Jan 23, 2024 Board Meeting

[00:00:01]

I THINK WE'RE HERE.

[CALL TO ORDER]

GOOD MORNING. AND WELCOME BACK TO THE JANUARY 23RD, 2024 MEETING OF THE MERCED COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS.

THIS MORNING, WE HAD A CLOSED SESSION MEETING AS BOTH OF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISOR AND ACTING AS AN AS THE IN-HOME SUPPORT SERVICES PUBLIC AUTHORITY GOVERNING BOARD STAFF WAS GIVEN DIRECTION REGARDING ALL CLOSED SESSION ITEMS. WE WILL NOW START WITH THE INVOCATION LED BY VICKI HUMBLE, FROM WHOM OUR HELPING HANDS AND THEN SUPERVISOR PAREIRA WILL LEAD US WITH THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.

IF WE CAN PLEASE STAND.

[THE PUBLIC WILL BE PROVIDED AN OPPORTUNITY TO COMMENT ON ANY MATTER TO BE CONSIDERED IN CLOSED SESSION PRIOR TO THE BOARD ADJOURNING INTO THE CLOSED SESSION (TESTIMONY LIMITED TO THREE MINUTES PER PERSON)]

GOD, I PRAY FOR WISDOM FOR THE SUPERVISORS.

I PRAY FOR STRENGTH FOR THEM.

I PRAY FOR COURAGE.

I ASK YOU, LORD, FOR YOUR DIVINE INTERVENTION IN THIS MEETING TODAY.

GOD, I JUST PRAY PEACE OVER THESE SITUATIONS THAT WE'RE FACING RIGHT NOW GOD AND LORD, WE LOOK TO YOU FOR ANSWERS AND GOD, I THANK YOU RIGHT NOW FOR YOUR TOUCH ON THIS MEETING. I THANK YOU, GOD, FOR WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO DO, AND I JUST THANK YOU FOR MERCED COUNTY, AND I JUST ASK YOU, IN JESUS NAME, GOD, TO CONTINUE TO POUR OUT YOUR SPIRIT ALL DAY ON THIS MEETING.

IN THE NAME OF JESUS, AMEN.

AMEN. YOU READY? ALLEGIANCE] THANK YOU.

NON AGENDA ITEM AND PUBLIC COMMENT.

AT THIS TIME I WILL OPEN UP PUBLIC COMMENT AGAIN.

THIS IS FOR NON AGENDA ITEMS ONLY.

IT'S 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 IS LIMITED TO THREE MINUTES PER PERSON AND 30 MINUTES TOTAL.

GOOD MORNING. THANK YOU BOARD, CHAIR.

TO GIVE YOU AN UPDATE, AS WE ALL KNOW THAT THE ISSUES ARE STILL CLIMBING AT THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE BETWEEN CORRECTIONS AND OPERATIONS.

AS OF TODAY, I'M PROBABLY OVER 50 PERSONNEL DOWN BETWEEN THE TWO BUREAUS.

AN EXAMPLE, PROBABLY THREE WEEKS AGO IN THE WINTON AREA, WE GET A CALL FROM HSA OUT AT THEIR MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES IN WINTON.

ONE OF THEIR CLINICIANS DIDN'T SHOW UP.

DON'T KNOW THE REASON WHY, BUT THEY HAD A PATIENT THERE, STARTED TO ATTEMPT SUICIDE.

I WAS THE ONE CLOSEST TO THE AREA AND I RESPONDED, TOOK CARE OF THE SITUATION.

BUT THE LADY THAT WAS STANDING THERE MADE A COMMENT, WHICH WAS KIND OF DISTURBING.

THEY DIDN'T HAVE A BACK UP PLAN.

THE CLINICIAN DIDN'T SHOW UP AND THEY SAY, WE JUST CALL THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE.

AND ONCE AGAIN, THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE IS LEFT TO TAKE CARE OF BUSINESS WHEN IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN, THEY SHOULD HAVE A CONTINGENCY PLAN, FOLKS, I BEGGED, I PLEADED, I DON'T KNOW WHAT ELSE TO DO, BUT I'M GOING TO START RATCHETING IT UP.

I DON'T KNOW WHAT ELSE TO DO.

WE'VE GOT PEOPLE THAT ARE RIGHT NOW IN BACKGROUNDS WITH OTHER AGENCIES, AND I REALIZE THAT THIS BOARD APPROVED A 8%.

I EXPLAINED WHAT IT WAS GOING TO TAKE TO KEEP THE FOLKS, AND I MEANT IT BECAUSE IT'S TRUE.

YOU'VE GOT TO START THINKING ABOUT THIS.

WE'RE RUNNING OUT OF PEOPLE, AND IT SHOULDN'T BE THE SHERIFF GOING OUT.

LIEUTENANT, YESTERDAY WE WERE OUT ON AN ARMED CARJACKING FROM A AMAZON TRUCK.

WE HAD A SERGEANT, THE BEAT DEPUTY, ME AND A LIEUTENANT TRYING TO TRACK THIS DOWN BECAUSE WE HAD NOBODY LEFT.

SO YOU GUYS GOT TO START THINKING ABOUT WHAT WE'RE DOING AND HOW WE'RE GOING TO GET IT DONE.

LIKE I SAID, I PLAN ON COMING BACK, SO PLEASE, I DON'T KNOW.

IT'S LIKE I'M BARKING UP THIS TREE AND IT AIN'T HAPPENING.

SO FOLKS, IT'S IN YOUR HANDS.

THANK YOU. ANY OTHER PUBLIC COMMENTS? GOOD MORNING, CHAIRMAN ESPINOSA AND THE BOARD, KRISTEN SANTOS HERE REPRESENTING THE OFFICE OF CONGRESSMAN JOHN DUARTE.

VERY RECENTLY, WE HAD AN EXTREMELY IMPORTANT VOTE IN THE FLOOR OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

IT WAS FOR A CONTINUING RESOLUTION TO KEEP THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT OPEN.

CONGRESSMAN DUARTE DID VOTE FOR THAT CONTINUING RESOLUTION.

HE DID RELEASE A STATEMENT THAT OUR OFFICE WOULD LIKE TO READ TODAY.

SINCE ENTERING CONGRESS, I VOTED FOR EVERY CONTINUING RESOLUTION TO KEEP THE GOVERNMENT OPEN AND WORKING FOR THE FAMILIES IN MY DISTRICT.

IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE CONTINUE ADDRESSING OUR GOVERNMENT SPENDING PROBLEM, WHILE ALSO MAKING SURE WE MINIMIZE THE DISRUPTIONS TO THE CRUCIAL FEDERAL PROGRAMS THAT SO MANY OF MY CONSTITUENTS RELY ON.

WE HAVE TO MAKE BETTER SPENDING DECISIONS TO ENSURE WE DON'T BANKRUPT OUR COUNTRY'S FUTURE.

[00:05:01]

I ALSO HAVE ANOTHER ANNOUNCEMENT TO MAKE ON BEHALF OF OUR OFFICE.

WE WILL BE HOSTING OUR FIRST TOWN HALL OF 2024 HERE IN MERCED COUNTY.

WE HAD A WONDERFULLY ATTENDED TOWN HALL IN ATWATER ALMOST 150 PEOPLE BACK IN AUGUST, AND WE'LL BE HOSTING OUR NEXT TOWN HALL IN THE CITY OF MERCED.

IT'S GOING TO BE FOCUSED, PARTICULARLY IN THE HMONG COMMUNITY.

CONGRESSMAN DUARTE IS HONORED TO BE A CO-SPONSOR OF THE HMONG CONGRESSIONAL GOLD MEDAL ACT AND DID HIS CONGRESSIONAL RECORD FOR THE HMONG NEW YEAR.

BUT IT WILL BE HERE IN MERCED AT MERCED LAO FAMILY COMMUNITY, INC.

AT 1748 MILES COURT, SUITE D, AS IN DELTA, MERCED, CALIFORNIA 95348 ON THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 8TH, 2024 AT 6 P.M.. THERE'S GOING TO BE A RANGE OF TOPICS OF DISCUSSION SUCH AS IMMIGRATION, VETERANS BENEFITS, AGRICULTURE, WATER ISSUES, AND MORE.

OF COURSE, HE'S IRRELEVANT TO ALL CITIZENS AND CITIZENS OF MERCED COUNTY, NOT JUST THE HMONG COMMUNITY.

SO EVERYONE IS WELCOME.

BUT ACCESSIBILITY IS A POINT OF IMPORTANCE FOR OUR OFFICE.

SO I DO HAVE FLIERS AVAILABLE IN THE HMONG LANGUAGE, SPANISH LANGUAGE, AND WE WILL HAVE TRANSLATORS AVAILABLE FOR HMONG LANGUAGE AND SPANISH LANGUAGE CONSTITUENTS AS WELL.

WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU ALL.

AND I'LL BE LEAVING THESE INVITATIONS HERE AND HOPE TO SEE YOU ALL ON FEBRUARY 8TH.

SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. THANK YOU.

GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS DAVID RODRIGUEZ.

I RESIDE AT 8980 TOPEKA STREET AND PLANADA.

I AM HERE WITH THE DEEP CONCERNS ABOUT ITEM 18 UNDER THE COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ON THE AGENDA.

HOW WE MANAGE THE AMOUNT OF WATER WE HAVE IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT.

HAVING CLEAN WATER IS VITAL TO OUR INDIVIDUAL HEALTH AND THE NEEDS OF OUR ENVIRONMENT.

MERCED COUNTY IS STILL SEVERELY OVERDRAFTED WITH ITS BASIN.

THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF FRESH WATER FOUND ON EARTH MAKES UP AROUND 3% OF OUR WATER SUPPLY, 1% OF WHICH IS EASILY ACCESSIBLE.

WATER HAS BEEN THE OBJECT OF POLITICAL DISPUTE AND INDIVIDUAL AND CORPORATE ABUSE.

WATER IS A PRECIOUS COMMODITY THAT IS SLIPPING AWAY FROM US.

I'D LIKE TO READ, A QUOTE FROM BENJAMIN FRANKLIN.

WHEN THE WELLS RUN DRY, WE WOULD KNOW THE WORTH OF WATER.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.

THANK YOU SIR. I'LL JUST REMIND THE PUBLIC ON AGENDA ITEMS. WE HAD TO WAIT FOR THE, THAT ITEM.

THANK YOU. GOOD MORNING.

SUPERVISORS. MY NAME IS SHERILYN RAWLS, AND I'M HERE TO TALK ABOUT AN IMPORTANT ISSUE ON SEPTEMBER 28TH OF THIS YEAR. ONE OF MY PROPERTIES WAS BROKEN INTO, THE CHAINS WERE CUT OFF, AND OVERNIGHT, A LOAD OF FURNITURE WAS MOVED IN.

I GO THERE TO WORK THE NEXT DAY AND I MEET UP WITH THESE PEOPLE.

I TELL THEM THEY CAN'T BE THERE, NO, THEY'RE ALREADY THERE AND THEY'RE ALL THEIR STUFF IS ALREADY THERE.

SO I CALL THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT AND A DEPUTY GOES OUT AND HE TALKS WITH THESE NICE PEOPLE, AND HE CALLS ME AND TELLS ME TO COME OVER AND I GO OVER.

AND THEY HAVE DECIDED THAT THE BREAK IN PEOPLE GET TO STAY THERE.

THEY WANTED TO MOVE IN.

THEY GAVE ME AN APPLICATION THAT WAS FULL OF INCORRECT POINTS.

[CLOSED SESSION]

THEY HAD TO GIVE ME AN APPLICATION THAT HAD SOME TRUTH IN IT.

THEY HAD ALREADY PAID WITH THIS APPLICATION A PORTION OF THEIR DEPOSIT.

THE DEPUTY INFORMED ME BECAUSE THEY HAD PAID PART OF THEIR DEPOSIT, THEY GOT TO MOVE IN.

IT WAS JUST AN EARLY MOVE IN.

I SAID NO, THEY HAD NO PERMISSION TO MOVE IN.

SO I GO BACK TO THE PEOPLE THAT DO THE EVICTIONS.

I CALL THEM THE MARSHAL SERVICE IN ROOM 15.

I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU GUYS CALL THEM.

AND THEY SAID, NO, PEOPLE CAN'T BE IN THERE.

THERE IS A HOLD ON THAT PROPERTY FROM ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH, AND THEY CAN'T BE IN THERE AND THEIR STUFF CAN'T BE IN THERE EITHER.

YOU HAVE TO GO BACK AND TELL THEM TO GET OUT.

I'VE ALREADY TOLD THEM TO GET OUT.

YOU HAVE TO TELL THEM AGAIN AND YOU HAVE TO TELL THEM ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH SITUATION.

THEY WERE APPLICANTS.

I TOLD THEM THERE WAS SOME ISSUES THAT HAD TO BE CLEARED UP, AND THAT WAS ONE OF THEM.

[00:10:04]

I TOLD THE MARSHAL SERVICE THEY DID NOT GET OUT.

WHAT DO I DO NOW? YOU CALL DISPATCH AND YOU HAVE ANOTHER DEPUTY.

GO OUT. I GO TO DISPATCH AND I SAY WHAT I NEED.

THEY SAY THEY HAVE ALREADY SOLVED THE PROBLEM AND THAT I'M WASTING THEIR TIME.

AND I HAVE TO GO HANDLE THIS SITUATION ANOTHER WAY.

OKAY, SO I START EVICTION.

I WONDER IF EVERY LANDLORD IN TOWN KNOWS THAT THIS IS HOW PEOPLE CAN GET INTO THEIR PROPERTY.

MA'AM, YOU KNOW YOUR TIME IS UP, BUT YOU HAVE 10S TO FINISH UP.

PLEASE. OBVIOUSLY.

OKAY. THANK YOU.

ANY OTHER PUBLIC COMMENTS.

NO. THE PUBLIC COMMENT.

OKAY. THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD IS NOW CLOSED FOR ALL NON NON AGENDA ITEMS. NOW WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A AT THIS TIME, A PUBLIC HEALTH DIRECTOR REBECCA KEMP WILL INTRODUCE OUR FIRST PRESENTATION.

GO AHEAD.

OKAY. GOOD MORNING.

MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, CEO, MENDEZ COUNTY COUNSEL, MERCED COUNTY RESIDENTS.

I'M PLEASED TO BE HERE THIS MORNING.

MY NAME IS REBECCA NANYONGA.

I'M THE PUBLIC HEALTH DIRECTOR FOR MERCED COUNTY.

AND I'M HERE TO, INTRODUCE AND ALSO GIVE A BRIEF EXPLANATION OF TODAY'S PRESENTATION.

OVER THE PAST YEAR OR SO, THE MERCED COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH HAS BEEN ENGAGING IN ONGOING PARTNERSHIP WITH UC MERCED, PRIMARILY THE UC MERCED EXTENSION CENTER. AND WHEN I WAS A STUDENT, WHEN I WAS AT UC RIVERSIDE AND ALSO WHEN I LIVED IN SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY, THE EXTENSION CENTER WAS AN OUTLET IN TERMS OF UNDERSTANDING WHAT WAS GOING ON IN THE COMMUNITY.

IT FELT LIKE THERE WAS MORE CLOSE KNITTEDNESS BETWEEN WHAT WAS HAPPENING ACADEMICALLY AND WHAT WAS HAPPENING AT THE GROUND LEVEL OF THE COMMUNITY ACTIVITY AS WELL.

AND SO I'M REALLY PLEASED TO INTRODUCE MISS ANNETTE ROBERTS, WHO IS THE DEAN OF UC MERCED EXTENSION CENTER, AND MICHAEL PARIKH, WHO'S THE DIRECTOR OF STRATEGIC INITIATIVES FOR UC MERCED EXTENSION.

OVER THE PAST 6 OR 7 MONTHS, WE HAVE REALLY ACTIVELY ENGAGED, NOT IN JUST PRODUCING MATERIALS THAT WE KNOW WOULD BE BENEFICIAL FOR OUR HEALTH CARE PARTNERS, AS WELL AS OUR HEALTH PLANS AND INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE IN PARAPROFESSIONAL OR SEEKING PARAPROFESSIONAL ROLES AS THEY PERTAIN TO HEALTH, BUT ALSO IN LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT FOR OUR STAFF AS WELL, ESPECIALLY ON THE HEELS POST COVID.

AND SO I'LL DELAY ANYTHING SAYING ANYTHING FURTHER BECAUSE YOU'RE IN FOR AN EXCITING PRESENTATION AND I'LL TURN IT OVER TO MISS MISS ROBERTS AND MR. PARIKH. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH.

GOOD MORNING, SUPERVISORS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS.

THANK YOU FOR HAVING US HERE FOR THIS INFORMATIONAL SESSION THIS MORNING.

LET'S SEE. HERE WE GO.

SO I MOVED UP HERE FROM SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA, INLAND EMPIRE IN JULY TO BECOME THE FIRST FULL TIME DEAN OF EXTENSION AT UC MERCED. THE EXTENSION DIVISION IS ABOUT FIVE YEARS OLD AT THIS POINT, SO IT'S REALLY IN A START UP MODE TO BECOME A UNIT THAT SERVES THE COMMUNITY IN WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, SPECIFICALLY WITH CUSTOMIZED AND TAILORED WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS LIKE MICRO-CREDENTIALS ALTERNATIVE CREDENTIALS, DIGITAL BADGING.

OUR PRIMARY AUDIENCE IS THOSE WHO ARE LOOKING FOR UPSKILLING AND RESKILLING OPPORTUNITIES SO THAT THEY CAN HAVE HIGH ROAD AND HIGH WAGE JOBS. AND SO IT'S REALLY BEEN A NICE ADVENTURE TO COME TO MERCED COUNTY TO DO THIS WORK.

I WAS IN THE INLAND EMPIRE, WHERE THERE'S SIMILAR DEMOGRAPHICS AND SIMILAR EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT, CHALLENGES.

AND WHAT I FOUND SO FAR, BEING HERE IN THIS COMMUNITY IS JUST AN EXTREME AMOUNT OF KINDNESS AND WELCOMING ATTITUDES AND A COMMUNITY OF BUILDERS.

AND SO I'M REALLY JUST HONORED TO BE ABLE TO BE HERE TO HELP WITH THIS PART FOR EXTENSION AND WORKING IN THE COMMUNITY.

AND SO OUR VISION FOR EXTENSION IS TO BE THIS BROADLY ACCESSIBLE BRIDGE BETWEEN THE UNIVERSITY AND THE COMMUNITY.

THE UNIVERSITY HAS AN AMAZING AMOUNT OF RESEARCH THAT'S HAPPENING.

AND SO WE ARE THE CONNECTOR FROM THAT RESEARCH INTO PRACTICE, AND WE'RE REALLY THE ONES THAT WANT TO BE PART OF COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS SO THAT WE CAN MAKE THOSE CONNECTIONS BACK TO THE UNIVERSITY ALSO FROM OUR COMMUNITY.

AND WE DO THAT THROUGH ADVISORY BOARDS, WHICH THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH HAS BEEN INVESTING IN, THEIR PARTICIPATION IN OUR ADVISORY BOARDS AND COMMUNITY

[00:15:05]

AND THESE WILL BE PRESENT AND REPRESENTED IN ALL OF OUR PROGRAMS AND IN ALL OF OUR PARTNERSHIPS.

THE AUDIENCES THAT WE SERVE ARE ADULTS, WORKING PROFESSIONALS, THOSE WHO ARE UNEMPLOYED OR UNDEREMPLOYED, AND EDUCATORS WHO ARE PRE-SERVICE AND ALSO IN-SERVICE ANY EXTERNAL ORGANIZATIONS THAT WE CAN PARTNER WITH TO BUILD PROGRAMS OR TO DELIVER PROGRAMS. OUR UC MERCED STAFF FOR PROFESSIONAL GROWTH OPPORTUNITIES.

DEGREE COMPLETION STUDENTS, ANYONE WHO HAS STARTED THEIR EDUCATION AT UC MERCED AND HAS STOPPED OUT DUE TO A VARIETY OF CHALLENGES AND BARRIERS THAT THEY FACED IN THEIR JOURNEY.

PRE-COLLEGE AND HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS THROUGH DUAL ENROLLMENT.

WE ALSO WORK WITH OUR FACULTY ON THEIR GRANTS AND DISSEMINATING THAT INTO THE COMMUNITY AND INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS FOR SHORT TERM STUDY ABROAD.

COMING TO THE MERCED REGION TO EXPERIENCE WHAT WE HAVE TO OFFER IN THIS COMMUNITY.

THE TYPES OF PROGRAMS THAT WE OFFER INCLUDE PROFESSIONAL COURSES AND CERTIFICATES, CUSTOM AND CORPORATE EDUCATION FOR EXECUTIVE TRAINING.

OPEN UNIVERSITY, WHICH IS LIKE CONCURRENT ENROLLMENT WHERE YOU CAN TAKE COURSES THAT ARE PART OF THE CAMPUS UNDERGRADUATE OR GRADUATE PROGRAMS, INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION, TEACHER PREPARATION, DEGREE COMPLETION, AND DUAL ENROLLMENT.

AND I'LL TURN IT OVER TO MY COLLEAGUE, MICHAEL.

THANK YOU. AS A UC MERCED ALUMNI, COMING FROM SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA AND BEEN IN MERCED COUNTY FOR ABOUT 12 YEARS, THIS DEPARTMENT, EXCUSE ME, THIS DEPARTMENT IS REALLY DRIVEN AROUND THE COMMUNITY OPPORTUNITIES THAT WE CAN HAVE WITH OUR COLLEAGUES.

AND SO, AS ANNETTE MENTIONED, THE ACCESSIBLE BRIDGE, DRIVING THAT SPACE WHERE THE COMMUNITY AND OUR CAMPUS COLLEAGUES RESOURCES CAN BUILD THAT SENSE OF OWNERSHIP ALONG FOSTERING LIFELONG LEARNING IN OUR COMMUNITY.

AND SO PART OF THAT IS MARKET RESEARCH.

THE ADVISORY BOARDS, AS HAS MENTIONED, PROGRAM CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT, LOOKING FOR SPACES WHERE THERE ARE GAPS IN WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT AS NEW INDUSTRIES ARRIVE AS OTHERS LEAVE AND REALLY EXPAND THOSE OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUR LOCAL COMMUNITY TO BE ENGAGED AND BE SUCCESSFUL IN THOSE ROLES.

ALSO LOOKING AT HOW WE DRIVE PIPELINES FROM EARLY LEARNERS, PRE-COLLEGE LEARNERS, AND HIGH SCHOOL AND MIDDLE SCHOOL ALL THE WAY THROUGH TO ADULT LEARNERS.

REACHING OUT AND INTENTIONALLY TARGETING SPECIFIC AUDIENCES TO SHOW THAT ACCESS AND EQUITY EQUITY ARE IMPORTANT PIECES OF ALL OF OUR PROGRAMS, EXECUTIVE EDUCATION OR COMPONENTS, WHERE WE'RE REALLY DRIVING THE STAFF DEVELOPMENT OF INCUMBENT WORKERS WITHIN AN ORGANIZATION TO ENSURE CAPACITY IS MET.

AND LASTLY, WE CAN DEVELOP ANY CUSTOMIZED TYPE OF PROGRAM THAT SUPPORTS VERY VARIOUS AREAS WITH CERTIFICATES AND DIGITAL BADGES.

AND EXAMPLES OF THOSE ARE PROJECT MANAGEMENT, INSPIRED LEADERSHIP, AND HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT.

AND I'LL TALK ABOUT A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT HOW WE HAVE PARTNERED WITH MERCED COUNTY PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENT IN THIS SPECIFIC EXAMPLE.

SO COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKER, CHW IS GOING TO BE LAUNCHED IN THE SPRING AND FALL, AND IT HAS BEEN DRIVEN BY COMMUNITY PARTNERS THAT YOU SEE REPRESENTED HERE ON YOUR SCREEN, INCLUDING SEVERAL MEMBERS OF OUR MERCED COUNTY PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENT.

