[CALL TO ORDER]
[00:00:10]
THIS MORNING WE HAD A CLOSED SESSION MEETING AND WE DIDN'T FINISH CLOSED SESSION.SO. SO WE'LL BE BACK FOR INTO CLOSED SESSION AFTER THE MEETING.
SO. AND IT'S NICE TO BE BACK AFTER TWO WEEKS OF VACATION.
AND THEN THE SUPERVISOR PEDROZO WILL LEAD THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
IF WE CAN PLEASE STAND. LET US REMEMBER THAT WE ARE IN THE HOLY PRESENCE OF GOD.
LET US REMEMBER THAT WE ARE IN THE HOLY PRESENCE OF GOD, HEAVENLY FATHER AND GOD OF US ALL.
IN THE RESURRECTION, WE ARE REBORN.
RECEIVE THE GIFT OF YOUR SPIRIT AND REMINDED THAT WITH YOU ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE.
THE SEASON OF SPRING, WHICH WE NOW ENJOY, IS A FURTHER REMINDER OF YOUR PRESENCE AND OF THE NEW LIFE WE HAVE IN YOU, AND THE CONSTANT POSSIBILITY OF RENEWAL AND NEW BEGINNINGS IMBUED WITH YOUR SPIRIT.
WE ASK YOUR BLESSING UPON OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE WHO ARE ALL YOUR CHILDREN.
BLESS OUR FIRST RESPONDERS THAT KEEP US SAFE.
MAY THE SAME SPIRIT COME TO US THIS DAY, ENLIGHTENING OUR MINDS, LIFTING OUR HEARTS, AND STRENGTHENING OUR RESOLVE TO SERVE YOU AS WE LIVE YOUR COMMANDMENT TO LOVE ONE ANOTHER.
BE WITH US TODAY TO GUIDE THE WORK OF OUR HANDS AND SUSTAIN US ALWAYS IN YOUR LOVE AND PROTECTION.
WE MAKE THIS PRAYER IN THE NAME OF JESUS CHRIST OUR LORD.
AMEN. AMEN. PLEASE JOIN ME IN THE PLEDGE TO OUR FLAG.
ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
OKAY. AT THIS TIME, I'LL OPEN UP A PUBLIC COMMENT AGAIN.
[PUBLIC OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK]
THIS IS FOR NON-AGENDA ITEMS. IF YOU IF YOU HAVE SOMETHING ON THE AGENDA, PLEASE WAIT FOR THAT ITEM AND TO TO COME AND SPEAK UP.TESTIMONY IS LIMITED TO THREE MINUTES PER PERSON AND 30 MINUTES TOTAL.
CONGRESSMAN DUARTE IS TAKING A STAND UP FOR OUR NATION'S VETERANS.
CONGRESSMAN DUARTE AND A BIPARTISAN GROUP OF HOUSE COLLEAGUES RECENTLY INTRODUCED H.R.
7816, THE CLEAR COMMUNICATIONS FOR VETERANS CLAIMS ACT.
THIS PAST FRIDAY, THE CONGRESSMAN HOSTED A ROUNDTABLE AND PRESS CONFERENCE ON THIS BILL WITH VETERANS STAKEHOLDERS FROM ACROSS THE CENTRAL VALLEY AT MERCED AMERICAN LEGION POST 83. AND THANK YOU AGAIN TO MERCED COUNTY VSO ED SKELTON FOR BEING ONE OF OUR SPEAKERS.
VETERANS AND THEIR FAMILIES OFTEN STRUGGLE WITH THE COMPLEXITY OF NOTICE LETTERS FROM THE VA REGARDING BENEFITS DECISIONS, INCLUDING THOSE RELATED TO EDUCATION, HEALTH CARE, AND OTHER SERVICES. THE CLEAR COMMUNICATIONS FOR VETERANS CLAIMS ACT AIMS TO MAKE THESE LETTERS EASIER AND SIMPLER TO UNDERSTAND.
BY REQUIRING THE VA SECRETARY TO ENTER INTO AN AGREEMENT WITH A FEDERALLY FUNDED RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT CENTER TO ASSESS NOTICE LETTERS WITHIN 30 DAYS AFTER THE ACT'S ENACTMENT, AND REQUIRING THE VA SECRETARY, WITHIN 90 DAYS OF RECEIVING THE ASSESSMENT TO SUBMIT THE RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE FFRDC TO THE COMMITTEES AND VETERANS AFFAIRS IN THE SENATE AND THE HOUSE, AND TO IMPLEMENT THESE RECOMMENDATIONS.
7013. ITS PASSAGE PUTS US ONE STEP CLOSER TO CLEAN WATER BY GUARANTEEING THAT THE NATIONAL POLLUTANT DISCHARGE ELIMINATION ELIMINATION SYSTEM PERMITS NOW PROVIDE CLEAR AND RELIABLE LISTINGS OF REGULATIONS.
[00:05:04]
IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CENTRAL VALLEY.THE CONGRESSMAN'S PROVISION CLOSES THOSE LOOPHOLES AND LIMITS OPPORTUNITIES FOR UNWARRANTED LAWSUITS CODIFYING PREVIOUSLY LONG STANDING PRACTICES AT THE EPA, SO LONG AS CWA PERMIT HOLDERS HAVE ACTED IN GOOD FAITH AND ACCORDING TO THE TERMS OF THEIR PERMIT, THIS TYPE OF REGULATORY CERTAINTY AND LEGAL PROTECTION FOR PERMIT HOLDERS IS NECESSARY FOR IMPROVING OUR VALLEY'S WATER INFRASTRUCTURE.
QUOTE. SINCE I WALKED THE STREETS OF PLANADA IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE DEVASTATING FLOOD IN JANUARY OF 2023, MY TEAM HAS BEEN IN CONSTANT COMMUNICATION WITH THE UNITED STATES POSTAL SERVICE. FOR EVERY STEP OF THE REOPENING PROCESS, THE PEOPLE OF PLANADA HAVE HAD TO ENDURE MUCH HARDSHIP FROM FLOODWATERS, DAMAGING THEIR HOMES AND RUINING FAMILY KEEPSAKES TO A YEAR LONG DISRUPTION TO THEIR MAIL SERVICE.
I'D LIKE TO PERSONALLY THANK OUR PARTNERS AT MERCED COUNTY AND OTHER COMMUNITY STAKEHOLDERS FOR NEVER FORGETTING THE PEOPLE OF PLANADA AND SUPPORTING OUR EFFORTS TO REOPEN THE PLANADA POST OFFICE.
20 YEARS AGO, I WAS PART OF THE MEASURE C MOVEMENT IN MERCED CITY, THE CITY OF MERCED.
IN LIEU OF LAYOFFS, A COMMITTEE WAS FORMED OF CITIZENS, BUSINESS OWNERS, AND THE UNIONS OF THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND POLICE DEPARTMENTS TO COME TOGETHER TO ASK THE CITIZENS OF MERCED TO HELP THEM OUT, SAYING, THIS IS WHERE WE'RE AT FOR YOUR PUBLIC SAFETY.
WELL, THIS IS WHERE WE'RE AT FOR THE COUNTY.
YOU HAVE A SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT.
I KNOW NOBODY WANTS TO PAY MORE IN SALES TAX.
I UNDERSTAND THAT AS BEING A PERSON WHO SPENDS A LOT OF MONEY IN RETAIL, BUT IT'S TIME TO START ASKING THE PEOPLE WHO ARE YOUR CONSTITUENTS, THE PEOPLE WHO VOTE FOR YOU TO HELP.
TELL THEM THIS IS WHERE WE'RE AT, BUT LET'S FORM A COMMITTEE.
BUT IT'S TIME TO START ASKING, NOT ONLY JUST TO WHERE IS THIS MONEY GOING TO COME FROM? BUT NOW IT'S TIME TO ASK THE PEOPLE WHO VOTE FOR YOU.
SO I PLEASE CONSIDER SOMETHING LIKE MEASURE C AND A COMMITTEE AND GET A REALLY GOOD TALK.
GOING WITH ALL OF THESE DEPARTMENTS.
GOOD MORNING, SUPERVISORS, COUNTY COUNCIL STAFF.
MY NAME IS NICOLA ADAMS. I'M A CITIZEN OF MERCED.
AND I PUT ON THE MERCER COUNTY NUT FESTIVAL EVERY YEAR.
WE WOULD LIKE YOUR SUPPORT AGAIN, BUT I'M HERE TO TALK ABOUT SOMETHING ELSE.
I'M ALSO PUTTING ON THE JAZZ FESTIVAL MERCER.
WE HAVE FOUR TIME GRAMMY NOMINATED ERIC BENNETT.
WE HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT ARE COMING TO THIS CITY.
NONE OF THESE PEOPLE HAVE EVER BEEN IN THE CENTRAL VALLEY BEFORE.
EVER. NONE OF THE CASINOS EVER.
MERCED WILL BE THE FIRST TO GET THESE.
I'D ALSO LIKE TO BE ABLE TO DO A BIG CAR SHOW OUT AT THE LAKE, BUT WE HAVE A PROBLEM WITH OUR LAKE.
OUR LAKE IS IN NO CONDITION TO HAVE ANY KIND OF SHOW OUT THERE OR ANY KIND OF PERFORMANCES.
IT IS A TREASURE OF MERCED, BUT IT'S BEEN DEEPLY, DEEPLY NEGLECTED.
YOU CAN'T WALK OUT THERE OUTSIDE OF STEPPING ON DUCK POOP ALMOST ANYWHERE YOU WALK.
THE SNACK BAR IS THE SAME SNACK BAR FROM THE 60S WHEN I USED TO GO OUT THERE.
WE CAN UTILIZE IT BECAUSE IN THE CONDITION THAT IT IS IN, WE CANNOT DO ANYTHING OUT THERE AT ALL.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
[00:10:02]
MORNING, SUPERVISORS.I'M HERE TO REQUEST A PUBLIC TOWN HALL MEETING WITH ALL OF THE SUPERVISORS IN ONE SESSION.
I DON'T HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO DEMAND IT.
I DON'T HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO PETITION IT.
BUT I'VE ASKED, AND I WAS TOLD THAT YOU CAN'T.
YOU CANNOT DO IT BECAUSE OF THE BROWN ACT.
SO I WAS WATCHING THE ONLINE CITY OF MERCED BUILDING AND HOUSING BOARD OF APPEALS MEETING, AND THE CITY ATTORNEY, CRAIG CORNWELL, WAS GIVING A PRESENTATION ON THE BROWN ACT.
HE WAS TALKING THAT IN 1952, SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE COMES OUT WITH THIS TEN PART ARTICLE ON LOCAL AGENCIES MEETING IN SECRET AND DECIDING AGENDA ITEMS AWAY FROM THE PUBLIC.
AND THERE IS THIS ASSEMBLY MEMBER AT THE TIME THAT HE WAS PART OF A GROUP OF LEGISLATORS THAT WERE GOING TO TRY TO BRING AN END TO THESE CLOSED DOOR MEETINGS, AND THEY CAME UP WITH THE BROWN ACT, AND THE LAW WAS CODIFIED INTO CALIFORNIA GOVERNMENT CODE AT THAT TIME.
AND THEN I READ FURTHER INTO THE BROWN ACT, LEGISLATED INTENT, STATED ATTEMPT.
EXCUSE ME. AND IT GOES ON TO SAY, IN ENACTING THIS CHAPTER, THE LEGISLATURE FINDS AND DECLARES THAT THE PUBLIC COMMISSIONS, BOARDS AND COUNCILS AND OTHER PUBLIC AGENCIES IN THE STATE EXIST TO AID IN THE CONDUCT OF THE PEOPLE'S BUSINESS.
THE PEOPLE OF THIS STATE DO NOT YIELD THEIR SOVEREIGNTY TO THE AGENCIES WHICH SERVE THEM.
IT'S NOT ENOUGH TIME, BUT HOURS AND HOURS OF TIME THAT THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS HAVE MET IN CLOSED DOOR SESSIONS, DISCUSSIONS AND DELIBERATIONS, AND DEBATING BEHIND YOUR CLOSED DOOR.
THE PUBLIC OF PEOPLE OF MERCED COUNTY HAVE HAD MONTHS AND MONTHS OF NOTHING ON THE AGENDA FOR OPEN SESSION, OPEN SESSION, DEBATE AND DIALOG AND DISCUSSION, MONTHS AND MONTHS WHERE WE'RE NOT ABLE TO HEAR, OBSERVE, EVALUATE.
BUT WHAT ARE YOU WHAT ARE YOU GUYS TALKING ABOUT? I HEAR FROM YOU. NOTHING IS OFF THE TABLE.
I HEAR KEEPING US UP AT NIGHT TRYING TO DECIDE WHAT TO DO.
I UNDERSTAND THOSE SPECIFIC THINGS CAN'T BE TALKED ABOUT IN A PUBLIC FORUM.
I HEAR THAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT EVERYTHING HOURS AND HOURS.
EXCUSE ME A SECOND. SO MY LAST THOUGHT, PLEASE HAVE A PUBLIC OPEN FORUM WITH ALL THE SUPERVISORS SO THAT THE PUBLIC CAN HEAR WHAT YOU'RE DEBATING AND DIALOGING AND DISCUSSING.
YOU DID IT ONLINE WAS A BOARD OF SUPERVISORS TOWN HALL MEETING.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH, SIR.
THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME ADDRESS THE BOARD AGAIN TODAY.
THE LAST TIME I SPOKE, MY NAME IS SHERILYN RAWLS.
INCIDENTALLY, LAST TIME I SPOKE, I SPOKE UP TO DOG BITES NOT ADDRESSED BY ANIMAL CONTROL AT ALL.
TODAY, I WOULD LIKE TO SAY WHAT HAPPENED NEXT, BECAUSE THE VAGRANTS WERE STILL AT THE PROPERTY I WAS RENTING BECAUSE THE VAGRANTS AND THEIR VICIOUS DOG WERE STILL THERE.
I NEEDED TO DO SOMETHING, SO I HIT UPON THE IDEA OF EVICTING THEM.
I WAS PAID UP ON MY RENT FOR THAT YEAR AND SEVERAL OTHER YEARS.
IT'S A MATTER OF COURT RECORDS, AND SO I FELT LIKE I WAS ENTITLED TO GET THESE PEOPLE AWAY FROM WHERE THEIR VICIOUS DOG COULD BITE ME AND MY ANIMALS.
SO I WENT THROUGH THE EVICTION PROCESS.
I PAID FOR ALL THE EVICTION PAPERWORK.
I PAID FOR THE SERVING OF THE VAGRANTS I PAID FOR THE MARSHAL SERVICE TO.
[00:15:03]
EXECUTE THE WRIT OF EXECUTION.SO THE DAY THAT THE VAGRANTS WERE SUPPOSED TO BE MOVED OUT OF THAT PROPERTY AT 6:00 IN THE MORNING, THE PAPERWORK SAYS THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO BE GONE BEFORE NINE.
I RECEIVED A PHONE CALL OF THE TIME THAT I WAS TO MEET WITH THE MARSHAL SERVICE TO COVER THE EVICTED LOCATION.
AT 11:00 THAT MORNING, THE PARENTS WERE IN TOWN INTO THE COURTS, AND THEY HAD GOTTEN AN EX PARTE FROM THE COURTS.
MY LOCK OUT TIME WAS 430 IN THE AFTERNOON.
430 IN THE AFTERNOON IS EXTREMELY LATE FOR A LOCKOUT TIME, BUT I DIDN'T THINK ANYTHING OF IT.
OKAY, THEY'VE JUST GOT A BIG LOAD.
WAITING FOR THE VAGRANTS TO BE LOCKED OUT BY THE MARSHAL SERVICE.
WHAT'S HAPPENED? WHY ARE WE NOT PROCEEDING? AND THERE WAS NOBODY THERE.
NO, THIS IS NOT GOING TO WORK.
THE NEXT DAY, I FINALLY CONTACT SOMEBODY AND THEY TELL ME ABOUT THE X PARTY.
SO THAT MEANS THAT YOU GO INTO COURT BEFORE A JUDGE, AND THE JUDGE PUTS A FINAL BLESSING ON WHATEVER'S GOING TO HAPPEN. SO THE X PARTY CONVENED, AND AT THAT TIME I FOUND ALL THE MONEY I HAD PAID.
IF YOU CAN FINISH IT IN ABOUT 10S.
THANK YOU. ALL THE MONEY WAS JUST GONE.
I MEAN, VAGRANTS CAN JUST BREAK IN TO ANY PLACE.
THEY CAN BREAK IN, THEY CAN STAY THERE.
NOBODY'S GOING TO PUT THEM OUT.
MY NAME IS JUAN FUENTES, AND I HAVE TWO THINGS.
QUICK. FIRST OF ALL ISSUES WITH THE ROAD.
I HAVE EMAILED THE SUPERVISOR THAT REPRESENTS THAT AREA.
I HAVE CALLED THE ROAD DEPARTMENT ALSO.
THEY KEEP SAYING, OH, WE'LL TAKE YOUR NUMBER AND SOMEBODY WILL CALL YOU BACK AGAIN.
I REALLY WOULD APPRECIATE IT IF I COULD GET SOME ACTION, OR AT LEAST SOME GUIDANCE ON WHAT YOU ALL HAVE PLANNED FOR THIS SITUATION. SECOND IS I DON'T BEING I DON'T LIKE BEING OUT IN THE COUNTY AND TRYING TO GET ASSISTANCE FROM LAW ENFORCEMENT AND MAY HAVE TO WAIT FIVE SIX HOURS.
YOU GUYS ARE ALL MAKING THE DECISIONS FOR PUBLIC SAFETY.
IF YOU GUYS ARE NOT GOING TO DON A TURNOUT OR PUT ON GEAR AND GO OUT THERE AND PROTECT US, PLEASE SUPPORT THE SHERIFF AND ALL PUBLIC SAFETY.
YOU GUYS ALL RAN ON THAT AND YOU GUYS DON'T SEEM TO CARE ABOUT THAT.
AND THAT IS WHY THE FUTURE ELECTIONS WILL CHANGE THINGS.
IF YOU DON'T MIND, IF YOU LEAVE YOUR INFORMATION ON THERE.
YOU HAVE ANY OF YOUR INFORMATION.
NATHAN. YEAH. NATHAN'S BACK THERE.
HE'LL GIVE YOU THE CARD. OKAY? OKAY. THANK YOU.
GOOD MORNING, GENTLEMEN. MORNING.
I'M A MEMBER OF THE BIG LODGE CLAN AND A CHILD OF THE WHISTLING WATER TRIBE.
I'M A MILITARY VETERAN, AND I'M A FORMER EMPLOYEE OF THE MERCED CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT.
ON APPROXIMATELY MARCH 7TH OR EIGHTH, IT WAS UNCOVERED BY MYSELF THAT THERE WERE THERE WAS A STUDENT OF OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT THAT WAS BEING, FOR LACK OF A BETTER TERM, GROOMED AND SENDING INAPPROPRIATE PHOTOS.
THROUGH THAT INVESTIGATION, I UNCOVERED THAT THIS HAD HAPPENED TO PREVIOUS STUDENTS AS WELL.
[00:20:01]
THAT FOLLOWING MONDAY, WHEN I SHOWED UP TO WORK THE HR DEPARTMENT I BELIEVE HIS NAME IS MR. MEISENHEIMER, AND AN ASSOCIATE WERE THERE, AND THEY CAME TO INFORM ME THAT I WAS BEING SUSPENDED FROM MY POSITION BECAUSE I WAS UNDER A FORM OF INVESTIGATION.THEY WOULD NOT REVEAL WHAT THE INVESTIGATION WAS PENDING.
WHEN I BEGAN TO INQUIRE ABOUT MY RIGHTS AS TO WHETHER I COULD SEEK LEGAL REPRESENTATION PRIOR TO THE MEETING FOR THIS INVESTIGATION, THEY BECAME AGITATED AND DEMANDED THAT I REVEAL INFORMATION REGARDING MY CHOICES OF WHO I WAS GOING TO HAVE REPRESENT ME, OF WHAT INFORMATION I HAD.
THEY HAD TOLD THEM NOT TO BEFRIEND ME OR I WOULD LOSE MY JOB.
THEY HAD TOLD THEM NOT TO TALK TO ME OR I WOULD BE FIRED.
AND THEY DID THIS OVER THE RADIOS.
THEY DID THIS IN FRONT OF EVERYBODY.
I DOCUMENTED DATES AND TIMES OF THAT HAPPENING WHEN I WOULD TAKE MY STATE MANDATED BREAKS.
AND THEY WOULD SAY, OH, GO AHEAD, YOU DESERVE IT.
THEY WOULD BE VERY CONDESCENDING IN THAT MANNER.
AFTER THAT INFORMATION WAS RELAYED AGAIN, I WAS RELIEVED.
THAT SAME DAY, THEY TOLD ME TO TAKE A STEP OUTSIDE.
AND THEN WHEN THEY CALLED ME BACK IN, THEY RELEASED ME.
SO THERE WAS NO ADMINISTRATIVE LEAVE ANYMORE.
SO I'M HOPING I DON'T KNOW WHAT KIND OF JURISDICTION THAT YOU GUYS HAVE OVER THAT, BUT I HOPE THAT YOU GUYS CAN LOOK INTO THIS MATTER, BECAUSE I'M SURE THAT IT'S NOT JUST HAPPENING AT THE SCHOOL THAT I WORKED WITH, AND I'M SURE THAT THAT TYPE OF TREATMENT IS NOT JUST HAPPENING AT TO ME, IN THAT POSITION.
THIS IS A NEW POSITION THAT THEY OPENED WITHIN THE DISTRICT FOR ALL SCHOOL SITES.
IT'S THE CAMPUS SECURITY LIAISON, AND THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT ARE MOVING FROM DIFFERENT POSITIONS WITHIN THE DISTRICT TO THAT, THAT DON'T NECESSARILY HAVE A BACKGROUND THERE. I'M A MILITARY VETERAN.
RIGHT. I'VE HAD POST CERTIFICATES AND A LOT OF THESE GUYS ARE COMING FROM JANITORIAL POSITIONS AND MAINTENANCE POSITIONS, WHICH DOESN'T DOESN'T MEAN THAT THEY DON'T POSSESS THE SKILLS TO PROTECT THE KIDS THERE, BUT THEY PUT ME THERE TO DO A JOB.
AND THEN UPON DOING MY JOB, THEY FIRED ME.
I THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND I HOPE YOU LOOK INTO THIS MATTER.
THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE? PUBLIC COMMENT. OKAY.
THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD IS NOW CLOSED FOR NON-AGENDA ITEMS. NOW WE MOVE ON TO A PRESENTATION.
[PRESENTATION]
AT THIS TIME, I WOULD LIKE TO RECOGNIZE THE WINNERS OF MERCED COUNTY'S MISSION VISION VALUES AWARDS PROGRAM FOR 2023.THE MV AWARDS PROGRAM WAS ESTABLISHED BY THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS IN 2019 WITH THE PURPOSE OF RECOGNIZING COUNTY AGENCIES, PROGRAMS, COMMITTEES, COMMISSIONS, AND DISTRICTS THAT BEST EXEMPLIFY THE COUNTY'S MISSION, VISION, AND VALUES.
THIS YEAR, WE RECEIVED TEN ENTRIES.
ALL WERE COMPETITIVE IN ORDER TO DETERMINE WINNERS.
A SCORING COMMITTEE COMPRISED OF THE BOARD CHAIR, VICE CHAIR AND THREE AT LARGE MEMBERS APPOINTED BY THE REMAINING SUPERVISORS, WAS CREATED TO RANK THE NOMINEES AND SELECT THE WINNER FROM AN INTERNAL COUNTY ORGANIZATION CATEGORY, AS WELL AS EXTERNAL ORGANIZATION CATEGORY.
AND WE'D LIKE TO GIVE A BIG THANK YOU TO THE THREE AT LARGE MEMBERS OF THE SCORING COMMITTEE MICHELLE URIBE, TARA GALLICCHIO, AND WE ARE PROUD TO ANNOUNCE THE EMERGENCY OPERATIONS CENTER, EOC PLANNING SECTION TEAM AND THE SPRING FAIR BOARD WERE SELECTED AT THIS YEAR'S.
CONGRATULATIONS TO BOTH SO AND IF I CAN, PLEASE IF I CAN, PLEASE HAVE THE REPRESENTATIVE FOR THE EMERGENCY OPERATIONS CENTER EOC PLANNING SECTION TEAM, JOIN ME IN THE FRONT OF THE DAIS, PLEASE.
[00:25:01]
THIS.AS YOU ALL CAN SEE, IT'S A GREAT TEAM.
I WANT TO THANK EVERYBODY FOR COMING TODAY.
WE'RE PROUD OF YOU GUYS. MERCED COUNTY PROUD.
AS A SERIES OF STORMS BATTERED MERCED COUNTY IN 2023.
THE EMERGENCY OPERATIONS CENTER PLANNING SECTION TEAM UNDERTOOK THE PLANNING AND IMPLEMENTATION NECESSARY TO ENSURE THAT THIS ADVANTAGE, AND THOSE NEGATIVELY IMPACTED BY THE WEATHER EVENT HAD ACCESS TO SHELTER, FOOD SERVICES AND THE EOC PLANNING SECTION TEAM WORKED AROUND THE CLOCK DURING THE 23 2023 INCLEMENT WEATHER EVENT TO BENEFIT THE PEOPLE OF PLANADA AND MCSWAIN, WHO WERE SIGNIFICANTLY CHALLENGED BY THE LOCALIZED FLOODING IN THEIR RESPECTIVE COMMUNITIES.
