[00:00:02]
[CALL TO ORDER]
TO THE JUNE 16TH, 2026 MEETING OF THE MERCED COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS.[CLOSED SESSION]
YOUR CLOSED SESSION FOR THIS MORNING IS THE FOLLOWING.IT IS THE INTENTION AND THE BOARD TO MEET ENC CLOSED SESSION CONCERNING EXISTING LITIGATION PURSUANT TO GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 5 4 9 5 6 0.9 D ONE, UH, CONSIDERING TWO CASES, CALIBER CONTRACTING SERVICES INCORPORATED VERSUS COUNTY OF MERCED ET AL MERCED SUPERIOR COURT CASE NUMBER 26 CV DASH 0 3 2 2 9.
AND SAME COMPANY 26 CV DASH 0 3 3 4 2.
THE PUBLIC WILL BE PROVIDED AN OPPORTUNITY TO COMMENT ON ANY MATTER TO BE CONSIDERED IN CLOSED SESSION PRIOR TO THE BOARD ADJOURNING INTO THE CLOSED SESSION.
TESTIMONY IS LIMITED TO THREE MINUTES PER PERSON.
AT THIS TIME, I'LL OPEN UP PUBLIC COMMENT FOR CLOSED SESSION ITEMS. THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD IS NOW CLOSED FOR CLOSED SESSION ITEMS. WE WILL NOW ADJOURN INTO CLOSED SESSION.
GOOD MORNING AND WELCOME BACK TO THE JUNE 16TH, 2026
[10:00 A.M. REGULAR MEETING]
MEETING AND THE MERCED COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS.THIS MORNING WE HAD CLOSED SESSION, MEETING, AND STAFF WAS GIVEN DIRECTION.
WE WILL NOW START WITH THE VOCATION LED BY JOSE FALCON, MEMBER OF THE ST.
ANTHONY'S CATHOLIC CHURCH IN ATWATER.
AND THEN SUPERVISOR PRAYER WILL LEAD US IN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
NAME OF THE FATHER, THE SON, HOLY SPIRIT.
HEAVENLY FATHER, WE COME BEFORE YOU TODAY WITH GRATEFUL HEARTS.
WE THANK YOU FOR THE GIFT OF LIFE.
FOR MANY BLESSINGS YOU HAVE BESTOWED UPON MERCED COUNTY.
ITS FERTILE FARMLANDS, ITS VIBRANT COMMUNITIES AND RESILIENT PEOPLE WHO CALL IT HOME.
AS ST IGNATIUS OF ANTIOCH TAUGHT, MAY OUR HEARTS BE UNITED IN THE LOVE OF CHRIST SO THAT WE MAY LIVE AND WORK TOGETHER IN HARMONY AND PEACE.
LORD, WE ASK YOU TO POUR OUT YOUR WISDOM, DISCERNMENT, AND GRACE UPON THE MEMBERS OF THIS BOARD AND ALL COUNTY LEADERS.
GUIDE THEM AS THEY CARRY OUT THEIR RESPONSIBILITIES AND INSPIRE THEM TO ALWAYS SEEK THE COMMON GOOD.
MAY THEIR SERVICE STRENGTHEN OUR COMMUNITY, UPHOLD THE DIGNITY OF EVERY PERSON, FOSTER JUSTICE, UNDERSTANDING, AND PEACE.
WE ALSO LIFT UP THE PEOPLE OF MERCED COUNTY AND ALL THOSE WHO WORK EACH DAY TO PROTECT, SERVE, AND SUSTAIN IT, LORD, JUST AS JESUS WALKED AMONG THE TOWNS AND VILLAGES OF GALILEE, WE ASK YOU TO WALK AMONG US FROM WINTON TO LOS BONOS AND THROUGHOUT THE CENTRAL VALLEY, NURTURE WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY A PROFOUND SPIRITUAL RENEWAL, REMINDING EVERY CITIZEN OF THEIR INHERENT DIGNITY AND THEIR PRECIOUS IDENTITY AS A CHILD OF GOD.
MAY WE BE A PEOPLE MARKED BY CHARITY AND RICH BY DIVERSITY, AND UNITED IN HOPE FOR THE FUTURE AS WE BUILD TOGETHER, AS WE BEGIN TODAY'S PROCEEDINGS, BLESS OUR TIME TOGETHER AND THE WORK BEFORE US.
MAY OUR DELIBERATIONS BE THOUGHTFUL, OUR DECISIONS WISE, AND OUR ACTIONS GUIDED BY A SINCERE DESIRE TO SERVE.
WE ASK ALL OF THIS THROUGH JESUS CHRIST OUR LORD.
READY FOR WHAT YOU STANDS ONE NATION UNDER GOD.
[PUBLIC COMMENT]
IS 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'LL OPEN UP PUBLIC COMMENT.
AGAIN, THIS IS FOR NON-AGENDA ITEMS, ONLY THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD.
OH, DO WE HAVE SOMEBODY GETTING UP? OKAY.
I ONLY HAVE TWO QUESTIONS FOR YOU.
NO, FIRST QUESTION IS, WHEN DID SNELLING ROAD BECOME A TRUCK ROUTE? THE SECOND IS, WHAT DO YOU DO WITH THE MILLIONS OF DOLLARS YOU GET FOR OUR, FROM OUR REGISTRATION OF OUR VEHICLES AT $24 OF VEHICLE? THIS ISN'T A BACK AND FORTH CONVERSATION, BUT WE WILL HAVE SOMEBODY GET WITH YOU ON THAT.
IS THERE SOMEBODY WHO CAN ANSWER THAT ONE MORNING? GOOD MORNING EVERYBODY.
GOOD MORNING BOARD SUPERIOR RESOURCE.
[00:05:01]
MY NAME IS BLANCA ANO.I CAME TOGETHER, MY DAUGHTER HEIDI SANCHEZ.
WE CAME TO REPORT ABOUT TO DELHI, THE THE PARK AND CENTER COMMUNITY.
I'M A MAC MOORE RAYER TOO, AND OUR DELHI INION.
WE JUST WANTED TO GIVE A A REPORT WHAT'S GOING ON IN DELHI.
UM, SO FAR WE ARE DOING A REALLY GOOD, AND OUR PROJECT IDEA, IT, UM, THE PARK AND THE COMMUNITY CENTER.
AND I DO WANNA THANK LLOYD FOR ALWAYS HELPING US IN SUPPORTING THE COMMUNITY.
AND WE ARE, UH, THE FIRST FUNDER OF THE, UH, THE IDEA OF THE PROJECTS.
AND SO WE STILL CONTINUING HOPING LIKE THE, UM, THE, WELL, WE GOT THE ONE POINT MILLION DOLLARS THAT WE PUT A SURVEY WITH THE COMMUNITY AND IT GOT APPROVED.
SO WE WERE VERY, UM, EXCITED AND LOOKING FORWARD TO SEE WHAT, UM, UH, FINDING A PLACE WHERE WE CAN PUT LIKE A PARK OR A COMMUNITY CENTER.
SO, UM, AND AGAIN, SO WE USED TO BE PART OF THE LEADERSHIP COUNCIL, BUT WE ARE NOT PART OF THE LEADERSHIP HAD THE PLCI PARENTS LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE, THEY TAUGHT US HOW TO DO A PROJECT AND IDEA.
UM, WE GOT OUR CERTIFICATE BACK IN 2015, SO WE FEEL WE READY TO CONTINUE AND, UH, HAVING THE KIND OF IDEA OF THE PROJECT.
SO THIS HELP US AND THE COMMUNITY, UM, TO CONTINUE WITH HY NEEDS.
SO WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD AND, UM, THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR THAT DELHI REPORT.
SINCE I JUMPED THE, AGAIN LAST TIME, I THINK WE'LL GO A LITTLE SLOWER THIS TIME.
IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE WHO WOULD LIKE TO MAKE PUBLIC COMMENT AT THIS TIME? IF NOT, THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD IS NOW CLOSED FOR NON-AGENDA ITEMS. WE WILL NOW MOVE ON
[CONSENT CALENDAR]
TO THE CONSENT CALENDAR.CONSENT AGENDA, CALENDAR ITEMS ONE THROUGH 21.
PLEASE NOTE ITEMS THREE AND FOUR REQUIRE A FOUR FIFTHS VOTE.
AT THIS TIME, I'LL OPEN UP PUBLIC COMMENT FOR CONSENT.
CALENDAR ITEMS ONE THROUGH 21, THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD FOR CONSENT.
ITEMS ONE THROUGH 21 IS NOW CLOSED.
I'LL BRING IT BACK TO THE DAIS FOR FURTHER DISCUSSION.
IS THERE ANY QUESTIONS OR ANYTHING? I SEE NOBODY IN THE QUEUE.
UH, WE HAVE A MOTION ON THE FLOOR MOTION BY SCOTT RA, SECONDED BY, UH, SUPERVISOR PEREIRA.
[Additional Item]
I'D LIKE TO INVITE IT TO LA GRANDE HIGH SCHOOL LADY BULLDOG SOFTBALL TEAM AND COACHES TO PRESENT THEM WITH CERTIFICATES AND HONOR THEIR SECTION CHAMPIONSHIP IN THE 2026 CIF SAN JOAQUIN DIVISION SEVEN SOFTBALL PLAYOFFS, THE REGIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP IN THE 20 TWIX, C-I-F-C-F, NORTHERN CALIFORNIA DIVISION FIVE SOFTBALL PLAYOFFS AS WELL.AND SINCE THEY COME FROM DISTRICT ONE, JIMMY WILL HAVE YOU LEAD THE WAY.
EVERYBODY COMING UP, COME ON UP INTO HERE AND YOU GUYS STEP A LITTLE FORWARD AND WE'RE GONNA FILL IN BEHIND YOU AND YOU CAN GET CLOSER.
THANK YOU FOR THE COACHES AND THE, UH, SOFTBALL TEAM FOR BEING HERE.
UH, I WAS ABLE TO WATCH THAT CHAMPIONSHIP GAME.
CONGRATULATIONS TO THE THE GRAND HIGH SCHOOL BULLDOG SOFTBALL TEAM ON WINNING THE CIF STATE CHAMPIONSHIP TITLE.
THIS REMARKABLE ACHIEVEMENT IS A TESTAMENT TO THE DETERMINATION, TEAMWORK, AND EXCELLENCE DEMONSTRATED BY NOT ONLY THESE STUDENT ATHLETES, BUT ALSO THE COACHES, SCHOOL STAFF, AND THE FAMILIES WHO SUPPORTED THEM THROUGHOUT THE SEASON.
WINNING THE CHAMPIONSHIP REPRESENTS THE HIGHEST LEVEL OF COMPETITION AND THE SOURCE OF PRIDE FOR THE ENTIRE LA GRANDE PLANADA COMMUNITY AND MERCED COUNTY.
THIS BULLDOG TEAM HAS NOT ONLY ACHIEVED SUCCESS
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IN THE FIELD, BUT ALSO SERVE AS OUTSTANDING AMBASSADORS FOR LA GRANDE HIGH SCHOOL AND THEIR COMMUNITY.YOU ARE ROLE MODELS, AND I KNOW YOU'LL INSPIRE THE FUTURE GENERATIONS OF STUDENT ATHLETES TO PRESERVE THEIR GOALS WITH THE SAME PASSION AND DEDICATION.
SO, ON BEHALF OF THE RESIDENTS OF MERC STATE COUNTY AND THE MERC STATE COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, WE COMMEND THE LA GRANDE HIGH SCHOOL BULLDOG SOFTBALL TEAM FOR THIS HISTORIC ACHIEVEMENT.
UH, I HAVE SOME CERTIFICATES HERE THAT, UH, WE'LL WE'LL BE GIVING OUT.
AND, UH, DO YOU WANNA SAY A FEW WORDS? UM, FIRST, FIRST AND FOREMOST, I JUST WANT TO THANK, UH, THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, CEO, UH, MARK, YOU ARE OUT THERE.
I REALLY APPRECIATE YOU FOR THAT.
UM, UH, SUPERVISOR PACHECO FOR MAKING THE TIME, UM, ALSO TO THE COMMUNITY.
UM, I THINK IT'S, IT'S JUST A TESTAMENT TO THESE YOUNG LADIES AND THE HARD WORK THEY PUT IN JUST WHAT, HOW FAR THEY GOT THIS YEAR.
SO, UH, REALLY WANNA SAY THANK YOU TO THE GIRLS, THANK YOU TO THE COMMUNITY, THE PARENTS THAT ARE HERE.
UM, IT'S A REALLY GREAT ACHIEVEMENT, AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE RECOGNITION FOR THEIR NAMES.
UH, FIRST RECIPIENT, YOU MEAN? JUST HIM? I'LL RE I JUST WANNA RECOGNIZE EVERYBODY.
SO, UH, DID YOU WANNA READ THOSE AND THEN I'LL, I'LL HAND 'EM OFF.
UH, ELISA ANGEL, AVA AVILA, AALIYAH SEHA, CRYSTAL MANZO, MCKAYLA, EVA SADIE SERVING CARLA REYES, AUBREY DULOW, ELLIE RAMIREZ, ELIZABETH DIAZ TAYLOR AND HUEY NELI PEREZ, COACH ADRIAN ANGEL
CONGRATULATIONS, LADIES AND COACHES AND, UH, LA GRANDE HIGH SCHOOL.
OH, WE'RE GONNA TAKE A PICTURE, A QUICK PHOTO.
AND I'LL GET THOSE AND I'LL JUST, UH, JUST HOOK ME UP WITH HER AND I'LL MAKE SURE I GET, JUST MENTION, UM, THE FUNDRAISER.
AND JUST TO BE, SO, UH, WE'RE GONNA TRY TO, THE, UM, SOFTBALL TEAM'S GONNA TRY TO DO A FUNDRAISER TO GET, UH, SOME RINGS FOR ALL THE, UH, LADIES AND THE COACHES.
SO BE LOOKING FOR THAT ON, UH, SOCIAL MEDIA.
[BOARD ACTION]
WILL MOVE ON TO BOARD ACTION.WE WILL NOW MOVE TO BOARD ACTION WITH, UH, BEGINNING WITH PUBLIC WORKS.
AT THIS TIME, I'LL OPEN UP PUBLIC COMMENT FOR PUBLIC WORKS.
ITEM NUMBER 22, THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD IS NOW OVER FOR ITEM NUMBER 22.
WE'LL BRING IT BACK TO THE DAAS.
IS THERE FURTHER COMMENTS? IF NOT, I'LL ENTERTAIN THE MOTION.
MOTION BY SUPERVISOR RA, SECONDED BY SUPERVISOR
[00:15:01]
PEDROSO.WE WILL NOW CALL FOR THE VOTE.
NEXT, WE HAVE HUMID SERVICES AGENCY ITEMS 23 THROUGH 27.
AT THIS TIME, I'LL OPEN UP PUBLIC COMMENT FOR HUMAN SERVICES AGENCY ITEMS 23 THROUGH 27.
WE WILL NOW CLOSE THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD FOR HUMAN SERVICES AGENCY.
I HAVE A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR PACHECO, SECONDED BY SUPERVISOR SILVERA.
WE'LL GO AHEAD AND CALL FOR THE VOTE RECORD THE VOTE.
AT THIS TIME, I'LL OPEN UP PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD FOR HEALTH ITEM NUMBER 28.
WE WILL NOW CLOSE THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD FOR HEALTH ITEM NUMBER 28.
AND IT LOOKS LIKE WE HAVE COMMENT.
BOARD CO HENDRICKSON AND COUNTY COUNCIL HANSON.
I'M HERE THIS MORNING TO UPDATE YOU ON THE BOARD DIRECTIVE TO ANALYZE AND PURSUE THE POSSIBILITY OF MERCED COUNTY JOINING THE CALIFORNIA MEDICAL SERVICES PROGRAM OR CMSP TO MEET COUNTY INGEN HEALTHCARE REQUIREMENTS.
AS BEEN, HAS BEEN DISCUSSED NUMEROUS TIMES OVER THE LAST YEAR, MERCED COUNTY AND ALL CALIFORNIA COUNTIES ARE FACING A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF UNCERTAINTY.
FEDERAL CHANGES THROUGH HR ONE ARE EXPECTED TO CAUSE SOME RESIDENTS TO LOSE MEDI-CAL COVERAGE, AND WE STILL DO NOT KNOW EXACTLY HOW MANY PEOPLE WILL BE AFFECTED, OR IF THE STATE WILL TAKE ANY ACTION TO CONTINUE COVERAGE FOR THESE PEOPLE.
CALIFORNIA WELFARE AND INSTITUTION CODE 17,000 REQUIRES COUNTIES TO PROVIDE COVERAGE FOR THAT PROTECTS RESIDENTS LIFE AND LIMB THROUGH INDIGENT HEALTHCARE PROGRAMS. RESIDENTS WHO FALL OFF MEDI-CAL MAY THEREFORE RETURN TO THE COUNTY FOR COVERAGE.
THROUGH THESE PROGRAMS, RECOGNIZING THESE CHALLENGES, YOUR BOARD SUBMITTED A LETTER OF INTENT TO THE CMSP BOARD FEBRUARY 3RD, AND DIRECTED ME TO ANALYZE CMSP AS WELL AS OTHER OPTIONS TO MEET THE COUNTY INDIGENT HEALTHCARE REQUIREMENTS.
THE CONTRACT BEFORE YOU IS A RESULT OF THAT ENGAGEMENT AND WAS APPROVED BY THE CMSP BOARD IN LATE MAY.
ONE CHALLENGE FACING THE BOARD IS THAT CMS IS THE CMSP CONTRACT.
DEADLINE IS JUNE 30TH, 2026, BEFORE MANY OF THESE UNCERTAINTIES WILL BE RESOLVED.
WAITING FOR COMPLETE INFORMATION IS SIMPLY NOT POSSIBLE, GIVEN THE UNCERTAINTY THAT WE ARE FACING.
THE QUESTION BEFORE YOUR BOARD IS, WHICH OPTION BEST PROTECTS RESIDENTS AND PROTECTS THE COUNTY FROM UNNECESSARY RISK? THE FIRST AND BEST OUTCOME WOULD BE FOR THE STATE TO CREATE A STATE-LED EMERGENCY MEDI-CAL PROGRAM FOR PEOPLE WHO LOSE COVERAGE BECAUSE OF THE NEW FEDERAL REQUIREMENTS.
THIS OPTION WOULD BE THE LEASE EXPENSIVE, WOULD LEVERAGE EXISTING MEDI-CAL SYSTEMS AND PROVIDER NETWORKS, AND WOULD MAINTAIN, CONTINUE CONTINUITY OF CARE FOR RESIDENTS, AND WOULD PLACE THE ADMINISTRATIVE RESPONSIBILITY ON THE STATE RATHER THAN THE COUNTY.
THAT OPTION IS UNDER DISCUSSION AT THE STATE, HOWEVER, IT IS NOT GUARANTEED THE CMSP CONTRACT BEFORE YOUR BOARD TODAY IS AN OPTION, IS AN OPTION OF HOW TO PROVIDE COVERAGE TO RESIDENTS IF THE STATE DOES NOT ACT, OR IF IT DOES ACT IF, HOW TO FILL ANY GAPS LEFT BEHIND BY A STATE DECISION.
FROM A PUBLIC HEALTH PERSPECTIVE.
FULL SCOPE, MEDI-CAL IS THE BEST CASE FOR OUR RESIDENTS.
WHEN PEOPLE DO NOT HAVE HEALTH CARE COVERAGE, THEY DELAY CARE UNTIL THEY BECOME VERY POOR OR VERY SICK.
PROVIDING CARE AT THAT POINT IS EXPENSIVE, MORE DIFFICULT, AND MORE LIKELY TO LEAD TO POOR OUTCOMES.
FROM A FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE DEPARTMENT HEAD PERSPECTIVE, THE PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENT HAS MANY CRUCIAL FUNCTIONS TO PROTECT THE HEALTH AND WELLBEING OF OUR RESIDENTS.
AND WE DO NOT HAVE INFINITE RESOURCES TO FILL THE GAPS CAUSED BY THE FEDERAL AND STATE GOVERNMENT BALANCING THESE OFTEN COMPETING PERSPECTIVES.
I BELIEVE THAT CMSP OFFERS THE MOST BALANCED APPROACH MOVING FORWARD.
IT INVOLVES SHARED GOVERNANCE, MEANING THE BOARD WOULD NOT HAVE COMPLETE CONTROL OVER ELIGIBILITY AND BENEFIT DECISIONS.
COSTS COULD ALSO INCREASE IF ENROLLMENT GROWS SIGNIFICANTLY.
THOSE ARE LEGITIMATE CONCERNS, BUT THE ADVANTAGES ARE SUBSTANTIAL.
CMSP ALREADY HAS AN EXISTING INFRASTRUCTURE AND OPERATIONAL MODEL.
IT PROVIDES MORE COMPREHENSIVE SERVICES THAN THE MINIMUM INDIGENT CARE REQUIREMENTS, INCLUDING PREVENTATIVE CARE AND COVERAGE THAT IS NOT TIED TO A QUALIFYING MEDICAL CONDITION.
IT ALLOWS PARTICIPATION IN A RISK POOL SHARED WITH OTHER COUNTIES, RATHER THAN LEAVING ONE COUNTY SOLELY RESPONSIBLE FOR UNPREDICTED MEDICAL COSTS.
IT HAS A KNOWN IMPLEMENT IMPLEMENTATION DATE OF APRIL, 2027, AND WOULD PROVIDE AT LEAST SOME REIMBURSEMENT AND STABILITY TO COUNTY HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS.
STAFF ALSO EXPLORED ALTERNATIVES, INCLUDING
[00:20:01]
AN ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES, ORGANIZATION, MODELS, AND A COUNTY OPERATED PROGRAM.WHILE THOSE OPTIONS MAY WARRANT FURTHER THE EVALUATION, NEITHER CAN BE IMPLEMENTED WITH A CERTAINTY INFRASTRUCTURE OR TIMELINE CURRENTLY OFFERED THROUGH CMSP.
ULTIMATELY, CMSP IS NOT A PERFECT SOLUTION.
HOWEVER, IT IS AN EXISTING OPERATIONAL PROGRAM THAT PROTECTS RESIDENTS, LIMITS COUNTY RISK, AND PRESERVES FLEXIBILITY WHILE THE STATE AND FEDERAL LANDSCAPES CONTINUE TO EVOLVE.
FOR THESE REASONS, UH, I RECOMMEND THE APPROVAL OF THE AGREEMENT BEFORE YOU TODAY.
AND I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
WE'VE HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH THEM FOR OVER 10 YEARS NOW.
UH, ACTUALLY CREATED A RELATIONSHIP WITH EVER WITHOUT EVER BECOMING ACTUALLY A CLIENT.
AND, UH, THROUGH THIS PROCESS, IT'S BEEN A TIGHT ROPE, VERY TIGHT LINE THAT WE'VE HAD TO WALK, UH, PROVIDING THIS KIND OF CARE.
AND AT THE SAME TIME, HR ONE HAS TRIPPED US WITH THAT TIGHT LINE AND, UH, PUT US INTO THIS SITUATION WHERE WE HAVE TO DO THIS.
BUT I, WE HAVE SEEN THE BENEFIT TO THIS OVER THE PAST 10 YEARS, WHERE WE ALWAYS KNEW THAT THIS WAS AN OPTION.
AND I'M GLAD THAT WE'VE ALREADY CREATED A RELATIONSHIP, UM, THE CONVERSATIONS WE'VE HAD WITH HIM TO MOVE IN THIS DIRECTION.
NOW, UH, CHAIR RECOGNIZES SUPERVISOR PEDROZA.
UM, YEAH, I ECHO A LOT OF WHAT, UM, CHAIRMAN MCDANIEL SAID IN THE SENSE THAT, YOU KNOW, THIS IS, THIS DECISION ISN'T TAKEN LIGHTLY BECAUSE OF THE UNCERTAINTIES THAT ARE GOING ON IN THE STATE AND THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT WITH HR ONE, WITH THE STATE BUDGET, AND NOT KNOWING WHERE WE'RE AT.
AND I THINK THAT, UM, STAFF, I JUST REALLY WANNA THANK STAFF FOR REALLY PREPARING AND WITH THE BRIEFINGS THAT WE, THAT WE ALL GOT, I THINK THAT THEY, THAT YOU GUYS DID A REALLY GOOD JOB.
AND EVEN EXPLAINING IT EVEN FURTHER AFTER MY BRIEFING AND TALKING TO YOU, I REALLY, I FEEL MORE COMFORTABLE WITH IT.
I KNOW IT'S A HIGH COST, BUT I THINK THAT WE NEED TO, I MEAN, WE'RE, OUR, OUR HAND IS KIND OF FORCED.
AND SO I THINK STAFF PREPARING US FOR THIS, UM, REALLY DID A GOOD JOB.
SO I JUST WANNA THANK YOU FOR THAT.
CHAIR RECOGNIZES SUPERVISOR S THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR.
UM, DR. SULLIVAN, THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR WORK ON THIS.
AND I JUST WANNA REMIND FOLKS THAT THIS IS A CONTRACT THAT DID NOT TO EXCEED 20 MILLION.
WE STILL, BECAUSE OF SO MUCH UNCERTAINTY OUT THERE, THE NUMBER MIGHT NOT BE 20 MILLION, BUT WE HAVE TO PREPARE FOR THE POSSIBILITY THAT IT CAN BE 20 MILLION.
AND I KNOW THAT WE FOUND SOME WAYS TO BE ABLE TO FUND THE FRONT END OF THIS, BUT THAT MONEY SOON RUNS OUT.
IF IT CONTINUES TO BE COST NEARLY 20 MILLION, WE'RE GONNA REALLY, IT'S GONNA, THAT'S A CHALLENGING, THAT'S A CHALLENGE THAT WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO FACE IF THESE, IF WE DON'T GET SOME OF THESE EXEMPTIONS THAT WE'RE HOPEFULLY ANTICIPATING TO GET.
SO, BUT THANK YOU FOR ALL THE WORK AND, AND REALLY BRINGING THIS FORWARD.
'CAUSE THERE ARE DEAD, UM, TI TIMELINES IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO BE PREPARED FOR JULY ONE.
CHAIR RECOGNIZES SUPERVISOR PEREIRA.
YEAH, I JUST WANTED TO, UH, WELL, I, OF COURSE, UH, MY COMMENTS AND, UH, SUPERVISOR RA'S COMMENTS ARE PRETTY SIMILAR, SO I'LL KEEP THOSE OUT.
UH, BUT I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU FOR DOING SUCH A GREAT JOB OF DELVING IN GETTING ALL THE FACTS AND MAKING ME FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH A, WITH A TOPIC THAT I REALLY KNEW NOTHING ABOUT.
AND SO, I, I REALLY APPRECIATE YOU AND YOUR EFFORTS, SO THANK YOU.
AND AS YOU KNOW, WE HAVE OUR, UM, BUDGET DISCUSSION COMING UP HERE PRETTY SOON.
AND THIS SHOWS YOU THE IMPACTS.
THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE ASKING FOR OTHER MONIES IN THE BUDGET, AND THIS IS SOMETHING THAT, AN UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCE AND ANOTHER UNFUNDED MANDATE THAT FALLS ON THE COUNTY THAT WE HAVE TO FULFILL.
SO, IS THERE ANY OTHER DISCUSSIONS UP HERE? IF NOT, I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION.
I HAVE A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR PEDROSO, SECONDED BY SUPERVISOR PEREIRA.
LET'S GO AHEAD AND CALL FOR THE VOTE.
AT THIS TIME, I'LL OPEN UP PUBLIC COMMENT ON FIRE ITEM NUMBER 29.
THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD FOR FIRE ITEM 29 IS NOW CLOSED.
WE'LL BRING IT BACK TO THE DIOCESE.
IS THERE FURTHER DISCUSSION ON THIS ITEM? I DO HAVE A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR RA, SECONDED BY SUPERVISOR PACHE PACHECO.
WE'LL GO AHEAD AND LET'S CALL FOR THE VOTE.
NEXT WE HAVE PROBATION ITEMS 30 AND 31.
AT THIS TIME, I'LL OPEN UP PUBLIC COMMENT FOR ITEMS 30 AND 31.
WE'LL GO AHEAD AND, UH, CLOSE THE COMMENT,
[00:25:01]
PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD.ON ITEMS 30 AND 31, WE'LL BRING IT BACK TO THE DAAS.
