[00:00:02] >> ALL RIGHT, EVERYBODY. GOOD AFTERNOON. [1. Call to order] I LIKE TO CALL THE MEETING TO ORDER. I HAVE 3:02 ON MY CLOCK, SO WE'LL START THE MEETING. BEFORE WE BEGIN, I'D LIKE TO LET EVERYONE KNOW THAT WE DO HAVE A SPANISH TRANSLATOR LOCATED IN THE BACK OF THE ROOM FOR ANYONE WHO NEEDS ANY LANGUAGE ASSISTANCE. CAN WE HAVE ROLL CALL, PLEASE? >> DIRECTOR ESPINOZA. >> PRESENT. >> DIRECTOR HOGE. >> HERE. >> DIRECTOR SERRATO. >> HERE. >> DIRECTOR MCDANIEL. >> PRESENT. >> DIRECTOR SAMRA. >> PRESENT. >> DIRECTOR NEGI. >> PRESENT. >> DIRECTOR NELSON. >> DIRECTOR PAREIRA. >> PRESENT. >> DIRECTOR PEDROZO. >> HERE. >> DIRECTOR SILVEIRA. >> PRESENT. >> CHAIR LLANEZ. >> HERE. WE HAVE A QUORUM. NEXT, WE HAVE INVOCATION. DO WE HAVE A VOLUNTEER ON THE DIAS TO LEAD US IN THE INVOCATION? >> FROM THE AUDIENCE [OVERLAPPING]. >> OR FROM THE AUDIENCE AS WELL? >> STACY. >> THANK YOU. >> IF YOU WOULDN'T MIND BOWING YOUR HEAD WITH ME. HEAVENLY FATHER, WE GATHER HERE TODAY TO DO BUSINESS OF THE COUNTY AND THEIR CITIES. I JUST PRAY THAT YOU WOULD GIVE US WISDOM AND GUIDANCE THAT WE WOULD MAKE GOOD DECISIONS, THAT WE WOULD HAVE A JOYFUL HEART, AND THAT YOUR WILL WOULD BE DONE. I PRAY THAT FOR THOSE THAT ARE UNDER HARDSHIP, THAT YOU WOULD COME ALONGSIDE AND COMFORT THEM. I PRAY ALL THIS IN JESUS NAME. AMEN. >> AMEN. >> THANK YOU. IF YOU COULD JOIN ME IN THE PLEDGE. DIRECTOR PEDROZO, DO YOU WANT TO LEAD US? >> [2. Approval of Agenda] >> FIRST UP IS THE APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA. DO ANY OF THE DIRECTORS OR THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR HAVE ANY COMMENTS ON THE AGENDA? >> I MOVE. >> [INAUDIBLE]. >> I'LL SECOND. >> WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? >> AYE. >> ANY OPPOSITION? NO. MOTION PASSES. THANK YOU. NEXT UP IS PUBLIC COMMENT. PUBLIC COMMENT IS NOW OPEN FOR ANYONE TO SPEAK ON MATTERS NOT LISTED ON THE AGENDA. COMMENTS ARE LIMITED TO THREE MINUTES PER PERSON. I'LL ASK ONLINE FIRST. DO WE HAVE ANYONE ONLINE? NO. DO WE HAVE ANYONE IN PERSON WISHING TO MAKE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT? NO. HAVE WE RECEIVED ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS? NO. PERFECT. THANK YOU. MOVE ON TO ITEM 4: PORTS AND PRESENTATIONS. [4. Reports and Presentations] I UNDERSTAND WE DON'T HAVE A CITIZENS ADVISORY COMMITTEE REPORT TODAY, THE MEETING WAS CANCELED DUE TO A LACK OF QUORUM. THEN THE NEXT ITEM IS CALTRANS. DO WE HAVE CALTRANS HERE? >> LET'S SEE, DO WE HAVE CALTRANS ON. >> WE DO NOT. >> CHAIR, WE ACTUALLY HAVE A. >> WE HAVE SOME AUDIO ISSUES HAPPENING. IT'S GOING IN AND OUT. OKAY. JUST ONE MOMENT. >> OKAY. >> OKAY. WE'LL PAUSE SO YOU CAN. DESPITE SOME TECHNICAL ISSUES, WE'RE BACK. LET'S MOVE BACK ON TO ITEM 4B, CALTRANS DISTRICT 10 REPORT. >> YOU'RE GOOD. >> GOOD AFTERNOON. CAN YOU HEAR ME? YES. EXCELLENT. I'M GREGORIO PONCE, CALTRANS DISTRICT 10, ACTING DEPUTY DIRECTOR FOR PLANNING LOCAL ASSISTANCE AND ENVIRONMENTAL. I'M GLAD TO BE HERE TO SHARE WITH YOU A FEW ITEMS TODAY. FIRST AND FOREMOST, CALTRANS IS UPDATING ITS 2024 STRATEGIC PLAN. AS PART OF THAT UPDATE, ONE OF THE THINGS WE'RE VERY HAPPY TO SHARE IS THAT WE WILL BE, AGAIN, FOCUSING OUR EFFORTS ON OUR CORE FOUR PRIORITY, SAFETY, CLIMATE ACTION EQUITY, AND ECONOMIC PROSPERITY. I DO HAVE A FEW ITEMS TO SHARE HERE WITH REGARDS TO FUNDING AS PART OF OUR EGA PROGRAM, OUR FEDERAL TRANSPORTATION FUNDING PROGRAM. THE FIRST ONE IS NATIONAL CULVERT REMOVAL. IT'S A CALL FOR APPLICATIONS. THIS PROGRAM IS INTENDED TO IMPROVE OR RESTORE FISH PASSAGE FOR ANADROMOUS FISH THROUGH REPLACEMENT REMOVAL OR REPAIR OF CULVERTS OR WEIRS. THERE'S APPROXIMATELY 196 MILLION. [00:05:01] THE DEADLINE SEPTEMBER 23RD. WE HAVE ANOTHER FUNDING OPPORTUNITY FOR CHARGING AND FUELING INFRASTRUCTURE. THIS IS A DISCRETIONARY GRANT PROGRAM, AND IT'S INTENDED TO MAKE MODERN AND SUSTAINABLE INFRASTRUCTURE AVAILABLE AND ACCESSIBLE TO ALL DRIVERS OF ELECTRIC, HYDROGEN, PROPANE, AND NATURAL GAS VEHICLE DRIVERS. THERE'S APPROXIMATELY 1.3 BILLION AVAILABLE UNDER THIS PROGRAM WITH THE DEADLINE OF AUGUST 28TH. LASTLY, CALTRANS AWARDED MORE THAN 51 MILLION IN PLANNING GRANTS IN THIS LATEST ROUND OF STATE TRANSPORTATION PLANNING GRANTS. MERCED COUNTY CONGRATULATIONS, DID RECEIVE ONE FOR THE YOSEMITE AREA REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM, MANUFACTURING COLLABORATION GRANT OF APPROXIMATELY 368,000, AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU ON THIS IMPORTANT GRANT. I DON'T HAVE ANY OTHER ITEMS TO SHARE, IF ANYONE HAS ANY QUESTIONS FOR ME. THANK YOU. >> QUESTIONS? >> THANK YOU. FOR THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS, I'VE BEEN PUSHING THE CROSSING AT PLAINSBURG AND STATE HIGHWAY 140 IN PLANADA AND I HAVEN'T SEEN ANY PROGRESS AT ALL, AND I HAVEN'T GOTTEN ANY UPDATES. I'M PRETTY SURE SUPERVISOR-ELECT JIM PACHECO WILL BE ALSO ADVOCATING FOR THAT ONE. IF YOU CAN PLEASE REMIND STAFF, IF YOU CAN GIVE US AN UPDATE FOR OUR [INAUDIBLE] SYSTEM CROSSING THERE. I KNOW THAT [INAUDIBLE] WAS DONE, AND WE ALMOST STARTED AT THE SAME TIME. THEIRS IS DONE, AND WE HAVEN'T SEEN ANYTHING IN PLANADA AT THE 140 AND PLAINSBURG CROSSING. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >> ANYONE ELSE? DIRECTOR PAREIRA. >> HI. >> HI. >> I WAS JUST LETTING YOU FINISH MAKING YOUR NOTES BECAUSE I KNOW. THERE YOU GO. ON NORTH HIGHWAY 59 BETWEEN OAKDALE ROAD AND THE EDENDALE CANAL, THERE IS A COVERT THAT IS UNDERSIZED. I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY FISH SWIM THROUGH IT, BUT I JUST HEARD YOU SAY THERE'S A COVERT UPDATING GRANT PROGRAM. I'VE SHARED THIS WITH THE TEAM ALREADY, AND SO JUST ANOTHER ASK MIGHT BE HELPFUL. >> CAN YOU PLEASE REPEAT THE FIRST PORTION, IT'S THE 80 DALE CANAL? >> IT'S ON NORTH HIGHWAY 59 BETWEEN OAKDALE ROAD AND THE EDENDALE, E-D-E-N-D-A-L-E, CANAL. I DON'T KNOW THE MILE MARKER. >> THANK YOU. I'LL TAKE THAT BACK TO OUR MEETING IN [INAUDIBLE]. >> THEN I HAVE A QUESTION. THERE'S A BRIDGE ON HIGHWAY 33 IN GASTON NEAR SULLIVAN ROAD, AND THE DECK OF THE BRIDGE, ESPECIALLY ON THE NORTHBOUND LANE IS INCREDIBLY ROUGH. I'VE SENT IT IN. I SENT IT IN, PAT AND I DID BACK PROBABLY WHAT? FEBRUARY? IT'S NOT BEEN ADDRESSED. I TOOK PICTURES AND I EMAILED THE DIRECTOR, TOM AND DUPER AND PAT, YESTERDAY, JUST AS A REMINDER. IT SEEMS TO ME LIKE A LOT OF BRIDGES ARE ROUGH AND DON'T GET DONE. CAN YOU JUST GIVE ME AN UPDATE OF ARE THEY SPECIAL OR DIFFERENT? BECAUSE THEY'LL PAVE THE WHOLE HIGHWAY AND THEN JUST LEAVE THE BRIDGE UNDONE. I WAS WONDERING IF THERE'S SOMETHING SPECIAL ABOUT BRIDGES. >> FOR BRIDGES, THERE IS AN EVALUATION DONE BECAUSE, IN ADDITION TO THE DECK, THERE'S ALSO THE RAILING LOOKED AT AS WELL AS THE APPROACHES, AND THEN ANY EVALUATION POSSIBLY FOR SUBSTRUCTURE, SO CERTAINLY BEYOND PAVEMENT. I'LL DEFINITELY TAKE THIS BACK TO OUR MAINTENANCE. I DO HAVE SOME ITEMS HERE THAT CAME FORWARD FROM JUNE. I HAD SOME FOLLOW-UP, IF I CAN SHARE A LITTLE BIT ON THAT? I'LL DEFINITELY TAKE THAT INFORMATION BACK TO OUR MAINTENANCE AND CIRCLE BACK ON THE MATERIAL THAT YOU HAD SENT. >> I DID GET AN EMAIL FROM ONE OF YOUR TEAM ABOUT THE EXACT LOCATION OF THAT BRIDGE, SO SOMEBODY KNOWS ABOUT IT. I THINK THEY'VE GOT IT SOMEWHAT IN THE WORKS, ANYWAY. >> OKAY. OH, THAT'S CORRECT. WE DID ASK FOR A SPECIFIC LOCATION. I DO HOPE THAT CAME. [OVERLAPPING] THANK YOU FOR THAT. >> NO, IT'S BEEN A MONTH AGO, PROBABLY. >> I DO HAVE AN ITEM HERE, STATE ROUTE 59 AND SNELLING. >> UH-HUH. >> FIELD MAINTENANCE. THE ISSUE WAS BRUSH AND VEGETATION REMOVAL, I BELIEVE. [00:10:01] FIELD MAINTENANCE ADDRESSED THIS AREA. IT LOOKS LIKE TIME PREVIOUSLY, WHEN THIS AREA WAS TREATED, WE HAD TO GET PERMISSION TO ACCESS THE PRIVATE PROPERTY. THIS YEAR, WE ARE GOING TO SPEND SOME TIME AND ATTENTION TO IT. HOWEVER, WE WERE NOT ABLE TO ACCESS THE PRIVATE PROPERTY PORTION. THAT IS CURRENTLY BEING ADDRESSED IN THE FIELD. >> GREGORIA, I KNOW SOME OF THESE COMMENTS, WE HAVE A EXECUTIVE PARTNERSHIP MEETING SCHEDULED, I THINK TOMORROW. I CAN ALSO TAKE SOME OF THESE, AND WE CAN MAYBE, I HOPE YOU'RE ON THAT CALL TOMORROW TOO WITH THE TEAM, BUT WE CAN ALSO DIG IN A LITTLE DEEPER AND SPECIFICALLY TALK ABOUT BOTH THE JUNE ITEMS AND THE ONES THAT CAME UP TODAY. IF THAT'S HELPFUL. >> WE HAVE ONE MORE QUESTION, DIRECTOR ESPINOZA. >> YES. >> JUST A CORRECTION, I'M SORRY. I MADE A MISTAKE, IT WAS SUTTER STREET AND HIGHWAY 140. PLAINSBURG IS WHERE THE ROUNDABOUT IS GOING TO BE, SO THAT'S TAKEN CARE OF, SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU, CHAIR. >> THANK YOU FOR THAT CLARIFICATION. >> THANK YOU. LET'S MOVE ON TO ITEM 4C: RECOGNITION OF SERVICE, DIRECTOR PEDROZO. BEFORE WE GO UP FRONT HERE AND TAKE A SELFIE, DO ANY OF THE DIRECTORS WISH TO HAVE ANY COMMENTS ABOUT DIRECTOR PEDROZO'S TIME AS CHAIR? [LAUGHTER] THAT'S WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU MESS WITH MY AUDIO. JUST KIDDING. ALL RIGHT. YOU WANT TO MEET ME UP HERE? WHILE THEY'RE WALKING UP, WE MIGHT AS WELL SEEING HAPPY BIRTHDAY. >> NO. [LAUGHTER] >> [MUSIC]. >> [APPLAUSE] WE DO HAVE AUDIO NOW, SO THANK YOU FOR EVERYONE ONLINE FOR BEARING WITH US. APPRECIATE IT. [BACKGROUND] >> THANK YOUR, CHAIR. >> YES. FOR THE RECORD, IT IS NOT MY BIRTHDAY. [LAUGHTER] WE'VE HEARD THAT BEFORE. MOVING ON TO ITEM 5. INFORMATION ITEMS. THESE ITEMS ARE INCLUDED FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES AND WILL NOT BE PRESENTED BY STAFF UNLESS BOARD MEMBERS HAVE QUESTIONS. DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR STAFF? SEEING NONE, OKAY, MOVE ON. ITEM 6 IS A CONSENT CALENDAR. [6. Consent Calendar] THESE ITEMS MAY BE ACTED ON WITH ONE VOTE UNLESS SPECIFICALLY REMOVED FOR SEPARATE CONSIDERATION BY A MEMBER OF THE BOARD, A MEMBER OF STAFF, OR ANY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC. I'LL START WITH DIRECTORS. DO DIRECTORS HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR STAFF? NO. ARE THERE ANY COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC? SEEING NONE, DO WE HAVE A MOTION? >> CHAIR SILVEIRA, MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONSENT CALENDAR. >> [INAUDIBLE] FOR A SECOND. >> WE HAVE A MOTION IN A SECOND. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? >> AYE. >> ANY OPPOSITION? NO. NOW WE [7. Action Items] MOVE ON TO THE MERCED COUNTY ASSOCIATION OF GOVERNMENT'S AGENDA. THIS IS ITEM 7. THESE ARE ACTION ITEMS. ITEMS WILL BE PRESENTED BY STAFF AND PUBLIC COMMENT WILL BE AVAILABLE DURING THE CONSIDERATION OF EACH ITEM. LET'S MOVE ON TO, WE HAVE ELIZABETH UP HERE. >> SHE'S TAKING PLACE FOR MEG. >> OKAY. 7A, AUTHORIZE THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR TO ENTER INTO A CONTRACT TO DEVELOP A TRANSPORTATION NETWORK VULNERABILITY ASSESSMENT IN THE AMOUNT OF $296,599 WITH WSP USA, INC. >> THANK YOU. GOOD AFTERNOON, BOARD. I'LL BE COVERING A COUPLE OF ITEMS FOR MEG PRINCE TODAY. THIS ONE'S REGARDING A GRANT THAT WE RECEIVED FROM CALTRANS FOR CLIMATE ADAPTATION PLANNING. IT'S TO EVALUATE OUR SYSTEM, TO LOOK AT POTENTIAL TRANSPORTATION ISSUES RELATED TO HEAT AND FLOOD, AND FIRE. WE RELEASED A REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS FOR THIS PROJECT, RECEIVED A NUMBER OF THEM BACK. A FEW OF YOUR AGENCIES PARTICIPATED IN SCORING AND INTERVIEWING THESE FIRMS. WE'RE RECOMMENDING THAT YOU AUTHORIZE THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR TO ENTER INTO A CONTRACT WITH WSP FOR THIS WORK, AND I'M HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS. >> DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE BOARD? [00:15:01] NO. SEEING NONE, ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE PUBLIC? NO. DO WE HAVE A MOTION? >> DIRECTOR SAMRA, MOTION TO APPROVE. >> PEDROZO, SECOND. >> SECOND. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? >> AYE. >> ANY OPPOSITION. SEEING NONE. THANK YOU. YOU'RE STICKING AROUND FOR THE NEXT ONE, CORRECT? LET'S MOVE ON TO 7B, ADOPT INTERIM CRITERIA FOR APPROVING BICYCLE AND PEDESTRIAN CLAIMS PER ARTICLE 3 OF THE CALIFORNIA TRANSPORTATION DEVELOPMENT ACT AND CONSIDER A FUNDING ALLOCATION FOR THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA MERCED CAMPUS CONNECTION PROJECT. >> THANK YOU, CHAIR. THIS ITEM IS FOLLOWING UP A BIT ON AN ITEM THAT WE HAD LAST MONTH, AND SO WE'RE BRINGING IT BACK TO YOU. THERE ARE TWO DIFFERENT THINGS THAT WERE UNDER DISCUSSION LAST MONTH. THE FIRST IS THAT UNDER THE TRANSPORTATION DEVELOPMENT ACT, WE HAD AN AUDIT OF OUR FUNDS THAT WE MANAGE UNDER THE STATE TRANSPORTATION DEVELOPMENT ACT. ONE OF THE BITS OF DISCUSSION WAS THAT MCAG HOLDS 2% OF THE LOCAL TRANSPORTATION FUND FOR BIKE PROJECTS. WE HOLD IT. WE HAVE NOT AUTHORIZED THAT FOR ANY PROJECTS AT THIS POINT. TO DATE, THERE'S ABOUT 233,000 IN THERE. AT THE END OF THIS UPCOMING YEAR, WE EXPECT THERE TO BE ABOUT 440,000 IN THERE. IT IS BASED ON SALES TAX REVENUES, SO THOSE ARE ESTIMATES. PART OF OUR AUDIT SAID THAT WE SHOULD COME UP WITH PROCEDURES FOR HOW WE WILL DISTRIBUTE THESE FUNDS, THEIR REGIONAL BIKE AND PED FUNDS. ALSO, CONCURRENTLY OR PARALLELLY, THERE WAS A REQUEST FROM [INAUDIBLE] FOR THE CAMPUS CONNECTIONS PROJECT FOR 600,000 FROM MEASURE V REGIONAL FUNDS TO MATCH A GRANT THAT THEY RECEIVED. THE REQUEST WHAT CAME TO THE BOARD LAST MONTH, IT WAS A DISCUSSION OF THE VARIOUS FUNDING TYPES THAT MIGHT BE ELIGIBLE TO COVER THAT REQUEST FROM THE UNIVERSITY, AND THIS WAS DISCUSSED AS ONE OF THE POTENTIAL FUNDING TYPES. THERE ARE TWO ACTION ITEMS PROPOSED IN THIS AGENDA BASED ON WHAT WE HEARD FROM YOU LAST MEETING. THE FIRST WOULD BE THAT OUR AUDIT RECOMMENDED THAT WE DEVELOP AN OVERALL SYSTEM FOR HOW WE MANAGE THE TDA, BUT IN THE INTERIM, THIS STAFF REPORT PROPOSES THAT WE ADOPT SOME CRITERIA BY WHICH THE BOARD CONSIDERS PROJECTS FOR THE BIKE AND PED CLAIMS. THERE'S A COUPLE OF NOTES THAT THIS WOULD BE AN INTERIM CRITERIA. >> SUGGESTING THAT BIKE AND PED FUNDS MAY BE ALLOCATED TO PROJECTS OF REGIONAL BENEFIT OR INTEREST, PROJECTS THAT WILL HELP LEVERAGE OTHER FUNDS OR PROJECT DEVELOPMENT PHASES, SUCH AS DOING THE DESIGN ON A PROJECT SO THAT THAT PROJECT COULD APPLY FOR CONSTRUCTION. IT'S REALLY NOT A LOT OF MONEY, TYPICALLY IN THIS BIKE FUND, SO THE RECOMMENDATION IS THAT WE LOOK AT REGIONAL PROJECTS AND USING IT AS SEED MONEY, IN A SENSE. THE FIRST ACTION IS FOR THE BOARD TO TAKE SOME ACTION ON AN INTERIM CRITERIA FOR THE FUNDING. THE SECOND ITEM FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION WOULD BE, IF THAT'S THE CASE, TO CONSIDER AN ALLOCATION OF FUNDING TO [INAUDIBLE]. I'LL JUST MENTION AGAIN THAT THIS FUND SHOULD HAVE AN ESTIMATED 440,000 AT THE END OF THE YEAR, AND THAT THEY DID INITIALLY REQUEST 600,000. IT IS WRITTEN FOR TWO ACTIONS FOR THE BOARD. I'M HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS. >> QUESTIONS FROM THE BOARD. DIRECTOR NATE. >> THANK YOU. YOU'RE PROPOSING FROM MEASURE V? >> THIS IS NO. THIS IS THE STATE TRANSPORTATION DEVELOPMENT ACT FUNDS, WHICH ARE SALES TAX BASE. >> >> REGIONAL. >> REGIONAL MEASURE V MONEY. >> THE INITIAL REQUEST FOR FUNDS WAS FOR MEASURE V FUNDS. AFTER THAT INITIAL REQUEST, THAT'S JUST A BACKGROUND ON THE CAMPUS CONNECTION PROJECT. THE BOARD ASKED, WHAT ARE SOME OTHER OPTIONS? THIS IS ANOTHER FUNDING OPTION. IT'S NOT AN ITEM FOR MEASURE V FUNDS. IT'S AN ALTERNATIVE TO THEIR MEASURE V REQUEST. >> BECAUSE IT WASN'T GOING THROUGH THE CHANNELS OF WHAT MEASURE V IS SUPPOSED TO BE AS FAR AS GETTING IN THE QUEUE AND THE WAY THAT THE MEASURE IS WRITTEN AS FAR AS DOLING OUT THE FUNDS, SO I JUST WORRIED ABOUT THAT. THANK YOU. >> I JUST WANT TO ADD THAT THE WAY THAT THIS ITEM IS WRITTEN, I KNOW THE INTENT OR MAYBE THE DIRECTION THAT WE RECEIVED LAST MONTH WAS THERE WAS, I DON'T WANT TO SAY A FULL, BUT THERE WAS SOME CONSENSUS BUILDING AROUND THE NUMBER 300,000. [00:20:01] WE DID MENTION, AS ELIZABETH STATED, THAT WE'RE PROJECTING A BALANCE OF 440-ISH BY THE END OF THE YEAR. THE REQUEST WAS 600. THIS ITEM IS WRITTEN IN A WAY THAT THE BOARD CAN MAKE A MOTION FOR ANY AMOUNT, FOR WHATEVER THE AMOUNT THOUGH THE BOARD WANTS TO ALLOCATE TO THE PROJECT. >> ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? >> IT SEEMS TO ME LIKE THERE'S TWO DIFFERENT THINGS WE'RE TALKING ABOUT. ONE IS THE CONSIDERATION OF THIS INTERIM PROJECT SELECTION CRITERIA. THAT'S ONE PIECE OF THE PUZZLE, WHICH I'M COMPLETELY OKAY WITH. THE CONSIDERING A FUNDING ALLOCATION IS A SECOND QUESTION. CAN WE TAKE THOSE IN TWO SEPARATE MOTIONS AND VOTES? THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL FOR ME. >> YES. >> IF THERE ARE NO FURTHER COMMENTS, I'D MAKE THE MOTION TO GO AHEAD AND PROVE THE CONSIDERED ADOPTION OF AN INTERIM PROJECT SELECTION CRITERIA FOR ARTICLE 3 TDA FUNDS. >> SECOND. >> WE HAVE A SECOND. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? >> AYE. [OVERLAPPING] >> ANY OPPOSITION? NO. LET'S MOVE ON TO THE SECOND PART OF THAT. >> I APOLOGIZE. CAN I GET THE SECOND? >> THE MAKER WAS ME AND THE SECOND WAS SUPER, EXCUSE ME, NOT COMMISSIONER EITHER. DIRECTOR PEDROZO. >> THANK YOU. [BACKGROUND] >> ON THIS ITEM, DO WE HAVE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT? NO, SEEING. YES. >> GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYBODY. SCOTT MCBRIDE, CITY OF MERCED, CITY MANAGER. I JUST WANTED TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE WORK OF MCAG STAFF TO FIND THIS FUNDING SOURCE. LAST WEEK, WE MET AND DISCUSSED IT AT THE TRB MEETING. WE WERE SUPPORTIVE OF THIS. WE DO APPRECIATE YOUR CONSIDERATION. I WOULD JUST ADD ONE THING, AND MAYBE THIS HELPS IN NEW DECISION MAKING TODAY. I DON'T KNOW. SEVERAL OF YOU VOTED EARLIER TODAY TO ALLOW FOR THE ANNEXATION OF THE UNIVERSITY, WHICH WILL INCLUDE BELVUE ROAD INTO THE CITY. I THINK THIS REQUEST FOR FUNDING IN SUPPORT OF THE GRANT FOR UC WAS BAD TIMING AND THAT IT'S TRANSITIONING FROM THE COUNTY TO THE CITY EVENTUALLY. CORRECT. THERE REALLY ISN'T AN ALL MODES PIECE OF REGIONAL MEASURE V. THERE ARE A LOT OF THINGS ARE GOING ON. I THINK THAT WITH YOUR SUPPORT TODAY, IF YOU FEEL INCLINED, YOU CAN PROVIDE THE SUPPORT THAT THEY NEED, AND WE NEED TO MAKE THIS GO FORWARD. WE'RE STILL WORKING ON LOCAL SOURCES TOO. WE WANT TO BE A GOOD PARTNER FOR THEM, AND JUST APPRECIATE YOUR CONSIDERATION TODAY. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE FROM THE PUBLIC? NO. THEN THE SECOND ITEM, THE MOTION. >> I'M READY TO MAKE A COMMENT ON IT. >> OKAY. >> MR. MCBRIDE, YES, ABSOLUTELY, THAT IS A GREAT POINT TO BRING TO THE TABLE, IS THAT I MYSELF, AND I KNOW THAT IT WAS AT THAT POINT, COMMISSIONER MCDANIEL VOTED EARLIER TODAY, COMMISSIONER YANEZ AND COMMISSIONER HOGE THERE AS WELL. FOR LAVCO, VOTED FOR THE ANNEXATION OF UC MERCED INTO THE CITY OF MERCED, WHICH TAKES THE PLACE IF NOBODY OPPOSES IT IN 31 DAYS. THAT CHANGES A LITTLE BIT OF IT FOR ME, BECAUSE HAD THE REQUEST COME FROM THE CITY OF MERCED, WE PROBABLY WOULDN'T EVEN BE HAVING THIS DISCUSSION. REALLY WHAT THIS ULTIMATELY FOR ME IS ANOTHER WAY THAT YOU SEE MERCED THAT HAS THIS SUPER GREAT POTENTIAL TO BE SO GREAT FOR MERCED COUNTY, BUT THEY'RE NOT QUITE THERE YET. ONE THE LOCAL RESIDENTS OF A POOR RURAL COUNTY WHO'S TRYING TO BE ON THE RISE TO SUBSIDIZE WHAT THEY'RE DOING. REALLY, WHERE THE SLAP IN THE FACE TO ME IS, IS THE FACT THAT THEY WENT AHEAD AND APPLIED FOR THIS GRANT. MAYBE I WAS ON THE PERIPHERAL, I WAS AWARE OF IT. I'M NOT QUITE SURE THAT I WAS. THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN, IN LIEU OF MONEY, THEY WANT TO PUT IN TIME. THEY'LL EXPEND SOME HUMAN RESOURCES INTO IT AND THEN THAT'S THEIR PIECE. THEN THEY WANT US TO PUT IN THE REST OF THE MONEY. I THINK IT'S THE CART BEFORE THE HORSE. THEY SHOULD HAVE BEEN HAVING THAT DISCUSSION WITH US AHEAD OF TIME. THAT'S WHERE I STRUGGLE WITH IT. IT DOES MAKE MORE SENSE TO TAKE THIS FUNDING OUT OF A STATE SOURCE THAN IT DOES OUT OF OUR LOCAL MEASURE V MONEY. WE JUST PASSED AN ITEM WHERE HERE WE ARE SPENDING $256,000, THAT'S NOT GOING TO GET A POTHOLE PAID. IT'S NOT GOING TO FIX A BRIDGE. IT'S NOT GOING TO FIX A COVERT. IT'S NOT GOING TO FIX ANYTHING. ALL IT IS IS WE'RE GOING TO GO STUDY WHERE WE THINK VULNERABILITIES ARE IN OUR SYSTEM. I GOT A GOOD SUGGESTION FOR YOU, WHY DON'T YOU JUST COME ASK US? WE COULD TELL YOU WHERE ALL OF THEM ARE. WE DO EVERY MEETING, WE TELL YOU WHERE THE VULNERABILITIES IN THE SYSTEMS ARE. I KNOW THAT'S A LOT TO GET AROUND IT. NOW THAT I KNOW WHAT I KNOW ABOUT THE CITY, AND THIS IS GOING TO BE REALLY A PROJECT THAT BENEFITS THE CITY OF MERCED. AT THE SAME TIME THAT YOU SEE MERCED, BUT THEY'RE DRIVING THE SHIP ON THIS. [00:25:01] WELL, WILL BE ANYWAYS. I'M A LITTLE BIT BETTER WITH IT, BECAUSE IT'S COME FROM STATE FUNDING, I COULD LIVE WITH IT COMING OUT OF THERE. I WOULD NOT BE IN SUPPORT OF USING ANY MEASURE V MONEY AT THIS POINT UNTIL THE CITY HAS SOME REQUEST THAT THEY'RE COMING. THAT'S JUST MY COMMENTS ON IT. >> THANK YOU. ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? >> NO, I UNDERSTAND AND I AGREE 100% WITH THAT, BECAUSE I REALLY DO THINK THAT WHEN THIS IS NOW A CITY PROJECT, REALLY, AND TO DO THE FULL, AS MUCH AS WE CAN OR TO USE ALL OF IT, IT DOESN'T REALLY GO TO THE REGIONAL ASPECT OR THE REGIONAL NATURE OF THE WHOLE IDEA, THE ARGUMENT THAT WAS PUT BEFORE US AT THE BEGINNING. I THINK WE GO WITH THE MONEY THAT IS IN THERE NOW THAT WE ALREADY KNOW THAT'S IN THERE, THE 233, SO THAT WE CAN ACTUALLY USE SOME OF THE OTHER STUFF TO MAKE IT TRULY REGIONAL, AND MAKE A COUNTY WIDE DECISION ON THAT. >> THANK YOU. ANY OTHER COMMENTS, QUESTIONS? DO YOU WANT TO MAKE THAT MOTION? ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS ON THE MOTION MADE? NO. >> WE GOT A MOTION, BUT I THINK I WAS FINE WITH GOING UP TO THE 300,000 AMOUNT. WE'RE GOING TO HAVE 440 IN THERE BEFORE THE MONEY SPENT, AND SO STILL LEAVE SOME MONEY IN THERE IF SOMETHING ELSE COMES ALONG. BUT ANYWAY, SO I'D LIKE TO AMEND THE MOTION TO 300,000, IF THAT'S OKAY, IF THERE'S A SECOND. >> I'LL SECOND. >> OKAY. BEEN AMENDED TO. [BACKGROUND] WE'LL DO THE ORIGINAL ONE FIRST, AND THEN MOVE ON TO THE AMENDED ONE. >> NO, YOU DO THE AMENDMENT FIRST. >> I'M SORRY, DO THE AMENDED FIRST. >> THEN DON'T FORGET PUBLIC COMMENT. >> OKAY. >> FOR MARIA'S SAKE, AND MINE. I SAW. WE'RE RIGHT HERE. THE ORIGINAL MOTION WAS THE 233 FROM DIRECTOR PEDROZO, BUT THERE WAS NOT A SECOND. THERE WAS. SORRY, DIRECTOR MCDANIEL. THEN THERE WAS A REQUEST FOR A MOTION FOR AMENDMENT, SORRY, BY DIRECTOR SILVEIRA PAREIRA TO CHANGE THE AMOUNT TO THREE AND A SECOND BY DIRECTOR ESPINOZA. THANK YOU. >> LET'S OPEN THAT UP TO PUBLIC COMMENT. ANY PUBLIC COMMENT? NO, SEEING NONE. WE'LL DO THE AMENDED. >> THE AMENDMENT. >> THE AMENDMENT FIRST. >> I WOULD RECOMMEND SEEING A ROLL CALL VOTE? >> YES. LET'S DO A ROLL CALL VOTE. >> DIRECTOR ESPINOZA? >> YES. >> DIRECTOR HOGE? >> YES. >> DIRECTOR SERRATO? >> YES. >> DIRECTOR MCDANIEL? >> ALL RIGHT. >> DIRECTOR SAMRA? >> YES. >> DIRECTOR NEGI? >> AYE. >> DIRECTOR PAREIRA? >> AYE. >> DIRECTOR PEDROZO? >> NO. >> DIRECTOR SILVEIRA? >> AYE. >> CHEREANES. >> YES. >> MOTION CARRIES. PASSES. [BACKGROUND] >> NOW WE VOTE ON THE REVISED MOTION. >> GOT IT. >> NOW WE DO A ROLL CALL VOTE ON THE REVISED MOTION. >>> DIRECTOR ESPINOZA? >> NO. [BACKGROUND] >> NO. THE AMENDMENT HAS NOW BEEN APPROVED SO NOW THE VOTE IS ON THE ORIGINAL MOTION, BUT FOR 300,000. [BACKGROUND] >> WE VOTED ON 300,000. >> THE AMENDMENT IS NOT TO APPROVE THE UNDERLYING MOTION. THE AMENDMENT IS TO APPROVE CHANGING THE AMOUNT OF THE ALLOCATION FROM 233,000 TO 300,000. THAT HAS NOW BEEN APPROVED SO NOW THE BOARD NEEDS TO VOTE ON THE ACTUAL ALLOCATION OF 300,000. >> OKAY. >> THANK YOU FOR CLARIFYING THAT. CAN WE GET A ROLL CALL THOUGH? [BACKGROUND] >> DIRECTOR ESPINOZA. >> FOR THE ALLOCATION OF 300,000. YES. >> DIRECTOR HOGE? >> YES. >> DIRECTOR SERRATO? >> YES. >> DIRECTOR MCDANIEL. >> AYE. >> DIRECTOR SAMRA? >> YES. >> DIRECTOR NEGI? >> NO. >> DIRECTOR PAREIRA? >> AYE. >> DIRECTOR PEDROZO? >> YES. >> DIRECTOR SILVEIRA? >> YES. >> CHEREANES. >> YES. >> MOTION CARRIES. >> LET'S GO WITH THIS. >> GO THROUGH THAT ONE. >> LET'S GO ON. [BACKGROUND] LET'S MOVE ON TO C, FORMATION OF REGIONAL RAIL PLANNING COMMITTEE. FOR THIS, WE'LL GO TO OUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR DESMOND. >> THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. I THINK I AM IN ONE OF [00:30:03] THE CHAIRS THAT JUST PERPETUALLY SINKS AS I'M TALKING. I HOPE YOU CAN SEE ME OVER THE SCREEN. THIS ITEM IS AN IDEA THAT HAS BEEN DISCUSSED AT THE STAFF LEVEL FOR THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS, AND WE'VE HAD SEVERAL CONVERSATIONS WITH VARIOUS BOARD MEMBERS, AND MOST RECENTLY WITH DIRECTOR PEDROZO ABOUT THE IDEA OF MCAG SERVING AS A HUB FOR COORDINATION AROUND PASSENGER RAIL PROJECTS THAT ARE IN VARIOUS PLANNING STAGES IN MERCED COUNTY. WHAT THIS ITEM IS REQUESTING IS THAT THE BOARD, WELL, ACTUALLY, IT'S FOR DISCUSSION ONLY BUT [NOISE] [BACKGROUND] WE JUST HAD OUR SAFETY TRAINING THIS WEEK, SO MY UTO LOOP WAS READY TO GO. SORRY. WE SHOULD LOOK IT UP. MY UTO LOOP. >> [INAUDIBLE]. >> WE THOUGHT IT WAS SCOTT MODERATING. >> LET ME START OVER. STAFF IS INTERESTED IN FORMING A COMMITTEE THAT WOULD BE A FORUM THAT WOULD MEET PROBABLY ABOUT EVERY OTHER MONTH, ALTERNATING BETWEEN VIRTUAL AND IN-PERSON WITH OUR LOCAL AND REGIONAL PARTNERS THAT ARE INVOLVED IN SOME WAY WITH PASSENGER RAIL PROJECTS AND PLANNING. WE HAVE A VARIETY OF FORUMS WHERE THIS IS HAPPENING. WE MEET WITH THE CITY OF MERCED AND HIGH-SPEED RAIL AND OUR SAN JOAQUIN RAIL COMMISSION PARTNERS. WE HAVE THE MITZI CALLS THAT HAVE ANOTHER KIND OF SUBGROUP OF SOME OF THE SAME PARTIES. WE HAVE OUR CALTRANS EXECUTIVE PARTNERSHIP MEETINGS. WE HAVE THE CALTRANS COORDINATION MEETINGS FOR 99 CORRIDOR. WE HAVE STATION AREA CONVERSATIONS. WE HAVE TRANSIT PLANNING CONVERSATIONS. WE HAVE UC COORDINATION, TRANSIT PLANNING CONVERSATIONS. BUT THERE ISN'T A PLACE WHERE OR I SHOULD ACTUALLY SAY, MCAG IS PROBABLY THE COMMON THREAD THROUGH ALL OF THOSE. THIS IDEA WAS SOMETHING THAT DIRECTOR PEDROZO AND I HAD TALKED ABOUT. WE TALKED ABOUT INTERNALLY. THEN AFTER SPEAKING WITH DAN LEVITT WITH THE SAN JOAQUIN REGIONAL RAIL COMMISSION, I THINK WE UNDERSTOOD THAT THERE WAS REALLY A NEED TO MAKE SURE, ESPECIALLY AT THE STAFF LEVEL, THAT WE'RE OPENING UP OUR NOTEBOOKS AND SAYING, "WHAT ARE YOU WORKING ON AND HOW DOES THIS INTERPLAY WITH THAT?" MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE JUST IN LOCKSTEP WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HOW ALL OF THESE OTHER MODES AND MOVING PARTS ARE INTERPLAYING AND CONNECTING WITH THE PASSENGER RAIL SERVICES THAT ARE EXPANDING INTO OUR REGION IN THE COMING YEARS. WE ENVISION THIS TO BE LARGELY STAFF DRIVEN. IT'S GOING TO BE FAIRLY TECHNICAL, BUT IT WOULD BE A MECHANISM THAT WE COULD COORDINATE TO HAVE SEVERAL OF THIS BOARD THAT WOULD EXPRESS INTEREST, AND I'M LOOKING FOR THOSE DELEGATES TODAY. THAT WE COULD FORMULATE A SCHEDULE THAT WOULD WORK TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE ELECTED OFFICIALS THAT ARE ATTENDING MEETINGS WHEN IT'S APPROPRIATE. WE CAN HAVE A SCHEDULE OF WHEN THE FULL BOARD GETS PRESENTATIONS ON THESE PROJECTS. IT'S REALLY JUST TO ELEVATE A MORE COORDINATED APPROACH SO THAT THESE INDIVIDUAL EFFORTS AND PROJECTS AREN'T BEING DEVELOPED IN SILOS. THAT IS THE ITEM THAT WE'RE PROPOSING. I JUST REALIZE THAT IT SAYS FOR DISCUSSION ONLY, BUT IT IS ON THE ACTION ITEM LIST. GOOD, WE CAN TAKE ACTION. I AM ASKING FOR THE BOARD TO NOMINATE DIRECTORS TO SERVE IN THIS CAPACITY. IT SHOULD NOT BE A HEAVY LIFT TIME-WISE. I WOULD STRONGLY RECOMMEND THAT DIRECTORS SERRATO AND PEDROZO AND EITHER MARON OR GER PAUL, DIRECTOR SAMRA, BE AMONG THOSE. I DO ANTICIPATE DIRECTOR NELSON, WHO'S NOT HERE, TO ALSO LIKELY BE INTERESTED IN THAT AS WELL. OF COURSE, IT'S OPEN TO WHOMEVER, BUT WE DO WANT TO BE SENSITIVE TO QUORUM, AND THERE WILL BE AN OPPORTUNITY TO BE BRINGING INFORMATION AND PRESENTING IT HERE AT THIS FULL BOARD AS WELL. >> MR. CHAIR, FIRST QUESTION WAS, AND I THINK YOU ANSWERED IT, JUST LONG AS IT'S NOT A QUORUM OF THIS BOARD. MY MIND INITIALLY WENT TO, I THOUGHT DIRECTOR NEGI, DIRECTOR YANEZ, DIRECTOR HOGE, AND MYSELF, WOULD BE REALLY GOOD FITS ON THERE, BUT [LAUGHTER] SEEING HOW NONE OF US HAVE ANY RAIL, WE HAVE A RAIL TRAIL, WE HAVE A SHORT LINE RAILROAD OUT THERE. [00:35:01] >> WILL BE IMPARTIAL. >> YEAH. IMPARTIAL THIRD PARTY. BUT ANYHOW, I AGREE, I THINK THAT THE COMMUNITIES