TRUST ME, IT WAS COLD, RAINY, AND, YOU KNOW, EVERYBODY WAS WAS WORKING.
THE TEAMS AREAS OF FOCUS WERE ONE ESTABLISHING AND IMPLEMENTING A COMPREHENSIVE MASS CARE AND SHELTER OPERATION, AND TWO, ORCHESTRATING THE DAILY SITUATIONAL REPORT THROUGH INTELLIGENCE GATHERING AND COLLABORATION WITH THE COUNTY'S FIRST RESPONDER NETWORK, CAL FIRE AND SHERIFF SCHOOLS, COUNTY AGENCIES, NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE, AND THE AMERICAN RED CROSS, AMONGST SEVERAL OTHERS.
THE PLANNING SECTION TEAM COMMITTED ITSELF TO DELIVERING SERVICES WITH HEART COMPASSION TO THOSE IN NEED, AND THIS RESULTED IN THE SUCCESSFULLY PROVIDING SHELTER TO OVER 400 INDIVIDUALS AT ONE POINT, ALONG WITH FOOD AND HYGIENE ITEMS. AS MERCED COUNTY IS COMMITTED TO DELIVERING SERVICES TO OUR RESIDENTS AND EOC PLANNING SECTION TEAM ENSURED EACH OTHER OF OUR IMPACTED COMMUNITIES RECEIVE CARE AND SUPPORT TO HELP THEM REGAIN THEIR FOOTING, REGARDLESS OF THEIR SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS, THUS PROMOTING INCLUSIVENESS.
BACK. SO I WANT TO CONGRATULATIONS TO THE EMERGENCY OPERATIONS CENTER PLANNING SECTION TEAM FOR BEING A RECIPIENT OF THIS YEAR'S MVP AWARDS.
YOU KNOW, IT WAS A YOU KNOW, UGLY DISASTER.
AND LIKE I SAID, BUT THE COUNTY HAD TO ACT.
AND, YOU KNOW, TO ATTEND THE NEEDS OF ALL THE ALL THE CONSTITUENTS CALLING, YOU KNOW, SHELTER, OBVIOUSLY, AND ALL THE SUPPORT. SO WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE ANY WORDS, ANYBODY COME TO.
BUT HONESTLY, THIS TEAM HERE WE ACTIVATED THE EOC 4 OR 5 DAYS BEFORE THE EVENT STARTED.
BUT A LOT OF HARD WORK WENT INTO DEVELOPING OUR OPERATIONS.
SO JUST TO THE TEAM, THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU DID AND TRULY APPRECIATE IT.
AGAIN. THANK YOU. YOU KNOW, I KNOW YOU WANT TO SAY SOMETHING, RIGHT? DITTO TO WHAT ADAM SAID.
I MUST COMMEND HIS LEADERSHIP THROUGH THE PROCESS.
I THINK HE WAS IN THE RIGHT PLACE AT THE RIGHT TIME.
UNFORTUNATELY, THE EVENT OCCURRED.
BUT I THINK HIM BEING HERE TO HELP US THROUGH THIS TRAUMATIC EXPERIENCE THAT THE COMMUNITY FACED, I THINK THE REASON WHY WE WERE ABLE TO PIVOT AND AND BUILD THE SHELTER AS QUICK AS WE COULD IS BECAUSE OF THE PLANNING WE DID BEFORE.
SO TO ME, IT'S JUST AN HONOR TO WORK WITH HIM AND MY TEAM TO MAKE THIS AWARD.
I THINK IT GOES TO YOU AND YOUR COMMITMENT TO MERCY COUNTY.
[00:30:01]
THANK. YEAH.THANK YOU GUYS. I'LL GET THEM.
I THINK THAT THEY DID A TREMENDOUS JOB, LIKE THEY SAID.
AND IT'S JUST SO MANY HOURS, SO MANY NIGHTS.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, WE SPEND A LOT OF TIME IN OUR INDIVIDUAL DISTRICTS SUPPORTING OUR OUR RESIDENTS.
AND SO, LIKE I SAID, WE'RE NOT PERFECT.
AND LIKE I SAID, BUT WITH PROFESSIONAL TEAM LIKE THIS, I THINK THEY THEY DID A GREAT JOB.
AND THANKS TO THEM AND TO THE TEAM, YOU KNOW, CONGRATULATIONS.
HERE'S A CERTIFICATE OF RECOGNITION TO THE EOC.
THANK YOU SIR. APPRECIATE IT OKAY.
PRESIDENT. THANK YOU. APPRECIATE IT.
BECAUSE IT SEEMS LIKE THAT LONG AGO.
THANK YOU SO MUCH. APPRECIATE IT.
YOU GUYS WANT TO STAY HERE FOR THE NEXT ONE? YEAH. OUR NEXT WINNER IS MERCED COUNTY SPRING FAIR BOARD.
IF I CAN HAVE THEM COME UP, PLEASE.
YOU WANT TO OPEN IT UP, PLEASE.
THERE YOU GO. YEAH. I'LL GET OVER.
HEY. WHAT'S UP? I'M TRYING TO GET OFF MY.
THE SPRING FAIR BOARD HAS A LONG STANDING LEGACY OF WORKING COLLABORATIVELY, COLLABORATIVELY WITH MERCED COUNTY STAFF TO PRESERVE AND PROMOTE THE MERCED COUNTY SPRING FAIR IN LOS BANOS.
ONE EXAMPLE IS A LARGE INVESTMENT MADE IN THE LITTLE HANDS EXHIBIT.
THE ADDITIONAL IMPROVEMENTS ALLOW A SAFER AND MORE IMMERSIVE EXPERIENCE WITH SCHOOL AGE CHILDREN TO LEARN ABOUT LOCAL COMMERCE AND THE COMMUNITY THROUGHOUT, THROUGH HANDS ON ENCOUNTERS.
THE MERCED COUNTY SPRING FAIR BOARD PROMOTED A THRIVING AND INCLUSIVE AND INCLUSIVE MERCED COUNTY IN THE 2023 BY WORKING WITH THE SPRING FAIR MANAGER TO SHIFT FOCUS ON DURING NON FAIR TIMES TO BRING IN ADDITIONAL EVENTS INCLUDING CAR AND GUN SHOWS, A TOMATO FESTIVAL, A GARLIC FESTIVAL, VARIOUS HORSE AND RODEO SHOWS.
DIVERSIFYING THE EXPERIENCE OFFER ALLOWS FOR A HIGHER LEVEL OF INCLUSIVENESS WITHIN THE COMMUNITY, WHILE ALSO BRINGING IN ADDITIONAL REVENUES, MORE EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES AND COMMERCE FOR THE COMMUNITY.
CONGRATULATIONS. SO PLEASE GIVE APPLAUSE.
CONGRATULATIONS. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THIS AWARD.
GREAT DEAL GOES TO CHRISTY HENDRICKS WITH LITTLE HANDS.
SO I'M GOING TO GIVE IT TO HER TO TO KIND OF COMMENT ON THIS, BUT THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU, SUPERVISORS.
AND I KNOW I'VE SEEN YOU ALL OUT AT THE FAIR IN THE PAST COUPLE OF YEARS TOURING OUR EXHIBIT.
BUT THE LITTLE HANDS FOR AG IS AN HANDS ON AG EDUCATION EXPERIENCE FOR YOUNG CHILDREN AND THEIR FAMILIES, AND LAST YEAR WE HAD OVER 3500 SCHOOL CHILDREN COME THROUGH.
THAT'S NOT COUNTING THE ADULTS THAT ACCOMPANIED THEM.
AND EACH CHILD WAS GIVEN A FREE BOOK, AND THAT IS THANKS TO FIRST FIVE MERCED COUNTY.
THANK YOU. WELL, AGAIN THANK YOU SO MUCH AND CONGRATULATIONS.
[00:35:04]
I ENCOURAGE EVERYBODY, THE PUBLIC TO YOU KNOW, ATTEND THE SPRING FAIR BOARD IN IN MAY.RIGHT? SO YES, YES, THROUGH THE FIFTH.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. SO I WANTED TO JUST SAY I, I JUST WANTED TO ADD TO CHRISTIE'S COMMENTS IS WE GET 3500 STUDENTS THAT COME THROUGH THERE. AND TO BE REALLY HONEST WITH YOU, MOST OF THE EDUCATION THAT HAPPENS IS TO THE PARENTS.
AND SO YOU'D BE AMAZED AT FOLKS THAT IN AND AROUND WHERE THEY LIVE IS, YOU KNOW, WE LIKE TO SAY THAT IN MERCED COUNTY, IF WE WERE A STATE BY OURSELF WOULD BE THE 32ND STATE IN CALIFORNIA AS FAR AS AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION.
AND AS YOU WATCH, IF YOU'VE BEEN THROUGH THAT EXHIBIT, YOU JUST KIND OF SIT BACK.
THE LITTLE ONES ARE GETTING A FIRST HAND EXPERIENCE.
SO CHRISTY, THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP ON THIS.
THE 20 YEARS THAT IT'S BEEN THERE, IT WENT THROUGH A COMPLETE MAKEOVER AND REMODEL OF IT.
SO WE'RE PRETTY EXCITED ABOUT IT.
THANK YOU. ANY ANY OTHERS ALSO NOT GOOD.
ONE MORE PHOTO. WELL I'M NOT REALLY I GOT TO GET IN HERE.
YOU BET. GOOD JOB. THANK YOU AGAIN.
THANK YOU, THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT.
ALL RIGHT. AT THIS TIME, WE ARE GOING TO TAKE A 15 MINUTE BREAK, AND WE WOULD LIKE TO INVITE THE AWARDEES AND THE INDIVIDUALS HERE TO SUPPORT THEM IN THE LOBBY FOR A LIGHT REFRESHMENTS. SO WE'LL GO INTO A BREAK.
SO WE'RE GOING TO DO CONSENT CALENDAR.
AND THEN I'VE HAD A REQUEST TO MOVE ITEM NUMBER 33 UP AFTER CONSENT CALENDAR.
SO THAT AND THAT WOULD BE FIRE.
WE WILL NOW MOVE ON TO THE CONSENT CALENDAR.
GO AHEAD. APPROVAL OF CONSENT CALENDAR ITEMS ONE THROUGH 16.
[CONSENT CALENDAR]
PLEASE NOTE A 4/5 VOTE IS REQUIRED ON ITEMS THREE, FOUR, AND SIX.AT THIS TIME, I'LL OPEN UP A PUBLIC COMMENT FOR CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS ONE THROUGH 16.
ANY COMMENTS ON VIDEOS ONE THROUGH 16.
THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD FOR CONSECUTIVE ITEMS ONE THROUGH 16 IS NOW CLOSED.
SO WE HAVE A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR PEDROZO.
IS THERE A SECOND? NO, I THINK WE'RE HAVING PROBLEMS, SO I'LL GO AHEAD.
SUPERVISOR PEDROZO WAS HIS FIRST, SO.
I GOT A SECOND BY SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL OVER HERE.
ALL RIGHT, WE'LL CALL FOR THE VOTE.
THERE YOU GO. RECORD THE VOTE, PLEASE.
THANK YOU. MOTION PASSES FIVE.
OH. NOW WE'LL MOVE ON TO ITEM NUMBER 33.
DID YOU WANT TO DO THE THESE ARE RELATED TO THE ABOUT THE PROCLAMATIONS.
THOSE ARE RELATED TO CONSENT TO SOME COMMENTS COME A SECOND THAT TO.
WAS IT THAT ONE? LET ME READ IT BECAUSE IT WASN'T ON MINE.
YEAH. AT THIS TIME, WE'D LIKE TO INVITE TO THE PODIUM JAMIE JOHNSON, DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF HSA, TO COME UP AND BRIEFLY SPEAK ON ITEM NUMBER SEVEN, WHICH IS THE PROCLAMATION FOR NATIONAL CHILD ABUSE PREVENTION MONTH.
GIVE ME A SECOND HERE. GO AHEAD.
FORGOT ABOUT ME. GOOD MORNING.
BOARD OF SUPERVISORS CEO MENDEZ AND COUNTY COUNCIL.
I'M JAMIE JOHNSON, DEPUTY DIRECTOR FOR THE CHILDREN'S SERVICES BRANCH AT THE HUMAN SERVICES AGENCY.
AND I'M HERE TO SPEAK ON ITEM NUMBER SEVEN.
FOR EVERY INCIDENT OF CHILD ABUSE IS REPORTED, IT'S ESTIMATED THAT TWO INCIDENTS GO UNREPORTED.
IN 2023, MERCED COUNTY INVESTIGATED 1824 REPORTS OF ABUSE.
[00:40:06]
WE SUBSTANTIATED 615 OF THOSE INVESTIGATIONS AND WE HAVE 600 CHILDREN IN FOSTER CARE.WE ENCOURAGE MERCED COUNTY EMPLOYEES, THE BOARD AND OTHER MERCED COUNTY PARTNERS TO JOIN OUR EFFORTS IN PREVENTING CHILD ABUSE BY RECOGNIZING THE SIGNS OF MALTREATMENT, AND TAKE THE APPROPRIATE STEPS TO SAFEGUARD CHILDREN BY REPORTING CONCERNS AND CONNECTING FAMILIES WITH THE HELP THEY MAY NEED.
EFFECTIVE CHILD ABUSE PREVENTION ACTIVITIES SUCCEED BECAUSE OF THE PARTNERSHIPS CREATED BETWEEN CHILD WELFARE PROFESSIONALS, EDUCATION COMMUNITY AND FAITH BASED ORGANIZATIONS, BUSINESSES, LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES AND FAMILIES.
ALL OF US IN MERCED COUNTIES MUST WORK TOGETHER TO INCREASE AWARENESS ABOUT CHILD ABUSE AND AND CONTRIBUTE TO PROMOTE THE SOCIAL EMOTIONAL WELL-BEING OF CHILDREN AND FAMILIES IN A SAFE, STABLE AND NURTURING ENVIRONMENT.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
NEXT, I WOULD LIKE TO INVITE TO THE PODIUM OUR DISTRICT ATTORNEY, NICOLE SILVERA, WHO WILL BRIEFLY SPEAK TO ITEM NUMBER TEN, WHICH IS A PROCLAMATION OF CRIMES CRIME VICTIMS RIGHTS WEEK IN MERCED COUNTY.
THANK YOU FOR GIVING ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK.
IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO HONOR SURVIVORS AND ADVOCATE FOR THEM.
IT'S ALSO ABOUT RECOGNIZING ORGANIZATIONS THAT HAVE BEEN FIGHTING FOR VICTIMS RIGHTS FOR DECADES, FORGING PARTNERSHIPS TO BETTER SERVE AND SUPPORT THESE VICTIMS, AND STRENGTHENING OUR EXISTING PARTNERSHIPS.
EACH YEAR, THERE IS A THEME CHOSEN FOR THIS ANNUAL CELEBRATION.
THIS YEAR'S THEME IS HOW CAN YOU HELP? IT ASKS ALL OF US FRIENDS, FAMILY MEMBERS, COMMUNITY MEMBERS, COLLEAGUES HOW WE CAN HELP VICTIMS AND SURVIVORS OF CRIME.
LET ME ASK EVERYONE HERE ARE YOU PREPARED IF SOMEONE CONFIDES IN YOU ABOUT A VICTIMIZATION? IS YOUR ORGANIZATION VICTIM CENTERED AND TRAUMA INFORMED? ARE YOU FAMILIAR WITH THE SERVICES AVAILABLE IN YOUR COMMUNITY? THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE STRIVES TO MAKE SERVICES AVAILABLE FOR ALL VICTIMS AND PROVIDE RESOURCES.
TO HONOR THIS ANNUAL COMMEMORATION OF VICTIMS, OUR OFFICE HOLDS AN EVENT WHICH WILL HAPPEN THIS YEAR ON TUESDAY, APRIL 23RD IN COURTHOUSE PARK AT 12 P.M.
OUR FLIER IS UP HERE ON THE SCREEN.
EVERY YEAR WE CHOOSE A SPEAKER TO COME AND SPEAK ABOUT CRIME VICTIMS AND RAISING AWARENESS.
SHE EPITOMIZES THIS YEAR'S THEME AS SHE CREATED AN ORGANIZATION CALLED BREAKING THE CHAINS, WHICH SEEKS TO HELP OTHER SURVIVORS OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING AND CURRENT VICTIMS BREAK AWAY FROM THAT CYCLE OF ABUSE.
VERY TRAGICALLY, A FEW WEEKS AGO, DEBORAH RUSH'S DAUGHTER WAS MURDERED IN LOS ANGELES.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
SUPERVISOR PAREIRA HAD A COMMENT.
KNOW. WELL, YOU KNOW, I KNOW YOU DON'T LIKE STANDING UP FRONT, SO YOU DON'T HAVE TO.
BUT SINCE I BECAME AWARE OF THIS CEREMONY, I'VE.
ON EVERY YEAR. AND IT'S VERY, VERY HUMBLING.
YOU SEE A LOT OF PEOPLE COME IN PAIN AND AND YOU SEE THEM SUPPORT EACH OTHER.
YOU KNOW, THERE'S THERE'S FOLKS THERE'S SOME UNSOLVED CRIMES WHERE, WHERE THE, THE FAMILIES SHOW UP.
AND SO ANYWAYS, I JUST LIKE TO ENCOURAGE YOU ALL TO COME OUT TO THE EVENT AND SHOW SUPPORT.
IT'S HOPEFULLY IT SEEMS LIKE AND HOPEFULLY IT'S HEALING FOR THE VICTIMS FAMILIES THAT COME.
AND SO I JUST WANTED TO THANK YOU FOR, FOR DOING THIS AND APPRECIATE YOUR WORK.
I DON'T SEE ANY OTHER COMMENTS.
SO WE'LL MOVE ON TO ITEM NUMBER 33 AS REQUESTED.
[BOARD ACTION]
ITEM 33 PLEASE FIRE.ITEM 33, PLEASE NOTE THAT ACTION ITEM NUMBER THREE SHOULD READ.
APPROVE THE REMOVAL OF CAL FIRE STAFFING AT STATION 96IN THE CITY OF LIVINGSTON EFFECTIVE JUNE 30TH, 2024, AND REDIRECT STAFF TO ALTERNATE LOCATIONS, STATIONS 92 AND BALLICO 91 AND DELI AND 95 IN HILMAR WILL COVER THE SERVICE AREAS.
[00:45:06]
GO AHEAD. SIR. CHAIR.I'M THE ASSISTANT FIRE CHIEF FOR MERCED COUNTY FIRE DEPARTMENT.
CAL FIRE HERE REPRESENTING CHIEF VAN LOS BANOS HILLS.
HISTORICALLY, WE TALK ABOUT THE VOLUNTEER PAID CALL FIREFIGHTER THAT HAS BEEN USED YEARS PAST.
I WAS A JOINT BETWEEN ATWATER CITY AND MERCED COUNTY.
SO I DEFINITELY THINK A TRUE ASSET FOR THE COUNTY.
WE HAVE CURRENTLY ABOUT 146 VOLUNTEERS ON ON STAFF RIGHT NOW.
BUT AGAIN, THE FIRE DEPARTMENT HAS TO RESPOND TO 100% OF THE CALLS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY.
YOU IMPROVE TRAINING, ENHANCING THE FIRE PREVENTION OR PREVENTION EFFORTS, AND INCREASING THE CAPACITY TO HANDLE THE GROWTH IN THE COMMUNITIES AS THEY GROW THROUGH. AND THEN OBVIOUSLY, THAT THAT BOURNS MUTUAL OR MORALE FOR THE RETAINING THOSE INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE WORKING HERE.
YOU'VE HEARD FROM THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT, WE'VE HEARD OF OTHER DEPARTMENTS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY AND REALIZING THAT THE THINGS HAVE CHANGED, WE'VE TEND TO CONTINUE TO RESPOND TO THESE CALLS. AND HAVING ONE INDIVIDUAL STEPPING OFF OF A FIRE TRUCK TO PROVIDE ANY TYPE OF AID HAS BEEN INADEQUATE.
SO AGAIN, AS I REFERENCED BACK, AS THOSE CALLS BACK IN THE COUNTY WHERE WE HAD THOSE PCFS, THOSE THOSE FARMERS, THE COMMUNITIES, IT WAS GREAT TO HAVE THEM THERE TO RESPOND WITH US. BUT AGAIN, THE REQUIREMENTS THAT THEY HAVE TO GO THROUGH TO GET TO THESE ABILITIES TO RESPOND IS OVERWHELMING, TO SAY THE LEAST.
AS WE LEAVE HERE, I'LL BE PROVIDING YOU SOME PROPOSALS FOR OBJECTIVES THAT WE CAN DO, AND WE'LL TALK ABOUT INCREASING THE STAFFING LEVELS AT FACILITIES, MEETING THE DEMAND OF CRITICAL RESPONSIBILITIES AND ASSOCIATED WITH FIRE PROTECTION SERVICES, AND THEN OBVIOUSLY TRYING TO ENHANCE OUR PUBLIC SAFETY AND EMPLOYEE SAFETY.
IT MAY BE SOMETHING THAT WAS NOT FAMILIAR TO US AS WE'VE BEEN DOING BUSINESS FOR SEVERAL YEARS, BUT IT IS A CHANGE THAT WILL ACTUALLY PUT BOTH THE PUBLIC AT THOUGHTS AND ALSO OUR EMPLOYEES WORKING IN THOSE FACILITIES.
AND THIS WILL DO MAY CAUSE SOME ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR US AND THE NECESSARY TO ENSURE THAT THE SAFETY AND WELL-BEING OF OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND THEN INVESTING IN YOUR IN THE RESOURCES TO MEET THE GROWING DEMAND OF THE COMMUNITIES.
THIS THE FIRE DEPARTMENT HAS SERVES OVER JUST UNDER 3000 RESIDENTS.
OVER THE PAST TEN YEARS, WE AVERAGE PER YEAR ABOUT 11,950 CALLS.
AND TO SAY THE LEAST, THOSE CALLS ARE CONTINUALLY INCREASING YEAR ANNUALLY.
AND YOU DO DEFINITELY SEE AN INCREASE.
LOOKING AT THE 2023, THERE IS A REDUCTION IN THOSE CALLS.
BUT I WOULD REFRAME THAT TO THE ISSUES THAT WE WERE DEALING WITH, THE FLOODS.
A LOT OF THOSE CALLS AND PEOPLE WERE DEALING WITH A LOT OF THOSE ISSUES, AND HONESTLY, NOT THAT IT TOOK AWAY FROM THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND THEIR THEIR NEED TO RESPOND OR PROVIDE A SERVICE. BUT I THINK PEOPLE WERE WORRIED ABOUT TAKING CARE OF SOME OTHER THINGS.
AND THIS NOT GETTING INTO SO MUCH OF AN ISSUE.
SO BUT IT IS LIKE I SAID, IF YOU LOOK AT THOSE YEARS, IT DEFINITELY IS INCREASING.
[00:50:05]
AND I DON'T THINK IT'S GOING TO STOP.JUST TO BRING IN THE LIGHT TO IS WE HAVE LOS BANOS CITY GUSTING CITY AND LIVINGSTON CITY.
AS THEY SOME OF THOSE CITIES HAVE LEVELED STAY LEVEL, BUT THEY DO FLUCTUATE AND OBVIOUSLY CAUSE SOME ISSUES FOR US FOR RESPONSE OR AT LEAST PROVIDING CONTINUED PROVIDER SERVICES.
WITH THIS, I ALSO WOULD LIKE TO SAY THAT I DO MYSELF AND THE EXECUTIVE STAFF ALONG WITH CEO MENDES.
THE CITY MANAGERS HAVE BEEN VERY FORTHCOMING.
THEY HAVE BEEN OPEN EARED AND LISTENING AS WE MOVE FORWARD.
I THINK AS WE MOVE FORWARD, THIS WILL JUST HELP US GET TO A PLACE WHERE WE NEED TO BE.
SO OUR CURRENT STAFFING LEVELS IS WE HAVE THREE OUT OF THE 19 STATIONS THAT ARE ONLY ONE STAFFED.
AGAIN, AS WE LOOK AT THIS ONE, STAFFING IS NOT AN ACCEPTED STAFFING LEVEL FOR FIRE FACILITIES.
CAL FIRE AND LAST YEAR HAD ISSUED A MEMO THAT SAID THAT THEY WILL NO LONGER SUPPORT AGREEMENTS, THAT HAS PERSONNEL WORKING ONE ZERO STAFF STATIONS ANYMORE.
WE ARE THE LAST COUNTY IN THE STATE TO HAVE ONE ZERO STAFF PERSONNEL AT THEIR FACILITIES.
AND THEY BASICALLY GAVE US A DEADLINE OF NOVEMBER 1ST TO MEET THIS THERE.
YOU KNOW, AGAIN, IT WAS THESE THESE INDIVIDUALS ARE WORKING 24 OVER SEVEN.
THEIR CURRENT STAFFING MODEL IS A 72 HOUR WORKWEEK.
