Aug 06, 2024 Board Meeting

GOOD MORNING AND WELCOME TO THE AUGUST 6TH, 2024.

[CALL TO ORDER]

[00:00:04]

HERE CLOSED SESSION THIS MORNING IS MEET AND CONFER.

AGENCY NEGOTIATOR MARCI BARRERA.

THE PUBLIC WILL BE PROVIDED AN OPPORTUNITY TO COMMENT ON ANY MATTER TO BE CONSIDERED IN CLOSED SESSION PRIOR TO THE BOARD ADJOURNING INTO THE CLOSED SESSION.

TESTIMONY IS LIMITED TO THREE MINUTES PER PERSON.

OKAY, AT THIS TIME WE'LL OPEN UP PUBLIC COMMENT FOR CLOSED SESSION ITEMS. ANYONE FROM THE PUBLIC WISHING TO SPEAK? I SEE NO ONE HERE.

SO PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD FOR CLOSED SESSION ITEMS IS NOW CLOSED.

WE WILL NOW ADJOURN INTO CLOSED SESSION.

[CLOSED SESSION]

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

WE WILL NOW START WITH THE INVOCATION LED BY SUPERVISOR LLOYD PAREIRA, MY PRIEST.

I DON'T THINK HE'S HERE. RIGHT.

MR. ANTONIO [INAUDIBLE] HE'S NOT HERE.

NO, I DON'T THINK SO. OKAY AND THEN I WILL LEAD THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.

THANK YOU. IF YOU CAN PLEASE STAND.

SIR. HEAVENLY FATHER, WE GATHER HERE TODAY TO DO THE BUSINESS OF THE COUNTY AND THAT IS TO TAKE CARE OF OUR CITIZENS, LORD, AND TO PROVIDE INFRASTRUCTURE FOR THEM TO DRIVE ON AND PUBLIC SAFETY FOR THEM TO BE SECURE AND ALL THE OTHER THINGS THAT WE DO.

I JUST PRAY THAT YOU GIVE US GUIDANCE THAT ALLOWS US TO MAKE GOOD DECISIONS.

LORD, I KNOW THAT YOU KNOW, THINGS AT THE COUNTY ARE NOT GOING REAL WELL RIGHT NOW FINANCIALLY.

WE'VE GOT TO MAKE CUTS AND I KNOW THAT THAT AFFECTS PEOPLE IN THEIR DAILY LIVES AND I JUST PRAY THAT YOU WOULD GIVE US GUIDANCE.

YOU WOULD GIVE US BLESSINGS, THAT YOU WOULD HELP US MAKE THAT AS MINIMAL AS POSSIBLE AND I ASK ALL THESE THINGS IN JESUS NAME.

AMEN. THANK YOU.

IF YOU CAN, PLEASE JOIN ME.

. THANK YOU. SUPERVISOR PAREIRA.

YOU'RE WELCOME. NOW WE HAVE ANOTHER AGENDA ITEM.

[PUBLIC OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK]

TESTIMONY IS LIMITED TO THREE MINUTES PER PERSON AND 30 MINUTES TOTAL.

AT THIS TIME, WE'LL OPEN UP PUBLIC COMMENT AGAIN.

THIS IS NON-AGENDA ITEMS. SO ANYONE FROM THE PUBLIC WISHING TO SPEAK.

IF YOU CAN PLEASE COME UP TO THE PODIUM.

MY NAME IS PAT TRIERWEILER AND MY DAUGHTER IS A MENTAL HEALTH PATIENT AT ANBURY, A NEW LONG TERM MENTAL HEALTH FACILITY.

I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO PRAISE OUR COUNTY AND STATE OFFICIALS WHO HELPED MAKE THE OPENING OF THIS FACILITY POSSIBLE.

IT'S BEEN 11 YEARS IN WAITING FOR MY DAUGHTER AND FIVE DECADES FOR OUR COUNTY AND STATE.

I AM VERY IMPRESSED WITH THE STAFF AT THIS NEW FACILITY AND THE ATMOSPHERE IT PROVIDES.

MENTAL HEALTH HAS BEEN DEALT WITH IN A REACTIVE WAY AND THE END RESULT HAS BEEN A DISMAL FAILURE.

NOW OUR COUNTY HAS A FACILITY THAT OFFERS A PROACTIVE APPROACH.

IT PROVIDES A SAFE ENVIRONMENT, OFFERING PATIENTS LONG TERM CARE, COUNSELING AND LIFE SKILL TRAINING.

IT HELPS PROVIDE JOB TRAINING SO PATIENTS CAN GRADUATE FROM THE FACILITY AND GO ON TO LEAD FULFILLING AND PRODUCTIVE LIVES, BENEFITING OUR COMMUNITIES.

THERE CAN BE NO TURNING BACK TO THE MISTAKES OF THE PAST.

CUTTING FUNDING TO MENTAL HEALTH HAS BEEN CATASTROPHIC.

CUTTING MENTAL HEALTH PROGRAMS AND SWEEPING IT UNDER THE RUG OF HIGHWAYS AND OVERPASS AND CREEKBANKS IS NOT A SOLUTION. BEING PROACTIVE BENEFITS NOT ONLY MENTAL HEALTH PATIENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES, BUT OUR COMMUNITY IN BOTH PUBLIC SAFETY AND HEALTH.

I ASK YOU TO ADVOCATE TO OUR STATE LEADERS THAT IT IS VITAL TO EXPAND THESE FACILITIES, LIKE THE ONE AT ANBURY AND ATWATER.

THANK YOU SIR. YES.

[00:05:13]

AGAIN, MY NAME IS LARRY WATSON.

I'M WITH THE ACM VICE PRESIDENT OF LOCAL 2703.

I JUST WANT TO BRING IN TO BRING IT TO YOUR ATTENTION AGAIN THAT YOU KNOW, I KNOW THAT IT'S BEEN SAID THAT YOU GUYS ARE DOING EVERYTHING YOU CAN FOR US. WE APPRECIATE THAT.

YOU KNOW, I REMEMBER BACK IN 2008 DIFFERENT BOARD OF SUPERVISORS MOSTLY, I THINK.

I THINK NONE OF YOU ARE ON THE BOARD AT THAT TIME.

2008, WORKERS WERE ASKED TO TAKE A PAY CUT OF 5%.

THEY DID THAT GRATEFULLY, TO AVOID LAYOFFS, TO STAVE OFF LAYOFFS.

WENT THROUGH A WHOLE THING WITH WHAT THEY CALL IT NOW OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD, BUT FURLOUGHS.

YEAH. THERE IT IS. FURLOUGHS.

WE DID ALL THAT COUNTY WORK IS AN UP AND DOWN TYPE OF THING.

THE ONLY THING THAT. THE ONLY PEOPLE I SEE CONTINUALLY GETTING RAISES IS MANAGEMENT.

MANAGEMENT CONTINUALLY GETS RAISES.

$20,000 BETWEEN 22 AND 23 FOR OUR CEO.

I APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT YOU GUYS DID AT THE END, BECAUSE I TOLD YOU GUYS LAST TIME I WAS HERE, I WATCHED YOU GUYS AT THE END THAT A LOT OF YOU WENT WITHOUT THE RAISE BECAUSE YOU COULDN'T AFFORD TO PAY YOUR EMPLOYEES BECAUSE YOU FELT LIKE THAT WAS INCORRECT TO DO.

APPRECIATE THAT.

I THINK IT'S TIME FOR THERE TO BE A REAL LOOK AT.

SEVERAL MANAGEMENT STAFF WERE GIVEN HUGE INCREASES LAST YEAR, $20,000 OR MORE.

BETWEEN 22 AND 23 AS WELL.

IT'S TIME TO ASK MANAGEMENT TO TAKE A PAY CUT INSTEAD THIS TIME.

SO OUR CONSTITUENTS, OUR MEMBERS CAN AFFORD TO FEED THEIR FAMILIES.

IT ISN'T WE'RE OPERATING ON A 2000 BUDGET ON A 2024 ECONOMY.

WE HAVE AND THIS IS JUST ME GOING OFF THE CUFF.

THIS DOES NOT REPRESENT AFSCME'S VIEW AT ALL.

JUST SO YOU GUYS KNOW, BUT WE HAVE A ADMINISTRATION THAT HAS RUN THIS COUNTRY INTO THE GROUND AS FAR AS INFLATION IS CONCERNED.

IT'S BEEN HAPPENING FOR YEARS.

BUT WE'RE LOOKING AT INFLATION, AND WE'RE LOOKING AT THE FACT THAT WE HAVE MEMBERS THAT ARE CONSIDERING LIVING IN THEIR CARS, GOING WITHOUT HEALTH CARE THAT THEY CAN'T AFFORD BECAUSE THEY HAD TO CUT DOWN THEIR HEALTH CARE PLAN JUST TO AFFORD TO KEEP A ROOF OVER THEIR HEAD.

WE'RE LOOKING AT FOLKS THAT JUST DON'T HAVE THE ABILITY TO FEED THEIR FAMILIES ANYMORE.

IT'S MORE THAN JUST FORGOING HEATING AND AIR CONDITIONING.

YOU KNOW, OUTSIDE THIS OFFICE, I WAS LOOKING AT [INAUDIBLE] SAYS YOUR INNOVATION IS TO FOSTER CREATIVE WORK ENVIRONMENT THAT ATTRACTS AND RETAINS EMPLOYEES WHO PROVIDE QUALITY SERVICES THROUGHOUT COUNTY COLLABORATION OR COUNTY COLLABORATION.

HOW ARE WE DOING THAT AT THIS POINT? WE'RE BASICALLY A TRAINING GROUND AT THIS POINT.

I MEAN, I KNOW YOU GAVE THE SHERIFFS A RAISE, AND THAT'S GREAT, BUT WHAT ABOUT THE REST OF US? WHAT ABOUT THOSE OF US THAT STILL NEED FOOD IN OUR NEED, FOOD ON OUR PLATES, AND WE NEED HOUSE OVER OUR HEADS? HOW ARE WE SUPPOSED TO SURVIVE? THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. THANK YOU.

GO AHEAD. HELLO.

MY NAME IS GERALD PHELPS, PRESIDENT OF [INAUDIBLE] LOCAL 2703.

I'M HERE TODAY TO THANK THE OVER 200 EMPLOYEES THAT SHOWED UP YESTERDAY IN 104 DEGREE WEATHER TO MAKE OUR VOICES HEARD AND LET THE BOARD KNOW THAT A 0% INCREASE TO OUR WAGES IS UNACCEPTABLE.

WE THANK THE LOCAL LABOR WHO ALSO SHOWED UP WITH US AND STOOD IN SOLIDARITY TO SHOW THAT THE CENTRAL VALLEY'S LABOR IS STRONG.

WE ALSO THANK THE RESIDENT OR THE BUSINESSES IN MERCED WHO HAVE HUNG UP SIGNS SUPPORTING THE ESSENTIAL NEEDS THAT OUR ESSENTIAL NEEDS THAT OUR MEMBERS GIVE TO OUR RESIDENTS AND ALSO OUR RIGHT TO STRIKE IF WE GET DOWN TO THAT POINT.

WE ALSO THE BOARD HAS DECIDED TO PUT OUT A FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS THAT MAKES US LOOK LIKE WE'RE THE VILLAINS ARE VOTES HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH THE RESIDENTS OF MERCED COUNTY.

IT'S ABOUT KEEPING PEOPLE INSIDE THEIR HOMES, KEEPING FOOD ON THEIR PLATES, KEEPING THEIR CHILDREN IN CHILDCARE.

SO I ALSO, YOU KNOW, WANT TO POINT OUT THAT WE NOTICED THAT WE'RE GOING TO GO AHEAD AND CONTINUE ON WITH THE SAME PATH THAT'S GOTTEN US HERE IN THE FIRST PLACE IN 21, 22 AND 23 MERCED COUNTY.

THEY BUDGETED FOR A DEFICIT EVERY YEAR.

THEY ENDED UP WITH A SURPLUS ANYWHERE FROM 10 TO $26 MILLION.

WE'VE SEEN THE NUMBERS.

WE KNOW THE NUMBERS ARE THERE, AND YET WE'RE GOING TO GO AHEAD AND RENEW A CONTRACT FOR ANOTHER TWO YEARS OF SOMEBODY WHO HAS RAN US INTO THE GROUND, ACCORDING TO THIS BOARD AND YOUR TEAM, AND WE'RE GOING TO RAISE THEIR PAY BY 5%, BUT YOU CAN'T GIVE 5% TO THE EMPLOYEES OF MERCED COUNTY.

[00:10:08]

WHEN WE SAT IN THOSE TOWN HALLS, WE ALL SAID THAT WE WERE GOING TO DO THE BEST THAT WE COULD FOR THE EMPLOYEES AND FOR THE RESIDENTS OF THIS COUNTY.

IF WE CONTINUOUSLY TAKE A HIT, WE'RE GOING TO LOSE MORE EMPLOYEES HERE, WHICH MEANS WE CANNOT PROVIDE THE SERVICES THAT MERCED COUNTY DESERVES.

IS THE TWO YEAR CONTRACT GOING TO COME WITH A CREATIVE ACTION PLAN? BECAUSE HOW ARE WE GOING TO GET OUT OF THIS MESS IN TWO YEARS? YOU KNOW, WHEN WE AS EMPLOYEES MESS UP, WE HAVE TO TAKE THE HIT.

WE HAVE TO FIGHT FOR OUR JOBS AND SHOW THAT WE CAN GO AHEAD AND GET THE JOB DONE.

WHAT IS THE PLAN? IT DOESN'T SEEM LIKE WE HAVE A PLAN HERE.

EVERY YEAR WE DON'T SEE RAISES COMING TO US EVERY YEAR.

WE'RE ASKED TO TAKE THE HIT BECAUSE WE'RE JUST NOT THERE YET.

WE'RE JUST NOT THERE. THERE'S FLOODS, THERE'S FIRES, THERE'S A PANDEMIC.

BUT EVERY YEAR, EXECUTIVES SEE THEIR RAISES GO UP AND EVERY YEAR WE HAVE TO COME TO YOU AND TELL YOU OUR MEMBERS ARE NOT ARE GOING WITHOUT HEAT.

THEY'RE GOING WITHOUT AIR CONDITIONING.

THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT GOING WITHOUT FOOD ON THE TABLE.

THEY'RE GOING TO FOOD BANKS.

THEY'RE SLEEPING IN THEIR CARS.

YOU DON'T GET 2000 PEOPLE OUT OR 200 PEOPLE OUT IN A TORNADO.

YOU DON'T GET 200 PEOPLE OUT IN A HEAT WAVE BECAUSE WE'RE PLAYING AROUND.

THEY'RE FIGHTING FOR THEIR FAMILIES AND I UNDERSTAND THAT WHEN YOU GET TO A POINT WHERE YOU'RE MAKING $164,000 A YEAR OR $264,000 A YEAR, IT'S HARD TO UNDERSTAND. BUT WHEN YOU PUT OUT A VIDEO THAT SAYS, WE ALL NEED TO DO OUR PART FOR THE RESIDENTS, AND THEN IGNORE THE FACT THAT YOU ALSO GET $24,000 IN EXTRA MONEY TOWARDS VEHICLE COSTS.

WE WE KNOW WHO'S PINCHING THE PURSE STRINGS.

IT'S THE EMPLOYEES.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

HI. GOOD MORNING.

MY NAME IS CRYSTAL CORTEZ, AND I AM THE COOPERATIVE EXTENSION MERCED COUNTY FOUR-H PROGRAM MANAGER.

I WANTED TO JUST INTRODUCE YOU TO OUR YOUTH SITTING IN THE THIRD ROW.

WE ARE HERE TO SIT ON THIS BOARD OF SUPERVISORS MEETING AND GAIN SOME REALLY GOOD INFORMATION.

I WILL LET MADISON KIND OF GO INTO DETAIL WHAT MERCED FOCUS IS DOING.

HELLO EVERYONE, I'M MADISON MOORE, SO OUR MERCED FOCUS IS A CONFERENCE FOR OUR MERCED COUNTY FOR YOUTH.

WE'RE LEARNING ALL ABOUT THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND SPECIFICALLY CIVIC ENGAGEMENT.

SO WE'RE HERE TODAY.

WE'RE EXCITED TO LEARN ABOUT OUR COMMUNITY AND WE'RE GRATEFUL THAT YOU'RE HAVING US.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

GOOD MORNING, CHAIRMAN ESPINOSA AND THE BOARD.

CHRIS SANTOS, HERE REPRESENTING THE OFFICE OF CONGRESSMAN JOHN DUARTE AND OUR OFFICE WOULD LIKE TO WISH EVERYONE A SAFE AND FUN EVENING TONIGHT.

AS CITIES AND TOWNS ACROSS MERCED COUNTY AND AMERICA GATHER FOR NATIONAL NIGHT OUT, AN ANNUAL CELEBRATION OF THE BONDS BETWEEN OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT AND FIRST RESPONDER AGENCIES AND THE COMMUNITIES THEY PROTECT AND SERVE.

OUR OFFICE IS PLEASED TO ANNOUNCE THAT THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES RECENTLY ADOPTED CONGRESSMAN DUARTE'S AMENDMENT TO THE FISCAL YEAR 2025 ENERGY AND WATER SPENDING BILL.

THIS PROPOSAL REQUIRES THE US ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS TO STUDY A SOLUTION FOR THE BUILD UP OF THICK SOIL, TRASH AND ROCKS, AND THE RIVERS AND STREAMS OF THE SAN JOAQUIN RIVER WATERSHED.

THE FLOODS THAT OCCURRED LAST WINTER IN PLANADA MADE THIS AMENDMENT A TOP PRIORITY FOR CONGRESSMAN DUARTE BY REDUCING FLOOD RISK, WE WILL MAKE INSURANCE COSTS LOWER.

BY GETTING MORE WATER TO GROW FOOD, WE WILL MAKE GROCERIES CHEAPER.

ENHANCE WATER CONVEYANCE IS GOOD FOR FARMERS, GOOD FOR THE ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS AND GOOD FOR VALLEY FAMILIES AND IT IS NOW AUGUST RECESS.

SO THE CONGRESSMAN WILL BE HOSTING A PLETHORA OF TOWN HALLS FOR OUR CONSTITUENTS.

WE ACTUALLY HAVE FOUR TOWN HALLS COMING UP IN THE NEXT TWO WEEK PERIOD.

SO AGAIN, THERE'S GOING TO BE THE NEWMAN TOWN HALL.

THAT'S ON WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 7TH AT 6 P.M..

THAT'S AT THE LEWIS J. NEWMAN MEMORIAL BUILDING, 649 ORESTIMBA ROAD, NEWMAN, CALIFORNIA.