THAT TOUCH IT, I THINK YOU PICKED THE ONES THAT I WOULD THINK WOULD PROBABLY BE THE BEST FIT FOR IT. ATWATER REPRESENTATIVE, LIVINGSTON'S REPRESENTATIVE, MERCED'S REPRESENTATIVE, AND THEN A REPRESENTATIVE FROM THE COUNTY; THOSE FOUR INDIVIDUALS,. YOU'D HAVE TO CHECK WITH MAYOR NELSON, IF HE'S INTERESTED OR HE'D WANT HIS ALTERNATE TO BE ON IT. >> NOW WE'RE MAKING A MOVE NOW. >> TRUE. HE'S NOT HERE. MY MOTION WOULD BE PEDROZO, SAMRA, SERRATO, AND NELSON, TO BE ON THAT NEWLY FORMED COMMITTEE. >> JOSH PEDROZO. >> THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. YEAH, THIS WAS A CONVERSATION THAT I HAD HAD WITH STACY AFTER HAVING A MEETING WITH DAN LEVITT AND THEN, JUST MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE ALL ON THE SAME PAGE. THE CITIES ARE DOING THEIR OWN THING, THEY'RE HAVING THEIR OWN STUFF AND BEING THAT THIS IS SO TRANSPORTATION ORIENTED, I THOUGHT THAT THE BEST WAY TO HANDLE IT IS JUST TO GET EVERYBODY IN THE ROOM, TO KEEP EVERYBODY ON LINE WITH WHAT'S GOING ON. I THINK THAT IT'S IMPORTANT TO CONTINUE THAT DISCUSSION SO THAT WE DON'T LOSE SIGHT OF WHAT THE ULTIMATE GOAL IS FOR MERCED COUNTY IN GENERAL, AND TO HAVE THE PEOPLE THAT ARE PRESENTING. I KNOW IT'S EAST SIDE, REALLY CENTRIC. I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO HAVE BECAUSE IT TOUCHES THIS SIDE THE MOST. BUT IT'S GOING TO BENEFIT THE COUNTY IN GENERAL. IF THERE'S A MOTION, I'LL GO AHEAD AND SECOND THAT. >> I WAS GOING TO SEE IF THERE'S ANY PUBLIC COMMENT FIRST. DO WE HAVE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS? NO. I SEE NONE. ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS? >> DO WE NEED TWO MOTIONS? DO WE NEED ONE TO CREATE AND ONE TO NOMINATE, OR IT CAN ALL BE DONE IN ONE OR? >> IT CAN ALL BE DONE IN ONE. >> YEAH. >> OKAY. >> I THOUGHT YOU WERE BEING HONORARY BECAUSE OF THE AMENDMENT TO THE AMENDMENT TO THE MOTION. [LAUGHTER] OKAY. >> HE IS BEING HONORARY. >> YEAH. >> HE IS. >> ALL RIGHT. >> IT'S A GREAT IDEA. >> ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? >> COULD YOU REPEAT THE MEMBERS THAT WERE NOMINATED? >> DIRECTORS PEDROZO, SERRATO, NELSON, AND THEN I WASN'T SURE IF IT'S SAMRA OR MORAN. >> MOST LIKELY [INAUDIBLE]. >> OKAY. SAMRA. >> ALL RIGHT. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? SOMEONE WANT TO MAKE THE MOTION. YOU HAVE A QUESTION? >> NO. >> NO. OKAY. >> WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND. >> WE HAVE A MOTION? >> YEAH. MOTION AND SECONDED BY PEDROZO. >> OKAY. JUST WATCHING SOME NODDING HEADS GOING ON OVER THERE. ALL RIGHT. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE. >> AYE. >> ANY OPPOSITION? NO. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. SEVEN D, RETHINKING THE CITIZENS ADVISORY COMMITTEE AND TECHNICAL REVIEW BOARD. THIS WILL GO TO OUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR. >> WE HAVE SOME DOOZIES ON THE AGENDA. I'M NOT GOOD AT BRIEF. I KNOW YOU ALL WILL BE SHOCKED AT THAT NEWS. I KNOW. I'M GOING TO CUT TO THE CHASE ON THIS ONE. THIS BODY HAS HAD SEVERAL PERIPHERAL CONVERSATIONS OR PRELIMINARY CONVERSATIONS AROUND THE ROLE OF THE TRB IN THE LAST FEW YEARS. THERE'S BEEN A NUMBER OF INCIDENCES JUST AS RECENT AS THIS MONTH, WHERE THE CAC HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO MEET A QUORUM. WE'VE HAD DECLINING PARTICIPATION VACANCIES ACROSS THE BOARD. SEVERAL MONTHS AGO, I BELIEVE IT WAS DIRECTOR SILVEIRA HAD ASKED US TO PUT AN ITEM ON THE AGENDA FOR THIS BOARD TO CONSIDER. BASICALLY TAKEN A DEEPER DIVE, DOING SOME RESEARCH INTO OPTIONS OR MAYBE THE APPROPRIATE ROLES OR DIFFERENT TYPES OF WAYS THAT THE CAC OR CITIZEN ENGAGEMENT AND THE TECHNICAL REVIEW BOARD COULD FUNCTION. THIS BOARD AUTHORIZED US TO EXPEND THAT TIME TO DO SO. IT TOOK US A FEW MONTHS. THIS ITEM IS THE PRODUCT OF THOSE PREVIOUS CONVERSATIONS. WHAT I DID WAS TAKE A LOOK AT OUR PARTNERS IN THE VALLEY. THERE'S, I THINK QUITE A BIT OF INFORMATION IN YOUR STAFF REPORT, I'M GOING TO FIND THE PAGE FOR YOU. THERE'S A TABLE ON PAGE 126 THAT GOES THROUGH OUR VALLEY COGS, AND IT TALKS ABOUT, DO THEY HAVE A CITIZENS ADVISORY OR NOT? IT'S A MIXED BAG. SOME DO, SOME DON'T. THE ONES THAT DO HAVE A MORE LIMITED FUNCTION THAN OURS, BUT EVERYONE SEEMS TO BE STRUGGLING WITH VACANCIES. EVERYONE SEEMS TO BE STRUGGLING WITH CANCELING MEETINGS BECAUSE THEY CAN'T FIND A QUORUM, SOME ARE IN THE EVENING, SOME ARE DURING THE DAY, SOME ARE IN THE MORNING. THERE JUST DOESN'T SEEM TO BE A SOLUTION THAT IS WORKING FOR ANYONE VERY WELL. I ALSO DID A REVIEW OF WHETHER OR NOT THEY HAVE A TECHNICAL REVIEW BOARD. [00:40:04] I WILL SAY WE ARE UNIQUE IN THAT WE HAVE NOT ONLY THE ONE JPA, BUT THE MULTIPLE JPAS PLUS THE MULTIPLE COMMITTEES. I THINK SAN JOAQUIN COG IS ONE THAT ALSO HAS SEVERAL, BUT NOT STILL TO THE SAME EXTENT THAT WE DO AND THE COMPLEXITIES THAT WE DO. BUT QUITE A FEW OF THEM DO HAVE THE REVIEW BOARDS ARE ONLY REVIEW BOARDS, SO THEY DON'T TAKE ACTION ON EVERY SINGLE ITEM. THEY MEET, THEY REVIEW, THEY ASK QUESTIONS, THEY PROVIDE FEEDBACK, AND THE ACTUAL ACTION IS ONLY HAPPENING AT THE GOVERNING BOARD LEVEL. THAT IS THE BRIEFEST BACKGROUND I CAN GIVE LEADING TO WHAT MY RECOMMENDATION IS TODAY. I WILL SAY BEFORE THAT, THE BOARD DOES NOT NEED TO ACT ON THIS TODAY, BUT I WANTED IT TO BE ACTIONABLE IN THE EVENT THAT THERE WAS SOME LEVEL OF CONSENSUS. WE CAN CONTINUE TO HAVE A DISCUSSION. I DO WANT TO SAY THAT MY TWO ATTEMPTS TO HAVE THIS CONVERSATION WITH THE CAC DID NOT HAPPEN BECAUSE THE MEETINGS WERE CANCELED BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T HAVE A QUORUM. I DID HAVE A SURVEY THAT I DISTRIBUTED AT THE BEGINNING OF THIS PROCESS SEVERAL MONTHS AGO TO TRY TO GET FEEDBACK. I GOT THE FOLKS THAT YOU WOULD RECOGNIZE IF YOU SAW IN THE ROOM, THE JOSE DECADUE AND THE MICHELLE, AND THE PEOPLE THAT COME. I STILL DO WANT TO HAVE THE CONVERSATION WITH THEM. I WILL SAY THE REQUESTED ACTION OR THE RECOMMENDATION THAT I'M PROPOSING IS THAT WE DISSOLVE THE CAC AS IT IS IN THE FORM THAT IT'S IN TODAY. WE CALL THE MEETING OF THE GROUP, AND WE WORK WITH THEM TO IDENTIFY, HOW CAN WE CONTINUE TO ENGAGE THE PEOPLE THAT ARE REALLY ENGAGED IN OUR PROCESSES? HOW CAN WE MAYBE STREAMLINE THE PROCESS SO THAT WE'RE CALLING UPON THEM AS A BODY, NOT AN APPOINTED BODY OF THE BOARD, BUT AS A STAKEHOLDER GROUP TO PROVIDE US FEEDBACK ON THE RTPS, AND WHEN WE HAVE DRAFT DOCUMENTS THAT NEED REVIEW, AND WHEN WE NEED AMBASSADORS OUT THERE TO SHARE INFORMATION ABOUT WORKSHOPS WE'RE HAVING, BUT TO REALLY BE AT THE TABLE WITH THOSE ACTORS TO HELP US FIGURE OUT WHAT'S THE BEST WAY TO MOVE FORWARD, BUT TO NOT HAVE THE FORMAL STRUCTURE THAT WE HAVE TODAY. THEN THE SECOND RECOMMENDATION IS THAT WE CHANGE THE WAY THAT THE TRB IS FUNCTIONING IN THAT WE HAVE IT BE A TRUE REVIEW BOARD, AND WE GO TO ONE AGENDA. I'VE HEARD FROM SEVERAL OF YOU OVER THE YEARS THAT SAY, IT'S STRANGE THAT THE TRB IS SEEING STUFF BEFORE WE SEE IT AND I GET PHONE CALLS, AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON AND IT'S ODD. THIS WOULD BE ONE AGENDA, AND I USE [INAUDIBLE] TO LARRY AS THE EXAMPLE, AND I HAVE A HEADER, I THINK OF THEIR AGENDA ON THE TOP OF 126, WHERE THEY PUT OUT ONE AGENDA, AND IT NOTES THE DETAILS OF THE TRB MEETING. THEN IT NOTES THE DETAILS OF THE GOVERNING BOARD MEETING. THE TRB LOOKS AT THE EXACT SAME AGENDA, AND THEN THE GOVERNING BOARD USES THAT EXACT AGENDA THE FOLLOWING WEEK FOR THEIR MEETING. IN BETWEEN THERE, THE TRB MEMBERS ARE TALKING TO THEIR ELECTED IN ADVANCE SAYING, HEY, THIS IS HAPPENING OR THAT'S HAPPENING, WHICH IS WHAT OCCURS NOW. THEN THERE WOULD BE A RESPONSIBILITY ON OUR PART WHEN WE'RE PRESENTING ITEMS, THAT IF THERE WAS A SIGNIFICANT DISCUSSION OR AN ISSUE THAT TRANSPIRED IN THE REVIEW OF THE AGENDA WITH THE TRB, THAT IT'S OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO COMMUNICATE THAT TO YOU. LET'S SAY WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE RTP, AND I COULD SAY, DURING REVIEW OF THE RTP WITH THE TECHNICAL REVIEW BOARD, THERE WAS CONCERN ABOUT THE NUMBER OF WORKSHOPS THAT WE'RE HAVING FOR THE DRAFT. HERE'S SOME OF THE SOLUTIONS WE COULD DO. THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING YOU'D HOLD US ACCOUNTABLE FOR. BUT THAT WE WOULD BE OPERATING FROM ONE AGENDA, ISSUING ONE AGENDA. THERE WOULD BE NO OTHER ACTION ORIENTED BODY OTHER THAN THIS ONE, AND WE WOULD BE LOOKING AT NEW WAYS TO ENGAGE THE CAC. I KNOW THAT'S A LOT, AND THESE ARE NEW CONCEPTS, SO THAT'S WHAT WE WANT TO UNDERSCORE. THESE DON'T HAVE TO BE ACTED ON TODAY, BUT I WANTED TO HAVE SOMETHING ACTIONABLE FOR YOU. IF YOU WANT TO HAVE MORE DISCUSSION OR NEED SOME CLARIFICATION, I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU HAVE. >> QUESTIONS. DIRECTOR. >> A COMMENT. THANK YOU, STACY FOR BRINGING THIS BACK. FOR ME, I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE FOLKS THAT ARE ENGAGING ARE GETTING VALUE OUT OF WHAT THEY'RE DOING, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, NOT HINDERING OUR PROCESS TO GET STUFF DONE OVER ON THIS END. TO ME, I'M READY TO MOVE FORWARD WITH YOUR RECOMMENDED ACTIONS. I DO APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT, IF WE DISSOLVE THE CAC, I DON'T WANT TO LOSE THOSE FOLKS THAT ARE ENGAGED, [00:45:01] THE JOSE DELGADOS OF THE WORLD WHO IS VERY ACTIVE, BUT FINDING A WAY TO ENGAGE THEM SO THAT WHEN THEY ACTUALLY MEET, IT'S FRUITFUL. WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE CALENDAR OF THE MEETINGS OF THE