[00:00:04] GET STARTED. IT'S 10:00. [CALL TO ORDER] GOOD MORNING AND WELCOME BACK TO THE SEPTEMBER 3RD, 2024 MEETING OF THE MERCED COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS. THIS MORNING WE HAD A CLOSED SESSION MEETING AND STAFF WAS GIVEN DIRECTION. WE WILL NOW START WITH THE INVOCATION LED BY OUR LADY OF MERCY SCHOOL, AND THEN SUPERVISOR PEDROZO WILL LEAD THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. IF YOU CAN, PLEASE STAND. IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER, SON, AND THE HOLY SPIRIT. AMEN. HEAVENLY FATHER, WE COME TO YOU ASKING FOR GUIDANCE, WISDOM, AND SUPPORT FOR THE SUPERVISORS AS THEY BEGIN THEIR THEIR MEETING. HELP THEM TO ENGAGE IN MEANINGFUL DISCUSSION. ALLOW THEM TO GROW CLOSER AS A GROUP AND NURTURE IN THE BONDS OF A COMMUNITY. FILL THEM WITH YOUR GRACE, LORD GOD, AS THEY MAKE DECISIONS THAT MIGHT AFFECT THE COMMUNITY OF MERCED DIRECT THEIR THOUGHTS, WORDS, DECISIONS AND ACTIONS TO SERVE OTHERS. ENLIGHTEN THEM. CONTINUE TO REMIND THEM THAT ALL THAT THEY DO HERE TODAY, ALL THAT THEY ACCOMPLISH, IS FOR THE PURSUIT OF TRUTH, FOR THE GREATER GLORY OF YOU AND FOR THE SERVICE OF HUMANITY. WE ASK THESE THINGS IN YOUR NAME. AMEN. IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER, SON, AND THE HOLY SPIRIT. AMEN. SALUTE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THAT. ALL RIGHT. WE'LL NOW MOVE ON TO NON-AGENDA PUBLIC COMMENT. [PUBLIC OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK] IT IS NOW TIME FOR PUBLIC OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK ON ANY MATTER OF PUBLIC INTEREST WITHIN THE BOARD'S JURISDICTION, EXCLUDING ITEMS ON THE BOARD'S AGENDA. TESTIMONY IS LIMITED TO THREE MINUTES PER PERSON AND 30 MINUTES TOTAL. OKAY. AT THIS TIME WE'LL OPEN UP PUBLIC COMMENT AGAIN. THIS IS FOR NON-AGENDA ITEMS. PLEASE COME FORWARD. GOOD MORNING CHAIRMAN ESPINOSA AND THE BOARD KRISTEN SANTOS HERE AGAIN REPRESENTING THE OFFICE OF CONGRESSMAN JOHN DUARTE. HOPE YOU ALL HAD A HAPPY, HEALTHY AND SAFE LABOR DAY WEEKEND. THIS MORNING I'M JUST HERE TO ANNOUNCE A COUPLE OF EXCITING OPPORTUNITIES THAT OUR CONGRESSIONAL OFFICE IS HOSTING HERE IN MERCED COUNTY THIS VERY WEEK AND APOLOGIES IN ADVANCE FOR THE SHORT NOTICE FROM THIS NEXT EVENT. BUT WE DID HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO GET A TOWN HALL FOR OUR CONSTITUENTS HERE IN THE CITY OF MERCED. TOGETHER, WE WOULD LIKE TO EXPRESS OUR SINCERE GRATITUDE TO EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR BRIAN VANDENBERG OF THE MERCED COUNTY FARM BUREAU. WE ARE HOSTING A MERCED TOWN HALL WITH CONGRESSMAN DUARTE TONIGHT, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 3RD AT 6 P.M. AGAIN, IT'S GOING TO BE AT MERCED COUNTY FARM BUREAU 646 SOUTH HIGHWAY 59, MERCED, CALIFORNIA 95341. WE'RE REALLY GRATEFUL TO HAVE THIS OPPORTUNITY FOR CONSTITUENTS AND OTHER COMMUNITY LEADERS TO INTERFACE WITH THE CONGRESSMAN AND OUR STAFF TO LEARN ABOUT SOME OF THE SERVICES OUR OFFICES CAN PROVIDE, AND LEARN ABOUT WHAT HE'S BEEN UP TO IN WASHINGTON, D.C. WE'RE ALSO HOSTING IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE HOUSE NATURAL RESOURCES SUBCOMMITTEE ON WATER, WILDLIFE AND FISHERIES. SO AGAIN, THIS IS ACTUALLY AN OFFICIAL CONGRESSIONAL HEARING, A FIELD HEARING. IT'S ENTITLED WATER ABUNDANCE OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES IN CALIFORNIA AND THIS IS GOING TO BE A FIELD HEARING WITH CONGRESSMAN JOHN DUARTE SUBCOMMITTEE CHAIRMAN CLIFF BENTZ OF OREGON AND MULTIPLE OTHER CONGRESSMEN AND IT'S GOING TO BE A FIELD HEARING FOCUSED ON CALIFORNIA'S WATER SUPPLY, THE CHALLENGES POSED TO IT BY GOVERNMENT REGULATIONS AND WATERS CONNECTION TO AMERICA'S FOOD SECURITY. SO THIS IS GOING TO BE ON FRIDAY, THIS FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 6TH, AND THE HEARING WILL START SHARPLY AT 10:30 AM. AGAIN, THAT'S GOING TO BE A HARD START TIME. WOULD DEFINITELY RECOMMEND ANY STAKEHOLDERS OR CONSTITUENTS THAT WANT TO ATTEND TO BE THERE A LITTLE BIT EARLY, AND THAT'S GOING TO BE AT THE HOTEL MISSION DE ORO AT 13070 SOUTH HIGHWAY 33, SANTA ANA, CALIFORNIA, 95322. AGAIN, THIS IS GOING TO BE A FIELD HEARING WITH THE HOUSE NATURAL RESOURCES SUBCOMMITTEE ON WATER, WILDLIFE AND FISHERIES. THIS IS GOING TO BE AN OFFICIAL FUNCTION, MEANING C-SPAN, THE WHOLE GAMUT STAFF COMING OUT FROM DC AND MULTIPLE OTHER CONGRESSMEN. SO ANY STAKEHOLDERS IN THE WATER SPACE THAT ARE INTERESTED, WE HIGHLY RECOMMEND ATTENDING. WE DO HAVE A LIST OF WITNESSES. THERE'S GOING TO BE ALISON FEBO, GENERAL MANAGER OF WESTLANDS WATER DISTRICT. JASON PHILLIPS, CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER OF FRIANT WATER AUTHORITY, WILLIAM BORDEAUX, BORDEAUX FARMS, JOSH WIMER OF TURLOCK IRRIGATION DISTRICT. JOHN HERRICK COUNCIL, MANAGER OF THE SOUTH DELTA WATER AGENCY, RHONDA LUCAS OF LUCAS LAW AND ALSO INVITED BY TO BE DETERMINED IN ATTENDANCE THE UNITED STATES BUREAU OF RECLAMATION, THE UNITED STATES FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE, AND THE UNITED STATES NATIONAL MARINE FISHERIES SERVICE. SO AGAIN, THIS WOULD BE A WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITY TO DISCUSS SOME OF THE CHALLENGES AND THE OPPORTUNITIES FACING US FOR WATER ABUNDANCE HERE IN THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE? [00:05:01] PUBLIC COMMENTS. MY NAME IS SHERILYN RAWLES AND I HAVE SPOKEN HERE A FEW TIMES. TODAY I WANT TO SPEAK OF MIUGSA MERCED IRRIGATION URBAN GROUNDWATER SUSTAINABILITY AGENCY. I HAVE RECEIVED THESE INVOICES FOR A PENALTY FOR HAVING AN AGRICULTURAL WELL. I DO NOT HAVE ANY AGRICULTURAL. WELL. EVERY MONTH THESE CAME AND EVERY MONTH IT WAS DOUBLE THE PENALTY OF THE PREVIOUS MONTH. THIS IS AMERICA. IN AMERICA, YOU ARE INNOCENT UNTIL PROVEN GUILTY. ALL THE WATER ACCESS TO MY FIELD SHOWS THERE'S NO WELL, I USE MERCED IRRIGATION DISTRICT. THEY LIKE ME. THEY SUPPLY ME WITH WATER. THAT IS HOW I WATER MY FIELD. NOW EVERYBODY WANTS THAT FIELD. IT'S ON THE BACK ROAD INTO THE UC. IT WOULD BE PERFECT FOR LITTLE GAS STATION BODEGA. PEOPLE COMING IN FROM FRESNO TO SEE PEOPLE AT THE UC. IT WOULD BE PERFECT. EVERYBODY WANTS IT. NOBODY WANTS TO PAY FOR IT. BUT THEY ALL WANT IT AND I SAY THIS IS A POLITICAL GRAB TO FORCE PENALTIES ON MY FIELD SO POSSIBLY I COULD LOSE IT. NOW, DOCTOR MARTIN LUTHER KING SAID IT BEST. INJUSTICE FOR ANY ONE THREATENS JUSTICE FOR EVERYONE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. GOOD MORNING EVERYONE. MY NAME IS CRYSTAL RAMOS AND I'M A PROGRAM COORDINATOR FOR MOVING FORWARD, ALSO KNOWN AS PART OF A YOUTH LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE AND I'M HERE WITH A COUPLE OF YOUTH WHO WOULD LIKE TO SHARE SOME INFORMATION WE HAVE FOR YOU. HI, MY NAME IS CARLOS. I AM A RECENT GRADUATE OF YOSEMITE HIGH AND MY NAME IS NATE. I CURRENTLY ATTEND MERCED HIGH SCHOOL. WE'RE HERE TODAY REPRESENTING YOUTH LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE MERCED, ALSO KNOWN AS YY. WE ARE A PART OF MOVING FORWARD, A YOUTH GROUP AT MERCED THAT FOCUSES ON PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND ENSURING YOUTH HAVE A VOICE IN THEIR COMMUNITIES. EARLIER THIS YEAR, WE PRESENT PRESENTED THE DATA FROM THE OUR MENTAL HEALTH SURVEY IN MAY TO EACH OF YOU. WE HAVE BEEN CONTINUING OUR WORK AND CREATING NEW WAYS TO SHARE IT. WE HAVE BROUGHT SOME EXAMPLES OF A COUPLE PEOPLE IN OUR GROUP CREATED AT OUR WEEKLY MEETINGS. OUR GROUP CREATED SOME PHOTOVOICE MATERIAL TO SHARE WITH OUR COMMUNITIES. PHOTOVOICE IS A POWERFUL IMAGE, TAKEN OR CHOSEN BY US AND PAIRED WITH A POWERFUL STATISTIC FROM OUR SURVEY. OUR GROUP FOUND IT IMPORTANT TO SHARE THESE WITH THE BOARD TODAY, AS WE WERE IN THE BEGINNING OF SUICIDE PREVENTION MONTH. I WOULD LIKE TO JUST SHOW ONE FOR YOU HERE AND LEAVE THE REST. THIS IS 21% AND SEVEN. NO, 21.7% OUT OF 500 STUDENTS AND MERCED HAVE NOT RECEIVED MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT. THIS IS IMPORTANT TO US BECAUSE A LOT OF STUDENTS GO THROUGH A LOT OF THINGS OUT HERE THAT SOME OF THEM DON'T TALK ABOUT, AND HAVING HELP AND HAVING SOMEONE TO TALK ABOUT THESE THINGS WITH, LIKE IT REALLY HELPS A LOT. WE HOPE YOU FIND THE PHOTOVOICE WE SHARED TODAY INSIGHTFUL AND USEFUL ABOUT YOUTH MENTAL HEALTH EXPERIENCES IN MERCED. OUR GOAL OF BRINGING THIS INFORMATION TO YOU IS IN HOPE TO HAVE A POLICY IN SUPPORT OF YOUTH WELLNESS. WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE A PART OF THE COUNTY BUDGET ALLOCATED TO YOUTH WELLNESS SERVICES IN MERCED COUNTY. FUNDS SET ASIDE FOR ANY YOUTH PROGRAM OR ORGANIZATION TO SUPPORT YOUTH WELLNESS AND MERCED COUNTY. OUR SECOND GOAL IS TO HAVE DEDICATED YOUTH REPRESENTATION ON THE BOARD FOR ON THE COUNTY LEVEL FOR MERCED YOUTH AND MERCED ARE THE FUTURE AND WE HAVE AND WE HOPE TO HAVE THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS CONTINUE TO SUPPORT THAT FUTURE. THANK YOU FOR OUR TIME AND WE WOULD LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU AGAIN WITH MORE UPDATES. [00:10:08] THANK YOU VERY MUCH. GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS MICHAEL WEGNER. I'M THE COMMANDER OF THE DISABLED AMERICAN VETERANS CHAPTER 31. ATWATER MERCED. I'M HERE TO PRESENT A CERTIFICATE OF APPRECIATION TO SUPERVISOR PAREIRA. YOU ARE CITED FOR DISTINCTION FOR YOUR COOPERATION WITH THE YOSEMITE CHURCH AND OTHER VOLUNTEERS, TO BUILD SOCIAL CONNECTION AND BELONGING FOR VETERANS AND THE COMMUNITY DURING FREE FISHING DAYS. YOUR DEDICATION AND DEVOTION TO THE WELL-BEING OF VETERANS OF MERCED COUNTY ARE MOST HEARTILY COMMENDED AND IN KEEPING WITH THE HIGHEST TRADITIONS OF DAV. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. FREE FISHING DAYS. I APPROACH THE PODIUM. HE'S COMING. [INAUDIBLE]. THANK YOU. CONGRATULATIONS, SUPERVISOR. OKAY, LET ME KNOW IF YOU HAVE ANY COMMENTS. WELL I WOULD. SORRY. GO AHEAD. THANK YOU. I'D JUST LIKE TO TO. THIS WAS KIND OF. WELL, I FOUND OUT ABOUT TEN MINUTES AGO, BUT REALLY A SURPRISE. WE'VE HAD THE VETERANS OUT TO OUR FARM TO DO FISHING TWO TIMES HERE IN THE LAST COUPLE OF MONTHS, AND ANYWAY, SO I'M A LITTLE. THANK YOU. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. PUBLIC COMMENT STILL OPEN. ANYBODY ELSE WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK UNDER PUBLIC COMMENT. ALL RIGHT. IF NOT, I WILL CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENT AND WE'LL MOVE ON TO THE REGULAR CONSENT CALENDAR. [CONSENT CALENDAR] ITEMS ONE THROUGH 11. THIS IS THE BIG ONE. CONSENT CALENDAR ITEMS 1 THROUGH 11. AT THIS TIME I'LL OPEN UP PUBLIC COMMENT FOR CONSENT CALENDAR ITEMS ONE THROUGH 11. ANY PUBLIC COMMENT ON THESE ITEMS? ALL RIGHT. WE'LL CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENT AND WE'LL COME BACK. I DO HAVE A COMMENT ON ITEM NUMBER ONE WHICH IS TO APPROVE DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS TO SIGN AMENDMENT NUMBER SEVEN, TO PROJECT A DESIGN SERVICES OF THE STATE ROUTE 33 AND HARRY MILLER AVENUE INTERSECTION PROJECT, EFFECTIVE SEPTEMBER 13TH, IN THE COMMUNITY OF SANTANELLA. THEY'RE DESIGNING A, YOU KNOW INTERSECTION LIGHTING THERE. SO IT'S VERY DANGEROUS. AT TIMES WHEN I GO IN THE AFTERNOON, I CAN SEE A MILE BACKWARDS WITH TRUCKS AND CARS AND, YOU KNOW, TRYING TO, YOU KNOW, I MYSELF TRYING TO TURN INTO MCDONALD'S OR DIFFERENT RESTAURANTS OR BUSINESSES OVER THERE IS VERY DANGEROUS. SO YOU KNOW, HOPEFULLY, YOU KNOW, OUR PUBLIC WORKS CAN WORK EFFECTIVELY AND RAPIDLY TO, YOU KNOW, GET THIS DONE AND WE CAN HAVE THOSE INTERSECTION THERE AND I KNOW THAT THE COMMUNITY HAS BEEN SEEKING THAT FOR YEARS, AND I THINK PUBLIC WORKS NATHAN, FOR YOUR WORK ON THAT. SO HOPEFULLY WE CAN HAVE THAT SAFETY INTERSECTION THERE. SO LET ME MOVE ON TO ANOTHER ALSO ITEM NUMBER FIVE, I'LL BE GOING OUT OF STATE TO TEXAS, HOUSTON ON THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF LATINO ELECTED OFFICIALS. I APPLY FOR A SCHOLARSHIP, AND I'LL BE ATTENDING THAT IN SEPTEMBER 18TH THROUGH THE 20TH. ALSO, NUMBER EIGHT IS A CERTIFICATE OF RECOGNITION THAT WE GAVE [INAUDIBLE] CITY OF MONGOLIA AND IN CHINA WHEN THEY WERE HERE LAST MONTH, SO I DIDN'T KNOW THAT THE COUNTY HAD A SISTER CITY, FRIENDSHIP CITY. SO THAT WAS VERY GREAT TO HOST THEM HERE AND THEN THEY DID A TOUR OF UC MERCED AS WELL AND THAT'S ALL MY COMMENTS ON. ALL RIGHT AND ANY FURTHER COMMENTS BY THE SUPERVISORS OR A MOTION. [00:15:02] SO OKAY, I SEE A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA, SECOND SUPERVISOR PEDROZO. WE'LL CALL FOR THE VOTE. RECORD THE VOTE, PLEASE. MOTION PASSES 5-0. NOW WE'LL MOVE ON TO BOARD ACTION. ITEM TEN. OKAY. NUMBER. SORRY. SEE THAT? OKAY. WE'LL GO BACK TO I WOULD LIKE TO CALL UP THE LAO FAMILY REGARDING NINE NUMBER TEN CERTIFICATES OF RECOGNITION FOR THE MERCED LAO BOAT RACING FESTIVAL. I APOLOGIZE FOR THAT. IF YOU WANT TO COME FORWARD. [INAUDIBLE]. OKAY. THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO COME AND DO THE PRESENTATION FOR THE CERTIFICATE. CERTIFICATE FOR THOSE WHO PARTICIPATED IN OUR BOAT RACING FESTIVAL AND I'M PRETTY SURE I LIKE THE MERCED COUNTY TEAM, OR WE CALL THEM THE ROCK AND ROLL TEAM. THEY CAME UP WITH THE PILOT FLAG AND EVERYTHING, YOU KNOW, SO WE'RE GOING TO START CALLING THE TEAM UP HERE. SO IF MERCED COUNTY ROCK AND ROLL TEAM COULD COME UP HERE SO WE CAN PRESENT THE AWARD. ALRIGHT. [INAUDIBLE]. DO WE HAVE THE PIRATE FLAG? OH, YOU GOT THE FLAG. MIGHT AS WELL. [INAUDIBLE] SO THANK YOU. EVERYONE UP HERE FOR PARTICIPATING IN OUR FIRST LAO BOAT RACING FESTIVAL. THIS IS OUR FIRST ANNUAL. I HOPE EVERYONE HERE HAD FUN. SO BUT WE'RE GOING TO CALL OUT THE NAME AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT FOR COMING OUT AND PARTICIPATING IN OUR BOAT RACING FESTIVAL. GO AHEAD. SO WE'LL DO A QUICK GO AHEAD. MR. RODRIGO ESPINOSA. [INAUDIBLE]. I'LL READ IT TO MAKE IT FASTER. SCOTT SAAVEDRA. THERE YOU GO. THANK YOU AND MARK MIMS, NOT HERE. SO DOES ANYBODY WANT TO HOLD ON TO THE CERTIFICATE AND GIVE IT TO HIM? [INAUDIBLE] LORENA BUTLER. THERE YOU GO AND MIKE NORD. THANK YOU, SIR. [INAUDIBLE] JEREMIAH CREGAN. JULIE SIM. THANK YOU. ANNE MARIE HENDRICKSON. MARK. OH! ALL RIGHT. MARK HENDRICKSON CAN TAKE IT FOR HIS WIFE. YEAH. OH. ALL RIGHT. SAM MORRIS. THERE YOU GO. I'M GONNA READ IT [INAUDIBLE] RAUL LOMELI MENDEZ. ALEX PEARCE. JAMEY JOHNSON. I'M GOING TO HAVE TO BUTCHER THIS NAME, BUT TOM ESPOSITO, LEE THOMAS. OH, HE'S ON THE CALL. SORRY AND FORREST HANSON. OH, THERE YOU GO, FORREST. IT WAS MEANT FOR YOU ANYWAY. HIDEY [INAUDILE]. MY BOSS. JUST BY THE WAY. JUST SO EVERYBODY AND THEN. JOHN COCK. CHRISTIAN COCK. DARREN MCDANIEL. OH ANGELA [INAUDIBLE]. NOT HERE. JOHN [INAUDIBLE]. [INAUDIBLE]. YEAH. THE ONE THAT DROWNED SUNK THE BOAT. [00:20:03] NOW WE KNOW WHO SANK THE BOAT AND I ALSO WANT TO, LIKE. I HAVE FIVE MORE AWARDS HERE. I WANT TO ESPECIALLY THANK THE FIVE PEOPLE HERE WHO THINK WE'RE CRAZY WHEN WE APPROACH THEM AT THE BEGINNING, YOU KNOW, THEY. OH, ARE YOU SERIOUS ABOUT THE BOAT RACE? WE SAID WE'RE SERIOUS. SO I WANT TO THANK JOSH PEDROSO FOR, LIKE AGREEING TO MEET WITH US AND FOR LIKE, SUPPORT US FROM THE BEGINNING TO MAKE IT HAPPEN. THANK YOU. YEAH AND WE CALL HIM CAPTAIN JOSH. ROCK AND ROLL AND THEN MARK HENDRICKSON. HE IS ALWAYS AT OUR MEETING. HE MADE IT POSSIBLE. YES. THANK YOU AND NATHAN BRAY, WHO MADE IT WORK WITH, LIKE THE LAKE YOSEMITE. HIS STAFF HAS HELPED US OUT AND THE OTHER IMPORTANT THING IS LINDSEY JOHNSON, WHO, LIKE KILLED AN OWL AT LAKE YOSEMITE, YOU KNOW? YES. SHE ASKED HER STAFF. HEY, I YOU KNOW, WE'VE BEEN BITTEN DURING ALL THESE OTHER PRACTICES. BUT THEN WHEN SHE SHOWED UP TO THE PRACTICE AND THEN SHE GOT BITTEN, THEN SHE GETS SOMEBODY OUT TO HELP US TILL THE END. JUST KIDDING AND THEN DAHLIA FOR ORGANIZE EVERYTHING AND ALL THE MEANING AND LASTLY, I WANT TO THANK ALL THE BOARD MEMBERS AND JOSH PEDROZO AND EVERYBODY WHO HELPED MAKE IT HAPPEN. I THINK IT WAS A SUCCESSFUL EVENT AND THEN, YOU KNOW, IT WAS THERE WAS A HUGE TURNOUT AND THANK YOU FOR CELEBRATING OUR CULTURE, OUR HERITAGE WITH US. WE HOPE THAT YOU JOIN US NEXT YEAR ALSO. [INAUDIBLE]. THANK YOU. WELL OUR WELL, ON BEHALF OF MERCED COUNTY, AS CHAIR, I WANT TO THANK YOU KNOW, THE COMMUNITY FROM FOR HAVING THIS GREAT EVENT THIS YEAR. SO I THINK EVERYBODY HAD A WONDERFUL TIME. MORE THAN WONDERFUL, RIGHT? I THINK I THINK MERCED HAVE MORE THAN ONE TEAM BECAUSE, LIKE I SAID, EVERYBODY WANTED TO BE ON THERE. NOBODY WANTED TO GO UNDER. BUT I THINK EVERYBODY LIKE I SAID, I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR GUIDANCE. I THINK YOU WERE THE ONE THAT THAT GAVE US PRACTICE ON FRIDAY, RIGHT? YES. I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THAT AS WELL. SO ALL OF US SO I WENT AND I APPROACHED THE TEAMMATE MERCED COUNTY ROCK N ROLL TEAM WENT TO PRACTICE ON FRIDAY. DO WE WANT TO DO IT? YEAH. AND WE GO YEAH WHY NOT. MUSIC TEAM GOT A WIN AND CONGRATULATIONS. YOU GUYS CAME IN THIRD ON BRACKET BUT YOU CAME IN SIXTH PLACE. OUT OF THE 16 TEAMS OUT THERE. YOU SHOULD BE PROUD OF YOURSELF. YEAH. ANY COMMENTS? ANYBODY WANT TO SAY SOMETHING? I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU GUYS FOR PUTTING ON THE EVENT. I THINK THIS WAS A ONE OF THE MOST FUN EVENTS THAT I'VE BEEN A PART OF, AND I THINK THAT IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT YOU BROUGHT THIS TO OUR ATTENTION, BECAUSE ONE OF THE THINGS ABOUT MERCED COUNTY IS OUR CULTURAL DIVERSITY AND I THINK HIGHLIGHTING YOUR CULTURE WAS WAS AN AMAZING THIS WAS AN AMAZING OPPORTUNITY TO DO THAT. SO THANK YOU GUYS VERY MUCH. I CAN'T WAIT TILL NEXT YEAR. WE'RE ALREADY STRATEGIZING ON HOW WE'RE GOING TO DO IT. SO YEAH. IT'S ALSO JUST TO ECHO HIS COMMENTS THE LAO COMMUNITY WAS VERY WELCOMING TO THE MERCED COUNTY ROWE TEAM. WE HAD A GREAT TIME, NOT ONLY ON THE WATER, BUT WITH ALL THE FOLKS THAT WERE AROUND US. IT WAS IT WAS A REALLY GOOD TIME, AND I'D LIKE TO SAY THAT NO ONE COULD EVER TAKE AWAY FROM US, THAT WE WON OUR FIRST HEAT AND WE WERE THE ONLY PEOPLE TO SINK A BOAT AND ALSO, I THINK IT WAS A, YOU KNOW, A FUN, FAMILY SAFE EVENT. THANK YOU FOR PUBLIC WORKS AS WELL, FOR, YOU KNOW, KEEPING US SAFE AND I THINK THE LAO COMMUNITY DID AN EXCELLENT JOB. SO WE'RE WAITING FOR NEXT YEAR. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH. ANYBODY ELSE? OKAY. OUR ROCK AND ROLL TEAM I'LL SEE R FOR YOU GUYS R YES OKAY. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. YEAH. I'LL TAKE MAYBE ONE MINUTE OF YOUR TIME. WELL, THANK YOU FOR COMING OUT AND SUPPORTING US AND WE KNOW THAT WE HAVE PLENTY OF THINGS TO IRON OUT FOR THE NEXT YEAR. HOPEFULLY WE'LL IRON OUT AND I'M PRETTY SURE IT'S NOT 100% IRONED OUT. THE PROBLEM THAT WE HAVE, BUT WE WILL WORK TOWARD IT. THANK YOU. [INAUDIBLE]. WONDERFUL. SO WE'RE READY TO MOVE ON NOW. THANK YOU. AFTER ALL THAT EXCITEMENT, IT WAS VERY FUN. [00:25:04] WE WILL NOW MOVE ON TO THE BOARD ACTION. BEGINNING WITH PUBLIC WORKS ITEMS 12 THROUGH 16. [BOARD ACTION] PLEASE NOTE A FOUR-FIFTHS VOTE IS REQUIRED ON ITEM 16. AT THIS TIME, WE WILL RECEIVE INFORMATION REGARDING ITEM 15. NATHAN. GOOD MORNING. BOARD CHAIR AND SUPERVISORS. THE ITEM 15 BEFORE YOU THIS MORNING INCLUDES TWO DISTINCT BUT RELATED ACTIONS. THE FIRST ACTION IS TO APPROVE A MOU WITH THE HIGH SPEED RAIL AUTHORITY AND THE SECOND ACTION IS TO APPROVE AN AGREEMENT WITH CONTOUR ENGINEERS. THIS IS ALL RELATED TO THE UPCOMING HIGH SPEED RAIL AUTHORITY PROJECT TO EXTEND FROM MADERA UP TO MERCED. WITH ME TO GO THROUGH A PRESENTATION IS PAUL SWEARINGEN FROM THE HIGH SPEED RAIL AUTHORITY AND I BELIEVE ALSO IN ATTENDANCE AS ESTEBAN WITH STANTEC, WHO IS THEIR DESIGN COMPANY. SO WITH THAT, I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE PAUL. THANK YOU. WELCOME. THANK YOU, NATHAN, AND THANK YOU FOR HAVING US HERE TODAY. YOU KNOW, I NOTICED YOU GUYS LIKE PIRATES, RIGHT? SO I HAVE A LITTLE JOKE. WHAT'S THE PIRATES FAVORITE LETTER? YOU WOULD THINK SO, BUT IT'S NOT. IT'S THE SEA. WELL, I JUST I ENJOYED YOUR GUYS'S YOU KNOW, LITTLE PIRATE THING THERE. THE BOAT RACE. SO JUST THOUGHT I'D THROW THAT IN. ANYWAYS, WE'RE HERE FROM THE HIGH SPEED RAIL. WE'RE GOING TO PRESENT THIS INFORMATION TO YOU GUYS TODAY. MERCED TO MADERA SEGMENT. OF COURSE, YOU GUYS KNOW HIGH SPEED RAIL IS COMING THROUGH THIS AREA. WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A STATION HERE IN MERCED AND WE HAVE BEEN ALSO TALKING WITH THE CITY OF MERCED IN VARIOUS COUNTIES THROUGHOUT THE AREA. WE DID HAVE A MEETING WITH THE OTHER SUPERVISORS EARLIER, I BELIEVE, ABOUT THREE WEEKS AGO. WE'VE BEEN MEETING WITH NATHAN FOR OVER A YEAR. HE'S BEEN REALLY GREAT TO WORK WITH AND REALLY APPRECIATE HIS HELP. IS THE CLICKER [INAUDIBLE] OH. RIGHT HERE. OH, GOTCHA. SO AGAIN, MERCED TO MADERA ZERO. PROJECT SEGMENT. YEAH. WE'RE JUST BASICALLY GOING TO GO OVER A LITTLE BIT OF THE HISTORY. WHERE WE'RE AT NOW AND KIND OF WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO WITH, WITH MERCED COUNTY AS FAR AS THE REIMBURSEMENT AGREEMENT AND JUST SOME INTRODUCTORY STUFF. MY NAME PAUL SWEARINGEN, I'M THE DEPUTY CONTRACT MANAGER FOR THE MERCED TO MADERA SEGMENT. WE CALL