95360. WE ALSO HAVE A SERIES TOWN HALL ON TUESDAY, AUGUST 13TH.

THERE WAS A TIME CHANGE ON THAT.

SO NOW STARTS AT 7 P.M.

THAT'S AT THE SERIES COMMUNITY CENTER, 270 ONE FOURTH STREET SERIES, CALIFORNIA 95307.

WE'RE ALSO HOSTING IN FRESNO COUNTY, A CITY OF SAN JOAQUIN TOWN HALL, ON THURSDAY, AUGUST 15TH.

IT STARTS AT 6P.M.

AT THE SAN JOAQUIN VETERANS MEMORIAL HALL, 22001 WEST MANNING AVENUE, SAN JOAQUIN, CALIFORNIA ZIP CODE 93660 AND WE'RE HOSTING A VETERANS TOWN HALL SPECIFICALLY FOR THE CENTRAL VALLEY VETERANS COMMUNITY.

THAT'S GOING TO BE WITH DC STAFF FROM THE HOUSE COMMITTEE ON VETERANS AFFAIRS AND ALSO THE DIRECTOR OF THE VETERANS BENEFITS ADMINISTRATION OFFICE IN OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA, WILL

[00:15:02]

WE'RE STILL CONFIRMING THE FINAL LIST OF SPEAKERS, TRYING TO GET SOME FOLKS REPRESENTING OUR EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS, OUR LOCAL VSOS AND OTHER OFFICES TO TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE EFFORTS THEY'VE BEEN DOING TO SUPPORT OUR CENTRAL VALLEY VETERANS COMMUNITY.

THAT'S GOING TO BE ON WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 14TH FROM 930 TO 12 NOON.

THAT'S GOING TO BE AT THE MADERA VFW HALL POST 1981 2026 NORTH GRANADA DRIVE, MADERA, CALIFORNIA.

ZIP CODE 93637.

SO AGAIN, WE HAVE PLENTY OF OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUR CONSTITUENTS TO INTERFACE WITH THE CONGRESSMAN IN THE NEXT FEW WEEKS.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.

THANK YOU. MORNING.

MORNING. GOOD MORNING TO YOU ALL.

NARAYAN SINGH BEECHWOOD.

A REASON FOR ME BEING HERE IS THE HOMELESS.

OKAY. WE HAVE A LARGE NUMBER OF HOMELESS WHICH HAS NOW STARTED GROWING ON THE CORNER OF HIGHWAY 59 OLIVE AND A NEW DEVELOPMENT THAT WE HAVE ON ASHBY BY THE RIVER AND IT'S ALL PUSHING IT ALL INTO BEECHWOOD, AND IT'S AFFECTING US, OUR KIDS, OUR TEENAGERS CANNOT BE WALKING OUT THERE UNLESS THEY HARASSED, ESPECIALLY OUR DAUGHTERS.

WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE BOARD DO SOMETHING ABOUT THE HOMELESS IN CALIFORNIA.

ASK THE GOVERNOR WHERE DID THAT TWO $2 BILLION GO? THANK YOU. HAVE A WONDERFUL DAY.

THANK YOU. ANY OTHER PUBLIC COMMENTS? ANY YOUTH WANTING TO SPEAK SOMETHING? NO. WELL, THANK YOU FOR COMING.

APPRECIATE THAT. OKAY.

THE PUBLIC COMMENT IS NOW CLOSED.

WE'LL NOW MOVE ON TO A PRESENTATION.

[PRESENTATION]

NATHAN.

GOOD MORNING, CHAIRMAN ESPINOSA, SUPERVISORS RAUL, MARC AND TEAM HERE AT THE COUNTY.

THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME THIS MORNING.

I JUST WANTED TO DROP BY AND GIVE A QUICK UPDATE ABOUT SOME OF THE MEASURES THAT WE'RE TAKING TO HELP BEND THE CURVE, BRING RESIDENTIAL CUSTOMER BILLS DOWN, AND THEN GIVE A QUICK VERBAL UPDATE ABOUT ACTIONS THAT PG&E AND THE COUNTY ARE TAKING TOGETHER TO HELP OUR NEIGHBORS IN SANTANELLA.

SO OVER THE COURSE OF THE LAST, I'D SAY DECADE, ALL OF US HERE HAVE SEEN A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT AS FAR AS THE BURDEN THAT RESIDENTIAL UTILITY RATES TAKE ON OUR NEIGHBORS AND ON ALL OF US.

SO THAT BEING THE CASE IN RECENT YEARS ALL OF US IN THE INVESTOR OWNED UTILITY SPACE, SO PG&E, SCE AND SD&E HAVE BEEN WORKING TOGETHER WITH LEGISLATORS WHO ARE WILLING TO COLLABORATE WITH US, WITH THE ADMINISTRATION. SO GOVERNOR NEWSOM'S ADMINISTRATION AND OUR REGULATORS AT THE CALIFORNIA PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION TO COME UP WITH SOME STRATEGIES TO BRING IMMEDIATE RATE RELIEF.

IMMEDIATE RATE RELIEF TO RATEPAYERS STATEWIDE AND ONE OF THE FIRST TOOLS THAT WE HAVE DEPLOYED IN THIS EFFORT IS WHAT IS CALLED THE INCOME GRADUATED FIXED CHARGE.

THIS WAS PASSED THROUGH LEGISLATION IN 2022.

THE INTENT BEHIND IT AS WAS NEGOTIATED BETWEEN THE IOUS THE LEGISLATURE AND THE ADMINISTRATION WAS A THREE TIERED INCOME.

INCOME BASED SYSTEM THAT HELPS SEPARATE THE COST OF PROVIDING ELECTRICITY.

THE WAY THAT IT WORKS. NOW, JUST TO GIVE A LITTLE BACKGROUND, IS THE COST THAT IT TAKES US TO BUILD, MAINTAIN AND INNOVATE THE SYSTEM AND HOW MUCH YOU USE THE VOLUME OF ELECTRICITY THAT YOU USE IS BROUGHT TOGETHER INTO ONE PRICE PER KILOWATT HOUR.

WITH THIS NEW INCOME GRADUATED FIXED CHARGE BIFURCATES THOSE TWO COSTS.

SO ON ONE HAND, IT'S THE COST TO BUILD, MAINTAIN AND INNOVATE THE SYSTEM AND THEN ON THE OTHER HAND, IT'S THE HOW MUCH QUOTE UNQUOTE YOU'RE USING EVERY MONTH.

THE INTENT BEHIND THAT IS THAT BY SEPARATING THESE TWO COSTS, PUTTING A SPECIFIC COST OR A FIXED CHARGE TO BUILD, MAINTAIN AND INNOVATE THE SYSTEM, WE WOULD BE ABLE TO BRING CUSTOMER BILLS DOWN BY AT LEAST DOUBLE DIGITS EVERY MONTH, OVER $100 A YEAR.

IT'S NOT A TON OF MONEY.

[00:20:01]

SO WE HAVE THE THREE TIERED SYSTEM, WHICH I'LL GO OVER ON THE NEXT PAGE AND THEN OUR PRICE PER KILOWATT HOUR.

THE GOOD THING IS, WITH THIS NEW INCOME GRADUATED FIXED CHARGE, IT'LL GO INTO EFFECT IN JANUARY OF 2026.

YOU'LL HAVE A REDUCED COST ON THE PRICE PER KILOWATT HOUR.

SO CUSTOMERS WILL EXPECT TO SEE AT LEAST A SEVEN CENT PER KILOWATT HOUR SAVINGS ON THEIR VOLUMETRIC CHARGE.

SO IN LOOKING AT WHAT BILLS LOOK LIKE TODAY, IF YOU'RE A CARE CUSTOMER OR AN INCOME QUALIFIED CUSTOMER TODAY UNDER THE TRADITIONAL RATE, PLAN, YOUR PRICE PER KILOWATT HOURS $0.29 WITH A 7% SAVINGS, THAT'S 25% OFF.

SO WE'RE REALIZING REAL AND IMMEDIATE SAVINGS WITH INCOME GRADUATED FIXED CHARGE.

SO THE THREE TIERS ARE AS FOLLOWS.

IF YOU'RE A CARE CUSTOMER, IT'S $6 A MONTH.

A FEAR OF CUSTOMER, WHICH IS STILL AN INCOME QUALIFIED PROGRAM.

IT'S 12 AND IF YOU ARE A TRADITIONAL CUSTOMER, THAT'S NOT AN INCOME QUALIFIED PLAN $24.15 A MONTH.

THESE FIGURES WERE DETERMINED AND ANALYZED BY OUR REGULATOR AT THE CPUC.

THEY LOOKED AT A NUMBER OF OR THEY LOOKED AT A RANGE IN A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT FIXED CHARGES, BOTH ON THE IOU FRONT AND ON THE PUBLIC OWNED UTILITY FRONT.

SO THERE ARE SOME PLACES IN NORTHERN CALIFORNIA THAT HAVE A FIXED CHARGE.

IT'S AS LOW AS THE $6 A MONTH.

THERE ARE SOME PLACES DOWN IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA, LIKE IN RIVERSIDE, WHERE A FIXED CHARGE RANGES AS HIGH AS $87 A MONTH.

I'M TRYING TO FIND A HAPPY MEDIUM, AND IN LOOKING AT A MODEL THAT THE CPUC BELIEVED BEST FIT, WHAT OUR CUSTOMER PROFILE AND OUR UTILITY PROFILE WAS LIKE, THEY CAME UP WITH THAT 2415 A MONTH.

THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT THE CUSTOMERS IN THE SACRAMENTO MUNICIPAL UTILITY DISTRICT, OR SMUD, PAY EVERY MONTH.

SO THAT WILL GO INTO EFFECT JANUARY 1ST OF 2026.

BUT IN TALKING ABOUT OTHER SAVINGS AND OTHER THINGS THAT WE'RE DOING TO HELP BRING CUSTOMER BILLS DOWN, AS YOU WILL ALL REMEMBER, 2021, THERE WERE A NUMBER OF SIGNIFICANT WEATHER RELATED WILDFIRES IN CALIFORNIA, AND THEN THE FOLLOWING YEAR WE GOT HIT WITH 11 ATMOSPHERIC RIVERS.

I DON'T THINK I NEED TO REMIND THIS COUNTY.

THIS COUNTY WAS AT THE FOREFRONT OF HAVING TO DEAL WITH THESE NATURAL DISASTERS AND CRISES, AND THERE ARE COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH BOTH OF THOSE EMERGENCIES ON OUR END.

ANYTIME THERE IS A SIGNIFICANT FIRE THAT AFFECTS OUR ASSETS OR A NUMBER OF ATMOSPHERIC RIVERS THAT THEN WALLOP THE GRID, WE HAVE TO GO THROUGH AND PRETTY MUCH REBUILD THE GRID IN CERTAIN PLACES FROM SCRATCH AND THAT IS DONE AT AT QUITE A COST.

SO AT THE BEGINNING OF JULY OF THIS YEAR, ALL THOSE COSTS HAVE NOW BEEN RECOUPED AND WE'RE ABLE TO ROLL THOSE COSTS OFF THE BILL.

AND SO STARTING JULY 1ST, CUSTOMERS WILL SEE A DECREASE OF 9% OFF THEIR UTILITY BILL AND WE HOPE THAT THIS PROVIDES SOME NEEDED AND IMMEDIATE RELIEF, ESPECIALLY TO FOLKS HERE IN THE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY WHO SEE THEIR HIGHEST USE THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, BE IN THE MONTHS OF JULY AND AUGUST AND WE'RE FINDING THAT IT GETS HOTTER QUICKER AND STAYS HOTTER LONGER AND IT'S GETTING SIGNIFICANTLY HOTTER EVEN IN THOSE SUMMER MONTHS.

SO WE'RE HOPING THAT THIS 9% HELPS TAKE A LITTLE BIT OFF THE BILL.

SO ONE OF OUR EFFORTS, AND IT'S BEEN HAPPENING AT SOME COMMUNITY EVENTS, SPECIFICALLY AT ASSEMBLYMEMBER SAWYER'S BACKPACK GIVEAWAYS AND DIFFERENT COMMUNITY FAIRS HERE WITHIN THE COUNTY.

WE'RE SENDING SOME OF OUR CUSTOMER SUPPORT TEAMS OUT TO HELP ENROLL FOLKS IN CARE IN FERA.

THESE PROVIDE UP TO A 20% SAVINGS ON GAS AND ELECTRICITY COSTS AND THESE ARE INCOME QUALIFIED PROGRAMS. SO IF THERE ARE FOLKS OR SPECIFIC GROUPS THAT YOU THINK MAY BE GOOD FOR US TO HELP GET OUR TEAM IN FRONT OF TO HELP ENROLL THEM WE WOULD BE HAPPY TO DO SO, BUT WE'RE FOCUSING AT EVENTS AND IN PLACES WHERE WE THINK WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE, GET CUSTOMERS ENROLLED IN THESE PROGRAMS, AND HELP THEM REALIZE SOME IMMEDIATE SAVINGS.

CARE CUSTOMERS AND FERA CUSTOMERS.

THEY'RE THE ONES THAT ARE REALLY IN A TOUGH SPOT WHEN IT COMES TO THEIR INCOME SHARE BEING PAID OUT IN WHAT THEY'RE PAYING FOR ELECTRICITY.

SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE DOING OUR PART IN HELPING TO ADDRESS THE AFFORDABILITY CRUNCH.

[00:25:05]

THE ONE THAT I'LL POINT OUT IS THE ONE AT THE BOTTOM, WHICH IS LIHEAP LOW INCOME HOUSE ENERGY ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.

THIS HELPS FOLKS CATCH UP ON ANY BACK BILLING OR DELAYS THAT THEY MAY HAVE HAD IN BEING ABLE TO PAY THEIR ELECTRICITY BILL AND GETS THEM BACK TO A BASELINE AND WE COLLABORATE WITH COMMUNITY BASED ORGANIZATIONS TO HELP ROLL OUT LIHEAP.

SO A GRAPHIC I WANTED TO GO OVER WITH ALL OF YOU HERE TODAY IS FOLKS ALWAYS ASK, SO WHAT'S PG&E SPENDING RATEPAYER MONIES ON? SO THIS IS A BILL BREAKDOWN OF WHAT THE DOLLAR LOOKS LIKE AT PG&E.

ABOUT $0.54 OUT OF YOUR DOLLAR GOES TOWARDS THE GENERATION OR THE MAKING OF YOUR ENERGY, THE DISTRIBUTING YOUR ENERGY, AND THEN THE OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE TO THE GRID.

A LITTLE UNDER A DIME IS OUR AUTHORIZED RATE OF RETURN, OR WHAT PGA AS A COMPANY MAKES ABOUT A NICKEL IS THE TAXES THAT WE PAY THE FEDS, THE STATE, AND THEN HERE AT THE LOCAL LEVEL, TRYING TO BE A GOOD NEIGHBOR.

BUT A THIRD OF OUR OVERALL BILL ARE STATE MANDATES, WHICH ARE THINGS THAT THE LEGISLATURE COMES UP WITH SOME LEGISLATION, THEY PASS IT, THEN IT GETS TACKED ON YOUR BILL. WE'RE PRETTY MUCH THE PASS THROUGH OF OF WHAT A LEGISLATIVE OR REGULATORY IDEA IS.

SO BREAKING DOWN SOME OF THE COSTS OF WHAT'S IN YOUR BILL AND WHAT SOME OF THE DRIVERS BEHIND YOUR BILL ARE IN ORDER TO SAFEGUARD THE SYSTEM AND IN ORDER TO DO THE MOST THAT WE CAN AROUND WILDFIRE SAFETY AND WILDFIRE RISK MITIGATION, 10% OF YOUR OVERALL BILL GOES TOWARDS VEGETATION MANAGEMENT, TRIMMING TREES HAULING OFF WOOD AND DOING DIFFERENT WORK AROUND OUR ASSETS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DON'T HAVE IGNITIONS THAT CAN TURN CATASTROPHIC.

6% OF YOUR BILL GOES TOWARDS THE POT THAT HELPS SUBSIDIZE THOSE ON CARE AND FERA.

THE ONE I WANT TO DRAW YOUR ATTENTION TO IS THE ONE AT THE BOTTOM.

IF YOU ARE A NONRESIDENTIAL OR IF YOU ARE A NON SOLAR SOLO RESIDENTIAL CUSTOMER.

SO IF YOU'RE A CUSTOMER THAT DOESN'T HAVE SOLAR ON YOUR ROOF TODAY AND YOU'RE NOT ON CARE OR FERA, YOU'RE PAYING $35 A MONTH TO SUBSIDIZE THOSE THAT ARE.

SO IN LOOKING AT ALL OF THESE DIFFERENT THINGS THAT ARE ON YOUR BILL, THERE'S CURRENTLY EFFORTS AND LEGISLATION UNDERWAY FOR US TO SECURITIZE OR FINANCE IN MORE OF A LONG TERM WAY.

THE WAY THAT WE DO VEGETATION MANAGEMENT WITH THE HOPES OF ROLLING THAT OFF YOUR BILL AND THEN EFFORTS ARE UNDERWAY TO CREATE SOME MORE PARITY AND EQUITY AROUND THE NEM PROCESS SO THAT THE SHARE ISN'T BEING BURDENED OR ISN'T BEING PAID BY ALL CUSTOMERS TO SUBSIDIZE THOSE THAT DO HAVE ROOFTOP SOLAR. SO OVER THE COURSE OF THE NEXT YEAR OR TWO, WE'LL BE COMING TO YOU AT THE LOCAL LEVEL ASKING FOR YOUR COLLABORATION AND YOUR SUPPORT AS WE GO TO LEGISLATORS THAT ARE WILLING TO TO LISTEN ON THIS ISSUE, TO THE ADMINISTRATION AND TO OUR REGULATORS TO TALK ABOUT WHAT NEEDS TO BE ON THE BILL, HAVE SOME PROGRAMS LIVED OUT THEIR UTILITY AND WHAT CAN WE ROLL OFF TODAY TO HELP RESIDENTIAL CUSTOMERS REALIZE REAL SAVINGS AND BRING THE COST OF THEIR OVERALL BILL DOWN EVERY MONTH? SO WE'LL BE COMING TO YOU AND ASKING FOR YOUR SUPPORT ON THAT AND YOUR FEEDBACK.

SO NOW MOVING INTO SANTANELLA IN THE BEGINNING OF JULY, WE SAW A CATASTROPHIC WILDFIRE TAKE PLACE OR A CATASTROPHIC FIRE TAKE PLACE AT THE MOBILE HOME PARK.

