AND YOU KNOW, IN OUR AREA WE DON'T PAY THAT MUCH FOR CAL LAFCO. [I. CALL MEETING TO ORDER ] [00:00:03] BUT THAT WAS ENOUGH FOR THEM TO SAY, WELL, WE'RE NOT GOING TO WE'RE NOT GOING TO PAY. IT'S THE PRINCIPLE OF THE MATTER, I GUESS. OKAY. SO, YEAH. SO ANYWAY, IT'S A POSITIVE, A POSITIVE DIRECTION HOPEFULLY. AND IT'LL CONTINUE. SO YEAH. SO THAT COVERED ITEM EIGHT A AND B TOGETHER. IN MY LITTLE SUMMARY THERE. OKAY. ANY COMMENTS? YEAH. JUST, YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW, BILL. YOU THEY PROBABLY HAVE ALREADY LOOKED AT THIS. BUT IF YOU LOOK AT LIKE THE WAY THAT CSAC IS SET UP, IT'S THE BOARD MEMBERSHIP. IT'S ONE COUNTY ONE VOTE. SO, THERE'S, SO THERE'S, IT'S TECHNICALLY A FEW MORE THAN THAT BECAUSE YOU HAVE THE PEOPLE THAT YOU PUT IN THE LEADERSHIP. BUT BASICALLY, WHEN IT COMES TO THE FULL BOARD, IT'S ONE COUNTY, ONE VOTE. BUT THEN TO KIND OF IT'S ALMOST LIKE IF YOU LOOK AT THE US SENATE AND THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. RIGHT. WHERE AT THE BOARD LEVEL. ONE COUNTY, ONE VOTE. [IV. CONSENT CALENDAR ] BUT THEN ON THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE, THEY HAVE IT SET UP TO WHERE THE URBAN COUNTIES HAVE, YOU KNOW, LIKE, FOR EXAMPLE, THE COUNTY OF LA HAS AN AUTOMATIC. A BOARD MEMBER FROM L.A. COUNTY IS AUTOMATICALLY ON THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE. AND THEN THEY HAVE, IT'S OUTWEIGHED. THERE ARE SIX, SIX BOARD MEMBERS FROM THE URBAN COUNTIES WITH AN ALTERNATE ON THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE. [V. CITIZEN COMMUNICATION] THEN YOU COME TO THE SUBURBAN CAUCUS AND THERE'S THREE BOARD MEMBERS WITH AN ALTERNATE. AND THEN THE RURAL, THERE'S TWO BOARD MEMBERS WITH AN ALTERNATE. AND EACH CAUCUS DOES IT A LITTLE DIFFERENT. LIKE FOR EXAMPLE, WE'RE IN THE SUBURBAN CAUCUS. IT'S SET UP. WE'VE HAD, WE HAVE IT SET UP IN REGIONS. SO, THERE'S LIKE A KIND OF A THERE'S LIKE A CENTRAL VALLEY REGION. THERE'S KIND OF A NORTH REGION. AND THEN KIND OF LIKE A SOUTH REGION, IF YOU WILL, THAT. SO, THEN YOU GET THAT. I THINK THAT HELPS TO ANSWER SOME OF THOSE QUESTIONS THAT THEY DO, THEY DO REPRESENT MORE PEOPLE IN L.A. COUNTY AND SAN BERNARDINO AND RIVERSIDE. SO, I DON'T KNOW. I THINK THAT THERE'S NO SENSE OF REINVENTING THE WHEEL HERE. BUT LOOKING AT THAT IS YOU HAVE YOUR BOARD AND THEN YOU, YOU HAVE LIKE ON YOUR EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE. [VI.A. Adoption of the Final LAFCO Budget for the 2025-26 Fiscal Year. ] SO, AND YOU KNOW, THE WAY THAT IT FILTERS THROUGH, YOU HAVE AN OFFICER TEAM, YOU KNOW, PRESIDENT, FIRST VICE PRESIDENT, SECOND VICE PRESIDENT, IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT. THEN THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE. SO, A LOT OF THAT STUFF FILTERS THROUGH THEM FIRST BEFORE IT GETS TO THE FULL BOARD. RIGHT. AND I THINK THAT'S ALWAYS WHAT I WAS TALKING ABOUT EARLIER. WHEN YOU DON'T SEE IT GO TOO FAR OFF THE RAILS ONE WAY OR THE OTHER, BECAUSE ULTIMATELY YOU BRING IT TO A FULL BOARD, AND YOU DO SOMETHING. THESE ARE MY WORDS. YOU DO SOMETHING TO PISS OFF THE RURAL COUNTIES. WELL, THOUGH THEY HAVE TWO REPRESENTATIVES ON THE EC, THEY MAKE UP A MAJORITY OF OUR BODY. SO. SO IT KEEPS YOU IT KEEPS THE WHEELS FROM GOING TOO FAR ONE WAY OR ANOTHER WAY. IT SELF-CORRECTS IT. BECAUSE IF YOU IF YOU TRY TO PUT SOMETHING FORWARD THAT IS VERY URBAN SPECIFIC AND THE RULES ARE NOT ON BOARD WITH IT, IT'LL EVENTUALLY COME TO A VOTE OF THE FULL BOARD WHERE THERE WILL BE DEFINITELY MORE PEOPLE THERE. SO, I DON'T KNOW, I JUST MAYBE THAT'S JUST IT'S FOOD FOR THOUGHT. AND MAYBE AS YOU HAVE DISCUSSIONS WITH CAL LAFCO AND I KNOW THEY HAVE THEIR REGIONS AND STUFF BROKE DOWN, BUT THAT MIGHT BE A WAY THAT YOU, YOU'RE ABLE TO SATISFY SO THAT IT DOESN'T STRAY TOO FAR ONE WAY OR THE OTHER. GOOD POINT. AND THEY ARE LOOKING AT BOTH CSAC AND THE LEAGUE OF CITIES AND CSDA FOR THE SPECIAL DISTRICTS HAVE A WHOLE NOTHER BURDEN BECAUSE THEY GOT SO MANY, YOU KNOW, THOUSANDS OF SPECIAL DISTRICTS AND BIG ONES AND SMALL ONES. BUT THEY'RE LOOKING AT THOSE STRUCTURES, TOO, TO SEE. IS THERE SOME WAY TO GLEAN OUT OF THAT? BECAUSE, YEAH, THE WAY CAL LAFCO WORKS IS FOR REGIONS AND EVERY REGION GETS FOUR REPRESENTATIVES A CITY, A COUNTY, A SPECIAL DISTRICT AND A PUBLIC MEMBER. THAT'S. LOOK AT ELECTED FROM YOUR LOCAL REGION. BUT LIKE, WE HAVE A BIG SPRAWLED OUT REGION. IT GOES ALL THE WAY TO EL DORADO COUNTY AND THROUGH SACRAMENTO AND COME, YOU KNOW, COMES DOWN TO BAKERSFIELD, KERN COUNTY. SO GETTING SOMEONE ELECTED, YOU KNOW, IT'S A BIG, A LOT OF DIFFERENCE OF OPINION OR REPRESENTATION, BUT SO, BUT A SOUTHERN REGION WITH MILLIONS AND MILLIONS AND MILLIONS OF PEOPLE, THEY'RE STILL JUST GETTING FOUR IN OUR REGION WITH, WITH, YOU KNOW, ONE COUNTY'S POPULATION IN OUR REGION WOULD, WOULD HAVE THE SAME VOTE WHEN IT COMES TO A KAFKA BOARD. SO, THEY'RE LOOKING AT THOSE ISSUES TO HOW TO HOW TO TRY TO STRUCTURE IT DIFFERENTLY. SO, A GOOD, GOOD POINT. YEAH. GREAT. GREAT POINT. IT SEEMS LIKE IT SEEMS LIKE THAT AT THE, AT THE, AT THE CONFERENCES. YOU KNOW, WHEN THEY, WHEN THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT ITEMS AND BUSINESS ITEMS AND STUFF AFTER THEY GO THROUGH THEIR REGIONAL ELECTIONS AND THE REGIONAL, THE REGIONAL MEETINGS, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE