Feb 10, 2026 Board Meeting

[00:00:02]

GOOD MORNING AND WELCOME TO THE FEBRUARY 10TH, 2026 MEETING OF THE MERCED COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS.

[CLOSED SESSION]

ALSO UNDER THAT SAME GOVERNMENT CODE. PROPERTY 517 WEST 23RD STREET IN MERCED.

AGENCY NEGOTIATOR ALSO NATHAN BRAY, PUBLIC WORKS ROAD COMMISSIONER.

NEGOTIATING PARTIES IS EXP REALTY UNDER NEGOTIATION IS TO REQUEST AUTHORITY TO NEGOTIATE PROPOSED ACQUISITION OF PROPERTY AND VALUE ALSO A PROPERTY.

BUILDING 1324 LOCATED AT THE CASTLE COMMERCE CENTER IN ATWATER WITH AGENCY NEGOTIATOR MARC MIMMS, DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, WITH THE NEGOTIATING PARTY BEING SHEPHERD'S TREE INCORPORATED UNDER NEGOTIATION TO REQUEST AUTHORITY TO NEGOTIATE PROPOSED ACQUISITION OF PROPERTY AND VALUE, AND FINALLY BUILDING 1330 LOCATED AT CASTLE COMMERCE CENTER IN ATWATER WITH MARC MIMMS, DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, BEING THE NEGOTIATOR, THE NEGOTIATING PARTY BEING THUNDERBIRD MAINTENANCE TO REQUEST, ALSO UNDER NEGOTIATION, TO REQUEST AUTHORITY TO NEGOTIATE PROPOSED PURPOSE.

PROPOSED ACQUISITION OF PROPERTY AND VALUE. 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.

THANK YOU. STACY. AT THIS TIME I'LL OPEN UP PUBLIC COMMENT FOR CLOSED ITEM.

SEEING NOBODY THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD FOR CLOSED SESSION ITEMS IS NOW CLOSED.

WE WILL NOW ADJOURN INTO CLOSED SESSION. GOOD MORNING AND WELCOME BACK TO THE

[10:00 A.M. – REGULAR MEETING]

THIS MORNING WE HAD CLOSED SESSION MEETING AND STAFF WAS GIVEN DIRECTION.

WE WILL NOW START WITH THE INVOCATION LED BY STACY COOLEY.

AND THEN SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA WILL LEAD US IN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE THERE FOLLOWING.

MORNING. PLEASE BOW YOUR HEADS AND YOUR HEARTS WITH ME THIS MORNING.

DEAR, GRACIOUS HEAVENLY FATHER, WE INVITE YOUR PRESENCE INTO THIS BOARDROOM TODAY AND ASK THAT YOU GRANT US FAVOR AND PROTECTION.

AS THIS BOARD CONSIDERS THE ITEMS ON TODAY'S AGENDA, I ASK THAT YOU GIVE THEM WISDOM, GRACE, AND DISCERNMENT. I PRAY THAT YOU WOULD SILENCE THE NOISE OF THIS WORLD THAT ATTEMPTS TO DISTRACT FROM YOUR PURPOSES, AND GIVE THEM CLEAR DIRECTION, SO THAT THEY MAY WALK IN THE INTENTIONS SET OUT FOR THEM AS THEY SERVE OUR COMMUNITY.

I PRAY THAT YOU WOULD GRANT THEM STRATEGIES TO FIND COMMON GROUND, CREATIVE SOLUTIONS FOR OUR COMPLICATED ISSUES AND SUPPORT IN THE MOMENTS THEY NEED IT THE MOST. BLESS AND CARE FOR THEIR FAMILIES AND THEIR MARRIAGES.

WATCH OVER THEIR HOMES AND PROVIDE FOR THEIR EVERY NEED SO THAT THEY MAY SERVE US WELL.

IN A TIME WHEN WE SEE A NATION SO DIVIDED. I PRAY FOR YOUR GRACE TO HELP US SET ASIDE OUR DIFFERENCES AND WORK TOWARD THE COMMON GOOD.

I PRAY FOR UNITY AND FOR PEACE. FATHER, I ALSO ASK THAT YOU BLESS MERCED COUNTY.

PLEASE EQUIP EACH EMPLOYEE FOR THE ROLES THAT THEY ARE FILLING. HELP EACH ONE TO BE A GOOD STEWARD OF WHAT IS ENTRUSTED TO US.

HELP US TO LIVE WITH HONOR, INTEGRITY, COMPASSION AND HUMILITY.

MAY WE BE GRATEFUL FOR ALL THE BLESSINGS AFFORDED TO US TODAY.

I ASK A SPECIAL BLESSING OVER THOSE OPERATING THIS MEETING TODAY.

PLEASE GIVE THEM THE SKILLS AND RESOURCES TO BE EFFECTIVE AND SUCCESSFUL FOR THIS MEETING. THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT YOU DO IN US AND FOR US.

WE ASK THESE THINGS IN THE NAME OF JESUS. AMEN.

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

GOOD JOB. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU. IT IS NOW TIME FOR PUBLIC OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK

[PUBLIC COMMENT]

TESTIMONY IS LIMITED TO THREE MINUTES PER PERSON AND 30 MINUTES TOTAL.

AT THIS TIME, I'LL OPEN PUBLIC COMMENT AGAIN.

[00:05:02]

WE SERVICE A PORTION OF THE COUNTY, AND I'M JUST HERE THIS MORNING TO GIVE A QUICK UPDATE.

JUST REMIND YOU THAT LAST YEAR IN JULY, WE IMPLEMENTED RECYCLING AND ORGANICS COLLECTION FOR OUR PORTION OF THE COUNTY TO HELP THE COUNTY GET INTO COMPLIANCE WITH CALIFORNIA STATE SB 1383. AS A PART OF THAT AGREEMENT WE ALSO HAD A NEW PROGRAM, WHICH IS BULKY COLLECTION FROM RESIDENTIAL PROPERTIES THAT WAS DELAYED BY A YEAR.

THAT WAS SCHEDULED TO START IN JULY OF THIS YEAR.

I WANTED TO REMIND YOU ALL BECAUSE WE ARE ON TRACK TO GET THAT NEW SPECIALIZED TRUCK THIS SPRING.

SO THERE'S GOING TO BE COMMUNICATION GOING OUT TO THE RESIDENTS, AND STARTING IN JULY, THEY'LL BE ABLE TO CALL IN, MAKE AN APPOINTMENT AND THEN PUT, YOU KNOW, BULKY ITEMS LIKE MATTRESSES, FURNITURE, THINGS THAT DON'T FIT INTO THE CART CURBSIDE ON THAT DAY AND WILL COME PICK IT UP AND DISPOSE OF IT. SO THIS PROGRAM GENERALLY IS SUPPOSED TO BE VERY HELPFUL FOR REDUCING ILLEGAL DUMPING.

SO WE'RE REALLY EXCITED TO BRING THAT TO THE COUNTY.

WITH THAT, I JUST WANT TO ALSO SAY, PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS WHEN WHEN WE START ROLLING THIS OUT.

AND I WILL BE HAPPY TO HELP WITH THAT. GREAT.

LET ME JUST EMPHASIZE THAT, BECAUSE THAT'S GOING TO BE BIG FOR MERCED COUNTY.

AND I APPRECIATE YOU GUYS DOING THAT. SO THAT ISN'T ON A NORMAL PICKUP DAY.

THEY MAKE A REQUEST. YES. AND IT WILL BE SCHEDULED FOR THE PICKUP.

YES. SO ONCE PER YEAR FOR FREE, RESIDENTS CAN SCHEDULE IT FOR THEIR HOME.

YEAH. VERY GOOD. I JUST WANT TO EMPHASIZE THAT.

SO THANK YOU. IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE. ACTUALLY YOU'RE ON THE AGENDA. YEAH. YOU'LL DO THAT AGENDA ITEM WHENEVER.

WELL YEAH. BECAUSE HE WANT YOU WANT TO DO IT FOR CASTLE.

RIGHT. PERFECT. SO WE'LL WAIT. I'LL LET YOU KNOW WHEN YOU CAN DO IT.

WITH THAT, THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD IS NOW CLOSED FOR NON AGENDA ITEMS.

[PRESENTATION]

I WILL NOW TURN THE MIC OVER TO OUR COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR, MARK MIMMS. THE TIMER IS GOING TO. TRY NOT TO BE TOO LONG, BUT 15 SECONDS MIGHT BE A LITTLE QUICK.

GOOD MORNING, MR. CHAIRMAN. MEMBERS OF THE BOARD. MY NAME IS MARK MIMMS. I'M THE DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. AND AS I BRING UP A GROUP THROUGHOUT THIS PRESENTATION, VERY EXCITED TO BE HERE TO PRESENT TO THE BOARD OF ALL THE GOOD THAT HAPPENED OUT AT CASTLE OVER LAST, OVER LAST YEAR OF 2025 AND INTO WHAT'S GOING TO BE KIND OF SOME OF THE THINGS ON THE HORIZON FOR 2026.

SO VERY EXCITED TO GIVE THIS UPDATE FOR YOU ALL TODAY.

JUST A QUICK OVERVIEW OF OF WHERE THIS PRESENTATION WILL GO.

WE'LL KIND OF GO BACK IN TIME TO PRESENT TO I'LL TALK ABOUT WHERE CASTLE HAS STARTED TO WHERE WE'RE AT TODAY.

WE ARE FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO HAVE TRANSPORTATION RESEARCH CENTER, PATRIOT RAIL, KT AERO AND CAL FIRE ALL HERE TO SPEAK ABOUT ALL THE STUFF THEY ARE DOING AND GOING TO BE DOING IN THE FUTURE. WE'RE VERY EXCITED THAT THEY ALL FLEW OUT HERE TO BE PART OF THIS PRESENTATION TO TALK ABOUT THE GREAT STUFF FROM 2025.

SO, AS I SAID, JUST TO GO BACK KIND OF IN A TIME FRAME OF WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO CASTLE BECAUSE A LOT HAS HAPPENED.

THIS, THE COUNTY HAS TAKEN A FORMER AIR FORCE BASE AND HAS TURNED IT INTO REALLY A GREAT PROJECT FOR THE COMMUNITY.

SO THE CASTLE AIR FORCE BASE WAS CLOSED IN 1996 THROUGH THE BRAC PROGRAM.

FROM 96 TO 2005 THERE WAS A JPA THAT TOOK OVER THE MANAGEMENT OF THE CASTLE.

THE JPA WAS FORMED. IT WAS PART OF MERCED COUNTY, THE CITY OF MERCED, AND THE CITY OF ATWATER.

THAT DID NOT WORK OUT WELL. AS THE TWO CITIES STARTED PULLING OUT IN 2006, MERCED COUNTY TOOK ASSUMED OWNERSHIP OF CASTLE.

DURING THE TIME OF THE JPA INTO THE COUNTY, THERE WAS A, WE WERE LEFT WITH A VACANT A LOT OF VACANT BUILDINGS.

WHEN THE AIR FORCE LEFT, THEY JUST PICKED UP AND LEFT, AND SO WE WERE TRYING TO SCRAMBLE TO MAKE SURE CASTLE DID NOT GET LOST.

AND SO WE FILLED JUST FILLED SPACE WITH WHATEVER WE NEEDED.

[00:10:04]

THIS WASN'T THE WAY CASTLE WOULD BE SUCCESSFUL.

SO AT THAT TIME THE COUNTY STARTED CREATING A VISION.

WHAT DID THE BOARD WANT TO SEE WITH EXISTING ASSETS? WHAT WE HAD ON AT CASTLE ALREADY? HOW COULD WE BECOME A PLAYER IN THE WORLD OF AUTOMOTIVE, AUTOMOTIVE, RAIL AND JUST TRANSPORTATION? SO IN 2013 TO 2015, WE CREATED THE COUNTY, CREATED A VISION AT THIS TIME TO CASTLE IS WAS CREATED IN THE BEGINNING WHEN THE COUNTY TOOK OVER AS AN ENTERPRISE FUND.

THIS IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE WHAT IS MADE OUT OF CASTLE STAYS AT A CASTLE.

WE DON'T TAKE GENERAL FUND DOLLARS OUT OF CASTLE.

SO CASTLE IS SELF-SUFFICIENT. AND OVER THE YEARS, THROUGH JUST THROUGH THE PROGRESS WE HAVE MADE, WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO MAKE THAT A VERY SUCCESSFUL.

IN 2013 THROUGH TO 2015 PERIOD, WAYMO FOUND CASTLE AND OPENED UP THEIR PROPRIETARY TEST SITE.

IN 2019 WE HAD ASSETS STARTING TO OPEN THAT WERE FOCUSED ON ENTERTAINMENT OR BREWERY AND THE TARMAC, WHICH CREATED A LOT OF INTEREST AND A LOT OF THE PUBLIC COMING TO TO CASTLE TO HAVE HAVE A DRINK OR HAVE A TIME, A GOOD TIME ON THE WEEKENDS, SOMETHING THAT WAS LACKING FOR US.

CONCERTS STARTED COMING UP WITH THE TARMAC. IN 2022 AND WE'LL GET INTO MORE DETAILS, TRC CALIFORNIA AND PATRIOT RAIL BECAME OPERATIONAL IN 23, THE COUNTY WAS SUCCESSFUL AND WAS AWARDED THE PORT FREIGHT AND INFRASTRUCTURE PROGRAM GRANT THROUGH THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA FOR $49.6 MILLION IN 24 PATRIOT RAIL FINISHED CONSTRUCTION OF THE DOCK, WHICH IS A HUGE WHICH IS A HUGE SIGNIFICANT MOMENT BECAUSE THAT WAS THE CREATION AND THE START OF WHAT WILL BECOME THE INLAND PORT. IN 25 BUILD OUT OF PROJECTS CONTINUED, AND CASTLE AIRPORT IS BECOMING THE FOCUS OF WHAT OF.

FOR GROWTH OF CASTLE AND IN 26 WE WILL TALK ABOUT THAT AT THE END OF THE IN A PRESENTATION, BUT WORKNET HAS PROJECTS COMING, CAL FIRE HAS A LARGE PROJECT COMING, SO WE'RE VERY EXCITED.

I NOW WOULD LIKE TO TURN IT OVER TO BRETT ROUBINEK, PRESIDENT AND CEO OF TRC.

AND AS HE'S WALKING UP IN 2021, THE THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS REALIZED WE WERE RUNNING AN AUTONOMOUS VEHICLE TESTING FACILITY.

BUT THAT IS NOT WHAT WE DO. THE BOARD IS VERY CLEAR.

WE KNOW WHAT WE DO, AND RUNNING A TEST FACILITY FOR VEHICLES IS NOT WHAT WE DO.

SO WE NEED TO FIND THE PROFESSIONALS. A STAFF AND THE BOARD AND THE COUNTY WENT OUT TO A PROCUREMENT THAT TURNED OUT TO BE A GLOBAL PROCUREMENT.

WE HAD COMPANIES INTERESTED IN RUNNING THE AUTONOMOUS VEHICLE AT CASTLE GROUPS FROM ASIA, GERMANY, SPAIN AND THE US. THROUGH THE EXHAUSTIVE PROCUREMENT, THE COUNTY CHOSE TRC, WHO IS A LEADING EXPERT IN AUTOMOTIVE TESTING, AND NOW I'LL PASS IT OVER TO BRETT WHO WILL TALK MORE IN DEPTH OF TRC.

GOOD MORNING, MR. CHAIRMAN AND FELLOW BOARD MEMBERS.

THANKS FOR HAVING US HERE TODAY TO REALLY TALK ABOUT WHAT 5 YEARS AGO WAS THE BIRTH OF TRC CALIFORNIA.

MY NAME IS BRETT ROUBINEK. AS MARK SAID, I'M PRESIDENT AND CEO OF TRANSPORTATION RESEARCH CENTER INCORPORATED.

WE ARE A 50 YEAR OLD MOBILITY COMPANY FOCUSED ON THE THE TECHNOLOGIES OF TOMORROW AND HAVE WORKED ON TECHNOLOGIES.

YOU'VE ALL USED THEM. SEATBELTS, ABS, BACKUP CAMERAS.

ANYTIME YOU GET IN YOUR VEHICLE, YOU'RE ACTUALLY TOUCHING TRC.

AND WE'RE THANKFUL FOR THE POSITION THAT WE HOLD IN THE UNITED STATES.

AS I SAID, WE'RE AN ENGINEERING RESEARCH, VALIDATION, AND TESTING PARTNER TO THE WORLD'S LEADERS AND INNOVATORS IN MOBILITY, INDUSTRY LEADERS AND GOVERNMENT AGENCIES ALIKE.

WORK WITH TRC AND THEY TRUST US AROUND AUTOMATION AND CONNECTIVITY, ALTERNATIVE FUELS INCLUDING ELECTRIFICATION, AS WELL AS HYDROGEN SAFETY, EFFICIENCY, DURABILITY, SIMULATION, AS WELL AS DYNAMIC PERFORMANCE.

THIS WORK SPANS ALL MOBILITY, GROUND AIR AND IS AT THE CORE OF OUR MISSION FROM 50 YEARS AGO.

AS TRC CALIFORNIA APPROACHES ITS 5TH ANNIVERSARY, WE'RE GRATEFUL FOR THE FORWARD THINKING LEADERSHIP OF MERCED COUNTY, CEMENTING CASTLE'S PLACE AND LEGACY AS A MOBILITY CENTER.

AS I MENTIONED, 5 YEARS IN IN THE MAKING, WE'VE CONDUCTED ALMOST 78,000 HOURS OF TESTING ON OUR 225 ACRE SWATH OF CASTLE. BY YEAR 2, WE WERE ABLE TO FULFILL UTILIZATION OF THE CURRENT FOOTPRINT, DEVELOP SUSTAINED CLIENT DEMAND,

[00:15:01]

THIS INNOVATION DRIVEN TESTING IS EXACTLY WHAT TRC HAS BEEN DOING FOR OVER 5 DECADES NOW.

FROM OUR FOUNDING, TRC'S VISION HAS INCLUDED BEING AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DRIVER FOR ALL OF OUR PARTNERS.

A MODEL THAT'S HELPED ATTRACT A MAJOR OEM AND THE COMPLETE SUPPLY CHAIN TO OUR HEADQUARTERS IN OHIO.

THAT SAME COMMITMENT EXTENDS FROM TRC CALIFORNIA TO THE FOLKS OF MERCED COUNTY AND THE SURROUNDING AREA.

AS YOU CAN SEE, WE'VE DEVELOPED 198 JOBS SUPPORTED IN THE COUNTY ITSELF AND 347 JOBS STATEWIDE.

ALL OF THIS CAME FROM A $6.5 MILLION GRANT FROM CALSTA, AND HAS AN ECONOMIC MULTIPLIER OVER 6 TIMES.

SO THIS LAST ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT REPORT THAT WE DID $43.9 MILLION IN ECONOMIC IMPACT TO THE COUNTY IN EXCESS, ALMOST ACTUALLY 72 MILLION TO THE STATE. IMPORTANTLY, THESE FIGURES DO NOT INCLUDE THE CLIENTS THAT ARE AT TRC CALIFORNIA ON A DAILY BASIS. THOSE ARE THE INNOVATORS IN THE INDUSTRY BECAUSE OF OUR CONFIDENTIALITY AGREEMENTS WITH THEM AS WE DO THEIR WORK.

WE'RE NOT ABLE TO TO INCLUDE INFORMATION LIKE THAT AS WELL AS EVEN MENTION THEIR NAMES.

IN OVERVIEW, WE'VE ADDED ABOUT 124 EMPLOYEES, WITH ADDITIONAL JOBS STILL BEING HIRED.

APPROXIMATELY AN ADDITIONAL $6.1 MILLION OF INVESTED MONEY BY TRC AND OUR CLIENTS.

