[I. CALL MEETING TO ORDER ] [00:00:03] COME TO ORDER AT 10:05. EVERYONE, PLEASE STAND FOR THE PLEDGE. THE SCREEN HERE SAYS 10:03, SO. READY? BEGIN. ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. OKAY. PLEASE CALL THE ROLL OF COMMISSIONERS. OKAY. COMMISSIONER AMABILE. HERE. COMMISSIONER REED. HERE. COMMISSIONER MCDANIEL. PRESENT. AND CHAIR BERTAO. HERE. OKAY, WE DO HAVE A QUORUM FOR TODAY'S BUSINESS. OKAY. THANK YOU. NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS THE CONSENT CALENDAR. [IV. CONSENT CALENDAR ] APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES OF THE APRIL 16TH MEETING. I'LL MOVE TO APPROVE. I'LL SECOND. I HEARD MR. AMABILE FIRST. MOTION BY COMMISSIONER MCDANIEL, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER AMABILE, TO APPROVE THE MINUTES OF THE APRIL 16TH MEETING. ANY DISCUSSION ON IT? BUT. YEAH. RIGHT. ALL RIGHT. AYE. MOTION CARRIED. OKAY. NEXT ITEM IS CITIZEN COMMUNICATION. IF ANYONE IN THE AUDIENCE WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS THE COMMISSION ON SOMETHING THAT'S OF INTEREST OR NOT ON THE AGENDA, PLEASE COME FORWARD. SEEING NONE, I'LL CLOSE THAT ITEM AND MOVE TO NUMBER VI, WHICH IS A PUBLIC [VI.A Annexation No. 2025-3 to the Franklin County Water District (FCWD) - LAFCO File No. 0708- and the associated Amendment to the FCWD Sphere of Influence- LAFCO File No. 1050 F: Involving annexation of the new Franklin/Beachwood County Park site, located on the north side of Lobo Avenue and the east side of Ranchero Lane, and an adjacent one-acre homesite located at 2724 Lobo Avenue, into the Franklin County Water District’s boundary. The same 20 acre territory is proposed to be added into the District’s sphere of influence (SOI) boundary, consistent with State requirements for annexations. The actions requested are to make a determination that the applications are exempt from environmental review in accordance with CEQA Guidelines section 15303 “New Construction or conversion of small structures” and 15183 – “Projects consistent with a Community Plan or Zoning” and approve, modify or deny the applications. ] HEARING. ANNEXATION TO THE FRANKLIN COUNTY WATER DISTRICT. LAFCO FILE NO. 708 AND THE ASSOCIATED AMENDMENT TO THE FRANKLIN COUNTY WATER DISTRICT SPHERE OF INFLUENCE FILE NO. 1050. MR. PLEASE MAKE THE PRELIMINARIES. BILL. YES. I WAS GOING TO WALK THROUGH THIS MIC ON. YES. ALL RIGHT. YEAH. I'LL WALK THROUGH A POWERPOINT HERE ON OUR LATEST AND GREATEST FROM THE FRANKLIN COUNTY WATER DISTRICT. I THINK IT'S THE LAST ONE WE HAVE PENDING FROM THEM AFTER SEVERAL IN A ROW. SO, THIS IS THE ANNEXATION FILE NO. 0708 AND RELATED SPHERE OF INFLUENCE AMENDMENT NO. 1050F FOR THE NEW COUNTY PARK IN THE COMMUNITY. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. SO, YEAH, THE MISSION IS FOR THE NEW COUNTY PARK ON APPROXIMATELY 19 ACRES AND THE ADJACENT ONE ACRE HOME SITE THAT THE DISTRICT WANTS TO INCLUDE TO MAKE A BETTER, MORE LOGICAL BOUNDARY. THE DISTRICT ANNEXATION, WHICH IS A FRANKLIN COUNTY WATER DISTRICT, AS YOU'RE FAMILIAR, ONLY PROVIDES SEWER SERVICE, NOT WATER. SO WITH THE PARK, THEY NEED A LOT OF WATER, BUT THAT WOULD BE FROM THE DISTRICT. IT'S REALLY FOR SERVING THE RESTROOM. AND IN THE FUTURE, A POTENTIAL COMMUNITY CENTER. THE HISTORY OF APPLICATION WE'VE HAD IS THE FRANKLIN BEECHWOOD COMMUNITY. AND IT'S THE FRANKLIN COUNTY WATER DISTRICT, BUT THE SIGN OUT HERE AT THE PARK ON THE BENCH SAYS BEACHWOOD FRANKLIN COMMUNITY PARK WITH BEACHWOOD BEFORE FRANKLIN. SO I'M NOT SURE IF THE NAME IS CHANGING. THE ORDER OF THE NAMES ARE CHANGING. BUT ANYWAY, THAT IS A RECENT CHANGE I'VE NOTICED. SO THE DISTRICT SUBMITTED THE APPLICATION, OF COURSE TO ANNEX THIS PARK AND THE ADJACENT HOME SITE. THE SITE IS IMMEDIATELY SOUTH OF THE JOE STEFANI ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, WHICH WE RECENTLY ANNEXED AS [INAUDIBLE] IN 2025. AND THIS IS A MAP OF THE SPHERE OF INFLUENCE IN RED. AND THE BLUE STAR IDENTIFIES THE PARK PROPERTY. AND JUST IMMEDIATELY NORTH OF IT IS THE FRANKLIN SCHOOL. OTHER PROPERTIES ARE ALL RESIDENTIAL. TO THE WEST OF IT IS SINGLE FAMILY HOMES ON ONE ACRE. AND THEN THE EAST IS SMALL LOT, SINGLE FAMILY HOMES. AND IT'S PART OF A RURAL RESIDENTIAL CENTER AREA THAT ISN'T SLATED FOR. IT'S NOT IN THE DISTRICT'S GROWTH AREA RIGHT NOW. MAYBE SOMEDAY IN THE FUTURE IT WILL BE. [00:05:03] BUT RIGHT NOW IT'S NOT. AND THIS ALSO SHOWS THE SPHERE WITH THE PARK AREA IN GREEN AND IT SHOWS THE LARGER DISTRICT BOUNDARY OR SPHERE BOUNDARY. I'M SORRY, THE DISTRICT. THERE'S A FEW AREAS WITHIN THE SPHERE THAT ARE NOT ANNEXED YET IN THE DISTRICT INCLUDING THE FRANKLIN SCHOOL IS NOT IN THE DISTRICT, WHICH IS TO THE WEST, BUT MOST OF THE REST OF THE LAND IS ANNEXED. AND THEN THIS IS JUST A BLOW UP OF THE ANNEXATION AREA. AND THEN THE LOWER LEFT, YOU SEE THERE'S A KIND OF LITTLE SQUARE, AND THAT'S THE EXISTING RESIDENTIAL HOME SITE THAT THEY'VE ADDED INTO THE APPLICATION TO SQUARE OFF THE BOUNDARY AT RANCHERO LANE AND LOBO. AND THEN THIS IS A PICTURE. AGAIN, THE DISTRICT SERVICES WOULD REALLY BE FOR ANY SEWAGE GENERATED. AND SO THAT JUST. IN THIS PHOTO JUST OFF TO THE RIGHT, THERE'S KIND OF A CHAIN LINK FENCE SQUARING OFF AN AREA WHERE THE RESTROOMS ARE GOING TO BE BUILT. SO THAT'S WHERE THE MAIN SERVICE FROM THE DISTRICT WILL BE, OR THE ONLY SERVICE FROM THE DISTRICT AT THIS POINT. SO WE HAVE OUR SPHERE OF