BUT THE PURPOSE OF THIS IS TO REALLY GROW ALONG THE WORK THAT OUR PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENT HAS ALREADY BEEN DOING AND HAS DONE THROUGH THE PANDEMIC, AND ENSURE THAT THEY ALSO HAVE THOSE RESOURCES. [INAUDIBLE] AND INDIVIDUALS IN OUR COMMUNITY TO HELP STRENGTHEN THAT CAPACITY SO THAT WE'RE REACHING EVERY COMPONENT OF OUR COUNTY AND OUR COMMUNITIES. AND SO THIS WILL BE A OPPORTUNITY FOR OUR LOCAL COMMUNITY TO ENGAGE IN AND ALSO DRIVE THE HEALTH, PUBLIC HEALTH INDUSTRY IN THEIR AREAS AS WELL.

WHAT THE CERTIFICATE WILL LOOK LIKE IS IT'S ACCESSIBLE TO ANYONE.

IT'S GOING TO BE TWO COURSES, 80 HOURS OF TRAINING WITH TEN HOURS OF FIELD WORK EXPERIENCE.

THE TUITION IS A FEE TO HELP COVER THE COST OF THE DIFFERENT RESOURCES IN ORDER TO DELIVER THIS TYPE OF CURRICULUM, BUT WE WILL BE SEEKING THE VARIOUS FORMS OF WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT DOLLARS AND EMPLOYER STATE GRANT OPPORTUNITIES TO SUBSIDIZE THAT COST SO THAT EVERYONE HAS ACCESS, AND THAT THERE ARE LIMITED BARRIERS TO BEING ABLE TO PURSUE THIS.

IN PERSON ONLINE, AGAIN, FOCUSED ON THAT ACCESS.

AND THEN THE MOST IMPORTANT PART THAT WE WANT TO EMPHASIZE, IT WILL BE TRANSLATED AND DELIVERED IN SPANISH.

AND WE'LL LOOK FOR OPPORTUNITIES TO CONTINUE TO EXPAND THIS IN OTHER LANGUAGES AS WE ROLL OUT THIS PROGRAM.

AND WE WANT TO RECOGNIZE THAT AS WE ROLL THIS PROGRAM OUT HERE, IT IS DESIGNED AND CUSTOMLY BUILT FOR OUR COMMUNITY, WITH OUR COMMUNITY IN MIND.

AND WITH THAT, MERCED COUNTY PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENT AND MERCED COUNTY WILL BE BRANDED AS A PART OF THIS PROCESS AS WE SEEK OPPORTUNITIES TO MAKE SURE THAT THE CENTRAL VALLEY AS A WHOLE HAS ACCESS TO CURRICULUM AND DEVELOPMENT.

SO MERCED COUNTY PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENT WILL BE ON THERE AS A LEADING AGENCY DRIVING THIS WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT.

AND THEN TO TALK, THERE YOU GO TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT WE'LL BE DOING IN TERMS OF PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT FOR THE VARIOUS ROLES AT THE MERCED COUNTY PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENT. WE INITIALLY HAD A INITIAL ONE DAY TRAINING, AS YOU CAN SEE, HAPPENING HERE ON THE SLIDE ON SEPTEMBER 29TH.

[PRESENTATIONS ]

[00:20:02]

THEY TALKED ABOUT RESILIENCE COMMUNICATION STRATEGIES.

BUT REALLY THIS POST PANDEMIC ENVIRONMENT AND HOW DO WE BUILD UPON WHAT WE'VE EXPERIENCED THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS.

BUT DRIVE FORWARD TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE SUPPORTING OUR TEAM AND FURTHER SERVING OUR COUNTY.

AND SO WHAT WE'LL BE DOING MOVING FORWARD IS PART OF THIS PARTNERSHIP IS WE'LL BE CREATING AND TAILORING A CUSTOMIZED LEADERSHIP PROGRAM FOR THEIR STAFF AND THEIR DIVISION.

MANAGERS WILL WORK WITH THE LEADERSHIP OF MERCED COUNTY PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENT TO ENSURE IT MEETS THEIR PRIORITIES AND THE NEEDS AND INTERESTS OF THE COMMUNITY.

WE'LL BE SERVING UP TO 25 INDIVIDUALS, AND IT WILL BE 3 OR 4 TIMES THROUGHOUT THE NEXT YEAR ON AN ANNUAL BASIS, WITH THE FINAL FOURTH DAY EXPERIENCE BEING IN YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK THROUGH SOME OF THE RESOURCES WE HAVE AVAILABLE AT UC MERCED.

BUT WE ARE GOING TO BE TALKING ABOUT FURTHER TEAM BUILDING, BUILDING ON THE GALLUP STRENGTHS FINDER THAT THE TEAM HAS TAKEN A PART OF LOOKING AT HOW DO WE MANAGE FIVE GENERATIONS IN THE WORKPLACE, LOOKING AT THREE 60 REVIEWS AND HOW THEY CAN BETTER INFORM THEMSELVES AS LEADERS TO DRIVE THE SUCCESS OF THEIR TEAM AND THE DEPARTMENT AND THE OVERALL COUNTY. AND THEN REALLY LOOKING AT HOW DO WE DEVELOP THE DEPARTMENT AS A WHOLE TO BE A SUCCESSFUL AND EFFICIENT DEPARTMENT AS IT HAS BEEN.

SO AT THIS TIME, I WILL OPEN IT UP FOR ANY QUESTIONS OR DISCUSSION.

THANK YOU. I THINK WE DO HAVE A COMMENT BY SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL.

YEAH. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR, FOR THIS.

AGAIN, MS. WEBB, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR SEARCHING OUT MERCED COUNTY TO YOUR WORK HERE.

AND MR. PERRY IS NOT ONLY AN ALUMNI, HE'S ACTUALLY QUITE A BASKETBALL PLAYER.

SO IT IS NICE THAT'S I THINK, WHAT ATTRACTED HIM HERE TO PLAY BASKETBALL FOR UC MERCED.

THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT. I SIT ON THE WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT BOARD AS WELL.

I KNOW THIS IS OUR FOCUS AT THE SAME TIME, AND I HOPE YOU GUYS ARE HAVING DISCUSSIONS WITH ERIC SERRATO.

I'M SURE YOU ARE.

AND MOVING FORWARD, AND ANOTHER THING I WANT TO BRING UP DEGREE COMPLETION SEEMS TO BE I HEAR THAT ALL THE TIME TALKING TO MY CONSTITUENTS IN THE AREA.

A LOT OF FOLKS HAVE GONE AWAY FOR COLLEGE.

THEY'VE GOTTEN UP TO A CERTAIN POINT.

THEY HAVE ONE YEAR TO COMPLETE THEIR DEGREE.

THEY FOUND A GOOD JOB, START A FAMILY, AND THEN IT'S VERY HARD.

YOU LOSE YOUR CATALOG.

I WANT TO KNOW, DOES UC MERCED HAVE LIKE ARE THERE CERTAIN STEPS FOR THAT FOR FOLKS? BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF THEM OUT THERE AND WE GOT PEOPLE FROM CAL POLY WHO GET A GOOD JOB OR COME HOME BACK TO THE FARM TO START FARMING AGAIN, AND THEY JUST HAVE A FEW CLASSES THEY NEED TO COMPLETE THAT DEGREE.

BUT ONCE YOU GET OUT OF YOUR CATALOG, THE WHOLE THING STARTS ALL OVER AGAIN.

YES. SO I'LL START.

AND THEN MICHAEL IS THE DIRECTOR OF OUR DEGREE COMPLETION PROGRAM AT UC MERCED.

WE ARE A PART OF A UC SYSTEM WIDE CONSORTIUM FOR DEGREE COMPLETION.

SO ANYONE WHO HAS STOPPED OUT OF THEIR STUDIES AND WANTS TO COME BACK, WE HAVE A VERY TAILORED AND PERSONALIZED ADVISING TEAM WHO HAS ONE ON ONE CONVERSATIONS WITH THOSE STUDENTS TO FIGURE OUT WHAT WERE THE BARRIERS THAT CAUSED THEM TO LEAVE, AND WHAT ARE THE BARRIERS THAT STILL REMAIN IN PLACE THAT WE CAN HELP THEM OVERCOME.

AND SO WE DO HAVE A DEGREE COMPLETION PROGRAM.

WE ALSO AND THAT'S PRIMARILY RIGHT NOW SERVING UC STOP OUTS.

HOWEVER, WE CAN APPLY THE SAME MODEL TO STUDENTS WHO WANT TO COME BACK AND WHO HAVE STARTED SOMEWHERE ELSE.

THERE'S ALSO, I'M SURE, IN THE WORKFORCE BOARD.

YOU'VE SEEN THE STATISTICS ON SOME COLLEGE, NO CREDENTIAL.

THERE'S ALSO PROFESSIONAL CERTIFICATES THAT CAN LEAD TO THOSE HIGHER WAGE POSITIONS.

AND SO THAT COULD BE AN ALTERNATIVE PATH FOR SOME WHO ARE ALREADY IN THE WORKFORCE AND JUST NEED TO EARN A SOME TYPE OF CREDENTIAL, MAYBE NOT THE DEGREE.

SO THERE ARE DIFFERENT, DIFFERENT WAYS TO LOOK AT THAT DEPENDING ON THE INDIVIDUAL PERSON AND THEIR WHERE THEY ARE IN THEIR JOURNEY.

YEAH, THE ONLY THING I'D ADD.

SO I THINK THE MOST IMPORTANT PART OF THAT STEP IS THAT THEY NEED TO GET IN CONTACT WITH THAT INITIAL ADVISOR.

SO HOWEVER BEST I CAN LEAVE A SET OF BUSINESS CARDS HERE, AND IF SOMEONE JUST SAYS I NEED HELP GETTING BACK INTO SCHOOL, OR I NEED HELP FIGURING OUT HOW TO NAVIGATE THIS, IT'S TO PICK UP THE PHONE AND CALL. THAT'S THE BIGGEST FIRST BARRIER FOR STUDENTS IS THEY JUST TAKING THAT LEAP.

AND SO ONCE THEY DO THAT, THEN WE CAN HELP THEM IN IN THAT CUSTOMIZED WAY.

SO IT MAY NOT BE AT UC MERCED.

IT MAY BE GOING BACK TO THE COMMUNITY COLLEGE, GETTING SOME FOUNDATIONAL COURSEWORK.

WE ALSO HELP OUR STUDENTS WHO ARE IN OTHER AREAS FIND THOSE OTHER COURSES THEY NEED TO FINISH THE DEGREE.

SO WE DO IT IN A WAY THAT THEY UNDERSTAND THE FULL PICTURE, FROM FINANCIAL AID TO THE NUMBER OF COURSES TO THE TIMING TO MAKE SURE IT WORKS WITH THEIR SCHEDULE, THEIR LIFESTYLE, AND THE PRIORITIES THAT THEY HAVE TO ENSURE THAT THEY CAN TAKE CARE OF THAT.

THE ONLY OTHER THING I'LL ADD IS WE ARE VERY COGNIZANT OF THE SOME COLLEGE, NO DEGREE POPULATION.

IT'S 40.4 MILLION PEOPLE IN THE US THAT STARTED COLLEGE AND HAVE NOT FINISHED A DEGREE.

IN CALIFORNIA, IT'S ABOUT 6.4 MILLION RIGHT.

SO THIS ISN'T A UC MERCED, THIS ISN'T A UC A CSU ONLY.

THIS IS A STATE OF CALIFORNIA.

THIS IS A, YOU KNOW, UNITED STATES ISSUE WHERE WE HAVE TO ADDRESS AND THE NUMBER OF JOBS THAT IS GOING TO CONTINUE TO GROW.

AND SO WE HAVE TO MEET THAT DEMAND.

OTHERWISE WE'LL BE SHORT OR WORKFORCE.

AND SO WE'RE BUILDING SOME ACADEMIC PROGRAMING AND PARTNERSHIP WITH ONE OF OUR SCHOOLS TO REALLY MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE BUILDING SOME ACCESS AND EQUITY TO ALLOW SOME MORE STUDENTS TO

[00:25:06]

PERFECT, BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF CONVERSATION WITH MY CONSTITUENTS WHO ARE IN THAT SITUATION, SO IT'D BE VERY HELPFUL.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

WE HAVE ANOTHER COMING FROM SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA.

THANK YOU, MISTER CHAIR.

I JUST I GUESS IT'S MORE OF AN ASK IS, IS YOU GUYS, WHEN I READ THROUGH HERE ON YOUR HEALTH LEADERSHIP TRAINING PROGRAM, THE ONE THAT REALLY KIND OF JUMPED OUT AT ME IS MANAGING FIVE GENERATIONS IN THE WORKFORCE.

I'D BE CURIOUS, AS YOU GUYS GO THROUGH THAT, WHAT THAT KIND OF LOOKS LIKE.

I'VE BEEN THROUGH A FEW SESSIONS AT DIFFERENT CONFERENCES WHERE THEY TALK ABOUT THAT AND THE CHALLENGE AND JUST HOW THE NEW GENERATION ENTERING THE WORKFORCE IS SO VERY DIFFERENT, AND THEM TRYING TO, YOU KNOW, THEY JUST THINK DIFFERENTLY THAN MY PARENTS GENERATION AND MY GENERATION.

AND SO I'D BE CURIOUS AS TO KIND OF MAYBE GET A LITTLE REPORT BACK ON THAT, ON HOW THAT WENT.

AND, AND WHAT ARE SOME OF YOUR IDEAS ON, ON HOW DO YOU MANAGE THAT GAP AND JUST OVERALL HOW IT WENT IN YOUR TRAINING? YEAH. THANK YOU. WE'D BE HAPPY TO COME BACK AND REPORT PROGRESS.

THANK YOU. OKAY.

NOW SUPERVISOR PAREIRA.

THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR.

TWO QUICK QUESTIONS.

IF, AND TALKING ABOUT THE, SOME COLLEGE, NO DEGREE, IF STUDENTS ARE FROM ANOTHER COLLEGE SYSTEM, DO YOU HELP THEM AS WELL? YES, YES. OKAY.

AND THEN, WHAT'S THE PHONE NUMBER THAT A STUDENT WOULD CALL? ABSOLUTELY. I'LL LEAVE BUSINESS CARDS HERE AS WELL, BUT THEY CAN CALL (209) 201-9896.

AND I JUST WANT TO EMPHASIZE THAT IS MY WORK PHONE.

AND I'LL CONNECT THEM TO ALL THE OTHER RESOURCES.

NOT JUST MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY, 8 TO 5.

WE RECOGNIZE THAT THESE ARE ADULT LEARNERS.

THESE ARE PROFESSIONALS. THESE ARE PARENTS.

SO THEY CAN CALL AT ANY POINT WITHIN REASON, AND WE WILL SUPPORT THEM OR GET BACK TO THEM WITHIN 1 TO 2 BUSINESS DAYS AT MOST.

AND SO WEEKENDS, EVENINGS WE'RE ACCESSIBLE AND AVAILABLE.

AND I CAN SHARE MORE INFORMATION ON HOW THEY CAN SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT WITHOUT EVEN HAVING TO CONTACT US DIRECTLY.

THEY CAN JUST SIGN UP, AND WE HAVE AVAILABILITY DURING THOSE WEEKDAYS AND EVENINGS AND WEEKENDS.

THANK YOU, THANK YOU.

ALL RIGHT. SUPERVISOR PEDROZO, ONE MORE COMMENT.

THANK YOU. I THINK ALL OF MY QUESTIONS WERE ANSWERED.

I JUST WANT TO POINT OUT THAT I'M INCREDIBLY ENCOURAGED AT THE COMMUNITY DRIVEN APPROACH AND MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE KIND OF WORKING TOGETHER TO FIGURE OUT HOW WE CAN BETTER, BETTER OUR RESIDENTS HERE IN MERCED COUNTY.

AND SO THANK YOU FOR PRESENTING THIS, AND THANK YOU FOR INVOLVING MERCED COUNTY.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH.

THANK YOU. WELL, I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.

IT'S VERY, USEFUL ESPECIALLY FOR THE COMMUNITY.

APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU.

OH, BECKY HAD ONE MORE COMMENT.

THANK YOU SO MUCH. AND I JUST WANTED TO EMPHASIZE, ESPECIALLY ON THE COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKER CERTIFICATE, THAT THIS IS GOING TO BE HUGE FOR MERCED COUNTY AND ESPECIALLY IN CATCHMENT AREAS WHERE WE SUFFER FROM HEALTH PROVIDER SHORTAGE AREAS.

AND BECAUSE EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT IS AN ISSUE, THIS ALLOWS FOR INDIVIDUALS TO GO INTO HEALTH CARE SETTINGS AND BE ABLE TO ADVISE FROM A HEALTH PERSPECTIVE AND BE VIEWED AS A TRUSTED LEADER. AND SUPERVISOR PEDROZO WOULD KNOW ALL TOO WELL AS THIS HAS BECOME A REIMBURSABLE BENEFIT FROM MEDI-CAL, AND SO THEY GET PAID TO DO IT AND GET PAID WHEN THEY'RE OUT OF IT. AND JUST TWO MORE THINGS I REALLY WANTED TO THANK OUR ASSISTANT CEO, MR. MARK HENDRICKSON, BECAUSE HE WAS SUPER HELPFUL IN GETTING THIS, ON THE AGENDA WHEN WE WANTED IT ON THE AGENDA AND JUST COMMUNICATING WITH ANNETTE AND MICHAEL.

AND I WANTED TO THANK THEM BOTH FOR TAKING TIME OUT OF THEIR DAY.

THEY'VE BEEN INCREDIBLE PARTNERS.

I HOPE IT'S ONE THAT CAN FLOURISH BEYOND THE PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENT, BECAUSE I REALLY FEEL THAT THE COUNTY WOULD WOULD BENEFIT, EXTREMELY BENEFIT FROM HAVING A PARTNERSHIP AND JUST THEIR APPROACHABILITY AND ACCESSIBILITY, WHICH THEY HAVE BEEN THE ENTIRE DURATION THAT WE HAVE PARTNERED WITH THEM.

SO THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY.

THANK YOU BECKY. NEXT WE HAVE A SECOND PRESENTATION FROM THE JUVENILE JUSTICE DELINQUENCY PREVENTION COMMISSION.

GOOD MORNING.

A NUMBER OF YOUR PEOPLE ALREADY KNOW WHO I AM.

BUT I'LL TELL THE OTHER FOLKS I'M JOE HOFFER.

I'M THE CHAIRPERSON FOR THE MERCED COUNTY JUVENILE JUSTICE DELINQUENCY COMMISSION.

I HOPE AFTER THIS PRESENTATION, WHEN I SAY I'M JOE HOFFER, THE CHAIRMAN OF JJDPC, EVERYBODY WILL KNOW RATHER THAN ME GOING THROUGH THIS LONG, LONG TITLE FOR MORAL SUPPORT, I HAVE COMMISSIONER LINDA LEVESQUE WITH ME IN CASE I, PASS OUT OR ANYTHING.

IT'S MY FIRST PRESENTATION TO THE BOARD.

SO, LET'S KEEP IT ON THE FIRST ONE.

I'M NOT USING THIS BECAUSE I'LL PROBABLY DO IT BACKWARDS OR SIDEWAYS.

I'M NOT USING IT FOR THE PURPOSE OF THIS PRESENTATION IS ACTUALLY THREEFOLD.

RECRUITMENT OF COMMISSIONERS.

EXCUSE ME.

[00:30:01]

THE MISSION OF THE COMMISSION IS BASICALLY TO MAKE SURE ON ONE SIDE THAT THE YOUTH THAT ARE, IN THE JUVENILE SYSTEM, THE ONES THAT ARE IN JUVENILE HALL, ARE BEING TREATED FAIRLY, THAT THEY'RE BEING TAKEN CARE OF.

THEY GET FOOD, THEY GET CLOTHE PROPERLY, THEY GET THEIR TOILETRY, THEY GET MEDICAL HELP AND EVERYTHING TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR, OUR KIDS THAT HAVE MADE MISTAKES THAT ARE IN THE HALL CAN GET GREAT TREATMENT.

ALSO THE FACT, TOO, THAT WE ALSO WORK WITH KIDS THAT ARE ON PROBATION THAT ARE NOT IN THE HALL BUT CAN GO THERE IN THAT AREA WHERE THEY CAN GO TO THE RIGHT OR TO THE LEFT.

AND HOPEFULLY WE CAN MAKE SURE OR TRY TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY GO TO THE RIGHT RATHER THAN, YOU KNOW, CONTINUING THE PATH THAT THEY'RE ON. THE OTHER PORTION IS, THAT WE GET INVOLVED IN OUTREACH PROGRAMS WHERE WE TRY TO, PREVENT KIDS FROM GETTING INTO THE SYSTEM IN THE FIRST PLACE.

WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THESE YOUNG, YOUNG PEOPLE AND FAMILIES KNOW THAT THEY DO HAVE CHOICES, THAT IT'S JUST NOT, JUST NOT THE ONE WAY. WHEN I WAS A SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICER FOR THE CITY OF ATWATER, I SAW MANY OF THAT WHERE YOU HAVE YOUNG PEOPLE THAT ARE IN GANG FAMILIES, IN DRUG FAMILIES AND ALL KINDS OF DIFFERENT SITUATIONS, AND THE ABILITY TO PULL THAT YOUNGSTER OUT OF THAT BUBBLE AND GET THEM ON THE RIGHT TRACK IS NOT AN EASY TASK.

AND SO THIS COMMISSION IS TRYING TO DO THAT TO MAKE SURE THAT THESE YOUNG PEOPLE ARE STANDING UP AND MOVING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.

EXCUSE ME. OKAY.

SOME HISTORY HERE.

THE, ACCORDING TO THE WELFARE AND INSTITUTION CODE 2225, EVERY COUNTY IN THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA MUST HAVE A COMMISSION.

BACK IN 1970, THE COMMISSION WAS ESTABLISHED, AND IT WAS A JUVENILE JUSTICE COMMISSION.

AT THAT TIME, THE JUVENILE JUSTICE COMMISSION, PERFORMED HALF OF WHAT WE'RE DOING NOW.

THEY DID INSPECT THE HALL.

THEY DID INSPECT, LOCK UPS AND LAW ENFORCEMENT THAT HELD ANY MINORS OVER 24 HOURS FOR THE SAME PURPOSES THAT WE DO NOW. SO THAT WAS IN 1970.

1973, THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS AT THE TIME WENT AHEAD AND SAID, HEY, YOU KNOW, YOU GUYS ARE KIND OF DOING A GOOD JOB.

HOW ABOUT IF WE ALSO MAKE YOU THE THE DELINQUENCY PREVENTION COMMISSION, HENCE THE LONG TITLE.

THANKS, GUYS. OH, WAIT, THAT WAS BEFORE YOUR TIME.

SO THAT'S WHY WE'RE CALLED A JJDPC.

AND AGAIN, THIS IS ACCORDING TO SECTION 233 OF THE WELFARE AND INSTITUTION CODE.

THERE'S ALL KINDS OF, WELFARE AND INSTITUTION CODES OUT THERE.

SO AGAIN, THE JJC PART IS THE INSPECTION, AND MAKE SURE THE KIDS ARE OKAY.

AND THE DPC PART IS GETTING OUT THERE IN THE OUTREACH AND MAKING SURE THAT HOPEFULLY WE CAN GIVE RESOURCES AND INFORMATION TO THE PUBLIC AND TO STUDENTS AND TO EVERYONE TO KNOW THAT THERE ARE SERVICES OUT THERE FOR THEM.

LET'S SEE. WHERE AM I HERE? OKAY. WHAT IS THE JJDPC? IT CONSISTS OF 7 TO 15 MEMBERS AND, TWO MEMBERS WE WOULD LIKE TO HAVE BETWEEN 14 AND 21.

WE DON'T HAVE ANY OF THOSE MEMBERS RIGHT NOW.

AND IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE KNOW THAT, THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, BACK IN THE DAY, YOU KNOW, MY FOLKS OR WHATEVER.

WELL, IN MY DAY, BLAH, BLAH, BLAH, YOU KNOW, AND I TRY TO DO THAT IN MY DAY.

WELL, I'M 76 YEARS OLD, SO IN MY DAY IT DOESN'T APPLY ANYMORE.

RIGHT? SO IT'D BE REALLY GREAT TO HAVE HAVE SOME YOUNG YOUNG PEOPLE ON THE COMMISSION.

