[00:00:01]
          I THINK WE'RE ALL READY. GOOD MORNING, EVERYONE. 
          [Call to Order]
GOOD MORNING AND WELCOME TO THE AUGUST 25TH, 2020 MERCED COUNTY BOARD MEETING. 
          IN ORDER TO MINIMIZE THE SPREAD OF COVID-19 VIRUS, THE COUNTY IS CONDUCTING BUSINESS IN COMPLIANCE WITH SOCIAL DISTANCING REQUIREMENTS WITH SEATING FOR THE PUBLIC LIMITED TO TWENTY FIVE. WE HAVE ALSO PROVIDED SOME OVERFLOW SPACE IN THE FIRST COME FIRST SERVE BASIS FOR MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WHO DO NOT WISH TO ATTEND IN PERSON. 
          WE HAVE BEEN ACCEPTING GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENTS VIA EMAIL AND VOICEMAIL FOR NON AGENDA AND AGENDA ITEMS. IN ADDITION, WE HAVE ALSO BEEN ACCEPTING COMMENTS FOR PUBLIC HEARINGS, ITEMS BY VOICE MAIL USING THE LINE THAT IS DEDICATED TO RECEIVE PUBLIC HEARING COMMENTS ONLY. 
          THIS LINE WILL REMAIN OPEN UP TO AND DURING THE PUBLIC HEARING TO ALLOW FOR COMMENTS WHICH WILL BE LIMITED TO THREE MINUTES IN LENGTH. 
          WE WILL NOW START WITH THE INVOCATION IS-- WILL ANYONE UP HERE OR IN THE PUBLIC WOULD LIKE TO DO AN INVOCATION? WE DON'T HAVE ANYBODY SET FOR TODAY. 
          SO WOULD ANYBODY LIKE TO VOLUNTEER. 
          OK, COME ON DOWN, PLEASE. 
          AND ALSO, JIM, WOULD YOU LIKE TO DO THE PLEDGE AFTER? THANK YOU. THANK YOU. 
          WILL EVERYBODY PLEASE STAND. 
          LET US BOW OUR HEADS. 
          FATHER IN THE NAME OF JESUS GOD. 
          WE THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY THAT YOU HAVE PRESENTED US TODAY. 
          WE ASK GOD TO BLESS THE LEADERS THAT YOU HAVE PUT IN POSITION, THAT THEY WILL MAKE SOUND DECISIONS ACCORDING TO YOUR WILL. 
          GOD, WE ASK THAT THINGS BE AGENDIZED THE WAY THAT YOU HAVE SEEN FIT. 
          GOD, LET YOUR PURPOSE BE. 
          MAY GOD BLESS THE LEADERS THAT YOU HAVE OVER THIS COMMUNITY. 
          GOD BLESS OUR FIRST RESPONDERS. 
          BLESS EVEN PUBLIC HEALTH GOD AS THEY UNDERTAKE A NEW ENDEAVOR, GOD, THAT HAD NEVER BEEN DONE BEFORE IN THIS COMMUNITY. 
          AND I PRAY, GOD, THAT YOU CONTINUE TO STRENGTHEN THEM AS YOU HAVE STRENGTHENED US AS WE GO THROUGH THIS PANDEMIC. 
          GOD BLESS THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS. 
          BLESS EVERY REPRESENTATIVE HERE TODAY. 
          AND AS WE GO THROUGH THE AGENDA, LET YOUR WILL BE DONE. 
          IN JESUS NAME, WE PRAY. 
          AMEN. THANK YOU. PLEASE JOIN ME FOR THE PLEDGE. 
          OF ALLEGIANCE] THANK YOU, [INAUDIBLE] BROWN FROM THE-- BEHAVIORAL HEALTH DIRECTOR FOR DOING THAT WONDERFUL INVOCATION AND JIM BROWN [INAUDIBLE] FOR DOING THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. SO THIS MORNING, WE HAD A CLOSED SESSION MEETING AND STAFF WAS GIVEN DIRECTION. OK, NOW WE OPENED UP FOR PUBLIC COMMENT. 
          [PUBLIC OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK]
IT'S TIME FOR A PUBLIC OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK ON ANY MATTER OF PUBLIC INTEREST WITHIN THE BOARD'S JURISDICTION, INCLUDING ITEMS ON THE BOARD'S AGENDA, EXCEPT FOR THOSE ITEMS SPECIFICALLY SCHEDULED AS PUBLIC HEARINGS. 
          TESTIMONY IS LIMITED TO THREE MINUTES PER PERSON. 
          BEFORE WE CALL UPON THE MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WITH COMMENTS, WE WILL FIRST PLAY THE VOICEMAILS WE RECEIVE FOR THIS MEETING FOR NON-AGENDA ITEMS AND AGENDA ITEMS. I'M SORRY. ARE WE READY? YOU KNOW, LET'S JUST GO AHEAD. 
          [INAUDIBLE] AND SWITCH IT. SO APOLOGIES FOR THAT. 
          GOOD MORNING, CHAIRMAN. 
          MEMBERS OF THE BOARD. MY NAME IS SHAUNESSY MACHADO AND I AM THE SUPERVISING ELECTION SPECIALIST FOR MERCED COUNTY REGISTRAR VOTERS. 
          I'M HERE THIS MORNING TO EXPRESS MY DISAPPOINTMENT IN ITEM NUMBER FORTY FIVE, THAT IS BEFORE YOU TODAY. I HAVE SERVED THIS COUNTY AND ITS VOTERS FOR 19 YEARS. 
          WITH THAT KNOWLEDGE, I AM HERE TO VOICE MY CONCERNS AND SUGGEST THAT YOU POSTPONE THE APPOINTMENT OF THE REGISTRAR VOTERS POSITION UNTIL ONE OF THE BIGGEST ELECTIONS OF OUR TIME IS CERTIFIED. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. 
          THANK YOU. ANY OTHER PUBLIC COMMENTS? GOOD MORNING. I'M BACK. 
          GOOD MORNING, MERCED COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS. 
          FOR THOSE WHO DON'T KNOW ME, MY NAME IS DR. 
          SIMA ASADI. I'M A COMMUNITY PEDIATRICIAN AND I'M HERE TO ADDRESS THE BOARD AGAIN WITH REGARD TO COVID-19 AND THE REOPENING OF SCHOOLS. 
          MY THOUGHT PROCESS IS GUIDED BY TWO BASIC PRINCIPLES. 
          NUMBER ONE, COVID-19 IS REAL AND IT IS NOT GOING AWAY ANY TIME SOON. 
          AND NUMBER TWO, MOST CHILDREN NEED TO RETURN TO IN-PERSON LEARNING AS SOON AS IT IS POSSIBLE AND SAFE. 
          MAKE NO MISTAKE, WE ARE ALREADY EXPERIENCING AN EPIC MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS ON THE FRONT 
          [00:05:01]
LINES. 
          LOW INCOME COMMUNITIES ARE SUFFERING THE MOST FROM SHELTER IN PLACE POLICIES BECAUSE WE HAVE A LARGER PORTION OF PARENTS WHO ARE ESSENTIAL WORKERS IN AG, HEALTH CARE AND CORRECTIONAL FACILITIES. 
          THESE PARENTS ARE OUT OF THE HOME AND UNABLE TO HELP WITH ONLINE LEARNING. 
          IN ADDITION, MANY OF THE CHILDREN IN OUR COMMUNITY LIVE IN CROWDED CONDITIONS THAT ARE NOT CONDUCIVE TO LEARNING. 
          EXPERTS IN MY FIELD HAVE MADE IT CLEAR THAT FOR A SAFE REOPENING OF SCHOOLS AND TO KEEP THEM OPEN, EACH SCHOOL DISTRICT NEEDS TO ESTABLISH A COVID-19 TASK FORCE COMPOSED OF SUPERINTENDENT, MEMBERS OF THE SCHOOL BOARD, TEACHERS, PARENTS AND HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONALS WHO CAN WORK COLLABORATIVELY WITH THE LOCAL HEALTH DEPARTMENT TO IMPLEMENT AND EVALUATE SPECIFIC MEASURES. 
          WE NEED TO RECOGNIZE THAT THIS IS NO SMALL CHALLENGE FOR US IN MERCED COUNTY. 
          OUR HEALTH DEPARTMENT IS UNDER AN INCREDIBLE AMOUNT OF STRAIN MEDICALLY WORKING IN A SEVERELY MEDICALLY UNDERSERVED AREA. 
          IN SOME OTHER COUNTIES, IF SOMEONE NEEDS HELP WITH COVID-19, THEY'RE CALLING THEIR DOCTORS . HERE WHERE SO MANY DO NOT HAVE MEDICAL HOMES, THEY ARE CALLING THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT. 
          DESPITE THIS SIGNIFICANT CHALLENGE, I HAVE WITNESSED THE EXTRAORDINARY SPIRIT OF MERCED COUNTY AND THESE FOLKS IN THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT. 
          TWO WEEKS AGO WHEN THE STATE HEALTH DEPARTMENT DID A TWO DAY SITE SURVEY, MORE THAN ONCE, THE STATE OFFICIALS COMMENTED ON HOW IMPRESSED THEY WERE WITH A LARGE GROUP OF HEALTH CARE COMMUNITY AND GOVERNMENT LEADERS AND STAKEHOLDERS THAT WERE PRESENT. 
          THEY HAD BEEN TO OTHER COUNTIES EASILY TWICE AS LARGE AS MERCED, WITH HALF THE PARTICIPATION IN THEIR SITE VISITS. 
          MANY PEOPLE CARE ABOUT MERCED COUNTY AND I AM ONE OF THEM. 
          WE ARE ALSO FORTUNATE HERE IN THAT MANY OTHER COMMUNITIES ARE AHEAD OF US ON THE CURVE, AND WE SHOULD BE LOOKING CLOSELY AT THE SUCCESSFUL REOPENINGS TO GUIDE US RATHER THAN TRYING TO REINVENT THE WHEEL. 
          MY FINAL STATEMENT IS REGARDING PREVENTION. 
          AS A SOCIETY, WE NEED TO ACCEPT THAT WE ARE MOST SUCCESSFUL WHEN WE CAN PREVENT TRAGEDY. 
          MAN CAN'T STOP WATER. 
          MAN CAN STOP FIRE. 
          MAN CAN'T STOP VIRUS. 
          PLEASE. LET'S BE KNOWN AS THE COUNTY WITH THE HIGHEST PERCENTAGE OF OUR POPULATION THAT RECEIVED THE FLU SHOT THIS YEAR. 
          WHILE I CAN STILL CONFIDENTLY STAND IN FRONT OF YOU AND TELL YOU THAT COVID-19 DOES NOT FOR THE MOST PART, AFFECT CHILDREN--. 
          SORRY. 
          GO AHEAD, IF HE CAN FINISH IN TWO SENTENCES. 
          DOES TO CHILDREN. PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE GET YOUR FLU SHOT. 
          AND WITH THAT, I WILL CLOSE. 
          AND I WANT TO INTRODUCE YOU TO THE FUTURE LEADERS OF MERCED. 
          THESE KIDS HAVE TAKEN OWNERSHIP OF THEIR ROLE IN THE CURRENT CRISIS WITH THEIR OWN SOLUTION CALLED THE MASK PROJECT. 
          THESE YOUNG PEOPLE ARE THE TESTAMENT AS TO WHY I CHOSE TO WORK WITH YOUTH. 
          I PRESENT TO YOU [INAUDIBLE] AND THE MASK PROJECT. 
          THANK YOU. THANK YOU. 
          SORRY. 
          GO AHEAD. OH, OK. 
          HELLO, CHAIRMAN AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD. 
          WE ARE HERE ON BEHALF OF THE MASK PROJECT AND WE ARE HERE TO TELL YOU WHAT WE ARE DOING. 
          WE'RE A GROUP OF FIVE FRESHMEN WHO JUST STARTED SCHOOL ABOUT A WEEK AGO. 
          AND AS MUCH AS WE APPRECIATE THE EFFORTS FROM THE SCHOOL BOARD AND OUR TEACHERS, ONLINE LEARNING IS JUST NOT IDEAL FOR THE STUDENTS. 
          AND WE'RE HAVING A PRETTY HARD TIME. 
          OUR EXPERIENCES HAVE BEEN LIMITED SOCIAL GATHERINGS AND SHORT SCHOOL DAYS. 
          AND ESPECIALLY TODAY DURING A ZOOM MEETING, ALL THE INTERNET WAS CUT OUT FOR THE TEACHERS. 
          AND IT WAS JUST A MESS AND CONFUSION BECAUSE ONLINE THERE'S NO TEACHERS, IT WAS JUST A BUNCH OF STUDENTS MESSING AROUND AND THERE IS NO STRUCTURE AT ALL. 
          AND SO WHAT WE HAVE DONE IS WE'VE CREATED A PLEDGE TO PLEDGE TO HAVE A SAFER COMMUNITY AND TO MAKE SAFER CHOICES IN MERCED IN ORDER TO LOWER THE CASES, BECAUSE WE ARE AWARE THAT THE CASES IN MERCED ARE RISING RAPIDLY AND WE FEAR FOR WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN NEXT. 
          AND THIS IS THE PLEDGE THAT WE'VE CREATED. 
          YOU TAKE YOUR CAMERA PHONE, AND YOU SCAN THE QR CODE AND THEN A LINK DROPS DOWN TO SIGN OUR PLEDGE. AND WE ARE COMING TO YOU HERE TODAY IN ORDER TO ASK FOR YOUR HELP. 
          TO HELP PUBLICIZE OUR POSTER AND THIS PLEDGE, BECAUSE WE REALLY WANT TO LOWER THE CASES IN MERCED TO HAVE A SAFER COMMUNITY AND TO RETURN TO SCHOOL. 
          PHYSICAL SCHOOL, THAT IS. 
          THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. 
          [00:10:01]
WE CAN HAVE SOME STAFF MEMBER REACH OUT TO--. 
          DO YOU HAVE A BEST WAY TO CONTACT YOU? UM, YEAH, YOU CAN CONTACT US AT ANY OF OUR EMAILS. 
          YEAH. SO, UH, YOU WANT US TO WORK THROUGH DR. 
          ASADI? YEAH. YEAH. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. 
          THANK YOU FOR COMING IN. 
          ANY OTHER PUBLIC COMMENTS. SOMEBODY WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK. 
          OH, YEAH. 
          I GOT YOU THE FLYER? ANYBODY ELSE WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK IN THE MEANTIME? OK, WE'LL GO TO, UH, VOICEMAILS. 
          IN SPANISH] THE FIRST MESSAGE IS MR. LOPEZ FROM MERCED LEAVING THE MESSAGE SEPTEMBER 1ST. 
          WE WOULD LIKE TO SET UP A MEETING WITH THE BOARD MEMBERS OF MERCED COUNTY, ALONG WITH THE ATTORNEY FOR THE COUNTY, IN ORDER TO GO OVER THE ISSUES OF THE KIDS, WHAT THEY'RE GOING THROUGH WITH NOT BEING ABLE TO GO TO SCHOOL, WITH WOMEN BEING HOME ALONE WITH THE ISSUES OF NO WORK AND NO FIXED INCOME AT THIS TIME. 
          HE'D LIKE TO SET UP-- HE'D LIKE TO ASK FOR THERE TO BE A PUBLIC MEETING SO THAT WE CAN GO OVER SOME OF THE ISSUES THAT THE PANDEMIC HAS BROUGHT UPON FAMILIES AND HOW IT'S MADE IT VERY TOUGH AND WANTS TO REMIND THAT IF WE COULD PLEASE HAVE THE ATTORNEY PRESENT FOR THAT MEETING. 
          MR. LOPEZ FROM MERCED. 
          IN SPANISH] HELLO, MY NAME IS CARMEN OJEDA. 
          I'M FROM DOS PALOS. 
          I'D LIKE TO LEAVE A COMMENT REGARDING THE SENATE BILL THAT IS PENDING, HASN'T BEEN APPROVED, BUT IT'S PENDING AB ONE FOUR THREE SIX. 
          AND THIS APPLIES TO RENTERS. 
          WE KNOW THAT THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF RENTERS WHO HAVE LOST JOBS AND ARE NOT ABLE TO KEEP UP WITH THEIR RENT BECAUSE OF THE COVID-19 SITUATION. 
          AS OF SEPTEMBER, BECAUSE OF THE COVID 19 SITUATION, MANY FAMILIES HAVE BEEN AFFECTED AND ARE NOT ABLE TO PAY THEIR RENT. 
          MANY FAMILIES HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO ADJUST TO THE NEW ECONOMY. 
          SO I'M ASKING FOR YOU, THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS, WHO HAVE THE POWER TO DO SOMETHING TO PLEASE CONSIDER THESE ASSETS THAT ARE COMING ALSO WITH COVID RELIEF FUNDS FOR OUR COUNTY 
          [00:15:09]
HERE OF MERCED. CARMEN OJEDA, THAT'S DOS PALOS. 
          IN SPANISH] MY NAME IS GABRIELA SALCEDO, I'M FROM [INAUDIBLE], AND I AM LEAVING A MESSAGE REGARDING THE URGENCY WITH THE KIDS. 
          I ALSO WANT TO MENTION THE PENDING FUNDS WITH AB ONE FOUR, THREE SIX. 
          WE NEED TO MAINTAIN OUR KIDS FOCUSED ON SCHOOL AND NOT FOCUS ON ALL THESE OTHER THINGS THAT ARE GOING ON IN OUR COMMUNITY. 
          WE NEED TO ALSO TALK MORE ABOUT THE FUNDS WITH COVID-19 TO BETTER APPLY THOSE FUNDS. AND THEN WE ALSO NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE STAYING HOME AND NOT GOING OUT INTO THE STREETS SO THAT WE CAN BETTER CONTROL THIS VIRUS. 
          AND THIS GABRIELA SALCEDO FROM [INAUDIBLE]. 
          IN SPANISH] MY NAME IS BANITA GALLARDO FROM [INAUDIBLE]. I ALSO WANT TO MENTION THE AB 14 THIRTY SIX FUNDS THAT ARE PENDING AND PLEASE TAKE A LOOK AT THOSE FUNDS. 
          A LOT OF FAMILIES HAVE NO WORK AND NO INCOME. 
          AND AT THIS POINT IT WOULD BE TOUGH TO BE HOMELESS AND NOT HAVE A HOME EITHER. 
          THAT WOULD BE A VERY EXTREME SITUATION. 
          SO PLEASE CONSIDER THE FUNDS FOR AB ONE, FOUR, THREE, SIX. 
          THAT'S BANITA GALLARDO FROM [INAUDIBLE]. 
          HELLO, MY NAME IS ARACELI HERNANDEZ. 
          MY COMMENT IS NOT ON THE AGENDA, I'M CALLING IN REGARDS TO MY CONCERN IN REGARDS TO THE JUDICIAL COUNCIL RULE ENDING ON SEPTEMBER 1ST. 
          AND I WANTED TO REQUEST FOR LOCAL PROTECTION FOR OUR FAMILIES AND OUR COMMUNITY HERE IN MERCED WITH COVID AND THE LOSS OF JOBS. 
          IT IS VERY DIFFICULT FOR FAMILIES TO HAVE THE PROTECTION THEY NEED. 
          AND I'M CALLING ON OUR COUNCIL MEMBERS TO STEP UP AND PLEASE HOLD A SPECIAL MEETING TO DISCUSS THE POSSIBILITY OF HAVING THE RIGHT TO COUNSEL IN MERCED COUNTY AND EVICTION MORATORIUM. THANK YOU SO MUCH AND HAVE A GOOD AFTERNOON. 
          GOOD MORNING. BOARD OF SUPERVISORS. 
          MY NAME IS GIOVANNA MORALES FROM LEADERSHIP COUNCIL. 
          THIS IS A GENERAL COMMENT. 
          I AM CALLING THIS MORNING TO REQUEST THAT YOU DISCUSS A POSSIBLE EMERGENCY EVICTION MORATORIUM OR HOLD A SPECIAL MEETING BETWEEN NOW AND SEPTEMBER 1ST. 
          AS YOU ALL KNOW, THE STATEWIDE MORATORIUM ON EVICTIONS IS SET TO EXPIRE ON SEPTEMBER 1ST, WHERE MERCED WILL WITNESS MASS EVICTIONS ACROSS THE COUNTY. 
          TENANTS WILL FIND THEMSELVES BEING BOOTED FROM THEIR HOMES AND INTO THE STREETS. 
          EVEN DURING A PANDEMIC, WE ARE WITNESSING FOLKS BEING EVICTED OR THEIR RENT BEEN 
          [00:20:01]
INCREASED. YOU MIGHT ASK WHY YOU HAVEN'T HEARD FROM THESE FOLKS OR WHY HAS NO ONE BROUGHT IT UP TO THE BOARD? SIMPLE. 
          TENANTS ALREADY FEAR RETALIATION FROM LANDLORDS. 
          THEY CAN BE EASILY EVICTED WITHOUT ANY RECOURSE OR LEGAL COUNSEL TO HELP THEM THROUGH THE PROCESS. THERE IS AN EXORBITANT AMOUNT OF HARASSMENT AND INTIMIDATION THAT TENANTS EXPERIENCE FROM LANDLORDS. 
          IT IS DIFFICULT ENOUGH TO DEAL WITH THIS TYPE OF SITUATION, AND THEY MIGHT NOT FEEL SAFE OR CONFIDENT THAT THE COUNTY CAN DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. 
          WE BROUGHT THIS UP BACK IN APRIL AND IT WAS SHUT DOWN AS UNNECESSARY. 
          BUT IT CONTINUES TO HAPPEN TO OUR MOST VULNERABLE RESIDENTS. 
          IF THE GOVERNOR REFUSES TO ACT THEN WE URGE YOU TO PROTECT THE RESIDENTS THAT DEPEND ON YOUR LEADERSHIP. 
          HOLD A SPECIAL MEETING SO YOU CAN HEAR FROM THE MOST VULNERABLE. 
          THANK YOU. 
          HI, MY NAME IS BLANCA [INAUDIBLE]. 
          I'M A COMMUNITY RESIDENT HERE IN MERCED COUNTY, AND I JUST WANTED TO PROVIDE A PUBLIC COMMENT NO SPECIFIC ITEM IN THE AGENDA. 
          BUT I DID WANT TO LIFT UP THE CONCERN OF THE JUDICIAL COUNCIL RULE ENDING ON SEPTEMBER 1ST AND ACKNOWLEDGE THAT RIGHT NOW THERE ARE NO PROTECTIONS FOR RENTERS IN MERCED COUNTY. 
          SO WE ARE LOOKING AT A POTENTIAL CHAOS OF JUST LIKE EVICTIONS HAPPENING IN MERCED COUNTY IF THERE IS NO PROTECTIONS PUT IN PLACE. 
          SO I REQUEST THAT THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS PLEASE CONSIDER AN EMERGENCY MEETING BEFORE SEPTEMBER 1ST TO PUT SOMETHING IN PLACE, AN EVICTION MORATORIUM WITH THE RIGHT TO COUNSEL IN MERCED COUNTY. 
          THANK YOU. THIS CONCLUDES PUBLIC COMMENT. EXCUSE ME. 
          THANK YOU VERY MUCH. UM, ANY LAST CHANCES FOR ANY PUBLIC COMMENT? PEOPLE THAT HAVE NOT HAD A CHANCE TO SPEAK. 
          IF NOT, I WILL CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENT AND WE WILL MOVE ON TO THE COVID PRESENTATION. 
          [COVID-19 UPDATE]
GOOD MORNING. 
          GOOD MORNING MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, BOARD OF SUPERVISORS. 
          WE ARE HERE TO PROVIDE YET ANOTHER UPDATE ON THE COVID-19 SITUATION IN MERCED COUNTY. 
          A LARGE PART OF HOW THIS PRESENTATION HAS BEEN MANUFACTURED WAS BASED ON FEEDBACK FROM WHAT WE RECEIVED DURING THE LAST MEETING. 
          AND SO MUCH OF WHAT YOU RECEIVE HERE IS DATA. 
          AND AS A RESULT OF THAT, THE MAJORITY, A LOT ANYWAYS, OF THE CONVERSATION WILL INCLUDE MEMBERS OF THE DEPARTMENT, INCLUDING THE SUPERVISING EPIDEMIOLOGIST, DR. 
          CHRISTINE SULLIVAN AND DR. 
          SANDOVAL. AND I BRING THAT UP BECAUSE I ERRONEOUSLY LET THEM OFF THE FIRST SLIDE. 
          AND I APOLOGIZE FOR THAT. 
          ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I WOULD LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT BEFORE WE GET STARTED WITH THIS PRESENTATION IS THAT THIS IS BECOMING A DIFFICULT SITUATION TO MANAGE. 
          PEOPLE ARE SICK OF COVID. 
          PEOPLE NEED A PLACE TO TAKE IT OUT ON. 
          THEY'RE TRYING TO USE JUSTIFICATIONS OR RELY ON THINGS THAT ARE NOT NECESSARILY TRUE. 
          WE HAVE REALLY BEEN STRUGGLING WITH TRYING TO GET PEOPLE TO COMPLY OR ORGANIZATIONS TO COMPLY WITH THE STATE REQUIREMENTS, BECAUSE WE STILL DO REMAIN ON THE COUNTY DATA MONITORING LIST. AND I WOULD LIKE TO, AS THE DEPARTMENT HEAD FOR PUBLIC HEALTH, RESPECTFULLY REQUEST THAT OTHER PEOPLE WITHIN OTHER DEPARTMENTS, IF THEY'RE NOT IN PUBLIC HEALTH, REALLY REFRAIN FROM MAKING COMMENTS ABOUT THE SAFETY MEASURES THAT ARE IN PLACE AND PERMIT CERTAIN ACTIVITIES THAT ARE NOT OTHERWISE ALLOWED. 
          IT IS HARD ENOUGH TO CONTROL A SITUATION WITHOUT MAKING PUBLIC COMMENTARY ABOUT WHAT'S PERMITTED AND WHAT'S NOT PERMITTED, AND THESE INDIVIDUALS NOT BE THE ONES LIAISING WITH THE STATE. SO I'D LIKE TO GO ON THE RECORD AND ASK FOR PEOPLE WHO OVERSEE THEIR DEPARTMENTS THAT THEY STICK TO WHAT THEY KNOW SO WE CAN PUT OUR ATTENTION AND OUR FOCUS AND THE LITTLE ENERGY THAT WE HAVE LEFT ON TRYING TO CONTROL A SITUATION THAT IS SLOWLY AND YET QUICKLY BECOMING UNCONTROLLABLE. 
          SO WITHOUT FURTHER DELAY, I WILL NOW TURN IT OVER TO DR. 
          SULLIVAN, WHO WILL GIVE THE UPDATES FOR THE DATA COMPONENT. 
          I'LL RETURN AND THEN IT WILL GO TO DR. 
