Sep 08, 2026 Board of Supervisors Meeting

NEXT COMMENTER? THE NEXT COMMENTER IS GARTH LEWIS.

GOOD MORNING.

GOOD MORNING, CHAIR ALLEN.

GOOD MORNING, BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, STAFF, AND COMMUNITY.

MY NAME IS GARTH LEWIS, AND I HAVE THE DISTINCT HONOR OF SERVING AS THE YOLO COUNTY SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS.

I'M HERE THIS MORNING TO JUST ACKNOWLEDGE THE CHALLENGES THAT THE COUNTY FACES FROM YOUR POSITION AS POLICY MAKERS AS WELL AS STAFF AS IT RELATES TO THE STRUCTURAL DEFICIT AND DECISIONS COMING BEFORE YOU AT YOUR NEXT BOARD MEETING RELATED TO THE ADOPTION OF YOUR BUDGET, WHICH WILL INCLUDE A POTENTIAL REALLOCATION OF FUNDS AWAY FROM A PROJECT ASSOCIATED WITH THE SYSTEMS NAVIGATION WORKGROUP WITH THE ROADMAP TO THE FUTURE.

AND, AGAIN, WHILE I UNDERSTAND THE CHALLENGES THAT THE COUNTY FACES AND CERTAINLY UNDERSTAND THE NEED TO CONSIDER THIS PARTICULAR DECISION, I ALSO WANT TO REMIND THE BOARD OF THE FACT THAT THAT PARTICULAR PROJECT CAME OUT OF A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, AND THE VOICES OF OUR COMMUNITY ARE REFLECTED IN THAT PARTICULAR PROPOSAL.

SO IN LINE WITH THAT, WHAT I WOULD SIMPLY ASK IS THAT THE BOARD, AS YOU'RE CONSIDERING YOUR DECISION AND REINVESTMENT OF THOSE DOLLARS, THAT IT WOULD BE DONE SO IN ALIGNMENT WITH THE SPIRIT OF THE ROADMAP TO THE FUTURE, IN PARTICULAR IN RESPONSE TO ISSUES AROUND HELPING AND SUPPORTING STUDENTS, CHILDREN, YOUTH, AND FAMILIES, ESSENTIALLY, TO REALLY TO THRIVE.

AND THAT'S WHAT I'M HERE TO REQUEST. I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED HARD WORK ON THESE ISSUES, YOUR CONTINUED PARTNERSHIP, AND YOUR CONTINUED COMMITMENT TO OUR COMMUNITY.

OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS BETH BOURNE.

THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER.

HI. CAN WE TALK ABOUT BREAST BINDING? I WAS REALLY PLEASED TO SEE THIS BOOK IN OUR DAVIS PUBLIC LIBRARY. IT'S ALSO IN THE WOODLAND PUBLIC LIBRARY. IT'S CALLED BREATHE, JOURNEYS TO HEALTHY BINDING.

ON THE FRONT COVER, IT SHOWS FOUR TEEN GIRLS, YOUNG WOMEN. ONE IS ON TESTOSTERONE WITH A BEARD.

THREE HAVE THE BREAST BINDERS THAT WE DO OFFER OUR KIDS HERE IN YOLO COUNTY AND OUR SCHOOLS THROUGH COMMUNICARE. IF YOU'RE 12 AND OVER, GIRLS, YOU CAN GET A FREE BREAST BINDER AT YOUR SCHOOL.

BUT THIS BOOK SHOWS TRANS TAPE, AND I'M NOT SURE HOW MANY OF YOU ARE FAMILIAR WITH HOW TRANS TAPE WORKS. I JUST WANTED TO DO A LITTLE DEMONSTRATION.

ON THE FRONT COVER, IT SHOWS A YOUNG GIRL WEARING TRANS TAPE.

I'M NOT SURE ALL OF YOU ARE FAMILIAR HOW IT WORKS, BUT IN THIS BOOK, IT DISCUSSES, IT SAYS HERE, I ALSO STARTED TRYING OUT TRANS TAPE. I WENT TO THE BEACH WITH MY FRIENDS, AND I WORE THE TAPE INTO THE OCEAN. BINDING MAKES MY BODY FEEL MORE LIKE MY OWN. IT AFFECTS HOW I WANT TO TAKE CARE OF MYSELF.

IT EASED A LOT OF MY ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION, AND IT HELPED ME CLIMB BACK FROM AN EATING DISORDER.

BINDING GAVE ME THE FREEDOM TO BE MYSELF. BINDING IS SOMETHING I DO FOR MYSELF.

IN THIS PAGE, ESPECIALLY FOR YOU, SUPERVISOR ALLEN, AS A NURSE, THE PHYSICAL HEALTH OF BINDING CAN BE PREVENTED OR MITIGATED WITH SAFER BINDING PRACTICES, SOCIAL SUPPORT, AND GENDER-AFFIRMING MEDICAL CARE.

THE MENTAL HEALTH BENEFITS ARE IMMEDIATE AND TANGIBLE.

FOR SOME, THEY'RE LIFE-CHANGING AND EVEN LIFE-SAVING.

[00:10:02]

SO ALL THOSE GIRLS OUT THERE, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE AT RISK OF SUICIDE IF YOUR MOM DOESN'T ALLOW YOU TO WEAR A BREAST BINDER. AND SO THANK YOU TO THE DEMOCRATS FOR BEING SO INCLUSIVE, SO PROGRESSIVE. LET OUR DAUGHTERS GROW UP TO BE MEN.

NEXT SPEAKER. NEXT SPEAKER I HAVE IS MARIANNE HERNANDEZ.

HELLO, COUNCIL. I AM SPEAKING REGARDING ITEM NUMBER 24, BUT I HAVE TO LEAVE. AND THAT IS REGARDING THE NEW SPAY-NEUTER CLINIC THAT IS ADJACENT TO THE ANIMAL SHELTER. SO THANK YOU. WE'RE SO GRATEFUL. I AM ONE OF THE TRAPPERS IN YOLO COUNTY, AND YOU WOULD NOT BELIEVE HOW MANY CATS THERE ARE. YOU'LL HEAR LATER WITH MY COUNTERPARTS THAT ARE ALSO TRAPPING.

AND I JUST WANT TO ENCOURAGE YOU TO DO WHAT YOU CAN TO GET THAT CLINIC UP AND RUNNING AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. WE TRAP IN WEST SAC, WINTERS, WOODLAND, AND I DO RURAL YOLO COUNTY, NORTH OF PUTAH CREEK ROAD TO WINTERS. AND SO I FINISHED ONE COLONY OF 30, MOVED ON TO 10, ALMOST DONE WITH THAT, AND LO AND BEHOLD, WE HAVE A COLONY OF 35. SO I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU FOR GETTING THAT CLINIC UP AND RUNNING AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, BECAUSE THE NEED IS DEFINITELY THERE. THANK YOU SO MUCH.

THANK YOU. I HAVE NO ADDITIONAL CARDS, CHAIR.

THANK YOU. IS THERE ANY ONLINE COMMENT? YES, CHAIR. THERE IS ONE PUBLIC COMMENT.

AND THE PUBLIC COMMENT IS CINDY HADA. CINDY, PLEASE UNMUTE YOURSELF TO SPEAK.

HI. THANK YOU SO MUCH. GOOD MORNING, CHAIR ALLEN AND THE MEMBERS OF THE BOARD. MY NAME IS CINDY HADA, AND I'M A YOLO COUNTY RESIDENT. I JUST WANTED TO HOP ON HERE AND MAKE A PUBLIC COMMENT TODAY REGARDING THE HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES AGENCY BUDGET CUTS THAT WERE APPROVED EARLIER THIS SUMMER.

SO AS A PA AND PUBLIC HEALTH STUDENT AT TOURO UNIVERSITY, I'M JUST EXTREMELY CONCERNED ABOUT HOW CUTS TO THE HHSA WILL DIRECTLY AFFECT OUR COMMUNITY'S MOST VULNERABLE RESIDENTS, ESPECIALLY SINCE OVER 57,000 OF OUR COUNTY'S RESIDENTS, INCLUDING MY OWN FAMILY, RELY ON MEDI-CAL. MY MAIN CONCERN IS PEOPLE MAY ACCIDENTALLY LOSE THEIR MEDI-CAL COVERAGE DUE TO DELAYED RENEWALS BECAUSE OF THE LOSS OF ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF. AND ALSO FROM PERSONAL EXPERIENCE, I KNOW THAT WHEN PEOPLE LOSE THEIR MEDI-CAL COVERAGE, THEY'RE LESS LIKELY TO SEEK PREVENTATIVE CARE AND FORCED TO USE EMERGENCY CARE SERVICES, WHICH ARE ALREADY IMPACTED IN ITSELF. SO I KNOW YOU'RE IN A TIGHT SPOT, BUT I JUST WANTED TO ASK YOU ALL TO CLOSELY MONITOR THE IMPACT THAT THIS MAY CAUSE ON HEALTH CARE AND THE HOPEFULLY PRIORITIZE THE RESTORATION OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICE POSITIONS AS SOON AS POSSIBLE OR DURING MID-YEAR REVENUES, IF IT ALLOWS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.

THANK YOU. NEXT COMMENTER? WE HAVE NO FURTHER PUBLIC COMMENT.

THANK YOU. AND I'LL CLOSE THE

[ CONSENT AGENDA]

GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT, AND WE WILL MOVE ON TO OUR CONSENT AGENDA. ITEMS 6 THROUGH 19.

DOES ANYONE HAVE AN ITEM TO PULL? NO? OKAY. IS THERE A MOVE TO APPROVE THEN? OKAY. MOVED BY SUPERVISOR VIXIE SANDY, SECONDED BY SUPERVISOR BARAJAS.

ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE.

AYE.

THANK YOU. THEN ARE THERE ANY INTRODUCTIONS TODAY? WE HAVE NO INTRODUCTIONS TODAY, CHAIR ALLEN.

OKAY. THANK YOU. THEN WE'LL

[21. Acknowledge Honorary Resolutions. Resolution proclaiming September 14-18, 2026 as Disability Voting Rights Week. (Supervisor Frerichs) Resolution recognizing August as National Immunization Awareness Month. (Supervisor Allen) Resolution recognizing September 2026 as National Literacy Month. (Supervisors Barajas and Vixie Sandy) Resolution proclaiming September 15 through October 15 as Chicano/Latino Heritage Month. (Supervisor Barajas) Resolution observing the 25th Anniversary of September 11, 2001. (Supervisor Allen)]

MOVE TO OUR HONORARY RESOLUTIONS.

WE HAVE FIVE OF THEM TODAY.

WE'LL BEGIN WITH SUPERVISOR FRERICHS. WE'LL HAVE A RESOLUTION PROCLAIMING SEPTEMBER 14TH TO 18TH, DISABILITY VOTING RIGHTS WEEK.

GOOD MORNING. WELL, GOOD MORNING, EVERYONE. SO I HAVE THE HONOR THIS MORNING OF PRESENTING THE FIRST RESOLUTION PROCLAIMING SEPTEMBER 14TH THROUGH 18TH, 2026 AS DISABILITY VOTING RIGHTS WEEK.

I'M FORTUNATE TO HAVE KATE LADDISH, CHAIR OF THE YOLO COUNTY VOTING ACCESSIBILITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE, AND OF COURSE JESSE SALINAS, OUR YOLO COUNTY ACE, WITH US THIS MORNING TO ACCEPT THE RESOLUTION.

SO DISABILITY VOTING RIGHTS WEEK IS A NATIONAL NONPARTISAN EFFORT TO HIGHLIGHT THE IMPORTANCE OF ENSURING THAT PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES CAN FULLY PARTICIPATE IN OUR DEMOCRACY.

THIS RESOLUTION RECOGNIZES SOMETHING VERY SIMPLE, THAT HAVING A DISABILITY SHOULD NEVER BE A BARRIER TO EXERCISING ONE'S RIGHT TO VOTE. ACCESSIBILITY ISN'T JUST ABOUT PHYSICAL ACCESS

[00:15:01]

TO A BUILDING.

BARRIERS CAN AFFECT PEOPLE WITH MOBILITY, VISION, HEARING, COGNITIVE, SPEECH, LANGUAGE, OR OTHER DISABILITIES, INCLUDING THOSE THAT MAY NOT BE APPARENT TO OTHERS.

IN YOLO COUNTY, WE, OF COURSE, ARE PRIVILEGED TO HAVE THE YOLO COUNTY VOTING ACCESSIBILITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE.

WE'LL HEAR MORE ABOUT THAT IN A MOMENT.

THIS, I THINK, IS A GOOD EXAMPLE OF GOVERNMENT LISTENING DIRECTLY TO THE PEOPLE WHO'S EXPERIENCED THESE BARRIERS AND INCORPORATING THEIR EXPERTISE INTO HOW WE DELIVER PUBLIC SERVICES.

DISABILITY VOTING RIGHTS WEEK GIVES US AN OPPORTUNITY TO CELEBRATE THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES IN OUR COMMUNITIES AND REAFFIRM THEIR PLACE IN OUR DEMOCRATIC PROCESS.

AND AGAIN, GRATEFUL FOR THE PARTICIPATION OF BOTH KATE LADDISH THIS MORNING AND AS WELL AS JESSE SALINAS.

THANK YOU TO THE BOARD FOR THIS PROCLAMATION AND TO SUPERVISOR FRERICHS FOR THOSE REMARKS.

I AM KATE LADDISH, CHAIR OF YOLO COUNTY'S VOTING ACCESSIBILITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE.

AND THE VAAC ADVISES ELECTION STAFF ON MAXIMIZING ACCESSIBILITY OF THE MANY FACETS OF VOTING AND FOCUSING ON THE NEEDS OF OLDER ADULTS AND PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES.

AND IT'S MADE OF COMMUNITY MEMBERS, REPRESENTATIVES OF ORGANIZATIONS LIKE DISABILITY RIGHTS CALIFORNIA AND RESOURCES FOR INDEPENDENT LIVING, AND OTHER PEOPLE WITH LIVED OR PROFESSIONAL EXPERTISE.

AND WE DEFINITELY SALUTE ELECTIONS' VERY DEDICATED STAFF.

AND AS MENTIONED, VOTING IS A FUNDAMENTAL RIGHT FOR CITIZENS AND IS NECESSARY FOR A FUNCTIONING PARTICIPATORY DEMOCRACY AND HAVING A DISABILITY MUST NEVER BE A BARRIER TO REGISTERING TO VOTE AND VOTING PRIVATELY AND INDEPENDENTLY.

THESE FOUNDATIONALLY IMPORTANT CONCEPTS ARE EASY ENOUGH TO STATE.

THE CHALLENGE, OR THE ADVENTURE, IS IN THE DETAILS.

VOTING ACCOMMODATIONS ARE NOT ONE SIZE FITS ALL, SO WE MUST PROVIDE ACCOMMODATIONS NEEDED BY PEOPLE WITH ANY AND EVERY KIND OF DISABILITY, INCLUDING THOSE THAT ARE READILY APPARENT TO OTHERS AND THOSE THAT ARE NOT.

AND MAKE SURE THAT THE NEEDS OF PEOPLE WHO DON'T IDENTIFY AS HAVING A DISABILITY ARE ALSO MET.

SOMETHING AS LOCALIZED AS HAVING A TREMOR IN ONE HAND CAN AFFECT SOMEBODY'S ABILITY TO VOTE PRIVATELY AND INDEPENDENTLY.

AND ACTUALLY, THERE WAS SOMEBODY IN WINTERS WHO BROUGHT THIS FORWARD, AND SO SHE OPTED TO USE A TOUCH WRITER, A TYPE OF ADAPTIVE VOTING EQUIPMENT.

AND THEN SHE WAS ACTUALLY CONCERNED ABOUT WHAT SHE PERCEIVED AS A LITTLE BIT OF LACK OF PRIVACY WITH THAT.

AND SO SHE BROUGHT THAT CONCERN FORWARD, AND THE VAAC TALKED WITH ELECTION STAFF, AND THEY MOVED THE, LIKE KIND OF REORGANIZED THE WINTERS VOTE CENTER AROUND, AND NOW SHE IS JUST DELIGHTED.

AND I JUST, I LOVE THE WAY THAT THIS PROCESS WORKS.

SO OUR COMMITTEE IS SUPPORTING THE ELECTIONS OFFICE ON A VOTER EDUCATION WORKSHOP ON THE EVENING OF WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 7TH, HERE IN THE ADMINISTRATION BUILDING.

AND THE WORKSHOP WILL BE OF INTEREST TO VOTERS WITH AND WITHOUT DISABILITIES, AND WILL COVER ALL THE WAYS VOTERS CAN GET AND RETURN A BALLOT, KNOW WHERE THE BALLOT IS IN THE SYSTEM, AND WE'RE EXCITED TO ONCE AGAIN HAVE A PETTING ZOO, YES, A PETTING ZOO OF ADAPTIVE VOTING EQUIPMENT, SO EVERYONE CAN TRY OUT WHAT'S AVAILABLE AND BECOME FAMILIAR WITH IT.

IF YOU'VE EVER WONDERED HOW PEOPLE WHO CAN'T SEE CAN VOTE PRIVATELY AND INDEPENDENTLY, WAIT, DO WE HAVE A DEAL FOR YOU? YOU CAN COME CHECK IT OUT.

AND YOU CAN SUPPORT THIS BY SPREADING THE WORD IN YOUR NEWSLETTERS AND SOCIAL MEDIA.

NOTHING ABOUT US WITHOUT US IS A TENANT OF THE DISABILITY RIGHTS MOVEMENT, AND ONE KEY WAY FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES TO HAVE A SAY IN THE GOVERNMENT PROGRAMS THAT AFFECT US IS TO VOTE, AND SO THIS IS ONE OF THE MANY REASONS THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES KICK-STARTED DISABILITY VOTING RIGHTS WEEK ON THE NATIONAL LEVEL.

AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR SUPPORT OF ACCESSIBLE ELECTIONS AND FOR THIS RESOLUTION.

AND I BROUGHT A FEW PARTY FAVORS FOR WHEN WE DO THE PHOTO, COURTESY OF THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES, SO THANK YOU SO MUCH.

GOOD MORNING, CHAIR ALLEN AND BOARD MEMBERS, JESSE SALINAS, THE COUNTY ASSESSOR, CLERK, RECORDER, AND WEARING MY REGISTRAR OF VOTERS HAT THIS MORNING.

AND AS KATE ALWAYS DOES, SHE DOES AN AMAZING JOB.

THERE'S NOT MUCH TO ADD OTHER THAN TO GIVE A LITTLE BIT MORE DETAILS.

THE WORKSHOP WILL BE ON OCTOBER 7TH AT 6 P.M.

IN THE ADMIN BUILDING IN ROOM 106, THE ROOM RIGHT DOWNSTAIRS, SO YOU'LL BE ABLE TO SEE THAT.

AND AS SHE SAID, THE PETTING ZOO, AS SHE EXPLAINED, IT'S THE EQUIPMENT AND ACCESSIBILITY EQUIPMENT SO PEOPLE CAN SEE WHAT THAT'S LIKE AND SEE IT FIRSTHAND EVEN BEFORE THE ELECTION.

SO WE DO THAT AS AN OUTREACH AND JUST TO BE ABLE TO GIVE THE OPPORTUNITY FOR OUR COMMUNITY TO SEE THAT.

AND I WILL ALSO SHARE WITH YOU THAT, AS ALWAYS, WE ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO JOIN OUR ADVISORY COMMITTEES.

SO WE DO HAVE THE VOTING ACCESSIBILITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE, THE VAAC THAT WE WERE TALKING ABOUT TODAY.

WE ALSO HAVE A LANGUAGE ADVISORY COMMITTEE CALLED THE LAC.

SO WE ENCOURAGE PEOPLE, PLEASE, PLEASE DO CONTACT THE ELECTIONS OFFICE IF YOU HAVE AN INTEREST IN JOINING ANY ONE OF THESE COMMITTEES.

IT IS HOW OUR COMMUNITY WORKS BETTER BY HAVING ENGAGEMENT OF ALL THOSE IN THE COMMUNITY THAT WOULD LIKE TO BE ABLE TO PARTICIPATE.

AND THE EXAMPLE THAT KATE GAVE OF A VOTE CENTER THAT HAD A QUESTION THAT HAD BEEN BROUGHT

[00:20:02]

TO OUR ATTENTION, A CONCERN, WE ADDRESSED THAT AND NOW EVERYBODY'S HAPPY ON THAT FRONT.

SO IT'S BEEN A WONDERFUL RELATIONSHIP THAT WE HAVE WITH OUR VAAC.

AND TODAY IS A SPECIAL DAY AS WE ARE CELEBRATING THE WEEK OF THE DISABILITIES RIGHTS VOTING ASPECT.

SO THANK YOU AGAIN FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE HERE THIS MORNING. THANK YOU.

I HAVE THE PLEASURE OF PRESENTING THE NEXT RESOLUTION, RECOGNIZING AUGUST AS NATIONAL IMMUNIZATION AWARENESS MONTH.

TODAY I'M GOING TO BE JOINED BY DR. JOANNE LOCKE, OUR NEW HEALTH OFFICER.

THERE SHE COMES. I DIDN'T SEE HER. YAY. HELLO.

AND IS BRIAN HERE? OKAY, OKAY.

BUT WE DO HAVE THE IMMUNIZATION TEAM, ADA BARROS, BEATRIZ VARGAS HENAO, STEVEN AMEN, IF YOU CAN COME JOIN US ALSO.

WELCOME, WELCOME.

OKAY. FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO DON'T KNOW, BECAUSE MAYBE YOU'RE LIVING UNDER A ROCK, I'M A NURSE, A PUBLIC HEALTH NURSE.

SO I GET TO DO THE IMMUNIZATION RESOLUTION, WHICH I AM SO EXCITED THAT WE HAVE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO HIGHLIGHT THE IMPORTANCE OF IMMUNIZATIONS.

AND I AM GOING TO TAKE A PAGE OUT OF SUPERVISOR VIXIE SANDY'S BOOK, AND I'M GOING TO READ SOME OF THIS, BECAUSE I WAS TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHICH PARTS I WASN'T GOING TO READ, BUT I WANT EVERYONE TO KNOW THAT THE CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL HAS HISTORICALLY RECOGNIZED THE MONTH OF AUGUST AS NATIONAL IMMUNIZATION MONTH, BECAUSE IT'S WHEN SCHOOL STARTS. WHAT A GREAT TIME TO REMEMBER THAT.

WHEREAS MISINFORMATION ABOUT VACCINES HAS BECOME MORE WIDESPREAD AND EVEN INSTITUTIONALIZED WITHIN PARTS OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, MAKING THE NEED FOR RELIABLE AND SCIENTIFICALLY-BACKED INFORMATION ABOUT VACCINES SO VERY IMPORTANT.

VACCINES PLAY A VERY IMPORTANT PART IN DISEASE CONTROL BY STIMULATING THE BODY'S NATURAL DEFENSES, WHICH CAUSE THE IMMUNE SYSTEM OF RECIPIENTS TO CREATE SPECIFIC ANTIBODIES AGAINST THAT CERTAIN DISEASE THAT ARE HIGHLY EFFECTIVE.

THESE ANTIBODIES HELP THE RECIPIENT TO BUILD IMMUNITY AGAINST THE DISEASE, WHICH GREATLY INCREASES THE BODY'S RESISTANCE TO THE VIRUS AND DECREASES THE CHANCES OF SERIOUS ILLNESS AND BEING CONTAGIOUS, SO YOU'RE SAVING OTHER PEOPLE AS WELL AS YOURSELF.

VACCINATIONS ARE CURRENTLY THE BEST DEFENSE AGAINST MULTIPLE ILLNESSES, INCLUDING CHICKENPOX, WHICH I SUFFERED THROUGH AS A CHILD, AND HOPEFULLY I WON'T GET THE SHINGLES LATER.

I HAVE THAT SHOT, TOO.

COVID-19, DENGUE, DIPHTHERIA, INFLUENZA, HPV, MEASLES, AND MANY MORE.

AND JUST BY THE WAY, I GOT THE NOTICE THAT THE NEW COVID-19 AND INFLUENZA, THIS FALL'S INFLUENZA SHOT IS AVAILABLE, SO I'M GETTING MINE LATER THIS WEEK.

I SHOULD HAVE MAYBE HAD YOU GUYS GIVE IT TO ME THIS MORNING IF I WAS THINKING AHEAD OF TIME.

VACCINATIONS AGAINST THESE DISEASES SAVE COUNTLESS LIVES EACH YEAR, WITH VACCINES PREVENTING AN ESTIMATED 508 MILLION ILLNESSES AND 1.1 MILLION DEATHS FROM 1994 TO 2023 IN THE U.S. ALONE.

AN EXAMPLE OF THE IMPORTANCE OF VACCINES WAS DURING THE COVID PANDEMIC, IF ANYONE REMEMBERS THAT, WHICH PUT THE COUNTRY IN LOCKDOWN AND CAUSED OVER A MILLION DEATHS BEFORE A VACCINE WAS DEVELOPED AND DISTRIBUTED.

AND THAT'S WHEN I GOT TO BRUSH OFF MY NURSING LICENSE AND GIVE SHOTS FOR THE FIRST TIME IN 20 YEARS.

I REMEMBER. I REMEMBER HOW TO DO IT. IT WAS GOOD.

SO I AM JUST SO PLEASED TO BE ABLE TO PRESENT THIS RESOLUTION TO

[00:25:01]

OUR NEW HEALTH OFFICER AND OUR VACCINATION TEAM.

THERE YOU GO.

GOOD MORNING EVERYONE, AND THANK YOU TO SUPERVISOR ALLEN AND THE REST OF THE YOLO COUNTY BOARD FOR RECOGNIZING NATIONAL IMMUNIZATION AWARENESS MONTH.

ALONG WITH ACCESS TO CLEAN DRINKING WATER AND SANITATION, VACCINES REMAIN ONE OF THE WORLD'S GREATEST PUBLIC HEALTH ACHIEVEMENTS.

IN AN ERA OF GREAT CONFUSION AS TO THE CONTINUED IMPORTANCE OF VACCINATION, LET'S REMEMBER SOME KEY FACTS ABOUT THIS CRITICAL TOOL IN OUR BATTLE AGAINST INFECTIOUS DISEASES.

VACCINES GO THROUGH CAREFUL TESTING TO MAKE SURE THEY'RE SAFE BEFORE THEY ARE APPROVED FOR USE.

AND ONCE A VACCINE IS IN USE, THEY'RE STILL CLOSELY MONITORED FOR SAFETY ISSUES.

WHEN LOOKING FOR TRUSTED INFORMATION ABOUT VACCINE SAFETY, TALK TO A HEALTHCARE PROVIDER OR VISIT RELIABLE ONLINE SOURCES SUCH AS THE CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH.

ALTHOUGH THEY CAN CAUSE SHORT-TERM MILD SIDE EFFECTS IN SOME PEOPLE, VACCINES DO NOT GIVE YOU THE DISEASE.

INSTEAD, THEY MAKE IT MUCH LESS LIKELY YOU'LL GET SERIOUSLY ILL, BE HOSPITALIZED, OR DIE FROM IT.

THIS IS ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT FOR PEOPLE WITH WEAKER IMMUNE SYSTEMS, OLDER ADULTS, BABIES AND YOUNG CHILDREN, AND PEOPLE WITH OTHER CHRONIC ILLNESSES.

OUR TEAM REMAINS COMMITTED TO PROMOTING VACCINATION IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH RECOMMENDATIONS AS PART OF OUR BROADER WORK TO KEEP YOLO COUNTY HEALTHY.

OKAY, BUT IF YOU WANT TO COME DOWN, WE'LL TAKE A PICTURE AS A SMALLER GROUP.

NEXT, WE WILL HAVE SUPERVISORS BARAJAS AND VIXIE SANDY WITH THE RESOLUTION RECOGNIZING SEPTEMBER 2026 AS NATIONAL LITERACY MONTH.

BOTH SUPERVISOR VIXIE SANDY AND I ARE HONORED ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS TO OBVIOUSLY HONOR RECOGNIZING SEPTEMBER 2026 AS NATIONAL LITERACY MONTH, AND WE HAVE A FEW FOLKS THAT WOULD LIKE TO JOIN US.

THANK YOU, CHAIR.

WE HAVE TRUSTEE FROM THE WOODLAND JOINT UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT, NOEL RODRIGUEZ, HERE, ALONG WITH WOODLAND JOINT UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT SUPERINTENDENT ELODIA ORTEGA-LAMPKIN, WE ALSO HAVE THE WOODLAND JOINT UNIFIED SCHOOL VICE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES, LAURA BRUBAKER, AND I'M NOT SURE IF WE HAVE COUNCIL MEMBER FOR THE CITY OF WOODLAND, DAVID MORENO, HERE.

OKAY, HE DIDN'T MAKE IT.

AND MAYBE WE HAVE ONE MORE PERSON, DIANE ADAMS, THE YOLO COUNTY LIBRARY ADVISORY BOARD MEMBER AND FORMER CITY OF WOODLAND LIBRARY BOARD MEMBER.

THERE YOU ARE. NICE TO SEE YOU.

SHE'S BEEN TRAVELING ALL OVER THE WORLD, AND WELCOME BACK.

OKAY, SO THIS RESOLUTION, WE DO IT EVERY YEAR, BUT SO IMPORTANT JUST TO EDUCATE OUR COMMUNITY AND REALLY TALK ABOUT THE MUCH NEEDED LITERACY IN YOLO COUNTY AND THROUGHOUT THE NATION, RIGHT? AND WE UNDERSTAND THAT FOLKS THAT HAVE BEEN THROUGH THE PROCESS OF BEING EDUCATED AND BY LITERAL AND ALSO LITERACY, THEY HAVE A BETTER CHANCE OF GETTING JOBS, RETAINING THEIR JOB, BEING ABLE TO HELP EDUCATE OTHERS, GO THROUGH DIFFERENT SYSTEMS OF GOVERNMENT, AND BE ABLE TO RETAIN THE MUCH NEEDED SERVICES AND PROGRAMS THAT ALSO THE COUNTY PROVIDES AND THE CITIES PROVIDE AND THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS PROVIDE.

AND I KNOW WE HAVE OUR SUPERVISOR VIXIE SANDY WOULD LIKE TO SAY A FEW WORDS AS WELL.

YES, THANK YOU SO MUCH.

IT REALLY IS WONDERFUL TO STAND AND RECOGNIZE LITERACY MONTH AND TO STAND WITH THESE INCREDIBLE EDUCATORS HERE.

AND DIANE, NOT AN EDUCATOR, BUT AN EDUCATOR OF A DIFFERENT TYPE WOULD BE DIANE ADAMS. YOU KNOW, LITERACY IS THE GAME CHANGER.