WE'VE DEVELOPED NEW TESTING FEATURES, INCLUDING AN URBAN EXPANSION AREA, A 30 FOOT HIGH HILL, LOOKS LIKE A MOUNTAIN, AND DEVELOPED AN INSTALLED CHARGING INFRASTRUCTURE ACROSS THE PROPERTY.

WE'RE HAPPY TO SUPPORT COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, AND YOU CAN SEE THE LIST OF THOSE EFFORTS ON THE SCREEN AND LOOK FORWARD TO BEING A PARTNER LONG, LONG INTO THE FUTURE. CASTLE'S ORIGINAL MISSION WAS AS A TRAINING FIELD, AND IT SUPPORTED NATIONAL PRIORITIES.

TODAY, THE LEGACY CONTINUES. IT REMAINS A TRAINING AND PROVING GROUND, AND IT'S FOCUSED ON THE FUTURE OF MOBILITY AS ADVANCED AIR MOBILITY AND ADVANCED GROUND MOBILITY CONVERGE. CASTLE HAS A UNIQUE ADVANTAGE EXISTING INFRASTRUCTURE SCALE, OPERATIONAL EXPERIENCE AND A PROVEN RESEARCH AND TESTING PARTNER IN TRC.

WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO CONTINUING TO WORK WITH YOU, THE THE THE FOLKS THAT LIVE IN THE SURROUNDING AREA, WHO ARE THE ONES WHO COME TO WORK FOR FOR US ON A DAILY BASIS AND BEING A PARTNER LONG INTO THE FUTURE.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. DURING THE VISION THAT THE BOARD CAME UP WITH, OF WHAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO SEE AT CASTLE, WE HAD AN EXISTING 1 MILE SPUR FROM THE RAILROAD THAT CONNECTED TO THE BNSF MAIN LINE.

IT WAS VERY CLEAR FROM THIS BOARD THAT THERE WAS A FOCUS ON GETTING TRUCKS OFF AND VEHICLES OFF OF THE HIGHWAY.

HIGHWAY 99 AND OFF THE ROADS AND SHIP PRODUCTS THROUGHOUT THE STATE, IN THE WORLD, THROUGH THE PORTS FROM RAIL.

I WOULD LIKE TO NOW WELCOME UP ROB THRALL, SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT OF PATRIOT RAIL.

PATRIOT RAIL CAME TO THE COUNTY FINDING WHAT WE'RE DOING OUT HERE, AND THEY HAVE BEEN A GREAT PARTNER IN GROWING WHAT IS OUR RAIL LINE TODAY AND HELPING US GROW, WHICH WHICH WILL BE THE PORT FREIGHT AND INFRASTRUCTURE PROGRAM AND THE INLAND PORT RAIL, I WOULD LIKE TO ALSO SAY, IS ALSO THE 3RD LARGEST SHORT LINE IN THE UNITED STATES SERVING MERCED COUNTY.

THANK YOU MARK. GOOD MORNING, CHAIRMAN MCDANIEL.

SUPERVISORS APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO DISCUSS OUR PARTNERSHIP OUT OF CASTLE.

FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT DON'T KNOW ME, I'M ROB THRALL, SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT OF BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT FOR PATRIOT RAIL.

PATRIOT RAIL IS THE PARENT COMPANY TO MERCED COUNTY VALLEY RAILROAD, AND THEY OPERATE OUT OF CASTLE.

SO WANT TO GO THROUGH REAL QUICK OF WHO PATRIOT RAIL IS.

WE'RE THE 3RD LARGEST SHORT LINE IN THE NATION. AS MARK SAID, WE WERE ONE OF THE FASTEST GROWING SHORT LINES, AND WE OPERATE ABOUT JUST OVER 30 RAILROADS WITH ABOUT 213 EMPLOYEES, ALONG WITH HOW COME THAT SWITCHING BACK AND FORTH HERE.

I DIDN'T TOUCH IT. SORRY ABOUT THAT. WITH ABOUT 1300 MILES OF TRACK.

SO YOU CAN SEE WE'RE ALL OVER THE NATION, AND WE HAVE TRANSLATORS AS WELL THAT WE OPERATE.

SO I WANT TO GO THROUGH A QUICK TIMELINE OF HOW WE GOT STARTED.

WE HAD A CUSTOMER CALLED MORNINGSTAR, ONE OF BIGGER EMPLOYEES IN MERCED COUNTY.

[00:20:03]

I MEAN, THAT THAT PLACE OUT THERE SHOULD BE SOMETHING SPECIAL.

AND I WANT TO GIVE A SPECIAL THANKS TO CHAIRMAN MCDANIELS.

SUPERVISOR PAREIRA. I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO MARK HENDRICKSON AND MARK MIMMS. YOU GUYS REALLY GAVE US, YOU KNOW, THE VISION OF WHAT YOU WERE LOOKING FOR OUT THERE AT CASTLE, ALONG WITH THE GUIDANCE OF WHAT WE NEEDED TO DO TO BE, YOU KNOW, THE PARTNER THAT YOU WERE LOOKING FOR.

SO THANK YOU FOR THAT. IN 2022, WE WORKED TO SECURE AN OPERATING AGREEMENT.

AND THEN LATER IN THE YEAR, WE PURCHASED THE REL.

IN 2023, WE HAD 2 MAJOR MILESTONES THAT WE ACHIEVED.

THE 1ST BEING WE TRIPLED THE BUSINESS FROM 2022 WHEN WE STARTED TO 2023 OUT THERE, WE LISTENED TO OUR CUSTOMER.

WE ASKED THEM WHAT THEY WANTED. WE PROVIDED THAT SERVICE AND TRIPLED THEIR BUSINESS IN 2023.

WE ALSO WORKED WITH THE COUNTY. I DON'T KNOW WHY IT'S DOING THAT.

I'M NOT TOUCHING IT. SO IN 2023, WORK WITH THE COUNTY TO SUBMIT A GRANT PROPOSAL AND THE COUNTY WAS AWARDED $49.6 MILLION. THAT IS A GAME CHANGER.

HATS OFF TO THE SUPERVISOR AND THE MERCED TEAM THAT PUT THAT TOGETHER.

THAT IS GOING TO CHANGE THE TRANSPORTATION IN MERCED COUNTY.

I KNOW YOU GUYS HEARD SOME OF THE THINGS THAT THE PORT OF LA, THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, JEAN SEROKA, WAS TALKING ABOUT AT THE THIS INLAND PORT AND HOW IT'S GOING TO SUPPORT ALL THE PORTS IN CALIFORNIA, ALONG WITH, YOU KNOW, THE PORT OF LA, WHAT IT'S GOING TO DO FOR THE CENTRAL VALLEY GROWERS AND ALSO, YOU KNOW, THE NATION AS A WHOLE. I MEAN, THIS IS GOING TO REALLY HELP TRANSPORTATION AND FOCUS ON GREEN ENERGY AS WELL.

SO WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT THAT. I'LL TALK MORE ABOUT THAT LATER IN THE PRESENTATION.

ANOTHER THING THAT HAPPENED IN AFTER 2023 AND 2024, PATRIOT WAS LOOKING FOR PROPERTY OUT AT CASTLE AND WE WE DECIDED TO PURCHASE HYDRO. I'M GOING TO EXPLAIN WHO HYDRO IS. I'M GOING TO FLIP AHEAD REAL QUICK. BUT HYDRO IS A LOGISTICS COMPANY THAT BASICALLY HAS INDOOR WAREHOUSING, OUTDOOR LAYDOWN SPACE. THEY HAVE TRUCKING FOR ON TIME DELIVERY TO OUR CUSTOMERS AND THEY DO TRUCK TO RAIL, RAIL TO TRUCK TRANSLOAD. SO ANYTHING YOU TOUCH, THEY HANDLE.

AND THEY WERE A BIG PART OF OUR GROWTH OUT THERE.

ACTUALLY, WHEN WE PURCHASED THEM, IT WAS ABOUT 17 ACRES THAT COME WITH THAT PURCHASE THAT WAS OUT AT CASTLE.

THAT HELPED US DEVELOP SOME OF THIS OUT. SO AS YOU CAN SEE ON THE MAP HERE, THIS IS THE 16 ACRES THAT I WANT TO FLIP BACK REAL QUICK TO THIS TIMELINE. IN 2025, THERE WAS ANOTHER ACHIEVEMENT THAT WE ACCOMPLISHED AS WELL.

WE WERE ONLY GETTING 1 TO 2 DAY A WEEK SERVICE FROM THE BNSF, AND THAT WAS VERY CHALLENGING FOR A CUSTOMER.

SO WE SAT DOWN WITH OUR PARTNERS THAT WE INTERCHANGE WITH AND WE SAID, WE NEED MORE SERVICE.

WE GOT TO GET THE CUSTOMER'S PRODUCT TO THEIR CUSTOMERS QUICKER AND MORE EFFICIENT.

WHAT THAT DID IS A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT ALLOWED OUR CUSTOMERS TO GET THEIR PRODUCTS TO THEIR CUSTOMERS.

IT ALSO TURNED OUR EQUIPMENT LOT QUICKER, WHICH REDUCED OUR COST AND DWELL FROM WHAT WAS GOING ON WITH THE EQUIPMENT.

ANOTHER THING IT DID WAS ADDED REVENUE AND VOLUMES TO THE BNSF, WHICH WAS A WIN WIN FOR EVERYONE.

OKAY, SO AS YOU CAN SEE THE MAP HERE, THIS IS THE 16.8 ACRES THAT WAS PART OF AN OLD FUELING FACILITY FOR THE MILITARY BASE.

AND THE PART AT THE TOP WAS BASICALLY WHERE WE STARTED OUT WITH MORNING STAR'S TOMATO PASTE BINS, AND WE'VE DEVELOPED A DOCK. WE SPENT MILLIONS OF DOLLARS OUT HERE AT CASTLE.

WE'VE ACTUALLY BUILT TRACK FOR INTERCHANGE. WE BUILT A SPUR INTO THIS FACILITY.

WE PUT IN DOCK SPACE TO BE ABLE TO. I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON HERE.

ACCOMMODATE THE THE TRANSLOADING THAT WE NEED TO DO FOR OUR CUSTOMER.

AND IN DOING SO, YOU CAN SEE ON THE BOTTOM PART OF THAT PICTURE WHERE THE FUELING CONTAINMENT AREAS WERE.

AND IF YOU LOOK DOWN THAT ROAD ON BOTH THE TOP PICTURE THERE, ON BOTH SIDES OF THERE, THAT WAS THE CONTAINMENT AS FAR AS YOU CAN SEE ON THE BOTTOM PICTURE, YOU CAN SEE IT WAS ABOUT A 10 TO 12 FOOT TALL CONTAINMENT AREA.

THAT'S WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE TO AFTER THE DEMOLITION OF THE THE PROJECT.

WE CLEANED THAT UP. NOW IT'S READY FOR BUSINESS.

WE HAVE SINCE THEN GOT A NEW CUSTOMER CALLED GOOD PACK ALONG WITH MORNINGSTAR.

WHAT WE'VE DONE WITH THE GOOD PACK IS WE PUT A DOCK TOGETHER, AND I DON'T KNOW WHY IT'S DOING THAT.

I'M NOT TOUCHING IT. AND IN DOING SO, THIS DOCK ALLOWS US TO BASICALLY TAKE THE CENTRAL VALLEYS FOOD PRODUCTS AND SHIP IT ALL OVER THE NATION. SO WE'VE WE'VE GROWN A LOT OUT HERE WITH NOT ONLY CARLOADS, BUT NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES THAT WE EMPLOY WITH GOOD PAYING

[00:25:04]

SO THE FUTURE DEVELOPMENT OF WHAT WE'RE DOING OUT HERE IS THE GRANT AND THE GRANT.

THE $49.6 MILLION IS GOING TO BE A BIG PART OF OF THE FUTURE AND HOW WE'RE WORKING TOWARDS A COMMON GOAL WITH THE COUNTY.

IF YOU LOOK AT THE 203 ACRES, IT'S THE TOTAL OUTLINE OF THE COLOR THERE AS PART OF THE 1912 ACRE TOTAL.

CASTLE, THE 203 ACRES, WE HAVE 3 SECTIONS WE'RE WORKING ON.

THE YELLOW PART OF IT IS AN OUTDOOR LAYDOWN SPACE WHERE THE EXIT IS THERE FOR POTENTIAL CONTAINERS COMING OUT OF THE PORT OF LA, PORT OF LONG BEACH, EVEN THE PORT OF OAKLAND TO TAKE TRUCKS OFF THE ROAD, BRING IN AND TRANSLOAD AND GET THE CONTAINERS BACK QUICKER.

WE HAVE EXPERIENCE AT DOING THIS. WE'VE DONE IT WITH THE BNSF ON OUR SALT LAKE, GARFIELD AND WESTERN RAILROAD.

SO WE'RE WORKING TOWARDS THAT. AND WE HAVE THE BLUE PART OF IT WITH THE 4 X'S THERE.

THOSE WOULD REPRESENT WAREHOUSING. AND WHAT THE GRANT DOES IS YOU CAN SEE THE RED IS THE CURRENT RAIL INFRASTRUCTURE.

THE GREEN WILL BE THE NEW INFRASTRUCTURE THAT WE BUILD OUT FOR TRACK.

AND ON TH XS, THAT'S THE 700,000FT² OF PROJECTED WAREHOUSE THAT GRANT WILL BUILD OUT.

BASICALLY LEVELING THE AREA, BUILDING THE TRACK, RUNNING UTILITIES, BUILDING OR BRINGING IN ROADS AND WATER CONTAINMENT.

WE'RE NOT GOING TO BUILD THE WAREHOUSES. WE'RE GOING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DON'T MESS THAT UP BY BUILDING SOMETHING THAT MAY HAVE TOO SMALL OF A CEILING.

WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE GET THE RIGHT CUSTOMERS IN THERE TO TELL US WHAT THEY NEED FOR DESIGNS, AND WE'LL WORK WITH THE COUNTY ON THAT AND LOCATE THE RIGHT PEOPLE. SO WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT THIS. THIS THIS IS THE FUTURE OF WHAT'S HAPPENING OUT THERE.

WE'RE COMMITTED TO HELPING THIS PROJECT BE COMPLETED BY THE COUNTY AND SUPPORTING THE COUNTY.

SO I WANT TO THANK YOU GUYS FOR YOUR EFFORTS AND SUPPORT THAT YOU HAVE GIVEN PATRIOT IN YOUR TIME TODAY.

THANK YOU. ANOTHER AREA OF FOCUS FOR THIS BOARD IS THE AIRPORT. AS WE ALL KNOW, THE CASTLE AIRPORT IS THE FOURTH OR 5TH LONGEST RUNWAY ON THE WESTERN UNITED STATES, DEPENDING ON WHO'S COUNTING. THE RECENTLY KATY AERO HAS TAKEN OVER THE FIXED BASE OPERATOR AND FUELING SERVICES AT CASTLE WITH LOWER FUEL COSTS AND STRONG CUSTOMER SERVICE.

WE HAVE ALREADY SEEN AN INCREASE IN ACTIVITY AT THE AIRPORT AND INTEREST COMING IN FROM MULTIPLE LARGE GROUPS FOR EVENTS.

I WOULD NOW LIKE TO WELCOME DIEGO DURAN, CO-OWNER OF KT AERO, TO DISCUSS WHAT THEY ARE WORKING ON.

THANK YOU. MARC. GOOD MORNING MR. CHAIRMAN AND BOARD THANKS FOR YOUR TIME.

THERE IS A BUTTON TO THE LEFT THAT'LL ON THE ON THE PODIUM ITSELF BY YOUR HIP DOWN.

OH, YOU CAN RAISE IT UP. I THINK IT'S AT ITS HIGHEST.

OH, OKAY. I'LL JUST HOLD IT RIGHT HERE. NO. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.

FIRST AND FOREMOST, I JUST WANTED TO STATE TO THE COMMUNITY HOW EXCITED WE ARE TO BE A PART OF MERCED COUNTY.

AND THE CASTLE. THE CASTLE AIRPORT. TO GIVE A BACKGROUND.

WE'RE WE'RE THE NEW FIXED BASE OPERATOR AT THE FIELD.

FOR ANYONE THAT'S WONDERING WHAT'S A FIXED BASE OPERATOR? IT'S A PERFECTLY REASONABLE QUESTION. FUN FACT, THERE ARE ABOUT 13,000 AIRPORTS PLUS IN THE US WITHOUT COMMERCIAL SERVICE.

SO GENERAL AVIATION AND BUSINESS AVIATION AND ETC.

DRIVES A LOT OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY THAT ISN'T NECESSARILY KNOWN ABOUT TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC.

BUT IT'S A VERY CRUCIAL PART OF THE ECOSYSTEM.

SO I JUST WANTED TO GIVE A HIGH LEVEL SUMMARY.

2025 HAS BEEN A FANTASTIC FIRST YEAR FOR THE AIRPORT AND FOR KT AERO.

SORRY ABOUT THAT. SO WE'VE HAD QUITE A BIT OF OPERATIONAL IMPROVEMENTS UPGRADES TO OUR FACILITIES, AND WE REALLY TOOK A LOOK AT OUR PRICING STRATEGY.

WE FEEL NOW THAT CASTLE IS POSITIONED AS A PROFESSIONAL ASSET TO THE COMMUNITY AND TO THE LARGER AVIATION COMMUNITY.

SO JUST A QUICK BACKGROUND ON US. I TOLD YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT FBOS ARE.

WE ARE A PROFESSIONAL FBO ORGANIZATION WITH FOUR LOCATIONS THROUGHOUT THE WESTERN UNITED STATES.

THE BIGGEST THING FOR US IS WE ARE VERY HANDS ON ACTIVE, AND ALL OF US COME FROM AVIATION IN ONE FORM OR ANOTHER.

SO PILOTS, MECHANICS FBO, LINE MANAGERS, ETC.

EVERYONE INVOLVED IN THE ORGANIZATION LOVES AVIATION AND HAS SEEN FIRSTHAND THE EFFECT THAT IT HAS ON LOCAL COMMUNITIES.

SO AT THE AIRPORT WE HAVE 4 TRAINED STAFF MEMBERS AND 3 FULL TIME LINE SERVICE TECHNICIANS SUPPORTING DAILY OPERATIONS.

[00:30:10]

SO THAT'S ACTIVE BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT EFFORTS, REACHING OUT TO FLIGHT DEPARTMENTS, REACHING OUT TO SQUADRONS, TRYING TO REALLY DRIVE VISIBILITY TO THE AIRPORT, TO MERCED COUNTY AND TOWARDS YEAH, TOWARDS TOWARDS CASTLE AIRPORT.

AND YOU KNOW, EACH PIECE OF TRANSIENT TRAFFIC EACH AIRPLANE THAT COMES IN IS NOT ONLY ECONOMIC STIMULUS TO THE AIRPORT, BUT TO THE COMMUNITY AS WELL. RIGHT? PEOPLE COME IN, THEY STOP IN, THEY GO OUT TO EAT.

THEY THEY, YOU KNOW, TAKE A CREW CAR, GO INTO TOWN.

AND WE, WE FEEL LIKE WE TRY TO DO THE LITTLE THINGS TO MAKE THE CUSTOMERS EXPERIENCE, YOU KNOW, MEMORABLE WHEN THEY COME TO CASTLE. SO THEY WANT TO COME BACK. AND THE MUSEUM HAS BEEN A BIG PART OF THAT, TOO.

SO JUST SOME QUICK NOTES. SO, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A STRONG CUSTOMER SERVICE PROGRAM THAT WE'VE TAILORED THROUGH, YOU KNOW, OUR EXPERIENCE AT OUR NOW 4 LOCATIONS.