ALL OF YOU RESPONDED QUICKLY, EFFICIENTLY AND WITH A LOT OF COMPASSION.

WE SAW A COUPLE OF MOBILE HOME UNITS BE COMPLETELY BURNED DOWN, AND THEN 20 CUSTOMERS ARE NOW OUT OF POWER.

SINCE THEN, WE'VE BEEN COLLABORATING WITH ALL OF YOU.

I'D LIKE TO TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO THANK RODRIGO, RAHUL, MARK, THE TEAM AT THE COUNTY FOR ALL OF THEIR EFFORTS AND FOR ALL OF THEIR COLLABORATION.

A QUICK BREAKDOWN OF OF THINGS AS THEY STAND.

THOSE HOMES WERE LOST.

OUR ASSETS WERE BURNED DURING THE PROCESS.

CUSTOMER OWNED ASSETS, WHICH WERE THE ELECTRIC PANELS AND THE SERVICE DROPS THAT CONNECT TO THOSE ELECTRIC PANELS, WERE ALSO BURNED AND IMPACTED.

AND SINCE THEN, THERE, BECAUSE OF THE DAMAGE THAT HAS BEEN SUSTAINED THOSE ASSETS HAVE BEEN DE-ENERGIZED AND REMAIN

[00:30:09]

THE TRANSFORMERS THAT GO AND SERVICE THAT COMMUNITY.

BUT THE ISSUE HAS BEEN, AS YOU ON THIS DAIS AND IN THE COUNTY STAFF KNOW, IS THAT THE CUSTOMER PANELS AND THE CUSTOMER CONNECTIONS ARE CUSTOMER OWNED.

SO PG&E DOES NOT OWN, DOES NOT MAINTAIN AND CANNOT TAKE FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY FOR THOSE ASSETS THAT ARE CUSTOMER OWNED OR WHAT WE CALL BEHIND THE METER ASSETS.

SO IN THE MEANTIME, WHILE WE'VE BEEN COLLABORATING WITH YOU, WE HAVE SEEN THE COUNTY JUMP INTO ACTION AND HELP PROVIDE SOCIAL SERVICES. SUPPORT TO THOSE RESIDENTS HAS HELPED IN GETTING THEM TEMPORARY HOUSING, WHILE A SOLUTION CAN BE FORMULATED AND THEN ON OUR END, LIKE I SAID, WE REPLACED OUR DAMAGED POLE, OUR TRANSFORMER, AND WHAT WE WERE ABLE TO DO IS IN ORDER TO GET THE PROCESS DOWN THE ROAD TOWARDS A RESOLUTION, COME UP WITH A JOB PACKAGE OF WHAT WOULD IT TAKE FOR SOMEONE TO WHAT WOULD IT TAKE FOR SOMEONE TO FUND AND WHAT WOULD IT BE THAT THEIR FUNDING, WHICH WOULD BE A MULTIMETER, PANEL, SERVICE, DROPS AND SOME OF THE CONNECTIONS NECESSARY TO GET CONSTRUCTION GOING AND GET ALL OF THESE CUSTOMERS ENERGIZED.

SO WE WERE ABLE TO COME UP WITH THAT JOB PACKAGE AND I THINK THERE ARE FOLKS OUT IN THE COMMUNITY, IN THE NONPROFIT SECTOR THAT ARE CURRENTLY WORKING TOWARDS FUNDING THAT JOB PACKAGE, GETTING CONSTRUCTION GOING AND GETTING THESE NEIGHBORS ENERGIZED.

I THINK THAT'S WHAT ALL OF OUR GOAL IS HERE.

SO WE CURRENTLY HAVE TEAMS THAT ARE STANDING BY TO [INAUDIBLE]T ARE STANDING BY TO GET THE PROCESS GOING AND TO HELP ADDRESS THIS ISSUE AND GET THESE FOLKS ENERGIZED IMMEDIATELY, I'M GOING TO GO GET MY WATER REALLY QUICK [INAUDIBLE] AND SO ONCE THE JOB PACKAGE GETS FUNDED AND THE WORK IS DONE, WE'RE READY TO GO.

OKAY. BUT I WILL TAKE QUESTIONS.

NATHAN, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THAT.

WE HAVE SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL THAT HAS A COMMENT.

THANK YOU. NATHAN.

THIS WAS MOSTLY REFERRING TO THE ARTICLE IN THE FRESNO BEE LAST WEEK.

A GENTLEMAN WHO SAID HE'S BEEN USING THE SAME AMOUNT OF ELECTRICITY.

BUT YET DURING THIS TIME, HIS POWER BILL HAD TRIPLED IN SIZE AND I KNOW I TRIED TO READ INTO MOST OF THE INFORMATION ON THERE, AND I KNOW A LOT OF MY CONSTITUENCY HAS FELT THEIR RATES HAVE GONE UP SIGNIFICANTLY AND ACTUALLY TRYING TO USE LESS.

SO YOU SAID THERE'S A 9% REDUCTION THAT STARTED ON JULY 1ST.

WHEN WILL THAT START REFLECTING IN THEIR BILLS? BECAUSE IN THIS MONTH'S BILL, IT SHOULD BE IN THIS MONTH'S BILL.

YEAH AND LET'S TALK ABOUT AFFORDABILITY OVER THE COURSE OF THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS.

SO THERE'S BEEN THESE WILDFIRE AND NATURAL DISASTER RECOVERIES THAT HAVE BEEN IN THE BILL.

BUT ALSO ONE OF THE DRIVERS FOR AFFORDABILITY IS SOMETHING THAT YOU'RE SEEING IN THE WAY THAT YOU GOVERN AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE SEE ACROSS THE PRIVATE SECTOR.

SUPPLY CHAIN ISSUES AND INFLATION HAVE JUST ABSOLUTELY HAMMERED US AND HAVE HAMMERED EVERY SECTOR ACROSS OUR ECONOMY.

WHEREAS IT TOOK US PRIOR TO COVID X AMOUNT OF DOLLARS TO BUY A TRANSFORMER, YOU COULD SEE THAT COST ALMOST BE 1.7 TIMES WHAT IT WAS PRIOR TO THE PANDEMIC AND SO BETWEEN THAT AND INFLATION IT'S BEEN TOUGH FOR CUSTOMERS NOW AND THEN TO GO A LITTLE FURTHER INTO IT.

I WAS TRYING TO READ IN SOME OF THE COMMENTS THAT WERE THEY HAD MENTIONED THAT THERE IS A TIER SYSTEM WITHIN PG&E TO WHERE IF YOU'RE USING OVER THE AVERAGE AMOUNT OF ELECTRICITY THAT THE WHOLE STATE TOGETHER OR THE WHOLE CUSTOMER BASE TOGETHER, THAT YOU'RE BEING CHARGED EXTRA FOR GOING OVER THAT AMOUNT AND YET THE FOLKS WHO ARE LIKE IN THE COASTAL AREAS WHO AREN'T USING VERY MUCH ELECTRICITY, BENEFIT MORE OFF OF US USING TOO MUCH ELECTRICITY THAT WE HAVE TO PAY MORE.

I MEAN, LIKE, IT CLICKS EVEN A WHOLE NOTHER RATE.

SO TO CLARIFY THERE EACH CUSTOMER HAS THEIR OWN ALLOCATION OF KILOWATT HOURS AT A BASELINE

[00:35:06]

IF YOU GO ABOVE YOUR BASELINE ALLOCATION IT IS AT A DIFFERENT RATE.

AND THEN THERE ARE ALSO DIFFERENT TIERED RATES THAT CUSTOMERS CAN CHOOSE FROM.

SO THERE'S THE BASIC CUSTOMER RESIDENTIAL CUSTOMER RATE AND THEN THERE'S ALSO THE PEAK PRICING OR THE DIFFERENT TIME OF USE RATES.

SO GOING BACK TO YOUR COMMENT ABOUT A SPECIFIC RESIDENT, WE WOULD HAVE TO GO SEE WHAT PLAN THEY'RE ON AND THEN IF THEY'VE GONE OVER THEIR BASELINE ALLOCATION. SO IT COULD BE THAT HE COULD BE UNDER THE BASIC PLAN.

BUT ONCE HE USES MORE THAN 1500 KILOWATT HOURS THEN IT GOES FROM THE AND THIS IS THE BASELINE PRICE, THE 43KW OR $0.43 PER KILOWATT HOUR TO WHATEVER THE NEXT TIER IS AND IT'S ALL BASED ON USAGE.

OKAY, BUT I WILL SAY THAT YOU'RE RIGHT.

CUSTOMERS IN COASTAL AREAS OR IN AREAS THAT DON'T HAVE THE WEATHER THAT WE DO ARE IN A DIFFERENT POSITION AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE AS A COMPANY ARE ADVOCATING TO THE LEGISLATURE AND OUR REGULATORS THAT WE NEED TO LOOK AT A SOLUTION THAT HELPS ADDRESS THE AFFORDABILITY AND THE USAGE NEEDS OF FOLKS THAT LIVE WHERE IT'S HOT AND WHERE WE'RE GROWING THE FOOD RIGHT HERE ON THE RESIDENTIAL END, BUT ALSO ON THE AG AND INDUSTRIAL END, BECAUSE OUR LARGE SCALE USERS ARE AG USERS ARE I MEAN, THEY'RE FEELING THE HURT TOO, AND IT SEEMS LIKE THE RATES ARE HIGHER DURING THE PEAK TIME.

BUT YET THAT'S WHEN SOLAR ENERGY IS AT ITS PEAK TIME AS WELL.

AND YOU WOULD THINK THAT THE COST OF DOING, USING OR GENERATING ELECTRICITY WOULD BE AT NIGHT TIME.

YEAH, PER SE, BECAUSE I KNOW THE USAGE AND HOW THAT ALL WORKS OUT.

BUT THERE'S NO SOLAR AT THAT TIME.

YEAH AND I MEAN, THAT'S THE CHALLENGE THAT WE RUN INTO DURING PEAK TIMES IS WHEN YOU'RE SEEING THE MOST INDUSTRIAL OR THE MOST RESIDENTIAL, INDUSTRIAL AND COMMERCIAL USE.

BUT THE CHALLENGE THAT WE RUN INTO, TOO, AND IT'S AN ISSUE OF TECHNICAL INNOVATION YET, IS WE HAVE DONE A FANTASTIC JOB OF CREATING AND MACRO SCALING SOLAR.

WE HAVEN'T DONE AS GREAT OF A JOB ON THE BATTERY STORAGE END OF IT.

SO YOU'RE CREATING ALL THE GOOD STUFF, BUT YOU'RE NOT FINDING A WAY TO STORE IT SO THAT THEN YOU CAN USE IT WHEN YOU REALLY NEED IT LATER ON.

SO THAT'S A BIG EFFORT THAT'S UNDERWAY ON OUR END IS THE BATTERY STORAGE COMPONENT, SO THAT WE CAN SAVE THAT SOLAR AND DO A BETTER JOB OF USING IT WHEN WE NEED IT AND HOPEFULLY THAT TRANSLATES INTO INTO SAVINGS FOR CUSTOMERS.

RIGHT ON. THANKS. I APPRECIATE YOU COMING HERE AND DOING THIS PRESENTATION TODAY.

THANK YOU. OKAY, SUPERVISOR PAREIRA.

THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. YEAH, THANKS FOR COMING OUT AND SHARING THIS INFORMATION WITH PEOPLE AND IT GIVES US AN OPPORTUNITY TO CONTINUE TO SHARE IT AND IT'LL BE ONLINE SO PEOPLE CAN TAKE A LOOK AT IT.

AND SO I APPRECIATE THAT.

SO MY QUESTION GOES BACK TO THE RATES THAT YOU TALKED ABOUT THE FIXED COST AND THEN THE SO SOME, DOESN'T ADD UP TO ME AND IT'S NOT A GOTCHA. YOU KNOW, I'M JUST TRYING TO UNDERSTAND IF A PERSON'S GOING TO GET A WELL, LET'S I DID IT AT A FIVE CENT DISCOUNT ON THEIR RATE.

SO IF YOU GET FIVE CENT OFF THE WHOLE BILL, YOU ADD IN THE $24.

RIGHT, WHICH IS A NEW CHARGE IF YOU'RE USING OVER 480 KILOWATT HOURS A MONTH, YOUR BILL'S ACTUALLY GOING TO GO DOWN.

SO THAT DOESN'T ADD UP BECAUSE I KNOW PGA HAS FIXED COST AND PGA NEVER GOES DOWN.

RIGHT, OR AT LEAST THE TOTAL THAT WE ALL PAY.

SO CAN YOU HELP ME RECONCILE THAT OF WHY THAT WOULD HAPPEN.

YEAH. WELL IT'S GOING TO BE A DIFFERENT WAY OF PUTTING TOGETHER THE PRICE PER KILOWATT HOUR.

SO INSTEAD OF, LIKE I SAID, LUMPING IT ALL TOGETHER, WE LOOKED TO SEPARATE IT, WHICH IS THE FIXED COST THAT IT TAKES TO BUILD, INNOVATE AND MAINTAIN THE SYSTEM AND THEN YOUR OVERALL PRICE PER KILOWATT HOUR.

SO BY SEPARATING THOSE, WHAT OUR RATE SCHEME IS SAID IS IT'LL BRING THE OVERALL PRICE THAT CUSTOMERS PAY DOWN.

SO EVEN IF YOU'RE THE 2415 YOU'LL HAVE THE FIXED COST, BUT THEN YOUR PRICE PER KILOWATT HOUR, ONCE WE COME UP WITH THE PRICE PER KILOWATT HOUR AFTER YOU'VE SEPARATED THE FIXED CHARGE, WE'LL HAVE THAT SIGNIFICANT REDUCTION OF AT LEAST $0.07 A KILOWATT HOUR.

NO, I GET THAT AND SO IF THE PEOPLE WHO ARE HAVE THE ABILITY TO PAY THE MOST RIGHT IS WHAT THIS IS FOR.

YEAH. SO IF THEY'RE PAYING THE MOST AND THEY'RE GOING TO GET A REDUCTION IN THEIR BILL, AND THEN THE TIER ONE AND TIER TWO ARE GOING TO GET A BIGGER REDUCTION IN THEIR BILL.

RIGHT. SO HOW DOES PG&E GET MADE WHOLE.

I'LL GO AND ASK THE DETAILED QUESTION FROM OUR RATES TEAM AND I'LL ACTUALLY GET BACK TO YOU.

I DON'T WANT TO SPEAK OUT OF MY DEPTH HERE.

YEAH. OKAY AND THEN SO I APPRECIATE THIS AND THEN I'LL JUST KIND OF TEASE WITH YOU A LITTLE BIT, BUT I HAVE

[00:40:07]

SO, YOU KNOW, WE WOULDN'T BE.

WE'D HAVE ROLLING BLACKOUTS AT A MASS SCALE AND SO ANYWAYS, I FEEL LIKE I'M DOING MY PART.

YOU ARE AND WE WANT TO ENCOURAGE FOLKS THAT CAN GO OUT AND GET IT TO GO OUT AND GET IT AND ON OUR END WE ACTUALLY PROVIDE A SELF STORAGE REBATE.

SO IF YOU GO OUT AND YOU GET YOUR OWN BATTERY STORAGE, WE PROVIDE YOU A REBATE FOR THAT TOO.

SO WE'RE DOING OUR PART IN TRYING TO INCENTIVIZE FOLKS TO BE AS BEST PREPARED AND AS RESILIENT AS THEY CAN BE.

SO WHAT'S THE TELL ME ABOUT THIS STORAGE REBATE? DO YOU KNOW WHAT THE RATE IS AT RESIDENTIAL BATTERY STORAGE FOR YOUR HOME? THAT STORES WHAT YOU'RE MAKING ON YOUR PHOTOVOLTAIC SYSTEM.

WE GIVE YOU A REBATE IF YOU GO OUT AND GET AN APPROVED BATTERY STORAGE SYSTEM.

OKAY. DO YOU KNOW, LIKE, IS IT A PERCENTAGE OF THE COST OR A DOLLAR FLAT FEE OR I THINK IT'S A FLAT DOLLAR AMOUNT.

ALRIGHT. I CAN FOLLOW UP WITH YOU.

PERFECT. YEAH.

THANKS. THANK YOU.

SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA.

[INAUDIBLE] THANK YOU.

NATHAN. SO A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS.

ONE, SO IF WE'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DAY, YOU GUYS ARE CREATING THE POWER THAT YOU NEED TO CREATE ON THE GRID AND NOW YOU HAVE ALL THIS SOLAR THAT'S HAPPENING.

WHERE DOES THE POWER GO IF IT'S NOT BEING USED? LIKE, IF IT DOES IT EVER GET TO A POINT WHERE THE SYSTEM ISN'T USING THE AMOUNT OF POWER BEING MADE? LIKE, DOES IT JUST DISAPPEAR? THEY JUST SEND IT SOMEWHERE ELSE? IT COULD BE A ON OUR END.

WE COULD FLEX THE AMOUNT THAT'S BEING MADE, LIKE DURING PEAK TIMES WHEN NEED IS AT ITS HIGHEST.

WE CAN BRING ON HYDRO ASSETS.

YOU COULD SEE DIABLO KICK ON TO THE MAXIMUM OUTPUT.

SO I THINK IT'S A FLEX BETWEEN MAKING WHAT WE KNOW IS NEEDED AND WHEN THE NEED SPIKES, USING ALL OF THE DIFFERENT ASSETS WITHIN OUR PORTFOLIO TO HELP MEET THAT NEED.

SO YOU DON'T EVER MAKE ANY MORE POWER THAN YOU ACTUALLY NEED.

THAT'S SAFE TO SAY.

I DON'T KNOW THAT IT'S SAFE TO SAY.

BUT WE'RE.

THAT'S JUST. IT WAS JUST CURIOUS.

I JUST THAT THIS THOUGHT CAME TO MY HEAD.

I NEVER ASKED THAT QUESTION. OUR HOPE IS ALWAYS TO MAKE ENOUGH TO MEET THE DEMAND.

WHEN WE SEE DEMAND SPIKE, IT'S BRING ON THE ASSETS WITHIN OUR PORTFOLIO THAT CAN HELP MEET THAT NEED.

PERFECT AND THEN THE OTHER QUESTION, JUST TO PIGGYBACK OFF OF WHAT MY COLLEAGUE FROM DISTRICT THREE SAID, WHO ESTABLISHES THAT BASELINE? BECAUSE THAT'S ALWAYS THE FRUSTRATION IS I DON'T THINK MY BASELINE IS RIGHT.

I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, AND I DON'T WANT TO SOUND ARROGANT OR DIFFERENT ACCORDING TO THE REGION AND ACCORDING TO THE NEED.