IT IS WHAT MAKES EVERYTHING ELSE POSSIBLE IN TERMS

[00:30:02]

OF YOUR EDUCATION.

IT OPENS THE DOOR.

IT IS PROBABLY THE CORE SKILL THAT WE NEED AS CITIZENS IN ORDER TO OPERATE AS CITIZENS IN A DEMOCRACY.

AND I JUST REALLY, IT'S AN HONOR TO STAND HERE AND RECOGNIZE THIS MONTH FOR THAT AND, AS I SAID, THESE EDUCATORS FOR ALL OF THE WORK THAT THEY HAVE DONE TO MOVE IT FORWARD, TO KEEP THE AGENDA FOCUSED, TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR YOUNG PEOPLE IN SCHOOLS, AS WELL AS OUR ADULTS, LEARN WHAT THEY NEED TO LEARN IN ORDER TO NAVIGATE EFFECTIVELY FOR THEIR OWN LIVES AND FUTURES.

SO THANK YOU.

AND WHO AMONG YOU WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK? THANK YOU.

GOOD MORNING.

I'D LIKE TO THANK SUPERVISOR SANDY AND SUPERVISOR BARAJAS, ESPECIALLY SUPERVISOR BARAJAS, FOR THINKING OF US, OF ME AND THE WORK THAT WE'VE DONE IN HONOR OF NATIONAL LITERACY MONTH.

I DEEPLY APPRECIATE SUPERVISOR BARAJAS' MEANINGFUL WORK AS THE OLD COUNTY SUPERVISOR.

AND I'D ALSO LIKE TO THANK THE REST OF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS FOR DEDICATING A RESOLUTION TO THE IMPORTANCE OF LITERACY IN OUR COMMUNITIES.

IT IS WITH GREAT HUMILITY THAT I THINK I, AND ON BEHALF OF ALL OF US, ACCEPT THIS RESOLUTION IN THE NAME OF ALL THE GOOD AND CRITICAL WORK THAT IS BEING DONE IN THE COUNTY IN REGARDS TO LITERACY BY SO MANY OF OUR COLLEAGUES.

I'VE BEEN INVOLVED WITH LITERACY ISSUES FOR MANY YEARS NOW, FIRST AS FORMER WOODLAND PUBLIC LIBRARY BOARD MEMBER AND NOW AS PRESIDENT OF THE WOODLAND JOINT UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT BOARD OF TRUSTEES.

AS A CITY OF WOODLAND LIBRARY TRUSTEE, I SUPPORTED ALL THE GREAT MANY LITERACY ACTIVITIES OUR LIBRARY HAS TO OFFER, INCLUDING THE PURCHASE OF A BOOKMOBILE AND THE IMPLEMENTATION OF BRINGING THE LIBRARY TO OUR COMMUNITIES VIA BOOKMOBILE SERVICES.

AS A SCHOOL DISTRICT TRUSTEE, I WAS ABLE TO HELP SUPPORT OUR NEWLY CREATED LITERACY FRAMEWORK THANKS TO OUR SUPERINTENDENT ELODIA ORTEGA-LAMPKIN AND MY FELLOW BOARD MEMBERS FOR THEIR SUPPORT ON OUR FRAMEWORK, WHICH WILL HELP US FOCUS ON LITERACY ISSUES.

THE FRAMEWORK INCLUDES FOCUSING ON ALIGNING DISTRICT-WIDE LITERACY PRIORITIES, SETTING STANDARDS-BASED LEARNING AND TEACHING EXPECTATIONS FOR LANGUAGE AND LITERACY ACROSS CONTENT AREAS AND GRADE LEVELS, ENSURING COHESIVE AND CULTURALLY RESPONSIVE CURRICULUM MATERIAL FOR ALL WJUSD STUDENTS, IMPLEMENTING COHERENT AND CONSISTENT DISTRICT-WIDE ASSESSMENT SYSTEMS TO CLOSELY MONITOR LITERACY PROGRESS, AND INCREASING CULTURALLY RESPONSIVE FAMILY, SCHOOL, AND COMMUNITY LITERACY PARTNERSHIPS.

I WANT TO PERSONALLY THANK OUR LITERACY PARTNERS WHO HELP SUPPORT OUR LITERACY PROGRAMS, INCLUDING OUR TEACHERS, OUR LITERACY PARAS, TUTORS, STAFF, THE LIONS, THE ELKS, UNITED WAY, THE HONEY BEE WHO VISITS OUR SCHOOL TO PROMOTE LITERACY VIA OUR LOCAL CHAMBER, OUR YCOE, UCD, SAC STATE PARTNERSHIPS, OUR LITERACY PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT THROUGH OUR CASEMOS GRANT AND OUR CABO PROMESA GRANT, OUR LOCAL WOODLAND LIBRARY, AND OUR YOLO COUNTY LIBRARY PROGRAMS. THESE ARE JUST TO NAME A FEW OF OUR COLLABORATORS.

WITH ME TODAY ARE DIANE ADAMS, WHO HAS BEEN A COLLEAGUE ON THESE ISSUES AS A BOARD MEMBER FOR THE WOODLAND CITY AND YOLO COUNTY LIBRARIES, AND MY FELLOW TRUSTEE AND VICE PRESIDENT LAURA BRUBAKER, AND CITY COUNCILMAN DAVID MORENO, WHO WASN'T ABLE TO MAKE IT THIS MORNING.

BUT ALL THREE SIT WITH ME ON THE COLLABORATIVE FOR WOODLAND YOUTH WITH OUR CITY OF WOODLAND, WCC, YCCD, AND YCOE PARTNERS.

LAURA, DAVID, AND I WILL BE SITTING ON A NEW LITERACY COMMITTEE, WHICH WILL FOCUS ON IMPROVING LITERACY OPPORTUNITIES AND PRACTICES FOR OUR COMMUNITY STUDENTS AND FAMILIES.

LASTLY, IN HONORING NATIONAL LITERACY MONTH, WE MUST RECOGNIZE THAT OUR STATE, MOST OF OUR COUNTIES, AND MOST OF OUR CITIES HAVE A LONG WAY TO GO IN IMPROVING OUR CHILDHOOD LITERACY SUCCESS.

THE CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION IN THE 2020 REPORT FOUND THAT ONLY 48% OF CHILDREN IN YOLO COUNTY READ AT GRADE LEVEL BY THIRD GRADE.

WE CANNOT FORGET THAT WHEN WE TALK ABOUT LITERACY RATES, WE ALSO FIND THAT THEY ARE CLOSELY CORRELATED WITH HIGH RATES OF POVERTY.

SO WE ALL NEED TO REMEMBER THAT CHILDHOOD LITERACY IS ALSO A POVERTY AND ECONOMICS ISSUE.

AND SO WE HAVE A GREAT DEAL OF WORK TO DO TO IMPROVE OUR COUNTY'S READING LEVELS, TO ENGAGE OUR COMMUNITIES ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF CHILDHOOD LITERACY, AND TO DOUBLE OUR RESOLVE NOT ONLY TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE, BUT TO PRIORITIZE IT AND TO ALLOCATE RESOURCES TO IT.

DR. KING REMINDS US THAT PROGRESS DOES NOT SIMPLY ROLL IN ON THE WHEELS OF INEVITABILITY.

IT COMES FROM PERSISTENT EFFORTS AND DEDICATED WORK TO MAKE SUBSTANTIAL PROGRESS.

I LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING EFFORTS TO IMPROVE OUR LITERACY RATES AND TO WORK TOGETHER WITH MY COLLEAGUES TO BRING ABOUT MEANINGFUL PROGRESS FOR OUR STUDENTS AND FAMILIES.

SO THANK YOU, NOEL, TRUSTEE RODRIGUEZ, FOR THAT.

AND I KNOW THIS YEAR WE KIND OF FOCUSED ON WOODLAND NEXT YEAR, DAVIS, THE FOLLOWING YEAR, WEST SAC.

WE ARE IN THE RURAL AREAS OF ESPARTO AS WELL.

WE'RE DOING AMAZING, AMAZING WORK, BUT THERE'S STILL A LOT MORE THINGS

[00:35:01]

TO BE DONE AND WORK WITH.

SO THANK YOU ALL FOR COLLABORATING.

WE'RE GOING TO TAKE A PICTURE UP IN THE FRONT WITH THE REST OF THE BOARD MEMBERS.

YOU CAN INTRODUCE YOURSELF.

I WAS GOING TO INTRODUCE YOU, BUT GO AHEAD.

OKAY, OUR NEXT RESOLUTION PROCLAIMING SEPTEMBER 15TH THROUGH OCTOBER 15TH AS CHICINO, YOU KNOW, THAT'S FUNNY, CHICANO LATINO HERITAGE MONTH SUPERVISOR BARAJAS.

THANK YOU, CHAIR.

BEN, WE GOT MR. BEN FLORES, IF YOU CAN PLEASE JOIN ME AT THE PODIUM.

ANYBODY ELSE THAT YOU'D LIKE TO BRING UP TO THE PODIUM? CHRISTINA, AND ALSO DR. AYALA HERE, AND DR. AYALA WAS A, THE FIRST LATINO YCOE SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS HERE IN YOLO COUNTY.

AND IF I REMEMBER, THE YEAR WAS 1998 TO 2012? 14.

14.

CLOSE.

SO EVERY YEAR WE HAVE A LATINO HERITAGE MONTH THAT GIVES US A CHANCE TO TALK ABOUT SOMETHING UNIQUE.

TO NAME THE PEOPLE WHOSE LIVES AND WORK HAVE CARRIED OUR COMMUNITY'S STORY FORWARD.

THIS YEAR'S NATIONAL THEME CALLS FOR LATINO LEADERS PIONEERS OF CHANGE.

AND BEN FLORES IS JUST THAT.

BEN'S STORY ACTUALLY STARTS ON A PITCHER'S MOUND.

HE BECAME KNOWN FOR THROWING STRIKES WHILE AT MERCED COLLEGE WHERE IN 1974, HE WAS ONE OF THE STANDOUT PITCHERS ON THE MOST POWERFUL TEAM IN THE SCHOOL'S HISTORY.

36 WINS, A STATE CHAMPIONSHIP, AND A LINEUP THAT AVERAGED NEARLY 10 RUNS A GAME.

THAT PERFORMANCE EARNED HIM A SPOT PITCHING AT THE UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII.

AND I DID CHECK THE BOX SCORES.

BEN WON THE VERY FIRST GAME EVER PLAYED AT THE RAINBOW'S NEW ON-CAMPUS STADIUM IN 1975.

THEN HE CAME BACK AND WON THE SEASON OPENER AGAIN IN 1976.

TWO OPENERS, TWO WINS, GOOD ENOUGH TO LAND HIM AMONG HAWAII'S ALL-TIME BASEBALL LETTER WINNERS.

HE COULD HAVE TAKEN HIS ARM ANYWHERE.

INSTEAD, HE CAME BACK HERE TO YOLO COUNTY AND INTO THE CLASSROOM.

BEN EARNED A DEGREE IN SPANISH LANGUAGE TEACHING FROM SAC STATE, AND HE PUT IN WORK IN A WAY THAT STILL SHAPES WOODLAND TODAY.

EARLY IN HIS CAREER, HE BECAME PRINCIPAL OF BEAMER ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.

THE WAY THE SCHOOL WAS LAUNCHING THAT WOULD BECOME ONE OF WOODLAND'S FIRST SPANISH DUAL IMMERSION PROGRAMS AND TEACHING KIDS TO BE FULLY LITERATE IN ENGLISH AND SPANISH SIDE BY SIDE.

AND I BELIEVE A FEW STUDENTS FROM THAT ERA ARE HERE TODAY.

FOR A BILINGUAL EDUCATOR LIKE BEN, THAT WASN'T JUST A JOB ASSIGNMENT.

IT WAS A CHANCE TO MAKE SURE WOODLAND'S LATINO STUDENTS AND EVERY STUDENT COULD GROW UP SEEING THEIR LANGUAGE AND CULTURE TREATED AS A STRENGTH IN THEIR OWN CLASSROOM.

FROM THERE, HE SPENT SEVEN YEARS AS PRINCIPAL OF WOODLAND HIGH SCHOOL.

IN FACT, HE WAS MY PRINCIPAL WHEN I GRADUATED IN THE YEAR 2000.

THEN BECAME WOODLAND JOINT UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT'S DIRECTOR OF CURRICULUM AND INSTRUCTION, SHAPING HOW AN ENTIRE GENERATION OF WOODLAND STUDENTS LEARNED.

HE WENT ON TO LEAD AS PRINCIPAL OF INDERKUM HIGH SCHOOL IN NATOMAS AND LATER SERVED SIX YEARS AS ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT FOR THE COLUSA COUNTY OFFICE OF EDUCATION.

AND WHEN MOST PEOPLE WOULD CALL IT A CAREER, HE CAME BACK TO WOODLAND AND HE BECAME OUR FIRST YGRIP PROGRAM FOR THE CITY OF WOODLAND, THE YOUTH GANG REDUCTION, INTERVENTION AND PREVENTION INITIATIVE.

AND SO BEN HAS DONE ALL OF THIS ALONGSIDE HIS WIFE, CHRISTINA, AND THEIR SONS, MIGUEL AND MARTIN.

BOTH STAND OUT BASKETBALL PLAYERS AND STUDENTS AT WOODLAND HIGH AND WHO CARRY THEIR ATHLETIC TALENTS IN THE SAME DRIVE FORWARD ON THE COURT AND COLLEGE.

[00:40:01]

FROM A STATE CHAMPIONSHIP MOUND IN MERCED TO A SPANISH IMMERSION CLASSROOM AT BEAMER, TO THE PRINCIPAL'S OFFICE AT WOODLAND HIGH, TO THE FRONT LINES OF YOUTH INTERVENTION IN THE CITY, HE CALLS HOME, BEN FLORES HAS SPENT HIS LIFE SHOWING UP FOR HIS COMMUNITY, KIDS, AND IN DOING SO HAS HELPED MAKE SURE WOODLAND LATINO HERITAGE IS ONE, SOMETHING THAT EVERY GENERATION OF STUDENTS GETS TO BE PROUD OF.

IT'S MY HONOR ON BEHALF OF THE YOLO COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS TO RECOGNIZE HIM DURING LATINO HERITAGE MONTH.

AND WE HAVE DR. BEN FLORES HERE TO GIVE A FEW WORDS.

BOY, THAT WAS SURPRISING. I DIDN'T KNOW HE KNEW THAT MUCH ABOUT ME.

SHEILA ALLEN, ANGEL BARAJAS, AND OTHER DISTINGUISHED MEMBERS OF THE YOLO COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, I HAVE GREAT RESPECT FOR ALL THE HARD WORK YOU DO AS A TEAM FOR OUR WONDERFUL COUNTY, AND I WANT TO THANK YOU SINCERELY AND HUMBLY FOR HONORING ME WITH THIS PROCLAMATION.

TO BE RECOGNIZED DURING NATIONAL HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH MEANS A GREAT DEAL TO ME BECAUSE SO MANY INDIVIDUALS IN OUR COUNTY HAVE WORKED TIRELESSLY TO PROMOTE THE CULTURE, HERITAGE, AND CONTRIBUTIONS OF THE HISPANIC COMMUNITY SO THAT PEOPLE LIKE ANGEL BARAJAS AND OSCAR VILLEGAS CAN CONTINUE THAT WORK IN ORDER TO MAKE THIS A SAFE PLACE WHERE OUR YOUTH AND ADULTS WILL FLOURISH.

WHEN I RECEIVED THE EMAIL FROM JOAQUIN INFORMING ME OF THE PROCLAMATION, I WAS HONESTLY SURPRISED BECAUSE I CAN THINK OF SEVERAL OTHERS IN OUR COUNTY WHO ARE EQUALLY, IF NOT MORE, DESERVING.

HOWEVER, I ACCEPT THIS HONOR HUMBLY AND WITH DEEP GRATITUDE TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS.

A QUICK NOTE THAT YOU MIGHT NOT KNOW, ALTHOUGH ANGEL COVERED MOST OF MY CAREER, I HAVE SPENT TIME IN WEST SACRAMENTO, WINTERS, AND ESPARTO ALSO IN MY EDUCATIONAL CAREER.

ALL THIS WORK IN MY CAREER WAS MADE EASIER DUE TO THE SUPPORT OF MY WIFE, CHRISTINA, AND FRIENDS LIKE JORGE AYALA.

CHRISTINA HAS BEEN WITH ME FOR MORE THAN 45 YEARS ON THIS JOURNEY AND WE'RE STILL COUNTING.

AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, I'M PROUD TO HAVE BEEN PART OF THE LEGACY OF WORKING TOGETHER AS A CARING AND DEDICATED TEAM TO MAKE OUR CITY AND COUNTY STRONGER.

AND I SINCERELY THANK YOU FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART FOR THIS VERY SPECIAL HONOR.

AND WE CAN, IF WE CAN PLEASE HAVE THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS COME TO THE FRONT FOR A PICTURE.

AND WE CAN COME TO THE FRONT.

ANYBODY ELSE WOULD LIKE TO TAKE A PICTURE TOO? UP IN THE FRONT WITH MR. FLORES AND HIS FAMILY. THAT WOULD BE GREAT. THANK YOU.

WELL, AFTER THOSE IMPORTANT AND HAPPY CELEBRATIONS, IT'S TIME TO HAVE A MOMENT OF REMEMBRANCE.

WE ARE COMING UP ON THE 25TH ANNIVERSARY OF SEPTEMBER 11TH. HELLO. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.

SO TO ACCEPT, YES, PLEASE ALL OF OUR OTHER CHIEFS COME UP.

I HAVE CHIEF ZANE WITH ME HERE FROM THE WOODLAND FIRE DEPARTMENT AND YOU'RE THE CHAIR OF THE, WHAT IS YOUR TITLE FOR THE WHOLE GROUP?

[00:45:02]

PRESIDENT OF THE YOLO COUNTY FIRE CHIEFS ASSOCIATION.

WE ALSO HAVE MARCUS KLINKHAMMER WITH THE WILLOW OAK FIRE DEPARTMENT, THE WEST PLAINFIELD CHIEF DAVE STILES, WINTERS FIRE DEPARTMENT JACK SNYDER AND MADISON FIRE DEPARTMENT PAULA GREEN.

THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE.

BEFORE I BEGIN, I DON'T KNOW IF ANY OF YOU NOTICED ON THE WAY IN, BUT IF YOU DID NOT, MAKE SURE TO TAKE NOTE ON THE WAY OUT.

WE HAVE A MEMORIAL FOR SEPTEMBER 11TH THAT WE HAVE ALL THE TIME HERE IN OUR BUILDING.

AND IT'S ACTUALLY ONE OF THE BEAMS FROM THE TOWERS IN NEW YORK CITY THAT IT WAS OFFERED BY MAYOR BLOOMBERG TO ANY COUNTY OR CITY WHO WAS INTERESTED IN HAVING A PIECE THAT THEY COULD APPLY FOR IT.

AND SO SUPERVISOR DAVE ROSENBERG AND BEING ALWAYS ON TOP OF THOSE KIND OF THINGS WAS THE VERY FIRST ONE TO APPLY.

AND SO IT CAME TO YOLO COUNTY IN THE SAME YEAR THAT ALL OF THIS HAPPENED AND ARRIVED AND THEY DECIDED TO LIKE THEY JUST GOT THE PIECE.

WHAT WERE THEY GOING TO DO WITH IT.

AND THEY HAD SOME SEIFERMAN.

HE WAS ONE OF THE COUNTY SUPERVISORS, WAS HANDY AND MADE THE PEDESTAL FOR IT.

AND IT IS ALWAYS IN THIS UPSTAIRS.

SO IF YOU WANT TO TAKE, IF YOU DON'T NOTICE IT TODAY OR IF YOU'RE WATCHING ONLINE, YOU CAN TAKE NOTE OF IT THEN.

BUT WHAT A IMPORTANT AND GREAT REMINDER OF HOW SOMETIMES TERRIBLE THINGS REALLY SHOWS WHO WE ARE.

AND SO I'M GOING TO READ SOME OF THE RESOLUTIONS.

SEPTEMBER 11TH ENDURES AS ONE OF THE DARKEST DAYS IN THE U.S. HISTORY WHEN THE COORDINATED TERRORIST ATTACK CLAIMED THE LIVES OF NEARLY 3000 INNOCENT PEOPLE, MANY OF WHOM WHO WERE FIRST RESPONDERS AT THE WORLD TRADE CENTER, THE PENTAGON AND ABOARD UNITED AIRLINES FLIGHT 93.

AND I DON'T KNOW ABOUT YOU, BUT SOMETHING THAT REALLY STICKS IN MY HEAD IS THAT FATHER OF YOUNG CHILDREN WHO ON THE AIRPLANE SAID, LET'S ROLL.

THAT'S WHAT SOMEBODY HEARD ON THE PHONE.

AND THEY WENT UP AND TOOK THE TERRORIST AND THE WHOLE PLANE AND EVERYBODY ON IT DOWN.

THESE ATTACKS FOREVER CHANGED OUR NATION AND LEFT A PROFOUND AND LASTING IMPACT ON FAMILIES, COMMUNITIES AND FIRST RESPONDERS, REMINDING US BOTH OF THE DEVASTATING CONSEQUENCES OF HATRED AND THE EXTRAORDINARY RESILIENCE OF THE AMERICAN PEOPLE AND REALLY OUR OUR FRIENDS AROUND THE WORLD.

ALSO, THEY ALL CAME TO US AND WE CAME TOGETHER.

THE YEAR 2026 MARKS THE 25TH ANNIVERSARY OF THESE TRAGIC EVENTS PROVIDING AN IMPORTANT MOMENT FOR OUR NATION AND OUR LOCAL COMMUNITIES TO PAUSE, REFLECT, REAFFIRM OUR COMMITMENT THAT SACRIFICES MADE AND LIVES LONG LOST ON SEPTEMBER 11TH, 2001 WILL NEVER BE FORGOTTEN.

THE YOLO COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS REMEMBER THE DEEP RESPECT WITH DEEP RESPECT THE VICTIMS OF THE ATTACK AND HONOR AND COURAGE OF THE STRENGTHS OF THEIR FAMILIES WHO CONTINUE TO CARRY FORWARD IN THE MEMORY OF THEIR LOVED ONES.

THE BOARD EXPRESSES ITS PROFOUND GRATITUDE TO FIREFIGHTERS, LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS, EMERGENCY MEDICAL PERSONNEL, MILITARY MEMBERS, PUBLIC EMPLOYEES, CONSTRUCTION WORKERS, HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONALS, VOLUNTEERS, PEOPLE WHO JUST RAN TOWARDS INSTEAD OF RUNNING AWAY.

AND THEIR EXTRAORDINARY BRAVERY AND SELFLESSNESS ON SEPTEMBER 11TH AND ALL THE RECOVERY EFFORTS THAT FOLLOWED AND THE LASTING EFFECTS THAT IT HAD ON MANY OF THEM.

SO I WOULD LIKE TO HAND THIS OVER NOW TO CHIEF ZANE TO SEE IF YOU HAD ANYTHING TO ADD.

I DO JUST HAVE A FEW WORDS.

AGAIN, THANK YOU VERY MUCH, CHAIR ALLEN AND BOARD OF SUPERVISORS FOR ALLOWING US TO BE HERE TODAY AND RECOGNIZING THIS 25 YEAR EVENT.

AND AGAIN, ON BEHALF OF THE YOLO COUNTY FIRE CHIEFS ASSOCIATION AND FIREFIGHTERS THROUGHOUT THIS ENTIRE COUNTY, WE THANK YOU.

FOR THOSE OF US THAT SERVE IN THE FIRE SERVICE, SEPTEMBER 11TH WAS DEEPLY PERSONAL.

WE ALL REMEMBER THE IMAGES OF THAT MORNING.

WE CAN PROBABLY ALL REMEMBER EXACTLY WHERE WE WERE AT WHEN WE SAW THIS OCCUR.

BUT FOR FIREFIGHTERS, THERE IS ONE IMAGE THAT ALWAYS STAYED WITH US OR STAYED WITH ME.

THE THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE THAT WERE DESPERATELY TRYING TO ESCAPE THE WORLD TRADE CENTER WERE BEING PASSED BY FIREFIGHTERS THAT WERE GOING IN.

GOING IN THAT OPPOSITE DIRECTION, CLIMBING THOSE STAIRS.

THEY KNEW THE DANGERS.

THEY KNEW WHAT THEY WERE WALKING INTO AND THEY WENT ANYWAY.

AND THAT IS SERVICE.

343 FDNY FIREFIGHTERS NEVER CAME HOME THAT DAY.

[00:50:01]

AND IN THE FOLLOWING YEARS, FAR TOO MANY ADDITIONAL FIRST RESPONDERS HAVE LOST THEIR LIVES FROM ILLNESSES CONNECTED WITH THEIR WORK AT GROUND ZERO.

AS THESE YEARS PASS, FEWER PEOPLE HAVE FIRSTHAND MEMORY OF SEPTEMBER 11TH.

AND I THINK SOMETHING THAT I JUST RECENTLY READ IS THAT IN 10 YEARS' TIME, HALF OF THIS COUNTRY'S POPULATION WILL HAVE BEEN BORN AFTER SEPTEMBER 11TH.

THAT'S PRETTY DRAMATIC.

AND SEPTEMBER 11TH WILL BE THEIR VIETNAM.

IT WILL BE THEIR WORLD WAR II.

AND SO, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE SAY NEVER FORGET, WE AREN'T SIMPLY REMEMBERING HOW THOSE FIREFIGHTERS DIED.

WE ARE REMEMBERING HOW THEY LIVED AND NOT JUST THE FIREFIGHTERS, THE POLICE OFFICERS, ALL THE VICTIMS OF THAT TRAGIC DAY.

HOW THEY LIVED, YOU KNOW, WITH COURAGE, COMMITMENT TO ONE ANOTHER AND THE WILLINGNESS TO SERVE PEOPLE THAT THEY HAD NEVER MET.

THOSE ARE THE VALUES THAT STILL DEFINE THE FIRE SERVICE TODAY AND INCLUDING RIGHT HERE IN YOLO COUNTY.

SO ON BEHALF OF THE YOLO COUNTY FIRE CHIEFS ASSOCIATION, YOU KNOW, THANK YOU TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS FOR THIS PROCLAMATION, FOR REMEMBERING THOSE WHO WE LOST AND FOR HELPING ENSURE THAT THE EXAMPLE THEY LEFT BEHIND CONTINUES TO BE CARRIED FORWARD.

WE REMEMBER THEM, WE HONOR THEM, AND WE WILL NEVER FORGET.

I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S POSSIBLE.

CAN WE TAKE A PHOTO IN FRONT OF THE MEMORIAL? YEAH, ABSOLUTELY.

IF YOU ASK, IT SHOULD HAPPEN.

AND I THINK, I KNOW IT ALL FEELS, BUT I DO THINK IN ACKNOWLEDGEMENT, I THINK THAT WE SHOULD ALL TOGETHER.

WE ARE GOING TO JUST STEP OUT OF THE CHAMBERS FOR A PICTURE VERY BRIEFLY AND THEN WE'LL COME BACK IN AND CONTINUE.

[22. Receive update from the Yolo County In-Home Supportive Services Advisory Committee Chair—Kate Laddish and Secretary— John Cooper. (Morales/Vigil) (Est. Presentation Time: 10 min)]

WE WILL GO TO OUR REGULAR AGENDA.

WE WILL BEGIN WITH ITEM 22, RECEIVE UPDATE FROM YOLO COUNTY IN-HOME SUPPORTIVE SERVICES ADVISORY COMMITTEE.

WE'LL BE HEARING FROM CHAIR KATE LADDISH AND SECRETARY JOHN COOPER.

AND MANY PEOPLE MIGHT JUST THINK OF IT AS IHSS.

THEY'RE LIKE, WHAT'S IN-HOME SUPPORTIVE SERVICES? BUT I'M SURE YOU'LL BE EDUCATING US ALL ABOUT IT.

I THINK IT'S ON.

MAYBE YOU JUST NEED IT TO BE A LITTLE CLOSER.

[00:55:02]

CAN YOU HEAR ME THROUGH THIS ONE? THERE WE GO.

GOOD JOB.

TERRIFIC.

WELL, GOOD MORNING, CHAIR ALLEN AND SUPERVISORS.

I'M NOW, I'M SWITCHING HATS.

AND SO I'M STILL KATE LADDISH, BUT NOW I'M SPEAKING AS CHAIR OF THE YOLO COUNTY IN-HOME SUPPORTIVE SERVICES ADVISORY COMMITTEE.

AND I'M JOINED BY OUR VICE CHAIR AND DOING DOUBLE DUTY AS SECRETARY JOHN COOPER.

AND THANK YOU FOR THE CHANCE TO UPDATE YOU ON IHSS, PUBLIC AUTHORITY, AND OUR COMMITTEE.

THE COMMITTEE CONSISTS OF KATE LADDISH, MYSELF, JOHN COOPER, KRISSIE MATTA, NUNIE MATTA, VALERIE VERGARA, AND HOLLY COOPER, WHO HAS ATTENDED A FEW OF THE MEETINGS AND OFFICIALLY BECOMES A MEMBER OF THE COMMITTEE THIS MORNING.

DISCLAIMER, THAT IS MY DAUGHTER, MY LOVELY DAUGHTER.

THE SECRETARY AND LONGTIME MEMBER, STEPHEN STREETER, PASSED AWAY EARLIER THIS SUMMER.

PER OUR BYLAWS, OUR COMMITTEE INCLUDES CONSUMERS, PROVIDERS, INTERESTED PUBLIC COMMUNITY MEMBERS, CONSISTENT WITH THE DISABILITY RIGHTS, NOTHING ABOUT US WITHOUT US PHILOSOPHY.

IT'S A CONSUMER MAJORITY COMMITTEE.

OUR MISSION IS TO GIVE CONSUMERS AND PROVIDERS A VOICE IN IHSS AND PUBLIC AUTHORITY POLICY, PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT, AND OPERATIONS.

WE DO THIS BY ADVISING, ADVOCATING, AND MAKING RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE ENHANCEMENT, AVAILABILITY, AND QUALITY OF IHSS AND ENSURING SERVICES THAT SUPPORT THE POSITIVE AND PRODUCTIVE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN CONSUMERS AND PROVIDERS.

WE SERVE AND REPRESENT IHSS CONSUMERS OR RECIPIENTS AND PROVIDERS.

TO RECEIVE IHSS, A PERSON MUST, ONE, BE A RESIDENT ELIGIBLE FOR MEDI-CAL, HAVE A DISABILITY EXPECTED TO LAST MORE THAN 12 MONTHS, AND BE UNABLE TO REMAIN SAFELY AT HOME WITHOUT IHSS.

WE HAVE NEARLY 4,000 CONSUMERS.

A PROVIDER IS SOMEONE HIRED TO PROVIDE CARE THROUGH OUR PROGRAM.