IS THERE FURTHER DISCUSSION? IF NOT, I DO HAVE A MOTION ON THE FLOOR BY SUPERVISOR RA, SECOND OF BY, UH, SUPERVISOR PEREIRA.
LET'S GO AHEAD AND CALL FOR THE VOTE.
THE ANTICIPATION WAS KILLING US SUPERVISOR.
LET'S GO AHEAD AND RECORD THE VOTE.
NEXT, WE HAVE SHERIFF AT THIS TIME.
OH, ITEMS 30, YOU GOT IN FRONT OF YOU, TWO THROUGH 34.
AT THIS TIME, I'LL INVITE A REPRESENTATIVE FROM THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE TO SHARE A PRESENTATION ON ITEM NUMBER 34.
GOOD MORNING BOARD, CEO, HENDRICKSON AND HANSON, UH, COUNTY COUNSEL UNDERSHERIFF, CORY GIBSON, MERCED COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE.
A FEW YEARS AGO, THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE RECOGNIZED THAT WE HAD SIGNIFICANT CHALLENGES SURROUNDING OUR FLEET WHEN IT CAME TO ACQUIRING AND UPFITTING VEHICLES.
UH, WITH THE COUNTY'S HELP, WE RECOGNIZED THAT U UNITED FLEET SERVICES MIGHT BE A SOLUTION TO THOSE, UH, CHALLENGES.
UH, IN OCTOBER, 2025, YOU APPROVED A FIVE-YEAR CONTRACT WITH UNITED FLEET SERVICES FOR, UH, ACQUISITION, UH, EMERGENCY VEHICLE OUTFITTING, AND, UH, LIQUIDATION OF SHERIFF'S FLEET VEHICLES.
AS PART OF THAT APPROVAL, YOU ASKED US TO COME BACK AND GIVE YOU A PROGRESS REPORT ON THE LEASE PROGRAM BEFORE MOVING FORWARD WITH ANY FUTURE CATEGORIES.
TODAY IS, UH, THAT PRESENTATION, AND I'D LIKE TO TURN IT OVER TO LIEUTENANT STEVE BASSEY, WHO OVERSEES SHARE'S FLEET IN OUR LEASE PROGRAM.
MORNING, BOARD CHAIR, UM, COUNCIL HANSON AND, UH, CEO HENDRICKSON.
UH, THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT THIS, UH, ITEM, UH, TO YOU.
UM, LIKE, UH, THE UNDERSHERIFF SAID, UM, STEVE BASSEY WITH THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE LIEUTENANT, UM, AND I OVERSEE THE, THE FLEET SERVICES, UH, FOR OUR AGENCY.
SO WE'LL GET STARTED WITH, UM, THE PRESENTATION, UM, HERE NOW.
SO, UH, THE FIRST, JUST, UH, A QUICK OVERVIEW OF THE PROGRAM.
UM, UH, THIS WAS, UH, UH, APPROVED BY, UH, THE BOARD, UH, OCTOBER 21ST, 2025, UH, FIVE YEAR CONTRACT FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE LEASE PROGRAM.
UM, AND ESTABLISHED TO IPRO IMPROVE EFFICIENCY, UH, IN ORDERING SPECIFIC TYPES OF VEHICLES THAT, UM, WE WEREN'T ABLE TO ACQUIRE.
CATEGORY ONE VEHICLES, THE CURRENT STATUS, UH, 31, UH, VEHICLES WE HAVE, UH, CURRENTLY ON THE GROUND OPERATING OUT OF THE 83 THAT ARE APPROVED, UH, IN THE CATEGORY ONE VEHICLES TO OUR PENDING DELIVERY, 28, AWAITING TO BE DELIVERED TO THE UPFITTER AND 22 THAT ARE OUTRIGHT, UH, PENDING, UH, TO, UM, UH, GET TO THE UPFITTERS AS WELL, AND, UH, COME IN SERVICE.
AND THAT WAS APPROVED IN FISCAL YEAR 25, 26.
UH, THE REQUEST FOR CATEGORY TWO, UH, WHICH IS, UH, IN FISCAL YEAR 26, 27, IS, UH, 33 VEHICLES.
UM, AND THEN, UM, TO FOLLOW CATEGORY THREE VEHICLES, WHICH IS IN FISCAL YEAR 27, 28.
UM, MOVING JUST TO FINANCIAL OVERVIEW, UM, IN CATEGORY 1 26, 27, UH, WHAT'S BUDGETED IS, UH, 1.4, UH, MILLION DOLLARS FOR OUR OPERATIONS, UH, BUDGET.
AND THEN OUT OF THE, UH, CORRECTIONS BUDGET IS 181,000 WITH ADDITIONAL OPERATING TRANSFERS OF APPROXIMATELY EIGHT OR 825,000, UH, TO DATE, UH, IN THIS FISCAL, UH, UP, UP THROUGH JUNE 20, 26, UH, $389,000, UM, HAS BEEN SPENT ON CATEGORY ONE VEHICLES.
UM, ON THE RIGHT, YOU'LL SEE ON THE TOP RIGHT, UH, BUDGETED FOR 26 27 FOR CATEGORY TWO VEHICLES IN THE OPERATIONS BUDGET IS 495,000.
AND IN THE CORRECTIONS, UM, BUDGET IS 4,008, $4,800.
ON THE BOTTOM, YOU'LL SEE CATEGORY THREE, WHICH IS, UH, DEDICATED FOR, UH, FISCAL YEAR 27, 28, AND THE OPERATING BUDGET, THE OPERATIONS BUDGET IS, UH, 644,000.
AND IN THE CORRECTIONS BUDGET IS, UH, 35,000 WITH ADDITIONAL, UH, OPERATING TRANSFERS OF 825,000.
THIS WAS A, A, A PRESENTATION, UM, KIND OF SHOW YOU WHAT THE NOVEMBER PROJECTIONS WERE FOR LIQUIDATIONS, UH, LIQUIDATIONS WHEN WE SELL OFF THE VEHICLES THAT WE, UM, CURRENTLY HAVE TO ACQUIRE THESE LEASE VEHICLES.
UH, THE NOVEMBER PROJECTIONS FOR THESE VEHICLES, UM, WAS 185,
[00:30:02]
UH, THOUSAND, UH, DOLLARS.AND, UM, TO THE FAR RIGHT OF THAT, WHAT WE ACTUAL SALE PRICE OF THESE ITEMS WAS, UH, 215,000.
SO, UM, WE ACTUALLY SURPASSED WHAT OUR PROJECTIONS WERE SUPPOSED TO BE IN MONETARY VALUE.
UH, JUST TO STREAMLINE PROCUREMENT PROCESS EFFICIENCY.
UM, OUR, OUR PREVIOUS MODEL, UM, WAS, UH, UH, HAD DELAYS UNDER, UH, THE PREVIOUS, UH, MODEL.
IT TOOK APPROXIMATELY 15 TO 24 MONTHS FROM THE TIME THAT WE AT THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE PUT IN THROUGH, UM, UM, THE, UH, THE PURCHASING OF THE VEHICLES TO FINALLY BEING DEPLOYED ON THE, UH, ON, ON PATROL.
AND, UH, NOW THE UNIFIED FLEET SERVICES PROCESS, UH, WE'VE ALREADY DELIVERED 31 CARS WITHIN, UH, A FIVE MONTH PERIOD OF TIME.
UM, SO THAT, THAT JUST KIND OF ELABORATES THE, THE EFFICIENCY PROCESS THAT COMES ALONG WITH THE FLEET SERVICES OR THE UNIFIED FLEET SERVICES MODEL.
UH, JUST, UH, VISUALLY FOR, UH, YOU GUYS TO SEE IS ON THE, THE LEFT SIDE, YOU HAVE THE FORD, UM, POLICE INTERCEPTOR UNIT, WHICH IS THE EXPLORER TYPE OF VEHICLE.
UM, THE INTERIOR, THE, WITH THIS, UH, MODEL, UH, WE HAVE BETTER EQUIPMENT COMING INTO THE VEHICLES, UH, BETTER, UM, RESELL VALUE AT THE END, YOU SEE THE CON, THE, THE STORAGE SYSTEM IN THE BACK OF THE VEHICLE HELPS ORGANIZE, UH, DEPUTIES FOR, UH, WHENEVER THEY NEED THEIR EQUIPMENT FROM, FROM THE REAR FOR EMERGENCY SITUATIONS.
AND THEN TO THE RIGHT OF THIS SLIDE, YOU SEE THE FORWARD RESPONDER F1 FIFTIES.
THERE'S AN ADMIN, UH, ONE, WHICH IS THE UNMARKED WHITE ONE AT THE BOTTOM LEFT OF THE SLIDE TO THE RIGHT.
AND THE TOP ONE IS A PATROL F-150 THAT, UM, IS, IS, UM, SERVICING THE COUNTY.
UM, AND YOU SEE THE COMPARTMENT SYSTEM IN THE BACK, A SPLIT SYSTEM.
THERE'S STILL ABILITY FOR, UH, UM, A TRANSPORT TRANSPORTATION FOR, UM, AN INCARCERATED PERSON.
UM, KEY, UH, SAFETY FEATURES THAT, UH, WERE IMPLEMENTED WITH THIS UNIFIED, UH, LEASE, UH, MODEL.
AND, UM, GETTING IT UPFITTED THROUGH, UH, A PROFESSIONAL UPFITTING COMPANY WAS THE WEEKEND VEHICLE TO VEHICLE SINK, UH, WHICH AUTOMATICALLY SYNCHRONIZES LIGHTS AND TONES ACROSS MULTIPLE VEHICLE PATTERNS AS VEHICLES COME IN CLOSE CONTACT WITH EACH OTHER THROUGH, UH, BLUETOOTH, UH, UH, CONNECTION.
THEY ALL SYNCHRONIZE IN LIGHTING, WHICH HELPS WITH VISIBILITY WITH IMPAIRED UH, DRIVERS.
SO OUR KEEPING OUR, UM, THE DRIVERS, THE PUBLIC SAFE AND OUR DEPUTIES SAFE.
UM, EMERGENCY LIGHTING PARKED VERSUS DRIVE LIGHTING PATTERNS IS LESS RAPID WHEN THE VEHICLE IS PARKED.
UM, VERSUS WHILE THE THE LIGHTS ARE ENGAGED, THE VEHICLE IS LESS RAPID IN A PARK SETTING VERSUS WHEN THE, UH, VEHICLE IS IN A DRIVE SETTING AND THE EMERGENCY LIGHTS ARE ACTIVATED.
UM, AND THEN, UH, YOU HAVE YOUR SIREN CHANGING FROM THE HORN.
SO AS WE'RE, UH, HAVE OUR LIGHTS ACTIVATED AND THE SIRENS, UH, SIREN GOING, NOW WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO CHANGE THE, THE TONE OF THE SIREN THROUGH THE HORN, UM, UH, FROM A PREVIOUS MODEL OF POTENTIALLY HAVING TO LOOK DOWN AND SEEING WHERE, UH, THE NEXT THE BUTTON IS.
SO HELPS WITH, UM, YOU KNOW, KEEPING THE EYES DOWN THE ROAD FOR OUR DEPUTIES WHILE THEY'RE, UM, UH, RESPONDING TO EMERGENCY SITUATIONS.
AND THEN LASTLY, THE SIREN TERMINATE AT PARK.
UH, WHEN A, A PATROL VEHICLE IS, UM, UH, SIRENS, I ARE ACTIVATED AND THE VEHICLE IS IN A DRY POSITION.
ONCE YOU TURN THE SHIFT TO, UH, A PARK SETTING, IT TERMINATES, UH, THE SIREN HELPING WITH, UH, COMMANDS FROM POTENTIALLY, UM, UH, FROM THE DEPUTY THAT'S POTENTIALLY MAKING COMMANDS TO SOMEONE.
SO IT HELPS WITH THE NOISE, UH, UH, CANCELLATION.
AND THEN, UM, JUST, UH, PROGRAM KEY, UH, POINTS.
THE PROGRAM EMPHASIZES EFFICIENT VEHICLE PROCUREMENT, UH, FLEET STANDARDIZATION ACROSS THE BOARD, AND CONSISTENT SAFETY IMPLEMENTATIONS.
UH, VEHICLES ARE CONSISTENT ACROSS THE FLEET AND READY TO BE, UH, DEPLOYED FOR OPERATIONAL NEEDS THROUGHOUT MERCED COUNTY.
AND, UM, UH, A KEY POINT IS, UH, THE FULL FINANCIAL VALUE OF THIS, UH, PROGRAM WILL NOT BE REALIZED UNTIL WE HAVE A FULLY LIQUIDATED CATEGORY ONE VEHICLES AND, UM, FUTURE LIQUIDATIONS, UH, FOR CATEGORY TWO AND CATEGORY THREE, UM, REQUESTED ACTIONS FROM THE BOARD, UH, THIS MORNING, UM, IS APPROVAL TO PROCEED WITH THE PURCHASE OF CATEGORY TWO AND CATEGORY THREE VEHICLES.
UH, AGAIN, THE BOARD, UH, AUTHORIZED A FIVE-YEAR CONTRACT APPROVAL THAT WOULD ALLOW THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE TO, UM, UH, PURCHASE THE REMAINING TWO, UH, CATEGORY TWO VEHICLES AND CATEGORY THREE VEHICLES IN THE RESPECTIVE FISCAL YEARS.
UM, AND THAT IS THE END OF THE PRESENTATION.
I'M HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS IF YOU MAY HAVE.
I ALSO HAVE, UM, UM, A REPRESENTATIVE FROM, UM, UNIFIED, IF THERE'S ANY, UM, SPECIFIC QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE, UH, THAT, UH, BRONSON IS, UH, MORE THAN HAPPY TO ANSWER FOR YOU.
[00:35:01]
NO, THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.UM, I THINK A BIG THANK YOU NEEDS TO GO OUT TO SCOTT SILVERA, SUPERVISOR SILVER FOR THIS.
UM, THIS IS AN EXAMPLE OF A, A PROBLEM PRESENTED TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS AND, UH, HOW WE DECIDED WE'RE GONNA TAKE THIS ON.
AND SCOTT AND I ACTUALLY WENT OUT AND MET WITH HUGO, UH, SAY HA, AND SAW THE PROBLEMS WE HAD IN FLEET SERVICES AND GET THESE VEHICLES ON THE ROAD.
SCOTT WAS ABLE TO, THROUGH NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF COUNTIES, AS WELL AS CALIFORNIA STATE ASSOCIATION OF COUNTIES TO MEET THE FOLKS AT UNITED FLEET SERVICES.
SCOTT THEN BROUGHT ME OVER AND INTRODUCED HIM TO ME, AND WE SAID, WE GOTTA GET YOU GUYS IN FRONT OF OUR SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT.
YOU HAVE THE ANSWER, WE HAVE A PROBLEM.
AND, UH, I SAY, SUPERVISOR VERA GETS A BIG THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THIS TO THE FORUM.
AND A BIG THANK YOU TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS FOR UNDERSTANDING IT WAS A PROBLEM AND WE NEEDED TO SOLVE IT.
AND, UH, APPRECIATE HIS LEADERSHIP ON THIS.
AND SO AT THIS POINT, THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES, UH, SUPERVISOR RA THANK YOU, CHAIR, LIEUTENANT BASSEY ON, ON THE ANTICIPATION OF, YOU STILL HAVE THE REMAINING VEHICLES IN CATEGORY ONE, AND THEN YOU'RE ALSO TALKING ABOUT CATEGORY TWOS, AND THEN THREES IN A, IN A NEXT FISCAL YEAR.
UM, ARE, ARE YOU ANTICIPATING IN THIS UPCOMING FISCAL YEAR THAT YOU'LL BE ABLE TO GET THE REST OF THOSE OTHER ONES DELIVERED FROM CATEGORY ONE? CORRECT? CORRECT.
AND THEN AS WELL AS THE 33 THAT YOU'RE LOOKING FOR IN CATEGORY TWO? CORRECT.
AND THEN ANOTHER QUESTION, AND MAYBE I SHOULD HAVE ASKED THIS SOONER, THE OPERATING TRANSFER, WHERE DOES THAT COME FROM? UH, THAT'S, UH, MONIES THAT, THAT POTENTIALLY IS FROM OUR, UM, FSR, UH, THE FLEET REPLACEMENT, UH, THAT WE ALREADY HAD DEDICATED FOR REPLACEMENTS THAT NOW WE HAVE SET ASIDE, UM, UH, THAT, OR, OR, OR TRANSFERS IN TO HELP, UH, SUPPLEMENT, UH, THE BUDGET.
AND, AND I, I'VE BEEN VERY SUPPORTIVE OF THIS PROGRAM, AND, AND IT, IT GOES BACK TO RIGHT PLACE, RIGHT TIME, UM, AND THEN HAVING A CONVERSATION, LITERALLY, AND I THINK IT WAS IN THE UNDERS SHERIFF'S OFFICE OF MINE HAVE BEEN IN THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE.
SUPERVISOR PEREIRA AND I WERE IN THERE AND THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT THIS ISSUE, AND THEN IT JUST HAPPENS THAT A MONTH OR SO LATER, WE'RE AT RCRC, AND THAT'S WHERE I MET THE FOLKS FROM UNIFIED.
AND I'M LIKE, WELL, THIS, WE HAVE THIS, THIS ISSUE, AND I JUST WANT TO LET EVERYBODY KNOW THAT WE KNEW GOING INTO THIS, THAT THIS DOESN'T SAVE US MONEY.
IT'S GONNA PROBABLY COST US A LITTLE BIT MORE MONEY, BUT WHAT WE GAINED IS THE EFFICIENCY, THE EFFICIENCY OF, AND, AND THEN WHAT I THINK IS REALLY IMPORTANT, AS, AS YOU GUYS ARE ALL AWARE, SOME OF THE BIGGEST LAWSUITS WE SETTLE AT, AS IN THIS COUNTY, HAPPENS TO BE WHEN OUR DEPUTIES ARE RESPONDING AND WE GET IN ACCIDENTS AND WHATNOT.
SO THE LITTLE THINGS THAT, THAT ARE, THAT WE'RE ABLE TO DO WITH HAVING THIS STANDARD SET OF VEHICLES.
SO IF, IF A DEPUTY GETS IN ONE VEHICLE VERSUS THE NEXT VEHICLE, HAVING ALL THE EQUIPMENT IS STANDARDIZED IN THERE, THE EVERY, EVERY BUTTON THAT YOU NEED TO PUSH, IT'S IN THE SAME PLACE IN EVERY VEHICLE.
THE, THE, THE, I WATCHED THE SHOW ON PATROL LIVE RE RELIGIOUSLY, AND THERE'S NOTHING THAT DRIVES ME MORE CRAZY.
THEY GET ON SCENE AND THEY GO CHASING AFTER THE BAD GUY, AND THAT DANG SIRENS JUST SITTING THERE, JUST GOING AND GOING AND GOING.
SO, BUT THOSE, THOSE LITTLE THINGS THAT WE GAIN WITH THESE EFFICIENCIES, I THINK ARE REALLY GOOD.
I'M VERY SUPPORTIVE OF THIS PROGRAM.
I WILL CONTINUE TO BE SUPPORTIVE OF THIS PROGRAM.
UM, YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT, THAT WE GIVE OUR DEPUTIES OUT THERE, THE FOLKS THAT ARE BOOTS ON THE GROUND, THE TOOLS THAT THEY NEED TO BE SUCCESSFUL AND HAVING RELIABLE, UH, EQUIPMENT, SAFE EQUIPMENT IS, IS, UM, OF UTMOST IMPORTANCE.
SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK ON THIS.
I KNOW IN OUR BRIEFING, I HAD SOME QUESTIONS.
I THANK YOU FOR ANSWERING THOSE QUESTIONS.
UM, AND I THINK THAT THE PUBLIC IS, IS YOU'RE STARTING TO SEE THE, KIND OF THE NEWER LOOK VEHICLES OUT AND ABOUT MORE OF 'EM AND, AND HAVING RELIABLE EQUIPMENT.
AND THEN, AND THEN JUST TO HIGHLIGHT WHAT YOU'VE MENTIONED, YOU KNOW, GOING TO THIS PROGRAM WHERE THESE LEASED VEHICLES, INSTEAD OF RUNNING THEM UNTIL THE WHEELS FALL OFF OF 'EM AND THEY'RE WORTH NOTHING ON A LEASE SITUATION, WE'RE ABLE TO GET HIGHER RESALE VALUES ON 'EM, WHICH THEN ALLOWS US TO TURN 'EM OVER AND THEY GO TO OTHER DEPARTMENTS THAT MAYBE DON'T HAVE THE SAME AMOUNT OF RESOURCES.
SO IT'S A, TO ME, IT'S A WIN-WIN ACROSS THE BOARD.
AND I'M VERY SUPPORTIVE, AND I ENCOURAGE MY COLLEAGUES TO SUPPORT THIS ITEM.
CHAIR, REC CHAIR RECOGNIZES THE SUPERVISOR.
YEAH, I, I ECHO A LOT OF WHAT'S BEEN SAID ALREADY.
UM, I, I WAS INITIALLY HESITANT WITH THIS PROGRAM, UH, A YEAR AGO, AND THAT'S WHY I ASKED TO HAVE IT COME BACK AND EXPLAIN, YOU KNOW, IF IT'S WORKING OUT, WHAT'S GOING ON.
AND YOU GUYS WERE ABLE TO DO THAT.
AND I, I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT SOMETHING THAT THAT WASN'T SAID ALREADY, BUT ONE OF THE QUESTIONS I ASKED IN OUR BRIEFING WAS, YOU KNOW, IF YOU COULD NAME SOMETHING THAT WENT WRONG WITH THIS, OR WHAT ARE THE CONS WITH THIS WHEN YOU'RE WEIGHING PROS AND CONS IN THIS? AND I THINK THAT IN THE STAFF REPORT, YOU REALLY HIGHLIGHTED THE FACT THAT, YOU KNOW, THE ISSUES WERE JUST KIND OF THE GROWING PAINS TYPE THING.
[00:40:01]
HIGHLIGHTING THAT SHOWS THAT, HEY, WE UNDERSTAND NOW WHAT WE'RE READY TO MOVE FORWARD.WE KNOW NOW WHAT WE DIDN'T KNOW THEN.
AND, AND I THINK THAT WORKING WITH THE TEAM AT UNIFIED IS REALLY, UM, GONNA HELP MAKE THIS EVEN BETTER.
AND AGAIN, JUST THE EFFICIENCY AND HAVING THE, THIS, THE RIGHT TOOLS AND HAVING EVERYTHING THAT, YOU KNOW, YOUR GUYS NEED OR THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT NEEDS FOR, YOU KNOW, SAFETY EFFICIENCY I THINK IS REALLY IMPORTANT TO, TO DO.
SO, UH, I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU FOR, YOU KNOW, BRINGING THIS, WORKING ON THIS AND THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT GENERAL AND UNIFIED FLEET.
RECOGNIZED THE SUPERVISOR, PACHECO, THANK YOU, CHAIR.
UM, OF COURSE, YOU KNOW, I'VE SPENT 30 YEARS DRIVING IN PATROL CARS AND SO, UM, STARTING OUT AT EIGHT HOUR SHIFT, BUT NOW IT'S 12 HOUR SHIFT, SO YOU'RE GONNA, UH, AVERAGE DEPUTY'S GONNA SPEND 12 HOURS IN ONE OF THESE PATROL CARS.
SO IT'S NICE TO HAVE, UM, THAT THEY'RE EQUIPPED AND EVERYTHING.
AND, AND I KNOW, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE OUR OFFICE IN MERCED, BUT YOU GET SENT OUT TO A BEAD AND SNELLING OR LIKE LIN OUT AND YOU DON'T HAVE THAT EQUIPMENT, YOU GOTTA DRIVE BACK TO THE OFFICE TO PICK IT UP, TO GO BACK OUT THERE.
SO IT'S NICE, THESE CARS EQUIPPED WITH THE STORAGE SYSTEMS, YOU CAN HAVE ALL THE EQUIPMENT IN THERE AND EVERY CAR IS THE SAME.
SO WHEN YOU JUMP IN A CAR, YOU CAN GO.
UM, SO I THINK IT'S A BIG THING.
'CAUSE THESE ARE THE OFFICES OF, OF OUR DEPUTIES, SO, UH, I'M GLAD THAT THEY'RE GETTING THE EQUIPMENT THAT THEY NEED AND, UH, NOT ONLY TO BE EFFICIENT, BUT TO BE SAFE.
A BIG THANK YOU TO UNITED FLEET SERVICES.
UNIFIED, OH, SORRY, UNIFIED COMPLETE SERVICES.
UH, I KNOW WE HAD MANY DISCUSSIONS BEFORE THIS AND GETTING YOU GUYS IN FRONT OF THE SHERIFF AND UNDERSHERIFF AND APPRECIATE YOUR WORK ON THIS AS WELL.
AT THIS TIME, I'LL GO AHEAD AND OPEN UP FOR PUBLIC COMMENT FOR ITEMS 32 AND 34.
NOW TO ALL OF YOU, I DO HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS ON THIS.
UM, SEEING THAT WE'RE GONNA BE VERY CAREFUL ABOUT BUDGET.
UM, ONE QUESTION WAS, UH, IS THERE AN AVERAGE MILEAGE PER VEHICLE? IS THAT DEPENDENT ON THE RESALE PRICE? THAT'S ONE QUESTION I HAVE.
UM, ALSO, WHAT PERCENTAGE IS RECUPERATED WITH THE RESALE FROM THE ORIGINAL PURCHASE OF THAT VEHICLE? UM, AND I WAS CURIOUS ABOUT THE MAINTENANCE, YOU KNOW, FLAT TIRES, OIL CHANGES, IS THAT PART OF THE UNIFIED FLEET SERVICES, THE MAINTENANCE? IS THAT PART OF IT OR IS THAT A SEPARATE ITEM? UM, AND THEN I I I, I'M NOT REAL CLEAR ON WHAT CATEGORY ONE, CATEGORY TWO, CATEGORY THREE, WHAT THOSE ARE, YOU KNOW, MIGHT BE CLEAR FOR YOU, SUPERVISOR SILVER, BUT I, I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHAT THAT IS.
IS THERE ANY MORE PUBLIC COMMENT? IF NOT, WE'LL GO AHEAD AND CLOSE THE COMMENT, PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD FOR 32 AND 34.
WANT MR. BASSEY TO ANSWER THOSE QUESTIONS? MR. BA YOU WANT TO TOUCH ON THOSE A LITTLE BIT ON THOSE THREE QUESTIONS? UM, YES.
SO, UH, THE FIRST, UM, THE QUESTION, UH, THAT WAS RAISED WAS IN REGARDS TO, UH, THE PERCENTAGE BASIS, UM, THE LIQUIDATION OF THE VEHICLES ALL DEPENDS ON TIMING AND MARKET CONDITIONS THAT, UM, WHAT THE MARKET'S GOING THROUGH.
SO THERE IS ALL THAT, WHAT WHAT CAN BE DONE FROM UNIFIED, UH, IS, UM, THAT THERE'S A PROJECTION OF WHAT WE BELIEVE THAT WOULD YIELD THAT AMOUNT, BUT THERE IS NO GUARANTEE DUE TO MARKET VALUES AND, UH, WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH THE RESALE VALUE OF VEHICLES.
UM, AND THEN THE NEXT QUESTION WAS, UM, WHAT IS OUR, UM, MILEAGE THAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR, UH, THE MILEAGE THAT IDEALLY THAT WE ARE, ARE TARGETING IF IT'S, UH, UH, 60 TO 70,000 MILES AND AT THAT TIME WE RETURN IT BACK.
UM, UM, AND THEN, UH, LASTLY, I BELIEVE IT WAS, UM, THE CATEGORIES.
SO, AND MAINTEN, THE CATEGORIES IS, UH, CATEGORY ONE WAS, UH, FISCAL 25, 26.
CATEGORY TWO IS 26, 27, WHICH WE'RE, UH, MOVING INTO NOW.
AND CATEGORY THREE IS 27, 28, WHICH WOULD BE, UH, FOLLOWING, UH, THE BUDGET FISCAL FOR AFTER THIS ONE THAT WE'RE MOVING INTO NOW.
UM, AND A MAINTENANCE SCHEDULE SHEET.
SO THE MAINTENANCE WILL STILL BE CONTINUED TO BE DONE, UH, BY OUR DPW TEAM.
