May 07, 2024 Board Meeting

CAN WE PLEASE STAND FOR PLEDGE OF OUR PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE? AND THEN WE HAVE A INVOCATION BY HSA DIRECTOR IVANA BROWN.

WHAT? YEAH, YEAH.

BECAUSE WE WENT TO THE INVOCATION.

YEAH. GO AHEAD. SORRY. FATHER GOD, WE THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO COME BEFORE YOU.

WE ASK THAT YOU BE IN THE MIDST OF US, GOD, AS YOU ALWAYS ARE, THAT YOU WILL LEAD AND GUIDE THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS AND ALL THE LEADERS WHO HAVE TO MAKE A DECISION.

LET IT BE WITH YOUR DIVINE WILL THAT IT IS DONE.

GOD GIVE THEM THE RIGHT PATH IN WHICH THEY SHALL GO.

GOD AND WE THANK YOU FOR OUR EXECUTIVE LEADER AND COUNCILMAN HINES HANSON, BUT ALSO PRAY FOR OUR FIRST RESPONDERS, OUR DEPARTMENT HEADS, AS WELL AS OUR STAFF, GOD, AND ALL ELECTED OFFICIALS THAT ARE REPRESENTED HERE TODAY.

GOD, WE'VE BEEN CHARGED TO DO WHAT YOU CALL US TO DO.

AND WE ASK THAT YOU WE DO IT TO EDIFY AND EXPAND YOUR GOODNESS AND YOUR MERCY THROUGHOUT THE LAND.

BUT AS I LEAVE THIS PLACE, BUT NEVER FROM YOUR PRESENCE, BECAUSE YOU ARE WITH US, AND WE ASK THAT GOD THAT YOU CONTINUE TO GUIDE US AFTER WE DELIBERATE FROM TODAY, GOD LET US HAVE A PEACE AND HARMONY THAT ONLY YOU CAN GIVE US.

GOD, WE THANK YOU. I WANT TO END WITH THIS AND GOD, WE THANK YOU FOR THE LOVE THAT YOU SHED FOR US, AND THAT WE BE ABLE TO DEMONSTRATE THIS TO THE ACT THAT WE DO TODAY.

GOD, THAT EVERY DECISION WE MAKE, WHETHER IN THESE CHAMBERS OR OUTSIDE, BE DEMONSTRATION OF YOUR LOVE TO US ALL MEN, THIS DAY AND FOREVERMORE.

IN JESUS NAME I PRAY.

AMEN. AMEN.

SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL. PLEASE JOIN ME IN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.

I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS.

ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.

[BOARD ACTION (Part 1 of 2)]

THIS MORNING WE HAD A CLOSED SESSION MEETING AND STAFF WAS GIVEN DIRECTION.

DISCUSSIONS REGARDING NEGOTIATIONS WITH OUR VARIOUS LABOR UNIONS WAS INCLUDED AS AN ITEM FOR CLOSED SESSION THIS MORNING, BASED ON DIRECTION FROM PREVIOUS CLOSED SESSION MEETINGS, AND CONFIRMED THIS MORNING.

WE WILL NOW CONSIDER ACTION ITEMS 41 AND 42 AT THIS TIME.

ASSISTANT COUNTY EXECUTIVE OFFICER MARCI BARRERA WILL PROVIDE COMMENTS ON THESE ITEMS. GOOD MORNING BOARD.

OH YEAH. GOOD MORNING.

BOARD OF SUPERVISORS COUNTY COUNCIL HANSON CEO MENDEZ MARCI BARRERA.

ASSISTANT COUNTY EXECUTIVE OFFICER, ITEM 41 AND 42 BEFORE THE BOARD CONSIDERATION TODAY ARE A RESULT OF RECENT LABOR NEGOTIATIONS IN DECEMBER OF 2023 AND JANUARY OF

[00:05:06]

2024, THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS APPROVED ONE YEAR AGREEMENTS WITH UNIT TWO, REPRESENTING THE CUSTODIAL DEPUTIES AND UNIT THREE REPRESENTING THE SERGEANTS AND DA INVESTIGATORS, WITH SIMILAR ADJUSTMENTS THAT WERE PROVIDED TO SEVERAL UNREPRESENTED MANAGEMENT CLASSIFICATIONS FOR RETENTION AND COMPACTION ISSUES.

THOSE AGREEMENTS WERE FOR A 10% ADJUSTMENT TO THE HEALTH CARE CAPS AND AN 8% WAGE BASE WAGE INCREASE.

ON APRIL 22ND OF 2024, THE COUNTY REACHED A TENTATIVE AGREEMENT WITH UNIT TEN, WHICH IS OUR DEPUTY SHERIFF ASSOCIATION AND UNIT 14 REPRESENTING DISPATCHERS AND CORONERS. ITEM 41 FOR THE BOARD'S CONSIDERATION IS APPROVAL OF THE MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING BETWEEN MERCED COUNTY AND THE GROUPS.

THESE TWO GROUPS, THE DEPUTY SHERIFFS ASSOCIATIONS AND DISPATCHER CORONERS WITH SIMILAR ADJUSTMENTS FOR THE UNDERSHERIFF POSITION FOR COMPACTION PURPOSES, CONTAINED WITHIN THE ONE YEAR AGREEMENT IS A 10% ADJUSTMENT TO THE HEALTH CARE CAPS, A 10% BASE WAGE ADJUSTMENT, MODIFICATIONS TO THE POST DIFFERENTIAL LANGUAGE FOR RETENTION PURPOSES, AND ADDITIONAL LANGUAGE UNDER VACATION ACCRUALS FOR RECOGNITION OF GOVERNMENT SERVICE TIME UPON HIRE FOR RECRUITMENT PURPOSES, AS THE DEPUTY SHERIFFS ASSOCIATION AND DISPATCHER AND CORONER GROUPS ARE SIMILARLY SITUATED TO THE CUSTODIAL DEPUTIES AND SUPERVISED BY THE SERGEANT GROUPS THAT HAD PREVIOUSLY REACHED AN AGREEMENT.

THE COUNTY NEGOTIATOR WENT BACK TO THE TWO LABOR GROUPS AND HAVE FURTHER DISCUSSION ON ALIGNING THE CONTRACTS.

AS A RESULT OF THOSE DISCUSSIONS.

ITEM NUMBER 42 IS AN APPROVAL OF A FIRST AMENDMENT TO THE EXISTING ONE YEAR CONTRACT FOR THE CUSTODIAL DEPUTIES, APPROVAL OF A SECOND AMENDMENT TO THE EXISTING ONE YEAR CONTRACT FOR THE SERGEANTS AND DA INVESTIGATORS, AND APPROVAL OF SIMILAR ADJUSTMENTS FOR UNREPRESENTED MANAGEMENT CLASSIFICATIONS WHO SUPERVISE THESE INDIVIDUALS TO ADDRESS THE COMPACTION ISSUES.

THESE CONTRACT AMENDMENTS ARE FOR THE ADDITIONAL 2% BASE WAGE ADJUSTMENTS, TAKING THEM FROM THE PREVIOUSLY APPROVED 8% TO THE 10% TO ALIGN THEM WITH THE DEPUTY SHERIFF AGREEMENT. THE AMENDMENTS ALSO INCLUDE THE MODIFICATIONS TO THE POST DIFFERENTIAL LANGUAGE AND FOR RETENTION PURPOSES, AND THE ADDITIONAL LANGUAGE UNDER VACATION ACCRUALS FOR HIRE AND RECRUITMENT PURPOSES.

APPROVAL OF ITEMS NUMBER 41 AND 42 BY THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS TODAY WILL CONCLUDE LABOR NEGOTIATIONS WITH ALL PUBLIC SAFETY GROUPS WITHIN THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE.

AT THIS TIME, I'LL OPEN UP PUBLIC COMMENT FOR COUNTY EXECUTIVE ITEMS. ITEMS ONLY NUMBER 41 AND 42.

ANY PUBLIC COMMENT ON THESE ITEMS? THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD FOR COUNTY EXECUTIVE ITEMS 41 AND 42 IS NOW CLOSED.

SO NOW WE'LL MOVE TO A COMMENT BY THE BOARD OR MOTIONS.

I HAVE A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA.

SECOND BY SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL.

I'LL CALL FOR THE VOTE. PLEASE RECORD THE VOTE.

COMMENT. I HAVE A COMMENT AFTER OR BEFORE.

GO AHEAD. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT, YOU KNOW THAT I KNOW THAT I'M A LITTLE BIT DISAPPOINTED THAT THE SHERIFF'S NOT HERE TO SEE THIS.

BUT I KNOW I CAN SEE CAPTAIN SULLIVAN BACK THERE.

APPRECIATE YOU GUYS BEING HERE.

THIS IS THE PART THAT WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT, THAT WE'VE BEEN IN NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE DSA FOR QUITE A BIT OF TIME NOW, AND THIS IS THE CULMINATION OF THAT.

AND SO I WANT TO THANK THOSE FOLKS FOR, FOR, FOR AGREEING TO THIS ONE YEAR DEAL, AND THEN ALSO ALSO THANK THE UNREPRESENTED MANAGEMENT AS WELL AS WELL AS THE CUSTODIAL DEPUTIES AND THE SUPERVISING DA'S THAT HAD ALREADY AGREED TO IT AND MAKING THOSE MODIFICATIONS.

I THINK THAT THIS IS KIND OF AS WE HAVE MANY CHALLENGES AHEAD OF US.

THIS IS JUST KIND OF ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT WE'RE ABLE TO NOW CHECK OFF OF THAT BOX AND MOVE ON TO THE NEXT BIG THING THAT WE HAVE TO DEAL WITH.

SO JUST WANT TO THANK THEM FOR AGREEING TO THIS AGREEMENT.

THANK YOU SIR. THANK YOU.

SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL.

YEAH. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR.

I TOO WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE DSA AND GOING THROUGH THESE CONVERSATIONS.

IT WAS A LONG TIME WE FINALLY CAME TO AN AGREEMENT.

I JUST WANT TO LET YOU KNOW THAT WE DID LISTEN TO YOU.

AND PLEASE, AT ANY TIME, YOU CAN CALL US AND CHAT WITH US ABOUT THIS, BUT WE REALLY APPRECIATE YOU TAKING THIS AND APPRECIATE THE SERGEANTS AND EVERYBODY ALL THE WAY UP FOR ALLOWING US TO OPEN THIS UP AND ALSO HELPING THEM OUT AS WELL.

WE APPRECIATED THEM COMING OUT RIGHT FROM THE BEGINNING DURING THE NEGOTIATIONS.

AND AND THEN THAT APPRECIATION IS WHY WE OFFERED IT UP RIGHT AWAY.

SO THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR.

THANK YOU. SUPERVISOR PEDROZO.

YES. THANK YOU. I TOO WANT TO THANK EVERYBODY INVOLVED ON THIS.

THIS WAS A LONG PROCESS.

BUT I'M HAPPY THAT IT CAME TO CONCLUSION IN A WAY THAT'S SATISFACTORY TO EVERYBODY.

AND I THINK THAT WHAT THIS LIKE MY COLLEAGUE SAID, WE DID LISTEN.

AND, YOU KNOW, DURING NEGOTIATIONS, WE'RE NOT ALLOWED TO REALLY TALK, BUT WE CAN LISTEN WHEN YOU'RE TELLING US WHAT'S GOING ON.

[00:10:05]

AND SO WE REALLY DID AND WE REALLY WORKED HARD.

BUT I ALSO WANT TO THANK OUR STAFF FOR REALLY PUTTING IN THE TIME AND EFFORT.

THERE WAS A LOT OF NUMBERS TO CRUNCH AND A LOT OF WORK THAT WENT ON BEHIND JUST AFTER HOURS DURING IT WAS A LOT OF WORK, SO THANK EVERYBODY INVOLVED.

[PUBLIC OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK]

OKAY. THANK YOU.

THE MOTION PASSED FIVE ZERO.

SO NOW WE'LL MOVE ON TO NO MORE COMMENTS.

SO WE'LL MOVE ON TO NON AGENDA ITEM PUBLIC COMMENT.

AT THIS TIME IT IS 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.

AS A REMINDER, THIS IS FOR NON AGENDA ITEMS ONLY.

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON THE FIRE ITEM OR ANY OTHER ITEM ON THE CONSENT CALENDAR, ACTION CALENDAR OR THE SCHEDULED ITEM, THERE WILL BE A SEPARATE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD FOR THOSE ITEMS. OKAY, AT THIS TIME I'LL OPEN UP PUBLIC COMMENT AGAIN.

THIS IS FOR NON AGENDA ITEMS ONLY.

GO AHEAD. GOOD MORNING, CHAIR CEO, MENDEZ COUNTY COUNCIL, HANSON AND SUPERVISORS.

I AM GRATEFUL FOR YOUR TIME AND CONSIDERATION TODAY.

I'M REINA ESPINOSA, THE PROGRAM MANAGER FOR MERCED COUNTY HUMAN SERVICES AGENCY, AND I REPRESENT THE ALL MOMS MATTER PROGRAM.

THE VISION AND MISSION OF THE ALL MOMS MATTER PROGRAM ARE TO EMPOWER MOTHERS IN MERCED COUNTY BY PROVIDING THEM THE ESSENTIAL TOOLS NEEDED TO GUIDE THEIR CHILDREN TOWARDS REACHING THEIR FULL POTENTIAL AND CULTIVATING A FUTURE OF GREAT POSSIBILITIES.

WITH YOUR SUPPORT, WE CAN SERVE ALL MOTHERS WHO PARTICIPATE IN OUR PROGRAM BY ADDRESSING THEIR INDIVIDUAL NEEDS AND ASSISTING THEM WITH RESOLUTIONS TO THEIR CHALLENGES.

IN RECOGNITION OF THIS EXTRAORDINARY JOURNEY OF MOTHERHOOD, THE ALL MOMS MATTER PROGRAM IS HOSTING A MONUMENTOUS EVENT GIVING MOM HER FLOWERS ON SATURDAY, MAY 18TH FROM 10 A.M.

TO 2 P.M. AT THE PICTURESQUE APPLEGATE PARK HERE IN MERCED.

THIS EVENT IS NOT MERELY A DAY OF FUN ACTIVITIES FOR THE KIDS AND FREE RIDES AT KIDDIELAND, BUT A PROFOUND OPPORTUNITY FOR US ALL TO UNITE AND PAY TRIBUTE TO THE INVALUABLE ROLE OF MOTHERS IN OUR SOCIETY.

YOUR PRESENCE AT OUR EVENT, GIVING MOM HER FLOWERS WILL NOT ONLY HONOR MOTHERS, BUT ALSO CONTRIBUTE TO THE SUCCESS OF OUR PROGRAM.

I WILL LEAVE SOME OF THE FLIERS IN THE BASKET HERE, AND I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU AGAIN FOR YOUR TIME.

THANK YOU. NEXT.

GOOD MORNING ALL.

MY NAME IS SUZY PUENTE AND I AM A PROGRAM MANAGER AT YOUTH LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE.

AND I'M HERE WITH MY COLLEAGUE, PROGRAM COORDINATOR CRYSTAL RAMOS, ONE OF TWO NEW STAFF MEMBERS JOINING OUR TEAM.

WE ARE HERE TO FOLLOW UP ON THE PREVIOUS STATEMENTS.

OUR DIRECTOR, JESSE ORNELAS, HAS MADE TO YOU ALL REGARDING OUR UPCOMING MENTAL HEALTH CAMPAIGN.

OUR YOUTH HAVE STARTED COLLECTING DATA ON THE YOUTH MENTAL HEALTH EXPERIENCE HERE IN MERCED COUNTY.

THROUGH A SURVEY. WE WANTED TO PROVIDE YOU ALL WITH A COPY OF THIS SURVEY SO THAT YOU CAN SEE WHAT MERCED YOUTH ARE RESPONDING TO.

WE'RE ALSO PROVIDING COPIES OF OUR SURVEY FLIERS WITH THE QR CODE THAT YOUTH CAN SCAN TO ACCESS THESE SURVEYS.

WE WILL CONTINUE TO ATTEND THESE MEETINGS TO UPDATE YOU ON OUR PROGRESS, AND WE HOPE TO RECEIVE YOUR ONGOING SUPPORT FOR OUR YOUTH.

YOU CAN PLACE IT ON THE BASKET. THANK YOU.

APPRECIATE IT. GOOD MORNING, CHAIRMAN ESPINOSA AND THE BOARD, KRISTEN SANTOS, HERE REPRESENTING THE OFFICE OF CONGRESSMAN JOHN DUARTE.

MAY IS NATIONAL, ASIAN AMERICAN AND PACIFIC ISLANDER HERITAGE MONTH.

THIS IS A MONTH WHERE OUR COUNTRY GETS TO HIGHLIGHT THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF THE AAPI COMMUNITY TO THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND ALL SECTORS OF AMERICAN LIFE, FROM BUSINESS, EDUCATION AND HEALTH CARE TO POLITICS, POPULAR CULTURE AND SPORTS.

IN ADDITION TO THE SACRIFICE THAT MILLIONS OF ASIAN AMERICANS AND PACIFIC ISLANDERS HAVE MADE FOR THIS NATION THROUGHOUT OUR HISTORY, BY SERVING IN OUR ARMED FORCES AND OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES, OUR VERY OWN OFFICE IS AN EXAMPLE OF THIS.

THE STORY OF OUR DISTRICT DIRECTOR, MR. SAM SAMRA, IS THE STORY OF A YOUNG KID FROM PUNJAB, INDIA, WHO MOVED TO A SMALL TOWN IN MERCED COUNTY CALLED LIVINGSTON, A KID WHO WORKS IN THE FIELDS AND OTHER JOBS BEFORE JOINING THE CALIFORNIA HIGHWAY PATROL, DEVOTING FOUR DECADES OF SERVICE TO THE PEOPLE OF CALIFORNIA AND THEN SERVING AS CONGRESSMAN DUARTE'S DISTRICT DIRECTOR.

MERCED COUNTY IS A PLACE WHERE AAPI COMMUNITY CAN THRIVE AND PURSUE THEIR AMERICAN DREAM, AND CONGRESSMAN DUARTE WAS HONORED TO KICK OFF NATIONAL, ASIAN AMERICAN AND PACIFIC ISLANDER HERITAGE MONTH BY JOINING THE NATHAN LAO FOUNDATION FOR THEIR 2024 SIXTH ANNUAL DOWNTOWN MERCED LAO NEW YEAR CELEBRATION.

RAIN OR SHINE, CONGRESSMAN DUARTE LOVES SPENDING TIME WITH OUR LAOTIAN AMERICAN COMMUNITY TO ENJOY THEIR CULTURAL DANCES AND RECOGNIZE SOME AMAZING DANCERS, TASTE SOME DELICIOUS LAOTIAN CUISINE, AND SOAK IN THE BLESSINGS AND GOOD FORTUNE OF THE LAO NEW YEAR.

THE CONGRESSMAN IS PROUD THAT MERCED COUNTY IS HOME TO SUCH A WONDERFUL EVENT.

LASTLY, CONGRESSMAN DUARTE RECENTLY HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO PERSONALLY VISIT THE PLANADA POST OFFICE AND MEET WITH PLANADA RESIDENTS AND THE UNITED STATES POSTAL SERVICE STAFF NOW

[00:15:10]

THAT IT HAS RETURNED TO FULL OPERATIONS AS A RETAIL AND SHIPPING CENTER.

AFTER REOPENING FOR BASIC MAIL AND PO BOX SERVICE SEVERAL WEEKS AGO.

YES, THIS HAS BEEN A LONG TIME COMING.

AND YES, THIS HAS BEEN AN EYE OPENING EXPERIENCE FOR ALL PARTIES INVOLVED.

BUT THE CONGRESSMAN WOULD LIKE TO TAKE THIS MOMENT TO RECOGNIZE THIS ASPECT OF NORMALCY BEING RESTORED FOR THE PEOPLE OF PLANADA.

IN THE WAKE OF DEVASTATING FLOODING IN JANUARY OF 2023, THE CONGRESSWOMAN WOULD AGAIN LIKE TO THANK ALL LOCAL PARTNERS WHO JOINED US IN ADVOCACY, ESPECIALLY CHAIRMAN ESPINOSA AND CEO MENDEZ, WHO WERE PRESENT FOR ALL OF THE MEETINGS WE CONDUCTED WITH AUTHORITIES FROM THE UNITED STATES POSTAL SERVICE, AND ESPECIALLY THANK THE PEOPLE OF PLANADA WHO MADE THEIR VOICES HEARD THROUGHOUT THE POST OFFICE REOPENING PROCESS.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. THANK YOU.

GOOD MORNING, SUPERVISORS.

I'M HERE TO GIVE YOU AN UPDATE ON MY DESIRE TO PUT TOGETHER A TOWN HALL MEETING WITH ALL OF THE SUPERVISORS.

LAST MEETING, I'D LET YOU KNOW THAT I DID PUT IN AN APPLICATION WITH THE COUNTY OF MERCED TO RESERVE A LOCATION.

AT THE COUNTY FAIRGROUNDS.

BECAUSE OF THE FAIR THAT'S COMING UP.

ALL THE ROOMS ARE BOOKED.

SO I DO HAVE A DATE OF SATURDAY, JULY 13TH.

AS A PROPOSAL TO YOU.

AS THE SUPERVISORS, I WOULD LIKE TO WORK WITH YOU TO PUT TOGETHER A PUBLIC TOWN HALL MEETING ON PUBLIC SAFETY TO ADDRESS LONG TERM STRATEGIES FOR STAFFING OF THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT, AND ALSO TO ADDRESS ISSUES THAT HAVE BEEN PRESENTED IN THE PAST OVER THE AMBULANCE SERVICES AND SOME OF THE CONCERNS OVER THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND HOW WE'RE GOING TO ADDRESS RESPONSE TIMES AND SUCH.

BUT I WOULD LIKE TO ENCOURAGE YOU.

I WOULD LIKE TO REACH OUT WITH YOU AND SEE IF WE CAN PUT THIS TOGETHER.

I THINK IT IS IN THE BENEFIT OF THE ENTIRE COUNTY OF MERCED TO HAVE SOME PUBLIC DISCUSSION ON LONG TERM STRATEGIES, AND I'D LIKE TO TO ENCOURAGE US ALL TO MAKE SOME EFFORT TO PUT SOMETHING TOGETHER TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN.

I'M VERY THANKFUL THAT THE AGENDA ITEM WAS PASSED THIS MORNING.

I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR MAKING THAT EFFORT TO PASS THE INCREASE TO THE SHERIFF'S AGENCY FOR THEIR DEPUTIES.

BUT AGAIN, THAT DOES NOT SOLVE THE LONG TERM ISSUE OF THE STAFFING SHORTAGES.

I DON'T BELIEVE IT'S JUST FOR THE SALARY RATES OF 10% WHILE THE DEPUTIES ARE LEAVING FOR OTHER COUNTIES.

I BELIEVE THERE'S SOME OTHER THINGS THAT WE COULD ADDRESS AND TAKE CARE OF.

AND I DON'T THINK IT'S FAIR THAT THAT THE SHERIFF IS, IS NOT HERE.

AND THAT'S A CONCERNING ISSUE TO YOU.

HE MAY BE OUT ON THE STREET COVERING SOME OF THE SHIFTS THAT ARE SHORT IN THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT RIGHT NOW.

THIS IS A MAJOR ISSUE THAT WE DO NEED TO ADDRESS.

AND IT'S NOT JUST GOING TO BE RESOLVED BY HAVING A 10% INCREASE IN PAY.

WE NEED TO LOOK AT A COMMUNITY WIDE EFFORT OF HOW WE CAN INCREASE THE DESIRE FOR THE DEPUTIES TO WANT TO SERVE IN OUR AREA.

ONE OF THE WAYS TO DO THAT IS TO STAND BEHIND THEM AND SUPPORT THEM IN A WAY THAT IT SHOWS OUR COMMUNITY THAT THE LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY IS AND HAS YOUR YOUR FULL SUPPORT BECAUSE CRIME IS CONTINUING TO INCREASE.

WE ARE SEEING THIS ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

WE WANT OUR DEPUTIES IN ALL AGENCIES, ALL COMMUNITIES TO FEEL 100% SUPPORTED BY THEIR LEADERS.

AND I THINK ONE WAY TO DO THAT IS TO COME TOGETHER AND WORK WITH THEM AND THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO COME UP WITH LONG TERM STRATEGIES OF SUPPORT AND PUTTING PUBLIC SAFETY FIRST ON, ON ALL OF OUR MINDS.

AND SO, AGAIN, I WANT TO CLOSE WITH JUST ENCOURAGING AN OPPORTUNITY WHERE WE CAN COME TOGETHER WITH ALL OF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS COULD ENCOURAGE EVEN HAVING SOMEONE WHO IS A MODERATOR FOR THAT PUBLIC TOWN HALL MEETING, SOMEBODY WHO HAS NO INTEREST IN OUR AREA.

LET'S BRING SOMEONE IN TO MODERATE A PRODUCTIVE MEETING FOR PUBLIC SAFETY.

SO I JUST ENCOURAGE YOU IN THAT I THANK YOU FOR THE PROGRESS, BUT WE NEED TO DO MUCH MORE.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU. JUST A NOTE ON THE 13TH.

WE'LL WE WON'T BE HERE.

WE'LL BE AT A CONFERENCE. SO IT MIGHT BE A DIFFERENT DATE.

OKAY. SO IF WE COULD GET A DATE PUT TOGETHER, WOULD THAT BE POSSIBLE? WELL, AFTER CALL ALL OF US IN.

OKAY? OKAY. THANKS.

I'LL REACH OUT BACK TO YOU.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THAT.

MORNING. MY NAME IS DOUG JENSEN.

I JUST WANTED TO ADD SOMETHING TO THAT GENTLEMAN'S STATEMENT.

I DON'T KNOW IF YOU GUYS ARE AWARE ON THE RECRUITMENT OF LAW ENFORCEMENT, BUT THEY HAVE AND I DON'T HAVE THE TIME FRAME THEY'VE SIGNED INTO LAW THAT YOU HAVE TO

[00:20:03]

BE 25 NOW TO BECOME A LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER AND HAVE A BACHELOR'S DEGREE.

THAT IS GOING TO BE IMPOSSIBLE TO FILL.

I'VE BEEN TEACHING OUT AT THE COLLEGE NOW FOR 30 YEARS IN THE ACADEMY, AND WE AVERAGE ABOUT 40 STUDENTS A CLASS.

LAST YEAR THERE WASN'T ENOUGH STUDENTS TO HAVE A CLASS.

THIS YEAR THERE WERE 13.

AND THEY'RE GOING TO REQUIRE WE'RE GOING TO END UP IN A REAL STORM HERE.

TO HAVE A BA AND BE 25 YEARS OLD.

GOT TO PREPARE FOR THAT NOW, BECAUSE THERE'S NO WAY WE'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO FILL THE STAFFING.

WE'RE SHORT NOW, SO I DON'T KNOW THE EXACT TIME FRAME, BUT SINCE HE BROUGHT IT UP, I THOUGHT I WOULD MAKE YOU AWARE OF THAT.

IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE GET AHEAD OF THAT.

THANK YOU. ANY OTHER PUBLIC COMMENTS? OKAY. PUBLIC COMMENT IS NOW.

OH. ONE MORE. GOOD MORNING.

I JUST HAD ONE QUESTION, AND I KNOW I'VE BROUGHT IT UP BEFORE, AND IT MENTIONED ABOUT THE I THINK IT WAS KRISTEN SANTOS ABOUT THE FLOODING AND PLANADA.

EXCUSE ME. I'M SORRY.

ALLERGIES. MY QUESTION IS, WHY DIDN'T RESIDENTS OF THE PRIMARILY SPANISH SPEAKING COMMUNITY OF PLANADA RECEIVE ANY EVACUATION ORDER PRIOR? EUSEBIO MENDEZ.

WE'RE AT THE EEOC DAYS PRIOR WITH CLEAR KNOWLEDGE THAT THE CANAL HADN'T BEEN CLEARED.

IT WAS VULNERABLE AND HAD SPILLED OVER BEFORE.

EVEN YOUR CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD, MR. ESPINOSA, ADMITTED TO BEING IN PLANADA WATCHING THE WATER AS THE CREEK ROSE THE NIGHT BEFORE.

SO WHY DID THEY NOT RECEIVE AN EVACUATION ORDER? THE RESIDENTS OF THE ENTIRE COUNTY, NOT JUST PLANADA.

THEY WANT TO KNOW.

OR AREN'T THE MEXICAN FAMILIES, IN YOUR OPINION, NOT DESERVING OF AN ANSWER? THANK YOU. ANY OTHER PUBLIC COMMENTS?

[CONSENT CALENDAR]

THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD IS NOW CLOSED FOR NON-AGENDA ITEMS. WELL. NUMBER ONE TO CONSENT.

CALENDAR. CONSENT AGENDA CALENDAR ITEMS ONE THROUGH 27.

PLEASE NOTE ITEM 14 REQUIRES A 4/5 VOTE, AND ON ITEMS 19 AND 20 IT SHOULD READ ASSESSOR, NOT ASSESSOR.

OKAY. WE HAVE ASSISTANT COUNTY EXECUTIVE OFFICER MARK HENDRICKSON WHO WOULD LIKE TO PROVIDE COMMENTS REGARDING ITEMS 18 THROUGH 20.

GOOD MORNING, MR. CHAIR.

MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, AGAIN ON THE CONSENT AGENDA, THERE ARE THREE ITEMS ITEMS 18, 19 AND 20 THAT ACTUALLY RESULT FROM NEW PROCESSES NOW IN PLACE.

IN THIS REGARD, I WANTED TO PROVIDE YOU WITH SOME BRIEF COMMENTS TO FAMILIARIZE YOU WITH THEIR PURPOSE.

MERCED COUNTY HAS POLICIES IN PLACE THAT PROVIDE STANDARDS TO PROTECT THE HEALTH, SAFETY AND WELFARE OF OUR RESIDENTS.

IN THIS REGARD, THE COUNTY IS RESPONSIBLE FOR ENFORCEMENT OF THESE REGULATIONS AS WELL AS ENFORCEMENT OF APPLICABLE STATE LAWS.

PROPERTY OWNERS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR MAINTAINING THEIR PROPERTIES.

ACCORDINGLY, SHOULD PROPERTY OWNERS NOT COMPLY WITH LOCAL AND STATE LAWS, THEY MAY BECOME SUBJECT TO CODE ENFORCEMENT ACTION BY THE MERCED COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE.

THIS TYPICALLY BEGINS WITH AN INVESTIGATION OF THE COMPLAINT AND SHOULD IT BE SUBSTANTIATED, THEN SENDING A NOTICE OF VIOLATION TO THE PROPERTY OWNER, ADVISING THEM OF THE ISSUES THAT NEED TO BE REMEDIED.

THE THREE ITEMS FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION TODAY CORRESPOND TO THREE DIFFERENT PROPERTIES WITH MULTIPLE VIOLATIONS EACH THAT WERE DETERMINED TO CONSTITUTE PUBLIC NUISANCES UNDER MERCED COUNTY CODE, CHAPTER 9.70, EACH OF THE PROPERTIES RECEIVED FIRST NOTICES OF VIOLATION FROM CODE ENFORCEMENT OR IN OTHER WORDS, THE VERY FIRST STEP OF THE CODE ENFORCEMENT PROCESS.

OUR PROCESSES, HOWEVER, ALLOW FOR PROPERTY OWNERS TO CONTEST THESE NOTICES OF VIOLATION TO AFFORD THEM WITH AN OPPORTUNITY TO APPEAL AND PROVIDE INFORMATION TO THE CONTRARY.

NOW, SHOULD THEY DO THIS, CONSISTENT WITH PRIOR BOARD ACTION AND ADMINISTRATIVE HEARING BOARD IS CONVENED TO RECEIVE EVIDENCE AND ORAL ARGUMENTS FROM BOTH THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE AS WELL AS THE APPELLANTS WITHIN 15 DAYS POST THAT HEARING.

WRITTEN FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE ADMINISTRATIVE HEARING BOARD ARE PROVIDED TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS AND THE OWNER AND THE OCCUPANTS OF THE SUBJECT PROPERTY, AND THEN

[00:25:02]

THOSE FINDINGS ARE SCHEDULED FOR THE BOARD IN AN OPEN MEETING, WHICH COMES TO THE PURPOSE OF TODAY.

FOR THE BOARD'S CONSIDERATION TODAY ARE THE AFOREMENTIONED THREE ITEMS REQUESTING THE BOARD ADOPT RESOLUTIONS AFFIRMING THESE FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE ADMINISTRATIVE HEARING BOARD, AS DETAILED IN EACH OF YOUR BOARD AGENDA ITEMS. NOW, AS THESE PROCESSES ARE RELATIVELY NEW, STAFF DOES ANTICIPATE PERFECTING THEM PROSPECTIVELY TO FULLY ENSURE EFFICIENCY AND DUE PROCESS.

AGAIN, STAFF RECOMMENDS THAT IN EACH OF THE THREE ITEMS TODAY THAT THE BOARD AFFIRM THE FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE ADMINISTRATIVE HEARING BOARD CONSISTENT WITH THE ACTIONS TAKEN BY THE MERCED COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE.

THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN. THANK YOU.

SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL. HAVE A QUESTION? YEAH. THANK YOU. YES.

THANK YOU. CHAIR. MARK, IF YOU COULD THANK YOU FOR THAT EXPLANATION OF THAT BECAUSE WE'VE HAD A LOT OF QUESTIONS GOING ON ABOUT THAT.

AND IN THIS PROCESS THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT BY FINE TUNING IT, ARE WE GOING TO HAVE MORE OF A STANDARD THAT WE CAN PASS ON TO SOME FOLKS? BECAUSE I KNOW SOME OF THESE FOLKS HAVE COME TO US SAYING, AT WHAT LEVEL DO WE NEED TO GET THAT PROPERTY TO, AND WHAT ARE THE STANDARDS THERE? ARE WE GOING TO BE A LITTLE MORE CLARIFYING WITH THAT? MR.. SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL.

THROUGH THE CHAIR THAT PROBABLY A COUPLE QUICK ANSWERS FOR YOU WITH REGARD IN REGARD TO YOUR TO YOUR QUESTION, I THINK ONE, YOU KNOW, THE PROCESSES I'M REALLY SPEAKING TO ARE RELATED TO THE PROCESS, THE ADMINISTRATIVE HEARING BOARD, THE TYPES OF OF APPEALS AND WHEN THOSE APPEALS COULD BE TAKING PLACE.

I THINK THAT WAS SPEAKING TO THAT.

I THINK YOU'RE SPEAKING MORE TO WHAT'S ACTUALLY INCLUDED IN THE NOTIFICATIONS TO TO THE PROPERTY OWNERS YOU KNOW, CODE ENFORCEMENT HAVING HAVING LED THAT ORGANIZATION YEARS AGO PRIOR TO ITS TRANSITION TO, TO THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE.

TYPICALLY THOSE NOTICES ARE FAIRLY CLEAR AS TO WHAT THE VIOLATIONS ARE, AS WELL AS WHAT NEEDS TO TAKE PLACE WITH REGARD TO A SET AMOUNT OF TIME.

THOSE THINGS, DEPENDING UPON THE TYPE OF INFRACTION COULD VERY WELL BE SPELLED OUT IN ANYTHING FROM THE COUNTY'S ZONING CODE IN PARTICULAR, WHICH AGAIN SPELLS OUT WHAT WHAT CAN TAKE PLACE ON A PROPERTY.

SO THOSE ARE THINGS THAT THAT AGAIN, WHAT I CAN SHARE IS AND AS WAS SHARED DURING THE ADMINISTRATIVE HEARING BOARD, IS THE SHERIFF'S REPRESENTATIVE A VERY NICE JOB THAT DAY OF ACTUALLY DETAILING THAT THEY ARE VERY WELL AWARE OF OR THEY'RE VERY OPEN TO RATHER, YOU KNOW, WORKING WITH OBVIOUSLY PROPERTY OWNERS TO, TO RECTIFY THEIR ISSUES. OBVIOUSLY WHEN YOU GET TO A NOTICE OF VIOLATION AND ACTUALLY, YOU KNOW, SUBSEQUENT ENFORCEMENT ACTIONS YOU KNOW, THE LAST RESORT IS, IS, IS PUNITIVE ACTION.

THEY REALLY ARE DESIROUS OF WORKING WITH PROPERTY OWNERS TO RESOLVE THOSE ISSUES.