ALSO, WE ACTUALLY DO HAVE A NUMBER OF YOUNG PEOPLE, AS YOU CAN TELL BY THIS PHOTO, THAT IS ON THE COMMISSION. NOW, THE MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSION ARE APPOINTED BY THE JUVENILE JUSTICE JUDGE

[00:35:06]

SO SOMEWHERE DOWN THE ROAD, IT WAS PUT ON BYLAWS WHERE IT WAS A LOT STREAMLINED.

IF PEOPLE WOULD APPLY TO BE ON THE COMMISSION, THE COMMISSION WOULD LOOK AT THE APPLICATION, WOULD HAVE AN INTERVIEW PANEL, WOULD INTERVIEW THE APPLICANTS, MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE BODY OF THE COMMISSION, AND THEN THE COMMISSION WOULD SAY YAY OR NAY, AND THEN WE WOULD MAKE THE RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE JUDGE, AND THEN THE JUDGE WOULD LIKE, SWEAR IN THE APPLICANT AFTER A BACKGROUND CHECK AND ALL THAT SO FAR HAS BEEN KIND OF SMOOTH.

I CAN'T SAY THAT THE COMMISSION HAS BEEN A SMOOTH RIDE ALL THE WAY THROUGH.

WE'VE HIT SOME POTHOLES ON THE WAY DOWN THE ROAD, BUT WE'RE TRYING TO COVER UP THESE POTHOLES AS WE GO.

AND AGAIN, THE TWO COMPONENTS JUVENILE JUSTICE AND PREVENTION.

WE DO MEET EVERY OTHER MONTH STARTING IN JANUARY.

MATTER OF FACT, OUR NEXT MEETING IS ACTUALLY TOMORROW NIGHT AT 5:30 AT THE PROBATION DEPARTMENT AT 1880 WARDROBE.

AND OBVIOUSLY THE MEETING IS OPEN, IS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.

SO IF ANY OF YOU WOULD LIKE TO ATTEND OR ANY OF THE PUBLIC WOULD LIKE TO ATTEND, PLEASE DO.

AND, MAYBE A PROSPECTIVE COMMISSIONER WILL BE WALKING THROUGH THAT DOOR.

CURRENTLY, THESE ARE THE COMMISSIONERS.

UNFORTUNATELY, ANTHONY, HAD TO RESIGN BECAUSE OF THE FACT OF HIS WORK SCHEDULE.

AS YOU'RE AWARE, THAT THIS IS A VOLUNTEER POSITION.

THERE IS NO, THERE'S NO COMPENSATION.

THE GOOD NEWS IS, AS OF YESTERDAY, JOE FRANTELLA JUNIOR WILL BE SWORN IN TOMORROW AFTERNOON AS A NEW COMMISSIONER, AND HE'LL BE REPLACING ANTHONY.

SO THAT'S, KIND OF GOOD.

WE ARE GROWING.

AND AS YOU CAN PROBABLY TELL IF YOU KNOW ANY OF THESE PEOPLE, THAT THERE THERE'S EDUCATORS, THERE'S SOME FOLKS THAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN, YEARS BACK, NOT ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE LAW, BUT THEY'RE.

BUT THEY'RE ALSO HELPING CORRECTING THINGS.

I WANT TO REPEAT MYSELF.

THAT'S BASICALLY IT.

AFTER THE INSPECTIONS THAT WE DO, WE GO AHEAD AND WE, MAKE OUR RECOMMENDATIONS IN, IN THE REPORT.

WHAT'S INTERESTING TO NOTE ON THIS, THOUGH, IS THAT THE ANOTHER ABBREVIATION, THE BSC BOARD OF STATE AND COMMUNITY CORRECTIONS, ONCE A YEAR COMES OUT AND OUR REPRESENTATIVE IS ELIZABETH GONG AND SHE COMES OUT AND SHE TAKES I THINK IT'S 3 OR 4 DAYS THERE AT JUVENILE HALL, AND THIS JUST WITH A FINE TOOTH COMB, GO THROUGH RULES AND REGULATIONS OF TITLE 15, AGAIN, MAKING SURE, YOU KNOW, ALL OF THE DOTS ARE DOTTED, ALL THE I'S ARE DOTTED, AND THE T'S ARE CROSSED AND ALL OF THAT.

AND THEN WHAT WE DO, WE COME IN LATER AFTER READING HER REPORT, AND WE GO AHEAD AND WE KIND OF DRILL DOWN ON CERTAIN AREAS THAT ARE A CONCERN TO EITHER THE COMMISSION OR THE PUBLIC THAT COMES TO US AND GO, HEY, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S THE EDUCATION COMPONENT? AND SO WE KIND OF DRILL DOWN AND WE DO THAT.

I'M REALLY HAPPY TO REPORT THAT I TALKED TO MISS GONG, AND SHE NOT ONLY REPRESENTS OUR MERCED COUNTY, BUT A NUMBER OF OTHER COUNTY JUVENILE HALLS.

AND OUR PROBATION DEPARTMENT OR JUVENILE HALL IS A MODEL TO OTHERS.

SHE COMPLIMENTED THE THE PROBATION DEPARTMENT ABOUT HOW HOW GREAT THEY ARE ON POINT, HOW MANY PROGRAMS THEY HAVE GOT THESE KIDS INVOLVED AND ALL OF THAT.

AND I WANT THE COMMISSION BE UP THERE TOO.

OKAY. NEXT. AND HERE WE GO.

WE GOT SOME SOME OF OUR OUTREACH.

AGAIN, I ALREADY TALKED ABOUT TRYING TO PREVENT, YOU KNOW, THESE THESE KIDDOS TO GET INVOLVED, GETTING THEM EARLY, GETTING THEM EARLY AGAIN.

WHEN I WAS A SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICER, I HAD FOURTH, FIFTH GRADERS THAT WERE THAT WERE ALREADY FLASHING GANG SIGNS AND DOING ALL KINDS OF THINGS.

WE NEED TO GET THESE YOUTH EARLY, AND WE NEED TO PREVENT THEM FROM EVEN THINKING OF GETTING INTO THE

[00:40:08]

YOU ALSO HAVE THIS BOOK I WANT TO DO A SHOUT OUT TO THE OFFICE OF EDUCATION.

THIS IS A YOUTH RESOURCE DIRECTORY THAT IT'S NOT UP HERE BECAUSE I JUST BROUGHT IT TODAY.

THAT THE MERCED COUNTY OFFICE OF EDUCATION PUT TOGETHER, IT COVERS OFF, IT COVERS FOOD, SHELTER AND ALL OF THAT STUFF FOR FAMILIES AND CHILDREN.

AND THE COMMISSION WANTS TO PUT A SUPPLEMENT TOGETHER ON DIFFERENT THINGS BECAUSE WE DON'T KNOW WHAT'S ALL OUT THERE.

I WAS A POLICE OFFICER FOR 30 YEARS, AND WHEN I JOINED THE COMMISSION AND STARTED TO LOOK FOR THINGS, I COULD NOT BELIEVE HOW MANY FREE OR REDUCED SERVICES THAT THERE ARE IN MERCED COUNTY.

AND WE HAVE TO GET THAT INFORMATION TO OUR YOUTH AND TO OUR FAMILIES.

COMMITTEE INVOLVEMENT.

THERE SHE IS IN BETWEEN PROBATION.

NO, SHE'S NOT ON PROBATION AGAIN.

SHE'S ONE OF MY COMMISSIONERS.

AND THERE I AM.

I DON'T KNOW WHY THEY TOOK THAT, BUT THERE YOU GO, ON OUR OUTREACH.

AND, LOOK, THERE'S A COUPLE FAMILIAR FACES THERE THAT WE HAVE OUT THERE.

BRIDGING THE GAP IS CRITICAL.

WE NEED TO GET ALL THESE COMPONENTS TOGETHER.

THERE IS THIS AGENCY.

THIS IS THAT AGENCY.

THIS IS THIS BOARD OF DIRECTORS.

THIS IS THE CITY. THESE ARE THE CITIES.

AND WE NEED TO GET THE, WE'RE KIND OF LIKE THE COMMISSION IS A CONDUIT ON TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL OF THESE PROGRAMS AND SERVICES ARE KNOWN. AND I NEED HELP FINDING OUT WHERE THEY ALL ARE.

SO I HOPE THE CITIZENS OR ORGANIZATIONS THAT HOPEFULLY WILL BE WATCHING THIS OR YOUR AREAS, YOU CAN PASS THE WORD THAT THAT PLEASE, PLEASE GIVE US INFORMATION ON NOT ONLY WHAT'S WORKING AND NOT WORKING, BUT SUGGESTIONS ON SERVICES THAT ARE FREE AND OR LOW COST.

THANK YOU. DO WE MISS ONE? YEAH. AGAIN THAT'S ANOTHER COMMISSIONER.

THERE WE WERE AT THE BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB, FOR THAT PARTICULAR ONE.

NOW, THE SURVEY THAT WE HAVE NOTHING SCIENTIFIC, WE DECIDED THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE GOING OUT TO THESE DIFFERENT COMMUNITY EVENTS. AND AS YOU CAN SEE THAT WE WENT OUT THERE AND WE SAID, WE'RE GOING TO DO A SURVEY.

WE'RE GOING TO TRY TO SURVEY AS MANY PARENTS AND YOUTH THAT WE CAN JUST TO SEE WHERE THEIR HEAD'S AT, JUST TO SEE WHAT DIRECTION THAT WE SHOULD BE GOING IN.

SO WHEN WE LOOK AT IT, WE CAN MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS TO YOU AND TO OTHER RECOMMENDATIONS.

AGAIN, VERY SLIM NUMBERS.

WE ONLY HAD ABOUT 100, PARENTS PARTICIPATING AND ABOUT 50 OR SO.

WE'RE LOOKING AT CONTACTING SCHOOL DISTRICTS TO SEE IF THEY'LL ALLOW US TO DO SURVEYS AND OTHER ORGANIZATIONS.

WE CAN GET THE SURVEYS OF A BIGGER PICTURE OF WHAT'S NEEDED.

AND THEN QUICKLY, JUST WHAT CAREER FIELD DO YOU WANT TO WORK IN WHEN YOU BECOME AN ADULT ? THE TOP FOUR WAS POLICE OFFICER, WHICH WHICH MADE ME, LIKE, WARM AND FUZZY INSIDE.

MEDICAL, PRO FOOTBALL PLAYER.

NOW, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, THAT'D BE GREAT, ESPECIALLY GOING TO THE SUPER BOWL AND BEING A TEACHER.

SO AGAIN, THIS IS WHAT THE YOUTH YOUTH ARE LOOKING AT AS FAR AS WHEN THEY WERE GOING TO GROW UP.

FUNNY, THIS KIND OF SURPRISED ME.

HOW DO YOU SPEND YOUR TIME AND WITH AT HOME? AND THEN HANGING OUT WITH FRIENDS, SPORTS AND VIDEO GAMES AND AGAIN, YOU KNOW, BEING THE OLD GUY, I THOUGHT, HEY, IT'S THOSE DARN VIDEO GAMES.

THEY'RE IN THE HOUSE ALL THE TIME PLAYING VIDEO GAMES AND ALL OF THAT, AND YOU KNOW ALL THAT.

BUT BEING AT HOME NOW, WE DIDN'T HAVE ASKED THE QUESTION, WHAT DO YOU DO AT HOME? BUT MAYBE PLAYING VIDEO GAMES BUT IT THAT WAS A SEPARATE CATEGORY, THE ADULT SURVEY AGAIN.

WE ASKED ABOUT THE PREVENTION AND DELINQUENCY PROGRAM THAT THEY KNOW AND WHAT MIGHT CURVE DELINQUENCY BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB WAS THEIR AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAM AND SPORTS.

BUT IF YOU LOOK, THERE'S NOT A LOT OF OTHER STUFF.

I MEAN, THERE'S A SCARED STRAIGHT, REDIRECT PROGRAMS, BUT AGAIN, THE COMMUNITY DOESN'T KNOW OTHER PREVENTION AND DELINQUENCY

[00:45:02]

YOUTH SPORT PROGRAM.

KIND OF CONSIDER THAT, COUNSELING PROGRAMS, AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAMS AND COMMUNITY CHILDREN EVENTS.

WE HAVE A HECK OF A LOT OF, COMMUNITY CHILDREN EVENTS BECAUSE OF THAT LIST THAT I SHOWED YOU WHEN WE DID OUR SURVEY.

YOU KNOW, WHICH IS KIND OF NEAT, YOU KNOW? BUT AGAIN, WHY WOULD SOMEBODY LIST THAT? BECAUSE THEY PROBABLY DON'T KNOW.

YOU KNOW, AND I'M NOT SAYING THAT THESE ORGANIZATIONS AREN'T DOING A GREAT JOB OF PUBLICIZING OR OR, YOU KNOW, ANY OF THAT, BUT THE COMMUNITY JUST DOESN'T KNOW.

AND AGAIN, THE REASON THE SURVEY IS TO LET YOU KNOW THAT THESE FOLKS DON'T KNOW.

AND THEN FOR THE LOCAL SCHOOLS DOING ENOUGH TO PREVENT, AS YOU SEE, 37 PERCENT SAID YES AND 63 SAID NO.

NOW YOU KNOW, AND I HAD SOME CONVERSATIONS WITH SOME PEOPLE AND IT COULD AND IT COULD RANGE, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE SAY DELINQUENCIES, OH MY GOSH, IT'S DRUGS AND IT'S FIGHTS AND IT'S AND IT'S GREAT GRAFFITI.

THIS ONE LADY GOES, I'M REALLY DISGUSTED.

AND THAT'S HER CONCERN.

AND I'M YOU KNOW IT'S A CONCERN THAT WE LOOK AT.

BUT IT MIGHT NOT HAVE BEEN ON THE TOP OF THE TOTEM POLE.

BUT HER CONCERN WAS THAT THE ONE SCHOOL ALLOWED THE GIRLS TO WEAR TOO SHORTER SKIRTS.

SO THERE ARE THESE DIFFERENT OPINIONS ON DELINQUENCY NEXT ONE, WHICH YOU WOULD DO AGAIN, THE, BIG LIST WITH THE AFTER SCHOOL, MORE PREVENTIVE PROGRAMS NEED SECURITY ON CAMPUS GROUNDS AND INVOLVE PARENTS MORE.

ALL RIGHT. NOW TO THE FUNDING NEEDS.

RIGHT NOW, THE COMMISSION IS A COMMISSION.

WE'RE A NONPROFIT. AND, AGAIN, BACK IN 1970, SOMEWHERE BETWEEN THAT AND THE TIME I CAME ABOARD, WHICH WAS ONLY A FEW YEARS AGO, A WE RECEIVE $1,000 A YEAR FROM THE PROBATION DEPARTMENT WHERE THAT CAME FROM? RETIRED CHIEF KALISA ROCHESTER COULDN'T TELL ME.

SHE HAD NO IDEA, BECAUSE THAT WAS PRIOR TO HER.

YOU KNOW, I DID TRY TO LOOK BACK AND, OUR OLD MINUTES COULDN'T TELL, YOU KNOW, WHERE THE MONEY CAME FROM.

AND THEN I FOUND A BANK ACCOUNT WHERE THAT CAME FROM.

NOBODY SEEMS TO KNOW.

WE HAVE ABOUT 1800 BUCKS IN THAT, WHICH IS GREAT, BUT THAT'S IT.

WE HAVE NO OTHER FUNDING SOURCE.

NOW, ACCORDING TO THE WELFARE AND INSTITUTION CODE, WE CAN GET MONIES FROM THE GOVERNMENTAL AGENCIES, NON-GOVERNMENTAL AGENCIES, AND THAT THERE IS A SECTION AND IN THE WELFARE AND INSTITUTION CODE THAT THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, I DON'T KNOW IF IT SAID SHOULD OR MUST CAN'T REMEMBER THOSE TWO WORDS.

PROVIDE REIMBURSEMENT FOR TRAVEL AND FOR OTHER, DUTIES THAT ARE ASSIGNED TO THE COMMISSIONERS.

SO HERE'S HERE'S THE PROPOSED BUDGET RIGHT NOW.

YOU KNOW, THE CCPCA, WHICH IS A BIG TITLE, AND I LOST MY PAPERWORK.

IT'S THE CALIFORNIA STATE PROBATION AND PAROLE, ASSOCIATION, AND THEY HAVE AN ANNUAL CONFERENCE, AND IT COSTS ABOUT $2,400 FOR MAYBE SENDING FOUR OF THE COMMISSIONERS TO IT.

I WENT LAST YEAR ON MY OWN DIME, JUST TO SEE WHAT IT WAS ABOUT.

AND IT ENDED UP THAT IT WAS FABULOUS.

IT WAS FABULOUS.

BUT THE, BUT AND I WAS MAYBE THE ONLY ONE, ONE COMMISSIONER THERE.

OTHER COMMISSIONERS SENT THEIR ENTIRE OR OTHER COUNTY, SENT THEIR ENTIRE, COMMISSION COMMISSIONERS, OR HALF OF THEM.

MILEAGE, 1000.

MEMBERSHIP RECRUITMENT, 500.

RESOURCE PRINTING 700, CO-SPONSORING PREVENTIVE EVENTS.

THIS IS REALLY IMPORTANT.

WE WANT TO BE ONE OF THE CO-SPONSORS, LIKE THE FIRST FIVE OR WHATEVER, AND BE ON THAT ON THAT FLIER GOING OUT GOING YEAH, JJDPC IS PART OF THIS.

AND SCHOLARSHIPS, WE USED TO HAVE SCHOLARSHIPS.

I FOUND AN OLD SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATION AND WE USED TO GIVE OUT SCHOLARSHIPS.

I'M THINKING GIVING OUT SCHOLARSHIPS TO KIDS THAT, WANT TO DO SPECIAL EVENTS BUT CAN'T AFFORD THEM.

AND WE CAN GIVE THAT MAYBE, MAYBE WHEN THE BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB, YOU KNOW, HAVE AN EVENT AND IT COSTS SO AND SO MUCH MONEY OR TO OR TO LITTLE LEAGUE, WE CAN, YOU KNOW, GIVE OUT

[00:50:08]

AND AGAIN, PROPOSED BUDGET IS 6000 AND $600.

IF ANY OF THE BOARD OR ANYTHING CAN HELP US OUT ON THAT, OR ANYBODY OUT THERE IN THE PUBLIC TV LAND CAN HELP OUT, WE REALLY WOULD APPRECIATE IT.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, IF YOU GO TO THAT LINK, IT'S ON THE PROBATION WEBSITE AND THAT'S WHERE YOU GET MORE INFORMATION AND YOU GET YOUR APPLICATION TO SUBMIT.

IF YOU WANT TO EMAIL, THAT'S THE EMAIL.

AND I'M GOING TO HOPEFULLY TRY TO SHORTEN THAT EMAIL ALSO.

AND WITH THAT I'M DONE.

I HOPE YOU DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS THAT I CAN'T ANSWER, BUT IF YOU DO, THAT'S WHY I GOT BACK UP.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH, SIR, A WONDERFUL PRESENTATION.

SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL.

THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. JOE, THANK YOU FOR THAT PRESENTATION.

I REMEMBER WHEN YOU FIRST GOT INVOLVED WITH THIS GROUP, YOU, WE HAD A MEETING IN MY OFFICE, AND I REALLY WASN'T AWARE OF WHAT IT WAS.

AND I KNEW YOU MADE IT A MISSION AT THAT TIME TO REJUVENATE IT.

AND IT'S UNBELIEVABLE WHAT YOU HAVE DONE WITH THIS.

AND I JUST WANT TO KNOW, I APPRECIATE YOU.

I APPRECIATE YOU FOR DOING THIS.

AND, THANK YOU FOR THIS PRESENTATION.

THANK YOU. BUT IT TAKES MORE THAN ONE.

THANK YOU. SUPERVISOR PEDROZO.

THANK YOU JOE.

I WAS ASKED WITH THE PICTURE OF MY DAUGHTER ON THERE IF SHE WAS ON PROBATION.

SHE'S NOT ON PROBATION OR ANYTHING, SO.

NO, NO, I JUST WANT TO SAY, YOU KNOW, FORMER CHIEF, PROBATION CHIEF ROCHESTER ASKED IF I WOULD BE A PART OF THE JUVENILE JUSTICE COORDINATING COUNCIL, AND I WAS LIKE, WHY, WHAT DO I WHAT DO I KNOW ABOUT THAT? WHY AM I GOING TO DO IT? AND SHE SAID, WELL, BECAUSE OF YOUR BACKGROUND AS A TEACHER, WE THINK THAT IT'D BE BENEFICIAL TO YOU AND IT WOULD BE BENEFICIAL TO THE COUNTY.

AND SINCE I'VE BEEN ON THE BOARD AND SERVED ON THAT, I'VE REALLY SEEN A LOT OF DIFFERENCE IN WHAT'S HAPPENING.

AND I THINK THAT YOU JUST SAID IT, EARLIER IN YOUR PRESENTATION, IS THAT JUST BECAUSE KIDS MAKE MISTAKES DOESN'T MEAN THEY HAVE TO BE PUNISHED FOREVER FOR IT.

AND I THINK THAT IT'S A PRIME EXAMPLE OF WHAT'S HAPPENING OUTSIDE.

YOU KNOW, THAT WAS THERE THIS MORNING WITH THE COFFEE CART AND MAKING SURE THAT THOSE KIDS ARE LEARNING THE SKILLS TO BE SUCCESSFUL AS THEY MOVE FORWARD.

AND IT'S INTERESTING EVERY TIME I GO TO THEIR GRADUATIONS OUT THERE, ONE OF THE THINGS IS THEY GET TO SEE THEIR FAMILIES AND THEY APOLOGIZE ALWAYS TO THEIR THEIR PARENTS AND SPECIFICALLY THEIR MOTHERS.

BUT ALL THE TIME THEY GO OUT THERE, THEY'RE SO EXCITED TO JUST SEE US AS THE DIGNITARIES OR WHATEVER, HANDING THEM THEIR CERTIFICATE, JUST CONGRATULATING THEM.

I HAD ONE STUDENT SAY, THEY SAID, HEY, DO YOU WANT TO GIVE YOUR DIPLOMAS TO YOUR PARENTS SO WE CAN, OR YOUR DIPLOMA AND YOUR CERTIFICATES? OR DO YOU WANT TO KEEP YOUR DIPLOMA? SO NO, I WANT TO GIVE MY DIPLOMA TO MY PARENTS, BUT I WANT TO HANG UP THE CERTIFICATES IN MY DORM BECAUSE IT'S LIKE A SENSE OF PRIDE OR WHATEVER.

AND THAT WAS REALLY TOUCHING TO ME TO SEE THAT THERE'S A LOT OF THESE KIDS THAT ARE WORKING TOWARDS GETTING ON THE RIGHT TRACK.

AND SO ANYTHING THAT YOU GUYS DO, I THINK IS, IS EXCEPTIONAL.

SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

THANK YOU. AND AGAIN, THE, WHAT THE SUPERVISOR MENTIONED, THAT'S A DIFFERENT COMMITTEE.

BUT I'M ALSO ON THAT ONE ALSO.

ANYTHING ELSE? YEAH. SUPERVISOR PAREIRA.

THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR.

THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR.

JOE, THANK YOU FOR SITTING ME DOWN A FEW YEARS AGO AND KIND OF EXPLAINING WHAT YOU DO, AND AND IT FELT GOOD TO BE IN A PICTURE, BUT SINCE THAT PICTURE, I REALLY HAVEN'T DONE ANYTHING. AND SO MY QUESTION IS THIS, ARE YOU FAMILIAR WITH THE ADVERSE CHILDHOOD EXPERIENCES? OLD ACES, ABSOLUTELY.

AND SO AND SO WAS THERE, PART OF YOUR PROGRAM WHERE YOU'RE INTEGRATING TRAINING OR SOMETHING FOR THE, FOR THE JUVENILES? NOT AT THAT, NOT AT THIS POINT.

FOR RIGHT NOW, THE PROBATION AT JUVENILE HALL, AND I'M SURE YOU'RE AWARE OF THIS, THEY DO AN ACES SCREENING AND THEY AND THEY CATEGORY, YOU KNOW, THE YOUNG PEOPLE TO SEE WHERE THEY MIGHT WHERE THEY MIGHT BE.