UH, THEY WORK VERY GREAT WITH US, UH, WITH THIS, UH, IMPLEMENTATION PROCESS.
SO THEY'LL CONTINUE TO MAINTAIN THE CARS WITH OIL CHANGES, UH,
[00:45:01]
AND, AND FLAT TIRES.UM, HOWEVER, THESE VEHICLES, UH, WITHIN THE, THE GOAL AND OBJECTIVE IS WITHIN THESE THREE YEAR, UH, WINDOW, THE VEHICLES ARE STILL UNDER WARRANTY.
SO THE MANUFACTURER WARRANTY WILL STILL BE ACTIVE.
SO IF THERE'S ANY CATASTROPHIC, UH, ISSUE THAT COMES UP WITH THESE VEHICLES, WE JUST, UH, TAKE 'EM RIGHT TO, UH, THE FORD DEALERSHIP OR CHEVY DEALERSHIP OR, UH, WHATEVER TYPE OF VEHICLE WE HAVE ACQUIRED AND, UH, GET THEM, UH, WARRANTY WORK DONE.
AND YOU MIGHT WANT TO SHARE, BEFORE IMPLEMENTING THIS PROGRAM, HOW MANY MILES WOULD WE HAVE ON SOME OF OUR VEHICLES? OH, THERE'S, UH, WE'VE HAD CARS AT 150, A THOUSAND MILES, 132, SOME OF SOME EVEN MORE THAN 150,000 MILES.
SO, UM, THE, BY THE TIME THEY GET TO THE PROGRAM, WE DON'T EVEN HAVE THE EQUIPMENT TO REPLACE.
THEY, THEY'VE ALREADY CHANGED YEAR, YEAR AND OVER SOME EQUIPMENT DOESN'T, UH, FIT INTO THE NEW MODEL 'CAUSE OF JUST THE CHANGE IN BODY, BODY STRUCTURE AND OF, OF THE VEHICLES AND MOVING FORWARD, EVERYBODY, ALL COMPLETELY NEW FLEET FOR THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT, COMPLETELY NEW FLEET FOR THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE CHAIR RECOGNIZES SUPERVISOR SILVERA.
I THINK I'M GONNA ADD ON TO THE CATEGORY PIECE, IS IF YOU THINK ABOUT THERE, IT'S A THREE YEAR PROGRAM.
YOU DON'T WANNA GO BUY ALL NEW VEHICLES IN ONE YEAR BECAUSE THEN THREE YEARS LATER YOU GOTTA BUY ALL NEW VEHICLES AGAIN.
AND SO THE INITIAL CATEGORY WAS LARGER BECAUSE IT WAS REPLACING SOME REALLY, REALLY OLD STUFF AND IT KIND OF GETS YOU OFF THE GROUND.
AND THEN YOU LOOK AT CATEGORY TWO, AND THEN CATEGORY THREE IS SO THAT ONCE THIS GETS INTO A CYCLE, NOW EVERY YEAR YOU'RE, YOU'RE ROTATING OUT A PERCENTAGE OF THE FLEET.
SO YOU NEVER HAVE A COMPLETELY BRAND NEW FLEET, BUT THEN YOU DON'T HAVE A FLEET WITH THE SAME AGE VEHICLE.
SO THAT BREAKING IT INTO CATEGORIES, IT'S BASICALLY YEARS SO THAT OVER THE COURSE OF THREE YEARS, EVERY VEHICLE IN THE FLEET GETS REPLACED.
IS THERE FURTHER COMMENTS OR ANYTHING? OKAY, THEN I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION ON THE SYSTEM.
I HAVE A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR PEDROSO, SECONDED BY, UH, SUPERVISOR RA.
WE'LL GO AHEAD AND CALL FOR THE VOTE RECORD THE VOTE MOTION PASSES.
NEXT, WE HAVE WORKFORCE INVESTMENT ITEMS 35 AND 36.
AT THIS TIME, I'LL OPEN UP PUBLIC COMMENT FOR WORKFORCE INVESTMENT ITEMS 35 THROUGH 36, THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD FOR WORKFORCE INVESTMENT ITEMS 34 THROUGH 36 IS NOW CLOSED.
WE'LL BRING IT BACK TO THE DIAS FOR FURTHER DISCUSSION.
IF NOT, I HAVE A, I DO HAVE A MOTION ON THE FLOOR BY SUPERVISOR RA, SECONDED BY SUPERVISOR PEDROSO.
NEXT WE HAVE COUNTY EXECUTIVE OFFICE ITEM 37.
AT THIS TIME, I'LL OPEN UP PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD FOR EXECUTIVE OFFICE.
ITEM NUMBER 37, THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD FOR, UH, COUNTY EXECUTIVE OFFICE.
BRING IT BACK TO THE DAAS FOR FURTHER DISCUSSION.
IF NOT, I DO HAVE A MOTION ON THE FLOOR BY SUPERVISOR RA, SECONDED BY SUPERVISOR PACHECO.
LET'S CALL FOR THE VOTE RECORD THE VOTE.
NEXT WE HAVE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS ITEMS 38 AND 39.
AT THIS TIME, I'LL OPEN UP PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD FOR THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS.
ITEM 38 AND 39, THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD FOR BOARD OF SUPERVISORS.
BRING IT BACK TO THE DIOCESE FOR FURTHER DISCUSSION.
IF NOT, I WILL CALL FOR A MOTION.
I DO HAVE A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR PEREIRA, SECONDED BY SUPERVISOR PEDROSO.
I'LL CALL FOR THE VOTE RECORD THE VOTE.
NEXT, WE HAVE BOARD APPOINTMENTS, ITEMS 40 AND 41.
AT THIS TIME, I'LL OPEN UP PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD.
FOR ITEMS 40 AND 41, WE WILL CLOSE THE COMMENT, PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD.
FOR ITEMS 40 AND 41, BRING IT BACK TO THE DAAS.
I HAVE A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR PEREIRA, SECONDED BY SUPERVISOR PEDROSO.
WE'LL CALL FOR THE VOTE, WE'LL RECORD THE VOTE.
[BOARD INFORMATION & POSSIBLE ACTION]
HAVE BOARD INFORMATION[00:50:01]
AND POSSIBLE ACTION ITEMS 42 THROUGH 44.AT THIS TIME, I'LL OPEN UP PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD FOR ITEMS 42 AND 44.
OH, PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD FOR 42 AND 44 IS NOW CLOSED.
THE CHAIR DOES RECOGNIZE SUPERVISOR PEDROSO.
I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THE, THE WORK THAT HAS BEEN DONE ON THIS.
YOU KNOW, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I'VE, UH, WANTED TO IMPLEMENT FOR QUITE SOME TIME, AND IT WAS SOMETHING THAT I LEARNED IN ONE OF MY, UH, BILL CHIAT CREDENTIALED CLASSES, UM, ABOUT AI AND, AND HOW IT COULD WORK WITH THE COUNTY AND HOW IT CAN WORK TO MAKE IT MORE EFFICIENT.
AND I I JUST WANTED TO THANK, UM, FIRST AND FOREMOST, I, I'VE, UM, A FORMER COLLEAGUE OF OURS, UH, SUPERVISOR, UH, ZACH FRIEND FROM SANTA CRUZ COUNTY.
HE'S KIND OF KNOWN FOR HIS WORK IN THIS, UH, HIS STUFF.
AND HE WROTE THE POLICY IN, IN SANTA CRUZ COUNTY, AND I WAS TALKING TO HIM AND ASKED HIM IF HE WOULD SEND IT OVER.
AND I WANTED, UH, THANK, UM, UH, MR. DELANEY FOR, FOR REALLY WORKING WITH THAT POLICY AND FINDING THE OTHER POLICIES AND KIND OF COLLABORATING WITH EVERYBODY INVOLVED TO MAKE IT SO THAT IT FITS MERCED COUNTY.
YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT, AND I LEARNED THIS AS A TEACHER, YOU HAVE TO KIND OF GET A LOT OF INFORMATION FROM A LOT OF DIFFERENT AREAS AND WORK WITH THE INFORMATION NOT TO REINVENT THE WHEEL TYPE TYPE OF THING.
AND I THINK THAT THIS IS ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT WE REALLY DID.
AND SO I JUST WANTED TO, UM, UH, THANK, UH, MY, UH, OUR FORMER COLLEAGUE FROM SANTA CRUZ COUNTY AND JUST SHOWS THE COLLABORATIVE NATURE OF, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THESE, UH, CONFERENCES THAT WE GO TO OR THESE ORGANIZATIONS THAT WE'RE A PART OF TO GET THESE IDEAS LIKE THAT.
SO, UM, WHEN IT'S TIME, I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE THE MOTION AND ASK FOR MY COLLEAGUES TO SUPPORT THIS CHAIR.
I TOO WOULD LIKE TO, UH, TO THANK STAFF FOR ALL THE WORK THAT'S BEEN DONE.
UM, I, I DO HAVE A REQUEST AND THAT IS ON THE, UH, STRATEGIC PLAN, OUR PROGRESS REPORT THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE GIVING US WHERE WE ARE WITH EACH OF THE PROJECTS, BUT AT SOME POINT I WOULD LIKE FOR LIKE, ESPECIALLY ON LIKE THE CUSTOMER SERVICE PORTION, I WOULD LIKE FOR US TO GET THE DATA POINTS SO THAT, UH, THAT US AS A BOARD OF SUPERVISORS KNOW IF OUR DEPARTMENTS ARE HEADING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
YOU KNOW, THINGS ARE STATUS QUO OR, UH, THEY'RE BECOMING, UM, NEGATIVE.
SO, UM, I, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WANNA DO THAT LIKE YEARLY OR BI-ANNUALLY OR WHAT, WHAT YOU'D LIKE TO DO, BUT, UH, I, I, I'D LIKE TO SEE THE DATA.
OKAY, I SEE NO FURTHER COMMENTS.
WE'LL GO AHEAD AND ENTERTAIN A MOTION, I THINK.
WE HAVE A MOTION ON THE FLOOR BY SUPERVISOR PEDROSO, SECONDED BY SUPERVISOR PEREIRA.
WE'LL GO AHEAD AND CALL FOR THE VOTE RECORD THE VOTE.
NEXT WE HAVE THE FISCAL YEAR 20 26, 20 27 PROPOSED BUDGET.
I'M GONNA USE CHAIR PREROGATIVE.
WE'RE GONNA TAKE A 10 MINUTE BREAK, AND WE WILL RETURN AT, LET'S RETURN AT 11 O'CLOCK, SO IT'LL BE AN EIGHT MINUTE BREAK,
[FISCAL YEAR 2026-2027 PROPOSED BUDGET]
WE HAVE THE FISCAL YEAR 2026, PROPOSED BUDGET COUNTY EXECUTIVE OFFICER MARK HENDRICKSON WILL NOW INTRODUCE THE PRESENTATION OF THE PROPOSED BUDGET AND PROVIDE OPENING REMARKS.AND, UH, GOOD MORNING MR. CHAIRMAN, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION.
TODAY IS THE FISCAL YEAR 20 26, 20 27, PROPOSED BUDGET.
THIS PROPOSED BUDGET REFLECTS YOUR PRIORITIES AND CONTINUES OUR COMMITMENT TO DELIVERING HIGH QUALITY PUBLIC SERVICES WHILE MAINTAINING THE FISCAL DISCIPLINE NECESSARY TO ENSURE THE LONG-TERM STABILITY OF THIS ORGANIZATION.
AT ITS CORE, THIS BUDGET INVESTS IN THE SERVICES THAT MATTER MOST TO OUR RESIDENTS.
IT CONTINUES TO PRIORITIZE PUBLIC SAFETY SUPPORTS.
COUNTY CRITICAL COUNTY INFRASTRUCTURE AND OPERATIONS STRENGTHENS OUR ABILITY TO SERVE VULNERABLE POPULATIONS AND ADVANCES OUR ONGOING EFFORTS TO PROVIDE EXCEPTIONAL CUSTOMER SERVICE THROUGHOUT THE ORGANIZATION.
IT ALSO REFLECTS OUR COMMITMENT TO BUILDING AND SUSTAINING A HIGH PERFORMING COUNTY GOVERNMENT CAPABLE OF BEATING BOTH TODAY'S CHALLENGES AND TOMORROW'S OPPORTUNITIES.
NOW, WITH THIS BUDGET FUNDS AND IMPORTANT PRIORITIES, IT DOES SO WITH A CLEAR RECOGNITION OF THE SIGNIFICANT POLITICAL HEADWINDS THAT LIE AHEAD.
ONGOING DISCUSSIONS AT BOTH THE FEDERAL AND STATE LEVELS REGARDING HEALTHCARE, SOCIAL SERVICES, PUBLIC ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS, AND OTHER SAFETY NET PROGRAMS HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO CREATE SUBSTANTIAL IMPACTS FOR COUNTIES THROUGHOUT THE STATE.
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STATE CONTINUES TO FACE THEIR OWN BUDGETARY PRESSURES THAT MAY ULTIMATELY AFFECT COUNTY REVENUES AND PROGRAM FUNDING IN WAYS THAT ARE NOT YET FULLY KNOWN.BECAUSE OF THESE CERTAIN UNCERTAINTIES, THIS PROPOSED BUDGET REFLECTS A CAUTIOUS AND MEASURED APPROACH.
WE HAVE RESISTED THE TEMPTATION TO MAKE DECISIONS BASED SOLELY ON CURRENT REVENUES, AND INSTEAD OF FOCUSED ON LONG-TERM SUSTAINABILITY, A KEY COMPONENT OF THAT STRATEGY IS OUR CONTINUED COMMITMENT TO INVESTING IN COUNTY RESERVES.
THIS PROPOSED BUDGET CONTINUES TO ALLOCATE RESOURCES TOWARD RESERVES AND FISCAL SAFEGUARDS, RECOGNIZING THAT STRONG RESERVES ARE NOT SIMPLY A FINANCIAL BEST PRACTICE.
THEY'RE ESSENTIAL TO PROTECTING CRITICAL COUNTY SERVICES DURING PERIODS OF AN OF ECONOMIC VOLATILITY AND UNCERTAINTY.
THIS BETTER ENSURES THAT WE'LL BE POSITIONED TO RESPOND TO UNFORESEEN CHALLENGES WITHOUT COMPROMISING SERVICE DELIVERY.
THIS PROPOSED BUDGET ALSO REFLECTS A MULTI-YEAR PERSPECTIVE RATHER THAN A SINGLE YEAR SOLUTION.
WE RECOGNIZE THAT RESPONSIBLE BUDGETING REQUIRES LOOKING BEYOND THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR.
EVERY INVESTMENT STAFFING REQUESTS AND EXPENDITURE RECOMMENDATION HAS BEEN EVALUATED THROUGH THE LENS OF SUSTAINABILITY AND ORGANIZATIONAL CAPACITY.
THIS APPROACH ALLOWS US TO CONTINUE MAKING PROGRESS ON BOARD PRIORITIES WHILE PROTECTING THE COUNTY'S FINANCIAL HEALTH OVER THE LONG TERM.
AS WE PRESENT THE PROPOSED BUDGET THIS MORNING, THE COUNTY CONTINUES TO NAVIGATE AN ECONOMIC ENVIRONMENT CHARACTERIZED BY PERSISTENT INFLATIONARY PRESSURES, ELEVATED COST, AND ONGOING UNCERTAINTY IN GLOBAL MARKETS.
WHILE INFLATION HAS MODERATED FROM ITS PEAK LEVELS OF RECENT YEARS, CONSUMER PRICES REMAIN SIGNIFICANTLY ABOVE PRE PANDEMIC LEVELS, AND MANY OF THE GOODS AND SERVICES RELIED UPON BY LOCAL GOVERNMENTS CONTINUE TO EXPERIENCE SUBSTANTIAL COST ESCALATION.
RECENT GEOPOLITICAL INSTABILITY, INCLUDING CONFLICTS ABROAD AND RESULTING DISRUPTIONS IN GLOBAL ENERGY MARKETS, HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO SIGNIFICANT INCREASES IN OIL PRICES DRIVING HIGHER FUEL, ASPHALT CONSTRUCTION MATERIAL, AND TRANSPORTATION COSTS THROUGHOUT THE ECONOMY.
AND ALTHOUGH RECENT DIPLOMATIC DEVELOPMENTS HAVE EASED SOME PRESSURE ON OIL MARKETS, FUEL PRICES HAVE REMAINED ELEVATED COMPARED TO HISTORICAL NORMS AND CONTINUE TO IMPACT COUNTY OPERATIONS, PARTICULARLY ROAD MAINTENANCE, PUBLIC SAFETY, TRANSIT AND FLEET OPERATIONS DIMENSIONS, JUST A FEW.
THESE INFLATIONARY PRESSURES EXTEND WELL BEYOND FUEL.
HOWEVER, AS HIGHER TRANSPORTATION AND PRODUCTION COSTS HAVE INCREASED THE PRICE OF NEARLY EVERY COMMODITY PURCHASED BY THE COUNTY, FROM CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS TO EQUIPMENT TO ALSO CONTRACTED SERVICES.
SO THIS IS ALL TO SAY THAT MERCED COUNTY, LIKE ALL COUNTIES, ARE NOT IMMUNE TO INFLATION, AND THE OVERALL COST OF DELIVERING SERVICES IS GOING UP.
AND AT THE SAME TIME, HOUSEHOLDS CONTINUE TO CONTEND WITH HISTORICALLY HIGH LEVELS OF CREDIT CARD DEBT AND REDUCED PURCHASING POWER, RESULTING IN A MORE CAUTIOUS CONSUMER SPENDING PATTERN THAT CAN AFFECT SALES TAX GROWTH AND BROADER ECONOMIC ACTIVITY.
SO IN DEVELOPING THIS BUDGET, STAFF HAS REMAINED FOCUSED ON MAINTAINING FISCAL DISCIPLINE WHILE PROTECTING ESSENTIAL SERVICES AND PRESERVING THE COUNTY'S LONG-TERM FINANCIAL STABILITY.
I'M PARTICULARLY PROUD THAT THIS BUDGET CONTINUES TO SUPPORT THE DEDICATED PUBLIC SERVANTS, UH, THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY WHO DELIVER SERVICES TO OUR COMMUNITY EVERY SINGLE DAY ACROSS ALL DEPARTMENTS.
OUR EMPLOYEES REMAIN THE DRIVING FORCE BEHIND THE WORK THAT WE DO, AND THIS BUDGET SEEKS TO PROVIDE THE RESOURCES NECESSARY FOR THEM TO CONTINUE SERVING OUR RESIDENTS EFFECTIVELY AND EFFICIENTLY.
NOW, NONE OF THIS WOULD BE POSSIBLE WITHOUT THE LEADERSHIP OF THIS BOARD.
THE HARD WORK OF OUR DEPARTMENT HEADS, OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS, AND I WOULD LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE OUR AUDITOR CONTROLLER FOR HER HELP AND ASSISTANCE IN DEVELOPING THIS BUDGET.
ALSO WOULD LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE OUR MANY EMPLOYEES WHO CONTRIBUTED TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE BUDGET AS WELL.
THEIR EFFORTS REFLECT A SHARED COMMITMENT TO STEWARDSHIP, ACCOUNTABILITY, AND SERVICE TO THE PEOPLE OF THIS COUNTY.
SO, IN CLOSING, THE PROPOSED BUDGET IS BALANCED.
IT'S FISCALLY DISCIPLINED AND STRATEGICALLY ALIGNED WITH THE PRIORITIES OF THIS BOARD.
IT INVESTS IN PUBLIC SAFETY, PROTECTS ESSENTIAL SERVICES, STRENGTHENS RESERVES, AND PREPARES THE COUNTY FOR THE UNCERTAINTIES THAT MAY ARISE FROM STATE AND FEDERAL ACTIONS.
MOST IMPORTANTLY, IT REPRESENTS A THOUGHTFUL APPROACH TO ENSURING THAT MERCED COUNTY REMAINS FISCALLY AND FINANCIALLY STRONG AND WELL POSITIONED TO CONTINUE OUR PURSUIT OF BECOMING THE HIGHEST PERFORMING COUNTY IN CALIFORNIA.
AT THIS POINT, I'D LIKE TO TURN IT OVER TO ASSISTANT CEO, DAVID MARIANI, WHO'S GOING TO WALK YOU THROUGH TODAY'S PRESENTATION.
AND THEREFORE, SIR AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD RESPECTFULLY SUBMIT TO YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION.
THE FISCAL YEAR 26 27 PROPOSED BUDGET, MR. MARIANI.
APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT TODAY'S 26 27 PROPOSED BUDGET.
THE, SO THE OVERALL BUDGET REPRESENTS A $1.2 BILLION APPROPRIATION.
THAT'S YOUR SPENDING AUTHORITY OF WHICH 350.2 MILLION IS MADE UP FROM OUR OTHER FUNDS, WHICH REPRESENTS A $39.3 MILLION INCREASE OVER OUR ADOPTED BUDGET OF THE 25 26 YEAR AND
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AN $846.4 MILLION APPROPRIATION FOR OUR GENERAL FUND.AND THAT REPRESENTS A $33.8 MILLION INCREASE.
AND OVERALL, COLLECTIVELY, OUR OTHER FUNDS REPRESENT 29% OF THE OVERALL BUDGET WITH OUR GENERAL FUND REPRESENTING 71% FOR OUR REVENUES THAT OFFSET THAT SPENDING.
YOU'LL SEE OUR GENERAL FUND DEPARTMENT REVENUE IS BUDGETED AT 620.2 MILLION.
AND THOSE ARE THE FUNDS THAT OUR DEPARTMENTS BRING IN TO OPERATE PROGRAMS, UH, THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY.
THOSE REVENUES ARE UP 27.6 MILLION AND REPRESENT 73 POINT OR 73% OF OUR REVENUE FOR THIS YEAR'S BUDGET.
OUR NET COUNTY COST OVERALL FOR THE GENERAL FUND IS 226 MILLION, AND THAT'S UP 6.1 MILLION AS COMPARED TO THE 25 26 ADOPTED BUDGET.
SO THOSE ARE OUR, AS YOU'LL HEAR US SAY, OUR DISCRETIONARY DOLLARS THAT WE BRING TO THE TABLE TO, TO BALANCE THE BUDGET OF WHICH 150.1 IS OUR GENERAL PURPOSE REVENUE.
THOSE ARE THE DOLLARS WE EXPECT TO RECEIVE IN THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR.
THAT IS UP MODESTLY BY 7.7, UH, MILLION DOLLARS.
AND THEN OUR ESTIMATED FUND BALANCE FOR THE GENERAL FUND IS BUDGETED AT $76 MILLION.
UM, AND THAT IS A REDUCTION FROM THE ADOPTED BUDGET OF $1.6 MILLION.
YOU MAY REMEMBER A HANDFUL OF MONTHS AGO, WE WERE BEFORE YOU WITH A MID-YEAR UPDATE WHERE THAT PROJECTED SHORTFALL WAS IN THE, IN THE MID $14 MILLION RANGE DUE TO THE HARD WORK OF OUR, NOT ONLY OUR, OUR INTERNAL BUDGET TEAM, BUT ALL OF THE DEPARTMENTS AND THEIR FISCAL STAFF WERE ABLE TO IDENTIFY, UM, SOME, SOME, UM, REFINE OUR PROJECTIONS AND GO THROUGH AND, AND REFINE OUR REVENUE PROJECTIONS AND OUR EXPENDITURE PROJECTIONS AND GET THAT DOWN TO A $1.6 MILLION, UH, REDUCTION.
SOME OF OUR INCREASES IN OUR OTHER FUNDS ARE RELATED TO, UM, SOME OF OUR BIG PROJECTS THAT YOU'VE HEARD US TALK ABOUT THROUGHOUT, UH, THE YEARS, ESPECIALLY, UM, IN RELATION TO CASTLE WITH OUR INLAND PORT PROJECT.
UM, THOSE APPROPRIATIONS ARE BEING BUDGETED TO GET THAT WORK STARTED.
AS WELL AS, UM, SOME WORK WITH THE TRAINING FACILITY WITH CAL FIRE, AS WELL AS, UM, SOME FUNDING BEING APPROPRIATED FOR THE NIGHT O FIRE STATION.
YOU'VE HAD THOSE ITEMS COME BEFORE YOU, AS WELL AS, UM, ONGOING COSTS AS WE COMPLETE OUR JAIL PROJECT.
AND THEN IN THE GENERAL FUND, WE DO HAVE INCREASES AND, AND, UM, IN REGARDS TO PERSONNEL, OUR, UM, SALARY AND BENEFIT COSTS THAT WERE NEGOTIATED, THOSE ARE TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION THROUGHOUT ALL FUNDS AND, AND IN THE GENERAL FUND AS WELL, AS WELL AS CREEK PROJECTS.
UM, WE ARE DOING SIGNIFICANT WORK, UH, 27 DIFFERENT SITE REPAIRS AND, AND BANK REPAIRS AS WELL AS, UM, INCREASES FOR IN THE SHERIFF'S OPERATION IN CORRECTION.
WE'LL TALK ABOUT THAT WHEN WE GET TO THE POSITIONS.
AS YOU KNOW, THE, WITH THE OPENING OF THE NEW JAIL, THERE ARE SOME RELATED POSITIONS THAT NEED TO BE CONSIDERED WITH THAT FOR OPERATIONS.
AND THEN IN REDUCTIONS WE DO HAVE, UM, SOME IN AND, UM, THE ACTUAL CONSTRUCTION PIECE, UM, IN THE GENERAL FUND FOR THE JAIL PROJECT, AS WELL AS A SLIGHT, UH, DECREASE IN OUR MATCH FOR HSA.
SO FOR OUR NET COUNTY COST ADJUSTMENTS FROM UH, LA OR THIS CURRENT FISCAL YEAR TO, UM, THIS FISCAL YEAR, YOU'RE SEEING A COUNTYWIDE REVENUE INCREASE OF JUST SHY OF $7.7 MILLION WITH THAT FUND BALANCE REDUCTION OF, UM, 1.545.
AND SO THAT NETS OUT TO $6.1 MILLION.
AND THEN WHAT WE SHOW IS THE BUDGET ADJUSTMENTS.
SO WE HAVE SOME PERSONNEL COST ADJUSTMENTS, THE CORRECTION PERSONNEL COSTS, YOUR INCREASE IN JAIL, UH, MEDICAL AS WELL AS CREEK PROJECTS.
UH, SOME INCREASE FOR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS.
OUR PROPERTY INSURANCE PREMIUMS HAVE GONE UP.
OUR PUBLIC SAFETY RADIO PROJECT, UH, WE HAVE AN ADJUSTMENT THERE OF 536,000 AS WELL, OR AS, I'M SORRY, 526 OUR ISF ALLOCATIONS.
SO WE HAVE GONE THROUGH A PROCESS, UM, OF LOOKING AT OUR INTERNAL SERVICE RATES.
THOSE CHANGES ARE INCLUDED HERE.
WE WORKED WITH A CONSULTANT ON THAT DURING THE FISCAL YEAR.
OTHER DEPARTMENTAL ADJUSTMENTS, THOSE ARE JUST MINOR ADJUSTMENTS THROUGHOUT ALL OF THE DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS.
AND THEN, UM, REDUCED CONTRIBUTION ON THE JAIL PROJECT.
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WINDS DOWN, YOU'RE GONNA SEE LESS CONTRIBUTIONS TOWARDS IT AS IT FINISHES.UM, AND THEN AGAIN, UH, THE REDUCED LOCAL COST SHARE FOR THE HUMAN SERVICE AGENCY.
SO OVERALL ON THE BUDGET OVERVIEW, WE TAKE THAT OVERALL $1.2 MILLION BUDGET AND YOU HAVE A BREAKDOWN.
YOUR 350.2, THAT IS YOUR OTHER FUNDS, AND THEN YOUR 846.6 MILLION, THOSE ARE, THAT'S YOUR GENERAL FUND.
AND THEN WHAT THAT PIE CHART TO THE RIGHT INDICATES IS OF THAT 71%, THAT 846 MILLION, UM, WHERE ARE, HOW, HOW IS THAT BEING FUNDED? HOW ARE THOSE SERVICES BEING FUNDED? SO 620, UH, MILLION DOLLARS THAT COMES IN FROM YOUR DEPARTMENTAL REVENUES.