YEAH BUT IT'S HARD TO COMPARE THAT IF, YOU KNOW, I GOT A 900 SQUARE FOOT MOBILE HOME ON THE DAIRY, AND I LIVE IN A 1500 SQUARE FOOT HOUSE, BUT YET THEY'RE ON THE SAME BASELINE.

SO IT'S ESTABLISHED BY REGION? NO, IT'S ESTABLISHED STATEWIDE, ACTUALLY STATEWIDE AND THEREFORE THIS IS WHAT ALWAYS HAPPENS, IS THAT THE POOR RURAL COMMUNITIES OF THE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY, WHERE ALL WE DO IS FEED THE WORLD, GET PENALIZED BECAUSE WE'RE THE FOLKS IN THE BAY AREA THAT DON'T THAT LIVE IN THE VERY MILD, BEAUTIFUL CLIMATE.

THEIR LIVING ON THE SAME BASELINE AS US AND SO, WHEN YOU NEED HELP WITH THE REGULATORS AND THE FOLKS IN SACRAMENTO TO HELP TRY TO CONVINCE THEM OF THAT, I DON'T THINK WE NEED TO CONVINCE OUR LOCAL ELECTED'S OUR STATE AND COUNTY OR EXCUSE ME, STATE AND FEDERAL REPRESENTATIVES, ASSEMBLY AND SENATE HERE BECAUSE I THINK THEY UNDERSTAND IT.

BUT IT'S CONVINCING THOSE METROPOLITAN BAY AREA COASTAL ELITES THAT LIKE THAT, YOU KNOW, HERE AGAIN, WE TALK ABOUT THINGS LIKE UNDERSERVED AND UNSERVED COMMUNITIES, WHICH WE CHECK A LOT OF THOSE BOXES OVER HERE AND YET BUT THEY REALLY DON'T MEAN IT BECAUSE IT DOESN'T BENEFIT THEM TO MEAN IT. SO WHEN YOU NEED HELP WITH THAT, PLEASE CALL.

THANK YOU. LIKE WE ALWAYS DO.

WE'LL GO ON A TOUR TALKING ABOUT BACK HOME WITH A LOT OF THESE FOLKS.

WELL, FOR ME NATHAN I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR ALWAYS BEING RESPONSIVE TO ALL OF US AND CONCERNS OUT THERE IN CONCERNS IN SACRAMENTO AS WELL IN REGARDS TO THE PGA BILLS.

WELL, UNFORTUNATELY, JUNE IN JULY HAVE BEEN EXTREMELY, YOU KNOW, HOT MORE THAN NORMAL AND I GUESS FROM JULY WE PEOPLE HAVEN'T GOTTEN THE

[00:45:04]

SO THEY'RE REALLY IN EXTREME.

WELL, THERE'S AN OUTRAGE OUT THERE, YOU KNOW, ALL OVER SOCIAL MEDIA EVERYWHERE CALLING US CONCERNED.

SO, YOU KNOW, UNFORTUNATELY, ALL THIS SAVINGS, PERCENTAGE SAVINGS THAT PG&E IS OFFERING PROBABLY WON'T, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE WON'T EVEN SEE IT BECAUSE THE BILLS ARE SO HIGH.

SO THAT'S JUST UNFORTUNATE AND I KNOW IT'S PART OF THE BUSINESS AND YOU KNOW AND THE COST YOU KNOW, INFLATION, LIKE, AS YOU STATED.

SO, YOU KNOW, THAT'S GOING TO BE HARD ON PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, TO DEAL WITH, ESPECIALLY RIGHT NOW WITH THE WAGES THEY'RE THE WAY THEY ARE.

RIGHT. SO AND GOING BACK TO SANTANELLA I KNOW THAT THE, YOU KNOW, THE RESIDENTS, IT'S ALL THEY'VE BEEN COMING TO THE BOARD MEETINGS HERE WITH CONCERNS.

BUT UNFORTUNATELY, THOSE SYSTEMS, YOU KNOW, ARE PRIVATE AND BUT I THINK THERE WAS LIKE 5 OR 6 MORE HOMES, THE TOTAL, YOU KNOW, IN TOTAL BURNED BECAUSE I WAS OUT THERE AND I'VE BEEN GOING OUT THERE TO CHECK AGAIN AND THE RESIDENTS STILL DON'T HAVE THE POWER.

HOPEFULLY THEY'LL BE TODAY OR TOMORROW THEY'LL HAVE THE GENERATOR GOING OUT THERE BEFORE YOU GUYS, YOU KNOW, AND THE SERVICE WILL BE PREPARED.

SO THAT WAY PG&E CAN OFFER THE SERVICE AND I KNOW THAT THERE'S STILL A CURRENT ENERGY PROVIDER THAT'S STILL PROVIDING ENERGY THERE UNTIL YOU GUYS TAKE OVER.

RIGHT OR HAVE YOU GUYS STARTED TAKING OVER YET FOR AND [INAUDIBLE] OR WHATEVER THE NAME OF THE COMPANY IS? YEAH, WE DO HAVE AN ELECTRIFICATION PROGRAM GOING AND IT'S SCHEDULED TO BEGIN THIS UPCOMING YEAR.

SO RIGHT NOW WE'VE BEEN ENROLLING CUSTOMERS IN THE PROGRAM, SHOWING THEM SOME OF THE APPLIANCES AND SOME OF THE DIFFERENT WORK THAT WE'RE GOING TO DO.

BUT NO IT WON'T BEGIN UNTIL THIS UPCOMING YEAR AND I KNOW THAT THERE WAS HOPE THAT WE COULD HAVE DONE SOME OF THE WORK, SOME OF THE RESTORATION, SOME OF THE ELECTRIFICATION CONCURRENTLY TO HELP BRIDGE THIS GAP.

BUT UNFORTUNATELY WE WEREN'T ABLE TO.

YEAH AND AGAIN, I WANT TO THANK ALL, YOU KNOW, ALL OUR DEPARTMENTS I JUST SAY AND OTHER DEPARTMENTS HAVE BEEN, YOU KNOW, PROVIDING SERVICES OUT THERE AND AS WELL FOR PG&E FOR BEING THERE FOR SUPPORT. SO HOPEFULLY WE GET THOSE ALL THOSE AFFECTED AND BACK ON SERVICE, WHICH IS STILL PRIVATE AND YOU KNOW, WE HAVE THE PRIVATE BUSINESSES ARE TRYING TO HELP THERE SO, I APPRECIATE THAT AND HERE THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT AND I'D CLOSE BY SAYING THAT AFFORDABILITY IS SOMETHING THAT'S AT THE TOP OF MIND FOR US RIGHT NOW. WE'RE DOING OUR PART IN HELPING TO DO WHATEVER WE CAN IN ORDER TO PASS SAVINGS ALONG TO CUSTOMERS.

THIS LAST YEAR, CUT COSTS BY 510 MILLION.

300 MILLION OF THAT IS IN RENEGOTIATING VEGETATION MANAGEMENT CONTRACTS.

A LITTLE OVER 20 MILLION OF THAT WAS IN REDOING THE WAY THAT WE DO CUSTOMER HOOK-UPS OR INTERCONNECTIONS.

SO WE'RE CHIPPING AWAY AT IT IN ORDER TO GET TO A FUTURE WHERE WE'RE STABILIZING BILLS AND BRINGING AFFORDABILITY TO CUSTOMERS AND WORKING ALONGSIDE ALL OF YOU AND GOING TO THE LEGISLATURE, TO THE ADMINISTRATION AND TO OUR REGULATORS, AND SEEING WHAT WE CAN ROLL OFF BILLS IN ORDER FOR CUSTOMERS TO REALIZE IMMEDIATE SAVINGS.

SO IT'S A PUSH.

IT'S A MOUNTAIN THAT WE'RE ALL CLIMBING TOGETHER, AND WE'RE DOING THE MOST THAT WE CAN AS QUICKLY AS WE CAN IN ORDER TO DO SOMETHING.

OKAY. ALL RIGHT.

THANK YOU. LET ME SEE IF ANYBODY FROM THE PUBLIC WANTS TO HAVE ANY COMMENTS.

ANY THE PUBLIC COMMENT FOR THIS PRESENTATION NOW OPEN.

DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? OKAY, NONE I'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC COMMENT ON THE PRESENTATION AND WE'LL MOVE ON TO THE CONSENT CALENDAR.

[CONSENT CALENDAR]

PLEASE NOTE THAT ITEMS ONE AND TWO REQUIRE A FOUR-FIFTHS VOTE.

OKAY AT THIS TIME I'LL OPEN UP PUBLIC COMMENT FOR CONSENT CALENDAR ITEMS ONE THROUGH SEVEN.

ANYBODY HAVE ANY COMMENTS ON CONSENT CALENDAR? NO. I WILL CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD FOR CONSENT CALENDAR ITEMS ARE 1 THROUGH 7 IS NOT CLOSED.

OKAY LET'S SEE.

THERE'S A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL.

SECOND BY SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA.

PLEASE CALL FOR A VOTE.

RECORD THE VOTE. MOTION PASSES 5-0.

NOW WE'LL MOVE ON TO THE BOARD.

[BOARD ACTION]

AT THIS TIME, WE'LL OPEN UP PUBLIC COMMENT FOR ITEM NUMBER EIGHT.

ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS? THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD FOR DPI ITEM NUMBER EIGHT IS NOW CLOSED.

ANY COMMENTS BY THE BOARD? SO I SEE A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR PEDROZO.

SECOND BY SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA.

CALL FOR THE VOTE. RECORD THE VOTE.

[00:50:04]

NEXT WE HAVE DISTRICT ATTORNEY.

ITEM NINE. AT THIS TIME, WE'LL OPEN UP PUBLIC COMMENT FOR DA ITEM NUMBER NINE.

ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS? OKAY, I HAVE A WE'LL CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENTS AND SO ANY COMMENTS BY THE BOARD OR MOTIONS.

I SEE A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA.

SECOND BY SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL.

CALL FOR THE VOTE. RECORD THE VOTE.

GET A VOTE.

MAKE SURE WE GO FIRST.

MOTION PASSES FIVE ZERO.

NEXT WE HAVE AUDITOR ITEM TEN.

THIS TIME, OPEN UP PUBLIC COMMENT FOR AUDITOR.

ITEM NUMBER TEN.

ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS? OKAY. SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. A QUICK QUESTION ON THIS ITEM.

AS I WAS READING THROUGH THE REPORT, IT SAYS THAT AT ANY POINT, THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS COULD REQUEST AN AUDIT OF ALL I HAVE TO.

I DON'T REMEMBER OF ANY DEPARTMENT, ANY KIND OF FINANCIAL AREA WITHIN OUR JURISDICTION.

WHAT IS THE FORMAL PROCESS ON THAT? IS IT JUST SOMETHING LIKE I CALL UP THE AUDITOR CONTROLLER AND SAY, HEY, MISS CARDELLA-PRESTO, I'D LIKE YOU TO AUDIT THIS.

OR IS IT SOMETHING THAT TAKES FORMAL ACTION OF THE BOARD UP HERE? I CAN MAYBE HAVE LISA ADDRESS THIS, BUT I SUSPECT THAT THE THE PROCESS IS OR THERE'S COMMUNICATION WITH OUR OFFICE, AND THEN WE REACH OUT TO THE OTHER CONTROLLER TO KIND OF INITIATE.

BUT YOU KNOW, MAYBE HAVE OUR AUDITOR CONTROLLER ADDRESS THAT DIRECTLY.

HI. YES, THAT WOULD BE THE PROCESS.

YOU COULD REACH OUT TO THE CEO, AND THEN THEY'LL GET IN TOUCH WITH US, AND THEN WE'LL PROCEED FROM THERE.

PERFECT. I JUST WANT TO TELL YOU, TELL YOUR TEAM THANK YOU FOR THE GOOD WORK THAT THEY'RE DOING.

I READ THROUGH THEY DID QUITE A FEW AUDITS LAST YEAR AND ACTUALLY ARE STILL IN THE PROCESS OF COMPLETING A COUPLE OF THEM THAT ARE PROBABLY LIKE MULTI YEAR TYPE OF AUDITS.

SO THANK YOU FOR THE GOOD WORK ON THAT.

THANK YOU. OKAY, I THINK I DID CLOSE THE PUBLIC COMMENT.

RIGHT. SO I'LL CALL FOR MOTIONS SUPERVISOR PEDROZO A MOTION AND A SECOND BY SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA.

I'LL CALL FOR THE VOTE.

PLEASE RECORD THE VOTE.

MOTION PASSES FIVE ZERO.

NEXT WE HAVE SPRING FAIR ITEM 11.

AT THIS TIMEI'LL OPEN UP PUBLIC COMMENT FOR SPRING FAIR ITEM NUMBER 11, ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS? SUPERVISOR PAREIRA.

THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. I JUST WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THAT THIS IS THE A CONTRACT WITH THE NICHETTI GROUP WHICH IS GOING TO BE LEASING OUT SPRING FAIR GROUNDS TO HOLD THE CALIFORNIA GARLIC FESTIVAL ON FRIDAY, AUGUST 30TH THROUGH SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER THE 1ST.

JUST KIND OF PUT A HIGHLIGHT OUT THERE THAT ONE OF MY GOOD FRIENDS AND LOCAL BAND FROM LAS VEGAS, THE MOONSHINE BANDITS, WILL BE PLAYING THERE ON SATURDAY, AUGUST 31ST.

SO I WOULD ENCOURAGE ANYBODY TO COME OUT AND VISIT THE SPRING FAIRGROUNDS.

SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL NO THANK YOU.

THIS IS SOMETHING I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO AS WELL.

I'VE HAD MANY DISCUSSIONS WITH MY COLLEAGUE FROM THE WEST SIDE.

BEING THAT I COME FROM A BUSINESS THAT DOES A LOT OF THESE, THIS REALLY DOES GENERATE A LOT OF REVENUE WITHIN THE AREA.

I KNOW THE CITY OF LOS BANOS WILL BENEFIT PROBABLY MORE THAN THE COUNTY AS A WHOLE, BUT THIS IS GOOD THAT THE COUNTY IS WORKING WITH SOMEBODY WHO'S GOING TO DO THIS BECAUSE WE BRING MORE OF THOSE. IT NOT ONLY WHAT DO THEY SAY A TIDE RIGHT RAISES ALL BOATS RISE IN A RISING TIDE.

BUT THIS IS JUST IT JUST CREATES GOOD CAMARADERIE WITHIN THE COMMUNITY AND I LOOK FORWARD TO THIS ONE AND MANY MORE COMING TO MERCED COUNTY.

THANKS. SEE NO MORE COMMENTS.

I KNOW THAT PUBLIC COMMENT WAS STILL OPEN, BUT I'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC COMMENT.

THERE'S NO COMMENTS AND SO I'LL CALL FOR MOTIONS.

A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA.

SECOND SUPERVISOR PAREIRA CALL FOR THE VOTE.

RECORD THE VOTE, PLEASE.

MOTION PASSES FIVE ZERO.

NEXT WE HAVE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS ITEM 12 TO CONSIDER.

AMENDMENT AND EXTENSION OF EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT WITH RAUL LOMELI MENDEZ FOR THE POSITION OF COUNTY EXECUTIVE OFFICER, EXTENDING THE TERM END DATE TO JANUARY 10TH, 2026, WITH THE SALARY TO REMAIN AT $264,999.80.

OKAY. AT THIS TIME, WE'LL OPEN UP PUBLIC COMMENT FOR ITEM NUMBER 12, WISHING TO ANYBODY TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM.

OKAY. THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD FOR BOARD OF SUPERVISORS ITEM 12 IS NOW CLOSED.

[00:55:04]

I JUST WANTED TO MENTION THAT THERE IS NO RAISE IN THIS PARTICULAR CONTRACT.

I JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY THAT BECAUSE I KNOW SOME OF THE FOLKS WHO ARE SPEAKING HERE SAYING THE ADMINISTRATION WAS RECEIVING LARGE RAISES DURING THIS TIME AND JUST TO LET YOU KNOW THAT OUR CEO DID NOT PUT A RAISE IN HIS CONTRACT MOVING FORWARD.

THANK YOU. OKAY.

SUPERVISOR PEDROZA, THANK YOU.

YEAH, I JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THAT AS WELL AND THAT WAS ONE OF THE THINGS IN HIS AGREEMENT WHEN HE MET WITH US WAS THAT HE WASN'T LOOKING FOR ANYTHING LIKE THAT BECAUSE HE RECOGNIZED THE FACT THAT, YOU KNOW, EVERYBODY'S KIND OF STRUGGLING AND SO I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT, YOU KNOW WHEREAS IT SEEMS LIKE A LOT IT'S FOR THE JOB THAT HE'S DOING AND I THINK THAT IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT.

SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA.

THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. MY COMMENTS ARE GOING TO BE ON THE SAME LINES.

IS, THAT NOT ONLY DID IS IT AT THE SAME AMOUNT, IT IS, NOR DID HE ASK FOR ANY KIND OF RAISE AND I THINK THAT'S JUST BECAUSE HE KNOWS THAT THE TIMES THAT WE'RE IN THAT WE'RE NOT OFFERING SALARY INCREASES TO OUR EMPLOYEES, THAT IT WOULDN'T BE RIGHT FOR HIM TO ASK FOR ONE FOR HIMSELF.

SO I JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THAT AS WELL.

THANK YOU. OKAY.

I JUST WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT RAUL MENDEZ WE'RE DISCUSSING HIS CONTRACT.

HE STEPPED DOWN, SO ASSISTANT CEO MARCI BARRERA STEPPED IN.

SO THANK YOU FOR STEPPING IN.

AT THIS TIME, I THINK I WENT TO THE PUBLIC.

RIGHT. OKAY. SO ANY I DON'T SEE NO FURTHER COMMENTS OR ENTERTAIN ANY COMMENTS OR MOTIONS, SEE MOTION BY SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA SECOND SUPERVISOR PEDROZO SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL.

CALL FOR THE VOTE AND RECORD THE VOTE, PLEASE.

MOTION PASSES FIVE ZERO.

THANK YOU, MARCI. THANK YOU.

NO COMMENT. WE'LL WAIT FOR RAUL MENDEZ.

NEXT, WE HAVE BOARD INFORMATION AND POSSIBLE ACTION ITEM 13 THIS TIME.

[BOARD INFORMATION AND POSSIBLE ACTION]

ITEM NUMBER 13. ANY COMMENTS? THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD FOR ITEM FOR ITEM NUMBER 13 IS NOW CLOSED.

CALL FOR MOTIONS.

COMMENT BY SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA.

THIS COMMENT IS REALLY DIRECTED AT OUR YOUNGSTERS THAT ARE HERE FROM.