WE'VE PUT IN ABOUT $250,000 WORTH OF RENOVATIONS AND IMPROVEMENTS TO NOT ONLY BEAUTIFY THE FIELD, BUT IMPROVE SAFETY AND OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCY.

WE WE PUT A 6 PERSON GOLF CART. SO THAT WAY IT'S EASIER FOR FOLKS TO GET TO THE MUSEUM.

THAT'S ACTUALLY WE FIND A BIG DRIVER. PEOPLE FLY IN LOTS OF AVIATION GEEKS KNOW IT FROM ALL OVER THE COUNTRY.

SO IT'S A BIG IT'S A BIG ATTRACTION AND A BIG DRIVER.

AND NOW THERE'S A VERY, YOU KNOW, ACCESSIBLE AND EASY WAY TO GET THERE BECAUSE IT'S A BIT OF A WALK.

FUEL PRICING. WE REALLY WHEN WE GOT IN THERE, WE TOOK A LOOK AT THE LOGIC BEHIND FUEL PRICING AND HOW IT WAS CURRENTLY BEING PRICED.

AND WE MADE SOME CHANGES PRETTY QUICKLY AND IMMEDIATELY NOTICED YOU KNOW, A DRASTIC EFFECT FOR THE POSITIVE.

SO, YOU KNOW, BASICALLY, YOU KNOW, AN IMMEDIATE RETURN ON AN INCREASE IN TRANSIENT AIRCRAFT AND TRANSIENT, BY THE WAY, JUST MEANS AIRCRAFT NOT BASED AT THE FIELD. IT MEANS PEOPLE THAT ARE FLYING IN FROM OTHER PARTS OF THE STATE OR THE COUNTRY BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, IF YOU KNOW ANY PILOTS IN YOUR LIFE THERE'S A THERE'S A JOKE THAT, YOU KNOW, PILOTS WILL WILL FLY AN EXTRA 50 MILES TO SAVE $0.20 EVEN THOUGH IT PROBABLY COSTS MORE TO GET THERE. BUT IT'S PILOTS ARE VERY VISIBLE TO PRICING ON APPS LIKE FOREFLIGHT AND AIRNAV AND STUFF LIKE THAT.

SO IT'S A, IT'S A BIG, BIG DIFFERENCE DRIVER.

SO WE TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT, YOU KNOW, LOCAL ECONOMIC IMPACT.

YOU KNOW, EVERY DOLLAR SPENT AT THE AIRPORT TRANSLATES TO DOLLAR SPENT IN THE COMMUNITY.

WE FOCUS ON COSTS, CLEANLINESS, OPERATIONAL DISCIPLINE.

AND YOU KNOW, I JUST KIND OF WANT TO RESTATE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE WE ARE HERE TO SUPPORT THE GROWTH OF CASTLE AND TO TO GROW WITH THE COMMUNITY LONG TERM. SO WE JUST REALLY APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE INVOLVED IN THIS COMMUNITY AND AND THE CASTLE AIRPORT.

SO GOING FORWARD YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A CLEAR PATH TOWARDS FUTURE GROWTH.

LOTS OF EXCITING THINGS IN THE WORKS FOR 2026 AND BEYOND.

AND YET WE FEEL THE AIR, THE AIRPORT'S STRONGER, CLEANER AND MORE COMPETITIVE THAN A YEAR AGO.

AND WE ARE JUST SO EXCITED TO SEE WHAT COMES, WHAT COMES NEXT.

SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.

YEARS AGO, THE LOCAL CAL FIRE TEAM STARTED THEIR OWN TRAINING FACILITY AS QUICKLY HAS GAINED A LOT OF MOMENTUM AND THE STATE IS NOW VERY EXCITED ABOUT WHAT IS HAPPENING OUT HERE AND IS INVESTING THEIR OWN FUNDS INTO CREATING THEIR OWN THEIR OWN TRAINING FACILITY, WHICH WE'RE VERY EXCITED ABOUT. I WOULD LIKE TO NOW WELCOME CHIEF CHRIS TRINIDAD TO DISCUSS EVERYTHING CAL FIRE IS DOING OUT OF CASTLE.

CAN YOU GUYS HEAR ME? OKAY. ALL RIGHT. GOOD MORNING.

CHAIRMAN. MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, CEO, HENDRICKSON COUNTY COUNCIL, CHRIS TRINIDAD.

I'M YOUR COUNTY FIRE CHIEF, AS WELL AS THE MADERA MARIPOSA MERCED UNIT CHIEF.

AND TODAY I'M GOING TO TALK ABOUT WHAT WE ARE DOING OUT AT CASTLE.

AND 1ST AND FOREMOST, THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT WE HAVE OUT THERE AND CONTINUED PARTNERSHIPS WITH THAT.

BEFORE I GET INTO ANY OF THE SLIDES AND START CLICKING, I KIND OF WANT TO PAINT A PICTURE OF WHAT CAL FIRE DOES, BECAUSE SOMETIMES IT'S A LITTLE CONFUSING SINCE WE'RE KIND OF MULTI-PRONGED.

SO THERE'S A STATE LEVEL COMPONENT THAT WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT TODAY. THERE'S A UNIT LEVEL COMPONENT WHICH ENCOMPASSES THREE COUNTIES AND TWO CITIES.

AND THEN THERE IS THE COUNTY LEVEL THAT WE'LL TALK ABOUT OUT THERE.

[00:35:02]

THERE'S ONE IN REDDING, 1 IN IONE, 1 IN ATWATER AND 1 IN RIVERSIDE.

OKAY. FOR MANY, MANY YEARS, OUR TRAINING CENTER IN IONE WAS THE HUB FOR CALFIRE COMPANY OFFICERS AND OUR FIREFIGHTER ACADEMY.

OKAY. THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE HAVE WENT THROUGH THAT TRAINING PROGRAM AND SO FORTH.

IT ONLY HAS SO MUCH CAPACITY. AND WHEN I TALK ABOUT CAPACITY, I'M TALKING ABOUT VOLUME.

VOLUME TRANSLATES INTO PEOPLE AND HOW MANY NUMBERS WE CAN PUSH OUT.

ATWATER TRAINING CENTER. WITH CASTLE'S GROWTH AND THE OPPORTUNITIES THERE HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED TO BECOME THAT NEW FACILITY IN THE FUTURE OF BEING ABLE TO MANAGE THAT VOLUME OF STUDENTS. OKAY. JUST TO KIND OF PUT INTO PERSPECTIVE, BETWEEN 2025 AND 2026, ENCOMPASSING COUNTY FIRES, TRAINING STUFF AS WELL, AND WE'LL TALK MORE ON THAT. BUT YOU'RE LOOKING AT 2300 STUDENTS GOING THROUGH EITHER MERCED COUNTY'S TRAINING FACILITY OR ATWATER TRAINING FACILITY.

OKAY. SO 2300 PEOPLE IMPACTING THE LOCAL COUNTY.

AND IF YOU LOOK ON THE SLIDE ON THE BOTTOM RIGHT CORNER, IT TALKS ABOUT A $50 MILLION INVESTMENT IN A CASTLE THAT'S IN TOTALITY.

THAT'S EVERYTHING THE STATE'S BRINGING, EVERYTHING THE COUNTY IS BRINGING.

THE UNIT IS BRINGING EVERYTHING THAT WE CAN PUT IN AS FAR AS INFRASTRUCTURE, BUILDINGS, PEOPLE SPENDING, SLEEPING, EATING, ETC. SO MANY, MANY THINGS THERE.

SO AT THE STATE LEVEL, CAL FIRE HAS IDENTIFIED THIS IS THE LOCATION THAT WE WANT TO TARGET TO GET OUR PEOPLE TO COME THROUGH AND TRAIN.

AND THERE'S LOTS OF ROOM FOR GROWTH AND WE'RE EXCITED FOR THAT.

OKAY, ON A UNIT LEVEL EVERYBODY'S FAMILIAR WITH THE PARACHUTE BUILDING OUT AT CASTLE, SO THEY'RE CURRENTLY DOING THE REMODEL WORK THERE NOW. AND FOR THE MADERA, MARIPOSA MERCED UNIT, WE'VE IDENTIFIED THAT WE WANT TO MAKE THAT OUR ADMINISTRATIVE 1 OF OUR SECOND HEADQUARTERS FACILITIES, INSTEAD OF IT BEING IN MARIPOSA. THE REASON FOR THAT IS RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION OF FOLKS.

SO WE FOUND OUT THAT WE WERE HAVING A LITTLE BIT OF A STRUGGLE OF RETAINING EMPLOYEES UP IN THE MOUNTAIN AREA.

IT'S KIND OF DIFFICULT TO GET TO AND FROM. SO WE HAD IDENTIFIED THIS BUILDING WITH THE COUNTY STAFF A FEW YEARS AGO, SAID THIS WOULD PROBABLY MEET OUR NEEDS. SO OUR GOAL IS TO HAVE ABOUT 30 TO 40 FULL TIME ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF WORK OUT OF THAT FACILITY.

AND THAT'S ON A 14 YEAR LEASE AGREEMENT THERE.

AND THERE'S THAT'S GOING TO BE A REALLY GOOD THING FOR A LOT OF THE FOLKS THAT COMMUTE.

WE HAVE SOME THAT COME FROM STOCKTON, FROM TURLOCK, ETC.

SO WE'RE HOPING THAT WE CAN HAVE MORE RETENTION BASE WITH THIS BEING A LITTLE BIT MORE LOCAL INTO THE COUNTY.

OKAY. THAT ADMIN BUILDING IS GOING TO SERVE ALL THREE OF OUR COUNTIES.

SO WE HAVE 5 COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS WITH CAL FIRE UNDER THE MADERA MARIPOSA MERCED UNIT.

WE HAVE A COUNTY AGREEMENT WITH EACH FOR FIRE PROTECTION SERVICES.

AND THEN WE HAVE TWO CITIES WITH ATWATER AND MADERA.

SO THAT'LL SERVE AS ADMINISTRATIVE HEADQUARTERS DOWN HERE IN THE VALLEY FOR THOSE.

THE NEXT ONE IS I WANT TO TALK ABOUT SPECIFICALLY IS MERCED COUNTY FIRE AND WHAT THEY'RE DOING OUT AT CASTLES.

YOU GUYS ALL KNOW YOU'VE HAD TOURS OUT THERE.

THAT COUNTY TRAINING GROUNDS HAS ALWAYS BEEN THERE FOR MANY, MANY YEARS, BUT IT'S GROWN TREMENDOUSLY.

RIGHT. CHIEF CHAPLIN THAT'S BEHIND ME IN THE ROOM WAS A BIG HAND IN THE GROWTH OF THAT AND SOME OF THE VISION AND WHAT IT LOOKED LIKE WITH THE SUPPORT OF THE COUNTY.

AND THAT FACILITY ALONE HAS HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE THAT COME THROUGH ITS TRAINING PROGRAM, WHETHER IT'S FIREFIGHTER ONE TRAINING, WHERE THEY GET, UP THERE. FIREFIGHTER 1 CERTIFICATE, OR IF IT'S THROUGH AN ISA, THROUGH 1 OF OUR COLLEGES, THROUGH MERCED COLLEGE OR FRESNO CITY. PEOPLE GO TO TRAINING THERE.

AND THEN THE PARTNERSHIPS THAT WE HAVE WITH THOSE COLLEGES GENERATES A REVENUE. RIGHT.

SO LIKE WITH MERCED CITY COLLEGE JUNIOR COLLEGE, EXCUSE ME? THAT REVENUE CAP IS ROUGHLY 250,000 ON WHAT WE CAN RECOUP IN ISAS.

AND THAT'S INSTRUCTIONAL SERVICE AGREEMENT WHERE WITH FRESNO CITIES, THE MORE NUMBERS WE PUT IN THERE, THERE'S CURRENTLY NO CEILING ON THE AMOUNT THAT WE CAN GET REIMBURSED FOR THROUGH THOSE ISAS.

SO COLLECTIVELY, ALL THE THINGS THAT CAL FIRE IS DOING, ALONG WITH COUNTY FIRE AND THE UNIT AT CASTLE IS BRINGING IN PLUS OR MINUS THIS $50 MILLION WORTH OF INVESTMENT AND ECONOMIC GROWTH IN THE CASTLE.

AND WE'RE EXCITED FOR THE OPPORTUNITY AND EXCITED FOR WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE IN THE FUTURE AS WE GROW.

I THINK I'VE HAD SOME SIDEBAR CONVERSATIONS, AND IF I WAS KING FOR A DAY WITH CAL FIRE AND I COULD MOVE AROUND AIRCRAFT IN THIS STATE, I'D BE MOVING OUR C-130 PROGRAM TO CASTLE, AND THAT'S STILL AN ONGOING CONVERSATION.

BUT WE HAVEN'T GROWN OUR FLEET STATEWIDE. SO IF I WAS TO TRY TO MOVE SOME AIRCRAFT SOMEWHERE WITH THE SUPPORT OF CHIEF VAN LOBIN CELLS, THAT MEANS SOMEBODY ELSE WOULD HAVE TO HAVE THEIR AIRCRAFT MOVED. SO IT IS A GOAL.

AND I THINK I TALKED ABOUT THAT WHEN I TOOK THIS POSITION.

I'VE STILL GOT ABOUT TEN YEARS TO WORK HERE IN MADERA, MARIPOSA, MERCED. AND THE GOAL IS TO START BRINGING AN AIR PROGRAM EVEN IF IT'S ROTOR WING

[00:40:05]

THANK YOU. AS WE CLOSE, I JUST I COULDN'T HELP BUT TALK ABOUT THE EVENTS THAT WE HAD OVER 2025.

AS YOU SEE ON THE SCREEN, THERE WERE MULTIPLE EVENTS FROM EVERYTHING FROM THE LIGHTS FESTIVAL TO HMONG CELEBRATIONS TO LUKE BRYAN CONCERT, THE LARGEST CONCERT TO HAPPEN IN MERCED COUNTY.

FROM MY UNDERSTANDING, WE HOSTED OVER 40,000 ATTENDEES JUST IN THESE EVENTS.

JUST LAST YEAR. THE CASTLE AIR FEST AND FAMILY FUN FEST FUN DAY IS AN EVENT THAT WAS 2ND YEAR IN SECOND YEAR RUNNING.

VERY EXCITED ABOUT IT. WHICH HIGHLIGHTS AVIATION, OUR HISTORY AS A MILITARY BASE AND BRINGS AIRCRAFT FROM ALL OVER TO CASTLE SHOWCASING WHAT WE HAVE. JUST THE LUKE BRYAN CONCERT HOTELS WERE SOLD OUT FOR 7 DAYS STRAIGHT FAST. 1 FAST FOOD RESTAURANT SHOWED A SAW A 30% INCREASE IN SALES JUST THAT 1 NIGHT.

SO THE ECONOMIC IMPACT IS HUGE FOR THE COUNTY.

OF ALL THE EVENTS THAT WE HAVE HOSTED OVER THE LAST YEAR, AND WE ARE HOPING TO HOST MORE AS 2026 IS UPON US TO TO FINISH OFF 20, THE OUTLOOK OF 2026, WE'RE VERY EXCITED AND THE FUTURE IS BRIGHT WITH CASTLE AND MID CONSTRUCTION WILL BEGIN CONSTRUCTION OF THEIR NEW ADMINISTRATION OFFICE AND WAREHOUSING OUT OF CASTLE. THIS WILL BE ONE OF OUR FIRST NEW BUILDINGS AS WELL, WITH VH AND GOLDEN VALLEY THAT HAVE STARTED CONSTRUCTION AS WELL.

WE HAVE STARTED SEEING A LOT OF INTEREST WITH TESTING FOR TESTING OF AUTONOMOUS PLANES.

AS WITH OUR FIRST ONE NOW HAVING A LEASE OUT OF CASTLE.

SO WE'RE SEEING THAT GROW WITH AUTONOMOUS PLANES TESTING.

FAA CONTINUES TO INVEST INTO THE AIRPORT AND ARE VERY SUPPORTIVE OF WHAT WE'RE DOING.

AS A RECENT CONVERSATION ABOUT TRC, THEY'RE VERY EXCITED ABOUT THAT, HOW WE'RE RUNNING WITH TRC, BECAUSE THAT IS HELPING INVEST INTO THE AIRPORT BY INVESTING IN OUR INFRASTRUCTURE.

WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO SEE CONSTRUCTION THROUGHOUT CASTLE, AND WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT WORKNET.

WORKNET SEES A HUGE FUTURE IN THE EMPLOYMENT OUT OF CASTLE, SO THEY ARE STARTING A JOB SEEKER BUSINESS SERVICE OUT OF CASTLE, WHERE BUSINESSES CAN WORK DIRECTLY IN AN OFFICE OUT FRONT OF CASTLE AND 1900 AIRDROME TO TO HOST JOB FAIRS, TO BRING PEOPLE IN FOR INTERVIEWS AND TO GROW THEIR THEIR BUSINESSES.

WE'RE VERY EXCITED ABOUT THE FUTURE AND WE JUST THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY. AND MYSELF WITH ALL THE SPEAKERS ARE HERE FOR ANY QUESTIONS BY THE BOARD.

THANK YOU. MARK. WE'LL GO AHEAD AND BRING IT BACK TO THE DAIS BEFORE WE OPEN UP TO THE PUBLIC FOR ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS FOR THE FROM THE PRESENTATION.

DO YOU WANT TO GO 1ST? NO, I'LL GO LAST. CHAIR RECOGNIZES SUPERVISOR PAREIRA.

YEAH. WELL SO 1ST I'D LIKE TO THANK SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL.

I GOT ON THE BOARD 9 YEARS AGO. HE HAD BEEN HERE FOR 2 YEARS, AND HE REALLY WAS WAS DRIVING THE CONVERSATION CASTLES IN HIS DISTRICT.

AND AND IT'S BEEN FUN. I'M ON THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE WITH HIM AND OR THE AD HOC COMMITTEE.

AND IT'S JUST BEEN FUN TO WATCH THIS ALL DEVELOP WHICH, YOU KNOW, IN GOVERNMENT, EVERYTHING SEEMS TO TAKE A LONG TIME.

BUT TO BE HONEST WITH YOU, IN, YOU KNOW, 10 SHORT YEARS, QUITE A BIT HAS HAPPENED.

SO 1ST I WANT TO SAY THAT AND THEN, YOU KNOW, THANK YOU TO TO STAFF AND AND MARK AND YOUR TEAM AND YOU KNOW, THE FOLKS THAT HAVE GONE BEFORE YOU JUST EXCITING TO SEE THIS ALL KIND OF COME TO FRUITION.

AND I'M GLAD WE TOOK TODAY TO KIND OF HONOR WHAT WE'VE DONE THIS PAST YEAR AND, AND THEN KIND OF CAST THE VISION FOR THE FUTURE.

SO I HAVE A QUESTION FOR BRETT, IF YOU WOULDN'T MIND COMING BACK UP 1 OF THE ONE OF THE QUESTIONS THAT WE GET FROM THE COMMUNITY IS ABOUT THE AIRPORT. AND, YOU KNOW, THAT WE'RE DOING THESE OTHER THINGS, BUT THE AIRPORT SHOULD BE THE KIND OF THE FOCAL POINT OUT THERE. AND WE'VE TRIED TO TO GET DEVELOPMENT ON THE AIRPORT ITSELF.

BUT YOU KIND OF MENTIONED SOMETHING YESTERDAY ABOUT MOBILITY.

SO COULD YOU JUST KIND OF SHARE THAT WITH, WITH THE FOLKS? THE GOOD QUESTION IS, AM I GOING TO BE ABLE TO REMEMBER THE EXACT WORDS FROM YESTERDAY, BUT.