SO REALLY, THE NOTICE OF VIOLATION PROCESSES ARE REALLY DESIGNED TO OPEN LINES OF COMMUNICATION WITH PROPERTY OWNERS SO THAT ONE THAT THEY'RE AWARE OF THE ISSUES AT HAND.

TWO, THAT THERE'S A CLEAR EXPECTATION AS TO WHAT NEEDS TO TAKE PLACE MOVING FORWARD.

VERY GOOD. YEAH. BECAUSE WHAT I DO APPRECIATE IN THIS IS THESE PROPERTY OWNERS ARE WANTING TO BE COMPLIANT, AND THEY'RE JUST WANTING TO KNOW WHAT WHAT THE STEPS THEY NEED TO TAKE. SO WORKING WITH THEM WOULD BE MUCH APPRECIATED.

I KNOW WE NEED TO FINE TUNE THIS, SO THANK YOU SIR.

THANK YOU. I SEE NO OTHER COMMENTS.

SO AT THIS TIME. OPEN UP PUBLIC COMMENT FOR CONSENT CALENDAR ITEMS ONE THROUGH 27.

ANY PUBLIC COMMENT ON THESE ITEMS? GOOD MORNING. BOARD.

ADAM REED. I'M A RESIDENT OF ATWATER.

I LIVE NEAR THE PROPERTY THAT YOU GUYS ARE THAT'S ON ITEM 19.

THE ABATEMENT ACTION TOWARDS THAT PROPERTY.

THE OWNER OF THAT PROPERTY IS A LONGTIME FRIEND OF MINE AND NEIGHBOR.

HE'S, YOU KNOW, TWO HOUSES DOWN FROM ME, AND THE ABATEMENT ACTION, IT KIND OF.

IT DOESN'T REALLY SEEM VERY REASONABLE TO ME.

HE'S LIVED IN THAT PROPERTY FOR ALMOST TWO DECADES.

AND THE THE ABATEMENT IS FOR VEHICLES THAT HE HAS ON THE PROPERTY.

90% OF THEM ARE OVER, YOU KNOW, 30 YEARS OLD.

THEY'RE CLASSIC CARS THAT HE IS WORKING ON OR USES PARTS OFF OF TO FIX ONES THAT HE IS WORKING ON.

AND I FIND IT KIND OF UNREASONABLE TO YOU KNOW, THIS IS A HOBBY OF HIS.

IT'S A COLLECTION TO ASK HIM TO REMOVE ALL THESE THERE WAS TWO SEPARATE ACTIONS ON THIS.

THERE WAS ONE THAT IN THE FRONT, THE ORIGINAL ONE.

AND HE TOOK CARE OF THE FRONT.

HE'S GOT, YOU KNOW, ALL THE VEHICLES THAT WERE IN THE FRONT, WHICH THE REASON WHY I WAS NOTIFIED OF THIS IS BECAUSE ONE OF MY VEHICLES PARKED IN THE FRONT TEMPORARILY.

AND WHENEVER I GOT A NOTICE ON IT IN THE MAIL, I WALKED DOWN THERE, AND I PUT MY KEYS IN IT, AND I STARTED IT, AND I DROVE IT DOWN THE STREET.

BECAUSE IT'S REGISTERED, IT'S INSURED, IT RUNS, IT DRIVES, IT HAS AIR IN THE TIRES.

I DON'T KNOW WHY I WAS NOTIFIED OF IT.

IT'S IT'S NOT INOPERABLE.

THE CODE SAYS INOPERABLE VEHICLES.

BUT WE RESOLVE THAT.

SO NOW HE'S THE FRONT YARD.

IF YOU GO BY AND LOOK AT IT YOU KNOW, THERE'S 1 OR 2 CARS THERE, BUT THEY'RE OPERABLE CARS.

HE MOVES THEM. HE DRIVES THEM.

THE ONES THAT ARE INOPERABLE ARE IN THE BACKYARD.

YOU CANNOT SEE THEM FROM THE PUBLIC VIEW.

THE ONLY WAY YOU CAN SEE THEM IS IF YOU ARE TRESPASSING ON THE CANAL.

[00:30:03]

MID CANAL IS PRIVATE PROPERTY, AND MID DOES NOT ALLOW PEOPLE TO WALK ON THEIR CANALS.

IT'S TRESPASSING.

THEY DON'T ENFORCE IT.

BUT I KNOW FROM BEING ON THE PLANNING COMMISSION AND ATWATER BECAUSE WE WANTED TO MAKE THAT INTO A PATHWAY, A GREEN SPACE.

MID SAID, NO, WE DO NOT ALLOW PEOPLE, PEDESTRIANS ON OUR CANALS.

SO THE ONLY WAY YOU CAN SEE THIS THING.

SO I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY IT'S A PUBLIC NUISANCE.

IT'S NOT TRASH.

IT DOESN'T ATTRACT RODENTS.

IT DOESN'T ATTRACT PEST VERMIN, VECTOR CONTROL, NOTHING.

YOU KNOW, IT'S VEHICLES.

SO YOU KNOW, I'M I'M KIND OF CONCERNED ABOUT THAT.

AS A RESIDENT WHO LIKES TO PROTECT PROPERTY RIGHTS, I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE IS A LINE.

IF SOMEBODY LIKE MY NEIGHBOR HAS GARBAGE IN THEIR BACKYARD THAT IS ATTRACTING PEST THAT NEEDS TO BE DEALT WITH, BUT STEAL VEHICLES.

I MEAN, IT'S NOT THEY'RE NOT THEY'RE NOT ATTRACTING PESTS.

IT'S NOT BOTHERING ANYBODY.

AND AGAIN, THE ONLY PEOPLE THAT COULD BOTHER IS THE PEOPLE ON THE CANAL, AND THEY'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO BE THERE ANYWAYS.

I SUPPORT THE RIGHT TO BE THERE.

I THINK THAT THEY SHOULD BE ABLE TO BE THERE, BUT RIGHT NOW MID DOES NOT ALLOW IT.

SO I WOULD YOU KNOW, YOU GUYS ARE A DISCRETIONARY BOARD AND I HOPE YOU GUYS USE YOUR DISCRETION.

YEAH. THINK ABOUT THIS ONE.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

ANY OTHER PUBLIC COMMENT ON ITEM 127? OKAY. AT THIS TIME I WILL CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENT ON ITEMS ONE THROUGH 27 AND ANY FURTHER COMMENTS BY THE BOARD OR MOTIONS? SO I SEE A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR SILVERA.

SECOND BY SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL.

CALL FOR THE VOTE. SUPERVISOR PAREIRA I'M THINKING.

PLEASE RECORD THE VOTE.

AT THIS TIME, I WOULD LIKE TO INVITE AS XIA SHANG.

THE PROJECT DIRECTOR AND DOCTOR STEVE ROUSSOS, THE CO-DIRECTOR OF THE HMONG CENTER.

GUYS LIKE TO JOIN ME.

LLOYD.

THANK YOU. ANY ANYBODY ELSE IS COMING WITH THEM AS WELL.

WE'D LIKE YOU TO FIT OUR HMONG VEST ON FOR OUR PHOTO.

OH, OKAY. I GOT A BIG ONE FOR YOU.

TAKE IT OFF. YOU DON'T NEED A BIG ONE ANYMORE.

YOU'RE SKINNY. EXCELLENT, EXCELLENT.

WELL. THAT'S COOL. YEAH.

TAKE OFF YOUR COAT OR BLAZER.

SO IT COULD BE A HMONG OR A 3738, 30 MINUTE TODAY.

YES YES YES.

PATH. OF XL2.

YOU HAVE A LARGE ONE OR A LARGE ONE? RIGHT. WE HAVE A DIFFERENT SIZE.

OH, THERE YOU GO. AWESOME.

OOH, LOOK AT THAT.

THAT'S GREAT. YEAH.

OKAY, EVERYBODY, COME OVER HERE.

IT'S ME. HOW ARE YOU? I'LL SEE YOU AGAIN. ALL RIGHT.

THE HMONG HAVE MADE MERCED HOME FOR NEARLY 50 YEARS.

THE HALTOM HMONG CENTER AND ITS PARTNERS THROUGHOUT MERCED COUNTY HAVE WORKED TOGETHER TO HELP US PROCLAIM MAY 14TH AS HMONG AMERICAN DAY.

I'M GOING TO READ THE PROCLAMATION.

HMONG AMERICAN DAY.

FROM 1961 TO 1975, MORE THAN 40,000 HMONG INDIVIDUALS WERE RECRUITED BY THE CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY, CIA TO FIGHT ALONGSIDE AMERICAN SOLDIERS IN THE SECRET WAR.

A VITAL PART OF THE VIETNAM WAR IN LAOS, AND ON MAY 14TH, 1975 1975 MARKED THE FALL OF LONG SHENG, WHO 49 YEARS AGO FORCED THOUSANDS OF HMONG TO FLEE LAOS TO SEEK REFUGE FROM PERSECUTION.

AND MANY HMONG WAR REFUGEES AND THEIR FAMILIES IMMIGRATED TO OTHER COUNTRIES, INCLUDING THE UNITED STATES AND TO CALIFORNIA, WHERE TODAY MERCED IS HOME TO MORE

[00:35:09]

THAN 8000 HMONG RESIDENTS.

WE HONOR THE LEGACY OF THE HMONG PEOPLE WHO SERVED, WERE WOUNDED, AND LOST THEIR LIVES IN BATTLE TO ENSURE AMERICA REMAINS THE LAND OF THE FREE.

KNOWING THE FOREVER WE FOREVER OWE A DEBT OF GRATITUDE FOR THEIR SACRIFICE.

THE COUNTRY OF MERCED RECOGNIZES THE IMPORTANT CULTURAL, SOCIAL, POLITICAL, AND ECONOMIC CONTRIBUTIONS OF HMONG AMERICANS THAT PROVIDE GENERATIONAL ENRICHMENT AND ENHANCEMENT TO THIS COUNTRY ACROSS MANY SECTORS, INCLUDING CBOS, BUSINESSES, HEALTH CARE, EDUCATION, PUBLIC SAFETY, AND GOVERNMENT. IN 2024, THE COUNTY JOINS OUR OTHER HMONG LEADING LEADING JURISDICTIONS IN THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA TO COMMEMORATE THIS DAY AND TO FORMALLY RECOGNIZE AND CELEBRATE THE HISTORY, CULTURE, AND CONTRIBUTIONS OF HMONG AMERICANS IN MERCED COUNTY AND OTHER JURISDICTIONS IN CALIFORNIA.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT BE RESOLVED, THAT WE, THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS OF THE HMONG COUNTY OF MERCED, DO HEREBY PROCLAIM MAY 14TH, 2024, AS A HMONG AMERICAN DAY IN MERCED COUNTY AND INVITE YOU TO JOIN US IN COMMEMORATING THIS DAY AND FORMALLY RECOGNIZING AND CELEBRATING THE RICH HISTORY, CULTURE, AND CONTRIBUTIONS OF HMONG AMERICANS IN MERCED COUNTY AND OTHER JURISDICTIONS THROUGHOUT CALIFORNIA.

SO, ON BEHALF OF MERCED COUNTY, OUR BOARD OF SUPERVISORS YOU KNOW, HERE'S THE CERTIFICATE AND APPRECIATE YOUR ALL THE HMONG COMMUNITY. OKAY. THANK YOU.

YEAH. FIRST OF ALL, I JUST WANTED TO THANK OUR CHAIR FOR HIS LEADERSHIP.

ALL THE COUNTY SUPERVISORS LEADERSHIP AND THEIR CONTRIBUTION TO MAKE A WELCOMING PLACE FOR HMONG PEOPLE.

IT HAS BEEN ALMOST 50 YEARS SINCE WE CALL MERCED COUNTY HOMES.

AND FIRST, I WOULD LIKE TO ALSO THANK OUR SPONSORS AND PARTNERS IN HMONG COMMUNITY FOR THEIR CONTRIBUTION FOR MAKING THIS DAY POSSIBLE.

AND THANKS FOR JOINING US TONIGHT.

AS WE SAID IN OUR STORY CLOTH, TOGETHER WE MAKE A STRONGER COMMUNITY.

I WANTED TO REMIND ALL OF YOU IN THE AUDIENCE, ALSO OUR COUNTY STAFF, THAT ON MAY 14TH, FROM 6 TO 8 P.M.

AT MAINZER WILL HAVE A KOSHER FOOD AND CELEBRATION AND ALL OF YOU ARE INVITED.

FIRST WILL BE AT THE CITY COUNCIL AND THE WALK TO THE MANGER.

SO AGAIN, ALL OF YOU ARE INVITED TO HELP US CELEBRATE HMONG DAY WITH FOOD AND CULTURAL PERFORMANCE.

AND THANK YOU AGAIN, COUNTY SUPERVISOR, FOR YOUR GENEROUS SUPPORT FOR THE HMONG FOR THE LAST SEVERAL DECADES.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU SIR.

WHAT ELSE WOULD YOU LIKE TO KNOW? YEAH. FIRST OF ALL, SEE, I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU.

YOU'VE YOUR LEADERSHIP IN THIS WHOLE PROGRAM.

YOU BROUGHT THIS TO THE CHAIRMAN AND I, AND IT WAS A NO BRAINER FOR US.

WE WANTED TO BRING IT FORWARD.

BUT YOUR LEADERSHIP.

I JUST WANT ALL THE FOLKS TO UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU DO.

AND EVERY TIME YOU INVITE US, WE ATTEND THE VETERANS ORGANIZATIONS AND THE VETERANS EVENTS.

IT'S A VERY FULFILLING THEIR THEIR HUMBLENESS AND WILLING TO SERVE ON BEHALF OF THE UNITED STATES.

I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP OF KEEPING US THIS GROUP TOGETHER AND KEEPING US ACTIVE.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU. YEAH.

IT'S ALWAYS BEEN MY PLEASURE TO SUPPORT ALL OUR COMMUNITIES ACROSS OUR DIVERSE MERCED COUNTY.

SO I JUST, LIKE I SAID, FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART, I KNOW I'M GOING TO BE HERE TILL DECEMBER.

LIKE I SAID, IT'S MY PLEASURE TO WORK AND HELP EVERYBODY IN MERCED COUNTY, BUT ESPECIALLY THE WONDERFUL PEOPLE THE HMONG IN THIS COMMUNITY.

SO THANK YOU, SIA AND EVERYBODY ELSE.

OKAY. THANK YOU. APPRECIATE IT.

OKAY. WE'RE GOING TO TAKE THE MICROPHONE.

I MEAN, HE'S A DISTRICT THREE.

DISTRICT THREE. CHAIRMAN.

WHO'S ON THE. ME TOO.

ME TOO. YES.

YES, YES. THANK YOU.

MIKE. WHERE'S THE REST OF THE.

OH, YEAH. I GOT.

THE. THANK YOU FOR THAT RESCUE.

ABSOLUTELY.

[00:40:26]

[BOARD ACTION (Part 2 of 2)]

WELL, THANK YOU FOR NOW. WE WILL NOW MOVE ON TO OUR BOARD ACTION BEGINNING WITH ITEM 36.

AT THIS TIME, I WILL TURN THE MIC OVER TO COUNTY EXECUTIVE OFFICER RAUL LOMELI MENDEZ.

YES. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, BEFORE I TURN OVER THE PRESENTATION TO OUR ASSISTANT COUNTY EXECUTIVE OFFICER, MARCI BARRERA AND ASSISTANT FIRE CHIEF MARK PIMENTEL FOR THE FOR THE DISCUSSION.

I DID WANT TO MAKE SOME OPENING REMARKS.

THIS ITEM BEFORE YOU IS A CONTINUATION OF THE RECENT DISCUSSION THAT TOOK PLACE ON APRIL 9TH DURING YOUR REGULAR MEETING REGARDING OUR COUNTYWIDE FIRE SERVICE MODEL AND OPTIONS NECESSITATED BY THE MANDATE THAT WE RECEIVE FROM THE STATE REGARDING A20 STAFFING WITH A30 STAFFING FACTOR REQUIREMENT AT EACH OF OUR 19 EXISTING FIRE STATIONS, AND A DEADLINE THAT THIS BE ACCOMPLISHED BY NOVEMBER 1ST OF THIS YEAR.

AS THE BOARD IS AWARE, MERCED COUNTY HAS GRADUALLY BEEN MOVING AWAY FROM THE ONE ZERO STAFFING AT OUR FIRE STATIONS TO ENHANCE SERVICE DELIVERY AND FOR FIRE PERSONNEL SAFETY. UNTIL LAST YEAR, THE COUNTY HAS BEEN ABLE TO COVER COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH PROVIDING THESE ESSENTIAL SERVICES SOLELY FROM THE COUNTY FIRE TAX REVENUE RECEIPTS.

ON JUNE 27TH OF LAST YEAR, THE BOARD APPROVED A $2.9 MILLION ALLOCATION FROM THE GENERAL FUND TO MOVE TO TWO ZERO STAFFING AT OUR UNINCORPORATED AREAS, THE STATIONS THAT WERE LOCATED THERE.

THIS LEFT FOUR EXISTING STATIONS WITH ONE ZERO STAFFING, NOTABLY LIVINGSTON, GUSTINE, DOS PALOS AND MCKEE.

DESPITE THIS COMMITMENT, THE STATE'S NEW STAFFING REQUIREMENT HAS ACCELERATED OUR WORK IN THIS AREA AND POSES A SIGNIFICANT FISCAL CHALLENGE FOR THE ORGANIZATION.

AS SUCH, THE BOARD DIRECTED STAFF TO WORK WITH CAL FIRE TO DEVELOP STRATEGIC OPTIONS THAT WOULD ENSURE THAT ADEQUATE FIRE PROTECTION BE PROVIDED WITHIN OUR ALLOCATED RESOURCES AND WITHOUT ADDITIONAL SUPPORT FROM THE GENERAL FUND.

THESE OPTIONS WERE PRESENTED LAST MONTH, AND THE BOARD TABLED THE ITEM TO THIS MEETING TODAY TO ALLOW ADDITIONAL TIME FOR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, AND ALSO TIME FOR STAFF AND CAL FIRE AND THE COUNTY TO WORK WITH OTHERS TO INVENT AN ALTERNATIVE OPTIONS, SOME OF WHICH WERE ALREADY IN PLAY WITH SOME OF OUR CITY PARTNERS. THIS MORNING, OUR PRESENTATION TEAM WILL AGAIN REVISIT THE OPTIONS BEFORE THE BOARD SHARE SOME OF THE ADDITIONAL WORK THAT'S HAPPENED OVER THE COURSE OF THE LAST FEW WEEKS, AND ALSO IN MANY OF THE CONVERSATIONS THAT HAVE OCCURRED DURING THAT TIME.

I WOULD NOW LIKE TO ASK MARCI BARRERA TO BEGIN THE PRESENTATION.

THANK YOU. MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.

THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEND SOME TIME TODAY WALKING THROUGH THE INFORMATION ON FIRE SERVICES IN ADVANCE OF THE BOARD'S CONSIDERATION OF THE RECOMMENDED ACTIONS. HOW FIRE SERVICES ARE CONDUCTED THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY HAS BEEN A TOPIC OF DISCUSSION FOR SEVERAL YEARS, FOLLOWING A FIRE STUDY IN 2019.

A PRESENTATION WAS MADE AT THE SEPTEMBER 17TH, 2019 BOARD MEETING WHERE THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS TOOK ACTION TO CLOSE THE CASTLE FIRE STATION AND REPURPOSE IT AS A MAINTENANCE FACILITY, REASSIGNING STAFF TO ALTERNATE LOCATIONS.

AT THAT TIME, THE BOARD DIRECTED STAFF TO CONTINUE DISCUSSIONS WITH UC MERCED, THE CITIES OF LIVINGSTON AND DOS PALOS, AND CONTINUE EVALUATING OPTIONS REGARDING THE CRESSY STATION.

ADDITIONALLY, ON FEBRUARY 16TH, 2023, MERCED COUNTY RECEIVED A LETTER FROM CAL FIRE WITH A DEADLINE OF NOVEMBER 1ST TO COMPLY WITH THE 2.0 STAFFING MODEL AND A 3.0 FACTOR FOR RELIEF.

MERCED COUNTY IS THE LAST COUNTY IN THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA WITH A 1.0 STAFFING MODEL, WHICH HAS CREATED UNSAFE CONDITIONS FOR FIRE PERSONNEL.

ON JUNE 27TH, 2023, THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS TOOK ACTION TO ADD 12 FULL TIME EMPLOYEES TO GET TO THE TWO ZERO STAFFING AT ALL UNINCORPORATED COUNTY FIRE STATIONS, AT THE COST OF $2.9 MILLION.

[00:45:01]

THE BOARD DIRECTION HAS ALWAYS BEEN TO LIVE WITHIN THE FIRE FUND.

HOWEVER, WITH THE BOARD ACTION TAKEN IN JUNE TO ADD THE ADDITIONAL STAFFING, THE FIRE FUND HAS BEEN EXCEEDED AND THE COUNTY NOW HAS AN ONGOING COST OF $2.9 MILLION FROM GENERAL FUND TO SUPPORT FIRE SERVICES, IN ADDITION TO THE $2.9 MILLION IN SUPPORT CURRENTLY FROM THE GENERAL FUND, DEPENDING UPON THE BOARD'S ACTION TODAY.

THE COST TO THE GENERAL FUND CAN RANGE FROM ANYWHERE FROM AN ADDITIONAL $760,000 TO $6.9 MILLION TO ACHIEVE TWO ZERO STAFFING, WITH A 3.0 FACTOR AT ALL STATIONS.

AN ADDITIONAL 27 POSITIONS ARE NEEDED AT THE COST OF 6.9 MILLION, WHICH IS NOT FISCALLY SUSTAINABLE BY THE COUNTY GENERAL FUND.

THE COUNTY CONTINUED EXPLORING SHORT AND LONG TERM, COST EFFECTIVE ALTERNATIVES TO PROVIDE EFFICIENT FIRE SERVICES.

THE COUNTY DID A COST COMPARISON AND ANALYZED WHAT IT WOULD LOOK LIKE IF WE CREATED OUR OWN COUNTY FIRE DEPARTMENT AND NO LONGER CONTRACTED WITH CAL FIRE.

THE AFTER THE THE DETAILED ANALYSIS, IT WAS DETERMINED THAT IT WOULD BE AN ADDITIONAL $3 MILLION ONGOING ANNUALLY, WITH AN ESTIMATED 13 MILLION FOR ONE TIME START UP COSTS TO STAND UP AND RUN A COUNTY FIRE DEPARTMENT, WHICH IS ABOVE WHAT WE CURRENTLY PAY FOR THE CAL FIRE CONTRACT.

SOME OF THE REASONS IT WOULD BE COST PROHIBITIVE FOR THE COUNTY TO RUN ITS OWN COUNTY FIRE VERSUS CONTINUING WITH CAL FIRE ARE.

CURRENTLY. CAL FIRE IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE RECRUITMENT, HIRING, TRAINING AND MANAGING OF THE FIRE PERSONNEL.

THEY HANDLE ALL WORKER'S COMPENSATION AND UNFUNDED LIABILITY COSTS AND DEAL WITH ANY ISSUES RELATED TO SAFETY.

RETIREMENT. ADDITIONALLY, THE COUNTY DOES NOT HAVE TO PROVIDE OVERSIGHT OR ADDITIONAL RESOURCES, SUCH AS PROVIDING A DEPARTMENT HEAD, COUNCIL, OR HUMAN RESOURCES TO HIRE OR MANAGE ANY OF THE EXISTING STAFF.

CAL FIRE ALSO PROVIDES DISPATCH PERSONNEL, AND THEY HAVE THE ABILITY TO PROVIDE COOPERATIVE FIRE SERVICES, PREVENTION SERVICES, AND HAVE GREATER RESOURCES THAN THE COUNTY TO OFFER TO BACKFILL POSITIONS DUE TO LEAVE OF ABSENCES.

MORE IMPORTANTLY, CAL FIRE HAS THE RESOURCES TO STAFF THE EMERGENCY OPERATIONS CENTER, THE EOC, IN TIMES OF CRITICAL INCIDENTS AND EMERGENCIES.

AGAIN, THE COUNTY ULTIMATELY DETERMINED THE BENEFITS PROVIDED IN THE CAL FIRE CONTRACT OUTWEIGHED CREATING OUR OWN FIRE DEPARTMENT, AND THEREFORE WE NEEDED TO ACCELERATE OUR PLAN TO COMPLY BY THE NOVEMBER 1ST DEADLINE.

ANOTHER ALTERNATIVE EXPLORED TO AUGMENT COSTS WAS THE SAFER GRANT.

THE COUNTY DID APPLY FOR THE SAFER GRANT IN 2023.

HOWEVER, WE WERE UNSUCCESSFUL IN BEING AWARDED THE GRANT AT THAT TIME.

OTHER AREAS EXPLORED INCLUDED LOOKING INTO VARIOUS WAYS TO ALSO GENERATE ADDITIONAL REVENUE FOR FIRE SERVICES.

THE FIRST AND SECOND ACTION ITEMS FOR THE BOARD'S CONSIDERATION ARE THE POSSIBLE CONSOLIDATION OF FIRE STATIONS OF BALLICO, CRESSEY AND DOS PALOS, DOS PALOS Y.

BOTH BALLICO CRESSEY AND DOS PALOS DOS PALOS Y.

ARE WITHIN 4 TO 5 MILES OF ANOTHER FIRE STATION THAT CAN RESPOND TO CALLS FOR SERVICES.

CONSOLIDATION OF THESE STATIONS WILL NOT AFFECT THE ABILITY FOR FIRE TO REMAIN WITHIN THE NATIONAL AVERAGE.

FOR RURAL CALLS FOR FIRE RESPONSE.

CAL FIRE WILL DISCUSS RESPONSE TIMES IN MORE DETAIL SHORTLY.

DUE TO THE CLOSE PROXIMITY OF OTHER RESPONDING STATIONS, IT WAS DETERMINED AS NOT FISCALLY SUSTAINABLE TO STAFF ALL STATIONS AT TWO AU WITH THE THREE AU FACTOR, WITHOUT CONSIDERING CONSOLIDATIONS TO PROVIDE EFFICIENCY.

THE THIRD ACTION ITEM FOR THE CONSIDERATION OF THE BOARD TODAY IS THE REMOVAL OF CAL FIRE STAFFING AT STATION 96IN THE CITY OF LIVINGSTON EFFECTIVE OCTOBER 1ST, 2024, AND THE REDIRECTION OF STAFF TO OTHER LOCATIONS.

LIVINGSTON IS AN INCORPORATED CITY.

IT'S MORE COMMON FOR INCORPORATED CITIES TO PROVIDE THEIR OWN POLICE, FIRE, AND UTILITY SERVICES.

APPROXIMATELY 63% OF ALL CALLS RESPONDED TO BY COUNTY FIRE ARE WITHIN THE CITY OF LIVINGSTON'S BOUNDARIES.

IT'S NOT FISCALLY SUSTAINABLE FOR THE COUNTY TO BEAR THE ENTIRE COST OF THE ADDITIONAL STAFF TO GET TO TWO ZERO STAFFING, WITH A30 FACTOR AT A STATION THAT'S PRIMARILY RESPONDING TO CITY CALLS.

THE COUNTY HAS BEEN IN DISCUSSION FOR THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS WITH LIVINGSTON IN AN ATTEMPT TO REACH A LONG TERM COST SHARING AGREEMENT.

MORE RECENTLY, MERCED COUNTY AND THE CITY OF LIVINGSTON HAVE BEEN IN DISCUSSIONS ON A SHORT TERM STOPGAP COST SHARING PLAN TO GET US TO THE OCTOBER 1ST, 2024 DEADLINE WITH THE HOPE THAT THE COUNTY WILL BE SUCCESSFUL IN THE SAFER GRANT AWARD, AND OR BOTH SIDES CAN COME TO A LONGER TERM, MUTUALLY AGREEABLE SOLUTION.

IF THE COUNTY IS UNSUCCESSFUL IN ACHIEVING LONG TERM SOLUTIONS, AS STATED ABOVE, FIRE SERVICES CAN CONTINUE INTO THE CITY OF LIVINGSTON IF AN AUTO AID AGREEMENT IS ENTERED INTO BY BOTH PARTIES.

THE AUTO AID AGREEMENT WILL ALLOW CALLS TO BE RESPONDED TO BY COUNTY FIRE WITHIN THE CITY OF LIVINGSTON FROM THE COUNTY, UNINCORPORATED FIRE STATIONS 92 AND BALLICO,

[00:50:03]

91 IN DELHI AND 95 IN HILMAR.

THE FOURTH ACTION FOR BOARD CONSIDERATION TODAY IS THE APPROVAL OF THE CLOSURE OF STATION 85 MCKEE IN MERCED.

EFFECTIVE OCTOBER 1ST, 2024, AND REDIRECTION OF STAFF TO ALTERNATE LOCATIONS.

AS YOU MAY BE AWARE, UC MERCED IS IN THE PROCESS OF AN ANNEXATION APPLICATION TO ANNEX WITHIN THE CITY OF MERCED.

ON MARCH 26TH, 2024, THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS APPROVED THE COUNTY OF MERCED AND UC MERCED STOPGAP AGREEMENT FOR SERVICES TO CONTINUE THROUGH SEPTEMBER 30TH, 2024, AT WHICH TIME IT'S ANTICIPATED THE UC WILL POSSIBLY BE ANNEXED AND BECOME PART OF THE CITY OF MERCED JURISDICTION FOR FIRE SERVICES.

MERCED COUNTY AND THE CITY OF MERCED ALSO RECENTLY MET TO DISCUSS THE FACILITATION OF AN AUTO AID AGREEMENT TO ADDRESS THE CONSTITUENTS LOCATED IN THE UNINCORPORATED COUNTY AREA CURRENTLY SERVICED BY THE MCKEE STATION.

AN AUTO AID AGREEMENT WILL ALLOW THE CITY OF MERCED TO RESPOND TO THE UNINCORPORATED COUNTY AREA FROM THE PARSON STATION, WHICH IS LOCATED LESS THAN A HALF A MILE AWAY FROM THE CURRENT MCKEE STATION.

CAL FIRE AGAIN WILL PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION ON THE POSSIBLE AUTO AID AGREEMENT SHORTLY.

THE FIFTH AND SIXTH BOARD ACTION ITEMS ARE TO DIRECT STAFF TO FACILITATE CHANGES TO THE CAL FIRE AGREEMENT IN JULY, BASED UPON THE BOARD RESULTING ACTIONS TAKEN TODAY ON ONE THROUGH FOUR, AND TO RETURN TO THE BOARD WITH ANY COST SHARING OR SAFER GRANT AWARD DEVELOPMENTS THAT OCCUR BETWEEN NOW AND THE OCTOBER 1ST DATE.

EACH OF THE BOARD ACTION ITEMS BEING RECOMMENDED TODAY FOR CONSIDERATION WILL BE TAKEN INDIVIDUALLY, ALLOWING STAFF TO MAKE THE NECESSARY ADJUSTMENTS BASED UPON BOARD DIRECTION.

RECENT DEVELOPMENTS.

AS MENTIONED EARLIER, MERCED COUNTY AND UC MERCED REACHED A STOP GAP AGREEMENT THROUGH SEPTEMBER 30TH, 2024.

THE AGREEMENT WAS APPROVED BY THE BOARD AGAIN ON MARCH 26TH, 2024.

SINCE THE APRIL 9TH MEETING WHERE THIS FIRE ITEM WAS ORIGINALLY DISCUSSED, ALL OF THE DATES ON THE RESULTING ACTION ITEMS HAVE BEEN CHANGED TO OCTOBER 1ST, 2024 ON ALL OF THE RECOMMENDED ACTIONS BEFORE YOU TODAY.

THIS ALLOWS ADDITIONAL TIME FOR DISCUSSIONS TO CONTINUE WITH THE CITIES TO REACH LONG TERM SOLUTIONS, AS WELL AS OBTAINING THE FINAL DETERMINATION ON WHETHER THE SAFER GRANT IS AWARDED TO THE COUNTY.

ALSO MENTIONED EARLIER, MERCED COUNTY AND THE CITY OF MERCED MET RECENTLY TO DISCUSS EXPLORING A POSSIBLE AUTO AID AGREEMENT ALLOWING US TO PARTNER AND PROVIDE EFFECTIVE AND EFFICIENT FIRE SERVICES TO OUR COMMUNITY.

LAST NIGHT AT THE MERCED CITY COUNCIL MEETING, THE COUNCIL APPROVED CITY STAFF TO HAVE FURTHER CONVERSATIONS WITH THE COUNTY TO DEVELOP FAIR AND EQUITABLE PARTNERSHIPS TO ENHANCE FIRE SERVICES WITH BOTH JURISDICTIONS AND FOR STAFF TO BRING BACK OPTIONS FOR COUNCIL'S CONSIDERATION.

DISCUSSIONS HAVE ALSO CONTINUED BETWEEN MERCED COUNTY AND THE CITY OF LIVINGSTON ON A STOP GAP AGREEMENT THROUGH SEPTEMBER 30TH, 2024, WHERE THE CITY WOULD PROVIDE SOME FUNDING TO CONTINUE AND INCREASE SERVICES.

ADDITIONALLY, THERE WERE TWO COMMUNITY OUTREACH MEETINGS HELD WITH RESIDENTS OF CRESSEY AND NORTH MERCED.

NOW, I'D LIKE TO TURN IT OVER TO CAL FIRE TO PROVIDE MORE DETAILED INFORMATION ABOUT THE OVERALL IMPACTS, RESPONSE TIMES AND THE SAFER GRANT.

THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU.

GOOD MORNING. CHAIR, BOARD.

COUNTY COUNCIL CEO.

MENDEZ. MY NAME IS MARK PIMENTEL.

I'M THE ASSISTANT FIRE CHIEF FOR MERCED COUNTY FIRE.

CAL FIRE HERE REPRESENTING FIRE CHIEF MIKE VAN LAUBENFELS.

AS WE MOVE THROUGH THIS PROCESS, THESE ARE ALL DISCUSSIONS THAT HAVE BEEN OCCURRED IN THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS TO TALK ABOUT HOW THE FIRE SERVICE LOOKS AS IT MOVES FORWARD. AS YOU TALK ABOUT THE CONSOLIDATIONS OF STATION 64 AND 92, WHICH CHRISTIE AND BALLICO ALSO CONSOLIDATION OF 76 AND 75, WHICH IS DOS PALOS CITY AND DOS PALOS Y.

AND THEN THE ELIMINATION OF STATION 85 AND MCKEE AND THE ELIMINATION OF STATION 96 IN LIVINGSTON.

THIS WILL PROVIDE THE OPPORTUNITY WHICH CAL FIRE HAS GRACIOUSLY MOVED FORWARD IN TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR STAFF IS EFFICIENT TO PROVIDE SERVICES THROUGHOUT ALL OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA.

MY SUPERVISOR, CHIEF VAN LOWMAN, HAS BEEN WORKING DILIGENTLY WITH THE STATE, AND THEY ACTUALLY HAVE ALLOWED US TO GODFATHER INTO THIS, KEEPING THE TWO ZERO STAFFING ALL FUTURE AGREEMENTS MOVING FORWARD WILL BE ACTUALLY AT THE THREE ZERO STAFFING SIMILAR TO WHAT OTHER FIRE DEPARTMENTS ARE THROUGHOUT THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA THAT WILL ALLOW FOR KIND OF A HALFWAY IN THE ROAD BECAUSE A RECENT NATIONAL STANDARD HAS INCREASED THAT STAFFING OF ONE APPARATUS TO A40 STAFFING.

BUT RIGHT NOW WE ARE JUST LOOKING TO GET TO THE TWO ZERO STAFFING AND START TO ELIMINATE THE ONE PERSON ON AN APPARATUS.

JUST TO FALL INTO THAT IS ALSO AS YOUR STAFFING LEVELS, AS EVERY SEAT THAT'S HAS AN INDIVIDUAL PROVIDING THAT SERVICE TAKES THREE BODIES TO ALLOW FOR RELIEF.

SO AS YOU GO THROUGH THE WEEK AND YOU PROVIDE THAT SERVICE 24 OVER SEVEN 365, YOU DO HAVE TO HAVE THAT RELIEF COMPONENT FOR TRAINING, VACATIONS AND

[00:55:06]

COMPENSATION. THIS LOOKING AT THESE EFFECTIVE COVERAGE, THIS WOULD BE ADDRESSING SOME OF OUR ISSUES THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY WITH CONSIDERATION OF OUR BUDGET CONSTRAINTS.

