GOOD MORNING AND WELCOME TO THE AUGUST 12TH,
2025 MEETING OF THE MERCED COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS. 
          [CLOSED SESSION]
          [00:00:06]
YOUR CLOSED SESSION THIS MORNING IS THE FOLLOWING. 
          IT IS THE INTENTION OF THE BOARD TO MEET IN CLOSED SESSION PURSUANT TO GOVERNMENT CODE
SECTION 54957.6 CONCERNING A MEET AND CONFER WITH AGENCY NEGOTIATOR MARCI BARRERA AND PURSUANT TO GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 54956.91 REGARDING THREE CASES OF EXISTING
LITIGATION. 
          NUMBER ONE COUNTY OF MERCED AT ALL VERSUS AMERISOURCEBERGEN DRUG CORPORATION AT ALL. 
          CASE NUMBER 118 045643. DAP IN REGARDS TO NATIONAL PRESCRIPTION OPIATE LITIGATION 117 MD 02804 PENDING IN THE US DISTRICT COURT FOR THE NORTHERN DISTRICT OF OHIO. 
          IN REGARD TO NUMBER TWO, PURDUE PHARMA, LP, ET AL. 
          CASE NUMBER 19 23649 PENDING IN THE UNITED STATES BANKRUPTCY COURT,
SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK AND NUMBER THREE GEYSER VERSUS COUNTY OF MERCED MERCED SUPERIOR COURT CASE NUMBER TWO THREE CV 01949. 
          AND FINALLY, CONCERNING SIGNIFICANT EXPOSURE TO LITIGATION PURSUANT TO GOVERNMENT CODE
SECTION 54956. 
          9D2. THE PUBLIC WILL BE PROVIDED AN OPPORTUNITY TO COMMENT ON ANY MATTER TO BE CONSIDERED
IN CLOSED SESSION PRIOR TO THE BOARD ADJOURNING INTO THE CLOSED SESSION. 
          TESTIMONY IS LIMITED TO THREE MINUTES PER PERSON. 
          OKAY. THANK YOU. AT THIS TIME I WILL OPEN PUBLIC COMMENT FOR THE CLOSED SESSION ITEMS. OKAY. THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD FOR THE CLOSED SESSION ITEMS IS NOW CLOSED AND WE WILL NOW
ADJOURN INTO CLOSED SESSION. 
          GOOD MORNING AND WELCOME BACK TO THE AUGUST 12TH,
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 JIM DOWER,
CHRISTIAN, BROTHER OF MERCED. 
          AND THEN SUPERVISOR PAREIRA WILL LEAD THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. 
          UP HERE, SIR. THANK YOU. FATHER IN HEAVEN, WE WE CALL UPON YOU. 
          LORD, WE KNOW THAT YOUR EYES RANGED THROUGHOUT THE EARTH,
LORD. 
          FOR HEARTS THAT ARE LOYAL TO YOU, THAT YOU MAY STRENGTHEN AND COURAGE. 
          GIVE WISDOM AND DISCERNMENT. FATHER. SO, FATHER,
WE PRAY THAT ON THIS COUNTY AND ON THESE ELECTED OFFICIALS, FATHER, AS THEY HAVE SOUGHT YOU, LORD. AND SO WE PRAISE YOU. 
          THANK YOU. PRAY FOR YOUR DIVINE GUIDANCE OVER THE MEETING. 
          IN JESUS NAME, AMEN. AMEN. 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. 
          IT IS NOW TIME FOR PUBLIC OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK ON ANY MATTER OF PUBLIC INTEREST WITHIN THE
BOARD'S JURISDICTION. 
          [PUBLIC OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK]
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. HOLD ON A SECOND. 
          THERE YOU GO. GOOD MORNING, BOARD OF SUPERVISORS. 
          KAREN ADAMS, YOUR MERCED COUNTY TREASURER. TAX COLLECTOR. 
          JUST A REMINDER FOR ALL OF YOU, ON JULY 20TH 25TH,
WE MAILED 8760 AND SECURED TAX BILLS TOTALING OVER $28 MILLION. THIS YEAR, THE UNSECURED TAXES ARE DUE ON TUESDAY,
SEPTEMBER 2ND, BECAUSE AUGUST 31ST FALLS ON A WEEKEND AND MONDAY IS A HOLIDAY. FAILURE TO RECEIVE A BILL DOES NOT REMOVE THE TAXPAYER'S RESPONSIBILITY TO PAY
TIMELY TO AVOID PENALTY. 
          THEREFORE, WE ENCOURAGE TAXPAYERS TO CONTACT OUR OFFICE IMMEDIATELY IF THEY HAVE NOT
RECEIVED THEIR BILL, OR THEY CAN ALSO ACCESS OR ACCESS THEIR TAX BILLS ONLINE. 
          FOR QUESTIONS ABOUT PROPERTY TAX VALUES OR TO REPORT A CLOSURE OR DISPOSAL OF BUSINESS
PROPERTY, CONTACT THE MERCED COUNTY ASSESSOR'S OFFICE. OF COURSE,
THAT ALSO INCLUDES NOT JUST BUSINESS PERSONAL PROPERTY. 
          COULD BE AN AIRPLANE. COULD BE A BOAT, COULD BE ANOTHER A BUSINESS ASSET THAT IS NOT AN
ATTACHED REAL PROPERTY ASSET. 
          SO WE DO RECOMMEND THAT PEOPLE OF COURSE, SIGN UP FOR OUR E BILLS AND TAX NOTIFICATIONS ON
OUR WEBSITE, AND PLEASE DON'T WAIT TILL THE LAST MINUTE. IF YOU HAVE AN ASSESSMENT QUESTION,
WE CAN DIRECT YOU TO THE ASSESSOR AND THE APPROPRIATE PARTY. 
          [00:05:06]
BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY, IF YOU HAVE THAT ASSESSMENT UNDER REVIEW,
YOU ARE STILL RESPONSIBLE FOR YOUR TAX PAYMENTS TO AVOID PENALTY. IF THE ASSESSOR DOES A ROLE CORRECTION,
THE AUDITOR CONTROLLER WILL ISSUE THAT REFUND PROMPTLY. 
          SO ANY QUESTIONS PLEASE DIRECT MY STAFF. I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TODAY. 
          THANK YOU VERY MUCH. 
          GOOD MORNING CHAIR. MEMBERS OF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS,
CEO STAFF AND CITIZENS OF THE COUNTY OF MERCED. 
          PLANNING IS NOW UNDERWAY FOR THE 2025 MERCED FIELD OF HONOR,
HOSTED BY CLUB PRESIDENT BOB MCGEE AND CHAIRED BY DARRELL TURF. 
          EACH YEAR WE HOST THIS WITH OUR COMMUNITY PARTNER IN PROUD PARTNERSHIP WITH PRESIDENT
CHRIS VITELLI AT MERCED COLLEGE AND HIS OUTSTANDING TEAM. 
          ON SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 9TH, WE WILL GATHER FOR OPENING DAY,
WHERE WE ANTICIPATE FLYING 2025 FLAGS UNITED STATES FLAG, EACH ONE HONORING AN ACTIVE DUTY SERVICE MEMBER,
VETERAN, RETIREE OR FIRST RESPONDER, WHICH INCLUDES OUR SHERIFFS, OUR DEPUTIES, OUR POLICE OFFICERS AND FIREFIGHTERS. 
          THIS MOVING AND PATRIOTIC DISPLAY IS THE HALLMARK COMMUNITY SERVICE PROJECT OF THE ROTARY
CLUB OF MERCED SUNRISE, AND CONTINUES TO BE FREE TO THE PUBLIC BECAUSE IT'S SUPPORTED BY OUR SPONSORS AS WELL AS
OUR COMMUNITY VOLUNTEERS WHO COME TOGETHER TO SERVE AND TO GIVE THANKS. WE'RE ESPECIALLY PROUD AND GRATEFUL FOR OUR PRESENTING SPONSORS,
JOSEPH GALLO FARMS, AND TO THE FIRST LIEUTENANT PETER J. GALLO VETERANS RESOURCE CENTER AT MERCED COLLEGE,
WHOSE DEDICATION TO SUPPORT VETERANS AND THEIR FAMILIES AT THE VERY HEART OF THIS EVENT. 
          ONE OF THE MOST MEANINGFUL FEATURES FOR ME OF THE FIELD OF HONOR IS OUR EIGHTH GRADE
STUDENT PROGRAM. 
          FIVE VETERAN DOCENTS MEET WITH OVER 308TH GRADE STUDENTS TO SHARE THEIR EXPERIENCES,
THE HISTORY OF THE US FLAG, THE MEANING OF THEIR SERVICE, AND THE IMPORTANCE OF OUR FREEDOMS. CHILDREN, THEN STUDENTS, THEN ENJOY US. GUIDED TOURS OF MERCED COLLEGE FROM OUR STAFF
COLLEGE STAFF, GIVING THESE YOUNG PEOPLE AN OPPORTUNITY TO EXPERIENCE BOTH HISTORY AND SERVICE AND
EXPLORE FUTURE EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES. 
          WE ARE DEEPLY GRATEFUL TO THOSE WHO SUPPORT THIS PROJECT AND HAVE DONE SO FROM ITS VERY
BEGINNING 13 YEARS AGO. 
          THE COMMITMENT OF OUR ENGAGED CITIZENS ENSURES THAT THE 2025 MERCED FIELD OF HONOR
CONTINUES TO INSPIRE PRIDE AND GRATITUDE IN MERCED COUNTY. YEAR AFTER YEAR, ON BEHALF OF THE ROTARY CLUB OF MERCED SUNRISE,
I INVITE EACH OF YOU TO VISIT THE FIELD OF HONOR IN NOVEMBER. 
          WALK AMONG THE FLAGS AND EXPERIENCE FIRSTHAND THE UNITY,
THE REFLECTION AND APPRECIATION THIS PROJECT BRINGS TO OUR COMMUNITY. 
          THANK YOU, BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT AND FOR HELPING US HONOR THOSE
WHO SERVE. 
          THANK YOU. GOOD. GOOD MORNING. BOARD. MY NAME IS JORGE STARACE. 
          I'M AN EMPLOYEE AT THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE REPRESENTING UNIT 30. I'M HERE TO ADDRESS
SUPERVISOR MCDONNELL'S OP IN THE SUN STAR FROM THE BEGINNING OF AUGUST. HOWEVER, THE WHOLE BOARD IS GUILTY OF WHAT I WILL SPEAK ABOUT. PUBLIC SAFETY SERVES EVERYONE. 
          THE BOARD ONLY SERVES ITS AGENDA. WE'RE DONE BEING POLITICAL PAWNS. 
          WE'RE NOT JUST A CAMPAIGN BULLET POINT THREE SO EMPLOYEES HAVE BEEN SHOT IN THE LAST FIVE
YEARS. 
          LET THAT SINK IN. YOU BOAST ABOUT GIVING A 54% PAY INCREASE SINCE 2014,
WHILE THE COUNTY BUDGET NEARLY TRIPLED FROM 467 MILLION TO 1.1 BILLION 135% RISE. I WON'T EVEN GET STARTED ON THE INCREASES TO OUR INSURANCE PREMIUMS. QUIT BLAMING THE LACK OF COUNTY TAX REVENUE. THIS IS YOUR JOB TO DEVELOP OUR COUNTY. 
          A ONE OFF LUKE BRYAN CONCERT SHOULDN'T BE A CROWNING ACHIEVEMENT. 
          AFTER TEN YEARS SINCE 2014, A SHERIFF'S OFFICE EMPLOYEE'S DUTIES HAVE INCREASED BY MORE
THAN 54% WHILE THE STATE SHARES BLAME. 
          THE BOARD ALSO ADDS TO THE WORKLOAD BY PERSONALLY CONTACTING EMPLOYEES TO FIX THEIR
ISSUES. 
          IF YOU HAVE A PROBLEM USING NON-EMERGENCY LINE,
JUST AS YOUR CONSTITUENTS HAVE TO QUIT TRYING TO CUT THE LINE BECAUSE YOU'RE A POLITICAL POSITION, HERE'S THE TRUTH REGARDING YOUR STATEMENTS REGARDING RAISES. 
          IN 2023, THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE ONLY RECEIVED THOSE RACES BECAUSE TWO BOARD MEMBERS WERE ON
THE VERGE OF PRIMARY ELECTIONS. 
          IT WAS A POLITICAL SAFETY RAFT. TWO YEARS LATER,
AND THE SAME POLITICAL TRICKS ARE BEING USED RUN ON THE BACKS OF PUBLIC SAFETY. 
          THE QUESTION IS, DOES THE PUBLIC DOES THE RANK AND FILE SUPPORT YOU? THE ANSWER IS LIKELY A RESOUNDING NO. LAST WEEK,
I HAD THE CHANCE TO ATTEND TWO DIFFERENT NATIONAL NIGHT OUT EVENTS. 
          THESE EVENTS ARE A STARK REMINDER THAT THE RESIDENTS OF MERCED COUNTY WILL ALWAYS SUPPORT
US. THEY TRULY UNDERSTAND WHAT WE ARE AGAINST OR UP AGAINST. 
          STOP CLAIMING THE NEW JAIL BUILD SHOWS YOUR SUPPORT FOR PUBLIC SAFETY. 
          [00:10:04]
IT'S BEING BUILT TO MEET THE TITLE 15 AND TITLE 24 STANDARDS. 
          THE PROPOSED SHERIFF ADMINISTRATION BUILDING IS NEEDED BECAUSE OVER 600 STAFF MEMBERS
CANNOT OPERATE OUT OF A NINE OUT OF NINE EIGHT BY TEN OFFICES. 
          THESE PROJECTS ARE BARE MINIMUM OF WHAT THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD DO. 
          THIS FURTHER PROVES THAT PUBLIC SAFETY IS JUST A POLITICAL PLATFORM. 
          I SAW IT IN DC DURING MY SIX YEARS IN THE MILITARY,
AND I SEE IT HERE IN MERCED COUNTY. 
          RIDING THE COATTAILS OF THOSE WHO PROTECT TO THE ELECTION FINISH LINE. 
          THE BOARD BOASTS ABOUT FUNDING THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE,
THE FUNDING THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE RECEIVES, BUT THEY FAIL TO MENTION THE MILLIONS AND MILLIONS THEY FORCED TO. SO TO RETURN AT THE END
OF THE YEAR SO THEY COULD FUND OUT TO PET PROJECTS, THESE FUNDS, IF WE WERE ALLOWED TO USE THEM, COULD RESOLVE STAFFING ISSUES. COUNTY WORKERS ARE WHAT KEEP THIS GOVERNMENT GOING. 
          IF THERE'S A PROBLEM, WHO FIXES IT? A COUNTY EMPLOYEE WHO TAKES THE CREDIT. 
          A BOARD MEMBER. COUNTY EMPLOYEES ARE THE ONES WHO PROVIDE ALL THE ESSENTIAL SERVICES TO
OUR COMMUNITY. 
          THE ONLY SERVICES THE BOARD HAS PROVIDED. EXCUSE ME? THE ONLY SERVICE THE BOARD HAS BEEN PROVIDING IS LIP SERVICE FOR YEARS. 
          SO EMPLOYEES HAVE SAT IDLY AND ALLOWED THESE GAMES TO HAPPEN. BUT THOSE DAYS ARE OVER. WE
WILL FIND CANDIDATES. 
          CANDIDATES TO UNSEAT YOU. TO OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS. 
          WE APPRECIATE YOU. WE WILL ALWAYS BE HERE FOR YOU. 
          IF YOU HAVE AN ISSUE, WE COME. NIGHT OR DAY. BIG ISSUES ARE LITTLE ISSUES. 
          CAN YOU SAY THE SAME ABOUT YOUR LOCAL POLITICIAN? THANK YOU. 
          HELLO. ANDREW GALLAGHER. CITIZEN. I SPOKE A COUPLE OF MEETINGS AGO. 
          SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA SAID HE MISSED HAVING ME HERE,
SO I THOUGHT I'D MAKE IT A PRIORITY TO COME BACK AND SPEAK TO YOU. 
          WHILE I'M HAPPY THAT HE PUBLICLY DEFENDED AN UNNECESSARY 7% RAISE FOR THE CEO. 
          HIS RESPONSE MISSED MY ULTIMATE POINT. JUST BECAUSE YOU CAN. 
          DOESN'T MEAN YOU SHOULD. WHEN NEGOTIATING RAISES WITH UNIONIZED EMPLOYEES,
THE COUNTY DOES EXTENSIVE BIAS RESEARCH TO ARGUE THAT EMPLOYEES ARE INCORRECT IN THEIR SALARY. COMPARISONS OVER MANAGEMENT LEVELS APPARENTLY HAVE ZERO RESEARCH,
SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA SAID. 
          AT BEST, THAT DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE OLD SALARY AND THE NEW SALARY FOR THE CEO IS THE
RAISE THAT QUITE A FEW OF OUR EMPLOYEES WHO ALREADY SIGNED DEALS STARTED IN JULY, SO THAT'S THE REASON FOR THE INCREASE. YOU JUST GIVE THE HIGHEST MANAGEMENT POSITION A
SIMILAR PERCENTAGE TO WHAT FRONTLINE STAFF RECEIVE. 
          THE FISCAL FLAW IS THAT APPROACH IS THAT 7% OF $200,000 IS MORE THAN 10% OF $60,000,
ONE IS 14,000. 
          THE OTHER IS 6000. EQUAL PERCENTAGE IS THE RICH GETTING RICHER AND THE POOR ARE CONTINUING
TO TREAD WATER. 
          BUT MY FOCUS HERE TODAY IS I WANT TO CONGRATULATE OUR NEWEST SUN STAR OP-ED WRITER. 
          SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL. YOUR ARTICLE HAS SPOKEN LIKE A TRUE POLITICIAN. 
          VEILED PUBLIC SUPPORT FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT WHILE INCLUDING. 
          LOOK HOW MUCH WE'VE GIVEN THEM ALREADY. DEPUTIES PROBABLY HAVE RECEIVED 54% INCREASES
SINCE 2014. 
          SEEMS LIKE A LARGE AMOUNT WHEN YOU PUT IT THAT WAY. BUT DOING MATH,
THAT'S 5% A YEAR. 
          THAT DOESN'T FACTOR THE PAY CUTS DEPUTIES TOOK TO AVOID LAYOFFS IN THE YEARS PRIOR. 
          HOWEVER, IN 2014, THE COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS MADE $98,000,
ACCORDING TO THE MERCED COUNTY WEBSITE. 
          TODAY, SUPERVISOR MAKES 132,000. IT'S A 35% RAISE,
BUT DOLLAR FOR DOLLAR, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT $35,000 INCREASE FOR DEPUTIES, $34,000 INCREASE FOR BOARD OF SUPERVISORS. 
          SO IF YOU HAVE PRIORITIZED LAW ENFORCEMENT OVER THAT PERIOD OF TIME,
IT APPEARS YOU'VE COMPENSATED YOURSELF AT A VERY CLOSE SECOND. 
          SO THEN AGAIN, THIS STEMS TO MY ISSUE THAT YOU DON'T NEED TO JUSTIFY YOUR PAY RAISES. 
          THEY'RE AUTOMATICALLY GIVEN TO YOU BY THE BY THE STATE AND THE ORDINANCE THAT WAS SIGNED
IN THE EARLY 2000. 
          EMPLOYEES HAVE TO JUSTIFY EVERYTHING THEY GET. 
          THEY'RE FIGHTING FOR TABLE SCRAPS AT THE END OF THE DAY,
BUT YOURS, YOU DON'T HAVE TO JUSTIFY. 
          YOU DON'T HAVE TO PROVE. YOU DON'T HAVE TO DO ANYTHING. IT'S JUST AUTOMATICALLY GENERATED.
SO MY ULTIMATE, MY ULTIMATE POINT OF THIS WHOLE SPEECH IS INSTEAD OF ATTEMPTING TO DO MATH FROM THE
DIOCESE OF THE THRONES TO JUSTIFY BAD FISCAL POLICY, JUST DO BETTER. 
          OKAY. ALL RIGHT. THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD IS NOW CLOSED FOR NON-AGENDA ITEMS AT THIS
TIME. 
          [PRESENTATION]
COUNTY EXECUTIVE OFFICER MARK HENDRICKSON WILL START OFF THE PRESENTATION OF NAVIGATING
STATE AND FEDERAL IMPACTS ON LOCAL SERVICES. 
          MR. CHAIRMAN, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD AS IS OUR TEAM SETTLES IN HERE AS. 
