Sep 09, 2025 Board Meeting

[00:00:03]

ARE YOU A SCRIPT? GOOD MORNING AND WELCOME TO THE SEPTEMBER 9TH, 2025 MEETING OF THE MERCED COUNTY BOARD OF

[CALL TO ORDER]

[CLOSED SESSION]

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

WE WILL NOW ADJOURN INTO CLOSED SESSION. ALL RIGHT.

ALL RIGHT. GOOD MORNING AND WELCOME TO THE SEPTEMBER 9TH, 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 DOCTOR YVONNE BROWN, AND THEN SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA WILL LEAD THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.

LET US BOW OUR HEADS. GIVING HONOR TO GOD. WE THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY.

BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY, GOD. WE ASK GOD THAT YOU CONTINUE TO BE IN THE MIDST OF US.

AND AS WE PREPARE FOR THE BOARD MEETING TODAY AND ALSO SETTING THE PATHWAY MOVING FORWARD FOR THIS COMMUNITY, I ASK THAT YOU BLESS THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, ALL THE LEADERSHIP ACROSS THIS COUNTY, GOD FROM THE DEPARTMENT HEADS TO THE OFFICIALS.

GOD THROUGH EVERY LEADER AS WELL AS OUR FIRST RESPONDER.

BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY, GOD, WE ASK THAT YOU BLESS THE WORKERS.

GOD. BEHIND THE SCENE AS YOU CONTINUE TO GIVE US GUIDANCE AND DIRECTION.

AS WE. CONTINUE TO MOVE FORWARD IN THE JOURNEY SET BEFORE US.

WE THANK YOU FOR THE PATIENCE, THE KNOWLEDGE, THE WISDOM AND UNDERSTANDING THAT EVERYTHING THAT WE DO IN THIS COUNTY, GOD SHOULD REPRESENT YOU AND THE PEOPLE THAT WE SERVE.

AND I ASK THESE THINGS IN YOUR SON JESUS NAME I PRAY.

AMEN AND AMEN.

ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.

[PUBLIC OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK]

AT THIS TIME I WILL OPEN PUBLIC COMMENT AGAIN.

THIS IS FOR NON AGENDA ITEMS ONLY.

GOOD MORNING BOARD. SUPERVISOR. I'M MICHAEL OJINAGA, A COUNTY RESIDENT BORN IN THE CITY OF MERCED.

I COME TO YOU TODAY BECAUSE I WOULD LIKE TO PRESENT THE LAST 2 OR 3 YEARS I'VE BEEN ON A MISSION TO TRYING TO ESTABLISH A TRIPLE A BASEBALL TEAM HERE FOR MERCER COUNTY.

AND DURING THAT TIME, I'VE DISCOVERED THAT THE CITY PARKS AND RECS AND MERCER COUNTY PARKS AND RECS ARE HAVING AN ISSUE WITH LAND USAGE.

THERE'S NOWHERE TO BUILD A BALLPARK FOR ANYONE TO PLAY.

AND ALSO DURING THAT DISCOVERY, I'VE ALSO LEARNED THAT OTHER TEAMS SUCH AS UC MERCED.

THEIR ATHLETIC DIRECTOR, DAVID DUNHAM, AND THEIR CHANCELLOR.

THEY WOULD LIKE TO HAVE BUILT A BALLPARK. BUT AGAIN, THE PROBLEM IS LAND USAGE AND MEETING WITH THE PUBLIC WORKS ASSISTANT DIRECTOR LINDSAY JOHNSON AND COUNTY PARKS DIRECTOR JUAN BRAVO.

WE'VE DISCUSSED BICENTENNIAL GROVE. THERE'S BASEBALL FIELDS OUT THERE, THERE'S A SOFTBALL FIELD OUT THERE, AND WE KNOW THAT THE COUNTY PARKS HAVE NO JURISDICTION WITH UC MERCED.

BUT I WAS COMING HERE TODAY IN HOPES THAT HOPEFULLY, THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS CAN WORK WITH UC MERCED AND ESTABLISHING A COMMITTEE AND A TEAM TO PITCH THE IDEA OF BUILDING SOME BASEBALL FIELDS AND SOFTBALL FIELDS ON BICENTENNIAL GROVE SO THEY CAN HAVE A HOME FIELD TO PLAY ON.

AND THAT WAY, COUNTY PARKS AND PUBLIC WORKS CAN REMAIN IN CONTROL OF THE GROUNDS AND NOT LOSE JOBS BY ESTABLISHING THAT COMMITTEE AND OR ALLOWING YOU TO BUY OUT THE LAND OR OR WHATNOT.

SO THAT'S WHY I'M HERE TODAY, TO PRESENT THAT TO YOU, THAT VISION OF BUILDING BASEBALL FIELDS AND SOFTBALL FIELDS ON BICENTENNIAL GROVE.

[00:05:08]

OKAY. I SEE NO ONE ELSE. THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD IS NOW CLOSED FOR NON AGENDA ITEMS.

[PRESENTATION]

DOCTOR SULLIVAN. GOOD MORNING. BOARD. GOOD MORNING.

CEO HENDRICKSON AND COUNTY COUNCIL HANSON. THEN I'M HERE TODAY IN NOT ONLY MY PUBLIC HEALTH DIRECTOR CAPACITY, BUT ALSO AS THE DIRECTOR OF THE LOCAL EMS AGENCY.

AND I'M REALLY PLEASED TO BRING THIS UPDATE TO YOUR BOARD ON OUR EXCLUSIVE AMBULANCE SERVICE PROVIDER REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS AND PROCESS OVERVIEW.

I'M GOING TO BE GIVING THIS PRESENTATION IN COLLABORATION WITH THOMAS MOORE FROM FITCH AND ASSOCIATES, A CONTRACTOR THAT THE COUNTY PARTNERED WITH FOR THIS PROCESS.

SO OVERVIEW OF OUR OUR CONVERSATION TODAY WILL BE FIRST, I'LL GIVE THIS INTRODUCTION.

WE'LL GO A LITTLE BIT OVER THE REGULATION OF EMS IN CALIFORNIA.

I'LL TALK ABOUT SPECIFICALLY IN MERCED COUNTY.

WHAT DOES OUR EMS SYSTEM LOOK LIKE? WE'LL TALK ABOUT OUR CURRENT EXCLUSIVE AMBULANCE PROVIDERS PERFORMANCE, AND THEN WE'LL MOVE INTO THE DISCUSSION OF WHAT WE CONTRACTED FOR, WHICH WAS THE EMS SYSTEM ASSESSMENT, THE RFP DEVELOPMENT, WHICH INCLUDES A LENGTHY STATE APPROVAL PROCESS AND OUR BIDDER PROPOSER EVALUATION AND THEN EVENTUAL SELECTION.

SO FIRST I'LL JUST I WANTED TO TOUCH ON REGULATION OF MS IN CALIFORNIA BECAUSE IT IS A UNIQUE MULTI-TIERED SYSTEM.

SO AT THE AT THE FIRST LEVEL, THE STATE REGULATES OVERALL LAWS AND REGULATIONS THAT EVERY LEMSA HAS TO ADHERE TO.

THEY SET THE GUIDANCE THAT IS IMPLEMENTED AND OVERSEEN AT A LOCAL LEVEL.

SO LOCALLY THE MS AGENCY IS GOVERNED BY LEMSA.

THERE ARE 34 LEMSA ACROSS THE STATE. SO IT'S NOT ALWAYS JUST A COUNTY ENTITY IN MERCED COUNTY.

IT IS A COUNTY ENTITY HOUSED IN OUR PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENT.

AND THEN, OF COURSE, THE COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS IS THE ULTIMATE AUTHORITY FOR CONTRACT.

CONTRACT AUTHORITY TO APPROVE AND AUTHORIZE OUR MS CONTRACTS.

SO FOR OUR COUNTY LEMSA, WHICH AGAIN IS OUR COUNTY AREA.

AND APOLOGIES, THIS MAP IS A LITTLE BIT OUTDATED.

IT'S MISSING THE THE DOS PALOS O'BANION LOOP HERE.

HOWEVER, THE THE AREAS THAT IT REPRESENTS IN TERMS OF WHAT I'M GOING TO DISCUSS ARE STILL ARE STILL CORRECT.

SO THE MISSION OF THE MERCER COUNTY IS TO ENSURE MERCER COUNTY RESIDENTS HAVE ACCESS TO TO TIMELY, HIGH QUALITY EMS SERVICES. TO DO THAT, WE IMPLEMENT SOMETHING THAT'S CALLED AN EXCLUSIVE OPERATING AREA.

WHAT THAT MEANS IS THAT WE AWARD A CONTRACT TO ONE SINGLE PROVIDER WHO HAS AN OBLIGATION TO SERVE THE ENTIRE COUNTY OF MERCED.

THE REASON FOR THAT IS, IS BECAUSE WE ARE A LARGELY RURAL COUNTY.

IF WE WERE NOT TO HAVE AN EXCLUSIVE OPERATING AREA AND IT WERE TO BE BASED ON YOU KNOW, BUSINESS PROFITABILITY, PROFITABILITY THE COMPANIES WOULD ALL STACK UP AND MERCED CITY, WHERE THE BULK OF OUR CALLS ARE.

BY HAVING THE EXCLUSIVE OPERATING AREA, WE ENSURE THAT OUR ENTIRE COUNTY HAS ACCESS TO, AGAIN, HIGH QUALITY, TIMELY SERVICES FROM OUR EMS PROVIDER.

WE ALSO HAVE TWO RESPONSE ZONES FOR THIS COUNTY BECAUSE AGAIN, WE DO HAVE A REAL MIX OF DENSE AREAS, HIGH DENSITY AREAS, AS WELL AS LARGE, LARGE AREAS OF RURAL, RURAL, RURAL LAND AND AND MORE SPREAD OUT PEOPLE AND COMMUNITIES.

AND THAT'S WHAT'S REPRESENTED ON THIS MAP. SO THE RED OUTLINES ARE OUR CITIES AND HIGH POPULOUS COMMUNITIES.

AND THEN THE BLACK OUTLINES AROUND THOSE ARE OUR HIGH DENSITY AREAS.

EVERYTHING OUTSIDE OF THE BLACK LINES IS A LOW DENSITY AREA.

AND THERE ARE DIFFERENT RESPONSE TIMES ASSOCIATED WITH EACH OF THAT.

AND I MENTIONED THAT BECAUSE WE ARE AT A LITTLE BIT.

THE PRESENTATION I'LL GET TO OUR RESPONSE TIME REQUIREMENTS.

AND THERE ARE RESPONSE TIMES FOR THE ENTIRE COUNTY.

SO NOW I'LL JUST DISCUSS HOW WE GOT TO OUR CURRENT CONTRACT.

SO IN SEPTEMBER OF 2019, THE COUNTY PUBLISHED AN RFP SEEKING PROPOSALS FROM QUALIFIED ORGANIZATIONS TO PROVIDE EMERGENCY AMBULANCE SERVICES FOR THAT EXCLUSIVE OPERATING AREA. IN DECEMBER OF 2019, WE RECEIVED THOSE PROPOSALS.

[00:10:06]

AND THAT CONTRACTOR IS SAMHSA. SO THE CONTRACT IS A FIVE YEAR CONTRACT WITH ONE POSSIBILITY FOR ANOTHER FIVE YEAR EXTENSION.

SO UP TO TEN YEARS OF SERVICE. THAT CONTRACT STARTED IN JULY OF 2020, RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE COVID OR RIGHT IN THE BEGINNING OF THE COVID PANDEMIC.

AND SO THERE WERE SOME ALLOWANCES MADE NOT ONLY FOR OUR LAMPS, BUT ALSO ACROSS THE STATE TO RELAX SOME OF THE RESPONSE TIME REQUIREMENTS IN RESPONSE TO THE COVID PANDEMIC. SO NOW I'LL TOUCH ON OUR CURRENT EXCLUSIVE AMBULANCE PROVIDERS PERFORMANCE.

SO AGAIN, AS I MENTIONED, THERE ARE RESPONSE TIME REQUIREMENTS FOR EVERY CALL THAT HITS OUR 911 SYSTEM.

