[CALL TO ORDER] [00:00:03] GOOD MORNING AND WELCOME TO THE JUNE 17TH, 2025 MEETING OF THE MERCED COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS. [CLOSED SESSION] YOUR CLOSED SESSION TODAY IS MEET AND CONFER. AGENCY NEGOTIATOR MARCI BARRERA. THE PUBLIC WILL BE PROVIDED AN OPPORTUNITY TO COMMENT ON ANY MATTER TO BE CONSIDERED IN CLOSED SESSION PRIOR TO THE BOARD ADJOURNING INTO CLOSED SESSION TESTIMONY LIMITED TO THREE MINUTES PER PERSON. THANK YOU AT THIS TIME I WILL OPEN PUBLIC COMMENT FOR THE CLOSED SESSION ITEMS. THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD FOR THE CLOSED SESSION ITEM IS NOW CLOSED. WE WILL NOW ADJOURN INTO CLOSED SESSION. ALL RIGHT GOOD MORNING AND WELCOME BACK TO THE JUNE 17TH, 2025 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 STACY COOLEY AND THEN I WILL LEAD THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. PLEASE BOW YOUR HEADS AND YOUR HEARTS WITH ME TODAY. DEAR GRACIOUS HEAVENLY FATHER, WITH ANTICIPATION FOR GREAT THINGS, WE INVITE YOU INTO THIS MEETING AND INTO OUR HEARTS AND MINDS DURING THIS TIME. WE ASK FOR YOUR HAND TO MOVE IN WAYS WE COULD NEVER IMAGINE. JUST AS YOUR WORD SAYS, THAT WITH MEN IT MAY BE IMPOSSIBLE, BUT WITH YOU, GOD, ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE. WE ASK THAT YOUR SPIRIT RESIDE IN THIS MEETING, AND THAT YOUR PEACE AND PROTECTION COVER EVERY PERSON WATCHING AS THEIR SUPERVISORS, COUNTY COUNCIL, INTERIM CEO AND STAFF DO THEIR BEST TO CONDUCT THIS MEETING AND OUR COUNTY BUSINESS. I ASK THAT YOU GIVE THEM QUICK MINDS, OPEN EARS AND STEADY HANDS. PLEASE BLESS THEM WITH THE TOOLS THEY'LL NEED TO MAKE THE BEST POSSIBLE DECISIONS FOR OUR COUNTY TODAY. FATHER, I ALSO ASK FOR UNITY ON THIS BOARD. NO MATTER THE DIFFICULT DECISIONS THEY MUST MAKE I PRAY THAT YOU HELP THEM TO PUT ASIDE THEIR DIFFERENCES TO WORK TOGETHER. AS IT SAYS IN MATTHEW 12:25, FOR EVERY KINGDOM DIVIDED AGAINST ITSELF IS BROUGHT TO DESOLATION, AND EVERY CITY OR HOUSE DIVIDED AGAINST ITSELF WILL NOT STAND. MAY WE BE A COUNTY THAT PROVES OUR BEST EFFORTS TAKE PLACE WHEN WE WORK TOGETHER, AND THAT OUR TEAM IS STRONGER BY LIFTING EACH OTHER UP. I PRAY THAT YOU BLESS OUR COMMUNITY WITH ABUNDANCE, NOT JUST FINANCIAL OR PHYSICAL ABUNDANCE, BUT WITH AN ABUNDANCE OF JOY AND ABUNDANCE OF PEACE AND ABUNDANCE OF LOVE AS WELL. MAY WE EACH STRIVE TO PUT THE NEEDS OF OTHERS BEFORE OURSELVES AND TO UNITE, TO FIND SOLUTIONS THAT WORK FOR EVERYONE. LORD, PLEASE HELP US TO LIVE IN SUCH A MANNER AS TO INSPIRE OTHERS TO BE GRACIOUS AND KIND, GENEROUS AND FAITHFUL, TRUTHFUL AND WISE. MAY WE BE A REFLECTION OF JESUS TO THIS WORLD THROUGH OUR DEDICATION TO HIM AND OUR PARTNERSHIPS WITH EACH OTHER. GIVE US THE FAITH TO BELIEVE THAT YOU CAN PUT US ON THE MAP AS A MODEL FOR OTHER COUNTIES. USE US TO SPARK A SHIFT IN HOW LOCAL GOVERNMENT OPERATES. GOD, I PRAY THAT WHEN WE WALK THROUGH VALLEYS, MAY WE FIND THE STRENGTH AND SUPPORT THAT WE NEED BY DIGGING DEEP, WORKING HARD, LEANING IN, RELYING ON EACH OTHER, AND FOLLOWING YOUR GUIDANCE. GRANT US ENOUGH PROVISIONS SO THAT WE MAY SHARE WITH THOSE AROUND US WHO MAY FIND THEMSELVES IN NEED. GIVE US HEARTS THAT ARE WILLING TO TACKLE THE CHALLENGES WE FACE WITH THE SPIRIT OF EXCELLENCE AND A STRONG SENSE OF CHARACTER. REMOVE ANY OBSTACLES THAT MAY IMPEDE OUR EFFORTS, AND I PRAY FOR YOU TO LEAD US THE ENTIRE WAY. FATHER, BLESS OUR BOARD AND THEIR FAMILIES. MAY THEY ALWAYS HEAR YOUR VOICE, SEEK YOUR WILL, AND STRIVE TO HONOR YOU AND YOUR WAYS. WE THANK YOU THAT YOUR WORD PROMISES THAT YOU HEAR THE CRIES OF OUR HEARTS, AND THAT YOU ARE A FRIEND WHO STICKS CLOSER THAN A BROTHER. YOU KNOW OUR HEARTS AND OUR NEEDS BEFORE WE EVEN SPEAK THEM. SO WE ASK THAT YOU MEET EVERY NEED REPRESENTED HERE TODAY AND THAT YOU TOUCH OUR ENTIRE COUNTY TEAM, EVERY DEPARTMENT HEAD, EVERY STAFF MEMBER, EVERY VOLUNTEER, EVERY ELECTED OFFICIAL. GOD, YOU SAY IN JAMES CHAPTER FOUR THAT IF WE HUMBLE OURSELVES IN THE SIGHT OF THE LORD, THAT YOU WILL LIFT US UP. WE THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT YOU'RE GOING TO DO AND ALL THAT YOU ARE TO US. GIVE US THE STRENGTH, BOLDNESS, AND DETERMINATION TO DO WHAT YOU'VE CALLED US TO DO TODAY. IN JESUS PRECIOUS AND HOLY NAME WE PRAY. AMEN. AMEN. PLEASE JOIN ME IN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS. ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. AND IT'S NOW TIME FOR PUBLIC [PUBLIC OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK] 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 I WILL OPEN PUBLIC COMMENT AGAIN. THIS IS FOR NON AGENDA ITEMS ONLY. JUST A REMINDER THAT IF THERE'S SOME GOOD MORNING, MR. PEDROZO AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD. MY NAME IS RICHARD PEREZ AND I LIVE RIGHT OUTSIDE OF LIVINGSTON HERE IN MERCED COUNTY. [00:05:03] AND I'M HERE BECAUSE I'M REALLY CONCERNED ABOUT A PROBLEM THAT WE'RE HAVING FOR THOSE OF US THAT LIVE ON THE COUNTRY WITH THE ILLEGAL DUMPING. IT'S JUST IT'S GOTTEN SO BAD AROUND THE AREA WHERE I LIVE. I LIVE ON ARENA WAY MY PROPERTY, MY ALMOND ORCHARD BACKS UP WITH 99. I DO WANT TO THANK MR. PAREIRA, WHO'S BEEN VERY, VERY HELPFUL WITH CLEANING UP SOME OF THE AREA, BUT IT IS JUST PERSISTENT, CONTINUOUS. AND I, YOU KNOW, I'LL DRIVE AROUND MY NEIGHBORS AROUND THE AREA THEIR ALMOND ORCHARDS, THEY'RE ALSO ALL DUMPED AT AND IT'S JUST A BIG PROBLEM. THE OTHER CONCERN I HAVE IS THAT THERE IS A NEIGHBOR, I DON'T KNOW WHO IT IS OWNS AN ALMOND ORCHARD WHO LOOKS LIKE IT'S HE'S ABANDONED IT ALREADY OR SHE AND THE TREES ARE DRY, THE GRASS IS DRY, VERY HIGH. WE DID HAVE A BRUSH FIRE THERE A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO. THANK GOODNESS THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS OVER THERE TO TURN IT OFF RIGHT AWAY. BUT IT'S, BECAUSE IT'S AN ABANDONED ORCHARD, IT APPEARS TO ME THAT IT IS BECAUSE IT'S NOT TAKEN CARE OF, PEOPLE JUST FEEL LIKE THEY CAN GO OVER THERE AND DUMP THEIR STUFF. AND SO I'D LIKE TO SEE IF THERE'S ANY WAY SOMEBODY HERE IN THE COUNTY CAN GET AHOLD OF THE OWNER SO HE CAN CLEAN UP THIS MESS. AND MAYBE, MAYBE PEOPLE WON'T SEE IT AS A DUMP. I DO HAVE SOME PICTURES THAT I WANT TO LEAVE WITH YOU. SO YOU GUYS CAN TAKE A LOOK AT IT. I KNOW MR. PAREIRA IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM WE HAVE IN OUR AREA. WE USED TO HAVE A DAY WHERE PEOPLE WOULD TAKE THEIR STUFF THERE IN LIVINGSTON, AND I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S STILL AVAILABLE. I LIVE ON THE, I'VE BEEN ON THE OUT OF THE CITY FOR MANY YEARS ALREADY. BUT I THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME I KNOW THAT THIS IS NOT A NEW PROBLEM OR ANYTHING NEW THAT YOU'VE HEARD, BUT IT IS PERSISTENT AND IT'S REALLY, REALLY BAD, AND I HOPE THAT SOMETHING CAN BE DONE ABOUT IT. SIR, WHERE, CAN YOU PROVIDE THE ADDRESS OF? THAT IS HERE IN THE PICTURE BETWEEN OLIVE AVENUE OFF 99 SULTANA AND ARENA WAY. OKAY. PICTURES THERE AND THE STREETS AS WELL I CAN JUST LEAVE THIS. SUPERVISOR PACHECO. AND JUST IF YOU COULD LEAVE YOUR CONTACT INFORMATION TOO, SO WE CAN DO SOME FOLLOW UP. YEAH, WE'LL GET IT. THANK YOU VERY, VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. OH PUT IT, SIR PUT IT IN THE BASKET, THERE'S A BASKET RIGHT THERE. THANK YOU. OKAY, ANY MORE PUBLIC COMMENT? SEEING. GO AHEAD IF YOU HAVE A PUBLIC COMMENT, YOU CAN JUST GO AHEAD AND LINE UP ON THE SIDE. GOOD MORNING MY NAME IS JUAN PEREZ AND I'M WITH THE ALLIANCE FOR COMMUNITY WELLNESS. OUR DBA IS LA FAMILIA I APOLOGIZE IF I COME ACROSS LIKE I'M DOING A COMMERCIAL. I'LL TRY TO BE REALLY, REALLY QUICK. OKAY? SO LA FAMILIA WE PROVIDE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SERVICES WE TRY TO MEET COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHERE THEY'RE AT. I WANT TO GIVE YOU JUST A QUICK OVERVIEW OF THE DIFFERENT PROGRAMS THAT WE PROVIDE, PROGRAMS TO SUPPORT AND EMPOWER COMMUNITY MEMBERS. WE PROVIDE OUTPATIENT SERVICES, OUR MAIN OFFICE IS AT A TURLOCK. WE HAVE CONTRACTS WITH DIFFERENT INSURANCES. WE ALSO PROVIDE ENHANCED CARE MANAGEMENT SERVICES FOR THOSE WHO ARE ON MEDI-CAL TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY GET THE SUPPORT THAT THEY NEED SO THAT IT PREVENTS, HOPEFULLY, A HIGHER LEVEL OF CARE. WE ALSO PROVIDE SERVICES OUT IN STANISLAUS TO THREE DIFFERENT COMMUNITIES WHERE THE COUNTY HAS DETERMINED THAT THERE'S A HIGH LEVEL OF NEEDS OUT THERE AT AIRPORT DISTRICT WEST MODESTO AND IN RIVERBANK. WE ALSO PROVIDE SCHOOL BASED SERVICES THROUGHOUT STANISLAUS COUNTY AND MERCED COUNTY. AND RECENTLY, WE WERE FORTUNATE TO GET FUNDING WITH THE BACKING OF SENATOR PADILLA AND ASSEMBLYMAN JUAN ALANIS, TO BE ABLE TO PURCHASE TWO MOBILE VANS. AND THESE VANS ARE INTENDED TO PROVIDE SERVICES IN RURAL COMMUNITIES. THE FIRST BAN HAS BEEN RETROFITTED AND WE STARTED PROVIDING SERVICES, FOR EXAMPLE, OUT IN GUSTINE AT THE LIBRARY WHERE WE PARK AND WE PROVIDE SERVICES. WE'RE ALSO IN SANTA NELLA AT THERE'S A GROCERY STORE THERE WHERE WE PARKED, AND THE COMMUNITY IS ABLE TO GO THERE AND TO GET FREE SCREENINGS FOR DEPRESSION, [00:10:03] ANXIETY, ALCOHOL USE, OR IF THEY NEED SERVICES TO CONNECTION WITH DIFFERENT SOCIAL SERVICES. WE'RE ALSO AT THE LOS BANOS ENCAMPMENT AND ALSO THE LOS BANOS VETERAN HALL WITH THE SECOND VAN. WE HOPE TO BE OUT IN WINTON, LIVINGSTON AND BALLICO. AND WE'RE ALSO GRATEFUL TO HAVE CONTRACTS WITH MADERA COUNTY, WITH MERCED COUNTY, STANISLAUS COUNTY AND SAN JOAQUIN COUNTY TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SERVICES. AND ONE MORE THING THAT WE'RE REALLY HUMBLED AND REALLY FORTUNATE THAT DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH CARE SERVICES HAS SELECTED OUR AGENCY WITH THE BOND BEHAVIORAL HEALTH CONTINUUM INFRASTRUCTURE PROGRAM, A BHCIP WHERE WE'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO HAVE A RESIDENTIAL PROGRAM, RESIDENTIAL PROGRAM OUT IN STEVINSON. SO WE'RE GOING TO OFFER RESIDENTIAL SERVICES TO ADULTS AND ALSO OUTPATIENT SERVICES. AND WITH THAT, I HAVE SOME BROCHURES HERE AND I'LL GO AHEAD AND LEAVE THEM IN THE BIN THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU. OKAY. THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD IS NOW CLOSED FOR NON AGENDA ITEMS WE WILL NOW MOVE ON TO THE CONSENT CALENDAR. [CONSENT CALENDAR] ITEMS 1 - 11. PLEASE NOTE ITEM 3 AND 4 REQUIRE A FOUR -FIFTH VOTE. AT THIS TIME I WILL OPEN PUBLIC COMMENT FOR CONSENT CALENDAR ITEMS 1 - 11. THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD FOR CONSENT CALENDAR ITEMS 1 - 11 IS NOW CLOSED WE'LL BRING IT BACK TO THE BOARD. PACHECO CALL FOR THE VOTE. PLEASE RECORD THE VOTE. THE MOTION PASSES. NEXT, WE WILL MOVE ON TO BOARD ACTION, BEGINNING WITH THE PUBLIC WORKS. [BOARD ACTION] ITEMS 12 AND 13. AT THIS TIME, I WILL OPEN PUBLIC COMMENT FOR PUBLIC WORKS ITEMS 12 AND 13. PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD FOR PUBLIC WORKS ITEMS 12 AND 13 IS NOW CLOSED. BRING IT BACK TO THE BOARD. HAVE A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR PAREIRA, SECOND BY SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA, CALL FOR THE VOTE. PLEASE RECORD THE VOTE. MOTION UNANIMOUSLY PASSES. PAGES ARE STICKING TOGETHER. OKAY NEXT, WE HAVE HUMAN SERVICES AGENCY. ITEMS 14 AND 15. AT THIS TIME, I WILL OPEN PUBLIC COMMENT FOR HSA ITEMS 14 AND 15. PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD FOR HSA ITEMS 14 AND 15 IS NOW CLOSED BRING IT BACK TO THE BOARD. MOTION BY SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA, SECONDED BY SUPERVISOR PACHECO. CALL FOR THE VOTE. PLEASE RECORD THE VOTE. MOTION CARRIES. NEXT WE HAVE PROBATION. ITEM 16. AT THIS TIME I WILL OPEN PUBLIC COMMENT FOR PROBATION ITEM 16. PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD FOR PROBATION ITEM 16 IS NOW CLOSED. BRING IT BACK TO THE BOARD. MOTION BY SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL, SECOND BY SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA. PLEASE CALL FOR THE VOTE. PLEASE RECORD THE VOTE. MOTION PASSES. NEXT, WE HAVE COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. ITEM 17. AT THIS TIME I WILL OPEN PUBLIC COMMENT FOR CED ITEM 17. PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD FOR CED ITEM 17 IS NOW CLOSED. WE'LL BRING IT BACK TO THE BOARD. MOTION BY SUPERVISOR PACHECO, SECONDED BY SUPERVISOR PAREIRA PLEASE CALL FOR THE VOTE. PLEASE RECORD THE VOTE. RECORD THE VOTE. MOTION CARRIES. NEXT, WE HAVE WORKFORCE INVESTMENT. ITEM 18. AT THIS TIME I WILL OPEN PUBLIC COMMENT FOR WORKFORCE INVESTMENT ITEM 18. THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD FOR WORKFORCE INVESTMENT ITEM 18 IS NOW CLOSED. BRING IT BACK TO THE BOARD. MOTION BY SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL, SECONDED BY SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA CALL FOR THE VOTE. [00:15:07] PLEASE RECORD THE VOTE. MOTION CARRIES. NEXT, WE HAVE HUMAN RESOURCES. ITEM 19. AT THIS TIME I WILL OPEN PUBLIC COMMENT FOR HR ITEM 19. PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD FOR HR ITEM 19 IS NOW CLOSED. BRING IT BACK TO THE BOARD. MOTION BY SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA SECOND BY SUPERVISOR PAREIRA CALL FOR THE VOTE. PLEASE RECORD THE VOTE. MOTION CARRIES. NEXT, WE HAVE COUNTY EXECUTIVE OFFICE. ITEMS 20 - 22 WE WILL TAKE ITEMS 20 AND 21 SEPARATE FROM 22. OKAY AT THIS ITEM I WILL TAKE . AT THIS TIME I WILL OPEN PUBLIC COMMENT FOR COUNTY EXECUTIVE OFFICE ITEMS 20 AND 21. CLOSE THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD BRING IT BACK TO THE BOARD. WE HAVE A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR PACHECO, SECONDED BY SUPERVISOR PAREIRA CALL FOR THE VOTE. PLEASE RECORD THE VOTE. MOTION CARRIES. WE WILL NOW MOVE ON TO COUNTY EXECUTIVE ITEM NUMBER 22. I'LL GO AHEAD AND PASS IT OVER TO OUR INTERIM CEO MR. HENDRICKSON. MR. CHAIRMAN, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD GOOD MORNING. AT YOUR LAST MEETING ON JUNE 10TH, THIS BOARD VOTED TO RECONSIDER PRIOR GUIDANCE RELATED TO FIRE SERVICES IN THE DOS PALOS AREA, AFFORDING COMMUNITY MEMBERS WITH AN OPPORTUNITY TO FURTHER ENGAGE IN THE PROCESS. AND ALSO FOR THIS BOARD TO HAVE FURTHER DIALOG ON THIS MOST IMPORTANT ISSUE. THE PURPOSE OF THIS ITEM TODAY IS FOR YOU TO ULTIMATELY PROVIDE DIRECTION TO YOUR STAFF SO THAT THEY CAN PREPARE THE FY 2025-2026 FIRE SERVICES CONTRACT. UPON RECEIVING YOUR DIRECTION TODAY, STAFF WILL OF COURSE RETURN TO THE BOARD ON JULY 8TH FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION OF THAT CONTRACT, MAKING IT RETROACTIVE TO JULY 1ST. NOW, STAFF WILL BE PLEASED TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE TODAY THAT WILL ASSIST, WE HOPE, THE BOARD IN ITS CONSIDERATIONS. SO AT THIS POINT, MR. CHAIRMAN, I WOULD RECOMMEND YOUR FACILITATING CONVERSATION WITH THE BOARD AND THE PUBLIC, THANK YOU SIR. OKAY SO AT THIS POINT I WILL OPEN UP PUBLIC COMMENT AND I'LL ASK MY QUESTIONS AFTER THE PUBLIC COMMENT. SO PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD FOR COUNTY EXECUTIVE OFFICE ITEM 22 IS OPEN. DO THEY HAVE THREE MINUTES? YES WE CAN'T HEAR YOU RIGHT. GOOD MORNING BOARD MY NAME IS MATTHEW JASSO AND I AM A CONCERNED CITIZEN AND RESIDENT IN THE DOS PALOS Y AREA. I AM ALSO EMPLOYED BY THE NICHOLL FAMILY, SAN JUAN RANCHING AND DOS PALOS, WHICH IS A LARGE HISTORICAL FARMING OPERATION NORTH OF HIGHWAY 1 52. WE EMPLOY OVER 100 MEN AND WOMEN WHICH COMMUTE FROM EACH ONE OF YOUR DISTRICTS, AS WELL AS SURROUNDING COUNTIES. THE POTENTIAL CLOSURE OF THE DOS PALOS WYE FIRE STATION RAISES A HUGE CONCERN FOR THE FOLLOWING REASONS. A LOT OF OUR WORKFORCE COMMUTES 12 MONTHS OUT OF THE YEAR, AND WE ALL KNOW IN THE WINTER MONTHS WE GET QUITE A BIT OF FOG ALONG THE HIGHWAY 152 CORRIDOR. THAT'S GOING TO BE DEVASTATING AND RESPONSE TIME TO NOT ONLY EVERYBODY WHO WORKS FOR US, BUT EVERYBODY WHO DRIVES THAT CORRIDOR. ANOTHER CONCERN IS, IN OUR AREA, THE FARMING OPERATIONS HAVE LOTS OF HAZARDOUS MATERIAL THAT WE ARE AS SAFE AS WE CAN BE. BUT IF ANYTHING WERE TO HAPPEN, THAT WOULD BE HUGE DEVASTATION AND RESPONSE TIME. HEAT ILLNESS, WHICH WE HAVEN'T HAD ANY IN QUITE A FEW YEARS. BUT THE RESPONSE TIME TO HEAT ILLNESS AND ACCIDENTS IN AND AROUND THE RANCH WOULD BE DEVASTATING IN RESPONSE TIME. NOW THERE'S ANOTHER ENGINE CLOSE BY, BUT THAT ENGINE COVERS QUITE A BIT OF AREA. AND IF THAT ENGINE WERE OUT, THE RESPONSE TIME TO US AND ANYBODY IN THAT AREA WOULD BE DEVASTATING. WE ASK THAT YOU PLEASE RECONSIDER THE CLOSURE OF THIS STATION AND THE OTHER STATION IN QUESTION AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. [00:20:17] GOOD MORNING THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK CHAIRMAN AND SUPERVISORS PRESENT. MY NAME IS HANNAH COLE I'M A THIRD GENERATION RESIDENT AND BUSINESS OWNER LOCATED AT THE DOS PALOS Y. I AM CURRENTLY AN, EXCUSE ME, AN EDUCATOR HERE AT GOLDEN VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL IN MERCED. AND I TEACH A MULTITUDE OF DIFFERENT AGRICULTURE CLASSES. I'M HERE TODAY TO STRONGLY OPPOSE THE PROPOSED CLOSURE OF FIRE STATION 75 OR ANY FIRE STATION IN DOS PALOS, FOR THAT MATTER. THIS STATION IS A LIFELINE FOR OUR RURAL AREA, ALREADY STRETCHED THIN IN EMERGENCY COVERAGE WITHOUT STATION 75, RESPONSE TIMES FOR FIRES, MEDICAL CALLS OR TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS WILL SUFFER, PUTTING LIVES AT RISK. FROM THE BEGINNING OF THIS DISCUSSION, COMMUNICATION WITH CONSTITUENTS ON THIS ISSUE HAS BEEN EXTREMELY POOR. THIS CONCERN HAS BEEN EXPRESSED AD NAUSEAM. HOWEVER, JUST TALKING ABOUT THE AGRICULTURAL IMPACT DOESN'T CAPTURE THE FULL DANGER OF THIS CLOSURE. HIGHWAY 152 THROUGH DOS PALOS IS NO SLEEPY BACK ROAD. IT CARRIES AROUND 20,700 VEHICLES ON AVERAGE EACH DAY AT THE DOS PALOS Y INTERSECTION. THIS IS THE BUSIEST STRETCH ON THIS CORRIDOR BETWEEN HERE AND LAS VEGAS. THAT'S THOUSANDS OF COMMUTERS, TRUCKERS, STUDENTS, FAMILIES PASSING THROUGH DAILY. THIS VOLUME IS ONLY GOING TO INCREASE THE RISK OF SERIOUS EMERGENCIES AND UNDERSCORES WHY WE NEED THAT OPERATIONAL STATION RIGHT WHERE IT'S LOCATED. HAVING WORKED IN THE INDUSTRY MYSELF AND BEING A THIRD GENERATION BUSINESS OWNER IN THIS AREA, I KNOW FIRSTHAND HOW QUICKLY A FIRE OR MEDICAL CALL CAN DEVASTATE A COMMUNITY WITHIN MINUTES. EVEN A FEW EXTRA MINUTES WAITING FOR BACKUP CAN MEAN CATASTROPHIC LOSSES FOR FAMILIES, FARM, AND ULTIMATELY, OUR ECONOMY. AS AN EDUCATOR, I TEACH MY STUDENTS ABOUT COMMUNITY, COMMITMENT AND CIVIC RESPONSIBILITY. I STRUGGLE TO INSTILL THOSE VALUES WHEN OUR OWN LEADERS ARE PROPOSING TO PULL ESSENTIAL SERVICES FROM OUR REGION. CLOSING STATION 75 IS A RISK WE CANNOT TAKE. IT'S NOT JUST A MATTER OF LOCAL CONVENIENCE IT'S ABOUT PUBLIC SAFETY AND PRESERVATION FOR RURAL LIVELIHOODS. SUPERVISORS, BEFORE VOTING TODAY, PLEASE CONSIDER ALL MEMBERS INVOLVED IN THIS DISCUSSION, NOT JUST THE LOCAL COMMUNITY OF THE Y, BUT ALL CALIFORNIANS WHO TRAVEL THROUGH THIS CORRIDOR. LET'S WORK TO KEEP THIS STATION OPEN, ENSURE TIMELY EMERGENCY RESPONSE, AND PROTECT THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE, WORK, AND TRAVEL THROUGH THE DOS PALOS Y EVERY DAY THANK YOU. GOOD MORNING, MISTER CHAIR. MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, I'M STEVE MAXEY HERE REPRESENTING THE FAGANAS FAMILY. FAGANAS FAMILY HAS ROUGHLY 180 ACRES OF DEVELOPMENT PROPERTY IN THE COMMUNITY OF DOS PALOS, JUST OUTSIDE OF THE COMMUNITY OF DOS PALOS A CTUALLY, ANNEXATION APPLICATIONS HAVE ALREADY BEEN MADE WITH THE CITY, WITH THE IDEA OF PLANNING FOR LONG TERM RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT IN THAT AREA. AND WE'RE ONE OF JUST A COUPLE DEVELOPERS THAT ARE MAKING THAT INVESTMENT. AND, AND DOS PALOS LONG TERM. CERTAINLY WANT TO UNDER STATE THAT, YOU KNOW, THIS IS A NUANCED THING THAT YOU GUYS ARE CONSIDERING. I UNDERSTAND THAT THE FAMILY UNDERSTANDS THAT I THINK TO ECHO A LOT OF THE SENTIMENTS THAT WERE JUST EXPRESSED FOR KEEPING STATION 75, THE RESPONSE TIME, THE NEED FOR MORE RURAL FIRE SERVICE. THOSE THINGS ARE INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT. IN A PERFECT WORLD, YOU KEEP BOTH OF THESE STATIONS THAT'S SOMETHING THAT THE FAMILY WOULD ABSOLUTELY SUPPORT TO THE DEGREE THAT BUDGET IS THERE AND THAT'S A DOABLE SOLUTION. WITH THAT SAID, A LOT OF THOSE SAME ISSUES THAT WERE EXPRESSED WITH CLOSURE OF THE 75 STATION. RESPONSE TO TRAFFIC ISSUES, RESPONSE TIME TO INJURIES, ESPECIALLY WITH HEAT ILLNESS. A LOT OF THOSE SAME ISSUES ARE PRESENT IN THE COMMUNITY OF DOS PALOS. YOU HAVE AN AGED POPULATION IN THE COMMUNITY OF DOS PALOS, A DISADVANTAGED POPULATION, THAT THE COUNTY HAS GONE THROUGH A LOT OF EFFORT TO PLAN AROUND IN THE COMMUNITY OF DOS PALOS. AND AS WE KNOW, THOSE ARE MORE SENIOR CITIZENS ARE ALSO VERY SUSCEPTIBLE TO THOSE HEAT ISSUES THAT WERE JUST RAISED AS WELL. SO, YOU KNOW, THESE ARE NOT JUST LOCALIZED