* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.
          GOOD 
          [00:00:01]
MORNING AND WELCOME TO 
          [CALL TO ORDER]
THE OCTOBER 6TH, 2026 MEETING FOR THE MERCED COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS. 
          WE WILL, WE WILL BE 
          [CLOSED SESSION]
MEETING IN CLOSE SESSION FOR BOTH THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS AND AS IN-HOME SUPPORTIVE SERVICES, PUBLIC AUTHORITY GOVERNING BOARD. 
          GOOD MORNING. 
          YOU HAVE TWO CLOSED SESSION ITEMS THIS MORNING. 
          ONE FROM EACH AGENDA BEGINNING WITH THE IHSS AGENDA. 
          IT IS THE INTENTION OF THE BOARD TO MEET IN CLOSE SESSION PURSUANT TO SUBDIVISION F OF SECTION 5 4 9 5 7 0.6 CONCERNING A MEET AND CONFER WITH AGENCY NEGOTIATOR MARCY BARRA AND FROM THE REGULAR AGENDA CONCERNING EXISTING LITIGATION PURSUANT TO GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 5 4 9 5 6 0.9 D ONE CHAVEZ ET AL VERSUS MERCED COUNTY ET AL MERCED SUPERIOR COURT 22 CV 0 3 8 3 3. 
          THE PUBLIC WILL BE PROVIDED AN OPPORTUNITY TO COMMENT ON ANY MATTER TO BE CONSIDERED ENCLOSED SESSION PRIOR TO THE BOARD ADJOURNING INTO CLOSED SESSION. 
          TESTIMONY IS LIMITED TO THREE MINUTES PER PERSON AND 30 MINUTES TOTAL. 
          FOR THOSE ATTENDING IN PERSON, PLEASE STEP UP TO THE PODIUM. 
          FOR OUR REMOTE ATTENDEES, PLEASE USE THE RAISE HAND FEATURE ON ZOOM OR PRESS STAR NINE IF YOU'RE CALLING BY PHONE TO BETTER FACILITATE THE MEETING AND ENSURE FAIRNESS. 
          WE WILL START WITH FIVE SPEAKERS IN PERSON, FOLLOWED BY FIVE REMOTE SPEAKERS UNTIL THE TIME HAS EXPIRED. 
          AT THIS TIME, I'LL OPEN UP PUBLIC COMMENT. 
          FOR CLOSED SESSION ITEMS, NOTHING, PLEASE GO TO THE RIGHT SINGLE FILE LINE. 
          AT THIS TIME, WE'LL GO AHEAD AND CHECK TO SEE IF THERE'S ANY REMOTE SPEAKERS AVAILABLE. 
          MR. CHAIR, THERE ARE NO REMOTE SPEAKERS. 
          OKAY, AT THIS TIME, COMMENT PERIOD IS CLOSED FOR THESE ITEMS, WE WILL NOW ADJOURN. 
          SORRY. 
          WE WILL NOW MOVE INTO CLOSED SESSION. 
          GOOD MORNING AND WELCOME 
          [10:00 A.M. – REGULAR MEETING]
BACK TO THE OCTOBER 6TH, 2026 MEETING FOR THE MERCED COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS. 
          UM, THIS MORNING WE HAD CLOSED SESSION MEETING AS BOTH THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS AND AS THE IN-HOME SUPPORTIVE SERVICES, PUBLIC AUTHORITY GOVERNING BOARD STAFF WAS GIVEN DIRECTION ON ALL CLOSED ITEMS. WE WILL NOW START WITH THE INVOCATION LED BY TERRY MOE OF ATWATER COMMUNITY CHURCH, AND THEN I WILL LEAD US IN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. 
          I AM GONNA READ BRIEFLY FROM FIRST TIMOTHY CHAPTER TWO. 
          FIRST OF ALL, THEN I URGE YOU THAT SUPPLICATIONS, PRAYERS, INTERCESSIONS, AND THANKSGIVING BE MADE FOR ALL PEOPLE, ALL WHO ARE IN HIGH POSITIONS, THAT WE MAY LEAD A PEACEFUL AND QUIET LIFE, GODLY AND DIGNIFIED IN EVERY WAY. 
          FATHER GOD, WE COME BEFORE YOU AND WE'RE IN AWE THAT YOU WOULD LOVE US SO TENDERLY TO SEND US JESUS. 
          SO WE THANK YOU THAT YOU'VE GIVEN US THIS COUNTY, THAT YOU'VE GIVEN US ALL THE PEOPLE THAT LIVE IN THIS COUNTY, LORD, THAT YOU'VE GIVEN US ALL OF THE LEADERS AND THOSE WHO ARE RESPONSIBLE, WHO ARE RESPONDING TO YOUR ABILITY, GOD. 
          AND WE PRAY THAT YOU WOULD BLESS THIS COUNTY, THAT YOU WOULD GIVE US WISDOM AND DISCERNMENT TO LOOK THROUGH ALL THE THINGS THAT ARE GOING ON AND DISCERN WHAT NEXT RIGHT THING TO DO. 
          WE PRAY A BLESSING OVER EACH OF THESE LEADERS IN FRONT OF US, AND FOR EACH OF THE LEADERS IN THIS AUDIENCE, LORD, THAT WE WOULD LEAD, THAT WE WOULD LOVE, THAT WE WOULD SERVE, AND THAT WE WOULD RESPOND TO CHRIST'S EXAMPLE OF LAYING DOWN OUR LIVES FOR OTHERS, BE GLORIFIED IN OUR HEARTS AND OUR LIVES. 
          IN JESUS NAME WE PRAY, AMEN. 
          READY PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. 
          IT IS NOW 
          [PUBLIC COMMENT]
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 FOR PERSON AND 30 MINUTES TOTAL. 
          FOR THOSE ATTENDING IN PERSON, PLEASE STEP UP TO THE PODIUM. 
          FOR OUR REMOTE ATTENDEES, PLEASE USE THE RAISED HAND FEATURE ON ZOOM OR PRESS STAR NINE IF YOU'RE CALLING BY PHONE TO BETTER FACILITATE THE MEETING AND ENSURE FAIRNESS. 
          WE WILL START WITH FIVE SPEAKERS IN PERSON, FOLLOWED BY FIVE REMOTE SPEAKERS UNTIL THE TIME HAS EXPIRED. 
          HM. 
          AND SPANISH TRANSLATORS ARE AVAILABLE IF NEEDED. 
          AT THIS TIME, I'LL OPEN UP PUBLIC COMMENT. 
          AGAIN, THIS IS FOR NON-AGENDA ITEMS. UH, IF YOU'RE NOT ABLE TO REGISTER OR RAISE YOUR HAND TO SPEAK DURING THE REGULAR AGENDA, I WILL CHECK BACK AT THE END OF THE MEETING TO SEE IF THERE'S ANY REMOTE PARTICIPANTS STILL WISHING TO COMMENT. 
          GOOD MORNING. 
          I THINK YOU'RE ALREADY AT THE PODIUM. 
          GOOD 
          [00:05:01]
MORNING CHAIR. 
          MEMBERS OF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, CEO HENDRICKSON, STAFF AND CITIZENS OF MERCED COUNTY. 
          MY NAME IS AGGIE FREEMAN. 
          I'M A COMMUNITY ROTARY LEADER AND PARTNER AND ADVISOR TO THE MERCED POLICE DEPARTMENT CANINE ASSOCIATION. 
          I'M HERE TODAY WITH A MESSAGE OF GRATITUDE AND AN INVITATION FOR OUR COMMUNITY. 
          FIRST, I WANNA SAY THANK YOU. 
          THIS PAST WEEKEND, THE COUNTY SHERIFF'S PAUSE ON PATROL HELD ITS EVENT AT CASTLE AIR MUSEUM. 
          AND 135 PEOPLE SHOWED UP IN SUPPORT OF OUR COUNTY LAW ENFORCEMENT CANINE TEAMS TO EVERYONE WHO WALKED, RAN, VOLUNTEERED, SPONSORED, DONATED, OR SIMPLY SHOWED UP TO SUPPORT OUR REMARKABLE DOGS AND THEIR HANDLERS. 
          THANK YOU. 
          EVENTS LIKE PAW ON PATROL REMIND US THAT PUBLIC SAFETY IS NOT ONLY ABOUT LAW ENFORCEMENT OR EMERGENCY CALLS, IT IS ALSO ABOUT RELATIONSHIPS, TRUST, AND COMMUNITY. 
          AND NOW, MERCED, IT'S OUR TURN ON SATURDAY, OCTOBER 17TH AT 9:00 AM WE INVITE YOU TO JOIN US FOR MERCED PAUSE ON PATROL AT THE BEAUTIFUL LAKE YOSEMITE RECREATION AREA. 
          AND WE ESPECIALLY WANT TO THANK RICHED IRRIGATION DISTRICT FOR WELCOMING THIS EVENT TO LAKE YOSEMITE RECREATION AREA. 
          WHAT A WONDERFUL SETTING TO BRING TOGETHER OUR FAMILIES, RUNNERS, WALKERS, LAW ENFORCEMENT, AND OUR COMMUNITY IN SUPPORT OF OUR CANINE. 
          WHETHER YOU'RE A SERIOUS RUNNER, A CASUAL WALKER, A FAMILY LOOKING FOR A WONDERFUL SATURDAY MORNING TOGETHER, OR SIMPLY SOMEONE WHO WANTS TO SUPPORT THE MEN, WOMEN, AND FOUR LEG OFFICERS WHO KEEP OUR COMMUNITY SAFE, THERE'S A PLACE FOR YOU ON THE 17TH AT PAUSE ON PATROL, BRING YOUR FAMILY, BRING YOUR FRIENDS, AND FOR THIS SPECIAL EVENT, BRING YOUR DOG ON A LEASH, OF COURSE. 
          AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, MEET OUR INCREDIBLE MERCED POLICE AND COUNTY SHERIFF CANINE WHO SERVE WITH US OUR TO OUR SPONSORS, OUR VOLUNTEERS, OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT PARTNERS, OUR COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS, AND EVERYONE WORKING BEHIND THE SCENES TO MAKE THIS EVENT POSSIBLE. 
          WE ARE TRULY GRATEFUL. 
          NOW, I CHALLENGE YOU, MERCED COUNTY. 
          LET'S MAKE LAKE YOSEMITE EVENT EVEN BIGGER. 
          LET'S FILL THAT PARK WITH OUR FAMILIES, NEIGHBORS, RUNNERS, WALKERS, WAGGING TAILS, AND THE UNMISTAKABLE SPIRIT OF MERCED COUNTY BECAUSE PAUSE ON PATROL IS MORE THAN A RACE. 
          IT'S ABOUT OUR COMMUNITY SUPPORTING THOSE WHO SERVE US. 
          SO PLEASE JOIN US SATURDAY SEP OCTOBER 17TH AT 9:00 AM AT LAKE YOSEMITE. 
          REGISTER ONLINE RUN SIGNUP.COM. 
          SEARCH FOR ME, SAID PAUSE ON PATROL. 
          AND ON BEHALF OF THE MERCED POLICE CANINE ASSOCIATION, THANK YOU TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, CEO AND STAFF FOR, UM, MAKING THIS EVENT POSSIBLE. 
          WE INVITE YOU TO BEAUTIFUL LAKE YOSEMITE TOGETHER. 
          LET'S PUT OUR PAUSE IN MOTION FOR A GREAT CAUSE. 
          THANK YOU. 
          CHAIR SHOULD BE, IT'S ON. 
          HELLO. 
          THERE WE GO. 
          GOOD MORNING. 
          BOARD SUPERVISORS, COUNTY COUNCIL, CEO, HENDRICKSON AND COUNTY STAFF. 
          MY NAME IS MARCUS ANO AND I'M HERE ON BEHALF OF TREEHOUSE TUTORING AND COMMUNITY CENTER. 
          IMPORTANTLY NOT LEARNING CENTER, BECAUSE WE HAVE FINALLY FINISHED OUR FULL TRANSITION FROM LLC TO 5 0 1 C3. 
          AND TO CELEBRATE THAT EVENT, WE WILL BE HOSTING A RIBBON CUTTING WITH THE MERCED HISPANIC CHAMBER OF COMMERCE. 
          NOW, I APOLOGIZE, IT WILL ALSO BE ON THE 17TH. 
          SO I'M HERE TO EXTRA FILL YOUR SCHEDULE THAT DAY. 
          BUT IT WILL BE AFTER AGGIE'S EVENT. 
          IT'LL BE HOSTED OCTOBER 17TH AT 1:00 PM AT OUR LOCATION, SEVEN 80 WEST OLIVE AVENUE. 
          WE'D LOVE TO INVITE YOU AND THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY OUT TO LEARN A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT WHAT OUR TREEHOUSE ORGANIZATION HAS DONE, SOME OF OUR PREVIOUS WINS, AND IMPORTANTLY, ANNOUNCE SOME OF OUR UPCOMING INITIATIVES SUCH AS THE SECOND ITERATION OF OUR LITERACY OPPORTUNITIES FOR FAMILY TIME PROGRAM, IN ADDITION TO THINGS LIKE OUR COLLEGE APPLICATION NIGHT AND EVEN SOME MORE OFF THE WALL INITIATIVES WE HAVE COMING UP, SUCH AS A GAME SHOW WHERE STUDENTS WILL BE ABLE TO WIN SCHOLARSHIP MONEY FOR COLLEGE. 
          SO WE'D LIKE TO DO ALL KINDS OF DIFFERENT THINGS TO SUPPORT OUR COMMUNITY. 
          WE'D LOVE TO HAVE YOU AND THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY OUT TO LEARN A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE ORGANIZATION AND PARTICIPATE IN SOME KIDS' ACTIVITIES THAT ARE COMPLETELY FREE. 
          I HAVE THESE FLYERS HERE AND I'LL LEAVE 'EM HERE FOR YOU GUYS. 
          HOPE TO SEE YOU OUT. 
          THANK YOU. 
          IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE IN THE ROOM? IF NOT, WE WILL CHECK FOR OUR REMOTE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK. 
          MR. CHAIR, WE HAVE NO REMOTE SPEAKERS IN THE QUEUE. 
          ALRIGHT, THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD IS NOW CLOSED 
          [00:10:01]
FOR NON-AGENDA ITEMS. NEXT, WE'LL MOVE ON 
          [PRESENTATIONS]
TO A PRESENTATION. 
          AT THIS TIME, I'D LIKE TO WELCOME EVERYONE WHO IS HERE TODAY FOR OUR VOLUNTEER RECOGNITION CEREMONY. 
          MERCED COUNTY'S VOLUNTEER RECOGNITION PROGRAM WAS ESTABLISHED IN 1999. 
          WE ARE VERY GRATEFUL FOR THE VOLUNTEERS IN OUR COMMUNITIES. 
          THE WIDE ARRAY OF PROGRAMS AND SERVICES THEY PROVIDE WOULD NOT BE POSSIBLE WITHOUT THEIR COMMITMENT, TIME, AND ENERGY. 
          THE RECIPIENTS WE RECOGNIZE TODAY CERTAINLY DON'T VOLUNTEER FOR THE RECOGNITION. 
          THEY DO THIS BECAUSE THEY ARE, THEY CARE ABOUT THEIR COMMUNITIES AND THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN THEM. 
          BUT WE BELIEVE IT'S IMPORTANT TO TAKE A MOMENT TO CELEBRATE THEIR GENEROSITY, THANK THEM FOR THEIR SERVICE, AND LET THEM KNOW HOW MUCH THEIR CONTR CONTRIBUTIONS MEAN TO MERCED COUNTY. 
          TODAY IS OUR OPPORTUNITY TO SHINE A SPOTLIGHT ON THESE OUTSTANDING INDIVIDUALS AND ORGANIZATIONS AND RECOGNIZE THE POSITIVE IMPACT THEY MAKE EVERY DAY. 
          FIRST OFF, I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE AND THANK OUR SCREENING COMMITTEE MEMBERS WHO SCORED THIS YEAR'S NOMINEES. 
          I ASKED HER, I ASKED THEM TO RAISE THEIR HAND IF THEY'RE HERE IN ATTENDANCE. 
          DISTRICT ONE IS JEREMIAH GRINS. 
          DISTRICT TWO IS TRACY PROTI. 
          DISTRICT THREE IS JEANNIE KNIGHT. 
          DISTRICT FOUR IS PAT. 
          WHERE IS PAT? AND DISTRICT FIVE IS ANN MCCAULEY. 
          UH, WE RECEIVED MANY FANTASTIC NOMINATIONS THIS YEAR AND TODAY WE'RE HONORING FIVE OF THEM, ONE FROM EACH SUPERVISORIAL DISTRICT. 
          WE WILL BE INTRODUCING EACH OF THE RECIPIENTS, STARTING WITH DISTRICT ONE AND TELLING YOU ABOUT THE WORK THEY'VE BEEN DOING IN THE COMMUNITY AND PRESENTING THEM WITH CERTIFICATES OF RECOGNITION AS WELL AS THE COUNTY PIN AND CHALLENGE COIN. 
          IF ANYONE IN ATTENDANCE NOMINATED ONE OF THESE, UH, ONE OF TODAY'S RECIPIENTS, PLEASE FEEL FREE TO JOIN THEM UPFRONT AS THEY RECEIVE THEIR CERTIFICATES. 
          OKAY, SO THEN AFTER WE'RE DONE REPRESENTING ALL THE CERTIFICATES, WE'LL GATHER UP FRONT FOR A GROUP PHOTO, WHICH WILL BE FOLLOWED BY A BRIEF RECEPTION IN THE LOBBY AREA OUTSIDE OF THE BOARD CHAMBERS. 
          THERE WILL ALSO BE A PHOTO SCREEN SET UP AT THE RECEPTION WHERE YOU CAN TAKE A PHOTO WITH FAMILY, FRIENDS, AND MAYBE EVEN YOUR FAVORITE SUPERVISOR. 
          CONGRATULATIONS ALL FOR A JOB. 
          WELL DONE. 
          AND NOW LET'S START THE CEREMONY. 
          SO WE'LL START WITH DISTRICT ONE. 
          MY NAME IS WALTER SMITH. 
          I LIVE ON THE SIDE SIDE OF MERCED AND DISTRICT, UH, ONE I RAN FOR CITY COUNCIL IN 2024. 
          I DIDN'T WIN, BUT UNITY IN THE COMMUNITY. 
          I'M STILL HERE. 
          I AIN'T GAVE UP AND I'M STILL VOLUNTEERING TO DO THE BEST I CAN FOR MY COMMUNITY. 
          IT MEANS A LOT TO ME. 
          IT'S A REALLY, REALLY AN HONOR FOR ME TO DO THIS. 
          BEING GROWING UP ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF MER SAID NEXT TO CHARLES REE AND THE COTTON FIELDS AND THE GREAT FIELDS. 
          BE HERE HERE. 
          AND GIVING SOMETHING BACK TO MY COMMUNITY MEANS A LOT TO ME. 
          THERE'S UNITY IN THE COMMUNITY. 
