[00:00:02]
ALL RIGHT, WE'RE GONNA GO AHEAD AND GO, UH, WELCOME AND GOOD EVENING, AND, UH, TO THE APRIL 23RD, 2024 MEETING ON THE SECOND BOARD OF SUPERVISORS.
WE'LL BE MEETING IN CLOSE SESSION AS BOTH THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS AND ACTING AS THE IN-HOME SUPPORT SERVICES, PUBLIC H, PUBLIC AUTHORITY, AND GOVERNING BOARD.
YOUR CLOSED SESSIONS THIS AFTERNOON ARE MEET AND CONFER AGENCY NEGOTIATOR MARCY BARRERA, EXISTING LITIGATION CASTILLO VERSUS MERCED COUNTY, ETAL, MERCED SUPERIOR COURT CASE NUMBER 20, CV DASH 0 2 0 6 2, PUBLIC EMPLOYEE APPOINTMENT COUNTY SPRING FAIR MANAGER.
AND ON THE IHS AGENDA, MEET AND CONFER AGENCY NEGOTIATOR MARCY BARRERA.
THE PUBLIC WILL BE PROVIDED AN OPPORTUNITY TO COMMENT ON ANY MATTER TO BE CONSIDERED IN ENCLOSED SESSION PRIOR TO THE BOARD ADJOURNING INTO THE CLOSED SESSION.
TESTIMONY IS LIMITED TO THREE MINUTES PER PERSON.
AT THIS TIME, I WILL OPEN A PUBLIC COMMENT FOR CLOSED SESSION ITEMS FOR BOTH AGENDAS.
I DON'T SEE NO ONE FROM THE PUBLIC HERE, SO I'LL CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENT AND, UH, WE'LL GO ADJOURN INTO CLOSED SESSION.
[CALL TO ORDER]
ALL RIGHT.WE'RE GONNA GO AHEAD AND GET STARTED.
GOOD EVENING AND WELCOME BACK TO THE APRIL 23RD, 2024 MEETING OF THE MERCED COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS.
UH, EARLIER THIS EVENING, WE HAD A, UH, CLOSED SESSION MEETING AS BOTH THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS AND ACTING AS IN, IN-HOME SUPPORT SERVICES, PUBLIC PUBLIC AUTHORITY GOVERNING BOARD.
UM, I'M GONNA READ A STATEMENT.
FIRST, ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, I'M PLEASED TO ANNOUNCE THAT WE HAVE SUCCESSFULLY REACHED A TENTATIVE AGREEMENT WITH THE MERCED COUNTY DEPUTY SHERIFF'S ASSOCIATION REPRESENTING DEPUTIES, DISPATCHERS, AND CORONERS, WHICH COMES AFTER MONTHS OF HARD WORK AND NEGOTIATIONS.
THE BOARD WILL CONSIDER THIS AGREEMENT AT ITS REGULARLY, UH, SCHEDULED MEETING ON MAY 7TH.
I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO TAKE THIS TO THANK ALL WHO CONTRIBUTED TO THIS SUCCESSFUL NEGOTIATION AND, UH, STAFF WAS GIVEN DIRECTION.
ALSO, I'D LIKE TO SAY THAT WE'RE GONNA HAVE THE PRESENTATION, UM, INVOCATION, AND THEN THE PRESENTATION BEFORE THE PUBLIC COMMENT.
WE'LL NOW START WITH THE INVOCATION LED BY VAL FOGELBERG FROM THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LETTER OF THE SAINTS.
AND THEN, UH, SUPERVISOR PRODUCER WILL LEAD THE PLEDGE OF ALLS.
IF YOU CAN, PLEASE STAND GATHERED TOGETHER THIS EVENING.
IN THE SPIRIT OF COMMUNITY, WE'RE GRATEFUL FOR THE FREEDOM OF ASSEMBLY THAT WE'VE BEEN BLESSED WITH.
WE ASK YOUR BLESSINGS ON THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN ELECTED TO LEAD THE COMMUNITIES IN WHICH WE LIVE.
REMIND THEM THAT THEY ARE NOT ONLY LEADERS, BUT ARE ALSO SERVANTS.
AND IT IS THEIR RESPONSIBILITY TO SERVE THE COMMON GOOD OF ALL.
GRANT THEM THE WISDOM AND COURAGE TO KNOW AND DO WHAT IS RIGHT AND GOOD AND TRUE.
WE ARE ALSO GRATEFUL FOR OUR COMMUNITY'S FIRST RESPONDERS THAT HELP KEEP US SAFE.
PLEASE BLESS THEM AND PROTECT THEM AS THEY SERVE.
FATHER, IN THE NAME OF THY SON, JESUS CHRIST.
PLEDGE, I PLEDGE TO ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY, REGIME OF JUSTICE FOR ALL AT THIS TIME, UM,
[PRESENTATION]
BY THE JUDGE, PROACTIVE.UH, SINCE WE HAVE AMAZING MEN AND WOMEN HERE TODAY, UH, TO RECOGNIZE FOR THEIR OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTIONS TO OUR COMMUNITIES, WE'LL HAVE OUR VOLUNTEER RECOGNITION PRESENTATION ITEM PRIOR TO THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD.
UM, I WOULD LIKE TO, UH, WELCOME EVERYONE WHO IS HERE TODAY FOR OUR VOLUNTEER RECOGNITION CEREMONY.
THIS YEAR MARKS THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF NATIONAL VOLUNTEER WEEK COUNTIES PROGRAM WAS ESTABLISHED IN 1999.
WE ARE VERY GRATEFUL FOR THE VOLUNTEERS IN OUR COMMUNITIES, THE WIDE AREA OF PROGRAMS AND SERVICES THAT PROVIDE WILL NOT BE POSSIBLE WITHOUT THEIR COMMITMENT, TIME, AND ENERGY.
FIRST OFF, I WOULD LIKE TO INTRODUCE AND THANK OUR SCREENING COMMITTEE MEMBERS WHO SCORED THIS YEAR'S NOMINEE.
AND, UM, IF I CAN, IF I MENTION YOUR NAME AND YOU'RE HERE, IF YOU CAN PLEASE, UH, UH, STAND OR RAISE YOUR HAND.
[00:05:02]
DISTRICT TWO, TRACY TRACY, PRIORITY.DISTRICT THREE, JEANIE KNIGHT.
WE RECEIVED MANY FANTASTIC NOMINATIONS THIS YEAR, AND TODAY WE'RE HONORING 10 OF THEM, TWO FROM EACH SUPERVISED SORIO DISTRICT.
WE WILL BE INTRODUCING EACH OF THE RECIPIENTS, STARTING WITH DISTRICT ONE AND TELLING YOU ALL ABOUT THE WORK THEY'VE BEEN DOING IN THE COMMUNITY AND PRESENTING THEM WITH CERTIFICATES OF RECOGNITION AS WELL AS THE COUNTY PENN.
IF ANYONE IN ATTENDANCE NOMINATED ONE OF THE TODAY'S RECIPIENTS, PLEASE FEEL FREE TO JOIN THEM UP FRONT.
UH, AS THEY RECEIVE THEIR CERTIFICATES, ARE THERE ANY, UH, STATE REPS THAT WOULD LIKE TO HAVE THEY HAVE ANY RE YEAH.
AS, AS THEY COME UP, UM, PLEASE COME UP AS WELL.
AFTER WE'RE DONE, UH, PRESENTING ALL THE CERTIFICATES, WE'LL GATHER UP FROM THE FRONT, UP FRONT FOR A PHOTO GROUP, WHICH WILL BE FOLLOWED BY A BRIEF RECEPTION IN THE LOBBY AREA OUTSIDE THE BOARD CHAMBERS.
THERE WILL BE ALSO BE A PHOTO SCREEN SET UP AT THE RECEPTION WHERE YOU CAN TAKE A PHOTO WITH FAMILY, FRIENDS, OR MAYBE EVEN YOUR FAVORITE SUPERVISOR.
CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL YOU FOR A JOB.
AND LET'S START THIS CEREMONY.
WELL, FIRST OF ALL, UH, MY FIRST, UH, VOLUNTEER, UH, OF DISTRICT ONE INDIVIDUAL.
I DON'T THINK SHE'S HERE TODAY.
UM, DIANE DALLAS, UH, NOMINATED, NOMINATED BY DEBORAH JACOBS ROBINSON ORGANIZATION WAS A VOLUNTEER FOR THE LIVINGSTON HIGH SCHOOL.
ALL ALUMNI LIVINGSTON HIGH SCHOOL, ALL ALUMNI WAS ORGANIZED IN 2023.
MS. DIANE DALLAS TOOK THE REINS AS PRESIDENT, HAVING BEEN INVOLVED WITH THE LIVINGSTONE HIGH SCHOOL ALL ALUMNI REUNION COMMITTEE.
PREVIOUSLY, SHE HAD WOR SHE HASN'T LOOKED BACK.
SHE'S BEEN STEADFAST IN GETTING THE ELECTED BOARD OF, UH, DIRECTORS AT ITS APPOINTED COMMITTEES TOGETHER FOR MEETINGS AND MOTIVATING THEM AND COUNTS COUNTLESS OTHERS, UH, TO GIVE BACK TO LIVINGTON HIGH SCHOOL AND STUDENTS AND ALUMNI.
THIS, UH, SPRING LHS ALL ALUMNI IS AWARDING SCHOLARSHIPS OF $7,900.
AND IN THE FALL OF 2023, APPROXIMATELY ABOUT $1,500 WAS DONATED TO LHS CLIPS AND RELATED GROUPS.
MRS. LES HAS ALSO BEEN AN IMPETUS IN ORGANIZING THE ANNUAL LHS ALL LA ALL LAMINATED REUNION.
SHE'S ACTIVELY PROMOTING THE 2024 CENTENNIAL OF LIVINGSTONE HIGH SCHOOL IN THE FALL OF 24 20 24.
SHE DOES ALL OF THIS WITH A SMILE ON HER FACE.
WE TRULY APPRECIATE THE WORK PERFORMED BY MS. DALLAS AND ARE PLEASED TO RECOGNIZE HER TODAY.
UNFORTUNATELY, SHE'S NOT HERE, SO WE'LL JUST FORWARD THE CERTIFICATES.
IS AVA HERE, PLEASE, PLEASE COME UP.
NOMINATED BY ERICA MARTINEZ, ORGANIZATION, VOLUNTEERS FOR MOKIS PHOTOGRAPHY.
YOU WANNA GET IN THE MIDDLE? YEAH.
MR. AVA IS A FANTASTIC VOLUNTEER IN THE COMMUNITIES OF PLANADA DE GRAND AND MERCED.
HE LOVES PHOTOGRAPHY AND IS ALWAYS WILLING TO CAPTURE STUDENT ATHLETES DOING WHAT THEY DO BEST.
HIS SERVICES ARE ALWAYS FREE AND HE LOVES TO CAPTURE THESE SPECIAL, UH, MOMENTS FOR THE STUDENTS.
HE WILL TRAVEL TO DIFFERENT SCHOOLS AND SHARE THE PICTURES WITH THE STUDENTS AND PARENTS.
MR. NAVA IS DRIVEN TO MAKE SURE THAT THE ATHLETES HAVE A MEMORY OF WHAT THEY LOVE TO DO.
M'S PHOTOGRAPHY NOT ONLY PROVIDES FREE PICTURES, HE'S CAPTURING MEMORIES FOR THE ATHLETES NEAR OR FAR HE'S
[00:10:01]
WILLING TO TRAVEL.IF AN ATHLETE REQUESTS HIS PRESENCE, HE'S DOING WHAT HE LOVES AND MAKES SURE THAT HE CAPTURES A PICTURE THAT IS PRESENTS TO THE ATHLETE.
MR. NAVA, THANK YOU FOR YOUR DEDICATION TO OUR STUDENTS.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO SAY SOMETHING? NO.
HEY, YOU GUYS WANNA COME UP? YOU GUYS WANNA COME UP? TAKE WE'LL DO, WE'LL DO NO, WE'LL DO THEY'RE YOURS.
FORGOT TO GIVE YOU THAT, BUT THANK YOU.
UH, DISTRICT TWO, UM, CAN DARRYL TURF JOIN ME UP HERE PLEASE? GOOD JOB.
HE WAS NOMINATED BY AGGIE FREEMAN VOLUNTEERS FOR MERCED SUNRISE ROTARY.
MR. J DARRYL CHER'S DEDICATION TO OUR COMMUNITY IS EXEMPLIFIED BY HIS COUNTLESS HOURS SPENT IMPROVING IT.
HE'S THE ASSISTANT GOVERNOR OF ROTARY DISTRICT 52 20 PAST PRESIDENT OF THE ROTARY CLUB OF MERCED SUNRISE, CHAIRMAN OF THE 12TH ANNUAL MERCED FIELD OF HONOR AND CO-CHAIR OF THE 2024 WALL THAT HEALS.
MR. CHER IS A UNITED STATES AIR FORCE VETERAN RETIRED EDUCATOR, AND HIS ON ONGOING COMMITMENT TO SUPPORTING VETERANS AND THEIR FAMILIES IS TRULY AN INSPIRATION.
TODAY IS ALSO, I BELIEVE YOUR BIRTHDAY.
WE'RE, WE ARE HONORED TO RECOGNIZE HIM WITH THIS AWARD.
SOMETHING, UM, ACTUALLY, YEAH, I DO.
UM, THIS AWARD IS NOT AN INDIVIDUAL AWARD.
THIS EVENT THAT WE JUST HELD, THE WALL THAT HILLS, HOPEFULLY A LOT OF YOU GOT OUT THERE TO SEE THE VIETNAM MEMORIAL WALL.
OUR CLUB, JUST TO GIVE YOU PERSPECTIVE, WE HAVE ABOUT 42 ACTIVE MEMBERS.
THIS WAS A COMMUNITY EVENT AND WE WANT TO THANK EVERYBODY WHO WAS INVOLVED.
WE WERE SO GLAD TO BE ABLE TO JUST BE A SMALL PART OF THAT.
BUT HONESTLY, THIS IS A COMMUNITY THAT COMES TOGETHER FOR OUR VETERANS AND WE GREATLY APPRECIATE EVERYBODY WHO CAME OUT AND HELPED.
WE HAD PEOPLE THERE 24 HOURS A DAY MANNING THE DIFFERENT BOOTHS AND VOLUNTEERING DURING THE RAIN, DURING THE COLD, AND THEY WERE OUT THERE TO SUPPORT THIS, UH, AMAZING PROJECT THAT CAME TO MERCED.
BUT THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS, THIS AWARD.
BUT LIKE I SAY, THIS IS DEFINITELY NOT AN INDIVIDUAL AWARD.
TOM WAS NOMINATED BY CHRISTOPHER M BURNELL AND HE VOLUNTEERS FOR THE MERCED YOUTH SOCCER ASSOCIATION.
MR. TOMSLEY IS A CORNERSTONE OF THE COMMUNITY AND IS DEDICATED TO THE MERCED YOUTH SOCCER ASSOCIATION.
TIRELESSLY CONTRIBUTING 10 TO 20 HOURS A WEEKLY.
OVER THE PAST 20 YEARS, HIS COMMITMENT SPANS ACROSS ALL FACETS OF THE ORGANIZATION, ENSURING SOCCER FIELD MAINTENANCE FOR MERCED COLLEGE, MERCED HIGH MCNAMARA PARK, AND THE YOUTH SPORTS COMPLEX.
MR. SILVER LEE'S METICULOUS ATTENTION TO DETAIL AND PAINTING FIELD LINES, COORDINATING GROUND MAINTENANCE AND INSTALLING GOLD NETS GUARANTEES A SECURE AND PROFESSIONAL ENVIRONMENT FOR MORE THAN 1600 YOUNG ATHLETES AGED FOUR THROUGH 15, TWO OF WHICH ARE MY, MY CHILDREN IN THE RECREATIONAL PROGRAM, MORE THAN 32 TEAMS IN THE COMPETITIVE PROGRAM AND FIVE DIVISIONS COMPROMISING OVER 400 ADULT PLAYERS IN THE MERCED UNITED LEAGUES.
IN ADDITION TO HIS VITAL ROLE IN FIELD MAINTENANCE, MR. CLY ALSO UPHOLDS THE FINANCIAL INTEGRITY OF THE ORGANIZATION AS ITS TREASURER.
HIS FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT IS PIVOTAL IN MAINTAINING THE ORGANIZATION'S NONPROFIT STATUS, ENSURING SUSTAINABLE FUNDING AND RESOURCES TO SUPPORT THE VAST ARRAY OF PROGRAMS OFFERED.
MR. TIVOLI HAS BECOME AN EMBLEM OF VOLUNTEERISM AND COMMUNITY SERVICE, INSPIRING OTHERS WITH HIS COMMITMENT TO ENSURING EVERY PLAYER FROM THE YOUNGEST IN THE RECREATIONAL LEAGUE TO THE SEASON, THE ADULTS IN THE MERCED UNITED LEAGUES.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR SERVICE.
[00:15:02]
OKAY.ONLY THING I'D SAY IS THAT SPORTS IS SO IMPORTANT FOR OUR YOUTH AND, UM, APPRECIATE, UH, THE SUPPORT WE GET FROM THE CITY AND THE COUNTY.
ARE WE DOING GLEN FIRST AND NOW FOR DISTRICT THREE? IT'S ACTUALLY REALLY AN HONOR.
UH, GLEN GALMAN COULD NOT BE HERE TODAY, BUT YOU CAN SEE HIS PICTURE THERE.
WE BECAME OUR, UH, COUNTY VETERAN SERVICE OFFICER, UM, TO SHOW YOU WHAT KIND OF A MAN HE IS, HE WAS WITH US FOR EIGHT MONTHS, PROBABLY ABOUT EIGHT MONTHS.
HIS PARENTS WERE NOT DOING WELL.
HE COMES TO US FROM HAWAII AND UH, HE ACTUALLY HAD TO RESIGN FROM HIS POSITION HERE TO GO BACK AND TAKE CARE OF HIS PARENTS.
HOW ADMIRABLE IS THAT? UM, BROUGHT HIS MOM BACK, LOST HIS FATHER DURING THAT TIME, BROUGHT HIS MOM BACK HERE TO THE STATES.
SHE'S STILL LIVING HERE IN THE AREA AND HE IS FULLY IMMERSED AND DEDICATED HIMSELF TO THE VETERANS.
BUT HE WAS NOMINATED BY AGGIE FREEMAN.
UH, MR. GLENN GALMAN IS TRULY A VALUABLE ASSET TO OUR COMMUNITY.
HE APPLIED THE VIETNAM VETERANS MEMORIAL FOUNDATION AND TO THE ROTARY CLUB, MERCED SUNRISE, TO BRING THE WALL OF THAT HEELS TO MERCED COUNTY.
THIS IS SOMETHING HE GOT AN IDEA ON, ON HIS OWN AND JUST RALLIED THE TROOPS.
AND SUNRISE ROTARY REALLY STEPPED UP TO BE A PART OF THAT.
UH, I CAN REMEMBER WHENEVER HE CAME TO ME WHEN HE WAS FIRST THINKING ABOUT IT, SWORE I COULDN'T SAY A WORD TO ANYBODY AND, UH, KEPT IT QUIET.
WE DIDN'T REALLY KNOW IF HE'S GONNA BE ABLE TO DO IT, BUT IT'S GLEN.
WHEN IT'S GLEN, YOU KNOW IT'S GONNA GET DONE.
UM, BUT THIS WAS BROUGHT HERE FOR OUR VIETNAM VETERANS AND THEIR FAMILIES AND FOR THE COMMUNITY.
