Aug 26, 2025 Board Meeting

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GOOD MORNING AND WELCOME TO THE AUGUST 26TH, 2025 MEETING OF THE MERCED COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS.

[CALL TO ORDER]

[CLOSED SESSION]

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

TESTIMONY IS LIMITED TO THREE MINUTES PER PERSON.

ALL RIGHT. AT THIS TIME I WILL OPEN PUBLIC COMMENT FOR THE CLOSED SESSION ITEMS. THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD FOR THE CLOSED SESSION ITEM IS NOW CLOSED.

WE WILL NOW ADJOURN INTO CLOSED SESSION. GOOD MORNING AND WELCOME BACK TO THE AUGUST 26TH, 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 PASTOR DAVE BRITTON FROM NEW BEGINNINGS CHRISTIAN CENTER IN DELHI.

AND THEN SUPERVISOR PAREIRA WILL LEAD THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.

THANK YOU. WOULD YOU JOIN ME IN PRAYER? HEAVENLY FATHER, WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR GOODNESS TO US.

WE THANK YOU FOR THE GOOD NEIGHBORS THAT WE HAVE.

AND TODAY WE ASK YOUR BLESSING. WE ASK FOR YOUR WISDOM AND ENCOURAGEMENT FOR THIS BOARD AS THEY MEET AND THE CITIZENS OF OUR COUNTY, THAT YOU WILL DO GOOD AND WONDERFUL THINGS THROUGH EACH OF US.

I ASK THESE THINGS IN MY SAVIOR'S NAME, JESUS CHRIST OUR LORD.

AMEN.

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]

OKAY. AT THIS TIME I WILL OPEN PUBLIC COMMENT.

AGAIN, THIS IS FOR NON AGENDA ITEMS ONLY. PLEASE NOTE THAT IF YOU HAVE COMMENTS REGARDING THE STATUS OF VACANCIES, RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION EFFORTS, THAT IS THE LAST ITEM ON OUR AGENDA AND WE WILL PROVIDE THE PUBLIC AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK REGARDING THAT ITEM AT THE TIME THE PUBLIC HEARING IS OPENED.

MY NAME IS KRISTYNN SULLIVAN. I'M THE DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC HEALTH HERE FOR THE COUNTY, AND IT IS MY ABSOLUTE HONOR TO INTRODUCE MY NEW ASSISTANT DIRECTOR FOR PUBLIC HEALTH PROGRAMS, ASHLEY LEWIS. ASHLEY COMES WITH US, MOST RECENTLY FROM STANISLAUS COUNTY AND HAS OVER A DECADE OF PUBLIC HEALTH EXPERIENCE WITH A STRONG BACKGROUND IN HEALTH PROMOTION, STRATEGIC PLANNING AND PROGRAM MANAGEMENT.

IN STANISLAUS, SHE LED AGENCY WIDE HEALTH EQUITY EFFORTS, OVERSAW A $3.3 MILLION BUDGET ACROSS SEVEN PROGRAMS, AND DEVELOPED A TRAINING CURRICULUM FOR OVER 500 STAFF.

PREVIOUSLY, AT THE CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH, SHE MANAGED 15 STATEWIDE TOBACCO CONTROL CONTRACTS, LED PROCUREMENT PROCESSES, AND FACILITATED TRAININGS FOR GRANTEES AND SERVING PRIORITY POPULATIONS.

ASHLEY HAS ALSO HELD LEADERSHIP ROLES AT SAN JOAQUIN COUNTY PUBLIC HEALTH. SHE'S BEEN THROUGHOUT THE VALLEY AND WAS ABSOLUTELY THRILLED TO STEAL HER FOR US.

ASHLEY, ALSO IN HER SPARE TIME, COACHES COMPETITIVE CHEER.

SO WITH THAT, I JUST WANTED TO TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO INTRODUCE ASHLEY, AND I'LL LET HER SAY A FEW WORDS.

GOOD MORNING. I'M SUPER EXCITED TO BE HERE. SUPER EXCITED TO BE IN MERCED COUNTY.

AS KRISTYNN MENTIONED, I'VE BEEN IN THE VALLEY FOR QUITE SOME TIME AND I'M CONSIDERING MYSELF A VALLEY GIRL.

AND I'M VERY PASSIONATE ABOUT THE ISSUES THAT THE VALLEY FACES, AND I STAND FIRMLY IN BEING ABLE TO HELP PURSUE THE VISION THAT CEO HENDRICKSON HAS PUT BEFORE ME, WHICH IS TO MAKE PUBLIC HEALTH THE BEST DEPARTMENT IN THE STATE.

AND SO I LOOK FORWARD TO THE WORK THAT I'LL BE DOING WITH KRISTYNN AND EXCITED TO GET STARTED.

THANK YOU. WELL, WELCOME AND THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

ALL RIGHT. GOOD MORNING, GENTLEMEN.

MY NAME IS NECOLA ADAMS AND I AM THE PRESIDENT OF THE MERCED COUNTY NUT FESTIVAL.

THIS YEAR WE CELEBRATE OUR FIFTH ANNUAL MERCED COUNTY NUT FESTIVAL.

AND IT'S REALLY EXCITING BECAUSE I REMEMBER DOING OUR FIRST ONE AND IT JUST SEEMS LIKE IT WAS JUST YESTERDAY.

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AND HERE WE ARE ON OUR FIFTH ONE. AND SO IT WILL BE HELD ON SATURDAY, OCTOBER 18TH AT THE MERCED COUNTY FAIRGROUNDS.

AS ALWAYS, IT'S FREE ADMISSION. THERE'S LOTS OF THINGS FOR THE FAMILIES TO DO.

WE'VE GOT GREAT ENTERTAINMENT. MIKE HAMMAR & THE NAILS ARE COMING BACK.

LOS AMIGOS IS COMING BACK. WE ARE HAVING KARAOKE IN THE WINE GARDEN THIS YEAR WITH A PRIZE.

SO ON THE NUT FESTIVAL, A LOT OF PEOPLE JUST THINK IT'S JUST THE FESTIVAL, RIGHT? BUT WHAT WE DO IS WE CELEBRATE THE WALNUT, ALMOND AND PISTACHIO INDUSTRY, AND THAT INCLUDES EVERYTHING THAT ENTAILS IT.

WE EDUCATE THE PUBLIC ON THE PROCESS FROM GROWER TO TABLE, INCLUDING WATER MANAGEMENT ISSUES IN OUR COUNTY, WHICH IS SO PREVALENT RIGHT NOW. AND THEN WE GIVE BACK TO ORGANIZATIONS THAT WORK WITH YOUTH AGES 13 TO 17 THROUGH EDUCATIONAL ARTS PROGRAMS. AND OVER THE PAST FOUR YEARS, WE'VE GIVEN AWAY A LITTLE OVER $3,000.

SO WE'RE VERY PROUD OF THAT. WE KNOW THAT THE MERCED COUNTY NUT FESTIVAL WILL EVENTUALLY BECOME AN ECONOMIC INTERSECTION IN THIS COMMUNITY, GOING FROM 1 TO 2 DAYS. IT WILL BRING PEOPLE TOURISM TO OUR COMMUNITY.

PEOPLE ARE ALREADY COMING AS FAR AS LOS ANGELES.

[INAUDIBLE] FOR THIS NUT FESTIVAL. WE'VE GOT VENDORS COMING FROM ALL OVER.

SO WE'RE HOPING THAT THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS WILL SUPPORT THE MERCED COUNTY NUT FESTIVAL.

AND ALSO, IF YOU WANT TO BE A JUDGE FOR OUR BAKE OFF, LET US KNOW.

WE'RE STILL LOOKING FOR SPONSORS AND VENDORS. THANK YOU SO MUCH.

AND I'M GOING TO LEAVE THESE FLIERS HERE. THANK YOU.

ALRIGHT. ANYBODY ELSE? OKAY. THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD FOR THE PRESENT FOR THE.

I'M SORRY, WRONG ONE. THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD IS NOW CLOSED FOR NON AGENDA ITEMS. AT THIS TIME, AG COMMISSIONER SEAN RUNYON WILL PROVIDE US WITH A PRESENTATION OF THE ECONOMIC CONTRIBUTIONS OF MERCED COUNTY AGRICULTURE.

[PRESENTATION]

SEAN RUNYON, AGRICULTURAL COMMISSIONER, SEALER OF WEIGHTS AND MEASURES. SO I'M VERY PLEASED TO BE HERE TODAY TO BE GIVING ANOTHER PRESENTATION ABOUT AGRICULTURE HERE IN MERCED. AS ALL SHOULD BE, I AM EXTREMELY PROUD TO BE A RESIDENT OF THE FIFTH LARGEST AGRICULTURAL PRODUCING COUNTY IN THE NATION.

AS YOU KNOW, I'VE PREVIOUSLY PRESENTED OUR ANNUAL CROP REPORT TO YOU, WHICH FOCUSES ON THE GROSS RETURNS OF PRODUCERS.

AGRICULTURAL COMMISSIONERS THROUGHOUT THE STATE ARE MANDATED BY THE CALIFORNIA FOOD AND AG CODE TO PRODUCE SUCH ANNUAL REPORTS ABOUT CROP VALUES IN EVERY COUNTY.

IN SOME OF OUR PREVIOUS PRESENTATIONS BEFORE THE BOARD, WE SPOKE ABOUT HOW AGRICULTURE AFFECTS THE ECONOMY AND HOW THE REAL VALUE OF AGRICULTURE GOES FAR BEYOND WHAT THE GROSS VALUES TELL US.

OUR PRESENTATION TODAY WILL INTRODUCE YOU TO A NEW ADDITIONAL REPORT WE HAVE JUST COMPLETED THAT EXPANDS ON THE INFORMATION PROVIDED IN THE 2023 ANNUAL CROP REPORT, AND FOCUSES MORE ON THE ECONOMIC VALUE THAT AGRICULTURE PROVIDES TO THE MERCED COUNTY AND THE RESIDENTS THAT LIVE HERE.

SO THE OBVIOUS, REAL SIGNIFICANT TAKEAWAY FROM THIS REPORT IS JUST HOW IMPORTANT AGRICULTURE IS TO MERCED COUNTY AND ITS RESIDENTS AND PROVIDES SOME REAL, RELATABLE VALUES TO WHAT WE ALL KNOW.

SO WE WANTED TO COMPLETE THIS REPORT AT THIS TIME BECAUSE IT WILL PROVIDE IMPORTANT INFORMATION TO POLICY MAKERS SUCH AS YOURSELVES, TO MAKE CRITICAL DECISIONS ABOUT THE FUTURE OF MERCED DURING THESE VERY FLUID TIMES.

I HOPE THIS REPORT WILL ASSIST YOU AND BECOME ANOTHER TOOL FOR YOU IN YOUR IMPORTANT WORK, AS YOU CONSIDER ISSUES SUCH AS THE DEVELOPMENT OF CASTLE´S INLAND PORT, SGMA RELATED WATER ISSUES AND LAND USE PLANNING.

I ALSO HOPE THAT YOU CAN USE THIS TO INFORM OTHER POLICYMAKERS OF THE IMPORTANCE OF OUR AGRICULTURE, NOT JUST OUR COUNTY, BUT TO THE ENTIRE STATE AND NATION.

SO, WITHOUT FURTHER ADO, I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE YOU TO OUR COLLABORATORS ON THIS PROJECT, DR.

[INAUDIBLE] AND DR. [INAUDIBLE], WHO WILL WALK YOU THROUGH SOME OF THEIR KEY FINDINGS ON THIS REPORT.

GOOD MORNING, CHAIRMAN PEDROZO AND HONORABLE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS.

I´M DR. [INAUDIBLE], A SENIOR RESEARCHER AT THE CONSULTING COMPANY THAT COMMISSIONER RUNYON MENTIONED, AND THE COAUTHOR OF THE ECONOMICS STUDY HE DESCRIBED.

I GREW UP IN ARGENTINA AND GOT MY DOCTORATE AT UCLA, AND AFTER 30 YEARS I CONSIDERED MYSELF A CALIFORNIAN.

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IN THE NEXT FEW MINUTES, MY COLLEAGUE AND I WILL PROVIDE A SUMMARY OF THE KEY FINDINGS.

AND AFTER THAT, WE'LL BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE.

JUST A QUICK CAVEAT BEFORE WE GET STARTED. SOME OF YOU PROBABLY ALREADY KNOW THE FIELD OF ECONOMICS IS OFTEN CALLED THE DISMAL SCIENCE. ECONOMICS IS CALLED THE DISMAL SCIENCE FOR A GOOD REASON.

ALL THOSE FACTS AND FIGURES AND FORMULAS CAN GET PRETTY DRY.

BUT WE'RE GOING TO DO OUR BEST TO MAKE IT LESS DISMAL FOR YOU TODAY.

WE DON'T USUALLY READ OUR COMMENTS, BUT IN OUR OTHER LIFE AS UNIVERSITY PROFESSORS, IT'S VERY CHALLENGING TO KEEP US FROM TALKING TOO MUCH.

SO WE'RE GOING TO READ OUR COMMENTS. AS YOU KNOW, ALL CALIFORNIA COUNTIES ARE MANDATED TO REPORT THE VALUE OF THEIR AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION EVERY YEAR.

COMMISSIONER RUNYON MENTIONED THE TWO LEGAL MANDATES FOR THIS PROJECT, AND I'D LIKE TO DIVE A LITTLE DEEPER INTO ONE OF THEM.

SECTION 2279 OF THE CALIFORNIA CODE. AND THE LATEST CROP REPORT IS FOR 2023, WHICH WAS SHOWN IN THE PREVIOUS SLIDE. BUT NOW, THANKS TO MODERN ECONOMIC TOOLS, WE CAN FULFILL THAT MANDATE ON A WHOLE NEW LEVEL. WE CAN GO BEYOND SIMPLY DOCUMENTING AGRICULTURE GROWTH, PRODUCTION VALUE, AND WE CAN ALSO QUANTIFY LOCAL FOOD PROCESSING, MULTIPLIER EFFECTS, EMPLOYMENT, AND OVERALL STRUCTURE OF THE COUNTY'S ECONOMY.

THE PREVIOUS SLIDES MENTIONED A CONCEPT CALLED MULTIPLIER EFFECT, AND I WOULD LIKE TO CLARIFY WHAT THAT ENTAILS.

AS THIS SLIDE SHOWS, MULTIPLIER EFFECTS COMES IN TWO TYPES.

THE FIRST ONE, INDIRECT EFFECTS, REFERS TO BUSINESS TO BUSINESS SPENDING.

THIS IS THE MONEY THAT AGRICULTURAL PRODUCERS AND PROCESSORS SPEND WITHIN THE COUNTY ON SUPPLIES AND SERVICES.

THEY BUY VEHICLES, FUEL, SEEDS, VETERINARY SERVICES AND BANKING.

THEY PAY FOR FERTILIZER, CHEMICALS, CONTRACT WORK, AND DOZEN OTHER ITEMS. THE SECOND MULTIPLIER IS CALLED INDUCED EFFECTS, AND THOSE ARE THE DOLLARS THAT EMPLOYEES OF AG COMPANIES AND THEIR SUPPLIERS SPEND WITHIN THE COUNTY. THEY BUY GROCERIES, HEALTH CARE, HOUSING.

THEY PURCHASE UTILITIES, CLOTHING, TRANSPORTATION, THEY PAY FOR EDUCATION, ENTERTAINMENT, AND HUNDREDS OF OTHER ITEMS. THE KEY POINT FROM THIS SLIDE, WHETHER YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT INDIRECT EFFECTS OR INDUCED EFFECT, IS THIS. EVERY DOLLAR OF AGRICULTURAL OUTPUT CREATES ECONOMIC RIPPLES THROUGHOUT MERCED COUNTY.

WHEN WE ADD THE VARIOUS PUZZLE PIECES TOGETHER, THE TOTAL CONTRIBUTION OF MERCED COUNTY AGRICULTURE IN 2023, THE LATEST YEAR FOR WHICH WE HAVE COMPLETE DATA, WITH ALMOST $10 BILLION.

AS THIS SLIDE SHOWS. IT CONSISTED OF $4.22 BILLION IN FOOD PRODUCTION, WITH MILK AT THE TOP OF THE LIST OF COMMODITIES.

$2.82 BILLION IN LOCAL PROCESSING, WITH DAIRY AND ANIMAL PRODUCTS AS THE MAIN CONTRIBUTOR.

AND $2.89 BILLION IN MULTIPLIER EFFECTS, ALL THAT SPENDING BY COMPANIES AND EMPLOYEES INVOLVED IN AGRICULTURE.

THOSE FIGURES ARE IMPOSING BY ANY COMPARISON OR ANY MEASURE, AND AS THE COMMISSIONER MENTIONED IT AT THE TOP FIVE COUNTIES IN THE STATE. IF YOU CONSIDER THAT CALIFORNIA WOULD BE THE TOP COUNTRY PRODUCING AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS IN THE WORLD, THAT PUTS MERCED IN AN INCREDIBLY NARROW FRACTION AT THE TOP OF THE WORLD PRODUCTION OF AGRICULTURE.

ON THE EMPLOYMENT SIDE, WE HAVE THE TOTAL VALUE OF EMPLOYMENT AND AS IT SHOWS, IS AROUND 38,800 JOBS, CONSISTING OF 22,862 DIRECT JOBS IN FOOD PRODUCTION AND PROCESSING, PLUS ANOTHER 15,938 JOBS FROM MULTIPLIER EFFECTS. AT THIS POINT, I WOULD LIKE TO TURN OVER TO MY COLLEAGUE, DOCTOR [INAUDIBLE],

[00:15:08]

THANK YOU. THANKS, [INAUDIBLE]. AT THIS POINT, WE'RE GOING TO ZOOM OUT A LITTLE BIT TO A WIDER VIEW AND PUT THESE NUMBERS INTO CONTEXT. THIS SLIDE SHOWS THE RANKINGS OF MERCED COUNTY INDUSTRIES.

AND YOU CAN SEE THAT AGRICULTURE PRODUCTION AND PROCESSING RANKS NUMBER ONE.

OUR REPORT INCLUDES. IT DOESN'T STOP AT THE TOP FIVE.

IT CONTINUES ALL THE WAY DOWN TO THE 20 MAIN INDUSTRIES IN MERCED COUNTY, ALL THE WAY DOWN TO NUMBER 20, WHICH IS THE MINING INDUSTRY. IT'S A SIMILAR STORY FOR EMPLOYMENT.

AG, ONCE AGAIN, RANKS NUMBER ONE FOR EMPLOYMENT, WITH A DIRECT NUMBER OF JOBS AT 22,862, AND THE REPORT DETAILS THE ENSUING 15 INDUSTRIES ALL THE WAY DOWN TO NUMBER 20, WHICH IS THE MINING INDUSTRY AGAIN.

THE LAST TOPIC I'D LIKE TO COVER IS ECONOMIC DIVERSIFICATION.

YOU'VE ALL HEARD THE OLD SAYING, DON'T KEEP ALL YOUR EGGS IN ONE BASKET.

IF THE BASKET DROPS, YOU'LL LOSE EVERYTHING. IT'S SIMILAR FOR INDUSTRIES AND COUNTY ECONOMIES AND RETIREMENT INVESTMENTS AND SO MANY OTHER THINGS IN LIFE.

AND WHEN IT COMES TO DIVERSIFICATION, IT HELPS PROTECT YOU FROM PRICE DROPS AND COMMODITIES, DISEASE OUTBREAKS, NEW REGULATIONS, NEW COMPETITORS, PRICE SPIKES FOR KEY INPUTS SUCH AS LABOR, WATER, EVEN TARIFFS. IF YOU HAVE A WAVE OF TARIFFS THAT CAN AFFECT AGRICULTURE, IT MIGHT AFFECT CERTAIN CROPS DIFFERENTLY FROM OTHERS.

AND SO DIVERSIFICATION IS QUITE IMPORTANT FOR ECONOMIC RESILIENCE.

AND IT JUST SO HAPPENS THAT MERCED COUNTY'S AGRICULTURAL INDUSTRY IS HIGHLY DIVERSIFIED ACROSS THE COMMODITIES.

THERE'S A SPECIAL FORMULA THAT ECONOMISTS USE TO MEASURE ECONOMIC DIVERSIFICATION.

IT'S SIMILAR TO THE FORMULA ECOLOGISTS USE TO MEASURE BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY ON A CORAL REEF OR A RAINFOREST.

AND OTHER PEOPLE USE THE SAME FORMULA IN DIFFERENT SETTINGS. SO WHEN WE RUN IT FOR ECONOMICS, YOU CAN SEE THAT THE SCORE 0.60 IS THE LEVEL OF ECONOMIC DIVERSIFICATION.

AMONG CALIFORNIA COUNTIES, THAT'S HIGH. THAT NUMBER SUGGESTS VERY STRONG RESILIENCE TO ECONOMIC SHOCKS WITHIN THE AGRICULTURAL INDUSTRY.

THE NEWS GETS A LITTLE BETTER FROM THERE. WE CALCULATED THE NUMBER FOR THE PAST DECADE.

WHICH WAY ARE THINGS TRENDING? AND AS THIS TABLE SHOWS, OR THIS BAR GRAPH SHOWS, ECONOMIC DIVERSIFICATION IS NOT ONLY HIGH IN MERCED COUNTY, BUT IT IS CONSISTENTLY HIGH OVER THE LAST DECADE.

IN FACT, THE MOST RECENT NUMBER FOR 2023, THE MOST RECENT YEAR FOR WHICH WE HAVE COMPLETE DATA, THAT 0.60 MATCHES THE HIGHEST IT HAS REACHED IN THE LAST DECADE.

IT WAS ALSO 0.6 BACK IN 2021. BEFORE WE OPEN IT UP TO YOUR QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS, I'LL JUST END WITH KIND OF THREE KEY MESSAGES. THE FIRST IS THIS.

MERCED COUNTY AGRICULTURE HAS A VERY LARGE ECONOMIC OUTPUT, $9.930 BILLION.

THAT'S INCLUDING THE FARM PRODUCTION THAT THE ANNUAL CROP REPORT DOCUMENTS, PLUS LOCALLY SOURCED VALUE ADDED FOOD PROCESSING PLUS THE MULTIPLIER EFFECTS.

I COULD SUMMARIZE THE 24 PAGE REPORT IN 1 OR 2 SENTENCES.

WHEN ANYBODY DRIVES AROUND THIS COUNTY, THEY CAN SEE THAT, HEY, AG MUST BE PRETTY IMPORTANT.

WELL, IT'S QUITE A BIT MORE IMPORTANT THAN WE PROBABLY REALIZED.

SECOND, IT'S THE COUNTY'S LARGEST INDUSTRY. IT RANKS NUMBER ONE FOR DIRECT ECONOMIC OUTPUT AS WELL AS DIRECT EMPLOYMENT.

AND NUMBER THREE, IT HAS A HIGH LEVEL OF ECONOMIC RESILIENCE.

IT'S VERY WELL POSITIONED TO WITHSTAND TARIFFS, PRICE DROPS, PANDEMICS AND OTHER SHOCKS TO THE SYSTEM.

AND WITH THAT I'D LIKE TO THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR ATTENTION.

AND WE'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT HAVE ABOUT THE STUDY.

AND THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION AND YOUR EXPERTISE, DR.

[INAUDIBLE] AND DR. [INAUDIBLE]. IT HAS BEEN GREAT WORKING WITH YOU OVER THE PAST COUPLE OF MONTHS.

SO AGAIN, I THINK IT'S EYE OPENING TO SEE JUST HOW MUCH IS PUMPED INTO OUR ECONOMY FROM AGRICULTURE.

ALL DONE WHILE PRODUCING WHAT IS CONSIDERED TO BE ONE OF THE SAFEST FOOD SUPPLIES IN THE WORLD.

I DID WANT TO THANK A FEW WHO PROVIDED SOME PRELIMINARY REVIEWS OF THE REPORT. THANKS TO ERIC SERRATO, OUR DIRECTOR OF WORKFORCE INVESTMENT, MARK MIMMS, OUR CED DIRECTOR, MR. HENDRICKSON FOR YOUR REVIEW OF IT, AND BREANNE VANDENBERG, OUR MERCED COUNTY FARM BUREAU EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR.

THANKS TO OUR ENTIRE STAFF FOR THEIR ASSISTANCE ON THIS, BUT ESPECIALLY ASSISTANT COMMISSIONER DEREK UNGER, DEPUTY COMMISSIONER [INAUDIBLE], AGRICULTURAL BIOLOGIST JACOB ROMINE. AND I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO THANK THE ENTIRE BOARD FOR THEIR CONTINUED SUPPORT TOWARDS AGRICULTURE AND OUR DEPARTMENT AS WELL.

[00:20:02]

SO A VERY SPECIAL THANKS FOR THEIR INFORMATION THEY HAVE PROVIDED FOR THIS REPORT, BUT ESPECIALLY EVEN MORE SO FOR THE WORK THAT THEY DO AND WHAT THEY PROVIDE TO ALL OF US.

HOPEFULLY THIS REPORT WILL HELP EDUCATE ALL CALIFORNIANS ON THEIR IMPORTANCE AND CONTRIBUTIONS.

SO I DID WANT TO POINT OUT THERE IS A SPECIALLY MODIFIED QR CODE ON THIS SLIDE, AS WELL AS ON THE COPIES OF THE PRESENTATION AND EXECUTIVE SUMMARIES PROVIDED TO THE PUBLIC THAT WILL LINK TO OUR WEBSITE, WHICH CONTAINS DOWNLOADABLE VERSIONS OF THIS REPORT, AS WELL AS OUR ANNUAL REPORTS ALL THE WAY BACK TO 1939.

AND SO WITH THAT, WE'RE OPEN TO QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS, SO.

SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL. THANK YOU, SEAN. THANK YOU FOR THAT REPORT.

THANK YOU FOR PROVIDING THIS. WHAT I THOUGHT WAS VERY TELLING WAS THE ECONOMIC DIVERSIFICATION IN INDEX 0.6.

WE SAW THAT DURING COVID WHEN THE STATE'S UNEMPLOYMENT RATES STARTED TO GO UP, MERCED COUNTY STAYED PRETTY STEADY BECAUSE OF THAT.

AND A LOT OF FOLKS TRY TO SAY THAT OUR EGGS ARE ALL IN ONE BASKET WITH AG.

BUT THIS SHOWS YOU THE DIVERSIFICATION OF THE AG.

IT'S NOT JUST BASED OFF THE MILK OR THE NUT PRICING OR ANY OF THAT, THAT IT'S A STABLE ALL THE WAY ACROSS.