INFLUENCE REVIEW FACTORS, PRESENT PLANNED LAND USES OF THE AREA, NEED FOR THE PUBLIC FACILITIES AND SERVICES, THE CAPACITY AND ADEQUACY OF SERVICES, ANY SPECIAL INTERESTS AFFECTING THE PROPOSAL, AND THEN THE NEEDS OF DISADVANTAGED COMMUNITIES AND THE OVERALL AND THE CORTEZ HERTZBERG ACT. SO JUST QUICKLY GOING THROUGH THAT. WE ALSO HAVE FACTORS FOR REVIEW OF ANNEXATIONS THAT FAIRLY OVERLAP CLOSELY WITH WHAT THE SPHERE FACTORS ARE. SO RATHER THAN LABOR THROUGH BOTH SETS OF FACTORS, I'VE JUST KIND OF INCORPORATED THEM TOGETHER IN THIS POWERPOINT. SO WE'RE LOOKING AT THE SPHERE AND THE ANNEXATION. SO THE DEFINITENESS AND CERTAINTY OF THE BOUNDARIES AND CONFORMING WITH LINES OF ASSESSMENT AND OWNERSHIP AND AVOIDING CREATIONS OF ISLANDS AND PENINSULAS AND ALTERNATIVES ARE ALL THE CONSIDERATIONS. SO THE PROPERTY IS CONTIGUOUS WITH THE DISTRICT TO THE NORTH AND TO THE EAST WITH RESIDENTIAL SUBDIVISIONS TO THE EAST. AND THEN AGAIN, LANDS WEST IS ONE ACRE LOTS ON SEPTIC. SO THEY DON'T NEED TO BE IN THE DISTRICT RIGHT NOW. AND THEY DID INCLUDE THAT RESIDENTIAL PARCEL ON THE SOUTHWEST AND EVERYTHING CONFORMS WITH THE LINES OF ASSESSMENT AND OWNERSHIP, WHICH THE PARK IS OWNED BY THE COUNTY. CONFORMANCE TO THE COUNTY GENERAL PLAN AND SERVICE, DISTRICT SPHERE. AND AGAIN, IT IS A SPHERE AMENDMENT AS PART OF THIS PROPOSAL. THE PROPERTY IS DESIGNATED AGRICULTURAL RESIDENTIAL LAND USE AND THE GENERAL PLAN AND ZONED RURAL RESIDENTIAL, WHICH IS TYPICALLY A ONE ACRE LOT RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT. BUT IT ALSO ALLOWS PUBLIC SCHOOLS, PARKS AND ASSOCIATED PUBLIC USES. SO IT'S CONSISTENT. THE LAND USES ARE CONSISTENT. AND THEN WITH THE SPHERE BEING EXPANDED WITH THE ANNEXATION, THEN WE'RE COMPLYING WITH YOU DON'T ANNEX LAND WITHOUT IT BEING IN THE SPHERE. SO WE'RE TAKING CARE OF BOTH WITH THIS APPLICATION. THE NEED FOR SERVICES AND ADEQUACY OF SERVICES. AGAIN, RIGHT NOW IT'S JUST THE RESTROOMS. SO IT'S A VERY LOW USE. THERE MAY BE A COMMUNITY CENTER IN THE FUTURE, COULD BE YEARS DOWN THE ROAD WHEN MONEY CAN BE RAISED FOR THAT. AND IT MAY HAVE A KITCHEN AND RESTROOMS OR SOMETHING. SO IT'S, AGAIN, NOT GOING TO BE A HIGH DEMAND USE. RIGHT NOW, THE DISTRICT ANTICIPATED 1316 GALLONS PER DAY OF SEWER FOR THE RESTROOMS, AND THEY HAVE 35,800 GALLONS A DAY OF EXISTING EXCESS CAPACITY IN THEIR PLANT. SO THERE'S PLENTY OF CAPACITY FOR THIS. AND THE WATER SUPPLY COMES FROM A PRIVATE WATER COMPANY, THE CAL AMERICAN WATER, WHICH IS NOT SUBJECT TO LAFCO. SO, AGAIN, WE'RE ONLY DEALING WITH THE WASTEWATER SIDE OF THE EQUATION. THE MAINTENANCE OF THE PHYSICAL AND ECONOMIC INTEGRITY OF AGRICULTURE AND OPEN SPACE. THE AREA IS CONSIDERED URBAN AND BUILT UP LAND IN THE STATE WIDE FARMLAND MAPPING AND MONITORING PROGRAM COMPLETELY SURROUNDED BY URBAN DEVELOPMENT. WELL, EXCEPT TO THE SOUTH, IT'S VACANT BUT PARTIALLY DEVELOPED. AND AGAIN, ITS LANDS CONSISTS OF A NEW COUNTY PARK AND THE EXISTING. JOE STEFANI SCHOOL IS JUST TO THE NORTH AND EVERYTHING ELSE, LIKE I SAID, IS RESIDENTIAL. SO THE NEXT FACTORS PROMOTE A BALANCE OF HOUSING FOR ALL INCOME LEVELS. SO THIS PARK SITE HAS NO HOUSING AT ALL. IT'S JUST RECREATION. BUT BEING RECREATION, IT IS SERVING A DISADVANTAGED COMMUNITY, WHICH FRANKLIN BEACHWOOD IS. [00:10:01] OR BEACHWOOD FRANKLIN, DEPENDING ON THE ORDER. AND SO THIS IS A GOOD BENEFIT TO THE COMMUNITY. AND OF COURSE, THE DISTRICT LAND TO PROVIDE WASTEWATER FOR THE RESTROOMS IS A GREAT COMPONENT TO ADD TO THE FACILITY. IT'S KIND OF OFF BY ITSELF. IN TERMS OF COMMENTS FROM AFFECTED AGENCIES, IT WAS REFERRED TO ALL THE STANDARD COUNTY DEPARTMENTS AND AGENCIES. AND THERE WAS NO RESPONSE TO REFERRALS SENT. THE LOWER PART IS 15. OH, I'M SORRY. THAT'S, FROM THE LAST ANNEXATION, BECAUSE THIS ONE IS 20 ACRES. YEAH, I GOT THE WRONG FLIGHT AT THE END HERE. SO IGNORE THAT. SO BASICALLY WE'VE GOT. YEAH, I FIXED THAT. SO THE PROPOSAL AGAIN IS TO APPROVE THE SPHERE OF INFLUENCE EXPANSION OF APPROXIMATELY 20 ACRES AND THEN APPROVE THE ANNEXATION FILE NO. 0708 FOR THIS PROPOSAL. AND OF COURSE YOU HAVE TO OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING. SO WITH THAT, I'LL ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE. OKAY. THIS TIME I'M GOING TO. BEFORE I RETURN IT TO THE COMMISSION HERE, I'M GOING TO OPEN IT TO THE. I'M GOING TO OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING AT 10:15. DOES ANYONE IN THE AUDIENCE LIKE TO COMMENT ON THE PROPOSAL FOR THESE ANNEXATIONS? IF YOU DO COME FORWARD, STATE YOUR NAME, AND THEN IF NOT, EVERYTHING'S OKAY, WE'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING. YOU'RE OKAY? ALL RIGHT. WE'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AND RETURN IT TO THE COMMISSION. COMMISSION, WHAT'S YOUR PLEASURE? HOW DO WE WANT TO BREAK THESE OUT? I WOULD LIKE TO DO THE MOTIONS ON THIS. IT IS THE BEACHWOOD FRANKLIN PARK. OKAY, JUST TO BE CLEAR, THE COMMUNITY ASKED FOR IT TO BE CALLED THE BEACHWOOD FRANKLIN. I THINK THE COMMUNITY ITSELF CALLS THE WHOLE AREA BEACHWOOD FRANKLIN COMMUNITY. SO THAT IS THE NAME OF IT. HOW DO YOU WANT THESE MOTIONS BROKE OUT? DO WE NEED TO. YES. OKAY, THEN I'LL MAKE THAT MOTION. I'LL SECOND. ALL RIGHT. I HAVE A MOTION FROM COMMISSIONER MCDANIEL, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER REED. I WAS GOING TO SAY MILLER, YOU KNOW. BY COMMISSIONER REED THAT THE ENVIRONMENTAL FINDINGS ARE APPROVED AND STUFF, ON THIS ACTION. ANY COMMENTS ON IT? ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE. AYE. OKAY. MOTION NUMBER 2, PLEASE. AND FOR MOTION NUMBER 2, WE NEED TO. DO I NEED TO READ OUT ALL FOUR OF THESE ITEMS? OR I'LL JUST SAY THAT YOU WE PUT IT IN THAT WE INCLUDING THE FOUR ITEMS. I'LL MAKE A MOTION INCLUDING THE FOUR ITEMS BY STAFF RECOMMENDATION. FOR THE SPHERE AND THE ANNEXATION. FOR THE SPHERE AND THE. WE'RE DOING THE SPHERE FIRST AND THEN THE ANNEXATION. CAN WE DO THEM BOTH TOGETHER? WE CAN DO THEM TOGETHER. I DON'T THINK. I'LL DO THEM TOGETHER. OKAY, FINE. I SECOND. YOU MADE THE MOTION. I MADE THE MOTION. OKAY. MOTION BY COMMISSIONER MCDANIEL, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER REED THAT WE APPROVE THE SPHERE OF INFLUENCE WITH THE FOUR DETERMINATIONS, AND WE APPROVE THE ANNEXATION WITH THE 810 DETERMINATIONS STATED AND PRINTED IN THE REPORT. ARE THERE ANY OTHER COMMENTS ON THIS? DO YOU HAVE A COMMENT? HAS THERE BEEN ANY NEW COMMENTS FROM THE ONE RESIDENT THAT'S OUT THERE AT ALL? NO. WE DIDN'T HEAR ANYTHING FROM THEM OR FROM. A COUPLE NEIGHBORS DID CALL JUST WONDERING WHAT WAS GOING ON. AND THE CONCERN FOR MANY IS OVER WATER SUPPLY. AND DOES THIS AFFECT OUR WATER? AND SINCE IT'S A SEWER DISTRICT, IT, DOESN'T AFFECT THEIR WATER SUPPLY. SO THEY HAD NO ISSUES. GOOD. THANK YOU. OKAY, I HAVE MAYBE A COMMENT AND QUESTION. THIS PARK HASN'T BEEN BUILT. IS THIS PARK STILL BARE LAND? HAS IT BEEN MADE? YES. IT'S JUST. TRAIL. CONSIDERING, I KNOW THERE'S PEOPLE WHO THINK PARKS AND STUFF ARE VERY IMPORTANT AND MAYBE THEY ARE. BUT CONSIDERING THE WAY THE COUNTY IS SHORT ON MONEY FOR OTHER PROJECTS SUCH AS ROADS, WHICH I'LL SAY SPECIFICALLY, WHY ARE THEY SPENDING MONEY ON A PARK WHEN THEY COULD BE PUTTING PUBLIC WORKS MONEY TOWARDS ROADS? I'M GLAD YOU BROUGHT THAT UP. ACTUALLY, WE BUILT THIS ENTIRE PARK ON GRANT MONEY. [00:15:02] SO WHETHER IT WAS A CALTRANS GREENING GRANT OR A DIRECT ALLOCATION BROUGHT BY ASSEMBLY MEMBER SORIA, THIS HAS NOT COME OUT OF THE COUNTY GENERAL FUND AT ALL. I SEE. THIS HAS ALL BEEN FUNDED THROUGH THEM. IT IS A WALKING TRAIL. IN FACT, IT HAS A VERY UNIQUE LIGHTING SYSTEM WHERE THERE'S LOW BARRIER LIGHTING WITH NO. WHAT DO THEY CALL IT? ANYWAY, IT DOESN'T INTERFERE WITH ANYTHING ELSE. AND AS YOU WALK UNDER THE LIGHTS, THEY BRIGHTEN AS YOU WALK ON THE TRAIL. SO IT'S MUCH NEEDED. IT'S FUNNY, EVEN BEFORE WE DID THE GRAND OPENING OF THE PARK, YOU WOULD HAVE 5 TO 7 CARS THERE AT ALL TIMES. AND WHENEVER YOU GO OUT THERE NOW, PEOPLE ARE ALL WALKING THE TRAIL. WE STILL HAVE BALL FIELDS. WE'RE WANTING TO PUT IN A SKATE PARK AS WELL AS A COMMUNITY CENTER. BUT RIGHT NOW IT'S NOT BARE LAND. IT'S ALL GRADED, AND WE HAVE A PLAY AREA AND IT'S BEING WELL UTILIZED AND PROUD TO SAY WE'VE DONE IT WITHOUT ANY GENERAL FUND AT ALL. AND WE APPRECIATE OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH THE FRANKLIN WATER DISTRICT. THANK YOU. OKAY. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? ALL IN FAVOR OF THE MOTIONS TO APPROVE THE SPHERE OF INFLUENCE AND THE ANNEXATION, SAY AYE. AYE. ALL OPPOSED? MOTION IS CARRIED. THANK YOU FOR COMING. AND THANK YOU, WEST SIDE, FOR YOUR SUPPORT. YEAH. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. NEXT IS THE BUDGET. YEAH. [VI.B Adoption of the Final LAFCO Budget for the 2026-27 Fiscal Year and Status of Vacancies and Recruitment and Retention Efforts] ALL RIGHT, MR. NICHOLSON, YOU'RE ON AGAIN ABOUT THE BUDGET. OKAY. AND THE MOA. GENERAL BUSINESS ADOPTION OF LAFCO BUDGET, NUMBER B, THAT'S IT. OKAY. THANK YOU. I HAVE A POWERPOINT FOR THIS, IF I CAN GET IT TO OPEN. ONE SECOND. EXCUSE ME. READY? I'VE NEVER HAD ONE. THERE WE GO. OKAY. THANK YOU. YEAH. SO WE HAVE OUR FISCAL YEAR 2026-27 FINAL BUDGET. THERE WAS NO COMMENTS ON IT RECEIVED FROM THE CITIES OR. WE SENT IT TO SPECIAL DISTRICTS TO EVEN THOUGH THEY DON'T HELP PAY FOR LAFCO AND MERCED COUNTY. IN OTHER COUNTIES, THEY DO IF THEY HAVE COMMISSIONERS FROM SPECIAL DISTRICTS ON THE COMMISSION. SO ON MAY 21ST, THE COMMISSION APPROVED THE PROPOSED BUDGET IN THE AMOUNT OF $239,064. IT WAS A SLIGHT INCREASE OF $14,442 OVER THE CURRENT FISCAL YEAR'S BUDGET. AND IT'S TYPICAL. THE BUDGETED AMOUNT FOR LAFCO, WE SPEND MUCH LESS THAN WE BUDGETED FOR. AND WE HAVEN'T BEEN SUPER BUSY FOR SEVERAL YEARS WITH A LOT OF ANNEXATIONS OR APPLICATIONS. SO WE'RE SPENDING LESS TIME. THE MAIN TIME WE SPEND IS ON MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEWS. SO THIS YEAR WE HAVE, WE SPENT $61,000 AFTER THREE QUARTERS. AND I THINK BY THE END OF THE YEAR, WE'LL HAVE SPENT ABOUT $100,000 WHEN WE PAY THE FINAL INVOICE FROM EPS FOR THE RECENT MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW AND FOR MY INVOICES FROM EXECUTIVE OFFICER SERVICE. SO THE PROPOSED BUDGET WAS $239,064, BUT AS YOU RECALL AT THE HEARING, THE ORIGINAL BUDGET HAD A PROPOSAL FOR 35000 TO DO IT FOR MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEWS. AND THE NEXT ONE ON OUR LIST WAS CEMETERY DISTRICTS, WHICH HAVEN'T BEEN DONE FOR, SAY, 15 YEARS. BUT THERE WAS DISCUSSION ABOUT POSSIBLY INCLUDING MORE MONEY. SO IF WE DO A CITY'S MSR UPDATE, WE'D HAVE MORE MONEY FOR CONSULTANT COSTS. SO THE COMMISSION DID APPROVE UPPING THAT COST BY $15,000 TO A TOTAL OF $50,000, WHICH HAS BEEN MORE OR LESS THE HISTORIC RATE FOR CITIES. SO I JUST MENTIONED THAT THE LAFCO IS FUNDED BY THE COUNTY BY THE SIX CITIES