WELL, NO, BUT THE, THE THE WORK THAT WE DO AND THE CLIENTS THAT WE WORK WITH.

GROUND IS BLENDING INTO AIR. AND EVENTUALLY, I BELIEVE, INTO SPACE.

AND WE HAVE AN OLD LINE AUTO MANUFACTURER AS A CLIENT.

AND RECENTLY THEY WENT OUT, LAUNCHED A ROCKET, DIDN'T TALK ABOUT IT BEFOREHAND, LAUNCHED A ROCKET.

IT WENT UP, IT CAME DOWN, AND THEY LANDED IT ON THE EXACT SPOT THAT THEY LAUNCHED IT FROM.

MY POINT IS JUST THE DIVERSITY OF PURSUITS IN THESE.

THEY'RE ALL TECHNOLOGY COMPANIES WHO HAPPEN TO MANUFACTURE SOMETHING.

[00:45:04]

AND, YOU KNOW, THIS COMPANY'S AN EXAMPLE, BUT WE ALSO SEE A LOT OF GROUND COMPANIES THAT NOW ARE EMPLOYING PEOPLE WHO ARE DEVELOPING ADVANCED AIR MOBILITY OF ONE FORM OR ANOTHER. YEAH. SO IT REALLY COMES COMES TOGETHER.

AND AS I MENTIONED, WE ARE WORKING WITH A VERY LARGE COMPANY WHO HAS A KIND OF SKUNKWORKS AND SPUN OUT AN ADVANCED AIR MOBILITY GROUP. AND SO WE'RE WORKING WITH THEM AND THERE'S MORE.

THERE'S MORE COMING. YEAH. OKAY. YEAH, I JUST THINK THE COMMUNITY WOULD LIKE TO KNOW THAT.

AND SO I APPRECIATE YOU SHARING WHAT YOU COULD.

OF COURSE. OF COURSE. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. THAT'S A NEW WORD FOR US.

ADVANCED AIR MOBILITY. WE'VE BEEN LEARNING A LOT EVER SINCE EVERYBODY'S BEEN COMING TO CASTLE.

BUT ADVANCED AIR MOBILITY IS A IS A GOOD ONE.

CHAIR RECOGNIZES THE SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. AND, YES, I ASKED THE QUESTION YESTERDAY IN LAYMAN'S TERMS, WHAT IS ADVANCED AIR MOBILITY? AND BASICALLY, LIKE, I THINK IT'S REALISTIC AND NOT MAYBE NOT EVERYBODY.

AND I DON'T MEAN THIS IN A BAD WAY, BUT IN MY LIFETIME, WHAT WE'LL SEE IS WE'LL BE SEEING JETSONS CARS FLYING AROUND.

THERE WILL BE HIGHWAYS IN THE SKY. I THINK IT'S IT'S THERE.

I KNOW IN MY DISTRICT THERE'S THERE'S STARTUP COMPANIES.

I'VE SEEN A PROTOTYPE OF ONE. THEY LOOK A LITTLE CLUNKY NOW, BUT JUST LIKE ANYTHING, THEY'RE GOING TO GET BETTER IN. SO JUST A COUPLE OF THINGS I WANT TO SHARE WITH YOU REALLY JUST THOUGHTS. AND IT'S YOU KNOW, WE INHERITED CASTLE.

FEDERAL GOVERNMENT SHUT THE AIRBASE DOWN. NOBODY REALLY KNEW WHAT TO DO WITH IT. IT WAS SUCH A BIG PART OF OUR COMMUNITY, A BIG PART OF ATWATER, ESPECIALLY.

AND THEN YOUR MAJOR EMPLOYER JUST LITERALLY ONE DAY SHUTS DOWN AND NOW YOU'RE LEFT PICKING UP THE PIECES.

AND I COMMEND MY COLLEAGUE SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL, WHO'S BEEN HERE THE LONGEST, BUT COLLEAGUES BEFORE HIM WHO INHERITED THIS.

AND AT SOME POINT IT SOUNDED YOU HEARD IN THE PRESENTATION, IT DIDN'T REALLY WORK OUT BECAUSE REALLY NOBODY KNEW WHAT THEY WERE DOING.

BUT THEN WHEN THE COUNTY INHERITED, THEY MADE INVESTMENTS.

AND I'VE BEEN FORTUNATE ENOUGH THAT MY TIME ON THIS BOARD SINCE 2019.

AND IF YOU LOOK BACK AT THAT TIMELINE, THE INVESTMENTS THAT THE COUNTY HAD MADE STARTED TO PAY OFF AND THOSE INVESTMENTS HAVE CONTINUED TO PAY OFF AND AND TO SUPERVISOR PAREIRA'S POINT, THEY TAKE TIME.

BUT WE'RE SEEING AND YOU'RE SEEING HOW, YOU KNOW, YOU TALK ABOUT PATRIOT RAIL AND YOU KNOW, MORNING STAR IS LISTEN, I'VE SAID IT BEFORE AND I'LL SAY IT UP HERE AGAIN.

THERE'S THEY OWN THREE TOMATO PROCESSING PLANTS.

2 OF THEM RESIDE IN MERCED COUNTY. THE OTHER 1 IS UP NORTH IN WOODLAND.

THAT'S THE NUMBER 1, 2 AND 3 LARGEST SINGLE TOMATO PROCESSING PLANTS IN THE WORLD.

IF YOU EAT KETCHUP, YOU HAVE A BETTER THAN 90% CHANCE THAT THE KETCHUP YOU'RE EATING CAME FROM MORNINGSTAR'S PACKING COMPANIES.

THEY NEEDED A WAY TO GET THEIR PRODUCT THAT SHIPS ALL OVER THE WORLD QUICKER, RIGHT? THEY HAD A RELATIONSHIP WITH PATRIOT UP IN SACRAMENTO FROM THEIR WOODLAND PLANT.

WANTED TO MIMIC THAT DOWN HERE. PATRIOT CAME IN.

IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY WHEN YOU HAVE ALMOND GROWERS WHERE 90% OF THEIR PRODUCT GOES OUTSIDE OF THIS COUNTRY, THEY NEED A PLACE. IT'S IT'S REALLY SIMPLE MATH.

THEY PUT IT ON A TRUCK, TAKE IT TO OAKLAND. THAT TRUCK MAKES 1 TRIP A DAY.

RIGHT NOW, THAT SAME TRUCK CAN MAKE 3 OR 4 TRIPS ACROSS THE COUNTY TO CASTLE.

THERE'S VALUE IN THAT, SO I KNOW IT'S NOT EASILY SEEN WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT THE THE AUTONOMOUS VEHICLE TESTING.

YOU DON'T GET TO SEE ANY OF IT. IT'S ALL BEHIND CURTAINS. WE'RE FORTUNATE ENOUGH THAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO TAKE TOURS. I MEAN, FOR ME, THE WAYMO CARS OUT OF CASTLE, YOU KNOW, I WROTE IN ONE DRIVERLESS CAR.

AND THE COOL PART IS I'VE BEEN SEEING THAT CAR FOR YEARS BECAUSE WHEN YOU'RE OUT AT CASTLE, THEY'RE ALL, YOU KNOW, THEY THOSE GUYS GO EAT LUNCH, TOO. AND SOMETIMES THEY HOP IN THE CAR AND GO HAVE TACOS AT THE FOOD COURT OVER THERE.

SO THERE'S REALLY BIG THINGS THAT ARE GOING ON HERE.

AND IT'S A TESTAMENT TO, TO THE COUNTY. AND YEAH, I KNOW THAT THERE'S NAYSAYERS OUT THERE.

YOU KNOW, I'M GOING TO GO BACK TO THE LUKE BRYAN CONCERT.

WHAT'S THE BIGGEST COMPLAINT YOU HEAR? WELL, WE NEVER HAVE ANYTHING TO DO. SO WE FINALLY GET SOMETHING TO DO. AND THEN THE NAYSAYERS TALK ABOUT HOW THERE WAS TRAFFIC. AND APPARENTLY NOBODY'S EVER BEEN TO A CONCERT BEFORE, BECAUSE I DON'T CARE.

WHERE DO YOU GO TO A CONCERT? WHAT DO YOU DO? YOU HURRY UP AND WAIT. YOU GET THERE. YOU WAIT IN LINES.

SO BUT ULTIMATELY, I THINK THAT IT'S COOL, COOL THINGS THAT WE'RE DOING HERE.

AND REALLY. AND THEN THE SELFISH PART OF ME SAYS IS NOW THAT CASTLE IS ON ITS WAY, NOW WE GET TO FOCUS ON THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FOR THE REST OF THE COUNTY, BECAUSE CASTLE IS A BIG COMPONENT OF MERCED COUNTY.

BUT THERE'S THINGS OUT IN THE WEST SIDE. THERE'S THINGS OUT IN THE PLANADA AND LE GRAND AREA. THEY'RE ALL OVER THE COUNTY THAT DESERVE THE SAME AMOUNT OF ATTENTION.

AND NOW THAT CASTLE'S KIND OF STANDING UP ON ITS IT'S GROWING UP.

IT'S IN ITS TEENAGE YEARS. IT'S NOT A TODDLER ANYMORE THAT WE'RE ABLE TO TAKE THAT EFFORTS THROUGH OUR COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT AND FOCUS THOSE AREAS.

AND THEN, QUITE HONESTLY, BACK TO JUST WHAT I SAID A SECOND AGO.

PAREIRA HAS DONE SOME MASSIVE EXPANSIONS OUT ON THE WEST SIDE.

[00:50:03]

I'M REALLY EXCITED ABOUT IT. I'M EXCITED ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITIES. AND THEY DO TAKE TIME, RIGHT.

AND SOMETIMES IT INVOLVES SOME CHANGE DOING THINGS, YOU KNOW, THE DEFINITION OF INSANITY IS DOING THE SAME THING OVER AND OVER AGAIN AND EXPECTING A DIFFERENT RESULT. AND NOBODY LIKES CHANGE.

I GET THAT IT'S NOT FUN, BUT SOMETIMES IT'S NECESSARY, AND I LIKE THE PATH THAT WE'RE ON, AND I HOPE THAT WE CONTINUE ON THAT PATH. AND WHEN I'M GONE FROM HERE, NOT UP HERE, I HOPE THAT THAT BOARDS THAT FOLLOW US DO THE SAME THING.

SO JUST REALLY A THANK YOU TO EVERYBODY. AND THEN JUST LASTLY, I'LL MENTION CAL FIRE.

I'VE BEEN TO I OWN CHIEF IS ABSOLUTELY CORRECT THEY ARE AT THEIR MAX THERE.

AND WHAT BETTER PLACE THAN, YOU KNOW LITERALLY IF YOU TAKE THE MAP OF CALIFORNIA AND YOU DISSECT IT NORTH AND SOUTH AND EAST AND WEST, YOU HIT MERCED COUNTY. IT MAKES IT AN OPPORTUNITY THAT DOESN'T JUST TRAIN OUR LOCAL FIREFIGHTERS, OUR LOCAL COMPANY OFFICERS, BUT YOU'RE PULLING PEOPLE FROM UP AND DOWN.

THE STATE IS THE CENTRAL LOCATION. AND THEN, YOU KNOW, THE LAST THING IS, IS IF YOU DON'T BELIEVE ME, JUST GO OUT THERE TO THE FOOD COURT WHERE YOU HAVE ALL THE DIFFERENT TACO TRUCKS AND DIFFERENT VENDORS OUT THERE.

YOU'LL YOU'LL THINK YOU'RE LIKE, LITERALLY AT A AT A BIG FIRE SOMEWHERE BECAUSE THEY EAT TOO.

THEY, THEY SPEND THEIR MONEY LOCALLY. AND SO IT'S AS CLOSE AS WE CAN GET IS TO A WIN WIN SITUATION AS THERE IS OUT THERE.

SO CONGRATULATIONS AND THANK YOU FOR THE UPDATE, BECAUSE I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE SHARE THIS WITH OUR RESIDENTS WHO DON'T ALWAYS GET TO GO OUT THERE AND SEE IT FIRSTHAND. THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE THAT.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU. CHAIR RECOGNIZES SUPERVISOR PEDROZO.

THANK YOU, MISTER CHAIR. SO YOU KNOW, CASTLE HAS HAD A LOT OF ITS GROWING PAINS, AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO RECOGNIZE THE FACT THAT WE'VE LEARNED FROM EACH OF THEM.

IN FACT, I'VE JUST PULLED UP RIGHT HERE. I ACTUALLY DID MY MASTER'S THESIS ON CASTLE AND A PROJECT.

A PROPOSED PROJECT, A WHILE AGO IN 2007, IF YOU REMEMBER THE RIVERSIDE MOTORSPORTS PROJECT AND ABOUT PUBLIC CONSULTATION AND WHAT ROLE GOVERNMENT AND PUBLIC HAS PLAYS A PART IN IT.

SO I'VE SEEN THE GROWING PAINS, AND I'M ONE THAT REMEMBERS WHEN CASTLE WAS ACTUAL AIR FORCE BASE, AND I THOUGHT IT WAS, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU HAD TO GO THROUGH SECURITY TO GET ON. AND I SEE THE DEVELOPMENT THAT'S GOING ON OUT THERE NOW, AND I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPRESSIVE. AND I JUST WANT TO SAY, YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT IT TAKES A LONG TIME.

AND LIKE MY COLLEAGUE SAID, GOVERNMENT IS THE SLOWEST THING SOMETIMES TO WORK WITH.

BUT I THINK THAT FROM WHERE WE WERE TO WHERE WE'RE AT NOW, I THINK IT'S REALLY BEEN HELPFUL AND I COMMEND THE COUNTY AND MR. MIMS AND THE BOARD, REALLY, FOR PUTTING US ON A PATH THAT'S, YOU KNOW, GOING TO MAKE THAT CASTLE VERY SUCCESSFUL.

SO I COMMEND SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL ON THE WORK THAT HE'S DONE.

SUPERVISOR PAREIRA ON THE WORK THAT HE'S DONE AND BEING ON THAT COMMITTEE AND REALLY THE BOARD IN GENERAL THAT HAS THE VISION, YOU KNOW, AS IT CONTINUED TO GROW, I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT, YOU KNOW, AS WE'RE WORKING TOWARDS MAKING THAT BUILD OUT MAKING SURE THAT IT ALL FITS TOGETHER AND WORKS FOR MERCED COUNTY, WHICH I THINK IS REALLY IMPORTANT.

SO THAT'S IT. THANK YOU. SUPERVISOR. OKAY. I JUST I CAN SAY FROM THE 1ST DAY THAT I, I WALKED INTO MY OFFICE AS A COUNTY SUPERVISOR MARK AND I HAD KNOWN EACH OTHER WAY BEFORE THAT TIME.

AND WE SAT DOWN AND I SAID, WHAT ARE WE DOING OUT AT CASTLE RIGHT NOW THAT IS SUCCESSFUL? BECAUSE THE APPROACHES BEFORE, WITH THE JPA AND EVERYTHING EVERYBODY WAS THROWING, IT WAS LIKE THEY WERE THROWING MUD AGAINST THE WALL TO SEE WHAT WOULD STICK.

AND THERE WAS NO REAL PLAN OR REAL DIRECTION.

AND THE FIRST THING FIRST CONVERSATION WE EVER HAD WAS, WHAT ARE WE DOING OUT THERE AND WHAT'S REALLY WORKING.

THAT WAS WAYMO. AND I SAID, THEY'RE ALREADY DOING IT.

LET'S BE THE BEST IN THE WORLD AT WHAT WE'RE CURRENTLY DOING.

AND THAT WAS THAT WAS OUR OUR GOAL FROM THAT, THAT POINT FORWARD.

AND WHAT WE DID IS WE SAW OPPORTUNITIES GROW FROM THERE.

LET'S UNDERSTAND, THE AIRFIELD HAD ALWAYS BEEN OUR FOCUS, AND WE ALWAYS WANTED TO GROW THE AIRFIELD.

AND IT WAS A STRUGGLE BECAUSE WE HAD ALL THESE GRAND IDEAS TO GROW THE AIRFIELD FOR EVERYTHING ELSE.

BUT EVERY STUDY WE DID AND EVERYBODY WE TALKED TO, THEY KEPT PUTTING UP BARRIERS.

BUT WE CONTINUE TO WORK TOWARDS IT. AND I THINK WE'RE FINDING OUR NICHE.

WE'RE FINDING OUR GROWTH WHERE WE'RE AT. AND THEN WHEN LLOYD CAME ON WE STARTED TALKING ABOUT OUR AG COMMUNITY, WAS COMPLAINING ABOUT TRUCKING, GETTING THEIR PRODUCTS INTO THE PORTS.

AND THEN WE REALLY STRATEGIZED. WE SAT THERE ALL OUR MEETINGS.

[00:55:01]

WELL, HOW CAN AND WE CONTINUE TO DO IT OURSELVES.

WE HAD SOME HELP FROM CONSULTANTS AND WE JUST KEPT EXPLORING THE OPTION, AND WE KEPT ADVERTISING AND KEPT PUTTING IT IN THE TRADE JOURNALS THAT WE HAVE THIS PLACE. AND THEN WHEN HYDRA REACHED OUT TO US, WE WERE LIKE, WELL, WHERE HAVE YOU GUYS BEEN? WE'VE BEEN HERE, WE'VE BEEN LOOKING FOR YOU. AND IT JUST IT CAME TOGETHER REALLY WELL.

I CAN TELL YOU, SINCE I'VE BEEN ON THE BOARD, I THINK ANY COMMUNITY GROUP OR ANY OTHER BUSINESSES IN MERCED COUNTY ARE TIRED OF HEARING ME TALK ABOUT CASTLE, BECAUSE ANYTIME SOMEBODY HAS AN IDEA OR SOMETHING TO DO, I ALWAYS REMIND THEM.

CASTLE'S HERE, CASTLE'S HERE. LET'S DO IT WITH CASTLE.

AND THEN IT GREW. WHEN I BECAME CHAIRMAN OF RCRC, THE RURAL COUNTIES REPRESENTING CALIFORNIA.

SITTING AT CSAC EVERY CONVERSATION WE HAVE. SO THAT'S MY STATEWIDE.

WE'RE TALKING ABOUT CASTLE. THEN WE GO TO THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF COUNTIES, AND WE'RE LOBBYING IN DC.

EVERYTHING THAT I'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT IS CASTLE.

AND AS SOON AS WE STARTED TO PICK UP MOMENTUM AT CASTLE AND WE KNEW WE HAD GOOD IDEAS, THE PUBLIC REALLY DIDN'T KNOW WHAT WE WERE DOING.

BUT WE HAD COMMUNITIES SURROUNDING US, OTHER COUNTIES TRYING TO INVADE AND TRYING TO STEAL THE BUSINESSES THAT WE WERE DOING THERE AT CASTLE AT THAT TIME.

WE KNEW WE HAD SOMETHING AND WE HAD TO KEEP FIGHTING AT THAT TIME.

AND I CAN TELL YOU, FIGHTING WITH SOME OF THESE SURROUNDING COUNTIES, I DON'T WON'T NAME THEM.

BUT IT WAS NASTY DURING COVID CALLS. AND I AND I GOTTA SAY, OTHER SUPERVISORS AND OTHER COUNTIES ACTUALLY STOOD WITH ME, BACKED ME BECAUSE IT WAS IT GOT NASTY.

I MEAN, IT WAS VERY COMPETITIVE. BUT AT THAT TIME, FIGHTING THOSE FIGHTS, AT THAT TIME, I KNEW WE HAD SOMETHING AND I WOULDN'T LET UP ON IT.

AND THE PARTNERS THAT WE HAVE TODAY HAVE DONE VERY GOOD IN HELPING US ACHIEVE THOSE GOALS.

