[00:00:03] GOOD MORNING AND WELCOME TO THE MARCH 3, 2026 MEETING OF THE MERCED COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS. [CALL TO ORDER] [CLOSED SESSION] YOUR CLOSED SESSION THIS MORNING IS CONFERENCE WITH REAL PROPERTY NEGOTIATOR PROPERTY, 2490 EMMA STREET, SNELLING APN 043-224-018. AGENCY NEGOTIATOR NATHAN BRAY, DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS, ROAD COMMISSIONER NEGOTIATING PARTIES TO BE DETERMINED UNDER NEGOTIATION PRICE AND TERMS OF PAYMENT. 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. AT THIS TIME, I'LL OPEN UP PUBLIC COMMENT FOR CLOSED SESSION ITEMS. SEEING NONE, THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD FOR CLOSED SESSION ITEMS IS NOW CLOSED AND WE WILL ADJOURN INTO CLOSED SESSION. YOU GUYS DIDN'T WANT TO MAKE PUBLIC COMMENTS. GOOD MORNING AND WELCOME TO THE MARCH 3RD, 2026 MEETING OF THE [10:00 A.M. REGULAR MEETING] MERCED COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS. FOR A CLOSED SESSION. YEAH. CLOSED SESSION. MEETING. WE WERE GIVEN DIRECTION TO STAFF. OH, I'M SORRY. I'M. YEAH. THIS MORNING WE HAD CLOSED SESSION MEETING AND STAFF WAS GIVEN DIRECTION. WE WILL NOW START WITH THE INVOCATION LED BY PASTOR DAVID HILTON JR WITH THE GOSPEL DEFENDERS CHURCH. AND THEN SUPERVISOR PACHECO WILL LEAD US IN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. DAVID, COME ON UP. LET'S COME OVER HERE. YEAH. AND YOU CAN MOVE THE THERE'S A BUTTON TO THE RIGHT IF YOU WANT TO MOVE THE PODIUM UP A LITTLE BIT. OKAY. I'M GOOD. OKAY. LET'S BOW OUR HEADS. FATHER, WE LOVE YOU TODAY. WE'RE SO THANKFUL FOR YOUR LOVE AND YOUR GRACE AND YOUR MERCY TOWARDS US. LORD, WE ASK THAT YOU BE WITH US IN THIS MEETING TODAY, LORD, USUALLY IN CHURCH SETTINGS WE PRAY FOR YOUR PRESENCE. BUT LORD, IN THIS BUSINESS MEETING WITH OUR COUNTY SUPERVISORS. LORD, I PRAY THAT YOUR PRESENCE IS IN THIS BUILDING WITH THEM ALSO AND WITH ALL OF US. LORD, GIVE US DIRECTION. GIVE US GUIDANCE AS WE LEAN UPON YOU. IN YOUR NAME WE PRAY. AMEN. AMEN. READY? SALUTE. I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS. ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. OKAY. IT IS [PUBLIC COMMENT] NOW TIME FOR PUBLIC OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK ON ANY MATTER OF PUBLIC INTEREST WITHIN THE BOARD'S JURISDICTION, EXCLUDING ITEMS ON THE BOARD'S AGENDA, TESTIMONY IS LIMITED TO THREE MINUTES PER PERSON AND 30 MINUTES TOTAL. AT THIS TIME I WILL OPEN UP PUBLIC COMMENT AGAIN. THIS IS FOR NON-AGENDA ITEMS ONLY. GOOD MORNING. CHAIR, BOARD CEO, COUNTY EMPLOYEES. I WANT TO TALK ABOUT YESTERDAY'S INCIDENT IN LOS BANOS WITH THE AMMONIA AND KAGOME. SO FIRST, I WANT TO SINCERELY THANK OUR FIRST RESPONDERS WHO ACTED SWIFTLY AND PROFESSIONALLY TO CONTROL THE AMMONIA LEAK IN LOS BANOS. THE RAPID RESPONSE HELPED PREVENT WHAT COULD HAVE BEEN A MUCH MORE SERIOUS SITUATION, WHICH MY FAMILY RESIDENTS ARE GRATEFUL FOR THEIR SERVICE AND DEDICATION. SECOND, FROM A PERSONAL PERSPECTIVE. I LIVE RIGHT NEXT DOOR TO KAGOME. I HAVE THREE CHILDREN. ALL THREE ARE UNDER TWO YEARS OLD. WE HAD WE DIDN'T RECEIVE ANY RESPONSE OR ANY NOTIFICATIONS ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED AROUND 5:36 A.M.. WHICH LEADS ME TO COME HERE AND TALK ABOUT THIS. A LOT OF RESIDENTS TOO AS WELL WEREN'T NOTIFIED ABOUT THIS. THERE WAS A POLICE RIGHT OUTSIDE OF OUR DOOR JUST MAKING SURE THAT PEOPLE WOULDN'T GO TOWARDS THAT AREA. SO SECOND OR THIRD, WHICH LEADS ME TO MY THIRD POINT. YESTERDAY, MANY RESIDENTS WERE LEFT SCRAMBLING FOR INFORMATION. FACEBOOK BECAME THE PRIMARY SOURCE OF UPDATES THAT WERE POST CIRCULATING FROM THE SCHOOL AS THE CITY AND THE COUNTY, AND AT TIMES, INFORMATION SEEMED TO CHANGE THAT CREATED A LOT OF CONFUSION BETWEEN EVERYONE AROUND THE CITY OF LOS BANOS. LASTLY, I UNDERSTAND THAT THE COUNTY HAS AN EMERGENCY ALERT SYSTEM IN PLACE TO NOTIFY RESIDENTS ABOUT THE SERIOUS INCIDENTS. HOWEVER, MANY RESIDENTS DID NOT RECEIVE NOTIFICATIONS, POSSIBLY BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT ENROLLED INTO THAT PROGRAM OR ALERT SYSTEM. I WOULD STRONGLY ENCOURAGE THE BOARD TO CONSIDER LAUNCHING A MORE EXTENSIVE CAMPAIGN. [00:05:02] PUBLIC AWARENESS CAMPAIGN ABOUT THE COUNTY'S EMERGENCY ALERT SYSTEM, SO RESIDENTS KNOW HOW TO SIGN UP AND BE AWARE FOR CERTAIN SITUATIONS LIKE THIS THAT OCCUR IN THE FUTURE. IN EMERGENCIES TIMELY AND DIRECT COMMUNICATION CAN PREVENT CONFUSION, REDUCE PANIC, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, PROTECT FAMILIES. A LOT OF RESIDENTS CAME TO ME AND ASKED ME TO COME TALK ABOUT THIS, AS WELL AS I MYSELF WANT TO TALK ABOUT THIS BECAUSE OF THE DANGER MY KIDS WERE PUT IN YESTERDAY MORNING. I ACTUALLY BROUGHT THEM WITH ME YESTERDAY TO MERCED TO AVOID BEING ALL AROUND THE WHOLE AMMONIA INCIDENT. IF THERE COULD BE SOMETHING DONE LIKE HOW PG&E DOES WITH OUTAGES, SOMETHING MORE STRAIGHTFORWARD, EASY WHERE WE JUST GET NOTIFICATIONS THAT'D BE AMAZING. I TRIED SIGNING UP FOR THAT PROGRAM AND I HAD DIFFICULTY. IT ASKED ME FOR A TEXT VERIFICATION. DIDN'T ASK ME FOR EMAIL VERIFICATION CODE. I WOULD INPUT THAT AND IT WOULD SAY IT WOULD DECLINE. SO I'M HOPING OTHER RESIDENTS DON'T HAVE THE SAME SITUATION. SO I'M JUST ASKING FOR PUBLIC TO MAKE THE PUBLIC AWARE ABOUT THIS ALERT SYSTEM THAT THE COUNTY DOES HAVE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. THANK YOU. GO AHEAD. GOOD MORNING. GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS ANGELA COOK AND I LIVE ON NORMANDY LANE. YOU'VE READ MY EMAIL, SO I WON'T REPEAT EVERY DETAIL. I'M HERE BECAUSE AFTER 14 YEARS, THE ISSUE HAS ESCALATED BEYOND FRUSTRATION. IT'S NOW AFFECTING MY HOME STRUCTURALLY AND FINANCIALLY. SINCE BEFORE I MOVED IN IN 2012 A NEIGHBOR HAS BEEN FEEDING A FERAL CAT COLONY. OVER THE YEARS, THE MALE CATS HAVE SPRAYED MY DAUGHTER'S OUTDOOR TOYS, LEFT FECES ALL OVER MY FLOWERBEDS AND COURTYARD, OUTSIDE MY KITCHEN AND DINING ROOM WINDOWS, AND EVEN USED THE STREET GUTTERS AS A LITTER BOX. GUESTS NOW HAVE TO WATCH THEIR STEP WHEN GETTING OUT OF THEIR CARS TO AVOID STEPPING IN FECES. I HAVE EVEN FOUND DEAD CATS AND VOMIT ON MY PROPERTY, WHICH RAISES CONCERNS ABOUT DISEASE, PARASITES, AND POSSIBLE POISONING. RECENTLY, A LICENSED ROOFER TOLD ME THAT MY ROOF IS IN EXCELLENT CONDITION, BUT THE ACCUMULATION OF FECES IS FORMING A DAM THAT COULD LEAD TO WATER POOLING AND PREMATURE TILE DAMAGE. AS A SINGLE MOTHER AND HIGH SCHOOL TEACHER, I CANNOT ABSORB THE ONGOING COST OF CLEANING OR ROOF REPAIR CAUSED BY A COLONY I DID NOT CREATE AND CANNOT CONTROL. BEFORE COMING HERE, I WAS ENCOURAGED TO SPEAK DIRECTLY WITH MY NEIGHBOR, I DID. HE TOLD ME THE FECES ON HIS ROOF HAD BEEN ATTRIBUTED TO RACCOONS BY A TREE SERVICE, AND STATED THAT MOST OF THE CATS HAD ALREADY BEEN FIXED THROUGH A TRAP AND RELEASE PROGRAM, HELPED BY SOME NEIGHBORHOOD LADIES. WHEN I ASKED WHO HE DEFLECTED, I TOLD HIM PLAINLY THAT THE LADIES WERE MYSELF AND MY FRIEND MARIA, AND WE HAVE ONLY MANAGED TO GET TWO CATS FIXED. WHEN I ASKED IF HE WAS ACTIVELY ALSO TRAPPING TO ASSIST, HE POINT BLANK SAID NO, SHOWING HIS LACK OF ACCOUNTABILITY. I'M NOT HERE TO ATTACK MY NEIGHBOR. I'M HERE ABOUT ADDRESSING A POLICY BLIND SPOT THAT LEAVES SURROUNDING HOMEOWNERS WITHOUT PROTECTION. I UNDERSTAND THAT THE TRAP AND RELEASE IS A LONG TERM POPULATION CONTROL STRATEGY, BUT IT REQUIRES CONSISTENT MANPOWER COORDINATION AND FOLLOW THROUGH WHICH WE DO NOT HAVE. AND EVEN IF EVERY CAT WERE FIXED TOMORROW, THAT DOES NOT ADDRESS THE SANITATION ISSUE. CATS STILL DEFECATE. THE WASTE MANAGEMENT PROBLEM REMAINS ENTIRELY UNADDRESSED. ANIMAL CONTROL HAS TOLD ME THAT THEIR HANDS ARE TIED BECAUSE OWNERSHIP IS NOT CLAIMED. ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH SAYS THERE IS NO VIOLATION UNLESS WASTE IS BEING DUMPED. PUBLIC WORKS CANNOT INTERVENE. SO WE ARE LEFT IN A GAP WHERE A COLONY CAN BE FED INDEFINITELY WITHOUT OWNERSHIP, CONTAINMENT OR RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE IMPACT ON SURROUNDING HOMEOWNERS. I LIVE BY THE MOTTO LIVE AND LET LIVE. BUT WHEN SOMEONE ELSE'S PERSONAL CHOICE BEGINS TO AFFECT MY ROOF, MY YARD, MY FINANCES, AND MY ABILITY TO ENJOY MY OUTDOOR SPACE IT BECOMES MORE THAN A PRIVATE MATTER. I'M A TAXPAYER, HOMEOWNER, AND A LIFELONG MERCED RESIDENT. I'M SIMPLY ASKING THE COUNTY TO HELP FIND A SOLUTION, WHETHER THROUGH ORDINANCE REVIEW, COORDINATED ENFORCEMENT, MANAGED COLONY STANDARDS, OR ANOTHER AVENUE I MAY NOT BE AWARE OF. I'M DESPERATE FOR RELIEF AND RESPECTFULLY ASK FOR YOUR ASSISTANCE. I HAVE TWO EMAILS FROM NEIGHBORS WHO ARE UNABLE TO ATTEND TODAY THAT I'M GOING TO LEAVE IN YOUR BOX. THANK YOU. GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS MARIA THEODOSIO I WANT TO BEGIN BY SAYING I APPRECIATE ANGELA'S THOUGHTFUL AND RESPECTFUL COMMENTS. HER EXPERIENCE REFLECTS THE REALITY MANY HOMEOWNERS IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD ARE QUIETLY DEALING WITH, AND IT HIGHLIGHTS WHY THE ISSUES DESERVE A BALANCED, COMMUNITY WIDE SOLUTION. ON ARDEN LANE. I LIVE TWO STREETS OVER FROM HER ARDEN LANE. THREE HOUSEHOLDS HAVE TRIED TO BE A PART OF THE ANSWER, RATHER THAN PART OF THE CONFLICT WE HAVE PERSONALLY COORDINATED AND PAID TO HAVE 16 CATS SPAYED AND NEUTERED AND RETURNED BACK TO OUR STREET. THAT REPRESENTS TIME, MONEY, COORDINATION AND A GENUINE COMMITMENT TO REDUCING THE POPULATION HUMANELY. WE UNDERSTAND THE PURPOSE OF THE SPAY, NEUTER AND RETURN. WHEN DONE CONSISTENTLY AND AT SCALE IT HELPS STABILIZE THE COLONIES OVER TIME. [00:10:03] BUT WHAT WE ARE SEEING ON THE GROUNDS THAT BURDEN THE BURDEN OF IMPLEMENTATION, IS FALLING UNEVENLY ON THE HANDFUL OF RESIDENTS WHO ARE TRYING TO STEP UP VOLUNTARILY. WHILE THE BROADER IMPACT SANITATION, PROPERTY DAMAGE AND NEIGHBORHOOD TENSION REMAINS UNRESOLVED. IN RECENT MONTHS, THERE HAVE BEEN GROWING CONCERNS IN OUR AREA ABOUT CATS BEING POISONED. IT'S A SIGN OF FRUSTRATION AND REACHING A BREAKING POINT. I'VE SEEN MULTIPLE DEAD CATS ON NORMANDY, ONE OF WHICH WAS ON ANGELA'S LAWN. POISONING IS NOT ACCEPTABLE. IT IS NOT HUMANE, AND IT IS NOT A SOLUTION, BUT ALSO A WARNING SIGNAL. WHEN RESIDENTS FEEL THERE IS NO EFFECTIVE PATH TO RELIEF, SOME MAY RESORT TO HARMFUL MEASURES OUT OF DESPERATION. I WALK MY DOGS DOWN ANGELA'S STREET DAILY AND IT IS DISHEARTENING TO SEE THE ONGOING SITUATION ON NORMANDY. ONE PARTICULAR HOMEOWNER CONTINUES TO CONTINUES TO FEED A LARGE NUMBER OF CATS WITHOUT SPAYING AND NEUTERING THEM. WHEN ANIMAL CONTROL RESPONDS, HE STATES THE CATS ARE NOT HIS. IN THE PAST, HE HAS EVEN ENTERED ANGELA'S PROPERTY TO REMOVE CATS FROM THE TRAPS. ADDITIONALLY, A LONG STANDING WOODPILE ALONG HIS DRIVEWAY, WHICH HAS NOT BEEN MAINTAINED, IS EFFECTIVELY BECOME A SHELTERING SITE FOR THE CATS. I HAVE PERSONALLY HELPED TRAP TWO OF THE CATS ON ANGELA'S STREETS, HAD THEM FIXED USING VOUCHERS, AND RETURNED THEM. WE ARE ALSO EXPERIENCING DIFFICULTIES ACCESSING COUNTY SPAY AND NEUTER VOUCHERS. RECEIVING THEM ONLY SPORADICALLY WILL NOT ALLOW THIS PROBLEM TO BE ADDRESSED IN A TIMELY AND MEANINGFUL WAY. OUR STREET HAS DEMONSTRATED THE NEIGHBORS ARE WILLING TO DO THE WORK. 16 CATS FIXED ON ONE STREET IS MEANINGFUL PROGRESS, BUT VOLUNTARY EFFORTS ALONE CANNOT CARRY THE FULL WEIGHT OF COLONY MANAGEMENT, SANITATION AND COMMUNITY IMPACT. WE ALL WANT THE SAME OUTCOME. FEWER UNWANTED LITTERS, HEALTHIER ANIMALS, CLEAN AND SAFE NEIGHBORHOODS, AND NO RESIDENTS FEELING PUSHED TO THE POINT OF DESPERATION. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND YOUR WILLINGNESS TO HELP OUR COMMUNITY FIND A HUMANE, WORKABLE PATH FORWARD. THANK YOU. GOOD MORNING. GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS TOM MORRELL. I ALSO LIVE IN NEIGHBORS OF THE TWO PEOPLE THAT HAVE JUST SPOKEN. WE LIVE IN A COUNTY PARK, WE LIVE IN A COUNTY PARK POCKET INSIDE THE CITY OF MERCED. AND I THINK THAT IS PART OF THE ISSUE THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT WITH THE COORDINATION THAT MAY OR MAY NOT BE REQUIRED IN THIS ISSUE. THERE'S EIGHT HOMES ON OUR CUL DE SAC. JUST EIGHT. THREE OF THEM HAPPENED TO BE FOR SALE. VERY UNIQUE SITUATION. DO WE HAVE A CAT COLONY PROBLEM? YES WE DO. I PERSONALLY HAVE FOUND THREE DEAD KITTENS IN MY BUSHES. MY BACKYARD AROUND THE POOL SEEMS TO BE A FAVORITE PLACE FOR A LOT OF THE FECES AND THAT STUFF TO ACQUIRE. BUT I THINK THE BIGGER ISSUE, BIGGER ISSUE HERE, BESIDES THE, THE COUNTY POCKET IS I WOULD SAY IT WOULD PROBABLY BE ALL I EVER NEEDED TO LEARN IN LIFE. I LEARNED IN KINDERGARTEN. NOW, THAT'S KIND OF A STRANGE STATEMENT, BUT I THINK THE BIGGER ISSUE HERE IS HOW DO WE GET A NEIGHBORHOOD, WHETHER IT BE EIGHT HOUSES OR 100 HOUSES, HOW DO WE GET PEOPLE TO GET ALONG CIVILLY WITH ONE ANOTHER AND DO WHAT IS BEST FOR THE GOOD OF THE LARGER MAJORITY. ISSUES LIKE PROPERTY AND CARE OF YARDS, CAR PARKING, CARS THAT ARE LEFT ON THE STREETS FOR SIX MONTHS AT A TIME WITHOUT BEING MOVED. WOODPILE THAT WAS PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED THAT UP UNTIL THIS MORNING WHEN THEY CLEANED IT OUT, WAS BEEN A JUST A HORRENDOUS EYESIGHT EYE PROBLEM. IT ALL STEMS FROM TRYING TO BE A GOOD NEIGHBOR. SO HOW BEST TO HAVE A NEIGHBORHOOD FUNCTION? WELL DO WE DO WE FORM? AT ONE TIME WE HAD A HOA FROM BEDFORD ESTATES. DO WE RECREATE THE BEDFORD ESTATES HOA? DO WE DO THE SQUEAKY WHEEL APPROACH WHERE WHEN WE HAVE THESE ISSUES WE CALL PEOPLE UNTIL SOMEBODY FINALLY RESPONDS? OR DO WE ALSO REVERT TO THE POWER OF PRAYER? SO I'M ASKING FOR YOUR HELP IN WISDOM TO KNOW HOW TO TAKE CARE OF THE SITUATION. I'VE LIVED HERE FOR 40 YEARS. I'VE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE PART OF THE AIR FORCE COMMUNITY FLYING B-52S. AND THIS IS A GREAT PLACE TO LIVE. AND THIS INDIVIDUAL PROBLEM IS VERY SMALL COMPARED TO MOST OF THE THINGS THAT YOU'RE GOING TO BE TALKING ABOUT. [00:15:05] SO I DON'T WANT TO OVER ELEVATE IT, BUT I DO WANT TO YOU KNOW, TRY TO SAY IT IS AN ISSUE THANK YOU. GOOD MORNING. MIC] VERSAD HERE ON BEHALF OF CONGRESSMAN ADAM GRAY. AND WELL, EARLIER LAST MONTH, CONGRESSMAN GRAY WAS ABLE TO SECURE OVER $16 MILLION IN DIRECT FUNDING FOR 15 PROJECTS IN OUR DISTRICT. INFORMATION ON THE FUNDED PROJECTS CAN BE FOUND ON OUR WEBSITE, GRAY.HOUSE.GOV. AND LAST WEEK, THE HOUSE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE RELEASED ITS GUIDELINES FOR COMMUNITY PROJECT FUNDING DEADLINE, AS I KNOW YOU'RE ALL AWARE, IS FRIDAY, MARCH 6TH. AND IF YOU DIDN'T GET AN EMAIL ABOUT ANY OF THAT FROM US, SHOOT ME A REALLY ANGRY LOOK RIGHT NOW AND I'LL MAKE SURE TO DO THAT RIGHT AWAY. PORTAL SUBMISSIONS OPENED YESTERDAY, AND I KNOW, I KNOW, COUNTY STAFF ARE WORKING AROUND THE CLOCK TO GET SOME STUFF IN ORDER FOR US, AND WE'RE REALLY EXCITED TO BE ASSISTING MERCED COUNTY SECURE FUNDING FOR COMMUNITY PROJECTS, AS WE WERE ABLE TO SECURE FUNDING FOR ALL 15 PROJECTS THAT WE SUBMITTED TO THE HOUSE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE LAST CYCLE. IN TIME, WHEN THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS PRETTY HESITANT TO FUND ANYTHING WE'RE PRETTY PROUD TO HAVE SECURED FUNDING FOR SOME CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS IN OUR DISTRICT, AND WE'RE REALLY EXCITED FOR THE NEXT ROUND OF APPROPRIATIONS BECAUSE, I MEAN, SHOOT, LET'S LET'S GO FOR 20 THIS TIME, RIGHT? [LAUGHTER] SO WITH THAT SAID, AS ALWAYS, IF ANYONE ON THE BOARD KNOWS IF FOLKS WHO'VE GOT ISSUES WITH THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. SEND THEM OUR WAY. 602 WEST 20TH STREET. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK AT THIS TIME? IF NOT, WE'LL GO AHEAD AND CLOSE THIS PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD FOR NON-AGENDA ITEMS. [PRESENTATION] MOVING FORWARD AT THIS TIME, WE WILL HAVE A BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AND RECOVERY SERVICES CARE ACT VIDEO. I WILL NOW TURN IT OVER TO COUNTY EXECUTIVE OFFICER MARK HENDRICKSON TO PROVIDE OPENING COMMENTS, AND THEN ASSISTANT BHRS DIRECTOR ALEXANDRA PIERCE, WHO WILL BE PRESENTING THE VIDEO. MARK. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD. GOOD MORNING. ONE OF MY ORGANIZATIONAL GOALS THIS YEAR WAS FOR OUR TEAM TO BE MORE EFFECTIVE WITH TELLING ITS STORY, TO TRANSPARENTLY HIGHLIGHT THE ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE COUNTY AND THE GOOD WORK OUR TEAM DOES EVERY SINGLE DAY TO BENEFIT RESIDENTS AND BUSINESSES THROUGHOUT OUR COUNTY. IN THIS REGARD IS IN A MOMENT TO BE ADDRESSED. ASSISTANT DIRECTOR ALEXANDRA PIERCE IS GOING TO BE INTRODUCING A BRIEF VIDEO HIGHLIGHTING THEIR OUTSTANDING WORK IN IMPLEMENTING OUR CARE COURT HERE IN MERCED COUNTY. THIS PROGRAM REFLECTS OUR COMMITMENT TO SERVING SOME OF THE MOST VULNERABLE RESIDENTS WITH COMPASSION, ACCOUNTABILITY AND HIGH PERFORMANCE. I'M ESPECIALLY PROUD TO REPORT THAT JUST YESTERDAY, WE RECEIVED A LETTER FROM THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE DESIGNATING MERCED COUNTY AS ONE OF JUST TEN INAUGURAL CARE CHAMPIONS STATEWIDE. SO THIS RECOGNITION SPEAKS TO THE DEDICATION OF OUR STAFF, SEVERAL OF WHICH ARE HERE TODAY, OUR PARTNERS. AND IT UNDERSCORES THE IMPORTANCE OF CONTINUING TO TELL THE MERCED COUNTY STORY, ONE THAT REFLECTS INNOVATION, COLLABORATION AND MEANINGFUL SERVICE TO OUR COMMUNITY. AND SO WITH THAT, MR. CHAIRMAN, I'D LIKE TO TURN IT OVER TO ALEXANDRA SO SHE CAN KIND OF INTRODUCE THE VIDEO THAT HAS BEEN PRODUCED FOR THIS BOARD AND FOR THE PUBLIC. THANK YOU SIR. GOOD MORNING CHAIRMAN MCDANIEL, BOARD, COUNTY COUNSEL HANSEN. I AM ALEXANDRA PIERCE, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR AT BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AND RECOVERY SERVICES. AND TODAY, WE ARE PROUD TO SHARE A BRIEF LOOK AT MERCED COUNTY'S CARE ACT PROGRAM, AN EFFORT GROUNDED IN PARTNERSHIP PREPARATION AND A DEEP COMMITMENT TO SERVING SOME OF THE COMMUNITY'S MOST VULNERABLE RESIDENTS. MORE THAN A YEAR BEFORE LAUNCHING CARE ACT IN DECEMBER OF 2024, MERCED COUNTY BROUGHT TOGETHER A COUNTY WIDE IMPLEMENTATION COMMITTEE WITH REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE OFFICE, THE SUPERIOR COURT, THE PUBLIC DEFENDER'S OFFICE, THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT, COUNTY COUNSEL, HUMAN SERVICES AGENCY, AND BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AND RECOVERY SERVICES. FROM THIS COLLABORATION, WE BUILT A THOUGHTFUL, COORDINATED FRAMEWORK, ONE THAT CAREFULLY CONSIDERED THE LESSONS LEARNED FROM EARLY IMPLEMENTERS ADDRESS CONCERNS RAISED BY STAKEHOLDERS, DEVELOPED CLEAR PROCEDURES, AND PRIORITIZED OUTREACH AND EDUCATION. THAT STRONG FOUNDATION HAS CONTINUED THROUGH ACTIVE PARTNERSHIP WITH THE SUPERIOR COURT, INCLUDING JUDGE BACCIARINI AND COURT EXECUTIVE OFFICER AMANDA TOSTE, PUBLIC DEFENDER VINCENT ANDRADE AND ASSISTANT COUNTY COUNSEL TOM EBERSOLE AND FORMER DEPUTY COUNTY COUNSEL TOM MINN, WHOSE ONGOING COLLABORATION ENSURES DUE PROCESS, LEGAL INTEGRITY AND COORDINATED IMPLEMENTATION OF THE CARE ACT HERE IN MERCED COUNTY. A KEY OUTCOME OF THAT WORK WAS THE CREATION OF STREAMLINED PRE-PETITION REFERRAL PATHWAY TO INCREASE ACCESS TO CARE ACT AND OTHER BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SERVICES. [00:20:10] THIS PATHWAY INCLUDES A BUSINESS CARD SIZE CARE ACT REFERENCE TOOL WITH ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA AND CONTACT INFORMATION, A DEDICATED REFERRAL PHONE LINE AND EMAIL, AND DIRECT FOLLOW UP BY A MEMBER OF OUR CARE ACT TEAM TO CONNECT WITH THE REFERRING PARTY, PROVIDE INFORMATION AND DETERMINE NEXT STEPS. THIS STRUCTURE REFLECTS OUR SHARED GOAL MAKING ACCESS TO CARE AS CLEAR, RESPONSIVE AND BARRIER FREE AS POSSIBLE FOR ELIGIBLE, ELIGIBLE MERCED COUNTY RESIDENTS. JOINING US TODAY IN THE AUDIENCE, AND AT THE HEART OF THIS PROGRAM, IS A HIGHLY COMPETENT AND COMPASSIONATE CARE ACT TEAM LED BY COMMUNITY ENRICHMENT DIRECTOR DELILAH GARZA. THE TEAM INCLUDES PROGRAM MANAGER JESSICA BAUTISTA, MENTAL HEALTH CLINICIAN ANGELA PEREZ, MENTAL HEALTH WORKER FRANCISCO PEREZ, HEALTH CARE FACILITY SUPPORT SPECIALIST DOLORES ALARCON AND STAFF SERVICES ANALYST ALBERTO BARRAGAN, WHO ENSURES THE RIGOROUS DATA AND TRACKING THAT'S REQUIRED BY THIS PROGRAM. TOGETHER, THEY BRING CLINICAL EXPERTISE, LIVED EXPERIENCE, OPERATIONAL PRECISION AND UNWAVERING BELIEF IN RECOVERY. WE ALSO WANT TO EXPRESS SINCERE APPRECIATION TO OUR BEHAVIORAL HEALTH DIRECTOR, KUMIKO VANG, FOR INVESTING IN THIS PROGRAM FROM THE OUTSET, DEDICATING THE NECESSARY RESOURCES, EMPOWERING STAFF, AND ALWAYS FOSTERING A CULTURE OF INNOVATION AND CUSTOMER SERVICE THAT HAS SHAPED THE CARE ACT'S IMPLEMENTATION. HERE IN MERCED, THAT LEADERSHIP HAS BEEN INSTRUMENTAL IN BUILDING A PROGRAM THAT IS BOTH ACCOUNTABLE AND PERSON CENTERED. WE ALSO WANT TO THANK THIS BOARD FOR ITS STEADFAST SUPPORT OF BEHAVIORAL HEALTH, AND FOR ALLOCATING CRITICAL RESOURCES DURING A SIGNIFICANT STATEWIDE CHANGE FOR COUNTY BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SYSTEMS. WE RECOGNIZE THE RESPONSIBILITY THAT COMES WITH THIS INVESTMENT AND ARE COMMITTED TO STEWARDING THESE RESOURCES WITH ACCOUNTABILITY, INTENTIONALITY, AND A STANDARD OF EXCELLENCE IN IMPLEMENTATION AND SERVICE DELIVERY. MOST IMPORTANTLY, THIS PROGRAM IS ABOUT THE PEOPLE. TODAY, WE'RE HONORED TO CELEBRATE TWO REMARKABLE CARE ACT PARTICIPANTS, UNFORTUNATELY, WHO ARE UNABLE TO BE PRESENT TODAY. ONE, BECAUSE THEY STARTED A BRAND NEW JOB. SO SUPER EXCITED ABOUT THAT. BUT WHO ARE FEATURED IN OUR VIDEO? MR. PEDRO GRANADOS AND MR. SAMUEL PARKS. THEIR WILLINGNESS TO SAY YES TO SERVICES, TO ENGAGE IN TREATMENT AND TO WORK TOWARDS MEANINGFUL GOALS REFLECTS COURAGE AND COMMITMENT. THEY ARE CHAMPIONS OF HOPE, RECOVERY AND WELLNESS IN OUR COMMUNITY, AND WE RECOGNIZE THE HARD WORK THEY HAVE INVESTED IN THEIR OWN JOURNEYS AS WE APPROACH OUR FIRST YEAR WORKING WITH OUR PARTICIPANTS. A FEW ARE ON TRACK TO GRADUATE IN APRIL OR MAY, AND WE'RE CURRENTLY EXPLORING OPTIONS WITH THEM AND PLANNING NEXT STEPS ACCORDINGLY. THIS VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS NOT ONLY A PROGRAM, BUT A COUNTY WIDE INVESTMENT IN COLLABORATION, ACCOUNTABILITY AND COMPASSIONATE CARE. WE ARE PROUD OF THE FOUNDATION WE HAVE BUILT AND GRATEFUL TO ALL WHO HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO ITS SUCCESS. AND WITH THAT, I'D LOVE TO PRESENT OUR VIDEO. NO GOOD. AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE CHALLENGES, AND FAR TOO OFTEN THEY DON'T KNOW WHERE TO TURN FOR HELP OR HOW TO NAVIGATE THE COMPLICATED SYSTEMS MEANT TO HELP THEM. THE CARE ACT COMMUNITY ASSISTANCE, RECOVERY AND EMPOWERMENT IS A VOLUNTARY PROGRAM THAT CONNECTS INDIVIDUALS DIAGNOSED WITH SCHIZOPHRENIA OR OTHER PSYCHOTIC DISORDERS TO TREATMENT, SUBSTANCE USE SERVICES, HOUSING AND SUPPORT. WITH THE GUIDANCE OF A DEDICATED TEAM OF CARE PROFESSIONALS AND COURT OVERSIGHT, PARTICIPANTS WORK TO CREATE PERSONALIZED PLANS FOR RECOVERY, ONE STEP AT A TIME. TODAY WE'LL SHOW YOU HOW THE CARE ACT IS MAKING A REAL DIFFERENCE IN MERCED COUNTY, HELPING PARTICIPANTS ACCESS CARE EARLIER AND TAKE MEANINGFUL STEPS TOWARDS LASTING RECOVERY. I FEEL LIKE THE CARE PROCESS RIGHT NOW HAS HELPED ME BETTER, BETTER IN MY FUTURE AND HELPING ME UNDERSTAND HOW TO GET OUT AND PROCESS MY LIFE AND GET IT ON THE RIGHT TRACK AGAIN. EVERY SINGLE TIME I HAD A JUST HELP FROM MY TEAM, THEY ALWAYS WERE CARING AND JUST TRY TO POINT ME IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION AND ANYTHING I EVER NEEDED. THEY JUST ALWAYS TRIED TO SAY IF I NEED HELP, CALL OR JUST ASK THEM FOR ANYTHING I NEED. SO THEY'VE BEEN REALLY HELPFUL AND MY MENTAL HEALTH HAS DEFINITELY BEEN A LOT BETTER, BECAUSE I ALWAYS KNOW I HAVE SOMEONE IN MY CORNER AND SOMEONE HELPING ME OUT [00:25:10] AND JUST TRYING TO STAY ON THE RIGHT TRACK AND FOCUS ON JUST GETTING BETTER. CARE HELPS THEM GET THE RIGHT TREATMENT AND SUPPORT EARLY IN THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE PROCESS BY PROVIDING FOOD, HOUSING, THERAPY, AND MEDICAL CARE. CARE COURT ADDRESSES THE MOST ROOT PROBLEMS THAT LEAD TO HOMELESSNESS AND OR FUTURE ARRESTS. AND FINALLY, CARE COURT GIVES INDIVIDUALS A BETTER CHANCE TO STAY HEALTHY, SAFE AND BECOME PRODUCTIVE MEMBERS OF SOCIETY. NO NO NO NO. ESTOY PENSANDO EN OTRAS COSAS. ESTOY MUY CENTRADO EN LO MIO Y ESO ES MUY NOTABLE. MIS CAMBIOS EL LOGRADO MUCHAS METAS Y ESTOY ACERCANDO CADA DIA MAS EN ESTAS PEQUENAS. EN EL PROGRAMA DE ESTA AYUDANDO MUCHO Y CON LA AYUDA DE ELLOS VOY LOGRANDO POCO A POCO. LAS METAS ES MUY CERCA DE CADA VOY LOGRANDO ES UN TRIUNFO Q VOY HACIENDO Y PUES FAMILIARES EN LA FAMILIA. TODOS MIS AMISTADES TAMBIÉN. GRACIAS AL PROGRAMA. ESTOY HACIENDO. ESO ES COMO UNA BASE. UNA MUY FUERTE. Q Q MR. APOYANDO Y ME SIENTO MUY TRANQUILO MUY AUGUSTO CON ELLOS. THE ROLE OF THE PUBLIC DEFENDER IN COURT PROCEEDINGS IS WORKING WITH CLIENTS WHO HAVE BEEN REFERRED TO CARE COURT AND ALSO CLIENTS WHO ARE PARTICIPATING IN CARE COURT. THE PUBLIC DEFENDER ALSO WORKS WITH A NUMBER OF CLIENTS IN THE CRIMINAL THE CRIMINAL COURT WHO HAVE QUALIFYING DIAGNOSES. WHEN WE IDENTIFY A CLIENT IN THE PUBLIC, IN THE CRIMINAL COURT THAT HAS A QUALIFYING DIAGNOSIS, WILL MAKE A REFERRAL TO THE CARE COURT TO SEE IF THEY CAN BE ADMITTED TO AND BE ALLOWED TO PARTICIPATE IN THE CARE COURT PROCEEDINGS IF THEY ARE INTERESTED, SINCE IT'S A VOLUNTARY PROGRAM. WHAT'S INTERESTING ABOUT CARE CORPS IS BECAUSE IT IS VOLUNTARY, AND THE CLIENTS NEED TO BUY IN TO THE TREATMENT THEY'RE RECEIVING AND AND AGREE TO PARTICIPATE. IT ALLOWS THEM AND EMPOWERS THEM TO, TO TO ENGAGE IN THEIR TREATMENT IN A WAY WHERE THEY'RE NOT BEING TOLD TO DO IT OR THEY'RE NOT BEING MANDATED OR THEY'RE NOT ALSO WHERE THEY'RE NOT FACING JAIL OR PRISON IF THEY DON'T PARTICIPATE. AND SO FOR MAYBE FOR THE FIRST TIME, THERE'S CLIENTS WITH MENTAL ILLNESS WHO ARE FOCUSING ON THEIR MENTAL ILLNESS RATHER THAN ON CRIMINAL PROCEEDINGS. THE MOST REWARDING ASPECT OF WORKING WITH OUR CLIENTS IS WE GET TO WITNESS THEIR GROWTH AS THEY MAINTAIN STABILITY AND MOVE FORWARD WITH THEIR LIVES. WHAT I FIND MOST REWARDING IS JUST, YOU KNOW, WATCHING OUR CLIENTS GROW, BUILD CONFIDENCE AND JUST, YOU KNOW, BEING WITH THEM ALONG THEIR JOURNEY. CLOTHING AND SHELTER. AND THEN WE CONTINUE TO SUPPORT THEM AS THEY PARTICIPATE IN MENTAL HEALTH TREATMENT WORK, TO OBTAIN INCOME AND ULTIMATELY BECOME INDEPENDENT. IT HAS IMPROVED THEIR PARTICIPANT BY SCHEDULING APPOINTMENTS WHERE THEY HAD DIFFICULT TIME SCHEDULING APPOINTMENTS, YOU KNOW, SHOWING THEM HOW TO DO THAT, GUIDING THEM AND THEN JUST KEEPING THAT SUPPORT WHERE THEY CONTINUE TO WANT TO GO. I THINK THE BIGGEST STRENGTH IS WE'RE ALLOWED TO SECURE STABLE HOUSING FOR THE CLIENT, AND THAT ALLOWS US TO ENGAGE WITH THE CLIENT EARLY AND OFTEN TO ENSURE THEIR BASIC NEEDS ARE MET AND FOSTERING BETTER ADHERENCE TO THEIR TREATMENT PLAN. THE POSITIVE CHANGES THAT I'VE SEEN IS LIKE SEEING A CLIENT GROW THEIR CONFIDENCE. WHEN YOU SEE THAT, YOU SEE THEM BECOME HAPPIER, YOU SEE THEM BECOME MORE STABLE. YOU SEE THEM WANTING MORE, HAVING MORE GOALS, AND, YOU KNOW, HAVING THAT MOTIVATION TO ACHIEVE THOSE GOALS AND TO CONTINUE TO MOVE FORWARD, NOT ONLY JUST STOP AT ONE PLACEMENT, BUT BUT CONTINUE TO HAVE, YOU KNOW, THEIR OWN APARTMENT, THEIR OWN CAR, AND THEN CONTINUE JUST TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THEIR LIFE INDEPENDENTLY. FOR MERCED COUNTY RESIDENTS LIVING WITH SCHIZOPHRENIA OR OTHER PSYCHOTIC DISORDERS, STRUGGLING WITH REPEATED HOSPITALIZATIONS, HOUSING INSTABILITY OR LEGAL CHALLENGES, THE CARE ACT PROVIDES A NEW PATH TO TREATMENT AND SUPPORT. WITH THE CARE ACT, PARTICIPANTS ARE ACHIEVING REAL SUCCESS ACCESSING CARE, BUILDING STABILITY AND MOVING TOWARD RECOVERY. AND BEHIND EVERY SUCCESS IS A DEDICATED CARE TEAM, GUIDING AND SUPPORTING PARTICIPANTS EVERY STEP OF THE WAY. TOGETHER, THEY'RE PROVING THAT RECOVERY IS REAL AND ACHIEVABLE. TO DATE, THE CARE PROGRAM HAS RECEIVED 139 REFERRALS ARE CURRENTLY SERVING, 43 CLIENTS HAVE SUBMITTED 52 PETITIONS, HAVE ENTERED INTO 35 [00:30:04] HAVE RECEIVED 57 REFERRALS FROM THE CRIMINAL COURTS. YOU CAN HELP CONNECT SOMEONE TO CARE TOO. IF YOU KNOW SOMEONE WHO MAY BENEFIT, OR YOU WOULD LIKE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE CARE ACT OR OTHER SERVICES. THE TEAM AT MERCED COUNTY BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AND RECOVERY SERVICES IS HERE TO PROVIDE CARE, COMPASSION, AND HOPE FOR EVERY MEMBER OF OUR COMMUNITY. OKAY, WE'LL BRING IT BACK TO THE DAIS FOR BOARD MEMBER COMMENTS. SUPERVISOR PAREIRA, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. WELL WHAT A TOUCHING VIDEO. YOU KNOW, WHEN I FIRST RAN FOR THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, ONE OF THE THREE YOU KNOW IDEAS THAT I WANTED TO HELP FOSTER INCLUDED HELPING THE HOMELESS HERE IN MERCED COUNTY. AND I'M JUST SO PROUD OF THE TEAM THAT, YOU KNOW, WHEN CARE COURT FIRST KIND OF BECAME STATE LAW, I'M LIKE, OH, BOY. YOU KNOW, HERE'S SOMETHING. BUT MERCED COUNTY AND WE GO TO CONFERENCES ALL OVER MERCED COUNTY HAS DONE A TREMENDOUS JOB. AND SO I KNOW THIS IS PROBABLY OUT OF THE ORDINARY, BUT IF YOU PARTICIPATE IN THE CARE COURT SYSTEM AT ALL, WOULD YOU PLEASE STAND? COME ON, DON'T BE SHY. NO, NO. WHETHER EITHER TEAM, YEAH. EVERYBODY, IF YOU YOU KNOW. AND I WISH JUDGE BACCIARINI WAS HERE AS WELL. BUT THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ONE PARTICIPATING AND TWO YOU KNOW, SETTING UP THE PROGRAM THAT'S BEEN SO SUCCESSFUL, YOU KNOW, THERE'S, THERE'S FOUR VULNERABLE POPULATIONS IN MY MIND THE ELDERLY, THE MENTALLY ILL OR THE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH ILLNESS CHILDREN AND AND THOSE THAT ARE SEVERELY PHYSICALLY DISABLED AND, YOU KNOW, SO IT JUST MAKES ME HAPPY TO SIT HERE AND I'M SO PROUD OF YOU FOR WHAT YOU'VE DONE. AND I JUST WANT YOU TO BE ACKNOWLEDGED. AND CAN I ASK FOR A ROUND OF APPLAUSE? YEAH, YEAH. [APPLAUSE] THANK YOU. SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR AS SOMEBODY WHO BELIEVED IN THE PROCESS BUT WAS SKEPTICAL OF THE OUTCOMES. BECAUSE ULTIMATELY, I JUST REALLY FELT LIKE, AS AS THIS LEGISLATION CAME DOWN FROM SACRAMENTO, THAT WHEN YOU PUT THE WORD VOLUNTARY ON THERE, YOU HAVE SOME FOLKS THAT IN SOME INSTANCES THAT MAYBE NOT BE THEY'RE NOT CAPABLE OF MAKING A DECISION ON THEIR OWN AND ASKING THEM TO VOLUNTARILY PARTICIPATE IN A PROGRAM. I WAS A LITTLE BIT SKEPTICAL, BUT THE ONE THING THAT I ALWAYS KNEW IS THAT WE HAD A ROCK STAR TEAM BEHIND THIS. WE HAD SOME OF OUR FINEST INDIVIDUALS THAT THAT WERE SO LUCKY TO HAVE AS MERCED COUNTY RESIDENTS, TO BE EMPLOYED BY US AND WORKING ON OUR BHRS TEAM. AND BECAUSE OF HAVING THOSE FOLKS IN THERE, THE EXTRAORDINARY EFFORT THAT YOU ALL HAVE PUT INTO THIS, AND I'M PROBABLY GOING TO STEAL SOME OF THE CEO'S THUNDER. I JUST WAS READING AN ARTICLE WHERE THE GOVERNOR WAS CRITICIZING SOME OF THE ORIGINAL COUNTIES THAT WERE THE, INAUGURAL COUNTIES, FOR LACK OF BETTER WORDS, THAT WERE PARTICIPATING IN THIS PROGRAM. AND MERCED COUNTY WAS ACTUALLY ONE OF THE ONES THAT WAS HIGHLIGHTED. WE THIS VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS THAT IT'S ACTUALLY WORKING. I'M PROUD OF YOU GUYS. I'M PROUD OF OUR TEAM. AS I WAS SITTING HERE WATCHING YOU ALL WATCHED THE VIDEO? I WAS WATCHING IT HERE. THE STAFF THAT ARE WORKING BEHIND THE SCENES, THAT ARE DOING THE GOOD WORK EVERY DAY. I COULD SEE YOU GUYS, SOME OF YOURSELVES SEEING YOU ON THE VIDEO AND WHATNOT, BUT I JUST LISTEN. I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU, I REALLY DO. IT SHOWS AND WE DON'T GET HIGHLIGHTED FOR A WHOLE LOT BY THE GOVERNOR. SO MERCED COUNTY TO BE HIGHLIGHTED AS ONE OF THE SUCCESS STORIES. AND I KNOW MARK WILL PROBABLY SHARE SOME ACTUAL NUMBERS PER CAPITA. WE'RE DOING A LOT BETTER THAN THE OTHER ONES COMBINED. THAT IS A THERE IS THE NEED THERE. I THINK WE CAN ALL AGREE ON THAT. THAT'S A TESTAMENT TO OUR TEAM AND AND BEING ABLE TO ENCOURAGE THESE FOLKS TO, VOLUNTARILY HELP US HELP THEM. SO THANK YOU GUYS SO MUCH I APPRECIATE YOU. CHAIR RECOGNIZES SUPERVISOR PACHECO. THANK YOU. CHAIR. JUST JUST REAL QUICK. IN MY PREVIOUS ROLE AS A DEPUTY SHERIFF, NOT ONLY ON THE STREETS BUT IN THE COURTS, I HAVE SEEN SOME OF THESE INDIVIDUALS, UNFORTUNATELY, FALL THROUGH THE CRACKS, SO IT IS NICE TO SEE THAT MERCED COUNTY PUT SOMETHING TOGETHER TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY'S TAKEN CARE OF. SO YEAH, JUST THANK YOU AND JUST REITERATE WHAT MY COLLEAGUES SAY. [00:35:02] THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU DO. CHAIR RECOGNIZES SUPERVISOR PEDROZO. THANK YOU. YEAH, I THINK IT'S EVERYTHING'S ALREADY BEEN SAID. SO I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU. I THINK THAT WE HAVE A GREAT TEAM. AND IT JUST GOES TO SHOW YOU THAT, YOU KNOW, THE PEOPLE THAT ARE HERE THAT PUT THIS ON, THAT HIGHLIGHTED, THAT WERE HIGHLIGHTED IN THIS VIDEO AND ALL THE WORK THAT IS DONE A LOT ABOUT PUBLIC SERVICE ISN'T ABOUT BEING THANKED FOR IT. AND YOU JUST GO OUT AND DO IT. AND BECAUSE OF THE THE POPULATION THAT YOU'RE SERVING AND IT'S NOT EASY, BUT IT'S COMMENDABLE. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE WORK YOU DO FOR MERCED COUNTY. YEAH. AND I'D JUST LIKE TO SAY THE CARE ACT TEAM, YOU GUYS DID A FANTASTIC JOB. I REMEMBER THE FIRST COUPLE TIMES I SAW THIS PRESENTATION, IT WAS OVERWHELMING. AND BEING AT RCRC AND THOSE FOLKS WHO WERE PART OF THE PILOT PROGRAM WERE HAVING SO MANY CHALLENGES TO IMPLEMENT IT. THERE WASN'T ANY DIRECTION AND THEY WERE REALLY STRUGGLING TO GET THIS UP AND OFF THE GROUND. BUT WHEN YOU GUYS PRESENTED IT TO US THE FIRST TIME, YOUR PLAN IS LIKE YOUR PLAN SHOULD HAVE BEEN IMPLEMENTED THROUGHOUT THE REST. AND I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO SHARING THAT WITH RCRC MOVING FORWARD. BUT YOU GUYS HAVE DONE A FANTASTIC JOB. MARK, WOULD YOU LIKE TO HAVE SOME CLOSING COMMENTS? SURE. I'LL JUST CLOSE THIS OUT FOR JUST A JUST A QUICK SECOND. I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO THIS BOARD. YOU KNOW, I THINK ALEXANDRA HIGHLIGHTED IT VERY WELL. AND I THINK SEVERAL OF OUR COMMENTERS TODAY UP HERE ON THE DAIS HAVE POINTED OUT THAT, YOU KNOW, THERE WAS A LOT OF CONCERN WHEN THIS BECAME A STATE LAW, AND THIS BOARD WANTED TO HAVE A PROGRAM THAT WAS DEVELOPED WITH EXCELLENCE. AND I WOULD SAY THAT TAKING A LOOK AT THE FACT THAT JUST AGAIN, YESTERDAY, BEING ACKNOWLEDGED BY THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE AS BEING ONE OF THE TOP TEN IN THE ENTIRE STATE OF CALIFORNIA, I THINK SPEAKS VOLUMES. I'VE GOT THE PRIVILEGE OF INTERACTING WITH DOCTOR VANG AND HER TEAM QUITE A BIT AND HAVE A CHANCE TO INTERACT WITH WITH A LOT OF HER STAFF. AND I WILL TELL YOU, THIS IS A REALLY GOOD EXAMPLE OF WHAT THEY DO EVERY SINGLE DAY, WHICH IS LEAD WITH KINDNESS AND COMPASSION FOR THOSE WHO ARE THE MOST VULNERABLE IN OUR COMMUNITY. AND I THINK THAT THAT'S SOMETHING THAT THIS, THAT THE MERCED COUNTY COMMUNITY BROADLY CAN BE VERY, VERY PROUD OF. SO, MR. CHAIRMAN, THANK YOU FOR GIVING US THE OPPORTUNITY. I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE OUR MULTIMEDIA TEAM FOR PUTTING TOGETHER THE VIDEO AS WELL. AND IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US AS WE AGAIN TELL OUR STORY, TO GET THE WORD OUT ABOUT THE GOOD PROGRAMS AND SERVICES THAT OUR TEAM PROVIDES. JUST INCREDIBLY PROUD OF THE COUNTY TEAM. THANK YOU SIR. I THINK WE NEED TO RECOMMEND THEM TO A NACO CHALLENGE AWARD AS WELL. CHAIR, RECOGNIZES SUPERVISOR PEDROZO? YEAH. I JUST DAWNED ON ME THAT I WANTED TO SAY SOMETHING. YOU KNOW, IT'S INTERESTING. WE WERE TALKING ABOUT A VERY SERIOUS PROGRAM AND SOMETHING THAT'S BEEN YOU KNOW, HIGHLIGHTED AS SUCCESSFUL. BUT I REMEMBER WHEN WE GOT THIS PRESENTATION, THE THREE LADIES THAT WERE PRESENTING TO US WERE DRESSED AS PINK LADIES BECAUSE IT WAS AROUND HALLOWEEN. AND SO I JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THAT THEY DO TAKE YOUR JOB SERIOUSLY. AND SO IT'S KIND OF DIFFICULT. BUT ANYWAYS, THANK YOU. THANK YOU, SUPERVISOR. AT THIS TIME I'LL OPEN UP PUBLIC COMMENT REGARDING THE PRESENTATION. IF ANYBODY HAS ANYTHING THEY'D LIKE TO ADD OR QUESTIONS. IF NOT, THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD FOR PRESENTATIONS IS NOW CLOSED. [CONSENT CALENDAR] WE WILL NOW MOVE ON TO THE CONSENT CALENDAR. CONSENT CALENDAR ITEMS 1 THROUGH 19. PLEASE NOTE THAT ITEMS ONE AND TWO REQUIRE A 4/5 VOTE. AT THIS TIME, I'LL OPEN UP PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD FOR THE CONSENT CALENDAR ITEMS 1 THROUGH 19. YES, SIR. BEING THAT ONE OF YOUR ITEMS IS ON HERE, PLEASE. YEAH. THANK YOU, CHAIR MCDANIEL, MY NAME IS BY JOHN CHECKLEY. I'M THE DIRECTOR OF HUMAN SERVICES AGENCY. ITEM NUMBER FIVE IS IN REGARDS TO MONTH OF RECOGNITION AS A NEW DIRECTOR. I'VE INVITED A COUPLE OF MY DEPUTY DIRECTORS TO KIND OF HIGHLIGHT SOME OF THE PROGRAMS AND SUPERVISOR PAREIRA, YOU REALLY, REALLY HIT THE SPOT. YOU HIT THE MARK, RIGHT? SOCIAL WORKERS, THE MEMBERS IN OUR COMMUNITY ARE THE MOST VULNERABLE PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS CHILDREN, SENIORS, PEOPLE WITH SERIOUS MENTAL ILLNESS, SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER. THESE FOLKS HAVE DEDICATED THEIR LIVES TO IT. AND AS A NEW DIRECTOR, I HAD THE FORTUNATE OPPORTUNITY TO GO TO A HOLIDAY CELEBRATION WHERE OUR TEAM WAS HOSTING ABOUT 50 YOUTH INVOLVED IN THE FOSTER CARE SYSTEM AND YOU KNOW, CELEBRATING THIS TIME OF THE YEAR WITH THEM. AND THE NEXT DAY I WAS TALKING TO A FRIEND AND, AND I DIDN'T KNOW HOW TO KIND OF CHARACTERIZE WHAT I HAD SEEN. AND, AND I TOLD HIM, YOU KNOW, BACK IN THE MIDDLE AGES, KNIGHTS WORE ARMOR, RODE HORSES. THEY'RE VERY VISIBLE IN OUR COMMUNITY. THEY STILL EXIST IN OUR COMMUNITY. THEY WEAR JEANS AND TENNIS SHOES AND T SHIRTS AND ARE OUT THERE EVERY DAY MAKING SURE THAT THOSE VULNERABLE POPULATIONS ARE TAKEN CARE OF TO THE BEST OF OUR ABILITY. [00:40:03] SO WITH THAT, I JUST WANTED TO OPEN WITH A FEW WORDS AND APPRECIATE YOUR CONSIDERATION FOR THE PROCLAMATION. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD FOR. OH NO PLEASE. YES. AND YOU CAN LOWER THE MICROPHONE ON THE THERE. GOOD MORNING, CHAIRMAN MCDANIEL, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, CEO HENDRICKSON AND COUNTY COUNSEL HANSON, MY NAME IS KELLY [INAUDIBLE]. I'M THE DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF THE CHILDREN'S SERVICES BRANCH. THANK YOU ALL FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE HERE WITH YOU TODAY. IT'S AN HONOR TO BE HERE TO SHARE WITH YOU ALL THE INCREDIBLE WORK DONE BY ALL OF OUR SOCIAL WORKERS AND THE CHILDREN'S BRANCH, AND TO RECOGNIZE THEM FOR THEIR WORK THAT THEY DO TO PROTECT CHILDREN, SUPPORT AND STRENGTHEN FAMILIES, AND BUILD HEALTHY COMMUNITIES. CHILD WELFARE WORK IS INCREDIBLY COMPLEX AND DIFFICULT WORK AND THE DIFFICULT WORK OF OUR SOCIAL WORKERS CAN OFTEN GO UNNOTICED. AND IT IS THIS TEAM OF SOCIAL WORKERS THAT SHOWS UP FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES IN OUR COMMUNITY WHEN NO ONE ELSE CAN OR WILL. OFFERING HOPE TO OTHERS WHEN IT'S BEEN COMPLETELY LOST, OFTEN HOLDING HARDSHIP AND TRAUMA FOR PEOPLE WHILE THEY HEAL AND AT TIMES IT EVEN BECOMES THEIR OWN. THESE ARE THE PEOPLE THAT SHOW UP EVERY DAY, DESPITE THE MULTITUDE OF CHALLENGES THAT OUR SYSTEM PRESENTS TO THEM. I WANT TO RECOGNIZE, COMMEND AND THANK ALL OF OUR SOCIAL WORKERS FOR THEIR IMPORTANT WORK TO PROTECT CHILDREN AND ENSURE THAT THE WELL-BEING OF OUR FAMILIES AND COMMUNITY IS BOTH PRESERVED AND STRENGTHENED IN MERCED COUNTY. BEHIND ME, I'D LIKE TO RECOGNIZE SOME OF OUR TEAM. ANGELA [INAUDIBLE] AND MARTHA ESPINOSA, IF I CAN HAVE YOU STAND UP WHO ARE REPRESENTING OUR INTAKE AND EMERGENCY RESPONSE UNIT. IN 2025 THE TEAM RECEIVED A MANAGED 5,882 HOTLINE CALLS, MANY FOR CHILD ABUSE NEGLECT ALLEGATIONS, IN ADDITION TO RESPONDING TO INCIDENTS OF MALTREATMENT. THEY ALSO PROVIDED VOLUNTARY SERVICES AND SUPPORTS TO OVER 500 FAMILIES IN OUR COMMUNITY. I ALSO HAVE JEN PETERSON AND HOLLY INOUE WHO ARE MAY NOT BE HERE. THEY GOT PULLED INTO SOME CRISIS, BUT THEY REPRESENT THE REALLY HARD WORK OF OUR COURT SOCIAL WORKERS WHO WORK HARD TO ENSURE FAMILIES ARE ASSESSED AND PROVIDED THE NECESSARY RESOURCES AND SUPPORT THROUGH OUR COURT PROCESS. NEXT, I HAVE JENNIFER [INAUDIBLE]. ALISA HERNANDEZ, KRISTIN CONGDON, MARISSA DIAZ, CLARISSA FLORES, LIZZIE OSORIO, ESMERALDA SALDANA AND SANDRA BENAVIDEZ REPRESENTING OUR SOCIAL WORKERS FROM OUR FAMILY REUNIFICATION AND FAMILY MAINTENANCE UNITS. IN 2025, THIS TEAM WORKED TIRELESSLY TO SAFELY REUNIFY 114 CHILDREN TO THEIR FAMILIES AND WORKED VOLUNTARY WITH MANY OTHER FAMILIES TO MAKE SURE THAT KIDS WERE SAFELY MAINTAINED IN THEIR HOMES. REPRESENTING OUR ADOPTIONS TEAM IS SOCIAL WORKER. SHE IS PART OF A TEAM WHO PROBABLY FINALIZED 51 ADOPTIONS IN 2025. WOW. I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO RECOGNIZE OUR RESOURCE FAMILY APPROVAL OF SOCIAL WORKERS THAT WORKED HARD TO LICENSED OVER 70 HOMES IN 2025 TO ENSURE MORE CHILDREN HAVE A SAFE AND COMFORTING PLACE TO GO WHEN THEY CANNOT BE MAINTAINED SAFELY IN THEIR HOME. FINALLY, WE HAVE AMARDIP BASRA, REPRESENTING OUR PERMANENT PLACEMENT AND INDEPENDENT LIVING PROGRAM SOCIAL WORKERS AS THEY WORK TIRELESSLY TO ENSURE THAT OUR KIDS IN FOSTER CARE REMAIN CONNECTED WITH THEIR FAMILIES AND GET THE RESOURCES, SERVICES AND SKILLS THEY NEED TO TRANSITION TO YOUNG ADULTHOOD. THIS TEAM IS ALSO RESPONSIBLE FOR OUR ANNUAL TOY DRIVE AND IN 2025, RAISED OVER AND COLLECTED OVER 600 TOYS FOR CHILDREN AND YOUTH IN FOSTER CARE. I'M PROUD TO BE PART OF AN AMAZING TEAM OF SOCIAL WORKERS HERE IN MERCED COUNTY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU [APPLAUSE]. APPLAUSE. YES. HELLO. GOOD MORNING. FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO MAY NOT KNOW ME IN THE CROWD, I'M FELIZA GRAY. I'M THE DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF ADULT AND AGING SERVICES. TODAY, I DO WANT TO TAKE THE MOMENT AS WELL, TO TAKE AND RECOGNIZE AND APPRECIATE THE INCREDIBLE WORK OF SOCIAL WORKERS IN PUBLIC SERVICE, ESPECIALLY DURING THIS MONTH, WHICH IS SOCIAL WORK APPRECIATION MONTH. THIS MONTH IS DEDICATED TO HONORING THOSE INDIVIDUALS WHO DEDICATE THEIR LIVES TO ADVOCATING FOR VULNERABLE POPULATIONS, SUPPORTING THOSE IN NEED, AND FOSTERING SOCIAL JUSTICE. AS A SOCIAL WORKER FOR NEARLY 25 YEARS, I KNOW THE WORK THE SOCIAL WORKERS DO IN THE COMMUNITY IS NOT EASY TO TALK ABOUT, AND OFTEN SOCIAL WORKERS ARE THE UNSUNG HEROES IN OUR COMMUNITY. WE WORK TIRELESSLY BEHIND THE SCENES, OFTEN FACING OVERWHELMING CHALLENGES AS THEY STRIVE TO HELP OTHERS NAVIGATE THE COMPLEXITIES OF LIFE. WHETHER IT'S PROVIDING SUPPORT TO INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES IN CRISIS, ADVOCATING FOR MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES OR ADVOCATING FOR SYSTEMIC IMPROVEMENTS. SOCIAL WORKERS ARE AT THE FOREFRONT OF THE EFFORT TO ASSIST IN CREATING POSITIVE CHANGE. OVER THE PAST YEAR, I HAD THE HONOR OF RETURNING BACK TO CHILD WELFARE AND SERVED BOTH ADULTS AND CHILDREN'S SERVICES DEPARTMENTS. IT WAS REINFORCED FOR ME THAT ALTHOUGH OUR SOCIAL WORK CAN LOOK DIFFERENT, WE BOTH DILIGENTLY PROTECT VULNERABLE COMMUNITIES. [00:45:03] I WOULD LIKE TO QUANTIFY FOR YOU THE IMPACT WE MAKE IN ADULTS. IN MERCED COUNTY FOR THE CALENDAR YEAR 2025, APS HAS INVESTIGATED IN PERSON 1,637 REPORTS OF ABUSE AND NEGLECT. OUR HOME SAFE SOCIAL WORKER ASSISTED 88 VULNERABLE ADULTS TO PREVENT OR ADDRESS HOMELESSNESS. IHSS THEY ARE MY BIG TEAM COMPLETED 8,898 ASSESSMENTS FOR RECIPIENTS, BOTH IN HOME AND AS A CHANGE ASSESSMENT OVER THE PHONE. THIS ENORMOUS FEAT FOR OUR SMALL BUT MIGHTY ADULTS AND AGING TEAM IS MIRACULOUS. AND THAT DOESN'T COUNT ALL OF THE ADDITIONAL SUPPORTS THAT WE PROVIDED IN ADULTS AND AGING FOR ALL OF THE LOCAL DISASTERS, FIRES, FLOODS THAT HAVE PLAGUED US FOR THE LAST FIVE YEARS, I SHOULD SAY. AS WE CELEBRATE SOCIAL WORK APPRECIATION, IT IS ESSENTIAL TO RAISE AWARENESS ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF RECOGNIZING SOCIAL WORKERS AND THE LIFE CHANGING WORK THEY DO. I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE THIS MOMENT TO THANK ALL OF THE SOCIAL WORKERS AND ALL OF THE SUPPORT STAFF WHO HAVE MADE THIS WORK POSSIBLE, AND MY TEAMS AND ACROSS THE COUNTY. SO I DO HAVE STAFF HERE FROM ADULTS IN AGING. I HAVE APS, SOCIAL WORKERS, IHSS SOCIAL WORKERS, AND SOME OF MY PROGRAM ADMINISTRATORS. SO IF YOU GUYS CAN STAND FOR A MOMENT SO WE CAN RECOGNIZE ALL OF THE HARD WORK THAT YOU'VE DONE. [APPLAUSE] AND I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE AN OPPORTUNITY, BECAUSE I KNOW THAT SOCIAL WORK HAS HAS BLED THROUGH THE COUNTY, AND I KNOW THAT WE HAVE SOME ADDITIONAL SOCIAL WORKERS IN THE CROWD WHO ARE NO LONGER AT HSA, AND BUT THEY REMAIN IN PUBLIC SERVICE. IF Y'ALL CAN STAND WHO ARE SOCIAL WORKERS AS WELL? COME ON LADIES. [APPLAUSE] AS YOU CAN SEE, IT'S VERY VALUABLE TO OUR COMMUNITY. AND I JUST APPRECIATE AND I'M VERY PASSIONATE AND COMMITTED TO IT. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH. VERY GOOD. THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE] IS THERE ANYBODY WHO HAS PUBLIC COMMENTS? IF NOT, WE'LL GO AHEAD AND CLOSE THE THIS COMMENT PERIOD FOR CONSENT CALENDAR ITEMS 1 THROUGH 19. LET'S SEE I DO HAVE IS THERE FURTHER COMMENTS HERE BY ON THE DAIS. IF NOT I SEE A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA SECONDED BY SUPERVISOR PEDROZO. WE'LL GO AHEAD AND CALL FOR THE VOTE. PLEASE RECORD THE VOTE. MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. WE WILL NOW HAVE PRESENTATIONS OF THE. [Additional Item] THEY JUST DID THAT. THEY JUST. NO WE'RE GOING TO DO OUR PRESENTATION FOR THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS FOR THE CERTIFICATES IN HONOR OF THIS. IF THE WHOLE BOARD COULD JOIN ME UP FRONT, PLEASE. OKAY. THAT WAS A BIG WIN. THANK YOU. YES. LET'S ALL COME UP HERE. AND IF WE COULD ASK YOU ALL TO COME UP TOO, SO WE CAN DO THE PRESENTATIONS, EVERYBODY. AND THIS IS ONE THING I APPRECIATE. WE DID THE CARE ACT TEAM EARLIER AND NOW THIS PRESENTATION HERE, MERCED COUNTY DOES HAVE A HARD TIME OF TALKING ABOUT OURSELVES, EXPLAINING EVERYTHING THAT WE DO, WE USUALLY DON'T. WE DON'T LOOK BACKWARDS. WE'RE ALWAYS LOOKING FORWARDS BECAUSE THAT'S OUR JOB. HEY. HEY. HI. IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE? GOOD JOB. YES. SOMEBODY'S GOT TO BE IN THE MIDDLE. HERE. SO I'M NOT GOING TO READ THE WHOLE PROCLAMATION WHILE WE'RE UP HERE. BUT I'LL JUST PUT THEREFORE, BECAUSE THAT'S THE BEST PART. WE THEREFORE WE RECKON IN RECOGNITION OF THE CRITICAL CONTRIBUTIONS OF SOCIAL WORKERS ACROSS OUR NATION, THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS OF MERCED COUNTY DO HEREBY PROCLAIM THE MONTH OF MARCH 2026 AS NATIONAL SOCIAL WORKER MONTH AND CALL UPON EVERYONE TO JOIN US IN THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF SOCIAL WORKERS IN MERCED COUNTY, IN CELEBRATING AND SUPPORTING THE VITAL WORK SOCIAL WORKERS WHO UPLIFT, DEFEND AND POSITIVELY TRANSFORM OUR COMMUNITIES EACH AND EVERY DAY. THANK YOU SO MUCH. ON BEHALF OF THE MERCED COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, WE APPRECIATE YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE] WE'RE GOOD, WE'RE GOOD. OH, I CAN MOVE, I CAN MOVE, YEAH. GET UP HERE. DON'T LEAVE. ON THREE. ONE, TWO. [00:50:09] OKAY. THANK YOU. WELL. VERY GOOD. AND WE HAVE ANOTHER PROCLAMATION. WE MIGHT AS WELL ALL STAY UP HERE. OH, SOMEBODY SNUCK AWAY. I WAS SO PASSIONATE ABOUT MY SOCIAL WORK. OH, WELL, AND THAT'S OUR NEXT PROCLAMATION. AND SO I'LL JUST GET DOWN TO NOW THEREFORE, WE, THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS OF THE COUNTY OF MERCED, DO HEREBY PROCLAIM THE MONTH OF MARCH 2026 AS SENIOR NUTRITION MONTH. WE URGE EVERY RESIDENT TO RECOGNIZE OLDER ADULTS AND THE PEOPLE WHO SUPPORT THEM THROUGH NUTRITIONAL SERVICES AND ESSENTIAL CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE STRENGTH OF OUR COMMUNITY. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL THE WORK THAT YOU DO. AND DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING YOU'D LIKE TO SAY ON IT? [INAUDIBLE] I DO, I HAD IT ALL WRITTEN AND IT'S UP THERE NOW. BUT I DO WANT TO SAY THAT OVER AT SENIOR NUTRITION IS ONE OF THE MAJOR IMPACTS THAT WE HAVE FOR OUR COMMUNITY, OUR SENIORS. MERCED COUNTY, AND THE FOOD BANK REPORT IN 2024, FOUND THAT MERCED COUNTY IS ONE OF THE HIGHEST WITH FOOD INSECURITIES. AND OUR TRIPLE A STAFF WE HAVE WORKED OVER THE FISCAL YEAR 24-25. WE WERE ABLE TO PROVIDE OVER 79,000 MEALS IN OUR HOME DELIVERED PROGRAM AND OVER 29,000 MEALS IN OUR CONGREGATE PROGRAM. SO OUR CONGREGATE SITES THEY'RE SPRINKLED ACROSS THE COUNTY IN VARIOUS DIFFERENT LOCATIONS AND CITIES, AND I'M VERY PROUD TO SAY THAT WE ARE ABLE TO HELP MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN SENIORS AND THEIR NUTRITIONAL NEEDS. SO PLEASE CALL TRIPLE A IF YOU NEED SUPPORTS. YEAH, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. AND A LOT OF FOLKS ARE EMBARRASSED TO DO SO. OR EVEN SOME OF THE PEOPLE THAT I KNOW WHO HAVE DONE IT WITHOUT TELLING ME. AND AFTER I FOUND OUT THEY HAD THE SERVICES, I COULD HAVE HELPED OUT AS WELL. BUT I APPRECIATE HOW YOU DO THAT. THANK YOU SO MUCH. ON BEHALF OF THE MERCED COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK. YOU, THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR WATCHING US. YEAH. ESPECIALLY IF YOU'RE TIRED. GO BACK AND DO SO MUCH. THANK YOU. NEXT WE HAVE A CERTIFICATE OF RECOGNITION. THIS IS FOR PASTOR J.F. HILTON. IN CELEBRATION OF 70 YEARS OF PASTOR SERVICE AT THE MERCED GOSPEL DEFENDERS CHURCH. IF I COULD ASK YOU FOLKS TO COME ON UP, PLEASE. AND, DAVID, AS I UNDERSTAND, DAVID JUNIOR, THIS WAS YOUR GRANDFATHER. AND DAVID JUNIOR ACTUALLY OPENED UP TODAY AND APPRECIATED THAT. AND I THINK YOUR GRANDFATHER HAS ACTUALLY DONE THIS HERE FOR US AS WELL. SO ON BEHALF OF THE MERCED COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, 70 YEARS OF SERVICE OF ANYTHING BUT HIS SERVICE TO CHRIST AND THE LORD AT THE GOSPEL DEFENDER CHURCH, WHICH IS A LEGENDARY CHURCH IN THE BEACHWOOD FRANKLIN AREA. WITH FULL RESPECT, ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, WE APPRECIATE HIS SERVICE. I WISH HE COULD BE HERE, BUT UNDERSTAND HE'S GOT TO BE UP IN THE HIGHER ALTITUDE FOR HIS HEALTH. BUT I APPRECIATE YOU AND YOU FOLLOWING IN HIS FOOTSTEPS AND TAKING OVER THOSE DUTIES AS WELL. SO ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, PLEASE GIVE US OUR SINCERE CONGRATULATIONS ON THIS. [APPLAUSE] THANK YOU. GRANDPA WOULD GREATLY APPRECIATE IT AND HE WOULD GIVE ALL GLORY TO GOD. BUT, YOU KNOW, AS SOMEONE WHO'S WATCHED HIS LIFE. THERE WAS A QUESTION ASKED OF HIM, A FELLOW MINISTER OF THIS COMMUNITY. WHAT'S THE KEY TO SUCCESS? HE SAYS, YOU GOT TO LOVE PEOPLE. AND MY GRANDPA HAS TRULY LOVED PEOPLE. SO THANK YOU. HE'LL APPRECIATE THIS. THANK YOU. WELL, HERE, LET'S GET A PICTURE UP HERE. RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE HERE. LET ME GET THIS. OH. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. [BOARD ACTION] WE WILL NOW MOVE ON TO BOARD ACTION, BEGINNING WITH PUBLIC WORKS. ITEMS 20 THROUGH 25 PLEASE NOTE THAT ITEM 21 REQUIRES A 4/5 VOTE. AT THIS TIME, I'LL OPEN UP PUBLIC COMMENT FOR PUBLIC WORKS ON ITEMS 20 THROUGH 25. [00:55:10] THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD OF PUBLIC WORKS ITEM 20 THROUGH 25 IS NOW CLOSED. I'LL BRING IT BACK TO THE DAIS. IS THERE ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS ON THIS ITEM. IF NOT, WE WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION. I HAVE A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA, SECONDED BY SUPERVISOR PEDROZO. AT THIS TIME WE'LL CALL FOR THE VOTE. RECORD THE VOTE. MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. NEXT WE HAVE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AND RECOVERY SERVICES. ITEM 26. AT THIS TIME, I'LL OPEN UP PUBLIC COMMENT FOR BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AND RECOVERY SERVICES, ITEM NUMBER 26. THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD FOR BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AND RECOVERY SERVICES IS NOW IS NOW CLOSED. I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION. I HAVE A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA, SECONDED BY SUPERVISOR PACHECO. WE'LL GO AHEAD AND CALL FOR THE VOTE. RECORD THE VOTE. MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. NEXT WE HAVE HUMAN SERVICES AGENCY, ITEM 27. AT THIS TIME, I'LL OPEN UP PUBLIC COMMENT FOR HSA ITEM 27. WE'LL GO AHEAD AND CLOSE THE COMMENT, THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD. WE'LL BRING IT BACK TO THE DAIS. IS THERE FURTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS ON THIS ITEM? IF NOT, I HAVE A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR PEDROZO, SECONDED BY SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA. WE'LL CALL FOR THE VOTE. PLEASE RECORD THE VOTE. MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. NEXT WE HAVE HEALTH ITEMS 28 AND 29. AT THIS TIME, I'LL OPEN UP PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD FOR HEALTH ITEMS 28 AND 29. WE'LL GO AHEAD AND CLOSE THIS PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD. BRING IT BACK TO THE DAIS. IS THERE COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS. IF NOT, I HAVE A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA, SECONDED BY SUPERVISOR PAREIRA. WE'LL GO AHEAD AND CALL FOR THE VOTE. LET'S RECORD THE VOTE. MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. NEXT WE HAVE SHERIFF. ITEMS 30 THROUGH 32. AT THIS TIME, I'LL OPEN UP PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD FOR THE SHERIFF. ITEMS 30 AND 32. WE'LL GO AHEAD AND CLOSE THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD FOR THE SHERIFF. IS THERE ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS ON THESE ITEMS? IF NOT, I HAVE A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR PEDROZO, SECONDED BY SUPERVISOR PACHECO. LET'S CALL FOR THE VOTE. LET'S RECORD THE VOTE. MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. NEXT WE HAVE COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. ITEM 33. AT THIS TIME, I'LL OPEN UP PUBLIC COMMENT FOR COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, ITEM NUMBER 33. WE'LL GO AHEAD AND CLOSE THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD FOR THIS ITEM. AND IS THERE ANY FURTHER COMMENT OR DISCUSSION HERE AT THE DAIS? SEEING NONE, I HAVE A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA, SECONDED BY SUPERVISOR PAREIRA. LET'S GO AHEAD AND CALL FOR THE VOTE. RECORD THE VOTE. MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. NEXT WE HAVE AG COMMISSIONER. ITEMS 34 AND 35. AT THIS TIME I'LL OPEN THE PUBLIC COMMENT FOR AG COMMISSIONER ITEMS 34 AND 35. WE'LL GO AHEAD AND CLOSE THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD FOR AG COMMISSIONER. BRING IT BACK TO THE DAIS. IS THERE ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? IF NOT, I HAVE A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR PACHECO AND SECONDED BY SUPERVISOR PAREIRA. WE'LL GO AHEAD AND CALL FOR THE VOTE. RECORD THE VOTE. MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. NEXT WE HAVE LIBRARY. ITEM 36. AT THIS TIME, I'LL OPEN THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD FOR LIBRARIES ON ITEM NUMBER 36. WE'LL GO AHEAD AND CLOSE THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD FOR THE LIBRARY ITEM. IS THERE ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION HERE AT THE DAIS? IF NOT, I DO HAVE A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA AND A SECOND BY SUPERVISOR PEDROZO. LET'S CALL FOR THE VOTE. LET'S RECORD THE VOTE. MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. NEXT WE HAVE TREASURER. ITEM 37. AND BEFORE I OPEN THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD, WE'LL RECEIVE COMMENTS FROM THE DISTINGUISHED TREASURER. [LAUGHTER] YOU'RE SO KIND, CHAIRMAN MCDANIEL. [01:00:02] AND HOPEFULLY, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'VE HAD A MALFUNCTION WITH YOUR MICROPHONE, BUT IT'S HARD SOMETIMES TO HEAR THE PRESENTER IN THE BACK. WHAT WHAT? YEAH. FIRST OF ALL, YES, I AM YOUR TREASURER TAX COLLECTOR. IT'S A GREAT PRIVILEGE. AND BEFORE YOU TODAY IS THE QUARTERLY INVESTMENT REPORT THAT REAL QUICKLY, IN THE ESSENCE OF TIME, I WON'T GO INTO GREAT DETAIL, BUT I DO WANT TO REPORT THE BOOK VALUE OF THE ASSETS AT 2.3 BILLION AND MARKET VALUATION AT 2.3 BILLION, WITH ASSETS MATURING OF 741 MILLION WITHIN THE FIRST 90 DAYS. SO BASICALLY THE EARNINGS, OF COURSE, FOR THE QUARTER, WE HAD A QUARTER RETURN OF 3.92 IN THE PORTFOLIO. THE QUARTERLY EARNINGS WERE IN EXCESS OF 21 MILLION, BRINGING THE TOTAL EARNINGS FOR THE FISCAL YEAR JUST A LITTLE SHY OF $42 MILLION. SO IT'S, OF COURSE, A GREAT PRIVILEGE TO MAINTAIN THE INVESTMENT PORTFOLIO. REAL QUICK, JUST FOOD FOR THOUGHT. OF COURSE, WE ALL KNOW THERE'S A LOT OF ACTIVITY WITH THE FEDS AND WE'LL LOOK FORWARD TO MAY 15TH. JEROME POWELL WILL PROBABLY DO AN EXIT. THE SENATE WILL CONFIRM KEVIN WALSH. THE FEDS WILL MEET MARCH 17TH AND 18TH. THERE IS EXPECTATION IN THE MARKET THAT THEY'LL CONTINUE THE PAUSE OF OVERNIGHTS AT THREE AND A HALF TO 3.75%. TYPICALLY JUST AS A FOOD FOR THOUGHT. FEDS ARE EITHER CLASSIFIED AS DOVES OR HAWKS. OF COURSE THEY DO. YOU KNOW, DO A TRANSITION AT TIMES. A DOVISH POLICY IS GROWTH AND EMPLOYMENT AND A HAWKISH FAVORS STABILITY AND PRICE AND LOWER INFLATION. SO WALSH IS TECHNICALLY CLASSIFIED AS A HAWK, BUT WE'LL SEE HOW THAT ALL PLAYS OUT. IN ADDITION, I TYPICALLY DON'T HAVE A CHANGE FOR THE INVESTMENT POLICY STATEMENT AFTER YOU ADOPTED IN END OF NOVEMBER 1ST OF DECEMBER. BUT I DID HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF CLARIFICATION. THE AUDITOR CONTROLLER MOVED TO A NEW FINANCE SYSTEM, SO WE UPDATED THE LANGUAGE ON PAGE 11 REGARDING THE FINANCE ENTERPRISE. AND MOST IMPORTANT WAS THAT WE EXTENDED THE SELF-IMPOSED WEIGHTED AVERAGE MATURITY TO TWO AND A HALF YEARS FROM THE 730 DAYS. WHY DID WE DO THAT? THE GOVERNMENT CODE 53601, ALLOWS US TO GO OUT TO FIVE YEARS, BUT WE DO HAVE SELF-IMPOSED RESTRICTIONS IN ALL OF OUR ASSET LINEUPS THAT WAY, WE ARE ILLUSTRATING OUR INVESTMENT POLICY TO ENSURE THAT WE'RE FOLLOWING A PRUDENT INVESTOR STANDARD OF DIVERSIFYING THE PORTFOLIO WHILE MAINTAINING SAFETY, LIQUIDITY AND YIELD. SO OTHER THAN THAT, OF COURSE, I ENTERTAIN QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS AND I'M TRYING TO KEEP IT SHORT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I DON'T SEE ANY, BUT I DO APPRECIATE THE RETURNS THAT YOU SEEM SEEMED TO WORK OUT FOR US AND ALL OF THEM. SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. AND I THINK SCOTTY EVEN LET YOU OFF. YOU KNOW, USUALLY HE LIKES TO CHALLENGE YOU A LITTLE BIT ON SOME OF IT. YEAH, HE DOES, BUT HE'S BEEN ON HIS BEST BEHAVIOR LATELY. AM I ON MY BEST BEHAVIOR, SCOTTY? I TRY. [LAUGHTER] THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH. AT THIS TIME, I'LL OPEN UP THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD FOR TREASURER ITEM NUMBER 37. IF NOT, THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD FOR TREASURER ITEM 37 IS NOW CLOSED. WE'LL GO AHEAD AND ENTERTAIN A MOTION. I DO HAVE A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR PEDROZO, SECONDED BY SUPERVISOR PACHECO. LET'S GO AHEAD AND CALL FOR THE VOTE. RECORD THE VOTE. MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. NEXT WE HAVE COUNTY EXECUTIVE OFFICE. ITEM 38. I WILL NOW TURN IT OVER TO COUNTY EXECUTIVE OFFICER MARK HENDRICKSON TO MAKE AN OPENING COMMENTS AND THEN ASSIST COUNTY EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT COUNTY EXECUTIVE OFFICER DAVID MIRRIONE, WHO WILL BE PROVIDING A PRESENTATION ON THE ITEM. MARK, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. GOOD MORNING AGAIN, MR. CHAIRMAN, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD. TODAY DOES REPRESENT A SIGNIFICANT MILESTONE IN THE COUNTY'S CONTINUED COMMITMENT TO INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENT IN UNINCORPORATED MERCED COUNTY. THROUGH CREATIVE AND INNOVATIVE FINANCING STRATEGIES AND BY THOUGHTFULLY, LEVERAGING OUR LOCAL SHARED MEASURE FUNDS STAFF IS PROPOSING TO ADVANCE 17 ROAD REHABILITATION PROJECTS THAT WILL DIRECTLY IMPROVE THE LIVES OF OF OUR RESIDENTS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY. NOW, SHOULD THE BOARD APPROVE THIS ITEM, THIS EFFORT WILL REHABILITATE MORE THAN 41 MILES, SPECIFICALLY 41.3 MILES OF ROADWAY ACROSS OUR UNINCORPORATED COMMUNITIES. IN TOTAL, NEARLY $32 MILLION WILL BE INVESTED IN THE MERCED COUNTY'S TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE, WITH THOSE 17 PROJECTS BEING BUILT WITHIN ROUGHLY A 2 TO 3 YEAR PERIOD OF TIME. THIS REPRESENTS A SUBSTANTIAL COMMITMENT TO SAFETY, TO RELIABILITY AND LONG TERM SUSTAINABILITY, [01:05:04] ALL OF WHICH ARE BOARD GOALS. SIMPLY PUT, THIS WOULD BE THE SINGLE LARGEST LOCALLY FINANCED TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENT IN THE COUNTY'S HISTORY. THESE PROJECTS REFLECT FISCAL DISCIPLINE, STRATEGIC THINKING BY OUR TEAM, AND BY MAXIMIZING MEASURE V RESOURCES AND ALIGNING THEM WITH OUR BROADER CAPITAL PLANNING EFFORTS. WE ARE DELIVERING REAL, VISIBLE RESULTS FOR OUR RESIDENTS AGAIN IMPROVING ROAD CONDITIONS, REDUCING LONG TERM MAINTENANCE COSTS AND STRENGTHENING CONNECTIVITY THROUGHOUT OUR COMMUNITIES, EACH OF WHICH MIRROR THE BOARD'S STATED GOALS IN YOUR 2025 THROUGH 2028 STRATEGIC PLAN. THIS IS EXACTLY THE KIND OF HIGH PERFORMANCE RESULTS ORIENTED GOVERNMENT WE STRIVE TO PROVIDE, ENSURING THAT TAXPAYER DOLLARS ARE USED EFFICIENTLY WHILE ADDRESSING SOME OF OUR MOST PRESSING INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDS. I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE A BRIEF MOMENT, THOUGH, TO RECOGNIZE SEVERAL, BEGINNING WITH ASSISTANT CEO DAVID MIRRIONE, FOR WHOM I AM GREATLY PROUD. OUR COUNTY COUNSEL FOR HIS EFFORTS AND HIS TEAM. OUR PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR, OUR AUDITOR, COMPTROLLER, OUR TREASURER, CAIN IN PUBLIC FINANCE AND OUR ENTIRE FINANCE TEAM FOR THEIR OUTSTANDING WORK AND FOR THEIR INNOVATION, DILIGENCE AND FOCUS ON EXECUTION. I LOOK FORWARD TO THE BOARD'S CONSIDERATION TODAY AS WE RECOMMEND MOVING THESE PROJECTS FORWARD. MR. MIRRIONE. THANK YOU. GOOD MORNING, AND THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT THIS MORNING. CHAIRMAN MCDANIEL, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, COUNTY COUNSEL HANSEN AND CEO HENDRICKSON. IT'S MY PLEASURE TODAY TO BE ABLE TO PRESENT TO YOU THE MEASURE V LOCAL FUNDING AND FINANCE PRESENTATION, WHICH CEO HENDRICKSON GAVE A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF. SO TODAY WE WILL BE GOING OVER A HANDFUL OF ITEMS STARTING FIRST WITH AN OVERVIEW OF MEASURE V. THEN WE WILL TALK ABOUT THE ACTUAL PROPOSED ROAD REHABILITATION PROJECT. AND THAT WILL BE LED BY OUR DEPARTMENT DIRECTOR, NATHAN BRAY, WHO ALSO SERVES AS OUR ROAD COMMISSIONER. WE WILL DISCUSS THE FINANCING STRUCTURE OF THAT DEAL AND OVERALL TIMELINE OF THE PROJECT, AND THEN THE RECOMMENDED ACTIONS THAT YOUR BOARD WILL NEED TO CONSIDER TO EFFECTUATE THE DEAL. SO MEASURE V OVERVIEW. SO MEASURE V IS A 30 YEAR TRANSPORTATION TRANSACTIONS AND USE TAX THAT WAS PASSED BY THE VOTERS IN NOVEMBER OF 2016. SO IT'S A HALF CENT SALES TAX ON ADDITIONAL TAXES ON ANY TAXABLE RETAIL TRANSACTIONS. SO WITH THAT IT IS A RESTRICTED SALES TAX. SO THE USES THAT ARE ALLOWED ARE ROAD MAINTENANCE AND REHABILITATION, LOCAL STREET REPAIRS, HIGHWAY IMPROVEMENTS, TRAFFIC CONGESTION RELIEF, PEDESTRIAN AND BICYCLE INFRASTRUCTURE, AND TRANSIT SERVICES AND MOBILITY PROJECTS. SO THIS APPLIES COUNTYWIDE, INCLUDING THE UNINCORPORATED AREAS AND OUR INCORPORATED CITIES. THE PROGRAM ITSELF IS ADMINISTERED BY MCAG, THE MERCED COUNTY ASSOCIATION OF GOVERNMENTS, AND IT'S FORMULA BASED DISTRIBUTION COMES DOWN THROUGH THE COUNTY, THE INCORPORATED CITIES, AND THEN THE REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION PROJECTS. AND SO WHAT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT TODAY IS THE COUNTY OF MERCED'S LOCAL FUNDING. THERE'S STILL REGIONAL FUNDING THAT IS ADMINISTERED THROUGH MCAG. OF THE LOCAL FUNDING THAT COMES THROUGH, 80% OF THAT FUNDING CAN BE USED FOR ROAD MAINTENANCE AND REHABILITATION, AND THEN THE OTHER 20% IS USED FOR ALTERNATIVE TRANSPORTATION, AND THAT'S OVER THE LIFE OF THE MEASURE. SO I'D LIKE TO NOW TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO INTRODUCE NATHAN BRAY, THE DIRECTOR OF OUR DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS, AS WELL AS YOUR COUNTY ROAD COMMISSIONER, TO GO OVER THE PROJECT ITSELF. NATHAN. YES. THANK YOU ASSISTANT CEO MIRRIONE. GOOD MORNING, BOARD CHAIR AND SUPERVISORS, NATHAN BRAY, DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS AND YOUR ROAD COMMISSIONER. THE PROJECT BEFORE YOU IS A CULMINATION OF A LOT OF DISCUSSIONS ABOUT HOW DO WE MOST EFFECTIVELY USE THE LIMITED RESOURCES THAT WE DO HAVE? I THINK EVERYONE WILL AGREE THAT THERE ARE FAR MORE NEEDS THAN THERE ARE RESOURCES. SO WHEN WE WERE DEVELOPING THE PROGRAM AND THE PROJECT LIST, WE HAD TO IDENTIFY WHERE DO CERTAIN ROAD SEGMENTS FALL WITHIN A PRIORITY? [01:10:06] HOW HOW DO WE PRIORITIZE ALL OF THE NEED OUT THERE INTO THIS LIMITED FUNDING THAT WE DO HAVE? SO SOME OF THE METRICS THAT WE USED TO HELP IDENTIFY OUR PROPOSED PROJECTS INCLUDE ROADS THAT SERVE AS MAJOR COLLECTORS AND ARTERIALS, MAJOR ROADWAYS TO HELP MOVE FOLKS IN AND AROUND THE COUNTY. THEY SERVE AS YOUR MAIN CONNECTORS BETWEEN DIFFERENT JURISDICTIONS, BETWEEN DIFFERENT CITIES, BETWEEN CITIES AND UNINCORPORATED AREAS, BETWEEN OUR MAJOR ROADS THAT SERVE A LOT OF OUR POPULATION. THEY DO NOT ALTHOUGH THERE IS NEED ON THE SMALLER ROADS THAT SERVE A CUL DE SAC OR MAYBE IT SERVES THREE BUSINESSES OR FIVE HOUSES. THERE'S STILL A NEED THERE. AND WE'RE NOT DISCREDITING THAT. BUT THIS PROGRAM IS REALLY GEARED TOWARDS HOW DO WE ADDRESS THE BIGGEST NEED FOR THE MOST AMOUNT OF PEOPLE. AND SO BASED UPON THAT FRAMEWORK, WE IDENTIFIED A LIST OF ROADS THAT ARE ON THE LARGER CIRCULATION NETWORK, ARTERIALS AND COLLECTORS. THE FUNDING AS ASSISTANT MIRRIONE HAD IDENTIFIED, THE FUNDING REALLY IS BASED UPON OUR LOCAL, OUR LOCALLY CONTROLLED MEASURE V REVENUES THAT WE WOULD TYPICALLY DERIVE OUR PROJECT LIST ON A YEAR TO YEAR BASIS. SO I'VE BEEN BEFORE THIS BOARD EVERY YEAR, AND MY PREDECESSOR WAS BEFORE THIS BOARD THAT ON AN ANNUAL BASIS THAT IDENTIFIED PROJECTS FOR THESE FUNDS AS WELL AS OUR SB FUNDS TO BE USED ON SO THESE FUNDS WOULD BE USED TO KIND OF PRE PREPAID A LOT OF OUR ROADS NOW THAT COULD BE MAINTAINED DOWN THE ROAD. AND THIS DOES NOT PRECLUDE THAT ANNUAL PROCESS THAT, THAT WE WILL BE BEFORE YOU AGAIN THIS YEAR. AND EVERY YEAR THEREAFTER, WE WILL STILL HAVE FUNDS LEFT OVER IN OUR MEASURE V, LOCALLY CONTROLLED POT OF FUNDS, AS WELL AS OUR SB ONE FUNDS TO ADMINISTER TO REACT, TO RESPOND, TO BE PROACTIVE ON OUR LOCAL ROAD NEEDS. THE LIST OF PROJECTS THAT HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED SPAN ALL FIVE DISTRICTS. THE TARGET BREAKDOWN IS CONSISTENT WITH THE COUNTY'S WITH THIS BOARD'S APPROACH TO TRY AND DISTRIBUTE THE FUNDS EQUALLY AMONGST THE ROAD, THE THE PROPORTIONATE SHARE OF ROAD MILES WITHIN THE DISTRICT. IT'S