MARCH 26TH, THROUGH MARCH 31ST THIS YEAR, MR. GELMAN HAD SPENT A CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT OF TIME ON THIS PROJECT WITH PLANNING BEGINNING TO THE END, UH, FROM LAST YEAR.
WE'RE GRATEFUL OF MR. GELMAN'S IN INGENUITY, HIS LEADERSHIP AND HIS COMMITMENT TO SERVING VETERANS IN MERCED COUNTY.
HE IS A VETERAN OF THE UNITED STATES COAST GUARD AND FORMER VETERAN SERVICE OFFICER FOR MERCED COUNTY.
WE'RE PLEASED TO BE ABLE TO RECOGNIZE HIM WITH THIS AWARD.
I WISH HE COULD BE HERE TONIGHT.
YEAH, IF YOU WANT TO GIVE THOSE TO ME, MAYBE I COULD, UH, GIVE THEM TO 'EM.
I SHOULD HAVE SAID THAT FROM THE BEGINNING.
MAKE SURE I'M GIVING YOU THE RIGHT ONE, SIR.
SO OUR NEXT, UH, RECOGNIZED GROUP IS, UH, BEEN NOMINATED BY GAMALA MUHAMMAD, UH, AND IT'S THE MERCED COUNTY DISASTER RELIEF PREPAREDNESS.
THE AMERICAN RED CROSS OF MERCED COUNTY IS NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED ORGANIZATION WITH A SIGNIFICANT LOCAL PRESENCE.
90% OF THE ORGANIZATION IS COMPRISED OF VOLUNTEERS.
THE ORGANIZATION IS OVER 100 YEARS OLD AND WOULD NOT EXIST IF NOT FOR THE VOLUNTEERS AND THE DONORS WHO HAVE KEPT IT ALIVE.
THE MERCED RED CROSS HAD NOT BEEN VERY ACTIVE IN MERCED FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS, MUCH UNTIL YOU GOT INVOLVED
THE TEAM GREW WITH THREE VOLUNTEERS TO 18 IN LESS THAN A YEAR.
THIS RECOGNITION TODAY IS FOR THE INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE STEPPED UP FOR MERCED COUNTY RESIDENTS, WHETHER IT'S RESPONDING TO A HOME FIRE, TEACHING FIRE SAFETY TO SMALL CHILDREN, OR INSTALLING SMOKE ALARMS IN THE HOMES OF THE COUNTY, OR EVEN HELPING FLOOD VICTIMS AS WELL.
THAT WASN'T MENTION IN HERE, BUT YOU GUYS WERE VERY INVA ACTIVE IN THAT.
THE RED CROSS VOLUNTEERS HAVE TRULY BEEN DEDICATED TO
[00:20:01]
THE RED CROSS MISSION IN ALLEVING, ELEVATING HUMAN SUFFERING, ALLEVIATING HUMAN SUFFERING IN THE FACE OF DISASTER.THE MERCED TEAM HAS INSTALLED SMOKE ALARMS IN OVER 30 HOMES IN LESS THAN SIX MONTHS.
THESE VOLUNTEERS ALSO HAVE REGULAR DAY JOBS AND YET MAKE THE TIME OF THEIR BUSY SCHEDULES TO SUPPORT RESIDENTS ALL OVER MERCED COUNTY.
THE RED CROSS TEAM RESPONDS TO HOME FIRES ALL OVER THE COUNTY, PROVIDING RESIDENTS WITH IMMEDIATE ASSISTANCE AND RESOURCES.
THE TEAM ALSO SUPPORTS PREPAREDNESS EDUCATION TO YOUNG CHILDREN.
THE RED CROSS ALSO PROVIDES ASSISTANCE WITH SHELTER TRAINING FOR COUNTY EMPLOYEES AND WILL CONTINUE TO PROVIDE SUPPORT AS NEEDED.
OUR LOCAL RED CROSS HAS BEEN VERY LIMITED AND MOSTLY DORMANT THESE IN DORMANT UNTIL THESE INCREDIBLE INDIVIDUALS, INDIVIDUALS STEPPED UP AND CHANGED EVERYTHING.
I'D LIKE TO PERSONALLY THANK THESE VOLUNTEERS FOR THEIR DEDICATION TO THE COMMUNITY.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR ALL THAT YOU DO.
I KNOW YOU WANT THE MICROPHONE.
AND THE RED CROSS WOULD NOT EXIST LIKE DARREN WAS TALKING ABOUT, UH, WITHOUT THE VOLUNTEERS.
AND WE'VE HAD TWO AMAZING INDIVIDUALS HERE, APRIL THACKER AND HER MOM, MOLLY THACKER, WHO DID KEEP THE, UH, RED CROSS ALIVE ALL IN THEIR OWN FOR ABOUT 20 YEARS NOW.
WE HAVE ANOTHER ONE OF OUR VOLUNTEERS HERE TONIGHT.
ROSA NUNO, THANK YOU FOR COMING.
UM, BUT YEAH, THIS IS A HUGE HONOR AND, UM, WE'RE HERE TO SERVE THE COMMUNITY.
UM, AND ANYONE WHO'S INTERESTED IN PROVIDING SUPPORT TO THE COMMUNITY, COME TALK TO US.
WE'D LOVE TO HAVE YOU JOIN US.
SO, WHEN I FOUND OUT THIS WAS A NOMINATION, GALEE ACTUALLY LIVES IN MY DISTRICT AND IS A PART OF ONE OF MY MAX.
I KNOW YOU'RE COUNTYWIDE, BUT FOR HER LIVING IN MY DISTRICT, I STEPPED UP.
I DON'T WANT YOU TO BE OUTTA MY DISTRICT.
SO, ON BEHALF OF THE MERCED COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, I'D LIKE TO PRESENT YOU WITH A CERTIFICATE AND HONORED BEING THE VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR.
YOU WANT HIS GROUP PICTURE? YOU JUST WANNA GET IN HERE? I CAN STAND IN THE BACK.
SO, YEAH, YOU CAN BE SEEN ANYWHERE.
HERE, SCOOT OVER A LITTLE BIT MORE.
UH, FIRST I'D LIKE TO ASK, UH, FAITH ELLEN JOHNSON TO COME UP WHILE SHE'S WALKING UP HERE.
I GREW UP WITH, UH, WITH HER DAD AND, AND HER AUNTS AND UNCLES.
AND, UH, I HAVE A PICTURE OF MYSELF, UH, IN A, IN A BUNNY COSTUME WITH FAITH WHEN SHE WAS THREE WEEKS OLD AT OUR LOCAL SCHOOL DISTRICT'S, UH, EASTER EGG HUNT.
SO I'VE KNOWN FAITH A LONG TIME, AND SHE'S A WONDERFUL PERSON AND, UH, IT'S AN HONOR TO HONOR HER.
UH, SHE WAS, UH, UH, NOMINATED BY HER, UH, FATHER CRAIG JOHNSON.
AND, UM, AND, UH, SHE, UH, DOES WORK THAT BENEFITS, UM, MERCY MEDICAL CENTER.
UH, MS. JOHNSON IS AN INCREDIBLE INDIVIDUAL.
UPON RETURNING HOME FROM GRADUATION AT CHICO STATE, SHE HAS SPENT A CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT OF TIME, HAND CROCHETING 15 TO 20 BEANIE BABIES A MONTH, TAGGING THEM AND DELIVERING THEM TO MERCY MEDICAL CENTER.
TO DATE, MS. JOHNSON HAS DONATED 815 BEANIES.
I SAID BEANIE BABIES, BUT IT'S BEANIES FOR BABIES.
OTHERWISE, I WAS GONNA ASK FOR ONE OF THOSE OSAGES, THEY WERE KIND OF RARE.
UM, ANYWAYS, UH,
UH, SHE POSTS PHOTOS OF THE BEANIES, UH, TO FACEBOOK AND INSTAGRAM UNDER HER ACCOUNT NAME, BABIES FIRST BEANIE.
AND SOMETIMES PARENTS RESPOND WITH PHOTOS OF THEIR BABIES WEARING THE BEANIES.
UH, EACH MONTH, UH, HAS A DIFFERENT THEME.
[00:25:01]
MS. JOHNSON CONTINUES, UH, THIS EFFORT, DESPITE HAVING A FULL-TIME JOB WITH A 45 MINUTE COMMUTE, SHE IS TRULY PASSIONATE FOR SUPPORTING THE NEWBORNS IN MERCED COUNTY.MS. JOHNSON, WE'RE PLEASED TO PRESENT YOU WITH THIS AWARD, ALONG WITH OUR APPRECIATION AND GRATITUDE.
THAT'S A PIN, A MERCER COUNTY PIN, AND HERE IS A VOLUNTEER CHALLENGE COIN.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO SAY A FEW WORDS? NO.
YEAH, SHE'S KIND OF SHY, BUT, UH, BUT I WILL TELL YOU THAT MIKE NORTH, WHO IS OUR, UH, HE'S A
SO, YOU KNOW, HIS WIFE IS PREGNANT AND DOING A MONTH.
SO ANYWAYS, WELL THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
BETTER GET RID OF THAT, HUH? THANK YOU.
AND CAN WE GET A PICTURE? OH, SURE.
UH, NEXT, UH, FOR DISTRICT FOUR, UH, WE HAVE MICHELLE URIBE AND SHE WAS NOMINATED BY CAROLYN WATKINS.
UH, HER ORGANIZATION, UH, HER ORGANIZATION IS THE WINTON MUNICIPAL, UH, MUNICIPAL ADVISORY COUNCIL AMONGST MANY OTHERS.
UH, MICHELLE URIBE HAS SERVED ON THE WINTON, UH, WE CALL 'EM MAX, UH, HERE AT THE COUNTY, THE WINTON MAX SINCE, UH, 2015.
SHE SERVES AS CHAIRWOMAN AND HAS TAKEN IT UPON HERSELF TO INFORM THE COMMUNITY OF UPCOMING MAC MEETINGS, INCLUDING DISTRIBUTING POSTCARD SIZE REMINDERS OF MONTHLY MEETINGS IN ENGLISH AND SPANISH.
SHE PARTICIPATES IN THE ANNUAL LOVE WENT AND CLEANUPS.
UM, MS. URIBE VOLUNTEERS HER TIME WEEKLY.
UH, SHE ACTUALLY IS A, A BROADCASTER ON SUNDAY MORNINGS ON K-A-A-M-B, UH, CHRISTIAN RADIO.
AND I LISTEN TO HER AND SHE DOES A WONDERFUL JOB,
SHE COULD PLAY MY SONGS WITHOUT ME HAVING TO REQUEST THEM.
AND, UH, SO, UH, AND SHE ALSO DOES OTHER FUNCTIONS AT THE RADIO STATION.
UH, THE FUNCTIONS SHE PARTICIPATES IN ARE REALLY TOO MANY TO LIST HERE, BUT ALSO INCLUDE PARTICIPATING IN THE LOCAL ROTARY CLUB, CHRISTMAS TREE DISPLAY AT THE FIRE STATION, UH, PURCHASING CHRISTMAS GIFTS FOR CHILDREN WHO HAVE INCARCERATED PARENTS ACTIVE WITH THE WINTON COMMUNITY HALL.
UH, SHE'S A PRIOR BOARD MEMBER OF THE WINTON CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.
UH, SHE'S ALSO A MENTOR TO, UH, HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS AT ATWATER HIGH SCHOOL.
UH, MS. REBE DOES SO MUCH FOR OUR COMMUNITIES IN MERCED COUNTY.
WE'RE PROUD OF HER AND, UH, WOULD LOVE TO GIVE HER THIS MUCH DESERVED AWARD.
AND THEN, UH, A CHALLENGE POINT FOR VOLUNTARY.
SHE'S NOT QUITE AS SHY AS FAITH, SO I'M GONNA TRY TO GET A FEW WORDS OUTTA HER.
PRETEND THEY'RE, UM, IN THE RADIO AUDIENCE.
UM, THANK YOU FOR THIS RECOGNITION AND, UM, IT'S AN HONOR TO BE PART OF THE WINTON COMMUNITY AND ATWATER HIGH SCHOOL AND KAMB AND, AND THESE ORGANIZATIONS.
AND, UM, THERE IS A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT DO.
I JUST FEEL SO MUCH MORE, AND, UM, AND SO THIS IS SUCH AN HONOR AND A PRIVILEGE AND THANK YOU.
THANK YOU, LLOYD FOR EVERYTHING YOU DO TOO FOR OUR COMMUNITY IN WINTON
GOOD EVENING EVERYONE, AND, AND WELCOME TO OUR VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR CEREMONIES.
UH, FIRST OFF, I AM HONORING TONIGHT MS. DJ BARUS FROM LAS SPANISH.
SHE'S NOT ABLE TO ATTEND, BUT I'M GONNA SHARE A LITTLE
[00:30:01]
BIT ABOUT DJ.IN MY NOTES, IT SAYS THAT, THAT WE CALL HER MISS BARCEL.
I'VE KNOWN HER AS DJ MY WHOLE LIFE, SO IT'S HARD FOR ME TO CALL HER MISS BARCEL, WHICH IS PROBABLY THE PROPER THING FOR ME TO DO.
BUT I'M GONNA TAKE A LITTLE BIT OF LIBERTY HERE.
SO SHE WAS NOMINATED BY MELINDA FARAS.
DJ BARZ IS AN OUTSTANDING COMMUNITY VOLUNTEER AND SUPPORTS MANY PHILANTHROPIC ORGANIZATIONS.
SHE'S A GREAT EXAMPLE OF WHAT A LEADER LOOKS LIKE, AND SHE IS PASSIONATE ABOUT HELPING OTHERS.
DJ BARUS HAS TOUCHED AND ENRICHED THE LIVES OF OTHERS, PARTICULARLY THOSE WHO ARE VULNERABLE OR LESS ABLE TO HELP THEMSELVES.
SHE IS DEDICATED AND IS HARDWORKING PERSON GIVING BACK TO OUR COMMUNITY.
SOME OF HER WORKING INCLUDES ENGAGING WITH VETERANS, SENDING CARE PACKAGES TO MEMBERS OF OUR MILITARY OVERSEAS, PROVIDING MEALS TO SENIOR CITIZENS, PROVIDING RESOURCES TO HOMELESS INDIVIDUALS AND CONNECTING THEM WITH SOCIAL SERVICES, PROVIDING TOYS, DIAPERS, AND CAR SEATS FOR BABIES, PROVIDING LEARNING MATERIALS AND BACKPACKS FOR SCHOOL AGED CHILDREN, SUPPORTING FOUR H AND FFA PROGRAMS. SOUS THE ELKS ORGANIZATION, THE LAS MANIS TOUCHDOWN CLUB, THE LOS MANIS TIGER TRAP TEAM, AND THE LOS MANIS TIGER POP WARNER FOOTBALL, GIRL SCOUTS, BOY SCOUTS.
IT'S A LONG LIST AND IT PROBABLY WOULD'VE BEEN EASIER FOR ME TO LIST THE FEW ORGANIZATIONS THAT SHE'S NOT A PART OF IN LOS SPANNA THAN THE ONES THAT SHE IS.
SO, UM, THAT'S A LONG LIST, BUT NOT THE COMPLETE LIST.
LOS MANIS AND THE SURROUNDING AREAS ARE IN SUCH A BETTER PLACE BECAUSE DJ BARUS IS THERE.
SO CONGRATULATIONS TO DJ AND I WILL MAKE SURE TO SEND THESE CERTIFICATES WITH HER.
I'LL GRAB YOUR GUYS' REALLY QUICKLY AND I'LL OH, THANK YOU MUCH.
ALRIGHT, MY NEXT ONE, COME ON UP.
I GOT MY FRIENDS FROM DOSS PALACE HERE.
SO THIS GROUP, I ACTUALLY, JESS IS BARNYARD BUDDIES.
UM, I'M ACTUALLY THE PERSON THAT NOMINATED THIS GROUP.
UM, I WAS SO FORTUNATE TO GET TO BE A PART OF THIS, AND SO I'LL READ A LITTLE BIT ABOUT IT.
JESS'S BARNYARD BUDDIES IS A TRULY UNIQUE AND WONDERFUL ORGANIZATION SERVING THE DOS PALACE AND SURROUNDING AREAS.
JESS IS A 13-YEAR-OLD SPECIAL NEEDS GIRL WHO LOVES SHOWING GOATS AND DAIRY, HER PARENTS WHO ARE WITH HERE TONIGHT.
WITH ME TONIGHT, KEVIN AND SHAYLIN SOARS, UM, WANTED TO GIVE THE SAME OPPORTUNITY TO OTHER SPECIAL NEEDS CHILDREN.
THEY PARTNER WITH THE DOS PALACE, AG BOOSTERS AND JESS BARNYARD BUDDIES WAS PLANNED.
THE CHILDREN THAT TAKE PART IN THIS PROGRAM WORK WITH VOLUNTEERS TO LEARN ABOUT LIVESTOCK.
IN THE SHOW RING, ALL CHILDREN ARE PAIRED WITH A BUDDY AND THEY WORK WITH THE GOATS AND THE SHEEP TO LEARN SHOWMANSHIP SKILLS.
AND THEN LATER ON IN THE DAY, THEY COMPETE IN A SHOWMANSHIP.
AND IN THERE, THE, AND IN THERE THERE'S AWARD PLACEMENTS GIVEN THERE'S BEST DRESSED OPPORTUNITY GIVEN CONGENIALITY AWARDS.
AND THIS EVENT IS FREE TO ANY PARTICIPANT.
THIS IS A GREAT PROGRAM FOR OUR COMMUNITY AND TEACHES KIDS LIFE SKILLS WHILE PROVIDING LONG LASTING MEMORIES.
AND IT'S MY HONOR TO AWARD JESS'S BARNYARD BUDDIES.
AND WE ALSO HAVE SHAUNA AND ADAM SOUZA, WHO ARE ONE OF THE MANY VOLUNTEERS WERE THERE.
AND SO I GOT TO BE A PART OF IT.
AND THE COOL PART AT THE END WAS, IS UNDER THEIR LEADERSHIP, I CALL IT.
AND, AND, AND THE MANY, MANY VOLUNTEERS THAT THEY HAD, THEY WENT OUT AND THEY SECURED ALL THE ANIMALS THAT THESE KIDS GOT TO SHOW.
AND THEN AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE HAD A SALE.
AND SO EACH KID HAD AN ANIMAL TO SHOW, AND WE SOLD THOSE 20 ANIMALS AT, IT WAS 20, RIGHT? 20 ANIMALS AT THE END.
AND WE RAISED HOW MUCH, IT WAS OVER $20,000 THAT WERE RATE 21,000.
AND THAT MONEY WAS EVENLY DIVIDED AMONGST ALL OF THOSE KIDS.
AS, AS PARENTS OF, OF SPECIAL NEEDS CHILDREN.
THEY UNDERSTAND THE DIFFICULTIES AND, AND, AND THE COSTS THAT ARE ASSOCIATED WITH IT.
AND SO I'LL JUST TELL YOU, IT'S A FIRST OF ITS KIND THAT I KNOW OF.
AND LAST YEAR WAS OUR FIRST ANNUAL AND WE PLAN ON HAVING IT AGAIN.
AND, UM, I'LL ALSO TELL YOU THAT I, I THINK THIS THING IS GONNA DO NOTHING BUT BIG, GET BIGGER AND GROW.
IT WAS, IT WAS SUCH A COOL EXPERIENCE.
YOU GET TO WATCH AND, AND IF YOU'VE BEEN AROUND SPEC, SPECIAL NEEDS CHILDREN, THEY COME IN ALL SHAPES AND SIZES AND DIFFERENT PERSONALITIES.