WITHIN THE COUNTY AND EACH PARTY PAYS 50/50. THE CITIES JOINTLY, AND THE COUNTY THE OTHER 50. AND THEN ANY APPLICATION REVENUE. WE GET LIKE THIS BEECHWOOD FRANKLIN APPLICATION REDUCES OUR EXPENSES, ALTHOUGH WE'RE SPENDING MONEY PROCESSING THEM. SO THE TYPICAL BIGGER COST IS LIKE THE LOS BANOS MSR UPDATE FOR THEIR SPHERE OR TIED TO THEIR SPHERE AMENDMENT FOLLOWING THEIR GENERAL PLAN UPDATE. SO WHEN A CITY DOES A GENERAL PLAN UPDATE, THEN THEY'LL PAY FOR THAT MSR UPDATE DIRECTLY. [00:20:05] AND THIS IS THE SAME KIND OF SUMMARY AFTER THREE QUARTERS OF EXPENDITURES AND BALANCES BY EACH ACCOUNT. I PRESENTED WITH PROPOSED BUDGET. AND SO I WASN'T GOING TO GO THROUGH THIS AGAIN UNLESS THERE'S QUESTIONS, BUT BASICALLY AGAIN, WE'RE SPENDING WAY LESS THAN WE BUDGET FOR, WHICH IS VERY, VERY TYPICAL UNLESS WE GET BUSY. SO I'M JUST GOING TO FLASH THROUGH THOSE AND WE CAN GO BACK TO THEM IF WE NEED TO. SO ONE THING TO ESTIMATE REVENUE, WE ESTIMATE APPLICATIONS. AND SO I'VE USED FOR YEARS THE APPLICATION LOADS WHEN WE'RE BUSIER AND I'VE CUT, CUT BACK ON THE ASSUMPTION OF HOW MANY APPLICATIONS WE MIGHT GET, BUT THEY'RE STILL IN THE RANGE OF, I PUT THE NUMBER 11 IN THERE AND THAT WAS APPROVED IN PROPOSED BUDGET. AND THAT INCLUDES ANNEXATIONS REORGANIZATIONS LIKE CCID WHERE THEY ANNEXED LAND IN ONE AREA AND DETACH IT IN ANOTHER. IT ALSO INCLUDES THE OUTSIDE BOUNDARY EXTENSIONS WHEN YOU'RE PROVIDING A SERVICE LIKE A WELL WENT DRY IN CITY OF MERCED WILL PROVIDE WATER TO THE LAND IF THEY HAVE A WATER LINE NEARBY. SO IT'S ALL THOSE CATEGORIES. AND AGAIN, LATELY WE'VE BEEN GETTING MUCH LESS APPLICATIONS. IT'S HARD TO PREDICT WHAT WE'LL GET IN THE FUTURE, BUT THAT AFFECTS OUR REVENUE IF WE DON'T GET AS MANY APPLICATIONS. BUT AT THE SAME TIME, WE DON'T SPEND AS MUCH TIME. SO THE GOOD THING WITH LAFCO BUDGET, IT'S NOT LIKE YOU HAVE, YOU'RE RUNNING A CITY OR COUNTY WHERE YOU HAVE ALL THESE COSTS POLICE, FIRE, ALL THE STAFFING GOING. LAFCO BEING PRIMARILY MY COST CONSULTANT, I ONLY CHARGE WHEN I DO WORK. SO IF WE DON'T GET APPLICATIONS, WE DON'T SPEND MONEY. SO BUT WE BUDGET FOR IT SO WE DON'T HAVE TO COME BACK AND TRY TO MODIFY IT MID-YEAR. SO FINALLY THE LAST BULLET THERE, THE CITY AND THE COUNTY ALLOCATION WHEN WE CHARGE THE CITY FROM THE COUNTY FOR LAFCO OPERATIONS, WE ONLY BUILD IN LAST FISCAL YEAR, $108,000 WHEN WE HAD BUDGETED FOR 189. SO IT WAS ABOUT $80,000 LESS THAN WE ASSUMED. SO AGAIN, TO MAKE IT UP, THE CITIES AND THE COUNTIES ONLY OR COUNTY ONLY PAYS WHAT WE SPEND. SO THE TREND FOR THIS BUDGET WE'RE DISCUSSING TODAY IS BASICALLY THE SAME. YEAH, I'M KEEPING IT THE SAME. IT'S A LITTLE CONSERVATIVE. UNLESS SOMETHING COMES UP THAT WE'RE CONFRONTED WITH A LOT OF DIFFERENT ANNEXATIONS OR ACTIONS THAT WE ARE NOT ANTICIPATING. YES. YEAH. AND IF WE DID GET A LOT OF ANNEXATIONS, I'M THE ONLY. WE'LL TALK ABOUT STAFFING A LITTLE BIT, BUT I'M THE ONLY PERSON REALLY WORKING ON LAFCO APPLICATIONS. IN THE PAST, WE HAD SUPPORT FROM THE COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT, BUT THEY'VE BEEN SHORT ON PLANNERS, SO THEY HAVEN'T. WE HAVE SOMEONE DESIGNATED THAT IF WE REALLY NEED IT, WE CAN USE THEM PART OF THE TIME. BUT IT HASN'T HAPPENED REALLY FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS NOW. SO IT'LL BE A LEARNING CURVE. BUT ALSO IF WE REALLY HAD A LOT OF APPLICATIONS AND THEY'RE ALL TIME SENSITIVE, WE MAY OR WHAT I WOULD RECOMMEND WE HIRE A OUTSIDE CONSULTING FIRM TO HELP. IF WE HAD A BUNCH COME IN AT ONCE AND IT'S PROBABLY NOT LIKELY WE WILL, BUT JUST FOR INSTANCE, IN THE CITY OF MERCED, THEY'VE EASILY HAVE 15 ANNEXATIONS THAT THEY'VE DONE A PRELIMINARY APPROVAL OF AS THE CITY COUNCIL, AND THEY'RE REQUIRED TO GO THROUGH AN ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW, AND THEY'RE ALSO DOING THEIR GENERAL PLAN UPDATE. SO MANY OF THEM ARE VERY HUGE. THEY'RE VERY COMPLICATED. THEY'RE SCATTERED ALL OVER THE CITY. A LOT OF DIFFERENT ISSUES. SO IF WE, IF AND THEY PROBABLY WON'T SUBMIT THEM UNTIL THEIR GENERAL PLAN IS UPDATED. BUT IF THEY CAME, IF WE GOT 5 OR 10 OF THOSE IN AT ONCE, THEN WE WOULD NEED TO GET SOME CONSULTANT HELP. OTHERWISE THE REGULAR LOAD IS TOTALLY MANAGEABLE FOR ME. SURE. BILL, SO IF YOU GET THAT BIG WORKLOAD FROM MERCED, DO YOU COME BACK AND AMEND THE BUDGET? RIGHT NOW THERE'S KIND OF FLUFF IN. NOT FLUFF. THERE'S ADEQUATE TO ASSUME LIKE 11 APPLICATIONS I PUT IN THERE, WHICH IS MULTIPLE TYPES OF APPLICATIONS, BUT THERE MAY BE ENOUGH FUNDING FOR THAT. WE ALSO HAVE A CONTINGENCY FUND THAT WE PUT IN THERE EXTRA 4%. SO WHEN WE GET OUR FINAL BUDGET NUMBER, THEN WE ADD 4% OF THE TOTAL. SO IT COULD BE THAT WE DON'T NEED TO MODIFY THE BUDGET. LET ME GO BACK TO THE ACCOUNT FOR CONSULTANT. THAT'S WHERE WE COME IN. YEAH. THAT LINE ITEM 218 30 FOR PROFESSIONAL AND SPECIAL SERVICES. I'M SORRY, THAT'S LEGAL. IT'S RIGHT ABOVE THAT 21840. ADMIN SPECIAL SERVICE AND ADMIN SERVICES. AND THAT'S BUDGETED AT THIS WAS LAST YEAR WAS BUDGETED AT [00:25:06] 19,500 APPROXIMATELY AND IT WAS SPENT 3500 THROUGH THREE QUARTERS. SO THAT'S THE ACCOUNT THAT ACTUALLY I'M BEHIND IN MY BILLING. SO THAT AMOUNT WILL BE HIGHER BY THE TIME WE FINISH THE FISCAL YEAR. HOWEVER, THAT'S WHERE THAT'S AN ACCOUNT WHERE WE COULD MOVE MONEY. LET ME SEE THE CONTINGENCIES. LET ME LOOK AT THE ACTUAL BUDGET. YOU SEE HOW BIG THAT NUMBER IS. IT'S A GOOD QUESTION. THAT'S KIND OF OUR RESERVE. MY WIFE. YEAH. IT'S CONTINGENCIES. IT'S $9,194 IS PUT IN THERE. SO IT'S NOT THAT MUCH. YES. WE MAY. YOU'RE RIGHT. IT JUST DEPENDS IF WE GET HIT WITH IT. AND THAT. YEAH, WE MAY HAVE TO COME BACK AND LOOK AT THAT, SO. THANK YOU. YEAH. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? THERE'S ACTUALLY ONE OTHER PART. LET ME IF I JUST CONTINUE BACK. YEAH. SO THIS GOES TO THE STAFFING ISSUE. AND OUR COUNSEL, MALATHY SUBRAMANIAN, POINTED OUT THAT THERE'S A STATE LAW THAT WHEN WE'RE DOING THE BUDGET, WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT VACANCIES, RETENTION AND RECRUITMENT TO THE STATE LAW REQUIREMENT THAT YOU CONSIDER THAT BEFORE YOU ADOPT YOUR BUDGET. SO IT'S WE HAVE BASICALLY A LOT OF CONSULTING STAFF, ME AND THE EPS. AND WE, OF COURSE, WE HAVE OUTSIDE COUNSEL. SO WE DON'T TALK ABOUT THAT TOO MUCH, ALTHOUGH I, YOU KNOW, WHEN I TALK ABOUT MY RETIREMENT, THAT THAT COMES TO A HIGHER ISSUE. SO I WANTED TO MENTION THAT I WAS JUST AT THE STAFF WORKSHOP FOR CAL LAFCO AND ONE OF THE DISCUSSION ITEMS WAS TRANSITION PLANNING WHERE A LOT OF EXECUTIVE OFFICERS ARE IN MY MODE AFTER A LONG CAREER. THERE'S A WHOLE BUNCH OF US THAT ARE READY FOR RETIREMENT. AND SO SEVERAL OF THEM WORK WITH THEIR COMMISSIONS TO PUT MONEY IN THE BUDGET, TO HIRE LIKE A DEPUTY EXECUTIVE OFFICER OR SOME, SOME PERSON THAT COULD WORK SIDE BY SIDE FOR LIKE A YEAR AND GET TRAINING AND GET EXPERIENCE AND UNDERSTAND THE SYSTEM. AND THEN WHEN THAT PERSON RETIRES, YOU HAVE MORE OF A SEAMLESS TRANSITION. NOT THEY DON'T NECESSARILY HAVE ALL THE HISTORY, BUT THEY KNOW, THEY KNOW HOW TO OPERATE EVERYTHING. AND AND SO WE DON'T REALLY HAVE THAT PERSON BEHIND BACKING ME RIGHT NOW. SO WHAT I BRING IT UP BECAUSE I, THAT MADE ME THINK ABOUT IT AND I'M THINKING THAT I MAY DO ABOUT TWO MORE YEARS. THAT WOULD BE KIND OF MY TIME HORIZON. AND SO YEAH, IT COULD BE, IT COULD BE, BUT YEAH, ANYWAY, I KEEP IN MY MIND IT'S ALWAYS ANOTHER YEAR OR TWO. AND I KEEP THINKING THAT IT'S LIKE, WELL, AT SOME POINT THAT, THAT THE CLOCKS GOT TO START. SO I'M THINKING THAT NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET THAT WE WOULD DO THAT, THAT WE WOULD OR I WOULD REQUEST THAT WE INCLUDE FUNDING FOR, FOR SOMEONE TO BE ACTUALLY WORKING AND, AND COMING IN AND LEARNING THAT, YOU KNOW, LEARNING THE COMPUTER SYSTEM, LEARNING WHERE ALL THE FILES ARE AND THE HISTORY AND, AND OUR PROCESS, YOU KNOW, EACH, EACH LAFCO IS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT. SO WE HAVE MORE OF THAT TRANSITION. SO WHEN I GO, YOU DON'T, THERE ARE AN ALTERNATIVE IS TO HIRE AN OUTSIDE CONSULTANT, WHICH THAT'S ANOTHER THING AT THAT CONFERENCE, THERE ARE AT LEAST TWO FIRMS I KNOW THAT ARE PRETTY MUCH SINGLE OPERATOR FIRMS AND THEY DO. WELL, THEY MAY HAVE A CLERK TOO, BUT THEY, THEY COULD DO 5 OR 6 LAFCO. AND SO THEY AND THE DIFFERENCE IS THEY WORK REMOTELY. SO IF YOU COME IN AT THE COUNTER, UNLESS THERE'S SOMEBODY AT THE COUNTER THAT KNOWS HOW TO TALK ABOUT LAFCO, THEN THAT PERSON YOU'RE DOING A ZOOM CALL OR THE REMOTE AND THEY'RE, THEY'RE LIKE, ONE OF THEM'S NORTHERN CALIFORNIA. SO THEY'RE NOT, THEY DON'T HAVE A DESK. THEY DON'T THEY DON'T HAVE OFFICE HOURS TYPICALLY BECAUSE THERE'S SO MANY JURISDICTIONS. WHAT HAPPENED? WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF THERE WAS A HEALTH ISSUE WITH THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR THAT WAS NOT ANTICIPATED? ARE WE PREPARED TO GO WITH A CONSULTANT RIGHT NOW? IF YOU IF YOU HAPPEN TO BECOME ILL OR DISABLED OR SOMETHING? YES, THAT'S WHAT WOULD HAVE TO HAPPEN. YOU'D HAVE TO HAVE A CONSULTANT COME IN BECAUSE THE COUNTY DOESN'T HAVE. THEY'VE ALLOCATED A PERSON THAT I COULD WORK WITH, BUT SHE HASN'T DONE ANY ANY LAFCO WORK YET. SO DURING THIS YEAR WE COULD TRY TO HAVE SOME WHICH WOULD HELP, BUT WE'D REALLY NEED TO, YOU NEED TO GET A CONSULTANT WHO HAS LAFCO KNOWLEDGE THAT CAN, CAN PICK IT UP. SO THAT, WOULD THAT INCLUDE MAYBE FOR, FOR A SHORT TERM IF NECESSARY GOING WITH, [00:30:07] WITH A NEIGHBORING COUNTY THAT, THAT HAS THE SAME KIND OF WORKLOAD WE HAVE THAT MAYBE THEIR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR COULD COULD HELP US OUT OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT OR NOT. YEAH, YEAH, I WOULD JUST, YOU KNOW, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT STANISLAUS LAFCO. SARAH LITTLE PENNY HAS BEEN THERE FOR A DECADE, OVER A DECADE. LIKE SHE'S PROBABLY BEEN THERE 20 YEARS AND THEY HAVE TWO STAFF BESIDES HER. SO, AND THEY'RE, THEY'RE BUSIER THAN WE ARE, BUT THEY'RE, THEY'RE EXPERIENCED AND WE INTERACT WITH THEM A LOT ON OVERLAPPING, LIKE CSID AND OTHER DISTRICTS THAT OVERLAP, WE DEAL WITH THEM. SO THAT WOULD BE, THAT WOULD ACTUALLY BE MORE REASONABLE BECAUSE THEY'RE ALSO SOMEONE WHO, WHO KIND OF GREW OUT OF THE COUNTY WHEN, WHEN COUNTIES KIND OF DID LAFCO IN HOUSE AND PLANNING LIKE IT WAS HERE YEARS AGO, THEN YOU HAD TO, YOU HAD TO MAKE THEM SEPARATE, BUT THEY HAVE ALL THE CONTACTS AND KNOW HOW THE COUNTY SYSTEM WORKS. SO THAT'S THAT WOULD BE A PLUS. SO YEAH, THAT'S THAT, THAT WOULD BE ACTUALLY A GOOD IDEA. BECAUSE THEY COULD, THEY COULD HELP OUT. AS EXTRA TIME BEING, BEING A NEIGHBOR. FRESNO SOMEWHAT. THEY'VE, THEY'VE ALSO GOT ABOUT THE SAME SIZE STAFF, JUST NOT AS MUCH EXPERIENCE AND NOT AS MUCH INTERACTION WITH ME. AND THEN MADERA IS JUST A ONE MAN SHOP, KIND OF LIKE ME IN THE SAME KIND OF IN THE SAME BOAT. SO THAT WOULDN'T BE