AND IT'S ACTUALLY GREAT WHENEVER I REPRESENT WHEN I'M IN WASHINGTON, DC OR AT THE CAPITOL, WHENEVER I CAN STAND ON AND SAY, TALK ABOUT RURAL COUNTIES IN CALIFORNIA AND MERCED COUNTY AND WHERE WE'RE RANKED IN THE WORLD TO LET THEM KNOW WHAT'S REALLY HAPPENING IN AG.

SO I APPRECIATE THIS. MY NEXT QUESTION WAS, WHERE DO I GET MORE OF THIS INFORMATION TO CONTINUE TO USE IT MOVING FORWARD? BUT IT SOUNDS LIKE IT'S ON THE QR CODE WITH THE COW IN THE MIDDLE.

THANK YOU. WE ARE TAKING SUGGESTIONS FOR WHAT YOUR FAVORITE COMMODITIES YOU HAVE THAT WE CAN IMPLANT IN THERE TOO, SO. SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA. THANK YOU SEAN, I THINK THAT YOU HIT THE NAIL ON THE HEAD WITH THE COW, IT IS OUR NUMBER ONE INDUSTRY. I THINK YOU´LL FIND A LOT OF SUPPORTERS OF THAT UP HERE.

JUST I APPRECIATE THE WORK THAT YOU FOLKS DID.

AND IT'S A KIND OF ANOTHER WAY OF MEASURING WHAT WE KIND OF ALREADY ALL KNOW HERE THAT AGRICULTURE IS OUR NUMBER ONE INDUSTRY.

IT HAS ALWAYS BEEN OUR NUMBER ONE INDUSTRY AND WILL CONTINUE TO BE OUR NUMBER ONE INDUSTRY.

WHERE IS SOMEPLACE THAT'S. I CAN'T EVEN SAY THE WORD.

APPLICABLE, WHERE THIS REPORT WOULD HELP US. SO WE'VE CREATED THIS REPORT.

IS THIS A TOOL WE CAN USE WHEN WE'RE OUT DOING ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT? TAMARA, I KNOW SHE'S NOT IN HERE RIGHT NOW, BUT OUR NEW DEPUTY DIRECTOR OVER ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.

I THINK THIS IS PROBABLY A PLACE WHERE YOU CAN HIGHLIGHT THIS REPORT TO SHOW FOLKS, YOU KNOW, I SAY IN CALIFORNIA, IT'S ALWAYS TOUGH TO DO BUSINESS, ESPECIALLY HERE IN MERCED COUNTY.

AND WE'RE COMPETING WITH STATES AND COUNTIES ALL OVER THE COUNTRY.

AND WE NEED TO FOCUS OUR EFFORTS ON THOSE AREAS OF INDUSTRY THAT NEED TO BE IN CALIFORNIA, WHERE THEY NEED TO BE AT WHERE WHERE THEIR PRODUCERS ARE, BECAUSE THE COST OF TRUCKING ALL THOSE THINGS THAT COME ALONG WITH IT.

AND SO THAT'S ONE THAT I SEE. WHERE DO YOU SEE THIS REPORT BEING USEFUL AND HELPFUL FOR US? WELL, I THINK THAT ESPECIALLY OVER THE PAST COUPLE OF MONTHS, I KNOW CHAIRMAN PEDROZO HAS TAKEN OUR ANNUAL CROP REPORT TO SEVERAL OF YOUR YOUR MEETINGS, HCRC, [INAUDIBLE], ALL THOSE TYPE OF MEETINGS.

SO I THINK THAT THAT WOULD BE GOOD FOR YOU TO TAKE IT TO THOSE.

INTERNALLY, I KNOW THAT THAT MR. MIMMS HAS SEEN IT, AND SO I KNOW HE'S AWARE OF IT.

AND SO, LIKE ECHOING WHAT YOU SAID. I THINK THAT HE CAN TAKE THAT AND USE IT FOR DEVELOPMENT, ESPECIALLY FOR THE INLAND PORT. SO. YEAH. PERFECT.

AND THEN THE LAST THING I'LL SAY IS, IS JUST ON THE DIVERSITY IS, YOU KNOW, AS A KID GROWING UP ON THE WEST SIDE OF MERCED COUNTY, I MEAN, THE STAPLES WERE ALFALFA, COTTON, CORN.

THAT WAS PRETTY MUCH IT EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE.

AND MELONS, THOSE ARE THE THINGS. NOW YOU GO OUT THERE AND YOU'RE SEEING THEY'RE GROWING CARROTS, THEY'RE GROWING GARLIC. IT'S REALLY DIVERSIFYING OUT.

AND SO YOU DON'T SEE. I MEAN YOU HAVE THE BULLS FARMING FOR EXAMPLE BACK 20 YEARS AGO PROBABLY FARMED IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD OF 12 TO 1600 ACRES OF ALFALFA HAY WAS THEIR NUMBER ONE COMMODITY. YOU GO LOOK AT THEIR CROP MAP NOW.

I THINK THEY PROBABLY ARE DOWN TO AND DON'T QUOTE ME ON IT, BUT THEY'RE PROBABLY DOWN TO LESS THAN 100 ACRES OF HAY.

AND I THINK MOST OF THAT IS LIKE SEED HAY. THEY'RE GROWING HAY FOR SEED.

AND THAT'S LIKE THEY WERE THE LARGEST HAY PRODUCER AROUND HERE AND JUST THEY'VE DIVERSIFIED OUT.

SO I THINK THAT STANDS THAT PROVES YOUR POINT OF THAT ECONOMIC DIVERSITY AND AGRICULTURE NUMBER.

SO THANK YOU FOR THE WORK. SUPERVISOR PAREIRA.

THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. SO JUST KIND OF TO, I GUESS, PICK YOUR KNOWLEDGE, WHEN YOU STARTED TALKING ABOUT DIVERSITY,

[00:25:08]

AND SO WHAT DO YOU SEE FROM OTHER COUNTIES AS FAR AS DIVERSITY? OTHER INDUSTRIES THAT ARE TAKING OFF? I MEAN, IS THERE ANY OF THAT INFORMATION AVAILABLE? SURE. YEAH. SURE. THANKS FOR THE QUESTION. IF I UNDERSTOOD IT CORRECTLY, THE QUESTION HAD TO DO WITH WHAT DO WE SEE FOR ECONOMIC DIVERSIFICATION IN OTHER COUNTIES, INCLUDING THEIR AGRICULTURAL INDUSTRIES? I'LL ANSWER THAT IN TWO WAYS. FIRST, IT IS POSSIBLE TO USE THE SAME FORMULA, THE SHANNON-WEAVER INDEX, TO CALCULATE THE LEVEL OF ECONOMIC DIVERSIFICATION COUNTYWIDE.

MERCED COUNTY COULD HAVE A SCORE THAT LOOKS AT ALL OF THE DIFFERENT INDUSTRIES, AG AND 19 OTHERS.

YOU COULD PUT A NUMBER ON THAT. WE HAVEN'T DONE THAT YET, BUT WE COULD.

SECOND, WHEN WE LOOK AT OTHER COUNTY AGRICULTURAL INDUSTRIES, MERCED IS IN THE TOP TIER IN THE LEVEL OF ECONOMIC DIVERSIFICATION.

AND AS THE GRAPH SHOWED, IT'S CONTINUING TO STAY HIGH.

WHAT WE'RE SEEING IN A LOT OF OTHER COUNTIES IS DECLINING ECONOMIC DIVERSIFICATION OVER TIME WITHIN AGRICULTURE.

THEY'RE BECOMING INCREASINGLY DEPENDENT ON 1 OR 2 COMMODITIES.

WHERE WE LIVE ALONG THE COAST IN MONTEREY COUNTY, IT'S BERRIES ESPECIALLY, AND IT VARIES ACROSS OTHER COUNTIES.

BUT IN GENERAL, MERCED´S LEVEL OF ECONOMIC DIVERSIFICATION IS UNUSUALLY HIGH AND STEADY.

ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. AND THEN I JUST, YOU KNOW, I JUST LIKE TO THANK YOU FOR, I KNOW THIS IS A STATE REQUIRED, YOU KNOW, REPORT, BUT I THINK GATHERING THE INFORMATION AND ALLOWING US TO BE ABLE TO USE THAT AND SHARE WITH COMPANIES LOOKING AT COMING TO MERCED COUNTY, WHAT'S AVAILABLE HERE. YOU KNOW, THE YOU KNOW, IT SEEMS LIKE, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A LOT OF TOWNS OR COUNTIES THAT HAVE ONE HUGE, INCREDIBLY LARGE MANUFACTURER OR BUSINESS THAT KIND OF GENERATES ALL THE INCOME FOR THE COUNTY OR THE OR THE CITY.

YOU LOOK OUT IN THE MIDWEST, YOU KNOW, WHETHER IT'S MCDONOUGH, YOU KNOW, OR SOME COMPANY, RIGHT? HESTON, THAT, YOU KNOW, KIND OF RUNS THE TOWN, RIGHT? ECONOMICALLY AND SO. OR NOT RUNS IT, BUT PROVIDES FOR THE TOWN ECONOMICALLY.

AND SO ANYWAYS, I JUST FEEL LIKE YOU KNOW, WE'RE LUCKY OR, NOT LUCKY.

WE'RE FORTUNATE HERE THAT OUR DIVERSITY, YOU KNOW, KIND OF KEEPS OUR ECONOMICS ROLLING.

BUT, YOU KNOW WE NEED TO ATTRACT. AND THAT'S WHY I LIKE THE COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, YOU KNOW, SLANT ON THIS IS THAT WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO ATTRACT INDUSTRY HERE.

BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, IT JUST TAKES WHAT WE HAVE AND MAKES IT ALL THAT MUCH MORE VALUABLE.

SO THANKS FOR PUTTING THIS ALL TOGETHER. SUPERVISOR PACHECO.

THANK YOU, CHAIR, I JUST WANTED TO ECHO WHAT MY COLLEAGUE SAID, TOO. AND JUST THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER RUNYON, FOR WHAT YOU AND YOUR STAFF DO AT THE AG DEPARTMENT. YOU GUYS DO A GREAT JOB OUT THERE.

I ALSO WANT TO JUST SAY THANK YOU TO OUR FARMERS IN MERCED COUNTY AND OUR FARM WORKERS.

I THINK THEY DO A LOT TO HELP THE AG INDUSTRY HERE IN OUR COUNTY.

SO JUST THANK YOU TO EVERYBODY THAT MAKES AGRICULTURE GREAT IN MERCED COUNTY.

THANKS. YEAH, I JUST. BEFORE I OPEN THE PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS, I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU.

THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I'VE, I WAS TELLING SEAN WHEN HE WAS WALKING IN, I NERD OUT WHEN I GET THE AG REPORT EVERY YEAR.

BUT TO SEE THE ECONOMIC CONTRIBUTIONS OF WHAT IT DOES, AND IT JUST SHOWS THAT, YOU KNOW, AGRICULTURE ISN'T JUST ABOUT THE FARMING ASPECT OF IT.

AND I THINK TO QUANTIFY IT AND PUT IT INTO THE MULTIPLIER EFFECT AND ALL THAT, I THINK IS REALLY INTERESTING TO SEE HOW MUCH IT IS INTERTWINED IN MERCED COUNTY.

AND SO, I ECHO WHAT MY, MY COLLEAGUE SAID ABOUT THANKING THE FARMERS, THE PRODUCER, I MEAN, EVERYBODY WHO HAS SOME TYPE OF INTEREST IN THIS, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE IT REALLY IS MERCED COUNTY.

I MEAN, THIS IS WHAT DEFINES US. AND I THINK IT'S NOT JUST.

AGRICULTURE IS BIG, BUT THERE'S OTHER TENTACLES TO IT.

AND I THINK THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO HIGHLIGHT.

SO WITH THAT AT THIS TIME I WILL OPEN PUBLIC COMMENT REGARDING THE PRESENTATION.

GOOD MORNING, BRIEANNE VANDENBERG, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, MERCED COUNTY FARM BUREAU.

THANK YOU TO SEAN AND HIS TEAM AND A HUGE CONGRATULATIONS ON THIS PRODUCT.

SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA, YOU ASKED, HOW CAN THIS REPORT BE USED? AND I IMMEDIATELY WANTED TO SHOOT MY HAND UP AND SAY, I CAN EASILY USE THIS IN A HOST OF AREAS, WHETHER IT BE ADVOCATING AT THE STATE LEVEL. AGENCIES, WHETHER IT BE DPR FOR SIGMA, WHATEVER THAT MAY BE, AND AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL AS WELL. SO IT WILL BE A HUGE BENEFIT TO OUR ORGANIZATION'S EFFORTS AND MOVING FORWARD.

[00:30:02]

THANK YOU. RIGHT. ANYONE ELSE? OKAY. THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD FOR THE PRESENTATION IS NOW CLOSED.

WE WILL NOW MOVE ON TO THE CONSENT CALENDAR. ITEMS 1 THROUGH 11.

[CONSENT CALENDAR]

AT THIS TIME I WILL OPEN PUBLIC COMMENT FOR CONSENT CALENDAR ITEMS 1 THROUGH 11.

THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD FOR CONSENT CALENDAR ITEMS 1 THROUGH 11 IS NOW CLOSED.

BRING IT BACK TO THE BOARD. SUPERVISOR PAREIRA.

YEAH, I JUST. THERE WE GO, SORRY. I JUST WANT TO, I GUESS THANK OUR BEHAVIORAL HEALTH STAFF.

OFTENTIMES, YOU KNOW, WE DO PROCLAMATIONS DURING OR SOMETIMES EVEN AFTER A MONTH OR A WEEK OF RECOGNITION.

AND SO THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THIS AHEAD OF TIME.

SO WE HAVE A FULL MONTH OF SEPTEMBER WHERE YOU KNOW, WE CAN FOCUS ON SUICIDE PREVENTION.

THAT ONE IS. I DON'T KNOW, IS TENDER TO MY HEART AND ALSO TO RECOVERY MONTH.

YOU KNOW, THOSE TWO ITEMS REALLY RUIN A LOT OF LIVES.

I THINK OF OUR VETERANS AND I THINK OF OUR YOUTH I KNOW, ESPECIALLY DURING COVID, AND IT'S KIND OF CARRIED ON SINCE COVID IS KIND OF SUICIDE ATTEMPTS BY YOUTH IS ON THE INCREASE. AND SO ANYWAYS, I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU FOR BEING REALLY PROACTIVE BEING HERE THE MONTH BEFORE.

SO THANK YOU. WELL, GOOD MORNING, CHAIR PEDROZO AND MEMBERA OF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, CEO HENDRICKSON AND COUNTY COUNCIL HANSEN.

I JUST WANT TO SAY MY NAME IS MARIA AZEVEDO, AND I'M HERE TO REPRESENT MERCED COUNTY BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AND RECOVERY SERVICES.

AND HERE, IN RECOGNITION OF NATIONAL RECOVERY MONTH.

FIRST, I WANT TO EXTEND OUR DEEPEST THANKS FOR YOUR PROCLAMATION DESIGNATING SEPTEMBER AS RECOVERY MONTH IN MERCED COUNTY.

YOUR ACKNOWLEDGMENT SENDS A POWERFUL SIGNAL THAT RECOVERY MATTERS, AND OUR COUNTY STANDS UNITED IN SUPPORT OF EVERY INDIVIDUAL IN THE FAMILY ON THE JOURNEY. I ALSO WANT TO SHARE WITH YOU THAT THE 2025 NATIONAL THEME IS JOIN THE VOICES FOR RECOVERY.

TOGETHER WE ARE STRONGER. HIGHLIGHT SOMETHING WE WITNESS EVERY DAY IN OUR WORK, THAT HEALING HAPPENS IN CONNECTION.

THIS YEAR'S MESSAGE HONORS THE MANY VOICES THAT SUSTAIN RECOVERY.

FIRST RESPONDERS, HEALTH CARE WORKERS, COMMUNITY LEADERS, PEER ADVOCATES, AND FAMILY MEMBERS.

TOGETHER, THEIR SUPPORT FORMS THE FABRIC THAT HELPS PEOPLE NOT ONLY SURVIVE, BUT THRIVE.

HERE IN MERCED COUNTY, RECOVERY IS ABSTRACT. IT'S VISIBLE.

IT'S PERSONAL. WE SEE IT IN THE COURAGE OF INDIVIDUALS WHO TAKE THEIR FIRST STEPS TOWARD WELLNESS, AND IN THE STRENGTH OF THOSE WHO RETURN TO SUPPORT OTHERS ALONG THE WAY.

WE ARE COMMITTED TO BREAKING DOWN BARRIERS, EXPANDING NARCAN DISTRIBUTION TO SAVE LIVES, SIMPLIFYING ACCESS TO SERVICES SO PEOPLE CAN GET HELP WITHOUT DELAY, AND BUILDING BRIDGES WITH COMMUNITY PARTNERS TO ENSURE NO ONE FALLS THROUGH THE CRACKS.

WHETHER SOMEONE WALKS INTO OUR OFFICES, ATTENDS A PEER LED EVENT, OR CONNECTS THROUGH OUTREACH, OUR MESSAGE IS THE SAME YOU. ARE NOT ALONE. AND WE ALSO KNOW RECOVERY IS SUSTAINED BY PURPOSE AND BELONGING.

THAT'S WHY WE CONTINUE CREATING INCLUSIVE SPACES LIKE OUR DAY ROOM AND MONTHLY RECOVERY EVENTS, WHERE INDIVIDUALS CAN SHARE STORIES, BUILD CONNECTIONS AND FIND COMMUNITY.

THESE MOMENTS OF TOGETHERNESS ARE WHERE HOPE LIVES AND FUTURES ARE REIMAGINED.

RECOVERY MONTH IS A TIME TO UPLIFT STORIES OF STRENGTH, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, IT'S A TIME TO RECOMMIT.

RECOMMIT TO COMPASSION. RECOMMIT TO EQUITY. RECOMMIT TO STANDING BESIDE ONE ANOTHER IN BOTH STRUGGLE AND SUCCESS.

THANK YOU AGAIN FOR WALKING WITH US AND FOR HELPING AMPLIFY THE TRUTH WE CARRY INTO OUR INTERACTION.

RECOVERY IS REAL. RECOVERY IS POSSIBLE AND TOGETHER WE ARE STRONGER.

OKAY. WHEREAS NATIONAL RECOVERY MONTH, CELEBRATED EVERY SEPTEMBER, CELEBRATES THE PEOPLE WHO ARE IN RECOVERY, THE SUPPORT SYSTEMS THAT HELP MAKE RECOVERY POSSIBLE, AND THE MANY WAYS INDIVIDUALS CAN GET BETTER AND STAY WELL.

AND WHEREAS BEHAVIORAL HEALTH IS AN ESSENTIAL PART OF OVERALL HEALTH AND WELL-BEING, MENTAL HEALTH AND SUBSTANCE USE CHALLENGES ARE COMMON AND TREATABLE, AND PEOPLE FROM ALL WALKS OF LIFE, REGARDLESS OF AGE, BACKGROUND, OR INCOME, CAN BE AFFECTED.

AND WHEREAS RECOVERY IS A PERSONAL JOURNEY THAT LOOKS DIFFERENT FOR EVERYONE AND MAY INCLUDE COUNSELING, MEDICATION SUPPORT GROUPS, HEALTHY LIFESTYLE CHANGES, AND STRONG RELATIONSHIPS WITH FAMILY, FRIENDS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS. AND WHEREAS MILLIONS OF AMERICANS ARE LIVING IN RECOVERY, SHOWING US THAT PEOPLE CAN DO AND HEAL AND GO ON TO LIVE HEALTHY, MEANINGFUL LIVES. AND NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, WE, THE MERCED COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS,

[00:35:05]

WITH THAT, WE HAVE A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA, SECOND BY SUPERVISOR PACHECO.

CALL FOR THE VOTE. RECORD THE VOTE. MOTION UNANIMOUSLY CARRIES.

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO COME UP, WE CAN.

THANK YOU FOR THOSE COMMENTS. I JUST WANT TO PRESENT THIS CERTIFICATE TO YOU AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK.

ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU. ANYBODY ELSE WANT TO SAY ANYTHING? NO.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. I THINK THEY WANT TO GET A PICTURE REAL QUICK. THEY WANT A PICTURE? OKAY. WE WILL NOW MOVE ON TO BOARD ACTION BEGINNING WITH PUBLIC WORKS.

[BOARD ACTION]

ITEMS 12 THROUGH 15. PLEASE NOTE THAT ITEM 15 REQUIRES A 4/5 VOTE AND WE'LL TAKE ITEM 14 SEPARATELY.

OKAY. SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR.

ITEM 13, I'M GLAD THIS IS FINALLY GOT ON THERE.

I KNOW THE CITY OF MERCED HAS CAUSED A LOT OF IMPACT TO THIS ROAD.

AND I DON'T MEAN TO PLAY GOTCHA. HAS THERE BEEN FURTHER DISCUSSIONS INTO THIS? BECAUSE I GET A LOT OF MY CONSTITUENTS WHO LIVE ALONG THIS ROAD WHO HAVE COMPLAINED ABOUT THE SPEEDING.

I HOPE THIS SPEED LIMIT WILL SLOW FOLKS DOWN, BUT IT SEEMS LIKE THE TRAFFIC HAS INCREASED A LOT.

AND YET WE DID NOT RECEIVE ANY IMPACT FEES FROM THIS DEVELOPMENT.

HAS THERE BEEN ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION ON THIS? YES. YES, GOOD MORNING, BOARD, CHAIR AND SUPERVISORS.

I'VE HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH THE CITY PERSONALLY.

AND AS YOU MENTIONED THIS AREA WAS NOT IDENTIFIED IN THEIR IMPACT FEE COLLECTION.

SO THE IMPACT FEES THAT ARE GENERATED AND THE DEVELOPMENT THAT OCCURS WITHIN THE CITY LIMITS WILL HAVE APPROPRIATE SPEED CONTROL MEASURES IN THERE.

BUT THERE'S NOTHING IDENTIFIED SPECIFICALLY FOR THE COUNTY'S PORTION OF [INAUDIBLE].

OKAY. AND CALTRANS, I KNOW THEY EVEN HAD CERTAIN CONCERNS BECAUSE THAT INTERSECTION ON HIGHWAY 59 NOW HAS BEEN IMPACTED A LOT.

CORRECT, YES. YEAH. THEY HAVE REACHED OUT BOTH TO THE CITY AND MYSELF.

RIGHT. AFTER THE SPEED LIMIT IS, SPEED ZONE IS ESTABLISHED AND THROUGH YOU KNOW, WE'LL EVALUATE TO SEE IF BEHAVIORS ARE MODIFIED.

WE'LL WORK CLOSELY WITH CHP AND OUR SHERIFF, AND IF THEY'RE, YOU KNOW, CONTINUES THE NEED TO PROGRESS, YOU KNOW, MAYBE MORE RESTRICTIVE DESIGN CONTROL MEASURES TO REDUCE SPEED, THEN WE'LL EVALUATE THOSE AT THAT TIME.

OKAY. BECAUSE YOU DID TAKE UP THE CONCRETE BARRIER THAT WE HAD THERE FOREVER. THE CONSTITUENTS WHO LIVED ON THAT ROAD LIKED THAT CONCRETE BARRIER BEING THERE, SO. BUT ANYWAY, THANK YOU. OKAY. AT THIS TIME I'LL OPEN PUBLIC COMMENT FOR PUBLIC WORKS ITEMS. THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD FOR PUBLIC WORKS ITEMS 12, 13 AND 15 IS NOW CLOSED. CALL FOR THE. IS THERE A MOTION? I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND. PLEASE CALL FOR THE VOTE.

RECORD THE VOTE. OKAY, WE'LL NOW MOVE ON TO ITEM NUMBER 14.

BECAUSE THIS ITEM WAS HELD OVER FROM LAST MEETING, I WANTED TO BRING IT BACK TO SEE IF THERE'S ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION AFTER THE MEETINGS AND OTHER BRIEFINGS THAT WE HAD. IF THERE'S ANY DISCUSSION FROM THE BOARD OR IF STAFF HAS ANYTHING ELSE TO ADD.

OKAY. SO I. OH, [INAUDIBLE], GO AHEAD. GOOD MORNING, CHAIRMAN PEDROZO, BOARD MEMBERS, CEO HENDRICKSON, COUNTY COUNSEL HANSEN.

THE ITEM BEFORE YOU WAS ORIGINALLY BROUGHT TO THE BOARD ON JULY 22ND, SEEKING APPROVAL TO TERMINATE THE REFUSE HAULER AGREEMENTS.

[00:40:08]

AT THAT MEETING, THE BOARD VOTED TO BRING THE ITEM BACK TO TODAY'S MEETING TO ALLOW REVIEW OF SOME OF THE INFORMATION RELATED TO THE HAULERS CONCERNS.CWE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH THE HAULERS TO GATHER INFORMATION, AND AFTER REVIEWING THEIR INFORMATION, STAFF ARE RECOMMENDING TERMINATING THE AGREEMENTS TEN YEARS FROM THE START DATE, WHICH WAS JULY 1ST, 2025, WHICH WOULD MAKE THE TERMINATIONS EFFECTIVE JULY 1ST, 2035.

WE BELIEVE THIS WILL ALLOW THEM TO RECOVER SOME OF THEIR COSTS.

IF APPROVED TODAY, THE BOARD WILL BE ISSUING A LETTER OUTLINING THE BOARD'S INTENT TO TERMINATE THE AGREEMENTS IN 2035, AND THE OFFICIAL NOTICE OF INTENT TO TERMINATE WOULD BE ISSUED BY THE CEO IN 2030.

PER THE CONTRACT TERMS, THE AGREEMENTS WILL TERMINATE FIVE YEARS FROM THE DATE THE OFFICIAL NOTICE IS GIVEN.

AFTER THE NOTICE IS GIVEN, STAFF WILL RELEASE A COMPETITIVE BID PROCESS TO ENSURE THAT WE DO HAVE NEW AGREEMENTS IN PLACE BY THE TIME THE CURRENT AGREEMENTS TERMINATE, AND WE WOULD ENCOURAGE ALL OF OUR CURRENT HAULERS TO PARTICIPATE IN THAT PROCESS.

AND I'LL TAKE ANY QUESTIONS YOU HAVE. OKAY. ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS? SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL. YEAH. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR.

THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THIS BACK. I FEEL LIKE WE RECEIVED NEW INFORMATION DURING THAT PRESENTATION.

UNDERSTANDING THE STATE IMPOSING SB 1383 ON US, WHICH CREATED A WHOLE HOST OF OTHER CHARGES AND REDOING IT. WHETHER IT'S HELPED OUR ENVIRONMENT AT ALL, I'M STILL NOT.