          AS WE HEAD INTO YOUR FINAL BUDGET HEARING ON SEPTEMBER 23RD. 
          WE DID FEEL IT IMPORTANT TO RAISE SOME AWARENESS FOR BOTH YOU AND FOR THE PUBLIC OF THE
KNOWN AND OR ANTICIPATED IMPACTS TO COUNTY PROGRAMS AND 
          [00:15:06]
SERVICES, STEMMING PRIMARILY FROM DECISIONS BEING MADE IN WASHINGTON,
D.C. 
          AS THIS BOARD AND THE PUBLIC IS WELL AWARE, MORE THAN 50% OF MERCER COUNTY RESIDENTS
RECEIVED SOME FORM OF ASSISTANCE. 
          AND AS YOU'LL HEAR TODAY, SEVERAL PROGRAMS WILL BE IMPACTED DUE TO EITHER A REDUCTION OR
OUTRIGHT ELIMINATION OF FUNDING CUTS. 
          CUTS IN FUNDING DO POSE A HIGH RISK FOR CENTRAL VALLEY COUNTIES LIKE MERCED. 
          AS SUCH, A HIGH PERCENTAGE OF RESIDENTS RELY UPON MEDI-CAL,
MEDICAID, AND SNAP IS JUST A HANDFUL OF EXAMPLES, AND THESE CUTS WILL ONLY FURTHER THREATEN FOOD AND HEALTH SECURITY FOR THE MOST VULNERABLE
IN OUR COMMUNITY AT THIS POINT. 
          THEN AGAIN, PRIOR TO TO ACTUALLY LAUNCHING INTO THE PRESENTATION AND TURNING OVER TO OUR
DEPUTY CEO, VANESSA ANDERSON, I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE A MOMENT TO ACKNOWLEDGE BUDGET MANAGER GREG CARLO
FOR HIS WORK ON THIS PRESENTATION, ALONG WITH DIRECTORS VANG, BROWN, SULLIVAN AND SERRANO,
EACH OF WHOM WILL BE PRESENTING FROM THEIR DEPARTMENTAL PERSPECTIVES TODAY. 
          VANESSA. GOOD MORNING, MR. CHAIRMAN. MEMBERS OF THE BOARD. THE PURPOSE AS MENTIONED EARLIER,
THE PURPOSE OF TODAY'S PRESENTATION IS TO PROVIDE SOME INFORMATION TO THE BOARD AND MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC AS IT RELATES TO CHANGES OCCURRING AT THE NATIONAL AND STATE LEVEL,
MANY OF WHICH MAY HAVE LOCAL IMPACTS TO CERTAIN PROGRAMS AND FUNDING SOURCES. 
          THE DEPARTMENTS HIGHLIGHTED IN THIS PRESENTATION REPRESENT OUR HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
FUNCTIONAL AREA AND EXCLUDES THE DEPARTMENT OF CHILD SUPPORT, WHO AT THIS TIME WILL NOT EXPERIENCE ANY REDUCTIONS. 
          OUR HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES DEPARTMENTS ARE CLASSIFIED AS SUB VENTED,
MEANING THEY PRIMARILY UTILIZE FUNDING SOURCES OTHER THAN GENERAL PURPOSE REVENUES OR ALSO KNOWN AS LOCAL DISCRETIONARY FUNDING. WHILE THERE ARE COMPONENTS OF THEIR PROGRAMS THAT
REQUIRE THE USE OF THESE LOCAL FUNDS DUE TO MAINTENANCE OF EFFORT OR MATCHING REQUIREMENTS, OVER 98% OF THEIR SPENDING IS COVERED BY OTHER FUNDING SOURCES. 
          YOU MAY RECALL THAT 81% OF THE COUNTY'S OVERALL $1.15 BILLION SPENDING PLAN FOR FISCAL
YEAR 2526 INCLUDES OTHER FUNDING SOURCES. 
          THIS AMOUNTS TO $929 MILLION, OF WHICH 505 MILLION,
OR 54% OF OTHER FUNDING SOURCES, IS DIRECTLY ATTRIBUTED TO THE HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES FUNCTIONAL AREA. THESE FUNDING SOURCES ARE VERY SPECIFIC TO PROGRAMMATIC
ACTIVITIES AND SCOPES OF WORK, AS WELL AS STRINGENT REPORTING AND AUDITING REQUIREMENTS. 
          UTILIZATION FOR ANY OTHER PURPOSE THAN WHAT IS DEFINED IN THE FUNDING AGREEMENT IS
PROHIBITED. 
          THE SIGNIFICANT COMPONENT OF OUR ORGANIZATION'S BUDGET IS RESPONSIBLE FOR PROVIDING
SERVICES TO OUR MOST VULNERABLE POPULATIONS. 
          IT HAS BEEN STATED THAT NEARLY 60% OF MERCED COUNTY'S POPULATION ACCESSES SOME FORM OF
PUBLIC ASSISTANCE. 
          SOME OF THOSE POPULATIONS INCLUDES THOSE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS,
YOUTH AND OLDER ADULTS, AGING POPULATION, DISADVANTAGED SOCIOECONOMIC GROUPS,
THOSE WITH SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER, SEVERE MENTAL ILLNESS, AND OUR DEVELOPING WORKFORCE, AMONG OTHER GROUPS. 
          CHANGES TO THESE SIGNIFICANT FUNDING SOURCES AND STRUCTURE OF OUR SERVICE DELIVERY WILL
IMPACT OUR ORGANIZATION'S CURRENT LEVEL OF SERVICE. 
          IN THIS PRESENTATION, EACH DEPARTMENT WILL PRESENT THEIR UNIQUE CHALLENGES,
MANY OF WHICH STILL REMAIN UNKNOWN AT THIS TIME. 
          CERTAIN CHANGES ARE KNOWN AT THIS TIME AND WILL BE HIGHLIGHTED IN THE PRESENTATION. 
          HOWEVER, OTHER UNKNOWN IMPACTS WILL BE PRESENTED AS A RANGE OF POSSIBILITIES BASED ON
INFORMATION WE KNOW AT THIS TIME. 
          IT IS LIKELY THAT CHANGES WILL BE SEEN WITHIN THIS CURRENT FISCAL YEAR AND CARRY THROUGH
INTO FUTURE FISCAL YEARS AS DETAILS CONTINUE TO BE WORKED OUT. 
          I WILL NOW BE TURNING THE PRESENTATION OVER TO DIRECTOR VANG TO BEGIN SHARING INFORMATION
ABOUT BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AND RECOVERY SERVICES. 
          GOOD MORNING, MR. CHAIR. MEMBERS OF THE BOARD TO YOU,
HENDRICKSON COUNTY COUNSELOR HANSEN. 
          I'M KIMIKO VANG, DIRECTOR OF BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AND RECOVERY SERVICES. 
          THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME A FEW MINUTES TO PROVIDE YOU WITH A VERY HIGH LEVEL OVERVIEW OF
THE IMPACT OF CURRENT FEDERAL AND STATE BUDGET AND INITIATIVES ON OUR LOCAL SERVICES. 
          AS YOU KNOW, THIS PROVIDES MEDI-CAL ELIGIBLE INDIVIDUALS WITH MENTAL HEALTH AND SUBSTANCE
USE SERVICES. 
          OUR MAIN FUNDING SOURCES ARE MEDICAID, KNOWN AS MEDI-CAL IN CALIFORNIA AND AND STATE
REALIGNMENT FUNDS. 
          WITHOUT THESE FEDERAL AND STATE FUNDS, OUR MOST VULNERABLE POPULATIONS WOULD BE AT GREAT
RISK OF HARM AND EVEN POTENTIAL DEATH. 
          STARTING AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL. NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. 
          H.R. ONE, ALSO KNOWN AS THE THE ONE BIG BEAUTIFUL BILL ACT. 
          WHILE H.R. ONE COVERS MANY DIFFERENT AREAS THAT WILL FOCUS ON THE IMPACT SPECIFIC TO
BEHAVIORAL HEALTH. 
          ACCORDING TO CSAC, H.R. ONE IS THE LARGEST CUT EVER TO MEDICAID AND EFFECTIVELY SHIFTS
COSTS TO THE STATE AND COUNTIES. 
          STARTING ON JANUARY 1ST, 2027, WORK REQUIREMENTS WILL BE IMPLEMENTED FOR INDIVIDUALS AGES
19 THROUGH 64 WITHOUT DEPENDENTS TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR 
          [00:20:08]
MEDICAID. THERE ARE EXEMPTIONS EXEMPTIONS TO THE WORK REQUIREMENTS FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH
PSYCHOLOGICAL DISABILITY OR THOSE DEEMED TO BE MEDICALLY FRAIL. 
          HOWEVER, THE CMS GUIDANCE ON THESE EXEMPTIONS IS NOT YET AVAILABLE. 
          THE CONCERN IS THAT THESE MOST VULNERABLE INDIVIDUALS WILL BE,
CHALLENGED IN COMPLETING ALL OF THE NECESSARY DOCUMENTATION IN A TIMELY MANNER TO BE GRANTED AN EXEMPTION. IN ADDITION,
ELIGIBILITY DETERMINATION FOR MEDI-CAL WILL NEED TO OCCUR EVERY SIX MONTHS INSTEAD OF ANNUALLY AS AT IT. IT IS CURRENTLY WITH STRICTER MEDICAID ELIGIBILITY
REQUIREMENTS. 
          DHS ESTIMATES THAT ABOUT 3 MILLION INDIVIDUALS WILL LOSE MEDI-CAL COVERAGE IN CALIFORNIA
OVER TEN YEARS FOR MERCED COUNTY, SPECIFICALLY ON MANAGED CARE PLAN. CENTRAL CALIFORNIA ALLIANCE FOR HEALTH. 
          ESTIMATES ABOUT 34,000 INDIVIDUALS IN MERCED COUNTY WILL LOSE MEDI-CAL COVERAGE OVER THE
NEXT TEN YEARS, AND SPECIFIC TO BLESS. THIS WOULD BE EQUIVALENT TO AN ESTIMATED 3370 CLIENTS NO LONGER
HAVING ACCESS TO BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SERVICES. THE TOTAL LOSS OF MEDI-CAL REVENUE FOR BILLS IS ESTIMATED BETWEEN 8.5 TO $11
MILLION OVER FOUR YEARS AT THE STATE LEVEL. THE 20 2526 BUDGET ACT ALSO INCLUDED SOME CUTS TO MEDI-CAL. 
          STARTING ON JANUARY 1ST, 2026, AND AN ENROLLMENT FREEZE WILL BE IMPLEMENTED FOR FULL SCOPE
MEDI-CAL FOR UNSATISFACTORY IMMIGRATION STATUS. 
          ADULTS AGE 19 AND OLDER, CAUSING AN IMMEDIATE IMPACT OF $4.3 MILLION IN MEDI-CAL REVENUE
LOSS FOR S, ALONG WITH H.R. ONE. THESE TIGHTER STATE RESTRICTIONS FOR MEDI-CAL ELIGIBILITY WILL
DECREASE THE OVERALL NUMBER OF MERCED COUNTY RESIDENTS HAVING MEDI-CAL COVERAGE. INDIVIDUALS WILL LOSE MEDICAL COVERAGE AND NO LONGER HAVE ACCESS TO NEEDED
MENTAL HEALTH AND SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER SERVICES. 
          WE ALSO ANTICIPATE SEEING AN INCREASE IN CRISIS SERVICES,
WHICH COULD END UP SERVING A LARGER PORTION OF UNINSURED TO CLIENTS FOR WHOM WE WOULD NOT GET REIMBURSED FOR SERVICES. 
          THEREFORE PUTTING ADDITIONAL PRESSURE ON LIMITED FISCAL RESOURCES. 
          CARE ACT MERCED COUNTY WAS IMPLEMENTED IN DECEMBER OF 2024 AND,
DUE TO AGGRESSIVE AND EARLY OUTREACH AND EDUCATION ABOUT THE PROGRAM, HAS SEEN A RELATIVELY HIGH NUMBER OF REFERRALS AND CASES,
WHICH IS A GOOD THING. 
          AND WHILE BEATRICE WAS PROVIDED $250,000 IN IMPLEMENTATION FUNDS,
THIS IS NOT SUFFICIENT TO SUSTAIN AND COVER THE TOTAL COST OF THE PROGRAM, WHICH TOTALS $433,000 PER YEAR. IN ADDITION,
SB 27 IS A PENDING LEGISLATION THAT WOULD EXPAND THE ELIGIBILITY OF THE CARE PROGRAM TO ALSO INCLUDE INDIVIDUALS WITH BIPOLAR DIAGNOSIS. 
          IT'S DIFFICULT TO ASSESS AT THIS TIME WHAT THE IMPACT WILL BE. 
          HOWEVER, WE EXPECT AN INCREASE IN OUR NUMBERS AS WELL. 
          OVERALL, EXPLAINING A PROGRAM WITH INSUFFICIENT ALLOCATED FUNDS WILL FURTHER FORCE
BEATRICE TO ACCESS ALREADY LIMITED REALIGNMENT DOLLARS, THEREBY REDUCING SERVICES IN OTHER AREAS. SB 43 IS THE EXPANSION OF THE DEFINITION OF
GRAVELY DISABLED, AND WILL BE IMPLEMENTED IN JANUARY 2026, WITH NO STATE FUNDING ALLOCATED TO THE PROGRAM. 
          WE ESTIMATE THE SB 43 WILL REQUIRE ABOUT $1.5 MILLION IN ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR STAFFING
AND ABOUT $18 MILLION PER YEAR IN PLACEMENT COST TO THE COUNTY. 
          I WANT TO NOTE HERE THAT PLACEMENT COSTS ARE COVERED WITH REALIGNMENT DOLLARS. 
          AND SO AGAIN, THIS POSES A HEAVY FISCAL BURDEN ON THE HOUSE AND THE COUNTY. 
          IN 2022, THE DEPARTMENT OF STATE HOSPITAL ESTABLISHED THE INCOMPETENT TO STAND TRIAL
GROWTH CAP. 
          EACH COUNTY HAS A MAXIMUM NUMBER OF INCOMPETENT TO STAND TRIAL INDIVIDUALS ON FELONY
CHARGES THAT CAN BE PLACED EACH YEAR IN THE STATE HOSPITALS. 
          IN 2425, MERCER COUNTY WAS FOUND TO BE OUT OF COMPLIANCE WITH THE CAP AND CHARGED A
$825,000 PENALTY FEE, WHICH WILL BE COVERED WITH LOCAL REALIGNMENT DOLLARS. 
          AGAIN, ANOTHER FISCAL PRESSURE ON THE DEPARTMENT. 
          THIS PAST NOVEMBER, CALIFORNIAN VOTERS PASSED PROP 36 BASED ON THE STATE BUDGET. 
          THERE WILL BE A ONE TIME APPROPRIATION OF $50 MILLION FOR COUNTY BEHAVIORAL HEALTH
DEPARTMENT STATEWIDE. 
          [00:25:05]
THIS IS EQUIVALENT TO ABOUT $37,000 FOR BEACHES IN MERCER COUNTY. 
          AGAIN, THIS IS A MANDATE THAT IS INSUFFICIENTLY FUNDED,
PUTTING PRESSURE ON ALL LOCAL RESOURCES. 
          MOVING ON TO BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SERVICES ACT,
BSA. 
          IN MARCH OF 2024, CALIFORNIAN VOTERS PASSED PROP ONE,
ALSO KNOWN AS HSA, WHICH TRANSFORMS WHAT IS CURRENTLY MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES ACT. 
          BK FUNDAMENTALLY CHANGES PROGRAMING, PRIORITIZING SERVICES TO INDIVIDUALS WITH SEVERE
MENTAL ILLNESS AND OR SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER. 
          THIS MEANS THAT SOME PROGRAMS CURRENTLY FUNDED UNDER MSA WILL NO LONGER BE AVAILABLE UNDER
THE HSA. 
          BSC ALSO REQUIRES SUBSTANTIAL NEW REPORTING BOTH ON THE PROGRAM AND FISCAL AREAS,
CAUSING AN INCREASED WORKLOAD ON THOSE AREAS IN OUR SYSTEM. BEHAVIORAL HEALTH COMMUNITY BASED, ORGANIZED NETWORK OF EQUITABLE CARE AND
TREATMENT. 
          IT'S A VERY LONG NAME. WE CALL IT CONNECT IS A CMS 1115 WAIVER APPROVED BY THE FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT IN DECEMBER OF 2024, AND THROUGH CONNECT COUNTIES WILL HAVE THE OPTION OF IMPLEMENTED IMPLEMENTING EVIDENCE
BASED PROGRAMS THAT WOULD THEN BECOME ENTITLEMENT PROGRAMS WITHIN HOURS. AND WHILE THIS IS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY,
THERE ARE, OF COURSE, FISCAL IMPACT OF ENTITLEMENT PROGRAMS IN THE COUNTY AS WELL AS MANDATORY STAFFING FOR THESE IDPS. MOVING ON TO THE NEXT SLIDE. 
          SO WITH ALL OF THESE CHANGES AND IMPACTS, THERE IS INVARIABLY A THEME OF SHIFTING THE COST
OF CARE FROM FEDERAL AND STATE FUNDING TO THE COUNTIES TO REDUCE IMPACTS TO STAFFING AND SERVICES. 
          BEATRICE HAS BEEN WORKING ON REIMAGINING OR RESTRUCTURING CURRENT PROGRAMING TO ALIGN WITH
NEW MANDATES. 
          IN ADDITION, WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH A CAL AIM CONSULTANT TO MAXIMIZE OUR MEDI-CAL
REVENUE. 
          WITH THESE STRATEGIC MOVES. WE DO NOT ANTICIPATE IMPACTS TO CURRENT STAFFING LEVEL THIS
FISCAL YEAR. 
          DHS RECENTLY WAS AWARDED TWO V-CHIP AWARDS IN THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF $12 MILLION. 
          THIS WILL HELP US EXPAND OUR INFRASTRUCTURE TO ACCOMMODATE FOR NEW ADDITIONAL SERVICES,
AND WE ARE PLANNING ON APPLYING FOR V-CHIP ROUND TWO TO FURTHER BUILD OUR INFRASTRUCTURE. NEXT SLIDE. SOME KEY CONSIDERATION FOR THE BOARD IN REGARDS TO THE INCOMPETENT TO STAND TRIAL GROWTH CAP. 
          THE METHODOLOGY THAT IS USED CURRENTLY TO ESTABLISH THE BASELINE FOR THE GROWTH CAP USES
DATA FROM 2021, AT A TIME WHEN PLACEMENTS WERE RELATIVELY LOW DUE TO RESTRICTIONS IMPOSED BY COVID 19. 
          WE BELIEVE THAT ADVOCACY IS NEEDED TO UPDATE THE METHODOLOGY FOR THIS BASELINE USING MORE
CURRENT NUMBERS IN REGARDS TO PROP 36. 
          THE FUNDS ALLOCATED ALLOCATED ARE GROSSLY INSUFFICIENT TO COVER THE COST OF THE PROGRAM,
AND WE WOULD REQUEST ADVOCACY FOR MORE ADEQUATE FUNDING FOR THIS MANDATE. SOME RISKS ON THE HORIZON. THE AIM 1115 AND 1915 B WAIVER IS SUNSETTING AT THE
END OF 2026. IF NOT RENEWED, WE COULD SEE POTENTIAL REDUCTION IN SUPPORT SERVICES,
INCLUDING HOUSING RESOURCES. 
          AIR 1ST MAY END THE MANAGED CARE ORGANIZATION OR MCO TAX WHICH FUNDS THE NON FED PORTION
OF MEDI-CAL. 
          THE POTENTIAL LOSS OF THE MCO TAX WOULD FURTHER CUT MEDI-CAL IN THE NEAR FUTURE. 
          AND EARLIER THIS YEAR, THE ARPA MENTAL HEALTH BLOCK GRANT AND ARPA SUBSTANCE USE BLOCK
GRANT WERE UNEXPECTEDLY CUT. 
          THERE ARE CONCERNS OF POTENTIAL FUTURE CUTS TO THE MENTAL HEALTH BLOCK GRANT AND SUBSTANCE
USE BLOCK GRANT. 
          FINALLY, DUE TO INCREASING REQUIREMENTS FOR REPORTING AND QUALITY PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT
ACTIVITIES. 
          WE ANTICIPATE A NEED TO INCREASE STAFFING IN THESE AREAS TO MEET MANDATE REQUIREMENTS IN
THE NEAR FUTURE. 