SO MANY OF OUR DEPARTMENTS PROVIDE SERVICES, UM, YOU KNOW, YOUR BEHAVIORAL HEALTH, YOUR HUMAN SERVICES AGENCIES, THEY'LL PROVIDE THOSE SERVICES AGAINST, AND THEN THEY DRAW DOWN THOSE REVENUES, UM, TO, TO OFFSET THOSE COSTS AS THEY PROVIDE THEM IN THE COMMUNITY.
OUR OVERALL GENERAL PURPOSE REVENUE, WHAT WE ARE BUDGETED TO RECEIVE, UM, NEXT YEAR IS AT $150.1 MILLION IN THE GENERAL FUND, AND THEN USING AN AVAILABLE FUND BALANCE OF $76 MILLION.
IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT ON THE 620.5, UH, MILLION DOLLARS WITH GRANT REVENUES, DIFFERENT, YOU KNOW, MEDI-CAL BILLING, DIFFERENT TYPES OF PROGRAMS THAT IS NOT DISCRETIONARY.
SO WE ACTUALLY RECEIVE THOSE, THOSE REVENUES TO OFFSET A PARTICULAR SERVICE THAT WE WANT TO, THAT WE ARE PROVIDING IN THE COMMUNITY.
WE CANNOT GO INTO THOSE, UH, REVENUE STREAMS AND USE THEM TO, YOU KNOW, IMPROVE A PARK OR THOSE TYPES OF THINGS.
SO THE USE OF FUNDS OVERALL, HOW ARE THESE DOLLARS BEING APPROPRIATED? SO ACROSS ALL FUNDS, YOUR PROPOSED BUDGET, $398 MILLION, YOU HAVE AN INCREASE OF $14.2 MILLION, AND THAT MAKES UP ABOUT A THIRD OF THE BUDGET.
THAT DOES INCLUDE, UM, AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, ESTIMATED WAGE INCREASES.
UM, SOME POSITION CHANGES THAT WE'LL SPEAK TO, UM, IN A FEW SLIDES, YOUR SERVICES AND SUPPLIES, THAT IS UP BY 19.1 MILLION.
ACCOUNTED FOR ROUGHLY 27% OF THE BUDGET.
WE HAVE THAT BUDGETED AT, UH, 322 MILLION.
UH, WE DO HAVE A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN OUR LIABILITY INSURANCE.
UM, YOU'LL SEE, YOU KNOW, JUST THE COST OF INSURANCE KEEPS RISING.
UM, THAT'S AT ABOUT A $5 MILLION INCREASE ACROSS ALL FUNDS.
UM, AND THEN, UH, WE DO HAVE SOME OTHER INCREASES EMBEDDED THROUGHOUT.
UM, WE SPOKE ABOUT, UM, SOME JAIL COSTS ON THE, UM, FOR YOUR JAIL, MEDICAL JAIL.
MEDICAL CONTINUES TO RISE, UM, AS WELL AS, UM, SOME INTERNAL SERVICE CHARGES AND COSTS ASSOCIATED IN BEHAVIORAL HEALTH.
WITH THE IMPLEMENTATION OF BHSA, UM, YOUR CONTINUUM OF CARE DOES HAVE SOME INCREASES OF ABOUT $1.4 MILLION.
AGAIN, THOSE ARE, UM, INCREASES BUT HAVE OFFSETTING REVENUES THAT DO COME IN AGAINST THAT.
UM, AND THEN ON OUR, UM, OTHER CHARGES, YOU'LL SEE THERE THAT, UM, WE DO HAVE AN INCREASE OF ABOUT FOUR AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS, REPRESENTING 14.4% OF THE OVERALL BUDGET.
THAT'S BUDGETED AT 172 MILLION OF WHICH, UM, YOU DO HAVE AN INCREASE THERE ON THE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SIDE AS WELL AS, UM, YOUR MEASURE, UH, V UH, DEBT SERVICE IS BAKED IN THERE.
SO, AS YOU MAY REMEMBER, WE BROUGHT YOU AN ITEM, UM, MONTHS AGO TO DO SOME ROAD PROJECTS AND TO FINANCE THOSE.
SO YOUR DEBT SERVICE IS INCLUDED THERE AND IS BUDGETED THROUGHOUT THE BUDGET.
UM, YOUR TRANSFERS AT A REDUCTION OF 2.7 MILLION.
AND SO, UM, THAT IS PRIMARILY DUE TO GENERAL FUND CONTRIBUTIONS BEING, UH, FOR THE JAIL PROJECT BEING SPENT DOWN, HAS THAT PROJECT APPROACHES COMPLETION.
UM, OUR CAPITAL ASSETS, YOU'RE SEEING THAT AT ABOUT $41 MILLION INCREASE OR A $272.7 MILLION, AND THAT'S A 22.8% OF OUR OVERALL SPEND.
UM, PRIMARILY THAT IS IN OUR, UM, YOU KNOW, YOUR PROJECT AT CASTLE THAT WE DISCUSSED.
YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE, UM, YOUR ROADS AND BRIDGES THROUGHOUT.
SO AGAIN, WE TALKED ABOUT MEASURE V THAT WILL BE IN THERE AS WELL AS, UH, YOUR, YOUR, UH, TRAINING FACILITY THAT WE SPOKE ABOUT EARLIER.
AND THEN YOUR CONTINGENCIES, THAT DOES COME DOWN JUST SHY OF $3 MILLION.
UM, SIX AND A HALF MILLION OF THAT IS YOUR GENERAL FUND CONTINGENCY THAT WE'VE HAD BUDGETED AT THAT LEVEL
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FOR MANY YEARS.AND SO YOUR OFFSET THAT YOU'RE SEEING THAT REDUCTION IS AS THE JAIL PROJECT STARTS TO WIND DOWN, AND YOU HAVE SOME SLIGHT CONTINGENCIES IN SOME OF THE OTHER FUNDS, BUT PRIMARILY THAT IS GOING TO BE YOUR, YOUR GENERAL FUND CONTINGENCY.
SO FOR SOURCE OF FUNDS, SO WE TALKED ABOUT HOW WE'RE SPENDING THE DOLLARS.
NOW WE'LL TALK ABOUT WHERE THOSE DOLLARS ARE COMING IN FROM YOUR AID FROM OTHER GOVERNMENT AGENCIES.
SO THAT'S BUDGETED AT 592.3 MILLION OR AN INCREASE OF 11.8.
AND THE COLUMN TWO, THE RIGHT.
WHAT THAT DOES IS THAT SHOWS OVERALL WHEN THOSE DOLLARS COME IN, WHERE OUR DISCRETIONARY, UH, ABILITY IS WITHIN THOSE FUNDS.
AND SO YOU'LL SEE THERE THAT THAT'S, UM, 2.2 MILLION.
SO, UM, A PRIMARY, PRIMARILY WHERE THOSE AID FROM GOVERNMENT AGENCIES, THAT'S GONNA BE YOUR PASS THROUGH GRANTS.
YOUR, YOU KNOW, YOUR BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SERVICES, YOUR MEDICAL SERVICES, A LOT OF THE, THE, THE WORK THAT YOUR HSA, YOUR PUBLIC HEALTH, YOUR, UH, BEHAVIORAL HEALTH, YOUR DW, YOUR DEPARTMENT OF WORKFORCE INVESTMENT, THAT'S WHERE THOSE DOLLARS ARE GONNA FLOW THROUGH.
AND THEN THEY HAVE OFFSETTING EXPENSES.
THE SLIGHT 2.2 THAT WE HAVE, THE ABILITY TO PROGRAM, THAT'S GONNA COME THROUGH YOUR PUBLIC ASSISTANCE REALIGNMENT AS WELL AS YOUR STATE HOMEOWNER'S PROPERTY TAX RELIEF, WHICH IS A MUCH SMALLER AMOUNT.
THAT 2.2, YOUR TAXES, THAT'S PRIMARILY YOUR SOURCE OF YOUR DISCRETIONARY FUNDING THAT IS BUDGETED AT 191, UH, $0.7 MILLION, AN INCREASE OF 18.7.
AND OF THAT 134.8 IS DISCRETIONARY, UM, ON YOUR OTHER RE REVENUES.
SO THAT'S, UH, YOUR TRANSFERS IN.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE SOME SLIGHT CATEGORIES WHERE, YOU KNOW, MAYBE THEY'RE, THEY'RE SMALL AND THEY, THEY, THEY FIT THERE.
UM, THAT'S YOUR, YOUR CATCHALL FOR YOUR ONE-OFFS.
YOUR VERY SMALL, UH, ACCOUNTS THAT'S BUDGETED AT 130, UH, $0.7 MILLION OR AN INCREASE OF 26.7.
AGAIN, UM, 0.2 MILLION OR $200,000 IS, IS ALLOWED FOR DISCRETIONARY USE YOUR CHARGES FOR SERVICE.
SO THAT IS BUDGETED AT $109 MILLION OR $20.4 MILLION INCREASE.
AGAIN, VERY SMALL DISCRETIONARY USE.
UM, 68% OF THAT COMES FROM BEHAVIORAL HEALTH, UM, GRANT REIMBURSEMENTS OR FROM YOUR MEDI-CAL BILLING.
UM, SO YOU DO HAVE SOME BILLING THERE AS WELL.
SO COLLECTIVELY, THROUGH YOUR AID FOR GOVERNMENT AGENCIES OR YOUR CHARGES FOR SERVICE, THAT'S WHERE YOU'RE PRIMARILY SEEING A LOT OF YOUR SUBVENTED DEPARTMENTS, AS WE CALL THEM, UM, BEING FUNDED.
UM, YOU DO HAVE, UM, THE, THE DISCRETIONARY AREA THERE, THAT'S PRIMARILY DUE TO WHAT'S KNOWN AS YOUR COST PLAN.
UH, YOU HAVE YOUR SUPPORT DEPARTMENTS OUT THERE, AND SO THOSE SUPPORT DEPARTMENTS WILL BILL BACK THE OTHER DEPARTMENTS.
SO, YOU KNOW, YOU WE'RE OPERATING PROGRAMS ON BEHALF OF THE STATE, AND, UH, BUT YET WE'RE RUNNING PAYROLL FOR ALL OF THOSE SET EMPLOYEES.
AND, YOU KNOW, WE, WE HAVE AN AGENDA HERE TODAY, THOSE TYPES OF SERVICES.
SO YOUR SERVICE DEPARTMENTS THAT ACTUALLY SUPPORT YOUR, YOUR, UM, YOUR WHOLE COUNTY, UM, THEY ACTUALLY WILL BILL BACK AND, AND THAT GETS, UM, CALCULATED HERE.
AND THEN YOUR LICENSES AND PERMITS.
UM, THAT ALSO INCLUDES ANY OF YOUR, UM, FRANCHISE FEES THAT, THAT ARE, UM, COLLECTED.
THAT'S BUDGETED AT 9.8 MILLION.
A SLIGHT INCREASE OF 0.4 MILLION WITH, UM, TWO AND A HALF MILLION OF THAT BEING DISCRETIONARY FOR YOUR USE OF, UH, MONEY AND PROPERTY.
I'M SORRY, I SKIPPED THAT ONE.
UM, THAT ONE IS AT 13 MILLION.
UH, AN INCREASE OF 1.1 AND, UM, OF THAT ABOUT HALF OR 5.5 MILLION IS DISCRETIONARY.
THINK OF YOUR USE OF MONEY AND PROPERTY AS THE INTEREST EARNINGS THAT COME THROUGH.
UM, YOU HAD AT YOUR LAST MEETING, OUR, UH, TREASURE TAX COLLECTOR CAME UP AND GAVE COMMENTS ABOUT THE INVESTMENT REPORT FOR THE THIRD QUARTER.
THOSE INVESTMENT EARNINGS, UM, GET SPREAD ACROSS THE DIFFERENT FUNDS IN A PRORATED FASHION.
AND THEN THOSE DOLLARS COME IN AND SOME OF IT IS, IS ALLOWED TO BE USED DISCRETION THROUGH DISCRETIONARY FUNDS, BUT SOME WILL NOT BE BECAUSE THE ORIGINAL SOURCE OF THOSE FUNDS HAD A DEDICATED PURPOSE.
SO THE INTEREST THEN ROLLS BACK IN AND SUPPORTS THOSE DEDICATED, UH, SERVICES.
AND THEN YOUR FINES, FORFEITURES AND PENALTIES THAT IS BUDGETED, UM, THIS YEAR AT 7.4 MILLION.
A VERY SLIGHT INCREASE OF ABOUT 300,000 OF WHICH 1.8 MILLION IS, UM, DISCRETIONARY.
SO OVERALL TOTAL REVENUE OF, UM, 1 BILLION AND, UH, 53,000
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OF WHICH YOU SEE AN INCREASE THERE OF, UH, 79.4 MILLION.AND THEN, UM, TOTAL DISCRETIONARY OF ALL THAT REVENUE THAT'S COMING IN IS THAT 151.1 THAT WE SPOKE ABOUT BEFORE.
AND YOUR FUND BALANCE, SO WHAT YOU'RE BRINGING FORWARD OF, OF WHAT YOU HAVE AVAILABLE, UM, FROM WHAT YOU HAVEN'T SPENT THIS YEAR, YOU MAY HAVE SOME SAVINGS YOU BRING THAT FORWARD.
AND WE'LL GET INTO HOW THE FUND BALANCE IS BROKEN DOWN IN, IN A FEW SLIDES.
SO OVERALL, TOTAL, TOTAL, UH, FUNDING SOURCES.
SO THAT'S THE OVERALL, UM, BUDGET IS YOUR 1.19, 6.6 OF WHICH $73 MILLION INCREASE.
AND OF THAT, WE ARE USING $226.1 MILLION OF DISCRETIONARY FUNDS TO BALANCE THE BUDGET, YOUR BUDGET GROWTH, UH, PROJECTION.
SO WHAT THIS IS SHOWING IS GOING BACK TO, UH, 20 15, 20 16, AND ALL THE WAY UP TO YOUR PROPOSED BUDGET THAT'S IN FRONT OF YOU TODAY.
AND WHAT THIS IS SHOWING IS THAT OUR OVERALL SPENDING AUTHORITY HAS INCREASED BY 123%, UM, OR ABOUT $660 MILLION.
HOWEVER, OUR VARIOUS REVENUES THAT COME THROUGH TO SUPPORT THAT, UM, HAVE GROWN BY, UH, 492.3 MILLION OR 120 UH, PERCENT, BUT OUR COUNTYWIDE REVENUE, AND THAT'S THAT LINE AT THE BOTTOM.
SO THAT BLUE LINE, THAT'S THAT 150.1, THAT'S OUR DISCRETIONARY DOLLARS THAT WE, THAT WE BRING IN, THAT'S AT 150.1.
SO YOU COULD SEE THAT GROWTH, THAT'S MORE OF YOUR STEADY GROWTH THAT COMES THROUGH, THAT'S AT 92% OVER THE, OVER THESE LAST YEARS.
SO AS YOU CAN SEE, YOU'LL SEE SOME OF THE, THE OVERALL GROWTH DURING, YOU KNOW, THE COVID TIME PERIOD WHERE YOU HAD A LOT OF NEW SPENDING THAT WAS RELATED TO THE PANDEMIC.
BUT A LOT OF SERVICES THAT WE ARE PROVIDING ON BEHALF OF THE STATE HAVE, UH, MAINTAINED HIGHER SPENDING LEVELS.
AND SO THAT'S WHERE YOU'RE SEEING, UM, THAT, THAT SPENDING RISE.
SO OUR APPROPRIATIONS AND OFFSETTING FUNDING BY FUNCTIONAL AREA.
SO WHAT THIS CHART DOES IS YOU TAKE THE 1.2, I'LL CALL IT, UH, BILLION DOLLAR OF APPROPRIATION.
SO WHAT IS OUR, OUR, WHERE ARE WE SPENDING THESE DOLLARS BY FUNCTION? AND THIS IS OF ALL FUNDS.
AND SO IN THIS SLIDE, YOU'RE SHOWING 533.3 MILLION ON THE HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICE SIDE, BUT TO THE RIGHT, THAT'S SHOWING THE OFFSETTING FUNDING.
SO THERE YOU'RE AT 524.3, SO YOU SEE A SLIGHT, UM, IMBALANCE THERE.
AND TYPICALLY WHAT THAT IS, IS, UM, MANY OF THESE PROGRAMS THAT WE OPERATE ON BEHALF OF THE STATE HAVE A LOCAL MATCH, WE'LL CALL IT REQUIREMENTS.
SO WE ARE PROVIDING THESE SERVICES, BUT WE HAVE TO PUT A LITTLE BIT OF OUR DISCRETIONARY MONEY INTO, INTO THOSE PROGRAMS TO HELP MAKE THEM WHOLE ON THE MUNICIPAL AND COUNTYWIDE SERVICES.
SO THAT'S REPRESENTING 26%, UM, OF THE TOTAL SPEND AT 311, UH, $0.4 MILLION OF WHICH 238.6 MILLION IN DEDICATED REVENUE, WHICH SUPPORTS THOSE ACTIVITIES.
SO THEN THERE WE'RE LOOKING AT $76 MILLION OVERALL, THAT, UM, IS COVERED VIA NET COUNTY COST OR USING FUND BALANCE.
AND SO, UM, ON OUR LOCAL PUBLIC SAFETY SIDE, SO THAT'S YOUR, YOUR GRAY SLICE THERE, THAT'S AT 196.2 MILLION OR 16% OF WHICH WE HAVE OFFSETTING REVENUE OF 74 MILLION.
SO THAT COULD BE GRANTS THAT COME IN TO OFFSET ACTIVITIES.
AND SO, UM, OF THAT, THAT WE HAVE TO THEN BRING THAT DELTA IN.
AND SO OF THAT, YOUR NET COUNTY COST IS 122.2 MILLION, AND THAT'S THE, THAT'S THE LARGEST PORTION OF DISCRETIONARY FUNDS THAT, THAT WE HAVE TO USE TO OFFSET.
AND THE PRIMARY FUNDING SOURCE IN THESE AREAS IS AB 1 0 9 AS WELL AS, AND PROP 1 72 ON THE, UM, SUPPORT SERVICES SIDE, THAT FUNCTIONAL AREA REPRESENTS 13% OR 155.7, UH, MILLION DOLLARS WITH AN OFFSETTING REVENUE OF, UH, $66.6 MILLION.
AND SO THE DEPARTMENT, BASICALLY, THE MAJORITY OF THESE OFFSETTING REVENUES ARE, UM, SOURCES RELATED TO CIPS AND GRANT AWARDS THAT COME IN AND FUNDING FROM OUR CEMENTED DEPARTMENTS.
UM, AND THEN FINALLY THAT DELTA OF WHAT WE
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STILL NEED TO BRING FORWARD TO MAKE THE PIE ON THE LEFT HOLE.THAT'S, THAT'S WHERE WE BRING, YOU SEE THE TWO, UH, THE PURPLE AND THE GREEN, UH, PIECES OF THE PIE THERE ON THE RIGHT.
THAT'S YOUR DISCRETIONARY FUNDING OF 150.1, WHICH IS WHAT WE ARE BUDGETING TO BRING IN A NEW DISCRETIONARY REVENUE FOR NEXT YEAR.
AND THEN 76, UH, MILLION DOLLARS OF FUND BALANCE.
AND THEN THAT FINAL, UH, PINK SLICE, THAT'S $67 MILLION OF OTHER FUNDS FUND BALANCE.
SO YOU, YOU, YOU'LL BRING OTHER FUNDING BALANCE IN FOR, YOU KNOW, YOU COULD HAVE A PARTICULAR ROAD PROJECT THAT YOU KNOW, THOSE, THEY'VE BROUGHT IN REVENUES, THAT FUND BALANCE HAS GROWN, THEY'VE GROWN THE ACCOUNT.
NOW THEY'RE GONNA DO A LARGE SCALE PROJECT AND THEY'RE GONNA BRING THAT TO THE TABLE TO, TO FUND THE PROJECT.
SO WHAT THIS SLIDE DEPICTS HERE, THIS IS OUR APPROPRIATIONS WITH GENERAL PURPOSE REVENUE REQUIREMENTS ACROSS ALL FUNDS.
AND SO WHAT THIS DOES IS THIS GOES BACK FOR A MULTI-YEAR REVIEW.
IT GOES BACK, UM, A TOTAL OF, UH, THREE BUDGET YEARS PLUS THE PROPOSED AND THEN BREAKS IT DOWN BY THOSE CATEGORIES.
AND SO IT, LIKE, IF WE LOOK TO YOUR, YOUR FIRST SET OF, OF BARS THERE, THAT'S YOUR SUPPORT SERVICES AND CIP FUNCTION.
AND WHAT THAT'S SHOWING IS, IS THE LARGER BAR, THAT'S YOUR OVERALL APPROPRIATION THAT IS, UH, BUILT INTO TODAY'S PROPOSED BUDGET.
AND THEN THAT RED LINE BELOW IT IS WHAT WE ARE USING FOR GENERAL PURPOSE REVENUES TO, TO, UM, OFFSET THE, THE GAP IN FUNDING BASED ON WHAT WE BRING IN VIA DEDICATED FUNDING THROUGH GRANTS OR OTHER PROGRAMMATIC FUNDING.
SO ON, UM, FOR OUR SUPPORT SERVICES IN CIP WITH $155.7 MILLION OF APPROPRIATIONS, WE'RE USING $15.1 MILLION OF OUR DISCRETIONARY FUNDS TO MAKE THAT WHOLE.
AS FAR AS YOUR PUBLIC SAFETY AND JUSTICE SYSTEM, YOU'RE LOOKING AT 196.2 MILLION AS BUDGETED WITH $118.2 MILLION OF, OF DISCRETIONARY FUNDS TO, TO BRIDGE THAT GAP.
AS FAR AS OUR MUNICIPAL AND COUNTYWIDE SERVICES, YOU'RE AT 311.4 MILLION WITH, UH, 14.8 MILLION OF GENERAL PURPOSE REVENUES COMING IN.
AND THEN ON THE HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES SIDE, WHERE YOU SEE THE, THE LARGEST AMOUNT OF OUR SPEND THERE, YOU'RE LOOKING AT, UM, A 533.3 MILLION WITH 1.9 MILLION OF OUR DEDICATED REVENUE THAT'S COMING IN OR OUR, UH, GENERAL PURPOSE REVENUE.
AND THEN WE DO ALSO BRING THE FUND BALANCE IN TO MAKE THOSE, THOSE ITEMS WHOLE.
SO FROM A GENERAL PURPOSE, REVENUE BY FUNCTIONAL AREA, WHAT WE'RE SHOWING HERE IS THAT 150.1 MILLION THAT WE HAVE BUDGETED FOR COMING IN FOR, UM, THIS FISCAL YEAR.
WHERE DO THOSE DOLLARS GET APPROPRIATED THROUGHOUT THE BUDGET? UM, THIS YEAR YOU'RE AT 79% IN PUBLIC SAFETY.
UH, LAST YEAR, THAT WAS 78, UM, VERY, VERY CLOSE.
WHEN, WHEN YOU LOOK AT DECIMAL POINTS, UM, HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES AT 1%, IF YOU LOOK AT THIS SLIDE LAST YEAR, THAT WOULD'VE BEEN 2%.
SO THAT'S WHERE THAT SHIFT WAS.
UM, ON YOUR SUPPORT SERVICES SIDE, THAT'S AT 10%.
AND THEN ON YOUR MUNICIPAL AND COUNTYWIDE SERVICES, THAT'S ALSO AT 10%.
SO OVERALL FOR YOUR PUBLIC SAFETY AND JUSTICE, THAT EQUATES TO $118.3 MILLION FOR YOUR SUPPORT SERVICES.
AND THAT INCLUDES YOUR CAPITAL PROJECTS, YOUR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM, YOUR GENERAL FUND CONTINGENCIES AS, AND THE OTHER SUPPORT DEPARTMENTS.
AND I SPOKE OF EARLIER, LIKE OUR REGISTRAR VOTERS, ELECTIONS ASSESSOR, TAX COLLECTOR, AUDITOR CONTROLLER, THOSE DIFFERENT TYPES OF DEPARTMENTS THAT, UM, THAT ARE, UM, SUPPORTING THE COUNTY'S EFFORTS.
MUNICIPAL AND COUNTYWIDE, THAT'S AT $14.8 MILLION.
AND THEN YOUR HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES AT 1.9 MILLION TO COVER THAT MAINTENANCE OF EFFORT OR REQUIRED LOCAL CONTRIBUTIONS, AND YOU'LL HEAR US REFER TO THOSE AS MATCH.
SO REVENUES VERSUS EXPENDITURES.
SO WHAT THIS SLIDE DEPICTS IS YOUR BUDGET IS A PLAN, IT'S YOUR PLAN OF ACTION, IT'S YOUR PROJECTIONS, RIGHT? YOU MAY HAVE A DEPARTMENT THAT IS PLANNING IN YOUR, YOU KNOW, YOUR HUMAN SERVICE AGENCY OR PUBLIC HEALTH OR BEHAVIORAL HEALTH TO SERVE X AMOUNT OF PEOPLE OR, UM, TO PROVIDE SERVICES AND THEN GET A REIMBURSEMENT AGAINST.
SO AS WITH ALL BUDGETS, THAT'S A PROJECTION YOU MAY HAVE WHERE
[01:25:01]
THOSE WHO DIDN'T THOSE SERVICES, UM, CAME IN DIFFERENTLY SO THAT YOU WOULD HAVE AN OFFSET OF NOT ONLY THE REVENUE, BUT THE EXPENSE AS WELL.SO IF YOU DIDN'T INCUR THE COST, YOU CAN'T DRAW DOWN THAT REVENUE.
SO OVERALL, WE, WE TALKED ABOUT THAT DELTA OF, UH, 1.6 IN YOUR, IN YOUR FUND BALANCE, THAT SHIFT, AND THE POTENTIAL FOR 14 MILLION, UH, DOLLARS AT MIDYEAR, IF YOU LOOK THERE TO THE RIGHT, 641 MILLION, THAT'S WHAT WE'RE PROJECTING TO 5 26, UM, TO, TO END THAT OF, OF $641 MILLION OF, OF EXPENSES ACROSS THE GENERAL FUND WITH REVENUES, THAT WOULD BE YOUR OFFSETTING REVENUE.
AND THEN ANY OF OUR GENERAL PURPOSE REVENUES THAT COME IN, THAT WOULD BE AT $639 MILLION.
SO PART OF WHAT WE DO IS WE GO THROUGH, AS WE GO THROUGH FROM OUR PROPOSED BUDGET TODAY TO THE FINAL BUDGET, UM, DEPARTMENTS RIGHT NOW, WE'RE WORKING WITH NOT ONLY OUR TEAM, BUT THE AUDITOR CONTROLLER TO START TO, YOU KNOW, CLOSE OUT THEIR BOOKS.
THEY, THEY'RE, THEY'RE REQUESTING, UH, VENDORS GET YOUR INVOICES PREPARED, BECAUSE WHAT WE DO IS WE'LL CLOSE OUR BOOKS AND THEN THOSE NUMBERS IN MID-AUGUST OR SO, ONCE THE, THE CLOSE OF BOOKS IS, IS COMPLETE, THOSE BECOME FINAL NUMBERS, AND THAT HELPS, UH, BASICALLY GIVE US WHAT OUR, OUR FINAL FUND BALANCE IS.
SO THAT 76 MILLION THAT WE'RE USING FOR FUND BALANCE, ONCE THIS PROCESS IS COMPLETE, THAT GETS REASSESSED AND WE GET THAT NUMBER FROM THE AUDITOR CONTROLLER, AND THEN WE USE THAT GOING FORWARD TO MAKE ADJUSTMENTS THROUGHOUT THE, THE, THE PERIOD FROM NOW TO FINAL BUDGET.
FURTHERMORE, YOU ALSO, WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT THAT PERIOD IN BETWEEN PROPOSED AND FINAL, YOU KNOW, AS WE ARE PROVIDING MULTIPLE, MULTIPLE PROGRAMS ON BEHALF OF THE STATE, THE STATE RIGHT NOW IS GOING THROUGH THEIR BUDGET PROCESS.
UM, THEY HAVE THEIR REQUIREMENTS TO HAVE A BUDGET PASSED, UM, IN JUNE.
HOWEVER, WHAT OFTEN HAPPENS IS, IS YOU HAVE VARIOUS TRAILER BILLS THAT COME THROUGH THAT WILL IMPACT HOW, UM, THE FUNDING IS, IS ALLOCATED.