PROBABLY TOO FEASIBLE. WELL, LET'S HOPE WE DON'T HAVE TO. YEAH. MR. CHAIR, CAN I CAN I ASK A QUESTION? YEAH. MR. BILL WE JUST LAST NIGHT AT THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING, THERE'S A NEW LAW FROM THE STATE THAT SAYS NOW THAT CITIES HAVE TO DESIGNATE WHO'S GOING TO BE IN CHARGE OF THE CITY MANAGER IS IS NOT AVAILABLE LIKE AN ILLNESS OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. DOES THAT ROLL OVER TO YOUR POSITION TO THAT WE HAVE TO DESIGNATE BECAUSE THAT WAS SOMETHING NEW. USUALLY THE CITY MANAGER IS GOING TO BE GONE. HE SAYS, THIS PERSON'S IN CHARGE TILL I GET BACK. WELL, NOW WE HAVE TO DESIGNATE IT. SO I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S SOMETHING NEW THAT IS REQUIRED BY THE FOR THE COUNTY TO. AND LAFCO MIGHT WANT TO LOOK INTO THAT. YEAH. I DON'T HAVE THE SECTION WITH ME, BUT. OKAY. YEAH. I'M NOT SURE. WE USUALLY HAVE MARLA ON ZOOM AND. OH, ARE YOU HERE, MOLLY? I AM. I HAVE NOT HEARD OF THAT PROVISION. I'D BE HAPPY TO LOOK INTO IT TO SEE IF IT CAN ALSO IS REQUIRED OF LAFCO. OKAY. PERFECT. THANKS. YOU'RE GOOD. OKAY. YEAH. AND I DIDN'T HEAR THAT AT THE CONFERENCE. I WAS JUST, YOU KNOW, THERE IN THE LAST, LIKE, THREE WEEKS, THREE WEEKS AGO OR SOMETHING. IT COULD BE. YEAH. YEAH. SO. OKAY. SO IT'S GOOD. YEAH. GOOD TO THINK ABOUT. AND THAT'S YEAH. I'M MORE IT'S COMING MORE OF MY FOREFRONT THAT THAT THE OTHER NEEDS RIGHT NOW. START WORKING ON A TRANSITION PLANNING. AND BUT AGAIN I DON'T I WOULDN'T PROPOSE ADDING MORE MONEY TO THE BUDGET RIGHT NOW TO DO THAT. BUT NEXT YEAR. YEAH. SO LOOK AT DOWN THE ROAD THEN. YEAH. SO, SO NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET. THAT'S WHAT, WHAT I WOULD BE LOOKING AT. SO OKAY. THANK YOU. OKAY. ANY OTHER DISCUSSION ON THIS BUDGET? IF NOT, I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION FOR APPROVAL. I MOVE TO APPROVE THE BUDGET AS SUBMITTED. I'LL SECOND. OKAY. GOT A MOTION FROM COMMISSIONER AMABILE. SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER MCDANIEL THAT WE APPROVE THE BUDGET AS SUBMITTED. ANY OTHER COMMENTS? ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE. AYE. ALL OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIED. ALL RIGHT. NEXT ON THE AGENDA HERE GENERAL BUSINESS. [VII.A Approval of Memorandum of Understanding with Merced County for Staff Support for the 2026-27 Fiscal Year ] WE'VE GOT TO APPROVE THE MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING WITH THE COUNTY FOR SUPPORT. AND THAT INCLUDES FACILITY AND ALL THAT TO CORRECT. OKAY. AND THE SUPPORT STAFF LIKE LIKE OUR CLERK HERE, DANIELLE IS COUNTY EMPLOYEES WILL REIMBURSE REIMBURSE THE COUNTY FOR HER TIME. RIGHT. OKAY. SO I NEED A MOTION FOR THAT TO. IS THAT AN ACTION? IT'S AN ACTION. GENERAL BUSINESS. APPROVE THAT SECOND TERM. SOMEBODY. OKAY. A MOTION BY COMMISSIONER MCDANIEL, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER REED, THAT WE APPROVE THE MEMORANDUM MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING WITH THE MERCED COUNTY FOR STAFF SUPPORT AND MEETING FACILITIES, ETC.. ANY OTHER ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE. AYE. ALL OPPOSED? SAY NO. MOTION CARRIED. OKAY. NEXT IS ELECTION OF THE COMMISSION CHAIRPERSON AND VICE CHAIR. [VII. B Election of Commission Chairperson and Vice-Chairperson] CAN I MAKE A RECOMMENDATION TO THE COMMISSION THAT SINCE THE UPCOMING ELECTION IS GOING TO BE HERE WITHIN TWO WEEKS [00:35:02] AND COMMISSIONER MCDANIEL COMMISSIONER SILVEIRA ARE RUNNING WITH OPPOSITION. I UNDERSTAND COMMISSIONER REED IS GOING TO TERM OUT OF HER TIME. WHEN DOES THAT HAPPEN? THIS IS THE LAST MEETING, ISN'T IT? YES. OKAY. WE COULD HAVE BY BY THE, BY THE END OF THE YEAR, BY THE 1ST OF JANUARY, WE COULD HAVE QUITE A BIT OF TURNOVER, BUT I THINK WE'LL KNOW MORE AFTER THE ELECTION. I RECOMMEND IF IT'S LEGALLY POSSIBLE THAT WE POSTPONE THIS UNTIL AFTER THE ELECTION UNTIL THE NEXT REGULAR LAFCO MEETING, SO THAT WE'LL KNOW MORE OR LESS WHAT WE'RE GOING TO STAND FOR. COMMISSIONERS OFFICERS OF THE COMMISSION, IF THAT'S A MOTION, I'D SECOND THAT. I CAN MAKE A MOTION. YEAH YOU CAN. OKAY. I MOVE THAT WE POSTPONE. I MOVE THAT WE POSTPONE THE ELECTION OF OF COMMISSION CHAIRMAN AND VICE CHAIRMAN UNTIL THE JUNE MEETING IF WE HAVE ONE, AND IF WE DON'T HAVE ONE TILL THE NEXT MEETING. OKAY. I SECOND THAT MOTION. OKAY. SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER MCDANIEL. ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE. AYE. ALL OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIED. OKAY, THAT BRINGS US TO COMMISSIONER COMMENTS. NO IT DOESN'T. EXECUTIVE OFFICER SUMMARY OF THE CALE LAFCO WORKSHOP. [VIII. EXECUTIVE OFFICER AND COMMISSIONERS’ COMMENTS ] WOULD YOU HAVE TO SAY ABOUT THAT, BILL? OKAY. YEAH, IT WAS A IT WAS A GOOD WORKSHOP OVER IN AT THE BEACH AND PISMO BEACH. SO KIND OF TOUGH TO GET SOME SURFING DONE. NO, THE WATER WAS, THE AIR WAS A LITTLE BIT COOL. BUT THERE WERE SOME SURFERS OUT, BUT I DIDN'T, I DIDN'T GO, I WENT BY THE WATER A LOT BECAUSE WE WERE ON A CLIFF OVER THE WATER. BUT THAT DOES SURPRISE US THAT YOU DIDN'T. YEAH. THEY DIDN'T. YEAH. NOT, NOT LIKE SAN DIEGO. I WOULD FOR SURE. SO THE SESSION WAS WELL ATTENDED BY, YOU KNOW, IT'S A LAFCO STAFF SESSION. SO THERE WERE WE HAD A REALLY GOOD SESSION ON IT'S AN ISSUE THAT'S IMPORTANT TO LAFCO AND SOME LAFCO HAVE POLICIES AND WE DON'T, BUT ON AG PROTECTION NAGY