IT M TO M. SOME OVERVIEW SOME HIGHLIGHTS. PHASE ONE, 500 MILES. YOU CAN SEE IT IN BLUE RIGHT THERE. IT'S BASICALLY THE FIRST PHASE OF THE OVERALL PHASES, I GUESS TWO PHASES. YOU CAN SEE THE YELLOW AND BLUE DASHED ARE THE EXTENSIONS WHICH WILL COME LATER ON. SO BASICALLY WE'RE GOING TO BE GOING FROM SAN DIEGO ALL THE WAY TO SAN FRANCISCO AND THEN TO SACRAMENTO. BUT LIKE I SAID, PHASE ONE STARTS DOWN IN ANAHEIM, UP TO SAN FRANCISCO AND MAINLY IN THE CENTRAL VALLEY IS THE VERY FIRST PORTION TRAVELS APPROXIMATELY 220MPH OF CLEAN, ELECTRIC RENEWABLE ENERGY. THERE'S UP TO 24 STATIONS AND ONE OF THEM HERE IN THE CITY OF MERCED. AND RIGHT NOW, WE'RE GOING TO BE MOSTLY FOCUSED ON THIS 119 MILE SEGMENT. SO AS YOU CAN SEE IN THE YELLOW THAT 119 MILES, I'M SORRY, THE 119 MILES IS CURRENTLY UNDER CONSTRUCTION. THE BLUE SEGMENT ON THE TOP MERCED TO MADERA. THAT'S THE PART THAT WE'RE FOCUSING ON. BUT I WANT TO GIVE YOU GUYS AN OVERVIEW. THE 119 MILES IS CURRENTLY UNDER CONSTRUCTION. THOSE ARE CALLED THE CPS AND I'M SURE YOU GUYS HEARD THAT BEFORE. CP1 CP2, CP3, CP4. SO THAT WAS INITIALLY HOW HIGH SPEED RAIL GOT STARTED WAS CONSTRUCTION PACKAGES THAT WAS DESIGNED, BUILT. WE WOULD GIVE THE PROJECT DIRECTLY TO THE CONTRACTOR. WE'RE DOING A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT METHOD NOW, AND I'LL GO OVER THAT WITH YOU GUYS IN THE NEXT SLIDES. BUT AS YOU CAN SEE, THE 119 MILES IS UNDER CONSTRUCTION CURRENTLY. WE DO HAVE THE MERCED TO MADERA SEGMENT ON THE TOP AND DOWN BELOW THAT LITTLE LIGHT BLUE PORTION THAT'S CALLED LGA. THAT'S THE BAKERSFIELD TO SHAFTER SEGMENT. YEAH. SO 52 MILES UNDER ADVANCED DESIGN. THAT'S KIND OF WHERE WE'RE AT MERCED AND SOUTH BAKERSFIELD, ENVIRONMENTALLY CLEARED, 500 MILES BETWEEN SAN FRANCISCO AND LA, AND APPROXIMATELY 422 MILES CLEARED TO DATE. SO CALTRAIN ELECTRIFICATION, LA UNION STATION IMPROVEMENTS, AND STATE WIDE GRADE SEPARATION, THOSE ARE SOME OF THE BOOKEND PROJECTS THAT WE GOT GOING [00:30:09] TO. THESE ARE JUST SOME OF THE PROGRAM BENEFITS THAT THOUGHT THIS WAS GOOD TO SHARE WITH YOU GUYS. YOU KNOW, CREATING OVER 11,474 JOBS IN MADERA COUNTY ALONE, OVER ALMOST 500 AND YOU CAN SEE THE OTHERS. FRESNO, ALMOST 4000 AND 11,400 CONSTRUCTION JOBS CREATED SINCE CONSTRUCTION BEGAN. 1400 CONSTRUCTION WORKERS DISPATCHED 30 ACTIVE CONSTRUCTION SITES, 75% FROM DISADVANTAGED COMMUNITIES AND THE CENTRAL VALLEY TRAINING CENTER IS A PROGRAM THAT WAS CREATED IN THE CITY OF [INAUDIBLE] TO PROVIDE PRE-APPRENTICESHIP CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY TRAINING, AND THERE'S OVER 151 STUDENTS THAT HAVE GRADUATED AND 812 SMALL BUSINESSES ON THE HIGH SPEED RAIL PROJECT, AND 215 OF THEM ARE IN THE CENTRAL VALLEY. SO IT DOES, YOU KNOW, BRING A LOT OF JOBS AND A LOT OF BENEFITS TO THE TO THE AREA. THIS IS A LITTLE MORE DETAIL ON THE 119 MILES THAT'S UNDER CONSTRUCTION. SO CP1 IS FROM BASICALLY CONSTRUCTION PACKAGE ONE IS FROM AVENUE 19 AND MADERA JUST SOUTH OF AMERICAN AVENUE IN FRESNO AND THAT'S WITH TUTOR PERINI AND ZACHARY PARSONS AND CONSTRUCTION PACKAGE 2 TO 3 SOUTH OF FRESNO, TO ONE MILE NORTH OF TULARE. DRAGONS FLATIRON. THOSE ARE JOINT VENTURES TO CONTRACTORS COME TOGETHER AND CONSTRUCTION PACKAGE FOR ONE MILE NORTH OF TULARE AND TO POPLAR AVENUE. CALIFORNIA RAIL BUILDERS. SO AS YOU CAN SEE, THOSE ARE THE ONES I WAS TALKING ABOUT. CONSTRUCTION PACKAGES, DESIGN BUILD UNDER CONSTRUCTION CURRENTLY. THIS IS A LITTLE SCHEDULE, KIND OF TIMELINE OF WHAT WE EXPECT AND HOW, YOU KNOW, WE WANT THINGS TO UNFOLD. YOU CAN SEE THERE'S A 2027 MARK THERE. I'LL GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE TOO. BUT YOU CAN ALSO SEE AT THE END HERE 2030 IS KIND OF OUR YOU KNOW, ROUGH, YOU KNOW, MILESTONE THAT WE WANT TO HAVE COMPLETE. BASICALLY PASSENGERS RUNNING, YOU KNOW, WE'RE THERE'S A LITTLE BUFFER IN THERE, YOU KNOW JUST IT'S JUST HOW COMPLEX THIS PROJECT IS. SO I BELIEVE THERE IS A 2 TO 3 YEAR BUFFER IN THERE. BUT YOU CAN SEE AS WE WORK BACKWARDS THE 119 MILES OF CONSTRUCTION SHOULD BE DONE AROUND, YOU KNOW, CLOSE TO 2029 AND THE STATION CONSTRUCTION SHOULD BE CLOSE TO 2029 AS WELL. BUT BASICALLY, THIS IS JUST KIND OF TO SHOW YOU AN OVERALL SCHEDULE OF WHAT WE WANT TO COMPLETE FOR THIS PROJECT OVERALL. SO THE REIMBURSEMENT AGREEMENT IS BASICALLY THE AGREEMENT THAT WE'VE PREPARED FOR EVERYBODY TO COORDINATE WITH US COUNTY, CITY UTILITY COMPANIES THE LIKE AND SO IT'S BASICALLY A DESIGN FOCUSED AGREEMENT. SO I'LL GO BACK TO THE WAY THAT WE'RE DOING BUSINESS NOW. NOW WHAT WE'RE DOING IS WE'RE DOING STAGED CONSTRUCTION. WE'RE CURRENTLY IN STAGE THREE WHICH IS CALLED CONFIGURATION FOOTPRINT. IT'S BASICALLY A PART OF DESIGN WHERE WE WANT TO CLEAR ALL THE UTILITIES, GET EVERYTHING DESIGNED, AND START WORKING ON THE RIGHT OF WAY. SO BASICALLY WHAT THIS AGREEMENT DOES IS ALLOWS US TO WORK WITH WITH THE COUNTY TO DO THAT. SO WE HAVE OUR DESIGNER HERE, AT STANTEC. SO THEY WILL GO AHEAD AND DESIGN EVERYTHING, WORK WITH NATHAN AND SAY, OKAY, YEAH, THAT'S GOOD AND THIS UTILITY. 100% UTILITY DESIGN, WHICH YOU GUYS DON'T HAVE MUCH, YOU HAVE MOSTLY ROADWAY STUFF. SO IN THE NEXT PHASE, STAGE FOUR IS GOING TO BE 100% CIVIL DESIGN. STAGE FIVE IS PROCUREMENT AND THEN STAGE SIX IS CONSTRUCTION. SO THIS IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN NOW AND THE CONSTRUCTION PACKAGES. SO CURRENTLY WE DO HAVE AN AGREEMENT ON THE RA. WE'VE COME TO MUTUAL AGREEMENT. THIS IS NOW KIND OF US TO PRESENT THAT YOU KNOW AND HAVE YOU GUYS APPROVE IT. OUR AUTHORITY HAS AN INTERNAL COMMITTEE THAT WE GO THROUGH AND ALSO HAVE THEM APPROVE AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE A ANOTHER PROCUREMENT BRANCH, CPB, WHICH PACKAGES EVERYTHING FOR SIGNATURES. I BELIEVE WE'RE KIND OF AT THE TAIL END OF THAT STUFF. SO I BELIEVE WE SHOULD BE MOVING ALONG PRETTY QUICKLY HERE AND SO NOW ESTEBAN'S GOING TO KIND [00:35:09] OF GO OVER SOME OF THE MORE PROJECT ORIENTED STUFF AND ACTUALLY LET ME LET ME GO OVER THIS SLIDE ONE MORE TIME. THIS IS TAKEN STRAIGHT FROM OUR 2022 OR 2024 BUSINESS PLAN. SO YOU CAN SEE STAGE THREE CONSTRUCTION CONFIGURATION FOOTPRINT, ADVANCED ENGINEERING DESIGN, UP TO 30%, 30 TO 40%. THAT'S MORE CIVIL MAPPING RIGHT OF WAY. CONDUCTING GEOTECHNICAL STUDIES, IDENTIFYING UTILITY CONFLICTS AND RELOCATIONS, IDENTIFYING THIRD PARTY AGREEMENTS REFINING COST ESTIMATES, RISK ASSESSMENTS AND OUTCOMES. YOU KNOW, WE WANT CONFIGURATION. WE WANT TO CONFIGURE THE PROJECT BECAUSE WE'RE TRYING TO SET THE FOOTPRINT OF THE PROJECT. WE'RE LEARNING FROM OUR PAST, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE I THINK IN THE PAST WITH THE CP'S YOU KNOW, KIND OF RUN INTO A LOT OF ISSUES WITH UTILITIES AND EVERYTHING LIKE THAT. SO WE'RE TRYING TO GET THAT OUT OF THE WAY FIRST. CLEAR EVERYTHING. SO WHEN CONSTRUCTION COMES THROUGH WE DON'T HAVE MUCH HICCUPS, YOU KNOW? YEAH. UTILITY UP TO 100% AND 30% DESIGN. SO THAT'S THAT'S BASICALLY THE WAY WE'RE WORKING CURRENTLY AND IT ALL HELPS HAND IT OVER TO ESTEBAN REAL QUICK, AND HE'LL KIND OF GO OVER A LITTLE BIT MORE OF THE LOCALITY. THANK YOU PAUL. THANK YOU. BOARD MEMBERS. MY NAME IS ESTEBAN NUNEZ. I'M A SENIOR PROJECT MANAGER WITH STANTEC AND THE UTILITY DESIGN LEAD ON THE MADERO PROJECT. I'LL LEAVE IT ON THE SHEET TO KIND OF GIVE YOU GUYS AN OVERVIEW. AS PAUL ALLUDED TO, OUR MERCED MADERO PROJECT RUNS FROM AVENUE 19IN MADERA, WHERE CP ONE ENDS AND GOES ALL THE WAY INTO MERCED. THE GENERAL ALIGNMENT IS FROM AVENUE 19 , IT HEADS NORTHWEST TOWARDS THE SR 152. SR 99 INTERCHANGE, AND THEN IT RIDES ALONG PARALLEL TO SR 152 ON THE NORTH SIDE UNTIL ABOUT ROAD 12. THERE HEADS NORTH ROAD, RIDING ALONG THE ROAD 11 ALIGNMENT BOTH IN MADERA AND MERCED COUNTY, UNTIL IT GETS ABOUT JUST SOUTH OF LA GRANDE AVENUE, WHERE IT RUNS PARALLEL TO UPR ON THE WEST SIDE OF UPR, ALL THE WAY INTO THE CITY OF MERCED. OUR PROJECT ORIGINALLY WAS ALIGNED TO GO ALL THE WAY TO R STREET, BUT WITH THE STATION TEAM ON BOARD WITH THE AUTHORITY, OUR LIMITS ARE JUST SOUTH OF O STREET, SO WE'RE TAKING THE PROJECT FROM O STREET IN MERCED ALL THE WAY SOUTH TO AVENUE 19 IN MADERA. I WON'T GO BACK TO THE OTHER SHEET, BUT IF I GO TO THE NEXT ONE, I'LL KIND OF FOCUS IN ON MERCED. WE ENTERED THE MERCED COUNTY AT THE COUNTY LINE WITH MADERA, AND LIKE I SAID, IT TRAVELS ALONG JUST ON THE EAST SIDE OF THE ROAD 11 ALIGNMENT. NOW, I KNOW FROM LOOKING AT AND WORKING WITH THE COUNTY STAFF THAT WROTE 11 KIND OF STOPS AT BEING A PUBLIC ROAD AT AVENUE 26, AND THEN FROM THERE ON, IT'S A FARM ROAD THAT GOES ALL THE WAY UP UNTIL SANDY MARSH ROAD AND AS YOU CAN SEE, THIS MAP HERE WILL SHOW YOU ALL THE INTERFACES WITH THE DIFFERENT ROADWAYS IN THE COUNTY, AS WELL AS SOME OTHER KEY FEATURES OF THE PROJECT. AS PAUL SAID EARLIER OUR JOB IS PHASE ONE IS TO IDENTIFY, DEVELOP 30% DESIGN FOR THE ENTIRE PROJECT AND DEVELOP 100% UTILITY RELOCATION DESIGNS FOR AS MUCH AS WE CAN WITH THE AGREEMENTS THAT ARE AVAILABLE AND IDENTIFY THE CONFIGURATION FOOTPRINT. WHAT THAT MEANS IS WE IDENTIFY ALL THE RIGHT-OF-WAY NEEDS FOR THE PROJECT AND PROVIDE THAT TO THE AUTHORITIES SO THEY CAN GET THEIR RIGHT OF WAY ACQUISITION FOLKS WORKING ON CONTACTING PROPERTY OWNERS AND GOING THROUGH THE ACQUISITION PROCESS. FROM THAT POINT ON, WE MOVE INTO FINAL DESIGN AND DEVELOP THE 100% DESIGN FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE PROJECT. SOME OF OUR NEXT STEPS. ONCE THE AGREEMENT WITH THE COUNTY IS SIGNED AND COUNTY SIGNED WITH THE AUTHORITY IS TO START COORDINATING AND DEVELOPING REGULAR COORDINATION MEETINGS WITH THE COUNTY AND THE CONSULTANT. IDENTIFY AND FINALIZE UTILITY RELOCATION DESIGNS WITHIN THE COUNTY, AS WELL AS ALL THE OTHER ROADWAY INTERFACE DESIGNS. THE IMPACT THE COUNTY AND THEN AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE WILL BE COMPLETING REPORT OF INVESTIGATIONS ON THE ALL UTILITY RELOCATIONS TO IDENTIFY THE RIGHT-OF-WAY NEEDS FOR THOSE. AS WELL AS WHAT WAS INTENDED FOR ALL THE RIGHT OF WAY IMPACTS WITHIN THE COUNTY'S LIMITS AND THEN THAT'S THE END OF OF THE PRESENTATION, FROM MY POINT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU PAUL. THANK YOU, ESTEBAN. JUST A COUPLE POINTS OF CLARIFICATION. I HAD INAPPROPRIATELY SAID THIS WAS AN MOU. THIS IS A REIMBURSEMENT AGREEMENT. SO THERE ARE SOME KEY DISTINCT DIFFERENCES THERE WITH THE REIMBURSEMENT AGREEMENT. WHAT THIS PROCESS DOES IS IT ALLOWS COUNTY STAFF TO REVIEW THE PLANS THAT ARE PRESENTED FROM THE AUTHORITY TO THE COUNTY, AND IT CREATES A FUNDING [00:40:09] MECHANISM FOR US TO BE REIMBURSED FOR OUR