I THINK IT'S IMPACTED RURAL COUNTIES A WHOLE LOT MORE THAN IT HAS FOR THE URBAN COUNTIES.

IT WORKS FOR THE URBAN, BUT NOT FOR THE RURAL.

BUT AT THE SAME TIME, I'M GLAD WE BROUGHT IT BACK BECAUSE I WANT US TO BE FAIR IN OUR CONTRACTING.

AND I JUST APPRECIATE WHAT THE NEW INFORMATION HAS PROVIDED THAT DAY THAT WE BROUGHT IT BACK.

THANK YOU. SUPERVISOR PAREIRA. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. YOU KNOW, I, TOO, WANT TO THANK YOU FOR BEING IN THIS BACK AND GATHERING MORE INFORMATION.

I, YOU KNOW, I'M A, YOU KNOW, FREE MARKET GUY AND BELIEVE, YOU KNOW, THAT COMPETITIVENESS GIVES US THE BEST DEAL.

I DO HAVE A BIT OF A CONCERN THAT WE WOULD VOTE TODAY TO SEND A LETTER IN 2030.

IT SEEMS TO ME THAT IT MAYBE MAKES MORE SENSE TO WAIT TILL 2029 AND EVALUATE THE INDUSTRY AT THAT TIME AND NOT MAKE THAT TRIGGER TODAY. I DON'T, I MEAN, UNLESS THERE'S A NEED TO DO IT TODAY, I WOULD THINK THAT DOING IT DOING IT IN FIVE YEARS WOULD PROBABLY BE THE WISER IDEA. AND, YOU KNOW, THIS BOARD MAY BE DIFFERENT AT THAT TIME AND CERTAINLY, YOU KNOW, ECONOMIC FACTORS ARE GOING TO BE DIFFERENT.

AND SO ANYWAYS, I WOULD RATHER SEE US WAIT TO DO SO.

THAT'S MY COMMENT. SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. YEAH. I'M THANKFUL THAT WE BROUGHT THIS BACK.

I THERE WAS NEW INFORMATION THAT CAME THAT WE WERE MADE AWARE OF AT THE PREVIOUS MEETING, AND WE SINCE THEN NOW HAVE KIND OF FLUSHED THAT OUT.

AND I LIKE. I'M GOOD WITH EITHER RECOMMENDATION.

I AGREE WITH YOU THE SENSE OF WE'RE SETTING PART OF THE WHOLE REASON FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT AREN'T FAMILIAR, IS THAT IT'S IN OUR CONTRACT THAT YOU HAVE TO NOTIFY THEM FIVE YEARS IN ADVANCE OF WHEN YOU'RE GOING TO TERMINATE.

THAT'S THE LANGUAGE IN THE CONTRACT. EITHER WAY, WHETHER YOU NOTIFY HIM TODAY THAT IN FIVE YEARS THEY MIGHT BE GETTING A LETTER, OR YOU NOTIFY THEM IN FIVE YEARS THAT THEY'RE GOING TO BE GETTING A LETTER, I THINK IT STILL ACCOMPLISHES THE INTENT OF IT.

THE INTENT OF THIS, IS THAT WE'VE HAD FOR A LOT OF YEARS AND I WOULD SAY SUCCESSFULLY, WE'VE HAD EVERGREEN CONTRACTS WITH OUR HAULERS.

AND I THINK THAT IT BEHOOVES US, AS, YOU KNOW, FIDUCIARY RESPONSIBILITY TO OUR CONSTITUENTS TO ALWAYS TRY TO GET THE BEST BANG FOR THE BUCK WHEN IT COMES TO THESE CONTRACTS. AND SO THAT IS WHY YOU GO OUT TO AN RFP.

SO AND I WILL ECHO YOUR WORDS, LINDSEY, IN THAT, YOU KNOW, ENCOURAGE OUR CURRENT HAULERS TO WHEN THAT DAY COMES TO APPLY.

BUT WHETHER MY COLLEAGUES WANT TO MAKE THE RECOMMENDATION THAT WE SEND THE LETTER OUT FIVE YEARS FROM NOW, OR DO IT LATER, I'M GOOD WITH EITHER ONE OF THOSE.

OH I'LL SAVE MY COMMENTS UNTIL I'M GOING TO OPEN UP PUBLIC COMMENT.

AND THEN WHEN WE BRING IT BACK, I'LL HAVE COMMENTS. SO AT THIS POINT, I'LL OPEN UP PUBLIC COMMENT.

[00:45:20]

MY NAME IS VANESSA BARBERIS, AND I'M HERE THIS MORNING FROM W.M.

WINTON DISPOSAL. I WANT TO START OUT BY THANKING COUNTY STAFF AND THIS BOARD FOR THE WORK THAT YOU HAVE ALL PUT IN TO, YOU KNOW, CAREFULLY REVIEWING AND MAKING SURE THAT YOU UNDERSTAND THE CONCERNS THAT WE BROUGHT ABOUT A MONTH AGO.

SO THAT'S VERY APPRECIATED. WE KNOW HOW CHALLENGING IT IS TO BALANCE THE COMPLIANCE WITH THE UNFUNDED STATE MANDATE, THE FINANCIAL BURDEN THAT THIS BRINGS TO RESIDENTS, AND THE FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY TO REVIEW THE COMPETITIVE BID OPTIONS.

WE TRULY APPRECIATE THE EFFORT TO BRING FORWARD A RECOMMENDATION THAT REFLECTS ALL OF THOSE REALITIES IN ONE.

I WON'T GO INTO WHAT YOU GUYS HAVE ALREADY JUST DISCUSSED.

BUT THAT IS ALL CORRECT AND TRUE. AND WE WANT TO SAY THAT TODAY'S RECOMMENDATION REALLY HONORS THE SPIRIT OF WHAT WE ORIGINALLY NEGOTIATED BY RECOGNIZING THE IMPORTANCE OF STABILITY IN THE COUNTY. THAT GIVES US THE TIME TO RESPONSIBLY DEPRECIATE EQUIPMENT WHILE STILL ALLOWING THE COUNTY TO PLAN FOR A FUTURE COMPETITIVE BID PROCESS, AND THAT STABILITY PROTECTS MILLIONS THAT HAVE ALREADY BEEN INVESTED AND HELPS US ENSURE THAT WE'RE MEETING THE STATE'S REQUIREMENTS TOGETHER.

SO AGAIN, ON BEHALF OF W.M., THANK YOU FOR YOUR PARTNERSHIP AND FOR CONSIDERING THIS BALANCED PATH FORWARD TODAY.

GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS SAVANNAH CHILTON AND I AM FROM CHILTON SOLID WASTE, AND I JUST WANTED TO TAKE A MOMENT TO EXPRESS THAT WE REALLY APPRECIATE YOU GUYS BRINGING THIS BACK AND TAKING A DEEPER LOOK INTO ALL OF THIS.

WE WILL BE HAPPY WITH STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION OR THE RECOMMENDATION THAT YOU GUYS MAKE TODAY WITH THE 2030 TERMINATION OR WHENEVER YOU DECIDE TO TERMINATE ALONG THE WAY AT A LATER DATE. AND WE APPRECIATE THE COUNTY'S WILLINGNESS TO CONSIDER THE NEEDS OF BOTH THE RATEPAYERS AND THE HAULERS. AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING TO PROVIDE RELIABLE SERVICE TO MERCED COUNTY RESIDENTS IN THE YEARS AHEAD.

THANK YOU.

OKAY. IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE FROM THE PUBLIC? OKAY, AT THIS TIME, I WILL CLOSE THE PUBLIC COMMENT AND BRING IT BACK TO CONSIDER FOR CONSIDERATION. SO MY THOUGHT, AND I'M STILL UNDER THE.

I STILL BELIEVE THAT WE SHOULD HAVE TAKEN THE ACTION LAST TIME TO TERMINATE THE CONTRACTS IN 2025, OR SEND TERMINATION LETTERS FROM 2025 AND THEN REOPEN IT IN 2030, AS OPPOSED TO EXTENDING IT TEN YEARS.

I THINK THAT YOU KNOW, THIS IS A CONTRACT THAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH AN EVERGREEN CONTRACT, AS MY COLLEAGUE SAID, SINCE 1997. THAT'S A LONG CONTRACT.

AND SO OBVIOUSLY ANYBODY THAT HAS A CONTRACT FOR THAT LONG IS GOING TO WANT TO KEEP IT FOR THAT LONG.

AND I DON'T THINK THAT IT'S PRECLUDING ANYBODY FROM REBIDDING OUT THE JOB.

IT'S JUST ONE OF THOSE THINGS. I BELIEVE WE HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO OUR CONSTITUENTS TO LOOK AT THE COSTS OF WHAT WE'RE DOING.

I RECOGNIZE THAT, YOU KNOW, WASTE MANAGEMENT, YOU HAVE, YOU KNOW, YOU PUT AN INVESTMENT INTO THIS.

YOU'RE ALSO A PUBLICLY TRADED COMPANY. SO IT'S NOT THAT DIFFICULT TO RECOUP THE COSTS.

CHILTON'S A LITTLE DIFFERENT, I UNDERSTAND THAT. HOWEVER, I BELIEVE THAT WHAT WE HAVE TO DO IS JUST ALLOW FOR OTHER ORGANIZATIONS.

I'M NOT SAYING THAT YOU WON'T BE SUCCESSFUL IN THE BID PROCESS MOVING FORWARD.

I JUST THINK THAT BECAUSE THIS HAS BEEN A CONTRACT THAT HASN'T REALLY BEEN ASSESSED OR LOOKED AT SINCE 1997, WE SHOULD START THE TERMINATION PROCESS. YOU HAVE FIVE YEARS, PROBABLY GO OUT TO RFP IN 2028, SO THAT AT LEAST WE HAVE SOME SENSE OF WHERE WE'RE AT ON THIS.

AND SO FOR THAT, I AM NOT GOING TO SUPPORT ANYTHING THAT GOES OUTSIDE OF SENDING A TERMINATION LETTER TODAY OR 2025 AND THEN TERMINATE 2023. AND MIND YOU, THIS WAS IN THE ORIGINAL TERM THAT WAS AGREED UPON BETWEEN THE COUNTY AND THESE COMPANIES. THE INTERPRETATION WAS DIFFERENT, BUT IT WAS ALSO AGREED UPON THAT THE COUNTY'S INTERPRETATION WOULD SUPERSEDE THE INTERPRETATION OF THE COUNTIY'S OR THE COMPANIES.

[00:50:03]

IT'S REALLY TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE GETTING THE BEST BANG FOR OUR BUCK.

BUT IN MY HUMBLE OPINION, MY INTERPRETATION IS THAT THE COMPANIES, WHEN MAKING THE CHANGES WITH ALL THE 1383 IMPLEMENTATIONS, THEY REQUESTED A TEN YEAR BECAUSE. AND FROM MY TIME ON CITY COUNCIL, THAT IS, SOME CONTRACTS ARE EVEN LONGER, BUT MINIMALLY THEY'RE TEN YEAR CONTRACTS BECAUSE THEY'RE MAKING HEAVY CAPITAL INVESTMENTS ON THE FRONT END BETWEEN THE TRUCKS THAT THEY NEED, THE CANS THEY NEED, ALL THOSE THINGS. AND THEN THEY AMORTIZE THAT OUT OVER TEN YEARS, IN MY OPINION, FROM WHAT I'VE BEEN TOLD, THEY ASKED FOR A TEN YEAR AGREEMENT AND WE TOLD THEM THAT THEY DIDN'T NEED ONE.

THEY HAD THE EVERGREEN AND THEN IMMEDIATELY AFTER WE PASSED THAT CONTRACT, AFTER GOING THROUGH MONTHS AND MONTHS OF NEGOTIATIONS, WE THEN SAID, OH, BY THE WAY, WE LEGALLY HAVE THE RIGHT TO BE ABLE TO GIVE YOU YOUR FIVE YEAR TERMINATION NOTICE FOR LACK OF BETTER WORDS.

THAT'S WHAT THE CONTRACT SAYS. I THINK THAT IS IT PERFECT? NO. DO WE ALWAYS HAVE SOME CHALLENGES ALONG THE WAY? YES. BUT MY EXPERIENCE AND NOW, I DON'T DEAL WITH WASTE MANAGEMENT TOO MUCH IN MY DISTRICT.

IT'S MOSTLY JUST CHILTON'S ON THE WEST SIDE OF THE COUNTY.

BUT IN ALL MY YEARS IN THIS OFFICE, I'VE LITERALLY HAD ONE PHONE CALL FOR AN ISSUE, AND IT WAS A DUCK CLUB, THAT THE ROAD WAS TOO MUDDY AND YOU GUYS JUST WEREN'T ABLE TO GET OUT THERE. SO I THINK BEING GOOD PARTNERS, THERE'S A REASON WHY WE'VE BEEN IN BUSINESS WITH THEM SINCE 1997.

IF THAT WAS THE YEAR THAT YOU USED IS IS BECAUSE THEY'VE BEEN GOOD PARTNERS. AND I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE UPHOLD THAT WE ARE GOOD PARTNERS AND ALLOW THEM TO BE ABLE TO RECOUP THEIR COSTS AND KIND OF DO IT THE PROPER WAY.

HAD THEY NOT ASKED FOR THAT, WE HAD EVERY RIGHT TO BE ABLE TO SAY THAT IN FIVE YEARS WE'RE GOING TO GO OUT TO BID.

BUT KNOWING AFTER I GOT THAT INFORMATION THAT THEY ASKED FOR THE FIVE YEARS, BUT WE'RE TOLD THEY DIDN'T NEED THE FIVE YEARS, AND THEN WE DID IT AFTERWARDS. I JUST. THAT JUST DIDN'T SET WELL WITH ME. AND SO I WILL BE IN SUPPORT OF THIS ITEM, WHETHER IT IS AS STAFF RECOMMENDS OR IT IS CHANGED TO THAT WE WILL MAKE THE DETERMINATION ON SENDING OUT THE TERMINATION NOTICE AT SOME POINT IN THE FUTURE.

SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR, AND I DO AGREE WITH YOU THAT IT SHOULD BE, BUT I THINK 1383, WHICH WAS A MANDATE BY THE STATE THAT WE HAD NO CONTROL OVER, AND I THINK BECAUSE OF THE AMORTIZATION PROCESS AND THE TEN YEARS, I DO AGREE WITH MY COLLEAGUE FROM THE WEST SIDE.

THAT CHANGED EVERYTHING, BECAUSE I THINK WE WERE ACTUALLY TALKING ABOUT THIS BEFORE 1383 ABOUT GOING OUT AND DOING THIS.

BUT AT THE TIME 1383 CAME, IT KIND OF CLOUDED OUR FULL DISCUSSION, AND WE WERE FOCUSED ON WHAT THE COSTS WERE GOING TO BE TO MOVE FORWARD ON THAT.

SO WITH THAT, I DO SUPPORT WHAT'S BEING PRESENTED TODAY.

AND THANK YOU. SUPERVISOR PAREIRA. GO AHEAD. NO.

GO AHEAD. SO WHAT I WOULD SAY IN DISAGREEMENT IS THAT, YOU KNOW, THE CURRENT TERM LANGUAGE, IT SAYS THE INITIAL TERM OF THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE FOR FIVE CONSECUTIVE YEARS COMMENCING JULY 1ST, 2025. EVEN THOUGH THEY ASKED FOR THE TEN, THEY ACCEPTED THE FIVE.

THEREFORE, THIS AGREEMENT SHALL AUTOMATICALLY EXTEND FOR ONE ADDITIONAL YEAR UNTIL SUCH TIME THAT EITHER PARTY ELECTS TO TERMINATE THAT AGREEMENT.

UPON PROVIDING SUCH WRITTEN NOTIFICATION, THIS AGREEMENT SHALL THEN TERMINATE FIVE YEARS FROM THE DATE OF NOTICE WAS GIVEN.

SO THAT'S THE AGREEMENT. THAT'S THE TERMS OF THE AGREEMENT THAT WAS AGREED TO BY THE ORGANIZATIONS THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.

NOW, I DO WANT TO KIND OF LOOK AT THE DIFFERENCE HERE TOO.

SO WHEN WE SAY THAT, ALLOW FOR THEM TO RECOUP THEIR COSTS, THEIR COSTS ARE COMING FROM OUR TAXPAYERS.

SO WE'RE PAYING IT. THEY'RE MAKING A PROFIT AND THEY'RE ALSO RECOUPING THE COST.

SO ALL I'M SAYING IS, IT MIGHT BE THAT THIS MIGHT BE A GOOD MODEL.

IT NEVER HURTS TO GO OUT AND LOOK. THEY MIGHT BE SUCCESSFUL IN GETTING.

AGAIN, THIS IS IN NO WAY DISPARAGING THESE ORGANIZATIONS.

THIS IS OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO LOOK AT WHAT'S GOING ON.

AND WE CAN'T CONTINUE TO. I MEAN, YES, IT WAS 1383, A LARGE DRIVING FACTOR OF THIS.

IT WAS. BUT WE CAN'T CONTINUE TO LOOK IN THE REAR VIEW MIRROR.

WE CAN'T GO FORWARD. AND SO WE HAVE TO LOOK AT OKAY, WELL THIS HAPPENED.

THIS IS WHAT WE DID TO ACCOMMODATE. NOW WE HAVE TO MOVE FORWARD.

THAT'S ALL. THAT'S MY POINT. SUPERVISOR PAREIRA.

YEAH. THANK YOU, CHAIR. YOU KNOW, AS I LOOK AT THIS, YOU KNOW, I GUESS THE EXAMPLE IS IF YOU LIVE IN A HOUSE AND THE RENT IS $800, AND THERE'S A CHANCE THAT IF YOU TALK TO YOUR LANDLORD ABOUT YOUR RENT, IT COULD BE $1,200, RIGHT? I MEAN, I JUST THINK THAT THE INCREASES THAT WASTE MANAGEMENT AND CHILTON HAVE ASKED FOR OVER TIME HAS NOT BEEN EXUBERANT. SO I, YOU KNOW, MAYBE WE CAN SAVE OUR CONSTITUENTS SOME MONEY BY GOING OUT TO BID.

MAYBE WE COST THEM MONEY, RIGHT? I MEAN, IT'S NOT, YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT THE INDUSTRY IN MERCED COUNTY ARE,

[00:55:08]

AND SO MAYBE WE HAVE A GOOD DEAL AND I, YOU KNOW, MAYBE WE DON'T.

I GET THAT, BUT I'M LEANING TOWARDS THE FACT THAT OUR RATES WOULD GO UP IF WE WENT OUT TO BID.

AND SO, YOU KNOW, AND I AGREE THAT, YOU KNOW, IF A COMPANY MAKES AN INVESTMENT, THEY SIGNED A DEAL SAYING FIVE YEARS.

BUT I DON'T THINK IT'S REASONABLE TO ACKNOWLEDGE TEN YEARS.

I MEAN, THAT IS WHAT THEY ASKED FOR. SO MAYBE SEVEN YEARS IS WHERE IT FALLS.

SO WHAT I'M GOING TO DO IS, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION THAT WE TABLE THIS ITEM UNTIL IT'S BROUGHT BACK.

IT MIGHT BE BROUGHT BACK IN A YEAR FOR A FIVE YEAR TERM.

IT MIGHT BE BROUGHT BACK IN FIVE YEARS FOR A TERMINATION.

I DON'T KNOW, BUT I DON'T WANT TO LOCK US IN TODAY TO SEND IN A LETTER ON JULY 1ST, 2030.

I THINK THAT'S NOT PRUDENT ON OUR PART. SO LET'S LET THE INDUSTRY UNFOLD.

COSTS MAY GO UP, MAY GO DOWN. LET'S DECIDE IT WHEN WE KNOW THE FACTS AT THE TIME.

SO THAT'S MY MOTION. SO.

JUST FOR CLARIFICATION, IS THE MOTION JUST TO TABLE THE ITEM INDEFINITELY? YEAH, AND THEN IF IT'S BROUGHT BACK, WELL. YES.

IT'S BROUGHT BACK BY A BOARD MEMBER, THEN IT GETS BROUGHT BACK AND WE DISCUSS THAT AND DECIDE AT THAT TIME.

OKAY. IS THERE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND. OKAY. WE HAVE A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR PACHECO, OR.

I'M SORRY. A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR PAREIRA, SECOND BY SUPERVISOR PACHECO.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE. AYE.

AYE. OH, YES. SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA I DID VOTE, BUT I JUST WANTED FOR CLARIFICATION.

THIS IS JUST TO TABLE THE ITEM INDEFINITELY. WE DO NOTHING.

WE CONTINUE WITH THE CURRENT VERBIAGE IN OUR CONTRACT, RIGHT? OKAY. PERFECT. THANK YOU. NAY. SO THE MOTION PASSES 4 TO 1.

OKAY. ALL RIGHT. NEXT WE HAVE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AND RECOVERY SERVICES.

ITEM 16 AND 17. IN REGARD TO ITEM 17, THE DEPARTMENT WOULD ALSO LIKE THE CHAIR TO SIGN A LETTER OF SUPPORT IN CONNECTION WITH THE GRANT APPLICATION.

AT THIS TIME, I WILL OPEN PUBLIC COMMENT FOR BHRS ITEM 16 AND 17.

OKAY. THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD FOR BHRS ITEM 16 AND 17 IS NOW CLOSED.

BRING IT BACK TO THE BOARD. I HAVE A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA, SECONDED BY SUPERVISOR PAREIRA.

CALL FOR THE VOTE. RECORD THE VOTE. MOTION UNANIMOUSLY PASSES.

NEXT WE HAVE HUMAN SERVICES AGENCY. ITEM 18. OKAY, AT THIS TIME I WILL OPEN PUBLIC COMMENT FOR HSA ITEM 18.

OKAY. THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD FOR HSA ITEMS 18 IS NOW CLOSED.

BRING IT BACK TO THE BOARD. WE HAVE A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL, SECOND BY SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA.

CALL FOR THE VOTE. MOTION UNANIMOUSLY PASSES.

NO. NEXT, WE HAVE PUBLIC HEALTH. RECORD THE VOTE.

OH, RECORD THE VOTE, PLEASE. MOTION UNANIMOUSLY PASSES.

THANK YOU. NEXT, WE HAVE PUBLIC HEALTH. ITEMS 19 AND 20.

AT THIS TIME, I WILL OPEN PUBLIC COMMENT FOR HEALTH ITEMS 19 AND 20.

PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD FOR HEALTH ITEMS 19 AND 20 IS NOW CLOSED.

WE HAVE A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA SECONDED BY SUPERVISOR PAREIRA.

CALL FOR THE VOTE. PLEASE RECORD THE VOTE. MOTION UNANIMOUSLY PASSES.

NEXT, WE HAVE DISTRICT ATTORNEY. ITEMS 21 AND 22.

AT THIS TIME, DISTRICT ATTORNEY NICOLE SILVEIRA AND CHIEF INVESTIGATOR ANNA HAZEL WILL PROVIDE INFORMATION REGARDING THE REAL ESTATE FRAUD REPORT.

GOOD MORNING, BOARD, CEO, COUNTY COUNSEL. I JUST WANTED TO COME UP HERE AND INFORM THE BOARD ABOUT SOME STEPS THAT WE'VE TAKEN IN THE LAST YEAR TO IMPROVE OUR OUTREACH WITH RESPONSE TO REAL ESTATE FRAUD. I THINK IT WAS SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL WHO COMMENTED LAST YEAR THAT THE FRAUD IN MERCED COUNTY WITH RESPECT TO REAL ESTATE

[01:00:03]

SO TO THAT END, STEPS THAT WE'VE TAKEN IN THE LAST YEAR ARE REORGANIZING THE FRAUD WITHIN OUR OFFICE SO THAT REAL ESTATE FRAUD, CONSUMER FRAUD IS ALL CENTRALIZED WITH ONE INVESTIGATOR.

WE NOW HAVE A NEW FULL TIME ATTORNEY IN THAT POSITION, A NEW PARALEGAL, AND WE'VE BEGUN OUTREACH EFFORTS.

A FEW MONTHS AGO, WE WENT TO THE BOARD OF REALTORS WITH OUR INVESTIGATOR, BIANCA ZENDEJAS, AND INTRODUCED THEM TO HER. AND WE ARE ALSO DOING OUTREACH WITH THE RECORDER'S OFFICE AS WELL, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE ADDRESSING ANY ITEMS THAT COME THROUGH THERE.

SO I HAVE CHIEF HAZEL HERE IF YOU GUYS HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, BUT I JUST WANTED TO KEEP YOU INFORMED ON THAT.

SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL. THANK YOU, DA SILVEIRA, FOR BEING HERE.

SO DO YOU THINK WITH THIS NEW, OR IS IT GOING TO GO UP, GO DOWN, OR WHAT'S YOUR INDICATION ON THIS, DO YOU THINK IF WE HAVE MORE EYES ON IT THAT MORE WILL RISE TO THE SURFACE? WELL, I GUESS WE'LL HAVE TO WAIT AND SEE. BUT WE DON'T WANT YOU KNOW, A LOW REPORTING TO BE TIED TO THE FACT THAT WE'RE DOING ENOUGH TO GET THE WORD OUT.

RIGHT. YES. WE'LL HAVE TO WAIT AND SEE, BUT. OKAY, SO IT'S MORE OF A NEW APPROACH.

YOU DON'T SEE IT RIGHT NOW, IS WHAT YOU'RE SAYING? CORRECT. OKAY. THANK YOU. SUPERVISOR PACHECO.

THANK YOU, CHAIR. JUST A QUESTION. DO WE KNOW LIKE, WHAT TYPE OF VICTIMS WE'RE HAVING? IS IT ELDERLY OR MAYBE YOU KNOW, JUST. I DON'T SAY UNDOCUMENTED, BUT, YOU KNOW, JUST WHAT KIND OF VICTIMS WE'RE GETTING? IT RUNS THE GAMUT. WE HAVE VICTIMS, SOME OF ONE CASE THAT WAS HIGHLIGHTED IN YOUR REPORT DOES INVOLVE SOME ELDERLY VICTIMS. IT IS PART OF A A REAL ESTATE FRAUD THAT HAS EXTENDED THROUGH THE FAMILY.

AND SO WE DO HAVE SOME ELDERLY VICTIMS THERE.

THAT IS PART OF THE OUTREACH THAT WE DO WANT TO DO IS MAKING SURE THAT INDIVIDUALS THAT MIGHT BE NEGATIVELY IMPACTED BY THESE TYPES OF SCAMS ARE VERY WELL AWARE OF WHAT WE'RE DOING IN THE COUNTY TO COMBAT THEM AND HOW THEY CAN REPORT THEM, AND THOSE UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES.