TO THE DOS PALOS Y. THIS COMMUNITY OF DOS PALOS HAS A LOT OF THESE SAME ISSUES AND A GREATER CONCENTRATION OF THESE ISSUES THAT HAVE TO BE PLANNED FOR IN LONG TERM. [00:25:05] CLOSURE OF THE STATION 76 WOULD REALLY HAMPER LONG TERM DEVELOPMENT IN THE COMMUNITY OF DOS PALOS. THIS DEVELOPMENT THAT THE COUNTY HAS WORKED FOR YEARS, AND IN MY PREVIOUS ROLE WITH THE COUNTY, WE SPENT A LOT OF TIME PLANNING FOR HOW TO COORDINATE REGIONAL HOUSING DEVELOPMENT ACROSS THE COUNTY. HOW THE COUNTY COULD SHARE A LOAD AND SUPPORT URBAN DEVELOPMENT WITHIN OUR INCORPORATED CITIES, AND DOS PALOS IN PARTICULAR BEING A DISADVANTAGED COMMUNITY. HAVING SEEN SUPPORT FROM STATE AND FEDERAL EFFORTS THROUGH CONGRESSMAN COSTA'S OFFICE TO REALLY GET THE WATER SERVICE, THAT'S IMPORTANT IN THAT COMMUNITY TO BE ABLE TO SUPPORT LONG TERM DEVELOPMENT. AND I'D LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT THAT CLOSURE OF STATION 76 IN DOS PALOS WOULD REALLY HAMPER LONG TERM DEVELOPMENT AND THE COMMUNITY OF DOS PALOS, WHERE THAT NEED IS MOST KEENLY FELT FOR HOUSING DEVELOPMENT AND THE RESULTING ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT THAT WOULD COME WITH IT. SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION I APPRECIATE THE DISCUSSION THAT'S HAPPENED FROM THE BOARD OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF MEETINGS. PICKS UP AS LOUD AS IT CAN BE SO I DON'T, I'M NOT SURE. IF YOU GET CLOSER TO THE MICROPHONE MAYBE? IS THIS BETTER? CAN YOU HEAR ME IN THE BACK? GOOD MORNING SUPERVISORS MY NAME IS KATY REED, MAYOR OF DOS PALOS. WE'VE BEEN HERE BEFORE TIME AFTER TIME AGAIN, AND I WOULD LIKE TO EMPHASIZE THE NEED FOR BOTH STATIONS TO STAY OPEN. THEY PROVIDE NEEDS, VERY DIFFERENT NEEDS FOR THE SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES OF DOS PALOS. AT THE WHY, THEY'RE MAINTAINING ALL OF THE RESIDENTS AT THE Y, THE BUSINESSES, THE FARMS AND HIGHWAY 152. IN THE CITY OF DOS PALOS, WE SERVE SOUTH DALLAS PALACE, MIDWAY OUT TOWARDS THE FRESNO COUNTY LINE, TOWARDS OUR BRYANT SCHOOLS, AND WE HAVE ALL OF OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS IN THE CITY LIMITS AND SURROUNDING REGIONS. NOT ONLY WOULD CLOSING THE STATION IN THE CITY OF DOS PALOS HINDER ANY OF OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND HOUSING DEVELOPMENTS. IT WOULD ALSO HINDER THE ABILITY TO HAVE FIRE PROTECTION AND INSURANCE FOR OUR HOMES. I URGE THE SUPERVISORS TO KEEP BOTH STATIONS OPEN IN THE EVENT THAT THEY CANNOT KEEP BOTH STATIONS OPEN, BECAUSE THIS IS A FINANCIAL BURDEN. PLEASE KEEP IN MIND THAT CLOSING THE CITY OF DOS PALOS WILL CAUSE FINANCIAL BURDEN TO THE COUNTY FOR YEARS TO COME THANK YOU. OKAY. ANY OTHER PUBLIC COMMENT? OKAY. AT THIS TIME I WILL CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENT FOR ITEM 22 AND BRING IT BACK TO THE BOARD FOR QUESTIONS AND DISCUSSION. SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR I WANT TO THANK THE FOLKS AGAIN FROM MY DISTRICT THAT MADE THE DRIVE OVER FOR THE MEETING TODAY. AS I HAVE STATED UP HERE BEFORE, I THINK THAT THE RIGHT THING TO DO IS TO KEEP BOTH STATIONS OPEN. YES, IF WE'RE BEING REAL ABOUT THE CONVERSATION WE ARE NOT ON A SUSTAINABLE PATH. RIGHT? AND WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THAT, IT'S BEEN BUDGETED. IT'S BEEN PUT INTO THE BUDGET, HOW THAT BUDGET BALANCES IS IT'S A LITTLE THING CALLED FUND BALANCE. THAT'S BASICALLY UNSPENT MONEY FROM THE PREVIOUS YEAR THAT GETS ROLLED OVER INTO THE NEXT YEAR. AND I AND I'LL BE THE FIRST PERSON TO ADMIT THAT SUSTAINABLE ONGOING, THAT SOMETHING HAS TO CHANGE IN ORDER FOR US TO BE ABLE TO CONTINUE PROVIDING FIRE SERVICE IN BOTH AREAS. THAT BEING SAID, I DO WANT TO THANK DOS PALOS FOR STEPPING UP TO THE PLATE AND REALLY TRYING TO DO WHAT WE'VE KIND OF SAID NEEDS TO BE DONE UP HERE IS THAT AN INCORPORATED CITY SHOULD BE PROVIDING FOR THE FIRE SERVICE IN THAT INCORPORATED AREA. AND UNDERSTANDING THAT DOS PALOS MAYBE IS NOT QUITE IN THAT POSITION NOW, BUT DID PASS A SALES TAX MEASURE TO START CONTRIBUTING TOWARD THAT AND WITH A PLAN, WANTING TO PARTNER WITH THE COUNTY OVER THE NEXT FEW YEARS, GETTING TO THE POSITION TO WHERE THEY CAN ACTUALLY FUND THEIR FAIR SHARE OF THE FIRE STATION ON AN ONGOING BASIS. THAT ALL BEING SAID, IT COMES DOWN TO, FOR ME, THE RIGHT THING TO DO IS TO KEEP BOTH STATIONS OPEN. WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE MAPS OF THE RESPONSE AREAS OF THOSE TWO STATIONS CLOSING, EITHER ONE OF THOSE STATIONS REALLY GIVES EVERYBODY IN THAT AREA IT PUTS THEM AT A DISADVANTAGE. [00:30:01] BECAUSE IN ALL ACTUALITY, THE AMOUNT OF RESPONSE AREA THAT WOULD HAVE TO BE COVERED BY ONE STATION DOUBLES. AND THE CHALLENGING PART, AS I KNOW THAT WE'VE HAD TO MAKE TOUGH DECISIONS UP HERE TO CLOSE FIRE STATIONS AND OTHER PARTS OF THE COUNTY. TO ME, IN MY MIND THAT'S IT'S COMPARING APPLES TO ORANGES IN THIS SENSE. WHEN YOU CLOSE A STATION IN CRESSEY, YOU HAVE WITHIN 10 TO 12 MINUTES YOU HAVE FOUR OTHER STATIONS THAT ARE GOING TO BE THERE. WHEN YOU CLOSE THE STATION IN MCKEE, YOU HAVE A CITY FIRE STATION THAT NOW PROVIDES SERVICE THERE THAT'S 4/10 OF A MILE AWAY FROM WHERE THE CURRENT STATION IS. WHEN YOU CLOSE EITHER ONE OF THOSE STATIONS IN EITHER, WHETHER IT'S DOS PALOS OR DOS PALOS WYE, YOU'RE MINIMALLY WAITING 20 MINUTES FOR THE NEXT PIECE OF EQUIPMENT TO GET THERE AND BACK. FROM MY DAYS OF BEING A VOLUNTEER FIREMAN, I CAN TELL YOU THEY COME IN THREES. YOU CAN GO A WHOLE DAY WITHOUT HAVING A CALL, AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN, HERE YOU GO YOU GET THREE OF THEM RIGHT BACK TO BACK TO BACK. WELL, YOU PUT THAT AND WAITING ON 20 MINUTE RESPONSE AREAS, RESPONSE TIMES FROM OTHER STATIONS. I JUST THINK THAT WE FIND THE MONEY IS THE MONEY HAS ALREADY BEEN ALLOCATED IN THE BUDGET. YES IT'S USING FUND BALANCE TO GET THERE I TOTALLY UNDERSTAND THAT. DOS PALOS IS WILLING, THEY'VE ALREADY COMMITTED VERBALLY, AND I WOULD ASK IF I'M GOING TO MAKE A MOTION HERE IN A MINUTE. IS THAT WE MEMORIALIZE THAT IN AN MOU THAT SALES TAX MEASURE THAT PASSED IN DOS PALOS IS CONTRIBUTED TO THE CITY'S PORTION OF FIRE SERVICE AND THEN WORKING ON A PLAN. AND SO THIS IS I KNOW THAT MY COLLEAGUES ARE ALL GOING TO HAVE COMMENTS ON IT, BUT I'M JUST GOING TO GET MY MOTION OUT IN FRONT RIGHT NOW. MY MOTION WOULD BE IS THAT WE CONTINUE FUNDING STATION 76 IN DOS PALOS AND DOS PALOS FIRE STATION CONTINUING TO BE OPEN. AND I WOULD LIKE TO PUT IT AND I KNOW THIS IS ASKING A LOT, BUT A THREE YEAR COMMITMENT TO IT THAT WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO PROVIDE THIS FIRE SERVICE AND THEN A CHECK IN AT THREE YEARS. AND THIS IS WHERE I'VE HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH THE CITY MANAGER, THE MAYOR, THAT IT'S PROBABLY AN EXAGGERATED OR KIND OF A QUICK TIMELINE, BUT AT THE END OF THREE YEARS, SO THAT WE'RE NOT HAVING THIS DISCUSSION A YEAR FROM NOW AND A YEAR FROM NOW AND GETTING EVERYBODY ALL RILED UP AGAIN, WE COMMIT TO THREE YEARS WITH THEM. AND AT THE END OF THAT THREE YEARS WE TAKE A HARD LOOK AT IS, IS THE CITY'S PLAN WORKING OUT THEIR WATER TREATMENT PLANTS ONLINE? THEY'VE INCREASED THEIR IMPACT FEES FOR FIRE SERVICE? THEY'VE CREATED COMMUNITY FACILITY DISTRICTS TO CONTRIBUTE TOWARD FIRE SERVICE? AND THEN WE HAVE A REAL CONVERSATION AT THE END OF THOSE THREE YEARS THAT SAYS WHETHER WE CAN CONTINUE TO DO OR NOT, WE ARE NOT ON A SUSTAINABLE PATH. I UNDERSTAND THAT, BUT WHEN IT COMES TO THE HEALTH, WELFARE AND SAFETY OF OUR CITIZENS, WE HAVE TO DRAW THE LINE AND I GET IT. I'VE MADE VOTES UP HERE TO CLOSE OTHER FIRE STATIONS. AGAIN, I'LL REITERATE THAT IT'S VERY DIFFERENT WHEN YOU HAVE FOUR OTHER STATIONS THAT ARE WITHIN TEN MINUTES OF THAT AREA THAT YOU'RE CLOSING VERSUS 20 MINUTES. SO THAT WOULD BE MY MOTION I WOULD HOPE FOR A SECOND, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO ANY OTHER COMMENTS BY MY COLLEAGUES. OKAY SO WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND, BUT WE HAVE DISCUSSION? YES. OKAY SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR THANK YOU I'M THE ONE WHO MOTIONED THIS AT OUR LAST MEETING TO BRING IT BACK. I'VE HAD SOME EXTENSIVE CONVERSATIONS, NOT ONLY WITH CAL FIRE, BUT BUDGET FOLKS HERE AT THE COUNTY AND MOVING FORWARD. AND WHAT I GOT TO TELL YOU ONE THING THAT MADE ME WANT TO BRING THIS BACK. THE CITY OF DOS PALOS, WE TALKED ABOUT CIVIC RESPONSIBILITY THAT WE ALL HAVE. THE CITY OF DOS PALOS PASSED THIS MEASURE IN MARCH, AND YET NEVER DID A FORMAL RESOLUTION AS JUST THE CITY COUNCIL, TO SAY WHERE THAT MEASURE MONEY WAS GOING TO GO. AND SO, MOVING FORWARD, I MEAN, THE GOAL REMAINS CLEAR PROTECT LIVES, MAINTAIN STRONG EMERGENCY RESPONSE, AND ENSURE FAIRNESS AND ACCOUNTABILITY OF FUNDING. BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, THE DOS PALOS WYE STATION IS MERCED COUNTY'S FACILITY AND SERVES THE UNINCORPORATED AREAS, MAKING IT THE CLEAR COUNTY'S RESPONSIBILITY. THE COUNTY TAXPAYERS SHOULD NOT BEAR THE FULL COST OF A STATION THAT PRIMARILY SERVES CITY RESIDENTS. TRUE PARTNERSHIPS REQUIRES FINANCIAL PARTICIPATION. SO I'M REACHING OUT TO THE CITY OF DOS PALOS IF YOU WANT ME TO SUPPORT THIS, I NEED THE CITY OF DOS PALOS TO STEP UP WITH THEIR CIVIC RESPONSIBILITY AND THE SAFETY OF THEIR PEOPLE. I MEAN, WE'RE ASKING DISTRICT 3 TAXPAYERS TO SUPPLEMENT THE STATION IN THE CITY OF DOS PALOS. [00:35:10] I'D LIKE TO SEE A CLEAR PATH BROUGHT HERE TO US. I MEAN, DOS PALOS, YOU ARE AN INCORPORATED CITY, YOU ARE A CITY. BUT YET WE'RE LOOKING AT THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE BURDEN OF THE OTHER FOLKS IN THE COUNTY TO COVER YOUR COSTS. SO I'M A LITTLE DIFFERENT THAN WHAT I WAS THE LAST TIME, BECAUSE I'VE GOTTEN MORE INFORMATION. BUT I REALLY WISH THE CITY COUNCIL WOULD HAVE STEPPED UP AND FULLY EMBRACED WHAT THEIR CONSTITUENCY VOTED FOR ON THAT MEASURE AND FORMALIZED THE AGREEMENT, BECAUSE RIGHT NOW WE COULD OPEN UP BOTH STATIONS AND THERE IS NO FORMAL AGREEMENT THEY COULD KEEP THE MONEY WITHIN THEIR OWN CITY. SO IT WAS NEVER FORMALIZED SO IN LEADERSHIP AND CITY LEADERSHIP, WE SHOULD HAVE STEPPED UP AND DONE THIS. I'M NOT, I'M STILL, I'M RIGHT HERE, I'M READY TO HEAR MORE FOLKS TALK ABOUT THIS. BUT THERE IS A COST AND WHATEVER COST WE'RE PUTTING IN DOS PALOS IS TAKEN AWAY FROM EVERYBODY ELSE WHERE I THINK THE CITY REALLY NEEDS TO STEP UP AND PAY THEIR FAIR SHARE. AND THAT'S NOT JUST HERE I'M LOOKING AT GUSTINE. GUSTINE NEEDS TO PAY THEIR FAIR SHARE. WE HAD A LONG, STRONG CONVERSATION WITH THE CITY OF LIVINGSTON AND THE CITY OF LIVINGSTON, PUT A $0.01 SALES TAX, AND THEY REALLY STEPPED UP FOR WHAT THEY HAD TO DO. SO I'M JUST I'M PUTTING THIS OUT THERE FOR CONVERSATION. I TELL YOU, I'M STILL RIGHT HERE. I'M TRYING TO FIGURE THIS OUT. BUT FOR CIVIC RESPONSIBILITY AND ACCOUNTABILITY, I MEAN, THE COUNTY OUR FIRE STATION IS AT THE WYE. THAT'S THE COUNTY'S RESPONSIBILITY. NOW, HOW DO WE KEEP THE DOS PALOS CITY FIRE STATION OPEN? I REALLY WISH THE CITY COUNCIL AND I WISH THEY WOULD HAVE STEPPED UP AND HAD A LITTLE MORE OF A FORMALIZATION TO PRESENT TO US HERE AS THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. SUPERVISOR PACHECO. THANK YOU CHAIR, YEAH, I AGREE WITH MY COLLEAGUES. BUT I THINK WE NEED TO GIVE THE CITY SOME TIME TO DO THAT. OBVIOUSLY, THERE'S, YOU KNOW, THERE'S SOME SOUNDS LIKE THERE'S SOME DEVELOPMENT PLANNED, WE'VE GOT THAT SALES TAX. HOPEFULLY THEY WILL COME TO US AND GET THAT FORMAL MOU LIKE SUPERVISOR PEDROZO SAID TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT MONEY DOES GO TO OUR STATION. BUT JUST ONCE WE CLOSE STATIONS, THEY'RE VERY HARD TO OPEN BACK UP. AND I THINK THAT WE NEED TO AT LEAST MAKE THE EFFORT TO, TO KEEP IT OPEN, AND WE'LL GIVE IT SOME TIME. BUT, YEAH, GIVE THEM TIME TO STEP UP AND HELP THE COUNTY. DISTRICT 1 IS KIND OF A UNIQUE SITUATION LIKE THAT TOO. WE HAVE A LOT OF RURAL STATIONS, AND I THINK THAT THE SPEAKER WAS CORRECT. WE NEED TO KEEP THOSE RURAL STATIONS OPEN MAKE SURE THAT THOSE RESIDENTS ARE PROTECTED SO. BUT I THINK THE CITY DOES PASSAGES WE NEED TO GET TOGETHER AND STEP UP AND MAKE A SOLID LONG TERM PLAN IF THIS IS WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO THANKS. SUPERVISOR PAREIRA. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR, THIS IS OBVIOUSLY A TOUGH DECISION FOR US OR FOR MYSELF. I DON'T PARTICULARLY CARE FOR THE IDEA OF KICKING THE CAN DOWN THE ROAD FOR THREE YEARS. I JUST YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN SAYING SINCE 2018 THAT OUR FIRE SYSTEM IS BROKE, RIGHT? THE FUNDING SOURCE FOR OUR FIRE FOR THE WHOLE COUNTY IS BROKE AND WE'RE CLOSING STATIONS. WE'RE DIPPING INTO THE GENERAL FUND. WE HAVE SOME UPCOMING OBLIGATIONS FOR STAFFING AT THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT THAT COULD COST THE COUNTY APPROXIMATELY $9 MILLION A YEAR. WE HAVE A LOT OF OTHER INCREASES IN OUR COST, AND I DON'T SEE OUR INCOME AND REVENUES TO THE COUNTY INCREASING TO KEEP PACE WITH THAT. AND SO I, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE REASONS WHY THIS STATION COST US SO MUCH IS THAT WE'RE CONTRACTED WITH CAL FIRE. WE HAVE TO HAVE TWO PEOPLE IN THAT STATION WITH THE 3.0 FACTOR. YOU KNOW KIND OF AN IDEA THAT MAYBE I'D LIKE FOR US TO LOOK AT IS IF WE'RE GOING TO KEEP THE STATION OPEN AND WORK WITH THE CITY OF DOS PALOS TO DO THAT IS THAT MAYBE IT BECOMES THE CITY OF DOS PALOS STATION, AND THEN WE HELP THEM GET FROM POINT A TO POINT B. AND THAT MAY BE THAT THERE'S WE'RE BACK TO THE 1.0 STAFFING IN THAT STATION IN THE INTERIM UNTIL THE DEVELOPMENT CAN HAPPEN SALES TAX CAN [00:40:10] INCREASE. YOU KNOW, JUST BUILDING MORE HOUSES ACTUALLY COSTS THE CITY OF DOS PALOS MORE MONEY TO OPERATE BECAUSE THE INCOME GENERATED OFF OF THOSE HOUSES IS ACTUALLY GOING TO HURT THEIR BUDGET IT'S REALLY NOT GOING TO HELP IT BECAUSE THEY'VE GOT TO PROVIDE MORE SERVICES. AND YOU REALLY NEED THE SALES TAX, RIGHT? YOU NEED SOME COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT TO REALLY BRING IN THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT IT'S GOING TO TAKE FOR THE CITY OF DOS PALOS TO PROVIDE FIRE SERVICES TO THEMSELVES. SO ANYWAYS, I DON'T KNOW YET. I'M NOT READY TO MAKE AN AMENDMENT TO THE MOTION, BUT I'M THINKING THAT BUT I DON'T KNOW. IS THERE ANY ANYBODY ELSE WISHING TO SPEAK? I DO OKAY, THEN I'LL HOLD ON. SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA. MR. CHAIR, I'LL WAIT FOR YOU TO MAKE YOUR COMMENTS. OKAY I'D LIKE TO ASK FIRE TO COME UP, AND I HAVE A COUPLE QUESTIONS FOR THEM. YOU KNOW I'M NOT SURE HOW MUCH. YOU KNOW, WHEN WE SAY IT'S EASY TO TOSS AROUND GOVERNMENT LANGUAGE, RIGHT? 2.0, 3.0 STAFFING AND THAT TYPE OF STUFF. IT'S ANOTHER THING TO REALLY UNDERSTAND. SO I ASKED THEM YESTERDAY TO KIND OF EXPLAIN IT A LITTLE BIT MORE. AND THEN ALSO, YOU KNOW, THERE'S THIS THIS DISCUSSION ABOUT THAT IT'S PUT IN THE BUDGET AND IT'S BUDGETED ALREADY FOR IT. NOW FINANCE SUSTAINABILITY WISE OF IT, I DON'T AGREE. AND I ALSO DON'T AGREE WITH THE FACT THAT IT WAS PUT IN THE BUDGET TO BEGIN WITH, WHEN STAFF OR WHEN THIS BOARD GAVE DIRECTION MONTHS AGO TO NOT, BUT IT STILL FOUND ITS WAY IN THERE. SO THAT WOULD I 'D LIKE THAT TO BE EXPLAINED. AND THEN I'LL HAVE SOME COMMENTS AFTERWARDS SO GO AHEAD. GOOD? CHAIR MEMBERS OF THE BOARD THANK YOU. MY NAME IS CHRIS TRINIDAD I'M THE UNIT CHIEF FOR CAL FIRE AND THE FIRE CHIEF FOR MERCED COUNTY AND, MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC CAN YOU HEAR ME IN THE BACK? NOT VERY WELL. I'LL TRY TO SCOOT UP. HOW ABOUT NOW? ALL RIGHT, SO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE 2.0 STAFFING AND THE 3.0 FACTOR, WHAT THAT MEANS IN A FIRE STATION, RIGHT? SO OUR BATTALION CHIEFS DOWN TO OUR FIRE APPARATUS ENGINEERS ARE PART OF BARGAINING UNIT 8 FOR RANK AND FILE. AND IN THEIR WORK SCHEDULE, THEY WORK 28 DAY WORK PERIODS. SO THERE'S 13 WORK PERIODS IN A CALENDAR YEAR. OKAY? OUT OF THAT 28 DAYS, EVERY EMPLOYEE WORKS 264 SCHEDULED HOURS, 11 24 HOUR SHIFTS. OKAY? AND WITH THAT, THE TERM 2.0 REFERENCES THAT THERE'S TWO PEOPLE ON DUTY EVERY DAY ON A FIRE ENGINE. OKAY? THE 3.0 FACTOR IS THE STAFFING FACTOR. SO THAT MEANS WITH THOSE EMPLOYEES WORKING 11 DAYS OUT OF 28 DAYS WORK PERIOD, IT TAKES 3.0 SO THREE BODIES EVENLY TO STAFF, SEVEN DAYS A WEEK, 365 DAYS A YEAR. WHEN WE FACTOR IN VACATION TRAINING, WORKER'S COMPENSATION, SICK LEAVE, FMLA, ANYTHING ALONG THOSE LINES WHERE THEY'RE GOING TO BE ABSENT. SO IT TAKES THREE BODIES PER SEAT AND WE STAFF TWO PEOPLE EVERY DAY ON THE APPARATUS. SO 2.0 MINIMUM STAFFING AT A 3.0 STAFFING FACTOR. TO PUT THAT IN A DIFFERENT REFERENCE CURRENT STAFFING MODELS IN OTHER FACILITIES, OTHER STATIONS. AND AS FAR AS THE STATE GOES, WE USE UTILIZE A STAFFING FACTOR OF 3.1.1. AND NOT TO CONFUSE ANYBODY, BUT IT WOULD MEAN EVERY SEAT TAKES 3.1.1 PEOPLE IN ORDER TO STAFF THAT SEAT SEVEN DAYS A WEEK, 365 DAYS A YEAR. IS THAT CLEAR ENOUGH? AND THAT COMES AT A COST? ABSOLUTELY. OKAY. RIGHT SO FORMALLY, YOU KNOW, AS WE GO TO THAT 3 .0 STAFFING FACTOR THAT WASN'T IN PLACE, BUT AS OF NOVEMBER 2024, CAL FIRE HAS SET THE STANDARD FROM THE LEADERSHIP OF OUR DEPARTMENT AT THE STATE THAT LOOKING OUT FOR HEALTH AND SAFETY OF OUR EMPLOYEES AND ALLOWING, YOU KNOW, TIME OFF AND RECOUP AND THINGS THAT THEY DEAL WITH ON DUTY, THAT THE 3.0 FACTOR IS WHAT FITS US TO GET THERE. THAT'S WELL BELOW WHAT OUR CURRENT STAFFING MODEL IS RECOMMENDED FOR NEW COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS. THIS 2.0 3.0 WAS FOR EXISTING COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS. SO THE AGREEMENTS WE HAVE IN OUR UNIT BETWEEN MADERA CITY AND MADERA COUNTY, ATWATER CITY, MERCED COUNTY THOSE ARE THERE AT 3.0. IF THIS WAS A NEW AGREEMENT TO COME THROUGH, AS IF THERE WAS TALKS OF THE CITY OF LIVINGSTON OR THE CITY OF DOS PALOS DOING AN INDEPENDENT AGREEMENT WITH CAL FIRE, IT'S 3.0 ON THE ENGINE, THREE PEOPLE AT 3.1.1 STAFFING FACTOR. THAT'S WHAT THE NEW IS FOR OUR PEOPLE. BUT HISTORICALLY, AND HAVING AN ONGOING AGREEMENT WHERE 2.0 AT THE 3.0 FACTOR, [00:45:04] WE USED TO HAVE RELIEF PERSONNEL WITHIN THE COUNTY THAT WOULD BOUNCE AROUND THE ENTIRE COUNTY AND WORK IN DIFFERENT LOCATIONS. WE NO LONGER HAVE THE RELIEF MODEL BUILT IN TO HOW WE OPERATE. EVERY FACILITY AT THE 3.0 FACTOR HAS ASSIGNED PERSONNEL. WE UTILIZE THEM AS THAT FACILITIES RELIEF. SO IF YOU THINK ABOUT THE TWO PEOPLE THAT ARE ON THERE, IF IT ONLY TOOK FOUR PEOPLE, THAT ONLY COVERS 22 DAYS. BUT IN ORDER TO COVER 28 DAYS, WE NEED THAT NEXT SHIFT. AND THAT'S WHY IT'S IN PLACE AT 3.0 STAFFING FACTOR. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. AND THEN IN REGARDS TO THE BUDGETING AND THE WHY? CHIEF PIMENTEL WILL COME UP AND TALK SPECIFIC TO NUMBERS. CHAIR, BOARD, INTERIM CEO, COUNTY COUNCIL. MY NAME IS MARK PIMENTEL. I'M THE ASSISTANT CHIEF FOR MERCED COUNTY FIRE, CAL FIRE. AS WE TALK ABOUT WHAT WE BUDGET, JUST TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA, AND I KNOW YOU GUYS HAVE FULLY AWARE, BUT TO LET THE PUBLIC KNOW THAT WHEN WE HAVE A FIRE, THE FIRE BUDGET SITS IN ITS OWN CATEGORY. IT ACTUALLY TAKES IN A PERCENTAGE OF PROPERTY TAXES THAT COMES INTO THE FIRE BUDGET, REALLY SIMILAR TO LIKE A DISTRICT. WE HAVE OUR BODY, WHICH IS YOURSELVES, THAT WE REPORT TO AND GO THROUGH WITH THAT AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT COMES INTO US. BUT AS THAT MONEY COMES IN, WHAT WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO DO OVER SEVERAL DECADES IS THAT FUND BALANCE LIKE SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA MENTIONED. THAT FUND BALANCE COMES AROUND AND WE USE THAT FUND BALANCE TO BUY ONE TIME PURCHASES. THOSE THAT MONEY COMES AROUND AND WE DO THE ONE TIME PURCHASES THAT WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO KEEP THE FIRE STATIONS OPERATING, NEW EQUIPMENT, SO ON AND SO FORTH. AS THESE CLOSURES ARE CONSOLIDATIONS OF STATIONS OCCURRED, WE'VE ACTUALLY HAVE A REDUCTION IN NEED FOR APPARATUS. SO WE NOTICED THAT THERE IS NOT A NEED FOR APPARATUS CORRECTLY RIGHT NOW WE DO HAVE THREE THAT ARE IN THE BUILD. WE HAVE ONE AT OUR FACILITY CURRENTLY RIGHT NOW THAT IS BEING OUTFITTED, ONE THAT IS BEING COMING FROM SOUTH DAKOTA SHOULD BE IN CALIFORNIA ANY DAY NOW. AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE ANOTHER ONE BEING BUILT CURRENTLY THAT YOU GUYS APPROVED LAST YEAR. THAT ONE WILL TAKE ABOUT TWO YEARS TO DO SO. SO WE DO HAVE APPARATUS TO KEEP OUR FLEET STANDING STRONG AND MOVING FORWARD. BUT AS WE LOOKED AT THAT STUFF, AS THE BOARD MADE A DECISION TO CONTINUE STAFFING THROUGHOUT UNTIL JUNE, WE HAVE TO PLAN BECAUSE I START DEALING WITH SETTING UP AN AGREEMENT FOR THE COUNTY. AND WE ALWAYS LOOK AT THE BIG PICTURE. SO AS WE LOOK AT THE BIG PICTURE, WE TALKED WITH FINANCE FROM THE COUNTY SIDE TO ON THE GENERAL FUNDS THAT WE'VE OCCURRED. THAT MONEY WAS GOING TO STAY THE SAME AS LAST YEAR TO THIS YEAR. AND AS WE WORK THE NUMBERS, WE REALIZED THAT THOSE REDUCTIONS IN THOSE SIX PERSONNEL WAS NOT WAS ABLE TO WITHSTAND WITH THAT ADDITIONAL FUNDS. WHEN WE DO OUR AGREEMENTS, OUR AGREEMENTS ARE AT THE HIGHEST LEVEL OF PERSONNEL JUST BECAUSE OF THE MOVEMENT THROUGH. SO WHEN WE COME BACK, WE USUALLY HAVE A SAVINGS FROM THE AGREEMENT THAT WE GO TO THOSE THAT FUND BALANCE. SO AS WE SAW THAT, WE SAW THE OPPORTUNITY TO CONTINUE THE NUMBER OF STAFFING THAT WE HAVE THERE, AND JUST SO THAT WE WOULDN'T BE CHASING THE FACT THAT YOU WANTED TO KEEP THAT STATION OPEN. WE'D HAVE TO GO BACK AND REDO THE AGREEMENT, ASK FOR ADDITIONAL STAFFING TO FACILITATE THAT. SO WE KEPT IT AT THE HIGH NUMBER BECAUSE WE KEPT WITHIN OUR NUMBERS. AND THAT'S WHY YOU SEE THE BUDGET AS IT IS TODAY. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? NO THANK YOU. SO IN RESPONSE TO THAT, THE LAST THREE YEARS BECAUSE OUR FINANCE TEAM PUT $5 MILLION, LAST YEAR PUT $5 MILLION INTO THAT FIRE FUND FROM THE FUND BALANCE, BECAUSE THAT FUND IS DEPLETING QUICKLY. CORRECT? SO IT WAS LIKE $1.8 MILLION, $2,100,000 AND $2,300,000, I BELIEVE, OVER THE LAST THREE YEARS. YEAH THERE WAS A FUND. THE MONEY'S FROM THE GENERAL FUND WAS EARMARKED AT ABOUT $5 MILLION. CORRECT. AND AS IT CAME IN, WE ONLY SPENT I THINK THE BEGINNING YEAR WAS A ONE POINT SOMETHING MILLION. THE LAST YEAR IS ROUGHLY GOING TO BE ABOUT $2,900,000. YES, WE ARE BURNING INTO THAT BUT THAT'S HOW WE'RE ABLE TO MAINTAIN OUR CURRENT STAFFING LEVELS AS THEY ARE RIGHT NOW. CORRECT SO WE ARE SEEING THAT MONEY GO DOWN SIGNIFICANTLY. AND SO WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO HAVE TO RELY ON THE FUND BALANCE IS WHAT I'M SAYING FOR THIS. OKAY. BECAUSE I ALSO KNOW THAT THE STATE COSTS GO UP ABOUT 5% A YEAR FOR FIRE BUDGET. WE ESTIMATE A 5% INCREASE JUST TO BE ON THE SAFE SIDE. BUT AS TIMES GO, SOMETIMES THOSE DON'T HAPPEN, SO WE STAY FLAT ACROSS THE BOARD. THIS YEAR WE INTEND TO STAY ABOUT THE SAME AS LAST YEAR. OKAY. IN REGARDS TO JUST LOOKING, I REQUESTED TO GET THE A FLEET REPLACEMENT FROM YOU GUYS. AND I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE'S THREE THAT ARE COMING RIGHT AWAY, BUT THEN WHEN YOU LOOK AT ENGINES, YOU HAVE, ONE, TWO, THREE, FOUR [00:50:02] BAD THAT NEED IMMEDIATE CONSIDERATION. WATER TENDERS THERE'S AT LEAST THREE OF THEM, SPECIALIZED EQUIPMENT, THREE THINGS. I MEAN, THERE'S A LOT OF NEED THERE RIGHT NOW. SO WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO CONTINUE TO SUPPLEMENT THAT FIRE FUND BALANCE FOR THOSE ONE TIME COSTS. BUT WITH AN ONGOING COST OF BODIES. RIGHT? WE WITHIN WE LOOK AT THE NFPA STANDARD TO KIND OF SIT OR PARAMETERS OF HOW WE JUSTIFY WHAT ENGINES AT THE TOP OF THE FLEET TO THE BOTTOM OF THE FLEET. SO YES, SOME OF THOSE ARE GOOD, BUT OUR ENGINES THAT ARE FIRST OUT ARE WELL MAINTAINED, VERY WELL TAKEN CARE OF BY MECHANICS AND THE STATION PERSONNEL. LIKE I SAID, WE HAD A 20 YEAR PLAN THAT WE HAD STARTED A COUPLE YEARS BACK. WHEN I FIRST GOT HERE WE HAD 20 STATIONS THEN. WE HAVE, WE'RE DOWN TO 17 AND WE'VE HAD DISCUSSIONS WITH THE CITY OF GUSTINE. WE WILL CONTINUE TO HAVE DISCUSSIONS WITH DOS PALOS ANYBODY THAT WE'RE WORKING WITH AND HAVING THEM SUPPLEMENT, MAYBE SOME OF THOSE APPARATUS. GUSTINE CURRENTLY HAS OUR EXACT SAME MODEL SITTING IN THERE, WHICH IS ENGINE 306, AND THEY ACTUALLY TOOK OUR SPEC AND HAD THAT DONE, THEY GOT THAT THROUGH A GRANT PROCESS. SO IF THAT'S AN OPPORTUNITY, WE WOULD BE USING THEM AS A RESOURCE TO HELP US OUT. OKAY I'M GOING TO GO TO SUPERVISOR PACHECO AND THEN I'LL FINISH MY COMMENTS, SUPERVISOR PACHECO. I JUST HAD A QUICK QUESTION. WHA T APPARATUS AT EACH STATION RIGHT NOW WITH EQUIPMENT? WHAT APPARATUS? WHAT EQUIPMENT DO YOU HAVE LIKE THE WYE AND WHAT EQUIPMENT? WE HAVE A WATER TENDER AND AN ENGINE. AND THEN AT THE CITY, WE HAVE AN ENGINE RIGHT NOW, AND WE HAVE A COUPLE OF APPARATUSES THAT ARE CITY OWNED BUT THEY ARE THEY ARE OLDER THEY MAINTAIN THEM. WE KIND OF HELP WITH SOME 90 DAY INSPECTIONS TO MAKE SURE THEY'RE. BUT WE TYPICALLY DO NOT USE THOSE APPARATUS. AND IF YOU CLOSE THE WYE, WILL THOSE TWO PIECES OF EQUIPMENT FIT IN THE DOS PALOS CITY STATION? YES, SIR WE WOULD TALK WITH THE CITY TO ACQUIRE ANOTHER BAY. AGAIN, THAT WOULD BE SOME DISCUSSIONS I WOULD HAVE TO DO. AND AGAIN, AFTER THE BOARD'S DECISION, WE WILL MOVE FORWARD AND HOWEVER YOU SEE FIT. OKAY THANKS. SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR, QUESTION FOR YOU. SO AND I KNOW THE ANSWER, BUT I JUST WANT THE CONSTITUENCY TO UNDERSTAND THIS. THE CITY OF DOS PALOS DOES NOT HAVE A CONTRACT WITH CAL FIRE? CITY OF DOS PALOS? DOES NOT YOU'RE CORRECT. AND HOW DOES THAT WORK? THEY WORK THROUGH THE COUNTY. OKAY THANK YOU. SUPERVISOR PAREIRA. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. WHEN YOU'RE PUTTING TOGETHER THE CONTRACT WITH THE COUNTY. WHAT ARE YOU CONSIDERING THE COST OF AN FTE? OF AN FAI? NO, FTE, A FULL TIME OF A SPOT OF AN EMPLOYEE? THEY RANGE ANYWHERE FROM $170,000 TO $250,000, WITH FULL BENEFITS AND EVERYTHING. SO OUR COST, THE COUNTY'S COST $170,000 TO $250,000. PER FTE IT RANGES AGAIN, THOSE ARE THE HIGH END NUMBERS WHICH WHEN THEY COME BACK WE SOMETIMES HAVE THE YOUNGER FOLKS THAT ARE AT THE BOTTOM OF THE TIER THAT WORK FOR US FOR SEVERAL YEARS, BUT WE ALWAYS ANTICIPATE THE HIGHEST NUMBER, THE HIGHER END NUMBER SORRY. OKAY AND THEN I'M ASSUMING YOU CAN ANSWER THIS, BUT THE 2.0 WITH THE 3.0 FACTOR IS, IS REALLY SIX BODIES? SIX BODIES PER STATION YES. YEAH OKAY. AS YOU LOOK AT LIKE ATWATER CITY, THEY HAVE 3.0 AND 3.0 LIKE CHIEF TRINIDAD WAS MENTIONING EARLIER, WE ROUGHLY ESTIMATE THAT TO BE ABOUT NINE, NINE AND A HALF BODIES. SO THE 2.0 3.0 THEN WOULD BE SIX POINT SOMETHING BODIES? NO, NO, IT'S BECAUSE OF OUR BEING A LONG TERM AGREEMENT WITH THE STATE. WE ARE JUST STRICTLY 2.0 3.0 FACTOR. SO IT'S JUST SIX BODIES. SO SIX OKAY. NOT 6.5? LIKE THE NEWER AGREEMENTS LIKE WE MENTIONED BEFORE WAS 3.1.1 YOU KIND OF HAVE TO PROVIDE FOR THAT .1. YEAH OKAY ALL RIGHT THANKS. SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA. THANK YOU CHIEF APPRECIATE THE COMMENTS. AND YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE THINGS I DID WANT TO HIGHLIGHT IS YOU KNOW, AS PART OF THIS MOTION THAT I MADE, I FULLY EXPECT THAT STAFF WILL BE FULLY ENGAGED WITH THE CITY OF DOS PALOS IN REALLY LOOKING AT ANY WAY POSSIBLE TO BECAUSE IT'S NOT ALWAYS JUST ABOUT CONTRIBUTING, YOU KNOW, THE AMOUNT FOR PERSONNEL, THERE'S OTHER WAYS TO CONTRIBUTE. I HAD A CONVERSATION WITH CHIEF TRINIDAD WHERE HE TALKED ABOUT, YOU KNOW, DOS PALOS ON ITS OWN HAS A LOT GREATER OPPORTUNITY TO PICK UP GRANTS THAT, YOU KNOW, INSTEAD OF WRITING A CHECK FOR A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF FUNDING FOR STAFFING. THERE'S NO REASON WHY THE ENGINE THAT RUNS OUT OF DOS PALOS CAN'T BE A CITY OWNED FIRE TRUCK, RIGHT? SO THERE'S OTHER WAYS. AND I DO WANT AND I KNOW IT'S NOT A LOT, BUT IN OUR CURRENT SETUP AT 76, IT'S A JOINT CITY COUNTY KIND OF STATION. AND I KNOW THE CITY DOES TAKE CARE OF ALL THE BILLS. [00:55:01] SO THE COST TO RUN THAT STATION ISN'T AS HIGH AS YOU KNOW, MAYBE LIKE, SAY, THE STATION AT THE Y BECAUSE IT'S FULLY THE COUNTY GETS THE POWER BILL, GETS THE WATER BILL, EVERYTHING WHERE THE CITY PICKS UP THE COST ON THE STUFF AT THE CITY STATION 76. AGAIN AND, YOU KNOW, HAD SOME CONVERSATIONS WITH CHIEF TRINIDAD AS HE'S NEWER TO THIS ROLE. HE WAS KIND OF THE CONTRACT GUY IN HIS PREVIOUS POSITION WITH THE COUNTY. AND HE KNOWS THAT AND I KNOW THAT THAT HE'S EXPLORING WAYS THAT LIKE, HOW DO WE TIGHTEN UP THAT CONTRACT? HOW DO WE MAKE IT MORE BENEFICIAL TO THE COUNTY? AND SO I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU ON THAT, CHIEF THAT'S ALL I HAVE FOR NOW. OKAY I'LL GO AHEAD AND BRING IT BACK. YOU KNOW I DISAGREE IN REGARDS TO, YOU KNOW, CLOSING ONE STATION. IT'S LIKE COMPARING APPLES TO ORANGES BECAUSE WE WOULDN'T HAVE AN AGREEMENT WITH THAT STATION, THAT'S 4/10 OF A MILE AWAY FROM THE MCKEE AREA WHICH COVERS ALL THE WAY UP TO THE HILLCREST AREA, WHICH COVERS QUITE A LARGE PORTION OF NOT JUST MY DISTRICT, BUT ALSO OF DISTRICT 4. AND SO I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WHEN WE LOOK AT ANYTHING LIKE THAT, YOU KNOW, WE WERE ABLE TO COME UP WITH AN AGREEMENT THAT, THAT AGREEMENT WAS ONLY FOR TWO YEARS. AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I'VE TOLD OUR CHIEF I'VE TALKED WITH OUR CITY PARTNERS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE ABLE TO CONTINUE THAT. BECAUSE I THINK IT'S SOMETHING INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT THAT IF UNLESS WE DO HAVE THAT MOVING FORWARD, THEN WE'RE BACK AT SQUARE ONE. AND SO THE HEALTH, SAFETY AND WELL-BEING OF MY CONSTITUENTS ARE PUT IN JEOPARDY AS WELL AS IN DISTRICT 4. AND SO WHEN YOU TAKE THAT INTO CONSIDERATION, YOU HAVE TO LOOK AT THAT WHOLE THE WHOLE PICTURE HERE. AND I SAID AT THE LAST MEETING, YOU KNOW, I RECOGNIZE THE FACT THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE PASSIONATE ABOUT YOUR DISTRICT WE ALL ARE. I'M PASSIONATE ABOUT DISTRICT 2. I WANT DISTRICT TWO TO BE THE MOST SUCCESSFUL DISTRICT OF MERCED COUNTY. BUT I RECOGNIZE THE FACT THAT IF SOMETHING HAS TO HAPPEN FOR THE BENEFIT OF MERCED COUNTY, AND IT'S AT THE IMPACT OF DISTRICT 2, WELL, THEN I HAVE TO TAKE THAT INTO CONSIDERATION AS WELL. AND SO I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, BY I CONTINUOUSLY THROWING OUT THE HELP. WE ALL CARE ABOUT THE HEALTH AND SAFETY AND WELL-BEING OF OUR CONSTITUENTS. WE WOULDN'T BE UP HERE IF WE DIDN'T. AND I THINK THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO RECOGNIZE. THE ONLY THING THAT HAS CHANGED MY OPINION IN REGARDS TO THE TWO VERSUS 1 OR 1 VERSUS TWO, IS THE FACT THAT I DO NOT SEE ANY FINANCIAL SUSTAINABILITY MOVING FORWARD. I DON'T BELIEVE THAT KICKING THE CAN DOWN THE ROAD IS SOMETHING THAT WE CAN RELY ON, BECAUSE YOU CAN SAY, WELL, WE HOPE THAT THIS HAPPENS. WE HOPE TO SEE SOME GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT. WE HOPE TO SEE SOME ECONOMIC IMPACT. THERE'S AN OLD SAYING THAT YOU CAN HOPE IN ONE HAND AND DO SOMETHING IN THE OTHER AND SEE WHAT HAPPENS FIRST. AND SO I THINK THAT WHAT WE HAVE TO DO IS WE HAVE TO THESE ARE VERY STRATEGIC. AND I THINK THAT THIS HAS TO BE DONE STRATEGICALLY. NOBODY WANTS TO CLOSE ANY STATIONS. THAT'S JUST THE REALITY OF IT. BUT IT SAYS IN OUR BUDGET LETTER AND I'M GOING TO READ, FISCAL DISCIPLINE WE ARE COMMITTED TO BUILDING A STRONG FINANCIAL POSITION, PRIORITIZING RESPONSIBLE BUDGETING AND LONG TERM FISCAL SUSTAINABILITY TO SUPPORT THE COUNTY'S PROGRAMS AND SERVICES. THE COUNTY'S PROGRAMS AND SERVICES. SO I AM MORE INCLINED TO GO WITH THE 75 JUST BECAUSE OF THE FACT THAT IT IS COUNTY, IT'S MAJORITY COUNTY. I RECOGNIZE THE IMPACT THAT IT WOULD HAVE ON 76 AND THE CITY OF DOS PALOS. BUT AGAIN, UNLESS THE CITY WAS ABLE TO CONTRIBUTE AT LEAST 54% OF WHAT IT COSTS TO PROVIDE THE SERVICE TO THE CITY OF DOS PALOS, THE CITY OF DOS PALOS, NOT THE COUNTY, THE CITY OF DOS PALOS. I WOULD BE MORE INCLINED TO SUPPORT HAVING BOTH STATIONS OPEN IF THEY COULD COME UP WITH A HIGHER COST, AND I JUST DON'T THINK THEY CAN DO THAT. AGAIN, IT'S DIFFICULT TO SAY, WELL, WE CAN WORK WITH THEM. I ENCOURAGE WORKING WITH THEM AND WE'LL GET AN AGREEMENT. BUT THE FACT THAT THIS WAS PASSED, THIS TAX WAS PASSED AND THERE'S BEEN NOTHING MEMORIALIZED IS VERY CONCERNING TO ME. BECAUSE IF WE DO THIS NOW, AND IT'S NOT SAYING THIS WOULD HAPPEN, BUT I HAVE TO LOOK AT THE LONG ABILITY OF WHAT'S BEST FOR MERCED COUNTY AND THE RESIDENTS OF MERCED COUNTY. AND SO I CAN'T SUPPORT HAVING BOTH STATIONS OPEN. I WOULD SUPPORT ONE OF THEM. AND IT SEEMS LIKE THE OVERALL SENTIMENT IS FOR 75. AND SO THAT'S WHAT I WOULD SUPPORT MOVING FORWARD. BUT I CANNOT SUPPORT BOTH STATIONS. SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA. CHAIR YOU KNOW, LISTEN, IT'S ALL PERSPECTIVE, RIGHT? AND I DON'T I CAN HONESTLY SAY THAT I KNOW ALL OF YOU GENTLEMEN VERY WELL UP HERE, AND NOBODY LOVES DOING THIS. [01:00:04] NOBODY WANTS TO CLOSE A FIRE STATION BUT FOR ME, IN MY MIND IT IS. IT'S THE RIGHT THING TO DO. AND WHEN IT'S THE RIGHT THING TO DO, YOU SUCK IT UP AND YOU FIND THE RESOURCES TO DO IT. AND THAT'S WHERE IT COMES FROM FOR ME IS WHEN YOU TAKE AND YOU LOOK AT THE RESPONSE AREAS, IT WHETHER BECAUSE I'M GOING TO REMIND YOU THAT, THAT EVERY ONE OF THE RESIDENTS IN THE CITY OF DOS PALOS ARE ONE OF MY BOSSES, RIGHT. AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, THE PEOPLE IN THE UNINCORPORATED AREAS, THIS IS THEIR ONLY LIFELINE. THIS IS FOR THEIR SAFETY. RIGHT? AND SO YOU WHEN YOU TAKE ONE OF THOSE STATIONS AND YOU CLOSE THEM, YOU'RE REALLY PUTTING EVERYBODY THAT LIVES IN DOS PALOS Y'S FIRST IN AREA AND DOS PALOS 76 'S FIRST IN AREA. YOU'RE PUTTING ALL OF THEM AT A DISADVANTAGE BECAUSE THE THING I WANT TO REMIND EVERYBODY, WHETHER YOU CLOSE 75 OR YOU CLOSE 76, EVERY CALL THAT HAPPENS IN THAT OTHER SPOT, THAT ENGINE IS STILL RESPONDING. IT'S SO IF YOU, IF THE DECISION IS TO CLOSE 76, 75 IS OPEN. THEY GET A CALL AT MIDWAY IN 152 AND SOMETHING BREAKS IN DOS PALOS THAT SAME PIECE OF EQUIPMENT HAS TO GO IN. SO IT REALLY IS PRIORITIZING AND TO ME THIS PRIORITY IS ABOVE OTHER PRIORITIES. WE HAVE HAD CONVERSATIONS WE HAD, AND I'M NOT TRYING TO DISCLOSE ANYTHING THAT HAPPENED IN CLOSED SESSION. BUT ONE OF MY COLLEAGUES TALKED THAT, YOU KNOW, WE GOT TOUGH FINANCIAL DECISIONS COMING WITH 30 NEW DEPUTIES OR CORRECTIONAL OFFICERS THAT WE'RE GOING TO NEED IN THE JAIL THAT'S GOING TO BE OPENING HERE DOWN THE ROAD. THOSE ARE ALL TOUGH DECISIONS THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO MAKE, AND WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO PRIORITIZE. AND TO ME, THE PRIORITY IS KEEPING THAT AREA PROTECTED BECAUSE IT GOES ACROSS SUCH A LARGE VAST THERE'S FROM THE CORNER OF I-5 AND EAST AVENUE ALL THE WAY TO SANDY MUSH ROAD IS THE RESPONSE AREA OF THOSE TWO STATIONS AND IT JUST UNREALISTIC TO THINK THAT ONE STATION CAN COVER THAT WITH ANY KIND OF CERTAINTY. SO I STAND BY MY MOTION. I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU GUYS TO SUPPORT IT AND WE WILL GET THROUGH IT. WE WILL WE HAVE A FUND BALANCE WE GOT TO TIGHTEN UP OUR BELT. IT'S GOING TO BE TOUGH GOING FOR A LITTLE BIT, BUT I STILL THINK IT'S THE RIGHT THING TO DO. AND IT'S WHAT I WILL CONTINUE TO ADVOCATE. AND I DON'T WANT ANYBODY TO THINK THAT BECAUSE I'M ADVOCATING FOR MY DISTRICT, THAT I DON'T THINK THAT YOU ALL DON'T ADVOCATE FOR YOUR DISTRICTS BECAUSE YOU GUYS HAVE ALL SHOWN THAT YOU GO TO BAT FOR YOUR DISTRICTS. THIS IS WHAT I THINK THE RIGHT THING TO DO IS. AND I PRIDE MYSELF ON MY DECISIONS BEING WHAT I THINK THE RIGHT THING TO DO IS. TO ME, YOU TAKE THE POLITICS OUT OF IT, YOU TAKE THE EMOTIONS OUT OF IT, AND YOU JUST LOOK AT RESPONSE AREAS. AND I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU CAN LOOK AT THOSE MAPS THAT I'VE LOOKED AT INSIDE AND OUT. I'VE ASKED THE AUDITOR CONTROLLER TO LOOK UP THE TAX RATE AREAS AND HOW MUCH MONEY DO THOSE, DOES THAT AREA GENERATE INTO THE FIRE FUND. AND WHEN YOU LOOK JUST ON THE WEST SIDE OF THE COUNTY, THERE'S CURRENTLY FIVE STATIONS THAT COVERS ALMOST THE SAME AMOUNT OF SQUARE MILES. RIGHT? AND I GET IT, BECAUSE IF THERE'S A FIRE IN THE HILLS, YOU HAVE SOME STATE RESPONSIBILITY AREA, BUT WE'RE GOING WE'RE STILL OUR EQUIPMENT IS STILL GOING TO THAT. SO I DON'T WANT TO KEEP BEATING A DEAD HORSE. I AND THE THREE YEARS IS BECAUSE I WANT TO MAKE A REAL COMMITMENT TO IT SO THAT WE'RE NOT HAVING THIS DISCUSSION AND THIS FIGHT. WE COULD DO IT FOR A YEAR, AND THEN YOU COME BACK, AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO HAVE THE SAME DISCUSSION. I STILL THINK THAT DOS PALOS IS A WILLING AND WANTS TO BE A PARTNER IN IT. AND I WOULD THINK THAT IF THIS PASSES, THERE'S GOING TO BE A LOT OF CONVERSATIONS WITH THE CITY OF DOS PALOS AND MEMORIALIZING ALL OF THESE THINGS. AND, AND I WOULD EVEN GO AS FAR AS TO SAY IS IF THAT DIDN'T HAPPEN THEN WE BRING IT BACK AND WE'RE HAVING A WHOLE DIFFERENT DISCUSSION BUT I KNOW THAT THERE ARE WILLING PARTNERS. I'VE HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH THE MAYOR AND THE CITY MANAGER. THEY WANT TO BE A PARTNER IN THIS AS WELL, BECAUSE EITHER ONE OF JUST LIKE IF 75 WERE TO CLOSE THAT ENGINES, ANYTIME THERE'S A CALL IN THE UNINCORPORATED AREAS IN THAT WHOLE RESPONSE AREA, IT'S NOT GOING TO BE IN DOS PALOS SO THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. AND I APPRECIATE YOUR PASSION FOR THAT AND I UNDERSTAND. BUT AGAIN YOU ALSO DID MENTION THE FACT THAT, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A LOT OF UNCERTAINTY IN THE BUDGET RIGHT NOW. NOT JUST WITH OUR BUDGET, BUT THE DECISIONS THAT ARE MADE ABOVE US AT THE STATE AND THE FEDERAL LEVEL ARE GOING TO TRICKLE DOWN. AND SO IT'S REALLY CONCERNING TO KIND OF IT SEEMS MORE OF A GAMBLE TO ME . WHEN WE LOOK AT, YOU KNOW, THE CUTS TO HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, WHEN WE LOOK AT CUTS TO OUR SNAP PROGRAM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS LOOKING AT CUTTING. I THINK THAT THERE'S SOME REAL CONCERN AND SOME REAL FISCAL DECISIONS THAT HAVE TO BE MADE. NOW, I UNDERSTAND THE THREE YEARS, BUT THREE YEARS IS A LONG TIME. [01:05:02] AND SO WHAT HAPPENS AFTER A YEAR? IT DOESN'T HAPPEN WE'RE BACK IN THE SAME SPOT. OR IN THREE YEARS, THEY'RE NOT ABLE TO SEE ANY TYPE OF GROWTH. WE'RE BACK IN THE SAME SPOT OF WHICH WE'RE SPENDING MONEY AT A HIGHER CLIP THAN WE'RE TAKING IN. AND I JUST FEEL THAT THAT'S NOT FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE. SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. PUBLIC SAFETY IS OUR PRIORITY. AND A LOT OF THE STUFF YOU JUST MENTIONED IS UNCONTROLLABLE BY US. THAT'S FEDERAL AND STATE FUNDING COMING THROUGH. THIS IS ACTUALLY GENERAL FUND DOLLARS THAT WE HAVE THAT WE ARE ABLE TO CONTROL. THE DECISION ISN'T ABOUT PREFERENCE IT'S ABOUT LONG TERM VIABILITY, EFFICIENT USE OF PUBLIC FUNDS, AND PRIORITIZING LIFE AND SAFETY. I APPRECIATE MY COLLEAGUES APPROACH TO THIS. IF I COULD, I IF WE MOVE FORWARD WITH DOS PALOS, I THINK A THREE YEAR IS TOO LONG BECAUSE I WANT ACCOUNTABILITY. I WANT CHECK-INS BECAUSE I SEE HOW A LOT OF FOLKS ARE WITH EVEN LIKE 30 DAYS. SOMETIMES PEOPLE LIKE TO COME IN AND 29 DAYS AND TELL US THIS IS WHAT THEY HAVE TO REPRESENT BUT I NEED CHECK-INS LIKE THEY PASSED THIS MEASURE IN MARCH AND NOTHING FORMALIZING IT WHATSOEVER AND WE'RE ALREADY IN JUNE. WHERE WAS THE CITY LEADERSHIP ON THAT? I FIGURED IT WAS ALREADY TAKEN CARE OF AND IT WAS ALREADY COMING TO THE COUNTY, BUT THE THREE YEAR SEEMS A LITTLE LONG BUT I WANT SOME CHECK-INS. LIKE, WE NEED TO CHECK-IN WITHIN SIX MONTHS TO SEE WHAT PROGRESS WE'RE MAKING, OR MAYBE A YEAR TO SEE EXACTLY THE DIRECTION THEY'RE TRYING TO GO. BECAUSE LET'S UNDERSTAND, I MEAN, CIVIC RESPONSIBILITY AND CIVIC LEADERSHIP. IT WAS SAID UP HERE AT THE AND IT REALLY CAUGHT ME AND YOU'RE RIGHT. AND I WAS VERY UNIMPRESSED THAT THE CITY HADN'T MADE ANY MOVES AND THEY WERE JUST RELYING ON THE COUNTY TO MAKE IT. BUT IN ORDER FOR ME TO GET OVER AND I'VE BEEN BURNED UP HERE BEFORE MAKING DECISIONS AT THE DAIS. BUT THIS IS LOOKING FORWARD AND HOPEFULLY THE DOS PALOS WILL STEP UP. BUT IF THEY DON'T DO ANYTHING WITHIN A YEAR, I WANT THE COUNTY TO BE ABLE TO MAKE A MOVE AND BE FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE IN WHAT OUR CHAIR WAS EXPLAINING. AND TO THAT POINT, YOU KNOW, I KNOW THAT THOSE PROGRAMS THAT I MENTIONED IN THE MONEY FROM THE FEDERAL AND STATE THAT WE DON'T CONTROL, BUT THEN BUT WE DO HAVE THOSE THERE'S STILL OUR CONSTITUENTS. AND SO WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO MAKE THE DECISIONS IF WE'RE NOT GETTING THE STATE AND FEDERAL MONEY, DO WE JUST ELIMINATE THOSE PROGRAMS ALTOGETHER? NO THEN IF IT'S A YEAR, WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE? WHAT'S THAT CHECK-IN PROCESS LOOK LIKE? IS IT JUST DOS PALOS IS GIVING US A CONTRACT SAYING THIS IS WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO, OR THEY'RE SAYING, HEY, WE'RE APPLYING FOR THIS GRANT, OR WE DIDN'T GET THIS GRANT OR WHAT'S THE WHAT'S THE I GUESS, WHAT'S THE CARROT AND THE STICK THERE? I MEAN, IT'S THAT HASN'T EVEN BEEN DISCUSSED. ALL WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IS MEASURE S RIGHT NOW, BUT, YOU KNOW, HAS THERE BEEN OPPORTUNITIES TO DISCUSS THAT THEY SHOULD HAVE, YOU KNOW, APPLY FOR GRANTS BECAUSE THEY'RE MORE CAPABLE OF GETTING THAT. I MEAN, WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE? AND SO UNTIL THOSE DISCUSSIONS TAKE PLACE, IT'S REALLY HARD TO SAY YEAH, LET'S GIVE IT TO THEM FOR THREE YEARS. LET'S GIVE IT TO THEM FOR A YEAR. I THINK, YOU KNOW, I CAN'T, A YEAR SEEMS, YOU KNOW, IN GOVERNMENT TALK