HAVE THE REGIONAL MEETINGS TALK ABOUT. REALLY, THERE'S NOT ENOUGH TIME TO REALLY GET INTO TOO MUCH DEPTH. BUT, YOU KNOW, EVERYBODY SAYS A LITTLE DEAL ABOUT THEIR REGION. BUT I THINK THAT MOST OF THE DISCUSSION THAT COMES OUT OF LAFCO [00:05:07] THINGS ARE COMING FROM SPECIAL DISTRICTS, BECAUSE THEY'RE THE ONES THAT IT SEEMS LIKE THAT, THEY HAVE ALL THE, BECAUSE THERE'S SO MANY FIRE DISTRICTS, ESPECIALLY IN THE STATE. I MEAN, MERCED COUNTY IS I DON'T KNOW IF WE'RE UNIQUE OR NOT. WE'RE NOT, BECAUSE THERE ARE PROBABLY OTHER COUNTIES THAT THE WHOLE COUNTY IS THE FIRE DISTRICT, TOO. BUT SOME OF THESE OTHERS, BOY, IT SOUNDS LIKE A CAN OF WORMS THE WAY THEY OPERATE, YOU KNOW, THEY LIKE TO TALK ABOUT THAT FOR A LONG TIME AND STUFF, BUT YOU KNOW, DON'T THEY. YEAH. SO MAYBE THAT'S SOMETHING. I DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY CAN DO ABOUT THAT. OKAY. YEAH. I THINK TO THAT POINT, BOB, I THINK IT'S AND IT'S NOT YOU HAVE THESE FOLKS THAT ARE PART OF SPECIAL DISTRICTS. RIGHT. AND YOU GET DOWN IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA AND SOME OF THOSE ARE LIKE ELECTED POSITIONS, LIKE, YOU KNOW, BUT A LOT OF THESE ONES, THEY'RE VOLUNTEER, AND THEY LOVE TO VOLUNTEER THEIR TIME FOR THIS DEAL WHERE IT'S LIKE, YOU KNOW, I'M SORRY. LIKE AS A BOARD OF SUPERVISORS MEMBER, THIS IS JUST ONE OF THE MANY HATS THAT I WEAR. I DON'T, I DON'T, MY WHOLE LIFE DOESN'T REVOLVE AROUND LAFCO. NO OFFENSE BILL. RIGHT. BUT, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE SO MANY OTHER THINGS, AND I THINK DARREN COULD PROBABLY BE THE BEST EXAMPLE OF THIS. HE GOT ON THE CAL LAFCO BOARD, AND IT'S JUST IT GETS IT GETS REALLY CRAZY BECAUSE IT'S LIKE, NO, LISTEN, WE'RE USED TO TRYING TO FIT, YOU KNOW, 20 THINGS INTO ONE HOUR BECAUSE WE GOT 20 MORE TO DO THE NEXT HOUR. WHERE THESE THIS IS WHAT THEY DO. THIS IS THEIR WHOLE LIFE, AND THEY WANT TO MAXIMIZE EVERY MINUTE. SO ANYWAYS, I THINK IT'S REALLY INTERESTING. IT IS, IT IS. OKAY. AND THE OTHER ARGUING OVER THE FONT AND THE COLOR OF A BROCHURE. YEAH. LET'S MOVE ON. SURE. ANY MORE. ANY MORE ON THAT? MIKE. BILL. MIKE, YOU GOT ANY COMMENTS ON IT OR ANYTHING OR NOT? WELL, MY COMMENT IS YOU MADE MY DAY. MY VOTE COUNTED TODAY, SO. THANK YOU. IT'S ME. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. SO, ALL RIGHT. SO. SO, WE'VE TAKEN CARE OF THE SUMMARY A AND B, AND NOW WE'RE ON C. COMMISSIONER COMMENTS. I'LL START DOWN HERE. ANY COMMENT FROM MR. REED? THE CITY IS MOVING FORWARD WITH TRYING TO GET OUR HOUSING ELEMENT UP TO WHERE IT NEEDS TO BE. WE ARE LOOKING AT OUR ANNEXATION POSSIBILITIES DISCOVERING WHAT IS AND WHAT IS NOT A DVC. THINGS THAT THEY THOUGHT WERE ARE NOT. OKAY. THAT'S A BIG PART OF IT. ARE YOU HAVING DWAYNE MEET WITH BILL FOR ANY PROBLEMS YOU MIGHT HAVE BEFORE YOU BRING ANYTHING TO US? ABSOLUTELY, YEAH. OKAY. FROM THE BEGINNING STAGES OF WHAT IS WHAT AND WHERE IS WHERE? AND, WE HAVE OUR PROP 218 SECOND PUBLIC HEARING ON THE 20TH AND APPOINTING A NEW BOARD MEMBER OR COUNCIL MEMBER ON THE 20TH. SO THAT'S A BIG THING. AND WE HAVE NOW ASKED THE SCHOOL DISTRICT TRANSLATOR TO ATTEND ALL MEETINGS AND PUBLIC HEARINGS. AND IT HAS SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASED THE NUMBER OF CITIZENS THAT ATTEND. SO THEY HAVE ALL THE HEARING, THEY BRING ALL THE DEVICES SO SHE CAN TRANSLATE, AND THEY HAVE THEIR EARBUDS, AND IT SEEMS TO BE WORKING REALLY WELL. SO THAT'S IT. YAY! DARON ANYTHING? I'D JUST LIKE TO SAY THAT I THINK THE COUNTY, WE WERE DISCUSSING IT YESTERDAY WITH THIS LUKE BRYAN CONCERT, THE ECONOMIC IMPACT THAT THIS HAS ON OUR COMMUNITY HAS JUST WHAT WE'VE SEEN SO FAR IS INCREDIBLE. THE EQUIPMENT RENTAL, THE PEOPLE THEY'VE EMPLOYED JUST FOR THE SHORT TERM, WE ALREADY HAVE STORES IN ATWATER CALLING THEIR VENDORS, TRYING TO GET MORE PRODUCT INTO THEIR STORES. I JUST THIS IS SOMETHING WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON, I DON'T KNOW, AS A AS A PRIVATE PROMOTER WITH A PRODUCTION COMPANY, WE TRY TO DO SOMETHING 20 YEARS AGO HERE IN MERCED COUNTY BECAUSE WE KNEW THAT IT WOULD WORK AT CASTLE AND WE KNEW IN THE LAKE. AND I APPRECIATE MY COLLEAGUES. WE THEY SEE THE SAME THING THAT I DO, AND WE'RE TRYING TO CONTINUE TO BRING PRIVATE SECTOR TO COME IN AND DO MORE WORK AND CREATE THIS ECONOMIC IMPACT. THIS IS GREAT. SO LOOKING FORWARD TO IT. IT'S NOT A PROBLEM. I SEE A LOT OF THE NAYSAYERS OUT THERE TALKING ABOUT IT, BUT IT SEEMS LIKE THOSE NAYSAYERS TALKING ABOUT ARE THE SAME ONES WHO COMPLAIN THAT WE DON'T HAVE ANYTHING HERE IN MERCED COUNTY TO DO SO. I THINK ANY CONCERT YOU LEAVE, IT TAKES YOU A LONG TIME TO GET OUT AND THERE'S ALWAYS TRAFFIC, BUT IT'S JUST AMAZING THE ECONOMIC IMPACTS, THE EQUIPMENT THAT WE SAW THAT'S BEING RENTED. THERE WERE SEMIS COMING IN, JUST BRINGING MORE EQUIPMENT, MORE EQUIPMENT, AND IT'S ALL BEING RENTED BY SUNBELT RIGHT THERE IN THAT WATER. SO, IT'S, THAT'S HUGE. GOOD AND LOOKING FORWARD TO IT AND LOOKING FORWARD TO DOING MORE OF THESE AS WELL. THANK YOU, MR. SILVEIRA. YEAH, I WANT TO PIGGYBACK ON THAT. TODAY HAS ACTUALLY BEEN PROCLAIMED AS LUKE BRYANT DAY IN MERCER COUNTY. I'M GOING TO GIVE YOU JUST AN EXAMPLE. IT'S NOT ONLY THE ECONOMIC IMPACT TO US, BUT OUR SURROUNDING COUNTIES. [00:10:04] SO, THERE'S A GROUP OF US THAT ARE COMING OVER FROM THE WEST SIDE AND BEING COGNIZANT OF, YOU