          WE ALL GOTTA DO SOMETHING TO GIVE BACK TO OUR COMMUNITY. 
          IT AIN'T ABOUT ME, IT'S ABOUT OUR PEOPLE AND ALL THE PEOPLE. 
          I KEEP VOLUNTEERING. 
          BEING A SINGLE FATHER WITH 10 SONS AND SEVEN DAUGHTERS. 
          IT GAVE ME SOMETHING THAT I HAVE TO GIVE BACK SOMETHING TO MY COMMUNITY. 
          I'VE BEEN HOMELESS BEFORE. 
          I KNOW WHAT IT'S LIKE TO SLEEP IN THE CAR. 
          I KNOW WHAT IT'S LIKE NOT TO HAVE AND WHAT AND HAVE. 
          SO GIVING BACK TO MY COMMUNITY, IT COMES FROM MY HEART. 
          IT AIN'T SOMETHING I'M TRYING TO DO TO GET A PAT ON THE BACK. 
          IT'S SOMETHING THAT I BELIEVE IN FOR ALL THE PEOPLE. 
          FOR THE PEOPLE. 
          AND WE ARE THE PEOPLE IN MERCY. 
          ACCOUNTING. 
          MY MOMENTS FOR VOLUNTEERING AND SEEING SOMEBODY WITHOUT, AND BEING ABLE TO GIVE SOMETHING TO SOMEONE THAT DIDN'T HAVE IT. 
          'CAUSE I'VE BEEN THERE AND I KNOW WHAT THE STRUGGLE IS LIKE. 
          SO TO SHARE THAT FROM MY HEART AND GIVE BACK TO MY COMMUNITY AND TO THE PEOPLE, IT REALLY INSPIRES ME TO DO MORE AND MORE AND KEEP ON GOING. 
          I'M NOT GIVING UP. 
          I THINK THAT WE ALL NEED TO SHARE SOMETHING IN OUR COMMUNITY. 
          EVERYBODY NEED TO COME TOGETHER AS ONE IN THIS COMMUNITY AND GIVE BACK TO YOUR COMMUNITY. 
          WE CAN'T PUT IT ALL ON THE MAYOR. 
          WE CAN'T PUT IT ALL ON CITY COUNCIL. 
          WE GOTTA ALL BE TO COME TOGETHER AS ONE IN THE COMMUNITY AND BE A VOICE. 
          I'M JUST ONE VOICE. 
          I'M REALLY A NOBODY. 
          AND I'M TRYING TO BE SOMEBODY THAT, SO SOMEBODY THAT KNOWS SOMEBODY. 
          I'M JUST WALTER SMITH AND THAT'S ALL I CAN DO IS DO MY BEST I CAN. 
          I GOTTA DO MY PART AS A MAN AND I WANT TO DO SOMETHING FOR MY COMMUNITY, FOR ALL OF US. 
          [00:15:06]
WELL, GOOD AFTERNOON. 
          I'M JIM PACHECO, THE, UH, DISTRICT ONE SUPERVISOR HERE IN MERCED. 
          AND I'M SURE IF HERE'S HEALTH ED, YOU RECOGNIZE THIS. 
          BIGGER THAN LIVE CHARACTER COMING UP, WALTER, MR. WALTER SMITH. 
          MR. WALTER SMITH IS BEING RECOGNIZED TODAY FOR HIS LONGSTANDING COMMITMENT TO SERVING MERCED COUNTY, PARTICULARLY THROUGH HIS SUPPORT OF YOUTH PARKS, RECREATION, AND MANY COMMUNITY PROGRAMS. TOO MANY TO LIST HERE THROUGHOUT HIS SERVICE ON THE MERCED PLANNING COMMISSION AND THE RECREATION AND PARKS COMMISSION, MR. SMITH HAS HELPED STRENGTHEN THE COMMUNITY AND IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR LOCAL RESIDENTS AND FAMILIES. 
          HE'S A WELL-KNOWN PERSONALITY IN MERCED AND HAS NEVER MET A STRANGER. 
          . 
          UH, WE TRULY APPRECI MR. SMITH'S AND I AM PLEASED AND PROUD TO RECOGNIZE HIM TODAY AS OUR DISTRICT ONE VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR. 
          OKAY, THANK YOU. 
          HERE AND, UH, I COIN AND THE PEN. 
          TAKE A QUICK PICTURE. 
          PULL THAT PAPER OFF THE FRONT. 
          OH, WE'LL, PERFECT. 
          UP UPSIDE DOWN. 
          WAY, WAY. 
          THIS WAY. 
          THERE YOU GO. 
          CAN I SAY SOMETHING? I WOULD LIKE TO SAY SOMETHING. 
          UH, WE ALL GOT TWO HANDS. 
          ONE FOR OURSELF AND THE ONE TO HELP SOMEBODY ELSE. 
          THE CORE OF LIVING IS TO DO SOMETHING AS A HUMAN BEING. 
          TO GIVE SOMETHING BACK TO THE COMMUNITY AND TO YOUR PEOPLE. 
          I'M PAYING RENT WITH LIFE TO GIVE SOMETHING BACK, NOT JUST MY RENT AT MY HOUSE, BUT THE RENT TO LIVE HERE AND TO BE ABLE TO BE ON THIS PLANET, TO GIVE BACK TO THE COMMUNITY AND OUR PEOPLE. 
          THAT'S ALL I CAN DO. 
          AND GOD'S PLAN. 
          AND THANK YOU. 
          HOLD ON A SECOND. 
          SO, UH, MR. SMITH WAS RECOGNIZED, UH, WITH SOME NOMINATED BY MR. TAO. 
          YOU WANNA COME UP AND TAKE A QUICK PICTURE WITH US? CONGRATULATIONS. 
          THANK YOU, COUNCIL. 
          THANK YOU. 
          ALRIGHT. 
          I LOVE YOU GUYS. 
          . 
          MY NAME'S JOE STEPHANIE, AND I'M HERE BECAUSE I LOVE TO GIVE BACK TO MY COMMUNITY. 
          BEING NA, MERCED COUNTY VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR. 
          IT WAS A TREMENDOUS HONOR, BUT I DON'T DO WHAT I DO FOR RECOGNITION. 
          I DO IT FOR A PASSION. 
          I'M PASSIONATE ABOUT GIVING BACK TO MY COMMUNITY, AND IT WAS EXTREMELY HUMBLING. 
          I GUESS WHAT INSPIRED ME TO START VOLUNTEERING WAS INGRAINED IN ME AS A CHILD BY MY GRANDFATHER. 
          HE FELT THAT IF YOU'RE GONNA DO BUSINESS IN A COMMUNITY, YOU NEED TO GIVE BACK TO YOUR COMMUNITY AND TAKE CARE OF THOSE IN NEED. 
          ONE THING THAT MAKES THE BIGGEST IMPACT FROM VOLUNTEERING IS PROBABLY SERVING AT THE D STREET SHELTER. 
          SEEING THE PEOPLE DOWN THERE, TALKING TO THEM, RELATING WITH THEM. 
          IT JUST IS, IT'S, IT'S OVERWHELMING. 
          MY HOPE IS THAT PEOPLE WILL SEE MY STORY AND WANT TO GIVE BACK THEMSELVES AND HELP SUPPORT THIS COMMUNITY. 
          SOMETHING ELSE I'D LIKE TO MENTION IS THAT I WOULDN'T BE RECEIVING THIS AWARD IF IT WEREN'T FOR ALL THE SUPPORT THAT I RECEIVED FROM SO MANY OTHER PEOPLE. 
          PEOPLE LIKE SID SHARP, KEVIN SCHWART WOOD, LOU SUSA, MY LEADER, ONE FINANCIAL TEAM, MY ROTARY CLUB. 
          ALL THE PEOPLE THAT JUST SHOW UP TO HELP WHEN I DO FUNDRAISERS OR EVENTS THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY. 
          OKAY. 
          GOOD MORNING. 
          UH, I'M JOSH PEDROSO, DISTRICT TWO SUPERVISOR. 
          I'D LIKE TO WELCOME UP JOE STEPHANIE UP AND I'M GONNA PUT SARAH AND COACH SUSA AND COACH FORWOOD ON THE SPOT TO, YOU GUYS NEED TO COME UP TOO, PLEASE. 
          YEAH. 
          SID, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. 
          OH, AND SID. 
          ALL RIGHT, SO I'M GONNA PUT THIS REAL QUICK. 
          SO, JOE WAS, UH, NOMINATED BY SARAH BOYLE, AND TODAY WE'RE PROUD TO RECOGNIZE MR. JOE STEPHANIE FOR AS MANY YEARS OF DEDICATED VOLUNTEER SERVICE SUPPORTING YOUTH, FAMILIES, LAW ENFORCEMENT, SCHOOLS, AND NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS THROUGHOUT MERCED COUNTY. 
          WHETHER ORGANIZING 
          [00:20:01]
FUNDRAISERS, SERVING MEALS, SUPPORTING THE MERCED POLICE CANINE ASSOCIATION, OR VOLUNTEERING WITH THE D STREET SHELTER AND MERCED ROTARY, MR. STEPHANIE CONSISTENTLY GIVES HIS TIME AND RESOURCES TO HELP OTHERS AND INSPIRE COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT. 
          HE CONSISTENTLY SHOWS UP WHEN HIS COMMUNITY NEEDS HIM. 
          I'M GONNA READ PART OF SARAH'S APPLICATION, IF I CAN GET THROUGH HIS GENEROSITY OF TIME, ENERGY, AND RESOURCES. 
          JOE HAS HELPED STRENGTHEN ORGANIZATIONS SERVING OUR COMMUNITY, WHILE INSPIRING OTHERS TO GET INVOLVED ALONGSIDE HIM. 
          HE EMBODIES THE BELIEF THAT A STRONGER COMMUNITY IS BUILT BY PEOPLE WILLING TO INVEST THEMSELVES IN IT. 
          SO WITH THAT, I'D LIKE TO GIVE YOU YOUR CERTIFICATES. 
          10. 
          THANK YOU VERY MUCH. 
          HERE YOU GO, JOE. 
          CONGRATULATIONS. 
          THANK YOU VERY MUCH. 
          APPRECIATE IT. 
          THANK YOU. 
          SARAH BOYLE . 
          YOU'RE WELCOME. 
          CONGRATULATIONS, JOE. 
          MY NAME IS MICHAEL GOMEZ AND I'M A PART OF VARIOUS DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS HERE IN MERCED COUNTY. 
          ONE OF THEM BEING THE MERCED COUNTY HISPANIC CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, WHERE I SERVE AS A BOARD DIRECTOR. 
          I'M ALSO A PART OF THE ATWATER WINTON'S LIONS CLUB, WHERE I SERVE AS THE CURRENT VICE PRESIDENT. 
          I'M ALSO A PART OF THE CITY OF ATWATER PLANNING COMMISSION, AND I SERVE AS THE, UH, MERCED KAPPA SIGMA ALUMNUS ADVISOR, WHERE I MENTOR, UH, COLLEGE STUDENTS. 
          BEING NAMED MERCED COUNTY VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR IS A VERY REWARDING FEELING, AND I WAS REALLY SURPRISED BY IT BECAUSE WHEN I GO OUT AND VOLUNTEER FOR THESE VARIOUS DIFFERENT POSITIONS, I DON'T DO IT FOR THE RECOGNITION. 
          I JUST DO IT BECAUSE I HAVE LOVE FOR THE GAME. 
          I LOVE GIVING BACK. 
          AND THERE'S TWO PEOPLE IN MY LIFE THAT HAVE INSPIRED ME TO GIVE BACK. 
          ONE OF THEM BEING MY GRANDMOTHER AND THE OTHER BEING MY MOTHER. 
          SO, YEAH, I MET THE TWO WOMEN IN MY LIFE THAT INSPIRED ME TO VOLUNTEER, ARE MY GRANDMOTHER AND MY MOTHER. 
          MY GRANDMOTHER. 
          HER NAME WAS PATRICIA ANN CARO. 
          AND, UH, SHE PASSED AWAY, UH, THIS YEAR IN MAY ON MOTHER'S DAY. 
          AND, AND THAT REALLY HIT ME HARD, UM, BECAUSE SHE WAS SOMEONE THAT ALWAYS GAVE BACK. 
          SHE WOULD GIVE HER LAST DOLLAR TO YOU. 
          SHE REALLY TOOK CARE OF HER FAMILY. 
          SHE TOOK CARE OF HER COMMUNITY, AND SHE DID THE BEST THAT SHE COULD. 
          AND SHE WAS SOMEONE THAT REALLY INSPIRED ME TO, TO GIVE BACK TO THE COMMUNITY, UM, AS WELL AS MY MOTHER, WHO IS JUST A HARD WORKER. 
          SHE'S FIERCE, SHE'S CONFIDENT. 
          UM, AND SHE REALLY TAUGHT ME HOW TO BE A LEADER AND, AND HOW TO GIVE BACK TO THIS COMMUNITY. 
          THE BIGGEST TAKEAWAY THAT I WANT PEOPLE TO FEEL OR OR TO, TO REALIZE AND BE INSPIRED BY IS THAT IT'S, IT'S NOT ABOUT WHAT YOU CAN GIVE IT. 
          IT'S ABOUT, YOU KNOW, GIVING WHAT YOU CAN. 
          YOU KNOW, THE ROAD IS GONNA BE TOUGH SOMETIMES, AND IF YOU JUST KEEP PERSEVERING AND KEEP GOING, UM, YOU KNOW, YOU'LL SEE SUCCESS AT, AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL. 
          AND, YOU KNOW, THE BIGGEST THING THAT YOU CAN DO I, IS JUST GIVE BACK TO YOUR COMMUNITY AND MAKE IT A MUCH BETTER PLACE THAN WHAT YOU FOUND IT. 
          MICHAEL, COME ON UP. 
          IF YOU GUYS DON'T KNOW ANY BETTER, MICHAEL SHOWS UP TO EVERYTHING. 
          LIKE HE SAYS, HE LIKES, HE LIKES TO BE IN THE GAME. 
          AND THAT'S FOR SURE YOU'RE THERE ALL THE TIME. 
          MICHAEL IS RECOGNIZED HERE TODAY FOR HIS COMMITMENT TO CIVIC LEADERSHIP, MENTORSHIP AND COMMUNITY SERVICE THROUGHOUT MERCED COUNTY, THROUGH HIS INVOLVEMENT IN THE MERCED COUNTY HISPANIC CHAMBER OF COMMERCE. 
          ATWATER WENT AND LIONS CLUB, KAPPA SIGMA FRATERNITY, AND THE ATWATER CITY PLANNING COMMISSION. 
          PLUS, I THINK THERE'S PROBABLY SOME MORE THERE AS WELL. 
          'CAUSE YOU'RE EVERYWHERE. 
          HE SUPPORTS LOCAL BUSINESSES, MENTORS, YOUNG LEADERS, AND CONTRIBUTES TO PROJECTS THAT STRENGTHEN THE COMMUNITY. 
          HE'S KNOWN FOR SHOWING UP WHEREVER HELP IS NEEDED, EVEN WHILE BALANCING SEVERAL PROFESSIONAL COMMUNITY RESPONSIBILITIES. 
          I'D LIKE TO THANK YOU TODAY, MICHAEL, FOR YOUR COMMITMENT TO MERCED COUNTY AND, UH, CONGRATULATIONS. 
          THANK YOU. 
          THANK YOU. 
          AND WE HAVE THESE ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS AS WELL. 
          [00:25:01]
THANK YOU. 
          UM, I WOULDN'T BE HERE TODAY IF IT WASN'T FOR MY GRANDMOTHER OR MY MOTHER. 
          AS I MENTIONED IN THE VIDEO, MY GRANDMA PATRICIA, AN CARRO. 
          LIKE I SAID, SHE, SHE GAVE BACK, UH, EVERY LAST SAWER THAT SHE HAD. 
          AND, UH, SHE HAD A BIG IMPACT ON MY LIFE AND MY, MY MOM AS WELL. 
          I, I COME FROM TWO STRONG WOMEN IN MY LIFE. 
          SO THE BIGGEST THING FOR ME IS OBVIOUSLY TO GIVE BACK TO MY COMMUNITY, BUT TO CARRY ON THEIR LEGACY. 
          AND I HOPE THAT, UH, THAT I CAN EVEN DO HALF OF WHAT THEY'VE DONE. 
          IT'S GREAT BEING A MAMA'S BOY, ISN'T IT? ? GOOD JOB. 
          THANK YOU. 
          CONGRATULATIONS. 
          HELLO, I'M CRYSTAL CASEY. 
          UM, HAMAR CALIFORNIA IS WHERE I'M FROM. 
          VOLUNTEER ON VARIOUS BOARDS WITHIN THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, THE CHAMBER, THE MAC, AND EVEN HELPED PUT A LIGHT IN WITH CALTRANS. 
          BEING NAMED 2026 VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR FOR MERCED COUNTY WAS QUITE SURPRISING. 
          UM, I ACTUALLY DIDN'T EVEN REALLY KNOW THAT THERE WAS AN AWARD FOR THAT. 
          SO IT'S INTERESTING AND I'M GRATEFUL ALL AT ONCE, UM, THAT THE WORKS DON'T GO UNSEEN. 
          THAT THERE'S ACTUALLY THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING AND REVOLVING AND EVOLVING INTO HILMAR TO MAKE IT A BETTER COMMUNITY FOR EVERYBODY. 
          I KEEP VOLUNTEERING BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE THE GENERATION THAT I AM, UM, DOESN'T WANNA GET INVOLVED. 
          AND IF WE DON'T, HOW ARE WE EVER GONNA MAKE A BETTER COMMUNITY FOR OUR CHILDREN? SO I HAVE TWO BOYS THAT ARE GROWN WITHIN THE COMMUNITY. 
          I WANNA SET A GOOD EXAMPLE FOR THEM AND HOPE THEY GET INVOLVED ONE DAY TOO. 
          AND OUR YOUNGER, YOUNGER GENERATION GETS MORE INVOLVED. 
          WE NEED IT. 
          AND THAT'S THE ONLY WAY THAT WE'RE GONNA GROW AND BE BETTER. 
          I THINK ONE OF MY FUNNEST, UH, EVENTS THAT I DO, AND I DO IT YEARLY, IS THE HILL MAR DAIRY FARM FESTIVAL. 
          I'VE BEEN INVOLVED FOR MAN OVER A DECADE, AND IT'S BEEN A BLAST. 
          EVERY YEAR WE TRY TO ADD SOMETHING NEW, THE COMMUNITY COMES OUT AND ENJOYS IT. 
          IT'S FREE. 
          SO I THINK THAT MOST EVERYBODY BENEFITS OFF OF IT, AND I LOVE DOING IT AND SEEING THE FAMILIES ENJOY THE NIGHT AND THE BEST FIREWORKS SHOW IN THE WHOLE COUNTY. 
          I THINK VOLUNTEERING WITHIN THE COMMUNITY THAT YOU LIVE IN IS TO HELP IT THRIVE AND TO HELP IT GET BETTER. 