LIKE NOT A VERY LONG TIME, BUT IT'S A REALLY IT'S A LONG TIME, BUT IT'S A SHORT AMOUNT OF TIME. AND SO I THINK THAT THOSE CONVERSATIONS AND TO YOUR POINT, WHAT YOU SAID WAS THIS WAS PASSED IN MARCH AND IT DIDN'T WASN'T UNTIL LIKE THE LAST MINUTE THAT WE'RE STARTING TO SAY, HEY, AND I WOULD TAKE I WOULD SAY SOME OF THE RESPONSIBILITY IS ON US AS WELL BECAUSE WE SHOULD HAVE ENGAGED IN THE CONVERSATION AS WELL. HOWEVER, IT'S THE THREE YEARS THERE'S I WILL NEVER COMMIT TO THAT FOR THREE YEARS. I JUST THINK THAT'S JUST NOT A GOOD IT'S NOT A GOOD STARTING POINT FOR ME, JUST BECAUSE I DON'T THINK THAT IT JUST AGAIN KICKS THE CAN DOWN THE ROAD SO. SUPERVISOR PAREIRA. CHAIR YOU KNOW, AS I'VE BEEN SITTING HERE THINKING ABOUT THIS ITEM. YOU KNOW? IT'S BEEN IT'S BEEN ON OUR RADAR FOR A YEAR AND IT REALLY YOU KNOW, I THINK SUPERVISOR PEDROZO BRINGS UP SOME GOOD POINTS THAT WE'RE A YEAR DOWN THE [01:10:01] ROAD FROM A STATION BEING CLOSED. RIGHT? CITY OF DOS PALOS KNEW THAT AS OF JUNE 30TH, THEIR STATION, WELL, OR ONE OF THE STATIONS WAS GOING TO CLOSE. AND YET HERE WE ARE. I'M LEANING TOWARDS I'D LIKE TO OF GIVEN ANOTHER YEAR AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE CHECK-INS LOOK LIKE IN THAT. HOWEVER WHAT I DO BELIEVE IS THAT THERE NEEDS TO BE SOME NEGOTIATIONS BETWEEN THE CITY OF DOS PALOS AND THE COUNTY. AND SO I GUESS I'M GOING TO MOVE TO AMEND SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA MOTION AND CHANGE THREE YEARS TO ONE YEAR AND THEN ASK THE COUNTY TO COME BACK AT OUR, SAY, OUR 2ND JULY MEETING WITH A PROCESS IN WHICH WE WORK WITH THE CITY DOS PALOS AND HOW THEY PLAN ON MAKING THIS WORK. RIGHT? IS THERE A SOLUTION? WHAT'S IT LOOK LIKE? ACTIVE NEGOTIATION. AND I THINK YOU KNOW, I YEAH AND I DON'T KNOW, YOU KNOW, IF MY COLLEAGUES, IF YOU WANT TO GIVE THE YEAR NOW OR IF YOU WANT TO WAIT TILL THE PLAN COMES BACK TO US. AND IF IT'S, YOU KNOW, IF IT LOOKS GOOD TO DO A YEAR, I DON'T KNOW. BUT I KIND OF THINK THAT MAN, I, YOU KNOW, TWO FIRE STATIONS, ONE THAT SERVES MY DISTRICT TOTALLY AND THEN THE OTHER THAT SERVES, THAT SERVED A GOOD PORTION OF MY OR A GOOD PORTION OF ITS SERVICE AREA WAS IN MY DISTRICT, AND THOSE ARE CLOSED. AND YOU KNOW, THAT'S TOUGH FOR ME TO THEN TURN AROUND AND THINK ABOUT KEEPING A STATION OPEN THAT'S NOT OUR RESPONSIBILITY. BUT I WILL SAY THAT THE ONE DIFFERENCE IS THAT IN MY CASE THE SECONDARY STATION WAS TWO MILES APART IN ONE CASE, AND BASICALLY, IT'S A QUARTER OF A MILE YOU KNOW, IN SERVICE, AND WE'RE ABLE TO WORK THAT OUT. SO ANYWAYS, THAT'S MY I'M KIND OF RAMBLING BECAUSE THIS IS A TOUGH DECISION. AND, YOU KNOW, WITH THE BROWN ACT, WE CAN ALL SIT DOWN IN A, IN A ROOM AND FIGURE THIS OUT. RIGHT? WE'VE GOT TO DO IT UP HERE. AND IT MAKES IT A LITTLE UNCOMFORTABLE. WHERE THE OTHER PEOPLE AT, WHAT'S A COMPROMISE THAT WORKS. AND BUT ANYWAY SO THAT WOULD BE MY AMENDMENT TO THE MOTION WAS TO EXTEND THE DEADLINE A YEAR. AT OUR SECOND MEETING IN JULY, THAT THE COUNTY WOULD COME BACK WITH A PLAN AND THAT'S IT. MR. HANSEN JUST TO CLARIFY, IS THAT IS THAT A FORMAL MOTION TO AMEND THE ORIGINAL MOTION? OR IS THAT ASKING THE ORIGINAL MOTION MAKER TO FOR A FRIENDLY AMENDMENT? WELL, SO I CAN ONLY AMEND IT AND IF IT FAILS, THEN WE VOTE ON THE MOTION SO IT'S A FORMAL MOTION TO AMEND THE ORIGINAL MOTION IT NEEDS A SECOND? AND THAT'S FOR A YEAR. THAT'S TO KEEP BOTH STATIONS OPEN FOR A YEAR WITH A CHECK-IN AT THE END OF THE YEAR TO SEE WHAT PROGRESS HAS BEEN MADE WITH THE CITY OF DOS PALOS TO FUND THEIR SHARE. NO SO THE MOTION IS TO KEEP, TO EXTEND IT ONE YEAR. AT THE END OF THE YEAR, THE STATION IN THE CITY OF DOS PALOS WOULD CLOSE. THE CHECK-IN IS IN A MONTH. TO MAKE SURE WE'RE ON PROGRESS. WHAT THE PLAN IS TO WORK WITH THE CITY FOR AT THE END OF THE YEAR WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN? THANK YOU. CLEAR AS MUD? I DON'T NEED TO BE IN THE QUEUE ANYMORE THAT NEEDS A SECOND. I WILL SECOND THAT. SO NOW YOU VOTE ON THE LAST MOTION, WHICH WAS TO AMEND THE MOTION THAT WAS JUST MOVED AND SECONDED SO WE'RE GOING TO. HOW DO YOU WANT TO VOTE? OH SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. YOU KNOW, AND I FEEL LIKE DOS PALOS IS GETTING BEAT UP A LITTLE BIT HERE. AND I WANT TO COME TO THEIR DEFENSE AND THAT, YOU KNOW, THEY PASSED A SALES TAX MEASURE RELATIVELY QUICKLY, GOT IT ON THE BALLOT AND GOT IT PASSED FOR REASONS THAT ARE OUT OF THEIR CONTROL, THE WAY THAT THE KIND OF THE STATE WORKS BECAUSE IT WAS PASSED IN MARCH. IT ISN'T LIKE YOUR TYPICAL IT STARTS ON JANUARY 1ST OR THERE'S AN ACTUAL DATE THAT THEY CAN'T START COLLECTING THE SALES TAX UNTIL OCTOBER. I DO KNOW IN CONVERSATIONS WITH OUR AUDITOR CONTROLLER, WITH THE CITY MANAGER THAT THEY FILED ALL OF THAT PAPERWORK WITH THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA [01:15:06] WITH THE EQUALIZATION BOARD? AND SO I'M COMING TO THEIR DEFENSE IN THAT THEY'VE NEVER BEEN FORCED TO REALLY DO THIS BEFORE BECAUSE JUST LIKE IN LIVINGSTON AND JUST LIKE IN GUSTINE, WHEN WE HAD ONE OVER REQUIREMENTS, WE HAD LARGE VOLUNTEER DEPARTMENTS. WE JUST PROVIDED THE SERVICE BECAUSE THE FIRE FUND COVERED IT. AND WE ARE CHANGING COURSES ON THAT. SO I JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THAT AND I DON'T WANT ANYBODY TO WALK AWAY THINKING THAT DOS PALOS ISN'T WILLING AND WANT TO SIT DOWN AND WORK THIS OUT. YOU KNOW, I JUST, I THINK THAT THE THREE YEARS IS A REALISTIC TIME FRAME IN TALKING WITH THE CITY TO GET THEM TO THE POSITION TO WHERE THEY ARE ABLE TO COVER THEIR FAIR SHARE. I THINK ONE YEAR JUST PUTS US BACK IN. I MEAN, I KNOW IN CONVERSATIONS WITH THE CITY MANAGER AND I DON'T SEE HIM HERE TODAY, BUT I DO KNOW THAT IT'S NOT ONLY THE SALES TAX MEASURE, BUT IT'S ALSO LOOKING AND PREPARING TO BE ABLE TO CONTRIBUTE ADDITIONAL FUNDS OUT OF THEIR BUDGET TO HELP START STAGGERING. STEPPING UP TO THAT, AND WITH THE PLAN OF IMPACT FEES AND OTHER THINGS, THAT AND A CONVERSATION THAT I HAD WITH HIM, AND OBVIOUSLY I DON'T WANT TO TAKE IT OUT OF CONTEXT BECAUSE IT WAS A CONVERSATION I HAD IN HIS OFFICE, SOME KIND OF MOU. HE WOULD THEY WOULD BE MORE THAN WILLING TO SIGN ANYTHING LIKE THAT. I JUST, SO I WOULD BE VOTING NO ON THE AMENDMENT AND I DO WANT TO JUST EXPRESS THIS TO ALL MY COLLEAGUES THAT I DO APPRECIATE THE THOUGHTFUL CONSIDERATION THAT'S GOING INTO THIS. I DON'T FOR ALL THE RESIDENTS OUT THERE WATCHING, THESE ARE NOT EASY DECISIONS, AND IT IS KIND OF WONKY BECAUSE WE ARE TASKED WITH DOING THE PEOPLE'S BUSINESS IN PUBLIC. AND SO YOU ARE TRYING TO COME UP WITH, AND I APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT YOU'RE EVEN WILLING TO COME UP WITH COMPROMISES. AND I GET IT IF I'M SITTING IN YOUR SHOES AND I AND TWO STATIONS HAVE CLOSED IN MY DISTRICT, I'M NOT HAPPY ABOUT THAT EITHER. RIGHT? AND SO I APPRECIATE THE CONVERSATION. SUPERVISOR PAREIRA. THANK YOU CHAIR. YOU KNOW? PART OF THE CONVERSATION, AND I TRY TO ALLUDE TO IT EARLIER, IS THAT IT MAY NOT BE A CAL FIRE STATION IN THE CITY OF DOS PALOS, IT MAY BE DOS PALOS' FIRE STATION, AND IT MAY BE 1.0 TO START WITH, RIGHT? WITH I DON'T KNOW, I GUESS THAT'S A PROBABLY A ONE AND A HALF ZERO FACTOR, BUT YOU KNOW, IT IF WE GIVE IT THREE YEARS, IT DOESN'T GET CHANGED. AND OUR FIRE FUND IS HEADED TO CATASTROPHE, IN MY OPINION. AND SO, YOU KNOW, THAT'S WHY I THINK A YEAR TO TRY TO FIGURE THAT OUT IS ENOUGH TIME. IF WE GIVE IT THREE YEARS, THEN WE'RE AT THREE YEARS, AND YOU KNOW WHAT'S TRANSPIRED BETWEEN THEN AND NOW? PROBABLY NOT A LOT ON THE DEVELOPMENT. AT LEAST NOT YOU KNOW, BECAUSE THERE'S NO HAMMER AT THE END OF THE TIME AND SO ANYWAYS. I JUST, I WANT US TO LOOK AT A LOT OF DIFFERENT OPTIONS. I KNOW CAL FIRE PROVIDES INCREDIBLE SERVICE AND YOU KNOW, SO I DON'T WANT THIS TO BE A DING ON THAT. YOU KNOW, I HONESTLY, I'VE SAID IT ON THE DAIS AND I'VE SAID IT TO YOU OFF THE RECORD THAT THE SERVICE THAT CAL FIRE PROVIDES US IS TOP NOTCH. BUT UNFORTUNATELY, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE LIMITED DOLLARS. SO THAT'S WHY I THINK THE ONE YEAR THERE'S A HAMMER THAT'S CLOSER AND THE SOLUTION, YOU KNOW, HOPEFULLY WILL BE SOMETHING THAT'S WORKABLE. SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA. WOULD YOU BE WILLING TO COMPROMISE LIKE TWO YEARS ? AND WITH A TERMINATION AT THE END OF THE TWO YEARS, IF SOMETHING HASN'T COMPLETELY COME BACK ? LIKE SO, THAT LIKE, I FEEL LIKE A YEAR IS FACING THEY'RE NOT GOING TO START COLLECTING THE SALES TAX MEASURE TILL OCTOBER LIKE SO THEY'RE ALREADY LOST A THIRD OF THE A QUARTER OF THE YEAR ON THAT. BUT IF YOU GIVE IT TWO YEARS NOW WE'RE PAST. THEY CAN SEE YOU KNOW, WE CAN TALK ABOUT WHAT A SALES TAX MEASURE IS PROJECTED TO BRING IN. NOW THEY'LL ACTUALLY HAVE SOME RECEIPTS ON WHAT IT WILL BRING IN. AND THEN THE DISCUSSIONS THAT WILL CONTINUE, ALONG WITH WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO COMMIT TO IN AN ABOVE THE SALES TAX MEASURE. I THINK TWO YEARS GETS US A BETTER PLACE THAN A ONE YEAR WHERE I FEEL LIKE WE ALREADY KIND OF KNOW THE OUTCOME. I HAVE A QUESTION, I THINK. SORRY THIS IS MAYBE FOR MARK. WITH THE ANNEXATION PROCESS ALREADY STARTED, WHEN WILL SOME OF THOSE IMPACT FEES START TO BE REALIZED? [01:20:08] MR. CHAIRMAN BUT PROBABLY ABOUT 2 TO 3 YEARS. BUT WE WOULD WANT TO GET BACK TO YOU ON THAT. OKAY. DID YOU? MR. CHAIRMAN, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, I THINK MR. MIMMS DID A NICE JOB THERE. IT'S GOING TO BE OBVIOUSLY COMMENSURATE AS DEVELOPMENT OBVIOUSLY TAKES PLACE AS THEY PULL PERMITS. THERE WILL BE OBVIOUSLY REVENUE GENERATED FROM THAT. NOW, THERE ARE OTHER MAYBE CREATIVE IDEAS THAT PERHAPS WE CAN WORK WITH THE CITY COLLABORATIVELY WITH THE DEVELOPER SO AS TO, IN THEORY, MAYBE ADVANCE SOME OF THAT SO AS TO FREE UP YOU KNOW, SOME POTENTIAL REVENUE SO AS TO ADDRESS SOME OF THE CONCERNS WITH REGARD TO SUSTAINABILITY. SUPERVISOR PAREIRA IS THAT OLD? OKAY NO GO AHEAD IS NOT GOING TO HAVE A CAL FIRE FIRE STATION GOING FORWARD. I JUST DON'T SEE EVEN AT 54%, THAT NUT IS QUITE A BIT BIGGER THAN THE SALES TAX MEASURE. AND, YOU KNOW, THEY'D HAVE TO TAX THEMSELVES TWO AND A HALF CENTS SALES TAX, RIGHT? I MEAN, I DON'T KNOW THAT THAT'S REALISTIC. AND SO THAT'S WHY I THINK A SHORTER TIME FRAME WHERE THE COUNTY CAN HELP THE CITY OF DOS PALOS STAND UP A FIRE DEPARTMENT AND WE MAY I MEAN, I'M NOT SAYING THAT WE WOULDN'T CONTRIBUTE MONEY TO THAT STATION BECAUSE IT PROVIDES VALUE TO THE COUNTY. RIGHT? SO I BUT I THINK IT WILL BE CHEAPER TO RUN IF IT'S A CITY OF DOS PALOS FIRE STATION AND THE COUNTY IS MAYBE CONTRIBUTING TOWARDS MAYBE IT'S 46% IS OUR SHARE, RIGHT? IF THEY'RE PROVIDING FIRE. BUT I'M JUST WORRIED, YOU KNOW I GUESS, YOU KNOW, MAYBE 18 MONTHS THEN WOULD GIVE THE CITY OF DOS PALOS A FULL YEAR OF THEIR SALES TAX MEASURE IF THEY START COLLECTING IT IN OCTOBER. AND SO YOU KNOW, I GUESS I WOULD TAKE THAT AS A FRIENDLY AMENDMENT IF YEAH, I'LL DO THAT. THAT'S FOR 18 MONTHS? 18 MONTHS. I'LL SECOND THAT. OKAY. THANK YOU. SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA I HIT YOUR. DID YOU HAVE SOMETHING? YEAH, IT'S SUPERVISOR PAREIRA KIND OF I JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THAT I KNOW WE'RE TALKING A LOT ABOUT THE CITY OF DOS PALOS, BUT THERE'S ALSO SOUTH DOS PALOS, THERE'S MIDWAY. THERE'S ALL THE UNINCORPORATED AREAS AROUND DOS PALOS THAT THAT STATION DOES PROVIDE SERVICE TO SO BUT YOU HAD MENTIONED IN YOUR COMMENTS THANK YOU. OKAY, SO WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND DO YOU WANT TO DO A VOICE VOTE? SO WE'RE GOING TO DO A VOICE VOTE. AND MR. CHAIR THAT ALSO INCLUDES THE 30 DAY COMEBACK WITH? YES, CORRECT. THAT WE KNOW DOS PALOS IS COMMITTED TO THEIR PORTION AND? YEAH. OKAY THANK YOU. PLEASE CALL FOR THE VOTE. SUPERVISOR PACHECO. SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL. I JUST HAVE TO SAY THIS IS GOOD GOVERNANCE THIS IS GREAT DISCUSSION UP HERE. THE BEST THING ABOUT US DOING IT UP HERE IS WE'RE NOT GOING TO GET IN A FIGHT BACK THERE GETTING EACH OTHER IN A HEADLOCK AND DO NOOGIE RUBS. DON'T TALK SO SOON [LAUGHTER]. I'M AN AYE VOTE ON THIS I APPRECIATE OUR COLLEAGUES COMING TOGETHER ON THIS DISCUSSION THIS IS A TRUE COMPROMISE. THIS IS GOOD GOVERNMENT RIGHT HERE AND I APPRECIATE THE DISCUSSION THANK YOU. SUPERVISOR PAREIRA. AYE. SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA. I REALLY DO THINK THREE YEARS IS THE BETTER OPTION, BUT I WILL TAKE WHAT I CAN GET AT THIS POINT AND I APPRECIATE THAT MY COLLEAGUES ARE WILLING TO GO DOWN THIS ROAD WITH ME. SO I AM GOING TO MAKE AN AYE VOTE ON THIS. I ALSO WANT TO SAY THAT AS PART OF THIS IS DOS PALOS WYE STATION IS OPEN AND THAT'S NOT BEING CLOSED. AND SO THAT'S NOT PART OF THE DISCUSSION. THE DISCUSSION NOW IS BACK ON STATION 76 AND DOS PALOS MAYOR, I KNOW YOU'RE OUT THERE. AND I'M WILLING TO AND WANT TO WORK WITH YOU AND I KNOW OUR STAFF IS GOING TO BE WILLING TO AND WANT TO WORK WITH YOU AND TRY TO COME UP WITH WHAT SOLUTIONS LOOK LIKE MOVING FORWARD. THANK YOU, EVERYBODY, FOR THE CONVERSATION. SUPERVISOR PEDROZO. SO I JUST WANT TO SAY ONE MORE THING BEFORE I MAKE MY VOTE IS THAT THIS, [01:25:08] YOU KNOW, AND THIS IS GOOD GOVERNANCE AND WHATEVER IT IS, WHAT IT IS. BUT THE THING IS, THIS REALLY SHINES THE LIGHT ON MAKING SURE THAT MY CONSTITUENTS THAT THE AGREEMENT WITH THE CITY OF MERCED IS PUT ON THE TABLE THAT WE CAN WE SERIOUSLY GET THIS THING DONE. TWO YEARS GOES BY QUICK WE'RE ALREADY IN THE FIRST YEAR. WE NEED TO HAVE THIS THING LOCKED UP SOON. SO THAT'S MY MESSAGE MOVING FORWARD. I KNOW IT'S SEPARATE, BUT I THINK IT GOES HAND IN HAND BECAUSE I'VE HAD TO VOTE TO CLOSE OTHER STATIONS I DON'T LIKE DOING THIS. BECAUSE WE STILL HAVE THE UNKNOWNS WITH MINE AND SO I'M PUTTING A CALL TO ACTION TO YOU AND TO OUR INTERIM CEO THAT THIS HAS TO BE DONE. SO WITH THAT, I'LL VOTE YES. WAS THAT EVERYBODY? MOTION CARRIES. ALL RIGHT NEXT WE HAVE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS. ITEMS 23 AND 24. AT THIS TIME I WILL OPEN PUBLIC COMMENT FOR BOARD OF SUPERVISORS ITEMS 23 AND 24. I WILL PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD FOR BOARD OF SUPERVISORS ITEMS 23 24 IS NOW CLOSED. WE'LL BRING IT BACK TO THE BOARD. WE HAVE A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA SECOND BY SUPERVISOR PACHECO. [LAUGHTER] OKAY NEXT, WE HAVE BOARD APPOINTMENTS. ITEM 25. AT THIS TIME, I WILL OPEN PUBLIC COMMENT FOR BOARD APPOINTMENTS ITEM 25. I WILL CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENT FOR BOARD OF APPOINTMENTS ITEM 25. BRING IT BACK TO CALL FOR THE VOTE. WE HAVE A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR PAREIRA SECOND BY SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA PLEASE CALL FOR THE VOTE. MOTION CARRIES. NEXT, WE HAVE BOARD INFORMATION AND POSSIBLE ACTION. [BOARD INFORMATION & POSSIBLE ACTION] ITEMS 26 AND 27. AT THIS TIME I WILL OPEN PUBLIC COMMENT FOR BOARD INFO ITEMS 26 AND 27. OKAY, I WILL THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD FOR BOARD INFO ITEMS 26 AND 27 IS NOW CLOSED BRING IT BACK TO THE BOARD. WE HAVE A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA, SECOND BY SUPERVISOR PACHECO CALL FOR THE VOTE. MOTION CARRIES. OKAY. AT THIS TIME WE HAVE BUDGET BUT BEFORE WE START, WE'LL TAKE A FIVE MINUTE BREAK AND THEN GO FROM THERE. WE'RE GOING TO GO AHEAD AND GET STARTED. THAT'S WHY I WAS WONDERING YOU'RE TALKING TO ME I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW THAT. OKAY GO AHEAD OKAY NEXT, WE HAVE THE FISCAL YEAR 2025 -2026 PROPOSED BUDGET. [FISCAL YEAR 2025-2026 PROPOSED BUDGET ] INTERIM COUNTY EXECUTIVE OFFICER MARK HENDRICKSON WILL BEGIN THE PRESENTATION OF THE PROPOSED BUDGET. MR. CHAIRMAN, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD. MR. CHAIRMAN, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD. GOOD MORNING. FOR THE BOARD'S CONSIDERATION, TODAY IS THE FISCAL YEAR 2526 PROPOSED BUDGET. THIS $1.15 BILLION TEMPORARY OPERATING PLAN ALLOWS THE COUNTY TO OPERATE ON JULY 1ST, UNTIL WHICH TIME THE BOARD ADOPTS ITS FINAL BUDGET ON SEPTEMBER 23RD. AT THIS POINT, I'D LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT A FEW QUICK POINTS. FIRST, THIS PROPOSED BUDGET IS REFLECTIVE OF THE FISCAL UNCERTAINTY THAT WE AND OTHER COUNTIES AROUND THE STATE ARE FACING. AS THE BOARD WELL KNOWS, THERE IS CURRENTLY A GREAT DEAL OF FISCAL UNCERTAINTY DUE TO POTENTIAL FEDERAL AND STATE FUNDING CUTS. CALIFORNIA COUNTIES DO OPERATE AT THE FRONT LINE OF GOVERNMENT, DELIVERING VITAL SERVICES SUCH AS PUBLIC HEALTH, PUBLIC SAFETY, SOCIAL SERVICES AND INFRASTRUCTURE, TO NAME JUST A FEW. OUR ABILITY TO MAINTAIN STABLE OPERATIONS IS INCREASINGLY MADE MORE CHALLENGING BY FISCAL UNCERTAINTY STEMMING FROM FEDERAL AND STATE FUNDING DECISIONS, AND THESE UNCERTAINTIES CAN CERTAINLY DISRUPT LONG TERM PLANNING, WEAKEN SERVICE DELIVERY, [01:30:04] AND STRAIN ALREADY LIMITED RESOURCES. WHEN OUR FEDERAL AND STATE PARTNERS DELAY APPROPRIATIONS, CHANGE ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA, OR IMPOSES NEW UNFUNDED MANDATES. COUNTIES ARE LEFT SCRAMBLING TO ADJUST BUDGETS AND STAFFING LEVELS. THIS CAN LEAD TO DELAYED PAYMENTS, CUTS TO REALIGNMENT FUNDING, OR EVEN SHIFTS IN PROGRAM RESPONSIBILITIES. NOW, TO NAVIGATE THIS LANDSCAPE, IT'S IMPERATIVE THAT COUNTIES LIKE OURS ADOPT CONSERVATIVE BUDGETS. INVEST. INVEST IN YOUR FISCAL RESERVES, ADVOCATE ACTIVELY WITH STATE AND FEDERAL PARTNERS, AND DIVERSIFY LOCAL REVENUE SOURCES WHERE POSSIBLE. A SIGNIFICANT PORTION OF COUNTY FUNDING IS SUBJECT TO HIGHER LEVEL POLITICAL DECISIONS. AND SO LONG AS THIS HAPPENS, FISCAL UNCERTAINTY WILL REMAIN A PERSISTENT CHALLENGE. ULTIMATELY, CALIFORNIA COUNTIES LIKE MERCED NEED MORE STABLE AND PREDICTABLE FUNDING PARTNERSHIPS TO MEET ITS OBLIGATIONS TO YOUR RESIDENTS. AND WITHOUT THIS, GOVERNMENTS ARE FORCED INTO A REACTIVE POSTURE, UNDERMINING LONG TERM PLANNING AND THE RESILIENCE OF ESSENTIAL PUBLIC SERVICES. NOW YOUR COUNTY STAFF IS ACTIVELY MONITORING THESE POTENTIAL VULNERABILITIES AS THE BOARD WILL BE HEADING INTO ITS FINAL BUDGET IN THE MONTHS TO COME. NOW, JUST AS PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED THROUGHOUT THE THE LAST CONVERSATION, FISCAL DISCIPLINE IS GOING TO BE KEY FOR THE LONG TERM STABILITY AND PROSPERITY OF ANY GOVERNMENT ORGANIZATION OR EVEN A HOUSEHOLD BUDGET. AT ITS VERY CORE, FISCAL DISCIPLINE MEANS MANAGING SPENDING WITHIN AVAILABLE RESOURCES, AVOIDING UNNECESSARY DEBT, AND PLANNING FOR FUTURE FINANCIAL OBLIGATIONS FOR PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS LIKE MERCED COUNTY. IT HELPS ENSURE THAT TAXPAYER DOLLARS, AND THIS IS SOMETHING THAT THIS BOARD HAS BEEN STEADFAST COMMITTED TO FOR MANY, MANY YEARS, ARE BEING USED EFFICIENTLY AND THAT CRITICAL SERVICES SUCH AS PUBLIC SAFETY, SOCIAL SERVICES AND INFRASTRUCTURE ARE FUNDED RELIABLY OVER TIME. NOW, MAINTAINING FISCAL DISCIPLINE DOES BUILD PUBLIC TRUST BY DEMONSTRATING THAT WE ARE ACTING RESPONSIBLY AND TRANSPARENTLY WITH THEIR FUNDS. ULTIMATELY, FISCAL DISCIPLINE IS NOT JUST ABOUT RESTRAINT, IT'S ALSO ABOUT RESPONSIBLE STEWARDSHIP. AND BY MAKING BALANCED DECISIONS TODAY, THIS BOARD IS CREATING THE FOUNDATION FOR SUSTAINABLE SUCCESS AND ECONOMIC SECURITY TOMORROW. THIS PROPOSED BUDGET TODAY SETS YOU ON THIS COURSE, AND IS CONSISTENT WITH THIS BOARD'S LONG STANDING PRACTICE OF FISCAL DISCIPLINE. NOW, THIRDLY, ON THIS SLIDE, YOUR FINAL BUDGET, AS I'VE PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED, IS SLATED FOR SEPTEMBER 23RD. AND WE'LL ADDRESS ANY NECESSARY ADJUSTMENTS BETWEEN NOW AND THEN. I WOULD LIKE TO POINT OUT THAT YOUR DEPARTMENTS HAVE BEEN ENCOURAGED TO ALIGN THEIR SPENDING REQUEST WITH THE STRATEGIC PRIORITIES OF THIS BOARD, AS OUTLINED IN YOUR 2025 THROUGH 2028 STRATEGIC PLAN. NOW, AT THIS POINT, MR. CHAIRMAN, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, I WOULD LIKE TO TURN IT OVER TO OUR DEPUTY CEO, VANESSA ANDERSON, WHO IS GOING TO WALK YOU THROUGH THE SLIDE PRESENTATION TODAY. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN. NO. GOOD MORNING, MR. CHAIRMAN. MEMBERS OF THE BOARD THIS MORNING. AS INTERIM CEO MENTIONED, I WILL BE UNPACKING ALL THE DETAILS OF THE PACKAGE BEFORE YOU TODAY FOR CONSIDERATION. OPENING UP? WE HAVE A PACKAGE OF $1.15 BILLION FOR OUR 2526 PROPOSED BUDGET, WHICH IS AN OVERALL INCREASE OF $10.7 MILLION. WITHIN THAT BUDGET INCLUDES OTHER FUNDS MEANING THESE BUDGETS OPERATE OUTSIDE OF OUR GENERAL FUND AND OUR STANDALONE. WE HAVE OUR ROADS, CASTLE FIRE JAIL PROJECTS, NOT A 20 MILLION CHILD SUPPORT. SPRING FAIR AND ARPA ARE A COUPLE OF THE MAJOR COMPONENTS THAT WE HAVE HELD OUTSIDE OF OUR GENERAL FUND. THOSE AMOUNT TO $330.3 MILLION, AND REFLECT AN INCREASE OF $5.1 MILLION FROM THE MOST RECENTLY APPROVED BUDGET PACKAGE LAST YEAR. FINAL BUDGET INCREASES IN THAT PACKAGE INCLUDE CIPS CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS. AND THEN ALSO WE HAVE A LOT OF PROGRAMING INCREASED IN OUR ROADS AND BRIDGES AREA. WITHIN THAT PACKAGE WE HAVE 29% OF SPENDING AUTHORITY INCLUDED, WHICH IS NOT DISCRETIONARY. IT'S VERY SPECIFIC TO THE COMPONENT THAT IT IS PROGRAMED WITHIN. SO ROADS IS VERY SPECIFIC TO ROADS, CASTLE IS VERY SPECIFIC TO CASTLE ETC.. MOVING ON TO THE NEXT AREA, WE HAVE OUR GENERAL FUND, $818.1 MILLION, AN INCREASE OF $5.6 MILLION FROM THE PREVIOUS BUDGET PACKAGE. AND MOST OF THE INCREASES THAT WE SEE THERE STEM FROM OUR HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES FUNCTIONAL AREA, AS WELL AS SIGNIFICANT CREEK REPAIRS THAT WE HAVE UNDER OUR DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS THAT ARE PROGRAMED FOR THE UPCOMING FISCAL YEAR. WITHIN THAT, OUR GENERAL FUND MAKES UP 71% OF THE TOTAL BUDGET. [01:35:04] DRILLING A LITTLE FURTHER IN THE BOTTOM SECTION, YOU SEE OUR GENERAL FUND DEPARTMENTAL REVENUE AMOUNTING TO $598.8 MILLION, A SLIGHT DECREASE THAT WE HAVE IN THIS BUDGET PACKAGE. HOWEVER, I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS IS EXPLAINED A LITTLE BIT THAT THE 73% OF WHAT WE SEE HERE, THESE REVENUES ARE VERY SPECIFIC TO THE PROGRAMS THAT THEY ARE DEDICATED TO. SO AS WE'LL SEE ALONG IN OUR PRESENTATION, THE HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES FUNCTIONAL AREA BRINGS A LOT OF THIS FUNDING VERY SPECIFIC TO THE PROGRAMS THAT THEY CARRY. AND NOT DISCRETIONARY BY THE BOARD TO PROGRAM FOR ANY FUNDING GAPS THAT MIGHT BE IDENTIFIED THROUGHOUT THE ORGANIZATION. MOVING INTO OUR NET COUNTY COST COMPONENT, THIS IS WHAT THE BOARD HAS DISCRETION TO PROGRAM $219.3 MILLION, WHILE IT MAKES UP 27% OF OUR GENERAL FUND OVERALL FOR THE ENTIRE BUDGET PACKAGE, IT ONLY MAKES UP 19%. AND AS WE HAVE CONVERSATIONS SUCH AS THE ONE THIS MORNING THAT $219.3 MILLION IS SPREAD THROUGHOUT THE ORGANIZATION THROUGH VARYING PRIORITIES AND NEEDS THAT WE HAVE. AND SO WE SEE AN INCREASE THERE OF $7.1 MILLION, AN INCREASE FROM OUR PRIOR YEAR PACKAGE, BROKEN DOWN INTO OUR GENERAL PURPOSE REVENUES AT $142.4 MILLION, AND THE ESTIMATED FUND BALANCE AT $76.9 MILLION. MOVING IN TO SHOW HOW THAT NET COUNTY COST, THAT VERY BOTTOM SECTION OF THE PREVIOUS SLIDE IS BROKEN DOWN INTO. YOU CAN SEE THE LOCAL RESOURCE ADJUSTMENTS AMOUNT TO $7.1 MILLION, 6.8 BEING OUR COUNTY WIDE ONGOING GENERAL PURPOSE REVENUES. AND THEN THE FUND BALANCE AT $279,000 INCREASE. AGAIN, THAT'S THE ESTIMATED FUND BALANCE THAT WE HAVE PROGRAMED IN THIS PACKAGE. THE BOTTOM SECTION INCLUDES OUR BUDGET ADJUSTMENTS. THOSE ARE SPENDING SPENDING CHANGES THAT WE HAVE. YOU CAN SEE ADJUSTMENTS FOR PERSONNEL COSTS OF THE THE PRIMARY COMPONENT OF THE INCREASES IN OUR LOCAL RESOURCES, SIX POINT ALMOST $4 MILLION GOES TO THOSE PERSONNEL COSTS. AND SO WHILE THIS DOESN'T REPRESENT THE TOTAL COST OF WHAT THE INCREASES ARE THAT WE'RE PLANNING FOR WITHIN EITHER AGREED, NEGOTIATED AGREEMENTS OR ONES THAT ARE PENDING $6.4 MILLION IS ASSOCIATED WITH THE NET COUNTY COST COMPONENT. WE HAVE INCREASED IN OUR ASSISTANCE TO NEEDY PROGRAM AT $1.7 MILLION. THESE ARE THE MOST VULNERABLE POPULATIONS THAT WE SERVE IN OUR HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES. AND WE HAVE SOME SOFTWARE AND EQUIPMENT NEEDS IN OUR DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS. WE HAVE CHANGES IN OUR OPERATING TRANSFERS OUT, WHICH REPRESENTS THE SPINDOWN OF CONTRIBUTIONS THAT THE BOARD HAD PREVIOUSLY PROGRAMED FOR OUR JAIL PROJECT. AND THEN WE HAVE SPOKEN ABOUT JUST PREVIOUSLY, CREEK REPAIRS AND PROJECTS AN INCREASE OF NEARLY $2 MILLION OVER PRIOR YEAR SPENDING. AND WE ALSO HAVE OUR GENERAL PLAN UPDATE, WHICH IS ABOUT $2.5 MILLION INCLUDED. THIS IS SOMETHING THAT HAPPENS EVERY DECADE, AND WE ARE ANTICIPATING PROGRESS IN THIS FISCAL YEAR. MOVING ON TO KIND OF UNPACK THE BREAKDOWN OF WHAT OUR TOTAL BUDGET $1.15 BILLION, REPRESENTS. AGAIN, THE LEFT SIDE, 330, $330 MILLION ARE THE OTHER FUNDS, REPRESENTING 29% OF THAT SPENDING PACKAGE. AGAIN, THIS CONSISTS OF OUR ROADS CASTLE FIRE FUND AND THESE ARE NOT DISCRETIONARY FUNDS. THE LIGHTER BLUE SECTION AT $818 MILLION, THAT REPRESENTS OUR GENERAL FUND, FURTHER BROKEN DOWN ON THE RIGHT SIDE, YOU CAN SEE THE BRIGHT BLUE AT $598.8 MILLION IN OUR DEPARTMENTAL REVENUES. ONE THING I WANT TO KIND OF EXPLAIN A LITTLE BIT IN MORE DETAIL. WHEN I MENTIONED EARLIER, EVERY DEPARTMENT THAT BRINGS THIS DEPARTMENTAL REVENUE, IT'S VERY SPECIFIC TO THE PROGRAMS. I'LL PROVIDE A COUPLE EXAMPLES. WE HAVE MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES ACT MONEY THAT WE HAVE INCLUDED IN OUR BEHAVIORAL HEALTH DEPARTMENT. THAT MONEY IS INCLUDED IN THAT BRIGHT BLUE SECTION THAT CANNOT BE USED TO PROGRAM IN OUR PERMITTING DEPARTMENT. LIKEWISE, WE HAVE AB109 MONEY THAT'S INCLUDED IN THAT BRIGHT BLUE SECTION. THAT MONEY CAN'T BE USED TO COVER ANY GAPS IN OUR AG COMMISSIONER DEPARTMENT. SO THAT BRIGHT BLUE SECTION IS AN ACCUMULATION OF EVERY DEPARTMENT'S OTHER FUNDING SOURCES THAT PROVIDES FUNDING FOR VERY SPECIFIC PROGRAMS, NOT USE. YOU CAN'T BE USING IT FOR ANY OTHER DISCRETIONARY OR PRIORITY THAT MAYBE WE HAVE FOR COMMUNITIES. AND THEN THE OTHER TWO SLICES IN THAT PIE, YOU SEE AGAIN, ARE GENERAL PURPOSE REVENUES AT $142 MILLION AND THE YELLOW SLICE AT $76.9 MILLION IN OUR ESTIMATED FUND BALANCE THAT THAT BALANCES OUT OUR GENERAL FUND. MOVING INTO THE USE OF FUNDS BY CATEGORY FOR OUR TOTAL BUDGET. YOU CAN SEE EACH CATEGORY AT THE TOP ARE SALARIES AND BENEFITS. [01:40:01] BY FAR IS THE LARGEST COMPONENT OF THE BUDGET PACKAGE, 43.5% AT $379.8 MILLION, AN INCREASE OF 13.5 MILLION FROM OUR PREVIOUS BUDGET PACKAGE, WHICH REALLY REPRESENTS A LOT OF INCREASES THAT WE ARE PLANNING EITHER FOR WAGES, THERE'S SOME RETIREMENT RATE CHANGES, THERE ARE HEALTH INSURANCE COSTS INCLUDED IN HERE FOR THE COUNTY CONTRIBUTION ANY OVERTIME OR EXTRA HELP COSTS THAT DEPARTMENTS EMBED WITHIN THEIR BUDGETS. WE HAVE SERVICES AND SUPPLIES, WHICH IS PRETTY FLAT FOR THIS BUDGET PACKAGE COMPARED TO THE PRIOR YEAR. WE HAVE OUR OTHER CHARGES, WHICH REALLY STEMS FROM CLIENT RELATED SERVICES $172.5 MILLION. OUR TRANSFERS CATEGORY AT $36.5 MILLION. THIS IS REALLY THE MECHANISM TO SHIFT FUNDING EITHER FROM THE GENERAL FUND TO ANOTHER FUND AND WITHIN ALL OF THE OTHER FUNDS. ONE EXAMPLE OF THIS IS THE COMMITMENT THAT WE HEAR OF THE GENERAL FUND PROVIDING TO OUR FIRE FUND. THERE'S BEEN GENERAL FUND COMMITMENTS TO OUR JAIL PROJECTS. WE ALSO SEE INFLOW OF ARPA MONEY THAT COMES IN AND COVERS ANY COSTS FOR PROJECTS THAT THE BOARD HAD PREVIOUSLY APPROVED. WE SEE A $7.8 MILLION REDUCTION IN. THIS LARGELY REPRESENTS SPIN DOWN OF OUR ARPA MONEY. WE HAVE SEEN SPEND DOWN OF PLANADA MONEY IN THE RECENT YEAR. AND SO WE WILL DEFINITELY BE MONITORING THAT AND RECONCILING AS WE MOVE TO OUR FINAL BUDGET. CAPITAL ASSETS. WE HAVE $253.6 MILLION, $6.6 MILLION INCREASE. THIS NOT ONLY INCLUDES OUR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS, BUT ANY EQUIPMENT NEEDS OR UNIT PURCHASES THAT EXCEED $5,000. ONE. A COUPLE EXAMPLES THAT WE SPOKE ABOUT JUST RECENTLY WERE EQUIPMENT NEEDS THAT WE HAD IN OUR DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS. WE HAVE OUR CREEK REPAIRS THAT WE HAVE PROGRAMED IN THERE, AND OTHER CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS THROUGHOUT THE ORGANIZATION. THE CONTINGENCY CATEGORY IS UTILIZED FOR EMERGENCIES. WE HAVE $10 MILLION THROUGHOUT THE ORGANIZATION. $6.5 MILLION IS INCLUDED WITH OUR GENERAL FUND. THAT WAS LARGELY CALLED UPON WHEN WE HAD OUR RECENT FLOOD EVENTS, AND THAT PROVIDED AN IMMEDIATE SOURCE OF FUNDING TO PROVIDE AS WE ENGAGED AND RESPONDED TO THAT EMERGENCY. WE HAVE A HALF $1 MILLION IN OUR FIRE FUND, AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE $3 MILLION HELD IN OUR JAIL PROJECT. AS WE MOVE TOWARDS SEEING THAT PROJECT GET CLOSER TO COMPLETION TOTAL APPROPRIATIONS OF $1.15 BILLION, AN INCREASE OF $10.7 MILLION. ON THE FLIP SIDE, THE SOURCE OF ALL FUNDS WITHIN THE BUDGET THAT YOU SEE $1.15 BILLION, THESE CATEGORIES ARE SORTED BY THE LARGEST CATEGORY ON THE TOP AND MOVING DOWN TO THE LESS LESS ROBUST CATEGORY. SO WE HAVE AID FROM OTHER GOVERNMENTAL AGENCIES, $592.3 MILLION. THAT'S AN INCREASE OF $2.8 MILLION FROM OUR PRIOR BUDGET PACKAGE. THE FAR RIGHT SIDE OF THIS SLIDE, YOU'LL SEE THE AMOUNT OF LOCAL DISCRETIONARY FUNDING EMBEDDED WITHIN THAT CATEGORY. YOU SEE, ONLY $1.5 MILLION IS ASSOCIATED WITH WHAT THE BOARD HAS CONTROL OVER PROGRAMING. SO THE THE LARGEST FUNDING CATEGORY THAT WE HAVE IN THE BUDGET HAS THE LEAST THE LEAST AMOUNT, ALMOST THE LEAST AMOUNT OF FUNDING THAT THE BOARD HAS CONTROL OVER PROGRAMING. THE NEXT CATEGORY WE HAVE ARE TAXES AT $173 MILLION, AN INCREASE OF 8.8 AND 128.7 MILLION OF THAT IS RELATED TO THE BOARD'S DISCRETIONARY PROGRAMING. THE LARGEST COMPONENT THAT WE SEE IN THERE ARE PROPERTY TAXES AND SALES TAX. OTHER FUNDS DO UTILIZE PROPERTY TAXES, SUCH AS OUR FIRE FUND. WE ALSO HAVE TAXES THAT FLOW INTO OUR ROADS FUND. SO THE GENERAL FUND IS NOT THE ONLY ONE THAT RECEIVES THAT TAX CATEGORY. OTHER REVENUES INCLUDE OUR OPERATING TRANSFERS. AND I SPOKE TO THAT A LITTLE BIT. A LOT OF TRANSFERRING EITHER FROM ARPA OR PLANADA 20 MILLION OR CONTRIBUTIONS FOR BOARD PRIORITIES, CHARGES FOR SERVICES $94.2 MILLION. A LOT OF THAT STEMS FROM OUR BEHAVIORAL HEALTH DEPARTMENT, AS WE SEE MEDI-CAL REIMBURSEMENTS FLOWING IN TO OFFSET THE COST OF SERVICES PROVIDED. USE OF MONEY AND PROPERTY AT $11.7 MILLION. THE LARGEST COMPONENT WE HAVE THERE IS INTEREST, AND $5 MILLION IS ASSOCIATED TO DISCRETIONARY PROGRAMING IN OUR BUDGET. AND THEN ON DOWN THE LINE, SOME LESS LOWER DOLLAR AMOUNTS. YOU HAVE $9.4 MILLION IN OUR LICENSES AND PERMITS AND THEN OUR FINES, FORFEITURES AND PENALTIES AT $6.5 MILLION. TOTAL REVENUE IS $999.6 MILLION, BRINGING IN OUR FUND BALANCE FOR ALL FUNDS AT $148.8 MILLION. WHILE WE RELY UPON OUR GENERAL FUND FUND BALANCE TO BALANCE OUT THE SPENDING PACKAGE THAT WE HAVE. [01:45:03] WE ALSO RECOGNIZE THAT OTHER FUNDS DO CARRY FUND BALANCE FIRE FUND HAS FUND BALANCE. WE HAVE CASTLE AND THIS USUALLY IS PROGRAMED FOR ONE TIME USES OF THAT 140 8.8 YOU SEE 76.9 IS ASSOCIATED TO THE DISCRETIONARY FUNDING, WHICH IS INCLUDED IN OUR GENERAL FUND TOTAL FUNDING SOURCES. YOU SEE, AT $1.15 BILLION, TOTAL INCREASE OF 10.7 OFFSETS THE TOTAL INCREASES ON THE PREVIOUS SLIDE. MOVING IN TO SHOW HISTORICAL GROWTH OF OUR BUDGET, THE TOTAL BUDGET PACKAGE, YOU CAN SEE THE GRAY BARS REPRESENTS THE TOTAL SPENDING AUTHORITY THAT WE HAVE IN EACH OF THE YEAR'S BUDGET PACKAGES. FAR RIGHT SIDE IS OUR $1.15 BILLION BUDGET PACKAGE. THE YELLOW LINE REPRESENTS THE DEPARTMENTAL REVENUES. THOSE WERE WHAT I JUST KIND OF EXPLAINED A LITTLE BIT AS TO THE VERY SPECIFIC PURPOSES OF OF MONEY COMES IN AND THEY HAVE VERY SPECIFIC PROGRAM USES. THAT YELLOW LINE REALLY HAS DRIVEN THE GROWTH IN OUR BUDGET THROUGH THE YEARS. YOU CAN SEE EVERY TIME THAT YELLOW LINE GOES UP, THE GRAY BAR GOES UP. WE KNOW WE ARE MONITORING, AS MENTIONED IN THE KICKOFF OF THIS, THAT A LOT OF THAT STEMS FROM OUR HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES. SO WE CONTINUE TO MONITOR THAT. SHOULD THERE BE ANY CHANGES IN THAT FUNDING, WE WOULD LIKELY SEE THE GRAY BAR CORRESPONDINGLY GO DOWN AS THAT YELLOW LINE WOULD GO DOWN. IN COMPARISON, YOU SEE OUR COUNTY WIDE REVENUES, THE BLUE LINE AT THE BOTTOM, THOSE ARE THE GENERAL PURPOSE REVENUES. AND WHILE WE DO SEE GROWTH YEAR AFTER YEAR IT REALLY IS PRETTY STATIC COMPARED TO THE GROWTH THAT WE SEE IN OUR SPENDING PLAN AND THOSE OTHER FUNDING SOURCES. SO IT DEFINITELY IS NOT THE PRIMARY DRIVER OF THE BUDGET PACKAGES THAT WE HAVE YEAR OVER YEAR. BREAKING DOWN THE TOTAL APPROPRIATIONS, WHICH IS THE SPENDING AUTHORITY FOR OUR ENTIRE BUDGET AND COMPARING IT TO THAT OFFSETTING FUNDING. YOU CAN SEE THE YELLOW SECTION, OUR HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, AGAIN, BRINGING THE LARGEST PORTION OF TOTAL SPENDING REQUIREMENTS AT $514.9 MILLION. ON THE RIGHT SIDE, YOU SEE OUR OFFSETTING, THE OFFSETTING FUNDING THAT THEY BRING VERY SPECIFIC TO THEIR PROGRAMS AT $502.9 MILLION. THEY REALLY DO PROVIDE MOST OF THE FUNDING FOR THE SERVICES THAT THEY PROVIDE. OUR MUNICIPAL AND COUNTY WIDE SERVICES. THE RED SLICE TOTALS $254.3 MILLION. PROGRAMS AND DEPARTMENTS INCLUDED IN THAT SECTION INCLUDE CASTLE, CID, LIBRARY, CREEKS, FIRE, ROADS, CORONER, AND ANIMAL CONTROL. YOU CAN SEE OF THE $254 MILLION ON THE LEFT SIDE. MOVING TO THE RIGHT SIDE, YOU CAN SEE THEY BRING $177.3 MILLION IN OFFSETTING FUNDING, LEAVING A GAP OF $77.1 MILLION THAT NEEDS TO BE COVERED FROM SOMEWHERE. THE GRAY SECTION, YOU SEE IS OUR PUBLIC SAFETY AND JUSTICE SYSTEM AT $186.3 MILLION. MOVING TO THE RIGHT SIDE, YOU SEE, THEY BRING $72.8 MILLION IN OFFSETTING FUNDING, LEAVING $113.5 MILLION NEEDING COVERAGE FROM SOME OTHER SOURCE. THE BRIGHT BLUE SLICE YOU SEE AT $192.9 MILLION REPRESENTS OUR SUPPORT SERVICES AND SIPS ALONG WITH SIPS, WE HAVE OUR JAIL PROJECT INCLUDED HERE GENERAL FUND CONTINGENCY, LONG TERM FACILITIES CENTRAL SERVICE DEPARTMENTS ASSESSOR, TREASURER, TAX COLLECTOR, AND REGISTRAR OF VOTERS. ON THE RIGHT SIDE YOU SEE 200 AND I'M SORRY, $104.2 MILLION IN OFFSETTING FUNDING, LEAVING $88.7 MILLION NEEDING TO BE COVERED BY OTHER SOURCES. SO THE FINAL SLICE ON OUR RIGHT SIDE, WE CAN SEE THE PINK, GREEN AND PURPLE. THOSE ARE THE OTHER SOURCES THAT COVER THE GAPS BETWEEN THE LEFT SIDE AND THE RIGHT SIDE. THE PINK SIDE IS VERY SPECIFIC TO OUR OTHER FUNDS, THOSE FUND BALANCES THAT ARE CARRIED OUTSIDE OF OUR GENERAL FUND. SO IT'S FIRE, IT'S CASTLE, IT'S CHILD SUPPORT. IT'S ANY DEPARTMENT THAT HAS THEIR OTHER THEIR OWN EXTERNAL SOURCE OF FUNDING THAT'S HELD IN THEIR STANDALONE UNIT. THE GREEN SLICE AND THE PURPLE SLICE ARE THE DISCRETIONARY FUNDS THAT THE BOARD HAS CONTROL OVER PROGRAMING. AND IT REPRESENTS 19% OF THE TOTAL BUDGET PACKAGE. AND SO AMONGST ALL OF THOSE CATEGORIES AND FUNCTIONAL AREAS, THOSE SLICES OF THE PIE HAVE TO BE SPLIT AND BALANCED FOR ALL OF THE SPENDING REQUIREMENTS THROUGHOUT THOSE DEPARTMENTS IN THE ORGANIZATION. MOVING ON TO SHOW THE TOTAL SPENDING AUTHORITY AND HOW THE GENERAL PURPOSE REVENUES ARE UTILIZED. WE KIND OF UNPACKED IT JUST OVER IN THE PREVIOUS SLIDE, BUT THAT RED, THE RED SECTION ON EACH OF THE BARS REPRESENTS OUR GENERAL PURPOSE REVENUES. AGAIN, THE DISCRETIONARY FUNDING THAT THE BOARD CAN PROGRAM FOR DIFFERENT PRIORITIES. YOU CAN SEE ON THE RIGHT SIDE, OUR HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES REPRESENTS THE LARGEST SPENDING COMPONENT OF OUR BUDGET. [01:50:01] AND THEN THE NEXT HIGHEST COMPONENT THAT WE HAVE ARE OUR MUNICIPAL COUNTY WIDE SERVICES. AND THEN WE MOVE INTO OUR SUPPORT SERVICES AND CIPS. ON THE FAR LEFT SIDE ALL UTILIZING RELATIVELY LOW AMOUNTS OF GENERAL PURPOSE REVENUES IN COMPARISON TO THE SPENDING NEEDS THAT THEY HAVE MOVING INTO OUR PUBLIC SAFETY AND JUSTICE SYSTEM. YOU CAN SEE BY FAR UTILIZES THE MOST GENERAL PURPOSE REVENUES FOR THIS CURRENT BUDGET PACKAGE. OF THE GENERAL PURPOSE REVENUES, NOT COUNTING FUND BALANCE, WE HAVE 110.7 MILLION PROGRAMED IN THIS BUDGET PACKAGE FOR AMONGST THE DEPARTMENTS THAT FALL WITHIN OUR PUBLIC SAFETY AND JUSTICE SYSTEM. KIND OF TAKING A STEP BACK AND JUST PROVIDING A SUMMARY OF WHAT WAS JUST SHOWN. WE HAVE 78% OF THOSE GENERAL PURPOSE REVENUES GOING TO OUR PUBLIC SAFETY AND JUSTICE DEPARTMENTS, 3% IN OUR HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, USUALLY FOR MAINTENANCE OF EFFORT REQUIREMENTS OR MANDATED SPENDING TO PARTICIPATE IN PROGRAMS. WE HAVE 9% IN OUR SUPPORT SERVICES CATEGORY, AND 10% OF THAT $142.4 MILLION GOES TO OUR MUNICIPAL AND COUNTY WIDE DEPARTMENTS. MOVING INTO THE PERFORMANCE OF OUR BUDGET, YOU CAN SEE FOR OUR 2425 FISCAL YEAR THAT WE'RE CURRENTLY IN, THE ESTIMATED CLOSE OUT THAT WE HAVE HERE IS $2.2 MILLION DEFICIT. WHAT THIS MEANS IS OUR OUR OFFICE HAS WORKED WITH EACH DEPARTMENT EARLIER IN THE FISCAL YEAR TO DETERMINE ESTIMATES OF WHERE THEIR BUDGETS WILL LAND AS OF JUNE 30TH OR THE CLOSE OF THE FISCAL YEAR. THESE ESTIMATES ARE VERY IMPORTANT BECAUSE AS WE CONTINUE TO UNPACK AND LOOK AT THE INFORMATION, THIS IS HOW WE GAUGE THE FUND BALANCE OF WHAT WE ESTIMATE IN PROGRAM TO BALANCE THESE ESTIMATES IS VERY IMPORTANT TO ONE GAUGE GAUGE, HOW WE'RE PERFORMING AND WHAT FUNDING IS BEING UTILIZED SPECIFICALLY NET COUNTY COST, BUT ALSO FOR PLANNING PURPOSES. SO WE KNOW HOW MUCH MONEY WE HAVE TO PROGRAM FOR MAKING DECISIONS, WHETHER IT'S CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS, WHETHER IT'S POSITION REQUESTS, WHETHER IT'S ESTIMATES FOR NEGOTIATIONS. THIS COMPONENT WE CONTINUE TO MONITOR AND WILL BE VERIFIED AND CONFIRMED AS WE HAVE OUR FINAL BUDGET PACKAGE FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION. SO THAT PERFORMANCE OF THE BUDGET FLOWS, AS I MENTIONED, JUST DIRECTLY INTO OUR FUND BALANCE, YOU CAN SEE ON THE FAR RIGHT SIDE OUR 2425 ESTIMATE INCLUDES $138.3 MILLION IN TOTAL FUND BALANCE. THE VERY BOTTOM SECTION REPRESENTS $76.9 MILLION, WHICH IS AVAILABLE FOR PROGRAMING. YOU'VE SEEN THAT THROUGHOUT THE PRESENTATION SO FAR. THIS IS WHAT WE UTILIZE TO BALANCE OUT THE GENERAL FUND, AND ALSO STEMS DIRECTLY FROM THE PERFORMANCE OF THE BUDGET AND THE ESTIMATES WE RECEIVE FROM EACH DEPARTMENT THROUGHOUT OUR MID-YEAR ANALYSIS PROCESS. THE YELLOW SECTION, WE HAVE OUR ENCUMBRANCES AT $15.7 MILLION. THESE ARE PURCHASE ORDERS AND COMMITMENTS AND OBLIGATIONS THAT THE COUNTY HAS MADE FOR EITHER SERVICES OR PROJECTS. YOU CAN SEE A SLIGHT REDUCTION FROM OUR PRIOR YEAR. IN THAT AMOUNT, THAT AMOUNT OBVIOUSLY WILL BE TRUED UP AS WE MOVE TOWARDS OUR FISCAL YEAR AND CLOSE OUT THE FISCAL YEAR. THE GREEN SECTION WE HAVE ARE COMMITTED RESERVES. THOSE ARE GENERAL FUND RESERVES. THE RAINY DAY FUND SET AT $45.1 MILLION. THERE IS NOT AN INCREASE INCLUDED IN THIS PACKAGE FOR CONSIDERATION. BUT WE WILL DEFINITELY MONITOR THAT AS WE CLOSE OUT OUR FISCAL YEAR AND ENSURE THAT WE MAINTAIN COMPLIANCE WITH THE BOARD ESTABLISHED POLICY. AND I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THAT CONTRIBUTIONS TO THIS COMPONENT ARE NOT AUTOMATICALLY MADE. IT HINGES ON BOARD POLICY, AND IT ALSO HINGES ON THE AVAILABILITY OF RESOURCES. AND SO SHOULD THERE NOT BE ANY RESOURCES TO PROGRAM? WE WILL SEE IN A FUTURE SLIDE THAT HOW WE STACK UP TO WHERE THAT BOARD POLICY IS. PROVIDING SOME INSIGHT ONTO THE SOURCES OF FUNDING THAT WE UTILIZE, THE ONGOING GENERAL PURPOSE REVENUES AND THE FUND BALANCE. ON THE FAR LEFT SIDE, WE HAVE ONE TIME NET COUNTY COST NEEDS THAT ARE COVERED BY $33 MILLION IN FUND BALANCE. THAT IS AN APPROPRIATE USE OF FUND BALANCE. WE UTILIZE FUND BALANCE WE USUALLY WANT TO UTILIZE FUND BALANCE ONLY FOR ONE TIME PURPOSES BECAUSE IT'S VERY MUCH LIKE A SAVINGS ACCOUNT. IT DOESN'T NECESSARILY REPLENISH ITSELF. AND SO ONCE IT'S USED, THERE IS NO GUARANTEE THAT IT WILL BE RESTORED. AND SO PROJECTS, EQUIPMENT PURCHASES, ETC. THOSE ARE GOOD SOURCES OF SPENDING TO UTILIZE OUR FUND BALANCE. MOVING INTO THE MIDDLE SECTION YOU SEE ONGOING NET COUNTY COST. THESE ARE THE ONGOING NEEDS THAT WE HAVE, WHETHER IT'S OPERATIONAL COSTS, WHETHER IT'S PERSONNEL COSTS. THE VERY BOTTOM SECTION, WE HAVE $142.4 MILLION. [01:55:03] THAT IS THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF OUR GENERAL PURPOSE REVENUES. AND THAT IS A VERY APPROPRIATE USE OF OUR ONGOING FUNDING SOURCES. SO ONGOING NEEDS WITH ONGOING FUNDING SOURCES. THE TOP SECTION WE HAVE IS THE FUND BALANCE UTILIZATION TO BALANCE OUT THOSE ONGOING NEEDS. AT $43.9 MILLION, THAT IS AN AREA THAT WE MONITOR AND WANT TO ENSURE THAT, WE CAN APPROPRIATELY ADDRESS IN THE EVENT THAT FUND BALANCE, ONE TIME FUNDING SOURCE IS UTILIZED AND EXHAUSTED, AND WE HAVE AN ONGOING NEED THAT WOULD OTHERWISE HAVE TO BE COVERED FROM OTHER SOME OTHER FUNDING SOURCE. AND THEN THE FAR RIGHT SIDE IS JUST THE SUM OF THOSE TWO FUNDING SOURCES OF OUR ONGOING COUNTYWIDE REVENUES AND OUR FUND BALANCE TOTALING $219.3 MILLION. MOVING INTO THE GENERAL FUND RESERVES TOUCHED UPON JUST A COUPLE SLIDES AGO. YOU CAN SEE ON THE FAR RIGHT SIDE THAT BOX REPRESENTS THE BOARD POLICY, WITH A FLOOR OF 7% AND A CEILING OF 12%. THAT $45.1 MILLION REPRESENTS 7.5% OF THAT BOARD POLICY. AND SO WHILE IT STILL DOES FALL AND IS COMPLIANT THERE IS A POSSIBILITY THAT IT COULD COME OUT OF RANGE. AND SO WE WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR THAT AND PROVIDE A, A TRUER NUMBER AS WE CLOSE OUT OUR FISCAL YEAR. THE BOARD POLICY STEMS ON THREE YEARS OF THE MOST RECENT REVENUES. AND SO WE WILL MONITOR THAT AND BE PREPARED TO PROVIDE A RECOMMENDATION WITH THE BOARD WITH FINAL BUDGET, SHOULD WE NEED. ONE THING I PROBABLY WANT TO UNPACK A LITTLE BIT, JUST TO GIVE SOME PERSPECTIVE ON TO WHAT THIS MIGHT GET US IF WE NEEDED TO UTILIZE THE $45.1 MILLION IT REPRESENTS 6% OF OUR ESTIMATED