CAC, AND YOU LOOK AT ALL THE VACANCIES OR EXCUSE ME, ALL THE MEETINGS THAT PEOPLE HAVE MISSED, YOU LOOK AT THE MEETINGS THAT WERE CANCELED DUE TO LACK OF QUORUM. IF YOU'RE SOMEBODY FROM THE WEST SIDE THAT'S DRIVING OVER HERE TO MERCED TO COME TO A MEETING TO FIND OUT IT'S CANCELED, THAT GETS FRUSTRATING. SO I COMPLETELY AGREE WITH THE CAC, BUT UNDERSTANDING THAT THE FOLKS THAT ARE ENGAGED, LET'S FIND A WAY THAT THEIR ENGAGEMENT IS MEANINGFUL. THEN I THINK THAT, THERE'S BEEN NUMEROUS TIMES THAT BECAUSE OF THIS TWO AGENDA SYSTEM, THIS AGENDA GOES OUT AND IT GOES OUT TO THE TRB, AND THEN IF SOMETHING IS MISSED, IT GETS PULLED OVER INTO OUR AGENDA. THEY'RE HAVING TO DO THE WORK TWICE. THAT JUST DOESN'T SEEM VERY EFFICIENT TO ME. ULTIMATELY, THIS IS NO OFFENSE TO YOU AND YOUR STAFF, BUT IF YOU'RE BRINGING SOMETHING TO THE TRB THAT IS NOT PALATABLE TO THIS BOARD, THEY'RE GOING TO FIND OUT ABOUT IT. THEY'RE GOING TO RECOGNIZE IT IMMEDIATELY, AND WE'RE ALL GOING TO KNOW ABOUT IT ANYWAYS. I THINK IT JUST CLEANS UP THE PROCESS TO GO TO THE ONE AGENDA FORMAT. WE'RE LOOKING AT THE SAME AGENDA. I'M ONE OF THOSE PEOPLE. IT'S A LITTLE DIFFERENT AT THE COUNTY THAN IT IS AT THE CITY BECAUSE WE HAVE ONE CEO THAT HAS FIVE BOARD MEMBERS THAT THEY GOT TO TRY TO ENGAGE. MY GOOD FRIEND FROM LOS PANAS USED TO CALL ME 15 MINUTES AFTER THE TRB MEETING AND IS SCREAMING AT ME ABOUT SOMETHING THEY'RE DOING, AND I'M LIKE, I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT. NOT YOU MARIANA, IT WAS TWO YEARS AGO. I LITERALLY WOULD HAVE NO IDEA WHAT HE WAS TALKING ABOUT, AND THAT USED TO FRUSTRATE ME BECAUSE ONE OF MY PET PEEVES IS BEING THE LAST PERSON TO KNOW WHEN I SHOULD BE THE FIRST PERSON TO KNOW. THIS GIVES US EQUAL OPPORTUNITY TO ENGAGE, AND I THINK THAT YOU PUT IN ENOUGH SAFETY VALVES IN THERE. IF THE TRB IS ADAMANTLY OPPOSED TO SOMETHING, WE'RE ALL GOING TO KNOW, AND YOU'RE PROBABLY NOT DOING AS GOOD A JOB AS YOU NEED TO BE DOING IF IT'S GOING TO MAKE IT ALL THE WAY TO THAT POINT. KNOWING OUR, NOT ELECTED STAFF, BUT OUR APPOINTED STAFF SHOULD HAVE A GOOD IDEA OF OUR WAY OF THINKING ON SOME OF THIS STUFF. I'D LOVE TO HEAR FROM MY COLLEAGUES, BUT IF NOT, I'M READY TO MAKE A MOTION TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT YOU BROUGHT FOR US TODAY. >> I'LL SECOND. PEDROZO SECONDS. >> DIRECTOR, MCKINNEY. >> YEAH, JUST A COUPLE OF THINGS. I THOROUGHLY APPRECIATE THE WORK THAT JOSE DELGADO AND THE OTHERS THAT ARE ENGAGED HAVE DONE AND DON'T WANT TO LOSE THEIR INPUT, BECAUSE THEY HAVE SOME VALUABLE INPUT THAT THEY'VE GIVEN TO THE BOARD OVER THE YEARS. BUT IF IT'S NOT WORKING, AND LOOKING AT THE SCHEDULE OF WHO'S BEEN THERE, IF YOU LOOK AT THEIR BYLAWS, THEY'RE ONLY ALLOWED TO MISS TWO MEETINGS, AND THEN THEY'RE DECLARED VACANT. SO 11 OF THESE PEOPLE WOULD NO LONGER EVEN BE ON THAT BOARD, WHICH WOULD NEVER GIVE THEM A QUORUM. OBVIOUSLY, IT'S NOT WORKING. I'D LIKE TO SEE IT REINVENTED SOMEHOW. I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT SHAPE THAT WILL TAKE, BUT I'M FOR THAT. THEN WHEN IT COMES TO THE TRB IN READING THE STAFF REPORT, IF I UNDERSTOOD IT CORRECTLY, IT SAID THAT SOMETIMES THERE'S ITEMS THAT THE TRB SEES THAT NEVER MAKE IT TO THIS BOARD. THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO BE AN ADVISORY BOARD, NOT A DECISION MAKING BOARD. THAT SHOULDN'T BE HAPPENING AT ALL. I ALSO THINK THERE'D BE A LOT OF TIME SAVING FOR YOUR STAFF IF THERE'S ONLY ONE AGENDA, BECAUSE THEN YOU'RE NOT PREPARING TWO SEPARATE AGENDAS. NOW, THE PROBLEM I SEE IS THAT, IF THE TRB IS A WEEK BEFORE OR TWO WEEKS BEFORE, THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS THAT HAPPEN. A LOT OF THINGS ARE FAST MOVING AND NEED TO GET PUT ON THE AGENDA BETWEEN THOSE MEETINGS, SO WE STILL HAVE TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO ACCOMMODATE THAT. THAT'S MY POINTS. THANK YOU. >> I APPRECIATE THAT. THAT IS, I THINK PRELIMINARILY ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE ALSO SEEN THAT COULD BE A BIT CHALLENGING. I THINK WE HAVE TO GET THROUGH ONCE OR TWICE TO SEE HOW WE CAN RESPOND. I DO THINK ONCE WE GET INTO THE GROOVE OF IT, RIGHT NOW, WE'RE ACTUALLY DOING THREE AGENDAS. SO AS WE SPEAK, THE CAC AGENDA FOR NEXT MONTH IS ALREADY DUE. MARIA, IT GETS POSTED TOMORROW? >> YES. >> OKAY. WITH THIS ACTION, WE WOULD GO FROM THREE MCAG AGENDAS TO ONE, AND I DIDN'T REALLY ELABORATE ON THE TIME EFFICIENCY ISSUE BECAUSE THAT ISN'T THE DRIVER, BUT I COULD NOT ADEQUATELY EXPLAIN HOW MUCH MORE EFFICIENT IN TIME SPENT WITH THIS CHANGE. [00:50:04] I THINK MARIA AND MARY MICHAEL AND I ALONE, I WOULD VENTURE TO SAY, ON A MONTH WHERE WE HAVE ALL OF THESE MEETINGS PLUS OUR YARDS MEETINGS, WHICH IS TWO PUBLIC MEETINGS. LET'S JUST SAY WE HAVE SOME OTHER SS TAC OR MEASURE VESI, IT COULD BE A QUARTER OF OUR TIME, MAYBE EVEN MORE JUST SPENDING ON AGENDA REVIEW, DEVELOPMENT, CORRECTION, ADDITION, MODIFICATION. I MEAN, IT'S REALLY A TIME ISSUE. BUT I FEEL LIKE THAT'S SECONDARY, BUT IT'S VERY REAL. I APPRECIATED THAT COMMENT. I SHOULD HAVE MENTIONED, I'M ALREADY FAILING AT WHAT I SAID I WOULD DO BETTER AT. WE DID HAVE THIS DISCUSSION WITH THE TRB, AND I WAS ACTUALLY HOPING THAT SCOTT WOULD STAY. THERE WAS NO EXPRESSED CONCERN, WHICH I WAS PLEASANTLY SURPRISED. THEY THOUGHT IT MADE SENSE. >> IF I COULD JUST ADD TO, I THINK WHERE A CLEAN SET UP IS REMEMBER BROWN ACT RULES 72 HOURS BEFORE YOU CAN DO AN ADDENDUM TO IT IF SOMETHING CHANGED. WHEN YOU HAVE IT SET UP TO WHERE IT HAS TO GET A CAC APPROVAL. IT HAS TO GET A TRB APPROVAL. THOSE CHANGES IF IT'S SOMETHING BECAUSE THE STATE DID SOMETHING CRAZY AND FORCED US TO MAKE A CHANGE, THEY'RE NOT GOING TO GET TO BE ABLE TO SEE IT ANYWAYS. THIS AT LEAST MAKES IT ONE AGENDA, AND YOU STILL COULD TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE RULES IF YOU HAD TO PUT OUT AN ADDENDUM TO AN AGENDA. >> ALL RIGHT. ANY OTHER COMMENTS? NO. WE HAD A MOTION, CORRECT? >> AND A SECOND. >> AND A SECOND? >> I THINK MORAN CAN'T CONTAIN HER EXCITEMENT.. >> DO WE HAVE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS? I SEE A LOT OF STAFF NODDING. LET'S DO IT. ALL RIGHT. >> I WOULD MOTION LIKE TO AMEND THE MOTION. [LAUGHTER] SHE'S NOT GOING TO GO EASY ON ME, ARE YOU? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? ANY OPPOSITION? MOTION PASSES. THANK YOU. CAN EVERYONE SAYS, THANK YOU. MOVE ON TO ITEM 8, MCAG DISCUSSION ITEMS. [8. Discussion Items] THESE ITEMS WILL BE PRESENTED SEPARATELY IN ORDER TO ALLOW BOARD MEMBERS TO ASK QUESTIONS, PROVIDE STAFF DIRECTION. ITEM 8A, THE 2025, SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY POLICY CONFERENCE PLANNING. WE'LL GO TO STACY FOR THIS ONE. I SHOULD HAVE CAUGHT THE ORDER OF THIS BEFORE WE LET THE AGENDA OUT BECAUSE I KNOW YOU GUYS ARE TIRED OF PROBABLY HEARING FROM ME. THIS IS A LITTLE EASIER, SO I'VE MENTIONED, I BELIEVE LAST MONTH, MAYBE A MONTH BEFORE, THAT MCAG WILL BE HOSTING THE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY REGIONAL POLICY CONFERENCE IN 2025. IF YOU HAVE NOT ATTENDED THIS CONFERENCE BEFORE. IT IS AN ANNUAL REGIONAL CONFERENCE THAT IS HOSTED TECHNICALLY BY THE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY REGIONAL POLICY COUNCIL. OUR REPRESENTATIVES ON THAT COUNCIL, IN FACT, THE CHAIR THIS YEAR IS DIRECTOR MCDANIEL, AND HIS COLLEAGUE ON THAT BOARD IS DIRECTOR NEGI. IT TAKES ABOUT 8-10 YEARS, THERE'S EIGHT OF US. THERE'S TECHNICALLY 10 NOW IN THE POLICY COUNCIL. IT'S ALL EIGHT OF THE VALLEY COGS PLUS THE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY OR POLLUTION CONTROL DISTRICT, AND THE SAN JOAQUIN REGIONAL RAIL COMMISSION. KERN DOES NOT PARTICIPATE IN THE ROTATION OF HOSTING, SO IT TAKES ABOUT 8-10 YEARS, GIVE OR TAKE A PANDEMIC OR THINGS THAT JUST DISRUPTS STUFF TO GO THROUGH THE CYCLE. IT HAS GROWN TO 200-250 ATTENDEES A YEAR, DEPENDING ON LOCATION. LOCATION REALLY MATTERS ON WHO WANTS TO GO TO THIS CONFERENCE. WE JUST RECENTLY ATTENDED IT IN TULARE AND IN DOING A DEBRIEF WITH THEIR TEAM. I THINK THEY ENDED UP GETTING TO 263 AND WERE TURNING PEOPLE AWAY BECAUSE OF SPACE. SO IT CAN GET LARGE. THE ATTENDEES RANGE FROM LOCAL GOVERNMENT STAFF, COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS, AS I MENTIONED, THE STAFF FROM THE VALLEY COGS, TRANSIT AGENCIES, OUR STATE AND FEDERAL PARTNERS, OF COURSE, OUR CALTRANS DISTRICTS, FHWA. WHAT'S THAT? OH, WE HAVE CTC COMMISSIONERS, A LOTS OF CONSULTING FIRMS, SO ALL THE FOLKS THAT YOU AUTHORIZE CONTRACTS WITH ON THIS BOARD, THEY PARTICIPATE. THEN, OF COURSE, OUR LOCAL AND REGIONAL ELECTED OFFICIALS. THE GENERAL FRAMEWORK FOR THE CONFERENCE, THE TOPICS ARE LARGELY AROUND TRANSPORTATION, AIR QUALITY, TRANSIT, RAIL GOODS MOVEMENT. HOUSING HAS BECOME AN ISSUE OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS. THE CONFERENCE IS TYPICALLY HELD IN APRIL OR MAY. THE SCHEDULE USUALLY SPANS THREE DAYS WITH, LIKE, A RECEPTION, EARLY REGISTRATION THE NIGHT BEFORE, ONE FULL DAY OF CONFERENCE, SOMETIMES A DINNER OR AN ENTERTAINMENT, DEPENDING ON WHERE WE'RE AT. THEN HALF OF A DAY ON THE NEXT DAY, WHICH ENDS WITH THE BLUEPRINT AWARDS LUNCHEON. CAN I GET NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. JUST TO GIVE SOME CONTEXT. LAST YEAR, THIS PAST YEAR, [00:55:02] AS I MENTIONED, WE WERE IN TULARE. THEY HAVE A VISALIA CONVENTION CENTER, WHICH HAS BEEN THE LOCATION THAT THEY'VE HOSTED THE LAST FEW TIMES. IT WAS HELD AT THE END OF APRIL, THEIR THEME WAS ALL PATHS LEAD TO YES, AND THEIR KEYNOTE