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORK TOUR COMMISSIONER, UH, I SEE, YOU KNOW, UM, OUR AD COMMISSIONER MAKING A PRESENTATION, THE CROP REPORT.
I SEE OTHER FOLKS IN THE AUDIENCE THAT ARE IN NEW LEADERSHIP ROLES, BUT ALSO THOSE THAT HAVE BEEN IN THEIR ROLES FOR SOME TIME.
SO I JUST WANTED TO JUST, UH, SAY THANK YOU TO, TO THE DEPARTMENT HEAD OF LEADERSHIP, THOSE THAT ARE IN YOUR POSITIONS, UH, AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO WORK TOGETHER.
THAT'S WHAT WE DO AND THAT'S WHAT THIS BOARD EXPECTS FOR THE BENEFIT OF THIS COMMUNITY.
FIRST OFF, NATHAN, WELCOME ABOARD.
AGAIN, LOOKING FORWARD TO THE MANY, MANY OPPORTUNITIES TO DO THINGS.
UM, YOU KNOW, IT'S OUR VETERANS GROUPS, ARE THEY, THEY'RE, THEY'RE MY BUDDIES, THEY'RE MY FRIENDS.
AND, UM, WE, WE WANT WHAT'S BEST FOR THEM.
AND SO I THINK THAT YOU SOUND, WE DON'T KNOW, I DON'T KNOW YOU THAT WELL YET, BUT I'M SURE YOU'RE GONNA FIT IN, FIT IN NICELY.
UM, LOS SPAN IS HAVING THEIR CHRISTMAS PARADE ON SATURDAY EVENING, RAIN OR SHINE, DOWNTOWN LOSIS.
IT'S THE CHAMBER THAT HELPS PUT THAT ON.
SO, UM, LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT.
UM, I WANNA TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT CSAC.
I WAS ELECTED TO, UM, THE EXECUTIVE BOARD.
I'M THIS, I'M THE COUNTY'S REP ON THAT BOARD, AND I WAS ELECTED BACK TO THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE FOR CSAC AGAIN.
AND, UH, IT JUST, I KIND OF WANNA HIGHLIGHT AS, AS WE, WHEN WE ARE AT OUR CSAC ANNUAL MEETING, THE, THE, THE EIGHT VALLEY COUNTIES GET TOGETHER AND, AND HAVE A MEETING.
AND, UM, ONE OF THE, THE UNIQUE THINGS THAT I ALWAYS, THAT I LIKE ABOUT IT, FOR THE MOST PART IS, IS AS BOARDS WE ALL GET ALONG, WE, WE ALL GO TO THE MEETINGS.
WE ALL ENJOY EACH OTHER'S COMPANY, YOU KNOW.
UM, AND THAT QUITE HONESTLY IS UNIQUE TO SOME OTHER COUNTIES IN THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA.
UM, SOME COUNTIES, THE ONLY PERSON THAT GOES TO THE ANNUAL MEETING IS THEIR BOARD REP.
UM, SOMETIMES THERE MIGHT BE TWO SUPERVISORS THERE, AND LITERALLY YOU WOULDN'T EVEN KNOW THAT THEY WERE COLLEAGUES BECAUSE THEY DON'T TALK TO EACH OTHER, THEY DON'T ASSOCIATE WITH EACH OTHER.
UM, YOU CAN ALMOST SEE 'EM IF ONE'S WALKING, THE OTHER ONE'S GOING THE OTHER WAY.
UM, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I ALWAYS APPRECIATE ABOUT THIS BOARD.
UM, POLICY WISE, WE, WE DON'T ALWAYS AGREE ON EVERYTHING, AND I'VE ALWAYS SAID, IF, IF, IF IT WAS ALL THAT EASY AND WE ALL HAVE THOUGHT THE SAME WAY, THEY WOULDN'T NEED ANY OF US UP HERE.
BUT I, I DO WANT TO THANK MY COLLEAGUES FOR THEIR SUPPORT.
YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU, WHEN YOU RUN FOR THESE LEADERSHIP POSITIONS, UM, YOU, I, I ALWAYS FEEL LIKE I GOT A SOLID TEAM BEHIND ME WHO'S NOT ONLY IS, IS ADVOCATING ON BEHALF OF ME, WE'VE ALL MADE CONNECTIONS WITH DIFFERENT SUPERVISORS FROM IN, IN THIS CASE, IN OUR SUBURBAN CAUCUS.
AND, AND THEY ALWAYS HAVE, HAVE MY BACK IN, IN SUPPORTING ME IN, IN THAT LEADERSHIP ROLE.