          SANDOVAL, COUNTY HEALTH OFFICER, SHORTLY THEREAFTER. 
          THANK YOU. THANK YOU. 
          [00:25:04]
AND BEFORE I BEGIN, I DID SNAG YOU GUYS THE POSTER FROM THE PRESENTATION EARLIER DURING PUBLIC COMMENT. SO I'LL LEAVE THAT HERE. 
          I TRIED IT OUT. IT WORKS REALLY, REALLY WELL. 
          SO THANK YOU. 
          THANK YOU FOR CATCHING THEM. COURSE. 
          ALL RIGHT. OK, SO I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD AND START WITH THE SURVEILLANCE UPDATE THAT I GIVE EVERY BOARD MEETING. 
          SO THE LAST TIME WE WERE HERE WAS JULY TWENTY SEVENTH. 
          AT OUR LAST BOARD MEETING, WE WERE BEING VISITED BY THE STATE FOR A SITE VISIT. 
          SO WE DID NOT PRESENT. 
          SO THIS IS A MONTHS DIFFERENCE CHANGE. 
          SO ON JULY TWENTY SEVENTH, WE WERE REPORTING THREE THOUSAND FIVE HUNDRED AND TEN LABORATORY CONFIRMED CASES. 
          AS OF YESTERDAY AT 4:00 P.M., WE'RE AT SEVEN THOUSAND SIX HUNDRED AND FIFTY THREE CASES. 
          SO THAT IS ABOUT A DOUBLING IN THAT MONTH PERIOD, JUST OVER DOUBLE. 
          SO ON JULY TWENTY SEVENTH, WE WERE REPORTING ONE THOUSAND FOUR HUNDRED AND TWENTY EIGHT PROBABLE ACTIVE CASES. 
          THAT'S CONFIRMED AS HAVING BEEN REPORTED IN THE LAST--. 
          THAT'S DEFINED AS BEING REPORTED IN THE LAST 14 DAYS. 
          AS OF YESTERDAY, WE WERE AT ONE THOUSAND NINE HUNDRED AND SEVENTEEN PROBABLE ACTIVE CASES, WHICH IS A THIRTY FOUR PERCENT INCREASE, SO FAR LOWER THAN OUR OVERALL INCREASE. 
          THE CATEGORY, UNFORTUNATELY, THAT WE'VE HAD THE WORST OUTCOMES IN ARE OUR NUMBER OF DEATHS. SO WHEN WE WERE HERE LAST JULY TWENTY SEVENTH, WE WERE REPORTING TWENTY NINE FATALITIES DUE TO COVID-19. 
          AS OF 4:00 P.M. 
          YESTERDAY, WE ARE AT ONE HUNDRED AND SIX FATALITIES DUE TO COVID-19, WHICH IS MORE THAN TRIPLE IN A MONTH. 
          OUR ACTIVE HOSPITALIZATIONS HAVE BEEN RELATIVELY STABLE. 
          SO THIS IS MERCED COUNTY RESIDENTS WHO ARE HOSPITALIZED IN ANY COUNTY. 
          ON THE TWENTY SEVENTH WE WERE REPORTING SIXTY SIX. 
          AS OF YESTERDAY, WE WERE AT SEVENTY EIGHT. 
          SO IT'S AN EIGHTEEN PERCENT INCREASE. 
          OUR EVER HOSPITALIZATION--. 
          SO RESIDENTS WHO HAVE BEEN HOSPITALIZED DUE TO COVID FOR ANY AMOUNT OF TIME DURING THIS TIME PERIOD HAS GONE FROM TWO HUNDRED AND FORTY SIX TO FIVE HUNDRED AND TWENTY ONE, WHICH AGAIN IS JUST OVER DOUBLE THE NUMBER OF RESIDENTS WHO HAVE BEEN IN THE HOSPITAL. 
          OUR TESTING ON JULY TWENTY SEVENTH WAS TWENTY THREE THOUSAND SIX HUNDRED THIRTY TWO TESTS, TOTAL TESTS PERFORMED. 
          AS YOU KNOW, WE'VE BEEN HAVING SOME TESTING CHALLENGES. 
          THOSE ARE BEGINNING TO BE RESOLVED. 
          SO WE ARE STARTING TO SEE THAT OUR TESTING NUMBERS ARE INCREASING AGAIN. 
          HOWEVER, OUR TESTING CAPACITY IS INCREASING AGAIN. 
          HOWEVER, WE ARE SEEING A DROP IN UTILIZATION OF OUR TESTING SITES. 
          SO WE ARE NOW CURRENTLY REPORTING FORTY THOUSAND ONE HUNDRED AND ELEVEN TESTS PERFORMED, WHICH IS AN INCREASE OF 70 PERCENT. 
          ONE QUESTION REGARDING THE UTILIZATION OF TESTING, WHAT DO YOU THINK THAT HAS AN EFFECT WHEN THERE'S MORE ACTUAL CASES, MORE PEOPLE SHOULD BE TESTED? YES, I THINK THAT THERE'S A LOT OF REASONS FOR THAT. 
          I THINK ONE OF THE BIG REASONS WAS THAT FOR QUITE SOME TIME, IT WAS VERY DIFFICULT TO GET AN APPOINTMENT. AND WE HEARD THAT FROM A LOT OF OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS, FROM YOU, FROM THE BOARD. WE HEARD THAT ACROSS THE BOARD. 
          SO IT IS NOW EASIER TO GET AN APPOINTMENT AND WE DO HAVE MORE WALK UP CAPABILITY AND MORE SAME DAY APPOINTMENT CAPABILITY, BOTH IN OUR [INAUDIBLE] SURVEY SITE HERE MERCED-- AT THE FAIRGROUNDS OF MERCED, BUT AS WELL AS AT THE [INAUDIBLE] SITE AT THE FAIRGROUNDS IN LOS BANOS. THAT SITE HAS HAD OPENINGS CONSISTENTLY SINCE IT OPENED. 
          SO WE COULD REALLY UTILIZE MORE SPACES AT BOTH OF THOSE TEST SITES TO MAKE SURE THAT WE UTILIZE THOSE STATE RESOURCES. 
          SO I THINK THAT'S PART OF IT. 
          YOU KNOW, PEOPLE HAD BEEN PRETTY RESISTANT TO THE TYPE OF TESTING. 
          BUT GOOD NEWS ON THAT FRONT IS THAT BOTH STATE SITES HAVE SWITCHED FROM THE NASAL PHARYNGEAL, WHICH GOES ALL THE WAY-- THE BRAIN SCRAPE. 
          THAT'S WHAT PEOPLE CALL THE BRAIN SCRAPE TO NOW, IT'S JUST A MID TURBINATE OR MID [INAUDIBLE], WHICH IS ONLY TO JUST WEAR YOUR NOSE, KIND OF MEETS YOUR SKULL. 
          SO IT TICKLES. 
          IT'S VERY-- I'VE DONE BOTH. 
          THE FIRST ONE HURTS A LITTLE BIT. 
          THE SECOND ONE JUST TICKLES. 
          SO WE DO HAVE THAT LESS INVASIVE CAPABILITY NOW. 
          AND I THINK THAT ALSO GETTING THAT WORD OUT MORE BROADLY WOULD HELP. 
          [INAUDIBLE] HAS A QUESTION. 
          YEAH, I DO. I JUST WANT TO ASK ONE-- I KNOW WE HAD A DATA DUMP. 
          YES. WAS THAT BEFORE THE TWENTY SEVENTH OF JULY? NO. OK, I JUST WANT TO CLEAR THAT UP BECAUSE I KNOW I WILL GET QUESTIONS ON THAT. 
          AND TWO, I BROUGHT THIS UP WHEN THE STATE WAS HERE IN TOWN. 
          SO DO YOU THINK MAYBE THERE'S LESS TESTING BECAUSE THERE'S LESS PEOPLE WHO THINK THEY HAVE IT? BECAUSE IF YOU REMEMBER I SAID THEY GO, WELL, YOU KNOW, YOUR TESTING RATE IS 20 PERCENT. AND I SAID, WELL, THE WAY I LOOK AT IT, PEOPLE WHO THINK THEY HAVE IT, SO 80 PERCENT OF THE PEOPLE WHO THINK THEY HAVE IT, DON'T HAVE IT. 
          AND I'M NOT TRYING TO MASK ANYTHING. 
          BUT DO YOU JUST THINK THAT MAYBE FOLKS AREN'T FEELING LIKE THEY HAVE IT? 
          [00:30:03]
SO THAT'S WHY THEY'RE NOT TESTING? I KNOW I WOULDN'T TEST BECAUSE OF THE BRAIN SCRAPE, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, WE KNOW THAT IT IS EASIER TESTING AND OUR RETURNS ARE A LOT FASTER. 
          BUT MAYBE I'M JUST ASKING FOR YOUR OPINION, BECAUSE A LOT OF THE FOLKS THAT I'M TALKING TO NOW, IT SEEMS LIKE THEY DON'T FEEL LIKE THEY DO HAVE IT AND THEY'RE MOVING ON OR THEY THOUGHT THEY HAD IT PREVIOUSLY AND MAYBE THEY JUST HAVE THE ANTIBODY. 
          YES, I THINK THAT IS PART OF THE REASON, TOO, IS THAT I DO THINK THAT PEOPLE HAVE BOTH COVID FATIGUE. 
          SO THERE'S JUST NOT AS MUCH OF AN INTEREST IN GOING OUT AND GETTING THAT TESTING, BUT ALSO THAT PEOPLE DO SEEM TO THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT AS-- IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT THEY'RE EXPERIENCING SYMPTOMS OF OR THINGS OF THAT NATURE. 
          WE DO CONTINUE TO SEE A REALLY HIGH PROPORTION OF ASYMPTOMATIC PEOPLE IN OUR TEST POSITIVE, OUR POSITIVE CASES. 
          SO PARTICULARLY FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE OUT IN, YOU KNOW, IN ESSENTIAL WORKFORCES, WE DO STILL ENCOURAGE REGULAR JUST KIND OF SURVEILLANCE TESTING. 
          I TRY TO GO EVERY TWO WEEKS JUST BECAUSE I AM OUT IN THE COMMUNITY SO MUCH AND BECAUSE WE DO HAVE THOSE RESOURCES NOW. 
          SO WE ARE ENCOURAGING THAT, PARTICULARLY FOR OUR FIRST RESPONDERS AND OUR ESSENTIAL WORKERS AS WELL. COUCILOR LARA HAS A QUESTION, TOO. 
          THANK YOU. DR. SULLIVAN, YOU MIGHT HAVE IT IN YOUR PRESENTATION THAT YOU'RE GETTING TO, BUT FOR THE PUBLIC'S INFORMATION, CAN YOU TOUCH ON THE DATA THAT SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL REFERENCED? SURE. 
          YES. SO IT IS IN HERE A LITTLE BIT, BUT I'LL JUST GIVE A BRIEF OVERVIEW RIGHT NOW. 
          BASICALLY FROM ABOUT WHEN WE WERE HERE LAST JULY TWENTY SEVENTH THROUGH THE FIRST WEEK OF AUGUST, WE WERE NOT RECEIVING REPORTS FROM THE STATE REPORTING SYSTEM, WHICH IS ONE OF THE LARGER WAYS THAT WE WERE GETTING-- THAT WE GET CASES THAT FLOW TO US. 
          SO WE STARTED TO SEE THAT IT AFFECTED US A LITTLE BIT LATER. 
          WE REALLY STARTED TO SEE EFFECT EARLY AUGUST AND THEN THE WEEKEND OF AUGUST 10TH, WE GOT ALL OF THOSE CASES. 
          SO WE GOT OVER A THOUSAND CASES IN THAT THREE DAY PERIOD THAT WE HAD TO PROCESS AND BACKFILL. SO THE, AND I'M GOING TO GET TO THE COUNTY MONITORING A LITTLE BIT LATER, BUT THE COUNTY MONITORING LIST WAS ACTUALLY FROZEN BECAUSE OF THAT, BECAUSE THE STATE HAD TO LET THAT KIND OF SETTLE DOWN BEFORE THOSE NUMBERS COULD START TO BE RELIABLE AGAIN. 
          THEY DID REIMPLEMENT THE COUNTY MONITORING LIST LAST MONDAY. 
          AND SO NOW WE'VE STILL SEEN A BIT OF UNSTABILITY IN OUR NUMBERS RELEVANT TO THAT. 
          BUT THEY'VE STARTED TO KIND OF TO FLATTEN OUT SUCH THAT THEY'RE, I THINK, MORE RELIABLE AGAIN. BUT WE DID SEE OVER A THOUSAND CASES COME THROUGH THAT IN A THREE DAY PERIOD. 
          YEAH, THAT'S ALL? [INAUDIBLE]. OK. ALL RIGHT, SO THIS IS JUST A DEEPER DIVE INTO SOME OF OUR FATALITIES. 
          SO IN JULY, WHEN WE WERE HERE LAST, THE GENDER BREAKDOWN, MALE VERSUS FEMALE, WAS PRETTY EVENLY SPLIT. 
          WE ARE SEEING A BIT HIGHER PERCENTAGE NOW OF MALES. 
          SO FIFTY EIGHT OF OUR ONE HUNDRED AND SIX FATALITIES ARE MALES AND FORTY EIGHT ARE WITHIN FEMALES. THAT DOES REFLECT A NATIONWIDE TREND. 
          IT DOES SEEM TO BE THAT MALES ARE MORE SUSCEPTIBLE TO SEVERE OUTCOMES OF COVID. 
          WE'VE SEEN A DRAMATIC INCREASE IN OUR FATALITIES IN OUR MOST VULNERABLE POPULATION, OUR SIXTY FIVE PLUS. 
          WE'VE HAD QUITE A FEW FATALITIES LINKED TO SOME OF OUR SKILLED NURSING FACILITY OUTBREAKS OR ASSISTED LIVING OUTBREAKS, AS WELL AS JUST, YOU KNOW, THIS IS THE POPULATION THAT IS MOST VULNERABLE. SO IF THEY DO CONTRACT FROM A FAMILY MEMBER OR SOME OTHER WAY, THEY ARE MOST LIKELY TO SUCCUMB TO COVID-19. 
          AND SO THERE'S BEEN-- ON JULY 17TH OR TWENTY SEVENTH, WE HAD 18 FATALITIES IN THIS AGE GROUP. CURRENTLY WE HAVE SEVENTY ONE FATALITIES IN THIS AGE GROUP, WHICH IS A TWO HUNDRED AND NINETY FOUR PERCENT INCREASE. 
          WE HAVE THOUGH SEEN OVER TRIPLE THE NUMBER OF FATALITIES IN THAT SIXTY FOUR AND UNDER GROUP AS WELL. SO WE HAVE-- ON THE TWENTY SEVENTH WE WERE REPORTING 11 FATALITIES IN THE SIXTY FOUR AND UNDER AGE GROUP. 
          AS OF YESTERDAY, WE WERE REPORTING THIRTY FIVE FATALITIES IN THIS AGE GROUP, WHICH AGAIN IS TRIPLE THE NUMBER OF FATALITIES IN THAT AGE GROUP. 
          SO AS WE MENTIONED BEFORE, WE DO HAVE DELAYS SOMETIMES IN GETTING DATA REPORTS FROM COUNTY, FROM HOSPITALS, PEOPLE WHO HAVE PASSED AWAY IN OTHER COUNTIES, PARTICULARLY IN HOSPITALS OUT OF COUNTY. 
          WE HAVE CONTINUED TO EXPERIENCE THAT OVER THE LAST MONTH. 
          SO WE'VE RECEIVED DELAYS UP TO A COUPLE OF WEEKS OR CERTAINLY A HANDFUL OF DAYS FOR PEOPLE WHO PASS AWAY OUTSIDE OF THE COUNTY. 
          BUT WE HAVE SEEN THE LARGEST INCREASE IN PEOPLE WHO ARE PASSING AWAY HERE WITHIN OUR 
          [00:35:01]
COUNTY. SO, AGAIN, THAT WILL EITHER BE IN ONE OF OUR LOCAL HOSPITALS OR AT HOME OR IN A SKILLED NURSING FACILITY OR SOME OTHER FACILITY THAT IS WITHIN OUR COUNTY. 
          SO ON THE TWENTY SEVENTH, WE HAD 16 FATALITIES WITHIN OUR COUNTY. 
          NOW WE WERE REPORTING 60 TWO WHICH IS A TWO HUNDRED AND EIGHTY EIGHT PERCENT INCREASE. 
          OUTSIDE OF OUR COUNTY, WE WERE REPORTING 13 FATALITIES ON THE TWENTY SEVENTH. 
          WE NOW ARE REPORTING FORTY FOUR, WHICH IS A TWO HUNDRED AND THIRTY EIGHT PERCENT INCREASE. AND AGAIN OUR FATALITIES HAVE TRIPLED IN THIS TIME PERIOD. 
          ANY QUESTIONS ON THAT? OK, SO THIS IS A NEW GRAPH THAT WE'RE SHOWING, IT'S A LITTLE HARD TO SEE. 
          WE'RE WORKING ON PUTTING IT ON THE DASHBOARD SO THAT IT WILL BE INTERACTING-- OR ABLE TO BE INTERACTED WITH. 
          THIS IS AT THE REQUEST OF THE BOARD. 
          SO THIS IS BASICALLY A PER CAPITA. 
          INSTEAD OF PER CAPITA, IT'S THE CASES PER THOUSAND RESIDENTS THAT MAKES IT A LITTLE BIT EASIER TO READ AND INTERPRET. 
          SO I'LL JUST GO THROUGH THIS REALLY QUICKLY FROM TOP TO BOTTOM, WHERE WE'RE SEEING THE COMMUNITIES THAT ARE HAVING THE HIGHEST NUMBER OF CASES PER RESIDENT. 
          SO FIRST IS LE GRAND PLANADA AREA AND THAT ONE I'LL JUST PUT A LITTLE CAVEAT ON THAT IS BY FAR OUR SMALLEST AREA THAT WE REPORT ON. 
          SO SINGLE CASES DO HAVE A TENDENCY TO INFLATE THIS NUMBER A LITTLE BIT. 
          BUT WE ARE SEEING QUITE A FEW CASES, PARTICULARLY RECENTLY IN THE PLANDA LE GRAND AREA. 
          SECOND IS LIVINGSTON. 
          THIRD IS WINTON. 
          FOURTH IS DELHLI. 
          FIFTH IS ATWATER. 
          SIX IS HILMAR. 
          SEVENTH IS GUSTINE. 
          EIGHTH IS MERCED. 
          NINTH IS DOS PALOS AND 10TH IS LOS BANOS. 
          SO AGAIN, WE ARE WORKING ON GETTING THIS PUT UP ONTO OUR DASHBOARD. 
          SO THIS WILL BE AVAILABLE TO OUR RESIDENTS TO BE ABLE TO INTERACT WITH IN THE SAME WAY AS SOME OF OUR OTHER GRAPHS. 
          SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL HAS A QUESTION. YEAH, I JUST-- BECAUSE I'VE BEEN TRACKING THIS MYSELF AND I ACTUALLY HAVE PLANDA OR LOS BANOS DOING THE BEST AND PLANDA, LE GRAND DOING JUST A LITTLE BIT WORSE THAN THEY ARE. 
          SO I WAS WONDERING WHAT POPULATION BASES WERE YOU USING IT? WAS THERE A CERTAIN DATA THAT YOU GOT THERE? BECAUSE I KNOW THE POPULATION CAN SKEW IT TREMENDOUSLY. 
          I JUST WANTED TO KNOW. 
          YEAH. WE USE THE NUMBERS THAT WERE PROVIDED BY JIM WHEN WE WERE ACTUALLY LOOKING BACK WAY BACK WHEN AS TO WHEN WE WERE GOING TO-- WHAT WE COULD REPORT ON THE DASHBOARD. 
          AND RECENTLY, WE REALLY DID SEE A PRETTY CONSIDERABLE SPIKE IN SOME OF OUR PLANDA CASES, WHICH I THINK IS DRIVING SOME OF THIS. 
          BUT THEN I ALSO VERIFIED THE CITIES WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE NUMBERS, WHICH IS WHAT THE STATE USES FOR THEIR PER CAPITA. 
          THEY USE THE DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE ESTIMATES. 
          THEY DON'T HAVE THOSE AVAILABLE FOR OUR UNINCORPORATED PLACES YET UNTIL WE GET A SECOND CENSUS. SO RIGHT NOW, THE UNINCORPORATED AREAS ARE A BIT MORE UNRELIABLE IN THEIR ESTIMATES. BUT THE ORDER FOR THE CITY'S CHECKS OUT BASED ON THE THE CENSUS DATA AND THE DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE. 
          OK, BECAUSE I FOUND A WEBSITE THAT, AND I DON'T KNOW HOW THEY'RE CONNECTED, BUT IT HAS UP TO DATE TWENTY TWENTY. 
          SO MAYBE WE CAN GET TOGETHER AND COMPARE BECAUSE I PRESENTED THIS TO JIM A FEW WEEKS AGO, KIND OF WATCHING THE FLOW AND WHERE EVERYTHING WAS TAKING PLACE. 
          SO I'M GLAD THAT YOU GUYS HAVE INCLUDED THIS. 
          THANKS. OF COURSE. 
          THANK YOU. CONTINUE. 
          SO I'M GOING TO GET TO THE COUNTY MONITORING LIST OR THE STATE WATCH LIST NOW. 
          OK, SO, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, THESE METRICS ARE UNCHANGED, BUT THERE HAS BEEN QUITE A BIT OF ISSUE WITH THE MEASUREMENT OF THEM FROM THE STATE LEVEL AND SUCH THAT THE STATES ACTUALLY LOOKING AT REVISING THESE. 
          SO THE ONES THAT WERE LINKED TO THE ELEVATED DISEASE TRANSMISSION AND TESTING CAPACITY WERE ALL AFFECTED BY THAT DATA DUMP THAT I SPOKE OF. 
          AND THEN THE HOSPITALIZATION ONES HAVE ALL BEEN AFFECTED BY THE CHANGEOVER FROM REPORTING STRUCTURE DIRECTLY TO THE DEPARTMENT OF DHHS VERSUS NOW, FEDERALLY, THERE WAS A CHANGE IN REPORTING AND THEN THOSE NUMBERS WERE NOT RELIABLY COMING BACK TO THE STATE. 
          THAT'S STARTED TO RESOLVE A LITTLE BIT. 
          BUT FOR A WHILE, ALL OF THESE NUMBERS WERE BASED ON INACCURATE DATA. 
          SO WE'RE STILL TRYING TO REALLY PULL THAT BACK AND UNDERSTAND DEEPLY WHAT THE STATE IS DOING AND HOW THEY'RE PULLING SOME OF THESE THINGS BECAUSE OF, JUST A VARIATION IN WHAT WE'RE SEEING. SO, AGAIN, THAT DATA DUMP WAS TWO WEEKS AGO. 
          SO IT HAS STARTED TO STABILIZE. 
          AND WE'RE STARTING TO SEE THESE BE MORE RELIABLE AND NOT KIND OF ALL OVER THE PLACE. 
          [00:40:04]
SO BUT THAT IS A CAVEAT THAT I WILL SAY. 
          THESE ARE THE NUMBERS THAT THE STATE IS REPORTING, THOUGH, AND THE STATE IS USING. 
          SO I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT TO SHARE. 
          SO TESTING CAPACITY IS THE AVERAGE NUMBER OF TESTS PER DAY THAT WE'RE CONDUCTING. 
          WE ARE STILL ABOVE THIS THRESHOLD WHERE THE GOAL IS TO BE CONDUCTING ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY TESTS PER HUNDRED THOUSAND POPULATION. 
          WE ARE AT TWO HUNDRED AND TWENTY NINE. 
          SO THAT'S REALLY POSITIVE TO SEE. 
          WE ARE STILL SEEING GOOD TESTING COME THROUGH, BUT WE HAVE STARTED TO SEE IT DECLINE. 
          SO WE ARE WATCHING THAT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DON'T SLIP HERE BECAUSE IT'S ONE OF THE CATEGORIES THAT WE'RE DOING WELL IN. 
          AND SO ELEVATED DISEASE TRANSMISSION, THIS IS THE ONE THAT IS PROBABLY WATCHED MOST CLOSELY BECAUSE IT'S TIED DIRECTLY TO SCHOOLS, PARTICULARLY VIA THE WAIVER PROCESS. 
          SO WE ARE NOT ELIGIBLE TO GET OFF THE COUNTY MONITORING LIST UNTIL THIS GREATER THAN ONE HUNDRED INCIDENTS DROPS DOWN BELOW ONE HUNDRED. 
          HOWEVER, WE'RE ELIGIBLE FOR A WAIVER PROCESS FOR OUR ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS TO OPEN ONCE WE HIT TWO HUNDRED. SO THAT IS A NUMBER THAT WE'RE WATCHING THE MOST CLOSELY. 
          WE ARE STILL AT FOUR HUNDRED AND ONE POINT FIVE. 
          SO WE STILL HAVE QUITE A WAYS TO GO ON THIS. 
          WE HAVE, IN SOME GOOD NEWS, STARTED TO SEE A PRETTY GOOD DECREASE IN THE NUMBER OF CASES THAT ARE BEING REPORTED PER DAY. 
          WE'RE RIGHT AROUND ONE HUNDRED FIFTY TO ONE HUNDRED RIGHT NOW, WHICH WE HAD BEEN A HUNDRED AND FIFTY TWO HUNDRED PER DAY. 
          SO WE HAVE SEEN A SIZABLE DECREASE. 
          BUT THE NUMBER THAT WE NEED TO HIT PER DAY TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR THAT WAIVER IS 40. 
          THAT'S WHAT OUR TARGET IS. 
          WE NEED 40 CASES A DAY TO BE ABLE TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR THAT WAIVER PROCESS. 
          WE NEED TWENTY CASES A DAY TO BE ELIGIBLE TO COME OFF THIS LIST. 
          SO THE OTHER WAY THAT THIS IS MEASURED IS BY TEST POSITIVITY. 
          THIS IS THE NUMBER THAT THE STATE IS PROBABLY MOST LIKELY TO BE CHANGING. 
          OUR NUMBERS WERE NEVER REALLY MATCHING THEIR NUMBERS. 
          AND AFTER TALKING TO THEM, THEY BASICALLY THEY DON'T DUPLICATE THEIR DATA. 
          AND SO OUR NUMBERS ARE JUST A LOT DIFFERENT THERE. 
          SO THAT'S THE ONE THAT MAY BE CHANGING PRETTY SIGNIFICANTLY. 
          THEY'RE LOOKING AT MOVING TOWARDS A DEDUPLICATION PROCESS, BUT CURRENTLY WE'RE AT TWELVE PERCENT POSITIVITY RATE IN THE LAST SEVEN DAYS PER THE STATE'S DATA. 
          WE HAVE HAD PROGRESS, REALLY ENCOURAGING PROGRESS, IN OUR HOSPITALIZATIONS. 