FOR IF IT IS A WHAT WE CALL AN EMERGENCY RESPONSE.

SO A PRIORITY ONE OR A PRIORITY TWO. THOSE ARE BOTH EMERGENCY RESPONSES OF DIFFERENT SEVERITY.

EVERY ONE OF THOSE CALLS, REGARDLESS OF WHETHER OR NOT IT'S IN THE MIDDLE OF OUR FARMLAND OR IN THE MIDDLE OF MERCED CITY, HAS AN ASSOCIATED RESPONSE TIME WITH IT. OUR EXPECTATION, AS THE LEMSA IS THAT OUR PROVIDER WOULD HIT THOSE RESPONSE TIME THOSE RESPONSE TIMES AT LEAST 90% OF THE TIME. THAT'S MEASURED QUARTERLY.

SO THIS CONTRACT WAS FOR 24 QUARTERS OF THOSE 24 QUARTERS.

OUR CURRENT PROVIDER MET THEIR RESPONSE TIMES TWO.

TWO OF THE 24 QUARTERS. DUE TO THAT, THE CONTRACTOR HAS BEEN IN MATERIAL BREACH OF CONTRACT FOR LACK OF RESPONSE TIME SINCE SUMMER OF 2021.

DUE TO THAT, THE LEMSA EXERCISES ITS OPTION TO NOT EXTEND THE CONTRACT FOR THAT ADDITIONAL OPTIONAL FIVE YEAR EXTENSION PERIOD.

SO INSTEAD, WE FELT THAT IT WAS OUR RESPONSIBILITY AS THE REGULATOR FOR MERCED COUNTY TO ENSURE THE BEST QUALITY SERVICES TO OUR RESIDENTS THAT WE GO OUT TO BID. OUR GOALS OF THAT BID WERE TO BE TRANSPARENT, OBJECTIVE AND COLLABORATIVE WITH OUR STAKEHOLDERS.

SO TO DO THAT, WE WENT TO BID ALSO FOR A THIRD PARTY WHO WOULD CONDUCT THE RFP PROCESS FOR US.

SO AFTER THAT BID, WE SELECTED FITCH AND ASSOCIATES AND FITCH AND ASSOCIATES, HAS COME IN AND BEEN WITH US FOR THE REMAINDER OF OUR FOR THE LAST 18 MONTHS TO INITIATE THIS RFP PROCESS. AND SO NOW I WILL TURN IT OVER TO OUR PARTNER FROM FITCH AND ASSOCIATES, THOMAS MOORE.

GOOD MORNING. CAN EVERYONE HEAR ME? OKAY. ALL RIGHT.

GOOD MORNING. BOARD CEO HENDRICKSON COUNTY COUNCIL HANSEN.

PLEASURE TO BE WITH YOU THIS MORNING. A LITTLE BIT ABOUT FITCH AND ASSOCIATES. WE WERE FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO BE SELECTED TO CONDUCT THE MS SYSTEM ASSESSMENT AND THE RFP DEVELOPMENT PROCESS AND EARN YOUR BUSINESS. WE'VE BEEN IN BUSINESS FOR ABOUT OVER 40 YEARS, AND IN THAT TIME, WE'VE HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF BEING ABLE TO WORK WITH THOUSANDS OF COMMUNITIES AND EVERY US STATE AND IN 12 OTHER COUNTRIES.

SO A COUPLE OF THE THINGS IN THE SERVICES THAT WE PROVIDE ARE ILLUSTRATED HERE ON THE SCREEN, BUT FROM A ASSESSMENT AND A PROPOSAL AND PROCUREMENT OVERSIGHT PROCESS, SOMETHING THAT WE'VE GOT A RICH HISTORY AND A DEEP DEPTH OF EXPERIENCE WITHIN THAT CAN BEST BE DISTILLED INTO A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT PROJECT COMPONENTS.

SO THE FIRST ONE IS THE MS SYSTEM ASSESSMENT.

FROM THERE, WE DEVELOPED THE RFP. WE FACILITATE THE COMPETITIVE PROCUREMENT COMPETITIVE RFP PROCESS, AND THEN WE PROVIDE THE RESULTS OF THAT COMPETITIVE RFP PROCESS TO THE COUNTY.

AND WHAT DOES THAT MEAN. IN ESSENCE IT CAN BE SEGMENTED INTO KIND OF THESE KEY AREAS.

NOW THIS IS NOT AN ALL INCLUSIVE OR EXHAUSTIVE LIST, BUT FOR ILLUSTRATIVE PURPOSES, I THINK IT'S A POWERFUL STORY TO KIND OF WALK THROUGH TO TELL YOU HOW WE DEVELOPED RFP AND HOW WE GOT TO WHERE WE ARE TODAY.

SO THE FIRST THING THAT WE DO IS WE WE WANT TO LEARN ABOUT YOUR COMMUNITY. WE WANT TO LEARN ABOUT YOUR LOCAL ECONOMY, THE LOCAL INFRASTRUCTURE. WE WANT TO LEARN ABOUT HOW MUCH TIME INDIVIDUALS SPEND TRAVELING. WHAT'S THE PERCENTAGE OF INDIVIDUALS IN YOUR POPULATION THAT ARE COMMUTERS? WHAT'S THE PERCENTAGE OF YOUR POPULATION THAT HAS HEALTH INSURANCE? HOW MUCH OF YOUR POPULATION IS OVER THE AGE OF 65? WHAT'S YOUR PERCENTAGE OF THE POPULATION THAT'S ON EITHER MEDICARE OR MEDICAID? WHAT PERCENTAGE OF YOUR POPULATION IS UNINSURED? WE LEARN ABOUT THE PRIMARY HEALTH CARE PROVIDER RATIO LOCALLY.

WE DO SOME IN-DEPTH EVALUATION TO SEE IF YOU'VE, LIKE MANY COMMUNITIES, EXPERIENCED ANY HOSPITAL CLOSURES,

[00:15:03]

WE THEN LOOK AT THE SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH TO IDENTIFY IF THERE ARE ANY PARTICULAR DRIVERS THAT MAY CAUSE INDIVIDUALS TO HAVE TO ACCESS HEALTH CARE IN A MORE FREQUENT THAN, SAY, BE DESIRED FASHION. WE LOOK AT ANY SORT OF COMORBIDITIES OR HEALTHCARE DISPARITIES THAT MAY EXIST JUST BASED ON, AGAIN, THE LOCAL ECONOMY, THE AIR QUALITY, YOU NAME IT.

FROM THERE, WE THEN LOOK AT YOUR CURRENT AGREEMENT, AND YOUR CURRENT AGREEMENT IS OBVIOUSLY WHAT THE DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC HEALTH JUST ALLUDED TO. WE LOOK AT THE RESPONSE TIME STANDARDS. WE LOOK AT THE CLINICAL QUALITY MEASURES THAT ARE IN PLACE.

WE LOOK AT WHAT THE LOCAL EMS MEDICAL DIRECTOR WANTS TO SEE FROM A QUALITY PERSPECTIVE.

OBVIOUSLY, WHEN YOU PRACTICE MEDICINE, STANDARDS EVOLVE, EVIDENCE BASED CRITERIA EVOLVE OVER TIME AS FAR AS BEST PRACTICE.

AND SO WE WANT TO TAKE A GOOD HARD LOOK TO SEE WHAT'S BEING DONE ELSEWHERE.

AND WE ALSO WANT TO WORK IN CONCERT WITH LOCAL MEDICAL DIRECTION TO ENSURE THAT WHAT THEY WANT TO EVALUATE AND WHAT THEY WANT TO MEASURE IS A PART OF THE CONVERSATION. WE THEN LOOK AT OVERSIGHT MECHANISMS, AND THOSE CAN BE THINGS IN THE FORM OF RESPONSE TIME PERFORMANCE, STANDARD PENALTIES. SO IN THE EVENT A CONTRACTOR IS NOT ABLE TO BE COMPLIANT WITH THE RESPONSE TIME PERFORMANCE STANDARDS, THERE'S A PENALTY ASSOCIATED WITH THAT. WE LOOK AT OFFSETS IN THE EVENT THAT PERHAPS A PROVIDER WAS CHALLENGED TO MEET RESPONSE TIME PERFORMANCE IN ANY PARTICULAR MONTH FOR ANY PARTICULAR CRITERIA, WE WANT TO SEE IF THE LOCALE IS INTERESTED IN HAVING AN OFFSET.

SO PERHAPS IF IT EXORBITANTLY EXCEEDINGLY EFFICIENT AND HIGH QUALITY CLINICAL CARE BEING PROVIDED ACCORDING TO EVIDENCE BASED MEASURES, IF WE CAN MEASURE IT AND WE CAN MANAGE IT, AND WE CAN POINT TO A REASON THAT IT COULD OR SHOULD OR IS ABLE TO BE EVALUATED, THEN YOU CAN HAVE AN OFFSET. SO YOU MAY HAVE A FINANCIAL CREDIT TO OFFSET SOME OF THOSE FINANCIAL PENALTIES.

AND THEN AS IT RELATES TO OTHER REQUIREMENTS, THOSE CAN BE THINGS AS SIMPLE AS INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS.

WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE AT THE AT THE MUNICIPAL LEVEL FROM AN INSURANCE PERSPECTIVE, WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE FROM A REGULATORY PERSPECTIVE AS IT RELATES TO THE FREQUENCY THAT THE LOCAL EMS AGENCY WANTS TO INSPECT AMBULANCES OR DURABLE MEDICAL EQUIPMENT, OR THE FREQUENCY BY WHICH YOU WANT TO EVALUATE ANY OF THE TELECOMMUNICATIONS OR TELEMETRY DEVICES THAT MAY BE USED IN THE SYSTEM.

WE THEN ANALYZE THE MS SYSTEM ACTIVITY SO THAT WE CAN REALLY GAIN A GOOD UNDERSTANDING OF THE DISTRIBUTION, THE CONCENTRATION, AND THE UTILIZATION OF MS RESOURCES.

AND REALLY WHAT THAT MEANS IS WE IDENTIFY THE TEMPORAL DISTRIBUTION.

SO THE HOUR OF DAY, DAY OF WEEK AND WEEK OF MONTH AND MONTH OF YEAR MS INCIDENT VOLUME OR RESPONSE VOLUME.

SAME THING WITH TRANSPORT VOLUME. WE THEN EVALUATE WHERE AMBULANCES ARE POSITIONED AND WHERE THEY ARE ATTEMPTED TO BE POSITIONED, BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT 911 VOLUME CAN CAN BE PREDICTABLE AND AT TIMES IT CAN BE UNPREDICTABLE.

AND SO MOST EMS AGENCIES THAT ARE NOT NECESSARILY STATION BASED, OR EVEN THOSE THAT ARE HAVE A SET OF FIXED LOCATIONS WHERE THEY ATTEMPT TO POSITION THEIR AMBULANCES. AND SO WE EVALUATE THOSE AND WE ATTEMPT TO IDENTIFY, YOU KNOW, THE NUMBER AND THE QUANTITY OF RESOURCES THAT WOULD BE NEEDED TO DELIVER WHAT YOU BELIEVE SHOULD BE YOUR. REQUIRED RESPONSE TIME.

AND THEN LASTLY, WE SOLICIT FEEDBACK FROM STAKEHOLDERS.

AND WHO ARE THE STAKEHOLDERS. WELL, IT'S IT'S MADE UP OF INDIVIDUALS THAT WORK FOR THE COUNTY MADE UP OF THE BOARD, MADE UP OF THE EMERGENCY MEDICAL CARE COMMITTEE MEMBERS, MADE UP OF MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY.

WE SPEAK WITH ANYONE THAT WE ARE PROVIDED CONTACT INFORMATION FOR AS FAR AS A KEY STAKEHOLDER LIST.

AND THEN WE ALSO CONDUCT AN ANONYMOUS SURVEY.

AND THAT'S WHERE THIS COMES INTO PLAY, WHERE WE ASK THE COMMUNITY TO PROVIDE THEIR INPUT ON THE SYSTEM.