AND SO OUR DEPARTMENTS THEN REASSESS WHERE THOSE REVENUES ARE BASED ON WHAT HAPPENED THROUGH THE BUDGET PROCESS, THROUGH THE STATE BUDGET PROCESS, AND THEN WE WORK WITH THEIR, THEIR OFFICE TO MAKE ADJUSTMENTS, UM, TO THEIR REVENUES, TO THEIR EXPENSES TO BRING THEM IN, INTO BALANCE.
UM, FURTHERMORE, UH, THIS PROCESS THEN ALSO HELPS, AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, UH, INDICATE WHAT OUR FUND BALANCE IS, AS WELL AS THE FUND BALANCE AND ALL THE OTHER FUNDS.
AND THEN WE BRING THAT FORWARD TO YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION AT FINAL.
SO THERE'LL ALWAYS BE THAT TWO STEP THAT YOU SEE IN COUNTIES JUST BECAUSE WE ARE.
SO, UM, SO MUCH OF OUR OPERATIONS IS FUNDED WITH MONEY THAT COMES THROUGH THE STATE BUDGET PROCESS.
SO WE'VE TALKED ABOUT FUND BALANCE.
WHAT THIS CHART DOES IS THIS SHOWS, UM, YOUR FUND BALANCE, UM, TRENDS FROM 15, THE 1516 FISCAL YEAR TO THE 25, 26 FISCAL YEAR.
THINK OF YOUR FUND BALANCES FROM THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE FUND.
SO WHEN THE GENERAL FUND WAS CREATED WITH THE FORMATION OF THE COUNTY, YOUR REVENUES THAT COME IN, YOUR EXPENSES THAT WERE SPENT, AND WHAT'S THAT BALANCE, RIGHT? AND SO WE'RE ALWAYS LOOKING AT THAT AS PART OF OUR BUDGET PROCESS.
SO WHAT THOSE BARS TO THE, WE'LL GO ALL THE WAY TO THE RIGHT FOR 25, 26, YOU HAVE 76 MILLION.
YOU'VE, YOU'VE HEARD THAT NUMBER A FEW TIMES.
THAT'S OUR AVAILABLE FUND BALANCE.
THERE'S MULTIPLE TYPES OF FUND BALANCE THAT ARE DEPICTED HERE.
SO, UM, THE NEXT ONE IS YOUR ENCUMBRANCES.
SO THOSE ARE YOUR MONEY THAT YOUR, YOUR, YOUR FUNDS THAT ARE BASICALLY, UM, WRAPPED IN A PURCHASE ORDER.
THOSE TYPES OF THINGS ARE, THERE'S ENCUMBERED FOR A PROJECT.
YOU MAY HAVE A PROJECT THAT'S GOING OVER MULTIPLE YEARS.
SO YOU, YOU BASICALLY ARE EARMARKING THOSE DOLLARS SO YOU DON'T END UP IN A POSITION WHERE YOU END UP SPENDING IT TWICE, RIGHT? YOU WANNA MAKE SURE YOU, YOU'VE, YOU'VE, YOU'VE FLAGGED THOSE DOLLARS IN THE SYSTEM.
UM, AND THEN WHAT YOU HAVE IS YOU HAVE 45.1 AS I GO UP, THAT IS YOUR COMMITTED RESERVES.
SO I'LL HAVE A SLIDE ABOUT OUR RESERVE POLICY.
UM, $45.1 MILLION IS WHAT IS BEING, UH, PRESENTED TO YOU TODAY FOR YOUR, UM, GENERAL FUND RESERVE THAT HAS BEEN YOUR GENERAL FUND RESERVE FOR THE 24 25 BUDGET, AS WELL AS THE 2324 BUDGET.
UM, AND THEN THERE IS A VERY, VERY SLIGHT BLUE LINE ON THE TOP THERE THAT SAYS NONS SPENDABLE.
THAT IS GONNA BE, UM, YOUR INVENTORIES FOR CERTAIN TYPES OF INVENTORIES THAT GET BOOKED, AS WELL AS IF YOU HAVE ANY, UM, LIKE INTER, UH, LOANS BETWEEN, TO, BETWEEN FUNDS THAT WILL GET BOOKED THERE.
AND, UM, THAT'S VERY, VERY, UH, SLIGHT THIS YEAR AND, BUT IT
[01:30:01]
IS TECHNICALLY UP THERE IF YOU CAN SEE.AND, UM, THAT IS SCHEDULED AT, UM, JUST SHY OF, UM, $2 MILLION THIS YEAR.
AND SO, UM, NEXT IF WE, IF WE TAKE THAT $76 MILLION THAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THAT AVAILABLE FUND BALANCE, ONE OF THE KEY CONSIDERATIONS THAT WE ALWAYS WANT TO BE VERY MINDFUL OF IS, IS HOW ARE THOSE DOLLARS BEING APPROPRIATED? OKAY? SO IF YOU LOOK TO THE VERY RIGHT, YOU HAVE 31.6 MILLION OF THAT 76 THAT IS, UM, WHAT DO WE CALL YOUR ONE-TIME EXPENSES, RIGHT? AND SO WITHIN THOSE ONE-TIME EXPENSES YOU HAVE, UM, ABOUT $5.3 MILLION OF, OF CAPITAL PROJECTS.
UH, WE SPOKE ABOUT SOME THOSE OPERATING TRANSFERS THAT'S IN THERE AT 7.8 MILLION.
WE SPOKE OF THE SIX AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS CONTINGENCY.
SO THAT GETS INCLUDED RIGHT THERE.
UH, VARIOUS CREEK PROJECTS, OUR PUBLIC SAFETY RADIO REPLACEMENT, AND THEN, UM, GENERAL FUND ASSETS, UM, THAT ARE NOT CEMENTED.
SO DIFFERENT, UH, PROJECTS AND ASSETS OR DIFFERENT ASSETS THAT WE'RE BUDGETING FOR THAT ARE NOT CEMENTED.
THEN YOU HAVE YOUR ONGOING, SO THAT NEXT, UH, BAR IN THE MIDDLE, THAT 44.4, THAT IS YOUR ONGOING COSTS.
SO WITHIN WHAT WE'RE BRINGING FROM SAVINGS FROM THIS YEAR AND ALL THE PAST YEARS OF THAT $44.4 MILLION IS BEING USED FOR ONGOING COSTS.
AND SO WE WANT TO BE VERY MINDFUL OF THAT BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, YOU DON'T WANT TO GET TOO FAR OUT AND BE DEDICATED TO HAVING ONGOING COSTS THAT FAR EXCEED WHAT YOU PLAN ON BRINGING IN FOR THE YEAR, RIGHT? SO WHAT THAT SHOWS THERE, THAT 150.1 BELOW IT, THAT IS WHAT WE ARE BUDGETING FOR THE DOLLARS WE'LL RECEIVE FROM JULY ONE THROUGH JUNE 30TH.
SO COLLECTIVELY, YOUR ONGOING SPENDING IS $194.5 MILLION.
HOWEVER, WE'RE BRINGING IN 150.1.
NOW THAT IS A BALANCED BUDGET, BUT IT'S SOMETHING THAT YOU WANT TO BE MINDFUL OF BECAUSE AS YOU ADD TO THE ONGOING SPENDING IN THAT CATEGORY, THEN IF YOU HAVE SHIFTS IN YOUR, UM, IN THE BUDGET, YOU HAVE SHIFTS IN THE ECONOMY, THEN YOU'RE MAKING SOME MUCH HARDER DECISIONS OF HOW TO REDUCE THOSE DOLLARS.
SO WE, WE ALWAYS TRY TO BE VERY MINDFUL OF HOW THAT IS BUDGETED THERE.
AND THEN TO THE FAR RIGHT, THAT 226.1 MILLION, THAT IS YOUR OVERALL WHAT IS BUDGETED AND DISCRETIONARY REVENUE FOR THE YEAR, AND THAT IS BUDGETED AT 150.1 MILLION.
THAT IS AGAIN, WHAT WE WOULD BE BRINGING, UM, EXPECT TO RECEIVE IN THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR.
AS WELL AS THAT 76 MILLION THAT WOULD BE COMING THROUGH, UH, YEAR FUND, AVAILABLE FUND BALANCE.
SO A FEW SLIDES AGO WHERE WE HAD THE BREAKDOWN OF YOUR FUND BALANCE SPOKE OF THE 45.1 MILLION THAT IS BEING PROGRAMMED.
SO THIS IS AN ITEM THAT WE ALSO LOOK AT AFTER THE BOOKS ARE CLOSED.
YOUR, UM, RESERVE POLICY ADOPTED BY YOUR BOARD BASICALLY TAKES THE LAST THREE YEARS OF ACTUAL GENERAL FUND REVENUE AND TAKES AN AVERAGE OF THAT AND THEN APPLIES A RANGE OF SEVEN TO 12%, RIGHT? SO UNTIL WE CLOSE BOOKS, I DON'T HAVE THE 26 27 ACTUAL.
SO WHAT WILL HAPPEN IS, IS WHEN THE AUDITOR CONTROLLER CLOSES BOOKS, WE'LL LOOK AT WHAT THAT NEW AVERAGE IS AND SEE WHERE THAT $45.1 MILLION LANDS.
UM, IF IT LANDS WITHIN THE POLICY, THEN THAT'S STEP ONE IS STILL YOUR BOARD'S POLICY TO SAY WHERE YOU'D LIKE TO SEE THAT COME IN.
HOWEVER, IF, IF YOUR REVENUE'S SHOT WAY UP OVER A FEW YEARS AND YOU NEVER CHANGED THAT 45.1, YOU COULD BE IN A POSITION WHERE ALL OF A SUDDEN THAT'S 6.8% AND NOW YOU'RE OUT OF POLICY.
SO THAT IS A, A, A BOARD ADOPTED POLICY.
UM, YOUR BOARD ADJUSTED THAT POLICY A FEW YEARS AGO TO ACTUALLY TAKE THAT, THAT CEILING FROM NINE TO 12%.
AND SO, UM, FOR, FOR THE BUDGET THIS YEAR, IT IS AT PROPOSED, IT IS BUDGETED AT 45.1 MILLION.
THIS IS, YOU KNOW, WHEN WHEN WE, IF WE EVER HAD TO USE THESE DOLLARS, WE HAVE TO COME IN AS PART OF THE POLICY WITH AN ACTUAL, UH, PLAN, A SPENDING PLAN OF HOW THAT WOULD BE USED.
[01:35:01]
VOTE, SO IT IS SOMETHING THAT IS NOT JUST ARBITRARILY LEANED INTO.IT IS TRULY FOR, YOU KNOW, YOUR, YOUR EMERGENCY SITUATIONS.
UH, WHEN WE LOOK AT THAT, IT'S JUST SHY OVERALL FROM A PAYROLL STANDPOINT OF ABOUT TWO MONTHS OF PAYROLL COUNTYWIDE POSITIONS BY FUNCTIONAL AREA.
AND THIS IS SINCE THE BUDGET WAS ADOPTED.
AND SO, UM, YOU DO HAVE, UM, AS PART OF YOUR BUDGET PACKET, THERE IS A BOARD AGENDA ITEM THAT OUTLINES THE POSITIONS, UM, THAT ARE BEING CONSIDERED TODAY.
UM, ANY OF THE CHANGES THAT YOU HAVE MADE, UM, FROM ADOPTED TO TODAY, THERE ARE TIMES WHERE WE MAY BRING YOU SOMETHING IN IN DECEMBER TO ADOPT THOSE CHANGES ARE ARE INCLUDED IN HERE AS WELL.
AND SO THROUGH THIS, UM, WE SPOKE ABOUT THE, THE JAIL PROJECT.
THERE ARE POSITIONS BEING INCLUDED TO, UM, SUPPORT THE OPERATIONS OF THE JAIL.
UM, LAST YEAR, YOUR BOARD APPROVED POSITIONS AND THIS YEAR AS WELL, 10, UH, DEPUTY UH, CORRECTION OFFICERS AS WELL AS THE STAFF TO SUPPORT FROM THE SERGEANT SIDE AND THEN THE SECURITY SYSTEMS OPERATOR'S POSITIONS AS WELL.
UM, SO THOSE ARE INCLUDED AS WELL AS, UM, SOME POSITIONS THAT ARE IN SUPPORT OF BEHAVIORAL HEALTH ADOPTION OF THE BEHAVIORAL, UH, HEALTH SERVICES ACT AND THOSE CHANGES.
AND SO, UM, THOSE ARE PRESENTED HERE TODAY OVERALL FROM A COUNTYWIDE POSITIONS.
UM, THIS IS THE BREAKDOWN SINCE 1516.
WE'RE AT, UM, 2328, 2,328 GENERAL FUND POSITIONS AND THEN, UM, 2,559 POSITIONS, UM, FOR ALL FUNDS.
AND SO, UM, OVERALL, UM, WHAT YOU'RE SEEING HERE IS THIS'LL BE, UM, WE, WITH, WITH ANY OF THE POSITIONS, WE DO GET POSITION REQUESTS THAT COME THROUGH THROUGH THE BUDGET PROCESS.
UM, AND THEN WE LOOK AT THOSE NOT ONLY FOR PROPOSED, BUT ONES THAT AREN'T BEING PRESENTED HERE TODAY WILL BE REVIEWED AGAIN THROUGH THE FINAL BUDGET PROCESS.
UH, WITH THAT, BEFORE I PASS, UH, BACK TO CEO HENDRICKSON, JUST LIKE TO TAKE A MOMENT TO ACKNOWLEDGE, UM, THE HARD WORK OF OUR BUDGET TEAM WHO IS HERE TODAY, UM, IN THE AUDIENCE AS WELL AS OUR HR TEAM, OUR RISK TEAM, ALL OF THOSE, UH, UNITS WORK VERY WELL TO PUT ALL OF THESE PIECES TOGETHER TO, UM, YOU KNOW, PROVIDE ALL OF THE INFORMATION TO THE DEPARTMENTS AS WELL AS A VERY, VERY LARGE TEAM OF DEPARTMENT FISCAL STAFF THAT ARE OUT THERE.
THEY ARE MAKING THEIR, THEIR REQUESTS THROUGH OUR SYSTEM, THEY'RE WORKING WITH THEIR ANALYSTS, OUR ANALYSTS ARE ALL ASSIGNED OUT TO DEPARTMENTS.
SO THERE WAS A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF, UH, COLLABORATION AND WORK AND CONVERSATIONS AND DISCUSSIONS THAT WENT INTO THE BUDGET THAT'S PRESENTED TO YOU TODAY.
WITH THAT, I'LL PASS IT BACK TO CEO HENDRICKSON.
THANK YOU MR. MARONI, MR. CHAIRMAN, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, AGAIN, AS WE KIND OF CLOSE OUT THIS PRESENTATION AND, AND, UH, OBVIOUSLY HOPE PROVIDE YOU WITH THE OPPORTUNITY TO ASK QUESTIONS OF STAFF.
YOU KNOW, AGAIN, THIS IS A PERIOD OF, OF, UH, SIGNIFICANT UNCERTAINTY.
CLEARLY A LOT OF DECISIONS COMING OUT OF BOTH FED, UH, FEDERALLY AND AND CERTAINLY OUTTA THE STATE ARE IMPACTING CALIFORNIA COUNTIES GREATLY.
SO IN THAT REGARD, WE ARE TAKING A LOOK AT, AND THESE ARE THINGS I'VE TALKED ABOUT PREVIOUSLY FROM, FROM THE DAIS THAT WE ARE TAKING A LOOK AT TO INCLUDE THE DELETION OF, UH, OF AN EVALUATING OF, UH, DELETION OF, UH, POSITIONS.
WE ARE TAKING A LOOK AT, UH, OBVIOUSLY MANDATED VERSUS NON-MANDATED PROGRAMS. WE'RE TAKING A LOOK AT DEFERRING NEW PROGRAMS. THIS IS PROBABLY NOT THE TIME, UH, TO CREATE NEW PROGRAMS, ESPECIALLY WHEN WE'RE IN A PERIOD OF ECONOMIC UNCERTAINTY.
WE ARE CERTAINLY, AND I REALLY WANNA COMPLIMENT OUR DEPARTMENTS FOR THE WORK THAT THEY'RE DOING, EVALUATING AND RE AND RENEGOTIATING VENDOR CONTRACTS.
AGAIN, TRYING TO GET THE BIGGEST BANG OF FOR THE BUCK, UH, FOR THE, FOR THE COUNTY TAXPAYER.
CERTAINLY TAKING A LOOK AT DELAYING, UM, NON-MISSION CRITICAL CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS IS DEPICTED ON THE SLIDE.
ONE THING I DO WANNA HIGHLIGHT, AND THIS IS AGAIN, ANOTHER, UH, JUST COMPLIMENT TO THIS BOARD, UH, EARLIER THIS YEAR, UM, MAYBE IT WAS LATE LAST YEAR, WE ACTUALLY STARTED DOING SOME WORK WITH PROCURE AMERICA TO IDENTIFY POTENTIAL UTILITY SAVINGS THAT'S RESULTED IN ABOUT $200,000 WORTH OF SAVINGS.
SO WE CERTAINLY WANNA COMPLIMENT THIS BOARD ON TRYING TO IDENTIFY, UH, AGAIN, CREATIVE WAYS TO SAVE THE TAXPAYER MONEY.
AND THEN LASTLY ON THIS SLIDE, UH, WE'RE ACTUALLY, UH, UNDERGOING A, UH, FEE, UH, FEE ANALYSIS TRYING TO AGAIN, ALIGN THE COST OF DOING BUSINESS, UH, WITH THE FEES THAT, UH, THAT WE REALIZE.
AND THEN JUST LASTLY, UH, AGAIN, IF YOU'VE SEEN THIS SLIDE BEFORE, AGAIN, I WANT TO COMPLIMENT THIS BOARD.
[01:40:01]
TO YOUR CONTINUED INVESTMENT IN RESERVES AND CONTINGENCIES.UH, THIS HAS POSITIONED YOU INCREDIBLY WELL.
AS MENTIONED DURING THE PRESENTATION, UH, FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION TODAY, UH, I PROPOSED IS A $45.1 MILLION INVESTMENT IN YOUR RESERVES.
CONTINGENCIES ARE ESSENTIALLY HOLDING FLAT AT ABOUT SIX, UH, 6.8 MILLION.
UM, BUT AGAIN, WE ARE AS A RESULT OF, UH, AGAIN, THE UNCERTAINTY TAKING PLACE, UH, PRIMARILY IN SACRAMENTO, UH, WE ARE, UH, WORKING HARD TO ENSURE THAT POST, UH, GETTING SOME GREATER CLARITY WITH HR ONE, THIS COUNTY WILL BE WELL POSITIONED.
I WANNA COMPLIMENT OUR PUBLIC WORKS TEAM FOR THE WORK THAT THEY CONTINUE TO DO WITH REGARD TO DEBRIS REMOVAL AND, AND REALLY DEBRIS MANAGEMENT.
WE HAVE A COUPLE OF PROJECTS, UH, UNDERWAY.
ONE, UH, OF NOTE AND REALLY WANT TO COMPLIMENT THIS BOARD AND MR. BRAY AND HIS TEAM CONTINUED PROGRESS WITH REGARD TO THE, UH, TO THE BLACK RASCAL FLOOD CONTROL PROJECT.
AND SO I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING YOU'VE BEEN A PART OF FROM, UH, REALLY DAY ONE, UH, UPON YOUR SERVICE HERE AT THE BOARD.
UM, CERTAINLY, OBVIOUSLY AS DEPICTED AND DISCUSSED DURING THE PRESENTATION, A STRONG COMMITMENT TO PUBLIC SAFETY.
UM, AND THEN AGAIN, JUST TO KIND OF CLOSE OUT, THERE WAS SOME CONVERSATION WITH REGARD TO OTHER BIG PICTURE PROJECTS, NOTABLY THE INLAND PORT PROJECT THAT CASTLE REALLY WANNA COMPLIMENT MR. MEMS AND HIS TEAM FOR THE WORK THAT'S BEEN, UH, BEING DONE THERE.
UH, WHICH WILL POSITION US WELL TO HAVE THAT OPERATIONAL AND, UH, OR AT LEAST COMPLETE IN ABOUT 2028.
SO WITH THAT BEING SAID, MR. CHAIRMAN, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, YOUR STAFF STANDS READY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE.
THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION.
I DON'T SEE ANY QUESTIONS IN THE QUEUE.
I KNOW THE BOARD HAS BEEN ACTIVELY INVOLVED IN A WHOLE LOT OF CONVERSATIONS WITH YOU AND THE STAFF ON THIS BUDGET, AND I DEFINITELY SEE THE FOOTPRINTS OF THE BOARD OR THE FINGERPRINTS OF THE BOARD ON THIS.
UM, UH, GOING THROUGH THIS, ARE THERE ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS AT THIS POINT? HMM, YEAH, I CAN DO THAT.
DO IT AFTER THE PUBLIC COMMENTS.
OKAY, SO I'LL GO AHEAD, STACY, YOU WANNA ANSWER IF YOU WANT TO.
UM, SO AT THIS TIME, WE'LL OPEN PUBLIC COMMENT FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 20 26, 20 27, PROPOSED BUDGET PRESENTATION, AND ITEMS 45 THROUGH 47.
REMINDER TESTIMONY IS LIMITED TO THREE MINUTES PER PERSON.
PLEASE NOTE THAT A NUMBER OF EMAILS HAVE BEEN RECEIVED REGARDING THE BUDGET HEARING AND HAVE BEEN DISTRIBUTED TO THE BOARD MEMBERS AND PROVIDED TO THE PUBLIC IN THE BACK.
NO THANK YOU AND I APPRECIATE IT.
WE'VE ALREADY READ THE EMAIL COMMENTS, SO TO UM, MOVE THIS DISCUSSION FORWARD, I'D APPRECIATE IF WE DON'T GO AND REPEAT THE SAME, SAME EMAILS THAT WE RECEIVED BECAUSE WE'RE GONNA OPEN THIS UP FOR FULL CONVERSATION AT THIS TIME.
I'LL OPEN UP PUBLIC COMMENT FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 20 26, 20 27, PROPOSED BUDGET PRESENTATION, AND ITEMS 45 AND 47.
REMEMBER, TESTIMONY IS LIMITED TO THREE MINUTES PER, PER PERSON.
GOOD MORNING FOREIGN SUPERVISORS, MERCED COUNTY STAFF AND MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC.
I AM ROSA WESO AND I'M LEAVING DISTRICT TWO.
I'M A COMMUNITY ORGANIZER WITH COMMUNITIES FOR A NEW CALIFORNIA, A LOCAL COMMUNITY BASED ORGANIZATION AS THE BORING SUPERVISORS COUNTY STAFF ALREADY KNOW CNC STAFF AND VOLUNTEERS HAVE BEEN MEETING AND TALKING WITH THE BOARD ABOUT THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING CRISIS OR NEIGHBORS.
AND WE FACE DAILY SINCE JANUARY, 2025, WE ASK FOR MORE TRANSPARENCY AND OPPORTUNITIES TO PROVIDE COMMENTS REGARDING THE PROPOSED BUDGET.
BEFORE THE HEARING, THE PUBLIC WAS ONLY PROVIDED WITH THREE WORKING DAYS TO REVIEW AND UNDERSTAND THE BUDGET.
IT WILL BE HELPFUL IF THE PUBLIC CAN PROVIDE COMMENTS ON THE PROPOSED BUDGET.
FOR EXAMPLE, IF ON THE COUNTY'S WEBSITE THERE WAS AN EMAIL TO SUBMIT COMMENTS REGARDING THE PROPOSED BUDGET, IT WILL ALLOW FOR MORE TRANSPARENCY BY ELICITING THE INPUT AND OPINIONS FROM RESIDENTS THROUGHOUT MERCED COUNTY.
AS DECISION MAKERS, THE BOARD SUPERVISORS MUST TAKE THE INITIATIVE TO ADVOCATE FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
CNC AND ITS MEMBERS CAN OFFER SUPPORT IN THE FORM OF LETTERS, PERSONAL VISITS, AND SHARING THE COUNTLESS PERSONAL EXPERIENCES OF RESIDENTS THROUGHOUT MERCED COUNTY.
IN OTHER WORDS, WE HAVE YOUR BACK AND ARE WILLING TO WORK WITH YOU.
THE PROPOSED PHYSICAL YEAR 20 26, 27 BUDGET FOR MERCED COUNTY DOES NOT PRIORITIZE AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
THE MOST RECENT 2025 SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY SPEAK SE IDENTIFIES 39.9% OF RESIDENTS SITE AFFORDABLE HOUSING AS HAVING MOST NEGATIVELY IMPACTED HOUSEHOLDS.
CNC, ITS MEMBERS ANALYZE COMBINED THE 20 26 20 27 BUDGET ALLOCATION TO THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROGRAM IS 2.5 MILLION AND WE URGE THE COUNTY TO MATCH THOSE STATE FUNDS BY UTILIZING DISCRETIONARY FUNDS FOR A TOTAL OF 5 MILLION
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ALLOCATE FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROGRAM.ITS MEMBERS ANALYZE VOICE THEIR DREAMS TO OWN A HOME SO THEY RE FINANCIAL SECURITY FOR THEIR FAMILIES.
CNC, ITS MEMBERS ANALYZE, WANT TO INVEST MORE IN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS, SCHOOLS, AND ROADS AND CAN DO THIS WHEN THE COUNTY COMMITS TO ADDRESSING AFFORDABLE HOUSING CRISIS BY INCREASING AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROGRAM BUDGET TO 5 MILLION AND PROVIDING MORE OPPORTUNITIES FOR PUBLIC INPUT TO THE BUDGET PROCESS.
MY NEIGHBORS WILL NOW SHARE A BIT MORE ABOUT HOW WE NEED YOUR HELP TO ADDRESSING AFFORDABLE HOUSING CRISIS IN MERCED COUNTY.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME IN CONSIDERATION.
MY NAME IS ANALISA VARGAS, I LIVE IN DISTRICT THREE.
I'M ALSO A COMMUNITY ORGANIZER WITH COMMUNITIES FOR NEW CALIFORNIA AND I'M HERE TODAY TO ALSO TALK ABOUT, UM, THE BUDGET.
AND SINCE SEPTEMBER, 2025, UH, DURING THE FINAL BUDGET HEARING CNC HAS CONTINUED TO REACHING OUT TO THE BOARD ABOUT, FOR EXAMPLE, ENGAGING WITH THE NONPROFIT LIFT TO RISE, WHICH IS HELPING THE COACHELLA VALLEY REACH ITS GOAL OF ADDING NEARLY 10,000 UNITS OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING BY 2028 AND HELPING TO IDENTIFY FUNDING GAPS THROUGH A REVOLVING LOAN FUND.
SUCCESSFUL MODEL HAS CENTERED AROUND BUILDING STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS AND LOW INTEREST LOANS TO BUILD MORE AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN RURAL COMMUNITIES WHERE FUNDING AND RESOURCES ARE LIMITED.
I WANNA THANK EACH OF THE SUPERVISORS, CEO, MARK HENDRICKSON AND COUNTY STAFF FOR TAKING THE TIME WITH TO MEET WITH US, ANSWER OUR QUESTIONS, AND TALK MORE ABOUT THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING CRISIS.
WE UNDERSTAND THAT SMALLER COUNTIES LIKE MERCED FACE UNIQUE CHALLENGES SUCH AS HIGH COST ASSOCIATED WITH BUILDING AFFORDABLE HOUSING, AVAILABILITY, UH, FUNDS AND OTHER CONSTRAINTS THAT WERE MENTIONED DURING OUR PREVIOUS CONVERSATIONS.
WE ALSO KNOW THAT IN MARCH OF THIS YEAR, GOVERNOR GAVIN NEWSOM THROUGH THE CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, HCD ISSUED FINAL WARNINGS TO 15 CITIES AND COUNTIES THAT HAVE FAILED TO ADHERE TO FAIR HOUSING LAW REQUIREMENTS TO PLAN FOR HOUSING THAT MEETS THE NEEDS OF ALL INCOME LEVELS.
WITH MERCED COUNTY BEING ONE OF THEM, THESE JURISDICTIONS WERE MORE THAN 60 DAYS AWAY FROM SECURING A CERTIFIED HOUSING ELEMENT.
THEY HAD 30 DAYS TO RESPOND TO THE NOTICES OF VIOLATION BEFORE HCD TOOK FURTHER ACTION, INCLUDING REFERRAL TO THE ATTORNEY GENERAL.