          OUR HOSPITALIZATION CENSUS HERE IN THE COUNTY HAS BEEN CONSISTENTLY LOWER. 
          WHEN I WAS HERE IN JULY, WE WERE SEEING CENSUS OF 60 PEOPLE IN OUR LOCAL HOSPITALS AND IT WAS BECOMING VERY CLOSE TO OVERWHELMING OUR SYSTEM. 
          WE ARE NOW CONSISTENTLY AROUND THIRTY. 
          SO WE'VE SEEN A REALLY SIZABLE DECREASE IN THAT CENSUS, WHICH IS GREAT NEWS. 
          UNFORTUNATELY, OUR ICU CAPACITY IS STILL VERY, VERY TAPPED. 
          A LOT OF THAT IS BECAUSE WE DO SEE PEOPLE WHO ARE COVID POSITIVE IN OUR ICU FOR A VERY EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME. 
          SO WE DO CURRENTLY ONLY HAVE FOUR POINT TWO PERCENT OF OUR ICU BEDS AVAILABLE. 
          SO THE LAST THING I WANTED TO DRAW ATTENTION TO IS THE VENTILATOR NUMBER. 
          THIS IS-- SO THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT WE CONSISTENTLY WE'RE DOING REALLY WELL ON. 
          SO IT MIGHT BE ALARMING THAT NOW THIS IS A RED VARIABLE. 
          AND I WANT TO JUST EXPLAIN A LITTLE BIT OF WHAT HAPPENED. 
          PARTIALLY, WE DO HAVE QUITE A FEW PEOPLE ON VENTILATORS RIGHT NOW, UNFORTUNATELY. 
          SO THAT IS PART OF IT. WE HAVE SEEN AN INCREASE IN THAT, WHICH IS WHY OUR ICU IS STILL MAXED OUT AS WELL. BUT THIS IS A VARIABLE THAT THE STATE CHANGED. 
          PREVIOUSLY, THEY WERE COUNTING ALL VENTILATOR'S IN THE WHOLE SYSTEM, BUT IT TURNED OUT THAT A LARGE PORTION OF THOSE VENTILATORS ACTUALLY WEREN'T ABLE TO BE USED ON COVID-19 PATIENTS. THEY WEREN'T THE RIGHT TYPE. 
          SO THEY REVISED IT TO BE THE VENTILATORS THAT ACTUALLY CAN BE UTILIZED FOR COVID-19 PATIENTS, WHICH DROPPED THE NUMBER DOWN OF WHAT WE HAVE AVAILABLE. 
          SO THOSE TWO REASONS ARE WHY THAT NUMBER IS NOW 20 PERCENT, WHEN PREVIOUSLY IT WAS AROUND 80 PERCENT. ANY QUESTIONS ON THAT? NO. 
          OK. SO I'VE ALREADY TALKED ABOUT THIS A LITTLE BIT. 
          BUT JUST AS A SUMMARY, THE DATA ISSUES THAT HAVE BEEN AFFECTING THE WATCH LIST HAVE BEEN NOT JUST FOR US, THEY'VE BEEN STATE WIDE AND SYSTEMATIC. 
          SO OVER THE STATE, THERE WERE FOURTEEN THOUSAND EIGHT HUNDRED AND SIXTY ONE POSITIVE CASES IDENTIFIED THAT WERE A BACKLOG. 
          ABOUT OH, JUST OVER A THOUSAND OF THOSE CAME TO US. 
          SO WE DID GET QUITE A FEW OF THOSE RECORDS. 
          WE CLEARED THAT. WE CLEARED THAT BACKLOG REALLY EXPEDIENTLY. 
          I WAS REALLY PROUD OF OUR TEAM. 
          WE HAD THOSE CLEARED AND PROCESSED ABOUT FOUR DAYS AFTER WE RECEIVED THOSE. 
          THIS STATE'S BACKLOG ACTUALLY TOOK A COUPLE MORE DAYS TO CLEAR. 
          SO WE WERE A BIT FASTER THAN THE STATE ON CLEARING SOME OF THAT BACKLOG, WHICH I WAS REALLY PROUD OF OUR TEAM FOR ACCOMPLISHING. 
          [00:45:01]
BUT THAT HAS AFFECTED THE COUNTY WATCH LIST METRICS FOR THAT ENTIRE PERIOD. 
          AND SO THIS IS GOING TO BE KIND OF AN EVOLVING SITUATION, I THINK, IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF TIMES. SO WE'LL CONTINUE TO REPORT WHAT THE STATE IS LOOKING AT AND EXPLAIN HOW THOSE ARE CHANGING. BUT I DO THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO JUST BE AWARE THAT THOSE MIGHT BE CHANGING A LITTLE BIT AS SOME OF THE DATA COMES IN AND SOME OF THE PROCESSES THAT THE STATE IS USING CHANGES. AND THAT IS WHY WE START TO SEE A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT NUMBERS, DEPENDING ON THE THE PLACE YOU'RE LOOKING. 
          AND THAT WILL CONCLUDE MY PART. 
          THANK YOU. OK. 
          OK, I'M HERE TO PROVIDE SOME INFORMATION ON THE STATE VISIT FEEDBACK THAT WE RECEIVED, AS WELL AS THE PAYCHECK PROTECTION PROGRAM INTERNALLY REFERRED TO AS EPIDEMIOLOGY AND LABORATORY CAPABILITY DOLLARS THAT ARE AVAILABLE TO US FROM THE STATE AND SOME OF THE GRASSROOTS EFFORTS WHICH AT THAT JUNCTURE, I WILL TURN OVER TO DR. 
          SANDOVAL. SO LAST WEEK, ON MONDAY AND TUESDAY OR THE WEEK BEFORE, WE HAD A TWO DAY SITE VISIT CONDUCTED BY SEVERAL STATE DEPARTMENTS, NOT SOLELY CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH. WE WERE JOINED BY CAL OSHA, THE CALIFORNIA OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION, CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH, CAL OFFICE OF EMERGENCY SERVICES. 
          WE ALSO HAD INDIVIDUALS THERE FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS AND QUITE A FEW OTHERS. THERE WERE APPROXIMATELY 12 INDIVIDUALS WHO, REPRESENTING DIFFERENT AGENCIES, WERE DISCUSSING WITH US HAVING A UNITED FRONT IN ADDRESSING SOME OF THE ISSUES THAT ARE CONTINUING TO KEEP OUR CASE COUNT HIGH. 
          I HAD BROUGHT UP THE PREVIOUS BOARD MEETING THAT THROUGHOUT THE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY, MOST OF US WERE ON THE COUNTY DATA MONITORING LIST. 
          UNFORTUNATELY, IN MERCED COUNTY, WE ARE FAIRING THE WORST OF ALL THE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY COUNTIES BY RATE AND ALSO JUST PERCENTAGE, NOT THE ABSOLUTE VALUE, BECAUSE WE'RE A SMALLER COUNTY BY NUMBER, BUT THE PERCENTAGE. 
          AND SO THERE ARE SIGNIFICANT CONCERNS WITH HOW TO BRING THAT NUMBER DOWN. 
          SOME OF THE-- IT WAS A VERY ROBUST MEETING. 
          WE HAD EDUCATIONAL SECTORS THERE. 
          I'D LIKE TO THANK ALL OF THE INDIVIDUALS WHO WERE HERE AND ABLE TO PROVIDE INFORMATION TO THE STATE. THEY FOUND IT VERY ENRICHING. 
          THEY FOUND THE INFORMATION VERY HELPFUL. 
          THEY HAVE BEEN QUITE COMMUNICATIVE SINCE THAT TIME. 
          I THINK THEY WERE VERY IMPRESSED. 
          ONE OF THE KEY THINGS THAT THEY SAID THAT WE HAVEN'T HIGHLIGHTED NECESSARILY ON THIS SLIDE IS THE NEED TO HAVE COORDINATED COMMUNICATION, DIFFERENT FACTIONS SAYING DIFFERENT THINGS. AND SO THAT CREATES A LOT OF CONFUSION WHEN IT COMES TO WHO AND WHAT COMMUNITY SHOULD BE LISTENING TO AND ALSO NOT HAVING MESSAGES BASED ON JUST MONOLITH, YOU KNOW, WHERE WE'RE CONDUCTING OUTREACH ACTIVITY TO THIS POPULATION. 
          SO WE'RE ONLY GOING TO DO IT LIKE THIS. 
          THAT ONLY REPRESENTS ONE SMALL FACTION OF THE ENTIRE SUBPOPULATION WITHIN THAT CATEGORY. 
          AND SO THOSE ARE THINGS THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT FROM A COMMUNICATION STANDPOINT. 
          SOME OF THE BROADER ISSUES THAT WE STILL HAVE PLANS TO FOLLOW UP WITH THEM ON, ARE GUIDANCE ON ALTERNATIVE SAFE SPACES FOR CHILDREN. 
          THERE ARE SOME AREAS THROUGHOUT THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA BECAUSE OF THEIR CASE RATES, THEY'VE BEEN ABLE TO WORK WITH THE STATE IN ESTABLISHING PODS AND ENSURING THAT, ESPECIALLY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AGE CHILDREN, ARE ABLE TO HAVE SOME TYPE OF PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT TO CONTINUE LEARNING. 
          AND IT'S REALLY FOR SOCIAL ENGAGEMENT AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT IS AN IMPORTANT THING TO HAVE. I REPEAT, MERCED COUNTY IS NOT THERE YET. 
          AS MUCH AS WE WOULD LIKE TO BE. 
          WE HAVE HEARD ALL THE THE FEEDBACK FROM WHAT ABOUT THE KIDS? WHAT ABOUT THIS? WHAT ABOUT THAT? OUR RESPONSIBILITY IS TO LOOK AT THE RATES OF DISEASE. 
          WHEN THEY SAY THEY NEED TO COME DOWN, THEN WE ALL NEED TO BE SINGING FROM THE SAME HYMN SHEET AND TRYING TO GET THAT NUMBER DOWN. 
          WE CANNOT DO IT AS A HEALTH DEPARTMENT ALONE. 
          WE NEED THE MESSAGING TO REFLECT BECAUSE ALL OF THESE THINGS THAT WE RECEIVE FROM FEEDBACK ARE ALSO ALL CONTINGENT ON HOW LONG WE STAY ON THE COUNTY DATA MONITORING LIST. 
          THE QUICKER WE GET OFF THAT LIST, THE MORE SOME OF THESE THINGS THAT HAVE BECOME COMMUNITY WIDE ISSUES AND SIGNIFICANT POINTS OF CONTENTION, THEY NO LONGER WILL BE THERE BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE TO DEAL WITH THAT. 
          THESE ARE OUTCOMES. SO LET'S WORK MORE UPSTREAM IN GETTING OUR NUMBERS DOWN. 
          SO ALSO, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE SAID IN THE WORLD OF COMMUNICABLE DISEASES, YOU TREAT DIFFERENT CATEGORIES OF COMMUNICABLE DISEASES DIFFERENTLY. 
          WHEN IT COMES TO ACTIVE TB CASES, THERE IS AN ACTIVE TUBERCULOSIS COMMUNICABLE CASE MANAGEMENT WHERE YOU CONDUCT DIRECT OBSERVED THERAPY. 
          YOU ENSURE THAT THE PERSON IS TAKING THEIR MEDICATION FOR THE DURATION OF TIME, WHICH IS 
          [00:50:01]
OFTEN SEVERAL MONTHS, IF NOT GREATER THAN A YEAR, TO ENSURE THAT THEY'RE NOT INFECTIOUS. 
          AND THAT'S JUST ONE CASE OF ACTIVE TB. 
          BECAUSE COVID-19 IS NEW, I DON'T KNOW IF WE'RE, YOU KNOW, ACCORDING TO THE STATE DEFINITION, ARE WE LOOKING AT THIS LIKE IT'S A SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED INFECTION? ARE WE LOOKING AT THIS LIKE IT'S A TUBERCULOSIS INFECTION? ARE WE LOOKING AT THIS LIKE IT'S A FOOD BORNE ILLNESS? WE ARE UNDER EVERY SINGLE CATEGORY OF HOW WE NEED TO MANAGE THIS DISEASE, WHICH IS WHAT MAKES IT, FOR THE PURPOSES OF THE BOARD HEARING THIS, VERY COMPLICATED TO FIGURE OUT WHAT IS THE SCHEMA THAT WE SHOULD FOLLOW WHEN IT COMES TO MANAGING THIS. 
          SHOULD WE LOOK AT IT FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF SOMETHING THAT IS LATENT AND IS NOT GOING TO GO AWAY ANY TIME SOON OR SOMETHING MORE ACUTE LIKE CHLAMYDIA, GONORRHEA? WE REPORT IT, WE'RE DONE. WE MOVE FORWARD. 
          AND SO THEY NEED TO IDENTIFY ONE OF THOSE DISEASES THAT'S PART OF THEIR TITLE SEVENTEEN SECTION TWENTY FIVE REPORTABLE DISEASES AND SAY THIS IS WHAT WE'RE GOING TO FOLLOW, WE'RE GOING TO MANAGE IT THE SAME WAY OR SIMILARLY HOW WE MANAGE THIS DISEASE. 
          RIGHT NOW, WE DON'T HAVE THAT. 
          AND WE WERE PRETTY PERSISTENT THAT WE NEED SOMETHING, WE NEED AN OUTLINE THAT WE CAN FOLLOW. WE ALSO THE--. 
          THE FEEDBACK WAS THE REQUEST FROM THE STATE ON LAW ENFORCEMENT AND COMPLIANCE. 
          WE HAVE BEEN HIT AND MISS WHEN IT COMES TO THAT. 
          ENFORCEMENT HAS NOT BEEN COMPLETELY DEFINED PER THE STATE. 
          THE CALIFORNIA OFFICE OF EMERGENCY SERVICES AND OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION, WHO ARE ALSO PRESENT, HAVE BEEN INVOLVED WITH THE DIFFERENT STATE ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE LIAISING WITH US. 
          THEY ARE TRYING TO-- THEY ARE AWARE OF OUR PRESSURE SPOTS IN MERCED COUNTY. 
          AND I'D LIKE TO SAY THEY CALL LITERALLY EVERY DAY TO FIND OUT WHAT INFORMATION HAS TRANSPIRED SINCE LAST TIME THEY MET WITH US. 
          IS THIS SCHOOL STILL NOT IN COMPLIANCE? IS THIS NOT STILL OCCURRING? EVERY SINGLE DAY, TWICE A DAY. 
          THEY WANT AN UPDATE ON YOU GUYS, SAY YOU WANT YOUR CASE COUNT DOWN. 
          SO WE'RE GOING TO ASK YOU, WHERE IS IT THAT YOU'RE TRYING TO MAKE IMPROVEMENTS TO MAKE SURE THAT THESE NUMBERS GO DOWN AND AND YOUR NUMBER OF DEATHS DECREASE SIGNIFICANTLY? IN WHAT CAPACITY THEY'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO OFFER ASSISTANCE DEPENDING ON THE SITUATION? IT'S ALWAYS TO BE DETERMINED. 
          BUT THAT WAS ONE OF THE THINGS HIGH UP ON THEIR LIST THAT THEY NOTED AS AN AREA FOR IMPROVEMENT COUNTYWIDE. 
          THE STATE ALSO PROVIDED CLARIFICATION ON THE EXPECTATION FOR LONG TERM SUSTAINABILITY REGARDING COVID-19. 
          I ARTICULATED WHEN I WAS AT THE PODIUM LAST TIME THAT THE WAY WE'RE WORKING HAS BEEN BASED ON EVERY CASE ALMOST BEING AN ACTIVE TB CASE. 
          THAT'S NOT SUSTAINABLE. 
          YOU'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE PEOPLE LONG TERM. 
          WE HAVE TO GET BACK TO SOME OF OUR ROUTINE BUSINESS JUST IN THE BUSINESS OF PUBLIC HEALTH. AND WE NEED TO FIND A WAY TO BE ABLE TO TRANSITION FROM HOW WE'RE DOING COVID-19 OPERATION AND MANAGEMENT OF THE DISEASE TO MAKE IT SOMETHING A LITTLE BIT MORE COMMONPLACE IN MAINSTAY. 
          THERE'S JUST TOO MANY ISSUES, TOO MUCH NEW REQUIREMENTS. 
          WE CANNOT KEEP UP WITH THE SIZE OF ORGANIZATION THAT WE HAVE IN PUBLIC HEALTH AND QUITE FRANKLY, OTHER DEPARTMENTS WHO HAD BEEN OFFERING THEIR ASSISTANCE, WHICH AGAIN, I'D LIKE TO THANK THEM FOR, ALSO HAVE TO RETURN TO WORK. 
          SO WE'RE NOW GOING BACK TO THIS BEING A PUBLIC HEALTH LED RESPONSE. 
          AND AS THE DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC HEALTH, IT'S NOT GOING TO BE SUSTAINABLE IF WE CONTINUE GOING DOWN THE WAY WE ARE. 
          AND SO HAVE HAD A DISCUSSION WITH THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE OFFICER, MR. BROWN, TO SAY WE NEED TO TAKE A LOOK AT BEING INNOVATIVE IN HOW WE APPROACH THIS AND AUTOMATING MORE OF OUR PROCESSES SO THEY DON'T SOLELY RELY ON A PERSON ENSURING THAT IT GETS DONE BECAUSE THAT REQUIRES RESOURCES AND WE JUST DON'T HAVE THEM. 
          GUIDANCE ON ALTERNATIVES TO SCHOOL SITES. 
          WE SPOKE ABOUT THAT. THIS KIND OF HIGHLIGHTS NUMBER-- THE FIRST BULLET ON THAT PAGE. 
          BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT CONTINUED TO COME UP AS A THEME THROUGHOUT THE TWO DAY VISIT WAS THE NEED FOR BEHAVIORAL HEALTH INTERVENTIONS, ESPECIALLY FOR SCHOOL AGE CHILDREN, MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES. 
          HOW ARE WE ADDRESSING IT, ESPECIALLY BECAUSE THERE IS NO LONGER A SAFE SPACE? DR. ASAID COMMENTED AND DID A VERY GOOD JOB. 
          WE HAD MS. VALENTINE, WHO WAS OUR DIRECTOR OF BEHAVIORAL HEALTH, WHO GAVE AN OVERVIEW OF WHAT'S TAKING PLACE FROM A BEHAVIORAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVE. 
          BUT WE, WE MEANING FOR THOSE WHO ARE PRESENT FOR THE SITE VISIT, REALLY WANTING TO IDENTIFY HOW WE COULD DO THIS FROM A COORDINATED PERSPECTIVE, NOT JUST THESE SILOED APPROACHES, BUT IF THIS IS ALL RELATED TO COVID AND IT'S NOT NECESSARILY A FUNCTION OF PUBLIC HEALTH, HOW IS IT THAT WE CAN GET TIGHTENING UP IF SCHOOLS ARE NOT GOING TO BE AN OPTION, HAVING CHILDREN BE ABLE TO HAVE ADVOCATES ON THEIR BEHALF AND ADDRESS THEIR IMMINENT ISSUES WHEN THEY ARE EXPERIENCING MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES AND BEHAVIORAL ISSUES? AND WE'VE HEARD FROM THE PUBLIC COMMENT. 
          FAMILIES THEMSELVES ARE ATTESTING TO THE FACT THAT THEY NEED TO HAVE SOMETHING FOR THEIR CHILDREN TO DO. AND SO WE'RE AT A CROSSROADS BECAUSE THE PANDEMIC IS STILL HERE. 
          BUT WHAT CAN WE BE DOING DIFFERENTLY? AND SO WE WANT TO ENGAGE THE STATE IN ADDRESSING THIS ISSUE. 
          AND AGAIN, THEY'VE BEEN VERY COMMUNICATIVE IN PROVIDING THAT. 
          BUT WITH RESPECT TO OUR SCHOOL SITES, GUIDANCE ON ALTERNATIVES TO SCHOOL SITES, THAT HAS ACTUALLY-- THAT WAS NOT SOMETHING THAT JUST CAME UP IN OUR SITE VISIT ALONE. 
          [00:55:02]
THEY VISIT VISITED ALL-- ACTUALLY, NOT JUST THE EIGHT COUNTIES. 
          THEY ALSO VISITED A NINTH COUNTY TO IDENTIFY WHAT THEY COULD DO IN ORDER TO BRING THESE CASE COUNTS DOWN. 
          AND I THINK THERE WAS AGREEMENT WITH ALL OF THE COUNTIES THAT THEY VISITED THAT WE NEED TO HAVE SOME TYPE OF ALTERNATIVE TO SCHOOL SITE. 
          THE STATE HAS BECOME A BIT MORE OPEN TO HAVING THAT FURTHER DISCUSSION. 
          BUT THEY'RE THE STATE, THEY HAVE TO ACCOUNT FOR ALL 58 LOCAL JURISDICTION, SO THEY'RE WORKING WITH US TO TRY AND IDENTIFY WHAT WOULD MAKE THAT WORK, ESPECIALLY WHEN WE HAVE OUR CHILDREN AT HIGHER RISK, THOSE WHO HAVE LEARNING DISABILITIES, THOSE WHO NEED ENHANCED LEARNING PROVIDED TO THEM, OUR FRAGILE CHILDREN. 
          WE HAD DOCTOR, TEACHER AND OUR SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS ALSO SPEAK TO THIS. 
          WHAT IS IT THAT WE CAN DO IN THE SHORT TERM, EVEN IF WE'RE ON THAT DATA MONITORING LIST TO REDUCE SOME OF THE PRESSURES WHERE WE'RE SEEING THEM BECAUSE OF THIS PANDEMIC? THEY ALSO WERE VERY IMPRESSED WITH THE ESTABLISHED PARTNERSHIPS AND THE COUNTY'S APPROACH TO THIS PANDEMIC. 
          LAW ENFORCEMENT PROVIDER ENGAGEMENT. 
          WE WERE VERY, VERY LUCKY TO HAVE SO MANY OF OUR HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS OF PHYSICIANS ON THE GROUND WHO PROVIDE CARE FOR LOS BANOS, FOR MERCED. 
          WE HAD COUNTY EXECUTIVE OFFICERS FROM THE HOSPITAL. 
          MR. CHUCK [INAUDIBLE]. 
          IT WAS A VERY ROBUST GROUP OF INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE IN THE DECISION MAKING CAPACITY REALLY SPEAKING TO WHAT'S BEEN DONE AND HOW WE'VE COORDINATED THROUGHOUT THIS PANDEMIC TO SAY THEY WERE PLEASED WOULD BE UNDERSTANDING IT. 
          WE CONTINUE TO HEAR HOW IMPRESSED THEY WERE, AND THAT'S A WIN FOR MERCED COUNTY. 
          IT WAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO HIGHLIGHT WHAT WE DO AND HOW WE'VE DONE, BUT ALSO WHERE WE NEED HELP AND WHERE WE NEED THEIR INVOLVEMENT AS WELL. 
          SO, AGAIN, FOR THOSE WHO WERE PRESENT, I'D LIKE TO EXTEND A THANK YOU, ESPECIALLY ON SUCH A TURNAROUND NOTICE TO MAKE YOURSELVES AVAILABLE AND WHERE PEOPLE COULD, THEY WERE ACTUALLY PRESENT AS WELL. 
          AND ALSO OUR POLITICAL REPRESENTATIVES WHO WERE THERE THAT REALLY, I FEEL SENT A MESSAGE OF SOLIDARITY FOR WHAT WE'RE DOING AND WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO ACHIEVE. 
          AND LAST BUT CERTAINLY NOT LEAST, THE EXPLORATION OF POINT OF CARE TESTING IN CERTAIN DIFFERENT SECTORS, ESPECIALLY SKILLED NURSING FACILITIES. 
          THE IMPORTANCE OF HAVING A TEST ON SITE AND BE ABLE TO GET A RESULT AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE SO THEY KNOW HOW TO BETTER MANAGE THE SITUATION WITH SOMETHING THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE WORKING ON, ESPECIALLY AS WE START TO TAKE A LOOK AT OUR TESTING CAPACITY THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY, BECAUSE WE'RE NOT SURE HOW LONG THESE STATE FUNDED SITES WILL REMAIN AN OPTION IN MERCED COUNTY, NOT JUST FOR MERCED, BUT THROUGHOUT THE STATE. 
          THEY ALSO ARE RUNNING OUT OF MONEY AT THIS JUNCTURE. 
          OK, NEXT SLIDE. 
          SO WE SPOKE ABOUT OUR PPE OR OUR ELC FUNDING. 
          WE RECEIVED A GRANT AWARD OF FOUR MILLION DOLLARS. 
          THERE WAS A FIFTY TWO MILLION DOLLAR AUGMENTATION FOR SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY COUNTIES TO ADDRESS SOME OF THE ISSUES THAT THEY ARE EXPERIENCING. 
          THIS WAS SPECIFIC TO EPIDEMIOLOGY AND LABORATORY CAPABILITIES. 
          WE HAVE TO FIND THAT LIST. 
          WE NEED TO GO THROUGH AND IDENTIFY THE PRIORITIES THEY PROVIDED US WITH SIX STRATEGIES THAT WE'RE SUPPOSED TO WEAVE IN HOW THAT FOUR MILLION DOLLARS, THIS IS THE ALLOCATION FOR MERCED COUNTY, WOULD BE UTILIZED. 
          THOSE SIX STRATEGIES, AND THERE'S A COMPREHENSIVE REPORT THAT THEY PROVIDED TO ACCOMPANY IT ARE TO ENHANCE LABORATORY SURVEILLANCE AND WORKFORCE CAPACITY, STRENGTHEN OUR LABORATORY TESTING. 
          WE HERE IN MERCED, WE DO HAVE A PUBLIC HEALTH LAB. 
          WE DO NOT HAVE A PUBLIC HEALTH LABORATORY DIRECTOR. 
          THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA FOR THE LAST 15 YEARS, AND I DID SAY THIS DURING THIS TWO DAY VISIT SINCE I'VE BEEN IN PUBLIC HEALTH HAS SAID, WELL, WE NEED TO WORK ON THE PUBLIC HEALTH LAB. AND I TOLD THEM IT'S SHAMEFUL THAT WE'RE STILL HAVING THE SAME CONVERSATION OVER FIFTEEN YEARS LATER. WHAT ARE YOU GUYS DOING? YOU KNOW, WE'RE STILL WORKING ON IT. 
          WELL WORK ON IT FASTER BECAUSE HAVING A MORE ROBUST PUBLIC HEALTH LAB SYSTEM THROUGHOUT THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA WOULD HAVE REALLY HELPED US BE MORE RESPONSIVE AND HAVE AN ON SITE INNOVATION OR A METHOD FOR INNOVATION MOVING FORWARD, BECAUSE ALL OF THOSE LABS CONNECT WITH EACH OTHER THROUGHOUT THE STATE. 