HOW DO THEY FEEL LIKE THE SYSTEM IS FUNCTIONING? HOW DO THEY FEEL THAT THE SYSTEM IS MEETING MAYBE THEIR PARTICULAR NEEDS, YOU KNOW, AND SO TO JUST GIVE YOU A HIGH LEVEL OVERVIEW OF WHAT THE RESULTS WERE IN THE COMMUNITY SURVEY. SO OF THE INDIVIDUALS THAT RESPONDED, THERE WERE 214 RESPONSES.

WE HAD A SEVEN POINT LIKERT SCALE RANGING FROM STRONGLY DISAGREE ALL THE WAY TO STRONGLY AGREE.

AND REALLY THE RESULTS ARE YOU KNOW, PRETTY PRETTY EVEN ACROSS THE BOARD.

IF YOU LOOK AT THE AREAS SUCH AS PROFESSIONAL AND COURTEOUS PROVIDERS PROVIDERS BEING EMTS AND PARAMEDICS, RELIEVING PAIN AND DISCOMFORT, PROVIDERS, TREATING THE PATIENTS WITH EMPATHY AND COMPASSION, THOSE PROVIDERS KEEPING PATIENTS INFORMED, ALL OF THOSE, YOU KNOW, SCORED HIGHER THAN FOUR,

[00:20:06]

WHETHER THEY BELIEVE THAT THERE'S TIMELY CARE IN GENERAL OR CONFIDENCE IN AND HOW TIMELY PERFORMANCE MAY BE, OR THE THE PERFORMANCE IN GENERAL. ALL OF THOSE RATED BELOW A FOUR.

THEY DIDN'T RATE A ONE OR A TWO, BUT OBVIOUSLY THEY RATED BELOW A FOUR.

SO REALLY THIS SHOWS THAT THE COMMUNITY, AT LEAST BASED ON THE QUANTITATIVE DATA, HAS STRONG FEEDBACK ON HOW HOW WELL THEY FEEL LIKE THE PROVIDERS CARE FOR THEM.

THEY FEEL LIKE THEY'RE HURT, THEY'RE RESPECTED, THEY'RE KEPT INFORMED ON TREATMENT DECISIONS. PROVIDERS ARE EMPATHETIC.

THEY'RE COMPASSIONATE WHERE THERE ARE AT LEAST CONCERNS OR LOWER SCORES WOULD BE ANYTHING AROUND THE TIMELINESS OF THE OF THE RESPONSE OR THE TIMELINESS OF THE PERFORMANCE OF THE SYSTEM.

WHEN WE DEVELOP THE RFP AND CALIFORNIA'S GOT A VERY, VERY ROBUST AND STRAIGHTFORWARD PROCESS AS IT RELATES TO WHAT WHAT AN RFP IS COMPRISED OF. WE HAVE VERY SPECIFIC, MEASURABLE EVALUATION CRITERIA THAT THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES AUTHORITY WEIGHS IN ON, AND THEY MAY OR MAY NOT PROVIDE FEEDBACK, DEPENDING ON WHAT WHAT IT IS THAT YOU'RE EVALUATING.

BUT THOSE EVALUATION CRITERIA ARE REVIEWED AND APPROVED BY THE STATE.

WE THEN TAKE ANY OF THE FEEDBACK THAT WE GAIN FROM ANY OF THE STATE REVIEWS ONCE THE STATE HAS APPROVED THE RFP AND THEY ARE IN AGREEANCE WITH THIS IS A SOUND, COMPETITIVE DEFENSIBLE PROCESS. AND WE FORM AN EXTERNAL PROPOSAL EVALUATION COMMITTEE.

AND THOSE ARE INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE NO CONNECTION TO YOUR COUNTY OR TO ANYONE IN THE EMS SYSTEM.

AND THE REASON THAT WE DO THAT IS THAT WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT IT'S OBJECTIVE AND THAT NONE OF THOSE INDIVIDUALS HAVE ANY INTEREST, FINANCIAL OR CONFLICT OR OTHERWISE IN WHO IS AWARDED THE ULTIMATE BID.

RIGHT. SO WHAT WE DID IS WE SELECTED A PANEL OF THREE INDIVIDUALS, NONE OF WHICH HAD ANY TIES TO TO MERCED COUNTY, NONE OF WHICH THAT HAD ANY TIES TO ANY OF THE PROPOSING ENTITIES THOSE INDIVIDUALS REVIEWED THE LIST OF, YOU KNOW, WE PROVIDE THEM WITH THE NAMES OF THE ORGANIZATIONS SO THAT THEY CAN LEGALLY AND AND APPROPRIATELY SAY WHETHER THEY DO OR DO NOT HAVE A CONFLICT WITH ANY OF THOSE ORGANIZATIONS. THEY THEN SIGN A CONFLICT OF INTEREST DOCUMENT THAT THE COUNTY HAS REVIEWED, THAT IS USED IN OTHER AREAS OF THE STATE AND OTHER RFPS THAT WE'VE CONDUCTED, BUT IT'S CERTAINLY ALWAYS TAILORED, IF NEEDED, TO YOUR LOCAL AREA. AND THEN THOSE INDIVIDUALS ARE PROVIDED A COPY OF THE REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL DOCUMENT, AS WELL AS THE PROPOSALS FROM THE PROPOSING ENTITIES.

THEY THEN, YOU KNOW, GO THROUGH SOMEWHAT OF A DEEP DIVE TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY HAVE A COMPREHENSIVE UNDERSTANDING OF ALL OF THE CRITERIA, ALL OF THE REQUIREMENTS THAT ARE BEING ASKED, AS WELL AS WHAT EACH OF THE PROPOSING ORGANIZATIONS PROPOSED IN THEIR RESPONSE TO BE THE EXCLUSIVE PROVIDER FOR THE MERCED COUNTY EOA.

AND THAT'S REALLY KIND OF HOW WE GET TO THE LAST PIECE HERE, WHICH IS THE PROPOSAL EVALUATION SUMMARY.

SO IN THIS CASE, THERE WERE FOUR ORGANIZATIONS THAT SUBMITTED A LETTER OF INTENT.

SO THAT'S PART OF THE PROCESS THAT'S CLEARLY DETAILED IN THE PROCUREMENT TIMELINE.

WHEN IT CAME TIME TO ACTUALLY SUBMIT A COMPREHENSIVE AND A COMPLETE PROPOSAL, THERE WERE THREE ORGANIZATIONS THAT SUBMITTED A PROPOSAL TO BE THE EXCLUSIVE AMBULANCE PROVIDER FOR THE MERCED COUNTY EOA.

AND OF THOSE THREE, OBVIOUSLY THERE HAS TO BE AN INDIVIDUAL ORGANIZATION THAT SCORES HIGHER THAN THE OTHERS.

AND SO WE WE DID HAVE ONE THAT WAS AWARDED THAT OBVIOUSLY SCORED THE HIGHEST.

AND WE MAKE THAT INFORMATION AVAILABLE TO THE DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC HEALTH AND PURCHASING.

AND THAT'S WHY WE'RE HERE TODAY. AND THE THE AWARDED PROVIDER.

JUST CHECKING. YOU WANT ME TO SAY IT? PERFECT.

SO THE AWARDED PROVIDER WAS AMERICAN MEDICAL RESPONSE FOR THIS COMPETITIVE RFP PROCESS.

OKAY. QUESTIONS. OH I'M SORRY. AND WITH THAT WE'LL OPEN IT TO QUESTIONS.

[00:25:05]

YOU'VE OBVIOUSLY WORKED IN MORE STATES THAN JUST CALIFORNIA.

THIS IS JUST KIND OF OUT OF CURIOSITY. I FIND OUR PROCESS IN CALIFORNIA TO BE PROBABLY A LITTLE BIT MORE LABORIOUS THAN IT NEEDS TO BE.

BUT HAVING EXPERIENCE IN OTHER STATES, HOW WOULD YOU COMPARE OUR PROCESS AND HAVING TO GO THROUGH THE STATE MS AGENCY TO TO AGREE TO YOUR PROPOSAL BEFORE YOU'RE ABLE TO SEND IT OUT? I THINK FROM A RIGOROUS RIGOROUS, STRAIGHTFORWARD, VERY OBJECTIVE SET OF THINGS THAT YOU HAVE TO DO IN THE ORDER IN WHICH THAT THOSE THINGS ARE REQUESTED, THAT THEY BE DONE.

YOU KNOW, CALIFORNIA IS PROBABLY THE HIGHEST OF EVERY STATE IN THE UNION, RIGHT? SO, YOU KNOW, I'LL LEAVE TODAY AND GO TO ANOTHER STATE TO GO SPEAK WITH AN ELECTED BODY LIKE YOU GUYS TOMORROW.

AND WHILE I'LL LEAVE THAT STATE NAMELESS, THEY PROBABLY HAVE 17% OF THE REQUIREMENTS THAT THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA HAS WHEN IT COMES TO THE SAME EXACT PROCESS THAT WE'RE HERE FOR TODAY. WHAT I WILL TELL YOU, THOUGH, IS THAT IRRESPECTIVE OF WHAT WHAT STATE WE ARE OPERATING IN OR WHERE OUR CLIENT IS RESIDING. THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA PROCESS IS SO ROBUST.

IF WE USE THAT SAME TOOLKIT, IF YOU WILL, WE KNOW THAT WE CAN MEET ALL OF THE BENCHMARKS THAT OTHER STATES REQUIRE, BECAUSE MOST OF THEM DON'T, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF HAVING TO SEND SOMETHING TO THE STATE MS AUTHORITY, BECAUSE MOST STATES, CERTAINLY NOT ALL, BUT MOST STATES DO NOT HAVE A REGULATORY ARM SET UP IN THE SAME FASHION.

THEY MAY HAVE A DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH, THEY MAY HAVE A DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, THEY MAY HAVE AN ARM OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES WITHIN ANOTHER DIVISION OR BRANCH OF STATE GOVERNMENT, BUT THEY DON'T NECESSARILY ALL HAVE THE SAME REGULATORY PROVISIONS IN THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA HAS.

AND THE REASON I ASK THAT QUESTION IS, IS JUST TO HIGHLIGHT HOW RIGOROUS IT IS IN THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA AND THIS PROCESS AND FOR THESE AMBULANCE PROVIDERS TO THAT ARE OBVIOUSLY DOING BUSINESS IN CALIFORNIA.

KNOW THAT THESE ARE THESE ARE THE STANDARDS THAT THEY HAVE TO KEEP UP WITH. AND IT JUST GOES TO I WANT, I WANT, I WANT OUR CITIZENS TO HEAR THIS, THAT THIS IS LIKE WE TAKE THIS STUFF VERY SERIOUSLY.

AND IT'S IT'S VERY IT'S A LITTLE FRUSTRATING HOW LONG IT TAKES TO GET STUFF OUT OF THE STATE.

AND THAT'S JUST CALIFORNIA BUREAUCRACY. BUT WE WERE ABLE TO WORK THROUGH THAT.

IN A PERFECT WORLD, WE STARTED THIS PROCESS. I BELIEVE YOU AND I HAD A CONVERSATION ABOUT ME BEING ONE OF THE STAKEHOLDERS SOME TIME AGO AND AND THINKING THAT WE HAD PLENTY OF TIME TO LET THIS RFP PROCESS WORK OUT ON A WHAT WE THOUGHT WAS A REALLY GREAT SCHEDULE.

AND THEN THE STATE KIND OF MESSED THAT UP. AND SO HERE WE ARE.

SO BUT THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK ON IT. APPRECIATE IT. SUPERVISOR PACHECO.

THANK YOU CHAIR. GOOD MORNING. I JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU TO DOCTOR SULLIVAN AND EVERYBODY FOR ALL THEIR HARD WORK. MAKE SURE THE CITIZENS OF MERCED COUNTY HAVE THE BEST QUALITY AMBULANCE SERVICE HERE. I KNOW IT TAKES A LOT, SO.

BUT THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR WORK FOR THE CITIZENS.

OKAY. AT THIS TIME, I WILL OPEN PUBLIC COMMENT REGARDING THE PRESENTATION.