THIS COULD BE A FRIEND, FAMILY MEMBER, OR SOMEONE HIRED FROM THE PUBLIC AUTHORITY REGISTRY.

WE HAVE 4,100 PROVIDERS.

08,054 PEOPLE, MORE THAN THE POPULATION OF THE CITY OF WINTERS, RECEIVE OR PROVIDE CARE THROUGH OUR PROGRAM, AN INCREASE OF 597 IN THE LAST YEAR AND OVER 02,500 IN THE LAST FIVE YEARS.

THE GOAL OF IHSS IS TO HELP PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES REMAIN SAFELY IN THEIR OWN HOME, THE GOAL OF THE IHSS PUBLIC AUTHORITY IS TO MAKE THE IHSS PROGRAM WORK WELL FOR CONSUMERS AND PROVIDERS.

IN FISCAL YEAR 25-26, OUR CONSUMER CASELOAD GREW BY 7.9%, WHICH IS HALF A PERCENT MORE THAN LAST YEAR'S GROWTH.

DURING THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS, YOLO'S GROWTH HAS BEEN A LITTLE HIGHER THAN THE STATEWIDE GROWTH, BUT THE STATEWIDE GROWTH IS BEGINNING TO CATCH UP AT 7%.

01,091 NEW PROVIDERS COMPLETED ORIENTATION, AND THE NUMBER OF ELIGIBLE PROVIDERS GREW BY 11%.

135 PROVIDERS JOINED OR RE-ENGAGED WITH THE PUBLIC AUTHORITY REGISTRY, AND OVER 01,000 REGISTRY REFERRALS WERE COMPLETED.

10 PROVIDERS WERE ADDED TO HOME CARE NOW AVAILABILITY, AND 188 SEPARATE HOME CARE NOW REQUESTS WITH 333 DAYS OF SERVICE WERE PROVIDED.

HOME CARE NOW PROVIDES ASSISTANCE WHEN IT'S URGENTLY NEEDED.

AND FINALLY, THE PUBLIC AUTHORITY DISTRIBUTED OVER 117,500 PPE SUPPLIES TO OUR PROVIDERS.

AFFILIATIONS WITH OTHER GROUPS ALLOWS FOR ADVOCACY AND CROSS-POLLINATION OF IDEAS, AND THERE'S A WHOLE LIST ON THE SLIDE, BUT WE'RE JUST GOING TO TOUCH ON A SELECTION OF THEM.

SO I ALSO SERVE AS PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF THE CALIFORNIA IHSS CONSUMER ALLIANCE, WHICH SUPPORTS CALIFORNIA'S OVER 1.5 MILLION PERSON IHSS COMMUNITY, AND SERVE ON THE STATE'S EMERGENCY ALERTS AND WARNINGS SPECIALIST COMMITTEE.

JOHN IS A VERY LONGTIME FAMILY ADVOCATE.

NUNIE AND KRISSIE SERVE ON PARTNERSHIP HEALTHPLAN OF CALIFORNIA'S BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS AND THEIR CONSUMER ADVISORY COMMITTEE, AND ON THE MEDI-CAL MEMBER ADVISORY COMMITTEE.

TALK ABOUT A POWER COUPLE.

AND VALERIE WORKS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT, AND HOLLY HAS A BACKGROUND IN PSYCHOLOGY AND DISABILITY STUDIES.

IHSS MANAGER AND PUBLIC AUTHORITY DIRECTOR ROSANNA VIGIL, WHO'S WITH US TODAY, IS ON THE CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF PUBLIC AUTHORITIES BOARD.

OUR COMMITTEE IS A FOUNDING MEMBER OF YOLO COUNTY'S FIRE

[01:00:01]

SAFE COUNCIL, AND WE PARTICIPATE IN STATE SENIOR AND DISABILITY RALLY AND LOBBY DAYS.

OUR MONTHLY MEETINGS INCLUDE REGULAR UPDATES ABOUT IHSS AND PUBLIC AUTHORITY, COMMITTEE PROJECTS, PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS, AND LEGISLATIVE AND ADMINISTRATIVE ACTIONS, AND BUDGETING OF FUNDS PROVIDED BY THE STATE TO DO THE WORK OF OUR COMMITTEE, SUCH AS PURCHASING SCREEN READING PROGRAMS, MILEAGE, BUSINESS CARDS, AND CONFERENCE OR TRAINING REGISTRATION.

WE'VE COVERED OTHER TOPICS THIS YEAR AS WELL.

WE UPDATED OUR ANNUAL WORK PLAN.

WE WORKED TO INCREASE VISIBILITY AND OUTREACH, INCLUDING WITH OUR NEW COMMITTEE LOGO, AND WE HAD FOLLOW-UP DISCUSSIONS ABOUT HOME CARE NOW AFTER HOURS ACCESS.

WE WORKED ON ADVOCACY LETTER POLICIES AND GOT AN UPDATE ON THE NEW COUNTY POLICY FOR ADVISORY BODIES.

JOE WILSON AND LINDA GACHEW OF RESOURCES FOR INDEPENDENT LIVING PARTICIPATE IN OUR MEETINGS, AS DO OLIVER SNOW AND LIZETTE MARSHMAN OF DISTRICT 4 AND DOTTIE PRITCHARD OF DISTRICT 3, AND SUPERVISOR ALLEN ATTENDS WHEN ABLE.

AND I'LL TELL YOU, WHEN WE'RE TALKING TO OTHER ADVISORY COMMITTEES AND WE SAY, OH, DON'T WE, ACTUALLY THE CHAIR OF OUR BOARD OF SUPERVISORS IS A FORMER MEMBER OF OUR ADVISORY COMMITTEE, PEOPLE ARE JUST ABOUT READY TO FAINT WITH JEALOUSY.

SO THANK YOU, YOLO COUNTY.

AND THEN PROSPECTIVE MEMBERS AND OTHER MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC HAVE JOINED US AS WELL.

PROJECTS THIS YEAR INCLUDE DESIGNING AND PROCURING T-SHIRTS AND BUSINESS CARDS WITH OUR NEW COMMITTEE LOGO, AND THE LOGO IS SHOWN ON THE SLIDE, AND WE CHOSE THIS ONE LAST YEAR BECAUSE IT'S ACCESSIBILITY BLUE, AND THEN WITH THE CIRCLE WITH THE FOUR HANDS REACHING IN RESEMBLES A WHEELCHAIR WHEEL.

AND THEN WE CONTINUE SEEKING WAYS TO BOOST OUTREACH AND COMMUNICATION WITH CONSUMERS AND PROVIDERS.

AND WE'VE DONE SUBSTANTIAL LEGISLATIVE ADVOCACY AND PUBLIC OUTREACH.

SO AS REPRESENTING OUR COMMITTEE, I'VE TESTIFIED AS A PANELIST IN A STATE SENATE BUDGET HEARING ON THE BE HOME SOON CALIFORNIA PROPOSAL, BEEN INVITED TO BE A KEY WITNESS ON A STATE BILL STREAMLINING WHEELCHAIR REPAIR, SPOKEN AT TWO STATE BUDGET PRESS CONFERENCES, AND PROVIDED COMMENT AND HEARINGS, WRITTEN POSITION LETTERS FOR OUR COMMITTEE, AND MET WITH LEGISLATORS AND STAFFERS ABOUT IHSS, MEDI-CAL, AND OTHER RELEVANT TOPICS, AND SPOKEN ABOUT IHSS AND THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON A PODCAST, WEBCAST, AND RADIO SHOW, AND IN TV AND PRINT INTERVIEWS, AND ACTUALLY SINCE WE DID THE SLIDE, ALSO REPRESENTED US AT THE GOVERNMENT AND DISABILITY SUMMIT IN VENTURA LAST WEEK SPEAKING ABOUT BUILDING COALITIONS.

AND OUR VICE CHAIR, SO JOHN AND STEVE, HAVE BOTH PROVIDED COMMENTS AND STATE BUDGET HEARINGS, AND ALSO MET WITH LEGISLATORS.

SO WE HAVE A DEEP BENCH ON THIS COMMITTEE.

MAXIMIZING EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS REMAINS A PRIORITY.

YOLO IHSS CONSUMERS CONTINUE TO GET BACKPACK-STYLE GO BAGS, AND WE'RE THE FIRST COUNTY TO DO THAT.

DURING THE DUNNIGAN FIRE, IHSS STAFF CONTACTED ALL 40 DUNNIGAN AREA CONSUMERS, 19 OF WHOM WERE SUBJECT TO EVACUATION ORDERS.

SADLY, TWO CONSUMERS AND THEIR PROVIDER LOST THEIR HOME IN THE FIRE, WHICH REALLY UNDERSCORES THE IMPORTANCE OF CONNECTING WITH PEOPLE WHO MAY NEED HELP EVACUATING.

AND OUR DISCUSSIONS INFORMED THE SECTIONS I WROTE, AND I'M REVISING FOR THE STATE'S UPDATED ALERT AND WARNING GUIDELINES, AND CONTINUE TO INFORM MY PARTICIPATION IN STATE AND COUNTY BODIES LIKE THE DISASTER SERVICE COUNCIL AND FIRE SAFE COUNCIL.

PROGRAM OUTREACH AND RECRUITING COMMITTEE MEMBERS ARE PERENNIAL GOALS, AND WE NEED THREE MORE CONSUMER MEMBERS, ONE MORE PROVIDER MEMBER, AND ONE MORE COMMUNITY MEMBER, AND WE WOULD WELCOME YOUR ASSISTANCE WITH THIS, ESPECIALLY WITH FINDING CONSUMER MEMBERS.

IN THE LAST YEAR, OR REALLY THE LAST YEAR AND A HALF, HAVE BEEN EXTREMELY CHALLENGING ON THE IHSS AND HCBS FRONT.

SO ON THE FEDERAL LEVEL, HR1'S CUTS TO MEDICAID AND OTHER SAFETY NET PROGRAMS IMPERIL OUR PROGRAM AND THE PEOPLE WE SERVE, AND THERE'S A LAUNDRY LIST OF HOW THIS IS GOING TO HAPPEN.

THE CLIFF NOTES IS THAT IT LOOKS TO BE FORCING STATES TO MAKE CUTS TO HOME AND COMMUNITY-BASED SERVICES, AND THE RED TAPE THAT'S COMING IS PRODIGIOUS AND THEN ALSO REQUIRES THAT PEOPLE RECERTIFY FOR MEDICAID TWICE A YEAR INSTEAD OF ONCE A YEAR.

SO THIS IS LIKELY TO LEAD TO INCREASED HOMELESSNESS, NEED FOR BUT INABILITY TO ACCESS INSTITUTIONAL CARE, AND, QUITE FRANKLY, UNNECESSARY DEATHS.

AND THE EFFECTS OF HR1 HAVE NOT BEEN FULLY FELT YET, BUT IT'S ALREADY A TSUNAMI OF CONCERN.

CENTERS FOR MEDICARE AND MEDICAID SERVICES DECISION TO WITHHOLD ABOUT $2 BILLION IN MEDICAID FUNDS FROM CALIFORNIA PENDING STATE VERIFICATION OF TRUE COST IS RESULTING IN ADDITIONAL AUDITS, WHICH TAKES SIGNIFICANT STAFF TIME.

AND I'LL NOTE THAT COUNTIES ARE STILL CONTINUING TO RECEIVE THEIR FUNDS.

IT'S JUST THAT COUNTY STAFF ARE HAVING TO TAKE TIME TO DO THESE ADDITIONAL AUDITS RIGHT NOW.

WELL, THERE'S ONE OTHER THAT I'M GOING TO ADD IN, WHICH IS THAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS TRYING TO ROLL BACK OLMSTEAD, THE RIGHT FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES TO LIVE IN OUR COMMUNITY.

AND SO THAT'S ANOTHER DEEP CONCERN FOR US.

[01:05:01]

TURNING TO THE STATE, GOVERNOR NEWSOM'S BUDGET MAY REVISE ONCE AGAIN TARGETED IHSS AND MEDI-CAL, ESPECIALLY FOR MEDI-CAL FOR OLDER ADULTS AND PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES AND IMMIGRANTS.

AND IF THE THREE PROPOSED CUTS TO IHSS AND THE MORE DRACONIAN GOVERNOR-PROPOSED ASSET LIMIT FOR MEDI-CAL HAD BEEN ADOPTED, LARGE NUMBERS OF CONSUMERS AND PROVIDERS, INCLUDING SOME OF OUR COMMITTEE MEMBERS, WOULD HAVE BECOME HOMELESS AND MANY CONSUMERS WOULD HAVE BEEN INSTITUTIONALIZED.

SUBSTANTIAL ADVOCACY BORE FRUIT, AND THE LEGISLATURE REJECTED ALL THREE OF THE IHSS CUTS AND TEMPERED THE ASSET LIMIT AND PROPOSED STRENGTHENING HOME AND COMMUNITY-BASED SERVICES.

COUNTIES ARE NOW RESPONSIBLE FOR ALL OF THE PENALTY INCURRED BY A LATE ASSESSMENT OF COMMUNITY FIRST CHOICE OPTION, OR CFCO, CASES.

AND THANKFULLY YOLO STAFF IS ON THE BALL, BUT STILL THIS DOES TAKE EXTRA TIME.

AT THE COUNTY LEVEL, THE BUDGET SITUATION, OF COURSE, HAS RESULTED IN MANY STAFFERS DOING MULTIPLE JOBS.

WITH CHALLENGES COME OPPORTUNITIES.

AS A RESULT OF THE FEDERAL AND STATE BUDGET PROPOSALS AND PROCESSES, WE AND PARTNERS HAVE HAD INCREASED ACCESS TO HIGH-VISIBILITY MEDIA AND ENGAGEMENT OPPORTUNITIES.

AS A RESULT, LEGISLATURES AND THE PUBLIC NOW BETTER UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE OF IN-HOME SUPPORTIVE SERVICES AND IT'S REALLY AT THE CENTER OF THE NEW STATE PROPOSAL, BE HOME SOON CALIFORNIA, THAT THE SENATE DESCRIBED AS A, QUOTE, AN ALL-OF-GOVERNMENT, WHATEVER-IT-TAKES APPROACH TO KEEPING CALIFORNIA'S OLDER ADULTS AND PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES SAFELY AT HOME AND IN THE COMMUNITY WITH FAMILY AND CAREGIVERS.

THE COMMITTEE HAS IDENTIFIED THREE WAYS THE BOARD COULD SUPPORT OUR MISSION.

ONE, WE REQUEST THAT THE BOARD CONTINUE TO ADVOCATE FOR IHSS, MEDI-CAL OR MEDICAID, AND MEDICARE AT THE STATE AND FEDERAL LEVELS AND EXPLAIN TO OUR STATE AND FEDERAL PARTNERS HOW CUTS PLAY OUT AT THE COUNTY LEVEL.

TWO, WE REQUEST THE BOARD ADVOCATE FOR THE BE HOME SOON CALIFORNIA PROPOSAL TO STRENGTHEN AND REFORM HOME AND COMMUNITY-BASED SERVICES AND THAT YOU ADVOCATE FOR CENTERING PEOPLE'S LIVED EXPERIENCES AND NEEDS IN THAT DISCUSSION.

THE GOAL OF BE HOME SOON REALLY IS TO INCREASE PEOPLE'S ABILITY TO TRANSITION HOME FROM CARE FACILITIES OR AVOID HOSPITAL AND FACILITY PLACEMENT.

IT PUTS A LOT OF WEIGHT ON IHSS, BUT MAY SHOEHORN PEOPLE INTO THE PROGRAM WHO ARE NOT ABLE TO BE CONSUMER SUPERVISORS.

AND SO WE'RE LOOKING AT DIFFERENT WAYS TO MAKE THIS WORK.

WHILE CALAIM TOOK MORE OF A TOP-DOWN APPROACH, WE SEE BE HOME SOON AS A REALLY GOLDEN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE STATE TO MAKE REVISIONS TO HOME AND COMMUNITY-BASED SERVICES BASED ON PEOPLE'S ACTUAL LIVED EXPERIENCES AND HAVE THIS GROW FROM THE GROUND UP AND WOULD BE HAPPY TO PARTNER WITH YOU ON THIS.

AND THREE, WE REQUEST THE BOARD ADVOCATE FOR STATE-LEVEL IMPROVEMENTS TO MEDI-CAL REDETERMINATION MESSAGING.

THIS YEAR'S STATE BUDGET HEARINGS HIGHLIGHTED A DISCONNECT BETWEEN WHAT STATE AGENCIES FEEL SHOULD BE A GOOD NOTIFICATION STRATEGY, BASICALLY MAILING A NOTICE IN A YELLOW ENVELOPE, AND WHAT BENEFICIARIES THINK WOULD BE EFFECTIVE, AND REVAMPING THE NOTIFICATION SYSTEM BASED ON BENEFICIARY INPUT AND DECREASING THE NUMBER OF MISSED REDETERMINATION DEADLINES WOULD SAVE MONEY, TIME, AND STRESS.

IT WOULD LIGHTEN THE COUNTY WORKLOAD, AND MAXIMIZING REDETERMINATION EFFICACY AND EFFICIENCY IS PARTICULARLY IMPORTANT FOR IHSS, AS THIS PROGRAM IS ONLY AVAILABLE FOR MEDI-CAL BENEFICIARIES, AND CONSUMERS CAN LOSE CARE AND PROVIDERS LOSE EMPLOYMENT IF THERE'S A REDETERMINATION GLITCH.

WE THANK THE BOARD FOR SUPPORTING IHSS AND MEDI-CAL FUNDING IN THE STATE BUDGET, ALLOWING FOR RECRUITMENT OF THE IHSS BUSINESS SERVICES SUPERVISOR POSITION, AUTHORIZING OUR COMMITTEE TO USE THE NEW BROWN ACT TELECONFERENCING OPTIONS, AND WE VERY MUCH THANK THE BOARD FOR ADJOURNING A BOARD MEETING IN MEMORY OF LONGTIME COMMITTEE MEMBER STEVE STREETER.

AND YOU ARE ALWAYS WELCOME AT OUR MEETINGS, WHICH ARE ON SECOND FRIDAYS OVER IN THE GONZALES BUILDING.

AND WE DEEPLY APPRECIATE IHSS AND PUBLIC AUTHORITY STAFF SUPPORT, AND WE DO HAVE TWO STAFF MEMBERS HERE, ROSANNA AND YESENIA, AND WE ALSO APPRECIATE INPUT FROM SUPERVISORIAL STAFFERS.

AND THANK YOU, AND JOHN, ROSANNA, YESENIA, AND I WOULD BE HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION AND ALL YOUR ONGOING WORK.

IT'S QUITE A BIT, AS SHOWN BY THE SLIDE, AND THIS IS ONLY ONE YEAR.

IT'S NOT LIKE THIS IS LIKE THE LAST FIVE YEARS. WELL DONE.

OKAY, I'LL TURN TO MY BOARD COLLEAGUES FOR ANY QUESTIONS.

OKAY, NOT SEEING NONE.

I JUST HAVE, WELL, IT'S KIND OF A QUESTION-COMMENT, BECAUSE I WAS A VISITING NURSE FOR MANY YEARS, AND I REFERRED MANY PEOPLE TO IHSS, AND WHEN I, FOR A SHORT TIME, WENT BACK TO ILLINOIS, OR NOT BACK TO ILLINOIS, I WENT TO ILLINOIS, AND WAS SO SURPRISED THAT THEY DIDN'T HAVE IHSS THERE.

DO YOU HAPPEN TO KNOW IF ANY OTHER STATE HAS THIS PROGRAM OR SIMILAR PROGRAM? I DON'T, WHAT, WHO SAID NO? CALIFORNIA'S IHSS PROGRAM IS HELD UP AS THE MOST SUCCESSFUL

[01:10:02]

HOME AND COMMUNITY-BASED SERVICES PROGRAM IN THE NATION.

IT'S INCREDIBLY VALUABLE, AND THAT'S WHY IT WAS PARTICULARLY CONCERNING, TERRIFYING, WITH SOME OF THE SUBSTANTIAL CUTS THAT HAVE BEEN PLACED ON IT.

A FRIEND WHO MOVED FROM TEXAS SAID THAT REALLY ONE OF THE REASONS HE DID THIS WAS THAT HE KNEW IN CALIFORNIA HE COULD LIVE INDEPENDENTLY, AND HOW HE WORKS FOR THE CALIFORNIA FOUNDATION FOR INDEPENDENT LIVING CENTERS.

YEAH, I DIDN'T THINK SO, BUT I DO NATIONAL WORK ON A HEALTH COMMITTEE, AND I LOVE TO TALK ABOUT IN-HOME SUPPORTIVE SERVICES AND HOW IMPORTANT IT IS TO BE ABLE TO KEEP PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY WHERE THEY WANT TO BE.

SO I JUST WANT TO CHECK IF YOU, AS THE MORE EXPERT NOW THAN ME, THERE ARE NO OTHER REASONS YOU'VE BEEN SO DEEP INTO IT.

IS THERE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS ITEM? I HAVE NO CARDS, CHAIR, ON THIS ITEM.

HEY, IS THERE ANY ONLINE COMMENT? I HAVE NO PUBLIC COMMENT.

WELL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.

YES, GO AHEAD.

I'D LIKE TO ADD A THANKS FOR THE PAYING RESPECTS TO STEVE STREETER.

WE GOT TO SEE THE VIDEO OF IT, AND THAT WAS WONDERFUL.

THE IHSS T-SHIRTS, THE IHSS T-SHIRTS, I AM WEARING ONE.

I THINK THE QUORUM PREVENTS ME FROM DEMONSTRATING.

HOWEVER, IF YOU SEE ME...

WELL, THANK YOU FOR THAT.

YES, IF YOU DO SEE ME AT THE FARMER'S MARKET IN DAVIS, I'LL BE WEARING IT OR A PICNIC IN THE PARK, BECAUSE WE'RE PROUD OF IT.

WE DO HAVE A BOARD MEMBER WHO HAS A COMMENT.

GO AHEAD, SUPERVISOR.

YEAH, THANK YOU JUST FOR YOUR PRESENTATION, OF COURSE, BUT ALSO FOR YOUR WORK.

YOU KNOW, THE IHSS PROGRAM, I MEAN, I THINK WE ALL REALLY ARE GRATEFUL FOR IT, OF COURSE, BUT I WANTED TO JUST SAY, ESPECIALLY AS IT RELATES TO YOUR REQUEST AND SUPPORTING THE MISSION, I THINK, REST ASSURED, SOME OF THE KEY PRIORITIES OF IHSS'S ADVISORY BODY ARE KEY PRIORITIES AS WELL.

I MEAN, THE SORT OF NEGATIVE IMPACTS OF HR1, OBVIOUSLY, THAT IS A PRIMARY CONCERN OF THIS COUNTY, AND FRANKLY, ALMOST ALL COUNTIES, I ASSUME MOST ALL COUNTIES AROUND THE COUNTRY.

THE WORST EFFECTS OF HR1 ARE NOT TO HIT US UNTIL THE COMING YEAR, CONVENIENTLY TIME TO BE AFTER THE NATIONAL ELECTION, BUT I THINK, YOU KNOW, REST ASSURED THAT WE ARE GOING TO CONTINUE TO ADVOCATE BOTH AT THE STATE BUT ALSO AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL FOR THE PRIORITIES THAT YOU MOST CARE ABOUT AS WELL.

SO REALLY, AGAIN, APPRECIATE YOUR WORK, AND ON BEHALF OF ESPECIALLY ALL THOSE THAT ARE IHSS BENEFICIARIES AND THOSE THAT DO THE WORK, REALLY THANK YOU.

I REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR KNOWING THAT KEEPING PEOPLE ON THEIR MEDI-CAL THAT THEY'RE ELIGIBLE FOR IS GOING TO TAKE ALL OF US.

SO THANK YOU TO YOUR GROUP FOR CONTINUING TO GET WORD OUT TO ALL YOUR CONSUMERS AND YOUR PROVIDERS SO THAT WE CAN BE SURE THAT THAT POPULATION AND JUST IT'S GOING TO TAKE OUR WHOLE COMMUNITY WORKING TOGETHER TO KEEP PEOPLE ON THEIR MEDI-CAL.

GREAT. THANK YOU.

AND I WANT TO OFFER REALLY A TREMENDOUS THANK YOU TO THE BOARD AND THE COUNTY FOR ALLOWING US TO DO THESE UPDATES WHEN TALKING WITH PEOPLE ON OTHER ADVISORY BODIES FOR IHSS IN OTHER COUNTIES THAT SOME COUNTIES THAT RECEIVE PUSHBACK FOR DOING AN UPDATE, AND IT'S LIKE, REALLY? BECAUSE IN YOLO COUNTY, WE GET TO COME DO THIS, AND I REALLY APPRECIATE IT, AND SO THEN WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO SHARE WHAT WORKS IN OUR COUNTY, AND I SO APPRECIATE THE INPUT THAT WE'VE GOTTEN OVER THE YEARS AND JUST BEING ABLE TO HAVE THE DIALOGUE.

REALLY, REALLY APPRECIATE IT.

SO THANKS TO YOU ALL.

WELL, HOW CAN YOU BE ADVISORY IF YOU NEVER ADVISE US? SO, PERFECT.

YEAH, OKAY.

ONE MORE BOARD MEMBER WOULD LIKE TO GET TO YOU.

JUST REAL BRIEFLY, THANK YOU.

AND AS YOU MENTIONED, WE DO VALUE THE SERVICES AND THE VOLUNTEER WORK THAT YOU GUYS ARE DOING.

I NOTICED YOU HAD A COUPLE OF VACANCIES, AND SO I'M JUST WONDERING IF THERE'S ANY IDEAS OR SUGGESTIONS.

WE'VE STRUGGLED TO MAINTAIN PEOPLE IN THE VOLUNTEER POSITIONS.

IT'S TRICKY, RIGHT? AND SO IF YOU'VE GOT IDEAS, ROSANNA, IF YOU'VE GOT IDEAS ON HOW TO GET REPRESENTATION TO FILL THE VACANCIES, I'D LOVE TO HELP DO THAT.

BUT WE'VE DONE SOME OUTREACH, AND IT JUST HASN'T HAPPENED, SO THANK YOU.

I THINK WE DID HAVE ONE INTERESTED, I BELIEVE, POTENTIAL CONSUMER MEMBER.

PERFECT.

I THINK FROM WEST SACRAMENTO, BUT SHE ENDED UP NEEDING TO BACK YOU UP.

YEAH, I THINK WHAT HAPPENS IS THE COMPOSITION OF SOME OF THESE COMMITTEES REQUIRES, YOU KNOW, THE COMPOSITION IS DIFFERENT, AND SO THE ONLY VACANCY THAT IS THERE NOW IS A CONSUMER, AND THE CONSUMER IS ALWAYS THE HARDEST ONE TO GET, FOR OBVIOUS REASONS.

SO WE MIGHT THINK ABOUT HOW TO BEST ADDRESS THAT, BECAUSE IT'S FALLEN REPEATEDLY IN THE SAME LOCATIONS, AND SO WE HAVEN'T HAD MUCH LUCK WITH THAT.

SO I'M WONDERING IF YOU GUYS HAVE IDEAS.

I'D LOVE TO HEAR THEM, BECAUSE WE'VE STRUGGLED TO FIND FOLKS.

WELL, AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT COMES TO

[01:15:01]

MIND IS WHEN YOU'RE DOING OUTREACH ABOUT POTENTIAL MEMBERS, ONE OF THE BIG REASONS THAT WE WERE SO DEEPLY INVOLVED IN BROWN ACT MODERNIZATION WAS TO MAKE IT EASIER FOR PEOPLE TO PARTICIPATE IN ADVISORY BODIES THROUGH USING TELECONFERENCING.

AND SO YOUR MESSAGING WITH PEOPLE CAN INCLUDE THAT THAT'S AN OPTION, BECAUSE TRANSPORTATION AND TAKING THAT MUCH TIME OUT OF A DAY ENDS UP BEING A BIG HURDLE FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE.

YEAH, THANK YOU FOR COMING FORWARD.

PLEASE INTRODUCE YOURSELF.

I KNOW WHO YOU ARE.

GOOD MORNING, ROSANNA VIGIL.

GOOD MORNING, CHAIR AND SUPERVISORS AND STAFF.

YES, THAT'S A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR RECIPIENTS TO ACTUALLY BE ABLE TO JOIN THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE.

THE REVAMPING OF THE BROWN ACT HAS GIVEN THEM THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE ABLE TO ZOOM IN TO THE MEETINGS.

ONE OF OUR OUTREACH GOALS FOR THIS YEAR IS ACTUALLY HAVING OUR ADULT SERVICE WORKERS COME IN WITH NEW UPDATED FLYERS AND ACTUALLY A POSTCARD THAT THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE APPROVED TO BE ABLE TO REACH OUT TO THOSE COMMUNITIES, IN PARTICULAR, WEST SACRAMENTO, BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE THE NEED IS.

AND SO WE'RE HOPING THAT THIS YEAR WE'RE ABLE TO FIND NEW ADVISORY MEMBERS THAT ARE RECIPIENTS.

WE ALSO, WITH THE PUBLIC AUTHORITY, PROVIDE AN OUTREACH FLYER FOR EVERY PERSON THAT REACHES OUT TO REQUEST A REFERRAL.

SO WE'RE CONTINUING TO DO SO, AND HOPEFULLY ONE DAY WE'LL BE ABLE TO SOLIDIFY GETTING A NEW RECRUITMENT FROM WEST SACRAMENTO.

AND JUST TO GIVE WEST SAC A SHOUT OUT, SEVERAL YEARS AGO, WE ACTUALLY HAD THREE MEMBERS FROM WEST SACRAMENTO, AND SO IT'S JUST RECENTLY THAT WE DON'T HAVE WEST SAC REPRESENTATION.

OKAY, GREAT.

THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH.

GREAT, THANK YOU.

AND IN THIS...

[23. Receive Local Behavioral Health Board annual report and recommendations delivered by vice-chair Kimberly Myra Mitchell and past vice-chair Sue Walther Jones. (No general fund impact) (Morales) (Est. Staff Presentation: 10 min)]

WE'RE NOW GOING TO HEAR FROM ANOTHER OF OUR ADVISORY GROUPS.

WE'RE GOING TO RECEIVE THE LOCAL BEHAVIORAL HEALTH BOARD ANNUAL REPORT AND RECOMMENDATIONS.

VICE CHAIR KIMBERLY MYRA MITCHELL AND PAST VICE CHAIR SUE WALTHER-JONES.

WELCOME.

HELLO.

YOU CAN TAKE A MOMENT TO GET SITUATED THERE.

THAT'S FINE.

YEAH, AND THEY MAY HAVE TOLD YOU THIS, BUT YOU JUST HAVE TO HIT THE SPACE BAR TO MOVE IT FORWARD WHEN THE TIME COMES.