          AND, UH, PEOPLE SEE THAT THERE'S, UH, THINGS OUT THERE THAT WE CAN DO BETTER TOGETHER, AND I ENJOY IT, AND I HOPE THAT MORE PEOPLE GET INVOLVED. 
          WELL, CONGRATULATIONS. 
          UM, SO AS YOU HEARD IN THE VIDEO, CRYSTAL'S VERY, VERY INVOLVED IN, IN THE HILMAR COMMUNITY AND, AND, UM, UH, PROBABLY IS ONE OF THE BIGGEST CHEERLEADERS, UH, FOR HILMAR. 
          UH, SHE WAS NOMINATED BY TALENA PERRY. 
          UH, TALENA HAD SURGERY YESTERDAY AND, AND COULDN'T BE HERE TODAY, BUT, UH, WANTED TO, UM, SEND HER, UH, ADMIRATION FOR WHAT YOU DO. 
          AND, UH, SO TODAY WE RECOGNIZE, UH, MS. CRYSTAL CASEY OF HILMAR FOR HER OUTSTANDING DEDICATION TO COMMUNITY SERVICE AND HER COMMITMENT TO MAKING HILMAR A BETTER PLACE TO LIVE. 
          AND HILMAR IS A PRETTY GOOD PLACE TO LIVE THANKS TO CRYSTAL. 
          SHE'LL JUST TELL YOU IF YOU ASK HER, UH, SHE, UM, HAS SERVED, UH, UH, AS YOU HEARD, UH, HER INVOLVEMENT IN THE SCHOOL, IN THE MAC, UM, IN THE CHAMBER. 
          AND, UH, AND REALLY, UM, SHE, SHE DOES ALL THINGS HILMAR. 
          UH, SHE'S A TRUSTED ADVOCATE WHO CONNECTS RESIDENTS ALSO WITH RESOURCES AND SUPPORT THEY NEED. 
          AND, UH, CRYSTAL IS KNOWN LOCALLY AS SOMEONE YOU CAN COUNT ON AND SOMEONE WHO GETS THINGS DONE. 
          WE'RE PROUD TO HAVE HER HERE WITH US TODAY AND RECOGNIZE HER EFFORTS. 
          OH, I'M GOOD. 
          I ALREADY SAID EVERYTHING. 
          . 
          NO, YOU DON'T HAVE TO. 
          YEAH, I'M GOOD. 
          I'M GOOD. 
          THANK YOU. 
          YEAH, AND SHE'S MODEST TOO. 
           . 
          BUT, UH, YOU KNOW, CRYSTAL BECAME, UH, OR WHEN I BECAME COUNTY SUPERVISOR, I ACTUALLY STARTED RUNNING FOR OFFICE. 
          I MET CRYSTAL, AND, AND SHE REALLY IS. 
          SHE'S ALL THINGS HILMAR. 
          AND IF SOMETHING NEEDS TO GET DONE, IF THERE'S AN ISSUE, SHE ADVOCATES FOR PEOPLE. 
          AND, AND, UM, SHE REALLY HAS, UM, A BIG HEART FOR, FOR 
          [00:30:01]
DOING WHAT'S RIGHT. 
          AND I APPRECIATE YOU. 
          THANK YOU. 
          I AM OFFICER MIRIAM RIVAS. 
          UM, I WORK FOR LOS BANOS POLICE DEPARTMENT, UH, BORN AND RAISED IN LOS BANOS. 
          UM, AND I'M CURRENTLY THE DIRECTOR OF THE POLICE ACTIVITIES LEAGUE PROGRAM, OR PAL. 
          MY REACTION TO FINDING OUT, UM, I RECEIVED AN EMAIL AND I WAS LIKE, I DON'T THINK I NOMINATED ANY OF MY VOLUNTEERS FOR ANYTHING, BUT MAYBE I DID. 
          WE HAVE SO MUCH GOING ON THAT MAYBE AT SOME POINT I DID. 
          UM, I THINK I CALLED BACK AND I'M LIKE, HEY, IS THIS RIGHT HERE? UM, AND SO THEN I WAS INFORMED THAT, UH, THE MAYOR NOMINATED US, UM, AND THAT, THAT WE WERE SELECTED. 
          SO WHAT INSPIRES ME TO CONTINUE TO VOLUNTEER OR TO THAT INSPIRED ME TO START VOLUNTEERING IN THE FIRST PLACE IS, UM, I HAD A, A ROUGH CHILDHOOD. 
          UM, I, I HAD POLICE IN AND OUT OF, OF MY LIFE, RIGHT? UM, AS A CHILD, AND I WAS ABLE TO STAY ON THE RIGHT PATH IN MY LIFE AND, AND FIGHT FOR MY GOALS AND HAVE A DRIVEN LIFE BECAUSE OF VOLUNTEERS IN MY COMMUNITY. 
          I HOPE THAT THE PEOPLE IN MERCED COUNTY, UM, ARE ABLE TO, TO, TO SEE, AND TO HEAR FROM, FROM OFFICER RIVAS THAT YOUR TIME MATTERS. 
          THAT IT'S OUR TIME SPENT ON THE YOUTH IS AN INVESTMENT. 
          UM, WE CAN CHANGE ONE LIFE AT A TIME AND MAKE SURE THAT MERCED COUNTY GROWS TO BE, UM, A THRIVING COMMUNITY WHERE WE HAVE POSITIVE, UH, ACTIVITIES FOR OUR YOUTH, UH, THAT THAT'S GONNA KEEP THEM DRIVEN TOWARDS THEIR GOALS. 
          UM, I HOPE THAT, UM, AFTER LISTENING TO OUR STORY, THAT OUR, OUR COMMUNITY, UH, MERCED COUNTY COMMUNITY FEEL, UM, ENCOURAGED, RIGHT? UM, FEEL THE WANT TO GO OUT THERE AND, AND GIVE ONE HOUR OF YOUR TIME, GIVE TWO HOURS, UM, EVERY HOUR THAT YOU SPEND OUT THERE, UM, VOLUNTEERING IS GONNA MAKE A HUGE, HUGE DIFFERENCE IN YOUR COMMUNITY, RIGHT? UM, AND THERE'S NOTHING MORE REWARDING THAN KNOWING THAT YOU'RE OUT THERE ACTUALLY MAKING A DIFFERENCE. 
          SO, GET OUT THERE. 
          OFFICER VES, IF I CAN INVITE YOU TO JOIN US UP HERE. 
          BOTH OF YOU GUYS, COME ON UP. 
          SO, FIRST OFF, I WANNA THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE AND, AND I'LL READ THE LITTLE SPIEL HERE, BUT THE POLICE ACTIVITIES LEAGUE EVERY YEAR, I MEAN, ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS DRIVE DOWN SEVENTH STREET IN LAS MANUS DURING BASEBALL SEASON OR SOCCER SEASON. 
          IT'S THOUSANDS OF YOUTH. 
          IT GIVES THESE KIDS SOMETHING TO LOOK FORWARD TO, SOMETHING TO DO. 
          AND IF THEY'RE DOING THAT, THEN THEY'RE PROBABLY NOT GETTING IN TROUBLE. 
          SO YOUR WORK IS, IS UNPRECEDENTED. 
          I APPRECIATE YOU GUYS, AND IT'S BEEN A STAPLE IN THE COMMUNITY OF LOS BANDS FOR MANY, MANY YEARS. 
          SO, WITH THAT, THE LOS BANDS POLICE ACTIVITIES LEAGUE IS RECOGNIZED HERE TODAY FOR MORE THAN 35 YEARS OF DEDICATED SERVICE TO LOCAL YOUTH. 
          SINCE 1989, POWELL VOLUNTEERS HAVE PROVIDED OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOUNG PEOPLE TO PARTICIPATE IN SPORTS, DEVELOP LEADERSHIP SKILLS, AND BUILD POSITIVE RELATIONSHIPS WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT AND CARING ADULTS. 
          THROUGH THEIR COMMITMENT, POWELL VOLUNTEERS HELP STRENGTHEN THE COMMUNITY AND CREATE A SAFER, MORE CONNECTED LOSS SPAN. 
          THIS IS AN OUTSTANDING ORGANIZATION, IS TRULY MY HONOR TO PRESENT THEM WITH THIS AWARD TODAY. 
          THANK YOU. 
          CONGRATULATIONS. 
          OKAY, LET'S GET A PICTURE AND THEN I'LL LET YOU SAY A FEW WORDS JUMP ON THIS SIDE. 
          THANK YOU. 
          THANK YOU, SUPERVISOR. 
          UM, TRULY, TRULY APPRECIATE IT. 
          VERY HUMBLED. 
          UM, TODAY, HERE WITH ME IS ONE OF, UH, OUR VOLUNTEERS, GRISELDA ALVARADO. 
          UM, AND JUST LIKE HER, THERE'S HUNDREDS, IF NOT THOUSANDS OF VOLUNTEERS IN LOS PANELS THAT COME OUT, UM, EVERY YEAR AND HELP US WITH ALL THE DIFFERENT ACTIVITIES 
          [00:35:01]
AND PROGRAMS THAT WE HAVE. 
          UM, SO I'M RECEIVING THIS, UM, ON BEHALF OF EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOU GUYS THAT ARE OUT THERE, UM, HELPING US PUSH THESE PROGRAMS FORWARD. 
          UM, THANK YOU SO MUCH. 
          UM, THIS IS FOR YOU. 
          UM, AND SO THANK YOU, BECAUSE WE WOULDN'T HAVE POWELL WITHOUT VOLUNTEERS. 
          UM, I WISH I COULD HAVE BROUGHT ALL THOUSAND OF THEM OUT HERE, UM, BUT ONE WE WOULDN'T FIT. 
          AND TWO, UH, MOST OF THEM HAVE, UH, JOBS JUST LIKE, UM, THE OTHER VOLUNTEERS HERE. 
          SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE TIME INVESTED, UM, ESPECIALLY, UH, IN OUR YOUTH, UM, BECAUSE LIKE I SAID IN THE VIDEO, RIGHT, THAT'S THE ONLY WAY THAT WE'RE TRULY GONNA MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN OUR COMMUNITY. 
          SO THANK YOU. 
          CONGRATULATIONS. 
          THANK YOU AGAIN. 
          I'M GONNA GRAB A AND AT THIS TIME, I'D LIKE TO INVITE ALL OUR VOLUNTEERS UP FRONT FOR OUR GROUP PHOTO. 
          OH, YEAH. 
          STAY UNDER. 
          AT THIS TIME, WE WOULD LIKE TO INVITE ALL VOLUNTEERS AND THEIR GUESTS INTO THE LOBBY FOR SOME REFRESHMENTS AND A PHOTO OPPORTUNITY. 
          WE'LL TAKE A 15 MINUTE RECESS AND WE'LL RE RECONVENE AT 10 50, 10 55. 
          THE MEETING IS BACK IN SESSION. 
          CEO MARK HENDRICKSON IS GOING TO SHARE SOME COMMENTS REGARDING OUR NEXT PRESENTATION. 
          THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, AGAIN, GOOD MORNING. 
          JUST WANNA TAKE A, JUST A COUPLE QUICK MINUTES IN ADVANCE OF, UH, OUR OES MANAGER, MR. AMERAL, COMING UP TO, TO MAKE A PRESENTATION ABOUT OUR, OUR STORM, UH, PREPARATION, UH, EFFORTS. 
          UM, DO WANNA ACKNOWLEDGE, UH, OUR TEAM. 
          YOU KNOW, THIS HAS BEEN A SIGNIFICANT UNDERTAKING OVER THE LAST SEVERAL MONTHS. 
          THIS IS NOTHING THAT YOUR TEAM HAS STARTED RECENTLY. 
          I CAN TELL YOU FIRSTHAND, SEEING THE SHERIFF, UH, UP HERE, UH, AT, AT THE BEING FRONT AND CENTER AS WELL, HAD THE GOOD FORTUNE OF WORKING WITH THE SHERIFF AND HIS TEAM. 
          WE'VE BEEN SURVEILLING WATERWAYS FOR MONTHS NOW. 
          SO WHAT YOU'RE GONNA HEAR TODAY IS, UH, IS A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOW WE HAVE MOVED FROM PREPARATION AND PLANNING TO OPERATIONAL READINESS TO NOW IMPLEMENTATION OF PROGRAMS. IT'S A, IT'S A GOOD EXAMPLE OF ALL OF OUR TEAMS. EVERYBODY FROM OES FIRE, D-P-W-H-S-A, UH, COUNTY COUNCIL'S OFFICE HAS BEEN INSTRUMENTAL AND CERTAINLY I WANNA ACKNOWLEDGE SHERIFF WARNKE AND HIS TEAM FOR THEIR PROACTIVENESS. 
          BUT I ALSO WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT TO ACKNOWLEDGE REALLY ALL COUNTY DEPARTMENTS. 
          I WAS SPEAKING WITH MR. AMERAL THIS MORNING, AND WE'LL JUST TELL YOU THAT EVEN THOSE THAT ARE TYPICALLY OUTSIDE OF THE TRADITIONAL, UM, YOU KNOW, KIND OF EMERGENCY SERVICES MODEL, WE'VE GOT COUNTY DEPARTMENTS LIKE THE ROV, THE LIBRARY LOOKING TO HELP IN ANY WAY THEY POSSIBLY CAN SO THAT WE AS A COUNTY CAN DEMONSTRATE NOT ONLY TO, TO EACH OF YOU AS OUR POLICY MAKERS, BUT, UH, TO THE PUBLIC AT LARGE, THAT THIS COUNTY IS FRONT SIDE FOCUSED ON ENSURING THAT WE ARE DOING EVERYTHING WE CAN TO PROTECT LIFE, LIMB AND PROPERTY IN ADVANCE OF THE EL NINO STORM SEASON TO COME, WHICH HAS GAINED A LOT OF ATTENTION IN THE MEDIA. 
          SO, WITH THAT BEING SAID, MR. CHAIRMAN, UH, CERTAINLY LOOK FORWARD TO HAVING 
          [00:40:01]
MR. AMERAL PRESENT TODAY, BUT I WILL CERTAINLY TELL YOU THAT I, I ANTICIPATE, UH, ROUGHLY ONCE PER MONTH HAVING A PRESENTATION TO THE BOARD AND TO THE PUBLIC, JUST KEEPING, UH, EVERYONE UP TO DATE AS TO THE PROACTIVE STEPS THAT WE ARE UNDERTAKING, WHICH IS, AS RECENTLY AS LAST WEEK, AND I'M SURE ADAM WILL COVER THIS, WE WERE OUT, UH, CLEARING, UM, MILES CREEK, I THINK FOR THE FOURTH TIME, UM, SINCE, UM, SINCE WE WERE, UM, OBVIOUSLY IMPACTED A COUPLE YEARS AGO. 
          THAT'S TRANSITIONING TO BEAR. 
          UH, AND AGAIN, AS I MENTIONED, I THINK THE SHERIFF MIGHT EVEN MENTION THIS AS WELL. 
          UM, WE'VE, UH, TAKEN A LOOK AT EVERY SINGLE WATERWAY IN THE COUNTY OF MERCED VIA THE AIR IDENTIFIED PINCH POINTS, WORKING WITH GIS TO, UH, TO, UH, TO PINPOINT EXACTLY WHERE WE'VE GOT CHALLENGES AHEAD. 
          SO I CERTAINLY WANNA ACKNOWLEDGE THEM AS WELL. 
          SO THAT BEING SAID, MR. CHAIRMAN, MR. AMAL, YOU READY? YES, I'M READY. 
          GAME TIME. 
          LET'S GO. 
          ALRIGHT, THANK YOU. 
          UM, UH, GOOD MORNING, BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, AGAIN, CEO, THANK YOU, AND, UH, COUNTY COUNSEL. 
          MY NAME'S ADAM AMMAR. 
          I'M THE EMERGENCY SERVICES MANAGER FOR MERCER COUNTY OES. 
          SO, AS THE, UH, CEO MENTIONED THE LAST, UH, TWO TO THREE MONTHS, WE'VE BEEN IN A LOT OF WEATHER BRIEFS AND COORDINATION WITH OUR WEATHER NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PARTNERS. 
          UM, THIS FIRST SLIDE HERE, KIND OF I THINK ACROSS THE BOARD, UM, HAS BEEN SHARED WIDELY ABOUT THE POTENTIAL STRONG, I'M GONNA USE THE WORD STRONG IN AL NINO FOR THE UPCOMING 2026 AND 2027. 
          SO THERE IS A, A 90% CHANCE OF, OF A STRONG EL NINO, UH, THIS FALL AND INTO WINTER SEASON. 
          UM, BUT WHAT I WANT TO KIND OF FOCUS ON WITH THAT WEATHER IS EL NINO, UM, MEANS THAT THE WATER IS WARMER THAN NORMAL. 
          IT IS NOT A FORECAST FOR THE AMOUNT OF RAIN, RIGHT? SO A LOT OF TIMES WE HEAR THE, THE, THE SUPER OR MEGA NINOS THAT'S GONNA BRING A LOT OF RAIN. 
          IN METEOROLOGY TERMS. WHAT IT MEANS IS THAT THE, THE SEA TEMPERATURES ARE WARMER THAN WHAT THEY WOULD NORMALLY BE IN A NEUTRAL YEAR. 
          UM, STRONGER NE UH, NINO CONDITIONS CAN INFLUENCE THE WEATHER AND THOSE WEATHER PATTERNS, UM, WHICH CAN BRING HIGHER, UH, PART, UH, PRECIPITATION TO, TO OUR COUNTY AND OUR REGION. 
          UM, SO THERE IS THAT 90% CHANCE OF, OF A STRONG EL NINO, UM, AND A 70, UH, 5% CHANCE OF THIS EL NINO SEASON BEING A HISTORICAL, UH, EL NINO FOR, FOR THE WINTER. 
          UM, WITH THAT, UM, ABOUT THREE MONTHS AGO, THE CEO, UM, UH, GAVE US SOME DIRECTION AND TO MOVE FORWARD WITH DEVELOPING A TASK FORCE WITH COUNTY DEPARTMENTS. 
          UM, WITHIN THE TASK FORCE, THERE'S MULTIPLE DEPARTMENTS, BUT THERE'S SIX, UM, OPERATIONAL FUNCTIONS THAT WE'RE REALLY FOCUSING ON, UM, OPERATIONS AND INFRASTRUCTURE. 
          SO LOOKING AT, UH, PUBLIC WORKS, LOOKING AT OUR ROAD INFRASTRUCTURE, UM, DRAINS, CULVERTS CREEK C CREEK CLEANING, AND A HOTSPOT TRACKING. 
          AND WHAT, AND WHAT I DEFINE AS HOTSPOT TRACKING IS REALLY LOOKING AT OUR, OUR AREAS OF CONCERN FROM PAST INCIDENTS, PAST DISASTERS, UM, LIKE OUR BRIDGE BRIDGES THAT COULD BE CHOKE POINTS WHEN WE HAVE DEBRIS BUILDUP, UM, LOGISTICS AND, AND RESOURCES. 