WE DO PROVIDE ONLINE REPORTING AVAILABLE THROUGH THE DA'S OFFICE.

THEY CAN CONSULT OUR WEBSITE FOR ALL OF THOSE REPORTING THAT THEY CAN DO AND SUBMIT THAT WAY.

WE CERTAINLY DO TAKE THOSE. THEY'RE AT THE DESK.

IF SOMEBODY WANTS TO COME IN OR CALL IN, WE'RE HAPPY TO HELP THOSE INDIVIDUALS WITH MAKING THOSE REPORTS AND GETTING AN INVESTIGATOR ASSIGNED TO FOLLOW UP.

AND JUST, SINCE YOU MENTIONED ELDERLY, SUPERVISOR PACHECO LAST JUNE, WE DID HAVE A SENIOR SCAMMERS OUTREACH SEMINAR.

WE HELD ONE IN MERCED AND ONE IN LOS BANOS IN CONJUNCTION WITH ASSEMBLYWOMAN SORIA'S OFFICE AND A COUPLE OTHER AGENCIES, THE CONTRACTOR STATE LLICENSING BOARD. AND WE'RE PLANNING THAT AGAIN IN THE FALL TO REACH THAT POPULATION.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU GUYS ARE DOING TOO. SUPERVISOR PAREIRA.

YEAH. JUST A QUICK QUESTION. DO YOU SEE ANY COORDINATED EFFORT IN THIS FRAUD, OR ARE THEY MOSTLY ONE OFFS, EACH CASE IS KIND OF ITS OWN INDIVIDUAL SET OF PEOPLE? WE HAVE NOT SEEN ANY COORDINATED EFFORTS, CERTAINLY NOT TO THE EXTENT THAT WE SAW THEM IN THE ECONOMIC DOWNTURN IN 2008 AND THEN SPANNING YOU KNOW, THOSE NEXT TEN YEARS ALMOST, THAT WE WERE SEEING A LOT OF THOSE DIFFERENT INDUSTRIES THAT ARE INVOLVED IN REAL ESTATE THAT WOULD KIND OF COLLUDE IN ORDER TO PERPETUATE THE FRAUD. WE'RE NOT SEEING THOSE.

MOST OF THE ONES THAT WE ARE SEEING ARE ONE OFFS IN TERMS OF THAT, BUT WE'RE ALWAYS KEEPING OUR EYE OUT.

WE DO HAVE REALLY WONDERFUL PARTNERS WITH THE BOARD OF REALTORS THAT ARE VERY EDUCATED AND VERY ENGAGED IN OUR COMMUNITY.

AND I THINK THEY DO A WONDERFUL JOB OF MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE GETTING THE INFORMATION EARLY.

IF THOSE THINGS, THEY'RE SEEING THE TRENDS NECESSARILY BEFORE WE DO, AS WELL AS WITH THE RECORDER'S OFFICE AND THE THINGS THAT THEY'RE SEEING COME ACROSS THE DESK. SO WE'VE NOT SEEN A WHOLE LOT OF COORDINATED EFFORT AT THIS POINT.

THANK YOU. SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL. YOU HAVE ONE MORE QUESTION THAT WAS BROUGHT UP.

YOU KNOW, BECAUSE THE CABLE NEWS NETWORKS, THEY HAVE A LOT OF THAT ADVERTISING ON HOW THEY CAN GO AND SCAN THROUGH THE RECORDER'S OFFICE.

AND WHENEVER I AM GIVING TALKS AT DIFFERENT GROUPS, THE CONSTITUENCY ALWAYS LIKES TO BRING UP THOSE QUESTIONS BECAUSE THERE'S FOLKS WHO ARE AFRAID THAT THAT COULD HAPPEN BECAUSE I THINK IT'S LIFELOCK OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. SOME OF THE ADVERTISING THAT PUTS THAT OUT THERE, IS THERE STEPS THEY CAN TAKE THAT YOU KNOW, OF AHEAD OF TIME, OR IF THEY GET AN INDICATION ON IT, DO THEY CONTACT YOUR OFFICE RIGHT AWAY? YES, PLEASE. IF YOU DO. WHAT WE HAVE SEEN HISTORICALLY IN REAL ESTATE FRAUD IS THERE IS A CONNECTION TO IDENTITY THEFT.

AND WE DO HAVE A LOT OF WRITTEN AND ONLINE RESOURCES THAT WE CAN POINT INDIVIDUALS TO, THAT MAY HAVE A CONCERN THAT THERE HAS BEEN AN IDENTITY THEFT,

[01:05:08]

SUPERVISOR PAREIRA. WELL, SO THAT BEGS THE QUESTION, IS THERE ANYTHING THAT FOLKS CAN DO TO PROACTIVELY PROTECT THEMSELVES? ONE OF THE BIGGEST THINGS INDIVIDUALS CAN DO IS TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE FACT THAT ALL INDIVIDUALS ARE ENTITLED TO A FREE CREDIT REPORT EVERY YEAR.

PLEASE EXERCISE THAT. THAT IS WHERE YOU'RE GOING TO SEE IF YOU DO NOT HAVE A REALLY ROBUST FRAUD PROTECTION SYSTEM IN THE BANK THAT YOU USE, OR THE CREDIT COMPANIES THAT YOU USE, THAT IS A WONDERFUL WAY TO JUST KEEP TABS ON WHAT'S GOING ON YEAR TO YEAR.

IT WILL ALERT YOU TO ANYTHING THAT MIGHT BE CONCERNING TO YOU.

BUT IT WILL ALSO PROVIDE YOU WITH NEXT STEPS FOR HOW YOU CAN CREATE FRAUD ALERTS SO THAT YOU ARE NOTIFIED IF THERE IS AN ACCOUNT THAT IS OPENED, IF THERE IS A TRANSACTION OVER A CERTAIN AMOUNT, ALL OF THOSE CAN BE ELECTRONICALLY TRANSMITTED TO YOU THROUGH THE MAJOR CREDIT REPORTING SYSTEMS. OKAY. THANK YOU. AT THIS TIME I'LL OPEN PUBLIC COMMENT FOR DA ITEMS 21 AND 22. OKAY. THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD FOR DA ITEMS 21 AND 22 IS NOW CLOSED.

WE'LL BRING IT BACK TO THE BOARD. WE HAVE A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL, SECOND BY SUPERVISOR PAREIRA.

PLEASE CALL FOR THE VOTE. PLEASE RECORD THE VOTE.

MOTION UNANIMOUSLY PASSES. NEXT WE HAVE FIRE.

ITEM 23. AT THIS TIME, I WILL OPEN PUBLIC COMMENT FOR FIRE ITEM 23.

THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD FOR FIRE ITEM 23 IS NOW CLOSED.

BRING IT BACK TO THE BOARD. WE HAVE A MOTION.

IS THERE A SECOND? MOTION BY SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA, SECOND BY SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL.

CALL FOR THE VOTE. PLEASE RECORD THE VOTE. MOTION UNANIMOUSLY PASSES.

NEXT WE HAVE SHERIFF. ITEM 24. AT THIS TIME, LIEUTENANT BASSI WILL PROVIDE INFORMATION REGARDING THIS ITEM.

ALL RIGHT. GOOD MORNING, CHAIR PEDROZO, BOARD MEMBERS AND CEO HENDRICKSON.

LIEUTENANT BASSI WITH THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE, AND I OVERSEE OUR FLEET SERVICES AT THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE.

THE ITEM BEFORE YOU TODAY IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE TO LEASE THEIR VEHICLES THROUGH UNIFIED FLEET SERVICES.

WE BELIEVE THAT THIS IS A REAL VALUE FOR THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE AND AS A COUNTY AS A WHOLE.

AND THIS COMES TO US OVER SEVERAL YEARS OF CHALLENGES THAT WE FACED WITH OUR FLEET SERVICES.

SOME OF THE CHALLENGES THAT I'M GOING TO NAME TO YOU GUYS IS THE AGING FLEET WITH HIGH MILEAGE, THAT WE HAVE UNITS THAT RUN 100 PLUS THOUSAND MILES.

AND ANOTHER CHALLENGE THAT WE DO HAVE IS THE CURRENT PROCUREMENT PROCESS IS INEFFICIENT.

AND WHEN I SPEAK TO INEFFICIENT PROCESS IS, OUR GOAL AS THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE IS TO GO TO POTENTIALLY A CHEVY TAHOE TYPE OF MODEL VEHICLE AND THE CHEVY TAHOE, THAT HOLDS A HIGHER RESALE VALUE AT THE END OF LIFE FOR THAT VEHICLE.

BUT THE PROCUREMENT PROCESS AND THE BUDGETING AND THE PROCUREMENT PROCESS THROUGH THE COUNTY DOESN'T ALIGN WITH THE ORDERING BANK THAT THE CHEVY TAHOE'S ORDERING BANK. THERE'S A SLIGHT WINDOW OF OPPORTUNITY AND OUR PROCEDURES ARE NOT ALIGNED WITH THAT ORDERING BANK.

ANOTHER CHALLENGE THAT WE DO SEE AT THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE IS THE UPFITTING OF OUR VEHICLES THROUGH OUR CURRENT YARD.

WHAT HAPPENS IS WE GET OUR VEHICLES THROUGH FLEET SERVICES, AND WE ARE TO GET THE LIGHTS, CRADLE POINTS, ANTENNAS, DOCKING STATIONS AND OTHER EQUIPMENT FOR, AND LIGHTING EQUIPMENT, WHERE PIECEMEALING THOSE TOGETHER THROUGH THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE BUDGET.

AND ONCE THOSE ITEMS COME TO THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE, ONCE THOSE ITEMS THAT WE'VE ORDERED FOR THE LIGHTS, CRADLE POINTS AND ALL THE THINGS THAT NEED TO BE INSTALLED IN THESE PATROL CARS, WE TAKE THOSE TO THE YARD, AND THE YARD INSTALLS THOSE. BUT THE PROBLEM WITH GETTING THOSE ITEMS IS THEY'RE SEVERAL MONTHS IN DELAY.

SO ONCE THE VEHICLE LANDS AT THE YARD, THEN WE'RE PLACING THOSE ORDERS.

AND ANY GIVEN TIME WHERE SOMETIMES CARS ARE NOT PUT IN SERVICE 12 TO 15 MONTHS UNTIL THEY'VE LANDED AT THE FLEET YARD,

[01:10:07]

SO HOW THIS LEASE OPPORTUNITY IS GOING TO BENEFIT US, HOW THIS IS GOING TO BE OF VALUE TO THE COUNTY AS A WHOLE, IS A STREAMLINED PURCHASING AND UPFITTING PROCESS THROUGH UNIFIED.

WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IS, UNIFIED WOULD GET THE UNITS THAT WE'VE REQUESTED, WHAT WHAT IS BENEFICIAL FOR OUR RESIDENTS AND FOR PATROL. THEY WOULD PLACE THE ORDERS ON THOSE UNITS.

THEY ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR PROVIDING US THE DELIVERABLES THAT ARE OF OUR ACCEPTANCE AS A COUNTY, AS THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE. FROM THERE, THE UPFITTING MODEL, ONCE THEY HAVE THE UNITS ORDERED, THEY WOULD DROP SHIP THEM TO AN ACCEPTABLE UPFITTER THAT IS RESPONSIBLE FOR UPFITTING THE LIGHTS, ALL THE EMERGENCY EQUIPMENT THAT IS NEEDED TO MAKE SURE THAT THOSE VEHICLES ARE READY FOR SERVICE ON PATROL.

THIS PUTS A RELIABLE VEHICLE ON THE ROAD FASTER.

THE UPFITTERS ARE GOING TO TAKE ABOUT 40 TO 40 PLUS HOURS.

ONCE THE CAR IS DROPSHIPPED AT THEIR LOCATION, AND THAT TURNAROUND TIME WILL COME BACK TO THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE, AND WE CAN GET THESE VEHICLES IN SERVICE. THIS IS A FORWARD THINKING MODEL, AN INNOVATIVE APPROACH TO KIND OF GET A CERTAINTY COST OF WHAT IT REALLY COST US TO RUN OUR FLEET SERVICE. RIGHT NOW, THERE ARE CHALLENGES ON WHAT THE ACTUAL COST IS BECAUSE THEY COME FROM DIFFERENT.

SOME EQUIPMENT AND COSTS ARE COMING FROM THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE VERSUS THE FLEET AND FSR AND FUEL COST.

SO THIS IS AN INNOVATIVE APPROACH OF FORWARD THINKING MODEL THAT CAN HELP US STREAMLINE THAT CERTAINTY OF OUR COST.

IMPROVE EFFICIENCY, AND ENSURE TAXPAYER DOLLARS ARE USED RESPONSIBLY.

I THINK THIS IS A MECHANISM TO KIND OF SEE HOW WE'RE DOING, AND IF IT'S ONE PLACE THAT WE CAN GET IT IS UNIFIED AND IT'S ONE PERSON THAT WE HAVE TO CONTACT IF THERE'S ANY DEFICIENCIES THAT WE HAVE.

SO HOW WE'RE GOING TO GET THERE? THE FINANCIAL APPROACH IS, CURRENTLY THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE HAS PROVIDED A BUDGET FOR ITS FLEET SERVICES.

WE'RE COMMITTED TO REALLOCATE THOSE FUNDS TO THIS NEW FLEET TO THIS LEASE PROGRAM.

SO THAT'S ONE WAY TO GET THERE. AND THEN THE ULTIMATE GOAL OF THE COUNTY AND THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE IS TO MINIMIZE ANY SUBSTANTIAL ADDITIONAL NET COUNTY COSTS TO THE RESIDENTS AND TO THE COUNTY AS A WHOLE.

SO ALTERNATIVELY, BOARD IF IF THERE'S AN ALTERNATIVE, IF THIS FOR SOME REASON HOPEFULLY THIS IS APPROVED BY YOU GUYS. BUT IF FOR SOME REASON IT IS NOT, I COULD TELL YOU THAT THE CURRENT MODEL IS NOT WORKING.

THE CURRENT MODEL IS INEFFECTIVE. IT'S INEFFICIENT.

WE NEED TO SEE AN ALTERNATIVE IN PLACE. SO REGARDLESS OF THE OUTCOME, WE NEED A CHANGE OF THE CURRENT MODEL AND THE PURCHASE OF UPFITTING OF OUR VEHICLES.

I WANT TO THANK YOU GUYS FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK AND GIVE YOU GUYS AN INTRODUCTION ON THIS ITEM. I DO HAVE MIKE SCOTT AND HIS TEAM WITH UNIFIED HERE.

SO IF YOU GUYS HAVE ANY TECHNICAL QUESTIONS IN TERMS OF THAT, THEY ARE MORE THAN WELCOME TO COME AND ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS FOR YOU.

SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. YEAH, I'VE BEEN SUPPORTIVE OF THIS IDEA SINCE THE BEGINNING.

I ACTUALLY WAS INTRODUCED TO UNIFIED FLEET AT AN RCRC EVENT.

THEY WERE A NEW VENDOR THERE, AND I DON'T EVEN KNOW HOW WE SPARKED UP A CONVERSATION.

PART OF IT WAS ONE OF YOUR COLLEAGUES. BRODY WAS THERE, AND WE WERE AT THE RCRC EVENT WHERE PEOPLE WERE WEARING COWBOY HATS AND BOOTS AND JEANS, A LOT OF THEM. AND THEN YOU HAD BRODY, WHO SHOWED UP IN LIKE A SURFER DUDE.

AND THERE'S NOTHING AGAINST THAT. JUST IT MADE ME LIKE, WELL, I GUESS MAYBE THAT WAS A TACTIC TO REALLY STAND OUT.

AND SO I GOT TO CHATTING WITH HIM, AND IT WAS INTERESTING BECAUSE I HAD A CONVERSATION, I BELIEVE IT WAS THE SHERIFF WAS THERE, THE UNDERSHERIFF, AND MAYBE CAPTAIN SULLIVAN WAS THERE. WE WERE IN HIS OFFICE, AND WE WERE TALKING ABOUT SOME OF THOSE INEFFICIENCIES, THE INEFFICIENCIES OF, WE ORDER A VEHICLE THROUGH THE FLEET PROGRAM, AND THEN WE WAIT TILL THE VEHICLE GETS HERE.

AND THEN NOW, DEPENDING ON IF THAT WAS A MODEL CHANGE, THE UPFITTING, FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT AREN'T FAMILIAR WITH UPFITTING, IS BASICALLY YOU HAVE A VEHICLE AND IT'S ALL THE STUFF THAT A SAFETY VEHICLE NEEDS.

IT'S THE LIGHTS, IT'S THE CAGE. IF IT'S AN INMATE CAGE, IT'S THE CAGE THAT THEY CALL IT A CAGE FOR, FOR IF YOU HAVE A K-9 UNIT, THERE'S ALL THESE DIFFERENT THINGS, AND THE PROCESS WASN'T VERY EFFICIENT.

THERE WAS TIME WHEN, SOMETIMES YOU HAVE A VEHICLE THAT GETS DELIVERED, AND IT COULD BE UP TO NINE MONTHS BEFORE THAT VEHICLE EVER GOT PUT INTO SERVICE. AND THERE'S A WHOLE HOST OF REASONS OF ORDERING.

[01:15:03]

SO ULTIMATELY, I WILL TELL YOU THAT THIS DOESN'T SAVE US MONEY.

THIS COSTS US ADDITIONAL RESOURCES, RIGHT? I THINK WE CAN ALL AGREE THAT THIS IS GOING TO COST ADDITIONAL MONEY.

BUT WHAT WE GAIN IS, IS WE GAIN EFFICIENCY. WE GAIN THAT WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, IN THE WAY THAT I'VE BEEN BRIEFED IS NOW, YOU KNOW, THROUGH UNIFIED FLEET AND THE WHOEVER THEY'RE USING TO DO THE UPFITTING, THEY CREATE THE WIRING HARNESS THAT IS SPECIFIC TO MERCED COUNTY'A VEHICLES, SO THAT WHEN IT'S DELIVERED TO US, IT IS PLUG AND PLAY.

WE PLUG OUR CAMERA IN, WE PLUG OUR COMPUTER IN, YOU PUT YOUR STUFF IN IT AND WE'RE READY TO GO.

AND THEN THE PART THAT I THINK WOULD. AND WE DON'T KNOW UNTIL WE GO DOWN THIS ROAD TO FIND OUT EXACTLY WHAT IT IS, IS THAT WE'RE CHANGING THE MODEL OF RUNNING VEHICLES TILL THE WHEELS FALL OFF AND TURNING SOMETHING IN THAT IS NOT WORTH NOTHING, BUT NOT WORTH VERY MUCH COMPARED TO WHAT WE PAY FOR IT.

GOING TO A THREE YEAR LEASE PROGRAM WHERE TURNING VEHICLES IN THAT STILL HAVE VALUE AND THE BENEFICIARIES OF THAT IS, IS THERE'S SMALLER DEPARTMENTS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY THAT WILL NEVER BE ABLE TO BUY NEW.

AND SO THEY'RE LOOKING FOR THOSE VEHICLES. SO OVERALL I THINK IT IS A A GOOD PROGRAM.

I'M SUPPORTIVE OF THE PROGRAM, CONTRARY TO WHAT SOME PEOPLE BELIEVE OUT THERE.

YOU KNOW, I DO SUPPORT PUBLIC SAFETY AND TRYING, YOU KNOW, I'VE SAID THIS ALL ALONG, FROM THE VERY FIRST TIME THAT I RAN FOR ELECTION IS, I'VE NEVER BEEN A SHERIFF, NEVER CLAIMED TO BE A SHERIFF, NEVER PLAYED ONE ON TV, BUT WITHIN REASON, THE SHERIFF TELLS ME THE TOOLS THAT HE NEEDS TO DO HIS JOB, AND THE WITHIN REASON PART IS BECAUSE I DON'T HAVE THE MONEY TREE BACK HERE THAT JUST KEEPS GROWING MONEY. WE TRY TO GIVE THEM THOSE TOOLS.

AND THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY WHERE I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, IT'S KIND OF A.

THERE'S THREE PHASES OUT THERE. I THINK WHAT WE'RE AGREEING TO TODAY IS I GET TO KNOW YOU.

PHASE RIGHT. IT'S PHASE ONE. I MEAN, MY COLLEAGUES GO ALONG WITH IT.

IT'S, WE'RE GOING TO GO WITH PHASE ONE. AND THEN UNIFIED FLEET GETS TO DELIVER ON ALL THE PROMISES THEY MADE.

AND THEN WE GET TO TAKE A LOOK AT THIS. AND THEN AT THAT POINT WE DECIDE IF WE'RE GOING TO GO INTO PHASE TWO.

AND THEN THERE'S POTENTIALLY A PHASE THREE. AGAIN, IT COSTS ADDITIONAL MONIES.

BUT I THINK THAT IT'S MONEY WELL SPENT. WE'RE RUNNING RELIABLE.

WE'RE GIVING OUR FOLKS OUR FRONTLINE STAFF THAT ARE OUT THERE ON THE STREETS. WE'RE GIVING THEM GOOD, RELIABLE EQUIPMENT. IF IT ALL ENDS UP GOING THROUGH, IT PUTS US INTO A POSITION TO WHERE WE'RE NOT JUST RUNNING THESE PATROL VEHICLES 24/7.

ONE GUY COMES IN, HE GETS OFF DUTY, TAKES HIS STUFF OUT.

NEXT GUY OR GAL COMES IN, PUTS THEIRS OUT. THESE VEHICLES ARE CONSTANTLY RUNNING.

AND SO WE'RE PUTTING LESS MILES ON IT. AND THAT'S WHERE THEREFORE YOU GET THE VALUES AT THE END.

THE ONLY QUESTION THAT I DID HAVE, AND I JUST CAUGHT IT RIGHT NOW AND PARDON ME, I SHOULD HAVE SAW IT SOONER.

BUT THEY SENT US A REPORT, IT'S IN THE PACKET.

THE ATTACHMENT B. WHAT IT THE REASON FOR THE DISCREPANCY.

LIKE I CAN SEE, A 2026 TAHOE CANINE UNIT. OKAY.

THAT ONE'S OBVIOUSLY GOING TO HAVE A HIGHER RESIDUAL BECAUSE IT'S GOT MORE STUFF IN IT. BUT I'M LOOKING AT A 2026 TAHOE PATROL THAT'S GOT A $47,000 POTENTIAL RESALE VALUE. BUT THEN IF YOU GO DOWN THE LIST, THERE'S ANOTHER ONE THAT'S ONLY GOT A $24,000 RESIDUAL VALUE.

IS THERE ANY SPECIFIC REASON AS TO THAT? SO I'D HAVE TO LOOK AT THE SPECIFIC LINE ITEMS TO GIVE YOU A PERFECT ANSWER ON THAT.

OKAY. BUT THE QUICK ANSWER WOULD BE, IT DEPENDS ON THE MILEAGE THAT WE'RE CALCULATING FOR THAT UNIT, HOW IT'S GOING TO BE USED BASED ON THE UNIT IT'S REPLACING.

AND THEN SECONDLY, IF IT IS A PATROL ONE, WHAT THE UPFIT WAS IN THAT PATROL.

IF WE ONLY HAVE AN ADMIN PACKAGE, IT'S SIGNIFICANTLY CHEAPER FROM AN UPFIT.

SO WHEN WE TURN AROUND AND SELL THAT VEHICLE WITH THAT EQUIPMENT IN THERE, IF IT ONLY HAS BASE EQUIPMENT IN THERE, IT WON'T BE SELLING FOR NEARLY AS MUCH AS A FULLY EQUIPPED PATROL ONE WITH CAGES AND STUFF.

AND I FEEL LIKE THIS LIST DID, AS BEST AS IT COULD IS TO IDENTIFY ALL THIS INFORMATION, BUT IT DOESN'T HAVE MILEAGE IN THOSE SPECIFICS IN THERE.

THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE IT. THAT'S ALL I HAVE RIGHT NOW, MR. CHAIR. SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL. YEAH. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. SERGEANT. SORRY, I JUST. YEAH. THANK YOU FOR ALL THE WORK YOU DID ON THIS.

I WAS AT RCRC LAST WEEK AND MET WITH THE FOLKS, AND THEY WERE.

THEY HAD NOTHING BUT COMPLIMENTS ABOUT YOU AND HOW DETAILED YOU WERE THROUGH THIS PROCESS. MEETING THEM AT RCRC AS WELL.

WE LIKE THE PACKAGE. I'M GLAD MY COLLEAGUE FOLLOWED THROUGH WITH THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT ON IT.

ONE THING THAT REALLY HIGHLIGHTED FOR ME, TOO, AND HE SAID, MOST OF YOU KNOW, SCOTT'S VERY GOOD AT SAYING EVERYTHING THAT NEEDS TO BE SAID.BUT ONE THING I WANTED TO ADD TO IT IS WHAT I SAW ANYTIME WE HAVE AN ACCIDENT AND THAT PULLS THAT PARTICULAR VEHICLE OUT OF THE AREA AND HOW QUICK THEY ARE TO RESPOND TO GET IT BACK ON THE RUN. SO I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WANT TO TOUCH ON THAT A LITTLE BIT, BUT I FOUND THAT TO BE HELPFUL BECAUSE WE DID DO A TOUR OUT WITH OUR FLEET

[01:20:09]

AND SO I SEE HOW THIS IS GOING TO HELP THEM AND ACTUALLY GET A LOT OF OTHER VEHICLES IN THE COUNTY BACK UP AND RUNNING FASTER.

BUT I DID LIKE THIS PARTICULAR ONE FOR YOU GUYS.

I CAN TOUCH ON THAT. SO CURRENTLY WHAT HAPPENS IS IF THERE'S A UNIT THAT'S INVOLVED IN A TRAFFIC COLLISION DEPENDING ON WITH COUNTY COUNCIL, WE A LOT OF THE TIMES THOSE UNITS ARE PLACED ON A LITIGATION HOLD, AND THEY SIT AT THE COUNTY YARD FOR SEVERAL, SEVERAL, SEVERAL MONTHS. SOME UNITS HAVE BEEN AT THE COUNTY YARD FOR YEARS.

SOME YEARS. YEAH, YEARS. SO BASICALLY THAT'S A NON OPP UNIT AND YOU'RE JUST COMING BACK FROM YOUR USABLE FLEET AT THAT POINT.

AND CURRENTLY THAT'S A VEHICLE THAT'S RUN 24/7.

AND WHEN YOU PULL THAT OUT. YEAH 100%. SO WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IS NOW THROUGH UNIFIED, THEY WOULD HAVE DEDICATED UNITS ALREADY BUILT OUT FOR OUR PATROL ADDITIONAL UNITS ON STANDBY BASICALLY.