OKAY, GOT IT.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

SO MY NAME IS KIMBERLY MITCHELL.

I AM THE CURRENT VICE CHAIR OF THE LOCAL BEHAVIORAL HEALTH BOARD, BUT I'M ALSO THE CHAIR OF THE ANNUAL REPORT COMMITTEE.

SO I LED THE COMMITTEE THAT DRAFTED THIS REPORT.

AND FIRST, I JUST WANTED TO GO INTO A BIT ABOUT THE LOCAL BEHAVIORAL HEALTH BOARD AND OUR PURPOSE.

SO THIS ANNUAL REPORT IS FROM FISCAL YEAR 2024 TO 2025.

WE HAD A BIT OF DELAY IN BEING ABLE TO PRESENT IT, BUT I REALLY APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY OF GETTING TO PRESENT THIS HERE NOW.

SO FIRST, THE PURPOSE OF THE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH BOARD IS TO REVIEW AND EVALUATE COUNTY BEHAVIORAL HEALTH NEEDS, SERVICES, FACILITIES, AND OUTCOMES, AND TO ADVISE THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS ACCORDINGLY.

SO THE ANNUAL REPORT IS PART OF OUR RECOMMENDATIONS ACCORDING TO THE CALIFORNIA WELFARE AND INSTITUTIONS CODE.

IT IS A LEGISLATIVE MANDATE.

FIRST, IT SUMMARIZES THE NEEDS AND PERFORMANCE OF COUNTY BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SERVICES.

IT LISTS THE BOARD'S ACCOMPLISHMENTS, AND IT CLEARLY STATES WHAT THE LOCAL BEHAVIORAL HEALTH BOARD ADVISES TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS.

SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE REALLY GOING TO EMPHASIZE TODAY IS THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE LOCAL BEHAVIORAL HEALTH BOARD TO YOU.

THIS ANNUAL REPORT AND RECOMMENDATIONS WERE DEVELOPED THROUGH A THOROUGH REVIEW OF TOPICS PRESENTED TO THE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH BOARD THROUGH THE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH DIRECTOR'S REPORT, COUNTY AGENCY AND PARTNER PRESENTATIONS, AS WELL AS PUBLIC COMMENT.

WE ALSO REVIEWED COUNTY PLANNING DOCUMENTS, INCLUDING THE YOLO COUNTY COMMUNITY HEALTH IMPROVEMENT PLAN, THE YOLO COUNTY COMMUNITY HEALTH ASSESSMENT, THE MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES ACT UPDATE, AND THE COUNTY STRATEGIC PLAN.

THE THEMES THAT WE WANT TO EMPHASIZE THROUGHOUT THIS REPORT ARE PREVENTATIVE CARE AND INVESTING UPSTREAM.

AGAIN, WE'RE HIGHLIGHTING OUR KEY CONCERNS AND RECOMMENDATIONS.

AND FIRST, I WANTED TO SAY THAT WE ACKNOWLEDGE THE CHALLENGING FISCAL AND OPERATIONAL CONSTRAINTS, AS WELL AS THE SIGNIFICANT CHANGES THE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SYSTEM HAS UNDERGONE IN THE LAST TWO YEARS.

IN LIGHT OF THIS, WE HOPE THAT THESE RECOMMENDATIONS CAN PROVIDE A FOCUS ON SPECIFIC PRIORITIES THAT THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS CAN TAKE.

THESE KEY CONCERNS AND RECOMMENDATIONS WERE DEVELOPED THROUGH A THOROUGH REVIEW OF TOPICS FROM PAST BEHAVIORAL HEALTH BOARD MEETINGS, AND I WANT TO EMPHASIZE THAT THE ANNUAL REPORT COMMITTEE AND THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE, AS WELL AS THE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH BOARD LEADERSHIP, DIRECTLY OVERLAP.

SO WE ARE SPEAKING WITH THE VOICE OF LEADERSHIP OF

[01:20:01]

THE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH BOARD AND THE VOICE OF THE ENTIRE BOARD AS A WHOLE.

OUR FIRST RECOMMENDATION IS TO EXPAND DATA SHARING AND ACCOUNTABILITY.

WE ENCOURAGE CONTINUED DEVELOPMENT OF ACCESSIBLE REPORTING ON FUNDING SOURCES, BUDGET STREAMS, AND PROGRAM OUTCOMES.

WE SUPPORT COUNTY EFFORTS TO CREATE A MORE COHESIVE DATA REPORTING SYSTEM, INCLUDING ONGOING IMPROVEMENTS TO THE ELECTRONIC HEALTH RECORD SYSTEM.

OUR SECOND RECOMMENDATION IS TO MAINTAIN AND STRENGTHEN SERVICES FOR VULNERABLE POPULATIONS.

AGAIN, WE RECOGNIZE THE SIGNIFICANT FUNDING CHALLENGES THAT THE COUNTY IS FACING, AND WE RECOGNIZE THAT IN SOME INSTANCES, SERVICE DEMAND IS EXCEEDING AVAILABILITY.

HOWEVER, WE ALSO WANT TO EMPHASIZE THE IMPORTANCE OF SUSTAINING SERVICES FOR VULNERABLE POPULATIONS, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, FULL SERVICE PARTNERSHIP CLIENTS, INDIVIDUALS GOING THROUGH THE COLLABORATIVE COURTS, BEHAVIORAL HEALTH TREATMENT IN THE JAIL, AND THE PUBLIC GUARDIAN.

OUR THIRD RECOMMENDATION IS TO CONTINUE DEVELOPMENT OF THE CRISIS CONTINUUM.

YOLO COUNTY IS CURRENTLY IN THE PROCESS OF TRANSITIONING TO THE CRISIS NOW MODEL OF EMERGENCY MENTAL HEALTH RESPONSE.

THE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH BOARD RECOGNIZES THE PROGRESS MADE WITH THE 24-HOUR COUNTY CRISIS AND ACCESS LINE MENTAL HEALTH CO-RESPONDERS.

HOWEVER, THE COUNTY IS STILL LACKING AN IN-COUNTY 24-7 EVALUATION AND STABILIZATION CENTER, EVEN WITH THE NEW CONTRACT WITH THE CRISIS RECEIVING AND BEHAVIORAL HEALTH IN SACRAMENTO.

WE ENCOURAGE ONGOING EVALUATION OF SERVICE EFFECTIVENESS, INCLUDING CRISIS RESPONSE POLICIES, PROCEDURES, AND SERVICE CAPACITY, DIRECTLY INFORMED BY DATA AND OUTCOME REVIEW.

WE ENCOURAGE THE COUNTY, UC DAVIS, AND OTHER COMMUNITY PARTNERS TO COME TOGETHER TO ADDRESS ANY GAPS IN THE CRISIS CONTINUUM TO ENSURE THAT MENTAL HEALTH CO-RESPONDERS ARE INTEGRATED IN A MENTAL HEALTH EMERGENCY RESPONSE THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY.

OUR FOURTH RECOMMENDATION IS TO PROTECT THE COUNTY'S PROGRESS IN CHILDREN'S MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES.

THE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH BOARD RECOGNIZES THE PROGRESS MADE SINCE 2019 IN SCHOOL-BASED MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES AND IN CHILDREN'S CRISIS RESPONSE.

HOWEVER, AS THE FUNDING RESPONSIBILITY TRANSITIONS, WE HOPE TO ENSURE THAT CHILDREN DO NOT FALL THROUGH GAPS DURING THESE TRANSITIONS.

OUR FIFTH RECOMMENDATION IS TO CONTINUE TO STRENGTHEN COORDINATION WITH COMMUNITY PARTNERS.

WE EMPHASIZE THE SIGNIFICANCE OF COLLABORATION BETWEEN COUNTY AGENCIES AND OTHER COMMUNITY PARTNERS, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO NAMI YOLO COUNTY, UC DAVIS, K-12 SCHOOL DISTRICTS, AND OTHER FEDERALLY QUALIFIED HEALTH CENTERS.

OUR SIXTH RECOMMENDATION IS TO CONTINUE TO DEVELOP SUPPORTS FOR INDIVIDUALS EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS.

THE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SERVICES ACT REALLOCATED FUNDING TOWARDS HOUSING-RELATED SUPPORTS.

THE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH BOARD ENCOURAGES THOUGHTFUL PLANNING REGARDING HOW THESE RESOURCES ARE UTILIZED TO ENSURE EFFECTIVE AND APPROPRIATE SUPPORTS FOR HOUSING FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH BEHAVIORAL HEALTH NEEDS.

OUR SEVENTH AND LAST RECOMMENDATION IS TO EMPHASIZE WORKFORCE SUSTAINABILITY AND RETENTION.

THE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH BOARD APPRECIATES THE COMMITMENT AND EXPERTISE OF COUNTY BEHAVIORAL HEALTH STAFF.

AS THE COUNTY CONTINUES TO BALANCE DECLINING REVENUE WITH INCREASING NEEDS FOR SERVICES, THE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH BOARD ENCOURAGES THE COUNTY TO CONTINUE TO EVALUATE EMPLOYEE WORKLOAD AND WORKFORCE SUSTAINABILITY.

WORKLOADS MAY IMPACT STAFF RETENTION AND SYSTEM STABILITY, WHICH MAY IN TURN AFFECT THE DELIVERY OF HIGH-QUALITY SERVICES.

IN THE ANNUAL REPORT DOCUMENT, WE ALSO PROVIDED A DETAILED OVERVIEW OF THE STATE OF BEHAVIORAL HEALTH IN THE COUNTY.

THIS HAS GONE INTO A LOT MORE DETAIL WITHIN THE TEXT OF THE DOCUMENT, BUT FOR PURPOSES OF PRESENTATION, I JUST WANTED TO PROVIDE A VERY HIGH-LEVEL OVERVIEW.

FIRST, AS WAS PREVIOUSLY STATED, WE RECOGNIZE THAT THE LAST TWO YEARS HAVE HAD SIGNIFICANT TRANSITION, AND WE RECOGNIZE THAT HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES AS WELL AS THE COUNTY AS A WHOLE ARE OPERATING UNDER SIGNIFICANT FISCAL AND OPERATIONAL CONSTRAINTS.

HOWEVER, EVEN IN LIGHT OF THIS, WE WANTED TO RECOGNIZE THE DEDICATION AND EXPERTISE OF COUNTY BEHAVIORAL HEALTH ADMINISTRATION AND STAFF.

THE FINAL SECTION OF THE ANNUAL REPORT GOES OVER THE STATUS OF THE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH BOARD ITSELF, AND AGAIN, THIS HAS GONE INTO A LOT MORE DETAIL WITHIN THE REPORT ITSELF, BUT WE WANTED TO REALLY HIGHLIGHT THE DEVELOPMENT WE HAVE OF STANDARD WORK OF SEVERAL DIFFERENT COMMITTEES, INCLUDING THE ONBOARDING PROCESS, THE ANNUAL REPORT COMMITTEE, AND THE STANDARD WORK COMMITTEE.

DOCUMENTS WERE DEVELOPED AS PART OF THESE COMMITTEES AND PROCESSES AND WERE ABLE TO CONSOLIDATE INTO A SHARED FOLDER THAT ALL BEHAVIORAL HEALTH BOARD MEMBERS CAN VIEW.

WE ALSO WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THE COLLABORATIONS WE HAVE WITH

[01:25:01]

CALBHBC, SO THE CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF LOCAL BEHAVIORAL HEALTH BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS, THE OPIOID COALITION, AND THE HEALTH COUNCIL.

FINALLY, WE WANTED TO ACKNOWLEDGE A VARIETY OF PEOPLE THAT CONTRIBUTED TO THE CREATION OF THIS REPORT.

SO FIRST, THE EFFORTS AND INFORMATION PROVIDED BY COUNTY BEHAVIORAL HEALTH LEADERSHIP AND STAFF, THE COUNTY STAFF WHO PROVIDED DIRECT LOGISTICAL SUPPORT TO THE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH BOARD, CALBHBC, THE CHAIR OF THE NAPA AND SAN FRANCISCO LOCAL BEHAVIORAL HEALTH BOARDS, WHO PROVIDED STRUCTURE AND CONTEXT WITH HOW TO DRAFT ANNUAL REPORTS LIKE THIS, AS WELL AS THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHOSE PERSPECTIVES CONTRIBUTED TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF THIS REPORT.

FINALLY, WE WANTED TO RECOGNIZE THE HUMAN IMPACT OF LOCAL BEHAVIORAL HEALTH POLICY ON THE LIVES OF INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES THROUGH OUR COMMUNITY.

ANY QUESTIONS? OKAY, GREAT. THANK YOU FOR THAT.

AND JUST TO CLARIFY, IT DOES NOT LOOK LIKE SUE IS NEXT TO YOU.

THAT APPEARS TO BE JONATHAN RAVEN, WHO'S A COMMITTEE MEMBER ALSO, RIGHT? OKAY, GREAT.

ALL RIGHT, SO OUR PROCESSES WILL GO TO BOARD QUESTIONS, AND THEN WE'LL TAKE PUBLIC COMMENT, AND THEN WE'LL HAVE COMMENTS.

SO ARE THERE ANY BOARD QUESTIONS? YES, SUPERVISOR VILLEGAS.

FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND GREAT REPORT, VERY CLEAR AND CONCISE.

IN TERMS OF THE DATE, CAN YOU GO BACK A COUPLE SCREENS? I THINK ONE OF THE, IF NOT THE FIRST, MAYBE THEY'RE NOT IN PRIORITY ORDER NECESSARILY, BUT THE DATA SHARING AND EXPANDED DATA SHARING, ARE YOU FOLKS, ARE YOU GETTING DATA THAT HELPS KIND OF GUIDE THE WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING, OR IS THAT THE CONCERNS AND RECOMMENDATIONS I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S A CONCERN OR A RECOMMENDATION THAT THERE BE MORE DATA OR THAT SOME OF THE THINGS THAT YOU'RE DOING BE DATA-DRIVEN, AND I WANTED TO UNDERSTAND THAT JUST A LITTLE BIT MORE.

I THINK WE ARE RECEIVING, IN OUR EVALUATIONS, WE ARE RECEIVING DATA FROM THE COUNTY THAT KIND OF DRIVE WHAT WE STATED IN THIS REPORT, BUT WE'RE JUST KIND OF FRAMING THIS AS A RECOMMENDATION TO EXPAND THAT CAPACITY, AS IN THERE COULD BE MORE DATA SHARING, THERE COULD BE MORE TRANSPARENCY, THINGS LIKE THAT.

OKAY, NOW THAT'S GOOD, AND I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE ALWAYS STRIVE TO DO, BUT IT'S GOOD TO SEE IT IN WRITING.

AND THEN IN TERMS OF THE PREVENTION, WHICH I TOTALLY AGREE WITH, THE FURTHER UPSTREAM, YOU KNOW, THE COUNTY OVER THE YEARS HAS SPENT AN INORDINATE AMOUNT OF TIME KIND OF CREATING THE UNDERPINNINGS OF THE K-12 PARTNERSHIP, WHICH I UNDERSTAND HAS BEEN PRETTY GOOD, ALBEIT IT WAS STATE-FUNDED INITIALLY, THEN THERE WERE SOME STRUGGLES, AND WE CONTINUE TO STRUGGLE TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THE FUTURE FUNDING LOOKS LIKE.

BUT IT'S NOT UNCOMMON IN GOVERNMENT TO START THESE PROGRAMS WITH GRANT FUNDING, AND THEY'RE LIMITED, WHETHER THEY'RE ONE, THREE, FIVE YEARS, WHATEVER THE CASE MIGHT BE, AND SO I LIKE SEEING THIS IN HERE, IN THAT WE'VE ESTABLISHED RELATIONSHIPS WITH OUR EDUCATION PARTNERS THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE COUNTY, AND IT'S BEEN PROVEN TO BE EFFECTIVE AND CUSTOMIZED TO EACH INDIVIDUAL SCHOOL DISTRICT, GIVEN THE NEEDS, AND SO IS THAT PART OF THE RECOMMENDATION FOR THE PREVENT, IS THAT WHAT YOU GUYS ARE THINKING IN TERMS OF THE PREVENTION COMPONENT UPSTREAM FOR YOUTH? BECAUSE IT SEEMS LIKE THE PERFECT PLACE, AND I JUST WANTED TO KNOW IF THAT'S WHERE YOU'RE...

YEAH, ESSENTIALLY THAT'S KIND OF WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO EXPRESS IN OUR FOURTH RECOMMENDATION SURROUNDING THE PROGRESS MADE IN CHILDREN'S MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES IN THE LAST FEW YEARS.

OKAY, ALL RIGHT, JUST CURIOUS.

OKAY, THAT'S HELPFUL, THANK YOU.

ANY QUESTIONS DOWN HERE? JUST A COUPLE OF COMMENTS.

SUPERVISOR BARAJAS, NOPE, OKAY.

I HAD A QUESTION I JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY ABOUT FOR NUMBER THREE, IF YOU WANT TO GO UP ONE, ABOUT THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE CRISIS CONTINUUM, AND I KNOW THAT FUNDING HAS CHANGED, AND PARTNERS HAVE CHANGED, AND IT'S BEEN JUST A LITTLE BIT OF FITS AND STARTS TO TRY TO GET THIS DARN THING GOING, AND THIS MAY NOT BE A QUESTION FOR YOU, IT COULD BE A QUESTION FOR STAFF, BUT I'M JUST WONDERING ABOUT WHERE WE ARE WITH THE CRISIS NOW BEDS.

ARE THEY UP, ARE THEY GOING, HAVE YOU RECEIVED A REPORT? WE HAVE STAFF HERE, I DON'T MEAN TO PUSH OUR ADVISORY, BUT SINCE YOU SAID IT'S A PRIORITY FOR YOU, I WANT TO MAKE SURE IT'S GOING.

YES, GOOD MORNING CHAIR ALLEN AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.

I'M TONY KILDARE, I'M THE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH DIRECTOR FOR YOLO COUNTY, AND CURRENTLY WHERE WE'RE AT IS WE HAVE THE THREE BEDS WITH THE WELLSPACE FACILITY IN DOWNTOWN SACRAMENTO WE'VE DISCUSSED BEFORE.

WE HAD A DELAYED IMPLEMENTATION BECAUSE OF THE FACT THAT RIGHT AFTER WE SIGNED THE CONTRACT, THEY HAD A FLOOD AT THE FACILITY, AND THEY HAD TO TEMPORARILY MOVE THEIR LOCATION TO SOUTH SACRAMENTO, WHICH REALLY WASN'T VERY CONVENIENT FOR THE THINGS WE'RE DOING.

SO THEY'RE BACK IN THEIR FACILITY NOW.

WE CONTINUE TO HAVE THREE BEDS.

WE HAVE HAD SOME INFORMAL CONVERSATIONS WITH THE FACILITY AND WITH SACRAMENTO COUNTY, WHO BASICALLY IT'S THEIR FACILITY THAT THEY'RE LETTING US KIND OF USE A PIECE OF ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT ON A CASE-BY-CASE BASIS IF THEY HAD SOME ADDITIONAL BEDS,

[01:30:01]

IF THEY WOULD ALLOW US TO BORROW THEM ONCE IN A WHILE, AND THEY SEEM TO BE OKAY WITH THAT.

SO CURRENTLY IT'S STILL SET UP AS A ONE-YEAR PILOT FOR US TO COLLECT SOME DATA ON THE EFFECTIVENESS.

WE'RE WORKING OUT SOME OF THE PROTOCOLS WITH TRANSPORTATION AND KIND OF HOW PEOPLE GET THERE AND HOW WE GET THEM HOME.

WE HAVE A CLINICIAN WHO'S DEDICATED TO FOLLOW UP WITH THESE INDIVIDUALS AFTER THEY EXIT THE FACILITY, AND IT'S OPERATIONAL RIGHT NOW.

SO MY UNDERSTANDING IS WE HAVE APPROXIMATELY 25 INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE BEEN SERVED SO FAR.

GREAT, THANKS.

AND DOES THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE KIND OF ASK THOSE KIND OF QUESTIONS AND GET UPDATES AT YOUR MEETINGS ABOUT THIS TYPE OF THING? YES, WE RECEIVED UPDATES ON THAT ON OUR LAST MEETING.

SO THE INFORMATION HE TOLD YOU, WE WERE INFORMED OF IN OUR LAST MEETING.

OKAY, GREAT.

THAT'S HOW IT'S SUPPOSED TO WORK.

I'M SO HAPPY TO HEAR THAT.

AND THEN JUST IN GENERAL, I JUST WANTED TO GET MAYBE SOME OF YOUR INPUT OR HOW DO YOU FEEL THAT THE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH BOARD, HOW YOU INTERSECTED WITH THE PLANNING FOR THE LOCAL BEHAVIORAL HEALTH PLAN THAT WENT TO THE STATE? YOU WERE A PART OF IT.

HOW DID YOU FEEL ABOUT IT? JUST TELL ME A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOW YOU WERE INVOLVED.

YOU CAN TELL ME HOW YOU FEEL.

BECAUSE WE CAN DO BETTER OR MAYBE WE DID GREAT.

I DON'T KNOW.

I THINK WE HAD INVOLVEMENT IN THE PLAN, BUT I DON'T HAVE ANY SPECIFIC FEEDBACK REGARDING THAT.

WE DIDN'T DISCUSS THAT AS A BOARD TO PROVIDE FEEDBACK.

YEAH, YEAH.

NO, I UNDERSTAND THAT.

SO JUST IN GENERAL, IT MAY BE NICE THE NEXT TIME, THE NEXT GO AROUND.

I THINK IT'S A THREE-YEAR PLAN, CORRECT? ARE THERE YEARLY UPDATES REQUIRED? I DON'T EVEN KNOW THAT SPECIFICATION.

I'M SORRY TO KEEP WITH YOU, BUT STAFF WOULD KNOW THE ANSWER TO THAT.

IS IT YEARLY UPDATES OR IT'S JUST A THREE-YEAR PLAN? WE'LL BE BACK AT IT FOR THAT.

GO AHEAD.

CHAIR ALLEN, ARE YOU REFERRING TO THE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SERVICES ACT PLAN? YEAH.

MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT WE'RE NOT REQUIRED TO DO ANNUAL UPDATES, BUT WE ARE INTENDING TO DO ANNUAL UPDATES TO SOME DEGREE.

GREAT, GREAT.

IT'S JUST HELPFUL FOR ME, BECAUSE YOU ARE THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE, THAT WHEN SOMETHING LIKE THAT COMES, THAT IF EITHER ONE OF YOUR BOARD MEMBERS COMES TO THE MEETING AND SAY, HEY, THIS IS, WE WERE INVOLVED AND WE THINK IT'S A GREAT IDEA, OR HERE'S AN AREA OF EMPHASIS FOR US, BECAUSE AS ADVISORY MEMBERS, I'D LIKE TO HAVE YOU ADVISE.

IS THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? IS THERE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT? I HAVE NO CARDS, CHAIR.

IS THERE ANY COMMENT ONLINE? WE HAVE NO COMMENTS ONLINE.

ARE THERE ANY FINAL FOLLOW-UP COMMENTS? YES.

YEAH, THANKS SO MUCH.

I THINK, YEAH, FIRST OF ALL, JUST A THANK YOU AS WELL, SIMILAR TO THE LAST PRESENTATION.

I MEAN, JUST FIRSTLY GRATEFUL FOR THE ANNUAL REPORT.

I MEAN, IT HAD BEEN A FEW YEARS SINCE THAT HAD BEEN COMPLETED KIND OF DURING, THROUGH THE PERIOD OF THE PANDEMIC.

IT KIND OF SORT OF FELL OFF THE RADAR A LITTLE BIT, AND THAT'S OKAY.

BUT I'M REALLY GRATEFUL TO SEE THIS.

I MEAN, AND I'M FORTUNATE, ALONG WITH SUPERVISOR VILLEGAS, TO SERVE AS A CO-LIASON TO THE LOCAL BEHAVIORAL HEALTH BOARD.

AND WHILE I DON'T ATTEND EVERY MEETING, I ATTEND MOST OF THEM.

AND CERTAINLY IF I'M NOT THERE, A MEMBER OF MY STAFF IS.

AND SO REALLY GRATEFUL.

AND THEN IN BETWEEN MEETINGS HAVE LOTS OF CONVERSATIONS WITH VARIOUS MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.

SO REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR CONTINUED WORK ON THESE TOPICS.

I THINK A FEW ITEMS AS IT RELATES TO THE RECOS AND, YOU KNOW, I THINK SUPERVISOR ALLEN TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THIS OR SOME OF YOUR QUESTIONS.

I MEAN, I THINK, YOU KNOW, THERE'S OBVIOUSLY CLEARLY SOME THAT ARE UNDERWAY AND OTHERS THAT NEED WORK.

AND SO REALLY APPRECIATE, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, I KNOW LIKE ON THE PARTNERS ITEM, WHICH I THINK IS NUMBER THREE, YEAH, AS PART OF THE CONTINUING DEVELOPMENT OF THE CRISIS.

NO, IT'S NUMBER THREE.

THE CRISIS CONTINUUM ITEM.

IT'S IMPERATIVE THAT UC DAVIS BE AT THE TABLE FOR THIS ITEM.

I MEAN, AND I THINK, I DON'T KNOW, THE SUPERVISOR VILLEGAS PROBABLY AGREES WITH THIS AS WELL, BUT, YOU KNOW, WE SO MANY OF THE ITEMS THAT WE FACE IN THE COUNTY, WE DON'T, WE OBVIOUSLY DON'T DO ALONE AND WE NEED THE UNIVERSITY AT THE TABLE TO PARTICIPATE.

AND FRANKLY, A LOT OF STUDENTS AT UC DAVIS ARE UTILIZE THE MENTAL HEALTH SYSTEM IN THIS COUNTY.

AND I THINK IT'S, I'VE SAID IT BOTH AT THE LOCAL BEHAVIORAL HEALTH BOARD MEETINGS.

I'VE SAID IT IN PUBLIC AND OTHER VENUES AND OUR, WE HAVE A CITY OF DAVIS AND A COUNTY AND A UNIVERSITY ANNUAL MEETING TOGETHER.

I'VE SAID IT THERE, BUT I'LL SAY IT HERE AGAIN.

UC DAVIS NEEDS TO PARTICIPATE IN THE CRISIS CARE CONTINUUM IN A, IN A MORE MEANINGFUL WAY.

AND SO I'LL JUST SAY THAT AND LOOK FOR, YOU KNOW, HOPEFULLY OUR BOARD AND, YOU KNOW, THE LOCAL LAYER HEALTH BOARD, BUT ALSO OUR COUNTY, WE CAN WORK, CONTINUE TO WORK WITH THE UNIVERSITY TO MAKE SURE THAT HAPPENS.

I THINK THE, ON THE OTHER ITEM AROUND, YOU KNOW, PROTECTING THE COUNTY'S PROGRESS AND CHILD MENTAL CHILDREN'S MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES.

THE K-12 SCHOOLS PARTNERSHIP IS FANTASTIC.

IT IS LITERALLY, IN MY OPINION, ONE OF THE MOST VALUABLE

[01:35:01]

PROGRAMS THE COUNTY HELPS FUND.

AND IT HAS DONE WONDERS AND IT'S THE CHALLENGE, THE KEY FOR ALL OF THESE ITEMS, OF COURSE, IS JUST THE FUNDING CHALLENGES THAT WE'RE IN RIGHT NOW.

AND SO OBVIOUSLY WE HAVE CONTINUED TO PRIORITIZE THAT PROGRAM.

WHERE I THINK, AND THEN TO LASTLY, AND WE, I THINK WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO DO SO BECAUSE THERE'S SO MUCH, THERE ARE SO MANY BENEFITS TO MAKING SURE THAT PEOPLE OF ALL AGES HAVE MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES THEY NEED, BUT ESPECIALLY CHILDREN.

AND I THINK THAT REALLY HELPS A LOT OF INVESTMENT ON THE FRONT END REALLY HELPS TO PAY OFF LATER IN LIFE.

SO OBVIOUSLY WHERE I THINK THIS BOARD WILL BE CONTINUING TO BE SUPPORTIVE OF THAT PROGRAMMING, I THINK TO SUPERVISOR ALLEN'S COMMENTS, JUST AROUND, YOU KNOW, THE, I MEAN, I GUESS THE CHALLENGES OF FINANCING AND BUDGETS RIGHT NOW.

WE ARE IN A SPOT WHERE WE'LL SEE KIND OF HOW, YOU KNOW, THIS NEXT TIME WE HEARD IT IN THE LAST PRESENTATION AS WELL, TOO, WE'VE GOT A LOT OF CHALLENGES COMING AT US IN TERMS OF THE FEDERAL SITUATION, FEDERAL DOLLAR SITUATION AND HOW WE SORT OF DO GO ABOUT FUNDING PROGRAMMING, PROGRAMMING TO VULNERABLE POPULATIONS.

I THINK THE INTERESTING THING WHEN YOU ASKED ABOUT THE LOCAL BEHAVIORAL HEALTH BOARD AND WHY THEY MAYBE DIDN'T HAVE A SPECIFIC RECOMMENDATIONS AROUND BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SERVICES ACT, I THINK THEY HAD A LOT OF DISCUSSION ABOUT M.H.S.A., THIS TRANSITION FROM M.H.S.A. TO B.H.S.A.

I THINK MUCH LIKE ALL OF US, WE'RE JUST IN A SITUATION WHERE WE'RE ALL IN A BIT OF A, IT'S NEW AND IT'S A BIT OF A WAIT AND SEE.

SO WE'RE ALL KIND OF IN THIS LIKE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT TOGETHER.

AND SO WHILE THEY DIDN'T HAVE ANY EXPLICIT RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE PROCESS, THEY DID HAVE EXTENSIVE DISCUSSION ABOUT THE B.H.S.A. PLAN ITSELF.

AND SO REALLY APPRECIATE THE WORK OF THE LOCAL BEHAVIORAL HEALTH BOARD.

AND JUST SPECIFICALLY FOR THE TWO MEMBERS THAT ARE HERE WITH US THIS MORNING, KIMBERLY HAS SERVED FOR ALMOST FOUR YEARS NOW AND HAS COMPLETELY DOVE IN ON THAT WORK OF THE LOCAL BEHAVIORAL HEALTH BOARD, SERVING AS SECRETARY ORIGINALLY, SERVING ON PRETTY MUCH ANY COMMITTEE THAT COMES FORWARD, BUT THEN NOW SERVING AS THE VICE CHAIR.

AND THEN ALSO JUST SHOUT OUT TO JONATHAN RAVEN AS WELL, TO HER SERVING FOR A VERY LONG TIME, PREVIOUSLY AS THE LONG TIME CHAIR, BUT REALLY GRATEFUL FOR BOTH OF THEIR DEDICATION AND LONG TIME SERVICE TO AN ISSUE THAT IS VERY IMPORTANT FOR THE WORK THAT WE DO HERE AT THE COUNTY.