ACTUAL SPENDING FOR THE CURRENT YEAR. THE CURRENT AVERAGE MONTHLY COST OF OUR GENERAL FUND OPERATIONS IS $48.7 MILLION. AND LOOKING LOOKING AT THAT, THAT WOULD ACTUALLY ONLY NOT QUITE COVER A FULL MONTH. BUT DRILLING A LITTLE BIT FURTHER, IF, IN FACT, WE HAD TO COVER TOTAL SALARIES AND BENEFITS WITHIN OUR GENERAL FUND, THE AVERAGE COST, A MONTHLY COST OF SALARIES AND BENEFITS, WAS $21.7 MILLION. SO THE GENERAL FUND RESERVE WOULD COVER APPROXIMATELY 2.1 MONTHS. IF IN THE EVENT THE BOTTOM FELL OUT AND WE HAD TO COMPLETELY UTILIZE THIS TO COVER ANY SALARIES AND BENEFITS FOR THE ORGANIZATION. MOVING INTO THE COUNTY WIDE POSITIONS BY FUNCTIONAL AREA, YOU CAN SEE INCLUDED IN THIS PACKAGE FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION IS 2475 POSITIONS. PREVIOUSLY THERE WAS 2466, A NET INCREASE OF NINE POSITIONS. THERE WERE TWO POSITIONS APPROVED THROUGHOUT THE FISCAL YEAR, LEAVING SEVEN IN THIS PACKAGE. THERE WERE CERTAIN POSITIONS INCLUDED IN AN OPIOID ITEM THAT THE BOARD HAD JUST TAKEN ACTION ON EARLIER IN THE AGENDA. THE REMAINING POSITIONS, NOT FUNDED BY OPIOID FUNDING, ARE ALSO NOW INCLUDED IN THIS PACKAGE. YOU CAN SEE OUR HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES CATEGORY BY FAR HAS THE MOST POSITIONS AT NEARLY 1400. THERE'S A NET INCREASE OF FIVE PROGRAMED THERE. WE CONTINUE TO MONITOR VERY CLOSELY WITH THOSE DEPARTMENTS. AS MENTIONED, THE FEDERAL AND STATE SOURCES THAT MAY BE SUBJECT TO CHANGES. OUR DEPARTMENTS ARE PREPARED OR ARE PLANNING FOR ANY CONTINGENCIES THAT MAY NEED TO OCCUR IN THE EVENT THAT FUNDING SOURCES AREN'T THERE TO SUPPORT POSITIONS. YOU CAN SEE MUNICIPAL COUNTY WIDE, NO CHANGE. THERE ARE 232 POSITIONS. PUBLIC SAFETY. WE HAVE 480 PROGRAMED IN THIS PACKAGE, A NET INCREASE OF THREE. AND I BELIEVE ONE WAS PREVIOUSLY INCLUDED IN THROUGHOUT IN THE FISCAL YEAR. AND THEN OUR JUSTICE WE HAVE A NET INCREASE OF ONE, I BELIEVE THAT FELL IN OUR OPIOID PACKAGE FOR A TOTAL OF 105, OUR SUPPORT SERVICES AT 203, AND INTERNAL SERVICE FUNDS AT 58. THIS NEXT SLIDE UNPACKS THE COUNTY WIDE POSITIONS YEAR OVER YEAR JUST TO SEE THE TRENDS AND THE GROWTH THROUGHOUT THE YEARS. THE YELLOW LINE REPRESENTS THE TOTAL COUNTY, WHICH WAS ALSO SEEN ON THE PREVIOUS SLIDE. AND THEN THAT BLUE LINE REPRESENTS OUR GENERAL FUND OF 2246, OF WHICH THE MOST POSITIONS FALL WITHIN OUR HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES FUNCTIONAL AREA. AND I WILL TURN IT BACK TO INTERIM CEO HENDRICKSON. THANK YOU. VANESSA. JUST IN CLOSING, MR. CHAIRMAN, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, KIND OF FOUR BRIEF POINTS. AS WAS MENTIONED, THIS $1.15 BILLION PROPOSED BUDGET IS FOCUSED ON FISCAL STABILITY, WHICH HAS BEEN AND CONTINUES TO BE A STRATEGIC GOAL OF THIS BOARD, AS WAS MENTIONED. YOUR RESERVES ARE BEING HELD FLAT AND DOES PREPARE THE COUNTY FOR THE UNFORESEEN. AND AGAIN, AS I MENTIONED IN MY OPENING REMARKS, FEDERAL AND STATE DECISIONS WILL HAVE A DIRECT IMPACT ON YOUR TEAM'S ABILITY TO PROVIDE [02:00:04] PROGRAMS AND SERVICES PROSPECTIVELY. NUMBER TWO, REGARDING WATER AND FLOOD PREVENTION, THIS CONTINUES TO ALSO BE AN AREA OF FOCUS AND PRIORITY RELATED TO BOTH DEBRIS REMOVAL AND COMBATING FUTURE DISASTER. AND CERTAINLY WE'D LIKE TO COMPLIMENT THE PUBLIC WORKS TEAM FOR THEIR WORK AND THEIR EFFORTS IN THIS RESPECT. NUMBER THREE, THIS BOARD HAS LONG BEEN A CHAMPION FOR PUBLIC SAFETY. AS MENTIONED DURING THIS PRESENTATION, NEARLY 80% OF YOUR DISCRETIONARY RESOURCES ARE DEDICATED TO PUBLIC SAFETY AND TO JUSTICE. THIS REMAINS THE BOARD'S HIGHEST PRIORITY, AND THIS PROPOSED BUDGET REFLECTS THAT. AND FOUR. AND LASTLY, REGARDING INFRASTRUCTURE AND FACILITIES, THIS BOARD HAS ALSO DEMONSTRATED A STRONG COMMITMENT TO ADVANCING PROJECTS LIKE PARKS, ROADS AND OTHER CAPITAL PROJECTS DESIGNED TO BENEFIT OUR COMMUNITIES AND TO ADDRESS FACILITY NEEDS, SECURITY CONCERNS AND SAFETY. AS OUR FISCAL PICTURE BECOMES CLEARER IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF MONTHS, STAFF WILL CONTINUE TO PRIORITIZE PROJECTS FOR THIS BOARD'S CONSIDERATION. NOW, THE BUDGET PROCESS IS A LENGTHY ONE AND REQUIRES A GREAT DEAL OF HARD WORK AND COLLABORATION. I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE A MOMENT TO THANK OUR AUDITOR CONTROLLER LISA CARDELLA, FOR HER COLLABORATION. OUR ASSISTANT CEO, MARCI BARRERA FOR HER LEADERSHIP. OUR DEPARTMENT HEADS BOTH ELECTED AND APPOINTED AND APPOINTED FOR THEIR RESPECT AND THEIR RESPECTIVE FISCAL TEAMS FOR THEIR DEDICATION TO THE PROCESS. AND I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE A MOMENT TO TO ACKNOWLEDGE OUR BUDGET OFFICE. NOTABLY VANESSA, TO GREG, TO TERRY, TO KIM AND TO ANDRIS FOR THEIR HARD WORK OVER THESE PAST SEVERAL MONTHS AND TO OUR HR TEAM AS WELL FOR THEIR EXCEPTIONAL WORK. SO, MR. CHAIRMAN, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, THIS CONCLUDES MY COMMENTS. AND YOUR STAFF IS CERTAINLY AVAILABLE TO ADDRESS ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN. OKAY. THANK YOU. DO YOU WANT TO DO QUESTIONS OR OPEN PUBLIC COMMENT FIRST? OKAY. AT THIS TIME, I WILL OPEN PUBLIC COMMENT FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 2025 2026 PROPOSED BUDGET PRESENTATION AND ITEMS 28 THROUGH 30. REMINDER TESTIMONY TESTIMONY IS LIMITED TO THREE MINUTES PER PERSON. COME ON UP. YOU CAN MOVE THE PODIUM DOWN OR YOUR RIGHT HIP. THERE'S A BUTTON. OH, CAN YOU HEAR ME? YEAH. OKAY. HI. MY NAME IS EMILY. I LIVE IN PLANADA. I CURRENTLY WORK IN MERCED AS A CAREGIVER, AS WELL AS CANVASING WITH COMMUNITIES FOR NEW CALIFORNIA. I AM ALSO A STUDENT HERE AT UC MERCED, WHERE I AM MAJORING IN SOCIOLOGY, AND MY GOAL IS TO PURSUE A CAREER IN HUMAN RESOURCES AND OR COUNSELING. I'M HERE TODAY, TODAY WITH MY NEIGHBORS TO REQUEST TWO THINGS AN INCREASE TO AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROGRAM AND TO IMPROVE THE MERCED COUNTY BUDGET PROCESS THROUGH MORE TRANSPARENCY AND ADDITIONAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR PUBLIC COMMENTS SUCH AS BUDGET WORKSHOPS. SHOPS. YOU'LL HEAR MORE ABOUT THESE POINTS FROM MY PEERS HERE SHORTLY. I JUST WANTED TO SHARE WHY IT MATTERED TO ME. THE CURRENT BUDGET FAILS TO ADDRESS THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING CRISIS. I HELP MY MOM WITH RENT, BUT THE RISING COST IN MERCED IS SIMPLY OUT OF REACH. IT'S BECOMING ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO LIVE HERE COMFORTABLY, LIKE MANY FAMILIES WERE BEING PUSHED OUT OF THE VERY COMMUNITY THAT WE CALL HOME. THAT IS WHY I AM HERE TODAY. I WANTED TO ASK FOR REAL SOLUTIONS AND MEANINGFUL ACTIONS. WE DON'T JUST WANT TO BE HEARD. I VOLUNTEER WITH COMMUNITIES FOR NEW CALIFORNIA BECAUSE CNC AND I BELIEVE IN NOT JUST THE POWER OF OUR NEIGHBORHOODS, BUT THE FAMILIES AS WELL AS THE FUTURES WE'RE TRYING TO BUILD. WE BELIEVE THAT REAL CHANGE HAPPENS WHEN THERE ARE LONG TERM COMMITMENTS AND MEANINGFUL INVESTMENTS. FAMILIES ARE ALREADY INVESTED IN BUILDING THRIVING COMMUNITIES. THEY JUST NEED THE SAME COMMITMENT AND RETURN. OPPORTUNITIES FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND HOME OWNERSHIP ARE ESSENTIAL TO TURNING THAT VISION INTO REALITY. THANK YOU. GOOD AFTERNOON, CHAIR AND BOARD. I'M ANALISA VARGAS AND I LIVE IN DISTRICT TWO, IN THE CITY OF MERCED WITH MY YOUNG DAUGHTER. I'M AN ORGANIZER WITH COMMUNITIES FOR NEW CALIFORNIA, A LOCAL COMMUNITY BASED ORGANIZATIONS. IN THE PAST MONTH, SIX MONTHS C.N.C. HAS THE PLEASURE OF ENGAGING WITH MOST OF YOU AT LEAST ONCE, AND SOME OF YOU UP TO TWO TIMES. SO I WANT TO TAKE THIS MOMENT TO THANK YOU AND COUNTY STAFF LIKE SANDRA BONETTI FOR YOUR KIND CUSTOMER SERVICE, TAKING OUR CALLS, MEETING WITH US AND ANSWERING OUR QUESTIONS. THIS HAS BEEN A POSITIVE LEARNING EXPERIENCE FOR US, AND WE APPRECIATE YOUR PATIENCE AND DESIRE TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR THE PEOPLE [02:05:02] OF MERCED COUNTY. WHEN WE FIRST REACHED OUT TO YOU, IT WAS TO SHARE THAT OUT OF NEARLY 3000 SURVEY RESPONDENTS WITHIN NINE COUNTIES, INCLUDING MERCED, CLOSE TO 42% CITED AFFORDABLE HOUSING AS MOST NEGATIVELY IMPACTING THEIR HOUSEHOLDS, AND OF THOSE RESPONDENTS, OVER HALF BELIEVE THAT THE RENTS ARE TOO HIGH AND A QUARTER BELIEVE THERE ARE NOT ENOUGH AFFORDABLE HOMES IN THE AREA. THESE RESULTS CAME FROM THE 2023 SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY SPEAK SURVEY, WHICH HAD A MARGIN OF ERROR OF PLUS OR MINUS TWO. THESE SENTIMENTS HAVE NOT CHANGED. NOT FOR ME, NOT FOR OUR MEMBERS, AND NOT FOR THE WORKING FAMILIES OF MERCED COUNTY. THE CURRENT BUDGET DOES NOT REFLECT THAT THERE IS A HOUSING CRISIS. DURING OUR TIME MEETING WITH YOU AND LEARNING MORE ABOUT THE BUDGET PROCESS, IT HAS BECOME CLEAR THAT ASIDE FROM INCREASING FUNDING TO THE 2025 2026 BUDGET TO ADDRESS THE HOUSING CRISIS HERE IN THE COUNTY, THE COUNTY AND ITS CONSTITUENTS WOULD BENEFIT FROM MAKING IMPROVEMENTS TO THE BUDGET PROCESS THAT WOULD ALLOW FOR MORE COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT AND TRANSPARENCY. IN ADDITION TO REQUESTING AN INCREASE TO THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROGRAM, CNC REQUESTS THE FOLLOWING CHANGES THAT THE MERCED COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS HOPES BUDGET WORKSHOPS IN EACH DISTRICT, AND TWO ADDITIONAL HEARINGS THAT ALLOW FOR COMMUNITY INPUT TO BE MADE. CHANGES SUCH AS THESE HAVE BEEN IMPLEMENTED IN RIVERSIDE COUNTY, AND HAVE LED TO ROBUST AND HEALTHY CONVERSATIONS BETWEEN THEIR BOARD OF SUPERVISORS AND THE FAMILIES THAT THEY SERVE. DURING THE MEETINGS, WE REALIZED THAT THE PROCESS WAS WORKING AGAINST US. FOR EXAMPLE, WHEN WE MET IN MAY WHEN CNC MEMBERS ASKED HOW MUCH OF THE GENERAL FUND WOULD BE ALLOCATED TO THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROGRAM, BOARD OF SUPERVISORS RESPONDED BY SAYING, I DON'T KNOW. AND ALSO, WHEN CNC MEMBERS ASKED ABOUT WHAT FUNDING IS REALISTIC FOR THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING, THEY DIDN'T HAVE A RESPONSE. CNC OFFERED PROGRAMS IN OTHER AREAS, SUCH AS THE COACHELLA VALLEY HOUSING CATALYST FUND WORK AND THE WORK OF LIFT TO RISE THAT COULD BRING IN PRIVATE DEVELOPERS FOR PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS. SO THE KEY HERE IS PUBLIC PRIVATE. AND THE COUNTY GOVERNMENT NEEDS TO PROVIDE SOME RESOURCES TO ATTRACT PRIVATE INVESTORS. THIS COULD HAVE BEEN A MORE FRUITFUL SUGGESTION IN THE EARLIER MEETING OR WORKSHOP. THANK YOU. GOOD AFTERNOON, CHAIR AND BOARD. I AM ROSENWINKEL AND I LIVE IN DISTRICT TWO IN THE CITY OF MERCED. I'M A COMMUNITY ORGANIZER WITH COMMUNITIES FOR NEW CALIFORNIA, A LOCAL COMMUNITY BASED ORGANIZATION. WE ESPECIALLY WANT TO COMMEND SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL AND SILVEIRA FOR THE INTEREST AND COMMITMENT TO WORK TOGETHER AND FIND SOLUTIONS FOR THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING CRISIS IN MERCED COUNTY. THE MEETINGS WE HAVE HAD WITH THE SUPERVISORS HAVE BEEN FULLY MEANINGFUL CONVERSATIONS THAT HAD DISPLAYED CURIOSITY RESPECTING CULTURES TO FIND SOLUTIONS TO THE CHALLENGING ISSUE. WE APPRECIATE HOW YOU HAVE COME TO THE TABLE AND MADE US FEEL WELCOME AT THE TABLE. THANK YOU BOTH. WE ALSO LEARNED THAT THE BUDGET FOR THE MERCED COUNTY SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT WAS TEN TIMES MORE THAN HOMELESSNESS DIVISION IN THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT, AND 52 TIMES MORE THAN AFFORDABLE HOUSING DIVISION. THAT IS NOT A SUSTAINABLE MODEL FOR THE FUTURE OF MERCED COUNTY. ADDITIONALLY, MULTIPLE INVESTMENTS HAVE BEEN MADE IN FACILITIES AND INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS THAT SUPPORT THE SHERIFF OPERATIONS. THE CURRENT INVESTMENT TO THE JOHN LATORRACA CORRECTIONAL CENTER, THAT IS A DIRECT CONTRIBUTION FOR THE COUNTY FUNDS, TOTALS MORE THAN 120 MILLION. TAXPAYER IN AN INVESTMENT SHOULD BE BE MADE TO THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROGRAM AND PROJECTS. THIS WILL ENSURE A SUSTAINABLE AND MORE COMPASSIONATE MODEL TO PREVENT HOMELESSNESS, WHILE SIGNIFICANTLY IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR FAMILIES IN MERCED COUNTY. QUALITY OF LIFE SHOULD INCLUDE HOUSING BECAUSE HOUSING IS NOT ONLY A BASIC NEED BUT A SOCIAL DETERMINANT OF HEALTH. ONE RECOMMENDATION WILL BE TO CREATE OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE PUBLIC TO BE INVOLVED IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE MERCED COUNTY STRATEGIC PLAN. THIS WILL ENHANCE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND PROVIDE REAL TIME INPUT, ALLOWING THE BETTER OUTCOMES AND FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY. CNSI WOULD LIKE TO BE INVOLVED IN DRAFTING THE NEXT STRATEGIC PLAN. WILL THIS TAKE PLACE IN JANUARY 2026, 2027? I AM HERE TODAY TO REQUEST TWO THINGS AN INCREASE IN AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROGRAM AND TO IMPROVE THE MERCED BUDGET PROCESS BY IMPROVING IT THROUGH TRANSPARENCY AND ADDITIONAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR PUBLIC COMMENT SUCH AS [02:10:04] WORKSHOP. THIS IS MORE ABOUT HOUSING. THIS IS ABOUT CREATING A FUTURE WHERE ALL MERCED RESIDENTS THRIVE. STABLE, AFFORDABLE HOUSING IS THE FOUNDATION FOR GOOD HEALTH, STRONG EDUCATIONAL OUTCOMES AND ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY. THANK YOU. YOU CAN MOVE IT DOWN. THERE'S A BUTTON ON THE RIGHT AT YOUR RIGHT HIP THAT WILL MOVE THE PODIUM DOWN. OKAY. BUENAS TARDES. MI NOMBRE ES REINA SEGURA. YO, YO, HOLD ON ONE SECOND SO WE CAN HAVE A TRANSLATOR. OKAY. OKAY. OKAY. OKAY, OKAY. PRESENTAR. MI NOMBRE ES REINA. HI. MY NAME IS REINA. YO, VIVO EN PLANADA. I LIVE IN PLANADA. I'VE BEEN THERE 17 YEARS. 27. 27. 27. I'M SORRY. VENGO A A DOS COSAS. I COME HERE TODAY TO ASK FOR TWO THINGS. TO UP THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROGRAMS FOR MORE TO BE MORE AVAILABLE. Y MEJORAR EL PROCESO PRESUPUESTO DEL CONDADO DE MERCED EL PROCESO. AND IMPROVED THE MERCED COUNTY BUDGET. OKAY. THE OTHER PETITION IS TO IMPROVE THE MERCED COUNTY BUDGET IN GENERAL. OKAY. OKAY. THOSE ARE THE TWO REQUESTS. THANK YOU. OKAY. GRACIAS. THANK YOU. GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS URIEL CONTRERAS. I'VE LIVED HERE IN MERCED FOR MY WHOLE LIFE. I DID K THROUGH 12 EDUCATION HERE IN MERCED. I ALSO STUDIED AT MERCED COLLEGE AND AT UC MERCED, AND TODAY I WORK FOR A STATEWIDE NONPROFIT CALLED LIDERES CAMPESINAS, WHICH MEANS WOMEN FARMWORKER LEADERS. AND WE DO HAVE A CHAPTER HERE IN MERCED COUNTY. SORRY ABOUT THAT. I LOVE MY SMALL TOWN. WHICH I'VE HAD THE PLEASURE OF SEEING GROW THROUGHOUT MY YEARS HERE, GROWING UP IN MERCED. AND I THINK THAT WE CAN ALL AGREE THAT WE WANT TO SEE OUR FELLOW MERCEDES THRIVE AND SUCCEED, TO CONTINUE MAKING MERCED A BETTER PLACE AND HAVE FAMILIES GROW UP HERE IN MERCED AND RAISE THEIR CHILDREN. ACCORDING TO THE US CENSUS BUREAU, IN 2023, THERE WERE NEARLY 20% OF RESIDENTS IN MERCED COUNTY LIVING BELOW THE POVERTY LINE. THIS IS SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER THAN 12.6% IN NEIGHBORING STANISLAUS COUNTY AND 12% STATEWIDE. ALL THIS TO SAY THAT THERE ARE TOO MANY OF YOUR CONSTITUENTS, APPROXIMATELY 55,000 RESIDENTS, OR 17,000 HOUSEHOLDS THAT ARE AT RISK OF BECOMING HOMELESS. I'M HERE TODAY WITH MY NEIGHBORS TO REQUEST TWO THINGS TO AN INCREASE TO THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROGRAM AND TO IMPROVE THE MERCED COUNTY BUDGET PROCESS BY IMPROVING IT THROUGH TRANSPARENCY AND ADDITIONAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR PUBLIC COMMENTS SUCH AS WORKSHOPS. THANK YOU, AND I APPRECIATE THE TIME. WE LOWER IT. GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS IRENE COTTO AND I LIVE IN THE COMMUNITY OF LA GRANDE. I WAS BORN IN ATWATER. MY PARENTS, MY MOTHER AND MY FATHER WERE BOTH BORN IN MERCED, AND MY SON AND MY DAUGHTER WERE BORN IN MERCED. AND I AM JUST HERE TO SHARE MY STORY ABOUT THE HARDSHIPS IN MERCED COUNTY REGARDING AFFORDABLE HOUSING. [02:15:04] IT IS VERY IMPORTANT FOR ALL OF US TO UNDERSTAND THAT OUR FAMILIES STRUGGLE EACH AND EVERY DAY WITH EVICTIONS. MORE IMPORTANTLY, RECENTLY, WORKING WITHIN MY COMMUNITY, I HAVE ENCOUNTERED A LADY WHO IS 80 YEARS OLD AND IS GOING TO BE EVICTED FROM HER PLACE TODAY. THESE ARE STORIES THAT ARE HAPPENING EACH AND EVERY DAY IN MERCED COUNTY, AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING IS THE UP, MORE HIGH CRISIS PRIORITY THAT WE HAVE. AND I HAVE TO SAY THAT BECAUSE I AM BORN AND RAISED IN MERCED COUNTY, I AM NOT A TRANSPLANT. I HAVE LIVED HERE MY WHOLE LIFE FOR 56 YEARS, AND EVERY DAY I SEE IT GETS WORSE AND WORSE. AND SO, TO BUILD ON THE VARIOUS POINTS OF MY NEIGHBORS, ESPECIALLY MY CNC COMMUNITY MEMBERS, I WANT TO ADD THAT I APPRECIATE THAT MERCED COUNTY HAS BROKEN DOWN THE ETHNICITY TO INCLUDE HISPANICS IN THE PAST TWO YEARS, AND OUR PROPOSED BUDGET BOOKS, AS YOU KNOW, AS IT WAS REFERENCED IN THE MOST RECENT PROPOSED BUDGET. BUDGET BOOK 2025. PROPOSED BUDGET 2025 2026. HISPANIC LATINOS MAKE UP 60% OF OUR POPULATION. THAT'S ABOUT 175 INDIVIDUALS. AND SADLY, IT'S 175 HISPANIC LATINOS THAT HAVE TO DEAL WITH DISPROPORTIONATE AND UNREASONABLE HOUSING COST BURDENS, MEANING THAT THOSE INDIVIDUALS SPENT MORE THAN 30% OF THEIR INCOME ON HOUSING, MAKING IT DIFFICULT OR NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE TO PAY FOR OTHER NECESSITIES. AND WE WHEN WE TALK OTHER NECESSITIES, WE TALK ABOUT WATER AND WE TALK ABOUT ELECTRICITY AND FOOD. AND SO I AM HERE TODAY WITH MY NEIGHBORS TO REQUEST TWO THINGS AN INCREASE IN THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROGRAM AND TO IMPROVE THE MERCED COUNTY BUDGET PROCESS BY IMPROVING IT THROUGH TRANSPARENCY AND ADDITIONAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR PUBLIC COMMENTS SUCH AS WORKSHOPS. THANK YOU. GOOD AFTERNOON, BOARD OF SUPERVISORS AND ALL PUBLIC. I AM HERE TODAY, JUNE 17TH, 2025 FOR ALL MERCER COUNTY. EXCUSE ME. MY NAME IS BLANCA LOZANO. I LIVE IN DISTRICT FOUR. I AM LEADING ON MERCER COUNTY. TODAY I AM HERE A VOICE FOR ALL MERCER COUNTY. TO YOU ALL BOARDS OF SUPERVISORS. WE NEED YOUR SUPPORT AND HELP. PLEASE LISTEN TO THIS IS PETITION MERCED COMMUNITY WANT TO ESTABLISH A LAW TO INCREASE AFFORDABLE HOUSING. RIGHT NOW, OWNERS AND RENTERS ARE CHARGING UP HIGH $2,000 FOR MORE THAN HOUSES AND APARTMENT. ALSO, TAXES TO ALL THE HOUSES IS HIGH. BESIDES PAYING WHERE ONLY WILL GO TO OTHER BILLS, UTILITY ALSO HIGH COSTS DMV FOODS, GAS, HOME GAS TO CARS AND MORE. RIGHT NOW PAY IS ABOUT 16.54 HOURS. IF IN NOT EDUCATED OR HAVE EXPERIENCE DOES NOT GET PAID MORE, EVEN FOR MORE WORKERS. CALIFORNIA IS A STATE PRODUCTIVE AND EXPENSIVE. PEOPLE ARE MOVING TO OTHER STATES. TO THIS SAD PLEASE THE COMMUNITY CITIES BOTH FOR YOU, YOUR SUPPORT AND TRUST. TODAY LET'S START HELPING EACH AND OTHERS. LET'S FIND A SOLUTION. TOGETHER WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE. I AM HEALTH PROMOTER OF THE COMMUNITY'S LEADERSHIP. I CARE MY PEOPLE AND THIS IS WHY I AM HERE TO SUPPORT. TODAY I WANT TO DO SOMETHING TODAY. THANK YOU AND GOD BLESS YOU. GOOD DAY. GENTLEMEN, OUR BOARD MEMBERS, MY HIGHLY RESPECT AND THANK YOU TO ALL FOR COMING HERE TODAY. MY NAME IS SANTI LOZANO. I LIVE IN DISTRICT FOUR. AS A HEALTH PROMOTER, WE'RE HERE TO SUPPORT THE MERCED GROUP COMMUNITY FOR A NEW CALIFORNIA AND MERCED RESIDENT COUNTRY COMMUNITY WITH FAMILY, FRIENDS, NEIGHBORS RIGHT NOW. THERE HAVE BEEN PROBLEMS FOR YEARS. WHAT ARE SOME OF THE PROBLEMS? HERE ARE A FEW. I WANT TO POINT OUT ONE. ONE OF THEM IS WE NEED TO INCREASE AFFORDABLE HOUSING TO DO A PRO OR CON BALANCE THE BUDGET THAT IS FAIR [02:20:02] AND NECESSARY. THREE COMMUNITY NEEDS TO BE INFORMED AND HAVE A WORKSHOP INFORMATION IDEA THAT THEY CAN COME AND BE AWARE. WHAT WE CAN DO TOGETHER AND PLAN A BETTER SERVICE FOR A FUTURE AFFORDABLE HOME. AND WE NEED TO COME HERE OFTEN. ALSO HEARING IN THE MEETING FOR ALWAYS HEAR THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE ABLE TO HAVE ANY IDEAS AND FEEDBACK WHAT THE COMMUNITY NEED AND WANT. ONE IDEA THAT I'M THINKING IF THERE COULD BE SOME DAY OR SOMETHING THAT COULD TAKE PLACE FOR OUR BILL FOR THE RESIDENT AFFORDABLE HOME. THIS IS THIS IS AFFECTING THE RESIDENT BY HEALTH, STRESS, TRAUMA, DEPRESSION, HEADACHE. A LOT OF FAMILIES ARE IN SSI, RETIREMENT AND TEMPORARY JOBS. I THINK PEOPLE GO TO FOOD BANKS ALSO HAVE HOMES THAT HAVE A LOT OF FAMILY IN A HOUSEHOLD BECAUSE THEY CAN'T AFFORD ANY HOME WITH HIGH COST. TODAY I'M HERE TO SUPPORT AFFORDABLE HOME BECAUSE HOME IS WHERE ALL OF US WANT TO BE SAFE, PEACE, LOVE, UNITY AND FAMILY AND FEEL SECURE. WHEN WEATHER CHANGES TO LET'S TAKE A WALK OF FAITH TOGETHER. IT CAN BE A PROCESS, I KNOW, BUT IT WILL HAPPEN IF WE AGREE TO SUPPORT THE IMPOSSIBLE BECOME POSSIBLE. THANK YOU SO MUCH. I'M HAVING TO RAISE THE THE THE, THE CHAIR, AND MY WIFE'S GOING TO HAVE TO LOWER IT. MY