AND THEN IF THERE'S A NEED THAT IS YOU KNOW, HOPEFULLY IT DOESN'T HAPPEN, BUT WE'RE IN THE BUSINESS AND IT DOES HAPPEN.

IF SOMETHING A TRAFFIC COLLISION DOES OCCUR, WE CAN PUT A CAR RIGHT BACK INTO SERVICE AND START USING THAT VEHICLE.

PERFECT. THANK YOU. YEP. SUPERVISOR PACHECO, THANK YOU.

CHAIR. THANK YOU, LIEUTENANT BASS, FOR ALL THE WORK YOU'VE DONE ON THIS. AND UNLIKE MY COLLEAGUES, I HAVE BEEN A SHERIFF OR DEPUTY SHERIFF ANYWAY, SO. SO I CAN ATTEST TO THE FACT. HAVEN'T PLAYED ONE ON TV YET, BUT YOU KNOW, YET BEING IN THAT JOB, THOUGH, I MEAN, BASICALLY YOUR CAR IS YOUR OFFICE.

AND WE RAN EIGHT HOURS. 12 HOURS IF YOU'RE WORKING OVERTIME, 16 HOURS.

SO YOU'RE IN THAT CAR, THAT'S YOUR OFFICE. SO IT'S NICE TO HAVE A GOOD QUALITY CAR WITH YOU.

AND WHEN I FIRST STARTED, I'M SURE WITH, LIKE, THE SHERIFF AND SOME OF THE OTHER OLDER DEPUTIES HERE, BACK IN THE DAY, THERE WAS THREE TOGGLE SWITCHES. AND THAT'S ALL YOU NEEDED TO RUN THAT CAR. FORTUNATELY, UNFORTUNATELY NOT.

TECHNOLOGY TODAY. I MEAN, THESE CARS ARE, YOU KNOW, THEY GOT COMPUTERS, THEY GOT CAMERAS. I MEAN, THERE'S ALL KINDS OF STUFF THAT NEEDS TO GO IN THERE AND NO FAULT OF OUR FLEET SERVICE, BUT I THINK JUST THE TECHNOLOGY HAS JUST KIND OF OUTGROWN EVERYBODY.

SO IT'S NICE TO HAVE A PROFESSIONAL THAT CAN OUTFIT THESE CARS, AND EACH ONE'S GOING TO DO THE SAME THING, THAT WHEN YOU JUMP IN IT, THE RED BUTTON DOES WHAT THE RED BUTTON DOES. AND EVERY CAR.

SO I DO THINK THAT THAT'S A THAT'S A GOOD PROCESS.

SO AND I AGREE, WE YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO HELP FIX THE INEFFICIENCIES AND WE HAVE TO START SOMEWHERE.

AND I THINK THIS IS A GOOD, A GOOD PLACE TO DO THAT. SO I'M SUPPORTING THIS PROJECT.

I DID HAVE A QUICK QUESTION. SO HOW'S THE MARKET ON THE RESALE ON THESE CARS? DO WE HAVE A GOOD, GOOD MARKET OUT THERE? A LOT OF PEOPLE WANTING SPECIFICALLY FOR THE TAHOE.

ABSOLUTELY. THEY HOLD SIGNIFICANTLY BETTER RESALE VALUE THAN ANY OTHER UNIT OUT THERE.

THE THE CONSISTENCY OF THE NUMBERS, NO MATTER WHAT UNIT YOU'RE RUNNING, IT'S FAIRLY CONSISTENT.

WHAT'S UNIQUE ABOUT LAW ENFORCEMENT UNITS WITH THE WAY THAT WE LIQUIDATE THEM, AT LEAST A TRADITIONAL DEALERSHIP IS GOING TO LOOK AT IT AND SAY IT HAS 60,000 MILES, BUT LOOK AT THOSE ENGINE IDLE HOURS, BECAUSE FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT, YOU'RE IN THERE AND YOU'RE YOU'RE RUNNING THE VEHICLE BECAUSE WE'RE LIQUIDATING THEM TO OTHER LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES. IT MAKES IT SO THAT VALUE STAYS CONSISTENT.

WE CAN KEEP THE EQUIPMENT IN THERE. AND SO THE VALUES DON'T HAVE QUITE THE PEAKS AND VALLEYS THAT YOU'D SEE, LIKE IN A TRADITIONAL F-150 PICKUP TRUCK YOU'D BE BUYING OR I'D BE BUYING.

IT'S MUCH MORE CONSISTENT ON THESE. AND SO BUT DEFINITELY MOVING TO THE TAHOE PLATFORM AND REDUCING THE, THE MILES DOWN TO WHERE WE CAN SELL THEM, IDEALLY BELOW 90,000.

IT'S A SIGNIFICANT DOLLAR SAVINGS AS FAR AS WHAT WOULD BE COMING BACK TO THE COUNTY.

AND IS YOUR MARKET STRICTLY IN THE US OR DO THEY GO INTERNATIONAL OR.

WE DON'T SELL INTERNATIONAL, BUT ONCE WE'VE SOLD IT, I CAN'T CONTROL WHERE IT GOES.

SO WHO KNOWS WHERE IT ENDS UP? I MEAN, THERE IS ONE IN I THINK IT'S POLAND THAT HAS SACRAMENTO COUNTY LISTED ON THE SIDE OF IT THAT DRIVES AROUND.

AND SOME GUY REALLY LIKED THE CROWN VIC, SO WE CAN'T CONTROL THAT.

AND OBVIOUSLY WE DON'T SELL THEM WITH THE STICKERS ON.

BUT BUT WE SELL MOSTLY IN THE SOUTHEAST IS WHERE THEY END UP GOING.

OKAY. THANK YOU. SUPERVISOR PAREIRA. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. ON THE ON THE LIST OF VEHICLES THAT WE HAVE THAT WE'RE GOING TO REPLACE THERE'S A RESIDUAL AT LEASE END.

SO GENERALLY, RESIDUAL MEANS WHAT? WHAT THE DEPARTMENT COULD BUY IT OUT FOR.

WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? THAT HERE. OR IS THAT A DIFFERENCE? MEAN SOMETHING DIFFERENT? NO. SO THAT'S OUR PROJECTED SALES VALUE WE HAVE IN THERE THAT THE PAYOFF AMOUNT IS GOING TO BE ABOUT 15% TO 20% LESS THAN WHAT THAT'S LISTED AS. SO YOU'D BE BUYING IT. IF YOU WANTED TO BUY IT OUT, YOU'D BE PAYING LESS THAN WHAT THAT RESIDUAL VALUE IS.

BUT IF WE WERE TO SELL IT, THEN THAT WOULD BE THE APPROXIMATE VALUE THAT WOULD GO CREDIT TOWARDS THE DEPARTMENT.

OKAY. SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA. YEAH. THERE'S ONE MY COLLEAGUE FROM DISTRICT ONE HAD BROUGHT UP,

[01:25:06]

NOW YOU HAVE YOU MIGHT GET IN THIS CAR AND IF YOU PUSH THIS TOGGLE SWITCH, IT DOES THIS AND THAT SAME SWITCH IN THE NEXT VEHICLE YOU GET IN DOES SOMETHING ELSE.

ONE OTHER BENEFIT OF THIS IS THAT STUFF ALL BECOMES STANDARDIZED, RIGHT? I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY, IF YOU'RE RUNNING SOME OF THE EXPLORERS, THE FORD EXPLORERS AND THE TAHOE'S, THEY'RE GOING TO BE A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT INSIDE, BUT RUNNING KIND OF A SAME KIND OF MODEL.

AND THEN AT LEAST WITH THE TAHOE'S, IF THAT'S THE DIRECTION WE'RE GOING, THOSE WILL ALL BE UNIFORM.

AND SO THAT WHETHER YOU GET INTO VEHICLE A, B, C OR D, YOU CAN EXPECT THE SAME STUFF.

AND I THINK THAT GOES TO, YOU KNOW, WHEN WHEN THESE FOLKS ARE IN THE MIDDLE OF WHETHER IT BE AN ACTIVE PURSUIT OF SOMEBODY OR WHATEVER, HAVING ALL THAT STUFF BEING MINED, MUSCLE MEMORY THAT IF I DO THIS, THIS IS GOING TO HAPPEN.

I THINK THAT MAKES FOR A SAFER ENVIRONMENT FOR THE FOLKS THAT ARE USING IT.

OKAY. BEFORE I PROVIDE MY COMMENTS, I'LL GO AHEAD AND OPEN UP THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD FOR THIS.

IF THERE'S NO MORE QUESTIONS, OKAY. THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD FOR SHERIFF ITEM NUMBER 24 IS NOW CLOSED.

SO MY COMMENTS ARE THIS. I UNDERSTAND, I APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT WE HIGHLIGHTED THE FACT THAT THIS ISN'T SAVING US MONEY, THAT THIS IS COSTING US A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF MONEY, BUT WE'RE DOING IT.

WE'RE REALLY WHAT WE'RE PAYING FOR IS EFFICIENCY.

AND I GET THAT. AND I RECOGNIZE THAT THERE ARE INEFFICIENCIES IN THE SYSTEM.

AND I THINK THAT THAT'S SOMETHING THAT THIS WILL ALLOW US TO LOOK AT AND SEE WHAT CAN HAPPEN.

I ALSO APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT WE'RE ONLY GUARANTEEING IT FOR ONE YEAR.

I MEAN, THIS IS ONLY WE'RE GOING TO LOOK AT DO CATEGORY ONE FOR A YEAR.

THAT'S THE THAT'S THE RECOMMENDATION. AND THEN WE'LL BRING IT BACK IN A YEAR AROUND BUDGET TIME TO REALLY LOOK AT IT.

NOT TEN YEARS BUT A YEAR SO THAT WE CAN LOOK AT IT SPECIFICALLY TO ADDRESS IT, TO SEE IF IT WORKS, IF IT DOESN'T WORK. AND THEN THERE'S OTHERS OUTS THAT WE HAVE IN PLACE FOR THIS.

SO AGAIN, LIKE MY COLLEAGUE SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA SAID, YOU KNOW, I'M ALL FOR SPENDING THE MONEY TO PROVIDE FOR THE BEST TOOLS AND TO MAKE OUR SYSTEM MORE EFFICIENT. BUT I THINK THAT THERE'S INEFFICIENCIES IN HOUSE THAT WE REALLY NEED TO LOOK AT, BECAUSE I'M SURE IF YOU GUYS ARE HAVING SOME ISSUES WITH YOUR VEHICLES, I'M SURE THERE'S OTHER DEPARTMENTS THAT ARE HAVING ISSUES GETTING VEHICLES AS WELL.

AND SO WE JUST HAVE TO LOOK AT WHAT THOSE INEFFICIENCIES ARE.

BUT AGAIN, PROVIDING THE TOOLS WITHIN REASON, TO LET OUR PUBLIC SAFETY PERSONNEL DO THEIR JOB.

IT ONLY PROTECTS THE PUBLIC MORE AND IT PROTECTS YOU GUYS MORE AS WELL.

SO I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE TO TO LOOK AT.

SO WITH THAT DO I HAVE A MOTION? A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA, SECONDED BY SUPERVISOR PACHECO.

AGAIN, THIS IS JUST FOR THE CATEGORY ONE, CORRECT? YEAH. OKAY. PLEASE CALL FOR THE VOTE. PLEASE RECORD THE VOTE.

AND GOD BLESS WHOEVER SNEEZED OUT THERE [LAUGHS] MOTION UNANIMOUSLY PASSES.

NEXT, WE HAVE COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.

ITEM 25. AT THIS TIME, I WILL OPEN PUBLIC COMMENT FOR ITEM 25.

THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD FOR ITEM 25 IS NOW CLOSED.

BRING IT BACK TO THE BOARD. A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA, SECOND BY SUPERVISOR PACHECO.

CALL FOR THE VOTE. PLEASE RECORD THE VOTE. MOTION UNANIMOUSLY PASSES.

NEXT, WE HAVE LIBRARY ITEM 26. AT THIS TIME, I WILL OPEN PUBLIC COMMENT FOR LIBRARY ITEM NUMBER 26. OKAY. THE PUBLIC COMMENT FOR COMMENT, PERIOD.

FOR LIBRARY ITEM 26 IS NOW CLOSED. BRING IT BACK TO THE BOARD.

WE HAVE A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR PAREIRA SECOND BY SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA.

PLEASE CALL FOR THE CALL FOR THE VOTE. PLEASE RECORD THE VOTE.

MOTION UNANIMOUSLY PASSES. NEXT WE HAVE TREASURER TAX COLLECTOR.

ITEM 27.

GOOD MORNING. KAREN. HELLO BOARD OF SUPERVISORS. OF COURSE, OUR CEO AND COUNTY COUNCIL.

JUST TO BE MINDFUL OF TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE.

I JUST WANT TO GO OVER THE INVESTMENT POLICY, EXCUSE ME, THE INVESTMENT QUARTERLY REPORT FOR JUNE 30TH,

[01:30:03]

THE TOTAL EARNINGS FOR THE FISCAL YEAR TO DATE WAS $78.2 MILLION, SO IT'S A HEFTY CHUNK OF CHANGE THAT WAS ADDED TO THE POOL PARTICIPANTS OF THE PORTFOLIO. THE POOL PARTICIPANTS, OF COURSE, IS THE COUNTY MERCED COUNTY OFFICE OF ED AND ALL THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS, MERCED COLLEGE AND NUMEROUS OTHER SPECIAL DISTRICTS.

OF THAT $78 MILLION IN EARNED INTEREST, THE COUNTY OPERATING ACCOUNT WAS CREDITED WITH OVER $10 MILLION, AND THE COUNTY TRUST RECEIVED OVER $20 MILLION OF THAT 78 MILLION.

AN EXAMPLE OF A FEW TRUSTS THAT HIGHLIGHTED AND OF COURSE, WERE RECIPIENTS OF THE INTEREST EARNED WAS FIRST FIVE EARNED OVER $550,000 LAST YEAR. AND IT ALLOWS THE FIRST FIVE BOARD TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL NEEDED COMMUNITY SERVICES AND IN MODERNIZATION FUND AT THE COUNTY EARNED OVER 150 MILLION. OF COURSE. ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS.

I ALWAYS WELCOME ANY ANY COMMENTS RELATED TO THE PORTFOLIO.

AND OF COURSE, IT'S MY PRIVILEGE TO BE THE INVESTMENT OFFICER OVER ALL THESE YEARS.

A QUICK UPDATE OF THE FEDS. ON AUGUST 22ND, 2025, THE FEDERAL RESERVE RELEASED ITS REVISED STATEMENT ON LONG RUNNING GOALS AND MONETARY POLICY STRATEGY. THIS IS A TYPICAL FIVE YEAR REVISIT OF THE CYCLE AND THE POLICY THAT THE FED'S MANDATE, THE FEDERAL RESERVE, HAS RETURNED TO A MORE TRADITIONAL FRAMEWORK OF FLEXIBLE INFLATION TARGETING, WHICH IS ABANDONING THE LONGSTANDING TWO PRONGED TEST OF A 2% INFLATION TARGET AND, OF COURSE, A 4% EMPLOYMENT. SO THAT TWO PRONGED TEST HAS BEEN MODIFIED.

THE NEW BALANCED APPROACH REMOVES THE RIGID 2% TARGET ON INFLATION AND ALLOWS INFLATION TO RUN MODERATELY ABOVE TO MAKE UP FOR THE PRIOR YEARS OF LOW INFLATION.

SO WITH OF COURSE, ALL OF THIS IS WITH THE EMPHASIS OF PRICE STABILITY STABILITY.

SO THE PRICE STABILITY EXCUSE ME ALSO SUPPORTS THE MANDATE FOR UNEMPLOYMENT.

AND OF COURSE THE UNEMPLOYMENT MANDATE IS FOR MAXIMUM EMPLOYMENT.

AND THERE IS NO HARD RIGID 4% THAT THEY'VE DICTATED IN THIS POLICY.

WITH RECENT RISK OF BOTH HIGHER INFLATION AND WEAKER EMPLOYMENT, THE FED'S FRAMEWORK CALLS FOR A CAREFUL NAVIGATION TO BALANCE BOTH OF THESE OBJECTIVES.

THE RECENT. OF COURSE, WE ALL KNOW IF YOUR NEWS EVEN IF YOU'RE NEWS FASTING, YOU PROBABLY HEARD WITH THE RECENT CHANGES IN THE FED GOVERNORS DUE TO A RESIGNATION AND A RECENT FIRING THE NEW FED GOVERNORS AND THEIR NEW BALANCE MANDATE, THE MARKET IS ANTICIPATING A POTENTIAL RATE REDUCTION IN SEPTEMBER AT THEIR SEPTEMBER 16TH 17TH MEETING.

BUT OF COURSE THIS IS A DECISION THAT WILL BE DATA DRIVEN.

SO THE MARKET DOES HAVE ABOUT AN 85% LIGHTNING TO AT LEAST A 25 BASIS POINT REDUCTION TO OUR CURRENT 4.25 AND 4.5 OVERNIGHT RATES. THANK YOU AGAIN FOR THE OPPORTUNITY.

OF COURSE, I'M ALWAYS AVAILABLE EVEN VIA TEXT FOR ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS.

THANK YOU. SUPERVISOR PAREIRA. NOT SO FAST.

YOU MENTIONED I'M JUST TRYING TO GET THE MATH RIGHT, BUT YOU MENTIONED THAT THE COUNTY RECEIVED $10 MILLION.

WAS THAT FOR THE LAST QUARTER? NO, THAT WAS THAT WAS FOR THE YEAR.

THE ACTUAL FISCAL YEAR ENDED WITH $78 MILLION OF INTEREST EARNED FOR ALL OF THE POOL PARTICIPANTS.

THE COUNTY OPERATING FUND IS, RUNS ABOUT 13%.

SO THAT'S THE 10 MILLION THAT WENT TO THE OPERATING FUNDS IN THE FINAL BUDGET FOR LAST YEAR.

THE BOARD APPROVED INTEREST REVENUE OF 4.4 MILLION.

SO WE DID EXCEED THAT. OKAY. AND THEN THE COUNTY TRUST OR ALL THOSE FUNDS.

COUNTY TRUST FUND? YEAH, THE COUNTY TRUST FUNDS ARE NUMEROUS.

SO YOU HAVE, FIRST FIVE IS ONE OF THOSE, FIRST FIVE.

YOU HAVE MODERNIZATION FUNDS. YOU HAVE A LOT OF FUNDS CHILD SUPPORT SERVICE, OF COURSE, HAS FUNDS.

HEALTH DEPARTMENT HAS FUNDS. THESE ARE TRUST FUNDS THAT ARE EITHER MANDATED, AS JOSH KNOWS, FIRST FIVE HAS CERTAIN MANDATES THAT, YOU KNOW, ALLOWS THEM WITH THE SURPLUS MONIES TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL SERVICES.

SO THOSE ARE RESTRICTED TO THOSE INDIVIDUAL TRUST AGENCY DIVISIONS IF YOU WANT TO CALL.

[01:35:06]

SO THE 10 MILLION IS JUST OUR INTEREST RETURN ON THE OPERATING AND THE TRUST IS OUT IS OF COURSE EXCEEDS THAT.

ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. SURE. THANK YOU. ARE THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS.

OKAY. THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD FOR TREASURER TAX COLLECTOR ITEM 27 IS NOW CLOSED.

WE'LL BRING IT BACK TO THE BOARD. I HAVE A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA.

SECOND BY SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL. PLEASE CALL FOR THE VOTE.

PLEASE RECORD THE VOTE. MOTION UNANIMOUSLY PASSES.

NEXT WE HAVE AUDITOR ITEM 28. AT THIS TIME, I WILL OPEN PUBLIC COMMENT FOR AUDITOR ITEM 28.

THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD FOR AUDITOR ITEM 28 IS NOW CLOSED.

BRING IT BACK. I HAVE A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR PACHECO, SECONDED BY SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL.

PLEASE CALL FOR THE VOTE. PLEASE RECORD THE VOTE.

MOTION UNANIMOUSLY PASSES. NEXT, WE HAVE COUNTY EXECUTIVE OFFICE, ITEM 29.

AT THIS TIME, COUNTY EXECUTIVE OFFICER MARK HENDRICKSON WILL BE PROVIDING INFORMATION ON THIS ITEM.

MR. CHAIRMAN, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD. THIS BOARD HAS BEEN LONG CONCERNED WITH RISING HEALTH CARE COSTS AND THEIR IMPACT ON YOUR EMPLOYEES.

HIGHER HEALTH CARE COSTS AND INSURANCE COSTS CAN LEAD TO BOTH FINANCIAL INSTABILITY FOR BOTH THE COUNTY BUDGET AS WELL AS FOR OUR EMPLOYEES.

NOW, THIS IS NOT UNIQUE TO MERCED COUNTY AS THESE COSTS CONTINUE TO RISE SIGNIFICANTLY ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

AND THEY ARE THIS IS IMPACTING LOCAL GOVERNMENTS EVERYWHERE AND THEIR EMPLOYEES.

WE WILL SOON BE LEARNING WHAT OUR BROKER HAS TO SAY ABOUT NEXT YEAR'S COST, AND IF RECENT HISTORY HOLDS, WE PROBABLY SHOULD EXPECT THOSE COSTS TO GO UP AND NOT DOWN.

NOW, AS IT PERTAINS TO RISING PREMIUMS, THIS BOARD DOES NOT ESTABLISH THE RATES, AND THAT'S IMPORTANT FOR ALL TO REALIZE.

THERE ARE SEVERAL FACTORS THAT DO CONTRIBUTE TO TO ESCALATING PREMIUMS, INCLUDING UTILIZATION TRENDS, OVERALL HEALTH CARE COSTS, DEMOGRAPHIC TRENDS, POLICY AND REGULATORY CHANGES, AS WELL AS GENERAL INFLATION, JUST TO NAME A FEW. NOW, IN THIS REGARD, THIS BOARD HAS LISTENED CLOSELY TO ITS EMPLOYEES AND THEIR CONCERNS, AND THIS ITEM TODAY ACTUALLY RECOMMENDS YOUR MOVING FORWARD WITH A THOROUGH, COMPREHENSIVE THIRD PARTY EVALUATION OF THE COUNTY'S EXISTING HEALTH CARE EXPENDITURES, COST DRIVERS, PLAN PERFORMANCE, AND BENCHMARKING AGAINST COMPARABLE PUBLIC AGENCIES.

THIS PROPOSED EVALUATION WILL PROVIDE OBJECTIVE RECOMMENDATIONS TO GUIDE FUTURE PLAN DESIGN, VENDOR NEGOTIATIONS, POTENTIAL EMPLOYER EMPLOYEE CONTRIBUTION STRATEGIES, AND OVERALL BENEFIT COST CONTAINMENT.

THIS ASSESSMENT I ENVISION WILL INCLUDE A REVIEW OF OUR MEDICAL, DENTAL, VISION AND ANCILLARY BENEFITS, CLAIM UTILIZATION TRENDS AND ADMINISTRATIVE FEES, AS WELL AS IN WELLNESS INCENTIVES.

NOW IS THIS BOARD HAS HAS CERTAINLY EXPRESSED ITS WISH TO PROVIDE THE BEST BENEFITS POSSIBLE AT THE LOWEST COST FOR OUR EMPLOYEES IN THE COUNTY.

I DO BELIEVE IT'S IMPERATIVE THAT WE RECEIVE THIS OBJECTIVE ANALYSIS, AND FOR THIS ANALYSIS TO NOT COME FROM YOUR EXISTING BROKER OR YOUR INSURANCE COMPANY, OR EVEN YOUR STAFF. ULTIMATELY, THIS WILL BETTER INFORM US AS TO WHETHER THERE ARE BETTER APPROACHES OUT THERE, OR THAT OUR EXISTING PROGRAM IS THE BEST THAT WE WERE ABLE TO PROVIDE AT THIS TIME.

SO, MR. CHAIRMAN, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, I DO RECOMMEND THAT YOU AUTHORIZE YOUR CEO TO DEVELOP AND RELEASE AN RFP TO SEEK QUALIFIED INDEPENDENT CONSULTANTS OR FIRMS TO CONDUCT THAT COMPREHENSIVE EVALUATION OF OUR HEALTH CARE PLAN PROGRAM.

AND SHOULD YOU BE SO INCLINED TO THEN DIRECT ME TO RETURN TO THE BOARD WITH A RECOMMENDATION UPON COMPLETION OF A COMPETITIVE PROCUREMENT PROCESS.

THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN. SUPERVISOR PAREIRA. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. SURE. YOU KNOW I'VE ASKED FOR THIS KIND OF ITEM FOR SEVERAL YEARS NOW AS WE'VE GONE THROUGH YOU KNOW, OUR DISCUSSIONS ON OUR HEALTH CARE, YOU KNOW, EMPLOYEES ARE, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY PAYING MORE THAN THEY WANT TO PAY, AND THE COUNTY IS PAYING A LOT AS WELL. AND AND SO, YOU KNOW, I JUST KIND OF QUESTION, ARE WE DOING THE RIGHT THING.

AND I'M NOT AN EXPERT IN IN HEALTH INSURANCE ALTHOUGH I'VE HAD HEALTH INSURANCE.

YOU KNOW, THAT'S THAT'S A WHOLE 'NOTHER DEAL.

AND SO I'D LIKE TO REALLY THANK CEO HENDRICKSON.

YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN ASKING FOR THIS, AND I'M ASSUMING SOME OF MY OTHER COLLEAGUES HAVE ASKED FOR THIS AS WELL, BUT YOU KNOW, I MEAN, IT'S TIME. AND, YOU KNOW, I HEARD A COMMENT ONE DAY THAT YOU'RE GOING FAST, AND THIS IS ONE OF THE AREAS WHERE I APPRECIATE YOU GETTING US TO THE STARTING LINE, REALLY, VERY QUICKLY. SO ANYWAYS I JUST WANT TO ENCOURAGE MY COLLEAGUES TO SUPPORT THIS ITEM.

SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL. YEAH. I THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR.

[01:40:05]

I KNOW THERE'S A LOT OF QUESTIONS WE WERE ASKING THAT COULD NOT GET ANSWERED. AND THAT WAS COMING FROM DISCUSSIONS WE'VE HAD WITH A LOT OF OUR EMPLOYEES.

ONE THING I WANT TO KNOW IS, ARE WE GOING TO IDENTIFY? BECAUSE I KNOW IN SOME OF THE DISCUSSIONS WITH SOME OF OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT FOLKS, THAT THERE ARE DIFFERENT PLANS OUT THERE WITHIN SOME OF THE CITIES AND OTHER COUNTIES.