          SO SANDBAG INVENTORY, STAGING OF EQUIPMENT, UM, RESOURCE AND SUPPLY CONTRACTS. 
          WE'RE WORKING AGGRESSIVELY WITH ADMIN SERVICES WITH OUR DEPARTMENTS TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE THESE, THESE CONTRACTS, PRE-ESTABLISHED CONTRACTS READY TO GO IF NEEDED, IF WE HAD TO ACTIVATE THE EOC PUBLIC INFORMATION. 
          UM, OUR PERIMETER MAPPING WE'RE, WE'RE CURRENTLY LOOKING AT MAP, UH, UPDATING THOSE, UM, PLATFORMS TO OUR EMERGENCY NOTIFICATION SYSTEMS THAT WE HIGHLY RECOMMEND EVERY RESIDENT IN THE COUNTY TO, UH, OPT INTO, UM, POTENTIAL FLOOD HOTLINES AND CALL CENTERS AND, AND MEDIA BRIEFINGS IF, IF NEED BE. 
          UM, CARE AND SHELTERS. 
          ANOTHER AREA OF FOCUS FOR US, WE KNOW IN 23 WE SAW A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT TO OUR COMMUNITIES THAT REQUIRED CARE AND SHELTER, WHERE ADVANCED PLANNING FOR THE, FOR CARE AND SHELTER, UM, IF WE HAD TO ACTIVATE MULTIPLE, UM, UH, SHELTER LOCATIONS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY. 
          AND OUR HSA TEAM WITH OTHER PARTNERS ARE, ARE BEING VERY AGGRESSIVE WITH THAT. 
          UM, THOSE NEEDS. 
          UM, THE LIAISON AND, UH, FINANCE COMPONENT, UM, AS, AS IN 23 AS WELL, WE, WE'VE DEALT WITH, UH, WE DEAL WITH A LOT WITH THE FINANCE COMPONENT FOR REIMBURSEMENT, BUT ALSO WE WANNA BE AT THE LOCAL LEVEL. 
          UH, UH, FISCAL ACCOUNTABILITY IS HUGE FOR US, RIGHT? UH, MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE TRACKING ALL OF OUR COSTS, UM, GETTING OUT IN FRONT OF THAT NOW, AND, UH, MAKING SURE WE HAVE PROCESSES IN PLACE, UM, THAT IF WE HAD OPPORTUNITY FOR REIMBURSEMENT, IF SOMETHING WAS TO HAPPEN AND, AND THIS WINTER, WE, WE WERE ALREADY TWO STEPS AHEAD OF, OF THE STATE AND FEMA ON THAT. 
          AND THEN PLANNING AND SITUATION, UM, WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE TO, UH, MONITOR THE WEATHER, CONTINUE TO BE PART OF THESE BRIEFINGS, UM, BRING IN OUR STAKEHOLDERS, HOLD COORDINATION, CALLS IT AS NEEDED, UM, AND MAKE SURE AS THE CEO MENTIONED, WE ARE READY EOC READINESS, THAT WE'RE READY FROM THE, FROM THE FIELD LEVEL TO THE EOC TO SUPPORT WHATEVER HAPPENS AND MAKING SURE WE HAVE ACTIVATION TRIGGERS IN 
          [00:45:01]
PLACE. 
          SO, UM, IF WE NEED TO ACTIVATE EARLY, WE WILL, UM, FOR INFRASTRUCTURE, SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE REALLY FOCUSING ON IS OUR, OUR TARGETED WATERWAY. 
          UM, THERE'S, UH, AFTER 2023, UM, PUBLIC WORKS WAS VERY AGGRESSIVE INTO, IN CONTINUING TO FORTIFY AND OUR WATERWAYS AND, AND THE UNINCORPORATED AREAS, AND WORKING WITH OUR, UM, SPECIAL DISTRICTS AND CITY PARTNERS TO CONTINUE THE DEBRIS CLEARING. 
          AND THAT IS STILL HAPPENING NOW. 
          UM, THE EMERGENCY CLEARING AUTHORITY, UM, THE, THE LOCAL PROCLAMATION THAT'S GONNA BE BROUGHT FORTH TO YOU TODAY, UM, IS INCLUDING THE STATE OFFICE OR STATE EMERGENCY PROCLAMATION, ENABLES REMOVAL OF SIGNIFICANT VEGETATION, UM, OVERGROWTH FROM THE COUNTY WATERWAYS THAT EXPEDITES THAT PROCESS. 
          SO THAT HELPS, UH, THE INFRASTRUCTURE SIDE OF MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE THAT SOME STABILITY BY REMOVING THE DEBRIS PRESEASON INSPECTIONS. 
          SO, UH, THIS IS ACROSS THE BOARD FROM, UH, THE COUNTY. 
          AND DPW IS MAKING SURE OUR STRONG, OUR STORM DRAINS, OUR CULVERTS, ROADSIDE DITCHES, UM, THAT THEY'RE BEING INSPECTED. 
          WE'RE IDENTIFYING ISSUES. 
          WE NEED TO ADDRESS THOSE ISSUES TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR INFRASTRUCTURE'S READY TO TAKE ON WHATEVER MOTHER NA NA MOTHER NATURE BRINGS US, UH, THIS WINTER. 
          UM, AND SHARED WATERWAYS. 
          UH, THIS IS, THIS IS SOMETHING I'LL COVER MORE AT THE END, BUT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT NEEDS TO BE A COORDINATED EFFORT BETWEEN MULTIPLE JURISDICTIONS THAT HAVE THAT RESPONSIBILITY. 
          IT'S NOT JUST THE COUNTY'S RESPONSIBILITY. 
          THERE IS OTHER JURISDICTIONS THAT HAVE WATER, UH, RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE THESE CREEKS. 
          SO COORDINATING ACROSS THE CITY, CITIES AND SPECIAL DISTRICTS THAT HAVE THAT JOINT, UM, RESPONSIBILITY TO MAINTAIN OUR WATERWAYS, UH, A LITTLE BIT ON EVACUATIONS. 
          UM, YOU KNOW, THE, THE SHERIFF, UM, DOESN'T TAKE LIGHTLY HAVING TO REMOVE SOMEBODY OR REQUEST AN ORDER TO HAVE SOMEBODY LEAVE THEIR HOME. 
          NONE OF US DO. 
          UM, BUT WHEN THERE'S, IN TIMES WHEN WE NEED TO MAKE THAT DECISION, UH, AND THE SHERIFF MAKING THAT DECISION, WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY IS, UH, AWARE OF WHAT A WARNING IS AND WHAT AN ORDER IS. 
          SO, EVACUATION WARNING, THERE'S REALLY, IT TELLS THE RESIDENTS TO START GETTING PREPARED. 
          AND IN CASE OF AN ORDER THEY NEED TO, THEY'RE ALREADY PREPARED AND NOT BEING REACTIVE. 
          THEY'RE BEING PROACTIVE TO THEIR READINESS FOR, UH, A WARNING. 
          UM, DURING THAT ORDER, IF THAT ORDER COMES INTO PLACE, WE'RE GONNA USE MULTIPLE CHANNELS TO MAKE SURE WE GET THAT INFORMATION OUT FOR THAT ORDER. 
          UM, OUR EMERGENCY NOTIFICATION SYSTEM, WE CAN SEND WIRELESS EMERGENCY ALERTS, WHICH WILL TOUCH EVERY CELL CELL PHONE IN THE COUNTY. 
          WITH THAT BEING SAID, WE WILL BE, THOSE NOTIFICATIONS WILL BE TARGETED SPECIFIC TO THE LOCATIONS THAT WERE, UM, THAT ORDER IS GOING TO BE SENT TO. 
          IT'S NOT GONNA BE SOMEWHERE ACROSS THAT EVERYBODY IN THE COUNTY WILL GET THAT, UM, FOR OPT-IN PURPOSES. 
          OTHER NOTIFICATIONS LIKE SANDBAG LOCATIONS, ROAD CLOSURES, UM, WE'RE GONNA USE THE PERIMETER MAPPING, BUT WE'LL ALSO KNOW, UH, UTILIZE A NOTIFICATION SYSTEM FOR THAT AS WELL. 
          THAT THAT IS A DIFFERENT PROCESS. 
          THAT'S WHERE WE NEED OUR RESIDENTS TO OPT INTO OUR NOTIFICATION, BECAUSE THAT'S THE INFORMATION THAT WE'RE GONNA PROVIDE. 
          THE WIRELESS EMERGENCY ALERT IS USED FOR EMINENT THREAT, LIFE AND SAFETY. 
          SO WE U WE UTILIZE THAT PLA THAT, UM, SYSTEM IN TWO DIFFERENT WAYS. 
          UM, THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE, JUST LIKE IN 2023, WENT DOOR TO DOOR TO MAKE SURE THAT THE RESIDENTS THAT POTENTIALLY MAYBE NOT HAVE GOTTEN A NOTIFICATION THAT THEY, THEY CONFIRMED THAT, THAT THOSE, THOSE RESIDENTS GOT THAT, AND THAT THE ORDER WAS IN PLACE INTO LEAVE. 
          AND COORDINATION, LIKE WE DID IN 23 WITH HSA FROM A SHELTERING COMPONENT IS ONCE WE ASK PEOPLE TO LEAVE, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THEY HAVE THE TRANSPORTATION AND SUPPORT TO GET TO OUR SHELTERS. 
          SO THAT IS ANOTHER THING THAT WE'RE ADVANCED PLANNING FOR, UM, SHELTERS, UM, JUST LIKE 23 AGAIN, UM, WE OPENED EARLY. 
          UM, WE WILL DO THAT AGAIN IF NEED BE, UM, SHELTERS OPEN WHEN THE, THE WARNINGS ARE ISSUED BECAUSE WE DO TEND TO SEE PEOPLE THAT LISTEN TO THOSE WARNINGS AND LEAVE EARLY. 
          UM, SO WE WANNA MAKE SURE THOSE SHELTERS ARE OPEN AND THEY WILL REMAIN THROUGH THE, UH, THROUGH THE STORM SYSTEM. 
          SO IF THEY'RE OPEN, THEY'RE ACTIVATED, WE'RE GONNA MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE, UM, THOSE, THOSE SHELTERS, UM, OPERATIONAL MANAGE TO, UH, SUSTAIN A LONGER OPERATION TO MAKE SURE WE'RE, UH, PROVIDING THAT SERVICE TO OUR RESIDENTS. 
          UM, FULL ACCESS SUPPORT, SHELTERING ACCOMMODATION TO RESIDENTS. 
          UM, OBVIOUSLY OUR VULNERABLE POPULATIONS, POPULATIONS WITH DISABILITIES, ACCESS AND FUNCTIONAL NEEDS, ALL OF OUR SHELTER LOCATIONS WILL MEET, DO MEET THAT, UM, LEGAL REQUIREMENTS THAT WE HAVE TO PROVIDE TO OUR RESIDENTS FOR SHELTERS. 
          UH, ANIMALS ARE INCLUDED. 
          UM, THERE'S BEEN CURRENT, THE NEW LEGISLATION, UM, THE LAST COUPLE YEARS THAT, UM, NOW REQUIRE THE COUNTY OR JURISDICTION TO, UH, CO-LOCATE, UM, ANIMALS TO SHELTERING, UH, SHELTER LOCATIONS. 
          SO THE RESIDENTS 
          [00:50:01]
FEEL COMFORTABLE THAT THEY HAVE THEIR, UH, ANIMALS NEXT TO THEM, UM, IF THEY CHOOSE. 
          SO, UM, TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT LI LOGISTICS AND RESOURCE MANAGEMENT. 
          UM, AND THIS IS JUST KIND OF AN EXAMPLE OF SOME OF THE ADVANCED PLANNING WE'RE DOING ON THE LOGISTICS SIDE. 
          SO, UH, SANDBAGS, UM, OBVIOUSLY IS A PRECIOUS RESOURCE THAT WE GET A LOT OF REQUESTS FOR FROM THE COMMUNITY, ALSO FOR OUR INFRASTRUCTURE. 
          SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE DOING NOW IS, UH, WE'RE, WE'RE LOOKING AT PRE-STAGING INVENTORY. 
          WHAT DO WE HAVE ON STOCK? WHAT DO WE HAVE, UM, CURRENTLY AVAILABLE TO US? WHAT ARE THOSE TRIGGERS FOR REQUESTING AND, AND ADDITIONAL SUPPORT FROM THE STATE? UM, WE'RE THEN GONNA, UH, YOU'LL SEE IN THE LATER INTO THE WINTER, INTO THE FALL, UM, WE'LL PUBLISH THOSE SITES. 
          SO WE'LL USE ALL OF OUR, OUR CHANNELS FROM SOCIAL MEDIA TO PERIMETER TO, UM, IDENTIFY WHERE THOSE LOCATIONS ARE. 
          UM, WE'RE GONNA PRIORITIZE VULNERABLE POPULATIONS WHEN IT COMES TO NEED AND SUPPORT TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY CAN PROTECT THEIR OWN, UM, PRIVATE INFRASTRUCTURE, UM, WHEN NEEDED. 
          AND THEN, UH, STAFF AND RESUPPLY. 
          UM, SO WE'RE HAVE TO LOOK CONSISTENTLY MONITOR AND ASSESS WHAT WE'RE PUTTING OUT INTO THE FIELD AND USING, AND WHAT ARE THOSE DECISION POINTS TO REQUEST ADDITIONAL SUPPORT FROM EITHER REGIONAL PARTNERS OR STATE AND FEDERAL PARTNERS. 
          UM, THAT COVERS IT. 
          SO, PERIMETER ON THE PUBLIC INFORMATION SIDE PERIMETER, WE'VE, WE'VE USED, I THINK MOST, UH, PEOPLE ARE FAMILIAR WITH IT, BUT HIGHLY RECOMMEND, AGAIN, THE PUBLIC TO, UM, FOLLOW AND, AND USE THE PERIMETER APPLICATION. 
          WE'LL USE IT FOR ROAD CLOSURES, EVACUATION STATUSES, UH, SHELTER SITES, UH, SANDBAG LOCATIONS, TRAFFIC, TRAFFIC CONTROL POINTS. 
          IF WE HAVE AN ORDER, A LOT OF TIMES SECURITY BECOMES AN ISSUE WHEN PEOPLE LEAVE. 
          UM, A LOT OF BAD PEOPLE AT TIMES, WE WILL TRY TO COME IN, UH, TO THOSE SPECIFIC AREAS. 
          SO TRAFFIC CONTROL POINTS ARE, ARE IN THERE. 
          AND THEN ALSO THE SIGNUP, THE EMERGENCY LURCH, UH, COMPONENT PIECE TOO, UH, ALSO IS VERY IMPORTANT. 
          SO HIGHLY ENCOURAGE, AGAIN, OUR, OUR PUBLIC TO USE THE PERIMETER APPLICATION, UM, REACHING OUT TO COMMUNITY BEFORE THE RAIN AND BEFORE THE WINTER COMES, RIGHT? UM, PUBLIC INFORMATION IS ONE OF THE MOST CRUCIAL THINGS WHEN IT COMES TO PREPAREDNESS AND READINESS. 
          UM, PUBLIC INFORMATION, UM, WILL BE, AND IN, IN MULTIPLE LANGUAGES HERE IN OUR COUNTY, UM, MORE OF THE LANGUAGES THAT ARE KNOWN WITHIN OUR, OUR COMMUNITIES. 
          UH, WE, WE WILL BE THE TRUSTED SOURCE OF INFORMATION. 
          UM, WE NEED TO BE THE TRUSTED SOURCE OF INFORMATION. 
          SO, UM, WE'RE GONNA, WE'RE ALREADY WORKING WITH THE, UM, WITH MIKE NORTH AND HIS TEAM, AS WELL AS OUR DIFFERENT DEPARTMENT COMMUNICATION TEAMS, AS WELL AS OUR CITIES AND SPECIAL DISTRICTS ON CREATING AND DEVELOPING MESSAGING, UM, THAT WE CAN SHARE COUNTYWIDE, UM, SCHOOLS AND SPECIAL DISTRICTS. 
          UH, AGAIN, THE SPECIAL DISTRICTS, I WILL SAY WE JUST MET WITH, UH, PLANADA LA GRAND AND PLAINSBURG, UM, SUPERINTENDENTS, AND HAD A REALLY GOOD MEETING WITH THOSE, UH, THREE DISTRICTS ON HOW DO WE COME TOGETHER TO BE THAT, THAT VOICE. 
          HOW DO WE, HOW CAN THEY HELP US? HOW CAN, UM, WE HELP THEM? SO WE'RE BUILDING THAT, THOSE RELATIONSHIPS WITH OUR, AND CONTINUING TO BUILD THOSE RELATIONSHIPS WITH OUR SPECIAL DISTRICTS, OUR SCHOOLS. 
          UM, WE WANT TO HAVE ONE VOICE AND ONE TEAM. 
          YOU KNOW, WHEN IT COMES, WHEN IT COMES TO THESE DISASTERS, UM, IT IS LITERALLY ONE TEAM. 
          SO, UM, REALLY WORKING ON THAT PRESCRIPTED MESSAGING. 
          AGAIN, MULTIPLE LANGUAGE, AND YOU'RE GONNA CONTINUE TO SEE WHAT THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE FROM OUR OFFICE TO THE COUNTY INFORMATION IS. 
          A LOT OF WINTER PREPAREDNESS AND, AND READINESS. 
          UM, AGAIN, THIS DOESN'T MEAN WE'RE GONNA HAVE SIGNIFICANT FLOODING OR SIGNIFICANT RAIN, WE DON'T KNOW, BUT WE WANT TO BE, WE WANT TO BE PREPARED FOR THAT SCENARIO. 
          IF IT DOES COME. 
          UH, NO AGENCY FIGHTS A FLOOD ALONE. 
          NO AGENCY DEALS WITH ANY DISASTER OR ANY INCIDENT ALONE. 
          SO WE'RE WORKING WITH OUR KOS, UM, STATE PARTNERS, AS WELL AS A MULTIPLE DIFFERENT STATE AGENCIES, UM, THAT HAVE BEEN, UM, ACTIVATED, UH, UNDER THE STATE OF EMERGENCY BY THE GOVERNOR. 
          UM, WE'RE WORKING VERY CLOSELY WITH ALL OF OUR SIX CITIES, OUR SPECIAL DISTRICTS, OUR, OUR CITY PUBLIC WORKS AND ROADS DEPARTMENTS, UH, ACROSS THE BORDER, ALL OF OUR LAW, FIRE AND EMS PARTNERS, AND THEN OUR COMMUNITY BASED ORGANIZATIONS, NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS. 
          WE CAN'T DO THIS RESPONSE WITHOUT THEM. 
          WE DO NOT HAVE THE CAPABILITY AND CAPACITY WITHOUT BRINGING IN OUR NONPROFIT AND CBOS TO, TO ASSIST US AND, AND, AND A RESPONSE. 