BUT I'VE, WORKED WITH, LIKE MR. LOCHNER AND KNOWING THOSE, THOSE ACES.

OKAY. BUT BUT NO, NO, WE HAVEN'T.

IF YOU SEE A WAY TO EXPAND THAT THROUGH, YOU KNOW, YOUR COMMITTEE OR YOUR COMMISSION, LET ME KNOW.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. YEAH.

JOE, I LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE.

IT WAS A COUPLE YEARS AGO WHEN WE FIRST MET, AND I THINK I KNOW YOU HAD MENTIONED THAT IT'S NOT JUST YOU THAT THERE'S A TEAM AROUND YOU, BUT I THINK IT'S UNDER YOUR LEADERSHIP THAT YOU'VE DONE THE GOOD WORK ON THIS AND REALLY KIND OF I'M GOING TO PUT, BREATHE SOME LIFE BACK INTO THIS COMMISSION THAT QUITE HONESTLY, I WAS ON THE BOARD MAYBE TWO YEARS BEFORE I EVEN REALLY EVEN KNEW ABOUT IT.

AND SO I APPRECIATE THE GOOD WORK YOU'RE DOING AND CONTINUE AND KEEP IT UP.

[00:55:02]

THANK YOU. YEAH.

I ONE OF MY QUESTIONS WAS, YOU KNOW, I THINK YOU, AND IT WAS STATED ON THERE, YOU OFFER COUNSELING SERVICES FOR, KIDS ON PROBATION.

AND JUST ONE OF THE QUESTIONS FOR ME, IF YOU'RE, PART OF THE COUNSELING IS, YOU KNOW, CONTINUING EDUCATION OR HELPING THEM SUPPORT, SO THEY EVENTUALLY THEY GET BACK TO SCHOOL? YOU CANNOT BELIEVE THE PROGRAM THAT THEY HAVE IN JUVENILE HALL.

IT'S JUST UNBELIEVABLE.

YOU MIGHT WANT TO WANT TO POP IN.

YOU MIGHT WANT TO GET A HOLD OF CHRIS AND THE CHIEF THERE AND AND TAKE A VISIT.

THEY HAVE A COMPLETE EDUCATION PROGRAM.

THEY DO GRADUATIONS THERE.

AND, YOU KNOW, THE CONTINUING TO TYPE OF EDUCATION, THEY ALSO HAVE, RIGHT, RIGHT NOW IN LOS BANOS, THEY HAVE, BREAKING BARRIERS WHICH KIDS THAT ARE ON PROBATION AND THEY HAVE ALL KINDS OF RESOURCES THERE FOR FURTHER EDUCATION WORKFORCE IS THERE? THE, I CAN'T REMEMBER ALL OF IT, BUT, BEHAVIORAL HEALTH IS ALSO THERE.

SO AGAIN, THESE YOUNG PEOPLE IN MERCED COUNTY THAT ARE EITHER ON PROBATION OR IN THE HALL, IN MY PERSONAL OPINION, LOOKING AT THESE DIFFERENT PROGRAMS ARE ARE GETTING SERVED PRETTY DARN WELL.

YEAH, AGAIN IF PEOPLE DON'T THINK THAT'S TRUE OR THEY HAVE A SITUATION WITH SOMEBODY PLEASE CONTACT US.

I KNOW ONE OF THE PROBLEMS WITH, YOU KNOW, BEING ON PROBATION WITH KIDS SOMETIMES, YOU KNOW, THEY HAVE LOW INCOME PARENTS OR BARELY WORKING OR THEY'RE NOT ATTENDED BECAUSE THEIR PARENTS ARE WORKING. BUT, YOU KNOW, IF THEY'RE ON PROBATION, YOU KNOW, THEY NEED SUPPORT AND TUTORING.

SO THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO ME.

SO IF I CAN'T MAKE IT TOMORROW, I'LL TRY TO MAKE IT OUT THERE, TOO.

BUT I THINK I WOULD ENCOURAGE MY COLLEAGUES TO, RECOMMEND RESIDENTS.

YOU KNOW, WE, LIKE I SAID, FROM ALL AROUND THE COUNTY TO THE COMMISSION, AND CERTAINLY YOU NEED MORE SUPPORT.

SO I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR WORK.

AND I THINK, LET ME YOU KNOW, I DON'T SEE ANY MORE COMMENTS FROM MY COLLEAGUES.

LET ME OPEN UP TO THE PUBLIC IN CASE THERE'S ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS FROM, THE PUBLIC ON PROBATION ON THIS PRESENTATION.

DON'T BE TOUGH ON ME. NOW.

WE'RE ALL GOOD. OH, OKAY.

GOOD. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, SIR.

AND THE LAST THING I NEED TO KNOW IS THAT THE PROBATION IS REALLY CLOSE ON, PROVIDING THE SAME THING THAT THEY HAVE IN LOS BANOS HERE IN MERCED.

SO THEY'RE THAT CLOSE TO IT.

SO HOPEFULLY WE'LL BE ABLE TO HANDLE BOTH, BOTH SIDES OF THE COUNTY.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.

THANK YOU. GREAT PRESENTATION.

I ALSO WANT TO OPEN IT UP, YOU KNOW, FOR, ANY COMMENT ON THE PAST PRESENTATION ON THE UC MERCED? NO. OKAY.

SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL HAD A COMMENT.

THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR.

I KNOW IT'S A CHAIR'S PREROGATIVE, BUT IF WE COULD MOVE UP, COMMUNITY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, ITEM NUMBER 18, BECAUSE WE HAVE A LOT OF FOLKS IN THE AUDIENCE WHO ARE WAITING FOR OVER AN HOUR TO SPEAK ON THAT ITEM.

OKAY, SURE. YOU WANT TO DO THAT AFTER CONSENT BEFORE, RIGHT? YEAH. OKAY.

YEAH. WE'LL GO AHEAD AND MOVE THAT ITEM BEFORE CONSENT.

WELL, YEAH, LET'S LET'S DO CONSENT AND THEN WE'LL MOVE INTO THOSE ITEMS. ACTION ITEMS. NOW THAT WE, DONE WITH THE PRESENTATIONS, WE WILL NOW MOVE ON TO THE CONSENT CALENDAR.

CONSENT CALENDAR ITEMS ONE THROUGH 12.

PLEASE NOTE ITEMS SIX THROUGH TEN REQUIRE A 4/5 VOTE.

AT THIS TIME, I WILL OPEN UP PUBLIC COMMENT FOR A CONSENT CALENDAR ITEMS ONE THROUGH 12.

ANY COMMENTS? NO COMMENTS.

SUPERVISOR PAREIRA, YOU HAVE A COMMENT? YES. MR. CHAIR, I JUST WANT TO HIGHLIGHT ITEM 12.

YOU KNOW, AS I CAN REMEMBER AS A KID, THE SHEEP INDUSTRY IN MY AREA IN LOS BANOS AND THE SURROUNDING AREAS HAS ALWAYS BEEN AN INTEGRAL PART OF OUR AGRICULTURAL COMMUNITY OUT THERE.

AND SO I BROUGHT THIS ITEM FORWARD.

AND IT'S THE R-CALF USA SHEEP COMMITTEE.

AND I JUST WANT TO HIGHLIGHT SOMETHING HERE FOR YOU THAT INCLUDING THIS RESOLUTION, WHICH IS IS AS ASKING TO, SEND OUR SUPPORT TO ALL OF OUR STATE AND FEDERAL ELECTED OFFICIALS ACTUALLY HAD A CONVERSATION WITH CONGRESSMAN DUARTE THIS MORNING WHO SAW THIS.

AND I'M GOING TO, PUT HIM IN CONTACT WITH ANDRÉ SOARES, WHO CAN EXPLAIN A LITTLE BIT MORE EDUCATED, I'M GOING TO CALL IT ON THE ISSUES THERE, BUT DEFINITELY WANTS TO HAVE THE CONVERSATION.

BUT JUST, YOU KNOW, AS INCLUDED IN THE ATTACHED PROPOSED RESOLUTION UNDER THE TARIFF ACT OF 1930, TARIFFS WERE SET AT $3 FOR LIVE SHEEP AND $0.07 PER POUND FOR

[01:00:05]

SINCE 1930, CONGRESS HAS NOT ADJUSTED THE TARIFFS ON SHEEP OR SHEEP MEAT FOR INFLATION, RENDERING THEM, IMMATERIAL TODAY.

SO THAT IS IS PART OF THE REASON BRINGING THIS FORWARD IS, IS, YOU KNOW, WE ALL KNOW THE DOLLAR DOES NOT, STRETCH AS FAR AS IT USED TO, BUT, IT'S REALLY PUTTING OUR SHEEP FOLKS, OUR SHEEP INDUSTRY, AT A DISADVANTAGE WHEN, OTHER COUNTRIES CAN HAVE OVERPRODUCTION AND JUST OFFLOAD IT ALL INTO THE UNITED STATES WITHOUT PAYING ANY REAL KIND OF PENALTIES FOR THAT, AND WHICH PUTS OUR, OUR PROCESSORS AT A DISADVANTAGE.

SO I'M IN SUPPORT OF THIS ITEM AND HOPE THAT MY COLLEAGUES WILL WILL SUPPORT IT AS WELL.

THANK YOU. OKAY.

WE HAVE ANOTHER COMMENT BY SUPERVISOR PEDROZO.

YES, THIS IS ON NUMBER TWO.

AND I SEE, MR. BRAY IN THERE.

AND MY QUESTION, I'VE ALREADY EXPRESSED SOME CONCERN ABOUT THE TRANSFER OF THE MONEY FROM THE COURTHOUSE PARK TO THE LE GRAND AREA.

BUT I THINK THAT MY QUESTION WAS, ANSWERED YESTERDAY IN REGARDS TO THAT, EVEN THOUGH IT'S GOING TO BE MOVED AROUND, THERE'S STILL ENOUGH MONEY TO DO THE DESIGN PHASE OF IT, BUT NOT RIGHT NOW, BECAUSE IT'S NOT IN THE CONSTRUCTION PHASE, BUT IT WILL BE THERE EVENTUALLY.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH ANYMORE FOR THE COMMENTS.

SO WE HAVE A CALL FOR A MOTION ON, ITEMS ONE THROUGH 12.

WE HAVE A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR SCOTT SILVEIRA, SECOND BY SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL.

WE HAVE A CALL FOR THE VOTE.

ALL RIGHT. AND, CALL THE VOTE, PLEASE.

ALL RIGHT, THAT'S UNANIMOUS.

NOW WE'LL MOVE ON TO, AS REQUESTED.

WE'LL MOVE ON TO ACTION ITEM NUMBER 18, THE PUBLIC, AT THIS TIME, GO AHEAD.

ALL RIGHT. DIRECTOR MAXEY WILL PROVIDE SOME OPENING COMMENTS.

MORNING, MISTER CHAIR, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.

STEVE MAXIE, DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FOR MERCED COUNTY.

I WANTED TO CLARIFY A FEW THINGS.

JUST GIVE SOME SOME OVERVIEW AND BACKGROUND ON THIS ITEM.

THIS IS A CONTINUED ITEM FROM THE DECEMBER 5TH MEETING OF LAST YEAR, WHERE THE BOARD GAVE STAFF DIRECTION TO BRING THIS ITEM BACK TO TODAY.

SO WHAT'S IN FRONT OF THE BOARD IS THE GROUNDWATER MINING AND EXPORT ORDINANCE THAT ADDRESSED THE EXPORT ELEMENT OF OUR EXISTING GROUNDWATER MINING AND EXPORT ORDINANCE.

THAT EXISTING ORDINANCE WAS ORIGINALLY ADOPTED IN 2015.

IT WAS INTENDED TO FUNCTION AS A BRIDGE TO A POINT WHERE WE'RE AT TODAY, REALLY WHERE THE GSA'S OR GROUNDWATER SUSTAINABILITY AGENCIES ARE IN PLACE AND GROUNDWATER SUSTAINABILITY PLANS, OR GSPS ARE BEING IMPLEMENTED.

AND TODAY THEY'VE BEEN IN PLACE, THE GSA'S HAVE BEEN IN PLACE FOR ROUGHLY SEVEN YEARS.

THOSE GSPS ARE ADOPTED AND BEING IMPLEMENTED, WHICH IS REQUIRED BY THE SUSTAINABLE GROUNDWATER MANAGEMENT ACT, OR SGMA.

THAT ORDINANCE OR THIS ORDINANCE, EXCUSE ME, WAS AMENDED IN 2022, REALLY TO ADDRESS THE WELL PERMITTING ELEMENTS IN ORDER TO GIVE GSA'S THE ABILITY TO DETERMINE WHETHER NEW PROPOSED WELLS IN THEIR PROPOSED EXTRACTION WAS SUSTAINABLE AND CONSISTENT WITH EACH OF THOSE GSA'S ADOPTED GROUNDWATER SUSTAINABILITY PLAN. SO AGAIN, THAT'S IMPLEMENTING THOSE ADOPTED GROUNDWATER SUSTAINABILITY PLANS.

THE AMENDMENT TO THE WELL PERMITTING COMPONENT OF THE ORDINANCE, ALONG WITH THE PROPOSED AMENDMENT IN FRONT OF THE BOARD TODAY, TOGETHER ADDRESS THE CRITICISM THAT THE ORIGINAL ORDINANCE WAS REALLY A ONE SIZE FITS ALL COUNTY ORDINANCE.

AND WITH MANY REALLY DIFFERENT DIVERSE GROUNDWATER BASINS AND GROUNDWATER CONDITIONS AROUND THE COUNTY, THAT WASN'T THE MOST APPROPRIATE THING TO CARRY FORWARD.

ONCE AGAIN, THE GSA AND GSPS ARE IN PLACE.

AT THAT DECEMBER 5TH MEETING, THIS BOARD GAVE STAFF THE DIRECTION TO CONDUCT ADDITIONAL OUTREACH ON THE PROPOSED ORDINANCE.

SINCE THEN, WE'VE MET WITH MULTIPLE GROUPS OF GROWERS TO CLARIFY THE PROPOSED AMENDMENTS.

WHAT'S IN FRONT OF THE BOARD TODAY? AND AS PART OF THAT OUTREACH, WE LEARNED OF SEVERAL RUMORS AND SOME OTHER MISINFORMATION, REALLY PRIMARILY COMING FROM THE MERCED IRRIGATION DISTRICT STAFF.

WE ALSO LEARNED THAT MID STAFF PRESENTED THE PROPOSED ORDINANCE AND THE AMENDMENT TO THE MID BOARD, WITH THE GOAL OF OBTAINING SOME BOARD DIRECTION FROM MID THE BOARD ITSELF DID NOT VOTE TO TAKE A POSITION AS PART OF THAT PRESENTATION TO MID BOARD.

SO REALLY I WANT TO CORRECT THOSE RUMORS.

THAT'S MY PRIMARY GOAL HERE TODAY.

AND JUST MAKE IT VERY CLEAR WHAT THE PROPOSED AMENDMENT WOULD ENTAIL.

SO THIS PROPOSED AMENDMENT, AS IT'S WRITTEN IN, IN FRONT OF THE BOARD TODAY, DOES NOT AUTHORIZE ANY ONE PARTY TO TRANSFER WATER.

IT DOES NOT ALLOW FOR EXPORT OUTSIDE OF THE COUNTY, EXPORTED WATER OUTSIDE OF THE COUNTY UNLESS IT REMAINS WITHIN A GSA THAT HAS JURISDICTION WITHIN THE COUNTY.

IT DOES NOT LEVY ANY NEW TAXES OR FEES ONTO PROPERTY OWNERS.

[01:05:01]

THIS ADDRESSES THE CONVEYANCE OF ACTUAL WATER, TRUE LIQUID WATER THAT'S BEEN PUMPED AND APPLIED AND TO BE PUMPED IN ONE PART OF THE COUNTY AND APPLIED ELSEWHERE WITHIN MERCED COUNTY, AGAIN WITH THE CAVEAT THAT IT MIGHT BE OUTSIDE OF THE COUNTY.

BUT WITHIN A GSA THAT HAS JURISDICTION IN THE COUNTY, IT DOES NOT ALLOW FOR UNSUSTAINABLE PUMPING OR EXPORT TO OCCUR.

THAT'S THE RESPONSIBILITY OF GSA'S, AND IT DOES NOT ALLOW FOR GSA'S TO MAKE DECISIONS ABOUT EXPORT WITHOUT INFORMING ALL OTHER GSA'S WITHIN THE BASIN.

UNDER THE AMENDMENT, AS IT'S PROPOSED TODAY, INDIVIDUALS OR AGENCIES COULD APPLY FOR A MINISTERIAL PERMIT, WHICH MEANS THE COUNTY DOES NOT EXERCISE DISCRETION OVER THAT PERMIT. THAT WOULD ALLOW FOR THE EXPORT OF WATER BETWEEN ANY BASINS IN THE COUNTY, IF AND ONLY IF THE EXPORTING AND THE RECEIVING GSAS DETERMINED THAT THE EXPORT OR IMPORT WOULD BE CONSISTENT WITH SUSTAINABILITY REQUIREMENTS OF THEIR GSP.

AND SO THIS IS REALLY IMPORTANT.

IT REALLY ALL COMES DOWN TO PUMPING.

THE COUNTY WOULD CONTINUE TO ENFORCE ANY ILLEGAL EXPORT WITHOUT A PERMIT.

BUT THE GSA'S ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR REGULATING OR ENFORCING THAT OVER PUMPING THAT'S PROPOSED ALONG WITH THIS EXPORT.

THAT'S THE RESPONSIBILITY OF GSA'S IN SGMA.

IF, AN INDIVIDUAL OR AN ORGANIZATION IS OVER PUMPING, THEN IT TO A DEGREE WHERE IT'S NOT SUSTAINABLE.

THE GSAS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR ADDRESSING THAT THROUGH THE MEANS THAT ARE AVAILABLE TO THEM THROUGH SGMA.

AND SO WHAT'S CONSTRUCTED HERE IS THAT THERE'S AN EARLY DETERMINATION BEING MADE BY GSAS AS PART OF AN EARLY REVIEW, REALLY, BEFORE IT EVEN COMES TO THE COUNTY.

THAT EFFECTIVELY REMOVES THE COUNTY'S OBLIGATION TO MEDIATE BETWEEN TWO PUBLIC AGENCIES.

THAT MIGHT HAVE A DIFFERENCE OF OPINION ON WHETHER SOMETHING IS SUSTAINABLE OR MIGHT HAVE A DIFFERENCE OF INTERPRETATION OF DATA.

AGAIN, RESPONSIBILITY OF THE GSAS AS A PUBLIC AGENCY TO MAKE THEIR OWN DETERMINATIONS AND ENFORCE AND REGULATE THEIR GSPS AS APPROPRIATE.

AND REALLY, THAT LAST POINT IS IMPORTANT.

TODAY, AS IT STANDS TODAY, WITHOUT THE ORDINANCE BEING MODIFIED, THE GSA IS A REGULATING PUBLIC AGENCY.

THEY'RE TREATED AS WHAT'S CALLED A RESPONSIBLE AGENCY UNDER THE CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ACT, OR CEQA, MEANING THAT THEY MUST THEY DON'T HAVE AN OPTION.

THEY MUST WITHIN 30 DAYS AS PART OF THAT CEQA PROCESS, RESPOND TO THE COUNTY FOR IF WE ISSUE A REQUEST

[CONSENT CALENDAR ]

SO REALLY, WHETHER THIS ORDINANCE GETS AMENDED OR NOT, GSA'S HAVE AN OBLIGATION AND A RESPONSIBILITY TO DETERMINE WHETHER OR NOT PUMPING IS SUSTAINABLE UNDER THEIR GSPS. THE ONLY DIFFERENCE REALLY, IS THAT TODAY THAT'S DONE THROUGH A MORE COSTLY AND TIME CONSUMING PROCESS UNDER CEQA THAN IT IS UNDER THE PROPOSED AMENDMENT IN FRONT OF THE BOARD TODAY.

SO REALLY, TO BE CLEAR, THE PROPOSED AMENDMENT STREAMLINES THE PATH TO EXPORT THAT ALREADY EXISTS.

IT WOULD REMOVE THE COUNTY'S ROLE IN DETERMINING SUSTAINABILITY, WHICH IS, AGAIN, A GSA ROLE, AND ALIGNS THE PROCESS FOR PERMITTING EXPORT WITH OUR EXISTING, WELL, REGULATIONS. FINALLY, AS MENTIONED AT THE THE DECEMBER 5TH MEETING, LACEY MCBRIDE REALLY HAS, WORKED ON THIS OVER THE LAST YEAR WITH A BROAD GROUP OF STAKEHOLDERS.

THEY'VE REPRESENTED EVERY BASIN IN THE COUNTY GSA'S, WATER DISTRICTS, GROWERS, CONSULTANTS, ENGINEERS, PEOPLE THAT WORK ON THIS STUFF DAY TO DAY.

AND THEY PARTICIPATED BOTH IN PERSON AND VIRTUALLY.

AND THESE AMENDMENTS WERE DEVELOPED AND REVIEWED THROUGH THAT STAKEHOLDER GROUP.

WHAT'S BEEN DISCUSSED OR PROPOSED BY ME.

AND I THINK THAT'S PART OF THE LETTER THAT'S IN THE PACKET TODAY AND WAS SENT TO THE BOARD BEFORE THAT DECEMBER 5TH MEETING.

WHAT'S DESCRIBED BY ME AS REALLY MORE RESTRICTIVE THAN WHAT'S IN PLACE TODAY? [INAUDIBLE] ACTUALLY MADE THOSE SAME SUGGESTIONS TO THE STAKEHOLDER GROUPS THAT HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH THE REST OF THE COUNTY.

AND THE STAKEHOLDER GROUPS DID NOT SUPPORT INCLUDING THOSE AMENDMENTS OR THOSE SUGGESTIONS INTO THE DRAFT ORDINANCE, AS IT'S BEFORE YOU TODAY.

SO, AGAIN, BACKGROUND HISTORY WANTED TO DISPEL SOME MYTHS THAT WERE OUT THERE.

THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS, EITHER FROM THE BOARD OR FROM THE PUBLIC THAT WE CAN SPEAK TO.

WE'RE HAPPY TO DO SO.

OTHERWISE, YOU HAVE STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION FOR, ADOPTION OF THE ORDINANCE.

THANK YOU. OKAY.

THANK YOU STEVE.

AT THIS TIME, I WILL OPEN UP PUBLIC COMMENT FOR CD ITEM NUMBER 18.

[01:10:03]

I'M SORRY. LET ME JUST GO TO THE BOARD FOR REAL QUICK FOR A COMMENT.

SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. YEAH, JUST, YOU KNOW, I KNOW THAT THIS IS WELL, OBVIOUSLY WE HAVE A LOT OF FOLKS HERE THAT WANT TO SPEAK ON IT AND WANT TO BE, I WANT TO LISTEN TO WHAT EVERYBODY HAS TO SAY. BUT I REALLY JUST WANT TO START OUT BY MAKING A COMMENT THAT I KNOW THAT THERE'S BEEN SOME I'M GOING TO CALL THEM RUMORS THAT LIKE SOMEHOW, SOME WAY THAT THIS IS OPENING IT UP, THAT ANYBODY CAN COME IN AND PUMP GROUNDWATER AND SEND IT ANYWHERE.

AND REALLY WHERE THIS IS, WHERE THIS COMES FROM IS, IS THAT IT MAKES NO SENSE TO ME THAT, THAT BECAUSE OF YOU'RE ON ONE SIDE OF A RIVER VERSUS THE OTHER SIDE OF THE

[BOARD ACTION ]

AND THAT'S THAT'S OKAY.

BUT TO IF YOU HAPPEN TO HAVE A PIECE OF PROPERTY ON ONE SIDE OF THE RIVER AND WANT TO BE ABLE TO FOREGO GROWING SOME CROPS ON THAT GROUND AND USE THAT WATER ACROSS THE RIVER, THAT'S PROHIBITED. THAT'S WHERE THIS IS COMING FROM.