IT'S IT'S HARD TO PAVE EXACTLY TO THIS VERY SPECIFIED LIMIT. AND SO THEY ARE GENERALLY WITHIN THAT FORMULA WITHIN. AND I'LL JUST REAL QUICK FOR THE AUDIENCE THAT CAN'T SEE THE ROADS THAT ARE IDENTIFIED HERE IN DISTRICT ONE ARE A PORTION OF SANDY MUSH ROAD, A PORTION OF MINTURN ROAD, A PORTION OF WESTSIDE BOULEVARD AND A PORTION OF SANTA FE. THAT'S FOR DISTRICT ONE. FOR DISTRICT TWO IS A PORTION OF ARBOLEDA DRIVE, FOR DISTRICT THREE IS BUHACH ROAD AND FRANKLIN ROAD, A PORTION THEREOF FOR DISTRICT FOUR IS OUR PORTIONS OF LONGVIEW AVENUE, BRADBURY ROAD, GRIFFITH ROAD, BLOSS ROAD, AND AMERICAN ROAD. AND THEN IN DISTRICT FIVE, PORTIONS OF TURNER ISLAND ROAD, PIONEER ROAD, ARROYO AVENUE. WILSON ROAD AND EUCALYPTUS ROAD. WHAT THIS DOES IS IT AIMS TO SPREAD THE FUNDS TO ROADS THAT ARE CONSISTENT WITH THE ORIGINAL METHODOLOGY THAT I SPECIFIED THAT ARE ALSO CONSISTENT WITH THE FUNDING BREAKDOWN THAT HISTORICALLY, THIS COUNTY HAS SOUGHT TO DISTRIBUTE THE FUNDS. THIS THESE ROADS HERE DO NOT AFFECT THE DELIVERY OF THE ROADS. THIS BOARD HAS PREVIOUSLY APPROVED, HAVE APPROVED THAT ARE CURRENTLY WAITING FOR CONSTRUCTION. SO THESE ROADS INCLUDE SANTA FE, WHICH WE ARE WORKING WITH MCAG ON DELIVERING SANTA FE, ESSENTIALLY FROM MERCED TO ATWATER. DOES NOT INCLUDE TURLOCK ROAD, WHICH IS AN EIGHT MILE FIVE MILE SEGMENT BETWEEN OAKDALE ROAD AND HIGHWAY 59. IT DOESN'T INCLUDE MCKEE ROAD. THE COORDINATION WITH THE CITY TO REPAVE ALL OF MCKEE, NOT JUST THE COUNTY'S PORTION, FROM ALL THE WAY DOWN TO SANTA FE NOR HATCH, NOR DOES IT AFFECT THE WORK THAT'S GOING TO BE DONE ON DELTA ROAD ON THE WEST SIDE. AND THEN AS AN OVERVIEW AND AGAIN, IT'S PROBABLY HARD TO SEE FOR MEMBERS IN THE AUDIENCE. [01:15:01] BUT I BELIEVE EVERYONE HAS A MAP IN FRONT OF YOU. YOU WILL SEE THE ROADS THAT ARE PROPOSED IDENTIFIED IN MAGENTA. THE ROADS THAT ARE IN A HATCH PATTERN, I GUESS BLACK AND WHITE CHECKERED PATTERN MAYBE IS A BETTER TERMINOLOGY. THOSE ARE ROADS THAT HAVE BEEN PREVIOUSLY REPAIRED, PAVED REHABILITATED BY THE COUNTY WITHIN THE PAST TEN YEARS. AND SO YOU CAN START TO SEE THIS FRAMEWORK OF THESE LARGER COLLECTOR ROADS, THIS LARGER TRANSPORTATION NETWORK THAT WE ARE TRYING TO EFFECTIVELY AND EFFICIENTLY MOVE FOLKS AROUND FROM PLACE TO PLACE. AND WITH THAT, I THINK WE'LL TURN IT BACK OVER TO ASSISTANT CEO. THANK YOU, NATHAN. SO IN CEO HENDRICKSON'S COMMENTS HE HE PROVIDED SOME GRATITUDE TO THE TEAM THAT HAS BEEN WORKING DILIGENTLY TO PUT THIS ALL TOGETHER. AND THAT TEAM CONSISTS OF MANY FOLKS INTERNALLY. AND NOT TO BE REPETITIVE, BUT I'D LIKE TO SAY THANK YOU AS WELL. THEY HAVE REALLY, REALLY JUST GOT IN THERE AND GOT THIS DONE FOR US. AND OF COURSE, NATHAN ON OUR TEAM, BUT THE AUDITOR, THE TREASURER, TAX COLLECTOR THE COUNTY COUNSEL, OUR CEO'S OFFICE, BUT WE ALSO HAVE OTHERS ON THE TEAM THAT HELP BRING THIS ALL TOGETHER AND THAT WE DO THROUGH OUR BOND COUNSEL. SO IN YOUR AGENDA, YOU WILL SEE THAT WE TALK ABOUT OUR BOND COUNSEL, WHICH IS HAWKINS, DELAFIELD AND WOOD FOR DISCLOSURE COUNSEL, WHICH IS PART OF THE FINANCING. STRADLING YOCCA CARLSON AND RAUTH. AND THEN OUR MUNICIPAL ADVISOR WHO HAS WORKED WITH US FOR MANY YEARS ON MANY PROJECTS AND HAVE THE GOOD FORTUNE OF HAVING HIM HERE WITH US TODAY, MR. DAVID LEIFER. AND HE IS GOING TO WALK YOU THROUGH A SUMMARY OF THE PLAN OF FINANCE FOR THIS PROJECT. AND WITH THAT, I'LL PASS IT TO MR. LEIFER. DAVID. THANKS, DAVID, AND GOOD MORNING, MR. CHAIR, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, CEO, HENDRICKSON COUNTY COUNSEL HANSEN. MY NAME IS DAVID LEIFER WITH KNN PUBLIC FINANCE, AND I'M JUST GOING TO MOVE THIS DOWN A LITTLE BIT. YAY! ALL RIGHT. AND I'M EXCITED TO BE HERE AND TO SEE EVERYBODY AGAIN. YEAH. WORKING REALLY CLOSELY WITH STAFF HERE AND WITH THE OTHER CONSULTANTS WE'VE HELPED DEVELOP WHAT I THINK IS A REALLY UNIQUE PLAN OF FINANCE. IT'S PRETTY INNOVATIVE, ACTUALLY, AND IT'S GOING TO HELP THE COUNTY ACCELERATE THE DELIVERY OF SOME REALLY CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS. AND HERE'S A LITTLE SUMMARY OF THE FINANCING AS WE SORT OF SEE IT RIGHT NOW. I JUST WANT TO HIGHLIGHT A COUPLE OF KEY POINTS. FIRST, IT'S GOING TO BE A TAX EXEMPT BOND. SO WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? IT MEANS THAT THE FOLKS WHO ARE LENDING YOU MONEY ARE GOING TO BE ABLE TO RECEIVE INTEREST PAYMENTS FROM YOU THAT ARE TAX EXEMPT. THEY'RE NOT GOING TO PAY INCOME TAX ON THE INTEREST PAYMENTS THAT THEY RECEIVE FROM THE COUNTY. AND AS A RESULT, THEY'RE GOING TO BE WILLING TO LEND MONEY TO YOU AT A LOWER RATE THAN THEY WOULD IF THEY WERE LENDING MONEY TO, SAY, A CORPORATE, A CORPORATION OR AN ISSUER OF TAXABLE BONDS. SO THAT'S A PREFERENCE THAT LOCAL GOVERNMENT ENJOYS WHEN YOU MEET VARIOUS TAX RESTRICTIONS AND REQUIREMENTS. AND THIS FINANCING IS BEING CAREFULLY SET UP TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR TAX EXEMPT FINANCING, LARGELY BECAUSE IT'S FOCUSED ON INFRASTRUCTURE AND CAPITAL NEEDS AS COMPARED TO, SAY, MAINTENANCE, WHICH MIGHT NOT QUALIFY. SO THAT'S KEY POINT NUMBER ONE. NUMBER TWO, AS HAS BEEN SAID ALREADY, THIS FINANCING WILL BE REPAID SOLELY FROM THE COUNTY'S LOCAL SHARE OF THE MEASURE V SALES TAX. SO NO GENERAL FUND PLEDGE, NO COMMITMENT OF REAL PROPERTY, NO PLEDGE OF AN ASSET THAT'S IMPORTANT. IT'S GOING TO HELP YOU PRESERVE YOUR DEBT CAPACITY, YOUR GENERAL FUND, DEBT CAPACITY FOR OTHER NEEDS IN THE FUTURE IF THEY IF YOU HAVE THEM. IT'S ALSO GOING TO HELP YOU PRESERVE THE AVAILABILITY OF CRITICAL ASSETS THAT YOU CAN PLEDGE TO A FINANCING IN THE FUTURE IF YOU HAVE THOSE NEEDS. AND IN THIS CASE, WERE YOU TO USE A GENERAL FUND FINANCING, YOU DEFINITELY WOULD NEED TO PLEDGE SOME OTHER ASSET. WE CAN'T PLEDGE ROADS AS AN ASSET TO THE INVESTOR COMMUNITY. SO THIS UNIQUE STRUCTURE FOCUSED SOLELY ON YOUR SHARE OF THE MEASURE IS GOING TO HELP PRESERVE GENERAL FUND DEBT CAPACITY FOR OTHER NEEDS IN THE FUTURE. ALSO HERE WE HAVE SOME SORT OF PRO FORMA RESULTS. WE'RE ANTICIPATING THAT YOU'RE GOING TO PLEDGE ABOUT 2.25 MILLION A YEAR IN YOUR SALES TAX AND YOUR RECEIPT OF SALES TAXES. CURRENTLY, YOU'RE RECEIVING CLOSE TO 7 MILLION. FIVE AND A HALF OF THAT IS IS WHAT IS SORT OF THE GENERAL PORTION OF YOUR SALES TAX FOR ROAD REHABILITATION. [01:20:02] THERE'S ANOTHER 20% FOR SORT OF ALT PROJECTS. BUT YOU CAN SEE WE'RE NOT USING UP ALL OF THE SALES TAX FOR THIS BORROWING. AND I'LL SHOW YOU A GRAPH ON THE NEXT PAGE IN A MINUTE. BUT OUR ESTIMATE IS THAT WE'RE GOING TO GENERATE ABOUT $32 MILLION IN PROJECT COSTS FOR FOR ROAD CONSTRUCTION. THAT'S GOING TO DEPEND ON INTEREST RATES ON THE DAY OF SALE. I'VE GOT A GRAPH ON INTEREST RATES, AND WE CAN TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT. A LOT OF VOLATILITY IN THE MARKET RIGHT NOW, BUT I THINK THINGS WILL SETTLE DOWN BY THE TIME THIS DEAL IS BROUGHT TO MARKET IN ABOUT TWO MONTHS. FINAL MATURITY IS IN MARCH OF 2047. THAT LINES UP WITH THE FINAL MATURITY OF THE TAX. OBVIOUSLY YOU CAN'T GO BEYOND THE THE PERIOD DURING WHICH YOU'RE RECEIVING REVENUES. AND WE'RE ESTIMATING AN INTEREST COST, AT LEAST RIGHT NOW, OF ABOUT 3.8%. IF I HAD TO SELL THAT BOND YESTERDAY OR LAST WEEK, I THINK WE WOULD DO BETTER THAN THAT. TODAY THERE'S A LITTLE BIT OF VOLATILITY, BUT STILL RATES HAVE HAVE COME DOWN QUITE A BIT OVER THE LAST SIX MONTHS. SO I THINK OUR TIMING IS GOING TO BE GOOD. ON THIS SLIDE, THIS JUST SHOWS THE AT THE BOTTOM, THE BARS INDICATE THE ESTIMATED DEBT SERVICE PRINCIPAL AND INTEREST. SO WE'RE STRUCTURING THIS AS LEVEL DEBT SERVICE ACROSS THE REMAINING TERM OF THE TAX. AND THE GREEN LINE AT THE TOP IS SORT OF A PROJECTION OF THE TOTAL MEASURE V REVENUE TO BE RECEIVED BY THE COUNTY. WE'RE GROWING IT AT 1%, FOR LACK OF A BETTER NUMBER. YOU'VE HAD YEARS OF REALLY STRONG GROWTH DURING THE EARLY YEARS OF THE PANDEMIC, 10, 12% A YEAR. AND THEN I'D SAY THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS IT'S BEEN RELATIVELY FLAT, YET A SLIGHT DECLINE OF LESS THAN 1%. SO I THINK IT'S PRETTY CONSERVATIVE TO ASSUME THAT OVER THE LIFE OF THIS THING, IT'S GOING TO GROW AT 1%. I'M GUESSING IT WILL GROW STRONGER THAN THAT AND YOU'LL ACTUALLY HAVE MORE DOLLARS. SO IF YOU LOOK AT THAT, PIECE BETWEEN THE GREEN LINE AND THE BARS, THOSE ARE YOUR PAYGO DOLLARS. SO THERE'S, YOU KNOW, AFTER DEBT SERVICE, YOU STILL HAVE A LOT OF MONEY AVAILABLE TO PAY FOR PROJECTS ON A PAY AS YOU GO BASIS, LOCAL ROAD MAINTENANCE, ETC. THERE'S ALSO THE CAPACITY TO ISSUE ADDITIONAL BONDS IN THE FUTURE IF YOU DECIDE THAT THAT'S THE BEST USE OF YOUR SALES TAXES. SO THERE WILL BE PROVISIONS IN THE BOND DOCUMENTS TO ALLOW YOU TO ISSUE ADDITIONAL BONDS. BUT THERE'LL BE A TEST AND THE TESTS WILL SAY, HEY, YEAH, WE CAN ISSUE ADDITIONAL BONDS IN THE FUTURE. SO LONG AS THE DEBT SERVICE ON THE EXISTING BONDS AND THE DEBT SERVICE ON THE NEW BONDS AT THAT TIME IS BELOW OR WELL BELOW THE THE AMOUNT OF TOTAL REVENUE THAT YOU'RE PLEDGING. AND THAT'S NECESSARY TO PROTECT THESE INVESTORS TODAY FROM DILUTING THEM SO MUCH THAT THEY WOULD NOT HAVE MADE THE DECISION TO PURCHASE THE BONDS TO BEGIN WITH. BUT A LOT OF CAPACITY HERE, A LOT OF OPPORTUNITY FOR PAY AS YOU GO. JUST A COMMENT ABOUT HOW WE'RE STRUCTURING THE SORT OF FLOW OF FUNDS, AT LEAST RIGHT NOW MONEY'S GOING TO COME FROM THE STATE, THE DEPARTMENT OF TAX AND FEE ADMINISTRATION USED TO BE THE BOARD OF EQUALIZATION, AND THAT MONEY COMES TO MCAG CURRENTLY. THIS IS HOW IT WORKS. IT'S HAPPENING NOW. MONEY IS FLOWING TO MCAG. THEY OBVIOUSLY ARE KEEPING SOME OF THAT FOR THEIR REGIONAL NEEDS AND DISTRIBUTING IT TO THE COUNTY. THEY'RE DISTRIBUTING OTHER PARTS TO THE LOCAL CITIES OBVIOUSLY FOR THEIR SHARE. ONCE THE MONEY COMES TO THE COUNTY, WE'RE SETTING UP KIND OF A COOL LITTLE STRUCTURE WHERE THE COUNTY, THE AUDITOR AND THE TREASURER ARE WORKING TOGETHER ARE GOING TO SEQUESTER MONEY FOR THE UPCOMING DEBT SERVICE PAYMENT ON THE BONDS. SO BONDS WILL HAVE ANNUAL PRINCIPAL PAYMENTS AND SEMIANNUAL INTEREST PAYMENTS. SO FOR THAT REASON, WE'RE GOING TO SET ASIDE ONE SIXTH EVERY MONTH OF THE NEXT INTEREST PAYMENT AND 1/12 OF THE NEXT PRINCIPAL PAYMENT TO MAKE SURE THAT WHEN THE BOND PAYMENTS COME DUE, THERE'S ENOUGH MONEY TO ACTUALLY PAY THE BONDS. AND THEN EVERYTHING ELSE IS RELEASED, IF YOU WILL, AND AVAILABLE FOR PAY AS YOU GO. AND THEN 15 DAYS BEFORE THE BONDS ARE ACTUALLY DUE, THAT MONEY THAT WE'VE BEEN CAPTURING AND THE INTEREST AND PRINCIPAL PAYMENT ACCOUNTS WILL BE SENT TO THE BOND TRUSTEE. THEY'LL USE THAT TO PAY OFF THE DEBT. SO THIS IS OUR CONCEPT. WE'RE PRESENTING IT TO THE RATING AGENCIES DURING THE 60 DAY WAITING PERIOD AFTER THE BOARD. YOU KNOW, IF YOU'RE ASSUMING THE BOARD DECIDES TO MOVE FORWARD. SO THAT'S THE FLOW OF FUNDS. WE THINK IT'S VERY WORKABLE AND MIRRORS WHAT WE DO IN OTHER SALES TAX BORROWINGS. FINALLY, JUST A COMMENT ABOUT THE THE TAX EXEMPT BOND MARKET. AGAIN, TAX EXEMPT RATES ARE GOING TO BE LOWER THAN TAXABLE RATES. THAT'S A REAL PREFERENCE THAT LOCAL GOVERNMENT ENJOYS. I'VE LISTED HERE SEVERAL OF THE FACTORS THAT, YOU KNOW, DRIVE INTEREST RATES INCLUDING FEDERAL POLICY AND INTERNATIONAL STABILITY AND INSTABILITY, WHICH WE'RE EXPERIENCING RIGHT NOW IN THE WORLD. BUT YOU CAN SEE OVER ON THE RIGHT RATES HIT KIND OF A RECORD HIGH. THEY, YOU KNOW, AFTER THE PANDEMIC, THEY STARTED MOVING UP YOU KNOW, DUE TO INFLATIONARY CONCERNS AND BUT NONETHELESS, [01:25:05] WE'VE ENJOYED SORT OF YOU KNOW, WHAT IS THAT, A 55 BASIS POINT DROP IN INTEREST RATES, YOU KNOW, SINCE THE HIGH AND WE'LL SORT OF SEE WHERE THAT GOES. I'D SAY IN THE LAST WE SOLD SOME BONDS THIS TODAY FOR COUNTY OF MONTEREY. THIS MORNING WE DID A COMPETITIVE SALE SIMILAR TO WHAT WE ANTICIPATE DOING FOR YOU. IT WAS A $35 MILLION BOND ISSUE AND WE GOT 11 BIDS. SO THE MARKET IS VERY FUNCTIONAL. WE GOT REALLY GOOD RESULTS FOR THAT DEAL. THAT'S A AA+ CREDIT. SO IT'S A LITTLE HIGHER RATED. WE GOT A LOW COST OF FUNDS 3.818 I THINK FOR 20 YEAR MONEY IT WAS REALLY SURPRISING. BUT MOST OF THE BIDS CAME IN AROUND A 3.3 TO 3.4%. I'D SAY THAT WAS UP MAYBE TEN BASIS POINTS FROM WHAT WE WOULD HAVE SEEN LAST WEEK, YOU KNOW, BEFORE ALL OF THE INTERNATIONAL NEWS HITS. SO WE'RE KEEPING A CLOSE MONITOR. I'M GOING TO TURN IT BACK OVER TO DAVID. HE'S GOING TO TALK ABOUT THE SCHEDULE. BUT WE GOT A COUPLE OF MONTHS STILL BEFORE THIS BOND COMES TO MARKET. SO WE'LL HAVE A BETTER READ FOR YOU. AND WE'LL BE STAYING IN CLOSE CONTACT WITH, YOU KNOW, WITH STAFF. DAVID, YOU WANT TO FINISH IT UP? GREAT. SO THE NEXT STEPS, IF THE BOARD CHOOSES TO APPROVE THE PROJECT TODAY, BE TWO STEPS. WE'RE GOING TO HAVE THIS MEETING TODAY AS THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS WE HAVE A LIST OF RECOMMENDATIONS FOR YOU. LATER AND IF APPROVED LATER TODAY, YOU WOULD CONVENE AS THE MERCED COUNTY PUBLIC FACILITIES CORPORATION TO EFFECTUATE THE DEAL AND APPROVE SIMILAR ACTIONS. NOT ALL OF THE ACTIONS, BUT SIMILAR SOME OF THE ACTIONS THAT WE HAVE AS THE BOARD ARE MORE RELATED TO HOW OUR REIMBURSEMENT RESOLUTION AS WELL AS DIRECTION TO NATHAN ON THE ROAD WORK ITSELF. AND SO WANTED TO BRING THAT TO YOUR ATTENTION AS TO WHY YOU WOULD BE MEETING AS THE PUBLIC FINANCING CORPORATION, WHICH YOU ARE THE BOARD OF. SO IF APPROVED, WE START THE 60 DAY WAITING PERIOD. WE WOULD BE WORKING CONCURRENTLY WITH THAT PERIOD. SO IN EARLY APRIL, WE WOULD MEET WITH THE CREDIT AGENCY TO GET A RATING FOR THESE BONDS. SO, YOU KNOW, THAT WOULD BE MEETING WITH YOU KNOW, S&P. YOU HEAR OF THE S&P 500. S&P ALSO PROVIDES RATINGS. AND SO WE WOULD PRESENT THIS PROGRAM TO THEM AND PROVIDE SIGNIFICANT INFORMATION ON THE STATUS OF THE COUNTY'S FINANCES, ACFR'S, ALL OF THOSE TYPES OF FINANCIAL DOCUMENTS, AND THEN PROVIDE A PRESENTATION TO THEM. THEY WOULD CIRCLE BACK WITH A RATING. AT THE END OF APRIL, WE WOULD POST THE PRELIMINARY OFFICIAL STATEMENT. BY MAY 2ND THAT WOULD END THE 60 DAY WAITING PERIOD. AND THEN WE WOULD THAT FOLLOWING WEEK, WE WOULD DO THE COMPETITIVE PRICING OF THESE COPS, WHICH IS, YOU KNOW, WHAT MR. LEIFER SPOKE ABOUT WORKING IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE COUNTY OF MONTEREY THIS MORNING. WE WOULD BE GOING THROUGH THAT EXACT PROCESS THE WEEK OF THE FOURTH. ONCE THOSE ARE SOLD, THEN WE WOULD SEE THE CLOSING AND DELIVERY OF FUNDS THE WEEK OF THE 18TH OF MAY AND THEN THE SUMMER WE WOULD WE WOULD GET STARTED ON THAT WORK. WE ARE LOOKING AT A COMPLETED PROJECT. WE'RE PROJECTING THE WINTER OF 27, BASICALLY GETTING THROUGH TWO SEASONS OF WORK. AND I JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THAT DUE TO THE TAX EXEMPT NATURE OF THESE BONDS WE WOULD HAVE TO PROVIDE THE PROJECT WOULD HAVE TO BE 85% SUBSTANTIALLY COMPLETED WITHIN THREE YEARS OF FUNDING. SO THESE TYPE OF BONDS, WE CAN'T JUST SIT ON THE MONEY AND NOT DO THE WORK. SO WE WOULD BE READY TO GO. SO FOR OUR RECOMMENDED ACTIONS, I WILL NOT READ OVER ALL OF THEM, BUT I WILL KIND OF GIVE YOU A HIGHLIGHT ON EACH ONE. SO THE FIRST ONE YOU'RE RATIFYING THE STAFF TO PUT TOGETHER THE TEAM THAT HAS WORKED TOGETHER TO PUT THIS IN FRONT OF YOU TODAY. THE SECOND ONE IS ADOPTING A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE EXECUTION OF AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $35 MILLION FOR THIS PROJECT. AND YOU SAW WHEN DAVID PRESENTED HIS PORTION, WE TALKED ABOUT A $32 MILLION PROJECT. AS AS WE DISCUSSED EARLIER, WHEN THIS GOES TO SALE, THE INTEREST RATES COULD BE DIFFERENT THAT COULD ACTUALLY GENERATE ADDITIONAL FUNDS. IF THAT WERE THE CASE, THEN THOSE FUNDS CAN BE USED FOR ADDITIONAL ROADS, WHICH WE WOULD BRING BACK THROUGH OUR NORMAL ROADS PROCESSES IN ADDITIONAL AMOUNT OF FUNDING. SO THAT YOU HAVE THAT PIECE THERE. AND THEN GIVING THE AUTHORITY TO THE BOARD CHAIR TO EXECUTE THE DOCUMENTS THAT ARE PROVIDED, WE WILL CONTINUE TO WORK THROUGH AS WE GET CLOSER TO THE SALE, AND WE'LL BE WORKING IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CHAIR TO GET THOSE ALL [01:30:07] TAKEN CARE OF. ADDITIONALLY, WHAT IS CALLED A REIMBURSEMENT RESOLUTION. SO FOR THE EXPENSES THAT WE UNDERTAKE GETTING TO THE ACTUAL ISSUANCE OF THE SALE. SO I MENTIONED, YOU KNOW, OUR BOND COUNSEL, OUR DISCLOSURE COUNSEL, OUR MUNICIPAL ADVISORY SERVICES. SO THAT CAN BE PART OF THE OVERALL REPAYMENT OF THE PROJECT IF NEEDED. AND THEN AUTHORIZING THE PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR TO ESSENTIALLY GET TO WORK ONCE THESE YOU KNOW, ONCE THIS IS APPROVED. SO THAT IS THE CONCLUSION OF THE PRESENTATION. IN ADDITION TO MYSELF, DIRECTOR BRAY AND MR. LEIFER ARE AVAILABLE FOR QUESTIONS. YOU GOT IT. THANK YOU, DAVID. AND IF I COULD SAY WE'RE GOING TO DO THESE RECOMMENDATIONS ALL IN ONE MOTION. JUST SO THE BOARD'S AWARE OF THAT. MARK, DID YOU HAVE ANYTHING YOU'D LIKE TO CLOSE UP ON? JUST VERY, VERY QUICKLY I WOULD SAY THANK YOU TO MR. LEIFER, FOR BEING HERE AND FOR THAT OUTSTANDING WORK. AND AGAIN, ALL THE THE PARTNERS