SO THEY'LL COME IN, BE IN THERE FOR THREE DAYS, RESPOND TO VARIOUS CALLS.
AND AGAIN, BEING BY THEMSELVES IS AN INADEQUATE WAY, A MEANS OF DOING SERVICE.
FOR SOME PEOPLE THAT DON'T KNOW, THAT MEANS ONE, TWO PEOPLE AT A SINGLE FACILITY, 24 OVER SEVEN 365 AS YOU LOOK AT 24 SEVEN 365, YOU ALSO NEED TO PROVIDE A RELIEF POOL.
SO THAT'S WHERE YOU GET THE THREE ZERO FACTOR THAT PROVIDES FOR THOSE INDIVIDUALS RELIEF, VACATION AND OTHER TYPES OF TRAININGS AND STUFF LIKE THAT TO PROVIDE THAT BACK COVERAGE OR A SITUATION ACROSS THE 17 STATIONS.
IF YOU DECIDE NOT TO DO ANY ACTION TODAY THERE WILL BE AN INCREASED STAFFING NEED OF 27 POSITIONS.
THIS 27 POSITIONS WOULD FULFILL ALL 19 STATIONS, TWO O STAFFING, THREE ZERO FACTOR.
AND THAT WOULD COME AT A COUNTY, A NET COST COUNTY COST OF 69 OR $6,900,000 ESTIMATED.
AS WE TALK ABOUT ALTERNATIVES, THIS WOULD BE YOUR FIRST ALTERNATIVE TO CONSIDER IS WE GO BACK AND TALK ABOUT A CONSOLIDATION, EFFECTIVE JULY 1 IN 2024 OF THE CRESSY FIRE STATION, STATION 64 AND STATION 92.
BALLICO. WHAT WE WOULD DO IS CONSIDER HAVING STATION 92, CONTINUE THE STAFFING AND HAVE STATION 64 BECOME A VOLUNTEER STATION SOLELY VOLUNTEER STATION.
THIS WOULD ALLOW FOR PCFS TO CONTINUE FUNCTIONING THERE.
AND THEN AS WE LOOK FORWARD, AS WE LOOK AT THE ELIMINATION OF STATION 85, THIS WOULD BE EFFECTIVE AT THE END OF OUR CONTRACT WITH THE UC OF OCTOBER 1ST, 2024.
THIS THIS WOULD HELP REDIRECT STAFF THE RESOURCES AND MAINTAIN ESSENTIAL FIREFIGHTING AND EMERGENCY RESPONSE SERVICES ENHANCE OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCY AND COST EFFECTIVENESS.
AND WHEN I SAY OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCY, AGAIN JUST TO GIVE IN LIGHT IS WHEN YOU HAVE ONE PERSON COMING TO A FIRE ON A FIRE TRUCK, THEY HAVE TO WAIT FOR THAT OTHER PIECE OF APPARATUS TO SHOW UP SO THAT YOU CAN AT LEAST HAVE ANOTHER PERSON TO HELP YOU.
[00:55:04]
A NATIONAL STANDARD IS TWO IN, TWO OUT.AND IF YOU LOOK AT THAT AS WE WERE BEFORE, BECAUSE REMEMBER I CAME UP IN THIS DEPARTMENT AND I'VE SPENT MOST OF MY CAREER HERE IN MERCED COUNTY AND LOOK AT I NEEDED FOUR ENGINES TO SHOW UP AND OBVIOUSLY THE PCFS AND FIREFIGHTERS TO SHOW UP IN ORDER FOR ME TO ACTUALLY MAKE AN ENTRY INTO A RESIDENTIAL STRUCTURE FIRE.
WE ALWAYS USED TO MAKE IT A COMMENT IS IF IT'S A RESCUE, IT DON'T MATTER.
WE'RE GOING TO GO IN THERE AND PROTECT AND SAVE SOMEBODY'S LIFE.
BUT IF YOU LOOK AT THAT, IT'S TALKING ABOUT THAT, THAT OPERATION EFFICIENCY.
NOW YOU HAVE TWO PEOPLE SHOWING UP ON A FIRE TRUCK.
AND PROBABLY ABOUT 85, 90% OF OUR CALLS ARE MEDICAL RESPONSES, AND THOSE TAKE ON THE INDIVIDUALS OF GOING IN THERE, DEALING WITH THE ENVIRONMENTS THAT WE'RE NOT PEACE OFFICERS. WE DON'T SECURE THE SCENE.
WE HAVE TO GET IN THERE AND TRY TO PROVIDE AID.
AND BEING ONE PERSON BY THEMSELVES TO DO CPR BECOMES REALLY CUMBERSOME ON THAT INDIVIDUAL.
WE HAVE GOTTEN NEW EQUIPMENT AND STUFF THAT CAN HELP THEM PERFORM THOSE EXERCISES, BUT AGAIN, IT IS REALLY UNSAFE FOR MY FIREFIGHTERS TO GO IN THERE BY THEMSELVES TO PROVIDE AN AID TO THE COMMUNITY.
BUT THIS ALTERNATIVE WOULD BE LEAVE US WITH 19 STATIONS REQUIRING 102 PERSONNEL.
WE CURRENTLY SIT AT ABOUT 87 POSITIONS AND WE WOULD NEED ANOTHER 15.
YOUR NET COUNTY COST WOULD BE $3.8 MILLION.
THAT WOULD BE THE OVERALL REDUCTION OF 3.1 MILLION OF THE ORIGINAL 6.9.
AS WE MOVE ON TO ALTERNATIVE B, AGAIN, TO CONSIDER THE CONSOLIDATION OF CHRISTIE AND BALIKA WOULD CONTINUE, AND THEN WE WOULD CONSIDER CONSOLIDATING THE STATION 76, WHICH IS DOS PALOS CITY, TO STATION 75 AT THE DOS PALOS STATION TO GIVE SOME PREFERENCES TO IS THESE CONSOLIDATIONS ARE WITHIN FOUR MILE.
RIGHT. SO AS YOU LOOK AT OUR WE HAVE NEW EQUIPMENT, WE HAVE HIGHER TRAINED INDIVIDUALS.
WITH THOSE TWO CONSOLIDATIONS, AGAIN, CHRISTIE AND BALLICO STATION 76 AND STATION 75 WE WOULD STILL BE PROVIDING SERVICES TO THE CITY OF DOS PALOS.
JUST BE FROM ANOTHER LOCATION.
AND THEN THE ELIMINATION OF 85 WOULD STILL BE CONSIDERED AGAIN AT THAT EFFECTIVE DATE OF THE COMPLETION OF THE UK'S AGREEMENT STATION 96 LIVINGSTON CITY AS WELL. THAT WOULD BE EFFECTIVE OF JULY 1ST.
WE HAVE NOTICED THAT THERE IS A LOT OF CALLS IN THOSE AREAS, BUT WE DO HAVE THREE STATIONS THAT SURROUND THAT AREA AND AGAIN, WOULD BE CONSIDERED TO CONTINUE RESPONDING INTO THOSE AREAS AND PROVIDING THAT SERVICE FOR THOSE, THOSE THOSE INDIVIDUALS IN THAT COMMUNITY MOVING FORWARD.
AGAIN, TO TO REFERENCE THAT WE WILL CONTINUE.
I THINK CEO MENDES HAS STRESSED IT MANY TIMES TO MYSELF WITH MARCI BORELLI, WHICH IS A BARRERA, EXCUSE ME, WHICH IS THE ASSISTANT CEO THAT I WORK WITH HERE IN THE COUNTY, HAS WORKED VERY HARD AND VERY DILIGENT WITH THESE CITIES, AND HOPEFULLY WE'LL BE ABLE TO COME TO A RESOLVE MOVING FORWARD. AGAIN, WE'RE EFFICIENCY AND COVERAGE WHILE ADDRESSING THE BUDGET CONSTRAINTS ARE KIND OF THE IDEAS OF THIS IS WE STILL WANT TO STILL PROVIDE A SERVICE TO THOSE AREAS, BUT WOULD BE COMING FROM AN OUTSIDE AREA.
THIS DETAIL ALTERNATIVE B WOULD BE 15 POSITIONS.
EXCUSE ME, 15 STATIONS REQUIRING 90 PERSONNEL.
OUR CURRENT 87 POSITIONS, THE POSITIONS WOULD NEEDED ARE THREE.
[01:00:04]
AND THIS WOULD GET US TO THE TWO ZERO STAFFING THREE ZERO FACTOR.$6.14 MILLION WOULD BE OUR COST SAVINGS FROM THE ORIGINAL $6.9 MILLION.
THE NET COUNTY COST WOULD BE SEVEN $760,000.
THAT'S FOR THE THREE POSITIONS THAT WE'RE REFERRING TO.
AND THEN JUST A QUICK SHOT OF BOTH ALTERNATIVES AND THE POSITIONS AND REQUIREMENTS FOR THOSE, AND THEN ARE JUST A SUMMARY OF THOSE ALTERNATIVE POSITIONS CONSIDERED STAFFING REQUIREMENTS.
WE NEED TO MEET THOSE BY THAT NOVEMBER DATE.
WE WILL CONTINUE PROVIDING SERVICE IN 19 STATIONS.
AGAIN, THAT THAT WOULD BE THAT 6.9 MILLION 27 NEW POSITIONS AND THEN ALTERNATIVE CONSIDERING THE FOLLOWING ALTERNATIVE WOULD BE JUST A 15 POSITIONS WOULD BE A AND THAT WOULD REDUCE THE FACILITIES BY TWO. AND WE WOULD NEED THE 15 BODIES AT 3.8 MILLION.
LIKE I SAID, WORKING THROUGH THIS PROCESS HAS BEEN A LONG, DRAWN OUT PROCESS.
WE'VE BEEN WORKING DILIGENTLY WITH THE BOARD AND CEO, MENDEZ, ON TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THE BEST OPTIONS COULD BE AND HOW WE CAN LOOK MOVING FORWARD. BUT THESE CONSIDERATIONS WOULD BE HERE FOR YOUR OPINION TODAY.
AND IF I'M HERE FOR ANY OTHER QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE.
ANY QUESTIONS BY THE BOARD? SUPERVISOR PEDROZO.
WHAT WAS WHAT IS THE UNIVERSITY CURRENTLY PAY RIGHT NOW? THE CURRENT AGREEMENT THAT WE ARE IN WITH THEM RIGHT NOW FOR NINE MONTHS IS 400,000.
OKAY. AND SO WHAT WAS THE ASK OF THE UC? WE WERE WE WANTED TO SPLIT THE COST AND WE SAID A MILLION FOR HALF THE STATION.
THAT WAS OUR LAST AGREEMENT DISCUSSIONS.
FOR FOR ANNUAL ANNUAL COST, THOSE WOULD BE FOR A FULL YEAR.
OKAY. AND I'LL SAY THE REST OF MY COMMENTS FOR LATER.
I'M GOING TO OPEN UP TO THE PUBLIC.
THANK YOU, CHIEF, FOR THAT PRESENTATION.
KIND OF FEEDING OFF OF WHAT HE JUST SAID.
SO THE UC WAS GOING TO ENTER INTO THE AGREEMENT, BUT THEY YET THEY NEVER DID.
IS THAT STILL AN ONGOING DISCUSSION OR, AND LOOKING TO THE FUTURE WITH THE ANNEXATION OF THE CITY OF MERCED, WHAT WILL THAT AGREEMENT DO WITH THE ANNEXATION AND THROUGH THAT PROCESS? MY VAST THREE YEARS EXPERIENCE WORKING THROUGH THIS PROCESS.
AGAIN, I'M NOT THE NEGOTIATOR FOR THE COUNTY.
I'M JUST KIND OF JUST AN SME TO LET THEM KNOW WHAT WHAT KIND OF SERVICES WE CAN PROVIDE.
BUT MY FAMILIARIZATION THROUGH THAT PROCESS IS WE HAVE PROVIDED OPTIONS FOR THEM TO CONTINUE SERVICES, AS WOULD BE WITH THE OPPORTUNITY TO GET OUT OF THE AGREEMENT IF THE CITY WAS TO ASSUME RESPONSIBILITY FOR THOSE AREAS.
THE BOARD'S DECISION IS TO DETERMINE HOW WE CAN KIND OF COEXIST AND HELP EACH OTHER OUT.
WE CURRENTLY DO AN AUTOMATIC AID WITH ATWATER CITY.
BUT AGAIN, GOING BACK TO THE ORIGINAL QUESTION WITH THE UC IS TRYING TO ALLOW THEM THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE FLEXIBLE AND STILL PROVIDE THEM A SERVICE TO, TO TO THEIR AREA THAT'S IN NEED.
CORRECT. AND SO I ALSO SAID ON LAFCO.
AND SO THOSE ARE CONTINUOUS DISCUSSIONS THAT WE HAVE AT OUR LAFCO MEETINGS ABOUT THAT ANNEXATION.
SO I KNOW IT'S MOVING FORWARD FASTER AND FASTER THAN WE THINK.
REALLY. SO I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING WE NEED TO KEEP IN IN OUR CONVERSATIONS WITH THE UC.
AND YOU HAD MENTIONED ATWATER, WHICH IS MY DISTRICT, AND I KNOW THIS STUDY WAS DONE IN 2016.
[01:05:05]
OPPOSED OF.BUT I GOT TO SAY THAT THE STUDY WAS CORRECT.
AND WITH THAT AUTOMATIC AID THAT WE HAVE WITH THE CITY OF ATWATER WE ACTUALLY IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD GET A CALL FROM WINTON, AND IT'S THE FIRST, FIRST ONE ON THE SCENE WITH A FIRE WHICH WAS RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET FROM MY HOUSE, AND THEY WERE THERE WITHIN MINUTES.
THANK YOU. NO FURTHER COMMENTS BEFORE I OPEN UP TO THE BOARD TO GO.
YEAH, I JUST HAVE ONE QUESTION.
I THOUGHT MAYBE ONE OF MY COLLEAGUES WOULD ASK IT, BUT WHAT THE MCKEE STATION? WHAT'S THE WHAT'S THE NUMBER OF CALLS OR THE PERCENTAGE OF CALLS OUT OF THAT STATION THAT GO TO THE UC VERSUS THE REST OF THE AREA? 33% FOR THAT ONE STATION? THAT DOES NOT TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION ALL OF THE OTHER UNITS THAT RESPOND.
THAT IS JUST THAT SINGLE STATION.
BUT THE HONEST, IT TAKES MORE THAN JUST ONE PIECE OF APPARATUS TO SHOW UP.
AND TWO PEOPLE LIKE I SAID, IS AS WE START MOVING, IT'S MORE ABOUT HOW MANY PIECES OF APPARATUS DO WE GET THERE IN ORDER TO MEET THE STATE STANDARDS, OR AT LEAST THE STANDARD OF HAVING AN ADEQUATE AMOUNT OF PERSONNEL AT SCENE TO MITIGATE THOSE INCIDENTS.
BUT I SHOULD HAVE ASKED THE QUESTION.
BUT FOR EXAMPLE, WHEN THEY HAD THE LATEST BIG INCIDENT OUT THERE WITH THE HAZMAT INCIDENT, HOW MANY ENGINES WERE CALLED OUT THERE TO TAKE CARE OF THAT? WITH THE ASSISTANCE FROM THE STATE AND MERCED CITY, I THINK THERE WAS A NEIGHBORHOOD OF ABOUT 4 OR 5 ENGINES OUT THERE.
AND OUR HAZMAT UNIT AND SEVERAL CHIEF OFFICERS.
AND ALSO, TO COME TO THINK OF IT, MADERA EVEN SENT SOME OF THEIR HAZMAT STAFF.
AGAIN, THAT GOES BACK TO THE RELATIONSHIPS THAT WE HAVE WITH THE STATE.
WHEN WHEN YOU HAVE CAL FIRE AS A PART OF YOUR DEPARTMENT.
SO AGAIN, THAT'S THAT'S COOPERATIVE FIRE PROTECTION AT ITS BEST.
AND THAT WAS A LOT OF RESOURCES THERE FOR WHAT WE PROVIDE.
THIS AGENDA ITEM HAS FIVE DIFFERENT ITEMS. AND THEN SO AFTER THE PUBLIC COMMENT WILL BE VOTING MANUALLY SEPARATELY.
SO I WILL NOW I WILL NOW OPEN PUBLIC COMMENT ON ITEM 33.
AS A REMINDER, EACH SPEAKER WILL PROVIDE BE PROVIDED THREE MINUTES FOR THEIR COMMENTS.
GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS LESLIE BREWER AND I'M HERE WITH CONCERNS, QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS IN REGARDS TO THE POSSIBILITY OF REMOVING YOUR ENGINEERS FROM CRESSY FIRE STATION 64 AND POSSIBLY MAKING IT BECOME A VOLUNTEER STATION.
WITH THAT SAID, I'D LIKE TO START OFF BY READING AN ANNOUNCEMENT IN MERCED COUNTY FIRE'S OWN WORDS.
ON JANUARY THE 2ND OF THIS YEAR, MERCED COUNTY FIRE DEPARTMENT IS EXCITED TO ANNOUNCE THAT WE HAVE TWO PERSONNEL ON DUTY 24 HOURS A DAY, SEVEN DAYS A WEEK, AT STATION 64.
BY BOLSTERING OUR TEAM, WE'RE BETTER EQUIPPED TO PROTECT LIVES AND PROPERTY, ENSURING THAT OUR COMMUNITY RECEIVES THEIR RAPID, EFFECTIVE ASSISTANCE IT DESERVES DURING CRITICAL MOMENTS TO OUR DEDICATION TO CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT AND OUR UNWAVERING MISSION TO SERVE AND SAFEGUARD OUR RESIDENTS AND NEIGHBORS OF CRESSY AND MERCED COUNTY. THESE ARE THE MERCED COUNTY FIRE'S OWN WORDS IN REGARDS TO WHAT IS BEST FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
SO PLEASE EXPLAIN TO US, THE CRESSY RESIDENTS, EXACTLY WHAT HAS CHANGED SINCE JANUARY THE 2ND.
WHY DID YOU EVEN BOTHER TO EQUIP THE CRESSY FIRE STATION 64 TO BE A TWO STATION, ONLY TO ANNOUNCE THE POSSIBILITY OF REMOVAL FOUR MONTHS LATER? HAVE THE COUNTY LINES CHANGED? WHAT IS EXACTLY THE POLICY FOR CAL FIRE, AND WHAT POLICIES DO MERCED COUNTY NEED TO FOLLOW IN REGARDS TO STATION REGULATIONS? SOME OF IT WAS ANSWERED IN THESE DECISIONS.
[01:10:10]
TO SWITCH TO A STATION THAT IS NOT EVEN EQUIPPED FOR A2O STAFFING? CAN WE EXPECT TO HEAR SHORTLY THE EXACT ANNOUNCEMENT AGAIN, ONLY CHANGING THE DATE AND THE STATION'S NAME? CLEARLY, WORDS ARE CHEAP AND ACTIONS SPEAK.IF WE GO OFF YOUR OWN WORDS, THE DISCUSSION SHOULD BE EASY.
EITHER WAY, YOU DECIDE TODAY, BUT REST ASSURED IT WILL MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THE NEXT TIME WE VOTE.
I ALSO WOULD LIKE TO MAKE IT VERY CLEAR THAT OUR PCFS AT BALLICO AND CRESSEY ARE INCREDIBLE.
WHY DID WE NOT RECEIVE ANY NOTICE ABOUT THIS BEFORE WE HAD TO SEE IT ON AN AGENDA? WE HOPE TO HEAR YOU WILL STAND BY YOUR WORDS AND KEEP FIGHTING TO KEEP OUR STATION OPEN.
IT'S SUCH A SHAME TO HEAR OUR SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT.
AND NOW WE COULD BE LOSING OUR SAFETY FROM OUR FIRE STATION.
IF YOU CAN FINISH YOUR COMMENTS, YOU HAVE FIVE SECONDS.
AND IF BOTH WINTON AND BLEAK ARE ON A CALL, OUR HOMES MAY BURN DOWN.
OR THERE COULD BE AN UNNECESSARY DEATH BECAUSE WE WON'T BE A PRIORITY.
THANK YOU. MATCH. THANK YOU MA'AM.
WELL. GOOD MORNING. GOOD AFTERNOON.
MY NAME IS JUSTIN CHAPLIN AND I AM THE DEPUTY CHAPTER DIRECTOR FOR CAL FIRE FIREFIGHTERS LOCAL 2881.
I'M HERE TODAY IN REPRESENTATION OF YOUR 87 FIELD FIREFIGHTERS THAT ARE IN YOUR FIRE STATIONS AND RESPONDING IN OUR COMMUNITIES AND THE FIVE BATTALION CHIEFS THAT SUPERVISE THEM.
IN THAT TIME, THE STAFFING MODEL HAS GONE FROM ONE ZERO STAFFING AT EACH STATION ON EACH HOUSE AND A RELIANCE OF OUR PAID CALL FIREFIGHTER PROGRAM. ALTHOUGH NOT THE BEST OPTION IN THE LATE 80S, IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN CONSIDERED APPROPRIATE.
HOWEVER, PUSHING FORWARDS ALMOST FOUR DECADES LATER, IT'S UNACCEPTABLE.
I'D LIKE TO. I'D LIKE TO GIVE MY MY APPRECIATION ON BEHALF OF OUR FIREFIGHTERS TO THIS BOARD FOR THE 12 NEW POSITIONS THAT WERE ADDED TO GET US AWAY FROM THAT ONE ZERO STAFFING FACTOR.
TO ENSURE THAT YOUR FIREFIGHTERS HAVE A PARTNER WHO HAS THEIR BACK TO KEEP THEM SAFE AND ENSURE THAT THEY'RE CAPABLE AND EQUIPPED TO DO THE JOB WHEN THEY SHOW UP AT THESE EMERGENCY SCENES.
INDUSTRY STANDARD IS THREE NATIONAL RECOMMENDATIONS ARE FOR ZERO PER PIECE OF EQUIPMENT.
NOW, I UNDERSTAND OUR FINANCIAL IMPACT AND THE FINANCIAL STATE OF THE COUNTY, BUT THE STEPS YOU TOOK LAST YEAR ON THIS FISCAL YEAR TO GIVE US THOSE 12 NEW POSITIONS WERE THE LARGEST INCREASE THAT THE COUNTY FIRE AGREEMENT HAS EVER SEEN SINCE OUR PARTICIPATION.
THAT MIGHT NOT SEEM LIKE A LOT, BUT IT'S HUGE TO YOUR FIREFIGHTERS WHO ARE HERE DAY IN AND DAY OUT DOING THE JOB TO KNOW THAT THEY HAVE A PARTNER WHO HAS THEIR BACK, WHO'S GOING TO KEEP THEM SAFE, AND THAT THEY CAN MAKE THE RESCUE THAT THEY NEED TO, AND THEY CAN PROVIDE THE SERVICE TO THOSE 911 CALLS AS THOSE EMERGENCIES COME THROUGH.
MY GOAL WOULD BE THAT I DON'T EVER HAVE TO HEAR OF ANOTHER ONE OF OUR FIREFIGHTERS WORKING BY THEMSELVES, THREE DAYS BY YOURSELF, RESPONDING TO CALLS, DRIVING IN THE FOG, WAKING UP IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT, TRYING TO PERFORM CPR, GETTING IN PHYSICAL ALTERCATIONS.
DEALING WITH BREAK INS WITH NOBODY TO SUPPORT YOU.
SHOULD YOU FIND YOURSELF TOE TO TOE WITH SOMEONE WHO WISHES TO CAUSE YOU HARM AND BE.
LET ME BE VERY CLEAR WITH THAT.
WE DEAL WITH ONE PERSON PROTECTING A COMMUNITY AND TRYING TO DO EVERYTHING THEY CAN.
THOSE 12 POSITIONS WERE HUGE FOR US.
I'M A REALIST AND I UNDERSTAND THAT A DECISION WILL BE MADE, BUT JUST REMEMBER THE BENEFIT AND THE IMPACT THAT YOU WILL HAVE ON THOSE STATIONS THAT ARE THERE WHEN YOU HAVE TWO PEOPLE, AS IT'S A BETTER STEP IN THE DIRECTION TO GET CLOSER TO WHAT THE INDUSTRY STANDARD IS, SO WE CAN PROVIDE AN APPROPRIATE SERVICE AND ENSURE THAT BOTH YOUR COMMUNITY AND YOUR FIRE DEPARTMENT IS A SAFE AS POSSIBLE.
[01:15:01]
THANK YOU. HELLO AGAIN.SO SPEAKING ON THAT, THERE IS, OF COURSE, YES, MUTUAL AID AND I UNDERSTAND THAT.
BUT THE STATIONS THAT YOU'RE CONSIDERING CONSOLIDATING OR CLOSING, THERE ARE NO CITIES CLOSE ENOUGH OR, YOU KNOW, THAT HAVE AS MANY RESOURCES AS, LIKE THE CITY OF MERCED OR ATWATER TO RESPOND TO THOSE.
AND LIVING IN SNELLING NOW AND ALSO BEFORE THAT, LIVING IN WINTON.
THE RESPONSE TIMES ARE KIND OF SCARY SOMETIMES, YOU KNOW? AND SPEAKING OF, YOU KNOW, YOUR PAID CALL FIREFIGHTERS.