IT'S JUST KIND OF TAKING AWAY THAT BASIN LINE AND REALLY LOOKING AT MERCED COUNTY AS A WHOLE AND AND ALLOWING TAKING IT OUT OF THE COUNTY'S HANDS AND PUTTING IT IN THE HANDS OF THE WATER MANAGERS, THE PEOPLE THAT ARE EXPERTS.

THIS IS THEIR CHOSEN FIELD OF EXPERTISE AND REALLY PUTTING IT IN THEIR HANDS TO MAKE THOSE DECISIONS.

SO AND AGAIN, AS MR. MAXEY SAID, REALLY JUST KIND OF STREAMLINING THE PROCESS THAT ALREADY EXISTS, THAT IF SOMEBODY CAME TO THE COUNTY AND ASKED FOR THAT, WE WOULD BE GOING TO THE GSAS TO AND THEY'RE REQUIRED WITHIN 30 DAYS TO RESPOND BACK TO US TO GIVE US THAT INFORMATION.

SO JUST KIND OF WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THAT AND REALLY WANT TO HEAR FROM THE FOLKS THAT ARE HERE TO SPEAK ON IT, BUT JUST WANTED TO WANTED TO PUT THAT THIS ISN'T A KINGS COUNTY SITUATION WHERE PEOPLE ARE COMING IN, BUYING UP GROUND, TURNING ON THE PUMPS AND SENDING IT AND SELLING IT TO SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA, THAT THIS HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THAT.

THIS IS REALLY JUST GIVING FARMERS AND WATER MANAGERS THE TOOLS IN THEIR TOOLBOX TO BE ABLE TO MANAGE WATER THE BEST WAY THAT THEY SEE FIT.

THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. THANK YOU.

I DON'T SEE ANY OTHER REQUESTS TO SPEAK, SO WE'LL OPEN IT UP TO THE PUBLIC.

GET. HELLO? HELLO. OOPS, I LOST THEM.

THERE HE IS. BAD GUY.

I'M A LITTLE BIT. MY VOICE IS A LITTLE OFF.

YEAH, YOU CAN LOWER OR RAISE IT ON THE RIGHT SIDE.

THERE'S A KNOB.

THERE'S A. OH IT'S TECHNICAL.

OH, TECHNICAL. OKAY.

OH. OH.

THANK YOU. I LOOK TALL NOW.

OKAY. GO AHEAD.

I JUST RESET THE CLOCK.

HELLO. MY NAME IS PATRICIA RAMOS ANDERSON.

I'M FROM SANTANELLA.

I'M HERE REPRESENTING OUR COMMUNITIES ALSO WHERE MY FAMILY MEMBERS LIVE THROUGHOUT MERCED COUNTY AND DEAR FRIENDS.

BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, THIS ORDINANCE, LEADS TO BE, IT'S GOING TO BE IMPACTING OUR COMMUNITIES IN ONE FORM OR ANOTHER.

EVEN IF YOU'RE SAYING YOU'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE THE GENERAL CONTROL, YOU'RE GOING TO PASS IT ON TO THE OTHER GROUP.

THAT'S STILL A SENSE OF FALSE, OF SOLUTION FOR US OR FOR THE COMMUNITY TO UNDERSTAND THAT, TOO, BECAUSE, I'M GLAD IT WAS CLARIFIED HERE, BUT YOU NEED TO LET THE COMMUNITY KNOW OF THIS PROCESS. IT'S NOT VERY WELL KNOWN.

WHAT'S MORE IMPORTANT IS YOU'RE TAKING AWAY FROM ONE TO GIVE TO ANOTHER AND CREATING ISSUES.

IN MY FAMILY'S WATER ISSUE.

WHAT I DISCOVERED, AND THROUGHOUT ALL THE DIFFERENT NEIGHBORHOODS THAT THEY WERE LIVING IN IN TOWNS, IS THAT WATER QUALITY HAS BEEN AN ISSUE FOR DECADES AND GENERATIONS.

BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, THE EXPORTING OF WATER WAS SOMETHING NEW.

WE DON'T KNOW WHAT IT ENTAILED, WHAT IT CAN, YOU KNOW HOW IT WAS.

AND IF THAT'S NOT EXPLAINED, IT'S GOING TO BE VERY MISLEADING AND MISUNDERSTANDING FROM THE GENERAL PUBLIC OR ANYONE ELSE FROM OUTSIDE.

THE COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE OVEREXTENDED AND HAVE LIVED HERE FOR VARIOUS OVER WATER ISSUES THAT THEY CURRENTLY HAD.

DECADES OF WATER QUALITY HAS BEEN MAJOR ISSUES IN DOS PALOS AND SOUTH AND UNINCORPORATED IN SANTANELLA, BUT THINGS HAVE CHANGED BECAUSE OF THE INFRASTRUCTURE, THE NEED OF NEW INFRASTRUCTURE, MOST IMPORTANTLY SUSTAINABILITY OF CLEAN AND CLEAR DRINKING WATER FOR THEM TO SHOW ME THE SHADES OF YELLOW, SHADES OF AND JARS OF THEIR WATER COMING FROM THEIR SINKS, I WAS SHOCKED FOR IT WHEN I FIRST MOVED DOWN HERE INTO THIS COUNTY.

THE FUNDING TO IMPROVE THE INFRASTRUCTURE IS IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF THAT DRINKING WATER THAT IMPACTS OUR SYSTEMS AS A WHOLE.

AGAIN, LIVING IN SANTANELLA, WE HAD ISSUES OF DRINKING WATER AND VOLTA AND WE HAD TO LEARN HOW TO ADDRESS THEM.

BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY NOW WHAT'S GOING ON IS THAT THIS ORDINANCE IS NOT REALLY GOING TO BE HELPING US.

IT'S THERE'S NO ACCOUNTABILITY.

THERE'S NO, YOU KNOW, FROM THE COUNTY IT'S GOING TO A SECOND PART OF THE GSA, AND WE'RE NOT FAMILIAR WITH THAT GROUP, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, TO ENGAGE WITH THEM IN ACCOUNTABILITY, THE EXPORT OF HAVING THE CLEAN DRINKING WATER, THE LACK OF PROCESS OF WHAT IT IS, WHERE WILL THEY TAP

[01:15:05]

NO, I'M NOT GIVING IT UP. YOU KNOW, YOU COULD GO OVER THERE.

BUT THE OTHER THING TOO, THERE'S A LACK OF WELLS, NUMBER OF WELLS THAT YOU HAVE.

A LOT OF THEM HAVE BEEN HIDDEN. WE KNOW THAT FOR A FACT.

WE KNOW PEOPLE HAVE DUG WELLS THAT ARE NOT RECORDED, AND YOU DON'T EVEN HAVE RECORDS ON THEM.

THE IMPACTS TO THE COMMUNITY IS GOING TO BE THAT WE HAVE TO HAVE.

WE'VE LOST DEVELOPERS AND HOUSING IN DIFFERENT AREAS BECAUSE THE QUALITY OF WATER WASN'T THERE.

THE BUILDERS NOW HAD TO BRING IN THE WATER.

I'LL GIVE IT TWO MORE SECONDS TO FINISH OFF.

OKAY. GO AHEAD.

SORRY. YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO HAVE WE NEED TO HAVE BUSINESSES COMING IN TO HELP US BRING UP THE ECONOMY.

BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, STRONGLY, WE STRONGLY ENCOURAGE THAT YOU DO NOT APPROVE THIS ORDINANCE.

THE LIMIT OF THE OVERPUMPING OF THE WATER.

THERE NEEDS TO BE ACCOUNTABILITY.

THERE NEEDS TO BE REPORTING DUE TO THE IMPACTS OF THE SMALL.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS.

RESET IT TO THE THREE MINUTES.

SORRY. GO. THERE'S A BUTTON BY YOUR RIGHT HIP.

YEAH. I'M SORRY, MR. CHEF. RIGHT HERE.

A LITTLE TRIANGLE. THANK YOU.

HELLO. I'M FROM PALO ALTO, CALIFORNIA, AND, WE HAVE.

I WENT TO ONE OF THE MEETINGS THERE ABOUT THE WATER AND THE WATER BOARD, AND THEY SAID THAT BY AN ENGINEER SAID THAT WE ARE OVERSTRETCHED TO CAPACITY. A BUILDER WANTED TO BUILD SOME HOMES THERE.

AND THEY SAID TO THE WATER BOARD, AND THE WATER BOARD DENIED THEM, SAYING WE DIDN'T HAVE THE WATER FOR THEM TO BUILD HOMES THERE.

ALSO, THEY HAD A COUPLE OF WELLS, TEST ROUND AND THERE WAS NO WATER THERE.

AND ALSO THEY WERE THEY WERE IN CONTAMINATED.

SO I DON'T SEE HOW MOVING OUR WATER SOMEWHERE TO ANOTHER PART OF THE COUNTY WOULD HELP US.

SO I WOULD HOPE FOR, NO, ON THAT VOTE, PLEASE.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

HELLO, MY NAME IS KATHY MORENO AND I'VE BEEN A RESIDENT OF PLANADA FOR 31 YEARS.

IT CONCERNS ME WHEN I HEAR OF ADDING A PROPOSAL THAT WOULD INCREASE EXPORTS.

I'M NERVOUS.

WE ARE LIMITED TO WATERING ON CERTAIN DAYS, MORNINGS ONLY TO CONSERVE WATER OR FACE BEING FINED.

OUR COMMUNITY, AS SMALL AS IT IS, HAS TO SHARE ITS WATER WITH THE DAIRY, A DAIRY NEARBY, AND THEY HAVE NO LIMITS TO WATER.

OUR DISTRICT WATER IS ALSO BEING SOLD TO ANOTHER COUNTY.

$20 FOR 1000 GALLONS.

I KNOW THIS BECAUSE I WAS INFORMED BY OUR WATER DISTRICT.

HOW CAN WE GROW OR BETTER YET, EXIST WITHOUT WATER? WHY WOULD YOU EXPORT OUR MOST VALUABLE ASSET? WE URGE THE COUNTY TO NOT APPROVE THIS ORDINANCE IF PASSED.

LIMIT THE PUMPING OF WATER.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

GOOD MORNING, BOARD MEMBERS SARA RAMIREZ WITH LEADERSHIP COUNCIL.

WE SUBMITTED A COMMENT LETTER EXPRESSING OUR CONCERNS, WHICH INCLUDES MULTIPLE SIGN ONS FROM RESIDENTS ALL THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY REGARDING THIS ITEM, BUT WE WANTED TO MAKE A COMMENT TO SUMMARIZE THE AREAS OF CONCERNS.

OUR PRIMARY CONCERN IS THAT THE PROPOSED CHANGES OF THE GROUNDWATER MINING AND EXTRACTION ORDINANCE WOULD IMPACT DRINKING WATER BY ALLOWING WATER FROM WITHIN THE COUNTY'S GSA TO BE TRANSPORTED TO AREAS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY.

MERCED COUNTY SUB-BASIN IS ALREADY SEVERELY OVERDRAFTED AND SEES ONGOING SIGNIFICANT OVERPUMPING.

MOREOVER, MERCED SUBBASIN COUNTY SUSTAINABILITY PLAN, OR THE GSP STILL NEEDS CRITICAL CHANGES TO MANAGEMENT POLICIES TO ENSURE NO CONTINUED IMPACTS TO BENEFICIAL USES AND USERS OF GROUNDWATER FROM CONTINUED OVERDRAFT.

APPROVING THIS ORDINANCE WOULD CREATE A LARGE SCALE SYSTEM FOR WATER EXPORTS WITHOUT ACTUALLY ADDRESSING OVERPUMPING WITHIN ITS BASIN.

THIS WOULD IMPOSE SEVERE IMPACTS ON GROUNDWATER SUPPLY AND QUALITY, ESPECIALLY ON SMALL WATER SYSTEMS SUCH AS THE UNINCORPORATED COMMUNITIES OF PLANADA AND DALY, AND ON DOMESTIC WELLS AND SMALL FARMERS.

THE OVERPUMPING OF GROUNDWATER ALSO IMPOSES INCREASED INCREASED RISKS OF CONTAMINANTS LIKE NITRATES AND ARSENIC, IMPACTING DRINKING WATER SUPPLY, AS WELL AS PUMP

[01:20:07]

BUT THE MOST OBVIOUS AND FAR REACHING IMPACT IS THE DEWATERING OF SHALLOW WELLS.

APPROVING THIS PROPOSAL WOULD FURTHER ENABLE THE CREATION OF WATER MARKETS, WHICH CAN CREATE A VOLATILE SITUATION FOR VULNERABLE DRINKING WATER USERS AND SET A DANGEROUS PRECEDENT BY COMMODIFYING GROUNDWATER.

AND ULTIMATELY, THIS ORDINANCE IS A FALSE SOLUTION TO A GRAVE OVERPUMPING PROBLEM.

INSTEAD OF PUTTING A LIMIT ON THE ONGOING GROUNDWATER OVERDRAFT PROBLEM WE HAVE HERE, THE ORDINANCE PROPOSES TO MAKE IT EASIER TO PERMIT EXPORTING OUR SUB BASINS WATER TO OUTSIDE OF MERCED COUNTY.

WE URGE THOSE WHO WILL BE VOTING TO NOT APPROVE THIS PROPOSAL AND INSTEAD PLACE LIMITS ON WATER PUMPING, ESPECIALLY SINCE THE REGION ALREADY HAS MANY ONGOING DRINKING WATER SUPPLY AND QUALITY ISSUES, SOME OF WHICH RESIDENTS SHARE TODAY.

LASTLY, WE WANT TO FLAG A POTENTIAL CONFLICT OF INTEREST FOR ANY ELECTED OFFICIAL VOTING ON THIS ORDINANCE.

CHANGE. THOSE WHO OWN IRRIGATED AGRICULTURAL LANDS THAT DEPEND ON GROUNDWATER COULD STAND TO FINANCIALLY BENEFIT FROM THIS ORDINANCE.

CHANGE TO AVOID ANY CONFLICT OF INTEREST.

WE HAVE URGED POTENTIALLY CONFLICTED BOARD MEMBERS TO RECUSE THEMSELVES FROM VOTING ON THIS ITEM.

AND THEN LASTLY, THE RESIDENT THAT SPOKE DURING PUBLIC COMMENT, HE HAD TO LEAVE EARLY, SO HE WAS GOING TO RECITE HIS COMMENT.

BUT I'LL JUST LEAVE IT IN THE BASKET.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

GOOD MORNING, CHAIRMAN ESPINOSA AND THE REST OF THE SUPERVISORS.

I WANT TO COMMENT ON THE ORDINANCE.

I THINK IT NEEDS TO BE.

I REPRESENT, OTHER GROWERS WITHIN THE MERCED GSA AND THE GSA, AND I ALSO SIT ON STAKEHOLDER GROUPS.

ARE BOTH OF THEM.

THE ORDINANCE NEEDS TO STAY AS WRITTEN.

RIGHT NOW, WE ARE THE ONLY GSA THAT'S BEEN APPROVED.

THE MERCED SUBBASIN, THE DELTA MENDOTA GSP HAS NOT BEEN APPROVED YET.

SO OUR PLAN IS IN PLACE.

THE PUMPING IS GOING ON RIGHT NOW BETWEEN BASINS.

I CAN GUARANTEE YOU, MR. SILVEIRA, THEY'RE PUMPING, AND WE HAVE.

WE'RE UNDERSTAFFED.

THERE'S NOBODY OUT THERE TO GO AND CHECK AND TELL PEOPLE THAT.

QUIT BUMPING BETWEEN BASINS.

SO WE SET A MINIMUM THRESHOLD.

WE HAVE TO SHOW SUSTAINABILITY BY 2040.

IF WE START PUMPING FROM THE MERCED BASIN.

REMEMBER THE CITY OF MERCED, 100% GROUNDWATER, LIVINGSTON, ALL THESE MUNICIPALITIES THAT DEPEND ON THE GROUNDWATER PLUS AGRICULTURE.

I ALSO FARM IN THE DELTA MENDOTA BASIN ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE RIVER, AND WE HAVE WATER THERE ALMOST YEAR ROUND, EXCEPT FOR A MONTH OR TWO OVER HERE IN THE MERCED SUBBASIN US FARMERS, WE HAVE TO DEPEND ON THE WELLS FROM, NOVEMBER 1ST THROUGH MARCH 1ST.

IF WE WANT TO WATER OUR CROPS, IT'S ALL GROUNDWATER.

SO WE'RE WORKING HARD TO KEEP OUR MINIMUM, NOT GO BELOW THE MINIMUM THRESHOLD AND SHOW SUSTAINABILITY.

SO, AT LEAST POSTPONE IT UNTIL WE SHOW WE CAN COME BACK.

AND AS GSA'S AND SHOW YOU, SHOW YOU WHERE WE HAVE BEEN, WE DON'T NEED TO BE PUMPING ANY WATER OUT OF OUR BASIN.

AND WE WANT TO SHOW SUSTAINABILITY.

WE'RE WORKING HARD TO DO THAT.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

HELLO. AND I'M GLAD TO SEE PEOPLE IN THE PUBLIC HERE AT YOUR MEETING.

AND GOOD MORNING TO EVERYBODY.

I BROUGHT A BUCKET.

I WAS TRYING TO THINK OF HOW I COULD SHOW, WE TALK ABOUT THE GSP'S, THE GSA'S.

WELL, WE HAD THE STATE COME DOWN IN 2020 AND SAY THAT WE HAVE TO MANAGE OUR GROUNDWATER.

THIS IS THE REPRESENTS THE MERCED SUBBASIN.

WE HAVE THREE AGENCIES.

WE HAVE THE THEY CALL IT THE [INAUDIBLE] MERCED IRRIGATION, URBAN GROUNDWATER SUSTAINABLE AGENCY, MIU GSA THAT REPRESENTS THE CITIES OF LIVINGSTON, ATWATER, MERCED AND FARMING.

IN THIS AREA. WE HAVE MERCED.

CAN YOU PLEASE ADDRESS THE BOARD? CAN YOU PLEASE ADDRESS US? WE HAVE THE, MERCED SUBBASIN GSA, GROUNDWATER SUSTAINABLE AGENCY, AND WE HAVE THE TURNER ISLAND.

SO THESE ARE THE THREE I THINK IT WAS REALLY GOOD TO HEAR THIS MORNING HOW WORKING TOGETHER.

AND I THINK OUR AGENCIES NEED TO WORK TOGETHER ON THIS.

AND I SEE IT NOT BEING THAT WAY.

I FARM IN THE MERCED IRRIGATION URBAN AREA.

[01:25:04]

I ATTEND THE MEETINGS REGULARLY.

I FEEL THAT WE ALL NEED TO HAVE A SAY IF WATER IS TAKEN OUT OF THIS, AND WE DON'T WANT THE STATE TO COME IN HERE AND TAKE OUR WATER.

SO, MR. SILVEIRA SAID SOMETHING ABOUT PUTTING THIS IN THE HANDS OF THE WATER MANAGERS.

CHASE HURLEY AT THE DECEMBER 5TH MEETING YOU HAD HERE, ADMITTED THAT HE IS WAS THE ONE THAT STARTED THIS FOR THE DELTA MENDOTA AND MR. CHRIS WHITE ALSO SPOKE.

THESE ARE EXCHANGE CONTRACTOR.

THESE ARE PEOPLE THAT BUY AND SELL WATER.

WE'RE NOT HERE WITH THE STATE REGULATION TO BUY AND SELL WATER.

WE ARE HERE TO MANAGE WHAT WE HAVE IN OUR BUCKET.

SO I THINK THAT, I JUST WANT TO EMPHASIZE IF YOU VOTE FOR THIS, IT'S SAD.

IT'S REALLY SAD. AND ANYBODY IS, HAS ANY PERSONAL INTEREST, CERTAINLY NEEDS TO RECUSE THEMSELVES.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

OKAY. GOOD MORNING.

BOARD OF SUPERVISORS. CHAIRMAN.

MY NAME IS AARON BARCELLOS.

I AM A FARMER FROM THE WEST SIDE OF THE OF THE COUNTY.

I LIVE IN LOS BANOS.

MY FAMILY'S BEEN OUT THERE FOR.

WELL, I'M THE FOURTH GENERATION, BUT MY BROTHER AND I HAVE BEEN FARMING FOR THE PAST 30 YEARS.

AND I DON'T THINK I NEED TO TELL YOU THAT FARMING HAS NEVER BEEN MORE DIFFICULT OR MORE CHALLENGING, OR RANCHING THAN THAN IT EVER HAS BEEN IN SINCE I'VE BEEN DOING IT, FOR SURE. WE HAVE A STATE REGULATORY PROCESS THAT HAS ABSOLUTELY TIED THE HANDS OF FARMERS.

AND, AND WE'RE COMPETING IN A GLOBAL MARKET.

SO I WANT TO SPEAK, ON BEHALF OF SUPPORTING THIS PROPOSAL.

FIRST OF ALL, THIS, I THINK MISTER MAXEY AND MRS. MCBRIDE HAVE DONE A FANTASTIC JOB GOING BACK AND VETTING THIS PROCESS.

NOT JUST THE FARMER, BUT BUT I'VE ALSO SERVED ON SEVERAL WATER DISTRICT BOARDS, AND I'M THE CHAIRMAN OF THE CENTRAL DELTA MENDOTA GSA GROUP.

I'VE BEEN THERE FROM THE VERY START.

I UNFORTUNATELY KNOW MORE ABOUT SUSTAINABILITY AND GROUNDWATER MANAGEMENT THAN I EVER THOUGHT I WOULD.

EXCUSE ME, NEED TO.

AND I'LL TELL YOU THIS, I THINK IT'S LONG OVERDUE THAT WE HAVE GSA'S AND GSPS IN PLACE IN CALIFORNIA BECAUSE WE NEED THEM, AND WE NEED THEM TO PROTECT OURSELVES AS FARMERS AND TO PROTECT OUR COMMUNITIES THAT SURROUND US.

WE'VE HEARD SOME PRETTY PASSIONATE COMMENTS FROM ONE SIDE OF THE COUNTY.

I THINK I WANT TO REMIND YOU THAT THE COUNTY AS A WHOLE NEEDS TO BE RECOGNIZED AS A WHOLE, AND THE HEALTH OF OUR COUNTY IS REALLY IMPORTANT.

I THINK LIMITING OPTIONS AMONGST, OUR FARMERS, OUR COMMUNITIES WITHIN OUR COUNTY IS A BAD IDEA.

I THINK WE NEED TO FULLY SUPPORT OPTIONS TO MAKE SURE THE VIABILITY OF OUR ENTIRE COUNTY IS HEALTHY, AND PICKING AND CHOOSING WINNERS AND LOSERS BASED ON, WATER LOCATIONS.

AND ONE THING I'LL SAY ABOUT GSAS AND THINGS THAT I'VE LEARNED IS THAT EVEN WITHIN GSAS AND GSPS, THERE ARE SEVERAL AREAS THAT HAVE ABUNDANT WATER AND AREAS THAT DON'T.

AND THE WHOLE IDEA OF THE GSA IS, IS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE MONITOR THAT AND MAKE SURE WE ARE NOT OVERDRAFTING AND THAT WE ARE ABLE TO MANAGE OUR WATER RESOURCES WELL.

SO I THINK THE BOARD AND THE INTENT OF STAFF IS ABSOLUTELY RIGHT ON WHERE YOU'RE HEADED WITH THIS DIRECTION.

LET'S PUT THIS ORDINANCE BACK INTO THE HANDS OF THE GSA'S THAT THE STATE HAS EMPOWERED TO DO SUCH.

LET'S NOT TRY TO OVERSTEP OUR BOUNDS.

I THINK MISTER MAXEY DID A GREAT JOB OF BREAKING OUT THE ORDINANCE AND KIND OF WHAT IT REALLY ACTUALLY ALLOWS FOR AND WHAT IT DOESN'T.

I THINK I'D WANT TO JUST EMPHASIZE A COUPLE EXTRA POINTS.

THIS ORDINANCE DOES NOT ALLOW FOR GSA'S WHEN THE SUBBASIN OR THE GROUNDWATER ORDINANCE NOW ALLOWS FOR GSA'S WITHIN A SUBBASIN REVIEW, COMMENT AND PROVIDE APPROVAL OR DENIAL OF GROUNDWATER WELL PERMITS.