BUT WHEN YOU SEE THESE ONES THAT ARE SUPER SERIOUS OUT THERE AND THEY GET AHOLD OF THAT GOAT OR THAT LAMB, AND IT'S NOT MUCH OF A SMILE, BUT IT'S, THEY CRACK THIS LITTLE SMILE ON 'EM.
AND YOU, IF YOU'VE BEEN AROUND THAT PERSON, YOU KNOW, THAT'S A HUGE DEAL FOR 'EM.
SO AGAIN, MY GREAT HONOR TO PRESENT THIS AS, AS I, I SELECTED THEM AS, UH, I NOMINATED THEM.
MY FRIEND DOWN THERE HELPED TO SELECT THEM, BUT IT COULDN'T GO TO MORE WORTHY, UH, PARTICIPANTS.
SO, JESS BARNYARD BUDDIES AND SHAYLYNN, DO YOU WANNA TALK? SURE.
I'M GETTING USED TO SCOTTY HANDING ME A MICROPHONE AND PUTTING ME ON THE SPOT TO TALK.
UH, HE CAME TO ME AND SAID HE WANTS TO, UM, INCLUDE ALL KIDS IN, IN LIVESTOCK.
AND WE HAVE AMAZING FRIENDS HERE, SEAN AND ADAM SCOTTY THAT MADE THIS POSSIBLE.
UM, WE HAD SO MANY PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY THAT VOLUNTEERED, THEIR TIME DONATED.
WE HAD KIDS, UM, FROM THE FFA ALL THE WAY FROM GILROY TO BAKERSFIELD,
[00:35:01]
ALMOST, YEAH, BAKERSFIELD THAT CAME AND VOLUNTEERED TO BE BUDDIES.UM, I AM REALLY BIG ON INCLUSION AND IT WAS AN INCLUSION EXPERIENCE FOR OUR SPECIAL NEEDS AND OUR BUDDIES.
AND, UM, WE CAN'T WAIT TO PLAN.
WE'RE HOPING FOR MARCH AT THE END OF MARCH AGAIN, UM, THIS COMING YEAR AT THE LOS B FAIRGROUND.
SO IF ANYBODY HAS A SPECIAL NEEDS CHILD OR NIECE OR NEPHEW, UM, WE'RE ACCEPTING KIDS FROM FIVE TO 21 AND WE WOULD LOVE TO HAVE YOU BE A PART OF OUR FAMILY.
YOU WANNA SAY GOT, THEY HAVE SOME CERTIFICATES FOR YOU, YOU GUYS.
I'M GONNA DO THAT GOING THERE.
I GOT A LITTLE, HERE'S A LITTLE CHALLENGE POINT HERE AND A LITTLE PEN.
THOSE ARE, THOSE ARE, THOSE ARE HOT COMMODITY BY THE WAY.
AND HERE'S THIS ONE, AND THEN YOU'RE GONNA WANT US TO GET A PICTURE HERE.
THANK YOU AND CONGRATULATIONS TO EVERYONE AT THIS TIME.
WE ARE GOING TO TAKE A 15 MINUTE BREAK AND WE WOULD LIKE TO INVITE THE VOLUNTEERS BEING RECOGNIZED AND THE INDIVIDUALS HERE TO SUPPORT THEM IN THE LOBBY FOR LIGHT REFRESHMENTS AND A PHOTO OP.
WE'RE GONNA GET BACK TO THE MEETING NOW.
[PUBLIC OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK]
AND WE'LL MOVE ON TO A NON AGENDA PUBLIC COMMENT.IT'S NOW TIME FOR PUBLIC OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK ON ANY MATTER OF PUBLIC INTEREST WITHIN THE BOARD'S JURISDICTION, EXCLUDING ITEMS ON THE BOARD'S AGENDA.
TESTIMONY IS LIMITED TO THREE MINUTES PER PERSON AND 30 MINUTES TOTAL AT THIS TIME.
I WILL OPEN UP PUBLIC COMMENT AGAIN, AND THIS IS FOR NON AGENDA ITEMS. GO AHEAD PLEASE, GENTLEMEN.
UM, SO I HAVE A PETITION HERE.
OH, WELL, BEFORE I START, I WOULD LIKE TO THANK ALL OF YOU FOR ALL OF THE WORK THAT YOU DO.
I HAVE 359 SIGNATURES, UM, THAT I'VE BEEN GETTING ON MY OWN TIME, UM, FOR THE PAST FIVE MONTHS.
AND THE PETITION IS TO PLEASE FIX, UM, PLAINSBURG ROAD BETWEEN THE INTERSECTIONS OF BEAR CREEK AND HIGHWAY ONE 40.
I HAVE SOME IMAGES IF YOU'D LIKE TO SEE OF THE ROAD.
IT IS THE ONLY ROAD THAT PEOPLE HAVE TO BE ABLE TO GO INTO TOWN THERE, AND THERE'S NO SIDEWALKS.
SO, AND I'LL GIVE YOU GUYS THE IMAGES SHORTLY, BUT ESSENTIALLY WHEN YOU'RE DRIVING DOWN THAT ROAD, YOU'RE DODGING CARS, PEDESTRIANS, PEDESTRIANS IN WHEELCHAIRS, AND ALSO POTHOLES.
AND I LOOKED AT THE GOOGLE IMAGES FOR THIS ROAD FOR OVER 10 YEARS AGO, AND IT WAS LOOKED EXACTLY THE SAME.
SO, UM, YOU KNOW, THERE'S SO MANY BAD ROADS IN MERCED COUNTY, BUT I CHOSE THIS ROAD TO ASK FOR YOU TO FIX BECAUSE IT'S JUST SO DANGEROUS AND IT'S SO COMMONLY USED.
PEOPLE USE IT EVERY SINGLE DAY TO GET INTO TOWN.
SO, YOU KNOW, I'M JUST TRYING TO PREVENT DEATHS, UM, PREVENT, UH, VEHICLE ACCIDENTS, UM, AND TO PREVENT MORE CARS FROM GETTING DAMAGED BECAUSE EVERY YEAR PEOPLE DO COMPLAIN, OH YEAH, I POPPED MY, MY TIRE HERE AND I'VE SEEN A, UH, EVEN A COP VEHICLE, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE TRYING TO GET THROUGH THERE AND YOU KNOW, THEY'RE BUSY.
THEY'RE, THEY HAVE TO GO BY FAST SOMETIMES, AND HE ALMOST WENT OFF THE ROAD BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, THE PAUL'S JUST STEERING HIM INTO A DIFFERENT DIRECTION.
SO, UM, WOULD YOU GUYS LIKE TO SEE THE PAPERWORK AND PHOTOS? YEAH, IF YOU CAN PUT 'EM, I ASK IT RIGHT THERE AND WE'LL GET A COPY.
WELL I APPRECIATE YOUR TIME SO MUCH.
AND THIS IS IN THE COMMUNITY OF PLAN, JUST YES.
OH, AND SORRY, I FORGOT TO MENTION OUR TWO, THE TWO PRIORITIES IS RE PAVEMENT OF ROAD AND A SIDEWALK.
THANK, WE'LL GIVE IT TO OUR PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT.
I'M AN INTERPRETER IN SPANISH AND ENGLISH, AND I RECEIVED AN EMAIL.
CARILLO LIVES IN A RURAL COMMUNITY OF SAN ELLA.
WITH HIS FAMILY, HE EXPERIENCES CEREBRAL PALSY AND OTHER MEDICAL CONDITIONS.
WHEN HE COMPLETED HIS TIME AS A STUDENT, HE FOUND THAT THERE WAS SOMETHING MISSING FROM HIS DAILY ROUTINE AND EXPRESSED THIS THROUGH HIS BEHAVIORS.
HE LOVED THE SOCIAL ENGAGEMENT AND NEW EXPERIENCE HIS SCHOOL HAD PROVIDED HIM.
HIS MOM HAD CONCERNS ABOUT FINDING
[00:40:01]
A PROGRAM THAT WAS IDEAL FOR HIS SON'S NEEDS.HER SON'S NEEDS HIS ENHANCED SERVICE COORDINATOR.
ROSIE GONZALEZ MORA HELPED HIM AND HIS FAMILY EXPLORE DAY PRO, SORRY, PROGRAM OPTIONS TO FIND THE BEST FIT FOR JESUS.
AS A TOURED LOIS DAY PROGRAM IN MERCED, THE HUGE SMILE ON HIS FACE MADE IT CLEAR JESUS HAD FOUND THE PROGRAM RIGHT FOR HIM.
HE LEFT IT SO MUCH HE DIDN'T WANT TO LEAVE.
HOWEVER, THE PROGRAM IS OVER AN HOUR AWAY FROM THEIR HOUSE, WHICH MADE TRANSPORTATION A CHALLENGE.
ROSIE WAS ABLE TO HELP FIND A WAY TO MAKE TRANSPORTATION FROM THE FAMILY'S RURAL AREA POSSIBLE.
AS ROSIE CULTIVATED A RELATIONSHIP WITH THE FAMILY, SHE DISCOVERED THERE WERE OPPORTUNITIES TO IMPROVE THE ACCESSIBILITY OF THE FAMILY'S HOME FOR JESUS.
HIS HEAD HAD BUILT A WOODEN RAMP TO THE FRONT DOOR THAT NEEDED TO BE FIXED, AND THE BATHROOM WAS CAUSING ISSUES FOR ACCESS AS WELL.
WITH ROSIE'S HELP, A NEWER SAFER RAMP IS BEING BUILT AND THE BATHROOM IS BEING UPDATED.
CURRENTLY, JESUS LOVES HIS CURRENT ROUTINE AND THE PEOPLE IN HIS LIFE AND MANY GRAVITATE TOWARD HIS JOYFUL ENERGY.
THROUGH THE TRUST AND EXTRA SUPPORT PROVIDED BY ROSIE MADE POSSIBLE THROUGH THE ENHANCED SERVICE COORDINATION PROGRAM, JESUS AND HIS FAMILY HAVE BEEN ABLE TO CHOOSE RESOURCES TO HELP HIM BEST PURSUE HIS GOALS.
JESUS RAM PROGRAM, DELO STATE PROGRAM.
I THOUGHT MY TIME WAS GETTING OVER.
I'VE BEEN YOUR PUBLIC SERVANT FOR 22 YEARS.
THERE'S A LOT OF US HERE, A LOT OF YOUR PUBLIC SERVANTS HERE THIS EVENING AND MOST OF THIS MEETING FROM JUST BEING AN OBSERVER.
BECAUSE NOT ONLY AM I YOUR PUBLIC SERVANT, I'M ALSO A TAXPAYER, UM, IS THAT YOU'VE REACHED OUT TO VARIOUS ORGANIZATIONS AND COMMUNITIES AND INDIVIDUALS AND RECOGNIZE 'EM.
VERY RARELY DO YOUR PUBLIC SERVANTS HEAR FROM YOU GUYS AND RECOGNIZE US.
THE COST OF LIVING HAS BEEN ASTRONOMICAL.
MY NET PAY HAS DECREASED OVER THE LAST 10 YEARS.
YET FOREST HANSEN WILL RECOGNIZE THE, THE QUALITY OF MY WORK.
WE TRY TO DO THE BEST WE CAN WITH THE RESOURCES YOU GIVE US, THE LIMITED RESOURCES YOU GIVE US.
NOW, MAYBE WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH TIME AND A LOT OF PEOPLE I UNDERSTAND SPEAKING IN FRONT OF A MICROPHONE IS ANXIETY INDUCING.
BUT I MEAN, TELL ME, AM I WRONG? NO, IF YOU COULD PLEASE, UH, ADDRESS THIS, PLEASE.
[00:45:01]
KNOWS WHAT THE PUBLIC CONSERVATOR, PUBLIC ADMINISTRATOR DOES FOR THIS COUNTY.I'VE BEEN A CASE MANAGER FOR THIS COUNTY, A SOCIAL WORKER FOR ADULT PROTECTIVE SERVICES.
IVANIA KNOWS ME, FEA KNOWS ME.
YOU PROBABLY NAMED SOME OTHER FOLKS OUT HERE.
THEY KNOW THE QUALITY OF WORK THAT I DO AND MANY OTHER INDIVIDUALS HERE FOR PUBLIC SERVANTS FOR YOU GUYS RECOGNIZE THAT ANYONE OF US CAN RUN AND HAVE ENOUGH PUBLIC LIKES TO SIT WHERE YOU GUYS ARE.
NONE OF YOU CAN PICK UP AND DO WHAT WE DO ON A DAILY MINIMUM.
WAGE KEEPS GOING UP, OUR PAY DOESN'T.
I THINK I'M ON THE CUSP OF EITHER JUST GOING UNEMPLOYED, GETTING A MINIMUM WAGE JOB AND GETTING WELFARE MEDI-CAL RATHER THAN PAYING $1,500 A MONTH HOUSEHOLD FOR SOMEONE, THEY CAN JUST DO THE BARE MINIMUM AND NOT DEAL WITH THESE CASES, THESE REFERRALS FROM THAT I GET AS A PUBLIC ADMINISTRATOR FOR YOU GUYS.
LISTEN, I HANDLE THE BULK OF PUBLIC ADMINISTRATOR STATE DECEDENT CASES FOR THIS COUNTY.
HOW MANY PEOPLE IS THAT IN YOUR COUNTY? YOU DON'T RECOGNIZE THAT? YOU GUYS DON'T OWE ME.
IF YOU CAN GO AHEAD AND FINISH, IF YOU CAN GO AHEAD AND FINISH, PLEASE LISTEN TO US AND GIVE US AN ADEQUATE COST OF LIVING INCREASE.
I'M NOT SURE IF YOU CAN HEAR ME A BUTTON ON THE SIDE.
THERE'S A BUTTON YOU CAN GO OVER TO YOUR RIGHT, RIGHT.
I'LL JUST LOWER THE MICROPHONE OR HOLD IT.
UM, I AM ACTUALLY EXCITED TO SEE ALL OF THE RECOGNITION OF THE VOLUNTEERS.
IT WAS REALLY QUITE BEAUTIFUL TO SEE THE ACKNOWLEDGEMENT, RECOGNITION FOR THEIR TIME AWAY FROM LOVED ONES AND FAMILY VOLUNTEERS ARE VITAL TO OUR COMMUNITY.
HOWEVER, OUR COUNTY CANNOT FUNCTION ON UNPAID LABOR ALONE.
WE DEPEND ON COUNTY EMPLOYEES DURING EMERGENCY DISASTERS, FLOODING FIRES, ALL OF THESE THINGS.
IT'S ALSO A, I'M GLAD TO HEAR THAT YOU HAVE COME TO A TENTATIVE AGREEMENT WITH THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT.
HOWEVER, THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT DOES NOT OPERATE ALONE.
THEY OPERATE IN TANDEM WITH OTHER COUNTY AGENCIES.
HSA WAS OUT THERE DURING FLOODING, FLOODING, BHRS, OTHER WORKERS, PUBLIC WORKS THERE.
IT'S NOT JUST THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT.
UM, I'M A COUNTY WORKER, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, I AM A RESIDENT OF THIS COMMUNITY.
AND I'VE BEEN WATCHING THE TOWN HALL MEETINGS AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I KNOW YOU MENTIONED WAS A THEME WAS THE HEMORRHAGING OF COUNTY EMPLOYEES AND THE VACANCIES IN ALL OF THE DEPARTMENTS, NOT JUST THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT.
SO FOR TRANSPARENCY PURPOSES OR AS A COUNTY RESIDENT, WHAT HAPPENED TO THE FUNDS FROM ALL OF THESE VACANT POSITIONS? BECAUSE WHEN THE FISCAL BUDGET COMES OUT, THERE'S MONEY FOR THESE POSITIONS THAT ARE ALLOTTED.
I CAN THINK OF MULTIPLE POSITIONS THAT HAVEN'T BEEN FILLED FOR YEARS BECAUSE WE CAN'T FIND PEOPLE, WE CAN'T RETAIN PEOPLE BECAUSE WE ARE NOT COMPETITIVE WITH WAGES.
WHERE IS THAT MONEY? AND AS SOMEONE HAD SAID DURING ONE OF THESE MEETINGS, A BOARD MEMBER, YOU KNOW THAT ALL OF YOU ARE DOING THE MATH, LOOKING IN COUCH CUSHIONS, TRYING TO FIND MONEY.
AND SO WHY AREN'T YOU PULLING IN SOME OF THE LINE STAFF? WE HAVE IDEAS.
I KNOW SOME OF THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS, PEOPLE HAVE IDEAS AND, AND SOMEONE WHO'S THINKING OF, WOW, WE'RE THAT BROKE.
WE'RE LOOKING UNDER COUCH CUSHIONS.
BUT I LOOK AT THE LAST FISCAL YEAR, UM, BUDGET FOR THE DEPARTMENT I WORK IN IN BHRS AND WE HIRED FOUR NEW PROGRAM MANAGERS.
BHRS DOESN'T, WE DON'T GET OUR FUNDING FROM THE GENERAL FUND, BUT I BRING IN REVENUE FOR OUR DEPARTMENT THAT HELPS US STAY AFLOAT.
SO IF WE'RE IN THAT MUCH OF A BIND, WHY ARE WE ADDING NEW MANAGEMENT WHEN WE COULD SUSTAIN, WE CAN OPERATE SUFFICIENTLY WITHOUT MORE ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF THAT AREN'T BRINGING IN REVENUE.
IF WE'RE THAT BROKE, I JUST WANTED TO KNOW WHERE'S, WHERE'S THE MONEY? LIKE WHERE IS IT AS FAR AS AS A RESIDENT AND ALL OF THESE VACANCIES, THOSE BENEFITS THAT WEREN'T PAID OUT, THE WAGES THAT WEREN'T PAID OUT, WHAT HAPPENED TO THE MONEY? THANK YOU.
SO WE WERE, I WAS AT THE LAST BOARD OF SUPERVISORS MEETING AND I CAME TO VOICE MY CONCERN.
THIS IS PUBLIC COMMENT ON THINGS THAT ARE ON, ON THE AGENDA.
I THEN REACHED OUT TO ALL OF YOU.
EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOU LEFT YOU A MESSAGE CALLED
[00:50:01]
YOU SPOKE TO TWO PEOPLE WHO WERE SUPPOSED TO GET BACK TO ME.NO RETURN PHONE CALLS, NO GOT BACK, DIDN'T GET BACK TO ME, AND ONE WAS HIDDEN OR I DIDN'T GET A PHONE CALL BACK.
YOU PUSHED THE AGENDA ITEM TO MAY 7TH, AND I WOULD LOVE TO THANK YOU FOR THAT, BUT I CAN'T BECAUSE ALL YOU DID WAS PUSH IT.
YOU DID NOT COME UP WITH ANY TYPE OF SOLUTION OR START A COMMUNITY CONVERSATION OR DO ANYTHING TO BE PROACTIVE SO THAT WHEN WE DO HIT MAY 7TH, THAT THERE ARE SOME OPTIONS THAT THE COUNTY FEELS LIKE THEY'RE BETTER INFORMED.
AND AS A VOTER, AS A RESIDENT OF MERCED COUNTY, TAKE A LOOK AT THIS ROOM.
YOU'RE NOT ONLY FAILING YOUR VOTERS, THE BUSINESSES IN YOUR COMMUNITY, BUT YOU'RE FAILING YOUR EMPLOYEES.
YOU ASK FOR OUR VOTES, YOU ASK FOR MY VOTE, AND YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO REPRESENT US, BUT YOU HIDE BEHIND EXCUSES, PUSHING BLAME ON EVERYBODY ELSE.