EFFORTS. SO THIS SHOULD RESULT IN ZERO NET COUNTY COST OR THE EXPENDITURE OF ROAD FUNDS. AND REALLY THE MAIN PURPOSE OF THIS, THIS PROCESS RIGHT NOW IS FOR THE COUNTY TO ENGAGE WITH THE AUTHORITY TO REVIEW IN A PRELIMINARY FASHION AND IDENTIFY ANY POTENTIAL CONCERNS PRIOR TO GOING INTO CONSTRUCTION. SO WITH THAT, I'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS. OKAY AND WE'LL GO TO SUPERVISORS COMMENTS. SUPERVISOR PEDROZO I DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS. I'M. THANK YOU FOR THE CLARIFICATION. I JUST WANT TO SAY, YOU KNOW, THANK THE HIGH SPEED RAIL FOLKS AND STANTEC FOR COMING OUT AND PROVIDING THIS INFORMATION. I THINK THIS IS THE MOST INFORMATION THE COUNTY HAS GOTTEN OUTSIDE OF INDIVIDUAL MEETINGS AND 310. IN A WHILE AND SO AS IT'S BEEN STATED MULTIPLE TIMES, I WOULD APPRECIATE TO CONTINUE THESE CONVERSATIONS EVEN FURTHER TO MAKE SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, THE CONSTITUENTS AND THE PEOPLE OF MERCED COUNTY ARE AWARE, BECAUSE AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE'RE ASKED THE QUESTIONS AND IF WE CAN'T ANSWER OR GIVE IT ANY TYPE OF RESPONSE, IT LOOKS MAKES YOU GUYS LOOK BAD AND MAKES US LOOK BAD. SO I WOULD APPRECIATE THE COORDINATION AND CONTINUING THE DISCUSSION. OKAY. SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL. THANK YOU, MISTER CHAIR. YEAH, I HAVE A QUESTION. WITH THIS BEING A REIMBURSEMENT CONTRACT. WE KNOW THERE'S FUNDING THERE NOW, BUT WITH THE ELECTIONS ALL HAVE CONSEQUENCES AND WE DO HAVE A PRETTY IMPORTANT ELECTION IN NOVEMBER. WHAT HAPPENS IF WE GET OUT AHEAD OF OURSELVES FOR A REIMBURSEMENT AND THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, WITH THE NEW ADMINISTRATION CHANGE, DECIDES THEY WANT TO GO IN A DIFFERENT DIRECTION WITH THIS FUNDING? HOW IS THERE AN OUT FOR US IN THIS CONTRACT TOO, SO WE DON'T GET OUT IN FRONT OF IT TOO MUCH WHERE THERE WON'T BE ANY REIMBURSEMENT. I WOULD HAVE TO DOUBLE CHECK THE CONTRACT TO MAKE TO ENSURE THAT THERE'S APPROPRIATE LANGUAGE IN THERE. I BELIEVE THERE IS. THE WAY THAT WE WOULD EXPAND OUR TIME WE WOULD RECEIVE A PLAN SET, WHETHER ELECTRONIC OR HARD COPY AND AT THAT TIME IS WHEN WE WOULD COMMENCE WITH OUR REVIEWS AND SO IF WE RECEIVE A PLAN SET AND THEN THERE'S A WINDOW WHERE EITHER THE DIFFERENT DIRECTION IS GOING OR THE APPROPRIATIONS AREN'T THERE, WE WOULD NOT ENGAGE WITH OUR CONSULTANTS TO MOVE FORWARD. SO AGAIN, THE COUNTY IS IN CONTROL OF OUR CONSULTANT SCHEDULE. WHO THEY'RE THE ONES THAT ARE ULTIMATELY GOING TO BE DOING THE WORK. SO WE SHOULD HAVE THAT INFORMATION UP FRONT THEN AS MOVING FORWARD. SORRY. WHICH INFORMATION? THE INFORMATION WHETHER THERE WILL BE FUNDING MOVING FORWARD WITH THE REIMBURSEMENT BECAUSE YEAH, LIKE I SAID, I'D HATE TO GET OUT IN FRONT OF IT. CORRECT. DURING THE ELECTION, THERE'S A CHANGE AND THEY GO IN A DIFFERENT DIRECTION AFTER THE FIRST OF THE YEAR. CORRECT? YEAH. THAT'S CORRECT. PERFECT. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. SUPERVISOR PAREIRA. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. I'M NOT SURE WHO'S UP FOR THIS QUESTION, BUT CALIFORNIA FISH AND WILDLIFE HAS KIND OF DESIGNATED A WILDLIFE CORRIDOR FROM THE COASTAL RANGE TO THE SIERRAS AND YOU KNOW, IS HIGH SPEED RAIL AWARE OF THAT AND WILL THERE IS THERE KIND OF SOME DESIGN TO PUT A WILDLIFE CORRIDOR UNDER HIGH SPEED RAIL OR OVER HIGH SPEED RAIL? AT SOME POINT TO FACILITATE THAT, I GUESS. SO I'M NOT AN ENVIRONMENTAL PERSON, SO I'M GOING TO. FAIR ENOUGH. GENERAL TERMS. BUT YES, THE AUTHORITY AND THE PROJECT ENVIRONMENTAL FOLKS ARE AWARE OF THE WILDLIFE CORRIDORS AND AS DESIGN PROGRESSES, THERE'LL BE CONSULTATIONS WITH FISH AND WILDLIFE TO MAKE ENSURE THAT WE MEET ALL THE REQUIREMENTS. OKAY. ALL RIGHT AND THEN CAN YOU CAN YOU JUST GIVE US THE, FINANCIAL NUMBERS OF HOW MUCH HAS BEEN SPENT ON HIGH SPEED RAIL SO FAR AND WHAT THE ESTIMATE IS TO THE COMPLETION OF THE 119 MILE SECTION. I'D HAVE TO GET BACK TO YOU ON THAT. I'M NOT EXACTLY SURE HOW MUCH HAS BEEN SPENT ON THAT MUCH RIGHT NOW, BUT I CAN DEFINITELY GET THAT INFORMATION FOR YOU. OKAY AND THEN THE OTHER QUESTION IS, YOU KNOW, I WAS UNDER THE IMPRESSION THAT WE'RE BUILDING HIGH SPEED RAIL, AND I HAD AN ENGINEER EXPLAIN TO ME THAT WE'RE NOT WE'RE BUILDING THE RIGHT OF WAY FOR HIGH SPEED RAIL. SO HAVE CONTRACTS BEEN GIVEN TO ACTUALLY BUILD THE TRACK OR BUILD THE SYSTEM, OR HAS THE SYSTEM EVEN BEEN DECIDED WHAT SYSTEM IT'S GOING TO BE, OR BUILDING HIGH SPEED RAIL, THAT'S FOR SURE. I MEAN, RIGHT NOW, LIKE I SAID, WE'RE IN A STAGED DEVELOPMENT PROCESS, RIGHT? THE 119 MILES ARE UNDER CP CONSTRUCTION PACKAGES. SO THOSE WILL BE DONE COMPLETELY UNDER DESIGN BUILD CONTRACTS. I MEAN, IF YOU DRIVE LONG, YOU CAN ALREADY SEE LIKE ALL THE, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF STRUCTURES AND STUFF LIKE THAT. NO, I GET THAT. I MEAN, THAT COMES AT THE END THOUGH AND YEAH. [00:45:02] SO AS THE TRACK, IS THE TRACK LAYOUT BEEN DECIDED AND HAS IT BEEN FUNDED? THE TRACK LAYOUT? I BELIEVE. THE TRACK LAYOUT ITSELF. YOU MEAN THE ALIGNMENT? NO, WE'RE BUILDING THE ALIGNMENT. RIGHT. THAT'S WHAT THE ENGINEER EXPLAINED TO ME, IS WE'RE BUILDING THE RIGHT OF WAY FOR HIGH SPEED RAIL. THAT ALL THE CONCRETE YOU SEE IS ALL WHERE THE TRACKS GOING TO GO. BUT IT'S NOT THE TRACK, RIGHT? IT'S NOT THE SYSTEM BUILT ON TOP OF IT AND I WENT AND LOOKED ONE DAY AND THERE'S THIS CONCRETE. I MEAN, THERE'S NO SYSTEM FOR A TRAIN TO GO ON BEING BUILT YET. SO THE SYSTEM COMES AT THE END. YEAH AND SO IS THAT HAS IT BEEN DECIDED OF WHAT SYSTEM THAT'S GOING TO BE. IT'S GOING TO BE ELECTRIFIED. HIGH SPEED ELECTRIFIED. YEAH AND IT'S AND IT'S GOING TO HAVE LIKE METAL TRACK RAIL. YEAH. OKAY. YEAH. ALL RIGHT. YOU CAN SEE THE TRACKING SYSTEM IS AT THE END HERE. YEAH AND THEN HAVE ANY CONTRACTS BEEN AWARDED FOR THE TRACK OR THE RAIL SYSTEM? RIGHT. YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? YEAH. I BELIEVE THAT PART. AS FAR AS OUR SEGMENTS. MERCED TO MADERA AND THEN LGA. I KNOW LGA HAS BEEN FUNDED FOR CONSTRUCTION. MERCED, MADERA. I DON'T BELIEVE HAS BEEN. BUT THE 119 MILES THAT'S CURRENTLY UNDER CONSTRUCTION, I BELIEVE IT'S BEEN FULLY FUNDED. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. THANKS. OKAY. SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. FIRST OFF, PAUL, I BELIEVE IT'S CALLED TULARE AND NOT TULARE. SO WHEN YOU IF YOU EVER GO DOWN THERE AND VISIT THOSE FOLKS, THEY GET A LITTLE WONKY WHEN YOU CALL THEM TULA AND NOT TULARE, BUT THERE MIGHT BE A FEW PEOPLE THAT DO CALL IT TULA, SO I JUST WANTED TO CORRECT YOU ON THAT. YOU KNOW, I GUESS SOME OF MY SAME CONCERNS ARE IS THE FUNDING, THE TIMELINE? I CAN REMEMBER WHEN THIS DEAL STARTED. TIMELINES WERE, YOU KNOW, WE WERE SUPPOSED TO HAVE IT. IT WAS SUPPOSED TO ALREADY BE RUNNING. SO I APPRECIATE YOUR ATTEMPT AT PUTTING A TIMELINE TOGETHER, BUT I'M NOT GOING TO HOLD MY BREATH BECAUSE I DON'T THINK WE'RE GOING TO MAKE IT. I DO AGREE THAT WE THIS FUNDING AGREEMENT SO THAT THE COUNTY CAN BE REIMBURSED FOR ITS COSTS. ONE QUICK QUESTION ON THE CONTRACT AND ALL THE WAY DOWN. I DON'T KNOW WHAT EXHIBIT IT IS HERE, BUT IT'S THE ACTUAL WHERE IT SHOWS THE RATES. DO THOSE RATES HAVE ESCALATORS BUILT INTO THEM? BECAUSE THIS GOES OVER IN THE CONTRACT IS TILL 2027. WE'RE IN 2024 NOW. THE RATE THAT SHOWS HERE IS THE 2024 RATE. WHICH RATE ARE YOU SPEAKING OF? I'M LOOKING AT THE ACTUAL CONTRACT, NOT PART OF YOUR OPERATION THERE, BUT THE ACTUAL PACKET I HAVE IN FRONT OF AGREEMENT THE REIMBURSEMENT AGREEMENT WHEN IT SHOWS THE RATES, LIKE, FOR EXAMPLE, A PRINCIPAL ENGINEER IS FROM 80 TO $135 PLUS OVERHEAD AND HOW DO THOSE RATES HAVE ESCALATORS BUILT INTO THEM? BECAUSE EVERYBODY CHARGES US ESCALATORS. SO WE NEED TO MAKE SURE WE'RE CHARGING ESCALATORS. RIGHT. SO BASICALLY WHAT THE COUNTY CAN DO IS THEY CAN ASK FOR AN ADJUSTMENT TO THE RATE AND IT'S BUILT INTO THE AGREEMENT. I'LL DEFER TO NATHAN TO. YEAH. GOOD QUESTION. SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA. THE RATES, THE AGREEMENT STRUCTURE DID NOT ALLOW US, IN COORDINATION WITH HIGH SPEED RAIL, TO IDENTIFY MULTIYEAR RATES. BUT WE DO HAVE A CLAUSE IN THERE OR WE THERE'S A PROCESS THAT ALLOWS US TO ESCALATE OUR RATES AS NEEDED. SO FROM OUR IF WE RECEIVE UPDATED RATES FROM OUR CONSULTANT THAT WE'RE USING, OR IF INTERNALLY THE TIME THAT WE SPEND STAFF SPENDS, IF OUR RATES CHANGE, THERE'S A PROCESS WHERE WE WOULD SAY, HEY, HIGH SPEED RAIL, HERE'S OUR HERE'S OUR UPDATED RATE SCHEDULE, PLEASE PROCESS AN AMENDMENT. YEAH, OKAY. I DON'T LIKE THAT. I THINK IT SHOULD BE NEGOTIATED UP FRONT BECAUSE WE CAN NEGOTIATE AN AMENDMENT. BUT THEN WHAT IF YOU SAY NO? AND THEN I JUST MY CONCERN IS I DON'T BELIEVE THAT AT THIS POINT, THE TAXPAYERS OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA AND THE UNITED STATES, FOR ALL THAT MATTERS, ARE FUNDING THIS. I DON'T WANT TO PUT ADDITIONAL BURDEN ON THE TAXPAYERS OF MERCED COUNTY. WE'RE ALREADY PAYING. I DON'T WANT TO BE. SO I MEAN, I GUESS NATHAN'S DONE HIS BEST TO NEGOTIATE THAT AND THERE IS AT LEAST A CLEAR PATH THAT WE CAN ASK FOR AMENDMENT. I THINK, YOU KNOW, I JUST KNOW WHENEVER THEY'RE DEALING WITH GOVERNMENT ON OUR SIDE, THEY BUILD IN THEIR CPI ESCALATORS AND IT'S ALL PART OF IT. YOU KNOW, WHEN WE WANT TO CONTRACT WITH FOLKS. SO I HAVE I GUESS, YOU KNOW, I'M STILL GOING TO BE OKAY WITH IT. BUT JUST NOTING MY CONCERN THERE AND THEN THE LAST THING IS IF YOU CAN GO BACK TO SLIDE 13 OR I THINK GO UP TO SLIDE 13 FORWARD MORE, I THINK WE'RE GOING THE OPPOSITE. YEAH. ONE MORE RIGHT THERE. SO HELP ME UNDERSTAND THAT YOU'RE GOING TO. OH STREET. THAT'S AS FAR AS YOU CAN GO. I THINK THIS IS PROBABLY MORE OF THE ENGINEER QUESTION. YES, SIR. WE'RE GOING TO ILLUSTRATE OUR PROJECT CONTRACT. OUR SCOPE IS TO OAK STREET AND THEN THE STATIONS GROUP THAT'S ALSO UNDER CONTRACT WITH THE AUTHORITY STARTS FROM OAK STREET AND MOVE ON. AND WE HAVE DAILY OR WEEKLY COORDINATION MEETINGS WITH THEM TO MAKE SURE THAT THE INTERFACE POINTS HAPPEN THE WAY IT'S SUPPOSED TO HAPPEN. [00:50:03] OKAY. BECAUSE IT JUST DOESN'T MAKE SENSE THAT WE'RE GOING TO BUILD IT TO OAK STREET AND NOT BECAUSE IF YOU TALK ABOUT BEING HAVING TRACK AND TRAINS RUNNING BY 2030, WE'VE GOT TO HAVE A STATION FOR THEM TO GO TO. SO BUT THAT'S JUST NOT PART OF THIS CONTRACT. THAT WOULD PROBABLY BE THE CITY OF MERCED BECAUSE THEY'RE IN THE CITY OF MERCED. YEAH, BECAUSE I CAN TELL YOU, I'M GLAD YOU GUYS ARE DOING SOME PRE-PLANNING MEETINGS BECAUSE YOU'RE GOING TO RUN INTO A COMPLETE YOU KNOW WHAT? WHEN