THAT'S HOW MY EX-HUSBAND STARTED AND MY SON NOW IS NOW IN THE FIRE SERVICE.
BUT WE GOT TO PUT SOME OF THAT BACK ON YOUR COMMUNITY.
BUT AND WE'RE JUST TRYING TO FIGURE IT OUT WITH A VERY, WITH TIME CONSTRAINTS AND, AND INFORMING THE PUBLIC, I THINK THIS IS THE BIGGEST THING THE PUBLIC NEEDS TO BE MORE INFORMED ABOUT THESE SITUATIONS.
NOT WHEN IT'S DIRE, NOT WHEN IT'S LIKE, OH MY GOSH, WE PUBLIC EMERGENCY OR STATE OF EMERGENCY, START HAVING THESE CONVERSATIONS WHEN WE KNOW THAT THESE THINGS ARE CHANGING STAFFING. THAT'S NOT SOMETHING NEW.
I MEAN, IT WAS WE KNEW IT WAS COMING.
HOW ARE YOU GOING TO FUND THAT? YOU HAVE TO FIND THE FUNDS SOMEWHERE.
VERY WITH THE PUBLIC SAYING THESE ARE WHERE THIS IS WHERE WE'RE AT AND WHAT MAY BE YOUR IDEAS ARE WHAT IS YOUR SOLUTION? OR THIS IS WHERE WE'RE AT, BUT FORM A COMMITTEE, GET IT STARTED.
BECAUSE I'LL TELL YOU AGAIN, STANDING IN FRONT OF THE CITY, THE CITY COUNCIL, THAT HAPPENED IN WEEKS WHEN THEY SAID THERE WAS NOTHING MORE THEY COULD DO. IT HAPPENED IN WEEKS.
MEASURE C WAS CREATED AND COMMITTEES AND EVERYBODY HAD.
THERE WAS A REPRESENTATIVE FROM THE CITY COUNCIL, THERE WAS REPRESENTATIVES FROM EVERYWHERE.
AND THROUGH THE HOUSING CRISIS, ALL OF THAT, YOU DIDN'T LOSE FIREFIGHTERS OR POLICE OFFICERS.
YOU WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY CAN GO HOME TO THOSE FAMILIES BECAUSE THEY'RE DOING A JOB.
THEY'RE PUTTING THEIR LIVES ON THEIR LINE FOR OUR FAMILIES.
THANK YOU. GOOD MORNING BOARD. MY NAME IS MIKE MURPHY.
I LIVE IN MERCED IN THE AREA NORTH OF BELLEVUE ROAD THAT'S SERVICED BY THE MCKEE ROAD STATION.
I KNOW A FEW THINGS ABOUT GOVERNMENT BUDGETING FOR PUBLIC SAFETY.
HAVING SERVED AS THE MAYOR OF MERCED FOR TWO TERMS. FUNDING OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT AND POLICE DEPARTMENT.
I URGE YOU NOT TO CLOSE THE MCKEE ROAD STATION.
THE THE ANALOGY THAT COMES TO MIND IS ACTUALLY A SPORTS ANALOGY.
IN THE IN THE HORSE RACING WORLD, WE HAVE THE TRIPLE CROWN EVENTS COMING UP SHORTLY.
YOU'VE GOT DEPUTIES THAT ARE UNDERFUNDED, AND NOW WE'RE ATTACKING FIRE PROTECTION.
ALL THREE. I'D ENCOURAGE YOU TO TO EXPECT MORE FROM YOURSELVES AND FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
IT'S NOT AS THOUGH WE'RE THE FIRST ONE ON THE CUTTING EDGE BEING ASKED TO GO TO TWO ZERO.
WE'RE THE VERY LAST, AND SOMEHOW WE CAN'T FIGURE IT OUT.
KEEP OUR FIRE PROTECTION IN PLACE.
IMPROVE OUR AMBULANCE SERVICE.
IMPROVE OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT SERVICE AND EXPECT MORE OF YOURSELVES.
MY NAME IS PRIYA. I'M A RESIDENT OF MERCED COUNTY, AND I'M GOING TO BE ONE OF THOSE RESIDENTS WHO'S GOING TO BE AFFECTED BY THE CLOSURE OR ELIMINATION OF MCKEE FIRE STATION 85? I HAVE LIVED IN MERCED 15 YEARS NOW.
I'M NOT LIFELONG MERCED IN, BUT MERCED IS HOME IN THREE YEARS.
I WILL HAVE LIVED HERE LONGER THAN ANY OTHER PLACE IN THE WORLD AND I MOVED FROM INDIA.
[01:20:02]
TODAY IS ACTUALLY A VERY SPECIAL DAY FOR US.AND ONE OF THE THINGS WE DO ON UGADI, IT'S A NEW YEAR.
SO LIFE IS ABOUT HAVING DIFFERENT EXPERIENCES AND EMOTIONS ON A DAILY BASIS.
AND WHEN I SAW THIS LAST NIGHT AND RANDOMLY SOMEBODY TEXTED ME, RIGHT, AND SAID, OH, THEY'RE CLOSING THE FIRE STATION, I WAS LIKE, WOW, I WOULD HAVE EXPECTED BETTER FROM THIS, THIS COUNTY.
HOW DO YOU I UNDERSTAND YOU'VE BEEN IN CONVERSATIONS.
MAYBE WE WERE NOT AS AS, AS A CITIZEN.
BUT IT'S ALSO INCUMBENT ON ALL OF US TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE PART OF THESE CONVERSATIONS.
YOU HAD TOWN HALLS NOT ONE TIME.
IT WAS MENTIONED DURING ANY OF THE TOWN HALLS THAT THIS WAS GOING TO HAPPEN, FROM LEARNING ABOUT THE COUNTY SHERIFFS, FROM LEARNING ABOUT THIS AND AMBULANCE SERVICE AND OTHER THINGS. IT'S IT'S HARD TO TO DRIVE BY EVERY DAY.
AND NOW I'M GOING TO LOOK AT THAT AND GO, OH, IN A FEW MONTHS THAT'S NOT GOING TO BE THERE.
AND WHERE IS OUR NEXT CALL GOING TO COME FROM? IF WE IF I EVER HAVE TO CALL 911 SOME IS A FAIRGROUNDS OR PLANADA AND I DON'T KNOW WITH THE TRAFFIC AND MERCED THESE DAYS HOW LONG IT'S GOING TO TAKE FOR SOMEONE TO COME AND PROVIDE THAT SERVICE FOR US.
WE TOUT THAT. I'VE SEEN IT ON YOUR BROCHURES THAT WE HAVE $1 BILLION BUDGET.
WE HAVE $1 BILLION BUDGET AND WE'RE ASKING FOR 6 MILLION OR 6.9 MILLION.
IT DOESN'T SEEM LIKE A LOT OF MONEY AT SOME POINT.
LIKE THAT LADY WAS SAYING, LET'S ALL GET TOGETHER AND AND INCREASE OUR REVENUES.
HOW DO WE DO THAT? LET'S HOLD US ACCOUNTABLE FOR PAYING THEIR SHARE.
THAT'S ALSO PART OF YOUR NEGOTIATION TEAM.
WE ARE COUNTING ON ALL OF YOU.
YOU KNOW, I SUPPORT MY FAMILY, SUPPORTS ALL OF YOU HERE.
YOU SUPPORT LAW ENFORCEMENT, YOU SUPPORT PUBLIC SAFETY.
PLEASE DO NOT TAKE THIS AWAY FROM US.
I EVERY DAY I CROSS MICKEY'S SO MANY TIMES AND THAT STATION HAS BEEN THERE.
SO DON'T TAKE THAT AWAY FROM US.
AND I. AND I KNOW YOU'RE IN A DIFFICULT POSITION.
THANK YOU. GOOD MORNING, SUPERVISORS. MY NAME IS RYAN.
GIVE ME A SECOND HERE. GO AHEAD.
GOOD MORNING, BOARD OF SUPERVISORS.
MY NAME IS RYAN PASCH, AND I'M A CITIZEN OF MERCED COUNTY.
ACTUALLY. NEVER LIVED ANYWHERE ELSE MY ENTIRE LIFE.
PROUDLY. I LIVE IN THE AREA PROTECTED BY FIRE STATION FIVE.
I I FIRST WANT TO THANK CHIEF PIMENTEL FOR HIS COMMENTS AND BRINGING THESE THINGS TO YOUR ATTENTION.
I WANT TO THANK THE LABOR REPRESENTATIVE FOR CAL FIRE.
I STARTED AS A PCF IN CAL FIRE.
IT'S A GREAT ORGANIZATION AND THEY HAVE BEEN UNDERSTAFFED FOR A LONG, LONG TIME.
THINGS THAT THEY'RE ASKED TO DO ARE, ARE UNACCEPTABLE.
THEY DON'T MEET THE STANDARDS OF OF THE NATIONAL STANDARDS.
BUT I, I DON'T KNOW THAT THAT ENOUGH RESEARCH HAS BEEN DONE.
SO WE'RE TALKING ABOUT CLOSING 85.
I WOULD ASK, IS THERE AN AGREEMENT WITH LIKE MINDED JURISDICTIONS TO PICK UP THAT COVERAGE? SO YOU SAY, OKAY, WE'RE GOING TO RUN PLANADA AND STATION 81 BY MERCED FAIRGROUNDS TO NORTH FIRST TO THE UC, WHEREVER, WHEREVER NEEDS HELP.
THE NATIONAL FIRE PROTECTION ASSOCIATION HAS A STANDARD OF A RESPONSE TIME OF FIVE MINUTES AND 20S.
90% OF THE TIME, THERE'S THERE'S NO WAY.
AND AND WHAT HAPPENS WHEN ONE OF THOSE OTHER STATIONS HAS ANOTHER CALL? THERE'S A CALL IN PLANADA. THERE'S A CALL SOMEWHERE ELSE IN MERCED.
THAT MEANS THAT YOU'RE GOING TO WAIT FOR ARE WE GOING TO WAIT FOR EL NIDO TO GET SOMEBODY OUT THERE? THERE ARE. MY POINT IS THAT THERE ARE SOLUTIONS.
WHAT WHAT WHAT CAL FIRE IS ASKING FOR IS APPROPRIATE.
THEY JUST WANT TO RUN THE CALLS, PROTECT THE PEOPLE.
THEY JUST NEED THE RESOURCES TO DO THAT.
I THINK THESE DECISIONS ARE PREMATURE TO BE MADE.
I HOPE WE DO SET UP SOME, SOME TIMES TO SPEAK WITH THE THE CITIZENS AND HEAR WHAT THEY'RE THINKING.
TRY TO FIND SOME FUNDING SOURCES.
IF YOU'RE GOING TO MAKE A DECISION TODAY, I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO FUND THEM.
WITH THE $6.9 MILLION GOVERNMENT'S PRIMARY JOB IS PUBLIC SAFETY.
WE HAVE ISSUES WITH THE AMBULANCE SERVICE.
THESE HAVE TO BE THE PRIORITIES IN THIS ORGANIZATION, IN THIS COUNTY.
WE NEED WE NEED OUR PEOPLE TO BE SAFE.
WE YOU KNOW, THESE GENTLEMEN AND LADIES AND GENTLEMEN AT CAL FIRE ARE WORKING HARD TO PROTECT US.
[01:25:02]
PLEASE, PLEASE GIVE THEM THE RESOURCES THEY NEED TO FIGHT FOR US, TO PROTECT US.TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE ON THESE EMERGENCIES.
THEY NEED THE RESOURCES TO BE SUCCESSFUL.
HELLO, MY NAME IS MAX MADAYAG AND I'M JUST A RESIDENT THAT OWNS A HOME OUT THERE IN THE UC AREA.
AND MY FAMILY AND I ARE CONCERNED PRIMARILY ABOUT THE RESPONSE TIME THAT YOU'VE PROBABLY BEEN HEARING OVER AND OVER AGAIN OUT THERE.
NOW, LIKE HE SAID EARLIER, IF THERE'S SOMETHING GOING ON AND WE HAVE TO RELY ON THE FIRE DEPARTMENT FROM THE FAIRGROUNDS, THAT'S GOING TO DELAY THAT TIME EVEN MORE, WHICH PUTS PROBABLY MAYBE EVEN MY FAMILY IN JEOPARDY.
AND I WANT THE CITY COUNCIL HERE TO REALIZE I PUT MY FAMILY'S SAFETY ABOVE EVERYTHING ELSE.
NOW YOU'RE GOING TO ANNEX THAT AREA OUT THERE.
AND IF YOU'RE GOING TO ANNEX THAT MANY HOMES AND THAT MANY BUSINESSES OUT THERE, MAYBE IT MIGHT BE A BETTER IDEA IF YOU BUILD A FIRE DEPARTMENT OUT THERE BEFORE SHUTTING DOWN THIS ONE, IT'D BE FOOD FOR THOUGHT.
SHOULD YOU SHUT DOWN THIS FIRE DEPARTMENT, INSURANCE RATES FOR HOMEOWNERS WOULD GO UP.
I'M NOT I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'RE AWARE OF THAT, BUT ACCORDING TO TRIPLE-A IF THE FIRE DEPARTMENT IS OVER FIVE MILES AWAY, THEY CHARGE YOU $1,000 PER MILE FURTHER.
SO THAT'S SOMETHING EVEN MYSELF WOULD PUT A BURDEN ON.
SO THAT'S ANOTHER THING TO CONSIDERATION, IS RESPONSE TIME.
AND I THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
FIRST OFF, I'D LIKE TO THANK THE BOARD FOR HAVING THIS CONVERSATION THIS MORNING.
IT'S BEEN AN ABSOLUTE PLEASURE WORKING WITH EACH OF YOU.
I'D NOW LIKE TO FOCUS MY ATTENTION TO STATION 96.
ACCORDING TO THE 2022 ANNUAL MERCED COUNTY FIRE REPORT, STATION 96 RESPONDED TO THE MOST CALLS FOR SERVICE IN BATTALION 19 AND SECOND MOST IN ALL OF THE COUNTY FOR MORE CALLS, AND IT WOULD HAVE BEEN THE BUSIEST STATION IN THE ENTIRE COUNTY.
WE ARE THANKFUL TO HAVE DEDICATED CAL FIRE EMPLOYEES, SUCH AS ROBERT WYNNE AND BATTALION CHIEF BRIAN WHITE, AND OUR PCFS SERVING THE LIVINGSTON COMMUNITY. CURRENTLY, THE CITY OF LIVINGSTON RESIDENTS PAY OVER $1 MILLION IN FIRE TAXES DIRECTLY FOR THE PROVISION OF FIRE SERVICES FOR OUR CURRENT LEVEL OF STAFFING, WHICH IS ONE ZERO.
THE LIVINGSTON CITY COUNCIL HAS BEEN COMMITTED TO WORKING WITH THE COUNTY FOR A NEW FIRE AGREEMENT.
BASED ON THE OVER $1 MILLION PROVIDED BY CURRENT LIVINGSTON RESIDENTS, PLUS THE $750,000 REQUESTED.
LIVINGSTON RESIDENTS WILL BE ON THE HOOK FOR NEARLY $2 MILLION IN COSTS.
WHILE THE STATION RESPONDS TO ALMOST HALF OF THE CALLS OUTSIDE OF THE CITY OF LIVINGSTON.
[01:30:01]
THE CITY OF LIVINGSTON AND I HAVE EQUITY CONCERNS ABOUT WHETHER THE CITY RESIDENTS ARE COVERING MORE THAN THEIR FAIR SHARE OF COSTS.THE CITY OF LIVINGSTON HAS ALWAYS BEEN COMMITTED TO WORKING COLLABORATIVELY.
WE HAVE NOT STATED WE ARE UNWILLING OR UNABLE TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL FUNDING TO GET A RESOLUTION.
OUR QUESTION IS WHAT IS EQUITABLE? IN MY CAREER, I HAVE HAD TO HAVE THESE TYPES OF DIFFICULT CONVERSATIONS WITH MY RESPECTIVE COUNCILS.
DURING THOSE CONVERSATIONS, THE APPROACH WAS ROOTED IN DATA.
CONVERSATIONS WITH IMPACTED LABOR GROUPS AND EXPLORING ALL POTENTIAL SOLUTIONS.
I HAVE A FEW QUESTIONS RELEVANT TO THE POTENTIAL ACTIONS.
YOU CAN FINISH YOUR COMMENTS PLEASE.
KNOWING THAT STATION 96 IS THE SECOND BUSIEST STATION IN ALL OF THE COUNTY, WHY WAS THIS STATION SELECTED FOR CLOSURE? I HAVE WORKED WITH SOME OF THE MOST INCREDIBLE FIRE SAFETY PERSONNEL IN MY CAREER, WHO DO THE THINGS THAT WE WOULD NEVER DO WHEN IT COMES TO EMERGENCIES.
DO THEY HAVE POTENTIAL RECOMMENDATIONS? WHAT WILL THE IMPACTS BE TO CAL FIRE PERSONNEL NOW ABSORBING MORE CALLS FOR SERVICE? IT APPEARS THERE WILL BE SIGNIFICANT DETRIMENTAL IMPACTS TO THOSE FIRST RESPONDERS.
OKAY. CITY OF LIVINGSTON HAS SIMPLE REQUESTS.
DIRECT COUNTY STAFF TO NEGOTIATE IN GOOD FAITH WITH CLEAR TRANSPARENCY ON THE COST FOR STATION 96 WITH AN EQUITABLE SPLIT ITEMIZE, THE COST FOR STATION 96, INCLUDING COUNTY CONTRIBUTIONS AND A FULL ACCOUNTING OF EXPENSES.
IF THE COUNTY IS UNWILLING TO BUDGE ON THE $750,000 REQUEST.
SORRY FROM ALL COSTS WITH NO ADDITIONAL EXPENSES FROM THE COUNTY.
I'M PAT BORELLI FROM GUSTIN FIRE.
I GUESS I SHOULD HAVE PREPARED A SPEECH, BUT I'VE BEEN IN GUSTIN FIRE FOR ALMOST 40 YEARS, AND WE'VE HAD THESE DISCUSSIONS BEFORE AS FAR AS THE VOLUNTEER STATUS.
AND WHEN I STARTED, WE USED TO HAVE AN A, B, C GROUP AND EVERYBODY THAT WAS IN THE CITY OF GUSTIN.
WE HAD TO HAVE A CERTAIN PERCENTAGE OF A'S, B'S AND C'S.
AND WHEN I BECAME A VOLUNTEER, I ALMOST DIDN'T GET IN BECAUSE I WORKED OUT IN THE COUNTY AT THE TIME, AND WE HAD SOME OTHER ONES THAT COULDN'T GET IN BECAUSE THEY LIVED OUT IN THE COUNTY. BUT EVENTUALLY WE CHANGED ALL THAT AND I WAS ABLE TO BECOME A VOLUNTEER THERE WHERE WE WHERE I STILL AT BUT OUR VOLUNTEER STATUS RIGHT NOW WE HAVE TEN AND WE ARE PURSUING TO GET VOLUNTEERS.
BUT THE DEMOGRAPHICS OF THE AREA HAS CHANGED SO MUCH BECAUSE PEOPLE WORK OUTSIDE THE AREA AND DON'T WORK INSIDE THE AREA AND SO ON. A TYPICAL CALL IN GUSTIN, IF WE HAVE A STRUCTURE FIRE, WE MIGHT HAVE 2 TO 3 PEOPLE THAT ARE ACTUALLY IN TOWN THAT CAN GET THERE.
AND SO IT'S IT'S ALWAYS BEEN A DISCUSSION.
AS FAR AS VOLUNTEER I DON'T HAVE THE ANSWERS TO EVERYTHING I WISH I DID, BUT THE VOLUNTEER STATUS IS IS IT'S A VERY DIFFICULT TIME THAT WE'RE WORKING WITH RIGHT NOW.
WE HAD SOME INTEREST, AND I THINK WE MIGHT THERE.
WE GOT A COUPLE OF CALLS ON THAT.
BUT WHEN I BECAME A VOLUNTEER, WE HAD A WAITING LIST OF OVER 30.
AND I THINK A LOT OF THE DEPARTMENTS AND THE IN THE COUNTY ALSO HAD WAITING LISTS.
AND SO THAT'S WHERE WE'RE AT TODAY.
I KNOW THAT IT ALL COMES DOWN TO THE DOLLARS AND CENTS, AND IT'S A, IT'S A VERY STRUGGLE.
THE COST OF DOING BUSINESS TODAY IS JUST UNREAL.
AND SO ANYWAY, THAT'S ALL I THANK YOU.
SUPERVISORS. MR. MENDEZ. MY NAME IS JOSE MORAN, MAYOR OF THE CITY OF LIVINGSTON.
[01:35:01]
THIS MORNING YOU HAVE BEFORE YOU AN ITEM THAT WILL POTENTIALLY AFFECT AND PUT PEOPLE'S LIVES IN DANGER.THERE'S MORE THAT CAN BE DONE.
SINCE THEN, THE CITY HAS BEEN CONTRIBUTING 7.5% OF ITS TAX REVENUE TO THE COUNTY, AMOUNTING TO BETWEEN $800,000 AND $1 MILLION ANNUALLY.
OF THE SERVICE CALLS THAT STATION 96 IS RECEIVING FOR SERVICE, ABOUT 60% ARE FOR SERVICE CALLS WITHIN THE CITY, AND ABOUT 40% FOR SERVICE CALLS IN THE COUNTY AREA SURROUNDING LIVINGSTON.
THE BILL THE ENTIRE BILL OF ROUGHLY $800,000, BASICALLY HAVING THE CITY PAY EVEN FOR SERVICE PROVIDED OUT IN THE COUNTY, WHICH WOULD NORMALLY BE PAID OUT BY THE COUNTY. THIS PROPOSAL BEFORE YOU IS ASKING FOR YOU, FOR YOU THE BOARD TO CONSIDER PULLING THE CAL FIRE SERVICE FROM STATION 96 AND LIVINGSTON TO THE STATION IN CRESSY.
THIS PROPOSAL HAS RESULTED IN SAFETY CONCERNS FOR LIVINGSTON RESIDENTS, MEANING THAT ANYONE CALLING FOR SERVICE WILL HAVE TO ENDURE LONGER RESPONSE TIMES OF AT LEAST ADDITIONAL 8 TO 12 ADDITIONAL MINUTES IN COMPARISON, IF THEY WERE RESPONDING FROM WITHIN THE CITY AS THEY'RE CURRENTLY DOING NOW, THE RESPONSE TIME WILL INCREASE DRASTICALLY FOR SERVICE CALLS THAT ORIGINATE FROM THE SOUTH SIDE OF THE CITY, POTENTIALLY FROM 15 TO 20 ADDITIONAL MINUTES, MAKING IT MORE DANGEROUS FOR ALL OF THE RESIDENTS IN THOSE AREAS.
WOULDN'T IT BE BEST TO CONSIDER STATION 96 AS THE MAIN STATION FOR SERVICE IN THAT AREA AND THE SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES? ADDITIONALLY, THIS PROPOSAL WOULD NOT ONLY MAKE IT MORE DANGEROUS FOR THOSE REQUESTING SERVICE, BUT ALSO FOR THOSE RESPONDING TO THE SERVICE CALLS BY INCREASED TRAVEL DISTANCES, WHICH POSE GREATER RISKS FOR THE RESPONDING FIRE PERSONNEL, WITH NO CONSIDERATION FOR ADDITIONAL ROAD HAZARDS THEY WILL ENCOUNTER IN THIS UNNECESSARY ADDITIONAL TRAVEL TIME AND DISTANCE.
DESPITE THE CITY'S WILLINGNESS TO ENGAGE IN DISCUSSIONS AND CONVERSATIONS, THE COUNTY HAS SHOWN LITTLE TO NO INTEREST IN COMING TOGETHER TO NEGOTIATE THE MOU AND HAS REFUSED TO DISCLOSE THE ITEMIZED COSTS THAT IS CHARGING THE CITY FOR THE COUNTY'S WITHHOLDING THE CITY'S FIRE TAX REVENUE AND MAKING DECISIONS ON IT WITHOUT ANY OVERSIGHT.
IF YOU CAN FINISH YOUR COMMENTS, PLEASE.
DON'T KNOW WHAT THE REPAIRS WERE DONE.
THAT DOES NOT SEEM LIKE BEST PRACTICE.
LIVINGSTON RESIDENTS ARE WILLING TO PAY FOR THE SERVICES THEY RECEIVE.
WE HAVE ALWAYS BEEN WILLING TO PAY.
AND TO CONCLUDE, I DO BELIEVE IN OFFERING OTHERS THE BENEFIT OF THE DOUBT, AND I WANT TO THINK THAT THIS IS A MIX UP OR MISUNDERSTANDING, AND THAT THE COUNTY IS OPEN TO WILLING TO MAKE THIS RIGHT AND SAFE FOR ALL INVOLVED, TO MAKE IT SAFE, NOT ONLY FOR THE RESIDENTS OF THE CITY OF LIVINGSTON, BUT FOR THOSE IN THE SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES.
THANK YOU MAYOR. SO JUST JUST TO END REAL QUICK I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE REFERENCE TO THE INVOCATION BY FATHER BORGES THIS MORNING.