THIS NOTICE IS FURTHER EVIDENCE THAT MERCED COUNTY WAS FAILING TO MEET THE NEEDS OF ITS RESIDENTS AND VIOLATING STATE HOUSING LAW REQUIREMENTS.
MERCED COUNTY'S HOUSING ELEMENT UPDATE FOR 2024 TO 2032 WAS APPROVED A FEW WEEKS AGO.
AND YOU'RE NOW IN COMPLIANCE WITH STATE HOUSING LAW.
IF THE COUNTY PLANS TO MEET ITS GOALS AND OBJECTIVE LAID OUT IN THE HOUSING ELEMENT, WE ENCOURAGE THE COUNTY TO MAKE SIGNIFICANT INVESTMENTS IN THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROGRAM.
MERCED COUNTY SERVED SEVEN HOUSEHOLDS THROUGH ITS FIRST TIME HOME BUYER AND REHABILITATION PROGRAMS DURING THE 2025 TO 2026 BUDGET AND HAS MENTIONED IN THE BUDGET THAT IT WILL SERVE MINIMUM OF FIVE ADDITIONAL HOUSEHOLDS FOR 2026 TO 27.
THAT'S A TOTAL OF 12 HOUSEHOLDS, IS THAT CORRECT? CNC RECOMMENDS THE COUNTY INCREASE THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROGRAM, THE AMOUNT OF 5 MILLION.
THIS WILL ALLOW THE COUNTY TO DOUBLE THE AMOUNT OF HOUSEHOLDS SERVED FROM 12 TO 24, AND THIS IS FOR THE ENTIRE COUNTY.
SO, SO WE REALLY FEEL THAT IT'S TIME TO PRIORITIZE HOUSING AND TAKE THE NECESSARY STEPS TO ENSURE MERCED COUNTY IS NOT ONLY COMPLIANT WITH STATE HOUSING LAW, BUT MEETS THE NEEDS OF ALL RESIDENTS AND FAMILIES.
HELLO, MY NAME IS YASMINE ALEJANDRA ESTA FOIA AND I LIVE IN DISTRICT THREE.
WE ARE A FAMILY OF THREE, MY HUSBAND, OUR DAUGHTER, AND MYSELF.
WE HAVE LOOKED INTO PURCHASING A HOME, BUT FOR ONE REASON OR ANOTHER WE HAVEN'T REACHED THAT GOAL.
MY HUSBAND BECAME THE SOLE PROVIDER AFTER I GAVE BIRTH TO OUR DAUGHTER.
HE HAS WORKED OVERTIME AND THERE ARE WEEKS WHERE HE HAS NO DAYS OFF.
I RECENTLY STARTED WORKING TO EASE SOME OF THAT PRESSURE, RENT, UTILITIES, AND EVERYTHING ELSE ADDS UP.
BOTH MY FATHER AND MOTHER WORK ALONG WITH ONE OF MY SISTERS, MY YOUNGEST SISTER STILL IN SCHOOL.
THEY NEED TO WORK TO PAY THEIR MORTGAGE.
UH, BACK THEN IT WAS ONLY MY FATHER WHO PAID EVERYTHING.
WE NEED TO BETTER SUPPORT OUR COMMUNITY AND FIND BETTER RESOURCES AND HOUSING PROGRAMS. SOME MAY WANT TO PURCHASE A HOME INSTEAD OF RENTING, BUT NO, FOR ONE REASON OR ANOTHER, THEY DON'T QUALIFY AND ARE STUCK PAYING OFF SOMEONE ELSE'S MORTGAGE PAYMENT BECAUSE INSTEAD OF BEING ABLE TO INVEST IN A HOME, WE HAVE TO PAY HIGH, UH, MONTHLY RENT WITH NO LONG-TERM BENEFITS.
THE HOUSING MARKET HAS ALSO BECOME VERY COMPETITIVE.
[01:50:01]
END OF THE DAY, WE NEED TO FIND SOLUTIONS FOR OUR COMMUNITY BECAUSE WE HAVE TO KEEP IN MIND THAT RENT OR MORTGAGE PAYMENTS AREN'T THE ONLY MONTHLY PAYMENT.THERE ARE MANY OTHER THINGS THAT ADD UP, SUCH AS UTILITY BILLS, CAR INSURANCE, AND MUCH MORE.
I'M HERE TODAY BECAUSE I'D LIKE THE BOARD TO ONE, INCREASE THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROGRAMS BUDGET TO 5,000,002, PROVIDE MORE OPPORTUNITIES FOR PUBLIC INPUT TO THE BUDGET PROCESS.
I ALSO WANT TO ADD THAT I'M URGING YOU, URGING YOU TO USE THE BUDGET TO ADDRESS THE HOUSING CRISIS BECAUSE HOME OWNERSHIP TO ME MEANS THAT I CAN CREATE A FUTURE FOR MY CHILDREN.
THIS IS A STRATEGIC INVESTMENT THAT BENEFITS MY FAMILY, NEIGHBORS, AND THE WHOLE COMMUNITY.
IN MERCED COUNTY, HOME OWNERSHIP CREATES GREATER PROPERTY TAX AND CONSTRUCTION RELATED REVENUES, WHICH IS TURN, WHICH IN TURN, SUPPORT SCHOOLS AND OTHER IMPORTANT SERVICES HOMEOWNERS MEAN MORE EMPOWERED AND BETTER SUPPORTED LOCAL GOVERNMENTS.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND CONSIDERATION.
I LIVE IN DISTRICT ONE, UH, AND MI I HAVE A HOUSEHOLD OF FIVE FAMILY MEMBERS.
EIGHT YEARS AGO WE MOVED TO MERCED LOOKING FOR A BETTER QUALITY FOR OUR FAMILY.
EVEN THOUGH THE HOUSING, UM, COSTS HAVE MADE IT HARD FOR OUR FAMILY TO EVEN PROGRESS AND BECOME HOMEOWNERS SUBSISTED, IT'S BEEN REALLY DIFFICULT JUST SURVIVING OFF ONE INCOME ONLY MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCE IS AS WELL AS OTHER ME COUNTY RESIDENTS AND THAT'S WHY I FEEL THAT THE BOARD MEMBERS SHOULD DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS SITUATION AND WORK WITH OTHER ORGANIZATIONS THAT CAN HELP PEOPLE BECOME HOME OWNERS AND JUST HELP US EVEN MORE.
I WANTED TO ATTEND THIS MEETING BECAUSE I WANT TO MAKE IT PUBLIC THAT I WOULD LIKE THAT YOU RAISED THE BUDGET FOR THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING FOR, BECAUSE IF YOU HAVE TO INVEST IN THE HOUSING, UM, SITUATION THAT WOULD HELP LOWER THE CRIME RATES AND ALSO VIOLENCE.
UM, OTHER SOURCES THAT HELP WITH HOUSING ALSO MENTIONED THAT THAT HELPS DECREASE CRIME AND VIOLENCE AND IT HELPS ALSO YOUR EDUCATION AND IT HELPS ALSO SOCIAL MEDIA, UM, UNI.
OKAY, AND THIS IS WHAT RESILIENT, UH, COMMUNITIES WILL BUILD WHERE EVERYONE HAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO SUCCEED.
AND THIS SHOWS THAT YOU CAN INVEST IN SOME PROGRAMS THAT HAVE BEEN WITH THE BUDGET CUTS ARE NOT AROUND EL S THE COUNTY STILL PROVIDE SERVICES TO THE RESIDENTS AND ASSIGNED THE FUNDING TOWARDS HOUSING THROUGHOUT THE CITIES IN THE COUNTY.
[01:55:01]
HOUSING AND THIS IS MORE TO BUILD A FUTURE FOR THE MERCED COUNTY RESIDENTS AND TO PROSPER AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING IS THE BASE OF GOOD HEALTH, OF SUCCESSFUL EDUCATION AND ALSO, UM, ECONOMIC, UM, OPPORTUNITIES.GOOD AFTERNOON, BOARD OF SUPERVISORS.
MY NAME IS IRENE CACHO AND I LIVE IN DISTRICT ONE.
I WAS BORN AND RAISED IN MERCED COUNTY.
MY SON WAS BORN IN MERCED, MY DAUGHTER WAS BORN IN MERCED.
MY FATHER AND MY MOTHER WERE BORN IN MERCED.
AND UH, I AM A PRODA COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKER WITH UC, MERCED PACE.
I STAND BEFORE YOU ONCE AGAIN, JUST LIKE LAST YEAR.
I WOULD LIKE TO SHARE WITH YOU ABOUT THE ESSENTIAL NEED FOR MORE AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN MERCED COUNTY.
MANY OF OUR FAMILIES AND INDIVIDUALS CANNOT AFFORD HIGH RENTS.
NOT TO MENTION THE IDEA OF EVEN OWNING A HOME.
HOUSING INSECURITIES DO EXIST.
THEY ARE REAL, REAL AND NO CHILD SHOULD HAVE TO SLEEP IN A CAR ON A DAILY BASIS.
I WITNESS INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES SEEKING AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN MERCED COUNTY WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF VOLUNTEERS.
WE BEGIN THE PROCESS OF SPENDING COUNTLESS HOURS ONLINE TRYING TO LOCATE AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN MERCED COUNTY.
THE WAIT LISTS ARE FIVE YEARS LONG.
WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN MERCED COUNTY, LEAVING OUR FAMILIES SO DISCOURAGED.
I WANT TO SHARE ONE EXAMPLE OF A SHORTAGE OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN MERCED COUNTY.
I HAVE AN ADULT FEMALE WHO IS 58 YEARS OLD, WHO WAS BORN AND RAISED IN MERCED COUNTY.
SHE WAS FORCED TO MOVE OUT TO MADERA COUNTY TO BE ABLE TO RECEIVE AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND IS NOW THRIVING.
AFFORDABLE HOUSING CREATES FINANCIAL STABILITY AND BETTER HEALTH OUTCOMES.
OUR FAMILIES AND INDIVIDUALS SHOULD NOT HAVE TO LEAVE MERCED COUNTY OR BECOME UNHOUSED DUE TO LACK OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
I ASKED FOR THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS TO PRIORITIZE THE CRUCIAL NEED.
THE THE COUNTY HOUSING, UH, I'M SORRY, THE CALIFORNIA HOUSING PARTNERSHIP 2024 AFFORDABLE HOUSING NEEDS.
REPORTS FOUND THAT NEARLY 9,000 HOUSEHOLDS IN MERCED COUNTY DO NOT HAVE ACCESS.
AFFORDABLE HOME WHERE FAMILIES PAY NO MORE THAN 30% OF THEIR INCOME TO RENT, ALLOWING THEM TO ALLOCATE RESOURCES TO OTHER ESSENTIAL NEEDS LIKE FOOD, HEALTHCARE, AND EDUCATION.
ADDITIONALLY, 72% OF EXTREMELY LOW INCOME ELI HOUSEHOLDS AND MERCED COUNTY PAY MORE THAN HALF OF THEIR INCOME ON HOUSING COSTS.
COMPARE WITH 0% OF MODERATE INCOME HOUSEHOLD.
THE HOUSING CRISIS IN CALIFORNIA ALSO LEADS TO INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF UNHOUSED RESIDENTS WITH OVER ONE THOU 1,160,000 PEOPLE OF UNHOUSED ON ANY GIVEN DAY.
I RESPECTFULLY REQUEST THE BOARD OF SUPERVISOR TO INCREASE THE 20 26 20 27 AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROGRAM BUDGET FROM 2.5 MILLION TO 5 MILLION.
THIS CAN BE ACCOMPLISHED BY UTILIZING THE COUNTY'S DISCRETIONARY FUNDS TO MATCH STATE FUNDING.
ADDITIONALLY, THE COUNTY CAN CREATE MORE TRANSPARENCY BUDGET PROCESS BY PROVIDING OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE PUBLIC INPUT, SUCH AS HOSTING A PUBLIC BUDGET WORKSHOP, EACH DISTRICT AND HOLDING ADDITIONAL WORKSHOPS.
GOOD AFTERNOON BOARD SUPERVISORS.
I LIVE IN DELHI AM MEMBER MAC AND I AM LEADER ON MY GROUP DEL EXON.
AND WE ARE UNITED WITH CNCI CAME TODAY TO SUPPORT AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN MERCER COUNTY.
WE ALL HAVE PROBLEM IN THE COMMUNITY RENT AND STILL HAVE A LOT OF, WE HAVE A LOW INCOME DISABILITY SENIORS, LOW MINIMUM WAGE GAS, FOOD BILLS HIGH.
I HERE HAS A DELHI MEMBER TO SUPPORT MERCER COUNTRY TO INCREASE TO AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROGRAM BY YET $5 MILLION.
THIS IS WILL MAKE A DIFFERENT, LESS HOMELESS AND CROWN HOME.
I LOVE TOGETHER COUNTRY TO MERCED.
[02:00:01]
THANK YOU.I AM A 22-YEAR-OLD MERCED COLLEGE STUDENT WHO IS CURRENTLY PURSUING A CAREER IN RADIOLOGY HERE IN MERCED COUNTY.
AND THIS IS MY FIRST TIME SPEAKING AT A BOARD MEMBERSHIP, SO I'M EXCITED TO BE HERE.
UM, I THINK IT WAS REALLY INFORMATIVE, ESPECIALLY AS SOMEONE WHO HAS NEVER BEEN TO ONE OF THESE.
SO, UM, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
UM, SO I AM HERE IN PARTNERSHIP WITH CNC, OUR LOCAL COMMUNITY ORGANIZATION, A NONPROFIT, UM, ORGANIZATION THAT WE HELP COMMUNITY MEMBERS FOR WITH MEMBERS, UM, MEETINGS, THINGS LIKE THAT THAT WOULD BE REALLY IMPORTANT TO THOSE WHO DON'T HAVE THAT INFORMATION.
SO AS A RESIDENT OF LEE GRANT HERE IN MERCED COUNTY, I'VE BEEN IN THIS COUNTY FOR 22 YEARS.
I BEEN HERE MY WHOLE LIFE AND I HAVE NOTICED THAT IT IS NORMAL TO DRIVE INTO TOWN AND SEE HOUSELESS PEOPLE ASKING FOR CHANGE.
UM, IT IS NORMAL NOW TO FILL UP A TANK FOR OVER A HUNDRED DOLLARS.
UM, IT IS NORMAL FOR PEOPLE AND MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY TO CHOOSE OVER GROCERIES OR PAYING THEIR RENT.
UM, IT IS NORMAL FOR MANY MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITIES TO NOT RELOCATE SOMEWHERE ELSE BECAUSE OF THE HIGH RISING COSTS THAT ARE HAPPENING IN OUR COMMUNITIES.
UM, TO MANY OF THESE, THESE ARE JUST STORIES TO SOME, THESE ARE JUST WORDS THAT WE'RE SAYING TO YOU GUYS, BUT TO MANY MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY, THIS IS THE REALITY AND THIS IS WHAT THEY'RE EXPERIENCING DAY TO DAY BASIS.
UM, MANY OF MY FRIENDS WHO ARE OUTTA COLLEGE ARE STILL LIVING WITH THE PARENTS.
UM, THESE ARE STUDENTS THAT GRADUATED FROM UC, BERKELEY, UC, DAVIS, UC, MERCED, WHO ARE COMING BACK TO THE COMMUNITY TO SERVE WHERE THEY HAVE RAISED AND ARE NOT ABLE TO FIND AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
BECAUSE OF THAT, THEY HAVE TO STAY WITH THE PARENTS.
THEY'RE NOT ABLE, THEY HAVE TO CHOOSE BETWEEN A CAR PAYMENT, GROCERIES, RENT, OR SOMEWHERE TO BE ABLE TO ROOF ON TOP OF THEIR HEAD.
I ALSO PERSONALLY STILL LIVE WITH MY PARENTS.
UM, I WEAR IT WHEN IT COMES TO HOUSING, IF I WILL BE ABLE TO AFFORD THAT OR EVEN BE ABLE TO BE A HOMEOWNER.
THEY ARE HOMEOWNERS THEMSELVES.
THEY HAVE WORKED HARD FOR OVER 22 YEARS TO RAISE OUR FAMILY AND MAKE SURE THAT THEY HAVE SOMEWHERE SUSTAINABLE WHERE WE CAN LIVE.
HOWEVER, WITH THE RISING COST, IT'S ABOUT ONE K OVER RENT EVERY MONTH.
AND ON TOP OF THAT IT'S UTILITIES, GROCERIES, BILLS, AND OTHER PAYMENTS ON TOP OF THAT.
SO IT'S UM, REALLY, IT'S AN, AS YOU GUYS SAID IN THE PRESENTATION, IT'S REALLY UNCERTAIN TIMES WE'RE GOING THROUGH RIGHT NOW.
AND THAT IS TRUE AND I FEEL THAT A LOT OF MEMBERS ARE COMING THAT ARE OBVIOUSLY FACING THAT PROBLEM.
SO THAT'S WHY WE URGE THAT YOU LISTEN TO US AND HOPEFUL, HOPEFULLY, UM, AS I ASK YOU BOARD MEMBERS TO LISTEN, YOU ALSO EMPATHIZE WITH THE EXPERIENCES THAT WE'RE GOING THROUGH.
UM, I WANNA URGE YOU NOT TO BE PART OF THE PROBLEM THAT CONTINUES TO PLAGUE OUR COMMUNITY, BUT BE PART OF THE CHANGE IN MERCED WHERE WE WANNA BETTER FUTURE FOR THESE MEMBERS AND MEMBERS OF THESE COMMUNITIES.
UM, I LIKE THE BOARD TO INCREASE THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROJECT TO 5 MILLION AND PROVIDE MORE OPPORTUNITIES FOR PUBLIC INPUT IN THE BUDGET PROCESS AS YOU'RE DOING TODAY.
UM, REMEMBER THAT THESE ARE OUR NEIGHBORS.
UM, THESE ARE OUR FAMILY MEMBERS, OUR TEACHERS, OUR PUBLIC SERVANTS, AND ONE THING WE CAN DO IS HELP EASE THEIR BURDEN.
I'M A 28-YEAR-OLD, UH, RESIDENT OF MERCED.
I'VE LIVED HERE MY WHOLE LIFE.
IT'S BEEN A CHALLENGE FOR ME TO PURCHASE A HOME HERE IN MERCED FOR ME AND MY FAMILY.
I LIVE WITH MY PARENTS AND MY SISTERS.
UM, I, I WANTED TO PURCHASE A HOME IN MERCED.
HOWEVER, THE EFFORT HAS LED NOWHERE BECAUSE MY MORTGAGE PAYMENTS WOULD BE ABOUT 75% OF MY MONTHLY INCOME.
AND I FEEL LIKE I HAVE A GOOD JOB BECAUSE I'M COLLEGE EDUCATED AND I WORK WITH A NONPROFIT WHO HELPS FARM WORKERS, BUT I'M IN A GOOD PLACE COMPARED TO OTHER PEOPLE IN OUR COUNTY.
THE NONPROFIT I WORK FOR HELPS FARM WORKER COMMUNITIES THROUGHOUT CALIFORNIA.
SO I GET TO HEAR FROM PEOPLE WHOSE STRUGGLES ARE GREATER THAN MINE.
JUST HERE IN MERCED COUNTY, THERE ARE ROUGHLY 150,000 PEOPLE WHO WORK IN THE AGRICULTURAL SECTOR.
AGRICULTURE GENERATES $4.2 BILLION IN ANNUAL PRODUCTION CELLS AND 10 BILLION IN TOTAL ECONOMIC IMPACT, WHICH I'M SURE YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH.
ACCORDING TO THE CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION, IT COSTS ABOUT $7,000, $7,500 A MONTH, WHICH IS ROUGHLY $90,000 A YEAR FOR FAMILIES FOR A FAMILY OF THREE TO LIVE HERE IN MERCED COUNTY, THE INDIVIDUAL PER CAPITA INCOME IN THE REGION IS 28,000 TO $31,000.
FARM WORKERS, THE PEOPLE WHO CONTRIBUTE A SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT TO OUR ECONOMY ARE STRUGGLING TO LIVE HERE.
[02:05:01]
RESIDENTS ARE STRUGGLING TO LIVE HERE.THEY'RE BEING PRICED OUT OF BEING ABLE TO LIVE IN MERCED.
MY LANDLORD IS FROM THE BAY AREA.
HE EARNS WAY MORE THAN I DO, YET HE GETS TO OWN SEVERAL HOUSES HERE IN MERCED COUNTY.
INFLATION ROSE TO 4.2% LAST MAY.
THE COST OF LIVING IS GOING UP, RENT IS GOING UP, HOUSE PRICES ARE GOING UP, BUT WAGES AREN'T GOING UP.
AS ELECTED OFFICIALS OF OUR COUNTY, I HOPE THAT YOU HAVE OUR BEST INTEREST AT HEART AND YOU CAN WORK WITH US TO COME UP WITH SOLUTIONS FOR THE PEOPLE THAT YOU REPRESENT.
I ASK THAT YOU INCREASE THE FUNDING FOR THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROGRAM TO $5 MILLION AND CREATE MORE OPPORTUNITIES FOR RESIDENTS TO BE ENGAGED IN THE BUDGET PROCESS, TO PROMOTE TRANSPARENCY AND GET FEEDBACK FROM THE COMMUNITY.
NOW, I TOOK SOME TIME FROM WORK TO BE ABLE TO SPEAK WITH YOU TODAY, AND NOT EVERYONE HAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO SO.
AS YOU SAW, IT'S JUST MAYBE 10 PEOPLE OVER HERE, WHICH IS A SMALL PERCENTAGE OF THE ENTIRE POPULATION OF MERCED COUNTY.
AND AS YOU CAN HEAR, WE ARE STRUGGLING.
SO I HOPE THAT YOU HAVE THE ABILITY TO STRUGGLE OUR EASE AND WORK WITH US.
UM, I HAVE LIVED IN MERCED COUNTY FOR ALL 20 YEARS OF MY LIFE.
I WENT TO SCHOOL HERE IN, HONESTLY, I HOPE TO KEEP IT THAT WAY OF COURSE, UM, BECAUSE MERCEDES WHERE I FEEL AT HOME, BUT THE COST OF HOUSING HAS ONLY INCREASED ALL WAGES STAY THE SAME, WHICH MAKES IT HARD FOR YOUNG PEOPLE SUCH AS MYSELF, RIGHT? UM, TO FIND A PLACE ON MY OWN.
UM, WHILE I WAS GROWING UP, IT WASN'T UNCOMMON, UNCOMMON TO SEE A HOMELESS PERSON HERE AND THERE, RIGHT? BUT HOMELESSNESS HAS EXPONENTIALLY INCREASED IN THE AREA AND WELL THERE, WHILE THERE IS MANY, UM, REASONS FOR, YOU KNOW, HOMELESSNESS, ONE OF THEM SHOULDN'T BE BECAUSE THERE ISN'T SUITABLE HOUSING FOR PEOPLE.
AND THAT IS WHY I'M HERE TODAY BECAUSE I'D LIKE THE BOARD TO INCREASE THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROGRAMS BUDGET TO $5 MILLION AND TO PROVIDE MORE OPPORTUNITIES FOR PUBLIC INPUT TO THE BUDGET PROCESS.
LOOKS LIKE I'M THE ONLY SHORT ONE AROUND HERE,
I THINK OTHER PEOPLE WERE STILL ON THEIR TOES OR SOMETHING.
UM, I, I WOULD LIKE TO GIVE SUPPORT, FIRST OF ALL TO, TO CNC, TO, TO, YOU KNOW, FOR THE BOARD TO CONSIDER RAISING THE AMOUNT OF MONEY IN THIS BUDGET TO HAVE PEOPLE I'VE NEVER SEEN SO MANY YOUNG PEOPLE APPROACHING YOU.
I'VE LIVED IN MERCED OVER 50 YEARS, PROBABLY IN THE SAME HOME.
BUT I ALSO WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE BOARD FOR MAKING THIS AVAILABLE BECAUSE IT GIVES US MORE INFORMATION, THE PUBLIC, ALTHOUGH I DON'T HAVEN'T SEEN IT AROUND ANYMORE, YOU KNOW, I KNOW EVERYTHING COSTS MONEY AND I KNOW THAT THE BUDGET, UM, DOCUMENT IS 682 PAGES LONG, SO I WASN'T GONNA PRINT THAT.
IT IS A VERY CHALLENGING PROCESS.
UM, SOME YOUNG PEOPLE THAT ARE HERE ARE, HAVE, HAVE SOME EDUCATION BEHIND THEM.
YOU KNOW, THEY'RE SETTING ASIDE SOME OF THEIR CHALLENGES IN SPEAKING IN PUBLIC, BUT I THINK THAT THAT'S GREAT.
I WANNA TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT A FEW YEARS BACK THERE WAS SOME SENTIMENT IN THE PUBLIC REGARDING RE-IMAGINING PUBLIC SAFETY.
I AM NOT AGAINST LAW ENFORCEMENT.
I AM NOT AGAINST LAW ENFORCEMENT, BUT I THINK THAT LAW ENFORCEMENT DEALS WITH INTERVENTION, NOT WITH PREVENTION.
WE NEED LEADERS IN OUR COUNTY THAT WILL THINK IN THAT REGARD AND PREVENTION.
AND I BELIEVE, I MEAN, SOME, SOME PEOPLE, UM, FEEL AND SEE THE HOUSELESS HOMELESSNESS PROBLEM.
YOU KNOW, I, I CAN'T EVEN KEEP UP WITH ALL THE CONTINUUM OF CARE, THE NUMBER OF PROJECTS GOING ON.
I KNOW I WAS PARTICULARLY THANK JOHN CHECKLEY BECAUSE HE HAS BEEN INVOLVED IN THOSE FRONT LINES AND THERE'S JUST NOT ENOUGH.
NOW WE'RE HAVING THAT CHALLENGE OF THE HR ONE.
YOU KNOW, NOBODY REALLY FORESAW THAT, YOU KNOW, COMING OUR WAY.
BUT THE OTHER THING, I MEAN, YOU, YOU HAD ONE ITEM ON YOUR CONSENT CALENDAR ABOUT ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE.
THAT'S ANOTHER THING THAT'S TAKING AWAY JOBS.
WE DON'T REALIZE IT YET, BUT THAT IS, AND WE ARE SPENDING AS A COUNTY, A HECK OF A LOT OF MONEY ON TECHNOLOGY AND THAT TYPE OF EQUIPMENT, RIGHT? SO PLEASE TAKE A,
[02:10:01]
TAKE A LOOK AT THE VULNERABLE IN THIS COUNTY.THOSE THAT ARE STRUGGLING TO TRY TO GET AHEAD, NOT JUST GIVE TO THOSE THAT ALREADY HAVE.
MY NAME IS HEIDI SANCHEZ AND I LIVE IN DELHI FOR SO MANY YEARS, SINCE I WAS 13 YEARS OLD.
AND, UM, I JUST WANNA SAY I HAVE SOME AN IDEA, MAYBE IF THEY WILL WORK, UM, MAYBE GETTING TO VOLUNTEER AND TO GO TO DIFFERENT AREAS OF MERCER COUNTY AND ADD PEOPLE, UM, IN THE HOME.
AND THEN ASKING THEM WHAT DO THEY THINK ABOUT HAVING AFFORDABLE HOME? WHAT ARE THEIR FEEDBACK AND IDEAS? AND THEN, UM, GET TOGETHER WITH CNT AND THEN GO TO THE CAPITAL OF SACRAMENTO.
AND THEN FINDING OUT WHEN THEY HAVE BUDGET OR WHAT OTHER IDEAS THEY'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT, LIKE MONEY ISSUES OR, YOU KNOW, WHERE THE MONEY GONNA SPREAD OUT.
SO THAT WAY WE HAVE, UM, A TIME TO GIVE OUR VOICE FOR THE, WHAT THE COMMUNITY GOING THROUGH, SO THAT WAY WE HAVE ENOUGH MONEY HERE IN MERCED.
SO, UM, THAT'S AN IDEA THAT I'M THINKING AND MAYBE GET LIKE A, A BUS, A TOUR BUS THAT WE CAN GO THAT WAY BECAUSE MAYBE A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T HAVE A RIDE TO GET THERE.
BUT, UM, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I WOULD LIKE TO WORK ON.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER COMMENTS, IF NOT PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD IS NOW, UH, CLOSED ON THE PROPOSED BUDGET.
WE'LL BRING IT BACK TO THE DAAS CHAIR, RECOGNIZES SUPERVISOR PEDROZA.