KNOW, WE'RE PROBABLY GOING TO GO AND HAVE A BEER OR TWO AT THE CONCERT. AND SO, I CALLED A LIMO RENTAL PLACE IN SERIES. THEY HAVE 25 VEHICLES THAT THEY RENT OUT BETWEEN ANYWHERE FROM LIKE, YOU KNOW A LINCOLN TOWN CAR TO A SPRINTER VAN, LIMOS, WHATEVER. I GOT THE 25TH ONE. I GOT HER LAST ONE. ALL OF THEM ARE RENTED. COMING TO THE LUKE BRYAN CONCERT TONIGHT. SO IT'S NOT ONLY OUR AREA, IT'S, THEY'RE FILLING UP OUR HOTELS. THIS THIS CONCERT. FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND IS I'VE LEARNED I'M GETTING TO LEARN A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THE BUSINESS THAT MY COLLEAGUE USED TO WORK IN FOR QUITE SOME TIME. THE AMOUNT OF PEOPLE. THERE'S 30 SOMETHING BUSSES, TOUR BUSSES THAT ARE IN TOWN FOR THIS CONCERT. OVER 20 SOMETHING SEMIS THAT ARE THAT ARE OUT AT CASTLE THAT BRING IN. THERE'S 200 PORTA POTTIES OUT THERE RIGHT NOW. IT IS. IT IS A MASSIVE UNDERTAKING. AND I THINK THE COOLEST PART ABOUT IT IS THEY'VE BEEN IN THEY'VE ALREADY BEEN HERE FOR A FEW DAYS. AND THERE'S PEOPLE THAT ARE PART OF THIS PRODUCTION COMPANY THAT ALREADY AFTER TODAY IS SHOW DAY HERE, THEY'RE ALREADY AT THE NEXT STOP IN CLOVIS GETTING STUFF SET UP THERE. THEY'RE SPENDING MONEY IN OUR COMMUNITY. THEY'RE EATING IN OUR RESTAURANTS. YOU'RE GOING TO BE HARD PRESSED TO FIND ANYWHERE FOR A HOTEL MOTEL HERE IN MERCED TONIGHT, BECAUSE THAT'S THE AMOUNT OF PEOPLE THAT COME IN ON THIS DEAL. AND SO IT IS PRETTY COOL. IT'S EXCITING DAY. AND, YOU KNOW. YEAH. REALLY COOL. WHERE ARE THE PEOPLE THAT DRIVE IN, GO TO PARK ON THE ON THE AIRFIELD. ON THE AIRFIELD. THEY'RE ON THE TARMAC. THEY'RE ON THE TARMAC TOO. YEAH, YEAH. THE WHOLE. WE HAVE A LOT OF ROOM OUT THERE. I KNOW YOU DO THE WHOLE AIRFIELD. SEE THAT THAT THAT IT'S FINALLY BEING UTILIZED, THE FACILITIES BEING UTILIZED FOR A LOT OF DIFFERENT A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS. [VII. A. Approval of Memorandum of Understanding with Merced County for Staff Support for the 2025-26 Fiscal Year] NOW IT'S FLAT. THAT'S ONE OF THE, YOU KNOW, THIS FARM TOURS. THEY LITERALLY GO OUT IN DIRT FIELDS AND SET UP A CONCERT. IF THEY LOVE THIS EVERYTHING, IT'S CEMENT, MAN. WE'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE NO BAT BUT LET IT RAIN. IF IT RAINED HERE, IT'S THIS IS GOING TO RUN OFF. IT'S NOT GOING TO CREATE MUD. SO ANYWAYS. AND THEN BOB CONGRATULATIONS ON BEING APPOINTED CHAIR AGAIN AND WELCOME BACK FOR ANOTHER FOUR YEARS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONFIDENCE IN ME. PERFECT. MR. AMABILE. ANYTHING ELSE? WELL, I MET WITH A LARGE DEVELOPER ON THE WEST SIDE, AND THERE'S PROBABLY, LIKE, FIVE ANNEXATIONS COMING UP, PROBABLY IN THE NEXT YEAR FROM LAS VEGAS. A LOT OF THEM ARE INFILLS. WELL, MOST OF THEM ARE INFILLS. I THINK THERE'S ONLY ONE THAT ISN'T. SO I THINK WE'RE GOING TO BE BUSY COMING UP. IT'S GOOD THAT THEY'RE INFILLS THOUGH TOO. OH YEAH. YEAH. IT'S BEEN. 16 YEARS SINCE ANY LARGE ANNEXATIONS HAPPENED IN LOS BANOS. [VIII.C. Appointment of the Regular Public Member of the Commission for a 4-year term] I THINK THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF LITTLE THINGS. IT'S SURROUNDED BY THREE SIDES BY CITIES. YEAH, THAT'S THE PERFECT EXAMPLE. THAT WAS ACTUALLY THAT. THAT MADE IT ALL THE WAY TO THE CONSOLE. I THINK SIX YEARS AGO I WAS THERE. IT WAS IT WAS ABOUT EIGHT YEARS AGO, EIGHT YEARS AGO. AND THERE WAS ILLEGALLY ASKED TO CHANGE THE ZONING. SOMETHING LIKE THAT. I HEARD IT WAS A COUPLE ISSUES THERE. IT WAS. YEAH. BECAUSE YOU CAN'T CHANGE ZONING AT THAT STAGE. COMMENT ON THAT IF I COULD. IS THE DEVELOPER PRESENTED A PROJECT THAT WAS DEVELOPED EXACTLY HOW THE PLANNING THE ZONING. YOU WANT SOME MAYBE SOME HIGHER END, YOU KNOW, HIGH DENSITY RESIDENTIAL OVER HERE. SOME COMMERCIAL, THEN RESIDENTIAL, AS FAR AS I KNOW, THE EXACT WHAT A PLANNING COMMISSION AND THE COUNCIL HAD APPROVED IS WHAT GOT PRESENTED TO THEM. AND SOME OF THE VERY SAME PEOPLE THAT WERE A PART OF THAT PROCESS OF IT BEING APPROVED DECIDED THAT THEY DIDN'T LIKE IT. [VIII.B. Election of Commission Chairperson and Vice-Chairperson ] AND SO THAT THAT DAY, I REMEMBER WHEN IT GOT PULLED BY THE DEVELOPER AND I SAT THERE AND LOOKED AT MY COLLEAGUES ON THE COUNCIL AND SAID, I WOULD NEVER DO BUSINESS WITH YOU PEOPLE AGAIN BECAUSE OF WHAT YOU GUYS DID. IT JUST, YOU KNOW, WHAT PEOPLE CRAVE IS CERTAINTY IN BUSINESS HERE. TELL ME THE BOXES I GOT TO CHECK. TELL ME THE THINGS I HAVE TO DO. I WILL DO THOSE. IF YOU GET INTO THE HABIT OF MOVING THE GOALPOSTS ON THEM, YOU'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO HAVE PROBLEMS. WELL, THE STORY GOES, THAT'S WHEN YOU DECIDE TO RUN FOR SUPERVISOR. THAT'S HOW THE STORY GOES, I THINK. THANK YOU. OKAY. ARE WE HAVING AN AGENDA NEXT MONTH? DO WE HAVE A MEETING NEXT MONTH. OKAY, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO SAY A COUPLE OF THINGS. IN MY ROLE MENTIONING TO HAVE PEOPLE TALK TO ME EARLY IN THE PROCESS, LIKE, SUCH AS DOS PALOS. I WAS AT A MEETING WITH THE CITY MANAGER AND STAFF AND REPRESENTATIVES. FOR SOME DEVELOPERS, IT WASN'T A CITYWIDE EFFORT OF THE CITY NECESSARILY IS LANDOWNER DRIVEN FOR PROPERTY THAT THEIR, [00:15:02] THEIR, THEIR CONTRACT WHERE THEY BOUGHT. SO, IT WASN'T BASED LIKE ON A GENERAL PLAN WHICH THEY HAVEN'T UPDATED THE GENERAL PLAN SINCE [VIII. EXECUTIVE OFFICER