* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting. [00:00:05] ALL RIGHT. GOOD MORNING AND [Call to Order] WELCOME EVERYONE TO THE DECEMBER 12TH, 2023, THE MEETING OF THE MERCED COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS. WE'LL NOW START WITH THE INVOCATION LED BY PASTOR JOHN MOTTS FROM NEW LIFE COMMUNITY CHURCH OF ATWATER, AND THEN SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL WILL LEAD US IN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. LET US PRAY. FATHER GOD, AS WE GATHER HERE TODAY, AND AS WE GATHER HERE IN THE, WITH THE, UH, IMMINENT COMING OF CHRISTMAS, ONCE AGAIN, WE ARE REMINDED THAT TO THE SHEPHERDS, THE ANGELS PROCLAIM GOOD NEWS THAT WOULD BRING GREAT JOY FOR ALL OF THE PEOPLE. FATHER, AS WE GATHER HERE TODAY, HERE AMONGST OUR LEADERS HERE IN THE MIDST OF OUR COMMUNITY, WE PRAY FOR THAT GOOD NEWS THAT WOULD BRING GREAT JOY FOR EACH AND EVERY ONE OF US ALL ACROSS OUR COUNTY. FATHER, I PRAY FOR THE COMMUNITIES THAT WE REPRESENT HERE TODAY, THAT YOU WOULD CONTINUE TO EXTEND MERCY, THAT YOU WOULD CONTINUE TO EXTEND GRACE, THAT YOU WOULD CONTINUE TO EXTEND AND AMPLIFY INTO EACH ONE A COMPASSION AND CARE FOR ONE ANOTHER. GOD, FOR THE COMMUNITIES OF VA WATER AND MERCED OF PLANADA AND SNELLING, LOS BANOS AND GUSTINE OF HILMAR, LIVINGSTON, AND ALL THE MANY OTHER COMMUNITIES THAT GATHER FATHER EACH WITH THEIR OWN CHALLENGE, AND YET AS A COMMUNITY, AS A COUNTY, WE COME TOGETHER. FATHER, I PRAY THAT YOU WOULD CONTINUE TO BE, UM, OUR GUIDING LIGHT, ESPECIALLY AS WE DRAW CLOSER TO THIS CHRISTMAS SEASON, THAT THERE WOULD BE A SENSE OF OPTIMISM AND HOPE THAT WE WOULD, UH, BE GIFTED WITH THAT DESPITE THE CHALLENGES WE FACE, WE WOULD BE, WE WOULD FEEL A SENSE OF JOY AND EVEN PEACE IN THE MIDST OF THE CONFLICT AS WE CARE FOR THOSE HERE CLOSE TO US, AND AS WE CARE FOR THE WORLD AROUND US, RAVAGED BY WAR AND RAVAGED BY LACK, RAVAGED BY A LACK OF CARE FOR ONE ANOTHER. FATHER, WE PRAY THAT YOU WOULD CONTINUE TO GUIDE OUR STEPS. SO, LORD, I WOULD LIFT UP TODAY ALL OF THOSE WHO ARE SERVED THROUGHOUT OUR COUNTY, AND ESPECIALLY FOR OUR LEADERS WHO WOULD BE HELPING TO GUIDE US. I THANK YOU FOR THAT MANTLE OF RESPONSIBILITY OF LEADERSHIP YOU'VE PLACED UPON THEM, AND I PRAY GOD THAT THEY WOULD HONOR THAT GIFTING THAT YOU HAVE GIVEN TO THEM AND LIVE UP TO WHAT YOU HAVE CALLED THEM TO DO. FATHER, I PRAY FOR SUPERVISOR ESPINOZA AND ALL THOSE HE REPRESENTS. I WANNA PRAY FOR SUPERVISOR PEDROSO AND ALL OF THOSE HERE WHOM HE REPRESENTS. PRAY FOR SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL AND THOSE HE, HE REPRESENTS. I WOULD PRAY FOR, FOR SUPERVISOR PEREIRA. GOD, I PRAY FOR HIM, AND ALL THOSE HE REPRESENTS. AND LORD, I LIFT UP SUPERVISOR SRA, COMMUNITIES THAT HE SERVES, AND FATHER FOR EACH ONE THAT THEY WOULD RECEIVE JUST A TOUCH OF YOUR WISDOM, CARE, AND INSIGHT TODAY. FOR THIS, WE PRAY, IN JESUS NAME, AMEN. AMEN. READY OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD IN THANK YOU, PASTOR FOR THOSE KIND WORDS. THANK YOU, UH, SCOTT, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU ALL TO THE BOARD AND OUR ONGOING PRAYERS. MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL OF YOU. THANK YOU, DARREN, FOR INVITING ME TO BE HERE TODAY. IT'S A PLEASURE. IT'S AN HONOR TO, UH, TO BE HERE IN THE MIDST OF ALL OF YOU. THANK YOU, PASTOR. APPRECIATE YOU AND THANK YOU SUPERVISOR FROM MCDANIEL FOR LEADING US IN THE PLEDGE. SO AT THIS [PRESENTATION] TIME, WE'LL HAVE OUR SERVICE PIN AWARDS PRESENTATION FOLLOWING. WE'LL HAVE A 20 MINUTE BREAK, AND THEN COME BACK TO THE REGULAR AGENDA, BEGINNING WITH NON-AG AGENDA, PUBLIC COMMENTS. SO WE HAVE EIGHT INDIVIDUALS THAT WILL BE RE RECOGNIZING THIS MORNING. WE ASK THAT THE DIRECTOR OF THE DEPARTMENT IN WHICH EACH INDIVIDUAL IS FROM JOIN US UP FRONT WHEN WE CALL THE INDIVIDUAL'S NAME, ONCE THE INDIVIDUAL IS RECOGNIZED, THEIR FRIENDS AND OR FAMILY WHO ARE HERE TO SEE THEM TO BEING RECOGNIZED OR MORE THAN WELCOME TO COME UP FOR A PHOTO OP AS STATED FOLLOWING THE PRESENTATION OF THE SERVICE PINS. WE WILL TAKE A 20 MINUTE BREAK FOR LIGHT REFRESHMENTS ON THE FIRST FLOOR, AND WE WILL BEGIN AND GOING IN ORDER LISTED [00:05:01] ON THE AGENDA. SO I'D LIKE TO FIRST CALL UP COUNTY COUNCIL FORREST HANSSEN. I DON'T HAVE MUCH TO REPORT ON HERE. I CAN TELL YOU, JUST ON A PERSONAL NOTE, UH, FORREST HAS BEEN A GREAT PARTNER OF OURS HERE AT THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS. WE APPRECIATE HIM. I'M SORRY FOR, UH, LLOYD, I DON'T WANNA STAND IN FRONT OF YOU THERE. UM, SO FORREST'S PREVIOUS EMPLOYMENT THAT MIGHT BE OF INTEREST, FORREST HAS BEEN WITH MERC STATE COUNTY COUNSEL SINCE, UM, I'M GONNA CALL THAT OCTOBER THE 10TH, 2013TH AS A DEPUTY COUNTY COUNSEL, HE PROMOTED TO ASSISTANT COUNTY COUNSEL IN MARCH OF 2017, AND HE IS PROMOTED TO COUNTY COUNCIL ON MARCH 30TH, 2020. SO HE HAD A QUICK CAREER DIRECTORY THERE. SO WITH THAT, IT'S MY HONOR TO PRESENT FORREST HANSSEN WITH HIS 10 YEAR PIN OF BEING OF SERVICE TO MERCED COUNTY. NEXT, I HAVE THE HONOR OF INTRODUCING MS. SCHMO DEDI. SO JUST TO SAY FOR A FEW WORDS, SHE IS A SUPERVISING LIBRARIAN. HER PREVIOUS EMPLOYMENT THAT MIGHT BE OF INTEREST IS AS SHE, PRIOR TO JOINING THE MERCED COUNTY LIBRARY TEAM, SMUTTY WORKED AS A LIBRARIAN FOR THE INDIAN INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY CENTRAL LIBRARY IN MUMBAI, INDIA. WHILE THERE, SHE WORKED IN THE FOLLOWING DEPARTMENTS, CIRCULATION, PERIODICALS, CATALOGING AND TECHNICAL PROCESSING. SPECIAL PROJECTS ARE SMOOTHIE SERVED AS THE CATALOGING LIBRARIAN FOR, UH, OUR LIBRARY SYSTEM FOR 13 OF HER 15 YEARS. DURING THIS TIME, SHE HAS A, SHE HAS CATALOG, TENS OF THOUSANDS OF ITEMS FOR CUSTOMER USAGE. SCHMO HAS ALSO BEEN THE LIBRARY'S INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY SUPPORT FOR HER FOR HER ENTIRE TENURE. SHE HAS SINCE HANDLED HANDILY, MIGRATED OUR COMPUTERS FROM WINDOWS 98 TO WINDOWS 10 OVER THE YEARS, AND KEEPS EVERYTHING WORKING SMOOTHLY IN HER CURRENT ROLE. SCHMIDTY OVERSEES THE CIRCULATION TRAINING FOR ALL STAFF, OVERSEES THE PUBLIC SERVICE DESK AT THE MERCED LIBRARY, AND PLANS AND OVERSEES PROGRAMS FOR ADULTS WITHIN THE LIBRARY. AND I'M GONNA TURN IT OVER TO AMY FOR A FEW COMMENTS. TI YOU HAVE BEEN A GODSEND TO ME SINCE I CAME HERE IN, IN 2014. YOU HAVE TOOK ME UNDER YOUR WINGS AND SHARED ALL THE KNOWLEDGE THAT YOU HAVE FOR THE ENTIRE LIBRARY SYSTEM WITH ME AND WITH EVERY STAFF MEMBER THAT COME WALKS THROUGH THE DOOR. YOU ARE, ARE SELFLESS IN, IN YOUR SERVICE TO OUR COMMUNITY. YOU WILLINGLY SHARE YOUR KNOWLEDGE WITH EVERYONE, AND I APPRECIATE YOU EVERY SINGLE DAY, MORE THAN YOU WILL EVER KNOW, AND I HOPE THAT YOU, YOU'LL CONTINUE SHARING THAT KNOWLEDGE WITH US FOR ANOTHER 15 YEARS. SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU, EV. HI, MY NAME IS RUTH. NOW YOU KNOW THAT, BUT, UH, I JUST WANTED TO SAY A FEW WORDS. UM, LIBRARY. EVERYBODY THINK IT'S A SMALL DEPARTMENT, BUT IT'S, WE WORK WITH COMMUNITY DIRECTLY AND WE MAKE A HUGE IMPACT TO THE, OUR COMMUNITY BECAUSE WE WORK WITH THE PATRON EVERY DAY. WE PROVIDE ALL THE NEEDS AND WE DO EVERYTHING FOR THEM. SO THAT'S WHY I'M STILL HERE AND I'M STILL WORKING. AND I REALLY WANT TO THANK TO AMY BECAUSE SHE IS REALLY BIG SUPPORT. I WANT TO THANK OUR DEPUTY DIRECTOR, AMY. SHE'S ALSO HELPING ME A LOT. AND MAINLY I WANT TO THANK ALL MY FRIENDS WHO ARE HERE TO SUPPORT ME AND THE ONE WHO WAS IN THE LIBRARY. SO I'M, THAT'S WHY I THINK I'M STILL HERE. AND I THINK I WILL STILL CONTINUE BECAUSE OF ALL OF YOU GUYS. THANK YOU. SO TI ON BEHALF OF THE MERC COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, I'D LIKE TO PRESENT YOU YOUR 15 YEAR PIN. THANK YOU SO MUCH. NEXT WE WILL HAVE SUPERVISOR PEDROSO TO PRESENT HIS PINS. [00:10:05] CAN ROSARIO, WE COME UP HERE PLEASE. ALONG WITH, ALL RIGHT, SO THIS IS, UH, ROSARIO WEED, 20 YEARS. UM, I WANNA GO AHEAD AND READ THIS. PREVIOUS EMPLOYMENT ROSE, WE STARTED WITH THE PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENT IN 2003 IN THE MATERNAL CHILD ADOLESCENT PROGRAM. SHE THEN MOVED OVER TO THE HIV AIDS PROGRAM AND CASE MANAGED CLIENTS. SHORTLY, SHE TRANSFERRED TO MSSP, MULTI-PURPOSE SENIOR SERVICE PROGRAM, WHERE SHE HAS SPENT MOST OF HER CAREER SUPPORTING AND PROVIDING CASE MANAGEMENT FOR THE SENIOR POPULATION WITHIN MERCED COUNTY. ROSE HAS SUPPORTED THE DEPARTMENT DURING THE FLU CLINICS AND COVID VACCINES. SHE HAS ALSO SUPPORTED DURING THE FLOODS AS A SHELTER PUBLIC HEALTH NURSE, AND SUPPORTED MARIPOSA COUNTY DURING THE FIRES. I'M GONNA GO AHEAD AND TURN THIS OVER. THANK YOU, SUPERVISOR PEDROSO. SO, ROSE, CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR 20 YEARS. UM, IN ADDITION TO WHAT SUPERVISOR PEDROSO ALSO HAS SAID, ROSE HAS A LOT OF PASSION AND DEDICATION FOR HER CLIENTS. SHE HAD A CLIENT WHO ENROLLED IN THE MSSP PROGRAM AT 83 YEARS OLD, AND AT THE TIME, HER CLIENT SAID, UM, EVERY YEAR, I PROBABLY WON'T MAKE IT TO SEE ANOTHER YEAR. AND ROSE CONTINUED TO SERVE THIS CLIENT AND ENCOURAGED HER FOR MANY YEARS TO THE POINT WHERE THE CLIENT LIVED UNTIL SHE WAS THE AGE OF 103. SO, UM, WE AS A COUNTY, AND WE AS A DEPARTMENT ARE VERY LUCKY TO HAVE AN EXPERIENCE COMMITTED AND CARING NURSE HELPING SOME OF OUR MOST VULNERABLE SENIORS IN OUR COM COMMUNITY. AND SO THANK YOU ROSE FOR YOUR 20 YEARS OF DEDICATION, UM, TO THE PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENT. AND ALL YOU DO BEING CO-LOCATED, I KNOW YOU'RE NOT ALWAYS DOWN AT THE BUILDING, BUT TO 20 MORE. SO THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH. CONGRATULATIONS. I WOULD LIKE TO THANK, UM, MY FAMILY, OF COURSE, AND MY SUPERVISORS. I KNOW THE ONES THAT I STARTED WITH ARE NO LONGER WITH THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT, BUT MY CURRENT SUPERVISORS ARE SO SUPPORTIVE. I WANT THEM, I WOULD NOT LAST THIS LONG IF FOR THEIR SUPPORT, UH, BOTH NURSES AND SOCIAL WORKERS WHERE I'M AT. UM, YEAH, I THINK THAT'S IT, . AND IT WAS, IT'S, I MEAN, I DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT THIS PROGRAM EVEN WHEN I APPLIED FOR PUBLIC HEALTH. I WAS NOT AWARE OF ANY SENIORS PROGRAM IN THE COUNTY. NOT UNTIL THE SUPERVISOR TOLD ME ABOUT THE MSSP. AND I'M SO GLAD I'M IN THIS PROGRAM TO BE ABLE, I DIDN'T KNOW IF ANY OF YOU KNOW ME HERE THIS IN-HOME SERVICES, BUT, UM, YEAH, IT WAS FUN. THE 20 YEARS WENT BY WORKING WITH ALL THIS ELDERLY POPULATION. YEAH, I'VE, I'VE MET A LOT OF ARIANS IN MY 20 YEARS AND IT'S, UM, IT'S AN HONOR TO HEAR THEIR STORIES, THE VETERANS. YEAH. WE APPRECIATE YOUR, UM, YOUR SERVICE. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT, MARIA MORENO. MARIA MORENO HAS 25 YEARS HERE WITH MERCED COUNTY. SHE IS A SOCIAL WORKER IN CLASS FOUR B. MARIA STARTED HER JOURNEY WITH MERCED HUMAN SERVICES AGENCY AND HAS BEEN DEDICATED TO SERVING CHILDREN AND FAMILIES IN MERCED COUNTY FOR THE PAST 25 YEARS. SHE BEGAN HER CAREER IN 1997 AS A FAMILY SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE, AND SHE THEN TRANSITIONED TO THE CHILDREN'S BRANCH OF 2001. DURING HER TENURE, MARIA HAS WORKED IN VARIOUS AREAS IN CHILD WELFARE. SHE STARTED IN PERMANENCY PLACEMENT, WORKING WITH HIGH RISK YOUTH, REQUIRING HIGHER LEVEL OF SUPERVISION AND OR SPECIALTY MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES. MANY OF THESE YOUTH ARE PLACED OUT OF COUNTY THAT REQUIRED MARIA TO TRAVEL FREQUENTLY ACROSS THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA ON A REGULAR BASIS. MARIA THEN TRANSITIONED TO EMERGENCY RESPONSE WHERE SHE BEGAN TO INVESTIGATE ALLEGATIONS OF ABUSE AND NEGLECT. MARIA BECAME A MEMBER, OR I'M SORRY, A MENTOR TO NEW STAFF AND ALSO A FORENSIC INTERVIEWER FOR CHILD VICTIMS OF ABUSE. IN ADDITION, MARIA SPENT SOME TIME AS THE SOCIAL WORKER ASSIGNED TO THE MERCED AREA GANG AND NARCOTICS ENFORCEMENT TEAM, AKA MAGNET. EVENTUALLY, MARIA MADE THE DECISION TO GO BACK AND OBTAIN HER MASTER'S DEGREE IN SOCIAL WORK AND GRADUATED IN [00:15:01] JUNE, 2023. CONGRATULATIONS. MARIA HAS WORKED IN EVERY AREA OF CHILD WELFARE FROM EMERGENCY RESPONSE TO ADOPTIONS. SHE'S WELL-ROUNDED AND HAS PROVEN THAT SHE IS COMMITTED TO SERVING YOUTH AND FAMILIES IN MERCED COUNTY. SHE BELIEVES THAT PEOPLE CAN CHANGE, AS SHE HAS VOICED, SHE HAS CHANGED AND MADE DIFFERENCES IN HER OWN LIFE. MARIA HAS JUST RECENTLY BEEN PROMOTED SUPERVISING SOCIAL WORKER, ASSIGNED TO THE EMERGENCY RESPONSE TEAM. MARIA HAS SPENT A QUARTER OF A CENTURY HELPING FAMILIES BELIEVES THIS IS HER CALLING, AND SHE REMAINS A VALUABLE ASSET TO MERCED COUNTY. CONGRATULATIONS. I, I THINK SUPERVISOR, UH, ZO SAID EVERYTHING, BUT ON BEHALF OF THE HUMAN SERVICE AGENCY, I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR 25 YEARS OF SERVICE. WE KNOW CHILD SERVICES IS A VERY UNIQUE, UM, BRANCH, BUT IT'S ALSO A REWARDING BRANCH. HSA IS IN ITSELF IS VERY REWARDING, BUT YOU TAKE A SPECIAL PERSON TO DO 25 YEARS IN CHILDREN'S SERVICES, AND YOU HAVE A EXTENSIVE BACKGROUND IN, IN THE LEVEL OF WHICH A SOCIAL WORKER CAN BECOME IN A HUMAN SERVICES AGENCY. I LOOK FORWARD TO 20 MORE YEARS OF UN MOVING UP WITHIN THE , JUST KIND OF PUTTING A PLUG OUT THERE. BUT MARIA, THANK YOU FOR 25 YEARS OF SERVICE TO THE COUNTY AND HSA THANK YOU. I JUST WANNA SAY THAT I FEEL VERY PRIVILEGED AND HUMBLED THAT I'VE BEEN ABLE TO BE COMMITTED TO SERVING MY COMMUNITY AND THE YOUTH AND THE FAMILIES OF OUR COMMUNITY. AND I HOPE TO BE ABLE TO BE A PART OF THE HSA FAMILY FOR MANY MORE YEARS TO COME. THANK YOU. NEXT WE HAVE SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL TO PRESENT SERVICEMEN. IF I COULD ASK, UH, REBECCA HYDE, WHY. HELLO. WE HAVE ANOTHER 25 YEAR RECIPIENT HERE. MS. HYDE HAS BEEN WITH MERCED COUNTY HUMAN SERVICES AGENCY SINCE 1998. SHE STARTED AS EXTRA HELP AND PROMOTED TO A FULL-TIME POSITION WITHIN THREE MONTHS. SHE HAS BEEN A SOCIAL WORKER IN CHILD WELFARE SINCE 2002. DURING THIS TIME, SHE WORKED IN VARIOUS PROGRAMS, BUT FAMILY FINDING AND RELATIVE PLACEMENTS ARE HER PASSION. MS. HYDE WAS ONE OF THE PIONEERS OF FAMILY FINDING AT THE HUMAN SERVICES AGENCY. IF CHILDREN IN FOSTER CARE WERE NOT ABLE TO GO HOME QUICKLY, MS. HYDE LOCATED FAMILY MEMBERS TO CARE FOR THEM WHENEVER POSSIBLE. MS. HYDE CO-WROTE THE POLICIES AND PROCEDURES FOR FAMILY FINDING AND RELATIVE PLACEMENT, WHICH WILL STILL, WHICH IS STILL USED TODAY. MS. HYDE CURRENTLY WORKS IN THE, IN THE COURT UNIT, BUT HAS ALSO WORKED IN ADOPTIONS AND ENJOYED HELPING PLAN THE ANNUAL ADOPTIONS EVENTS TO CELEBRATE THE ADOPTIVE FAMILIES IN OUR COMMUNITY. MS. HYDE CONTINUES TO EXEMPLIFY THE VALUES OF HUBA SERVICES AGENCY AND HER ONGOING DEDICATION TO THE SAFETY AND WELLBEING OF CHILDREN AND FAMILIES IN OUR COMMUNITY. WHAT AN IMPORTANT POSITION. THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT YOU DO. SO, MS. HYDE, UM, ONCE AGAIN, 25 YEARS OF SERVICE WITH HSA TOO. YOU GOING? WE HAVE A ANOTHER ONE COMING, BUT WE WANNA THANK YOU. WHAT YOU DO FOR THE COUNTY AND WHAT YOU DO FOR FAMILIES AND OUR CHILDREN IS VERY IMPORTANT. WE KNOW IT'S NOTHING LIKE HAVING A FOSTER KID IN A FAMILY-LIKE SETTING, AND YOU MAKE THAT HAPPEN IN THE POLICIES THAT WE DO AND CARRY THROUGH THIS COUNTY. YOU ARE PART OF THAT IMPLEMENTATION. SO YOUR LEGACY IS ALREADY EMBEDDED THROUGHOUT OUR COMMUNITY BY THE WORK THAT YOU HAVE DONE IN THE POLICY IN WHICH YOU HAVE IMPLEMENTED AND ALSO CONTINUE TO DO FOR THE COUNTY. SO THANK YOU FOR 25 YEARS OF SERVICE AND ONCE AGAIN, WE THANK YOU FOR 20 MORE. REBECCA, ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, THANK YOU FOR YOUR DEDICATION AND SERVICE TO MERCED COUNTY. AND HERE IS YOUR PEN. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. NEXT WE HAVE SUPERVISOR PEREIRA TO PRESENT A SERVICE PEN. GOOD MORNING. UM, MS. GALE CHEN, WOULD YOU COME UP PLEASE? [00:20:11] GAIL? GAIL STARTED HER CHECK CHECK, UH, MERCED COUNTY, HSA AS AN AC TWO. UH, SHE HAS PROMOTED TO A C3 ACCOUNT TECH AND ANALYST OVER THE YEARS. GAIL HAS A VAST ARRAY OF KNOWLEDGE IN THE FISCAL AREA. SHE IS, SHE IS OUR HISTORIAN, OUR MENTOR. CHECK, CHECK IN THE FISCAL AREA. GAIL HAS THIS . SORRY ABOUT THAT, GAIL. YOU KNOW, 25 YEARS, YOU THINK WE COULD'VE GOT IT RIGHT. UH, GAIL HAS ASSISTED ON MANY NEW PROJECTS OVER THE YEARS. MOST RECENT, UH, SHE IS AN ACTIVE MEMBER WITH THE SOLUTIONS COMMITTEE AND CONDUCTS TESTING AND PROVIDE SOLUTIONS TO THE SYSTEM SUPPORT. WOULD YOU LIKE TO MAKE COMMENT? I WAS GONNA READ YOURS, BUT WELL, SINCE YOU PASS IT ON TO ME, I'M NOT GONNA READ THAT, BUT I CAN SAY TO THIS, UH, WHEN I FIRST CAME TO HSA, THE FIRST PERSON TO SAY, IF YOU HAD ANY QUESTIONS AROUND PHYSICAL GO TO GAIL, YOU KNEW THAT I CAME FROM, THAT WAS FROM YOUR SUPERVISOR. I THINK WHAT WAS HIGHLIGHTED IN YOUR I CALL BRIEF BIO TO THE AGENCY, WORDS CANNOT DESCRIBE THE IMPACT THAT YOU HAVE IN THE COMMUNITY IN HSA. UH, WE KNOW THAT WE SAY THE ADMINISTRATION IS THE BACKBONE TO THE AGENCY, AND IT REALLY IS. YOU MAKE THE WHEELS GO ROUND AND ROUND. UM, BECAUSE WITHOUT THE MONEY, WITHOUT YOUR EXPERTISE AND THE LEADERSHIP THAT YOU HAVE, UM, THROUGH MICHELLE AND THE OTHER MANAGERS, WE COULDN'T DO THE WORK THAT WE DO. SO, ONCE AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR 25 YEARS OF SERVICE AND WE KNOW THAT WE ARE ASKING FOR 20 MORE. THAT'S IS GONNA BE MY THING TODAY, . UH, SO ABSOLUTELY NO RETIREMENT SOON. OKAY. SO THANK YOU AGAIN, GAIL, FOR ALL THAT YOU DO FOR HSA. I JUST THANK YOU FOR FRIENDS AND FAMILY WHO HAVE SUPPORTED ME THROUGH EACH AND EVERY DAY. THANK YOU. I I JUST WANTED TO MAKE A NOTE, UH, TO WHEN YOU SEE THE WORD MENTOR IN, IN SOMEBODY'S, YOU KNOW, WHEN SOMEBODY'S WRITTEN SOMETHING ABOUT YOU, IF THEY USE THE WORD MENTOR, THAT'S PRETTY SPECIAL, RIGHT? THAT MEANS YOUR COLLEAGUES APPRECIATE, UH, YOU KNOW, THE HELP AND THE GUIDANCE YOU'VE GIVEN 'EM OVER THE YEARS. SO CONGRATULATIONS FOR THAT AS WELL. AND WITH THAT, I WILL PREVENT PRESENT YOU WITH YOUR 25 YEAR PIN. CONGRATULATIONS, YVONNE. YEAH, I THINK GIVEN IN THE PEN GETS YOU FIVE MORE YEARS AT LEAST. SO KEEP THE PENS COMING EVERY FIVE WE'LL BE GOOD. NEXT WE HAVE CHAIRMAN SRA TO, AND TO PRESENT A SERVICE PIN. ALL RIGHT, IF I COULD ASK MS. SARAH RODRIGUEZ TO COME UP. MADAM DA IS COMING UP. ALL RIGHT. WE'RE HONORING SARAH TODAY FOR 25 YEARS OF SERVICE WITH MERCED COUNTY. UH, SO PRIOR TO HER WORK AT THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, SARAH WAS, UH, WITH THE MERCED COUNTY HUMAN SERVICES AGENCY FOR 24 YEARS. SO NEWLY OVER AT THE DA'S OFFICE, SERVING AS A FAMILY SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE, SOCIAL WORKER, AND CHILD ABUSE FORENSIC INTERVIEWER. TODAY, SARAH IS PART OF THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S CHILD ABDUCTION UNIT. SHE'S INVOLVED DAILY IN THE IMPORTANT WORK OF ACTING AS A LIAISON BETWEEN THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY, THE COURT'S, LAW ENFORCEMENT, AND THE PARTIES INVOLVED IN CHILD ABDUCTION CASES TO SEEK TIMELY AND SUCCESSFUL RESOLUTION. IN THE 18 MONTHS, SHE HAS BEEN PART OF THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE TEAM. SHE HAS PARTICIPATED IN THE SUCCESSFUL INTERSTATE AND IN COUNTY REUNIFICATION OF SEVERAL CHILDREN AND THEIR PARENTS. AND I'LL TURN IT OVER TO MADAM DA TO SAY A FEW WORDS. THANK YOU SO MUCH. UM, SARAH, WE ARE SO GLAD TO HAVE YOU IN OUR OFFICE. UM, FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO DON'T KNOW, THE WORK OF CHILD ABDUCTION GOES WAY BEYOND WHAT SUPERVISOR S JUST DESCRIBED FOR YOU. UM, WHAT SARAH DOES, ALONG WITH OTHER PEOPLE IN OUR OFFICE, [00:25:01] IS REUNITE FAMILIES, UM, PEOPLE, CHILDREN WHO HAVE BEEN TAKEN WITHOUT PERMISSION ACROSS STATE LINES ACROSS THE UNITED STATES. SARAH PACKS A BAG AT A MOMENT'S NOTICE TO GO AND RECOVER THOSE CHILDREN AND REUNITE THEM WITH HER FAMILY. SO IT IS SOMETHING THAT SHE HAS A HEART FOR. AND ASIDE FROM HER GREAT WORK ETHIC, ONE OF THE THINGS I APPRECIATE ABOUT YOU MOST IS YOUR, YOUR GREAT PERSONALITY. YOU BRING SO MUCH JOY TO OUR OFFICE AND SUCH A SMILING FACE AND A POSITIVE ATTITUDE, AND I'M SO BLESSED TO HAVE YOU. THANK YOU. UM, THANK YOU. AND I, MY DAUGHTER'S HERE, UM, AND, UH, I APPRECIATE THE PAYCHECK, BUT I ALSO APPRECIATE THE FRIENDSHIPS THAT I'VE MADE THROUGHOUT THE YEARS. SO THANK YOU. PERFECT. SARAH, ON BEHALF OF THE MERC STATE COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, I'D LIKE TO PRESENT YOU WITH YOUR 25 YEAR PIN. THANK YOU. AND LAST, WE HAVE SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL TO PRESENT THE FINAL SERVICE PIN. IF I COULD ASK HEIDI HALL TO COME UP. HEIDI AGAIN. DISTRICT THREE WINS WITH 35 YEARS OF YOUR SERVICE. APPRECIATE THAT. HEIDI HAS PROUDLY SERVED MERCED COUNTY FOR 35 YEARS. SHE STARTED HER CAREER WORKING AS WORK, WORKING FOR THE LIBRARY, AND LATER AS AN EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING SPECIALIST WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF WORKFORCE INVESTMENT. HEIDI WAS PROMOTED TO FAMILY SERVICES SUPERVISOR WITHIN THE HUMAN SERVICES AGENCY IN 2000 AS FAMILY SERVICES SUPERVISOR. SHE SPENT TIME IN WELFARE TO WORK AND STAFF DEVELOPMENT BEFORE ACCEPTING A PROMOTION TO PROGRAM MANAGER WITH EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING. IN JANUARY OF 2006, AS A PROGRAM MANAGER, HEIDI HELPED LEAD THE DEPARTMENT THROUGH THE 2008 RECESSION, COVID-19 PANDEMIC AND THE 2023 FLOOD EMERGENCY. IN JUNE, 2023, HEIDI CONTINUED HER PROFESSIONAL GROWTH OF BEING PROMOTED TO DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING BRANCH. HER CURRENT PROJECTS, CALIFORNIA, CALIFORNIA OUTCOMES AND ACCOUNTABILITY REVIEW. CAL, OR, THAT'S OKAY. THAT'S THE CAL, OR IS A COUNTY SPECIFIC DATA-DRIVEN PROGRAM MANAGEMENT SYSTEM THAT FACILITATES CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT OF COUNTY CALWORKS PROGRAMS BY COLLECTING, ANALYZING, AND DISSEMINATING, DISSEMINATING OUTCOMES AND BEST PRACTICES. A COUNTY SELF-ASSESSMENT WAS COMPLETED AND ARE NOW IN SELF-IMPROVEMENT PLAN PHASE OF THE PROCESS WITH IMPLEMENTATION OCCURRING IN 2024. TARGETED IMPROVEMENT AREAS INCLUDE OUR ORIENTATION ATTENDANCE RATE, AND THE ONLINE CALWORKS APPRAISAL TOOL AND APPRAISAL COMPLETION TIMELESS RATE. THAT WAS A MOUTHFUL. , AND THAT'S ONLY ONE PARAGRAPH. TOO SMALL TO FAIL. THIS IS A PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN THE CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES AND TWO, SMALL TO FAIL. WE APPLIED FOR. APPLIED FOR. AND WERE ACCEPTED INTO THE SECOND PHASE OF THE INITIATIVE TO INSTALL A FAMILY READ, PLAY, AND LEARN SPACE AT THE CASTLE LOCATION, THIS WILL PROVIDE, AGAIN, THAT'S IN DISTRICT THREE. I JUST WANNA DULY NOTE THAT EVERY TIME WE CAN, THIS WILL PROVIDE A FAMILY FRIENDLY SPACE THAT ENCOURAGES AND SUPPORTS HEALTHY PARENT-CHILD INTERACTIONS IN A LANGUAGE RICH ENVIRONMENT, BOOKSHELVES AND OTHER FUN FURNISHINGS WILL PROVIDE, ALONG WITH A MONTHLY SUPPLY OF BOOKS FOR THE FIRST YEAR. THIS WILL ALSO THERE, THERE WILL ALSO BE TOTE BAGS CONTAINING BOOKS AND OTHER RESOURCE INFORMATION FOR CHILDREN TO TAKE WITH THEM PAST PROJECTS. YOU GUYS READY FOR THIS? 35 YEARS, WE GOT A LOT TO SAY ABOUT YOU. IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PUBLIC HEALTH AND MERCER COUNTY OFFICE OF EDUCATION APPLIED FOR AND RECEIVED FUNDING FOR THE HOME VISITING PROGRAM. STRONG BEGINNINGS. THIS PROGRAM SUPPORTS PARENTS OF YOUNG CHILDREN BY MEETING WITH HOME VISITORS MONTHLY. THE HOME VISITOR PROVIDES SUPPORT, COACHING AND RESOURCES TO ASSIST THE FAMILY AS THEY ARE, AS THEY WORK WITH THEIR CHILDREN. THIS ALLOWS EARLY DETECTION OF ANY CONCERNS IN THE HEALTH OR DEVELOPMENT PROGRESS OF CHILDREN AND SUPPORTS POSITIVE PARENTING WHILE ALSO PREVENTING CHILDHOOD ABUSE OR NEGLECT. [00:30:01] THANK YOU FOR THAT. SUPPORTED A CULTURAL SHIFT IN THE EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING BRANCH TO SUPPORT CALWORKS 2.0 PHILOSOPHY. THIS PHILOSOPHY RECOGNIZES THE IMPORTANCE OF SUPPORTING