YOU GET DOWN INTO THIS DOWNTOWN MERCED AREA, IF YOU HAVEN'T FIGURED CALTRANS, THE GREAT STATE OF CALIFORNIA, HAS WIDENED EVERYWHERE ON HIGHWAY 99 EXCEPT FOR THE MOST EXPENSIVE SPOT, RIGHT? AND THAT'S WHERE IT RUNS, RIGHT THROUGH THE CITY OF MERCED, WHERE WE HAVE AN ELEVATED HIGHWAY. IT'S GOING TO BE QUITE A LABORIOUS PROCESS, SO I'M GLAD YOU GUYS ARE AT LEAST OUT IN FRONT OF THIS AND SO THAT THE PEOPLE THAT ACTUALLY LIVE HERE AND ARE GOING TO HAVE TO DEAL WITH ALL OF THIS, GET TO GIVE YOU THE REAL WORK, REAL WORLD CONCERNS AS TO WHAT THE CHALLENGES ARE GOING TO BE SO THAT YOU GUYS CAN ADDRESS THOSE. BUT I APPRECIATE YOU GUYS GIVING US THE INFORMATION. AND THE FINAL THING I'LL LEAVE YOU WITH IS, I TOTALLY AGREE WITH MY COLLEAGUE SUPERVISOR PEDROZO THAT MORE OF THESE NEED TO HAPPEN BECAUSE YOU DON'T SEE THESE PEOPLE IN THE GROCERY STORE. I DO, AND I'M ON THE WEST SIDE. THEY'RE COMPLETELY OPPOSED TO IT. NOT EVERYBODY, A LOT OF THEM ARE, BUT IT MAKES SENSE. I GET IT OVER HERE FROM MY COLLEAGUES THAT REPRESENTS PARTS OF THE CITY OF MERCED. BUT WHERE ARE THE PEOPLE THAT GET TO SEE THESE FOLKS IN THE GROCERY STORE EVERY DAY? AND SO IF YOU WANT GOOD INFORMATION OUT THERE, I WOULD HIGHLY ENCOURAGE YOU TO MAKE SURE YOU'RE GIVING US GOOD INFORMATION SO THAT WE CAN PASS THAT ALONG. THANK YOU. SUPERVISOR PAREIRA I JUST WANT ONE LAST QUESTION ON THE LOCATION. SO O STREET NORTH OR SOUTH OF 99, NEXT TO THE TRACKS WE'RE AT ON O STREET. YES, SIR. THE ALIGNMENT IS RIGHT ADJACENT TO THE UPPER TRACKS. SO WE'RE IN THAT BLOCK BETWEEN THE UPR TRACKS AND 15TH STREET. OKAY, SO YOU'LL BE SOUTH OF THE EXISTING UPR TRACKS. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. OKAY. I SEE NO OTHER SUPERVISOR COMMENTS. SO AT THIS TIME I'LL OPEN UP PUBLIC COMMENT FOR DPW ITEMS 12 THROUGH 16, INCLUDING THIS PRESENTATION. ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS? ALL RIGHT. PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD IS CLOSED FOR 12 AND 16 THROUGH 16 AND SO WE'LL HAVE FOR THE COMMENTS OF MOTIONS. I SEE A MOTION BY SEVERAL. SECOND BY SUPERVISOR PEDROZO. CALL FOR THE VOTE. SUPERVISOR PEDROZO. RECORD THE VOTE. MOTION PASSES FIVE ZERO. NEXT, WE HAVE PUBLIC HEALTH. ITEM 17 THROUGH 19 AT THIS TIME. OPEN UP PUBLIC COMMENT FOR ITEM HEALTH ITEMS 17 THROUGH 19. ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS? THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD FOR HEALTH ITEMS 17 TO 19 IS NOW CLOSED. ANY COMMENTS OR MOTIONS BY THE SUPERVISORS? A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA. SECOND SUPERVISOR PAREIRA. CALL FOR THE VOTE. WE CALL THE VOTE, PLEASE. MOTION PASSES FIVE ZERO. NOW WE HAVE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AND RECOVERY SERVICES ITEMS 20 AND 21. AT THIS TIME I'LL OPEN UP PUBLIC COMMENT FOR BHRS ITEMS 20 AND 21. ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS? SUPERVISOR PAREIRA. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. I JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT ITEM 21 THAT WE'RE SETTING UP AND ALLOWING FOR BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AND RECOVERY SERVICES TO COORDINATE THE TOY DRIVE AND SO JUST KIND OF WANTED TO LET EVERYBODY KNOW THAT IT STARTS SEPTEMBER 16TH. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD FOR THIS ITEM IS ALSO CLOSED. SO WE'LL CALL FOR A VOTE, MOTION'S SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA. SECOND SUPERVISOR PAREIRA. CALL FOR THE VOTE NOW. PLEASE CALL THE VOTE. MOTION PASSES FIVE ZERO. NOW WE HAVE HUMAN SERVICES AGENCY, ITEM 22. ALL RIGHT. AT THIS TIME, I'LL OPEN UP PUBLIC COMMENT FOR HSA ITEM NUMBER 22. ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS? ALL RIGHT, WE'LL COME. PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD IS NOW CLOSED FOR THIS ITEM. I SEE A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA SECOND SUPERVISOR PAREIRA. CALL FOR THE VOTE. PLEASE RECORD THE VOTE. MOTION CARRIES FIVE ZERO. NOW WE HAVE WORKFORCE INVESTMENT. ITEM 23. THIS TIME I WILL OPEN UP PUBLIC COMMENT FOR DWI. ITEM NUMBER 23. ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS? THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD FOR DWI ITEM IS 23 IS NOW CLOSED AND I SEE THERE'S A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA. [00:55:02] SECOND SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL WILL CALL FOR THE VOTE. SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL ARE YOU GOING TO VOTE? I WILL RECORD THE VOTE, PLEASE. MOTION PASSES FIVE ZERO. NOW WE HAVE LIBRARY ITEM 24 THIS TIME. AT THIS TIME I'LL OPEN UP PUBLIC COMMENT FOR LIBRARY ITEM NUMBER 24. ANY COMMENTS? I SEE NO COMMENTS. SO PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD FOR LIBRARY ITEM NUMBER 24 IS NOW CLOSED. OH, SUPERVISOR PEDROZO, YOU HAD A COMMENT ON THE PREVIOUS ITEM? YEAH. NO, I JUST I ALWAYS FIND THIS ONE TO BE LIKE, SO CENTRIC TO MERCED COUNTY TO CLOSE A LIBRARY FOR A PORTUGUESE FEST. I THINK IT'S REALLY INTERESTING THING. SO THANK YOU. OKAY, I SEE A MOTION. MOTION BY SUPERVISOR PAREIRA. SECOND SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA. CALL FOR THE VOTE. RECORD THE VOTE, PLEASE. MOTION PASSES FIVE ZERO. NOW WE HAVE FIRE. ITEMS 25 THROUGH 28. AT THIS TIME, I'LL OPEN UP PUBLIC COMMENT FOR ITEM FIRE ITEMS NUMBER 25 AND THROUGH 28. ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS? WE'LL CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENT AND WE'LL GO FOR A SUPERVISOR'S COMMENTS. SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. I ASKED IF CHIEF PIMENTEL WOULD COME UP AND GIVE US A FEW COMMENTS ON ITEM 28. NO. GOOD MORNING. BOARD CHAIR, CEO, COUNTY COUNCIL MARK PIMENTEL. ASSISTANT CHIEF FOR MERCED COUNTY FIRE, CAL FIRE. TODAY, YOU'RE LOOKING AT AN OPTION THAT WE'VE ALL SPOKE ABOUT ON ITEM NUMBER 28. THAT IS A PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN MERCED COUNTY AND PG AND E. THEY'VE COME TO US AND ACTUALLY, CHIEF VAN LÖBEN SELS CAME OUT OF A PROJECT AND SAID, HEY, YOU KNOW, WHY DON'T YOU GET WITH PG AND E? THEY'RE INTERESTED IN PLACING A HELICOPTER IN OUR AREA AND I WORKED WITH KEVIN SMITH FROM PG AND E, WHICH IS ALSO AN OLD RETIRED CAL FIRE CHIEF. I GOT TO WORK WITH A LOT PREVIOUSLY, SO IT WAS NICE, A FAMILIAR FACE TO WORK WITH, BUT WE STARTED HAVING SOME CONVERSATIONS A COUPLE OF MONTHS BACK. DURING THOSE CONVERSATIONS, PG&E WAS LOOKING AT PLACING A TYPE ONE BLACKHAWK HELICOPTER AT CASTLE AIR FORCE BASE OR EXCUSE ME, AIRPORT. WHEN THE DISCUSSION WAS THERE, WAS JUST TRYING TO FIGURE OUT THE PARTICULARS. WHAT WOULD THAT LOOK LIKE FOR THE COUNTY AND HOW WOULD THAT GO MOVING FORWARD? CURRENTLY THEY HAVE AIRCRAFT AT BUTTE AND THEY HAVE BEEN WORKING THROUGH THE FIRE SEASON WITH THIS AIRCRAFT THERE AND WAS VERY SUCCESSFUL IN PARTNERING WITH BUTTE COUNTY AND WAS ACTUALLY USED QUITE OFTEN THROUGHOUT THE PARK INCIDENT IN THE RECENT FIRES THAT WE'VE HAD THIS YEAR. SO AS A PROPOSED OPTION IS TO HAVE THIS AIRCRAFT PLACED AT THE CASTLE AIR AIRPORT AND ALLOW THAT AIRCRAFT TO BE THERE AND BE IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE COUNTY. WHAT THAT DOES IS ALLOWS THAT THEY HAVE ALLOWED US TO HAVE IN THE AGREEMENT SHOWS ABOUT 40 HOURS OF SERVICE TO AN LRA AREA, WHICH IS THE COUNTY OF MERCED, ALLOWS US TO USE THAT RESOURCE FOR 40 HOURS THROUGH THE NEXT TWO MONTHS. AGAIN, THIS IS KIND OF LIKE A PILOT TO SEE HOW IT WORKS FOR US, AND IT WILL GIVE US THAT AIR ASSET THAT WE'VE NEVER HAD BEFORE TO BE UTILIZED THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY DURING TIMES OF NEED. DO WE HAVE A LOT OF FIRES THAT WE'VE EXPERIENCED THROUGH THE COUNTY THAT NEEDS AN AIRCRAFT SUCH AS THIS? NOT AS RECENT, BUT WE'VE ALSO NEVER HAD THIS RESOURCE TO BE ABLE TO UTILIZE. SO WE THINK IT'S GOING TO BE SOMETHING THAT WE WILL BE LEARNING THROUGH THE NEXT TWO MONTHS AND SOMETHING THAT WILL BE A GREAT ASSET FOR OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT AND EVEN THE AREA FOR COMMUNITIES THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY OF MERCED. IT ALSO PROVIDES A RESOURCE TO THE STATE. I THINK THAT'S ANOTHER AVENUE IS WHERE PG&E IS LOOKING TO BE AN ASSET FOR FIRE SUPPRESSION SERVICES THROUGHOUT THE STATE. AGAIN, LIKE I SAID, THEY HAVE ONE IN BUTTE. WE'LL BE HERE AT CASTLE AIRPORT, AND THAT WILL BE THE FIRST ONE ON THE SOUTHERN REGION OF CALIFORNIA. SO LOOKING AT PARTNERING WITH THEM IS GOING TO BE ABLE TO UTILIZE THAT RESOURCE THROUGHOUT THE STATE AND MOSTLY BEING ABLE TO STAY WITHIN OUR JURISDICTION OF THIS, LIKE MOU, AS YOU GUYS ARE FAMILIAR WITH, AS OUR UNIT IS MERCED, MADERA AND MARIPOSA. SO BEING ABLE TO HAVE THAT ASSET FOR US AGAIN ON THE STATE SIDE IS A BENEFIT. THE AIRCRAFT DOES SHOW IS ABOUT $9,500 AN HOUR. THAT'S A TYPICAL RATE FOR A TYPE OF AIRCRAFT LIKE THIS AND THEN WE WILL PROCESS THOSE FEES FOR WHAT WE CALL ABH. THOSE ABH FEES WILL GO TO THE COUNTY AND THEN WILL BE PAYING BACK FOR THEIR SERVICE, DOING AN ADMINISTRATIVE FEE FOR ABOUT 10% THAT WILL COME TO THE [01:00:08] COUNTY FOR THE SERVICES THAT WE'RE DOING BY PROCESSING THOSE FEES AS WELL. AGAIN, THIS IS ONLY FOR AIR DROPS OR WATER DROPS. NO NIGHT FLYING. BUT AGAIN, IT WILL BE THE ASSET. IT'S AN ASSET THAT WE COULD UTILIZE FOR US AND THE STATE AS WELL. I DO HAVE REPRESENTATIVES FROM PG AND E TO SPEAK IF THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS AND THEN EVEN TO HIGHLIGHT ANOTHER ASPECT IS CASTLE AIRPORT WILL HAVE BE LEASING SPACE FOR THEM TO PLACE. WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH CED ON THAT, AND WE WILL BE ALLOWING THEM TO OCCUPY SPACE, AT LEAST IN THE AREA THERE THAT WILL GENERATE A LITTLE BIT MORE REVENUE AND SHOW THE ASSET OUT THERE AT CASTLE AND TRY TO BRING BACK SOME OF THAT AIRCRAFT THAT WE'VE HAD IN YEARS PAST AND BE ABLE TO UTILIZE SOMETHING OUT OF CASTLE AIRPORT FOR THAT REASON. SO AGAIN, IF YOU GUYS HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, I'D BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO ANSWER THEM. AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANKS, SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA. THANK YOU CHIEF. I APPRECIATE THE EXPLANATION WHICH YOU'VE ALREADY GIVEN US, BUT I FELT LIKE IT WAS WARRANTED THAT THE PUBLIC HEAR THAT AND THEN MY JUST MY LAST FINAL COMMENT IS, IS LISTEN, I HATE PG AND E 'S RATES JUST AS MUCH AS EVERYBODY DOES, BUT I'D LIKE TO AT LEAST COMMEND PG AND E AT THIS POINT IS PUTTING AN ASSET INTO MERCED COUNTY THAT OTHERWISE WE WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO AFFORD TO HAVE, AND IT GIVES US ACCESS TO IT AND THEN WITH US BEING SO CLOSE TO THIS, TO THE SRA, WHICH WE I DON'T I THINK WE HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF IT IN MERCED COUNTY, BUT OUR NEIGHBORS IN MARIPOSA COUNTY HAVE IT, AND THERE'S AN AVENUE FOR FOR US TO BE ABLE TO GET THAT REIMBURSEMENT THERE. SO AGAIN, THANK YOU TO PG AND E FOR FOR THINKING OF US TO PUT THAT ASSET THERE. I THINK IT'S KIND OF A A WIN-WIN ACROSS THE BOARD AND I KNOW THIS IS KIND OF THAT PILOT PROGRAM THAT'S GOING TO LAST TILL THE END OF FIRE SEASON, IF YOU WILL. BUT IF THINGS GO WELL, THERE'S A POTENTIAL THAT IT COULD BE BACK NEXT YEAR. SO THANK YOU FOR EVERYONE FOR PUTTING THIS TOGETHER. SUPERVISOR PAREIRA. YEAH. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. YEAH, I WAS JUST GOING TO THANK PG AND E FOR ALSO DOING DOING THIS PLACEMENT HERE. AND THANK YOU, CHIEF PIMENTEL FOR TAKING, YOU KNOW, THE INITIATIVE AND EFFORT TO GET IT DONE. YOU KNOW, LIKE WE DON'T HAVE A WHOLE LOT OF FOREST, A LOT OF FIRES, YOU KNOW, OR MORE GROUND FIRES OR GRASS FIRES. BUT I HAVE SRA SRE IN THE, YOU KNOW, THE NORTHEAST CORNER OF MY DISTRICT AND AND SO IT'LL, YOU KNOW, BE GOOD THERE AND ANYWAY SO THANK YOU SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL. YEAH. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION. THANK YOU CHIEF. AND FOR PG AND E, ALSO CHIEF SMITH OVER THERE. HOW SOON ARE WE LOOKING TO HAVE THIS HELICOPTER PLACED OUT AT CASTLE? WE'RE CURRENTLY HAVING COMMUNICATIONS AS WE'VE HAD OUR BOARD MEETING TODAY WE'RE PROBABLY LOOKING AT HAVING IT ON SITE TOMORROW IF IT ISN'T ALREADY THERE TODAY. AGAIN, THIS WOULD BE ON YOUR APPROVAL AND THEN WE ARE WORKING WITH OUR DISPATCH CENTER TO MAKE SURE THAT THE APPROPRIATE METHODS OF DISPATCH FOR THAT AIRCRAFT WILL BE SET UP FORTH SO, VERY SOON WITH THE UNIQUE PLACEMENT OF CASTLE. HOPEFULLY THIS BRINGS MORE TO CASTLE. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. I THINK THAT'S ALL THE COMMENTS. SO NOW WE'LL MOVE ON TO SEE IF THERE'S ANY MOTION. I SEE A MOTION, MOTION SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA SECOND SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL WILL CALL FOR THE VOTE. PLEASE RECORD THE VOTE. MOTION PASSES ON ITEMS 25 TO 28. NOW WE HAVE THE SHERIFF. ITEM 29. AT THIS TIME, WE'LL OPEN UP FOR PUBLIC COMMENT FOR SHERIFF ITEM 29. ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS? WE'LL CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENT FOR SHERIFF ITEM 29, AND WE'LL CALL FOR A VOTE. I MEAN US. MOTION SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL. SECOND SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA AND NOW CALL FOR THE VOTE. WE CALL THE ROLL, PLEASE. MOTION PASSES FIVE ZERO. NOW WE HAVE DISTRICT ATTORNEY ITEM 30. AT THIS TIME, I'LL OPEN UP PUBLIC COMMENT FOR THE ITEM NUMBER 30. ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS? NO COMMENT FROM THE DA. NO. OKAY. THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD FOR THE ITEM IS 30 IS NOW CLOSED. WE'LL SEE A COMMENT BY MRS. MCDANIEL. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR AND JUST TO THE DA. I WAS SURPRISED THAT THERE WASN'T MORE REAL ESTATE FRAUD IN THAT TIME PERIOD. I HAVE TO SAY THAT THE OUR CONSTITUENTS IN MERCED COUNTY LOOKS LIKE THEY RUN A PRETTY TIGHT SHIP. SO YOU WOULD THINK THERE WOULD BE MORE. OKAY. SUPERVISOR PAREIRA. YEAH. WELL, YOU'RE PROBABLY GOING TO WANT TO COME UP. IT'S A QUICK QUESTION, BUT IS IS THE IN REAL ESTATE FRAUD? I'D LIKE TO DO THE SOLAR TRANSACTIONS. IS THAT INCLUDED IN THIS TYPE OF FRAUD OR IS IT EXCLUDED? I DON'T KNOW, I CAN FIND OUT FOR YOU. [01:05:01] OKAY. ALL RIGHT. SORRY. I SHOULD HAVE ASKED YOU AHEAD OF TIME. THAT'S OKAY. OKAY, THANKS. I'LL FIND OUT AND LET YOU KNOW, BECAUSE THERE'S A BUNCH OF IT. ALL RIGHT. I SEE NO MORE COMMENTS. THANK YOU. NOW WE'LL CALL FOR THERE'S A MOTION. SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA SECOND SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL CALL FOR THE VOTE. RECORD THE VOTE, PLEASE. MOTION PASSES FIVE ZERO. NOW WE HAVE COUNTY EXECUTIVE OFFICE ITEMS 31 AND 32. AT THIS TIME, I WILL OPEN UP PUBLIC COMMENT FOR ITEMS 31 AND 32. ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS? ALL RIGHT. WE'LL CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENT AND NOW WE HAVE A SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA COMMENTS. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. ON ITEM 32 I'D REALLY LIKE TO LOOK AT THOSE THE DATES THAT, I MEAN, NOT THE DATES, JUST THE LOCATIONS OF WHERE WE'RE HAVING THOSE MEETINGS. SO NO, THE NOVEMBER 5TH BOARD MEETING WILL BE HELD AT THE GERMANO BUILDING IN LOS BANOS. THE NOVEMBER 26TH MEETING AT THE MERCED COUNTY OFFICE OF EDUCATION. MONDO BUILDING AND THEN THE DECEMBER 10TH MEETING AT THE MERCED COUNTY FAIRGROUNDS, I GUESS, REALLY TRYING TO SEE WHAT WERE THE COSTS ASSOCIATED. DO WE HAVE THAT? WHAT THE COST ASSOCIATED WITH HAVING THOSE MEETINGS THERE? I CAN ANSWER THAT. SO ON THERE IS NO COST FOR THE TERMINAL BUILDING, THE MCO MONDO BUILDING, AND ON THE FAIRGROUNDS THERE IS A CHARGE OF $950. I WOULD LIKE US TO AT LEAST EXPLORE ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY THAN PUTTING IT AT THE MERCED COUNTY FAIRGROUNDS. I DON'T KNOW. IT'S OBVIOUSLY NOT AN EASY TASK BECAUSE WE HAVE DEFINITELY WE HAVE, YOU KNOW IT NEEDS TO BE ABLE TO BROADCAST OUR MEETINGS AND FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT ARE WONDERING WHY WE'RE DOING THIS IS AS WE GO THROUGH OUR HVAC REMODEL HERE AT THE COUNTY BUILDING THERE'S THIS IS THE POINT WHEN THIS SECTION OF THE BUILDING IS GOING TO WE'RE GOING TO BE DISPLACED FROM OUR OFFICES. SO OBVIOUSLY OUR BOARD CHAMBERS WON'T BE AVAILABLE, SO I, I'M OKAY WITH APPROVING ONE, TWO AND FOUR. I'M NOT OKAY WITH APPROVING THREE. AT THIS POINT, I APPRECIATE THAT WE'RE EARLY ENOUGH. I THINK THAT WE COULD PROBABLY RESEARCH THAT A LITTLE BIT MORE AND THEN MAYBE BRING THAT BACK WITH SOME, MAYBE SOME POTENTIAL DIFFERENT OPTIONS. YEAH. SUPERVISOR GOOD QUESTION AND THAT'S REALLY THE REASON WHY THESE ARE BEFORE YOU TO PROVIDE SOME OPPORTUNITY FOR FEEDBACK. I KNOW WE HAVE LOOKED AT SOME OF OUR COUNTY OFFICES AS KIND OF PLAN B'S IN THE EVENT THAT OBVIOUSLY EITHER THE COST OR THE LOCATION IS NOT SOMETHING THAT THE BOARD IS EXCITED ABOUT. I KNOW WE ALSO HAVE HAD CONVERSATIONS ABOUT MAYBE USING SOME OF THE CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS, BUT THAT'S A LITTLE BIT HARDER BECAUSE OF MAYBE SCHEDULING SCHEDULING CONFLICTS. BUT I KNOW I BELIEVE WE HAVE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AND RECOVERY SERVICES AS AN ALTERNATE SITE. WE'VE LOOKED AT HSA AS WELL, PUBLIC HEALTH, BUT FOR US, I BELIEVE IS THE BEST AVAILABLE SITE BASED ON OUR RESEARCH. I'M NOT SURE HOW THE BOARD FEELS ABOUT MAYBE THAT AS THE ALTERNATE FOR THE DATE WHERE WE HAVE THE MERCED COUNTY FAIRGROUNDS CURRENTLY SLATED, THAT'S ON DECEMBER THE 10TH, I DON'T KNOW, AND I SEE A DIRECTOR IS OUT THERE. I MEAN, IT MIGHT BE A GOOD TIME TO ASK HER IF SHE'S GOT ANYTHING GOING ON THAT DATE AND I THINK IT'S ALSO AN OPPORTUNITY TO HIGHLIGHT, YOU KNOW, ONE OF OUR NEWER FACILITIES IN THE COUNTY THAT, YOU KNOW, IT'S I MEAN, IT'S BEEN A FEW YEARS NOW, BUT THAT USED TO BE THE OLD COUNTY HOSPITAL THAT GOT REMODELED, REMODELED INTO OUR NEW VRS CENTER OUT THERE. SO I WOULD DEFINITELY ENTERTAIN THAT IDEA. I BELIEVE WE HAVE ALSO ALREADY CONTACTED THE HRA STAFF AND THE DIRECTOR, AND IT IS AVAILABLE IF THE BOARD SO CHOOSES TO HAVE THAT AS A LOCATION. SO THEN I GUESS AS PART OF THE SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL MADE THE MOTION. I'LL SECOND IT. BUT IF HE WOULD BE AMENABLE TO EXCHANGING OUT NUMBER THREE FOR THE VRS BUILDING PENDING, MAKING SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, THERE'S NO CONFLICTS OF A SCHEDULE THERE ALWAYS TO HAVE MORE COMMENTS. LET ME GO TO SUPERVISOR PEDROZO. YEAH, NO, I WAS JUST GOING TO SHARE THE SAME CONCERN AND SO I JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THAT AND I'M GLAD THAT MY COLLEAGUE DID SO. OKAY. SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL. I'LL AMID MY MOTION TO MY COLLEAGUES REQUEST. OKAY. SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA. JUST THE FINAL COMMENT, IS I DO WANT TO THANK DOCTOR TIETJEN AND THE MCO FOLKS FOR ALWAYS BEING GREAT PARTNERS. I KNOW THROUGHOUT THE YEARS. YOU KNOW, AS THEY TOOK OVER THAT MONDO BUILDING THAT THEY'VE ALWAYS KIND OF SHARED THAT RESOURCE WITH US. AND I GUESS THAT'S PROBABLY, YOU KNOW, ONE OF ONE OF MY CHALLENGES WITH AND I GET IT, THEY'RE A DISTRICT OF THE STATE. BUT, YOU KNOW, WE ARE COMMUNITY PARTNERS AND I ALWAYS APPRECIATE COMMUNITY PARTNERS WHERE IT GOES BOTH WAYS AND SO THAT'S MY JUST MY FINAL COMMENT [01:10:03] THERE. THANK YOU. SIR. IF I CAN ASK OUR DEPUTY COUNTY CLERK. TO CLARIFY THE LOCATION, WHICH ROOM WOULD WE BE UTILIZING FOR THAT? SO IT IS THE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AUDITORIUM WHICH IS ON THE THIRD FLOOR, SECOND FLOOR ACCESSIBLE BY ELEVATOR OR STAIRS THROUGH THE IS AT THE BACK ENTRANCE OF THE BUILDING. OKAY. SUPERVISOR PAREIRA. YEAH, THAT ROOM IS ONLY ABOUT A THIRD THE SIZE, MAYBE OF THIS ROOM. IT'S MUCH BIGGER. OR IS IT WHERE OUR BEHAVIORAL HEALTH BOARD MEETINGS ARE? OH, WHICH ONE IS IT? IT'S LIKE A CONFERENCE ROOM THAT'S ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF THE BUILDING. OH, YEAH. THAT'S BIGGER. OKAY. I'LL READ THOSE LITTLE COMMENTS. LET ME OPEN IT UP FOR THE DISCUSSION HERE. IT'S ON DISCUSSION MODE. WHO'S TALKING? ABOUT THAT. OKAY. I HAVE A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL. SECOND SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA CALL FOR THE VOTE. PLEASE CALL THE VOTE. MOTION CARRIES FIVE ZERO. NOW WE HAVE BOARD APPOINTMENTS. ITEM 33. THIS TIME I'LL OPEN UP PUBLIC COMMENT FOR ITEMS NUMBER 33. I SEE NO COMMENTS. SO PUBLIC COMMENT IS NOW CLOSED FOR ITEM 33 AND I SEE A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA SECOND ANY SECONDS SUPERVISOR PEDROZO. CALL FOR THE VOTE. RECORD THE VOTE, PLEASE. MOTION PASSES FIVE OH. NOW, AT THIS TIME, WE WILL HAVE BOARD REPORTS STARTING WITH SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA. [REPORTS/BOARD DIRECTION] THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. A COUPLE HIGHLIGHTS FROM SINCE WE LAST MET. I JUST WANT TO SAY, YOU KNOW, YESTERDAY CONCLUDED THE FIRST ANNUAL CALIFORNIA GARLIC FESTIVAL IN LAS VEGAS. I THINK THAT OVERALL, IT WAS A SUCCESSFUL