AS YOU LOOK AT THE NATIONAL STANDARD, AND I KNOW THAT WE ARE VERY FAMILIAR.

AGAIN, AS I REFERENCED, I WAS A PCF.

I STARTED MY CAREER HERE.

I WORKED THROUGH THE PROCESS AS A PAID CALL FIREFIGHTER, AND IT WAS A GREAT PROGRAM AND IS STILL A GREAT PROGRAM.

WE ARE STILL CONTINUING TO GATHER INDIVIDUALS.

THE ISSUE THAT WE NOTICE OF NOWADAYS IS THE TRAINING REQUIREMENTS.

THOSE TRAINING REQUIREMENTS ARE VERY INTENSIVE AND TAKES A LOT OF TIME FOR INDIVIDUALS TO BE ABLE TO PARTICIPATE.

WE ARE GETTING A LOT OF YOUNG FOLKS THAT ARE GETTING THIS TRAINING AND ARE BEING SUCCESSFUL AT ACTUALLY ACQUIRING PAID CAREER IN THE FIRE SERVICE, SO WE'RE VERY HONORED BY THAT AND VERY PRIDEFUL OF THAT AS THESE INDIVIDUALS ARE GETTING JOBS.

BUT THEN AGAIN, IT DROPS OUR NUMBERS AS PAID CALL FIREFIGHTERS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY.

AND IF YOU LOOK AT OUR NATIONAL STANDARD FOR RESPONSES IN A RURAL FIRE DEPARTMENT, IT IS AT ABOUT A 14 TO 15 MINUTE RESPONSE TIME.

AND IT DOES DROP IT AROUND.

IT HAS OCCURRED 1 TO 10 TIMES IS ABOUT 30 MINUTES.

SO AS WE LOOK AT THE OVERALL LAYOUT OF THE COUNTY, WE LOOKED AT THROUGH THE SANTA FE AREA, HOW IT WAS REALLY CONDENSED WITH A LOT OF FIRE STATIONS IN THOSE AREAS.

AND LOOK AT THE RESPONSE BETWEEN THE CONSOLIDATION BETWEEN BALLICO AND CRESSEY.

WE LOOK AT THE STATIONS THAT ARE NEARBY.

CRESSEY WAS THERE, AND YOU CAN ACTUALLY RESPOND FROM BALLICO TO CRESSEY WITHIN A FIVE MINUTE RESPONSE TIME, AS WELL AS FROM WINTON TO THAT CRESSEY AREA WITHIN A FIVE MINUTE RESPONSE TIME.

WHAT WE WERE USED TO BACK IN THE DAY IS WE WOULD WAIT FOR AT LEAST FOUR APPARATUS TO COME FROM FOUR OTHER STATIONS TO THESE LOCATIONS IN ORDER TO START DOING OUR FIRE SUPPRESSION ACTIVITY OR WORKING THROUGH THE PROCESS.

EVEN AS A MEDICAL AID, YOU NEED TO HAVE AT LEAST MORE THAN ONE PERSON THERE.

TRY TO GET AT LEAST TWO PEOPLE OUT THERE WAS TAKEN AS TWO APPARATUS TO GET TO THESE LOCATIONS.

SO AS WE EVALUATE THIS, WE WOULD STILL HAVE THE TWO IN, TWO OUT RULE.

AS YOU COME INTO THOSE AREAS WITHIN THE CRESSEY RESPONSE AREA.

AS YOU LOOK AT THE BALLICO, EXCUSE ME, THE DOS PALOS CITY AND DOS PALOS Y AREA WE ARE EVALUATING THE RESPONSE IN THERE.

AGAIN. DOS PALOS CITY IS AN INCORPORATED CITY.

SO BUT AS A COUNTY AND I KNOW THE BOARD HAVE WE'VE HAD PREVIOUS DISCUSSIONS, IS VERY SUPPORTIVE OF THESE INCORPORATED CITIES AND WANT TO CONTINUE PROVIDING THEM A SERVICE.

BUT AS WE REEVALUATE OUR BUDGET CONSTRAINTS AND THE NEED TO BE AT THE TWO ZERO STAFFING, WE EVALUATE THE DOS PALOS Y STATION TO OBVIOUSLY ALLOW FOR A RESPONSE TO THAT 152 HIGHWAY AND STILL PROVIDING A RESPONSE INTO THE CITY OF DOS PALOS.

THE RESPONSE FROM THE DOS PALOS FOYE STATION TO THE DOS PALOS CITY IS ESTIMATED AT ABOUT 5 TO 7 MINUTES.

AGAIN, NOW SHOWING UP AT SCENE, YOU WILL HAVE THOSE TWO INDIVIDUALS BEING ABLE TO MAKE ACTION ON THE RESPONSE THAT THEY'RE PROVIDING AT THAT TIME.

WE HAVE WORKED TOGETHER.

I BELIEVE MY MY COLLEAGUES FROM MERCED CITY, CHIEF WILSON AND CHIEF ENGLAND ARE HERE.

THEY HAVE ALSO HAD SOME DISCUSSIONS, AND I AND I APPRECIATE THEIR WILLINGNESS TO LISTEN TO SOME OF THE IDEAS THAT WE'VE PROVIDED BEFORE.

CEO MENDEZ AND CITY MANAGER MCBRIDE WERE A PART OF DISCUSSIONS TO KIND OF THINK OF WAYS THAT WE CAN DO THINGS A LITTLE BIT BETTER. I KNOW A DIRECTION FROM CHIEF CELLS AND LOOKING AT WHY DO WE CONTINUE TO DOUBLE UP EFFORTS.

WE HAVE A STATION WITHIN A QUARTER MILE FROM ANOTHER FIRE STATION.

WE HAVE SITUATIONS SUCH AS 81 THAT IS IN THE CITY OF MERCED THAT IF YOU GET A CALL ACROSS THE STREET AT THE FAIRGROUNDS, THAT ENGINE IS NOT RESPONDING.

SO WHY DON'T WE STOP DOING DOUBLE EFFORTS AND START LOOKING AT HOW WE CAN BETTER SUIT RESPONSES FOR INDIVIDUALS IN THESE AREAS AND NOT WORRY ABOUT WHO IS DOING IT? SO AS WE TALK ABOUT IT AND HOPEFULLY WE'LL PROGRESS ON THESE CONVERSATIONS LIKE MISS BARRERA SAID THAT LAST NIGHT THEY WERE ABLE TO APPROVE THE CONTINUED DISCUSSIONS, WHICH I'M VERY EXCITED ABOUT.

I KNOW THERE IS SOME THINGS THAT WE'LL HAVE TO WORK THROUGH AS SUCH AS A CAD TO CAD KIND OF CONVERSATIONS.

BUT I DO HAVE DEPUTY CHIEF CHIEF TRINIDAD HERE WITH ME, AND HE IS INVOLVED HEAVILY IN THE STATE SIDE OF THE EOC OR IC, AND IS ABLE TO KIND OF MAKE THOSE RELATIONSHIPS SO THAT WE CAN ADDRESS THAT ISSUE PROMPTLY.

BUT THE IDEA WOULD BE BE ABLE TO MAKE SURE THAT BOTH PARTIES BENEFIT IN THIS PROCESS AND ACTUALLY PROVIDE A BETTER SERVICE TO THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS THROUGHOUT THESE AREAS OF THE NORTH AND THE SOUTHERN END OF MERCED CITY.

[01:00:03]

AND AGAIN, AS WE LOOK AT THIS, AS YOU PROPOSE, AGAIN, I WOULD SAY, AND I BELIEVE CHIEF VANN WOULD AGREE, THAT WE WOULD WANT TO HAVE A FIRE STATION ON EVERY CORNER.

IF WE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY, WE WOULD KEEP EVERY STATION OPEN.

BUT WE HAVE TO BE WITHIN OUR BUDGET CONSTRAINTS.

SO AS IF AS YOU MOVE FORWARD AND WE GET DIRECTION FROM YOURSELVES IS HOW DO WE ADJUST OUR MOVING FORWARD? IF YOU WERE TO FEEL EVERY STATION, YOU'RE LOOKING AT THAT $6.9 MILLION TO REDUCE TO THAT 15 STATIONS, WE WOULD REQUIRE 90 BODIES AND THAT WOULD CURRENTLY WE'RE AT THE 87.

SO WE WOULD NEED THREE MORE BODIES AT THE $760,000.

BEING THAT FROM THAT 96.

9 MILLION, THE COST REDUCTION WOULD BE BY 6.1 MILLION.

AS YOU TALK ABOUT OUR FINANCES WE FUNCTION OFF A PROPERTY TAX.

IT'S 93% OF THE PROPERTY TAX THAT WE RECEIVE IS FROM PROPERTY TAX.

THAT PERCENTAGE, IT VARIES BY YEAR.

BUT AS THAT PERCENTAGE IS THERE, WE WE FUNCTION OFF ABOUT 90%, 93% OF OUR TAXES.

AND THEN THE OTHER 7% OF OUR FUNDS COME FROM GRANTS AND OTHER REVENUE GENERATED BY THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.

AS YOU SEE IN THIS TEMPLATE THAT THE FIRE EXPENDITURES INCREASE ARE HEAVILY INCREASED OVER THE PROPERTY TAX.

AND THE REASON IT IS, IS WE NEED TO GET OUT OF THAT ONE ZERO STAFFING.

WE HAVE BEEN WORKING DILIGENTLY WITH YOURSELVES, WITH BOARD MEMBERS PRIOR TO YOU, INDIVIDUALS THAT WERE SITTING IN MY SEAT BEFORE IN THE EARLY 2000, TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO GET TO A20 STAFF MODEL.

AND AS YOU CAN SEE, THE INCLINE THERE IS KIND OF DEMONSTRATES HOW WE'RE TRYING TO GET THERE.

THE PROPERTY TAX PERCENTAGE THAT GOES TO FIRE IS NOT ADEQUATE ENOUGH TO KEEP AND CONTINUE AND PROVIDE AN ADEQUATE SERVICE FOR THE COUNTY MOVING FORWARD.

TALKING ABOUT THE SAFER GRANT, WE WE DID APPLY, LIKE I WAS MENTIONED BEFORE, WE DID APPLY FOR A SAFER GRANT LAST YEAR FOR 12 INDIVIDUALS.

WE WERE NOT SUCCESSFUL IN THAT PROCESS.

WE HAVE BEEN WORKING DILIGENTLY WITH FEMA TO FIGURE OUT WHERE WE WERE LACKING IN, AND WAS ABLE TO COMMUNICATE MONTHLY ON HOW WE CAN BE BETTER IN MOVING FORWARD.

WE DID PURSUE FOR THE 15 INDIVIDUALS, THIS WOULD BE SIX AT LIVINGSTON, SIX AT DOS PALOS CITY, AND THEN THE THREE WOULD HELP ACCOMMODATE THE GUSTINE AREA.

SO WORKING WITH THOSE INCORPORATED CITIES AND JUSTIFYING THE THE ADDITIONAL BODIES IS SOMETHING THAT WE THOUGHT WOULD BE SUCCESSFUL. AND THEN THE BIG PART FOR ME IS WE DON'T JUST WANT TO KEEP ADDING BODIES AND NOT BE ABLE TO FUND THEM AFTER THE THREE YEARS, THREE YEARS OF 100%.

AFTER THAT, WHERE'S THE MONEY GOING TO COME FROM? AND I THINK THE CEO'S OFFICE AND WORKING WITH THOSE CITIES AND YOURSELVES AS MOVING FORWARD, WOULD BE ABLE TO PROVIDE THOSE FUNDS TO CONTINUE THOSE 15 BODIES AFTER THAT THREE YEAR PERIOD.

IT JUST ALLOWS FOR TIME FOR THE DISCUSSIONS TO HAPPEN AND BE SUCCESSFUL MOVING FORWARD.

THAT THAT WOULD BE A THREE YEARS AT AN ANNUAL COST OF 3.8 MILLION.

AND THEN OBVIOUSLY IT WOULD ALLOW THE DISCUSSIONS TO CONTINUE WITH THOSE CITIES IN ORDER TO CONTINUE THAT FUNDING ONCE THE THREE YEARS IS DONE.

I WOULD BE REMISS IF I WASN'T SAYING THAT THE ASSEMBLY MEMBERS, SENATORS ELECTED OFFICIALS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY HAVE SENT IN LETTERS OF SUPPORT AND HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH US TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY UNDERSTAND HOW IMPORTANT THIS IS TO MERCED COUNTY AND THE INCORPORATED CITIES WITHIN MERCED COUNTY.

MERCED CITY IS ALSO WORKING WITH OUR STAFF TO PRESENT BEFORE FEMA AND IN SUPPORT OF WHAT THEY'VE DONE WITH THEIR SAFER GRANT, AND WORKING WITH US TO IDENTIFY HOW THAT HAS BEEN A BENEFICIAL FOR THEM AND WOULD BE BENEFICIAL FOR US MOVING FORWARD.

AND THEN JUST TO SUMMARIZE, AS WE TALK ABOUT THE REDUCTION AND CONSOLIDATION AND REDUCTION TO THE 15 STATIONS, THAT WOULD BE THE 90 BODIES WITH THE THREE POSITIONS AT 760,000 WOULD BE THE LOWEST AMOUNT POSSIBLE.

AND I'M HERE FOR ANY QUESTIONS AND I APPRECIATE YOUR TIME.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

ANY COMMENTS BY THE BOARD? SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL. YEAH.

CHIEF, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THAT PRESENTATION.

I DO HAVE A QUESTION.

HOW ARE WE COMPARED WITH FRESNO COUNTY AS FAR AS STATIONS AND LOCATIONS AND PROXIMITY AND SIZE? YEAH. THEIR THEIR AREA IS COVERED ABOUT 2700 MILES SQUARE MILES.

[01:05:02]

WE ARE JUST UNDER 20,000 OR 20,000 OR 2000MI².

WE HAVE 19 STATIONS.

THEY HAVE 15.

THEY DO HAVE MORE STAFFING.

THERE ARE AT LEAST AT A20 STAFFING MODEL.

AND I COULDN'T SPEAK TO THEIR ACTUAL BUDGET.

BUT YES, THEY DO COVER SOME AREAS WITH THOSE WITH THOSE 15 STATIONS WITHIN THAT 2700 MILE AREA.

YEAH, I APPRECIATE THAT.

I KNOW WE'VE HAD A LOT OF DISCUSSIONS WITH OUR OTHER COUNTY FOLKS, FOLKS WHO ARE IN THE SAME POSITION AS WE ARE AS OTHER SUPERVISORS, AND WE TRYING TO GLEAN INFORMATION FROM THEM TO SEE WHERE THEY ARE.

AND I SAW FROM THE BEGINNING HOW WE HAD A LOT MORE FIRE STATIONS THAN A LOT OF OTHER COUNTIES THAT I'VE TALKED TO THAT ARE BIGGER AND EVEN THE SMALLER ONES, OF COURSE, BUT THANK YOU.

MR.. SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL.

I'M SORRY. PEDROSO. THANK YOU.

AT THE COMMUNITY MEETING LAST FRIDAY, ONE OF THE QUESTIONS THAT WAS BROUGHT UP.

AND I THOUGHT IT WAS A GOOD QUESTION, AND I THOUGHT YOU ANSWERED IT.

I LIKED YOUR ANSWER, AND I WOULD LIKE YOU TO JUST KIND OF PUT IT OUT THERE ALSO, BECAUSE I KNOW A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE FOCUSED ON 85, ESPECIALLY IN MY DISTRICT.

AND ONE OF THE QUESTIONS WAS, WELL, YOU HAVE LE GRAND AND PLANADA, AND IT'S THE SAME RATIONALE FOR BALLICO AND CRESSEY.

YOU KNOW, YOU WERE GOING TO TAKE ONE OF THOSE OUT OR CONSOLIDATE THEIR WHY NOT CONSOLIDATE THE GRAND PLANADA TO KEEP MCKEE OPEN? AND I APPRECIATE YOUR RESPONSE.

SO I JUST WANTED TO PUT THAT OUT THERE AND HAVE YOU ANSWER THAT QUESTION, PLEASE.

YES. THAT WAS ASKED.

AND I ASSURE YOU, I ASSURE THE BOARD, I ASSURE THE PUBLIC THAT WE DID EVALUATE THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AS A WHOLE.

IT WASN'T PER A BATTALION OR PER A CERTAIN LOCATION.

IT WAS A DEPARTMENT AS A WHOLE.

AND AS WE DID EVALUATE THE PLANADA AND LE GRAND AREA, THAT WAS ONE OF THE ONES IN CONSIDERATION.

THE THE REASONING THAT WAS NOT SELECTED IS THAT THE MCKEE STATION IS THE ANNEXATION THAT IS OCCURRING, WHICH WOULD TAKE ON MERCED WOULD BE TAKING ON SOME OF THAT AREA. AND THEN ALSO I HAVE PARTNERS THERE.

I HAVE THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, SAID CITY, THAT WE CAN TALK ABOUT, WHICH WE ARE IN TALKS ABOUT TO WORK ON THAT AUTOMATIC GATE AND WE CAN SHARE SOME RESOURCES.

AGAIN, NOT TO DOUBLE UP OUR EFFORTS, BUT I DON'T HAVE THAT IN THAT LE GRAND PLANADA AREA TO REACH OUT.

IT WOULD BE SOMEWHERE IN MADERA OR EVEN UP HIGHER IN THE STATE SIDE TO WORK ON SOME AUTOMATIC AID AGREEMENTS WHERE THAT THAT IS RIGHT NEXT DOOR TO US HERE WITH MERCED CITY.

THANK YOU. SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL YOU HAVE ANOTHER QUESTION? I DO, MR. CHAIR. THANK YOU.

IT'S NOT SO MUCH A QUESTION.

IT'S JUST IT WAS A COMMENT.

I WENT THROUGH THIS PREVIOUSLY WHEN WE CLOSED CASTLE IN MY DISTRICT.

I WAS HIGHLY OPPOSED TO IT, ARGUED FOR IT, BUT EVENTUALLY THREW THE PLAN.

BUT WHAT I DO WANT TO TOUCH ON IS THE PLAN.

SO EVEN THOUGH WE CLOSED CASTLE, I HAD A FIRE ACROSS THE STREET.

I LIVE IN THE CITY OF ATWATER.

WE HAVE AN AUTO AID AGREEMENT WITH THE CITY OF ATWATER.

THE FIRST ENGINE IN WAS FROM WINTON, FOLLOWED BY TWO ENGINES FROM THE CITY OF ATWATER.

THEY WERE ALREADY GETTING TO WORK ON THE FIRE.

WINTON FIRE TRUCK WAS BY THE TIME THE OTHER TWO ARRIVED.

EVEN THOUGH I ARGUED AGAINST IT, I HAVE TO SAY THE PLAN WORKED.

I MEAN, IT WOULD HAVE TAKEN LONGER FOR THEM TO GET TO THAT HOUSE ACROSS THE STREET FROM ME, AND I JUST GOT TO SAY, THE PLAN WORKED.

I WAS AGAINST IT, BUT I SAW IT FROM MY OWN, MY OWN EYES.

THANKS. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. SUPERVISOR PAREIRA.

YOU KNOW, THIS IS THIS IS A TOUGH, TOUGH ITEM FOR US.

YOU KNOW, THE THE OR FOR ME ANYWAYS.

AND I BELIEVE WITH MY COLLEAGUES AS WELL, THE CLOSING OF A FIRE STATION IS IS, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING YOU NEVER WANT TO HAVE TO DO.

I APPRECIATE ALL THE EFFORT THAT YOU KNOW, ASSISTANT CHIEF PIMENTEL AND HIS COLLEAGUES HAVE GONE THROUGH TO TRY TO HELP US NAVIGATE THIS THIS HARDSHIP.

AND SO I ALSO WANT TO WANT TO, YOU KNOW, I GOT PLANADA, I MEAN, PLANADA, BALLICO AND CRESSEY BOTH IN MY DISTRICT.

AND YOU KNOW, IT'S IT'S TOUGH, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU HAVE SOMETHING AND YOU'RE GOING TO LOSE IT, IT'S IT'S TOUGHER THAN IF YOU NEVER HAD IT TO BEGIN WITH.

AND AND SO, YOU KNOW, I JUST, I FEEL FOR THE FOLKS OUT IN THAT AREA, I FEEL CONFIDENT THAT THE, YOU KNOW, THE FIVE MINUTE RESPONSE TIME, I WISH IT WAS FOUR OR 3 OR 2, BUT YOU KNOW, IT IS IT IS WHAT IT IS.

AND SO YOU KNOW, AND THEN I APPRECIATE ONE OF THE ITEMS BEING YOU KNOW, THAT IF THAT IF MONEY COMES AVAILABLE THAT WE TAKE A LOOK AND I APPRECIATE STAFF MAKING THAT ADJUSTMENT. SO THAT'S IT.

THANK YOU SIR.

YEAH. SO AGAIN, I MEAN, MY COLLEAGUE JUST SAID IT.

IT'S JUST NOT A GREAT DAY WHEN YOU'RE EVEN TALKING ABOUT POTENTIALLY.

[01:10:04]

AND SOME OF THEM I KNOW THAT IN THE ACTION, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE CLOSING OF THE MCKEE STATION.

I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THAT IF THE ACTION IS TAKEN AND THE DOS PALOS STATION, THAT STATION WON'T CLOSE, IT'LL IT'LL BE STILL.

THE CITY OF DOS PALOS HAS VOLUNTEERS THAT WILL STILL RESPOND.

YOU MADE MENTION OF TALKING ABOUT AUTO AID AGREEMENTS BECAUSE IT'S IN THE CITY'S JURISDICTION, AUTO AID AGREEMENTS COMING THAT I WANT PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND THAT IT'S WE'RE NOT JUST ABANDONING ANY PLACE, WHETHER IT BE LIVINGSTON, WHETHER IT BE DOS PALOS, WHETHER IT BE CRESSY.

WE'RE NOT WE'RE NOT JUST CLOSING UP SHOP AND SAYING, NO, YOU FOLKS ARE ON YOUR OWN.

IT'S A LITTLE BIT EASIER IN THE UNINCORPORATED AREAS BECAUSE WE'RE THE SAME GOVERNING BODY THAT GOVERNS THEM.

BUT IT WE'LL BE HAVING DISCUSSIONS WITH THE CITIES THAT WE'RE NOT JUST.

POLAND STAFFING AND SAYING, HEY, YOU'RE ON YOUR OWN, YOUR RESIDENTS ARE ON YOUR OWN.

THAT'S I DON'T THINK, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE AT THE END OF THE DAY, DOS PALOS THE RESIDENTS, THE FOLKS THAT LIVE WITHIN THE CITY LIMITS, OR IF YOU LIVE JUST OUTSIDE THE CITY LIMITS OR IF YOU LIVE AT DOS PALOS WAY, THOSE ARE STILL ALL MY CONSTITUENTS TOO.

SO I WANT TO JUST HIGHLIGHT THAT.

AND IT'S YOU KNOW, I DID HAVE A QUESTION AND I DO I KNOW WE HAVE A LOT OF FOLKS OUT HERE THAT WANT TO TALK.

SO I'LL I'LL HAVE PROBABLY SOME MORE COMMENTS LATER.

BUT ON THE 760,000 THAT YOU TALK ABOUT, IF WE WENT WITH THE OPTION THAT IT WOULD REDUCE THE 6.9 DOWN TO 760,000, IS THAT IN ADDITION TO THE 2.9 MILLION THAT WE ALREADY THAT THAT WE'VE ALREADY FUNDED BEFORE? YES, SIR. SO, SO ABOVE IT'S THE 2.9 PLUS THE 760 THAT'S GOING TO PUT YOU A LITTLE SHY OF 4 MILLION THAT WE'RE PUTTING, IN ADDITION TO WHAT THE FIRE FUND IS BRINGING IN.

AND I THINK IT JUST GOES TO IF YOU COULD GO BACK ON THE SLIDES, I THINK THE SLIDE THAT SHOWS WHAT THE COST OF DOING BUSINESS IS VERSUS RIGHT THERE.

THAT SLIDE IS TELLING THAT.

I KNOW MY COLLEAGUE HAS MENTIONED IT QUITE A FEW TIMES.

WE ARE ON AN UNSUSTAINABLE PATH.

IT JUST AS THAT NUMBER GROWS THAT THAT GAP GROWS BETWEEN THE THE WHAT THE PROPERTY TAX REVENUE IS.

AND IT'S A PORTION IT'S A PORTION OF PROPERTY TAX THAT THAT FUNDS THE FIRE FUND.

AND WHAT THE COST OF DOING BUSINESS IS I DON'T KNOW I DON'T THINK THAT THESE I THINK TODAY IS KIND OF THE IS REALLY THE STOPGAP MEASURE TO KIND OF BRING THAT KIND OF SOMEWHAT INTO ALIGNMENT.

AND BUT IT'S GOING TO CONTINUE TO GET WORSE.

AND I DO WANT FOLKS, IT IS I THINK AT THE END OF THIS, THERE'S GOING TO BE DISCUSSIONS ABOUT RELOCATING STAFFING AT STATIONS AND WHATNOT.

EVEN WITH THAT, WE'RE NOT LOSING STAFFING OR STAFFING IS ACTUALLY INCREASING.

WE'RE INCREASING THE NUMBER OF BODIES THAT WILL BE RESPONDING IN OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT.

IT'S JUST IT'S TOUGH.

SO THOSE ARE MY COMMENTS FOR NOW.

THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. ONE MORE COMMENT.

SUPERVISOR PAREIRA.

YEAH, I GUESS THE STRESS IS GETTING TO ME.

I DIDN'T FINISH MY MY COMMENTS.

I1I WANT TO THANK THE CITY COUNCIL OF MERCED AND AND CHIEF WILSON FOR BEING HERE AND KIND OF ACKNOWLEDGING THE COLLABORATION THAT HOPEFULLY THE COUNTY AND THE CITY OF MERCED CAN GAIN THE MCKEE STATION.

YOU KNOW, IS ONE THAT, YOU KNOW, I DID YOU KNOW, KIND OF A MAPQUEST OF, OF RESPONSE DISTANCES AND BASICALLY TO THE MAJORITY OF THE COUNTY PROPERTIES, IT'S A QUARTER MILE DIFFERENCE IN RESPONSE, DISTANCE OR RESPONSE AND ACTUALLY WILL BE PROBABLY JUST AS QUICK AND RESPONSE TIME.

BUT ANYWAYS, AND THEN THE OTHER THE OTHER POINT I WANT TO MAKE IS THAT YOU KNOW, WE, YOU KNOW, AS, AS THE ECONOMY IS GETTING TOUGHER AND TOUGHER AND AS COSTS GO UP AND UP YOU KNOW, WE'RE, WE'RE IN A CRUNCH.

AND SO, YOU KNOW, MAKING, MAKING THESE TYPES OF DECISIONS IS NOT EASIER, BUT, BUT GROUPS GET TOGETHER AND WORK BETTER TOGETHER WHEN WE'RE ALL FACING THE SAME ISSUE.

RIGHT? IF ONE GROUP HAS AN ISSUE AND THE OTHER DOESN'T, THE CHANCES OF GETTING TOGETHER AND WORKING TOGETHER ARE SLIMMER.

AND SO ANYWAYS, I JUST I JUST WANT TO THANK THE CITY COUNCIL AND MERCED LAST NIGHT FOR, YOU KNOW, THEIR EFFORTS IN, IN, YOU KNOW, CONTINUING NEGOTIATIONS OR DISCUSSIONS, I GUESS NOT REALLY NEGOTIATIONS, BUT DISCUSSIONS ON HOW WE CAN HELP EACH OTHER AND, AND AND YOU KNOW, PIMENTEL, I, I WANT TO THANK YOU.

YOU KNOW, YOU SUNSHINE THAT IDEA TO ME AND AND MAKES A LOT OF SENSE AND AND LOOK FORWARD TO NOT HAVING PEOPLE THAT AREN'T COVERED WITH, WITH FIRE SAFETY.

SO THANK YOU. SUPERVISOR PEDROZO.

YEAH. I JUST WANT TO ECHO THAT I WAS AT THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING LAST NIGHT, AND I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO CHIEF WILSON AND CHIEF PIMENTEL.

YOU KNOW, WE HAD A VERY PRODUCTIVE MEETING HERE ABOUT A MONTH, PROBABLY A MONTH AGO.

[01:15:01]

THREE WEEKS, A MONTH AGO.

IN REGARDS TO THIS ISSUE, ABOUT THAT AUTO AID.

AND I THINK THAT WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY NOW TO REALLY COLLABORATE AND WORK TOGETHER.

AND IT WAS MENTIONED LAST NIGHT AT THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING.

YOU KNOW, IF IF WE HAVE TO RELY ON THE FAIRGROUNDS FOR THAT NORTHERN PART OF TOWN OR THE UNINCORPORATED AREAS AND THE UN IN THE NORTHERN PART OF MERCED COUNTY, THEN WE'RE GOING TO PASS BY FROM THE FAIRGROUNDS, PROBABLY THREE FIRE STATIONS IN THE CITY.

AND SO IT DOESN'T IT REALLY DOESN'T MAKE SENSE FOR US NOT TO LOOK FOR OPPORTUNITIES FOR PARTNERSHIP AND TO WORK TOGETHER.

AND I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, HAVING THE DISCUSSIONS MOVING FORWARD AND GETTING TOGETHER, I WOULD I WOULD RECOMMEND THAT AS PART OF THOSE DISCUSSIONS, WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, AN AD HOC COMMITTEE WITH MYSELF, SUPERVISOR PAREIRA, BECAUSE THAT'S PART OF HIS DISTRICT AS WELL, AS WELL AS WITH THE A COUPLE PEOPLE FROM THE CITY COUNCIL UNTIL WE CAN COME UP WITH AN AGREEMENT IN PLACE FOR THE AUTO AID, BECAUSE I THINK IT'D BE IMPORTANT FOR US TO, YOU KNOW, JUST KIND OF BE IN THE ROOM AND MAKING SURE THAT THE CONSTITUENTS VOICES ARE HEARD THAT WAY.

OKAY. THANK YOU.

WELL, FOR MYSELF, I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, LIKE I SAID, WE'RE ALL PAYING A LOT MORE INSURANCE, WHETHER IT'S YOU KNOW HOME INSURANCE OR CAR INSURANCE, BECAUSE THE CRIME HAS GONE UP A LOT AND OBVIOUSLY FIRES.

WE'VE HAD A LOT OF FIRES. SO ALL OUR RATES HAVE GONE UP.

AND SO WE HAVE TO WORK TOGETHER ALL IN THE COUNTY AND ALL INDIVIDUAL CITIES.

THEY HAVE TO PASS, YOU KNOW, A LITTLE BIT FIRE AND PUBLIC SAFETY BECAUSE OTHERWISE ALL OUR RATES ARE GOING TO GO UP.

SO IF STATION 96 AND LIVINGSTON CLOSES, WE'RE ALL GOING TO HAVE TO PAY MORE IN INSURANCE.

SO WE ALL HAVE TO WORK WITH, LIKE I SAID AGAIN, COUNTY AND AND CITIES COOPERATION.

SO I JUST I, YOU KNOW, I KNOW, YOU KNOW, EVERYTHING'S SO HIGH ALREADY, RIGHT? WE'RE BARELY PAYING OUR BILLS AND HARDLY ANY JOBS AND NOT INCREASING, YOU KNOW, OUR SALARIES.

SO IT'S GOING TO BE HARD.

SO THE FUTURE IS NOT AS BRIGHT AS WE WANT, BUT HOPEFULLY I SAID, WELL, WE HAVE TO SURVIVE, SO.

AND THAT'S THE BEST WE CAN DO.

SO THANK YOU.

THAT'S ALL MY COMMENTS. SO AT THIS TIME I WILL OPEN UP PUBLIC COMMENT FOR FIGHTER ITEM NUMBER 36.

IF SOMEBODY WANTS TO LOWER THE MICROPHONE, PLEASE.

LOWER THE MIC AS WELL.

THANK YOU. WELCOME.

HI, MY NAME IS EASTON TILLETT.

I'M EIGHT YEARS OLD TODAY.

I'M A SECOND GRADER AT CRESSY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.

I'M CONCERNED ABOUT THE FIRE STATION GETTING SHUT DOWN BECAUSE WHAT IF SOMEONE'S HOUSE WAS ON FIRE AND THE FIRE STATION WAS ALREADY SHUT DOWN ALREADY? THAT WOULD BE BAD, RIGHT? AND I FEEL VERY SAFE WHEN THE FIREFIGHTERS ARE RIGHT THERE.

ALSO, THEY GIVE US NEW BOOKS EVERY YEAR.

YOU'RE ALSO ABOUT TO SHUT DOWN A SCHOOL'S FIRE STATION.

IMAGINE THAT SCHOOL IS ON FIRE, AND ALL THOSE KIDS, INCLUDING ME, WOULD NOT BE SAFE.

CAN WE PLEASE COME UP WITH A PLAN TO MAKE ENOUGH MONEY FOR THE FIRE STATION TO STAY OPEN? THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR TAKING THE TIME TO LISTEN TO ME AND MY CONCERNS.

I HAVE BROUGHT WITH ME TODAY OVER 700 SIGNATURES RECEIVED OVER THE LAST WEEK AND A HALF.

MIGHT TAKE A MINUTE.

GOOD MORNING.

THESE ARE ACTUALLY IN ADDITION TO WET SIGNATURES THAT EASTON GOT BY GOING DOOR TO DOOR THIS WEEKEND.

I CAN ONLY IMAGINE IF HE HAD GONE DOOR TO DOOR FOR THE LAST TEN DAYS, HOW MANY SIGNATURES HE WOULD HAVE RECEIVED.

THE PETITION READS.

INCREASED FUNDING AND SUPPORT FOR MERCED COUNTY EMERGENCY SERVICES.

MANY OF US IN MERCED COUNTY HAVE PERSONALLY EXPERIENCED THE DEVASTATING IMPACT OF INADEQUATE EMERGENCY SERVICES.

THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT HAS BEEN UNABLE TO RESPOND PROMPTLY TO EMERGENCIES, WITH AS FEW AS SEVEN DEPUTIES ON DUTY AT TIMES, OUR BOARD OF SUPERVISORS IS CONSIDERING CLOSING AND CONSOLIDATING SEVERAL FIRE STATIONS ACROSS THE COUNTY.

CLOSURE OF MCKEE AND LIVINGSTON FIRE STATIONS.

CONSOLIDATION OF BALLICO CRESSEY AND CONSOLIDATION OF DOS PALOS STATIONS, A MOVE THAT WILL INEVITABLY INCREASE RESPONSE TIMES EVEN FURTHER.

AS IT STANDS NOW, OUR AMBULANCES IN OUR COUNTY FAIL TO MEET STATE STANDARDS FOR RESPONSE TIME.

60% OF THE TIME, THIS SITUATION IS UNACCEPTABLE AND POTENTIALLY LIFE THREATENING.

WE NEED OUR LOCAL GOVERNMENT TO PRIORITIZE OUR SAFETY BY INVESTING MORE INTO FIRE, SHERIFF AND EMS SERVICES.

[01:20:06]

THESE DEPARTMENTS ARE ESSENTIAL PILLARS OF OUR COMMUNITY.

THEY PROTECT US FROM HARM AND PROVIDE CRITICAL AID WHEN WE ARE MOST VULNERABLE.

WE URGE THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS NOT ONLY TO HALT ANY PLANS FOR CLOSING OR CONSOLIDATING FIRE STATIONS, BUT TO PROVIDE THE RESOURCES NECESSARY TO ADEQUATELY STAFF THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT AND TO HOLD THE CONTRACTED AMBULANCE SERVICE PROVIDER ACCOUNTABLE, TO MEET TO CONSISTENTLY MEET STATE MANDATED RESPONSE TIMES.

OUR LIVES DEPEND ON THESE SERVICES.

IT IS TIME THEY RECEIVE THE SUPPORT THEY NEED AND DESERVE.

SIGNED BY THE CITIZENS FOR THE BETTERMENT OF MERCED COUNTY, MERCED BOOSTERS AND OTHER CONCERNED CITIZENS OVER 700.

I PERSONALLY ASK THAT YOU PLEASE CONSIDER USING RESERVE FUNDS AND CONTINUE WORKING ON THESE AGREEMENTS.

WAIT TO HEAR IF YOU HAVE RECEIVED BEEN AWARDED THE SAFER GRANT BEFORE YOU CONSIDER CLOSING OR CONSOLIDATING THESE STATIONS.

HELLO. I'M A RETIRED CAL FIRE EMPLOYEE.