CLIENTS WITH THEIR GOALS FOR THEMSELVES AND THEIR FAMILIES. CURRENTLY WORKING ON STATE MANDATED PROGRAMS FOR CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT. CALIFORNIA OUTCOMES AND ACCOUNTABILITY REVIEW ALSO APPLIED AND ACCEPTED THE PHASE TWO OF THE CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES AND TWO SMALL TO FAIL INITIATIVE, WHICH WILL PROVIDE LANGUAGE RICH, FAMILY FRIENDLY ENVIRONMENT AT THE HSA LOCATION WAS INSTRUMENTAL IN APPLYING AND RECEIVING FOR FUNDING FOR A HOME VISITING PROGRAM. STRONG BEGINNINGS AND SUPPORT THE EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING BRANCH AS THEY IMPLEMENTED THE CALWORKS 2.0. HER TIME WITH THE HUMAN SERVICES AGENCY AND HAS ALSO WORKED WITH THE MERCED COUNTY LIBRARY OFFICE. HER FIRST FULL-TIME POSITION AS WAS WITH HSA AS A RECEPTIONIST. AND SHE IS CURRENTLY THE DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF THE EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING BRANCH AT HSA. WOW. YVONNE, YOU GOT ANYTHING TO ADD TO THAT? NOT ABOUT HER PROFESSIONAL RESUME, I THINK IS VERY WHAT YOU SPOKE AND WHAT YOU READ OUT TO EVERYONE IS TRULY WHO HEIDI IS AND WHAT SHE CONTRIBUTE TO THE AGENCY. I MUST COMMEND 35 YEARS OF SERVICE TO ANY ORGANIZATION IS WORTH AROUND A HANDCUFF OF, YOU KNOW, MY PREACHER. SO MY APPLAUSE. SO I ABOUT TO SAY PRAISE, BUT, UM, IT DO REQUIRE PRAISE AS THAT. BUT I, I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU HEIDI. UH, WHEN SHE APPLIED FOR THE DEPUTY DIRECTOR FOR EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING AND SHE INTERVIEW AND, AND JUST HEARING HER PASSION AND, AND LOVE FOR THE WORK AND THE PEOPLE THAT WE SERVE, UH, WORDS CANNOT DESCRIBE IT. UM, HEIDI IS WHO SHE SAYS SHE IS, BUT SHE'S ALSO VERY COMPETITIVE. UM, IF YOU DON'T LET THIS FOOL YOU, SHE WALKS AND SHE WALKS AND SHE WALKS, UM, VERY, BUT SHE ALSO KEEP US GROUNDED. UM, IF YOU HAVE A CARE PACKET, YOU CAN EXPECT ANY HOLIDAY, YOU'RE GONNA RECEIVE SOMETHING ON YOUR DESK. AND THE FIRST TIME I CAME AS THEIR DIRECTOR, I HAD A PEN OR SOMETHING ELSE, AND I SOMETHING FROM HEIDI AND I'M LIKE, WHO IS THIS WOMAN GIVING US SOMETHING EVERY TIME I TURN AROUND? BUT THAT IS WHO SHE IS. UH, SHE IS A LOVING PERSON, A CARING PERSON, AND UH, I THINK IT SHOWS IN HER WORK AND WITH HER STAFF. SO ONCE AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR 35 YEARS. I'M NOT GONNA SAY 20. I'M GONNA SAY 10 MORE. . UH, THANK YOU. YOU'RE WELCOME. SO AGAIN, CONGRATULATIONS. THANK YOU. SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL, CEO MENDEZ AND BOARD OF SUPERVISORS. GOD HAS BLESSED ME WITH OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE OUR COMMUNITY AND I GIVE THANKS AND RECOGNITION TO HIM. MY MOTHER WORKED FOR THE COUNTY AS A CHILD SUPPORT OFFICER BECAUSE OF HER EXEMPLARY SERVICE. DCSS NAMED THEIR ANNUAL EMPLOYEE RECOGNITION IN HER HONOR. I'D LIKE TO THANK MY FATHER WHO'S HERE WITH ME. HE'S A RETIRED MERCED CITY SCHOOL TEACHER WHO INSTILLED IN ME AS STRONG WORK ETHIC AND THE IMPORTANCE OF DOING MY BEST. MY PARENTS' EXAMPLES LEFT BIG SHOES TO FILL AND I HOPE I DO THEM JUSTICE. I ALSO HAVE SUPPORTIVE FAMILY MEMBERS WHO ENCOURAGE ME WHEN TIMES ARE DIFFICULT. I'M THANKFUL FOR MY WORK FAMILY, FOR MY SUPERVISOR VANYA, WHO HAS BEEN A TREMENDOUS SUPPORT AND MENTOR AS I LEARN MY CURRENT POSITION. AND FOR MY FORMER SUPERVISOR, CAMICO, I GREW A LOT UNDER HER SUPERVISION FOR MY PEER GROUP, HER ALWAYS WILLING TO LEND SUPPORT. THANK YOU TO MY TEAM WHO CAME TO SUPPORT ME TODAY. THEY'RE A CREDIT TO THE COUNTY AND I AM HONORED TO WORK BESIDE THEM DAILY. I COULD NOT DO WHAT I DO WITHOUT THEM. THANK YOU. THANK YOU HEIDI. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, I'D LIKE TO PRESENT YOU WITH YOUR 35 YEAR PIN. IT'S A LITTLE HEAVY, SO BE CAREFUL, . BUT CONGRATULATIONS AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR SERVICE. THANK. ALRIGHT. AT THIS TIME WE ARE GONNA TAKE OUR 20 MINUTE BREAK. I WOULD ENCOURAGE ANY OF OUR, UM, RECIPIENTS OF THEIR SERVICE PINS IF THEY WANNA COME UP AND TAKE, UH, PICTURES WITH FAMILY MEMBERS. MIKE IS AVAILABLE, OR YOU CAN TAKE WITH YOUR PHONES. SO IT IS CURRENTLY 10, WE'RE GONNA CALL IT TEN THIRTY FIVE. SO WE'LL BE BACK AT 10 55. AT 10 55. WE WILL, UH, START BACK WITH OUR REGULAR MEETING. ALL RIGHT, I'D LIKE TO WELCOME EVERYBODY BACK [00:35:01] TO OUR MEETING BEFORE WE GET STARTED ON OUR NON-AGENDA ITEM, PUBLIC COMMENT. I JUST, AGAIN, WANNA THANK ALL THE FOLKS THAT RECEIVED THEIR RE UM, SERVICE PIN AWARDS. UM, IS, IS A LOT OF YEARS OF SERVICE. AND SO WE'RE VERY THANKFUL FOR THOSE FOLKS. SO NEXT UP WE HAVE NON-AG [PUBLIC OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK ] AGENDA, PUBLIC COMMENT. OKAY, 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. ALRIGHT, AT THIS TIME I'LL OPEN PUBLIC COMMENT. AGAIN, THIS IS FOR NON-AGENDA ITEMS. YOU CAN PULL THAT DOWN A LITTLE BIT. THERE YOU GO. JUST HOLD ON ONE SECOND. I, I DON'T BELIEVE WE HAVE THAT TURNED ON. THERE YOU GO. OKAY. GOOD MORNING TO EVERYBODY. UM, THIS MORNING I'D LIKE TO SHARE WITH YOU A REAL UNUSUAL DAY THAT I HAD YESTERDAY, BUT I DO WANT TO RELATE IT TO SOMETHING, YOU KNOW, THAT'S GOING ON NOW IN THE COUNTY. I WANNA LET YOU KNOW THAT I, I WENT AND ACCOMPANIED A YOUNG WOMAN TO EVICTION COURT, AND I HAD NEVER BEEN THERE BEFORE. AND, YOU KNOW, I WAS REALLY SURPRISED THAT THERE WEREN'T OTHER INTERVENTIONS TO HELP HER FROM GETTING TO THAT POINT OF, OF EVICTION. THE LANDLADY, OR THE REPRESENTATIVE OF THE CORPORATION ACTUALLY HAD AN ATTORNEY THAT WAS ON, ON VIRTUAL AND REPRESENTING, OF COURSE, THE INTEREST OF THE PARTY THAT'S GONNA EVICT THIS YOUNG WOMAN. YOUNG WOMAN WAS, UM, DISABLED WOMAN, COULD NOT SPEAK VERY WELL. SHE STUTTERED. SHE HAD THINGS TO SHOW THE JUDGE, BUT HE DIDN'T ALLOW IT. AND I REALLY THOUGHT, WHAT A SHAM, YOU KNOW, AND HERE I AM, SOME OF US WORKING ON TRYING TO PREVENT AND STOP HOMELESSNESS. WELL, HOW CAN THIS HAPPEN WHEN THERE'S NOT ANOTHER INTERVENTION FOR THAT YOUNG MAN? WHEN I WENT AND TOOK THE YOUNG LADY HOME BECAUSE SHE DIDN'T HAVE A CAR, I, I ENCOUNTERED A YOUNG MAN THAT HAD GRADUATED WHILE I WAS A GUIDANCE COUNSELOR AT A LOCAL HIGH SCHOOL. HE WAS AN ATHLETE. HE WAS, UH, UM, HE, HE WOULD, UM, RUN TRACK. HE WAS A WRESTLER. HE WAS A FOOTBALL PLAYER. I REMEMBER HIM WELL. VERY GREAT SMILE EACH TIME. WELL, WHEN I SAW THE YOUNG MAN, HE WAS ON A WHEELCHAIR WITH NO LEGS AND ONLY ONE ARM. HE HAD HAD SOME, UH, ISSUES. I, I ASKED HIM, HE SAID HE HAD PROBLEMS WITH HIS WIFE. HE THEN FELL INTO DRUGS AND THEN FOR SOME REASON FOUND HIMSELF ON THE RAILROAD TRACKS. WELL, I HAVE NEVER MET ANYBODY, HAS SURVIVED BEING HIT BY A TRAIN. AND I TELL YOU, WE HAVE A LOT OF NEEDS IN THIS COMMUNITY. WE HAVE, I WANNA, UH, BE REALLY GRATEFUL TO ALL OF THE ESSENTIAL WORKERS THAT ARE HERE, THAT ARE HERE, YOU KNOW, REQUESTING, BEING ABLE TO LIVE ON THE SALARIES THAT THEY HAVE, THAT THEY, THAT EVERYTHING'S GOING UP. THAT THAT DOESN'T LOOK LIKE ANYBODY'S REALLY ABLE TO CONTROL THE INFLATION, THE COST OF LIVING, AND ESPECIALLY THE WHOLE THING OF INSURANCE RATES. UM, I DO WANNA PROPOSE THAT THE COUNTY LOOK INTO YOUR RESERVES MORE THAN EVER. WE NEED, AS WE'RE LOSING SHERIFFS, WE'RE LOSING PEOPLE. WE NEED, UH, PRIORITIZE TO PRIORITIZE WHERE YOU HELP PEOPLE. PLEASE CONSIDER THAT. THANK YOU. HAVE A GOOD DAY. THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS. SO PLEASE, NO APPLAUSE. UH, GOOD MORNING, YOUR HONOR. UH, CHAIRMAN MEMBERS, MY NAME IS OMAR O DAY. UH, I'M ONE OF THE BUSINESSES I WAS INVOLVED IN THE PANDA, UH, FLOOD. AND, UH, FROM THE BEGINNING, YOU KNOW, WE, YOU KNOW, THERE WAS NOTHING EVER DONE FOR THE BUSINESSES. EVERYTHING WAS FOR THE RESIDENTS. EVERYTHING WAS FOR THE RENTERS, I UNDERSTAND. BUT WE ALL GOT, YOU KNOW, SHOULD HAVE BEEN TREATED ALL EQUAL IN THIS, UH, MATTER. AND, UH, NOT EVEN THE MEMBERS, NOT EVEN THE PEOPLE IN THE TOWN EVER CONSIDER THE BUSINESSES TO BE PART OF THE, UH, THE COMMUNITY. YET, YOU KNOW, WE ARE VERY MUCH PART OF THE COMMUNITY. I SPENT 13, 14 HOURS OF MY TIME THERE. I SLEEP SOMETIMES IN THE BUSINESSES. I HAPPENED TO BE SLEEPING THAT NIGHT WHEN THE FLOOD HAPPENED. SO, AND MY BUSINESS WAS EXTREMELY DEVASTATED. WELL, ANNA CAVI WAS THE, THE, THE BIGGEST ADVOCATE FOR THE $20 MILLION. SHE CAME BACK IN JANUARY, SHE SAW THE DEVASTATION, I EXPRESSED EVERYTHING TO HER, AND YET SHE DIDN'T REMEMBER ME ON THE $20 MILLION OR REMEMBER ANY OF THE BUSINESSES OUT [00:40:01] THERE. I REACHED OUT TO HER MANY TIMES IN HER OFFICE WAY BEFORE THE MONEY WAS AVAILABLE. SHE SAYS, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE MEETINGS, WE'RE GONNA HAVE WORKSHOPS. I ATTENDED SOME OF THOSE WORKSHOPS AND EVERYTHING, BUT EVERYTHING WAS ALWAYS FOR RESIDENTS. EVERYTHING WAS ALWAYS FOR, YOU KNOW, THE HOMEOWNERS. AND, UH, THE LAST WORKSHOP WE ATTENDED FROM THE $20 MILLION, UH, $8 MILLION WENT TO HOMEOWNERS REPAIRS, EIGHT $4 MILLION DIRECT ASSISTANCE, $3 MILLION TO INFRASTRUCTURE, $2.5 MILLION CONSIDERATION FOR, FOR LOST WAGES AND $2 MILLION FOR AN ADMINISTRATION INSPECTION. AND WE ARE HERE IN THE VERY BOTTOM $500,000 FOR ALL THE BUSINESSES WITH THE MAX WITH $20,000. WELL, MY BUSINESS, UH, NOT ONLY DO I OWN THE BUSINESS, I OWN THE TWO BUILDINGS THERE, THEY GOT VERY MUCH AFFECTED. I HAD TWO FEET OF WATER INSIDE MY BUSINESS. WE LOST TONS OF INVENTORY. IT TOOK ME MONTHS AND MONTHS OF CLEANING. I WAS OPERATING THE FIRST QUARTER WITH NOT EVEN WITH 30%. I CLOSED PROBABLY 35 TO 40 DAYS. IT WAS THE, IT, IT WAS JUST VERY HARD. AND HERE AGAIN, YOU KNOW, EVERYTHING I UNDERSTAND THE FLOOD DID NOT DISCRIMINATE AGAINST NOBODY. AND WE WERE IN THE MIDDLE OF EVERYTHING. I GOT MY NEIGHBOR RIGHT HERE FROM MERCADO LATINO. HE CAME AS WELL. BUT THERE WAS NEVER ANYTHING. EVEN THE PEOPLE WHEN THEY WERE ADVOCATING FOR THE $20 MILLION DIDN'T EVEN COME TO US. DIDN'T EVEN COME AND TAKE ANY ASSESSMENT. NOBODY EVER CARED ABOUT US. AND WE ARE PART OF THE COMMUNITY LIKE IT OR NOT, YOU KNOW, I INVEST MORE TIME IN, I INVESTED MY LIFE SAVINGS INTO THIS, INTO MY, THIS OF THE BUSINESS AND THE BUILDINGS AND EVERYTHING. AND I WAS ONE OF THE BUSINESSES THAT GOT AFFECTED THE MOST DUE TO THE FACT THAT I WAS, UH, NOT ESTABLISHED BUSINESS, VERY FRAGILE STATE. AND THIS HAPPENED WHILE THE SBA LOAN. THEY DIDN'T WANT TO HEAR THAT. THEY DIDN'T WANT TO HEAR HOW MUCH MONEY I INVESTED AND HOW MUCH MONEY I LOST. THEY WANT TO SEE SOLID INCOMES WHILE WE OPENED THE BUSINESS FOUR OR FIVE MONTHS BEFORE COVID. THERE WAS, I DIDN'T GET NO HELP FROM THE COVID 'CAUSE I NEEDED TO BUSINESS. ALRIGHT, SIR, YOUR TIME, YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED. I'LL GIVE YOU A FEW MORE SECONDS TO FINISH UP YOUR FINAL COMMENT. YOU KNOW, SO WE WANT YOU GUYS TO PLEASE TRY TO CONSIDER TO INCREASE THIS AND HELP THE BUSINESSES, YOU KNOW, THAT GOT AFFECTED AND IMPACTED BY THIS FLOOD. THANK YOU. VERY THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS. PLEASE HOLD THE APPLAUSE. GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS AMANDA METZ. I'M A LAW GRAD. I'M A US NAVY VETERAN. I'M A LIFELONG RESIDENT OF MERCED COUNTY. UM, AND CURRENTLY I'M A PARALEGAL AT OUR FABULOUS DA'S OFFICE UNDER THE DIRECTION OF NICOLE SILVERA. UM, AND I'M HERE TODAY TO DISCUSS THE ASTRONOMICAL INCREASE TO OUR HEALTHCARE COSTS. UM, AND IT AND THE LACK OF CARE SHOWN TO US BY YOU, THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS. THIS CREATES A HARDSHIP FOR US, FOR THE PEOPLE WHO MAKE THIS COUNTY RUN. WE ARE IN THE TRENCHES EVERY DAY MAKING THIS COUNTY RUN. AND YOU HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO SUPPORT US AS WE GO TO WORK EACH DAY. IN THE LEGAL PROFESSION. THERE IS USUALLY MORE MONEY IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR. THAT'S WHY PUBLIC SERVICE LOAN FORGIVENESS EXISTS IS TO ENCOURAGE HIGHLY QUALIFIED, EDUCATED PEOPLE TO TAKE JOBS IN THE PUBLIC SECTOR. AT THE DA'S OFFICE, WE FIGHT FOR THE VICTIMS IN