WHAT I CAN SAY IS THE KEY FIGURE. AND ANOTHER THING WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON SINCE I GOT IN WAS THE ATWATER MERCED EXPRESSWAY.

I'M PROUD TO SAY THE FUNDING IS IN PLACE. THAT EXPRESSWAY PROBABLY SHOULD HAVE BEEN.

WE SHOULD BE DRIVING ON IT RIGHT NOW IN A IN A PERFECT ENVIRONMENT, WE WOULD HAVE HAD IT DONE, BUT THAT THE ATWATER MERCED EXPRESSWAY WILL CONNECT CASTLE 299.

YOU CAN SAY NEWARK ROAD CONNECTS IT NOW, BUT WE HAVE A HIGH SCHOOL THERE.

THERE'S TOO MUCH TRAFFIC. SO WE GET THAT EXPRESSWAY BUILT.

IT'S GOING TO OPEN UP EVEN MORE, ESPECIALLY FOR PATRIOT AND HYDRA.

WE'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO MOVE THOSE TRUCKS. ANOTHER THING I WANT TO MENTION IS GOLDEN VALLEY HEALTH CENTERS THAT RELOCATED OUT THERE, THEIR ADMINISTRATION BUILDINGS, A LOT OF FOLKS OUT IN THE COMMUNITY SAYS THOSE ARE NOT NEW JOBS. THOSE ARE ALL NEW JOBS.

THOSE ARE THOSE CAME OUT OF STANISLAUS COUNTY AND RELOCATED HERE IN MERCED COUNTY, AND THEY HAVE OVER 200 FOLKS A MONTH THAT THEY'RE TRAINING FROM OUTSIDE OF THE COUNTY, COMING IN TO TRAIN THERE.

SO THOSE THOSE FOLKS LOOK AT THE ECONOMIC, YOU KNOW, EVERY TIME I SPEAK THERE OR ANYWHERE I TELL THEM, MAKE SURE YOU FILL UP YOUR GAS BEFORE YOU GO HOME, BECAUSE WE CAN USE THAT.

AND THEN LET'S DON'T FORGET CASTLE HEALTH CENTERS WHO ARE THERE NOW. AND AS THEY GROW AND THEY'RE EXPANDING.

SO IT'S JUST IT'S I THINK PART OF MY PROBLEM.

I'M ALWAYS LOOKING FORWARD, AND I'M ALWAYS JUST TRYING TO WORK AND DO WHAT I CAN.

I NEVER LOOK BACK ENOUGH AND TRY TO BRAG ABOUT WHAT WE'VE DONE.

IT'S HARD TO TALK ABOUT MYSELF, I'LL TELL YOU THAT.

BUT IT'S HARD TO LOOK BACK BECAUSE WE'RE STRIVING SO FAR, LOOKING FORWARD.

BUT TODAY IT WAS IT WAS GREAT TO DO THIS PRESENTATION, TO SEE EVERYTHING THAT WE'VE DONE OUT THERE AND EVEN SPEAKING WITH THESE FOLKS MORE, IT'S AMAZING WHERE WE'RE GOING TO GO. AND THIS IS WE'RE JUST AT THE TIP.

IT'S EXPANDING AND AND LOOKING FORWARD FOR THE AIRFIELD AFTER OUR MEETINGS YESTERDAY.

IT'S IT'S GOING TO IT'S GROW EVEN FURTHER. AND ONE OTHER THING I'D LIKE TO TOUCH ON THESE COMPANIES WHO CAME IN, WHETHER IT'S HYDRO, TRC, PATRIOT, KT AERO IT'S AMAZING HOW MUCH THEY'RE ENGAGING IN THE COMMUNITY, WHETHER THEY'RE DOING BASKETS FOR SPONSORSHIPS OR ATTENDING ALL OUR COMMUNITY MEETINGS AND JUST TAKING PLACE.

I MEAN, THEY ARE COMING IN AND BEING PART OF THE COMMUNITY, AND THAT IS MUCH APPRECIATED AS WELL, BECAUSE IT GETS A LITTLE SCARY WHEN YOU BRING FOLKS IN FROM THE OUTSIDE. HOW ARE THEY GOING TO REACT? ARE THEY GOING TO BE SELFISH OR WHATEVER? THEY HAVEN'T BEEN SELFISH AT ALL. THEY'VE BEEN TOTALLY INVOLVED IN THE COMMUNITY.

AND I JUST LIKE TO SAY WITH KT AERO, THERE WAS A LOT OF, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF NERVOUSNESS.

BUT I CAN TELL YOU, EVEN A GENTLEMAN THAT I GO TO CHURCH WITH, HE TELLS ME ALL THE TIME THAT HE HAS MEETINGS OUT THERE.

AND HE WAS A LITTLE CONCERNED ABOUT HOW ACCESSIBILITY HE'D HAVE TO SOME OF THOSE CONFERENCE ROOMS.

[01:00:01]

SO I'M JUST SAYING THIS HAS BEEN THIS HAS BEEN A A JOB AND IT'S CONTINUING.

SO WE'RE NOT GIVING UP ON IT. BUT AT THIS TIME, IS THERE ANY OTHER HERE AT THE DAIS.

IF NOT, I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD AND OPEN IT UP FOR PUBLIC COMMENT AT THIS TIME.

GOOD MORNING. THERE WE GO. GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS GREG.

I'M THE RESTORATION MANAGER AT CASTLE AIR MUSEUM.

AND AND I LOVE HOW AND WHERE THE FUTURE IS GOING, BUT WE HAVE TO TAKE A REAL STEP BACK AND LOOK WHERE THE FUTURE.

WHERE THE PAST WAS. CASTLE AIRPORT USED TO BE CASTLE AIR FORCE BASE, WHICH USED TO BE CASTLE FIELD AND CASTLE OR MERCED ARMY FIELD. SO WITH THE THE MUSEUM WE CAN SEE THE GROWTH.

WE'RE ACTUALLY IN THE PLANNING PROCESS AND PERMIT PROCESS OF BUILDING A PAVILION AT THE MUSEUM TO BE ABLE TO HOUSE SOME OF OUR AIRCRAFT AT THE RESTORATION HANGAR. WE JUST REMODELED THE HANGAR, MOVED SOME STUFF AROUND IT, MADE IT MORE VISIBLE FOR, FOR PEOPLE. SO IF ANYBODY WOULD LIKE TO COME OUT, I'D ENCOURAGE YOU TO COME OUT, TAKE A LOOK AT THE MUSEUM.

TAKE A LOOK AT THE RESTORATION HANGAR AND SEE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE PRESERVING HISTORY OF CASTLE AND MOVING FORWARD WITH EVERYBODY OUT AT THE AIRPORT. SO WE'RE WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT IT.

AND 1 PROGRAM THAT WE'RE WE'RE STARTING IS WE'RE PRESERVING HISTORY, BUT WE HAVE SO MANY YOUTH OUT THERE THAT CAN'T AFFORD COLLEGE OR WILL FOLLOW IN THE FAMILY'S FOOTSTEPS AND GO INTO AGRICULTURE WHEN THEY MAY HAVE A GIFT OF WORKING WITH METAL OR CARS OR AIRPLANES OR SOME SORT. SO WE HAVE A LOT OF PROGRAMS STARTING TO WHERE KIDS CAN COME IN AND LEARN HOW TO WELD, BEND METAL, WORK ON CARS, SAND, PAINT. SO MAYBE THEY HAVE A CHOICE.

THEY DON'T HAVE TO FOLLOW THE FAMILY AND WORK IN AGRICULTURE.

THEY CAN EXPAND WITH THEIRS. SO WE'RE STARTING PROGRAMS WITH THAT.

IT'S ALL FREE PROGRAMS TO THE KIDS. WE JUST ASK THAT, YOU KNOW, THEY GIVE US A COMMITMENT TO FOLLOW THROUGH WITH.

IF YOU'RE GOING TO COMMIT TO EIGHT WEEKS, FOLLOW THROUGH WITH YOUR 8 WEEKS.

IF YOU COME BACK, GREAT. WE CAN STEP IT UP AND DO A HIGHER LEVEL.

BUT I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE ALL REACH THE YOUTH.

THE YOUTH IS OUR FUTURE. SO WHILE WE'RE PRESERVING THE HISTORY, WE'RE TRYING TO EDUCATE AND TEACH OUR OUR FUTURE GENERATIONS THAT THERE'S MORE TO LIFE. ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS REACH UP AND GRAB IT AND TAKE A HOLD OF IT.

AND FUTURE IS IS IN OUR OWN HANDS NO MATTER WHAT WE DO.

SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH. PLEASE WOULD LOVE TO GIVE A TOUR OUT TO THE MUSEUM, THE PAVILION, THE RESTORATION HANGAR, AND KIND OF SEE WHERE WE WERE AND WHERE WE'RE GOING.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU. AND I, I WILL FOLLOW UP ON THAT.

TAKE HIM UP ON IT. THEY HAVE GOOD COFFEE OUT THERE.

AND WHENEVER YOU GO THROUGH THAT RESTORATION HANGAR, IT'S AMAZING YOU'RE DOING A GOOD JOB.

AND ANOTHER THING I WANT TO TOUCH ON THAT WE HAVEN'T, BUT WE DIDN'T MENTION UC MERCED, AND I'M SORRY.

I KNOW THIS IS PUBLIC COMMENT, BUT I WANTED TO FOLLOW UP. UC MERCED IS INVOLVED WITH THE GROUPS THAT WE HAVE OUT THERE AS WELL.

AND SO I APPRECIATE THE COLLABORATION. MOVING INTO THE FUTURE, IS THERE ANY OTHER PUBLIC COMMENT AT THIS TIME? ALL RIGHT. THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD FOR THE PRESENTATION IS NOW CLOSED.

WE WILL NOW MOVE ON TO THE CONSENT CALENDAR. CONSENT AGENDA CALENDAR ITEMS 1 THROUGH 13.

[CONSENT CALENDAR]

AT THIS TIME, I'LL OPEN UP THE PUBLIC COMMENT FOR CONSENT CALENDAR ITEMS 1 THROUGH 13.

SEEING NONE, THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD FOR FOR CONSENT CALENDAR ITEMS THROUGH 13 IS NOW CLOSED.

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

ARE THERE FURTHER COMMENTS ON THIS? IF NOT, I'LL CALL FOR THE VOTE.

YEAH, YEAH. COFFEE. RECORD THE VOTE, PLEASE. MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.

THANK YOU. WE'LL MOVE ON TO BOARD ACTION BEGINNING WITH PUBLIC WORKS.

[BOARD ACTION]

[01:05:11]

CHAIR RECOGNIZES SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. YEAH, I JUST WANT TO HIGHLIGHT ITEM 15.

AFTER A RECENT COMMUNITY MEETING OUT IN IN DOS PALOS.

THIS THIS INTERSECTION WAS BROUGHT UP, AND IT'S A UNIQUE INTERSECTION.

IT'S A 3 WAY INTERSECTION. THAT KIND OF IT'S IT'S IN THE UNINCORPORATED AREA OUT IN MIDWAY, WHERE YOU COME INTO A OFF OF CHRISTIAN AVENUE COMING TO A HOUSING DEVELOPMENT THERE IN THE COMMUNITY REALLY SHOWCASED AND HIGHLIGHTED TO ME THAT THERE WAS A NEED FOR THIS. AND AND SO THAT WAS BROUGHT TO MY ATTENTION AND I BROUGHT IT TO OUR PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR'S ATTENTION.

AND SO HE AS WELL SAW THAT THERE WAS A NEED THERE.

AND SO I WOULD ENCOURAGE MY COLLEAGUES TO VOTE YES ON ITEM 15.

THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. AND AT THIS TIME I'LL GO AHEAD AND CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD.

ARE THERE ANY BRING IT BACK TO THE DAIS. IS THERE ANY OTHER COMMENTS? IF NOT, I'LL CALL FOR THE VOTE.

RECORD THE VOTE. MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. NEXT WE HAVE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AND RECOVERY SERVICES. ITEM 16. AT THIS TIME, I'LL OPEN UP PUBLIC COMMENT FOR BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AND RECOVERY SERVICES ON ITEM 16.

THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD FOR BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AND RECOVERY SERVICE IS NOW CLOSED.

IS THERE FURTHER DISCUSSION HERE AT THE DAIS? IF NOT, I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION. I HAVE A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR PAREIRA, SECONDED BY SUPERVISOR PACHECO.

I WILL CALL FOR THE VOTE.

PLEASE RECORD THE VOTE. MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.

NEXT WE HAVE HEALTH. ITEM 17 AND 18. AT THIS TIME, I'LL OPEN UP PUBLIC COMMENT FOR HEALTH ITEMS 17 AND 18. THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD FOR ITEM 17 AND 18 IS NOW CLOSED.

I'LL BRING IT BACK TO THE DAIS. IS THERE A FURTHER DISCUSSION ON THIS ITEM? IF NOT, I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION.

I HAVE A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR PAREIRA, SECONDED BY SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA WILL CALL FOR THE VOTE.

PLEASE RECORD THE VOTE. MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.

NEXT WE HAVE FIRE ITEM 19. AT THIS TIME, I'LL OPEN UP PUBLIC COMMENT FOR FIRE ITEM 19.

OH, WELL, WE'LL PAUSE THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD AT THIS TIME AND GO AHEAD AND LET ADAM.

YES. GOOD MORNING. GOOD MORNING. CHAIR. BOARD OF SUPERVISORS.

CEO AND COUNTY COUNCIL. OVER THE PAST 2 YEARS, MERCED COUNTY OFFICE OF EMERGENCY SERVICES, IN COORDINATION WITH THE COUNTY, COUNTY DEPARTMENTS AND ALL 6 CITIES WITHIN THE COUNTY AND NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS AND COMMUNITY BASED ORGANIZATIONS HAS UNDERTAKEN A COMPREHENSIVE UPDATE AND REDEVELOPMENT OF THE COUNTY'S EMERGENCY OPERATIONS PLAN.

THIS COLLABORATIVE EFFORT INCORPORATED CURRENT BEST PRACTICES, LESSONS LEARNED FROM RECENT EMERGENCIES, AND UPDATES TO THE STATE AND FEDERAL REQUIREMENTS, AND INCLUDING THE STANDARD EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM, THE NATIONAL INCIDENT MANAGEMENT SYSTEM. THE MERCED COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL OPERATIONS PLAN ESTABLISHES A FRAMEWORK AND FOR COORDINATED EMERGENCY RESPONSE, RECOVERY, AND MITIGATION ACTIVITIES ACROSS MERCED COUNTY AND THE 6 INCORPORATED CITIES.

THE EOP IS DESIGNED TO ENSURE UNIFIED, EFFICIENT, LEGALLY COMPLIANT APPROACH TO MANAGING EMERGENCIES AND DISASTERS THAT IMPACT THE OPERATIONAL AREA. THE UPDATED EOP REFLECTS A MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL PLANNING APPROACH THAT CLARIFIES ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES, STRENGTHS, COORDINATION AMONG COUNTY CITY PARTNERS, AND ENHANCES THE COUNTY'S ABILITY TO PROTECT LIFE PROPERTY CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE AND THE ENVIRONMENT DURING EMERGENCIES. THE PLAN ALSO SUPPORTS CONTINUITY OF GOVERNMENT AND ESSENTIAL SERVICES, EFFECTIVE PUBLIC INFORMATION, AND FISCAL ACCOUNTABILITY DURING EMERGENCY OPERATIONS.

IN OCTOBER, THE MERCED COUNTY DISASTER COUNCIL REVIEWED AND APPROVED THE UPDATED MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL EMERGENCY OPERATION PLAN.

FOLLOWING ITS APPROVAL, DISASTER COUNCIL FORMALLY RECOMMENDED THAT THE PLAN BE FORWARDED TO THE MERCED COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS FOR ADOPTION TODAY.

[01:10:09]

AND I ALSO WANT TO GIVE A BIG THANK YOU TO MY STAFF MORGAN LEON, CHRISTINA NISHIYAMA, AND ALSO ANCO TECHNOLOGY STEVE LONGORIA, WHO IS HERE, PRESENT TODAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

ADAM, I REALLY APPRECIATE THE WORK YOU'VE DONE ON THIS EVER SINCE YOU STEPPED INTO THIS OFFICE. WHEN WE CREATED IT, YOU'VE TAKEN IT TO A WHOLE ANOTHER LEVEL AND APPRECIATE THE WORK YOU'VE DONE. CHAIR RECOGNIZES SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA.

THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. NO YOU TOOK THE WORDS OUT OF MY MOUTH.

CHAIR MCDANIEL. REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR WORK, ADAM.

THERE'S. I MEAN, FOLKS, WE'RE HERE VOTING ON THE FINAL PRODUCT, BUT THIS IS A MASSIVE UNDERTAKING.

IT'S COORDINATING NOT ONLY WITH ALL OF OUR COUNTY RESOURCES, BUT WITH ALL THE CITY RESOURCES, ALL OF THEIR, I'M GOING TO CALL IT THEIR THEIR WHOEVER THEIR OAS MANAGERS ARE.

AND IN THAT CASE, IN SOME OF THE CITY CASES, THAT MIGHT BE ONE PERSON THAT ALSO WEARS VERY, VERY MANY OTHER HATS. SO A LOT OF WORK THAT GOES INTO IT UNDER YOUR LEADERSHIP.

WE'RE SEEING THIS THROUGH, AND I AND I'M REALLY APPRECIATIVE OF THE FACT THAT YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT TALKING A LOT ABOUT THE INNER WORKINGS OF, OF THIS PLAN IS BECAUSE ADAM AND HIS TEAM HAS KEPT US APPRIZED AS THIS THING HAS BEEN PROGRESSED TO WHERE IT IS TODAY.

SO I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO FINALLY APPROVING SOMETHING THAT YOU'VE WORKED QUITE SOME TIME ON.

SO THANK YOU AND ALL OF YOUR STAFF AND, AND THE CONSULTANTS THAT YOU BROUGHT ON BOARD WITH IT.

THANK YOU. SUPERVISOR CHAIR RECOGNIZES SUPERVISOR PACHECO.

YEAH. YOU GUYS HAVE ALL SAID IT, TOO, BUT, YEAH, THE COUNCIL CHAIR, I DO WANT TO THANK YOU AND YOUR STAFF.

THIS IS GREAT THAT WE GET THIS PLAN UPDATED FOR THE COUNTY. I THINK IT'LL BE GREAT FOR ALL OF OUR RESIDENTS MOVING FORWARD. SO THANK YOU.

NO FURTHER COMMENTS. WE'LL GO AHEAD. AND THIS TIME WE'LL OPEN UP FOR PUBLIC COMMENT FOR FIRE ITEM 19.

ANYBODY FROM THE PUBLIC? IF NOT, WE'LL GO AHEAD AND CLOSE THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD.

WE'LL BRING IT BACK TO THE DAIS. IS THERE A FURTHER DISCUSSION OR COMMENTS? IF NOT, WE HAVE A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA, SECONDED BY SUPERVISOR PACHECO.

WE'LL GO AHEAD AND CALL FOR THE VOTE. PLEASE RECORD THE VOTE.

MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. NEXT, WE HAVE COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.

ITEM 20. AT THIS TIME, I'LL OPEN UP PUBLIC COMMENT FOR COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.

ITEM 20.

GOOD MORNING. COUNTY SUPERVISOR CEO HENDRICKSON AND COUNTY COUNCIL.

MY NAME IS ASHLEY MARIE. EXCUSE ME. AND I'M A POLICY ADVOCATE WITH LEADERSHIP COUNCIL FOR JUSTICE AND ACCOUNTABILITY.

THE COUNTY IS ABOUT 2 YEARS BEHIND ON ADOPTING A HOUSING ELEMENT THAT IS COMPLIANT WITH THE STATE LAW.