RESOURCES AND THEY HAD AN EXAMPLE AND WE WENT ON A FIELD TRIP FOR A AN ORGANIC FARM IN, IN THE CITY LIMITS OF SAN LUIS OBISPO. AND THEY HAD AN ANNEXATION YEARS AGO FOR COMMERCIAL AND RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT. AND THE CITY HAD, OR LAFCO HAD REQUIRED THEM TO DO A 1 TO 1 MITIGATION, WHICH THE COUNTY OF MERCED HAS. WHEN YOU ANNEX URBAN LAND FOR OVER PRIME FARMLAND, YOU HAVE TO MITIGATE THE CITIES DON'T HAVE THAT POLICY HERE IN LAFCO. WE HAVEN'T ADOPTED THAT EITHER. SO IT'S IT'S MORE ON A CASE BY CASE BASIS. BUT THIS WAS REALLY UNIQUE BECAUSE IT WAS INSTEAD OF PUTTING THE FARMLAND EASEMENT FAR AWAY, LIKE HAPPENS IN MERCED COUNTY, IT WAS RIGHT THERE INCLUDED IN THE CITY, AND IT'S MANAGED BY THESE NONPROFIT. AND THERE'S SOME STAFF GETS PAID AND THEY HAVE A LOT OF VOLUNTEERS. THEY HAVE A LOT OF STUDENTS COME AND DO A LOT OF WORK ON THE FARM BY HAND OR NOT USING TRACTORS AND THINGS. AND THEY GROW ALL KINDS OF STUFF. AND THEY HAVE LAMBS AND ANIMALS AND STUFF TOO. SO IT'S REALLY A COOL URBAN FOR KIDS THERE. THEY'RE GETTING TO KNOW FARMING, NOT JUST IN THE COUNTY FAIR OR THE SPRING FAIR. THEY'RE LEARNING ABOUT IT ON A REGULAR BASIS. SO THAT WAS A REALLY COOL FIELD TRIP THAT WE HAD. THAT'S VERY UNUSUAL. NOT THAT OTHER JURISDICTIONS DON'T HAVE AG MITIGATION, BUT THIS ONE BEING PART OF THE CITY BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, IF YOU GO TO ANY CITY, WHERE DOES THE CITY END? YOU GOT FARMLAND IN THE CITY AND THEN YOU GO ACROSS THE CITY LIMIT AND THEN IT'S COUNTY, BUT YOU DON'T, YOU CAN'T TELL. IT'S NOT LIKE THERE'S A BUILDING AND THEN IT GOES INTO THE COUNTRY. SO THAT WAS REALLY INTERESTING. THEY, THEY HAD A SESSION ON THE CONTROVERSIAL ISSUE OF CALE LAFCO REORGANIZATION THAT WAS GOING ON AND THE KIND OF ALMOST JUST DISBANDING OF CALE LAFCO. AND THE ISSUE THAT REMAINS PRETTY MUCH EVERYTHING CAME BACK TOGETHER AND THERE'S, THERE'S MORE UNIFIED SUPPORT FOR CALE. LAFCO. BUT THE BIG ISSUE NOW IS THE REGIONAL STRUCTURE, WHERE FOR A LONG TIME WE'VE HAD FOUR REGIONS ACROSS THE STATE, AND EACH REGION THEN GETS FOUR REPRESENTATIVE ON THE BOARD WITH EACH CATEGORY COUNTY, CITY PUBLIC AND SPECIAL DISTRICT. SO OVER TIME, NOW THEY'VE, THEY'VE GOT EVERYBODY THE LAFCO IS THE MAJORITY TO SUPPORT YOU. YOU WOULD BE ELECTED FOR A POSITION BY YOUR REGION WITHOUT BEING, I'M SORRY TO BE ON THE, ON THE CALE LAFCO BOARD, BUT NOT BY YOUR POSITION ANYMORE. LIKE IF YOU FELT LIKE YOU WANTED TO RUN AS A CITY MEMBER, YOU JUST, YOU JUST RUN AND YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE A CITY MEMBER COMPETING AGAINST ANOTHER CITY MEMBER YOU'RE COMPETING AGAINST ANYBODY. YOUR REGION'S GOING TO HAVE X AMOUNT OF X AMOUNT OF BODIES. AND IT CAN BE FROM ANY FROM ANY, ANY CATEGORY. [00:40:03] YEAH. CATEGORY. YEAH. AND THEN THEY ADDED A CATEGORY OF EXECUTIVE OFFICERS. SO THE FOLKS IN MY POSITION THAT WAS SOMEWHAT CONTROVERSIAL, BUT IT WAS APPROVED PRETTY, PRETTY UNANIMOUSLY OR MAYBE 1 OR 2 NO'S. BUT SO THAT WAY, LIKE IN, IN THE CENTRAL VALLEY REGION ANY OF US COULD RUN AND YOU'D BE COMPETING AGAINST ANYBODY ELSE FROM OUR REGION. AND THEN WHOEVER GETS THE MOST VOTES AND THEY DO THAT AT THE, AT THE CONFERENCE, THE CONFERENCE. SO SO THEY HAD, THEY HAD WORKSHOP AROUND TABLES WITH JUST RANDOM WHOEVER'S AT THE TABLE SUPPORTING. THERE WAS A NEW MAP PROPOSED SIX MONTHS AGO THAT HAD SEVEN REGIONS AND THERE WAS SOME DEBATE ABOUT ARE THEY THE RIGHT GEOGRAPHY? SO SOME LAFCO DIDN'T CARE. WE BROUGHT IT HERE AND OURS IS, IT'S A SMALLER PART OF THE CENTRAL VALLEY, BUT IT'S STILL THE CENTRAL VALLEY. SO IT DIDN'T IT DIDN'T AFFECT US TOO MUCH. BUT OTHER REGIONS AFFECTED MORE. SO WE STAYED NEUTRAL ON THOSE AND JUST SAID, WE DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THE CENTRAL REGION BEING. SACRAMENTO. SACRAMENTO STILL IN OUR REGION. AND UNDER THAT PROPOSAL, THAT VERSION, THEY WOULD BE SEPARATE. WE WOULD STOP. STANISLAUS COUNTY SOUTH WOULD BE WOULD BE CENTRAL. YEAH. IT WOULD BE CENTRAL. YEAH. AND SACRAMENTO THEY. YEAH. THEY GO TO THEY WERE GOING TO AID ACTUALLY. SO THEY WERE TAKING THE NORTHERN THE NORTHERN REGION AND CUTTING THAT INTO LIKE 2 OR 3. AND THEN EVEN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA WAS GETTING SPLIT UP MORE. AND IT WAS BECAUSE OF THE, A LOT OF THE URBAN FOLKS FEEL LIKE THEY SHOULD HAVE MORE SAY BECAUSE THEY HAVE MORE POPULATION. AND SO LIKE IN THE STATE LEGISLATURE BY POPULATION, YOU GET STATE ASSEMBLY PEOPLE AND STATE SENATORS IN HERE WITH LAFCO. IT'S NO, THEY JUST THERE'S FOUR REGIONS. SO SAN DIEGO AND LA AND ORANGE COUNTY ALL GET STUCK TOGETHER, SO NOW THEY'RE. SO ANYWAY, THERE WAS NO REAL CONSENSUS AMONG ALL THE GROUPS OF EXECUTIVE OFFICERS ANYWAY AND STAFF THAT ONE MODEL SERVED BETTER. SO SOME PEOPLE ARE VERY CONCERNED ABOUT IT AND THEY'RE LIKE, THIS IS A BIG DEAL. CHANGE, CHANGE THE REASONS. SO WE HAVE MORE VOICES IS NOT SETTLED YET. IT'S NOT SETTLED YET. SO IT'LL GO BACK THERE. THE DISCUSSION WE HAD, WE DIDN'T HAVE ANY RECOMMENDATION, BUT DISCUSSION IS GOING TO BE USED FOR FEEDBACK BY THE CALE LAFCO STAFF TO THE CAL ALGO BOARD. SO IT'LL TAKE TAKE A WHILE. BUT LA LAFCO DID COME BACK, BUT SAN DIEGO AND ORANGE AND RIVERSIDE HAVE NOT COME BACK. YEAH. THERE'S A COUPLE OTHER LAFCO THAT HAVE NOT JOINED AGAIN. SO IT'S A WORK IN PROGRESS. IF, IF SAN DIEGO AND ORANGE AND IMPERIAL, THOSE COUNTIES DOWN THERE, THEY'LL GET THEIR SEPARATE REGIONS