HOW ABOUT START THINKING OUTSIDE OF THE BOX.
HOW ABOUT START ASKING THE TOUGH QUESTIONS TO THE BUSINESSES AROUND HERE? HOW ABOUT IT IS WHAT IT IS.
YOU CAN'T RUN ON A BUDGET FROM 1980.
SO PEOPLE HAVE TO START PAYING MORE.
SO ASKING THOSE TOUGH QUESTIONS, STOP ASKING FOR THE POPULARITY, VOTE FOR THESE BIG CORPORATIONS AND SAY, HEY, I CAN'T EVEN PAY OUR EMPLOYEES FOR BASIC SERVICES TO PROTECT YOUR EMPLOYEES.
YOU HAVE TO START THINKING OUTSIDE OF THE BOX AND STOP TELLING PEOPLE TO CALL YOU OR EMAIL YOU BECAUSE YOU WILL GET BACK TO THEM BECAUSE THAT IS A LIE.
BUT AGAIN, YOUR ELECTED OFFICIALS, YOUR JOB IS TO SERVE YOUR VOTERS.
I HATE IT WHEN PEOPLE TELL THE COPS, OH, I PAY YOUR SALARY.
YOU HAVE TO BE PROACTIVE, NOT REACTIVE, PROACTIVE IN PROTECTING THESE CITIZENS AND DOING MORE FOR YOUR EMPLOYEES.
IT'S JUST, IT'S, IT'S ALMOST EMBARRASSING.
IT, IT'S VERY DISRESPECTFUL WHEN YOU SAY, CALL ME TO EMAIL US.
OR HIDE BEHIND A TEXT MESSAGE.
AND THE OTHER THING IS, STOP SAYING SOCIAL MEDIA ISN'T THE PLACE TO HAVE A CONVERSATION.
IT IS THE ONLY PLACE THESE CONVERSATIONS ARE STARTING TO HAPPEN.
AND IF YOU DON'T GET PROACTIVE IN JOINING THOSE CONVERSATIONS, ASSUMPTIONS WILL BE MADE AND NARRATIVES THAT YOU BE FUN ABOUT YOU.
I CAME HERE TO TRY TO COME UP WITH SOLUTIONS AND VOICE MY CONCERNS.
AND NONE OF YOU TOOK THE TIME TO REACH OUT AND SAY, HEY, WE HEAR YOU.
IF YOU CAN FINISH YOUR COMMENTS, PLEASE.
YOU HID BEHIND EXCUSES AND PUSHING BLAME TO OTHER PEOPLE.
THAT'S ONLY GONNA LAST FOR SO LONG.
I AM THE VICE PRESIDENT OF ASME LOCAL 27 0 3.
ALSO AN EMPLOYMENT TRAINING WORKER FOR HSA.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE HEAR, I HEARD A LOT OF IT FROM THE, UH, TOWN HALLS THAT WE DON'T HAVE MONEY.
WE DON'T HAVE MONEY, WE DON'T HAVE MONEY.
WE'RE LOOKING FOR IT UNDER COUCH CUSHIONS.
UM, WE DO HAVE MONEY TO PAY OUR MANAGEMENT THOUGH OUR MANAGEMENT IS THE ONE OF THE HIGHEST PAID IN THE STATE.
WE HAVE THIS NINTH HIGHEST PAID CEO WHO'S STILL IN STEP PROGRESSION IN THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA.
OUR PREVIOUS CEO WAS THE SECOND HIGHEST PAID BEHIND, BEHIND RIVERSIDE COUNTY, OUR TRANSPARENT CALIFORNIA.
SEVERAL PEOPLE ARE SPLIT INTO TWO PEOPLE IN MERCED COUNTY, ONLY COUNTY THAT'S DONE THAT TO SHOW THAT THEY'RE NOT MAKING THAT MUCH MONEY.
I KNOW WE'RE NOT NEGOTIATING RIGHT NOW, BUT WE NEED RAISES.
OUR FOLKS ARE, IT, IT'S EASY TO SIT UP THERE MAKING OVER A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS A YEAR AND MAKE DECISIONS.
WE APPRECIATE THAT YOU GUYS ARE DOING THAT.
BUT THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS, IS THAT WE'RE SITTING BACK HERE WONDERING IF WE CAN BUY BREAD OR, OR, OR MEAT.
THERE'S SOMETHING THAT CAN BE DONE ABOUT THIS INSURANCE.
I DON'T EVEN KNOW IF YOU GUYS ARE NEGOTIATING WITH OTHER PLACES, IF YOU'RE PUTTING IT OUT THERE TO OTHER INSURANCE COMPANIES TO BID FOR THIS.
THIS IS, THIS IS A BIG ORGANIZATION.
WE'RE THE 22ND LARGEST COUNTY, BUT WE'VE GOT SOME OF THE HIGHEST PAID MANAGEMENT IN THE STATE, INCLUDING THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS.
WE HAVE ONE OF THE HIGHEST PAID BOARD OF SUPERVISORS IN THE STATE AS WELL.
ONE OF THE THINGS WE NEED REALLY, REALLY NEED TO DO IS TAKE TIME AND LOOK AT THE SUFFERING OF YOUR ACCOUNT, OF YOUR ACCOUNTING WORKERS.
LOOK, THERE'S A SEA OF GREEN BEHIND
[00:55:01]
ME, RIGHT? THERE'S, THERE'S, THERE'S OTHER ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE JOINING WITH US.ALL THE UNIONS ARE STARTING TO COME TOGETHER BECAUSE WE ALL NEED A FAIR CONTRACT.
WE'RE GRATEFUL TO HEAR THAT YOU CAME TO SOME SORT OF AN AGREEMENT WITH A SHERIFF'S ASSOCIATION.
BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE STILL HAVE PEOPLE THAT, WE HAVE CHILDREN THAT ARE NOT BEING SERVED BY CPS OR CWS OR WHATEVER THEY'RE CALLING THEMSELVES TODAY.
THEY'RE NOT SERVING THE ADULTS IN OUR COMMUNITY THAT ARE, THEY'RE, THEY'RE HAVING ISSUES.
BHRS ISN'T ABLE TO SERVE THE PEOPLE THAT THEY HAVE BECAUSE THEY CAN'T ATTRACT TALENT.
THEY'RE SAYING HERE, THIS IS WHAT WE'VE GOT.
I WAS LOOKING UP ON, UM, DOING A SEVEN COUNTY SURVEY.
OUR PROGRAMMER ANALYSTS ARE THE LOWEST PAID IN SIX OF THE SEVEN COUNTIES.
AND IT'S NOT BY A LITTLE BIT, IT'S BY A LOT.
IT'S $20,000 A YEAR DIFFERENCE BETWEEN US AND ULA COUNTY, A SIMILAR SIZE COUNTY AS US.
I JUST ASKED YOU GUYS TO REALLY LOOK AT WHAT CAN BE DONE IF WE CAN DO SOMETHING ABOUT THE INSURANCE, BECAUSE THE INSURANCE IS WHAT'S KILLING ALL OF US.
YOU, YOU ALL KNOW I WAS, I WAS HERE BACK IN OCTOBER, NOVEMBER, DECEMBER ABOUT THE INSURANCE.
APPRECIATE YOUR TIME, YOU GENTLEMEN, HAVE A GREAT EVENING.
WELL, I UNDERSTAND THAT THE DSA ACCEPTED AN OFFER YESTERDAY.
I STILL STAND BEFORE YOU TODAY CONCERNED ABOUT THE STATE OF AFFAIRS WITH OUR SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT.
THIS MAY BE A SHORT TERM BANDAID, BUT AS A RESIDENT OF MERCED COUNTY, I AM LOOKING FOR THE LONG-TERM SOLUTION FOR PUBLIC SAFETY.
FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE JASON AND I SHOWED UP TO A SUPER SUPERVISOR'S MEETING, MY SISTER HAS JOINED US.
SHE HAS BEEN CRIPPLED THE LAST YEAR WAITING FOR A RESOLUTION FROM THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT AND THE DA'S OFFICE.
I HAVE SHARED OUR STORY FIRST IN A PRIVATE LETTER ADDRESSED TO EACH SUPERVISOR, THEN PUBLICLY AFTER IT WENT UNANSWERED, EXCUSE ME, IN AN EFFORT TO SPEAK FOR HER, WHEN SHE COULD NOT SPEAK FOR HERSELF, TO STAND IN THE GAP FOR HER AND TO DO EVERYTHING IN MY POWER TO PROTECT HER, IT HAS BEEN ONE OF THE MOST DIFFICULT THINGS I HAVE EVER DONE IN MY LIFE.
WHY DO I DO IT? BECAUSE I'M HER OLDER SISTER AND I FEEL IT IS MY RESPONSIBILITY TO PROTECT HER, TO SPEAK FOR HER, TO DO ANYTHING THAT I CAN TO MAKE HER FEEL SAFE.
SHE IS WHY I PUT MYSELF OUT THERE BECAUSE THAT IS HOW MUCH I CARE ABOUT HER WELLBEING.
EACH TIME I STAND UP PUBLICLY, I PUT MYSELF AT RISK.
WHETHER IT'S MY SAFETY, THE FEAR OF SOMEONE DISLIKING ME, OR THE PERSONAL, THE PERSONAL EFFECTS OF BEING OVERSTRETCHED.
THAT IS HOW IMPORTANT SHE IS TO ME.
THAT IS HOW IMPORTANT MY FAMILY, SOME OF THEM ARE HERE ARE.
THAT IS HOW IMPORTANT MY COMMUNITY IS TO ME.
WHEN YOU MAKE A CHOICE TO ENTER PUBLIC OFFICE, YOU CHOOSE TO PUT YOURSELF IN A SIMILAR POSITION.
YOU RUN ON PLATFORMS OF PUBLIC SAFETY, SPENDING MONEY WISELY, FIXING ROADS, WHATEVER THE PLATFORM.
WHEN YOU GET ELECTED, YOU NOW HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO PROTECT YOUR PEOPLE, NOT JUST YOUR OWN DISTRICT, BUT THE COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE.
THE ACTIONS THAT YOU TAKE, WHETHER IN WORD OR DEED, ARE WHAT LEAD US TO EITHER STAND BEHIND YOU OR QUESTION EVERYTHING.
I AM NOT DISCOUNTING THE DIFFICULTY OF YOUR JOB, BUT YOU CHOSE THIS.
JUST AS I CHOOSE TO CONTINUE TO STAND FOR MY FAMILY AND MY COMMUNITY, I AM ONCE AGAIN ASKING YOU TO THINK OUTSIDE OF THE BOX, WORK WITH OTHER COMMUNITIES AND ORGANIZATIONS TO WORK DILIGENTLY ALONGSIDE OUR SHERIFF AND FIRE DEPARTMENT TO COME UP WITH A LONG-TERM PLAN THAT WILL SOLVE THIS PROBLEM.
THOUGH I DID RECEIVE AN APOLOGY FROM MY SUPERVISOR, THANK YOU.
AS A CITIZEN, I STILL FEEL UNHEARD BY THE BOARD AS A WHOLE.
AND LIKE MY, AND LIKE MY STORY DOES NOT MATTER.
I WONDER HOW MANY OTHER LETTERS HAVE GONE UNANSWERED.
I'M RESPECTFULLY ASKING THAT YOU MAKE PUBLIC SAFETY AND COUNTY BENEFITS A PRIORITY AND NOT JUST A REACTION TO A FAILURE TO PLAN.
SO I'M HOPING NOW THAT WE HAVE AN AGREEMENT WITH THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT, UM, FOR CONTRACT, UM, EXTENSION OR ADDITION TO THEIR, THEIR SALARY AND THEIR PAY, THAT WE CAN BEGIN A PUBLIC DIALOGUE WITH YOU TO SOLVE THE LONG-TERM PROBLEM.
THE LONG-TERM ISSUE WITH, UH, THE NEIGHBORING COMMUNITIES OR COUNTIES POACHING OUR, UH, DEPUTIES.
[01:00:01]
THAT'S KIND OF WHAT'S HAPPENING, RIGHT? THEY'RE HERE, THEY'RE BEING TRAINED AT OUR EXPENSE AND THEN THEY'RE LEAVING TO OTHER COUNTIES.I DON'T BLAME THEM FOR GOING SOMEWHERE WHERE BENEFITS ARE BETTER.
UH, PACKAGES ARE BETTER FOR THEM.
THAT'S, THAT'S A GOOD THING FOR THEM.
WHAT IS AFFECTING US IS WE DON'T HAVE A STRATEGY TO ADDRESS IT.
AND, AND I'M LOOKING TO YOU, UH, BOARD OF SUPERVISORS FOR THAT STRATEGY.
I THINK THE PUBLIC WANTS TO HEAR THAT THERE IS A STRATEGY BEING DEVELOPED.
AND YOU KNOW, I TOOK A STEP JUST TO KIND OF, MAYBE THIS WILL HELP SPUR THE CONVERSATION.
I'VE BEEN ASKING FOR A, UH, PUBLIC TOWN HALL MEETING WITH ALL OF YOU TO ADDRESS, TO ADDRESS THE ISSUES.
AND I CALLED DOWN TO THE COUNTY, UH, RECENTLY AND ACTUALLY SUBMITTED AN APPLICATION TO RENT, UH, THE COUNTY FAIRGROUNDS BUILDING.
I'M GONNA GO AHEAD AND RESERVE A BUILDING SPACE.
I WANT TO HAVE THIS TOWN HALL MEETING WITH YOU AND NOT JUST SO WE CAN DEBATE BACK AND FORTH WHETHER YOU'RE DOING YOUR JOB THE RIGHT WAY, BUT SERIOUSLY HAVE THE DISCUSSION OF HOW WE'RE GONNA SOLVE THIS PROBLEM.
I THINK EVERYBODY IN THE COMMUNITY WANTS TO KNOW HOW ARE WE GONNA DEAL WITH THESE THINGS LIKE BENEFITS, HEALTH BENEFITS.
IT'S PUZZLING THAT THE GENTLEMAN SPOKE THAT HE DOESN'T KNOW.
IF YOU ARE NEGOTIATING FOR ANOTHER HEALTH BENEFIT, HE SHOULD KNOW.
WE SHOULD ALL KNOW THAT YOU ARE ADDRESSING IT AND FIXING THE PROBLEM OR THAT YOU HAVE A STRATEGY TO ADDRESS AND FIX THE PROBLEM.
BECAUSE THAT WOULD PUT US AT EASE AS A PUBLIC.
IT WOULD PUT ME AT EASE AS A CITIZEN BECAUSE MY ISSUE IS PUBLIC SAFETY.
YOU KNOW THAT WE LIVE IN THE COUNTY AND YOU'VE HEARD BECKY'S STORY AND SO I WANT TO KNOW, OKAY, WITH THE DEPUTIES, THEY'RE DOING SOMETHING, THEY HAVE A LONG TERM STRATEGY AND NOT JUST A SHORT TERM BANDAID OF AN 8% OR 10% SALARY RAISE, OR AN 8% OR 10% HEALTH BENEFITS, UH, INCREASE THAT.
THERE'S ACTUALLY SOMETHING BEYOND THAT THAT WE'RE WORKING ON.
I KNOW THAT WE NEED TO HAVE THIS DISCUSSION.
GENTLEMEN, PLEASE WORK WITH THE PUBLIC.
I'VE HEARD ANOTHER INDIVIDUAL SAY HERE THAT THINKING OUTSIDE OF THE BOX, WORKING WITH THE PUBLIC IDEAS.
SO WE DON'T HAVE TO LOOK UNDER THE CUSHIONS OF OUR COUCH.
BUT I THINK IF WE WORK TOGETHER, I HONESTLY BELIEVE IF WE WORK TOGETHER AS A COMMUNITY, WE CAN COME UP WITH SOME REALLY GOOD IDEAS.
I KNOW THE PIE IS ONLY, BUT WE HAVE INGREDIENTS THAT MAKE UP THE PIES THAT WE BAKE.
AND LET'S LOOK AT THOSE INGREDIENTS IN ANOTHER WAY AND MAYBE WE CAN ADDRESS THE PIE IN A DIFFERENT WAY.
I WANTED TO SHARE WITH YOU THAT WHEN, WHEN I WAS 16 YEARS OLD, UM, I RAN AWAY FROM HOME BECAUSE MY FATHER WAS BEATING MY, MYSELF, MY SIBLINGS AND MY MOM.
UM, CPS BROUGHT ME BACK ON MONDAY NIGHT AND I, AND I, I HAVE TO REITERATE THAT 1986 WAS TOTALLY DIFFERENT FROM HOW THINGS ARE HANDLED NOW.
BUT I, ONE WEEK FROM THAT, ONE WEEK FROM THAT DAY THAT I GOT SENT BACK HOME TO MY HOUSE BECAUSE I WAS TOLD THAT I WAS A SPOILED CHILD THAT JUST WANTED TO GET AWAY FROM NOT DOING CHORES.
ONE WEEK TO THAT DAY, UM, MY FATHER CAME AND DID THE SAME THING THAT HE ALWAYS DID.
AND I CALLED 9 1 1 AND TOLD THEM THAT HE WAS BACK IN THE HOUSE AND TRYING TO HURT US.
AND THANK GOODNESS MY OLDER BROTHER WASN'T THERE.
THANK GOODNESS MY SISTER WASN'T THERE.
BUT IT WAS JUST ME AND MY THREE-YEAR-OLD BROTHER.
AND WHEN HE BROUGHT THE FIGHT INSIDE INTO THE HOUSE, I UM, I WENT UPSTAIRS 'CAUSE IT WAS COLD.
I WENT UPSTAIRS TO GO GRAB A SWEATER AND NEXT THING YOU KNOW, I HEARD A SOUND THAT I THOUGHT HE WAS THROWING SOMETHING TO MY MOM AND IT SCARED THE HELL OUTTA ME.
BUT I TURNED AROUND 'CAUSE I KEPT THINKING HE'S NOT GONNA HURT MY MOM.
AND WHEN I TURNED AROUND, I SAW THE FACE OF MY LITTLE BROTHER WHO WAS WATCHING, UM, EVERYTHING THAT HAD HAPPENED AND HIS EYES WERE JUST HUGE.
AND AS I STARTED TO GO BACK DOWN THOUGH, THE TWO, THE FEW STEPS THAT WERE THERE, WHAT CAME AT ME WAS THE SMELL OF GUN SMOKE.
AND, UM, I KNEW, I KNEW WHAT IT WAS.
IMMEDIATELY WHEN THE SECOND GUNSHOT WENT OFF AND I WENT AROUND THE CORNER, I SAW MY MOM LAYING THERE WITH THE PHONE IN HER HAND.
'CAUSE SHE WAS TRYING TO CALL SOMEBODY FOR HELP.
AND MY DAD WAS LYING ON THE OTHER SIDE OF HER WITH THE GUN, STILL POINTING AT HIS HEAD.
I LOST MY PARENTS WHEN I WAS 16.
I DIDN'T NEED A SHERIFF AT THAT TIME.
I DIDN'T NEED THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.
I NEEDED THE SERVICES THAT MY AGENCY PROVIDES FOR KIDS THAT ARE IN THAT SAME SITUATION THAT ARE DEALING WITH THOSE TYPES OF HARDSHIPS.
AND BY, YOU KNOW, YOU GUYS FUNDING THE
[01:05:01]
SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT OF THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.I KNOW THEY'RE VERY IMPORTANT, BUT OUR AGENCY PROVIDES THOSE TYPES OF SERVICES THAT SOMEBODY LIKE ME COULD HAVE USED WHEN I WAS, THAT, WHEN I WAS THAT YOUNG.