AND COMMISSIONERS' COMMENTS ] 1990, WHICH IS A BIG HEADACHE FOR ME AS LAFCO HOW YOU DO A SPHERE UPDATE AND IT'S THE GENERAL PLAN IS SO OUTDATED. BUT I INTERACT WITH ALL PRETTY MUCH ALL THE CITIES AT THAT LEVELS. AND LOS BANOS, WE ARE DOING THEIR MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW AND SPHERE OF INFLUENCE REVIEW, AND I'M JUST I JUST FINISHED GIVING COMMENTS TO OUR CONSULTANT. THEY'RE GOING TO CLEAN THEM UP OR REVISE THE DOCUMENT. WE'RE GOING TO GIVE IT TO THE CITY STAFF TO LOOK AT NOT IT'S NOT READY FOR HEARING. IT'S FOR THEM TO LOOK AT. DO WE GET THE FACTS RIGHT? THERE MAY BE SOME AREAS OF DISAGREEMENT. THERE IS. ON THE WEST SIDE THERE'S FEAR. GOING PAST VOLTA ROAD IS JUST WAY THE HECK OUT THERE. SO THERE'LL BE SOME ISSUES LIKE THAT. AND I DID GIVE COMMENTS ON PRESIDENTIAL ESTATES, WHICH IS A GOOD ANNEXATION. BUT BECAUSE IT'S SURROUNDED BY THE CITY BRINGING IN ALL THE HOMES NEEDS TO BE DONE. THEIR PLAN ONLY INCLUDED THE DEVELOPMENT PART. AND YOU GOT PEOPLE WITH HOMES ALREADY OUT THERE AND YOU DON'T ANNEX AND LEAVE, YOU KNOW, FIVE HOMES IN THE COUNTY. YOU GOT TO MAKE THEM PART OF THE CITY BECAUSE THEN THEY'LL NEVER ANNEX LATER. YEAH. SO, THERE'S COMMENTS LIKE THAT, BUT OTHERWISE YOU SAY IT'S A GOOD, GOOD PROJECT. IT'S LOGICAL AND ALL THAT. SO BUT YEAH. SO THAT'S IT. I'LL PERIODICALLY BE GETTING INPUT FROM CITIES. ATWATER. THEY JUST ARE WORKING ON THEIR GENERAL PLAN. AND THEY HAD A COMMUNITY MEETING, SO I WROTE A COMMENT LETTER ON THAT. SO, I JUST THERE'S STUFF GOING ON AND I GOT A CALL FROM LIVINGSTON. THEN ALSO JUST EARLIER THIS WEEK FROM THE CITY MANAGER THAT THEY'RE GETTING READY TO FINALIZE THE GENERAL PLAN IDEAS. WELL, YOU SHOULD SHARE IT WITH LAFCO BECAUSE YOU'RE NOT GOING TO GET THE SPHERE APPROVED WITHOUT COMING TO US. SO YOU SHOULD BRING IT. OH, WELL. OKAY. GOOD. WELL, I'LL TELL MY CONSULTANTS IT ONLY MAKES SENSE THAT, LIKE, IF THE IF WE'RE THE BODY THAT IS ULTIMATELY GOING TO COME TO ENGAGE EARLY IN THE PROCESS. I MEAN, YEAH, IT'S FRUSTRATING. BILL, AND I DO I ENCOURAGE EVERYBODY BEFORE IF YOU'RE THINKING ABOUT IT A PHONE CALL. WE'RE NOT SPENDING NO MONEY YET. A PHONE CALL. SAY HEY THIS IS WHAT WE'RE THINKING ABOUT BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, BILL, YOU'VE FORGOTTEN MORE ABOUT LAFCO THAN I'LL EVER EVEN KNOW. AND SO IT'S LIKE, WHY WOULDN'T THEY WANT TO ENGAGE YOU TO SAY, OKAY, THIS IS WHAT WE'RE THINKING. THERE'S THINGS THAT PROBABLY POP TO YOUR MIND IMMEDIATELY OF, HEY, DID YOU ARE YOU WHAT ABOUT THIS? AND ARE YOU THINKING ABOUT THIS SO THAT AS THEY'RE DEVELOPING THEIR PLAN TO MOVE FORWARD, THEY'RE ALREADY THINKING ABOUT THOSE THINGS VERSUS BEING TOLD ABOUT IT LATER? THANK YOU. GOOD POINT. OKAY. ANYTHING ELSE? MEETING ADJOURNED AT 10:47. I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS. ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. OKAY. OKAY. ROLL CALL PLEASE. OKAY. WE'LL GO FROM RIGHT TO LEFT. . ALL RIGHT. AND I JUST TO NOTE COMMISSIONER AMABILE IS AN ALTERNATE, BUT SINCE ONE OF THE REGULAR CITY MEMBERS IS NOT PRESENT, YOU. YOUR VOTE WILL COUNT TODAY. SO, CONGRATULATIONS. ALL RIGHT. OKAY. THANK YOU. OUR APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF APRIL 17TH. I'LL MOVE TO APPROVE SILVEIRA SECOND. A MOTION FROM MCDANIEL TO APPROVE. SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER SILVEIRA. ANY DISCUSSION ON IT? ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE. AYE. ALL OPPOSED? MOTION PASSED. CITIZEN COMMUNICATION. ANYBODY IN THE PUBLIC WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS THE COMMISSION ON ANYTHING, PLEASE. THIS IS YOUR CHANCE TO DO SO. SEEING NO ONE IN THE AUDIENCE. WE'LL SKIP ON TO THE NEXT THING, WHICH IS GENERAL BUSINESS. I'D LIKE TO CHANGE SOMETHING HERE ON THE AGENDA, GENDER, PLEASE. ON GENERAL BUSINESS. ON B AND C, I'D LIKE TO SWITCH FLIP FLOP B AND C HAVE THE APPOINTMENT OF THE PUBLIC MEMBER FIRST AND THEN THE ELECTION OF THE OFFICERS. IS THAT OKAY WITH THE COMMISSION? OKAY. YOU'RE THE CHAIR. ALL RIGHT. CHAIR'S PREROGATIVE. OKAY, SO THE FIRST THING IS A ADOPTION OF THE FINAL BUDGET FOR 25 AND 26. A PUBLIC HEARING. OKAY. THANK YOU. MOST OF YOU ARE ALL HERE FOR THE PROPOSED BUDGET, SO I DID PUT A [00:20:08] POWERPOINT TOGETHER, SO I'LL JUST GO THROUGH IT REALLY QUICKLY. BUT THIS WILL BE GOOD FOR THE RECORD FOR THE TAPE OF THIS. SO, EVERY YEAR WE HAVE TO ADOPT THE PROPOSED BUDGET BY MAY 1ST AND ADOPT THE FINAL BUDGET BY JUNE 15TH. SO, WE TRY TO SCHEDULE IT EARLY. SO, IF THERE WAS ANY CHANGES WE NEEDED TO BRING IT BACK. WE WOULD HAVE TIME TO BRING IT BACK IN JUNE. BUT RIGHT NOW, I THINK WE'RE ALL SET TO GO. NO. NO CHANGES RECOMMENDED. JUST TO REFRESH EVERYONE, THE REVENUE TO PAY FOR LAFCO COMES FROM THE SIX CITIES IN THE COUNTY AND MERCED COUNTY, WITH THE COUNTY PAYING HALF AND THE CITIES SPLITTING THEIR SHARE BASED ON THE REVENUE THAT THE CITIES RECEIVE. SO MERCED THEY PAY ABOUT 55% BECAUSE THEY HAVE SO MUCH REVENUE COMPARED TO OTHER CITIES. AND THEN THE OTHER CITIES SPLIT THE BALANCE. WE DO GET REVENUE FROM APPLICATIONS, BUT IT'S A SMALL, SMALL PERCENTAGE. SO, IT'S REALLY THE COUNTY AND THE CITY IS PAYING THE BULK OF OUR COSTS. THE PROPOSED BUDGET THAT WAS ADOPTED WAS FOR $223,913. AND WE, AS CONFORMANCE WITH THE LAW, WE SENT IT TO THE COUNTY ADMIN, THE SIX CITIES THAT THE CITY