FIRST, I WANNA SAY THANK YOU TO THE STAFF, UM, FOR THE WORK THAT THEY PUT INTO THIS BUDGET.
AND FOR, FOR, YOU KNOW, THE HARD WORK THAT GOES INTO THIS.
IT'S NOT A EASY THING TO DO, ESPECIALLY WITH ALL THE UNCERTAINTY.
I WANNA HIGHLIGHT SOMETHING BECAUSE IT'S BEEN SAID QUITE A BIT, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A LOT OF UNCERTAINTY, BUT A LOT OF THE UNCERTAINTY COMES FROM THINGS THAT ARE OUTSIDE OF OUR CONTROL.
AND SO WE HAVE TO WORK WITHIN THE PARAMETERS OF THE FUNDS THAT WE ARE GIVEN.
AND SO WHEN YOU SAY WE'RE GOING TO, WE CAN DOUBLE A BUDGET, THEN YOU HAVE TO TAKE MONEY AWAY FROM SOMETHING ELSE TO PUT INTO THAT.
SO, SO THEN WE HAVE TO LOOK AT THE, THE FOUR AREAS THAT WE HAVE, PUBLIC SAFETY, UM, GOVERNMENT SERVICES, AND THEN WE HAVE TO SAY, OKAY, WELL THIS IS THE FUNDS THAT WE HAVE, RIGHT, THAT WE CAN USE TO, UH, SUPPLEMENT THIS.
SO DO YOU, WHICH ONE DO YOU CUT? DO YOU CUT THE PUBLIC SAFETY ASPECT OF IT? UM, THAT THE PUBLIC HAS MADE VERY CLEAR THAT THEY WANT THE PUBLIC SAFETY, INJUSTICE, HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES.
'CAUSE A LOT OF THAT IS ALREADY PAID FOR BY, THROUGH OTHER AGENCIES THAT WILL BE CUT.
AND SO THEN WE ARE GONNA HAVE TO FIGURE OUT A WAY TO BACKFILL THAT JUST A LOT LIKE THE CMSP THAT WE JUST DID FOR THE, THE HEALTH INSURANCE SUPPORT SERVICES OR 10% MUNICIPAL COUNTYWIDE.
AND SO THE, THE OTHER THING TOO IS, YOU KNOW, THERE'S THERE'S NO JUST MAGIC MONEY TREE.
SO IF YOU CUT ONE, THEN YOU HAVE TO FIND SOMETHING ELSE, RIGHT? THAT YOU, YOU HAVE TO, THE OTHER THING TOO IS, YOU KNOW, IT WAS MENTIONED ABOUT INFLATION AND INFLATION GOING UP BY 4%.
GOVERNMENT IS NOT IMMUNE TO THAT.
SO EVERYBODY'S COSTS ARE GOING UP.
AND SO WE HAVE TO LIVE WITHIN OUR MEANS TO MAKE IT WORK.
AND SO I THINK THAT THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING ARGUMENT IS, IS, IS VERY, UM, IT'S GREAT TO HEAR SO MANY YOUNG PEOPLE TALK ABOUT IT, BUT REALLY UNDERSTAND THIS, THERE'S AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN THE CITIES OF THE COUNTY.
AND SO THAT IT'S A REALLY COMPLICATED FINE LINE.
SO IN, UH, AT DEVON WOOD HERE IN MERCED COUNT, OR IN THE CITY OF MERCED, I THINK THERE'S 200 UNITS THAT ARE FULL.
BUT THOSE ARE PRIVATE PUBLIC PARTNERSHIPS, I BELIEVE.
AND SO UNLESS YOU'RE ABLE TO FIND A PRIVATE DEVELOPER TO DO THAT, AND THEN WE GET IN AND CAN HELP AND LOOK FOR OTHER AREAS TO DO THAT, THEN THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE TO DO.
AND, AND I THINK THAT WE'RE DOING A GOOD JOB WITH THAT, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO HOUSING OUR HOMELESS.
UM, AS WAS MENTIONED, IF YOU LOOK AT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT, WE'RE NO, IN NO WAY ARE WE IN A, WE'RE IN A BETTER FINANCIAL SITUATION THAN WE ARE, THAN A LOT OF OUR OTHER COUNTY, UH, FOLKS.
FRESNO IS GONNA BE HIT, UH, FRESNO COUNTY WITH THIS HR ONE AND NO HELP FROM THE STATES LOOKING AT A $294 MILLION SHORTFALL, 294 MILLION.
UH, YOLO COUNTY, I THINK THEY'RE ABOUT 60 MILLION.
AND THESE ARE JUST NUMBERS FROM PEOPLE THAT I'VE TALKED TO, WHICH IS, WHICH EQUATES TO 125 JOBS
[02:15:01]
THAT THEY'RE GONNA HAVE TO DO BY ALSO BALANCING THAT WE'RE NOT THERE.AND SO TO START SAYING, WE NEED TO UP THIS, WHERE DO WE CUT IT FROM? AND THEN PREPARE FOR THE UNCERTAIN FUTURE MOVING AHEAD.
BECAUSE WHAT HAPPENS IS, WHEN WE DO SOMETHING LIKE THIS, IF THIS PROJECT PROGRAM ISN'T SUSTAINABLE, THEN IT GETS CUT TO ZERO TO BACKFILL IT IN SOME OF THOSE OTHER SERVICES.
SO I THINK WE HAVE TO BE VERY CAREFUL WHEN WE JUST START SAYING, TAKE THIS FROM THAT AND TAKE THIS FROM THAT, BECAUSE IT JUST DOESN'T, BUDGETS DON'T WORK THAT WAY.
UM, I DO THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, IF, IF IT WAS, I WISH WE HAD MORE TO PUT INTO OUR, YOU KNOW, SPECIAL OUR RESERVES THAT THAT ACCOUNT THERE.
'CAUSE I DON'T THINK 7% OR SEVEN TO 12%, AND WE WE'RE ABOUT SEVEN AND A HALF PERCENT.
IS THAT CORRECT? THAT WE PUT IN, I WOULD LOVE TO SEE IT ONE YEAR WHERE WE COULD GET CLOSER TO THE 12% BECAUSE THAT'S OUR REALLY, OUR RAINY DAY FUND.
BUT THEN EVEN THEN YOU HAVE TO COME UP WITH A PLAN TO BACKFILL THAT.
AND SO I JUST, I, I THINK, AND THEN IN REGARDS TO THE TRANSPARENCY ARGUMENT, YOU KNOW, WE, EVERYTHING THAT WE DO UP HERE IS TRANSPARENT.
I MEAN, YOU CAN GO TO OUR WEBSITE, YOU CAN, WE WE'RE VERY ACCESSIBLE.
WE'LL GIVE YOU THE INFORMATION THAT WE HAVE.
AND SO I THINK THAT, UH, AND WE'RE ACCOUNTABLE FOR THAT.
AND I THINK THAT WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT'S SOMETHING, UM, THAT WE HAVE TO DO.
AGAIN, WE ARE IN A BETTER POSITION.
I APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT WE'RE REALLY DOING A DEEP DIVE IN WHAT'S MANDATED VERSUS NON-MANDATED PROGRAMS. THE CALIFORNIA STATE ASSOCIATION OF COUNTIES, BECAUSE OF THE CUTS OF THE GOVERNOR'S BUDGET AND HR ONE REQUESTED $1.9 BILLION THROUGHOUT THE STATE, THAT'S NOT MUCH.
SO WE HAVE TO REALLY LOOK AT THE WHOLE BIG PICTURE AS OPPOSED TO JUST ONE SPECIFIC ARGUMENT.
AND SO I JUST, I JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT SOME OF THAT AND SAY THANK YOU TO THE STAFF FOR, YOU KNOW, TAKING THIS HUGE THING.
BECAUSE THE OTHER THING TOO IS WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE $1.2 BILLION BUDGET, AND YOU LOOK AT WHAT WE ACTUALLY HAVE TO, TO SPEND, IT'S NOT VERY MUCH.
AND SO EVERYTHING ELSE IS DIRECTED BY THE STATE OR BY THE FEDS THAT WE HAVE TO PROVIDE CERTAIN SERVICES AND THEY PAY FOR IT.
BUT WE CAN'T USE THAT MONEY FOR ANYTHING ELSE.
SO I JUST, AGAIN, WANT TO THANK STAFF AND THE HARD WORK ON THIS.
AND, UM, IT'S, IT'S NOT, IT'S NOT NEVER AN EASY TIME.
YOU WANNA SAY YES TO EVERYBODY, BUT AS A FORMER COUNCIL MEMBER FOR THE CITY OF MERCED, I WORKED ON A BUDGET WHERE WE HAD DURING THE RECESSION, THAT WAS THE HARDEST THING WE HAD TO DO.
AND WE'RE NOT THERE YET, BUT IT'S, BUT IT'S CYCLICAL.
SO, UM, AGAIN, THANK YOU TO THE STAFF AND, AND WAIT, CAN'T WAIT TO HEAR MY COLLEAGUES HAVE TO SAY THANK YOU.
SHE RECOGNIZES SUPERVISOR PEREIRA.
UH, MR. MARIANI, I WOULD LIKE TO THANK YOU AND, UH, YOUR STAFF FOR DOING SUCH A, AN INCREDIBLE JOB WITH, UM, A BUNCH OF NUMBERS THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, IT'S A, IT'S BUDGETS FOR ME AT LEAST, THE WAY THEY'RE PORTRAYED ARE COUNTERINTUITIVE.
YOU KNOW, A DEBIT IS A CREDIT AND A CREDIT'S A DEBIT.
AND I, YOU KNOW, I JUST CAN NEVER REALLY, THAT'S NOT HOW I NATURALLY THINK.
AND SO, ANYWAYS, UH, I APPRECIATE ALL THE NUMBERS.
UM, YOU KNOW, UH, UH, I, I HAVE A REQUEST FOR, FOR NEXT YEAR WHEN, WHEN YOU HAVE, UM, YOU KNOW, LIKE I ASKED YOU ABOUT THE FIRE FUND AND THE FUNDING, RIGHT? AND SO WHEN YOU BROUGHT IT TO ME, I MEAN, IT ALL MAKES SENSE, BUT IT, IT, UM, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE TO, YOU HAVE TO PROCESS IT IN A WAY TO GET IT TO MAKE SENSE, I GUESS.
AND SO, UH, MAYBE, MAYBE, UH, LIKE IN, IN THE, I DON'T KNOW, IN THE, UH, BREAKDOWNS, LIKE YOU, YOU KNOW, WE'RE WE'RE, I'LL GO TO A PAGE HERE JUST SO I GET IT RIGHT.
UM, I SHOULD HAVE GONE THERE ALREADY.
BUT WHEN WE, WHEN WE HAVE LICENSES AND PERMITS, RIGHT? IS IS A, IS IT, WHEN YOU CLICK ON IT, IT JUST HAS LIKE THE INCOMES FOR EACH OF THOSE, JUST SO THAT THE PUBLIC, WHEN THEY CLICK ON THE BUDGET, IT, IT'S, YOU KNOW, YOU DON'T GET TWO PAGES OF, OF ITEMS. I GUESS IT KIND OF MADE ME MORE EXPLANATORY.
UM, ANYWAYS, AND, AND THEN I, I KIND OF WANT TO ADDRESS THE PUBLIC COMMENT A BIT.
I MET WITH CNC AS WELL LAST THIS PAST YEAR.
AND, AND, AND I'LL REITERATE MY, MY COMMENTS, UM, A LITTLE BIT.
THE, THE, YOU KNOW, UH, I MEAN, I GET PEOPLE'S FRUSTRATION, RIGHT? THAT, THAT IT'S HARDER TO AFFORD TO LIVE TODAY THAN IT WAS 10 YEARS AGO, RIGHT? WHEN I, WHEN I GOT ON THIS BOARD AND I DID SOME MATH, THE AVERAGE MONTHLY INCOME IN MERCED COUNTY WAS $3,500.
TODAY, THE AVERAGE INCOME IN MERCED COUNTY IS $5,375.
SO, SO INCOMES HAVE GONE UP, UNFORTUNATELY, EXPENSES HAVE GONE UP FASTER.
[02:20:01]
UM, UH, IF WE PUT ANOTHER TWO AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS IN, UH, IN OUR AFFORDABLE HOUSING BUDGET, BASICALLY THAT WOULD HELP THE FIVE TO SEVEN MORE PEOPLE, OR FIVE TO SEVEN MORE FAMILIES.SO FOR THOSE FIVE TO SEVEN FAMILIES, THAT WOULD BE, UH, YOU KNOW, AN INCREDIBLE, UH, WELCOME.
BUT FOR EVERYBODY ELSE, UH, YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT.
AND SO I HAVE A FEW SUGGESTIONS.
ONE IS THAT, UH, THERE IS AN AGENCY SEPARATE FROM US CALLED THE MERCED COUNTY HOUSING AUTHORITY.
I MENTIONED THIS TO YOU, UH, BACK WHEN WE MET.
UH, THEY HAVE THE ABILITY TO GET GRANT FUNDING FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO BUILD AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
I'VE SPENT A LOT OF HOURS, UH, ESPECIALLY WHEN I BECAME A SUPERVISOR TRYING TO FIGURE OUT A WAY TO GET LOCAL BUILDERS TO BUILD AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
UH, IT IS SO MUCH MORE EXPENSIVE TO BUILD AND, UH, RENTS FOR SO MUCH LESS THAN MARKET RATE APARTMENTS THAT THEY'RE NOT INTERESTED, RIGHT? AND SO, IF THAT'S THE CASE THAN WHAT DO WE DO? AND, AND, UH, AND I THINK GOING TO THE HOUSING AUTHORITY AND ASKING THEM, UM, MY ESTIMATION IN TALKING TO OUR STAFF, THAT THERE'S SOMEWHERE BETWEEN 40 AND $60 MILLION COULD HAVE COME TO MERCED COUNTY TO BUILD AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN THE LAST 10 YEARS.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A REAL OPPORTUNITY TO HELP LOTS OF FAMILIES.
AND SO, SO THAT'S, UH, THAT'S ONE SUGGESTION.
AND THEN SOMETHING ELSE, AND I, YOU KNOW, I, WE WERE KIND OF JOKING A LITTLE BIT EARLIER.
SUPERVISOR PEDROZA KIND OF WAS LONG-WINDED.
AND, AND MAYBE I'M GONNA BE A LITTLE BIT, BUT MY GOAL IS TO HELP PEOPLE, RIGHT? IS TO, IS TO MAKE PEOPLE'S LIVES BETTER.
AND, UH, SO, UH, I'M GONNA TAKE A MINUTE TO, UM, TO SHARE THAT, UH, CQA, UM, A LOT OF PEOPLE IN CALIFORNIA THINK CA NEEDS TO BE REFORMED.
BASICALLY, IT INCREASES THE COST OF BUILDING HOUSES.
UM, AND, AND REALLY, UH, IT JUST ADDS TO THE COST.
IT DOESN'T REALLY MAKE THEM ANY MORE ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY.
UH, IT DOESN'T, UM, YOU KNOW, A, AN APPLICATION FOR A SUBDIVISION'S GONNA GET APPROVED, AND ALL CA DOES IS MAKE THAT MORE EXPENSIVE.
AND SO, I'M NOT SAYING WE DO AWAY WITH CQA, BUT I'M SAYING WE REFORM IT.
AND SO IF YOU COULD GO TO SACRAMENTO OR MEET WITH YOUR LEGISLATURES, YOUR STATE LEGISLATURES, AND ADVOCATE FOR CQA REFORM, UH, YOU WOULD BE HELPING THE PEOPLE IN MERCED COUNTY THAT CAN'T AFFORD A HOUSE.
AND SO, UM, I'LL, I'LL LEAVE THOSE TWO THINGS THERE, UM, AS SUGGESTIONS FOR YOU AND, UH, AND YOUR TEAM.
AND, UH, THEN I'LL, I'LL COME BACK TO OUR BUDGET.
UM, YOU KNOW, I, I, UH, IT'S AMAZING.
YOU KNOW, I KEEP SAYING THAT OUR BUDGET'S GONNA GO DOWN AND, AND I SAID THAT BACK WHEN WE HAD THE FIRST BILLION DOLLAR BUDGET.
UM, OUR BUDGET HASN'T GONE DOWN, BUT WHAT HAS HAPPENED IS WE'RE ABLE TO DO LESS WITH THAT BUDGET.
AND SO, UM, ULTIMATELY, UH, YOU KNOW, FUNCTIONALLY OUR BUDGET HAS GONE DONE.
AND SO I JUST WANNA RECOGNIZE THAT AND, UH, THANK THE STAFF FOR TAKING THAT SCENARIO AND MAKING IT SOMETHING THAT WE CAN LIVE WITH AND WORK WITH.
AND I THINK YOU GUYS HAVE DONE, UH, AND GALS HAVE DONE A GREAT JOB, SO THANK YOU.
CHAIR RECOGNIZES AS SUPERVISOR RA.
FIRST OFF, I WANT TO THANK GREG TERRY.
THOSE ARE THE FOLKS IN THE BUDGET OFFICE THAT LIVE AND BREATHE BUDGET ALL YEAR LONG AND NIGHT.
AND, AND IT'S KIND OF LIKE THE SUPER BOWL IS WHEN YOU PRESENT THE PROPOSED BUDGET, AND THEN YOU HAVE A KIND OF ANOTHER SUPER BOWL THAT IS WHEN WE GET TO FINAL BUDGET.
BUT AS SOON AS THEY GET DONE WITH ONE BUDGET, THEY'RE MAKE, THEY'RE DOING WORK ON NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET.
THE AMOUNT OF WORK THAT GOES INTO COMPUTING THIS BUDGET.
IT IS, IT IS VERY HARD TO FOLLOW.
I THINK THAT THINGS THAT WE'VE DONE, WHEN YOU GET THESE BUDGET AT A GLANCE, IT'S KIND OF A, A, A CONDENSED VERSION OF THAT.
I THINK THAT'S HELPFUL FOR ANY MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC, HELPFUL FOR EVEN US TO BE ABLE TO JUST KIND OF UNDERSTAND WHERE THOSE TOP LINE NUMBERS GOES.
AND THERE'S A LOT OF WORK THAT GOES INTO THESE AND, AND TRYING TO BE TRANSPARENT IN DOING THE PEOPLE'S BUSINESS IN FRONT OF PEOPLE.
UM, SO THANK YOU GUYS FOR THE HARD WORK THAT YOU DO.
UM, YOU KNOW, ULTIMATELY WE GET TO VOTE ON THIS THING, BUT THERE'S A LOT OF WORK THAT GOES INTO IT BEFORE IT EVER COMES TO HERE.
AND, AND I DO, I HEAR THE FRUSTRATION WITH THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING PIECE.
WHAT I WOULD SAY IS, IS LET ME BE YOUR PARTNER AND LET'S GO ADVOCATE AT THE STATE LEVEL.
WE TALKED ABOUT LIFT TO RISE AS A GROUP THAT'S OUT OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA.
I MET WITH THEM, I WAS, WE HAD A, A ZOOM MEETING.
YOU KNOW, PART OF HOW THEY GOT THEIR FUNDING STARTED WAS HOW THEY, THEY, UH, THEIR STATE SENATOR GAVE THEM A DIRECT BUDGET ALLOCATION, RIGHT? WHICH THEN LED TO OTHER INVESTMENTS, AND IT'S THAT REOCCURRING LOAN.
AND, AND, AND IN TALKING WITH THEM, THEY'VE HAD A LOT OF SUCCESS IN, THEY LOAN THAT MONEY OUT, AND THEN THEY GET PAID.
IT'S THAT BRIDGE, THAT BRIDGE MONEY.
AND, AND WHAT SUPERVISOR PEREIRA TALKED ABOUT IS, BY ITSELF, A DEVELOPER IS NOT GOING TO DO IT BECAUSE IT NEEDS TO BE SUBSIDIZED IN SOME WAY.
AND SO THERE'S A LOT OF THESE LITTLE PIECES OF MONEY THAT THEY CAN'T GET A LOAN FROM, A BANK FROM.
THAT'S WHERE LIFT TO RISE COMES IN AND IS ABLE TO, AND THEY'VE BEEN PAID BACK ON THOSE LOANS.
THEY CAN LOAD A NO INTEREST RATE LOANS, GET IT, AND THEN THEY'RE,
[02:25:01]
THEY JUST, THE MONEY KEEPS RECYCLING ITSELF.BUT AGAIN, I'M GONNA GO BACK TO IS, IS I THINK, I BELIEVE THE NUMBER WAS 10 MILLION THEY GOT FROM THEIR STATE SENATOR, GOT THEM IN A BUDGET, A DIRECT BUDGET ALLOCATION.
THAT'S WHERE WE CAN BE HELPFUL AT IS BECAUSE WE ARE ALREADY, WE, WE, WE TALK ABOUT THE PIE.
YOU CUT, YOU PUT IT OVER HERE, YOU GOTTA CUT FROM SOMEWHERE ELSE.
THOSE DECISIONS ARE NOT MADE LIGHTLY.
BUT IF THE STATE WANTS TO COME IN AND HELP, I DON'T WANNA SHIRK RESPONSIBILITY.
THESE ARE MERCED COUNTY RESIDENTS, BUT THEY'RE ALSO RESIDENTS OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA AND, AND OUR STATE LEGISLATURE RIGHT NOW CURRENTLY WITH, WITH THE NEGOTIATIONS THAT ARE GOING ON WITH HR ONE, THERE'S THE GOVERNOR BASICALLY SLAPPED COUNTIES IN THE FACE, IS WHAT HE DID.
HE PUT, I THINK THE NUMBER WAS LIKE $23 MILLION INTO HIS, HIS MAY REVISE TO SOLVE SOME OF THE HR ONE ISSUES.
THEN IT, AND, AND BASICALLY KICKED THE CAN TO THE ASSEMBLY AND THE SENATE WHO HAVE DIFFERING VERSIONS ON HOW THEY'RE GONNA PAY FOR IT.
AND I, THIS IS A STATEMENT THAT I I, I, I SAID WHEN I WAS IN A MEETING IN SACRAMENTO WITH, UH, THE CHAIRMAN SENATE CHAIR OF, OF ON THE BUDGET COMMITTEE, AND I SAID TO HIM, LOOK, IT'S REALLY EASY WHEN YOU HAVE A $350 BILLION BUDGET, AND YOU'RE ASKING FOR ROUGHLY $2 BILLION TO HELP SOLVE THIS HR ONE ISSUE.
IF AS ELECTED OFFICIALS, YOU REALLY DO BELIEVE IN THAT, WE ARE TASKED WITH THE FIRST THING AS AN ELECTED OFFICIAL, WHETHER IT'S CITY, COUNTY, STATE, FEDERAL, THAT WE'RE CHARGED WITH THE HEALTH, WELFARE AND SAFETY OF OUR CITIZENS, IT SHOULD BE AN EASY FIX IN A $350 BILLION BUDGET.
THAT'S A LOT OF MONEY TO CARVE OUT 2 BILLION TO, YOU KNOW, WE, WE TALKED ABOUT, YOU HEARD FOLKS TALK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, IF YOU HAVE HOUSING STABILITY, YOU HAVE, IT LEADS TO BETTER HEALTH, HEALTH OUTCOMES, ALL THAT.
THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT WITH HR ONE.
AND UNFORTUNATELY, THE STATE'S ANSWER TO IT IS, IS TO BALANCE THEIR BUDGET ON THE BACKS OF COUNTIES.
THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE ATTEMPTING TO DO.
WHERE THE, WHERE THIS, AND YOU GUYS HAVE HEARD ME SAY THIS, FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, THEY HAVE THE ABILITY TO PRINT MONEY.
THE STATE GOVERNMENT, THEY STEAL MONEY.
AND I DON'T MEAN LITERALLY THEY STEAL IT FROM YOU, BUT WHAT THEY DO IS, IS THEY PROMISE YOU TODAY, AND THEN THEY TAKE IT BACK AND THEY SAY, OH, WELL, WE'RE GONNA GIVE IT BACK TO YOU SOMEDAY IN THE FUTURE, BUT WE JUST DON'T KNOW WHEN.
RIGHT? AND SO THE FRUSTRATION, WE FEEL THAT SAME FRUSTRATION, BUT WE'RE NOT GONNA BE ABLE TO SOLVE THIS PROBLEM BY OURSELVES.
WE NEED YOUR GUYS' HELP TO ADVOCATE TO THESE FOLKS THAT WE'RE PUTTING IN SACRAMENTO AND, AND, AND TO GIVE BACK TO, TO THEIR DISTRICTS.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, WE TALKED ABOUT THE AG INDUSTRY, THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT IT CREATES FOR THE ECONOMY, IT CREATES A LOT OF, UH, MONEY FOR THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA.
AND, AND WE DON'T GET OUR FAIR SHARE BACK BECAUSE, YOU KNOW WHY? 'CAUSE WE JUST DON'T HAVE THE NUMBERS.
WE DON'T, YOU KNOW, THIS IS THE STORY OF WHEN ADAM GRAY FIRST GOT ELECTED TO THE ASSEMBLY, HE TOLD ME THIS, AND IT PUT IT IN PERSPECTIVE.
EVERY, EVERY NEW ELECTION, THEY DO ROLL CALL IN THE STATE ASSEMBLY BY, UH, COUNTY, AND THEY GO IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER.
AND MERCED COMES BEFORE LOS ANGELES, I MEAN, FROM, SO MERCED, YES, BEFORE LA COUNTY, THEY SAY MERCED COUNTY, AT THAT POINT, ONE ASSEMBLY MEMBER STANDS UP AND IS REPRESENTING MERCED COUNTY.
AND A THIRD OF THE STATE LEGISLATURE STANDS UP BECAUSE A THIRD OF THE STATE LEGISLATURE REPRESENTS LA COUNTY.
THE ADVOCACY THAT YOU GUYS ARE DOING HERE, I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO BE DOING THAT SAME ADVOCACY AT THE STATE LEVEL WITH OUR STATE ASSEMBLY MEMBER, ESMERALDA SORIA, WHO'S RUNNING FOR STATE OR STATE TO BE OUR STATE SENATOR, WHOEVER THAT PERSON, WE NEED TO ADVOCATE TO THOSE FOLKS TO GET OUR FAIR SHARE BACK HERE SO THAT WE CAN SUPPORT PROGRAMS LIKE THESE SO THAT IT COMES FROM THE STATE, AND YOU START WITH THAT SEED MONEY, WE'RE IN A LOT BETTER PLACE VERSUS US TRYING TO ROB PETER TO PAY PAUL IS WHAT WE'RE DOING.
IF WE CUT THE MONEY FROM, WELL, THEN WHAT DOESN'T GET FUNDED? SO AGAIN, I SHARE YOUR FRUSTRATIONS.
I'LL BE YOUR PARTNER IN ADVOCATING AT THE STATE LEVEL.
AS A MEMBER OF THE STATE ASSOCIATION OF COUNTIES.
THAT'S WHAT WE'RE CONSTANTLY DOING, IS ADVOCATING ON BEHALF OF CALIFORNIA'S COUNTIES, WHICH IS, THEY REPRESENT THE STATE, REPRESENTS ALL THOSE SAME PEOPLE.
AGAIN, BACK TO DAVID, THANK YOU GUYS FOR THE PRESENTATION.
UM, I DO THINK WE ARE IN BETTER SHAPE THAN OTHER COUNTIES BECAUSE HR ONE IN THESE BIGGER COUNTIES IS GONNA BE A HUGE IMPACT, ESPECIALLY IF YOU'RE A COUNTY THAT HAS COUNTY HOSPITALS BECAUSE THERE ARE COUNTY HOSPITALS THAT THEY'RE REQUIRED TO FUND AND KEEP THE DOORS OPEN WITH WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH HR ONE.
A LOT OF THAT FUNDING HAS THE POTENTIAL TO GO AWAY.
WE MADE A, WE MADE A VOTE EARLIER TODAY THAT THAT'S COMMITTING $20 MILLION TO HELP WITH THAT.
AND THAT, THAT IS, WE DON'T HAVE THAT TO CONTINUE TO PAY.
UM, SO WE'RE TAKING A CAUTIOUS APPROACH TO OUR BUDGET.
I APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT WHAT OUR MANDATED SERVICES VERSUS THE SERVICES WE PROVIDE.
THAT'S WHERE WE'RE GOING TO END UP IS, IS WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO TAKE A HARD LOOK AT, AT THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA, THEY KEEP ADDING PROGRAMS AND IT'S UNFUNDED MANDATES.