THIS COMMUNITY. UH, AND THESE VICTIMS ARE NOT WELL-SERVED IF QUALIFIED, EXPERIENCED ATTORNEYS AND SUPPORT STAFF DO NOT WANT TO STAY IN THIS COUNTY. I AM ONE OF ONLY TWO PARALEGALS IN THE ENTIRE COUNTY OF MEED. AND I WOULD VENTURE TO GUESS THAT THAT'S BECAUSE MERCED COUNTY CANNOT RECRUIT PEOPLE WITH THE EDUCATIONAL REQUIREMENT TO QUALIFY TO FILL A PARALEGAL POSITION BECAUSE PARALEGALS CAN GO TO OTHER COUNTIES, CAN GO TO THE PRIVATE SECTOR AND MAKE A LOT MORE COMPENSATION AND BETTER BENEFITS. UM, JUST RECENTLY IN THE DA'S OFFICE, WE LOST OUR CHIEF DEPUTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY AND MAYOR TO STANISLAU COUNTY. WE LOST A INCREDIBLE 15 YEAR VETERAN, UM, ATTORNEY TO STANISLAU COUNTY WHO WAS INSTRUMENTAL IN TRAINING AND MENTORING NEW ATTORNEYS. COMING INTO THE OFFICE, WE LOST OUR DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES. I MYSELF TAKE THE BAR IN FEBRUARY AND IF THINGS DON'T IMPROVE, I PROBABLY WON'T BE PRACTICING IN MERCED COUNTY EITHER. I'D LIKE TO REMIND YOU ALL THAT YOU SERVE THE VOTERS OF THIS COUNTY. YOU HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY [00:45:01] TO YOUR CONSTITUENTS. AND NOT ONLY DO WE SERVE THOSE VOTERS, BUT WE HAVE A VOTE OURSELVES. AND LASTLY, I THINK IT'S VERY DISRESPECTFUL THAT YOU LIMIT OUR PUBLIC COMMENT TO 30 MINUTES. IF WE TAKE THE TIME OUT OF OUR DAY TO COME HERE AND ADDRESS YOU ON SUCH IMPORTANT ISSUES, YOU CAN GIVE US MORE THAN 30 MINUTES. THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS, PLEASE. NO APPLAUSE. GOOD MORNING. GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS MAYRA. I'M A CO-CHAIR WITH UPE AND THIS IS MARK C AND SHE'S OUR CHAIR FOR UP. UM, I JUST WANTED TO COME HERE TO ASK WHAT CAN BE DONE. UM, WE ARE LOSING SEVERAL PEOPLE TO OTHER COUNTIES AND IT'S KIND OF SAD THAT THOSE COUNTIES ARE INVESTING MORE IN PEOPLE THAN YOU GUYS ARE IN US. UM, THE EXCUSE THAT WE ARE A SMALL COUNTY AND CAN'T COMPETE WITH , MADERA OR OTHER COUNTIES CAN'T GO ANYMORE. WE HAVE THE UC HERE. NOW. WE ARE SEEING GROWTH WITH NEW RESTRAINTS. YOU NEED TO INVEST IN YOUR EMPLOYEES WITH LIVABLE WAGES AND INSURANCE PREMIUMS THAT ARE AFFORDABLE. UM, YOU KNOW, I ASK THAT YOU SEE WHAT CAN BE GIVEN UP FROM THE TOP TO MAKE IT A LITTLE BIT MORE BETTER FOR US IN THE BOTTOM. UM, THAT WAY WE CAN HAVE PEOPLE THAT COME IN HERE GETTING THEIR 25 YEAR PINS, 35 YEAR PINS, INVEST IN THE PEOPLE IN OUR, IN THIS COMMUNITY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS. SORRY. AND I JUST WANTED TO ADD REALLY QUICK, UM, THE PEOPLE THAT SERVE YOU ALSO SERVE OUR COMMUNITY. AND THOSE ARE THE FACES THAT YOU SEE HERE TODAY. YOU KNOW, WE SERVE AT YOUR FRONTLINE, MEANING YOUR OFFICES. WE'RE THE PEOPLE THAT GREET ALL OF THE CONSTITUENTS THAT COME IN AND THE PEOPLE THAT ARE ASKING FOR ANY KIND OF ASSISTANCE IN YOUR OFFICES. SO WE'RE NOT ASKING FOR MILLIONS OF DOLLARS, WE'RE JUST ASKING FOR SOMETHING THAT'S LIVABLE, THAT'S AFFORDABLE. AND ONE OF THOSE BIG, BIG ISSUES IS INSURANCE. WE WANNA BE INSURED. SO, UH, WITH, WITH WITH A COST THAT'S ACTUALLY EFFECTIVE FOR US. SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR LISTENING. OKAY, THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS. GOOD MORNING SUPERVISORS. UH, MY NAME'S TED SAMARA. I'M THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF UNITED PUBLIC EMPLOYEES. WE REPRESENT BARGAINING UNIT THREE, UH, EMPLOYEES HERE. UM, LAST TIME I WAS IN FRONT OF YOU, UM, I ASKED YOU ALL WHAT WOULD JESUS DO WHEN IT CAME TO HEALTHCARE? AND YOU RESPONDED BY GIVING A 10% INCREASE TO THE CAP, WHICH EQUATES TO $20. NOW YOU NEED TO ASK YOURSELF, IS THAT WHAT JESUS WOULD'VE DONE OR WHAT DO YOU WHAT HE PROVIDED YOUR EMPLOYEES, ESSENTIAL WORKERS, COUNTY WORKERS WITH AFFORDABLE HEALTHCARE WITH MORE TOWARDS HEALTHCARE, IT SHOULDN'T BE LOST ON ANY ONE OF YOU. ALL THAT YOU CAN'T RECRUIT AND RETAIN DEPUTY SHERIFFS TO LINE STAFF BECAUSE OF THE SUPPRESSED WAGES HERE IN MERCED COUNTY, WHICH YOU ALL CONTROL. YOU CONTROL YOUR BUDGET, YOU CONTROL WHAT CONTRIBUTIONS YOU CAN MAKE TOWARDS HEALTHCARE AND YOU NEED TO STOP AND DO THE RIGHT THING. THESE FOLKS ARE ALSO YOUR CONSTITUENTS. THEY HAVE FAMILY MEMBERS IN MERCED COUNTY THAT ARE YOUR CONSTITUENTS. THEY SHOULD AT LEAST GET YOUR RESPECT WHEN THEY'RE UP HERE SPEAKING VERSUS LOOKING AT YOUR PHONE. MR. PENZA, IN REGARDS OR WRITING AND REGARDING TO WHAT THEIR COMMENTS ARE, YOU STILL HAVE EMPLOYEES HERE PAYING $1,600 A MONTH TOWARDS HEALTHCARE AND THEY'RE YOUR LOWEST WAGE EARNERS AFTER YOUR GENEROUS CONTRIBUTIONS OF $20 TO THE CAP. YOU SET THE TONE HERE IN MERCED COUNTY THAT YOU WANT TO GIVE PINS AND RECOGNITION TO COUNTY EMPLOYEES FOR THE YEARS OF SERVICE, THAT'S FINE. BUT I BET YOU THEY WOULD RATHER BE VALUED, VALUED WHEN IT COMES TO THEM PROVIDING FOR THEIR FAMILIES OR THEMSELVES. AND YOU ALL ARE IN CHARGE OF THAT. DO THE RIGHT THING. IF MR. MENDEZ WON'T MEET WITH US, THEN WE WILL BRING THE MEMBERS TO MEET WITH YOU. ALL THAT IN ITSELF OF HIM NOT MEETING WITH LABOR WHO REPRESENTS YOUR EMPLOYEES, SETS THE TONE OF THIS BOARD'S AGENDA WHEN IT COMES TO EMPLOYEES. IT'S NOT LOSS. HE GETS PAID OVER $200,000. HE CAN AFFORD THE INCREASE TO HEALTHCARE AS WELL AS EACH AND ONE OF YOU THAT MAKE OVER SIX DIGITS. THESE FOLKS ARE BARELY GETTING BY AND THAT SHOULD NOT BE LOST ON ANYBODY HERE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENT, SIR. GOOD MORNING, CHAIRMAN S AND THE BOARD CHRIS DON SANTOS HERE REPRESENTING THE OFFICE OF CONGRESSMAN JOHN WARTE. UH, WHAT AN HONOR IT IS TO BE IN THIS BEAUTIFUL HISTORIC VENUE TO REFLECT ON YET ANOTHER CHAPTER IN THE LIVING HISTORY OF MERCED COUNTY. THANK [00:50:01] YOU AGAIN TO THE COUNTY EMPLOYEES. HONORED TODAY FOR YOUR DECADES OF DEDICATED SERVICE TO THE PEOPLE OF THIS COUNTY. FROM FIXING OUR BROKEN IMMIGRATION SYSTEM TO FIGHTING FOR VALLEY FARMERS, CONGRESSMAN DUARTE SPENT THE LAST YEAR ADVOCATING FOR PRACTICAL SOLUTIONS TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR WORKING FAMILIES IN THE 13TH DISTRICT. THAT CONTINUES WITH THE TWO BILLS THAT CONGRESSMAN IS LEADING. CONGRESSMAN DUARTE IS CO-LEADING THE INTEL AT OUR BORDERS ACT TO HELP COMBAT THE FLOW OF FENTANYL INTO OUR CITIES AND CARTEL BASED CRIME. IN OUR VALLEY. WE SAW A RECORD TWO AND A HALF MILLION ENCOUNTERS AT THE SOUTHERN BORDER THIS YEAR, THE MOST IN US HISTORY. YET WE ONLY HAVE AROUND 19,000 BORDER PATROL AGENTS RESPONSIBLE FOR SECURING 6,000 MILES OF US BORDERS. THE INTEL AT OUR BORDERS ACT WOULD REQUIRE THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY TO CREATE A COMPREHENSIVE STRATEGY THAT REPLACES OUTDATED TECHNOLOGY AT THE SOUTHERN BORDER, EVALUATES THE EFFECTIVENESS OF EXISTING SECURITY MEASURES, AND EXPLORES OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES TO SECURE OUR BORDERS. CONGRESSMAN DUARTE HAS PROUDLY INTRODUCED THE PROFESSIONAL GROWTH AND RETENTION ACT BY INVESTING IN THE SKILLS DEVELOPMENT OF OUR EXISTING WORKERS. WE NOT ONLY ENHANCE THE COMPETITIVENESS OF OUR BUSINESSES, BUT ALSO ENSURE THE SUSTAINED GROWTH OF OUR LOCAL ECONOMIES. CURRENTLY, LOCAL WORKFORCE BOARDS ARE LIMITED TO USING ONLY UP TO 20% OF THEIR ADULT AND DISLOCATED WORKER ALLOCATION FUNDS FOR INCUMBENT WORKER TRAINING. THIS IMPORTANT PIECE OF LEGISLATION DOUBLES THE ALLOCATION FOR INCUMBENT WORKER TRAINING FROM 20% TO 40%. IT'S A FORWARD-LOOKING APPROACH TO WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, ESPECIALLY IN RURAL AMERICA BY ALLOWING LOCAL EMPLOYERS TO RETAIN AND TRAIN THE LOCAL WORKFORCE WHO CAN CREATE MORE PROSPERITY AND OPPORTUNITY IN THE PLACES THAT NEED IT MOST. LET ME CONCLUDE BY SAYING I'M IMMENSELY GRATEFUL TO GOD FOR THE HIGH HONOR AND DISTINCT PRIVILEGE OF WORKING WITH YOU ALL OVER THE PAST YEAR. AND I'M THANKFUL FOR THE NEW FRIENDS I'VE MADE ON THIS JOURNEY AS A FIELD REPRESENTATIVE FOR CONGRESSMAN DUARTE'S OFFICE AND OUR OFFICE WOULD LIKE TO WISH YOU ALL OUR WARMEST MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR AND TO TENS OF THOUSANDS OF MEN AND WOMEN IN OUR ARMED FORCES SPENDING CHRISTMAS AWAY FROM THEIR FAMILIES. WE SEND OUR LOVE AND OUR GRATITUDE. GOD BLESS OUR TROOPS. GOD BLESS MERCED COUNTY AND GOD BLESS THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. SEE YOU IN 2024. THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS. HOLD YOUR APPLAUSE PLEASE. GOOD MORNING, BOARD MEMBERS. MY NAME IS CORY CROWSON AND I'M AN IHSS PROVIDER AND A UDW MEMBER FOR MERCED. I BEGAN MY WORK AS AN IHSS PROVIDER NEARLY TWO DECADES AGO. INITIALLY I CAME INTO THIS ROLE BECAUSE MY PARENTS NEEDED CARE, BUT EVEN AFTER THEY BOTH PASSED AWAY, I KNEW THAT THIS FIELD WAS WHERE I BELONGED, GIVING CARE TO THOSE WHO MOST NEED IT. TODAY I'M ONLY ONE OF OVER 4,000 IHSS PROVIDERS FIGHTING TO ENSURE THAT OUR COMMUNITY, SENIORS AND PEOPLE WITH LIVING WITH DISABILITIES HAVE THE FREEDOM THEY DESERVE AND CAN LIVE SAFELY IN THEIR HOMES. OUR WORK IS IMPERATIVE TO OUR CLIENTS, BUT IT HAS FALLEN THROUGH THE CRACKS FOR DECADES. AND IHSS PROVIDERS HAVE FOUGHT TO BE ACKNOWLEDGED BY THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS. PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN THE UNINCORPORATED PARTS OF VERSA COUNTY ARE NOT RECEIVING THE SUPPORT AND SERVICES THEY DEPEND ON ALL BECAUSE YOU CHOOSE NOT TO PAY IHSS PROVIDERS BETTER WAGES. WE'VE BEEN WITHOUT A CONTRACT FOR ONE YEAR NOW THAT'S A WHOLE YEAR YOU'VE LET THE CARE CRISIS IN OUR COMMUNITY GROW A WHOLE YEAR OF LETTING OVER 200 SE SENIOR CITIZENS AND PEOPLE LIVING WITH DISABILITIES, LEAVING THEM WITHOUT ACCESS TO OUR VITAL CARE. IT IS TIME FOR THIS TO CHANGE AND IT NEEDS TO CHANGE. NOW YOUR REPRESENTATIVES KEEP TREATING US WITH CONTEMPT AND DISRESPECT AT THE BARGAINING TABLE. WE'VE BEEN OFFERED ABSOLUTELY NO WAGE INCREASE, $0 0 CENTS FOR OUR LIFE-SAVING WORK. THAT'S AN ABSOLUTE INSULT TO ALL IHSS PROVIDERS IN MERCED COUNTY. WE ARE AMID A RAPIDLY GROWING CARE CRISIS AND IT'S TIME YOU TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THOSE WHO NEED CARE IN MERCED. AND THAT STARTS WITH SHOWING US SOME RESPECT AND BARGAINING IN GOOD FAITH TO GET AN AGREEMENT WHERE CAREGIVERS LIKE US ARE PAID THE DIGNIFIED WAGES OUR WORK CALLS FOR. I ALSO WANNA SAY THAT I SUPPORT COUNTY WORKERS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS. GOOD MORNING. HI, MY NAME IS JOANNA STEYER. I HAVE BEEN AN ISS PROVIDER FOR OVER 12 YEARS AND CURRENTLY CARE FOR THREE CLIENTS IN OUR COMMUNITY. BUT MY CLIENTS ARE EXTREMELY LUCKY TO HAVE THE CARE THEY NEED BECAUSE ACCORDING TO THE STATE AUDIT OF ISSS, THERE ARE MORE THAN 150,000 HOURS OF CARE THAT GO UNMET IN MERCED EACH YEAR. A FAIR CONTRACT FOR IHSS PROVIDERS BEGINS TO ADDRESS THE GAPS IN CARE AND GIVES US THE DEFINE THE DEF DEFINED WAGES. WE DESERVE BETTER WAGES FOR IHS PROVIDERS DON'T ONLY MEAN SAFER AND [00:55:01] THRIVING COMMUNITIES FOR OUR CLIENTS, BUT THAT WE TOO CAN INVEST BACK INTO MERCED IHS PROVIDERS ARE YOUR RESPONSIBILITY. WE ARE COUNTY EMPLOYEES AND WE DESERVE A PAY ADJUSTMENT, JUST A PAY ADJUSTMENT LIKE EVERY OTHER EMPLOYEE UNDER YOUR SUPERVISION. WHAT MAKES US DIFFERENT IS THAT YOU WOULDN'T BE PAYING OUR WAGE INCREASE COMPLETELY OUT OF POCKET FUNDS FOR IHSS COME FROM THE FEDERAL, STATE AND COUNTY OF GOVERNMENT. AND ALL IN ALL, MERCED WOULD ONLY BE PAYING 16.5% OF OUR WAGE, INCREASE THAT 16 CENTS ON THE DOLLAR TO GIVE HARD WORKERS DOING LIFESAVING WORK FOR THOSE WHO NEED IT MOST IN OUR COMMUNITY. THAT'S NOT TOO MUCH TO ASK FOR IHS PROVIDERS LIKE ME CHOOSE TO DO THIS WORK BECAUSE WE LOVE THE IMPACT IT MAKES BECAUSE WE LOVE TO CHANGE LIVES FOR THE BEST. WHETHER OUR CLIENTS IS FAMILY OR A STRANGER. BUT LOVE CAN'T PAY OUR BILLS. MANY OF US ARE LEFT WITHOUT ACCESS TO HEALTHCARE OR HAVING TO APPLY FOR FOOD STAMPS AND OTHER HELP. ALL BECAUSE YOU CHOOSE TO BE PRIDEFUL AND REFUSE TO GIVE US THE RESPECTABLE WAGES OUR WORK DESERVES. WE ARE OUR CLIENT'S LIFELINE, BUT WORDS OUR