JUST AS A REMINDER, THE BOARD IS NOT TAKING ANY ACTION ON THIS TODAY.

THIS WILL COME BACK TO US AT OUR NEXT MEETING OR FIRST MEETING IN OCTOBER.

SO THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD FOR THIS IS OPEN NOW.

OKAY. THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD FOR THE PRESENTATION IS NOW CLOSED.

WE WILL OH, I'M SORRY, SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA JUST FOR JUST SO THAT FOLKS UNDERSTAND WE'RE NOT TAKING ANY ACTION TODAY.

AMR WAS AWARDED. THEY WERE THEY WERE THEY WERE THE HIGHEST OR THE BEST BIDDER.

I'M GOING TO CALL IT THE HIGHEST BIDDER. AND WE'RE IN THE PROCESS NOW OF GOING THROUGH NEGOTIATIONS WITH AMR. AND THEN AT OUR MEETING IN OCTOBER IS WHEN WE WOULD ACTUALLY COME BACK AND VOTE ON A CONTRACT.

CORRECT. AND AND THIS WAS DONE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE BEING AS OPEN AND TRANSPARENT TO THE PUBLIC AS POSSIBLE TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE HAVE MULTIPLE OPPORTUNITIES TO SPEAK IN PUBLIC ON THIS ISSUE.

SO WITH THAT. OKAY. WE WILL NOW MOVE ON TO THE CONSENT CALENDAR.

[CONSENT CALENDAR]

AT THIS TIME I WILL OPEN PUBLIC COMMENT FOR CONSENT CALENDAR ITEMS ONE THROUGH 17.

THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD FOR CONSENT CALENDAR ITEMS ONE THROUGH 17 IS NOW CLOSED.

BRING IT BACK TO THE BOARD. SUPERVISOR PAREIRA.

THANK YOU, MISTER CHAIR. I JUST WANT TO HIGHLIGHT ITEM SIX, BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AND RECOVERY SERVICES IS DOING A TOY DRIVE.

THEY CAN BOTH ACCEPT MONETARY DONATIONS, AND THEY'LL BUY THE TOYS.

[00:30:03]

SEPTEMBER 16TH THROUGH THE END OF DECEMBER. AND, YOU KNOW, YOU MAY THINK BY THE END OF DECEMBER, SOMETIMES PEOPLE THINK ABOUT MAKING DONATIONS RIGHT BEFORE THE END OF THE YEAR, AND WE WANT TO BE AVAILABLE TO COLLECT MONEY TO HELP DISADVANTAGED YOUTH IN OUR IN OUR COUNTY. AND THEN JUST KIND OF AS A, AS A, AN OPPORTUNITY.

SEPTEMBER IS SUICIDE PREVENTION MONTH AND YOU KNOW, BEHAVIORAL HEALTH OF, OF OUR RESIDENTS IS OF THE UTMOST IMPORTANCE TO US.

AND, YOU KNOW, IF YOU SEE SOMETHING, SAY SOMETHING.

YOU KNOW, THAT'S KIND OF A LAW ENFORCEMENT YOU KNOW, MANTRA.

BUT IT REALLY, YOU KNOW, IF YOU HAVE A SUSPICION THAT SOMEBODY IS NOT DOING WELL AND OFTENTIMES IT'S A SLOW PROGRESS.

AND THEN SOMETIMES IT'S A QUICK PROGRESS. 911 IS A SUICIDE PREVENTION HOTLINE.

I MEAN, NOT I'M SORRY, NOT 911988. AND SO JUST WANT TO TAKE A MINUTE TO PUT THAT ON EVERYBODY'S MIND AND HEARTS.

FOR THE MONTH OF SEPTEMBER. THANK YOU. I ALSO WANTED TO.

THERE'S A LOT OF OPPORTUNITIES THROUGHOUT MERCED COUNTY, TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE TOYS OR DONATIONS.

YOU HAVE THE HUMAN SERVICE AGENCY IS ACCEPTING DONATIONS FOR OPERATION HOLIDAY TOY DRIVE IS DOING ONE, AS MENTIONED. AND THEN ALSO THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE, PROBATION AND MERCED COUNTY FIRE FOR OPERATION CHRISTMAS TOY DRIVE.

AND AND IF ANYBODY HAS AN OPPORTUNITY DURING THAT TIME RIGHT AFTER THANKSGIVING, THEY START WRAPPING THE PRESENTS FOR OPERATION TOY DRIVE.

AND I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO OUT LAST YEAR AND DO IT.

MY WIFE DID IT LIKE 3 OR 4 TIMES, AND SHE LOVED IT.

SHE HAD A LOT OF FUN. SO I WOULD ENCOURAGE ANYBODY TO TO VOLUNTEER THEIR TIME OR DONATE SOMETHING TO EITHER ONE OF THOSE ORGANIZATIONS.

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

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

AT THIS TIME, EMERGENCY SERVICES MANAGER ADAM AMARAL WILL PROVIDE INFORMATION REGARDING ITEM NUMBER NINE NATIONAL PREPAREDNESS MONTH.

AND THEN I WILL PRESENT THE PROCLAMATION.

GOOD MORNING, CHAIR. MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, CEO HENDRICKSON COUNTY COUNCIL.

HANSEN. EACH SEPTEMBER, COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE NATION RECOGNIZE NATIONAL PREPAREDNESS MONTH AS A TIME TO REFLECT ON HOW WE CAN BE BETTER PREPARED FOR OURSELVES AND OUR FAMILIES AND OUR NEIGHBORS, FOR THE FOR THE UNEXPECTED EMERGENCIES, WHETHER THEY COME IN FORM OF NATURAL DISASTERS, PUBLIC HEALTH THREATS, OR UNFORESEEN ACCIDENTS, REMIND US THAT PREPAREDNESS IS NOT JUST AN INDIVIDUAL RESPONSIBILITY, BUT A SHARED COMMITMENT ACROSS THE WHOLE COMMUNITY BY PROCLAIMING SEPTEMBER AS NATIONAL PREPAREDNESS MONTH HERE IN MERCER COUNTY.

THE BOARD SENDS A STRONG MESSAGE THAT PREPAREDNESS IS A PRIORITY FOR ALL OF US.

PREPAREDNESS BEGINS WITH AWARENESS AND EDUCATION THROUGH PUBLIC INFORMATION CAMPAIGNS, PARTNERSHIPS WITH SCHOOLS AND COMMUNITY GROUPS.

WE CAN HELP RESIDENTS UNDERSTAND PRACTICAL STEPS THAT THEY CAN TAKE TO BE READY.

THIS INCLUDES CREATING EMERGENCY PLANS, BUILDING GO AND SUPPLY KITS, AND STAYING INFORMED THROUGH TRUSTED ALERTS AND WARNINGS.

OUR COUNTY OFFICE OF EMERGENCY SERVICES, ALONG WITH OUR CITY PARTNERS, FIRST RESPONDERS, COMMUNITY BASED ORGANIZATIONS, CONTINUES TO STRENGTHEN OUTREACH EFFORTS, BUT WE RELY ON COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT TO MAKE THOSE EFFORTS MEANINGFUL BY PROMOTING AWARENESS.

WE EMPOWER RESIDENTS TO TAKE ACTION BEFORE CRISIS STRIKES.

FINALLY, PREPAREDNESS IS ABOUT BUILDING RESILIENCE TOGETHER.

PLANNING OUT THE WHOLE COMMUNITY LEVEL ENSURES THAT OUR MOST VULNERABLE POPULATIONS AND SENIORS, CHILDREN WITH THOSE AND THOSE WITH DISABILITIES ARE NOT LEFT BEHIND IN TIMES OF CRISIS.

BY ADOPTING THIS PROCLAMATION, THE BOARD REAFFIRMS MERCED COUNTY'S COMMITMENT TO EQUITY, SAFETY AND RESILIENCE FOR ALL RESIDENTS.

LET US LET US USE THIS MONTH NOT JUST TO RAISE AWARENESS, BUT TO ENGAGE IN MEANINGFUL PLANNING, TO FOSTER COLLABORATION ACROSS PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SECTORS AND STRENGTHEN THE PARTNERSHIPS THAT MAKE OUR COMMUNITIES SAFER AND STRONGER.

THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. PROCLAMATION OF NATIONAL PREPAREDNESS MONTH WHEREAS LAUNCHED IN 2004, NATIONAL PREPAREDNESS MONTH IS THE FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY'S NATIONAL ANNUAL PREPAREDNESS OUTREACH.

AND WHEREAS, NATIONAL PREPAREDNESS MONTH AIMS TO EDUCATE AND EMPOWER AMERICANS DURING THE MONTH AND THROUGHOUT THE YEAR TO PREPARE FOR AND RESPOND TO ALL TYPES OF EMERGENCIES, INCLUDING NATURAL DISASTERS AND MAN MADE EMERGENCIES.

[00:35:02]

AND NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, WE, THE MERCED COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, DO HEREBY PROCLAIM THE MONTH OF SEPTEMBER 2025 AS NATIONAL PREPAREDNESS MONTH IN MERCED COUNTY. MADAM.

SUPERVISOR. PAREIRA. YEAH. I JUST WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT TO THANK ADAM AMARAL FOR HIS LEADERSHIP.

AND AND NOT NOT ONLY TODAY, BUT BUT SINCE HE'S TAKEN THE POSITION, KIND OF WATCHED HIM RAISE THE AWARENESS OF EMERGENCY SERVICES IN MERCED COUNTY.

THINK BIG PICTURE. WORK WITH STATE FOLKS. HE'S ON SOME COMMITTEES UP THERE, AND YOU'VE DONE A GREAT JOB.

APPRECIATE IT. AND JUST COULDN'T LET THIS MOMENT GO BY WITHOUT THANKING YOU.

YEAH. DITTO. ALL RIGHT. AT THIS TIME, I WOULD LIKE TO PRESENT THE PROCLAMATION AS APPROVED WITH ITEM 17 FOR HUNGER ACTION MONTH.

WHEREAS MERCED COUNTY IS ONE OF THE MOST AGRICULTURALLY PRODUCTIVE REGIONS IN THE NATION.

YET OVER OVER 120,000 RESIDENTS, INCLUDING NEARLY 23,000 CHILDREN AND MORE THAN 27,000 SENIORS, FACE FOOD INSECURITY EACH YEAR, ACCORDING TO THE LATEST DATA FROM FEEDING AMERICA AND THE MERCED COUNTY FOOD BANK.

AND WHEREAS FOOD INSECURITY MEANS NOT HAVING RELIABLE ACCESS TO SUFFICIENT QUANTITY OF AFFORDABLE, NUTRITIOUS FOOD. AND IT LEADS TO SERIOUS LONG TERM HEALTH AND DEVELOPMENTAL CONSEQUENCES FOR CHILDREN, SENIORS AND WORKING FAMILIES ALIKE. AND WHEREAS, MERCED COUNTY FOOD BANK SERVES AS A REGIONAL LIFELINE, DISTRIBUTING MILLIONS OF POUNDS OF NUTRITIOUS FOOD ANNUALLY THROUGH OVER 100 PARTNER AGENCIES AND REACHING TENS OF THOUSANDS OF RESIDENTS EACH MONTH.

AND WHEREAS THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS OF MERCED COUNTY IS COMMITTED TO SUPPORTING EFFORTS THAT IMPROVE FOOD ACCESS, EXPAND OUTREACH, AND PROTECT THE HEALTH AND DIGNITY OF EVERY RESIDENT EXPERIENCING HUNGER.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS OF THE MERCED COUNTY DOES HEREBY PROCLAIM SEPTEMBER 2025 AS HUNGER ACTION MONTH IN MERCED COUNTY AND ENCOURAGES ALL RESIDENTS, BUSINESSES AND CIVIC ORGANIZATIONS TO LEARN MORE ABOUT FOOD INSECURITY AND TO JOIN IN THE EFFORT TO END OUR TO END HUNGER IN OUR COMMUNITY.

I ALMOST FORGOT TO SAY HUNGER. AT THIS TIME, I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO INVITE THE REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE MERCED COUNTY FOOD BANK TO JOIN ME UP FRONT.