4-H SO IF YOU THERE'S AN AGENDA THAT COMES OUT BEFORE THE MEETING.

SO YOU SEE THAT WE'RE KIND OF RUNNING THROUGH THESE ITEMS, BUT THIS STUFF IS ALL POSTED AT LEAST 72 HOURS IN ADVANCE OF OUR MEETING AND SO JUST KIND OF WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THAT FOR YOU GUYS. DO YOU THINK WE'RE JUST VOTING ON ITEMS ONE THROUGH 15 AND WHATNOT? AND THEN AT THE VERY BEGINNING OF THE MEETING, IF YOU HEARD THAT WE HAVE A CONSENT CALENDAR AND A CONSENT CALENDAR, IS THERE CONSIDERED TO BE ITEMS OF A MATTER OF ROUTINE THERE? SO THEY KIND OF LUMP THOSE TOGETHER.

SO JUST KIND OF WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THAT FOR ME.

I KNOW IT GOES KIND OF FAST ONCE EVERYBODY GETS DONE WITH THEIR TALKING PIECE.

WE ACTUALLY DO THE THE GOOD WORK OF THE PEOPLE PRETTY QUICKLY UP HERE.

SO. ALL RIGHT.

THANK YOU FOR THAT. SO I SEE A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA.

A SECOND SUPERVISOR PEDROZO CALL FOR THE VOTE.

PLEASE RECORD THE VOTE.

MOTION PASSES FIVE ZERO.

SCHEDULE ITEMS. NEXT, WE HAVE A SCHEDULE ITEM SUBMITTED BY THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE OFFICE.

[SCHEDULED ITEM]

PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS ITEM REQUIRES A 4/5 VOTE.

OKAY. YES.

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

THE ITEM BEFORE YOU, AS STATED BY THE CLERK, IS A REQUIRED PUBLIC HEARING NECESSARY FOR YOU TO CONSIDER PLACING A LOCAL PUBLIC SAFETY SALES TAX MEASURE ON THE STATEWIDE BALLOT ON NOVEMBER 5TH.

THIS ITEM IS A COMBINATION OF QUICK WORK AND COORDINATION BETWEEN THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT, THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY, CAL FIRE COUNTY COUNCIL, AND OUR OFFICE.

BEFORE I GO INTO THE KEY ELEMENTS OF THE PROPOSED MEASURE ASSOCIATED RESOLUTION AND ORDINANCE, AND THEN TURN IT OVER TO OUR PUBLIC SAFETY OFFICIALS THAT WERE INSTRUMENTAL IN CRAFTING WHAT'S BEFORE YOU FOR REMARKS.

I WANTED TO GO OVER THE STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS.

I'M GOING TO HAVE OUR DEPUTY COUNTY CLERK TEE UP THE POWERPOINT.

[01:00:08]

SO FOLLOWING STAFFS PRESENTATION, THERE ARE FOUR RECOMMENDED ACTIONS FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION.

THE FIRST IS TO OPEN A PUBLIC HEARING AND ACCEPT PUBLIC COMMENT IS TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AFTER RECEIVING THE COMMENT.

THE THIRD IS TO APPROVE ORDINANCE AND ADOPT A RESOLUTION CALLING FOR AN ELECTION TO BE HELD IN THE COUNTY OF MERCED ON NOVEMBER 5TH, 2024, FOR THE PURPOSES OF SUBMITTING TO VOTERS A SPECIAL TAX MEASURE TO ESTABLISH A RETAIL TRANSACTION AND USE TAX SALES TAX AT THE RATE OF ONE HALF PERCENT $0.01 PER DOLLAR FOR 30 YEARS.

THIS IS TO BE KNOWN AS THE MERCED COUNTY PUBLIC SAFETY STABILIZATION ACT SPECIAL SALES TAX MEASURE.

WE'RE ALSO ASKING THAT THIS BE CONSOLIDATED WITH THE SAID ELECTION THAT YOU CONSOLIDATE THE SAID ELECTION WITH THE STATEWIDE GENERAL ELECTION TO BE CONDUCTED ON THE SAME DATE, AND PERMIT THE REGISTRAR OF VOTERS TO PROVIDE ELECTION SERVICES.

ITEM NUMBER 4 IS TO ASK THAT THE BOARD APPOINT A BOARD SUBCOMMITTEE TO WORK WITH STAFF TO PREPARE AND SUBMIT BALLOT ARGUMENTS AND REBUTTAL ARGUMENTS IN FAVOR OF THE SAID BALLOT MEASURE.

NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.

AS THE BOARD IS AWARE, IN RECENT YEARS MERCED COUNTY HAS EXPERIENCED SIGNIFICANT CHALLENGES MAINTAINING ADEQUATE PUBLIC SAFETY, STAFFING LEVELS AND SUFFICIENT LEVELS OF SERVICE. THIS HAS BEEN ON TWO PUBLIC SAFETY FRONTS IN LAW ENFORCEMENT AND FIRE PROTECTION SERVICES, AS RESOURCES HAVE BECOME MORE, MUCH MORE LIMITED. THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS HAS HAD TO MAKE DIFFICULT DECISIONS TO PRIORITIZE DEPARTMENTAL NEEDS AND THE ALLOCATION OF RESOURCES.

SOME OF THESE CONVERSATIONS HAVE TAKEN PLACE OVER THE COURSE OF THIS, THE LAST YEAR HERE, HERE AT YOUR BOARD MEETINGS.

NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.

SO THIS OBVIOUSLY SITUATION LED FOR A SURVEY TO BE ADMINISTERED.

WORKING WITH THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT AND THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, SPECIFICALLY THE SHERIFF AND THE DA TO COMMISSION A SURVEY BE DONE BY TGG GREENSBURG AND IT WAS CONDUCTED ON MAY 28TH THROUGH THE 30TH OF THIS YEAR.

THE RESULTS WERE PRESENTED TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS AT A PUBLIC MEETING ON JULY 9TH.

AT THAT MEETING TGG GREENSBURG SHARED THE SURVEY'S METHODOLOGY AND THE GENERAL OBSERVATIONS.

THIS LED WAY FOR A DRAFT PUBLIC SAFETY SALES TAX PROPOSAL THAT WAS DEVELOPED BY THE SHERIFF, THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY, IN COOPERATION WITH CAL FIRE, OUR COUNTY FIRE PROVIDERS.

COORDINATION HAS OCCURRED OVER THE COURSE OF THE LAST FEW WEEKS WITH OUR OFFICE AND ALSO COUNTY COUNCIL AND THE ITEM BEFORE YOU THIS MORNING IS THE PRODUCT OF THAT WORK.

IN ORDER TO ENSURE THAT THE MEASURE MET ALL THE LEGAL REQUIREMENTS, WE DID CONSULT WITH NIELSEN MERKSAMER TO ASSIST IN CONSULTING US WITH THOSE PROVISIONS.

AND WE DO HAVE MR. CHRIS SCANNELL WAS GONNA SAY, SCOTT, CHRIS SCANNELL HERE FROM OUTSIDE COUNSEL THAT'S AVAILABLE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE.

SO I WANTED TO COVER SOME OF THE KEY ELEMENTS OF THE MEASURE.

ESSENTIALLY, THE MEASURE ESTABLISHES A ONE HALF CENT, ONE HALF CENT SALES TAX COLLECTED COUNTYWIDE, BOTH IN THE INCORPORATED AND UNINCORPORATED AREAS OF THE COUNTY, SPECIFICALLY FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT AND FIRE PROTECTION SERVICES FOR 30 YEARS.

AS A SPECIAL TAX, IT WOULD REQUIRE A TWO THIRDS OF THE VOTES CAST BE IN FAVOR TO BE APPROVED BY MERCED COUNTY VOTERS, AND TO GO INTO EFFECT AS CURRENTLY STRUCTURED.

80% OF THE ANNUAL REVENUE COLLECTED WOULD BE FOR COUNTY PUBLIC SAFETY EXPENSES.

OF THE 80% ANNUAL REVENUE COLLECTED, 52% WOULD BE FOR THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT, 15% FOR THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, AND 33% FOR MERCED COUNTY FIRE.

A 20%, OR THE 20% OF THE ANNUAL REVENUE COLLECTED WOULD BE FOR CITY AND TOWN PROGRAM GRANTS.

OF THAT AMOUNT, FUNDS ARE TO BE DISTRIBUTED IN PROPORTION TO EACH CITY'S SHARE OF THE TOTAL POPULATION LIVING IN THE COUNTY'S INCORPORATED AREAS, EXCEPT NO CITY SHALL RECEIVE LESS THAN $250,000 PER YEAR.

TAX REVENUE MAY BE USED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS, NAMELY CDTFA CONTRACT OR THE CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF TAX AND FEE ADMINISTRATION. THAT'S A REQUIRED ELEMENT OF THE MEASURE IS FOR US TO CONTRACT WITH THE STATE FOR ADMINISTRATIVE ADMINISTRATIVE

[01:05:09]

I'M GOING TO SAY THAT AGAIN SUPPLEMENT RATHER THAN SUPPLANT AN AGENCY.

HISTORICAL GENERAL FUND CONTRIBUTION IN SUPPORT OF THE OPERATING BUDGET FOR EACH AGENCY.

THE MEASURE REQUIRES ESTABLISHMENT OF A FIVE MEMBER CITIZEN OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE TO ANNUAL REVIEW EXPENDITURES AND APPROPRIATIONS OF THE TAX REVENUE TO ENSURE ITS USE FOR THE INTENDED PURPOSE.

THE OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE WILL ALSO PUBLISH AN ANNUAL REPORT.

THE MEASURE ALSO REQUIRES REVENUE GENERATED AND HOW IT WAS USED TO BE INCLUDED IN THE ANNUAL AUDIT OF THE COUNTY'S FINANCING OPERATIONS BY AN INDEPENDENT CERTIFIED PUBLIC ACCOUNTANT, WHICH THE OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE WILL ALSO REVIEW.

PERCENTAGES OF THE TAX PROCEEDS ALLOCATED TO THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY, THE SHERIFF, FIRE, AND TO THE CITIES WITHIN THE EXPENDITURE PLAN MAY NOT BE MODIFIED OR REDUCED.

THE OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE RECOMMENDS SPENDING PRIORITIES TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS WITHIN THE EXPENDITURE PLAN AND DEVIATION FROM THE OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE'S RECOMMENDATION, WHICH REQUIRES A PUBLIC HEARING.

THE TEXT OF THE PROPOSED BALLOT MEASURE QUESTION TO BE SUBMITTED TO THE VOTERS IS AS FOLLOWS.

TO PRESERVE FUNDING TO PUBLIC SAFETY SERVICES IN MERCED COUNTY, INCLUDING THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT, DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE AND FIRE DEPARTMENT, AND TO PROVIDE GRANTS TO CITY PUBLIC SAFETY DEPARTMENTS IN THE COUNTY.

SHALL MERCED COUNTY ENACT A 0.5% RETAIL TRANSACTION SALES AND USE TAX, RAISING AN ESTIMATED $25 MILLION ANNUALLY FOR 30 YEARS, WITH OVERSIGHT, CITIZEN OVERSIGHT, ANNUAL AUDITS AND FUNDS THAT CANNOT BE TAKEN BY THE STATE.

TO BE INCLUDED ON THE NOVEMBER 5TH BALLOT.

THE TEXT OF THE MEASURE MUST BE SUBMITTED TO THE REGISTRAR OF VOTERS ELECTIONS DIVISION OF THE COUNTY NO LATER THAN AUGUST 9TH, 2020.

FOR AN IMPARTIAL ANALYSIS BY COUNTY COUNCIL MUST BE COMPLETED NO LATER THAN AUGUST 16TH.

ARGUMENTS FOR AND AGAINST THE BALLOT MEASURE MUST BE SUBMITTED TO THE ELECTION OFFICIAL NO LATER THAN AUGUST 19TH.

REBUTTAL ARGUMENTS MUST ALSO BE SUBMITTED TO THE ELECTION OFFICIAL BY AUGUST 23RD.

SO THOSE ARE SOME KEY MILESTONES FOR YOUR INFORMATION.

THIS COVERS THE MAIN ELEMENTS OF THE PROPOSED MEASURE BEFORE YOU.

AT THIS POINT, I WOULD LIKE TO ASK SOME OF OUR PUBLIC SAFETY OFFICIALS THAT HAVE BEEN INSTRUMENTAL IN THIS WORK TO COME FORWARD AND MAKE COMMENTS OR REMARKS AND WE HAVE SHERIFF WARREN KEY, DISTRICT ATTORNEY SILVEIRA, AND CHIEF PIMENTEL.

THANK YOU. I ACTUALLY HAD A QUESTION TO OPEN WITH.

WE'RE STILL IN THE POWERPOINT PRESENTATION REFERRING TO THE REVENUE FOR CITIES AS GRANTS.

BUT I KNOW I GAVE SOME FEEDBACK LAST WEEK FROM THE COMMUNITY AND CITIES, AND MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT WE CHANGED THAT SO THAT THEY NO LONGER HAVE TO APPLY TO USE IT.

IT WILL JUST BE GIVEN TO THEM WITH THE ASSURANCE THAT IT WILL BE USED FOR PUBLIC SAFETY.

IS THAT CORRECT? THAT IS CORRECT.

I THINK WHAT WAS REFERENCED THERE IS MAYBE THE WAY.

THE WAY WE LABELED THAT SECTION.

BUT YOU ARE CORRECT.

YOU KNOW, THERE WERE SOME MODIFICATIONS MADE BASED ON THE FEEDBACK THAT WAS PROVIDED BY YOUR OFFICE AND ALSO MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY.

THAT THE ORDINANCE WAS UPDATED IN THE LAST FEW DAYS.

SO I THINK THAT JUST MIGHT HAVE BEEN LEFT.

THE WORD WAS LEFT IN THERE.

THEY ARE NOW DIRECT ALLOCATIONS AND CHRIS SCANNELL CAN VERIFY THAT IF NEED BE.

BUT THEY ARE DIRECT ALLOCATIONS, NOT GRANTS ANYMORE.

OKAY. I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE BECAUSE THAT WAS A BIG CONCERN, I GUESS I WILL SAY FROM COMMUNITY MEMBERS IN THE CITIES.

I THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE TIME TO WORK ON THIS.

I KNOW THIS IS SOMETHING THAT, YOU KNOW, WE KIND OF RUSHED THROUGH ON BECAUSE WE WERE UP AGAINST AN ELECTION DEADLINE.

I THINK THAT IT IS SOMETHING THAT OUR COUNTY NEEDS.

WE'RE LOOKING FOR A LONG TERM SOLUTION TO PUBLIC SAFETY FUNDING AND I HAVE DONE MY BEST TO GET FEEDBACK FROM THE COMMUNITY IN THE SHORT TIME FRAME THAT WE'VE HAD AND BRING IT BACK TO THE BOARD AND SO I APPRECIATE THE WILLINGNESS OF THE COUNTY TO LISTEN TO THE FEEDBACK AND IMPLEMENT THE REQUESTED CHANGES.

WELL WE'RE HERE.

I CAN'T EXPRESS GRATITUDE ENOUGH FOR THIS BOARD ALLOWING US TO MOVE FORWARD LIKE WE'RE DOING AND BRINGING IT TO YOUR ATTENTION AND THIS

[01:10:07]

AND I HAVE FELT THAT SUPERVISOR PAREIRA AND I HAVE SEEN MORE OF EACH OTHER THIS PAST COUPLE OF WEEKS FOR OTHER ISSUES GOING ON IN THE COUNTY, BUT EVERY TIME WE HAVE CHATTED THE SUPPORT COMING FROM THIS BOARD HAS BEEN A BLESSING.

I'LL SAY THAT RIGHT NOW THE ISSUE AT HAND IS THAT THE CITIZENS OF THIS COUNTY DESERVE ABSOLUTELY THE BEST THAT WE CAN PROVIDE AND THIS TOOL, I'LL CALL IT, IS GOING TO BE, TO ME, A NECESSARY ENDEAVOR SO THAT WE CAN PROVIDE THESE SERVICES.

I HATE THE IDEA OF ANSWERING THE PHONE AND WE DON'T HAVE ANYBODY TO SEND.

SO I'M HOPING THAT THIS THING IS TAKEN CARE OF TODAY AND THAT WE CAN DEFINITELY MOVE FORWARD AND ALLOW THE OUR CITIZENS IN THIS COUNTY TO MAKE THEIR VOICE HEARD ABOUT IT.

THANK YOU. GOOD MORNING.

CHAIR BOARD.

MARK PIMENTEL, ASSISTANT CHIEF FOR MERCED COUNTY FIRE.

CAL FIRE. I HAVE TO ECHO THE MESSAGE GIVEN BY THE SHERIFF IS THIS IS GOING TO BE A LONG TERM FIX.

IT'S GOING TO HELP US PROVIDE THE SERVICES THAT THE COUNTY HAS BEEN USED TO.

WE ALL KNOW IN THE LAST YEAR WHAT WE'VE HAD TO DEAL WITH AND THE THINGS THAT WE'RE MOVING FORWARD WITH.

THOSE ARE THINGS THAT ARE COME TO THE FOREFRONT AND THAT IS KIND OF OUR WAY OF REASONS THAT WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO MOVE FORWARD AND TRYING TO FIND RESOLUTIONS AND AVENUES FOR US TO CONTINUE TO PROVIDE THE SERVICES THAT WE'VE BEEN AFFORDED.

I THANK YOU GUYS VERY MUCH.

I'M HERE FOR ANY QUESTIONS, AND I DO APPRECIATE YOUR SUPPORT.

THANK YOU [INAUDIBLE] AND SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL WANTS TO SPEAK.

YEAH. THANK YOU, MISTER CHAIR.

THANK YOU, DA SILVEIRA.

BY IMPLEMENTING AND GETTING THAT QUESTIONNAIRE OUT TO THE PUBLIC AND REALLY TAKING IT AND, SHERIFF WARNKE, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THIS UP.

I KNOW THAT WE ARE KIND OF COUNTING ON BECAUSE THERE WAS SO MUCH CITIZENS INPUT.

WE'RE KIND OF HOPING THE CITIZENS WILL BRING THIS FORWARD BUT BECAUSE OF THE CRUNCH TIME, I APPRECIATE THE WORK THAT YOU ALL HAVE PUT INTO THIS AND TO BRING IT UP.

I THINK THIS IS ABSOLUTELY ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT TAX MEASURES THAT WE'RE GOING TO BRING.