I JUST WANT TO KNOW IF WE'RE GOING TO HAVE SOME OF THOSE IDENTIFY THAT TO GO TO SEE IF THERE IS SOME SPECIFIC FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT.

SO WE COULD CERTAINLY SUPERVISOR THROUGH THE CHAIR.

WE CERTAINLY CAN DO THAT. YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY, YOU KNOW, AS A PART OF ANY SORT OF PROCUREMENT, WE CAN ESTABLISH, OBVIOUSLY, THE SCOPE OF WORK. YOU KNOW, WE DO ANTICIPATE AS A RESULT OF THIS EFFORT TO ACTUALLY COMPARE AGAINST COMPARABLE OTHER PUBLIC AGENCIES.

WE CAN CERTAINLY DO THAT. OBVIOUSLY FOR, FOR OUR PUBLIC SAFETY PARTNERS AS WELL.

GREAT. BECAUSE PERSONALLY, I DON'T KNOW OF ANY, BUT I'VE BEEN TOLD THAT THERE IS STUFF OUT THERE, SO I DEFINITELY WOULD LIKE TO HAVE THAT WITHIN THE SCOPE. YES, SIR.

SUPERVISOR PACHECO. THANK YOU. CHAIR. YEAH. I TOO WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO CEO HENDERSON FOR BRINGING THIS FORWARD.

AS A LONGTIME COUNTY EMPLOYEE, I'VE SEEN THE HEALTH CARE COSTS, YOU KNOW, FROM WHEN I STARTED TO NOW JUST JUST SKYROCKET.

AND IT'S AFFECTED A LOT OF MY COWORKERS AND PARTNERS.

SO I THINK THIS IS A GOOD STEP IN THE, IN THE FORWARD DIRECTION.

SO I APPRECIATE YOU BRINGING THAT FORWARD. HOPEFULLY WE CAN MAKE SOMETHING, GET SOMETHING THAT'LL WORK FOR EVERYBODY. THANKS. YEAH.

I WANT TO ECHO WHAT MY COLLEAGUES HAVE ALREADY SAID.

AND THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE THE INITIATIVE ON THIS BY FROM LISTENING TO US AND THE DIRECTION THAT WE'VE PROVIDED IN THE PAST.

YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT ISN'T THAT SOMETIMES GETS LOST IN THE CONVERSATION IS WE DON'T SET THESE RATES RIGHT.

SO THESE RATES ARE SET BY THE THE INSURER. THE INSURERS IF YOU WILL.

AND SO WHEN WE HAVE TO PASS THEM ON, IT'S REALLY IT'S, IT'S FRUSTRATING BECAUSE THIS IS SOMETHING THAT'S COMPLETELY OUT OF OUR CONTROL.

BUT WHAT IS IN OUR CONTROL IS THE FACT THAT WE CAN GO OUT AND WE CAN REALLY KIND OF HAVE THIS APPROACH OF, OKAY, WHAT'S OUT THERE? WHAT'S BETTER? IS THERE SOMETHING BETTER, WHICH I REALLY FIRMLY BELIEVE THAT THERE THERE IS.

I KNOW THAT IT SAYS THAT THIS IS AGGRESSIVE AND YOU HOPE TO HAVE THIS FINAL REPORT WITHIN 90 TO 120 DAYS.

AT WHAT POINT, SO WHEN IS THIS WHEN DO YOU EXPECT THIS RFP TO GO OUT TO BE ABLE AND THEN THE TIME FRAME BETWEEN THAT, OR IS THIS ALL ENCOMPASSING THE 90 TO 120 DAYS? MR. CHAIRMAN, MR. CHAIRMAN, JUST VERY BRIEFLY I DO ANTICIPATE THAT WE COULD PROBABLY HAVE THIS RFP ON THE STREET, OUR STAFF HAS ALREADY STARTED THE PROCESS OF PUTTING IT TOGETHER.

WE'LL OBVIOUSLY, WE'LL INCLUDE THE SUGGESTION AS MADE BY SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL A MOMENT AGO.

THAT'S GOING TO TAKE SOME PERIOD OF TIME, OBVIOUSLY, TO ACTUALLY GO OUT INTO THE MARKET, IDENTIFY HOW MANY FOLKS YOU KNOW, PERHAPS WE'LL COMPETE FOR THIS SCORE THAT BRING SOMETHING BACK TO THE BOARD FOR THE BOARD'S CONSIDERATION.

AND FROM THAT POINT, I WOULD ANTICIPATE WE'RE GOING TO AGGRESSIVELY PURSUE A TIMELINE OF SOMEWHERE BETWEEN 90 AND 120 DAYS.

EXCELLENT. OKAY. AT THIS POINT. OH, YEAH. SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA.

THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. YEAH, I JUST I JUST WANT TO, YOU KNOW, MANAGE EXPECTATIONS.

RIGHT. AND IS BECAUSE I TOO AM FRUSTRATED WITH HOW HIGH AND HOW LITTLE CONTROL WE HAVE OVER WHAT OUR INSURANCE RATES ARE, BUT MANAGE EXPECTATIONS. I THINK THIS IS THE RIGHT STEP IS TO GO OUT AND HAVE A THIRD, A THIRD PARTY IDENTIFY AND LOOK INTO IT SO THAT THERE'S NO BIAS ON IT.

BUT MANAGE EXPECTATIONS IS THAT WE THEY MAY COME BACK AND THEY MIGHT SAY, WELL, YOU GUYS ARE GETTING PROBABLY THE BEST YOU'RE GOING TO GET BECAUSE AGAIN, I'VE NEVER CHANGED. WELL, I PERSONALLY CHANGED, BUT THAT'S JUST ONE PERSON.

BUT FOR A WHOLE ORGANIZATION TO CHANGE INSURANCE COMPANIES, THERE'S COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH THAT.

AND THEN AND UNDERSTAND THAT WHAT'S COMING DOWN THE ROAD IN SEPTEMBER.

THIS HAS NO BEARING OVER IT, BECAUSE WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT NOW IS FOR SOMETHING.

IF THEY CAME BACK AND THERE'S A BETTER, GREATER MODEL OUT THERE THAT WE WERE TO SWITCH TO, THAT WOULDN'T START UNTIL JANUARY OF 2027. SO JUST KIND OF WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT NOT ONLY MYSELF, BUT BUT FOR THE EMPLOYEES THAT ARE LISTENING TO THIS, THAT THIS IS WORK THAT IS IS GOING TO BE LONG IN THE PROCESS.

IF THERE IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE A CHANGE, THAT CHANGE DOESN'T HAPPEN OVERNIGHT BECAUSE IT'S THE ONE UNIQUE THING THAT WE DO HERE IS, IS, YOU KNOW, WE RUN IN A FISCAL YEAR OF JULY 1ST TO JUNE 30TH, BUT OUR HEALTH INSURANCE RUNS ON A CALENDAR YEAR OF JANUARY 1ST TO DECEMBER 31ST.

SO IT'S KIND OF WONKY IN THE MIDDLE OF IT. SO JUST KIND OF WANT TO MANAGE EXPECTATIONS. THANK YOU SIR. ALL RIGHT. AT AT THIS TIME I WILL OPEN UP PUBLIC COMMENT FOR THIS ITEM.

OKAY. OH. HELLO. MY NAME

[01:45:05]

ALSO, I KNOW YOU GUYS DON'T SET THE RATES, BUT YOU DO SET THE CAPS, AND THE CAPS ARE WHAT PASSES IT ON TO THE COUNTY.

SO YOU CAN'T FIX THE RATES, BUT YOU CAN ALWAYS FIX THE CAPS.

OKAY. ANYBODY ELSE FROM THE PUBLIC. OKAY. THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD FOR EXECUTIVE OFFICE.

ITEM 29 IS NOW CLOSED. BRING IT BACK TO THE BOARD.

WE HAVE A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR PAREIRA, SECONDED BY SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA.

CALL FOR THE VOTE. PLEASE RECORD THE VOTE. MOTION UNANIMOUSLY.

UNANIMOUSLY PASSES. NEXT, WE HAVE BOARD APPOINTMENTS, ITEMS 30 THROUGH 32.

AT THIS TIME, I WILL OPEN PUBLIC COMMENT FOR BOARD APPOINTMENT APPOINTMENTS.

ITEMS 30 THROUGH 32. NO. I WILL CLOSE THE PUBLIC COMMENT.

THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD FOR BOARD APPOINTMENTS 30 TO 32 IS NOW CLOSED.

BRING IT BACK TO THE BOARD. WE HAVE A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA, SECONDED BY SUPERVISOR PACHECO.

PLEASE CALL FOR THE VOTE. PLEASE RECORD THE VOTE.

MOTION UNANIMOUSLY PASSES. OKAY. AT THIS TIME, WE ARE GOING TO TAKE A FIVE MINUTE RECESS, AND WE'LL BE BACK IN FIVE MINUTES TO OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING.

ALL RIGHT. WE WILL NOW MOVE ON TO OUR SCHEDULED ITEMS, BEGINNING WITH THE ITEMS SUBMITTED BY PUBLIC WORKS.

[SCHEDULED ITEMS]

OKAY. AT THIS TIME, DIRECTOR NATHAN BRAY WILL PROVIDE INFORMATION REGARDING THIS ITEM. GOOD MORNING.

YES. YES. IS HE ON? NO. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU.

GOOD MORNING. BOARD CHAIR AND SUPERVISORS. SUPERVISORS, ITEM BEFORE YOU CONTAINS MULTIPLE ACTIONS, ALL ASSOCIATED WITH VACATING A PORTION OF PIONEER ROAD IN THE LOS BANOS AREA.

THESE ACTIONS IN GENERAL ARE TO OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING, ACCEPT PUBLIC COMMENTS, CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING, AND, IF DESIRED, FIND THE PROPOSED VACATION IS EXEMPT FROM THE PROVISIONS OF THE CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ACT PURSUANT TO SECTIONS 15304 OF THE CEQA GUIDELINES, AND ADOPT THE PROPOSED RESOLUTION.

THIS SECTION OF PIONEER ROAD EXTENDS FROM BILLY WRIGHT ROAD TO THE SAN LUIS CANAL, DIRECTLY EAST OF I-5 AND SOUTHWEST OF THE CITY OF LOS BANOS, AND IS APPROXIMATELY 1.03 MILES IN LENGTH. THIS PORTION OF PIONEER ROAD.

SORRY. HAD A TRAIN OF THOUGHT THERE. THIS PORTION OF PIONEER ROAD IS DIRECTLY EAST OF THE SECTION IN QUESTION THAT WAS PREVIOUSLY VACATED AND NOT MAINTAINED BY THE COUNTY.

THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS HAS RECEIVED NUMEROUS CALLS ABOUT ILLEGAL DUMPING AND ILLEGAL PARKING OF RVS ALONG THIS PORTION OF COUNTY ROAD.

AND BY VACATING THIS SECTION OF PIONEER ADJACENT LAND, OWNERS WILL BE ABLE TO CONTROL ACCESS, THEREBY REDUCING OPPORTUNITIES FOR ILLEGAL DUMPING AND PARKING.

PUBLIC WORKS POSTED NOTICES OF VACATION PURSUANT TO SECTIONS 8322 AND 8323 OF THE CALIFORNIA STREETS AND HIGHWAYS CODE.

AND LASTLY, THE COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT HAS REVIEWED THIS PROPOSED ACTION AND FOUND THIS ACTION TO BE CONSISTENT WITH THE GENERAL PLAN.

SO TO RECAP, THE ACTIONS BEFORE YOU THIS MORNING ARE TO ONE, OPEN A PUBLIC HEARING AND RECEIVE COMMENTS.

TWO, AFTER CONSIDERATION OF THE COMMENTS AND INFORMATION IN THE STAFF REPORT.

IF YOU SO DETERMINE, FIND THIS ACTION EXEMPT FROM THE CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ACT UNDER CEQA GUIDELINES, SECTION 15304 AND THREE ADOPT THE PROPOSED RESOLUTION TO VACATE THE PORTION OF PIONEER ROAD FROM BILLY WRIGHT ROAD TO THE SAN LUIS CANAL. I'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS. SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA DO YOU HAVE QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? OKAY. NATHAN I DO. I KNOW THIS SECTION OF THE ROAD VERY WELL, AND I KNOW THAT THE ONLY HOMES ON THERE ARE OWNED BY THE CANAL COMPANY.

WE'RE VACATING THE ROAD. ARE THEY PROPOSING TO PUT GATES ON EITHER SIDE? WE'VE NOT HAD CONVERSATION WITH THE SAN LUIS WATER CANAL DISTRICT ABOUT WHAT THEIR PROPOSED INTENT IS.

[01:50:01]

THERE'S, AS YOU KNOW, THERE'S FREQUENTLY ILLEGAL DUMPING, AND.

IT'S THOSE PEOPLE THAT ARE ON THEIR WAY TO THE DUMP, TAKE THE BACK WAY AND JUST DUMP IT BEFORE THEY GO TO THE DUMP.

IT'S BEEN THAT THEY'VE IT'S BEEN A COMMON PLACE TO DUMP BEFORE DUMPING GOT POPULAR AS IT HAS LATELY.

EVEN WHEN I WAS A KID THAT WAS KNOWN FOR THAT IN THERE.

I GUESS MY ONLY CONCERN IS, IS, IS WE HAVE I HAVE NO ISSUES WITH VACATING THE ROAD.

IT'S JUST FOR THE SAFETY OF THE FOLKS THAT LIVE THAT STILL LIVE THERE IS I MEAN, I'M SURE THAT THEY WOULD WORK WITH FIRE DEPARTMENT WITH LIKE AN OX BOX OR SOMETHING SO THAT THEY HAVE ACCESS TO GET IN THERE 100%. AND GOD FORBID THAT MAYBE THEY HAVE AN EMERGENCY OR A FIRE OR SOMETHING BACK IN THERE.

THANK YOU. OKAY. ANY MORE QUESTIONS? OKAY. I WILL NOW OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING.

AND AT THIS TIME I WILL ACCEPT PUBLIC COMMENT REGARDING THIS ITEM.

TESTIMONY IS LIMITED TO THREE MINUTES PER PERSON.

MR. CHAIRMAN, BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, MY NAME IS STEVE STADLER.

I'M THE ASSISTANT GENERAL MANAGER AT SAN LUIS WATER DISTRICT.

AND I WAS GOING TO MAKE A NUMBER OF COMMENTS REGARDING THE ILLEGAL DUMPING, BUT I THINK SUPERVISOR CEVERHA REALLY WRAPPED IT UP.

IT I DO WANT TO ADD, THOUGH IT'S NOT JUST DUMPING THAT IS UNSIGHTLY.

IT PHYSICALLY BLOCKS THE ROAD WITH APPLIANCES AND SO ON.

AND SO OUR STAFF THAT LIVE AT THOSE HOUSES HAVE TO GET OUT OF THEIR CAR AND LITERALLY MOVE, REFUSE JUST SO THAT THEY CAN DRIVE TO WORK AND DRIVE HOME ON OCCASION.

SO THE DISTRICT HAS INFORMED THE COUNTY WE WILL BE INSTALLING A GATE, AND WE WILL ALSO BE INSTALLING FENCING IN COOPERATION WITH THE LANDOWNERS IN THAT OR THE LANDOWNER IN THAT AREA, TO MAKE SURE THAT THE GATE CAN'T BE PREVENTED OR DRIVEN AROUND THE GATE IS GOING TO BE.

AND IT'S OUR HOPE THAT THE GATE WILL BE AUTOMATED TO EASE ACCESS.

AND WE ARE WORKING WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF WATER RESOURCES AND CAL FIRE ON MAKING SURE THAT THEY HAVE ACCESS APPROPRIATE FOR THEIR NEEDS.

AND IF THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS, I'M AVAILABLE TO ANSWER THOSE.

THANK YOU. ANYBODY ELSE FROM THE PUBLIC WISH TO SPEAK ON THIS? OKAY. THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD FOR THIS ITEM IS NOW CLOSED.

WE'LL BRING IT BACK TO THE BOARD. IS THERE ANY MORE DISCUSSION QUESTIONS? SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. THERE ARE NO FURTHER QUESTIONS.

MY MOTION WOULD BE TO FIND THAT THE PROPOSED VACATION IS EXEMPT FROM THE FROM CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ACT UNDER CEQA GUIDELINES, SECTION 15304, FOR THE REASONS STATED IN THE ATTACHED RESOLUTION, AND ADOPT THE PROPOSED RESOLUTION TO VACATE PIONEER ROAD IN THE LOS BANOS AREA FROM BILLY WRIGHT ROAD TO THE CALIFORNIA AQUEDUCT, AS DESCRIBED IN DEPICTED IN EXHIBITS A AND B TO THE RESOLUTION.

OKAY, WE HAVE A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA SECONDED BY SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE. AYE.

ANY OPPOSED? SAY NAY. MOTION CARRIES. ALL RIGHT.

NEXT WE WILL HEAR THE ITEM SUBMITTED BY HUMAN RESOURCES PUBLIC HEARING TO RECEIVE A PRESENTATION REGARDING THE STATUS OF VACANCIES, RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION EFFORTS PURSUANT TO GOVERNMENT CODE 3502.3 AT THIS TIME WILL YOU, AT THIS TIME DEPUTY COUNTY EXECUTIVE OFFICER SOMMER MONIZ WILL PROVIDE INFORMATION REGARDING THIS ITEM.

GOOD AFTERNOON, CHAIRMAN PEDROZO. MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, CEO HENDRICKSON AND COUNTY COUNCIL HANSEN.

SOMMER MONIZ, DEPUTY CEO HERE TODAY TO PRESENT MERCED COUNTY'S VACANCY AND RETENTION RATES AS REQUIRED BY ASSEMBLY BILL 2561, EFFECTIVE JANUARY. 2025 CALIFORNIA GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 3,502.3 WAS ADDED TO ASSEMBLY BILL 2561. THIS CODE AMENDS THE MEYERS MILIAS-BROWN ACT BY REQUIRING PUBLIC AGENCIES TO HOLD A PUBLIC HEARING TO DISCUSS JOB VACANCIES, RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION, AND IDENTIFYING STRATEGIES THAT WOULD SUPPORT STREAMLINING THE HIRING PROCESS FOR REPRESENTED EMPLOYEES.

PUBLIC AGENCIES ARE REQUIRED TO HOST AT LEAST ONE PUBLIC HEARING ANNUALLY PRIOR TO THE PUBLIC AGENCY FINALIZING THEIR ANNUAL BUDGET FOR THE UPCOMING YEAR.

THE BILL ALSO REQUIRES ADDITIONAL REPORTING FOR BARGAINING UNITS, WITH VACANCIES OF 20% OR HIGHER IF SO REQUESTED.

IN ADDITION, RECOGNIZED EMPLOYEE ORGANIZATIONS ARE ALSO ENTITLED TO PRESENT DURING THE PUBLIC HEARING.

AS YOU WILL HEAR TODAY, THE INFORMATION REPORTED THIS YEAR WILL BE A SIX MONTH PERIOD FROM OCTOBER 2024 TO MARCH OF 2025.

[01:55:02]

THE CHART DEPICTS THE AGGREGATE VACANCY RATE FOR ALL AUTHORIZED FULL TIME POSITIONS FROM OCTOBER 2024 THROUGH MARCH 2025.

YOU'LL SEE OUR HIGHEST RATE DURING THE SIX MONTH PERIOD WAS 14.6, AND OUR LOWEST AT 13.9.

THE VACANCY RATE HAS TOGGLED BETWEEN 9% AND 17.3 OVER THE LAST FIVE YEARS.

IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT WE ARE WITHIN THE STATEWIDE AVERAGE FOR CALIFORNIA COUNTIES, WHICH FALL BETWEEN 11 AND 15%, WITH SOME COUNTIES EVEN EXPERIENCING VACANCY RATES IN THE MID 20%.

THIS SLIDE DEPICTS THE STAFFING TRENDS FROM THE SIX MONTH PERIOD OF OCTOBER 2024 TO MARCH OF 2025.

WE ADDED 25 FULL TIME POSITIONS. WE HAD 202 NEW HIRES AND 110 EMPLOYEES WERE PROMOTED.

ADD IN A LITTLE ROUTINE WORKPLACE ATTRITION AND THE COUNTY IS CONTINUOUSLY ENGAGED IN RECRUITMENT EFFORTS.

VACANCY INFORMATION SPECIFIC TO BARGAINING UNITS IS ON THIS SLIDE.

THE CHART OUTLINES VACANCY RATE PERCENTAGE PER BARGAINING UNIT FROM OCTOBER 2024 TO MARCH OF 2025.

VACANCY RATES ARE FLUID RIGHT AS POSITIONS ARE ADDED, DELETED, FILLED, AND VACATED.

ALL BARGAINING GROUPS FELL BELOW THE 20% MARGIN, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF AFSCME UNIT SIX HEALTH SERVICES AT 32.9%.

SPECIFIC TO AFSCME, UNIT SIX IS INFORMATION ON THIS SLIDE.

THE FOLLOWING ARE A LIST OF JOB CLASSIFICATIONS ASSOCIATED WITH THE UNIT.

IN THE FIRST COLUMN YOU'LL FIND THE LISTING OF TEN CLASSIFICATIONS.

ON TWO OF THE LINES YOU'LL SEE THAT THERE ARE MULTIPLE CLASSIFICATIONS COMMUNITY HEALTH NURSE AND PUBLIC HEALTH NURSE, ALONG WITH LICENSED MENTAL HEALTH WORKER AND PSYCHIATRIC STAFF NURSE.

THESE ARE PAIRED TOGETHER, ALLOWING THE DEPARTMENT TO EITHER HIRE EITHER ONE IN THE POSITION FOR THEIR FLEXIBILITY.

THE FIRST CLASSIFICATION LISTED IN THE PAIRING DOES NOT REQUIRE A FOUR YEAR DEGREE ONLY LICENSURE, WHEREAS THE SECOND CLASSIFICATION LISTED REQUIRES A FOUR YEAR DEGREE AND LICENSURE.

PAIRING THESE HARD TO FILL NURSING CLASSIFICATIONS TOGETHER PROVIDES THE DEPARTMENT WITH MAXIMUM FLEXIBILITY WHEN FILLING CRITICAL HEALTHCARE ROLES.

IN THE SECOND COLUMN, YOU'LL FIND THE NUMBER OF VACANCIES FOR EACH CLASSIFICATION DURING THE OCTOBER 2024 TO MARCH 2025 PERIOD.

THESE POSITIONS ARE FOUND AT BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AND PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENTS.

THE MAJORITY OF THESE VACANCIES OCCURRED WITHIN OUR PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENT DURING A TIME OF LEADERSHIP CHANGE.

IT'S NOT UNCOMMON FOR HIRING TO SLOW DURING A SHIFT IN KEY LEADERSHIP ROLES.

ONCE NEW LEADERSHIP WAS IN PLACE, HIRING AND RECRUITING EFFORTS PICKED UP AND BEGAN REDUCING THE OVERALL VACANCY AMOUNTS FOR THIS BARGAINING GROUP.

THE THIRD COLUMN DEPICTS OUR CURRENT VACANCY RATE AS OF AUGUST 15TH.

AS YOU CAN SEE, WE'VE SEEN A 50% INCREASE IN RECRUITMENT AND HIRING EFFORTS AND VACANCY RATE LOWERED.

IN CONVERSATION WITH THE PUBLIC HEALTH DIRECTOR JUST LAST WEEK, SHE SAID THERE WERE A HANDFUL OF OFFERS MADE TO POTENTIAL CANDIDATES FOR SOME OF THESE REMAINING VACANCIES, FURTHER REDUCING THE RATE.

SO WHAT ARE WE DOING ABOUT AFSCME UNIT SIX? WELL, THE COUNTY HAS RECENTLY ENTERED INTO A TWO YEAR CONTRACT WITH AFSCME, WHICH INCLUDED THE FOLLOWING. A BASE SALARY INCREASE OF 10% OVER TWO YEARS, HEALTH INSURANCE CAPS INCREASE 3% IN 2026 AND 3% IN 2027. AND THE MOU ALSO HAS CREDIT TOWARDS PRIOR PUBLIC SERVICE TIME WHEN DETERMINING VACATION ACCRUALS FOR ALL OUR NEW HIRES.

PUBLIC HEALTH AND BEHAVIORAL HEALTH ARE BOTH ENGAGED IN RECRUITMENT AND OUTREACH EFFORTS.

BOTH DEPARTMENTS CONDUCT INTERVIEWS ON A REGULAR BASIS FOR THEIR VACANT POSITIONS.

SOME OF THE HARD TO FILL POSITIONS RECRUITMENT EFFORTS HAVE BEEN MORE TARGETED.

WE'RE SENDING OUT FLOWERS, NOT FLOWERS. THAT WOULD BE NICE.

MAYBE IT WOULD HELP. FLIERS AND EMAILS TO SPECIFIC HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS TRYING TO GET THEM TO COME ON BOARD WITH MERCED COUNTY BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AND RECOVERY DEPARTMENT HAS CREATED AN INTERNSHIP PROGRAM WITH UC MERCED FOCUSED ON MENTAL HEALTH CLINICIANS.

AND THEY ALSO ATTEND JOB FAIRS WITH THE UC MERCED AND CSU STANISLAUS.

SOME RECRUITMENT SPECIFICS FOR UNIT SIX. TOTAL NUMBER OF JOB VACANCIES WITHIN THE BARGAINING UNIT IS 32.

TOTAL NUMBER OF APPLICATIONS FOR VACANT POSITIONS WITHIN THE BARGAINING UNIT IS 644.

361 OF THOSE WERE QUALIFIED APPLICATIONS. THE AVERAGE NUMBER OF DAYS TO COMPLETE THE HIRING PROCESS FROM WHEN THE POSITION IS POSTED IS 119 DAYS, OR 17 WEEKS ON AVERAGE. FOR THESE SPECIFIC CLASSIFICATIONS, PLEASE NOTE SOME POSITIONS REQUIRE DOJ AND FBI

[02:00:05]

IT JUST DEPENDS ON WHAT THE BACKGROUND HAS IN IT.

AND AS MENTIONED EARLIER, THE REPORTING PERIOD COINCIDES WITH THIS CHANGE OF LEADERSHIP AT PUBLIC HEALTH.

AND WE BELIEVE THAT IMPACTS THESE TIME FRAMES.

THIS SLIDE DEMONSTRATES THE COUNTY'S RECRUITMENT EFFORTS OVER THE LAST FOUR YEARS, ALONG WITH THE FIRST QUARTER OF 2025.

WE ARE ON TRACK TO EXCEED BOTH 2023 AND 2024 APPLICATION AMOUNTS.