I'M A RESIDENT OF MERCED COUNTY FOR 60 YEARS.

I NEVER THOUGHT I'D GOT TO USE THE SERVICES THAT YOU GUYS IMPLEMENT FOR THE COUNTY PEOPLE, BUT IN JULY.

EXCUSE ME. APRIL 29TH OF 21, MY WIFE HAD A STROKE.

THE RESPONSE TIMES FROM THE CITY OF DOS PALOS TO MY HOUSE SAVED HER.

WHEN YOU MOVED THAT STATION OUT TO THE Y.

I DON'T THINK THE RESPONSE TIMES WILL BE ABLE TO SAVE HER.

SHE NOW CAN'T TALK, BUT THE REST OF IT'S OKAY.

WITH THAT IN MIND, I DON'T ENVY YOUR GUYS'S DECISION ON WHAT YOU GUYS NEED TO DO.

I APPRECIATE YOUR TIME.

GOOD MORNING. AS MOST OF YOU KNOW, MY NAME IS LESLIE BREWER, AND SINCE THE LAST MEETING I'VE REACHED OUT TO THE BOARD SEVERAL TIMES, AS WELL AS ATTENDING OUR CRESSY TOWN HALL MEETING AND THE TOWN HALL MEETING FROM A KEY FIRE STATION WITH MR. PAREIRA, MR. MENDEZ AND MR. PIMENTEL, WHERE THEY WERE PRESENT AT CRESSY, AND MR. MENDEZ, MR. PIMENTEL AND MR. MADRAZO AND MCKEE.

DURING THE TOWN HALL MEETINGS, I ADDRESSED SEVERAL CONCERNS ABOUT OUR COUNTY ACTUALLY MAKING 5 TO 10 YEAR PLANS AND PERHAPS LONGER PLANS, INCLUDING ADDING A COMMITTEE TO HELP ENSURE THAT OUR FIRST RESPONDER FUNDS ARE NEVER IN JEOPARDY AGAIN.

WHEN I MENTIONED THE $3 MILLION THAT WAS PUT INTO THE RESERVE AND THE 4 MILLION MORE IN PROPERTY TAXES THAT WERE RECEIVED FROM THE PREVIOUS YEAR, MR. MR. PAREIRA, MR. MENDEZ AND MR. PEDROZO LOOKED VERY SURPRISED.

AND IN FACT, MR. MENDEZ STATED THAT IF THE BOARD AGREED AND THAT TYPE OF REQUEST, IT IS A PROCESS TO MAKE IT HAPPEN.

MR. PAREIRA ACTUALLY TOLD US THAT THE CRESSY TOWN HALL MEETING THAT THIS COMING YEAR WOULD LOOK BLEAK, WITH MANY LAYOFFS AT THE COUNTY LEVEL.

HOWEVER, NOT ONE TIME IN THESE MEETINGS DID ANYONE CONVEY THAT THESE FUNDS WERE EARMARKED TO HELP WITH ANY OTHER AREAS.

THEN ON SUNDAY, I THOUGHT I WOULD REACH OUT ON THE BOARD ONCE AGAIN AS A WAY TO SHOW THE COMMUNITY'S TRULY WANT TO BE A PART OF THE SOLUTION OF NOT LOSING OUR FIRE STATIONS AND SAFETY. I AGAIN, IN MORE DETAIL, SPOKE OF THE IDEA OF USING THESE FUNDS.

BY THE EVENING. I RECEIVED A DIRECT RESPONSE FROM MR. PAREIRA, NOT A RESPONSE TO ALL OF YOU IN AN EMAIL, BUT DIRECTLY TO ME, WHERE, INTERESTINGLY ENOUGH, IT WAS EXPLAINED.

IT WAS EXPLAINED THAT THE $4 MILLION WERE GOING TO GOING TO THE RAISES FOR THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT, AND IT WAS STATED THAT THE BOARD INTENDS TO USE 3 TO 4 MILLION TO COVER HEALTH INCREASES FOR ALL COUNTY WORKERS.

I'M NOT SURE IF THAT INCLUDES YOUR PORTION, BUT FOR ALL COUNTY WORKERS, HE DID THANK ME FOR HELPING THEM TO THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX.

UNFORTUNATELY, THE BOX WAS INTENDED TO HELP WITH NOT SHUTTING DOWN THE FIRE STATIONS AND GIVING AMPLE TIME TO SEE IF THE SAFER GRANT WAS ACCEPTED AND TO START IMPLEMENTING STRATEGIES AND PLANS TO MAKE SURE SAFETY NEVER FALLS INTO DANGER AGAIN.

HOWEVER, IT SEEMS LIKE THAT IS OUR AREA.

THAT IS, OUR IDEA OF A SOLUTION ALLOWED YOU TO ONCE AGAIN TAKE FROM PETER TO PAY PAUL ON YOUR TERMS. PERHAPS EXACTLY WHAT YOU NEED IS A COMMITTEE TO KEEP YOU FOCUSED AND TO BE PREPARED TO PIVOT WITHOUT CONSTANTLY TAKING FROM ONE AREA TO ANOTHER.

IT'S ALSO INTERESTING THAT THE PIE THAT THE BOARD KEPT TALKING ABOUT AT THE PAST MEETING NOW HAS MORE PIECES TO IT THAN BEFORE, BUT NOT QUITE ENOUGH TO KEEP OUR FIRE STATIONS OPEN. THE LAST THING I WANT TO RESPOND IS NOT ANYTHING THAT I WROTE, BUT FROM THE PRESENTATIONS TODAY, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I FEEL SO STRONGLY ABOUT, ABOUT THE PLANS IS THAT IN YOUR SURVEY, IT MADE IT VERY CLEAR THAT BACK IN THAT TIME IT WAS ASKED THAT CRESSY STATION BE CLOSED AND BALIC-BALIC STATION BE CLOSED TO COMBINE TO ONE TO MAKE THOSE TIMES FASTER AND BETTER AND SAFER.

[01:25:04]

IF YOU HAD DONE THAT, THERE WAS NO COST FOR ANY OF EMPLOYMENT.

THE ONLY COST WAS THE THREE POINT.

I THINK IT WAS THREE. 26 MILLION.

I'M ALMOST DONE.

IF YOU HAD DONE THAT AT THAT TIME AND MADE A PLAN, A FIVE YEAR PLAN, YOU WOULD HAVE ONLY BEEN DOING $770,000 A YEAR, AND OUR FIRE STATION WOULD NOT BE CLOSING.

THAT'S ON YOUR HANDS.

MY NAME IS PRIYA LAKKIREDDY AND I'M A RESIDENT OF MERCED COUNTY WHO WILL BE DIRECTLY AFFECTED BY THE CLOSURE OF THE MCKEE FIRE STATION.

GOOD MORNING EVERYONE.

STANDING HERE IN ADDRESSING YOU IS VERY DIFFICULT BECAUSE I CONSIDER YOU ALL OF MY FRIENDS.

WE WE'VE HAD CONVERSATIONS OUTSIDE OF THIS ROOM, AND TO BE HERE TODAY AND TO BE CRITICAL OF YOU IS NOT EASY.

AND I DON'T TAKE THIS LIGHTLY AT ALL.

AND I'M ACTUALLY SHAKING BECAUSE IT'S VERY UPSETTING.

FIRST THINGS FIRST. I'LL TELL YOU THIS.

WHEN SOMEBODY IS SPEAKING TO YOU, IT'S REALLY HARD TO HEAR ON THE BACK.

SO YOU MAY WANT TO.

WHEN WE WERE SITTING, IT WAS REALLY HARD FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE TO TO TO LISTEN IN THE BACK.

SO I ENCOURAGE YOU TO MAKE THE SYSTEM BETTER.

AND SECONDLY, WHAT LAST, LAST TIME WHEN HE WAS WHEN I WAS HERE, I SAID, YOU KNOW, LET'S HOLD YOU ACCOUNTABLE FOR IF THEY'RE NOT PAYING, TURNS OUT THEY WERE ACCOUNTABLE.

THEY WERE DOING MORE THAN THEIR FAIR SHARE.

JOSH, YOU CAN YOU CAN SAY NO, BUT THAT IS THE TRUTH.

I LOOKED AT THE CALL NUMBERS THAT THEY PRESENTED YESTERDAY, AND IT'S NOT LIKE ALL THE CALLS FOR THAT STATION 85 ARE GOING TO UC MERCED.

NO, THERE'S ONLY PARTIALLY.

AND THEN YOU SAID, LET ME SEE, WHERE ARE MY NOTES AGAIN? SO YOU SEE, IS PAYING THEIR FAIR SHARE AND THEY SHOULDN'T PAY MORE BECAUSE OF THE LACK OF PLANNING ON YOUR PART.

AND I WILL ALSO SAY THIS.

THERE IS A DOCUMENT THAT'S FLOATING AROUND THAT I SAW THAT THE MUTUAL AID AGREEMENT THAT YOU HAD WITH STANISLAUS COUNTY, IT WILL BE LIMITING IT BECAUSE IT LOOKS LIKE MERCED COUNTY WAS USING THEIR SERVICES MORE THAN WHAT WE WERE GIVING BACK.

SO THAT DOES NOT GIVE ME ANY CONFIDENCE IN THIS AGREEMENT THAT WE'RE GOING TO PUT TOGETHER WITH CITY OF MERCED, WHICH IS JUST SO PRELIMINARY.

THERE IS NOTHING GOING ON RIGHT NOW.

AND YESTERDAY WHEN THE CHIEF WAS PRESENTING, HE SAID THE CAD SYSTEMS TO CONVERT FROM WHATEVER SYSTEM SO THAT THE TWO SYSTEMS CAN TALK TO EACH OTHER IS GOING TO TAKE ANYWHERE FROM 9 TO 12 MONTHS.

WELL, YOU DON'T HAVE THERE IS NO PLAN FOR A MUTUAL AID AGREEMENT RIGHT NOW.

AND MY OTHER QUESTION IS IF YOU GOT THIS LETTER ON FEBRUARY 16TH, 2023, WHY DID IT WAIT TO HAVE THESE CONVERSATIONS UNTIL YESTERDAY OR LIKE LAST WEEK? IS IT BECAUSE WAS IT ELECTION TIME AND IT WAS INCONVENIENT TO PRESENT IT DURING AN ELECTION TIME? IS THAT WHAT IT WAS? BECAUSE I GUARANTEE YOU, IF YOU HAD BROUGHT THIS BEFORE ELECTION, I THINK THE RESULTS WOULD HAVE BEEN DIFFERENT.

SO A LOT OF THIS IS ON YOU, YOUR PLANNING OR LACK THEREOF.

YEAH. I AND YOU KNOW, JASON HAS BEEN ASKING FOR A TOWN HALL FOR SO LONG AND I'VE HEARD ALL OF YOU SAY, WELL, YOU'RE OUR BOSSES.

AND IF WE ARE YOUR BOSSES, WHY IS IT SO DIFFICULT TO GET A TOWN HALL TO TALK ABOUT THIS? AND THE COMMUNITY MEETING THAT HAPPENED IS BECAUSE WE REACHED OUT TO YOU.

IT'S NOT LIKE YOU REACHED OUT TO US AND SAID, I'M MAKING MYSELF AVAILABLE.

PLEASE COME AND MEET.

AND IT'S ALSO IT'S ALSO VERY FRUSTRATING BECAUSE YOU HAD TOWN HALLS WHERE NONE OF THIS WAS BROUGHT UP.

AND THAT'S WHY I ASKED, WAS IT BECAUSE IT WAS ELECTION TIME? IT WAS REALLY INCONVENIENT TO BRING THIS UP.

SO THERE'S A LOT OF QUESTIONS.

AND WE SHOULD NOT BE THE UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES OF LACK OF PLANNING THAT FIRE STATION CLOSING.

REMEMBER LAST YEAR WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE FLOODING? SO MANY PEOPLE FILL OUT SAND BAGS, THAT STATION WAS THERE TO FILL OUT SAND BAGS.

SO MANY PEOPLE HAD HOPE THEY CAME THERE.

SO IT'S A VERY IMPORTANT FIRE STATION AND I PLEASE REQUEST YOU NOT TO SHUT IT DOWN.

MY NAME IS LORRAINE NELSON.

I'M A CITIZEN OF MERCED COUNTY, IN THE UNINCORPORATED AREA THAT'S AFFECTED BY THE CLOSURE OR POTENTIAL CLOSURE OF 85.

WHAT I THINK, THOUGH, IS I DO APPRECIATE THE BUDGET CONSTRAINTS AND THE NEED FOR THE SAFETY AND PERSON OF THE PERSONNEL AND ALSO BALANCING THAT WITH THE COMMUNITY SERVICES.

BUT I DO THINK THAT THIS NEEDS TO BE AT LEAST THIS PART OF IT NEEDS TO BE TABLED UNTIL YOU REALLY HAVE A SOLID AGREEMENT FOR THE AUTO AID WITH MERCED CITY, BECAUSE IT SEEMS LIKE THERE'S GOING TO BE A TIME WHERE THAT NEGOTIATION IS HAPPENING, THAT 85 THE THE RECIPIENTS OF THE AID FROM 85 WOULD NOT BE SERVED IF IT REALLY IS GOING TO TAKE THAT LONG.

I THINK THAT THIS NEEDS TO BE AMENDED OR AT LEAST MADE CONTINGENT ON THAT AGREEMENT BEING MADE.

SO YEAH, THAT WAS BASICALLY MY STATE IS STATEMENT IS THAT PLEASE MAKE SURE THAT AGREEMENT IS IN FORCE BEFORE YOU MAKE THESE

[01:30:03]

CHANGES. THANK YOU.

GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS HEIDI SANCHEZ.

I LIVE IN DOWNEY. I JUST WANTED TO POINT OUT I AM HARD OF HEARING SO I WOULD BE TERRIFIED IF I DIDN'T HAVE A FRIEND CLOSE BY.

I DO HAVE A LOT OF FRIENDS WHO ARE DEAF AND BLIND, AND I WOULD CONSIDER IT WOULD BE SCARY BECAUSE, LIKE, SINCE I AM HARD OF HEARING, I CAN'T EVEN HEAR THE RAIN OR THE THUNDER, SO I WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO HEAR, LIKE IF THERE'S A FIRE IN MY HOME.

RIGHT? AND ALSO, I DON'T EVEN HAVE A DOG THAT WILL ALERT ME TO BE LIKE, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING WRONG IN THE HOUSE.

BUT I THINK THE COMMUNITY NEEDED AN OPPORTUNITY THAT I AM VERY PROUD OF THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, BECAUSE I KNOW THEY'RE DOING THE BEST THEY CAN AND SERVING THE COMMUNITY, AND WE NEVER KNOW WHAT WILL BE FOR TOMORROW.

I COULDN'T IMAGINE, LIKE, IF THE FIRE DEPARTMENT TRYING TO DRIVE FOR 20 MINUTES AWAY FROM THE AREA TO REACH FOR A HOUSE THAT'S ON FIRE, BECAUSE 4TH OF JULY IS COMING AND, YOU KNOW, BY ACCIDENT A FIRECRACKER OR, YOU KNOW, THE SUMMER, THE GRASS IS DRY.

BUT I THINK THAT PEOPLE WHO ARE IN THE AREA OR IN OUR COMMUNITY HAVE SAID I KNOW THE HOMEOWNERS OR THE RENTERS ARE PAYING LIKE, TAXES. SO ALSO HAVE THE VALLEY ONWARD THAT I REPRESENT FROM.

OKAY. WE GO TO DIFFERENT AREAS AND WE ARE SHOWING PEOPLE HOW TO BE READY FOR A LIST OF THE FIVE STEP, HOW TO BE AWARE WHEN THERE'S AN EARTHQUAKE OR FLOODED AND HOW TO BE MAKING A PLAN TO GET OUT.

BUT AS MYSELF AGAIN, LIKE, IF I'M HARD OF HEARING, I WOULD BE SO TERRIFIED IF I WOULD JUST BE IN MY BED AND NOT BEING ABLE TO HEAR THE FIRE.

AND NOT ONLY THAT, BUT WE HAVE SENIORS AND DISABILITY WHO HOW WOULD THEY BE ABLE TO COME OUT OF THEIR HOME IF THE FIRE DEPARTMENT DOESN'T GET THERE ON TIME.

BUT THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HEARING.

I'M FROM LIVINGSTON, AND FIRST I WANT TO SAY THAT I WAS A COUPLE YEARS HERE.

HMM'HMM. GOOD MORNING.

HERE IN THE SAME PLACE, STANDING UP TO SUPPORTING THE HEALTH.

FOR ALL I KNOW IS SUPERVISOR.

REMEMBER THIS? WHERE WHEN TWO OF THE SUPERVISOR VOTE YES AND THREE, THEY VOTE NO.

SO THEY DIDN'T PASS HERE.

MERCED COUNTY. SO WE WANT TO HAVE THE SAME OPPORTUNITIES THAT ANOTHER COUNTIES HAVE, LIKE, FOR EXAMPLE, THE HEALTH FOR ALL.

SO I KNOW RIGHT NOW CALIFORNIA PASSED THE HEALTH FOR ALL.

SO THANK GOD WE HAVE THIS OPPORTUNITY.

SO FOR OTHER PEOPLE THAT THEY PASS.

SO RIGHT NOW I'M HERE AGAIN IN THE SAME PLACE SUPPORTING THE FIRE STATION IN LIVINGSTON.

AND THE OTHER ONES TOO.

SO I HOPE I KNOW MY IN THIS TIME, MY SUPERVISOR LIVINGSTON, I KNOW HE'S GOING TO TAKE THE BEST DECISION TO VOTE.

SO. AND I HOPE THAT OTHER SUPERVISORS FOR THE OTHER DISTRICT VOTE THE SAME.

SO THANK YOU, THANK YOU.

MY NAME IS HEIDI PROWSE.

I LIVE ON INCORPORATED PORTION OF MERCED COUNTY, DIRECTLY AFFECTED BY A MCKEE STATION CLOSURE.

WE BOUGHT IN THAT AREA JUST BECAUSE WE KNEW THERE WAS A FIRE STATION CLOSE.

I'M CONCERNED, NUMBER ONE, THAT MY PROPERTY TAX WILL BE PROPERTY TAX.

HOMEOWNER'S INSURANCE WILL BE INCREASED GREATLY.

I'M CONCERNED ABOUT FIRES BECAUSE THE SUMMERTIME IS COMING.

AND DURING THE SUMMERTIME THERE'S LOTS OF FIRES.

AND I ALSO FEEL, AS LORRAINE NELSON DOES, THAT YOU SHOULD NOT PASS THIS UNTIL YOU'RE ASSURED THAT YOU HAVE THE AGREEMENT WITH THE CITY.

THIS. I FEEL WE'RE GOING BACK IN TIME, NOT FORWARD IN TIME.

THIS AREA THAT MCKEE STATION COVERS IS HAS LOTS OF HOMES.

THERE'S A NEW APARTMENT COMPLEX FOR THE UC STUDENTS.

THERE'S THIS NEW OFFICE BUILDING.

IT'S A SHAME TO SEE THE MCKEE STATION CLOSED.

HELLO, MY NAME IS DOUG JENSEN.

I'M SURE WHEN CAL FIRE PUT TOGETHER THIS, GOING TO A 2.0 WITH A 3.0 FACTOR, THE INTENT WAS TO

[01:35:02]

IMPROVE FIRE COVERAGE AND PROTECTION.

THE PRIORITY THE FIRE DEPARTMENT IS TO PROTECT.

PLEASE SPEAK TO US. YEAH.

OH, IS TO PROTECT LIFE AND PROPERTY.

AND I'M SURE THAT'S WHAT THEIR INTENTION WAS.

IT DOESN'T WORK IN THIS CASE BECAUSE WE'RE NOT INCREASING STAFFING.

YOU'RE ACTUALLY MAKING THE FIRE PROTECTION WORSE BY CLOSING DOWN STATIONS.

EXAMPLE MR. MR. SILVEIRA IS WINTON, MR. ESPINOSA IS CRESSY, AND MR. PEDROSA IS BILLYJOE.

AND AT ETHAN'S SCHOOL IN CRESSY, ONE OF THE CHILDREN HAS A HEART ATTACK AND HE NEEDS MEDICAL ATTENTION.

THAT'S. THAT FIRE DEPARTMENT IS CLOSED.

YOU'VE GOT TO ROLL SOMEONE FROM HERE OR FROM THERE.

OKAY. STILL THE SAME AMOUNT OF PERSONNEL IF YOU LEAVE THAT FIRE DEPARTMENT OPEN.

FIRE DEPARTMENT CAN BE THERE WITHIN A MINUTE.

IF IT'S A TWO PERSON CALL, THE BACKUP FIRE DEPARTMENT CAN BE THERE WITHIN FIVE MINUTES OR WHATEVER YOUR RESPONSE WAS TO SAY.

YOU CAN GET A BACKUP THERE JUST AS SOON AS YOU CAN.

IN ANY OTHER CASE, OR IF IT'S HALFWAY BETWEEN, YOU CAN GET TWO PEOPLE THERE AND HALF THE TIME YOU CAN GET ONE.

SO IT REALLY IT HURTS THE FIRE COVERAGE AND IT HURTS THE PROTECTION OF LIFE AND PROPERTY.

IT'S PRETTY SIMPLE TO SEE IF YOU SPREAD THIS THE NUMBERS OUT, YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE MORE COVERAGE.

ONE PERSON CAN GET THERE QUICKER, MAY TAKE A LITTLE LONGER FOR THE SECOND PERSON TO GET THERE, BUT A LOT OF THE CALLS FOR FIRE DEPARTMENT CAN BE HANDLED WITH ONE PERSON.

I'VE ALL STATIONS I THINK USED TO BE ONE PERSON ABOUT 20 YEARS AGO.

MEDICAL CALLS ESPECIALLY, OR JUST GETTING THERE AND EVALUATING THE SITUATION AND GOING, HEY, WE NEED FOUR TRUCKS ROLLING HERE.

YOU'LL HAVE A YOU'LL HAVE A PROFESSIONAL ON SCENE QUICKER KEEPING THE FIRE DEPARTMENTS OPEN.

THE PROBLEM IS GOT TO INCREASE STAFFING TO MAKE THIS THING WORK AND BE SUCCESSFUL.

THANK YOU. GOOD MORNING.

MY NAME IS MIKE MURPHY. I LIVE IN THE AREA THAT IS SERVED BY THE MCKEE STATION.

I WAS HERE ON APRIL 9TH, AND I SHARED MY OBSERVATION THAT I BELIEVE THIS COUNTY IS RUNNING A TRIPLE CROWN RACE OF FAILURES WHEN IT COMES TO AMBULANCE SERVICE, DEPUTY COVERAGE AND FIRE COVERAGE.

I ALSO SHARED AN ENCOURAGEMENT TO YOU TO ELEVATE YOUR EXPECTATIONS FOR YOURSELVES AND FOR US AS YOUR RESIDENTS TO THINK MORE CREATIVELY THAN JUST OPEN OR SHUT. RIGHT.

THOSE ARE THE ONLY RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WERE PRESENTED IN THAT, IN THAT AGENDA.

I'D LIKE TO SEE A TRIPLE CROWN RACE OF SUCCESS FROM EACH OF YOU.

AND FOR ALL OF US, I THINK THAT'S ACHIEVABLE.

AND IT IS GOING TO REQUIRE US TO, TO HAVE COLLABORATIONS THAT OCCUR.

I, I'VE LEARNED A LOT IN THE LAST MONTH OR SO THROUGH MY OWN RESEARCH AND FRANKLY, THROUGH THE HELP OF OTHERS INFORMATION THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN SHARED HERE FOR US RATHER THAN US FINDING ONE IS A LETTER THAT I'VE BROUGHT DATED OCTOBER 1ST OF LAST YEAR FROM STANISLAUS COUNTY, BASICALLY SAYING THEY'RE SHUTTING US DOWN FOR MUTUAL AID.

FOR THE MOST PART, THAT MERCED COUNTY HAS NOT BEEN A GOOD PARTNER TO STANISLAUS, AND SO THEY WON'T BE COMING IN TO PROVIDE MUTUAL AID IN THE WAY THAT THEY HAVE IN THE PAST.

WHY WASN'T THAT SHARED? ANOTHER THING THERE'S BEEN THERE'S BEEN TALK OF A STUDY.

YOU GOT TO FOLLOW THE STUDY.

I'M JUST FOLLOWING THE STUDY.

WHERE'S THE STUDY? SO I TRACKED DOWN THE STUDY.

IT'S THE 2017 STUDY.

YOU KNOW, THERE'S NO RECOMMENDATION IN THERE TO CLOSE DOWN MCKEE.

NOT ONE.

THERE'S A RECOMMENDATION TO AUGMENT MCKEE.

THERE'S A RECOMMENDATION TO CLOSE DOWN A DIFFERENT STATION THAT YOU'RE NOT EVEN TALKING ABOUT.

DO YOU KNOW WHAT STATION THAT IS? IT'S NOT PLANADA OR LE GRAND.

BY THE WAY, DO YOU KNOW WHICH STATION IT RECOMMENDS TO CLOSE DOWN? LOOK AT THE STUDY.

RIGHT. YOU'RE NOT FOLLOWING.

IS THERE A DIFFERENT STUDY? SO YOU KNOW, THE OTHER THING IS THERE WAS NO MENTION AT THE PRIOR MEETING ABOUT HAVING ANY, ANY FINANCIAL CAPACITY TO TO FILL THIS $6.9 MILLION HOLE IN THE BUDGET.

AND SHORTLY AFTER THE MEETING, A SMALL GROUP OF US LOOKED ONLINE AT THE COUNTY BUDGET AND FOUND, IN FACT, THAT THERE'S A $7.5 MILLION FUND BALANCE FOR FIRE.

AND I SHARED THAT WITH COUNTY SUPERVISORS.

IT WAS NEWS TO SOME OF THEM, NOT ALL OF YOU, BUT NEWS TO SOME OF THEM.

WHY IS THAT NEWS WHEN YOU'VE BEEN WORKING ON A PROBLEM FOR SEVEN YEARS, APPARENTLY.

SO THESE THINGS NEED TO BE SHARED IN ORDER FOR THERE TO BE PROPER COLLABORATION BETWEEN, YOU KNOW, WHETHER IT'S OTHER JURISDICTIONS.

RIGHT. YOU CAN'T CLOSE DOWN THE MCKEE STATION WHEN YOU DON'T HAVE AN AUTO AID AGREEMENT IN PLACE.

YOU DON'T HAVE THE TECHNOLOGY, YOU DON'T HAVE THE CAD TECHNOLOGY TO PARTNER WITH THE CITY OF MERCED.

[01:40:02]

YOU'RE BEHIND, SO CATCH UP.

BUT IN THE MEANTIME, YOU CAN'T CLOSE IT DOWN.

I'M ELMO LORENZI, AND I'M NOT HERE TO CRITICIZE THE BOARD.

I'M TRYING TO JUST GIVE SOME THOUGHTS THAT WE HAVE BIGGER PROBLEMS IN THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA, AND IT'S REFLECTING ON US HERE ALSO. I SERVED ON RISK MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE FOR THE COUNTY OF MERCED FOR OVER 50 YEARS.

I KNOW THE PROBLEMS THAT YOU HAVE.

WE HAD PROBLEMS WHEN WE HAD INDIGENT CARE WITH THE HOSPITALS.

WE HAD LIABILITY EXPOSURES.

WE TOOK CARE OF THAT.

AND ON THE FIRE END OF IT, THAT WAS A VERY IMPORTANT PART.

AND WE MADE SURE WE HAD DIFFERENT FIRE STATIONS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY IN ORDER TO HAVE THE RATES.

THE PROBLEM THAT WE'RE HAVING RIGHT NOW IN THE CITY OF MERCED AND THE COUNTY OF MERCED IS THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA.

STATE OF CALIFORNIA HAS AN INSURANCE COMMISSIONER.

THE INSURANCE COMMISSIONER WORKS WITH INSURANCE COMPANIES IN ORDER TO INFORM THE RATES THAT WERE PERFORMED IN THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA.

NOW, MERCED COUNTY HAS BEEN RATED AND THE CITY HAS BEEN RATED BECAUSE WE'VE HAD A TOP CITY FIRE DEPARTMENT.

AND NOT ONLY THAT, WE HAD A TOP CITY FIRE DEPARTMENT, BUT WITH MEASURE C IN THE CITY OF MERCED, WE WERE ABLE TO RAISE RATES AND WERE ABLE TO EXCUSE ME, NOT RAISE RATES, BUT WE WERE ABLE TO BRING IN MORE MONEY AND HAVE A FIRE DEPARTMENT THAT WOULD BE ABLE TO TAKE CARE OF THE PROBLEMS OF THE CITY OF MERCED.

THE PROBLEM THAT WE HAVE IS THAT INSURANCE COMPANIES ARE LEAVING THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA.

WE DO NOT HAVE INSURANCE COMPANIES LIKE STATE FARM, WHICH IS PROBABLY ONE OF THE LARGEST INSURANCE COMPANIES IN THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA, HAS QUIT WRITING BUSINESS PERIOD IN THE STATE.

NOW THERE'S A PROBLEM.

THE PROBLEM IS THAT THEIR RATING FROM AN A 15 HAS GONE DOWN TO A DOUBLE B THAT DOESN'T EVEN COMPLY WITH LOANING INSTITUTIONS AS FAR AS PUTTING RATES AND ACCEPTING STATE FARM PAPER.

SO NOT ONLY DO WE HAVE A PROBLEM WHEN WE CLOSE A FIRE STATION IN THIS COUNTY, BUT IT ALSO PUTS A PROBLEMS TO THE COMMUNITY AS FAR AS TRYING TO GET INSURANCE RIGHT NOW, IF THERE'S ANY KIND OF A CONSIDERATION OR ANY KIND OF A CONFRONTATION ON THE RATING AND SO FORTH.

BY NOT HAVING FACILITIES, THEY IN TURN RAISE THE DISTRICT AND THE FIRE INSURANCE COMPANIES THAT ARE LEFT IN THE STATE WILL NOT ACCEPT THE PERSON'S HOME INSURANCE BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT LIVING WITHIN A DIFFERENT DISTRICT FOR A RESPONSE.

I THINK I'M LOST HERE.

OKAY. YEAH. IF YOU CAN FINISH, PLEASE.

WHAT? I'M TRYING TO EXPLAIN TO THE BOARD.

I THINK EVERYONE UNDERSTANDS THAT THERE'S SO MANY DOLLARS THAT YOU RECEIVE IN TAXES AND SO FORTH, AND THAT YOU HAVE TO ALMOST 80% OF WHAT COMES IN IS ALREADY PARLAYED INTO OTHER COSTS OF RUNNING THIS ADMINISTRATION.

THE PROBLEM THAT WE HAVE, GENTLEMEN, IS THAT THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA.

YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO FINISH, SIR. I'M SORRY.

PARDON ME. YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO FINISH YOUR COMMENTS.

I CAN'T HEAR YOU.

YOUR COMMENTS IS PAST DUE THREE MINUTES.

OKAY, SO I'LL JUST WRAP IT UP IN THIS RESPONSE.

THE PROBLEM THAT WE HAVE IS THAT ONLY BY CLOSING THE FIRE STATION OR TRYING TO WORK WITH THE CITY TO PUT IT TOGETHER.

BUT THE PROBLEM IS, IS TRYING TO KEEP INSURANCE COMPANIES THAT THESE PEOPLE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO PAY IN ORDER TO GET FIRE INSURANCE WITH A NON-ADMITTED INSURANCE COMPANY.

THANK YOU. SIR, I'M GONNA HAVE TO CUT YOU OFF THERE.

OKAY? GOOD MORNING. BOARD. CHRIS.

FOR LOPEZ. CITY OF LIVINGSTON.

I JUST WANTED TO GET SOME THINGS OUT TO THE PUBLIC.

THE CITY OF LIVINGSTON HAS PROVIDED TWO PROPOSALS TO THE COUNTY OF MERCED.

THOSE TWO ITEMS. STOPGAP FUNDING PROVIDED VIA OVERTIME TO AVOID POTENTIAL STATION CLOSURE OF 96.

[01:45:03]

AND THE SECOND ONE IS AN EQUITABLE STATION COST SPLIT.

VIA CALLS FOR SERVICE FOR STATION 96.

I WAS REALLY ENTHUSED TO HEAR THE DISCUSSION WITH THE CITY OF MERCED AND WHAT I HEARD WAS EQUITABLE AND FAIR.

AND SO I THINK THERE'S A POTENTIAL OPPORTUNITY FOR THE COUNTY OF MERCED TO HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS.

AND WE'RE ASKING FOR THE SAME THING WITH THE CITY OF LIVINGSTON.

I WILL ALSO ADD THAT IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT TO THE CITY OF LIVINGSTON RESIDENTS, AS WELL AS THE RESIDENTS THAT ARE OUTSIDE OF THE CITY OF LIVINGSTON.

WE'VE BEEN INFORMED BY THE COUNTY THAT THE EXPECTATION IS THAT THE CITY OF LIVINGSTON COVER 100% OF THE OVERTIME COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH THAT. AGAIN, THAT THEME OF FAIR AND EQUITABLE IS SOMETHING THAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR.

I SHOULD ALSO ADD THAT BASED ON THE LEADERSHIP OF THE CITY OF LIVINGSTON CITY COUNCIL EVEN THOUGH WE'VE BEEN REQUESTED TO PAY 100% OF THE THE COSTS THE CITY OF LIVINGSTON BELIEVES THAT STATION 96 SERVES A CRITICAL ROLE IN PROVIDING EMERGENCY SERVICES TO THE COMMUNITY OF LIVINGSTON, AS WELL AS TO THE COUNTY RESIDENTS OUTSIDE OF LIVINGSTON'S BOUNDARY.

THE CITY OF LIVINGSTON FUNDAMENTALLY BELIEVES THAT AN EQUITABLE SPLIT BETWEEN THE COUNTY AND THE CITY FOR THE PROVISION OF FIRE SERVICES IS SOMETHING WE SHOULD CONTINUE WORKING ON. BUT THE TOP PRIORITY IS TO KEEP STATION 96 OPEN.

AND SO I JUST WANT EVERYBODY TO KNOW THE PUBLIC AS WELL, THAT BECAUSE OF THE LEADERSHIP OF THE CITY OF LIVINGSTON CITY COUNCIL, THE CITY OF LIVINGSTON IS OPEN TO PAYING THE ENTIRE COST OF OVERTIME TO KEEP STATION 96 OPEN.

WITH THAT BEING SAID, WE ARE HOPEFUL THAT THE COUNTY OF MERCED DOES COME TO THE TABLE FOR FAIR AND EQUITABLE SPLIT, AS I HEARD THE ENTHUSIASM FOR THE CITY OF MERCED.

SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS RICHARD BOND.

I'M A RETIRED CAL FIRE BATTALION CHIEF AND FORMER FIRE MARSHAL OF MERCED COUNTY.

I'M HERE TODAY JUST TO SAY THAT I'M OPPOSED TO CLOSING ANY FIRE STATIONS, AS THAT'S ALWAYS A BAD THING.

I AM IN SUPPORT OF MORE STAFFING BECAUSE WE ALWAYS NEED THAT.

FOR 20 YEARS, I WAS ONE PERSON ON ONE OF THE MERCED COUNTY FIRE ENGINES.

WE WERE ABLE TO DO THE JOB, BUT OBVIOUSLY WITH MORE PEOPLE, WE CAN DO IT MORE EFFECTIVELY AND EFFICIENTLY.

BUT CLOSING DOWN A FIRE STATION JUST TO MOVE A PERSON TO A DIFFERENT ENGINE THAT'S GOING TO TAKE A LONGER RESPONSE TIME TO RESPOND TO AN INCIDENT IS IS NOT A GOOD PLAN.

I THINK A LOT MORE THOUGHT NEEDS TO BE PUT INTO THE PROCESS.

THE MCKEE AREA IN IN PARTICULAR HAS ONE OF THE HIGHEST CONCENTRATIONS OF COUNTY RESIDENTS FOR THAT FIRE STATION.

YOU HAVE A LOT OF COUNTY ISLANDS AS WELL AS THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY OUT TOWARD LAKE YOSEMITE.

AND THOSE AREAS AREN'T GOING TO BE ANNEXED.

THE ONLY AREA THAT'S GOING TO BE ANNEXED HAS A VERY SMALL PERCENTAGE OF COUNTY RESIDENTS IN IT.