SINCE I'VE BEEN ON THIS BOARD, I KNOW MEASURE V, WE PUSHED HARD BECAUSE THERE WAS ZERO MONEY COMING FOR ROADS INTO THIS COUNTY FROM THE STATE OR ANYWHERE ELSE AND WE'RE AT THIS POSITION NOW WITH PUBLIC SAFETY.

I THINK THIS IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN ANYTHING ELSE THAT WE'VE BROUGHT FORWARD TO THIS PUBLIC AND I HOPE THE KIDS HERE FROM 4-H THAT ARE LISTENING TO THIS WILL CARRY THIS MESSAGE AS WELL, TO THEIR PARENTS AND TO EVERYBODY ELSE.

THIS IS IMPERATIVE THAT WE PASS THIS.

AND WHATEVER I CAN DO TO HELP.

SHERIFF, I KNOW YOU AND I HAVE HAD MANY DISCUSSIONS AND DA SILVEIRA AS WELL.

WHATEVER I CAN DO TO HELP, PLEASE TAP IN.

WE GOT TO GET THIS DONE.

THANKS, SUPERVISOR PEDROZO.

THANK YOU. EXCUSE ME.

YES? I HEARD SOME OF THE SAME COMPLAINTS IN REGARDS TO THE GRANTS AND THEN ALSO THERE WAS SOMETHING IN THERE ABOUT THE LEVEL OF SERVICE, AND SO THAT THEY HAD TO PROVIDE THE SAME SERVICE. SO LIKE THE CITY OF MERCED WITH THEIR FIRE HAS TO DO THE SAME AS CAL FIRE.

THAT'S JUST NOT THEY TOOK ALL THAT STUFF OUT.

SO I REALLY I BECAUSE I HEARD THOSE AND I CALLED FORREST RIGHT AWAY AND SAID, HEY, THIS CAN'T BE IN THERE BECAUSE THIS IS WHAT THEY'RE SAYING.

WE CAN'T HAVE THAT. LET'S JUST GET IT DONE.

I ALSO WANT TO JUST SAY, YOU KNOW, NOW'S THE RIGHT TIME TO DO THIS.

I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE, AFTER GOING THROUGH FIRE STATION CLOSINGS SEEING THE NUMBER OF DEPUTIES THAT WE HAVE PATROLLING AND THEN THE AMOUNT OF CASES THAT THE DA'S OFFICE IS HANDLING, I THINK IT'S ONLY IT'S IMPERATIVE THAT WE, YOU KNOW, SUPPORT THIS AND WE SUPPORT OUR YOU KNOW, THERE'S ONE THING TO SAY, WE SUPPORT PUBLIC SAFETY.

THERE'S ANOTHER THING TO ACTUALLY SUPPORT PUBLIC SAFETY AND THAT'S WITH SOMETHING LIKE THIS AND SO I'M HOPING THAT THE COUNTY RESIDENTS RECOGNIZE THE IMPORTANCE OF THIS. I MEAN, I KNOW NOBODY LIKES TAXES, BUT I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU'RE TAXED, WE UNDERSTAND THAT THIS IS WHAT IT'S, YOU KNOW, GOING FOR.

I ALSO WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THE FACT THAT, YOU KNOW, I'VE GONE OVER THIS MULTIPLE TIMES, IS THAT WE ARE ASKING THE CITIZENS TO DECIDE.

WE'RE PUTTING ON THE BALLOT, THE CITIZENS ARE OUR BOSSES, RIGHT? AND SO THEY'RE GOING TO TELL US, YES, THIS IS WHAT WE WANT AND YES, THIS IS ONLY WHAT WE WANT IT TO BE SPENT ON.

SO WE CAN'T USE IT FOR ANYTHING ELSE.

SO I WANT TO MAKE THAT VERY CLEAR THAT THE MONEY AND THE PERCENTAGES ARE IN THERE FOR A REASON AND I ALSO WANT TO SAY AND JUST CLOSE WITH THIS AND SAY THANK YOU TO, YOU KNOW, NICOLE VERNE, CHIEF PIMENTEL, FOR REALLY BRINGING THIS FORWARD AND THEN, YOU KNOW, MASSAGING IT AND WORKING IT WITH OUR STAFF TO MAKE SURE THAT IT WAS SOMETHING THAT WE COULD ALL GET WRAP OUR GET AROUND AND WRAP OUR SUPPORT AROUND AND AGAIN, WHATEVER I CAN DO TO HELP OUT.

[01:15:03]

AS A COLLECTIVE BODY, I THINK, BUT INDIVIDUALLY WE CAN DO CERTAIN THINGS.

BUT PLEASE LET ME KNOW AND I'M MORE THAN HAPPY TO HELP OUT.

OKAY. SO. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. YEAH.

THIS I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR PUTTING IN THE EFFORT TO GET THIS BALL ROLLING.

YOU KNOW, BACK PRE-COVID, YOU KNOW, WE WERE WE DID A SURVEY, AND WE'RE KIND OF LOOKING AT THIS AND THEN YOU KNOW, COVID KIND OF PUT IT ON HOLD AND, AND YOU GUYS PICKED IT UP AND MADE IT A PRIORITY.

SO I THANK YOU FOR THAT.

I JUST HAVE A QUESTION OR A SUGGESTION IF THERE'S SOME SPECIFIC THINGS THAT YOU THINK YOU'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO DO IN YOUR DEPARTMENTS WITH THIS TAX MONEY, IF YOU WANT TO SHARE THOSE, YOU KNOW, IF THERE'S ANY OF THAT YOU KNOW, JUST THINKING THAT, YOU KNOW, THE PUBLIC'S GOING TO, YOU KNOW, HEAR A LOT ABOUT THIS PROBABLY THIS AFTERNOON. I SEE THERE'S A TV CAMERA HERE.

SO IF YOU WANT TO SHARE SOME STUFF THAT THEY COULD USE TO KIND OF GET THE PUBLIC KNOWING WHAT YOU WANT TO DO AND WHY IT'S IMPORTANT, I JUST SUGGESTION FROM THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE STANDPOINT, AS I'VE SHARED WITH YOU, WE'RE 25% DOWN IN OPERATIONAL SIDE AND THAT'S OUR PATROL DEPUTIES, THE GUYS THAT ARE INVESTIGATING THE CRIMES AND SO ON.

THE GOAL IS TO FILL THAT GAP SO THAT WHEN SOMEBODY DOES CALL 911, WE GOT SOMEBODY TO SEND.

NOW, IN THE SAME ISSUE WITH HAVING ALL THOSE DEPUTIES IS THERE'S GOING TO BE A LOT MORE IN THE WAY OF PROSECUTORIAL NEEDS AND THAT'S WHERE DA SILVEIRA COMES IN.

OUR GOAL, THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE GOAL, IS TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE IN THIS COUNTY.

AND IT'S NOT JUST THE GUNSLINGERS, IT'S CODE ENFORCEMENT.

IT'S THROUGH THE CORONER'S BUREAU, THE WHAT WE'VE GOT GOING ON AT THE COURTS.

WE HAVE SO MUCH IN THE WAY OF A FINGERPRINT IN THIS COUNTY.

THIS WILL HELP IN EVERY ASPECT OF WHAT WE DO TO GIVE THE PUBLIC WHAT THEY DESERVE IN THE WAY OF SERVICES THROUGH MY AGENCY AND THAT'S WHAT I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO, IS GET THE STAFFING TO THE POINT WHERE PEOPLE WANT TO COME BACK HERE AND BECAUSE OF THE ACTIONS OF THIS BOARD, A COUPLE MONTHS AGO, I SWORE IN THREE OF OUR FORMER DEPUTIES RECENTLY, AND THEY'RE ALREADY ON THE STREET DOING THEIR JOB.

SO IT'S STARTING TO WORK.

IT'S STARTING TO TRICKLE IN.

BUT THIS MEASURE, I THINK, WILL BE THE CATALYST TO HELP OUR AGENCY, THIS COUNTY, PROVIDE THE SERVICES NEEDED AND I KNOW THAT CHIEF PIMENTEL'S GOT THE SAME FEELINGS ABOUT WHAT THEY DO, BECAUSE WHEN THEY CALL 911, THEY WANT SOMEBODY TO SHOW UP AND THERE'S BEEN TIMES WHEN IT'S BEEN HOURS BEFORE WE CAN GET THERE BECAUSE OF THE CALL VOLUMES AND SO ON. SO THAT'S WHAT MY INTENTION IS TO IMPROVE THE STAFFING.

WE HAVE OBVIOUSLY LOGISTICAL NEEDS AS FAR AS EQUIPMENT.

WE'VE BEEN MANAGING THAT.

BUT THE LOGISTICS, THE EQUIPMENT IS NO GOOD IF WE DON'T HAVE SOMEBODY TO TO WORK IT.

SO THAT'S WHAT MY GOAL IS RIGHT NOW TO GET OUR STAFFING UP AND THEN WE START IN ON IT AGAIN.

THANKS. YEAH. THANK YOU.

YES I'LL SAY THE SAME THING.

WE WILL BE LOOKING AT THAT STAFFING.

I KNOW THAT YOU ARE VERY INTIMATE ON WHAT WE'VE BEEN DOING IN THE COUNTY, THE GRANTS THAT WE'RE SUBMITTING, WE'RE LOOKING AT THAT SAFER GRANT.

WE'RE STILL JUST WAITING FOR THAT PHONE CALL OR THAT EMAIL TO LET US KNOW IF WE'VE BEEN SUCCESSFUL OR NOT.

BUT THAT IS ONLY A BAND-AID.

IT'S ONLY GOING TO GIVE US THREE YEARS TO SUPPORT THOSE ADDITIONAL STAFFING THAT'S GOING TO BE COMING HERE.

SO WE DEFINITELY USING THIS IS GOING TO BE AN AVENUE FOR US TO CONTINUE THAT LEVEL OF STAFFING AND GET TO WHERE WE NEED TO BE AS A COUNTY.

AS I'VE SAID BEFORE, NATIONAL STANDARDS IS USED TO BE 3-0 STAFFING PER ENGINE.

NOW IT'S 4-0 STAFFING.

GRANTED, WE ARE IN A RURAL AREA, BUT NOW FROM YOUR SUPPORT, WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO GET TO THE TWO ZERO STAFFING.

BUT WE HAVE TO KEEP THAT AND WE HAVE TO LOOK AT MOVING FORWARD AND BEING ABLE TO INCREASE THAT LEVEL OF STAFFING, THAT LEVEL OF SERVICE PROVIDED THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY.

SO THIS, THIS AVENUE OF OF GETTING THESE ADDITIONAL FUNDS FOR FIRE IS GOING TO GET US THERE, AND IT'S GOING TO HELP US CONTINUE THAT ON FOR 30 YEARS.

THANK YOU. SO OBVIOUSLY RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION OF OUR PROSECUTORS IS A BIG PRIORITY OF OURS, ESPECIALLY WITH OUR HIGH HOMICIDE CASELOAD RIGHT NOW.

BUT REALLY, WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO FOCUS ON IS OUR VICTIM SERVICES IN MY DEPARTMENT.

IT'S NOT SOMETHING A LOT OF PEOPLE KNOW ABOUT, BUT WE HAVE A TEAM OF ADVOCATES, OUR VICTIM WITNESS UNIT IN OUR OFFICE, AND THAT UNIT MOSTLY LIVES AND DIES BY GRANTS.

SO WE DON'T KNOW, YOU KNOW, IF SOMETHING'S GOING TO COME IN, IF IT'S GOING TO BE RENEWED AND OUR STAFFING COMPARED TO OTHER PROSECUTOR'S OFFICES ACROSS THE STATE, IS SIGNIFICANTLY UNDERSTAFFED AND THESE ARE THE PEOPLE THAT PROVIDE DIRECT RESPONSES TO OUR VICTIMS WHEN THEY NEED TO KNOW ABOUT COURT DATES, WHEN THEY NEED TO KNOW HOW TO GET RESTITUTION, WHEN VICTIMS NEED TO KNOW ABOUT HOW TO GET COUNSELING.

THOSE ADVOCATES ARE ON THE FRONT LINES WITH OUR VICTIMS. AND SO REALLY GETTING THAT STAFFING UP, PROVIDING SERVICES UP SO WE CAN DIRECTLY HELP THE VICTIMS IN OUR COUNTY TO MAKE THEM WHOLE AGAIN.

BEFORE YOU GO. SO BUT WHAT ABOUT ON THE PROSECUTION SIDE?

[01:20:02]

100%. I GO TO, YOU KNOW, YOUR CEREMONY EVERY YEAR TO BE SUPPORTIVE.

WILL YOU BE ABLE TO DO WITH THIS FUNDING? WILL YOU BE ABLE TO DO MORE PROSECUTIONS? I'M. YES.

WELL, I'M HOPING TO HAVE, YOU KNOW CREATE BETTER INCENTIVES FOR PEOPLE TO COME TO MERCED RIGHT NOW, MORE COMPETITIVE PAY, BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT WE'RE DEALING WITH RIGHT NOW.

A LOT OF PROSECUTORS ARE GOING TO NEIGHBORING COUNTIES, LEAVING US WHO HAVE LONG TIME EXPERIENCE OUR MOST EXPERIENCED PROSECUTORS, THAT WE NEED TO HANDLE THESE VERY SERIOUS CASES AND SO THAT IS WHAT I'M LOOKING TO THIS MONEY TO BRING IN MORE SUCCESSFUL PROSECUTIONS.

OKAY. THANKS.

OKAY AND THEN I JUST HAVE A COUPLE AND THIS MAYBE IS FOR MR. SCANNELL. THE IN THE PRESENTATION.

IF YOU COULD GO TO THE TEXT OF THE PROPOSED BALLOT MEASURE.

RIGHT. SO IT SAYS PRESERVE FUNDING.

BUT WHAT.

I MEAN I'M THIS IS NOT TO PRESERVE THIS IS TO INCREASE.

SO CAN YOU GO THROUGH THE WORDING IN THE RESOLUTION OR THE ORDINANCE THAT SPEAKS TO THAT.

WELL I'M.

IT'S ON.

I TO BE FAIR, I THINK YOU'RE RIGHT.

IT IS MEANT TO INCREASE BECAUSE THE LANGUAGE IN THE ORDINANCE THAT IS BEING ADOPTED IS THAT IT IS INTENDED TO SUPPLEMENT AND NOT SUPPLANT THE EXISTING FUNDING AND SO I WOULD SAY, ACTUALLY, IF YOU WERE SO INCLINED TO CHANGE THAT WORD, I THINK IT WOULD BE WITHIN THE DISCRETION OF THE BOARD TO CHANGE IT TO INCREASE FUNDING OR TO SUPPLEMENT FUNDING. I DON'T KNOW IF INCREASE IS THE RIGHT WORD, BUT IT SHOULDN'T BE PRESERVED BECAUSE WE'RE GOING TO WE WANT THIS TO GO ABOVE AND BEYOND WHERE WE ARE TO PROTECT OUR COMMUNITY AND KEEP US SAFE.

SO I THINK THAT'S A CHANGE THAT THIS BOARD COULD MAKE IF IT WERE SO INCLINED OR ENHANCE.

ENHANCE. OKAY, COUNCIL? OKAY. ALL RIGHT AND THEN THE WELL AND I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'RE THE PERSON TO SPEAK TO IT OR IF I AM, BUT, YOU KNOW, I, YOU KNOW, WE'VE HAD SOME CITIES IN OUR COUNTY THAT HAVE PASSED THEIR OWN PUBLIC SAFETY MEASURES RECENTLY AND SO, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE QUESTIONS I THINK PEOPLE ARE GOING TO HAVE IS, WELL, WE'VE ALREADY, YOU KNOW, TAXED OURSELVES FOR OUR SERVICE.

YOU KNOW, WHY SHOULD WE VOTE TO INCREASE THAT AMOUNT? AND SO, I DON'T KNOW, IS THAT SOMETHING YOU WANT TO SPEAK TO OR.

NOT REALLY. BECAUSE I CAN TALK TO IT IF UNLESS YOU HAVE SOMETHING YOU THINK IS IMPORTANT.

I THINK THAT'S A POLICY DECISION.

I THINK THAT MAKES MORE SENSE FOR FOR YOU TO SPEAK TO.

I DRAFTED THE MEASURE BASED ON ON THE POLICY DIRECTION I WAS GIVEN.

OKAY AND SO, YOU KNOW, YOU'LL KNOW BETTER THAN I HOW MUCH SENSE THAT MAKES.

YEAH. OKAY.

WELL THANK YOU, I APPRECIATE YEAH AND SO JUST JUST FOR THE PUBLIC, I GUESS, YOU KNOW, I'VE HAD A COUPLE OF CITIZENS THAT LIVE IN THE CITY LIMITS THAT, YOU KNOW, KIND OF QUESTION THAT AND, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU POINT OUT TO THEM THAT WE PROVIDE THE JAIL FOR THEM, IF THEIR OFFICERS ARE ARRESTING SOMEBODY, WE BOOK THEM IN A COUNTY JAIL.

AND THEN THE PROSECUTION OF THOSE PEOPLE IS BY THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY AND WHEN I BROUGHT THAT UP, THEY GO, OH, I HADN'T THOUGHT OF IT THAT WAY.

RIGHT AND SO I JUST WANT THE PUBLIC TO KNOW THOSE KINDS OF THINGS THAT YOU KNOW, ALL THESE DOLLARS ARE GOING TO GO TO HELP THE, THE WHOLE I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WANT TO CALL IT A SYSTEM. I HATE THAT WORD FOR WHAT WE'RE DOING BUT TO HELP THE WHOLE LAW ENFORCEMENT SYSTEM BE MORE EFFECTIVE IN PROTECTING US.

SO I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT ON THE RECORD, AND I HAD A COUPLE THINGS TO THAT, OF COURSE AND I KNOW THAT WE'RE FOCUSING A LOT ON CUSTODY LAW ENFORCEMENT, BUT WE ALSO HAVE TO PROTECT THE CITIZENS WHEN THEY WALK IN THE COURTHOUSE.

WE ALSO HAVE TO RESPOND TO EVERY DEATH THAT'S REPORTABLE IN THIS COUNTY THROUGH THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE, CORONER'S BUREAU.

THIS MEASURE IS GOING TO HELP EVERY ASPECT OF WHAT THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE DOES FOR THE ENTIRE COUNTY AND LET'S ALSO NOT FORGET THAT THE CITIES RELY ON THE COUNTIES FOR SUPPORT ON EVEN THE LAW ENFORCEMENT ASPECT OF IT AND THE FORTUNATE PART IS, AND YOU CAN ASK DA SILVEIRA REGARDING OUR CHIEFS ASSOCIATION WITHIN THE COUNTY, THE COOPERATION AND COLLABORATION WITHIN THAT GROUP OF PEOPLE IS LIKE SECOND TO NONE I'VE EVER SEEN.