AND SO I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU TO, TO ALL OF YOU GUYS FOR THAT.
UM, I THINK THAT'S ALL ALL I HAD.
I HAD A GREAT THANKSGIVING, GOT TO SPEND TIME WITH FAMILY.
MY DAUGHTER CAME HOME FOR COLLEGE.
I DIDN'T GET TO SEE HER THAT MUCH BECAUSE SHE DIDN'T LET NO GRASPER ON HER FEET, BUT HER TIME HOME.
BUT SHE WAS SO EXCITED TO JUST ACTUALLY COME HOME AND SLEEP IN HER FULL-SIZE BED BECAUSE IN COLLEGE SHE SLEEPS IN A LITTLE TWIN BED.
AND SO, UM, BUT IT WAS, IT WAS GOOD TO BE ABLE TO SPEND TIME WITH FAMILY.
I WANNA ADJOURN TODAY'S MEETING AND MEMORY OF MARK BOLEY.
MARK IS, AS SOMEBODY WHO I, I DIDN'T, HE WAS A ADMINISTRATOR IN LAS SPANISH UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT.
I DIDN'T GO TO HIGH SCHOOL THERE, SO I REALLY DIDN'T KNOW HIM.
[02:20:01]
HIM WHEN I GOT ON MY TIME AS CITY COUNCIL.HE WAS THE CITY'S REPRESENTATIVE TO THE MOSQUITO, UH, ABATEMENT, UH, RC COUNTY MOSQUITO ABATEMENT BOARD.
UM, AND SO I'VE GOTTEN TO KNOW HIM OVER THE YEARS.
HE PASSED AWAY ON NOVEMBER THE 19TH.
IT JUST IS THE DEFINITION OF A CA GREAT COMMUNITY MEMBER.
UM, I WOULD TRY TO LIST ALL OF THE THINGS THAT HE'S BEEN INVOLVED IN.
UM, HE GAVE HIS LIFE TO PUBLIC SERVICE.
HE WAS IN THE AIR FORCE, WORKED IN THE SCHOOL DISTRICT.
AND THEN WHEN HE RETIRED FROM THAT, AND, AND, AND DURING THAT, I MEAN, YOU, YOU NAME THE ORGANIZATION, HE'S BEEN A PART OF IT.
UM, JUST A GREAT PE GREAT PERSON AND, AND HONESTLY, QUITE, QUITE HONESTLY, AS SOMEBODY I, I WILL ASPIRE TO BE WHEN I GET, HOPEFULLY MAKE IT INTO MY, MY OLDER YEARS.
SO, UM, AGAIN, ADJOURN TODAY'S MEETING IN MEMORY OF MARK BOLEY.
[POSSIBLE DIRECTION FOR FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS]
THAT DOESN'T CONCLUDE OUR BOARD MEETING.WE ARE GONNA GO BACK INTO CLOSED SESSION, BUT I DO WANNA MAKE A FEW ANNOUNCEMENTS THAT OUR NEXT MEETING WILL BE HELD RIGHT HERE ON TUESDAY, DECEMBER 5TH AT 6:00 PM SO THIS IS ONE OF OUR ANNUAL NIGHT MEETINGS.
SO, UM, JUST WANNA PUT THAT ON EVERYBODY'S RADAR THAT WE, OUR NEXT BOARD MEETING, WHICH IS WE GOT BACK TO BACK TO BACK BOARD MEETINGS.
SO WE WILL BE WITH YOU GUYS EVERY TUESDAY, UM, UNTIL THE MIDDLE OF DECEMBER.
BUT NEXT BOARD MEETING, DECEMBER 5TH, 2023, HERE IN THE BOARD CHAMBERS AT 6:00 PM SO AGAIN, ALL THE DEPARTMENT HEADS THAT ARE STILL HERE, I APPRECIATE YOU.
UH, I APPRECIATE YOU GUYS WANTING TO LISTEN TO THE CRAZINESS OR SOMETIMES I THINK WISDOM THAT COMES FROM THIS BOARD.
SO THANK YOU GUYS FOR BEING HERE.
[ADDITIONAL ITEM]
WE WILL ADJOURN BACK INTO CLOSED SESSION.ALRIGHT, GOOD AFTERNOON AND WELCOME BACK TO OUR NOVEMBER 28TH, 2023 BOARD OF SUPERVISORS MEETING.
CLOSED SESSION AND STAFF WAS GIVEN DIRECTION, MEETING ADJOURNED.