EVENT. PROBABLY. MAYBE NOT THE NUMBERS THAT SOME WERE EXPECTING. BUT ULTIMATELY A SAFE EVENT. I DID SEE CAPTAIN SULLIVAN OUT THERE. I THINK OUR BIGGEST CHALLENGE OUT THERE. IT WAS A WARM WEEKEND, AND THERE'S MAYBE A FEW FOLKS OUT THERE THAT MAYBE SUFFERED SOME KIND OF HEAT RELATED ILLNESSES, BUT OTHER THAN THAT, A GOOD, CLEAN FAMILY EVENT AND TO ALL THE HATERS OUT THERE WHO LIKE TO GET ON SOCIAL MEDIA AND, AND CRITICIZE AN EVENT BEFORE EVER EVEN GOING AND TAKING A LOOK AT IT, I WOULD, YOU KNOW, YOU SIT THERE AND YOU WATCH IN SOME CIRCUMSTANCES WHERE THEY SAY IN LOS BANOS THERE'S NOTHING TO DO. THERE'S FRUSTRATIONS WITH IT. BUT THEN FOLKS ACTUALLY BRING SOMETHING TO DO AND WITHOUT EVEN GOING, THEY CRITICIZE IT FOR IT'S THERE AND I DO WANT TO THANK THE FOLKS OUT THERE THAT SAID, YOU KNOW, YOU WANT THINGS TO DO. GO CHECK IT OUT. THE PRICES WERE VERY REASONABLE BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T PROBABLY GET THE AMOUNT OF FOLKS THAT THAT POTENTIALLY COULD HAVE BEEN THERE. LINES WEREN'T. THE BIGGEST LINE WAS GETTING INTO THE FACILITY. BUT ONCE YOU GOT IN, YOU I'VE HEARD READ FROM SOME FOLKS THAT WERE ABLE TO YOU KNOW, TAKE THEIR KIDS ON THE CARNIVAL RIDES. IT WASN'T LIKE YOUR TYPICAL LIKE, SPRING FAIR OR THE MERCED FAIR WHERE THEY'RE SUPER LONG LINES. SO OVERALL, I THINK CINNAMON, OUR FAIR MANAGER, ALONG WITH THE STAFF OUT THERE AT SPRING FAIR, DID A GREAT JOB IN HOSTING A FIRST ANNUAL TYPE OF EVENT AND REALLY WENT OFF PRETTY SUCCESSFUL. I BELIEVE THAT PROBABLY ALL THE ISSUES AND CHALLENGES THAT THEY DID FACE WERE ONES THAT 99.9% OF THE PUBLIC DIDN'T EVEN HAVE ANY IDEA ABOUT. SO OVERALL, KUDOS TO THEM WE DID MEET WITH THE CHINESE GENERAL COUNCIL AND REGARDING OUR SISTER CITY KIND OF COUNTY AND JUST KIND OF BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS. ENJOYED SPENDING A LITTLE BIT OF TIME WITH THEM. SO THANK YOU TO SUPERVISOR ESPINOSA WHO KIND OF SPEARHEADED THAT EVENT. IT WAS IT WAS GOOD. THE LAO BOAT RACES. YOU GUYS GOT TO HEAR A LITTLE BIT EARLIER. I DEFINITELY KNOW THAT WE GOT SOME WORK TO DO AND OUR PREPARATION AND I DO BELIEVE THAT THE TEAM FROM SAN DIEGO WAS SANDBAGGING ON THEIR FIRST RACE BECAUSE THEY MADE IT LOOK WAY TOO EASY AND THEY BARELY BEAT US BY A LITTLE BIT OF TIME. THEY WEREN'T IN OUR HEAT, BUT DEFINITELY SOME STRATEGY GOING INTO THE NEXT YEAR. AND, YOU KNOW, OUR CAPTAIN OVER THERE HE MAY OR MAY NOT HAVE ABANDONED SHIP. WHEN OUR SHIP WENT DOWN. IT'S STILL QUESTIONABLE. THERE IS SOME VIDEO EVIDENCE THERE THAT I THINK IT'S IN THE EYE OF THE BEHOLDER, WHETHER THAT ACTUALLY HAPPENED OR NOT. [01:15:05] I CAN SHARE WITH YOU THAT I WAS IN THE SECOND ROW OF THE BOAT, AND I WAS PADDLING, AND I WAS GOING AND THEN I MAY OR MAY NOT HAVE SAW MY CAPTAIN JUMP OFF AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN THE WATER CAME IN. WHEN I SAW THE VIDEO LATER, THE BACK OF THE BOAT HAD ALREADY STARTED SINKING. BUT I DIDN'T KNOW THAT BECAUSE I WAS PADDLING SO HARD IN THE FRONT OF THE BOAT. BUT OVERALL AGAIN, I SAID IT EARLIER, YOU KNOW, THEY CAN'T EVER TAKE AWAY FROM US THAT WE WON OUR FIRST HEAT AND WE ARE FEELING PRETTY GOOD. ME ESPECIALLY. I THOUGHT WE DID A GREAT JOB ON THAT. SECOND HEAT BOAT KIND OF SUNK ON US, BUT WE MADE IT. EVERYBODY WAS SAFE. THE LIFE JACKETS WORKED VERY WELL AND THEN OUR THIRD RACE, I THINK THAT WE WERE JUST ALL A LITTLE TIRED, AND WE JUST DIDN'T DO THAT. WELL, SO. BUT I WANT TO THANK EVERYBODY THAT CAME OUT. IT WAS A GREAT TEAM BUILDING EFFORT AND AGAIN, TO THE LAO COMMUNITY WHO INVITED US I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO EXPECT. JUST AN ABSOLUTE GREAT TIME. A VERY FESTIVE ATMOSPHERE. EVERY EVERYBODY'S YOUR FRIEND. YOU KNOW, WE'RE NEXT TO PEOPLE KIND OF WHERE WE HAD OUR LITTLE AREA. WE MET ALL KINDS OF NEW FRIENDS. VERY WELCOMING. I JUST IT WAS A GREAT EVENT. I THINK THAT EVENT THERE IS GOING TO DO NOTHING BUT BUT GROW AND BE BIGGER AND BETTER AND YOU HEARD THEM SHARE EARLIER. THERE'S THINGS THAT THEY LEARNED ALONG THE WAY THAT THEY GOT TO CLEAN UP FOR NEXT YEAR. BUT WHEN YOU HAVE A FIRST EVENT LIKE THAT OVERALL JUST A BIG SUCCESS. SO I'M VERY PROUD OF THEM, VERY PROUD OF OUR COMMUNITY. YOU KNOW, WE TALK ABOUT THESE EVENTS AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. THERE'S PEOPLE FROM ALL OVER, UP AND DOWN THE STATE THAT WERE IN OUR COMMUNITY SPENDING THEIR MONEY AND LEAVING SOME OF THEIR TAX DOLLARS BACK HERE IN MERCED COUNTY. SO OVERALL GREAT EVENT AND THEN THE LAST THING THAT I WILL END WITH IS I WANT TO ADJOURN TODAY'S MEETING IN MEMORY OF ALDO SANSONI. ALDO SANSONI HAS BEEN A LONG TIME FARMER ON THE WEST SIDE. ALDO PASSED AWAY HERE BACK LAST WEEK. THIS IS A MAN WHO, YOU KNOW, HE'S. HE WAS. I DON'T WANT TO MISQUOTE. HE WAS IN HIS MID 90S. HIS KNOWLEDGE AND WEALTH OF KNOWLEDGE WHEN IT COMES TO WATER ISSUES. FARMING ON THE WEST SIDE OF MERCED COUNTY IS BEYOND REPROACH. I ALWAYS ENJOYED MY TIME JUST LISTENING TO HIM TALK ABOUT THE DAYS OF WHEN THE CANAL COMPANIES WERE STARTED. WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT THE CENTRAL VALLEY PROJECT AND THE STATE WATER PROJECT, HE WAS HE LIVED THROUGH ALL OF THAT. WHAT IT WAS LIKE BEFORE, WHAT IT WAS LIKE AFTERWARDS AND SO IT IS WITH A HEAVY HEART THAT I DO ADJOURN TODAY'S MEETING IN MEMORY OF ALDO SANSONI. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. THANK YOU. SUPERVISOR PAREIRA. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL. AND I TOOK A TOUR OF THE TRC OUT AT CASTLE. I'D LIKE TO THANK STAFF FOR PUTTING TOGETHER THAT TOUR. THERE'S AMAZING THINGS GOING ON OUT THERE AND PART OF OUR CONVERSATION WAS, WE NEED TO TELL THAT STORY AND HOPEFULLY GET THE REST OF THE SUPERVISORS OUT THERE TO TAKE A LOOK. I MEAN, WE'RE TALKING NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL COMPANIES DOING BUSINESS RIGHT NOW. ATWATER AND BECAUSE THE AUTONOMOUS VEHICLE CIRCLE IS KIND OF A, YOU KNOW, TRADE SECRET PROTECTION, YOU KNOW, EVERYTHING'S ON THE KIND OF THE DOWN LOW. BUT I BELIEVE THAT JUST IN THE TRC, THERE'S BEEN OVER A $10 MILLION WORTH OF PRIVATE INVESTMENT OUT AT CASTLE AND SO THAT'S A PRETTY AMAZING NUMBER AND, YOU KNOW, AND A LOT OF THAT IS ON LAND THAT THE COUNTY STILL OWNS. SO ANYWAYS, JUST CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR TEAM FOR PUTTING THAT TOGETHER. I TOO ATTENDED THE LAO BOAT RACES. I DIDN'T PARTICIPATE, I DIDN'T THINK I WAS GOING TO BE ABLE TO BE THERE. SO I DIDN'T SIGN UP. AND ANYWAY, SO I GOT TO BE A SPECTATOR AND I'LL TELL YOU WHAT, THE COUNTY TEAM WAS PRETTY AWESOME AND I WAS REALLY IMPRESSED AND NOT ONLY WITH THE, YOU KNOW, THE EFFORT THAT WAS PUT OUT, BUT JUST THE CAMARADERIE AND THE ENJOYMENT THAT EVERYBODY SEEMED TO HAVE AROUND EACH OTHER. I THINK IT WAS A GREAT KIND OF TEAM BUILDING DAY FOR EVERYBODY AND CONGRATULATIONS TO SHIP JUMPER. I MEAN, CAPTAIN PEDROZO, YOU DID A GREAT JOB AND HE REALLY DID. ON CALLING THE FIRST RACE. HE DID A PHENOMENAL JOB CALLING THE SECOND RACE. IT STARTED OUT GOOD UNTIL THE BOAT SUNK. BUT ANYWAYS, GOOD JOB. JOSH I'D LIKE TO THANK THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS FOR PUTTING TOGETHER AND PIO OFFICE WITH MIKE NORTH FOR PUTTING TOGETHER THE WINTON PARK RIBBON CUTTING WAS PHENOMENAL. I DIDN'T COUNT, BUT THERE HAD TO BE 100 PEOPLE THERE. IF YOU INCLUDE THE JUNIOR GIANTS AND THE SCHOOL KIDS THAT WERE THERE AND ALL THE ADULTS AND IT JUST THE COMMUNITY IS USING THAT FACILITY ALREADY, JUST LIKE IT WAS INTENDED. YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU SPEND $3.7 MILLION, YOU KNOW, YOU HOPE THAT IT GETS UTILIZED LIKE YOU EXPECT AND IT'S FAR EXCEEDED MY EXPECTATIONS ALREADY AND THERE'S ALREADY SOME EVENTS PLANNED OUT THERE AROUND THAT SEPTEMBER 7TH AT 11:00. THE CHURCHES IN THE GREATER WINTON, MERCED AREA ARE GOING TO MEET OUT THERE AND DO A PRAYER WALK AND PRAY OVER THE PARK FOR ALL THAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN THERE IN THE FUTURE. [01:20:04] AND THEN THE WINTON ROTARY IS LOOKING AT DOING A VENDOR FAIR IN SEPTEMBER INTO SEPTEMBER AND SO I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S QUITE DONE YET. BUT ANYWAYS, JUST JUST AN AWESOME PROJECT AND THANK YOU AGAIN TO NATHAN BRAY, LINDSEY JOHNSON AND THE OTHERS AND THEN YOU KNOW, SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA MENTIONED ALDO SANSONI, YOU KNOW, AS A KID GROWING UP IN MERCED COUNTY, YOU KNOW, YOU KNEW ALDO AND HIS BROTHER EZIO IS HERE, LIVES IN DISTRICT THREE. JUST GREAT MEN WITH A GREAT STORY OF KIND OF STARTING WITH NOTHING AND BUILDING AN EMPIRE AND ALDO SHARED A STORY WITH ME ONE TIME. THEY HAD SENT SOME PRODUCE TO CHICAGO AND AND THEY DIDN'T GET PAID. THEY, YOU KNOW, THE PAPERWORK SAID THE PRODUCE DIDN'T SHOW UP, AND SO HE JUMPED ON A PLANE AND FLEW TO CHICAGO AND FOUND THE PRODUCE THAT ACTUALLY WAS IN CANADA. RIGHT. SO WE'RE TALKING, YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW, COULD BE A MOVIE, RIGHT? OF OF MAFIA AND DECEIT AND DIRECT REDIRECTING AND ANYWAYS I MEAN, HE JUST HAD TO HAVE GUTS TO FLY OUT THERE, A LITTLE GUY FROM LOS BANOS AND NOT ONLY FIND HIS PRODUCE BUT GET PAID FOR IT. SO ANYWAYS, JUST A UNIQUE INDIVIDUAL AND HIS KNOWLEDGE WAS UNPRECEDENTED. HE EVEN KNEW THE KNOWLEDGE ON IRRIGATION AND WATER ON THIS SIDE OF THE COUNTY AS WELL. SO CONDOLENCES TO HIS FAMILY. THAT'S IT. THANK YOU. SUPERVISOR PEDROZO. THANK YOU. YES, I WANT TO I DID WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THE LAO BOAT RACING, AND I THINK THAT THAT WAS ONE OF THE BEST EVENTS I'VE BEEN A PART OF WHETHER AS A SUPERVISOR OR AS A COUNCIL MEMBER. IT. REGARDLESS, I THINK IT REALLY, LIKE I SAID EARLIER, REALLY HIGHLIGHTED THE CULTURE OF THE LAO COMMUNITY AND, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF TIMES WHEN PEOPLE COME AND THEY SAY, HEY, WE WOULD LIKE TO DO THIS AND THEY DON'T ALWAYS FOLLOW THROUGH. THIS GROUP REALLY FOLLOWED THROUGH. I MEAN, WE MET WITH THEM ALMOST QUARTERLY TO MAKE SURE EVERYTHING WAS IN LINE, THAT WE WERE WORKING TOGETHER. WE HAD A DEBRIEF AND EVERYTHING THAT WE HAD LISTED, THEY HAD LISTED AS WELL AND SO I CAN'T IMAGINE THIS. I CAN IMAGINE THIS THING GOING, GETTING EVEN BIGGER AND BETTER. I MEAN, WHEN I WAS TALKING TO SOME PEOPLE AROUND WHO HAD COME UP FROM SAN DIEGO, THEY WERE SAYING, THIS ONE IS BETTER THAN THE ONE IN SAN DIEGO. I MEAN, THEY JUST HAD AN AMAZING TIME. WE HAD AN AMAZING TIME. I HONESTLY, I DIDN'T WANT TO STAY ALL DAY BECAUSE I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO EXPECT AND THEN WHEN IT WAS OVER, IT WAS KIND OF A BUMMER