RIGHT. GSAS ALREADY HAVE THAT AUTHORITY.

WHY WOULD WE WANT TO GO AND CHANGE? THAT'S THREE MINUTES.

I'LL GIVE YOU 10S MORE TO FINISH YOUR COMMENTS.

THANK YOU, I APPRECIATE THAT.

SO WHY WOULD WE WANT TO CHANGE THE PROCESS AND MAKE IT EVEN MORE CONFUSING AMONGST, LANDOWNERS AND WATER USERS? I DON'T UNDERSTAND THAT.

THE LANDOWNERS WANT TO PARTICIPATE IN THESE.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH, SIR.

APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU.

GOOD LUCK, YOU GUYS. ANY OTHER COMMENTS?

[01:30:13]

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT IMPRESSED ME DOING THAT, FACING THOUSANDS OF STUDENTS OVER THE YEARS, WAS THE PICTURE OF A MENDOTA FARMER LOOKING AT THE WATER MARK WHEN THEY PUMPED THE WATER OUT BY OVER DRAFTING WATER IN SAID COUNTY OF MENDOTA, THE WATER LEVEL HAD DROPPED ENOUGH SO THAT THE GROUND COMPACTED, DROPPING OVER 25FT.

SO WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE OVERDRAFT, YOU TALK ABOUT SUSTAINABILITY.

PASSING THE BUCK TO GSA'S GSPS.

I DON'T WANT TO SEE YOU PASSING THE BUCK.

IT'S YOUR RESPONSIBILITY TO LOOK AT THE OVERALL SUSTAINABILITY OF WATER IN MERCED COUNTY, THE OVER DRAFTING IN THE WHOLE VALLEY, IF YOU'RE LOOKING AT IRRIGATING COTTON THREE ACRE FEET AND YOU'RE ONLY GETTING A 10TH OF AN ACRE FOOT OF WATER IN SOME OF THESE DROUGHT YEARS.

SO WE HAD TWO AND A HALF TO THREE INCHES OF RAIN IN ONE YEAR.

WE HAD 23 INCHES OF RAIN IN ANOTHER YEAR.

SO LET'S SAY A HALF ACRE FOOT ON AN AVERAGE YEAR, TWO THIRDS OF AN ACRE FOOT, 8 TO 10 INCHES.

WHEN YOU'RE DRAFTING PUMPING OUT THREE ACRE FEET, THAT'S NOT SUSTAINABLE.

DON'T PASS THE BUCK.

OKAY. THANK YOU SIR.

ANY FURTHER COMMENTS? GOOD MORNING. I HOPE IT'S STILL MORNING.

MY NAME IS TRUDY WYSHAM, AND I'M AN INDEPENDENT RESEARCHER AND WRITER FROM TULARE COUNTY.

THE TULARE LAKE BASIN WHERE THOSE BIG FARMS REIGN.

I MOVED TO LINDSAY ONCE, THE OLIVE CAPITAL OF THE WORLD 30 YEARS AGO, AND IT'S NOW HAS A REPUTATION OF BEING ONLY A FARM WORKER TOWN.

FOR 40 YEARS, MY PRIME CONCERN HAS BEEN THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SMALL SCALE FAMILY FARMS AND SMALL TOWNS AND RURAL COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT.

AND THE FLIP SIDE OF THAT STORY, WHICH IS THE LACK OF RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN LARGE SCALE CORPORATE FARMS AND THE LITTLE TINY FARM WORKER COMMUNITIES WEDGED IN THE CRACKS OF THOSE FARMS. I'M HERE TO ASK YOU NOT TO GIVE UP YOUR POWER OVER THE GROUNDWATER EXPORT AND MINING PROVISIONS.

SIGMA WAS DESIGNED TO HELP GIVE LOCAL CONTROL TO AREAS, BUT IT LEFT ENOUGH CRACKS THAT THE BIG BOYS OF AGRICULTURE CAN PUT THEIR PRY BARS IN AND PUSH.

AND IF YOU GIVE THEM AN INCH, THEY TAKE A MILE.

THAT'S AN OLD UNDERSTANDING.

WE KNOW THAT ONE OF THE WAYS THIS OCCURS IS THROUGH THE PROPERTY WEIGHTED VOTING PROVISIONS OF WATER AND WATER STORAGE DISTRICTS. IRRIGATION DISTRICTS HAVE A VOTING STRUCTURE THAT ALLOWS FOR DEMOCRATIC CONTROL OF THE FARMERS WHO USE THE WATER, WATER STORAGE AND WATER.

WATER DISTRICTS HAVE PROPERTY WEIGHTED VOTING, WHICH GIVES ALL OF THE POWER TO THE LARGEST GROWERS.

SO EVEN THE AGRICULTURE GROWERS INSIDE THOSE DISTRICTS HAVE NO SAY OVER WHAT HAPPENS.

AND IF YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT PROPERTY WEIGHTED VOTING IS, IT'S LET'S SAY I HAVE A THOUSAND ACRES WORTH $100,000 MILLION, AND YOU HAVE ONE ACRE WORTH $100 MILLION. WELL, I HAVE 1000 TIMES MORE VOTES THAN YOU DO.

JUST IN CASE THAT PHENOMENON HASN'T OCCURRED TO YOU.

I HAVEN'T BEEN EXPOSED TO IT LIKE WE HAVE WHERE I LIVE.

SO ONE OF THE IMPORTANT THING HERE IS THAT THE GSA'S HAVE BEEN TAKEN OVER IN MANY PLACES BY THESE WATER AND WATER STORAGE DISTRICTS.

WE ARE DEFERENTIAL ENOUGH TO LARGE PROPERTY OWNERS AS IT IS, BUT YOU GIVE THEM THE TOTAL VOTING POWER AND THE PEOPLE WALK AWAY.

THEY HAVE NO SAY AND THEY KNOW IT.

SO I'M ASKING YOU, PLEASE, TO MAKE MY LIFE A LITTLE EASIER IN TRYING, NOT IN TRYING TO WORK AGAINST THIS TERRIBLE POWER.

DISCRIMINATION AGAINST THE SMALL FARMER.

PLEASE DO NOT GIVE AWAY YOUR POWER OVER GROUNDWATER MINING AND EXPORT.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

ANY FURTHER PUBLIC COMMENTS? IF NOT, WE'LL CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENT ON ITEMS, NUMBER 18 AND WE'LL COME BACK FOR FURTHER COMMENTS BY THE BOARD.

[01:35:08]

THANK YOU, THANK YOU.

I KNOW THAT THIS IS A LITTLE BIT CONTENTIOUS, BUT, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I'VE REALLY DONE A LOT OF OVER THE LAST SINCE WE FIRST HAD THIS MEETING IS I'VE DONE A LOT OF MY OWN RESEARCH.

I'VE MET WITH STAFF, I'VE MET WITH FARMERS AND GROWERS, I'VE MET WITH FARM BUREAU.

I'VE TALKED TO A LOT OF PEOPLE ABOUT THIS ISSUE BECAUSE I THINK THAT IT'S VERY CONFUSING.

I THINK THAT IT'S A GOOD POLICY, BUT I THINK THAT IT'S JUST IT'S RIGHT NOW IT'S CLEAR WITH AS MUCH CONFUSION AS THERE IS, THAT WE WOULD BE KIND OF MAKING A RASH DECISION BY ACCEPTING AND APPROVING SOMETHING LIKE THIS.

SO I THINK THAT WE NEED TO GIVE IT SOME MORE TIME UNTIL WE CAN REALLY WRAP OUR HEADS AROUND ALL THE SUSTAINABILITY ASPECTS OF THE ARGUMENT.

AND SO WITH THAT, I WOULD PROPOSE, AND I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT THE REASON WHY MID AND IT WAS MENTIONED MULTIPLE TIMES HAS CONTROLLED THE NARRATIVE IS BECAUSE I THINK WE'VE ALLOWED THEM TO CONTROL THE NARRATIVE ON THIS AND TO NOT PREPARE OURSELVES FOR SOME OF THE CONFUSION THAT WAS OUT THERE AND DISCUSSING WITH SOME OF OUR GROWERS AND THE PEOPLE THAT ARE RELYING ON RELYING ON THIS TO DO THIS.

SO WHAT I'M GOING TO PROPOSE IS THAT WE TABLE THIS ITEM AND BRING IT BACK IN A YEAR AND REALLY DISCUSS, AND THIS WILL ALLOW FOR US SOME MORE TIME TO, ADDRESS ANY OF THE CONCERNS AND THEN ALSO KIND OF SEE HOW THIS PLAYS OUT.

I KNOW THAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON THIS FOR SOME TIME, BUT I THINK THAT AGAIN, BECAUSE OF THERE'S SO MUCH CONFUSION JUST IN THIS ROOM AND WITH A LOT OF THE GROWERS, I THINK WE HAVE TO TABLE THIS RIGHT NOW.

THANK YOU. SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA.

THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. YEAH.

SO, I MEAN, I THINK A LOT OF VALID CONCERNS COME UP.

AND I DO AGREE THAT THERE'S A LOT OF CONFUSION OUT THERE.

AS TO SOME OF THE COMMENTS THAT WERE MADE BY SOME OF THE SPEAKERS, I JUST THINK THAT THERE MAY BE JUST, YOU KNOW, HAVEN'T BEEN INFORMED ENOUGH.

BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I AND I AND I'M NOT ABSOLUTELY OPPOSED TO TABLING THE ISSUE, BECAUSE I STILL THINK IT'S THE RIGHT THING TO DO.

I STILL THINK THAT IT'S THE RIGHT THING TO DO IS, IS PUT IT IN THE WHAT REALLY WHAT SIGMA HAS SET OUT TO DO IS GSA'S ARE SUPPOSED TO BE THE GOVERNING AUTHORITY OVER GROUNDWATER.

IT IS. AND SO THE FOLKS THAT SAY THAT WE'RE SKIRTING OUR RESPONSIBILITY, NO, WE'RE GIVEN THE RESPONSIBILITY WHERE IT WAS INTENDED TO GO.

THE SIGMA WAS WHAT THE ORDINANCE THAT THE COUNTY PASSED AT THE TIME, IN MY OPINION, I WASN'T HERE WAS WAS A A 180 DEGREE REACTION TO ONE IN PARTICULAR FARMER.

AND IT GOT PUT IN PLACE AND IT WAS REALLY PUT IN PLACE TO GET TO SIGMA.

AND THEN THE OTHER THING THAT I WILL TELL YOU IS, IS, YOU KNOW, I KNOW THAT AS, AS I'VE HEARD SOME COMMENTS THAT MAYBE SOME, SOME OF US MAY NEED TO RECUSE HERSELF.

I DON'T PUMP ANY WATER.

I MY FAMILY OWNS SOME GROUND IN CCID.

WE HAVE SURFACE WATER RIGHTS.

WE DON'T. I MEAN, OTHER THAN JUST DOMESTIC WELLS, WE DON'T PUMP ANY WATER.

BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE DO IS WE PAY AN ASSESSMENT IN OUR DISTRICT TO BE A PART OF A GSA.

AND ONE OF THE ARGUMENTS THAT I HEARD IS THAT MIU GSA IS JUST NOT READY AND DOESN'T HAVE THE STAFF.

AND SO THEN WHAT I WOULD QUESTION YOU AS FARMERS IN THOSE DISTRICTS TO ASK THEM, WELL, WHAT ARE THEY DOING WITH THEIR ASSESSMENTS? BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT THIS WHOLE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE ALREADY IN 2024 AND ARE SUPPOSED TO BE SUSTAINABLE BY 2040.

AND IT SEEMS LIKE, YOU KNOW, WE HAD THIS SAME CONVERSATION WHEN WE CHANGED THE WELL, PERMITTING PART OF THIS PROCESS, PUT IT BACK INTO THE HANDS OF THE GSA'S WHO KNOW BETTER ON WHETHER OR NOT A WELL SHOULD BE PUT INTO THAT AREA.

BECAUSE YOU CAN YOU CAN PUT AS MANY WELLS AS YOU WANT IN.

BUT ULTIMATELY, THE GSA'S ARE THE ONES THAT ARE GOING TO TELL THOSE PROPERTY OWNERS HOW MUCH WATER YOU'RE ALLOWED TO PUMP FROM THAT WELL, THAT'S WHAT SGMA HAS DONE.

AND SO I WOULD I WOULD SAY QUESTION.

I WOULD QUESTION AND SAY, WELL, WHERE IS THE MONEY GOING? BECAUSE YOU'RE ALL PAYING ASSESSMENTS INTO THAT, THAT FUNDS THAT, THAT OPERATION.

THE OTHER THING IS, IS, WELL, LISTEN, I GET WHEN, WHEN, WHEN YOU JUST HEAR SOMETHING THAT SAYS, OH, WE'RE TAKING AWAY THE ABILITY OR WE'RE TAKING THE HANDCUFFS OFF OF PEOPLE EXPORTING WATER, THAT'S NOT WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE.

I WILL TELL YOU, I WOULD NOT SUPPORT ANYTHING THAT ALLOWS THE WATER TO GO OUTSIDE OF OUR COUNTY.

I'M LOOKING AT THAT'S HAPPENING IN OTHER COUNTIES, IN OTHER VALLEY COUNTIES WHERE THEY DIDN'T GET OUT IN FRONT OF THIS.

AND WATER IS LITERALLY GROUND IS BEING BOUGHT JUST FOR THEM TO PUMP WATER AND REMOVE IT.

IT'S MAKING THEIR GROUND.

IT KIND OF WORTHLESS IN A SENSE.

IT'S NOT DOING ANYTHING TO THEIR PROPERTY TAX VALUES BECAUSE THEY'RE TAKING THE WATER AND THEY'RE PUMPING IT AND SENDING IT SOMEWHERE ELSE.

BUT I'LL BRING IT BACK TO IS IS IT TALKS ABOUT SUSTAINABILITY AND SUSTAINING A SUBBASIN.

AND IF ANYBODY IS UNDER THE, THE IDEA THAT YOU'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE TO MOVE WATER AROUND IN ORDER TO BECOME SUSTAINABLE.

LISTEN, MID IS VERY FORTUNATE.

THEY HAVE SURFACE WATER JUST LIKE JUST LIKE CCID AND SAN LUIS CANAL COMPANY ON THE WEST SIDE.

[01:40:03]

IN A LOT OF SURFACE WATER.

THAT'S WHAT'S GOING TO HELP US TO BE SUSTAINABLE.

BUT IF WE'RE NOT LOOKING AT THIS AS A WHOLE AND WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE WORKING TOGETHER TO TO BE, THERE'S NO WAY THAT WE BECOME SUSTAINABLE.

I HEARD SOMEBODY MENTION THAT THERE'S THREE GSA'S IN, IN THE MERCED SUBBASIN, AND I THINK THERE MIGHT EVEN BE A COUPLE MORE BECAUSE IT'S THE SUB BASINS DON'T FOLLOW OUR, YOU KNOW, IMAGINARY COUNTY LINES, IF YOU WILL.

IT FOLLOWS A SUBBASIN.

SO WE HAVE TURLOCK ONES AND WE HAVE CHOWCHILLA ONES THAT ARE ALL KIND OF THAT CROSS OVER COUNTY LINES.

BUT THERE'S OTHER PARTS THAT'S THE HAVES AND THE HAVE NOTS.

IF WE'RE TRULY GOING TO BE SUSTAINABLE, YOU HAVE TO LOOK AT ALL SOLUTIONS IN ORDER TO MAKE THESE SUBBASINS SUSTAINABLE.

AND, AND, AND IF YOU'RE REALLY, AT LEAST IN MY OPINION, AND I MAY BE WRONG, BUT I, I'VE TALKED TO ENOUGH PEOPLE THAT THAT ARE A LOT SMARTER ABOUT THIS THAN ME, BUT IT'S WE NEED TO START LOOKING MORE THAN JUST SUBBASIN WIDE.

IT NEEDS TO BE LOOKING AT COUNTY WIDE.

BECAUSE IF WE'RE NOT WILLING TO WORK TOGETHER TO HELP THE OTHER BASIN BE SUSTAINABLE, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A SITUATION WHERE IT'S THE HAVES AND THE HAVE NOTS, AND AND ONE PART OF YOUR SUBBASIN DOESN'T HAVE THE WATER, SO THEN THEY'RE UNSUSTAINABLE.

WHAT DOES THAT DO? THE STATE COMES IN AS REGULATING THEM.

AND WHEN YOU HAVE YOU KNOW, I HEARD SOMEBODY MENTION EARLIER ABOUT LOCAL CONTROL.

ABSOLUTELY. THAT'S WHAT THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO.

THAT'S WHAT I FEEL LIKE WE'RE TRYING TO DO, IS PUT IT INTO THE LOCAL CONTROL OF THE GSA'S THAT ARE THAT ARE THE DECISION MAKERS TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT.

AND I KNOW THAT THERE'S WEIGHTED VOTING SYSTEMS AND ALL THAT.

BUT ULTIMATELY, I JUST AS A BOARD RIGHT NOW, I THINK THAT YOU HAVE FOLKS UP HERE THAT THAT THAT ARE THAT ARE SOMEWHAT PROFICIENT IN WATER AND WHAT'S GOING ON, THEY OBVIOUSLY LISTEN TO THEIR GROWERS IN THEIR DISTRICT AND THEIR WATER MANAGERS TO TRY TO HELP MAKE INFORMED DECISIONS.

BUT I'LL BE I'LL SAY IT IS, IS IS SOME OF THE COMMENTS UP HERE TODAY WANTS TO SAY ZERO.

YOU DON'T PUMP ANY WATER.

AND THAT'S NOT WHAT I WANT EITHER, BECAUSE I WILL TELL YOU, I STILL WON'T FORGET THAT THE NUMBER ONE INDUSTRY IN MERCED COUNTY IS AGRICULTURE, RIGHT? THE STAT THAT OUR AG COMMISSIONER GAVE THAT IF MERCED COUNTY WAS ITS OWN STATE, WE'D BE 32ND IN THE COUNTRY AS FAR AS OUR OWN STATE.

SO I KNOW WHAT THAT DOES TO OUR COMMUNITIES.

AND THE AMOUNT OF, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU LOOK AT HOW THE DOLLARS GET PAID FORWARD, AGRICULTURE IS OUR NUMBER ONE INDUSTRY AND IS GOING TO CONTINUE TO BE THAT.

AND SO I DON'T WANT TO CLOSE THE DOOR COMPLETELY ON THIS.

AND I WOULD ENTERTAIN THAT, THAT WE WE POSTPONE THIS FOR A LITTLE BIT.

BUT IF THAT'S THE CASE THEN I ALSO WANT TO SEND THE MESSAGE TO THE GSA'S THAT YOU GUYS NEED TO GET.

YOU NEED TO GET READY AND GEARED UP TO TAKE ON YOUR RESPONSIBILITIES.

AND I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM SENDING THAT MESSAGE.

WITH THE SAME THING ON THE WELL ORDINANCE.

THAT WAS THE PUSHBACK.

WE WEREN'T READY. WE DON'T HAVE THE STAFFING TO DO IT.

WE IMPLEMENTED IT.

AND I DON'T KNOW, I CAN'T SAY THAT I'VE LOOKED AT EVERYTHING EVERY WELL THAT'S BEEN PUT IN.

BUT AS FAR AS I'M HEARING, I'M NOT HEARING ANYTHING.

I'M HEARING THAT THAT'S WORKING OUT WELL.

SO AGAIN, YOU KNOW, I WE'VE BEEN AT THIS THIS IS THIS WASN'T NEW.

THIS WE STARTED ON THIS ROAD OVER A YEAR AGO.

WE ENGAGED STAKEHOLDERS FROM ALL THE GSA'S, ALL THE WATER DISTRICTS.

THEY WERE ALL MADE AWARE OF OF WHAT WE WERE, WHAT WE WERE INTENDING TO DO.

THIS BOARD WAS BRIEFED ON THOSE ISSUES.

AND AND NOW IT SEEMS TO ME THAT THERE'S ONE PARTICULAR GROUP OUT THERE THAT'S, YOU KNOW, AND MAYBE RIGHTFULLY SO, THAT THAT WE NEED TO TAKE A STEP BACK AND KIND OF REEVALUATE AND DO A LITTLE BIT MORE EDUCATION.

BUT AT SOME POINT, IF THE ANSWER IS WE'RE GOING TO EDUCATE YOU TO THE POINT THAT WE POSSIBLY CAN, BUT IF YOU'RE IF YOU'RE NOT HAPPY WITH IT, WELL, THEN, I MEAN, IT'S GOING TO BE WHAT IT'S GOING TO BE. BUT I JUST IF WE'RE GOING TO I'M GOING TO ADD I WOULD LIKE TO ADD THAT TO IT.

IF WE ARE GOING TO POSTPONE THIS FOR A YEAR, WE'LL LOOK WE'LL LOOK AT THIS NEXT JANUARY AGAIN.

BUT SEND THE MESSAGE TO THE GSA'S, I REALLY THINK YOU NEED TO START BE WORKING ON YOUR PLANS ON ON HOW YOU'RE GOING TO TAKE ON THE RESPONSIBILITY THAT SGMA GAVE YOU AS A GSA. THANK YOU.

SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. I DO AGREE WITH A LOT THAT'S BEEN SAID UP HERE TODAY.

I'M NOT COMFORTABLE WITH IT THE WAY IT SITS RIGHT NOW, BUT I NOTICE THE DIRECTION THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO MOVE AT SOME POINT.

I'M COMFORTABLE WITH THE PROPOSAL THAT WAS MADE HERE AT THE DAIS.

AND, I THINK ONE CAVEAT WE NEED IS THE GSPS HAVE TO BE IN PLACE BECAUSE IF THERE'S NO APPROVED GSP, THEY'RE GOING TO BE MOVING.

I MEAN, HOW WHAT'S THE MATH IN THE WATER THAT THEY'RE MOVING AROUND? AND SO I'M MORE COMFORTABLE ONCE THE GSPS ARE APPROVED, ONCE THE STATE HAS APPROVED THE MOTIONS OR THE MOVEMENTS THEY'RE GOING TO MAKE, THEN I CAN BE COMFORTABLE WITH IT.

AT THIS POINT, THOUGH, I'M NOT COMFORTABLE WITH THIS.

THANK YOU. SUPERVISOR PAREIRA.

THANK YOU CHAIR.

YOU KNOW, I SPENT A LOT OF TIME AND ENERGY, LOOKING INTO THIS ORDINANCE AND THE CHANGE.

[01:45:03]

BUT UNFORTUNATELY, YOU KNOW, AND I GUESS I SHOULD HAVE KEYED IN SOONER, BUT SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL HIT THE NAIL ON THE HEAD IS WE DON'T HAVE APPROVED GSPS ACROSS THE COUNTY.

THERE'S ONLY ONE.

AND AND UNTIL THAT HAPPENS, WE DON'T HAVE.

YOU KNOW WHAT? BASICALLY WHAT THAT MEANS IS THE STATE HASN'T APPROVED THE THE LOCAL PLAN TO BE SUSTAINABLE.

AND UNTIL WE HAVE THOSE PLANS APPROVED, THAT WE'RE ON A PATH TO BEING SUSTAINABLE.

I AGREE THAT WE, YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO PROBABLY KICK THE CAN DOWN THE ROAD.

YOU KNOW, REALLY, UNTIL THE GSPS ARE APPROVED AND, YOU KNOW, I KNOW THAT THAT, YOU KNOW, THERE'S THERE'S FARMERS IN OUR COUNTY THAT ARE GOING TO SUFFER BECAUSE WE'RE NOT GOING TO ALLOW THIS TO HAPPEN.

THAT PAINS ME.

YOU KNOW, IT REALLY DOES.

AND WHAT PAINS ME THE MOST IS THAT THE PUBLIC COMMENTS THAT HAVE BEEN MADE TODAY MOSTLY ARE INCORRECT.

AND THAT'S THE HARD PART, IS THAT THERE'S STILL FALSE INFORMATION.

AND THAT'S, THAT'S JUST, YOU KNOW, BUT THAT'S THE NATURE OF THE BEAST.