BY GOING INTO AN AUTOMATIC AID AGREEMENT WITH THE CITY, THAT'S ALWAYS A GOOD IDEA.

BUT THE CITY ALSO HAS THEIR OWN CALLS TO RESPOND TO.

SO IF THAT ENGINE IS NOT AVAILABLE TO RESPOND TO SOMETHING IN MCKEE'S CURRENT AREA, THAT COULD BE A PROBLEM, WHICH IS GOING TO EXTEND RESPONSE TIMES AGAIN.

AND ANY TIME YOU EXTEND A RESPONSE TIME, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE DEALING WITH A MEDICAL EMERGENCY, A STRUCTURE FIRE.

IF YOU EXTEND RESPONSE TIMES FOR EITHER ONE OF THOSE, IT COULD BE, YOU KNOW MORE SERIOUS INJURY TO THE PATIENT OR EVEN DEATH, OR IF IT'S A STRUCTURE FIRE, THAT THAT FIRE IS GOING TO GET MORE DEEPLY SEATED IN THAT STRUCTURE AND, AND SPREAD MORE QUICKLY AND COULD BE A POTENTIAL PROBLEM IF ANYBODY'S TRAPPED IN THAT, IN THAT STRUCTURE.

SO I, I KNOW THAT THIS IS A HARD DECISION TO MAKE, BUT THE PROBLEMS, YOU KNOW, ARE COMPOUNDED WHEN THERE'S NO WATER SYSTEMS IN THE MCKEE AREA.

THERE IS A SMALL ONE NEAR MCKEE, BUT IT DOESN'T MEET THE INSURANCE SERVICES ORGANIZATION REQUIREMENTS FOR MINIMUM FLOW LEVELS, FOR GALLONS PER MINUTE, FOR FIRE SUPPRESSION. ALL THINGS THAT NEED TO BE CONSIDERED.

OUR AMBULANCE SERVICE IS IN DISARRAY RIGHT NOW.

I KNOW MY WIFE. SHE HAD A MEDICAL EMERGENCY SOME YEARS AGO, AND WE LIVE A QUARTER MILE FROM THE HOSPITAL, AND IT TOOK 34 MINUTES FOR AN AMBULANCE TO ARRIVE.

SO IF WE DON'T HAVE A FIRE ENGINE ARRIVING, AN AMBULANCE IS GOING TO BE DELAYED.

THERE'S A PROBLEM THERE AS WELL.

AS MR. LORENZI SPOKE, INSURANCE RATES ARE GOING TO BE MORE DIFFICULT TO OBTAIN.

I KNOW MY RESIDENTS THAT I HAVE IN THAT AREA.

I'M STRUGGLING RIGHT NOW TO MAINTAIN THE INSURANCE I HAVE.

[01:50:01]

SO A LOT OF THESE FOLKS IN THERE ARE ON FIXED INCOMES AND THEY CAN'T AFFORD TO PAY MORE INSURANCE.

THE STAFFING LEVELS, AS I SAY, I'M ALL.

STAFFING BECAUSE WE NEED THAT ON OUR FIRE ENGINES.

BUT WHEN YOU TAKE FOUR FIRE ENGINES OUT OF THE MIX JUST TO PUT TWO PEOPLE ON AN ENGINE, THAT'S GOING TO TAKE 5 TO 10 MORE MINUTES TO GET TO THE LOCATION OF THE INCIDENT, THAT COULD BE A CONCERN FOR OUR RESIDENTS.

SO I JUST I WOULD HOPE THAT YOU WOULD CONSIDER RETHINKING THE PLAN TO CLOSE THE STATIONS DOWN.

SO I HAD A CHANCE TO WATCH YESTERDAY'S CITY COUNCIL MEETING LIVE, AND THERE WERE SOME POINTS THAT WERE BROUGHT UP BY THE CHIEF, AND THERE WERE SOME CONCERNS OF THE CITY COUNCIL, WHICH I DON'T THINK THAT THE CITY COUNCIL HAS PROPERLY BEEN INFORMED OR HAD ENOUGH TIME TO REALIZE WHAT THIS MUTUAL AID AGREEMENT WILL DO.

GOOD MORNING. BOARD.

I'M UP HERE AGAIN.

CHIEF WILSON STATED THAT STATION 53, WHICH IS THE LOCAL STATION, RESPONDED TO 3500 CALLS IN THAT AREA OF NORTH MERCED.

IF YOU TAKE STATION EIGHT, STATION 55 TO RESPOND TO THE MCKEE STATION.

STATION 55 IS WHAT COVERS STATION 53 WHEN THERE IS A MEDICAL CALL OR ANY TYPE OF CALL.

SO AGAIN, HERE'S THAT DOMINO EFFECT.

YES, THEY THEY HAVE IT.

THAT'S NOT A VERY BUSY STATION, BUT IT IS A STATION THAT IS BUSY TO COVER THEIR MOST, YOU KNOW, ANYWAYS.

AND HIS CONCERN AS WELL AS HE VOICED WAS NORTH MERCED THE COVERAGE FOR NORTH MERCED FOR THE GROWTH AND EVERYTHING.

SO THOSE ARE THINGS I FEEL LIKE IF THERE IS GOING TO BE A DISCUSSION ABOUT THAT, I THINK THAT THERE SHOULD BE A COMMUNITY TOWN HALL MEETING WITH THE CITY OF MERCED SO THAT THEY REALIZE WHAT THE COUNTY IS GOING TO NEED FROM THEM AND WHAT THAT'S GOING TO DO TO THEIR RESOURCES SO THAT THEY'RE BETTER INFORMED AS WELL AS THE PEOPLE OF STATION 85.

SO AGAIN, PUBLIC CONVERSATION.

BUT WHAT WE ARE NOT MENTIONING IS THE AMBULANCE SERVICE, AND THAT IS WHEN THEY CAN'T RESPOND TO A CALL AND A MAJORITY OF FIRE CALLS ARE MEDICAL, IT REQUIRES THOSE STAFFS TO STAY ON WITH THOSE PATIENTS UNTIL THE AMBULANCE SERVICE ARRIVES. AND IT COULD BE A LOT.

SO I KNOW THIS ISN'T YOUR FAULT.

THIS IS YOUR PREDECESSORS.

BUT 20 YEARS AGO, THAT AMBULANCE SERVICE FAILED TO MEET THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE COUNTY.

AT 20 YEARS, WE ARE HERE 20 YEARS LATER, AND THEY ARE YET AGAIN STILL FAILING TO TO MEET THOSE REQUIREMENTS.

SO WHEN YOU ARE IN THOSE TALKS, THOSE ARE REALLY IMPORTANT THINGS.

IT'S TAKES A LOT OF THE RESOURCES.

IT STRAINS THE FIRE SERVICES AND EVERYTHING.

SO EVERYTHING THAT THEY'RE YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT, YES.

IF THIS CLOSES RESPONSE, IT'S IT'S A DOMINO EFFECT.

WE DON'T YOU GUYS DON'T HAVE REAL NUMBERS OF YOU SAID WINTON RESPONDED TO A FIRE IN YOUR CITY TO COVER.

SO THEN CRESSY WOULD BE COVERING THAT WINTON AREA, AND THEY ARE THE ONES THAT RESPOND TO FIRES, ACCIDENTS OF CHILDREN, THOSE TYPES OF THINGS. CRESS'S FIRST ON SCENE.

SO THERE'S AN INSURANCE RIGHT BOTTOM BOTTOM LINE IS EVERYBODY'S BOTTOM DOLLAR.

YOU REFUSE TO ASK TO THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX.

ASK THE TOUGH QUESTIONS TO YOUR PROPERTY BUSINESSES.

TO HAVE THAT. SO THERE IS MORE FUNDING COMING IN.

BUT YOU'RE TAKING AWAY SERVICES AND PROTECTION TO YOUR RESIDENTS.

SO I THINK MORE COMMUNICATION, IT SHOULD BE TABLED SO THAT BOTH SIDES OF THE CITY AND THE COUNTY HAVE ARE BETTER INFORMED.

THAT'S REALLY WHAT I THINK EVERYBODY WANTS, IS TO BE BETTER INFORMED.

GOOD MORNING, MR. CHAIRMAN. MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, CHIEF EXECUTIVE AND SUPPORTING STAFF.

GOOD MORNING.

MY NAME IS GREGORY WELLMAN, AND THIS IS SOMEWHAT FAMILIAR FOR ME.

I RETIRED AFTER 35 YEARS AS YOUR CHIEF EXECUTIVE.

AND YOU SEE MERCED PROJECT DIRECTOR.

I THINK IT WAS 22 YEARS AGO.

SINCE THAT TIME, I'VE BECAME A CITY MANAGER FOR ATWATER FOR NINE YEARS AND UP TO OAKDALE AND MOST RECENTLY LOS BANOS.

[01:55:02]

AND THAT'S AN ONGOING STORY.

AS YOU, AS, YOU KNOW INTERIM, I SHOULD SAY IN ADDITION TO THAT, I'VE HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF RUNNING THREE WATER DISTRICTS WITHIN WITHIN THE CENTRAL VALLEY HERE.

SO AFTER 55 YEARS, SOME OF US JUST DON'T LEARN VERY WELL.

I WOULD SAY THIS I'VE, I WORK FOR MY OWN COMPANY NOW, AND I TRY NOT TO OVERWORK.

I JUST CAME BACK LAST NIGHT FROM ROCKLAND.

I'LL BE LEAVING FRIDAY FOR DUBLIN, DANVILLE, PLEASANTON AREA.

AND I ASSUME THAT YOU'VE PROBABLY TAKEN A LOOK AT THE FACT THAT PLEASANTON AND LIVERMORE HAVE A COMBINED FIRE SERVICE, AND I.

I'M LOOKING AROUND FOR CAL FIRE.

I'M SURE YOU YOU FOLKS KNOW ABOUT THAT.

TWO FAIRLY LARGE CITIES, I DON'T KNOW, 85, 90,000.

CHECK CHECK ME OUT ON THAT.

BUT THEY'VE BEEN ABLE FOR SEVERAL YEARS TO TO TO WORK COLLABORATIVELY AND COOPERATIVELY.

THE ONE THING I WOULD LIKE TO LEAVE WITH YOU IS THAT I HAVE TALKED WITH THE SHERIFF WARNKE SEVERAL TIMES.

KATHY WAS MY SECRETARY HERE FOR MANY YEARS.

BUT I WOULD SAY THAT GIVEN WHAT'S COMING AT US AND YOUR CHIEF EXECUTIVE WELL KNOWS THIS WE HAVE GOT TO LOOK AT DIFFERENT WAYS OF PROVIDING SERVICES THAT WE MAY NOT HAVE CONSIDERED IN THE PAST.

THEY ARE NOT GOING ALWAYS TO BE PALATABLE.

I GOT TO SAY ONE THING.

THIS YOUNG FELLOW WHO ADDRESSED US THAT'S JUST A WONDERFUL THING.

IT KIND OF MADE MY DAY.

THESE ARE. TOUGH ISSUES THAT YOU'RE DEALING WITH, AND I'M OUT OF TIME.

MR. CHAIRMAN, THANK YOU.

BUT KEEP YOUR OPTIONS OPEN.

PLEASE KEEP AN OPEN MIND TO DIFFERENT WAYS OF PROVIDING SERVICES.

WE'RE ALL GOING TO NEED TO WORK TOGETHER.

HELLO, CHAIRMAN AND THE BOARD.

I'M RENEE MENDONSA.

I'M THE VICE CHAIR FOR THE PLANNING COMMISSION FOR THE CITY OF LIVINGSTON.

I'M ALSO A BRANCH MANAGER FOR WHITTON, IRELAND.

STROM AND GREEN.

I JUST THIS IS STRICTLY IMPROMPTU, BUT I JUST WANTED TO JUST ADD A COUPLE OF COMMENTS.

THE INSURANCE INDUSTRY, YOU KNOW, IS NOT IN A GOOD PLACE RIGHT NOW IN CALIFORNIA.

IN FACT, WE'RE BECOMING UNINSURABLE REINSURANCE TREATIES AND THAT HAVE CAUSED STATE FARM FARMERS INSURANCE TO QUIT WRITING.

AND THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I HAVE EVER IN MY 30 YEAR, 40 YEAR CAREER IN INSURANCE INDUSTRY.

HAD TO TELL PEOPLE, SHELTER IN PLACE, I CAN'T HELP YOU.

AND MY CONCERN IS THAT LIVINGSTON IF THE FIRE STATION CLOSES FROM THE INSURANCE PERSPECTIVE, EVERYBODY HAVING TO GO TO CALIFORNIA FAIR PLAN FOR WHAT WE CONSIDER IS VERY LIMITED TO NO COVERAGE COST DOUBLING AND TRIPLING.

WE'RE PREDOMINANTLY AG TOWN.

WE HAVE PEOPLE WHO ARE MAKING MINIMUM WAGE TO SUPPORT THEIR FAMILIES IN THE FIELDS AND TO PROVIDE FOOD ON EVERYBODY'S TABLE.

THERE'S NOT A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT ARE STILL DOING THAT THESE DAYS.

YOU KNOW, I HAVE I DO WORKER'S COMP CLAIMS. I HAVE PEOPLE OUT IN THE FIELDS AT 70 STILL BECAUSE THEY CAN'T MAKE IT BECAUSE OF THE ECONOMY IS TIGHT.

SO THERE'S A WHOLE INSURANCE ASPECT OF IT THAT I HAVE A CONCERN OVER.

THE OTHER PART IS THAT I AM ON THE PLANNING COMMISSION.

WE HAVE PROJECTS OUT THERE.

WE'RE BEING PUSHED BY THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA TO FIND DEVELOPERS WAYS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE COMING UP WITH THE AMOUNT OF AFFORDABLE MODERATE HOUSING TO PROVIDE TO THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA IF YOU PULL THE FIRE STATION, I DON'T KNOW THAT WE CAN BRING IN THOSE DEVELOPERS, AND THAT ESPECIALLY IF THERE'S A CONCERN ON WHERE'S THE PEOPLE GOING TO GET INSURANCE AND THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOT WE'RE WORRIED ABOUT WATER BUDGET, EVERYTHING.

[02:00:04]

BUT AS A CITY, I THINK THAT THE FIRE STATION CLOSING THE FIRE STATION WOULD ONLY BE A SETBACK FOR LIVINGSTON.

WHEN WE'RE TRYING TO PUSH THROUGH, WE'RE GOING TO BE A STOP ON THE SPEED TRAIN ONE DAY.

PEOPLE WANT SHOULD WANT TO LIVE IN LIVINGSTON, YOU KNOW, AND WHEN WE DID A SURVEY SAFETY.

SAFETY IS ONE OF THE MAIN THINGS THAT LIVINGSTON RESIDENTS WANT.

SO I JUST WANTED TO ADD THAT I KNOW THERE'S A LOT TO LOOK AT, BUT I JUST WANTED TO ADD THAT AS WELL.

THANK YOU FOR LISTENING TO ME.

THANK YOU. WHEN WE'RE READY.

OKAY. THANKS.

GOOD MORNING. SO MANY QUESTIONS HERE TODAY.

SO MUCH INFORMATION. I TEND TO WANT TO GO LAST BECAUSE OF I LISTENED TO OTHER PEOPLE'S COMMENTS.

LOTS OF QUESTIONS ABOUT TRANSPARENCY.

COMPARABLES WITH FRESNO.

I'M BOGGLES MY MIND.

WHY FRESNO AND NOT SOMETHING CLOSER.

ESPECIALLY LIKE STANISLAUS COUNTY, WHICH WAS BROUGHT UP EARLIER AS WELL.

BUT QUESTIONS PLANADA RESIDENTS REALLY WANT TO KNOW WHY THERE WASN'T AN EVACUATION ORDER.

SO ON WITH THIS.

LET ME SEE. OH, AND BIG UPS TO EASTON AND HIS PARENTS FOR BRINGING HIM OUT HERE TO ADVOCATE AT A VERY YOUNG AGE OF EIGHT.

AND WHICH BRINGS ME BACK TO THAT LEGISLATIVE SUMMIT WHERE YOU LEFT CHAIRMAN AND PEDROZA.

YOU LEFT. BUT CONCERNING ABOUT THE UNDERSERVED IN MERCED COUNTY YOUNG AGE IS 64%.

THREE AND FIVE ARE NOT SERVED.

89% OF AGES 0 TO 2 ARE NOT SERVED.

SO I THAT SHOULD BE ON YOUR RADAR.

IT'S VERY CONCERNING FOR OUR YOUTH.

PEOPLE AROUND THE COMMUNITY ARE SAYING THAT YOU ARE ONLY INCREASING THIS AMOUNT SO YOU CAN DIP INTO THE MONEY THROUGH YOUR AFFILIATION WITH ZOCALO HEALTH.

IT IS CONFLICT.

DON'T YOU THINK IT'S A CONFLICT OF INTEREST FOR YOU TO HAVE VOTED ON THIS ITEM EARLIER? I KNOW THIS WAS AN ITEM.

I'M COVERED IN ITEM NUMBER EIGHT.

IT'S ABOUT FIRE, MA'AM. YEAH, I KNOW, SORRY.

LET ME FLIP THIS OVER.

I JUST WANTED TO PUT THAT OUT JUST IN CASE PEOPLE NEEDED TO KNOW TRANSPARENCY AND ALL.

ONE OF THE THINGS I KNOW THAT I CAME WITH EARLIER IN APRIL WERE SOME QUESTIONS.

AND I KNOW THAT I'M ON BEHALF OF COUNTY RESIDENT, BUT THERE WERE SOME QUESTIONS THAT I POSED TO THIS BOARD IN APRIL IN REGARDS TO THE EQUITABLE SPLIT.

AND I KNOW THAT THAT WAS SPOKEN ON EARLIER FROM THE CITY MANAGER OF LIVINGSTON.

THE PERSONNEL FROM STATION 96 RESPONDS TO ABOUT 40% OF THE CALLS, AND IT APPEARS THAT THE CITY OF LIVINGSTON IS SUBSIDIZING THE COST OF SERVICE FOR COUNTY RESIDENTS.

SOME OF THE QUESTIONS THAT I HAD FROM THE EARLIER CONVERSATIONS WERE, HOW DID THE COUNTY IDENTIFY 750,000 AS THE ADDITIONAL AMOUNT OF REVENUE NEEDED FROM THE CITY? WHAT WOULD THE BOARD TELL LIVINGSTON RESIDENTS, WHO ASK WHETHER THE CITY OF LIVINGSTON TAXPAYERS ARE SUBSIDIZING SUBSIDIZING COUNTY SERVICES? CITY OF LIVINGSTON. TAXPAYERS ARE CURRENTLY PROVIDING ONE POINT.

MRS. I KNOW THAT'S NOT MY TIME.

IT'S THREE MINUTES. IF YOU CAN FINISH YOUR COMMENTS, PLEASE.

OKAY, SO THERE IS A LIST OF QUESTIONS.

YOU CAN REVIEW THOSE.

BUT ALSO I KNOW THAT THERE IS A LITTLE BIT MORE.

LET ME GET TO IT.

OH HERE IT IS. MENTIONED THE COUNTY IS BROKE AND YOU'VE GOT THAT UP THERE.

LIVINGSTON ISN'T INTO WANTING TO BALANCE YOUR BUDGET FOR THIS FISCAL YEAR.

YOU'VE HAD PEOPLE REQUEST THAT YOU POSTPONE ANY VOTE FOR TODAY UNTIL THERE CAN BE A TOWN HALL WHERE YOU CAN HAVE EVERYBODY'S OPINION, NOT JUST HERE.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS. OKAY.

YOU'RE WELCOME.

HOPE TO SEE YOU TONIGHT AT THE MEETING.

I KNOW THAT JIMMY CHEIKA WILL BE HERE.

THANK YOU. GOOD AFTERNOON.

MY NAME IS DOUG WELLS.

I LIVE IN LIVINGSTON, BORN AND RAISED, MOVED AWAY, WENT TO SCHOOL, COME BACK IN 81.

I LIVE IN THE COUNTRY NOW.

I'M ABOUT THREE MILES WEST OF LIVINGSTON.

[02:05:02]

IT DISTURBS ME THAT THIS GROUP DECIDED TO HAVE AN OUTREACH IN OUR AREA.

WELL ATTENDED ALSO, I GUESS IN MERCED AREA, THE LIVINGSTON.

YOU'RE GOING TO PROPOSE CLOSING A FIRE DEPARTMENT IN LIVINGSTON.

14,000 PEOPLE, NOT COUNTING US RESIDENTS IN CALIFORNIA.

IN THE COUNTRY.

DO YOU THINK THAT'S FAIR? DO YOU THINK THAT'S GOOD COMMUNICATION WITH ELECTORAL VOTERS? I DON'T, I DON'T I THINK IT WAS SHORTCOMING TO GET THIS FAR IN THIS PROCESS WITHOUT HAVING AN OUTREACH IN LIVINGSTON.

STAFFING LEVELS. WE TALKED ABOUT STAFFING LEVELS.

I CAN UNDERSTAND THE STAFFING LEVELS, BUT THERE'S NO MENTION OF THE VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT.

LIVINGSTON'S GOT A VERY RICH PROGRAM IN A VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT.

BEING IN THE COUNTRY, I CAN GET HELP FROM THE VOLUNTEERS FOR MEDICAL TREATMENT FASTER THAN THE THE TRUCKS CAN GET THERE.

SIMPLE FACT. BECAUSE THEY LIVE IN THE COUNTRY AS A NEIGHBOR.

BUT THERE'S NO MENTION OF HOW WE'RE GOING TO MEET THOSE NEEDS.

AND GUARANTEE YOU YOU JUST DOUBLED OR TRIPLED RESPONSE TIME.

ANYBODY WHO WORKS IN FIRE RESPONSE TIME IS EVERYTHING.

IT DON'T TAKE MUCH TO PUT A CANDLE OUT, BUT YOU PUT IT IN SOME DRY GRASS.

THERE'LL BE A HELL OF A FIRE BEFORE LONG.

MUTUAL AID AGREEMENTS.

I DIDN'T HEAR A MUCH TALKED ABOUT MUTUAL AID AGREEMENT, BUT I HEAR THE BOARD TALK ABOUT GETTING GRANT MONEY TO DO A COST SHARE.

SO DOES THAT MEAN THAT YOU'RE PLANNING ON ABANDONING THE LIVINGSTON STATION IN OCTOBER WITH NO MUTUAL AID AGREEMENT IN PLACE, SO YOU CAN RESPOND TO A NEEDS OF CITIZENS OF LIVINGSTON MAY HAVE, OR THE COUNTY RESIDENTS WHERE YOU COULD GET THERE QUICKER.

YOU KNOW, THESE RESPONSE HAVE COMING FROM BLEKKO OR HILMAR.

IF YOU DRIVE ON LANDOR AVENUE AT CERTAIN TIME OF THE DAY, YOU'RE IN TROUBLE.

YOU'RE NOT GOING TO GET THERE VERY FAST, OR LIVINGSTON GETS BACKED UP ALL THE WAY TO TURLOCK SOMETIME ON 99.

YOU DON'T GET THERE TOO FAST.

YOUR DECISION TO REMOVE CALFIRE FROM MRS PRESENCE IN LIVINGSTON WITHOUT SOMETHING IN PLACE WITH THE CITY OF LIVINGSTON, YOU'VE GOT TWO AGENCIES THAT ARE THERE TO SERVE THE PEOPLE, MY SUPERVISORS AND THE CITY COUNCIL OF LIVINGSTON, AND THERE'S NOTHING IN PLACE.

AND YOU DO THIS, YOU TAKE THIS ACTION.

IT LEAVES ME WITH A SERVICE I DON'T LIKE.

IT'S CALLED MALFEASANCE OF OFFICE.

I DON'T THINK YOU'RE DOING YOUR DUE DILIGENCE WORKING WITH THE CITY OF LIVINGSTON.

THAT'S POINT.

MY ROOTS.

MY FAMILY ROOTS. GO BACK TO CRESSY.

MY GRANDFATHER, FORREST LEE, DEEDED THAT PROPERTY AND WORKED WITH THE COUNTY TO ESTABLISH A FIRE DEPARTMENT WHERE IT IS RIGHT NOW.

MY UNDERSTANDING, HIS UNDERSTANDING AND MY UNDERSTANDING FROM MY UNCLE, HIS SON, WAS THAT FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS THERE FOR THE TO SERVE THE COMMUNITY OF CRESSEY.

IF IT'S SO DESIRE TO CLOSE IT DOWN, IT WOULD GO BACK AND NO LONGER BE A PART OF THE COMMUNITY.

NOW, I DON'T KNOW IF THIS WAS EVER WORKED INTO THE DETAILS OF THE DEED OR NOT.

THANK YOU SIR. APPRECIATE IT.

ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.

GOOD AFTERNOON, BRIANNE VANDENBERGH, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE MERCED COUNTY FARM BUREAU.

THANK YOU FOR THE TIME TODAY.

I WANT TO QUICKLY REITERATE OUR COMMENTS FROM APRIL 9TH IN WHICH WE STATED WE WERE CONCERNED WITH THE CLOSURES THAT WERE PRESENTED OR THE CONSOLIDATIONS, BECAUSE THAT DOES AFFECT OUR MEMBERS WE UNDERSTAND THE BUDGET CONSTRAINTS THAT YOU GUYS ARE IN, AND WE ALSO WANT TO SEE FULL STAFF FOR OUR CAL FIRE TEAMS. SO HOPEFULLY ANY CONCLUSION THAT WE CAN COME TOGETHER IN THE END CAN SERVE ALL.

BUT JUST TO REITERATE OUR CONCERNS FOR THE PROPOSALS THAT YOU HAVE BEFORE YOU TODAY.

ANYONE ELSE? OKAY. I DON'T SEE NOBODY COMING OUT.

THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD FOR ITEM 36 IS NOW CLOSED.

SO ANY COMMENTS FROM MOTIONS?

[02:10:02]

FOR THIS. WE'RE GOING TO GO AHEAD AND SUPERVISOR PEDROZO YOU HAVE A COMMENT? YEAH. I AGREE THAT, YOU KNOW, I THINK WE SHOULD THERE IS A TIMING ASPECT TO ALL OF THIS, RIGHT? BECAUSE WE HAVE TO GO BACK TO THE STATE WITH THIS INFORMATION.

AND SO THAT'S WHY IT SEEMS LIKE IT'S BEING RUSHED.

AND THAT'S WHY THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF DISCUSSION WITH THE CITY OF MERCED WITH LAST WEEK I TALKED TO I SPOKE WITH THE CHANCELLOR FOR AT THE UKMR SAID TO COME BACK TO THE TABLE BEFORE SO THAT WE CAN HAVE SOMETHING IN PLACE WITH BEFORE ANNEXATION OCCURS, BECAUSE WE'RE PUTTING A LOT OF ASSUMPTIONS THAT ANNEXATION IS GOING TO TAKE PLACE ON TIME, ON A CERTAIN TIMELINE.

IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE ANNEXED IN OCTOBER, OR THERE'S SUPPOSED TO BE SUBMITTING THE APPLICATION FOR ANNEXATION.

IT'LL GO SOME TIME THIS SUMMER.

SEEING IF EVERYTHING GOES WELL, IT'LL COME IN THE FALL, RIGHT? THAT'S ASSUMING A LOT.

SO WHEN WHEN I SAY THAT THE UC DIDN'T PAY THEIR FAIR SHARE, THEY ARE BEING ANNEXED IN AND THAT AREA, EVEN THOUGH IT'S A, THE UC ASPECT OF IT IS A SMALL CONCENTRATION OF THAT AREA.

A MAJORITY OF THAT AREA ABSENT THE HILLCREST AREA WILL NOT BE ANNEXED IN.

AND SO THAT'S WHY THE THE 85 WOULD COVER WOULD NOT BE COVERING THAT AREA THAT'S GOING TO BE ANNEXED.

AND SO 85 WOULD COVER THE HILLCREST AREA, WHICH MY COLLEAGUE POINTED OUT WAS, YOU KNOW, LIKE A QUARTER OF A MILE AWAY FROM THE PARSONS.

AND THEN IT WOULD BACKFILL SOMEPLACE ELSE.

AGAIN, ALL CONVERSATIONS THAT ARE GOING TO CONTINUE MOVING FORWARD, YOU KNOW, AND IT WAS ALSO BROUGHT UP THAT, YOU KNOW, THE UC IS NOT PAYING THE FAIR SHARE OR THE I SAID THEY'RE NOT PAYING THE FAIR SHARE.

AND THEN IT WAS BROUGHT UP BACK UP TO ME.

WELL, IF YOU TAKE THE NUMBER OF CALLS, OKAY, THE OF THE UC THAT HAS BEEN RESPONDED OR OUT OF 85, THAT'S 315 CALLS.

IF YOU TAKE THE ENTIRE FIRE BUDGET AND DIVIDE THE ENTIRE FIRE BUDGET DIVIDED BY THE CALLS, THAT'S $3,300 PER CALL, RIGHT? THE UC RIGHT NOW IS PAYING $400,000 FOR THEIR CONTRACT UNTIL OCTOBER 315 CALLS THIS YEAR WOULD BE $1,039,500. SO I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S A FAIR SHARE OR NOT.

OKAY, SO INSTEAD OF A 400,000, THAT'S QUITE A GAP OKAY.

NUMBER TWO, YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT NONE OF THIS IS IS EASY.

AND I THINK THAT THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF THIS LETTER, THIS MUTUAL AID LETTER THAT IS BEING DISCUSSED HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH FIRE.

IT HAS TO DO WITH THE MS. SO IT'S TWO SEPARATE DIFFERENT THINGS.

AND SO I UNDERSTAND THAT YOU GUYS ARE LUMPING EVERYTHING INTO PUBLIC SAFETY IN GENERAL.

AND I UNDERSTAND THAT. I THINK THE MS ASPECT OF THAT WHOLE DISCUSSION NEEDS TO TAKE PLACE AS WELL.

BUT TODAY WE'RE JUST DISCUSSING FIRE.

AND SO AND IT WAS BROUGHT UP, YOU KNOW, THERE WAS SOME MONEY.

WELL, THE MONEY THAT WAS MENTIONED EARLIER IN THE FIRE FUND OR THE GENERAL FUND, THAT FIRE FUND, THAT FIRE RESERVE IS JUST LIKE IT WOULD BE FOR THE GENERAL FUND RESERVE TO WHERE THE REGULATION STATES THAT IF YOU TAKE THAT OUT, WHICH WE'VE TAKEN OUT SOME OF IT, YOU HAVE TO FIGURE OUT A PLAN TO PUT IT BACK IN.

THAT'S PER HOUR.

THAT'S PER OUR, OUR RULES.

OKAY. AND SO WE DO KNOW THAT WHAT HAS HAPPENED AND THEN THE $4 MILLION.

YES. THAT WAS AND THAT THAT WAS ACCURATE.

AND WHAT MISS BREWER SAID AND I'M GLAD LLOYD WAS GOT BACK TO YOU BECAUSE I WAS GOING TO DO THAT TODAY.

SO AND LET YOU KNOW AT THE MEETING THIS AFTER THIS MORNING.

SO THAT'S MONEY THAT HAS BEEN SPENT FOR THE PUBLIC SAFETY BUT IN A DIFFERENT AREA.

SO WE ARE AWARE OF THAT.

THIS AUTO AID, I THINK, AND I AGREE, I THINK THAT WE ARE DOING THIS, YOU KNOW, WITH, WITH WHAT SEEMS LIKE WE DON'T HAVE A PLAN, BUT I THINK THAT AUTO AID IS THE BEST THING THAT WE HAVE GOING ON RIGHT NOW.

AND SO EVEN IF, I MEAN, EVEN IF WE DO THIS TODAY, WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN IS THIS DOES NOT MEAN WE'RE GOING TO STOP TALKING WITH OUR PARTNERS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE SOMETHING TO COVER OURSELVES AND TO COVER YOURSELVES MOVING FORWARD.

I THINK IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE REALLY NEED TO STRESS IS THAT, YOU KNOW, RIGHT AFTER THIS, THERE'S GOING TO BE MORE CONVERSATIONS THAT ARE GOING TO TAKE PLACE, AND WE'RE NOT GOING TO LET THIS THING GO.

THIS IS SOMETHING THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO US.

I KNOW THAT I'VE BEEN THINKING ABOUT THIS FOR A LONG TIME.

I KNOW MY COLLEAGUES HAVE BEEN THINKING ABOUT IT FOR A LONG TIME.

THIS IS NOT AN EASY DECISION, BUT IT'S ONE IN ORDER TO LOOK AT THE SAFETY OF OUR PUBLIC, THE SAFETY OF OUR PERSONNEL.

I THINK IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO TO DO.

I DON'T WANT TO I DON'T THINK IT'S A I, I DON'T LIKE THE POSITION THAT WE'RE IN RIGHT NOW TO HAVE TO DO THIS, BUT SOMETIMES WE HAVE TO MAKE THE THE DIFFICULT DECISIONS.

OKAY. SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL.

[02:15:02]

THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN.

JUST SOME REAL QUICK THOUGHTS.

I THOUGHT MR. WELLMAN BROUGHT SOMETHING TO THE DAIS OF LOOKING AT THINGS DIFFERENTLY.

ONE THING I'D LIKE TO TOUCH, TOO, IS THE CITY OF LIVINGSTON IS A CITY OF ITS OWN.

AND MAYBE THE CITY OF LIVINGSTON SHOULD CONSIDER.

IF THEY DON'T LIKE THE AGREEMENT THAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO BACK AND FORTH WITH THE THE COUNTY, THEN THE CITY OF LIVINGSTON SHOULD HAVE THEIR OWN FIRE DEPARTMENT, AND THEN WE COULD DO AN AUTO AID WITH THE CITY OF LIVINGSTON.

BUT THEY ARE A CITY, SO I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT'S OUT THERE.

I KNOW A LOT OF THE THE OTHER STUFF.

IT IS ONGOING CONVERSATIONS AT ALL TIMES.

BUT TO LOOK AT IT, MR. WELLMAN AND SOME OTHER FOLKS PUT IT OUT THERE.

WE'RE MOVING INTO HARD TIMES.

I MEAN, WE'RE ALREADY LOOKING AT $75 MILLION SHORTFALL AT THE COUNTY.

AND SO MOVING FORWARD AND THAT'S THAT'S A CONSERVATIVE ESTIMATE.

AND IT'S A DIRECT RESULT OF THE FUNDING THAT WE GET FROM THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA.

SO I'M JUST I'M NOT WANTING TO POINT FINGERS.

I'M TRYING TO DO THE BEST THAT I CAN WITH WHAT WE HAVE HERE IN MERCED COUNTY.

AND A LOT OF DECISIONS MADE BY OUR GOVERNOR AND OUR LEGISLATURE IS AFFECTING US RIGHT HERE.

WE'RE DOING THE BEST WE CAN.

THANK YOU. I SEE NO OTHER COMMENTS.

OH, ONE MORE COMMENT, SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA, MR. CHAIR. YEAH. I THINK WHAT MR. WELLMAN WAS ALLUDING TO WAS DUPLICATION OF SERVICES.

AND AS YOU GUYS SEEN THE SLIDE THAT WAS UP THERE BEFORE, THAT SHOWS WHAT OUR REVENUES ARE AND WHAT THE COST OF DOING BUSINESS IS.

I DON'T THINK THAT ANYBODY CARES IF YOU CALL 911 WHAT COLOR THE TRUCK IS, YOU JUST WANT THE CLOSEST ONE THERE.

AS A COUNTY, WORKING WITH OUR CITY PARTNERS, COUNTY PARTNERS, DUPLICATION OF SERVICES OR, YOU KNOW, OUR MOST EXPENSIVE THING THAT WE DO IN LOCAL GOVERNMENT IS OUR HUMAN RESOURCES AND AND WORKING ON SOLUTIONS ON HOW DO WE NOT DUPLICATE THOSE SERVICES.

BOUNDARY DROPS ARE ONE OF THE WAYS YOU GET THERE.

AND THAT INVOLVES THAT INVOLVES ELECTED OFFICIALS LEAVING, CHECKING THEIR EGOS AT THE DOOR AND SAYING, OKAY, WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO? THAT IS BEST FOR ALL OF OUR CITIZENS.

BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WHETHER YOU'RE ON THE CITY COUNCIL AND LOS BANOS OR DOS PALOS AGAIN, THOSE ARE ALL MY CONSTITUENTS, MY STATE SENATOR, MY STATE ASSEMBLY MEMBER, MY CONGRESSMAN, ALL SHARE THOSE SAME CONSTITUENTS.