NAME IS SALVADOR SANDOVAL AND I HAVE BEEN A PHYSICIAN FOR 50 YEARS, 49 OF THEM IN MERCED. AND THE LAST FIVE YEARS OF THAT WAS IN THE PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENT. I WASN'T PLANNING TO TALK TODAY, BUT HEARING SOME OF THE SPEAKERS, I FELT IMPELLED TO DO SO BECAUSE I THINK WITH MY BACKGROUND IN PUBLIC HEALTH, I. I WANT TO IMPRESS ON YOU THE IMPORTANCE OF WHAT'S CALLED SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH. YOU CAN'T SEPARATE HEALTHCARE FROM HAVING HOUSING, FOOD, ALL THE OTHER TRANSPORTATION, ALL THE OTHER BASIC NEEDS THAT PEOPLE HAVE. AND MERCED, WHEN WE FIRST CAME TO MERCED, HAD VERY LITTLE TO NO HOMELESSNESS. THE HOMELESS PROBLEM HAS REALLY INCREASED QUITE A BIT. I'M GLAD TO SEE THAT THERE WAS A DECREASE IN THE LAST COUNT. UNFORTUNATELY, I THINK SOME OF THOSE HOMELESS HID BECAUSE THEY'RE AFRAID. AND ALSO, THERE'S AN UNDERCOUNT HOMELESSNESS IN SCHOOLS. FOR EXAMPLE, THERE'S KIDS DOING COUCH SURFING, FOR EXAMPLE WITH THE PROPOSED CUTS IN MEDI-CAL OR THAT WERE PROBABLY GOING TO BE SEEN. IT'S GOING TO IMPACT HEALTH. I MEAN, HOUSING, TOO, AS IT IS, A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE HAVING TO MAKE THE CHOICE. ARE THEY GOING TO PAY THE RENT OR ARE THEY GOING TO PAY THE MEDICATIONS? IT IMPACTS ALSO MENTAL HEALTH, BECAUSE WHEN YOU HAVE OVERCROWDING IN HOUSES, THIS REALLY PUTS A TREMENDOUS STRAIN ON THE FAMILY. AND THAT'S REFLECTED IN, THE CORRECTIVE CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTIONS BECAUSE YOU SEE PEOPLE ACTING OUT, DRINKING OTHER WAYS TO SELF-MEDICATE THEIR THEIR HARM AND LOSS. THE UNDOCUMENTED OR LOST HEALTH CARE IN, IN CALIFORNIA, I THINK BECAUSE OF BUDGET ISSUES. AND THAT'S GOING TO ALSO IMPACT CONCERNS AROUND ADEQUACY OF HOUSING. WE MAY SEE OUR CONSTRUCTION COSTS GO UP BECAUSE OF THE FEAR THAT CONSTRUCTION WORKERS WHO ARE LARGE NUMBER ARE IMMIGRANTS ARE ARE THEY'RE AFRAID TO TO GO TO WORK IN FARMS. I KNOW IN THE DAIRIES IT'S GOING TO HAVE AN IMPACT TOO. SO I URGE YOU TO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THE RECOMMENDATIONS FROM CNC TO INCLUDE THEM IN THE STRATEGIC PLANNING FOR NEXT YEAR. I WANT TO THANK MR. PEDROSO, FOR EXAMPLE, FOR MEETING WITH PEOPLE FROM THE COMMUNITY, INCLUDING CNC. THANK YOU. WHAT A GENTLEMAN. GLORIA SANDOVAL, GOOD MORNING OR GOOD AFTERNOON. EXCUSE ME. YOU KNOW, MY COMMENTS ARE ALSO IN. [02:25:02] MR. SANDOVAL, CAN YOU BRING YOUR MIC DOWN A LITTLE BIT, PLEASE? THANK YOU. I THOUGHT I'D TALK LOUD ENOUGH. I HAVE AN EDUCATOR VOICE. OKAY. GLORIA SANDOVAL AGAIN. I'D LIKE TO, YOU KNOW, START THE CLOCK AGAIN. OKAY. I WANT TO MENTION A FEW THINGS RELATED TO THE CNC. I WANT TO MENTION THAT I APPRECIATE MR. SILVEIRA MENTIONING TIGHTENING OUR BELT. YOU KNOW, AND THERE ARE SOME PEOPLE THAT ARE ALREADY STARVING. THEY CAN'T TIGHTEN THEIR BELT NO MORE. I DO SUPPORT AN AFFORDABLE RENT AND HOME OWNERSHIP. I HEARD AT THE AT THE CITY COUNCIL THAT MANY OF THE NEW DEVELOPMENTS ARE 450,000 AND ABOVE. I THINK EVERYBODY DESERVES AN OPPORTUNITY TO BE A HOMEOWNER. I THINK ALSO THAT WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE IN THE TIMES OF UNDERSTANDING THAT ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE IS REALLY TAKING OVER A LOT OF JOBS. PRETTY SOON WE'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE MANY WORKERS. BUT, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN'T JUST BE FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE. YOU HAVE TO BE MORALLY RESPONSIBLE, YOU KNOW. AND I SUGGEST THAT WE LOOK AT, YOU KNOW, SURE UNDERSTAND THE ADJUSTMENTS AND THE BUDGET FROM THE STATE, FROM THE FEDS THAT ARE DOING ALL THAT. AND MAYBE THEY'RE ALREADY SEEING THAT THERE'S GOING TO BE LESS TAXES PAID, BECAUSE IF YOU HAVE PEOPLE THAT ARE NOT WORKING, YOU'RE NOT GOING TO BE HAVING SPEND MONEY ON THINGS EXCEPT THE MOST, YOU KNOW, URGENT. A FEW YEARS BACK, WE HEARD OF FARM WORKERS, RECENT IMMIGRANTS LIVING IN CAVES IN THE SAN DIEGO AREA. OKAY, SO PEOPLE ARE IN INDIA. THEY HAVE INGENUITY. THEY FIGURE OUT HOW TO BE SAFE FROM THE ELEMENTS. WE EVEN HAD ONE HERE RIGHT NEAR BEAR CREEK THAT SOMEONE ALSO WAS DIGGING A CAVE TO LIVE THERE. OKAY, LET'S LET'S PRIORITIZE HUMAN BEINGS AND THEIR NEEDS, AND EVERYONE WILL BE HAPPIER. WE'LL HAVE LESS, YOU KNOW, ISSUES OF CRIME. AND WE HAVE TO REIMAGINE PUBLIC SAFETY FOR EVERYBODY. AND I AGREE, YOU KNOW, WITH THE THE DOS PALOS NEEDS, YOU KNOW, FOR PEOPLE TO BE SAFE FROM FIRES PARTICULAR IN YOUR HOME. AND WE KNOW THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE CAN'T EVEN AFFORD THEIR INSURANCES. EVERYTHING IS GOING UP SO HIGH, YOU KNOW, BENEFITS ARE NOT NECESSARY. I MEAN, ARE SO NECESSARY. SO, I DON'T KNOW, MAYBE YOU NEED TO CUT INTO THE RESERVES A LITTLE BIT, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE I'M NOT REAL SURE WHAT WHAT A RAINY DAY IS. IF IT'S NOT RIGHT NOW WHEN WE NEED IT FOR PEOPLE THAT ARE LIVING IN OUR COUNTY. THANK YOU SO MUCH. GOOD DAY. HI. MY NAME IS AZUL. I LIVE HERE IN WINTON AND FROM DISTRICT FOUR, AND I'M A STUDENT RIGHT NOW. STUDYING FOR PSYCHOLOGY MAJOR TO HELP CHILDREN WITH BEHAVIORAL VISUAL THERAPY, ESPECIALLY SPECIALIZING IN ADHD AND AUTISM. AND I JUST WANT TO EMPHASIZE THAT I REALLY THINK HEALTH, MENTAL HEALTH IS VERY IMPORTANT TO OUR COMMUNITY. AND I'M, I'M ALSO HISPANIC, BUT FIRSTLY, I, I THINK MOST IMPORTANTLY, I AM AMERICAN, I LIVE HERE, I WAS BORN HERE. AND ALL THE AMERICAN VALUES I, I AM LOYAL TO, AND I LOVE THIS COUNTRY AND, AND MY PEOPLE. AND SO I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT, LIKE HISPANICS MAKE A MAJOR PART OF THIS COMMUNITY, THEY MAKE UP 60% OF OUR POPULATION. AND RIGHT NOW, SADLY, THESE IT'S THESE HISPANICS THAT ARE MOST AFFECTED BY THIS HOUSING COST BURDEN. MEANING THAT THESE INDIVIDUALS SPEND MORE THAN 30% OF THEIR INCOME ON HOUSING COSTS, MAKING IT DIFFICULT AND NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE TO PAY OTHER FOR OTHER NECESSITIES. I WHEN I WAS TALKING TO MY MOM EARLIER ABOUT THIS, LIKE, I'M SO NERVOUS AND I DON'T THINK THAT I HAVE A STORY MYSELF TO SAY, BUT SHE TOLD ME. YES, YOU HAVE A STORY. AND I REMEMBER THAT I AM EVEN THOUGH WE OWN OUR OWN HOUSE, WE HAVE PEOPLE AROUND US THAT ARE SUFFERING. [02:30:10] FOR EXAMPLE, WE HAVE A FRIEND THAT RIGHT NOW IS LIVING IN MY ROOM, AND WE'RE PROVIDING HER WITH THE HOUSING THAT SHE NEEDS, BUT. AND AND I'M AM SLEEPING ON THE FLOOR. THAT'S. THAT'S CRAZY. TO PROVIDE HER WITH A ROOM. SO I KNOW THAT IT'S, LIKE, VERY IMPORTANT FOR EVERYBODY. SO I'M HERE TODAY TO WITH MY NEIGHBORS TO REQUEST THAT YOU GUYS INCREASE THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROGRAM AND IMPROVE THE BUDGET PROCESS BY IMPROVING IT THROUGH TRANSPARENCY AND LETTING EVERYBODY KNOW EXACTLY HOW THOSE BUDGETS ARE BEING ALLOCATED. THANK YOU. OKAY. ANYBODY ELSE? OKAY. THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD. OH. OH, YEAH. YES. SORRY ABOUT THAT. GOOD MORNING. I AM WITH. I WORK WITH CNC EDUCATION FUNDING AND WE ARE HERE TODAY TO REQUEST AN INCREASE FOR THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROGRAMS THAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE IN OUR CITY. I APOLOGIZE FOR BEING OUT OF BREATH. WE UNDERSTAND THAT THAT THIS MATTER WAS PLACED ON RECENT BALLOTS AND IT COULD HAVE BEEN EASILY APPROVED IF MOST CITIZENS KNEW OF THE ACTUAL PROPOSAL AND UNDERSTOOD IT MORE EASIER, WHICH YOU GUYS DID EXPLAIN VERY CLEARLY TO MOST PEOPLE, BUT PEOPLE DON'T KNOW HOW TO FIND THAT INFORMATION. MOST OF THE TIME BUT WE'RE HERE ASKING FOR THAT TO TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION THE HOUSING ISSUES THAT FOR THIS HOUSING BUDGET WE HAVE MAY HAVE DIFFERENT OPINIONS OF HOW TO REPRESENT, TO DO TASKS ON BEHALF OF WORKING FAMILIES AND COMMUNITIES AND TO ADVERTISE THEIR VOICES AND NEEDS. YOU AND US, WE'RE ALL WORKING FAMILIES, AND I UNDERSTAND THAT YOU LEADERS MUST BALANCE THE OVERALL BEST INTERESTS OF THE WHOLE COMMUNITY AND THE CITIES NEARBY BY WORKING TOGETHER TO CREATE POSITIVE, POSITIVE CHANGES. AND WE HAVE TO WORK. YOU GUYS TAKE YOUR WORK VERY SERIOUSLY AS IT IS A VERY SERIOUS MATTER FOR MOST, MOST MATTERS. I'M NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO READ ALL THIS BECAUSE I'M OUT OF BREATH. BUT MY FAMILY PERSONALLY WAS REFLECTED WITH THE INCREASE FOR THE FACT THAT I CAME ORIGINALLY FROM SANTA CRUZ COUNTY. I CAME HERE BECAUSE YOU GUYS HAD LOWER RENT PRICES, AND I'VE BEEN HERE IN DISTRICT TWO FOR ABOUT NINE YEARS, AND I'M GRATEFUL FOR THE PROGRAMS THAT YOU GUYS HAVE CREATED, AS IT HAS ASSISTED ME AND MY FAMILY OF SIX KIDS OUT OF POVERTY. AND I'M GRATEFUL FOR YOU GUYS FOR CREATING THESE PROGRAMS. BUT I DO BELIEVE THAT THERE ARE MORE PROGRAMS THAT ARE NEEDED. FOR EXAMPLE, THE HOUSES OVER LIKE NEAR WALMART. THOSE USED TO BE FOR FIRST TIME HOMEBUYERS. SO PEOPLE RENTERS CAN BE OUT OF THAT TYPE OF POVERTY. BUT WHEN IT GOT SOLD OUT TO REALTORS, REALTORS RAISED THE PRICES, YOU KNOW. AND I THINK THAT'S THE REAL PROBLEM THAT SOME REALTOR COMPANIES ARE REPRESENTING. SLUMLORDS SHOULD START BEING HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR THE CALIFORNIA CIVIL CODES, AS THEY'VE BEEN TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF A LOT OF RENTERS AND SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS AS WELL FOR THE SAME MATTER. SO IF WE CAN TRY TO FIND A WAY TO WORK AROUND THAT, TO TRY TO CREATE THEM, TO BE MORE HELD, MORE RELIABLE TO THAT, BECAUSE ALL OF IT ENDS UP ADDING UP AND THEY KEEP ON RAISING THE PRICES, AND THEY'RE NOT HONORING THE LAW FOR THE 50% LAW THAT THERE IS THERE FOR THE YEAR THAT YOU'VE SPOKEN ABOUT. MR. JOSH, I DON'T KNOW HOW TO PRONOUNCE YOUR LAST NAME. SORRY, BUT I HAVE WAY MUCH MORE TO SAY. BUT I DON'T HAVE ENOUGH TIME AND I'M TOO MUCH OUT OF BREATH. BUT I DO THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR TIME. I GREATLY APPRECIATE IT. WELL. GOD BLESS. ANYONE ELSE? OKAY. SO THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD FOR FISCAL YEAR 2025 2026 PROPOSED BUDGET ITEMS IS NOW CLOSED. BEFORE I GO TO MY COLLEAGUES FOR COMMENTS, I DO WANT TO MAKE A COUPLE COMMENTS IN REGARDS TO THE ISSUE ABOUT AFFORDABLE HOUSING. YOU KNOW, A LOT OF THAT HAS TO DO WITH BARRIERS PUT IN PLACE BY THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA. AND SO WHEN YOU LOOK AT SOME OF THE ISSUES THAT WE'RE FACING, AS OPPOSED TO LOOKING AT, YOU KNOW, REDISTRICTING OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, WE SHOULD REALLY BE FOCUSED ON HOUSING AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING AS OPPOSED TO SOME OF THE STUFF IN SACRAMENTO THAT THEY'RE DOING THAT HAS NO BEARING ON WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE. ALSO THAT SOME OF THE STUFF IN DISTRICT TWO IS SPECIFIC TO THE CITY OF MERCED. SO THE CITY OF MERCED VERSUS THE COUNTY OF MERCED ARE DIFFERENT ENTITIES. [02:35:02] SO THAT'S, YOU KNOW, WHY THE CITY CAN DO THAT? I WILL SAY LAST THURSDAY WE HAD A PRESENTATION BY JOHN CHECKLEY AND ALEX PIERCE FROM AND JOHN FROM HSA IN THE LAST. AND IT WAS ABOUT OUR UPDATE ON THE HOMELESSNESS AND WHAT WE'RE DOING AND WHAT WE'RE SEEING. ALSO ABOUT CARE COURT AND STUFF. AND I JUST WANT TO READ ONE THING, AND THEN I'M GOING TO ASK MR. HENDRICKSON BECAUSE I KNOW HE'S BEEN GETTING HE'S THE ONE THAT'S BEEN GETTING A LOT OF THESE EMAILS. AND I KNOW THAT HE STARTED TO RESPOND TO SOME OF THESE TO SAY SOMETHING. SO OVER THERE'S, OVER IT'S THE SLIDE IS TITLED REASONS TO BE OPTIMISTIC. OVER 500 AFFORDABLE HOUSING UNITS, INCLUDING 144 RESTRICTED IN THE CITY OF MERCED, 55 TO 58 RESTRICTED AFFORDABLE HOUSING UNITS IN THE CITY OF LOS BANOS, 72 RESTRICTED BEDS, 40 PERMANENT AND 32 SHELTER IN THE UNINCORPORATED AREAS, AND OVER 200 270 RESTRICTED BEDS THAT ARE UNDER PRODUCTION FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING. SO IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE ARE DEFINITELY TAKING A LOOK AT. AND, AND WE WOULD BE OPTIMISTIC ABOUT IT. THE OTHER THING THAT I WANT TO SAY IS, AND THIS HAPPENS ALL THE TIME. YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT IT'S EASY TO SAY, YOU KNOW, THE TRANSPARENCY ASPECT OF IT. WE MEET TWICE A MONTH. WE'RE HERE. WE'RE ALL IN OUR OFFICES ALL THE TIME. THIS IS A PUBLIC DOCUMENT. ANYBODY CAN. THEY'RE ALL ONLINE. I'D BE WILLING. I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS AND TALK TO PEOPLE AND GET THE QUESTIONS THAT THEY HAVE FOR IT. AS AS EVIDENCED BY MEETING WITH YOUR ORGANIZATION MULTIPLE TIMES. AND I KNOW MY COLLEAGUES HAVE REALLY MET WITH YOU GUYS MULTIPLE TIMES AS WELL. AND I DON'T THINK THAT THERE'S ANY I DON'T THINK WE HAVE ANYTHING TO HIDE. I THINK THAT WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO IS ONCE THE QUESTIONS ARE BROUGHT TO US, THEN WE'RE ABLE TO, YOU KNOW, GET YOU THE INFORMATION. SOMETIMES IT MIGHT BE INFORMATION THAT YOU DON'T WANT TO HEAR, BUT IT'S INFORMATION THAT WE ARE ABLE TO GATHER BASED OFF OF THE FACTS AND WHAT WE'RE HAVING TO WORK WITH. MR. HENDRICKSON. MR. CHAIRMAN, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, MAYBE JUST TO OFFER A LITTLE CONTEXT AND JUST BEGIN BY SAYING TO THOSE COMMENTERS TODAY ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD, THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE TIME TO EXPRESS YOUR THOUGHTS AND CONCERNS, TO INCLUDE THOSE WHO HAVE WRITTEN LETTERS AND PROVIDED VIDEOS, ETC. YOU JUST A HANDFUL OF QUICK THOUGHTS. YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT THE COMMENTERS ARE NOT INCORRECT. AFFORDABLE HOUSING IS IS AN ISSUE NOT ONLY IN THIS STATE, BUT CERTAINLY AROUND THIS COUNTRY. NOW THAT'S A FACTOR OF A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT ISSUES. I MEAN, YOU CAN TAKE A LOOK AT ECONOMIC ISSUES, POLITICAL ISSUES, LEGAL ISSUES, AND OTHER SOCIAL FACTORS AS WELL. LET'S TALK ABOUT, JUST FOR A SECOND, WHAT MERCED COUNTY IS SUCCESSFULLY DOING AND WHAT THIS BOARD HAS SUCCESSFULLY DONE. A BIG PART OF WHAT THIS BOARD IS CHARGED WITH IS ACTUALLY PROVIDING FOR AMPLE PROPERTY FROM WHICH AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROJECTS CAN TAKE PLACE. AND WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? WELL, THIS BOARD IS TASKED WITH ACTUALLY REZONING SITES TO ACTUALLY ENSURE THAT ULTIMATELY IT ALIGNS WITH THE STATE'S REQUIREMENTS RELATED TO THE REGIONAL HOUSING NEEDS ALLOCATION. SO IN OTHER WORDS, THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA TASKS THIS BOARD IN THIS COUNTY WITH IDENTIFYING X NUMBER OF HOUSING UNITS FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING. AND AGAIN, THIS BOARD HAS SUCCESSFULLY DONE THAT. ASIDE FROM THAT, THIS BOARD HAS ALSO DIRECTED OUR DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TO WORK COLLABORATIVELY WITH EACH OF OUR SIX CITY PARTNERS ON A MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HOUSING ELEMENT UPDATE THAT'S GOING TO, AGAIN, PROVIDE FOR SOME SEAMLESSNESS BETWEEN, AGAIN, THE COUNTY AND EACH OF OUR SIX CITIES. ONE THING I DO WANT TO HIGHLIGHT TODAY, FOR THOSE THAT AREN'T AWARE, THIS BOARD FOR MANY, MANY YEARS, AGAIN THROUGH OUR COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT HAVE UNDERTAKEN A NUMBER OF FAIRLY SIGNIFICANT STEPS TO PROMOTE THE SPIRIT OF FIRST TIME HOME BUYING IN THAT REGARD. AGAIN, IT'S DESIGNED TO ASSIST THOSE ON THE LOWEST END OF THE SOCIOECONOMIC LADDER TO ENSURE THAT THEY CAN REALIZE THE AMERICAN DREAM. ONE OF OUR COMMENTERS SPOKE TO THAT TODAY, AND I APPRECIATE THAT A LOT. THREE I DO WANT TO HIGHLIGHT AND THE CHAIRMAN JUST MENTIONED JUST A SECOND AGO. YOU KNOW, THIS COUNTY HAS TAKEN A LEADERSHIP ROLE WITH REGARD TO OUR CONTINUUM OF CARE. AND LET'S JUST PUT THAT IN PERSPECTIVE, WHAT THAT MEANS. THAT ORGANIZATION PROVIDES EMERGENCY SHELTERS, TRANSITIONAL HOUSING, RAPID REHOUSING AND OTHER PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING OPTIONS. SO AGAIN, THIS BOARD AND ITS LEADERSHIP HAS HAS FOCUSED TIME AND ATTENTION ON THAT. WORKING AGAIN WITH OUR HUMAN SERVICES AGENCY, SO VERY PROUD OF WHAT OUR HSA ORGANIZATION DOES. NOW ONE THING I WOULD CERTAINLY HIGHLIGHT TODAY, WE NEED THIS BOARD CONTINUES TO ADVOCATE FOR POLICIES IN SACRAMENTO THAT ARE MINDFUL OF THE BARRIERS WHICH PREVENT AFFORDABLE HOUSING FROM TAKING PLACE. I WOULD CERTAINLY ENCOURAGE COMMENTERS TODAY TO ACTUALLY TAKE THAT MESSAGE TO SACRAMENTO. LET ME GIVE YOU ONE CLEAR EXAMPLE. ASSEMBLY BILL 1482 WAS SIGNED INTO LAW. I THINK IT WAS IN ABOUT 2019. NOW, WHAT HAPPENED IN 2019? THIS THIS BILL REALLY WAS DESIGNED TO TO ESTABLISH SOME TENANT PROTECTIONS. [02:40:04] SOUNDS GREAT. BUT WHO DID IT LEAVE OUT? LEFT OUT A LOT OF FOLKS THAT, FOR EXAMPLE, LIVE IN MOBILE HOMES. WELL, THOSE FOLKS ARE ON THE LOWEST END OF THE SOCIOECONOMIC LADDER. NOW, THIS BOARD, AND I CERTAINLY CAN'T SPEAK TO WHY THE ASSEMBLY MEMBER WHO DRAFTED THAT LEGISLATION BACK IN 2019 EXCLUDED THAT GROUP. BUT AGAIN, IF YOU PUT INTO PERSPECTIVE THE TYPES OF ISSUES THAT ARE RESTRICTIVE, A LOT OF THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING FUNDING THAT COMES TO THE COUNTY OR TO JURISDICTIONS IN GENERAL, ARE PREDICATED UPON A NUMBER OF STRINGS BEING ATTACHED. IF YOU WANT TO SEE AFFORDABLE HOUSING TAKE PLACE, LET'S GET TO SACRAMENTO. AND LET'S ACTUALLY TELL THEM TO START REMOVING SOME OF THOSE BARRIERS, LIKE ALIGNING THIS REGION'S PREVAILING WAGE RATES WITH A LARGER URBANIZED AREA THAT'S NOT REFLECTIVE OF OUR WORKFORCE, NOT REFLECTIVE OF THE SIZE AND SCOPE OF OUR POPULATION, AND CERTAINLY NOT REFLECTIVE OF THE NEEDS OF OUR COMMUNITY, MANY OF WHICH WERE IDENTIFIED TODAY. SO, AGAIN, I WOULD JUST SAY, MR. CHAIRMAN, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, YOU KNOW, THIS BOARD CONTINUES, OBVIOUSLY, TO TO TAKE THIS ISSUE SERIOUSLY, YOUR ORGANIZATIONS ARE ALIGNED IN THAT RESPECT. IT IS REFLECTIVE OF YOUR STRATEGIC PLAN THAT WAS ADOPTED NOT TOO LONG AGO. YOUR 2025 THROUGH 2028 STRATEGIC PLAN. AND AGAIN, WE REMAIN POISED YOUR STAFF TO AGAIN CONTINUE TO PROVIDE THOSE OPPORTUNITIES TO THOSE CERTAINLY SEEKING ASSISTANCE. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. ANYBODY FROM THE BOARD WISH TO MAKE ANY COMMENTS? OKAY. I WILL JUST REALLY QUICKLY I WANT TO THANK SINCERELY WANT TO THANK OUR STAFF FOR BRINGING THIS TO US TODAY. AND I KNOW I ALSO THERE'S OTHER I ALSO WANT TO THANK OUR LABOR ORGANIZATIONS WHO REALLY WHO WHO REALLY WERE PATIENT WITH US AT THE END OF LAST YEAR DURING NEGOTIATIONS AND REALLY WAITED AND WE WERE ABLE TO YOU KNOW, REWARD THEM FOR THEIR PATIENCE. AND I AND I THINK THAT THAT'S GREAT. I THINK THAT WE'VE ALREADY DISCUSSED AT NAUSEAM THE NUMBER OF UNCERTAINTIES, AND IT'S IN OUR BUDGET BOOK THAT WE STILL HAVE A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF UNCERTAINTIES THAT ARE GOING ON. I KNOW THAT THE ONE THING IS ABOUT 60% OF MERCED COUNTY RESIDENTS GET SOME TYPE OF PUBLIC ASSISTANCE. AND WITH US FACING CUTS FROM BOTH THE STATE AND THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO MAKE SOME REALLY HARD DECISIONS BECAUSE IT'S THE FUNDING SOURCE THAT'S COMING THROUGH THAT'S GOING TO BE AFFECTED, WHICH IN TURN IS HOW WE PAY FOR THOSE SERVICES. AND IT WAS MENTIONED, YOU KNOW, WITH THE REIMBURSEMENTS TO MEDI-CAL, WITH THE MENTAL HEALTH AND ALL THAT, BUT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO REALLY TAKE A HARD LOOK AT THAT. YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE THINGS OR A COUPLE OF THINGS IN THE BUDGET LETTER THAT I THOUGHT WAS WAS REALLY INTERESTING. AND I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT REALLY QUICK IS, YOU KNOW, IS CUSTOMER SERVICE. AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT THIS BOARD HAS MADE VERY CLEAR. THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE WANT TO FOCUS ON. BECAUSE AND I'LL JUST READ IT SAYS ENSURING THAT EACH INTERACTION IS EFFICIENT, RESPECTFUL, HELPFUL AND RESPONSIVE TO THE NEEDS OF OUR RESIDENTS. AND SOMEBODY MENTIONED DEALING WITH MISS BENEDETTI WHICH I APPRECIATE VERY MUCH. I LIKE TO HEAR THAT STUFF. FISCAL DISCIPLINE IS SOMETHING THAT I THINK WE TAKE VERY WE TAKE THIS JOB VERY SERIOUSLY, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO THE, OUR, OUR BUDGET, BECAUSE WE RECOGNIZE THAT WE HAVE A LIMITED AMOUNT OF RESOURCES TO BE ABLE TO UTILIZE, AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE TAKE VERY SERIOUSLY. QUALITY OF LIFE IS SOMETHING THAT, AGAIN, ALL OF THESE ARE IN OUR STRATEGIC PLAN, BUT IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE ARE TASKED WITH MAKING SURE THAT THE QUALITY OF LIFE THAT WE'RE PROVIDING OR THAT WE ARE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE TAKING CARE OF THE PEOPLE HERE. THAT'S WHY, YOU KNOW, WE WORKED REALLY HARD THIS YEAR ON A HOMELESS ENCAMPMENT ORDINANCE. WE YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE BIGGEST CALLS. AND I GUARANTEE YOU, NATHAN, OUR PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR, CAN ATTEST TO THIS IS THE ROADS. I MEAN, IT'S SIMPLE THINGS LIKE ROADS. WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE ACTIVELY ENGAGED WITH. AND THEN I THINK IT WAS MENTIONED ALSO EARLIER THAT I ONE OF THE THINGS ABOUT THIS BOARD THAT I REALLY APPRECIATE IS, YOU KNOW, WE TRY TO LOOK AT DIFFERENT WAYS TO BE PROACTIVE AND NOT REACTIVE, RIGHT. BECAUSE IF YOU'RE REACTIVE, THEN WE'RE NOT DOING OUR JOB. WE'RE ALWAYS WE'RE KIND OF CHASING OUR TAIL AS OPPOSED TO GOING GETTING OUT IN FRONT AND SEEING WHAT WE CAN DO. AND I THINK THAT LAST YEAR OUR STAFF SHOWED THAT THEY'RE WILLING TO SHARPEN THEIR PENCILS, THEY'RE WILLING TO THROW IDEAS AT THE WALL, SEE WHAT STICKS, AND THEN GO FROM THERE. AND I WOULD CONTINUE TO ENCOURAGE STAFF TO DO THAT AS WE MOVE FORWARD, BECAUSE, AGAIN, OF ALL THE UNCERTAINTIES ALSO REVENUE ENHANCEMENT, I THINK THAT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE'VE ALL LOOKED AT SIGNIFICANTLY BECAUSE WE HAVE TO LOOK AT WAYS TO, TO BUILD REVENUE. I KNOW THAT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I TALKED ABOUT QUITE A LOT WITH OUR STAFF HERE IS I WOULD LIKE TO SEE MORE OPPORTUNITIES FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, SPECIFICALLY ON THE WEST SIDE. [02:45:04] I DON'T THINK ENOUGH HAPPENS ON THE WEST SIDE, AND I THINK THAT WE NEED TO KIND OF HIGHLIGHT AND PROMOTE GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT ON THAT SIDE. NOT TO SAY THAT WE HAVEN'T DONE GOOD HERE ON THE EAST SIDE. I THINK CASTLE IS A TESTAMENT TO THE GOOD WORK THAT WE'VE DONE ON THE EAST SIDE, AND WE'RE CONTINUING TO LOOK AT DIFFERENT AREAS, AND I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT. AND THEN AGAIN, I KIND OF MENTIONED IT A LITTLE BIT, BUT IT'S THE ENHANCED INFRASTRUCTURE. YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO LOOK AT WAYS TO AGAIN, MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE TAKING CARE OF OUR RESIDENTS WITH OUR INFRASTRUCTURE, WHETHER IT'S THEIR CREEK MAINTENANCE, WHETHER IT'S OUR ROADS. AND I THINK THAT THE TECHNOLOGY THAT WAS INCLUDED IN THE BUDGET TODAY IS GOING TO HELP US BE BE BETTER AT STAYING ON TOP OF SOME OF OUR MAINTENANCE THAT NEEDS TO GO ON JUST ON A REGULAR BASIS, BECAUSE I THINK THAT'S A QUALITY OF LIFE ISSUE. SOMETHING WAS MENTIONED TODAY. WE REALLY HAVE TO PUT OUR HEADS TOGETHER AND FIGURE OUT THIS ILLEGAL DUMPING THING BECAUSE IT'S IT'S IT'S SOMETHING THAT, YOU KNOW, WE HEAR ABOUT QUITE A BIT, NOT JUST HERE AT THE DYESS, BUT WE GET EMAILS AND PHONE CALLS A LOT. AND IT'S IT'S REALLY DIFFICULT BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO CATCH THE PERSON IN ACTION. AND SO IT HAS TO DEVELOP INTO SOMETHING THAT PEOPLE TAKE OWNERSHIP AND TAKE PRIDE IN MERCED COUNTY AND DON'T DO THAT STUFF. SO THAT IS A LONG WAY OF SAYING THANK YOU. FOR THE, FOR FOR GETTING US THROUGH THIS. SO I'LL BRING IT BACK. IS THERE A WE HAVE A MOTION. MOTION TO. APPROVE. WE GOT. YEAH. WE'VE GOT THREE DIFFERENT ITEMS. YEAH, YEAH YEAH. SO IT'S 28 THROUGH 30. YES. YOU CAN MAKE IT. CAN YOU DO ALL THREE AT ONCE? YES. SO WE HAVE A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL, SECONDED BY SUPERVISOR PAREIRA. PLEASE CALL FOR THE VOTE. PLEASE RECORD THE VOTE. MOTION UNANIMOUSLY CARRIES. THANK YOU. OKAY. AT THIS TIME, WE WILL HAVE BOARD [REPORTS/BOARD DIRECTION] REPORTS, STARTING WITH SUPERVISOR PACHECO. IT'S ON DISCUSSION. THANK YOU. CHAIR. I'LL BE BRIEF. HI. THANK YOU. CHAIR. I'M DONE. I DO WANT TO THANK OUR PUBLIC THAT CAME TO COMMENT. IT'S ALWAYS GOOD TO HEAR THAT INFORMATION SO WE CAN KEEP ON TRACK. AND I APPRECIATE OUR OUR, OUR CHAIRMAN'S COMMENTS AND OUR INTERIM CEO. BUT WE DO ALWAYS WANT TO KEEP THAT IN OUR, IN OUR SIGHT. SO THANK YOU FOR THAT. I ALSO WANT TO THANK OUR STAFF FOR THE THE BUDGET. THIS IS MY FIRST BUDGET PROCESS. SO IT'S KIND OF DRINKING FROM A FIRE HOSE, BUT THEY'VE MADE IT EASY FOR ME, SO I WANT TO THANK THEM FOR DOING THAT. YESTERDAY I TOOK A TOUR OF THE JC PROJECT WITH CHAIRMAN PEDROSO. IT LOOKS LIKE THEY MAKE A LOT OF GOOD PROGRESS. WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO IT BECOMING FULLY OPERATIONAL FOR FOR THE COUNTY. MERCED. AND LASTLY, I JUST WANT TO REMIND THERE WILL BE A INFORMATIONAL UPDATE MEETING FOR THE PLANADA 20 MILLION TOMORROW. IT'LL BE AT CESAR CHAVEZ SCHOOL AT 6:00. IF ANYBODY HAS ANY QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS, PLEASE COME OUT. WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A LOT OF OF OUR COUNTY PERSONNEL OUT THERE WILLING TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU HAVE, AND I'LL BE OUT THERE ALSO. SO I ENCOURAGE NOT ONLY PLANADA, BUT IF ANYBODY HAS ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THE 20 MILLION TO COME OUT AND PARTICIPATE. THANKS. AND THAT'S ALL I HAVE. CHAIR. THANK YOU. SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. JUST CHECKING TO SEE IF IT WAS ON. SO SINCE OUR LAST MEETING, I'VE BEEN ACTIVE ACROSS MERCED COUNTY AND WANTED TO SHARE A FEW UPDATES. I ALSO GOT TO TOUR THE ONGOING CONSTRUCTION IN OUR NEW MERCED COUNTY JAIL FACILITY. IT'S ENCOURAGING TO SEE THE STEADY PROGRESS ON THIS CRITICAL INVESTMENT IN PUBLIC SAFETY. I ALSO HAD THE HONOR OF ATTENDING THE CASTLE VETERANS ORGANIZATION HONORING WOMEN VETERANS DINNER AN INSPIRING EVENING RECOGNIZING THE SERVICE AND SACRIFICES OF OUR WOMEN VETERANS. AND I GOT TO SAY, THERE WAS NOT AN EMPTY SEAT IN THE WHOLE BUILDING. THEY'RE ALREADY DISCUSSING ON FINDING A LARGER FACILITY FOR IT. IT WAS UNBELIEVABLE. THERE WAS THERE WAS ACTUALLY, FOLKS. IN FACT, I THINK SOME OF OUR CAL FIRE GUYS WERE IN THERE STANDING BECAUSE WE DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH SEATS FOR EVERYBODY. I ALSO VISITED THE MERCED COUNTY COURTHOUSE TO CHECK ON THE PROGRESS OF THE RE REFURBISHMENT PROJECT. PRESERVING OUR COUNTY'S HISTORY IS A PRIORITY, AND THE WORK BEING DONE THERE REFLECTS THAT COMMITMENT. I ALSO GOT TO MEET WITH CATERO, THE NEW FIXED BASE OPERATION AT CASTLE. THEIR MARKETING STRATEGY IS PROMISING AND BRINGS A NEW MOMENTUM TO CASTLE AS WE CONTINUE TO DEVELOP THAT ASSET. ALSO, I TOURED THE MASS OR MASS ENERGY WORKS DAIRY DIGESTER AT VANDERVOORT DAIRY. [02:50:06] THIS PROJECT SHOWCASES INNOVATIVE WORK HAPPENING AT THE INTERSECTION OF AGRICULTURE RENEWABLE ENERGY RIGHT HERE IN MERCED COUNTY. I ALSO GOT TO MEET WITH KARAMJIT RANDHAWA, OUR NEW REGIONAL DIRECTOR FOR UC COOPERATIVE EXTENSION. WE HAD A VERY PRODUCTIVE CONVERSATION ABOUT COLLABORATION, OPPORTUNITY, OPPORTUNITIES IN AGRICULTURE, EDUCATION AND OUTREACH, AND I ALSO HAD THE PLEASURE OF ATTENDING THE ALL DADS MATTER EVENT AT APPLEGATE PARK. IT WAS A MEANINGFUL COMMUNITY GATHERING. IT CELEBRATED THE IMPORTANT ROLE OF FATHERS LIVES IN OUR CHILDREN AND OUR FAMILIES HERE IN MERCED COUNTY. AND I WAS PROUD TO HAVE MY SON WITH ME WHO WILL BE A FATHER ON AUGUST. THE DUE DATE IS AUGUST 8TH. COMING WILL BE MY FIRST GRANDSON. AND SO HE AND I BOTH COMMITTED. WE'RE DOING ALL DADS BOOT CAMP IN JULY. SO WE'RE VERY EXCITED ABOUT THAT. AND I JUST WANT TO REMIND EVERYBODY THAT I DO HAVE A MOBILE DISTRICT OFFICE HOURS ON THE FOURTH THURSDAY OF EACH MONTH FROM 130 TO 330. IT'S BEEN MOVED FROM THE ATWATER CHAMBER WHERE THEIR COUNCIL MEETS. IT'S NOW AT THE COMMUNITY CENTER AND AT MY MOBILE DISTRICT OFFICE HOURS. I ACTUALLY HAVE A REPRESENTATIVE FROM THE CONGRESSIONAL OFFICE, FROM THE ASSEMBLY OFFICE, AND FROM THE SENATE OFFICE. SO WE'RE AT IF YOU HAVE A HAVE A QUESTION WITH ANYTHING WITH GOVERNMENT HAVING TO DO WITH WITHIN THE UNITED STATES, WE HAVE A REPRESENTATIVE THERE WHO CAN ANSWER THE QUESTION. WE EVEN GET COUNCILMAN RAYMOND WILL STOP BY EVERY NOW AND THEN. AND SOMETIMES WE GET THE MAYOR WHO WILL STOP IN. SO AT EVERY LEVEL OF GOVERNMENT, YOU HAVE SOMEBODY THERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT THANK YOU CHAIR. THANK YOU SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. A COUPLE OF THINGS. FIRST OFF, I JUST WANT TO THANK STAFF AND OUR BUDGET TEAM. THE PRESENTATION GETS BETTER. I KNOW THAT WE HASHED THIS INFORMATION OUT. WE'VE SEEN DRAFT VERSIONS OF THIS PRESENTATION DURING OUR BOARD BRIEFINGS. AND I THINK THAT YOU DID A GREAT JOB OF BREAKING SOME OF THESE FUNDING SOURCES DOWN SO THAT I KNOW AS SUPERVISORS, WE HEAR ABOUT THEM, WE KNOW ABOUT THEM, BUT BREAKING IT DOWN SO THAT THE PUBLIC CAN UNDERSTAND. SO I WANT TO THANK YOU GUYS FOR THAT. REMINDER THAT ON THIS SATURDAY, JUNE 21ST, FROM 830 TO 130 IN SOUTH DOS PALOS, THEY WILL BE HAVING A COMMUNITY CLEANUP DAY. THAT'LL BE AT THE PARK THERE IN SOUTH DOS PALOS. SO FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT ARE LISTENING OR WATCHING. PUT THAT ON YOUR RADAR. I KNOW WE DID. I DID PUT SOME STUFF OUT ON SOCIAL MEDIA. I DID TO ATTEND THE JAIL FACILITY TOUR YESTERDAY. AND THEN RIGHT BEFORE THAT I ACTUALLY GOT TO GO TAKE A LITTLE BIT OF A TOUR OF THE COURTHOUSE MUSEUM UPGRADE THAT'S GOING ON OVER THERE, MYSELF AND SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL. HE WAS ON MY TOUR. WE'RE WALKING UP IN THAT SCAFFOLDING. SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL HIT HIS HEAD. GOOD THING HE HAD A HARD HAT ON MULTIPLE TIMES. SO. BUT REALLY INTERESTING WORK. A VERY LABORIOUS, VERY LABOR, INTENSE WORK THAT GOES INTO THAT. AND THEN AND REALLY THE CRAFTSMANSHIP OF THOSE FOLKS THAT ARE DOING IT. THEY'RE TAKING PARTS OF THAT BUILDING. YOU GUYS CAN SEE UP THERE IN THAT PICTURE. AND THAT HAVE BROKEN OFF AND THROUGH LIKE SOME KIND OF COMPOSITES THAT THEY, THEY'RE ABLE TO RECREATE IT AND GOT TO SEE LIKE KIND OF WHAT THE FINISHED PRODUCT LOOKS LIKE ON THE FRONT OF THE MUSEUM. AND THEY'RE MAKING THEIR WAY AROUND THE REST OF IT. AND SO IT REALLY WAS VERY INTERESTING TO BE ABLE TO SEE UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL. I WANT TO TALK ABOUT I WAS LAST WEDNESDAY, THURSDAY I WAS IN IN VENTURA FOR A CSAC REGIONAL MEETING. AND ONE OF THE PRESENTATIONS THAT WAS THERE, IT WAS IT WAS KIND OF KIND OF PUTTING THIS OUT THERE AND WOULD ENCOURAGE STAFF TO LOOK AT THIS. AND MAYBE THIS IS SOMETHING THAT MY COLLEAGUES WOULD BE INTERESTED IN IS THEY HAVE A RISK MANAGEMENT STEERING COMMITTEE. AND, AND BASICALLY WHAT THIS STEERING COMMITTEE, IT INVOLVES THE CEO'S OFFICE. IT INVOLVES THE CFO WOULD BE THE BUDGET OFFICE, HUMAN RESOURCES DIRECTOR, COUNTY COUNSEL. RIVERSIDE COUNTY HAS DONE THIS. AND WHAT IT DOES IS THEY REALLY LOOK AT TRENDS AS TO, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU'RE A GOVERNMENT ENTITY. AND WE GET TO SEE LOTS OF LAWSUITS THAT COME OUR WAY. AND SOME OF THEM ARE QUITE HONESTLY JUST BOGUS, RIGHT? THERE COULD BE SOMETHING THAT HAPPENS IN THE CITY OF MERCED AND THEY THEY JUST LIST EVERY GOVERNMENT ENTITY IN THE WHOLE COUNTY AS PART OF WHO THEY'RE GOING TO SUE. BUT THERE ARE SOME LEGITIMATE ONES THAT COME OUR WAY. AND THIS RISK MANAGEMENT STEERING COMMITTEE LOOKS AT THESE AND IS PART OF IT IS WHEN YOU HAVE A LAWSUIT THAT COMES AGAINST THE COUNTY, THAT DEPARTMENT IS REQUIRED TO PUT TOGETHER A MITIGATION PLAN ON WHAT STEPS ARE WE PUTTING IN PLACE TO NOT LET THAT HAPPEN AGAIN? AND THE KIND OF THE STICK AND THE CARROT METHOD ON THAT IS, IS THAT IF YOU DON'T AND IT OBVIOUSLY HAS TO BE APPROVED BY THIS THIS STEERING COMMITTEE [02:55:07] HAS TO APPROVE YOUR MITIGATION MEASURES. AND IF YOU DON'T, IT COMES RIGHT DIRECTLY OUT OF YOUR BUDGET. THAT IS THAT'S THAT'S THE STICK PART OF IT, THAT IT COMES OUT OF YOUR BUDGET. AND THEN IF YOU DO APPROVE A RISK MITIGATION PLAN AND THAT SAME THING HAPPENS AGAIN, IT'S GOING TO COME OUT OF YOUR BUDGET. AND SO WHY DO YOU WHY WHY DO WE WHY AM I TALKING ABOUT THIS. BECAUSE AS WE LOOK THROUGH THIS BUDGET AND YOU SEE HOW, HOW SMALL OF THE PORTION OF THE BUDGET IS THAT WE ACTUALLY HAVE DISCRETION OVER HOW WE WANT TO SPEND OR ABLE TO SPEND IT. WE'RE ALWAYS LOOKING AT WAYS TO BECOME MORE EFFICIENT WITHIN AND THERE. THEY'VE BEEN DOING THIS NOW FOR MULTIPLE YEARS, AND THEY'VE SEEN DOUBLE DIGIT AND ON TRACK FOR THIS YEAR TO HAVE 30% LESS INSURANCE CASES THAT GOES TO PRISM IS ALSO THEIR THEIR THEIR CARRIER. YOU KNOW, WE'RE A SELF-EMPLOYED COUNTY. SO UNDERSTAND THAT ANY LAWSUIT THAT COMES AGAINST THE COUNTY, THE TAXPAYERS ARE PAYING IT BACK. WE HAVE A $500,000 FEE, THE FIRST PORTION OF IT, UP TO 500,000, THAT COMES DIRECTLY OUT OF OUR OUR BUDGET IMMEDIATELY. AND THEN, HOWEVER BIG THE LAWSUIT SETTLEMENT IS, THAT COMES OVER THE COURSE OF THE AMORTIZE IT OUT OVER SO MANY YEARS THAT WE WILL END UP PAYING THAT WHOLE VERDICT BACK. AND REALLY, THIS WHERE THIS STARTED IS, IS BECAUSE THE, THE COLUMN NUCLEAR JUDGMENTS, JUDGMENTS THAT THAT THAT ARE COMING IN THESE CASES THAT ARE, YOU KNOW, IN L.A. COUNTY, THEY PASSED A LAW. IT WAS I THINK IT WAS AB 218 IN AT THE STATE THAT OPENED UP SEXUAL ASSAULT CHARGES FOR THE STATUTE. THEY UNDID THE STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS. LA COUNTY IS FACING A $4 BILLION SETTLEMENT IN THAT CASE. $4 BILLION. AND SO WHEN WE THINK ABOUT THESE THINGS, IT'S. SO HOW DO WE PROTECT OURSELVES? I THINK THIS IS SOMETHING WORTHWHILE LOOKING INTO. IF THE PROOF IS IN THE PUDDING THAT 30% LESS CASES ARE GOING TO THEY'RE GOING TO PRISON. THAT MEANS THAT THEY'RE THEY'RE SEEING I'M GOING TO CALL IT, FOR LACK OF BETTER WORDS, BAD BEHAVIOR. AND THEY'RE CORRECTING THAT BAD BEHAVIOR WITH A MITIGATION PLAN AND EDUCATING FOLKS AND TRAINING FOLKS ON WHY WE DON'T DO THAT AND WHY THAT CAN GET US IN TROUBLE. AND ULTIMATELY, THAT SAVES THE TAXPAYERS DOLLARS. WE SAVE THOSE DOLLARS. WE HAVE MONEY TO KEEP FIRE STATIONS OPEN. THAT'S WHERE I'M COMING WITH IT. AND BEFORE I CLOSE OUT MY COMMENTS. I DO WANT TO SINCERELY THANK MY COLLEAGUES FOR FOR THE DISCUSSION TODAY ON THE FIRE STATION ISSUE. I KNOW IT'S NOT EASY. I'M GOING TO REITERATE A LITTLE BIT WHAT I SAID EARLIER. I KNOW THAT EVERYBODY UP HERE TAKES THIS SERIOUSLY. WE'RE ALL VERY PASSIONATE ABOUT OUR DISTRICTS, OUR CONSTITUENTS, OUR BOSSES, AND I JUST APPRECIATE THAT IT CAME BACK AND WE WERE ABLE TO HAVE A HEALTHY DISCUSSION AND COME TO COME TO A CONCLUSION THAT I THINK IS WAS PROBABLY THE BEST CASE SCENARIO THAT WE COULD POSSIBLY ASK FOR TODAY. AND SO, AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR THAT. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. SUPERVISOR PAREIRA. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. I TOO MET WITH WITH RANDOLPH. SHE'S THE NEW DIRECTOR FOR THE COOPERATIVE EXTENSION, AND AND A LOT OF GREAT IDEAS. PASSIONATE ABOUT HER JOB, WHICH I APPRECIATE. AND ALSO HER SUPPORT FOR THE FOUR H PROGRAM. I BELIEVE THAT THE FOUR H PROGRAM IS ONE THAT BUILDS LEADERS HERE IN OUR COUNTY. AND SO THE STATE BUDGET PROCESS HAS REALLY BEEN TIGHTENING DOWN ON FOUR-H. AND SO I WAS GLAD TO HEAR HER KIND OF SUPPORT FOR FOUR-H AND WANTED TO SAY WELCOME TO THE TEAM. ALONG WITH SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL, AS YOU MENTIONED EARLIER, MET WITH KATIE ARROW, THE NEW FBO OUT AT CASTLE AND, AND IT REALLY FELT LIKE THEY ARE GOING TO TAKE CASTLE TO THE NEXT LEVEL AND MAYBE 2 OR 3 LEVELS. THEY REALLY YOU KNOW, HAVE A LOT OF IDEAS, WANT TO INVEST IN OUR COMMUNITY. AND ONE, ONE BIG THING THAT THEY ARE ABLE TO DO IS LOWER THE FUEL PRICES OUT THERE. SO THAT WILL ENCOURAGE MORE FLIGHTS COMING INTO CASTLE. AND THEY ALSO HAVE SOME IDEAS ON YOU KNOW, FREIGHT BEING HAULED IN. AND AND SO ANYWAYS, JUST KIND OF EXCITING. IT'S TOO EARLY TO TELL WHAT THEY'RE REALLY GOING TO DO, BUT JUST THEIR GOALS AND ASPIRATIONS MATCHED UP VERY WELL WITH I THINK WOULD BE SUCCESSFUL FOR CASTLE. I DID A JAIL TOUR YESTERDAY AFTERNOON WITH WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS, AND IT IS AMAZING ALL THAT GOES INTO TO A JAIL AND AND I KNOW THAT YOU KNOW, WE'VE HAD SOME PUBLIC COMMENT HERE TALK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, REALLOCATING THE DOLLARS. BUT WE HAVE AN OBLIGATION TO OUR COMMUNITY TO KEEP IT SAFE. AND, AND, YOU KNOW, IF YOU GET CONVICTED OF A CRIME AND THERE'S JAIL TIME SENTENCED BY THE JUDGE, [03:00:01] WE NEED TO PROVIDE THE OPPORTUNITY TO GET THAT SENTENCE HANDLED. I, YOU KNOW, I KIND OF MADE MENTION EARLIER ABOUT $9 MILLION OF INCREASED FUNDING THAT'S STATE MANDATED THAT THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO HAVE MORE CORRECTIONAL OFFICERS IN THIS FACILITY. WE DON'T HAVE A CHOICE. YOU KNOW, PEOPLE ARE WANTING US TO MAKE CHOICES, BUT A LOT OF TIMES AS THE DIVISION OF THE STATE. THOSE CHOICES ARE MADE FOR US. I'D LIKE TO THANK OUR BUDGET STAFF FOR PUTTING TOGETHER WHAT I THINK IS A VERY DOABLE BUDGET. THANK YOU FOR THE EXPLANATIONS OF OF THE ITEMS. I THINK THE YOU KNOW, YOU DIDN'T HEAR MUCH BOARD COMMENT UP HERE. I THINK BUT THAT'S A TESTAMENT TO THEIR JOB. THEY MET WITH US, THEY PROCESSED WITH US AND AND SO OUR QUESTIONS WERE EITHER ADDRESSED OR ANSWERED IN THE BUDGET. AND SO GREAT, GREAT WORK. SO THANK YOU. AND THEN YOU KNOW, I'D LIKE TO JUST, I GUESS, KIND OF FORMALLY SHARE THAT. I THINK WE NEED TO TAKE A LOOK AT OUR FIRE FUND BUDGET AND, AND THE WAY WE DELIVER SERVICES TO THE RESIDENTS OF MERCED COUNTY. AND SO I WOULD LIKE TO SEE US PUT TOGETHER AND YOU KNOW, GET OUTSIDE, HELP MAYBE DO AN RFP FOR AN INDEPENDENT COMPANY TO COME IN AND LOOK AT WHAT WE DO. YOU KNOW, WE PERIODICALLY, WHEN SOMETHING IS BIGGER THAN US, THAT'S WHAT WE DO. AND I THINK YOU KNOW, UTILIZING KPMG OUT AT CASTLE, YOU KNOW, REALLY HELPED US GO NEXT LEVEL. AND, AND SO I'D LIKE TO SEE SEE THAT COME BACK, YOU KNOW AS AN AGENDA ITEM AT SOME POINT. AND AND I'D LIKE TO THANK OUR INTERIM CEO, MARK HENDRICKSON, FOR, YOU KNOW, STEPPING IN. THE BUDGET IS A BIG DEAL. AND HE STEPPED IN AND REALLY HELPED THAT GO SMOOTHLY. SO THANK YOU FOR THAT. HANSON. MR. HENDRICKSON OKAY. YEAH, I AGREE. I WOULD LIKE TO REQUEST THAT WE GET AN INFORMATION ON WHAT SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA BROUGHT UP. AND THEN ALSO I AGREE WITH WHAT SUPERVISOR PAREIRA SAID TO DO KIND OF AN INDEPENDENT ASSESSMENT ON FIRE SERVICES. I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE CAN DO. WE CAN REACH OUT TO, I'M SURE CSAC OR CRC OR EVEN NACO MIGHT HAVE SOME IDEAS ON WHAT WE CAN DO FOR THAT. AGAIN THANKS, STAFF. I THINK THIS WAS THE FASTEST, THE QUICKEST THAT VANESSA DID THE PRESENTATION, BECAUSE I KNOW HOW MUCH SHE LOVES BEING UP HERE AND TALKING AT THE PODIUM. I ALSO WENT TO THE MASS ENERGY TOUR LAST WEEK WHICH WAS VERY INTERESTING TO SEE. THE COOLEST THING I THOUGHT ABOUT IT WAS WHEN YOU GOT, LIKE, YOU COULDN'T SMELL THE DAIRY. I MEAN, IT WAS IT WAS REALLY BECAUSE THEY SAID, YOU KNOW, DAIRIES GET A LOT OF PUSHBACK BECAUSE THEY THEY SMELL, BUT IT'S THE SMELL OF MONEY. BUT BUT WHEN YOU GOT RIGHT UP TO IT, YOU COULDN'T SMELL ANYTHING, WHICH I THOUGHT WAS REALLY COOL. YESTERDAY I TOURED THE PROJECT AS WELL I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT'S. I WENT TO THE GROUNDBREAKING, I TOURED THE CONSTRUCTION. I'LL GO TO THE FINAL THING. I HOPE TO NOT HAVE TO GO AGAIN. I MET WITH THE FOOD BANK PEOPLE LAST WEEK. AND I THINK THAT IT'S IMPORTANT THAT, YOU KNOW, THEY BROUGHT UP SOME GOOD POINTS, AND I THINK, AND I CAN'T HAMMER THIS ENOUGH, IS THAT I'M REALLY CONCERNED ABOUT WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN HERE IN MERCED COUNTY AS IT RELATES TO BUDGET. AND I THINK THAT WE NEED TO REALLY ENGAGE WITH THEM SOME MORE ABOUT THIS, WHAT THEY'RE PROVIDING AND THE SERVICES THAT THEY'RE DOING. AND THEN ALSO, I ALSO ATTENDED THE ALL DADS MATTER EVENT, BUT MY I TOOK MY DAUGHTER, WHO'S EIGHT, BECAUSE MY SON, YOU KNOW, HE'S 14, HE'S TOO COOL FOR SCHOOL. SO BUT IT WAS A GREAT EVENT. IT IS EVERY YEAR THIS YEAR. THEY DID IT EARLIER IN THE DAY, WHICH I THOUGHT WAS BETTER BECAUSE SOMETIMES IT CAN BE REALLY HOT. THIS TIME IT WAS IT WAS REALLY NICE. AND THEN MY LAST THING I WANTED TO SAY, YOU KNOW, WE MAY NOT HAVE ALL AGREED WITH THE PEOPLE THAT WERE PROTESTING ON SATURDAY, BUT I WANT TO COMMEND EVERYBODY FOR THAT. DID GO OUT THERE. AND IT WAS I DROVE BY IT ON MY WAY TO THE ALL DADS MATTER, AND I THOUGHT IT WAS VERY PEACEFUL. AND PEOPLE WERE EXERCISING THEIR FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHT, WHICH I ALWAYS AM APPRECIATIVE OF THAT. BUT THEN LATER IN THE AFTERNOON, I DROVE. I HAD TO DRIVE OUT TO EL NIDO. I COULD NOT BELIEVE HOW WITH THE AMOUNT OF PEOPLE THAT WERE THERE, I DIDN'T SEE ANY GARBAGE LIKE THERE WAS. IT WAS. SO IT WAS LIKE PERFECTLY CLEAN. AND I JUST WANT TO COMMEND THE PEOPLE FOR, YOU KNOW, BEING RESPECTFUL, PICKING UP IF THERE WAS WATER BOTTLE, I DIDN'T SEE ANYTHING, WHICH I THOUGHT WAS REALLY WAS REALLY INTERESTING. [03:05:02] SO WITH THAT THIS CONCLUDES THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS MEETING FOR JUNE 17TH, 2025. THE NEXT REGULARLY SCHEDULED BOARD MEETING. BOARD OF SUPERVISORS MEETING WILL BE HELD AT 10 A.M. ON TUESDAY, JULY 8TH, 2025. * This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.