MANAGERS AND ALL INDEPENDENT SPECIAL DISTRICTS. WE SENT HIM A LINK TO, TO THE WEBSITE FOR IT. IN SOME LAFCO THAT HAVE SPECIAL DISTRICTS ON LAFCO, THEY WOULD ALSO BE PAYING FOR LAFCO THEN. AND IF THAT'S ACTUALLY THE REASON THEY'RE NOT HERE ON OUR BOARD BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T WANT TO PAY, OR THE BIGGER THE BIGGER DISTRICTS THAT WOULD PAY MOST OF THE MONEY, OR BASICALLY THE AGRICULTURAL DISTRICTS, IRRIGATION DISTRICTS, AND THEY DIDN'T REALLY CARE ABOUT BEING ON LAFCO. SO, WE THAT'S WHY IT'S A 50/50 SPLIT BETWEEN THE CITIES AND THE COUNTY VERSUS THIRDS. BUT WE HAVE TO SEND THEM THE BUDGET ANYWAY, EVEN THOUGH THEY DON'T, THEY'RE NOT PART OF LAFCO. SO, WE'VE RECEIVED NO COMMENTS FROM THOSE THAT MAIL OUT THAT IT'S BEEN 21 DAYS MEETING THE LAW. SO, THERE'S REALLY BEEN NO CHANGES. I HAD PROVIDED A EXPENDITURES THROUGH THREE QUARTERS AT THE PRELIMINARY BUDGET, AND THESE ARE BASICALLY THE SAME SLIDES. THERE'S BEEN NO CHANGES. THE WELL THROUGH THE THREE QUARTERS, OF COURSE, MORE MONEY IS BEING SPENT. AND WE'RE STILL GOING TO BE WELL BELOW THE OVERALL BUDGETED AMOUNT. BUT THE CERTAIN CATEGORIES LIKE PROFESSIONAL SERVICES, WHICH IS MY, MY TIME AND OUR CONSULTANT EPS, WORKING ON THE MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEWS MORE BILLING HAS COME IN, SO THE AMOUNT IS HIGHER, BUT WE BUDGETED 137. SO, I DON'T KNOW IF WE'LL EVEN HIT 100,000 THIS YEAR. BUT IT MIGHT BE MORE LIKE 80 OR SOMETHING. BUT ANYWAY WE STILL ARE WELL BELOW THE BUDGETED AMOUNT. AND LOOKING AT THE OTHER CATEGORIES YEAH, EVERYTHING ELSE IS WELL BELOW WHAT, WHAT WAS BUDGETED. EXCEPT THAT THE COST ALLOCATION PLAN, WHICH IS REIMBURSING THE COUNTY FOR OVERHEAD FOR THE COMPUTER SYSTEM AND OTHER SUPPORT, AND THE COUNTY AUDITOR FIGURES THAT AMOUNT OUT AND THEY BUILD IT EVERY, EVERY OTHER MONTH. AND SO THAT AMOUNT WILL MEET THAT $8,166 TOTAL THAT WILL BE COMPLETELY SPENT. OKAY. AGAIN, YEAH. FOR THE BUDGET PURPOSES, ANTICIPATING TEN APPLICATIONS FOR ANNEXATIONS OR BOUNDARY CHANGES OR EXTENSION OF SERVICES OUTSIDE BOUNDARIES OF DISTRICTS OR CITIES, AND ONE MSR MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW, WHICH THE COMMISSION WOULD DIRECT, WHICH ONE WE WANT TO DO. AND I'M JUST MENTIONING THAT THE LATEST OR THE LAST MSR FROM THE ORIGINAL SET OR THERE'S TWO THAT WE HAVEN'T UPDATED YET WERE CEMETERY DISTRICTS, WHICH THERE'S NOT A LOT OF CHANGE, BUT IT'S MORE EFFICIENCY AND BUDGETS AND PROBLEMS LIKE THAT. MAINTENANCE WOULD BE ONE OF THE ISSUES YOU LOOK AT. NOT BOUNDARIES. AND THEN WE HAVE ANOTHER CATEGORY OF UNIQUE DISTRICTS THAT AREN'T A GROUP LIKE CEMETERIES AND RESOURCE CONSERVATION DISTRICTS AND ALL THAT. AND THAT'S THERE'S SOME RECLAMATION DISTRICTS, THERE'S A FLOOD CONTROL DISTRICT THERE'S A COUNTY SERVICE AREA, WHICH IS ACTUALLY THE ENTIRE COUNTY SO THAT WE HAVE A MSR THAT HAS ALL THESE SPECIAL ENTITIES SO THAT IT'S NOT A HIGH PRIORITY DUE TO THAT. SO, BUT THAT WAS SOMETHING ELSE THE COMMISSION CAN DECIDE. SO, WE'LL LEAVE IT UP. WE'LL BRING IT TO YOU WHEN WE'RE READY, WHEN WE FINISH UP THE OTHER TWO MSR THAT WE'RE WORKING ON RIGHT NOW AND YEAH, SAME SUPPORT STAFF WHICH IS MYSELF AS A CONTRACT EMPLOYEE. [00:25:05] AND THEN DANIELLE BETANCOURT IS OUR CLERK, SECRETARY, COUNTY EMPLOYEE. AND THEN WE HAVE OUR CONTRACT WITH COUNTY COUNCIL SUPPORT IF WE GET REALLY BUSY SOMETIMES THERE'S BEEN PLANNERS AVAILABLE FROM THE COUNTY PLANNING DEPARTMENT, WHICH IS WHERE I USED TO WORK. RIGHT NOW, THEY'RE VERY TIGHT. SO, IT MAY ALSO BE IF WE NEEDED SUPPORT, WE WOULD LOOK FOR A CONSULTING FIRM THAT SUPPORTS LAFCO, AND WE COULD GET EXTRA HELP IF WE NEEDED IT THAT WAY. AND SO, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT FOR NEXT YEAR. AND THEN YEAH. SO, THIS IS A NEW SLIDE BASED ON INFORMATION I RECEIVED FROM OUR COUNSEL, MARLA SUBRAMANIAN OF NEW LAW AB 2561 TALKING ABOUT RECRUITMENT EFFORTS AND HOW YOU PUBLICIZE THEM, SIMILAR MAYBE TO YOUR STORY ABOUT STARBUCKS EARLIER STARBUCKS EMPLOYEES THAT IF YOU HAVE VACANCIES, YOU HAVE TO ANNOUNCE IT DURING YOUR BUDGET PROCESS AND HOLD A HEARING ON IT. AND IF YOU HAVE IF YOU HAVE VACANCIES OF EMPLOYEES, OVER 20% OF A BARGAINING UNIT, NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES OF OUR ORGANIZATION, THEN WE'D HAVE TO MAKE A SPECIAL NOTE OF THAT. SO, CONFIRMING WITH MARLA. WE REALLY AREN'T IN THAT SITUATION. I'M A CONTRACT EMPLOYEE. AND THEN THE COUNTY SUPPORT STAFF ARE ALL COUNTY EMPLOYEES ARE NOT EMPLOYEES OF LAFCO, AND WE USE THE MOU. THAT'S PART OF OUR BUDGET. WHICH IS YOU'RE ACTING ON THE MOU IS ON THE AGENDA TODAY. TO COMPENSATE THE COUNTY FOR THE STAFF TIME THAT THE COUNTY EMPLOYEES USE. SO THEY'RE NOT IF THERE'S ANY VACANCY, JUST IT WOULDN'T BE A VACANCY. BUT IF DANIELLE WENT AND GOT A JOB IN, IN WASHINGTON, DC OR SOMETHING THE COUNTY WOULD ASSIGN SOME OTHER STAFF PERSON TO FILL THIS ROLE. SO, WE WOULD NOT BE RECRUITING. WE WOULD NOT BE HIRING. SO, IT REALLY DOESN'T APPLY TO US. BUT WE ARE SUBJECT TO BRING THIS UP EVERY FROM AT LEAST FROM NOW ON, EVERY BUDGET. SO, WE'VE JUST ACCOMPLISHED THAT. YEAH. SO FOR THE FINAL BUDGET, THEN WE JUST RECOMMEND THAT THE OPEN THE SCHEDULED PUBLIC HEARING FOR TODAY AND THEN DISCUSS, CLOSE THE HEARING AND DISCUSS ANY ISSUES YOU MIGHT HAVE. AND THEN AFTER CLOSING THE HEARING, ADOPT THE FINAL BUDGET WITH OR WITHOUT