          I WILL NOW PASS IT ON TO DOCTOR YVONNE BROWN FROM HUMAN SERVICES AGENCY. 
          THANK YOU, DOCTOR VANG. GOOD MORNING. GOOD MORNING. 
          CHAIRMAN. MEMBERS OF THE BOARD CEO. HENDRICKSON. 
          I'M STANDING BEFORE YOU TO GIVE YOU A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF THE HUMAN SERVICES AGENCY. 
          POTENTIAL IMPACTS DUE TO H.R. ONE BILL THAT WAS PASSED THROUGH OUR FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. 
          [00:30:04]
AS YOU KNOW, WE CAN GO TO THIS SLIDE THAT, YOU KNOW,
THERE ARE SEVERAL PROGRAMS WITHIN HRSA THAT WILL BE IMPACTED. 
          AND I WILL START WITH CAL FRESH SNAP PROGRAM MEDI-CAL. 
          CAL WORKS CHILD WELFARE. IN-HOME SUPPORTIVE SERVICES PROGRAM. 
          AGE. AREA OF AGING. AREA OF AGENCY ON AGING AND HOUSING AND HOMELESS SERVICES. 
          SOME MAY BE MORE IMPACTED THAN OTHERS, BUT I WILL DEFINITELY. 
          IF YOU CAN INDULGE ME JUST FOR A FEW MINUTES TO MY PRESENTATION. 
          DOCTOR VAN KIND OF HIGHLIGHT A FEW THINGS DURING HER PRESENTATION,
SO YOU MAY HEAR SOME REPEATED CONVERSATION, BUT I THINK IT'S RELEVANT TO THE IMPACT THAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN TO OUR POTENTIAL MEDI-CAL
MEDICAID RECIPIENTS IN THE COMMUNITY, STARTING WITH CAL FRESH, WHICH KNOWN AS THE SNAP PROGRAM. 
          THE EXPANDED WORK REQUIREMENT BETWEEN THE AGES OF 618 TO 24 FOR PARENT AND CHILDREN 14
PLUS WILL REQUIRE WORK PARTICIPATION, WHICH MEANS THEY HAVE TO GO TO WORK TO RECEIVE BENEFITS FOR SNAP. 
          THIS POTENTIAL IMPACT TO OUR CURRENT CONSUMERS OR CONSTITUENTS IT'S ABOUT 5852 INDIVIDUALS
WHO COULD BE IMPACTED WITH THE WORK REQUIREMENT FOR THE STATE. AS SHE MENTIONED BEFORE,
YOU SEE A PUSH FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS TO BRING THESE PENALTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES BACK TO OUR LOCAL, STATE AND COUNTY,
WHICH MEANS SOME OF THESE THINGS I'M GOING TO TALK ABOUT. 
          THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HAS NOT BEEN GIVEN US PENALTIES,
BUT UNDER A NEW ADMINISTRATION, THESE PENALTIES WILL BE ENFORCED FROM A STATE. 
          AND THEN THE STATE AS WELL WILL ROLL IT DOWN TO THE COUNTY LEVEL. 
          SO WITH THE SHIFTING OF COST IN OCTOBER OF 26 FEDERAL FUNDING,
REDUCED REDUCTION WILL RESULT IN SHARING A RATIOS FEE REDUCED FROM 50% THAT THE FEDERAL WAS GOVERNMENT WAS HANDLING. 
          NOW THEY'RE GOING TO 25%. THE SHIFT WILL INCREASE TO THE STATE FROM 35 TO 52%,
COUNTY INCREASE FROM 15% TO A 92%. THAT IS HOW THE SIGNIFICANT OF THE SHIFTING OF RESPONSIBILITIES AND
PENALTIES. 
          WE ARE STILL ASSESSING HOW WOULD THAT LOOK FOR THE COUNTY AND THE PENALTIES THAT WILL BE
SUBJECT BASED ON SOME OF THESE POTENTIAL CHANGES? THE SNAP BENEFIT SHARE COSTS THAT WILL GO INTO EFFECT OCTOBER 2027. 
          THE NEW STATE REQUIREMENTS AND STATE AND COUNTY PARTICIPATION RATE INCREASED FROM 5 TO
15%. 
          CAL FRESH BENEFITS ALLOTMENT. THE PENALTY WILL BE BASED ON THE ERROR RATE,
AS I MENTIONED BEFORE. 
          NO STATE HAS REALLY BEEN PENALIZED THROUGH THE ERROR RATE IN CALIFORNIA. 
          PAYMENT ERROR RATE IS 10%. FOR THE CALIFORNIA,
HOWEVER, IT'S HIGHER THAN THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. 
          IF THE PENALTY IS IN FACT 15% MATCH OF THIS PAYMENT ERROR RATE IS ACCUMULATING OF WHAT WE
BRING INTO MERCED FOR SNAP BENEFITS. IT'S $141 MILLION THAT WE RECEIVE FOR SNAP BENEFITS,
THE PENALTY THAT COULD BE ASSOCIATED FOR NOT MEETING THE ERROR RATE THAT WE WILL HAVE TO ADDRESS HERE LOCALLY IS 21,000,000.8,
$21.8 MILLION. 
          WE WILL HAVE TO ABSORB THE PENALTIES HERE AT A LOCAL LEVEL. 
          MORE INFORMATION TO COME AND HOW WE WOULD RESOLVE THAT. 
          THAT'S TO BE DETERMINED. CAL FRESH ELIGIBILITY FOR NON-CITIZENS. 
          THE CURRENT POLICY INCLUDES SEVERAL TRAFFICKING PAROLEES,
REFUGEES, VICTIMS, OTHER INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE ELIGIBLE FOR HOW FRESH THE NEW RESTRICTIONS LIMIT WHO CAN RECEIVE CAL FRESH HERE LOCALLY. 
          THE STATE ESTIMATE ABOUT 74,000 PEOPLE COULD BE IMPACTED STATEWIDE BASED ON THE NEW
REQUIREMENTS FOR UNDOCUMENTED INDIVIDUAL NON-CITIZENS LOCALLY. WE STILL ARE EVALUATING WHAT THAT WOULD BE FOR OUR COUNTY,
BUT THERE WILL BE AN IMPACT AS I MOVE TO MEDI-CAL IMMIGRATION ELIGIBILITY RESTRICTIONS EFFECTIVE OCTOBER 2026. 
          ONLY US CITIZENS, LAWFUL PERMANENT RESIDENTS LESS THAN FIVE YEARS WILL BE ELIGIBLE FOR CAL
MEDI-CAL, WHICH IS ABOUT 1250 INDIVIDUALS. MORE FREQUENT,
MORE FREQUENT ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS WILL REQUIRE THAT SIX MONTHS. 
          AND I THINK DOCTOR VANG MENTIONED THAT INSTEAD OF DOING ANNUAL EVALUATIONS RENEWALS FOR
OUR MEDI-CAL RECIPIENTS, IT'S GOING TO BE EVERY SIX MONTHS, WHICH IS A TREMENDOUS CASELOAD AND WORKLOAD IMPACT TO
OUR STAFF. 
          SO AS YOU HEAR FURTHER ALONG IN THE PRESENTATION,
YOU MAY ASK, HOW ARE WE GOING TO COVER THE POTENTIAL WORKLOAD AND REQUIREMENTS? 
          [00:35:01]
THERE WILL BE A POTENTIAL ASKING THE FUTURE HOW WE CAN ADDRESS THAT LOCALLY. 
          THAT IMPACT IS NOW WE CURRENTLY HAVE 47, 49,000 MEMBERS. 
          THAT WILL INCREASE ANNUALLY TO EVERY SIX MONTHS,
65,000 INDIVIDUALS THAT OUR STAFF WILL HAVE TO DO RE DETERMINATIONS WITH THE ALREADY DWINDLING STAFF. 
          WE HAVE HIGH CASELOADS ALREADY. SO JUST LET YOU KNOW THAT'S ONE OF THE POTENTIAL IMPACTS,
SIGNIFICANT IMPACTS TO OUR MEDI-CAL AND OUR WORK, OUR STAFF. RETROACTIVE COVID LIMIT AND LIMITS. 
          WHAT THIS MEANS IS RETROACTIVE MEDI-CAL ENROLLMENT EXPANSION. 
          IT WAS THREE MONTHS. NOW IS ONLY ONE MONTH, SO INDIVIDUAL WILL BE AT RISK OF NOT GOING TO
THE HEALTH CARE FACILITIES, WHICH MEANS THE CHRONIC HEALTH ISSUES WILL HAPPEN WHERE DOCTOR SULLIVAN WILL HAVE TO
ADDRESS IT FROM A HEALTH PUBLIC HEALTH PERSPECTIVE. 
          SO IT HAS A TRICKLE EFFECT BASED ACROSS ALL HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES PROGRAMS,
WORK AND MEDICARE WORK REQUIREMENTS. 
          AS YOU KNOW, WE MENTIONED AGES 19 TO 64 AND NOW HAVE TO GO TO WORK TO RECEIVE MEDICAID,
MEDICARE WORK REQUIREMENTS. 
          AND THAT'S 80 HOURS. SO YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT PEOPLE WHO ARE IN OUR AREA AGING. 
          THEY HAVE TO GO TO WORK AS RELATES TO RECEIVING MEDI-CAL BENEFITS. 
          AND THE RESIDENTS THAT WILL BE IMPACTED LOCALLY IS 440,591 RESIDENTS. 
          AS I MOVED TO CAL WORKS, I'M GOING TO SEVERAL THINGS IN MY PAPER,
BUT DUE TO TIME, I THINK MOST IMPORTANT TO WORK PARTICIPATION. 
          PARTICIPATION RATE PENALTIES. YOU'LL HEAR A THEME ABOUT PENALTIES. 
          THIS IS ALL THROUGH WHAT HUMAN SERVICES AGENCY WILL BE FACING AS LONG AS WITH THE OTHER
DEPARTMENTS. 
          THE STATE PLAN IS TO PAY $21 MILLION ALREADY SET ASIDE FOR 2120 2526. 
          THE LOCAL IMPACT. THEY ALREADY GOT THE MONEY ALLOCATED TO REPAY THE STATE THE FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT FOR THE WORK PARTICIPATION RATE LOCALLY. 
          THAT COULD BE OVER $1 MILLION IMPACT TO OUR COUNTY REVENUE AND FUNDING STREAMS. ADMINISTRATIVE FUNDING IMPACTS. SAVING IS 4.6 MILLION. 
          ONGOING IS 14 MILLION, RESULTING IN ADMINISTRATION REDUCTIONS. 
          SO WHAT THIS MEANS IS THAT WE WILL ALSO REDUCTION IMPACT COULD BE AVAILABLE COVERAGE,
OPERATING COSTS. 
          CASE. OVERTIME. CASEWORK. OVERTIME, ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF,
SUPPLIES, ADMINISTRATIVE FUNDING THAT IS SHIFTING TO THE LOCAL AREA WILL HAVE DIRECT IMPLICATIONS TO OUR WORKFORCE AND HOW WE ADMINISTER SERVICE,
BECAUSE THERE IS NO ADDITIONAL FUNDING THAT WE RECEIVE. 
          AS YOU KNOW, WE ARE SUB DEPARTMENT, SO WE HAVE TO MAKE ADJUSTMENTS TO HOW WE OFFSET SOME
OF THE ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS LOCALLY. 
          I HAVE ON HERE CAL CHILD WELFARE, NO SIGNIFICANT IMPACTS FROM A FEDERAL PERSPECTIVE. 
          BUT THERE ARE SOME CHANGES COMING FROM THE RATE STRUCTURE,
AND MORE INFORMATION WILL BE GIVEN RELATED TO THAT IN-HOME SUPPORTIVE SERVICES. 
          I THINK WE DEFINITELY NEED TO PAY A CLOSE ATTENTION TO A GROWING POPULATION OF OUR SENIORS
HERE IN MERCED AND ACROSS THE STATE. 
          EFFECTIVE JULY 1ST, 2025, THEY'RE GOING TO BE THERE IS A 6% FEDERAL FUNDING PENALTY FOR
ANY COUNTY WHO'S NOT MEETING HAVE OVERDUE DEGREE DETERMINATIONS. AND UNFORTUNATELY,
WE HERE AT MERCY, WE ARE UNDER THE PENALTIES RIGHT NOW THAT WE HAVE TO PAY BACK. 
          BUT WE DO HAVE A PLAN IN PLACE TO RESOLVE THOSE ISSUES. 
          AT THIS POINT, WE ARE ALLOCATING ABOUT 1.4 MILLION FOR THOSE PENALTIES. 
          WE DEFINITELY BELIEVE THAT WE'LL BE UNDER THAT AMOUNT. 
          MY DEPUTY IS WORKING VERY HARD TO REDUCE THE OVERDOSE OVER OVERDUE PROGRAMS. DETERMINATION. SO WE ANTICIPATE HAVING THAT RESOLVED BY THE END OF THIS YEAR. 
          BUT IN THE MEANTIME, WE DO HAVE TO ALLOCATE $1.4 MILLION FOR POTENTIAL PENALTIES. 
          AREA AGENCY ON AGING YOU KNOW IT AS FRESH HEALTHY LIVING,
AKA SNAP ED. 
          I WANT EVERYONE WHO IS UNDER THE AGE OVER THE AGE OF 50 PLUS UNDERSTAND THAT OUR SENIORS
ARE AT IS A TARGET THAT I'M WITH, THE NO ADMINISTRATION BEING SAID. THIS BEING SAID,
BEGINNING OCTOBER 1ST, 2025, THAT PROGRAM WILL BE ELIMINATED AND WHAT IT SERVES IS OVER 2024 SENIORS, 417 SENIORS DIRECTLY THROUGH OUR FOOD SMARTS, BINGO SIZE TAI CHI, ALL THE DIFFERENT I CALL SOCIAL ACTIVITIES THAT I'VE SEEN EXPERIENCED
IN OUR OUR DIFFERENT LOCATIONS. THOSE PROGRAMS WILL BE ELIMINATED BASED ON THE FUNDING THAT WE RECEIVE IN
OUTREACH AND POP UP EVENTS THAT WE DO. 
          [00:40:01]
TO HELP SUPPORT THIS PROGRAM. WE SERVE ABOUT 2745 INDIVIDUALS THAT IS AT RISK OF BEING
ELIMINATED AS WELL. 
          AS I MOVE TO HEALTH INSURANCE AND COUNSELING ADVOCACY PROGRAM. 
          THE PROGRAM IS SLATED TO BE ELIMINATED, WAS SLATED TO BE ELIMINATED OR POTENTIALLY
DECREASED. 
          WE STILL DON'T KNOW THE FINAL H CAP HIGH CAP PROGRAM. 
          WE STILL DON'T KNOW THE FINAL RESULTS OF THAT. 
          THIS IS A PROGRAM THAT SAVES OVER JUST LAST YEAR,
2324, $642,000 WERE BROUGHT BACK INTO THE COMMUNITY HELPING PEOPLE ENROLL IN MEDICARE. THIS YEAR, FROM MAY 2025, WE SERVED 782,
AND WE SAVED $512,000 OF INDIVIDUAL SAVINGS FOR SENIORS WHO COULD HAVE BEEN PAYING OUT OF THEIR POCKET. 
          BUT THROUGH THE MEDI-CAL MEDICARE PROGRAM, WE WERE ABLE TO HELP SAVE THAT TO THE COUNTY
AND BRING THAT REVENUE BACK INTO OUR LOCAL ECONOMY. 
          HOUSING AND HOMELESS SERVICES, I THINK, IS A GREAT. 
          THERE IS NO FEDERAL IMPACTS. WE KNOW THERE ARE STILL SOME CONCERNS ABOUT CAL AMES,
BUT FROM A FEDERAL PERSPECTIVE, THERE ARE NO POTENTIAL IMPACTS. I KNOW THAT MIGHT BE A QUESTION FOR ONE OF THE BOARD
MEMBERS. 
          I THINK KEY CONSIDERATIONS IF WE MOVE TO THE NEXT SLIDE,
IF YOU DON'T MIND. 
          AS YOU SEE ON THE SLIDE HERE THERE ARE SEVERAL THINGS POTENTIAL IMPACTS SERVICES AND
STAFFING AND STRATEGY SERVICES, I WOULD SAY INCREASE THE MATCH. WE HAVE TO REALLY UNDERSTAND THE IMPACTS IT'S
GOING TO HAVE ON THE LOCAL ECONOMY. 
          THERE IS NO ADDITIONAL REVENUE SO THAT ALSO STAFF MAY BE IMPACTED,
WHATEVER THAT MAY LOOK LIKE. 
          I'M MAKING SOME SHIFTING. I SAID ONE THING. WE DID BEGIN. 
          I SAID SEVERAL YEARS AGO WE BEGAN DOING A STRATEGIC MODIFICATION TO OUR ORGANIZATION,
FORECASTING THIS POTENTIAL IMPACTS BASED ON SOME OF THE TRENDING THAT WE WERE SEEING FROM A STATE LEVEL. WE MADE SOME STRATEGIC MOVES IN REORGANIZING OUR ORGANIZATION,
PRIORITIZING CRITICAL MASS WHERE WE NEED STAFF, AND ALSO LOOKING AT POSITIONS AS WELL AS PROGRAMS. SO WE ARE IN A GOOD POSITION TO PIVOT IF NEED BE,
BASED ON SOME OF THESE STRATEGIES THAT YOU ARE SEEING AND HEARING TODAY. 
          CUTS TO NUTRITION PROGRAMS MEALS WILL BE FUNDED WITH DOWN THE PENALTIES FOR IHS HOUSING REDUCTION IN SOME HOUSING COSTS. IF YOU LOOK AT STAFFING,
AS I MENTIONED, YOU KNOW, STAFFING IS DEFINITELY GOING TO BE IMPACTED FROM A WORKLOAD AND CASELOAD PERSPECTIVE. 
          HIGHER VACANCIES IN ALL THESE DIFFERENT AREAS. 
          BUT AS I MENTIONED, STAFF IS VERY RESILIENT AND READY TO MOVE FORWARD. 
          LET THE LEADERSHIP TEAM THAT IS HERE. STRATEGY IS PLANNING ON REDUCING COST. 
          PREPARE PROGRAM SUNSETS AND CHANGE TECHNICAL CHANGES. 
          ALIGN THE COUNTY AND CLICK ON HOUSING SOLUTIONS. 
          FOCUS ON SERVICES FOR CONTINUUM AND AIM FOR SUSTAINABILITY. 
          THOSE ARE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT I THINK WILL HELP US TO MAINTAIN SOME SIGNIFICANT I CALL
PATH FORWARD AND TRY TO ADDRESS SOME OF THE CHALLENGES THAT HSR WILL ENCOUNTER OVER THE NEXT YEAR TO THREE YEARS. THIS IS NOT SOMETHING THAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN
OVERNIGHT. 
          I WANT TO EMPHASIZE THIS IS A LONG TERM STRATEGY THAT WE WILL HAVE TO HAVE OUR STAFF AS
WELL AS THE COMMUNITY TO UNDERSTAND THAT THERE WILL BE IMPACTS. 
          WE JUST DON'T KNOW THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THOSE IMPACTS FROM A SERVICE DELIVERY MODEL. 
          AS WE MOVE TO THE LAST SLIDE, IF YOU DON'T MIND SOME POLICY CONSIDERATION FOR THE BOARD
POLICY DIRECTION AND ADVOCACY, I WILL HIGHLY SUGGEST AND RECOMMEND TO YOU FROM A CSAC PERSPECTIVE,
FROM A LEGISLATIVE PERSPECTIVE. 
          IF THERE'S ANY PROGRAMS, AS YOU MENTIONED, NOT ONLY IN MY PRESENTATION,
BUT FOR DOCTOR YANG AND AS WELL AS DOCTOR SULLIVAN. 
          ANY IMPACTS TO SERVICE DELIVERY, THE QUALITY OF LIFE THE RENDERING OF SERVICES TO OUR MOST
VULNERABLE POPULATION. 
          I WOULD SAY ADVOCATE FOR THOSE STRATEGIES TO BE REDUCED OR SOMEWHAT THE COST BE SHIFTED
BACK TO THE STATE VERSUS THE LOCAL COUNTY, BECAUSE I THINK COUNTIES WILL FIND THEMSELVES IN A VERY HARD DECISION AND,
AND PAIN POINTS THAT WILL HAVE TO BE MADE THAT WILL IMPACT NOT ONLY YOU ALL AS AN ELECTED OFFICIAL, BUT THE CONSTITUENTS THAT YOU SERVE. 