THANK YOU. GOOD MORNING, BOARD, MR. CHAIR. MR. MENENDEZ ADDING ON TO WHAT OUR CITY MANAGER SAID AND OUR MAYOR OUR MAYOR PRO TEM, CITY OF LIVINGSTON, WHEN THE SUBJECT OF TWO ZERO STAFFING CAME ON OUR RADAR, CITY OF LIVINGSTON WAS COUNCIL IMMEDIATELY STARTED MOVING FORWARD ON HOW WE'RE GOING TO FUND IT.
ONE OF THE ITEMS, AS YOU KNOW, MR. CHAIR, YOU'RE AWARE OF CITY IS LOOKING TO GO TO THEIR RESIDENTS FOR A SALES TAX TO HELP FUND THE FIRE SERVICES.
SO BASED ON WHAT YOU'RE SAYING NOW, YOU WANT THE RESIDENTS, YOU WANT THE CITY COUNCIL TO GO TO THEIR RESIDENTS, SAY, HELP US PAY MORE MONEY SO WE CAN PROVIDE SERVICE TO NEARBY STATION, NOT LIVINGSTON, BECAUSE LIVINGSTON WILL BE GONE.
THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE PROPOSING TO US NOW.
AS IT WAS SAID BEFORE, LIVINGSTON IS THE BUSIEST, ONE OF THE BUSIEST STATIONS.
AND WE DO HAVE TWO SMALL EMPLOYERS THERE, FOSTER FARMS AND AVE THOMAS.
WE HAVE TWO OF THE LARGEST EMPLOYERS, ONE OF THE BUSIEST STATIONS.
[01:40:04]
AND THE INFINITE WISDOM OF HOW THIS CAME OUT IS TO CLOSE THE BUSIEST STATION AND MOVE IT OUT.NOW, AS IT WAS STATED EARLIER, THE RESPONSE TIMES WILL BE ABOUT 12 MINUTES OR SO.
SOMEBODY CALLS AND SAY OF A HEART ATTACK, IT'S NO USE TO CALL NINE ONE.
YOU MIGHT AS WELL CALL THE MORGUE AT THAT POINT.
12 MINUTES, SOMEBODY'S ALREADY DEAD.
BUT AS WAS STATED, ADDITIONAL FUNDING IS ABOUT SIX, $7 MILLION.
AND YOU'RE LOOKING AT COUNTY'S BUDGET OF ABOUT $1 BILLION.
WE WE KNOW THAT MOST OF IT IS IS A NOT A DISCRETIONARY FUND.
A LOT OF IT IS NON-DISCRETIONARY.
BUT STILL LOOKING AT LESS THAN 5 TO 6%, NOT EVEN THAT OF THE ENTIRE COUNTY BUDGET.
NOW, LIVINGSTON HAS AND SAID WE WILL STEP UP TO PAY OUR FAIR SHARE.
BUT IF WE'RE IF YOU'RE GETTING CALLS.
I GOT PEOPLE I'M SORRY, I GOT PEOPLE CALLING ME AND SAYS, NO, DON'T SAY THIS.
I'M SORRY, BUT I GUESS THIS MEETING IS BEING BROADCAST AND THEY'RE LISTENING.
SO BUT NOW I LOST MY TRAIN OF THOUGHT.
OKAY, SO ANYWAY, PLEASE THINK OF IT AS LIVINGSTON CITY COUNCIL IS MOVING FORWARD TO GO TO THEIR RESIDENTS AND SAYING, HELP US TO PAY FOR PUBLIC SAFETY.
THIS WOULD NOT ONLY HELP YOUR FIRE SERVICES, WOULD IT HELP YOUR OTHER COST AS WELL.
WE KNOW THERE'S A DIFFERENT THERE'S A ISSUE WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT SHERIFF'S OFFICE AND ALL THAT.
I JUST WANTED TO ASK A COUPLE QUESTIONS.
MY QUESTION FIRST IS MAYBE JUST TO THE AUDIENCE.
HOW MANY PEOPLE HERE FEEL SUFFICIENTLY INFORMED ON JUST ADDRESSES TO.
YEAH. SO IF I ASKED EVERYONE IN THE AUDIENCE IF THEY FEEL SUFFICIENTLY INFORMED TO RAISE THEIR HANDS, I WOULDN'T EVEN HAVE TO TURN AROUND.
IT WOULD PROBABLY WOULDN'T BE THAT MANY HANDS UP, RIGHT? THE THEME THAT I'M HEARING HERE IS THE PUBLIC'S NOT SUFFICIENTLY INFORMED ON THE DECISION.
THAT IS BEFORE YOU ON THE FIRE DEPARTMENT BOARD AGENDA ITEM.
AND SO THAT NOT BEING SUFFICIENTLY INFORMED KIND OF BRINGS ME BACK TO MY POINT I WAS BRINGING UP EARLIER TODAY FROM THE INFORMATION THAT I LEARNED AT THE CITY OF MERCED BUILDING AND HOUSING BOARD OF APPEALS MEETING BY THE CITY ATTORNEY, CRAIG CORNWELL.
IT WAS VERY INFORMING ON THE BROWN ACT.
I LEARNED THAT THE BROWN ACT WAS ESTABLISHED FOR PROCEDURAL FRAMEWORK, CREATING A PROCEDURAL FRAMEWORK FOR MEMBERS OF THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT, DECISION MAKING BODIES TO OPENLY MEET AND DEBATE AND ACT, AND THAT THE BROWN ACT PROVIDES THE MEANS FOR THE PUBLIC TO BE INFORMED ABOUT THE VIEWS, DISCUSSIONS AND ACTIONS OF ITS LOCALLY ELECTED AND APPOINTED GOVERNMENT REPRESENTATIVES.
SO AGAIN, WHY WAS THE BROWN ACT? I LEARNED THAT GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS WERE ELECTED BY THE PEOPLE TO REPRESENT THE PEOPLE AND GOVERN ON BEHALF OF THE PEOPLE.
I LEARNED THAT THE BROWN ACT WAS SO THE PUBLIC CAN FULFILL ITS NEED TO OBSERVE, MONITOR AND EVALUATE ITS ELECTED REPRESENTATIVES.
AND I LEARNED THE BROWN ACT WAS DESIGNED TO ENCOURAGE PUBLIC PARTICIPATION IN LOCAL GOVERNMENT.
SO AGAIN, NOT FEELING FULLY INFORMED EVEN CONNECTS ME TO THIS ISSUE, NOT JUST WITH THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, BUT WITH THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT. I STILL STAND BEFORE YOU, NOT FEELING ADEQUATELY OR SUFFICIENTLY INFORMED ON WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO ABOUT THE SEVERE STAFFING SHORTAGES IN THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT.
THAT IS A CRISIS THAT I HEAR IS A SERIOUS ISSUE.
AND I COME EVERY BOARD MEETING NOW, AND I'LL CONTINUE TO COME TO ASK YOU, WHAT IS THE PLAN? WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO? WHAT ARE YOU DELIBERATING ABOUT? WHAT ARE YOU DISCUSSING? WHAT ARE YOU DECIDING MYSELF AS A PUBLIC CITIZEN AND I MIGHT BE ABLE TO SPEAK FOR EVERYBODY BEHIND ME, WOULD LIKE TO BE SUFFICIENTLY
[01:45:03]
AND ADEQUATELY INFORMED ON THE DECISION MAKING AGENDA.I THINK WE HIT THAT MARK AT THIS POINT.
DO YOU WANT TO PULL YOUR MIC TOWARDS YOU, PLEASE? THANK YOU. YEAH, I'M RIGHT HERE.
BRIAN VANDENBERG, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE MERCED COUNTY FARM BUREAU.
THANK YOU TO ASSISTANT CHIEF PIMENTEL FOR THE PRESENTATION.
SO PLEASE UNDERSTAND THAT WE ARE HERE TO BE A PART OF THE CONVERSATION.
IF IF THAT FITS, WE ARE CONCERNED WITH WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT, THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, EMS, ALL THOSE EMERGENCY SERVICES THAT IMPACT OUR MEMBERSHIP. SO PLEASE ALLOW US TO BE AT THE TABLE IF THAT OPPORTUNITY COMES.
AND UNDERSTAND OUR CONCERNS AND FRUSTRATIONS AS WELL.
BOB WALLACE, CITY OF LIVINGSTON.
I BET 80% OF THE PEOPLE IN LIVINGSTON DON'T EVEN KNOW ABOUT THIS.
THAT THEY COULD LOSE THEIR SERVICE WITHIN LESS, LIKE, 60 DAYS.
IT WAS A GREAT CHART BY CAL FIRE.
AND WHAT I'D LIKE TO KNOW IS HOW MANY CALLS ARE COME OUT OF DELHI.
WE GOT A POPULATION OVER 15,000 AND EXPECT TO GROW.
WHY WOULD YOU CLOSE LIVINGSTON AND MOVE IT TO DELHI? THAT MAKES ABSOLUTELY NO SENSE.
I'VE USED 911 MANY TIMES BECAUSE OF MY WIFE'S HEALTH.
THE FIRE DEPARTMENT IS THERE WITHIN A COUPLE MINUTES.
SOMETIMES THE VOLUNTEERS BEAT THE FIRE DEPARTMENT BECAUSE ONE OF THEM LIVES LIKE TEN HOUSES AWAY.
BUT IT JUST DOESN'T MAKE SENSE.
AND I'D LIKE TO. CAL FIRE DIDN'T ALSO PRESENT.
HOW MANY YEARS HAS IT BEEN CAL FIRE, THAT YOU HAVE NOT HAD A CONTRACT WITH LIVINGSTON, AND YET NOW YOU WANT TO CLOSE IT IN 60 SOME ODD DAYS? THAT DOES NOT MAKE SENSE TO ME.
SO LAST YEAR, MY DAD PASSED AWAY AND TOWARDS THE END OF THE YEAR.
BUT TWO YEARS BEFORE THAT, THE FIREFIGHTERS SAVED HIM.
AND IF THEY WOULD NOT HAVE ARRIVED AT THE MINUTE THAT THEY ARRIVED, HE WOULD HAVE NOT LIVED.
SO I DON'T THINK WE CAN DO ENOUGH FOR THEM TO REPAY THEM.
I MEAN, MONEY CAN'T BUY LIFE AND THEY'RE DOING NOTHING BUT SAVING LIVES.
SO I THINK WE NEED TO CONSIDER EVERYBODY SHOULD CONSIDER THAT EVERY SECOND COUNTS.
AND IF IT'S YOUR FAMILY MEMBER THAT YOU WANT TO LIVE, THEN YOU KNOW, THEN IT BECOMES IMPORTANT.
BUT EVERYBODY'S LIVES SHOULD BE IMPORTANT.
AND I ALSO THIS SUNDAY, I WAS GOING FOR A DRIVE.
ALL OF A SUDDEN, THIS THERE'S A CAR CHASE AND THIS CAR HITS ANOTHER A FEW CARS AND THEN TAKES OFF, AND THE SHERIFF'S, LIKE, SIX CARS ARRIVE OUT OF NOWHERE, OUT OF NOWHERE.
SO, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER AMOUNT OF MONEY WE NEED TO GIVE THEM, YOU KNOW, WE THERE SHOULD BE A PLAN BECAUSE IF WE DON'T, YOU KNOW, HAVE A PLAN, THEN THINGS COULD FAIL.
AND THEY'RE TOO IMPORTANT TO US.
EVERY SINGLE FIRE DEPARTMENT, EVERY SINGLE HUMAN BEING.
AND BY NOT DOING SOMETHING OR DELAYING A DECISION, IT'S DOING SOMETHING.
SO YOU KNOW, WE DON'T WANT SOMEBODY'S BLOOD ON OUR HANDS, SO WE JUST KEEP THAT IN MIND.
[01:50:08]
THANK YOU, THANK YOU.IT CAME TO A SURPRISE TO ME AS FAR AS HOW THIS AGENDA ITEM CAME UP.
I SPOKE TO A REPRESENTATIVE FROM FOSTER FARMS AND FROM AVI THOMAS.
AS FAR AS THEY WERE NOT AWARE OF THIS DISCUSSION GOING ON.
AS A BUSINESS OWNER, I HAPPEN TO KNOW IT WAS COMING UP.
I DIDN'T REALIZE IT WAS GOING TO HIT AN AGENDA ITEM WHERE A DECISION WAS GOING TO BE MADE TODAY.
IT THOUGHT THIS WAS A LOOK AT WHAT COULD POSSIBLY HAPPEN.
AND IN READING THE DOCUMENT, WHAT I DIDN'T SEE IS ALL OF THE THINGS THAT COULD HAPPEN.
AS FAR AS THERE IS AN OUTLINE THAT WAS GIVEN BY CAL FIRE, I SUPPOSE.
AS FAR AS THEIR RECOMMENDATION OF HOW TO ACHIEVE THE BUDGET THAT IS NECESSARY.
TOWN OF 15,000 THAT SUPPORTS CAL FIRE AS FAR AS CONTRIBUTING MONEY.
I THINK IT'S ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT WE NEED TO LOOK AT.
THE FULL COUNTY AS FAR AS CONTRIBUTION AS FAR AS RESIDENTS AND BRING IT UP IN A DIFFERENT WAY OTHER THAN STRONG ARMING A FEW CITIES, IT SOUNDS LIKE THE INCORPORATED AREAS ARE THE ONES THAT HAVE MORE TO LOSE.
I THINK THERE'S A BETTER WAY OF HANDLING THIS.
IT SOUNDS LIKE THERE'S A LOT OF INTEREST IN DISCUSSION.
SO BEFORE YOU MAKE A DECISION, THIS MIGHT BE ONE TO NOT KICK THE CAN DOWN THE ROAD, BUT ACTUALLY COME UP WITH A PLAN THAT WOULD BE NECESSARY TO COVER THE COST TO GET TO THE THREE ZERO STAFFING, GET TO THE MORE IN LINE WITH NATIONAL STANDARDS.
BORN BORN DAVID BASSAM, NEARLY A LIFELONG RESIDENT OF LIVINGSTON.
I'M ADVOCATING TO KEEP THE STAFFING LEVELS OR BRING THE STAFFING LEVELS UP TO TO AT ALL THE STATIONS, INCLUDING THOSE THAT ARE BEING PROPOSED FOR CLOSURE OR DOWN STAFFING OR BROWN OUT AS, AS AS IT MAY BE CALLED.
SOME OF THE SOME OF THE ITEMS THAT I HAD IN MY HEAD HAVE KIND OF BEEN COVERED ABOUT SOME OF THE CONSEQUENCES OF THESE STAFFING REDUCTIONS, STATION CLOSURES AND SO FORTH.
ONE OF WHICH IS THE POTENTIAL INCREASE IN INSURANCE RATES.
AND THIS IS GOING TO THIS IS GOING TO HAVE AN EFFECT, OBVIOUSLY, IN THOSE IMMEDIATE AREAS.
BUT I ALSO WANT TO POINT OUT A TRICKLE DOWN EFFECT IN THE OVERALL REDUCTION OF SERVICE.
YOU'RE NOT JUST REDUCING SERVICE IN LIVINGSTON DOS PALOS NORTH MERCED AREA.
BALLICO. CRESSEY YOU'RE YOU'RE REDUCING SERVICE COUNTYWIDE.
AND AND I WILL USE LIVINGSTON AS AN EXAMPLE.
LIVINGSTON. THE PROPOSAL IS, IS THAT THAT LIVINGSTON'S RESPONSE AREA WOULD BE COVERED BY, I BELIEVE IT WAS DELHI. HILMAR AND BALLICO.
WITH DELHI BEING THE CLOSEST OF THOSE STATIONS.
THERE'S GOING TO BE A TRICKLE DOWN EFFECT TO THE COMMUNITY OF DELHI, AND, AND IT'S GOING TO GO OUT TO THE COMMUNITY OF HILMAR, BECAUSE WHEN DELHI IS COMING TO LIVINGSTON ON AN INCIDENT, THEIR THEIR COMMUNITY IS SUFFERING THE REDUCTION IN, IN FIRE PROTECTION.
[01:55:07]
AND THEY'RE HAVING TO BRING HILMAR.AND NOW HILMAR IS SUFFERING THE REDUCTION IN SERVICE.
HILMAR HAS A CALL SIMULTANEOUSLY OR IMMEDIATELY THEREAFTER.
AND WHO'S GOING TO BE NEXT IN? I'M GUESSING PROBABLY STEVENSON.
SO NOW WE'RE LEAVING, STEVEN, AND I HOPE YOU CAN KIND OF SEE WHERE THIS IS GOING.
IT'S NOT JUST IT'S NOT JUST AFFECTING LIVINGSTON AND BALLICO.
IT'S AFFECTING THE ENTIRE COUNTY.
SO THE IT'S NOT YOU'RE NOT REDUCING SERVICE IN CRESSY.
YOU'RE NOT REDUCING SERVICE IN, IN IN LIVINGSTON OR ANY OF THE REST OF THOSE PLACES.
IT'S THE ENTIRE IF YOU CAN FINISH YOUR COMMENTS SUFFERING.
I WOULD AGREE, I WOULD URGE THE BOARD TO TABLE THIS ISSUE UNTIL A FUTURE MEETING TO ALLOW FOR FOR THE PUBLIC TO BECOME INFORMED COUNTYWIDE.
AND I WOULD URGE THE SUPERVISORS TO OLD TOWN HALLS, PARTICULARLY IN THOSE COMMUNITIES THAT ARE GOING TO BE DIRECTLY AFFECTED BY THESE REDUCTIONS IN SERVICE.
THIS IS INCREDIBLY HARD FOR ME TO SPEAK.
I'VE BEEN A LIFELONG RESIDENT OF LIVINGSTON FOR OVER 50 YEARS.
MY ROOTS RUN DEEP IN LIVINGSTON.
LIVINGSTON IS GROWING AND WE HAVE A LOT OF NEW BUSINESSES COMING IN.
THE NEED FOR FIRE PROTECTION IS ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY.
MY FATHER'S NAME IS RAY FENNESSY.
HE WORKED FOR THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE FOR OVER 30 YEARS AS A911 CALLER.
ONE OF THE REASONS THAT HE MOVED HIS FAMILY LIVINGSTON.
BACK IN THE DAY. IT WAS ONE OF THE SAFEST PLACES TO LIVE.
BACK IN THE DAY, WE HAD THE CHP WAY STATION, SO WE HAD CHP PATROLLING.
WE WERE THE MOST HEAVILY PATROLLED AREA IN LIVINGSTON, BUT THOSE DAYS ARE LONG GONE.
LIVINGSTON IS SAFETY IS GOING DOWNHILL.
AND BY TAKING AWAY THEIR FIRE PROTECTION, IT'S GOING TO BE EVEN WORSE.
I, AS A HOMEOWNER, WOULD GLADLY PAY MORE IN TAXES TO HAVE A FIRE STATION FULLY MANNED THAN TO HAVE TO PAY HIGHER INSURANCE RATES TO HAVE NO FIRE STATION WITHIN THE THE WHATEVER THE MILEAGE IS.
SO PLEASE CONSIDER KEEPING LIVINGSTON FIRE STATION OPEN.
THANK YOU. I JUST WANT TO CAUTION BEFORE YOU SPEAK BECAUSE I, AS A THIRD COUNCIL MEMBER, THE BROWN ACT.
I'M NOT. I'M NOT STOPPING YOU.
OH, THEY'RE TELLING ME. OKAY, THANKS.
OH. GO AHEAD. I'D LIKE TO KNOW WHAT WAS COUNTY COUNCIL'S RECOMMENDATION.
YOU WANT TO GIVE? SHE WAS ASKING ABOUT YOUR OPINION.
I WAS JUST SAYING IT WAS OKAY.
BECAUSE YOU'RE ATTENDING THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS MEETING.
MAKE SURE YOU DON'T BREAK THE BROWN ACT WITH THE STATE.
MAKE YOU AWARE OF THAT? THAT I AM HERE AS A REPRESENTATIVE AND A RESIDENT OF THE CITY OF LIVINGSTON AND THE MERCED COUNTY.
AS IT DOES AFFECT MERCED COUNTY AS A WHOLE.
I OFTENTIMES SIT AND LISTEN TO MANY OF THE COMMENTS THAT HAVE BEEN BROUGHT BEFORE.
[02:00:05]
THEIR CONCERNS ARE VERY VALID.BECAUSE THIS IS NOT THE WAY THAT YOU SHOULD BE SPENDING OUR FUNDS.
AND THE WAY THAT THE BEHAVIOR HAS COME ACROSS TO MANY OF THE RESIDENTS.
I WE HEARD IT, WE HEARD THAT IT'S NOT AS TRANSPARENT.
AND I'VE SAID THIS BEFORE, TRANSPARENCY TO THE PEOPLE THAT LIVE HERE AND MERCED COUNTY AND THROUGHOUT CAL FIRE.
AGAIN, I THANK YOU FOR SERVICES THAT YOU PROVIDE.
THE CITY OF LIVINGSTON HAD A COUNCIL MEETING.
AND THIS IS WHERE THIS THIS IS PUBLIC KNOWLEDGE POWERPOINT BROUGHT OUT TO US IN FEBRUARY.
BUT IT APPEARS THROUGH THAT CONVERSATION IT'S ONLY BEEN ONE SIDED.
WE, THE CITY OF LIVINGSTON, HASN'T RECEIVED ANY COMMENTS OR INFORMATION THAT HAS BEEN REQUESTED.
SO THERE ARE SOME QUESTIONS THAT I HAVE FOR YOU.
AND AGAIN, THIS IS COMING FROM ME AS A RESIDENT OF THE CITY OF LIVINGSTON.
SO BASED ON WHAT WAS SAID ALREADY, WE'VE HEARD IT.
AND AS ALL YOU'VE BEEN IDENTIFIED, HERE ARE SOME QUESTIONS FOR THE THIS BOARD.
HOW DID THE COUNTY IDENTIFY 750,000 AS AN ADDITIONAL AMOUNT OF REVENUE NEEDED FROM THE CITY OF LIVINGSTON, IF THE CITY WOULD BE CONTRIBUTING 750,000, IN ADDITION TO THE ONE POINT TO THE 1 MILLION AND PARCEL TAX, FIRE REVENUE IS THE COUNTY'S CONTRIBUTION 550,000. WHAT IS YOUR CONTRIBUTION? IF SO, THIS EQUATES TO 24% OF THE TOTAL STATION COSTS.
HOW WAS THIS DERIVED? IF STATION 96 RESPONDS TO 40% OF THE CALLS IN THE COUNTY? THAT INFORMATION HAS ALREADY BEEN SHARED IN THE DATA.
SO WHAT WOULD THE BOARD TELL LIVINGSTON RESIDENTS, WHO ASK WHETHER THE CITY OF LIVINGSTON TAXPAYERS ARE SUBSIDIZING COUNTY SERVICES? WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO TELL THE RESIDENTS? THAT WE'VE BEEN PAYING THIS MONEY OVER 20 YEARS AND THERE'S NO AGREEMENT IN PLACE.
IF YOU WANT TO FINISH YOUR COMMENTS, PLEASE KNOW WHAT I'M GOING TO CONTINUE.
WHEN YOU ALLOW ONE, YOU ALLOW US ALL.
CAN YOU TURN THE MIC PLEASE? THANK YOU.
THERE IS ON 15 SECONDS PLEASE.
OKAY. WHAT IS THE CURRENT CONTRIBUTION OF THE COUNTY REVENUE TOWARDS STATION 96? WHAT IS THE CURRENT TOTAL STATION COST FOR 96? WHAT DATA HAS THE BOARD LOOKED AT AND THE RECOMMENDATION AND THE CLOSURE OF STATION 96? AND I URGE YOU, JUST LIKE DAVID BATES HAD LET YOU KNOW, THE DECISION YOU MAKE TODAY, POSTPONE SO THAT THERE'S MORE CONVERSATION.
WHY WOULD THE STATION BE RECOMMENDED FOR CLOSURE? DOES CAL FIRE TYPICALLY? THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
I WANT TO INVITE YOU OUT THERE.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I DON'T KNOW, WE WERE HAVING A FIREMAN'S BALL.
I'M NOT TOO SURE WHAT THAT WAS, BUT LET'S DANCE.
ANY OTHER PUBLIC COMMENT? OKAY. I DON'T SEE ANYONE COMING FORWARD.
SO THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD FOR ITEM NUMBER THREE IS CLOSED.
AND I KNOW WE HAVE A FEW SUPERVISORS WHO WANT TO COMMENT.
SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. I DON'T DISAGREE WITH A LOT OF WHAT'S BEING SAID HERE RIGHT NOW, BUT WHAT WE'RE WORKING WITH NOW IS WHAT WE'RE WORKING WITH ON WITH EVERY DEPARTMENT. AND PUBLIC SAFETY IS BY FAR OUT FRONT.
[02:05:05]
WITH THE CITY OF LIVINGSTON.SO THIS ISN'T NEW NEWS TO LIVINGSTON.
IN FACT, IF CAL FIRE GAVE THE PRESENTATION IN JANUARY, BUT MY MY COLLEAGUE HERE, SITTING HERE, WHO'S THE CHAIRMAN NOW, THE BOARD, WE HAD A HANDSHAKE AGREEMENT WITH THE CITY OF LIVINGSTON. THIS BOARD PASSED A REVENUE SHARING AGREEMENT TO GO FORWARD SO THEY CAN MOVE FORWARD AS WELL.