WE WANT TO THANK EVERYBODY FOR ACKNOWLEDGING HUNGER ACTION MONTH, WHICH IS A NATIONAL THING, BUT ALSO IN MERCED COUNTY IS INCREDIBLY PERVASIVE.

I'VE WORKED AT THE FOOD BANK NOW FOR A LITTLE OVER SIX YEARS. AND I WILL TELL YOU THIS, THE PEOPLE WHO ARE GOING THROUGH IT IN OUR COUNTY, THE PEOPLE WHO ARE FOOD INSECURE, ARE NOT THE FACES OF HUNGER THAT YOU PROBABLY THINK.

I THINK IT WOULD SURPRISE YOU. WE ONLY HEAR OR SEE THE NEGATIVE SIDES OF HUNGER.

WE DON'T ACTUALLY SORT OF HEAR THE POSITIVE ONES, BECAUSE THE PEOPLE WHO ARE SUFFERING THROUGH FOOD INSECURITY, THEY DON'T TALK ABOUT IT. THEY'RE EMBARRASSED TO TALK ABOUT IT.

SO ORGANIZATIONS LIKE THE FOOD BANK AND OUR PARTNER AGENCIES AND THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, AND WE AS A COMMUNITY ADVOCACY GOES A VERY, VERY LONG WAY TO HELP PUT FOOD ON SOMEBODY'S TABLE.

AND IT MAKES SUCH, SUCH A HUGE DIFFERENCE IN THEIR LIVES.

AND SO DONATE SEND FOOD BECAUSE I GUARANTEE YOU, WHEN SOMEBODY GETS THAT FOOD ON THEIR TABLE, IT CHANGES THEIR LIFE AND IT MAKES SUCH AN IMPACT.

I THINK THAT'S I'M SORRY. THAT'S ALL I GOT. ALSO SORRY US AND OUR PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS ARE CURRENTLY HELPING ABOUT 42,000 PEOPLE MONTHLY.

[00:40:04]

THANK YOU. NO, I JUST REALLY WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR THE ADVOCACY AND FOR THE SUPPORT, BECAUSE TOGETHER WE CAN BUILD A STRONGER COMMUNITY AND THAT'S WHAT WE ALL WANT.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU SIR.

THANK YOU MUCH. THANK YOU.

OKAY. WE WILL NOW MOVE ON TO BOARD ACTIONS BEGINNING WITH PUBLIC WORKS ITEMS 18 AND 19.

[BOARD ACTION]

AT THIS TIME I WILL OPEN PUBLIC COMMENT FOR PUBLIC WORKS ITEMS 18 AND 19.

THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD FOR PUBLIC WORKS ITEMS 18 AND 19 IS NOW CLOSED.

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

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

NEXT WE HAVE HUMAN SERVICES AGENCY, ITEM 20. AT THIS TIME I WILL OPEN PUBLIC COMMENT FOR ITEM 20.

PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD FOR ITEM 20 IS NOW CLOSED.

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

BRING IT BACK. CALL FOR THE VOTE. RECORD THE VOTE.

MOTION PASSES. NEXT WE HAVE FIRE! ITEM 21. AT THIS TIME, EMERGENCY SERVICES MANAGER ADAM AMARAL WILL PRESENT INFORMATION REGARDING THIS ITEM.

ADAM. SCOTT. IS THAT FOR NOW? AGAIN. GOOD MORNING. ADAM AMARAL, YOUR EMERGENCY SERVICES MANAGER FOR MERCER COUNTY OES.

SO UNDER THIS ITEM TODAY THERE'S TWO ACTIONS FOR FOR THE BOARD.

ONE IS TO APPROVE THE CHANGES AND THE AMENDMENT OR AMEND THE CHANGES TO THE OPERATIONAL DISASTER.

COUNCIL. AND SECOND, APPOINT THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS TO SERVE AS THE CHAIR OF THE DISASTER COUNCIL.

SO WE WANTED TO JUST GIVE A QUICK OVERVIEW OF WHAT THE DISASTER COUNCIL IS HERE IN MERCER COUNTY AND WHAT WE'LL BE DOING.

SO FOR A HIGH LEVEL DEFINITION. THE DISASTER COUNCIL IS A LOCAL LOCAL GOVERNMENT BODY IN CALIFORNIA DESIGNED TO DEVELOP, COORDINATE AND PREPAREDNESS AND RESPONSE PLANS AND DISASTERS.

AND THE PURPOSE IS TO ENSURE EFFECTIVE EMERGENCY PLANNING AND COORDINATION AND COMMUNICATION AND COMMUNITY, INCLUDING ALL JURISDICTIONS WITHIN AND SPECIAL DISTRICTS.

AND THIS THIS DEFINITION AND PURPOSE FOLLOWS THE CALIFORNIA CODE 8610 OF THE EMERGENCY SERVICES ACT.

SO UNDER THE GOVERNMENT CODE 8610 REQUIRES COUNTIES AND CITIES TO FORM DISASTER.

COUNCILS BY ORDINANCE, DISASTER COUNCILS DEVELOP AND RECOMMEND EMERGENCY MUTUAL AID PLANS TO ENSURE PUBLIC SAFETY, AND COUNCILS MAY ESTABLISH MUTUAL AID AGREEMENTS WITH NEIGHBORING JURISDICTIONS AND STATES.

8612 OF THE GOVERNMENT CODE. EXPLAINS THE ACCREDITATION.

SO AND 1960 IS WHEN MERCED COUNTY AS STATE RECORD WAS ACCREDITED BY THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA FOR HAVING A DISASTER. COUNCIL IN 1960 I ASKED THE STATE FOR DOCUMENTATION AND THEY THEY HAVE NO DOCUMENTATION AT ALL.

BUT IT IS ACCREDITED. IT IS PUBLIC KNOWLEDGE AND ON THEIR WEBSITE.

SO 1970 THE EMERGENCY SERVICES ACT WAS PUT IN LAW AND THAT IS THERE WAS LANGUAGE WITHIN THAT, THAT CODE THAT HIGHLIGHTS THE COUNTIES DEVELOPING DISASTER COUNCILS.

SO CORE FUNCTIONS AND PURPOSE. SO BEFORE I GO TOO FAR INTO THAT JUST I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT EVERYTHING THAT WE'RE CURRENTLY DOING IN MERCER COUNTY AND MERCER COUNTY OAS WHEN IT COMES TO PLANNING AND PREPAREDNESS, TRAINING AND EXERCISE OR HAZARD MITIGATION PLANNING IS ALL BEING DONE MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL.

SO WE'RE REALLY, REALLY THE FOCUS BEHIND THE CORE FUNCTIONS AND PURPOSES BEHIND OUR DISASTER.

COUNCIL IS GOING TO BE A MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL APPROACH.

[00:45:04]

A LOT OF THAT IS WHAT WE'VE BEEN DOING ALREADY IN THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS WITH OUR, OUR EOP AND EMERGENCY OPERATION PLAN UPDATE, AND WE'LL BE KICKING OFF SHORTLY OUR MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN UPDATE AS WELL. WE WANT TO ENSURE ALIGNMENT WITH THE STATE AND FEDERAL DISASTER FRAMEWORKS.

WHICH IS THE STANDARD EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS AND THE NATIONAL INCIDENT MANAGEMENT SYSTEM TO INCLUDE STATE AND FEDERAL REGULATION REQUIREMENTS TO MAKE SURE WE'RE FOLLOWING ALL THOSE REQUIREMENTS UNDER CODE AND LAW COORDINATE DISASTER PREPAREDNESS EFFORTS ACROSS MULTIPLE AGENCIES, INCLUDING FIRE, LAW ENFORCEMENT, PUBLIC HEALTH, AND COMMUNITY BASED ORGANIZATIONS.

SO WHOLE COMMUNITY APPROACH TO TO THIS DISASTER COUNCIL.

AND THEN REALLY DRIVE THE PUBLIC EDUCATION, DISASTER PREPAREDNESS THROUGHOUT OUR COMMUNITIES AND ENSURE DISASTER RECOVERY PLANNING IS IN PLACE FOR ALL JURISDICTIONS.

I WANT TO NOTE, THOUGH, AND THIS IS IN THE GOVERNMENT CODE, THAT THE OPERATIONAL DISASTER COUNCIL DOES NOT HAVE OPERATIONAL DUTY POWERS DURING AN EMERGENCY OR A DISASTER OR INCIDENTS. OKAY. THEY'RE MORE FOCUSED ON THE PLANNING AND PREPAREDNESS PIECE OF IT.

SO WHO MAKES UP THE MERCER COUNTY DISASTER? COUNCIL.

SO TOTAL. THERE ARE 17 MEMBERS WITHIN THE DISASTER COUNCIL.

ONE ACTION TODAY IS, IS TO APPOINT A MEMBER OF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS WHO WILL BE THE CHAIR OF THE COUNCIL, THE DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS, WHICH IS THE ASSISTANT FIRE CHIEF FOR MERCER COUNTY, THE OFFICE OF OFFICE OF EMERGENCY SERVICES MANAGER, A COUNTY FIRE BATTALION CHIEF THAT WILL BE REPRESENTING COUNTY FIRE AND NOT COUNTY EXECUTIVE OFFICER, THE COUNTY SHERIFF. COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS, PUBLIC HEALTH, BEHAVIORAL HEALTH, CDC, COUNTY COUNCIL, AND THEN THE DIRECTORS OF EMERGENCY SERVICES, ALL INCORPORATED CITIES WITHIN MERCER COUNTY.

AND DEPENDING ON THEIR MUNICIPAL CODES. IT'S FROM WHAT I'VE GATHERED AND WHAT I'VE RESEARCHED, IT'S THE CITY MANAGERS WITHIN THE JURISDICTIONS WITHIN OUR SIX CITIES INTERAGENCY INTERGOVERNMENTAL COLLABORATION.

WE ENCOURAGE CROSS JURISDICTIONAL AGREEMENTS FOR MUTUAL AID AND EMERGENCIES. SO EXAMPLE OF THAT WOULD BE WORKING WITH DISASTER COUNCILS FROM STANISLAUS COUNTY, SAN JOAQUIN COUNTY, OUR BORDER COUNTIES, TO LOOK AT HOW WE CAN BETTER RESPOND TO DISASTERS AND RESPONSE, AND LOOKING AT WAYS THAT WE CAN BUILD MUTUAL AID AND AGREEMENTS WITH THEM, AND LINKS WITH THE STATE LEVEL DISASTER RESPONSE THROUGH STANDARDIZED EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM. THE IMPORTANCE OF THE DISASTER COUNCIL DISASTER COUNCILS ARE CRITICAL ELEMENTS OF CALIFORNIA'S DISASTER PREPAREDNESS AND RESPONSE STRATEGIES.

THEY ENSURE THE LOCAL GOVERNMENTS ARE PREPARED FOR NATURAL AND MAN MADE DISASTERS AND ENCOURAGE COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION.

THE FREQUENCY OF THE MEETING MEETINGS. SO THE DISASTER COUNCIL MEETINGS WILL BE OPEN TO PUBLIC REQUIRED BY THE BROWN ACT.

THE MEETINGS WILL BE HELD BIANNUALLY, SO TWICE A YEAR OR CALLED UPON BY THE CHAIR OF THE DISASTER COUNCIL.

IF THERE'S SOMETHING THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED IN A SPECIAL MEETING.

AND THEN MEETINGS WILL BE HELD AT THE BOARD CHAMBERS HERE.

SO THE ORDINANCE UPDATE WHEN WHEN I CAME INTO OFFICE STARTED LOOKING AT OUR ORDINANCES.

THE LAST THE LAST UPDATE TO THE ORDINANCE WAS IN 1996.

SO ROUGHLY 30 YEARS AGO DUE TO CALIFORNIA EMERGENCY SERVICE ACT CHANGES.

EXAMPLE OF THAT IS OUR CURRENT ORDINANCE. EVERY 14 DAYS, A LOCAL PROCLAMATION WILL HAVE TO BE TAKEN TO THE BOARD FOR CONSIDERATION FOR RENEWAL IN THE EMERGENCY SERVICES ACT.