AND, AND SO WITH THAT, I MEAN, I'LL, I'LL SECOND, SUPERVISOR PEDROZO MOTION.

OKAY. SUPERVISOR PAREIRA.

YEAH. ONE MORE COMMENT. THAT WAS IT.

OKAY. WELL.

I WAS SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA IN LIGHT OF MY COLLEAGUE'S COMMENT.

AND SO IS IT.

IS IT IN ONE YEAR, OR IS IT WHEN, WHEN PLANS ARE APPROVED? AND THEN IF THAT'S THE CASE, IF THEY GET APPROVED SOONER, DO WE BRING IT BACK SOONER? I GO AHEAD, I WILL AMEND IT TO SAY WHATEVER.

IT'S EITHER WHATEVER SOONER.

SO WHEN THE PLANS ARE APPROVED THAT WE'LL BRING IT BACK.

BUT IF IT'S A YEAR, THEN WE WAIT A YEAR.

BUT I THINK THAT IF WE HAVE THE PLANS ARE IN PLACE OR THE PLANS COME BACK SOONER, I THINK THAT WE SHOULD BRING IT BACK AT THAT POINT.

IS THAT OKAY WITH THE SECOND? YEAH. OKAY.

WELL, LET ME MAKE A COMMENT FIRST.

OKAY. SO I GUESS SORRY, I JUST.

GO AHEAD. JUST JUST ONE ONE FINAL COMMENT IS, IS IT, SUPERVISOR PAREIRA ALLUDED TO IT IS IS I JUST CAN'T THANK STAFF ENOUGH BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE THEY DID THE WORK THAT WAS NEEDED. THEY DID THE OUTREACH AND THE ENGAGEMENT THAT WAS NEEDED IN ORDER TO TO MOVE THIS PROCESS ALONG.

SO I CAN'T, GO WITHOUT GIVING KUDOS TO MISTER MAXEY AND MISS MCBRIDE ON ON ALL THE HARD WORK THAT THEY'VE DONE TO ENGAGE EVERYBODY.

AND SO I KNOW THAT SOME PEOPLE ARE CONFUSED AND DON'T THINK THERE WAS ENOUGH INFORMATION.

AND I WANT TO SAY THAT'S NOT BECAUSE WE DIDN'T OFFER TO GIVE THAT INFORMATION AND WEREN'T WILLING TO TALK TO PEOPLE.

IT MIGHT JUST BE BECAUSE, FOLKS MAYBE THAT WERE ON THE PERIPHERAL DIDN'T KNOW HOW TO ENGAGE THAT INFORMATION.

SO THAT'S I DON'T WANT THAT TO BE SEEN IN ANY WAY AS, AS A KNOCK ON, ON THE GOOD WORK THAT YOU GUYS DID.

SO THANK YOU PERSONALLY FROM ME.

SUPERVISOR PAREIRA.

THANK YOU. MR.. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. YOU KNOW, I WANT TO SAY ONE OTHER ONE OTHER THING.

THAT, YOU KNOW, THE FEAR OF, OF A LOT OF PEOPLE IS THAT PEOPLE ARE GOING TO TURN PUMPS ON.

AND ONE OF THE PUBLIC COMMENTS WAS TODAY THAT PEOPLE ARE ALREADY PUMPING UP.

I'VE BEEN HEARING THAT, YOU KNOW, I REPRESENT OUT IN, IN THE, YOU KNOW, THE, THE WEST SIDE OUT INTO THE STEVENSON AREA.

AND I'M HEARING THAT AS WELL, BUT NOBODY WILL SAY WHO IT IS.

ONE THING THAT AND THIS IS OTHER MISINFORMATION, THE COUNTY IS STILL GOING TO ENFORCE THE ORDINANCE, RIGHT? WE STILL HAVE A STAFF THAT IS WILLING TO GO OUT AND LOOK.

AND IF SOMEBODY IS ILLEGALLY, ILLEGALLY PUMPING AND SIT IN THAT WATER SOMEWHERE, WE ADDRESS IT.

AND SO, YOU KNOW, BACK WHEN, YOU KNOW, A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO, WE HAD A GROWER THAT WAS DOING THAT, AND WE WENT OUT.

WE SENT OUR ATTORNEY, SEND A LETTER, SAID CEASE AND DESIST.

YOU KNOW, WE DO HAVE ENFORCEMENT AVAILABLE THAT WILL BE AVAILABLE, BUT IT'S AVAILABLE TODAY.

AND SO IF YOU KNOW SOMEBODY THAT IS PUMPING, THAT'S NOT SUPPOSED TO BE THEN THEN, YOU KNOW, PLEASE LET US KNOW.

YOU KNOW, YOU CAN EITHER CALL ME, CALL STAFF, CALL YOUR SUPERVISOR IF YOU DON'T LIVE IN MY DISTRICT AND LET US KNOW BECAUSE, GROUNDWATER IS EVERYTHING.

SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL. YEAH.

JUST ONE MORE COMMENT.

BECAUSE THIS THIS IS A TRIGGER FOR EVERYBODY.

WE MIGHT WANT TO LOOK AT RENAMING OUR ORDINANCE, FROM GROUNDWATER MINING AND EXPORT, BECAUSE I THINK THAT'S A TRIGGER FOR EVERYBODY.

AND A LOT OF MISINFORMATION CAN GO OUT THERE.

SO WE MIGHT WANT TO LOOK AT THAT IN THE FUTURE.

ALL RIGHT. I DON'T SEE ANY MORE COMMENTS.

WELL, I, I REPRESENT THIS BOARD ON THE TURLOCK WEST GSA AND THAT GSP IS, YOU KNOW, IS WAS SUBMITTED TOGETHER WITH THE

[01:50:06]

WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO SEND IT BACK, EVEN THOUGH THE WEST SIDE, WHERE MOST OF MY LAND IS AT, IT'S ON, IT'S GOT GOOD, GOOD WATER.

WE HAVE A LOT OF WATER.

BUT THE PROBLEM IS ON THE EAST SIDE, WE HAVE A LOT MORE THOUSANDS OF FARMERS THAT FARM A LOT OF FARMLAND ON THE HILLS.

THEY WEREN'T SUPPOSED TO FARM THAT AREA, BUT NOW THEY DO, YOU KNOW.

SO ALL ALL THE WATER FROM THE WEST SIDE IS, IS LEACHING UNDERGROUND AND GOING THAT WAY.

WE HAVE AN AREA THAT'S VERY EXTREME WATER AND WATER SHORTAGE.

WE'RE IN THE, IN THE HERE WHERE WE SAY IS THE MERCED GSA IS A VERY EXTREME, YOU KNOW, WATER SHORTAGE.

AND IT WAS APPROVED.

I ALSO REPRESENT, THIS BOARD ON THE ON THE CHOWCHILLA GSA, WHICH IS IT HAD IT WASN'T APPROVED AND THEY HAD SUBMITTED, I CAN'T REMEMBER IF, IT WAS APPROVED YET, BUT, I KNOW THAT THEY RESUBMITTED THE GSP FOR HOPEFULLY FOR APPROVAL.

AND, THOSE FARMERS IN CHOWCHILLA HAVE BEEN WORKING HARD, ESPECIALLY WITH THE ONES ON, ON THE MERCED COUNTY SIDE AND, YOU KNOW, TRYING TO ADD AS MUCH WATER TO THE GROUND.

SO THAT WAY IT PERCOLATES DOWN AND REPLENISH THAT GROUNDWATER IN ORDER FOR, THE GSP TO BE, YOU KNOW, APPROVED BY THE STATE, I GO.

SO IT'S IMPERATIVE THAT I THINK THAT WE, WE KEEP THAT AUTHORITY.

WE HAVE THE AUTHORITY ON THE GSA'S.

BUT I UNDERSTAND THERE'S ALWAYS THERE'S ALWAYS A FEW BAD APPLES IN EVERY, YOU KNOW, EVERYWHERE.

RIGHT. SO WE CAN HAVE A GSA THAT'S, THAT'S, THAT'S MANIPULATED BY A BIG FARMERS THAT.

WELL, LIKE I SAID, WELL, YOU KNOW, BUT WE DON'T KNOW IF THEY'RE GOING TO BE SELLING WATER OR NOT, YOU KNOW, WHETHER IT'S LIKE I SAID, IT'S THE COUNTY, BUT SOME PEOPLE ARE FOR PROFIT AND THAT'S ALL THEY CARE ABOUT.

YOU KNOW, ONCE THEY, YOU KNOW, THEY MAKE A LOT OF MONEY, THEY MOVE OUT, YOU KNOW, AND THEY'LL LEAVE US HERE WITH THE, WITH THE GSA THAT WON'T BE COMPLIANT BY 2040.

SO WE NEED TO WORK TOGETHER FOR EVERYBODY.

BUT IF WE, WE CAN KEEP THAT AUTHORITY HERE ON THE BOARD.

WHY GIVE IT UP? I KNOW THE GSA IS LIKE I SAID, WE HAVE.

WE CAN WORK TOGETHER. WE'LL BE ABLE TO WORK WITH ALL THE ALL THE GIS AROUND THE COUNTY, BUT LET'S NOT, LET LET'S NOT, GIVE THAT AUTHORITY UP.

WE CAN PREVENT ABUSE.

ALSO, I THINK THAT IN THE FUTURE, THE WAY EVERYTHING'S GOING, ALL THE SMALL FARMERS ARE GOING TO BE LOSING OUT.

THERE WON'T BE ANY SMALL FARMERS.

THEY'LL BE SELLING OUT. YOU KNOW, THEY'RE BARELY, STAYING AFLOAT AND EVERYTHING.

THE COSTS ARE HIGH. COST IS HIGH.

I VOTED AGAINST THE AMENDMENT TO THE, WELL, WELL, ORDINANCE BECAUSE, LIKE I SAID, YOU KNOW, YOU GIVE AUTHORITY TO ONE MORE IN EXTREME GSA'S WHY ADD MORE WELLS IN AN EXTREME SHORTAGE AREA GSA WHEN THAT WELL IS GOING TO HAVE THE SAME AUTHORITY AS THE REST OF THE REST OF THE THE WELLS, THEY'RE GOING TO BE SUCKING GROUNDWATER AS MUCH AS THEY CAN, RIGHT? BECAUSE CURRENTLY WE DON'T HAVE ANY.

YOU KNOW, LIKE I SAID, ENOUGH.

YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT REGULATING THAT.

SO, IT JUST YET, A LOT OF DOMESTIC WELLS ARE, OBVIOUSLY RENO HAS BEEN RAINING LAST YEAR AND THIS YEAR, BUT.

HE SAID THEY'RE NOT GOING UP, BUT AS SOON AS WE HAVE ANOTHER GO INTO A DROUGHT, YOU'RE GOING TO BE LOSING A LOT OF WELLS, A LOT OF PEOPLE CALLING.

IF YOU'RE WITHIN THE CITY, THEY'RE CALLING THE CITIES, YOU KNOW, AROUND THE COUNTY TO TRY TO, YOU KNOW, ADD, YOU KNOW, ADD THEMSELVES TO THE CITY BECAUSE LIKE I SAID, THEIR THEIR WELLS, THEY CAN'T AFFORD DRILLING ANY.

WELL, AND WE'RE NOT TURNING DOWN DOMESTIC WELLS BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY, YOU KNOW, EVERYBODY'S GOT, YOU KNOW, STAY IN THEIR HOME.

BUT RIGHT NOW, LIKE I SAID, I WOULD SUPPORT, YOU KNOW, A MORATORIUM FOR ONE YEAR.

SO, THERE'S NO YOU HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.

YEAH. SO WE HAVE A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR PEDROZO AND A SECOND BY, SUPERVISOR PAREIRA.

AND WE'LL GO AHEAD AND, DO THE VOTE.

AYE.

OKAY, SO I GUESS WE'LL BE BACK TO, YOU KNOW, FOR FURTHER, COMMENTS FROM THE, FROM OUR STAFF REGARDING, THE GSPS, BUT HOPEFULLY, LIKE I SAID, IT'S I DON'T THINK IT'S GOING TO BE A YEAR.

I, WE'RE GOING TO BE WORKING ON SO.

YEAH. YEAH, YEAH.

MOTION PASSES I WILL.

WE'RE GOING TO TAKE A TEN MINUTE BREAK.

WE'LL BE RIGHT BACK. ANDRE THANK YOU.

11:59 YEAH.

ALL RIGHT, WE'LL MOVE ON BACK TO OUR BOARD.

ACTION ITEMS, BEGINNING WITH, ITEMS 13 AND 14.

PUBLIC WORKS ITEMS 13 AND 14.

ITEM 14 REQUIRES A 4/5 VOTE.

OKAY, I WILL OPEN UP PUBLIC COMMENT ON ITEMS 13 AND 14.

NO COMMENTS. ALL RIGHT.

WE'LL CLOSE UP PUBLIC COMMENT AND, ANY MORE COMMENTS?

[01:55:07]

WE HAVE A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR PEREZ.

SECOND BY SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA.

CAN WE, CALL FOR THE VOTE, PLEASE? LOOK AT THE VOTE.

OKAY, THIS IS UNANIMOUS.

NEXT, WE HAVE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AND RECOVERY SERVICES.

ITEMS 15 THROUGH 17.

ITEM 17 REQUIRES A 4/5 VOTE.

OKAY. AT THIS TIME, I'LL OPEN UP PUBLIC COMMENT ON BHRS ITEMS 15 TO 17.

SEEING NO COMMENT.

WE'LL CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENTS AND, CALL FOR A MOTION, WHICH WE HAVE SUPERVISOR PAREIRA OF MOTION AND SECOND BY SUPERVISOR PEDROZO.

WE'LL CALL FOR THE VOTE. WE'LL LOOK AT THE SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL.

ALL RIGHT, SO WE HAVE A 5-0 VOTE.

WE DID ITEM 18.

NEXT WE HAVE A WORKFORCE INVESTMENT.

ITEM 19.

AT THIS TIME I'LL OPEN UP PUBLIC COMMENT ON ITEM NUMBER 19.

NO COMMENTS.

WE'LL CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENT AND COME BACK FOR A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL AND SUPERVISOR PEDROZO.

NO COMMENTS. SO WE'LL CALL FOR THE VOTE.

RECORD THE VOTE, PLEASE.

MOTION PASSES FIVE ZERO.

NEXT WE HAVE SHERIFF, ITEMS 20 AND 21.

AT THIS TIME, OPEN UP PUBLIC COMMENT FOR SHERIFF ITEMS 20 AND 21.

NO COMMENT. ALL RIGHT.

WE'LL CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENT.

AND, LOOK, WE HAVE A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA AND A SECOND BY SUPERVISOR PEDROZO.

I'LL CALL FOR THE VOTE.

RECORD THE VOTE.

ALL RIGHT, 5-0.

NEXT WE HAVE A BOARD APPOINTMENTS.

ITEMS 22 THROUGH 25.

AT THIS TIME I'LL OPEN UP PUBLIC COMMENT ON BOARD APPOINTMENTS ITEMS 22 TO 25.

SEEING NO COMMENTS, WE'LL CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD FOR BOARD APPOINTMENTS ITEMS, AND THEN WE'LL CALL FOR THE MOTION BY SUPERVISOR PAREIRA AND A SUPERVISOR PEDROZO A SECOND, SO WE'LL CALL FOR THE VOTE.

JOSH. THANK YOU.

RECORD THE VOTE. SO WE HAVE A 5-0, MOTION PASSES.

WE WILL NOW MOVE ON TO OUR SCHEDULE ITEM.

WE HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING ITEM SUBMITTED BY THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE.

SHERIFF, PUBLIC HEARING TO CONSIDER PROPOSED ORDINANCE ENTITLED AN ORDINANCE RELATING TO THE INCREASE OF FEES FOR SERVICES PERFORMED FOR THE PUBLIC BY THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE.

AMENDING TITLE FIVE, CHAPTER 5.44, SECTION 5.44.020 OF THE MERCED COUNTY CODE.

GOOD MORNING, BOARD OR GOOD AFTERNOON.

WE'RE BRINGING FORWARD A PROPOSAL TO INCREASE OUR FEES AT THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT.

THEY HAVE NOT BEEN RAISED SINCE 2004, AND WE LIKE TO MOVE FORWARD.

ALL RIGHT, SHERIFF. NO COMMENTS.

OKAY, I WILL OPEN UP THE PUBLIC HEARING AND ACCEPT PUBLIC COMMENTS REGARDING THE ITEM.

TESTIMONY IS LIMITED TO THREE MINUTES PER PERSON.

NO PUBLIC COMMENTS. THE PUBLIC HEARING IS NOW CLOSED.

DO WE HAVE A COMMENT BY SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA? NO, MR. CHAIR, JUST A I JUST WANTED TO, WELL, YES, A COMMENT AND THEN MAKE A MOTION IS, IS.

I JUST WANT TO THANK THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE FOR LOOKING INTO FEES.

I KNOW THAT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT AT A STAFF LEVEL AT THE I'VE HEARD AT DEPARTMENT HEAD MEETINGS, IS WE NEED TO START LOOKING AT, YOU KNOW, AT LEAST CHARGING, YOU KNOW, WE'RE A NOT FOR PROFIT BUSINESS HERE, BUT WE NEED TO AT LEAST BE CHARGING FEES THAT COVER THE COST TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE THESE SERVICES.

AND SO I WANT TO THANK THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT FOR CAPTAIN SULLIVAN FOR LOOKING INTO THIS.

AND I WOULD ENCOURAGE ALL OUR OTHER DEPARTMENTS THAT HAVING FEES THAT WERE LAST SET IN 2004 IS NOT SUSTAINABLE.

[02:00:03]

AND WE HEARD THE SHERIFF'S COMMENTS EARLIER, YOU KNOW, TRYING TO SHAKE THAT MONEY TREE AND TRY TO FIND EVERY PENNY POSSIBLE.

ONE OF THE WAYS THAT I THINK THAT WE DO THAT IS BY ACTUALLY CHARGING THE FEES THAT, THAT IT COSTS TO PROVIDE THE SERVICE.

AND SO WITH THAT, I WOULD MAKE A MOTION TO ADOPT.

I NEED TO READ IT HERE. HOLD ON A SECOND.

I WAS ON THE WRONG PAGE.

ADOPT THE PROPOSED ORDINANCE ENTITLED AN ORDINANCE RELATING TO THE INCREASE OF FEES FOR SERVICES PERFORMED FOR THE PUBLIC SAFETY BY THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE AND SUPERSEDES ORDINANCE NUMBER 1723 AND AMENDS SECTION 5.44.020 OF CHAPTER 5.44, TITLE FIVE OF THE MERCED COUNTY CODE.

OKAY, FIRST WE HAVE A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA.

SECOND BY SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL.

ALL RIGHT. SO ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. ANY OPPOSED? MOTION PASSES FIVE ZERO.

THANK YOU. [INAUDIBLE] MENDEZ.

YES. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.

I DID WANT TO EXTEND SOME APPRECIATION TO THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT.

I KNOW WITH THIS PARTICULAR ITEM, OUR OFFICE, BECAUSE OF MY QUESTIONS ASKED FOR A LITTLE BIT MORE INFORMATION, I THINK WE'RE GOING TO TRY AND WORK WITH DEPARTMENTS A LITTLE BIT EARLIER IN THE PROCESS.

APPRECIATE YOU ALL, GATHERING THE INFORMATION TO MAKE SURE THAT THE INFORMATION THAT'S RECEIVED BY THE BOARD AND THE PUBLIC IS CLEAR.

SO THANK YOU, SHERIFF.

THANK YOU, CAPTAIN, FOR FOR THE WORK LAST WEEK AND THEN FOR THE OTHER, OTHER DEPARTMENTS.

YEAH, WE WILL BE WORKING WITH YOUR, RESPECTIVE STAFF, TO MAKE SURE THAT THE INFORMATION AS IT'S BEING BROUGHT FORWARD, DOES ALL THE STAFF WORK IN ADVANCE? SO AGAIN, JUST WANTED TO MAKE THAT COMMENT.

THANK YOU GENTLEMEN. THANK YOU.

WELL, NOW WE'LL GO TO, BOARD REPORTS.

THIS IS BOARD REPORTS.

WELL, WE'LL START WITH SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA.

I THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR.

SO I WOULD I WANT TO DO A REPORT OUT THAT LAST WEEK, I WAS UP AT A, CSAC EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEETING IN SACRAMENTO THE NIGHT BEFORE.

IT KIND OF JUST WORKED OUT THAT I WAS THERE TO SEE THE NEW CHAIR FOR RURAL COUNTIES REPRESENTING CALIFORNIA.

MR. LOPEZ FROM MONTEREY COUNTY.

THEY HAD HIS SWEARING IN AND HIS, INAUGURATION, I'M GOING TO CALL IT.

SO I WAS ABLE TO ATTEND THAT ON BEHALF OF THE COUNTY, BUT SOME OF THE HIGHLIGHTS OF OUR EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETING.

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I WAS I'M THANKFUL TO ASSEMBLYWOMAN SORIA, WHO I HAPPENED TO SEE THE NIGHT BEFORE AT THE RCRC EVENT, AND I HAD TOLD HER AND JOKINGLY TELLING HER, HEY, IF YOU SHOW UP TO MY CSAC EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEETING, LIKE, I'LL LOOK REALLY COOL IN FRONT OF ALL MY COLLEAGUES BECAUSE MY ASSEMBLY MEMBER, CAME TO THE MEETING AND I DIDN'T THINK THAT.

I DIDN'T REALLY THINK MUCH MORE OF IT.

SHE SAID, OH, I'LL TEXT YOU. AND I DIDN'T REALLY THINK I WAS GOING TO GET A TEXT.

AND THEN SURE ENOUGH, THE NEXT DAY SHE DID.

AND SO, IT WAS UNIQUE IN THE SENSE, YOU KNOW, NOT ALL OF OUR STATE LEGISLATORS HAVE LOCAL GOVERNMENT EXPERIENCE.

AND SO ANYTIME THAT WE GET AN OPPORTUNITY TO SHOW THEM THE GOOD WORK THAT WE DO AS COUNTIES, WE TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT.

AND IT WORKED OUT REALLY WELL.

YOU KNOW, OUR ASSEMBLYWOMAN IS THE CHAIR OF THE AG COMMITTEE, WHICH YOU GUYS HAVE HEARD ME SAY BEFORE, IS SUCH AN IMPORTANT, INTEGRAL PART OF OUR COUNTY.

AND SO TO HAVE HER THERE AND KIND OF FIRSTHAND GIVING HER FIRST HAND, YOU KNOW, SHE ACTUALLY STAYED AROUND WHILE WE WERE GOING OVER OUR LEGISLATIVE UPDATES AND ASKING QUESTIONS. AND SO A BIG SPECIAL THANK YOU TO ASSEMBLYWOMAN SORIA FOR MAKING ME LOOK GOOD IN FRONT OF MY COLLEAGUES ON THE EXECUTIVE BOARD FOR, CSAC.

I DO WANT TO BRING UP IS I YOU KNOW, I'VE ASKED FOR AN UPDATE AND I'VE GOTTEN SOME UPDATES, BUT WE REALLY WANT TO PUT, IT OUT THERE FOR STAFF.

I WANT TO TALK ABOUT LAKE YOSEMITE AND THE, RENEGOTIATION OF A LEASE FOR LAKE YOSEMITE AND REALLY WANT TO GET PROBABLY AN UPDATE. MAYBE YOU CAN BRIEF ALL OF THE BOARD AND MAYBE WE'LL HAVE A BRIEFING HERE.

BUT, JUST KNOWING THAT WE'RE STARING DOWN THE BARREL OF $20 MILLION WORTH OF OF IMPROVEMENTS THAT ARE NEEDED AT LAKE YOSEMITE, AND IT DOESN'T ALWAYS SEEM LIKE WE HAVE A REALLY GREAT PARTNER THAT WAS WILLING TO WORK WITH US.

AND SO, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A COUPLE OPTIONS THERE.

AND I REALLY WANT TO GET TO THE BOTTOM OF THAT.

I KNOW THAT THE LEASE DOESN'T, IT DOESN'T EXPIRE FOR A LITTLE BIT HERE.