          AND EVEN MORE IMPORTANTLY, AT TIMES OF RECOVERY. 
          THEY PLAY A HUGE ROLE IN THAT AS WELL. 
          SO, FOR THE PRIORITY ACTIONS FOR THE, FOR THIS UPCOMING SEASON FOR, UM, THE TASK FORCE, UM, JUST KIND OF FIVE THINGS, AND THERE'S GONNA BE A LOT MORE AS WE, AS WE MEET, BUT, UH, WE WILL CONTINUE TO MEET MONTHLY AND, AND MORE FREQUENTLY AS NEEDED. 
          UH, INFRASTRUCTURE, UH, IS GONNA BE CONS, UH, ALWAYS A HIGH PRIORITY BEFORE THE RAIN SEASON. 
          [00:55:01]
SO WE'LL CONTINUE TO COMPLETE DRAIN CULVERT CLEARING, CREATE CLEARING OUR WATERWAYS, UH, RESOURCES AS IN SANDBAGS, PRE-POSITION, THOSE SANDBAGS AND SAND AND LOCATIONS. 
          UM, IF WE HAVE TO IDENTIFY ADDITIONAL LOCATIONS, WE WILL DO THAT AND MAKE THAT KNOWN. 
          UH, THE PUBLIC INFORMATION CAMPAIGN IS GONNA BE SOMETHING THAT WE'RE REALLY GONNA BE PUSHING HERE IN THE NEXT COUPLE MONTHS. 
          UM, AND THEN COORDINATION ACROSS THE BOARD IS, IS, IS EVERYTHING THAT WE, WE DO IN EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT, INTERAGENCY COORDINATION, FEDERAL, STATE AGENCIES, AND IN THE SIX CITIES. 
          UM, I, I, SOME OF SOME PEOPLE THAT KNOW ME, I GO BY MY FOUR C'S. 
          UH, IT'S COMMUNICATION, COORDINATION, COLLABORATION, AND CONNECTING. 
          AND, AND IF WE, WE ARE, I THINK AT A GOOD POINT IN MAKING THE, THE CONNECTING AND BUILDING THOSE RELATIONSHIPS NOW, BUILDING THE TRUST WITHIN OUR, WITHIN OUR ORGANIZATION, WITHIN OUR JURISDICTIONS, TO MAKE SURE IF WE DO HAVE SOMETHING IN THE, UM, IN THE NEAR FUTURE THIS WINTER, THAT WE'RE MORE THAN READY TO RESPOND TO IT. 
          AND WITH THAT, I'LL TURN IT OVER TO THE SHERIFF. 
          THANK YOU. 
          MM-HMM . 
          MY REASON FOR WANTING TO BE HERE FIRST, UH, THANK YOU GUYS FOR ALLOWING THIS. 
          UM, A COUPLE THINGS. 
          I WANT TO THANK KNUCKLES . 
          HE'S, UH, HE'S GETTING A LITTLE MORE USED TO THE, THE HELICOPTER RIDES, BUT I WANTED TO LET EVERYBODY KNOW THAT WHAT ADAM WAS TALKING ABOUT IS FACTUAL. 
          WE'VE BEEN WORKING OUR BUTTS OFF, AND THERE'S NOT A DAY THAT GOES BY THERE. 
          I'M NOT TALKING TO OTHER, UH, LEADERS IN THIS COMMUNITY AND WITHIN OUR COUNTY. 
          AND IT'S VERY COMFORTING AT THIS POINT FOR ME AS A, AS THE SHERIFF, AND TO REALIZE THAT THE RESPONSIBILITY OF MAKING SURE THAT PEOPLE ARE SAFE IS BEING TAKEN SERIOUSLY AT ALL LEVELS. 
          UM, A LOT, A LOT OF THINGS WE'VE LEARNED IN 2023 WITH, REGARDING THE FLOODS, BUT WE ALSO MOVED INTO AN AREA WHEN WE'VE HAD A, AN INCIDENT LIKE IN, UH, SNELLING WITH THE WILDFIRE THERE, UH, TO HAVE PEOPLE THAT ARE MAKING DECISIONS. 
          AND THAT'S WHAT I, I WAS TOUTING AS WE HAD DECISION MAKERS ON AT HELICOPTER AND WE'RE LOOKING AT THINGS, AND DECISIONS WERE BEING MADE IN REAL TIME DURING THE FIRE. 
          WE WERE STILL IN THE HELICOPTER. 
          MARK WAS MAKING DECISIONS AND SENDING TEXTS OUT SO THAT WE COULD GET THINGS DONE IMMEDIATELY. 
          THERE WASN'T A COMMITTEE. 
          THERE WASN'T A, THE, UH, A, A GROUP OF PEOPLE TO COME BY AND SAY, OH, WE'RE GONNA COLLAB NOW. 
          WE'RE ALREADY COLLABORATING. 
          AND THE DECISIONS WERE BEING MADE. 
          I'M VERY PROUD OF THAT. 
          AND I'M CON, I WANT TO REASSURE THE FOLKS IN THIS COUNTY THAT THIS ISN'T A, A BUNCH OF SUNSHINE BEING BLOWN IN THEIR EARS. 
          THERE'S NOT A DAY THAT GOES BY THAT I HAVEN'T BEEN CALLED BY CITIZENS. 
          AND, UH, JUST THIS MORNING, UH, NICE AND EARLY, THE, UH, CHIEF STANFIELD AND I WERE TALKING ABOUT THIS VERY ISSUE, THE COLLABORATION BETWEEN THE AGENCIES, ALL SIX OF OUR INCORPORATED CITIES AND TO, UH, INCLUDE OUR NEIGHBORING COUNTIES, HAVE ALL PLEDGED ASSISTANCE. 
          WHEN WE HAD THE FLOODS IN PLANADA, THE SHERIFF IN MARIPOSA REACHED OUT TO ME PERSONALLY, SAID, WHAT DO YOU NEED? AND AT THAT PARTICULAR TIME, UH, MCSWAIN BROKE LOOSE. 
          SO THE SHERIFF AND UNDERSHERIFF PERSONALLY DROVE DOWN EQUIPMENT AND HELPED US EVACUATE IN PLANADA AS WE COULD TRANSFER RESOURCES TO ANOTHER COUNTY OR ANOTHER PART OF OUR COUNTY. 
          I JUST WANT EVERYBODY TO KNOW THAT WE ARE DOING EVERYTHING POSSIBLE, AND IT IS A FACT THAT WE HAVE THIS, UH, RANGE OF COOPERATION AMONGST NOT JUST OUR COUNTY, BUT OTHER COUNTIES. 
          THE OTHER THING THAT, UH, ADAM TOUCHED ON WAS THE LAW THAT WAS PASSED REGARDING ANIMALS, UH, AND WITH BEING WITH THEIR HUMANS. 
          UH, YOU KNOW WHAT, I, I'M VERY PROUD OF THE FACT WE DIDN'T NEED THAT LAW BEFORE, AND WE STILL DON'T. 
          WE WERE DOING IT ANYWAY. 
          AND AS THE HEAD DOG CATCHER, I CAN TELL YOU THAT WE ARE PREPARED, AND WE'VE ALREADY CONTACTED AND MADE ARRANGEMENTS WITH THE MERCED, UH, FAIRGROUNDS, AND THEY ARE UP AND, UH, ON BOARD WITH WHAT WE'RE DOING. 
          AND I'VE GOT A COUPLE OF, UH, PLACES ON THE WEST SIDE. 
          UH, THE COZIES HAVE ALREADY PLEDGED THEIR, UH, HELP IF WE NEED TO MOVE MASSES AMOUNTS OF LIVESTOCK. 
          I AM HOPING THAT THIS WEATHER IS COOPERATIVE, BUT IT'S NOT THE RAIN THAT WE'RE GONNA RECEIVE IN THIS COUNTY. 
          IT'S THE RAIN THAT WE'RE GONNA RECEIVE IN MARIPOSA COUNTY, THAT THAT IS OUR, OUR FACTOR. 
          SO I DID, I JUST WANT TO REITERATE THAT WHAT ADAM WAS TALKING ABOUT IS NOT SUNSHINE IN ANYBODY'S EAR. 
          WE ARE ACTUALLY ON THE GROUNDS EVERY SINGLE DAY DOING THIS. 
          AND, UH, I'M GONNA TIP MY HAT, MARK. 
          I, I APPRECIATE YOU SO MUCH ABOUT WHAT YOU'VE BEEN DOING WITH US, AND, UH, UH, SUPERVISORS UNDERSTAND THAT IT'S REAL, REAL, AND WE'RE WORKING TOGETHER DAILY. 
          AND, UH, WE ARE THERE. 
          MY AGENCY IS ALSO VERY COMMITTED. 
          EVERY PIECE OF, UH, EQUIPMENT THAT WE HAVE IS UP AND RUNNING AND, AND READY TO GO AT A MOMENT'S NOTICE. 
          SO IF THERE IS SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE TO TAKE CARE OF, SO, UH, I APPRECIATE YOUR TIME, AND ADAM, I APPRECIATE EVERYTHING THAT YOU'RE DOING, AND, UH, I JUST, BUT I WANTED TO LET THE FOLKS KNOW THAT, AND YOU GUYS KNOW ME, IF, IF I'M GOING TO SEE SOMETHING, IF IF HE WASN'T ACCURATE, I'D, I'D HAVE BEEN UP HERE SAYING THAT HE'S VERY ACCURATE, AND I DON'T THINK HE'S EVEN EMPHASIZING IT ENOUGH ABOUT WHAT WE'RE DOING. 
          SO, UM, I THANK YOU GUYS FOR THIS, AND I WANT THE FOLKS IN THIS COUNTY TO KNOW THAT, UH, THIS PART OF THE COUNTY'S DOING EVERYTHING WE CAN DO TO TAKE CARE OF BUSINESS, AND IT'S BEING 
          [01:00:01]
ADDRESSED AS WE SPEAK. 
          SO, VERY GLAD AND VERY PROUD THAT THAT'S, UH, ACTUALLY HAPPENING HERE. 
          SO, THANK YOU GUYS. 
          THANK YOU, ADAM. 
          THANK YOU, SHERIFF. 
          THANK YOU, ADAM. 
          AND I CAN SAY, UH, UH, MARK'S HEARD IT FROM EVERY BOARD MEMBER UP HERE ALL SUMMER. 
          WE, WE TALK ABOUT, WE GOTTA TALK ABOUT FLOODING WHEN IT'S NOT RAINING. 
          AND WE, WE'VE BEEN IN, IN HIS EAR AND, UH, PUSHING FOR THIS. 
          AND IN FACT, UH, I'M A LITTLE DISCOURAGED THAT WE DIDN'T GET OUT IN FRONT OF THE GOVERNOR ON IT BECAUSE WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT IT FOR A LONG TIME. 
          MARK, DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING YOU'D LIKE TO ADD? MAYBE, MAYBE JUST IN, IN, IN CLOSING PRIOR TO, IT LOOKS LIKE YOU GOT SOME BOARD COMMENTS. 
          AGAIN, WANT TO, UM, JUST, UH, JUST STRESS A POINT THAT, THAT ADAM MADE DURING HIS COMMENTS LATER IN THIS AGENDA THAT THE BOARD IS GOING TO BE CONSIDERING A RATIFICATION OF A LOCAL PROCLAMATION. 
          I THINK THIS IS ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF, OF THIS COUNTY BEING PROACTIVE, TAKING EVERY STEP POSSIBLE TO ENSURE THAT WE CAN STREAMLINE WHERE WE CAN TO MAKE THINGS SIMPLER WHEN WE NEED TO MAKE THOSE DIFFICULT DECISIONS. 
          SO AGAIN, THAT WILL BE ON YOUR AGENDA LATER, UH, LATER TODAY. 
          I CERTAINLY, AGAIN, WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE ADAM, CERTAINLY WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE SHERIFF. 
          I SEE CHIEF PIMENTEL, UM, YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOT JOHN CHECKLEY. 
          WE, WE'VE GOT A HOST OF FOLKS IN THIS ROOM THAT ARE IN, UH, IN LOCKSTEP, UH, WITH REALLY ONE INTENTION, UH, WHICH IS TO ENSURE THAT YOUR CONSTITUENTS AND THE PEOPLE OF THIS COUNTY ARE WELL PROTECTED IN THE EVENT THAT WE HAVE INCLEMENT WEATHER COMING. 
          THIS, UH, LATER THIS YEAR WOULD JUST CLOSE WITH THIS, AND ADAM CAN CERTAINLY SPEAK TO THIS FAR BETTER THAN I CAN, BUT WE ARE HAVING OTHER COUNTIES APPROACHING US ABOUT WHAT WE'RE DOING PROACTIVELY. 
          EVERYTHING FROM, UH, THE, THE OUTREACH THAT WE'VE DONE SO FAR, UH, TO SEEKING, UH, E EXAMPLES, UH, OF OUR PROCLAMATION. 
          UM, BUT ALL THE STEPS THAT WE'VE BEEN UNDERTAKING THAT THE SHERIFF JUST WELL ARTICULATED OVER THE LAST SEVERAL MONTHS. 
          UH, YOUR TEAM IS LEADING THIS EFFORT. 
          UH, AND WE ARE, UM, WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE TO HAVE, UH, AGAIN, WE'RE GONNA BE FRONT SIDE FOCUSED, UH, IN THE MONTHS AHEAD. 
          SO AGAIN, WE PROTECT PEOPLE. 
          THANK YOU, SIR. 
          THANKS, MARK. 
          CHAIR RECOGNIZES, UH, SUPERVISOR PEDROZA. 
          THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. 
          UM, YEAH, I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU, UM, TO EVERYBODY INVOLVED IN PUTTING THIS PLAN TOGETHER. 
          I THINK THIS IS SOMETHING THAT'S, YOU KNOW, WE'VE LEARNED FROM 2023, AND I THINK THAT THE MISTAKES ARE WHAT WE DID, RIGHT? AND I THINK WHAT WE DID WRONG, I THINK IS REALLY IMPORTANT TO CARRY THAT FORWARD AND MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE ON POINT. 
          AND I, I COULDN'T STRESS THIS ENOUGH THAT I, I, I REALLY APPRECIATE ALL THE WORK THAT'S BEEN GOING INTO THIS, AND, AND HOPEFULLY IT'S ALL FOR NAUGHT, BUT I DON'T SEE IT THAT BEING THE CASE. 
          SO I, I'M GLAD THAT WE ARE BEING PREPARED. 
          UM, AND THE ONE THING THAT I, I'VE ALSO, YOU KNOW, CONSISTENTLY ASKED FOR IS, I THINK OUR PLAN IS GREAT, BUT IT WAS REALLY ABOUT GETTING SHOVELS IN THE GROUND. 
          AND I'M GLAD TO START SEEING SOME OF THAT WORK, UH, THAT'S GOING TO START, UH, HAPPENING TO CLEAN UP THE CREEKS AND MAKE SURE THAT, BECAUSE THE PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, THEY MIGHT LISTEN TO THIS AND SEE THIS, BUT THEY REALLY WANT TO SEE THE, THE DEBRIS AND, AND THAT TYPE OF STUFF BEING TAKEN CARE OF. 
          AND SO I REALLY APPRECIATE WHAT THE COUNTY IS DOING TO REALLY, UM, YOU KNOW, I, I LOVE THE FACT THAT WE CAN BE, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE ARE GONNA LOOK TO US AS THE MODEL OF HOW TO DO IT RIGHT, THE RIGHT WAY. 
          AND I, AND I COULDN'T, UM, STRESS ENOUGH HOW GRATEFUL I'M TO OUR STAFF FOR PUTTING THIS TOGETHER. 
          SO, THANK YOU GUYS. 
          IS CHAIR RECOGNIZES THE SUPERVISOR. 
          PERRA. 
          THANK YOU. 
          UH, CHAIR. 
          UH, YEAH, SO I WANT TO, UH, REALLY THANK, UH, ALL THE TEAM FOR, FOR REALLY GETTING AHEAD OF THIS, AND HOPEFULLY, YOU KNOW, THIS IS, IS ALL, UM, WORK BEING DONE AND WE DON'T NEED TO RELY ON IT, BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, UH, THAT, UH, WE GET GOOD RAIN BUT NOT FLOODS. 
          AND SO, UM, I, I DO HAVE ONE QUESTION. 
          UM, YOU KNOW, IT WAS A PHENOMENAL JOB WHEN WE HAD THE, THE FIRE OUT IN MERCED FALLS, AND REALLY THE TEAM, I MEAN, IT WAS, IT LUCKILY, OR FORTUNATELY, IT WAS A SMALL EVENT IN, IN CONTEXT OF WHAT THIS COULD BE. 
          UM, BUT, UH, RAO JUST TO, TO BE ABLE TO SEE HOW EVERYBODY WORKED TOGETHER, YOU KNOW, IT WAS REALLY PHENOMENAL. 
          AND THE FOLKS IN SNELLING AND MERCED FALLS REALLY APPRECIATED THAT. 
          UM, THERE WAS ONE, THERE WAS ONE, UM, ITEM, AND BASICALLY IT'S THE, IT'S THE MAPPING, RIGHT? THE, THE TRAVEL, THE GPS, YOU KNOW, MAPPING. 
          AND SO IS THERE A WAY, AND I, AND I THINK I BROUGHT THIS UP TO YOU BACK, UM, BACK, UH, DURING THE FIRES, BUT IS THERE A WAY THAT THIS INFORMATION OF ROAD CLOSURES COULD GET ONTO WHAT WOULD BE LIKE GOOGLE MAPS OR WAYS OR ANY OF THE OTHER APPS THAT, THAT MAP PEOPLE? BECAUSE WHAT, WHAT HAPPENED IN THAT CASE? WOULD YOU HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT AREN'T FROM THE AREA, RIGHT? THAT ARE GOING UP TO THE LAKES, AND SO THEY WOULD GET TO SNELLING AND THEN REALIZE THAT THEY HAD TO DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT, AND IF THEY WOULD'VE KNOWN EARLIER THAN THEY COULD HAVE DRIVEN DIFFERENTLY, UM, MAYBE GONE TO MARIPOSA AND COME INTO THE LAKES, THE BACK WAY, OR KATHY'S VALLEY, I GUESS. 
          BUT ANYWAYS, WHAT CAN YOU TELL US, UH, ABOUT THAT? YEAH, SO I THINK THE, THE FIRST THING IS THAT TO KIND OF GO TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION IS WE, I, WE DON'T WANT PEOPLE TO TRUST THOSE SOURCES BECAUSE IT, IT, IN LARGER DISASTERS, 
          [01:05:01]
YOU, YOU TEND TO SEE THOSE PRIVATE SECTOR PARTNERSHIPS, BUT IT TAKES SOME TIME FOR THAT TO ACTUALLY COME INTO PLAY. 
          WHEN IT LOOK AT GOOGLE MAPS TO, TO APPLE MAPS, UM, WE WANT PEOPLE TO FOLLOW OUR GUIDANCE WHEN IT COMES TO ROUTING PEOPLE THE RIGHT DIRECTION. 