WAS AN OLYMPIC SILVER MEDALIST KIKI TORREZ, WHO IS FROM TULARE COUNTY. NEXT SLIDE. IN 2023, IT WAS SAN JOAQUIN COG. THEY HAD IT AT THE GREAT WOLF LODGE IN MANTECA ALSO IN LATE APRIL WITH A THEME OF BETTER TOGETHER, AND THEY GOT AN ASTRONAUT, LOCAL SAN STOCKTON NATIVE JOSE HERNANDEZ AS THE KEYNOTE SPEAKER. I'M ALREADY TELLING THE CHAIR, YOU'RE GOING TO CALL JOSH ALLEN OR AM I? 2020, IF YOU GO THE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. THE YEAR BEFORE THAT IS THE LAST ONE I'LL MENTION, FRESNOCOG HOSTED THEY HAD IT AT THE CLOVIS VETERANS MEMORIAL DISTRICT. THEY HELD IT IN MAY, I WILL SAY MAY IS VERY VERY CHALLENGING FOR US FOR ONE VOICE AND THE MAY DE FAIR, AND IT JUST GETS REALLY STICKY. THE ROAD AHEAD WAS THEIR THEME, THEY HAD, WHICH IS SOMETHING WE DID TOO, HAD A SPEAKER COME WITH A PARTICULAR EXPERTISE OF THAT WAS REALLY, LARGELY SOMETHING ANY PERSON COULD BENEFIT FROM THIS, IN PARTICULAR WAS LEADERSHIP AND COMMUNICATION. WE HAD A GENERATIONAL SPEAKER, HOW GENERATIONAL DYNAMICS AFFECT THE WORKPLACE WHEN WE HOSTED 10 YEARS AGO. NEXT SLIDE. THIS JUST GIVES A SENSE IF YOU HAVEN'T ATTENDED OF WHAT THESE CONFERENCES REALLY LOOK LIKE AND ENTAIL. WE'RE TALKING A LOT OF PEOPLE. THEY TYPICALLY HAVE PANEL DISCUSSIONS, BREAKOUT SESSIONS, VENDOR SPACES WHERE OUR SPONSORS CAN SET UP TABLES. TYPICALLY HAPPENS TABLES WITH ROUNDS WHERE YOU'RE EATING AND SITTING THROUGH THE CONFERENCE IN THE SAME PLACE, OUTDOOR RECEPTIONS, INDOOR RECEPTIONS, FUN PHOTO OPS, JUST A LOT GOING ON. BUT THESE ARE REALLY OPPORTUNITIES TO SHINE AS A REGION, SHINE AS A COUNTY AND COMMUNITIES. I WANTED YOU TO GET A FEEL FOR WHAT WE'RE GOING TO BE WORKING TOWARDS. NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. FOR OUR TEAM THAT WE'VE STARTED WITH OUR CONFERENCE PLANNING, SOME OF THE GOALS, MAYBE THESE ARE THE GOALS THAT WE'VE IDENTIFIED, AND, OF COURSE, IF YOU HAVE ANY FEEDBACK, WE'D BE OPEN TO THAT DISCUSSION FOR SURE, IS THIS REALLY IS AN OPPORTUNITY WHERE NUMBER ONE IS WE WANT TO SHOWCASE MERCED COUNTY. WE WANT PEOPLE TO LEAVE THE CONFERENCE AND SAY, WOW, I DIDN'T KNOW ALL OF THAT WAS HAPPENING IN MERCED, OR I DIDN'T KNOW MERCED HAD THAT GREAT PLACE, OR THAT THEIR COUNTY HAD THIS OR THAT OR WHAT HAVE YOU. WE WANT TO SUPPORT OUR LOCAL BUSINESSES AND VENDORS WITH OUR CONFERENCE PRODUCTS AND SERVICES. I THINK THESE ARE THE KIND OF STRATEGIES THAT EVEN THOUGH YOU'LL SEE IN OUR RECOMMENDATIONS THAT THE CONFERENCE OPTIONS ARE LARGELY ON THE EAST SIDE AND LARGELY IN THE MERCED AREA, THERE'S WAYS THAT WE CAN INCORPORATE THE PRODUCTS THAT WE PUT IN OUR GOODY BAGS OR THAT WE OFFER AS TREATS DURING BREAKOUTS THAT CAN COME FROM ALL OVER THE COUNTY. WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THERE'S A PRESENCE FROM THE WEST SIDE. WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THE TOPICS ARE REGIONAL, OR MAYBE THERE'S SOMETHING THAT SPECIFIC, A CASE STUDY THAT WE CAN USE AT DOS PALOS. WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THE FLAVOR FROM THE WHOLE REGION IS THERE. EVEN THOUGH PHYSICALLY WE MAY, IF THIS CONVERSATION GOES AS WE'RE EXPECTING, LIKELY TO BE LOCATED ON THE EAST SIDE OF THE COUNTY. THE OTHER GOAL IS TO HAVE OUR CONFERENCE COSTS ENTIRELY COVERED BY SPONSORSHIPS AND THE REGISTRATION FEES, AND ALSO TO INCORPORATE ALL ASPECTS OF MCAG INTO THE CONFERENCE. AS WE KNOW, VERY, VERY UNIQUE, SO IT'S NOT JUST THE TRANSPORTATION ASPECT FOR US. I THINK THERE'S DEFINITELY A ROLE FOR YACHTS, AND THE BUS, AND OUR MEASURE, AND EVEN RWA, BECAUSE EVEN THOUGH THIS IS REALLY THE TRANSPORTATION PLANNING AGENCIES, OUR WORK HAS EXPANDED SO MUCH AND YOU HAVE AN AUDIENCE OF SO MANY LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND STAFF FROM THE REGION THAT YOU CAN REALLY TALK ABOUT ANY KIND OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT TOPIC, AND IT BE VERY RELEVANT. I THINK THERE'S A LANE THERE TO HAVE SOME MAYBE ORGANICS CONVERSATIONS OR MAYBE A BOOTH OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. THEN LASTLY, TCA DID A REALLY GREAT JOB OF SHOWCASING THEIR LOCAL PRODUCERS AND THEIR LOCAL GROWERS AND MANUFACTURERS WITH THEIR PROJECTS OR PRODUCTS, WHICH I THINK THE ICE CREAM WAS AMAZING, BOTH OF THEM, WHICH I DEFINITELY WANT TO DO AS WELL. BUT I'M SUGGESTING WE UP AT A NOTCH AND ALSO MAKE SURE THAT OUR CONFERENCE IS REFLECTING THE DIVERSITY OF OUR COMMUNITY AND REALLY CELEBRATE THOSE THINGS THAT MAKE MERCED, MERCED. YOU CAN REALLY THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX AND WHETHER WE HAVE SOME OF OUR CULTURAL, DANCERS THAT I KNOW THAT HAVE EVENTS THROUGHOUT THE AREA, OR WE HAVE SOMETHING THAT JUST CELEBRATES WHAT MAKES US DIFFERENT, [01:00:01] OR MAYBE THE SAME IN THAT WE'RE ALL A LITTLE DIFFERENT, I'M NOT SURE. I HAD PUT A COUPLE OF PICTURES OF OUR LOCAL PERFORMERS THAT MAY BE GREAT BREAKS IN BETWEEN AND TO SHOWCASE HOW DIVERSE OUR COMMUNITY IS. NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. THE BIG TWO IS STEP 1A AND 1B. 1A IS IDENTIFY DATES. WE HAVE LOOKED AT THE MAJOR CONFERENCES THAT WE'RE AWARE OF, OUR IMPORTANT DATES TRACKING. WE HAVE AVOIDED IF EASTER IS ON AUGUST, APRIL 20TH, SOME SCHOOLS ARE OUT THE WEEK BEFORE, SOME SCHOOLS ARE OUT THE WEEK AFTER. WE DID NOT HAVE A LOT OF OPTIONS. TYPICALLY, YOU'RE LOOKING AT IF IT'S ON A MONDAY, YOU'RE COMING IN MONDAY EVENING. IT'S NOT A CONFERENCE DAY, IT'S LIKE YOU'RE COMING IN FOR AN EVENT MONDAY EVENING, ALL DAY, TUESDAY, AND THEN YOU'RE OUT BY NOONISH ON WEDNESDAY. IF IT'S OBVIOUSLY THE OTHER WAY, YOU'RE LOOKING AT COMING IN LATE WEDNESDAY AND STAY UNTIL LUNCH ON FRIDAY. OUR PREFERRED DATES ARE THE SEVENTH THROUGH THE NINTH, SO THE EIGHTH WOULD BE THE BIG DAY. OUR BACKUP DATES ARE THE BACK END OF THE SAME WEEK, AND WE ORIGINALLY HAD IDENTIFIED THOSE 28, 29, AND 30. BUT AS WE'RE WORKING WITH SOME OF THESE VENUES AS POTENTIAL, WE HAVE SOME OF THEM ARE ABLE TO HOLD. THAT THIRD OPTION IS ALMOST BECOMING IMPOSSIBLE AT THIS POINT BECAUSE IT EITHER DOESN'T WORK WITH SOME OF THE VENUES, OR IT GETS REALLY CLOSE TO MAY DAY FAIR, AND IT JUST STARTS TO GET A LITTLE. IF WE CAN JUST ACT LIKE THAT'S NOT THERE, IT MIGHT MAKE THIS DECISION A LITTLE EASIER. I MENTIONED THERE, IS A RECAP OF WHAT THE CONFERENCE LOOKS LIKE, SO I DON'T HAVE TO GO OVER THAT AGAIN, IF UNLESS THERE'S QUESTIONS. NEXT SLIDE. DO YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT DATES FIRST? I'M ALMOST DONE. I'M NOT GOING TO GO THROUGH ALL OF THIS, BUT THESE ARE THE THREE VENUES THAT WE CONSIDERED, OR MAYBE VENUE OPTIONS. WE LOOKED AT MISSION DE ORO. THAT IS WHERE THE CONFERENCE WAS HOSTED TWO CONFERENCES AGO, SO ABOUT 20 YEARS AGO, PRE MY TIME. IT IS ALL IN ONE LOCATION. IT'S THE ONLY PLACE THAT HAS HOTEL AND CONFERENCE SPACE, BUT THEY DO NOT HAVE ENOUGH ROOMS, AND IT'S IN A REMOTE LOCATION TO WHERE IT BECOMES THERE'S NOT A LOT OF OVERFLOW OPTIONS. IT LIMITS OUR ABILITY TO REALLY DO SOME KEY SITE TOURS THAT WE WERE LOOKING AT, AND ALSO WE HAVE HOSTED THE CONFERENCE THERE ONCE BEFORE. THE UC MERCED CONFERENCE CENTER WAS OFFERED TO US. WE CONSIDERED IT AS A HIGH PROFILE LOCATION, ONE THAT WOULD LIKELY BE REALLY INTERESTING FOR PEOPLE WHO HAVEN'T HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO BE OUT THERE. MAYBE IT'S BEEN A LITTLE WHILE, IT'S HONESTLY A PLACE THAT MAYBE WE DID NOT AT A STAFF LEVEL, WE'RE NOT SUPER THRILLED TO THINK ABOUT AT FIRST BECAUSE IT WAS REMOTE, AND WE WERE REALLY WANTING TO STAY LIKE IN THE HEART OF TOWN. THEN WE TOURED IT, AND IT'S BEAUTIFUL, AND I HAVE SOME PICTURES THAT I'LL SHOW YOU. IT IS AS INCLUSIVE AS IT CAN BE IN TERMS OF THE IT SUPPORT, AND STAFFING, AND ONSITE FOOD SERVICES AND COORDINATION. THE DOWNSIDE, OF COURSE, BEING THAT IT'S REMOVED FROM DOWNTOWN AND OUR HOTELS. THEN THE LAST OPTION WAS THIS IDEA TO REALLY TRY TO KEEP IT DOWNTOWN. IN DOING SO, YOU CAN INCORPORATE A COUPLE OF OUR, I CALL THEM OUR GEMS IN DOWNTOWN. USING THE MERCED THEATRE, USING THE MANSER, USING LCAP. IT REALLY PUTS EVERYONE IN THE HEART OF TOWN, IT INCORPORATES JUST VERY MUCH IN YOUR FACE, THESE MULTI MODES THAT WE'RE NEEDING TO TALK ABOUT. WE'RE GETTING PEOPLE WALKING, WE'RE GETTING PEOPLE ON BUSES. IT ALSO IS THE BEST CHOICE TO SUPPORT THE MOST IN TERMS OF LOCAL VENDORS FOOD AND THAT KIND OF THING, BECAUSE WE'RE GOING TO BE ALL OVER THE PLACE. THE CONS, VERY HIGH RISK FOR COMPLICATIONS WHEN YOU'RE COORDINATING MULTIPLE LOCATIONS, EXTRA SUPPORT STAFF, VERY STAFF INTENSIVE. WE WOULD NEED TO HAVE ADDITIONAL RENTALS FOR EQUIPMENT AND IT, AND ALSO THE MOST VULNERABLE FOR WEATHER. I THINK THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE IS THERE'S NOWHERE TO FEED PEOPLE IN ONE SPACE UNLESS YOU'RE GOING TO MOVE 250 PEOPLE AFTER EVERY SESSION TO GO HAVE A MEAL SOMEWHERE ELSE, BRING THEM BACK. IT'S THE ONE WE HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO CRACK. ALL OF THAT TO SAY, THE PROPOSAL, I THINK IS NEXT, I'M NOT ASKING TO SOLIDIFY THIS. I JUST WANTED SOME INITIAL FEEDBACK SO THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO PURSUE AND GET SOME DATE SET AND VENUE OPTIONS, VENUES SECURED. BUT WE THINK HAVING AN EVENING RECEPTION, WE'VE TALKED TO EL CAP, I SAID EL CAPITOL, I'M GIVING THEM A NEW NAME. SORRY ABOUT MY TYPO. THEY ARE EAGER TO WORK WITH US. [01:05:05] WE CAN I THINK DO 100 ROOM BLOCK, I THINK IS WHAT THEY SAID TO START SO THAT WE CAN MAKE SURE A GOOD CHUNK OF OUR ATTENDEES ARE THERE. BUT TO HAVE AN EVENING RECEPTION THERE, THEY HAVE A COURTYARD AND SOME REALLY NEAT