SO THANK YOU.

ANY OTHER COMMENTS? JUST SIMPLY TO SAY AS THE CO-CHAIR WITH SUPERVISOR FRERICHS, SPOT ON.

YES.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION AND INSIGHT AND JUST YOUR DEDICATION TO THE WORK THAT YOU'VE DONE ALONG WITH YOUR OTHER COLLEAGUES ON THE BOARD.

I DID NOTICE ON THE EXECUTIVE SUMMARY, AND MAYBE THIS QUESTION IS MORE FOR MONICA MORALES OR TONY, THE EXECUTIVE SUMMARY REALLY FOCUSES ON OR A PART OF IT, PREVENTATIVE CARE, THE THEME OF PREVENTATIVE CARE.

AND I KNOW THAT H.H.S.A. HAS, BECAUSE OF THE DOLLARS, HAVE SEEN PREVENTATIVE CARE AS A WAY TO MAYBE REDUCE IN THOSE AREAS, BECAUSE THERE'S OTHER URGENT NEEDS BESIDES PREVENTATIVE CARE NEEDS.

BUT IT'S NOT REALLY SPECIFICALLY OUTLINED IN THIS REPORT, RIGHT, THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE TWO.

AND I JUST WANT TO ASK MONICA OR TONY, THERE'S A FUNDAMENTAL DIFFERENCE HERE BETWEEN WHAT YOU'RE PUSHING AS AN ADMINISTRATIVE AT THE COUNTY AND WHAT THIS LIAISON GROUP IS, ADVISORY GROUP IS DOING.

AND FOR THE PUBLIC, WHEN THEY TALK ABOUT PREVENTATIVE CARE PROGRAMS THAT THEY WANT US TO KEEP, WHAT ARE YOU THINKING AND WHAT IS IT THAT WE'VE ALREADY REDUCED AND WHAT CAN WE SAVE AND SALVAGE IN THE NEXT YEAR OR TWO? THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.

FOR THE RECORD, MONICA MORALES, H.H.S.A. DIRECTOR, MY PERSPECTIVE IS WE'RE ALL RESPONSIBLE FOR THE HEALTH OF OUR COMMUNITY, RIGHT, IN OUR COUNTY.

SO THE CONTINUUM AS A WHOLE, IT IS PART OF THE WORK THAT WE HAVE TO CONTINUE TO DO.

NOW, WHERE THIS SERVICE COMES FROM, THAT IS WHERE WE ALL TAKE A ROLE IN, RIGHT? SO WE HAVE TO KEEP IN MIND THAT THE WORK THAT THE K-12 PARTNERSHIP IS DOING IS FUNDAMENTAL TO THIS.

THEY ALSO HELP LOOK AT OUR CHILDREN, ASSESS THEIR CHILDREN, REFER OUR CHILDREN, RIGHT? WE NEED THAT WORK TO CONTINUE.

AND AS H.H.S.A. DIRECTOR AND AS BEHAVIORAL HEALTH DIRECTOR, THAT IS DEFINITELY OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO ENSURE THAT THE ECOSYSTEM IS SUPPORTED.

IN TERMS OF MILD TO MODERATE,

[01:40:01]

WHICH IS THE PARTNERSHIP OUR MANAGED CARE PLAN IS RESPONSIBLE FOR, THAT'S ALSO PART OF THE PREVENTATIVE WORK THAT'S NEEDED IN OUR COUNTY.

AND WE WORK WITH THEM CLOSELY AS WELL TO JUST PRESSURE THEM, TO ENCOURAGE THEM, TO CONTINUE TO COLLABORATE WITH THEM, TO GET THE INFORMATION OUT.

NOW, THE CORE WORK OF OUR MANDATE IS, YOU'VE HEARD ME SAY MULTIPLE TIMES, IS SPECIALTY BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SERVICES, THOSE THAT ARE MOST IN NEED.

AND WE DO THAT DIRECT SERVICE TO THEM.

WHAT'S UNFORTUNATE IS THAT YOU HAVE MULTIPLE SYSTEMS RESPONSIBLE FOR A CONTINUUM THAT OUR COMMUNITY DOESN'T KNOW HOW TO SEPARATE.

AND TRULY, IT'S A DISSERVICE TO THEM.

I CAN'T HELP THAT.

THAT'S WHERE WE NEED YOU TO ADVOCATE TO MAKE IT A SEAMLESS PROCESS AT THE STATE AND FEDERAL LEVEL.

SO TO SHARE WITH YOU, IT IS OUR RESPONSIBILITY.

JUST BECAUSE WE'RE NOT DOING THE WORK DIRECTLY, IT DOESN'T MEAN THAT WE'RE NOT REALLY STRONGLY TRYING TO ALIGN WITH ALL THE OTHER INDIVIDUALS RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS.

AND I WOULD JUST WANT TO PUT A PLUG OUT THAT THE CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH IS NOW RESPONSIBLE TO SUPPORT THE WORK THAT WE ONCE WERE RESPONSIBLE TO DO ON THE PREVENTION SITE.

THEY ARE SUPPOSED TO LAUNCH THOSE GRANTS IN THE FALL.

AS A MATTER OF FACT, THEY JUST PROMOTED A CALL TO START DISCUSSING THE RFP PROCESS.

SO I'LL MAKE SURE THAT YOU GUYS HAVE THAT INFORMATION AS WELL.

YES, THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION, SUPERVISOR BARAJAS.

AND I WILL JUST ADD ON TO WHAT MONICA JUST MENTIONED WITH REGARDS TO THE FACT THAT THE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SERVICES ACT KIND OF TOOK THE PREVENTION DOLLARS OUT OF THE FUNDING.

SO OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS WITH THE MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES ACT PLANS, WE'VE BEEN GRADUALLY REDUCING PREVENTION.

SO SOME OF THAT STARTED WITH KARLEEN JAKOWSKI, AS YOU REMEMBER, WHEN SHE WAS STILL THE DIRECTOR.

AND THERE'S A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT PREVENTION-ORIENTED PROGRAMS THAT WE HAD LOST OVER THE YEARS, LIKE PROMOTORES AND THE EARLY SIGNS ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.

THERE'S JUST A FEW DIFFERENT PIECES THAT WE'VE LOST.

NOW WITH THE K-12 SCHOOL PARTNERSHIP, THAT WAS PRIMARILY FUNDED UNDER THE PREVENTION AND EARLY INTERVENTION DOLLARS ALONG WITH THE STATE GRANT.

AND WE CAN STILL JUSTIFY SOME OF THAT WORK THROUGH EARLY INTERVENTION, WHICH IS PART OF THE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SERVICES ACT.

AND WE ARE CONTINUING TO FUND THE PROGRAM, EVEN THOUGH IT'S AT A REDUCED LEVEL BECAUSE OF THE LOSS OF THE GRANT.

AND SO SOME OF THE WORK, WE'VE LOST SOME THINGS, BUT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO HOLD ON TO SOME OF THE EARLY INTERVENTION PROGRAMS, LIKE THE ONES THAT ARE FUNDED FOR FIRST FIVE AND THE K-12 SCHOOL PARTNERSHIP.

BUT, YOU KNOW, TO MONICA'S POINT, LIKE PREVENTION IS SPECIFICALLY CARVED OUT NOW.

SO IF WE'RE GOING TO DO PREVENTION WORK, IT'S GOING TO HAVE TO COME FROM SOME OTHER DOLLAR THAN WHAT WE TRADITIONALLY USED.

AND I JUST WANT TO MAKE A QUICK CORRECTION, SUPERVISOR ALLEN.

YOU HAD ASKED ME EARLIER ABOUT ANNUAL UPDATES, AND I SAID WE'RE NOT REQUIRED TO DO THEM.

I ERRED.

WE ARE REQUIRED TO DO ANNUAL UPDATES.

WE'RE JUST NOT REQUIRED TO HAVE A COMMUNITY PLANNING PROCESS AS PART OF THAT.

OKAY. THANK YOU FOR THAT UPDATE.

ANY OTHER COMMENTS? AND JUST TO BE CLEAR, MY COMMENT ABOUT WANTING TO HEAR FROM YOU WASN'T A CRITICISM, BECAUSE I KNOW THAT YOU ARE ALL A VERY DEDICATED GROUP OF VOLUNTEERS, AND I KNOW THAT YOU'RE HAVING THE CONVERSATIONS.

I WAS JUST CURIOUS THAT I WOULD LIKE IT TO GET TO US, SINCE I'M NOT ONE OF THE REPRESENTATIVES.

SO THAT WAS MY ONLY COMMENT ON THAT AREA, AND I REALLY APPRECIATE BOTH THE REPORT AND ALL THE WORK THAT YOU, AND IF YOU COULD SEND BACK OUR THANKS TO THE ENTIRE GROUP, WE'D REALLY APPRECIATE IT.

[24. Receive an update on operations, facility projects and program highlights provided at Yolo County Animal Services as a follow-up to the March 24, 2026 Board of Supervisors meeting. (No general fund impact) (Fieseler/Amato) (Est. Staff Presentation Time: 10 min)]

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

THEN WE'LL MOVE ON TO OUR NEXT AGENDA ITEM, WHICH IS TO RECEIVE AN UPDATE ON OPERATIONS, FACILITY PROJECTS, AND PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS FROM YOLO COUNTY ANIMAL SERVICES.

AND I KNOW WE HAVE A GOOD NUMBER OF COMMUNITY MEMBERS HERE.

IT'S OUR CAT AND DOG PEOPLE, SO THEY ARE HAPPY WE'RE HERE.

WE'RE HERE.

WE MADE IT THIS FAR.

WELCOME.

GOOD MORNING, CHAIR ALLEN, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.

STEPHANIE AMATO, DIRECTOR OF YOLO COUNTY ANIMAL SERVICES, AND TODAY I'M GOING TO GIVE YOU AN UPDATE.

THE MICROPHONE SEEMS A LITTLE QUIET.

I DON'T KNOW IF YOU CAN MOVE IT UP A LITTLE MORE.

IS THAT BETTER? IS THAT LOUDER? YEAH, YOU CAN DO THAT.

IS THAT BETTER? YEAH, THAT'S BETTER.

TODAY WE'LL PROVIDE AN UPDATE ON OUR PROGRAMS AND SERVICES, AND YOU'LL BE HEARING FROM ADAM LATER ON THE FACILITIES UPDATE AND JPA.

AND THIS IS A SUMMER UPDATE.

SO WE WERE HERE IN THE SPRING.

SO WE HAVE HAD DEFINITELY A BUSY SPRING AND SUMMER.

THE SUMMER UPDATES HAVE CONTINUED THROUGH THE FIELD AND THE SHELTER, AND REALLY WE HAVE SEEN A LOWER, LIKE WE HAD LOWER NUMBERS FOR OUR DOGS, BUT RIGHT NOW WE'RE BACK UP TO WHERE OUR AVERAGE IS AGAIN,

[01:45:01]

AND I'LL EXPLAIN A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT AS TO WHY THAT'S HAPPENING.

WE HAVE SEEN A LOT OF EXCESS OF, I SAY EXCESS, LITTERS OF PUPPIES, SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE ARE NOT ALONE.

A LOT OF MY PARTNERS IN ANIMAL WELFARE, WE'RE ALL SEEING THE SAME, SENDING OUT THOSE PLEAS FOR THOSE PUPPIES.

WE RECENTLY HAD A LITTER OF 11 SHOW UP IN CLARKSBURG.

WE KNOW THAT THAT'S NOT 11 STRAY PUPPIES RUNNING AMUCK, BUT UNFORTUNATELY PEOPLE DON'T HAVE THE MEANS TO CARE FOR THEM, SO THEN INSTEAD OF BRINGING THEM TO THE SHELTER, THEY LEAVE THEM PLACES.

BUT ALL OF THOSE PUPPIES GOT ADOPTED WITH THE HELP OF SOCIAL MEDIA AND GROUP SHOWINGS. THAT WAS GREAT.

WE HAVE SEEN AN INCREASE IN OUR OWNER SURRENDERS.

AGAIN, THAT'S KIND OF A CONSISTENT THEME.

I KNOW I KEEP BRINGING FORWARD BY PEOPLE WHO LOSING THEIR HOUSING OR MOVING INTO PLACES THAT DON'T ALLOW FOR ANIMALS OR CERTAIN WEIGHT RESTRICTIONS, SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE ARE SEEING, AND OBVIOUSLY WE DO TRY TO PRIORITIZE THOSE THAT ARE EMERGENCY INTAKES AND REALLY TRY TO WORK WITH OWNERS IF THERE'S ANY WAY THAT WE CAN HELP MITIGATE, KEEP THEM OUT OF THE SHELTER, OFFER DIFFERENT SERVICES.

SOMETIMES IT'S JUST A MATTER OF OFFERING CRATES OR THINGS LIKE THAT, OR WORKING IF THEY NEED PROOF OF VACCINATIONS TO KEEP IN THEIR HOUSING.

KITTEN SEASON IS STILL GOING STRONG, SO WE STILL HAVE 165 KITTENS IN OUR FOSTER HOMES, AND REALLY APPRECIATE THE SUPPORT FROM THE COMMUNITY FOR TAKING CARE OF THOSE FOSTERS.

WE PROVIDE LITTER, FOOD, AND THINGS LIKE THAT, BUT WE THIS TIME OF YEAR START TO RUN OUT, SO WE REALLY RELY ON DONATIONS, WHICH HELPS OFFSET OUR COSTS.

SO REALLY APPRECIATE EVERYONE WHEN WE SEND OUT OUR KITTEN PLEASE.

CURRENTLY, OUR ADOPTION TOTALS FOR OUTCOMES FROM JUNE THROUGH AUGUST 31ST, 682.

THOSE WERE 162 DOGS AND 520 CATS.

AND THOSE CAT NUMBER, THE REASON WHY THAT'S SO HIGH, IS THAT INCLUDES OUR SMITTEN FOR KITTEN EVENT AND A LOT OF OUR OFFSITE KITTEN EVENTS, SO THAT IS NOT A NORMAL NUMBER FOR ADULT CATS, BUT THAT'S ALL OF THEM AS WELL.

AND WE'VE BEEN TRANSFERRING, TRANSFERRED OUT 118 DOGS TO OUR RESCUE PARTNER, SORRY, 118 TOTAL, 61 DOGS AND 57 CATS.

AND OUR NEW PARTNERSHIP IN WEST SACRAMENTO, WE ARE STILL DOING A MONTHLY OFFSITE, AND KITTENS, YOU KNOW, NOW PEOPLE ARE SEEING THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE THERE MONTHLY, AND SO THAT'S BECOME QUITE POPULAR.

EXCUSE ME.

GO BACK TO THE SLIDE.

HOW DO I GO BACK, JULIE? SORRY.

JUST THE ARROW BACK.

THERE WE GO. THANK YOU.

WHAT KIND OF CAT IS THAT? THAT'S LIKE A HYBRID BETWEEN A RACCOON AND A CAT OR SOMETHING.

SO THAT, I BELIEVE, I MEAN, IT'S A TYPE OF SIAMESE, SO SNOWSHOE SIAMESE, AND IT'S IN A HAMMOCK.

SO THIS IS ONE OF OUR KITTENS AT THE PET, ACTUALLY THOSE TWO PICTURES ARE FROM THE WEST SACRAMENTO PETCO, AND OUR KITTENS SHOW UP IN A, WE CALL IT A KITTY CONDO, AND THEY LOUNGE AROUND, YOU CAN TELL, ENJOYING BEING OUT.

BUT YES, THAT'S A SIAMESE KITTEN.

THOSE GOT ADOPTED, BUT THERE'S PLENTY MORE, SO AND I THINK TO THE LEFT THERE'S ANOTHER KITTEN, SO THAT'S WHY IT LOOKS A LITTLE ODD.

OKAY, OUR COMMUNITY PREVENTATIVE SERVICES.

SO FIRST, SPAY-NEUTER.

SO WE HAVE CONTINUED TO PARTNER WITH SNP USING GRANT FUNDING AND HAVING THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS PAY $100 TO OFFSET, IF THEY'RE ABLE TO.

OUR TOTALS FROM JUNE THROUGH AUGUST, 180 DOGS WERE DONE AND 330 OWNED CATS.

THESE ARE ALL OWNED ANIMALS, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF 130 TNR WERE DONE AS WELL.

OUR BIG EVENT THAT WE JUST HAD WAS OUR NO-COST VACCINE AND MICROCHIP CLINIC, SO A BIG THANK YOU TO SUPERVISOR VILLEGAS IN HIS OFFICE FOR HELPING SUPPORT AND GET THAT GOING.

WE HAD 367 ANIMALS TOTAL.

IF YOU ASK ADAM, WHO WAS THERE AS WELL, FELT LIKE WE PROBABLY HAD ABOUT 01,000 ANIMALS, BUT HAPPY WITH THE 367.

LOTS OF PUPPIES, 235 DOGS, WITH THOSE PUPPIES INCLUDED, AND 132 CATS.

SO IT WAS A GREAT NEW PARTNERSHIP WITH THE ONE HEALTH THROUGH THE UC DAVIS VET SCHOOL, AND SO OUR VETERINARIAN WAS THERE FROM THAT, SO IT WAS A GREAT NEW PARTNERSHIP FOR THAT.

AND NOW ADAM WILL TALK ABOUT OUR FACILITIES AND JPA UPDATE.

GOOD MORNING, CHAIR ALLEN, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.

ADAM FIESELER, DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY SERVICES, JUST TO CIRCLE BACK TO THE TNR NUMBERS, WE HAVE NO LEGAL MANDATE FOR COMMUNITY CATS.

HOWEVER, WE TRY OUR BEST AND

[01:50:02]

HOPE THAT THIS 2A ITEM THAT I'M GOING TO TALK ABOUT WILL HELP ASSIST US IN REDUCING THOSE COMMUNITY CAT NUMBERS.

CAN YOU SAY WHAT A TNR IS? I KNOW, BUT JUST FOR THE PEOPLE WHO DON'T.

TRAP, NEUTER, RELEASE.

WE PREFER RETURN, ACCORDING TO OUR CAT FOLKS.

SO STAFF HAVE BEEN WORKING ON TWO MAJOR EFFORTS.

WE DID PROVIDE AN UPDATE IN MARCH IN REGARDS TO THE CLINIC IN A CAN PROJECT AND THE REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS TO OPERATE A LOW-COST SPAY AND NEUTER CLINIC AT THE 2A BUILDING ACROSS FROM THE YCAS CAMPUS.

SO THE CLINIC IN A CAN BID PROCESS IS CURRENTLY UNDERWAY AND SCHEDULED TO CLOSE SEPTEMBER 10TH, SO WE'RE GETTING THERE.

GENERAL SERVICES RELEASED THE BID PACKAGE JULY 14TH AND CONDUCTED A MANDATORY PRE-BID CONFERENCE ON JULY 22ND, AND IT WAS ATTENDED BY SEVEN POTENTIAL BIDDERS.

SO THAT WAS A GOOD TURNOUT.

I WENT THERE MYSELF TO KIND OF SEE HOW MANY POTENTIAL BIDDERS WE COULD HAVE.

THAT'S A DECENT SHOWING, ACCORDING TO GSD STAFF.

SO DURING THIS PROCESS, THOUGH, STAFF DIDN'T RECOGNIZE THAT SOME ELECTRICAL UPGRADES WERE NEEDED, AND THOSE WERE INCORPORATED INTO THE SCOPE OF THE PROJECT TO REDUCE CHANGE ORDER RISK AND OBTAIN TO MAINTAIN SOME POTENTIAL COST SAVINGS.

GSD STAFF WILL PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS WHEN THEY BRING FORTH A CONTRACT FOR THAT PROJECT.

NOW LET'S GET TO THE 2A BUILDING, WHICH I'M SURE LOTS OF PEOPLE IN THE AUDIENCE ARE HERE TO TALK ABOUT.

THE 2A BUILDING, THE REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS WAS POSTED SEPTEMBER 3RD, SO IT IS OUT THERE.

IT'S ON A BEACON BID, AND IT'S DUE TO CLOSE OCTOBER 15TH AT 2 P.M.

WITH AN ANTICIPATED CONTRACT START DAY OF JANUARY 1ST, 2027.

THAT COULD HAPPEN SOONER, DEPENDS UPON HOW NEGOTIATIONS GO.

STAFF WILL RETURN TO THE BOARD WITH A RECOMMENDED OPERATOR AND A CONTRACT.

ONCE THE RFP CLOSES, THE EVALUATIONS ARE COMPLETED AND THE CONTRACT TERMS ARE MUTUALLY AGREED UPON.

NOW JUST BRIEFLY GOING TO HIT ON THE JPA IN MID-AUGUST, OUR VERY OWN CAO WEBB MET WITH THE CITY MANAGERS AT OUR VARIOUS JPA MEMBERS, AND TO CONTINUE THE EXPLORATION OF A JOINT POWERS AGENCY GOVERNANCE MODEL, ALL PARTIES AGREED TO RETURN TO THEIR RESPECTIVE JURISDICTIONS, LOOK AT THEIR STAFFING RESOURCES, AND COLLABORATE ON MAPPING AND ALIGNING ON A PATH FORWARD.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION WILL BE PROVIDED AS DISCUSSIONS CONTINUE AND PARTICIPATING AGENCIES FURTHER EVALUATE ROLES, RESPONSIBILITIES, AND OPERATIONAL IMPLICATIONS ASSOCIATED WITH JPA.

THIS CONCLUDES OUR REPORT.

WE ARE AVAILABLE IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.

GREAT, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

SO AGAIN, WE'LL GO BOARD QUESTIONS AND PUBLIC INPUT AND THEN COMMENTS.

ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS? NO? OKAY.

IS THERE PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS ITEM, PERCHANCE? YES, CHAIR, I HAVE 11 PUBLIC COMMENT CARDS, AND ADDITIONALLY WE HAVE RECEIVED WRITTEN PUBLIC COMMENTS FROM LINDA SCHMUCKER AND BETTY GIBSON, PEGGY GIBSON, WHICH HAVE BEEN FORWARDED TO ALL BOARD MEMBERS AS PART OF YOUR CORRESPONDENCE AND WILL BE PLACED INTO THE RECORD.

FOR THOSE MAKING COMMENTS, YOU WILL HAVE TWO MINUTES TO MAKE YOUR PUBLIC COMMENT.

ALSO AS A REMINDER, THOSE JOINING ONLINE, PLEASE BE SURE AND RAISE YOUR HAND TO SPEAK.

THE FIRST SPEAKER IS AMY HANNA, FOLLOWED BY SHARON MONTUTH.

HI, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.

I'M HERE TO STATE THAT MANY PEOPLE COME TO ME.

I'M A PROFESSIONAL PETSITTER IN DAVIS, AND MANY PEOPLE MESSAGE ME, CALL ME, TEXT ME, WHERE CAN I GET THESE CATS SPAYED? CAN YOU HELP ME TRAP? I'VE BEEN DONATED TWO TRAPS WERE DONATED TO ME.

I LOAN THEM OUT FREELY.

I BOUGHT A DROP TRAP, WHICH WAS LIKE 250 BUCKS, SO A FRIEND OF MINE CAN HELP TRAP ANIMALS WHEN THEY'RE SICK OR HELP TNR STRAY ANIMALS, FERAL CATS.

BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY, WE NEED SPAY AND NEUTER.

WE CAN'T TRAP THEM IF WE DON'T HAVE A PLACE TO GET AN APPOINTMENT TO SPAY AND NEUTER.

AND SO IN THE MEANTIME, I DON'T KNOW HOW LONG THE JPA HAS BEEN GOING, BUT I DON'T KNOW HOW LONG THEY'VE BEEN COMING TO THESE MEETINGS, BUT I THINK IT'S TOO LONG BECAUSE IN THE MEANTIME, THOSE CATS ARE OUT MULTIPLYING AND MULTIPLYING AND MULTIPLYING AND MULTIPLYING AND SUFFERING AND GETTING HIT BY CARS AND GETTING INJURED AND ATTACKED BY DOGS AND YOU NAME IT.

AND THE TIME IS NOW, NOT FOR, YOU KNOW, TO POSTPONE THIS AGENDA

[01:55:02]

FOR HOWEVER LONG IT NEEDS TO GO TO THE NEXT MEETING OR THE NEXT WEEK OR THE NEXT MONTH.

THE TIME IS NOW.

AND WE ALSO NEED A SECOND VETERINARIAN AT THE SHELTER.

AND BY THE WAY, TRANS RIGHTS ARE HUMAN RIGHTS, AND THAT PERFORMATIVE PERFORMANCE EARLIER NEEDS TO BE STOPPED BECAUSE THE FACT THAT SHE MOCKED THE SUICIDES OF TRANS YOUTH IS DISGUSTING.

AND IT NEEDS TO STOP.

OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS SHARON MONTUTH.

NEXT.

I'M SHARON MONTUTH.

I DO TNR IN YOLO COUNTY WITH A GROUP OF THESE NICE LADIES.

SORRY TO HIJACK YOUR COMMENT.

I JUST WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW BECAUSE PEOPLE SOMETIMES THINK THAT WE TRAP NEUTER AND RELEASE THEM OUT IN THE FIELDS OR ON SOMEBODY ELSE'S PROPERTY, AND WE DON'T.

WE ALWAYS RETURN THEM TO THEIR HOME UNLESS THEY HAVE A BARN HOME SET UP, BUT WE ALWAYS RETURN THEM TO THEIR HOME.

SO I'VE SENT EMAILS TO THE JPA FOR, I SENT, OH, MY TIME IS NOT GOING.

NEVER MIND.

SORRY.

I'M KIND OF YOU TO NOTE THAT.

I SHOULDN'T HAVE SAID ANYTHING.

SO I'VE BEEN SENDING EMAILS TO THE JPA FOR A LIMITED TIME, FOR ABOUT THREE WEEKS, I THINK, JUST TO SHOW THEM THE HUGE AMOUNT OF REQUESTS WE GET FOR SPAY AND NEUTER.

AND THOSE EMAILS ARE ONLY ONES I GET OR ONES I SEE ON FACEBOOK.

THESE OTHER LADIES GET TOTALLY DIFFERENT REQUESTS.

IT'S JUST OVERWHELMING.

SO WE DEFINITELY NEED MORE RESOURCES.

I'M SO EXCITED THAT THE RFP WENT OUT.

I HOPE THAT GETS GOING AND WE GET A CLINIC THERE.

THAT SAID, EVEN THAT PROBABLY WON'T BE ENOUGH.

BUT THAT WILL BE A HUGE HELP, AND WE CAN SAY YES TO A FEW MORE PEOPLE THAT ASK US FOR HELP.

FINALLY, I FOUND A, AS I WAS DRIVING HERE THIS MORNING, I FOUND A DECEASED KITTEN.

I THOUGHT ABOUT DISPLAYING IT BECAUSE NONE OF US WANT TO SEE DECEASED KITTENS.

THAT'S THE POINT.

WE ARE TIRED OF, THE COMMUNITY IS BACKING OUT OF THEIR DRIVEWAY AND BACKING OVER KITTENS, AND IT'S JUST, IT'S NOT ONLY FOR THE CATS, IT'S FOR THE COMMUNITY.

BUT THEN I REALIZED YOU GUYS HAVE ALREADY SEEN TOO MUCH THIS MORNING, SO I WON'T, I'LL SPARE YOU THAT.

SO, BUT THAT'S JUST WHAT I WANT TO SAY.

WE STILL NEED MORE RESOURCES.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR TAKING THIS ON.

I LIVE IN UNINCORPORATED YOLO COUNTY.

A FEW SUMMERS AGO, A NEIGHBOR AND I TRAPPED NINE FERAL KITTENS AND CATS.

SINCE YOLO COUNTY HAD NO LOW-COST SPAY-NEUTER SERVICES, I HAD TO DRIVE EACH CAT INDIVIDUALLY TO SACRAMENTO COUNTY'S SPAY AND NEUTER CLINIC 30 MILES AWAY ON FLORIN ROAD.

THAT MEANT CHECKING MY CAT TRAPS AT 5.30 EACH MORNING.

IF I CAUGHT A CAT, I WENT STRAIGHT TO THE CAR SO I COULD BE IN LINE BY 6.30 AND HOPE TO GET A SPAY OR NEUTER SLOT.

IF I GOT A SLOT, I THEN DROVE BACK IN THE AFTERNOON TO PICK UP THE CAT.

THAT MEANT 120 MILES OF DRIVING FOR EACH CAT FOR MORE THAN 1,000 MILES IN ABOUT 45 HOURS.

IF I HADN'T BEEN RETIRED, I COULD NEVER HAVE DONE THAT.

SACRAMENTO COUNTY NO LONGER ACCEPTS OUT-OF-COUNTY CATS, SO EVEN THAT OPTION ISN'T OPEN TO ME NOW.

THE NEED FOR ANIMAL NEUTERING SERVICES IN YOLO COUNTY IS GREAT.

I HOPE YOU WILL TAKE THE QUICKEST ROUTE TO RELIABLE, NO-COST SPAY AND NEUTER SERVICES AVAILABLE TO PEOPLE LIKE ME.

I BELIEVE THE YOLO COUNTY ANIMAL ADOPTION AND EDUCATION CENTER OFFERS THIS QUICKEST ROUTE.

THEY'RE PASSIONATE ABOUT ANIMAL WELFARE AND ABOUT REDUCING THE FERAL ANIMAL POPULATION.

THEY ARE DETERMINED AND THEY ARE GOOD FUNDRAISERS.

IF YOU LET THEM LEASE BUILDING 2A, THEY WILL GET A LOW-COST SPAY AND NEUTER CLINIC UP AND RUNNING SOON AND, IMPORTANTLY, ALMOST NO COST TO YOLO COUNTY.

I URGE YOU TO GIVE THEM THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO THIS.

OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS JILL BONNER, FOLLOWED BY HEATHER SCHRADER.

[02:00:07]

GOOD MORNING, BOARD OF SUPERVISORS.

I'M JILL BONNER AND I'M ALSO A RESIDENT OF YOLO COUNTY IN THE UNINCORPORATED AREA.

ALTHOUGH LOCAL ANIMAL ADVOCATES ARE THRILLED ABOUT THE RELEASE OF THE RFP FOR BUILDING 2A, THERE IS STILL CONCERN ABOUT THE PROJECTED TIMELINE.

CONSIDERING THIS REMARKABLE SPACE AND COMMUNITY ASSET HAS SET READY BUT VACANT SINCE APRIL OF 2025, ALMOST AT 1925, IT SEEMS LIKE THAT.

OBVIOUSLY, TIME IS NOT ON OUR SIDE.

UNFORTUNATELY, ANIMAL PROLIFERATION DOES NOT STOP FOR AN RFP PROCESS.