AND I THINK THAT THIS IS THE CITIZENS WILL ACTUALLY SEE A BENEFIT, REGARDLESS OF WHERE THEIR ADDRESS IS, WITHIN THIS COUNTY, IN THE CITY OR IN THE COUNTY.

IT'S GOING TO BE THAT IMPORTANT, AND THEY'RE GOING TO SEE A DEFINITE IMPROVE ON WHAT WE'RE DOING.

YEAH. THANK YOU.

YEAH. BECAUSE I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT FOR PEOPLE TO KNOW OKAY.

SO SILVEIRA THANK YOU.

CHRIS, I THINK THIS QUESTION IS FOR YOU ON THE KEY MILESTONES.

OR MAYBE THIS IS FOR [INAUDIBLE]. I'M NOT SURE.

ARGUMENTS FOR AND AGAINST THE BALLOT MEASURE MUST BE SUBMITTED TO THE ELECTION OFFICE NO LATER THAN AUGUST THE 19TH.

DOES THERE HAVE TO BE ARGUMENTS AGAINST IT IF.

[01:25:03]

OKAY. IT PROVIDES AN OPPORTUNITY.

IF NO ONE FILES AN ARGUMENT AGAINST, THEN THERE'S NO REBUTTAL.

YOU JUST HAVE THE ONE ARGUMENT IN FAVOR.

PERFECT. THANK YOU. I WAS JUST THAT CAME UP IN MY MIND.

SO FIRST OFF, I JUST WANT TO THANK I WANT TO THANK THE SHERIFF, THE DA FOR SPEARHEADING THIS AND THEN I ALSO ON THE BACK END OF THAT WANT TO THANK STAFF BECAUSE THIS THIS CAME TOGETHER QUICKLY AND I WILL TELL YOU, I WANT FOLKS TO BE AWARE BECAUSE IT'S TRANSPARENCY HERE.

THIS WHAT YOU'RE SEEING TODAY IS THE FIGHT OF MANY ITERATIONS OF WHAT THIS STARTED AT AND I THINK THAT AS WE ALL I THINK THERE'S ONE THING THAT WAS COMMON IN THESE DISCUSSIONS IS THAT WE ALL KNOW THAT THIS IS NEEDED, THAT WE NEED TO SUPPORT OUR PUBLIC SAFETY, AND WE NEED TO PUT THIS ON THE BALLOT.

NOW, HOW YOU GET TO THE END OF THE ROAD.

THERE WAS SOME DIFFERENT QUESTIONS BACK AND FORTH, AND I THINK WE WORKED THROUGH ALL THOSE AND EVEN DOWN TO, YOU KNOW, OUR AGENDA CAME OUT ON WEDNESDAY AND IN THE FOLLOWING ONE CAME OUT ON FRIDAY BECAUSE THERE WAS A FEW MORE TWEAKS AND CHANGES LISTENING TO WHAT KEY STAKEHOLDERS HAVE TO SAY IN ORDER SO THAT WE CAN PUT THE BEST PRODUCT OUT THERE TO GIVE OUR CITIZENS THE OPPORTUNITY TO VOTE ON IF THIS IS IMPORTANT TO THEM AND I THINK MY COLLEAGUE BROUGHT UP SOMETHING THAT I WAS GOING TO BRING UP IS THE FACT THAT IRREGARDLESS, WHETHER YOU LIVE WITHIN THE CITY LIMITS OR IN THE UNINCORPORATED AREAS, THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT AND THE FUNCTIONS THAT IT PERFORMS, THE DA AND THE FUNCTIONS THAT THEY PERFORM, THEY ARE BLIND TO WHERE YOU LIVE.

IF YOU LIVE WITHIN MERCED COUNTY, YOU'RE HOPEFULLY DON'T NEED THOSE SERVICES, BUT AT SOME POINT YOU'RE GOING TO NEED THEM.

SO IT IS KIND OF WHAT MY COLLEAGUE SAID EARLIER WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE RISING TIDE RAISES, ALL SHIPS.

THIS IS WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE IS TO ACCOMPLISH THIS.

I THINK THAT THE PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CITIES ON THIS IS LET'S JUST BE REAL.

THE MAJORITY OF SALES AND USE TAXES ARE GENERATED WITHIN THE CITY LIMITS IN THE INCORPORATED AREAS.

AND SO HAVING SOMETHING IN THERE, I DO AGREE, GETTING RID OF THE GRANT PART AND JUST SAYING HERE YOU GET AN ALLOCATION FOR OUR SMALL COMMUNITIES.

MY COMMUNITY OF DOS PALOS HAVING THAT MINIMUM THRESHOLD OF $250,000 IN THERE, THAT'S A BIG DEAL FOR THEM.

FOR A COMMUNITY OF 6000 PLUS OR MINUS PEOPLE, THAT DOESN'T GENERATE A WHOLE LOT OF SALES TAX COMPARED TO OUR MERCEDES OR OUR LOS BANOS.

I THINK IT'S A BIG DEAL FOR THEM.

I ALSO WANT TO SAY THAT ANOTHER KEY ASPECT OF A LOCAL SALES TAX MEASURE, THIS STAYS LOCALLY.

YOU HEARD THE DA SPEAK ABOUT HOW HER VICTIM SERVICES UNIT HAS TO RELY ON GRANTS.

WHERE DO THOSE GRANTS COME FROM? THEY COME FROM THE STATE.

WE ALL KNOW THAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT PRINTS MONEY THE STATE GOVERNMENT LIKES TO, I SAY STEAL, THEY CALL IT BORROW MONEY THAT THEY OWED YOU, THAT THEY'RE GOING TO PAY YOU BACK LATER. WHATEVER. THIS TAKES THEM OUT OF THE EQUATION.

THIS MONEY STAYS LOCALLY.

IT IS LOCAL CONTROL.

THERE'S WHEN THERE'S FOLKS OUT THERE THAT WANT TO TALK ABOUT TRANSPARENCY.

WE HAVE A CITIZENS OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE.

I LIKE THE LANGUAGE IN THERE THAT TALKS ABOUT THE CITIZENS OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE IS GOING TO MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS.

IF THIS BOARD OR A FUTURE BOARD DECIDES TO GO AGAINST THEIR RECOMMENDATIONS, IT IS REQUIRED THAT THEY HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING TO BE ABLE TO DISCUSS THAT, TO DO THE PEOPLE'S BUSINESS IN PUBLIC.

AND THE LAST THING THAT I'LL, THAT I IS, I'LL LEAVE WITH IS THE FACT THAT A TO ME A SALES TAX.

NOBODY LIKES MORE TAXES.

WE LIVE IN A STATE.

YOU SEE THE I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'VE SEEN THE ADS ON FACEBOOK, BUT WE PAY $1.63 A GALLON OR $1.36 A GALLON IN STATE TAXES ON FUEL COMPARED TO OTHER STATES.

BUT THE FACT IS THAT THE SALES TAX TO ME, IS THE FAIREST TAX.

RIGHT? IF YOU HAVE MORE AND SPEND MORE, YOU PAY MORE.

IF YOU HAVE LESS THAN SPEND LESS, YOU PAY LESS.

BUT THE ALSO THE ADDED BENEFIT TO IT IS, IS IT'S NOT ONLY PUT ON THE BACKS OF THE CITIZENS OF MERCED COUNTY.

EVERY PERSON THAT TRAVELS THROUGH OUR COUNTY STOPS AT ONE OF OUR GAS STATIONS, EATS AT ONE OF OUR RESTAURANTS.

WHATEVER. WHATEVER THE CASE MAY BE, THEY'RE HELPING TO CONTRIBUTE TO THIS, RIGHT? AND A LOT OF CASES, SOME OF THOSE FOLKS PASSING THROUGH ARE THE ONES THAT CAUSED SOME OF THE CHALLENGES THAT WE NEED THESE VERY SERVICES FOR.

SO I'M IN SUPPORT OF THIS.

I, YOU KNOW, I REALLY WANT I KNOW IT'S GOING TO BE A CRAZY BALLOT.

IT'S A CRAZY BALLOT YEAR WITH ALL THE STUFF GOING ON AT THE STATE LEVEL.

BUT, YOU KNOW, I WANT TO PUT IT IN THE VOTERS HANDS AND FOR THOSE FOLKS OUT HERE THAT WERE AS WE WERE GOING THROUGH TALKING ABOUT OUR FIRE STATION CLOSURES AND RELOCATIONS AND WHATNOT, I STILL HOPE THAT THOSE FOLKS HAVE THE SAME AMOUNT OF PASSION FOR GETTING THIS MEASURE PASSED AS THEY SAID THEY DID WHEN WE WERE IN THOSE TOUGH TIMES, BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT IT'S GOING TO TAKE.

IT'S GOING TO TAKE ALL HANDS ON DECK IN ORDER TO GET SOMETHING LIKE THIS PASSED AND AGAIN I'M FULL AND FULLY IN SUPPORT OF THIS MEASURE AND JUST WANT TO THANK EVERYBODY FOR ALL THE WORK THAT WENT INTO AND WHAT IS CONSIDERED TO BE A PRETTY RUSHED TIMELINE TO GET THIS ON THE BALLOT.

THANK YOU. SUPERVISOR PEDROZO.

YEAH. I JUST REMEMBERED ANOTHER QUESTION WHERE IT SAYS THAT THE CITY AND THE POPULATION BREAKDOWN.

SO EACH CITY GETS $250,000, BUT AND IT'S BASED ON A PERCENTAGE OF THE POPULATION.

[01:30:04]

SO I CAN SHARE AND THIS WAS OBVIOUSLY INFORMATION PROVIDED BY THE BY OUR TEAM HERE, AND IT ESTIMATES AT $25 MILLION ANNUAL ALLOCATION. SO AS MENTIONED DOS PALOS AUGUSTINE WOULD RECEIVE $250,000 EACH AND I'M JUST GOING TO GIVE ROUND ROUND FIGURES.

ATWATER APPROXIMATELY $800,000 ANNUALLY.

LIVINGSTON $358,000 ANNUALLY.

LOS BANOS $1.1 MILLION ANNUALLY, AND THE MERCED $2.1 MILLION ALMOST 2.2 ANNUALLY.

SO THOSE ARE THE ROUGHLY THE HOW THE NUMBERS BREAK.

BREAK DOWN.

OBVIOUSLY THAT'S BASED ON THE ANNUAL ALLOCATION THAT'S RECEIVED, THE REVENUE THAT'S RECEIVED.

YEAH AND THEN JUST ONE OTHER THING I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT, YOU KNOW, IN MY DISTRICT, I HAVE COUNTY ISLANDS.

RIGHT AND SO I DON'T THINK ANYBODY ELSE DOES.

SO THE COUNTY ISLANDS ARE TECHNICALLY PART OF COUNTY AND SO I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT, YOU KNOW, IF YOU CALL SOMEBODY, IT'S IMPORTANT TO HAVE TO EVEN IF THEY'RE IN THE CITY, THEY'RE NOT TECHNICALLY IN THE CITY.

THEY'RE ON AN ISLAND IN THE COUNTY AND THEN THE SHERIFF, I'M GLAD YOU MENTIONED ALL THAT YOU MENTIONED, BUT THERE'S ALSO ANIMAL CONTROL AND I KNOW WE DISCUSSED THAT YESTERDAY.

SO AND, YOU KNOW, ALSO IN TALKING WITH YOUR TEAM YESTERDAY, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO HIGHLIGHT THE COST OF DOING BUSINESS IN YOUR DEPARTMENT IS GOING UP TOO AND I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT TO KNOW THAT THINGS AREN'T COMPUTERS AREN'T CHEAP.

SO THAT'S IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT.

SO THANK YOU COUNTY COUNCIL.

YEAH. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. IF IT'S OKAY WITH MR. SCANNELL, I'D LIKE TO ADD ONE LAST CLARIFICATION TO THE BALLOT LANGUAGE IN THE RESOLUTION.

CHANGING THE WORD GRANTS IN THE BALLOT LANGUAGE TO ALLOCATIONS, IN ADDITION TO REPLACING THE WORD PRESERVE WITH ENHANCE.

THAT'S A RECOMMENDATION.

ANYONE ELSE? I JUST YEAH.

ENHANCED. I LIKE THAT WORD ENHANCED.

SO I WOULD SUPPORT THAT AND THEN I DID HAVE I HAD ONE OTHER COMMENT THAT SUPERVISOR PEDROZO MADE ME THINK OF, BUT NOW I FORGOT IT, SO I'LL WAIT.

OKAY, WELL, FOR ME, I JUST WANT TO ENCOURAGE EVERYONE OUT THERE IN THE COUNTY, YOU KNOW, ESPECIALLY THE CITIES.

I THINK MOST OF US RESIDE INSIDE THE CITY.

SO IT'S PERMANENT THAT WE ASK OUR CONSTITUENTS TO INSERT OUR CITIES TO SUPPORT THIS.

YOU KNOW, THIS ITEM AND JUST SUPPORT PUBLIC SAFETY.

ALL THREE YOU KNOW, SERVICES.

I THINK THAT LIKE I SAID, THE SHORTAGE OF DEPUTIES OUT THERE SERVICING ALL OR ALL THE RESIDENTS AROUND THE COUNTY IS YOU KNOW, IS HAS DEPLETED SUBSTANTIALLY AND ALSO TO, YOU KNOW, THEY HAVE A MUTUAL AID AGREEMENT WHEN SOMETHING HAPPENS IN THE CITY, THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT COMES IN AND SUPPORTS YOU KNOW, THE POLICE DEPARTMENT. SO THEY THEY'RE DEFINITELY NEEDED AND ALSO GOING TO FIRE YOU KNOW, I LIVE IN LIVINGSTON.

I KNOW THAT WHEN IF THE LIVINGSTON FIRE DEPARTMENT SHUTS DOWN FROM THE CAL FIRE YOU KNOW, EVERYBODY'S AFRAID ALREADY.

WE HAVE COMPLAINTS. YOU KNOW, THEY THINK THAT THE DEPARTMENT'S ALREADY CLOSING, AND IT'S NOT.

THAT'S NOT THE POINT. SO HOPEFULLY WE'LL GET THAT THE FIRE GRANT AND WITH THIS TAX, I THINK WE SHOULD ALL SUPPORT IT, AND IT'S GOING TO HELP EVERYBODY.

IT'S GOING TO, YOU KNOW, $25 MILLION A YEAR AND EVERY CITY AND THE COUNTY IS GOING TO BENEFIT.

SO YOU KNOW, IF YOU LOOK AT IT LIKE.

MR. V IT PASSED AND NOW WE'RE GETTING A LOT OF THE ROADS FIXED AROUND THE COUNTY.

WE'RE, YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT YOU KNOW, THERE'S NOT MONEY TO FIX ALL THE ROADS RIGHT AWAY, BUT IT'S BENEFITING SOME OF THE ROADS.

I THINK WE'RE SEEING NEW ROADS AROUND THE COUNTY.

SO, YOU KNOW, JUST LIKE THIS PUBLIC SAFETY TAX, YOU KNOW, IT'LL HELP YEAR BY YEAR EVENTUALLY.

SO I THINK THAT'S ALL MY COMMENTS.

ANYONE? SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA, I REMEMBERED WHAT MY COMMENT WAS.

IT'S JUST ON THE BREAKDOWN FOR THE CITIES.

IT'S IT SAYS IT'S A MINIMUM OF 250,000.

SO OVER YEARS, IF THE TAX MEASURE GROWS IN REVENUE, THEIR PERCENTAGE BASED ON POPULATION COULD BE MORE THAN 250,000.

IT JUST SETS A MINIMUM THRESHOLD, JUST LIKE MEASURE V DID TO, SO THAT THESE SMALLER COMMUNITIES CAN KIND OF HAVE A STARTING POINT.

YEAH AND I THINK THIS TAX WILL HELP PUBLIC SAFETY ADDRESS LIKE AGAIN THE SHORTAGE ISSUES, ESPECIALLY WHEN A LOT OF OUR DEPUTIES ARE MOVING OUT OF COUNTY, ESPECIALLY GOING TO STANISLAUS AND NORTH COUNTIES, WHICH YOU KNOW IT'S IT'S A CHALLENGE EVERY YEAR.

SO I'LL ASK EVERYBODY TO SUPPORT THAT.

ANY MORE COMMENTS OR BUT I'LL GO AHEAD.

YOU KNOW, A LOT OF GRATITUDE HAS BEEN POINTED AT ME ON THIS AND MY PART IN THIS.

[01:35:01]

SHE'S THE ONE THAT GOT WITH ME AND SAID, HEY, I WENT, OH HECK YEAH AND SHE'S BEEN THE ONE THAT'S BEEN GOING TO SEE THESE GROUPS.

I'VE BEEN A TAG ALONG ON A FEW OF THEM, BUT I DO WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT SHE'S RECOGNIZED BECAUSE SHE HAS TAKEN ON THE LION'S SHARE OF WHAT WE HAVE DONE IN THIS AND ALTHOUGH I APPRECIATE SOME RECOGNITION ON THIS AND IT'S NOT TO BLOW SUNSHINE IN THE REAR, SHE JUST NEEDS TO BE AWARDED THE CREDIT FOR WHAT ACTUALLY HAS GONE ON, AND SHE HAS BUSTED HER BUTT FOR THE CITIZENS OF THIS COUNTY AND WITHOUT WHAT SHE HAS DONE, I DON'T THINK WE'D BE WHERE WE ARE RIGHT NOW.

SO JUST WANT TO MAKE THAT REAL CLEAR.

WELL, THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE? OKAY. NOW WE'RE GOING TO MOVE ON TO PUBLIC COMMENT.

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

TESTIMONY IS LIMITED TO THREE MINUTES PER PERSON.

SO ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS? COME ON. FORWARD PLEASE HI. GO AHEAD.

OKAY. I JUST WANTED TO POINT OUT, YOU KNOW HOW MANY OF US CAN, YOU KNOW, PUT A PRICE THE CITIZENS ON OUR FAMILY'S LIVES OR ON OUR OWN LIVES? AND HOW MANY OF US WOULD TAKE A BULLET FOR OUR FAMILY? AND MAYBE A LOT OF US WOULD, BUT HOW MANY OF US WOULD TAKE A BULLET FOR A STRANGER? SO, YOU KNOW, WE REALLY THERE'S NO AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT WE COULD PAY TO KEEP OUR FAMILIES SAFE OR THIS COMMUNITY. SO THAT'S THAT'S A BIG DEAL.

HALF A CENT IS NOTHING FOR THE SAFETY, YOU KNOW, OF, ESPECIALLY OF THIS COUNTY.