THAT DAVID REFERENCED. OBVIOUSLY THIS WAS DONE WITH SWIFTNESS. AND I'M VERY PROUD OF THAT EFFORT AND HOPEFULLY WE'LL ADVANCE SHOULD THE BOARD BE SO INCLINED A NUMBER OF IMPORTANT PROJECTS THAT ARE GOING TO BE MEANINGFUL FOR YOUR CONSTITUENTS. THANK YOU, SIR. THANK YOU. YEAH. WHEN WE FIRST PASSED MEASURE V, EVERYBODY WANTED EVERY ROAD PROJECT DONE RIGHT AT THE BEGINNING. THEY DIDN'T KNOW WE HAD TO ACCUMULATE THE TAX BEFORE WE COULD START DOING THESE PROJECTS. SO THIS GIVES US THE ABILITY TO DO IT. AND WITH THE RATE OF THE INCREASES THAT WE'RE SEEING NOW, THIS ALLOWS US TO GET AHEAD OF THAT. AND WE PROBABLY COME OUT AHEAD EVEN WITH THE INTEREST RATE. SO, DAVID, I DO HAVE A QUESTION FOR YOU. YOU SAID SO MONTEREY COUNTY GOT A TRIPLE A RATING. SO WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT MERCED COUNTY? ARE WE GOING TO BE. WELL, I THINK. YOU THINK WE CAN BE COMPETITIVE IN THAT NATURE? WE'LL BE COMPETITIVE. I THINK THIS TWO THINGS, THEY'RE THE KIND OF BOND THEY ISSUED WAS DIFFERENT. OKAY. THAT WAS A GENERAL FUND BACKED BOND. OKAY. SO THOSE ARE A LITTLE BIT APPLES AND ORANGES FOR STARTERS, I THINK. SO FOR STARTERS, THE MONTEREY COUNTY GENERAL FUND RATING IS ALREADY A LITTLE HIGHER THAN THE MERCED COUNTY GENERAL FUND RATING. SO IF YOU WERE ISSUING A GENERAL FUND FINANCING, YOU'RE ALREADY A LITTLE BIT LOWER THAN THEY ARE, JUST LARGELY BECAUSE OF WEALTH LEVELS IN THE CENTRAL COAST. YOU KNOW, THEY GOT THE 17 MILE DRIVE. THEY'VE GOT CARMEL. ALL OF THOSE WEALTH LEVELS ARE A BIT HIGHER. SO IT'S A DIFFERENT ECONOMY. BUT MERCED COUNTY'S GENERAL FUND RATING, I THINK IS SORT OF A LOW DOUBLE, A DOUBLE A MINUS, WHICH FOR A LEASE FINANCING IS THEN AN A PLUS. I THINK THAT'S THE RANGE FOR THIS STRUCTURE AS WELL. IF WE'RE GOING TO BE ARGUING FOR HIGHER, I'D LOVE TO SEE THIS GET INTO A AA CATEGORY. THAT'S OUR GOAL. AND WE'LL KNOW MORE WHEN WE GET BACK FROM THE RATING AGENCY. I MEAN, THE GOOD NEWS IS YOU HAD REALLY STRONG GROWTH IN THE SALES TAX. AND WE'VE GOT A LOT OF COVERAGE, A LOT OF CUSHION, IF YOU WILL, BETWEEN THOSE DEBT SERVICE BARS AND THE, YOU KNOW, THE REVENUE BAR. AND THAT'S THE KEY BECAUSE WE CAN'T RAISE TAXES. RIGHT. LIKE IF THERE WERE A BIG DOWNTURN IN THE ECONOMY AND SALES TAXES PLUMMETED. THERE'S NOTHING WE CAN DO FOR THE INVESTOR. SO THE INVESTOR WANTS TO MAKE SURE WE GOT ENOUGH CUSHION AND WE'RE GOING TO STRUCTURE IN ENOUGH CUSHION. RIGHT. IT'S HARD TO BELIEVE WE'RE TEN YEARS INTO THIS MEASURE WITH ONLY 20 YEARS LEFT ON IT. SO I THINK THIS IS A GOOD MOVE AT THE RIGHT TIME. SO I THINK IT'S A GOOD TIME TO ISSUE. VERY GOOD. CHAIR RECOGNIZES SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA. IF YOU'RE GOING TO DO PUBLIC COMMENT THEN I'LL JUST WAIT TILL AFTER PUBLIC COMMENT. DO YOU WANT TO WAIT? YOU DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? NOT ANY. NO, YOU ANSWERED MINE. JUST IF YOU HAPPEN TO GET A LOWER RATING, IT JUST MEANS THAT WE GET A LITTLE BIT MORE MONEY. YEAH. IF WE'RE GOING TO PLEDGE THE SAME AMOUNT OF REVENUE THAT 2.25 MILLION AS OUR DEBT SERVICE TARGET, THEN THE NUMBER, THE ACTUAL PROCEEDS COULD GO UP IF RATES COME IN TIGHTER THAN WHAT WE THOUGHT LOWER, AND IT COULD GO DOWN A LITTLE BIT. OBVIOUSLY THE OTHER WAY IF RATES ARE HIGHER, BUT WE'LL HAVE A PRETTY GOOD HANDLE ON THAT AS WE GET CLOSER. AND DAVID, YOU COULD PROVIDE A REPORT TO THE BOARD IF THE BOARD IS INTERESTED. THANK YOU. AND IT'S GREAT HAVING THIS CUSHION TOO BECAUSE THIS ALLOWS US TO DO OUR ONGOING MAINTENANCE. LIKE SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA LIKE SAYS, WE'RE ONLY AS GOOD AS THE LAST POTHOLE WE FILLED. SO THE ONGOING MAINTENANCE AND SB ONE IS ACTUALLY THERE AS WELL. THAT RUNS VERY EQUAL TO WHAT OUR MEASURE V IS ARE VERY, CLOSE REVENUES, JUST OTHER THAN THE MEASURE REVENUE FOR ROADS IN THE COUNTY. CORRECT. OKAY. ARE THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? IF NOT THANK YOU DAVID. THANK YOU DAVID. THANK YOU NATHAN. AT THIS TIME, I WILL OPEN IT UP FOR PUBLIC COMMENT ON ITEM NUMBER 38. CHAIR [01:35:04] GOOD MORNING AGAIN. GOOD MORNING. BOARD, CHAIR, CEO, COUNTY STAFF. AS I'M LOOKING AT THE LIST AND THE MAP THAT'S OUTLINED THERE ARE IN DISTRICT FIVE, SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA THERE ARE ONLY MAINLY TWO PLACES MOST DOS PALOS RESIDENTS GO TO DRIVE THROUGH. THEY GO TO LOS BANOS, OR THEY GO TO MERCED OR TO TURLOCK. OUT OF ALL THE ROADS THAT ARE MENTIONED ON HERE, THE ONE I SEE MOST BENEFICIAL THAT I SEE IT'S USED A LOT BECAUSE I AM A RESIDENT. I DO DRIVE AROUND ALL OVER HERE IT'S PIONEER ROAD. PIONEER ROAD BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE RESIDENTS WANT TO CUT AROUND TO GET TO THE BAY AREA TO WORK. OTHER THAN THAT, I FEEL THE UNINCORPORATED CITIES AROUND DOS PALOS ARE NOT INCLUDED AT ALL. THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF RESIDENTS THAT LIVE THERE, AND THOSE ROADS ARE VERY NEGLECTED, I WOULD SAY, AND I'M SURE YOU CAN AGREE ON THAT. YOU KNOW, FROM THE TRES [INAUDIBLE] THAT IS THE GROUP THAT REACHED OUT TO YOU ABOUT WHAT THEY WANT FIXED OVER THERE IN THAT AREA. THEY ONE OF THEIR MAIN THINGS IS THE ROADS AND THE SIDEWALKS, LIGHTS SAFETY FOR THEM. AND I DON'T SEE ANY OF THAT BEING INCORPORATED HERE OR IN EUCALYPTUS. YES, THEY ARE NEGLECTED, BUT MOST PEOPLE TAKE 33 ANYWAY TO GET TO LOS BANOS OR TO GET TO MERCED OR TO GET TO TURLOCK. AND MOST PEOPLE TAKE DELTA INSTEAD OF TURNER ISLAND ROAD TO GET TO TURLOCK OR TO GET TO WHEREVER ELSE THEY NEED TO GO. THAT'S MY OPINION ON THE ROADS THAT ARE BEING FUNDED OR GOING TO BE FUNDED FOR THIS PROJECT. AND YEAH, THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. OKAY. THANK YOU. WHAT'S THAT? IS THERE ANY MORE PUBLIC COMMENT? IS THERE ANY OTHER PUBLIC COMMENT AT THIS TIME? I DO APPRECIATE MY COACH HERE ON MY RIGHT HAND SIDE. COUNTY COUNSEL KEEPS US IN LINE. IF NOT, I'LL GO AHEAD AND CLOSE THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD FOR CEO ITEM NUMBER 38. AND WE'LL BRING IT BACK TO THE DAIS. AND I DO, CHAIR, RECOGNIZES SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA. THANK YOU, MISTER CHAIR. YEAH. YOU KNOW, I REALLY WANT TO THANK MY COLLEAGUE FROM DISTRICT FOUR. I KNOW THAT THIS HAS BEEN SOMETHING THAT YOU'VE BEEN CHAMPIONING FOR A WHILE. WE TRY TO ADDRESS IT AS AT THE MCAG LEVEL, AND TO SEE IF THERE WAS INTEREST FROM OTHER JURISDICTIONS IN DOING IT. YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT WE'RE BORROWING, THE AMOUNT OF INTEREST WE'RE GOING TO PAY, REALLY WHAT IT BRINGS IT BACK DOWN TO? YOU'RE TALKING AT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE AT LIKE $775,000 A MILE TO REPAVE A ROAD. AND SO, AS YOU GUYS ARE ALL AWARE, VERY WELL AWARE, THERE'S 1,750 MILES OF ROAD THAT THE COUNTY OF MERCED IS RESPONSIBLE FOR. THAT DOESN'T COUNT ANY CITY STREETS OR STATE HIGHWAYS. AND SO WHEN YOU HEAR FOLKS OUT THERE THAT ARE UPSET THAT ROADS AREN'T GETTING DONE, IT ISN'T THAT WE'RE NOT GETTING ROADS DONE. I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO LOOK AT THIS MAP OF ROADS THAT HAVE BEEN DONE OVER THE LAST TEN YEARS, AND THEN IF A PERSON COULD GO BACK THE PREVIOUS TEN YEARS AND LOOK, YOU WOULDN'T SEE HARDLY ANYTHING, BECAUSE AT THAT TIME THE COUNTY REALLY WASN'T REPAVING A LOT OF ROADS. AND SO AS YOU, AS WE KNOW, WE'RE GOING TO TAKE DOLLARS AND WE'RE GOING TO GO BORROW MONEY AND WE'RE GOING TO PAY SOME INTEREST ON THAT. I FEEL LIKE IT'S A GOOD RISK. IT'S A GOOD RISK BECAUSE WE'RE GOING TO ACTUALLY BE ABLE TO GET STUFF DONE AT TODAY'S DOLLARS VERSUS, YEAH, WE CAN WAIT ANOTHER TEN YEARS AND THEN WHAT'S A MILE A ROAD GOING TO COST US THEN? BECAUSE IT WASN'T THAT LONG AGO THAT ROADS WERE A HALF $1 MILLION A MILE. SO I'M EXCITED ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITY. AND I MEAN, EVERYBODY HAS THEIR OPINIONS ON WHAT ROADS PEOPLE TAKE AND DON'T TAKE. BUT ULTIMATELY, WHAT I'M VERY CONFIDENT IN IS THAT OUR STAFF, OUR PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR, OUR ROAD COMMISSIONER, WHO THIS IS HIS KIND OF CHOSEN PROFESSION, HAS RECOMMENDED THESE ROADS TO US BECAUSE I CAN PROMISE YOU THIS IF YOU HAVE A BAD ROAD AND YOU LIVE ON IT, IT'S THE WORST ROAD IN THE COUNTY AND IT'S THE FIRST ONE YOU WANT REPAVED. BUT ULTIMATELY, WE'RE TRYING TO TAKE THE EMOTIONS OUT OF IT AND REALLY GO WITH ROADS THAT ARE THESE ARTERIAL CONNECTORS. AND I'LL DISAGREE WITH THE PREVIOUS SPEAKER JUST A LITTLE BIT IN THAT THERE ARE QUITE A FEW PEOPLE OUT IN THE SOUTH DOS PALOS AND MIDWAY AREA WHO TAKE EUCALYPTUS AND GO OUT TO CAUSEY ROAD AND I WANT PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND THESE AREN'T THE ONLY ROADS WE'RE DOING. THESE ARE JUST THE ROADS THAT ARE PART OF THIS PACKAGE. WE STILL HAVE OUR SB ONE ROADS. WE STILL HAVE OTHER PORTIONS OF MEASURE V ROADS THAT ARE GETTING DONE. SO IT'S REALLY LIKE KIND OF COMPARING APPLES TO ORANGES. THIS IS JUST A WAY FOR US TO BE ABLE TO, BECAUSE ULTIMATELY WE'RE 10 YEARS IN TO A 30 YEAR TAX. AND I WILL BE 79 IS WHAT I JUST FIGURED OUT WHEN THIS. NO, NOT 79. I'LL BE 69. THANK YOU. OKAY. 69. SORRY, I'LL BE 69 WHEN THIS GETS PAID BACK. SO WE'RE MAKING A DECISION FOR REALLY FOR DOWN THE ROAD HERE. [01:40:01] BUT WHEN WE HAVE TO GO BACK TO THE VOTERS AND ASK THEM TO. IT'S REALLY NOT THAT LONG IN THE NEXT 12 YEARS IS WHEN YOU'RE GOING TO START THE PROCESS OF GOING BACK TO THE VOTERS AND ASKING THEM TO EXTEND A ROAD TAX, RIGHT, A SALES TAX FOR ROADS. WE HAVE TO BE ABLE TO SHOW THE RESIDENTS THAT WE DELIVERED ON THE PROMISE THAT WE MADE TO THEM WHEN WE WENT OUT FOR THIS MEASURE, AND I THINK THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US. WE GET ECONOMIES OF SCALE INSTEAD OF BIDDING OUT, YOU KNOW, $10 MILLION WORTH OF ROADS. I WOULD THINK THAT IF WE HAVE A $30 MILLION PROJECT THAT WE'RE GOING TO SIT OUT THAT'S GOING TO COVER A BUNCH OF ROADS, WE'LL BE ABLE TO GET SOME ECONOMIES OF SCALE. AND THEN HOPEFULLY WE'VE TALKED ABOUT IT IS, IS, YOU KNOW, YOU SET A DOLLAR AMOUNT OUT THERE. MAYBE WE'LL FIND SOME COST SAVINGS IN THIS. AND ANY COST SAVINGS THAT WE FIND, WE'LL BE ABLE TO DO ADDITIONAL ROADS. SO ULTIMATELY I'M VERY EXCITED ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITY. I DON'T KNOW WHY OTHER FOLKS, MAYBE FROM OTHER JURISDICTIONS, DIDN'T KIND OF JUMP ON THAT A LITTLE BIT FURTHER. BUT I KNOW THAT WE'RE KIND OF A LITTLE BIT MORE EXPERIENCED. DAVID, I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP ON THIS AND HELPING US WORK THROUGH IT, BECAUSE ULTIMATELY, FOR ME, I GOT TO BE ABLE TO LOOK TO TAXPAYERS IN THE FACE AND SAY, HEY, THIS IS A GOOD DEAL FOR YOU. WE ARE GOING TO BE PAYING A LITTLE BIT OF AN INTEREST. BUT IF YOU LOOK AT THE COST INDEX AND HOW MUCH IT'S RISEN OVER THE LAST TEN YEARS, I THINK THE CITIZENS GET MORE BANG FOR THEIR BUCK THIS WAY AND WE GET SOME ROADS REPAVED. SO I'M REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITY. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. THANK YOU. CHAIR RECOGNIZES SUPERVISOR PEDROZO. THANK YOU. YEAH. NO, I THINK THIS IS GREAT. AND I UNDERSTAND THE RATIONALE BEHIND THE WHOLE THING. YOU KNOW, BEING THE REPRESENTATIVE FOR DISTRICT TWO OF THOSE 751 MILES, I ONLY HAVE 2.3% OF THE COUNTY PAVED ROAD MILES. BUT I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS I DISAGREE WITH A LITTLE BIT. AND I GET THE ARTERIALS AND I GET THE CONNECTIVITY AND STUFF, BUT I DON'T THINK ANY COUNTY POCKETS HAVE HAD ANY ROADS FIXED SINCE THE NIXON ADMINISTRATION. AND I THINK THAT'S A, THAT'S A REALLY SOMETHING THAT WE SHOULD FOCUS OR WE SHOULD LOOK TOWARDS MOVING FORWARD. BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU SAY THE ARTERIALS AND STUFF, SOME OF THESE ROADS THAT WE'RE DOING ARE IMPORTANT TO MERCED COUNTY AND MOVING IT AROUND AND MOVING GOODS AND STUFF AROUND. BUT WHEN YOU SAY WE'RE NOT GOING TO DO LIKE FOR EIGHT HOUSES, WELL, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT RANCHES ON MAYBE TWO RANCHES ON THESE LONG STRETCHES OF ROADS THAT ARE GOING TO BENEFIT THOSE PEOPLE COMING IN AND OUT. THEN ALSO WITH THE 2.3 PERCENTAGE OF ROADS THAT I HAVE IN OR THAT ARE IN MERCED COUNTY OR DISTRICT TWO, YOU KNOW, IF YOU LOOK AT IT, A LOT OF THEM, A LOT OF THE PEOPLE THAT ARE USING THOSE ROADS ARE COMING FROM OUTSIDE OF MERCED INTO THE DISTRICT. AND SO I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE KIND OF LOOK AT THAT AS WELL. I'VE ALWAYS BEEN I'VE ALWAYS PLAYED YOU KNOW, A TEAM PLAYER ON THIS PART, BECAUSE I RECOGNIZE THE FACT THAT THERE'S LARGE STRETCHES OF ROADS THAT ARE IN MERCED COUNTY. BUT IT'S ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT I THINK THAT WE SHOULD, YOU KNOW, AS FUNDING COMES AVAILABLE, WE SHOULD REALLY LOOK AT SOME OF THESE COUNTY POCKETS BECAUSE I HAVE A LOT OF THEM. SO. THANK YOU. AND I APPRECIATE THOSE COMMENTS BECAUSE I GOT TO SAY, SUPERVISOR PEDROZO MYSELF DO CONTINUE TO TALK ABOUT OURS BEING IN THE CENTER OF THE COUNTY. AND A LOT OF FOLKS FROM OUTSIDE OF OUR DISTRICT ARE TRAVELING THROUGH OUR DISTRICTS. MY DISTRICT REPRESENTS OUT OF JUST UNDER 1800 MILES OF ROAD, I HAVE JUST A LITTLE LESS THAN 6% OF THE ROADS, AND I NEVER LIKE TO POKE THE BEARS AND THE PERCENTAGES THAT I GET OF ROAD FUNDING, SO I'LL JUST KEEP IT AT THAT, BECAUSE THESE GUYS ALL KNOW AND THEY GET MAD AT ME EVERY TIME WE GO INTO THE NEGOTIATIONS, BECAUSE I USUALLY COME UP ABOUT 9 TO 11% OF THE ROAD FUNDING. BUT I STILL ADVOCATE, JUST LIKE MY COLLEAGUE DOES, THAT FOLKS FROM OUTSIDE ARE DRIVING THROUGH OURS. SO WE'RE GETTING IMPACTED BY YOURS AS WELL. AND I JUST GOT TO SAY, DANA HERTFELDER DID SAY THERE'S A FORMULA AT CALTRANS THAT ACTUALLY REPRESENTS THAT. SO WE NEED TO FIND THIS FORMULA SOMEWHERE NATHAN AND FIGURE THAT OUT. BUT NO, I APPRECIATE IT. OH, I DO HAVE CHAIR RECOGNIZES, SUPERVISOR PAREIRA. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. SO JUST SO YOU KNOW, I WENT ON CHATGPT AND THERE IS NO OTHER FORMULA, SO WE GOT TO STICK WITH THIS ONE. [LAUGHTER] NO. YOU KNOW, AND, YOU KNOW, THAT'S THAT'S LIKE WHEN, YOU KNOW, AND I'M ON THE, THE MEASURE V REGIONAL COMMITTEE. AND WHEN SANTA FE COMES UP RIGHT YOU KNOW IT'S IMPORTANT TO ALL OF US. AND SO, YOU KNOW I HOPE YOU FEEL SUPPORTED OUTSIDE OF OF THIS SMALL LITTLE POCKET OF MONEY. BUT ANYWAYS, I, SO I JUST WANT TO THANK OUR STAFF. WHEN I GOT ELECTED IN THE SAME ELECTION THAT MEASURE V WAS PASSED, AND YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN ASKING FOR BONDING FOR A LONG TIME. I GUESS IT'D BE EIGHT, OR NINE YEARS. AND SO YOU KNOW, THE PREVIOUS PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR I DON'T THINK FELT HE HAD THE CAPACITY TO DO IT. AND SO, YOU KNOW, NATHAN IS NOW ON BOARD, AND I FEEL VERY CONFIDENT THAT HE AND HIS TEAM HAVE THE CAPABILITY OF GETTING THIS DONE. AND SO ALTHOUGH I WOULD HAVE PREFERRED THIS TO HAPPEN SOONER, I CERTAINLY THINK THIS IS THE RIGHT TIME. [01:45:05] AND YOU ARE THE RIGHT GUY AND TEAM. AND DAVID, THANK YOU. AND CEO HENDRICKSON. YOU KNOW I THINK YOU HEARD US AND, AND YOU KNOW, IT DIDN'T TAKE VERY LONG FOR YOU TO GET THIS DONE. AND SO YOU KNOW, AND I DON'T KNOW IF THE FOLKS IN THE AUDIENCE REALIZE THIS, BUT NORMALLY THIS IS I DON'T KNOW, A YEAR, YEAR AND A HALF PROCESS. AND AND I DON'T KNOW. WELL, HOW LONG YOU BEEN ON BOARD? JULY. YEAH. RIGHT. SO, SO IN LESS THAN EIGHT MONTHS. HE AND HIS TEAM HAVE GOTTEN THIS DONE, SO I JUST I DON'T WANT THAT TO GO WITHOUT RECOGNITION. AND THEN YOU KNOW, AND, YOU KNOW, I WAS THINKING, I'M SITTING HERE LOOKING AT THE ROADS, RIGHT? AND WE HAVE THE MAP AND ALMOST WITHOUT EXCEPTION, EVERY ROAD CONNECTS TO A ROAD THAT WE'VE ALREADY PAVED. AND SO, YOU KNOW, THE CONNECTIVITY TO GET WHERE YOU'RE GOING IS SO IMPORTANT. AND SO I'M THANKFUL FOR THE LIST. I WILL SAY, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE ALWAYS LIKE SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA SAID, THEY WANT THEIR ROAD PAVED. AND, YOU KNOW, AND IT'S FUNNY BECAUSE NINE TIMES OUT OF TEN, ONCE THEIR ROADS PAVED, THEY WISH THE ONE NEXT TO THEM WAS PAVED BECAUSE THE TRAFFIC IN FRONT OF THEIR FARM OR THEIR HOUSE YOU KNOW, INCREASES BY ABOUT 20MPH. AND, AND SO ANYWAYS, I JUST TODAY'S A GREAT DAY FOR ME AND MY CONSTITUENTS AND I THINK THE CITIZENS OF MERCED COUNTY. AND SO I JUST WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT TO ALL OF YOU. THANK YOU. NO THANK YOU. CHAIR RECOGNIZES SUPERVISOR PEDROZO OR. YEAH. PACHECO. SORRY. BOTH THE P'S. YEAH. THANK YOU, CHAIR. YEAH. I THINK THIS IS A GREAT THING. I MEAN, SINCE I'VE BEEN I'VE BEEN SHORT TIME ON THE BOARD, BUT ONE OF THE BIG PRIORITIES OF MY CONTENTION HAS ALWAYS BEEN THE ROAD PROJECT. SO I THINK THIS IS A GREAT THING. THE BEST PART, I THINK, IS THAT 85% HAS TO BE DONE WITHIN THE FIRST THREE YEARS. SO WE'RE GOING TO GET A BIG CHUNK OF ROADS DONE VERY QUICKLY. AND I THINK THAT'S A GREAT THING FOR MERCED. AND YEAH, I MEAN A LOT OF GREAT ROADS THERE. SO I DO APPRECIATE THAT. AND SO I APPRECIATE EVERYBODY'S WORK ON THAT BECAUSE IT'LL, I THINK IT WILL BENEFIT NOT ONLY MERCED COUNTY COMMISSIONERS, BUT MERCED COUNTY. SO THANK YOU. OH VERY GOOD. THANK YOU. AND I HAVE TO ACKNOWLEDGE TOO SUPERVISOR PAREIRA HAS BEEN ON THIS. HE'S WANTED TO UTILIZE THIS MONEY IN THIS MANNER. I WAS A LITTLE CAUTIOUS ON IT MYSELF. I WANTED TO MAKE SURE WE HAD ROADS IDENTIFIED AND PROJECTS IDENTIFIED BEFORE WE STARTED REALLY ENTERTAINING IT. AND I APPRECIATE STAFF USING, AND I LIKE THE FORMULA WITH THE DEGRADATION AND HOW MANY VEHICLES TRAVEL ON THOSE ROADS TO TO PRIORITIZE AND FORMULATE THIS AND REALLY APPRECIATE IT AS WELL. SO AT THIS TIME, ARE THERE ANY FURTHER COMMENTS OR DISCUSSIONS ON THIS ITEM. IF NOT, I WILL GO AHEAD AND ENTERTAIN A MOTION, AND THIS MOTION WILL TAKE ACCOUNT OF ALL THOSE AT ONE TIME. SO I HAVE A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA, SECONDED BY SUPERVISOR PACHECO. LET'S GO AHEAD AND CALL FOR THE VOTE. WERE YOU HOLDING OUT ON PURPOSE? LET'S RECORD THE VOTE. MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. IT'S A GOOD DAY. NEXT, WE HAVE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS. AT THIS TIME, I'LL. BOARD OF SUPERVISORS. SORRY, CLERK. 