IT IS CONTINUAL FOR EVERY DAY, WEEK, AND MONTH THAT HAS BEEN DELAYED AND CONTINUES TO BE DELAYED, STEEPENS THE UPHILL BATTLE.

WITH THAT BATTLE COMES THE COST TO BOTH COMMUNITY AND TO ANIMAL WELFARE.

LAST MONTH, ANIMAL SERVICES REPORTED COVERING THE COST FOR FOOD AND VET CARE AND EVEN JUST IN STEPHANIE'S REPORT, FOR OVER 200 ANIMALS AND FOSTER CARE AWAITING THEIR FOREVER HOME.

THESE PETS IN FOSTER AND RESCUE CARE ARE THERE BECAUSE THE SHELTER IS FULL AND IT CONTINUES TO REFILL.

AS OF LAST WEEK, THE SHELTER WAS RELEASING DOGS FOR ADOPTION THAT HAD NOT BEEN SPAYED OR NEUTERED WITH THE EXPECTATION THAT THE NEW OWNERS WOULD RETURN WITH THE PET FOR A FUTURE APPOINTMENT.

THIS INDICATES THAT THE COUNTY VETERINARIAN IS NOT ABLE TO KEEP UP WITH THE DEMAND.

SNF IS ALSO FILLING UP WITH THEIR CLINICS AS WELL.

WHAT WE ARE ADVOCATING AND ASKING FOR FOR THIS RFP PROCESS IS TO EXPEDITE IT WITH URGENCY.

CURRENTLY, THE RFP CLOSES ON APRIL, OCTOBER THE 15TH.

THE COUNTY PLANS TO COMPLETE EVALUATION BY NOVEMBER THE 6TH, AND THE ANTICIPATED START DATE IS THE OCCUPANCY OF JANUARY THE 1ST.

IT WILL LIKELY TAKE THE BIDDER A MONTH OR MORE TO ARRANGE EQUIPMENT, SUPPLIES, AND STAFFING TO GET IT OPERATIONAL, AND THIS COULD PUSH THESE SERVICES FURTHER INTO THE FEBRUARY, MARCH TIMEFRAME.

EVEN IF OCCUPANCY CAN BE MOVED UP A MONTH, IT WOULD MAKE A DIFFERENCE.

SO EVEN THAT WOULD STILL LEAVE A MONTH FOR IF IT CLOSES ON THE APRIL 15TH, AND EVALUATIONS ARE DONE ON NOVEMBER 6TH, THAT WOULD LEAVE A MONTH FOR THEM TO IF THEY COULD GET IT DECEMBER 1ST AS THE START DATE.

CAN YOU PLEASE WRAP IT UP? YOUR TIME IS UP.

OH, SORRY.

LET ME JUST SAY REAL QUICKLY, ADAM, WE WANT TO THANK ADAM AND STEPHANIE AND THE COMMUNITY SERVICES FOR THE WORK THAT THEY'VE PUT INTO THE EFFORT, BUT PLEASE CONSIDER ALLOCATING NECESSARY STAFFING AND SUPPORT TO EXPEDITE THE PROCESS FOR THE RFP.

THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK THIS MORNING.

MY NAME IS HEATHER SCHRADER.

I LIVE IN DAVIS, AND I'VE BEEN A REGISTERED VETERINARY TECHNICIAN FOR ALMOST 20 YEARS.

I'VE BEEN TNRING FOR ABOUT 10 OF THOSE.

I'M ALSO CURRENTLY EMPLOYED BY ONE OF THE LARGEST ANIMAL WELFARE ORGANIZATIONS IN THE NATION.

THIS COUNTY DESPERATELY NEEDS NO OR LOW-COST SPAYED AND NEUTERED SERVICES.

MOST OF THE TRAPPERS IN YOLO COUNTY ARE VOLUNTEERS LIKE THIS SMALL BUT MIGHTY GROUP HERE.

WE SPEND OUR OWN TIME AND MONEY GETTING THESE CATS SPAYED AND NEUTERED.

WE DO GET SOME HELP FROM SOME LOCAL NONPROFITS, BUT WE PAY FOR THE TRAPS.

WE PAY FOR PEE PADS AND FOOD AND OTHER SUPPLIES.

AND WE'RE KIND OF LIKE THAT STORY, THE LITTLE BOY WITH HIS FINGER IN THE DIKE WHO'S JUST HOLDING BACK THIS CATASTROPHIC CRISIS THAT OUR COUNTY'S BEEN IN FOR SO LONG.

THIS IS ALSO AN ACCESS TO VETERINARY CARE ISSUE.

IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT THE CATS.

IT'S ABOUT THE PEOPLE THAT CARE FOR THEM, THE CAREGIVERS OF CAT COLONIES, AND THEN ALSO ACROSS THE COUNTRY WE'VE SEEN A DECLINE IN INFLATION OF VACCINATIONS FOR PETS AND TNR COMMUNITY CATS.

AND THIS HAS LED TO A RISE IN PUBLIC HEALTH ISSUE AS WELL.

EVERY DAY I GET A LETTER FROM THE AMERICAN VETERINARY MEDICAL ASSOCIATION WITH LINKS TO ARTICLES ABOUT RISES IN RABIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND PANLEUKOPENIA, WHICH IS A FATAL CAT DISEASE IN SHELTERS, AND IT'S BECOME A REAL CRISIS AS WELL.

I JUST WANT TO TALK ABOUT ONE PARTICULAR INSTANCE.

MY NEIGHBOR SAW ME WASHING TRAPS IN MY DRIVEWAY.

SHE ASKED ME TO HELP HER AT HER PLACE OF EMPLOYMENT.

WE TRAPPED ABOUT 10 CATS THERE.

KITTENS WERE GETTING KILLED THERE BECAUSE IT WAS JUST A DANGEROUS PLACE.

THAT LED ME TO ONE MORE PERSON, AND THAT LED TO ANOTHER AND ANOTHER.

THAT WAS LIKE 50 CATS IN TOTAL, AND THAT WAS JUST FROM ONE REQUEST.

WE GET INUNDATED WITH THESE.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

[02:05:03]

OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS SUSAN TABOR, AND THAT WILL BE FOLLOWED BY LEAH ROSENBERG.

HI.

I STARTED THIS VOLUNTEER WORK OF TRAPPING AND FIXING CATS AT THE DENNY'S ON LAKE ROAD IN WEST SACRAMENTO.

THERE WERE CATS AND KITTENS RUNNING ALL OVER THAT PARKING LOT.

A GUEST POSTED ON SOCIAL MEDIA, AND IT ALL BEGAN FOR THIS TRAPPER RIGHT THERE.

I TRAP IN WEST SAC, AND I SEE THIS SCENARIO REPEATED COUNTLESS TIMES IN AFFLUENT NEIGHBORHOODS, WORKING-CLASS NEIGHBORHOODS, LOW-INCOME NEIGHBORHOODS, BUSINESS CAMPUSES, AND IN THE WILD AREAS.

IN 20 YEARS, NOTHING HAS REALLY CHANGED.

WE'VE FIXED THOUSANDS OF CATS AND STILL HAVE PERSONAL LISTS OF PROJECTS TO FIX MANY, MANY MORE.

ORDINARY CITIZENS WOULD GET THEIR PETS FIXED, I BELIEVE, IF WE HAD NO COST OR LOW-COST OPTIONS.

WHO HAS THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS TO GET ONE FEMALE CAT SPAYED? THAT'S THE PROBLEM FOR MOST PEOPLE.

IF WE CAN GET PETS FIXED BEFORE THEY HAVE LITTERS, MAYBE WE CAN FINALLY GET A HANDLE ON THIS HUGE CHALLENGE.

WE NEED THIS CLINIC, AND WE NEED YOUR ENERGY BEHIND IT FOR THE LONG TERM.

MY HUSBAND, DAVE ROSENBERG, AND I HAVE BEEN ADVOCATING FOR THE ANIMALS FOR OVER 15 YEARS.

I'M HERE TO SHOW SUPPORT FOR THE SPAY-NEUTER CENTER AND BELIEVE THIS IS AN IMPORTANT STEP FORWARD FOR YOLO COUNTY.

AS THE ELECTED LEADERS OF OUR COUNTY, I HOPE YOU WILL NEVER UNDERESTIMATE HOW IMPORTANT THE WELFARE OF OUR ANIMALS IS TO THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE ELECTED YOU.

IT IS ESTIMATED THAT OVER 60% OF OUR HOUSEHOLDS HAVE A DOG AND OVER 30% HAVE A CAT.

AND WHO KNOWS HOW MANY OF THESE FAMILIES HAVE TWO DOGS AND TWO CATS.

I SERVE AS SECRETARY OF UNLEASHING THE POSSIBILITIES, A NONPROFIT PUBLIC BENEFIT CORPORATION HERE IN YOLO COUNTY WITH OVER 100 MEMBERS.

AND OUR GOAL IS TO HAVE BETTER SERVICES AND FACILITIES FOR OUR ANIMALS, AND THIS PROPOSED CENTER HAS OUR SUPPORT.

OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS NADIA CHAPMAN.

THIS IS FROM NADIA.

I LIVE IN WINTERS AND TRAP FOR SPCA TNR.

THERE ARE TOO MANY FERAL OR ROAMING CATS IN OUR COMMUNITY AND NOT ENOUGH SPOTS TO GET THEM SPAYED OR NEUTERED.

MORE OPPORTUNITIES TO SPAY AND NEUTER WOULD MEAN THAT WE COULD ASK OTHER COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO HELP TRAP AND TAKE IN.

THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO HAVE CONTACTED ME WILLING TO HELP, BUT NOT ENOUGH SPACES OR OPENINGS TO TAKE THEM TO.

AS IS, WE ARE ONLY TAKING IN AT MOST 10 TO 20% OF CATS THAT COULD BE TAKEN IN TO SPAY AND NEUTER.

IT IS VERY FRUSTRATING TO GET CALLS FROM SO MANY DIFFERENT PLACES THAT NEED HELP, AND WE CAN ONLY DO SO VERY LITTLE.

THIS CAUSES DISTRESS TO RESIDENTS AND TO THE CATS THAT KEEP MULTIPLYING AND SPREADING DISEASE AND DISTURBANCE FOR RESIDENTS, OWNED CATS AND OTHER OUTDOOR PETS.

THERE'S A MEGA COLONY IN MY TOWN OF ABOUT 200 CATS AND FIVE OTHER COLONIES I KNOW OF.

AND THE WAY THINGS ARE, WE ARE ONLY SCRATCHING THE SURFACE.

THESE CATS ARE HUNGRY, GET INTO TRASH, CARRY DISEASE, AND GET INJURED WITH VERY LITTLE HELP.

SOME RESIDENTS ARE KIND ENOUGH TO FEED, BUT FRUSTRATED THAT THEY KEEP MULTIPLYING.

OTHERS MISTREAT THEM IN HOPES THAT THEY WILL GO AWAY.

SOMETHING NEEDS TO CHANGE.

WE DESPERATELY NEED MORE OPPORTUNITIES FOR CATS TO BE FIXED.

NEXT SPEAKER IS EILEEN SAMITZ.

GOOD MORNING, BOARD MEMBERS.

EILEEN SAMITZ.

I WORKED FOR 35 YEARS AT VMTH AS A CLINICAL MICROBIOLOGIST.

I'M A YOLO SPCA VOLUNTEER WITH TRAP NEUTER RELEASE.

I'M A BOARD MEMBER FOR MERCER CLINIC FOR THE PETS OF THE HOMELESS AND ALSO AN UNLEASHING POSSIBILITIES BOARD MEMBER.

THE NEED FOR LOW-COST SPAY AND NEUTER SERVICES ARE DESPERATELY NEEDED NOW AND NEED TO BE RESTORED AT THE ANIMAL SHELTER.

IN ADDITION TO THE SECOND VET POSITION NEEDS TO BE FILLED NOW THAT WAS PROMISED OVER A YEAR AGO BY THE BOARD.

THAT POSITION WAS APPROVED AND FUNDED, YET IT REMAINS UNFILLED.

[02:10:01]

THE NEED FOR UPDATING AND EXPANDING THE ANIMAL SHELTER HAS BEEN DESPERATELY NEEDED ALSO.

YOLO COUNTY HAS GROWN LOGARITHMICALLY, YET THE ANIMAL SHELTER CONTINUES TO BE UNDERSTAFFED, UNDERSIZED, AND NEEDS MANY IMPROVEMENTS.

UTP HAS BEEN URGING IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED FOR OVER A DECADE, YET THE COUNTY CONTINUES TO DEPRIORITIZE THE ANIMAL SHELTER.

MEANWHILE, THE ANIMAL POPULATION OF PETS AND FERAL CATS ESPECIALLY IS EXPLODING.

WE NEED TO REMEMBER THAT WHILE THE COUNTY HAS MANY COMPETING NEEDS FOR FUNDING FOR HUMAN NEEDS, ANIMAL SERVICES IS THE ONLY SERVICE FOR ANIMALS.

SO THERE'S NO COMPETING NEEDS.

WE NEED FOCUS ON THE ANIMAL SERVICES NEEDS.

AS A MICROBIOLOGIST, I CAN TELL YOU THAT THE NEEDS OF THESE ANIMALS IS A HEALTH, WELFARE, AND SAFETY ISSUE, AND THE COUNTY HAS NEGLECTED IT.

SO PROVIDING THE SERVICES NEEDED FOR LOW-COST SPAY AND NEUTER ARE ESSENTIAL.

YOU'VE BEEN ASKED BY NONPROFITS FOR HELP, AND THEY HAVE NOW STEPPED UP.

SO WE NEED TO MOVE FORWARD.

WE NEED THAT SECOND SURGICAL UNIT THAT WAS DEDICATED FOR THIS USE, AND YOU PROMISED US THAT, JUST LIKE YOU PROMISED US THAT SECOND VET POSITION.

SO PLEASE KEEP YOUR PROMISES AND HELP THE COMMUNITY, BECAUSE THE COMMUNITY IS NEEDING ALL THESE PEOPLE THAT ARE DOING THE VOLUNTEER WORK ARE BURNING OUT.

YOUR VET AT THE ANIMAL SERVICES IS BURNING OUT.

YOU CANNOT HAVE ONE VET AT THE ANIMAL SERVICES.

HOW MANY ANIMAL CLINICS HAVE ONE VET THESE DAYS? THERE ARE NONE.

YOU NEED MULTIPLE VETS.

YOU NEED AT LEAST THE TWO VETS.

SO PLEASE MOVE FORWARD.

YOU'VE ASKED FOR THIS HELP.

YOU'RE BEING OFFERED IT, AND WE CANNOT HAVE ANY MORE DELAYS.

THIS HAS BEEN FOR YEARS.

UTP HAS BEEN DOING THIS FOR 14 YEARS, AND HERE WE ARE STILL RIGHT BACK WHERE WE STARTED.

SO PLEASE MOVE FORWARD.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

NEXT SPEAKER IS NISA STEVENSON.

THANK YOU FOR GIVING ME THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK.

I AM WITH YOLO SPCA UNLEASHING THE POSSIBILITIES AND WITH WINTERS COMMUNITY CATS, WHICH IS DEDICATED TO TNRING THE CATS IN WINTERS.

WINTERS ALONE HAS OVER 20,000 CATS WITHIN THE CITY THAT NEED TO BE TNRED, AND THAT'S BASED OFF OF THE FACT THAT A FEMALE CAT AT AGE FOUR MONTHS CAN START HAVING LITTERS.

AN AVERAGE YEAR OF KITTENS IS 20 KITTENS.

SO EVERY CAT THAT YOU SEE, YOU'RE GOING TO SEE LIKE FIVE TO TEN CATS THAT YOU'RE NOT SEEING.

WE HAVE MEGA COLONIES, THE 200 COLONY OVER AT THE AGCENTER.

WE HAVE THREE COLONIES IN THE MOBILE HOME PARK, WHICH ARE OVER 20 CATS APIECE.

WE HAVE THE COMMUNITY PARK CATS, WHICH HAS TO BE AT LEAST 200 ALSO, BUT THEY'RE THROUGHOUT THE CITY.

AND THE MORE SPAYED AND NEUTERED WE CAN GET, THE MORE WE CAN HOPEFULLY ADDRESS THE ISSUE, BECAUSE I'VE BEEN DOING THIS SINCE 2008 WHEN I MOVED TO WINTERS.

I DO AN AVERAGE OF 300 CATS A YEAR, AND I HAVE YET TO MAKE A HEADWAY ON ANYTHING.

SO I THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK AND EXPRESS THE NEED THAT WE NEED.

AND ALSO, IF YOU NEED A BLACK KITTEN, I AM SPONSORING, WELL, FOSTERING 6 BLACK KITTENS FOR THE SHELTER AT THIS TIME.

WELL, THANK YOU FOR THAT, AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENT.

THE LAST CARD I HAVE IS SHELLY NEWMAN-DUTO.

GOOD MORNING, BOARD MEMBERS, VICE CHAIR AND CHAIR.

MY NAME IS SHELLY NEWMAN-DUTO, AND I'M A RESIDENT HERE IN THE CITY OF WOODLAND.

I'M GOING TO TALK A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENTLY ABOUT THE PIPELINE.

THERE IS THE INCOMING ANIMAL POPULATION BECAUSE OF THE LACK OF SPAY AND NEUTER, BUT WE ALSO HAVE A PIPELINE THAT PROVIDES ADOPTION TO FAMILIES THAT WANT TO BRING A FURRY FRIEND INTO THEIR HOME.

AND THAT PIPELINE NEEDS SUPPORT THROUGH EDUCATION FOR THOSE FAMILIES WHO HAVE ADOPTED THEIR ANIMALS.

WE HAVE A PET FOOD PANTRY, BUT WE NEED LOW-COST SPAY AND NEUTER TO HELP THEM KEEP THEIR ANIMALS IN THEIR HOME, AS WELL AS SUPPORTING TRAINING FOR WELCOMING THEIR NEW ANIMAL.

OF COURSE, WE'VE HEARD A LOT ABOUT THE TRAP NEUTER AND RETURN SERVICES THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY THAT IS LARGELY DONE, IN FACT, ALMOST ALL DONE, BY VOLUNTEERS.

BUT LET'S TALK A MINUTE ABOUT ADOPTION.

THE SHELTER NEEDS TO CREATE A WELCOMING SPACE FOR FAMILIES TO COME IN AND WANT TO BRING HOME A FURRY FRIEND

[02:15:02]

TO JOIN THEIR FAMILY.

CURRENTLY, THIS RELIES SO HEAVILY ON VOLUNTEER WORK, AND THE VOLUNTEERS CAN ONLY BE THERE WHEN THE SHELTER IS STAFFED WITH STAFF MEMBERS.

THE HOURS ARE RESTRICTED SUCH THAT FAMILIES WHO HAVE WORKING LIVES AND BUSY LIVES CAN'T COME IN IN THE EVENING OR THE WEEKEND, AND ADOPTION FOR DOGS IS ONLY DONE BY APPOINTMENT.

IF WE COULD INCREASE THE SUPPORT FOR VOLUNTEERS IN THE SHELTER TO BE ABLE TO BE THERE TO HELP FAMILIES ADOPT THEIR ANIMALS, NOT JUST AT EVENTS IN THE COMMUNITY, BUT AT THE SHELTER ITSELF, YOU WOULD SEE THAT PIPELINE OF NOT JUST DECREASING ANIMALS COMING IN, BUT INCREASING THE NUMBER OF ADOPTABLE PETS GOING OUT TO THE COMMUNITY.

SO PLEASE LOOK AT THE SUPPORT OF THE VOLUNTEERS AT THE SHELTER AND THE ADOPTION SERVICES THAT TAKE PLACE THERE.

THANK YOU. THAT WAS OUR LAST ONE.

I HAVE NO ADDITIONAL CARDS, CHAIR.

OKAY, THANK YOU. IS THERE ANY ONLINE COMMENT? ARE THEY STILL CONNECTED? I DON'T SEE MY LITTLE ICON IN THE CORNER, AS FAR AS I KNOW.

OKAY, WELL, MAYBE WE'LL GO TO BOARD QUESTIONS, AND IF SOMEBODY DISCOVERS THAT WE HAVE LOST THE...

THANK YOU, MARK. BRIAN'S ON IT.

OKAY, ARE THERE BOARD QUESTIONS ON THIS ITEM? YES, MARY VIXIE.

THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.

I THINK IT WAS PROBABLY MENTIONED DURING THE PRESENTATION, BUT COULD SOMEBODY REFRESH ME ON WHAT THE RFP FOR COMMUNITY SPAIN NEUTER 2A BUILDING IS ACTIVE? WHAT'S THE TIMEFRAME FOR THAT? GREAT QUESTION.

SO WE ARE GOING TO HAVE AN...

SO IT STARTED ON SEPTEMBER 3RD.

WE'RE GOING TO HAVE AN OPTIONAL PRE-PROPOSAL CONFERENCE SEPTEMBER 15TH. THAT'S JUST A TOUR OF THE BUILDING.

DEADLINES FOR ANY QUESTIONS IS OCTOBER 1ST, AND WE WILL ISSUE RESPONSES TO THOSE QUESTIONS NO LATER THAN OCTOBER 8TH.

THE DEADLINE FOR THE PROPOSAL SUBMITTAL IS OCTOBER 15TH, AND THE COUNTY IS GOING TO COMPLETE THEIR EVALUATIONS BY NOVEMBER 6TH, AND WE ARE ANTICIPATING THE CONTRACT START DATE TO BE JANUARY 1, 2027.

WONDERFUL. THANKS SO MUCH.

APPRECIATE IT.

OTHER BOARD QUESTIONS? YEAH.

JUST ALONG THOSE LINES, ADAM, I KNOW THAT THERE'S OBVIOUSLY COMMUNITY SUPPORT FOR THE RFP MOVING FORWARD, WORKING WITH YOUR OFFICE, WORKING WITH THE BOARD SUPERVISORS AND OTHERS, AND I THINK WE'RE ABLE TO LAUNCH IT ABOUT A MONTH OR TWO EARLIER THAN WHAT WAS ANTICIPATED A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO, SO OBVIOUSLY IT'S OUT RIGHT NOW.

I KNOW THAT YOU PLACE CONSERVATIVE TIMELINES, SO TO SPEAK, SO THAT WAY YOU CAN STAY WITHIN THE TIMELINE THAT YOU JUST SPOKE ABOUT, BUT I THINK THE REQUEST FROM THE COMMUNITY, AND I JUST WANT TO KIND OF PARSE THIS OUT A LITTLE BIT, IS THAT THE SOONER THE BETTER, RIGHT? SO, FOR EXAMPLE, IF THAT RFP CLOSES, YOU HAVE A RECOMMENDATION TO COME BACK TO THE BOARD.

COULD THE BOARD TAKE ACTION NOVEMBER 3RD OR NOVEMBER 17TH? SO THAT WAY THE ONLINE OPERATIONAL DAY COULD BE MAYBE DECEMBER 3RD OR DECEMBER 17TH INSTEAD OF JANUARY 1ST.

I THINK THAT'S WHAT, BECAUSE FOR EVERY DAY, I THINK WE'RE TRYING TO SAVE LIVES IN TERMS OF KITTENS, RIGHT, OR OTHER ANIMALS, SO I THINK THAT'S WHERE THE PRESSURE'S COMING FROM.

SO THE NEXT ACTION THAT THE BOARD WILL SEE IS A RECOMMENDATION OF A CONTRACT, WHICH MY DEPARTMENT WILL WORK WITH COUNTY COUNSEL AS WELL AS PROCUREMENT IN REGARDS TO DEVELOPING THAT CONTRACT, AND THOSE NEGOTIATIONS COULD BE PROLONGED DEPENDING UPON WHO THE OPERATOR IS SELECTED.

WELL, I SEE THAT, AND YOU'RE GIVING YOURSELF A LITTLE BIT OF CUSHION TO...

YES, I WOULD PREFER TO COME EARLIER, BUT IF THE CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS DON'T GO SMOOTHLY, WE BUILT A RUNWAY OUT TO OPEN OR TO HAND THE KEYS OVER TECHNICALLY JANUARY 1ST, 2027.

RIGHT, AND THAT MAKES KIND OF SENSE, PUTTING SOME MEAT ON THE PROCESSED BONES, SO TO SPEAK, BUT IF YOU CAN GET IT TO THE BOARD RELATIVELY QUICK BECAUSE THE NEGOTIATIONS ARE SMOOTH, GREAT, MOVING DATE, MOST LIKELY BEFORE JANUARY 1ST, I'M ASSUMING, BUT IF THERE'S A HICCUP SOMEWHERE, IT'S MOST LIKELY GONNA BE JANUARY 1ST.

YEAH, SO STAFF ISN'T GONNA LET THIS SIT AROUND.

WE'VE HEARD FROM THE COMMUNITY.

WE UNDERSTAND THAT IT'S A MAJOR NEED.

IT'S BEEN A GOAL OF MINE SINCE STARTING ABOUT A YEAR AGO TO GET THIS THING, YOU KNOW, MOVING FORWARD, AND SO WE'RE

[02:20:02]

GONNA DO WHATEVER IT TAKES.

RIGHT, AND CLINICA IN A CAN IS A DIFFERENT PROJECT.

I KNOW THERE'S BIDS ON ITS WAY.

THERE'S SEVEN BIDS.

IT CLOSES SEPTEMBER 10TH.

WHEN WOULD THAT GO ONLINE, ROUGHLY? WELL, IS RYAN HERE? NO, RYAN'S NOT HERE.

SO WE'RE HOPING TO HAVE THAT CONSTRUCTION PROJECT FINISHED BEFORE THE END OF THIS CALENDAR YEAR, AND IN THE STAFF REPORT, IT DOES ALLUDE TO THAT.

I WORKED WITH RYAN, DIRECTOR OF GENERAL SERVICES RAMPUS-KATINI, IN REGARDS TO THAT DATE, SO THAT WAY I COULD GIVE YOU GUYS THAT UPDATE.

SO IT SHOULD BE ONLINE BY THE END OF THIS CALENDAR YEAR UNLESS, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING OUT OF OUR CONTROL COMES ALONG.

AND I JUST WANT TO SAY FROM MY DEALINGS AND DISCUSSIONS WITH SOME OF THESE AWESOME COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND ALSO STAFF, IT'S LIKE WE'RE ROWING IN THE SAME WAY THE LAST COUPLE OF MONTHS IT LOOKS LIKE, AND THAT HASN'T ALWAYS BEEN THE CASE.

WE WANT TO CONTINUE TO ROW THE SAME WAY, AND IT'S OBVIOUSLY THE JOB OF THE COMMUNITY TO ADVOCATE WHICH WAY THEY WANT TO GO IN DISCUSSIONS WITH THE COUNTY.

AND SO SOMETIMES IT'S NOT ALWAYS SMOOTH, BUT I THINK WE'RE DOING A GOOD JOB.

I THINK WE'RE ALL, WE'RE EXCITED TO HAVE THESE PROJECTS COMING OUR WAY, AND I WANT TO GIVE CREDIT TO THOSE THAT HAVE BEEN PARTICIPATING, LIKE YOU AND YOUR OFFICE AND STEPHANIE AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND SOME OF THE BOARD MEMBERS AS WELL, SO THANK YOU.

I APPRECIATE THAT, SUPERVISOR BARAJAS.

I WILL TELL YOU, WE ARE IN THE SAME BOAT, ROWING IN THE SAME DIRECTION.

WE MAY NOT HAVE A LOT OF DAY-IN AND DAY-OUT OPERATION OR DISCUSSIONS WITH MYSELF AND SOME OF THE MEMBERS, BUT I KNOW STEPHANIE DOES, AND WE KNOW IT'S A PROBLEM.

ALTHOUGH WE HAVE NO LEGAL MANDATE IN REGARDS TO COMMUNITY CATS, WE SHOULD BE DOING SOMETHING.

OTHER BOARD QUESTIONS? NO, I HAVE A COUPLE QUESTIONS.

FIRST, I WAS GOING TO ASK ABOUT HOW WE CAN SPEED IT UP ALSO, SO THANK YOU FOR ALREADY ASKING THAT QUESTION.

SO IF WE CAN, SPEED IT UP.

AND I HEAR AND I KNOW AND I ALSO FEEL THE NEED AND IT'S BEEN THERE A LONG TIME, AND I WAS LIKE, LOOK AT THAT FACILITY, IT'S SITTING THERE.

SO IT'S FINALLY HAPPENING, SO FORWARD MOMENTUM IS GOING, SO I'M REALLY PLEASED THAT WE ARE IN THAT PART OF THE PROCESS.

I DID HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT A COUPLE PEOPLE MENTIONED, HAD A QUESTION ABOUT THE SECOND VET, AND I'VE HAD A QUESTION ABOUT IT, SO CAN YOU OR STEPHANIE SPEAK A LITTLE TO THAT? YEAH, SO THAT'S NOT A PROBLEM.

SO CURRENTLY WE'RE DOING ROUGHLY FOUR TO FIVE DAYS OF SURGERY EACH WEEK, AND SO AFTER ASSESSING THAT SECOND VET AND THE FUNDING AND EVERYTHING, WE BELIEVE WE WOULD NEED ADDITIONAL RVTS, AND WITH THE CURRENT BUDGET SITUATION, WE'RE NOT SURE IF WE SHOULD MAKE THAT REQUEST NEXT YEAR OR IF WE SHOULD MAKE IT AT MIDYEAR.

I DON'T BELIEVE IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE WILL BE REQUESTING AT THIS TIME OR AT MIDYEAR BECAUSE OF THE BUDGET CONSTRAINTS.

WE ALSO KNOW THAT SOME OF OUR COSTS CAME IN HIGHER THAT ARE GOING TO BE APPROVED IN THE BUDGET NEXT WEEK OR THE WEEK AFTER, AND SO WE'RE TRYING TO FACTOR, AND I'M DOING 30-DAY CHECK-INS ON THE ANIMAL SERVICES BUDGET TO MAKE SURE WE STAY BETWEEN THE LINES.

IT IS A VERY, VERY, VERY TIGHT BUDGET, AND WE NEVER KNOW WHEN AN EXPENSE WILL COME UP.

AND THERE IS ACCESS TO ADDITIONAL VETERINARY CARE IF NECESSARY ON A PARTICULAR DAY, CORRECT? YOU CAN CALL SOMEBODY IN.

WE DO HAVE AN ON-CALL, AN EXTRA ASSISTANT THAT WILL COME IN AND HELP US.

YEAH, SO CARE IS BEING PROVIDED IS MY...

YES, CARE IS BEING PROVIDED.

DON'T FORGET WE HAVE THAT WONDERFUL PARTNERSHIP WITH UC DAVIS.

IF THERE'S SOMETHING SEVERE THAT WE NEED DONE IN AN EMERGENCY STANDPOINT, WE CAN REFER TO UC DAVIS.