RESIDENTS THAT WE AT LEADERSHIP COUNCIL WORK ALONGSIDE IN DELHI PLANADA AND UNINCORPORATED SOUTH MERCED URGE THE COUNTY TO USE EVERY AVENUE POSSIBLE TO DEVELOP STRONG, EQUITABLE HOUSING PROGRAMS AND POLICIES THAT CREATE SAFE, HEALTHY, ACCESSIBLE AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING.

THIS FUNDING'S ELIGIBLE ACTIVITIES DO INCLUDE PLANNING ACTIVITIES, LAND USE PLANNING OR LAND USE PROGRAMS REQUIRED TO MEET PROGRAMS, PROJECTS OR COMMITMENTS SET FORTH IN THE 6 CYCLE HOUSING ELEMENT, INCLUDING THE DRAFTING PERIOD.

AND SO THE COUNTY IS STILL IN THAT DRAFTING PERIOD.

WITH THAT BEING SAID, THE COUNTY SHOULD HEAVILY CONSIDER THE IMPLEMENTATION OF INCLUSIONARY ZONING POLICY WITHIN THE SIX CYCLE HOUSING ELEMENT.

AND IN THE PURSUIT OF THIS FUNDING THE PURSUIT OF THE REAP 2.0 FUNDS TO INCREASE RESIDENTIAL CAPACITY IN INFILL AREAS.

SIMILARLY, WITH THIS FUNDING, THE COUNTY SHOULD ALSO DEVELOP A POLICY THAT COMMITS TO REDUCING BARRIERS IN HIGHER DENSITY HOUSING IN HIGH RESOURCE AREAS AND TO ALSO MAKE HOUSING MORE ACCESSIBLE BY COMMITTING TO REDUCE CONSTRAINTS THAT DEVELOPERS MAY EXPERIENCE, INCLUDING COSTS AND OTHER ZONING RESTRICTIONS.

THESE SUGGESTIONS, AND MANY MORE, CAN BE FOUND IN OUR MOST RECENT COMMENT LETTER SUBMITTED TO THE COUNTY ON JANUARY 20TH OF 2026, SO PLEASE FEEL FREE TO REACH OUT IF YOU'D LIKE TO CONNECT WITH THE RESIDENTS WE WORK ALONGSIDE FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THEIR HOUSING CONCERNS, AND THE COMMUNITY IDENTIFIED PROGRAMS AND POLICIES THAT WE ARE ADVOCATING THROUGH THE HOUSING ELEMENT.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME. THANK YOU. IS THERE ANY OTHER PUBLIC COMMENT? IF NOT, THIS PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD IS NOW CLOSED.

I'LL BRING IT BACK TO THE DAIS. IS THERE FURTHER DISCUSSION UP HERE? SEEING NONE, I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION.

I HAVE A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR PACHECO, SECONDED BY SUPERVISOR PAREIRA.

WE'LL GO AHEAD AND CALL FOR THE VOTE. LET'S RECORD THE VOTE.

[01:15:06]

PLEASE NOTE, ITEM 22 IS TO CONFIRM AND APPOINT IGNACIO SANTANA, MD, AS THE MERCED COUNTY HEALTH OFFICER, SERVING AT THE PLEASURE OF THE BOARD AT THE ANNUAL SALARY OF $267,196.80, AN APPROVED B-LEVEL BENEFITS EFFECTIVE FEBRUARY 23RD, 2026. NEXT, WE'LL INVITE DOCTOR KRISTYNN SULLIVAN TO THE PODIUM TO PROVIDE COMMENTS REGARDING ITEM NUMBER 22.

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

I'D FIRST LIKE TO TAKE A MOMENT BEFORE I BEGIN MY COMMENTS ON DOCTOR SANTANA TO THANK DOCTOR BOPARAI, THE MEDICAL DIRECTOR OF MARINE GREEN, FOR STEPPING IN TO SERVE AS OUR INTERIM HEALTH OFFICER OVER THE PAST YEAR.

I'D ALSO LIKE TO THANK MY COLLEAGUE, DOCTOR KUMIKO VANG, FOR AGREEING TO PARTNER WITH PUBLIC HEALTH THROUGH A SHARED MEDICAL DIRECTOR AND HEALTH OFFICER ROLE. AND THEN NOW, ON TO ITEM 22. I'M TRULY PLEASED TO RECOMMEND DOCTOR SANTANA FOR THE POSITION OF COUNTY HEALTH OFFICER.

DOCTOR SANTANA IS A PHYSICIAN AND PUBLIC HEALTH LEADER WHOSE EXPERIENCE, TRAINING, AND VALUES STRONGLY ALIGN WITH THE MISSION AND NEEDS OF OUR COMMUNITY.

DOCTOR SANTANA RECEIVED HIS MEDICAL EDUCATION AT BROWN UNIVERSITY AND COMPLETED HIS RESIDENCY IN OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AT THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN FRANCISCO. 1 OF THE NATION'S LEADING ACADEMIC, MEDICAL, AND PUBLIC HEALTH INSTITUTIONS.

DURING HIS RESIDENCY, HE ALSO EARNED A MASTER OF PUBLIC HEALTH FROM UC BERKELEY.

PROFESSIONALLY, DOCTOR SANTANA HAS SERVED AS THE ASSISTANT HEALTH OFFICER FOR MERCED COUNTY FOR NEARLY 2 YEARS.

IN THIS ROLE, HE HAS SUPPORTED THE HEALTH OFFICER IN INFECTIOUS DISEASE CONTROL, HEALTH POLICY DEVELOPMENT, AND THE ADVANCEMENT OF CROSS-SECTOR PARTNERSHIPS.

DOCTOR SANTANA IS NO STRANGER TO COMPLEX PUBLIC HEALTH CHALLENGES.

DURING HIS TIME IN MERCED COUNTY, HE ASSISTED IN THE MANAGEMENT OF A MULTI-COUNTY FATAL RABIES INVESTIGATION AND SUPPORTED ACTIVATION OF THE DEPARTMENT OPERATIONS CENTER IN RESPONSE TO H5N1 OR BIRD FLU, WHICH HAD A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ON MERCED COUNTY AND OUR AGRICULTURAL COMMUNITY.

BOTH RESPONSES WERE RECOGNIZED IN NATIONAL DISEASE RESPONSE.

PUBLICATIONS. DOCTOR SANTANA WAS BORN AND RAISED IN THE CENTRAL VALLEY.

HE IS BILINGUAL IN ENGLISH AND SPANISH, AND HAS DEMONSTRATED A STRONG COMMITMENT TO SERVING THE VALLEY COMMUNITIES THROUGH CLINICAL CARE, PUBLIC HEALTH, LEADERSHIP, AND MENTORSHIP. ON A PERSONAL NOTE, IT HAS BEEN A PLEASURE WORKING WITH DOCTOR SANTANA OVER THE PAST YEAR, AND I WOULD WELCOME THE OPPORTUNITY TO CONTINUE THAT COLLABORATION SHOULD THE BOARD APPROVE THIS APPOINTMENT.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU. I'LL GO AHEAD AND OPEN UP THE PUBLIC COMMENT FOR THIS ITEM.

YOU MAY HAVE TO MOVE THE PODIUM DOWN, WHICH IS TO YOUR LEFT OR TO YOUR RIGHT.

THERE'S A BUTTON THERE THAT YOU CAN. AND TECHNOLOGICALLY.

OH. PRETTY ELECTRIC. THANK YOU. GOOD MORNING.

RESPECTED BOARD AND CEO. I'M DOCTOR RAHUL BOPARAI, AND I HAVE BEEN THE INTERIM PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICER SINCE APRIL OF LAST YEAR.

IT HAS BEEN AN HONOR TO SERVE THE COUNTY OF MERCED IN THIS POSITION.

I REALLY WANT TO EXPRESS MY GRATITUDE TO THE WHOLE PUBLIC HEALTH TEAM, ESPECIALLY TO DOCTOR KRISTYNN SULLIVAN AND DOCTOR IGNACIO SANTANA.

I HAVE WORKED CLOSELY WITH BOTH OF THEM AND REALLY ENJOYED WORKING WITH THEM.

THERE HAVE BEEN MANY PUBLIC HEALTH CONCERNS THAT WE HAVE HANDLED AS A TEAM.

ANIMALS WITH RABIES, CONCERNS OVER FOOD CONTAMINATION, OPIATE OVERDOSE PREVENTION AND BOTH OF THEM WERE ON IT.

FIGURING OUT THE BEST WAYS TO KEEP THE COMMUNITY SAFE AND INFORMED.

FROM ADDRESSING CONCERNS OF WEST NILE VIRUS TO PROVIDING PUBLIC HEALTH EDUCATION ON MEASLES.

I APPRECIATED THAT THE DECISIONS WERE INFORMED BY EVIDENCE BASED MEDICINE.

IT IS ESSENTIAL TO PROVIDE TIMELY GUIDANCE TO THE COMMUNITY OF MERCED COUNTY, AND THEY BOTH DO SO FOR OUR VERY VULNERABLE, RESOURCE SCARCE COUNTY. WITH THAT, I WOULD ONCE AGAIN LIKE TO THANK THE BOARD AND THE CEO FOR PROVIDING ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE AS THE PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICER. AND I ALSO HEARTILY RECOMMEND DOCTOR SANTANA FOR THE PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICER POSITION.

THANK YOU EVERYONE. THANK YOU. IS THERE ANY OTHER PUBLIC COMMENT? IF NOT, WE'LL GO AHEAD AND CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS ITEM.

[01:20:01]

I'LL CALL FOR THE VOTE. WE'LL RECORD THE VOTE.

UNANIMOUSLY. DOCTOR, WOULD YOU LIKE TO COME UP AND SAY.

SAY SOMETHING. CONGRATULATIONS. AND IT'S UNANIMOUS.

THERE WAS NO DOUBT. I APPRECIATE IT VERY MUCH.

THANK YOU. GOOD MORNING. TO OUR BOARD TO MR. CHAIRMAN, MR. CEO COUNTY COUNCIL, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY TO ALL OF MERCED.

I KNOW THAT I'M BEING LIVE STREAMED, SO I'M GOING TO IMPART ADDRESS YOU FROM FROM HERE AS WELL.

ABOUT A YEAR AND A HALF AGO I WAS HIRED ON AS ASSISTANT CEO.

SORRY. ASSISTANT CEO. I'M SORRY, ASSISTANT HEALTH OFFICER.

APPARENTLY, I'M COMING AFTER YOUR JOB. I STARTED THIS JOB UNDER THE WONDERFUL GUIDANCE OF DOCTOR SANDOVAL.

SANDOVAL? DOCTOR, I AM SO SORRY, DOCTOR SANDOVAL.

SALVADOR SANDOVAL, WHO'S SITTING HERE IN THE.

IN THE AUDIENCE. DURING THAT TIME, I SHARED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT MY ROOTS.

DOCTOR KRISTYNN SULLIVAN COVERED THAT VERY EXTENSIVELY.

BUT ALL THAT TO SAY THAT I AM BORN, RAISED HERE IN THE VALLEY AND MERCED HAS BECOME MY HOME.

IN THIS LAST YEAR AND A HALF, I'VE LEARNED ALL ABOUT WHAT PUBLIC HEALTH IS.

AND I THINK THIS IS A GOOD OPPORTUNITY TO LET EVERYBODY KNOW, NOT JUST YOURSELVES, BUT THE PUBLIC WHAT PUBLIC HEALTH IS.

AND IN SHORT, PUBLIC HEALTH IS EVERYWHERE. WE SEE IT IN THE MONITORING AND THE INVESTIGATIONS THAT WE DO FOR INFECTIOUS DISEASE IN THE COMMUNITY IN MAKING SURE THAT OUR FOOD THAT IS FOUND IN GROCERY STORES AND IN OUR RESTAURANTS IS SAFE TO EAT.

IT'S FOUND IN THE VACCINATIONS THAT WE PROMOTE FOR CHILDREN.

WE PROVIDE CHILDREN WITH BOOKS. WE PROVIDE CHILDREN AND FAMILIES WITH CAR SEATS AND SAFE INSTALLATION OF THOSE CAR SEATS.

WE PROMOTE WE TRY AND ADDRESS SMOKING SMOKING CESSATION EFFORTS, TRYING TO JUST A VARIETY OF EFFORTS THAT ALL HAVE TO DO WITH PUBLIC HEALTH.

ALL THIS TO SAY, EVERYTHING THAT WE DO, EVERYTHING IN OUR WORLD IS IN SOME WAY RELATED TO PUBLIC HEALTH.

AND SO THAT'S WHY I TAKE THIS JOB SO SERIOUSLY.

HOWEVER, I WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO DO THIS JOB WERE IT NOT FOR ALL THE UNSUNG HEROES THAT ARE PART OF THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH.

SOME OF THEM ARE WATCHING THIS STREAMED LIVE, AND I SAY HELLO AND I'LL BE IN THE OFFICE VERY.

THEY'RE VERY SOON. WE ALSO HAVE A FEW PEOPLE HERE IN THE, IN THE AUDIENCE WITH ME.

AND I VERY MUCH APPRECIATE ALL OF THE WORK THAT YOU DO FOR THIS COMMUNITY.

AND YOU KNOW, WE WE TOOK AN OATH TO SERVE THIS COMMUNITY TO SERVE OUR NATION TO MAKE DECISIONS BASED ON SOUND SCIENTIFIC EVIDENCE. AND SO IT IS MY INTENTION TO CONTINUE THAT LEGACY THAT DOCTOR BOPARAI AND DOCTOR SANDOVAL HAVE LEFT.

WE I WANT TO SAY ALL THIS BECAUSE WE ARE YOUR FRIENDS.

WE ARE YOUR ADVOCATES. WE ARE HERE TO SERVE AND TO ASSIST YOU IN ANY WAY THAT WE CAN.

AND THAT GOES TO THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY. I'D LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE DOCTOR SANDOVAL.

DOCTOR BOPARAI, AS I'VE DONE ALREADY FOR THEIR PATIENCE AND GUIDANCE AS AS WE GO THROUGH THIS PROCESS.

DOCTOR SULLIVAN. KRISTYNN SULLIVAN HAS ALSO BEEN A FANTASTIC RESOURCE FOR THIS COMMUNITY SINCE SHE STARTED HER JOB AS DIRECTOR.

AND I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH HER, WITH HER, UNDER HER LEADERSHIP.

I ALSO WANT TO TAKE A VERY BRIEF MOMENT TO ADDRESS MY FAMILY.

UNFORTUNATELY, THEY WEREN'T ABLE TO JOIN ME TODAY. MY PARTNER IS CURRENTLY IN SORRY, IN FRESNO TAKING A CALCULUS EXAM BECAUSE SHE WILL BE TRANSFERRING TO UC MERCED HERE IN THE FALL. SO EVEN MORE REASON TO BECOME A PART OF THIS COMMUNITY.

MY PARENTS ARE TAKING CARE OF MY KIDS, WHO I DID NOT INVITE HERE BECAUSE I KNOW FOR A FACT THAT THEY WOULD BE RUNNING UP THE RAMPS AND ONTO THE DAIS AND JUST CAUSING A TON OF COMMOTION. SO RESPECTFULLY, THEY ARE NOT HERE, BUT THEY ARE WITH ME IN SPIRIT.

AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, THEY'RE EXCITED TO BE A PART OF THIS COMMUNITY.

[01:25:02]

QUIERO DECIRLES ESTO EL DEPARTAMENTO DE SALUD PUBLICA ESTA AQUI PARA SERVIRLES ENTENDEMOS QUE TIENEN PREOCUPACIONES.

PERO QUIERO ASEGURARLES QUE ESTAMOS AQUI PARA AYUDARLES CON SU SALUD Y SU BIENESTAR Y ES MI COMPROMISO Y EL COMPROMISO DE TODO EL DEPARTAMENTO AYUDARLES EN TODO COMO PODEMOS.

SO WITH THAT, THANK YOU SO MUCH AND I'M READY TO GET TO WORK.

AND CONGRATULATIONS. [APPLAUSE] ANY QUESTIONS? I DON'T SEE ANY QUESTIONS, BUT.

OH, NOW WE DO. ALL RIGHT. CHAIR RECOGNIZES SUPERVISOR PAREIRA.

SOMETIMES ELECTEDS AREN'T REAL GOOD AT ASKING QUESTIONS.

THEY LIKE TO MAKE COMMENTS, BUT I'LL ASK YOU A QUESTION.

ARE YOU HAPPY TO BE HERE? OH, I AM BEYOND EXCITED TO BE HERE.

I KNOW I COULD TELL WHEN WE MET WITH YOU EARLIER.

AND YOU KNOW, YOUR ENTHUSIASM AND AND YOUR EXCITEMENT FOR THE JOB IS, IS TO BE COMMENDED.

AND I'M HAPPY FOR YOU. CONGRATULATIONS. AND THEN YOU KNOW, I JUST THOUGHT OF IT AS I WAS, I WAS I WAS HERE, YOU KNOW, SITTING HERE LISTENING TO YOU.

BUT YOU KNOW, YOU MENTIONED ABOUT USING FACTS AND, AND SO I GUESS 1, 1, YOU KNOW, I GUESS ASK OR, OR MAKING YOU AWARE OF IS A LOT OF PEOPLE TODAY ARE WEARY AND NERVOUS ABOUT VACCINES.

AND SO WOULD YOU COMMIT TO KIND OF KEEPING AN EYE ON VACCINES AND THE RESEARCH AND, AND KEEP SHARE THAT WITH THE PUBLIC AND WITH THE BOARD AS YOU LEARN, I GUESS, WHAT PEOPLE SHOULD DO? I YOU KNOW, I THINK IN CALIFORNIA, THERE'S KIND OF A BLANKET VACCINATION PROGRAM THAT YOU HAVE TO FOLLOW AND, YOU KNOW, AND ANYWAY, JUST KEEP AN EYE ON THAT.

WOULD YOU, FOR OUR COMMUNITY? YES, ABSOLUTELY.

AND AND THAT IS MY FIRM PROMISE THAT I WILL KEEP UP TO DATE ON ALL THE LATEST RESEARCH AND MAKE DECISIONS BASED ON WHAT'S AVAILABLE AND WHAT'S MOST SUPPORTED.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU. WELCOME AND CONGRATULATIONS.

THANK YOU. NO OTHER COMMENTS. NEXT WE HAVE THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS.

ITEMS 23 THROUGH 26. PLEASE NOTE ITEM 26 REQUIRES A 4/5 VOTE.

AT THIS TIME, I'LL OPEN UP PUBLIC COMMENT FOR THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS ITEMS 23 THROUGH 26.

PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD FOR THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS. ITEM 23 THROUGH.

OH, I'LL GO AHEAD AND CLOSE THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD.

BRING IT BACK TO THE DAIS AND THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA.

THANK YOU, MISTER CHAIR. YES, I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT ITEM 26.

THIS IS A USE OF DISTRICT 5 DISTRICT PROJECT FUNDS.

AND THIS IS FOR AS I WAS OUT AT THE DOS PALOS LIBRARY.

ONE OF THE THINGS IN TALKING WITH SOME OF THE FOLKS DOWN THERE, THEY DON'T THEY DIDN'T HAVE A DROP BOX THERE.

AND SO I REACHED OUT TO THE LIBRARIAN AND IT WAS SCHEDULED FOR PROBABLY MAYBE THIS FISCAL YEAR.

I'M NOT QUITE SURE ON THAT, BUT I SAID I THINK IT WOULD BE A GOOD USE OF OUR SPECIAL PROJECTS FUNDS TO HELP THOSE FOLKS OUT THERE.