THESE NUMBERS INDICATE AN INTEREST TO WORK FOR THE COUNTY AND OUR RECRUITMENT EFFORTS ARE WORKING.

WE ARE CURRENTLY ENGAGED IN JOB FAIRS. WE PARTICIPATE IN VARIOUS COMMUNITY EVENTS TO ENGAGE YOUTH AND GET THEM INTERESTED IN A LIFE OF PUBLIC SERVICE.

THE COUNTY PARTICIPATES IN HIGH SCHOOL CAREER DEVELOPMENT AND INTERVIEW PREP DAYS.

WE GO TO SEVERAL HIGH SCHOOLS AND INTERVIEW THE SENIORS FOR THEIR PRACTICE.

THE COUNTY SHERIFF STAFF HAVE RECENTLY PARTNERED WITH MERCED UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT TO CREATE A CAREER TECHNOLOGY TECHNICAL EDUCATION PATHWAY FOR PUBLIC SERVICE AND PUBLIC SAFETY. THEY'RE CURRENTLY IN TWO HIGH SCHOOLS, ONE IN MERCED AND ONE IN ATWATER.

WE DO SOME PARTNERING WITH LOCAL AND REGIONAL COLLEGES.

WE POST JOBS WITH INDUSTRY SPECIFIC ASSOCIATIONS.

WE UTILIZE COLLEGE JOB BOARD FOR RECRUITMENTS, AND WE ENCOURAGE OUR STAFF TO ACT AS AMBASSADORS IN THE COMMUNITY FOR SHARING ABOUT THEIR WORK. WE'VE ALSO CREATED A RECRUITMENT INCENTIVE PROGRAM FOR SPECIFIC HARD TO FILL POSITIONS IN PUBLIC SAFETY.

THESE OFFER FINANCIAL INCENTIVES UPON HIRE AND AFTER PASSING PROBATION, ALONG WITH FRONT LOADING OF PAID TIME OFF.

WE'VE OFFERED A REFERRAL INCENTIVE PROGRAM FOR REFERRING A FRIEND WHO GETS HIRED INTO A HARD TO FILL POSITION.

APPLICABLE POSITIONS ARE DEPUTY SHERIFF, JUVENILE INSTITUTIONS OFFICERS, DEPUTY PROBATION OFFICER, CUSTODIAL DEPUTY SHERIFF, SHERIFF DISPATCHER AND THE DEPUTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY SHERIFF.

MERCED COUNTY EMPLOYMENT. RETAINING EMPLOYEES IS JUST AS IMPORTANT AS RECRUITING THEM.

THE COUNTY OFFERS A WIDE RANGE OF CAREER PATHS, FROM ADMINISTRATIVE TO SPECIALIZED PROFESSIONS SUCH AS LAW, ENGINEERING, HEALTH CARE, SOCIAL SERVICES, AND PUBLIC SAFETY.

WHY SHOULD PEOPLE CHOOSE MERCED COUNTY? WHY SHOULD THEY CHOOSE PUBLIC SERVICE? A PRIMARY MOTIVATOR IS THE DESIRE TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE GREATER GOOD AND SERVICE OF THE PUBLIC.

WE OFFER WORK LIFE BALANCE, SET SCHEDULES, PAID HOLIDAYS, SICK AND VACATION ACCRUALS, OFTEN FLEXIBLE WORKING ARRANGEMENTS AS WELL AS JOB STABILITY.

WE OFFER GOOD BENEFITS MERCED COUNTY CAREERS COME WITH COMPREHENSIVE HEALTH, VISION, DENTAL, LIFE INSURANCE, RETIREMENT BENEFITS, ANCILLARY BENEFITS LIKE SUPPLEMENTAL LIFE INSURANCE AND 457B PLANS.

THE COUNTY ALSO MAINTAINS AN EMPLOYEE WELLNESS CLINIC THAT OFFERS ZERO AND LOW COST OFFICE VISITS.

WE HAVE A HEALTH AND WELLNESS COMMITTEE THAT PUTS ON SEVERAL HEALTH CHALLENGES AND EDUCATION SESSIONS EACH YEAR TO SUPPORT THE WELL-BEING OF EMPLOYEES.

STUDENT LOAN FORGIVENESS PROGRAMS ARE APPLICABLE FOR MANY FIELDS WITHIN THE COUNTY, AND WE OFFER A HOME BUYER ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.

THEN THERE'S OUR COMMUNITY. THE COST OF LIVING IS STILL AFFORDABLE COMPARED TO OTHER PARTS IN CALIFORNIA.

THE PROXIMITY TO YOSEMITE AND OTHER LOCAL PARKS, TRAILS, WATER RECREATION, AMHERST NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE IS ENTICING.

THE CENTRAL LOCATION OF MERCED COUNTY ALLOWS FOR STRONG SENSE OF CLOSE KNIT COMMUNITY AND CULTURAL RICHNESS, WITH BIG CITY OPPORTUNITY JUST A SHORT DRIVE AWAY.

THE LOCAL ECONOMY IS GROWING, DRIVEN PRIMARILY BY AGRICULTURE AND MANUFACTURING, AS WELL AS THE PRESENCE OF UC MERCED.

UC MERCED HAS BROUGHT JOBS, NEW HOME DEVELOPMENTS, AND RETAIL ESTABLISHMENTS.

COLLEGE STUDENTS AT A YOUTHFUL SPIRIT TO THE COMMUNITY, EVENTS AND ACTIVITIES, AND THE COMMUNITY IS GROWING WHILE HOLDING ON TO THE HISTORY AND IDENTITY OF THE COUNTY'S ROOTS. OPPORTUNITIES.

WHILE WE'VE HAD SUCCESS FILLING 50% OF THOSE VACANT POSITIONS BETWEEN MARCH AND AUGUST, THERE'S ALWAYS ROOM FOR GROWTH BETWEEN NOW AND NEXT YEAR.

THE COUNTY HUMAN RESOURCES WILL PARTNER WITH DEPARTMENTS TO EXPLORE THE FOLLOWING.

WE'LL EVALUATE MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS TO DETERMINE NECESSITY RELATED TO PRIOR EXPERIENCE.

DOING THIS FOR LICENSED HEALTHCARE POSITIONS CAN CREATE A MARKET FOR NEWLY GRADUATED STUDENTS.

OUR CURRENT REQUIRE EXPERIENCE, AND THIS MAY CAUSE US TO HAVE TO PULL SOMEBODY AWAY FROM A CURRENT JOB WHEN WE CAN GO RIGHT OUT TO SCHOOLS AND GET SOME COLLEGE GRADUATES. AND WE'RE THE, WE'RE THE TRAINING GROUND FOR THEM.

WE'LL ALSO ENCOURAGE DEPARTMENTS TO EXPAND THEIR PARTNERSHIPS WITH LOCAL COLLEGES, TO REACH OUT TO NEIGHBORING AREAS THAT MAYBE SUPPORT BACHELOR AND NURSING PROGRAMS. CURRENTLY, THERE ARE FEW OPPORTUNITIES TO EARN A BACHELOR'S DEGREE IN NURSING INSIDE OF MERCED COUNTY,

[02:05:02]

WORKING WITH OUR CURRENT AND NEW EDUCATIONAL PARTNERS TO BUILD BRIDGES TO PUBLIC SERVICE.

AND LASTLY, EVALUATE CURRENT RECRUITMENT MARKETING STRATEGIES AND MAKE ADJUSTMENTS WHERE NEEDED.

AN EXAMPLE IS INCREASED VISIBILITY OF COUNTY JOB OPENINGS ON SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS. WE DO A LITTLE, BUT WE COULD DO MORE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME TODAY AND ALLOWING ME TO PRESENT THE THIS INFORMATION.

OKAY. DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? OKAY. AT THIS TIME, WE WILL RECEIVE A PRESENTATION FROM A REPRESENTATIVE OF THE MERCED COUNTY ATTORNEYS ASSOCIATION UNIT SEVEN, AS WELL AS A REPRESENTATIVE FROM MERCED COUNTY DEPUTY SHERIFF'S ASSOCIATION UNIT TEN AND MERCED COUNTY PUBLIC SAFETY SERVICES UNIT, UNIT 14.

PLEASE NOTE THAT THE REPRESENTATIVE FROM AMERICAN FEDERATION OF STATE, COUNTY AND MUNICIPAL EMPLOYEES WILL NOT BE PRESENTING THIS AFTERNOON.

AND I BELIEVE THAT THERE WAS A NEGOTIATED TIME.

SO I WILL SET THE TIMER. AND NOW UNIT, WE WILL BEGIN WITH UNIT SEVEN.

SO UNIT SEVEN. GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS ANDRE MARGAIN. I AM A DEPUTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY AND PRESIDENT OF UNIT SEVEN.

THE UNIT INCLUDES ATTORNEYS NOT ONLY FROM THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, BUT ALSO THE PUBLIC DEFENDER'S OFFICE AND CHILD SUPPORT SERVICES.

I'D LIKE TO THANK THE BOARD FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS YOU REGARDING THE CONCERNS WITH STAFFING SHORTAGES.

CURRENTLY, UNIT SEVEN SITS AT A LITTLE LESS THAN 20% VACANCY RATE, ALMOST ENTIRELY FROM WITHIN THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE.

AS I'M SURE THE BOARD IS AWARE, IT IS CRITICAL TO HAVE A FULLY FUNCTIONING AND STAFFED DISTRICT ATTORNEY AND PUBLIC DEFENDER'S OFFICE BECAUSE, QUITE FRANKLY, WITHOUT ONE, THE COMMUNITY SUFFERS FROM DELAYS IN JUSTICE CASE BACKLOGS AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, PUBLIC SAFETY CONCERNS. THE KEY PROBLEM, AS I SEE IT WITH RECRUITMENT COMES FROM FINANCIAL BARRIERS.

SALARIES FOR RURAL COUNTIES, SUCH AS MERCED OFTEN FALL WELL BELOW THOSE OF OUR URBAN COUNTERPARTS AND OPPORTUNITIES WITHIN THE PRIVATE SECTOR.

COMBINING THAT WITH REDUCED RETIREMENT BENEFITS AND A CURRENT HEALTHCARE INSURANCE WHERE COUNTY CONTRIBUTIONS ARE CAPPED, RESULTING IN RISING INSURANCE RATES THAT CUT DIRECTLY INTO ANY INCREMENTAL RAISES GIVEN TO THE UNIT.

IN ADDITION, OUR NEWLY ADMITTED ATTORNEYS FACE MEDIAN LAW SCHOOL DEBT TODAY OF AROUND $120,000.

ALL THESE THINGS MAKE IT VERY DIFFICULT TO RECRUIT NOT ONLY NEW ATTORNEYS, BUT ATTRACT EXPERIENCED LATERAL HIRES AS WELL.

I'VE BEEN PRACTICING IN MERCED COUNTY NOW FOR APPROXIMATELY 18 YEARS.

MOVING FROM SAN FRANCISCO AND THE PROBLEMS OF RECRUITMENT WERE HERE IN MERCED BACK THEN.

SMALLER COMMUNITIES OFTEN SUFFER IN TERMS OF THE ABILITY FOR, IF YOU'RE BRINGING YOUR SPOUSE FOR THEM TO FIND WORK OR TO NETWORK SOCIALLY.

THIS, COMBINED WITH THE LOWER PAY AND REDUCED BENEFITS, MAKE IT EVEN HARDER TO ATTRACT QUALIFIED CANDIDATES.

I KNOW WHEN I STARTED HERE AT THE COUNTY BACK IN 2007, WHILE I KNEW I WAS GOING TO BE TAKING A BIT OF A PAY CUT, LEAVING THE PRIVATE SECTOR AT A SMALL FIRM IN LOS BANOS, THE RETIREMENT SEEMED LIKE IT WAS WELL WORTH IT.

AND AS WELL AS THE HEALTH CARE BENEFITS. WHEN I CAME BACK TO WORK FOR THE COUNTY IN 2018, I NOTICED THERE WERE CHANGES ALONG THE LINES OF THE HEALTH CARE BENEFITS. AS I STATED EARLIER, ALMOST ALL THE VACANCIES FALL WITHIN ONE DEPARTMENT IN UNIT SEVEN, AND THAT'S THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE. UNFORTUNATELY, PUBLIC PERCEPTION AND NEGATIVE ATTITUDES TOWARDS PROSECUTORS AND LAW ENFORCEMENT IN GENERAL HAVE RISEN IN RECENT YEARS. LESS LAW SCHOOL GRADUATES WANT TO BECOME PROSECUTORS.

DISTRICT ATTORNEYS FACE POLITICAL AND COMMUNITY PRESSURES, LONG HOURS AND EMOTIONALLY DRAINING CASELOADS.

THERE ARE FEWER ATTORNEYS OUT THERE, AND WE ARE COMPETING TO GET THEM WITH LESS RESOURCES.

THE CONSEQUENCES ARE A HIGH TURNOVER AND UNDERSTAFFING, CREATE THE BACKLOGS, DELAY TRIALS REDUCE VICTIM SUPPORT, AND IN ADDITION, A PLACE I FIND MYSELF OFTEN IN AS A SEASONED, EXPERIENCED ATTORNEY IN THE OFFICE IS BURNOUT, WHICH WORSENS THE CYCLE. WHILE THE UNIT TRULY APPRECIATES THE BOARD'S ATTEMPTS IN RECENT NEGOTIATIONS, SUCH AS MODEST PAY INCREASES, NEWLY ADDED CLASSIFICATIONS TO BOOST EARNING POTENTIAL, AND A RECRUITMENT BONUS TO ADDRESS THESE CHALLENGES.

[02:10:07]

WE VALUE THE BOARD'S RECOGNITION OF THESE ISSUES AND THE ACTIONS THEY HAVE ALREADY TAKEN.

HOWEVER, UNLESS WE COMMIT TO BOLDER SOLUTIONS AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, ADDRESSING THE MEDICAL BENEFITS IN THIS COUNTY, THIS SHORTAGE WILL CONTINUE TO GROW. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.

THANK YOU. OKAY. NEXT WE HAVE THE REPRESENTATIVE FOR UNITS 10 AND 14. GOOD AFTERNOON. BOARD OF SUPERVISORS. CHAIRMAN HENDRICKSON, CEO HENDRICKSON AND COUNTY COUNSEL.

MY NAME IS ROBERTO TORRES. I AM THE PRESIDENT OF THE MERCED COUNTY DEPUTY SHERIFFS ASSOCIATION.

I REPRESENT UNIT 10 AND 14, ROUGHLY OVER 100 MEMBERS.

I WANT TO PROVIDE SOME STATISTICS SOME SOME FACTS, I GUESS AS FAR AS THE STAFFING FOR OUR DEPARTMENT AND SOME OF THE ISSUES THAT WE FACE AS DEPUTY SHERIFFS AND DISPATCHERS AND CORONERS.

IN 2024, WE WERE BUDGETED FOR 97 SPOTS. WE HAD 82 FILLED.

2024-25. WE HAVE 98 BUDGET, 83 FIELD FOR OUR DISPATCHERS FOR UNIT 14.

IN 2024 2025, WE'RE BUDGETED FOR 18. WE HAVE 11 FILL.

WE CURRENTLY HAVE APPROXIMATELY FOUR DEPUTY SHERIFFS THAT HAVE OVER TEN YEARS OF EXPERIENCE.

WITHIN THE LAST YEAR OR SO, WE HAVE ABOUT 40% OF OUR PERSONNEL UNDER FIVE YEARS EXPERIENCE.

SOME OF THE ISSUES THAT ARE BROUGHT, AS THE BOARD KNOWS, IS THE HIGH COST OF MEDICAL.

THE MEDICALS IS ROUGHLY LIKE I WOULD SAY, 60 ALMOST ALMOST 50% OF OUR EMPLOYEES TAKE HOME. I KNOW THAT RECENTLY SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL NOTED THAT THE PAY INCREASE HAS INCREASED 54% FOR PUBLIC SAFETY SINCE 2024. IF WE, IF THE BOARD BELIEVES THAT THAT IS THE ONLY NUMBER THAT MATTERS, THEN THEY'RE SORELY MISTAKEN.

WE HAVE LOST FOUR DEPUTIES TO MERCED. I'M SORRY.

TO MADERA COUNTY SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT. TENURED GUYS WHO WENT TO A DEPARTMENT WHICH TOOK A ONE YEAR NOAA BASE PAY INCREASE. BUT THE MEDICAL OFFSETS THAT THEY'RE BRINGING HOME MORE THAN A DEPUTY THAN HE TOPPED OUT DEPUTY SHERIFFS IN MERCED COUNTY.

ALSO, THAT 54% INCREASE ONLY APPLIES TO DEPUTY SHERIFFS LIKE MYSELF, WHO HAVE BEEN HERE TEN PLUS YEARS.

SO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE MEDICAL, IT COST ROUGHLY 19% OF THE GROSS OF BASE WAGES FOR A TOP DEPUTY.

ALMOST $1,500 PER MONTH FOR THEM TO PROVIDE MEDICAL FOR THEIR FAMILY.

AND AS WE ALL KNOW SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA SAID THAT, WELL, YOU KNOW WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN IN SEPTEMBER.

I BELIEVE THE BOARD KNOWS WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN IN SEPTEMBER.

BECAUSE. WE KNOW THAT, AS WE'VE BEEN TOLD PREVIOUSLY, OUR PROVIDER, WHICH IS PRISM CONSORTIUM, LETS THE COUNTY KNOW ITS RATES IN AUGUST.

RIGHT? SO WE KNOW THAT IN SEPTEMBER OUR MEDICAL IS GOING TO GO UP 14%, WHICH IS ROUGHLY ABOUT $210 MORE A MONTH FOR AN EMPLOYEE WHO HAS THEIR FAMILY ON THE MEDICAL IN 2023.

THE DEPUTY SHERIFFS ASSOCIATION HIRED AN INDEPENDENT OTHER TO CONDUCT AN ANALYSIS OF THE COUNTY'S FINANCIAL HEALTH AND THE CONCLUSION OF THE AUDIT THE OTTER CONCLUDED THAT THE COUNTY GREW FROM A FINANCIAL, FROM A STRONG FINANCIAL POSITION AT THE END OF 2019 TO A STRONGER FINANCIAL POSITION OVER THE FOUR YEARS, ADDING AIDED BY THE $82.8 MILLION

[02:15:08]

UNIT 10-14 MEMBERS DURING THAT TIME RECEIVED A $1,500 BONUS FOR WORKING DURING THE COVID PANDEMIC.

THAT MEANT THAT DEPUTY SHERIFF'S DISPATCHERS, ALL LINE STAFF WERE ACTUALLY OUT ON THE STREET HANDLING CALLS FOR SERVICE DURING THIS TIME. WHEN WE TALK, WHEN WE TAKE THAT NUMBER, WHICH WAS ABOUT $150,000, THAT IS LESS THAN 1%.

THAT'S NOT EVEN HALF A PERCENT IS 0.18% OF THE $82.8 MILLION THAT THE COUNTY RECEIVED.

SO I GUESS THE QUESTION IS, WHERE DID THAT REST OF THE MONEY GO? RIGHT? ALSO, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE PIE, EVERYONE SAYS, WELL, THE PIE IS NOT BIG ENOUGH.

WE GOT TO CUT IT DOWN AND MAKE SURE WE DO THIS AND DO THAT WELL.

THE PIE HAS GROWN EXTENSIVELY FOR THE COUNTY.

OKAY. THE PROPERTY TAXES HAVE DOUBLED FROM $66.3 MILLION IN 2013 TO 100.

I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD AND LET YOU FINISH THAT SENTENCE SO THE QUESTION THAT YOU HAVE IS WHAT DO YOU WANT PUBLIC SAFETY TO LOOK AT? IS IT THE MAIN JOB OF ELECTED LEADERS? THANK YOU.

MAKE SURE THAT THE PUBLIC IS SAFE BY HAVING QUALIFIED PERSONNEL.

THANK YOU. OKAY. I WILL NOW OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING. AND AT THIS TIME, I WILL ACCEPT PUBLIC COMMENT REGARDING THIS ITEM.

TESTIMONY IS LIMITED TO THREE MINUTES PER PERSON.

HELLO? I'M BACK. LIKE, I FEEL LIKE A BROKEN RECORD REALLY COMING UP HERE AND ASKING FOR OUR OFFICIALS TO TAKE ACCOUNTABILITY. I UNFORTUNATELY ACCEPT THAT EACH OF YOU VIEW PUBLIC SAFETY AS A POLITICAL BARGAINING CHIP.

AND EVERY ELECTION CYCLE YOU WRITE OPINION PIECES SHOWING YOUR APPRECIATION AND PLEDGING SUPPORT FOR PUBLIC SAFETY.

BUT BEHAVIOR IS A LANGUAGE. AND WHEN PEOPLE SHOW YOU WHO THEY ARE, YOU SHOULD BELIEVE THEM.

AND I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT THE BOARD AS AN ENTITY.

I'M TALKING ABOUT EACH OF YOU BOARD MEMBERS INDIVIDUALLY.

YOU'VE MADE DECISIONS THAT MADE LIFE WORSE FOR THE PEOPLE YOU WERE ELECTED TO SERVE.

EACH OF YOU OUGHT TO REFLECT ON THAT AND FIGURE OUT THE EXACT POINT IN YOUR POLITICAL CAREER WHERE YOUR DESIRE TO HOLD POLITICAL POWER BECAME MISALIGNED WITH THE MORALS AND VALUES YOU CLAIM EACH ELECTION CYCLE. I WOULD LOVE TO BE ABLE TO SAY THAT I LIVE IN A COUNTY WHERE THE POLITICAL LEADERSHIP PRIORITIZES THE WELL-BEING OF ITS PEOPLE, BUT HOW CAN I SAY THAT IN MERCED COUNTY? CENSUS DATA SHOWS THAT EACH OF YOU INDIVIDUALLY MAKE ABOUT DOUBLE THE MEDIAN HOUSEHOLD INCOME OF YOUR CONSTITUENTS.

THE OLD SAYING IS THAT YOU DON'T GET INTO GOVERNMENT WORK TO BECOME WEALTHY.

I GUESS THE ONE EXCEPTION IS THE MERCED COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISOR.

I KNOW YOU LOVE TO TOUT GRANTS OBTAINED FOR PARKS AND OTHER PET PROJECTS, BUT A PARK ISN'T GOING TO PROSECUTE A CRIMINAL WHO'S COMMITTED VIOLENCE AGAINST OUR COMMUNITY. DOESN'T MATTER IF A ROAD IS FRESHLY REPAVED, IF THERE IS NO DEPUTY SHERIFF TO RESPOND TO SOMEONE'S EMERGENCY IT DOESN'T MATTER HOW MANY FARMERS SUPPORT YOUR ELECTION. IF THERE'S NO DISPATCHER AVAILABLE TO ANSWER THEIR 911 CALL.

THE HARDEST THING TO DO IS LOOK IN THE MIRROR AND ADMIT THAT THAT PERSON IS THE PROBLEM.

BUT THAT'S TRUE LEADERSHIP. IT'S NOT BLAMING PEOPLE FOR POINTING OUT POOR DECISIONS THAT YOU'VE MADE.

IT'S CHOOSING TO OWN WHAT'S HAPPENED AND TURN AROUND AT THE NEXT AVAILABLE OFF RAMP.

ALL UNIONS HAVE COME TO YOU PUBLICLY FOR AT LEAST THREE YEARS TELLING YOU THE SAME THING.

THE BENEFITS PACKAGE IS SINKING THEM. IT'S TRUE THAT SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL WAS THE ONLY MEMBER OF THIS BOARD WHO SUPPORTED THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE DISASTROUS DECISION TO INSTITUTE A COUNTY MEDICAL INSURANCE CONTRIBUTION CAP THAT BURDENS OUR EMPLOYEES AT THE COUNTY TODAY.

BUT THE REST OF YOU ARE EQUALLY AS GUILTY FOR NOT TURNING THE CAR AROUND.

WHEN IT WAS POINTED OUT TO YOU MULTIPLE TIMES THAT YOU WERE DRIVING INTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC.

THE BOARD HAS PASSED MANY OFF RAMPS. MAKE TODAY THE DAY YOU CHOOSE TO CORRECT THE PATH YOU'RE ON.

BEFORE YOU FIND YOURSELF ON THE POLITICAL SIDELINE WITH A MORE WORTHY LEADER OCCUPYING YOUR BOARD OF SUPERVISOR SEAT.

OKAY. IS THERE ANY MORE PUBLIC COMMENT? SEEING NONE, I WILL AT THIS TIME, I WILL CLOSE THE PUBLIC COMMENT AND BRING IT BACK TO THE BOARD. ACTUALLY, THIS IS JUST DISCUSSION OR INFORMATION ONLY.

RIGHT. SO WE HAVE NO NO REPORT, NO ACTION. OKAY.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THAT. THAT WAS VERY INTERESTING.

[02:20:04]

[REPORTS/BOARD DIRECTION]

THANK YOU. LET'S SEE HERE. SINCE WE LAST MET I WAS ABLE TO GO TOUR THE BIG ENERGY, WAS THE BIG WINDMILLS UP THERE ON TOP OF PACHECO PASS.

WE WERE INVITED BY THE GROUP THAT'S PART OF THAT PROJECT, AND MYSELF AND FOLKS FROM DPW STAFF AND ALSO ZED WENT UP THERE.

I WILL TELL YOU, IF YOU THINK THOSE WINDMILLS LOOK BIG WHEN YOU'RE DRIVING BY, GO STAND NEXT TO THEM.

THEY'RE THEY'RE JUST GINORMOUS. AND SO IT'S INTERESTING STORY ABOUT THAT PACHECO STATE PARK UP THERE.

IT'S THE ONLY STATE PARK IN CALIFORNIA THAT HAS WIND ENERGY ON IT.

AND THE REASON THAT THEY WERE ALLOWED TO HAVE WIND ENERGY IS BECAUSE THE FAMILY THAT DONATED THE PROPERTY ALREADY HAD A WIND ENERGY AGREEMENT WITH SOMEBODY WHEN THEY DONATED THE PROPERTY. AND TO PUT IT IN PERSPECTIVE, THERE WAS 100 AND I THINK THE NUMBER WAS 160, 170 OF THE KIND OF SMALLER TRADITIONAL WIND TURBINES UP THERE. IT BASICALLY TAKES TWO AND A HALF OF THOSE NEW ONES TO REPLACE ALL OF THOSE, THAT 100 AND SOMETHING OF THE OTHER ONES. THE PROJECT WILL BE 25 OF THEM WHEN THEY'RE ALL SAID AND DONE, AND IT IS 5.9MW PER WINDMILL UP THERE. AND THAT'S ENOUGH TO POWER BETWEEN 4 TO 5000 HOMES IS AND THEY'RE VERY HIGH TECH.