          SO I WOULD HIGHLY SUGGEST AND RECOMMEND THAT STAFF AND RETENTION,
FIND WAYS TO MAKE SURE OUR STAFF ARE WITH THE HIGH WORKLOAD, THE DEMANDS AND LIMITED RESOURCES THAT THEY HAVE A CULTURE THAT SUPPORTS THEM DURING THE
PROCESS. 
          SERVICE REDUCTION. UNDERSTANDING THERE WILL BE SOME SERVICE REDUCTIONS IN CASES AND THE
SERVICES THAT WE RENDER. 
          I TOLD MY STAFF THAT THINGS WE HAVE TO PREPARE FOR IS GOING BACK TO I CALL THE BARE
MINIMUM MANDATED 
          [00:45:01]
SERVICES WE MAKE AT THAT POINT, WE HAVE TO JUST MANDATED SERVE. 
          EVEN THOUGH WE KNOW ANCILLARY SERVICES ARE VERY CRITICAL TO THE INFRASTRUCTURE,
I DO FEEL THAT IT WILL GOING TO BE A NEED FOR SOME ADJUSTMENTS THERE. 
          HORIZON, I WAS TO IMPACT THE CASE. LOAD PENALTIES REDUCTION IN REVENUE,
UNFUNDED PROGRAMS, INCREASING COUNTY REQUIREMENT AND CASH MATCH. 
          I THINK THAT IS SIGNIFICANT THREAT TO THIS ORGANIZATION IS WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN TO THE
LOCAL PENALTIES AND HOW IT'S GOING TO IMPACT SERVICES RESOURCE REQUESTS. ADVOCACY FOR THE PENALTIES. I TALKED ABOUT THAT AND ALSO BE FLEXIBLE WITH
RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION STRATEGIES. 
          THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. NOW I WILL TURN IT OVER TO DOCTOR SULLIVAN. 
          THANK YOU. DOCTOR BROWN, GOOD MORNING. SO I'LL BE COVERING THE POTENTIAL AND CONFIRMED
CUTS TO PUBLIC HEALTH. 
          SO PUBLIC HEALTH CAME INTO THIS ENVIRONMENT OF CUTS HAVING EXPERIENCED YEARS OF FUNDING
STREAMS THAT HAVE SLIMMED UP OR COMPLETELY DRIED OUT OR HAVE REMAINED STAGNANT WITH RISING COSTS. 
          SO ALREADY MANY OF OUR CORE AND AND MANDATED SERVICES ARE NOT OFFSET BY FEDERAL AND STATE
DOLLARS, BUT INSTEAD ARE COVERED BY HEALTH REALIGNMENT,
WITH WHICH DOCTOR VANG MENTIONED EARLIER. 
          HEALTH REALIGNMENT IS ONE POOL THAT SERVES MANY OF THESE SERVICES,
AND IT IS NOT INCREASING IN ANY REAL FASHION. 
          SO THE MORE AND MORE THAT WE PULL FROM IT, THE MORE THAT WE WILL CONTINUE TO SEE SERVICE
GAPS. 
          SO CORE FUNCTIONS CURRENTLY THAT ARE FUNDED BY HEALTH REALIGNMENT ARE OUR COMMUNICABLE
DISEASE AND OUTBREAK RESPONSE RESOURCES AS WELL AS CHILDHOOD IMMUNIZATION COVERAGE. 
          SO AGAIN, JUST VERY CORE SERVICES FOR THE PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENT. 
          SO NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. YOU'VE ALREADY HEARD MENTION OF CUTS TO SNAP EDUCATION. 
          PUBLIC HEALTH DOES ALSO RECEIVE SNAP EDUCATION FUNDING. 
          THIS IS OUR ONLY SOURCE OF FUNDING FOR NUTRITION EDUCATION AND PHYSICAL ACTIVITY EDUCATION
IN THE COUNTY FROM THE PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENT PERSPECTIVE. IT HAS BEEN FULLY DELETED AND WILL SUNSET ON SEPTEMBER 30TH OF THIS YEAR. 
          SO VERY, VERY QUICKLY WE WILL BE LOSING THAT PROGRAM. 
          SO SERVICES THAT THAT IS GOING TO THE IMPACT ARE OUR NUTRITION EDUCATION CLASSES,
AS WELL AS POLICY WORK THAT INCREASES ACCESS TO HEALTHY FOODS AND SAFE PLACES FOR OUR,
OUR, OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO PLAY IN THE COMMUNITY. 
          SO SOME EXAMPLES IS WORKING TO GET CAL FRESH ACCEPTED AT FARMERS MARKETS,
SO THAT PEOPLE RECEIVING CAL FRESH HAVE ACCESS TO HEALTHY AND LOCALLY GROWN FOODS. PARTNERING WITH FARM TO SCHOOL PROGRAMS TO CONNECT LOCAL GROWERS TO LOCAL SCHOOLS,
AGAIN TO INCREASE NUTRITIOUS FOODS IN OUR SCHOOL SYSTEMS. THE IMPLEMENTATION OF COMMUNITY GARDENS, BOTH AT SCHOOL SITES SO THAT KIDS LEARN QUICKLY
AND EARLY HOW. 
          HOW FUN IT IS TO GROW THEIR OWN FOOD AND ALSO SAFE ROUTES TO SCHOOL PROGRAMS,
SUCH AS DOING ASSESSMENTS OF NEIGHBORHOOD SCANS TO ENSURE THAT CHILDREN CAN SAFELY WALK OR BIKE TO SCHOOL, AND INCREASE PHYSICAL ACTIVITY IN THAT WAY. 
          SO THAT PROGRAM IS AGAIN FULLY CUT, AND THE STATE HAS ALREADY INDICATED THAT THEY WILL NOT
BE ABLE TO ABSORB THOSE UNFUNDED COSTS. 
          SO THAT PROGRAM WILL SUNSET. IN ADDITION, WE'RE SLATED TO RECEIVE UP TO A 30% FUNDING
REDUCTION TO OUR EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS PROGRAMS. WE HAVE TWO PUBLIC HEALTH,
TWO FEDERAL EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS PROGRAMS, PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS AND OUR HOSPITAL PREPAREDNESS PROGRAM,
WHICH IS A PROGRAM IN CONJUNCTION WITH OUR HEALTH CARE FACILITIES TO BE ABLE TO RESPOND TO, OBVIOUSLY, PANDEMICS SUCH AS COVID,
BUT ALSO THINGS LIKE CHEMICAL, CHEMICAL IMPACTS. 
          IF WE WERE TO HAVE A HAZARDOUS MATERIAL SPILL OR A TRAIN DERAILMENT UP RIGHT NOW,
THE THE HOSPITAL PREPAREDNESS PROGRAM HAS BEEN CUT 4% AND THAT IS DEFINITE. BUT IN ADDITION TO THAT,
ONLY 70% OF THE FUNDING HAS BEEN RELEASED FOR ACTUAL ALLOCATION AND SPENDING, AND THE REMAINING 30% IS ON HOLD. AND WE'RE NOT ANTICIPATED TO HEAR IF WE'LL HAVE ACCESS
TO THAT 30% UNTIL NEXT CALENDAR YEAR. 
          SO BOTH OF THESE ARE MANDATED SERVICES. SO WHEN WE LOSE THIS FUNDING,
WE DON'T LOSE THE COMMUNITY OBLIGATION TO PROVIDE NUTRITION EDUCATION AS WELL AS EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS PROGRAMS TO OUR COMMUNITY. BUT IT JUST BECOMES AN UNFUNDED MANDATE. 
          NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. SO IMPACTS HERE REALLY ARE AROUND THE SHIFTING OF SERVICE DELIVERY. 
          [00:50:04]
WE WILL HAVE FEWER STAFF IN THESE PROGRAMS. BUT WE WILL THEN HAVE THE ABILITY TO TAILOR
THOSE STAFF TO HIGHEST NEED. 
          WE WILL REALLY SEE DRAMATIC MORE DRAMATIC IMPACTS IS SOME OF THE SUBCONTRACTS. 
          AND AND THAT WE'RE ABLE TO WORK WITH OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS TO EXPAND RESOURCES IN THESE
SERVICES. 
          WE WHEN WHEN I ASSUME THIS ROLE IN MARCH, THERE WERE RUMORS OF THESE CUTS. 
          AND SO WE IMPLEMENTED A SOFT HIRING FREEZE. DUE TO THAT,
WE HAVE A VACANT POSITION IN THIS PROGRAM THAT WILL NOT BE BACKFILLED. 
          I AM ABLE TO MOVE THE OTHER TWO POSITIONS, AS WELL AS THE PIECES OF OTHER POSITIONS INTO
ANOTHER STATE. 
          FLEXIBLE FUNDING STREAM FOR THIS FISCAL YEAR. 
          THAT FUNDING STREAM IS CALLED FUTURE OF PUBLIC HEALTH. 
          THAT IS, WAS IN RESPONSE TO THE COVID 19 PANDEMIC,
WHICH REALLY SHOWED THAT DISINVESTMENT IN PUBLIC HEALTH NEGATIVELY IMPACT OUR ABILITY TO EFFECTIVELY RESPOND TO THE PANDEMIC. AND SO,
IN RESPONSE, THE STATE CREATED A FLEXIBLE FUNDING STREAM CALLED FUTURE OF PUBLIC HEALTH. 
          IT TOOK APPROXIMATELY ONE AND A HALF YEARS FOR THAT FUNDING POST-PANDEMIC FOR THAT FUNDING
STREAM TO BE ON THE CHOPPING BLOCK. 
          BUT THANKFULLY, ADVOCACY HAS SAVED THAT FUNDING STREAM UP UNTIL NOW AND THROUGH THIS NEXT
FISCAL YEAR. 
          BUT IF THAT WERE TO IF THAT FUNDING STREAM WERE TO BE CUT,
WE WOULD NOT HAVE THE ABILITY TO TO ABSORB THESE POSITIONS LOCALLY. 
          AGAIN, OUR EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS FTES WILL BE MAINTAINED,
BUT WE WILL ALSO HAVE TO LIMIT OUR SCOPE OF FOCUS FOR THOSE PROGRAMS, AND WE WILL NOT BE ABLE TO PROVIDE THE SAME LEVEL OF PARTNER SUPPORT THAT WE HAVE BEEN
ABLE TO IN PREVIOUS YEARS. 
          SO THINGS THAT WE'VE PURCHASED THROUGH THIS PROGRAM,
FOR EXAMPLE, ARE A SURGE TENT, SO THAT IF EITHER OF OUR HOSPITALS HAS MORE PATIENTS THAN THEY CAN HANDLE WITHIN THEIR FOUR WALLS, THEY CAN ACTUALLY REQUEST FROM US A SURGE TENT
THAT THEY STAND UP AT THEIR FACILITY, AND THAT INCREASES THEIR ABILITY TO SEE MORE PATIENTS THAT WAS PURCHASED THROUGH THESE
PROGRAMS. AND THOSE TYPES OF PURCHASES WILL WILL BE LIMITED. 
          THE OTHER THING I WANTED TO JUST SPEAK ON IN RESPONSE TO MY COLLEAGUES IN HUMAN SERVICES
AND BEHAVIORAL HEALTH IS, OF COURSE, THESE ARE ALL REAL CUTS. BUT AS WE CUT PREVENTION SERVICES,
WE DO KNOW THAT THAT HAS AN IMPACT ON OUR COMMUNITY'S HEALTH AND WELL-BEING. 
          AND IN ADDITION TO THAT, PRIOR TO MEDI-CAL EXPANSION,
THE COUNTY DID HAVE SOME LIMITED RESPONSIBILITY FOR CERTAIN HEALTH CARE SERVICES FOR UNCOVERED POPULATIONS WHO ARE NOT COVERED BY MEDI-CAL. 
          SO IT'S UNCLEAR WITH SOME OF THESE CUTS IF WE WILL HAVE AN ONGOING RESPONSIBILITY FOR
UNFUNDED, NOW UNFUNDED MEDICAL CARE, LIMITED MEDICAL CARE SERVICES. 
          NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. SO KEY CONSIDERATIONS FOR YOUR BOARD TODAY. 
          AGAIN, ADVOCACY FOR THE MAINTENANCE OF THE FUTURE OF PUBLIC HEALTH FUNDING IS GOING TO BE
REALLY CRUCIAL FOR US TO BE ABLE TO MAINTAIN SOME OF THESE SERVICES. 
          AS I MENTIONED, OUR OTHER MAIN SOURCE OF FUNDING,
WHICH IS HEALTH REALIGNMENT, IS A LIMITED POOL AND IT'S TAX BASED. 
          SO IT IS NOT INCREASING. AND IF WE WERE TO EXPERIENCE ANY SORT OF ECONOMIC DOWNTURN THEN
THOSE TAX REVENUES TYPICALLY ALSO DECREASE. 
          SO A FUTURE OF PUBLIC HEALTH IS SAFE FOR THIS YEAR. 
          BUT WE REALLY NEED FOR IT TO BE ONGOING, SUPPORTED SO THAT WE'RE ABLE TO ABSORB SOME OF
THESE CUTS. 
          IT ALSO ASKS FOR THE EFFICACY OF THE RELEASE OF THE EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS FUNDS SO THAT
WE CAN DEPLOY THE REST OF THOSE FUNDS INTO OUR COMMUNITY. 
          IT IS UNCLEAR IF OTHER CUTS ARE COMING. A LOT OF OUR OUR FUNDING IS FROM THE STATE. 
          A LOT OF THE FEDERAL CUTS WILL DRAMATICALLY IMPACT THE STATE BUDGET. 
          AND SO AS THE STATE IS WORKING TO REBALANCE THAT BUDGET,
MORE CUTS COULD BE COMING. 
          AND OUR STRATEGY IS, AGAIN, I MENTIONED THAT SOFT HIRING FREEZE THAT HAS SET US UP TO BE
ABLE TO RESPOND TO THESE CUTS FOR THIS FISCAL YEAR AND WILL BE SHIFTING STAFF CAPACITY TO OTHER PRIORITY AREAS TO ENSURE THAT WE COVER OUR
MANDATED SERVICE SERVICES IN THE COMMUNITY. 
          AND WITH THAT, I'LL TURN IT OVER TO DIRECTOR SERATO. 
          OKAY. GOOD MORNING. ONE OF THE S SUPERVISORS,
CEO AND COUNTY COUNCIL. 
          MY NAME IS ERIC SERATO, AND I AM THE DIRECTOR OF THE WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT BOARD AND THE
DEPARTMENT HEAD OF THE DEPARTMENT OF WORKFORCE INVESTMENT. 
          WE ARE ACTUALLY ONE OF YOUR SMALLER DEPARTMENTS HERE IN THE COUNTY. 
          OUR ENTIRE BUDGET IS ABOUT $17 MILLION, BUT WE CONTINUE TO PUNCH ABOVE OUR WEIGHT IN
SECURING ADDITIONAL DISCRETIONARY GRANTS AND OTHER RESOURCES TO BE ABLE TO MOVE OURSELVES AWAY FROM THE FEDERAL DEPENDENCY. 
          JUST ONE KIND OF STAT. YEARS AGO, ABOUT 70% OF OUR BUDGET WAS FEDERAL. 
          NOW WE'RE AT ABOUT 40% BECAUSE WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO AUGMENT THAT WITH WITH OTHER FUNDS. 
          [00:55:03]
WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO DO THAT BECAUSE WE'VE ENJOYED THE SUPPORT OF THIS BODY,
CERTAINLY WITH THE CEO AND THE BOARD. 
          BUT SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL IN PARTICULAR HAS BEEN A HUGE CHAMPION FOR OUR WORK,
BOTH AS A MEMBER OF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, BUT ALSO AS A CENTRAL MEMBER OF THE WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT BOARD. 
          AND IT'S NOT OFTEN THAT I GET TO PRESENT WITH MY COLLEAGUES. 
          AND I KNOW, YOU KNOW, THIS IS THE BEST GROUP OF DEPARTMENT HEADS ACROSS THE STATE. 
          AND SO IT JUST BRINGS ME A LOT OF PRIDE TO BE ABLE TO TO SHARE THIS,
EVEN IF IT ISN'T GREAT NEWS. 
          NEXT SLIDE. THERE ARE ABOUT 45 WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT BOARDS IN THE STATE. 
          MOSTLY THEY FALL ALONG COUNTY JURISDICTIONS,
ALTHOUGH LARGER POPULATIONS LIKE L.A. 
          COUNTY HAVE SEVEN WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT BOARDS. 
          AND THE NORTHERN PART OF THE STATE INCLUDES SEVERAL COUNTIES IN ONE WORKFORCE BOARD. 
          WE ARE PART OF THE CENTRAL VALLEY REGIONAL PLANNING UNIT OF EIGHT WORKFORCE SPORTS. 
          THE STORY HERE IS VERY DIFFERENT FROM WHAT MY COLLEAGUE SHARED. 
          WE ACTUALLY ARE IN A STATE OF A LOT OF AMBIGUITY BECAUSE OUR FUNDING OUTLAY HAS NOT YET
BEEN DETERMINED. 
          THERE REALLY ARE TWO TRACKS THAT ARE CONCURRENTLY HAPPENING THAT WILL BE DETERMINED IN THE
NEXT SEVERAL MONTHS. 
          THE FIRST IS THE MAKE AMERICA SKILLED AGAIN OR MASA,
AND THE SECOND IS WAIROA IOA REAUTHORIZATION. 
          SO MAKE AMERICA SKILLED AGAIN OR MASA, WAS INTRODUCED BY AN EXECUTIVE ORDER BY THE
ADMINISTRATION JUST A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO. 
          AND WHAT IT DOES IS IT CONVERTS ALL OF THE FUNDING THAT GO TO THE 500 OR SO WORKFORCE
BOARDS ACROSS THE COUNTRY INTO A STATE BLOCK GRANT, SO EVERY STATE WOULD BE ABLE TO DETERMINE AND DESIGN ITS OWN WORKFORCE SYSTEM. 
          AND I'LL GET TO THE IMPACTS OF THAT IN THE NEXT SLIDE. 
          BUT THAT IS A HUGE DISRUPTION AND DEPARTURE TO THE WAY THAT WE'VE BEEN OPERATING OUR
SERVICES. 
          THAT'S TRACK ONE. CONCURRENT TO THAT THERE IS WIA REAUTHORIZATION. 
          SO W IOA IS THE ACT THAT IS GOVERNED ALL OF OUR WORK SINCE 2020 OR 2014. 
          IT EXPIRED IN 2020. AND OVER THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS,
MEMBERS OF CONGRESS HAVE BEEN SORT OF SUNSETTING THAT BILL AND INTRODUCING A NEW VERSION OF IOA, SO THAT WAS SET TO BE VOTED ON IN DECEMBER. 
          IT ACTUALLY FAILED, BUT IT HAD SOME PROVISIONS IN IT. 
          AND SO YOU'VE GOT THESE TWO TRACKS. YOU'VE GOT THE EXECUTIVE ORDER THAT IS DEVELOPING THE
PLANS UNDER MASA. 
          AT THE SAME TIME THAT YOU HAVE MEMBERS OF CONGRESS WITH BIPARTISAN SUPPORT DEVELOPING WHAT
COMES NEXT AFTER IOA, BUT YOU CAN TAKE EITHER ONE OF THOSE TRACKS AND YOU WOULD ADD FEDERAL BUDGET REDUCTIONS. 
          SO EITHER WAY, BOTH OF THOSE SIGNAL HUGE CHANGES FOR THE WAY THE SYSTEM WOULD WORK AND AN
OVERALL REDUCTION IN FUNDING TO OUR WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT BOARD. 
          NEXT SLIDE. A FEW THINGS HERE. SO IF MASA WERE TO PASS,
IT WOULD COME WITH A 100% ELIMINATION OF YOUTH FUNDING. RIGHT NOW,
THAT'S WHAT WE USE TO FUND OUR EMPOWER PROGRAM, WHICH SERVES ABOUT 250 YOUTH EVERY YEAR, AS WELL AS SOME OF OUR OWN PROGRAMS THAT IS
ELIMINATED. 
          ABSOLUTELY. THE BIGGER THING IS THAT WHEN IT BECOMES A BLOCK GRANT,
THE STATE COULD DETERMINE THAT IT DOESN'T NEED LOCAL WORKFORCE BOARDS ANYMORE. IT COULD DETERMINE THAT IT WOULD RUN WORKFORCE SERVICES AT THE STATE LEVEL AND
THEN ALLOCATE MONEY TO THE COUNTIES. 
          AND SO THERE MAY NOT EVEN BE WORKFORCE BOARDS. 