          WE DON'T HAVE THAT BENEFIT THROUGHOUT THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA. 
          I THINK THERE'S LESS THAN FIFTEEN FULL TIME PUBLIC HEALTH LABS THAT ARE UP AND ACTIVE FOR A STATE WITH FORTY MILLION PEOPLE. 
          SO I THINK THAT'S BEEN A HUGE DEFICIENCY. 
          IT WAS NOTED FOR WHAT WE PROVIDED WITH THEM, BUT THEY NEED TO DO MORE. 
          WE'RE ESPECIALLY IMPACTED IN THE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY AND VERY FAR NORTH. 
          AND SO EVERY TIME WE ASK ABOUT LAB, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT DEALING WITH QUEST, DEALING WITH LABCORP, DEALING WITH THESE HUGE, LARGE NATIONAL CORPORATIONS WHEN WE SHOULD REALLY BE TALKING ABOUT LOCALLY WHAT WE COULD ACCOMPLISH AND THAT I AM GOING TO PUT ON THE STATE. 
          BECAUSE, AGAIN, IT'S BEEN A FIFTEEN YEAR DISCUSSION WITH VERY LITTLE RESOLUTION. 
          ALSO IMPROVEMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH SURVEILLANCE AND REPORTING OF ELECTRONIC HEALTH DATA. 
          THAT'S WHAT WE'RE SPEAKING ABOUT WHEN IT COMES TO JUST COVID IN GENERAL, NOT REQUIRING SO MUCH ON SITE HUMAN RESOURCE CASE MANAGEMENT OF EVERY SINGLE CASE THAT WE RECEIVE. 
          THAT'S NOT TYPICALLY HOW DISEASES ARE HANDLED ANYHOW. 
          OTHERWISE WE'D HAVE WAY MORE PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNICABLE DISEASE PROGRAMS AND WE DON'T BECAUSE OF HOW THEY'RE MANAGED. 
          SO TAKING A LOOK AT THAT. 
          [01:00:02]
UTILIZING THE LABORATORY DATA TO ENHANCE INVESTIGATION, RESPONSE AND PREVENTION AND COORDINATION AND ENGAGEMENT WITH PARTNERS. 
          AND SO WE DEPARTMENTALLY ARE EVALUATING WHERE WE WANT TO PRIORITIZE OUR FOCUS AREAS, HOW IT'S GOING TO BE APPROACHED, EVEN THOUGH WE HAVE OUR OWN ALLOCATION AND OTHER COUNTIES ALSO HAVE THEIR OWN ALLOCATION. 
          I COMPLETELY AGREE WITH DR. 
          [INAUDIBLE] SAYS THERE ARE NO ADMINISTRATIVE BOUNDARIES. 
          WE'RE GOING TO LOOK AT IT FROM A REGIONAL APPROACH AND SEE WHAT MAKES SENSE TO CARRY OUT THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY REGION. 
          SO HOPEFULLY BY THE NEXT BOARD OF SUPERVISORS MEETING, WE'LL HAVE MORE INFORMATION AND UPDATE YOU ON WHERE WE ARE WITH THAT. 
          SO AT THIS JUNCTION, I WILL TURN IT OVER TO DR. 
          SALVADOR SANDOVAL, WHO IS OUR PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICER, AND HE WILL SPEAK ABOUT OUR GRASSROOTS EFFORTS AND THEN THEREAFTER, ASSISTANT COUNTY EXECUTIVE OFFICER MR. DAVID MARRONE. HE'LL HAND IT OFF TO HIM AND THAT'LL CONCLUDE OUR PRESENTATION. 
          THANK YOU, [INAUDIBLE]. OH, OK. 
          OK. 
          MORNING. AS YOU CAN SEE, THE SITUATION WE'RE FACING IS A MULTIFACETED AND A LARGE PART OF THE PROBLEM WITH COVID-19 IS REALLY GETTING THE INFORMATION OUT THERE AND WORKING COOPERATIVELY. 
          I'M HERE TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT SOME OF THE EFFORTS THAT HAVE BEEN MADE ON DIFFERENT LEVELS TO ENGAGE THE TYPE OF COOPERATION THAT WE NEED. 
          AND A BIG PART OF IT HAS BEEN ACCESSING THE VULNERABLE POPULATIONS. 
          AND WHAT YOU SEE ON THE PICTURE IS AN OUTREACH. 
          I THINK I'VE PARTICIPATED IN THREE SO FAR. 
          WE GO OUT TO THE FARM WORKER COMMUNITIES WHERE THEY'RE WORKING WORK SITES WITH CENTRAL VALLEY OPPORTUNITY CENTER AND MIGRANT EDUCATION AND PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENT. 
          GIVING MASKS, ALSO GIVING OUT INFORMATION, HAND SANITIZERS AND TAKING THE PULSE OF THE SITUATION FROM THE POPULATION THAT'S THE MOST AFFECTED BY COVID-19. 
          AND I CAN TELL YOU RIGHT NOW THAT THEY APPRECIATE IT, BUT THE THING IS, IT'S A LITTLE OVERWHELMING FOR THEM. 
          AND THEN IT'S KIND OF HIT AND MISS BECAUSE WE'RE GOING TO THE PLACES WHERE WE'RE GRANTED SOME ACCESS. 
          AND BUT I THINK IT'S STILL IT'S IMPORTANT, ALONG WITH SOME OF THE SOCIAL MEDIA AND RADIO PROGRAMS AND OTHER WAYS OF GETTING TO THIS VULNERABLE POPULATION IN SPANISH AND IN ENGLISH. I WAS ON A MEDICAL SOCIETY ZOOM MEETING LAST NIGHT AND WE'RE TRYING TO ENGAGE FROM ALL DIFFERENT ASPECTS, OUR PROVIDERS AND OUR HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS HAVE BEEN MEETING TWICE A WEEK, PRIMARILY THE ONES DOING THE TESTING. 
          AND I REALLY KUDOS TO ALL OF THE PARTNERS ON LIVINGSTON, CASTLE, GOLDEN VALLEY, MFA, THE HOSPITALS REALLY DOING 100 PERCENT TO GET TESTING OUT THERE AND THEN ALSO DOING OUTREACH, EVEN THOUGH SOME OF THEM HAVE BEEN IMPACTED AND SOME OF THEM HAVE HAD THE FACILITIES CLOSE DUE TO OUTBREAKS. 
          BUT THEY'RE PARTNERS WITH US, WITH THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT IN DOING THIS. 
          WITH THE MEDICAL SOCIETY BASICALLY WAS INFORMATIONAL AND THEY WERE LOOKING AT WAYS OF INCREASING CONTACT TRACING, PERHAPS THROUGH OFFICES AND THROUGH COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTERS, BECAUSE, AS DR. 
          NANYONJO SPOKE TO, RESOURCES ARE REALLY STRETCHED. 
          SO WE NEED TO REALLY BE INNOVATIVE ABOUT HOW WE DO THIS. 
          AND, FOR EXAMPLE, EMPLOYERS DOING THEIR CONTACT TRACING, HAVING THE FACILITIES TO HELP IN THIS MATTER TO ALL THOSE ARE IMPORTANT. 
          AND THE MEDICAL SOCIETY BOARD OF GOVERNORS WERE RECEPTIVE. 
          I THINK WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE THOSE TYPES OF DISCUSSIONS. 
          IN MY ROLE AS A TEACHER WITH RESIDENTS, WE'VE GOTTEN STARTED A PLAN OF MONITORING SOME OF THE PEOPLE THAT ARE IN QUARANTINE, AT LEAST THROUGH A FAMILY CARE CLINIC AND GETTING THEM OXIMETERS. SO THERE WAS A GRANT THAT WE WERE SUCCESSFUL IN FOR GETTING THEM SO THAT WE 
          [01:05:05]
CAN MONITOR THEM AND GET TO THEM BEFORE THEY GET SICK ENOUGH TO END UP IN THE INTENSIVE CARE. BUT THERE ARE MANY EFFORTS GOING ON LIKE DISTRIBUTION'S AT MIGRANT CAMPS, SOME COMMUNITY PARTNERS LIKE [INAUDIBLE] FOR EXAMPLE, HELP WITH THAT. 
          WE'VE HAD FACEBOOK LIVE EVENTS THAT JUST STARTED IN SPANISH AND ENGLISH. 
          ON THURSDAY, I WAS ON ONE. 
          AND WE'RE INVITING PHYSICIANS AND OTHER PROVIDERS, EVEN NURSE PRACTITIONERS. 
          I HAVE IN MIND A COUPLE THERE TO TALK AND GIVE THE MESSAGE. 
          AND IN ADDITION TO THAT, RECOVERED PATIENTS, PEOPLE THAT HAVE GONE THROUGH IT SO THAT PEOPLE SEE THAT THIS THING IS REAL AND THAT THERE'S NOTHING AS IMPACTFUL AS HEARING THAT FROM SOMEONE THAT WENT THROUGH IT. 
          I MEAN, WE CAN HEAR ALL, YOU KNOW, ALL THEY WANT ABOUT FROM A PHYSICIAN TALKING ABOUT IT. 
          BUT I THINK ACTUALLY SEEING THAT IT'S A REAL SITUATION, THOSE HUNDRED AND SIX LIVES THAT WERE LOST, THEY WERE FAMILY MEMBERS THAT WERE IMPACTED AND ARE GOING TO CONTINUE TO BE IMPACTED BY THE LOSS OF EITHER THE PERSON THAT WAS LAST THERE. 
          ONE OF THE THINGS I WANTED TO MENTION, TOO, IS THE CALIFORNIA RURAL LEGAL ASSISTANCE FOUNDATION, FOR EXAMPLE, PUT OUT INFORMATION THAT I THINK NEEDS TO BE DISTRIBUTED BROADLY FOR FARMWORKERS IN PARTICULAR, BECAUSE THIS IS A POPULATION THAT DOESN'T GET THE INFORMATION. AND THE GOVERNOR, FOR EXAMPLE, IS OFFERING SICK TIME FOR FARMWORKERS. 
          THIS IS SOMETHING UNHEARD OF IN CALIFORNIA HISTORY OR US HISTORY. 
          SICK TIME FOR FARM WORKERS. 
          AND THE REASON IS MANY OF THEM GO TO WORK BECAUSE THEY HAVE TO. 
          AND IF THEY'RE SICK, THEY'RE POTENTIALLY EXPOSING COWORKERS. 
          SO THIS SICK TIME, I THINK, IS SOMETHING THAT COULD HAVE A BIG IMPACT FOR TURNING AROUND THE SITUATION THAT WE FACE. 
          IF I CAN MAKE ONE COMMENT REALLY QUICK. 
          I AGREE WITH THAT. AND SOME WORKERS THAT HAVE TOLD ME THAT, YOU KNOW, SOME FARMERS OR LABOR CONTRACTORS, FOREMEN, SINCE THEY ARE ALWAYS WORKING WITH TOM FOREMAN'S OR LABOR CONTRACTORS, THEY'RE BEING TOLD TO GO TO WORK LIKE THAT. 
          SO IT'S VERY-- I'VE HAD FAMILY MEMBERS, MY PARENTS, HAVE HAD THE COVID AND I UNDERSTAND THAT. AND MY FATHER, YOU KNOW, BEING A FARMER, HE GOT SICK SHAKING HANDS WITH THE FARM LABOR CONTRACTOR WHEN HE SHOULDN'T HAVE BEEN OUT THERE. 
          AND THAT'S WHAT I TOLD THEM, YOU KNOW, DON'T SHAKE HANDS, YOU KNOW, SHAKE HANDS WITH YOUR FOOT, NOT WITH ANY PART OF YOUR HANDS. 
          [LAUGHTER] SO THANK YOU. 
          I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT. 
          WELL ANYWAY, THIS INFORMATION WE'RE GOING TO GET OUT, WE HAVE THE CALL IN NUMBER THROUGH THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT. BUT WE WANT TO MAKE IT BROADER THAN THAT, LEGAL SERVICES, FOR EXAMPLE, AND OTHER PARTNERS IN THE COMMUNITY TO GET THAT INFORMATION OUT. 
          THERE'S 800 NUMBERS FOR PEOPLE TO CALL ABOUT HOW TO GET ASSISTANCE. 
          AND I THINK THAT'S AN IMPORTANT THING. 
          BUT THESE ARE DIFFICULT TIMES. 
          BUT I THINK WE HAVE TO LOOK AT HOW WE PARTICIPATE AS A COMMUNITY LOOKING OUT FOR EACH OTHER. I'M GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO DAVID MIRRIONE NOW. 
          THANK YOU. IS THERE A COMMENT-- OR WHEN HE COMES BACK? ALL RIGHT, GOOD MORNING. 
          JUST TO WRAP UP ON THE GRASSROOTS EFFORTS, IT TAKES A VILLAGE IN TIMES LIKE THIS. 
          AND UP ON THE SCREEN IS A LIST OF THE PARTNERS THAT HAVE BEEN COMING TOGETHER TO MAKE THESE OUTREACH EFFORTS HAPPEN. 
          AND IT'S BEEN EXTREMELY EXCITING TO WATCH. 
          I KNOW PUBLIC HEALTH IS WORKING TIRELESSLY TO BRING IN DIFFERENT COMMUNITY GROUPS TO REALLY HELP GET INTO THE COMMUNITY WITH THOSE TRUSTED PARTNERS TO GET THE MESSAGE OUT AND ACROSS. SO I WANTED TO GIVE A BRIEF UPDATE ON THE EFFORTS WITH BUSINESS. 
          FIRST, THE READY TO OPEN CAMPAIGN THAT WE HAD SPOKEN ABOUT OVER THE LAST FEW MEETINGS, THAT'S GOING VERY WELL. 
          WE HAVE A LITTLE OVER ONE HUNDRED AND SEVENTY FIVE CERTIFICATIONS AT THIS POINT. 
          WHAT THAT'S DOING IS, IS BUSINESSES ARE GETTING A COURTESY VISIT FROM FIRE AND OR A COMBINATION OF THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STAFF. 
          AND JUST ALONE IN THE UNINCORPORATED AREA, WE HAD FORTY ONE CERTIFICATIONS. 
          BUT WHAT THAT DID IS THAT LED TO THREE HUNDRED VISITS AND PROMOTIONAL OPPORTUNITIES. 
          [01:10:07]
SO IF YOU KNOW A BUSINESS CERTIFIED, WELL THAT GAVE FIRE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT THE OPPORTUNITY TO TALK TO THE OTHER BUSINESSES THAT WERE AROUND AND BRING THEM UP TO SPEED ON THE INITIATIVE. SO WE CONTINUE TO HAVE CERTIFICATIONS COME IN DAILY AND IT'S GONE VERY WELL. AND IT WENT IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE MASK UP MERCED CAMPAIGN. 
          ADDITIONALLY, WANTED TO TALK ABOUT THE READY TO OPEN SMALL BUSINESS ASSISTANCE PROGRAM. 
          AT OUR LAST MEETING THAT WAS APPROVED. 
          THAT PROGRAM LAUNCHED LAST MONDAY AFTERNOON ON THE 17TH. 
          WE HAVE BEEN ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS EVER SINCE. 
          THAT PROGRAM HAS AN APPLICATION THAT'S ALL ONLINE BASED. 
          YOU CAN APPLY IT IN ENGLISH OR SPANISH. 
          WE DO HAVE STAFF AVAILABLE THAT CAN PROVIDE WALK THROUGHS THROUGH THAT. 
          AND I'LL GET TO THAT IN JUST A MOMENT. 
          SO JUST UP HERE IS A BREAKDOWN OF THE ELIGIBILITY THAT WAS APPROVED AT YOUR LAST MEETING. 
          SO ALL THE MATERIALS IN THE APPLICATION WAS UPDATED TO REFLECT THE APPROVED DIRECTION FROM THE BOARD. AND SO ON THE NEXT SLIDE, BUSINESSES CAN APPLY ON REOPENMERCEDECOUNTY.COM, EVERYTHING COMES UP RIGHT ON THE FRONT PAGE. 
          THE APPLICATION, AS I SAID, AVAILABLE IN ENGLISH AND SPANISH. 
          THE FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ARE AVAILABLE ONLINE AS WELL. 
          WE DO HAVE BUSINESS SUPPORT STAFF MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY, EIGHT TO FIVE THAT CAN ASSIST WITH QUESTIONS OR THE APPLICATION, AND THEY'RE AVAILABLE TO PROVIDE THAT SERVICE IN ENGLISH, SPANISH AND HMONG. 
          WE ARE PROVIDING THAT ASSISTANCE BY APPOINTMENT AT THE WORK NET CENTERS IN MERCED AND LOS BANOS. AND WE ARE STARTING OUR WEBINARS. 
          WE HAD ONE TODAY IN ENGLISH AT FOUR PM ON ZOOM AND IT'S RIGHT ON THE WEBSITE WHERE YOU CAN REGISTER FOR THAT LATER. 
          LATER THIS WEEK, ON THURSDAY WE DO HAVE ONE AT THREE PM IN SPANISH. 
          BOTH OF THESE WILL BE RECORDED AND PLACED ONLINE TO BE REFERENCED AND WE WILL ALSO BE WORKING ON A HMONG VERSION OF THE WEBINAR AS WELL. 
          SO EVEN IF BUSINESSES AREN'T AVAILABLE TO ATTEND, WE WILL HOST THOSE VIDEOS. 
          IT DOES GET RECORDED AND STORED. 
          AND SO, YOU KNOW, I WOULD ENCOURAGE BUSINESSES OUT THERE TO APPLY AND WE'RE OFF TO A GOOD START. FINALLY, IN CONCLUDING THE PRESENTATION, WE JUST WANTED TO REMIND THE COMMUNITY, STAY SAFE TO STAY OPEN. 
          AGAIN, WE TALKED ABOUT THE READY TO OPEN CERTIFICATION, KIND OF FOLLOWING IN THE FIVE TENETS OF HANDWASHING, CLEANING AND DISINFECTING, SOCIAL DISTANCING AND LIMITED GATHERING'S, CLOTH FACE COVERINGS AND AGAIN, SELF-MONITORING. 
          AND SO WITH THAT, I'LL TAKE ANY QUESTIONS FOR THE BUSINESS COMPONENT OR IF YOU HAVE ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS FOR PUBLIC HEALTH. 
          SUPERVISOR LOR HAS A QUESTION. 
          THANK YOU. QUESTION FOR DR. 
          SANDOVAL. I DIDN'T PRESS MY BUTTON FAST ENOUGH BEFORE YOU LEFT THE PODIUM. 
          I BELIEVE YOU MENTIONED DURING YOUR PRESENTATION THAT WITH THE GRASSROOTS EFFORTS THAT YOU PROVIDE OUTREACH IN SPACES THAT YOU HAVE ACCESS TO, ARE THERE AREAS THAT WE NEED ACCESS TO AND WE'RE NOT GETTING TO OR AREAS THAT WE'RE MISSING? WELL, I THINK WHAT DAVID WAS MENTIONING ABOUT SMALL BUSINESSES, I THINK IS VERY IMPORTANT BECAUSE, FOR EXAMPLE, THERE ARE BUSINESSES THAT ARE FREQUENTED BY SPANISH SPEAKING OR HMONG, AND I THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT THE MASKING AND SOCIAL AND PROTECTIVE MEASURES BE ADHERED TO, IN PARTICULAR IN THOSE BUSINESSES, BECAUSE AS PEOPLE WALK IN, THEY GET THE MESSAGE IF NOBODY'S WEARING A MASK, THAT'S A CERTAIN MESSAGE. 
          OR IF EVERYONE'S WEARING A MASK, THAT MEANS YOU BETTER START WEARING A MASK. 
          BUT I THINK WE HAVE TO LOOK AT REALLY ANYTHING THAT COULD WORK. 
          THAT'S WHY I AS A PHYSICIAN, HAVE BEEN APPROACHING MY PEERS, THE MEDICAL SOCIETY, THE PHYSICIANS IN THE COMMUNITY. 
          BUT I THINK WE'RE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER. 
          THE EDUCATORS ARE ALSO A VERY VALUABLE RESOURCE. 
          I THINK GETTING THE MESSAGE OUT IN ALL THE WAYS THAT WE CAN, I THINK IS VERY IMPORTANT. 
          THANK YOU. DO YOU--. 
          GO AHEAD. --THINK WE'RE HITTING 100 PERCENT OF THE THE MIGRANT CAMPS AND THE THE FARMWORKERS. WE'RE NOT. 
          I'M SURE THAT WE'RE MISSING A LOT. 
          [01:15:01]
THE LEADER IS [INAUDIBLE], FOR EXAMPLE, THAT WE'RE HELPING QUITE A BIT WITH THE MASKING CAMPAIGN. AND THEY PRETTY MUCH HAD TO STOP DOING THAT BECAUSE THEY WERE TOLD TOO HIGH RISK. SO WE'RE GIVING THE MESSAGES IN RADIO, TV DIFFERENT WAYS, I THINK AND I'M SURPRISED HOW MANY TIMES PEOPLE CALL ME, AND SAY I HEARD YOU IN DOS PALOS OR I HEARD YOU, YOU KNOW, IN LE GRAND. BUT I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR PEOPLE TO SEE THAT IT'S A COMMUNITY. 
          SO THAT'S PART OF WHY I'M BRINGING IN MY PEERS. 
          THEY HEAR DR. BARAGON, THEY HEAR DR. 
          RAMOS, THEY HEAR DR. 
          RUSSOS, DIFFERENT PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY THAT GIVE THE SAME MESSAGE. 
          I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE IMPORTANT. 
          THANK YOU. THANK YOU. 
          AND DR. SANDOVAL, BEFORE I GO TO SUPERVISOR PAREIRA, IF YOU CAN, I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO, YOU KNOW, IF I CAN BE OF ANY HELP SUPPORT, I WOULD LIKE TO TALK TO MANY PEOPLE AS I CAN ALSO TO MAKE SURE THAT WE TELL THEM NOT TO-- BECAUSE EVENTUALLY A LOT OF THE MIGRANTS, THEY HAVE BIRTHDAY PARTIES AND THAT'S WHERE THEY GET TOGETHERS AND FIESTAS AND TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY STAY AWAY FROM THEM AND THEY KNOW THE HANDSHAKING. 
          I STRESS THAT WHEREVER I GO, ESPECIALLY WITH ALL OUR EMPLOYEES AND WITH THE LABOR CONTRACTORS. 
          THESE DAYS WHERE WE'VE BEEN HARVESTING FOR TWO MONTHS, PEACHES. 
          SO I STRESS THAT WHERE WE GO. 
          AND WE TRAVEL FROM [INAUDIBLE] COUNTY BACK AND FORTH TO MERCED COUNTY. 
          AND DO YOU THINK A LOT OF THE HIGH NUMBERS IN THE PRESENTATION, ESPECIALLY IN DELHI, PLANDA IS BECAUSE DUE TO THE PACKING SHEDS, THE PROCESSORS, THAT'S WHAT WE NEED TO FOCUS ON TO SEE IF WE CAN GET PERMISSION TO GO IN THERE AND SPEAK TO THE, YOU KNOW, THE MIGRANT WORKERS TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL THESE SAFETY PRECAUTIONS. 
          SO I STRESS THAT THAT THEY DO ALL THAT, TOO. 
          SO I'M PRETTY SURE YOU ARE DOING THAT. 
          BUT JUST IN CASE YOU'RE NOT. 
          I KNOW IT'S NOT EVERY BUSINESS CAN LET YOU IN, BUT, YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO PUSH THAT TILL WE GET THAT, IF WE WANT TO GET THE NUMBERS DOWN AS WELL. 
          SO THE CONGREGATE SETTINGS ARE WHERE THERE'S THE HIGHEST RISK. 
          AND IN PACKING SHEDS, FOR EXAMPLE, [INAUDIBLE], I THINK THAT'S WHERE THERE'S A VERY HIGH RISK. THE MESSAGE JUST HAVE TO GET AROUND BROADLY. 
          I APPRECIATE YOUR PARTICIPATION, FOR EXAMPLE, WITH SENATOR [INAUDIBLE] AND [INAUDIBLE]. 
          I THINK THAT TYPE OF MESSAGE IN SPANISH AND IN ENGLISH IS VERY IMPORTANT AND WE NEED TO DO MORE WORK WITH THE HMONG, FOR EXAMPLE. 
          I THINK THERE ARE EFFORTS TO DO THAT BECAUSE IT'S ALSO A VULNERABLE POPULATION. 
          THANK YOU. I THINK EVERY SUPERVISOR IN OUR DISTRICTS CAN DO A LOT MORE AS WELL IF THEY WANT TO. SO NOW WE'LL GO TO A SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA. 
          THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. FIRST OFF, I WANT TO ASK YOU. 
          YOU MENTIONED SOMETHING A MINUTE AGO THAT YOU HAD GROUPS THAT WERE GOING OUT AND THEN THEY WERE TOLD NOT TO BECAUSE IT'S TOO HIGH RISK. 
          AND WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY TOO HIGH RISK? THEY'RE TOO HIGH RISK OF SPREADING DISEASE? OF GETTING IT MORE. 
          THERE WAS CONCERN ABOUT THEIR BEING EXPOSED. 
          OK, VERY GOOD. 
          AND I GUESS I'M IN AGREEMENT WITH YOU THAT I THINK THAT ANY TIME YOU HAVE, UM, POPULATIONS THAT ARE WORKING IN CLOSE PROXIMITY TO EACH OTHER, ALL IT TAKES IS ONE PERSON TO COME IN THERE AND NOW YOU HAVE ALL THESE POTENTIAL EXPOSURES. 
          BUT I WANT TO CAUTION YOU, BECAUSE I CAN ONLY SPEAK FOR SOME OF THE BUSINESSES THAT I'VE BEEN IN IN MY DISTRICT, PARTICULARLY AN ALMOND PROCESSING FACILITY, THE TOMATO PROCESSING FACILITIES. IT IS THEY ARE TAKING THIS VERY SERIOUSLY. 
          FOR THEM, THEY'RE A 24/7 OPERATION, RUNNING MULTIPLE SHIFTS. 
          AND IT'S HARD TO FIND PEOPLE TO COME AND REPLACE THOSE FOLKS. 
          SO THEY-- SO I GUESS I DON'T WANT TO PAINT A BROAD STROKE OUT THERE THAT BECAUSE YOU'RE IN A PROCESSING FACILITY THAT YOU'RE AUTOMATICALLY-- THEY'RE BAD ACTORS BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF GOOD ONES OUT THERE THAT IT'S THEIR LIVELIHOODS, IT'S THEIR EMPLOYEES LIVELIHOODS, THAT ALL OF THEM TAKE THIS SERIOUSLY. 
          THEY'RE TAKING ALL THE UNIVERSAL PRECAUTIONS, WEARING THE MASKS, HAND SANITIZER, TEMPERATURE CHECKS AND ALL THAT. 