AND I KNOW THAT IT'S JUST NOT OUR STAFF THAT'S WORKING IN THE LIBRARY THAT WANTS IT, BUT IT'S OUR RESIDENTS OUT THERE THAT, THAT REALLY LIKE THAT. AND SO I WOULD ENCOURAGE EVERYBODY TO VOTE YES ON ITEM 26, WHICH IS ALLOCATING 8700 ISH DOLLARS TO THE JERRY O'BANION LIBRARY FOR A NEW WELL, NOW I JUST FORGOT WHAT IT WAS CALLED.

THANK YOU. YES, THAT THAT ONE OF THOSE. IT HAPPENS NOT WITH SCOTT VERY OFTEN, BUT IT HAPPENS.

CHAIR RECOGNIZES SUPERVISOR PEDROZO. THANK YOU, MISTER CHAIR.

SAME THING. ITEM NUMBER 25 IS AUTHORIZING A CONTRIBUTION OF $4,300 OF DISTRICT 2.

DISTRICT PROJECT FUNDS TO THE AMERICAN LEGION POST 83.

OVER THE YEARS, THEY'VE HAD A LOT OF ISSUES WITH VANDALISM WITH HOMELESS PEOPLE EITHER ATTEMPTING TO GET ONTO THE ROOF AND LIVING ON THE ROOF OF THE LEGION BUILDING AND HAVE CAUSED QUITE A BIT OF DAMAGE. AND SO THEY CAME TO ME.

THEY RAISED ENOUGH MONEY, BUT THEY ASKED FOR SOME MORE FUNDS TO PUT AROUND KIND OF LIKE THEIR OLD VFW, WHERE IT WAS AT. SO THIS THE FENCE IS GOING TO THE FUNDS THAT THEY RAISED IS GOING TO GO AROUND THE PROPERTY.

THIS ONE IS GOING TO BE INSIDE KIND OF TO STRENGTHEN THE FENCE SO THEY CAN'T GET ON THE ROOF OF THE BUILDING.

THANK YOU. SUPERVISOR. AT THIS TIME I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION.

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

AT THIS TIME, WE'LL CALL FOR THE VOTE. LET'S RECORD THE VOTE.

[01:30:05]

ITEMS 27 THROUGH 29. I'LL OPEN UP PUBLIC COMMENT FOR ITEMS 27 THROUGH 29.

WE'LL GO AHEAD AND CLOSE THE PUBLIC COMMENT FOR THIS ITEM.

BRING IT BACK TO THE DAIS. IS THERE FURTHER DISCUSSIONS ON THIS? CHAIR RECOGNIZES SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. I JUST WANT TO THANK SUPERVISOR PACHECO FOR HIS LEADERSHIP AND HIS WILLINGNESS TO BE APPOINTED TO THE SOLID WASTE INDEPENDENT HEARING PANEL. IT'S VERY IMPORTANT JOB, AND I'M GLAD THAT ONE OF MY COLLEAGUES IS WILLING TO STEP UP AND TAKE ON THAT TASK.

SO THANK YOU, SIR. CHAIR RECOGNIZES SUPERVISOR PEDROZO. IT'S KIND OF A GARBAGE APPOINTMENT, BUT.

ARE YOU TRASH TALKING? YEAH. OKAY. I DO HAVE A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA, SECONDED BY SUPERVISOR PACHECO.

SO HE'S EXCITED ABOUT IT AS WELL. SO WE'LL GO AHEAD AND CALL FOR THE VOTE.

LET'S RECORD THE VOTE. MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.

[BOARD INFORMATION & POSSIBLE ACTION]

ITEM 30. AT THIS TIME, I'LL OPEN UP PUBLIC COMMENT FOR THIS ITEM.

SEEING NONE, WE'LL GO AHEAD AND CLOSE THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD FOR THIS ITEM.

BRING IT BACK TO THE DAIS. IS THERE FURTHER COMMENT? IF NOT, I'LL ENTERTAIN MOTION. I HAVE A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA, SECONDED BY SUPERVISOR PEDROZO.

WE'LL GO AHEAD AND CALL FOR THE VOTE. SORRY, JUST CONTEMPLATING THE INFORMATION. PLEASE RECORD THE VOTE.

MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. NEXT IS A PUBLIC HEARING FROM COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TO CONSIDER ADOPTION OF A RESOLUTION APPROVING GENERAL PLAN AMENDMENT NUMBER GPA 25-003.

ADOPTION OF AN ORDINANCE, APPROVING ZONE, CHANGE NUMBER ZC 25-003 AND APPROVAL OF CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT NUMBER CUP 25-016. THANK YOU STACY, BUT I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD AND USE CHAIR PREROGATIVE ON THIS.

WE'RE GOING TO TAKE A 5 MINUTE BREAK. WE WILL NOW MOVE ON TO SCHEDULED ITEM A PUBLIC HEARING AS SUBMITTED

[SCHEDULED ITEMS]

NEXT IS A PUBLIC HEARING FROM COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TO CONSIDER ADOPTION OF A RESOLUTION APPROVING GENERAL PLAN AMENDMENT NUMBER GPA 25-003.

ADOPTION OF AN ORDINANCE APPROVING ZONE, CHANGE NUMBER ZC 25-003 AND APPROVAL OF CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT NUMBER CUP 25-016.

THANK YOU STACY. AT THIS TIME, CE DIRECTOR MARK MIMMS WILL PROVIDE INFORMATION REGARDING THIS ITEM.

GOOD MORNING, MR. CHAIRMAN AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD. THIS ITEM IS A MODIFICATION TO THE SOLAR PROJECT APPROVALS GRANTED BY THIS BOARD IN MARCH OF 2025, WHICH INCLUDED A CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT, GENERAL PLAN AMENDMENT AND AND ZONE CHANGE.

THE MODIFICATION PROPOSES TO ADD APPROXIMATELY 160 ACRES TO THE APPROVED PROJECT SITE.

THE REASON THIS ACREAGE WAS NOT INCLUDED EARLIER IS THAT THE PROPERTY OWN PROPERTY ONLY RECENTLY ENTERED INTO A LEASE OPTION WITH THE APPLICANT.

THE ADDITIONAL ACREAGE ALLOWS FOR A MORE SEAMLESS PROJECT BOUNDARY, ELIMINATING AN INTERNAL CARVEOUT WITHIN THE THE FACILITY FOOTPRINT.

IMPORTANTLY, THIS DOES NOT INCREASE PROJECT INTENSITY.

THE PROJECT REMAINS CAPPED AT 200MW. SOLAR PANELS WILL BE DISTRIBUTED MORE EVENLY ACROSS THE EXPANDED SITE RATHER THAN CONCENTRATED, AND ALLOWS FOR BETTER CIRCULATION AND VEHICLE ACCESS.

THE SOLAR OVERLAY SOLAR AND SOLAR BENEFIT AGREEMENT AND ASSOCIATED GENERAL PLAN AND ZONING MAP DESIGNATIONS ARE BEING UPDATED SOLELY TO REFLECT THIS ADDED ACREAGE.

THE PROJECT ALSO PROPOSES A REDUCTION IN THE LANDSCAPE SCREENING BUFFER ALONG STATE ROUTE 152, FROM 50FT DEEP TO 20FT DEEP. THIS SCREENING WILL STILL SPAN THE ENTIRE LENGTH OF THE PROJECT FRONTAGE.

UPDATED RENDERINGS IN THE STAFF REPORT DEMONSTRATED DEMONSTRATE THAT MATURE TREES WILL BE TALLER, PROVIDING COMPARABLE VISUAL SCREENING. THE REVISED DESIGN ACHIEVES ACHIEVES SIMILAR ESTHETIC OUTCOMES WITH REDUCED WATER USAGE AND MORE EFFICIENT MAINTENANCE. WHILE THE CHANGE DOES NOT RESULT IN COST SAVINGS, THE DESIGN REMAINS THOUGHTFUL,

[01:35:03]

ACTIVE SYSTEMS FOCUS ON SUPPRESSING OR SMOTHERING FIRES, AND PASSIVE SYSTEMS ARE DESIGNED TO CONTAIN A FIRE WITHIN THE BATTERY CONTAINER UNTIL IT NATURALLY EXTINGUISHES FIRE. PROFESSIONALS INCREASINGLY VIEW PASSIVE SYSTEMS AS SAFER AND MORE RELIABLE IN UTILITY SCALE BEST FACILITIES.

THE PROPOSED CHANGE CHANGES ARE ADDRESSED THROUGH ADDENDUM NUMBER ONE TO THE PREVIOUSLY CERTIFIED FINAL SUBSEQUENT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT.

NO NEW OR MORE SEVERE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED BEYOND THOSE ALREADY ANALYZED.

STAFF RECOMMENDS THE BOARD TO TAKE THE FOLLOWING ACTION.

OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING AND ACCEPT PUBLIC COMMENT TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.

THREE ADOPT AND CERTIFY ADDENDUM NUMBER 1 TO THE FINAL SUBSEQUENT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT.

ADOPT THE REVISED MITIGATION, MONITORING AND REPORTING PROGRAM, INCLUDING REVISIONS TO THE MITIGATION MEASURES.

AES 1 THE LANDSCAPING BUFFER REDUCTION AND REVISION 2 MITIGATION MEASURE WF3A THE PASSIVE FIRE SUPPRESSION SYSTEMS AND ADOPT THE FINDINGS OF FACT SUBSEQUENT TO OR PURSUANT TO CEQA 4. ADOPT THE RESOLUTION APPROVING THE GENERAL PLAN AMENDMENT NUMBER GPA 25-003 TO EXPAND THE LAS CAMAS SOLAR OVERLAY BY APPROXIMATELY 160 ACRES AND AMEND THE ASSOCIATED ASSOCIATED TAX LANGUAGE.

5 ADOPT THE ORDINANCE APPROVING ZONE CHANGE NUMBER ZC 25-003 TO EXPAND THE LAS CAMAS SOLA OVERLAY ZONE BY APPROXIMATELY 160 ACRES. 6. APPROVE. APPROVE A CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT NUMBER CUP 25-016 BASED ON THE PLANNING COMMISSION STAFF REPORT AND RECOMMENDED CONDITIONS OF APPROVAL, AND SEVEN.

APPROVE AND AUTHORIZE THE BOARD CHAIR TO SIGN AN AMENDMENT NUMBER 1 TO THE LOS CAMAS SOLA BENEFIT AGREEMENT.

CONTRACT NUMBER 202502 FOR MYSELF, AS WELL AS DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF PLANNING TIFFANY HO, AND THE APPLICANTS ARE HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. MIMMS. AT THIS TIME, WE'LL GO AHEAD AND OPEN UP THE PUBLIC HEARING ON THIS ITEM. WE'LL GO AHEAD AND CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING ON THIS ITEM AND BRING IT BACK TO THE DAIS.

AND I DO HAVE MR. SILVEIRA QUEUED UP. BOARD RECOGNIZES SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA.

THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. IF THERE ARE NO FURTHER COMMENTS BY ANY OF MY COLLEAGUES.

I WANT TO FIRST START BY SAYING THAT, YOU KNOW, I WANT TO THANK THE FOLKS FROM EDP RENEWABLE.

I KNOW THEIR WHOLE TEAM IS OUT HERE ON THIS PROJECT.

AND, YOU KNOW, THEY'VE WENT THROUGH THIS, THIS VERY LABORIOUS PROCESS OVER THE LAST 3, 4 YEARS TO GET TO THE POINT.

AND THEN, LO AND BEHOLD, AFTER THEY GET IT ALL THROUGH ALL OF OUR INTERNAL PROCESSES, PLANNING COMMISSION, WHATNOT, THEN ANOTHER PIECE OF PROPERTY BECOMES AVAILABLE, WHICH MAKES SENSE FOR THEIR PROJECT. AND THEN THEY HAVE TO DO A, AN ADDENDUM TO IT, WHICH IS, I KNOW, BEEN AT GREAT COST TO THEM.

I WAS ACTUALLY SOMEWHERE WHERE I WAS SPEAKING TO, OH, I WAS MEETING WITH ONE OF THE, WITH THE LABORERS, ONE OF THE TRADE UNIONS MEETING WITH THEM, AND THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT THEY HAVE THIS PROJECT GETTING READY TO START TO GO IN LOS BANOS. AND THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO START PROBABLY IN JANUARY, BUT THEY'VE BEEN VERY PATIENT.

I WANT TO THANK OUR PLANNING STAFF AS WE DON'T DO A LOT OF THESE.

BUT WORKING THROUGH IT AND BEING PATIENT WITH TIMELINES AS TO NOTICING HEARINGS AND WHATNOT.

BUT SO I'M EXCITED TO TO KIND OF GET TO THE END OF THIS AND ALLOW THESE FOLKS TO GO DO WHAT THEY DO.

AND SO WITH THAT, MR. CHAIR, I'D MAKE A MOTION TO ADOPT AND CERTIFY.

LET'S DO THE CEQA SEPARATE ONCE YOU DO THAT ONE FIRST.

I WAS I'M GOING TO DO THEM IN ORDER AS THEY ARE ON THE AGENDA.

ACTUALLY, WHAT WE'LL DO IS DO THE SEQUEL FIRST AND THEN WE'LL DO ALL THE REST OF THEM TOGETHER. SO WOULD THAT BE NUMBER THREE? YES. VERY GOOD. SO MY MOTION WOULD BE TO ADOPT AND CERTIFY ADDENDUM NUMBER 1 TO THE FINAL SUBSEQUENT EIR F NUMBER 20211080196. ADOPT THE REVISED MITIGATION, MONITORING AND REPORTING PROGRAM FOR THE LAST CAMA SOLAR PROJECT CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT NUMBER CUP 20-011 AND CUP 25-016, INCLUDING THE REVISIONS TO THE MITIGATION MEASURES 8AES-1 TO REDUCE THE LANDSCAPING SCREENING BUFFER FROM 50FT TO 20FT, AND THE MITIGATION MEASURE WF-3A TO REPLACE THE ACTIVE FIRE SUPPRESSION SYSTEM WITH THE PASSIVE FIRE SUPPRESSION FEATURES AND FINDINGS OF FACT PURSUANT TO THE CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ACT.

SECOND, I HAVE A FIRST AND A SECOND THAT WAS QUITE AN EMOTION BY ITSELF.

IT'S A LOT THERE. IS THERE FURTHER DISCUSSION ON THIS ITEM?

[01:40:03]

AYE. IF ANY ARE OPPOSED, SAY NAY. MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY AND CHAIR I WOULD LIKE.

MY NEXT MOTION WILL INCLUDE ITEMS 4 THROUGH 7.

4 IS TO ADOPT THE RESOLUTION APPROVING THE GENERAL PLAN AMENDMENT NUMBER GPA 25-0003 TO AMEND THE EXPAND THE SOLAR OVERLAY LAS CAMAS SILVER OVERLAY BY APPROXIMATELY APPROXIMATELY 160 ACRES AND AMEND THE TEXT LANGUAGE AS ATTACHED TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION STAFF REPORT AS VILLAGES OF LAGUNA SAN LUIS COMMUNITY PLAN AMENDMENT TO DESCRIBE THE SOLAR OVERLAY AND ASSOCIATED ENTITLEMENTS AND 5.

ADOPT THE ORDINANCE APPROVING ZONE CHANGE NUMBER ZC25-003 TO AMEND AND EXPAND THE LAS CAMAS.

SOLAR OVERLAY AND SOLAR OVERLAY ZONE. LAS CAMAS SOLAR OVERLAY BY APPROXIMATELY 160 ACRES AND 6 APPROVED THE CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT NUMBER CUP 25-016. BASED ON THE FINDINGS IN THE JANUARY 28TH, 2020 PLANNING COMMISSION STAFF REPORT AND SUBJECT TO THE RECOMMENDED CONDITIONS OF APPROVAL. AND FINALLY, 7. APPROVE AND AUTHORIZE THE BOARD CHAIR TO SIGN AMENDMENT NUMBER ONE TO THE LAS CAMA SOLAR BENEFITS AGREEMENT, CONTRACT NUMBER 2025-024. THERE'S A MOTION ON THE FLOOR, AND I HAVE A SECOND BY SUPERVISOR PACHECO. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.

AYE. ANY OPPOSED? SAY NAY. MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.

CONGRATULATIONS. NEXT, WE HAVE BOARD REPORTS.

[REPORTS/BOARD DIRECTION]

THANK YOU. CHAIR. FIRST I WANT TO SAY CONGRATULATIONS TO DOCTOR SANTANA.

WELCOME ABOARD. LOOKING FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU HERE AT THE COUNTY.

ON THE FOURTH, I ATTENDED THE ANNUAL LUNCHEON AND REPORT.

WE HAD A GREAT PRESENTATION BY DOCTOR TITCHEN, AND IT WOULD BE HIS LAST REPORT BECAUSE HE'S RETIRING.

SO I WANT TO SAY CONGRATULATIONS ON A GREAT LUNCHEON, AND HOPEFULLY HE HERE AND ENJOY HIS RETIREMENT.

ALSO ON THE 4TH, I ATTENDED THE MERCED COLLEGE FFA PROJECT COMPETITION.

AWARDS SHOWCASE SOME VERY TALENTED AG STUDENTS FROM THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY.

SO I JUST WANT TO SAY CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL OF THEM. ON THE 6TH, I ATTENDED THE CASA DE AZORES MATANZA DINNER.

SO YEAH, IT WAS GREAT TO ATTEND THAT. ON THE SATURDAY THE 7TH, I ATTENDED THE AWARD CEREMONY FOR THE MERCED RIVER CHAPTER OF THE DAUGHTERS OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION. THEY GAVE AWAY SOME SCHOLARSHIPS, AGAIN TO SOME VERY TALENTED STUDENTS. SO CONGRATS TO THE ORGANIZATION, ALL THE STUDENTS.

AND HOPEFULLY THEY HAVE A GREAT FUTURE. YESTERDAY I ATTENDED THE RIBBON CUTTING FOR THE KIBBY BRIDGE.

THAT WAS VERY EXCITING. I KNOW THAT BRIDGE AND THE BRIDGE HAVE COME TO TO END, SO WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO DOING THE VIRTUAL ONE.

BUT IT WAS A GREAT GREAT EVENT TO HIGHLIGHT THE NEW BRIDGE, AND I JUST WANT TO THANK NATHAN BREY AND HIS STAFF AND ALL THE CONTRACTORS FOR THEIR HARD WORK TO TO GET THAT BRIDGE PUT TOGETHER. AND I KNOW NATHAN SHARED WITH US THAT THAT BRIDGE WAS MADE WITH NO CHANGE ORDERS, WHICH THAT WAS A GREAT, A GREAT COLLABORATION WITH EVERYBODY.

AND THEN LAST, I JUST WANTED TO YESTERDAY I WENT TO SCHOOL AND WAS JUDGED FOR THE SCHOOL SCIENCE FAIR, WHICH IS KIND OF REFRESHING. I'VE BEEN TO SCIENCE FOR A LONG TIME. AGAIN, SOME GREAT STUDENTS.

I GAVE SOME GREAT INFORMATION. SO JUST TO THE PARTICIPANTS AND THE WINNERS, AND THANK YOU FOR INVITING ME TO BE A JUDGE.

AND WITH THAT, THAT'S ALL I HAVE. CHAIR. THANK YOU.

SUPERVISOR SUPERVISOR PEDROZO. THANK YOU. AND CONGRATULATIONS, DOCTOR SANTANA.

AND WELCOME TO THE TEAM. I KNOW YOU'VE BEEN AROUND FOR A WHILE, BUT THIS IS THIS IS GOOD NEWS.

LAST WEEK, I ATTENDED THE GOLD RUNNER BUS ROUTE 40.

RIBBON CUTTING. THIS BUS HAS BEEN IN THE WORKS FOR QUITE SOME TIME.