          IF THAT WERE THE RESULT. IF WE WENT DOWN THE HIGHWAY REAUTHORIZATION TRACK WE WOULD SEE
LESS CUTS. 
          BUT THE PROPORTIONATE CHANGES INSIDE WOULD RESULT INTO A 50% REDUCTION IN OUR YOUTH
FUNDING LIKELY, AND A 50% REQUIREMENT OF OUR FUNDS BEING SPENT ON TRAINING,
WHICH WOULD MEAN THERE'D BE LESS MONEY FOR CAREER SERVICES. 
          THAT WOULD ULTIMATELY REDUCE RESULT IN A REDUCTION OF COUNTY STAFF AND LESS CONTRACTED
SERVICES. 
          IT COULD, AS I MENTIONED, DISBAND THE WORKFORCE BOARD AND WOULD CERTAINLY ELIMINATE ALL OF
OUR YOUTH PROGRAMS. LAST SLIDE. SO KEY CONSIDERATIONS. THE CUTS WOULD RESULT IN CLEAR REDUCTIONS TO THE
SERVICES THAT WE PROVIDE TO BUSINESSES AND JOB SEEKERS. IF MAKE AMERICA SKILLED AGAIN PROGRESSES,
WE WOULD ASK FOR ADVOCACY TO RESPOND TO THE POTENTIAL LOSS OF LOCAL CONTROL AND PARTICULARLY ADVOCATE FOR RESOURCES THAT ARE COMING TO THE CENTRAL
VALLEY. 
          IF WAIROA REAUTHORIZATION PROGRESSES, THEN WE'D LOOK FOR ADVOCACY FOR MORE FLEXIBILITY ON
THE SPENDING AND SOME RESPONSE TO THE OVERALL 
          [01:00:05]
CUTS. I WILL SAY AGAIN, THESE ARE TWO TRACKS THAT HAVE NOT BEEN DETERMINED YET. 
          WE'LL SEE A LOT OF THAT NEWS HAPPEN IN SEPTEMBER AND OCTOBER. 
          WE'RE ALSO WATCHING WHAT MIGHT HAPPEN IF THERE WAS A FEDERAL SHUTDOWN. 
          SO YOU'VE GOT KIND OF THE PERFECT STORM OF ISSUES THAT'S JUST CREATED A LOT OF UNCERTAINTY
AND AMBIGUITY FOR OUR DEPARTMENT. 
          THANK YOU. SO IN SUMMARY, MANY OF THE LOCAL IMPACTS ARE YET TO BE SEEN. 
          BUT WE, I THINK, CAN ALL AGREE THAT A REDUCTION TO THESE SAFETY NET SERVICES WILL HAVE
UNKNOWN CONSEQUENCES TO OUR COMMUNITY. 
          HOWEVER, THE BEST INFORMATION WE HAVE AT THIS TIME INDICATE IMPACTS TO HOW SERVICES ARE
DELIVERED TO OUR MOST VULNERABLE POPULATIONS. 
          INCREASED MANDATES FOR EXISTING PROGRAMS WITHOUT OFFSETTING FUNDING INCREASES IN LOCAL
CONTRIBUTIONS, WHICH WOULD CREATE ADDITIONAL STRAIN, COULD CREATE ADDITIONAL STRAIN ON LOCAL
DISCRETIONARY FUNDS AND THE NEED TO BECOME MORE INNOVATIVE IN OPERATIONAL PROCESSES AND SERVICE DELIVERY MODELS. AND FLASHING BACK TO THE BEGINNING OF THE KICKOFF. 
          I WILL REMIND YOU ON THE FLIP SIDE, AS WE DISCUSSED,
$9,929 MILLION OF NON-DISCRETIONARY FUNDING IS IN THE BUDGET. 
          $219 MILLION OF OUR BUDGET. AND TO MAKE THAT CONNECTION WE HEARD A LOT OF PENALTIES. 
          WE HEARD A LOT OF MORE REQUIREMENTS FOR MATCHING FUNDS. 
          THAT WOULD BE A POLICY DECISION FOR THE BOARD FOR THAT VERY FINITE POT OF RESOURCES THAT
WE HAVE FOR THOSE LOCAL DISCRETIONARY FUNDS. 
          THAT IS WHERE THAT MAINTENANCE OF EFFORT, WHERE THOSE MATCHING FUNDS,
WHERE LIKELY A LOT OF THOSE LOCAL CONTRIBUTIONS WOULD BE REQUIRED. 
          SO YOU CAN, YOU KNOW, IMAGINE THE THE LIMITED RESOURCES THAT WE HAVE AND HOW WE WOULD NEED
TO CONSIDER SPENDING THOSE WE ARE AVAILABLE FOR, ANY QUESTIONS THAT THE BOARD MAY HAVE. AND WE APPRECIATE YOUR TIME THIS MORNING. 
          SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. I KEEP HEARING IMPACTS AND MANDATES. 
          I UNDERSTAND THE IMPACTS, BUT THE MANDATES, DO WE HAVE A FIGURE ON MANDATES REQUIRED? IS THERE DO YOU HAVE AN ESTIMATE OF WHAT WE'RE MANDATED? BECAUSE IF WE DON'T PAY IT, THEN WE PAY THE PENALTY. 
          AND ON AND ON AND ON. I DON'T THINK WE HAVE AN EXACT AMOUNT AT THIS TIME. 
          RIGHT. BECAUSE I KNOW A LOT OF THE HSA COMPONENTS ARE STILL UNFOLDING. 
          WE WOULD HAVE TO CONSIDER TO THE POINT THAT PUBLIC HEALTH,
I KNOW INDICATED THERE WERE REDUCTIONS. 
          I KNOW THAT THEY HAVE OTHER FUNDING SOURCES,
BUT TO THE DEGREE THAT THE DOMINO EFFECT CONTINUES TO WHAT REDUCTIONS CONTINUE AND HOW HOW THAT UNFOLDS IS STILL UNKNOWN. SO I CAN'T QUANTIFY AT THIS TIME WHAT THE NUMBER OF
UNFUNDED MANDATES. 
          BUT WE DO KNOW THAT THEY CONTINUE TO RISE BECAUSE THEY CURRENTLY EXIST. 
          AND THAT'S BEING ADDED TO WHAT THE STATE CURRENTLY PUSHES DOWN TO US. 
          AND SO SO THESE MANDATES ARE ACTUALLY REQUIREMENTS BY LAW OR BY OUR CONSTITUTION,
WHAT WE ARE REQUIRED TO PROVIDE OUR CONSTITUENCY. 
          SO FOR PUBLIC HEALTH WE'RE GUIDED BY HEALTH AND SAFETY CODE. 
          AND THERE ARE SEVERAL MANDATED SERVICES THAT ARE IN IN THAT TO TO PROTECT THE PUBLIC'S
HEALTH AND SAFETY. 
          THERE ARE OPPORTUNITIES TO POTENTIALLY LOOK AT CHANGING SOME OF THE REQUIREMENTS IN THE
HEALTH AND SAFETY CODE THAT'S ACTUALLY BEING LOOKED AT THROUGH ANOTHER PROCESS RIGHT NOW IN WHICH THE STATE IS COMING UP, IS CREATING A WAY FOR FOR CITIES TO BECOME LOCAL HEALTH
JURISDICTIONS. 
          AND SO THE WHOLE HEALTH AND SAFETY CODE IS BEING LOOKED AT. 
          BUT CURRENTLY OUR MANDATED SERVICES ARE LISTED IN THAT IN STATE MANDATE. 
          RIGHT. OKAY. THANK YOU. AND THEN I'D LIKE TO TOUCH ON THE WORKFORCE INVESTMENT. 
          ERIC, I APPRECIATE WHAT WE'RE DOING. AND I WAS A LOT MORE CONFIDENT,
I THINK PROBABLY A MONTH AGO THAT WE WERE ROLLING WITH THE PROGRAM SEEING THAT THERE'S TWO PATHWAYS. 
          AND SINCE I SIT ON A NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, COUNTY'S WORKFORCE BOARD,
AND WE'LL BE IN DC COMING UP. 
          WHAT CAN I DO TO HELP MERCED COUNTY. LIKE WHAT'S THE MESSAGE I NEED TO SEND? WHAT DO YOU THINK? FOR HERE IN MERCER COUNTY. 
          WHICH PATH SHOULD WE CHOOSE AND WHICH ONE DO YOU WANT ME TO ADVOCATE ON THE HARDEST? YEAH, IT'S A REALLY. AND THAT CAN BE A SAD BAR SIDEBAR AS WELL. 
          BUT HAVING THAT, I HAVE A MEETING COMING UP. I'D LIKE TO AT LEAST PUT OUR FOOT. 
          WE'RE WE'RE RATHER GOOD AT USUALLY GETTING OUR STANCE TO THE FINISH LINE. 
          SO I WOULD APPRECIATE KNOWING OUR BEST PATH FORWARD ON THAT ONE. 
          YEAH. IN EITHER PATH, OF COURSE, WE WANT STABLE FUNDING. 
          THE FEAR WITH THE BLOCK GRANT IS THAT THE STATE DETERMINES EXACTLY WHERE THAT MONEY MIGHT
GO. 
          [01:05:05]
ALTHOUGH YOU'VE BEEN VERY SUCCESSFUL, WE'VE BEEN PRETTY GOOD. 
          YEAH, BECAUSE WE IMPLEMENT AND WE SHOW SUCCESS AND WE HAVE THE NUMBERS TO SHOW OUR
SUCCESS. 
          YES. AND WE'VE SET OURSELVES UP TO BE A PLACE WHERE THE STATE WOULD INVEST. 
          SO WHAT WE OFTEN TELL FOLKS AT THE STATE AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL IS IF YOU WANT TO INCREASE
PAYROLL TAXES ACROSS THE STATE, THE PLACE TO DO IT IS IN THE CENTRAL VALLEY,
BECAUSE YOU'RE GOING TO SEE THE BIGGEST WAGE GAINS AS QUALITY OF JOBS INCREASES, AND THAT'S GOING TO HELP THE BUDGET MORE SO THAN IT WOULD IN AN URBAN OR A COASTAL AREA. 
          CORRECT. SO WE MAKE THAT MESSAGE REALLY CLEAR. 
          IF REAUTHORIZATION IS THE ROOT THAT WINS OUT. 
          EVEN IN THAT SCENARIO, THE STATE KEEPS 10% MORE OF THE MONEY. 
          SO WE GET ABOUT $6 MILLION OF FEDERAL FUNDS THROUGH OUR FORMULA ALLOCATION. 
          THAT MEANS THAT THE STATE WOULD RETAIN AN ADDITIONAL $600,000 AND WE'D GET 540. 
          THE OPPORTUNITY THERE, THOUGH, IS THAT THE STATE COLLECTS THAT 10%,
AND IT CAN REDIRECT IT IN ANY PART OF THE STATE. 
          AND THERE ARE SOME SCENARIOS IN WHICH THE CENTRAL VALLEY MIGHT ACTUALLY GAIN RESOURCES IF
WE ADVOCATE IN THE RIGHT WAY. 
          SO I WOULD LOVE TO PARTNER WITH YOU ON THE MESSAGING TO BE ABLE TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT
HAPPENS IF REAUTHORIZATION IS THE ROUTE THAT WINS OUT. 
          GOT IT. THANKS, ERIC. MR. CHAIR, THAT CONCLUDES MY COMMENTS. 
          THANK YOU. SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. DOCTOR SULLIVAN, I THINK YOU MAY HAVE ANSWERED IT IN WITH MY COLLEAGUE'S QUESTION,
BUT WHEN YOU TALKED ABOUT THE SLIDE THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU STILL HAVE THESE UNFUNDED MANDATES AND SPECIFICALLY ARE THOSE FEDERAL
FEDERAL UNFUNDED MANDATES OR STATE UNFUNDED MANDATES OR ACCOMMODATION, A STATE? AND THEN WE HAVE FEDERAL MANDATES LINKED TO OUR FEDERAL FUNDING. OKAY. 
          I JUST IT JUST SEEMS TO ME THAT LIKE AT SOME POINT,
I MEAN, WE'RE IT'S NOT A REALLY GREAT PICTURE THAT'S BEING PAINTED HERE. 
          AND, AND ULTIMATELY WE'RE TASKED WITH PROVIDING SERVICES TO,
IN MOST CASES, THE MOST UNFORTUNATE AMONG US, THE PEOPLE THAT NEED THEM THE MOST. AND I, YOU KNOW,
AND IT'S EASY FOR ME TO SIT HERE AND SAY, BECAUSE I'M NOT THE ONE IMPLEMENTING THE PROGRAM AND DOING THE WORK,
BUT IT JUST AT WHAT POINT DO WE PUT PEOPLE OVER OUR PEOPLE OVER THIS STATE MANDATE, OR THAT THIS MONEY HAS TO BE SENT, THIS SPENT THIS CERTAIN WAY,
AND ACTUALLY DO WHAT IT'S INTENDED AND PROVIDE THE SERVICES? AND I KNOW THAT'S A VERY BROAD STATEMENT, BUT THAT'S WHERE MY MIND GOES WHEN YOU TALK
ABOUT POLICY, DIRECTION AND THINGS THAT ARE UP FOR DISCUSSION IS LIKE LIKE CUTTING OUT A LOT OF THE
STATE BUREAUCRACY AND NONSENSE WITH IT AND HOLISTICALLY LOOKING AT OUR PROGRAMS AND SAYING,
OKAY, THESE ARE THE DOLLARS THAT WE HAVE AND THESE ARE THE SERVICES THAT WE NEED TO PROVIDE. AND HOW DO WE BEST DO THAT? AND DON'T LET IN MY OPINION,
AND I'M THE LAWYERS WOULD PROBABLY DISAGREE WITH ME, BUT DON'T LET SOME, YOU KNOW, LANGUAGE THAT'S BURIED ON PAGE 47 OF A STATE LAW THAT WAS
PASSED PREVENT US FROM ACTUALLY PROVIDING AND DOING THE GOOD WORK FOR THE PEOPLE. 
          SO I THAT'S JUST KIND OF A LITTLE BIT OF THOUGHT ON THAT. 
          AND THANK YOU FOR ASKING THAT QUESTION. DOCTOR BROWN,
YOU SPECIFICALLY. 
          WE I HEARD A LOT ABOUT THERE'S PENALTIES AND SPECIFICALLY WHEN YOU MENTIONED THE IHS
PENALTIES AND THAT WE'RE WORKING THROUGH THOSE ARE THOSE PENALTIES ASSESSED MONTHLY OR ANNUALLY. 
          AND SO DO YOU HAVE TIME THAT IF YOU RECOGNIZE EARLY ON THAT THERE'S A PROBLEM AND WE CAN
WORK AT CORRECTING THAT AND THEN THAT REDUCES THAT PENALTY. 
          OR IS THAT LIKE ON A MONTHLY BASIS. AND IT'S SOMETHING WE LOOK AT ON A MONTHLY BASIS. 
          THAT'S OUR ANNUAL POTENTIAL PAYBACK. AS I MENTIONED,
IF WE WORK ON IT AS WE ARE BY THE END OF JANUARY, THAT NUMBER THAT WE PROJECTING COULD BE 1.4 WOULD PROBABLY BE MUCH LESS THAN THAT. 
          WE JUST ALLOCATED THAT AMOUNT. PERFECT. AND THEN I JUST A COMMENT AND I THINK I HEARD YOU
KIND OF MENTIONED THAT YOU MAYBE FORESHADOWED SOME OF THESE THINGS COMING AND YOU'RE WORKING ON, ON THROUGHOUT YOUR ORGANIZATION TO TRY TO STREAMLINE AND DO THESE THINGS. 
          I'M HAPPY TO HEAR THAT BECAUSE WHEN I HEAR THINGS OF MORE STAFFING OR MORE REQUIREMENTS
AND REPORTING OR WHATEVER, I'M I'M NOT SAYING I DON'T REALLY KNOW ENOUGH ABOUT AI AND EVERYTHING THAT'S GOING ON IN
THAT WORLD, BUT I AND IT'S NOT TO SAY THAT I WANT TO TAKE WORK AWAY FROM OUR GOOD PEOPLE,
BUT LOOKING AT PROCESSES, I JUST HAPPEN TO LOOK UP AT DIRECTOR BRAY RIGHT NOW. 
          AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I KNOW THAT THEY REQUESTED IN THEIR BUDGET IS LIKE SOFTWARE
THAT'S GOING TO HELP THEM TO BE ABLE TO STREAMLINE AND KEEP TRACK OF THINGS THAT ARE BEING DONE MANUALLY ON PAPER NOW. AND SO, YOU KNOW,
THOSE ARE THE TYPE OF THINGS THAT AS AS THE MONEY GETS TIGHTER AND TIGHTER THAT I'M INTERESTED IN EXPENDING TAXPAYER RESOURCES ON IT,
AS IF IT'S PROVEN TO ME THAT WE INVEST IN THIS NEW SYSTEM THAT HELPS US TO BETTER BE ABLE TO TRACK THESE THINGS AND REPORT THESE THINGS SO THAT WE'RE NOT HAVING TO FOR LACK OF
BETTER WORDS. 
          [01:10:05]
IT'S KIND OF DONE AUTOMATICALLY. WE PUT IT IN THE SYSTEM AND THE SYSTEM IS ABLE TO
CALCULATE AND SPIT OUT THE ANSWER THAT WE NEED TO SEND ON TO THE STATE OR THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, WHOEVER IT MAY BE. THOSE ARE THE TYPE OF THINGS THAT,
YOU KNOW, WE MAKE ONE TIME INVESTMENTS IN THE INITIAL STARTUP COST OF SOME KIND OF SOFTWARE. THERE'S PEOPLE OUT THERE THAT ARE JUST LIKE,
SUPER SMART THAT UNDERSTAND THESE THINGS. 
          AND I'D BE WILLING TO ENTERTAIN THOSE CONVERSATIONS ON HOW DO WE MAKE THOSE ONE TIME
INVESTMENTS. 
          AND THERE'S ALWAYS THE ONGOING, YOU KNOW, UPKEEP COSTS,
BUT IT MAKES US MAKES US BETTER AT OUR JOBS IN THE SENSE THAT WE DON'T HAVE TO SPEND THE MAN HOURS DOING THE MANUAL STUFF WHEN THERE'S WHEN THERE'S PROGRAMS OUT THERE THAT CAN
HELP US WITH IT. AND TO THAT POINT, TWO YEARS AGO, WE STARTED A STRATEGIC PLANNING PROCESS THAT WE'RE ROLLING OUT FOR THE LAST
TWO YEARS. 
          AND I'M GOING TO SAY WITH CONFIDENCE, ONE OF THE THINGS WE ALL ARE LOOKING AT USING
TECHNOLOGY AND LOOKING AT STREAMLINE AND FINDING MORE EFFICIENT WAYS TO DO OUR WORK. 
          SO I'M GLAD TO HAVE THIS CONVERSATION. I'M SURE THERE WILL BE OPPORTUNITIES AS MY TEAM IS
LOOKING AT TECHNOLOGY IN A DIFFERENT WAY, TO BE MORE EFFICIENT AS PART OF OUR INTERNAL STRATEGY,
THERE WILL PROBABLY BE OPPORTUNITIES TO DO JUST WHAT YOU SAID, TO LOOK AT OTHER AUTOMATION SYSTEMS TO REALLY ENHANCE THE WORK THAT WE ARE DOING. 
          AND TO ME, IT'S IT'S TO SAVE THE MAN HOURS FOR THE ACTUAL THE IN-PERSON CONTACT THAT NEEDS
TO BE DONE THAT CAN'T BE DONE BY A COMPUTER. 
          AND SO IF WE SAVE SOME OF THAT TIME IN THE INTERNAL PROCESSES OF CALCULATING AND DOING ALL
THOSE THINGS, THAT MAKES THAT OUR AVAILABLE TO ACTUALLY GO AND HELP THE PEOPLE THAT NEED TO BE HELPED. 
          RIGHT. AND AN EXAMPLE OF IT IS, I KNOW IN THE TREASURER TAX COLLECTORS OFFICE,
THEY'RE LOOKING AT SOFTWARE THAT IT DOES THE AUTOMATIC CALCULATING OF STUFF THAT THAT WAS MAYBE DONE MANUALLY BEFORE. 
          SO I'M GLAD TO HEAR THAT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. 
          SUPERVISOR PAREIRA. THANK YOU. WELL, BEFORE YOU SIT DOWN I HAD A YOU MADE THE COMMENT
ABOUT THE FEDS SEND IN LESS MONEY TO THE STATE AND THEN THE STATE PASSING DOWN THAT CUTS TO THE
COUNTIES. 