          SO THERE ARE GOOD PEOPLE OUT THERE. 
          AND SO I THINK THAT MAYBE THE TASK ISN'T AS MONUMENTAL AS ONE WOULD THINK IN TRYING TO GET INFORMATION OUT TO FOLKS. 
          WE REALLY NEED TO FOCUS ON WHAT I'M GOING TO CALL ARE, THE BAD ACTORS, THE ONES THAT ARE MAYBE NOT FOLLOWING ALL THE RULES. 
          AND IT MAYBE IT'S BECAUSE THERE IS, I'M GOING TO SAY, MAYBE OUT OF IGNORANCE. 
          THEY DON'T KNOW EXACTLY HOW TO DO IT. 
          SO WE CAN DO A BETTER JOB IN TRYING TO REACH THOSE FOLKS. 
          BUT AGAIN, I WANT TO COMMEND THE ONES THAT ARE OUT THERE THAT ARE DOING ALL THE RIGHT THINGS BECAUSE IT'S IMPORTANT TO EVERYBODY'S LIVELIHOOD THAT THEY DO THAT AND SAFETY FOR 
          [01:20:05]
THAT MATTER. [INAUDIBLE] AND THEY'RE VERY COOPERATIVE PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY. 
          WE, FOR EXAMPLE, HAVE HAD OUTBREAKS IN PLACES WHERE WE'RE ASKED TO COME IN AND AND ASSESS THE SITUATION AND THEN GIVE RECOMMENDATIONS. 
          AND IN GENERAL, I CAN SAY THAT A VAST MAJORITY HAVE BEEN DOING THAT BECAUSE WE'RE REALLY IT'S A COMMUNITY PROBLEM. 
          IT'S MADE WORSE AND A CONGREGATE SETTING. 
          AND THAT'S THE WAY WE HAVE TO LOOK AT IT. 
          ALL OF THESE FACILITIES THAT ARE PART OF OUR COMMUNITY. 
          AND WE HAVE TO APPROACH IT IN THAT WAY THAT IF IT GETS WORSE IN INSIDE, THEN IT'S GOING TO BE TAKEN OUT AGAIN TOO. 
          [INAUDIBLE] I THINK HE'S GOT ONE MORE COMMENT FOR US AS WELL. 
          MINE WAS JUST ON THE REOPEN OR EXCUSE ME, THE SMALL BUSINESS ASSISTANCE PROGRAM. 
          IT JUST A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT FOR DAVID IS TO SPEAK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT, UM, IF YOU ALREADY WERE PROVIDED SOME KIND OF OTHER PROTECTION, IF YOU WILL, THROUGH WHETHER IT WAS THROUGH THE FEDS OR A STATE PROGRAM, SPEAK TO THEIR ELIGIBILITY IN THIS PROGRAM, PLEASE. YES, THANK YOU. 
          THROUGH THE CHAIR WITH THE WAY THAT THE APPLICATIONS ARE BEING BROUGHT IN AT A SIX HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS PER DISTRICT. 
          SO THREE MILLION DOLLAR GRANT SPLIT FIVE WAY. 
          EACH OF THE APPLICATIONS IS REVIEWED FOR THE ELIGIBILITY. 
          BUT ONE OF THE ELIGIBILITY IS A PRIORITY FOR THOSE THAT HAVE RECEIVED-- THOSE WHO HAVE NOT RECEIVED A SBA PAYCHECK PROTECTION LOAN OR AN ECONOMIC INJURY DISASTER LOAN OR OTHER COVID-19 RELATED GRANTS OR LOANS. 
          THE WORKFORCE BOARD DID PUT OUT A VERY SMALL GRANT THAT WAS NON CARES MONEY, NON CARES ACT FUNDS, SO THAT WOULDN'T BE PART OF THE PRIORITY. 
          SO WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IS, IS WE WOULD GO THROUGH THOSE THAT HAVE NOT RECEIVED THAT HELP FIRST AND MAKE AWARDS AND THEN LOOK AT THOSE WHO HAVE DID RECEIVE THAT ON A FIRST COME FIRST SERVE BASIS THROUGH A TIME STAMPING OF WHEN THE APPLICATIONS WERE RECEIVED. 
          RIGHT. THEN THAT'S JUST, BASICALLY, I WANTED TO GET THE POINT IS YOU CAN APPLY IF YOU'VE RECEIVED OTHER PROGRAM MONEY, YOU'RE JUST NOT-- IT'S GOING TO BE PRIORITIZED TO THE ONES THAT HAVE RECEIVED NONE OF THOSE PROGRAMS ARE GOING TO BE PRIORITIZED FIRST. 
          THAT IS CORRECT. BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN YOU CAN'T APPLY. 
          OK, AND THEN AGAIN, I JUST WANT TO ENCOURAGE EVERYBODY, I MEAN, I KNOW THAT I'VE BEEN PUTTING IT OUT ON MY OWN PERSONAL WEBSITE, ON MY SOCIAL MEDIA TO GET THE FOLKS IN DISTRICT FIVE TO I MEAN, THIS IT'S THE BOTTOM LINE, THE WAY THAT THIS WORKS, IT WAS ALLOCATED PER DISTRICT. 
          AND THEN ONCE WE HIT THAT DEADLINE, ANY MONEY THAT WASN'T USED IN A DISTRICT IS JUST GOING TO GO BACK INTO THE BIGGER POT, IF YOU WILL, AND BE REDISTRIBUTED. 
          SO IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR FOLKS IN DISTRICT FIVE TO GET A LITTLE BIT OF HELP DEALING WITH THIS PANDEMIC. AND THEN THANK YOU FOR THAT. 
          AND I GUESS JUST MY LAST COMMENTS I WANT TO MAKE IS, IS TO-- THESE ARE FOR DR. 
          [INAUDIBLE] AND THE PUBLIC HEALTH STAFF. 
          LIKE IT'S I APPRECIATE THE WORK THAT YOU GUYS ARE DOING AND A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF STRESS THAT YOU'RE UNDER. BUT I GUESS MY FRUSTRATION AT THIS POINT JUST LIES WITH THE STATE IN THAT ALREADY ON TOP OF JUST IN A PANDEMIC THAT NOBODY'S EVER SEEN BEFORE AND NEVER HAD TO DEAL WITH BEFORE AND TRYING TO FIGURE A WAY OUT THROUGH IT. 
          IT JUST SEEMS TO ME, AGAIN, THE STATE IS IS CHANGING THE GOALPOST. 
          IF YOU KNOW, THE SYSTEM OF MEASUREMENT THAT THEY USED A MONTH AGO NOW IS BEING CHANGED. 
          AND I DON'T-- I'M NOT GOING TO CLAIM THAT I UNDERSTAND THE INNER WORKINGS OF IT ENOUGH TO UNDERSTAND TO KNOW THAT THAT WAS A GOOD CHANGE OR A BAD CHANGE. 
          BUT IT JUST IT'S OVERWHELMING. 
          IT'S JUST FRUSTRATING. 
          I SEEM-- IT SEEMS, UH, MORE DOOM AND GLOOM TODAY THAN IT DID IN THE BEGINNING OF THIS THING. IT'S JUST IT'S SO FRUSTRATING. 
          AND I JUST I CAN'T SYMPATHIZE WITH FOLKS THAT ARE TALKING ABOUT SCHOOL AND WHAT SCHOOL DOES. AND, YOU KNOW, NOW KIDS ARE ON ZOOM AND ZOOM SENT OUT A LETTER THIS MORNING TALKING ABOUT YESTERDAY WHEN ALL THESE STATES THAT ARE DOING ALL DISTANCE LEARNING AND THE ZOOM PLATFORM GOES DOWN AND NOW YOU HAVE KIDS DOING WHAT KIDS DO WHEN YOU KNOW WHEN THE MOUSE IS THE WAY THAT EXCUSE ME, WHEN THE CAT'S AWAY, THE MOUSE WILL PLAY. 
          IT JUST I KNOW FROM MY OWN KIDS AND LISTEN, I'M FORTUNATE WE ACTUALLY HAVE A WELDER AT HOME AND MY SON IS TAKEN AG MECHANICS, BUT HIS FIRST PERIOD CLASS IS AG MECHANICS. 
          HOW DO YOU DO AG MECHANICS ON ZOOM? 
          [01:25:04]
IT DOESN'T WORK. IT JUST I'VE SAID THIS BEFORE AND IS I DON'T KNOW, MAYBE THE ANSWER IS, IS JUST TO HIT A RESET AND SKIP THIS SCHOOL YEAR AND START OVER FRESH NEXT YEAR. 
          IF YOU'RE GOING TO BE A SENIOR IT'S GOING TO BE, BUT AT LEAST YOU'LL GET YOUR SENIOR YEAR, BECAUSE I REALLY AM CONCERNED THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A GENERATION OF KIDS THAT ARE GOING TO BE BEHIND THE EIGHT BALL, YOU KNOW, SCHOOL, THE WAY THAT I WENT THROUGH IT AND ALL OF US TO WHATEVER YOU LEARN THIS YEAR AND THEN YOU GO NEXT YEAR AND YOU BUILD UPON THAT. 
          YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE A GROUP OF KIDS THAT ARE, YOU KNOW, THIS MY SON'S GOING TO BE A JUNIOR. I THINK HE'S PROBABLY GOING TO BE OK. 
          BUT IF YOU'RE A KINDERGARTEN OR A FIRST GRADER, A SECOND GRADER, YOU'RE BEHIND THE EIGHT BALL NOW MOVING FORWARD THROUGH YOUR WHOLE SCHOOL LIFE. 
          AND, YES, THERE'S GOING TO BE SOME KIDS THAT ARE GOING TO BE ABLE TO OVERCOME THAT AND WILL BE FINE. BUT I JUST THIS WHOLE-- IT'S JUST CRAZY. 
          AND I WILL TELL YOU THAT I LEAVE THIS MEETING RIGHT NOW AFTER HAVING THAT REPORT FEELING MORE DISCOURAGED ABOUT COVID THAN I HAVE AT ANY POINT THROUGH THIS WHOLE THING. 
          IT JUST-- I'M JUST I'M WE'RE AT WITH IT. 
          I JUST KNOW THAT IN MY MIND, I JUST TELL MYSELF, OK, EVERY DAY I DON'T KNOW WHEN THE END IS, BUT EVERY DAY THAT WE GET THROUGH THIS IS JUST A DAY THAT WE GET CLOSER TO THE END. 
          IT'S JUST IT'S SO OVERWHELMING, SO FRUSTRATING. 
          AND, YOU KNOW, THE LAST THING I'LL LEAVE WITH IS THIS. 
          WE TALK ABOUT WANTING TO GET OUT TO THESE GROUPS AND SOME OF OUR MOST VULNERABLE POPULATIONS. AND YET WE HAVE THE GROUPS THAT CALL IN EVERY MEETING AND ARE HERE WHO CLAIM TO BE THE ADVOCATES FOR THOSE FOLKS. 
          THAT'S AT LEAST WHAT THEY'RE PORTRAYING TO ME AND TO US AS A BOARD WHEN THEY COME AND SPEAK AS THEY'RE SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF ALL THESE FOLKS. 
          WHERE ARE THEY AT IN HELPING DISSEMINATE THE INFORMATION, DR. 
          SANDOVAL? WHERE ARE THEY AT? YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT A PROGRAM THAT'S OUT THERE THAT HELPS FOR FOLKS TO TAKE TO GET SICK LEAVE FOR OUR FARM WORKERS AND STUFF, THOSE GROUPS THAT'S COME UP HERE AND SIT AND TALK ABOUT THAT. 
          THEY'RE ADVOCATING FOR THOSE FOLKS. 
          WHY DON'T THEY KNOW ABOUT IT? I JUST THAT'S AGAIN, IT'S A CHALLENGE TO THEM. 
          HELP US, HELP YOU. 
          HELP BE A PART OF THE SOLUTION INSTEAD OF ALWAYS TRYING TO, IN MY OPINION, ANYWAYS, IS POINT OUT THE PROBLEMS. I GET IT. WE'RE VERY WELL AWARE OF THE PROBLEMS. WE HEAR ABOUT THEM ALL THE TIME, BUT BE A PART OF THE SOLUTION. 
          THOSE GROUPS, AND THEY'RE LISTENING RIGHT NOW. 
          I ENCOURAGE YOU. IT'S NOT A SIGN OF DISRESPECT. 
          IT'S AN ASK. 
          HELP US HELP THESE FOLKS. 
          IF YOU REALLY, TRULY FEEL THAT THESE ARE THE MOST VULNERABLE AMONG US, THEN WHY ARE YOU NOT BEING A PART OF THE SOLUTION? SO THAT'S ALL I HAVE FOR NOW. 
          THANK YOU. THANK YOU. 
          SUPERVISOR PAREIRA. THANK YOU. 
          UM, UH, UH, SORRY, SIR. 
          NO QUESTIONS FOR YOU. DR. 
          SANDOVAL. 
          UM, I WAS WONDERING IF YOU MIGHT COME TO THE PODIUM. 
          YOU MENTIONED THE SICK LEAVE FOR FARMWORKERS. 
          CAN YOU KIND OF EXPAND ON THAT A LITTLE BIT SO THAT FOLKS LISTENING KIND OF GET A SENSE OF OF HOW TO LOOK INTO IT? OK, THERE'S A WEB PAGE HERE, CRLAF.ORG/CORONAVIRUS, AND IT'S CALIFORNIARURALLEGALASSISTANCEFOUNDATION.ORG/CORONAVIRUS. 
          I HEARD ABOUT THIS BECAUSE I'M ON A FARM WORKER STUDY THROUGH UC MERCED. 
          SO I HEARD AND ACTUALLY ONE OF THE CRLA FOUNDATION MEMBERS IS PART OF THE STUDY WITH ME. 
          SO HE MADE SURE I GOT THIS. 
          BUT IT'S BASED ON THE REPORTS THAT THE GOVERNOR GIVES AT NOON. 
          AND I THINK IT MAY HAVE BEEN MISSED BY A LOT OF PEOPLE, BUT THESE ARE [INAUDIBLE] UP IN THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA. 
          FARMWORKERS IN TEXAS OR FLORIDA OR ALABAMA, THEY DON'T GET THIS KIND OF BENEFIT. 
          BUT I THINK WE SHOULD TAKE ADVANTAGE OF IT FOR OUR FARMWORKERS HERE IN CALIFORNIA BECAUSE IT'S AVAILABLE. 
          BUT THAT'S THE WEBPAGE. 
          THANK YOU. AND I HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS FOR DR. 
          SULLIVAN AND, UH, DR. 
          [INAUDIBLE]. SO FOR DR. 
          SULLIVAN, EARLIER, YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT THE, UH, THE POSITIVITY RATE AND THAT BECAUSE YOU GUYS HAVE DONE THE EXTRA EFFORT TO MAKE SURE WE'RE NOT DUPLICATING CASES AND THE STATE IS NOT, HAVE WE ASKED THE STATE TO USE OUR NUMBER INSTEAD OF THEIRS? SO WE HAVE ASKED THE STATE IF THEY'RE PLANNING ON USING DEDUPLICATION AND THEY ARE. 
          THAT'S ONE OF THE CONSIDERATIONS THAT THEY'RE LOOKING AT IN TERMS OF CHANGING THEIR 
          [01:30:01]
NUMBERS. THAT IS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S ON THE SHORT LIST. 
          RIGHT. SO EXPLAIN THE TWO DIFFERENT NUMBERS AND WHERE WE WOULD BE ON THE METRICS IF THEY WERE USING OUR NUMBER. SO IN TERM-- SO ACTUALLY WE'VE ACTUALLY CONSISTENTLY SEEN A HIGHER POSITIVITY RATE. 
          AND THAT DOES REFLECT PROBABLY WHAT YOU'VE HEARD FROM SOME OF OUR PARTNERS IN TERMS OF CLINICS. I KNOW PREVIOUS BOARD MEETINGS, WHAT I BELIEVE, SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL, YOU HAD MENTIONED THAT ONE OF THE CLINICS WAS REPORTING UP TO 30 OR 40 PERCENT POSITIVITY, AND THEN THE STATE WAS SHOWING US, YOU KNOW, AT TWENTY, WHICH WAS STILL HIGH, BUT QUITE A BIT LOWER. 
          AND I BELIEVE SUPERVISOR PAREIRA, YOU ALSO HAD HEARD THAT FROM A CLINIC IN YOUR DISTRICT. 
          AND SO THAT IS RIGHT NOW THE STATE IS JUST PULLING ALL OF THE TESTS TOGETHER IN TERMS OF EVERYBODY WHO'S BEEN TESTED MULTIPLE TIMES AS PART OF OUTBREAK PROTOCOL, AS PART OF SURVEILLANCE, THEY HAVE A HUGE NUMBER OF TESTS AND THEN THEY'RE JUST SAYING HOW MANY WERE POSITIVE, HOW MANY WERE NEGATIVE, REGARDLESS OF IF PEOPLE ARE DOING REPEAT TESTING. 
          SO IT'S ACTUALLY IN TERMS OF THAT NUMBER, WHEN WE DEDUPLICATE, WE ACTUALLY LOOKED A LITTLE BIT HIGHER. BUT IT IS, I THINK, MORE REFLECTIVE OF WHAT WE ARE SEEING IN THE COMMUNITY AND WHAT YOU GUYS HAVE REPORTED TO US ALSO FROM THE COMMUNITY. 
          ON THE FLIP SIDE, ARE CASES PER 100000 WHEN THE COUNTY MONITORING LIST WENT UP, WAS A LITTLE TOO HIGH. 
          WHEN THAT WAS UPDATED AGAIN BY THE STATE, THEY HAD US CLOSE TO SIX HUNDRED PER HUNDRED THOUSAND AND WE WERE SIGNIFICANTLY ABOVE ANYBODY ELSE IN THE STATE. 
          WE WERE NOT ABLE TO DUPLICATE THAT WITH OUR LOCAL NUMBERS. 
          I DO THINK THAT WAS PART OF THAT DATA DUMP THAT I MENTIONED. 
          WE'VE SEEN THAT PRETTY RAPIDLY DECREASE. 
          AND AGAIN, THE STATE'S NUMBERS ARE LAGGED. 
          SO THE NUMBERS I PRESENTED TODAY ARE FROM FIVE DAYS AGO FOR THAT PARTICULAR METRIC AND 14 DAYS AGO FOR THE TESTING POSITIVITY RATE. 
          SO WE HAVE THEM A LITTLE BIT MORE CURRENT AND WE ARE SEEING A TREND IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION TO WHERE WE'RE, I BELIEVE, WILL BE BELOW THAT FOUR HUNDRED NUMBER WITHIN THE NEXT TWO TO THREE DAYS BASED ON THE STATE'S REPORTING METRIC. 
          BUT AGAIN, WE ARE STILL SEEING ABOUT 100 CASES PER DAY. 
          WE DO NEED THAT NUMBER TO GO DOWN, TO BE ABLE TO COME TO THAT LEVEL WHERE WE WOULD BE ELIGIBLE FOR A WAIVER. 
          OK, SO JUST ONE LAST FOLLOW UP AND MAYBE I'M MISSING THE MATH, BUT IF THE STATE IS INCLUDING DUPLICATE TEST, THEIR NUMBER PER HUNDRED THOUSAND SHOULD BE HIGHER THAN OUR NUMBER. BUT YOU MENTIONED TWICE THAT AND THE UNDUPLICATED HERE WE'RE HIGHER. 
          SO WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY-- WHAT ARE WE HIGHER THAN? LET ME GO BACK TO THAT SLIDE REALLY QUICKLY. 
          OK, SO THERE ARE TWO THINGS HERE FOR ELEVATED DISEASE TRANSMISSION. 
          BASED ON HOW THE STATE LOOKS AT LOOKS AT OUR DATA, THEY'RE REPORTING A HIGHER NUMBER IN THE THE FIRST ONE, GREATER THAN ONE HUNDRED INCIDENTS. 
          THAT INCIDENCE, THAT'S HIGHER. 
          THAT'S BEEN HIGHER FOR US THAN WHAT WE'VE SEEN LOCALLY RECENTLY. 
          WE'VE SEEN A DECREASE IN THAT WHILE THEY WERE SEEING AN INCREASE IN THAT. 
          BUT AGAIN, I THINK IT WAS LARGELY DUE TO BOTH THE LAG AND THAT DATA DUMP. 
          THEY WOULD REACH OUT TO US AND SAY, WHY ARE YOUR CASES INCREASING OR LIKE THEY'RE NOT. 
          SO IT WAS KIND OF THE WAY THAT THEY WERE LOOKING AT IT. 
          IT WAS A LITTLE BIT TRICKY. 
          THE CASE, THE POSITIVITY RATE IS THE REVERSE BECAUSE OF HOW THEY LOOK AT THE DATA. 
          OUR LOCAL NUMBERS ARE ACTUALLY HIGHER THAN WHAT THEY'RE REPORTING BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT DOING THAT DEDUPLICATION PROCESS. 
          AND THEN AND THEN I GUESS ULTIMATELY, WHEN YOU HEAR LAST MONTH WE HAD ON ONE MONDAY, WE HAD SEVEN DEATHS AND IT WAS KIND OF THE FIRST TIME WE'D HAD A LARGE NUMBER IN ONE DAY. 
          BUT THOSE DEATHS, ACTUALLY, A COUPLE OF THEM WERE FROM MAYBE A WEEK OR TWO PRIOR. 
          AND SO IS NOBODY DOING A SPREADSHEET THAT TRACKS LIKE, SAY, THAT POSITIVE TEST BY THE DAY THAT THE TEST WAS TAKEN VERSUS WHEN THE DATA COMES TO US? BECAUSE IF THE STATE DOES A DATA DUMP, I'M ASSUMING IT'S A BUILT UP RIGHT OF PREVIOUS POSITIVE TEST THAT ONE DAY SHOW UP. 
          AND SO, YOU KNOW, THAT THAT MAKES THE NUMBERS DIFFICULT TO FOLLOW OR OR RIGHT. 
          IF YOU'RE REPORTING SOMETHING TODAY THAT MAY HAVE HAPPENED TWO WEEKS AGO OR A MONTH AGO. 
          SO, YES. WHAT'S HAPPENING THERE? SURE. SO EACH OF THESE IS BASED ON A DIFFERENT DATE. 
          SO THE INCIDENCE RATE IS BASED ON WHAT'S CALLED, AND THEN AGAIN, THIS IS WHAT THE STATE DOES. IT'S CALLED AN EPISODE DATE. 
          [01:35:01]
AND IT'S A VARIETY OF DATES THAT THEY PICK FROM BASICALLY WHICHEVER ONE IS EARLIEST, IT'S EITHER THE SYMPTOM ONSET OR THE TEST SPECIMEN COLLECTION DAY OR A VARIETY OF THINGS, WHICHEVER IS EARLIEST. 
          THAT'S WHAT THEY PICK FOR THE INCIDENCE RATE. 
          THE PROBLEM WITH WITH THAT IS, IS IT'S NOT INCREDIBLY-- IT'S DIFFICULT TO REPLICATE. 
          IT'S A A DATE THAT IS VARIABLE. 
          SO IT'S DIFFICULT TO REPLICATE. 
          AND THE STATE HAS ACKNOWLEDGED THAT. 
          ANOTHER ISSUE WAS THAT IN THE DATA DUMP PROBLEM, THERE WAS NOT ONLY AN ISSUE WITH THE STATE REPORTING IT TO US, BUT THERE WAS ALSO INACCURATE REPORTING FROM THE LAB TO THE STATE. SO SOME OF THOSE DATES WERE NOT CORRECT. 
          WE WERE SEEING PRETTY CONSISTENT DATES COMING IN THAT DIDN'T MATCH WHAT THE PATIENTS WERE TELLING US. SO FOR ABOUT TWO WEEKS THERE, THAT DATA WAS BASICALLY A WASH, HONESTLY, AND WHICH IS WHY NOW THAT WE'RE GETTING FURTHER OUT FROM THERE, IT'S STARTING TO STABILIZE AND LOOK MORE LIKE WHAT WE'RE SEEING ON THE GROUND. 
          THE TEST POSITIVITY RATE IS BASED ON SPECIMEN COLLECTION DATE. 
          SO THEY DO BASE IT ON THAT. 
          BUT AGAIN, SOME OF THOSE NUMBERS, SOME OF THOSE DATES WERE ALSO INACCURATE BASED ON THAT DATA DUMP. THEY AFFECTED THE DATA IN THE SAME WAY, IN THE SAME LEVEL OF INACCURACY. 
          AND AGAIN, I'LL HIGHLIGHT THAT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT ALL COUNTIES ARE FRUSTRATED WITH BECAUSE THE COUNTIES-- THE STATE HAS TWO DATA DASHBOARDS THAT DON'T MATCH. 
          SO THEN THE COUNTY IS TRYING TO COME BACK AND SAYING, HEY, HERE'S OUR DATA. 
          IT'S BEEN VERY COMPLICATED AND TROUBLESOME FOR STATEWIDE. 
          AND THEN DO WE OR HAVE WE TRACKED THE POSITIVE CASES TO CARPOOLING. 
          SO I'M SORRY, WHAT WE HAVE, WE TRACK THE POSITIVE CASES, LIKE IN YOUR CONTACT TRACING, HAS CARPOOLING BEEN A PLACE OF TRANSFER? YES, ABSOLUTELY. 
          PARTICULARLY FOR OUR MIGRANT COMMUNITIES. 
          WE'VE HAD SEVERAL OUTBREAKS ACTUALLY LINKED TO THAT. 
          SO WE HAD ONE OUTBREAK IN A RESIDENTIAL MIGRANT COMMUNITY AND WE FOUND THAT TWO VANS OF 14 TRAVELED ABOUT AN HOUR AND 40 MINUTES AWAY, WHICH IS VERY, VERY TYPICAL PRACTICE. AND THERE WERE POSITIVE CASES WITHIN BOTH OF THOSE VANS AND SOMETHING LIKE 60 PERCENT OF THE REST OF THE CAR POOL BECAME POSITIVE. 
          WE'VE ALSO SEEN THAT IN TERMS OF WE HAVE A VERY MOBILE POPULATION. 
          SO WE HAVE PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN THIS COMMUNITY AND GO TO PLANTS THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY, AS YOU GUYS HAVE EXPRESSED AND SAID, AND ALSO INTO [INAUDIBLE] COUNTY AND OTHER COUNTIES. 
          AND WE'VE HAD MULTIPLE CASES LINKED TO CAR POOLS AS WELL. 
          WE DON'T DECLARE AN OUTBREAK IN A FACILITY IF THE INDIVIDUALS CARPOOL TOGETHER. 
          SO FOR AN OUTBREAK TO BE DECLARED, IT HAS TO BE THREE INDIVIDUALS, THREE OR MORE INDIVIDUALS IN THE SAME SPACE THAT DON'T HAVE AN EXTERNAL LINK. 