IT'S NO WONDER I'M IN THE SERVICE THAT I PROVIDE NOW BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE I NEED TO BE A VOICE FOR THOSE CHILDREN THAT DON'T HAVE THAT VOICE, THAT DIDN'T HAVE, UH, WASN'T ABLE TO TALK, THAT WASN'T ABLE TO SPEAK, WASN'T ABLE TO ARTICULATE THE DIFFICULTIES THAT WE, THAT MY FAMILY WAS STRUGGLING WITH.
AND BY YOU NOT HELPING US, THE WORKERS THAT ARE DOING THAT JOB, IT'S PUTTING SO MANY LIVES AT, AT RISK.
SO AGAIN, I REITERATE IT'S NOT THE JUSTIF FIRE DEPARTMENT, IT'S NOT THE JUST THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT THAT NEED THE, THE FUNDING.
IT'S OUR AGENCY THAT PROVIDES VITAL SERVICES TO FAMILIES THAT COULD USE THOSE TYPES OF SERVICES.
THANK YOU MR. CHAIRMAN, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD COUNTY STAFF COMMUNITY.
GAVIN KLEIN, UH, FROM CONGRESSMAN DUARTE'S OFFICE.
IT WAS TRULY AN HONOR TO BE HERE TODAY TO RECOGNIZE A GREAT VOLUNTEERS IN MERCED COUNTY FOR THEIR DEDICATED SERVICE AND SERVICE TO THE COMMUNITY.
UM, I WANNA BRIEFLY TOUCH ON A BILL THAT CONGRESSMAN DTE IS A PROUD CO-SPONSOR OF, UH, THIS BILL IS A CAREERS ACT AND WHAT THIS BILL DOES, IT ALLOWS THE SECRETARY OF AGRICULTURE TO ALLOCATE FUNDS WITHIN THE RURAL INNOVATIVE STRONGER ECONOMY RISE GRANT PROGRAM, UH, TO SUPPORT CAREER PATHWAYS, UH, INDUSTRY OR SECTOR PARTNERSHIPS AND KEY SECTORS INCLUDING PUBLIC UTILITIES, TELECOMMUNICATION, BROADBAND, WATER, WASTEWATER DISPOSAL, ELECTRICAL SUPPLIES, CONSERVATION PRACTICE MANAGEMENT, HEALTHCARE, CHILDCARE MANUFACTURER AND AG AGRIBUSINESS, AND, UH, MANY OTHERS.
UH, THE GRANT AWARDS ARE AWARDED COMPLETELY WITH A MINIMUM OF $500,000 AND A MAXIMUM GRANT OF 200 MILLION TO ELIGIBLE ENTITIES.
AND THE SECRETARY HAS THE FLEXIBILITY TO ADD ADDITIONAL SECTORS TO A LOCAL WORKFORCE BOARD IF THE LOCAL WORKFORCE BOARD DEEMS THAT SECTOR TO BE IN HIGH DEMAND.
UH, AND IT REQUIRES A GRANT AWARDEE TO PROVIDE A REPORT ON THE SECRETARY TO THE SECRETARY ON ACTIVITIES FUNDED WITH THE GRANT, INCLUDING PERFORMANCE MEASURES DURING THE PROJECT PERIOD.
MY NAME IS, MY NAME IS CARLOS ALCALA AND I'M A BUSINESS AGENT FOR UNITED PUBLIC EMPLOYEES.
TODAY I STAND BEFORE YOU TO ADVOCATE FOR HARDWORKING PUBLIC EMPLOYEES OF MERCED COUNTY WHO DESERVE NOTHING LESS THAN FAIR COMPENSATION AND AFFORDABLE HEALTHCARE.
RECENTLY, CALIFORNIA HAS ENACTED LEGISLATION ENSURING THAT FAST FOOD WORKERS ARE PAID A LIVABLE WAGE OF AT LEAST $20 PER HOUR.
YET MANY OF OUR PUBLIC EMPLOYEES WHOSE RESPONSIBILITIES ARE FAR MORE COMPLEX, EARN AS LITTLE AS $16, SOMETIMES EVEN LESS THAN THAT.
THIS DISCREPANCY IS NOT ONLY UNFAIR, BUT ALSO UNDERMINES THE VALUE OF THEIR CRITICAL WORK.
FURTHERMORE, THE COST OF HEALTHCARE HEALTHCARE PRESENTS A SIGNIFICANT BURDEN FOR A PUBLIC EMPLOYEE EARNING $19 PER HOUR AND WORKING FULL-TIME.
THEIR MONTHLY INCOME IS APPROXIMATELY $3,200, YET HEALTHCARE COSTS FOR A FAMILY CAN REACH UP TO $825 IN RATES BIWEEKLY.
THIS COULD ACCOUNT FOR HALF OF SOME EMPLOYEES GROSS INCOME.
A SUBSTANTIAL PORTION CONSIDERING LEADING ECONOMISTS SUGGESTS THAT NO ONE SHOULD SPEND MORE THAN 40% OF THEIR INCOME ON HOUSING ALONE, INCLUDING OTHER ESSENTIAL LIVING EXPENSES LIKE GAS, FOOD, ELECTRICITY, AND BASIC UTILITIES, WHICH ARE NECESSITIES, NOT OPTIONS.
MOST ARE LEFT WITH ABOUT FIVE TO 10% OF THEIR INCOME AS DISPOSABLE INCOME.
WITH SUCH TIGHT MARGINS, HOW CAN WE EXPECT THEM TO AFFORD HEALTHCARE COSTS THAT CONSUMED ALMOST HALF THEIR PAYCHECK? IS IT REASONABLE FOR OUR EMPLOYEES TO CHOOSE BETWEEN HEALTH AND HOUSING? THIS SITUATION IS NOT JUST UNSUSTAINABLE, IT'S UNJUST.
TODAY, I ASK EACH ONE OF YOU ON THE BOARD, HOW MUCH DO YOU EACH PERSONALLY PAY FOR HEALTHCARE? HOW CAN YOU ACCEPT THE BENEFITS OF YOUR POSITION RECEIVING HEALTHCARE AT LITTLE TO NO COST? WHILE THE SAME CONSTITUENTS WHO DEPEND ON YOU FACE SUCH SEVERE FINANCIAL BURDENS, WHY MUST OUR OUR MEMBERS, YOUR CONSTITUENTS SUFFER WHY OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS BENEFIT FROM FREE HEALTHCARE.
THIS AFFECTS NOT ONLY OUR PUBLIC EMPLOYEES, BUT ALSO THE VERY CONSTITUENTS YOU VOW TO SERVE AND PROTECT.
EVERY EMPLOYEE STRUGGLING WITH THESE COSTS REPRESENTED VOTER, A FAMILY, A COMMUNITY MEMBER WHO IS BEING LET DOWN, CONSIDERATE AGAIN AFTER COVERING THEIR DAY-TO-DAY LIVING EXPENSES.
HOW MUCH DO EMPLOYEES IN MERCED COUNTY REALLY HAVE LEFT? VERY LITTLE.
IT'S ONLY FAIR THAT THEY SHOULD BE EXPECTED TO SPEND NO MORE THAN 5% OF THEIR DISPOSABLE INCOME ON HEALTHCARE.
[01:10:01]
ROUGHLY $80, NOT THE STAGGERING AMOUNT, 10 TIMES HIGHER THAN THEIR CURRENTLY FACING.THIS DISCREPANCY ISN'T JUST UNREASONABLE, IT'S UNAFFORDABLE.
THEREFORE, I URGE THE MERCED COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS TO ADDRESS THIS DISPARITY AND WORK WITH US TO FIND A SUSTAINABLE SOLUTION.
WE ASK FOR YOUR COMMITMENT TO REASSESS THE HEALTHCARE BENEFITS AND COMPENSATION PROVIDED TO OUR PUBLIC EMPLOYEES TO REFLECT THE CRITICAL NATURE OF THEIR WORK AND THE REAL COST OF LIVING IN HEALTHCARE TODAY.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND CONSIDERATION.
I HOPE WE CAN WORK TOGETHER TO MAKE MERCED COUNTY A FAIR AND JUST WORKPLACE FOR ALL.
I DON'T SEE ANY MORE PUBLIC COMMENTS.
SO THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD IS NOW CLOSED FOR NON AGENDA ITEMS.
[CONSENT CALENDAR]
WE'LL MOVE ON TO CONSENT.PLEASE NOTE ITEM NUMBER FIVE REQUIRES A FOUR FIFTH VOTE.
AT THIS TIME, I'LL OPEN UP PUBLIC COMMENT FOR CONSENT.
CALENDAR ITEMS ONE THROUGH 13.
MY NAME IS ALICIA RIVERA AND I WORK FOR LEADERSHIP COUNCIL FOR JUSTICE AND ACCOUNTABILITY.
I'M GONNA KEEP THIS PRETTY SHORT, SO I HOPE MONTHLY, UH, COMMUNITY MEETINGS IN DELHI.
AND WE'RE GRATEFUL TO SEE THAT THE COUNTY IS INVESTING IN SHADDOCK PARK AS A SHORT TERM, UH, SHORT TERM SOLUTION FOR A PARK AND COMMUNITY CENTER IN DELHI.
IT IS IMPORTANT THAT THIS PROJECT NOT BE SEEN AS A FINAL SOLUTION, BUT AS A PROMISING FIRST STEP TOWARDS MORE COMPREHENSIVE COMMUNITY PLANNING.
WITH THAT BEING SAID, WE HOPE TO SEE THE COUNTY CONTINUE TO PURSUE THE LONG-TERM SOLUTION OF A PARK AND COMMUNITY CENTER THAT DEL HIGH RESIDENTS HAVE BEEN ADVOCATING FOR BY WORKING WITH RESIDENTS TO IDENTIFY A SITE SUB SUCH COLLABORATION ENSURES THAT THE DEVELOPMENT NOT ONLY MEETS THE IMMEDIATE NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITY, BUT ALSO LINES WITH THE LONG-TERM ASPIRATIONS AND GROWTH.
ADDITIONALLY, RESIDENTS OF DEL HIGH WOULD APPRECIATE TRANSPARENCY AND COMMUNICATION FROM THE COUNTY, SUCH AS PERIODIC UPDATES WOULD BE INCREDIBLY BENEFICIAL SO THAT RESIDENTS ARE KEPT IN THE LOOP ABOUT THEIR COMMUNITY.
UM, AT THIS TIME, I WILL BY COMMENT, ITEMS ONE TO 13.
DO YOU HAVE ANY COMMENTS OR MOTIONS BY THE BOARD? I SEE A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR JOSH PEDROSO, A SECOND BY SUPERVISOR PERERA.
AND, UH, GONNA CALL FOR THE VOTE.
AT THIS TIME, I WOULD LIKE TO INVITE CAMICO VAN, DIRECTOR OF BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AND RECOVERY SERVICES TO THE PODIUM TO PROVIDE COMMENTS REGARDING ITEM NUMBER THREE, PROCLAMATION FOR MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS MONTH.
AND ITEM FOUR, PROCLAMATION FOR DRUG COURT MONTH.
GOOD EVENING, CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD.
BOARD MEMBERS CEO MENDEZ COUNTY COUNCIL OF HANSON.
MY NAME IS KIMIKA VANG, DIRECTOR OF BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AND RECOVERY SERVICES.
EACH YEAR VHRS, ALONG WITH MENTAL HEALTH PARTNERS AND ADVOCATES, RECOGNIZE THE MONTH OF MAY AS MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS MONTH AS A WAY TO RAISE AWARENESS OF THE IMPORTANCE OF MENTAL HEALTH AND WELLNESS.
AND TO CELEBRATE RE RECOVERY FROM MENTAL ILLNESS, MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS MONTH PRESENTS US WITH A CRUCIAL OPPORTUNITY TO DESTIGMATIZE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH, RAISE PUBLIC AWARENESS, AND ADVOCATE FOR ACCESSIBLE MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCES.
DATA FROM THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF MENTAL HEALTH REVEALS THAT APPROXIMATELY ONE IN FIVE ADULTS IN THE UNITED STATES EXPERIENCE MENTAL ILLNESS EACH YEAR WITH NEARLY ONE IN 25 ADULTS LIVING WITH A SERIOUS MENTAL HEALTH CONDITION IN CALIFORNIA, THAT NUMBER RISES TO ONE IN FOUR ADULTS.
IN ADDITION, MENTAL HEALTH CONDITIONS OFTEN BEGIN DURING CHILDHOOD OR ADOLESCENCE WITH APPROXIMATE EXPERIENCING A MENTAL HEALTH DISORDER EACH YEAR.
HERE IN MERCER COUNTY, AN ESTIMATED 20% OF ADULTS AND 15% OF CHILDREN EXPERIENCE MENTAL ILLNESS EVERY YEAR.
THESE STATISTICS UNDERSCORE THE NEED FOR INCREASED AWARENESS, ACCESS TO CARE AND SUPPORT FOR INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES AFFECTED BY MENTAL ILLNESS.
THIS PROCLAMATION DEMONSTRATES OUR COMMITMENT TO PROMOTING MENTAL HEALTH AND WELLNESS, AND UNDERSCORE OUR COLLECTIVE RESPONSIBILITY TO PRIORITIZE THE WELLBEING OF ALL RESIDENTS.
AS PART OF THESE EFFORTS, BHR WILL HOST A MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS AND OUTREACH EVENT ON MAY THE 22ND IN OUR PARKING LOT AT 3 0 1
[01:15:01]
EAST 13TH STREET IN MERCED.WE INVITE YOU AND THE PUBLIC TO JOIN US FOR INFORMATION ABOUT SERVICES AND PROGRAMS IN ENGLISH, SPANISH, AND HMONG.
THE MONTH OF MAY IS ALSO RECOGNIZED AS DRUG COURT MONTH.
MERCED COUNTY OFFERS THREE DIFFERENT TYPES OF DRUG COURT, THE ADULT DRUG TREATMENT COURT, THE JUVENILE DRUG TREATMENT COURT, AND THE DEPENDENCY DRUG TREATMENT COURT.
THROUGH PROGRAM COMPLETION IN THESE COURTS, INDIVIDUALS HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO HEAL AND CHANGE THEIR LIVES.
WITH OVER 70% OF PARTICIPANTS SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETING THE PROGRAMS OR REMAINING ACTIVELY ENGAGED, WE SEE TANGIBLE EVIDENCE OF LIVES RECLAIMED AND FUTURES REIMAGINED.
IN ADDITION, THE COST EFFECTIVENESS OF THESE PROGRAMS CANNOT BE OVERSTATED WITH THE FINANCIAL BURDEN OF INCARCERATION, FAR OUTWEIGHING THE INVESTMENT IN REHABILITATION AND SUPPORT SERVICES.
THIS PRO PROCLAMATION OF DRUG COURT MONTH REAFFIRMS OUR DEDICATION TO THE PRINCIPLES OF JUSTICE, COMPASSION, AND RESILIENCE, AND RECOGNIZES THE INVALUABLE CONTRIBUTIONS THAT THESE COURTS HAVE MADE AND CONTINUE TO MAKE IN FOSTERING SAFER, HEALTHIER COMMUNITIES TOGETHER, LESS HONOR THE SPIRIT OF PERSEVERANCE AND POSSIBILITY THAT DEFINES THE ESSENCE OF OUR DRUG COURT SYSTEM.
I WOULD LIKE TO, UH, INVITE FE LISA GRAY, NOW, DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF HUMAN SERVICES AGENCY TO THE PODIUM TO PROVIDE COMMENTS REGARDING NINE NUMBER SIX, PROCLAMATION FOR OLDER AMERICAN SMITH.
UM, BOARD, CEO, MENDEZ COUNTY COUNCIL HANSEN.
UM, I'M FEA GRAY, DEPUTY DIRECTOR FOR ADULT AGING SERVICES AT MERCED HUMAN SERVICES AGENCY.
AND I'M HERE TO HIGHLIGHT OLDER AMERICANS MONTH AND GIVE A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF WHAT OUR AREA, A AGENCY ON AGING PROVIDES TO OUR COMMUNITY.
SINCE 1963, OLDER AMERICANS MONTH HAS BEEN CELEBRATED EVERY MAY SINCE, AND IS LED BY AND IS LED BY ADMINISTRATION FOR COMMUNITY LIVING.
MONTH IS A TIME TO RECOGNIZE OLDER AMERICANS CONTRIBUTIONS, HIGHLIGHT AGING TRENDS, AND REAFFIRM COMMITMENTS TO SERVING THE OLDER ADULTS IN OUR COMMUNITIES.
THIS YEAR'S THEME, POWERED BY CONNECTION, FOCUSES ON THE PROFOUND IMPACT THAT MEANINGFUL CONNECTIONS HAVE ON THE WELLBEING AND HEALTH OF OLDER ADULTS.
CURRENTLY IN MERCED COUNTY, APPROXIMATELY 15% OF OUR COMMUNITY FALLS IN AGES 60 AND OVER, AND THE AGING POPULATION CONTINUES TO GROW.
CONNECTION IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT FOR ANY INDIVIDUAL.
HOWEVER, FOR OLDER AMERICANS, THIS CAN INCREASE THEIR WELLBEING.
WHAT CAN INDIVIDUALS DO TO CONNECT? THEY CAN INVEST TIME WITH PEOPLE TO BUILD NEW RELATIONSHIPS AND DISCOVER DEEPER CONNECTIONS WITH THEIR FAMILY, FRIENDS, COLLEAGUES OR NEIGHBORS.
INVITE MORE CONNECTION INTO YOUR LIFE BY FINDING A NEW PASSION, JOINING A SOCIAL CLUB, TAKING A CLASS, OR TRYING NEW ACTIVITIES IN OUR COMMUNITY.
STAYING ENGAGED IN THE COMMUNITY BY GIVING BACK THROUGH VOLUNTEERING, WORKING, TEACHING, OR MENTORING.
MERCED COUNTY AREA AGENCY ON AGING PROVIDES THESE TYPES OF OPPORTUNITIES.
IN FISCAL YEAR 2223, WE'VE SERVED OVER 9,640 INDIVIDUALS, OLDER ADULTS.
WE INVITE THE COMMUNITY TO JOIN US, WHETHER IT BE AT OUR CONGREGATE MEAL SITES FOR LUNCH AND ACTIVITIES, OUR PEARLS PROGRAM, ENCOURAGING ACTIVITIES TO COMBAT ISOLATION AND DEPRESSION.
OUR MATTER OF BALANCE CLASSES, TAI CHI, HOME DELIVERED MEALS, CALFRESH HEAVY LIVING CLASSES, DEMONSTRATIONS SUCH AS RETHINK YOUR DRINK.
UM, WE HAVE PROGRAMS TO BRIDGE THE DIGITAL DIVIDE THROUGH OUR ACCESS TO TECHNOLOGY GRANTS WHERE WE PROVIDE TABLETS TO OLDER ADULTS WHO ARE ISOLATED OR DO NOT HAVE ACCESS TO THE INTERNET.
THIS IS NUMBER 18 ON THE BOARD AGENDA TO ADD ADDITIONAL TABLETS AS WELL.
WE HAVE MANY VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES AT THE AAA IN OUR HIGH CAP OR OMBUDSMAN PROGRAMS. YOU CAN JOIN OUR AAA ADVISORY COMMITTEE AS A MEMBER AT LARGE.
WE HAVE MANY MORE PROGRAMS NOT HIGHLIGHTED TODAY, BUT ARE DISCUSSED IN MORE DETAIL IN OUR AREA PLAN, WHICH IS A BOARD ITEM NUMBER 19 AS WELL.