39. AT THIS TIME, I'LL OPEN UP PUBLIC COMMENT ON BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, ITEM NUMBER 39. SEEING NOTHING, THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD FOR THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, ITEM NUMBER 39 IS NOW CLOSED. IS THERE FURTHER CONVERSATION OR ANY COMMENTS HERE AT THE DAIS ON THIS ITEM? IF NOT, I HAVE A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR PAREIRA, SECONDED BY SUPERVISOR PACHECO. LET'S GO AHEAD AND CALL FOR THE VOTE. RECORD THE VOTE. MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. NEXT WE HAVE BOARD APPOINTMENTS. ITEMS 40 THROUGH 42. AT THIS TIME, I'LL OPEN UP PUBLIC COMMENT FOR BOARD APPOINTMENTS ON ITEMS 40 AND 42. THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD FOR BOARD APPOINTMENTS ITEM 40 AND 42 IS NOW CLOSED. WE'LL BRING IT BACK TO THE DAIS. IS THERE ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS ON THIS ITEM? IF NOT, I HAVE A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA, SECONDED BY SUPERVISOR PACHECO. WE'LL CALL FOR THE VOTE. RECORD THE VOTE. MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. [Additional Item] AND THIS TIME, WE'LL GO AHEAD AND OPEN UP THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS SITTING AS A PUBLIC FACILITIES CORPORATION BOARD OF DIRECTORS. WE WILL NOW RECESS THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS MEETING AND CONVENE AS THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, SITTING AS A PUBLIC FACILITIES CORPORATION BOARD OF DIRECTORS. AT THIS TIME, I WILL OPEN UP THE PUBLIC COMMENT FOR NON-AGENDA ITEMS AS WELL AS THE ONE ACTION ITEM ON THE AGENDA. AS A REMINDER, THE NON-AGENDA PUBLIC ITEM MUST BE REGARDING ITEMS WITHIN THE JURISDICTION OF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS AS PUBLIC FACILITIES CORPORATION BOARD OF DIRECTORS TESTIMONY [01:50:04] IS LIMITED TO THREE MINUTES PER PERSON. JUAN DID YOU HAVE A COMMENT? [LAUGHTER] THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD FOR BOTH NON-AGENDA AND AGENDA ITEM IS NOW CLOSED. WE'LL BRING IT BACK HERE TO THE BOARD. ARE THERE ANY COMMENTS OR DO YOU GUYS HAVE ANYTHING HERE? I HAVE A MOTION ON THE FLOOR. SECOND. AND A SECOND. IS THERE A FURTHER COMMENT ON THIS? FOR ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE. ANY OPPOSED? SAY NAY. MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. THIS SPECIAL MEETING IS NOW ADJOURNED. WE'LL BRING IT BACK TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS. [REPORTS/BOARD DIRECTION] AT THIS TIME, WE WILL WILL RECONVENE THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS AND FINISH THE BOARD REPORTS STARTING WITH SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. JUST. IT'S BEEN A WHILE SINCE WE'VE MET. I WANT TO REPORT OUT THAT I DID WAS IN NACO FOR OUR NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF COUNTIES LEGISLATIVE TRIP. I WANT TO JUST SHARE WITH FOLKS JUST A VERY DIFFERENCE FROM BEING THERE ONE YEAR AGO. WHEN WE WERE THERE ONE YEAR AGO, YOU HAD A LOT OF STUFF GOING ON AT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT LEVEL WHERE FOLKS WERE MAYBE A LITTLE BIT CONCERNED WHETHER THEY WERE GOING TO HAVE A JOB OR NOT. AND THERE WAS REALLY DIDN'T KNOW WHAT FUNDING WAS GOING TO LOOK LIKE. AND THEN WE GO BACK THIS YEAR. AND JUST WHAT A CHANGE A YEAR MAKES, REALLY. MOST DEPARTMENTS THAT WE MET WITH MOST IMPORTANTLY THE EPA, WHERE TYPICALLY MY ESTIMATION IS YOU GO SEE THE EPA AND THEY TELL YOU, WELL, HERE'S OUR RULES, YOU NEED TO GO FIGURE OUT HOW TO DEAL WITH THEM. THIS TIME AROUND, YOU GOT THE FEELING THAT THEY WERE THERE AND THEY WANTED TO HELP YOU. HOW DO WE HELP YOU WORK THROUGH THESE CHALLENGES? THERE'S SOME REALLY, REALLY GREAT TRIP. I THINK THAT WE CAME BACK FROM DC, EVEN THOUGH I WAS A LITTLE BIT DELAYED BECAUSE OF WEATHER. WE CAME BACK FROM DC WITH REALLY A COUPLE OF OUR FLAGSHIP PROJECTS AND BEING THE BLACK RASCAL CREEK PROJECT AND THE ATWATER MERCED EXPRESSWAY, WITH FEELING LIKE BOTH OF THOSE PROJECTS WERE IN A BETTER PLACE THAN WHEN WE WENT THERE. AND I KNOW THAT THERE'S ALREADY SINCE THEN, BEEN FOLLOW UP BACK AT THE COUNTY LEVEL ON SOME OF THOSE PROJECTS MOVING FORWARD. SO ULTIMATELY, AS WE GO TO THESE TRIPS, I JUST WANT I WANT FOLKS AT HOME AND MY MY BOSSES IN DISTRICT FIVE TO KNOW THAT WE DO REALLY GET VALUE OUT OF GOING TO THESE TRIPS AND MEETING WITH THESE FOLKS. SO I WOULD ENCOURAGE OUR SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT TO MEET WITH THE FOLKS OVER AT COPS BECAUSE THEY HAVE SOME REALLY INTERESTING OPPORTUNITIES THAT WE COULD PROBABLY PARTNER WITH THEM ON, BUT THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I CAN'T ASK FOR. THAT'S SOMETHING THAT THE SHERIFF HAS TO ASK FOR. SO WHAT I WOULD I WOULD ENCOURAGE THAT. I WANT TO THANK THE FOLKS AT AMR, OUR PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICE STAFF DOCTOR SULLIVAN AND TIM WILLIAMS. WE HAD A I KNOW THERE'S SOME OTHER ONES COMING UP THIS WEEK IN OTHER PARTS OF THE COUNTY, BUT WE HAD ONE OUT IN LAS VEGAS LAST WEEK ON THE 26TH. IT WAS KIND OF JUST A MEET AND GREET. SO THE FOLKS FROM AMR WERE OUT THERE. THEY HAD AN AMBULANCE OUT THERE. YOU GOT TO SEE AND LOOK AT ALL THE EQUIPMENT. THEY KIND OF DOCTOR SULLIVAN SHARED THAT THEIR RESPONSE COMPLIANCE IS VERY, VERY WELL YOU KNOW, WHEN THEY GO FROM 97 TO 96 IS, YOU KNOW, WHEN THE MINIMUM REQUIRED IS 90. BUT IN LISTENING TO DANIEL NICAS AND HIS GROUP, LIKE JUST BECAUSE 90% IS THE COMPLIANCE RATE, THAT IS NOT WHAT THEY'RE STRIVING FOR. THEY'RE STRIVING FOR EXCELLENCE. IT IS. IT IS REALLY COOL. AND THEN ALSO ALSO WHENEVER YOU GET TO HANG OUT WITH THEIR SHE'S NOT A COMFORT DOG, SHE'S A THERAPY DOG. DAISY. SHE, SHE YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU SEE SERVICE ANIMALS IT'S TYPICALLY YOU DON'T TOUCH THOSE. THIS IS THE OPPOSITE OF THAT. THIS ONE LOVES TO BE LOVED. AND SO THAT'S ALWAYS COOL. AND I THINK THAT THE FOLKS THAT DID COME OUT AND SHOW UP REALLY ENJOYED IT. SO I WOULD ENCOURAGE MY COLLEAGUES AS THEY COME UP, I KNOW WE'RE HAVING ONE IN HILMAR AND ONE IN ATWATER. I'M NOT SURE QUITE THE ORDER, BUT I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO SHARE IT OUT ON YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA TO GET FOLKS OUT THERE, BECAUSE THAT WAS THE ONE THING THAT I WISH WE WOULD HAVE HAD A FEW MORE PARTICIPANTS THAT SHOWED UP, BUT ULTIMATELY THAT WAS A GOOD DEAL. HAD OUR YARDS MEETING YESTERDAY. I WILL TELL YOU, IT'S A LITTLE FRUSTRATING THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'VE SAID YARDS IS THE YOSEMITE AREA REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM. MYSELF AND MY COLLEAGUE SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL SIT ON THAT JPA. IT'S A IT'S A FIVE COUNTY JPA, AND WE AND THE CITY OF FRESNO IS ON THERE NOW AS WELL. BUT IT'S WHAT WE CALL IS A LOCAL GOVERNMENT SOLUTION TO A FEDERAL PROBLEM. [01:55:05] WE ARE HELPING YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK WITH ONE OF THEIR BIGGEST PROBLEMS, WHICH IS TOO MANY CARS IN THE PARK, AND WE OFFER BUS SERVICE. AND IT SEEMS AT EVERY TURN WE TRY TO COME UP WITH SOLUTIONS AND WE KIND OF GET SLAPPED DOWN. AND FINDING OUT YESTERDAY THAT NOW THEY'RE GOING TO CHARGE A $20 PER HEAD CHARGE GOING INTO THE PARK. AND THAT WAS ALWAYS KIND OF OUR, OUR LITTLE NICHE IS, IS THAT IF YOU ROAD YARD, ESPECIALLY WITH THE RESERVATION SYSTEMS UP THERE, THAT YOU'RE ABLE TO GET YOUR TICKET ON YARDS AND THAT GETS YOU INTO THE PARK. NOW IT'S NOT ONLY DOES IT GET YOU INTO THE PARK, BUT YOU GOT TO PAY $20 ADDITIONAL PER PERSON ON THE BUS. IT'S A LITTLE FRUSTRATING. AND AS ONE OF THE BIGGEST CONTRIBUTORS TO THAT JPA MERCED COUNTY IS IT'S A LITTLE FRUSTRATING AND I DON'T KNOW WHERE WE GO FROM HERE. THE COST OF PROVIDING THE SERVICE KEEPS GOING UP THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE, WHICH I DON'T BLAME THOSE FOLKS BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT ALLOWED TO LOBBY OR DO ANYTHING LIKE THAT, BUT THEY ARE THE ONES THAT YOU KNOW, THEY ARE THE BIGGEST SOURCE OF OUR FUNDING. AND I, I CAN SEE IT WHERE THAT SERVICE JUST GOES AWAY BECAUSE IT BECOMES TOO EXPENSIVE FOR THE LOCALS TO BEAR THAT BURDEN. SO WITH THAT, MR. CHAIR, I HAVE NOTHING ELSE TO REPORT. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. CHAIR. RECOGNIZE THE SUPERVISOR PAREIRA? THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. I TOO ATTENDED OUR. WELL, I DIDN'T GO TO NACO, BUT I WENT TO D.C. WITH THE REST OF MY COLLEAGUES ON THE, ON A LOBBYING AND, TRIP TO D.C. A FEW DAYS PRIOR TO NACO STARTING. AND I WILL SAY I DON'T KNOW, HE'S HERE. I DON'T KNOW IF I SHOULD SAY IT OR NOT, BUT SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL ON BOTH THE FLOOD CONTROL STRUCTURE AND THE, AME DID A PHENOMENAL JOB REPRESENTING MERCED COUNTY. AND, YOU KNOW, HE'S BEEN WORKING ON THESE TWO PROJECTS FOR QUITE SOME TIME. AND THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT SEEMS TO PUT HICCUPS IN FRONT OF US OFTEN. AND AND HE FIGURES IT OUT AND GETS THEM SOLVED. AND SO YOU KNOW, CONGRATULATIONS FOR THAT. YOU KNOW, EVEN THOUGH I'M OLDER THAN HIM, YOU KNOW, IT'S KIND OF INTERESTING AND FUN TO SIT IN THOSE MEETINGS AND WATCH HIM HAVE DISCUSSIONS AND WORK THINGS TO TO A POSITIVE OUTCOME, I WILL SAY. AND AT THE END, THE FOLKS THAT ARE IN THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT LIKE, ARE HAPPY THAT HE GOT THEM THERE. I DON'T KNOW HOW HE DOES THAT, BUT SO TWO OF THE MEETINGS THAT I'D LIKE TO TO SHARE WITH YOU ARE ON HYDROGEN FUEL. I SERVE ON THE AIR DISTRICT BOARD, AND AND WE GET, YOU KNOW, CARB AND ALL THESE GROUPS GIVE US FUNDING TO DO ELECTRIC VEHICLES. AND, IT CAME REALLY APPARENT TO ME EARLY ON THAT YOU KNOW, WE'RE ALREADY HAVING ROLLING BLACKOUTS. AND SO PUTTING EVERY VEHICLE ON CALIFORNIA ON ELECTRICITY IS NOT GOING TO BE A FINAL SOLUTION. AND SO HYDROGEN FUEL IS A VERY SAFE FUEL. THE EXHAUST IS WATER, WHICH IS SOMETHING THAT WE COULD USE MORE OF IN OUR COUNTY. AND SO I'VE BEEN ADVOCATING FOR ABOUT SEVEN YEARS AND, JUST RECENTLY THERE'S, WE'RE STARTING TO PICK UP SOME TRACTION. AND, SO CEO HENDRICKSON AND I MET WITH A FELLOW NAMED BENJAMIN GOULD WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY, AND HE WORKED FOR 17 YEARS IN THE NAVY ON NUCLEAR OR HYDROGEN FUEL CELL SUBMARINES. AND IT WAS JUST INTERESTING LISTENING TO HIM TALK, BECAUSE I'M NOT AN EXPERT IN HYDROGEN FUEL. RIGHT. AND SO IT WAS GOOD FOR ME TO SIT WITH SOMEBODY WHO IS AN EXPERT AND HAVE HIM REAFFIRM KIND OF WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE IN MERCED COUNTY. MCAG NOW IS IN THE PROCESS OF GETTING A PILOT PROJECT GOING A HYDROGEN FUEL CELL BUS. AND THERE IS NO HYDROGEN FUEL STATION HERE IN MERCED. SO WE'VE SECURED A TRAILER THAT WILL BE ABLE TO GO TO STOCKTON AND PICK UP THE FUEL AND BRING IT HERE. THE TRAILER WILL BE ABLE TO FILL UP A BUS TEN TIMES. AND SO YOU KNOW, AT LEAST A WEEK'S WORTH AND MAYBE MORE. AND IT ANYWAYS, JUST JUST KIND OF NEAT. TRC HAS CUSTOMERS OUT THERE THAT WANT TO TEST HYDROGEN FUEL VEHICLES. SO MCAG AND TRC, WE GOT THEM TOGETHER. YOU KNOW, THAT'S ANOTHER CONNECTION THAT WE CAN MAKE. I, WE ALSO AS A GROUP WITH CONNOR DOLAN, WHO IS THE SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS OF THE HYDROGEN FUEL TRADE ASSOCIATION IN DC. AND, AND YOU KNOW, THERE AGAIN KIND OF REITERATED AND, YOU KNOW, KIND OF MADE ME FEEL BETTER THAT I'M ADVOCATING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION, I GUESS, IS THE WAY IT'S SAYING AND THAT WE ARE ALL VOTING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION. SO, SO THAT WAS I THINK ALSO A VERY POSITIVE HIGHLIGHT OF THAT TRIP. I WANT TO SUNSHINE FOR A LOT OF THE CITIZENS IN MERCED COUNTY THAT SENATOR CABALLERO HAS INTRODUCED LEGISLATION. [02:00:02] IT'S SB 1108 THAT IS GOING TO CREATE A A WILDLIFE CORRIDOR WILDLIFE CONSERVANCY THAT'S GOING TO RUN THROUGH MERCED COUNTY FROM THE WEST SIDE TO THE EAST SIDE, JUST SOUTH OF MERCED. KIND OF SANDY MUSH IS KIND OF THE, I GUESS, WOULD BE CONSIDERED THE EPICENTER OF THIS PATH. AND AND IT'S A BIG DEAL. IT'S GOING TO AFFECT THE COUNTY. AND TO SOME DEGREE, IT CAN AFFECT US IN A POSITIVE WAY. GROUNDWATER, RIGHT. SGMA REQUIRES US TO BE SUSTAINABLE WITH OUR GROUNDWATER. WE NEED TO FALLOW LAND. THIS WILL HELP WITH THAT. BUT I DON'T WANT PEOPLE BEING SURPRISED WHEN THIS THIS HAPPENS. BECAUSE MY GUESS IS IT'S HER LAST TERM IN THE SENATE. AND SO SHE WOULDN'T HAVE BROUGHT THIS LEGISLATION FORWARD IF SHE DIDN'T THINK IT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN. AND YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO TO PAY ATTENTION AND MAYBE TO HELP GUIDE IT SO TO SPEAK TO BE BENEFICIAL AND, NOT DESTRUCTIVE TO THE RESIDENTS AND PROPERTY OWNERS IN MERCED COUNTY. I'D LIKE TO THANK MARK MIMMS FOR ALLOWING TIFFANY HO AND ONE OF OUR PLANNERS TO COME TO A MEETING LAST NIGHT. WE HAD IN BALLICO. THERE IS A GNAT THAT'S G N A T INFESTATION IN THAT AREA THAT'S COME FROM A PROCESSING FACILITY. IT'S KIND OF HOPEFULLY A ONE OFF, BUT LITERALLY, LIKE SO MANY GNATS IN HOMES THAT PEOPLE CAN'T DRINK ORANGE JUICE WITHOUT PUTTING A NAPKIN OVER THE TOP OF IT. YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A FEW GNATS AT OUR HOUSE. MY WIFE BOUGHT A LITTLE TRAP THAT GOES IN THE HALLWAY LIKE A NIGHT LIGHT, AND IT RESOLVED OUR ISSUE. SOME OF THESE HOMES HAVE 8 OR 10 OF THOSE IN THEM AND STILL HAVE GNATS SO BAD. SO THE BUSINESS OWNER IS IN THE PROCESS OF ELIMINATING THE SOURCE YOU KNOW, IT'S ONE OF THOSE THINGS WHERE YOU CAN'T JUST HAUL IT OUT IN ONE DAY. AND THEY COMMITTED TO HAVING IT ALL OUT WITHIN THE NEXT 14 DAYS. BUT THAT WARM WEATHER WE HAD LAST WEEK, I GUESS HATCHED A BUNCH OF GNATS. SO AND THEN THE TRI-TIPERY HOSTED US. SO THAT WAS KIND OF A NICE VENUE FOR A COMMUNITY. AND O ANYWAYS, JUST THANK YOU. MR. MIMMS, I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THAT TONIGHT THERE IS ANOTHER AMR TOWN HALL, SO TO SPEAK. IT'S AT THE DAN RAMOS COMMUNITY HALL IN HILMAR. THEY'RE KIND OF BEHIND THE FIRE STATION ON FALKE STREET. IT STARTS AT 6:00. IF YOU, YOU KNOW, IF YOU HAVE AN INTEREST YOU DEFINITELY SHOULD SHOW UP AND AND HEAR THE GOOD NEWS AND, YOU KNOW, USUALLY WE HAVE THESE MEETINGS RIGHT WHERE IT'S BAD NEWS AND WE'RE TRYING TO FIX A PROBLEM. AND THIS IS KIND OF MAKING THE COMMUNITY AWARENESS OF WHAT THE GOOD NEWS IS AND AND GET ALL THEIR QUESTIONS ANSWERED. SO THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. THANK YOU, SUPERVISOR, SUPERVISOR PEDROZO. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. YES. I TOO ATTENDED THE NACO LEGISLATIVE CONFERENCE, AND I THINK ONE OF THE TWO OF THE MEETINGS THAT WE WENT TO AS PART OF THE ADVOCACY MEETINGS WITH THE COUNTY. ONE OF THEM THAT I THOUGHT WAS VERY INFORMATIONAL AND THEY ACTUALLY KNOW WHO WE ARE AND THEY KNOW THE PROJECTS WE'RE WORKING ON. AND ONE OF THEM WAS THE ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS. AND I HEARD SOMETHING IN THERE THAT WAS I THOUGHT WAS REALLY INTERESTING. THE WOMAN THAT WE WERE MEETING WITH, I THINK IT WAS CREATE PROJECTS, NOT PAPERWORK. YES. AND I THINK THAT THAT'S SOMETHING THAT'S KIND OF THE MINDSET. AND I THINK THAT THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE TAKE AWAY. BUT THEY'RE VERY FAMILIAR WITH OUR PROJECT, AT BLACK RASCAL. AND THEN SENATOR SCHIFF'S OFFICE EVEN THOUGH, YOU KNOW, HE'S A SENATOR FROM ONE OF OUR SENATORS, THEY'RE VERY WELL AWARE OF, YOU KNOW, THE ISSUES THAT WE'RE HAVING. AND THEN ALSO, AS PART OF MY POSITION AS A POLICY COMMITTEE CHAIR FOR THE AGRICULTURE AND RURAL AFFAIRS COMMITTEE, I GET TO SIT DOWN WITH SUPERVISORS, COMMISSIONERS FROM ACROSS THE COUNTRY TO WORK ON AG AND RURAL AFFAIRS POLICY. AND THEN WHAT WE ALSO GET TO DO IS WE GET TO CREATE POLICY THAT GOES ON THE AMERICAN COUNTY PLATFORM. IF IT'S PASSED IN YOUR COMMITTEES, AND THEN IT HAS TO GO THROUGH THE THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND THE HEAD, THE WHOLE BOARD. AND SO I WAS ABLE TO GET A RESOLUTION PASSED. IT WAS CALLED IT'S WATER RELIABILITY FOR AGRICULTURE AND FOOD SECURITY, ESSENTIALLY MAKING SURE THAT WATER STAYS IN WITH AGRICULTURE AND THAT THE URBAN AREAS THAT ARE TAKING OR TRYING TO TAKE IT HAVE TO PAY THEIR FAIR SHARE FOR IT. AND SO I THOUGHT IT WAS SOMETIMES WHEN YOU'RE WORKING WITH URBAN THE URBAN CAUCUS, IT GETS A LITTLE DICEY. SO YOU REALLY HAVE TO COME UP WITH GOOD ARGUMENTS AGAINST THEM. BUT I ALSO HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO ADVOCATE FOR AGRICULTURE IN MERCED COUNTY WITH SENATOR BOOZMAN, WHO IS A SENATOR FROM ARKANSAS WHO'S ALSO THE CHAIR OF THE AGRICULTURE SENATE COMMITTEE. HE TOLD US IT WAS FUNNY. HE KNEW THE CENTRAL VALLEY OF CALIFORNIA WAS AND HE TELLS HE TOLD US THAT HE'S BEEN TO FRESNO AND BAKERSFIELD MULTIPLE TIMES, [02:05:09] AND HE'S SEEN MORE COWBOY HATS IN THE CENTRAL VALLEY THAN HE HAS IN ARKANSAS, SO I THOUGHT THAT WAS FUNNY. AND THEN ALSO, WE SAW WE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO MEET WITH G.T. THOMPSON, THE REPRESENTATIVE OF THOMPSON, WHO'S THE CHAIR OF THE AG AND RURAL AFFAIRS OR AGRICULTURE COMMITTEE FOR THE HOUSE. AND WE MET WITH HIS STAFF TO GO OVER OUR CONCERNS ABOUT WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH THE FARM BILL AND AND WHERE WE'RE AT IN REGARDS TO SNAP FUNDING ONGOING RURAL DEVELOPMENT FUNDING AS WE MOVE FORWARD. ALSO THE TUESDAY BEFORE WE LEFT FOR WASHINGTON, D.C. WE MET AS THE HIGH SPEED RAIL REGIONAL PARTNERS, WHICH CONSISTS OF MYSELF MR. HENDRICKSON, NATHAN BRAY AND THE CITY OF MERCED. AND THEN WE MET WITH THE HIGH SPEED RAIL AUTHORITY STAFF. AND THEY KIND OF ASSURED US AGAIN THAT THAT THE BUSINESS PLAN THAT WE ARE IN THE BUSINESS PLAN MOVING FORWARD THEY HAD TO CHANGE IT UP A LITTLE BIT. BUT IT WAS RELEASED ON SATURDAY AND SO IT'S OUT NOW. AND I WOULD ENCOURAGE IF YOU HAVE ANY COMMENTS OR CONCERNS OR QUESTIONS ABOUT IT TO, TO REALLY LOOK INTO IT. YOU KNOW, IT'S SOMETHING THAT THERE'S A LOT OF STUFF IN THE AIR THAT'S GOING ON WITH HIGH SPEED RAIL. YOU KNOW, WHERE IT'S GOING TO BE, HOW THEY'RE GOING TO DO IT AND EVERYTHING. NOTHING HAS BEEN SET IN STONE JUST YET. AND SO I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE'RE ON TOP OF IT AND MAKING SURE THAT THAT MERCED COUNTY STILL HAS A SAY IN WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN WITH THAT PROJECT. AND IT'S AND THEY'VE BEEN VERY RECEPTIVE TO HAVING US TO, TO MEETING WITH US AND CONTINUING TO TALK TO US ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON. SO MUCH SO THAT ON SATURDAY I WAS IN ATTENDING MASS, AND MY PHONE STARTS BLOWING UP FROM A 916 NUMBER, AND I HAD NO IDEA WHO IT WAS. IT WAS THE AUTHORITY CALLING TO TELL ME THAT THE BUSINESS PLAN WAS COMING OUT, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE THAT WE KNEW WE HAD A COPY AND WE WERE IN IT. AND THEN FINALLY SATURDAY, THEY HAD A CELEBRATION FOR THE HMONG NEW YEAR EVENT. JUST KIND OF THANKING THE COMMUNITY FOR FOR GOING OUT THE HMONG NEW YEAR EVENT IS ONE OF MY FAVORITE EVENTS OF THE YEAR, JUST BECAUSE I THINK IT'S IT REALLY HIGHLIGHTS THE CULTURAL DIVERSITY THAT WE HAVE IN MERCED COUNTY. SO THAT'S ALL I HAVE. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. OH, ACTUALLY, AMR WE'RE HAVING AMR TOWN HALL DISTRICT TWO AND THREE NEXT MARCH 10TH, 6 P.M. AT ATWATER'S. WHAT IS IT? THE ATWATER VETERANS HALL. ATWATER VETERANS MEMORIAL BUILDING. OKAY. THE ATWATER VETERANS MEMORIAL BUILDING. THANK YOU. BUT THANKS FOR STEALING MY THUNDER. [LAUGHTER] SUPERVISOR PACHECO. THANK YOU, CHAIR. THANK YOU, CHAIR. ON FEBRUARY 11TH, I ATTENDED THE LIVINGSTON COMMUNITY RESOURCES FAIR. I WANT TO THANK THE CITY OF LIVINGSTON. THEY NOT ONLY FED US A GOOD DINNER, BUT THEY BROUGHT TOGETHER A LOT OF COMMUNITY AGENCIES AND COMMUNITY GROUPS FOR THE RESIDENTS OF BENEFIT, THE RESIDENTS OF LIVINGSTON AND SURROUNDING AREAS. SO THEY HAD A GREAT EVENT. SO GLAD THEY PUT THAT ON. I TOO WENT TO NACO, TO MEET WITH OUR LOBBYISTS AND OUR FEDERAL PARTNERS, AND IT WAS GREAT TO ADVOCATE FOR ISSUES REGARDING MERCED COUNTY. A LOT OF MY COLLEAGUES SAID A LOT OF POSITIVE FEEDBACK THIS TIME, ESPECIALLY MEETING WITH THE COPS AND DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE, THAT REALLY GOT A GOOD PROGRAM THAT WE COULD BRING INTO MERCED COUNTY. I TOO ATTENDED THE LAO FAMILY HMONG NEW YEAR RECOGNITION LUNCHEON. IT'S ALWAYS A GREAT EVENT. AND AGAIN, THEY PUT ON A GREAT, GREAT FEED THERE. AND MY DISTRICT ONE AMR MEET AND GREET IS THE SAME AS MY COLLEAGUES DOWN THERE TONIGHT AT 06:00. SO IF ANYBODY FROM DISTRICT ONE WOULD LIKE TO COME OUT, I KNOW IT'S A LITTLE BIT OF A DRIVE, BUT COME ON OUT AND SEE GREAT THINGS AMR IS DOING. SO THANK YOU, CHAIR. THANK YOU. I'LL GO BACK TO SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA. YEAH. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. I JUST I FORGOT TO MENTION THAT I WANT TO CONGRATULATE STEVE MELANDER, WHO WORKS WITH A TREMENDOUS TEAM OVER AT MERCED COMMUNITY COLLEGE. THEY STOOD UP ABOUT THREE YEARS AGO NOW. THEY STOOD UP A PARAMEDIC PROGRAM OUT OF THE COLLEGE. AND IT'S KIND OF INTERESTING BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO KIND OF GET SOME APPROVALS. YOU NEED TO HAVE AN OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE, WHICH I WAS A PART OF. THAT KIND OF STARTS IT UP, AND THEN YOU ACTUALLY HAVE TO RUN SOME PEOPLE THROUGH THE PROGRAM AND GET A COUPLE OF COHORTS THROUGH THE THROUGH IT BEFORE YOU CAN ACTUALLY GET YOUR ACCREDITATION. AND THEY HAD THEIR ACCREDITATION KIND OF MEETINGS WHERE HAPPENED LAST WEEK. AND IT WAS VERY SUCCESSFUL. LITTLE TO NO MAYBE A MINOR TWEAK HERE OR THERE THAT THAT THEY REQUESTED. AND IT LOOKS LIKE THEY'RE, THEY'RE BEING RECOMMENDED FOR ACCREDITATION. SO THAT'S A BIG DEAL FOR OUR COUNTY BECAUSE THESE ARE FOLKS NOW THAT IF YOU WANT TO GET INTO THE, YOU KNOW, THE PUBLIC SAFETY FIRST RESPONDER BUSINESS, IF YOU WILL, YOU DON'T HAVE TO LEAVE OUR COMMUNITY. THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS IN TALKING WITH AMR, THEY HAVE THEIR OWN SCHOOL, BUT THEY HAVE TO SEND THEM FURTHER AWAY. AND THEN SOME OF THOSE PEOPLE END UP ESTABLISHING ROOTS THERE AND DON'T COME BACK TO WHERE THEY CAME FROM. SO THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR LOCAL FOLKS TO GO THROUGH A PROGRAM THROUGH MERCED COLLEGE. [02:10:01] YOU'RE GETTING NOT ONLY GETTING COLLEGE CREDITS, BUT YOU'RE BEING ABLE TO REALLY WORKS WELL FOR LIKE EMTS WHO CAN ACTUALLY STILL GO DO THEIR EMT WORK AND FIT IT AROUND THEIR SCHEDULE OF GOING TO SCHOOL. SO REALLY, REALLY EXCITED FOR THAT PROGRAM. WE'RE TRAINING LOCAL FOLKS AND KEEPING THOSE FOLKS LOCAL. SO CONGRATULATIONS TO STEVE MELANDER AND MERCED COLLEGE ON THEIR UPCOMING ACCREDITATION. AND AMR IS VERY ACTIVE IN THAT TRAINING AS WELL. YEAH. VERY GOOD. SUPERVISOR PEDROZO YOU HAD MORE TO ADD. YEAH, I JUST HAD ONE MORE THING. SO HERE ABOUT IN DECEMBER THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF COUNTIES REACHED OUT TO ME TO DISCUSS THEY WANTED TO GET A MEETING WITH OUR DISTRICT ATTORNEY, NICOLE SILVEIRA ABOUT HER EFFORTS ON FIGHTING AG CRIME AND WHAT THEY'RE DOING OVER THERE. AND SO THEY INTERVIEWED HER AND AT THE CONFERENCE THAT WE WERE AT, IT WAS REALLY COOL ON EVERY SINGLE CHAIR ON THE LAST DAY OF THE CONFERENCE. SO THERE'S PROBABLY 1600 PEOPLE THERE ON EVERY SINGLE CHAIR WAS A COPY OF THAT NEWSPAPER THAT THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF COUNTIES PUTS OUT MONTHLY, HIGHLIGHTING MERCED COUNTY'S EFFORTS TO COMBAT THAT. SO I WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU TO DISTRICT ATTORNEY SILVEIRA. OUR SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT WAS QUOTED AS BEING PARTNERS AS WELL AS JAY STRUBLE. I THOUGHT IT WAS REALLY COOL TO SEE, YOU KNOW, ALL THESE COUNTIES FROM ACROSS THE COUNTRY PICK UP THESE NEWSPAPER AND THEY'RE READING ABOUT MERCED COUNTY AND THE EFFORTS THAT WE'RE DOING. SO I REALLY WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU TO THAT FOR THAT. RIGHT ON. THANK YOU, COUNTY COUNSEL CEO. YEAH, JUST VERY BRIEFLY, I WANTED TO MAYBE TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO TO CONGRATULATE HEATHER DUKES UPON HER, TAKING THE ROLE OF CHIEF DEPUTY BOARD CLERK. IT'S AN INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT POSITION HERE IN THIS COUNTY. I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR YOUR WILLINGNESS TO COME BACK TO THE COUNTY. WE'RE LUCKY TO HAVE YOU. AND JUST CONGRATULATIONS. BUT I'D ALSO BE REMISS IF I DIDN'T ACKNOWLEDGE TAMRA FOR HER HELPING WITH THE TRANSITION, AS TAMRA MOVED ON TO THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS AND IS DOING AN EXCEPTIONAL JOB ALREADY. BUT LEFT YOU KNOW, VERY BIG SHOES TO FILL. SO CERTAINLY WOULDN'T SAY THANK YOU FOR HELPING WITH THAT TRANSITION. AND THAT WOULD BE REALLY REMISS IF I DIDN'T ACKNOWLEDGE DALIA ACOSTA, WHO WAS ONE OF OUR MANAGEMENT ANALYSTS, WHO STEPPED IN FOR SEVERAL MEETINGS TO ENSURE THAT ULTIMATELY, IT WAS AGENDIZED PROPERLY AND KEPT THE SHIP AFLOAT. SO TO DALIA, JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR YOUR EXCEPTIONAL WORK, FOR GOING ABOVE AND BEYOND YOUR, YOUR DAY JOB. SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. THANK YOU. WELL, I KNOW YOU THOUGHT WE'RE ALMOST DONE, BUT I HAVE A LONG LIST HERE. IT'S BEEN A WHILE SINCE WE'VE HAD A MEETING. SINCE THE LAST BOARD MEETING, I'VE BEEN ACTIVELY ENGAGED AT THE LOCAL, REGIONAL, STATE AND FEDERAL LEVELS ON BEHALF OF MERCED COUNTY DISTRICT THREE. I ATTENDED THE RURAL COUNTY REPRESENTATIVES OF CALIFORNIA EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEETING IN SACRAMENTO. I'VE ALSO HAD THE HONOR OF SPEAKING AT THE ATWATER HIGH HIGH SCHOOL GOVERNMENT CLASS ALONGSIDE WITH MY BEST FRIEND, GOLD STAR FATHER MICHAEL ANDERSON. WE WERE ABLE TO HAVE A MEANINGFUL DISCUSSION ABOUT HIS SON, MICHAEL ANDERSON JR. AND THE IMPORTANCE OF SERVICE AND CIVIC RESPONSIBILITY. WITH THOSE WITH THOSE FOLKS, WITH THOSE KIDS. THIS PARTICULAR TEACHER WAS HAVING A HARD TIME WITH GETTING KIDS TO STAND UP FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. AND SO WE INVITED MIKE ANDERSON TO COME AND SHARE HIS REASON FOR STANDING FOR THAT. AND IF YOU GUYS KNOW ME AND MICHAEL ANDERSON JR, THERE'S A LOT OF WHAT DRIVES ME TO MY PUBLIC SERVICE TO THIS DAY. WE LOST MICHAEL ANDERSON JR AT THE BATTLE OF FALLUJAH. AND FOR KIDS NOT TO STAND FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE, WE JUST THOUGHT WE'D TELL THEM THE STORY. AND GUESS WHAT? THAT CLASSROOM, THEY ALL STAND FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE SINCE WE WERE THERE. I ALSO HAD THE HONOR OF CHAIRING THE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY POLICY COUNCIL EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEETING AND THE FULL SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY POLICY COUNCIL MEETING. THERE'S TWO OF THOSE SINCE THEN, CONTINUING OUR REGIONAL COLLABORATION ON ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND TRANSPORTATION EFFORTS HERE AT VALLEY WIDE. I TRAVELED TO WASHINGTON, D.C. TO LOBBY ON BEHALF OF MERCED COUNTY AND FOR RCRC REPRESENTED FROM THE EPA, ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS, AND THE WHITE HOUSE OFFICE OF INTERGOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS TO ADVOCATE FOR INFRASTRUCTURE, WATER, AND ENVIRONMENTAL PROJECTS, SUPPORT. I WILL SAY THOSE EPA AND ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS THIS YEAR WAS THE BEST MEETING I THINK WE HAVE EVER HAD. THEY WERE VERY EAGER TO HELP US OUT, AND I LIKED IT WITH THE ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS THE FIRST TIME WE'VE BEEN ARGUING ABOUT THIS FOR. WELL, THE COUNTY DID IT FOR 18 YEARS BEFORE I WAS ELECTED. I'VE BEEN ARGUING ON BEHALF OF IT FOR TEN YEARS, BUT WE GOT THE FUNDING IN PLACE IT'S PAID FOR. NOW WE'RE JUST THEY KEEP MOVING THE GOALPOSTS ON US. AND WHENEVER THE ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS PERSON THAT WE MET WITH WHEN THEY PULLED IT UP AND THEY SAID THIS SHOULD HAVE BEEN DONE IN 2023, WE SAID, THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT WE'VE BEEN TELLING YOU FOR TEN YEARS. THIS IS SOMETHING WE NEED TO MOVE AND GET AND GET FINISHED. AND THE COLLABORATION HERE AT THE COUNTY LEVEL IS ALREADY HAPPENING. AND SO WE APPRECIATE THAT. WHILE IN DC, WE ALSO HAD ANOTHER PRODUCTIVE MEETING WITH OUR PARTNERS AT THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE THE COPS OFFICE. [02:15:01] WE GREATLY VALUE OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH THESE FOLKS. WE'VE HAD MANY YEARS OF EXPERIENCE. EVEN IN A PREVIOUS LIFE, I KIND OF KNEW THESE FOLKS. WHAT IS GREAT ABOUT THE PEOPLE THAT WE WORK WITH AT DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE? WE'RE STAFF LEVEL. WHENEVER I WORKED FOR THE CONGRESSMAN, AND NOW THEY'RE ALL THE LEADERS WITHIN THERE, AND THEY OPENLY HAVE ALL THESE OPPORTUNITIES FOR US. AND WE JUST ENCOURAGE THERE'S A LOT OF NO COST TO MERCED COUNTY OPPORTUNITIES FOR US TO MOVE FORWARD THERE. SO I LOOK FORWARD TO US CONTINUING TO DO THAT. AND LOCALLY, I ATTENDED THE ATWATER CITY COUNCIL MEETING TO PROVIDE MY REGULAR MONTHLY UPDATE. AND WE HAVE A STRONG COORDINATION BETWEEN THE COUNTY AND THE CITY. I ATTENDED THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY SWEARING IN CEREMONY. I APPRECIATE THE DA FOR ALWAYS REACHING OUT AND INVITING ME TO THOSE SWEARING IN CEREMONIES. I ALSO MET WITH BEN HERNANDEZ, OUR NEW VETERAN SERVICE OFFICER, AND I AM EXCITED FOR THE WORK HE'S WANTING TO DO ON BEHALF OF OUR VETERANS. HONORED TO HIS STORY IS ALWAYS A GOOD ONE. I KEEP TELLING HIM TO KEEP TELLING THAT STORY AND THE PROJECT HE HAS MOVING FORWARD. ALSO, I PARTICIPATED IN RCRC SGMA AD HOC COMMITTEE MEETING, CONTINUING TO ADVOCATE BALANCE OF GROUNDWATER POLICY THAT PROTECTS BOTH AGRICULTURE AND OUR COMMUNITIES. HELD OUR DISTRICT THREE MOBILE DISTRICT OFFICE HOURS, SOMETHING THAT WE'VE BEEN DOING FOR SINCE I'VE BEEN IN OFFICE. IT'S SOMETHING I'VE INTRODUCED. I DO ENCOURAGE MY COLLEAGUES TO DO IT. I KNOW SCOTT DOES COFFEES IN HIS PLACE, BUT THIS OPENS IT UP. THIS IS LIKE A A TOWN HALL WHERE YOU HAVE BOTH FEDERAL REPRESENTATIVES AND STATE REPRESENTATIVES, MYSELF, AND YOU GET CITY REPRESENTATIVES THERE AS WELL. SO I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I LEARNED FROM CONGRESSMAN DENHAM. I'LL JUST SAY IT. AND IT'S VERY EFFECTIVE. AND WE CONTINUE TO MOVE THAT FORWARD. WE GET A LOT OF PEOPLE TO ATTEND IT AND HAVE A LOT OF PROBLEMS THAT WE'RE ABLE TO SOLVE RIGHT THERE, RIGHT THEN, AND THAT'S VERY GOOD. FINALLY, WE ATTENDED THE ARTS GOVERNING BOARD MEETING. THAT ONE'S GOING TO BE A TOUGH ONE MOVING FORWARD. I KNOW WE'RE TRYING TO KEEP THE WHEELS ON THE BUSSES, NO PUN INTENDED, BUT ONE THING I CAN SAY, WHEN I WAS ADVOCATING ON BEHALF OF RCRC, THE DIRECTOR OF THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE RIGHT NOW IS THE CONTROLLER. SO SHE'S JUST ACTING DIRECTOR, BUT WE ACTUALLY GOT TO HAVE A MEETING WITH THE CONTROLLER VERY WELL AWARE OF THE ARTS AND UNDERSTANDS WHAT WE DO. AND IS A BIG FAN. IN FACT, HER ASSISTANT THAT WAS THERE AS WELL HAS USED ARTS AND WAS A FAN. SO THAT WAS A VERY PRODUCTIVE MEETING. ALSO, WHEN WE MET WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION, EVERYBODY THERE, ESPECIALLY THE DEPUTY SECRETARY, WHICH IS A TRUMP APPOINTEE, WAS VERY WELL AWARE OF THE ARTS, AND SHE ACTUALLY HAD USED THE ARTS BECAUSE SHE RAN THE YOSEMITE MARATHON. SO EVERYBODY IS A FAN OF YARTS. IT'S JUST HOW DO WE SECURE THAT FUNDING? AND WE'VE BEEN VERY CREATIVE. WE HAVE OUR IDEAS. WE JUST WISH THEY'D GRAB SOME OF THESE IDEAS. AND I THINK AT ONE TIME THEY WILL. BUT I WILL SAY OUR AMR TOWN HALL IS MARCH 10TH AT 6 P.M. AT THE ATWATER VETERANS MEMORIAL BUILDING, 1390 BROADWAY AVENUE IN ATWATER. AND I ALSO WANTED TO MENTION TO MY COLLEAGUE, YOU REMEMBER WHEN LENNY MENDONCA, WHO WAS IN THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE RIGHT BEFORE COVID, MENTIONED TO US THAT WE WERE PROBABLY WASTING OUR TIME ON ELECTRICITY, SAYING HYDROGEN IS THE FUTURE IN OUR BUSSES. AND I JUST I'LL NEVER FORGET THAT CONVERSATION UC MERCED WITH HIM. AND HE WAS RIGHT. SO WITH THAT, THAT CONCLUDES THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS MEETING FOR MARCH 3RD, 2026. OUR NEXT BOARD MEETING WILL BE AT 10 A.M. TUESDAY, MARCH 17TH. HAPPY SAINT PATRICK'S DAY. * This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.