AND SO FOR THE PEOPLE FROM LIVINGSTON HERE, JUST UNDERSTAND WE HAD A HANDSHAKE AGREEMENT WITH THEM.
BUT THE CITY COUNCIL OF LIVINGSTON NEVER DID PASS IT.
MY COLLEAGUE AND I SPENT A LOT OF TIME DISCUSSING THIS, AND THEN IT MOVED ON TO MY NEXT COLLEAGUE.
SO TO SAY THAT THE COUNTY HAS NEVER STEPPED UP IS COMPLETELY FALSE.
I PUT A LOT OF TIME AND EFFORT INTO IT.
AND MY COLLEAGUES, WE ALL SUPPORTED IT FIVE ZERO.
SO I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT INFORMATION IS OUT THERE.
WE HAD A HANDSHAKE AGREEMENT TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT MAYOR AND THE MAYOR PRO TEM AT THAT TIME, AND IT WAS NEVER FOLLOWED THROUGH WITH AND IT'S NOT BECAUSE OF CHRISTOPHER. CHRISTOPHER HAS DONE A GREAT JOB.
HE WAS NOT THE CITY MANAGER AT THAT TIME.
SO I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT'S KNOWN.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR.
THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. A LOT TO UNWRAP THERE.
AND I KNOW OUR MEETINGS ARE OVER HERE IN MERCED.
AND SO YOU DON'T SEE I SEE THE CITY MANAGER FROM DOS PALOS IS HERE AND YOU KNOW, IS THIS NEWS BECAME OUT THERE IN PUBLIC DEFINITELY FIELD A LOT OF PHONE CALLS AS TO WHAT'S GOING ON.
WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT STAFFING ISSUES AND GETTING TO TWO ZERO STAFFING FOR YEARS NOW.
I WAS A VOLUNTEER FIREMAN FOR 20 YEARS.
WE WERE WORKING ON PLANS TO GET TO TWO ZERO STAFFING.
THEN I FELT LIKE WE HAD A PLAN.
YOU KNOW, THE COUNTY CONTRIBUTED.
I WANT TO GET TO MY NOTES HERE SO I DON'T GIVE YOU INCORRECT NUMBERS.
COUNCIL MEMBER SOTO MENTIONED THAT A FEW OF THE FOLKS FROM LIVINGSTON MENTIONED PART OF THAT.
AND I COMPLETELY AGREE THAT IT WE LIVE IN A DIFFERENT WORLD THAN WE DID BEFORE.
PEOPLE STILL HOLD REGARD FOR FIREMEN IN THE HIGHEST REGARDS.
IF YOU DO ANY KIND OF POLLING, THE THE MOST LIKE PEOPLE OUT THERE ARE FIREMEN, RIGHT.
SOME PEOPLE, ALL THEY SEE IS A BADGE AND THEY JUST WANT TO TAKE YOUR HEAD OFF.
RIGHT. AND SO I GET THAT IT IS A SAFETY ISSUE TO GETTING TO TWO ZERO STAFFED.
YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT HASN'T BEEN MENTIONED IS, IS AND IT IS I WANT TO WARN EVERYBODY BY SAYING THIS, I FEEL LIKE WE HAVE SOME LEVEL OF CONFIDENCE THAT WE ARE GOING AFTER A SAFER GRANT.
AND THEN AND THAT SAFER GRANT WOULD GET US 15.
I'M LOOKING AT IS 15 ADDITIONAL BODIES AND THAT KEEPS THAT KEEPS DOS PALOS AND LIVINGSTON OPEN.
AND IT BUYS US THREE YEARS TO REALLY WORK OUT PLANS AS WE COME UP TO BUDGET TIME.
WE'RE NOW IN THE MIDDLE OF BUDGET, BUT PEOPLE HAVE DEPARTMENTS HAVE SUBMITTED THEIR BUDGETS.
WHAT I CAN TELL YOU, IT DOES NOT LOOK GOOD, IT DOES NOT LOOK GOOD.
AND I WILL REMIND EVERYBODY PUBLIC SAFETY IS A PRIORITY.
IT'S ALWAYS BEEN A PRIORITY FOR ME.
BUT WHAT I CAN TELL YOU IS THERE'S SO MUCH, ONLY SO MUCH OF THE PIE.
NO MATTER WHERE WE HOW WE SLICE THAT PIE, IT'S.
AND IT'S $6.9 MILLION ADDITIONAL COMING OUT OF THE GENERAL FUND.
RIGHT? I HEARD THE BILLION DOLLARS.
IT'S GOING TO END UP AT 1.3 BILLION BY THE TIME WE'RE ALL SAID AND DONE ON THIS YEAR'S BUDGET.
WHEN WE GET TO ACTUALS OF THAT, THERE'S 126 MILLION OF IT IS THE DISCRETIONARY PART OF THE COUNTY OF THIS BOARD THAT IS COMPLETELY DISCRETIONARY. I WANT EVERYBODY TO UNDERSTAND THAT THAT THE SO YOU LOOK AT THAT NUMBER AND I'LL EVEN THROW IN THE $70 MILLION THAT IS CONSIDERED TO BE THE FUND BALANCE.
LET'S CALL IT $200 MILLION FOR EVEN NUMBERS SAKE.
[02:10:03]
ANY OF THOSE PROGRAMS THAT ARE STATE AND FEDERALLY MANDATED, WE DO NOT HAVE THE ABILITY TO SPEND THEM ON ANYTHING OTHER THAN WHAT THEY'VE BEEN MANDATED TO DO.BUT I WANT FOLKS TO UNDERSTAND.
BUT THE WAY THAT THOSE DOLLARS ARE ACTUALLY EXPENDED, WE DON'T HAVE A LOT OF SAY IN AND WHEN I WANT TO JUST BECAUSE LIVINGSTON BROUGHT UP SOME VERY VALID POINTS AND I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT IS, IS WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT THE, THE THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT YOU'RE PAYING IN THE FIRE FUND, THE AMOUNT THAT WAS ASKED FOR YOU TO FOR THAT ADDITIONAL BODY YOU'RE LOOKING AT. 60% OF THE CALLS ARE RUN IN THE CITY, 40% ARE RUN IN THE UNINCORPORATED.
WHAT YOU'RE FORGETTING TO ADD INTO THAT IS THE OVERHEAD COST.
YOU KNOW, A BATTALION CHIEF, THE COST OF WHEN WHEN LIVINGSTON HAS A FIRE.
LIVINGSTON THEY HAVE A GREAT FIRE DEPARTMENT.
ALWAYS HAD THEIR HAVE SOME OF THE TOP RESPONDERS IN THE COUNTY.
AS FAR AS THE NUMBER OF CALLS THAT THEIR VOLUNTEERS HAVE.
I'VE KNOWN DAVE BATES FOR A LOT OF YEARS.
AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE ON THAT, DAVE.
BUT WHEN LIVINGSTON HAS A FIRE, IT'S NOT JUST THE FIRE TRUCK FROM LIVINGSTON THAT'S COMING.
IT'S COMING. YOU'RE BRINGING IN RESOURCES FROM EVERYWHERE.
I WILL TELL YOU, THIS IS NOT AN EASY DECISION.
I WILL TELL YOU, I KNOW THAT IT'S BEEN MADE MENTION BECAUSE I SAY I DON'T SLEEP AT NIGHT.
LITERALLY. LAST NIGHT WAS ONE OF THOSE NIGHTS WHERE YOU JUST.
BUT WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT IT, WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT A BUDGET AND ALREADY KNOWING THAT THERE'S NOTHING ELSE TO GIVE IN THERE, THE NEXT STEPS ARE IN ORDER TO IF WE WERE TO JUST SAY, OKAY, LOOK, WE'RE GOING TO FUND, WE'RE GOING TO STAY STATUS QUO, AND WE'RE GOING TO COME UP WITH THE ADDITIONAL $6.9 MILLION TO FUND IT.
THAT MEANS THAT WE'RE CUTTING OTHER PLACES.
I'LL REMIND FOLKS THAT, LIKE I DID AT MY TOWN HALL MEETING, I GET IT.
IF YOU CALL 911 AND YOU NEED A FIRE TRUCK, THAT'S YOUR NUMBER ONE PRIORITY THAT DAY.
BUT IF YOU NEED ONE OF THOSE OTHER SERVICES THAT THE COUNTY PROVIDES, WHETHER IT'S PUBLIC SAFETY IN THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT, WHEN YOU CALL AND YOU NEED THEM, THAT'S YOUR NUMBER ONE PRIORITY FOR THE DAY.
THERE'S OTHER SERVICES THAT WE OFFER AS A COUNTY THAT FOR THOSE FOLKS ON THAT DAY, IT IS A PRIORITY.
AND SO TRYING TO MANAGE ALL OF IT AND TRYING TO COME UP WITH A SOLUTION, I WISH I HAD BETTER ANSWERS FOR YOU GUYS, I REALLY DO I CAN TELL YOU FOR, FOR MY FOR MY DISTRICT, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE THIS UNIQUE KIND OF RELATIONSHIP WITH WITH OUR WITH MY 58,000 BOSSES.
AND SO I'M HEARING FROM ALL OF THOSE FOLKS AND TRYING TO MAKE DECISIONS THAT WE CAN LIVE WITH.
I DON'T I NEVER HAVE BEEN AND DON'T WANT TO BE IN THE BUSINESS OF SPENDING MONEY WE DON'T HAVE.
SO WITH THAT BEING SAID, I WANT TO TOUCH BACK ON THAT GRANT.
I THINK WE HAVE A CERTAIN LEVEL OF CONFIDENCE THAT WE'RE GOING TO GET THAT GRANT.
BUT I WANT TO WARN EVERYBODY THAT THAT WE MAY NOT GET THAT GRANT.
RIGHT. THE APPLICATIONS ARE DUE, I BELIEVE IT IS APRIL THE 12TH, WHICH IS A COUPLE DAYS FROM NOW.
I KNOW THAT WE HAVE APPLIED FOR THAT GRANT.
WE'RE APPLYING ON BEHALF OF THE CITIES, THE CITY OF LIVINGSTON, THE CITY OF DOS PALOS.
WE'RE APPLYING FOR THOSE GRANTS.
WE'VE ASKED THEM FOR LETTERS OF SUPPORT.
THANK YOU, GUYS, FOR FOR PRODUCING THOSE LETTERS OF SUPPORT ON THIS.
WHAT CAN WE DO THIS TIME TO MAKE OUR APPLICATION BETTER? RIGHT. SO WE GO INTO IT WITH SOME SOME LEVEL OF CONFIDENCE, AND THAT BUYS US THREE YEARS, BUT THERE'S NO GUARANTEE OF IT.
SO I WANT TO JUST MANAGE THE EXPECTATIONS ON THAT.
AND AS YOU CAN SEE, YOU KNOW, AS MENTIONED BEFORE, WE HAVE PUBLIC SAFETY.
THAT IS THAT IS, YOU KNOW, OUR SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT AND WHAT'S GOING ON THERE.
IT'S ALL COMING AND ALL HITTING US AT THE SAME TIME.
AND SO ANY DECISIONS THAT ARE MADE TODAY, I KNOW THAT THEY'RE NOT MADE LIGHTLY.
THANK YOU. SUPERVISOR PAREIRA.
THANK THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. HOW DID WE GET HERE? IN THE LAST YEAR OF GOVERNOR BROWN'S TERM.
LAST TERM AS GOVERNOR, HE GAVE CAL FIRE EMPLOYEES A 20% RAISE.
IT WAS 5% A YEAR OVER FOUR YEARS.
[02:15:02]
AND AND SO WE STARTED, YOU KNOW, BACK WHEN, WHEN I WENT TO CRESSEY AND WE, WE TALKED ABOUT CLOSING THE CRESSY STATION.AND THAT WAS, THAT WAS A PART OF THIS.
RIGHT. AND NOT ONLY THE INCREASE IN THE WAGES, BUT NOW THE ADDITIONAL STAFF.
RIGHT. SO, SO MERCED COUNTY HAS A FIRE FUND.
100% OF THAT IS ALREADY BEING SPENT ON WAGES.
RIGHT. SO THAT DOESN'T INCLUDE MAINTENANCE, UPKEEP, NEW EQUIPMENT.
RIGHT. SO? SO IT PUTS US IN A SPOT.
YOU GO TO THE, THE EXTRA EMPLOYEES, RIGHT? AND SO IT JUST ADDS AND ADDS AND ADDS, IT'S A, IT'S A $6.9 MILLION ASK OF A FUND THAT IS ALREADY 100% OF IT BEING SPENT.
AND SO IT'S A IT'S A DIFFICULT IT'S A DIFFICULT SPOT TO BE IN.
RIGHT. IT WAS ALSO MENTIONED SHERIFF'S OFFICE.
RIGHT. SO SO WE'RE IN A SPOT WHERE WE'RE, WE'RE BEING ASKED TO COME UP WITH 25 TO 30% MORE MONEY FOR FOR DEPUTIES.
WE'RE ALSO IN A SPOT WHERE AMBULANCE IS STRUGGLING, RIGHT.
THE THE MEDI-CAL OR MEDICARE REIMBURSES RIGGS AMBULANCE $118 FOR TAKING SOMEBODY TO THE HOSPITAL.
WELL, THAT'S THAT'S UNDER THEIR COST.
SO WE'RE AT A SPOT WHERE IT'S BROKEN AS WE KNOW.
AND CHIEF PIMENTEL SAID 85 TO 90% OF THE FIRE CALLS ARE MEDICAL.
SO WE'VE GOT WE'VE GOT FIRE ON ONE SIDE, WE'VE GOT AMBULANCE ON ANOTHER.
WELL, TO ME THAT MAKES SENSE, RIGHT.
I'VE BEEN AT FIRE TRUCKS FIRST ONE THERE AND SO WHY WHY WOULDN'T IT MAKE SENSE TO HAVE THAT PERSON BE AN EMT OR, OR EVEN BE A PARAMEDIC? AND SO ANYWAYS WHERE ARE WE? HERE? HERE WE ARE. WE'RE OUT OF MONEY.
AND YOU KNOW, WE'RE A SPOT WHERE WE'RE GOING TO.
WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO CUT COUNTY DEPARTMENTS AND AND, YOU KNOW, YOU GOT 100 AND 125 MILLION AND YOU KNOW, THAT'S THAT'S WHERE WE'RE AT 6.9 MILLION OF 125 OR 26 MILLION IS IS A BIG PERCENTAGE, RIGHT, JUST FOR ONE ITEM.
AND SO ANYWAYS, I AND THEN, YOU KNOW, I KIND OF I DON'T KNOW IF I WAS CAUGHT OFF GUARD TODAY, BUT BY THE COMMENT THAT WE HAVEN'T BEEN DISCUSSING THIS, IT'S BEEN ON THE THIS HAS BEEN COMING FOR ABOUT FIVE YEARS NOW.
AND, AND WE'VE TALKED ABOUT IT.
YOU KNOW, I WENT TO THE BALLICO CRESSY PAID FOR CALL MEETING THE OTHER WELL, I GUESS IT WAS IN FEBRUARY AND, AND, YOU KNOW, WE TALKED ABOUT IT, SO, YOU KNOW, BUT WITH THAT BEING SAID, IF IF THE PUBLIC DOESN'T AND I GOT THE SENSE THAT THE GREATER PUBLIC ISN'T AWARE, AND IF THAT'S THE CASE, THEN I WOULDN'T BE OPPOSED YOU KNOW, TO, TO MAKE AN YOU KNOW, TO MAKE AN, A MOTION TO TABLE THIS ITEM UNTIL A FUTURE BOARD MEETING SO THAT, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE I HAD ASKED FOR, YOU KNOW, BACK IN, I DON'T KNOW, NOVEMBER, DECEMBER, I HAD ASKED FOR A COMMUNITY MEETING.
AND, I DON'T KNOW, IT JUST IT JUST, I JUST I GUESS I NEVER MADE IT HAPPEN.
BUT I'LL LISTEN TO THE REST OF MY COLLEAGUES AND WHERE THEY'RE AT ON THIS AND, AND BUT BUT IT WOULDN'T BOTHER ME TO, TO TO POSTPONE OR TABLE THIS ITEM TO ANOTHER ANOTHER TIME.
I THINK WE SHOULD HAVE THE DISCUSSION.
I MEAN, I THINK THAT'S VALUABLE.
I THINK THE PUBLIC'S DISCUSSION HAS HAS BEEN IMPORTANT.
AND SO ANYWAYS, THAT'S WHERE I'M AT.
I DO, YOU KNOW, I ASKED THE QUESTION IS, IS THE CITY OF LIVINGSTON THAT UNAWARE OF WHERE WE ARE TODAY AT THIS MEETING AT THIS TIME? AND AND YOU KNOW, I CAN YOU I WOULD LIKE FOR YOU TO ANSWER THAT IN PUBLIC BECAUSE I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR THE FOLKS TO KNOW.
I KNOW OBVIOUSLY MULTIPLE CITY MANAGERS, MULTIPLE OR CHANGE IN THE CITY COUNCIL.
SO THERE HAS BEEN INFORMATION THAT'S GONE TO THEM.
I KNOW OUR OFFICE HAS PROVIDED SOME INFORMATION.
I DON'T THINK THAT'S ACCURATE.
MAYBE NOT THE INFORMATION THAT THEY'RE LOOKING FOR, BUT THERE HAS BEEN.
WE'VE BEEN GOING BACK AND FORTH FOR SOME TIME NOW EVER SINCE HE BECAME THEIR INTERIM.
[02:20:05]
SO I THINK THERE IS INFORMATION THAT'S BEEN PROVIDED TO THEM.WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO ALSO KEEP THE OTHER CITIES INFORMED.
TO BE HONEST, YOU KNOW, I, I'VE ONLY BEEN HERE A LITTLE OVER TWO YEARS, AND I'M.
ONE OF THE MORE TENURED EXECUTIVES BECAUSE THERE HAS BEEN TURNOVER ON THE CITY RANKS.
AND THAT'S BY, YOU KNOW, IT JUST HAPPENS, RIGHT? THERE'S TRANSITION, THERE'S ATTRITION.
SO TO ANSWER THAT YEAH, WE HAVE PROVIDED INFORMATION TO THE CITIES AND LIVINGSTON PROBABLY A LITTLE BIT MORE THAN, THAN THE OTHER TWO, IF I CAN BE HONEST I DIDN'T FINISH I GO AHEAD. LET ME SEE.
YEAH. SO WELL, THANKS FOR FOR SHARING THAT.
THIS IS A YOU KNOW, LIKE I SAID A MOMENT AGO, I BELIEVE AND I THINK I STRUCK A NERVE WITH, WITH MRS. BREWER I FELT LIKE I, WE WERE HAVING CONVERSATIONS.
AND THAT WAS THAT WAS WHAT I WAS TRYING TO GET TO.
I SAW YOU GOING LIKE THIS, AND I, I'VE BEEN THERE.
THANK YOU. I'LL GO ON TO SUPERVISOR PEDROZO.
THANK YOU. YOU KNOW WHEN I FIRST FOUND OUT ABOUT 85, THE FIRST THING I DID WAS AND THAT'S THE KEY WAS TALK TO PIMENTEL. ACTUALLY, HE'S THE ONE THAT CALLED ME AND TOLD ME ABOUT IT, AND I WASN'T REALLY HAPPY ABOUT IT, BUT I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT THE EMPLOYEES THAT WORKED AT 85 AND THAT ALL OF OUR FIRE EMPLOYEES WERE GOING TO BE TAKEN CARE OF, AND WE WEREN'T GOING TO HAVE TO CUT ANYBODY.
FOR THE SAFETY OF OUR FIRE COMMUNITY, FOR THE SAFETY OF OUR PUBLIC, I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE HAVE THAT, BECAUSE IF ONE PERSON GOES TO A FIRE, THEY CAN'T EVEN GO IN UNTIL THERE'S BACKUP. AND SO I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE DO THAT.
I'VE HAD MULTIPLE CONVERSATIONS WITH UC MERCED ABOUT THIS ISSUE.
THEY ARE 100% RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS.
AND THE REASON IS THEY ARE PAYING $400,000 FOR A SERVICE THAT IS EASILY $1 MILLION.
THEY'RE GOING OUT THERE 33% OF THEIR CALLS.
DOESN'T SOUND LIKE A LOT, BUT THAT'S JUST THE FIRST FIRST CALL, FIRST ENGINE CALL.
THEY'RE GOING OUT THERE REPEATEDLY.
AND SO WHEN WHEN WE'VE HAD THESE CONVERSATIONS, THE UNIVERSITY WOULD NEVER STEP UP TO THE PLATE.
AND ALL WE WERE TRYING TO DO WAS COLLABORATE WITH THEM.
AND WHEN YOU COLLABORATE, YOU HAVE TO HAVE TWO WILLING PARTNERS, RIGHT? THEY DID NOT WANT TO DO THAT.
I SAID, WELL, WHAT ABOUT THE SURROUNDING COMMUNITY? WELL, THEY DON'T BELIEVE THAT THEY SHOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR THE SURROUNDING COMMUNITY BECAUSE WE CAN THEY'RE FINE WITH USING THE STATION 80 81, WHICH IS THE FAIR OR THE PLANADA STATION.
AND I SAID, OKAY, WELL, WHAT'S THE RESPONSE TIME? THE RESPONSE TIME FOR 85 IS FOUR MINUTES AND 26 SECONDS FROM MCKEE TO UC STATION.
I ASKED THE CHIEF AT UC MERCED SPECIFICALLY.
I SAID, HOLD YOUR BREATH FOR FOUR MINUTES VERSUS 11 MINUTES AND SEE WHAT HAPPENS.
THEY DO NOT FEEL AS IF THEY WANT TO BE WILLING PARTNERS IN THIS.
DOESN'T MEAN HE'S GOING TO STOP TALKING WITH UNIVERSITY, BUT IT JUST MEANS THAT WE HAVE TO DO SOMETHING TO PREPARE OURSELVES TO GET TO THAT 3.0 FACTOR, BECAUSE THE STATE IS TELLING US THAT WE HAVE TO DO THAT.
I TALKED TO A GENTLEMAN YESTERDAY WHO'S A FIREFIGHTER FOR THE CITY OF MERCED, AND HE SAID, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THESE STATIONS THAT HAVE ONLY ONE FIREFIGHTER, IT'S LIKE WORKING IN SOLITARY CONFINEMENT.
I'M SERIOUS BECAUSE THEY'RE THERE BY THEMSELVES.
GO TO A CALL. THEY HAVE NOTHING TO DEBRIEF WITH.
THEY HAVE NOTHING. SO THEY JUST ADD TO THE STRESS.
I WANT TO SAY THAT I AM I AM 100% AGAINST THE CLOSURE OF 85.
I DON'T WANT TO CLOSE ANY STATION.
I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE ARE SAFE.
[02:25:03]
MORE ON THE WHYS BEHIND IT, I WOULD BE OKAY WITH THAT.BUT I ALSO KNOW THAT TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE BECAUSE WE HAVE TO KNOW BY THE BY JUNE.
I'M NOT I'M, I'M PREPARED TO VOTE NO ON 85, BUT I.
REALLY WANT TO ENCOURAGE EVERYBODY.
THAT'S IT. THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT IT IS.
AND SO WE HAVE TO PUT WAY MORE PRESSURE ON THEM.
I TALKED TO UC ON FRIDAY AND TOLD HER THAT I WAS GOING TO TELL HER, SAY THIS.
SHE BEGGED ME NOT TO AT TIMES, TIMES OVER.
OKAY. THANK YOU SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA.
THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. JUST A COUPLE OTHER COMMENTS IS JUST, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, WHEN WE HEARD A LOT ABOUT THE BROWN ACT TODAY, THIS IS PART OF THE PROCESS IS ENGAGING, ENGAGING US IN THESE PUBLIC SETTINGS.
RIGHT? I DON'T GET TO MAKE THOSE RULES.
THEY WERE MADE BEFORE I WAS HERE.
YOU KNOW, WE'RE UNFORTUNATELY, I ONLY GET TO HEAR SOME OF MY COLLEAGUES OPINIONS ON THESE ISSUES WHEN WE'RE IN A IN A BOARD MEETING, BECAUSE THAT IS THE RULES THAT ARE SET OUT AND FOR US TO FOLLOW.
RIGHT. AND I TAKE IT SERIOUSLY, WE WANT TO DO THE PEOPLE'S BUSINESS IN PUBLIC.
SO AGAIN, I JUST WANT TO COMMEND EVERYBODY FOR ENGAGING IN THE PUBLIC PROCESS.
WHETHER YOU'RE ON THE CITY COUNCIL OR YOU'RE ON THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, THAT'S WHEN YOU GET TO ENGAGE YOUR PUBLIC AND YOU GET TO HEAR FROM THEM, AND YOU GET TO HEAR FROM, FROM, FROM ALL OF YOUR SITTING ELECTED OFFICIALS, AND NOT TO JUMP ON THE UC BANDWAGON TOO MUCH, BUT I SHARE SOME OF THE SAME FRUSTRATIONS AS MY COLLEAGUE DOES.
I'VE BEEN SAYING IT FOR YEARS AS FAR AS I KNOW, AND I'M NOT GOING TO SIT THERE.