UM, WE INVITE THE COMMUNITY TO JOIN US FOR OUR OLDER ADULT RECOGNITION LUNCHEON EVENT ON MAY 8TH AT THE MERCED COUNTY FAIRGROUNDS.
THE PAVILION BUILDING TICKETS ARE AVAILABLE AT OUR MERCED AAA SITE.
AND FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT ANY OF OUR PROGRAMS, CALL 2 0 9 3 8 5 7 5 5 0 OR STOP BY 8 5 1 WEST 23RD STREET IN MERCED.
OR YOU CAN CHECK OUT OUR EVENTS CALENDAR ON THE MERCER COUNTY WEBSITE, AAA PAGE, AND I HAVE FLYERS FOR YOU GUYS.
[BOARD ACTION]
WE'LL NOW VOTE, MOVE ON TO THE BOARD ACTION BEGINNING WITH PUBLIC WORKS ITEMS 14 THROUGH 16.PLEASE NOTE ITEM 16 REQUIRES A FOUR FIFTH VOTE.
AT THIS TIME, I'LL OPEN UP PUBLIC COMMENT FOR DPW ITEMS 4 3 14 THROUGH 16.
[01:20:04]
OKAY.UH, THE PUBLIC COMMENT APPEAR FOR DPW ADDRESS 4 14, 14 TO 16 IS NOT CLOSED.
I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT ITEM, UH, 16.
THIS IS CHANGE ORDERS FOR THE RENOVATION OF THE JOHN LAUDER ROCKET CORRECTIONAL FACILITY.
SO JUST KIND OF WANNA HIGHLIGHT SOME NUMBERS FOR SOME FOLKS.
ORIGINALLY, WHEN WE GOT OUR, UM, GRANT TO BUILD TO DO THIS, IT WAS A $40 MILLION GRANT AND THAT WAS QUITE SOME TIME BACK.
AND BECAUSE OF A LOT OF REASONS, TOO MANY TO LIST, IT'S TAKEN US, UM, QUITE A FEW YEARS TO GET TO THE POINT WHERE WE'RE ACTUALLY DOING THE GOOD WORK OF BUILDING, REBUILDING THAT FACILITY.
AND JUST WANNA HIGHLIGHT THE NUMBERS THAT THAT COST IS, UM, WENT UP BY 47, NO, NOT QUITE 47.
THE NEW TOTAL UP TO COST IS $80 MILLION.
THAT DOESN'T COUNT PHASE TWO OF OUR NEW JAIL FACILITY.
THAT IS, THAT'S IN ADDITION TO SO THE NEW UP TO COST.
AND IF YOU READ THE STAFF REPORT AND THE RECOMMENDED ACTIONS, IT ALSO IS, UM, APPROVING ADDITIONAL SPENDING AUTHORITY FOR THE PROJECT AND, UH, TESTING AND PLAN REVIEW COSTS FOR FUTURE CHANGE ORDERS.
SO WE'RE ALREADY EXPECTING MORE CHANGE ORDERS.
AND SO WHEN WE LOOK AT HOW IS THAT MONEY BEING PAID FOR, WELL, I'LL TELL YOU, $21 MILLION HAS, HAS COME OUT OF THE GENERAL FUND.
UM, THAT SAME PIE THAT I MENTIONED EARLIER.
UM, 10 MILLION, 500, 4,000 COMES OUT OF OUR TACO TOBACCO TAX MONEY.
UM, THEN ALSO WE HAVE SOME OTHER PARTNERSHIPS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY WITH, UM, BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AND RECOVERY SERVICES.
SOME 33.2 MILLION COMING OUT OF THERE.
PUBLIC HEALTH INTERGOVERNMENTAL TRANSFER FUNDS, 5.9 MILLION.
SO, UM, I JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THAT FOR FOLKS.
A PROJECT THAT I'M GUESSING I WASN'T HERE, BUT I'M GUESSING WHEN THEY GAVE US THE ORIGINAL $40 MILLION GRANT, THAT WAS ENOUGH TO DO THE WHOLE PROJECT.
YOU FAST FORWARD, AND I KNOW I SHOULD KNOW THE YEAR IN HERE AND IT'S IN THE STAFF REPORT, BUT, UM, I CAN'T QUITE FIND IT RIGHT THIS SECOND ON THE EXACT DATE ON WHEN WE WERE AWARDED THAT GRANT.
SO FAST FORWARD NINE YEARS AND THE COST IS DOUBLED.
AND SO, AND THESE ARE NECESSITY.
WELL, IF YOU'VE BEEN ON A TOUR OUT THERE AS I HAVE, UM, ACTUALLY HERE IT SAYS THE TOTAL APPROVED COST OF THE PROJECT WILL AMOUNT TO $87 MILLION OF 40, WHICH WAS FUNDED BY THE BOARD OF STATE AND COMMUNITY CORRECTIONS SB 8 63 GRANT.
AND THEN THAT'S WHERE THE ADDITIONAL 4 MILLION THAT I LISTED OFF.
SO, UM, AGAIN, SOME OF THESE ARE DIFFERENT FUNDING SOURCES, BUT ALL COMES OUTTA THE SAME PIE.
JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THAT FOR FOLKS.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS? I DON'T SEE NO COMMENT.
NEXT WE HAVE, WE HAVE HEALTH AND RECOVER SERVICES.
THIS ITEM REQUIRES A FOUR FIFTH VOTE.
AT THIS TIME, I'LL OPEN A PUBLIC COMMENT FOR, UH, BHRS.
THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD IS CLOSED FOR ITEM 17.
SO, ANY COMMENTS BY THE BOARD OR MOTIONS? WE HAVE A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR PEDROSO.
NEXT, WE HAVE HUMAN SERVICES AGENCY ITEMS 18 THROUGH 21.
AT THIS TIME, I'LL WELCOME A PUBLIC COMMENT FOR HSA ITEMS 18 THROUGH 21.
SO, A PUBLIC COMMENT IS CLOSED FOR H HS HSA, ITEMS 18 THROUGH 21.
WE'LL CALL FOR COMMENTS BY SAVA PEDROSO.
I JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT NUMBER 18 AS THE REPRESENTATIVE, UM, ON THE AREA AGENCY ON AGING.
I KNOW THAT ONCE WE GET THESE TABLETS AND COMPUTERS OR LAPTOPS, THEY GO VERY QUICKLY BECAUSE THEY'RE VERY POPULAR WITH THE SENIORS.
SO I THINK IT'S A REALLY GOOD THING THAT WE'RE DOING THIS.
[01:25:01]
AT THIS TIME, I WILL OPEN A PUBLIC COMMENT FOR AUDITOR.THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD FOR ITEM NUMBER 22 IS NOT CLOSED.
ANY COMMENTS BY THE BOARD OR MOTIONS? MOTION BY RA? SECOND PERRA, CALL FOR THE VOTE.
NEXT WE HAVE, UH, PROBATION ITEM 23.
THIS TIME WE'LL OPEN UP PUBLIC COMMENT FOR PROBATION.
THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD FOR PROBATION.
SO ANY COMMENTS ABOUT THE BOARD OR MOTIONS? MOTION ABOVE MR. PERRA.
SECOND BY PEDROSO, WE'LL VOTE FOR THE VOTE RECORD THE VOTE MOTION PASSES.
NEXT WE HAVE DISTRICT ATTORNEY ITEM 24.
AT THIS TIME, WE'LL OPEN UP PUBLIC COMMENT FOR DA ITEM NUMBER 24, THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD FOR DA ITEM 24 IS NOT CLOSED.
WE'LL CALL FOR, UH, COMMENTS OR MOTIONS.
SECOND BY SUPERVISOR PEDROSO, WE'LL CALL FOR THE VOTE.
NEXT WE HAVE COUNTY EXECUTIVE OFFICE.
ITEM NUMBER 25 IS TO CONFIRM THE APPOINTMENT OF CINNAMON HELL AS THE COUNTY SPRING FAIR MANAGER AT THE ANNUAL SALARY OF 121,430 AND 40 CENTS.
AND APPROVE A-LEVEL BENEFITS WITH AN EFFECTIVE DATE OF APRIL 23RD, 2024.
OKAY, AT THIS TIME I'LL OPEN UP PUBLIC A COMMENT FOR CEO.
ITEM NUMBER 25, THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD FOR SEAL ITEM NUMBER 25 IS NOT CLOSE.
AND I SEE A COMMENT BY CO MENDEZ.
MEMBERS OF THE BOARD ITEM BEFORE YOU IS, UH, SEEKING YOUR CONFIRMATION OF THE APPOINTMENT OF MS. CINNAMON HOWELL AS A COUNTY SPRING FAIR MANAGER.
AS INDICATED, UH, STAFF DID CONDUCT AN EXTENSIVE RECRUITMENT FOR THIS POSITION.
I'D BE REMISS IF I DIDN'T MENTION THE REASON WHY WE NEEDED TO DO THAT.
AS A BOARD IN THE COMMUNITY IS AWARE, WE LOST OUR, OUR GOOD FRIEND GUY GARY, EARLIER THIS YEAR SUDDENLY.
AND SO THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY PROMPTED, UM, A RECRUITMENT TO TRY AND, UH, FILL THE POSITION.
UH, AS THE BOARD IS AWARE, THE SPRING FAIR IS, UH, QUICKLY APPROACHING STAFF'S, UH, THOUGHT WORKING WITH THE SUPERVISOR, RA THE REST OF THE BOARD.
AND THE ADVISORY BOARD AT THE SPRING FAIR WAS TO TRY TO BRING SOMEBODY ON BOARD TO AT LEAST GET SOME INSIGHT INTO THIS YEAR'S AFFAIR.
UH, MISS, UH, HOWELL DOES HAVE SIGNIFICANT EXPERIENCE IN VARIOUS CAPACITIES IN FAIR MANAGEMENT.
EVERYTHING FROM ACCOUNTING, WORKING ON CONTRACTS, LIVESTOCK SALES.
WE FELT, UM, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY SHE WAS A TOP CANDIDATE.
UH, HAD SEVERAL PANELS COMPRISED OF ADVISORY BOARD MEMBERS, COUNTY EXECUTIVE STAFF, BOARD MEMBERS.
AND SO WE ARE, UH, SEEKING YOUR CONFIRMATION.
UM, EXCITED ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITY TO, UH, TRANSITION, UM, TO, UM, MS. HAL, UH, MS. HOWELL DID HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO, UH, OBVIOUSLY WORK WITH GUY, UH, SPEAK SPEAKS VERY HIGHLY OF HIM.
AND SOME OF THE, UM, THE INFORMATION THAT WAS KIND OF SHARED AT LEAST WHEN THERE WERE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO WORK TOGETHER.
SO, AGAIN, JUST VERY BRIEFLY WANTED TO KIND OF TEE UP THIS ITEM FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION.
I SEE YOUR COMMENT BY PROFESSOR PERERA.
UM, WELL, I JUST, I JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU FOR PICKING US AND, AND, UM, YOU KNOW, LOS BE FAIR IS, UH, I DUNNO WAS SPECIAL TO ME AS A KID GROWING UP, SHOWING THERE NOT SO MANY PEOPLE FROM THIS SIDE OF THE COUNTY SHOW OVER THERE.
BUT, UM, ANYWAYS, I, I DUNNO WHY.
BUT, YOU KNOW, BEING AROUND YOU A LITTLE BIT AT THE FAIR, UH, AT MERCED FAIR, I, I JUST, I JUST HAVE A SENSE YOU'RE GONNA DO AN AWESOME JOB AND, UH, JUST WANT TO THANK YOU.
AS YOU KNOW THE COMMENTS, SO, SO WE SEE A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR PEREIRA, SECOND BY SUPERVISOR RA.
UH, PLEASE CALL FOR THE VOTE RECORD THE VOTE MOTION PASSES.
NEXT WE HAVE BOARD OF SUPERVISOR'S COMMENTS.
DID YOU WANNA INVITE CINNAMON UP TO SAY A FEW WORDS? OKAY.
YEAH, YOU SEE HER IN THE BACK.
CINNAMON, WOULD YOU LIKE TO COME AND SAY A FEW WORDS? PLEASE WELCOME AND CONGRATULATIONS.
[01:30:01]
AND TALKI WANNA THANK YOU FOR GIVING ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO, UM, SERVE THE COUNTY OF MERCED AND THE COMMUNITY OF LOS BANOS AND MERCED, UM, COUNTY.
YOU KNOW, WE'RE GONNA INTEGRATE THE WHOLE COUNTY INTO THIS, SO WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT THAT.
UM, I'M EXCITED TO, UM, SHARE AG EDUCATION AND, UM, YOU KNOW, REALLY LEARN THE LOS BANOS COMMUNITY.
UH, THERE'S SOME GREAT TEACHERS THERE THAT ARE EXCITED TO SHARE THE HISTORY WITH ME AND WE CAN JUST, UM, YOU KNOW, REALLY BROADEN THE, THE AG EDUCATION TO THE WHOLE COUNTY.
SO I'M REALLY EXCITED AND APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY.
EARLIER, I, YOU KNOW, I STATED THAT, YOU KNOW, TO YOU ABOUT, YOU KNOW, I LIKE YOUR EXPERIENCE WITH, ESPECIALLY WITH, UH, YOUR WORK WITH THE FRESNO FAIR, YOUR ACCOUNTING.
AND SO HOPEFULLY YOU CAN GET ALL THE, YOU KNOW, ALL THE COUNTY AROUND ALL THESE COMMUNITIES IN MERCED COUNTY INVOLVED.
SO THAT WAY, YOU KNOW, WE CAN HAVE A NICE, UH, MAYFAIR BETTER.
ANY OTHER COMMENT? OH, I SEE COMMENT BY SUPERVISOR RA.
MY COMMENT IS, IS PROBABLY MORE DIRECTED TO THE CHAIR THAN IT IS TO YOU.
CINNAMON IS, IS, I JUST WANNA REMIND EVERYBODY THAT BACK, YOU KNOW, 20 PLUS YEARS AGO WHEN I SHOWED AT, SHOWED AT THE FAIR AS A THIRD GENERATION THAT SHOWED AT THAT FAIR, UM, A LOT OF THE OTHER COMMUNITIES WITHIN OUR COUNTY USED TO PARTICIPATE IN OUR FAIR.
IT, I MEAN, YOU HAD FOLKS, UM, LIVINGSTON, LA GRANDE, MERCED, THEY ALL USED TO PARTICIPATE AT MERCED FAIR.
I MEAN, AT THE MAYDAY FAIR, MERCED COUNTY SPRING FAIR.
A LOT OF THAT IS JUST BECAUSE WE ARE LIKE THE FAIR THAT KICKS OFF THE FAIR SEASON.
AND A LOT OF THE SCHOOLS, ATWATER, MERCED AND, AND ALL THE OTHER ONES THAT I MENTIONED, WHEN, AS WE'VE ALWAYS BEEN A SCHOOL TIME FAIR, WE'VE ALWAYS BEEN IN MAY, UM, AS MORE AND MORE PRESSURE IS PUT ON SCHOOLS AND KIDS STAYING IN SCHOOL AND WHATNOT, THAT HAS BEEN ONE OF THE BIG REASONS.
IT WASN'T FOR ANYTHING THAT, THAT I BELIEVE THAT THE FAIR DID THAT, THAT LIKE MADE THEM LEAVE.
IT WAS MORE OF THE PRESSURE THEY WERE GETTING FROM THEIR SCHOOLS AND THEIR SCHOOL DISTRICTS TO NOT COME TO THE FAIR.
IT HAS ALWAYS BEEN AND WILL ALWAYS CONTINUE TO BE OPEN TO MERCED COUNTY RESIDENTS.
AND I HOPE WITH, WITH, YOU KNOW, SENTIMENT'S HELP THAT WE'RE ABLE TO, I, I DON'T BELIEVE THAT THAT MESSAGE WAS NEVER NOT PUT OUT THERE.
BUT MAYBE WE COULD REITERATE THAT MESSAGE THAT IT'S OPEN TO ALL MERCED COUNTY, UM, SCHOOLS, SCHOOL, SCHOOL-AGED KIDS.
SO, UH, JUST KINDA WANTED TO PUT THAT OUT THERE FOR FOLKS.
NEXT WE HAVE, UH, BOARD OF SUPERVISORS ITEMS 26 THROUGH 30.
THIS TIME WE'LL OPEN UP PUBLIC COMMENT FOR BOS ITEMS 26 THROUGH 30.
SO IT BE THOSE ITEMS. 26 30 IS NOT CLOSED.
A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR PERREIRA AND A SECOND BY SUPERVISOR RA.
CALL FOR THE VOTE, PLEASE CALL RECORD THE VOTE.
NEXT WE HAVE BOARD APPOINTMENTS.
AT THIS TIME, WE'LL OPEN UP PUBLIC COMMENT FOR BOARD ITEMS 31.
I SEE NO PUBLIC COMMENT, UH, APPOINTMENTS.
JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT HERE THAT YOU KNOW, UM, DAVE NESS, WHO WAS THE, THE COUNTY'S APPOINTEE TO THE RETIREMENT BOARD FOR, FOR MANY A YEARS HAS STEPPED DOWN FROM THAT POSITION.
AND THAT IS WHY, UM, WE ARE APPOINTING MR. MANLEY TO SERVE, UH, TO, TO FILL THE VACANCY OF MR. NESS.
AND JUST WANTED TO THANK MR. NESS FOR HIS YEARS OF SERVICE ON SERRA.
SO WE'LL CALL FOR, UH, THE MOTION VICE PEDRO IS THERE.
SECOND RA CALL FOR THE VOTE RECORD THE VOTE.
[SCHEDULED ITEMS]
NOW WE WILL NOW MOVE ON TO, UH, OUR SCHEDULE ITEM.WE HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING ITEM SUBMITTED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS ADOPTION OF A PROPOSED ORDINANCE INCREASING REFUSE COLLECTION RATES FOR SOLID WASTE FRANCHISE AREAS ONE THROUGH FIVE, INCORPORATED MERCED COUNTY.
UH, GOOD EVENING, BOARD CHAIR AND SUPERVISORS.
THE ITEM BEFORE YOU TONIGHT IS A SECOND OF TWO PARTS FOR THE PROPOSED ORDINANCE AMENDMENT TO CONSIDER ADJUSTING THE REFUSE COLLECTION RATES FOR SOLID WASTE FRANCHISE AREAS ONE THROUGH FIVE IN THE UNINCORPORATED MERCED COUNTY.
THE BOARD HEARD THE INTRODUCTION OF THIS ORDINANCE AT ITS REGULAR MEETING ON APRIL 9TH AND DIRECTED STAFF TO SET THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR APRIL 23RD, WHICH BRINGS US HERE TONIGHT.
THE AMENDMENT AS DESCRIBED AT THE APRIL 9TH MEETING, ADJUSTS THE, UH, SPECIFIED REFUSE RATES IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONSUMER PRICE INDEX OR CPI.
THE CPI IDENTIFIED AN INCREASE IN, OR SORRY, AN INCREASE OF 3.41% FOR THE PREVIOUS YEAR, WHICH REPRESENTS THE COST OF DOING BUSINESS HAVING GONE UP APPROXIMATELY 3.41%.
[01:35:01]
THE COUNTY HAS A FRANCHISE AGREEMENT WITH THE HAULER WASTE MANAGEMENT, UH, WHICH IDENTIFIES THE BOARD, MAY MAKE REASONABLY JUSTIFIED RATE INCREASES ON AN ANNUAL BASIS.AND A REPRESENTATIVE FROM WASTE MANAGEMENT IS HERE TO ANSWER ANY SPECIFIC QUESTIONS THAT YOU HAVE.