THEY PASS THE LAW IN SACRAMENTO, COMES DOWN TO US AT THE COUNTY.
WE'RE THE IMPLEMENTERS OF THIS, BUT IT DOESN'T COME WITH ANY FUNDING TO DO IT.
SO WE'RE GONNA BE FORCED TO TAKE A HARD LOOK AT THE MANDATED SERVICES THAT WE'RE REQUIRED TO PROVIDE, PROVIDE, AND, AND, AND PROBABLY POTENTIALLY HAVE TO ELIMINATE SOME OF THE EXTRA SERVICES THAT WE PROVIDE
[02:30:01]
THAT I THINK ARE GREAT SERVICES.AND I THINK THAT PEOPLE THAT UTILIZE THEM REALLY NEED THEM.
BUT AT SOME POINT WHERE THE STATE KEEPS PUTTING THESE UNFUNDED MANDATES ON US, THE RUBBER HAS TO MEET THE ROAD.
WE DON'T HAVE THE ABILITY TO STEAL MONEY AND WE DON'T HAVE THE ABILITY TO PRINT MONEY.
CHAIR RECOGNIZES AS SUPERVISOR PACHECO.
UH, I DO WANNA THANK STAFF FOR, FOR THEIR WORK, BUT I ALSO WANNA STAFF, UH, I THANK EVERYBODY THAT CAME TODAY.
UH, I APPRECIATE YOU TAKING TIME OUTTA YOUR DAY TO COME AND, UH, PRESENT YOUR IDEAS TO US.
UM, I, I KNOW IT, UH, IT, IT'S, IT'S HARD.
WE ALL WANT TO HELP, UM, HELP EVERYBODY AND, AND GIVE EVERYTHING, BUT YEAH, WE, WE, RIGHT.
WE JUST DON'T HAVE, WE ARE NOT, WE ARE NOT IN CONTROL OF EVERYTHING THAT, UH, THAT YOU, THAT YOU, UH, BROUGHT TO OUR ATTENTION.
UM, I'M SYMPATHETIC TO YOUR SITUATIONS.
UH, MY GRANDPARENTS, MY PARENTS WERE, UH, MY MOTHER WAS A FARM WORKER, SO I SAW THE STRUGGLES THAT CAME THROUGH.
UH, SO I'M GONE TO COLLEGE AND NONE OF THEM ARE ANYWHERE NEAR GETTING A HOUSE RIGHT NOW.
AND SO I, I, I DO UNDERSTAND THE PROBLEM.
I DO WANT TO HELP OUT, BUT I THINK LIKE, UM, SUE, VICE VERSA.
I THINK OUR BEST OPTION IS BEING A GOOD PARTNER AND GOOD ADVOCATE.
COME TO US WITH IDEAS, UH, AND WE'LL BE ABLE TO ADVOCATE WITH YOU AND, AND I'LL DO ANYTHING.
IF THERE'S A GOOD IDEA OUT THERE THAT WE THINK YOU CAN RUN WITH, I'D LOVE TO DO THAT.
UM, THE BUDGET PROCESS, I KNOW IT'S A BIG PROCESS.
UH, I KNOW WE HAD A, UH, PRESENTATION HERE AT THE COUNTY.
UH, THE PUBLIC WAS INVITED, AND IF WE NEED TO COME OUT TO EACH DISTRICT, MAYBE WE NEED TO DO THAT, AND WE CAN LOOK INTO THAT.
BUT I APPRECIATE EVERYBODY COMING DOWN HERE TO GIVE YOUR POINT OF VIEW AND LETTING US KNOW, UH, WHAT THE ISSUES ARE.
AGAIN, I'M SYMPATHETIC TO, I SEE IT, IT AFFECTS ME PERSONALLY.
SO I WANT TO DO WHATEVER I CAN TO HELP OUT.
I DO HAVE A MOTION ON THE FLOOR.
MOTION BY SUPERVISOR RA, SECONDED BY SUPERVISOR PEREIRA.
IS THERE ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION BEFORE I CALL FOR THE VOTE? IF NOT, LET'S CALL FOR THE VOTE RECORD.
GOOD WORK BY OUR BUDGET STAFF.
YOU GUYS PUT IN A LOT OF TIME ON THIS.
UM, AT THIS TIME, WE'LL GO AHEAD AND MOVE ON WITH, UH, BOARD REPORT STARTING WITH SUPERVISOR PEREIRA
I THINK THAT WAS A KNUCKLE BALL THAT, THAT, THAT WAS A KNUCKLE BALL IN, IN THE, OKAY.
WELL, UM, UH, THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO, UH, TO SHARE, UH, UH, CHAIR.
UH, I ATTENDED THE, UH, C UH, CSAC SUMMER MEETING.
UH, KIND OF A, A NEAT, UH, NEW DEAL THAT C SACS DOING IS HOLDING SOME REGIONAL MEETINGS.
AND, UH, YOU KNOW, WE'VE, YOU'VE HEARD US TALK MANY TIMES ABOUT, UH, THE, THE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY SUPERVISORS GETTING TOGETHER TO ADVOCATE FOR US.
AND, AND, AND THAT'S KIND OF A, UH, ANOTHER EXTENSION OF THAT.
UH, SUPERVISOR SILVERA HAD, UH, HAD PLENTY TO DO WITH GETTING CSAC HERE IN THE VALLEY.
UH, WELL, I, YESTERDAY I ATTENDED THE, UM, UH, MERCED COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY'S VOLUNTEER APPRECIATION LUNCH, AND ONE VOLUNTEER IN THE PAST YEAR HAS VOLUNTEERED 450 HOURS OF, UH, OF THEIR TIME, UH, TO, UH, BE A DOCENT AT, UH, OUR COUNTY COURTHOUSE MUSEUM.
AND I JUST THOUGHT THAT WAS PRETTY AMAZING.
AND, AND, AND KIND OF IRONICALLY, UH, HE IS A RETIRED MERCED COUNTY EMPLOYEE.
AND, UH, SO ANYWAY, SO I'VE KNOWN HIM FOR QUITE A FEW YEARS.
AND, UH, YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST AMAZING.
I'M A HISTORY BUFF, AND I APPRECIATE, UH, YOU KNOW, UH, OUR HERITAGE.
AND SO IT'S NEAT TO LISTEN TO HIM TALK AND SHARE, UH, WITH, UH, WITH FOLKS.
UH, YESTERDAY AFTERNOON WE HAD A, A DAIRY EXPANSION MEETING.
UH, WE HAVE, UM, ABOUT FIVE DAIRIES THAT HAVE A PERMIT APPLICATIONS IN WITH THE COUNTY.
AND, UM, THAT PROCESS HAS, HAS GONE WELL, AND THEN IT'S GONE NOT WELL.
UH, AND I THINK, UH, MEETING WITH, UH, WITH THE DAIRYMAN AND, AND THEIR CONSULTANTS TO KIND OF GO OVER WHERE WE ARE, UH, DIRECTOR MIMS AND HIS STAFF, UH, REALLY LAID OUT, UH, THE PROCESS.
UH, AND, AND I THINK THE DAIRYMAN APPRECIATED, UM, KNOWING THAT ONE, WE'RE WORKING ON IT.
UM, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU, WHEN YOU, YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW, IF YOU'RE DOING SOMETHING, YOU'RE, YOU'RE GONNA OPEN A STORE, YOU'RE GONNA BUILD A HOUSE, UM, AND SOMETHING GETS DELAYED A PERIOD OF TIME.
IT'S, IT'S UNFORTUNATE, BUT, UM, UH, IT'S, UH, I GUESS YOU CAN LIVE WITH IT WHEN YOU HAVE LIVESTOCK AND YOU'RE, YOU'RE BREEDING CATTLE AND
[02:35:01]
YOU'VE GOT, YOU KNOW, IT TAKES, BASICALLY FROM THE TIME YOU BREED A COW, YOU GET A HEIFER THAT'S READY TO BE MILKED.IT'S ABOUT A THREE YEAR PROCESS.
AND SO THESE FOLKS ARE PLANNING ON, ON EXPANDING AND DOING WHAT THEY'RE DOING.
AND SO WHEN WE HOLD STUFF UP OR, YOU KNOW, THE PROCESS, UH, HOLDS STUFF UP, UH, YOU KNOW, SIX MONTHS OR A YEAR, IT'S A BIG COST, NOT ONLY IN CONVENIENCE, BUT IT'S A BIG COST TO THE, TO THE DAIRY MINUTES.
UM, AND THEN LASTLY, UM, WE, UH, I, I SERVE AS THE CHAIRMAN OF THE MERCED, UH, GSA, UH, WATER BOARD.
AND, AND I'M ON THAT BOARD BECAUSE I'M A, A COUNTY SUPERVISOR.
AND SO YESTERDAY WE, WE PASSED A PROP TWO 18, WHICH IS BASICALLY, UH, IT CAN BE UP TO $15 AN ACRE FOR, FOR, UM, PEOPLE TO PAY INTO A FUND THAT HELPS US IMPLEMENT SIGMA.
AND, UH, OUR BOARD WORKS REALLY HARD.
UM, LACEY MCBRIDE WITH OUR STAFF, OUR WATER MANAGER, UM, IS ALSO THE, THE, THE INTERIM, OR I GUESS YOU WOULD CALL IT EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, AND HAS JUST DONE A PHENOMENAL JOB.
UM, INSTEAD OF THE $15 AND 11 CENTS THAT WE WOULD NORMALLY, UH, HAVE TO, TO EXTRACT RIGHT FROM THE PROPERTY OWNERS PER ACRE, IT WAS, UH, WE PASSED A BUDGET OF 500 AND, OR, UH, $5 AND 2 CENTS.
AND, UH, SO I JUST FEEL REALLY GOOD ABOUT, UH, WHAT WE DO AND TO TRY TO KEEP COSTS DOWN.
I KNOW THAT'S NOT A COUNTY DEPARTMENT, BUT, UH, IT IS, UM, SOMETHING THAT AFFECTS ALL OF OUR CONSTITUENTS.
AND SO, UH, WANT TO JUST SHARE THAT OPPORTUNITY.
UH, CHAIR RECOGNIZES SUPERVISOR PEDROSO.
I THOUGHT I WAS THE LONG-WINDED ONE TODAY, BUT APPARENTLY THAT'S STILL THE SAME WAY OVER THERE.
UH, I, FOR THE SAKE OF NOT BEING ACCUSED OF BEING LONG-WINDED, AGAIN, I'LL, I'LL SAY, UH, WE HAD THE HILLS FERRY BRIDGE REPLACEMENT, WHICH I THOUGHT WAS REALLY COOL.
UM, PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN, UH, STANISLAUS COUNTY AND MERCED COUNTY.
I WENT TO THE MERCED AF RIBBON CUTTING, WHICH WHERE YOU SEE ALL THE NEW MURALS, THEY WERE ABLE TO CELEBRATE THAT LAST WEEK, OBVIOUSLY WAS THE FAIR.
UM, I'M VERY HAPPY THAT IT'S OVER BECAUSE MY CHILDREN HAD PROJECT OR LIVESTOCK PROJECTS AND I WAS THERE EVERY DAY.
UM, THE, UH, I ALSO WANNA MENTION I DO THIS EVERY TIME MY SON'S IN A SHOW AND TO SUPPORT THE ARTS.
THERE'S A SHOW STARTING ON FRIDAY, JUNE 19TH, AND IT RUNS THROUGH JUNE 28TH, SIX SHOWS, UH, AND IT'S CALLED THE OLYMPIANS.
UM, AND SO IT'S BACK AT PLAYHOUSE MERCED, WHICH I THINK IS, IS REALLY, UH, COOL TO SEE.
AND THEN ALSO, I WANTED TO, UH, TAKE AN OPPORTUNITY TO ADJOURN FOR TWO PEOPLE TODAY.
ONE IS DAN GALLAGHER, AND THE OTHER IS DON BERGMAN.
UH, DAN GALLAGHER WAS A, UM, BOTH OF THESE GENTLEMEN WERE CHAMPIONS OF, OF THE CITY OF MERCED AND MERCED COUNTY IN GENERAL.
UM, DON BERGMAN WAS ACTUALLY A CITY COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, FOR THE CITY OF MERCED, AND THEY RECENTLY PASSED AWAY, SO I JUST WANTED TO, UH, ADJOURN IN THEIR BE ON THEIR BEHALF.
CHAIR RECOGNIZES SCOTT SILVER.
UM, I DID ATTENDED A LOT OF THE SAME THINGS, THE HILLS FERRY BRIDGE.
THAT WAS, THAT WAS A REALLY COOL PROJECT.
I WANNA THANK NATHAN BRAVE FROM PUBLIC WORKS.
IT'S WHEN TWO NEIGHBORING COUNTIES THAT SHARE A BRIDGE, THE, THE COUNTY LINE IS RIGHT IN THE CENTER OF THE BRIDGE.
SO IT WAS A PROJECT WHERE YOU WORKED TOGETHER, IT TURNED OUT REALLY, REALLY NICE.
UM, SO CONGRATULATIONS ON THAT.
UM, AND THEN IT'S KIND OF A COOL LITTLE DEAL AS PART THEY PUT THE LITTLE PLAQUE ON THERE.
AND SO ONE DAY WHEN I'M TAKING MY GRANDKIDS AROUND, I COULD SHOW 'EM THAT I WAS A COUNTY SUPERVISOR AT THE TIME WHEN THAT BRIDGE GOT REPLACED.
UM, THIS, UH, SUMMER REGIONAL MEETING WAS IN KINGS COUNTY.
UM, IT WAS, IT WAS A REALLY GOOD OPPORTUNITY.
I DID KIND OF FEEL A LITTLE SORRY FOR THE, FROM, FOR THE GAL FROM THE STATE, BECAUSE
AND, UH, SHE GOT TO HEAR A LOT OF OPINIONS ON HOW WE COULD REALLY EASILY FIX IT IF THEY WOULD JUST LISTEN TO US.
UM, SO THERE WAS A REALLY A GOOD MEETING.
I, I TRIED TO ATTEND THOSE MEETINGS.
UM, THIS ONE WAS IN, IN MERCED OR WELL IN THE CENTRAL VALLEY.
SO A LOT OF THE SAME ISSUES, BUT WHEN YOU ATTEND THEM IN OTHER PARTS OF THE STATE, IT REALLY GIVES YOU AN EYE-OPENING EXPERIENCE AS TO WHAT OTHER COUNTIES ARE EXPERIENCING.
WE'RE ALL COUNTIES, BUT IF YOU'VE BEEN TO ONE, YOU'VE BEEN TO ONE.
AND THE CHALLENGES THEY FACE, UM, THE DAIRY FOCUS GROUP, I WANT TO THANK, UH, CO HENDRICKSON AND, AND MARK MIMS FOR PUTTING THAT TOGETHER.
IT WAS REALLY HELPFUL FOR ME AS A COUNTY SUPERVISOR TO HEAR IT.
BUT REALLY, UM, THE APPROACH TO THE MEETING WAS WANTING TO LISTEN TO THE FOLKS THAT ARE EXPERIENCING OUR PROCESS AND WHERE ARE THEY SEEING THAT THEY'RE, THE, SOME OF THE PINCH POINTS ARE, AND THEN OFFERING UP EXAMPLES OF MAYBE IN SOME OTHER COUNTIES THE WAY THAT THEY'RE DOING AND IN STREAMLINING IT.
SO I THINK A REALLY, REALLY FRUITFUL MEETING.
UM, DAIRY IS OUR NUMBER ONE INDUSTRY IN THIS COUNTY BY, BY A LONG SHOT.
AND, AND SO WE WANNA BE SUPPORTIVE OF THOSE FOLKS WHO ARE DOING ALL THE RIGHT THINGS AND, AND BEING VERY, UM, CAUTIOUS OF THE ENVIRONMENT AS THEY, UM,
[02:40:01]
ADD ON TO THESE DAIRIES.AND JUST A QUICK COMMENT ON THAT IS, IS IN CALIFORNIA THE REGULATORY ENVIRONMENT, YOU HAVE THE FOLKS ON THE ENVIRONMENTAL SIDE WHO HATE AND, AND WANNA PENALIZE AND CALL 'EM BIG FACTORY FARMS AND, AND, AND THEY WANNA HATE ON 'EM.
BUT THE REALITY IS, IS ALL THE REGULATIONS THAT THEY'VE CAUSED IS THE ONLY PEOPLE THAT CAN SURVIVE IN THE DAIRY BUSINESS IS YOU HAVE TO GET BIGGER, RIGHT? THE AVERAGE SIZE IN MERCED COUNTY IS BETWEEN 1500 AND 2000 COWS.
20 YEARS AGO, THAT NUMBER WAS PROBABLY MORE LIKE SEVEN OR 800 COWS, RIGHT? AND, AND SO IN ORDER TO STAY IN BUSINESS, YOU HAVE TO GET BIGGER, AND THEY'RE DOING IT IN, IN SOME OF THE MOST ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY WAYS POSSIBLE.
AND THEN THE LAST THING, UH, JUST, I KNOW THE SHERIFF WAS A BIG PART OF THIS, BUT THE MERCED WESTERN HERITAGE FOUNDATION, THEY BROUGHT A-P-R-C-A RODEO TO SPRING, UH, TO THE MERCED COUNTY FAIR.
UM, JUST A QUICK LITTLE SIDE NOTE, UH, RENO ROSSER, WHO'S PART OF FLYING YOU, WHO WAS THE PROMO, I CALL HIM PROMOTER.
HE WAS THE GUY THAT BROUGHT THE, HE BROUGHT THE SHOOTS, HE BROUGHT THE, THE LIVESTOCK AND EVERYTHING TO THAT.
HIS WIFE, NICOLE AND I WENT TO HIGH SCHOOL TOGETHER, SO I WAS ABLE TO CATCH UP WITH AN OLD FRIEND, BUT, UH, REALLY COOL EVENT.
THEY, THEY, THEY DID IT RIGHT.
AND, AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, THE, THE REASON THAT YOU WANT THIS PRCA SANCTIONED RODEO IS, IS ANY ONE OF THOSE PARTICIPANTS THERE ANY MONEY THAT THEY WON THAT GOES TOWARD THEIR TOTALS, THAT HELPS 'EM TO GET TO THE NATIONAL FINALS.
SO IT'S NOT JUST A LITTLE ONE OFF THAT'S, THERE'S ACTUALLY MEANING BEHIND IT.
UM, AND TALKING A LITTLE BIT WITH RENO THAT NIGHT ON SATURDAY, I, I STOPPED BY IS, IT WAS TWO SEPARATE RODEOS.
THEY HAD ONE FRIDAY NIGHT AND SATURDAY NIGHT.
AND SO, UM, YOU DIDN'T SEE SOME OF THE, YOU KNOW, THE PEOPLE THAT WERE THERE ON FRIDAY NIGHT, THEY MOVED ON TO ANOTHER RODEO AND IT WAS DIFFERENT PEOPLE THERE ON SATURDAY NIGHT.
I, I HEARD THAT THEY DID REALLY WELL IN THEIR SPONSORSHIPS.
THEY WERE ACTUALLY, THEY HAD A GOAL IN MIND.
THEY OUTRAGED THEIR GOAL BY SO MUCH THAT THEY ACTUALLY LOWERED THE COST OF TICKETS TO GET IN BECAUSE THEY DID SO WELL ON SPONSORSHIPS.
AND SO I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING, UM, THAT MERCED FAIR HAS, UH, THEY CAN LOOK FORWARD TO THAT BEING A SUCCESSFUL EVENT, UH, GOING FORWARD FOR 'EM.
AND THAT'S ALL I HAVE, MR. CHAIR.
CHAIR RECOGNIZES AS SUPERVISOR PACHECO.
UH, I TO ATTENDED THE HILLS FERRY BRIDGE RIBBON CUTTING PROJECT.
AND THIS PROJECT WAS STARTED WAY BEFORE ME, BUT I WAS VERY FORTUNATE THAT I COULD BE THERE, UH, TO WATCH IT COME TO FRUITION.
AND I'LL BE THERE WITH SCOTT'S GRANDKIDS, UH, POINT OUT MY NAME ON THE, ON THE PLAQUE
UH, I ATTENDED THE WESTERN RODEO DAYS, WHICH KIND OF A PREQUEL TO THE, THE ACTUAL RODEO.
UM, I KNOW BACK IN, UH, IN THE HISTORY, THEY HAD USED TO HAVE MERCY GULF DAYS IN MERCED, AND THIS MIGHT BE A PREQUEL THAT WAS NICE TO GO OUT ON SATURDAY.
THEY HAD A LOT OF VENDORS THERE.
UH, AND THAT ROLLS INTO THE, YEAH, THE MERCED COUNTY FAIR.
I ATTENDED, UH, I DID ATTEND THE RODEO ON FRIDAY NIGHT.
UM, HOPE IT STAYS HERE IN MERCED COUNTY.
AND YEAH, CONGRATULATIONS TO THE, UH, HERITAGE ASSOCIATION FOR, FOR PUTTING IT ON AND BEING SUCCESSFUL.
UM, I ALSO ATTENDED THE LIVESTOCK SHOW AT THE FAIR AND THE AUCTION, UH, MY GRANDKIDS WERE SHOWING, AND I WAS ABLE TO BUY A COUPLE ANIMALS TO SUPPORT THE LOCAL FOUR H AND FFA KIDS.
UH, AND THEN YESTERDAY I ATTENDED THE, UH, HISTORIC SOCIETY VOLUNTEER RECOGNITION LESSON.
UH, AND AGAIN, JUST IT WAS NICE TO SEE A ROOM FULL OF PEOPLE.
AND, UH, THEIR MAIN JOB IS JUST MAKING SURE THAT OUR COURTHOUSE MUSEUM IS, UH, HIGHLIGHTED AND, UM, AND THEY DO A GREAT JOB MAKING SURE THEY KEEP OUR MERCED COUNTY HISTORY ALIVE.
AND THE LASTLY, I JUST WANNA WISH ALL THE FATHERS HAPPY FATHER'S DAY ON SUNDAY.
UH, HOPE EVERYBODY HAS A GREAT DAY.
UH, SO YEAH, I ATTENDED THE RCRC COUNTY, THE CHAIR, UH, MEETING.
OUR RCRC MEETING WAS IN, UH, IN MARIPOSA.
WE GOT TO SEE A LOT OF THE IMPACTS.
A LOT OF THE IMPACTS WE HAVE HERE AT THE COUNTY ARE UNFUNDED MANDATES PROPOSED BY THE STATE LEGISLATURE ONTO THE COUNTIES TELLING US WHAT WE HAVE TO DO.
AND IT COSTS US NOT JUST THE COUNTY, BUT THE RESIDENTS MORE MONEY TO DO THEM.
UH, IN FACT, ONE OF THE EXAMPLES IS MAYBE THE ONE THAT WAS JUST IMPOSED DOING A MANDATORY, UH, COMMISSION FOR OUR REDISTRICTING, WHICH IS A PROBLEM THAT THE COUNTY DIDN'T HAVE, BUT IT WAS IMPOSED ON, IT'S GONNA COST US OVER A MILLION DOLLARS.
AND SO THE SAME GROUP WHO WAS ASKING FOR $5 MILLION IN AFFORDABLE HOUSING WAS THE GROUP WHO PUSHED THAT OVER AND ACTUALLY TESTIFIED IN SACRAMENTO SAYING, WE HAD A PROBLEM HERE.
SO IT'S JUST AN EXAMPLE OF THE M FUND AND MANDATES THAT IMPOSED HERE ON THE COUNTY.
UM, UH, ALSO ATTENDED THE CSAC REGIONAL MEETING IN KINGS COUNTY, OR AS THEY LIKE TO REFER TO IT, THE COUNTY OF KINGS.
AND, UM, BUT, UH, VERY FRUITFUL CONVERSATIONS.
UH, I, I DID FACILITATE ONE OF THE MEETINGS THAT WAS STARTING TO GET A LITTLE OUTTA CONTROL BECAUSE OUR SUPERVISORS WHO ATTEND THE MEETING, WHO ARE ALSO FARMERS, ARE VERY OPINIONATED ON THE WATER AND ALWAYS INVITE PEOPLE FROM THE STATE TO HAVE THE WATER DISCUSSION HERE IN, IN THE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY.
AND IT, IT WAS VERY, UH, VERY EDUCATIONAL.
[02:45:01]
UM, ONE OF THEM, THE ONE LADY, I SAID, WE CAN'T, SHE'S NOT THE MESS.SHE'S JUST A MESSENGER IN TRYING TO IMPOSE SOLUTIONS FOR US.
BUT AT THE SAME TIME, SHE UNDERSTOOD WHAT SHE NEEDED TO TELL THE STATE WHEN SHE GOT BACK UP THERE.
UM, ONE THING THAT I, I, I WANTED TO SHARE THAT I, I ATTEND EVERY YEAR, CASTLE VETERANS ORGANIZATION IN ATWATER HOSTS THE, UH, WOMEN'S VETERANS RECOGNITION DAY.
IT'S ACTUALLY ON JUNE 12TH THIS YEAR.
WE DID IT ON SATURDAY, UH, THE DAY AFTER, UH, WHERE WE RECOGNIZE A LOT OF OUR WOMEN VETERANS.
UH, I NOTICED THAT IT'S NOT REAL PUBLIC, ALTHOUGH IF YOU GO TO THE CVO THAT NIGHT, IT'S STANDING ROOM ONLY BECAUSE THERE WERE SO MANY PEOPLE THERE.
AND A LOT OF, UH, A LOT OF LADIES THAT I KNOW THAT I HAD NO IDEA SERVED IN OUR MILITARY, WERE RECOGNIZED AT THIS EVENT.
AND IT'S A, IT'S A VERY WELL DONE THING.
UH, JACKIE COOK WAS, UM, RECOGNIZED BECAUSE OF HER, AND IF YOU DON'T KNOW WHO JACKIE IS, SHE'S THE OWNER OF GRANNY'S PANTRY.
AND, UH, THEY DID A SPECIAL RECOGNITION TO HER BECAUSE SHE HAS THREE GENERATIONS OF, UH, FEMALE VETERANS WITHIN HER FAMILY.
AND, UH, SHE GOT MESSAGES FROM HER GRANDKIDS, UH, WHO DID VIDEO PRESENTATIONS TO HER RECOGNIZING THAT THEY'VE ALL FOLLOWED IN HER FOOTSTEPS AS WELL AS HER DAUGHTER, HER DAUGHTERS, AND HER DAUGHTER WAS THERE.
AND HER, HER SON ACTUALLY SENT IN A VIDEO AS WELL, BUT VERY WELL DONE WITH OUR VETERANS, UH, THE CASTLE VETERANS ORGANIZATION IN ATWATER.
UM, AND WITH THAT, DID YOU HAVE SOMETHING, COUNSEL? OKAY.
[POSSIBLE DIRECTION FOR FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS]
NEXT REGULARLY SCHEDULED BOARD MEETING.BOARD OF SUPERVISED MEETING WILL BE HELD ON 10:00 AM ON TUESDAY, JUNE 7TH, 2026.
PLEASE NOTE THAT DUE TO SB 7 0 7, JUNE, JULY, JULY, JULY, I SAID JULY, SAY JUNE.
OKAY, CORRECT MYSELF, IT'S JULY 7TH, BUT DUE TO SB 7 0 7, AGAIN, IN MY COMMENTS I MENTIONED UNFUNDED MANDATES.
THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS WILL BE ADJUSTING HOW WE OPERATE OUR PUBLIC COMMENT PERIODS.
MOVING FORWARD, WE WILL BE ROLLING THIS OUT, BEGINNING WITH THE JULY 7TH, 2026, REGULARLY SCHEDULED BOARD OF SUPERVISORS MEETING.
DIRECTIONS ON HOW TO PARTICIPATE IN OUR NEW FORMAT WILL BE FORTHCOMING ON OUR WEBSITE.
AND IN OUR AGENDA NOTICE, PLEASE REFER TO THE POSTED AGENDA NOTICE, WHICH WILL BE PUBLISHED 72 HOURS IN ADVANCE OF THE MEETING.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION FOR ANY QUESTIONS RELATED TO THE NEW FORMAT, PLEASE CALL 2 0 9 3 8 5 7 3 6 6.
AGAIN, THAT'S 2 0 9 3 8 5 7 3 6 6.
THIS CONCLUDES THE BOARD OF SUPERVISOR MEETING FOR JUNE 16TH, 2026.