THAT'S BEEN CHANGED TO 60 DAYS. SO THOSE ARE THE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE CHANGED TO MEET THE CODE REQUIREMENTS.

AND ALSO THE STAFF CHANGES WITHIN OHS AND SOME OTHER STAFF CHANGES TO ALIGN THAT IN OUR ORDINANCE.

SO AGAIN, THE UP FRONT FOR YOU TODAY IS THE TWO ACTIONS OF APPROVING THE CHANGES AND AMENDMENTS TO THE ORDINANCE AND APPOINT A BOARD MEMBER TO AS THE CHAIR OF THE DISASTER COUNCIL.

AND WE'RE OPEN FOR ANY QUESTIONS. QUESTIONS? SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA.

THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. ADAM, QUICK QUESTION ON ON THE LIST OF DESIGNEES OF WHO MAKES UP THE COUNCIL.

IS IT SO RIGID THAT IT SPECIFICALLY SAYS IT WILL BE THIS PERSON FROM THIS AGENCY, OR CAN THEY LIKE, APPOINT A DESIGNEE? SO I'M GUESSING, LIKE, YOU KNOW, I'M LOOKING, THINKING, PUTTING MY CITY OLD CITY HAT ON FOR A SECOND, YOU KNOW, IS THE CITY MANAGER THE BEST ONE FOR THAT? POTENTIALLY. BUT MAYBE THEY MIGHT WANT TO SAY, YOU KNOW, I'D RATHER HAVE MY FIRE CHIEF OR MY POLICE CHIEF BE MY DESIGNEE ON THERE.

[00:50:06]

YEAH. SO IN OUR OUR CURRENT ORDINANCE, IT IS STRUCTURED AS THE SPECIFIC MEMBERS.

OKAY. THE REASON WHY WE DID NOT DEVIATE FROM THAT IS THE THE BOARD ITSELF IS GOING NEEDS TO BE MORE OF A POLICY MAKING DECISION BOARD, RIGHT? ONE THING I DIDN'T HIGHLIGHT IS THE THE BOARD ITSELF.

THE WAY WE'RE GOING TO THE WAY WE'RE LOOKING AT DEVELOPING POLICY FOR THIS DISASTER COUNCILS TO ALIGN IT WITH THE STATE'S DISASTER COUNCIL WHICH HAS A LOT OF SUBCOMMITTEES. SO A LOT OF YOUR, THE FIRE CHIEFS AND POLICE CHIEFS AND OTHER DEPARTMENT DEPUTY DIRECTORS WILL BE PROBABLY ASSIGNED TO LIKE AND HELP WITH DIFFERENT SUBCOMMITTEES.

OKAY. THAT MAKES SENSE. SO THE BOARD ITSELF BE CONSISTENT FOR POLICY.

DECISION MAKING WOULD BE BETTER TO HAVE THE CITY MANAGERS IN THAT POSITION.

PERFECT. THANK YOU. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA.

WELL, I'M WAITING FOR PUBLIC COMMENT AND THEN.

OKAY. AT THIS AT THIS TIME, I WILL OPEN PUBLIC COMMENT FOR ITEM NUMBER 21.

THANK YOU. ADAM. HIM. GOOD MORNING.

CAN YOU MOVE THE MIC? CAN YOU? YOU CAN LOWER THE PODIUM OR MOVE THE MICROPHONE DOWN, PLEASE.

OKAY. THANK YOU. GOOD MORNING. GLORIA SANDOVAL AND I WAS CURIOUS ABOUT THE DEFINITION OF DISASTER.

WOULD IT INCLUDE EXTREME HEAT? WOULD IT INCLUDE EXTREME UNEMPLOYMENT? WOULD IT INCLUDE THE FOOD INSECURITY THAT CAME OUT OF YOUR PROCLAMATION? JUST WONDERING ABOUT THAT. THANK YOU.

YEAH. WE HAVE TO GET THROUGH PUBLIC COMMENT FIRST.

OKAY. ANYBODY ELSE FROM THE PUBLIC? ALL RIGHT.

THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD FOR FIRE ITEM 21 IS NOW CLOSED.

WE'LL BRING IT BACK TO THE BOARD. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. AS PART OF MY MOTION, I'D LIKE TO NOMINATE A SUPERVISOR PACHECO AS THE DESIGNEE FOR THE COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS ON THE DISASTER COUNCIL.

I'LL SECOND THAT. OKAY. WE HAVE A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA, SECONDED BY.

SUPERVISOR PEDROZO CALLED FOR THE VOTE. PLEASE RECORD THE VOTE.

MOTION PASSES. NEXT, WE HAVE SHERIFF ITEMS 22 THROUGH 24.

AT THIS TIME, I'LL OPEN PUBLIC COMMENT FOR ITEMS 22 THROUGH 24.

PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD FOR SHERIFF ITEMS 22 THROUGH 24 IS NOW CLOSED.

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

PLEASE CALL FOR THE VOTE. PLEASE RECORD THE VOTE.

MOTION PASSES. NEXT WE HAVE ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES.

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

ITEM. ITEM 25. PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD. FOR ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES.

ITEM 25 IS NOW CLOSED. I HAVE A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA, SECONDED BY SUPERVISOR PAREIRA.

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

NEXT WE HAVE BOARD APPOINTMENTS. AT THIS TIME I WILL OPEN PUBLIC COMMENT FOR BOARD APPOINTMENT.

I BOARD APPOINTMENTS ITEMS 26 AND 27. THIS ISN'T SPECIFICALLY ON THE RAISED. RIGHT NOW I FEEL MR. AMARAL SHOULD HAVE BEEN GIVEN AN OPPORTUNITY TO RESPOND TO THE QUESTION THAT WAS RAISED ON DISASTERS.

[00:55:03]

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

PLEASE CALL FOR THE VOTE. PLEASE RECORD THE VOTE.

MOTION PASSES. NEXT WE HAVE BOARD INFORMATION AND POSSIBLE ACTION.

[BOARD INFORMATION & POSSIBLE ACTION]

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

BRING IT BACK TO THE BOARD. MOTION BY SUPERVISOR PAREIRA, SECONDED BY SUPERVISOR PACHECO.

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

WE WILL NOW MOVE ON TO OUR SCHEDULED ITEMS, BEGINNING WITH ITEM THE ITEMS SUBMITTED BY PUBLIC HEALTH.

[SCHEDULED ITEMS]

BEILINSON HEARING TO CONSIDER THE MERCER COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH'S ANALYSIS AND RECOMMENDATION REGARDING THE MERCED COUNTY PUBLIC HEALTH LABORATORY.

GOOD MORNING AGAIN. BOARD CEO, COUNTY COUNCIL.

TODAY I AM BRINGING TO YOU A RECOMMENDATION AROUND THE FUTURE OF LABORATORY SERVICES IN MERCER COUNTY.

AND THAT RECOMMENDATION IS TO CONTINUE OUTSOURCING TO NEIGHBORING COUNTIES IN ORDER TO PROVIDE HIGH QUALITY, COST EFFECTIVE PUBLIC HEALTH TESTING FOR OUR COMMUNITY.

SO, MERCER COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH HAS IN THE PAST OPERATED A PUBLIC HEALTH LABORATORY.

HOWEVER, THAT PUBLIC HEALTH LABORATORY HAS BEEN FUNCTIONALLY CLOSED SINCE 2021, WHEN THE LAST LABORATORY STAFF, FULL TIME STAFF, LEFT THE DEPARTMENT. SINCE THAT TIME, ALL REQUIRED TESTING HAS BEEN OUTSOURCED TO OUR NEIGHBOR, OUR PARTNER COUNTIES IN BOTH MADERA AND SAN JOAQUIN.

THESE PARTNERSHIPS ENSURE COMPLIANCE WITH STATE MANDATES AND PROVIDE RELIABLE TESTING SERVICES FOR OUR RESIDENTS.

PUBLIC HEALTH CONTRACTED WITH A CONSULTANT TO EVALUATE THE DIFFERENT OPTIONS AROUND OUR LABORATORY SERVICES AND EVALUATED THREE SPECIFIC OPTIONS FULLY REOPENING THE LAB AND HAVING FULL SERVICES OFFERED HERE IN MERCER COUNTY AT OUR PUBLIC HEALTH LAB.

REOPENING THE LAB FOR LIMITED LOGISTICAL AND TRANSPORT SERVICES, WHICH WAS IN ALIGNMENT WITH HOW THE LAB OPERATED BEFORE CLOSURE.

BEFORE THE UNOFFICIAL CLOSURE IN 2021, OR CONTINUING TO OUTSOURCE OUR LABORATORY SERVICES ENTIRELY, REOPENING THE LAB WOULD COST NEARLY HALF $1 MILLION ANNUALLY AND REQUIRE NEW STAFF AND SYSTEMS, AS WELL AS NEW EQUIPMENT, AS OUR CURRENT EQUIPMENT HAS NOT BEEN MAINTAINED.

IT WOULD ALSO DUPLICATE SERVICES THAT ARE NOW READILY AVAILABLE IN OUR PARTNER COUNTIES OF MADERA AND SAN JOAQUIN.

LIMITED REOPENING FOR LOGISTICS ADDS LITTLE VALUE, SINCE THE COUNTY ALWAYS ALREADY HAS EFFECTIVE SPECIMEN REFERRAL SYSTEMS IN PLACE.

AND AGAIN, WE ARE PROVIDING THOSE MANDATED SERVICES THROUGH OUTSOURCING CURRENTLY, SO THE DEPARTMENT RECOMMENDS OUTSOURCING OF ALL SERVICES THROUGH FORMAL AGREEMENTS WITH BOTH MADERA AND SAN JOAQUIN COUNTIES, AND TO OFFICIALLY DECOMMISSION THE MERCED COUNTY PUBLIC HEALTH LAB.

THIS OPTION SAVES MONEY, ALLOWS FOR POTENTIAL EXPANSION AND ACCESS TO ADVANCED TESTING IN A MORE COST EFFECTIVE MANNER, AND ALLOWS MORE FLEXIBILITY FOR US TO MEET OUR COMMUNITY NEEDS IN BOTH IN THE TESTING REALM.

SO IN SUMMARY, OUTSOURCING OUTSOURCING ENSURES RELIABLE, AFFORDABLE AND EXPANDABLE EXPANDABLE SERVICES FOR MERCED COUNTY, AND THE DEPARTMENT RESPECTFULLY REQUESTS THE BOARD TO APPROVE THIS RECOMMENDATION FOLLOWING TODAY'S HEARING AND PUBLIC INPUT.

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.

THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD FOR THIS ITEM IS NOW CLOSED, AND WE'LL BRING IT BACK TO THE BOARD FOR DISCUSSION.

SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. YEAH.

I JUST WANT TO THANK DOCTOR SULLIVAN AND HER TEAM.

I KNOW THAT THEY BRIEFED US, BRIEFED US ON THIS ITEM, AND IT MAKES A LOT OF SENSE TO ME.

IF WE'RE ALREADY GETTING JUST AS GOOD, IF NOT BETTER SERVICE PARTNERING WITH ONE OF OUR OTHER SISTER COUNTIES.

THERE'S NO SENSE OF US KIND OF DUPLICATING THOSE SERVICES.

AND SO WITH THAT, MR. CHAIR, IF THERE ARE NO OTHER COMMENTS, MY MOTION IS TO ACCEPT THE LABORATORY SERVICES AND RECOMMENDATIONS REPORT AND APPROVE THE MERCED COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH'S RECOMMENDATION TO CHOOSE OPTION THREE, SEEK PARTNER COUNTY TO OUTSOURCE COUNTY PUBLIC HEALTH LAB SERVICES AND CLOSE THE MERCER

[01:00:06]

AYE. ANY OPPOSED? SAY NAY. MOTION PASSES AND I WANT TO SAY SOMETHING ALSO.

THE BRIEFING REALLY PREPARED US, I THINK, FOR THIS AND I THINK IT MAKES SENSE.

SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH AND GOOD JOB. ALL RIGHT.