AND IF THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS FOR STAFF, I'M HERE AS WELL.
AS YOU KNOW, ANY COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD? UM, I WILL OPEN UP THE PUBLIC HEARING AND I SET PUBLIC COMMENTS REGARDING THIS ITEM.
TESTIMONY IS LIMITED TO THREE MINUTES PER PERSON.
ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS, PUBLIC COMMENT IS NOW CLOSED.
ANY, UH, MOTIONS? WE HAVE A COMMENT.
MR. ROSSER? THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR.
I JUST, AT THE LAST, UM, TIME THAT WE INTRODUCED THE, THAT THE PUBLIC HEARING WAS GONNA BE TONIGHT, I HAD A QUESTION ABOUT THE RETURNED, UH, CHECK FEE OF IT WENT UP BY, UM, UH, CPI AND I AND I DID CONSULT WITH MY COUNTY COUNSEL AND, AND HE HAS SATISFIED, UH, MY INQUIRY AND, UH, I'LL BE SUPPORTING THIS MOTION.
ALRIGHT, ANY, UH, OTHER COMMENTS IF NOT ENTERING THE MOTION? SO MOVED A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR, EVA.
[REPORTS/BOARD DIRECTION]
NOW WE'LL MOVE ON TO BOARD REPORTS.WE'LL START WITH S DISCUSSION.
I JUST, AGAIN, YOU GUYS, WE JUST APPOINTED A NEW FAIR MANAGER JUST TO REMIND EVERYBODY THAT, UM, THE FAIR IS COMING UP MAY 1ST THROUGH THE FIFTH.
UM, SO A WEEK FROM WEDNESDAY WILL BE THE GRAND OPENING CEREMONIES.
AND I WOULD, UH, INVITE ANYBODY TO COME OUT FOR THE OPENING CEREMONIES.
10 O'CLOCK RIGHT THERE AT THE MAIN ENTRANCE TO THE FAIRGROUND IS WHERE WE HOST THOSE.
UM, ALWAYS A NICE LITTLE CELEBRATION.
WE INTRODUCE OUR GRAND MARSHALS, OUR MAYDAY QUEENS, OUR TINY, BUT NOT THE FIRST NIGHT.
THE TINY PRINCESSES AREN'T THERE.
'CAUSE THEY DON'T GET, THEY DON'T HAVE THEIR COMPETITION UNTIL THAT NIGHT.
SO THEY'LL BE THERE THURSDAY MORNING.
UM, ALSO, WE'RE ALWAYS, UM, HONORED TO HAVE OUR LOCAL AMERICAN LEGION AND VFW WHO DO OUR FLAG RAISING CEREMONIES.
UM, NEXT THING, AGAIN, WELCOME SENTIMENT, WELCOME ABOARD.
UM, I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU, ESPECIALLY, WE'LL SEE A LOT OF EACH OTHER NEXT WEEK, I'M SURE.
AND THEN I ALSO WANTED TO REPORT OUT THAT, UM, LAST WEEK I ATTENDED THE CSAC UM, LEGISLATIVE CONFERENCE.
AND, UM, JUST KINDA WANT TO SHARE A LITTLE BIT, YOU KNOW, WE, WE HAVE REGIONAL MEETINGS, WHICH IS, WE HAVE A, A SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY SUPERVISORS ASSOCIATION THAT WE ARE A PART OF, WHICH IS THE NINE VALLEY COUNTIES, I BELIEVE.
EIGHT, EIGHT VALLEY COUNTIES, NINE FROM SAN JOAQUIN TO KERN.
WE HAVE A SUBURBAN CAUCUS MEETING, WHICH THERE'S 16 COUNTIES IN THE STATE THAT ARE CONSIDERED SUBURBAN.
WE, WE PROBABLY ARE THE MOST, UM, BEST CAUCUS TO REPRESENT CALIFORNIA BECAUSE THE RURAL CAUCUS IN CSAC, IT'S, IT'S A LOT OF THE SMALLER COUNTIES.
AND THE URBAN CAUCUS IS OBVIOUSLY THE BIGGER COUNTIES.
AND WHEN YOU SIT IN THE SUBURBAN CAUCUS, YOU, YOU KIND OF HAVE, YOU HAVE SOME LARGER URBAN AREAS, BUT THEN YOU ALSO HAVE A LOT OF RURAL AREAS.
SO ONE OF THE HIGHLIGHTS, I GUESS HIGHLIGHTS, I'LL CALL IT LOW LIGHTS THAT CAME OUT OF IT, IS JUST THE, UH, CONSTERNATION THAT FOLKS ARE LIKE EVERYWHERE ACROSS THE STATE.
ALL COUNTY AT ALL COUNTY GOVERNMENT LEVELS ARE STRUGGLING WITH IS, IS, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GONNA SOON FIND OUT WHAT THE GOVERNOR'S MAY REVISE IS.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, I, I DON'T KNOW, THEY PLAY A LOT OF, UM, DIFFERENT GAMES AT THE STATE LEVEL ON HOW THEY COME UP WITH THEIR NUMBERS.
IF YOU LIVE, LISTEN TO THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE, IT'S ABOUT 35 BILLION.
IF YOU LISTEN TO THE LEGISLATIVE ANALYST'S OFFICE, IT'S 75 MILLION.
SO MY GUESS IS IT'S PROBABLY, HUH, EXCUSE ME, BILLION, NOT MILLION BILLION.
UM, SO IT'S PROBABLY GONNA END UP SOMEWHERE IN THE MIDDLE.
SO YOU, YOU KNOW, THEY JUST SPLIT THE DIFFERENCE, RIGHT? SO IT'S GONNA BE SOMEWHERES AROUND 55 MILLION AND WHAT I CAN TELL YOU, IF IT'S ANYWHERE OVER THAT 35 MILLION, THERE'S GONNA BE DIRECT IMPACTS TO A LOT OF THESE SERVICES THAT, THAT WE PROVIDE.
THE DOLLAR AMOUNTS THAT COME TO US THROUGH CEMENTED DEPARTMENTS, UM, OUR BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AND RECOVERY SERVICES, OUR HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES AGENCY, PUBLIC HEALTH, A LOT OF THOSE TYPE OF DEPARTMENTS WE WE'RE GOING TO SEE.
IT JUST, I DON'T KNOW ANYWHERE THAT IT'S, THAT HOW THEY'RE GONNA GET THROUGH THIS OTHER THAN WE'RE GONNA SEE SOME SERIOUS CHANGES IN THE WAY THINGS ARE DONE THERE.
[01:40:01]
AND JUST TO KIND OF PUT IT IN PERSPECTIVE FOR SOME FOLKS, THE, UM, SANTA CLARA COUNTY IS FACING A $100 MILLION DEFICIT, A HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS DEFICIT IN SANTA CLARA COUNTY, THE CITY AND COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO.NOW, I WANNA PREFACE IT THAT THEY HAVE A TWO YEAR BUDGET CYCLE, IS FACING AN $800 MILLION DEFICIT.
AND I WAS, I WAS ON, I WAS DOING AN INTERVIEW, WELL, I WAS AN ONLINE OVER THE PHONE INTERVIEW WITH AG ALERT, WHICH IS, UM, THE FARM BUREAU'S KIND OF STATEWIDE, UH, PUBLICATION THAT THEY PUT OUT.
AND I WAS SPEAKING TO THE REPORTER THERE, AND WE'RE TALKING ABOUT SOME OF THE CHALLENGES IN MERCED COUNTY.
AND SHE ASKED, YOU KNOW, SHE'S TRYING TO WRITE A STORY THAT THAT IS BROADLY, IT'S GONNA GO ACROSS THE WHOLE STATE.
AND I I BASICALLY TOLD HER IS, IS LOOK, ALL THE THINGS THAT WE TALKED ABOUT, EVERY COUNTY'S FACING THIS.
IF YOU'RE MODOC COUNTY, JUST TAKE A FEW ZEROS OFF.
IF YOU'RE LA COUNTY, ADD A BUNCH OF ZEROES TO IT.
WE'RE ALL FACING, UM, SOME, SOME TOUGH AND CHALLENGING TIMES AHEAD OF US.
AND SO, UM, I'M CONCERNED, I'M VERY CONCERNED.
UM, I THINK THAT I, I'VE BEEN SAYING ALONG WITH SOME OF MY COLLEAGUES THAT SINCE LAST OCTOBER, NOVEMBER, THAT THIS IS GONNA GET REAL, REAL INTERESTING.
AND SO, UM, YOU KNOW, AND I DON'T THINK, YOU KNOW, FOR ONE SECOND THAT IT HAS ANYTHING TO DO WITH LACK OF RESPECT FOR OUR EMPLOYEES, UM, THE RESPECT OF THE GOOD WORK THAT THEY DO, ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
'CAUSE IT'S THE WAY MY BRAIN WORKS.
I'LL JUST REMIND EVERYBODY ONCE AGAIN, THE PIE'S ONLY SO BIG AND ANY WAY WE SLICE THAT PIE IS STILL THE SAME AMOUNT OF PIE.
AND, AND I LISTEN, IF I DID HAVE, IF WE HAD ALL THIS MONEY LAYING AROUND, AND I KNOW THERE WAS SOME QUESTIONS THAT CAME UP, YOU KNOW, WHERE IS THAT MONEY? WELL, WE HAVE THIS LITTLE THING CALLED THE FUND BALANCE.
THE FUND BALANCE IS THE UNSPENT MONEY.
AND WE USE THAT FUND BALANCE TO BALANCE OUR NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET.
IT'S STILL MIND BLOWING TO ME THAT, YOU KNOW, WHAT, BASICALLY WHAT WE SAY IS, IS WE HAVE, WE VOTE AND WE APPROVE A FINAL BUDGET THAT GIVES SPINNING AUTHORITY TO EVERYBODY, TO, TO ALL THE DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS IN COUNTY LAND.
AND IF THEY DO EXACTLY WHAT WE AUTHORIZE THEM TO DO, WE WILL START THE NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET IN A $70 MILLION HOLE.
SO, UM, IT'S GONNA BE INTERESTING TIMES, I WILL TELL YOU THAT.
AND I'M NOT LOOKING FORWARD TO 'EM, BUT I'M COMMITTED TO TRYING TO FIND SOLUTIONS.
I KNOW THERE'S FOLKS THAT, UM, THAT HAVE OFFERED SOLUTIONS.
UM, AND SO I'M WILLING TO LISTEN.
AND I WAS ONE OF THE ONES THAT DIDN'T CALL HER BACK.
UM, SO, YOU KNOW, SHAME ON ME, BUT I'LL TRY TO DO BETTER NEXT TIME.
UM, WELL, SO, UH, FIRST I WOULD LIKE TO THANK, UH, THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY FOR ALLOWING ME TO, UM, JOIN HERD YESTERDAY IN HILMAR AT ONE O'CLOCK FOR A ONE PILL CAN KILL ASSEMBLY.
AND, UH, AND IT WAS, IT WAS AMAZING.
I MEAN, I LEARNED STUFF, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, I KIND OF THOUGHT I KNEW AND I LEARNED STUFF RIGHT ALONG WITH THOSE HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS.
AND, UH, I DUNNO, THERE MUST HAVE BEEN ABOUT 500 STUDENTS IN THERE AND, AND YOU KNOW, IT GOT A LITTLE LONG MAYBE, UH, TOWARDS THE END.
BUT, UM, FOR THE FIRST AT LEAST HALF HOUR, THEY WERE GLUED TO WHAT WAS BEING SAID.
AND, UH, AND, AND THEN AFTERWARDS I WENT TO A LITTLE COFFEE SHOP THAT I'LL STOP IN WHEN I NEED TO DO SOME WORK IN HILL MAR.
AND, AND THREE HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS WALKED IN AND I ASKED THEM, YOU KNOW, WHAT, WHAT'D YOU THINK? YOU KNOW, AND, AND, UH, THEY KINDA LOOKED AT EACH OTHER LIKE, SHOULD WE BE TALKING TO THIS GUY? YOU KNOW? AND I SAID, WELL, I'M OKAY.
I MEAN, I'M, I'VE BEEN, I'M WITH THE COUNTY, YOU KNOW, I WAS AT THE ASSEMBLY.
AND SO THEN, UH, THEY LOOKED AT EACH OTHER AGAIN, YOU KNOW, AND FINALLY TALKED TO ME AND I FOUND OUT THEY WERE IN THE, UH, TOP, UH, TOP 5% OF THE CLASS.
SO, UM, YOU KNOW, THEY WERE, THEY WERE TAUGHT TO NOT TALK TO STRANGERS, ESPECIALLY WHEN THEY LOOK ODD.
BUT, UH, ANYWAYS, UM, AND, AND THEY KIND OF HAD THE SAME THING.
THEY, THEY FELT THE INFORMATION WAS AWESOME THAT THEY, THAT THEY LEARNED A LOT AND THAT THEY FELT BETTER PREPARED.
UM, THEY THOUGHT THAT IT WENT A LITTLE LONG, YOU KNOW, THE, THE CONVERSATION, UM, AND THEN THE ACOUSTICS AND THE, THE SOUND SYSTEM, YOU KNOW, THAT THE SCHOOL PROVIDED WASN'T ALL THAT CLEAR.
SO IT WAS A LITTLE HARD TO HEAR.
UM, BUT ANYWAYS, UM, THEY DID HAVE A SUGGESTION THAT MAYBE HAVE QUESTION CARDS THAT KIDS COULD FILL OUT AHEAD OF TIME.
AND I'M THANKFUL THAT, UH, THAT YOU AND THE SHERIFF, UH, WHO WAS ALSO THERE, UH, AND THEN MERCED, UH, COUNTY OFFICE OF ED, I JUST THINK THAT'S GREAT THAT YOU'RE GOING OUT IN THE COMMUNITY AND DOING THAT.
UH, I, UM, TWO ATTENDED THE CSEC LEDGE CONFERENCE, UH, LAST WEEK IN SACRAMENTO.
AND, AND, UM, IT, IT IS AMAZING HOW SIMILAR WE ALL ARE IN THIS STATE AS FAR AS COUNTIES GO.
UM, DIDN'T MATTER, YOU KNOW, WHO, WHICH SUPERVISORS I TALKED TO FROM WHICH COUNTY, YOU KNOW, IT SEEMED LIKE, UH, THE ISSUES ARE PRETTY, PRETTY SIMILAR.
SO ANYWAYS, UH, THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME GO.
UH, THIS SUNDAY, UH, THE MERCED COUNTY OLD TIMERS ASSOCIATION IS HAVING A LUNCHEON TO HONOR OLD TIMERS IN MERCED COUNTY.
UM, AND TO QUALIFY, YOU HAVE TO BE 85 YEARS OR OLDER AND HAVE LIVED,
[01:45:01]
UM, AT LEAST 50 YEARS IN ME, MERCED COUNTY.NOW THAT COULD HAVE BEEN 20 WHEN YOU WERE YOUNG AND THEN 30 WHEN YOU WERE OLDER, OR IT COULD, COULD HAVE BEEN, YOU KNOW, UH, ALL AT ONE TIME.
AND, UH, AND IT'S KIND OF NEAT.
UM, AND, AND SO IT'S OPEN TO THE PUBLIC, UH, $20 FOR LUNCH.
UH, DOORS OPEN AT 10 30 AND THE PROGRAM STARTS AT 1130.
THE, UM, AND IT, IT, ONE THING THAT'S NEAT ABOUT IT, 'CAUSE WE NEED MORE VOLUNTEERS, UH, ESPECIALLY ON THE COMMITTEE, UH, FOR NEXT YEAR.
BUT, UM, WHAT WHAT'S NEAT ABOUT IT IS PEOPLE ARE 85 YEARS OLD, SO IT'S BEEN 20 YEARS OR SO ISH SINCE THEY RETIRED.
AND, AND SO WHEN THEY RETIRE, RIGHT, THEIR FAMILY ALL KNOWS WHAT THEY'VE DONE IN THEIR CAREERS, AND THEN A LOT OF TIMES GOES BY.
AND SO SOME, SOMETIMES GRANDKIDS OR GREAT-GRANDKIDS ARE BORN AND THEY HAVE NO IDEA THAT HOW SPECIAL THESE PEOPLE ARE THAT COME AND GET HONORED.
AND, AND, UM, YOU KNOW, SOME PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, UM, UH, YOU KNOW, ARE HUMBLE AND DON'T REALLY SAY A LOT.
AND THEN, BUT WE'VE HAD PEOPLE THAT WORKED ON THE NASA SPACE PROGRAM.
WE HAD, UH, UM, WE, ONE TIME THERE WAS A PERSON WHO HELPED INVENT THE TV, YOU KNOW, WORKED AT THE COMPANY AND WAS A PART OF THAT.
I MEAN, JUST SOME REALLY DEEP PEOPLE THAT LIVE RIGHT HERE IN MERCED COUNTY.
SO IF YOU GET A CHANCE TO, UH, TO COME OUT, WE'D LOVE TO HAVE YOU.
AGAIN, THE PROGRAM STARTS AT 1130.
UM, SO THE, THE, YOU KNOW, IT'S THE ONE THING ABOUT PUBLIC COMMENT, RIGHT, IS IT'S NOT A CONVERSATION.
IT IS A, UM, YOU KNOW, WHERE THE PUBLIC GETS TO MAKE THEIR COMMENT TO THE BOARD.
AND, UH, AND SO ONE OF THE COMMENTS EARLIER WAS THAT, UH, ALLUDED TO THE FACT THAT WE GET FREE HEALTHCARE.
AND, UH, SO I JUST WANNA SAY RIGHT NOW I'M ON THE ANTHEM 500, AND I PAY THE SAME FOR IT AS ANY OTHER EMPLOYEE IN MERCED COUNTY.
WE DO OFFER, UM, UH, AN A HEALTH INSURANCE THAT IS, IS ZERO COST TO THE EMPLOYEE.
UM, AND, AND, AND SO, UM, ANYWAYS, AND, AND, AND WE'RE WORKING ON THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, KIND OF, UH, I KNOW THE PUBLIC GETS FRUSTRATED SOMETIMES, AND ESPECIALLY THE, THE, THE ONES THAT, THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, ARE COME HERE AND, AND MAKE PUBLIC COMMENT THAT THEY FEEL LIKE THEY'RE NOT INCLUDED.
UM, A LOT OF TIMES THE CONVERSATIONS ARE, UM, KIND OF A SUCH OF A NATURE WHERE YOU'RE NEGOTIATING AND WE'RE NEGOTIATING WITH CITIES AND, AND OTHER ENTITIES.
AND, AND SO IT, IT'S, UM, I MEAN, I THINK IT'S TRANSPARENT, BUT IT CAN'T ALL BE SAID IN OPEN PUBLIC AT ANY GIVEN TIME UNTIL IT'S APPROPRIATE.
AND SO, UM, ANYWAYS, UH, AND THEN THE LAST THING THAT I WOULD LIKE TO, UM, TO SAY IS, UH, CONGRATULATIONS TO THE VOLUNTEERS.
I KNOW THEY ALL KINDA LEAVE AFTER THE BREAK, BUT, UH, MERCED COUNTY, REALLY, IF YOU, IF YOU TAKE A LOOK, WE'RE REALLY BLESSED WITH A LOT OF GREAT VOLUNTEERS AND, UM, YOU KNOW, WE COULD, WE COULD PROBABLY HONOR A THOUSAND PEOPLE AND, AND NOT GET EVERYBODY THAT SHOULD BE HONORED.
SO, UH, CONGRATULATIONS TO THEM.