          WHAT TENDS TO HAPPEN IN LARGE EVACUATIONS, MASS EVACUATIONS, PEOPLE RELY ON THEIR GPSS TO GET THEM TO A CERTAIN LOCATION. 
          BUT WHAT HAPPENS WHEN TRAFFIC BACKS UP, IF IT EVERYBODY'S GOING ONE DIRECTION, IT'S GONNA REDIRECT YOU IN ANOTHER DIRECTION. 
          AND THEN THAT BACKS UP AND THAT CONTINUES TO HAPPEN WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT, WITH COORDINATION BETWEEN KNOWING WHERE OUR, OUR FLOOD PRONE AREAS ARE, KNOWING WHERE OUR ROUTES AND EVACU, UH, EVACUATION ROUTES ARE. 
          WE CAN MODEL OFF A PERIMETER. 
          ONE THING THAT'S GREAT ABOUT PERIMETER, IT TAKES ACCOUNT USING TECHNOLOGY AND THEIR SOFTWARE TO DETERMINE, WE CAN LOOK AT, LET'S SAY FIVE O'CLOCK, THE FIVE O'CLOCK HOUR, WHAT THAT TRAFFIC DENSITY IS GONNA BE LIKE. 
          AND THEN WE CAN PLAN ACCORDINGLY IN REAL TIME TO DETERMINE WHAT, WHERE WE WANT TO SEND PEOPLE, IF THAT MAKES SENSE. 
          SO FROM USING GOOGLE AND APPLE MAPS, YES. 
          AND THAT'S WHAT WE USE. 
          UM, BUT THAT, THAT OPPORTUNITY TO ACTUALLY, UM, HAVE THAT PARTNERSHIP AT AN EARLY STAGE, ISN'T THERE? YOU DO SEE IT AS THE INCIDENTS PROGRESS WHERE WE CAN WORK WITH THE STATE AND THE STATE HAS A, HAS A PRIVATE SECTOR, UM, DIVISION WHERE WE CAN REQUEST SOME SUPPORT FROM GOOGLE AND APPLE. 
          SO IT IS THERE, BUT IT'S NOT AT, AT USUALLY AT ITS EARLY STAGES. 
          YEAH. 
          AND I WILL, I WILL SAY THE OTHER THING WITH THAT IS WE MIGHT NOT HAVE THAT TECHNOLOGY TO USE DEPENDING ON WHAT, WHAT, UH, THE IMPACTS TO OUR INFRASTRUCTURE ARE. 
          SURE. 
          SO, YEAH, NO, I UNDERSTAND THAT. 
          UH, IT, IT IS, HAS ANYBODY LOOKED AT TALKING TO PERIMETER AND ASKING THEM TO MAKE THEIR DATA AVAILABLE? DOES THAT HAPPEN? YEAH, THEY DO. 
          THEY, THEY DO MAKE THEIR DATA. 
          THEY WILL MAKE THEIR DA DATA AVAILABLE TO THOSE, THOSE, UH, LIKE THE GOOGLES AND THE APPLES, THEY, THEY ALL, THEY WORK TOGETHER. 
          A LOT OF THE DATA THAT THEY GET FROM PERIMETER GETS FROM, AND LIKE THEY PUT IN THEIR SOFTWARE IS FROM THOSE COMPANIES LIKE GOOGLE AND APPLE. 
          SO THEY DO HAVE THAT, THAT DISCUSSION. 
          SO THEY ARE CONNECTING. 
          OKAY. 
          THEY ARE CONNECTED. 
          ALRIGHT, WELL IF YOU FIND ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY TO GET THAT INFORMATION SHARED THAT, UH, YEAH, BECAUSE I UNDERSTAND YOU GOTTA HAVE ONE SOURCE AND IT NEEDS TO BE US, RIGHT? THE SHERIFF DECIDES THIS ROAD CLOSES, THIS ROAD'S OPEN, HOWEVER THAT GOES. 
          UM, BUT JUST GETTING THAT OUT TO THE PUBLIC, UH, YOU KNOW, 'CAUSE PERIMETER, IF YOU HAVE AN E AN EMERGENCY IN YOUR TOWN RIGHT? OR YOUR COMMUNITY, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW TO GO, OR YOU SHOULD KNOW TO GO TO PERIMETER, BUT IF YOU'RE COMING FROM SOMEWHERE ELSE, YOU MAY NOT KNOW. 
          CORRECT. 
          THAT THERE'S, UH, YOU KNOW, 'CAUSE I MEAN, YOU KNOW, WE'RE HOPING THAT, THAT IF WE DO HAVE FLOODING, IT'S NOT SO WIDESPREAD THAT OUR SYSTEMS ARE ALL DOWN. 
          RIGHT? CORRECT. 
          THAT IT'S NOT A HUGE DISASTER. 
          YEP. 
          AND THAT'S SOME OF THE STUFF WE'RE ADVANCED PLANNING FOR WHEN WE TALK ABOUT EVACUATIONS. 
          TRANSPORTATION IS HOW DO WE GET PEOPLE OUT OF THE, THE HAZARD AREA, BUT ALSO GET 'EM SAFELY TO THE SHELTER LOCATIONS OR TEMPORARY EVACUATION POINTS THAT WE HAVE ESTABLISHED. 
          SO THAT'S ALL STUFF THAT WE'RE ADV WE'RE, WE'RE ADVANCED PLANNING FOR. 
          IT'S IN OUR PLANS NOW. 
          UM, BUT NO, I HEAR YOU LOUD AND CLEAR REGARDING THAT PRIVATE SECTOR COORDINATION AND KIND OF COLLABORATION TO MAKE SURE WE GET THAT INFORMATION OUT. 
          AND THAT'S SOMETHING I'LL TAKE AND, AND, UH, BACK WITH ME TOO. 
          YEAH. 
          OKAY. 
          AND THEN MY LAST QUESTION, I GUESS IS, IS, IS, IS THERE SOMEBODY HERE, YOU THE SHERIFF OR, OR MAYBE, UH, PUBLIC WORKS THAT COULD TALK ABOUT WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THE STREAMS RIGHT NOW? WHAT, WHAT WE'RE PREEMPTIVELY DOING TO CLEAR? YEAH, I'LL HAVE, UH, UH, LINDSEY TALK ABOUT THAT. 
          OKAY. 
          I MEAN, I THINK THE PUBLIC WANTS TO KNOW THAT AS WELL. 
          GOOD MORNING BOARD, CEO COUNCIL. 
          UM, RIGHT NOW WE HAVE OUR ONCALL WATERWAY CONTRACTOR CLEARING MILES CREEK CLEARING VEGETATION FROM THE CREEK. 
          WE HAVE A LOCAL CONTRACTOR BEGINNING TOMORROW ON BEAR CREEK, NEAR CROCKER DAM. 
          AND THEN THE, OUR PRE-POSITION, I'M SORRY, OUR ONCALL CONTRACTOR, WE'LL START ON BLACK RASCAL CREEK SOUTH OF CROCKER DAM, AFTER THEY COMPLETE MILES CREEK, THEY TENTATIVELY THINK THEY CAN BEGIN LATER THIS WEEK, BUT THEY'RE STILL FINISHING UP MILES CREEK. 
          SO THEY'RE, THEY'RE NOT SURE WE DO, WE HAVE IDENTIFIED A NUMBER OF PRIORITIES. 
          UM, AND SO WE'LL BE WORKING IN ORDER OF PRIORITY DOWN THAT LIST TO CLEAR AS MUCH VEGETATION AS WE CAN. 
          AND WE HAVE RECEIVED SOME CLEARANCES FROM STATE AND FEDERAL AGENCIES TO LET US GET IN THERE AND DO MORE WORK THAN WE WOULD NORMALLY BE ABLE TO. 
          SO WE'RE TRYING TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT AND GET AS MUCH DONE AS WE CAN. 
          OKAY. 
          AND THEN THE, THE, BUT THE FLOODING HAPPENS DOWN IN THE FLATS, RIGHT? SO IT DOESN'T HAPPEN UP RIGHT BELOW CROCKER DAM. 
          SO WHAT, WHAT, I MEAN, DO WE HAVE PLANS TO COME DOWN INTO THE LOW AREAS? UM, YOU KNOW, THE, THE FLOODING WAS IN THE MCSWAIN AREA WAS IN PLANADA. 
          UH, SO IS THAT BEING TAKEN CARE 
          [01:10:01]
OF AS WELL? IT IS ON OUR LIST OF PRIORITIES, YES. 
          OKAY. 
          AND THEN HOW ABOUT ON THE WEST SIDE OF THE COUNTY? THANK YOU. 
          THERE ARE A NUMBER OF AREAS ON THE WEST SIDE THAT WE HOPE TO ADDRESS AS WELL. 
          UM, WE HAVE A POT OF MONEY TO WORK WITH, SO WE'RE TRYING TO PRIORITIZE THE AREAS THAT, UM, HISTORICALLY FLOOD OR HAVE CHOKE POINTS OR HAVE A, A LARGE AMOUNT OF DEBRIS OR VEGETATION RIGHT NOW. 
          OKAY. 
          ALRIGHT. 
          THANK YOU. 
          MM-HMM . 
          I CAN SAY THAT, UH, SUPERVISOR SILVERA AND I HAD A MEETING THAT WE HAD TO TRAVEL THROUGH SNELLING AND GOOGLE MAP TRIED TO REDIRECT US OUT AND AROUND AWAY FROM THE AREA DURING THAT FIRE. 
          DURING THE FIRE, YEAH. 
          OKAY. 
          SO THERE WAS SOME KIND OF COORDINATION. 
          I DON'T KNOW. 
          UH, CHAIR RECOGNIZ, THE SUPERVISOR. 
          SRA. 
          THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. 
          AND JUST TO ADD ONTO THAT, I MEAN, ANYTIME YOU USE GOOGLE MAPS, I MEAN, IF THERE'S A CHP HAS SOMEBODY PULLED OVER, IT'S TELLING YOU IN REAL TIME THAT THEY'RE THERE. 
          AND SO I THINK THAT THEY PROBABLY HAVE TECHNOLOGY IN, IN ALREADY IN THE SYSTEM THAT WHEN SOMETHING HAPPENS, THEY'RE REALIZING AND THEN REROUTING TRAFFIC ACCORDINGLY. 
          UM, ADAM, I WANNA TALK ABOUT A COUPLE THINGS THAT, UM, I THINK THAT YOU, YOU MENTIONED THEM, BUT I THINK THEY'RE WORTH RE MENTIONING IS THINGS THAT THE PREPARATION WORK IS, YOU KNOW, THE EOC, WHEN THAT GETS OPERATE, WHEN IT GETS ACTIVATED, THERE'S A LOT OF FOLKS FROM A LOT OF DIFFERENT AGENCIES THERE. 
          ONE OF THE THINGS I WANNA COMMEND YOU ON IS, IS NOT WAITING UNTIL WE GET AN EMERGENCY TO, UH, FAMILIARIZE YOURSELF WITH THAT. 
          I KNOW THAT YOU GUYS ARE HAVING TRAININGS BRINGING STAFF IN FROM THE VARIOUS AGENCIES, AND LET'S GO PUT OUR HANDS ON IT AND SEE WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE AND FIGURE OUT WHERE WE'RE ALL GONNA SIT AND DO ALL OF THOSE THINGS AHEAD OF TIME. 
          SO THAT WAY IT BECOMES SECOND NATURE IF AND WHEN WE HAVE TO ACTIVATE IT. 
          SO I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THAT. 
          I WANNA THANK ALL OF OUR DEPARTMENTS THAT ARE, THAT ARE PARTICIPATING IN IT. 
          AND IT'S ACROSS THE COUNTY FAMILY. 
          YOU KNOW, UH, I, I KNOW THAT YOU GUYS ARE DOING SOME WORK AND HAVING CONVERSATIONS, UH, COUNTYWIDE ON REMINDING FOLKS THAT, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU DO COME TO WORK FOR THE COUNTY, YOU'RE A DISASTER WORKER. 
          AND THAT TYPICALLY MEANS WHEN THERE'S A DISASTER, YOU, YOU GOTTA COME TO WORK AND THERE'S, YOU'VE GOT SOME ADDITIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES. 
          SO I APPRECIATE THE REMINDER TO EVERYBODY THAT, YOU KNOW, THERE'S THE POTENTIAL FOR THAT TO HAPPEN. 
          UM, AND THEN I JUST, I WANT TO THANK THE CITIES AS WELL AS, AS OUR DISASTER COUNCIL. 
          DISASTER DISASTER COUNCIL THAT'S BRINGING ALL THE SIX CITIES, THE COUNTY PARTNERS, EVERYBODY ON BOARD, CITY MANAGERS, UM, BECAUSE ULTIMATELY, DEPENDING ON WHERE SOMETHING HAPPENS, WHO'S GONNA BE INVOLVED, THEY TYPICALLY FIRST WILL HIT THE UNINCORPORATED AREAS AND THEN GET INTO THE CITIES WHERE YOU AFFECT LARGER POPULATIONS. 
          SO IT TRULY IS A JOINT EFFORT. 
          AND I WANT FOLKS TO UNDERSTAND THAT THOSE CONVERSATIONS ARE HAPPENING AHEAD OF TIME SO THAT WE KNOW WH WHAT TO DO WHEN AND IF THE EMERGENCY COMES. 
          UM, AND JUST TO HIGHLIGHT AGAIN, THERE'S A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A WARNING AND AN ORDER. 
          A WARNING IS, IS THAT, THAT EVERYTHING IS SAYING THAT THERE'S POTENTIALLY A DISASTER TO COME HERE. 
          YOU NEED TO BE ON THE READY WHEN THE ORDER COMES. 
          AND I THINK I HEARD YOU SAY IT, AND I KNOW THE SHERIFF WOULD ATTEST TO THIS, IF THE SHERIFF HAS TO MAKE THAT ORDER, HE DOES NOT DO THAT LIGHTLY. 
          AND THEY'RE NOT ASKING YOU. 
          THEY'RE TELLING YOU. 
          AND YOU SEE IT DISASTER AFTER DISASTER ON TV. 
          THE FOLKS THAT DECIDE THEY'RE GONNA TRY TO WAIT IT OUT, AND I'M JUST GONNA TELL YOU, YOUR LIFE IS MORE VALUE BOLD THAN YOUR HOME. 
          YOU'RE NOT GONNA SAVE IT IF THE FLOOD WATERS COME. 
          UNLESS YOU'RE JESUS HIMSELF. 
          YOU'RE NOT GONNA BE ABLE TO SAVE THAT HOME. 
          AND, AND IT'S NOT WORTH THE RISK. 
          SO SHERIFF, IF YOU WANNA JUST ADD A LITTLE BIT TO THAT, IS LIKE THE STERN WARNING, THAT WHEN, AND IF IT COMES AND THERE'S DEPUTIES KNOCKING ON YOUR DOOR, THIS ISN'T A, THIS ISN'T A, HEY, THIS IS A, YOU NEED TO GET OUT NOW. 
          WELL, WHAT I WANT TO EMPHASIZE HERE IS THAT, UH, MY POSITION IS THE ELECTED SHERIFF HERE IS, IS I'M HERE TO ALSO ENFORCE THE CONSTITUTION. 
          THE FOURTH AMENDMENT IS VERY CLEAR ABOUT SEARCH AND SEIZURE. 
          IF YOU'RE ON YOUR PROPERTY, WHAT I TELL PEOPLE, I STRONGLY ENCOURAGE, IF YOU THINK I'M GONNA GO HANDS ON AND ARREST SOMEBODY FOR SAYING I DON'T WANT TO GO, I'M NOT GONNA DO THAT. 
          BUT I WILL TELL THEM THAT THE AVAILABILITY OF EMERGENCY RESCUE PEOPLE MAY NOT BE THERE. 
          AND THAT'S THE ISSUE THAT I'M DEALING WITH. 
          WHEN WE DEALT WITH THE SNELLING FIRES, MOST OF THE PEOPLE THAT WE TALKED TO WANTED TO GO TO THE SHELTER. 
          AND, UH, SUPERVISOR PEREIRA WAS THERE, AND SOME OF THOSE THAT LEFT, HE WENT OUT AND GRABBED HORSES AND TOOK 'EM TO HIS RANCH. 
          YOU KNOW, WE APPRECIATE THAT. 
          BUT I WANNA MAKE REAL CLEAR, I'M ALSO THE CONSTITUTIONAL GUY. 
          AND IF YOU WANNA STAND HOME AND QUOTE, UNQUOTE, PROTECT YOUR PROPERTY, 'CAUSE I'M NOT TOO SURE I'D WANNA LEAVE MY PROPERTY IF THAT CAME DOWN TO IT. 
          BUT I WANT THEM TO UNDERSTAND THAT IF WE PUT THAT ORDER OUT, THAT ORDER MEANS IF CRAP'S HITTING A FAN, WE MAY NOT BE ABLE TO GO. 
          AND THAT'S JUST EXACTLY HOW THAT PLANS OUT. 
          WHEN WE HAD IN 23 WHEN PIATA WAS UNDERWATER, AND, UH, AND THE TIMING WAS EXACTLY THAT, THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN IT BREAKS LOOSE. 
          IN MCSWAIN, ALL OF MY RESOURCES WERE OUT 100%. 
          I HAD CIVILIANS WEARING THIS BRAND THAT WERE DOING THE, THE UNDERSHERIFF WAS IN HIGH WATER RESCUE, DRIVING AROUND RESCUING PEOPLE. 
          I WAS IN A 
          [01:15:01]
SMALL BOAT, MARIPOSA SHERIFF CAME DOWN AND HELPED US WITH PLANTA. 
          SO THOSE RESOURCES MAY NOT BE AVAILABLE. 
          SO IF WE GIVE AN ORDER, IT'S NOT A JOKE. 
          BUT I WANT YOU TO UNDERSTAND, I'M NOT GONNA WRESTLE YOU IF WE CAN'T GET BACK TO YOU. 
          AND IF YOU DON'T THINK ENOUGH OF YOUR FAMILY TO GET THEM OUT, SHAME ON YOU. 
          'CAUSE THAT ORDER IS, IS VERY SERIOUS BECAUSE WE KNOW IT'S IMMINENT, IT'S HAPPENING. 
          SO PLEASE UNDERSTAND THAT IF WE'RE DOING IT, THAT'S WHY, THAT'S WHY WE DO IT. 
          BUT, UM, I JUST, I WANTED TO MAKE SURE HERE. 
          NO, I APPRECIATE YOU AND, AND WHAT I WAS GETTING AT IS THE RESOURCES AREN'T THERE. 
          WE HAVE RESOURCES THAT SAY IF EVERYTHING IS WORKING, NORMALLY YOU HAVE AN EMERGENCY, WE'RE GONNA BE ABLE TO GET THERE IN A RELATIVELY SHORT ORDER WHEN YOU'RE HAVING A DISASTER THERE, THERE IS, THERE IS NO RESOURCES. 
          AND, AND LISTEN, THE VALLEY'S A BULL. 