I ALSO WANTED TO JUST BRIEFLY ADD TO WHAT DIRECTOR FIESELER JUST NOTED ABOUT THE SECOND VET, WHICH IS SORT OF THE INTERPLAY BETWEEN THE RFP THAT WE JUST LAUNCHED AND ADAM AND HIS TEAM GOT OUT ON THE STREET, SO TO SPEAK, LAST WEEK, WHICH IS FANTASTIC TO SEE THAT HUGE MILESTONE OF PROGRESS.

WE ALSO WANT TO REALLY GAUGE WHAT PROPOSAL OR PROPOSALS WE RECEIVE FROM THAT AND HOW THAT BALANCES WITH OUR INTERNAL STAFFING NEEDS, ESPECIALLY AROUND THE VETERINARIAN VET TECH SIDE OF THINGS.

SO I DO ACKNOWLEDGE, YOU KNOW, ALL OF WHAT ADAM HAS SAID IN TERMS OF CONTINUING TO ASSESS WHAT ARE THE NEEDS, WHAT ARE THE PARTNERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES, HOW CAN WE LEVERAGE THOSE PARTNERSHIPS AND INVESTMENTS AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.

BUT THEN, YOU KNOW, IF, TO THE EXTENT THAT STAFF DOES IDENTIFY THAT THERE MAY BE ADDITIONAL NEEDS, COME FORWARD TO THE BOARD WITH RECOMMENDATIONS FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION.

OF COURSE, ULTIMATELY, THAT'S UP TO THE BOARD TO DECIDE WHAT RESOURCES WE HAVE TO BE ABLE TO ALLOCATE TO WHAT, YOU KNOW, PROGRAMS AND SERVICES ACROSS THE ENTIRE COUNTY ORGANIZATION.

SO THAT'S NO SMALL FEAT.

[02:25:02]

WE CERTAINLY APPRECIATE THAT.

BUT WHEN WE DO COME TO YOU, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE A FULLY VETTED, REALLY THOUGHT THROUGH PROPOSAL IF THERE IS ANY SUPPLEMENTAL FUNDING TO BE SOUGHT THAT BALANCES THE RFP THAT WE'RE REVIEWING RIGHT NOW OR THAT'S OUT RIGHT NOW.

SO THANK YOU.

AND THIS IS AN INFORMATIONAL ITEM ONLY.

THERE'S NO ACTION BEING TAKEN, BUT I REALLY APPRECIATE YOU COMING FORWARD BECAUSE I THINK THAT THE COMMUNITY WAS HUNGRY FOR AN UPDATE ON THE INFORMATION, AS WAS THE BOARD, TO SAY THAT IT'S ALREADY MOVING FORWARD, FINALLY.

SO THINGS ARE MOVING FORWARD, BOTH A CLINIC IN THE CAN, THE SERVICES AT THE SHELTER, AND THE TWO-WAY RFP.

SO THANK YOU FOR BRINGING FORWARD ALL OF THAT INFORMATIONAL PRESENTATION TO US.

SORRY, SUPERVISOR VILLEGAS HAS SOMETHING, AND THEN I'LL LET YOU...

ANYTHING ELSE? YES.

OH, YEAH, WE HAVE TO CHECK ON THAT THING.

GO AHEAD.

JUST SAY THANK YOU TO...

FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU TO ALL OF YOU FOR VOLUNTEERING YOUR TIME.

TIME IS PRECIOUS, AND SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMITMENT TO OUR COMMUNITY.

WE KNOW IT'S TAKING A LITTLE BIT LONGER THAN WE HAD HOPED, BUT WE'RE GONNA GET THERE.

BUT A SPECIFIC THANK YOU TO ADAM, YOUR LEADERSHIP, STEPHANIE AS WELL.

YOUR FRESH EYES CAUGHT SOME THINGS IN THAT RFP THAT OTHERWISE WOULD HAVE BEEN A DISASTER HAD WE RELEASED IT NOT KNOWING ADDITIONAL COSTS THAT WERE EMBEDDED AS PART OF THAT PRODUCT.

WE WOULD BE SENT BACK QUITE A FEW MONTHS, IF NOT LONGER, AND COSTS.

SO THANK YOU FOR THAT.

THANK YOU FOR CATCHING THAT.

AND I KNOW YOU'RE TAKING THE BRUNT OF SOME OF THE DELAYS, BUT I THINK IT'S GONNA BE A STEP BACK, MIGHT BE FIVE STEPS FORWARD VERY QUICKLY.

SO THANK YOU FOR THAT, ADAM.

AND THAT'S CLINIC IN THE CAN, NOT THE TWO-WAY.

AND YES, PHIL, YOU HAVE AN UPDATE FOR US ON THE EYELINE SITUATION? YEAH, THANK YOU.

JUST WANTED TO ADD FOR THE BENEFIT OF PEOPLE LISTENING IN ON THIS THAT ZOOM IS WORKING JUST FINE, AND THERE WERE NO HANDS RAISED FOR THE ITEM.

OKAY, THANK YOU SO MUCH.

SO I'LL CONTINUE TO ASK THAT AT EACH ITEM AS NECESSARY.

OKAY, WITH THAT, THAT'LL BE THAT WE'LL CLOSE OUT THIS ITEM.

AND THANK YOU TO ALL OF THE INTERESTED PARTIES AND,

[25. As the Board of Directors of the Springlake Fire Protection District: Adopt resolution confirming report of costs to abate weeds and rubbish as a public nuisance on Yolo County Assessor's Parcel Number 027-430-003 and ordering the assessment of unpaid abatement charges. (No general fund impact) (Webb/Espitia) (Est. Staff Presentation: 5 min)]

YOU KNOW, GET YOUR RFPS IN, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING SOMETHING MOVING FORWARD.

OKAY, WE'LL THEN MOVE TO ITEM 25, SPRING LAKE FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT, WHERE WE GO.

OKAY, DO WE HAVE, WE'RE UP.

GREAT, OH, AND THERE I SEE OUR MODERATOR, AWESOME.

GOOD MORNING, CHAIR ALLEN, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.

MY NAME IS BERENICE ESPITIA, AND I'M HERE WITH THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR'S OFFICE.

AND I'M ALSO HERE BEFORE YOU WITH A BRIEF ITEM FOR A WEED ABATEMENT UPDATE ON BEHALF OF THE SPRING LAKE FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT.

SO HERE IS, SPRING LAKE FIRE PROTECTION IS AUTHORIZED BY THE STATE CODE TO REMOVE HAZARDOUS WEEDS AND RUBBISH WITHIN OUR DISTRICT.

THE DISTRICT IS TAKING THESE FIVE STEPS TO ADOPT THE WEED ABATEMENT COST.

FIRST, ON FEBRUARY 2ND OF THIS YEAR, THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS ADOPTED A RESOLUTION 26-01, DECLARING THAT THERE WAS WEEDS OR RUBBISH TO BE A PUBLIC NUISANCE.

SECOND, ON APRIL 23RD, THEY HELD A PUBLIC HEARING.

THIRD, ON JUNE 3RD, IT WAS A DEADLINE FOR PROPERTY OWNERS TO COMPLY WITH CLEARING WEEDS AND RUBBISH IN THEIR PROPERTIES.

IF NOT, THE CITY OF WOODLAND WOULD PERFORM THE WEED ABATEMENT ON BEHALF OF THE SPRING LAKE FIRE PROTECTION.

FOURTH, WE EMAILED THE PROPERTY OWNER A NOTIFICATION ON AUGUST 24TH THAT THIS MEETING WAS HAPPENING, GIVING THEM ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK.

AND FINALLY, TODAY WE ARE HERE TO FULFILL THE FINAL STEP OF THIS PROCESS FOR THE BOARD TO ADOPT A RESOLUTION CONFIRMING THE ABATEMENT COST.

HERE IS THE TABLE THAT REPRESENTS THE BREAKDOWN OF THE COST PER CONTRACTOR, THE SERVICE, WHAT COST, AND THE DATES OF SERVICE THAT THEY TOOK PLACE.

THE PROPERTY IS LOCATED IN DISTRICT 5.

WHERE THE WEED ABATEMENT TOOK PLACE IS IN BERNARD STREET IN WOODLAND, CALIFORNIA NEAR I-5 AND COUNTY ROAD 99.

THE TOTAL COST OF THIS PROPERTY TO BE ABATED WAS $25,849.83.

AND HERE'S A BRIEF MAP SO YOU CAN KIND OF SEE WHERE IT'S LOCATED.

SO STAFF, WE'RE HERE TO RECOMMEND THE FOLLOWING ACTION THAT YOU AS THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS FOR THE SPRING LAKE FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT ADOPT THE RESOLUTION CONFIRMING A REPORT OF THE COST TO ABATE THE WEEDS OR RUBBISH AS A PUBLIC NUISANCE ON YOLO COUNTY PROPERTY PARCEL NUMBER 027-430-003 AND ORDERING THE ASSESSMENT OF UNPAID ABATEMENT CHARGES.

AND WITH THIS SLIDE IT CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION.

ARE THERE EITHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? WE'LL DO THOSE TOGETHER FOR THE BOARD.

[02:30:02]

IS THERE ANY COMMENT IN CHAMBERS? I HAVE NO PUBLIC COMMENT, CHAIR.

IS THERE ANY COMMENT ONLINE? I HAVE NO PUBLIC COMMENT.

SO THERE'S A MOTION TO APPROVE THE RECOMMENDED ACTION BY SUPERVISOR BARAJAS.

SECONDED BY VIXIE SANDY.

THERE'S A MOTION ON THE FLOOR.

AND THERE'S A QUESTION.

YES, SUPERVISOR BARAJAS.

YEAH, JUST A QUESTION.

SO IS IT PAID FOR BY THE DISTRICT? WHAT'S THE SOURCE OF THE FUNDS? IT WILL BE THE PROPERTY OWNER OF THAT PARCEL NUMBER.

AND IT'S APPROXIMATELY ABOUT 8.9 ACRES.

AND BASICALLY WE'RE IN CONTROL.

SO IT'S A PROCESS THAT THEY DO EVERY SINGLE YEAR NOTIFYING DIFFERENT PROPERTY OWNERS TO PLEASE CLEAR AND ABATE THEIR PROPERTY.

AND SINCE THIS PROPERTY OWNER DID NOT DO THAT BY THE ESTABLISHED DEADLINE, WHICH IS JUNE 3RD, THAT'S THE TOTAL COST IN MY PRESENTATION.

IT WAS AN INVOICE THAT WE RECEIVED FROM THE WOODLAND FIRE DEPARTMENT.

SO I'M JUST CURIOUS.

SO I KNOW WE HAVE TO DO THESE WEED ABATEMENT NOTICES ALL THE TIME AND TAX ROLLS AT TIMES, DEPENDING ON CIRCUMSTANCES.

SO IS THIS A REGULAR, I MEAN, IS THIS A COMMON THING WHERE WE ARE CONSTANTLY HAVING TO DO THIS? SO THIS IS SINCE WE BECAME AN ADVISOR AND THE SPRING LAKE FIRE BOARD COMMISSIONERS USED TO HANDLE ALL THESE PROCEDURES.

AND SINCE NOW IT BECAME AN ADVISORY BOARD, NOW YOU AS THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS HAVE TO DO THE ADOPTION OF THIS PROCESS.

SO IT'S BASICALLY WE'RE PUTTING A LIEN IN THE PROPERTY FOR THEM TO PAY A SPECIAL ASSESSMENT, WHICH WOULD BE A TOTAL AMOUNT LISTED.

YEAH, I KNOW IT'S ALMOST PERFUNCTORY THAT WE DO THIS, BUT THE REASON I ASK IS BECAUSE THERE HAVE BEEN INSTANCES WHERE IT BECOMES SO ROUTINE THAT WE GO THROUGH THE MOTIONS AND IT'S EASY FOR THE PROPERTY OWNERS TO JUST ASSUME THAT THE PROCESS WILL JUST DO WHAT IT DOES EVERY YEAR.

IT'S A SORT OF TRADITION.

AND SO I JUST WONDERED IF WE SHOULDN'T THINK ABOUT, I'M GOOD WITH THE MOTION.

WE'VE HAD INSTANCES WHERE WE'VE HAD TO DO THIS REGULARLY AND THE PROPERTY OWNERS ARE PERFECTLY COMFORTABLE WITH THE COUNTY TAKING OVER AND DOING THE WORK AND THEN SENDING THE BILL BECAUSE IT'S CHEAPER.

BUT IT'S NOT REALLY GETTING THE PROPERTY OWNERS TO DO WHAT THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO DO.

IT'S JUST BECOME ROUTINE.

AND SO I KNOW IN SOME INSTANCES WE STARTED CHARGING MORE AND ALL OF A SUDDEN NOW THEY FOUND PRIVATE VENDORS TO DO THE WORK RATHER THAN US DOING THE WORK.

AND THEN IT GOT US OUT OF THE BUSINESS OF DOING WHAT WE'RE DOING RIGHT NOW.

BUT I'M GOOD WITH THE MOTION.

I JUST WANT TO PUT THAT OUT THERE BECAUSE OTHERWISE IT BECOMES PART OF SOMETHING THAT WE SHOULDN'T BE DOING.

IF THE BUSINESS DIDN'T GET TAKEN CARE OF, WE WOULDN'T HAVE TO BE DOING THIS.

BUT THIS CIRCUMSTANCE MAY NOT WARRANT THAT.

AND SUPERVISOR VILLEGAS, THE BOARD DOESN'T SEE VERY MANY OF THESE, BUT MY OFFICE ASSISTS DISTRICTS AROUND THE COUNTY THAT ARE GOVERNED SEPARATELY.

THEY HAVE THEIR OWN BOARDS WITH RE-DEBATEMENT OF THIS NATURE EVERY YEAR.

AND OFTEN IT'S THE SAME PROPERTIES YEAR AFTER YEAR THAT COME UP.

EVENTUALLY THEY GO TO A TAX SALE IF THEY DON'T PAY THE ASSESSMENT.

BUT IT'S A RELATIVELY COMMON OCCURRENCE, JUST NOT TYPICAL FOR THIS BOARD TO CONSIDER.

I'LL JUST ADD BRIEFLY THAT THE PERPLEXING PIECE OF THAT IS THAT, YOU KNOW, ONE WAY OR ANOTHER THEY'RE PAYING.

I MEAN, EITHER IT'S AT THE BACK END THROUGH THE PROPERTY OR A PROPERTY TAX SALE IF IT COMES TO THAT AS PHIL DESCRIBED.

BUT AT THE FRONT END IT IS UNDOUBTEDLY MORE EXPENSIVE FOR, YOU KNOW, GOVERNMENT TO TAKE CARE OF THE ISSUE AND THESE CHALLENGES THAN IT WOULD BE IF THE PROPERTY OWNER DID IT THEMSELVES ON THE FRONT END.

AND THAT WAS MY POINT.

I DON'T WANT TO BELABOR THE POINT MOTIONER IN A SECOND.

I'M SORRY.

BUT I JUST, I WONDER IF WE SHOULDN'T THINK ABOUT IT DIFFERENTLY BECAUSE WHEN WE, WHEN I WAS WITH THE CITY, WE WERE DOING THIS EVERY YEAR, EVERY YEAR THE SAME THING.

AND WHAT THE PROPERTY OWNERS DISCOVERED WAS IT'S CHEAPER TO JUST PAY THE CITY TO DO THE WORK RATHER THAN DOING THEIR, TAKING CARE OF THEIR PROPERTY.

AND ONCE WE INCREASED THE COST, OVERNIGHT, ALL OF A SUDDEN THEY STARTED TAKING CARE OF THEIR BUSINESS BECAUSE THEY REALIZED.

ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION ON THE MOTION ON THE FLOOR? WE HAVE BARAJAS AND VIXIE SANDY AS OUR MOTION IN SECOND.

[26. Receive an update on major Delta and Yolo Bypass Water Resources Program initiatives affecting the Yolo Bypass and Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, including the Yolo Bypass Comprehensive Study and Bay-Delta Plan; approve updates to the Yolo Bypass Ad Hoc Subcommittee Scope and Charge and to the Yolo County Position Statement on Regional Water Supply, Flood Protection, and Habitat Restoration Projects; and direct staff to develop and submit comment letters on behalf of the County pursuant to the Position Statement on covered projects such as the Yolo Bypass Comprehensive Study, Bay-Delta Plan, and Yolo Bypass Cache Slough Partnership renewal. (No general fund impact) (Webb/Snyder) (Est. Staff Presentation: 20 min)]

ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE.

AYE.

PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.

THANK YOU FOR THAT.

WE WILL MOVE TO OUR NEXT AGENDA ITEM, WHICH IS ITEM 26 UPDATE ON MAJOR DELTA AND YOLO BY-PASS WATER RESOURCE PROGRAM.

WELL, GOOD MORNING, CHAIR, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.

I'M SABRINA SNYDER WITH THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR'S OFFICE.

I JOINED TODAY WITH COUNTY

[02:35:01]

COUNSEL, PHIL POGLEDICH.

TODAY WE'RE GOING TO PROVIDE AN UPDATE ON THE COUNTY'S DELTA AND YOLO BYPASS PROGRAM.

OVER THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS, THE NUMBER, SCALE, AND PACE OF REGIONAL PROJECTS AFFECTING YOLO COUNTY HAVE INCREASED SIGNIFICANTLY.

TODAY WE'RE GOING TO SEE HOW THOSE EFFORTS FIT TOGETHER AND DISCUSS THREE PARTICULARLY IMPORTANT INITIATIVES AT IMPORTANT DECISION POINTS RIGHT NOW.

WE'RE ALSO GOING TO RECOMMEND SOME UPDATES TO THE COUNTY'S RELATED POLICY AND GOVERNANCE FRAMEWORK RELATED TO THAT CHANGING LANDSCAPE.

SO FIRST, WE'RE GOING TO REVISIT THE POSITION STATEMENT THAT THE BOARD ADOPTED IN 2024 AND SHOW HOW WE'VE BEEN USING IT.

SECONDLY, WE'RE GOING TO HIGHLIGHT THE GROWING NUMBER OF THOSE REGIONAL FLOOD HABITAT AND WATER SUPPLY PROJECTS AFFECTING YOLO COUNTY AND WITH A DEEPER LOOK AT THREE UNDERWAY RIGHT NOW.

AND FINALLY, WE'RE GOING TO ASK THE BOARD TO UPDATE THE POSITION STATEMENT AND YOLO BYPASS AD HOC CHARTER AND PROVIDE DIRECTION TO STAFF TO SUBMIT AND DEVELOP COMMENTS, COMMENT LETTERS PURSUANT TO THE POSITION STATEMENT IN RESPONSE TO SOME OF THOSE PROJECTS.

SO WITH THAT, I'M GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO PHIL.

PHIL POGLEDICH, COUNTY COUNSEL.

I'M GOING TO PRESENT THE NEXT FEW SLIDES HERE AND THEN TURN IT BACK TO SABRINA.

I'VE GOT THE EASY PART OF JUST PROVIDING SOME OF THE BACKGROUND AND CONTEXT FOR THE WORK THAT'S GOING ON.

SO CALIFORNIA IS INVESTING IN THREE DIFFERENT THINGS AT ONCE AT REALLY AN UNPRECEDENTED SCALE.

IT'S INVESTING IN FLOOD PROTECTION, IT'S INVESTING IN HABITAT RESTORATION, AND THEN ALSO WATER SUPPLY RELIABILITY, PRIMARILY IN THE FORM OF NEW OR ENHANCED WATER SUPPLY INFRASTRUCTURE, BUT ALSO OTHER PROGRAMS THAT ARE INTENDED TO INCREASE WATER SUPPLY RELIABILITY.

AS THE SLIDE INDICATES, WATER EXPORTS FROM THE DELTA SUPPORT DRINKING WATER FOR ABOUT 25 MILLION CALIFORNIANS AND IRRIGATE ABOUT 4.5 MILLION ACRES OF FARMLAND AROUND THE STATE.

IN ADDITION, THE DELTA AND AREAS NORTH OF THE DELTA ARE ALSO HOME TO A VAST FLOOD PROTECTION INFRASTRUCTURE, THE STATE PLAN OF FLOOD CONTROL, SYSTEM OF LEVEES, DAMS, WEIRS, AND OTHER INFRASTRUCTURE.

THOSE SYSTEMS BOTH, THE WATER SUPPLY INFRASTRUCTURE OF THE STATE AS WELL AS ITS FLOOD PROTECTION INFRASTRUCTURE, THEY'RE AGING AND THEY'RE ALSO CONFRONTED WITH CHALLENGES FROM CLIMATE CHANGE AS WELL AS ECOSYSTEM DECLINE.

YOLO COUNTY IS AT THE GEOGRAPHIC CENTER OF ALL THIS.

IT'S A FACTOR PRIMARILY OF OUR GEOGRAPHY BUT ALSO OUR LAND USE POLICY.

GEOGRAPHICALLY, WE'RE AT THE BOTTOM OF THE STATE PLAN OF FLOOD CONTROL, SO CHANGES MADE HERE, WHETHER IT'S IN TERMS OF EXPANDING THE YOLO BYPASS, WHICH YOU'LL HEAR A LITTLE BIT ABOUT TODAY, OR OTHER CHANGES SUCH AS SACRAMENTO WEIR WIDENING, CAN MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE IN THE OVERALL PERFORMANCE OF THE SYSTEM.

WE'VE GOT MILES OF SACRAMENTO RIVER FRONTAGE AND DIRECT DELTA CONNECTIVITY, SO THAT PROVIDES OTHER OPPORTUNITIES THAT ADDRESS THE ECOSYSTEM DECLINE, SUCH AS THE BIG NOTCH PROJECT, WHICH THE STATE BUILT A FEW YEARS AGO ALONG THE FREMONT WEIR.

WITH THE ABILITY TO PULL FISH ONTO THE FLOOD PLAIN, JUVENILE SALMON IN PARTICULAR, THE STATE HAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS SOME OF THE RESTRICTIONS THAT ARE BEING IMPOSED ON THE STATE WATER PROJECT, AS WELL AS THE FEDERAL CENTRAL VALLEY PROJECT, BY PROMOTING A BETTER ECOSYSTEM FOR THOSE JUVENILE FISH, MAKING IT MORE LIKELY THAT THEY SURVIVE AND THEN RETURN TO SPAWN AGAIN UPSTREAM OF THE DELTA.

JUVENILE SALMON ARE AMONG THE NATIVE FISH THAT ARE IMPERILED BY OPERATION OF THE FLOOD PROTECTION INFRASTRUCTURE OF THE STATE, I'M SORRY, THE WATER SUPPLY INFRASTRUCTURE OF THE STATE, AS WELL AS THE INCREASING EFFECTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE.

THEN IN TERMS OF OUR LAND USE POLICY, AS THE BOARD'S WELL AWARE, WE'VE STAYED RURAL, WHILE MANY OF OUR NEIGHBORS HAVE URBANIZED, AND CHANGES TO FLOOD PROTECTION INFRASTRUCTURE IN YOLO COUNTY CAN HAVE MAJOR EFFECTS EVEN ACROSS THE RIVER, AREAS LIKE NATOMAS, SUTTER COUNTY, AND OTHER POINTS NORTH.

SO YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH MANY OF THE PROJECTS THAT ARE DRIVING THESE CHANGES, WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT A FEW OF THEM TODAY.

THIS IS REALLY THE SITUATION THAT WE PRESENTED ABOUT TWO YEARS AGO TO THE BOARD, AND IN RESPONSE THE BOARD DIRECTED PREPARATION OF A POSITION STATEMENT.

THE POSITION STATEMENT WAS ADOPTED BY THE BOARD ON DECEMBER 3RD, 2024, AND IT APPLIES BROADLY TO WATER SUPPLY, FLOOD PROTECTION, AND HABITAT RESTORATION PROJECTS THAT ARE UNDERTAKEN FOR THE PRIMARY BENEFIT OF OTHER JURISDICTIONS OR REGIONS.

AND THAT'S THE PART I REALLY WANT TO EMPHASIZE, IT'S NOT EVERY HABITAT RESTORATION PROJECT OR EVERY WATER SUPPLY INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECT, IS THOSE THAT ARE HAPPENING IN YOLO COUNTY FOR THE PRIMARY BENEFIT OF OTHER REGIONS OR JURISDICTIONS.

THAT'S REALLY THE FOCUS OF THE STATEMENT.

IN ESSENCE, THE POSITION STATEMENT SEEKS FOUR COMMITMENTS FROM PROJECT PROPONENTS.

[02:40:01]

FIRST IS TO ENGAGE TRANSPARENTLY AND EARLY IN THE PROJECT PLANNING PROCESS.

THE SECOND IS TO PRIORITIZE PROTECTING AGRICULTURE AND WORKING LANDS AND RECREATION HERE IN YOLO COUNTY THROUGH PROJECT DESIGN, MITIGATION, OR A COMBINATION OF DIFFERENT ACTIONS.

THE THIRD IS TO ADDRESS IMPACTS BY AVOIDING, AND IF THEY CAN'T BE AVOIDED, MINIMIZING AND MITIGATING.

AND THEN FINALLY, THE FOURTH PRIORITY IS TO OFFSET IMPACTS SUCH AS LOST LOCAL TAX REVENUE AND PROVIDE LOCAL BENEFITS SO THAT WE'RE NOT JUST, I MEAN, ENVISION THAT THESE PROJECTS ARE LIKE FEDERAL HIGHWAY PROJECTS THAT GO THROUGH YOLO COUNTY.

THERE'S NO OFF RAMP HERE, THERE'S NO LOCAL CONNECTION.

WE WANT THERE TO BE A LOCAL CONNECTION FOR THESE PROJECTS SO THAT IT'S NOT JUST LAND IN YOLO COUNTY BEING USED, THERE'S ALSO SOMETHING COMING BACK INTO OUR COMMUNITY.

SO THE BOTTOM LINE OF THE POSITION STATEMENT, OOPS, I SKIPPED AHEAD ONE TOO QUICKLY, IS NOT TO SAY NO OR TO OPPOSE EVERY REGIONAL PROJECT OR PROJECT BENEFITING OTHER JURISDICTIONS.

THE BOARD INTENTIONALLY CHOSE THAT WE WOULD TRY TO WORK COLLABORATIVELY WITH THE PROPONENTS OF THOSE PROJECTS SO THAT WE COULD COLLABORATE FOR THEIR SUCCESS.

AND THAT'S AMONG VARIOUS POLICY OPTIONS THE BOARD HAS, INCLUDING JUST SAYING, NO, WE DON'T WANT ANY OF THAT AND DIRECTING MORE OF A LITIGATION OR ADVERSARIAL POSTURE.

WE'RE INSTEAD TRYING TO FIND WAYS FOR THESE PROJECTS TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN YOLO COUNTY.

TWO EXAMPLES OF THAT ARE REFLECTED ON THIS SLIDE.

THE 2025 MOU WITH THE CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF WATER RESOURCES WAS DEVELOPED TO RESOLVE TWO CONTROVERSIES AROUND PROJECTS THAT THE DEPARTMENT HAD IMPLEMENTED OR WAS PROPOSING TO IMPLEMENT IN YOLO COUNTY.

THE BIG NOTCH PROJECT AT THE FREMONT WEIR AND THEN THE TIDES END RESTORATION PROJECT IN THE LOWER YOLO BYPASS, WHICH IS A DEVELOPING EFFORT.

THEN MOU PROVIDED $3 MILLION IN SMALL COMMUNITY FLOOD PROTECTION FUNDING AND $5 MILLION IN AGRICULTURAL SUSTAINABILITY, HABITAT ENHANCEMENT, AND RECREATIONAL FUNDING BENEFITING YOLO COUNTY.

AND THAT'S THE FLOOR FOR WHAT DWR COMMITTED TO PROVIDE THROUGH THAT MOU.

THERE'S LANGUAGE IN THAT MOU THAT OPENS THE DOOR TO DWR PROVIDING ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR THOSE PURPOSES.

AND THOSE CATEGORIES ALL TRACK THE POSITION STATEMENTS PRINCIPLES VERY CLOSELY.

THEN ON THE RIGHT-HAND SIDE OF THE SLIDE IS THE 2026 FAIR RANCH MOU, WHICH THE BOARD REMEMBERS FROM JUST A FEW MONTHS AGO, TOGETHER WITH RECLAMATION DISTRICT 108 AND THE YOLO SUBBASIN GROUNDWATER AGENCY, WE SIGNED AN MOU DIRECTED AT REDUCING LOCAL IMPACTS ASSOCIATED WITH THE STATE'S ACQUISITION OF WATER RIGHTS FROM THE FAIR RANCH FOR IN-STREAM FLOW PURPOSES, REALLY DIRECTED AT ENHANCING THE ECOSYSTEM.

AS PART OF THE STATE'S ACQUISITION OF WATER RIGHTS, RD-108 ACQUIRED THE RANCH, AND AS PART OF ITS ACQUISITION TO BOTH THE COUNTY AND YSGA, IT COMMITTED TO HELP SECURE GROUNDWATER PROTECTION, MAINTAIN AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION, PROTECT THE LOCAL TAX BASE, AND TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE SUCCESS OF A COUNTY-LED FLOOD PROTECTION PROJECT.

AND AT THE VERY BOTTOM, WE'VE TRIED TO GRAPHICALLY REPRESENT HOW THE POSITION STATEMENT SUPPORTS THESE OUTCOMES.

IT HELPS SECURE AGREEMENTS THAT PROVIDE LOCAL BENEFITS IN A NUTSHELL.

THE POSITION STATEMENT GAVE US A MANDATE AND A SCRIPT, AND IT REMOVED ANY QUESTION THAT WE WOULD OFTEN FACE IN DEALING WITH PROJECT PROPONENTS OF WHY DOES YOLO COUNTY CARE? WHY SHOULD YOLO COUNTY HAVE A SAY? WE HAVE LEGITIMACY, AND WE HAVE A PURPOSE NOW IN ENGAGING WITH THE PROPONENTS OF PROJECTS WHEN THEY'RE PLANNING SOMETHING IN YOLO COUNTY.

SO, AND WITH...

I WAS ABOUT TO TURN BACK TO SABRINA, BUT I BELIEVE I'VE GOT ONE MORE.

THIS SLIDE DEPICTS THE DIFFERENT REGIONAL INITIATIVES SHAPING YOLO COUNTY THAT ARE AMONG THOSE WE'RE CURRENTLY TRACKING.

IT EVOLVES FROM TIME TO TIME, BUT THERE'S SOME THAT HAVE BEEN ON THE LIST FOR MANY YEARS, AND OTHERS THAT ARE JUST NOW COMING ONTO THE LIST.

WE'VE DIVIDED THEM UP INTO THE THREE DIFFERENT CATEGORIES I MENTIONED.