LIFELINE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS. MORNING ANDREW, UNIT 14 REPRESENTATIVE FOR THE DEPUTY SHERIFF'S ASSOCIATION, UH, SUPERVISOR SILVERA. LAST MEETING DURING ITEM 16, YOU DISCUSSED, UH, HOW FRUSTRATED YOU WERE REGARDING YOUR PET PEEVE OF PEOPLE WAITING UNTIL THE 11TH HOUR TO START TAKING ACTION. IT'S A TRUE POT CALLING THE KETTLE BLACK STATEMENTS. SINCE COUNTY EMPLOYEES ARE TIRED AND FRUSTRATED OF YOURSELF AND THIS BOARD DOING THE EXACT SAME THING IN REFERENCE TO HEALTHCARE PREMIUMS. THE CLOCK IS ABOUT TO STRIKE MIDNIGHT PERTAINING TO ESSENTIAL SERVICES BEING PROVIDED THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY. THE EMPLOYEES WHO CRUNCH THE NUMBERS TO CALCULATE THE EFFECT PREMIUM INCREASES WILL HAVE ON THEIR HOUSEHOLD BUDGETS ARE THE ONES LEAVING CURRENTLY. UNDOUBTEDLY, THERE'S GONNA BE A SECOND WAVE NEXT MONTH WHEN EMPLOYEES RECEIVE THEIR FIRST CHECK OF THE YEAR AND SEE A SIGNIFICANTLY LESS TAKE HOME PAY. EMPLOYEES HAVE BEEN COMING TO THIS BOARD ASKING FOR HELP IN THE PREMIUM INCREASES SINCE THEY WERE ANNOUNCED IN SEPTEMBER. YOU HAVE WAITED UNTIL THE 11TH HOUR ATTEMPTING TO NOW COERCE UNIONS INTO ACCEPTING A TERRIBLE OFFER THAT DOESN'T EVEN RESULT IN EMPLOYEES BREAKING EVEN DURING 2016 CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS, THE COUNTY MADE THE INTENTIONAL DECISION TO MAKE HEALTHCARE PREMIUM CONTRIBUTIONS A NEGOTIABLE ITEM INSTEAD OF A PROVIDED BENEFIT. THE ONLY CURRENT BOARD OF SUPERVISORS WITH DIRECT FINGERPRINTS ON THIS DISASTROUS PLAN IS SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL. AND YOU KNEW THIS WOULD EVENTUALLY BECOME A BURDEN FOR EMPLOYEES. THAT WAS THE SOLE PURPOSE FOR CREATING THE CAB LONG-TERM SAVINGS IN THE COUNTY BUDGET ON THE BACKS OF EMPLOYEES MAKING EMPLOYEES PLEAD AND BARGAIN FOR BENEFITS THAT USED TO BE GUARANTEED COMBINED PREMIUM INCREASES OF 41% HAVE BEEN ACKNOWLEDGED BY THIS BOARD SINCE THE CAP WAS INSTITUTED IN 2018. 41% INCREASES THAT HAVE BEEN EATEN 100% BY COUNTY EMPLOYEES WHILE GOING THROUGH THE ANNUAL MOTION OF APPROVING PREMIUM INCREASES. NOT ONE OF YOU EVER DISCUSSED INCREASING THE CONTRIBUTION CAP. I CAN'T SAY WHETHER IT WAS GREED OR IGNORANCE, BUT EITHER WAY, YOU'VE NOW BEEN MADE FULLY AWARE OF THE ISSUE PLAGUING COUNTY EMPLOYEES. YOUR AND YOUR PREDECESSOR'S ACTIONS HAVE MADE IT NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE FOR THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE TO RECRUIT AND RETAIN DEPUTIES, DISPATCHERS, CORONERS, CORRECTIONAL OFFICERS, ALL CLASSIFICATIONS RESULTING IN THE PEOPLE OF MERCED COUNTY BECOMING LESS SAFE AND UNFORTUNATELY UNDERSERVED. THE PRIMARY DEFINITION OF, UM, I'LL JUST, THE CHARADES OVER THE COUNTY PROFITED FOR SEVEN YEARS BY FORCING EMPLOYEES TO COVER ALL MEDICAL IN INCREASES. BUT YOU GOT CAUGHT WITH YOUR HAND IN THE COOKIE JAR THIS TIME. YOU NEED TO GO BACK TO THE PRE 2017 INSURANCE PREMIUM FORMULA. IF YOU WANT TO STOP THE BLEEDING AND PUBLIC SAFETY. THAT'S THE ONLY WAY THAT YOU'RE GONNA HAVE PEOPLE PULL THEIR APPS FROM OTHER AGENCIES AND STAY IN MERCED COUNTY. AND SINCE I HAVE THE TIME, AUDACITY IS SHOWING THE WILLINGNESS TO TAKE A BOLD RISK. SO TO THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE OFFICE. YES, THE DEPUTY SHERIFF'S ASSOCIATION DOES HAVE THE AUDACITY TO REJECT THE BAD OFFER AND THE AUDACITY TO STAND BEFORE BOARD MEMBERS AND SPEAK OUT AND ADVOCACY FOR OUR MEMBERS AND ALL COUNTY EMPLOYEES. THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS, SIR. PLEASE HOLD THE APPLAUSE LAWS MAR VERIA LONGTIME COUNTY EMPLOYEE. I RECEIVED MY LETTER ACTUALLY A COUPLE WEEKS AGO LETTING ME KNOW THAT I COULD HAVE STOOD HERE BEFORE YOU TO RECEIVE MY 20 YEAR SERVICE PIN, BUT I CHOSE NOT TO RECEIVE IT BECAUSE I DON'T, I DON'T NEED AN AWARD TO KNOW THAT I AM AN ASSET TO THE AGENCY THAT I WORK FOR. I AM AN EXCELLENT WORKER WITH MY CLIENTS, BUT THEY ARE ALL SUFFERING BECAUSE I HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO DO MY WORK BECAUSE OF THE LACK OF OF STAFF SUPPORT. WE ARE MISSING SO MANY WORKERS IN OUR AGENCY BECAUSE THEY ARE LEAVING YOUR COUNTY TO GO TO WORK SOMEWHERE ELSE. AND WE ARE TRYING TO PICK UP THAT SLACK AND IT IS NEAR TO IMPOSSIBLE. I JUST BARELY GAVE OUT BENEFITS TO SOMEBODY WHO WAS WAITING FOR THEIR BENEFIT SINCE NOVEMBER. SO NOW THEY [01:00:01] HAVE A LATE FEES ON TOP OF EVERYTHING ELSE. AND AND IT'S NOT BECAUSE I I DIDN'T WANT TO, I COULDN'T. IT'S, AND I STILL HAVEN'T FINISHED WITH THAT CASE BECAUSE I HAVE TO TAKE TIME OFF FROM WORK TO COME HERE AND DO THIS BECAUSE WE ARE IN NEED OF WORKERS AND WE CANNOT RETAIN THE WORKERS WITH THE PAY THAT WE ARE RECEIVING AND THE HIGH WAGE PREMIUMS THAT WE'RE, THAT WE'RE GONNA BE, THAT WE'RE GONNA BE PAYING STARTING IN JANUARY. I LET YOU GUYS KNOW THAT AS OF NEXT MONTH, I MAY BE IN, I MAY BE HOMELESS. THERE ISN'T A HOMELESS ASSISTANCE FOR WORKERS. SO, UM, YOU KNOW, APPRECIATING ME OR OR GIVING ME AN AWARD FOR WORKING 20 YEARS FOR MERCED COUNTY TO BE HOMELESS IS NOT AN APPRECIATION. IT'S NOT AN AWARD THAT I SEE BEFITTING SOMEBODY WHO WORKS VERY HARD FOR YOU, WHO WORKS VERY HARD FOR THEIR CLIENTS. AND I AM NOT THE ONLY ONE. THERE ARE SO MANY OF MY COWORKERS THAT ARE SUFFERING AND I KNOW I'M ON, I'M THE ONLY ONE THAT'S BRAVE ENOUGH TO COME OUT HERE AND TALK ABOUT IT BECAUSE IT'S EMBARRASSING TO HAVE TO STAY. YOU KNOW, I'M WORKING FOR THE COUNTY AND I SHOULD BE PROUD OF IT, BUT I'M NOT. SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT ELSE WE NEED TO DO TO GET YOU GUYS TO UNDERSTAND HOW DIFFICULT THIS HAS BEEN. BUT HERE I AM. HERE I AM. LOOK ME IN THE EYE 'CAUSE THIS IS, THIS IS ME. I SHOULD BE GETTING YOUR HANDSHAKES FOR MY 20 YEAR PIN AND INSTEAD I'M HERE TALKING ABOUT HOW HARD WE ARE HAVING TO, TO LIVE WITH WHAT PITIFUL AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT WE'RE RECEIVING. YOU WANNA SHOW OUR APPRECIATION, PAY US WHAT WE'RE WORTH. PLEASE THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS, MARTHA OR MS. KELLY. AND GOOD MORNING. UM, I JUST WANT TO CLOSE WITH A PRAYER FOR OUR ACCOUNTING. DO YOU, HEAVENLY FATHER AND I ASK YOU RIGHT NOW FOR A BLESSING OVER OUR COUNTY, OVER THE PEOPLE THAT LEAD OUR COUNTY, OVER THE PEOPLE THAT SUPPORT OUR COUNTY, OVER THE WORKERS, OVER THE ONES THAT KEEP US SAFE, OVER THE ONES THAT GUIDE US THROUGH OUR EDUCATION. JESUS, WE ASK FOR OUR COUNTY. I KNOW THAT YOU HAVE ALL POWER TO CREATE PROVISION AND WE ASK FOR PROVISION. I'M NOT ASHAMED TO SAY THAT WE CANNOT PUT THE ONUS OF RESPONSIBILITY ONLY ON THE SHOULDERS OF OUR LEADERSHIP. WE HAVE TO ALSO LOOK TO YOU. YOU ARE OUR STRENGTH AND OUR HOPE. AND AS WE CELEBRATE YOUR BIRTH, WE THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU HAVE PROVIDED FOR US. WE THANK YOU FOR PULLING US OUT OF THE MOST HARDSHIP, THE MOST AWFUL HARDSHIP THAT HAS HIT OUR COMMUNITY THROUGH THE FLOODS. BUT YOU STILL HAD MERCY AND YOU STILL CREATED A A WAY. LORD, I PRAY FOR THOSE THAT ARE IN NEED RIGHT NOW IN IN NEED OF, OF INSURANCE. FATHER GOD THAT YOU PROVIDE THEM WITH THE INSURANCE. JESUS, I ASK YOU FOR GUIDANCE AND WISDOM AND FOR GRANTS, FATHER GOD, BECAUSE I KNOW THAT THOSE GRANTS ARE THERE, GOD, TO MAKE THOSE THINGS HAPPEN. I PRAY FOR CAPACITY IN OUR COMMUNITY THAT THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE THAT CAPACITY BE ABLE TO COME FORTH AND BE PART OF THE CHANGE IN OUR COMMUNITY. AND MOST OF ALL, GOD, I PRAY FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP IN CREATING COHESION IN OUR COMMUNITY THAT WE NOT PULL AGAINST EACH OTHER BUT WORK WITH EACH OTHER SO THAT WE CAN HAVE A PROSPEROUS COMMUNITY. AND I THANK YOU JESUS FOR ALL YOUR WORKS, FOR ALL THE THINGS THAT YOU DO CREATE AND THE THINGS THAT YOU PROVIDE FOR US TO BE SUSTAINED EVEN TO THIS POINT. I THANK YOU IN YOUR NAME, JESUS. OH HOLY NIGHT THE STARS SHINE. IT'S THE NIGHT OF OURS, THE WORLD HE APPEARED AND THE A THRILL HOPE THOUGH WE REJO BEYOND ON YOU. AND MORNING YOUR KNEES, THE ANGELS. [01:05:25] THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS. ALL RIGHT. NOT SEEN SEEING ANYONE ELSE. WE WILL CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD. WE'LL MOVE ON TO [CONSENT CALENDAR] OUR CONSENT CALENDAR. NEXT IS CONSENT AGENDA. CALENDAR ITEMS ONE THROUGH THREE. PLEASE NOTE ITEM ONE REQUIRES A FOUR FIFTHS VOTE. ALRIGHT, THIS IS THE BOARD'S OP, OR EXCUSE ME, THIS IS THE PUBLIC'S OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK ON CONSENT CALENDAR. ITEMS ONE THROUGH THREE, NOT SEEING ONE, WE WILL BRING IT BACK TO THE DS. WE'RE CHAIR WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION. MOVE TO APPROVE. SO WE HAVE A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR PEREIRA, A SECOND BY SUPERVISOR ESPINOZA. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE. AYE. AYE. THERE ANY OPPOSED? THE MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY FIVE TO ZERO. NEXT WE'LL MOVE INTO BOARD [BOARD ACTION] ACTION PUBLIC WORKS. ITEM FOUR, THIS IS THE PUBLIC'S OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK ON PUBLIC WORKS. ITEM NUMBER FOUR, NOT SEEING ANYONE. WE'LL CLOSE A PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD. BRING IT BACK TO THE DICE. CHAIR. WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION. WE HAVE A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR ESPINOZA. SECOND. SECOND BY SUPERVISOR PEDROZA. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE. AYE. OPPOSED? THE MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY FIVE TO ZERO. NEXT UP WE HAVE PUBLIC HEALTH. ITEM FIVE. ALRIGHT, THIS IS THE PUBLIC'S OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK ON PUBLIC HEALTH. ITEM NUMBER FIVE, NOT SEEING ANYONE. WE'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD. BRING IT BACK TO THE DAIS. MOVE TO APPROVE. WE HAVE A MO MOTION BY SUPERVISOR PEREIRA. A SECOND BY SUPERVISOR PEDROSO. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE. AYE. OPPOSED? THE MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY FIVE TO ZERO. NEXT UP, WE'LL HAVE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AND RECOVERY SERVICES. ITEM SIX THROUGH EIGHT, PLEASE NOTE ITEM EIGHT REQUIRES A FOUR-FIFTHS VOTE. ALRIGHT, THIS IS THE PUBLIC'S OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK ON PUB UH, BEHAVIORAL HEALTH. ITEMS SIX THROUGH EIGHT. NOT SEEING ANYONE. WE'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD. BRING IT BACK TO THE DAS. MOVE TO APPROVE WHERE WE HAVE A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR PEREIRA. SECOND. A SECOND BY SUPERVISOR PEDROSO. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE. AYE. AYE. ARE THERE ANY OPPOSED? THE MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY. FIVE TO ZERO. NEXT WE HAVE THE HUMAN SERVICES AGENCY, ITEMS NINE AND 10. THIS IS THE PUBLIC'S OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK ON HSA ITEMS NINE AND 10. NOT SEEING ANYONE. WE'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD. BRING IT BACK TO THE DICE CHAIR. WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION. MOVE. WE HAVE A MOTION BY PEDROZA. SECOND. SECOND BY ESPINOZA. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, SO SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE. AYE. AYE. ARE THERE ANY OPPOSED? THE MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY FIVE TO ZERO. NEXT UP WE HAVE PROBATION ITEMS 11 AND 12. PLEASE NOTE, ITEM 11 REQUIRES A FOUR FIFTHS VOTE. THIS IS THE PUBLIC'S OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK ON PROBATION ITEMS 11 AND 12. I NOT SEE ANYONE. WE'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD. BRING IT BACK TO THE DAAS CHAIR, WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION. ALSO MOVE MO MOTION BY MCDANIEL, SECOND BY PEDROSO. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE. AYE. AYE. THERE ANY OPPOSED? THE MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY FIVE TO ZERO. NEXT UP WE HAVE SHERIFF ITEM 13. THIS IS THE PUBLIC'S OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK ON SHERIFF. ITEM 13. TESTIMONY IS LIMITED TO THREE MINUTES. GENTLEMEN, RICK WENDLING, MERCED, I SEE THAT, UH, THE ONLY THING UNDER THE SHERIFF TODAY IS TO GIVE, UH, MORE MONEY FOR INMATE TELECOM SERVICES. SO LET ME, UH, CHANGE THIS [01:10:01] JUST A TADD. WE, I I JUST, UH, HOW DID THIS GET LOUDER? I JUST ATTENDED A, UH, TOWN HALL IN TURLOCK THE OTHER DAY, IN WHICH CASE THE, UH, STANISLAUS COUNTY SHERIFF SAID THAT HE EXPECTS HIS DEPARTMENT TO HAVE FULL FUNDING, IF NOT IMMEDIATELY IN THE NEXT, UH, FISCAL YEAR. AND I AM CONCERNED BECAUSE I HAVE LISTENED TO SHERIFF WARRANTY TALK SEVERAL TIMES ABOUT THE FACT THAT WE ARE LOSING DEPUTIES. WE'RE LOSING, UH, INMATE CARE. UH, WHAT DO YOU CALL THOSE, UH, GUYS OF GUARD ANYWAY, WE'RE LOSING PEOPLE, NOT JUST IN HEALTHCARE, BUT WE'RE LOSING PEOPLE IN THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT. AND IF YOU DON'T FIGURE A WAY TO MOVE SOME OF THAT BILLION DOLLAR BUDGET INTO SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT WHERE WE NEED PROTECTION FROM CRIMINAL ACTIVITY IN THE COUNTY. SO I URGE YOU TO START MOVING MONEY SOMEHOW. YOU ARE VERY CLEVER PEOPLE AND WE NEED MORE MONEY IN THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT SO THAT HE CAN HAVE BETTER SERVICE FOR THE REST OF THE COUNTY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENT, SIR. IS THERE ANYONE ELSE? NOT SEEING ANYONE? WE'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD. BRING IT BACK TO THE DICE WHERE THE CHAIR WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION. MOVE. SECOND. MOTION BY PEDROS, SECOND BY PEREIRA. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE. AYE. ARE THERE ANY OPPOSED? THE MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY FIVE TO ZERO. NEXT UP WE HAVE WORKFORCE INVESTMENT. ITEM 14. THIS IS THE PUBLIC'S OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK ON WORKFORCE INVESTMENT. ITEM NUMBER 14. I'M NOT SEEING ANYONE. WE'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD. BRING BACK TO THE DAS WHERE WE HAVE A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL AND A SECOND BY SUPERVISOR PEDROSO. ALL THOSE EX IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE. AYE. ARE THERE ANY OPPOSED? THE MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY FIVE TO ZERO. NEXT, WE HAVE COUNTY EXECUTIVE OFFICE, HUMAN RESOURCES ITEMS 15 THROUGH 17. PLEASE NOTE, ITEM 17 READS APPROVED TEMPORARY HEALTHCARE INSURANCE CAP INCREASE OF 10% FOR ALL EMPLOYEES IN BARGAINING UNITS WHO HAVE AGREED TO SUCH INCREASES EFFECTIVE PAY, PERIOD. ONE OF 2024 THROUGH PAY. PERIOD 14 OF 2024, INCLUDING UNREPRESENTED MANAGEMENT. UNIT 20 CLASSIFICATIONS INCLUDE CEO, ASSISTANT, CEO, DEPUTY CEO, COUNTY COUNCIL, DEPARTMENT HEADS, AND ELECTED OFFICIALS. ALL RIGHT. THIS IS THE PUBLIC'S OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK ON CEO HR ITEMS 15 THROUGH 17. RICK WENDLING AGAIN. SO MY QUESTION IS, I I, I NOTICED THAT YOU HAVE SOME, UH, INCREASES FOR THE SERGEANTS IN THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT, BUT THAT DOESN'T TAKE CARE OF THE, THE, UH, PRISON WORKERS OR JAIL WORKERS OR THE, UH, DEPUTIES OUT ON PATROL. SO MY QUESTION IS THAT, SUPERVISORS, WHERE IS THE MONEY COMING FROM FOR THESE INCREASES THAT ARE FOLLOWING THE CHANGES IN YOUR PAY GRADES? AS I UNDERSTAND IT, AND I MAY BE MISTAKEN, THAT FOLLOWING THE CHANGES IN THE SALARY SCHEDULES COMES INCREASES. AND SO THAT MONEY'S COMING FROM SOMEWHERE. AND I HAVE TOLD YOU BEFORE, THE PROBLEM IS THAT TOO MANY OF US ARE VOTING FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE ADVOCATING THE POLICIES THAT ARE CREATING THE INFLATION THAT IS HURTING EVERYBODY HERE WHO CAME AND COMPLAINED ABOUT HEALTHCARE, HEALTHCARE COSTS AND LACK OF, UH, ABILITY TO PAY THE RENT. OKAY? THAT MEANS YOU AS INDIVIDUALS, AND WE AS THE PUBLIC, HAVE TO CHANGE THE WAY WE VOTE. AND THIS NEXT YEAR, IF WE DON'T ELECT, IT'S GONNA BE A LITTLE POLITICAL. IF WE DON'T START ELECTING MORE OURS WHO ARE REALLY REPUBLICANS INSTEAD OF PEOPLE WHO ARE GOING ALONG TO GET ALONG THIS COUNTRY, IS GOING TO BE IN A REAL HURTING POSITION. SO I URGE YOU TO TAKE CARE OF LAW ENFORCEMENT HERE AND DO YOUR BEST WITH ALL THE REST OF THE CLERICAL PEOPLE IN THE COUNTY. IT'S OKAY. THANK YOU. AND MERRY CHRISTMAS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENT, SIR. IS THERE ANYONE ELSE THAT'D LIKE TO SPEAK ON CEO HR ITEMS 15 THROUGH 17, NOT SEEING ANYONE. WE'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD. BRING IT BACK TO THE DS, WHERE THE CHAIR WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION. [01:15:01] I HAVE A MOTION BY PEDROZA SECOND. A SECOND BY, I GOT PEREIRA IN JUST BEFORE YOU SUPERVISOR ESPINOZA. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE. AYE. AYE. ARE THERE ANY OPPOSED? THE MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY. FIVE TO ZERO. I, SO I DO HAVE, I I, I WANT TO EXPRESS THIS TO EVERYBODY. THAT THIS IS, THIS IS MY STATEMENT. THIS IS A STATEMENT THAT I CAME UP WITH AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT I JUST KIND OF WANNA SHARE WITH FOLKS. AND IN ORDER TO KINDA JUST PUT SOME NUMBERS OUT THERE, AND I KNOW IT'S A LITTLE BIT WORDY AND IT HAS A LOT OF NUMBERS IN IT. UM, BUT SO MERCED COUNTY'S MISSION IS TO PROVIDE QUALITY PUBLIC SERVICE THAT ENHANCES AND PROTECTS OUR DIVERSE COMMUNITY. THE MAJORITY OF THE COUNTY'S $1 BILLION BUDGET IS REGULATED SPENDING, MEANING THE MONEY IS PASSED THROUGH FROM STATE OR FEDERAL GOVERNMENT FOR REGULATORY COMPLIANCE OR SPECIFIC PROGRAM FUNDING. OUT OF THE ONE PLUS BILLION DOLLAR COUNTY BUDGET, THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS HAS 126 MILLION TOTAL FOR DISCRETIONARY SPENDING. OF THAT 126 MILLION, APPROXIMATELY 94 MILLION OR 75 CENTS OF EVERY DOLLAR HAS BEEN DEDICATED TO PUBLIC SAFETY. THAT INCLUDES NOT ONLY THE SHERIFF, BUT THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, PROBATION, PUBLIC DEFENDER, INDIGENT DEFENSE, AND GRAND JURY. THAT LEAVES ONLY 25 CENTS OF EVERY DOLLAR OR APPROXIMATELY $32 MILLION TO SUPPORT OTHER COUNTY SERVICES SUCH AS COUNTY LIBRARIES, DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS, INCLUDING ROADS, PARKS AND FACILITIES, COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, THE AUDITOR CONTROLLER'S OFFICE, THE ASSESSOR RECORDER'S OFFICE, THE TREASURER TAX COLLECTOR'S OFFICE, THE REGISTRAR OF VOTERS, THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, AND THE EXECUTIVE OFFICE. AND I KNOW THAT DOESN'T NAME EVERY ONE OF THEM, BUT THAT'S QUITE A FEW OF THEM. YOU MAY HAVE HEARD THAT MERCED COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS HAS DONE NOTHING FOR PUBLIC SAFETY. LET ME BE CLEAR, THAT STATEMENT IS NOT ACCURATE. FOR YEARS, THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS HAS CONSISTENTLY DEMONSTRATED OUR COMMITMENT TO OUR PUBLIC SAFETY BY FINANCIALLY SUPPORTING OUR SHERIFF'S OFFICE ANNUAL BUDGET OF $93 MILLION, OF WHICH 61 MILLION COMES FROM DISCRETIONARY LOCAL REVENUES, APPROVING ADDITIONAL STAFFING REQUESTS OF MORE THAN 40 POSITIONS OVER THE LAST FIVE YEARS. MOST RECENTLY APPROVING THE FUNDING. UH, THE JAILS 149 PLUS MILLION DOLLARS CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECT OVER TWO PHASES. PHASE ONE IS 84 MILLION WITH A $40 MILLION STATE GRANT AND 44 MILLION COMING OUT OF COUNTY RESOURCES. PHASE TWO 65 MILLION, WHICH IS COMING DIRECTLY FROM COUNTY FUNDS. WITH 32 MILLION OF IT BEING FINANCED, THAT HAS TO BE PAID BACK BY THE GENERAL FUND. WE GREATLY APPRECIATE THE SHERIFF AND THE DIFFICULT WORK HE AND HIS DEPARTMENT UNDERTAKE. EACH DAY. LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES AROUND THE COUNTRY FACE A MYRIAD OF RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION CHALLENGES, INCLUDING FEWER PEOPLE INTERESTED IN PURSUING LAW ENFORCEMENT CAREER. SADLY, THIS SITUATION IS NOT UNIQUE TO MERCED COUNTY. TODAY, WE ARE CHALLENGED THE, THE COUNTY'S FINANCIAL RESOURCES ARE LIMITED, NOT LIMITLESS. HOWEVER, DESPITE MERCED COUNTY'S LEAN FINANCIAL SITUATION, PUBLIC SAFETY REMAINS OUR TOP PRIORITY. OVER THE LAST YEAR, WE HAVE WORKED DILIGENTLY TO SPECIFICALLY ADDRESS THE SHERIFF'S ADDITIONAL REQUESTS TO ENHANCE WAGES AND BENEFITS FOR OUR PUBLIC SAFETY PROFESSIONALS MAKING MERCED COUNTY EVEN MORE COMPETITIVE. PUBLIC SAFETY LABOR CONTRACTS EXPIRE IN JUNE OF 2024, SIX MONTHS PRIOR TO ANY OBLIGATION, WE MADE A GENEROUS OFFERS GENEROUS OFFER, SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASING PUBLIC SAFETY, PROFESSIONAL WAGES AND BENEFITS. OUR PRO OUR PROPOSAL INCREASED THEIR WAGES BY 8% AND THEIR HEALTHCARE CAPS BY 10%. WE GREATLY APPRECIATE THE COOPERATION AND ACCEPTANCE BY THE SHERIFF'S SERGEANTS NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE SHERIFF'S DEPUTIES AND DISPATCHERS DID NOT FARE AS WELL WITHOUT A COUNTER PROPOSAL. OUR SHERIFF DEPUTIES AND DISPATCHERS OUTRIGHT REJECTED OUR PROPOSAL. WE'RE VERY DISAPPOINTED FROM, FROM OUR PERSPECTIVE WITH THE LIMITED FINANCIAL RESOURCES WE CURRENTLY HAVE AVAILABLE. WE STEPPED UP AND ADDRESSED THE RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION ISSUES THE SHERIFF BROUGHT FORWARD. THE SHERIFF'S DEPUTIES AND DISPATCHERS CHOSE TO NOT ACCEPT OUR OFFER, WHICH INCLUDED A SIZABLE RAISE AND A HEALTHCARE CAP INCREASE. THE REJECTION MAKES THE SITUATION MORE DIFFICULT AND POTENTIALLY SHUTS THE DOOR ON FURTHER CONVERSATIONS. DESPITE THE BOARD'S BEST EFFORT TO GIVE OUR SHERIFF'S DEPUTIES AND DISPATCHERS AN IMMEDIATE RAISE, THEY UNFORTUNATELY CHOSE A DIFFERENT PATH AND WILL NOW HAVE TO WAIT FOR FURTHER NEGOTIATIONS UNTIL THEIR CONTRACT NEARS EXPIRATION IN JUNE OF 2024. PUBLIC SAFETY REMAINS OUR TOP PRIORITY AND ARE APPRECIATIVE OF THE SHERIFF AND HIS STAFF. WE'RE HOPEFUL FOR A FAIR AND EQUITABLE RESOLUTION. AGAIN, THERE'LL BE A PRESS RELEASE THAT GOES OUT AFTER THE MEETING. [01:20:01] I WANT TO ONCE AGAIN SAY THAT THOSE ARE MY WORDS. I WANTED TO PUT THOSE IN WORDS THAT YOU FELT LIKE IF YOU HEARD 'EM, THEY'RE COMING FROM ME. BUT IT JUST GIVES YOU A LITTLE BIT OF INSIGHT AS TO, I KNOW WE HAVE AN OVER $1 BILLION BUDGET, BUT MOST OF THAT MONEY IS REGULATED ON HOW WE SPEND IT. THE 126 MILLION IS THE PART THAT WE ACTUALLY HAVE DISCRETION OVER. AND, AND I, AND I'LL TELL YOU, THIS BOARD HAS SPENT NO LESS THAN A DOZEN HOURS IN THE LAST THREE MEETINGS IN CLOSE SESSION TRYING TO LOOK THROUGH WHAT I CALL AS OUR VERY CLOUDY CRYSTAL BALL, FIGURING OUT WHAT KIND OF RESOURCES WE'RE GONNA HAVE AVAILABLE FOR NEXT YEAR AND TRYING TO SLICE THAT PIE UP THE BEST WAY POSSIBLE. SO I FELT LIKE IT WAS IMPORTANT FOR ME TO PUT THAT ON THE RECORD. AND NOW WE'LL MOVE ON TO OUR NEXT ITEM IS BOARD APPOINTMENTS. ITEMS 18 THROUGH 20. ALRIGHT, THIS TIME I'LL OPEN UP THE PUBLIC COMMENT FOR BOARD APPOINTMENTS. ITEMS 18 THROUGH 20, NOT SEAT ANYONE. WE'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD AND BRING IT BACK TO THE DIOCESE OR THE CHARITABLE ENTERTAINER MOTION. WE HAVE A MOTION BY PEDROZA SECOND, THE SECOND BY ESPINOZA. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE. AYE. OPPOSED? THE MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY FIVE TO ZERO. NEXT UP WE HAVE BOARD INFORMATION [BOARD INFORMATION & POSSIBLE ACTION] AND POSSIBLE ACTION. ITEM 21. THIS IS THE PUBLIC'S OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK ON ITEM 21, NOT SEEING ANYONE. WE'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD AND BRING IT BACK TO THE DICE CHAIR. WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION. MOTION TO APPROVE BY SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL AND A SECOND BUY SECOND BY SUPERVISOR PEDROSO. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE. AYE. ARE THERE ANY OPPOSED? THE MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY. FIVE TO ZERO. LAST IS BOARD REPORTS. AND THIS FINE DAY, WE WILL START WITH SUPERVISOR PEREIRA. THANK YOU, UH, MR. CHAIR. WELL, UM, FIRST OF ALL, I'D LIKE TO, TO WISH EVERYONE A, A MERRY CHRISTMAS AND, UH, A HAPPY NEW YEAR. UM, I, UH, AND, AND I, I GUESS I, I'D JUST LIKE TO, TO, UH, TO MAKE A COMMENT THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, THE, THE PUBLIC COMMENT, UH, THAT WE'VE, WE'VE HAD FROM COUNTY EMPLOYEES TODAY, KIND OF, YOU KNOW, UM, INDICATES THAT, THAT I DON'T CARE. AND, AND THAT'S FARTHEST FROM THE TRUTH. UM, I DO CARE. AND, UH, YOU KNOW, UM, THE COUNTY HAS TO SURVIVE. UH, WE, WE ARE, YOU KNOW, ON THE VERGE OF A, AN ECONOMIC DOWNTURN. WE ALREADY, THROUGH OUR SALES TAX NUMBERS, WE KNOW THAT'S ALREADY HAPPENING, AND IT'S GONNA CONTINUE TO HAPPEN AND MOST LIKELY GET WORSE. AND, UH, SO ANYWAYS, UM, I SPENT A LOT OF TIME AND AS WELL AS MY COLLEAGUES TRYING TO, TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO APPROACH THIS. UM, YOU KNOW, THE, THE 10% HEALTHCARE CAP THAT WE OFFERED, THAT'S, THAT'S ONE POINT. WELL, $1.4 MILLION A YEAR. UH, IT'S NOT, IT'S NOT $20. I MEAN, I KNOW EACH PERSON THAT'S $20 TO THEM MAYBE. BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, IT'S A SIGNIFICANT PERCENT OF OUR BUDGET. AND SO WE'RE, WE'RE WORKING ON, ON, ON, YOU KNOW, UM, UH, NEGOTIATIONS. UH, AND AS BEST WE CAN, WE CAN'T TALK A LOT 'CAUSE WE'RE IN ACTIVE NEGOTIATIONS, BUT I JUST WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT, UH, YOUR WORDS WEREN'T WASTED ON ME. I'M DOING MY BEST. I FEEL LIKE MY COLLEAGUES ARE DOING THE SAME. AND, UM, UH, AND SO HOPEFULLY, UH, WE HAVE A RESOLUTION SOON, AND THANK YOU TO THE CHAIR FOR MAKING COMMENTS AND KIND OF EXPLAINING, UH, TO FOLKS, UH, A SECOND SIDE OF THE, OF THE, OF THE COIN, RIGHT? THERE'S, THERE'S ALWAYS TWO SIDES. AND, AND I, I THINK THAT MADE ME FEEL BETTER THAT WE'RE BEING, YOU KNOW, DILIGENT ON OUR SIDE. SO THANK YOU SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL. THANK YOU, CHAIR. UM, YEAH, I JUST WANNA SAY THAT, UM, WHAT YOU SAID IS, I BACK YOU ON THAT 100%. UM, A LOT OF SLEEPLESS NIGHTS. I THINK YOU AND I WERE TALKING ABOUT IT YESTERDAY, MR. CHAIR, UM, TRYING TO FIGURE THIS OUT. UM, I'M MORE WORRIED ABOUT FURLOUGHS AND LAYOFFS IN THE FUTURE. AND WE'RE SITTING HERE ARGUING OVER RAISES AND INCREASES FOR HEALTHCARE. UM, I'M VERY THANKFUL FOR THE, UM, UNITS WHO DID AGREE TO THIS MOVING FORWARD. UM, UH, I THINK YOU REPRESENTED THE NUMBERS WELL, MR. CHAIR, UM, AND I'LL JUST GO AHEAD AND MOVE ON. I DO WANT TO ADJOURN IN HONOR OF MICHAEL D. ANDERSON JR. THIS IS SOMETHING I DO EVERY YEAR AT THIS TIME. I SAID UP HERE TODAY BECAUSE OF HIM, HE'S THE SON OF MY BEST FRIEND. [01:25:01] HE WAS KILLED DECEMBER 14TH, 2004 IN THE BATTLE OF FALLUJAH IN IRAQ. HE KICKED DOWN A DOOR AND WAS SHOT SQUARE IN THE HEAD BY THE BAD GUYS. HIS FATHER, ALONG WITH CONGRESSMAN DENIM, HE WAS THE STATE SENATOR AT THE TIME, LED THE CHARGE FOR THE GOLD STAR LICENSE PLATES. THAT'S HOW I GOT INVOLVED IN POLITICS, WORKING ON THEIR BEHALF. RIGHT NOW, GOLD STAR FAMILY DOES NOT HAVE TO PAY FOR THEIR LICENSE PLATES GOING FORWARD BECAUSE OF THE EFFORTS WE MADE IN FUNDRAISING TO BUILD A TRUST, SO THEY WOULD NOT HAVE TO PAY FOR THEIR LICENSE GOING ON. SO ANYTIME YOU SEE A GOLD STAR LICENSE PLATE, YOU CAN SEE THE GOLD STAR REPRESENTED ON THAT PLATE. GO UP AND ASK 'EM ABOUT THEIR CHILD. THEY JUST WANT TO TALK ABOUT 'EM. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. THANK YOU. SUPERVISOR MCCAN. SUPERVISOR PETSO. THANK YOU. UM, I, I TOO WANNA SAY THANK YOU, CHAIR FOR YOUR COMMENTS. UM, I THINK YOU PUT THEM, UM, VERY ELOQUENT. UM, I ALSO WANT TO ECHO SOMETHING THAT, UM, MY COLLEAGUE, SUPERVISOR PEREIRA SAID IN THE FACT THAT, YOU KNOW, I RECOGNIZE, AND I DO WANT TO THANK EVERYBODY FOR COMING OUT. I REALLY DO. IT MEANS A LOT TO ME. AND THE UNFORTUNATE THING IS, YOU KNOW, WE, WE TURNED OVER EVERY STONE. WE LOOKED FOR EVERYTHING THAT WE COULD DO TO TRY AND DO SOMETHING, TO COME UP WITH SOME SORT OF, UH, SOME, SOMETHING TO EASE SOME OF THE BRUNT OF THIS. AND I CAN ASSURE YOU THAT WE WORKED REALLY HARD. I MEAN, A LOT OF, A LOT OF HOURS. AND IT WASN'T JUST IN THE OFFICE. IT WAS A LOT OF, LIKE SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL SAID, SLEEPLESS NIGHTS, JUST THINKING CONSTANTLY, WHAT CAN WE DO? WHAT CAN WE DO? WHAT CAN WE DO? AND I CAN ASSURE YOU THAT THERE'S NOT A DAY THAT I DON'T GO INTO MY OFFICE KNOWING THE IMPACT THAT THE DECISIONS THAT WE MAKE UP HERE HAVE HAD ON YOU. AND I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT ISN'T LOST ON ME, AND THAT'S WHY, AND I RECOGNIZE THE FACT THAT YOU ALL WORK REALLY HARD FOR MERCED COUNTY. I BELIEVE WE HAVE THE BEST EMPLOYEES IN, IN THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA. YOU ALL COME INTO WORK EVERY DAY. YOU DO YOUR JOB AS HARD AS YOU CAN. AND UNFORTUNATELY, YOU KNOW, IF THERE'S JUST NOT ENOUGH TO GIVE TO EVERYBODY, AND I WISH WE REALLY DID HAVE IT. I, I TRULY DID. BUT WE ALSO HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE COUNTY. AND SO I THINK THAT, UM, AND I, I HOPE THAT AS WE CONTINUE DOWN THIS PATH, THAT WE START TO LOOK AT DIFFERENT WAYS OF DOING THINGS. AND WE CAN REALLY START TO QUESTION SOME OF THE THINGS AND, AND FIND SOMETHING ELSE. BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY WE HAVE TO LOOK AT AND THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX. AND I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE COMMITTED TO DOING RIGHT NOW. AND I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT. 'CAUSE WE DESERVE, WE, OUR EMPLOYEES DESERVE IT. AND, AND FOR THAT, AGAIN, IT'S NOT, IT'S NOT LOST ON ME WHAT YOU GUYS ARE SAYING, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE WILL TELL US, YOU GUYS DON'T CARE ABOUT US. YOU'RE NOT LISTENING TO US. TRUST ME, WE ARE. I AM. I, IT'S, IT, IT EVERY SINGLE DAY. UM, YOUR WORK REALLY MEANS A LOT TO ME. SO I JUST WANNA THANK THE EMPLOYEES FOR THAT. UM, I ALSO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE A COUPLE PEOPLE TODAY. UM, TODAY WE HAVE A, UM, AT THE END OF THE MONTH, TWO OF OUR LONG, LONG-TERM EMPLOYEES ARE, UH, RETIRING. AND SINCE WE, UM, CELEBRATED SOME SERVICE TODAY, I WANT TO REC ACKNOWLEDGE, UH, AL GRAY, UM, WHO'S BEEN WITH THE COUNTY, UH, FOR 30 YEARS. HE WAS A VETERAN OF THE AIR FORCE. UM, AND WHEN HIS DEPARTMENT HAD TEXTED ME, HE GOES, HEY, HE'S RETIRING AFTER 30 YEARS. IT'S ALMOST LIKE AS LONG AS WE'VE BEEN ALIVE, WHICH IS, DON'T LET THE HAIRLINE FOOL YOU. IT'S ABOUT THAT. I'M NOT THAT OLD. BUT, UM, IT'S TRUE. I MEAN, 30 YEARS AT A PLACE IS SOMETHING INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT. UM, A TRUE ASSET TO THE DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY HAS A ENCYCLOPEDIC KNOWLEDGE OF HOW THE COUNTY HAS GROWN AND CHANGED OVER THE LAST THREE DECADES. AND HE CARES ABOUT HELPING PEOPLE AND HIS TEAMMATES, UH, REALLY LIKE HIM. SO CONGRATULATIONS ON RETIREMENT. AND THEN ALSO, DANA FEL, UH, OUR PUBLIC WORK DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR IS RETIRING AT THE END OF THIS MONTH. DANA IS, UM, SOMEONE THAT HAS A MILLION DIFFERENT THINGS GOING ON ALL AT ONE TIME. AND IT'S NOT A LOSS ON ME, THE FACT THAT HE'S GOT FIVE PEOPLE UP HERE WHO ARE CALLING HIM IN DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS ALL THE TIME. UM, AND HE'S DRIVING OUT TO LOOK AT DIFFERENT ROADS AND, YOU KNOW, LIGHTS AND, AND EVERYTHING. AND SO, UM, HE'S GONNA BE MISSED, BUT HE'S TAKE NATHAN'S GONNA DO A GOOD JOB FOR HIM. UM, I JUST WANNA MENTION A COUPLE OTHER THINGS TOO. LAST NIGHT I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO THE SOUTH MERCED WALKING TOUR, UH, WITH A GROUP OF, UH, CONCERNED CITIZENS. A LOT OF IT WAS MORE THE CITY ASPECT OF IT, BUT THERE IS SOME OF THOSE COUNTY POCKETS, WHICH WAS INTERESTING TO SEE. AND THEN, UM, THIS WEEK, PAST WEEKEND, THERE WAS [01:30:01] A ANOTHER CHRISTMAS EVENT. YOU KNOW, I WAS TELLING SOMEBODY THAT MERC SAID, UH, THE CITY AND COUNTY REALLY DO MERCED OR CHRISTMAS THE RIGHT WAY. I MEAN, LOTS OF CELEBRATIONS, AND IT'S REALLY COOL TO SEE ALL THE KIDS AND PEOPLE OUT THERE. BUT THIS ONE WAS BUSINESSES GIVE BACK. MAIN STREET WAS CLOSED. THEY WERE GIVEN FREE HAIRCUTS, CLOTHES, UM, UC, MERCED WAS GIVING OUT FREE FOOD. IT WAS REALLY COOL. UM, FINALLY, ONE MORE WEEK, LAST WEEKEND TO SEE ELF. YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO THIS, I'M NOT GONNA MENTION IT UP AGAIN, BUT MY SON DOES A REALLY GOOD JOB AND THE ENTIRE CAST DOES. AND THEN, UH, I WANT TO END WITH MERRY CHRISTMAS, HAPPY HOLIDAYS, AND, UM, WE'LL SEE YOU IN 24. THANK YOU, SUPERVISOR JOSEPH, SUPERVISOR ESPINOZA. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. WELL, I JUST WANNA SAY, UM, I KNOW IT'S VERY HARD FOR ANY EMPLOYEE, ALL THE EMPLOYEES TO STAND UP IN FRONT OF US AND ASK FOR RACES, AND, AND IT'S SO, UM, DISHEARTENING TO, TO, UH, TO, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, LISTEN TO THE COMMENTS, BUT I UNDERSTAND YOUR COMMENTS AND, UH, YOU KNOW, I JUST WANNA SAY, YOU KNOW, WE'RE DOING OUR BEST. I'M DOING YOUR BEST TO, YOU KNOW, REPRESENT YOU AND, UH, LOOK AT ALL THE NUMBERS THAT WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, IN THE BUDGET AND, UH, TO, TO SUPPORT YOU AS MUCH AS I CAN. BUT I DO CARE. UM, I KNOW IT DOESN'T FEEL THAT WAY, YOU KNOW, WITH, UH, LIKE I SAID, I, WE HAVE TO WORK AS A FULL BOARD AND, AND, AND TO THIS AND DECIDE, UH, AS, AS A WHOLE COUNTY, UH, WHAT WILL BE THE BEST TO MOVE FORWARD. BUT IT CERTAINLY, IT IS, UH, LIKE I SAID, IT, IT'S, IT IS VERY HARD. AND, YOU KNOW, LIKE I SAID, I'M WITH YOU. UM, LAST FRIDAY I ATTENDED A LIVINGSTONE CHRISTMAS PARADE. AND, UH, IT WAS VERY NICE PARADE THROUGHOUT, THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY. I KNOW THERE WAS GONNA BE ANOTHER, UH, UH, PARADE IN, UH, COMMUNITY OF PLANA THIS SATURDAY, THE 16TH AT 6:00 PM IF ANYBODY WANTS TO, UH, COME IN AND, AND, UH, HAVE SOME HOT COCOA OR, UH, COOKIES OR, YOU KNOW, SOME MEXICAN BREAD, I, I'M PRETTY SURE THERE'LL BE SOME THERE. UM, I WANT TO CLOSE, UH, THIS MEETING IN MEMORY OF LUPITA HERNANDEZ WIGGINS, UH, THE MOTHER OF RITA RODRIGUEZ. I'M, I'M A MUSICAL BACHELOR COMMITTEE THERE. UM, SO SHE WAS VERY, UH, UH, WONDERFUL LADY. SHE WAS RAISED IN MERCED COUNTY AND WAS 87 YEARS OLD. AND ALSO, I WANNA WISH EVERYBODY MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, SUPERVISOR ZA, COUNCIL HANSSEN, ANYTHING CEO MENDEZ. YES. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. UH, JUST A COUPLE COMMENTS, UH, THIS MORNING. YES, STILL MORNING. UH, CERTAINLY WANTED TO WISH EVERYONE A MERRY CHRISTMAS, HAPPY HOLIDAYS, UH, WANTED TO EXTEND OUR APPRECIATION FOR THIS BOARD, UH, FOR YOUR STEADY LEADERSHIP OVER WHAT STARTED OFF AS A REALLY TRYING YEAR, UH, WITH THE FLOOD, UH, EVENTS OF 2023. UH, AND ALTHOUGH THERE'S BEEN, UH, MANY OF, MANY BIG WINS THROUGHOUT 2023, WE, WE'VE ALSO HAD SOME CHALLENGES, UH, DURING TRYING TIMES. IT'S WHEN YOUR LEADERSHIP IS TESTED, AND I THINK THIS BOARD HAS DONE WELL. ALSO, WANTED TO EXTEND OUR APPRECIATION TO OUR DEPARTMENT HEADS. UH, YOU KNOW, WE'RE ALL ONE TEAM. UH, WE ALL ARE PUBLIC SERVANTS. IT'S AN IMPORTANT RESPONSIBILITY THAT WE ALL HAVE. WE'RE COMMITTED TO WORKING TOGETHER FOR THE BENEFIT OF MERCED COUNTY, THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY. AND THAT'S, UM, SOMETHING THAT I'M, UH, FOCUSED ON AS WE CLOSE OUT THIS YEAR, STILL HAVE SOME OBVIOUSLY, WORK TO DO IN 2023 IN THE LAST FEW WEEKS TO FINISH STRONG. BUT ALSO AS WE PREPARE FOR 2024 ECHOING, UH, THE COMMENTS BY SUPERVISOR PEDROSO. I DID ALSO WANT TO RECOGNIZE OUR OUTGOING, UH, DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORK WROTE ROAD COMMISSIONER DANA FELDER, IN TRUE DANA FASHION, HE'S BEEN MISSING IN ACTION, UH, FOR ANY, UH, MEETINGS WHERE HE CAN BE RECOGNIZED. BUT, UH, I, I KNOW HE'S PROBABLY LISTENING SOMEWHERE. AND, UH, JUST WANTED TO, YOU KNOW, SPEND A FEW MINUTES TO, OR A FEW SECONDS THANKING HIM FOR HIS SERVICE. HE'S HAD AN AMAZING CAREER WITH MERCED COUNTY AND REALLY, UH, AN AMAZING PUBLIC SERVICE CAREER. UM, DANA HAS A DISTINCTION OF WORKING WITH, UH, TWO MENDEZ BROTHERS. UH, HE WORKED WITH MY BROTHER RENEE, THE OLDEST, UH, WHEN HE WAS AN INDIO COUNTY COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR THERE. UH, I THINK HE'S CLOSING OUT HIS CAREER, WORKING WITH THE YOUNGEST. SO THE BOOK ANSWERS FIVE OF US, AS MOST OF YOU KNOW, UH, JUST REALLY HAVE APPRECIATED DANA'S QUIET DEMEANOR. UM, OBVIOUSLY HIS EXPERTISE AND EXPERIENCE, AND HE WILL BE MISSED. UH, AND TO OUR REST OF OUR DEPARTMENT, HEADS IN THE AUDIENCE AND THOSE THAT ARE OUTSIDE, JUST APPRECIATE YOU ALL. UH, HAVE A GREAT, UH, CHRISTMAS, HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO YOU ALL, AND THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. THANK YOU, MR. MENDEZ. ALRIGHT, I GOT A FEW THINGS. ONE, I DID WANNA JUST ACKNOWLEDGE DANA'S RETIREMENT. HIS LAST DAY, I BELIEVE IS DECEMBER 31ST. AND NATHAN STARTS ON THE FIRST. UM, YOU [01:35:01] KNOW, OBVIOUSLY DANA IS THE ONLY, UH, DPW DIRECTOR THAT I'VE KNOWN IN THIS SINCE I'VE BEEN IN THIS ROLE THAT JUST, HE'S A TREMENDOUS ASSET. HIS, HIS WEALTH OF KNOWLEDGE, UM, IS, IS REALLY GREAT, A BIG DEPARTMENT THAT, THAT TOUCHES A LOT OF THE ISSUES THAT MY BOSSES CALLED ME ABOUT. AND SO, FROM DAY ONE, REGULAR COMMUNICATION WITH DANA PR, APPRECIATE HIS PROFESSIONALISM AND, AND HIS YEARS OF SERVICE TO MERCED COUNTY. AND I WISH HIM ALL THE BEST IN RETIREMENT. AND KNOWING THAT, THAT WE'VE SELECTED MR. BRAY TO REPLACE HIM, BIG SHOES TO FILL AND, AND, AND NOW KIND OF STARTING WITH, WITH HAVING TO GET SOME NEW PEOPLE IN THERE IS, IS YOU ARE THE CURRENT DEPUTY OR ASSISTANT, AND NOW YOU'RE GONNA BE THE DIRECTOR. SO THEN YOUR SPOT'S GONNA BE OPEN AND, AND A RECENT, UM, OPENING IN ANOTHER SPOT. SO KNOWING THAT, THAT YOU HAVE SOME WORK TO DO TO, TO GET THOSE SPOTS FILLED. BUT, UM, I KNOW THAT YOU'RE UP FOR THE CHALLENGE. UM, I WANT TO THANK, UH, CHIEF PIMAN TAIL AND ALL MY FRIENDS IN THE FIRE DEPARTMENT FOR, UM, REALLY JUST MAKING IT EASY. CAME OUT OF MEETINGS OVER HERE IN MERCED AND MADE IT RIGHT TO DOSS PALACE ON TIME, JUMPED ON THE FIRETRUCK, AND WAS ABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE DOSS PALACE, UM, CHRISTMAS PARADE. AND I WILL TELL YOU, UM, I'VE BEEN DOING IT FOR A FEW YEARS NOW BY FAR THE BIGGEST TURNOUT THAT I HAVE SEEN. UM, JUST REALLY GREAT COMMUNITY EVENT. AND THEY LET ME PLAY WITH THE PA SYSTEM ON THE FIRETRUCK. AND I ALWAYS ENJOY AS WE GO THROUGH THE PARADE ROUTE, JUST CALLING PEOPLE OUT, I KNOW BY NAME AND WISHING 'EM A MERRY CHRISTMAS, AND THEY GET A BIG, UH, BIG SMILE ON THEIR FACE FROM THAT. SO, THANK YOU AGAIN TO MY FRIENDS FROM THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. UM, JUST TO KIND OF TALK ABOUT WHERE, WHERE I, I THINK THAT WE'RE HEADING FINANCIALLY. YOU KNOW, YOU GUYS HAVE HEARD ME SAY THAT IN THIS COUNTY, I ALWAYS FELT LIKE WE'RE HEALTHY, WE'RE NOT WEALTHY. AND, AND I COULD TELL YOU THAT MY, MY OUTLOOK ON THAT'S A LITTLE BIT LESS TODAY THAN IT, THAN IT WAS BEFORE. I'M NOT GONNA GO AS FAR AS TO SAY IS THAT WE'RE UNHEALTHY. BUT WHEN YOU LOOK AT, WHEN YOU TRY TO, AS AN ELECTED OFFICIAL WHO DOESN'T CLAIM TO BE AN ECONOMIST BY ANY MEANS, YOU TRY TO LOOK AT THINGS THAT, THAT GIVE YOU REAL TIME INDICATORS AS AS WHAT ARE OUR, WHAT ARE OUR REVENUES LOOKING LIKE? TYPICALLY, THE FIRST PLACE THAT YOU'RE GONNA GO TO IS YOUR SALES TAX REVENUES. PROPERTY TAXES TEND TO LAG BEHIND THE PROPERTY TAXES THAT YOU'RE PAYING TODAY. THAT NUMBER WAS SET IN JANUARY OF 2023, AND THEN THE BILLS ARE CREATED, AND YOU CAN PAY THEM ALL IN DECEMBER, NOVEMBER, DECEMBER, OR YOU CAN SPLIT IT UP INTO TWO INSTALLMENTS AND PAY THE OTHER HALF IN MARCH OR APRIL. SO THAT LAGS BEHIND A LITTLE BIT. SO YOU LOOK AT YOUR SALES TAX REVENUES, AND, AND I KNOW THAT IT'S NOT EVERY MONTH, BUT IF YOU TAKE MONTH FROM THIS YEAR AND LOOK AT THE MONTH FROM LAST YEAR, THERE'S BEEN A FEW OCCASIONS ALREADY WHERE THAT NUMBER'S SMALLER THAN IT WAS THE PREVIOUS YEAR WHERE WE'VE BEEN ON THIS UPWARD TRAJECTORY WHERE EVERY MONTH IS GETTING A LITTLE BIT BETTER. WE'RE NOT, WE'RE NOT SEEING THAT. BUT SOMETHING THAT WAS JUST RECENTLY BROUGHT TO MY ATTENTION AS A REAL TIME INDICATOR THAT I NEVER THOUGHT OF BEFORE. AND, UM, WAS TALKING TO A GENTLEMAN THE OTHER DAY AND, AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT HE SAID TO ME IS HE SAID, IF YOU REALLY WANT TO KIND OF LOOK AT IT JUST A QUICK, THERE'S NO REAL SCIENCE BEHIND IT, BUT INDICATOR THE HEALTH OF YOUR ECONOMY IS GO LOOK AT THE AMOUNT OF TRASH THAT'S GOING INTO YOUR LANDFILL. AND SO WHEN YOU THINK OF IT FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF WHEN YOU BUY MORE STUFF, YOU THROW MORE STUFF AWAY. WHEN YOU'RE BUYING LESS STUFF, YOU HAVE LESS STUFF TO THROW AWAY. AND, AND THESE NUMBERS AREN'T DRASTIC. IT ISN'T LIKE WE'RE DOWN BY 50%, BUT NUMBERS THAT HAVE BEEN BEEN TRENDING UPWARDS HAVE NOW PLATEAUED, AND IN SOME CASES ARE STARTING TO DECREASE. SO THERE'S ONE INDICATOR OF HOW YOUR ECONOMY IS DOING AND THE HEALTHIER ECONOMY. THE SECOND THING THAT THEY BROUGHT TO MY ATTENTION IS, IS RIDERSHIP ON OUR PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION. I, I KNOW SUPERVISOR PEREIRA AND I HAVE HAD CONVERSATIONS, YOU SEE THIS BIG BUS GOING BY AND THERE'S ONE PERSON ON IT, AND, AND YOU THINK ABOUT THE AMOUNT OF MONEY PER HOUR IT COSTS TO, TO RUN THAT BUS. BUT WHAT YOU'RE STARTING TO SEE NOW IS AN UPTICK IN, IN RIDERSHIP ON PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION. AND SO YOU ASK YOURSELF WHY? WELL, JUST THINK ABOUT HOW THE ECONOMY IS GOING RIGHT NOW. IF YOUR, IF YOUR POWER BILL COSTS MORE, YOUR RENT'S COSTING MORE, THE PRICE OF YOUR FOOD'S COSTING MORE, EVERYTHING YOU DO IS COSTING MORE. YOU HAVE LESS DISPOSABLE INCOME. WELL NOW YOUR CAR BREAKS DOWN AND, AND YOU HAVE SOME PLACE YOU HAVE TO BE, WELL, YOU'RE LOOKING AT IT FOR ANY MEANS NECESSARY TO GET THERE. SO IT'S FORCING SOME FOLKS THAT DON'T HAVE ANOTHER OPTION TO GO AND START RIDING PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION. AND, AND I HOPE AND PRAY THAT I'M WRONG. I HOPE THAT THAT THINGS TURN AROUND AND, AND, AND REVENUES COME BACK UP. BUT I DON'T, I DON'T WANNA BE JUST KIND OF, YOU KNOW, DOOM AND GLOOM UP HERE. BUT THESE ARE THE THINGS THAT LITERALLY MAKE ME SLEEP LESS AT NIGHT. WHEN I, WHEN I, WHEN I TRY TO GO TO SLEEP, MY BRAIN DOESN'T WANNA SHUT OFF. I THINK ABOUT THESE THINGS BECAUSE WHERE I'M GOING WITH ALL THIS IS I GENUINELY DO CARE. AND I KNOW THAT FOLKS COME UP HERE AND, AND, AND I APPRECIATE THEM. IT TAKES A LOT TO BE ABLE TO COME AND STAND UP THERE IN FRONT OF US. I KNOW FOLKS ARE TAKING TIME OFF OF WORK. I, I, I, I REALLY DO APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT THEY'RE WILLING TO COME AND LET US HEAR FROM THEM. BUT I DO GENUINELY CARE FOR OUR EMPLOYEES. I DO. IF, IF I HAD THE PROVERBIAL MONEY TREE THAT I AM STILL LOOKING FOR, THAT SUPERVISOR O'BANION WAS SUPPOSED TO LEAVE ME, I'D BE WILLING TO PAY YOU A WHOLE [01:40:01] LOT MORE. BUT WE'RE ALL LIMITED BY, BY, BY THE FINANCIAL RESOURCES THAT COME INTO OUR COUNTY. AND I KNOW THAT WE GET COMPARED TO OTHER COUNTIES, BUT I'M JUST GOING TO HATE TO BE THE, THE BARE BAD NEWS. AGAIN, WE'RE NOT AS WEALTHY AS STANISLAUS COUNTY. WE DON'T HAVE THE RESOURCES THAT THEY DO. THEY'RE A BIGGER COUNTY. THEY HAVE A BIGGER TAX BASE, THEY GENERATE MORE REVENUES. A COUNTY LIKE MADERA TO THE SOUTH OF US MAYBE DOESN'T HAVE AS MANY RESOURCES, BUT THEY HAVE DIFFERENT TOOLS IN THEIR TOOL BACK THAN WE HAVE. I I DO FIRMLY BELIEVE THAT, THAT HAVING CHUKCHANSI CASINO IN, IN THEIR DISTRICT, THAT THAT, THAT BRINGS ADDITIONAL RESOURCES IN THEIR DISTRICT THAT WE DON'T HAVE HERE. SO I MEAN, WE'RE, WE'RE, I FEEL LIKE WE'RE DOING OUR BEST. AND, AND YOU KNOW, IF I COULD GIVE MORE, I WOULD GIVE MORE. BUT, BUT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I'VE ALWAYS STOOD BY. I I WOULD RATHER THAT YOU BE UPSET WITH ME A LITTLE BIT LONGER AND WE GIVE YOU SOMETHING THAT I'M, THAT I'M COMFORTABLE THAT WE CAN SUSTAIN MOVING FORWARD VERSUS PROMISING YOU PIE IN THE SKY TODAY AND THEN HAVING TO COME BACK NEXT YEAR AND SAY, NO, NOW WE NEED TO TAKE IT BACK. OR NOW WE NEED TO LAY PEOPLE OFF OR, AND, AND THESE ARE THE REAL CONVERSATIONS THAT ARE GOING ON NOW. WE'VE BEEN ON THIS UPWARD TRAJECTORY FOR, FOR QUITE A FEW YEARS NOW. AND THEN THE PANDEMIC HAPPENED AND YOU HAD UNPRECEDENTED AMOUNTS OF MONEY THAT FLOWED IN FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT THAT BOOSTED UP THIS ECONOMY. AND NOW WE'RE KIND OF PAYING THE PIPER. IT, IT, IT'S, IT'S ON A DOWNWARD TREND. AND I'M CONCERNED, I'M CONCERNED FOR OUR, OUR COUNTY, I'M CONCERNED FOR OUR RESIDENTS BECAUSE THEY'RE FEELING THE PINCH EVERY DAY. AND THE SERVICES THAT WE PROVIDE THEM ARE, IT'S GETTING TIGHTER AND TIGHTER AS, AS A, AS A CONSTITUTIONAL OFFICER OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA, AND I EXPLAINED EARLIER OF THE $1 BILLION PLUS BUDGET, HOW MUCH OF THAT MONEY COMES FROM FEDERAL AND STATE PROGRAMS AS THEY TIGHTEN THEIR BELT, THEY GIVE US LESS MONEY. WHAT ARE WE STUCK DOING? YOU KNOW, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT PRINTS MONEY. THE STATE GOVERNMENT LIKES TO PLAY THE SHELL GAME WITH MONEY COUNTIES AND CITIES ARE STUFF STUCK LEFT PICKING UP THE PIECES ON HOW WE'RE GONNA MAKE IT WORK. AND SO THIS GOES INTO WHY I WANT TO SAY A BIG THANK YOU TO, TO ALL OF OUR FOLKS, ALL OF OUR DEPARTMENT HEADS, THE FOLKS IN OUR HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AND RECOVERY SERVICES, PUBLIC HEALTH, THOSE DEPARTMENTS ARE SO RELIANT ON, ON STATE AND FEDERAL FUNDING. AND, AND THOSE, THOSE DEPARTMENT HEADS AND THOSE ASSISTANT DEPARTMENT HEADS ARE THE ONES THAT ARE TASKED ON TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW ARE WE GONNA MAKE THESE DOLLARS STRETCH SO THAT WE CAN PROVIDE THOSE SERVICES TO THOSE THE MOST, MOST VULNERABLE AMONG US. SO A BIG THANK YOU TO YOU ALL. I WANNA WISH YOU ALL A MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR. UM, LISTEN, I KNOW THAT WE'RE UP FOR THE FIGHT. IT'S NOT GONNA BE EASY. WE'RE STRUGGLING. YOU KNOW, I THINK WE'RE, WE'RE IN A FI A LITTLE BIT OF A FINANCIAL STRUGGLE IN GOING INTO THIS NEXT YEAR, BUT I FEEL LIKE THIS BOARD, OUR CEO'S OFFICE AND STAFF ARE COMMITTED TO TRYING TO FIND THE BEST SOLUTIONS POSSIBLE. I KNOW THAT IT'S NOT ALWAYS GONNA MAKE EVERYBODY HAPPY, BUT KNOW THAT WE'RE, WE ARE DOING OUR ABSOLUTE BEST. UM, AND THEN LAST BUT CERTAINLY NOT LEAST, I JUST WANT TO THANK, UM, CAESAR AND LIONEL AND MIKE NORTH. OUR CLERKS, THERE WAS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, THIS WAS SUPPOSED TO BE A NIGHT MEETING, AND BECAUSE OF LOGISTICAL CHALLENGES, WE KIND OF CHANGED IT TO A DAY MEETING. UH, THE MUSEUM HAD A DINNER HERE LAST NIGHT, SO THEY HAD TO DO A QUICK TURNAROUND SO THAT WE CAN BE ABLE TO BROADCAST THESE MEETINGS TO THE PUBLIC. WE CAN SET UP ALL THESE MICROPHONES. SO THERE WAS A LOT OF TREMENDOUS WORK THAT WENT INTO, IN A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME AND ABLE FOR US TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE THIS MEETING AND, AND KIND OF HONOR THIS TRADITION THAT WE'VE STARTED OF, OF FINISHING OUT OUR YEAR HERE IN THE HISTORICAL COURTHOUSE MUSEUM. SO WITH THAT, THAT CONCLUDES THE SUPPORT OF SUPERVISORS MEETING FOR DECEMBER 12TH, 2023. OUR NEXT [POSSIBLE DIRECTION FOR FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS] REGULARLY SCHEDULED BOARD OF SUPERVISORS MEETING WILL BE HELD ON TUESDAY, JANUARY 9TH, 2024 AT 10:00 AM BACK IN THE BOARD CHAMBERS IN THE ADMINISTRATION BUILDING ACROSS THE STREET. HAVE A WONDERFUL AND SAFE HOLIDAY SEASON. THANK YOU. ALL RISE. * This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.