SO I THINK THAT'S WHAT WAS ALLUDED TO IT.

THESE ARE TOUGH DECISIONS.

IT'S YOU KNOW, THERE'S THERE'S I HEARD THE LETTER ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THE THE THERE'S A LETTER FLOATING OUT THERE THAT IS FROM STANISLAUS THAT WAS STRICTLY ON AMBULANCE SERVICE. MS RIGGS AMBULANCE WAS OVER USING THE THE MUTUAL AID FROM STANISLAUS COUNTY AND CAUSING A BURDEN TO THEIR SYSTEM. AND THEY SENT A LETTER TO OUR LOCAL EMS AGENCY, THE MERCED COUNTY EMS AGENCY, SAYING THAT THEY WERE NO LONGER GOING TO HONOR THAT BECAUSE IT WAS PUTTING THEIR SERVICE AT A DETRIMENT.

DIDN'T, AS FAR AS I KNOW, THAT HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH COUNTY FIRE, WHICH WE'RE ACTUALLY DISCUSSING TODAY.

AND I DO AGREE THAT IT'S ALL PART OF THE DISCUSSION IS WHAT SOMEBODY BROUGHT UP EARLIER IS IF THE IF IT'S GOING TO TAKE A FIRE TRUCK LONGER TO GET THERE AND THE AMBULANCE IS NOT GOING TO GET THERE, USUALLY THE FIRE, OUR FIRE PERSONNEL ARE THE QUICKEST AND THE FIRST ON SCENE.

SO ALL TOUGH DECISIONS.

I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, HOPE ISN'T A STRATEGY, BUT I FEEL LIKE WE'RE IN A LITTLE BETTER POSITION THAN HOPE ON THESE GRANTS.

THESE SAFER GRANTS.

I DO KNOW THAT I THINK CHIEF PIMENTEL MENTIONED IT EARLIER.

WE WEREN'T SUCCESSFUL IN GETTING IT LAST YEAR, BUT HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH THE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE FROM FEMA ON WHAT WHAT DO WE NEED? WHAT WHAT DO WE NEED TO DO? WHAT DO WE NEED TO PRESENT? WHAT'S THE STORY THAT WE NEED TO TELL TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR THOSE? AND I THINK THIS ACTION THAT'S DIFFERENT TODAY THAN IT WAS A MONTH AGO IS INSTEAD OF THESE ACTIONS HAPPENING ON A BUDGET CYCLE, WHICH WOULD BE JULY 1ST SOME OF THESE ACTIONS NOW WILL BE MOVED OUT TO OCTOBER 1ST, AND BY THEN WE'LL HAVE A BETTER IDEA AS TO WHERE WE'LL BE WITH THOSE SAFER GRANTS.

SO THAT'S ALL I HAVE FOR NOW, CHAIR.

THANK YOU, SUPERVISOR BROWN.

THANK YOU. GO AHEAD.

ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR.

SO I JUST KIND OF WANT TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT A FEW THINGS.

FIRST, BECAUSE OF PUBLIC COMMENT A LOT OF GREAT PUBLIC COMMENT, A LOT OF GREAT IDEAS.

I HEARD IN ONE INSTANCE THAT WE'RE BEING ASKED OR THAT WE'VE ASKED THE CITY OF LIVINGSTON TO PAY 100% OF THE COST OF THE FIRE.

AND I DON'T THINK THAT'S CORRECT.

I JUST WANT TO GET A CLARIFICATION BECAUSE YOU ALSO MENTIONED ABOUT THE OVERTIME.

SO WHAT'S GOING CAN YOU.

YEAH. THANK YOU.

SUPERVISOR. PAREIRA.

I CAN ADDRESS THAT. YEAH. WE HAVE BEEN HAVING CONVERSATIONS ABOUT A STOP GAP AGREEMENT AT THE STAFF LEVEL.

IN REGARDS TO AS THE CITY MANAGER MENTIONED OVER TIME, USING USING OVERTIME TO ENHANCE SERVICES.

[02:20:07]

WHAT I'VE COMMUNICATED TO THE CITY YOU KNOW, I BELIEVE IT WOULD BE THE BOARD'S EXPECTATION THAT LIVINGSTON COVER THAT.

BUT THAT'S JUST AT THE STAFF LEVEL.

NOTHING HAS COME BEFORE THE BOARD FORMALLY.

BUT THAT'S BEEN PART OF THE CONVERSATION I'VE BEEN HAVING WITH THE CITY MANAGER.

OKAY. YEAH. AND THEN IT WAS MENTIONED ABOUT THE THE LETTER FROM STAN COUNTY AS SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA SAID, THAT WAS ON MS. I WOULD LIKE TO SHARE THAT THAT WAS BROUGHT UP AT THE CRESSY MEETING AS WELL.

AND AND SO WE HAVE RECEIVED A LETTER FROM STAN COUNTY THAT CAME IN, I BELIEVE, IN JANUARY THAT BECAUSE THE LETTER SAID WE'RE GOING TO, YOU KNOW, WE'RE PUTTING YOU ON A 90 DAY NOTICE. RIGHT? AND SO AT THE END OF THE 90 DAYS RIGGS HAD MADE ENOUGH ADJUSTMENTS AND CHANGES THAT THAT WE GOT A LETTER FROM THEM SAYING, OKAY, WE'RE GOOD FOR NOW.

IS THAT ACCURATE? YEAH, YEAH.

SUPERVISOR, THAT THAT IS ACCURATE.

THANK YOU. OKAY.

AND IT DOESN'T MEAN THAT THAT THE AMBULANCE OR THE EMS SYSTEM IS FIXED.

I'M NOT SAYING IT IS.

AND I KNOW THAT IT'S NOT, BUT AT LEAST YOU KNOW, I DON'T WANT THE PEOPLE IN THE NORTH COUNTY MERCED TO BE OVERLY CONCERNED.

IT'S IT'S I MEAN, YOU SHOULD BE CONCERNED, BUT NOT I DON'T WANT PEOPLE TO BE OVERLY CONCERNED.

AND THEN YOU KNOW, IT'S IT'S ONE OF THOSE WHERE YOU KNOW, THE PUBLIC COMMENT IS, IS REALLY LIKE THAT WE'RE NOT DOING ANYTHING AND, AND, AND, YOU KNOW, IN A WAY AND, AND THAT, YOU KNOW, BUT EVERYTHING IS ALWAYS ONGOING.

RIGHT. AND LIKE OUR DISCUSSIONS WITH, WITH THE CITY OF MERCED YOU KNOW, THE LAST NIGHT AT THEIR COUNCIL MEETING, YOU KNOW, IT WAS SAID THAT THEY ACTED LIKE THEY DIDN'T KNOW WHAT WAS GOING ON. WELL, BUT THE ITEM WAS THAT, HEY, THIS IS SOMETHING WE'D LIKE TO LOOK INTO, YOU KNOW, DO WE GET PERMISSION FROM YOU AS THE CITY COUNCIL TO LOOK INTO THIS FURTHER? AND, AND THERE'S SOME BENEFITS TO BOTH THE COUNTY RESIDENTS AND THE CITY RESIDENTS IN THAT POTENTIAL.

AND SO, YOU KNOW ANYWAYS, THIS THIS ISN'T EASY.

I DON'T LIKE BEING IN THIS SPOT.

BUT YOU KNOW, I MEAN, I SIGNED UP FOR IT, AND HERE WE ARE.

AND WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO MAKE SOME TOUGH DECISIONS GOING FORWARD.

YOU KNOW THE, YOU KNOW, THE, THE EVEN EVEN RETIRED AND RETIRED RICH BOND MADE THE COMMENT ABOUT, YOU KNOW, HAVING ONE PERSON NEARBY IS BETTER THAN TWO FARTHER AWAY.

AND, AND I AGREE WITH YOU, BUT WE'RE BEING TOLD BY CAL FIRE THAT'S NOT AN OPTION THAT THAT WE'VE GOT TO CONSOLIDATE.

WE HAVE TO HAVE TWO FIRE PERSONNEL ON EACH STATION.

AND SO WITH THAT CONSTRAINT, THIS IS THE BEST THAT OPTION THAT WE HAVE GOING FORWARD.

AND SO YOU KNOW, I AND I HAD THAT SAME CONVERSATION WITH SOMEBODY ON AN ITEM OR A THOUGHT IN THE SOUTH COUNTY AND, AND SOUTH MERCED AND, YOU KNOW, AND THAT WAS IT.

THAT WAS MY, MY POINT WAS, HEY, YOU'RE BETTER OFF TO HAVE TWO PEOPLE SHOW UP QUICKLY THAN FOUR PEOPLE SHOW UP TEN MINUTES LATER.

AND SO, YOU KNOW, I YOU KNOW, IT WAS JUST INTERESTING THAT, YOU KNOW, SOMEBODY FROM, YOU KNOW, THE FIRE INDUSTRY KIND OF HAD THE SAME THOUGHT.

AND BUT BUT LIKE I SAY, WE'RE WE'RE IN A SPOT WHERE WE DON'T GET THAT OPTION.

AND SO ANYWAYS ISN'T EASY, BUT WE'LL GET THROUGH THIS AS BEST WE CAN.

THANKS, SUPERVISOR PEDROZO.

THANK YOU. I FORGOT TO MENTION A COUPLE OF QUICK THINGS.

ONE, I THINK OR I, I WILL BE GOING TO WASHINGTON, DC NEXT WEEK AND MEETING WITH FEMA TO DISCUSS WITH THEM OUR SAFER GRANT APPLICATION.

I KNOW IN THAT MEETING IT'S GOING TO BE MYSELF AND JENNIFER BLACKMAN FROM THE CITY OF MERCED.

THE CITY OF MERCED RECEIVED A SAFER GRANT.

AND SO SHE'S GOING TO, YOU KNOW, TALK ABOUT THE BENEFITS OF IT.

AND I'M GOING TO SAY WHY WE NEED IT.

AND SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE GOING TO GO OUT THERE AND DO NEXT WEEK BECAUSE THEY LIKE TO SEE, YOU KNOW, EVEN THOUGH THEY SEE THE PAPER, THEY, THEY WANT TO SEE THE FACES THAT IT REALLY AFFECTS.

AND THEN FINALLY AND I MADE MENTION OF THIS AT THE LAST THE LAST TIME WE HEARD THIS, I REALLY THINK IT IS TIME FOR US TO REEVALUATE A PUBLIC SAFETY SAFETY TAX FOR MERCED COUNTY.

I MEAN, I THINK IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE TO DO.

I THINK IT'S WAY OVERDUE, TO BE HONEST WITH YOU.

AND I THINK THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE REALLY NEED TO REASSESS AND BRING IT BACK.

AND, YOU KNOW, THE VOTERS ARE OUT HERE SAYING THAT, YOU KNOW, ASK THEM FOR HELP.

THEY WANT TO HELP. THEY WANT TO HELP.

AND THIS IS THE WAY THAT THEY CAN HELP.

I THINK THAT'S THE THAT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE.

SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA AND TO THAT POINT, SUPERVISOR PEDROZO IT'S THE REALLY IT'S THE COMMUNITY THAT NEEDS TO DRIVE IT BECAUSE THEY CAN TELL YOU IF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS IS THE ONE TO DRIVE IT.

YOU GUYS, WE DON'T DO ANYTHING.

WE'RE HITTING THE TRIPLE CROWN AT FAILURE.

EVERYTHING, ALL EVERYTHING GETS POINTED AT US.

AND SO REALLY IT NEEDS TO BE A COMMUNITY DRIVEN.

CONVERSATION. WELL, I MEAN, SO IT'S THAT TO ME IS WHERE IT NEEDS TO START.

[02:25:04]

AND THEN BECAUSE PEOPLE THEY WERE NOT THE TRUSTED MESSENGER ANYMORE.

SECONDLY, I WANT TO KIND OF TALK ABOUT THE STUDY AND THE DETAILS OF THIS STUDY.

IS, YOU KNOW, REALLY IF WE'RE BEING REAL ABOUT IT, I CAN TELL YOU A FEW OF THEM.

PLANADA AND LE GRAND, WE SHOULD CLOSE BOTH OF THOSE AND BUILD A STATION RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF PLANADA AND LE GRAND.

THAT WOULD BE MORE EFFICIENT.

THAT WOULD BE A MORE EFFECTIVE USE OF SERVICES.

WHEN YOU GET OVER TO THE WEST SIDE STATION 71 AND LOS BANOS RIGHT IN MY BACKYARD WHEN IT WAS BUILT, I DON'T KNOW, MAYBE 80 YEARS AGO, AND THEN ADDED ON TO LIKE 40 YEARS AGO WHEN YOU LOOKED OUT THE STATION, YOU WERE LOOKING OUT INTO THE COUNTRY.

NOW IT SITS IN THE HEART OF THE CITY OF LOS BANOS.

THEIR RESPONSE TIMES TO NOW.

MIND YOU, THAT'S AN INCORPORATED CITY, SO THEY DON'T DO A LOT OF RESPONSE IN THE CITY, JUST MUTUAL AID STUFF.

BUT BUT THEIR RESPONSE TIMES TO THE UNINCORPORATED AREAS, THE FIRST 5 TO 7 MINUTES OF THE RESPONSE TIME IS JUST DRIVING THROUGH THE CITY.

THERE ARE THERE ARE A LOT OF OPTIONS OUT THERE THAT THAT WE YOU KNOW, IF WE HAD THE RESOURCES BECAUSE WHAT DO YOU DO? YOU IF YOU CLOSE A STATION IN LE GRAND AND CLOSE A STATION IN PLANADA, AND I'M JUST USING THEM AS ONE EXAMPLE.

YOU GOT TO HAVE THE RESOURCES TO BUILD A NEW FIRE STATION RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE SOMEWHERE.

AND I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT, SINCE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT FIRE ISSUES OUT IN EL NIDO, WE'RE IN TALKS RIGHT NOW.

I THINK IT'S BETWEEN COUNTY COUNCILS, BETWEEN THE COUNTY OF MADERA AND THE COUNTY OF MERCED, TO TO HAVE SOME JOINT A JOINT STATION.

AGAIN, TALKING ABOUT THAT DUPLICATION OF SERVICES.

WE ARE DOING STUFF TO TRY TO FIGURE THAT OUT.

IS IS BASICALLY MADERAS PICKING UP HALF OF THE STAFFING.

MERCED COUNTY'S PICKING UP HALF OF THE STAFFING.

AND NOW INSTEAD OF HAVING TWO STATIONS, IT REALLY FILLS A HOLE OUT IN THEIR AREA AND THEN GIVES US THE ADDITIONAL STAFFING.

SO THERE ARE THINGS THAT WE ARE DOING THAT ARE THAT ARE IN ADDITION TO JUST WHAT YOU'RE SEEING HERE.

BUT THOSE AS TIME GOES ON.

YOU KNOW, TO ME, THE STATION AT 81 IS KIND OF IN THIS NOT QUITE AS BAD, BUT IS IN THE SAME BOAT.

THE ONE ON MARTIN LUTHER KING, THEY'RE BACK WHEN THEY BUILT THAT STATION, THAT WAS THE EDGE OF TOWN.

NOW, NOT SO MUCH.

SO I THINK THAT THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS THAT WE NEED TO DO TO TRY TO ADDRESS.

BECAUSE IF YOU GO BACK TO THAT SLIDE AND I DON'T NEED YOU TO DO IT NOW, BUT THE SLIDE THAT SHOWS WHAT WE'RE BRINGING IN IN FIRE FUND, WHAT THE COST OF DOING BUSINESS IS, WE JUST HAVE TO BE MORE EFFICIENT AT WHAT WE DO.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU, SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL.

THANK YOU. AND I JUST WANT TO TOUCH ON MY COLLEAGUES, WHATEVER THEY SAID, A COMMUNITY DRIVEN BECAUSE IF IT'S COMMUNITY DRIVEN, IT ONLY TAKES 55% TO PASS.

IF IT'S COUNTY DRIVEN, IT TAKES A TWO THIRDS PLUS ONE TO TO DRIVE IT.

SO LET ME JUST PUT THAT INFORMATION OUT THERE.

IT'S EASIER TO PASS IF THE COMMUNITY DRIVES IT THAN IF WE TAKE A HOLD OF IT AND DRIVE IT.

THANK YOU. WELL, MY BEHALF, I THINK, LIKE I SAID, IF IT'S COMMUNITY DRIVEN AND YOU KNOW, I CAN, YOU KNOW, I'LL BE GLAD TO MAKE A MOTION TO CONTINUE THIS ITEM FOR A COUPLE OF MONTHS, AT LEAST WHEN WE KNOW IN JUNE, YOU KNOW, HOW THE STATE BUDGET IS GOING TO AFFECT US AS WELL.

SO WE CAN SEE ALL THE NUMBERS.

SO YOU KNOW, THAT GIVES THE PUBLIC ENOUGH TIME TO TRY TO GET SOMETHING ON THE BALLOT FOR NOVEMBER, IF IT'S POSSIBLE, OR HAVE A, YOU KNOW, I GOT THE CALLS FOR A PUBLIC FORUM AND I SAY YES ANYTIME, YOU KNOW, BUT THAT'S JUST ME.

YOU KNOW, IT'S YOU KNOW, I THINK YOU GUYS GOT TO WORK WITH THE REST OF THE, OF THE BOARD SO WE CAN HAVE A, YOU KNOW, I'D BE GLAD TO GET A PUBLIC FORUM AND DISCUSS THIS, CONTINUE THE DISCUSSION. SO WITH THAT, I'LL BE HAPPY TO MAKE A MOTION TO CONTINUE FOR AT LEAST TWO MONTHS OR ONE MONTH.

AND THAT'S MY MOTION.

IS THERE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND THE MOTION.

OKAY. CONTINUE FOR TWO MONTHS.

THERE'S A SECOND.

TWO MONTHS CONTRACT COMING IN JULY.

HEY, REVISE. NO, IT TAKES ONE SECOND.

30 DAYS OR 60 DAYS.

SO WE HAVE A OKAY, WE HAVE A COMMENT FIRST.

SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA. YEAH, I JUST I JUST THINK WE'RE CONTINUOUSLY KICKING THE CAN DOWN THE ROAD HERE, AND WE ARE WE'RE GOING TO BE BACK HERE IN TWO MONTHS HAVING THE SAME DISCUSSION. THE NUMBERS AREN'T GOING TO CHANGE.

IT'S STILL $6.9 MILLION TO KEEP FUNDING TO FUND ALL 19 STATIONS AT THE 2030 FACTOR.

WE DON'T HAVE THE MONEY.

AND SO I THINK IT'S KIND OF DOING A DISSERVICE TO WELL, IT'S NOT I FIRST, I'M NOT GOING TO SAY A DISSERVICE.

IT MAKES IT CHALLENGING FOR STAFF THAT WE HAVE TO MAKE THESE DECISIONS.

WE DO HAVE A BUDGET PROCESS THAT WE'RE RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF, AND WE HAVE TO PASS A PROPOSED BUDGET BY JUNE 30TH.

I THINK WE'RE JUST WE'RE JUST KEEP KICKING THE CAN DOWN THE ROAD.

SO I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY THERE'S BEEN A MOTION AND A SECOND AND I WILL BE A NO VOTE ON THAT.

STACY, ROLL CALL PLEASE.

WHAT'S THE MOTION TO CONTINUE FOR TWO MONTHS?

[02:30:03]

OKAY. ALL RIGHT.

I'LL RETRACT MY MY MOTION AND I'LL SAY 30 DAYS.

OKAY. SO SECOND UP BY THE SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL.

COMMENTS. SUPERVISOR PEDROZO.

YEAH. SO IF I'M UNDERSTANDING THIS MOTION CORRECTLY, THIS IS TO JUST CONTINUE THIS ITEM THROUGH THIS WHOLE PROCESS OVER AGAIN IN A MONTH, AS OPPOSED TO CONTINUING TO WORK ON IT.

SO, I MEAN, I JUST THINK THAT WE DO HAVE A PROCESS THAT WE HAVE TO GO THROUGH IN REGARDS TO THE BUDGET, LIKE SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA SAID.

AND WE HAVE TO HAVE THIS IN PLACE OR WE HAVE TO HAVE A PLAN IN PLACE, BUT JUST BY PUSHING IT FORWARD OR MOVING IT UP, I DON'T THINK THAT DOES US ANY GOOD BECAUSE WE'RE GOING TO BE GOING THROUGH THE SAME THING AGAIN.

AND SO I MEAN, AND IT'S LIKE EVENTUALLY WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO VOTE ON THIS ONE WAY OR THE OTHER.

WE'RE STILL THIS. AND I'M GLAD THAT OPTION SIX IS IN THERE, BECAUSE THIS ALLOWS FOR THAT WIGGLE ROOM FOR US TO SAY, HEY, WE'RE STILL WORKING ON THIS, BUT WE HAVE TO DO THIS NOW SO THAT WE CAN START PLANNING.

AND THEN AS THINGS BECOME AVAILABLE, THEN WE KNOW WE'LL HAVE A BETTER IDEA.

BUT THIS DOESN'T DO.

IT DOESN'T PUT ANYBODY AT EASE KNOWING THAT WE'RE JUST GOING TO WAIT AND WAIT AND WAIT UNTIL THE EXACT LAST MINUTE, AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN NOTHING'S THERE.

I MEAN, I THINK WE'RE STILL GOING TO WORK ON IT.

I JUST IF THAT'S THE MOTION, I CAN'T SUPPORT THAT.

OKAY. I'M GOING TO GO FOR SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL.

DO YOU HAVE A COMMENT REAL QUICK COMMENT? YES. MR. CHAIR, JUST VERY QUICKLY, AS YOU'RE HAVING THIS, THIS DISCUSSION OUR CURRENT AGREEMENT WITH CAL FIRE DOES EXPIRE AS WELL ON JUNE 30TH.

SO SOME CONCERN THERE ABOUT ABOUT NOT BEING ABLE TO IMPLEMENT THE DIRECTION IF WE HOLD OFF ANOTHER MONTH WITH THIS DECISION.

JUST SOMETHING FOR YOU TO CONSIDER.

THANK YOU. OKAY, SO ONE MORE COMMENT AND WE'LL GO TO ROLL CALL.

IF NOT. OKAY. SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL.

YEAH. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR.

I THINK THE REASON I SECONDED THE MOTION IS BECAUSE WE HAVE THE FIRE CHIEF HERE FROM MERCED.

I THINK WE'LL BE FURTHER ALONG IN THAT DISCUSSION, HOPEFULLY, AND WOULD HAVE MAYBE SOME MORE MEAT.

SO I THINK MAYBE CONTINUING THIS TILL THEN, IT WOULD BE AN EASIER VOTE AT THAT POINT ON THE MCKEE STATION.

THANK YOU. WE'LL GO AHEAD AND ROLL CALL.

VOTE SUPERVISOR PAREIRA KNOW.

LET'S GO AHEAD ROCCO. AND THEN WE CAN HAVE MORE COMMENTS.

YOU WANT TO YOU WANT TO DO A QUICK COMMENT? WELL I'M NOT GOING TO VOTE UNTIL I.

YEAH. DISCUSS OKAY.

GO AHEAD. ALL RIGHT.

THANK YOU. YOU KNOW ONE OF THE, ONE OF THE ITEMS THAT THAT WELL, WITH MRS. BREWER AND, AND JOSH, HER SON AND I TALKED ABOUT IT THE AT THE CRESSY STATION WAS TO HAVE AN ITEM IN HERE THAT ALLOWS US TO CHANGE THIS IF WE NEED TO.

AND I THINK WHAT SUPERVISOR PEDROZO WAS ALLUDING TO WAS THAT.

AND I MEAN, YOU KNOW, THIS ISN'T EASY.

THESE THIS IS TWO FIRE STATIONS THAT SERVE MY DISTRICT.

RIGHT? AND SO AND SO, YOU KNOW, VOTES AREN'T AREN'T EASY.

RIGHT. BUT I WOULD I, I WOULD FEEL LIKE I LET DOWN THE, THE PEOPLE IF WE DON'T IF WE DON'T DO THIS NOW WE'VE GOT A CONTRACT THAT STARTS JULY 1ST. YOU KNOW, WE'VE WORKED INTO IT WIGGLE ROOM RIGHT.

WE'VE WE'VE WE'VE WENT FROM A JULY 1ST DATE TO AN OCTOBER DATE, WHICH ALLOWS US TO CONTINUE CONVERSATIONS JUST LIKE SUPERVISOR PEDROZO SAID.

AND SO YOU KNOW, I AS AS DIFFICULT AS THE DECISIONS ARE, YOU KNOW, I THINK WE'VE BUILT IN ENOUGH SAFETIES THAT IF THINGS CHANGE, WE CAN COME BACK AND NOT DO THE THINGS THAT ARE THAT ARE IN THE RECOMMENDATION FROM STAFF.

BUT, YOU KNOW, LIKE, I MEAN, I JUST DON'T SEE HOW HOW WE CAN HAVE A CONTRACT WITH CAL FIRE IF WE WAIT A MONTH.

AND, YOU KNOW, HOW DO YOU PUT TOGETHER A CONTRACT TO 36 MILLION OR $40 MILLION CONTRACT, WHATEVER IT'S GOING TO BE AT THAT TIME IF YOU'VE ONLY GOT THREE WEEKS TO PUT IT TOGETHER. RIGHT? I MEAN, I, I, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, I DON'T WANT TO BE THE BEARER OF BAD NEWS, BUT, YOU KNOW WE'VE BEEN DISCUSSING THIS, YOU KNOW, FOR FIVE YEARS.

IT'S NOT LIKE THAT.

WE'VE JUST BROUGHT THIS UP.

I, YOU KNOW, AND IT'S AS DIFFICULT AS IT IS, I THINK WE'RE AT A SPOT WHERE WHERE WE NEED TO TO START A DIRECTION, AND, AND WE CAN CHANGE THAT DIRECTION. RIGHT.

AND IT'S BUILT IN. IT'S ALREADY BUILT IN TO, TO STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION.

IF, IF CIRCUMSTANCES CHANGE, WE'RE GOOD.

SO YOU KNOW, I'D LIKE TO, TO ASK YOU TO RECONSIDER YOUR MOTION TO, TO PUT IT OFF 30 MORE DAYS.

I THINK THAT'S DETRIMENTAL TO THE PROCESS, NOT ENHANCING THE PROCESS.

I THINK WE BUILT IN YOU KNOW, THE POTENTIALS TO CHANGE LATER.

SO THAT'S MY COMMENT.

WELL, IF THE CONTRACT WITH CAL FIRE EXPIRES ON THE 30TH OF JUNE, YOU KNOW, THIS WOULD BE EARLY JUNE.

[02:35:02]

THE. 30 DAYS. SO THAT'S WHY I THINK IT LIKE I SAID, IF THE CONTRACTS ALREADY THERE, THEY KNOW WHAT THE NUMBERS ARE.

SO YOU HAVE ANOTHER COMMENT.

WELL I JUST YES.

SO SO IF WE IF WE PUT THIS OFF FOR 30 DAYS, THE NEXT BOARDING AFTER THAT IS JUNE 25TH.

THAT'S FIVE DAYS BEFORE THE END OF THE MONTH.

YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? THAT'S OUR NEXT AVAILABLE MEETING TO HAVE THIS DISCUSSION, YOU KNOW, SO I JUST DON'T MAN, I DON'T THINK THAT'S FAIR TO STAFF.

I DON'T THINK IT'S FAIR TO ANYBODY TO TRY TO DO THAT FIVE DAYS TO PUT TOGETHER.

YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW.

THAT'S MY COMMENT.

OKAY. ALL RIGHT.

LET'S JUST HAVE ROCCO, AND THEN WE'LL EXTEND.

IF IT DOESN'T PASS AND, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN HAVE ANOTHER VOTE.

SO. ROCCO, PLEASE.

SUPERVISOR PEDROZO SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL I SUPERVISOR PAREIRA.

NO SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA.

NO. CHAIRMAN ESPINOSA A.

MOTION FAILS. 2 OR 3.

OKAY, MR. CHAIR, JUST WANTED TO JUST SHARE THAT THESE RECOMMENDED ACTIONS ARE BEFORE YOU.

YOU HAVE OBVIOUSLY THE OPTION OF CONSIDERING THEM INDIVIDUALLY OR INDEPENDENT OF ONE ANOTHER, BUT WE WANTED TO KIND OF DIRECT YOUR ATTENTION TO THE SCREEN BECAUSE THOSE ARE THE SIX OPTIONS THAT ARE PROVIDED AS PART OF YOUR STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION.

BUT AGAIN THE THE HOPE IS THAT YOU CONSIDER THOSE INDEPENDENT OF ONE ANOTHER.

OKAY. WITH THAT I ENTERTAIN ANOTHER MOTION.

SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. I THINK WE'RE GOING TO TAKE THESE ALL SEPARATELY.

SO I WILL START THIS PAINSTAKING PROCESS.

MOTION TO APPROVE ITEM NUMBER ONE.

SECOND. OKAY.

WE HAVE A FIRST BY SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA.

SECOND BY SUPERVISOR PEDROZO.

ROLL CALL, PLEASE. SUPERVISOR PEDROZO.

YES. SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL.

HI. SUPERVISOR PAREIRA.

NO. SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA I CHAIRMAN ESPINOSA.

NO. YOU WANT TO GO AHEAD AND.

032 RIGHT.

MOTION PASS. 322.

DO I CONTINUE? NO, I'LL LET SOMEBODY ELSE MAKE ANY OTHER MOTIONS.

LET ME GO AHEAD AND PUT THE DISCUSSION.

I'LL GO AHEAD AND MAKE THE MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONSOLIDATION OF STATION 76 AND DOS PALOS AND 75 AND DOS PALOS Y INTO A SINGLE UNIFIED STATION, AND THE DOS PALOS Y EFFECTIVE OCTOBER 1ST, 2024 AND REDIRECT STAFF TO ALTERNATE LOCATIONS.

OKAY, WE HAVE A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR PEDROZO AND ITEM NUMBER TWO.

IS THERE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND SUPERVISOR PAREIRA SECOND.

ROLL CALL PLEASE.

SUPERVISOR PEDROZO.

YES. SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL I SUPERVISOR PAREIRA I SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA.

NO. CHAIRMAN.

ESPINOSA. NO.

MOTION PASSES THREE, TWO.

OKAY. WE HAVE OUR NUMBER THREE.

IS THERE A MOTION? YES.

ARE WE IN DISCUSSION MODE? YES.

I'LL MOVE TO APPROVE THE REMOVAL OF CAL FIRE STAFFING AT STATION 96IN THE CITY OF LIVINGSTON EFFECTIVE OCTOBER 1ST, 2024, AND REDIRECT STAFF TO ALTERNATIVE LOCATIONS 92 AND BALLICO 91 AND DELI AND 95 IN HILMAR WILL COVER THE SERVICE AREAS.

OKAY, WE HAVE A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL.

IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND.

SUPERVISOR PEDROZO, CAN WE HAVE ROLL CALL, PLEASE? SUPERVISOR PEDROZO.

YES. SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL SUPERVISOR PAREIRA I SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA I CHAIRMAN ESPINOSA.

NO MOTION PASSES FOUR ONE.

OKAY. WE HAVE A WE HAVE A MOTION.

ITEM NUMBER FOUR. I'LL MOVE TO APPROVE THE CLOSURE OF STATION 85 AND MERCED EFFECTIVE OCTOBER 1ST, AND REDIRECT REDIRECT STAFF TO ALTERNATE LOCATIONS.

STATIONS 8186 WILL COVER FOR THOSE SERVICE AREAS.

OKAY, WE HAVE A MOTION. MR. SUPERVISOR PEDROZO.

PAREIRA. IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND. SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA.

SECOND. ROLL CALL PLEASE.

SUPERVISOR PEDROZO.

NO. SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL.

SUPERVISOR PAREIRA I SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA CHAIRMAN.

[02:40:03]

ESPINOSA. NO.

THREE MOTION PASSES. THREE, TWO.

RIGHT. OKAY.

ITEM NUMBER FIVE.

IS THERE A MOTION? YES.

SUPERVISOR PAREIRA. YEAH.

I WOULD I'D LIKE TO MOVE THAT.

WE DIRECT STAFF TO RETURN THE BOARD IF AWARDED THE SAFER GRANT, OR IF ANY OF THE OPTIONS CURRENTLY BEING DISCUSSED.

WELL, I WANT SIX DONE, I GUESS I JUMPED THE GUN, I, YOU KNOW, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT, RIGHT? SO. SO I'M GOING TO STICK WITH, WITH SIX.

AND THAT IF ANY OF THE OPTIONS CURRENTLY BEING DISCUSSED WITH THE CITIES MATERIALIZE TO CONSIDER ANY ADJUSTMENTS TO THE BOARD ACTION TAKEN AS A PART OF THIS ITEM, I ACTUALLY WOULD HAVE FELT MORE COMFORTABLE IF WE HAD DONE THIS ONE FIRST.

SO ALL RIGHT.

WE HAVE MOTION BY SUPERVISOR PAREIRA.

AND NUMBER SIX, IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL.

ROLL CALL PLEASE. SUPERVISOR PEDROZO.

YES. SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL I SUPERVISOR PAREIRA I SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA I CHAIRMAN ESPINOSA I MOTION PASSES FIVE ZERO.

ITEM NUMBER FIVE. IS THERE A MOTION AND CAN I ASK A QUESTION ON THAT? AND I JUST ASKED FORREST CAN.

SO BECAUSE I VOTED NO ON FOUR I THIS IS I'M IS THIS JUST SAYING HEY WE'VE ALREADY VOTED ON 1234.

THIS IS JUST SAYING SINCE WE VOTED THAT THAT'S BEEN DOCUMENTED.

NOW WE'RE JUST SAYING STAFF HERE WAS WHAT WE SAID FOR ONE THROUGH FOUR.

IT'S NOT LIKE WE'RE JUST GIVING THE STAFF DIRECTION BASED ON OUR PREVIOUS DIRECTION.

THAT THAT IS CORRECT.

THAT IS CORRECT. SO WE WILL YOUR STAFF WILL START WORKING SOME OF THOSE DIRECTIVES INTO OUR CAL FIRE AGREEMENT.

OBVIOUSLY, IF SOMETHING CHANGES BETWEEN NOW AND WHEN WE BRING THAT FORWARD, WE CAN MAKE ADJUSTMENTS OR EVEN POST JULY 1ST.

WE CAN MAKE ADJUSTMENTS TO THAT AGREEMENT THROUGH AMENDMENTS.

THANK YOU. CHAIR.

SILVER MOTION TO APPROVE ITEM NUMBER FIVE.

SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA.

IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND.

SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL.

ROLL CALL PLEASE. SUPERVISOR PEDROZO.

NO. MOTION PASSES FOUR ONE.

OKAY. NEXT, WE HAVE PUBLIC WORKS.

YOU WANT TO TAKE THIS SHORT BREAK? SHORT BREAK. OKAY.

ALL RIGHT. WE'LL TAKE A FIVE MINUTE BREAK.

THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT.

WE'RE GOING TO START THE MEETING AGAIN.

NEXT WE HAVE PUBLIC WORKS.

ITEM NUMBER 28.

AND NUMBER 28.

AT THIS TIME I WILL OPEN UP PUBLIC COMMENT FOR ITEM NUMBER 28.

ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS? TO ADOPT THE RESOLUTION TO NAMING THE ARCHIVE ROOM AT THE MERCED COUNTY COURTHOUSE MUSEUM.

MACQUARIE CAN-AM ARCHIVES.

NO COMMENT. I WILL CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENT.

ITEM NUMBER 28.

ANY COMMENTS OR MOTIONS? A COMMENT BY SUPERVISOR PEDROZO.

THANK YOU. THIS WAS BROUGHT TO MY ATTENTION BY SARAH LIM, WHO WAS HERE EARLIER.

AND SO IT WAS SOMETHING THAT SHE WANTED TO DO TO HONOR THE, THE TWO FAMILIES, THE MCCRORY'S AND THE CUNNINGHAM FAMILY, YOU KNOW, LONG TIME PIONEERS FOR IN MERCED COUNTY.

AND I THOUGHT THAT I WOULD BRING IT FORWARD.

AND I THINK IT'S A REALLY GOOD IDEA AND LOOK, MOVING FORWARD.

AND I SAID, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE SHOULD BUT WE ALSO NEED TO LOOK AT DOING IS, YOU KNOW, THIS IS A VERY BIG COUNTY AND THERE'S A LOT OF PIONEERS HERE.

AND SO I THINK WE SHOULD KIND OF TAKE THIS AS, AS AN EXAMPLE, BUT NOT, YOU KNOW, JUST AS A ONE STOP, ONE STOP TYPE DEAL.