          KIND OF. CAN YOU EXPAND ON THAT? LET ME EXPLAIN. 
          THERE ARE PENALTIES THAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT WAS ABSORBING THAT OVER. 
          HISTORICALLY, THERE WAS A PARTICIPATION RATE NATIONAL NATIONWIDE THAT REALLY NO COUNTIES
OR STATES WERE UNDER THE PENALTY WAS EVER ENFORCED. 
          UNDER THIS NEW ADMINISTRATION, THEY'RE LOOKING AT TRANSITIONING AND HOLDING US ACCOUNTABLE
TO THE THE WORK THAT WE SAID WAS GOING TO DO AND DID NOT MEET THE STANDARD. 
          SO NOW THE STATE, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS SAYING THESE PENALTIES THAT THEY WILL ABSORB A
CERTAIN AMOUNT IS GOING TO BE SHIFTED TO THE STATE. 
          AS YOU KNOW, THE STATE WAS SHIFTED TO THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT COUNTY. 
          SO THROUGHOUT MY PRESENTATION, YOU HAVE HEARD HOW THE STATE IS NOW. 
          THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS SHIFTING RESPONSIBILITY AT A CERTAIN PERCENTAGE TO THE STATE. 
          AND IF YOU'RE LOOKING FROM A STATE PERSPECTIVE,
THEY'RE NOT GOING TO ABSORB ALL THE COST. 
          SO THEY'RE GOING TO LOOK AT WAYS TO SEE HOW THE COUNTIES CAN ABSORB IT,
WHICH MEANS WHAT THEY DO IS THEY HAVE TO LOOK? THERE'S NO ADDITIONAL MONEY. LESS MONEY. SO THEY HAVE TO MAKE SOME CHANGES IN THE SERVICE
DELIVERY MODEL MOVING FORWARD. 
          SO ALL I DISCUSSED TODAY WAS HYPOTHETICAL IN THE SENSE OF POTENTIAL,
BUT BASED ON THE IMPACT TO THE STATE IN THIS SHIFT, BASED ON THEIR PRIORITIES AND WHAT THEY WANT TO FUND MOVING FORWARD,
AND THEN THE THE PENALTIES THAT THE STATE'S GOING TO PAY, I MEAN, POSSIBLY PASSED DOWN TO US ARE THOSE PENALTIES THAT ARE CAUSED BY THE STATE OR ARE
THOSE THE LIKE THE COUNTY'S FACILITATION OF PROGRAMING? IT'S A COMBINATION. SOME STATES SOME COUNTIES ARE NOT MEETING CERTAIN RATES. 
          SO THEY WOULD KIND OF CALCULATE BASED ON THE COUNTY DIVIDED AMONG THE DIFFERENT COUNTIES
THAT HAVEN'T MET THE RATE. 
          ALSO, THERE'S JUST A PENALTY IN GENERAL. THAT STATEWIDE PENALTY WOULD COST IT ACROSS THE
BOARD BASED ON THE AMOUNT OF THE PENALTIES. 
          SO WE HAVE A PERCENTAGE THAT'S BEEN CALCULATED THAT WE PROBABLY ABSORB BASED ON OUR
FORMULA THAT'S ALREADY BEEN ESTABLISHED. 
          I KNOW YOU TALKED ABOUT THE ERROR RATE. DO WE KNOW WHAT MERCED COUNTY'S ERROR RATE IS? I'LL HOLD ON JUST A SECOND. OH, PERFECT. ZERO. 
          ALL RIGHT. GOOD ANSWER. THAT'S WHAT WE LIKE TO HEAR. 
          OKAY. YEAH. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. AND THEN. YEAH. 
          FOR DIRECTOR VANG. AND I DON'T KNOW WHO. WHO. 
          I MEAN, HOW THIS IS GOING TO GET ANSWERED, BUT AT OUR LAST BEHAVIORAL HEALTH ADVISORY
BOARD MEETING. 
          DIRECTOR VANG TALKED ABOUT THE INCOMPETENT TO STAND TRIAL COST AND HOW THE THE RATE OR THE
NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT WE GET TO PUT IN THAT PROGRAM WITH NO COST TO THE COUNTY WAS SET DURING COVID. SO IT'S KIND OF,
IN HER OPINION, ARTIFICIALLY LOW. 
          AND SO I KIND OF BROUGHT THAT BACK TO COUNTY COUNSEL'S OFFICE AND JUST KIND OF,
I DON'T KNOW WHO WANTS TO SHARE WHAT, BUT KIND OF JUST TALK ABOUT THAT A LITTLE BIT MORE AS FAR AS THE FIX,
NOT NECESSARILY THE THE PERSON OR, YOU KNOW, EXCUSE ME, THE FIX? YEAH. I MEAN, WHAT ARE WE DOING TO TRY TO GET THAT NUMBER
RAISED TO A MORE I DON'T KNOW, 
          [01:15:07]
EQUITABLE LEVEL, I GUESS. SO WHILE THERE IS A PENALTY THAT WE HAVE TO PAY OF $825,000 THIS
FISCAL YEAR THE STATE ACTUALLY WANTS US TO, WITH THAT AMOUNT DEVELOP PROGRAMS TO TRY TO REDUCE THE NUMBER OF
INDIVIDUALS THAT WE STATE THAT WE SENT TO THE STATE HOSPITALS. AND SO WE ARE WORKING ON THAT,
AND WE WILL BE MOST LIKELY CONTRACTING WITH THE STATE HOSPITAL DEPARTMENT IN ORDER TO START THE PROGRAMS. THE METHODOLOGY ITSELF, AS YOU MENTIONED IS BASED ON 2021 NUMBERS
DURING COVID. 
          AND SO DURING THAT TIME, THERE WAS A LOT OF RESTRICTIONS IN TERMS OF BEING ABLE TO PLACE
INDIVIDUALS IN STATE HOSPITALS. 
          SO THE NUMBERS WERE LOW OR LOWER. AND SO NOW THAT WE HAVE BEEN IN THIS PROGRAM FOR A
COUPLE OF YEARS. 
          MANY COUNTIES ARE NOW STARTING TO GET HIT WITH THE PENALTY THIS FISCAL YEAR,
INCLUDING MERCED COUNTY. 
          AND SO WITH THAT IT SEEMS LIKE MOST COUNTIES ARE IN AGREEMENT IN THAT THE METHODOLOGY IS
FAULTY BASED ON THE NUMBERS THAT WAS USED FROM 2021. AND SO AGAIN,
WE ARE WORKING ON DEVELOPING THE, THE PROGRAMS THAT WILL BE APPROVED BY THE STATE. 
          AND THEN WE'LL BE LAUNCHING WE'RE LOOKING AT JULY OF 2026. 
          YEAH. OKAY. THANK YOU. AND THEN MISTER HANSON,
COULD YOU ADD KIND OF WHAT YOU'RE NOT SIDE OF THE STORY BECAUSE I THINK YOU'RE WORKING TOGETHER, BUT I JUST WANT TO LET FOLKS KNOW THAT,
YOU KNOW, THAT WE'RE WORKING, THAT YOU ALL ARE WORKING PROACTIVELY TO TRY TO RESOLVE AN UNFUNDED MANDATE. YEAH. AND I NEED TO WORK WITH DIRECTOR VANG A BIT ON THIS MORE,
BUT ASSOCIATION. 
          AND AS I UNDERSTAND, CSAC ARE LOOKING AT LEGISLATIVE FIXES FOR THAT NUMBER BECAUSE
EVERYBODY IS IN AGREEMENT THAT THAT NUMBER IS ARTIFICIALLY OR ARBITRARILY LOW AT THIS POINT. SO YES, WE ARE LOOKING AT THAT. THANK YOU. 
          AND THAT'S IT. THANK YOU SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA. 
          THANK YOU, MISTER CHAIR. SO, DOCTOR DO YOU THINK THAT NUMBER WAS DONE ON PURPOSE? I MEAN, IF YOU WANT TO SET THE NUMBERS LOW, DO IT AT A TIME WHEN THEY WEREN'T ALLOWING
PEOPLE TO GO INTO THOSE PLACES. 
          OR DO YOU REALLY THINK IT WAS JUST KIND OF COINCIDENTAL? I MEAN, I'M NOT ABLE TO TELL WHETHER IT WAS DONE ON PURPOSE OR NOT. 
          THE LEGISLATION WAS PASSED PRIOR TO MY TENURE AT BEATRICE,
AND SO I DON'T HAVE QUITE THE BACKSTORY AS TO HOW THAT ENDED UP BEING. 
          BUT THIS IS WHAT WE'RE DEALING WITH AT THIS TIME. 
          OKAY. WELL, I'LL I'LL TELL YOU WHAT I THINK. I THINK THAT IT WAS DONE ON PURPOSE. I REALLY
DO. 
          SO IT'S FRUSTRATING. AND THEN JUST THIS IS MORE PONTIFICATING HERE BUT DOCTOR BROWN SO ON
THE ON THE PENALTY PIECE WHEN YOU TALKED ABOUT HOW THEY'LL ASSESS THE STATE A PENALTY AND THEN THAT PENALTY WILL GET DISTRIBUTED OUT TO THE
COUNTIES. 
          SO EVEN THOUGH WE'RE DOING REALLY GREAT AT IT AND HAVING WE HAVE A 0%,
WE HAVE ZERO ON THE WHAT DID YOU CALL IT, THE PARTICIPATION, THE RATE OR THE, YOU KNOW,
THE ERROR RATE. 
          WE HAVE A ZERO. BUT EFFECTIVELY, IF THE STATE IS KIND OF DISTRIBUTED OUT AMONG THE
COUNTIES, NO MATTER HOW GOOD IT WE'RE DOING AT IT, THE LARGER URBAN COUNTIES THAT HAVE A LOT MORE,
THEY'RE NOT MEETING THAT, BUT WE'RE GOING TO GET PENALIZED. OR DO YOU THINK THAT THEY'RE GOING TO DISTRIBUTE IT OUT
BASED UPON WHAT COUNTY A HAS A ZERO, SO THEY'RE NOT GOING TO PAY THE PENALTY, AND COUNTY B HAS A 10% AND THEY'RE GOING TO PAY
MORE. 
          CORRECT. THAT IS THE WAY THAT IT'S PERFECT. THANK YOU. 
          THANK YOU, MISTER CHAIR. OKAY I DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS,
BUT I'LL AFTER PUBLIC COMMENT I'LL BRING IT BACK. 
          SO AT THIS TIME I OPENED PUBLIC COMMENT REGARDING THE PRESENTATION. 
          NOT. GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS SUSAN WALSH, AND I'M THE PRESIDENT OF THE LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS. 
          AND I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU ON BEHALF OF THE LEAGUE AND THE RESIDENTS OF MERCED COUNTY. 
          WHAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT IS THIS TIME OF SUBSTANTIAL CHANGE IS THAT PEOPLE UNDERSTAND TO
THE BEST OF THEIR ABILITY, WHAT'S COMING. AND I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS AND TO TO CEO,
MR. HENDRICKSON, FOR PROVIDING A PUBLIC OPPORTUNITY SO PEOPLE CAN HEAR WHAT'S HAPPENING AND
THAT IT'LL BE RECORDED. 
          SO THOSE WHO COULD NOT COME THIS MORNING COULD UNDERSTAND THE CHALLENGES FACED BY THE
BOARD, BY OUR DEPARTMENTS AND BY. BY THE CASCADING EFFECTS EVERY SINGLE BUSINESS,
SCHOOL DISTRICT AND RESIDENT OF THE COUNTY. AND I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU. 
          AND I WANT TO SAY HOW GRATEFUL WE ARE FOR THE QUALITY AND HUMANITY OF THE DEPARTMENT HEADS
THAT THE BOARD HAS 
          [01:20:09]
CHOSEN AND EMPLOYS. AND THIS IS A VERY ROBUST,
TOUCHING, SCARY PRESENTATION. 
          AND I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU. 
          MY NAME IS BLANCHE GEORGE AND I'M FROM THE WEST SIDE OF THE VALLEY. 
          I ECHO WHAT SUSAN SAID, BUT I WANT TO ADD A FEW THINGS. 
          AGAIN, IT'S NOT EASY WHAT YOU GUYS ARE GOING TO DO AND IT'S GOING TO BE VERY DIFFICULT. 
          BUT I BELIEVE IN YOUR INTERNAL STRENGTH. I WANT TO BRING YOU BACK TO COVID AND WHAT
HAPPENED BACK THEN? I WAS A WORKING INDIVIDUAL THAT ALSO SUPPORTED MY NONPROFITS. 
          I WAS ALSO A VOLUNTEER FOR THE STATE TO BE CALLED UP FOR ANY EMERGENCY,
AS WELL AS THE RED CROSS VOLUNTEER. 
          THE STATE WENT AHEAD AND CALLED US UP. THEY CALLED US UP FOR SMALL THINGS,
BUT THIS WAS A BIG THING WHEN COVID HIT. 
          WE WERE FIRST THE GUINEA PIGS OF TAKING THE SHOTS BECAUSE EVERYBODY WAS SCARED. 
          BUT THERE WAS AND YOU GUYS REWARDED US. I HAVE CERTIFICATES THAT YOU GUYS SIGNED. 
          I HAVE THE CHALLENGE COIN FOR THE TWO AND A HALF YEARS OF SERVICE THAT I GAVE TO THIS
COUNTY, BESIDES WORKING. EMPLOYEES WERE SCARED COUNTY CITY EMPLOYEES AS WELL AS JUST REGULAR, EVERYDAY PEOPLE. BUT THERE WAS ABOUT THREE DOZEN OF US FOR TWO
AND A HALF YEARS VOLUNTEERED DURING COVID. 
          THE DOCTOR FOR COVID SHOTS GOT PAID, WHICH WAS ESSENTIAL. 
          THE REST OF THOSE INDIVIDUALS THAT WERE OUT THERE IN BOOTHS,
FILLING OUT FORMS AND EVEN BEING PASSED AROUND TO CITIES TO HELP FILL OUT THE FORMS THAT THE DATA INPUT. 
          WE DID THAT THERE WAS ABOUT THREE, THREE DOZEN OF US. 
          WE HAD TO TALK TO PEOPLE ABOUT HEALTH REASONS,
WHY TO TAKE THE COVID SHOT? WE HAD ONE PERSON FROM THE COUNTY THAT WOULD COME OUT. 
          HELEN MITCHELL CAME OUT. HANDS ON DECK. STRAIGHT SHOOTER. 
          SHE WORKED COMPLETELY. SO MY EXPERIENCE WAS THAT INDIVIDUALS THAT REGULAR FOLKS CAME OUT TO HELP FEED. REGULAR FOLKS STEPPED UP DURING THIS CHALLENGING
TIME. 
          AND WE NOW HAVE A SIMILAR CHALLENGING TIME. I DO WANT TO SAY THAT WHILE WE'RE TALKING
ABOUT THE INDIVIDUALS THAT THAT NEED AID DESPERATELY AND THE CHANGES THAT ARE GOING TO HAPPEN WOULD
ALSO REALLY SHOULD REALLY BE FOCUSED. 
          MA'AM, I'M GOING TO LET YOU FINISH YOUR THOUGHT AND THEN YOUR TIME IS UP. 
          WHAT'S GOING TO BE EFFECTIVE IF I'LL COME BACK TO YOUR YOU NEXT MEET AND FINISH UP. 
          THANK YOU. IT'S GOING TO BE THE MIDDLE INCOME INDIVIDUALS. 
          THE PEOPLE THAT ARE BARELY SCRAPING ON. THOSE ARE THE INDIVIDUALS THAT SHOULD BE ALSO
ESPECIALLY FOCUSED BECAUSE. 
          THANK YOU MA'AM. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. 
          ALL RIGHTY. GOOD MORNING, BOARD OF SUPERVISORS. 
          KARTHICK PRASAD FROM CONGRESSMAN GRAY'S OFFICE. AND I FIGURE THIS WOULD BE A GREAT PLACE
FOR ME TO JUMP IN. 
          CONSIDERING THIS PRESENTATION WAS A PRETTY GOOD PRESENTATION OF THE REASONS WHY WE OPPOSED
H.R. 
          ONE. AND UNFORTUNATELY, IT CONFIRMS A LOT OF OUR WORST FEARS ON HOW THE BUDGET BILL WAS
GOING TO AFFECT THE COUNTY. 
          THE MEDICAID, THE CUTS TO MEDICAID AND SNAP WERE THE BIG CONCERNS. 
          AND BACK IN FEBRUARY, THE CONGRESSMAN OFFERED A AMENDMENT TO THE BUDGET BILL THAT WOULD
HAVE PREVENTED A LOT OF THE CUTS TO MEDICAID. 
          BUT OF COURSE, THOSE AMENDMENTS WERE NOT ADOPTED. 
          AND NOW, ACROSS THE FIVE COUNTIES WE REPRESENT. 
          WE'RE LOOKING AT CLOSE TO 420,000 INDIVIDUALS WHO MIGHT LOSE COVERAGE. 
          [01:25:04]
AS WE FURTHER SEE THE EFFECTS OF H.R. ONE. RIGHT BEFORE THE RECESS IN AUGUST,
I THINK END OF JULY, IT WAS THE CONGRESSMAN INTRODUCED A BILL THE RESTORE FULL MEDICAID FUNDING AND PROTECT
CARE FOR VALLEY FAMILIES BILL, WHICH AIMS TO DO EXACTLY WHAT IT SAYS ON THE TIN. 
          AND WE'RE GOING TO BE WORKING HARD ON THAT ONE. 
          AND NOW THAT WE'VE GOT OUR NEW OFFICE IN MERCED,
JUST AROUND THE CORNER, 602 WEST 20TH STREET. 
          YOU CAN BET THAT DURING AUGUST, WE'RE GOING TO BE SPENDING A LOT OF TIME WORKING WITH THE
BOARD AND WORKING WITH RESIDENTS AND MEMBERS OF ALL THE COMMUNITIES WE REPRESENT TO FIGURE OUT OUR PLAN FOR SEPTEMBER, BECAUSE WE'RE GOING TO BE HITTING THE GROUND RUNNING IN
SEPTEMBER TO FIGURE OUT WHAT WE CAN RECOVER, WHAT WE CAN PUSH BACK, AND WHAT WE CAN DO TO ENSURE THAT THE COUNTY DOESN'T NECESSARILY
HAVE TO JUMP THROUGH THE HOOPS THAT THE STATE WILL PUT. 
          SO WE'RE GOING TO BE WORKING HARD ON THAT. AND I KNOW THE COUNTY IS IN CONVERSATION WITH
OUR OFFICE, AND WE'RE GOING TO KEEP GOING FORWARD ON THAT. SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU. 
          ANY OTHER COMMENT? OKAY. 
          GOOD MORNING, BOARD MEMBERS. JUST SPEAKING AS A MEMBER OF THE COMMUNITY THAT'S VERY
CONCERNED ABOUT THE IMPACT OF THESE CUTS ON ALL OF THE MOST VULNERABLE MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY. SO I'M VERY FORTUNATE PERSON. 
          I'M NOT AN ESPECIALLY VULNERABLE MEMBER. I HAVE A NICE HOUSE. 
          I HAVE A GOOD LIFE. SO I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT MAYBE IT'S TIME TO THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX
A LITTLE. 
          WE USUALLY TALK ABOUT THINKING OUTSIDE THE BOX. 
          WE WANT TO CUT BACK AND MAKE PEOPLE WORK HARDER AND,
YOU KNOW, TAKE ON MORE HOURS AND THINGS LIKE THAT. 
          BUT MAYBE WE NEED TO THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX IN TERMS OF HOW CAN WE HELP THESE PEOPLE? CAN WE DO SOMETHING LIKE THE WPA? CAN WE RAISE TAXES? I KNOW THAT'S ANATHEMA TO MOST PEOPLE, BUT I'M JUST SAYING I CAN AFFORD TO HAVE MY TAXES
RAISED. 
          I'M WILLING TO HAVE THEM RAISED IN ORDER TO HELP PEOPLE BASED ON THESE FEDERAL CUTS. 
          AND SO I JUST WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO THINK ABOUT WAYS IN WHICH WE CAN PROVIDE FOR PEOPLE
AND NOT JUST ACCEPT THESE CUTBACKS. THANK YOU. 
          OKAY. NOT SEEING ANYBODY ELSE, THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD FOR THE PRESENTATION IS NOW
CLOSED, AND I'LL BRING IT BACK TO THE BOARD FOR ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION. 