I KNOW ALL OF UC MERCED STUFF BECAUSE I DON'T AT ALL, BUT I KNOW THEY HAVE A PUBLIC SAFETY BUDGET, AND THEY'VE BEEN ALLOWED FOR YEARS TO WALK IN THE DOOR WITHOUT EVER HAVING TO PAY FOR FOR FIRE SERVICE.
THEY HAVE A PUBLIC SAFETY BUDGET I WOULD LIKE.
WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE AGREEMENT TO GET THEM TO PAY FOR THE ADDITIONAL BODY THAT'S BEEN SINCE I'VE BEEN ON THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, I THINK THAT THE NUMBERS SHOULD BE A LOT HIGHER WHEN YOU, YOU KNOW, THE UC COMES IN AND THEY ARE THE NEWEST UNIVERSITY.
THEY'RE THE NEW THE NEWEST UC IN CALIFORNIA.
YOU KNOW, WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME THEY BUILT A UC LONG BEFORE THEY BUILT UC MERCED.
WE DON'T HAVE THE RESOURCES, AS SOME OF THESE COUNTIES DO, WHERE SOME OF THESE UC SIT.
AND THEY IT'S NOT FAIR TO PUT THAT ON THE BACKS OF OUR CITIZENS.
THOSE UNIVERSITIES, ANY WAY YOU CUT IT, ARE ALREADY BEING SUBSIDIZED BY THE TAXPAYERS TO BE THERE.
IT'S NOT FAIR TO OUR RESIDENTS TO HAVE TO SUBSIDIZE THEIR FIRE SERVICE.
AND SO I HOPE THAT THIS IS A WAKE UP CALL TO THEM TO COME TO THE TABLE.
AND, YOU KNOW, IF, IF THE IF THE I'M NOT OPPOSED TO TABLING THIS ISSUE, I KNOW THAT WE HAVE WE HAVE HARD DECISIONS THAT ARE COMING, FOLKS, WE HAVE TO PASS A BUDGET IN JUNE. WE HAVE IT'S UNFORTUNATE THAT THE TIMING THAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS ON A DIFFERENT FISCAL YEAR THAN US.
ON WHEN WE'LL FIND OUT ABOUT THOSE GRANTS, BECAUSE I THINK THAT THAT HELPS US A LOT.
BUT I ALSO THINK IF YOU LOOK AT THE SILVER LINING, YOU KNOW, MAYBE THIS IS THIS IS WHAT'S NEEDED TO BE ABLE TO GET OUR FRIENDS AND LIVINGSTON AND THE FOLKS IN AT THE UC, ANY INFORMATION THAT THEY FEEL LIKE THAT THEY HAVEN'T GOTTEN.
I THINK THAT WE HAVE GIVEN INFORMATION.
MAYBE WE JUST NOT HAVE GIVEN IT IN A WAY THAT THAT THEY'RE READY TO ABSORB IT.
BUT I WOULD BE OKAY WITH, WITH TABLING THIS.
IT'S, YOU KNOW, IT'S PROLONGING THE INEVITABLE BECAUSE I KNOW WE'RE GOING TO WE'RE GOING TO END UP PROBABLY BACK AT THE SAME PLACE BECAUSE THE REALITY IS, IS THAT WE'LL GO BACK TO MY PIE REFERENCE. THERE'S ONLY SO MUCH OF THE PIE TO GO AROUND.
AND IF I HAD IF VANESSA IN HERE, DO YOU KNOW CURRENTLY WHAT THE FIRE FUND BUDGET IS?
[02:30:06]
CHIEF, DO YOU KNOW WHAT THAT IS? BECAUSE, I MEAN, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A $6.9 MILLION INCREASE IF WE STAYED STATUS QUO.I'M SORRY TO PUT YOU ON THE SPOT ON THAT.
ANYTHING. AND WE'RE BEING ASKED TO SPEND 6.9 MILLION.
THANK YOU. SUPERVISOR. USUALLY I'D CALL ON MY RIGHT HAND MAN.
MR. QUICK, IT'S OUR FINANCE GUY THAT REALLY DIALS INTO THOSE NUMBERS.
BUT CURRENTLY, RIGHT NOW, IT'S.
AND THEN OBVIOUSLY OUR OPERATING COSTS THROUGHOUT THAT.
AND THEN WORKING AS OF LAST YEAR, AS YOU GUYS SUPPORTED, WAS THAT 2.9 MILLION FROM THE GENERAL FUND? YEAH. SO JUST I MEAN, JUST TO PUT IT IN PERSPECTIVE, WE'RE NOT WE'RE NOT TALKING JUST ABOUT PENNIES HERE.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT REAL MONEY.
AND YOU KNOW, THAT'S THAT'S NOT AN EXCUSE.
BUT I WANT FOLKS TO KNOW THAT WE THERE IS A LOT OF MONEY BEING SPENT ON FIRE.
AND THE COST OF BUSINESS KEEPS GOING UP.
SO THEN YOU HAD A COMMENT? YEAH. MR. CHAIR, THANK YOU.
ACTUALLY, MY COLLEAGUE WHO'S THE CHAIR NOW ACTUALLY SUPPORTED ME ON THAT.
AND LIKE I SAID, THAT STUDY DID PREVAIL.
THE STUDY DID SHOW THAT THE SERVICE THERE WAS NO LAPSE IN SERVICE AT THAT TIME BECAUSE WE TOOK THOSE PARTICULAR FIREMEN AND PUT THEM IN OTHER STATIONS SURROUNDING THE COMMUNITY.
BUT AT THE SAME TIME, THERE'S TWO STATIONS HERE THAT IF WE CAN JUST COME TO A RESOLUTION AND A NEGOTIATION WITH THE PARTNERS THAT WE HAVE, THAT ELIMINATES THAT DECISION THAT WE HAVE TO MAKE, AND WE CAN LOOK AT THE OTHER STATIONS TO BE ABLE TO WORK OUT.
AND I JUST WANT TO TELL THE CITY OF LIVINGSTON, YOU GUYS ARE AN INCORPORATED CITY.
THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. THANK YOU.
AND THAT'S WHY I WAS ALSO GOING TO SUGGEST THAT WE HAVE CONTINUE THIS ITEM FOR NEXT MONTH.
I WILL HAVE MY PUBLIC TOWN HALL MEETING NEXT WEEK ON THE 17TH.
SO THAT WAY IT'LL GIVE MORE TIME FOR THE PUBLIC TO COME IN AND YELL AT US AND YELL AT ME, I GUESS.
SO THAT WAY THE PUBLIC IS MORE AWARE.
AND NOW, LIKE I SAID JUST YOU KNOW, EVERYBODY'S WATCHING RIGHT NOW.
EVERYBODY'S CONCERNED, YOU KNOW, AND I UNDERSTAND.
SO HOPEFULLY LIKE I SAID, WE CAN YOU KNOW, WORK WITH THE CITY OF LIVINGSTON AND DOS PALOS AND, AND MAKE SURE THAT WE COME TO SOME TYPE OF RESOLUTION SO WE DON'T HAVE TO, YOU KNOW, LOSE THOSE SERVICES AND THE REST.
SO YOU KNOW, I UNDERSTAND MOST OF THE MY COLLEAGUES WANT TO CONTINUE THIS ITEM.
SO WE HAVE A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL.
SECOND BY SUPERVISOR PAREIRA TO CONTINUE THE MAY 7TH.
ANY OPPOSED? MOTION PASSES FIVE ZERO TO CONTINUE.
YOU GUYS WANT TO CONTINUE OR TAKE A BREAK? TAKE FIVE MINUTES.
WE'LL BE RIGHT BACK. ALL RIGHT.
WE'LL NOW MOVE ON TO BOARD ACTION BEGINNING WITH PUBLIC WORKS.
PUBLIC WORKS ITEM 17 THROUGH 20.
OKAY. AT THIS TIME, I WOULD LIKE TO INVITE TO THE PODIUM OUR DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS, NATHAN BRAY.
WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO? GO AHEAD.
[02:35:02]
GOOD AFTERNOON, CHAIR AND BOARD MEMBERS.THE ITEM BEFORE YOU THIS AFTERNOON IS TO INTRODUCE AN ORDINANCE AMENDING CHAPTER 5.90 OF THE MERCED COUNTY CODE TO INCREASE RATE COLLECTION FEES AND CHARGES FOR SOLID WASTE FRANCHISE AREAS ONE THROUGH FIVE, AND IF APPROVED, SET THE PUBLIC HEARING AND THE ADOPTION OF SAID ORDINANCE AT THE BOARD'S NEXT MEETING ON APRIL 23RD, 2024.
THE COUNTY CURRENTLY HAS A FRANCHISE AGREEMENT WITH WASTE MANAGEMENT FOR THESE SERVICE AREAS.
ON BEHALF OF WASTE MANAGEMENT, I HAVE VANESSA.
THERE YOU ARE. VANESSA BARRERA ON TO GIVE THE BOARD SOME INFORMATION AND SOME PUBLIC SOME INFORMATION ABOUT THE THE STRUCTURE OF THE PROPOSED RATE INCREASE.
SO WITH THAT, I WILL TURN IT OVER TO.
YES. GOOD AFTERNOON, SUPERVISORS.
CHAIRMAN. THANK YOU FOR HAVING US HERE TODAY.
THERE WE GO. SORRY, I HAVE TO TURN IT ON.
SO FIRSTLY, WE HAVE OUR CONTRACT LANGUAGE.
WE HAVE A FRANCHISE AGREEMENT BETWEEN WMB AND THE COUNTY OF MERCED.
THE ORIGINAL CONTRACT IS FROM DECEMBER 1997.
WE AMENDED THE AGREEMENT IN 2007.
SAN FRANCISCO, OAKLAND, SAN JOSE, ALL ITEMS IN THE AGREEMENT IS ALSO THE LANGUAGE THAT IN THE EVENT OF A CHANGE IN THE TIPPING FEE AT THE DESIGNATED DISPOSAL FACILITY, THE BOARD WILL AUTHORIZE THE FRANCHISEE TO PASS THROUGH ANY CHANGES IN RATES PURSUANT TO FORMULAS FOUND IN EXHIBIT THREE.
WE SUBMITTED TO COUNTY STAFF OUR REQUEST FOR THIS YEAR.
AND SO YOU SEE THAT THE THE RATE OF CHANGE FOR THIS YEAR IS 3.41% ACCORDING TO THE CPI.
WE ALSO HAVE IN OUR REQUEST AN ADJUSTMENT TO THE TIPPING FEE FOR GREEN WASTE COLLECTION SERVICES.
SO THEY ARE DIRECTED TO GO TO THE HIGHWAY 59 LANDFILL.
THE 59 LANDFILL HAS BEEN MAKING FACILITY IMPROVEMENTS TO ADD COMPOSTING OPERATIONS WITH AGROMAN FOR SB 1383, AND SO THAT'S RESULTED IN SOME TIPPING FREE FEE INCREASES.
SO AT THE BEGINNING OF LAST YEAR, WE WERE PAYING $10.50 PER TON FOR GREEN WASTE.
AND IN JULY OF LAST YEAR THAT WAS INCREASED TO 5389 PER TON.
THERE ARE ADDITIONAL INCREASES TO THE TIPPING FEES PLANNED IN THE FUTURE.
BUT OUR REQUEST JUST INCLUDES THIS ONE.
SO WHAT IMPACT WILL THAT HAVE TO RESIDENTS? THIS WILL JUST TO BE TO RESIDENTS THAT CURRENTLY HAVE GREEN WASTE COLLECTION SERVICES, AND THAT THAT RATE WILL GO UP $2.26. THAT IS GOING FROM $6.68 PER MONTH UP TO $8.94 PER MONTH. I WILL NOTE THAT THOSE CUSTOMERS THAT ARE IN AREAS WHERE GREEN WASTE IS MANDATORY, IF THEY WOULD LIKE TO REQUEST AN EXEMPTION, THEY CAN DO THAT THROUGH THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT FROM THE COUNTY.
WE HAVE AN INDEPENDENT AUDITOR REPORT THAT IS DONE THROUGH A PUBLIC ACCOUNTANT.
AND THEY LOOK AT LAST YEAR'S OPERATING EXPENSES VERSUS WELL, 22 VERSUS 23.
AND, AND THAT SHOWS HOW MUCH COSTS HAVE INCREASED.
SO OUR DIRECT EXPENSES HAVE GONE UP 14, 3.3% YEAR OVER YEAR.
[02:40:04]
JUST IN COMPARISON TO THE CPI INCREASE OF THREE.YOU SEE OUR DIRECT EXPENSES HAVE GONE UP 14.3%, UTILITIES HAVE GONE UP 11.8.
GREEN WASTE DISPOSAL WENT UP 33.7%.
SO THAT'S WHY THAT'S ALSO INCLUDED.
TELEPHONE EXPENSES HAVE GONE UP 79%.
SO THE RATE SCHEDULE THAT'S BEEN PROPOSED YOU'LL SEE WE HAVE FIVE DIFFERENT AREAS BUT FOUR DIFFERENT RATES DEPENDING ON WHERE THE RESIDENTS LIVE.
THE MONTHLY IMPACT DEPENDS ON WHICH AREA THEY'RE IN.
BUT FOR ALL OF THEM, IT'S OWN.
SO BETWEEN 82 AND $0.93 A MONTH IMPACT.
AND THEN BELOW THAT IS THE GREEN WASTE RATE AS WELL.
WITH THAT I WILL JUST CLOSE, BUT I CAN TAKE ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU HAVE AS WELL AS.
YEAH, I THINK WE HAVE SOME SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.
I APPRECIATE THE THE PRESENTATION CONCERNS ME THAT YOUR PHONE WENT UP 79.6%.
BUT MY ACTUAL CONCERN THAT I HAD, AS I READ THROUGH THE LEGISLATIVE RECOMMENDED CHANGES ON THE ORDINANCE, AND I KNOW IT SAYS ALL AREAS IS PART OF THE CONTRACT.
I JUST AND I DIDN'T EVER CATCH THIS BEFORE.
I'VE SEEN THIS YEAR AFTER YEAR.
BUT ON THE RETURN CHECK FEE, CAN YOU CHARGE MORE THAN THE BANK ACTUALLY CHARGES YOU? BECAUSE THAT GOES UP JUST BY CPI.
RETURN CHECK FEE FOR CREDIT CARD DECLINE COLLECTION FEE A 30.
OR IS IT. IT USED TO BE 37, 34.
SO THAT IS JUST A STANDARD ANCILLARY CHARGE THAT'S BEEN IN THE AGREEMENT FOR SOME TIME.
AND WE DO TYPICALLY INCREASE THAT BY THE CPI PERCENTAGE.
SO WHEN YOU SEE ONE THAT IS 3861, IT JUST KIND OF STUCK OUT TO ME.
THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE NEVER LIKE TO EVEN HAVE TO DISCUSS.
AS YOU HEARD OUR PREVIOUS DISCUSSION, IT SEEMS LIKE EVERYTHING SEEMS TO BE GOING UP, BUT I THINK THIS IS ANOTHER REFLECTION OF ELECTIONS HAVE CONSEQUENCES FROM THE GOVERNOR TO THE ASSEMBLY TO THE STATE SENATE.
SO I MEAN, SB 1383 IS EXACTLY IMPACTING US RIGHT NOW.
DO YOU GUYS HAVE ANY DISCUSSIONS WITH THAT, OR IS THAT THE END USER OF THAT GREEN WASTE? THAT IS THE YOU KNOW, THAT WOULD BE AN ENTERPRISE THAT IS STARTING UP SOMETHING NEW, RIGHT? BECAUSE I KNOW WE DO HAVE SOME FARMERS THAT ARE DOING THAT.
IN FACT, ON THE WEST SIDE, ONE OF OUR MAJOR ONES, HE'LL BE SPEAKING AT OUR CRC MEETING IN SEPTEMBER REGARDING REGARDING THAT WE WE DO SOME COMPOSTING FACILITIES.
THE CLOSEST ONE IS IN LATHROP.
WELL THANK YOU. IT'S JUST SO FRUSTRATING THAT HEALTH CARE COSTS ARE TOO MUCH, SALARIES ARE TOO LOW.
WE'RE LOOKING AT CLOSING FIRE STATIONS.
AND YET THE COST OF DOING BUSINESS CONTINUES TO GO UP.
AND PEOPLE ARE POINTING THE FINGERS HERE AT THE COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS.
AND A LOT OF THIS IS OUT OF OUR CONTROL.
AND IT GETS VERY FRUSTRATING ON OUR PART WHEN WE TRY TO ADVOCATE ON BEHALF OF CERTAIN LEGISLATION THAT'S BEING PASSED AND HOW IT'S GOING TO AFFECT YOU HERE AT THIS LEVEL, AND YET IT WILL PASS AND CONTINUE FORWARD.
AND I DON'T WANT TO GET STARTED WITH PROP ONE.
[02:45:06]
YOU PRESENTED IT. WELL IT'S IT'S THE WAY IT IS.I DON'T KNOW, IS THAT IN OUR CONTRACT OR IS THERE ANOTHER CPI LITTLE CLOSER THAT HAS FRESNO, BAKERSFIELD OR SOMETHING ELSE? BECAUSE THAT WOULD BE A LITTLE MORE REASONABLE IN MY BOOK.
AND THANK YOU THAT THAT IS WHAT HAS BEEN IN OUR AGREEMENT FOR MANY YEARS.
BUT IN TERMS OF REGIONAL CPI INDEXES, THOSE THE CLOSEST ONE OR WHAT IS COMMONLY USED IS, HAS BEEN THE BAY AREA FOR MANY YEARS.
SO OKAY, I DON'T SEE ANY OTHER SUPERVISOR IN THE QUEUE, BUT MY COMMENT IS I THINK THE STANDARD ON THE CPI INCREASE IN EVERY CONTRACT WITH ALL THE MUNICIPALITIES AND THE COUNTY AND IT'S JUST STANDARD.
SO NOW WE'LL MOVE ON TO PUBLIC COMMENT.
PUBLIC COMMENT IS NOW OPEN FOR ITEM 17 TO 20.
ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS? I WILL CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENT ITEMS 17 THROUGH 20.
AND SO ANY MOTIONS? IT'S NOT THERE. WAIT A SECOND.
WE HAVE A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA.
SECOND BY SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL.
CALL FOR THE VOTE. PLEASE RECORD THE VOTE.
NEXT, WE HAVE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AND RECOVERY SERVICES ITEMS 21 AND 22.
AT THIS TIME, I WILL OPEN UP PUBLIC COMMENT FOR ITEMS 21 AND 22.
ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS? I DON'T SEE NO PUBLIC COMMENTS.
SO FOR ITEMS 2122 IS NOT CLOSED.
SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA IS A MOTION SECONDED BY SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL.
PLEASE RECORD THE VOTE. MOTION PASSES FIVE ZERO.
NEXT, WE HAVE HUMAN SERVICES AGENCY ITEMS 23 THROUGH 26.
AT THIS TIME, I'LL OPEN UP PUBLIC COMMENT FOR ITEMS 2326.
ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS? I SEE NO ONE. SO THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD IS CLOSED FOR 2326.
NO COMMENTS. SO I'LL SEE THE MOTION BY SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA.
RECORD THE VOTE. MOTION PASSES FIVE ZERO.
NEXT WE HAVE COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
PLEASE NOTE A 4/5 VOTE IS REQUIRED.
AT THIS TIME I WILL OPEN A PUBLIC COMMENT FOR ITEMS 27.
I DON'T SEE NO PUBLIC COMMENTS.
IT'S CLOSED NOW. SO ITEM 27 AND I SEE A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA.
CALL FOR THE VOTE. RECORD THE VOTE.
AT THIS TIME WE'LL OPEN UP PUBLIC COMMENT FOR LIBRARY ITEM NUMBER 28.
ANY COMMENTS? OPEN. NO PUBLIC COMMENTS.
SO WE'LL GO CALL FOR THE VOTE.
MOTION BY SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA.
NEXT WE HAVE PROBATION ITEMS 29 THROUGH 31.
AT THIS TIME, I'LL OPEN UP PUBLIC COMMENT FOR PROBATION ITEMS 2009 THROUGH 2031.
[02:50:03]
NO PUBLIC COMMENTS.AND SO WE'LL CALL FOR THE MOTION BY SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA.
NEXT WE HAVE DISTRICT ATTORNEY.
THIS TIME, OPEN UP PUBLIC COMMENT FOR THE DAY ITEMS. ITEM 32.
ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS? THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD FOR ITEM 32 IS NOT CLOSED.
SO NOW WE HAVE A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA.
AT THIS TIME. NOW NEXT WE HAVE A BOARD APPOINTMENTS.
THIS WILL OPEN A PUBLIC HEARING FOR BOARD ITEMS 34.
ANY COMMENTS ON ITEM 34? NO PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD FOR BOARD ITEMS. ITEMS 34 AND IS CLOSED, SO CALL THE MOTION BY SUPERVISOR PEREZ.
SECOND BY SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA.
THEN WE HAVE BOARD INFORMATION AND POSSIBLE ACTION ITEM ITEM 35.
[BOARD INFORMATION & POSSIBLE ACTION]
THIS ONE IS GOING TO BE OKAY.WELL, MR. LEVY, HOW ARE WE DOING? DOING WELL. GOOD AFTERNOON, MR. CHAIRMAN. BOARD MEMBERS, CEO MENDEZ COUNCIL HANSEN AND MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC.
I WANT TO ESPECIALLY THANK MY TEAM IN THE ELECTIONS DEPARTMENT.
WE HAD NEARLY 200 PEOPLE INVOLVED IN WORKING THIS ELECTION.
A SPECIAL THANKS TO THE MEMBERS OF OTHER COUNTY DEPARTMENTS WHO TOOK PART IN THE COUNTY POLL WORKER PROGRAM AND HELPED WORK MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WHO ALSO WORKED AS POLL WORKERS AND AND THEN ESPECIALLY THE 25 OR SO HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS THAT WORKED THE ELECTION AS PART OF OUR STUDENT POLL WORKER PROGRAM.
ELECTION WORKERS ARE ON THE FRONT LINE OF DEMOCRACY, LITERALLY.
AND WE SIMPLY COULDN'T ADMINISTER THE ELECTIONS WITHOUT THEM.
I THINK WE HAVE A COUPLE QUESTIONS.
THANK YOU. THINK I DID IT AGAIN, SIR.
I WANT TO CONGRATULATE YOU ON THIS.
I THINK YOU STATED THAT YOU GUYS ARE THE FRONT LINE OF DEMOCRACY.
AND I THINK THIS ELECTION, COMPARED TO THE LAST ELECTION, YOU STOOD UP FRONT.
AND PLEASE THANK ALL YOUR STAFF AND ALL THE VOLUNTEERS AS WELL.
I WILL THANK YOU. SO A COUPLE MORE QUESTIONS FOR YOU, MR. CHAIR. MEL, ECHO THOSE COMMENTS I THINK JUST A GREAT JOB.
I KNOW THAT I WAS ONE OF THE ONES THAT WAS BUGGING YOU.
AND, YOU KNOW, WE TALKED ABOUT LITTLE THINGS.
HOW DO WE MAKE IT BETTER? BUT I JUST APPRECIATE YOUR TEAM'S EFFORT.
I THINK THAT IT WENT OFF WITHOUT A HITCH.
I MEAN, I DIDN'T HEAR REALLY ANY ISSUES.
I WANT TO APPRECIATE I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU, AND I APPRECIATE YOU AND YOUR TEAM FOR YOUR PROFESSIONALISM AND BEING ABLE TO WORK ALONGSIDE OF A COMMUNITY EVENT AND STILL MAKE IT HAPPEN AND MAKE OUR OUR SPOTS, OUR VOTE CENTERS, ACCESSIBLE TO THE PUBLIC.
WITH THAT ALL BEING SAID, I DO HOPE THAT WE CONTINUE TO AND, AND AND I KNOW AS NOW THAT WE GOT THE ELECTION CERTIFIED AS AS WE ARE REQUIRED TO HAVE THESE 11 DAY VOTE CENTERS, THE COSTS THAT IT WHAT IT COSTS US TO HAVE THESE CENTERS OPEN AND FOR THE AMOUNT OF VOTES THAT WE ACTUALLY GET.
I'M ALL IN FAVOR OF THE FOUR DAY VOTE CENTERS.
I THINK THAT'S THAT'S PROBABLY A REALITY.
BUT IT'S JUST THESE RULES THAT ARE SET BY THE STATE AND HAVING THESE 11 DAY VOTE CENTERS THAT ARE OPEN, YOU KNOW, FOR THE THREE FIRST 3 OR 4 DAYS, AND YOU HAVE IN THE TEENS OF THE AMOUNT OF PEOPLE THAT HAVE VOTED AT THOSE CENTERS, IT'S IT'S COSTLY.
SO I'D JUST LIKE TO SEE WHAT WHAT DO THOSE NUMBERS REPRESENT? YOU KNOW, I DON'T THINK YOU CAN PUT A PRICE ON DEMOCRACY.
[02:55:08]
STATE OFFICIALS THAT THAT, YOU KNOW, MAYBE WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO GIVE A LITTLE BIT MORE FLEXIBILITY THERE AND ALLOW THE PEOPLE THAT ACTUALLY HAVE TO ADMINISTER THIS BOOTS ON THE GROUND ALLOW US TO HAVE A LITTLE BIT MORE FLEXIBILITY.SO BUT THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING, SIR.