SO I WILL MAKE THAT OUR MOTION HAS ALREADY BEEN MADE.

WE HAVE A COMMENT.

SUPERVISOR PAREIRA. YEAH.

I JUST WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT TO MENTION THAT THE MCCRORY CUNNINGHAM FAMILY, I BELIEVE THEY CAME INTO MERCED COUNTY LIKE, YOU KNOW, 170 YEARS AGO, RIGHT? I MEAN, IT WAS A LONG TIME.

AND ANYWAYS, AND THE THING I WANT TO POINT OUT IS THAT HERE WE ARE THAT MANY YEARS LATER, AND THEY'RE STILL LEADERS IN OUR COMMUNITY, RIGHT? I MEAN, PIONEERS THEN PIONEERS NOW.

SO THANK YOU.

THANK YOU. I SEE A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR PEREZ, SECOND BY SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA.

PLEASE TAKE A VOTE.

RECORD THE VOTE.

NEXT, WE HAVE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AND RECOVERY SERVICES ITEMS 29 THROUGH 31.

AT THIS TIME, I'LL OPEN A PUBLIC COMMENT FOR ITEMS 29 THROUGH 31.

[02:45:01]

ANY COMMENTS? I SEE NO PUBLIC COMMENTS OR PUBLIC COMMENTS CLOSED.

AND SO WE'LL CALL FOR A VOTE.

ANY COMMENTS? A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR PEREZ.

SECOND BY SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA.

PLEASE CALL FOR THE VOTE.

RECORD THE VOTE.

NEXT WE HAVE COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.

ITEM 32.

THIS TIME OPEN UP PUBLIC COMMENT FOR ITEM 32.

ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS? THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD FOR ITEM 32 IS NOW CLOSED.

WE'LL CALL FOR COMMENTS OR MOTION BY THE BOARD.

I SEE A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL.

SECOND BY SUPERVISOR PAREIRA.

CALL FOR THE VOTE. PLEASE RECORD THE VOTE.

NEXT WE HAVE AG COMMISSIONER.

ITEM 33.

AT THIS TIME, OUR COMMISSIONER SEAN RUNYAN WILL BE PROVIDING COMMENTS REGARDING THIS ITEM.

GOOD AFTERNOON, MR. CHAIRMAN. MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, COUNTY COUNSEL.

HANSON, CEO. MENDEZ, SEAN RUNYON, AGRICULTURAL COMMISSIONER, SEALER OF WEIGHTS AND MEASURES.

TODAY, BEFORE YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION, IS THE RATIFICATION OF AN EMERGENCY PROCLAMATION SIGNED BY OUR OFFICE OF EMERGENCY SERVICES DIRECTOR ON MAY 1ST DUE TO THE MIGRATION OF BEET LEAFHOPPER.

SO A LITTLE BACKGROUND INFORMATION FOR YOU ON THIS.

THE BEET LEAFHOPPER IS A SMALL INSECT THAT LIVES IN THE FOOTHILLS AND FEEDS ON VEGETATION IN THE WINTER AND MIGRATES TO VALLEY CROPS AS THE VEGETATION DRIES OUT.

SO THIS INSECT IS A KNOWN VECTOR OF THE CURLY TOP VIRUS IN TOMATOES, WHICH HAS HISTORICALLY CAUSED DAMAGE TO TOMATO CROPS IN MERCED COUNTY, SO PEST CONTROL ADVISORS IN MERCED COUNTIES AND OTHER COUNTIES HAVE STARTED TO SEE AN INCREASE IN POPULATIONS OF BEET LEAFHOPPERS MOVING INTO TOMATOES ON THE VALLEY FLOOR.

SO PROVIDING A LITTLE PERSPECTIVE FOR YOU, MERCED COUNTY'S TOMATO CROP IS RANKED NUMBER FOUR FOR PROCESSING TOMATOES AND NUMBER ONE FOR FRESH MARKET TOMATOES IN CALIFORNIA IN 2022, THE HARVEST VALUE FOR MERCED COUNTY'S 28,000 ACRES OF TOMATOES WAS $156.1 MILLION.

SO IN JANUARY OF 2024, NEW REGULATIONS CONCERNING NEONICOTINOIDS BECAME EFFECTIVE, LIMITING THEIR USE ON TOMATOES, WHICH ARE HIGHLY RELIANT ON THEM TO COMBAT LEAF BEET LEAFHOPPERS.

SO RATIFICATION OF THE PROCLAMATION TODAY WILL ALLOW CONTINUED USE OF THESE PRODUCTS FOR BEET LEAFHOPPERS, ACCORDING TO THE EXCEPTION IN THE NEW REGULATIONS, BUT WILL NOT SUPPLANT OTHER EXISTING REGULATIONS.

SO I'M AVAILABLE FOR ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE.

THERE'S ONE COMMENT SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL.

YEAH, THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THIS FORWARD.

AND YOU HAD ALSO MENTIONED THAT THE RAINS THAT WE JUST HAD MIGHT BENEFIT US IN A WAY AND BENEFIT THE TOMATO GROWERS.

WELL, IT MIGHT THE THE TEMPERATURES MIGHT SLOW DOWN THIS MIGRATION A LITTLE BIT, BUT SO, SO OTHER COUNTIES DOWN SOUTH OF US AS IT, AS IT GOT HOTTER, THEY DID THIS PROCLAMATION ALSO TO KERN KINGS FRESNO.

MADERA IS ACTUALLY CONSIDERING IT TODAY.

SO OKAY.

SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA. YEAH, JUST ANOTHER COMMENT ON IT IS, IS THAT, YOU KNOW, THIS IS THE MOST VULNERABLE STAGE FOR THESE TOMATO PLANTS IS THE STAGE THEY'RE IN NOW.

YOU KNOW, YOU TALK ABOUT THE COUNTIES SOUTH OF US.

THAT'S WHERE THE THAT'S WHERE THEY START PLANTING.

AND THEY KIND OF WORK THEIR WAY DOWN THE VALLEY.

AND SO WE'RE NEXT IN LINE.

AND WHEN THEY'RE AT THIS VULNERABLE STAGE, I THINK THIS IS THE RIGHT THING TO DO.

AND I'M JUST THANKFUL THAT THEY ALLOWED IN THE NEW REGULATION FOR LOCAL JURISDICTIONS TO BE ABLE TO, IF THEY SEE A NEED, BE ABLE TO DO AN EMERGENCY PROCLAMATION TO BE ABLE TO SO THEY CAN PROTECT THEIR CROPS.

SO THANK YOU FOR BEING ON TOP OF THIS, MR. COMMISSIONER. YEAH.

THANK YOU. AT THIS TIME, I'LL OPEN UP PUBLIC COMMENT FOR ITEM NUMBER 33.

ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? BRIANNE VANDENBERG, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF MERCED COUNTY FARM BUREAU.

WE WOULD APPRECIATE SUPPORT ON THIS.

WE'VE BEEN WATCHING THIS ITEM HEAVILY AS OTHER COUNTIES HAVE ACCEPTED THIS.

WE'VE HAD PLENTY OF CONVERSATIONS WITH OUR AG COMMISSIONER AND OTHERS WITHIN THE INDUSTRY, SO WE WOULD LIKE YOU TO SUPPORT THIS AS WELL.

ANY OTHER PUBLIC COMMENTS? I SEE NO ONE ELSE. SO PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD FOR ITEM 33 IS NOW CLOSED.

SO ANY COMMENTS OR MOTIONS FOR THE COMMENTS? I SEE A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR PEREZ.

SECOND BY SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL.

CALL FOR THE VOTE. RECORDED VOTE, PLEASE.

NEXT WE HAVE ELECTIONS ITEMS 34 AND 35.

THIS TIME WE'LL OPEN UP PUBLIC COMMENT FOR ELECTIONS ITEMS 34 AND 35.

[02:50:03]

I SEE NO ONE COMING FORWARD.

SO CLOSE. PUBLIC COMMENT ON ITEM 34 AND 35.

CALL FOR THE VOTE.

OH, I'M SORRY, A MOTION, BUT SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA SECOND BY SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL.

CALL FOR THE VOTE NOW. SUPERVISOR PAREIRA.

SOMETIMES I FORGET.

RECORD THE VOTE, PLEASE.

NEXT WE HAVE FIRE ITEMS 37 THROUGH 39.

PLEASE NOTE ITEM 39 REQUIRES A 4/5 VOTE.

AT THIS TIME, WE'LL OPEN UP PUBLIC COMMENT FOR FIRE ITEMS 37 THROUGH 39.

ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS? I WILL CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENT ON 37.

39. ANY COMMENTS OR MOTIONS BY THE BOARD? I SEE A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA.

SECOND SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL WILL CALL FOR THE VOTE.

RECORD THE VOTE. MOTION PASSES FIVE ZERO.

RETIREMENT ITEM NUMBER 40 HAS BEEN PULLED AND WE TOOK COUNTY EXECUTIVE OFFICE ITEMS 41 AND 42 EARLIER.

SO WE NEXT WE HAVE BOARD APPOINTMENTS.

ITEM 43.

AT THIS TIME WE'LL OPEN UP PUBLIC COMMENT FOR BOARD ITEMS NUMBER 43.

NO PUBLIC COMMENT, SO WE'LL CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENT ON 43.

WE'LL CALL FOR A VOTE, A MOTION.

I'M SORRY. MOTION SUPERVISOR PEDROZO ESSER.

SECOND SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL.

CALL FOR THE VOTE.

RECORD THE VOTE. WE HAVE FOR ONE VERSUS EVERYBODY NOW.

NEXT WE HAVE A MORE INFORMATION POSITIVE ACTION ITEM 44.

THIS WILL OPEN UP PUBLIC COMMENT FOR ITEM INFO.

[BOARD INFORMATION & POSSIBLE ACTION]

ITEM NUMBER 44.

SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. I JUST WANTED TO.

THESE ARE JOC CONTRACTORS AND I'M ACTUALLY HAVING ACTUALLY, AFTER HAVING SOME GREAT DISCUSSION WITH, WITH OUR PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR, I'M CONFIDENT THAT WE WERE ABLE TO SELECT SOME GOOD JOC CONTRACTORS OUT THERE.

AND, AND I FEEL MORE, EVEN MORE CONFIDENT MOVING FORWARD THAT THE NEW PROCESSES THAT ARE PUT IN PLACE SO THAT THE WAY THAT I UNDERSTAND IT, I MEAN, THERE'S A WHAT IS THAT? I, THERE'S A TABLE OUT THERE THAT, THAT, THAT THESE ALL THESE DIFFERENT TASKS GET ASSIGNED TO AND THESE JOC CONTRACTORS PUT A LITTLE FACTOR ON THERE AND THAT'S HOW THEY GET SELECTED. BUT MOVING FORWARD, I KNOW THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE SOME ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS IN THERE.

SO IT'S JUST NOT THE YOU KNOW, WHAT THEY USED AS A FACTOR IS WHAT GETS THEM SELECTED.

SO I'M I'M CONFIDENT OF THAT.

AND I'LL ACTUALLY BE ABLE TO SUPPORT THIS TODAY.

THANK YOU. OKAY.

OKAY. DID I OPEN MOTION? MOTION. OKAY.

WE DO PUBLIC COMMENT.

WAS IT A MOTION? OH, IT HASN'T COME UP YET.

OKAY. WAS IT ON 44? RIGHT? YEAH. ALL RIGHT.

AT THIS TIME, WE OPEN UP PUBLIC COMMENT FOR ITEM 44.

NO PUBLIC COMMENT. 44 IS CLOSED, SO ANY MOTIONS SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL IS THERE? SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA. SECOND.

SO ROLL CALL, PLEASE.

NO ROLL CALL. MAKE VOTE.

I'M GOING TO FAST.

OKAY. RECORD THE VOTE.

GO THERE. TOO FAST. THERE.

WE WILL NOW MOVE ON TO OUR SCHEDULE ITEM.

WE HAVE A PLANNING COMMISSION DECISION.

THE PUBLIC HEARING.

[SCHEDULED ITEMS]

NEXT IS COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.

PUBLIC HEARING TO CONSIDER AN APPEAL OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION'S DECISION TO APPROVE CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT NUMBER CP 20 009, VIERA DAIRY FARMS IN THE HILMAR AREA.

PLEASE NOTE THAT EACH PARTY, THE APPLICANT SIDE AND THE APPELLANT SIDE WILL EACH BE GIVEN TEN MINUTES TO PRESENT THEIR CASE.

OUR BOARD CHAIR WILL THEN OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING AND ACCEPT PUBLIC COMMENT.

TESTIMONY IS LIMITED TO THREE MINUTES PER PERSON.

ONCE THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD HAS CONCLUDED, WE WILL TURN IT BACK OVER TO THE APPLICANT AND THEN THE APPELLANT, WHO WILL EACH BE GIVEN A THREE MINUTE PERIOD TO PROVIDE A REBUTTAL. OUR BOARD MEMBERS MAY ASK ANY CLARIFYING QUESTIONS THROUGHOUT THE PROCESS AFTER COMPLETION OF THE PRESENTATIONS.

OKAY. MORNING.

MR. CHAIR, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, STEVE MAXIE, DIRECTOR FOR COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FOR THE COUNTY.

[02:55:02]

AS MENTIONED BEFORE YOU, TODAY IS AN APPEAL OF A PLANNING COMMISSION DECISION TO APPROVE CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT NUMBER CUP 20 009.

THAT'S ALSO KNOWN AS THE VIERA DAIRY EXPANSION PROJECT.

THE REQUEST IS TO EXPAND AN EXISTING DAIRY OPERATION.

IT INCLUDES NEW STRUCTURES, EQUIPMENT AND FARMING OPERATIONS, OR SILAGE ASSOCIATED WITH THE DAIRY THAT WAS APPROVED BY THE PLANNING COMMISSION.

SUBSEQUENT OR FOLLOWING THE APPEAL.

EXCUSE ME. FOLLOWING THE DECISION BY THE PLANNING COMMISSION, AN APPEAL WAS FILED BY ADVOCATES FOR THE ENVIRONMENT OUT OF SHADOW HILLS, CALIFORNIA, ON THE GROUNDS THAT THE EIR ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT FOR THE PROJECT AND THE ASSOCIATED STATEMENT OF OVERRIDING CONSIDERATIONS WAS DEFICIENT AND VIOLATES SEQUA COUNTY STAFF AND THE ENVIRONMENTAL CONSULTANTS THAT ARE CONTRACTED BY THE COUNTY WORKING ON THE PROJECT HAVE PREPARED INFORMATION AND RESPONSES TO THE APPELLANTS ASSERTIONS, WHICH MISS HO WILL PRESENT IN A MOMENT. AND SO WITH THE BOARD AS THE DESIGNATED REVIEW AUTHORITY FOR PLANNING COMMISSION DECISIONS, THE BOARD CAN MAY CONSIDER THE INFORMATION PRESENTED TODAY ALONG WITH ANY INFORMATION IN YOUR AGENDA PACKET.

THEN THE BOARD MAY AFFIRM, AFFIRM IN PART MODIFY OR REVERSE THE PLANNING COMMISSION'S ACTION OR ACTIONS ON THE PROJECT AND ITS SEQUEL DOCUMENT.

PLEASE NOTE THAT THE APPELLANT HAS ELECTED NOT TO ATTEND TODAY'S HEARING, AND HAS INSTEAD REQUESTED THAT A WRITTEN STATEMENT BE READ INTO THE RECORD AS COVERED BY STAFF EARLIER.

WE'LL WE'LL FOLLOW THAT PROCESS.

FOLLOWING THAT READING AND MISS HO'S PRESENTATION, MY TEAM AND I, AS WELL AS THE ENVIRONMENTAL CONSULTANT THAT PREPARED THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT AND THE STATEMENT OF OVERRIDING CONSIDERATIONS IT'S MR. BOB KLAUSNER WILL BE AVAILABLE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.

WITH THAT, I'LL TURN IT OVER TO MISS HO FOR PRESENTATION.

THANK YOU. STEVE.

GOOD MORNING, CHAIR.

MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.

CEO MENDEZ AND COUNTY COUNCIL.

HANSON. MY NAME IS TIFFANY HO, DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF PLANNING WITH THE COMMUNITY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT.

AND I'LL BE PRESENTING THE COUNTY'S REBUTTAL OR PRESENTATION ON THIS APPEAL, WHICH IS ALREADY ON THE SLIDE.

SO NEXT SLIDE.

SO AS BRIEFED BY DEPUTY DIRECTOR OR DIRECTOR MAXEY, THE CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT THAT WAS APPROVED BY THE PLANNING COMMISSION IS A REQUEST TO EXPAND THE DAIRY OPERATIONS UP TO 7117 ANIMALS, AS WELL AS TO CONSTRUCT A NUMBER OF SUPPORTING BUILDINGS AND STRUCTURES AND ADD APPROXIMATELY 264 ACRES OF FARMLAND TO BE USED AS ADDITIONAL WASTEWATER AND MANURE APPLICATION AREA TO ACCOMMODATE THAT HURT INCREASE.

THE PROJECT SITE IS GENERALLY LOCATED ON THE NORTHWEST CORNER OF WEST WILLIAM AVENUE AND NORTH WASHINGTON ROAD IN THE SYLMAR AREA, AND THE PROJECT SITE ITSELF IS DESIGNATED AGRICULTURAL LAND USE IN THE GENERAL PLAN AND ZONED A ONE GENERAL AGRICULTURAL.

ON FEBRUARY 28TH, 2024, THE PLANNING COMMISSION UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT NUMBER 20 DASH 009 AND CERTIFIED THE FINAL EIR WITHIN THE TEN DAY APPEAL PERIOD ADVOCATES FOR THE ENVIRONMENT.

THE APPELLANT FILED AN APPEAL ON MARCH 5TH, 2024.

THE APPELLANTS JUSTIFICATION FOR THE APPEAL CAN REALLY BE BOILED DOWN TO FIVE MAIN POINTS.

THE FIRST POINT IS THEIR BELIEF THAT THE GREENHOUSE GAS SIGNIFICANCE SHOULD HAVE STAYED SIGNIFICANT AND UNAVOIDABLE INSTEAD OF BEING REDUCED AND REVISED TO LESS THAN SIGNIFICANT WITH MITIGATION, AND THAT FURTHER SUPPORT IN THE DOCUMENT SHOULD HAVE BEEN INCLUDED.

SECONDLY, THE APPELLANT BELIEVES THAT THE SECRET DOCUMENT IS INCONSISTENT WITH THE 2017 CALIFORNIA AIR RESOURCES BOARD SCOPING PLAN AND THAT IT DOES NOT MEET THE STATEWIDE GOALS FOR TOTAL GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS.

THIRDLY IS INCONSISTENT WITH THE 22 2022 UPDATE OF THE SCOPING PLAN IN THAT THE PROJECT ITSELF PROPOSES TO INCREASE ITS HERD SIZE, AND THE PLAN ASSUMES THAT THERE'S A DECREASE IN ANIMAL POPULATION.

IT ALSO THINKS THE APPELLANT ALSO BELIEVES THAT THE SEQUA DOCUMENT SHOULD HAVE MANDATED AND REQUIRED THE STRATEGIES THAT ARE OUTLINED IN THE SCOPING PLAN.

FOURTH THE APPELLANT BELIEVES THAT THE PROJECT IS INCONSISTENT WITH OTHER LONG TERM STATE GREENHOUSE GAS GOALS AND THAT THE SECRET DOCUMENT FAILS TO DISCUSS THESE GOALS, SPECIFICALLY EXECUTIVE ORDER B 5518 AND SB 32, WHICH SETS THE STATEWIDE GOAL TO REDUCE GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS BY 40% BELOW THE 1990 LEVELS BY 2030, AND TO ACHIEVE CARBON NET NEUTRALITY BY 2045, RESPECTIVELY.

LASTLY, THE APPELLANT BELIEVES THAT ADDITIONAL MITIGATION MEASURES SHOULD HAVE BEEN REQUIRED BECAUSE THEY BELIEVE THAT THE GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS SIGNIFICANCE LEVELS SHOULD HAVE STAYED SIGNIFICANT AND UNAVOIDABLE, AND THAT THE COUNTY SHOULD HAVE INVESTIGATED ADDITIONAL MITIGATION MEASURES, SPECIFICALLY SOLAR GRASSLAND

[03:00:09]

MANAGEMENT AND PRODUCTIVITY AND PURCHASING OF OFFSETS, AND WHY THOSE MITIGATION MEASURES WEREN'T CONSIDERED AS FEASIBLE.

SO TO TO POINT ON THE TOPIC OF THE SIGNIFICANCE OF GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS, THE SECRET DOCUMENT LOOKS AT THREE COMPONENTS.

FIRST, DOES THE PROJECT INCLUDE AN INCREMENTAL INCREASE OF GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS GREATER THAN 10,000 METRIC TONS OF CARBON EMISSIONS? DOES THE PROJECT INCLUDE A NET EMISSIONS GREATER THAN 25,000 METRIC TONS? AND IS THE PROJECT CONSISTENT WITH STATE LONG TERM CLIMATE GOALS OR STRATEGIES, AKA THE SCOPING PLAN? SO IN THE ORIGINAL DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT OR DIR.

WE DID FIND THAT THE PROJECT WOULD HAVE AN ESTIMATED NET EMISSIONS OF 34,000 METRIC TONS PER YEAR, WHICH DOES EXCEED THAT SECOND CRITERIA LISTED THERE. AS SET FORTH, WE DID SAY THAT THERE WOULD BE AN IMPLEMENTATION MITIGATION MEASURE OF A DIGESTER THAT WAS ANALYZED IN ALTERNATIVE NUMBER THREE OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL DOCUMENT.

BUT BECAUSE THE INSTALLATION OF A DIGESTER REQUIRES SIGNIFICANT ECONOMIC CONTRIBUTION, AND SO THAT ECONOMIC FEASIBILITY MAKES IT DIFFICULT TO CONTROL WHEN AND IF THE DIGESTER COULD BE INSTALLED.

THE COUNTY CANNOT INCLUDE IT AS A FEASIBLE MEASURE.

SO IT WAS IDENTIFIED AS AN OPTIONAL MEASURE IN THE FUTURE.

BUT THAT IS WHY IN THE ORIGINAL DOCUMENT, IT SAID THAT THE GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS WOULD BE SIGNIFICANT BUT UNAVOIDABLE BECAUSE THAT MITIGATION MEASURE REALLY CAN'T BE IMPLEMENTED. AFTER THE PREPARATION AND CIRCULATION OF THE DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT, WE DID RELEASE A FINAL ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT THAT REVISED THE GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS SIGNIFICANCE LEVELS TO LESS THAN SIGNIFICANT WITH MITIGATION, AND THAT IS BECAUSE THERE IS CHANGING CIRCUMSTANCES WITH THE PROJECT.

CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT NUMBER 19, DASH 008, WHICH WAS THE HILMAR BIOGAS CLUSTER PROJECT, APPROVED A CLUSTER PROJECT AND A NUMBER OF DAIRY DIGESTERS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY.

SEPARATELY, INDEPENDENTLY FROM THIS PROJECT THAT WOULD GUARANTEE THAT THE VEERA DAIRY WOULD BE ABLE TO INSTALL A DAIRY DIGESTER THAT ELIMINATES THE UNCERTAINTY OF THE COMPLETION OF A DIGESTER AND THEREFORE SAYS, HEY, THIS MITIGATION IS GOING TO BE APPLIED.

AND NOW THAT SIGNIFICANCE LEVEL IS LESS THAN SIGNIFICANT BECAUSE THE MITIGATION CAN BE APPLIED.

AND THE SCOPING PLAN SAYS THAT THE MITIGATION MEASURE, THE DIGESTER, IS GOING TO SIGNIFICANTLY ADDRESS THE GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS IN THE LIVESTOCK AND DAIRY SECTOR, AND EVEN STATES THAT WITH THE THE COMBINATION OF DAIRY DIGESTER PROJECTS AND ALTERNATIVE MANURE MANAGEMENT PROJECTS, THEY WOULD NEED ABOUT 420 PROJECTS TO MEET THE GOAL OF 6.6 TOTAL GHG EMISSIONS FROM FOR AGRICULTURE IN CALIFORNIA, AND THEN TO PROVIDE SOME ADDITIONAL SUPPORT.

WE WERE ALSO INFORMED THAT THE DIGESTER AT THE VEERA PROJECT WOULD REDUCE GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS BY ABOUT 25,000 METRIC TONS, WHICH WOULD GET THE PROJECT OVERALL UNDERNEATH ALL OF OUR THRESHOLDS.

REGARDING THE SCOPING PLAN, SO THE CALIFORNIA AIR RESOURCES BOARD, OR CARB'S SCOPING PLAN DOES NOT SET A STATEWIDE GOAL TO REDUCE GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS.

IT IS A PLAN, A SET OF STRATEGIES AND ACTIONS THAT THE STATE IS GOING TO TAKE AND ALSO ENCOURAGE PRIVATE BUSINESSES AS WELL AS LOCAL GOVERNMENTS TO IMPLEMENT IN ORDER TO MEET THOSE STATEWIDE GOALS.

THERE IS NO REQUIREMENT THAT EACH PROJECT EMISSIONS WILL BE REDUCED TO THE SAME PERCENTAGE OF AS THE STATEWIDE PERCENTAGE IN ORDER TO ACHIEVE THAT TARGET, AS MENTIONED BEFORE, BUT THAT 6.6 FOR CALIFORNIA AGRICULTURE AND THE SCOPING PLAN EXPLICITLY STATES THAT IT IS GUIDANCE, AND THE DECISION TO FOLLOW THIS GUIDANCE IS VOLUNTARY AND SHOULD NOT BE INTERPRETED AS A DIRECTIVE OR MANDATE TO LOCAL GOVERNMENTS.

SO, BECAUSE THE DIGESTER IS ONE OF THE PRINCIPAL STRATEGIES IN THE SCOPING PLAN OUTLINED FOR THE LIVESTOCK AND DAIRY INDUSTRY THE PROJECT IS CONSISTENT WITH THAT SCOPING PLAN.

FOR THE 2022 SCOPING PLAN.

YES. THE SCOPING PLAN DOES ASSUME THAT ANIMAL POPULATION WILL BE DECREASING, BUT THAT ASSUMPTION IS BASED OFF OF TRENDS, AND THE SCOPING PLAN DOES NOT RECOMMEND OR REQUIRE THAT DAIRIES DECREASE THEIR ANIMAL POPULATIONS.

REALLY, IT'S BEEN ON THE BASIS THAT DUE TO ECONOMIES OF SCALE, LARGER DAIRY APPLICATIONS, DAIRY FARMS ARE ABLE TO GENERATE MORE POSITIVE NET RETURNS

[03:05:09]

AND ITS INCENTIVE THEN TO EXPAND OR CONSOLIDATE.

SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE SEEING HERE IN THE COUNTY AS WELL AS THE REST OF CALIFORNIA.

SO. SO BECAUSE THE DAIRY PROJECT HAS BEEN IMPLEMENTING SOME OF THAT BEST PRACTICES, AS WELL AS NOW GOING TO BE IMPLEMENTING THE DAIRY DIGESTER, IT IS CONSISTENT WITH THE 22 2022 UPDATE OF THE SCOPING PLAN FOR THE DISCUSSION, OR NEED TO INCLUDE THE DISCUSSION OF OTHER STATEWIDE GOALS.

THE SCOPING PLAN AGAIN EXPLICITLY STATES THAT IT IS REFLECTS THE EXISTING AND THE RECENT DIRECTION OF THE GOVERNOR'S ORDERS AND STATUTES.

THEREFORE, IT'S REALLY UNNECESSARY TO LIST EVERY SINGLE PLAN AND POLICY RELATED TO THE GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS FOR EVERY SECRET DOCUMENT, AND THE SCOPING PLAN IS SUFFICIENT DISCUSSION IN THE SECRET DOCUMENT.

FINALLY, IN REGARDS TO ADDITIONAL MITIGATION THE SCOPING PLAN DOES PROVIDE SOME GUIDANCE THERE BECAUSE THERE HAS BEEN A LOT OF CONFUSION ABOUT OFF SITE CREDITS.

AND SO IN THAT GUIDANCE, IT SAYS THAT IT PRIDES FIRST THAT WE THAT COUNTIES OR LOCAL JURISDICTIONS USE ON SITE DESIGN MITIGATION MEASURES FIRST, AND THEN IF MITIGATION LEVELS CANNOT BE FURTHER DECREASED, THEN TO EXPLORE OPTIONS OF OFF SITE OR PURCHASING OFFSET CREDITS.

AGAIN, THE DAIRY IS ALREADY EMPLOYING A NUMBER OF BEST PRACTICES AND THEY'RE DOING THE DIGESTER, WHICH WOULD DECREASE THEIR GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS BELOW THOSE SIGNIFICANT LEVELS.

THEREFORE, THERE'S REALLY NO NEED TO LOOK AT ADDITIONAL MITIGATION MEASURES, ESPECIALLY THOSE THAT ARE OFF SITE OR OFFSET.

CREDITS. NOTICE OF THIS PUBLIC HEARING WAS MAILED OUT AND PUBLISHED IN THE MERCED SUN-STAR.

AND FOLLOWING THAT NOTICE AND UP TO THIS HEARING, WE HAVE NOT RECEIVED ANY ADDITIONAL COMMENTS ABOUT THE APPEAL OR THE KIND OF ARGUMENTS BEING MADE FOR THE APPEAL.

SO IN SUMMARY, IN ADDITION TO ALL THE FINDINGS THAT ARE INCLUDED IN THE STAFF REPORT STAFF ALSO WANTS TO HAVE THE BOARD CONSIDER THESE FINDINGS THAT MERCED COUNTY FINDS THAT THE EIR IDENTIFIED THE APPROPRIATE, SIGNIFICANT THRESHOLDS TO EVALUATE THE PROJECT IMPACTS FOR GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS AND CONCLUDES THE COMPLIANCE OF WITH THE SCOPING PLAN PROVIDING THRESHOLDS OF SIGNIFICANCE WITH SECTION 150647D, THE SCOPING PLAN IDENTIFIES TWO PRIMARY METHODS FOR REDUCING MANURE METHANE EMISSIONS FOR LIVESTOCK AND DAIRY SECTOR, INCLUDING THE INSTALLATION OF AN ANAEROBIC DIGESTER OR ALTERNATIVE MANURE MANAGEMENT PRACTICES.

THIRD, THE VERY DAIRY EXPANSION PROJECT COULD MEET THOSE IDENTIFIED SIGNIFICANT THRESHOLDS BY IMPLEMENTING ONE OR MORE OF THE SCOPING PLAN METHANE STRATEGIES.

FOURTH, THE ISSUANCE OF THE DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT.

SINCE THE ISSUANCE CONDITIONS HAVE CHANGED AND THE DAIRY DIGESTER HAS BEEN APPROVED AND IS BEING CONSTRUCTED AT THE DAIRY THEREFORE, THE LEVEL OF SIGNIFICANCE FOR IMPACT GREENHOUSE GAS ONE CHANGE THE FROM SIGNIFICANT AND UNAVOIDABLE BECAUSE OF THE MITIGATION TO LESS THAN SIGNIFICANT AFTER THE MITIGATION. A DAIRY DIGESTER IS EFFECTIVE AT REDUCING METHANE EMISSIONS AND IS ANTICIPATED TO RESULT IN OVERALL REDUCTION OF 25,000 METRIC TONS.

SEVEN THE VERY DAIRY ALREADY IMPLEMENTS A NUMBER OF ADDITIONAL GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSION MITIGATION STRATEGIES TO REDUCE EMISSIONS.

NUMBER EIGHT, BECAUSE GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS.

OH, SORRY.

BECAUSE GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS WOULD BE REDUCED CONSISTENT WITH THE IDENTIFIED SCOPING PLAN METHANE MIGRATION STRATEGY.

WITH THE PROOF DIGESTER, THE IMPACT WAS DETERMINED TO BE LESS THAN SIGNIFICANT FOLLOWING THE MITIGATION, AND NO ADDITIONAL MITIGATION IS REQUIRED.

AND THEN LASTLY, RECIRCULATION OF THE EIR IS NOT NECESSARY SINCE THE APPLICANT IS IMPLEMENTING THE MITIGATION MEASURE AS PREVIOUSLY IDENTIFIED IN AS INFEASIBLE IN THE DRAFT EIR, AND IT HAS NOW BECOME INFEASIBLE CONSISTENT WITH CEQA GUIDELINES.

SECTION 15162A3C.

GIVEN ALL OF THAT, AGAIN, AS MR. MAXEY HAD STATED BEFORE, THE BOARD TO CONSIDER IS THE CONSIDERATION OR MOTION TO CONSIDER AND AFFIRM, DENY OR MODIFY THE PLANNING COMMISSION'S DECISION TO CERTIFY THE FINAL ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT AND ADOPT THE FINDINGS OF FACT AND THE STATEMENT OF OVERRIDING CONSIDERATIONS AND THE MITIGATION, MONITORING AND REPORTING PROGRAM FOR THE PROJECT.

BASED ON THE FINDINGS SET FORTH IN THE PLANNING COMMISSION STAFF REPORT DATED FEBRUARY 28TH, 2024, AND TO CONSIDER AND AFFIRM OR DENY OR MODIFY THE

[03:10:09]

PLANNING COMMISSION'S DECISION TO APPROVE CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT NUMBER CP 20 DASH 009, BASED ON THE FINDINGS SET FORTH IN THE PLANNING COMMISSION STAFF REPORT DATED FEBRUARY 28TH, 2024 AND THE FINDINGS CONTAINED IN THE BOARD AGENDA ITEM.

THIS CONCLUDES STAFF'S PRESENTATION.

OKAY. ANY COMMENT BY THE BOARD BEFORE I OPEN UP THE PUBLIC HEARING? TO PRESENT. OKAY.

READY? WELL GO AHEAD.

THE APPELLANT FOR THIS ITEM IS ADVOCATES FOR THE ENVIRONMENT, A NONPROFIT PUBLIC INTEREST LAW FIRM AND ENVIRONMENTAL ADVOCACY ORGANIZATION.

THEY'VE PROVIDED THE FOLLOWING LETTER REGARDING THE MAY 7TH, 2024 HEARING ON VIERA DAIRY EXPANSION PROJECT.

DEAR MERCED COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, ADVOCATES FOR THE ENVIRONMENT, HAS APPEALED THE PLANNING COMMISSION'S FEBRUARY 28TH, 2024 DECISION TO CERTIFY THE EIR AND ADOPT THE ENTITLEMENTS. APPROVING THE VIERA DAIRY EXPANSION PROJECT TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS.

I REGRET THAT I HAVE A CONFLICT AND CANNOT ATTEND THE MAY 7TH BOARD OF SUPERVISORS HEARING, AND WE ARE SHORT STAFFED NOW, SO THERE IS NO ONE ELSE I CAN SEND.

IF I CAME, MY TESTIMONY WOULD BE BASED ON THE APPEAL JUSTIFICATION LETTER WE FILED ON MARCH 4TH, 2024.

SO I WILL REFER THE BOARD TO THAT LETTER, WHICH CAN STAND IN FOR MY TESTIMONY AT THE HEARING.

I APOLOGIZE FOR NOT BEING ABLE TO ATTEND THE HEARING.

SINCERELY. DEAN WALRATH, ATTORNEY AT LAW.

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, ADVOCATES FOR THE ENVIRONMENT.

OKAY. THANK YOU.

I WILL NOW OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING AND ACCEPT PUBLIC COMMENTS REGARDING THIS ITEM.

TESTIMONY IS LIMITED TO THREE MINUTES PER PERSON.

YOU GUYS REALLY MADE THIS EASY FOR ME TODAY.

SO. SO THANK YOU FOR PUTTING EVERYTHING IN ONE DAY.

BRIAN VANDENBERG, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, MERCED COUNTY FARM BUREAU, WE SPOKE ABOUT THE PLANNING COMMISSION IN REGARDS TO THIS PROJECT WHEN IT CAME BEFORE THEM AND WE WERE IN SUPPORT. SAME AS WE ARE TODAY.

SO WE WOULD ASK THAT THIS MOVE, THIS PROJECT, MOVE FORWARD.

AND I WILL ALSO TELL YOU, DURING THAT PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING, THEIR NEIGHBORS STEPPED FORWARD AND ALSO GAVE MASSIVE SUPPORT FOR THIS PROJECT.

AND WE DIDN'T HAVE ANYBODY TO OPPOSE IT.