NEXT WE HAVE THE TRUTH ACT COMMUNITY FORUM TRANSPARENT REVIEW OF UNJUST TRANSFERS AND HOLDS ACT COMMUNITY FORUM IS TO PROVIDE INFORMATION REGARDING IMMIGRATION AND CUSTOMS ENFORCEMENT ACCESS TO INDIVIDUALS, AND TO RECEIVE AND CONSIDER PUBLIC COMMENT PURSUANT TO GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 7283 AND 7283.1. OKAY INFORMATION WILL BE PROVIDED TO THE PUBLIC FROM LAW ENFORCEMENT REGARDING STATISTICS AND PROCESSES RELATED TO THE TRUTH ACT. WE DO HAVE INTERPRETATION SERVICES AVAILABLE IN BOTH SPANISH AND HMONG.

IF YOU NEED THESE SERVICES, PLEASE LET US KNOW WHEN YOU COME TO THE PODIUM FOLLOWING THE PRESENTATION TODAY, I BELIEVE BY SHERIFF BY THE SHERIFF, PUBLIC COMMENT WILL BE TAKEN.

ALL COMMENTS ARE LIMITED TO THREE MINUTES, AND EACH MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC WILL HAVE ONE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK.

YOU MAY NOT YIELD THE REMAINDER OF YOUR TIME TO ANOTHER MEMBER.

MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC. TODAY'S FORUM IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT TO PREVENT PRESENT INFORMATION AND FOR THE PUBLIC TO COMMENT.

AGAIN, THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE TODAY, AND I WILL NOW TURN THE MIC OVER TO SHERIFF WARNKE.

GOOD MORNING. MORNING, SHERIFF. SHERIFF. CORONER FOR MERCED COUNTY.

THE INFORMATION TODAY IS THE REPORT FOR THE 2024 REPORTING TIME.

THE MERCED COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE DOES NOT PARTICIPATE IN ANY JOINT AGENCY OPERATIONS WITH IMMIGRATION AUTHORITIES.

THE MERCED COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE DOES NOT SUPPLY ANY EQUIPMENT OR PERSONNEL IN SUPPORT OF IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT ACTIVITY.

THE MERCED COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE DOES NOT CONDUCT INVESTIGATIONS REGARDING A CITIZENS IMMIGRATION STATUS, WHETHER ON PATROL OR IN THE CORRECTIONS ENVIRONMENT.

IMMIGRATION FORUMS AND SHERIFF PROCEDURES, DETAINER REQUESTS, INCARCERATED PERSON ATTORNEY NOTIFICATIONS, INTERVIEW CONSENT FORM AND CONSULAR NOTIFICATIONS, AND IMMIGRATION STATUS.

ONCE AN INCARCERATED PERSON IS BOOKED INTO THE JAIL, THEY ARE LIVE, SCANNED, FINGERPRINTED, AND THE FINGERPRINTS ARE SENT TO THE CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE AND THE FBI FOR ANALYSIS.

THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY USES THE FBI'S SUBMISSION TO LOOK INTO MATCHES FOR PERSONS IN THE UNITED STATES ILLEGALLY.

IF THEY FIND A MATCH. A DETAINER REQUEST IS SENT TO THE CLASSIFICATION UNIT VIA EMAIL.

THE ICE DETAINER IS SCANNED INTO THE INCARCERATED PERSON'S ELECTRONIC FILE AND A NOTIFICATION IS PLACED IN THE JAIL.

BOOKING. THE JAIL DOES NOT PLACE A HOLD ON THE INCARCERATED PERSON UNLESS THE DETAINER IS RELATED TO A FEDERAL WARRANT.

RELEASE DATES ARE AVAILABLE ONLINE FOR THE PUBLIC ON THE SHERIFF'S WEBSITE.

ONCE A DETAINER REQUEST IS RECEIVED BY THE JAIL, THE SUPERVISOR COMPLETES AN INCARCERATED PERSON ATTORNEY NOTIFICATION FORM THAT IS SIGNED BY THE SUPERVISOR AND THE INCARCERATED PERSON.

THE FORM IS FAXED TO THE MERCED COUNTY PUBLIC DEFENDER'S OFFICE AND SCANNED INTO THE INCARCERATED PERSON'S ELECTRONIC FILE.

THE INCARCERATED PERSON RETAINS A COPY AS WELL.

IN THE EVENT ICE AGENTS WISH TO INTERVIEW SOMEONE IN CUSTODY, THE INCARCERATED PERSON IS GIVEN A CONSENT FORM TO SIGN WITH HIS CHOICE REGARDING THE ENCOUNTER, AGREES TO AN INTERVIEW WITHOUT AN ATTORNEY PRESENT, AGREES TO AN INTERVIEW WITH AN ATTORNEY PRESENT, DOES NOT AGREE TO AN INTERVIEW. THE ICE AGENT IS NOTIFIED OF THE INCARCERATED PERSON'S WISHES, AND THE FORM IS SCANNED INTO THE INCARCERATED PERSON'S ELECTRONIC FILE.

THE CORRECTIONS BUREAU HAS CONTACT NUMBERS FOR ALL FOREIGN CONSULATES AS REQUESTED BY LAW.

IN THE EVENT A FOREIGN NATIONAL IS ARRESTED AND THEIR CONSULATE REQUIRES MANDATORY NOTIFICATION.

THE SHIFT SUPERVISOR MAKES THE PROPER NOTIFICATION.

CALIFORNIA LAW REQUIRES THAT IMMIGRATION RELATED FORMS BE TRANSLATED INTO THE SPOKEN LANGUAGE OF THE INDIVIDUAL INCARCERATED PERSON.

THE MERCED COUNTY SHERIFF'S CORRECTIONS BUREAU HAS FORMS TRANSLATED INTO THE FOLLOWING LANGUAGE ENGLISH.

[01:05:04]

VIETNAMESE. THE STATISTICS FOR 2020 FOR THE NUMBER OF IMMIGRATION DETAINER REQUESTS SENT TO JAIL BY ICE IN 2024 WAS 233.

THE NUMBER OF INCARCERATED PERSONS ICE AGENTS ARRESTED AFTER RELEASE ZERO.

THE NUMBER OF INTERVIEWS CONDUCTED BY ICE WITHIN THE JAILS ZERO.

THE NUMBER OF TIMES ICE WAS NOTIFIED PRIOR TO THE PUBLIC THAT THE INCARCERATED PERSON WAS BEING RELEASED.

ZERO. THE NUMBER OF TIMES SHERIFF'S OFFICE PROVIDED ICE INFORMATION REGARDING PROBATION AND PAROLE CHECK IN TIMES ZERO.

2024 STATISTICS ON THE ON THE MATTERS. HISPANIC.

LATINO. IN 2024, WE HAD 221 ASIAN PACIFIC ISLANDERS, FOUR EUROPEAN CAUCASIAN, TWO AFRICAN AMERICAN ZERO. OTHER SIX. IMMIGRATION STATUS.

STATISTICS FOR AGE. DEMOGRAPHICS. OUT OF THE TOTAL 223 IMMIGRATION STATS FOR 2020.

FOR AGES 18 TO 30. 69. 31 TO 40. 95. 41 TO 50.

47. 51 TO 60. 20. 60 TO 60 1 TO 72 AND OVER 71.

ZERO. THE FOLLOWING STATISTICS RELATED TO BOOKING CHARGES PRESENTED AT THE TIME OF ARREST.

FOR THE 223 PERSONS WE RECEIVED ICE DETAINER REQUESTS FOR MANSLAUGHTER, THREE VIOLENT FELONY, 13. SEX CRIMES NINE. ASSAULT AND BATTERY, 22.

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE 56. WEAPONS RELATED NINE. GANG CRIMES ZERO.

NARCOTICS RELATED 15. PROPERTY CRIMES ZERO. ALCOHOL RELATED 29.

OTHER CRIMINAL OFFENSES 77. THE MYTHS VERSUS REALITY.

ICE DOES NOT HAVE OFFICE SPACE IN THE MERCED SHERIFF'S CORRECTIONAL FACILITIES.

MERCED SHERIFF'S OFFICE DOES NOT SHARE OR GIVE ICE ACCESS TO OUR COMPUTER SYSTEMS, INCLUDING THE JAIL MANAGEMENT SYSTEM.

ICE AGENTS HAVE NOT CONDUCTED INTERVIEWS IN THE SHERIFF'S CORRECTIONAL FACILITIES IN 2024.

ICE AGENTS DO NOT HAVE FULL ACCESS TO THE MERCED COUNTY CORRECTIONAL FACILITIES.

THEY WOULD REQUIRE A SHERIFF'S ESCORT TO WALK AROUND THE FACILITY, AND THIS IS REQUIRED FOR ANY OTHER LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY.

INCARCERATED PERSONS THAT RECEIVE AN IMMIGRATION DETAINER FROM ICE ARE DETERMINED BY FINGERPRINTS.

ICE DETAINERS ARE RECEIVED BY THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE BY ONE WAY.

EMAIL HILL, MERCED SHERIFF'S OFFICE DOES NOT COLLECT IMMIGRATION STATUS ON ANY INDIVIDUAL OTHER THAN TRACKING ICE DETAINERS ON THE CURRENT JAIL BOOKING.

MERCED SHERIFF'S OFFICE DOES NOT TRANSFER INCARCERATED PERSONS TO ICE WITHOUT A FEDERAL WARRANT.

INCARCERATED PERSONS RELEASED FROM THE SHERIFF'S CORRECTIONAL FACILITIES ARE NOT DELAYED OR STOPPED DUE TO ICE DETAINERS.

IN THE PAST FEW YEARS, THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE HAS SEEN AN INCREASE OF ENFORCEMENT ACTION IN THE COMMUNITY FROM ICE BELIEVED DUE TO THE LACK OF COMMUNICATION BY THE CORRECTIONAL FACILITIES. THANK YOU.

AT THIS TIME I WILL OPEN PUBLIC COMMENT AGAIN.

TESTIMONY IS LIMITED TO THREE MINUTES PER PERSON.

ALL RIGHT. THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD FOR THIS ITEM IS NOW CLOSED AND THE COMMUNITY FORUM HAS NOW CONCLUDED. OKAY.

[REPORTS/BOARD DIRECTION]

THANK YOU. CHAIR. JUST A COUPLE OF THINGS. I HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF GOING TO SEE CHIEF CASEY WILSON BE SWORN IN AS THE NEW MERCED FIRE CHIEF.

SO I JUST WANTED TO SAY CONGRATULATIONS TO HIM AND WISH HIM WELL IN HIS NEW ENDEAVOR.

AND ON SATURDAY, I WAS PART OF THE ROCK AND ROLL MERCED COUNTY ROAD TEAM FOR THE LA BOAT RACE, WHICH IS A GREAT EVENT. A LOT OF PEOPLE OUT THERE AND GOOD FOR MERCED COUNTY AND GOOD FOR THE LAKE.

SO AND THAT'S ALL I HAVE. THANK YOU.

[01:10:04]

I, TOO ATTENDED THE SWEARING IN OF THE MERCED FIRE CHIEF, AND I SEE HIM IN THE AUDIENCE.

CONGRATULATIONS. AND AND WE'RE HAPPY YOU'RE YOU'RE ON BOARD.

I, TOO, ATTENDED THE LAO BOAT RACE, AND IT WAS A PHENOMENAL DAY.

I THINK THE COMMUNITY THE LAOTIAN COMMUNITY REALLY SHINED IN WHAT THEY DID.

AND IT WAS KIND OF NEAT TO SEE THE RESPECTFULNESS THAT THEIR COMMUNITY SHOWED THE THE FACILITY THE CLEANLINESS IS REALLY AWESOME.

AND THEN SUPERVISOR PACHECO DIDN'T MENTION, BUT THE MERCED COUNTY ROCK AND ROAD TEAM PLACED THIRD OUT OF I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY TEAMS EXACTLY.