AND WHO CAN RUN INTO A HOUSE BURNING HOUSE AND SAVE PEOPLE'S, YOU KNOW, BELONGINGS, STRANGERS BELONGINGS AND THEIR ANIMALS, THEIR DOGS AND AGAIN JOSH, I'M GLAD YOU MENTIONED THE ANIMAL, YOU KNOW, RESCUE, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, THEY NEED MONEY AS WELL.

SO JUST WANTED TO POINT OUT THERE'S NO AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT WE COULD PAY TO KEEP EVERYBODY PROTECTED IN THIS CITY.

SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND GREAT JOB, NICOLE.

THANK YOU. ANY OTHER PUBLIC COMMENTS? OKAY. THE PUBLIC HEARING IS NOW CLOSED.

ANY FURTHER COMMENTS BY THE BOARD OR MOTIONS? AND JUST TO REMIND THE BOARD THAT WE ARE ALSO SEEKING YOUR DIRECTION IN REGARDS TO A SUBCOMMITTEE OF THE BOARD TO ASSIST STAFF WITH ANY COMMENTS THAT NEED TO BE PREPARED OR ANY ARGUMENTS.

THANK YOU. IF THE TIME IS OKAY, I'D LIKE TO MAKE THE MOTION MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE ORDINANCE AND ADOPT A RESOLUTION CALLING FOR AN ELECTION TO BE HELD IN THE COUNTY OF MERCED ON NOVEMBER 5TH, 2024, FOR THE PURPOSE OF SUBMITTING TO VOTERS A SPECIAL TAX MEASURE TO ESTABLISH A RETAIL TRANSACTIONS AND USE TAX AT THE RATE OF A HALF A PERCENT HALF CENT PER DOLLAR.

KNOWN TO MERCED COUNTY PUBLIC SAFETY STABILIZATION ACT SPECIAL SALES TAX MEASURE, AND TO CONSOLIDATE SAID ELECTION, WITH THE STATEWIDE GENERAL ELECTION TO BE CONDUCTED ON THE SAME DATE, AND PERMIT THE REGISTRAR OF VOTERS TO PROVIDE ELECTION SERVICES WITH THE CORRECTIONS THAT COUNCIL HAD STATED REGARDING GRANT'S CHANGE TO ALLOCATIONS AND PRESERVE TO ENHANCE AS RECOMMENDED BY OUR COUNCIL AND I BELIEVE SUPERVISOR, YOU ALSO NEED TO DETERMINE THE TERM THE 30 YEAR TERM.

I DIDN'T HEAR THAT IN YOUR MOTION FOR FOR A TERM OF 30 YEARS.

THANK YOU, THANK YOU. OKAY.

MOTION BY SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL SECOND BY SUPERVISOR PEDROZO.

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

NUMBER FOUR, APPOINT A SUBCOMMITTEE.

MR. CHAIR, I'D LIKE TO RECOMMEND SUPERVISOR PEDROZO AND SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL AS OUR SUBCOMMITTEE.

MOTION BY SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA.

SECOND?. [INAUDIBLE].

I'LL SECOND. LET ME SECOND.

OKAY. SO, SUPERVISOR PAREIRA.

SECOND. ALL THE MOTION TO BE ON THERE.

ALL IN FAVOR? AYE.

ANY OPPOSED? MOTION PASSES FIVE ZERO.

ALL RIGHT. I THINK THAT CONCLUDES IT.

SO CONGRATULATIONS.

LOOKING FORWARD TO IT.

NOW BOARD REPORTS AT THIS TIME WE WILL HAVE BOARD REPORTS STARTING WITH SUPERVISOR PEDROZO.

[REPORTS/BOARD DIRECTION]

[01:40:07]

JUST WANTED TO MAKE A POINT TO REMIND PEOPLE THAT SCHOOL STARTS NEXT WEEK ON WEDNESDAY, AND SO IT'S ACROSS THE COUNTY, SO JUST BE CAREFUL.

A LOT MORE KIDS ARE GOING TO BE OUT WALKING AROUND AND DRIVING AROUND, SO MAKE SURE YOU'RE PAYING ATTENTION.

OKAY. SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL.

THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. I'D LIKE TO SAY A BIG THANK YOU TO MEL LEVY, OUR REGISTRAR OF VOTERS.

I ASKED HIM TO ATTEND A BREAKFAST THAT COULD HAVE BEEN HOSTILE WITH SOME VOTER VOTER INTEGRITY QUESTIONS AND I GOT TO SAY, THEY ARE TRAINED BY A STATE AGENCY TO ASK VERY HARD QUESTIONS.

AND THEY LEFT VERY HAPPILY AND VERY HAPPY THAT OUR REGISTRAR OF VOTERS IS ON TOP OF EVERYTHING.

HE HAD AN ANSWER FOR ALL OF THEM, AND A VERY GOOD ANSWER, VERY DETAILED.

IT COULD TAKE THEM EVEN FURTHER INTO THE DETAILS AND WHAT THEY WERE READY TO GO AND I APPRECIATE THAT, BECAUSE I THINK OUR ELECTION INTEGRITY IS THE MOST IMPORTANT PART OF WHAT WE HAVE GOING ON IN THIS COUNTY AND THAT'S COMING UP AND THESE FOLKS WERE VERY CONCERNED AND THEY LEFT VERY HAPPY.

SO THANK YOU, MEL, FOR THAT.

THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR.

THANK YOU. SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA.

THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. A COUPLE THINGS.

SINCE OUR LAST BOARD MEETING, I DID WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THAT IT DID GO OUT AT THE DALE HILL HALL AND THE NEW DOS PALOS LIBRARY PROJECT.

WE DID A KIND OF A SNEAK PEEK THERE.

AGAIN, WE'RE KIND OF STUCK IN LIMBO WHERE WE'RE WAITING ON SWITCHGEAR TO COME IN SO THAT WE CAN ACTUALLY FINISH DOING SOME OF THE INTERIOR WORK.

I WANT TO THANK DPW STAFF, ESPECIALLY JUAN BRAVO, WHO'S THE PROJECT MANAGER ON THAT.

HE'S JUST BEEN ABSOLUTELY A DREAM TO WORK WITH OUT THERE AND I WOULD ENCOURAGE ALL OF OUR PROJECT MANAGERS IF THEY HAVEN'T, TAKE SOME ADVICE FROM ONE ON HOW TO MANAGE A PROJECT, BECAUSE I THINK HE'S DOING A REALLY GREAT JOB OUT THERE.

YOU KNOW, WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF WORKING THROUGH ANOTHER GRANT THAT WE GOT A CLEAN PARKS GRANT.

AND I FEEL LIKE STAFF, DPW STAFF ARE LINDSAY AND HER TEAM AND JEAN ARE ACTUALLY LISTENING TO OUR PARTNERS, OUR BOOTS ON THE GROUND.

I DIDN'T ALWAYS FEEL THAT WAY BEFORE, BUT I FEEL LIKE, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU'RE, YOU KNOW, I'M SPEAKING SPECIFICALLY OF THE DOS PALOS LIONS CLUB, WHO HAS BEEN OUR PARTNER OUT THERE AT THE O'BANION PARK, DALE HILL HALL FOR A LOT OF YEARS NOW.

THESE ARE THE FOLKS THAT ARE OUT THERE EVERY DAY AND SO AND THEY'RE THE ONES THAT ARE GOING TO BE UTILIZING IT.

WE CAN'T AFFORD TO PAY FOR THE SERVICES, THE VOLUNTEER SERVICES THAT THEY GIVE US.

SO LISTENING TO THEM ON THE FRONT END OF THESE PROJECTS IS GOING TO BE FRUITFUL FOR US IN THE LONG TERM AND SO I'M EXCITED ABOUT THAT.

I THINK THAT WE'RE MERE MONTHS AWAY FROM HAVING OUR RIBBON CUTTING ON THAT AND IT'S GOING TO BE A GOOD PROJECT.

ALSO, AGAIN, WANT TO THANK LINDSEY JOHNSON FOR INVITING I KNOW MOST OF MY COLLEAGUES MADE IT OUT THERE, TOOK A TOUR OF THE NEW JAIL FACILITY. IT'S NOT DONE.

IT'S UNDER CONSTRUCTION. THERE'S A LOT OF WORK GOING ON OUT THERE.

BUT JUST, YOU KNOW, TO HIGHLIGHT, YOU KNOW, WHEN IT USED TO BE CALLED THE MUSH SANDY MUSH.

IT'S THE JOHN LATORRACA CORRECTIONAL FACILITY.

NOW, WHEN IT WAS BUILT BACK IN THE DAY, IT WAS JUST LIKE A WEEKEND CAMP, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE GOT IN TROUBLE AND THEN THEY WENT AND SPEND THEIR WEEKENDS AT THE MUSH.

AND THEN THEY WENT BACK TO WORK DURING THE WEEK BECAUSE OF STATE RULES.

EVERYTHING THAT'S CHANGED.

WE'RE HOUSING DIFFERENT TYPES OF FOLKS OUT THERE NOW AND AS THEY'RE GOING THROUGH THE REMODEL OF THAT FACILITY, IF ANYBODY'S EVER BEEN THROUGH A REMODEL, THIS ONE'S ON STEROIDS. EVERYTHING THAT PROBABLY COULD GO WRONG AS SOON AS THEY START TO RIP BACK WALLS AND DO STUFF THEY'RE FINDING A LOT OF ISSUES OUT THERE AND IT'S ALL COSTING A PILE OF MONEY.

BUT AGAIN THE TEAM THAT'S OUT THERE, WHEN YOU SEE WHEN YOU'RE ACTUALLY THE DORM, THE WINGS, WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT AN OLD ONE AND WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE, IT'S QUITE SCARY WHEN YOU LOOK AT ONE THAT THEY'VE ACTUALLY WENT THROUGH THE REMODEL AND REDONE STUFF AND CORRECTED ALL THE PROBLEMS ON IT.

I THINK THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A PRODUCT OUT THERE THAT IS GOING TO LAST FOR A LONG TIME, AND THEN THE NEW COUNTY JAIL FACILITY IT'S COMING TOGETHER NICELY. THEY'RE POURING SECOND STORIES AND DOING STUFF OUT THERE.

SO THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO SEE THAT.

I KNOW WE WENT OUT THERE FOR THE GROUNDBREAKING CEREMONY, AND WE'RE STILL A LITTLE WAYS OUT ON THAT.

SO, BUT JUST YOU KNOW, IT'S KIND OF ONE OF THOSE THINGS.

IT IS DO WE ENJOY HAVING TO SPEND THE TENS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS ON? NOT REALLY, BUT IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE TO DO, ESPECIALLY WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THIS PUBLIC SAFETY TAX AND, YOU KNOW, THE DA BEING ABLE TO PROSECUTE MORE CRIMES.

WELL, WE GOT TO BE ABLE TO HOUSE THOSE FOLKS SOMEWHERE AND I'M EXCITED THAT IT'S CONTINUING TO MOVE FORWARD AND WITH THAT, MR.

[01:45:05]

THANK YOU SUPERVISOR PAREIRA. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. WELL, SO IT'S UNFORTUNATE THE FOUR KIDS LEFT.

I WAS HOPING THAT THEY WOULD STAY.

THEY STAYED A LOT LONGER THAN I THOUGHT THEY MIGHT.

BUT ANYWAYS I JUST WANTED TO SHARE, AND I DON'T KNOW IF THIS WILL GET TO THEM OR NOT.

MAYBE. SCOTT, YOU COULD YOU COULD SHARE THAT WITH THEM.

BUT THREE OF THE FIVE THAT ARE SITTING UP HERE ALSO WENT THROUGH 4-H.

RIGHT? DARON AND RODRIGO.

I DON'T THINK EITHER OF YOU DID, BUT THE OTHER THREE OF US WENT THROUGH THE 4-H PROGRAM AND SO I KIND OF WANTED TO BE ABLE TO SAY THAT IN FRONT OF THEM, BUT I DIDN'T THINK IT WAS APPROPRIATE DURING THE PUBLIC COMMENT ON THE SHERIFF'S ITEM.

BUT ANYWAYS ALSO, YEAH, I JUST WANTED TO KIND OF TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE JAIL.

YOU KNOW, I WISH WE DIDN'T HAVE TO BUILD THE JAIL.

YOU KNOW, THAT'S REALLY MY FIRST AND FOREMOST YOU KNOW, DESIRE FOR OUR COMMUNITY THAT WE DIDN'T HAVE CRIMINALS, BUT WE DO.

AND WHEN YOU COMMIT CRIMES, THERE HAS TO BE SOME SORT OF CONSEQUENCE FOR THAT.

YOU KNOW, I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE WHEN I HEAR THE, YOU KNOW, KIND OF THE DEFUND THE POLICE GROUP, YOU KNOW, I'M THINKING, WELL, IF PEOPLE WEREN'T COMMITTING CRIMES, THERE WOULDN'T BE A NEED AND SO, YOU KNOW, DO WE WANT TO JUST LET PEOPLE GO WITH NO CONSEQUENCES, OR DO WE WANT TO KIND OF DETER BEHAVIOR WITH CONSEQUENCES? AND, YOU KNOW, I'VE RAISED FOUR KIDS AND I KNOW WHICH ONE WORKS AND WHICH ONE DOESN'T AND SO IT WASN'T A PERFECT PARENT.

I'LL ADMIT THAT CASE MY KIDS ARE WATCHING, BUT JUST, YOU KNOW, JUST WANTED TO KIND OF BRING THAT UP AND THEN THAT KIND OF FOLDS INTO THIS SALES TAX MEASURE FOR PUBLIC SAFETY THAT YOU KNOW, I WISH WE DIDN'T HAVE TO DO IT.

BUT, YOU KNOW, OUR CITIZENS DESERVE TO BE SAFE.

THEY DESERVE TO BE PROTECTED FROM THE CRIMINALS AND I DON'T HAVE ANY PROBLEM WITH THAT.

SO ANYWAYS, I'D LIKE TO ENCOURAGE YOU ALL TO TAKE A LOOK AT THE TAX MEASURE AND SUPPORT IT IF YOU FEEL SO INCLINED AND THAT'S IT.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

RAUL MENDEZ. YES.

THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, JUST VERY BRIEFLY, I WANTED TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT.

WE'VE HAD A LOT OF CONVERSATION OVER THE COURSE OF THE LAST FEW WEEKS IN REGARDS TO PERFORMANCE AND YOUR EXPECTATIONS.

I'M HERE TO SAY I'M UP FOR THE CHALLENGE.

I WILL RISE TO THE CHALLENGE, AND I GET THAT CONFIDENCE FROM OBVIOUSLY, THE WORK THAT WE'VE DONE AND ACCOMPLISHED ALREADY AND THEN ALSO THE GROUP OF DEPARTMENT LEADERS, DEPARTMENT HEAD LEADERS THAT I HAVE THE PRIVILEGE OF WORKING WITH.

I THINK YOU HAVE A VERY GOOD TEAM AND I'M EXCITED ABOUT WHAT THE NEXT 18 MONTHS ARE GOING TO BRING.

NOT WITHOUT CHALLENGES, OBVIOUSLY.

SEEMS LIKE WE FOCUS MORE ON THE CHALLENGES AND ON THE OPPORTUNITIES AND THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS.

BUT CERTAINLY THAT'S THAT'S PART OF THE JOB AND I KNEW WHAT I SIGNED UP FOR AND I'M POISED TO KIND OF CONTINUE TO YOU KNOW, IMPROVE AND GET BETTER AND WORK WITH THIS BOARD TO PRESENT OPTIONS TO FOR THE BENEFIT OF OUR COMMUNITY.

I RECOGNIZE WE HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO OUR EMPLOYEES.

WE HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO THE RESIDENTS OFM ERCED COUNTY AS WELL AND THAT'S SOMETIMES A DELICATE BALANCE AND SO I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU ALL AND WITH, OBVIOUSLY, OUR DEPARTMENT HEADS TO YOU KNOW, DEVELOP SOLUTIONS TO ADDRESS SOME OF THOSE CHALLENGES AND ISSUES AS WE GO FORWARD.

SO AGAIN, JUST TO THE BOARD, THANK YOU SO MUCH TO MY STAFF.

THANK YOU FOR THE SUPPORT AND TO THE DEPARTMENT HEADS.

LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU GOING FORWARD.

A LITTLE BIT LONGER. THANK YOU.

PEDROZO. COUNTY COUNCIL.

NOTHING. OKAY FOR ME? I ATTENDED LAST WEEK A MEETING ON WATERS LIVE WITH C&C HOLDING.

INTERESTING ONE.

SO HAVING THAT GROUP MEETING, I WAS JUST INFORMATION ON HOW CITIES AND COMMUNITIES, WATER DISTRICTS DISTRIBUTE THE WATER AND THE QUALITY.

SO THEY'RE LOOKING MORE AT THE QUALITY ISSUES FOR RESIDENTS AND SO EVERYBODY DESERVES CLEAN, CLEAN WATER.

ALSO ATTENDED A DRUG TREATMENT COURT CERTIFICATES THAT I HANDED OUT CERTIFICATES LAST FRIDAY AND THE COURTHOUSE AND SO THAT'S JUST YOU KNOW, FOR PEOPLE THAT GOT INTO TROUBLE WITH DRUGS AND THEY'VE CLEANED UP THEMSELVES AND YOU KNOW, THEY DESERVE CERTIFICATE.

THE JUDGE, POLO HAS THAT PROGRAM AND ENCOURAGES PARTICIPATION, AND SOMETIMES THEY FALL OFF, BUT THEN THEY RETURN AND, YOU KNOW, THEY USUALLY GET THEIR FINES REDUCED IF THEY COMPLETE THE PROGRAM AFTER SO MANY WEEKS.

SO OR MONTHS.

SO THAT'S PRETTY GRATIFYING TO SEE AND I ALSO ATTENDED THE CHILD SUPPORT EVENT IN LIVINGSTON CHILD SUPPORT AWARENESS MONTH AND SO I WANT TO THANK THE CHILD SUPPORT DIRECTOR AND THE REST OF THE DEPARTMENTS AND, YOU KNOW, AND EVERYBODY THAT ATTENDED THE EVENT AND ALSO, I WANT TO CLOSE THIS MEETING IN MEMORY OF OSCAR'S XAVIER THE SON OF MARIA RODRIGUEZ THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT TRAGICALLY PASSED AWAY IN AN ACCIDENT.

[01:50:03]

SO BE CAREFUL.

SO WITH THAT, I'LL ADJOURN THIS MEETING, AND I SEE THE NEXT MEETING IS AUGUST 20TH, SO AT 10 A.M.

THANK YOU.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.