MODIFICATION, AND DIRECT ME AS THE EXECUTIVE OFFICER TO FORWARD THE FINAL ADOPTED BUDGET TO THE CITIES AND THE COUNTY. AND AGAIN, THE SPECIAL DISTRICTS AND AGAIN THEN WE WORK WITH THE AUDITOR'S OFFICE TO COME UP WITH THE ACTUAL BILLING FOR THE ACTUAL AMOUNT WE SPENT. THEN WE'LL BILL THE COUNTY AND THE SIX CITIES IN THEIR RESPECTIVE SHARES. AND IT'S A PRETTY ROUTINE FORMULA. SOMETIMES HAVE TO SEND A REMINDER LETTER TO A COUPLE CITIES, BUT OTHERWISE THE PAYMENTS COME, COME THROUGH. SO, IT'S WORKED VERY WELL OVER THE YEARS. AND THAT CONCLUDES THE PRESENTATION. THANK YOU. THIS TIME I'M GOING TO OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING AT 13 MINUTES AFTER 10:00. ANYONE IN, IN THE IN THE AUDIENCE AND THE PUBLIC WOULD LIKE TO COME AND COMMENT ON OUR BUDGET FOR 2025-26. YOU'RE WELCOME TO COME FORWARD. SEEING NO ONE PRESENT, I'M GOING TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AT 10:14 A.M. WE TURN IT BACK TO THE COMMISSION. WHAT IS YOUR PLEASURE? MEMBERS ARE ANY COMMENTS BEFORE WE HAVE A MOTION? CHAIR I DON'T HAVE ANY COMMENTS. IF THERE ARE NO COMMENTS BY MY COLLEAGUES, I WOULD MAKE THE MOTION TO APPROVE THE 25-26 FISCAL YEAR BUDGET AND DIRECT THE EXECUTIVE OFFICER TO FORWARD THAT BUDGET TO THE COUNTY IN THE SIX CITIES AND SPECIAL DISTRICTS. I'LL SECOND. OKAY. AMABILE. SECOND MOTION. MOTION MADE BY COMMISSIONER. SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER AMABILE TO ADOPT THE BUDGET FOR 2025-26. AS PRESENTED. IT. AND THE OTHER COMMENTS. ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE. AYE. OPPOSED. MOTION CARRIED. OKAY. GENERAL BUSINESS. APPROVAL OF THE MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING WITH MERCED COUNTY FOR STAFF SUPPORT FOR 2526. OKAY. YOU GOT ANY INFORMATION ON THAT OR. NO. IT'S OUR STANDARD AGREEMENT THAT WE USE EVERY YEAR, AND THE DOLLAR AMOUNTS MATCH WHAT WE WELL, THE DOLLAR AMOUNTS MATCH THE COUNTY STAFF, SO I THINK IT'S 18. I MEAN, EXCUSE ME, $8,000. LET ME GET THE RIGHT AMOUNT HERE. [00:30:03] YEAH, $8,334. OKAY. GOT A MOTION BY COMMISSIONER MCDANIEL, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER SILVEIRA TO APPROVE THE MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING WITH MERCED COUNTY FOR THE STAFFING. ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE. AYE. ALL OPPOSED? MOTION PASSED. OKAY. NEXT, I'M GOING TO GO TO THE APPOINTMENT OF THE REGULAR PUBLIC MEMBER FOR THE COMMISSION FOR THE NEXT FOUR YEARS. CHAIR, I MAKE A MOTION THAT WE REAPPOINT COMMISSIONER BERTAO TO ANOTHER FOUR YEAR TERM. AS COMMISSIONER BERTAO ACCEPT THAT. YES, HE DOES. IT'S PROBABLY THE LAST ONE THE LAST TIME, THOUGH. CAN I MAKE ONE COMMENT? I KNOW, BUT I'M GOING TO BE OLDER AFTER THAT. WELL, WE'RE NOT JUST YOU. I JUST DID WANT TO MENTION, FOR THE RECORD, THAT WE FOLLOWED THE REQUIREMENTS IN THE HERTZBERG ACT AND POSTED NOTICE AND PUT IT ON OUR WEBSITE AND MAILED OUT TO ALL GOVERNMENT, THE REQUIRED GOVERNMENT AGENCIES, THAT WE HAD A VACANCY AND WE DID NOT RECEIVE ANY APPLICATIONS EXCEPT FOR COMMISSIONER BERTAO. SO JUST WANTED TO PUT THAT ON THE RECORD. OKAY. ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE. AYE. ALL OPPOSED? MOTION PASSED. OKAY. NEXT IS THE ELECTION OF THE CHAIRMAN AND VICE CHAIRMAN FOR THE COMMISSION FOR THE NEXT YEAR. AND I'D SAY AYE, MR. CHAIR, IF I COULD, I WOULD MAKE THEM SINCE THIS YEAR WAS KIND OF A SLOW YEAR, WE DIDN'T REALLY HAVE A WHOLE LOT GOING ON. I THINK YOU'RE DOING AN EXCEPTIONAL JOB AS CHAIR. IF MY COLLEAGUES DON'T HAVE ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR MOTIONS, I WOULD MOTION THAT. WE JUST KEEP THE CHAIR AND VICE CHAIR. MY MOTION WOULD BE TO KEEP THOSE THE SAME ROLLING INTO THE 24. EXCUSE ME 25-26. YEA, I'LL SECOND THAT MOTION. A MOTION BY COMMISSIONER, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER MCDANIEL THAT WE KEEP THE CURRENT CHAIR. CURRENT CHAIR AND VICE CHAIR. THE CHAIR BEING MYSELF AND THE VICE CHAIR BEING COMMISSIONER SILVEIRA. ANY, ANY OTHER ANY OTHER NOMINATIONS? OKAY. ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE. AYE. ALL OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIED. I THANK YOU VERY MUCH, COMMISSIONERS. I LIKE COMMISSIONER SILVEIRA SAID THERE HAVEN'T BEEN A LOT GOING ON AND WE DIDN'T HAVE TOO MANY MEETINGS, SO I APPRECIATE THE CONFIDENCE. OKAY. I THINK IT'S FROM YOUR SMOOTH LEADERSHIP THAT WE WERE ABLE TO SHORTEN THE MEETINGS. WELL. WE HAVEN'T HAD A WHOLE LOT OF STUFF TO MAKE THEM LONG. SO, ALTHOUGH, ALTHOUGH I DO LIKE TO HAVE PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, I LIKE TO HEAR THE, THE OPINIONS OF THE CONSTITUENCY WHEN THE, WHEN THERE ARE ANY. BUT WE HAVE WE'VE BEEN VERY FORTUNATE THAT WE HAVEN'T HAD VERY MANY CONTROVERSIAL, CONTROVERSIAL ITEMS COME UP. SO, IT'S HOPEFULLY IT STAYS LIKE THAT. OKAY. WELL CAN I MAKE A COMMENT TO THAT REALLY? IT'S JUST, YOU KNOW, I'LL GIVE THE UC ANNEXATION AND THE VIRGINIA SMITH TRUST ANNEXATION, I WILL, I WOULD, I KNOW THERE'S NOBODY HERE, BUT IF SOMEBODY'S WATCHING OR COMES BACK AND WATCHES THIS LATER, I WOULD ENCOURAGE FOLKS TO ENGAGE THE PROCESS THE WAY THAT THEY ENGAGE THE PROCESS. THEY ENGAGED US EARLY, BEFORE THEIR, BEFORE WE EVER SAW AND VOTED ON AN APPLICATION. THEY GAVE US PRESENTATIONS ON WHAT THEY WERE DOING. THEY WERE WORKING WITH BILL. AND THEN YOU SAW THAT IT WAS IT WAS ALMOST