SEPARATED FROM FROM LOS ANGELES. YOU THINK THEY'LL COME BACK? THEY MIGHT. YEAH. IF THEY IF THEY HAD MORE. YEAH, THEY HAVE MORE SAY IN THERE ABOUT VENTURA. VENTURA IN OR OUT. VENTURA IS IN. YEAH. VENTURA IS. YEAH. YEAH. THEY'RE STILL SUPPORTIVE. AND SANTA BARBARA AND ALL THAT. SO THAT THAT AREA IS MORE MORE SUPPORTIVE. MARIN HAS A PROBLEM OF ALL THINGS. MARIN WAS CONCERNED AND THEIR THEIR BAY AREA, YOU KNOW THEIR MORE RURAL THAN THAN THE URBAN THAN THE PENINSULA. BUT THEY, THEY HAD A PROBLEM TOO. SO YEAH. ANYTHING ELSE ON THAT? THEN IT WAS JUST SOME OTHER TRAINING THINGS ABOUT MAPPING TOOLS AND YEAH, PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT. JUST GOOD, GOOD THINGS OVERALL, BUT IT WAS YEAH. WORTHWHILE, BUT YEAH, NOTHING REALLY TO REPORT ON. SO, BUT THANK YOU FOR, FOR ALLOWING ME TO ATTEND. ALL RIGHT. ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR BILL ON THAT. OKAY. NOW WE'RE GOING TO GO. COMMISSIONER. ECOMMENTS. MR.. AMABILE. YOU GOT ANY COMMENT TODAY? SO THEN I'M GETTING I'M GOING TO NOT BE AN ALTERNATE ANYMORE, RIGHT? IT'LL BE REGULAR. IT'LL BE BIG TIME. WELCOME BACK. YEAH. HOW ABOUT THAT? YEAH, WE MADE IT. OKAY, WELL, EVERYTHING'S GOOD IN LAS VEGAS, SO. AND I APPRECIATE LAFCO. THANK YOU. OKAY, SO YOU COME OFF THE BRIAN RAYMOND STAYS ON. YEAH, RAYMOND'S STILL ON. OKAY. AND THEN LIVINGSTON WILL COME ON AS AN ALTERNATE. AND THE CITY SELECTION COMMITTEE HAS TO AGREE WITH WITH WHO THAT PERSON IS. SO THAT'S ALL THE MAYOR'S COUNCIL. THAT'S THE CITY REP THEN? YEAH, IT'LL BE A CITY. IT'LL BE. IT'S JUST A CITY CATEGORY. YEAH. YEAH. OKAY. THEY HAVE THEIR THEY HAVE THEIR ROTATION. MR.. REED. DO YOU HAVE A YOU HAVE A COMMENT? KATY. I'VE BEEN ASKED BY MY COUNCIL TO INQUIRE ABOUT RANDOLPH POLICIES IN OUR ANNEXATION PROCESS OF LAFCO BECAUSE THAT IS THIS IS MY LAST MEETING THAT WAS FORWARDED TO ME YEP. OKAY. GOOD. GOOD. YEAH. HAVEN'T HAD ANY DISCUSSION FOR 4 OR 5 MONTHS NOW, BUT BEFORE SEVERAL, SEVERAL DISCUSSIONS THE, THOSE POLICIES HAS SEVERAL IMPORTANT ISSUES. [00:45:03] YOU KNOW, THEY GOT THE NEW WATER SYSTEM. SO THAT ALLOWS FOR GROWTH AFTER A LONG PERIOD OF NOT ALLOWING FOR GROWTH OR BEING ABLE TO ACCOMMODATE GROWTH. SO A LOT OF THE AREAS THAT ARE PROPOSED FOR, FOR ANNEXATION ARE IN THE SPHERE AND A LOT OF THEM ARE OUTSIDE THE SPHERE. AND SO THE SPHERE OF INFLUENCE, OF COURSE, TO EXPAND IT. USUALLY YOU HAVE THE MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW REQUIREMENT TO GO WITH THAT, DO A MSR UPDATE. THE APPLICATIONS, I HAVEN'T REALLY HEARD ANY, ANY SPECIFICS ON AN APPLICATION NOW IN SINCE THOSE MEETINGS A WHILE AGO. SO I DON'T KNOW IF ANYBODY'S WORKED ON THEM, IF THERE'S ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW UNDERWAY. I KNOW THE CITY STAFF IS LIMITED. SO WHO'S WHO'S DOING ANY PLANNING OVERSIGHT OF LOOKING AT AN EIR HAVING A CONTRACT WITH A CONSULTANT TO DO THE SEQUA. BUT I'LL JUST PUT OUT THERE, IT'S STILL AN IMPORTANT ISSUE. THE CITY'S GENERAL PLAN IS FROM 1990. IT WAS NOT A VERY ADEQUATE GENERAL PLAN BACK THEN. IT NEVER GOT SUED OR ANYTHING, BUT IT'S JUST VERY FLIMSY UNDER TODAY'S REQUIREMENTS. I'VE HEARD BECAUSE THE COUNTY HAS BEEN IN LITIGATION ON THEIR HOUSING ELEMENT. THERE ARE CERTAIN FACTORS THAT ARE ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE RELATED, DISADVANTAGED COMMUNITIES AND THOSE FALLACIES OF DISADVANTAGED COMMUNITY, THAT THERE'S THINGS YOU NEED TO HAVE IN YOUR GENERAL PLAN THAT IF YOU DON'T HAVE, YOU HAVE TO DO AN ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE ELEMENT. AND OF COURSE, THE CITY OF DOS PALOS DOESN'T HAVE THAT. SO THERE'S THERE'S LEGAL ISSUES THAT THE CITY NEEDS TO RESOLVE AND NOT JUST SUBMIT TO LAFCO BECAUSE WE, WE'RE AWARE OF THESE ISSUES. AND YOU AND WE ALL WOULD ALL, ALL THE CITIES AND THE COUNTY TO WHICH, WHICH WOULD BE URBAN SPECIAL DISTRICTS, BUT RELYING ON THE COUNTY GENERAL PLAN FOR THE LAND USES THAT YOU HAVE TO MEET SO THAT THE CITIES GOT SOME BIG LIFTING TO DO. AND I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S WAS ALWAYS THE ISSUE IS THERE FUNDING? IS THERE STATE IF IT'S A DISADVANTAGE COMMUNITY, MAYBE THE STATE FUNDING OR WORKING WITH SOMETHING WITH SYRIA TO GET SOME FUNDING TO HELP DO SOMETHING MAJOR THAT DOING AN MSR UPDATE BASED ON A GENERAL PLAN UPDATE IS, IS THE PREFERRED APPROACH WHERE YOU LOOK AT ALL THE CITY ISSUES, ALL THE GROWTH ISSUES, YOU'VE SOLVED THE WATER PROBLEM, AND THEN THERE'S A MILLION, YOU KNOW, AND YOU'VE DONE A GOOD JOB. I KNOW MAYOR FOR HELPING FIX SIDEWALKS AND OTHER OTHER THINGS, BUT IT'S JUST A MULTITUDE OF ISSUES IF YOU GET A LOT OF GROWTH. AND SO THAT'S PART OF LIKE IN THE LAFCO WORLD, THE MSR IS A STUDY OF ALL THE SERVICES. THEN ONCE YOU DO THAT WITH YOUR SPHERE, THEN THAT'S WHAT YOU USE FOR 10 OR 20 YEARS. BUT IT'S SO OUTDATED AND DOS PALOS. DO YOU EVEN KNOW WHAT ALL THE PROBLEMS ARE IF YOU JUST KEEP GETTING, IF YOU GOT A BUNCH OF DEVELOPMENT, THINGS START FALLING APART AND YOU DIDN'T REALLY STUDY IT. OR, YEAH, OR THE RIGHT DENSITIES OF GROWTH. AND YOU KNOW, I KNOW THIS CITY WAS HEAVILY INVOLVED IN THE HOUSING ELEMENT UPDATE AS WELL. HAS YOUR HOUSING ELEMENT BEEN ADOPTED BY THE STATE, YOU KNOW? SO IT'S BEEN. YEAH. A LOT OF WORK, A LOT OF ENERGY. THANK YOU. ZIP IT. OKAY. ANY COMMENTS, MR. MCDANIEL? NOTHING TO REPORT. I HAVE NONE EITHER. MEETING ADJOURNED. YOU DIDN'T HAVE. * This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.