AND THEN, UM, AND, AND YOU KNOW, I GUESS MOST OF THE PEOPLE THAT ARE LEFT HERE ARE COUNTY EMPLOYEES, BUT YOU KNOW, WE JUST HAD THE, UH, THE COUNTY, UH, KIND OF THE RECOGNITION OF, UH, COUNTY, UH, PROGRAMS OR DEPARTMENTS THAT DO GREAT THINGS TOO.
AND SO WE HONORED THEM AS WELL.
I JUST WANNA SAY, UH, WELCOME TO CINNAMON.
I WAS, HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE ON THAT INTERVIEW PANEL.
UM, AND SHE WAS REALLY, UM, I WAS VERY IMPRESSIVE.
AND, AND HER DEDICATION, I THINK FOR, UM, HER WORK IN FAIRES WILL, WILL REALLY, UM, MAKE HER SUCCESSFUL AT LOS VENIS.
UM, I TOO WENT TO CSAC, AND I CAN ECHO A LOT OF WHAT MY COLLEAGUES SAID.
YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE THINGS AT THE SUB SUBURBAN CAUCUS, UH, MEETING THAT WE HAD AT THE, UM, KIND OF AT THE END AFTER WE DID THE BUSINESS STUFF, WE HAD A ROUND TABLE OF THE CO OF THE COUNTIES THAT WERE IN THERE.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, UH, ALMOST EVERY SINGLE COUNTY SAID THAT THEY WERE HAVING A HARD TIME RECRUITING.
UM, LAW ENFORCEMENT, ONE COUNTY SAID THEY COULDN'T FIND DEPUTIES.
ONE COUNTY SAID THAT THEY WERE HAVING A HARD TIME FINDING DISTRICT ATTORNEYS.
ONE COUNTY SAID THEY HAD A HARD TIME FINDING DISPATCHERS.
SO IT'S NOT JUST, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING THAT IS SIGNIFICANT TO MERCED COUNTY.
IT'S, IT'S REALLY ALL OVER THE PLACE.
UM, I ALSO HAD THE OPPORTUNITY, UM, AND THANK YOU FOR PUTTING THAT ON THE NATIONAL CRIME VICTIMS WEEK, UH, EVENT TODAY AT COURTHOUSE PARK.
UM, AND ONE OF THE THINGS, UM, OH, I ALSO, LAST SATURDAY, UH, I WENT TO THE PORTUGUESE, UM, SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY PORTUGUESE FESTIVAL IN TURLOCK WHERE, UH, I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO GET UP THERE AND, AND RIDE IN THE PARADE WITH, UH, SUPERVISOR PEREIRA.
UM, IT WAS REALLY COOL, UM, TO SEE, YOU KNOW, THAT MY CULTURE, UM, BEING CELEBRATED LIKE THAT, IT WAS A LOT OF PEOPLE OUT THERE.
IT'S A THREE DAY EVENT, AND IT WAS, IT WAS REALLY COOL TO SEE.
AND THEN I JUST WANNA SAY, I NEVER, SO I KNOW LIKE, WE'RE NOT ALLOWED TO, WE'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO BE HAVING A CONVERSATION, BUT I NEVER, I PRIDE MYSELF ON CALLING PEOPLE BACK AS LIKE, WITHIN 24 HOURS OR EMAILING PEOPLE BACK.
SO I, I, I'M NOT REALLY SURE WHAT, WHAT HAPPENED THERE, BUT I, I REALLY TRY MY BEST TO REALLY DO
[01:50:01]
THAT 24 HOURS.'CAUSE I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT.
IT'S, YOU KNOW, MY JOB IS TO REPRESENT YOU AND I, AND IF YOU CALL, I, I TYPICALLY, I REALLY CALL RIGHT BACK.
AND SO I, I JUST WANNA PUT IT OUT THERE.
AND SO, UM, THAT'S WHERE WE'RE AT.
THE OTHER THING THAT I WANT TO KIND OF DISCUSS, AND I'VE HAD SOME DISCUSSIONS WITH OUR CEO, IS I AND, UH, OUR ASSISTANT CEO, IS THAT I THINK THAT WE NEED TO START LOOKING AT DIFFERENT OPPORTUNITIES TO REACH OUT TO THE COMMUNITY TO HELP FUND SOME OF THESE, UH, PROGRAMS. UM, LIKE EITHER THROUGH A PUBLIC SAFETY TAX OR SOMETHING.
UM, AND I THINK WE NEED TO REALLY GET STARTED ON, ON WORKING WITH THAT.
AND THEN THE OTHER THING THAT I WANTED TO SAY IS THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, THE FIRE THING FROM THE LAST TWO WEEKS IS SOMETHING THAT ISN'T LOST ON ANY OF US.
AND I HAD A VERY PRODUCTIVE, WE HAD A VERY PRODUCTIVE MEETING WITH OUR PARTNERS OVER AT THE CITY THIS MORNING TO KIND OF COME UP WITH A SOLUTION.
AND I'M REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO CONTINUING THAT DISCUSSION AND HOPEFULLY MOVING FORWARD WITH, UH, SOME OF THE, SOME OF THE OUTCOMES THAT WERE DISCUSSED TODAY.
CONGRATULATIONS ON THE APPOINTMENT.
WE CAN BE, SOME PEOPLE CALL US CARNIES OR, YOU KNOW, THE LAST 25 YEARS, MY BUSINESS THAT I'VE RUN, I THINK I'VE HAD SOME PEOPLE HERE IN THE AUDIENCE WHO'VE WORKED WITH ME THAT, UH, YEAH, IT'S A, IT'S A FUN BUSINESS AND I APPRECIATE IT BECAUSE PEOPLE CAN DO IT FULL TIME IS, IT'S A, IT'S A LOVE HATE KIND OF THING.
YOU, YOU KIND OF HATE IT, BUT YOU LOVE IT AT THE SAME TIME.
IT'S, IT'S AMAZING UPS AND DOWNS.
SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR COMING FORWARD AND DOING THIS.
I TOO DID, UM, ATTEND THE CALIFORNIA STATE ASSOCIATION AT COUNTY'S LEDGE CONFERENCE.
AND I CAN'T REITERATE IT MORE THAN WHAT MY, MY, UH, UH, COLLEAGUES UP HERE HAVE SAID.
AS YOU KNOW, I SIT WITH, I'M ON RURAL COUNTY REPRESENTING CALIFORNIA AS WELL.
IN FACT, I'LL BE LEAVING HERE AFTERWARDS 'CAUSE I HAVE AN EARLY MEETING IN SACRAMENTO TOMORROW MORNING.
BUT, UM, IT IS, UH, I, I'M NOT, UH, I I, I'M NOT SPLITTING THE DIFFERENCE LIKE MY COLLEAGUES, UH, MR. VERA, IT'S, IT'S DEFINITELY GONNA BE UP IN THE $70 BILLION SHORTFALL.
AND THAT SHORTFALL FALLS ONTO US.
BUT LET'S REMEMBER WHEN WE'RE VOTING AT THE VOTER'S BOX, THOSE STATE LEGISLATURES AND THAT GOVERNOR IS MAKING OUR DECISIONS THAT ARE AFFECTING US IN THIS WAY, UH, WE'RE THE ONES WHO ARE HERE.
WE GO TO THE GROCERY STORES WITH YOU.
WE'RE IN THE RESTAURANTS WITH YOU.
WE'RE THE ONES WHO HAVE THE EYE TO EYE CONTACT.
BUT WE ARE AN EXTENSION OF THE STATE AND FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
THOSE DECISIONS ARE BEING MADE UP THERE.
AND THE BAD DECISIONS MADE, WE'RE VOTING FOR 'EM.
SO WE ALL HAVE SOME RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS, BUT LET'S UNDERSTAND THAT IT'S COMING FROM THE TOP DOWN.
WE'RE DOING EVERYTHING WE CAN.
WE'RE VERY CREATIVE, WE'RE VERY COMMITTED.
I KNOW A LOT OF FOLKS SAID, YOU KNOW, WE GO INTO CLOSED SESSION.
WELL, BY LAW, WE HAVE TO GO INTO CLOSED SESSION TO HAVE THESE DISCUSSIONS.
BY THE WAY, ONE GENTLEMAN'S, HE'S THE NUMBER TWO GUY FOR ASK ME.
AND YEAH, WE'RE IN NEGOTIATIONS, WE ARE NEGOTIATING.
THIS, THEY HAD MEETINGS EARLIER THIS WEEK.
SO YEAH, WE ARE NEGOTIATING AND WE ARE PUTTING EVERYTHING DOWN FROM, I'VE NEVER, I'VE, AS, AS YOUR SUPERVISOR, I'VE NEVER HAD TO WORK THIS HARD IN THIS MANY HOURS.
UM, IF YOU GO LOOK AT MY DESK RIGHT NOW, I HAVE THE BUDGET.
I HAVE EVERYTHING LAID OUT TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW WE'RE GONNA MAKE THIS HAPPEN BECAUSE I DON'T LIKE ON THE STATE, BECAUSE I DON'T WANT THEIR SUPPORT.
I WANNA BE ABLE TO DO IT HERE WITH THE FOLKS HERE IN MERCED COUNTY.
SO, I'M SORRY, I'M GETTING A LITTLE, GET A LITTLE FRUSTRATED 'CAUSE I'VE BEEN REITERATING THIS TIME AND TIME AGAIN.
I WANT TO THANK THE DSA, UH, FOR ACCEPTING OUR OFFER.
UM, IT WAS, WE REALLY, WE REALLY WORKED HARD ON THAT WHEN WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON IT, LITERALLY SINCE SEPTEMBER TO, TO GET SOMETHING OUT THERE.
AND I APPRECIATE, APPRECIATE THAT.
UM, AND I APPRECIATE THE DEPARTMENT HEADS.
WE SENT A LETTER OUT TO EVERY DEPARTMENT HEAD IN THIS COUNTY ASKING FOR YOU GUYS TO SHARPEN YOUR PENCILS.
AND I APPRECIATE THAT, THAT EVERYBODY HAS RESPONDED IN A WAY THAT THEY CAN SHARPEN THE PENCILS AND TRY TO CREATE MORE AVAILABILITY SO WE CAN ACTUALLY PASS THIS ON.
EVERYTHING COMES IN, EVERYTHING GOES RIGHT BACK OUT.
AND I JUST WANNA SAY, I REALLY APPRECIATE THOSE DEPARTMENT HEADS WHO GOT RIGHT BACK TO US AND SHARPENED THOSE PENCILS AND SAID, WE CAN MAKE THIS HAPPEN.
UM, I DID ATTEND, WE DID HAVE A MENA PACKING THAT OPENED UP OVER ON THE WEST SIDE.
UH, WE HAVE A CHERRY PROCESSOR HERE IN MERCED COUNTY.
AND I, I REALLY HAD NO IDEA HOW MANY CHERRIES WERE ACTUALLY PROCESSED HERE IN MERCED COUNTY.
[01:55:01]
A JOY TO SEE, UH, IT'S A RISK OF COURSE, BUT THERE'S SOMEBODY WILLING TO RISK IT AND DO BUSINESS HERE IN MERCED COUNTY.THEY APPRECIATED OUR HOSPITALITY.
MARK HENDRICKSON HAD HIS HAND IN THAT.
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT, WORKING WITH THEM TO GET THAT OPENED UP.
UM, ALSO, UH, GROUNDBREAKING, UH, CEREMONY IN DOSS PALACE FOR THE WATER TREATMENT PLAN.
I WAS THERE ATTENDING THAT WITH MY COLLEAGUE FROM THE WEST SIDE.
APPRECIATE THE INVI INVITE SCOTT ON THAT ONE.
WE ALL KIND OF HAD A HAND IN THAT.
WHENEVER EVERYTHING STARTED TO FAIL, WE WERE ALL MAKING PHONE CALLS DOING DOUBLE DUTY TO HELP THOSE FOLKS IN DOS PALACE WITH THEIR WATER PROBLEM.
UM, BUT WITH THAT, UH, I WANT IT TO BE POSITIVE.
WE'RE TRYING TO DO A GOOD JOB.
WE, WE STAY MOTIVATED EVERY DAY.
BUT I'M GONNA TELL YOU THIS, THE REPLICATION REP, REPRE REPLICATIONS OF OUR VOTING HABITS ARE COMING TO US.
WE HEAR ABOUT IT ALL THE TIME IN CALIFORNIA.
THAT'S A $75 BILLION SHORTFALL, 75 WITH A B.
AND WHEN WE HAVE SAN FRANCISCO AND SANTA CLARA SHARING WITH US RIGHT NOW, WHAT THEIR SHORTFALL, THAT'S NOT INCLUDING THE MAY REISE.
THAT'S WHERE THEY ARE RIGHT NOW.
WAIT TILL THE MAY REVISE HITS.
AN 80% OF OUR BUDGET HERE AT MERCED COUNTY RELIES ON THE STATE'S.
WITH THAT, MR. CHAIR, I YIELD BACK.
I TOO WANTED TO WELCOME OUR NEWEST MEMBER OF OUR LEADERSHIP TEAM SENTIMENT.
HAL, UH, PLEASE NOTE THAT YOU HAVE A GOOD TEAM THAT YOU'RE JOINING INTERNALLY, 22 DEPARTMENT HEADS THAT WORK TOGETHER KINDA LIKE A FAMILY.
UH, WE DISAGREE, BUT, UH, WE ARE ALL TRYING TO ACHIEVE THE SAME GOAL, WHICH IS SERVING THE RESIDENTS OF MERCED COUNTY THE BEST THAT WE CAN.
UH, LAST WEEK WE CONCLUDED OUR TOWN HALL SERIES.
UH, AGAIN, WANTED TO APPRECIATE THE BOARD AND EVERY COUNTY DEPARTMENT AND DEPARTMENT HEAD THAT WAS EITHER, EITHER THERE IN PERSON OR SENT STAFF TO REPRESENT THEM AND KIND OF SHOW A UNITED FRONT.
AS, AS YOU HEARD EARLIER, UM, THOSE SESSIONS THIS YEAR TOOK MORE OF THE, UH, UM, YOU KNOW, IT WAS MORE OF LISTENING THAN SHARING INFORMATION, BUT THAT'S WHAT IT'S ALL ABOUT.
AGAIN, UH, THE BEST WAY THAT WE CAN SERVE THE COMMUNITY IS TO LISTEN TO WHAT THEIR CONCERNS, ISSUES, NEEDS ARE.
AND THEN WE CAN, YOU KNOW, HAVE THAT INFORMATION AS, AS DECISIONS ARE BEING MADE HERE BY THIS BOARD AND BROUGHT FORWARD BY STAFF.
SO, UH, JUST APPRECIATE EVERYBODY'S EFFORT.
UH, AND YEAH, WE WILL STAY, UM, FOCUSED ON TRYING TO ADDRESS THE ISSUES AND CHALLENGES THAT THIS ORGANIZATION, THIS COMMUNITY FACES.
I AM VERY OPTIMISTIC THAT WE'LL BE ABLE TO WORK THROUGH SOME OF THOSE CHALLENGES.
'CAUSE WE HAVE A VERY STRONG TEAM.
SO, AGAIN, JUST ON A POSITIVE NOTE, THERE'S OPTIMISM THERE, UM, SIRS AND, UM, I'M, I'M UP TO THE CHALLENGE, SO THANK YOU.
WELL, JUST FOR ME, UM, I'D JUST LIKE TO SAY THIS IS OUR FIRST OF TWO MEETINGS.
THERE ARE EVENINGS, UM, USUALLY THERE ARE EIGHT, 10 O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING ON TUESDAYS WHEN WE HAVE 'EM.
BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, TWO OUT OF TWO OUT OF ALL YEAR.
AND NOT MANY REGULAR RESIDENTS ARE HERE TO LISTEN TO US.
I'VE BEEN, UM, ASKING MY MY COLLEAGUES TO HAVE MORE EVENING MEETINGS, WHICH I GET REQUESTS ALL THE TIME, YOU KNOW, THEIR PEOPLE DEMANDING.
BUT, YOU KNOW, I DIDN'T SEE TOO MANY IRREGULAR CITIZENS HERE.
I KNOW WE HAD, YOU KNOW, UH, ASME AND WE HAD THE VOLUNTEERS HERE.
IT WAS PACKED THE HOUSE, BUT ONLY BECAUSE OF THAT.
OTHERWISE, NOT TOO MANY RESIDENTS.
I CERTAINLY, UH, LIKE I SAID, OUR NEXT ONE, UH, EVENING, UH, MEETING WILL BE IN DECEMBER.
UH, SO I ASK EVERYONE, HEY, YOU KNOW, IF YOU'VE ASKED ME TO REQUEST, YOU GOTTA COME IN AND ATTEND.
YOU KNOW, I KNOW THAT, AND THE PUBLIC IS WATCHING ON FA YOU KNOW, ON FACEBOOK OR ON THE INTERNET.
IF YOU ASK ANY CONCERNS, COME IN AND, UH, GIVE YOU CONCERNS.
I JUST ALSO LIKE TO SAY THAT WE HAD A, UH, MY TOWN HALL MEETING LAST, UH, WEDNESDAY IN THE CITY OF LIVINGSTON.
AND I WANNA THANK THE CITY OF LIVINGSTON FOR, UH, HOSTING US THERE.
I WANNA ALSO WANNA THANK, UH, UH, THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY NICOLE RA, FOR, UH, ATTENDING, UH, UH, THE TOWN HALL WITH US, THE UNDERSHERIFF AS WELL, AND ALL OUR STAFF THAT, THAT WAS, THAT WAS THERE.
UH, WE HAD A LOT OF QUESTIONS, SOME QUESTIONS ON, UH, THE FIRE STATION CLOSING ESPECIALLY, BUT WE HAD ONE NOT BEFORE THAT.
NOW LOUIS CITY COUNCIL DISCUSSED THAT AS WELL.
AND SO HOPEFULLY I KNOW THAT THE DISCUSSIONS IS CONTINUING ON THE FIRE STATIONS WITH, UH, UH, HOPING TO, UH, NEGOTIATE AN AGREEMENT SO THAT WAY TO PREVENT ANY, UH, THE, THE, THE STATION IN LIVINGSTON FROM CLOSING.
SO, UM, SO ALSO, UM, I WANT TO EX, YOU KNOW, INVITE THE PLAN, UH, THE RESIDENTS TO THE PLANADA COMMUNITY TODAY.
[02:00:01]
WELL ATTENDED AND THERE'S PLENTY OF FOOD.UH, I ALSO WANNA STATE MARY ELLEN CHAVEZ, CONGRATULATIONS FOR BEING, UH, UH, NOMINATED FOR GRAND MARSHALL IN THAT COMMUNITY.
AND ALSO I'D LIKE TO SAY THAT, UM, THE $20 MILLION, UH, THAT WAS AWARDED TO, UH, THE COMMUNITY OF PLANADA, THE EXTENSION FOR APPLICATIONS FOR THE RESIDENTS THAT WERE AFFECTED WAS EXTENDED FROM APRIL 22ND TO MAY 1ST, UH, TO WEDNESDAYS AND SATURDAYS THAT WILL BE TAKING, UH, MORE APPLICATIONS.
SO ANYBODY THAT'S LISTENING, PLEASE, UH, OR LET SOMEBODY THAT YOU KNOW THERE, IF IT WAS AFFECTED, THEY HAVEN'T APPLIED, UH, THERE'S STILL MORE FUNDS TO, UH, APPLY.
SO, UM, THAT WAY YOU CAN APPLY.
SO, AND WITH THAT, THAT'S ALL MY COMMENTS AND, UH, NO MORE COMMENTS.
THANK YOU AND HAVE A GOOD NIGHT.