THEY NOT ONLY THEY SPIN ON THE THAT TURRET IT'LL SPIN TO AND IT IN REAL TIME.

IF THE WIND IS BLOWING FROM ONE DIRECTION IT'LL BE FACING THAT.

AND IF THE WIND CHANGES TO ANOTHER DIRECTION IT WILL AUTOMATICALLY MOVE IT.

AND THEN AND ALSO THOSE BLADES PITCH TO ALLOW TO BE ABLE TO GET MORE DRAG TO CREATE MORE ENERGY.

WELL, IF THEY NEED MORE TO BE ABLE TO PRODUCE THE POWER.

SO VERY, VERY INTERESTING PROJECT. ONE OF THE CONTRACTORS ON THE PROJECT IS ACTUALLY CLARK BROTHERS, WHO, OR A COMPANY THAT STARTED IN DOS PALOS. AND NOW THE GENERATION THAT I WENT TO SCHOOL WITH ARE THE ONES THAT ARE RUNNING IT NOW.

SO IT WAS ACTUALLY A PRETTY COOL EVENT. I ATTENDED MY CSAC EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEETING IN SACRAMENTO.

THERE'S A LOT OF FRUSTRATION THERE ON WITH THE STATE LEGISLATURE AND THE GOVERNOR'S PROPOSAL TO FOREGO OUR INDEPENDENT REDISTRICTING COMMISSION AND HAVE A SPECIAL ELECTION COMING UP HERE IN NOVEMBER TO ASK THE VOTERS TO PUT THAT ASIDE FOR A FEW YEARS.

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THAT COUNTIES IN ALL, ALL THREE OF THE STATE ORGANIZATIONS, WHETHER IT BE CSAC RCRC OR THE URBAN COUNTIES, I THINK IT'S JUST URBAN COUNTIES CAUCUS OR WHATEVER THEY'RE CALLED, ALL SENT LETTERS TO THE GOVERNOR BECAUSE THE GOVERNOR'S ORIGINAL PROPOSAL SAID THAT STATE OR COUNTIES WOULD BE ABLE TO ABSORB THE COST OF THIS ELECTION.

AND WE TOOK AN APPROACH THAT SAID, IF YOU DO NOT PROVIDE FUNDING FOR THIS, THEN WE WILL GO SCORCHED EARTH ON YOU.

AND THEN IT QUICKLY CHANGED TO WHERE THERE WAS ACTUALLY FUNDING, BUT IT JUST, IT'S REALLY FRUSTRATING TO ME.

IT'S YOU KNOW, OUR GOVERNOR. HE'S DONE WITH CALIFORNIA BECAUSE HE'S GOT JUST A YEAR AND A HALF LEFT ON HIS TERM, AND HE'S WILLING TO PUT AT RISK $250 MILLION IS THE ESTIMATES TO HAVE A SPECIAL ELECTION, JUST SO THAT HE CAN CONTINUE TO BE IN A, I THINK, USE LOGGERHEAD. THAT'S A NICE VERSION WITH THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND THOSE ISSUES.

AND SO I WOULD STRONGLY ENCOURAGE VOTERS TO VOTE NO ON PROPOSITION 50, WHICH I DON'T KNOW THAT I'M ALLOWED TO DO THAT FROM UP HERE.

BUT I CAN JUST TELL YOU THE FACTS, SAY THAT IT'S A LOT OF MONEY TO CHANGE SOMETHING THAT WE AS VOTERS ALREADY IN 2010, PUT INTO ACTION TO HAVE AN INDEPENDENT REDISTRICTING COMMISSION.

IT'S VERY FRUSTRATING. IT IS. YOU KNOW, TWO WRONGS DON'T MAKE A RIGHT.

WHATEVER THEY'RE DOING IN TEXAS, THAT'S TEXAS. BUT WHY? WE HAVE TO FOLLOW SUIT? IT'S A LITTLE BIT FRUSTRATING, AND I HOPE THAT THE VOTERS OF CALIFORNIA WAKE UP AND SEE THAT.

BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, WHAT I'M GOING TO TELL YOU IS IT'S STILL GOING TO COST YOU $250 MILLION EITHER WAY. SO WITH THAT, THAT'S ALL I HAVE. MR. CHAIR, THANK YOU. SUPERVISOR PAREIRA.

THANK YOU. CHAIR. WELL A LOT OF THINGS ON MY MIND RIGHT NOW.

FIRST, UNFORTUNATELY HE LEFT, BUT I WANTED TO THANK ANDREW MARGAIN FOR HIS COMMENTS.

[02:25:03]

JUST SHARED THE FACTS THAT, YOU KNOW, HIS GROUP.

HIS BARGAINING UNIT IS GOING THROUGH. AND I APPRECIATED THE COMMENTS.

SO THANK YOU FOR THOSE. TO THE ITEM ON THE REDISTRICTING IN CALIFORNIA I FOUND IT WAS INTERESTING THAT THE THAT THE GOVERNOR KEEPS TALKING ABOUT TRANSPARENCY, BUT THEY WOULDN'T EVEN TELL THE OUR LEGISLATORS WHO DREW THE LINES.

I MEAN, THERE IS ZERO TRANSPARENCY. AND I JUST THOUGHT THAT WAS REALLY TELLING OF OF WHAT THIS PROCESS, THIS REALLY MEANS FOR FOR THE GOVERNOR. I ATTENDED CONGRESSMAN GRAY'S AG ADVISORY MEETING LAST WEEK, AND I'LL TELL YOU YOU KNOW, THE WHO'S WHO IN AG AND IN MERCED COUNTY AND ACTUALLY EVEN THE, YOU KNOW, THE SURROUNDING AREA BECAUSE HE REPRESENTS MORE THAN JUST US.

WE'RE THERE. AND I THINK SOME GOOD QUESTIONS AND INFORMATION WERE TRANSPIRED.

THE, I KIND OF FELT LIKE I WAS SURPRISED THAT THERE WASN'T MORE LIKE VIGOROUS DISCUSSION.

AND THEN IT KIND OF DAWNED ON ME THAT THE CONGRESSMAN'S ENGAGED WITH ALL, ALL THESE GROUPS.

AND SO A LOT OF THE CONVERSATIONS HAVE ALREADY HAPPENED.

AND ANYWAY, SO I JUST THOUGHT THAT WAS KIND OF TELLING OF KIND OF THE JOB THAT CONGRESSMAN GRAY IS DOING AT LEAST FOR US HERE LOCALLY. I'LL PUT IT THAT WAY.

AND THEN I, YOU KNOW, HEARING THE NUMBER OF DAYS THAT IT TAKES TO PROCESS SOMEONE THROUGH THE HR PROCESS, I BELIEVE. WAS IT 119 DAYS? 100. 117 DAYS. IT JUST SEEMS LIKE A LONG TIME.

SO I KNOW WE HAVE A NEW DIRECTOR AT PUBLIC HEALTH, AND I THINK YOU KNOW, HAVING THIS PUBLIC HEARING KIND OF SHEDS LIGHT TO THE PUBLIC.

I THINK WE ALL KIND OF KNEW WHERE WE WERE WITH WITH VACANCIES.

BUT ANYWAYS, YOU KNOW, I HOPE THE NEW PROCESS CAN GET THAT NUMBER DOWN.

I KNOW THAT YOU KNOW, IF I APPLIED FOR A JOB AND IT TOOK ME FOUR MONTHS TO FIND OUT WHETHER I GOT HIRED OR NOT, IT WOULD BE DIFFICULT. AND I DON'T KNOW IF WE FIND THAT PEOPLE TAKE JOBS IN THE MEANTIME SOMEWHERE ELSE, IF THAT'S, YOU KNOW, PART OF THE PROBLEM. SO I'M GLAD WE HAVE A NEW FOCUS ON THAT PROCESS.

SO AND THEN I GUESS LASTLY, I WANT TO, YOU KNOW, JUST THANK THE AG COMMISSIONER AGAIN FOR HIGHLIGHTING THE VALUE OF AG, YOU KNOW, THE THE NUMBER OF $9 BILLION SEEMS VERY, VERY LIGHT TO ME.

I KNOW THE DAIRY INDUSTRY DID A STUDY PROBABLY ALREADY 20 YEARS AGO NOW, BUT EACH DOLLAR IN THE DAIRY INDUSTRY MULTIPLIED BY SIX IN THE COMMUNITY.

AND SO IF YOU TAKE OUR OUR DAIRY INCOME OR VALUE OF 3 BILLION, YOU KNOW, THAT TAKES US TO 18 BILLION.

SO ANYWAYS, 9 BILLION IS A LOT, BUT I THINK THE NUMBER IS ACTUALLY HIGHER.

SO ANYWAYS, BUT THANK YOU FOR NOT ONLY GETTING THAT ALL PUT TOGETHER, BUT HANGING AROUND TO THE END OF THE MEETING AND THAT'S IT.

THANK YOU. SUPERVISOR PACHECO. THANK YOU CHAIR.

WELL, FIRST I WANTED TO WELCOME ASHLEY LEWIS TO OUR TO OUR MERCED COUNTY TEAM.

I SEE SHE LEFT ALREADY, SO SHE'S BACK AT WORK, WHICH IS GOOD. I WENT TO THE ADAM GRAY, HIS OPENING OF HIS CONGRESSIONAL OFFICE HERE ON 20TH STREET WAS VERY WELL ATTENDED. AND IT'S NICE TO SEE OUR CONGRESSMAN HERE IN MERCED.

I THINK THAT'S GOOD FOR US HERE. I ATTENDED A MEETING IN SANTANELLA WITH THE SANTANELLA TRAILER PARK RESIDENTS.

IT WAS HOSTED BY PG AND E, RHA AND SYNERGY. AND KIND OF A NEAT PROGRAM OUT THERE.

PG IS GOING TO TAKE OVER ALL THE UTILITIES THERE IN THE TRAILER PARK.

AND THEY'RE GOING TO REDO ANYBODY THAT WANTS GAS, IT'S GOING TO, THEY'RE GOING TO REDO THEIR, THEIR GAS LINES AND GET THEM SIGNED UP FOR FOR AN ACCOUNT WITHOUT ALL THE OR THE HOPES TO HAVE TO JUMP THROUGH SO THEY CAN GET THEM SIGNED UP.

AND THEY'RE ALSO FIXING THE ELECTRICAL AND ANY THE RESIDENTS THAT WANT TO GO FULL ELECTRIC, THEY'RE GOING TO MAKE SURE THAT THEIR TRAILER HAS AN ELECTRICAL PANEL THAT WILL HANDLE THAT AND ALSO GIVE THEM A FREE STOVE, WATER HEATER AND HVAC SO THAT IT'S MORE EFFICIENT, ALL ELECTRIC.

SO PROBABLY ABOUT 50 RESIDENTS THERE. IT WAS NICE TO SEE A GOOD TURNOUT.

SO I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE A GOOD PROJECT. THEY'RE TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY'S GOING TO GET SIGNED UP FOR THAT. HOPEFULLY THEY DO. BUT I JUST THINK THAT'S GOING TO BE A GREAT PROJECT AND A GREAT GOOD THING FOR THE TRAILER PARK.

AND IN THE END, I JUST WANT TO ADJOURN THE MEETING IN THE MEMORY OF MARY FUREY.

SHE WAS A LONGTIME RESIDENT OF MERCED COUNTY AND PLANADA.

SHE WAS MARRIED TO BILL MCQUARRIE AND LIVED ON THE MACQUARIE RANCH AT PLANADA FOR A LONG TIME.

SHE ASSUMED THE RESPONSIBILITY OF RUNNING THE RANCH AFTER BILL'S DEATH.

AND HER SISTER IN LAW IS KATHLEEN KIRKHAM, WHO WAS A MEMBER OF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS FOR MANY YEARS.

[02:30:06]

HER NEW HUSBAND WAS NAMED RICK. THROUGH LE GRAND LIONS CLUB AND THROUGH THE CATHOLIC CHURCH MARY WAS AN ACTIVE MEMBER OF OUR COMMUNITY IN PLANADA AND LE GRAND, A STAUNCH ADVOCATE FOR AGRICULTURE AND PROTECTION OF OUR NATURAL RESOURCES.

SHE WAS A MEMBER OF THE PLANADA MAC, ALSO CALIFORNIA FOR AGRICULTURE AND MERCED COUNTY FARM BUREAU.

SHE IS SURVIVED BY HER HUSBAND, RICK FUREY, HER DAUGHTER, MAUREEN MCCRORY, AND HER SON JOHN MCCRORY AND DAUGHTER IN LAW, JOANNE. I WANT TO EXTEND MY CONDOLENCES TO THE FAMILY AND JUST ADJOURN THE MEETING IN HER HONOR.

THAT'S ALL I HAVE. CHAIR. THANK YOU. OKAY. SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA.

DID YOU HAVE SOMETHING ELSE? JUST WANTED TO YOU KNOW, YESTERDAY MORNING, WE WE OUR FAMILY, AND WE HAD AN ACCIDENT OUT ON THE WEST SIDE, AND ONE OF OUR ONE OF OUR TEAM MEMBERS IS IS IN THE HOSPITAL AND HOPEFULLY ON HIS WAY TO RECOVERY. AND IT'LL BE A LONG ONE. AND SO I JUST ASK YOU TO CONTINUE TO SEND YOU YOUR THOUGHTS AND YOUR PRAYERS WITH WITH ONE OF OUR FOLKS THAT WAS IN A TERRIBLE ACCIDENT YESTERDAY MORNING. IT'S NOT A HEAVY ON MY HEART YESTERDAY AND TODAY.

AND THERE WAS A COUPLE PEOPLE INVOLVED AND ONE HAD MINOR INJURIES, BUT BUT FOR OUR ROADS FOLKS JUST SENDING THEM ALL MY THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS AND HOPEFULLY A SPEEDY RECOVERY. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. SUPERVISOR.

PAREIRA. YEAH. THANKS AGAIN. I'D ALSO LIKE TO CLOSE TODAY'S MEETING IN MEMORY OF GEORGE NORMAN.

GEORGE ACTUALLY PASSED AWAY LAST WEEK. HE WOULD HAVE BEEN 100 YEARS OLD YESTERDAY.

AND HE WAS A BATTALION CHIEF FOR MERCED COUNTY BACK BEFORE CAL FIRE WAS CAL FIRE HERE, AND HE LIVES IN SNELLING OR LIVED IN SNELL.

EXCUSE ME. LIVED IN SNELLING. AND JUST A GREAT GUY.

MY FIRST EXPERIENCE WITH HIM WAS WHEN I WAS 12 YEARS OLD.

HE HAD AN AIRPLANE, HE WAS A PILOT, AND SO HE TOOK ME UP FOR FOR A FLIGHT.

AND ANYWAYS, JUST JUST KIND OF A GREAT GUY AND PRETTY UNASSUMING AND HE, SO GENE JACKS IS WAS A BATTALION CHIEF AT THE SAME TIME, GENE LIVES IN GUSTINE AND IS A FRIEND OF MINE.

AND SO EVEN THOUGH GEORGE PRETTY HARD OF HEARING AND TROUBLE GETTING HIM TO TELL STORIES, GENE FILLED IN ALL THE MISSING PARTS, AND THOSE TWO WERE QUITE A PAIR BACK IN THE DAY.

AND THEN ALL OF YOU KNOW LLOYD FERNANDEZ AROUND HERE.

GEORGE SAVED HIS LIFE WHEN HE WAS AN INFANT. AND AND SO MANY, MANY YEARS LATER, LLOYD ASKED ME IF I KNEW HOW TO GET AHOLD OF HIM, AND WE KIND OF GOT HIM CONNECTED, AND SO, YOU KNOW, 50 YEARS AFTER 55 YEARS AFTER THAT EVENT, THEY GOT TOGETHER AND THERE WAS AN ARTICLE IN THE NEWSPAPER, AND LLOYD GOT TO THANK HIM.

AND I WAS JUST KIND OF A NEAT TESTAMENT TO THE LIFE THAT HE LIVED.

SO THANK YOU. SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL. THANK YOU.

CHAIR. I JUST WANT TO SAY I ATTENDED THE CUSTODIAL DEPUTY SHERIFF SWEARING IN CEREMONY YESTERDAY.

FIVE NEW MEMBERS. I WANT TO WELCOME THEM TO THE TEAM.

ALSO WANT TO REMIND FOLKS THE ATWATER MOBILE DISTRICT HOURS THE FOURTH THURSDAY OF EACH MONTH FROM 1:30 TO 3:30 AT THE COMMUNITY SERVICE BUILDING THERE IN IN ATWATER. WE DO HAVE ALL SERVICES THAT ARE AVAILABLE.

OUR ASSEMBLY MEMBER HAS SOMEBODY THERE. OUR STATE SENATOR HAS SOMEBODY THERE AS WELL AS A CONGRESSIONAL PERSON AS WELL.

SO AND SOMEBODY FROM THE CITY OF ATWATER IS THERE AS WELL.

SO ALL SOURCES OF GOVERNMENT WITHIN THE COUNTY IS AVAILABLE FOR ANY KIND OF HELP.

I ALSO WANTED TO SAY THAT ONE OF MY PROJECTS THAT I'VE DONE WITH GOLDEN STATE FINANCE AUTHORITY, WHICH IS WHENEVER I SERVE FOR RURAL COUNTY REPRESENTATIVES OF CALIFORNIA.

WHAT I'D LIKE TO DO IS MAKE A REQUEST THAT WE DO A PRESENTATION ON OUR DOWN PAYMENT ASSISTANCE WITH 0% THAT WE DO HAVE FOR COUNTY EMPLOYEES AS WELL. SOMETHING THAT I WORKED ON VERY HARD TO GET THIS STARTED BECAUSE RURAL CALIFORNIA HAS A HARD TIME ATTRACTING EMPLOYEES.

AND I WAS TRYING TO I'M HOPING THAT WE CONTINUE TO USE THAT TO ATTRACT FOLKS, BECAUSE A LOT OF FOLKS WORKING IN THE LARGER COUNTIES DON'T DO IT.

THE NEXT PROJECT I BROUGHT THAT WE'RE IN EARLY DISCUSSIONS ON WORKING WITH OUR HEALTHCARE COMMUNITY DISTRICTS.

I'VE TALKED TO GOLDEN VALLEY HEALTHCARE AS WELL AS THE BLOSSOM MEMORIAL HEALTHCARE FOUNDATION.

WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO FOR RURAL COUNTIES, AND WE'RE SETTING IT UP, WORKING ON SETTING IT UP NOW IS ANY KIND OF HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS.

SO WE ALREADY DO IT FOR THE COUNTY. SO YOU SHOULD USE THAT TO RECRUIT NURSES AND STUFF.

BUT WHAT WE'RE DOING IS TRYING TO DO IT NOW FOR THE HEALTHCARE DISTRICTS. WE'RE TRYING TO CREATE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THEM TO MAKE AN INVESTMENT THERE, WHERE WE CAN STILL OFFER THAT ASSISTANCE TO GET HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS IN RURAL CALIFORNIA.

[02:35:02]

IT'S STARTING TO COME TO FRUITION. A LOT OF OUR HEALTHCARE DISTRICTS ARE VERY, VERY EXCITED ABOUT THAT AS WELL.

SO IF WE I THINK WE SHOULD PROBABLY DO ANOTHER TO LET OUR COUNTY EMPLOYEES KNOW THAT WE HAVE THIS DOWN PAYMENT ASSISTANCE PROGRAM AVAILABLE FOR THEM, BECAUSE A LOT OF THESE BIGGER COUNTIES, HOME OWNERSHIP IS NOT AN OPTION IF YOU'RE A COUNTY EMPLOYEE, SO WE'D LIKE TO OFFER THAT HERE. THANKS. OKAY.

COUNCIL HANSEN, CEO HENDRICKSON. OKAY. I HAVE QUITE A LOT.

BUT I'LL GO FAST SINCE. YEAH. SO LAST, AFTER OUR LAST BOARD MEETING, WE HAD MYSELF AND CEO HENDRICKSON HAD AN INTERVIEW WITH THE ACCREDITATION TEAM FOR PUBLIC HEALTH.

HOPEFULLY THAT WENT WELL. IT WAS, IT WAS INTERESTING BECAUSE WHEN WE FOUND OUT WHEN I FOUND OUT IT WAS JUST GOING TO BE MYSELF AND THE CEO IN THE ROOM WITH THESE PEOPLE, THE COMMENT FROM MR. HENDRICKSON WAS, WE COULD REALLY TAKE THIS IN A HURRY, BUT IT WAS A GOOD INTERVIEW, SO IT WENT WELL. MYSELF, SUPERVISOR PACHECO AND MR. HANSEN, AS WELL AS MR. [INAUDIBBLE] MET WITH THE CEMETERY DISTRICT.

WE ALSO MET WITH MYSELF AND MR. HENDRICKSON MET WITH AND I BELIEVE NATHAN WAS THERE.

REPRESENTATIVE ADAM GRAY STAFF IN REGARDS TO ISSUES ABOUT AME, I WAS ALSO I ALSO ATTENDED THE AG ROUNDTABLE, WHICH I THOUGHT WAS VERY INTERESTING BECAUSE IT WAS VERY INDUSTRY SPECIFIC, WHICH WAS VERY HELPFUL.

WE ALSO HAD LAST WEEK A FLOOD CONTROL MEETING WITH REPRESENTATIVE GRAY, ASSEMBLYMEMBER SORIA, MID, AND THE CITY OF MERCED, AS WELL AS MR. HENDRICKSON.

AND THEN I WOULD LIKE TO ALSO COUPLE POSITIVE NOTES BEFORE I GET INTO THE NEGATIVE.

FIRST I WANT TO CONGRATULATE MY SON IS A FRESHMAN CLASS PRESIDENT NOW, WHICH HE FOUND OUT TODAY, WHICH I THINK IS PRETTY COOL. HE NEVER WANTED TO GET INTO POLITICS OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.

AND I FIGURED HE SAID THERE'S MORE POLITICS THAN I THOUGHT FOR A FRESHMAN CLASS.

SO GOOD FOR HIM. HE ALSO I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THE OPENING WEEKEND OF AT PLAYHOUSE MERCED FOR INTO THE WOODS.

I THINK THAT ANYTIME WE CAN GO OUT AND SUPPORT THE ARTS IN MERCED COUNTY, I THINK WE SHOULD.

AND THEN I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO. SO ONE OF THE REQUESTS THAT I'M GOING TO HAVE FOR OUR I WOULD LIKE TO DO THIS PROBABLY AT THE FIRST MEETING IN OCTOBER IS AN UPDATE ON ILLEGAL DUMPING AND THEN ALSO ILLEGAL VENDORS AND FIND OUT KIND OF WHERE WE'RE AT WITH THAT BECAUSE IT JUST CONTINUES, ESPECIALLY THE ILLEGAL DUMPING. I FEEL LIKE I'M GETTING 2 TO 3 CALLS A DAY ALMOST.

YOU KNOW, IT'S IT'S REALLY GETTING REALLY BUSY, YOU KNOW, AND THEN I DO WANT TO JUST KIND OF MAKE MENTION ALSO THIS WHOLE THIS WHOLE REDISTRICTING THING, YOU KNOW, IT'S KIND OF FUNNY THAT WITH AB 1441 THAT IS CREATES AN INDEPENDENT ADVISORY OR AN INDEPENDENT COMMISSION TO DRAW LINES FOR MERCED COUNTY, BECAUSE THE ARGUMENTS ARE THAT POLITICIANS SHOULDN'T DRAW THEIR OWN LINES. AND SO I SPENT MUCH A LOT OF TIME GOING TO SACRAMENTO SAYING WE DID EVERYTHING RIGHT.

WE WERE VERY TRANSPARENT. BUT THEY SAID, WELL, IT'S NOT SHOULDN'T BE DONE THAT WAY.

THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN TEXAS DOES SOMETHING. AND NOW ALL OF MY ARGUMENTS THAT I WAS MAKING THAT I WAS TOLD WERE WRONG ARE NOW RIGHT.

AND SO THE HYPOCRISY OF ALL OF THIS IS VERY FRUSTRATING.

AND IT SEEMS LIKE WE'RE CHASING OUR TAIL BECAUSE IT'S IT'S OKAY FOR IT'S I HAD THIS THIS THOUGHT, YOU KNOW, IT'S LIKE, OKAY, WELL THE STATE WAS TELLING US OR TRYING TO TELL US IT'S LIKE CHILDREN, RIGHT? I'M GOING TO TELL MY KIDS THEY CAN'T HAVE ICE CREAM FOR BREAKFAST, BUT I'M GOING TO GO MAKE A SUNDAE FOR MYSELF.

I MEAN, THAT'S REALLY WHAT THEY'RE TRYING TO DO. TO DO. THEY'RE SAYING WHAT YOU'RE DOING ISN'T GOOD ENOUGH, SO WE'RE GOING TO DO IT. AND NOW THEY'RE SAYING, WAIT, WE HAVE THIS INDEPENDENT ADVISORY COMMITTEE, BUT THEY'RE NOT DOING IT GOOD ENOUGH BECAUSE THERE'S TOO MANY OF ONE PARTY OR SOMETHING.

AND I JUST THINK THAT THE HYPOCRISY OF THIS WHOLE THING IS, IS MIND BLOWING.

REGARDLESS OF WHAT'S HAPPENING IN TEXAS, IT DOESN'T MAKE ANY SENSE.

I WAS TALKING TO A, THEY CALL HIM COMMISSIONERS THERE, AND THERE'S A COMMISSIONER IN TEXAS WHO I SERVE ON THE AG POLICY STEERING COMMITTEE WITH.

AND I WAS TALKING TO HIM ABOUT IT AND WE ALIGN WITH DIFFERENT PARTIES.

BUT EVEN HE SAID THAT IT'S KIND OF AN EMBARRASSMENT TO THE NATION ON BOTH SIDES.

AND IT'S REALLY A BAD STATE OF WHERE A BAD STATE OF AFFAIRS AND WHAT WE'RE IN, BECAUSE I THINK IT'S AN AFFRONT TO ANYTHING THAT I EVER TAUGHT AS A GOVERNMENT TEACHER OR EVERYTHING I EVER LEARNED AS GOVERNMENT. THIS IS NOT DEMOCRACY.

AND SO THOSE ARE JUST MY TWO CENTS ON THAT. AND THEN YEAH.

THAT'S IT. ALL RIGHT. THIS CONCLUDES THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS MEETING FOR AUGUST 26TH, 2025.

[02:40:06]

ON TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 9TH, 2025. HAVE A GREAT DAY, EVERYBODY.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.