UN-CEREMONIAL THAT THE ACTUAL VOTE FOR, AFTER HAVING BEEN HEARD ABOUT THIS ANNEXATION FOR YEARS AND SEEING MULTIPLE PRESENTATIONS AND SITTING ON THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, WE SAW PRESENTATIONS THERE. THERE WAS A LOT OF PRESENTATIONS THAT WERE DONE ON THIS. AND THEN YOU COME TO THE ACTUAL VOTE AND THEY'VE ALREADY DONE ALL OF THE LEGWORK, ALL THE HOMEWORK, EVERYTHING'S BEEN ANSWERED. EVERY ISSUE HAS BEEN MITIGATED. AND IT COMES IN AND IT'S LIKE, OKAY, PUBLIC HEARINGS OVER VOTE FOR AND THEN IT'S OVER. LIKE, YOU KNOW, TWO MINUTES AFTER YEARS OF WORK. SO JUST THE WORD OUT THERE IS ACTUALLY AT A MEETING A COUPLE DAYS AGO AND IT CAME UP ABOUT LAFCO. AND WHAT DOES LAFCO DO? AND THERE WAS A GENTLEMAN THERE THAT SAID THAT THEY WERE POTENTIALLY INTERESTED IN SOME ANNEXATIONS. I DON'T KNOW IF THEY'RE IN AND AROUND THE MERCED OR THE ATWATER AREA, WHEREVER IT WAS. AND I, I GAVE THEM THAT SAME PIECE OF ADVICE AND SAID, COME AND TALK TO BILL NICHOLSON BEFORE YOU'RE EVER READY TO PUT IN AN APPLICATION. THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS THAT HE CAN SHARE WITH YOU THAT WILL HELP THE PROCESS, [00:35:05] SO YOU'LL KNOW EXACTLY WHAT YOU NEED GOING INTO IT VERSUS SUBMITTING SOMETHING AND HAVING TO GO BACK AND CHANGE IT. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. HEY. ANYTHING ELSE? ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. NEXT, WE'RE GOING TO MOVE ON TO THE EXECUTIVE OFFICERS AND COMMISSIONERS' REPORTS. EXECUTIVE OFFICER NICHOLSON, WOULD YOU HAVE FOR US TODAY? YES. I ATTENDED THE STAFF WORKSHOP HELD BY CAL LAFCO, OUR CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF LOCAL AGENCY FORMATION COMMISSIONS, WHICH IS OUR PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATION FOR MAINLY FOR TRAINING, BUT ALSO, THEY HELP SUPPORT LEGISLATION AND COME UP WITH LEGISLATION THAT WOULD SUPPORT LAFCO ACTIVITIES WHICH MAY OR MAY NOT BENEFIT THE COUNTY OR CITIES OR SPECIAL DISTRICTS, DEPENDING ON WHERE YOU SIT. BUT IT'S HELD DOWN IN TEMECULA IN RIVERSIDE COUNTY. IT WAS REALLY IT WAS A GOOD CONFERENCE OVERALL. HAD A LOT OF GOOD, GOOD SESSIONS, EDUCATIONAL SESSIONS. THE ONES I ATTENDED WERE. LET ME SEE HERE ON PROTEST HEARINGS, AS YOU MENTIONED COMMISSIONER SILVEIRA THE UC PROCESS, WE ACTUALLY HAD TO DO A HOLD A PROTEST HEARING FOR STUDENTS OUT AT THE CAMPUS WHEN WE DIDN'T GET ANY PROTESTS. WE HAD TO DO A PROTEST FOR THE RECENT CCID DETACHMENT OF TERRITORY FROM THE CITY OF LOS BANOS BECAUSE IT INVOLVED REGISTERED VOTERS' PROPERTIES. AND WE DIDN'T GET ANY PROTESTS EITHER. BUT IT'S AN IMPORTANT PROCESS. IF YOU HAVE A CONTENTIOUS AREA WHERE SOME PEOPLE MAYBE DON'T LIKE IT. YEARS AGO, THE OLEANDER STREET AREA, WE HAD AN ANNEXATION FOR THE CITY MERCED AND SOME PEOPLE PROTESTED. SO THAT WAS THAT WAS EDUCATIONAL. AND THEY ALWAYS GIVE YOU UPDATE ON LEGISLATION AFFECTING LAFCO. BUT THE, THE BEST THING OF THE CONFERENCE HAS TO DO WITH CAL LAFCO ITSELF, WHERE ON THE FRIDAY WE SPENT THE WHOLE MORNING IN A WORKSHOP WITH THE FORMER EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF CAL LAFCO, PAMELA MILLER, WHO WAS THE LEAD STAFF PERSON FOR MANY YEARS. AND SHE WHEN SHE RETIRED THIS KIND OF WENT ON MOST OF THE PROBLEMS HAVE HAPPENED WITH THE FORMER EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR WHO WHO'S NO LONGER WITH CAL LAFCO. SHE RESIGNED, BUT A LOT OF THINGS WERE CHANGING AND IN FACT STARTED UNRAVELING. AND THAT LED TO SOME LAFCO DROP DROPPING OUT OR ANNOUNCING AS OF THE NEXT BUDGET YEAR, THEY'RE GOING TO BE DROPPING OUT AND THEY'RE ALL FROM SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA. SO, THIS SESSION WAS GOOD INTERACTIVE. WE SAT IN SMALL GROUPS AROUND TABLES. THERE WAS LIKE 15 DIFFERENT GROUPS, AND WE DID A BUNCH OF EXERCISES AND GAVE INPUT ON WHAT DO WE SEE, OUR PROBLEMS, WHAT ARE AREAS FOR IMPROVEMENT? WHAT ARE PROBLEMS WITH COMMUNICATION? BRAINSTORMING. WHAT ROLE SHOULD CAL LAFCO PLAY? SO, THERE WERE A LOT OF GOOD SESSIONS OR EXCUSE ME. RECOMMENDATIONS COMING THAT ARE GOING TO BE FILTERED BACK TO THE LAFCO BOARD. THE BOARD HAD A RETREAT, WHICH IS ACTUALLY A LITTLE SUMMARY OF IT IN AGENDA ITEM EIGHT A THERE'S THIS BROCHURE OF OR SUMMARY OF THE RETREAT THAT THEY HELD BACK IN EARLY MARCH. SO THIS WAS LAFCO BOARD MEMBERS, AND THEY SAID THAT NINE OUT OF THE 14 BOARD MEMBERS WERE IN ATTENDANCE FOR THAT. THERE WERE 16 BOARD MEMBERS, SO TWO ARE VACANT. AND ACTUALLY, ONE MORE SEAT HAS GONE VACANT. WE FORMERLY HAD COMMISSIONER MCDANIEL ON THE BOARD AND RODRIGO AS ESPINOZA, WHO'S NO LONGER ON LAFCO NOW, BUT HE WAS ALSO ON THE BOARD. SO, WE'VE HAD REPRESENTATION BEFORE. AND SO, THEY'RE TRYING TO, TRYING TO WORK THROUGH THE ISSUES AND HELP BUILD CONFIDENCE AND BUILD CONGENIALITY BACK TO THE ORGANIZATION. AND THAT'S WHAT THE STAFF INPUT ALSO WAS TRYING TO PROVIDE. AND TOMORROW THEY'RE HAVING A SESSION IN THE CENTRAL REGION. AND THERE'S FOUR REGIONS OF LAFCO. EACH REGION IS GOING TO HAVE A SPECIAL SESSION TO DO THAT, TOO. THE CAL LAFCO BOARD DIRECTED THAT. SO, THEY'RE ACTIVE VERY ACTIVELY TRYING TO GET FEEDBACK ON WHAT WHAT'S WORKING, WHAT'S NOT WORKING. HOW CAN WE IMPROVE? AND A LOT OF THE INVOLVEMENT IS WITH PAMELA MILLER, WHOSE JOB AFTER LEAVING CAL LAFCO WAS HER OWN COMPANY, MILLER CONSULTING. AND SHE DOES A LOT OF THIS TEAMWORK TEAM BUILDING