SOMEWHERE BETWEEN 10 AND 500 AND ANYWAYS. AND THEN AGAIN, JUST WANT TO MENTION THAT SEPTEMBER IS SUICIDE AWARENESS MONTH, AND I HOPE YOU ALL WILL TAKE THAT TO HEART AND MAKE A CHANGE IN YOUR ROUTINE TO TO BE SOMEONE'S SHOULDER TO CRY ON, EAR TO LISTEN TO OR MOUTH TO TO LET SOMEBODY KNOW THAT THEY'RE IN PERIL.

THANK YOU, MISTER CHAIR. SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA.

THANK YOU, MISTER CHAIR. A COUPLE ITEMS FOR YOU TODAY.

ONE YESTERDAY WE DID HAVE OUR GROUNDBREAKING CEREMONY FOR THE O'BANNON PARK.

IT'S AGAIN, I MENTIONED SOME OF THESE COMMENTS YESTERDAY THAT, YOU KNOW, WE STARTED OUT WITH A PROP 68 GRANT BACK IN 2019, 2020 ISH ERA AND DID ALL THE PRELIMINARY WORK ON THAT.

AND WE WEREN'T SUCCESSFUL IN THAT GRANT, BUT SINCE THEN HAVE BEEN ABLE TO PIECE TOGETHER, THROUGH THE HELP OF OUR STATE SENATOR CABALLERO THE CALIFORNIA LIBRARY SYSTEMS, AS WELL AS CALTRANS CLEAN PARKS. GRANTS WERE ABLE TO COBBLE OTHER GRANTS TOGETHER, AND IT'S GOING TO REALLY MAKE A NICE IMPROVEMENT, A GENERATIONAL IMPROVEMENT TO THE O'BANNON PARK THERE IN DOS PALOS.

SO WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT THAT FOR THE GROUNDBREAKING AND LOOKING FORWARD TO THE RIBBON CUTTING.

WE WHAT I FEEL LIKE WE HAVE A REALLY GOOD TEAM ON BOARD, AND I WANT TO THANK OUR PUBLIC WORKS STAFF AND OUR COMMUNICATIONS STAFF FOR SETTING UP THAT EVENT YESTERDAY. I DID TWO ATTEND CHIEF WILSON'S SWEARING IN CEREMONY.

CONGRATULATIONS, SIR. THE CITY OF MERCED IS LUCKY TO HAVE SOMEONE AS PASSIONATE AS YOU ABOUT FIRE AND FIRE PROTECTION IN THE CITY OF MERCED.

ALSO ATTENDED A LOS BANOS BIKE PATH MEETING. FOR.

FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT ARE NOT AWARE, THERE'S BEEN TALK FOR QUITE SOME TIME OF A BIKE PATH THAT GOES OUT TO THE MERCED COLLEGE LOS BANOS CAMPUS KIND OF STARTED AS A CITY PROJECT AND THEN FELL OFF IN THE COUNTY, PICKED IT UP, BUT IN PARTNERSHIP WITH A WHOLE HOST OF FOLKS STILL CONTINUING THAT EFFORT AND LOOKING AT WHAT THE BEST WAY FORWARD IS ON THAT PROJECT. SO I'M EXCITED TO, IN THE FUTURE, BE ABLE TO BRING BACK ITEMS OR BRING BACK AN ITEM THAT TELLS YOU EXACTLY WHAT THE PLAN IS.

WE'RE STILL KIND OF IN THOSE PLANNING PHASES ON THAT.

AND THE LAST THING I JUST WANT TO CLEAR UP SOMETHING IF YOU RECALL, A COUPLE MEETINGS AGO, THERE WAS AN ITEM THAT CAME BEFORE THE BOARD AND I ASKED A QUESTION OF THE DEPARTMENT, AND THERE WAS NOBODY HERE TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION.

AND MY STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE IS IF I HAVE A QUESTION ON YOUR ITEM AND THERE IS NOBODY HERE TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION, I'M GOING TO VOTE NO ON THAT ITEM. THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT IF I, IF I DON'T HAVE A QUESTION ON THAT ITEM, THEN I VOTE YES ON IT. RIGHT? IF THESE QUESTIONS AREN'T BECAUSE I'M TRYING TO PLAY GOTCHA WITH ANYBODY, THESE ARE QUESTIONS THAT I COME UP IN MY MIND.

I FEEL LIKE THE PUBLIC NEEDS TO HEAR THE ANSWER TO, AND THAT'S THE ONLY REASON I'M ASKING THOSE QUESTIONS. SO I JUST KIND OF WANT TO SET THE RECORD STRAIGHT TO TO. YOU KNOW, I UNDERSTAND THAT EVERYBODY IS BUSY AND THAT THERE'S ALWAYS THERE'S SOMETIMES THERE'S THINGS GOING ON THAT CONFLICTS WITH OUR BOARD MEETING.

BUT IT'S JUST KIND OF MY STANDARD. AND MOST TIMES YOU'LL KNOW THOSE QUESTIONS IN ADVANCE.

THESE ARE QUESTIONS AS I'VE DONE MY AGENDA REVIEW, I'VE HAD THAT QUESTION.

BUT MYSELF PERSONALLY, SOMETIMES ONE OF MY COLLEAGUES WILL BRING SOMETHING UP THAT I DIDN'T THINK ABOUT THAT CAUSES ME TO HAVE ANOTHER QUESTION THAT I THINK IS VALUABLE FOR THE PUBLIC TO BE ABLE TO HEAR. THOSE ANSWERS, BECAUSE ULTIMATELY WE ARE TASKED WITH DOING THE PEOPLE'S BUSINESS IN PUBLIC.

AND, AND I DON'T EVER WANT TO SHY AWAY FROM THAT.

AND SO AGAIN, THAT WAS JUST TO SET THE RECORD STRAIGHT ON THAT.

THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. NO FURTHER COMMENTS. COUNCIL HANSON.

NO. MR. HENDRICKSON. ALL RIGHT. I JUST WANTED TO TAKE A MOMENT REAL QUICK TO THE REASON WHY WE ADAM DIDN'T ANSWER THE QUESTIONS BECAUSE REALLY, THAT'S A PUBLIC COMMENT, PERIOD, NOT A QUESTION AND ANSWER.

AND I'M SURE THAT MR. AMARAL OR ANY DEPARTMENT HEAD, ONCE YOU HAVE A SPECIFIC QUESTION, WOULD BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO ADDRESS THOSE THOSE

[01:15:07]

CURRENTLY, THEY LOOK LIKE THEY'RE CHANGING DIRECTION, AND WOULD LIKE TO GO A DIFFERENT DIRECTION FROM GILROY SOUTH, AS OPPOSED TO WHAT THE VOTERS DECIDED WITH AND THE LEGISLATION DECIDED WITH PROP 198 TO MAKE MERCED ONE OF THE FIRST ROUTES ON THE ON THE BOARD ON THE LIST OR ON THE, ON THE TRACKS.

THEIR, THEIR LEVEL OF COMMUNICATION HAS BEEN VERY POOR TO SAY THE SAY THE LEAST.

AND SO THAT WAS VERY MUCH BROUGHT TO THEIR ATTENTION.

WE'VE, WE'VE WORKED REALLY HARD TO TRY AND STAY IN THE LOOP AND TO COMMUNICATE WITH THEM.

AND IT'S EVERY TIME WE, WE TRY IT, IT JUST FALLS ON DEAF EARS.

SO IT'S REALLY FRUSTRATING WITH THE DIRECTION THAT THEY'RE HEADED.

AND, YOU KNOW, THIS IS JUST ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THESE ORGANIZATIONS LIKE HIGH SPEED RAIL OR SOME REALLY THE STATE SOMETIMES KIND OF LOOKING AT THE VALLEY AS A FLYOVER.

AND IT'S REALLY UNFORTUNATE BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, HERE IN THE CENTRAL VALLEY, YOU KNOW, WE WE FEED THE ENTIRE WORLD, AND YET WE GET PASSED OVER ALL THE TIME. SO THAT I WANT TO AGAIN CONGRATULATE CHIEF WILSON, I WASN'T ABLE TO BE AT THE SWEARING IN, BUT I KNOW THAT THE CITY OF MERCED IS IN GOOD HANDS.

CITY OF FIRE DEPARTMENT IS IN GOOD HANDS. I CONGRATULATE MY COLLEAGUE SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA FOR O'BANION PARK.

THAT'S GOING TO BE A REALLY GOOD THAT'S GOING TO BE A GOOD THING FOR THAT COMMUNITY. AND THEN ON LAST SATURDAY I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY.

WELL, I WAS KIND OF VOLUNTOLD THAT I WAS GOING TO GO OVER THE TOP OF THE HOTEL TIOGA FOR CHARITY FOR UNITED WAY. I KNOW DOCTOR SULLIVAN DID IT AS WELL, AND IT WAS IT WAS QUITE THE EXPERIENCE.

YOU KNOW, IT'S REALLY HIGH UP THERE, AND YOU DON'T REALIZE HOW HIGH IT IS UNTIL YOU GO.

AND THEY. AND THEN IT'S REALLY NOT THAT NERVE WRACKING.

BUT THE FIRST STEP, BECAUSE THEY SAY, JUST FALL LIKE YOU'RE FALLING INTO A COUCH, BUT WHEN YOU FALL INTO A COUCH, YOU'RE NOT LIKE SIX STORIES UP. SO IT'S A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT.

AND THEN FINALLY OR ONE SECOND TO LAST I TOO PARTICIPATED IN THE LOUD BOAT RACE.

WE DID GET THIRD PLACE. THIS IS OUR TROPHY. OKAY.

I WAS I WAS THE SECOND YEAR IN A ROW AS A CAPTAIN.

I REALLY WANT TO THANK THE. I'M GOING TO TRY AND PRONOUNCE THIS, BUT IF I CAN'T GET IT, THEY KNOW WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT.

THE. I'M NOT EVEN GOING TO TRY. IT'S THE VLF.

SO IT'S THE LAW FOUNDATION HERE IN MERCED COUNTY THAT PUT THIS ON.

AND I GOTTA TELL YOU, IT WAS A REALLY GOOD CROWD.

FRIDAY NIGHT THEY HAD AN EVENT WHERE IT WAS LIKE A LIGHTING CEREMONY TO WHERE THEY PUT UP STUFF, AND IT WAS LIKE A RELIGIOUS EVENT FOR THEM, WHICH WAS REALLY COOL.

I WANT TO THANK OUR TEAM. I'M JUST GOING TO NAME THEM OFF.

LINDSEY JOHNSON, ANGELA CHECKLEY, MARK MIMS, JOHN CHECKLEY, JENNA ANDERSON, LLOYD PAREIRA.

JIM PACHECO, MARCI BARRERA, CESAR VERA, DUSTY NUNES, JEREMIAH GREGGAINS, KARLA WALTERS, SARAH MORRIS, MORRIS, JOE WEISS, SUMMER MONIZ, MIKE NORTH, TAMARA WILLIAMS AND JEAN BARRERA.

BUT I WOULD ALSO BE REMISS IF I DIDN'T THANK DALIA ACOSTA, WHO IS WAS LIKE THE GENERAL MANAGER.

SHE KIND OF ORGANIZED EVERYTHING. AND I JUST KIND OF GOT TO LEAD THEM THAT DAY.

SO DALIA DID ALL THE THE FOLLOWING AROUND GETTING THE WAIVERS, TALKING TO EVERYBODY.

AND BUT THEN WHEN IT WAS ACTUALLY RACE DAY IT WAS ME THAT HAD TO HERD THE CATS.

SO THANK YOU FOR THAT. AND THEN FINALLY, I'D LIKE TO ADJOURN TODAY FOR BECKY ROBINSON.

BECKY WAS A LONG TIME MERCED COUNTY RESIDENT WHO PASSED AWAY AT A VERY YOUNG AGE.

AND SO I'D LIKE TO ADJOURN FOR HER WITH THAT.

THIS CONCLUDES THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS MEETING FOR SEPTEMBER 9TH, 2025.

AND THE NEXT REGULARLY SCHEDULED BOARD OF SUPERVISORS MEETING WILL BE HELD AT 10 A.M.

ON TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 23RD, 2025, AT WHICH TIME WE WILL ALSO HOLD OUR FINAL BUDGET HEARING.

HAVE A GOOD DAY EVERYBODY.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.