          I JUST WANTED TO WELL, FIRST I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO THE STAFF FOR PREPARING THIS. 
          I DON'T THINK THE INTENTION WAS TO PUT FEAR INTO ANYBODY,
BUT MORE TO HIGHLIGHT HOW THIS IS GOING TO IMPACT US MOVING FORWARD. 
          AND I THINK THAT THEY'RE TAKING. I APPRECIATE THE STAFF TAKING A PROACTIVE APPROACH. 
          AND, YOU KNOW, MY COLLEAGUES UP HERE ASKED SOME REALLY GOOD QUESTIONS. 
          AND AND THEY GOT THE ANSWERS BECAUSE IT JUST HIGHLIGHTS THE FACT THAT OUR STAFF WAS
PREPARED AND KNOWS, YOU KNOW, THE IMPACTS. AND THEY'RE THINKING ALREADY AHEAD ABOUT HOW WE CAN ABSORB SOME OF
THESE. 
          AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTICE OR TO UNDERSTAND THAT,
YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A VERY VULNERABLE POPULATION IN MERCED COUNTY. 
          AND SO THAT'S WHY I, I'M HAPPY THAT WE WERE ABLE TO DO THIS BECAUSE WE'RE WE'RE
ACKNOWLEDGING THAT. 
          AND I THINK THAT WE'RE RECOGNIZING THE FACT THAT THESE IMPACTS ARE GOING TO HURT US. 
          BUT HOW MUCH IT DOES IS IMPORTANT TO KNOW BEFORE WE ACTUALLY GET TO THAT. 
          SO WITH THAT I'M GOING TO I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD AND ASK IF WE TAKE IF WE CAN TAKE A FIVE
MINUTE BREAK AND THEN COME BACK AND DO THE REST OF OUR AGENDA. 
          THANK YOU. GOOD IDEA. GOOD. JOSH? OKAY. I'M GOING TO CALL THE MEETING BACK TO ORDER. 
          WE WILL NOW MOVE ON TO THE CONSENT CALENDAR. CONSENT AGENDA 
          [CONSENT CALENDAR]
CALENDAR ITEMS ONE THROUGH 14. PLEASE NOTE ITEMS ONE THROUGH SIX REQUIRE A 4/5 VOTE. 
          OKAY. AT THIS TIME, I WILL OPEN PUBLIC COMMENT FOR CONSENT CALENDAR ITEMS ONE THROUGH 14. 
          CAN WE CLOSE THE DOORS IN THE BACK, PLEASE? THANK YOU. 
          THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD FOR CONSENT CALENDAR ITEMS ONE THROUGH 14 IS NOW CLOSED. 
          I'LL BRING IT BACK TO THE BOARD. MOTION BY SUPERVISOR PAREIRA,
SECONDED BY SUPERVISOR PACHECO. CALL FOR THE VOTE. RECORD THE VOTE. 
          MOTION PASSES. WE WILL NOW MOVE ON TO BOARD ACTION BEGINNING WITH PUBLIC WORKS. 
          [BOARD ACTION]
          [01:30:04]
ITEMS 15 THROUGH 17, WITH ITEM 17 REQUIRING A 4/5 VOTE. 
          OKAY, AT THIS TIME I WILL OPEN PUBLIC COMMENT FOR PUBLIC WORKS ITEMS 15 THROUGH 17. 
          PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD. FOR PUBLIC WORKS ITEMS 15 THROUGH 17 IS NOW CLOSED. 
          BRING IT BACK TO THE BOARD. I HAVE A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA SECONDED BY SUPERVISOR
MCDANIEL. 
          CALL FOR THE VOTE. RECORD THE VOTE. MOTION UNANIMOUSLY PASSES. 
          NEXT WE HAVE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AND RECOVERY SERVICES. 
          ITEMS 18 THROUGH 21. AT THIS TIME I WILL OPEN PUBLIC COMMENT FOR ITEMS 18 THROUGH 21. 
          PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD FOR ITEMS 18 THROUGH 21 IS NOW CLOSED. 
          BACK TO THE BOARD. I HAVE A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR PAREIRA. 
          SECOND BY SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA. CALL FOR THE VOTE. 
          PLEASE RECORD THE VOTE. MOTION UNANIMOUSLY PASSES. 
          NEXT WE HAVE HUMAN SERVICES AGENCY. AT THIS TIME. 
          SORRY. ITEMS 22 THROUGH 24. AT THIS TIME, I WILL OPEN PUBLIC COMMENT FOR HSA ITEMS 22 THROUGH 24. PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD FOR HSA ITEMS 22 THROUGH 24 IS NOW CLOSED. 
          BRING IT BACK TO THE BOARD. A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR. 
          PRAYER SECONDED BY SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA. CALL FOR THE VOTE. 
          PLEASE RECORD THE VOTE. MOTION UNANIMOUSLY PASSES. 
          NEXT, WE HAVE PUBLIC HEALTH ITEMS 25 AND 26. AT THIS TIME I WILL OPEN PUBLIC COMMENT FOR
HEALTH ITEMS 25 AND 26 PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD. FOR HEALTH ITEMS 25 AND 26 IS NOW CLOSED. 
          BRING IT BACK TO THE BOARD. I HAVE A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA SECONDED BY SUPERVISOR
MCDANIEL. 
          CALL FOR THE VOTE. PLEASE RECORD THE VOTE. MOTION UNANIMOUSLY PASSES. 
          NEXT WE HAVE FIRE. ITEM 27. AT THIS TIME I WILL OPEN PUBLIC COMMENT FOR FIRE. 
          ITEM 27. THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD FOR FIRE. ITEM 27 IS NOW CLOSED. 
          BRING IT BACK TO THE BOARD. I HAVE A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA,
SECONDED BY SUPERVISOR PACHECO. 
          CALL FOR THE VOTE. PLEASE RECORD THE VOTE. THE MOTION UNANIMOUSLY PASSES. 
          NEXT, WE HAVE PROBATION. ITEM 28. AT THIS TIME,
I WILL OPEN PUBLIC COMMENT FOR PROBATION. 
          ITEM 28. PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD FOR PROBATION. 
          ITEM 28 IS NOW CLOSED. BRING IT BACK TO THE BOARD. 
          I HAVE A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR PAREIRA, SECONDED BY SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA. 
          CALL FOR THE VOTE. PLEASE RECORD THE VOTE. 
          MOTION UNANIMOUSLY PASSES. NEXT WE HAVE SHERIFF ITEMS 29 THROUGH 31 AND AS INDICATED ON
THE AGENDA ITEM 30 HAS BEEN PULLED. AT THIS TIME, I WILL OPEN PUBLIC COMMENT FOR SHERIFF ITEMS 29 AND 31. 
          PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD FOR SHERIFF ITEMS 29 AND 31 IS NOW CLOSED. 
          BRING IT BACK TO THE BOARD. IS THERE A SECOND? I HAVE A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR PACHECO. SECOND BY SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA. 
          CALL FOR THE VOTE. PLEASE RECORD THE VOTE. MOTION. 
          NANCY PASSES. NEXT WE HAVE COUNTY EXECUTIVE OFFICE. 
          ITEMS 32 AND 33. AT THIS TIME, I WILL OPEN PUBLIC COMMENT FOR ITEMS 32 AND 33. 
          PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD FOR EXECUTIVE OFFICE ITEMS. OH, SUPERVISOR PRAYER. SORRY, DID YOU CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENT? YES. OKAY. I JUST WANTED TO, YOU KNOW, SUNSHINE,
THIS ITEM 32 WITH MY COLLEAGUES. 
          I KNOW YOU ALL DRIVE LAGRANGE ROAD FROM TIME TO TIME,
AND AND SO SENATOR ALVARADO GIL HAS AGREED TO CARRY SOME LEGISLATION AND IS LOOKING FOR SUPPORT. AND BASICALLY LAGRANGE ROAD RUNS THROUGH MERCED,
STANISLAUS AND TUOLUMNE COUNTY. 
          AND SO FAR, NO OPPOSITION TO THE ITEM. AND, AND BUT,
YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO SHOW OUR SUPPORT. 
          AND THE OTHER COUNTIES, I BELIEVE, PLAN TO DO THE SAME. 
          [01:35:01]
SO THANK YOU. OH, AND THANK YOU TO OUR PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR,
NATHAN BRAY, AND HIS TEAM FOR FOR WORKING ON THIS ISSUE WITH ME. 
          AND, AND HE ACTUALLY WROTE A LETTER YOU KNOW,
DIDN'T IT DIDN'T MAKE IT INTO THE PRESS RELEASE, HIS QUOTE. MINE DID. BUT ANYWAYS, HIS WAS BETTER THAN MINE,
I THOUGHT SO, THANK YOU. 
          SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. I JUST WANT TO HIGHLIGHT LLOYD OR SUPERVISOR
PAREIRA HIS WORK ON THIS. I THINK HE'S DONE THIS FROM THE DAY THAT HE WALKED INTO OFFICE. 
          THIS IS A ROAD THAT IS DEFINITELY UTILIZED BY NOT ONLY MERCER COUNTY,
BUT MARIPOSA COUNTY, TUOLUMNE COUNTY. EVERYBODY IMPACT FROM COMMUTING BACK AND FORTH HAULING LIVESTOCK. 
          TRUCKING GOODS MOVEMENT. AND THE BURDEN HAS FALLEN ON TO EACH OF THE COUNTIES TO MAINTAIN
THIS. 
          THIS IS DEFINITELY A STATE ROUTE. AND I JUST WANT TO APPRECIATE YOUR WORK. YOU HAVE NOT
BACKED OFF OF IT ONE TIME. 
          SUPERVISOR PAREIRA. YEAH. AND I, AND I SHOULD MENTION,
I HAVE WORKED ON THIS FOR EIGHT YEARS, AND I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE OUR CONGRESSMAN GRAY,
WHEN HE WAS IN THE STATE LEGISLATURE, WAS WORKING ON LEGISLATION. 
          HOWEVER, YOU KNOW, WE WEREN'T ABLE TO GET ACROSS THE FINISH LINE BEFORE HE TURNED OUT. 
          AND SO YOU KNOW, HE AND HIS TEAM WORKED ON THIS AND REALLY SET THE FOUNDATION THAT HELPED
US TODAY. 
          SO I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT. YEAH. YEAH. I DO WANT TO SAY THANK YOU AND CONGRATULATE YOU
ON ON THE HARD WORK YOU PUT INTO THIS. I KNOW WHEN I GOT THE EMAIL ASKING FOR THE BOARD TO SUBMIT A
LETTER OF SUPPORT, I SAID, I CAN'T SEE WHY WE WOULDN'T, BUT I THINK THAT THIS REALLY SHOWS YOUR TENACITY,
IF YOU WILL. 
          SO WOULD YOU, LIKE, CARE TO MAKE THE MOTION? I WOULD LOVE TO. 
          WE HAVE A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR PAREIRA, SECONDED BY SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA. 
          CALL FOR THE VOTE. PLEASE RECORD THE VOTE. MOTION UNANIMOUSLY PASSES. 
          NEXT, WE HAVE BOARD APPOINTMENTS, ITEMS 34 THROUGH 37. 
          AT THIS TIME, I WILL OPEN PUBLIC COMMENT FOR BOARD APPOINTMENTS. 
          ITEMS 34 THROUGH 37. SEVEN. PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD. 
          FOR BOARD APPOINTMENTS, ITEMS 34 THROUGH 37 IS NOW CLOSED. 
          I HAVE A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR PAREIRA SECONDED BY SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA. 
          PLEASE CALL FOR THE VOTE. LLOYD. SORRY. PLEASE RECORD THE VOTE. MOTION UNANIMOUSLY PASSES. BOARD REPORTS. 
          AT THIS TIME, WE WILL HAVE BOARD REPORTS STARTING WITH SUPERVISOR PACHECO. 
          [REPORTS/BOARD DIRECTION]
HOLD ON. 
          THANK YOU. CHAIR. I JUST HAVE A COUPLE OF THINGS. 
          ON AUGUST 1ST, I ATTENDED THE 60TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION OF THE LIVINGSTON TRUE
HARDWARE. 
          THEY'VE BEEN A STAPLE THERE IN LIVINGSTON, AND THE FREEZING FAMILIES WANT TO CONGRATULATE
THEM AND THEIR STAFF ON A GREAT OCCASION AND HOPEFULLY A LONG FUTURE IN BUSINESS THERE IN LIVINGSTON. I ALSO ATTENDED THE LIVINGSTON NATIONAL NIGHT OUT, AND I WANT TO CONGRATULATE THE CITY OF LIVINGSTON AND POLICE DEPARTMENT ON A GREAT EVENT
DOWN THERE. 
          I WAS ABLE TO DONATE 100 BACKPACKS, WHICH THE RECREATION DEPARTMENT AND THE CITY WERE ABLE
TO GET FILLED. 
          SO WE GOT 100 BACKPACKS FULL OF SCHOOL SUPPLIES FOR THE KIDS STARTING SCHOOL IN
LIVINGSTON. SO GOOD THINGS HAPPEN AT LIVINGSTON. 
          THAT'S ALL I HAVE. SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL. THANK YOU,
MISTER CHAIR. 
          I HAD AN INTRODUCTORY MEETING WITH OUR DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT,
TAMARA SPADE. 
          I DON'T SEE TAMARA HERE, BUT IT WAS A VERY FRUITFUL ONE. 
          I DO KNOW HER FROM WAY BACK. I WAS VERY GOOD FRIENDS WITH HER MOTHER AS WELL. 
          AND LOOKING FORWARD. SHE'S ALREADY HIT THE GROUND RUNNING AND LOOKING FORWARD TO WHAT SHE
HAS COMING UP. 
          I WAS ALSO PARTICIPATED IN THE GOLDEN VALLEY HEALTH CENTERS ATWATER ADMINISTRATION
BUILDING, RIBBON CUTTING, AND PARTNER APPRECIATION. I WAS PRIVILEGED TO BE A SPEAKER AT THE EVENT
AND VERY PROUD OF THAT EVENT. 
          THEY'VE DONE A $7 MILLION INVESTMENT IN THE IN THE BUILDING AND OVER 200 EMPLOYEES OUT AT
CASTLE, AS WELL AS 124 PEOPLE PARTICIPATING IN TRAINING AT ALL TIMES AT THE AT THAT LOCATION. 
          SO DEFINITELY, IT HIGHLIGHTS EXACTLY WHAT WE ARE TRYING TO DEVELOP AT CASTLE CREATING NEW
JOBS. 
          [01:40:03]
AND I APPRECIATE THEIR INVESTMENT. I DID HAVE A GOOD MEETING WITH THE MERCER COUNTY FOOD
BANK HUNGER AND FOOD INSECURITY DISCUSSION. 
          THEY ACTUALLY HIGHLIGHTED A LOT OF STUFF THAT I WAS UNAWARE OF,
OF WHAT THEY WERE DOING AND HOW MANY PANTRIES WE ACTUALLY HAVE HERE IN THE COUNTY, AND HOW THEY ARE THE SUPPLIER TO TO A LOT OF THOSE THINGS. 
          SO WE ARE LOOKING AT DIFFERENT WAYS THAT WE COULD HELP AND PARTICIPATE IN THAT. 
          ALSO, WE HAD A SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY SPECIAL POLICY COUNCIL EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEETING. 
          WE'RE LOOKING AT ALL KINDS OF PROBLEMS HERE IN ACTUALLY AT STATEWIDE CALIFORNIA. 
          THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION'S EXECUTIVE DIRECTION ON THE CALIFORNIA AIR QUALITY HAS STOPPED
ALL PROJECTS IN THE STATE. WE HAVE A LOT JUST HERE IN MERCED COUNTY THAT'S ON A STANDSTILL. 
          I CAN I CAN SAY THAT OUR LOBBYIST IS WORKING DIRECTLY WITH THE EPA ADMINISTRATOR OR
SECRETARY, AND WE ARE WORKING THROUGH IT, BUT NOW WE HAVE NOT ONLY MERCED COUNTY WORKING ON IT. 
          THE WHOLE VALLEY IS WORKING ON IT AND BEING ON THAT COMMITTEE. 
          WE'RE TAKING SPECIAL INTEREST IN THAT IN DISCUSSIONS WE'LL HAVE NEXT MONTH IN WASHINGTON,
D.C.. 
          ALSO, I ATTENDED THE MERCER COUNTY EMPLOYMENT PATHWAY PROGRAM. 
          GRADUATION. PROBATION WAS THERE AS WELL. VERY IMPRESSIVE. 
          WHAT THIS PROGRAM IS DOING AND THE FOLKS WHO ARE GOING THROUGH IT ALSO HAD A VERY
INTERESTING TRASH HAULER DISCUSSION. 
          ONE OF OUR LOCAL TRASH HAULERS AND THE PERMITTING PROCESS AND GETTING EVERYBODY IN LINE. 
          APPRECIATE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS. WORKING WITH ON THAT. 
          AND I THINK MAYBE WE HIGHLIGHTED SOME STUFF THAT WE NEEDED TO,
TO DO BETTER, AND I APPRECIATE THEM LOOKING INTO IT. 
          ALSO ATTENDED JUDGE ASHLEY ABALONE SAUCERS INVESTMENT CEREMONY. 
          INVESTITURE CEREMONY. IT WAS QUITE IMPRESSIVE. 
          SHE DOES LIVE IN DISTRICT THREE, MERCER COUNTY AND VERY MUCH APPRECIATED IT. 
          AND IT WAS FUNNY RIGHT AFTER SHE SWORE IN ON HER WAY OUT. 
          SHE ACTUALLY HAD SOME ISSUES SHE HAD WITH DISTRICT THREE AND BROUGHT THEM UP TO ME RIGHT
AWAY. 
          AND I'D LIKE TO ALSO LET EVERYBODY KNOW THAT THE ATWATER MOBILE DISTRICT HOURS ARE THE
FOURTH THURSDAY OF EACH MONTH FROM 130 TO 330. 
          AT THE COMMUNITY CENTER. THEY'RE IN ATWATER. WE'RE ACCESSIBLE. 
          I APPRECIATE THE CONGRESSMAN STAFF BEING THERE. 
          WE ALSO HAVE STATE LEGISLATOR STAFF THERE, AS WELL AS THE CITY MANAGER OF ATWATER HAS
ACTUALLY BEEN PRESENT. 
          SO IF YOU HAVE SOME KIND OF GOVERNMENTAL ISSUE,
YOU GOT SOMEBODY THERE THAT CAN PROBABLY HELP YOU OUT. 
          SO PLEASE LOOK AT THAT. I WANT TO DO A BIG CONGRATULATIONS TO MY SON CORBETT AND MY
DAUGHTER IN LAW MONTANA HAVING. THEY'RE MY FIRST GRANDCHILD. I DIDN'T THINK I'D. 
          I'M SO OVERJOYED WITH IT. I DIDN'T THINK I'D HAVE A HARD TIME SAYING IT,
BUT EARL ROYAL MCDANIEL WAS BORN LAST WEEK. 
          AND THEN I'D LIKE TO ADJOURN IN HONOR OF GEN JIM WILLIAMSON,
LONGTIME PERSON WHO DID SERVED IN MANY CAPACITIES HERE IN MERCER COUNTY. 
          HIS LATEST ONE WAS WITH TREE PARTNERS. ANYTIME HE WOULD SHOW UP,
HE'D BE READY. 
          CASTLE VETERANS ORGANIZATION. HE WAS VERY PERSISTENT IN US MAKING SURE WE GOT THE LAWN AND
THE SPRINKLERS DONE THERE AND GOT THE TREES PLANTED, AND I JUST WANT TO SAY HIS PASSING. I'D LIKE TO ADJOURN IN HIS HONOR AS WELL. 
          THANK YOU, MISTER CHAIR. THANK YOU. SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA. 
          THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. A COUPLE OF THINGS. I TOO,
I DID MEET WITH TAMARA IN AN OFFICIAL CAPACITY IN MY OFFICE, BUT BEFORE THAT, I JUST WANT TO THANK HER AND MARK MIMS. THERE'S ACTUALLY A GROUP THAT'S GOT SOME INTERESTING IDEAS OVER ON THE WEST SIDE IN THE
LAS VEGAS AREA. 
          AND SO I KIND OF LET IT LAST ON A MOMENT'S NOTICE. 