SPACE. NOT EVERYONE COMES TO THE RECEPTION. IT'S TYPICALLY THE PEOPLE WHO JUST STAY AT THAT HOTEL AND MAYBE A COUPLE OTHERS, BUT DOING A RECEPTION THERE, EARLY REGISTRATION. STARTING THE DAY WITH BREAKFAST, MORNING, PLENARY, LUNCH, AFTERNOON BREAKOUT SESSIONS, AND A TOUR OF THE CAMPUS OUT AT THE UC, WE'VE ALREADY HAD SOME PRELIMINARY CONVERSATIONS WITH OUR TRANSIT OPERATOR TO PROVIDE SHUTTLE SERVICES BETWEEN EL CAP, THE HOLIDAY. I THINK IT WAS A HOLIDAY. A COUPLE OF THE HOTELS THAT WE CAN GET BLOCK ROOM SO THAT WE CAN PROVIDE THE TRANSPORTATION TO CAMPUS, AND THEN THERE'S ALSO THE CAMPUS PARKING. THEN AT DINNER, WE CAN REALLY BE CREATIVE ON HOW TO GET PEOPLE DOWNTOWN. WE'VE TALKED TO SCOTT MCBRIDE AT THE CITY ABOUT DOING DINNER IN BOB HEART SQUARE, DOING A FARM TO TABLE, CLOSING OFF MAIN STREET, AND DOING THE LONG TABLE DOWN MAIN STREET. WE COULD STAY AT UC MERCED, OR WE COULD HAVE NO FORMAL DINNER, BUT HAVE A DOWNTOWN MERCED DINING GUIDE THAT ENCOURAGES PEOPLE TO GO DOWNTOWN AND EAT AT DIFFERENT PLACES. THAT IS NOT SOMETHING WE HAVE TO FIGURE OUT TODAY, BUT I WANTED TO SHARE. THEN THE IDEA OF KEEPING DOWNTOWN IS DAY 3, WE COULD RETURN TO THE UC, OR WHAT WE'RE PROPOSING IS USING OUR BEAUTIFUL MERCED THEATRE. WE CAN DO A STAND UP TABLE BREAKFAST, LIKE GRAB A BURRITO, SOMETHING THAT IS JUST MINGLE AND EAT. IF YOU WANT TO EAT THERE, HAVE A PLENARY SESSION IN OUR BEAUTIFUL THEATRE, HAVE THE BLUEPRINT AWARDS LUNCH AT ABOUT 11:00, AND THEN CUT PEOPLE LOOSE FOR LUNCH, AND LET PEOPLE JUST SAY NICE, MAKE SURE THEY HAVE LOTS OF OPTIONS DOWNTOWN, AND WE'RE DONE, BECAUSE THERE IS NOWHERE TO REALLY FEED EVERYBODY EASILY, EVEN AT THE MERCED THEATRE. THAT MAY MEAN MORE TO YOU SOME WHO'VE ATTENDED THIS CONFERENCE, YOU CAN PROBABLY WALK THROUGH WHAT THAT WOULD FEEL AND LOOK LIKE. IF YOU GO TO THE LAST SLIDE, THESE ARE THE IMAGES, GO ONE MORE TO THE MAP. I LIED, IT WASN'T THE LAST ONE. RIGHT THERE. YOU CAN SEE WHERE THE CONFERENCE CENTER IS AT UC MERCED, THE YELLOW BLOCK ON THE BOTTOM IS THE CONFERENCE PARKING LOT. THERE'S ALSO A LOOP THERE THAT EITHER WE CAN WORK WITH OUR FOLKS AT UC, OR MAYBE WE CAN USE OUR OWN SHUTTLE BUSES THAT WE CAN RUN A SHUTTLE LOOP FROM THE PARKING LOT. IT'S NOT TOO FAR, BUT IF IT'S WARM, WE CAN RUN THAT SHUTTLE TO PICK PEOPLE UP. IF YOU GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, THAT'S THE CONFERENCE CENTER IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN IT. IF THE NEXT SLIDE SHOWS, AND THE TWO TOP PICTURES ARE OF THE SAME BUILDING, BUT YOU CAN SEE THE ONE ON THE RIGHT HAS A STAGE. THE ONE ON THE LEFT DOESN'T HAVE THE STAGE UP NECESSARILY, BUT YOU CAN SEE THE BIG SCREENS, THAT THE TABLE ROUNDS WORK. THEY HAVE BREAKOUT SESSIONS, WHICH IS THE BOTTOM LEFT. THAT'S THE LOBBY ON THE BOTTOM RIGHT, THEY HAVE AN EXTERIOR LITTLE PATIO AREA, IF WE WANTED TO INCORPORATE THAT, AND THEN NEXT SLIDE. OF COURSE, IF YOU HAVEN'T BEEN TO THE MERCED THEATRE, YOU ARE MISSING OUT. IT IS A BEAUTIFUL VENUE, I THINK IT WILL GIVE REALLY BEAUTIFUL DRAMATIC EFFECT TO THE BLUEPRINT AWARD, IT COULD BE REALLY FANCY. THAT IS WHERE WE WOULD WANT TO END THE SECOND DAY AND THEN CUT FOLKS LOOSE FOR LUNCH. THAT WAS A LOT. IF YOU WANT TO GO ON THE NEXT SLIDE, I DON'T NEED TO TALK ABOUT IT, BUT THOSE ARE WHAT WE WOULD BE DOING AFTER THIS. I PROMISE THAT'S MY LAST LONG ITEM FOR TODAY. IT'S STACY ON YOUR PREFERRED DATES. THE ONLY THING THAT I SAW THAT CONCERNED ME WITH IT IS IS BEING A MONDAY, TUESDAY, WEDNESDAY. I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE MAKEUP OF THE BOARD IS, BUT TYPICALLY COUNTY SUPERVISORS MEET ON TUESDAYS. NOBODY I DON'T THINK HAS PLANNED THEIR 2025 SCHEDULE YET. BUT DEFINITELY DON'T PREFER THE LAST DATES, AS THAT IS, EVEN THOUGH THE FAIR DOESN'T START TILL WEDNESDAY, IT REALLY STARTS ON MONDAY. THEN NOW WITH THE PREVIOUS ITEM, YOU GUYS ARE GOING TO HAVE A LITTLE BIT MORE TIME TO PLAN THIS. YES, I THINK ABOUT THESE THINGS. WHAT I TOOK AWAY FROM THAT IS THAT IF YOU HAD YOUR PICK, YOU WOULD PICK THE WEDNESDAY, THURSDAY, FRIDAY OF THE FIRST WEEK. YES. >> BUT WOULDN'T IT BE BETTER IF WE HAD MONDAY? I KNOW I GET THE SUPERVISOR MEETING, BUT MOST PEOPLE WOULD LIKE TO PROBABLY ATTEND THE CONFERENCE, DEPENDING WHERE THEY COME FROM, PROBABLY WANT TO TRAVEL ON SUNDAY, AND MAYBE GO TO LOOK AT MERCED TOO BEFORE COUNTY. SO WE HAVE THAT. >> HALF OF YOUR POLICY COUNCIL MEMBERS ARE SUPERVISORS. >> THEY'LL HAVE MEETINGS ON TUESDAYS? >> THE TUESDAYS, AND THAT'S THE HEART OF THE CONFERENCE DAY. [01:10:03] THAT'S THE BIG DAY WHEN YOU'RE IN MEETINGS ALL DAY. YOU'RE GOING TO LOSE. I KNOW WE MEET TWICE A MONTH, NOT ON A SET TUESDAY, BUT THERE'S OTHER COUNTIES THAT MEET FOUR TIMES A MONTH, THREE TIMES A MONTH SO IT'S JUST YOU HAVE A GOOD POTENTIAL TO LOSING PEOPLE NOT EVEN COMING. >> WE'LL HAVE COUNSEL ON MONDAY NIGHT, TOO. >> OR TUESDAY SO DOES LIVINGSTON, SO. >> IT SOUNDS LIKE WEDNESDAY, THURSDAY, FRIDAY, THE 9TH AND THEN 11TH. >> I'M SORRY, SAY THAT AGAIN? >> THE 9TH, 10TH AND 11TH OF APRIL, SO THAT WOULD BE WHEN. >> I DON'T THINK ANYBODY WOULD COMPLAIN ABOUT GETTING OUT AT NOON ON A FRIDAY. >> YEAH. WELL, THE ONE THING THAT WE COULD ALSO DO IS TALK TO MY OTHER PERSONALITY WITH MY YARDS HAT ON AND WE COULD DO SOME PRE SIGNUPS AND MAYBE SOME SUBSIDIZE WITH THE SPONSORSHIP TICKETS ON YARDS THAT, IF ANYONE WANTS TO GO UP TO THE PARK ON THAT DAY, THAT WE CAN OR MAYBE EVEN THE NEXT DAY, SO THEY COULD STAY AT THE LCAP AND WE COULD TRY TO HELP KEEP PEOPLE HERE A LITTLE LONGER. GREAT. TO THE TEAM. >> WEDNESDAY, THURSDAY AND FRIDAY. >> 9TH, 10TH AND 11TH. >> GO AHEAD. >> YEAH, I WAS JUST CURIOUS. DO YOU KNOW WHAT THE COST IS OF THE CONFERENCE CENTER AT THE UC? >> IT IS FOR THE MAIN ROOM. IT'S $1,500 FOR THE EIGHT HOURS AND THEN DEPENDING ON IF WE'RE GOING TO ADD TWO BREAKOUT ROOMS OR ONE BREAKOUT ROOM, THAT WOULD BE PROBABLY A COUPLE HUNDRED MORE. I DON'T KNOW HOW ALL THOSE EXTRA IS. IT COMES WITH A BASE PACKAGE FOR IT, A ROAMING MIC AND A STAGE MIC. IT'S LIKE $50 A MIC TO ADD MORE, IF WE NEED MORE OF THOSE. THEY'LL BE SOME, BUT THE BASE COST FOR JUST THE ROOM RENTAL IS 15 COMPARED TO THE THEATER, WHICH I THINK IS 11. IT CERTAINLY WON'T BE 15 OUT THE DOOR, BUT THAT'S THE BASE COST FOR JUST THE ROOM FUNCTION. WE WOULD HAVE TO USE THEIR FOOD SERVICES. BREAKFAST AND LUNCH WOULD BE PROVIDED THROUGH CAMPUS HOSPITALITY SERVICES. BUT I DID LOOK AT THEIR MENUS, AND THEY WERE PRETTY REASONABLE, COMPARABLE, $15 A PERSON FOR LUNCH, WHICH IS PRETTY STANDARD FOR CATERING 20-25 FOR THE HIGHER OPTIONS. >> WELL, I MISSED AN OPPORTUNITY IN MY AMENDMENT TO THE EARLIER MOTION. I SHOULD HAVE SAID END IF THEY THROW IN A CONFERENCE. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? >> [INAUDIBLE]. >> MOTION TO RECONSIDER. >> [INAUDIBLE]. >> ON THAT NOTE, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? ANY PUBLIC COMMENT? >> AM I GOOD TO PURSUE THEN THE PROPOSED OPTION? I NEED FLEXIBILITY TO PIVOT IF THINGS GO AWRY, BUT THE SPIRIT OF WHAT I'M TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH THERE. >> JOSEPH. >> WE SHOULD ALL BE INVOLVED IN THAT. >> THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. CAN YOU GO BACK TO YOUR PROPOSED? >> YES. GO BACK, I THINK, RIGHT THERE. >> NO, I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE BECAUSE I THINK THAT ONE OF THE CONFERENCES THAT WE'RE GOING TO THROUGH NACO IS GOING TO BE ALL MOBILE. WE'RE ONLY GOING TO BE TOGETHER LIKE A LITTLE BIT, AND THEN WE ARE GOING TO REALLY LOOK AT THE DIFFERENT AREAS OF THE COUNTY THAT WE'RE GOING TO VISIT. AND I THINK THAT IT'S BREAKS UP THE MONOTONY OF IT ALL. I'D BE OKAY WITH THAT. >> ANYONE ELSE? >> YEAH, I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT I LOVE THE THOUGHT OF INCORPORATING THE THEATER. YEAH. I THINK IT'S A PRETTY NEAT DEAL, AND IT'S REALLY A SHOWCASE. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU KNOW IF THERE'S ENOUGH TIME, BUT TO HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH THEM, MAYBE THAT NIGHT THEY HAVE AN EVENT, AND OUR ATTENDEES COULD BECAUSE IF YOU GOT PEOPLE THAT ARE GOING TO STAY AND GO TO YOSEMITE THE NEXT DAY, MAYBE THERE'S SOMETHING. >> THAT'S A GOOD POINT. BECAUSE WE ARE NOW ALSO LOOKING AT 9TH, 10TH AND 11TH, THE OTHER IDEA WE HAD WAS, IF WE CAN MEET EARLY ENOUGH AND TALK TO THE HISPANIC CHAMBERS, MAYBE THEY WOULD BE WILLING TO START THEIR MERCADO THAT'S A THURSDAY NIGHT THAT WE WOULD HAVE THE CONFERENCE AND SO IF WE WANTED TO DO MAYBE A HEAVY ORDER OF RECEPTION IN THE EVENING AND THEN REALLY HAVE PEOPLE TURN LOOSER IN THEIR MERCADO, I THINK THAT'S A REALLY NEAT EVENT TOO. TRYING TO REALLY INCORPORATE ENTERTAINMENT AND OUR COMMUNITY GEM. I LIKE THAT IDEA WE CAN TALK TO. IT SO HAPPENS THE GENTLEMAN THAT IS THE DIRECTOR OF THE HOSPITALITY SERVICES AT THE UC, WHO WHO WE WORK WITH ON THIS, USED TO BE THE GENTLEMAN WHO IS IN CHARGE OF THE MARCA THEATER. HE KNOWS THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT THIS PACKAGE, [01:15:01] SO I WILL PICK HIS BRAIN, TOO. >> GOOD IDEA. >> YEAH. >> MOVING ON TO 8B, THE DRAFT 2025 FEDERAL TRANSPORTATION PROGRAM, DRAFT 2022 REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION PLAN AMENDMENT QUALITY CONFORMITY ANALYSIS. THIS WILL GO TO ELIZABETH. >> GOOD NOW? YOU CAN HEAR ME. THANK YOU. YOU SAID ALL OF THE TITLES WITHOUT USING THE ACRONYMS, SO I'M JUST GOING TO START USING ACRONYMS BECAUSE THEY'VE ALREADY BEEN SAID ONCE. JUST KIDDING. IF SOME WERE TO ASK ME WHAT OUR TWO PRIMARY ROLES ARE AS