BUT THE IMPORTANCE OF IT IS, IS I CAN TELL YOU WE DON'T HAVE THE $20 MILLION TO MAKE THE UPGRADES.

AND SO WHAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO DO IS, IS WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO GO OUT AND SEEK GRANTS IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO TRY TO DO SOME OF THOSE UPGRADES OUT THERE AND IN ORDER TO, YOU KNOW, TO MEET THE COVENANTS OF THESE GRANTS, YOU HAVE TO HAVE BE ABLE TO SHOW THAT YOU HAVE CONTROL OF THE PROPERTY FOR AND I DON'T I'M NOT GOING TO CLAIM THAT I KNOW EVERY GRANT, BUT IN SOME CASES, THEY WANT TO KNOW THAT YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE CONTROL OVER IT FOR 20 TO 30 YEARS AND BEFORE A STATE OR THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS GOING TO MAKE THOSE

[02:05:06]

BUT THEY WANT TO KNOW THAT WE'RE GOING TO STILL HAVE CONTROL OVER THAT.

AND THAT'S REALLY UNCERTAIN TO ME RIGHT NOW.

AND I'M DONE BEING UNCERTAIN.

SO I REALLY WANT TO GET I'M GOING TO PUT THE BRIGHT LIGHTS ON THIS AND, AND UNDERSTAND WHERE WE'RE AT SO THAT MYSELF AND MY COLLEAGUES CAN MAKE AN EDUCATED DECISION AS TO WHETHER WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE FORWARD WITH THIS LEASE.

I KNOW THAT IT'S A PART OF OUR PARKS AND REC DEPARTMENT, BUT I CAN SHARE THE NUMBERS WITH YOU THAT I LAST WAS MADE AWARE OF.

YOU KNOW, IT GENERATES $300,000 A YEAR IN REVENUE, BUT IT COSTS US $600,000 A YEAR TO OPERATE IT.

AND THAT'S NOT TO SAY THAT THAT, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE'RE PROVIDING PARKS AND REC SERVICES TO OUR COMMUNITIES, THAT THAT DOLLAR FOR DOLLAR THAT IT HAS TO PAY FOR ITSELF.

BUT WHEN YOUR BUDGETS, THOSE ARE GENERAL FUND DOLLARS AND WHEN YOUR BUDGETS ARE STRETCHED, THEN AND YOU HAVE TO MAKE THOSE CHOICES.

YOU WANT THEM TO AT LEAST KIND OF HELP OUT A LITTLE BIT.

AND SO WITH THAT, I THINK THAT IT'S TIME THAT WE KIND OF SPEED THIS UP AND WE GET AN UPDATE AS TO WHERE WE'RE AT WITH THAT, SO THAT AS A BOARD, WE CAN MAKE AN INFORMED DECISION ON WHAT THE BEST STEPS, TO MOVE FORWARD ARE.

AND THEN THE LAST THING IS, IS I DO WANT TO ADJOURN TODAY'S MEETING IN HONOR OF GUY GARY.

AND SO I KNOW THAT THE BOARD AND OUR COUNTY FAMILY UP HERE KNOW GUY GARY VERY WELL.

AND FOR THE FOLKS AT HOME THAT DON'T KNOW, GUY GARY WAS OUR SPRING FAIR MANAGER.

AND HE PASSED AWAY, WITH NO NOTICE ON JANUARY 13TH, ON MY BIRTHDAY IS WHEN I GOT THE PHONE CALL AND AND SO JUST TO SHARE A LITTLE BIT ABOUT GUY, HE, HE ORIGINALLY APPLIED FOR THE SPRING FAIR MANAGER JOB AND THINGS DIDN'T WORK OUT, BUT EVERYTHING HAPPENS FOR A REASON.

COVID HAPPENED.

WE GOT RID OF ONE FAIR MANAGER AND THEN HE APPLIED FOR THE JOB.

HE ACTUALLY HAPPENED TO BE CEO MENDEZ'S FIRST AS THE OFFICIAL CEO OF THE COUNTY.

HIS FIRST. DEPARTMENT HEAD THAT HE HIRED WAS GUY GARY.

AND I WILL TELL YOU, I'M A PERSON THAT SAYS THAT WE'RE ALL REPLACEABLE.

I'M HERE TODAY. AND YOU KNOW, IF I LEAVE OFFICE OR GET VOTED OUT, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE GOING TO REPLACE ME WITH SOMEBODY IN THIS SITUATION.

[SCHEDULED ITEM]

BUT WHAT I WILL TELL YOU WE WON'T FIND IS WE WON'T FIND ANYBODY THAT IS MORE PASSIONATE OR DEDICATED TO THE SPRING FAIR AND ITS SUCCESS.

AND JUST TO KIND OF HIGHLIGHT THAT FOR YOU AS AS THE WEST SIDE EXPRESS REACHED OUT TO ME FOR SOME COMMENTS IN AN ARTICLE THAT'S COMING OUT THIS WEEK, THE PERSON THAT WAS WRITING THIS ARTICLE HAPPENED TO WRITE WROTE AN ARTICLE FOR THEIR VERY FIRST WEST SIDE EXPRESS WHEN THEY BECAME A NEW NEWSPAPER.

AND ON THE WEST SIDE OUT THERE.

AND THE ARTICLE, ONE OF THE ARTICLES WAS ON GUY GARY BEING APPOINTED TO THE NEW SPRING FAIR MANAGER POSITION.

WELL, NOT NEW POSITION, BUT BEING APPOINTED THAT POSITION AND HIS COMMENTS WERE THIS IS LIKE THE JOB OF MY LIFE.

THIS IS THIS IS MY DREAM JOB.

AND SO HE HE IS HE'S A PERSON THAT WAS DEDICATED NOT ONLY TO THE SPRING FAIR, BUT ALSO TO HIS FAMILY.

YOU DIDN'T YOU DIDN'T SAY A COUPLE THINGS ABOUT GUY GARY.

ONE IS, IS YOU DIDN'T HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH HIM THAT YOU DIDN'T LAUGH AT THE BEGINNING AND LAUGH AT THE END BECAUSE HE WAS JUST THAT KIND OF GUY.

AND YOU ALSO, YOU COULD LISTEN.

WE TALKED ABOUT SPRING FAIR IRRIGATION PROJECTS, AND THEY WEREN'T ALWAYS THE NICEST CONVERSATIONS, BUT BUT IN IN THE COURSE OF THAT CONVERSATION, HE WOULD ALWAYS TALK ABOUT SOMETHING THAT HE WAS DOING WITH HIS FAMILY OR HIS MOM.

HE JUST JUST I MEAN, THE WE DIDN'T OUR FAIR FAMILY AND OUR COUNTY FAMILY JUST DIDN'T LOSE A DEPARTMENT HEAD.

OUR COMMUNITY LOST A GREAT PERSON.

AND, YOU KNOW, IT'S UNFORTUNATE THAT IT TAKES, YOU KNOW, A TRAGIC EVENT LIKE THIS TO TO LIKE, YOU KNOW, REALLY TALK ABOUT IT.

AND I HAVE I'VE BEEN TALKING TO PEOPLE FOR THE LAST TEN DAYS THAT HAVE BEEN OFFERING THEIR CONDOLENCES.

AND YOU'LL BE HARD PRESSED, HARD PRESSED TO FIND A PERSON THAT HAS A BAD WORD TO SAY ABOUT THIS GUY.

AND IT KIND OF MAKES YOU THINK OF YOUR OWN, MY OWN SELF AND HIS HOPE THAT ONE DAY WHEN, WHEN, WHEN THE GOOD LORD PUNCHES MY NUMBER, THAT PEOPLE WILL SAY JUST HALF OF THE NICE THINGS THAT THEY SAID ABOUT GUY GARY, THAT THEY WOULD SAY THAT ABOUT ME.

AND SO IT'S WITH A HEAVY HEART THAT I DIDN'T ONLY LOSE A CHILDHOOD FRIEND, BUT WE ALSO LOST JUST A A GREAT COMMUNITY MEMBER AND A BIG PART OF OUR MERCED COUNTY FAMILY.

SO MISTER CHAIR, WITH THAT, I WOULD LIKE TO ADJOURN TODAY'S MEETING IN MEMORY AND IN HONOR OF GUY GARY.

THANK YOU. PAREIRA. THANK YOU, MISTER CHAIR.

YOU KNOW, MY EXPERIENCE WITH GUY WAS FAR SHORTER THAN SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA'S, BUT NOT ONE THING HE SAID WASN'T SOMETHING THAT I THOUGHT, WHAT A WHAT A GREAT GUY. AND VERY UNFORTUNATE FOR THE COUNTY FAMILY.

THAT HE WON'T BE THE MANAGER OF THE SPRING FAIR GOING FORWARD.

AND, ANYWAYS, JUST, JUST A WONDERFUL GUY.

AND I PRAY FOR CONDOLENCES AND COMFORT FOR HIS FAMILY.

[02:10:04]

AND, IT'S KIND OF INTERESTING.

YOU KNOW, I HADN'T HAD REALLY ANY MEETINGS WITH HER SINCE SHE TOOK OFFICE.

AND THEN, THE FOLLOWING, FOLLOWING MONDAY, I END UP IN ANOTHER MEETING WITH HER, OVER A AN ISSUE WITH A SEXUAL PREDATOR FROM STANISLAUS COUNTY.

AND, ANYWAYS, IT JUST, YOU KNOW, IT JUST WAS KIND OF INTERESTING TO ME.

[REPORTS/BOARD DIRECTION ]

AND THEN OUR SHERIFF REALLY IS THE ONE THAT CALLED FOR THE MEETING, AND AND, ANYWAYS, IT JUST WAS GOOD TO SEE EVERYBODY WORKING TOGETHER.

I ALSO WANT TO SHARE THAT, YOU KNOW, THIS THIS.

I'LL GO BACK A LITTLE BIT ON THE ORDINANCE FOR, FOR THE WATER.

YOU KNOW, I, I KNOW IT'S THE RIGHT THING AND, YOU KNOW, JUST NOT THE RIGHT TIME.

AND, I, YOU KNOW, I WENT OUT INTO THE AUDIENCE AND SPOKE TO A FEW PEOPLE AFTERWARDS, AND EVERYBODY UNDERSTOOD, YOU KNOW, NO, THERE WAS NO HARD FEELINGS.

AND, SO ANYWAYS, I JUST FELT LIKE AS A BOARD, WE PROCESSED THAT.

WELL, YOU KNOW, IT'S AN EXAMPLE OF HOW THINGS ARE SUPPOSED TO BE DONE IN GOVERNMENT.

AND, YOU KNOW, WE DIDN'T GET TO WHERE SOME PEOPLE WANTED TO BE, BUT EVERYBODY, I THINK DID WELL IN THE PROCESS.

AND, THAT IS IT, MR. CHAIR. THANK YOU.

SUPERVISOR PEDROZO. THANK YOU.

I WANT TO ECHO WHAT, SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA AND PAREIRA HAS SAID ABOUT GUY.

I THOUGHT, AND IF YOU KNOW SCOTT, SCOTT LIVES AND BREATHES LOS BANOS.

I MEAN, THAT'S HIS THING, RIGHT? AND DOS PALOS.

NO, NOT SANTANELLA THOUGH.

I'M JUST KIDDING. BUT, NO, I KNOW THAT, HE'S THAT'S HIS BIG THING.

AND SO I ACTUALLY WAS ON THE INTERVIEW PANEL WITH GUY, AND WHEN WE BROUGHT HIM IN, THERE WAS NO MORE THERE WAS NOBODY MORE PASSIONATE ABOUT LOS BANOS FAIR AND MAKING SURE THAT EVERYTHING WAS GOING TO BE DONE.

AND I WENT OUT THERE DURING BECAUSE MY COLLEAGUE FROM THE WEST SIDE ASKED ME TO GO OUT AND LOOK AT THE IRRIGATION ISSUES AND ALL THAT, AND I DID, AND GUY SPENT TIME TAKING ME AROUND AND EVERYTHING THAT HE WAS SAYING THAT HE WAS DOING FOR THE FAIR, IT WAS REALLY, YOU KNOW, IT WAS SPOT ON.

I MEAN, WE DIDN'T EVEN WE DIDN'T JUST LOSE A REALLY GOOD PERSON.

WE LOST A REALLY GOOD PERSON AND COMMUNITY MEMBER AND LEADER FOR THAT AREA.

AND I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, IT'S AN UNFORTUNATE WHAT HAPPENED.

BUT, AND I WHEN I FIRST HEARD THE NEWS THAT SATURDAY MORNING, I THOUGHT, OH, MAN, I BET GUY WOULD BE SO MAD IF HE KNEW THAT THIS WAS GOING TO HAPPEN AS CLOSE TO THE FAIR AS POSSIBLE, BECAUSE HE WAS I MEAN, THAT WAS HIS DEAL.

I MEAN, HE LOVED THAT FAIR.

AND HE SPENT A LOT OF TIME AND ENERGY INTO IT.

AND SO MY CONDOLENCES FOR HIS FAMILY.

I ALSO WANTED TO, ADJOURN IN HONOR, FOR NADINE WASHINGTON.

NADINE, SOME OF YOU MAY HAVE KNOWN DOCTOR NAPOLEON WASHINGTON.

IT WAS, NADINE WAS, HIS WIFE OF 49 YEARS, LONG TIME MERCED RESIDENT.

JUST ALWAYS, YOU KNOW, AFTER HER HUSBAND PASSED AWAY BY SOMEBODY, WHEN SHE WOULD COME UP TO YOU OR YOU'D SAY, HEY, MY CONDOLENCES IS ABOUT YOUR HUSBAND BECAUSE YOU KNOW, HER LOVE OF HER LIFE. AND SHE GOES, I'M BLESSED.

I'M BLESSED. AND SO WHEN SOMEBODY SAYS THAT THAT IS TRULY SOMETHING AND THEN ALSO, ADJOURN IN HONOR OF JOHN DERBY.

JOHN, WAS JUST THE NICEST GUY, IN REGARDS TO THE NEWSPAPERS THAT HE PUT OUT FOR MERCED COUNTY FOR 60 YEARS. AND I THINK THAT, HOPEFULLY IT'S GOING TO CONTINUE TO GO, MOVE FORWARD WITH, YOU KNOW, HIS ABSENCE, BUT IT'S DEFINITELY GOING TO BE MISSED. SO THAT'S IT.

THANK YOU. SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL.

THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR.

I'D LIKE TO REPORT OUT THAT I DID ATTEND THE MERCED MARIPOSA POLICE CHIEF'S WORKSHOP, WHICH IS ALWAYS A LIVELY DISCUSSION.

THE SHERIFF ALWAYS KEEPS IT LIVELY, WHICH WAS VERY GOOD.

ALSO ATTENDED THE SR 99 COALITION MEETING, WHICH WAS FRIDAY THE 12TH IN MADERA COUNTY.

THAT'S A COALITION OF THREE COUNTIES WHOSE 99 HASN'T BEEN COMPLETED YET.

AND OUR THREE COUNTIES, WHICH IS TULARE COUNTY, MADERA COUNTY AND MERCED COUNTY.

AND WE KEEP THE PRESSURE ON THE STATE TO FINISH THE 99, ALSO ATTENDED LAST WEDNESDAY, THE RCRC MEETING, WHICH WE DID SWEAR IN OUR NEW, CHAIRMAN, CHRIS LOPEZ.

BUT ALSO THERE'S A VICE CHAIR AND BUT OUR SECOND VICE CHAIR, WHICH IS MILES MENETREY, OUR NEIGHBOR TO

[02:15:03]

SO IT'S NICE TO KEEP THE LOCAL FLAVOR AT THE STATEWIDE ORGANIZATIONS.

AND I TOO, WOULD LIKE TO MY CONDOLENCES FOR GUY GARY AND HIS, HIS FAMILY.

IT'S ONE THING IT WAS ALWAYS A CONCERN WHAT WAS GOING ON AT THE FAIR OVER THERE? WE WERE IT WAS SO INCONSISTENT.

WE DIDN'T KNOW WHAT WAS GOING ON.

AND ONCE GUY GOT THERE, IT WAS LIKE, WE DIDN'T WORRY ABOUT IT ANYMORE.

IT WAS HIS PASSION.

WE TRUSTED HIM.

GREAT GUY, GREAT FAMILY, MAN.

DEFINITELY WILL BE MISSED.

THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR.

THANK YOU. CEO MENDEZ.

YES. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR.

JUST A COUPLE ITEMS. I DID WANT TO SHARE THAT THIS THURSDAY, OBVIOUSLY, OUR LOCAL TEAMS ARE GOING TO BE DOING THE HOMELESS, POINT IN TIME COUNT.

THAT'S THIS THURSDAY IN THE MORNING.

SO A FEW OF US ARE GOING TO BE SHADOWING OUR ENGAGEMENT TEAMS AS THEY'RE OUT THERE, DOING THAT IMPORTANT WORK.

AGAIN, A SNAPSHOT, IN TIME AS TO KIND OF WHAT'S HAPPENING HERE LOCALLY.

AND THEN JUST ECHOING SOME OF THE COMMENTS IN REGARDS TO GUY GARY.

YOU'RE CORRECT, SUPERVISOR MY FIRST AND I THINK I EVEN SAID IT AT THE DAIS, MY FIRST IMPORTANT HIRE AS A NEW CEO AT THE TIME, TAKE YOU BACK TO APRIL, 11TH, WHEN HE STARTED IN HIS OFFICIAL CAPACITY AND NOT THE KIND OF CALLS I'D LIKE TO RECEIVE OR MAKE.

GUY WAS OBVIOUSLY NOT ONLY A GREAT PERSON, A GREAT LEADER.

HE'S GOING TO BE SORELY MISSED BY THE ORGANIZATION.

ON BEHALF OF OUR COLLECTIVE TEAM, WE SEND OUR THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS TO HIS FAMILY.

WE WILL CONTINUE TO WORK AND RALLY AROUND THE SPRING FAIR STAFF TO MAKE SURE THAT THE UPCOMING EVENT IS A GREAT TRIBUTE TO GUY AND ALL HE STOOD FOR.

BUT CERTAINLY FOR ME, I TEND TO FOCUS ON ALWAYS A POSITIVE, I THINK IN THIS JOB YOU HAVE TO DO THAT.

JUST BLESSED TO HAVE WORKED WITH THEM, EVEN IF IT WAS FOR A VERY SHORT TIME, BECAUSE I THINK HE'S LEFT AN IMPRESSION NOT ONLY ON ON MYSELF, BUT ALSO OUR ORGANIZATION.

SO JUST YEAH, THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS TO THE FAMILY.

THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR.

THANK YOU COUNCIL. COUNCIL.

NO COMMENTS. OKAY.

WELL, I WANT TO EXPRESS MY CONDOLENCES TO THE GUY GARY FAMILY AS WELL, EXCEPT FOR THE FEW TIMES THAT I HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH HIM, HE WAS ALWAYS WILLING TO GIVE ME THE INFO, YOU KNOW, AS NEEDED.

AND I KNOW HE WAS DOING A GREAT JOB OUT THERE IN THE FAIRGROUNDS.

SO MY CONDOLENCES TO THE FAMILY.

I ALSO, JUST TO LET THE PUBLIC KNOW, I'VE BEEN HAVING, PLANADA UPDATES WITH OUR STAFF.

MARCIA MCFADDEN THE, THE POST OFFICE, REGIONAL DIRECTOR IN SANTA CLARA, SAM SAMRA AND KRISTEN SANTOS, REPRESENTATIVE.

SO FOR, CONGRESSMAN JOHN DUARTE AND A FEW OTHERS.

SO, AND OUR CEO, RAUL MENDEZ, YOU KNOW, HAS BEEN THERE ACCOMPANYING US.

AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE JUST GETTING THE UPDATES REGARDING THE COMPLETION OF THE CONSTRUCTION, OF, YOU KNOW, AND RENOVATION OF THE OFFICE SO THEY CAN OPEN IT. SO, YOU KNOW, RESIDENTS HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR MORE THAN A YEAR ALREADY, SO HOPEFULLY, THEY'LL OPEN UP WITHIN, I GUESS WITHIN A MONTH OR TWO.

YOU KNOW, THEY SAY SO, I KNOW THEY'RE WAITING AND THEY HAVE TO COME AND DRIVE ALL THE WAY TO MERCED FOR THEIR FOR THEIR MAIL.

AND SO HOPEFULLY WE'LL BE I THINK WE'LL BE MEETING ON WEDNESDAYS RIGHT OR THURSDAYS.

THURSDAY. THURSDAY. RIGHT AGAIN THURSDAY.

SO WE'LL GIVE ANOTHER ANOTHER UPDATE.

I ALSO WANT TO SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, I ATTENDED THE MARTIN LUTHER KING, CELEBRATION, IN, LAST, ON THE 15TH.

SO THAT WAS WENT VERY WELL AND IT WAS VERY WELL ATTENDED AS WELL.

SO, LAST WEEK I ALSO ATTENDED ANOTHER SOUTH MERCED MEETING WITH THE RESIDENTS.

AND WE CONTINUE TALKING ABOUT, THEIR NEEDS AND, YOU KNOW, EVEN THOUGH WE DON'T HAVE A WALK, BUT WE DISCUSS MANY ISSUES THERE AND, ON THE, YOU KNOW, GOLD VALLEY HEALTH CENTER, LOCATION ALSO, I PASS SOME COMMENTS, ABOUT SOME RESIDENTS TO, SUPERVISOR PAREIRA AND HIS DISTRICT REGARDING THE SIDEWALKS BEING UPROOTED, IN THAT AREA ON ALMOND BETWEEN I THINK IT'S CYPRESS AND WINTON WAY.

SO IT'S BEEN AN ISSUE.

ALSO, THE LANDSCAPING IS AN ISSUE THERE AS WELL.

AND, THEY ALSO MENTIONED THAT, CRAWFORD HAS BEEN FLOODED, BUT I THINK THE COUNTY TOOK CARE OF IT.

BUT I THINK THEY CONTINUE HAVING, FLOOD ISSUES THERE EVERY YEAR.

AND I THINK THAT WE NEED TO IMPROVE THE DRAINAGE AREA IN THAT AREA.

SO THERE ARE ALWAYS, RESIDENTS ARE COMPLAINING.

ALSO, ANOTHER ISSUE WAS THAT, THEY, COMPLAINED A LOT ABOUT THE STORM DRAINAGE AREAS, BUT I THINK THAT'S ALL ALL COUNTY WIDE.

WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR STAFF, OR, PARKS AND REC, LOOKING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CLEAN, THE STORM DRAINAGE BECAUSE, LIKE, A LOT OF WE HAVE A LOT OF OVERGROWTH.

AND THE COMPLAINT ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THE FEAR OF IN THE SUMMER AND CUTTING, CATCHING FIRE, ESPECIALLY WITH THE FIREWORKS.

[02:20:04]

AND ALSO TO, LIKE I SAID, MENTIONED THAT PUBLIC WORKS IS WORKING HARD.

ALL BUT ESPECIALLY RIGHT NOW WITH THE RAIN, IT'S HARD TO DEAL WITH, YOU KNOW, COVERING THE POTHOLES, BUT, AND, ALSO, ATTENDING TO THE FLOODED AREA.

SO, I KNOW THAT WE, I HAD SOME CALLS REGARDING PLANADA, AND I KNOW PEOPLE HAVE THE FEAR OF GETTING, FLOODED AGAIN.

AND SO THEY HAD A LOT OF CAL FIRE, YOU KNOW, MEMBERS OUT THERE WITH, WITH, SOME PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, HOPEFULLY PUTTING SOME MORE SANDBAGS ON MILES CREEK TO PREVENT, YOU KNOW, ANY FUTURE FLOODING.

SO HOPEFULLY WE WON'T FLOOD AGAIN.

AND I KNOW THAT AROUND THE STATE THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF FLOODS.

SO, I SAID, LET'S JUST PRAY AND, YOU KNOW, RAIN, BUT LIKE I SAID, NOT AS, CONSTANT OR, YOU KNOW, AS LONG AS THE DAY AFTER DAY.

SO, WITH THAT, I'LL ADJOURN THE MEETING AND THE NEXT BOARD MEETING WILL BE ON FEBRUARY 6TH.

SO THANK YOU AND HAVE A GOOD DAY.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.