          IF THIS DEAL HITS AND IT'S HITTING IN MULTIPLE COUNTIES ON, ON A DAY WHERE YOU HAVE A FIRE JUST IN YOUR AREA, YOU CAN GET SOME RESOURCES FROM A NEIGHBORING COUNTY TO COME DOWN IF EVERYBODY'S FACING THE SAME THING. 
          SO I, I APPRECIATE YOU CLARIFYING THAT. 
          NO ONE'S, NO ONE'S GETTING ARRESTED. 
          BUT I, I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT IS, IS THE SHERIFF DOESN'T TAKE THAT LIGHTLY. 
          IF HE HAS TO MAKE THE ORDER AND IS TELLING YOU IT'S GONNA HIT THE VAN, YOU, IT'S, YOU NEED TO PROBABLY THINK ABOUT MO GETTING OUT BECAUSE IF YOU DO HAVE AN EMERGENCY, EVEN A MEDICAL EMERGENCY, THESE ARE STRESSFUL SITUATIONS. 
          THERE'S A GOOD CHANCE THAT AN AMBULANCE OR A FIRE TRUCK IS NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO GET TO YOU. 
          IF YOU'RE SITTING IN A SHELTER. 
          YOU'RE GONNA HAVE RESOURCES THERE TO BE ABLE TO HELP YOU. 
          SO I APPRECIATE YOU HIGHLIGHTING THAT FOR ME, SIR. 
          AND THEN LASTLY, ADAM, I JUST WANNA THANK YOU. 
          I I, I WE'RE VERY LUCKY IN MERCED COUNTY TO HAVE A GUY LIKE ADAM AMARILLO LEADING OUR OES DEPARTMENT. 
          UM, I'M, I'M VERY FORTUNATE THAT HE'S HERE. 
          UM, HE TAKES, THIS IS HIS GIG. 
          THIS IS WHAT HE DOES. 
          HE LIVES AND BREATHES THIS STUFF. 
          UM, AND WE'RE VERY LUCKY TO HAVE YOU ON OUR TEAM. 
          AND I DO THINK THAT, THAT WE ARE SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL MENTIONED, WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT DECLARING THIS EMERGENCY AHEAD OF WHEN, I MEAN, I FEEL LIKE THE GOVERNOR COPIED US, IS WHAT HE DID. 
          RIGHT? IT SO, UM, BUT IT'S, THESE ARE THINGS THAT WE'RE TAKING SERIOUSLY BECAUSE WE ARE GONNA DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO PREPARE OURSELVES. 
          MOTHER NATURE'S GONNA DO WHAT SHE WANTS TO DO, RIGHT? AND, AND IT VERY WELL MAY MISS US OR IT COULD HIT US THE WORST. 
          WE JUST DON'T KNOW THAT YET. 
          BUT WE'RE GONNA DO EVERYTHING IN OUR POWER TO BE AS PREPARED AS POSSIBLE. 
          AND I WANT THE RESIDENTS TO KNOW THAT, BECAUSE IT IS YOU, YOU HEAR IT ON THE NEWS, SUPER EL NINO, ALL, ALL, YOU KNOW, IT'S COMING THE END OF THE END OF THE WORLD. 
          HERE IT COMES. 
          WELL, WE'RE PREPARING FOR IT. 
          SO THANK YOU, SIR. 
          THANK YOU. 
          I'LL SECOND THE MOTION. 
          . 
          THANK YOU. 
          CHAIR RECOGNIZES, UH, SUPERVISOR PACHECO. 
          THANK YOU, CHAIR. 
          YEAH, I JUST ECHO MY, MY COLLEAGUE'S COMMENTS. 
          UM, I APPRECIATE THAT. 
          AND HAVING, UH, PLANADA IN MY DISTRICT, UH, I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THE RESIDENTS ARE REASSURED THAT, UH, THAT THINGS ARE GOING RIGHT. 
          I MEAN, UM, I KNOW WE, WE HAVE THESE, UH, EMERGENCIES AND AS SOON AS THE THE WORD COMES OUT OR THE FIRST RAIN DROP STARTS, UH, PEOPLE START PANICKING. 
          BUT I THINK WE HAVE ALL THIS PLANNED IN PLACE AND WE DO THE COMMUNICATION, AT LEAST THEY FEEL, UM, REASSURED AND FEEL LIKE THEY'RE BEING TAKEN CARE OF. 
          UM, AND HOPEFULLY THAT KIND OF CALMS DOWN THE EMOTIONS AND THAT WE CAN, UM, PUT OUT OUR PLAN IN A, IN A, IN A, A DIGNIFIED, UH, UH, PLAN. 
          ANYWAY, I DO, I APPRECIATE ALL THE WORK THAT YOU GUYS DO. 
          MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY'S ON BOARD AND YEAH, HOPEFULLY WE, UH, WE HOPE FOR THE BEST. 
          THANK YOU. 
          THANK YOU, ADAM. 
          I HAD JUST ONE, ONE LAST THING TO CLOSE WITH. 
          SO, AND THIS HAS GOTTEN A LOT OF TENSION ACROSS THE BOARD, RIGHT? AND WE'RE HERE TODAY AND PRESENTING THIS TODAY FOR, FOR A REASON. 
          UM, BUT I WANT EVERYBODY IN THE COMMUNITY TO KNOW THAT THIS IS HAPPENING WHEN IT COMES TO READINESS AND PREPAREDNESS. 
          365 DAYS A YEAR, SEVEN DAYS A WEEK. 
          THIS IS WHAT OUR OFFICE DOES. 
          AND THIS IS WHAT WE DO WITH OUR DIS OUR, OUR CITIES, OUR SPECIAL JURISDICTION, AND ALL OF OUR DEPARTMENTS. 
          SO BEHIND THE SCENES, A LOT OF TIMES PEOPLE AREN'T AWARE OF EVERYTHING WE TALKED ABOUT TODAY IS RELATED TO EVERY HAZARD AND EVERY RISK THAT'S ASSOCIATED TO THIS COUNTY. 
          SO I WANNA THANK THE DEPARTMENTS THAT ARE, THAT HAVE BEEN SUPPORTING OUR OFFICE, A VERY SMALL OFFICE. 
          'CAUSE WE CAN'T DO IT ALONE WITHOUT THEM, THE CITIES AND THE SPECIAL DISTRICTS. 
          AND THANK YOU. 
          YEAH, THANKS ADAM. 
          AND I, AND I, I'D JUST LIKE TO FOLLOW UP WITH THIS CONVERSATION HAS NEVER GONE AWAY WITH THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS AND WITH YOU. 
          AND WE APPRECIATE THAT. 
          UM, WE WE'RE ALWAYS TOUCHING ON THE WATERWAYS AND, AND WHAT'S GOING ON AND MONITORING THE IRRIGATION PROCESS WHEN MID IS RELEASING THOSE WATERS. 
          AND WHEN WE CAN GET INTO THOSE WATERWAYS, UH, TO, TO CLEAN THEM. 
          APPRECIATE THAT. 
          AND LIKE 23, I CAN, I CAN REMEMBER THAT VIVIDLY. 
          IT WAS CEO RONALD MENDEZ'S. 
          FIRST DAY. 
          WE WERE IN THAT EOC FOR 24 HOURS. 
          UH, AND VERN SAID, WE'RE , UH, NON-SWORN PEOPLE. 
          I REMEMBER ONE TIME GETTING A TEXT SAYING, THIS IS HERE. 
          VERN GOES, I GOT NOBODY. 
          YOU NEED TO GET OUT THERE AND GET EYES ON IT. 
          AND I GET OUT THERE AND WHILE I WAS OUT THERE, HE IS LIKE, I NEED TO GET EYES OVER HERE. 
          I NEED TO GET EYES OVER THERE. 
          AND I WAS OUT RUNNING AROUND IN MY TRUCK, TEXTING PICTURES AND CLARIFYING, UH, SOME OF THAT STUFF. 
          I APPRECIATE THAT. 
          UH, AND ALL THOSE COUNTY 
          [01:20:01]
EMPLOYEES WERE THERE FOR MORE THAN 24 HOURS. 
          I REMEMBER WHEN RAUL CAME TO ME AND SAYS, DARREN, YOU GOTTA LEAVE BECAUSE NOBODY WANTS TO LEAVE. 
          'CAUSE I DON'T WANT TO SEE A BOARD MEMBER SEE THEM LEAVE TO TAKE A BREAK. 
          AND I REMEMBER IT WAS HARD FOR ME TO LEAVE THAT SITUATION, ESPECIALLY WHEN WE HAD STATE AGENCIES THAT WOULD CHECK IN AND THEY LEFT WHEN WE'RE ALL DEALING WITH AN EMERGENCY. 
          SO I APPRECIATE ALL THE WORK, ESPECIALLY BY ALL OUR EMPLOYEES. 
          WITH THAT, WE'LL GO AHEAD AND OPEN UP, UH, AT THIS TIME WE'LL OPEN UP PUBLIC COMMENT REGARDING THE PRESENTATIONS. 
          SEEING NONE, I'LL LOOK FOR OUR ONLINE PORTAL. 
          MR. CHAIR, WE HAVE NO REMOTE SPEAKERS IN THE QUEUE. 
          OKAY. 
          THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD FOR THIS PRESENTATION IS NOW CLOSED. 
          WE'LL NOW MOVE ON TO 
          [CONSENT CALENDAR]
CONSENT CALENDAR. 
          CONSENT CALENDAR ITEMS ONE THROUGH 13. 
          PLEASE NOTE THE ITEMS THREE, SIX, AND SEVEN REQUIRE A FOUR FIFTHS VOTE. 
          PUBLIC COMMENT WILL BE LIMITED TO THREE MINUTES PER PERSON. 
          FOR THOSE ATTENDING IN PERSON, PLEASE STEP UP TO THE PODIUM. 
          FOR OUR REMOTE ATTENDEES, PLEASE USE THE RAISE HAND FEATURE ON ZOOM OR PRESS STAR NINE. 
          IF YOU ARE CALLING BY PHONE TO BETTER FACILITATE THE MEETING AND ENSURE FAIRNESS, WE WILL START WITH FIVE SPEAKERS IN PERSON, FOLLOWED BY FIVE REMOTE SPEAKERS UNTIL THE TIME IS EXPIRED. 
          AT THIS TIME, I'LL OPEN UP PUBLIC COMMENT FOR CONSENT. 
          CALENDAR ITEMS ONE THROUGH 13. 
          SEEING NONE IN THE ROOM, I WILL CHECK OUR REMOTE, REMOTE PORTAL. 
          MR. CHAIR, WE HAVE NO REMOTE SPEAKERS IN THE QUEUE. 
          OKAY, WE'LL BRING IT BACK TO THE DAIS IF THERE'S ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION. 
          IF NOT, I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION. 
          I HAVE A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR PEDROSO, SECONDED BY SUPERVISOR SILVERA. 
          IS THERE FURTHER DISCUSSION? IF NOT, LET'S CALL FOR THE VOTE RECORD THE VOTE. 
          MOTION PASSES. 
          NOW 
          [BOARD ACTION]
WE'LL GO TO BOARD ACTION. 
          WE WILL NOW BEGIN WITH BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AND RECOVERY SERVICES. 
          , SORRY, I SKIPPED YOU. 
          STACY , I APOLOGIZE. 
          UM, PUBLIC COMMENT WILL BE LIMITED TO THREE MINUTES PER PERSON. 
          FOR THOSE ATTENDING IN PERSON, PLEASE STEP UP TO THE PODIUM. 
          FOR OUR REMOTE ATTENDEES, PLEASE USE THE RAISE HAND FEATURE ON ZOOM OR PRESS STAR NINE IF YOU'RE CALLING BY PHONE TO BETTER FACILITATE THE MEETING AND ENSURE FAIRNESS. 
          WE'LL START WITH FIVE SPEAKERS IN PERSON, FOLLOWED BY FIVE REMOTE SPEAKERS UNTIL THE TIME HAS EXPIRED. 
          BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AND RECOVERY SERVICES, ITEMS 14 THROUGH 20 AS A BOARD CHAIR, I DID RECOGNIZE THE REDUNDANCY OF THAT, SO I APOLOGIZE IF I SKIPPED YOU. 
          WE'LL NOW BEGIN WITH BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AND RECOVERY SERVICES. 
          THIS IS ITEMS 14 THROUGH 20. 
          AT THIS TIME, I'LL OPEN UP PUBLIC COMMENT FOR BEHAVIORAL AND RECOVERY SERVICES, 14 THROUGH 20. 
          SEEING NOBODY, I'LL CHECK THE ONLINE. 
          MR. CHAIR, THERE ARE NO REMOTE SPEAKERS IN THE QUEUE. 
          OKAY, THANK YOU. 
          THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD FOR BEAVER HEALTH AND RECOVERY SERVICES. 
          ITEMS 14 THROUGH 20 IS NOW CLOSED. 
          WE'LL BRING IT BACK TO THE DIOCESE FOR FURTHER DISCUSSION. 
          IF NOT, I ALREADY HAVE A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR PERRA. 
          SECOND IT BY SUPERVISOR PEDROSO, WE'LL GO AHEAD AND CALL FOR THE VOTE. 
          RECORD THE VOTE. 
          MOTION PASSES. 
          NEXT WE HAVE HEALTH ITEM 21. 
          AT THIS TIME, I'LL OPEN UP PUBLIC COMMENT FOR HEALTH ITEM NUMBER 21. 
          SEEING NOBODY IN THE ROOM, WE'LL GO AHEAD AND CHECK OUR ONLINE. 
          MR. CHAIR, WE HAVE NO REMOTE SPEAKERS IN THE QUEUE. 
          THANK YOU. 
          THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD FOR HEALTH ITEM NUMBER 21 IS NOW CLOSED. 
          WE'LL BRING IT BACK TO THE DIOCESE FOR FURTHER DISCUSSION. 
          NO SPEAKERS IN THE QUEUE, BUT I DO HAVE A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR PEREIRA. 
          SECONDED BY SUPERVISOR PEDROSO. 
          WE'LL GO AHEAD AND CALL FOR THE VOTE. 
          RECORD THE VOTE. 
          MOTION PASSES. 
          NEXT, WE HAVE FIRE ITEMS 22 AND 23. 
          AT THIS TIME, I'LL OPEN UP PUBLIC COMMENT FOR FIRE ITEMS 22 AND 23. 
          SEEING NONE, WE'LL CHECK ONLINE. 
          MR. CHAIR, THERE ARE NO REMOTE SPEAKERS IN THE QUEUE. 
          THANK YOU. 
          THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD FOR FIRE ITEMS 22 AND 23 IS NOW CLOSED. 
          WE'LL BRING IT BACK TO THE DAAS. 
          UM, I DO HAVE A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR PACHECO, SECONDED BY SUPERVISOR PEDROSO. 
          WE'LL GO AHEAD AND CALL FOR THE VOTE RECORD THE VOTE. 
          MOTION 
          [01:25:01]
PASSES. 
          NEXT, WE HAVE COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ITEMS 24 AND 25. 
          AT THIS TIME, I'LL OPEN UP PUBLIC COMMENT FOR COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ITEMS 24 AND 25. 
          SEEING NOBODY IN THE ROOM, WE'LL GO AHEAD AND CHECK FOR THE ONLINE PORTAL. 
          MR. CHAIR, THERE ARE NO REMOTE SPEAKERS IN THE QUEUE. 
          THE PUBLIC COMMENT FOR  COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ITEMS 24 AND 25 IS NOW CLOSED. 
          WE'LL BRING IT BACK TO THE DIOCESE FOR FURTHER DISCUSSION. 
          I DO HAVE A MOTION ON THE FLOOR BY SUPERVISOR PEDROSO, SECONDED BY SUPERVISOR PACHECO, NO SPEAKERS IN THE QUEUE. 
          WE'LL GO AHEAD AND CALL FOR THE VOTE. 
          RECORD THE VOTE. 
          MOTION PASSES. 
          NEXT WE HAVE RECORDER ITEM 26. 
          AT THIS TIME, I'LL OPEN UP PUBLIC COMMENT FOR RECORDER. 
          ITEM NUMBER 26. 
          I SEE NO SPEAKERS IN THE ROOM. 
          WE'LL GO AHEAD AND CHECK FOR OUR ONLINE OPTION. 
          MR. CHAIR, WE HAVE NO REMOTE SPEAKERS IN THE QUEUE. 
          THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD FOR RECORDER. 
          ITEM 26 IS NOW CLOSED. 
          WE'LL BRING IT BACK TO THE DAAS. 
          AND I DO HAVE A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR RA SECOND, SECONDED BY SUPERVISOR PEDROSO. 
          UH, NO SPEAKERS IN THE QUEUE WILL GO AHEAD AND CALL FOR THE VOTE. 
          RECORD THE VOTE. 
          MOTION PASSES. 
          NEXT WE HAVE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS ITEM 27. 
          AT THIS TIME, JOSH PEDROSO WILL PROVIDE COMMENTS REGARDING ITEM NUMBER 27. 
          DO YOU WANNA REQUEST TO SPEAK? CHAIR RECOGNIZES SUPERVISOR PEDROZA. 
          THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. 
          UM, IN AN EFFORT TO PREPARE OLDER POP ADULT POPULATIONS FOR DISASTERS, UH, THE MERCED COUNTY AND THE AREA AGENCY ON AGING, OF WHICH I'M THE REPRESENTATIVE FROM THE BOARD ON, WHICH IS IRONIC 'CAUSE I'M THE YOUNGEST BOARD MEMBER, BUT IT'S OKAY. 
          IT'S JUST ONE OF, IT'S A, IT'S A GREAT BOARD TO BE ON. 
          AND I HAD THIS IDEA TO, UM, CREATE THESE EMERGENCY GO BAGS AND, AND CREATE IN CASE OF THIS, UM, SUPER I NINO. 
          UM, AND, AND IF SENIORS NEED TO BE EVACUATED, UM, IN THESE GO BAGS, WHAT'LL HAP WHAT THEY CONSIST OF? FOOD, UM, UH, LET ME STOP. 
          EMERGENCY BLANKET EMERGENCY WATER, AN EMERGENCY PHONE CHARGER, A BASIC FIRST AID KIT, AN EMERGENCY FOOD SUPPLY, AS WELL AS A DOCUMENT PROTECTOR FOR IMPORTANT DOCUMENTS. 
          THE TRAININGS ARE ALSO DEVELOP, DESIGNED TO ENHANCE THE OLDER ADULT READINESS BEFORE, DURING, AND AFTER DISASTERS. 
          THE FIRST TRAINING WAS LAST FRIDAY AT THE RIVIERA MOBILE HOME PARK. 
          THERE WERE 30 PARTICIPANTS. 
          UM, THEY'RE LOOKING, UM, AND TALKING TO ZA. 
          THEY'RE LOOKING AT DOING MORE. 
          UM, AND THEY'RE SCHEDULING THEM, BUT THEY'RE WAITING TO SECURE LOCATIONS FOR THEM. 