AND WHAT IT'LL DO IS IT'LL ALLOW FOR TRAIN TRAINS COMING FROM THE SOUTH OR ANYBODY REALLY, FOR THAT MATTER, TO HOP ON THIS BUS THAT'LL TAKE YOU OVER TO SAN JOSE, WHICH CONNECTS A LOT OF PEOPLE TO THE JOB CENTERS AND DIFFERENT EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES AND RECREATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES IN SAN JOSE. SO THIS IS SOMETHING AND THEY ACTUALLY TOLD US THAT WHAT IT'LL DO IF YOU'RE COMING FROM THE SOUTH AND TO GET TO SAN JOSE, WHAT YOU USED TO HAVE TO DO IS YOU'D HAVE TO GO FROM THE SOUTHERN ROUTE UP ON THE TRAIN AND THEN ALL THE WAY TO STOCKTON AND THEN BACK AROUND, ADDING AN ADDITIONAL TWO HOURS TO YOUR TRIP. THIS WILL REMOVE THOSE TWO HOURS.

SO I THINK THAT'S REALLY A GOOD THING. AND AS SOMEONE THAT RIDES THE TRAIN QUITE OFTEN, I THINK IT'S REALLY GOING TO BE BENEFICIAL.

[01:45:06]

20,000? YEAH, 20,000 GO OVER THE HILL EVERY DAY FOR MERCED COUNTY.

SO THIS WILL BE SOMETHING THAT'LL BE GOOD FOR FOR THOSE COMMUTERS.

THEY'RE SUPER COMMUTERS. I TOO ATTENDED THE MERCED COUNTY SCHOOLS ANNUAL EDUCATION REPORT LAST WEEK.

MCCOYS WELDING TRAILER. A GRAND A RIBBON CUTTING.

THAT WAS REALLY COOL. THIS TRAILER, BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE A LOT OF SPACE.

WHAT MCCOY DID WAS WORKING WITH DIFFERENT GRANTS.

THEY WERE ABLE TO GET A TRAILER TO WHERE THEY CAN TAKE THIS TRAILER AROUND TO THE JUVENILE HALL AND THEN ALSO VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL SO THAT THE KIDS CAN OUT THERE CAN LEARN AN ACTUAL SKILL, WHICH I THINK IS SOMETHING THAT'S INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WELDING IS, IS IS SOMETHING THAT IT'S ONE OF THOSE THINGS GROWING UP ON A FARM, YOU WOULD THINK I'D KNOW HOW TO DO THAT, BUT I'D NEVER LEARNED HOW TO WELD. AND IT'S ONE OF THE BIGGEST REGRETS. AND I THINK IT'S A REALLY GREAT SKILL TO HAVE YESTERDAY, THE KID BRIDGE RIBBON CUTTING. WHEN MR. BRAY SAID THAT THERE WAS NO CHANGE ORDERS, I ALMOST DIDN'T BELIEVE HIM.

BUT THAT WAS REALLY COOL TO TO SEE OR TO HEAR.

I ALSO TO ATTENDED THE MATAMZA IN STEVENSON. AND THEN I JUST WANTED TO WE'VE ALL BEEN SUPER, YOU KNOW, IT'S A LOT OF STUFF HAPPENING, BUT I WANT TO SAY YESTERDAY I REACHED OUT TO STAFF ON A COUPLE DIFFERENT ISSUES, AND I WANTED TO SAY, YOU KNOW, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

I KNOW THAT THIS WAS A PUBLIC WORKS AND CEO'S OFFICE.

WE HAD AN ACCIDENT OF A FIRE THAT TOOK PLACE IN LE GRAND ON SATURDAY EVENING, AND 40 PIGS WERE KILLED. IT WAS AT A PIG FARM, AND SO WE NEEDED TO FIGURE OUT QUICKLY A WAY TO GET DISPOSE OF THESE ANIMALS.

AND THAT'S IT WASN'T EASY TO DO, BEING THAT IT WAS ON A SATURDAY.

EVERYTHING WAS CLOSED ON SATURDAY NIGHT, OBVIOUSLY, AND THEN SUNDAY. AND SO HE THE GENTLEMAN REACHED OUT.

AND I THINK THE STAFF INVOLVED I WAS VERY PROUD OF MERCED COUNTY YESTERDAY, JUST BY WHEN I PICKED UP THE PHONE, THEY WERE ABLE TO GET IT DONE. VERY QUICKLY. SO THANK YOU GUYS VERY MUCH FOR THAT.

THANK YOU. SUPERVISOR PAREIRA. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. WELL SUPERVISOR PACHECO AND I, WE COULD HAVE SAVED SOME MONEY.

WE'D HAVE RODE TOGETHER AT ALL THOSE EVENTS. BUT ANYWAYS, I WANT TO THANK WASTE MANAGEMENT FOR WORKING TO PUT TOGETHER.

I KNOW VANESSA HAS LEFT, BUT THIS BULKY ITEM PICKED UP, YOU KNOW, ILLEGAL DUMPING AND PROBABLY ALL OF OUR DISTRICTS, YOU KNOW IS A IS A BIG DEAL. AND SO HOPEFULLY THAT WILL ELIMINATE SOME OF THAT HAPPENING.

AND SO ANYWAYS, I LOOK FORWARD TO A FLIER THAT I CAN SHARE WITH THE CONSTITUENTS.

DOCTOR SANTANA, WELCOME TO THE TEAM. OR I KNOW YOU'RE HERE, BUT, YOU KNOW, WELCOME TO THE NEW POSITION.

WE'RE EXCITED FOR FOR WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO DO FOR MERCED COUNTY.

I ATTENDED THE MERCED COUNTY OFFICE OF EDUCATION, LUNCHEON AND WAS KIND OF TOUCHED BY DOCTOR TIETCHENS KIND OF LITTLE, YOU KNOW, FAREWELL SPEECH, I GUESS, SO TO SPEAK.

AND TO SEE THE EMOTION IN HIM WAS YOU KNOW, JUST TELLS YOU HOW BIG HIS HEART IS FOR THE STUDENTS IN MERCED COUNTY.

AND WE'VE BEEN SERVED WELL BY HIM. SO CONGRATULATIONS.

I, TOO, ATTENDED THE FFA PROJECT COMPETITION, AND ONE OF THE ONE OF THE HIGH SCHOOLS, EVERY KID GOT A GOLD.

AND I'M SITTING THERE THINKING, WELL, YOU KNOW, MAYBE THIS IS TOO EASY.

IT'S LIKE HARVARD. EVERYBODY GETS AN A AND ANYWAYS.

BUT THERE WERE A FEW BRONZE AND SILVERS MIXED IN, BUT IT JUST SHOWS THE QUALITY AND CHARACTER OF THE STUDENTS GOING THROUGH FFA AND KIND OF HIGHLIGHTING YOU KNOW, THE NEXT GENERATION AND YOU KNOW, AS A GOLD WINNER MYSELF BACK IN THE 70S LATE 70S, BY THE WAY. YOU KNOW, IT WAS JUST IT WAS JUST KIND OF FUN TO SEE THE YOUTH BEING HONORED FOR, FOR THEIR WORK AND THEIR PROJECTS. I ATTENDED THE RIBBON CUTTING CEREMONY YESTERDAY AND THE NO CHANGE ORDERS DID NOT GET WASTED ON ME EITHER.

THAT'S I DON'T KNOW, THAT MIGHT BE THE FIRST EVER.

AND MERCED COUNTY, WE NEED SARAH LIM TO RESEARCH THAT.

AND THEN YESTERDAY TOOK A TOUR OF THE TRACK THAT TRC OPERATES OUT AT CASTLE, AND GOT TO GO ON THE NEW HILL, AND CAN I SAY THAT I WAS NEAR THE NEW HILL? AND ANYWAYS, JUST KIND OF EXCITING TO SEE SOMETHING DEVELOP SPECIFICALLY TO YOU KNOW, AND TO ADDRESS A PROBLEM THAT AUTONOMOUS CARS COULD HAVE AND, AND THOUGHT THAT WAS PRETTY SMART OF THEM.

AND THEN JUST KIND OF, YOU KNOW, WANT TO REITERATE THE THE, THE CASTLE PRESENTATION TODAY? YOU KNOW, I, I FEEL LIKE SOMETIMES WE DON'T TELL OUR STORY.

[01:50:03]

IT MUST HAVE BEEN 35 MINUTES OR MORE. AND TO BE HONEST WITH YOU IT WAS WELL WORTH IT FOR ME.

AND HOPEFULLY, YOU KNOW, WE CAN CUT THAT UP AND BE ABLE TO SEND IT OUT THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA SO THAT MORE PEOPLE CAN SEE IT.

AND I THINK THAT'S WHAT I HAVE. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. AND DOCTOR SANTANA, NOTICE HE REFERENCED HARVARD, NOT BROWN GETTING ALL THE A'S.

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

DOCTOR SANTANA, WELCOME ABOARD. AND I WANT TO TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO THANK DOCTOR BEAUPRE, WHO REALLY IS. SHE'S LEFT NOW, BUT A TRUE PUBLIC SERVANT.

AND WHEN WE WERE KIND OF IN A TIME OF NEED YOU KNOW, DOCTOR SANDOVAL RETIRED, AND WE WERE IN THIS TRANSITION PERIOD, I'M SURE, WITH NOT MUCH CONVINCING, WAS WILLING TO STEP UP AND FILL THIS ROLE FOR US.

AND SO THAT JUST GOES TO SHOW YOU SOME OF THE THE FOLKS THAT WE HAVE ON OUR TEAM HERE AGAIN, TRUE PUBLIC SERVANTS. SO WELCOME ABOARD AND THANK YOU TO DOCTOR BEAUPRE.

AS I DIDN'T ATTEND ALL THE EVENTS THAT MY COLLEAGUES DID, I WAS I WAS OUT OF COUNTY AT THE CSAC LEADERSHIP FORUM AND AND SOMETHING THAT I MENTIONED AT THE LAST MEETING, THE IMPACTS OF H.R. ONE TO COUNTIES.

YOU KNOW, AN INITIAL ESTIMATE OF $5 BILLION HAS NOW BEEN REFINED TO APPROXIMATELY $9.5 BILLION A YEAR.

THAT'S REAL IMPACT TO COUNTIES BUDGETS. AND SOMETHING THAT WE ALL NEED TO BE MINDFUL OF AS THOSE COSTS ARE GOING TO HAVE TO BE BORNE BY US.

AND SO WE DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHAT THAT NUMBER IS, BUT JUST FOOD FOR THOUGHT FOR FOLKS.

THE KIBBY ROAD OR RUBY ROAD BRIDGE OVER BEAR CREEK ATTENDED THAT AS WELL.

AGAIN, YOU'LL HEAR US ALL SAY CHANGE ORDERS WITH NO CHANGE ORDERS.

THAT'S A BIG DEAL FOR US. I'VE BEEN SAYING FOR FOR SOME YEARS NOW, AND AND IF I'M WRONG, I'LL WAIT FOR SOMEBODY TO CORRECT ME.

BUT NOBODY HAS ANYTHING THAT COST ME A DOLLAR.

AND A BID COST ME $3 AND A CHANGE ORDER. AND WHEN I SAY ME, I MEAN ALL OF US, THE TAXPAYERS.

AND SO WHEN WE HEAR A PROJECT WITH NO CHANGE ORDERS, THAT MEANS THERE WAS WE BUDGETED FOR SOMETHING AND WE WE WE PAID FOR EXACTLY WHAT WAS IN THE BUDGET, WHAT WAS PROPOSED. AND THERE WAS NO ADDITIONAL DOLLARS THAT HAD TO BE SUCKED OUT OF OUR COUNTY RESOURCES TO MAKE UP FOR THOSE.

SO, NATHAN, THANK YOU FOR THAT. AND I AND I HOPE THAT THAT'S NOT THE LAST ONE.

AND YOU CAN TELL THAT EVERY ONE OF MY COLLEAGUES HAS MENTIONED NO CHANGE ORDERS.

IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO US BECAUSE AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE'RE THE FRONT LINE OF BEING FISCAL STEWARDS TO THE TAXPAYERS OF MERCED COUNTY.

AS A REMINDER, I WANT TO FOCUS IN ON THE WEST SIDE ON FEBRUARY 26TH AT 6 P.M.

AT THE LOS BANOS FAIRGROUNDS IN THE GERMINO BUILDING, WE WILL BE HAVING AN AMR MEET AND GREET.

I MENTIONED THAT AT THE LAST MEETING, BUT WE WON'T BE TOGETHER BEFORE THAT TAKES PLACE, SO PLEASE ATTEND THAT.

I'VE BEEN TOLD RUMOR ON THE STREET SAYS THAT DAISY, THEIR COMFORT DOG, IS GOING TO BE THERE, SO IF YOU GO FOR NO OTHER REASON, SHE'S A PRETTY COOL DOG.

AND THEN I WOULD WANT TO REMIND FOLKS AGAIN THAT AS I DID LAST TIME ON APRIL 1ST FROM 9 A.M.

TO 12 P.M. IN THE O'BANNON BUILDING AT THE LOS BANOS FAIRGROUNDS, THERE WILL BE A WEST SIDE HIRING AND RESOURCES EVENT.

SO FOLKS ARE LOOKING FOR WORK. COME PREPARED.

I KNOW AT LAST YEAR'S EVENT WAS VERY WELL ATTENDED AND PEOPLE WALKED IN WITHOUT A JOB AND LEFT THERE WITH JOBS.

SO A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR FOLKS IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR WORK LOCAL, LOCAL BUSINESSES ARE ALSO LOOKING AND I KNOW THAT OUR COUNTY FOLKS WILL BE THERE AS WELL.

AND THEN THE LAST COUPLE THINGS THAT I'LL REMIND YOU, IT IS THAT SEASON, ONCE WE START TO GET TO FEBRUARY, I CALL IT CHARITY SEASON. A LOT OF YOUR LOCAL NON-PROFITS AND GROUPS ARE HOSTING THEIR FUNDRAISERS.

I ATTENDED THIS WEEK IN THE DOS PALOS Y SERVICE CLUB.

CRAB AND CRAB AND LOBSTER. CRAB AND LOBSTER RAVIOLI FEED.

ONE OF THE BIGGEST BENEFICIARIES OF THE DOS PALOS Y SERVICE CLUB, WHICH I'M A MEMBER OF, IS VALLEY CHILDREN'S HOSPITALS, WHERE A LOT OF OUR RESOURCES GO OVER THERE AND THEN OUR LOS BANOS AG BOOSTERS HAD THEIR DINNER DANCE ON SATURDAY NIGHT, WHICH I ATTENDED. I WAS THE AUCTIONEER THERE AS WELL, AND THAT ONE PUTS TOGETHER RESOURCES.

AND EVERY YEAR THEY SEND FFA STUDENTS BACK TO THE NATIONAL FFA CONVENTION, AS WELL AS A STAY IN WASHINGTON, D.C., WHERE THEY GET TO GO EXPERIENCE SOME OF OUR OUR FEDERAL THINGS FIRSTHAND.

AND WITH THAT, MR. CHAIR, I HAVE NOTHING ELSE TO REPORT.

THANK YOU. SUPERVISOR PAREIRA. YES, MR. CHAIR.

I THANK YOU, CEO HENDRICKSON FOR REMINDING ME.

SO IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN DOING BUSINESS WITH MERCED COUNTY.

WE ARE HAVING A WORKSHOP TONIGHT IN THIS BUILDING.

06:00, RIGHT HERE IN THIS IN THIS ROOM. SO ANYWAYS I KNOW I'VE SHARED IT ON FACEBOOK QUITE A BIT, AND SO HOPEFULLY FOLKS ARE PLANNING TO COME, BUT I'M REALLY INTERESTED IN HAVING OUR TAX DOLLARS STAY IN MERCED COUNTY.

[01:55:01]

THAT WAY THE ADMIN MONEY STAYS IN MERCED COUNTY AS WELL AS THE WAGE MONEY.

I JUST WOULD LIKE TO SEE THAT HAPPEN. AND SO I'VE BEEN ADVOCATING FOR THESE WORKSHOPS AND GLAD THAT WE'RE DOING ONE AGAIN TONIGHT.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU. SUPERVISOR COUNTY COUNCIL CEO HENDRICKSON.

WELL, I COULD ATTENDED A LOT OF THESE SAME EVENTS.

I WON'T GO INTO THEM TOO FAR, BUT THE GOLD RUNNER BUS ROUTE 40 THRUWAY FROM MERCED TO SAN JOSE.

RIBBON CUTTING. VERY WELL ATTENDED. SOMETHING THAT'S MUCH NEEDED.

AS JOSH HAD MENTIONED, THE COMMUTERS GOING OVER THE HILL TO HELP THEM OUT.

I ALSO ATTENDED THE MCO STATE OF THE COUNTY LUNCHEON, AS WELL AS THE MERCED COLLEGE FFA PROJECT COMPETITION, AWARDS BANQUET. AND I'D LIKE TO THANK CEO HENDRICKSON FOR OUR MONTHLY MEETING WITH THE CITY MANAGER AND THE MAYOR FROM THE CITY OF ATWATER.

VERY FRUITFUL, VERY GOOD CONVERSATIONS. AND I GOTTA SAY, OUR COLLABORATION WITH THE CITY ATWATER HAS BEEN VERY GOOD.

AND IT'S NICE HAVING A MAYOR WHO WAS ONCE A SUPERVISOR, WHO UNDERSTANDS WHAT THE COUNTY DOES AND HOW WE CAN WORK TOGETHER AND WE CAN FILL IN THE GAPS. AND IT'S THAT THAT RELATIONSHIP IS WORKING VERY WELL.

ALSO WAS ABLE TO ATTEND THE MCCOY'S NEW ROPE WELDING TRAILER RIBBON CUTTING CEREMONY.

THAT'S YOU KNOW, JOSH DIDN'T WELD. I DID WELD IN HIGH SCHOOL, AND IT WAS A WHOLE LOT OF FUN.

I THINK I'VE WELDED MAYBE 2 TIMES SINCE I GRADUATED FROM HIGH SCHOOL, BUT I WAS ABLE TO STEP UP AND DO IT.

AND ACTUALLY, MY WIFE WAS VERY IMPRESSED THAT I KNEW WHAT I WAS DOING.

WITH I DID DO THE MERCED RIVER CHAPTER IN NSDARS GOOD CITIZENSHIP SCHOLARSHIP RECEPTION AS WELL.

AND. WE DID HAVE A FRUITFUL MEETING YESTERDAY WITH OH, WE I MET WITH KT AERO AND THE MAYOR OF ATWATER TO INTRODUCE HIM TO WHAT WAS GOING ON OUT THERE.

AND THEN WE ALSO MET WITH TRC YESTERDAY. AND YES, WE GOT TO SEE A LOT OF THINGS THAT NOT A LOT OF PEOPLE WERE ABLE TO SEE, WHICH IS VERY GOOD. THERE'S A LOT OF GOOD THINGS HAPPENING OUT AT CASTLE.

I HOPE WE EXPLAIN THAT TODAY. I'D LIKE THIS CONCLUDES OUR BOARD OF SUPERVISORS MEETING FOR FEBRUARY 10TH, 2026. I'D LIKE TO ANNOUNCE THAT MERCED COUNTY WILL BE HAVING A SPECIAL MEETING ON FRIDAY, MARCH 20TH AT 10 A.M.

AT THE MERCED THEATER DOWNTOWN AT 301 WEST MAIN STREET, WHERE WE'LL BE GIVING OUR STATE OF THE COUNTY ADDRESS.

PLEASE ADD THAT DATE TO YOUR CALENDARS. MORE INFORMATION WILL BE FORTHCOMING.

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

ON TUESDAY, MARCH 3RD. THAT CONCLUDES OUR MEETING.

THANK YOU.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.