          SO A CAR POOL IS CONSIDERED AN EXTERNAL LINK. 
          SO FOR THE OUTBREAK TO COUNT IN THE FACILITY, THEY HAVE TO BE UNLINKED OUTSIDE OF THE FACILITY. SO THEN IF A PERSON WERE TO TEST POSITIVE AT A FACILITY, BUT THEY CARPOOL, THEN THEY WOULD NOT BE CONSIDERED A POSITIVE CASE AT THAT FACILITY? THEY WOULD BE-- SO FOR THAT THE POSITIVE PERSON IN THEIR ENTIRE CARPOOL WOULD BE CONSIDERED ONE ENTITY AND THEN WE WOULD NEED TWO ADDITIONAL CASES WITHIN THAT FACILITY TO DECLARE AN OUTBREAK NOT LINKED TO THE CARPOOL. 
          AND THEN SIMPLY ADD ONE LAST QUESTION TO. 
          WELL, AND I DON'T KNOW, YOU MAY BE ABLE TO ANSWER OR IF NOT, DR. 
          [INAUDIBLE]. 
          SHE HAD MENTIONED EARLIER THAT FROM THE TYPE OF DISEASE OUTBREAK THAT THE STATE HASN'T REALLY MADE A DETERMINATION OF HOW WE SHOULD TREAT COVID. 
          SO WHAT ARE WE DOING IN THE ABSENCE OF STATE DIRECTION? SURE. SO JUST TO PUT IT IN A LITTLE BIT OF PERSPECTIVE AND NORMAL COMMUNICABLE DISEASE LAND, OUR NORMAL OUR HIGHEST LEVEL OF REPORTABLE DISEASE IS IN CHLAMYDIA AND WE GET BETWEEN A THOUSAND SIX HUNDRED CASES PER YEAR. 
          BUT WHAT WE DO FOR CHLAMYDIA IS COUNT IT. 
          WE SAY, OK, GREAT, AND THEN REPORT IT TO THE STATE. 
          AND THAT'S BASICALLY IT. 
          CONVERSELY, ON THE OTHER HAND, OUR HIGHEST INTENSITY IN TERMS OF CASE MANAGEMENT AND FOLLOW UP AND CONTACT TRACING WOULD BE LIKE TUBERCULOSIS. 
          BUT WE TYPICALLY ONLY GET LIKE EIGHT CASES OF TUBERCULOSIS A YEAR. 
          RIGHT. SO RIGHT NOW WE'RE DEALING WITH SOMETHING THAT HAS, YOU KNOW, SEVEN TIMES THE NUMBER OF CASES OF WHAT WAS PREVIOUSLY OUR HIGHEST REPORTABLE DISEASE THAT HAS THE 
          [01:40:03]
REQUIREMENTS OF CASE MANAGEMENT THAT'S CLOSEST TO SOMETHING THAT TYPICALLY BEFORE WE HAD LESS THAN ONE A MONTH. 
          SO THE COMBINATION OF THAT HAS MADE THIS JUST VERY, VERY DIFFICULT. 
          AND SO WHAT WE'VE SAID TO THE STATE IS WE NEED TO HAVE IT, IT'S A NOVEL DISEASE. 
          SO AT FIRST IT'S KIND OF ALL HANDS ON DECK. 
          FIGURE THIS OUT. WE NEED TO BE THROWING ALL THESE RESOURCES ON IT. 
          BUT THAT'S NOT SUSTAINABLE LONG TERM. 
          WE NEED TO FIGURE OUT WHERE ON THAT SPECTRUM OF THIS IS A HIGHLY CONTAGIOUS DISEASE, WHICH IS WHY WE HAVE SO MANY MORE CASES OF IT THAN FOR ANYTHING ELSE. 
          AND WE DON'T HAVE THE RESOURCES TO BE TREATING IT LIKE SOMETHING LIKE TB FOR A LONG TIME TERM. SO WHERE ON THAT SPECTRUM WE FALL IS SOMETHING THE STATE REALLY NEEDS TO DETERMINE. 
          AND THAT'S IT FOR MY QUESTIONS. 
          AND I JUST WANT TO MAKE ONE COMMENT THAT I APPRECIATE ALL THE HARD WORK THAT YOUR TEAM HAS PUT IN TO TRYING TO GET YOUR ARMS AROUND COVID AND WORK WITH ALL THE PLAYERS. 
          I, YOU KNOW, I THINK I JUST DON'T THINK THE PUBLIC REALIZES THAT YOU AND YOUR TEAM AND OUR TEAM AND BUSINESS PEOPLE, THAT YOU GUYS ARE WORKING ON THIS 24/7 AND BUT MANY, MANY PHONE CALLS ARE HAPPENING SATURDAY, SUNDAY AT NIGHT. 
          I MEAN, JUST IN MY CONVERSATIONS WITH JIM. 
          I KNOW. I KNOW. 
          I GET A SENSE OF WHAT YOU'RE PUTTING INTO THIS. 
          AND I JUST WANT THE PUBLIC TO KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, EIGHT O'CLOCK ON FRIDAY, YOU'RE NOT GOING HOME AND NOT THINKING ABOUT THIS AGAIN. 
          AND ANYWAY, SO ON BEHALF OF MY CONSTITUENTS AND I THINK PROBABLY ALL THE CONSTITUENTS OF MERCED COUNTY, THANK YOU. 
          THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH. 
          SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL. THANK YOU, CHRIS. 
          AND THANKS FOR STAYING UP HERE. 
          BUT AGAIN, I JUST WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE DEDUPLICATION. 
          THANK YOU FOR REALIZING THAT AND SEEING IT. 
          I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THE NUMBERS YOU ARE PROVIDING WITH US NOW AND ACTUALLY BEING ABLE TO EDUCATE OUR CONSTITUENCY ON THE INACCURACY AND THE STRUGGLES YOU ARE HAVING WITH THE STATE AND STILL CONTINUE TO HAVE WITH THE STATE. 
          I KNOW THIS IS SOMETHING THAT HAS BEEN VERY, VERY PARTICULAR WITH A LOT OF US WHO ARE ASKING THE QUESTIONS. AND WE WERE GETTING FRUSTRATED ON OUR END BECAUSE WE DIDN'T HAVE ANYTHING TO SAY TO OUR CONSTITUENCY. 
          BUT YOU HAVE COMPLETELY DISSECTED IT, INCLUDED IN YOUR REPORTING FOR WHAT WE'RE ASKING FOR, WHETHER WE ALL AGREE WITH IT OR NOT. 
          IT DOESN'T MATTER BECAUSE IT IS THE ISSUE AT HAND. 
          IT'S THE REAL DATA THAT WE'RE TRYING TO DEAL WITH. 
          AND THE DEDUPLICATION STILL IS JUST UNBELIEVABLE BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WE HEAR ABOUT THIS ALL THE TIME. AND THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU GUYS ARE TRYING TO DO HERE IN THE COUNTY TO MAKE IT HAPPEN. I JUST WISH WE COULD USE IT WITH THE STATE FOR THEIR NUMBERS OF HOLDING US ACCOUNTABLE. ALSO, I WANT TO TALK ABOUT SO ONE OF THE EFFORTS THAT I'VE DONE IN MY DISTRICT IS WITH THE BUSINESS GRANT THAT WE HAVE AS I'VE BEEN WALKING BUSINESS TO BUSINESS. AND I ACTUALLY PARTNERED UP WITH THE CITY OF ATWATER WITH LORI WATERMAN, THEIR CITY MANAGER. AND WE'VE BEEN GOING IN AND TALKING TO THEM DIRECTLY ON NOT ONLY THE CERTIFICATION PROCESS, BUT ALSO THE BUSINESS GRANTS THAT WE HAVE AVAILABLE. 
          AND WHAT WAS INTERESTING WITH A LOT OF THESE BUSINESSES, AND I THINK IT'S KIND OF FROM WHAT DR. SANDOVAL SAID, MAYBE IT'S JUST THE CONTACT AND COMMUNICATION THAT YOU HAVE TO HAVE MORE PERSONAL COMMUNICATION, THAT THEY CAN READ IT, THROW IT AWAY AND MOVE ON. 
          BUT COMING INTO THEIR STORES OR THEIR BUSINESSES OR WHETHER IT'S JUST A WHOLE HOST OF DIFFERENT BUSINESSES, IS HAVING THAT COMMUNICATION WITH THEM AND POINTING OUT, YOU CAN DO THIS, YOU CAN DO THIS. 
          AND THEIR FIRST THING IS WELL, THAT'S GOING TO COST ME MONEY AND THEN YOU CAN GO RIGHT OFF THE GRANT AND SAY, WELL, NO, GET IT DONE, GET A RECEIPT AND SEND IT IN. 
          AND IT'S JUST THAT PERSONAL COMMUNICATION, THAT PERSONAL CONVERSATION THAT YOU HAVE WITH THEM, IT SEEMS LIKE IT GOES SO MUCH FURTHER. 
          AND PLUS, THEY JUST APPRECIATE YOU WALKING IN. 
          OF COURSE, WITH THE GRASS FIRES AND STUFF HERE LATELY, IT WAS A LITTLE MORE DIFFICULT AND SOME FOLKS DIDN'T WANT A WHOLE LOT OF INTERACTION ANYWAY. 
          BUT RIGHT UP UNTIL THAT POINT, IT WAS VERY GOOD KNOCKING ON DOORS AND TALKING TO FOLKS INDIVIDUALLY. SO MAYBE I'M JUST TRYING TO ENCOURAGE IF THERE'S ANY WAY ELSE THAT WE CAN GET OUT AND DO IT, BUT THE PERSONAL COMMUNICATION SEEMS LIKE TO BE THE BEST WAY. 
          I KNOW WE HAD SOME STUFF ABOUT THE SCHOOLS AND WHERE THEY ARE IN THE SCHOOLS. 
          I AM PROUD I'M AN EMPTY NESTER. 
          I'LL JUST PUT THAT OUT THERE, ESPECIALLY DURING THIS TIME. 
          BUT I THINK THE KIDS REALLY, REALLY NEED THAT INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION. 
          THE CONSISTENT MESSAGE I'M HEARING, AND WE HEARD IT ON OUR VOICEMAILS TODAY AS WELL, ARE IT'S OVERLOAD FOR THE FOLKS AT HOME. 
          [01:45:05]
I THINK THERE'S GOING TO BE A WHOLE NEW APPRECIATION FOR TEACHERS AND WHAT THEY'RE DOING IN THEIR CLASSROOM. BUT AT THE SAME TIME, I'M HEARING A VERY EXCITED KINDERGARTEN TEACHER WAS EVERYTHING. AND HER FIRST HOURS WAS LIKE, LOOK AT THE SCREEN, LOOK AT THE SCREEN. 
          HELLO? LOOK AT ME. 
          LOOK AT THE SCREEN. AND THERE'S-- THEY NEED THAT INTERACTION PLAY. 
          SO I KNOW OUR SCHOOLS ARE WORKING VERY HARD AND GETTING IT TOGETHER. 
          AND I THINK FOR THE MENTAL HEALTH WELFARE IS WE NEED THIS INTERACTION AND THESE KIDS NEED TO GET BACK AND PARTICIPATE. 
          AND I KNOW WE HAVE SOME GUIDELINES OUT THERE, AND I KNOW THE GOVERNOR HAS RESTRICTED US FROM WHERE WE ARE, BUT WE REALLY HAVE TO MOVE FORWARD TO THAT BECAUSE I'M REALLY FEELING IT. I MEAN, NOT ONLY FROM THE PARENTS, BUT FROM THE KIDS THAT WE REALLY NEED TO WORK TOWARDS THAT. AND I APPRECIATE ALL THE WORK THAT YOU GUYS ARE DOING, AND I KNOW YOU KNOW THAT AND HAVE THAT IN MIND. 
          AND IT'S WE JUST NEED TO WORK FORWARD TOWARDS THAT. 
          THANK YOU. AS A MOM OF A DISTANCE LEARNING KINDERGARTNER [INAUDIBLE] [LAUGHTER] SUPERVISOR LOR. THANK YOU. 
          JUST A COMMENT FOR STAFF. 
          I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE AND SHOW MY SUPPORT FOR THE WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING. 
          I ESPECIALLY WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE AND SUPPORT THE FOLKS IN THE COUNTY, AS WELL AS IN OUR COMMUNITY WHO ARE WORKING WITH FAMILIES AND HELPING FAMILIES WHOSE PRIMARY LANGUAGE AND CULTURE MAY NOT BE ENGLISH OR THE MAINSTREAM. 
          YOU NEED TWICE AS MUCH TIME, TWICE AS MUCH EFFORT TO ENSURE THAT FAMILIES GET THE MESSAGE AND COMPREHEND THE MESSAGE AND THEN TAKE ACTION ON THAT. 
          SO I WANT TO THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR EFFORTS, YOUR PATIENCE AND YOUR DEDICATION, BECAUSE I KNOW THAT YOU CAN BE SAYING THE SAME THING A THOUSAND TIMES A DAY AND IT TAKES A LOT OF TIME AND EFFORT. SO I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE YOU ALL FOR THAT. 
          AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE WORK THAT YOU CONTINUE DOING. 
          THANK YOU. SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL. 
          THERE IS ONE MORE THING. I DID SEND OUT AN EMAIL ABOUT FOUR WEEKS AGO THAT HAD SOME VERY SPECIFIC QUESTIONS. 
          AND I KNOW MY CONSTITUENT IS PROBABLY LISTENING TO THIS MEETING RIGHT NOW. 
          HE SENT ME A FOLLOW UP EMAIL AND I JUST WANT TO TOUCH BASE ON IT. 
          IF, I KNOW WE'RE ALL LOOKING AT EACH OTHER FROWNING, WE DON'T KNOW WHICH ONE IT IS BECAUSE WE'VE HAD MILLIONS OF EMAILS. 
          I'LL FOLLOW UP WITH JIM AND WE'LL GET IT BACK OUT THERE. 
          BUT I HAD SOME VERY DETAILED QUESTIONS ON THERE AND I KNOW WE COULD ADDRESS THEM IF WE GET IT. AND I'D LIKE TO GET IT BACK TO MY CONSTITUENT. 
          SO THANK YOU. AND I CONCUR MYSELF WITH ALL THE OTHER BOARD. 
          YOU HAVE OUR UNANIMOUS SUPPORT AND THANK YOU FOR ALL OUR WORK. 
          I KNOW THE PUBLIC DOESN'T, AND I CAN HARDLY JUST IMAGINE THE AMOUNT OF WORK THAT YOU DO THE DAY IN AND DAY OUT. 
          SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH. 
          AND I THINK WE HAVE A COMMENT FROM [INAUDIBLE] THANK YOU. 
          JUST IN CLOSING, DR. 
          SANDOVAL HAD MENTIONED THAT ONE OF THE GROUPS THAT WAS OUT WORKING WITH THE MIGRANT SEASONAL FARM WORKERS HAD SLOWED THAT WORK DOWN. 
          I WOULD LIKE TO REPORT THAT AT TWO OF OUR MEETINGS AGO, AT THE END OF JULY, WE HAD THE CONTRACT WITH THE CENTRAL VALLEY OPPORTUNITY CENTER. 
          THEY HAVE HIRED UP AND TRAINED THEIR STAFF. 
          THEY BEGIN FOUR DAYS A WEEK OF OUTREACH. 
          AND THIS FRIDAY AT TWO O'CLOCK, THEY'RE HAVING THEIR DRIVE THROUGH FARM WORKER APPRECIATION DAY. AND SO THEY'LL BE ABLE TO PROVIDE THE COVID KITS THAT YOU HEARD ABOUT EARLIER, INFORMATION ABOUT ALL THE DIFFERENT PROGRAMS, THINGS THAT ARE AVAILABLE. 
          AND THEN THEY, AS USUAL AT CVOC, THERE'S ALWAYS SOMETHING GOOD TO EAT. 
          SO I DID WANT TO JUST PROVIDE THAT QUICK UPDATE. 
          THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. 
          I THINK THAT'S OUR PRESENTATION. 
          WE'RE GOING TO GO AHEAD AND TAKE A FIVE MINUTE BREAK. 
          WE'LL BE RIGHT BACK. THANK YOU. 
          ALL RIGHT, COMING BACK FROM A BREAK. 
          NOW, WE'LL MOVE ON TO CONSENT CALENDAR. 
          [CONSENT CALENDAR]
NEXT IS APPROVAL OF CONSENT CALENDAR ITEMS ONE THROUGH 14. 
          YOUR HAVE A COMMENT, SUPERVISOR LOR? THANK YOU, JUST A COMMENT ON TWO, THREE AND THEN A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS ON 10, THE LIBRARY. 
          I JUST WANT TO REMIND FOLKS THAT EVERY DAY IS SUICIDE PREVENTION DAY AND EVERY DAY IS NATIONAL RECOVERY DAY. 
          SO JUST BECAUSE WE RECOGNIZE IT OFFICIALLY, AS IN SEPTEMBER, I ENCOURAGE FOLKS TO REACH OUT AND SHARE OR PLEASE CHECK IN ON A FRIEND OR FAMILY MEMBER TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE DOING OK. AND THEN A QUESTION FOR STAFF ON ITEM NUMBER 10. 
          [01:50:01]
IT'S PROCLAIMED THE MONTH OF SEPTEMBER 2020 IS LIBRARY CARD SIGN-UP MONTH IN MERCED COUNTY. 
          FOR PUBLIC INFORMATION, HOW CAN FOLKS SIGN UP? AND WHAT KINDS OF SERVICES AND PROGRAMS CAN FAMILIES ACCESS FOR FREE TO COMPLEMENT THEIR FORMAL EDUCATION? OKAY, ANY OTHER COMMENTS? SO WE HAVE A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA. 
          OH, I'M SORRY. I WASN'T LOOKING UP. 
          GOOD. GO AHEAD. AMY TAYLOR, COUNTY LIBRARIAN. 
          THROUGH THE CHAIR TO SUPERVISOR LOR. 
          COUNTY RESIDENTS CAN ACCESS LIBRARY CARDS OR RECEIVE LIBRARY CARDS TWO WAYS RIGHT NOW. 
          WHILE, LIBRARIES ARE CLOSED DUE TO COVID-19. 
          THEY CAN PHONE THE LIBRARY AND RECEIVE A LIBRARY CARD OVER THE PHONE. 
          WE DO THE APPLICATION OVER THE PHONE AND THEN IT'S MAILED TO THEM. 
          AND THEN WE JUST LAUNCHED E LIBRARY CARDS SO THEY CAN FILL OUT AN APPLICATION ONLINE AND RECEIVE THEIR APPLICATION, THEIR LIBRARY CARD NUMBER INSTANTLY AND HAVE ACCESS TO ALL OF OUR VIRTUAL DATABASES AND EBOOKS, STREAMING VIDEOS, LOTS OF DIFFERENT THINGS THAT WE HAVE. SO THERE ARE TWO WAYS. 
          THE E CARD IS NOT GOOD FOR PRINT MATERIAL, BUT WE CAN EASILY TURN IT INTO A CARD THAT IS AVAILABLE FOR THEM TO CHECK OUT ITEMS THROUGH CURBSIDE ALSO. 
          ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. 
          YEAH. AND THEN FOR THE SECOND PART OF HER QUESTION ABOUT PROGRAMING, WE ARE STILL OFFERING VIRTUAL PROGRAMS. WE JUST LAUNCHED FOUR BOOK CHALLENGES FOR DIFFERENT AGE GROUPS FOR K THROUGH SIXTH GRADE JUNIOR HIGH HIGH SCHOOL AND ADULTS. 
          THEY'RE AVAILABLE TO SIGN UP THROUGH OUR WEBSITE. 
          WE ALSO ARE DOING VIRTUAL PROGRAMING. 
          WE JUST DID A VIRTUAL THOUSAND BOOKS BEFORE GRADUATION CEREMONY YESTERDAY THAT IS AVAILABLE ON OUR WEBSITE. 
          SO WE ARE STILL CONTINUING TO PROVIDE PROGRAMING IN THAT AND SERVE OUR COMMUNITY. 
          OK, THANK YOU. 
          NO FURTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS. 
          THERE'S A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR LOR AND THE SECOND WAS SILVEIRA ON ITEM ONE THROUGH 14. 
          SO PLEASE GO AND VOTE. 
          ALL RIGHT, WE HAD PUBLIC COMMENT EARLIER, SO GO AHEAD AND RECORD THE VOTE. 
          THE VOTE CARRIES FIVE ZERO. 
          NEXT, IS BOARD ACTION PUBLIC WORKS ITEMS 15 THROUGH 17, PLEASE NOTE, A 4/5 IS REQUIRED ON 
          [BOARD ACTION]
ITEM 17. ITEM NUMBER 15 THROUGH 17. 
          COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? MOTIONED BY SUPERVISOR LOR, SECOND BY SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA. 
          PUBLIC COMMENTS WERE RECEIVED EARLIER. GO AHEAD AND VOTE. 
          PLEASE RECORD THE VOTE. MOTION CARRIES FIVE ZERO. NEXT IS AG COMMISSIONER ITEMS 18 THROUGH 22. 
          COMMENTS, MOTION. I MEAN, ITEMS 18 TO 22. 
          MOTIONED BY SUPERVISOR SILVEIERA, SECOND BY SUPERVISOR PAREIRA. 
          COMMENTS WERE GIVEN EARLIER, SO GO AND VOTE. 
          RECORD THE VOTE PLEASE. MOTION CARRIES FIVE ZERO. 
          NEXT IS HELP ITEMS 23 THROUGH TWENTY FIVE. 
          ITEMS THREE THROUGH TWENTY FIVE. 
          COMMENTS, MOTIONS. 
          MOTION BY SUPERVISOR LOR, SECOND BY-- HAVE A SECOND? SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA SECOND IT, AND THE COMMENTS WERE GIVEN. 
          GO AHEAD AND VOTE. RECORD THE VOTE PLEASE. 
          MOTION CARRIES FIVE ZERO. NEXT IS BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AND RECOVERY SERVICES ITEMS TWENTY SIX AND TWENTY SEVEN. 
          ITEMS TWENTY SIX AND SEVEN. 
          COMMENTS, OR MOTIONS? MOTIONED BY SUPERVISOR PAREIRA, SECONDED BY SUPERVISOR LOR. COMMENTS WE'RE RECEIVED EARLIER. 
          GO AHEAD AND VOTE. CALL ROLL PLEASE.[INAUDIBLE] 
          [01:55:03]
NEXT, IS HUMAN SERVICES AGENCY ITEMS 28 THROUGH 30. 
          28 THROUGH 30. 
          COMMENTS OR MOTIONS? MOTION BY SUPERVISOR LOR, SECOND BY SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL. 
          COMMENTS WERE RECEIVED EARLIER. 
          SO GO AHEAD AND VOTE. 
          CALL THE VOTE PLEASE. 
          MOTION CARRIES FIVE ZERO. I'M ALREADY LOOKING AHEAD. 
          NEXT, IS COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ITEMS THIRTY ONE THROUGH THIRTY FOUR. 
          ITEMS THIRTY ONE THROUGH THIRTY FOUR. ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? MOTION BY SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL, SECOND BY SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA. 
          I HAD A QUESTION ON NUMBER THIRTY ONE AND THIRTY TWO, I GUESS. 
          MARK. THIS IS A CUP APPLICATION FOR A PERMIT IN THIS [INAUDIBLE] AREA, SO IT'S A STATED AS A AG PROPERTY. SO I KNOW THAT WE UPDATED THE ZONING ORDINANCE SO UNDER AND, YOU KNOW, CITIZENS CAN APPLY FOR SPECIAL EVENTS. 
          SO THIS IS PART OF THAT OR THERE'S A DIFFERENT? I'M SORRY. GO AHEAD. 
          MR. CHAIRMAN. MEMBERS OF THE BOARD AGAIN, I GUESS IT'S ALMOST GOOD AFTERNOON NOW. 
          GOOD. GOOD QUESTION. AND SO A COUPLE OF QUICK ANSWERS FOR YOU. 
          SO THIS IS A ONE ON ONE, BUT THIS IS VERY SIMILAR TO OTHER ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW CONTRACTS THAT YOU'VE APPROVED IN THE PAST AS RELATES, FOR EXAMPLE. 
          SO IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE, YOU'VE GOT ONE ITEM WHICH ACTUALLY ALLOWS THE APPLICANT TO PAY THE COUNTY FOR WHICH YOU'RE ACTUALLY PAYING, OBVIOUSLY, [INAUDIBLE]. 
          TO YOUR QUESTION, THOUGH, YOU ARE CORRECT. 
          IN THE AG ZONE EVENT CENTERS, WHICH IS WHAT THIS IS PROPOSING, IS ALLOWED SUBJECT TO THE APPROVAL OF A CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT. 
          SO YOU'RE EXACTLY CORRECT. 
          THIS IS REFLECTIVE OF THE ZONING CODE CHANGES AND THE APPLICANT IS PAYING THE COUNTY FOR WHICH TO PAY THE ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW CONSULTANT TO GO THROUGH THAT PROCESS. 
          OK, SO THERE'S NO I MEAN, THEY'RE NOT REQUIRED TO CHANGE THE ZONING PROPERTY. 
          JUST A CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT, RIGHT? THAT'S CORRECT. THAT'S CORRECT. 
          OBVIOUSLY, IN THE AG ZONE EVENT CENTERS, WEDDING EVENT CENTERS, THOSE TYPES OF THINGS ARE ALLOWED SUBJECT TO A CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT. 
          THIS IS JUST THE VERY BEGINNING OF THAT PROCESS. 
          AND I WENT TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION-- OBVIOUSLY, WE'VE GOT TO GET THROUGH THAT PROCESS OF ACTUALLY GETTING THROUGH THE ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW BEFORE IT MAKES ITS WAY THROUGH THE PROCESS. 
          FIRST OF WHICH OBVIOUSLY WILL GO THROUGH THE PLANNING COMMISSION, ULTIMATELY WILL COME TO THE BOARD FOR ITS CONSIDERATION SEVERAL, SEVERAL MONTHS DOWN THE ROAD. 
          WELL, I'M JUST STATING BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, IN THE PAST THERE'S BEEN QUESTIONS AND PEOPLE HAVE WANTED TO DO BUSINESS AND I'M ALWAYS SUPPORTIVE. 
          AND SO I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE QUESTIONS SO WE CAN TELL THEM WHAT PROCESS THAT THEY WOULD HAVE TO GO TO. 
          SO I THINK YOU RAISE A REALLY GOOD POINT. 
          AND OF COURSE, HISTORICALLY, WE'VE DONE THESE THINGS WITH THE ZONING CODE DID THAT THIS BOARD ADOPTED LAST YEAR WAS ACTUALLY FORMALIZED THAT PROCESS SO NEW IN YEARS PAST, WE HAD A NUMBER OF EVENT CENTERS, SOME OF WHICH WERE OPERATING LEGALLY, SOME OF WHICH WERE NOT. 