THE MPO, AND FIRST, LET ME SAY, I APOLOGIZE FOR GETTING BACK TO THE TECHNICAL. WE WERE HAVING SUCH A FUN DISCUSSION ABOUT THE CONFERENCE, BUT NOW I HAVE TO TAKE US BACK TO SOME TECHNICAL THINGS. TWO OF OUR PRIMARY ROLES ARE PREPARING OUR REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION PLAN, WHICH IS EVERY FOUR YEARS. WE DID THAT IN 2022, THE NEXT ONES IN 2026. ALSO, WE PREPARE THE FEDERAL TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM EVERY TWO YEARS. IT'S EVEN NUMBERED YEARS AS WELL, SO WE'RE WHAT WE CALL IT 2025 FEDERAL TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM. WHAT YOU HAVE BEFORE YOU, AND THERE WAS A LOT OF INFORMATION, AND THE WAY THAT WE DO SHARE AND POST INFORMATION NOW IS ONLINE, AND I'M HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS IS OUR DRAFT 2025 FEDERAL TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM. ALONG WITH ALL OF THESE CHANGES IN PROJECTS, THERE'S AN AMENDMENT TO OUR 2022 REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION PLAN. WHEN WE MAKE THESE CHANGES AND ADD THESE PROJECTS, WHICH AMOUNT TO ABOUT 422 MILLION OVER THE FOUR YEAR PERIOD, WE HAVE TO RUN AIR QUALITY ANALYSIS ON THOSE TO SHOW THAT WE'RE MEETING ALL OF OUR AIR QUALITY REQUIREMENTS. WHAT WE HAVE NOW IS WE'RE UNDER THE PUBLIC REVIEW PERIOD FOR THESE DOCUMENTS. WE HAVE CATEGORIES OF PROJECTS, LIKE EIGHT DIFFERENT CATEGORIES. THERE'S SAFETY PROJECTS, THERE'S OPERATIONS OF MAINTENANCE PROJECTS, TRANSIT PROJECTS. SO PRETTY MUCH ALL OF THE STATE AND FEDERAL TRANSPORTATION PROJECTS THAT YOU CAN IMAGINE ARE INCLUDED IN THESE DOCUMENTS FOR FOUR YEARS STARTING 24/25. WE'RE IN THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD. TODAY IS WHEN WE HAVE POSTED THAT WE'RE OPEN FOR A PUBLIC HEARING ON THE DOCUMENTS, AND THIS WOULD BE PROPOSED AS AN ACTION ITEM FOR THE BOARD IN AUGUST. HOPEFULLY, PEOPLE HAVE HAD TIME TO REVIEW SOME OF THE INFORMATION. I CAN'T REALLY GO THROUGH ALL OF THE PROJECTS, BUT I'M HAPPY TO TAKE QUESTIONS ON ANY OF THEM AND THEN WE CAN ACCEPT COMMENTS AND THEN BRING EVERYTHING BACK IN AUGUST FOR ADOPTION. >> ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. QUESTIONS FROM DIRECTORS? PUBLIC COMMENT? NO. LET'S MOVE ON TO D, CALTRANS 2024 STATE HIGHWAY OPERATION AND PROTECTION PROGRAM. >> THANK YOU. 8C IS ACTUALLY OFFICIALLY OPENING THE PUBLIC HEARING. >> YEAH. >> SORRY. THAT ONE RIGHT THERE, SEE. >> YEAH, SO WE'LL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING. I FEEL LIKE I READ THE SAME THING TWICE. WE'LL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING ON THE DRAFT 2025 FEDERAL TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM, THE DRAFT 2022 REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION PLAN AMENDMENT TO AN AIR QUALITY CONFORMITY ANALYSIS. ANYBODY FOR THE PUBLIC HEARING? ANYBODY ONLINE? NO. CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING. NOW WE CAN MOVE ON TO D. >> THANK YOU. IT'S OFFICIAL. THE NEXT ITEM IS REGARDING, WE CALL IT THE SHOP PROGRAM, STATE HIGHWAY OPERATION AND PROTECTION PROGRAM. THIS IS A CALTRANS RUN PROGRAM. WE DON'T TYPICALLY HAVE IN OUR AGENDA AND IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT WE RUN, BUT IT'S A VERY SIGNIFICANT PROGRAM IN OUR COUNTY. IT'S ON HERE FOR DISCUSSION. CALTRANS ADOPTED THE 2024 SHOP A FEW MONTHS AGO, AND THE PROJECTS THAT THEY ADOPTED FOR OUR COUNTY ARE INCLUDED IN THE AGENDA. THERE IS A MAJOR PROJECT ON INTERSTATE 5, THAT'S A LITTLE BIT OVER 100 MILLION, AND THEN ABOUT 160 MILLION ON, I THINK, EIGHT OTHER VARIOUS PROJECTS WITHIN THE COUNTY. I WANTED THIS AGENDAS SO THAT YOU ALL CAN SEE WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH THIS PROGRAM. MCG HAS SOME INPUT INTO IT. WE COULD HAVE MORE INPUT MOVING FORWARD ON WHAT WE THINK IS IMPORTANT, BUT IT'S PRIMARILY FOR CALTRANS TO MAINTAIN THEIR SYSTEM. THERE ARE ALSO INCREASINGLY MORE COMPLETE STREETS AND BIKING PROJECTS INCLUDED IN THE SHOT PROGRAM, BUT NO WIDENING. THAT'S IMPORTANT TO KNOW. IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS LIKE STACY MENTIONED WE'RE MEETING WITH CALTRANS TOMORROW OR WE CAN PASS ANY QUESTIONS ALONG. THANK YOU. >> ANY QUESTIONS? ANY PUBLIC COMMENT? NO. MOVE ON TO ITEM E. THIS IS THE UPDATE ON THE GIS SERVICES? [01:20:05] >> THANK YOU. IT'S ME AGAIN. I'M SORRY. THIS ITEM IS REGARDING GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEM SERVICES. I REALIZE, WE PUT AN ACRONYM RIGHT IN THE TITLE. GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEMS, SO ESSENTIALLY AND THE GIS EXPERTS WON'T LIKE ME SAYING THIS, BUT IT'S LIKE A MAPPING AND DATA SYSTEM. THERE'S A LOT OF EXPERTS ON THIS. THE BACKGROUND FOR WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT SPECIFICALLY IS THAT IN 1992, MCAG ESTABLISHED A NONPROFIT CALLED MDSS. WE SAID DATA SPECIAL SERVICES AND WE DID HAVE A GIS ANALYST DOING A BUNCH OF GIS WORK FOR THE COUNTY AND DID THAT FOR OVER 20 YEARS. OVER TIME, OUR GIS ROLE GOT SMALLER AND OUR TRANSPORTATION PLANNING ROLE GOT BIGGER, BUT WE DID HAVE THE SAME GIS ANALYST ACTUALLY FOR OVER 20 YEARS. THERE ARE A NUMBER OF SERVICES THAT WERE BEING PROVIDED, AND SHE'S NOT HERE ANYMORE. JUST GOING THROUGH, WHAT IS THE BEST WAY TO MOVE FORWARD? THAT'S WHAT WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT AT THE STAFF LEVEL. SOME OF THE SERVICES THAT THE CITIES AND THE COUNTY NEED ARE RELATED TO ZONING, ADDRESSING, DISTRICT BOUNDARIES, NOTIFICATIONS THAT THE LOCAL AGENCIES NEED TO MAKE. THEY AREN'T NECESSARILY SOMETHING THAT MCAG DEALS WITH DAY TO DAY, BUT WE WERE MAINTAINING THE DATABASE OF THIS INFORMATION FOR ALL THE CITIES IN THE COUNTY. JUST, FRANKLY, WE DON'T HAVE THE STAFF RESOURCES TO CONTINUE TO DO THAT. LONG STORY SHORT, WE'VE BEEN SPEAKING WITH THE STAFF AT THE COUNTY BECAUSE THEY DO HAVE A GIS DIVISION WITH A FEW STAFF THAT COULD POTENTIALLY OR LIKELY TAKE OVER THESE RESPONSIBILITIES AND A LOT OF THEM ARE VERY REGIONAL IN NATURE. IT HAS TO DO WITH NEW ADDRESSES AND PARCEL INFORMATION FROM THE ASSESSOR, ETC. WE'RE PROPOSING TO MOVE FORWARD WITH WORKING ON THE COUNTY ABOUT TAKING OVER SOME OF THESE SERVICES OR ALL OF THESE SERVICES, BUT WE DO WANT TO WORK WITH ALL OF THE AGENCIES ON A COUPLE OF THINGS TO DETERMINE WHAT IS REALLY NEEDED AND TO MAKE SURE EVERYONE'S GETTING WHAT THEY NEEDED, AND TO FIGURE OUT HOW IT WILL BE DONE AND HOW IT WILL BE PAID FOR, ALSO. MCAG WAS SUBSIDIZING IT WITH TRANSPORTATION PLANNING FUNDS, WE WON'T BE ABLE TO SUBSIDIZE IT IN THE SAME WAY MOVING FORWARD. BUT WE WOULD DEFINITELY WANT TO BE A PARTNER IN FIGURING OUT HOW THIS WILL WORK AND HOW IT WILL BE FUNDED, ETC. IT'S NOT AN ACTION ITEM, SO I WAS JUST GOING TO ASK FOR HEAD NODS, BUT WE ARE WORKING WITH THE COUNTY AND PROPOSING TO WORK WITH ALL OF YOUR AGENCIES TO FIGURE OUT THE NEXT STEPS AND POTENTIALLY TRANSFER THIS OVER. I KNOW THAT WAS LONG WINDED. IT HAS A LONG HISTORY, SO THANK YOU. >> QUESTIONS. >> JUST A COMMENT REALLY IS THAT I MEAN, I APPRECIATE LOOKING AT IT. I THINK IN GOVERNMENT, IN GENERAL, AS WE MOVE FORWARD, ONE OF OUR BIGGEST CHALLENGES IS OUR HUMAN RESOURCES AND IT GOES BACK TO DUPLICATION OF SERVICES, AND WHETHER IT BE THE COUNTY OR IF A CITY HAD THAT FUNCTION, THERE'S NO SENSE OF US DOING IT TWICE. I WOULD BE INTERESTED, AT LEAST IN EXPLORING THE OPPORTUNITY TO SEE DOES IT FIT INTO WHAT THE COUNTY IS DOING? DO THEY PROVIDE ALL THE SERVICES THAT YOU WOULD BE PROVIDING AND MAKING SURE THAT OUR SMALLER JURISDICTIONS. I KNOW WHEN IT COMES TO THE ELECTION STUFF, THAT ENCOMPASSES SCHOOL BOARDS, SPECIAL DISTRICTS, CITY COUNCIL SEATS, SUPERVISOR ALL THAT AND I KNOW WE'VE BEEN TAKING STEPS AT THE COUNTY LEVEL TO IMPROVE AND CLEAN UP OLD STUFF AND WITH TECHNOLOGY MAKING IT BETTER. HOW IT ALL GETS PAID FOR IN THE END, I THINK THAT'S STILL LEFT TO BE DETERMINED, BUT I DEFINITELY THINK IT'S A SMART MOVE, AND IT'S REALLY ONE WAY OF SO WE'RE NOT DUPLICATING SERVICES. GOOD ON YOU FOR THAT. >> ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? ANY PUBLIC COMMENT? NO. THANK YOU. MOVE ON TO THE TJPA AGENDA. WE HAVE NO ACTION ITEMS, ITEM 9, NO DISCUSSION ITEMS, ITEM 10 AND SO WE'LL MOVE TO ITEM 11, [11. Closed Session] WHICH IS A CLOSED SESSION. AT THIS TIME, WE ASK THOSE IN THE AUDIENCE TO STEP OUT INTO THE LOBBY, AND THOSE ONLINE TO STATE TUNED AS THE BOARD GOES INTO CLOSED SESSION. I'LL ASK COUNSEL TO READ OUT THE CLOSED SESSION ITEM. >> THIS IS A CLOSED SESSION ITEM TO DISCUSS CONFERENCE WITH REAL PROPERTY NEGOTIATORS. THE PROPERTY IS 802 BEECHCRAFT AVENUE, INCLUDING APPROXIMATELY 1.4 ACRES OF PROPERTY BORDERED BY WARDROBE AVENUE IN MERCED. NEGOTIATORS FOR. >> [INAUDIBLE] TJPA RWA FAMILY SO JUST OUT OF RESPECT TO PRIVACY, [14. Executive Director's Report ] I'LL KEEP IT THERE FOR THEM, BUT IF YOU COULD JUST KEEP THEM IN YOUR THOUGHTS, I WOULD APPRECIATE IT. [01:25:02] >> ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU MOVING ON TO DIRECTOR REPORTS. START ON THIS AND HERE, DIRECTOR [INAUDIBLE]. >> CAN SOMEBODY WRITE DOWN THE DATE AND TIME OF STACY'S COMMENTS? BECAUSE THAT WAS THE SHORTEST THAT'S EVER BEEN. I HAVE NOTHING TO SAY. >> DIRECTOR MCDAN. >> NO REPORT. >> NOTHING DOWN HERE ON THIS END. YEAH, I'LL GO LAST. I HAD TWO GOALS, AND ONE WAS NOT TO SAY LONGER THAN FIVE SECONDS AND NOT TO BE HERE PAST FIVE. I THINK I'VE DONE BOTH, EVEN THOUGH THE CHALLENGES YOU THREW AT ME TODAY. >> GOOD JOB. >> WITH THAT, I'LL ADJOURN THE MEETING AT 4:52. * This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.