          SHE HAD ONLY BEEN ON THE JOB FOR A WEEK, ASK THEM TO COME OUT AND MEET WITH THOSE FOLKS
AND THE THE ACTING CITY MANAGER AND THE MAYOR OF LAS VEGAS TO DISCUSS KIND OF REVIVING AN ISSUE THAT OR AN ISSUE. A PROJECT THAT WAS TALKED ABOUT SOME YEARS BACK,
AND THERE SEEMS TO BE SOME MORE INTEREST IN THAT. 
          AND SO AS IT WOULD BE KIND OF LIKE A, A PUBLIC,
PUBLIC, PRIVATE KIND OF PARTNERSHIP TO INVOLVE THE COUNTY AND THE CITY OF LAS VEGAS. 
          AND SO IT WAS VERY THANKFUL THAT THE MAYOR AND THE CITY MANAGER MET. 
          AND SO I WANT TO THANK TAMARA FOR BEING THERE AS WELL,
AS MIMS WAS JOINED US BY ZOOM. 
          I DID TWO MEET WITH THE MERCER COUNTY FOOD BANK. 
          YOU KNOW, I LEARNED SOME INTERESTING STUFF. I JUST I JUST DIDN'T REALLY WASN'T AWARE THAT, LIKE, SOME OF THESE, THE LARGER, YOU KNOW, THE COSTCO'S OF THE WORLD,
ACTUALLY STUFF THAT IS GETTING CLOSE TO EXPIRATION DATES, 
          [01:45:04]
THEY CAN ACTUALLY DONATE THAT STUFF TO THE FOOD BANK,
AND THEY GET CREDITS FOR BEING ABLE TO DO THAT AS BEING PART OF A LARGER. 
          I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S A STATEWIDE OR NATIONWIDE ASSOCIATION. 
          SO SOME INTERESTING STUFF. ONE OF THE HIGHLIGHTS THAT I TOOK FROM THAT IS,
IS, YOU KNOW, THE DEMAND HAS ALWAYS KIND OF BEEN HERE. 
          AND WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT COVID AND CARES ACT AND ALL THE DOLLARS THAT CAME IN,
THEY WERE ABLE TO MEET THE DEMAND. 
          AND NOW THOSE DOLLARS ARE GOING AWAY, BUT THE DEMAND STILL STAYS THERE. 
          AND SO THEY'RE FACING CHALLENGES, UNIQUE CHALLENGES. 
          WITH ALL THE PANTRIES THAT THEY DELIVER TO AND,
AND, AND HOW THEY ARE ABLE TO GET THAT FOOD OUT THERE. 
          AND SO THAT WAS A VERY ENLIGHTENING AND VERY INSIGHTFUL MEETING. 
          I WANTED TO TALK ABOUT ARTS IS LIKE EVERYTHING ELSE THAT'S GOING ON RIGHT NOW. 
          THE FUNDING STREAM IS IS NOT CURRENTLY STABLE. 
          AND SO WE'RE WE'RE KIND OF AT A CROSSROADS, IN MY OPINION,
WITH THE ARTS IS THAT, YOU KNOW, ALL THE JURISDICTIONS THAT ARE INVOLVED, INCLUDING THE FIVE COUNTIES IN THE CITY OF
FRESNO, REALLY NEED TO GO BACK TO THE DRAWING BOARD AND FIGURE OUT IF AND HOW WE'RE GOING TO BE
ABLE TO CONTINUE THE SERVICE, BECAUSE WITHOUT THE ASSISTANCE OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT THROUGH THE YOSEMITE NATIONAL
PARK. 
          I JUST DON'T KNOW THAT THAT SERVICE SURVIVES. 
          BUT WE WILL CONTINUE TO FIGHT THE GOOD FIGHT. 
          WE KIND OF WENT FROM A PLACE WHERE WE'RE JUST ALWAYS JUST BARELY HANGING ON AND GETTING
BY. 
          WE WERE ABLE TO SECURE SOME WHAT DID THEY CALL THEM NOW? I CALL THEM EARMARKS, BUT THEY CALL THEM SOMETHING ELSE AT THE CONGRESSIONAL LEVEL THAT
WE'RE ABLE TO BUY SOME BUSSES. 
          AND IT WAS ABLE TO CONTINUE THAT PROGRAM. AND NOW WE'RE BACK TO WHERE WE'RE BARELY HANGING
ON. 
          I WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE DOS PALOS HISTORICAL SOCIETY. 
          I MET WITH THOSE FOLKS OVER THERE. MY GOOD FRIEND GERALDINE CHAMBERS SENT ME AN EMAIL. 
          AS YOU KNOW, THE LIBRARY MOVED FROM ITS OLD LOCATION IN DOS PALOS TO ITS NEW LOCATION,
AND THEY THEY OCCUPY A LITTLE SPACE RIGHT NEXT DOOR TO THAT USED TO BE THE OLD DOS PALACE JAIL. THAT'S WHERE THE DOS PALACE HISTORICAL SOCIETY HAS THEIR MUSEUM. 
          AND NOW THAT THE OLD LIBRARY HAS BECOME AVAILABLE,
THEY'RE INTERESTED IN THAT SPACE. 
          AND SO, HER EMAIL READ THAT SHE'S 85 YEARS OLD AND SHE WANTS TO SEE THIS PROJECT AT LEAST
GET STARTED BEFORE SHE LEAVES THIS EARTH. 
          AND SO THAT KIND OF TUGGED AT MY HEARTSTRINGS A LITTLE BIT. 
          AND SO I WANT TO THANK NATHAN BRAY AND, AND MARCY BARRERA AND THE LIBRARY FOLKS FOR REALLY
KIND OF HELPING TO AT LEAST ALLOW THEM GET INTO THE SPACE TO BE ABLE TO, YOU KNOW, DESIGN A PLAN. AND I THINK THAT IT'S GOING TO BE SOMETHING INTERESTING FOR DOS
PALOS TO SHOWCASE THE HISTORY OF THAT. 
          AND WITH THAT MISTER CHAIR, I HAVE NOTHING ELSE TO REPORT. 
          THANK YOU. SUPERVISOR PAREIRA. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. I WANT TO JUST GIVE A SHOUT OUT OR A HIGHLIGHT. 
          SO ITEM 34 THAT THAT YOU ALL PASSED WITH ME. APPOINTED ZORA OCHOA TO BECOME A MEMBER OF
THE MUNICIPAL ADVISORY COUNCIL, AND AND I WANT TO REMIND YOU,
DO YOU REMEMBER THE THE LITTLE YOUNG GAL THAT CAME TO OUR MEETING ADVOCATING FOR THE SIDEWALKS ON WINTON WAY. RIGHT. ABOUT THIS TALL AND KIND OF QUIET. 
          SO THAT'S HER. AND JUST FOR THE PUBLIC. SO THERE WAS AN ISSUE. 
          THERE'S NO SIDEWALKS ON IT. AND WAY TO GO FROM WINTON TO THE HIGH SCHOOL. 
          AND AND A LOT OF STUDENTS WALK THAT. AND SO ZARA CAME TO THE MEETING AND,
YOU KNOW, SHARED THE PROBLEM. 
          AND SO I TASKED HER WITH GOING BACK AND GETTING A PETITION DONE AND SIGNATURES AND AND I
SAID, YOU KNOW, AND DON'T HAVE YOUR COUSIN SIGN IT,
WHO LIVES IN TURLOCK. 
          AND, YOU KNOW, IT NEEDS TO BE STUDENTS THAT ARE AFFECTED OR STAFF,
YOU KNOW, SHE CAME BACK WITH, I BELIEVE, OVER 800 SIGNATURES IN A COUPLE OF DAYS. 
          AND SO THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT, YOU KNOW,
HEARD THAT, PICKED IT UP. 
          AND AND SHE WAS SO SHY AT THAT FIRST MAC MEETING THAT REALLY SHE HAD TO BE COACHED THROUGH
TALKING. 
          RIGHT. AND, AND AND SO THEN NATHAN BRAY AND HIS DEPARTMENT DID THE THE DESIGNING AND NOW
THAT PROJECT HAS BEEN FUNDED AND AND IT'LL START HOPEFULLY SOON. BUT ANYWAYS. AND SO NOW SHE IS APPLIED TO AND IS NOW ON THE WINTON
MAC. 
          AND SO, YOU KNOW, THOSE ARE THE KIND OF STORIES THAT MAKE THIS JOB FUN,
RIGHT? THAT SOME QUIET LITTLE YOUNG PERSON SAW A PROBLEM AND THROUGH THE PROCESS OF GETTING THAT
PROBLEM SOLVED, BLOSSOMED INTO A WONDERFUL CITIZEN WHO CAN SPEAK IN PUBLIC. 
          AND AND SO I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THAT. AND THANK YOU FOR INDULGING ME. 
          TWO CONGRATULATIONS TO TAMARA SPADE. I MET WITH HER AND LOVE HER ENTHUSIASM AND AND NOT
ONLY HER ENTHUSIASM, BUT HER SKILL SET. I THINK SHE'S GOING TO BE A GREAT ADDITION TO OUR TEAM. 
          AND THERE'S SOME PROJECTS GOING ON OUT TOWARDS DELL AND HILMAR AND,
AND SO WE GOT HER UP TO SPEED ON THOSE AND LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH HER. 
          [01:50:03]
SO ALSO ATTENDED THE INVESTITURE CEREMONY FOR ASHLEY ALBERT,
TONY SALSA, AND AND I JUST MET HER ACTUALLY A COUPLE OF 2 OR 3 WEEKS BEFORE AT,
AT HOLA CAFE DOWNTOWN. 
          AND YOU KNOW, SHE JUST SEEMED LIKE THIS NICE YOUNG PERSON THAT SEEMED REALLY SMART,
AND AND THE NEXT THING I KNOW, SHE HAD ALREADY BEEN APPOINTED. I DIDN'T REALIZE IT AT THE TIME,
BUT SO LOOK FORWARD TO HAVING THAT TALENT HELP THE CITIZENS HERE IN MERCED COUNTY. 
          WE HAVE A AT LEAST IN IN DISTRICT FOUR, THERE'S BEEN AN ISSUE WITH THE ROLLOUT OF THE 1383
CONTRACT AND PROGRAM. 
          AND SO I JUST WANT TO LET PEOPLE KNOW A COUPLE OF THINGS. 
          ONE, THAT THAT WASTE MANAGEMENT TRIED TO DROP OFF RECYCLING CANS AT MY PLACE. 
          WE RECYCLE, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, WE'RE IN THE EXEMPTION AREA. 
          AND SO, YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT REQUIRED BECAUSE PEOPLE IN OUR AREA LIVE SO FAR APART. 
          IT CAUSED MORE POLLUTION THAN WE'RE GOING TO SAVE. 
          SO ON THE DAY THAT HAPPENED, I CALLED WASTE MANAGEMENT. 
          THEY LET THE GENTLEMAN KNOW. YEAH, HE'S IN THE WAVE AREA. 
          WENT AWAY, BUT IT SHOWED UP ON MY BILL. AND AND SO I WORKED WITH WASTE MANAGEMENT,
AND THEY'VE TOLD ME THAT THEY'RE GOING TO CREDIT ME FOR THE ONE MONTH THAT WE PAID AND THEN TAKE IT OFF THE BILL FOR THIS MONTH GOING FORWARD. 
          SO I JUST WANT TO LET PEOPLE KNOW THAT IF IF YOU YOU KNOW,
IF YOU'RE GETTING A BILL THAT YOU DON'T THINK IS RIGHT, YOU KNOW, EITHER REACH OUT TO ME OR REACH OUT TO WASTE MANAGEMENT. 
          THEIR CUSTOMER CARE REPRESENTATIVE I SPOKE WITH WAS A GAL NAMED CYNTHIA,
AND SHE'S SOMEWHERE IN THE UNITED STATES. 
          I HAVE NO IDEA WHERE. SHE'S DEFINITELY NOT IN THAT WATER,
BUT SHE WAS VERY HELPFUL AND GOT BACK TO ME AND ANYWAYS, SO, YOU KNOW, AS THIS ROLLS OUT, YOU KNOW, AND,
YOU KNOW, AND PUBLIC WORKS IS WELL AWARE AND THEY'RE WORKING WITH THE GIS HERE AT THE COUNTY TO TRY TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT WASTE MANAGEMENT AND I THINK THE OTHER HAULERS,
YOU KNOW, FINE TUNE THIS TO WHAT'S APPROPRIATE. SO BUT BUT YOU KNOW,
IF, IF YOU RUN INTO ANYBODY THAT'S GOT AN ISSUE, YOU KNOW, TELL THEM TO CALL BECAUSE WE WANT TO FIX IT. 
          AND YOU KNOW, THE STATE MANDATED THIS TO US AND TO ME SEEMS LIKE A WASTE IN OUR AREA. 
          HOWEVER, WE'VE GOT TO DO IT TO TO THE DEGREE THAT WE HAVE TO DO IT. 
          AND SO WE WANT TO DO IT RIGHT. AND THEN LASTLY I WENT TO A FIELD DAY LAST LAST WEEK. 
          IT WAS KIND OF THE, YOU SEE YOU SEE SYSTEM ALONG WITH WARD,
A NURSERY, THERE'S A RELATIVELY NEW VARIETY OF ALMOND THAT'S CALLED THE YEAR. AND THE NEAT THING ABOUT IT AND THE ER DISTRICT,
I HAD THEM THERE AS WELL, BECAUSE. AND YOU'LL SEE WHY HERE IN A MINUTE. 
          BUT WHEN ALMONDS ARE SHOOK OFF THE TREE, THEY FOLLOW THE GROUND. 
          THEY'VE GOT TO LET THEM SIT FOR 3 TO 5 DAYS TO LOSE MOISTURE. 
          RIGHT. WELL, THIS FREIGHT OF ALMOND, THE THE HOLE OPENS UP ON THE TREE. 
          AND SO THE MOISTURE IS EXPELLED AT THAT TIME SO THEY CAN HARVEST IT WITH CANOPIES. 
          SO LIKE THEY. AND THAT'S REALLY DEVELOPED FOR PISTACHIO HARVESTING. 
          BUT WHAT IT DOES IS THEY DON'T HAVE TO SHAKE,
SWEEP AND BLOW. 
          IT ELIMINATES ALL THE DUST. WELL 99% OF THE DUST. 
          AND SO THERE'S KIND OF A TREND. THERE'S A COUPLE OTHER VARIETIES THAT ALSO KIND OF WILL
MAYBE MEET THIS THRESHOLD. 
          AND SO JUST KIND OF EXCITING. SO, YOU KNOW, AS,
AS WE TALK TO PEOPLE, LET THEM KNOW THAT THERE'S A NEW VARIETY OUT THERE THAT MAY MAKE OUR AIR CLEANER HERE IN THE VALLEY. AND OF COURSE,
WE ALWAYS WANT TO ADVOCATE FOR THAT. 
          SO THAT'S IT. THANK YOU, MISTER CHAIR. THANK YOU,
MISTER HANSEN. 
          MISTER HENDRICKSON, MR. CHAIRMAN, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD CAN THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY. 
          I WANT TO JUST QUICKLY ACKNOWLEDGE EACH OF OUR DEPARTMENTS TODAY WHO I THINK DONE AN
EXCEPTIONAL JOB OF HIGHLIGHTING, OBVIOUSLY, THE CHALLENGES AND RISKS FACING THE MOST DISADVANTAGED AND VULNERABLE IN OUR
COMMUNITY. 
          AND I CERTAINLY WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO THE LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS FOR FOR HIGHLIGHTING
OUR INTENDED GOAL, WHICH WAS TO OPENLY, HONESTLY AND TRANSPARENTLY COMMUNICATE WITH THE COMMUNITY. SO THAT'S
SOMETHING I WANTED TO SAY. THANK YOU TO OUR TEAM FOR THE WORK THAT EACH OF YOU DID, ALONG WITH OUR BUDGET OFFICE, WHO PUT A LOT OF EFFORT INTO DOING THAT. 
          YOU KNOW, AS WE GET READY TO HEAD INTO YOUR FINAL BUDGET IN SEPTEMBER,
I THINK IT'S ACTUALLY ON SEPTEMBER 23RD. 
          IN FACT, JUST WHEN WE MAKE IT VERY CLEAR SO THAT THERE'S NO,
NO CONFUSION AS WE THINK ABOUT WHAT THIS BOARD HAS IN FRONT OF IT, THIS BOARD. SOMETIMES IT'S OFTEN NOTED YOU HAVE A $1.15 BILLION BUDGET THAT IS,
IN FACT TRUE, 81% OF WHICH IS SPOKEN FOR. SO THIS BOARD HAS ZERO FLEXIBILITY WITH REGARD TO THE 81%,
WHICH IS IN SUPPORT OF OUR FUNCTIONS WITH THIS COUNTY. SO I THINK IT'S JUST IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO SET THAT
STAGE SO THAT, AGAIN, THAT THERE'S NO CONFUSION AS TO WHAT THIS BOARD HAS FLEXIBILITY WITH AND WHAT IT
DOES NOT. 
          [01:55:01]
THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. THANK YOU. I HAVE A COUPLE OF THINGS. 
          LAST WEEK I ALSO HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO ATTEND THE MERCED NATIONAL NIGHT OUT,
AND IT'S ALWAYS A VERY WELL ATTENDED EVENT BY THE COMMUNITY. 
          HAD A GOOD MEETING WITH ASSEMBLY MEMBER OR. I'M SORRY. 
          I DEMOTED A CONGRESSMAN GRAY LAST WEEK. HE'S AWARE OF THE EPA ISSUES THAT WE'RE FACING. 
          BECAUSE IT'S SOMETHING THAT'S INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT FOR US HERE IN MERCED COUNTY AND THE
STATE. 
          I HAD A WE HAD A WE MET WITH THE HIGH SPEED RAIL FOLKS,
WHICH WAS MORE FRUSTRATING THAN PRODUCTIVE. 
          AND THEN ALSO, IT'S ALWAYS A FUN TIME. I WENT TO THE THOUSAND BOOKS BEFORE GRADUATION AT
THE LIBRARY EVENT. THERE WAS A LOT OF HOW MANY KIDS WERE THERE. 
          DO YOU REMEMBER? THERE WERE 20 GRADUATES, ALL SUPER YOUNG,
AND EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THE STUDENTS OR ONE OF THE GRADUATES CAME UP AND SHOOK THE HAND AND GOT THEIR CERTIFICATES, WHICH WAS REALLY IT WAS A REALLY CUTE THING. 
          ALSO, I KNOW SOME SCHOOLS HAVE STARTED IN THE COUNTY,
BUT TOMORROW I KNOW MY DAUGHTER STARTED FOURTH GRADE YESTERDAY. 
          TOMORROW THE HIGH SCHOOLS, THE HIGH SCHOOL DISTRICT WILL START,
WHICH MEANS TRAFFIC IS IS GOING TO INCREASE, WHICH MEANS STUDENTS ARE GOING TO BE WALKING. 
          STUDENTS AREN'T NECESSARILY THE MOST ATTENTIVE WHEN THEY'RE OUT AND ABOUT. 
          SO PLEASE MAKE SURE TO PAY ATTENTION. AND I CAN SPEAK ON THAT AS A FORMER TEACHER. 
          AND THEN MY SON IS STARTING FRESHMAN YEAR. HE'S NOT THE MOST ATTENTIVE,
BUT I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO TO HIGHLIGHT THAT. 
          I'D ALSO LIKE TO ADJOURN THE MEETING FOR DOTTIE STEPHENSON. 
          DOTTIE STEPHENSON WAS A LONG TIME RESIDENT OF MERCED. 
          HER DAUGHTER USED TO BE AT OUR HOUSE ALL THE TIME GROWING UP. 
          AND HER HER DAUGHTER AND MY SISTER WERE REALLY CLOSE FRIENDS,
AND SO CLOSE THAT WE CALL HER OUR BIG SISTER NOW. 
          AND SO SHE WAS DOTTIE WOULD BE REALLY MISSED. 
          AND THEN ALSO, I'D LIKE TO ADJOURN FOR BETTY HANSON,
WHO'S OUR COUNTY COUNCIL'S GRANDMOTHER. 
          I DID NOT KNOW HER BUT I WANTED TO DO THAT FOR FOR FORREST. 
          AND TODAY WAS. IT WAS HER BIRTHDAY, SO IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN 98. 
          ALL RIGHT. OKAY. THIS CONCLUDES THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS MEETING FOR AUGUST 12TH,
2025. 
          THE NEXT REGULARLY SCHEDULED BOARD OF SUPERVISORS MEETING WILL BE HELD AT 10 A.M. 
          [POSSIBLE DIRECTION FOR FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS]
ON TUESDAY, AUGUST 26TH, 2025. THANK YOU.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.