          THIS BOARD TOOK THE WISE STEP OF ACTUALLY FORMALIZING THAT PROCESS, LEVELING THE PLAYING FIELD AND GIVING EVERYBODY THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO EXACTLY AS YOU JUST SUGGESTED. 
          THANK YOU VERY MUCH, SIR. WE HAVE A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR MCDANIELS, SECONDED BY SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA. GO AHEAD AND VOTE, WE RECEIVE PUBLIC COMMENT EARLIER. 
          AND SO NOW GO AND VOTE. 
          RECORD THE VOTE, PLEASE. 
          MOTION CARRIES FIVE ZERO. 
          ITEM 30 FIVE IS FROM THE AUDITOR. 
          ITEM THIRTY FIVE. ANY COMMENTS OR MOTIONS? MOTION BY SUPERVISOR LOR, SECOND BY SUPERVISOR... 
          WE HAVE A SECOND? SECOND BY SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL. 
          COMMENTS WERE RECEIVED, SO WE'LL VOTE, PLEASE. RECALL THE VOTE. 
          MOTION CARRIES, FIVE ZERO. 
          NEXT IS ELECTIONS ITEMS, THIRTY SIX AND THIRTY SEVEN. 
          ITEM THIRTY SIX AND THIRTY SEVEN. 
          COMMENTS OR MOTIONS? [INAUDIBLE], SECONDED BY SUPERVISOR LOR. 
          COMMENTS WERE RECEIVED EARLIER. SO GO AHEAD AND VOTE, PLEASE. 
          RECORD THE VOTE. 
          MOTION CARRIES FIVE ZERO. NEXT, IS LIBRARY ITEM THIRTY EIGHT. 
          ITEM THIRTY EIGHT. 
          [02:00:05]
COMMENTS,  OR MOTIONS? MOTIONED BY SUPERVISOR LOR, SECOND BY SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA. 
          GO AHEAD AND VOTE PLEASE. RECORD THE VOTE. 
          PASSES FIVE ZERO. ITEM THIRTY NINE IS FROM PROBATION. 
          ITEM THIRTY NINE. 
          COMMENTS OR MOTIONS? MOTION BY SUPERVISOR LOR, SECOND BY SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA. 
          COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC WERE RECEIVED EARLIER. 
          SO GO AHEAD AND VOTE. RECORD THE VOTE. 
          MOTION CARRIES FIVE ZERO. NEXT, A TREASURE ITEM 40. 
          ITEM 40. 
          COMMENTS, OR MOTIONS? MENTION BY SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA, SECOND BY SUPERVISOR LOR. 
          COMMENTS WERE RECEIVED EARLIER FROM THE PUBLIC. 
          SO GO AHEAD AND VOTE. RECORD THE VOTE, PLEASE. 
          MOTION CARRIES FIVE ZERO. ITEM FORTY ONE IS FROM FIRE. 
          ITEM FORTY ONE. 
          COMMENTS OR MOTIONS? MOTION BY SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA, SECOND BY SUPERVISOR LOR. 
          GO AHEAD AND VOTE, PLEASE. [INAUDIBLE]. 
          COMMENT? YES, ITEM FORTY ONE AND NUMBER TWO, IT SAYS CONTINUE EMERGENCY OR DETERMINE THE HAZARD NO LONGER EXISTS AND DETERMINING THE LOCAL EMERGENCY. 
          SO VOTING WOULD MEAN--. 
          GOOD, UH, JUST, UH, VOTING WOULD MEAN, SORRY TO JUST MAKE SURE WE UNDERSTAND THE QUESTION. 
          IF THE BOARD RATIFIES, IF THE BOARD DOES NOT RATIFY THE EMERGENCY, THEN THE EMERGENCY WOULD CEASE PROBABLY TODAY? SEVEN DAYS FROM WHEN IT WAS [INAUDIBLE]. 
          YES, SO SEVEN DAYS. 
          AND THEN THE LANDFILL'S WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO ACCEPT ANY CARCASSES AFTER THAT. 
          IF THE BOARD, UH, SUPPORTS AND RATIFIES THE EMERGENCY, THEN THE EMERGENCY WOULD CONTINUE UNTIL THIS TIME. 
          SO THE LANDFILL'S WOULD BE ABLE TO CONTINUE TO TAKE THE CARCASSES. 
          AND THEN IF IT WAS NOT NECESSARY AFTER THAT, THEN IT WOULD BRING A BACK A RECOMMENDATION JUST TO LET IT PROBABLY AT THE NEXT BOARD MEETING TO JUST KIND OF CEASE THE EMERGENCY. 
          THANK YOU. SO THE QUESTION. 
          SORRY IF I WAS UNCLEAR IF THE MAKER OF THE MOTION CAN DETERMINE EITHER OR. 
          OH, I'M SORRY. 
          OK, UM, SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA. 
          MY MOTION IS FOR THE FIRST PART, TO NOT IS TO DECLARE THE EMERGENCY, VALIDATE THE EMERGENCY ACTION AND THEN BRING IT BACK AT A FURTHER DATE TO DETERMINE WHETHER WE'RE GONNA LET IT EXPIRE OR NOT. 
          SO THAT WAS THE SECOND? OK. ALL RIGHT, WE'LL GO AHEAD. 
          AND RE VOTE IT. 
          SO WE'RE GOING TO RECORD. PASSES FIVE ZERO. 
          COUNTY COUNCIL ITEM FORTY TWO. 
          ITEM FORTY TWO. COMMENTS OR MOTIONS? QUESTIONS. MOTION BY SUPERVISOR LOR SECOND BY SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA. 
          QUESTIONS RECEIVED BY THE PUBLIC. 
          GO AHEAD AND VOTE PLEASE. [INAUDIBLE] MOTION CARRIES 5-0. 
          HUMAN RESOURCES ITEM FORTY THREE. 
          ITEM FORTY THREE COMMENTS OR MOTIONS. 
          MOTION BY SUPERVISOR LOR SECOND BY SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA. 
          GO AHEAD AND VOTE. RECORD THE VOTE. 
          MOTION CARRIES 5-0. NEXT IS EXECUTIVE OFFICE ITEMS FORTY FOUR AND FORTY FIVE, AND WE'LL TAKE THOSE SEPARATELY, SO WE'LL DO ITEM FORTY FOUR FIRST. 
          OK ITEM FORTY FOUR WE HAVE A PRESENTATION. 
          NO. [INAUDIBLE] 
          [02:05:19]
GOOD AFTERNOON, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, DAVID MIRRIONE, ASSISTANT COUNTY EXECUTIVE OFFICER, AND I'LL BE GIVING A BRIEF PRESENTATION TODAY ON THE ISSUANCE AND SALE OF TOBACCO SETTLEMENT BONDS. 
          SO QUICKLY, I'M GOING TO GIVE A BRIEF UPDATE ON THE BACKGROUND OF THE TOBACCO MASTER SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT. SO IN 1998, THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA, ALONG WITH MOST OTHER STATES, ENTERED INTO A MASTER SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT, WHICH IS REFERRED TO AS AN MSA WITH MAJOR TOBACCO COMPANIES SETTLING LITIGATION RELATED TO TOBACCO RELATED HEALTH CARE COSTS. 
          AND SO WE'VE HAD THERE WAS FOUR PARTICIPATING MANUFACTURERS IN THAT SETTLEMENT AND THEY AGREED TO MAKE PAYMENTS TO THE PUBLIC ENTITIES IN PERPETUITY. 
          SO THESE REVENUE PAYMENTS, WHICH ARE CALLED TSRS TOBACCO SETTLEMENT REVENUE, BEGAN IN 2000. AND THEY'RE PERIODICALLY ADJUSTED BASED ON SEVERAL FACTORS, INCLUDING CONSUMPTION AND INFLATION. UNDER A SEPARATE MOU, THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA AGREED TO SHARE 50 PERCENT OF ITS ANNUAL TSRS WITH EACH COUNTY IN THE STATE AND THEN WITH FOUR MAJOR CITIES. 
          SO MERCED COUNTY, JUST FOR REFERENCE, RECEIVES ABOUT A THIRD OF A PERCENT OF THIS ANNUAL AMOUNT, WHICH FOR 2020 IS PROJECTED TO BE A TWO POINT FIVE DOLLARS MILLION. 
          AND IT'S ADJUSTED. 
          THAT ALLOCATION IS ADJUSTED EVERY 10 YEARS BASED ON THE CENSUS. 
          SO AGAIN, ANOTHER REASON WHY THE CENSUS COUNTS ARE SO IMPORTANT TO THE COUNTY. 
          SO IN 2002, MERCED COUNTY ISSUED A TOBACCO SETTLEMENT REVENUE, ASSET BACKED BONDS, AND IT GENERATED TWENTY THREE POINT FOUR DOLLARS MILLION OF UPFRONT PROCEEDS FROM THE BONDS TO BE ABLE TO BE EXPENDED ON CAPITAL PROJECTS. 
          AND THAT IS A REQUIREMENT THAT THE DOLLARS BE USED FOR CAPITAL PROJECTS. 
          THE DEBT SERVICE ON THE BONDS IS PAID SOLELY FROM THE SHARE OF THOSE TSRS. 
          IT'S NOT A GENERAL FUND PLEDGE. 
          IN 2005, DUE TO LOW INTEREST RATES IN THE BOND MARKET, THE COUNTY REFUNDED THOSE 2002 BONDS, GENERATING AN ADDITIONAL FIVE POINT NINE DOLLARS MILLION FOR CAPITAL PROJECTS. 
          AND SO, AGAIN, THOSE THOSE GO IN. 
          THEY WANT TO DO AN ENDOWMENT FOR CAPITAL PROJECTS. 
          SO THE COUNTY STAFF HAVE BEEN WORKING ON REFUNDING THE 2005 BONDS THAT ARE CURRENTLY ESTIMATED. THE PLAN BEFORE YOU TODAY WOULD GENERATE APPROXIMATELY NINE MILLION DOLLARS OF UPFRONT PROCEEDS FOR COUNTY CAPITAL PROJECTS. 
          SO WE HAVE HERE IS A TABLE ON THE LEFT SHOWING THE STATUS QUO WITH A PAR AMOUNT OF 30 MILLION DOLLARS AND A TRUE INTEREST COST OF FIVE POINT SIX TWO PERCENT AND WITH NO UPFRONT PROCEEDS. 
          SO THE TSRS ARE SERVICING THE DEBT AT THIS TIME FOR THE 2005 BONDS, THE STATED FINAL MATURITY IS 2045. 
          THE EXPECTED IS 2037. 
          AND SO ONCE THOSE ARE PAID, THEN THE FULL AMOUNT OF TSRS STARTING TO COME INTO THE COUNTY WOULD OCCUR IN 2038. 
          SO WHAT IS BEFORE YOU TODAY IS LOOKING AT REFUNDING THOSE BASED ON THE RATES OUT IN THE MARKET TODAY AND THAT WOULD GENERATE ROUGHLY AN ESTIMATED NINE MILLION DOLLARS LOOKING AT AN INTEREST COST OF THREE POINT NINE ONE PERCENT. 
          THE STATED FINAL MATURITY AT TWENTY FIFTY AND THE EXPECTED MATURITY AT TWENTY FORTY THREE. SO IT'S ADDING ABOUT SIX YEARS ON TO THE TIME OF THE FINAL EXPECTED MATURITY. 
          AND SO THE COUNTY WOULD EXPECT TO SEE THOSE FULL CZAR'S RETURN IN 2044. 
          AND SO THIS IS THE SERIES OF BONDS THAT WOULD, WOULD BE ISSUED. 
          YOU HAVE A FOUR DIFFERENT TYPES OF BONDS WHICH ARE A, A-  AND B, TRIPLE B+ AND NOT RATED ON A TURBO BOND. 
          AND SO THAT GETS YOU TO THE THIRTY FIVE MILLION DOLLARS. 
          AND YOU COULD SEE THERE THE ESTIMATED MATURITY DATES OF EACH OF THOSE. 
          SO IT'S A PACKAGE OF BONDS THAT WOULD BE ISSUED. 
          AND THEN THIS IS JUST A HIGH LEVEL DETAIL OF A CASH FLOW BASED ON HOW THAT WOULD WORK. 
          SO YOU'RE ABLE TO SEE THAT THERE ARE THE BONDS THAT ARE THERE AND HOW THEY ARE PAID. 
          AND THEN WHEN THOSE DOLLARS START RETURNING INTO WHEN THE TSRS START TO BECOME BACK TO 
          [02:10:02]
THE COUNTY. SO NEXT STEPS IF APPROVED HERE TODAY. 
          WE DO HAVE A SERIES OF ACTION ITEMS FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION TODAY. 
          THEN THE NEXT STEP WOULD BE TOMORROW THE MERCED COUNTY TOBACCO FUNDING CORPORATION WOULD CONSIDER THE RESOLUTION. 
          AND THEN LATER IN THE DAY, IF APPROVED BY THE TOBACCO FUNDING CORPORATION, THEN THE CALIFORNIA COUNTY TOBACCO SECURITIZATION AGENCY WOULD CONSIDER THE RESOLUTION FROM THEN IN ABOUT THREE WEEKS OUT THE BONDS WE RECEIVE THE CREDIT RATINGS OF THOSE BONDS. 
          THEY PRICE THE WEEK OF THE TWENTY FIRST AND THEN CLOSE ON THE WEEK OF THE TWENTY EIGHTH, WITH THE PROCEEDS BEING RECEIVED BY THE TRUSTEE. 
          AND SO THAT CONCLUDES THE PRESENTATION. 
          AND BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE. 
          ANY COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD. 
          NO COMMENT. THANK YOU. 
          SO WE HAD A ITEM NUMBER FORTY FOUR AND MOTIONS. 
          WE HAVE A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA A SECOND BY SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL, WE HAVE RECEIVED ALL THE COMMENTS EARLIER, SO GO AHEAD AND VOTE PLEASE. 
          RECORD THE VOTE. 
          PASSES 5-0. NEXT IS ITEM FORTY FIVE. 
          ITEM FORTY FIVE. MR. CHAIRMAN, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD DURING THE PAST COUPLE OF YEARS, THERE HAS BEEN CHALLENGING LEGISLATIVE REGULATORY CHANGES, INCREASED SECURITY DEMANDS AND PUBLIC INTEREST IN THE ELECTIONS PROCESS. 
          AND AS MANY OF YOU ARE AWARE, THESE FUNCTIONS HAVE BECOME SIGNIFICANTLY MORE COMPLICATED AND REQUIRE SOMEONE WHO IS DEDICATED TO NAVIGATE THROUGH THE PROCESS, BASICALLY, INSTEAD OF ASSIGNING THE FUNCTION TO SOMEONE WHO'S RESPONSIBLE FOR MULTIPLE OTHER FUNCTIONS. 
          BASICALLY, IN MAY, THE BOARD APPROVED ESTABLISHING A SEPARATE DEDICATED REGISTRAR VOTERS POSITION TO OVERSEE THE ELECTIONS FUNCTION. 
          THE PROCESS HAS JUST BECOME TO WHERE IT'S ALMOST  I OFTEN THINK ABOUT MS. LEVY AT THIS POINT WHEN SHE HAS ASSESSORS, RECORDERS AND OTHERS. 
          AND THEN WITH ALL THE CHALLENGES, WITH ELECTIONS JUST GOING FORWARD, IT REALLY REQUIRES IS A STAND ALONE DEPARTMENT HEAD. 
          IN MAY WHEN YOU APPROVE THAT ITEM. 
          WE DO WANT TO MAKE SURE, AS WE SHARED WITH YOU THEN AND WHEN YOU ALLOCATED THAT ITEM, THAT WAS WHAT WE RECOMMENDED, IS THAT THIS EVEN THOUGH IF YOU WERE TO CONFIRM THE APPOINTMENT TODAY, LEADERSHIP THROUGH THE 2020 THIS NOVEMBER 20 ELECTION IS STILL UNDER THE ASSESSOR RECORDER MS. LEVY'S LEADERSHIP. 
          SO I WANT TO MAKE IT CLEAR FOR THE PUBLIC'S PUBLIC'S CONCERN, PUBLIC INTEREST AT THIS POINT, THAT OUR GOAL, BECAUSE OF THE SIGNIFICANT CHALLENGES AND WHAT THEIR SIGNIFICANCE IS FAR AS THE CHANGES AND A LOT OF NEW CHANGES THAT ARE BEING IMPLEMENTED, WE THOUGHT IT WAS CRITICAL TO HAVE SOME OVERLAP AS JUST TO KIND OF PROVIDE THE OPPORTUNITY FOR TRANSITION. AND WE'RE AGAIN, MS. LEVY IS STILL, ACCORDING TO THE ELECTION PROCESS AND EVERYTHING, SHE WILL BE RESPONSIBLE IN PROVIDING THE LEADERSHIP THROUGH THE ELECTION. 
          SO WE DO WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT IT'S CLEAR FOR THE PUBLIC AND THE COMMUNITIES, BECAUSE I KNOW THERE'S A LOT OF INTEREST IN THIS ELECTION. 
          WE'RE NOT LOOKING TO TRYING TO CHANGE THAT PROCESS RIGHT NOW MIDSTREAM. 
          THIS IS PURELY TO PROVIDE AN OPPORTUNITY TO CREATE SUCCESS GOING FORWARD. 
          AFTER THOROUGH RECRUITMENT PROCESS THAT INCLUDED REGISTRARS FROM OTHER COUNTIES. 
          ITEM FORTY FIVE BEFORE YOU TODAY IS A RECOMMENDATION TO CONFIRM DARLENE INGERSOLL AS THE REGISTER OF VOTERS. 
          MS. INGERSOLL SURFACED TO THE TOP THROUGH EACH STEP OF THE PROCESS WITH HER BROAD MANAGEMENT AND LEADERSHIP EXPERIENCE, INCLUDING THE ADMINISTRATION OF PROGRAMS AND BUDGET. HER STRONG PROFICIENCY IN INTERPRETING AND APPLYING RULES, REGULATIONS, LAWS AND CODE WAS NOTED BY ALL WHO ASSISTED IN THE PROCESS, ESPECIALLY RELATED TO ELECTIONS AND THE SIGNIFICANT CHANGES IN THE LEGISLATIVE AND REGULATORY COMPONENTS. 
          SHE HAS 10 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE IN VARIOUS POSITIONS WITH THE COUNTY AND OVER SEVEN YEARS AS ASSISTANT DEPARTMENT, HEAD AND CHILD SUPPORT SERVICES AND A TRUSTEE ON THE RETIREMENT BOARD, WHICH SHE HAS SERVED AS CHAIR FOR MULTIPLE TERMS. IT IS MY PLEASURE TO HAVE FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION TODAY THE RECOMMENDATION TO CONFIRM THE APPOINTMENT OF DARLENE INGERSOLL AS REGISTRAR OF VOTERS. 
          OK, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THAT POSITION. 
          SO WE HAVE ITEM NUMBER FORTY FIVE. 
          ANY FURTHER COMMENTS OR CAN WE HAVE A MOTION. 
          SUPERVISOR LOR SECONDED BY SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA. 
          I JUST LIKE TO MAKE A COMMENT BEFORE. 
          [02:15:03]
YOU KNOW, I HAD STATED TO STAFF FROM THE BEGINNING THAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THIS POSITION AS AN ELECTED POSITION BEING THAT IT IS ALREADY. 
          I KNOW THAT IT WAS SPLIT, YOU KNOW, BUT THIS DECISION COMES UNDER HARD CRITICISM, HARD DECISIONS, SOMETIMES INTIMIDATION BY, YOU KNOW, POTENTIALLY ELECTED OFFICIALS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY OR CANDIDATES. 
          THERE'S A TREMENDOUS, YOU KNOW, A TREMENDOUS PRESSURE. 
          AND TO DO THIS TO THAT OR, YOU KNOW, I'M NOT GOING TO GO INTO, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER CAN HAPPEN. BUT YOU KNOW, I THINK THIS DECISION SHOULD HAVE BEEN AN ELECTED  POSITION. 
          LIKE I SAID, I STATED THAT TO STAFF AND PUT US HERE TO I KNOW I'M NOT TAKING AWAY ANYTHING FROM DARLENE. I THINK SHE'S WONDERFUL. 
          AND SHE'S SHE EARNED THIS. 
          SHE'S GONE THROUGH THE THE ALL THE INTERVIEWS AND SHE DID GREAT. 
          BUT I'M JUST THIS POSITION SHOULD HAVE BEEN AN ELECTED POSITION AND IN A WAY, YOU KNOW, WE'VE SAID I SUPPORTED THE DECISION FOR THIS PERSON, BUT I JUST WISH THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN AN ELECTED POSITION AND, YOU KNOW, GIVE EVERYBODY IN MERCED COUNTY TO APPLY. 
          AND, YOU KNOW, IF YOU WANT TO BE ELECTED, BECAUSE IT COMES WITH TREMENDOUS, TREMENDOUS PRESSURE. SO I'VE SEEN IT AND. 
          SO WITH THAT, WE'LL GO AHEAD AND AND WE'LL VOTE PLEASE. 
          RECORD THE VOTE PLEASE. 
          MOTION CARRIES 5-0. 
          DARLENE, WOULD YOU LIKE TO INTORDUCE YOURSELF? THANK YOU. I'M GOING TO TAKE THIS OFF BRIEFLY, THANKS TO VOTERS FOR MERCED COUNTY. 
          I'M TRULY HONORED AND HUMBLED BY THE RESPONSIBILITY ENTRUSTED TO ME, AND WILL DO EVERYTHING TO THE BEST OF MY ABILITY TO SERVE MERCED COUNTY AND THE EMPLOYEES OF THE DEPARTMENT WITH EXCELLENCE. 
          THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. 
          WELL, I JUST WANT TO CONGRATULATE YOU ON THE POSITION. 
          THANK YOU. THANK YOU. YOU HAVE A COMMENT SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA. 
          YEAH. I JUST WOULD LIKE TO CONGRATULATE YOU AS WELL. 
          JUST THROUGH MY PERSONAL LIFE, I KNOW PEOPLE THAT WORK UNDER YOU AT YOUR CURRENT DEPARTMENT AND YOUR INTEGRITY IS AWESOME FROM THEIR STANDPOINT. 
          AND SO, YOU KNOW, IN A POSITION LIKE THIS. 
          I THINK THAT'S PROBABLY ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS. 
          AND SO CONGRATULATIONS AND WELCOME. 
          THANK YOU VERY MUCH. 
          NO FURTHER COMMENTS. WE'LL MOVE ON. 
          NEXT IS ITEM FORTY SIX BOARD APPOINTMENTS. 
          ITEM FORTY SIX COMMENTS OR MOTIONS? WE HAVE A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA. 
          SECOND BY SUPERVISOR LOR. WE HAD PUBLIC COMMENT EARLIER SO GO AHEAD AND VOTE PLEASE. 
          RECORD THE VOTE. 
          MOTION CARRIES 5-0. 
          NEXT IS BOARD INFORMATION AND POSSIBLE ACTION ITEMS, FORTY SEVEN THROUGH 52. 
          [BOARD INFORMATION & POSSIBLE ACTION]
47 THROUGH 52. 
          MOTIONS OR. [INAUDIBLE] SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL AND SECOND BY SUPERVISOR LOR. 
          GO AHEAD AND VOTE PLEASE. 
          MOTION CARRIES 5-0. 
          I JUST LIKE TO STATE A COMMENT ON ITEM FORTY SEVEN EVEN THOUGH WE VOTED ALREADY. 
          JUST THAT THIS IS TO AWARD THE CONTRACT FOR CHARLES AVENUE. 
          I THINK THAT THE COMMUNITY OF [INAUDIBLE] IN THAT REGION OVER THERE HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR THIS PROJECT TO MOVE FORWARD. 
          SO I WANT TO THANK DANA FROM PUBLIC WORKS AND ALL THE STAFF THAT SUPPORTIVE AND HOPEFULLY THE CONTRACT TO START AS SOON AS YOU KNOW THE SURROUNDING COMMUNITY IS PROBABLY GOING THROUGH [INAUDIBLE] HARVEST AND OTHER PRODUCTS. 
          SO IT CERTAINLY IS NEEDED. 
          AND SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THAT. 
          NEXT, WE'LL MOVE ON TO OUR PUBLIC HEARINGS, OUR FIRST PUBLIC HEARING IS FROM PUBLIC WORKS 
          [PUBLIC WORKS - PUBLIC HEARING]
TO CONSIDER GENERAL VACATION OF AMSTERDAM ROAD FROM PRINCETON ROAD TO NORTH END OF AMSTERDAM ROAD. 
          GOOD MORNING, MR. CHAIRMAN. 
          [02:20:01]
ACTUALLY, GOOD AFTERNOON, MR. CHAIRMAN. MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, DANA HERTFELDER, OUR DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS. 
          PUBLIC WORKS, RECEIVED A PETITION FROM THE PROPERTY OWNERS REQUESTING THAT THE COUNTY VACATE A PORTION OF AMSTERDAM ROAD AND THE SECTION OF AMSTERDAM ROAD PROPOSED TO BE VACATED AS APPROXIMATELY ONE POINT SIX MILES IN LENGTH AND RUNS FROM PRINCETON ROAD NORTH TO ITS END SECTION EIGHTY THREE TWENTY FOUR OF THE CALIFORNIA STREETS AND HIGHWAYS CODE ALLOWS THE LEGISLATIVE BODY OF A LOCAL AGENCY TO VACATE A PORTION OF A HIGHWAY IF IT DETERMINES THAT IS UNNECESSARY FOR PRESENT OR FUTURE PUBLIC USE. 
          AMSTERDAM ROAD IS NOT A THROUGH ROAD AND PROVIDES ACCESS ONLY TO A FEW PRIVATELY OWNED PARCELS, AND IT IS NOT NECESSARY FOR THE PUBLIC'S CONVENIENCE. 
          NOTICE THAT THE PUBLIC HEARING WAS PUBLISHED AND POSTED PURSUANT TO SECTIONS EIGHTY THREE TWENTY TWO AND EIGHTY THREE TWENTY THREE OF THE CALIFORNIA STREETS AND HIGHWAYS CODE. 
          THE COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT HAS REVIEWED THE PROPOSED VACATION AND DETERMINED THAT IT IS CONSISTENT WITH MERCED COUNTY GENERAL PLAN AND IS EXEMPT FROM THE CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ACT. 
          PUBLIC WORKS HAS NOT RECEIVED ANY OPPOSITION TO THE PROPOSED VACATION. 
          THANK YOU. LET ME JUST READ A LITTLE BIT FOR TODAY'S PUBLIC HEARINGS WE WILL BE ACCEPTING PUBLIC COMMENT LIVE AND IN PERSON AND VIA VOICE MAIL. 