          AND NOT JUST IN DISTRICT TWO, BUT HOPEFULLY ACROSS THE, THE COUNTY IN GENERAL. 
          SO THAT WAS MY NEXT QUESTION. 
          IS THAT FOR ALL OR JUST YOUR DISTRICT? NO, I'M TRYING, I WOULD LIKE TO, TO BE ACROSS THE COUNTY, BUT THIS, THESE BAGS ARE, UM, ONCE THEY GO THROUGH FROM DISTRICT TWO, THEN HOPEFULLY THERE'S ENOUGH FOR THE PEOPLE THAT GO TO THE TRAININGS. 
          RIGHT ON. 
          THANK YOU. 
          SO I HOPE I ENCOURAGE YOUR SUPPORT ON THIS. 
          OKAY. 
          AT THIS TIME, I'LL OPEN UP PUBLIC COMMENT. 
          CURTAIN BOARD OF SUPERVISOR. 
          ITEM NUMBER 27. 
          I SEE NOBODY IN THE ROOM. 
          WE'LL CHECK THE ONLINE OPTION. 
          MR. CHAIR. 
          THERE ARE NO REMOTE SPEAKERS IN THE QUEUE. 
          OKAY, THE COMMENT PERIOD FOR BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, ITEM 27 IS NOW CLOSED. 
          I HAVE A MOTION ON THE FLOOR BY SUPERVISOR PEDROZA, SECOND OF VICE SUPERVISOR PEREIRA, NO SPEAKERS IN THE QUEUE. 
          I'LL GO AHEAD AND CALL FOR THE VOTE. 
          RECORD THE VOTE. 
          MOTION PASSES. 
          NOW WE HAVE BOARD APPOINTMENTS, ITEMS 28 THROUGH 31. 
          AT THIS TIME, I'LL OPEN UP PUBLIC COMMENT FOR BOARD APPOINTMENTS. 
          ITEMS 28 THROUGH 31, SEEING NOBODY IN THE ROOM, WE WILL CHECK OUR ONLINE OPTION. 
          MR. CHAIR, THERE ARE NO REMOTE SPEAKERS IN THE QUEUE. 
          THANK YOU. 
          THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD FOR BOARD APPOINTMENTS. 
          ITEMS 28 THROUGH 31 IS NOW CLOSED. 
          UH, I ALREADY HAVE A MOTION ON THE FLOOR BY SUPERVISOR PEREIRA, SECONDED BY SUPERVISOR PEDROSO. 
          WE'LL GO AHEAD AND CALL FOR THE VOTE. 
          WE RECORD THE VOTE. 
          MOTION PASSES. 
          NEXT 
          [BOARD INFORMATION & POSSIBLE ACTION]
WE HAVE BOARD AND INFORMATION AND POSSIBLE ACTION ITEM 32. 
          AT THIS TIME, I'LL OPEN UP COMMENT FOR BOARD INFORMATION. 
          ITEM NUMBER 32. 
          NOBODY IN THE ROOM WILL CHECK OUR ONLINE OPTION. 
          MR. CHAIR, 
          [01:30:01]
WE HAVE NO REMOTE SPEAKERS IN THE QUEUE. 
          THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD FOR BOARD INFORMATION ITEM ROOM 32 IS NOW CLOSED. 
          WE'LL BRING IT BACK TO THE DAIS FOR FURTHER DISCUSSION. 
          I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION. 
          I 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 MOTION PASSES THE CONTINUATION OF THE 30 MINUTE PUBLIC OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK. 
          WE WILL LOOK TO SEE IF WE HAVE ANYBODY FROM REMOTE WHO WOULD LIKE TO HAVE COMMENTS. 
          MR. CHAIR, THERE'S NO REMOTE SPEAKERS IN THE QUEUE. 
          THANK YOU. 
          AT THIS TIME, WE'LL 
          [REPORTS/BOARD DIRECTION]
HAVE BOARD REPORTS STARTING WITH SUPERVISOR PER RA. 
          THANK YOU MR. CHAIR. 
          JUST, WE WERE JUST TOGETHER LAST WEEK. 
          SO NOT REALLY A WHOLE BUNCH OF REPORT THAT I WANNA REPORT OUT THAT I ATTENDED, UM, LAST WEEK. 
          THE, UH, SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY REGIONAL ASSOCIATION OF CALIFORNIA COUNTIES CONFERENCE IN VISALIA. 
          UM, IT'S A CHANCE FOR THE EIGHT VALLEY COUNTIES TO GET TOGETHER AND REALLY KIND OF TALK ABOUT THE ISSUES THAT FACE ALL CALIFORNIANS, BUT MORE SPECIFICALLY THE, THE, THE RESIDENTS IN THE CENTRAL VALLEY. 
          UM, ONE HIGHLIGHT FROM IT THAT CAME OUT OF IT IS, IS ON THE FRIDAY THE MORNING AT THE END OF THE CONFERENCE, THERE WAS A, A JOINT PRESS CONFERENCE BETWEEN FIVE OF THE EIGHT VALLEY COUNTIES, MERCED MADERA, FRESNO KINGS, AND SOLAR, WHERE, UM, WE, THERE WAS AN ANNOUNCEMENT WHERE WE WANT, WE WERE AWARDED A $250 MILLION REGIONAL GRANT. 
          AND, AND THIS GRANT IS A BEAD GRANT THAT COMES BY WAY OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT THROUGH THE STATE C-C-U-P-C. 
          UM, AND, AND WHAT IT DOES IS, IS THIS IS A REALLY A BIG WIN FOR OUR UNINCORPORATED REALLY RURAL COMMUNITIES. 
          UM, THIS IS, IT'S, IT'S TO BRING ACCESS TO BROADBAND, TO HIGH SPEED INTERNET, TO THESE UNINCORPORATED KIND OF SMALLER COMMUNITIES WHERE THE INTERNET SERVICE PROVIDERS, YOU KNOW, USE THE EXAMPLE, IF YOU PUT A MILE OF FIBER THROUGH THE CITY OF MERCED, YOU'RE GONNA GET THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE THAT ARE GONNA CONNECT TO THAT, RIGHT? AND SO THERE'S A, THERE'S ULTIMATELY A RETURN ON THEIR INVESTMENT BECAUSE THEY'RE GONNA BE ABLE TO PROVIDE SERVICE TO, TO A LOT OF PEOPLE. 
          YOU TAKE THAT SAME MILE AND GO OUT TO SOUTH DOS PALACE AND PUT A MILE OF FIBER IN, YOU'RE GONNA GET TENS OF PEOPLE THAT ARE GONNA HAVE ACCESS TO IT. 
          AND SO THIS IS, UH, I THINK SOMETHING THAT I THINK THAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT DID RIGHT, UM, IS BORN OUT OF COVID AND REALLY KIND OF REALLY HIGHLIGHTED THAT DIGITAL DIVIDE THAT WE ALL KNEW WAS THERE. 
          AND AS WE WERE APPLYING FOR THESE GRANTS INITIALLY, YOU KNOW, WE'RE COMPETING AGAINST OUR, OUR SISTER COUNTIES. 
          AND THERE WAS A GROUP EFFORT, UM, BY FRESNO COUNTY, WHO I WANNA SAY HELP LEAD THE CHARGE ON IT TONE CONSULTING GROUP WHO WE WORK WITH SAID, INSTEAD OF US ALL APPLYING INDIVIDUALLY, LET'S APPLY AS A REGION. 
          AND I WANNA SAY THAT IT'S THE SINGLE LARGEST GRANT THAT WAS AWARDED IN THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA AND, AND IT'S IN THE NATION. 
          AND SO THIS IS TO UNINCORPORATED COMMUNITIES ALL ACROSS THE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY, UM, MERCED SOUTH. 
          IT'S IS GOING TO REALLY, THE MONEY IS THERE, AND NOW THE HARD PART COMES IS THEY'RE GONNA ACTUALLY HAVE TO INSTALL THE FIBER IN THE GROUND, WHICH IS GONNA GIVE FOLKS INTERNET ACCESS. 
          AND I WANNA THANK LIKE ALL MY COLLEAGUES THAT WERE THERE AND, AND OUR COLLEAGUES FROM UP AND DOWN THE COUNTY ONCE THE IDEA CAME UP IS THAT IT WAS A NO BRAINER. 
          AND SO INSTEAD OF COMPETING WITH EACH OTHER, WE COMPETED AS A REGION. 
          I THINK THAT THE CUPC REALLY LIKED THAT. 
          AND SO, UM, MORE TO COME ON THAT. 
          UM, AND WITH THAT, I HAVE NOTHING ELSE TO REPORT. 
          THANK YOU. 
          THANK YOU, SUPERVISOR FERRA. 
          YOU'RE WELCOME. 
          UH, SO I TOO ATTENDED THE, UH, SJV RACK, UH, CONFERENCE LAST WEEK AND, AND, UH, WAS, YOU KNOW, THOROUGHLY EXCITED TO KNOW THAT THAT BROADBAND IS COMING TO RURAL MERCED COUNTY. 
          THERE'S A, A, A PRETTY SIGNIFICANT BUILD IN DISTRICT FOUR. 
          AND SO, UM, ANYWAYS, THANKFUL FOR THAT. 
          UH, I DID LEAVE, I DID NOT GO TO THE PRESS CONFERENCE. 
          I CAME BACK, UH, THE GUSTINE NEWMAN GARDEN CLUB, UH, DID, UH, A PRESENTATION OF A BLUE STAR MEMORIAL AT THE HILLS FERRY CEMETERY. 
          AND, UH, WAS INVITED, UH, TO BE THERE AND TO SEE A FEW WORDS. 
          AND I'D JUST LIKE TO, TO SAY THAT THE NATIONAL OR THE, THE NEWMAN GUSTINE GARDEN CLUB BELONGS TO THE REGIONAL GARDEN CLUB, WHICH BELONGS TO THE STATE GARDEN CLUB, WHICH BELONGS TO THE NATIONAL GARDEN CLUB. 
          AND, UM, AND THERE ARE HUNDREDS, IF NOT THOUSANDS OF BLUE STAR MEMORIALS, UH, AROUND THE COUNTRY PRESENTED BY GARDEN CLUBS. 
          AND FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT DON'T KNOW WHAT A BLUE STAR MEMORIAL IS FOR, UM, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE GOLD STAR, UH, WHICH IS, YOU KNOW, UH, UH, A, A GOLD STAR MOM WHO LOST A CHILD OR FAMILIES. 
          UH, THIS ONE, UH, IS A LITTLE, UH, BROADER. 
          UH, AND, AND IT IS TO, UM, KIND OF KEEP IN MIND THAT THE PAST, THE PRESENT, AND EVEN 
          [01:35:01]
THE FUTURE MILITARY MEMBERS AND, AND IT'S A BEAUTIFUL PLAQUE. 
          I PUT A PICTURE OF IT ONLINE, UM, KIND OF WORKED OUT. 
          THERE WAS A, A, A SHRUB, A FLOWER SHRUB BED THERE THAT ALREADY HAD CURB AND GUTTER OR CURB AROUND IT. 
          AND, AND, UM, THE SHRUBS WERE OLD AND NEEDED TO BE PULLED. 
          AND, AND IT JUST, UH, THERE'S THREE ROCKS. 
          AND, UH, MEL, UH, SORE, WHO'S THE VFW COMMANDER FROM GUSTINE, UM, YOU KNOW, SAID HE WAS SITTING THERE AND HE WAS LOOKING AT THESE THREE ROCKS AND, AND, YOU KNOW, AND IT, IT WAS PERFECT BECAUSE IT'S PAST, PRESENT, AND FUTURE. 
          UM, YOU KNOW, ALSO THAT IT WAS, UH, YOU KNOW, KIND OF FOR HIM WAS GOD'S SON AND HOLY SPIRIT. 
          AND THEN IT WAS, UM, YOU KNOW, COUNTRY, COMMUNITY AND FAMILY. 
          AND ANYWAYS, JUST KIND OF, HIS SPEECH WAS REALLY NEAT. 
          THERE WAS, UM, A LIEUTENANT, UH, RETIRED, A LIEUTENANT GENERAL WHO GREW UP IN GUSTINE, UH, UH, ZINI, UH, DAN ZINI. 
          AND HE CAME ALL THE WAY FROM COLORADO TO BE THE KEYNOTE SPEAKER AND, AND REALLY HAD SOME GOOD WORDS. 
          UH, I HAD MENTIONED TO THE NEWSPAPER THAT WAS THERE THAT IT'D BE NICE IF THEY COULD PUBLISH, UH, PUBLISH HIS COMMENTS BECAUSE THEY WERE PRETTY FITTING. 
          AND, UH, AND, UH, ANYWAYS, I I PROBABLY, THE, THE, THE, THE MOST IMPORTANT POINT OF WHAT HE SAID IS THAT, YOU KNOW, IT'S UP TO ALL OF US TO STEP UP AND, YOU KNOW, WE ALWAYS THINK SOMEBODY ELSE IS GONNA DO SOMETHING AND, AND, UH, YOU KNOW, SO, SO PEOPLE ARE STEPPING UP FOR THE MILITARY, BUT AS COMMUNITY MEMBERS, WE NEED TO STEP UP AND KIND OF HONOR THEM AND RECOGNIZE THEM AND, AND THEY WERE GOOD WORDS. 
          AND SO HOPEFULLY, UH, THAT GETS POSTED. 
          AND, UM, UH, YESTERDAY WAS THE CASA GOLF TOURNAMENT, WHICH, UH, I WENT OUT AND HELPED AT. 
          I DID NOT GOLF. 
          I'M NOT, UH, THERE'S SOME PRETTY BAD GUYS OUT THERE AND, AND GALS GOLFING AND, AND, AND THEY MADE ME LOOK BAD OR WOULD MAKE ME LOOK BAD. 
          SO ANYWAYS, SO SOMEBODY WON THE GOLF TOURNAMENT, WHICH IS A SCRAMBLE BEST BALL WITH A 48. 
          AND SO, UH, WE KIND OF FIGURED THAT THE 10TH PLACE TEAM WAS PROBABLY FIRST PLACE OF THE HONEST TEAMS. SO FOR YOU GUYS AT GOLF AND SCRAMBLES NOW, SO THANK YOU, UH, MR. CHAIR. 
          THANK YOU. 
          UH, SUPERVISOR PEDROZA. 
          THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. 
          YES, I TOO ATTENDED THE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY REGIONAL ASSOCIATION OF CALIFORNIA COUNTIES. 
          AND I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, LIKE MY COLLEAGUE, SUPERVISOR SRA SAID, YOU KNOW, AS WE WORK TOGETHER, WE GET A LOT OF STUFF DONE. 
          AND I THINK THAT SHOWS THE COLLABORATIVE NATURE OF THE VALLEY COUNTIES. 
          I ALSO ATTENDED THE, UM, SAN JOAQUIN JOINT POWERS AUTHORITY RAIL SAFETY, UH, MONTH EVENT IN FRESNO. 
          AND THEN, UM, I ALSO ATTENDED THE HISPANIC CHAMBER AWARDS AND INSTALLATION DINNER ON, UM, FRIDAY EVENING. 
          AND THEN, UM, I WOULD LIKE TO AT WHEN TIME BEING ADJOURNED IN MEMORY OF TIM DOSS, WHO WAS ON OUR ASSESSMENT APPEALS BOARD HERE IN MERCED COUNTY. 
          THANK YOU. 
          SUPERVISOR PACHECO. 
          THANK YOU CHAIR. 
          UM, YEAH, SHORT WEEK. 
          SO BASICALLY WE, UH, I'LL ATTENDED THE CONFERENCE. 
          UH, SO MY COLLEAGUES SAID, UM, GREAT PRESENTATION WITH SOME PRESENTATIONS ON AI ON WATER, AND JUST SOME UPDATES ON THE STATE AND FEDERAL LIFT LEGISLATION WAS GOOD TO HAVE. 
          AND JUST, UH, UH, MEETING WITH MY COLLEAGUES FROM THE CENTRAL VALLEY COUNTY. 
          SO, UH, GREAT CONFERENCE AND WE'RE ALL MOVING TO POSITIVE DIRECTION. 
          THAT'S ALL I HAVE. 
          CHAIR, COUNTY COUNCIL, CEO HENDRICKSON. 
          NOTHING SIR. 
          NOTHING. 
          UM, I ALSO ATTENDED THE SJV RACK AND ATTENDED THE, UM, THE PRESS CONFERENCE. 
          UH, I, AS I, I SHARED AT THE PRESS CONFERENCE, I REMEMBER THE INITIAL CONVERSATION I HAD WITH FOLKS WITH AT AND T AND COMCAST AT, UM, JANS BAKERY DURING COVID WHEN WE COULDN'T EVEN SIT INSIDE, WE HAD TO SIT OUTSIDE, IT WAS RAINING. 
          AND I HAD, UM, UM, SUPERINTENDENT ALAN PETERSON THERE AS WELL BECAUSE OF THE SHORTFALLS WE HAD WITH BROADBAND AND, UM, FOR THE LEARNING DURING COVID. 
          AND I REMEMBER US SITTING THERE NOW. 
          AND FUNNY THING IS, SOME OF THOSE PEOPLE AREN'T WITH THE AUTHORITIES THAT THEY WERE AT THE TIME. 
          AND SOME OF THE CONVERSATIONS I HAD, 'CAUSE I DO SIT ON GOLDEN STATE CONNECT AUTHORITY AS WELL, WHICH HAS A REAL PLACE IN CALIFORNIA FOR THE RURAL PLACES WHO HAVE NO CONNECTABILITY. 
          AND, UM, WE BROKE AWAY FROM GOLDEN STATE CONNECT THROUGH THIS PROCESS. 
          UM, TALKED TO KINGS COUNTY, THEY ENDED UP BREAKING AWAY AS WELL. 
          ALSO, WE CAN, UH, FORM THIS CONSORTIUM OF THE FIVE COUNTIES. 
          I KNOW FRESNO WAS WEIGHING IN, WEIGHING OUT, FRESNO IS ALWAYS HARD TO WORK WITH. 
          COUNTY, THEY'RE THE BIGGEST COUNTY IN, IN THE, IN THE VALLEY. 
          AND SOMETIMES THEY DON'T LIKE TO PLAY WITH THEIR SMALLER COUNTIES. 
          BUT I'M GLAD THEY STUCK WITH THIS ONE. 
          AND, UH, WE WERE ABLE TO PULL THIS, UM, ACROSS THE LINE. 
          AND THE FACT THAT IT IS THE LARGEST INVESTMENT IN THE COUNTRY, IT, IT WAS A BIG SUCCESS FOR, FOR ALL OF US. 
          SO WITH THAT, THE NEXT REGULAR SCHEDULED BOARD OF SUPERVISORS MEETING WILL BE HELD AT 10:00 AM ON TUESDAY, OCTOBER 20TH. 
          THIS CONCLUDES THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS MEETING ON OCTOBER 6TH. 
          [01:40:01]
MEETING IS ADJOURNED.
* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.