YEAH, I APPRECIATE THAT. SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA.
SO WE'LL HAVE A BETTER IDEA HERE VERY SOON ON EXACTLY WHAT THOSE COSTS LOOK LIKE.
I WILL TELL YOU ALSO THAT COLLEAGUES UP AND DOWN THE STATE OF MINE ARE HAVING DISCUSSIONS WITH THE SECRETARY OF STATE'S OFFICE AND WITH MEMBERS OF THE ASSEMBLY ABOUT WHAT VOTER'S CHOICE ACT NEXT GEN RIGHT, OR 2.0 COULD LOOK LIKE BECAUSE SOME OF THE CONCERNS THAT YOU HAVE ABOUT THE COST OF 11 DAY VOTE CENTERS AND, AND OTHER THINGS ARE ARE NOT UNIQUE TO THIS COUNTY.
AND, AND SO I'LL BE SITTING IN ON A MEETING LATER THIS MONTH WITH PARTNERS FROM SECRETARY OF STATE'S OFFICE AND OTHERS TO START TO, TO TALK ABOUT THOSE, BECAUSE I THINK THAT IS SOMETHING THAT'S TOP OF MIND FOR A LOT OF FOLKS UP AND DOWN THE STATE.
THANK YOU. YEAH. I JUST WANT TO ECHO WHAT MY COLLEAGUES HAVE SAID AND SAY THANK YOU.
YOU KNOW, MY DAUGHTER WANTED TO GO OUT THERE AND SEE HOW THE PROCESS WORKED, AND I THOUGHT THAT SHE GOT A REALLY GOOD LESSON ON, YOU KNOW, WHAT YOU DO, WHAT THE WHAT YOUR RESPONSIBILITIES ARE. AND I THOUGHT IT WAS REALLY COOL TO SEE ALL THE HARD WORK.
AND I KNOW THAT IT'S, IT'S FRUSTRATING THE, THE TIME IT TAKES TO GET THE ELECTION RESULTS.
BUT I REALLY APPRECIATE, YOU KNOW, YOU LIKE SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL SAID, YOU KNOW, AFTER THE LAST ELECTION, YOU REALLY CAME OUT AND, YOU KNOW, DID A REALLY GOOD JOB OF BEING THE FACE OF IT. AND I THINK IT WENT DOWN REALLY WELL.
AND AGAIN, THANK YOU TO YOU AND YOUR STAFF FOR ALL OF YOUR GUYS'S HARD WORK.
SO UP AND UP. OH, SUPERVISOR PAREIRA FORGOT TO THE GAME.
WELL, I WANT TO CONGRATULATE YOU ON RUNNING A FINE ELECTION.
I YOU KNOW, IT WAS KIND OF INTERESTING.
I DON'T BELIEVE I GOT ANY COMPLAINTS.
AND AND HOPEFULLY YOU DIDN'T GET THEM EITHER.
BUT ANYWAYS, WHAT THE ONE THE ONE THING THAT YOU DID THAT I APPRECIATED AS A CANDIDATE WAS THAT YOU KIND OF LAID OUT THE TIMELINE OF WHEN VOTES WERE GOING TO BE GIVEN, YOU KNOW, WHEN THE TALLIES WERE GOING TO BE SUN SHINED.
AND I THINK THAT WAS HELPFUL TO A LOT OF PEOPLE.
AND AND REALLY, THE ONLY, THE ONLY OTHER THING THAT, YOU KNOW, AS A, AS A PERSON WHO RAN IN A DISTRICT WAS WHEN YOU HAVE THE VOTES LEFT OVER THAT NEED TO BE COUNTED, CAN YOU DO THAT BY DISTRICT? A LITTLE TONGUE IN CHEEK THERE.
BUT ANYWAY, IT'S A GOOD QUESTION.
WE CAN'T DO IT BY DISTRICT, OBVIOUSLY.
AND THAT'S GOING TO BE ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT THIS NOVEMBER.
WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A LOT MORE CANDIDATES, YOU KNOW, AS MANY CANDIDATES AS WE HAD THIS TIME AROUND.
AND SO WE'LL CONTINUE TO DO OUR BEST TO, YOU KNOW, OVERCOMMUNICATE.
YOU KNOW, AND SHARE WITH FOLKS EXPECTATIONS, STARTING WHEN THEY FILE THEIR, YOU KNOW, THEIR CANDIDACY THIS SUMMER AND THEN ALL THE WAY THROUGH ONCE WE CERTIFY, HOPEFULLY IN NOVEMBER. ALL RIGHT, WELL.
THANK YOU. I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO, YOU KNOW, FOR THE PROCESS.
I THINK YOU'RE RESPONSIVE WHEN WE HAVE QUESTIONS.
WE HAVE A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA.
RECORD THE VOTE. MOTION PASSES FIVE ZERO.
BOARD REPORTS. I'LL START MY RIGHTS.
[REPORTS/BOARD DIRECTION]
SUPERVISOR PEDROZO. YEAH.LAST FRIDAY, I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO ATTEND THE HABITAT FOR HUMANITY HOUSE.
OPEN OR THE OPEN HOUSE THAT THEY WERE BUILDING.
THEY CAME AND BROUGHT BROUGHT IT TO OUR ATTENTION WHEN THEY FIRST STARTED AFTER THE FLOODS.
AND SO HABITAT FOR HUMANITY DONATED AS WELL AS PGA OR WORKED WITH ONE OF THE CHURCHES OVER THERE TO BUILD THIS HOUSE FOR VOLUNTEERS THAT ARE COMING INSIDE THE COMMUNITIES TO HELP BUILD HOUSES.
AND THEY'RE FROM ALL OVER THE COUNTRY THAT ARE GOING TO COME IN AND DO THIS.
I ALSO WANT TO THANK ALL THE STAFF AND THE COMMUNITY FOR COMING OUT TO MY TOWN HALL.
[03:00:09]
AT MERCY COLLEGE, WHICH I THOUGHT WAS A REALLY IT WAS REALLY INTERESTING TO SEE.AND THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT CAME THROUGH, AND I HAVE THE I HAVE THE PLEASURE OF DRIVING BY EVERY MORNING OR DRIVING BY THAT PARKING LOT EVERY MORNING WHERE IT WAS AT, AND THEN TO SEE IT LIT UP IN THE MORNINGS AND THEN AT NIGHT IS SOMETHING REALLY COOL.
SO I WANT TO THANK THE SUNRISE ROTARY FOR ORGANIZING THAT AND PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER.
YEAH, I'D LIKE TO THANK EVERYBODY, TOO, FOR COMING OUT AS I THOUGHT IT WAS A VERY GOOD DISCUSSION.
WE EXHAUSTED THE TIME LIMIT, WHICH WAS PERFECT.
ALSO, I LIKE TO THANK DA SILVEIRA FOR INVITING ME OUT TO SEE THE SWEARING IN OF OUR NEW ATTORNEY.
I WAS SURPRISED HOW MANY PEOPLE WERE THERE.
THE WEST SIDE DOES A REALLY GOOD JOB OF TURNING OUT FOLKS WHENEVER SOMEBODY GETS SWORN IN.
BUT THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THAT.
AND PLEASE KEEP ME INVITED AS WELL.
WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH TEASDALE LATIN FOODS AND ATWATER A LOT.
I WAS ABLE TO DO A TOUR LAST WEEK AND A NEW BRIEFING WITH OUR ASSEMBLY MEMBER, SORIA, AND KIND OF BROUGHT HER INTO THE LOOP OF WHAT WE'RE DEALING WITH. AND LIKE I SAID, IT WAS GOOD FOR HER TO HEAR WHAT A SMALL COMPANY WHO HAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO PICK UP AND LEAVE AT ANY TIME AND MOVE TO THE MIDWEST, WHERE IT'S A LOT LESS MONEY TO DO BUSINESS.
AND FOR HER TO HEAR THE THIS WAS AN AGRICULTURAL BUSINESS THAT'S ACTUALLY HAVING PROBLEMS HERE IN THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA, WHETHER IT'S EMPLOYMENT, WHETHER IT'S WATER ISSUES, WHETHER IT'S LAND USE ISSUES AND ALL KINDS OF ISSUES.
AND SHE WAS VERY, VERY HELPFUL.
AND A LOT OF IT, SHE JUST SHE REALLY DIDN'T KNOW THAT THESE ARE STRUGGLES THAT THEY'RE HAVING.
AND AGAIN, I JUST WANT TO TELL YOU ELECTIONS DO HAVE CONSEQUENCES.
PLEASE READ CAL MATTERS TODAY.
CAL MATTERS HAS A NEW PORTAL TO WHERE YOU CAN GO AND CHECK ON EVERY ASSEMBLY MEMBER, EVERY SENATOR, EVERY COMMITTEE MEETING, EVERYTHING, ANYTIME THEY SPEAK IN PUBLIC.
BASICALLY, THEY'LL BE BROUGHT UP AS A VIDEO THAT YOU CAN WATCH EVERY VOTE.
AND IT'S A VERY, VERY GOOD ANALYSIS OF HOW THIS STATE IS BEING RUN.
AND CAL MATTERS USUALLY TRIES TO BE I THINK THEY EVEN TEND TO LEAN A LITTLE LEFT.
BUT ON THIS ONE THEY WERE RIGHT, RIGHT ON OF HOW LEGISLATURES ARE VOTING AND AND WHICH WAY THEY'RE VOTING. BUT THIS IS AN ACCOUNTANT.
EVERYBODY'S HELD ACCOUNTABLE ON THIS EXCEPT FOR THE GOVERNOR.
THAT'S MY ONLY PART I DON'T LIKE IS THE GOVERNOR'S VOTES.
AND HIS DECISIONS AREN'T INCLUDED IN THIS PORTAL.
BUT I'M TELLING YOU WHAT THE STUFF THAT'S COMING DOWN THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS GETS BLAME FOR IT.
BUT WHEN 80% OF OUR BUDGET IS BY THE DIRECTION OF THE STATE LEGISLATURE AND THE FEDERAL CONGRESS AND THE PRESIDENT, BUT WE'RE GETTING BLAMED FOR IT.
IT'S GETTING VERY FRUSTRATING BECAUSE WE'RE DOING EVERYTHING WE CAN.
IT'S CALLED COLLECTIVE BARGAINING.
THERE'S A LAW THAT PROTECTS THAT DISCUSSION.
BELIEVE ME, WE'D LOVE TO HAVE IT OUT HERE IN PUBLIC.
AND AS SOON AS WE CAN GET STUFF THAT WE CAN REVEAL TO THE PUBLIC WE'RE GOING TO.
BUT THIS IS GETTING VERY FRUSTRATING.
I DON'T LIKE HOW OUR STATE GOVERNMENT'S WORKING.
I DON'T LIKE HOW OUR FEDERAL GOVERNMENT'S WORKING.
WE'RE DOING THE BEST THAT WE CAN RIGHT HERE IN THIS COUNTY.
THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. ACTUALLY YEAH, I DO WANT TO ECHO TO MADAME DE LA.
THANK YOU. AND DANIEL ACTUALLY INVITED ME.
OUR NEW ASSISTANT DISTRICT ATTORNEY IS FROM LOS BANOS, A LOCAL BOY.
SO AND I KNOW HE'S EXCITED ABOUT THE.
I'M THANKFUL THAT THOSE FOLKS CAN ACTUALLY THEY DON'T HAVE TO COME INTO MERCED NOW AND THEN.
I DID SEE ON A CHAIN OF EMAILS WHERE SOMEBODY HIGH UP IN THE POST OFFICE DIRECTED THE POSTMASTER, BECAUSE IT'S BEEN SO LONG SINCE PEOPLE HAVE BEEN TO THE POST OFFICE LIKE THEY FORGOT THEIR COMBINATIONS OR DON'T HAVE THEIR KEYS.
AND SO THEY KIND OF PUT OUT A DIRECTIVE THERE TO HELP THOSE FOLKS OBTAIN NEW COMBINATIONS.
AND I DON'T THINK THEY'RE GOING TO CHARGE THEM FOR NEW KEYS.
SO I'M SURE, YOU KNOW, I DIDN'T HAVE THAT HAPPEN TO ME.
SO I CAN'T SAY THAT I TOTALLY KNOW WHAT THEY EXPERIENCED.
[03:05:03]
BUT IF YOU USE THE POST OFFICE TO GO GET YOUR MAIL AND YOU HAVEN'T HAD THAT FOR OVER A YEAR, IT'D PROBABLY BE PRETTY EXCITING TO GET IT BACK.I WANT TO JUST REMIND EVERYBODY WE GAVE AN AWARD OUT TO THE SPRING FAIR BOARD EARLIER.
THE MAY DAY FAIR IS COMING UP.
IT IS MAY 1ST THROUGH THE FIFTH.
AND IF YOU'RE INTERESTED, YOU CAN GO TO THE FAIR OFFICE NOW, MONDAYS THROUGH FRIDAY, 8 TO 5.
AND YOU COULD BUY DISCOUNT ADMISSION AND RIDE TICKETS AHEAD OF TIME.
SO IF YOU'RE ON A BUDGET LIKE MOST OF US ARE, YOU'RE ABLE TO SAVE A FEW DOLLARS BY PRE BUYING.
GOT TO DO A COUPLE INTERESTING EVENTS THIS WEEK.
FIRST OFF A THE LOS BANOS FFA DAIRY JUDGING TEAM, THEY WON THE STATE COMPETITION IN DAIRY JUDGING.
THEY WENT BACK TO THE NATIONAL COMPETITION WHERE THEY PLACED THIRD, WHICH GAVE THEM AN INVITATION TO COMPETE AT THE WORLD DAIRY JUDGING COMPETITIONS IN SCOTLAND.
AND IT'S NOT CHEAP FOR THOSE YOUNGSTERS TO GET BACK THERE.
I THINK IT'S THE COST IS ABOUT A TUNE OF ABOUT $8,000 PER PERSON KIND OF ROUND TRIP, BUT TO GET BACK THERE AND SO THAT GROUP PUT TOGETHER A LITTLE FUNDRAISER LAST THURSDAY WHERE I'M HAPPY TO SAY THAT WAS I GOT TO HELP BE A PART OF THAT.
AND THEN SATURDAY NIGHT I WAS INVITED TO GO BE THE AUCTIONEER FOR THE CASA EVENT.
THAT'S THE FIRST TIME I'VE BEEN TO ONE OF THOSE TYPE OF EVENTS.
AND SO THAT TEAM I'VE NEVER I DON'T WHAT'S THE NAME OF THE BUILDING THAT IT WAS IN? LLOYD. IT'S NO, THE ONE BEHIND IT.
IT'S THE ONE WHERE. WHERE FARM BUREAU HAS THE WINE BOOTH DURING THE FAIR HALF DOME.
OKAY. I'VE NEVER BEEN TO AN EVENT IN THERE.
AND I WILL TELL YOU, THEY DID AN EXCELLENT JOB DECORATING.
IT WAS REALLY COOL. AND I WOULD ENCOURAGE.
CASA IS COURT APPOINTED SPECIAL ADVOCATES.
THEY DO GREAT WORK AND A WORTHY CAUSE.
HE HAD UNITED STATES BUREAU OF RECLAMATION COMMISSIONER CAMILLE TOUTON WAS WAS OUT IN OUR AREA LAST WEEK, AND HE HOSTED A DINNER AT HIS HOUSE WITH HER.
AND SO I GOT TO MEET AND CHAT WITH HER FOR A FEW MINUTES.
THE HEAD OF THE WHOLE BUREAU OF RECLAMATION WAS OUT.
AND YOU KNOW, I DIDN'T GET AN INVITE.
SO IF HIS PEOPLE ARE WATCHING, YOU KNOW, IT'S I THINK IT'S USUALLY CUSTOMARY IF THE GOVERNOR COMES INTO ANY SUPERVISOR'S DISTRICT, WHETHER REGARDLESS OF WHETHER THEY HAVE AN ORD AFTER THE NAME, THEY USUALLY GET A TOKEN INVITE TO GO BE A PART OF IT, WHICH I WASN'T INVITED.
I JUST WANT TO PUT THAT OUT THERE, AND THAT'S ALL I HAVE, MR. CHAIR. I'LL TELL THEM NEXT TIME I SEE HIM.
WELL I GUESS I WANT TO THANK SUPERVISOR PEDROZO FOR ATTENDING THE GUSTINE ROUNDABOUT.
I WAS OUT OF TOWN, COULDN'T MAKE IT, AND I'M GLAD YOU WERE THERE.
YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN WORKING ON SAFETY ON 165 IN IN HILMAR.
AND SO THE SECOND HAWK SYSTEM WAS WAS HAS BEEN OPEN AND WORKING.
AND SO CALTRANS WAS OUT AND WE WERE ABLE TO DO A RIBBON CUTTING AND THE COMMUNITY AND THAT, THAT THOSE HAWK SYSTEMS, YOU KNOW, THEY, THEY THEY'RE JUST REALLY GOOD.
I MEAN, YOU KNOW, YOU, YOU KNOW, YOU NEED TO STOP.
AND I CAN'T BELIEVE A KID HADN'T BEEN HIT ON THAT HIGHWAY IN HILMAR AND KILLED.
SO, ANYWAYS, IT JUST FEELS GOOD.
HOPEFULLY NOW WE WON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT THAT.
I'D LIKE TO THANK STAFF THE THE DEPARTMENT HEADS OR THEIR REPRESENTATIVE FOR COMING TO MY TOWN HALL.
I HAD A GREAT TURNOUT, WHICH I THINK IS BAD.
I THINK THERE WAS A LOT OF GOOD QUESTIONS.
I THINK THE ENGAGEMENT WAS GOOD.
AND TO THOSE OF YOU THAT WERE THERE, I'M SORRY THAT I TALKED SO MUCH.
I SHOULD HAVE LET YOU ANSWER A FEW MORE OF THE QUESTIONS, BUT I DON'T KNOW.
I WAS JUST IN A I JUST, I DON'T KNOW, JUST IN A FUNK, I GUESS.
OR I ALSO WENT TO THE WALL THAT HEALS.
I'D LIKE TO THANK THE GALLO FAMILY FOR BEING A MAJOR SPONSOR FOR THAT.
IT WHEN I WAS A KID, TEN, 12 YEARS OLD, ONE OF MY GRANDPARENT'S BEST FRIEND'S SONS WAS IN VIETNAM, AND, AND AND SO MY RECOLLECTION OF VIETNAM AS A LITTLE KID WAS HER PACKING SHOEBOXES FULL OF CANDY AND UNDERWEAR AND AND A NEWSPAPER AND SENDING IT OVER.
[03:10:09]
AND, AND I DIDN'T REALLY HAVE A DISCUSSION WITH HIM UNTIL PROBABLY 15 YEARS AGO.AND, AND SO THROUGH THAT DISCUSSION, I REALIZED HOW VALUABLE THAT THE WALL THAT HEALS IS AND IT WASN'T I MEAN, THE WALL IS PRETTY AMAZING, BUT IT'S ALSO SOME OF THE ANCILLARY INFORMATION THAT THEY THAT THEY PUT OUT.
AND, AND I, I DOUBT THAT AGGIES WATCHING, BUT THE SUNRISE ROTARY AGGIE FREEMAN AND AND AND ALSO IRONICALLY LAURIE GALLO WERE THERE AND KIND OF GAVE ME THE BACKGROUND.
AND ANYWAYS, IT'S JUST A NEAT EXPERIENCE.
AND YOU KNOW, THERE'S, THERE'S TWO EVENTS THAT HAPPEN OUT THERE ON THAT LAWN, THAT ONE.
I RAN INTO A GENTLEMAN OUT THERE WHO WAS A DOCENT, I GUESS YOU CALL IT.
AND HE LOOKED FAMILIAR TO ME, YOU KNOW, AND WE'RE GOING.
AND AT SOME POINT HE ASKED MY NAME, AND I SAID MY FIRST NAME, AND HE HE GOES FROM SNELLING AND ACTUALLY 40 YEARS AGO HAD HAD BEEN OUT ON OUR DAIRY AND AND, AND HAD DONE SOME WORK. AND SO ANYWAYS, IT WAS JUST KIND OF A NEAT, NEAT EVENT.
SO WITH THAT TO YOU, MR. CHAIR. THANK YOU.
MENDEZ. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. JUST I, TOO, WANTED TO THANK OUR STAFF FOR ATTENDING THE TOWN HALL.
THAT HAVE HAPPENED OVER THE COURSE OF THE LAST FEW WEEKS.
SUPERVISOR PAREIRA. YOU HAD THE BIGGEST SHOWING IN TERMS OF THE COMMUNITY.
ALSO APPRECIATE THE RESIDENTS COMING OUT, ENGAGING WITH THE COUNTY SUPERVISORS AND THEIR STAFF.
BUT I THINK THAT'S WHAT IT'S ALL ABOUT.
AT THE COUNCIL CHAMBERS THERE IN LIVINGSTON.
SO AGAIN, APPRECIATE EVERYBODY'S GOOD WORK.
ONE OF THE ITEMS THAT HAS BEEN UNVEILED AS PART OF THE TOWN HALLS HAS BEEN OUR ANNUAL REPORT FOR 2023 SPEAKS A LOT OF THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS THAT THE COUNTY ORGANIZATION AND SOME OF THE CHALLENGES OVER THE COURSE OF THE LAST YEAR.
AND SO WE TRY TO TIME THAT WITH THE TOWN HALLS.
I KNOW WE UNVEILED IT RIGHT BEFORE DISTRICT TWO SUPERVISOR PEDROZO SESSION.
AND THEN ALSO APPRECIATE, YOU KNOW, MIKE NORTH CESAR VEGA, LEONEL GARCIA FROM OUR STAFF THAT PUT TOGETHER A VERY HIGH QUALITY DOCUMENT INTERNALLY FEATURES A LOT OF WHAT THE COUNTY AS AN ORGANIZATION AND AS A COMMUNITY HAD TO DEAL WITH IN THE LAST YEAR.
AND THERE'S A REAL NICE FEATURE FROM THE CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD FOR 2023.
SO I ENCOURAGE YOU TO PICK UP A COPY, AND IF NOT, WE'LL HAVE SOME AT THE TOWN HALL AS WELL.
SO I'M PRETTY SURE THE COUNCIL MEETING ON THE 16TH WILL BE PACKED WITH QUESTIONS ON THE FIRE.
I WANT TO JUST SAY THAT I ATTENDED THE WORLD CONFERENCE IN SAN JOSE LAST MONTH.
I THINK IT WAS THE 15TH AND 16TH.
AND YOU KNOW, IT WENT PRETTY WELL.
WE TOOK A TOUR OF THE RECLAMATION PLANT IN SANTA CLARA.
SO YOU KNOW, THANKFULLY, THE THE COUNTY BACK THEN PASSED THE ORDINANCE.
SO IT WAS A VERY WELL ATTENDED AND INFORMATIVE CONFERENCE.
SO I WANT TO ALSO THANK LIKE I SAID, EVERYBODY.
FROM THE STATE, FEDERAL, AND ALEX PADILLA'S OFFICE.
CONGRESSMAN ORTIZ WAS WAS VERY SUPPORTIVE.
SAM SAMRA WAS VERY SUPPORTIVE AND OUR CEO, WE WERE IN MEETINGS AND I WAS TRYING TO BE IN MEETINGS AS MUCH AS I COULD, BUT I KNOW THAT THAT THE REPRESENTATIVE FOR THE FEDERAL SIDE OF THE POST OFFICE WAS NOT THAT, WELL INFORMATIVE, YOU KNOW, GIVING US MORE INFORMATION AND KEPT DELAYING OUR MEETINGS.
BUT I'M JUST THANKFUL THAT THAT THE POST OFFICE WAS FINALLY OPEN FOR THE RESIDENTS OF PLANADA.
[03:15:04]
SO THAT'S WHAT I GOT FROM FROM CALTRANS.SO I KNOW THAT THE STATE IS PUSHING FOR ROUNDABOUTS ALL AROUND THE STATE.
SO AND ALSO TO DOWN ON SUTTER AND HIGHWAY 140, I'M STILL PUSHING FOR A JAYHAWK SYSTEM.
KIND OF LIKE HILMAR SUPERVISORS.
AND ALSO JUST TO COMMENT, THERE WAS A COMMENT BY BY A MEMBER REGARDING A THE LAKE REMODEL AND THERE'S A ISSUES WITH THE LAKE WITH THE MERCED LAKE. BUT YOU KNOW, THERE'S TALKS, DISCUSSIONS WITH MID, WHICH OWNS THE, THE MERCED LAKE.
SO THERE'S STILL GOING TO BE CONTINUING NEGOTIATIONS.
SO HOPEFULLY WE'LL COME TO SOME AGREEMENT IN THE FUTURE.
SO AND WITH THAT, WE'LL END OUR MEETING.
AND I JUST WANT TO SAY WE WILL BE RETURNING TO THE CLOSED SESSION AT THIS TIME.
SO THANK YOU. HAVE A GOOD DAY.
[CLOSED SESSION]
ALL RIGHT, WELL, COME ON, WE'RE OUT OF CLOSED SESSION.WE'D JUST LIKE TO REPORT OUT THAT WE STAFF WAS GIVEN DIRECTION, AND WE'LL ADJOURN THIS MEETING.
THANK YOU.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.