          HOWEVER, PLEASE NOTE THE VOICEMAIL MESSAGE LINE HAS BEEN OPEN TO ACCEPT PUBLIC COMMENT SINCE THE  POSTING OF THE AGENDA. 
          WE WILL NOT BE ACCEPTING PUBLIC COMMENT BY EMAIL. 
          FOLLOWING THE OPENING OF EACH HEARING THERE WILL BE A BRIEF PAUSE TO ALLOW MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC TO LEAVE THE VOICEMAIL MESSAGE. 
          PLEASE CALL 209-726-2755 IN REFERENCE TO THE SUBJECT MATTER OF THE PUBLIC HEARING, WOODSMEN WILL PLAY AT THE CONCLUSION OF THE BREAK. 
          THIS WILL BE THE PROCEDURE FOR EACH OF OUR PUBLIC HEARINGS TODAY. 
          SO, UM. SO THERE WILL ANY COMMENTS OR EMOTIONS? OK, SO NOW WE OPEN UP THE PUBLIC HERE. 
          LET'S SEE IF THERE'S ANYBODY HERE FOR. 
          YEAH, ANY ANYBODY PRESENT THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM. 
          IF NOT, YEAH, WE'LL TAKE A FIVE MINUTE BREAK, WE'LL COME BACK TO THERE'S ANY COMMENTS. 
          THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. 
          WE'LL COME BACK AND THEN, DID WE GET ANY VOICEMAILS? WE RECEIVED NO PUBLIC COMMENT. 
          NO, OK  NO PUBLIC COMMENT HERE OR VOICE MAIL. 
          SO WE'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC COMMENT AND WE'LL COME BACK. 
          ANY FURTHER COMMENTS OR MOTIONS BY SUPERVISORS? YES. 
          MOTION BY SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA. 
          SECOND BY SUPERVISOR [INAUDIBLE]. 
          ALL RIGHT, IN THE ALL IN FAVOR. 
          AYE. ANY OPPOSED. 
          THE MOTION CARRIES 5-0. 
          OUR NEXT PUBLIC HEARING IS FROM BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AND RECOVERY SERVICES TO CONSIDER 
          [BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AND RECOVERY SERVICES - PUBLIC HEARING]
PROPOSED ORDINANCE AMENDING MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES FEE SCHEDULE. 
          SORRY. 
          GOOD AFTERNOON, CHAIRMAN, SUPERVISORS, COUNTY COUNCIL HANSON, CEO BROWN, I KNOW THE LAST BOARD MEETING, THERE WAS QUESTIONS REGARDING THIS SPECIFIC HEARING, WHICH I'D LIKE TO BE ABLE TO ADDRESS, AND I'LL BRIEFLY DO SO PRIOR TO COMMENT, IF THAT IS OK. 
          SO BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AND RECOVERY SERVICES HAS HAD A RATHER DRASTIC CHALLENGE IN TERMS OF FISCAL CONNECTED TO COVID-19. 
          THIS ORDER IS NOT SOMETHING THAT WE BRILLIANTLY CAME UP WITH. 
          IT WAS ACTUALLY THE STATE DHCS IN NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT FOR MEDICAID, ASKED FOR REIMBURSEMENT CHANGES DUE TO THE FACT THERE'S SUCH AN INCREASE OF CONCERNS FISCALLY FOR SPECIALTY MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES. 
          SO THIS WOULD BE MORE OR LESS A PASS THROUGH FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, MEDICAID TO THE STATE, WHICH WOULD ALLOW US TO ACTUALLY GET REIMBURSED AT A HIGHER RATE TO THE STATE. 
          [02:25:01]
SO THIS WOULD NOT IMPACT ANY OF OUR CONSUMERS. 
          WE WOULD NOT BE ASKING FOR AN ADDITIONAL BILL. 
          INSTEAD, IT WILL BE ALLOWING US TO GET MORE MONEY FROM THE STATE BASED OFF OF THE SERVICES THAT WE DO PROVIDE. 
          THIS IS TEMPORARY. 
          SO YOU WILL ACTUALLY HAVE ME COMING BACK SAYING WE HAVE TO DROP OUR RATES AGAIN. 
          BUT AT THIS POINT, THIS ALLOWS US TO GET REIMBURSED FROM THE STATE AT A HIGHER RATE DUE TO THE FACT THAT COVID HAS DRASTICALLY IMPACTED OUR FISCAL SUPPORTS AND HAVE CAUSED SOME ADDITIONAL CHALLENGES FOR US. 
          OK, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. 
          SO WITH THAT, WE WILL OPEN UP THE PUBLIC HEARING THE SAME WAY IS THERE ANYBODY HERE WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM. 
          IF NOT, I GUESS WE'LL TAKE ANOTHER FIVE MINUTE BREAK SEE IF THERE'S ANYBODY CALLS IN. 
          THANK YOU. OK, COMING BACK DID WE RECEIVE ANY CALL INS? WE RECEIVED NO VOICEMAIL PUBLIC COMMENTS. 
          NO VOICEMAIL PUBLIC COMMENTS. 
          SO THERE'S NOBODY ELSE HERE PRESENT THAT WANTS TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM. 
          SO WE'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AND WE'LL MOVE ON. 
          SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA. 
          MR. CHAIR. FIRST I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION, CAN I ADDRESS IT ALL IN ONE, LIKE MAKE THE MOTION TO WAIVE FURTHER READING AND DO ALL THE OTHER STUFF? PERFECT. THANK YOU. CHAIR MOTION TO WAIVE FURTHER READING OF THE ORDINANCE. 
          WE'VE ALREADY OPENED AND CLOSED THE PUBLIC HEARING AND TO ADOPT ORDINANCE KNOWN AS MENTAL HEALTH FEES AMENDS CHAPTER NINE POINT FOUR EIGHT, SECTION NINE POINT FOUR EIGHT ZERO THREE ZERO AND AMENDS ORDINANCE NINETEEN SEVENTY EIGHT. 
          OK, WE HAVE A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND BY SUPERVISOR PAREIRA. 
          ALL IN FAVOR. 
          AYE.  ANY OPPOSED. 
          MOTION CARRIES 5-0. 
          OUR NEXT PUBLIC HEARING IS FROM COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TO CONSIDER AMENDMENT 
          [COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT - PUBLIC HEARING]
OF THE AGRICULTURAL PRESERVE AS PER THE CALIFORNIA LAND CONSERVATION ACT OF 1965, WILLIAMSON ACT IN MERCED COUNTY, CAN GO AHEAD. 
          MR. CHAIRMAN, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD. 
          GOOD AFTERNOON. MARK HENDRICKSON, AGAIN, DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. 
          THIS IS AN ITEM THAT YOU SEE EPISODICALLY. 
          AND AGAIN, THE PURPOSE OF THIS PUBLIC HEARING IS FOR YOU TODAY TO CONSIDER AMENDING THE AGRICULTURAL PRESERVE UPON YOUR APPROVAL OF THIS ITEM TODAY TWO APPLICANT REQUESTED PROPERTY LINE ADJUSTMENTS WILL BE EFFECTUATED SECTION 51233 OF THE CALIFORNIA GOVERNMENT CODE REQUIRES THE BOARD TO HOLD A HEARING TO AMEND THE AG PRESERVE TODAY, A TOTAL OF FIVE POINT THIRTY FOUR ACRES WOULD BE REMOVED UPON YOUR ACTION. 
          NONE OF THESE SUBJECT PROPERTIES IS JUST OF NOTE ARE ACTUALLY UNDER WILLIAMSON ACT CONTRACT. 
          AT THIS POINT, STAFF RECOMMENDS A COUPLE OF FOLLOWING ACTIONS. 
          ONE FOR YOU, OF COURSE, TO OPEN AND CLOSE A PUBLIC HEARING. 
          AND THERE ARE TWO SEPARATE ACTIONS FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION. 
          FIRST, TO MAKE A MOTION TO FIND THE REMOVAL OF LAND FROM THE AG PRESERVE LISTED IN THE BOARD AGENDA ITEM AS EXEMPT FROM CEQA UNDER SECTION ONE FIVE ONE EIGHT THREE PROJECTS CONSISTENT WITH THE COMMUNITY PLAN OR ZONING, AGAIN, BASED ON THOSE FINDINGS IN THE STAFF REPORT. AND THEN SECONDLY, TO MAKE A MOTION TO ADOPT THE RESOLUTION, AMENDING THE AG PRESERVE AS PER THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE LAND CONSERVATION ACT OF 1965. 
          JUST TO PUT IT IN FURTHER PERSPECTIVE, THESE WERE APPLICANT REQUESTS ARE ACTUALLY THE RESULT OF PROPERTY OWNERS SEEKING TO DEVELOP HOMESITES ON THE RESPECTIVE PROPERTIES. 
          THE WILLIAMSON ACT AND AG PRESERVE RULES REQUIRE MINIMAL PARCEL SIZES OF TEN ACRES. 
          SINCE THESE SUBJECT PROPERTIES ARE LESS THAN TEN ACRES, THEY'RE REQUIRED TO BE REMOVED FROM THE AG PRESERVE IN ORDER TO EFFECTUATE THEIR REQUESTED PROPERTY LINE ADJUSTMENTS. 
          AT THIS POINT, STAFF BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS OR WOULD AGAIN ENCOURAGE YOU TO OPEN AND CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING. 
          THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. 
          THERE'S NO COMMENT THEN WE'LL GO AHEAD AND OPEN UP THE PUBLIC HEARING AND RECEIVE TESTIMONY. 
          WOULD ANYBODY LIKE TO COMMENT ON THIS ITEM HERE PRESENT. 
          NONE. IF NOT, THEN WE'LL OPEN UP FOR CALL INS. 
          SO WE'LL WAIT FIVE MINUTES FOR PEOPLE TO CALL IN AND THEN WE'LL COME BACK. 
          SEE IF THERE ARE  AND CALL INS. THANK YOU. 
          YEAH. ALL RIGHT, WE'RE BACK. 
          WERE ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS RECEIVED BY CALL INS? WE RECEIVED NO VOICEMAIL PUBLIC COMMENT. 
          NO PUBLIC COMMENTS ON THE PUBLIC HEARING. 
          OK, WE'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AND ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR MOTIONS BY THE SUPERVISORS? [INAUDIBLE] SORRY ABOUT THAT. SO I WILL MOVE STAFF RECOMMENDATION NUMBER THREE. 
          DOES IT NEED TO BE SPELLED OUT? [INAUDIBLE] THAT WE FIND THESE TWO PROPERTIES ARE EXEMPT FROM CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ACT, ALSO KNOWN AS CEQA, UNDER SECTION 15183, AND THAT THE PROJECTS ARE CONSISTENT WITH A COMMUNITY PLAN OR ZONING BASED ON THE FINDINGS LISTED IN THE BAI. 
          [02:30:05]
AND THEY ALSO MOVE THAT WE ADOPT A RESOLUTION TO AMEND THE AGRICULTURAL PRESERVE AS PER THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE LAND CONSERVATION ACT OF 1965, ALSO KNOWN AS THE WILLIAMSON ACT SECTIONS FIVE ONE TWO ZERO OF THE CALIFORNIA GOVERNMENT CODE. 
          SECOND. 
          WE HAVE A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR PAREIRA AND SECOND BY SUPERVISORS SILVEIRA. 
          SO ALL IN FAVOR. AYE. 
          ANY OPPOSED. MOTION CARRIES 5-0. 
          NEXT IS BOARD REPORTS. 
          [REPORTS/BOARD DIRECTION]
BOARD REPORTS. WE'LL START WITH SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA. 
          THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. I JUST AGAIN WANT TO REMIND EVERYBODY THAT LATER THIS AFTERNOON, ONE, WE WILL BE HAVING A WEBINAR ON HOW TO BE ABLE TO ACCESS THOSE FUNDS THAT THE COUNTY HAS ALLOCATED THROUGH THE CARES ACT DOLLARS TO EACH OF OUR INDIVIDUAL DISTRICTS. 
          AND THEN AGAIN ON THURSDAY, THERE WILL BE THE WEBINAR IN SPANISH AND THEN THOSE WEBINARS ARE GOING TO BE RECORDED SO THAT IF YOU CAN'T ACTUALLY MAKE THOSE TIMES THAT YOU'RE ABLE TO GET BACK ON. AND THAT'S ALL UNDER THE REOPEN MERCED COUNTY WEBSITE. 
          SO I JUST WANT TO ENCOURAGE FOLKS FROM OUR DISTRICT, MY DISTRICT AND ALL OF OUR DISTRICTS TO UTILIZE THESE FUNDS TO HELP THEM GET THROUGH THIS PANDEMIC. 
          AGAIN, JUST WANT TO CONGRATULATE DARLENE INGERSOLL ON HER NEW APPOINTMENT TO THE REGISTRAR OF VOTERS. I WORK WITH DARLENE ON THE RETIREMENT BOARD. 
          AND I THINK THAT MY EXPERIENCE WITH HER THERE, SHE'S GOING TO BE A GOOD FIT FOR OUR ELECTIONS DEPARTMENT. SHE'S VERY DETAIL ORIENTED. 
          AND ELECTIONS NOW ARE JUST THAT. 
          YOU NEED TO BE DETAIL ORIENTED. 
          AND THAT LEADS ME TO THE LAST POINT I WANT TO TALK ABOUT IS HAVING YOU KNOW, WE JUST WENT THROUGH A TRANSITION WITH ALL NEW VOTING EQUIPMENT, PRETTY MUCH ALL NEW VOTING EQUIPMENT IN THE MARCH PRIMARY, MYSELF WITH SOME OF MY COLLEAGUES. 
          I DON'T KNOW IF EVERYBODY MADE IT OUT THERE, BUT I THINK THE MAJORITY OF US DID ACTUALLY TOURED THE FACILITY, TOURED THE EQUIPMENT, GOT A HANDS ON, NOT A HANDS ON, BUT LIKE A BIRD'S EYE VIEW OF HOW THE SYSTEM WORKS. 
          AND I KNOW THAT THERE'S A LOT OF STUFF GOING ON OUT THERE WITH THE POST OFFICE AND ELECTIONS AND ALL MAIL IN BALLOTS. 
          AND THIS IS WHAT I WILL TELL YOU IN MERCED COUNTY SEVENTY FIVE PERCENT OF OUR VOTERS ALREADY VOTE BY ABSENTEE BALLOT. 
          SO WHEN YOU PUT IT IN THAT PERSPECTIVE, I DON'T THINK THAT ADDING THOSE ADDITIONAL BALLOTS IS GOING TO BE SOMETHING THAT IS GOING TO OVERWHELM OUR VOTER, OUR REGISTRAR OF VOTERS OFFICE. I THINK THAT THEY'RE VERY WELL PREPARED FOR ABSENTEE BALLOT, SEEING HOW SEVENTY FIVE PERCENT OF THE BALLOTS THAT THEY PROCESS IN A NORMAL ELECTION ARE ALREADY ABSENTEE. YOU KNOW WHAT HAPPENS OUT IN THE GENERAL PUBLIC? I THINK THAT IT'S YOU KNOW, I CAN'T WE CAN'T CONTROL THAT. 
          A WORD OF CAUTION. 
          IF ANYBODY, I DON'T CARE WHO THEY ARE, COMES UP TO YOU AND DEMANDS THAT YOU GIVE THEM YOUR BALLOT, THAT YOU SIGN YOUR YOU SIGN YOUR ENVELOPE AND GIVE THEM YOUR BALLOT WITHOUT I WOULD TELL THEM TO GO POUND SAND AND HAD CALL THE SHERIFF'S ON THEM OR THE COPS IF YOU LIVE IN THE CITY I MEAN THAT'S YOUR CHOICE. 
          YOU WANT TO VOTE NOBODY SHOULD BE TAKING THAT AWAY FROM YOU. 
          SO YOU HAVE THAT PART OF IT. 
          BUT I CAN'T HELP WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN OUT IN THE GENERAL PUBLIC. 
          IT IS LEGAL TO BALLOT HARVEST IN CALIFORNIA. 
          I MYSELF DON'T NECESSARILY AGREE WITH THAT. 
          BUT THOSE THINGS WE CAN'T. 
          BUT ONCE IT MAKES IT TO OUR FACILITY, ONCE IT MAKES IT TO THE REGISTRAR OF VOTERS TO THE WAREHOUSE TO BE COUNTED. 
          I STATED THIS EARLIER TODAY AND I'VE TALKED TO BECAUSE I'VE BEEN GETTING A LOT OF PHONE CALLS AND EMAILS ON THIS PARTICULAR TOPIC IS UNLESS THERE WAS A CONSPIRACY ALL THE WAY FROM THE TOP OF THE REGISTRAR OF VOTERS, ALL OF OUR PAID STAFF THAT WORK IN THE REGISTRAR OF VOTERS OFFICE, ALL OF THE EXTRA HELP EMPLOYEES THAT WORK IN THE WAREHOUSE, THEY WOULD HAVE TO BE A CONCERTED EFFORT, CONSPIRACY BY ALL THOSE FOLKS TO CHANGE THE OUTCOME OF AN ELECTION IN MERCED COUNTY. 
          IT'S THE SYSTEM OF CHECKS AND BALANCES UNDER THE WATCHFUL EYE OF A CAMERA IS THE SYSTEM THAT WE HAVE IN PLACE. I WOULD PUT IT UP AGAINST ANYBODY'S AND I AND I'M HIGHLY CONFIDENT IN TELLING YOU THAT ONCE IT MAKES IT TO US THAT THE VOTES ARE GOING TO GET CORRECT, THE GET COUNTED CORRECTLY AND THERE'S NOT THERE'S NO THERE'S NO ROOM FOR ERROR IN THERE. 
          WHAT I WILL TELL YOU IS IF YOU HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT THE POST OFFICE, THERE'S GOING TO BE SPOTS IN ALL THE THE INCORPORATED CITIES AT THEIR CITY HALLS. 
          THERE WILL BE BALLOT DROP BOXES. 
          AND I KNOW THAT THEY'RE GOING TO BE IN OTHER PLACES AND SOME OF THE UNINCORPORATED AREAS. 
          [02:35:03]
BUT AS THAT INFORMATION COMES OUT FOR THE REGISTRAR OF VOTERS, AGAIN, FOLLOW ME ON FACEBOOK. I'LL BE POSTING ALL THAT STUFF OR FOLLOW THE REGISTRAR OF VOTERS ON FACEBOOK, BARB'S PUSHING OUT STUFF. 
          GOOD INFORMATION. 
          BUT I JUST WANT TO SO THERE'S PLENTY OF WAYS TO SATISFY ANY OF YOUR IF YOU HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF ANGST, IF YOU IF YOU'RE CONCERNED ABOUT THE POST OFFICE NOT BEING ABLE TO DELIVER IT, YOU CAN BE REALLY FROM THE WEST SIDE. 
          IT'S A LITTLE BIT FURTHER. BUT YOU WANT TO DRIVE ALL THE WAY OVER HERE 222 M STREET, WE ACTUALLY HAVE AN OFFICIAL DROPBOX. 
          AND IF YOU'RE STILL NOT LIKE, DO YOU THINK THAT IT COULD GET LOST FROM THERE TO INSIDE THE BUILDING. WELL, I CAN TELL YOU, YOU CAN ACTUALLY PARK YOUR CAR AND WALK INSIDE THE BUILDING AND HAND YOUR BALLOT IN AT THE REGISTRAR OF VOTERS OFFICE. 
          SO I KNOW THAT WE'RE DOING EVERYTHING ON OUR END TO KEEP THE ELECTION AS SAFE AS POSSIBLE, WHICH IS WHAT WE'VE BEEN TASKED EVEN BEFORE ALL THE CRAZINESS THAT IS GOING ON WITH COVID AND EVERYTHING NOW. 
          SO I JUST WANT TO REASSURE VOTERS, IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS, EMAIL ME, CALL ME, REACH OUT. 
          I'LL BE GLAD TO EXPLAIN IT TO YOU. 
          BUT WE HAVE A LOT OF ASSURANCES IN PLACE THAT WE'RE MAKING SURE THAT VOTES AREN'T BEING DOUBLE COUNTED AND THAT THEY'RE I MEAN, THE SIGNATURE VERIFICATION MACHINES THEY'RE PRETTY HIGH TECH AT THE LEVEL THAT THEY CAN THEY CAN VERIFY THE SIGNATURES. 
          SO, AGAIN, I'M CONFIDENT IN OUR ELECTION SYSTEM. 
          AND SO I ENCOURAGE EVERYBODY TO MAKE SURE THEY VOTE IT'S COMING UP SOON. 
          THANK YOU. SUPERVISOR PAREIRA. THANK YOU. 
          MR. CHAIR. I WANT TO REITERATE AN EVENT THAT'S HAPPENING IN MERCED COUNTY. 
          IT'S HAPPENING IN WINTON. 
          AND THE CENTRAL VALLEY OPPORTUNITY CENTER IS HAVING A 2020 FARM WORKER APPRECIATION DAY. 
          IT WILL BE ON AUGUST 28TH FROM TWO TO FIVE O'CLOCK AT AT THE END OF BRIDGET COURT. 
          BRIDGET COURT THERE'S ONLY ONE ONE BUSINESS DOWN AT THE END. 
          AND AND THAT IS THE CENTRAL VALLEY OPPORTUNITY CENTER. 
          YOU CAN PREREGISTER FOR THE EVENT AT CVOC.ORG AND THEN /CONTACT US OR GO TO THAT PAGE AND THEN LOOK FOR THE CONTACT US BUTTON. 
          OR YOU CAN CALL 357-0062. 
          YOU MIGHT BE WONDERING WHAT WHAT WHY WOULD I SIGN UP WHAT'S AVAILABLE? SO IN APPRECIATION OF THE HARD WORK THAT OUR FARM WORKERS DO, THE COUNTYSUPPLYBANK.ORG THE COUNTY FOOD BANK HAVE ALL COME TOGETHER WITH THE CVOC TO KIND OF WAREHOUSE A BUNCH OF OPPORTUNITIES. THERE WILL BE PPE AVAILABLE FACEMASKS FOR FARM WORKERS AND OTHER PROTECTIVE GEAR. THERE WILL BE HOUSEHOLD ITEMS GIVE AWAY. 
          THERE'S FOOD, RENTAL ASSISTANCE, FOOD VOUCHERS. 
          UTILITY ASSISTANCE MAY ALSO BE AVAILABLE IF YOU QUALIFY. 
          BUT ANYWAYS, IT'S JUST THAT EVERYTHING WILL BE DONE IN BOTH ENGLISH AND SPANISH. 
          SO ANYWAYS, AGAIN, THAT'S ON THE 28TH FROM TWO TO FIVE AT THE CVOC. 
          I TOO WOULD LIKE TO CONGRATULATE DARLENE ON HER NEW POSITION. 
          I WORKED WITH HER REALLY SPARINGLY, BUT SHE IS A DETAIL ORIENTED, HIGHLY HONEST PERSON. 
          AND SO I JUST WISH HER WELL IN THAT POSITION AND WOULD LIKE TO ACTUALLY THANK THAT THE CURRENT REGISTRAR OF VOTERS, BARBARA LEVY, FOR BEING WILLING TO WALK HER THROUGH AND TEACH HER HOW THE JOB IS DONE HERE OVER THIS NEXT ELECTION. 
          AND THAT WILL LEAVE US IN GOOD HANDS ONCE SHE RETIRES AND DARLENE IS IN CHARGE. 
          AND THAT IS IT. THANK YOU. 
          THANK YOU. SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. ALSO, I'D LIKE TO CONGRATULATE DARLENE INGERSOLL ON HER NEW POSITION. 
          I FEEL VERY CONFIDENT WITH HER BEING THERE. 
          TOO, I JUST WANT TO SAY OUT MEETING WITH ALL THE BUSINESSES IN MY AREA HAS BEEN VERY, VERY BENEFICIAL. I SEE A LOT OF FOLKS DO HAVE A LOT OF QUESTIONS. 
          AND ALTHOUGH THE SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS DON'T HAVE THE TIME TO REALLY GO OUT AND RESEARCH, SO IT'S VERY GOOD IF WE REACH OUT TO THEM AND HELP THEM OUT. 
          AND THIS HAS BEEN VERY, VERY PRODUCTIVE. 
          I KNOW WHEN I WAS FIRST ELECTED, I TRIED TO HIT EVERY BUSINESS IN MY DISTRICT AND I THINK I GOT TO SEVENTY TWO PERCENT OF THEM AND JUST TRYING TO REACH OUT. 
          AND WHAT'S FUNNY IS IN TRYING TO FOLLOW UP WITH THAT, THERE'S A LOT OF THEM WHO AREN'T IN BUSINESS ANYMORE. BUT I'M GOING TO CONTINUE TO DO THAT AGAIN BECAUSE NOW THIS IS AN IMPORTANT MESSAGES. 
          WAIT FOR THEM TO GET CERTIFIED AND STEP UP AND AND DO IT THE PROPER WAY. 
          THANK YOU. SUPERVISOR LOR. 
          THANK YOU, I TOO WANT TO  CONGRATULATE DARLENE. 
          [02:40:02]
AND I'M REALLY EXCITED TO HAVE SOMEONE COME ON BOARD AND TRANSITION WITH BARBARA LEVY. 
          AND I TOO WANT TO THANK BARBARA FOR THE WORK THAT SHE'S DONE, JUST WATCHING THE IMPROVEMENTS IN THE LAST FOUR YEARS IN THE ELECTIONS DEPARTMENT. 
          I'M REALLY PLEASED WITH THE INFORMATION THAT HAS COME OUT THIS YEAR FOR CANDIDATES. 
          AND I WANT TO REMIND FOLKS, PLEASE, MASK UP. 
          THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. 
          COUNTY COUNCIL. [INAUDIBLE] NOTHING. 
          WELL, FOR ME. I ALSO CONGRATULATIONS TO DARLENE. 
          I WAS ABLE TO BE ON THE INTERVIEW TEAM AND SHE SCORED THE HIGHEST. 
          SHE'S VERY PROFESSIONAL IN HER POSITION. 
          AND I THINK THAT SHE HAS THE SUPPORT OF HER PEERS AND LEARN AS MUCH AS YOU CAN FROM BARBARA LEVY TO DO THE BEST JOB THAT SHE CAN. 
          AND WITH THAT, TOO, I ALSO LIKE SUPERVISOR LOR SAYS, WEAR A MASK. 
          DON'T SHAKE HANDS, EVERYBODY. 
          PLEASE, YOU KNOW, I'VE GONE THROUGH MY LIKE I SAID SEVERAL SIBLINGS AND MY PARENTS HAVE BEEN IN THE HOSPITAL FOR FIVE, SIX DAYS, EACH OF THEM. 
          BUT THANK GOD THEY'RE ALL OUT AND THEY'RE RECOVERING. 
          SO WITH THAT, WE'LL CLOSE THE MEETING. 
          THANK YOU.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.