IN ADDITION TO THAT, IT'S INTERESTING THAT AN ATTORNEY FROM, WELL, OUTSIDE OF MERCED COUNTY IS CREATING THIS APPEAL.

CORRECT. SO WITH THAT, PLEASE SUPPORT AND WE APPRECIATE THE TIME.

ANY OTHER PUBLIC COMMENT? OKAY. THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD IS NOW CLOSED.

WOULD THE DEPARTMENT LIKE TO PROVIDE A REBUTTAL? NO REBUTTAL. ALL RIGHT.

AND OKAY SO WE'LL REBUTTAL.

SO ANY COMMENTS OR.

RECORD APPELLANT'S LETTER WAS INCLUDED WITH THE AGENDA OKAY.

FOR THE RECORD APPELLANT'S LETTER WAS INCLUDED WITH THE AGENDA ITEM ONLINE.

AND IT HAS BEEN DISTRIBUTED TO THE BOARD MEMBERS.

SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA MR. CHAIR YEAH, I JUST YOU KNOW, AS I'M GOING TO MAKE A MOTION HERE IN A SECOND, BUT I DO WANT TO JUST HIGHLIGHT FOR EVERYBODY, YOU KNOW, IF YOU'RE TRULY THAT CONCERNED AS AN ADVOCATE FOR THE ENVIRONMENT, I WOULD THINK THAT YOU WOULD HAVE SOMEBODY HERE TO REPRESENT YOUR REPRESENT YOUR CAUSE.

AND I THINK THAT MY HUMBLE OPINION IS, IS THAT THIS HAS MORE TO DO WITH SETTING THE STAGE TO BE ABLE TO DO SOMETHING LATER ON THAN IT ACTUALLY DOES OPPOSING THIS PROJECT.

AND THEN I WILL TELL YOU, AS WE'VE SAID HERE BEFORE, THE NUMBER ONE INDUSTRY IN MERCED COUNTY IS DAIRY BY A LONG SHOT.

AND I'VE OFTEN SAID, YOU KNOW, IF YOU GO BACK 30, 40 YEARS AGO AND HOW WE DID STUFF ON DAIRIES COMPARED TO THE WAY THAT WE'RE DOING STUFF ON DAIRIES NOW, THESE FOLKS ARE MORE ENVIRONMENTALLY CONSCIOUS, MORE FRIENDLY TO THE ENVIRONMENT.

YOU KNOW, AGRICULTURALISTS ARE THE FIRST ENVIRONMENTALISTS.

SO I'M REALLY THINK THAT THAT THESE, THESE FOLKS ARE SPENDING A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF MONEY TO EXPAND THESE FACILITIES.

AND I THINK THAT THAT MRS. HO AND SHE ALLUDED TO IT IN HER COMMENTS THAT DAIRIES THE MOM AND POP DAIRIES, THE THE GUYS AND THE GALS THAT ARE MILKING 50 COWS, 100 COWS, 200 COWS, IT'S JUST NOT SUSTAINABLE TO DO THAT.

AND SO YOU ARE SEEING LESS NUMBERS, BUT YOU'RE JUST SEEING THEM LOCATED, YOU KNOW, IN ONE SPOT.

THESE FACILITIES ARE HAVING TO GET BIGGER AND MORE EFFICIENT.

I THINK THAT THESE, THIS, THESE METHANE DIGESTERS, THE SYSTEM OF, OF PIPES, NOW THAT THEY HAVE IN PLACE AROUND THE COUNTY TO BE ABLE TO TRANSPORT THOSE

[03:15:09]

THAT METHANE GAS TO A CENTRAL LOCATION IS A IS A GAME CHANGER.

SO AGAIN, I JUST I'M IN SUPPORT OF THIS.

I WILL CONTINUE TO BE IN SUPPORT OF THIS.

YOU KNOW, I GUESS NOT LOST ON ME THAT THEY'RE NOT ACTUALLY HERE.

SUPERVISOR PAREIRA. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. SO WHAT'S STRIKING TO ME IS THAT IS THAT THE VERY DAIRY FARMS THEIR, THEIR APPLICATION WOULD ACTUALLY MEET THE MITIGATION MEASURES FOR, FOR GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS.

AND YET, ON TOP OF THAT, THEY'RE GOING TO THEY'RE GOING TO GO FORWARD AND DO A METHANE DIGESTER TO REALLY DO MORE AND GO ABOVE AND BEYOND WHAT THEY NEED TO DO.

SO I'D LIKE TO THANK THE VIERA FAMILY FOR STEPPING UP AND CONTINUING TO DO THAT.

AND THEN, YOU KNOW, BREE HAD ANOTHER MEETING AND HAD TO LEAVE.

BUT I WOULD SUGGEST THAT MAYBE THEY COULD DO A LITTLE BIT OF EDUCATION TO SOME OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL GROUPS THAT THAT ARE COMING TO MERCED COUNTY AND, AND SHARING THEIR OPINIONS WHEN, WHEN A, WHEN A, WHEN A FARM MAKES IMPROVEMENTS.

RIGHT. SO, SO ONE OF THE ITEMS THEY'RE GOING TO DO IS GOING TO PUT A ROOF OVER THE OPEN CORRALS.

RIGHT. SO SO THERE'S AN ENVIRONMENT NOW WHERE RAIN IS HITTING MANURE.

AND THEN THEY HAVE TO CAPTURE THAT WATER.

WELL WHEN THAT HAPPENS YOU KNOW THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR A MISTAKE.

RIGHT. SO THEY'RE PUTTING, YOU KNOW ROOFING OVER THAT.

SO THE RAIN WON'T HIT THE MANURE, THE MANURE WON'T GET WET AND HAVE A POTENTIAL FOR RUNOFF.

SO, YOU KNOW, JUST JUST EVERY DAY IT SEEMS LIKE THE DAIRIES IN MERCED COUNTY AND IN THE VALLEY ARE CONTINUING, CONTINUING TO MAKE IMPROVEMENTS TO THE ENVIRONMENTAL SITUATIONS ON THEIR DAIRIES.

AND THEY DON'T GET ANY CREDIT FOR THAT.

RIGHT. THE OTHER THE OTHER ITEM THAT THAT, YOU KNOW, ALL OF US ARE KNOW DAIRIES, I GUESS.

BUT BUT I'LL SAY FOR THE PUBLIC IS THAT THEIR, THEIR INCREASE OF 1500 AND SOME COWS.

SO WHAT WILL HAPPEN IS, IS THEY'LL GO AND THEY'LL, THEY'LL BUY SOME COWS FROM DAIRYMEN THAT, THAT DON'T HAVE THE RESOURCES OR CHOOSE NOT TO HAVE THE RESOURCES TO, TO IMPROVE THE ENVIRONMENTAL SITUATION AT THE DAIRY SO THAT DAIRY WILL CLOSE, THESE COWS WILL MOVE OVER.

AND INSTEAD OF PROBABLY IF YOU DO THE MATH, THERE ARE 2100 COWS WILL GET BOUGHT AND 1500 OF THEM WILL COME INTO THIS DAIRY.

THE OTHER 600 WILL BE RETIRED, THEREFORE INCREASING THE REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GASES, METHANE EMISSIONS.

SO YOU KNOW, KUDOS TO THE BARRERA DAIRY FAMILY AT AND DO YOU HAVE ANY MORE COMMENTS? YEAH. OKAY. I'LL WAIT SUPERVISOR PEDROZO.

AND I DON'T WANT TO TAKE UP TOO MUCH TIME, BUT I THINK THAT IT WAS ALREADY SAID, I THINK THAT THERE'S AN ATTACK ON DAIRIES IN MERCED COUNTY AND, AND THE CENTRAL VALLEY.

AND I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, I GREW UP ON A DAIRY.

I BELIEVE THAT THEY ARE FUNDAMENTAL TO TO OUR ECONOMY.

AND, YOU KNOW, WE SHIP. DAIRY PRODUCTS AROUND THE WORLD.

I MEAN, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO MERCED COUNTY, AND I THINK THAT'S THAT'S AN OVERLYING THEME, IF YOU WILL.

AND I'M NOT A CONSPIRACY THEORIST, BUT THEY JUST DON'T WANT DAIRY IN CALIFORNIA ANYMORE.

AND IT'S IT'S THE REALITY OF THE SITUATION.

AND I THINK THAT'S WRONG.

SO I'M GOING TO SUPPORT STAFF'S RECOMMENDATIONS.

OKAY. I'M GOING TO CHANGE IT TO DISCUSSION MODE.

OH, YOU GOT LET ME CHANGE IT TO DISCUSSION MODE.

GO AHEAD. ALL RIGHT.

IF THERE'S NO OTHER COMMENT, I WAS GOING TO MAKE A MOTION.

THAT'S OKAY. WELL YOU KNOW, IT'S INTERESTING, AND I JUST WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT US AS A BOARD OF SUPERVISORS WITH OUR CONSTITUENTS ARE TRYING TO CREATE A HUB HERE, AN INLAND PORT THAT WILL ALLOW THESE THESE PRODUCTS TO BE EXPORTED AND AND FURTHER REDUCE GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS AND POLLUTION.

SO ANYWAYS, I JUST WANTED TO GIVE GIVE OUR STAFF KUDOS FOR DOING THAT.

AT THIS TIME, DO I NEED TO MAKE TWO MOTIONS OR CAN I MAKE ONE? OKAY, I'LL DO THE FIRST ONE.

THEN I'D LIKE TO MOVE TO AFFIRM THE APPROVAL BY THE PLANNING COMMISSION OF THE FINAL EIR.

OKAY. WE HAVE A MOTION.

IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND, SECOND BY SUPERVISOR PEDROZO.

ALL IN FAVOR? AYE, AYE.

ANY OPPOSED? MOTION PASSES FIVE ZERO.

SECOND. ALL RIGHT, THEN, I'D LIKE TO MOVE TO AFFIRM THE PLANNING COMMISSION'S APPROVAL OF CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT 20 DASH 009.

MOTION BY SUPERVISOR PEREZ.

IS THERE A SECOND, SECOND, SECOND SUPERVISOR PEDROZO.

ALL IN FAVOR? AYE.

ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES FIVE ZERO.

ALL RIGHT, NOW WE'LL GO TO REPORTS.

WE'LL WE'LL START WITH SUPERVISOR PEDROZO.

[REPORTS/BOARD DIRECTION]

THANK YOU. SO, YEAH, TODAY WAS A VERY TOUGH DAY, AND I WANT TO APPLAUD, YOU KNOW, THE COMMUNITY FOR COMING OUT AND REALLY, YOU KNOW,

[03:20:01]

WORKING, BEING WILLING TO WORK WITH US.

AND, YOU KNOW, IT'S IT'S ONE OF THOSE TOUGH DECISIONS THAT WE HAVE TO MAKE.

BUT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE UP HERE AND THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE TO DO.

SO I WANT TO THANK STAFF FOR GIVING US AND PUTTING US IN A POSITION TO, YOU KNOW, MAKE THESE DECISIONS BECAUSE IT WASN'T IT WASN'T AN EASY THING TO DO. LAST WEEK A MAJORITY OF US ATTENDED THIS I ALSO HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO VISIT THE SPRING FAIR. WENT TO THE THE OLDER AMERICANS LUNCH.

YEAH. MERCED COUNTY OLD TIMERS ASSOCIATION.

THANK YOU. I ALSO HAD THE OPPORTUNITY LAST WEEK TO SIT ON A MERCED COLLEGE COMMUNITY ROUNDTABLE WITH DIFFERENT COMMUNITY LEADERS HERE IN MERCED SPECIFICALLY DISTRICT TWO. IT WAS REALLY INTERESTING TO SEE ALL THE PROGRAMS AND STUFF THAT THE MERCED COLLEGE IS DOING.

OUT THERE AND THE DIFFERENT PROGRAMS AND THE OUTREACH.

IT'S I WAS TALKING TO SOMEBODY YESTERDAY, AND THEY SAID THAT THEY WERE RIDING THE AMTRAK TO OAKLAND, BUT THEY HAD A BUNCH OF MERCED COLLEGE STUFF ON IT.

AND THE REASON WHY THEY'RE COMING TO MERCED COLLEGE FROM OAKLAND IS FOR THE AG PROGRAM THAT WE HAVE OUT THERE, AND IT'S ONE OF THE BEST ONES THAT THIS STUDENT LOOKED UP.

I ALSO HAD THE OPPORTUNITY LAST WEEK, ALONG WITH CEO MENDEZ AND MR. HENDRICKSON, TO DO SENIOR INTERVIEWS AT THE MERCED HIGH SCHOOL, WHICH WAS ALSO REALLY IMPRESSIVE.

THE STUDENTS WERE I VERY TALENTED? THEY WERE PREPARED.

YOU COULD ASK THEM QUESTIONS.

ONE OF THEM WANTS.

HE WORKS FOR HIS DAD, WHO OWNS A ROOFING COMPANY, AND HE GAVE ME HIS BUSINESS CARD BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT HE WANTS TO DO.

AND THAT'S WHAT HE DOES WITH HIS DAD.

AND HE SAID, YOU KNOW, HE WAS OUT THERE HUSTLING, SO I THOUGHT THAT WAS KIND OF COOL.

AND THEN ON SATURDAY I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO TO THE LAO NEW YEAR CELEBRATION DOWNTOWN.

IT'S ALWAYS A VERY, VERY, VERY INTERESTING THING.

AND IT JUST HIGHLIGHTS AGAIN, I THINK SUPERVISOR ESPINOSA SAID IT EARLIER, THESE EVENTS HIGHLIGHT THE CULTURAL DIVERSITY OF MERCED COUNTY, AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT I LOVE ABOUT MERCED COUNTY IS HOW MUCH DIVERSITY OF CULTURES WE HAVE.

AND SO WHEN WE CAN CELEBRATE THAT, I THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT.

SO THANK YOU.

THANK YOU. SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL.

THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN.

I'LL SHARE THAT.

I TOO DID THE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY POLICY CONFERENCE A LOT OF REALLY, REALLY GOOD, HEARTY DISCUSSIONS.

AND WHILE I WAS AT THE CONFERENCE, WE DID HAVE OUR 99 DISCUSSION AS WELL, WHICH IS TULARE COUNTY, MADERA COUNTY AND MERCED COUNTY.

MOVING FORWARD, IT SEEMS LIKE, IN FACT, A LOT OF THE PRESENTATIONS THERE AT THE CONFERENCE IS THE STATE FOLKS ARE ALWAYS MENTIONING FINISHING THE 99, EVEN THOUGH WE HAD SOME CONSTRUCTION OUT HERE ON 99 HERE IN MERCED COUNTY.

THAT IS NOT WHAT WE'RE ADVOCATING FOR.

WE'RE ACTUALLY GOING FOR AN EXTRA LANE THROUGH THIS AREA.

AND SO MOVING FORWARD, IT'S GETTING DONE BY THREE, ALL THREE COUNTIES COMPLETELY ADVOCATING TOGETHER AT ALL TIMES IN THE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY ACTUALLY COMING TOGETHER.

IT LOOKS LIKE EVEN ALL THEIR PRESENTATIONS AT THE TCAG VALLEY POLICY CONFERENCE, EVERY TIME THEY HAD A BULLET POINT ABOUT FINISHING THE 99, SO THAT THAT WAS VERY POSITIVE. I ALSO HAD AN OPPORTUNITY AT MY MEMBERSHIP WITH OUR CRC.

WE HOSTED SOME URBAN LEGISLATURES HERE IN MERCED COUNTY AND MARIPOSA COUNTY AND GAVE THEM A TOUR OF RURAL CALIFORNIA.

AND THE REASON I MENTIONED THIS WHEN I WORKED FOR THE STATE SENATE, AND I KNOW I TELL THIS STORY A LOT, BUT WORKING FOR SENATOR DENHAM AT THE TIME WE COME OFF THE OUT OF A COMMITTEE MEETING AND WE HAD A LOS ANGELES SENATOR COME UP TO JEFF AND MYSELF SAYING, I AM SO UPSET WITH THESE FARMERS, I'M GOING TO SHOW THEM I'M GOING TO START EATING CANNED VEGETABLES FROM HERE ON OUT.

I'M GOING TO THAT'S MY PROTEST.

AND SHE WALKS OFF AND JEFF AND I KIND OF LOOKED AT EACH OTHER LIKE, DID SHE REALLY JUST SAY SHE'S GOING TO EAT CANNED VEG? DOES SHE KNOW WHERE THOSE CANNED VEGETABLES CAME FROM? COMES FROM THE FARMERS.

SO ANYWAY, THERE WAS A VERY INTERESTING CONVERSATION.

WE DIDN'T REALIZE THAT ONE OF THE LEGISLATORS WE HAD WAS ACTUALLY THE CHAIRMAN OF THE ELECTRIC, CHAIRMAN OF THE COMMITTEE OVERSEEING ELECTRIFICATION, OF GOING ON HERE IN CALIFORNIA. AND I GOT TO SAY NOW, HE DID A VERY GOOD JOB BECAUSE WE DID A YARTS DISCUSSION.

AND WITH YARTS BUSSES, RIGHT NOW WE HAVE TO HAVE CLEAN DIESEL BUSSES BECAUSE THE TECHNOLOGY ISN'T THERE TO GET UP TO THAT HEIGHT AND GET OVER THE HILL.

ALL OR OVER THE SIERRAS INTO THE MONO COUNTY.

AND ACTUALLY, ACTUALLY, WHEN NAV WAS PRESENTING IT, SHE STEPS UP AND THEY ACTUALLY KIND OF GOT INTO A LITTLE DEBATE OVER IT, AND

[03:25:03]

SHE ACTUALLY REFERRED TO, OH, NO, THERE'S A PERFECT EXAMPLE JUST DOWN SOUTH WHERE IT IS.

AND THEN HE ACTUALLY HAD TO INFORM HER THAT THEY QUIT USING THOSE ELECTRIC BUSSES BECAUSE THEY COULDN'T MAKE IT OVER THE HILL TWO WEEKS AGO.

AND SO NOW THEY'RE PERMANENTLY PARKED.

AND SOME OF OUR OTHER SUPERVISOR WERE THERE.

WE'RE SHARING HOW UP IN THE HIGH COUNTRY, THEY DO HAVE ELECTRIC BUSSES, BUT THEY'RE VERY PRETTY FIXED FIXTURES BECAUSE THEY JUST SIT THERE BECAUSE THEY CAN'T DO A FULL ROUTE IN THE MOUNTAINS. BUT IT WAS AN MOMENT.

SHE GOT IT.

I MEAN, IT WAS. SO I HAVE TO SAY, THE FACT THAT WE HOSTED THAT TOUR WITH THOSE URBAN LEGISLATURES, THEY GOT IT AND WE GOT IT, GOT INTO THE HOUSING AND EVERYTHING ELSE. YOU KNOW, THAT THESE BLANKET POLICIES THEY'RE PUTTING OVER ALL OF CALIFORNIA DOES NOT WORK IN RURAL CALIFORNIA.

AND IT WAS DEFINITELY A HA MOMENTS THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE THREE DAYS.

SO IT WAS DEFINITELY WORTH IT.

AND WE'RE ALREADY PLANNING FOR THE NEXT ONE TO SEE HOW ELSE WE CAN PUT THIS TOGETHER.

LET ME SEE WHAT ELSE.

OH. I DID ATTEND THE SPRING FAIR.

I HAVE TO SAY, MY COLLEAGUE IS.

YOU'D THINK WATCHING HIM THE WAY HE WAS STRESSED OUT, YOU'D THINK HE WAS RUNNING THE WHOLE FAIR HIMSELF.

BUT IT WAS A GREAT EXPERIENCE.

HE DOES A GOOD JOB. AND THAT'S WHAT I THINK I APPRECIATE THE MOST OUT OF WHAT SCOTT DOES OUT THERE FOR THAT SPRING FAIR.

AS HE DOES. HE TAKES THAT PERSONAL.

AND I AND I DO APPRECIATE IT BECAUSE EVERYBODY'S CALLING IT THE LOS BANOS FAIR.

AND HE'S THE FIRST ONE TO TELL YOU NO, IT'S THE MERCED COUNTY SPRING FAIR.

AND THAT'S MUCH APPRECIATED BECAUSE THE EAST SIDE KIND OF FORGETS ABOUT IT.

AND WE NEED TO GET OUR EAST SIDE OVER THERE.

AND THANK THANKFUL FOR THE BUS.

THEY DID OFFER FREE RIDES OVER THERE FOR THE FAIR.

AND ANYWAY, THANK YOU, MISTER CHAIR.

THANK YOU SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA.

THANK YOU, MISTER CHAIR. AND I DO WANT TO THANK MY COLLEAGUES THAT MADE IT OUT TO THE SPRING FAIR.

SAW MOST OF YOU GUYS AT ONE POINT OR ANOTHER WANT TO THANK STAFF FROM THE CEO'S OFFICE, AS WE HAD A UNIQUE TRANSITION YEAR AFTER LOSING OUR FAIR MANAGER GUY GARY, EARLIER THIS YEAR AND THEN TRANSITIONING INTO AN INTERIM CEO OF THE FAIR, WHICH WAS KERRY MITCHELL.

AND IN THE MEANTIME, WE HIRED WHAT'S GOING TO BE OUR NEXT CEO, CINNAMON HOWELL.

AND SO JUST, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A LOT OF LITTLE MOVING PARTS THERE.

BUT I THINK THAT IF YOU GO ASK ANYBODY THAT WAS THERE AS A MEMBER OF THE GENERAL PUBLIC, WHETHER THEY WERE SHOWING LIVESTOCK OR JUST THERE FOR THE CARNIVAL RIDES OR SOME OF THE GREAT FOOD THEY HAD OUT THERE, THEY DIDN'T EVEN KNOW ABOUT MOST OF THE LITTLE FIRES THAT COME UP AND HAVE TO BE DEALT WITH.

SO I THINK A GREAT JOB BY EVERYBODY.

YOU KNOW, I TELL PEOPLE THAT IF UNLESS YOU EXPERIENCE THE FOUR SEASONS IN FIVE DAYS, YOU'VE NOT BEEN TO A TRUE MAYDAY, AND THIS YEAR YOU WERE AT A TRUE MAYDAY BECAUSE WE HAD IT DUMPED, IT DUMPED, AND I MEAN IT.

SATURDAY DURING THE SALE, IT CAME DOWN AND I THINK AT ONE POINT, PROBABLY AT LEAST HALF OF THE PEOPLE THAT WERE ON THE WHOLE FAIRGROUNDS WERE SITTING INSIDE THE CAROUSEL ARENA AS THE SALE WAS GOING ON. AND SO ONE WOULD MAYBE THINK THAT COULD BE CHALLENGING, BUT IT ACTUALLY KIND OF MADE IT NICE.

OUR BUYERS REALLY COULDN'T GO NOWHERE BECAUSE IT WAS RAINING OUTSIDE.

AND SO PROUD TO SAY THAT OUR LOCAL COMMUNITY STEPPED UP AND FOR THE SECOND TIME, WE BROKE THE MILLION DOLLAR MARK ON OUR ON OUR JUNIOR LIVESTOCK AUCTIONS ACROSS OUR THREE SALES, WHICH IS HEIFER SALES ON THURSDAY, SMALL ANIMALS ON FRIDAY, AND THEN YOUR LARGER LIVESTOCK ANIMALS ON SATURDAY.

SO I THINK THE KIDS DID REALLY WELL WITH THE ECONOMY BEING THE WAY IT IS, I'M ALWAYS GOING INTO THOSE THINGS.

CAUTIOUS OPTIMISM, CAUTIOUSLY OPTIMISTIC, BUT FELT A LITTLE BIT NERVOUS.

BUT THE COMMUNITY STEPPED UP AND AND I THINK THAT THESE KIDS WERE ABLE TO DO REALLY WELL FOR THEMSELVES.

I DO WANT TO THANK TIFFANY AND AND STEVE MAXEY, YOU KNOW, ON THAT PUBLIC HEARING WE JUST HAD, YOU KNOW, IF YOU LOOK AT THAT CUP CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT, THAT 20 THAT REPRESENTS THE YEAR THAT IT WAS STARTED IN.

CORRECT. SO 2020 IS WHEN THAT CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT WAS STARTED.

FAST FORWARD TO NOW WITH TO 2024 IS WHEN IT FINALLY GETS APPROVED.

SO I JUST WANT PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT THAT THESE FOLKS THAT ARE DOING THESE EXPANSIONS AND THE AMOUNT OF TIME THAT THEY'RE PUTTING OUT THERE BEFORE THEY EVER EVEN HAVE AN ANSWER.

RIGHT. SO WE HAVE NOW HEARD THEIR APPEAL.

WE HAVE WE HAVE AFFIRMED WHAT OUR PLANNING COMMISSION SAID.

THERE'S STILL OPPORTUNITY FOR THOSE FOLKS.

AND SO YOU TALK ABOUT WHY BUSINESSES LEAVE CALIFORNIA.

THAT IS A PERFECT EXAMPLE OF IT RIGHT THERE THAT YOU START OUT, MIND YOU, THEY HAVE AN EXISTING BUSINESS.

THEY'RE JUST TRYING TO EXPAND THEIR BUSINESS IN AN ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY WAY.

AND IN 2020, THEY STARTED THEY SPENT HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS NOT EVEN ACCOUNTING FOR WHAT THAT, THAT THAT METHANE DIGESTER DIGESTER IS GOING TO CAUSE THAT'S I'M JUST TALKING IN ENVIRONMENTAL.

WORK TIME CONSULTANTS, LAWYERS, YOU KNOW, THE WHOLE NINE YARDS THAT THEY'VE SPENT ALONG THE WAY TO GET TO THIS.

AND WE WONDER WHY BUSINESSES, YOU KNOW, MOVE TO NEVADA.

IT'S BECAUSE THEY WANT TO STILL BE ABLE TO SELL TO CALIFORNIANS BUT NOT HAVE TO DEAL WITH ALL THE REGULATIONS.

[03:30:03]

SO BUT THANK YOU GUYS FOR ALL THE WORK ON THAT.

AND, YOU KNOW, HIGHLY CONFIDENT IN THAT.

OUR OUR RESPONSE BACK TO THE ABSENTEE PERSON THAT THAT ASKED FOR THE APPEAL, I THINK WERE VERY WELL THOUGHT OUT AND WELL DONE.

SO AND THEN LAST BUT CERTAINLY NOT LEAST I GOT TWO OF MY CONSTITUENTS HERE, RANDY AND LYNN MILES, SITTING IN THE AUDIENCE.

I JUST WANT YOU GUYS TO KNOW YOU ARE THE LAST OF OUR CONSTITUENTS THAT THAT ARE HERE, THAT ARE NOT STAFF.

SO THANK YOU GUYS FOR STICKING AROUND TILL THE VERY END.

APPRECIATE IT. HE DID.

THAT'S ALL I HAVE, MR. CHAIR.

THANK YOU. SUPERVISOR PAREIRA.

ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. WELL, I ATTENDED THE MERCED COUNTY OLD TIMERS LUNCHEON.

WELL, NOT THIS PAST SUNDAY, BUT THE SUNDAY BEFORE.

AND AND I'LL TELL YOU WHAT, IT'S REALLY NEAT, THOSE OF YOU THAT THAT WANT TO GET INVOLVED IN THE COMMUNITY, IT'S IT'S SOMETHING THAT'S WORTH IT.

WE HAD PEOPLE RECOGNIZED FROM ALL OVER THE COUNTY.

YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST NOT JUST THE CITY OF MERCED.

THIS WAS STARTED BACK IN, I BELIEVE, 1936, WHERE THEY HONORED LIKE TWO PEOPLE AS OLD TIMERS OF THE YEAR.

AND THEN THEY REALIZED THAT THERE'S A LOT OF GREAT PEOPLE.

SO THEY OPEN IT UP AND YOU KNOW THAT THERE WAS A LADY THERE 92 YEARS OLD.

MRS. JAMES, SHE'S A BARCELLOS FROM LAS VEGAS AND GOT A VISIT WITH HER, KNOWN HER SON RICHARD, THROUGH THE FAIRS AND THAT FOR A LONG TIME.

SO ANYWAY, JUST A JUST A NEAT EVENT.

AND THEN AND THEN I WANT TO TIE IT BACK TO WE HAD A PHOTOGRAPHER THERE FOR 25 YEARS, FAR BEFORE I GOT INVOLVED WHO TOOK PICTURES OF THE HONOREES AND THEN ONE WITH THEIR FAMILY EVERY YEAR.

AND SHE HAD A STROKE THIS PAST YEAR.

AND SO SHE DIDN'T FEEL LIKE SHE COULD STAY THE WHOLE TIME AND DO IT.

SO I ASKED JIM CUNNINGHAM AND FLIP HASSETT, WHO ARE TWO, YOU KNOW FAMOUS PHOTOGRAPHERS FOR MERCED IF THEY WOULDN'T MIND STEPPING UP AND, AND, AND, AND THE TIE IN IS THAT EARLIER IN OUR ITEM TO TO CALL THE THE MUSEUM ROOM THE MCCRARY CUNNINGHAM ROOM.

YOU KNOW, THAT'S WHAT I MEAN BY, YOU KNOW, 150 YEARS LATER, 160 YEARS LATER, THOSE THAT FAMILY IS STILL GIVING TO THE COMMUNITY.

RIGHT. AND SO AND THEN WHAT MAKES IT EVEN MORE SPECIAL IS JIM, JUST BY COINCIDENCE, MEETS MARISSA BRAVO, WHO WORKS FOR MERCED COUNTY ASSOCIATION OF GOVERNMENTS AND IS A PHOTOGRAPHER. SO THEY BROUGHT HER AND ASKED HER IF SHE WANTED TO PARTICIPATE.

SO HERE SHE IS. I DON'T KNOW EXACTLY HOW OLD SHE IS, BUT PROBABLY 30 ISH.

AND SO NOW SHE'S AGREED TO BE THE NEW PHOTOGRAPHER.

AND SO JUST JUST KIND OF A NEAT, NEAT EVENT.

AND IT'S FUN SEEING PEOPLE BE THE SPOTLIGHT THAT THEY REALLY PROBABLY HAVEN'T BEEN IN IN 15 OR 20 YEARS SINCE MAYBE THEY RETIRED.

I TOO, ATTENDED THE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY POLICY COUNCIL DOWN IN VISALIA.

KIND OF MORE OF A OF AN MCAG KIND OF EVENT VERSUS A COUNTY EVENT, BUT CERTAINLY A LOT OF YOU KNOW, CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS AND MAYORS AND, AND SUPERVISORS FROM ALL OVER THE CENTRAL VALLEY.

AND IT WAS NEAT TO BE ABLE TO SIT DOWN AND DISCUSS ITEMS WITH THEM.

AND THEN, OF COURSE, YOU KNOW, HERE THE CALIFORNIA TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION RECOMMITTING EVERY TIME THAT, THAT THEY'RE AROUND US TO AN INITIATIVE THAT DARON REALLY STARTED FOR MERCED COUNTY. BUT THE FINISH THE 99 AND AND I DON'T KNOW HOW THAT'LL GO HERE.

IT'S GOING TO BE A TALL TASK, BUT BUT BUT PEOPLE ARE WORKING ON IT.

THE I ALSO ATTENDED THE MERCED COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE FOR A VICTIM VICTIMS CEREMONY WEEK BEFORE LAST. AND AND IT'S A IT'S A, IT'S A, I DON'T KNOW, A HEART WRENCHING EVENT.

RIGHT. BECAUSE THE PEOPLE THAT ARE THERE HAVE LOST SOMEONE DUE TO A CRIME, AND SOME HAVE ANSWERS, SOME DON'T.

AND THOSE THAT DON'T, YOU KNOW, THE PAIN GETS REAL AND STAYS AND CONTINUES.

IT SEEMS LIKE ONCE FOLKS GET THEIR ANSWER, THEY GET SOME CLOSURE.

IT'S NOT QUITE AS BAD, ALTHOUGH I'M SURE THEY'LL LIVE, YOU KNOW, LIVE WITH IT FOR THE REST OF THEIR LIFE.

BUT JUST KUDOS TO THE OUR DISTRICT ATTORNEY NICOLE SILVEIRA AND HER TEAM FOR PUTTING ON A PLACE FOR PEOPLE TO COME TOGETHER AND GRIEVE.

ATTENDED THE SPRING FAIR AND AND LOS BANOS AND AND I WAS THERE ON WHAT, THURSDAY, SATURDAY AND THEN ACTUALLY WENT THERE MONDAY.

BUT ANYWAYS, JUST JUST A NEAT EVENT, A GREAT EVENT.

IT WAS INTERESTING BEING THERE ON MONDAY.

USUALLY THE FAIRGROUND LOOKS BURNT OUT ON MONDAY MORNING, YOU KNOW, FROM HAVING A WEEK OF BEING TRAMPLED AND AND THE TEAM OVER THERE DID A GREAT JOB.

IN FACT, ON MY WAY OUT, I STOPPED BY THE MAINTENANCE DEPARTMENTS AND THANK THEM FOR DOING SUCH A GOOD JOB.

AND AND I KNOW, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE INVOLVED, BUT THEY'RE THE THE BOOTS ON THE GROUND.

THE THE I BOUGHT AN ANIMAL.

OR ACTUALLY, I ENDED UP BUYING A HALF AN ANIMAL.

I THOUGHT I PUT A BID IN TO BUY A WHOLE ANIMAL.

AND THEN THE IT'S KIND OF A SPECIAL STORY.

A YOUNG LADY WHOSE FAMILY'S GOING THROUGH SOME STUFF.

AND THEN THE GILMORE COMMUNITY HAS A BOOSTERS PROGRAM, AND THEY MATCHED WHAT I PUT UP.

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SO THIS THIS YOUNG LADY GOT DOUBLE FOR HER GOAT, WHICH WAS WAS HEARTWARMING FOR ME.

AND AND THEN SINCE I SAVED MONEY, I WAS ABLE TO GIVE SOME BUMP BIDS ON, ON MY BUDGET.

AND ANYWAYS, SO I'M IN THE OFFICE AND CARRIE MITCHELL IS THERE.

WHO WHO STEPPED IN TO BE OUR INTERIM MANAGER.

AND THEN CINNAMON HOWE'S THERE.

SHE'S GOING FORWARD. AND JUST TO SEE HOW WELL THEY WORK TOGETHER, I JUST I JUST THINK WE'RE GOING TO BE IN GOOD HANDS GOING FORWARD AND FEEL LIKE WE MADE THE RIGHT, RIGHT CHOICE. AND AND THEN HILDA WAS IN THE OFFICE AND SO I GOT A CHANCE TO CHAT WITH HER AS WELL.

AND THEN AGAIN, I WANT TO THANK STEVE, MAXIE AND TIFFANY HO FOR GOING THROUGH THAT PROCESS OF THE EIRS AND PUTTING THAT TOGETHER. IT'S PAINSTAKING AND IT'S TAKEN A LONG TIME.

AND, AND YOU KNOW, I JUST, I JUST I'M IMPRESSED WITH THE INFORMATION THAT YOU FACILITATED GETTING PUT TOGETHER THAT ALLOWS ME TO SIT HERE, VOTE YES, TO AFFIRM THE PLANNING COMMISSION'S DECISION AND FEEL LIKE I MADE THE RIGHT DECISION FOR EVERYBODY, EVEN THOSE THAT ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENT, RIGHT? THAT THAT THAT THEY SHOULD BE HAPPY AS WELL.

SO THANK YOU FOR THAT.

MR. CHAIR, THAT'S ALL I HAVE.

THANK YOU. COUNTY COUNCIL CEO MENDEZ.

YEAH, JUST VERY BRIEFLY, MR. CHAIR, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, AS AS YOU'RE WELL AWARE, I JUST WANTED TO MENTION I WILL NOT BE IN ATTENDANCE AT THE MEETING ON THE 21ST.

SO MARCI BARRERA OR ASSISTANT CEO WILL BE SITTING HERE AT THE DAIS.

YOU WILL BE IN GOOD HANDS WITH MARCI.

WE'LL OBVIOUSLY CONSULT PRIOR, BUT JUST TAKING AN OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE SOME FAMILY TIME BEFORE MY SON BEGINS HIS ROTATIONS.

AS SOME OF YOU KNOW, HE'S IN HIS SECOND ENTERING HIS THIRD YEAR AS A MEDICAL STUDENT.

AND SO WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO GET AWAY FAMILY, MAYBE ONE LAST TIME.

THE FOUR OF US. SO MARCI WILL WILL BE UP HERE WITH YOU.

SO JUST WANTED TO MAKE THAT NOTE.