WORK FOR COMPANIES. THAT'S KIND OF WHAT SHE DOES. AND NOW SHE'S DOING IT FOR HER FORMER EMPLOYER, CAL LAFCO. SO HOPEFULLY IT'LL TURN THINGS AROUND. AND WE I HAVE HEARD THAT THE, THE LAFCO WHO WERE DROPPING OUT, WHICH IS SAN DIEGO, LOS ANGELES, ORANGE AND SAN BERNARDINO SOME OF THEM ARE SAYING, WELL, IF THINGS START TURNING AROUND, WE'LL PROBABLY JOIN AGAIN. [00:40:04] WE'LL COME BACK IN. SO WHAT DO THEY CONSIDER? WHAT DO THEY CONSIDER TURNING AROUND THE, THE DISJOINTED THAT SOME OF THE, THE STUFF THAT WAS GOING ON I ATTRIBUTE TO REALLY THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR RENE LAROCHE NOT HAVING A GOOD BACKGROUND IN THE LAFCO AFFAIRS, AND SHE, SHE WAS HEADSTRONG AND PUSHING APPROACHES THAT WERE MORE TO HER LIKING, AND SHE WAS ABLE TO GET SOME OF THE BOARD MEMBERS TO SIDE WITH HER. AND SO, THE BOARD HAD INTERNAL FIGHTING, WHICH WAS MORE YOU MIGHT HAVE HAD DISAGREEMENTS. AND I KNOW DARREN, YOU KNOW, YOU WERE ON THE BOARD MEMBER AND A LOT OF THE MEETINGS MIGHT BE IN PERSON AND SOME BY, BY ZOOM, BUT YOU KNOW, BY ZOOM. OKAY. YEAH. BUT GENERALLY, THE BOARD WOULD BE COLLEGIAL. YOU MIGHT HAVE A DISAGREEMENT ON SOMETHING, BUT YOU'RE NOT YOU'RE NOT MAKING IT PERSONAL. AND SO, IT STARTED GETTING PERSONAL. AND PEOPLE GETTING ANGRY AND, LIKE, LITTLE POWER GAMES AND THINGS, AND, YOU KNOW, A GOOD MANAGER, YOU KNOW, THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR COULD HELP MINIMIZE THAT. BUT I THINK SHE, SHE WAS USING THAT TO HER ADVANTAGE. AND SO SHE'S GONE. AND NOW, WHICH IS A SIGN OF WHERE THE PROBLEM WAS. AND THERE THE INTERIM EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR IS ACTUALLY THE EXECUTIVE OFFICER IN MY POSITION FROM SACRAMENTO. LAFCO. SO, HE'S RIGHT THERE AND HE'S OVER OVERWORKED WITH ALL HIS OTHER RESPONSIBILITIES, BUT HE'S A LONG TERM LAFCO EMPLOYEE. HE USED TO BE WITH EL DORADO LAFCO. SO. AND HE'S COMMITTED. AND HE'S. SO, THEY'RE REALLY TURNING. I BELIEVE THEY'RE TURNING CAL LAFCO AROUND. AND THE BOARD APPROVED FUNDING FOR THEIR RETREAT FUNDING FOR THE CAL LAFCO STAFF WORKSHOP TO SPEND A HALF A DAY ON FRIDAY TO DO THIS. AND THEN THESE RETREATS, THEY'RE SPONSORING ALL THAT. SO THEY WANT THE INPUT. SO, IF THEY WEREN'T, IF THEY DIDN'T CARE THEY WOULDN'T DO THAT. AND WE EVEN LEARN THE QUESTIONS AT THE RETREAT FOR STAFF WAS DO THEY REALLY CARE OR ARE THEY JUST SAYING, WE'LL DO THIS AND THAT'LL SHUT PEOPLE UP. AND NO, THEY, THEY, THEY'RE DOING THIS FOR REAL TO GET INPUT. NOT JUST AS A DEMONSTRATION. SO, SO IF THESE LAFCO THAT ARE PULLING OUT, SEE THIS POSITIVE ACTION COMING BACK. THEY COULD BE RETURNING IN A PROBABLY A SHORT TIME. YEAH. IT COULD BE LIKE IN THE FOLLOWING YEAR OR SOMETHING. YEAH. AND THEY'RE TRYING TO, YOU KNOW, THEY STILL NEED TO DO LEGISLATION. I THINK THAT'S PART OF IT TOO. SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA HAS SO MUCH POPULATION THAT MAYBE IN THE STATE LEGISLATURE THEY HAVE A LOT OF INFLUENCE. BUT IN CAL LAFCO, THERE'S 58 COUNTIES. SO MAYBE LIKE CRC OR SOME OTHER. WELL, CRC IS RURAL, BUT IT WOULD BE LIKE CSAC. YEAH, CSAC WHERE THEY DON'T GET THEY DON'T GET MORE. YEAH. FIVE OF THE OF THE OF THE 58. YEAH. SO YEAH. SO THEY KIND OF THEY WANT MORE, MORE REPRESENTATION. REPRESENTATION, I GUESS. AND, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF LAFCO MEMBERS ARE ELECTED PEOPLE ON LAFCO BESIDES THE PUBLIC MEMBERS, THEY'RE ELECTED PEOPLE. SO THEY THEY'RE USED TO, YOU KNOW, HAVING TO FIGHT FOR THEIR, THEIR INTERESTS. SO, AND THEY PAY BIGGER, THEY PAY A BIG PART OF THE BUDGET FOR LAFCO. SO THAT'S THE OTHER THING THEY WANT, HEY, WE PAY A LOT, SO WE WANT TO GET OUR REPRESENTATION. WELL, THAT'S WHAT CONCERN. THAT'S A DIFFERENT CONCERN. KIND OF A CONCERN I HAVE. THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE THE CONFERENCE THIS YEAR. YOU KNOW HOW MUCH YOU KNOW THOSE KIND OF EVENTS COST BECAUSE VENUES THEY'RE NOT THEY'RE NOT VERY, VERY NICE ON GIVING GOOD DEALS, BUT DOES ARE THEY GOING TO RAISE ARE THEY GOING TO HAVE TO RAISE THE CURRENT MAKEUP OF LAFCO. ARE THEY GOING TO HAVE TO RAISE THE FEES THAT THE MEMBER LAFCO ARE GOING TO PAY TO ATTEND THIS BECAUSE OF THAT? BECAUSE THOSE PEOPLE ARE NOT GOING TO BE THERE PAYING THEIR SHARE? KNOW WHAT THEY DID. THE BOARD DECIDED BECAUSE THEY ALWAYS HAVE A BALANCE. SO FOR THIS COMING YEAR, THEY'RE KEEPING THE RATES FOR EVERY LAFCO THE SAME. THEY'RE NOT THEY'RE NOT TRYING TO MAKE UP THE LOSS OF REVENUE FROM THE FIVE COUNTIES DOWN SOUTH. THEY'RE SAYING WE'VE GOT TO PRESERVE EVERYBODY. WE'LL PAY THE SAME AMOUNT IF THINGS DON'T TURN AROUND IN A YEAR THEN, THEN IT'LL. YEAH. THEN THEY'LL HAVE TO LOOK AT IT. YEAH. BECAUSE THEN THE COST WILL BE LIKE OUR COSTS COULD TRIPLE OR SOMETHING FOR MERCED. SO BUT IT'S A GOOD, GOOD POINT. YEAH. THAT THAT'S ONE OF THE ISSUES. AND WE DID HAVE JUST AS A SIDE NOTE, WHEN THEY, THEY REDID THE WAY THE DUES WERE PAID WAS ONE OF THE SORE SPOTS FOR SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA BECAUSE THEY WERE ALWAYS PAYING A HUGE, A MUCH LARGER AMOUNT. AND THEN WHEN THEY STARTED PUTTING IT INTO THE REGIONAL STRUCTURE THAT THAT REDUCED IT FOR THEM AND ADDED, EVERYBODY ELSE GOT HIGHER. SO, TULARE LAFCO DROPPED OUT OF THE WHOLE STATE. TULARE DROPPED OUT LIKE FOR 3 OR 4 YEARS AGO JUST BECAUSE OF THAT. * This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.