BECAUSE IT WAS A LOT OF FUN AND I THINK THAT EVERYBODY THAT PARTICIPATED REALLY APPRECIATED IT AS WELL. I TOO ATTENDED THE MEETING WITH THE CHINESE CONSUL GENERAL, WHICH IS VERY INTERESTING CONVERSATION. AND THEN I TALKED TO RAUL ABOUT THIS OR OUR CEO ABOUT THIS THAT I WOULD LIKE TO, AT OUR NEXT BOARD MEETING, HAVE A DISCUSSION IN REGARDS TO FIRE AND BRINGING BACK STATION 85 WHEN WE LOOK AT OUR BUDGET. AT LEAST TO GIVE US A LITTLE BIT OF TIME TO SEE WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN WITH THE PUBLIC SAFETY SALES TAX, WITH THE SAFER GRANT, WITH A LOT OF OTHER THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING. I KNOW OCTOBER 1ST IS COMING PRETTY QUICKLY, BUT I'D LIKE TO SEE IF IT'S POSSIBLE, WHAT WE HAVE AND WHAT WE CAN DO TO POTENTIALLY KEEP THAT OPEN, AT LEAST UNTIL THE END OF THE CALENDAR YEAR. IF NOT SHUT IT DOWN AT ALL. BUT THEN AND ALSO I WOULD LIKE TO I ALSO TO CONGRATULATIONS. SUPERVISOR PAREIRA ON THE WORK AT WINTON. THAT'S GOING TO BE A REALLY NICE PARK FOR THOSE FOR THAT COMMUNITY OUT THERE AND THEN FINALLY, I TOO WOULD LIKE TO ADJOURN THE MEETING IN MEMORY OF KEN MINTON. KEN MINTON WAS THE FIRE CHIEF IN THE CITY OF MERCED FOR 28 YEARS, BUT HE SERVED THE CITY OF MERCED IN THE FIRE DEPARTMENT FOR 44 YEARS. HE WAS A REALLY GOOD MAN. VERY DEDICATED TO THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND MERCED AND HE DIDN'T REALLY WANT TO RETIRE. IT WAS KIND OF ONE OF THOSE THINGS TO WHERE HE WAS LOSING MONEY BY COMING TO WORK. SO HE RETIRED, BUT HE WAS A VERY GOOD FIREFIGHTER AND A GREAT COMMUNITY ASSET. SO HE'S GOING TO BE MISSED IN THAT DEPARTMENT. OKAY. SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL. THANK YOU. CHAIR. YES, I DID ATTEND THE CHINESE COUNCIL GENERAL MEETING. THE CHINESE PROPAGANDA TOUR. I MEAN IT WAS A VERY INTERESTING MEETING, AS MY COLLEAGUE SHARED AND THEN THE TRC AGAIN, THAT WAS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO BE ABLE TO SEE WHAT'S GOING ON THERE. WE ACTUALLY HAVE THREE COMPANIES THAT ARE PERMANENTLY LOCATED OUT THERE IN CONJUNCTION WITH TRC, WITH ONE OF THEM HAVING OVER 60 EMPLOYEES THERE ON OUR BASE. SO VERY IMPRESSED WITH WHAT'S GOING ON OUT THERE. ALSO, I DON'T WANT ANYBODY TO FORGET I DO HOST MY MOBILE DISTRICT OFFICE HOURS AT THE CITY OF ATWATER IN THE CHAMBERS. [01:25:06] THAT IS THE FOURTH THURSDAY OF EACH MONTH FROM 130 TO 330. SOME FOLKS GET THERE WHEN IT'S THE FIFTH THURSDAY OF THE MONTH BECAUSE THEY THINK IT'S THE LAST THURSDAY, BUT IT IS THE FOURTH THURSDAY OF EACH MONTH. A LOT OF CONSTITUENTS HAVE BEEN STOPPING BY. ALSO, I WANTED TO REPORT OUT THAT WE ARE PART OF THE SR 99 COALITION. I'M A MEMBER OF THIS GROUP, WHICH IS TULARE COUNTY, MADERA COUNTY AND MERCED COUNTY AND MOVING FORWARD, IT SEEMS LIKE A LOT OF OUR 99 WIDENING TALKS THAT WE'VE HAD HAVE REALLY SPED UP FOR THE MERCED AREA AND SO WITH THAT, I WOULD HAVE TO SAY IT'S PROBABLY BECAUSE OF THE HIGH SPEED RAIL FUNDING THAT'S COMING IN. IF THEY'RE GOING TO BE DOING CONSTRUCTION OUT THERE, THEY KNOW THAT IN ORDER FOR FOLKS TO GET TO THAT HIGH SPEED RAIL STATION, THAT 99 IS NOT ACCESSIBLE TO GET IN THERE. SO WE'VE JUST NOTICED A LOT OF OUR STUFF THAT WE THOUGHT WAS YEARS OUT HAS GOT SPED UP AND SO MOVING FORWARD WITH THAT ALSO I GOT TO THE BOAT RACE WAS AWESOME. I ENJOYED IT. 12 HOURS IS A LONG DAY, BUT WHENEVER YOU'RE COMPETING ON SOMETHING AND YOU HAD SUCH A GOOD RUN THE FIRST TIME, I KNOW THERE WAS NOBODY LEAVING. WELL, A COUPLE PEOPLE LEFT, BUT AND I THINK THE REPRESENTATION OF OUR BOAT GOING DOWN IS VERY RELEVANT TO MERCED COUNTY. EVEN WHEN THE COUNTY IS UNDERWATER, WE'RE STILL ROWING TO TRY TO GET THROUGH IT AND IT WAS A GREAT EXPERIENCE AND LIKE WE SAID, THE NEIGHBORS TO OUR LEFT OR RIGHT EVERYWHERE WE WENT. CESAR CAN DEFINITELY ATTEST TO THAT. I THINK HE DID KARAOKE AT ABOUT FOUR DIFFERENT PLACES, BUT EVERYBODY WAS SO GIVING. IT WAS SUCH A ATMOSPHERE THAT I DON'T THINK I'VE EVER BEEN ANYWHERE IN ONE PLACE FOR 12 HOURS AND CONTINUALLY, LIKE I SAID, I THOUGHT I WAS GOING TO BE LEAVING PROBABLY BY NOON AND FOR THE WHOLE 12 HOURS THERE WAS STUFF GOING ON, AND IT WAS A LOT OF FUN. IN FACT, I DIDN'T REALIZE IT WAS 12 HOURS UNTIL I GOT HOME AND REALIZED HOW LONG I'D BEEN GONE. BUT WITH THAT. OH, AND I DO HAVE TO SAY THAT I DID DO THE RIBBON CUTTING AT STONERIDGE. THAT'S WHY I MISS OUR BOAT PRACTICE OUR ROWING PRACTICE ON FRIDAY NIGHT. BUT STONE RIDGE CHRISTIAN JUST OPENED UP THEIR NEW STADIUM. IT IS PHENOMENAL. IT'S AN AMAZING JOB. WHAT STONE RIDGE CHRISTIAN DID BASICALLY IN NINE MONTHS FROM START TO FINISH, THEY HAVE TWO NEW. THEY HAVE A SOFTBALL FIELD, A BASEBALL FIELD THAT ARE ALL TOP NOTCH. THIS FOOTBALL FIELD IS TOP NOTCH WITH I MEAN, THE GRASS IS ON OTHER FIELDS THAT ARE SUPER BOWL TYPE OF FIELDS AND THEN THE FACT THAT THEY OPENED UP THEIR ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AS WELL, THEY DID THIS ALL WITHIN NINE MONTHS. I MAYBE DPW SHOULD PAY ATTENTION HOW THEY GET THIS STUFF DONE SO FAST, BUT IT'S PRETTY AMAZING WITH THAT CHAIR. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. CEO MENDEZ. YES. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. MEMBERS OF THE BOARD. I, TOO, WANTED TO JUST CONGRATULATE AND THANK OUR COUNTY DEPARTMENTS THAT DELIVERED A NUMBER OF SUCCESSFUL EVENTS, ACTIVITIES OVER THE COURSE OF THE LAST FEW WEEKS THE BOAT RACE, THE CALIFORNIA GARLIC FESTIVAL AT THE SPRING FAIRGROUNDS. YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST A LOT OF GOOD THINGS HAPPENING. WINTON PARK RENOVATION. WE WERE ALL THERE IN CELEBRATION. SO THERE ARE, YOU KNOW, THE GOOD THINGS HAPPENING HERE IN MERCED COUNTY AS HIGHLIGHTED BY THOSE EVENTS AND ACTIVITIES. I DID ALSO WANT TO MENTION THAT WE HAVE OPENED OUR RECRUITMENT FOR OUR PUBLIC HEALTH DIRECTOR POSITION, AS A RESULT OF THE RECENT VACANCY IN THAT POSITION. MARK HENDRICKSON, ASSISTANT CEO FROM OUR STAFF, IS PROVIDING LEADERSHIP SUPPORT TO THE DEPARTMENT AND TO THE LEADERSHIP TEAM THERE. OBVIOUSLY, WE HAVE YADIRA HERE REPRESENTING THE DEPARTMENT. SO THERE'S TRANSITION OBVIOUSLY HAPPENING WITHIN THAT DEPARTMENT. BUT OUR GOAL IS TO GET SOMEBODY PLACED AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE AND LOOK FORWARD TO HOPEFULLY BRINGING IN A RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD HERE IN THE NEAR TERM. SO THAT'S IT FOR ME, THIS MEETING. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. THANK YOU, FORREST HANSON. NO, NOTHING. OH, SORRY. SUPERVISOR PEDROZO. THANK YOU. YEAH. I JUST WANTED TO THANK I KNOW THEY LEFT, BUT THE THREE THE THREE STUDENTS FROM OUR LADY OF MERCY SCHOOL THAT CAME AND DID THE INVOCATION. ONE WAS ELLERY HUNTER, ISABELLA PEREZ, AND THEN MY SON, OWEN PEDROZO, AND I WANT TO THANK THEIR PRINCIPAL MRS. BLACKBURN, FOR ALLOWING THEM AND BRINGING THEM TO COME AND DO THAT. IT'S NOT LIKE MY SON HAD ANY CHOICE, BUT I JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU AND THEY DID AN AWESOME JOB. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. MY COMMENTS. I JUST WANT TO THANK OUR STAFF FOR BEING THERE DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS AT THE SANTA NELLA COMMUNITY TOWN HALL REGARDING THE FIRE ON THE MOBILE HOME PARK THERE. [01:30:01] THEY DID AN EXCELLENT JOB. I KNOW THAT THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT HAS BEEN GREAT AT PROVIDING SECURITY THERE AND SAFETY FOR THE RESIDENTS BECAUSE I KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, THOSE WERE AFFECTED. THEY DIDN'T HAVE POWER FOR MORE THAN A MONTH AND AFTER MORE THAN 38 DAYS, THEY GOT, YOU KNOW, RIGHT NOW THEY HAVE A GENERATOR GOING ON OVER THERE AND HOPEFULLY THEY CAN HAVE FULL POWER BACK PRETTY SOON. SO I KNOW THAT JANET CASPER WAS THERE TOO, SUPPORTING THROUGH US UNITED WAY AND TRI PG&E WAS THERE TOO, ANSWERING QUESTIONS, SO I SEE ASSISTANT CEO MARK HENDRICKSON. THANK YOU. YOU KNOW, YOU GUYS DID A GREAT JOB. SO ALL OUR AGENCIES AND SUPPORTIVE HRS AND HSA, THEY SUPPORTED THE TEAM THERE AND THE COMMUNITY RESIDENTS ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT, YOU KNOW SAFETY AND CLEANING UP AND DEBRIS CLEANUP, WHICH IS, YOU KNOW, A MESS AND I THINK IT'S I DON'T KNOW, I HAVEN'T GOTTEN BACK OVER THERE, BUT IT'S BEEN YOU KNOW, HOPEFULLY THEY'LL GET IT CLEANED UP AND YOU KNOW, ALL THE SERVICES BACK AGAIN AND LIKE I SAID EARLIER, ON MY WAY OVER THERE YOU KNOW, IT'S BEEN A MESS WITH TRAFFIC AS WELL, AND ESPECIALLY IN THE AFTERNOONS, IT'S YOU KNOW, PEOPLE WANT SAFETY AND HOPEFULLY WE CAN HAVE THAT CROSSING THERE AT THE INTERSECTION OF HIGHWAY 33 AND HENRY MILLER. SO LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT. I ALSO, LIKE I SAID, I ATTENDED THE CONSULATE GENERAL OF CHINA AND THE SISTER CITY OF THE INDIA. WITH MY COLLEAGUES, I THINK. THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING THAT. AND ON THE SISTER CITY OF MERCED COUNTY, AND I ALSO WENT TO DO THE TOUR OF UC MERCED WITH THEM. AND ONE OF THE MAIN THINGS THEY WANT TO PUSH IS CHINA IS PUSHING FOR ALLOWING SCHOLARSHIPS FOR 50,000 STUDENTS TO CHINA ACROSS THE NATION. SO I THINK THEY ALREADY PROVIDED ABOUT 7 TO 9000 VISITATIONS TO AND SCHOLARSHIPS TO CHINA. SO THEY MADE THAT PUSH TO UC MERCED STUDENTS. SO HOPEFULLY THEY'LL STUDENTS WILL BE ABLE TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO VISIT CHINA AND DO A SEMESTER, DO A MONTH. SO AND LEARN ABOUT EACH OTHER AND PROVIDE FRIENDSHIP AND INSTEAD OF POLITICAL TENSION, LIKE IT'S BEEN, YOU KNOW, ACROSS THE WORLD. SO HOPEFULLY THAT MOVES FORWARD. ALSO LIKE I SAID I ALREADY SAID WE HAD A LOT OF FUN WITH OUR STAFF AND, YOU KNOW, MY COLLEAGUES ROCK N ROLL AND YOU KNOW, THE MUSIC AND YOU KNOW, SO IT'S JUST EXCITING AND HOPEFULLY NEXT YEAR IT'S A LOT BETTER AND I HOPE THAT THEY DO A LOT MORE ADVERTISING SO WE CAN GET MORE OF OUR COUNTY RESIDENTS, MORE DIVERSITY AND I KNOW, SAY, YOU KNOW, FIRST PRIORITY IS SAFETY FOR EVERYONE THERE AS WELL AND I JUST WANT TO SAY I MISSED THE WINTER PARK GRAND OPENING ON SUPERVISOR PAREIRA. YOU KNOW, I'M GOING THROUGH HARVEST PEACH HARVEST RIGHT NOW, SO I KNOW THAT THE COMMUNITY IS LOOKING FORWARD TO AS MUCH AS WE ALL ARE. SO WITH THAT, THIS CONCLUDES THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS MEETING FOR SEPTEMBER 3RD, 2024 OUR NEXT REGULARLY SCHEDULED BOARD OF SUPERVISORS MEETING WILL BE HELD AT 10 A.M. ON TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 24TH, AT WHICH TIME WE WILL ALSO BE HOLDING THE FINAL BUDGET HEARING. SO THANK YOU. * This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.