AND AS YOU CAN SEE, IT'S QUITE A LOT.

WE USED TO TALK A LOT ABOUT THE BIG NOTCH PROJECT ALONG THE FREMONT WEIR.

THAT'S REALLY JUST ONE OF MANY.

SOME ARE MINOR, SOME ARE AS SIGNIFICANT AS THE BIG NOTCH PROJECT.

TWO ARE HIGHLIGHTED HERE, AND SABRINA'S GOING TO SPEND SOME TIME FOCUSING ON THOSE SPECIFICALLY.

UNDER FLOOD PROTECTION, YOLO BYPASS COMPREHENSIVE STUDY AND THE UPPER YOLO BYPASS PLAN, THAT'S GOING TO BE THE SUBJECT OF SABRINA'S NEXT FEW SLIDES.

AND THEN FINALLY, UNDER WATER SUPPLY, WE'VE GOT A PROGRAM, REALLY, RATHER THAN A DISCRETE PROJECT, THE BAY DELTA PLAN UPDATE, WHICH IS BEING UNDERTAKEN BY THE STATE WATER RESOURCES CONTROL BOARD.

AND AS PART OF THAT, THEY'RE LOOKING AT A PROGRAM CALLED HEALTHY RIVERS AND LANDSCAPES, WHICH FOCUSES ON KEEPING WATER IN STREAM, CREATING MORE HABITAT, ADDRESSING THE DECLINE OF THE ECOSYSTEM THROUGH MEASURES OTHER THAN STRICTLY REDUCING EXPORTS FROM THE DELTA, OR OTHERWISE LIMITING HOW MUCH WATER IS TAKEN OUT

[02:45:01]

OF OUR RIVERS AND TRIBUTARIES.

SO WITH THAT, I'LL TURN IT BACK TO SABRINA.

ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU, PHIL.

SO YES, I'M GOING TO START WITH THE YOLO BYPASS COMPREHENSIVE STUDY.

SO FOR CONTEXT, THIS COMPREHENSIVE STUDY WAS AUTHORIZED BY CONGRESS THROUGH THE WATER RESOURCES DEVELOPMENT ACT OF 2020.

IT'S BEEN GOING ON FOR SEVERAL YEARS.

AND IT DIRECTED THE ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS TO CONDUCT A COMPREHENSIVE EVALUATION OF THE YOLO BYPASS SYSTEM, WHICH IS THE SATURATED AREA IN THE CENTERED MAP, TO LOOK FOR ACTIONS OR MANAGEMENT IMPROVEMENTS IN FLOOD RISK REDUCTION, ECOSYSTEM RESTORATION, WATER SUPPLY, RECREATION, AND EVEN HYDROPOWER.

I WANT TO NOTE, IMPORTANTLY, CONGRESS DIRECTED THE ARMY CORPS TO LOOK BROADLY AT THIS ENTIRE SYSTEM, NOT ONLY FOR FLOOD RISK REDUCTION PROJECTS.

SO IN 2023, THE ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS ENTERED INTO A COST-SHARE AGREEMENT WITH TWO NON-FEDERAL SPONSORS, THOSE BEING THE SAC AREA FLOOD CONTROL AGENCY AND THE CENTRAL VALLEY FLOOD PROTECTION BOARD.

SO THE TWO NON-FEDERAL SPONSORS PROVIDED RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE ARMY CORPS TO FOCUS ON TWO SPECIFIC FLOOD RISK REDUCTION MEASURES IN THE UPPER YOLO BYPASS.

AND THEY ALSO RECOMMENDED FOR THE ARMY CORPS TO FOCUS ONLY ON THE UPPER YOLO BYPASS FROM THE FREMONT WEIR JUST DOWN TO I-80.

SPECIFICALLY, THEY WANTED THE ARMY CORPS TO CONSIDER EXPANDING THE FLOOD CONTROL SYSTEM INTO ALL OR PARTS OF THE UPPER ELKHORN BASIN.

SO THIS CONCEPT, AS THE BOARD MAY RECALL, WAS PRESENTED BY THE NON-FEDERAL SPONSORS AT THE JUNE 4TH, 2024 MEETING.

SO THIS CONCEPT CREATES AN IMPORTANT REGIONAL AND LOCAL DYNAMIC.

THE FEDERAL STUDIES INTENDED TO LOOK AT BROAD MANAGEMENT ACTIONS, WHEREAS THIS RECOMMENDATION BY THE NON-FEDERAL SPONSORS LOOKS AT DISCRETE FLOOD PROTECTION ACTIONS.

AND THOSE RECOMMENDED ACTIONS, NEARLY ALL OF THE CONSTRUCTION RESULTING BURDEN ON WORKING LANDS AND OTHER IMPACTS FALL WITHIN YOLO COUNTY, WHILE THE FLOOD RISK REDUCTION BENEFITS PRIMARILY ACCRUE ACROSS THE RIVER OR NORTH OF YOLO COUNTY.

SO YOLO COUNTY, WE'RE NOT A PROJECT SPONSOR, BUT WE'VE BEEN CLOSELY ENGAGED BECAUSE OF THE POTENTIAL IMPACTS BROADLY SUMMARIZED ON THE RIGHT HALF OF THE SLIDE.

SO I'M GOING TO SPEND A FEW MINUTES ON THIS SLIDE RIGHT HERE.

BUT THIS BRINGS US TO WHERE WE ARE TODAY.

THIS STUDY HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR SEVERAL YEARS.

AN IMPORTANT MILESTONE OCCURRED ON AUGUST 20TH.

THE ARMY CORPS RELEASED ITS DRAFT FEASIBILITY REPORT AND ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT.

THIS IS FOR PUBLIC REVIEW.

AND IN THOSE REPORTS, THE ARMY CORPS HAS IDENTIFIED WHAT'S TITLED ALTERNATIVE 1, THE FREMONT WEIR EXPANSION WITH A SETBACK LEVEE IN THE UPPER ELKHORN BASIN AS ITS TENTATIVELY SELECTED PLAN.

SO THIS REPRESENTS AN IMPORTANT TRANSITION IN THE FEDERAL PROCESS.

THE STUDY MOVED FROM LOOKING AT ALL THESE BROAD ACTIONS IN ECOSYSTEM AND RECREATION AND FLOOD CONTROL AND HAS NOW NARROWED IN ON A SPECIFIC RECOMMENDATION FOR FLOOD RISK REDUCTION, AS RECOMMENDED BY THE NON-FEDERAL SPONSORS.

THE STUDY TIMELINE AND PROCESS HAS ALSO MOVED CONSIDERABLY FASTER THAN WHAT WE UNDERSTOOD OVER THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS.

THIS IS DUE TO THE ARMY CORPS ACTING UNDER BUILD INFRASTRUCTURE, NOT PAPERWORK, OR A RAPID PROCESS, WHICH WAS AN ARMY CORPS DIRECTIVE ISSUED BACK IN FEBRUARY TO EXPEDITE ANY STUDY PROCESSES.

SO THE PROPOSAL IS NOW UNDER SIGNIFICANT CONSIDERATION IN SCALE.

THE CORPS CURRENTLY ESTIMATES AN INITIAL PROJECT COST OF $564 MILLION WITH APPROXIMATELY 1,326 ACRES IN NEW FEDERAL PROPERTY INTEREST.

THE DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT ALSO PROPOSES A FINDING OF NO SIGNIFICANT IMPACTS IN YOLO COUNTY.

I WANT TO MAKE THE IMPORTANT DISTINCTION THAT THE RELEASE OF THIS REPORT DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A FINAL PROJECT APPROVAL, NOR DOES IT CONSTITUTE ANY PROJECT APPROVAL FOR CONSTRUCTION.

BUT THE REPORT DOES INDICATE THAT IT WILL COMPLETE IN MAY 2028, AND IF APPROPRIATIONS ARE MADE FOR CONSTRUCTION

[02:50:06]

THROUGH WRDA 2028, CONSTRUCTION COULD BEGIN AS SOON AS 2033.

SO THIS IS AN IMPORTANT POINT IN THE PROCESS FOR YOLO COUNTY TO CONDUCT A DETAILED REVIEW AND ENSURE OUR CONCERNS ARE DOCUMENTED AND ENTERED INTO THE RECORD.

SO WITH THIS STUDY NOW MOVING TOWARD A SPECIFIC FEDERAL RECOMMENDATION, I WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT TO GEOGRAPHICALLY ORIENT US TO WHAT THE NON-FEDERAL SPONSORS RECOMMENDED AND HOW THAT HAS INFORMED WHAT THE ARMY CORPS IS ACTUALLY CONSIDERING TODAY.

SO ON THIS SLIDE, WE'RE ESSENTIALLY LOOKING AT TWO RECOMMENDED ALTERNATIVES FROM THE NON-FEDERAL SPONSORS.

IN BOTH MAPS, WE'RE LOOKING AT THE NORTHERN END OF THE EXISTING YOLO BYPASS NEAR THE FREMONT WEIR AND IMMEDIATELY ADJACENT TO THE UPPER ELKHORN BASIN.

WE KNOW THE EXISTING FREMONT WEIR ALLOWS SACRAMENTO RIVER FLOODWATERS TO ENTER THE YOLO BYPASS DURING HIGH-FLOW EVENTS.

WHAT'S IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND ABOUT THE CURRENT PROPOSAL, WHICH IS BORDERED IN RED ON THE LEFT SIDE, IS THAT IT WOULD EXPAND THE FOOTPRINT EASTWARD BEYOND THE EXISTING YOLO BYPASS AND INTO PORTIONS OF THE UPPER ELKHORN BASIN.

AND WHEN WE ZOOM IN TO THAT AREA ON THE NEXT SLIDE, YOU CAN SEE THE TENTATIVELY SELECTED PLAN.

SO THIS MAP HELPS ILLUSTRATE WHAT THE ARMY CORPS IS PROPOSING.

THE ALTERNATIVE WOULD CONSTRUCT A NEW WEIR EXPANSION, WHICH IS APPROXIMATELY A MILE LONG.

IT'S DEPICTED IN THE YELLOW AND ORANGE STRIPED LINE ADJACENT TO THE EXISTING FREMONT WEIR.

THE HEIGHT OF THIS NEW WEIR WOULD BE THE SAME AS THE EXISTING ONE, MEANING DURING HIGH-FLOW EVENTS, WATER WOULD SIMULTANEOUSLY FLOW OVER THE EXISTING FREMONT WEIR AND THIS NEW EXTENDED WEIR.

THE PROPOSAL WOULD ALSO CONSTRUCT A NEW, APPROXIMATELY 3.8-MILE SETBACK LEVEE.

THIS IS DEPICTED BY THE BRIGHT GREEN LINE.

THIS IS TO CONTAIN AND GUIDE FLOOD WATERS THROUGH THAT PORTION OF THE UPPER ELKHORN BASIN.

THE WATER WOULD THEN FLOW THROUGH AN APPROXIMATE HALF-MILE CONNECTION.

THINK OF IT LIKE A NOTCH IN AN EXISTING WEIR, AND THAT'S DEPICTED BY THE BRIGHT RED LINE.

DURING HIGH RIVER FLOWS, WATER WOULD THEREFORE OVERTOP BOTH EXISTING WEIRS, GO INTO THE UPPER ELKHORN BASIN AND THE YOLO BYPASS, AND THOSE UPPER ELKHORN BASIN FLOOD FLOWS WOULD THEN MEET AGAIN ULTIMATELY INTO THE YOLO BYPASS.

AT ITS SIMPLEST, THE PROPOSAL WOULD EXPAND THE EXISTING FLOOD MANAGEMENT FOOTPRINT EASTWARD BEYOND THE CURRENT YOLO BYPASS AND INTO THE UPPER ELKHORN BASIN.

I WANT TO SWITCH GEARS A LITTLE BIT.

THIS IS THE SECOND OF THE THREE INITIATIVES THAT WE'LL BE COVERING THAT ARE AT IMPORTANT DECISION POINTS RIGHT NOW.

THE SECOND MAJOR INITIATIVE, WHICH PHIL TOUCHED ON, IS THE STATE WATER RESOURCE CONTROL BOARD'S UPDATE TO THE BAY DELTA PLAN.

YOU MAY RECALL DISCUSSIONS ABOUT HEALTHY RIVERS AND LANDSCAPES.

THIS IS THE PLAN THAT CONSIDERS IMPLEMENTATION AND APPROVAL OF THAT PROGRAM.

SO BRIEFLY, AS PHIL TOUCHED ON, THE STATE WATER BOARD IS CONSIDERING TWO IMPLEMENTATION PATHWAYS, ONE WHICH IS TERMED AS UNIMPAIRED FLOWS AND THE OTHER IS HEALTHY RIVERS AND LANDSCAPES WHERE IT COUPLES ADDITIONAL FLOWS BUT A LITTLE BIT LESS AND WITH A LOT OF HABITAT RESTORATION COMPONENTS.

HEALTHY RIVERS AND LANDSCAPES CONTEMPLATES ABOUT 2.9 BILLION IN HABITAT INVESTMENT AND NEEDS TO IDENTIFY 40,000 ACRES OF AQUATIC HABITAT STATEWIDE.

SO FOR YOLO COUNTY, THE IMPORTANT QUESTION IS WHERE ARE THESE INVESTMENTS GOING TO OCCUR AND HOW THOSE PROJECTS ARE IMPLEMENTED.

THE YOLO BYPASS IS ALREADY FACING A LOT OF MAJOR FLOOD AND HABITAT RESTORATION PROJECTS OUTSIDE OF THIS PROGRAM.

SO OUR FOCUS IS ABOUT ENSURING ON WHEN THESE PROJECTS ARE LOCATED IN YOLO COUNTY, THEY ARE APPROPRIATELY SITED, REMAIN COMPATIBLE WITH AGRICULTURE, PROVIDE TANGIBLE BENEFITS TO LOCAL COMMUNITIES AND WORKING LANDS, AND IF THE OPPORTUNITY IS THERE TO PARTNER WITH YOLO COUNTY ON IMPLEMENTATION OF THESE PROJECTS.

THE DRAFT WAS RELEASED AUGUST 19TH IN PARALLEL WITH THE PRIOR YOLO BYPASS COMPREHENSIVE STUDY AND BOTH HAVE THE SAME CLOSING DATE FOR ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS ON SEPTEMBER 18TH OF THIS MONTH.

SO WE INTEND TO DEVELOP A COMMENT LETTER OUTLINING THESE PRIORITIES AND ANY CONCERNS THAT MAY ARISE IN OUR REVIEW.

THE THIRD INITIATIVE IS THE YOLO BYPASS-CACHE SLOUGH PARTNERSHIP.

THIS IS NOT REALLY A PROGRAM

[02:55:01]

THAT CONTEMPLATES PROJECTS OR A DISCRETE PROJECT.

THIS IS MORE A GOVERNANCE FRAMEWORK THAT ENCAPSULATES THOSE VERY ISSUES.

SO THE PARTNERSHIP WAS CREATED IN 2016 AND IT BRINGS 15 DIFFERENT FEDERAL, STATE, AND LOCAL AGENCIES TOGETHER.

YOU CAN SEE ALL OF THEM ON THE SCREEN AND THE INTENT WAS TO COORDINATE OUR COLLECTIVE INTEREST IN AGRICULTURE, HABITAT, FLOOD PROTECTION, RECREATION, WATER SUPPLY, AND WATER QUALITY ACROSS THIS SHARED LANDSCAPE OF THE YOLO BYPASS-CACHE SLOUGH REGION.

THAT ORIGINAL MOU EXPIRED THIS PAST MAY SO THE AGENCIES ARE NOW DISCUSSING RENEWAL.

FOR YOLO COUNTY, RENEWAL REPRESENTS AN OPPORTUNITY TO STRENGTHEN THE PARTNERSHIP AND MOVE FROM PRIMARILY AN INFORMATION SHARING BASIS TO SOMETHING THAT IS TRULY COLLABORATIVE AND FUNCTIONAL IN TERMS OF ANY FUTURE LOCAL PLANNING AND TO ENSURE THAT TANGIBLE AND EQUITABLE BENEFITS ARE REALIZED IN ANY FUTURE PROJECTS HERE.

SO I JUST BRIEFLY, THESE THREE PROCESSES THAT I JUST COVERED MAY SEEM SEPARATE BUT FROM OUR PERSPECTIVE AND LOOKING AT THE POSITION STATEMENT, THEY'RE ALL INTERCONNECTED.

THE COMPREHENSIVE STUDY IS PRIMARILY NOW A FLOOD MANAGEMENT PROJECT.

THE BAY DELTA PLAN AND HEALTHY RIVERS AND LANDSCAPES WILL DRIVE A HABITAT AND WATER SUPPLY INVESTMENT.

AND THE PARTNERSHIP IS A GOVERNANCE STRUCTURE INTENDED TO HELP THOSE DIFFERENT AGENCIES NAVIGATE THOSE ACTIVITIES ACROSS THE SAME LANDSCAPE.

SO THE COMMON THREAD IS THE POSITION STATEMENT.

WHETHER WE'RE TALKING ABOUT CACHE SLOUGH, KNIGHTS LANDING, FLOOD PROTECTION, AGRICULTURAL SUSTAINABILITY, OR EXISTING HABITAT PROTECTIONS, WE'RE APPLYING THE SAME BASIC PRINCIPLE IN THAT REGIONAL INVESTMENTS SHOULD BE DEVELOPED IN MEANINGFUL PARTNERSHIP WITH THE COMMUNITIES THAT HOST THEM.

SO THIS BRINGS US TO THE FIRST RECOMMENDED UPDATE.

WE'RE NOT CHANGING THE COUNTY'S FUNDAMENTAL POSTURE.

THE 2024 POSITION STATEMENT HAS SERVED US WELL, AS PHIL MENTIONED, OUR SUCCESSES.

ENGAGING EARLY, PROTECTING AGRICULTURE, MINIMIZING AND MITIGATING IMPACTS, AND SEEKING LOCAL INVESTMENTS.

WHAT IMPLEMENTATION EXPERIENCE OF THE POSITION STATEMENT HAS SHOWN US IS THAT WE CAN BE MORE EXPLICIT ABOUT MEANINGFUL PARTNERSHIP.

SO THE PROPOSED UPDATE STRENGTHENS THOSE EXPECTATIONS FOR MEANINGFUL AND FORMAL COORDINATION WITH THE PROJECT PROPONENTS AND AFFECTED LOCAL PARTNERS.

IT ALSO MAKES EXPECTATIONS REGARDING LOCAL BENEFITS AND LONG-TERM COMMITMENTS MORE EXPLICIT.

SO AT ITS CORE, IT'S TO AVOID HARM AND ALSO RECOGNIZE THAT REGIONAL SOLUTIONS REQUIRE LOCAL PARTNERSHIPS.

THE SECOND RECOMMENDED UPDATE IS TO THE YOLO BYPASS AD HOC CHARTER.

EXCUSE ME. YES.

WHEN THE AD HOC WAS ESTABLISHED, ITS SCOPE WAS PRIMARILY FOCUSED ON THE YOLO BYPASS SALMONID HABITAT RESTORATION PROJECT, WE ALL KNOW AS BIG NOTCH.

SINCE THEN, THE NUMBER AND SIMILAR INITIATIVES HAVE GROWN, BUT THE NATURE OF THE ISSUES ARE VERY SIMILAR.

LARGE REGIONAL PROJECTS INVOLVING FLOOD PROTECTION, HABITAT, OR WATER SUPPLY THAT CAN HAVE SIGNIFICANT LOCAL IMPLICATIONS FOR YOLO COUNTY.

THEREFORE, THE UPDATED SCOPE IS SPECIFICALLY TIED TO PROJECTS AND INITIATIVES COVERED BY THE COUNTY'S POSITION STATEMENT.

THE INTENT IS TO SIMPLY ALIGN THE BOARD'S EXISTING OVERSIGHT STRUCTURE WITH THE WORK WE'VE ALREADY DOING AND PROVIDE A CONSISTENT VENUE FOR TIMELY BOARD GUIDANCE.

SO WITH THAT, THE REQUESTED ACTIONS ARE SUMMARIZED HERE ON THE SCREEN AND DETAILED IN THE STAFF REPORT.

TAKEN TOGETHER, THEY ENSURE THE COUNTY HAS THE POLICY FRAMEWORK, BOARD OVERSIGHT, AND DIRECTION NEEDED TO ENGAGE EFFECTIVELY AS THESE REGIONAL INITIATIVES CONTINUE TO ADVANCE.

THESE ACTIONS ALLOW US TO CONTINUE THAT APPROACH AS THE SCALE AND PACE OF INVESTMENT IN THE YOLO BYPASS AND DELTA CONTINUE TO GROW.

THAT CONCLUDES OUR PRESENTATION, AND PHIL AND I ARE AVAILABLE FOR QUESTIONS.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH, SABRINA AND PHIL.

I REALLY APPRECIATE THE VERY THOROUGH PREPARATION AND PRESENTATION ON THIS.

I JUST WANTED TO ADD ONE FINAL NOTE IN TERMS OF THE ACTION THAT WE'RE REQUESTING OF YOU THIS AFTERNOON.

IT IS REFLECTED APPROPRIATELY, I THINK, IN THE STAFF REPORT AND THE RECOMMENDATION, WHICH THERE'S A SLIGHT NUANCE TO WHAT YOU SEE ON THE SLIDE HERE, WHICH IS TO ADOPT THE UPDATED POSITION STATEMENT, BUT THEN ALSO DIRECT STAFF TO NOT ONLY PREPARE BUT

[03:00:02]

ACTUALLY SUBMIT COMMENT LETTERS AS LONG AS THEY'RE CONSISTENT WITH THAT POSITION STATEMENT.

I SORT OF CORRELATE THIS TO WHAT WE DO WITH OUR LEGISLATIVE PLATFORM EACH YEAR, WHERE THE BOARD ADOPTS THAT LEGISLATIVE PLATFORM AND THEN AUTHORIZES STAFF AND THE AD HOC TO WORK AND ACTUALLY GET THINGS SUBMITTED ON BEHALF OF THE COUNTY CONSISTENT WITH THAT FRAMEWORK.

SO IT'S THE SAME IDEA HERE.

OFTENTIMES, WE'RE FINDING OURSELVES IN A TOUGH POSITION BECAUSE TURNAROUND TIMES FOR COMMENTS AND SO FORTH CAN BE VERY TIGHT AND MAY NOT NECESSARILY PERMIT US TO COME BACK TO THE BOARD EVERY TIME.

SO JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THAT SUBTLE ADJUSTMENT THERE.

THANK YOU FOR THAT CLARIFICATION.

ARE THERE BOARD QUESTIONS? YES.

YEAH, THANK YOU.

WELL, FIRSTLY, THANKS, SABRINA, FOR THE PRESENTATION.

IT CLEARLY IS NOT AS EXCITING AS TALKING ABOUT KITTENS.

SO GOOD JOB.

YOU DROVE EVERYBODY OUT OF THE ROOM.

THAT'S A GOOD JOB.

BECAUSE THE ONLY THING THAT WE DEAL WITH IN YOLO COUNTY IS KITTENS.

ALL KIDDING ASIDE, THANKS SO MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION.

ONE QUESTION I HAVE ACTUALLY, I MEAN, SO APPRECIATE THE SORT OF OBVIOUSLY THOROUGH REVIEW.

YOU KNOW, THERE'S SO MANY DIFFERENT ISSUES KIND OF SIMULTANEOUSLY UNDERWAY.

I THINK THE QUESTION I HAVE ACTUALLY RELATES TO THE POSITION STATEMENT UPDATE THAT WE'VE GOT BEFORE US.

APPRECIATE THE SORT OF PROPOSED CHANGES TO IT AS WELL.

YOU KNOW, CHAD ROBERTS SUBMITTED PUBLIC COMMENTS ON, YOU KNOW, REGARDING THE POSITION STATEMENT OR ACTUALLY NOT EVEN POSITION STATEMENT.

HE JUST, YOU KNOW, SUBMITTED PUBLIC COMMENTS AROUND KIND OF THE WHOLE PRESENTATION.

BUT ONE OF THE ITEMS THAT HE RAISED AND I THINK IT ACTUALLY IS WORTH A DISCUSSION BY THE BOARD AND OR WITH STAFF IS THAT HE SAID, HE SAID, I THINK IT WILL BE BENEFICIAL AND WOULD CERTAINLY REFLECT CITIZEN CONCERNS IF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS ADDED CONSERVATION RELATED AND MULTI-BENEFIT ENHANCEMENTS AS OUTCOMES THAT THE COUNTY WISHES TO HAVE CONSIDERED AS THE PLANNING PROGRESSES FOR THE LARGE SCALE STATE AND FEDERAL PLANS.

AND I ACTUALLY AGREE WITH THAT.

I MEAN, I THINK, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, AND WHEN I LOOK THROUGH THE UNLESS I'M MISSING IT SOMEWHERE, PARTICULARLY IN THE IN THE TRACK CHANGES VERSION OF THE POSITION STATEMENT, I'M NOT SEEING A LOT OF KIND OF DISCUSSION OF MULTI-BENEFIT AND ALSO, I MEAN, CONSERVATION RELATED A BIT.

BUT I'M JUST I THINK AT A MINIMUM WE SHOULD HAVE SOME MORE KIND OF LANGUAGE AROUND THAT.

THAT'S WHAT I WOULD SUGGEST.

I FEEL LIKE THAT'S KIND OF WHERE, YOU KNOW, A NUMBER OF OUR, AS HE MENTIONED IN HIS PUBLIC COMMENT LETTER, A NUMBER OF OUR CURRENT EXISTING KIND OF PLANS AND OR DOCUMENTS ALREADY KIND OF TOUCH ON THESE ITEMS. I MEAN, BUT THEY'RE NOT THE COUNTY'S POSITION EXPLICITLY, RIGHT? HABITAT CONSERVATION PLAN, THE RCIS, THE RESOURCE CONSERVATION INVESTMENT STRATEGY.

THERE'S A NUMBER OF KIND OF COUNTY PLANS THAT HAVE BEEN PUT FORWARD BY ESSENTIALLY SOMEWHAT THE COUNTY.

BUT, YOU KNOW, COUNTY HABITAT CONSERVATION PLAN OBVIOUSLY IS HABITAT CONSERVANCY.

SO JUST, YOU KNOW, WHILE I KNOW THERE'S THE SOME OF THESE PRIORITIES ARE REFLECTED IN THE PLANS, I DON'T REALLY I'M NOT SURE I SEE IT FULLY REFLECTED IN OUR ACTUALLY ARE MORE SUCCINCT, EVEN THOUGH IT'S A COUPLE OF PAGES LONG POSITION STATEMENT.

SO JUST WANTED TO RAISE THAT FOR A POSSIBLE SORT OF JUST DISCUSSION WITH OUR COLLEAGUES, OBVIOUSLY, BUT WITH STAFF AND SEE IF THERE'S AN APPETITE TO HAVE SOME KIND OF WORDSMITHING DONE TO THE OUR OFFICIAL POSITION STATEMENT.

THANKS.

CAN I JUST ADDRESS THAT BRIEFLY? I HAVEN'T SEEN THE CHAD ROBERTS COMMENT.

I FEEL LIKE I LOOK AT THE BOARD CORRESPONDENCE EVERY DAY, BUT SOME I DIDN'T SEE THAT ONE.

IF I'M UNDERSTANDING RIGHT, HE WANTS OR HE'S PROPOSING THAT WE ADD SOMETHING TO REFLECT MORE DIRECT SUPPORT AS PART OF THESE REGIONAL OR PROJECTS ARE UNDERTAKEN FOR REGIONAL PURPOSES.

SOMETHING THAT WOULD INGRAIN IN THEM CONSERVATION THAT ACHIEVES LOCAL OBJECTIVES AS WELL LIKE HCP AND NCCP IMPLEMENTATION.

IT FEELS LIKE THAT, BUT IT JUST I THINK IT FEELS BASED ON THE TWO MAJOR ISSUES.

ONE IS THE, YOU KNOW, ADDING AND I ASSUME HE MEANS IN THE POSITION STATEMENT.

THAT'S WHAT I MEAN, IF I HAD TO GUESS, BUT THAT IT DOESN'T HE'S NOT EXPLICIT ABOUT IT, BUT SAYS THAT, YOU KNOW, ADDING CONSERVATION RELATED AND MULTI BENEFIT ENHANCEMENTS AS OUTCOMES THAT THE COUNTY WISHES TO HAVE CONSIDERED AS THE PLANNING PROGRESSES FOR THESE LARGE SCALE STATE AND FEDERAL PLANS.

YEAH, I GUESS MY ATTENTION WITH THAT IS OFTEN THE STATE IS PROMOTING THESE PROJECTS AS MULTI BENEFIT PROJECTS IS PROMOTING CONSERVATION AND HABITAT RESTORATION AS PART OF THEM.

AND OFTEN THAT'S INTENTION WITH THE GOAL THAT WE HAVE OF PRESERVING FARMLAND AND ONGOING ECONOMIC ACTIVITY.

SO I'D HAVE TO THINK ABOUT WHAT THAT WOULD LOOK LIKE.

I THINK, YOU KNOW, SOMEHOW TRYING TO ADD A BULLET THAT IS MORE EXPLICIT ABOUT MOBILE BENEFIT, YOU KNOW,

[03:05:01]

I MEAN, I GET THAT THE IT'S INHERENTLY KIND OF, YOU KNOW, IT'S IT'S IMPLICIT, NOT EXPLICIT.

RIGHT. SO THAT'S I THINK BEING EXPLICIT ABOUT IT IS NOT A BAD THING.

I ALSO THINK, I MEAN, YOUR LAST STATEMENT YOU JUST MADE ABOUT, YOU KNOW, TRY MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE PRO AGRICULTURE AND PRO ECONOMY, OF COURSE, AGREE WITH THOSE.

BUT, I MEAN, I THINK I THINK IT JUST BEING EXPLICIT ABOUT THAT WE'RE, YOU KNOW, SUPPORTIVE OF.

YEAH, I MEAN, YEAH, I THINK, AGAIN, BEING EXPLICIT, I THINK IS IMPORTANT.

YEAH, SO I WOULD SAY I'D LOVE TO HEAR, I DON'T KNOW, OTHER BOARD MEMBERS THINK WHATEVER.

NO, I THINK I THINK GENERALLY, FIRST OF ALL, THANKS FOR ALL THE WORK THAT'S GONE ON.

VERY COMPLICATED. IT'S A MOVING TARGET FOR US, WHICH IS WHY I THINK AS A SUBCOMMITTEE MEMBERS MYSELF AND CHAIR ALLEN ASKED THAT THIS COME BACK TO THE BOARD FOR SOME FOR SOME DUSTING OFF AND SOME REVISIONS, IN PART BECAUSE WHEN WE USE TERMINOLOGY OR PHRASES THAT SEEMINGLY SPEAK TO OUR INTERESTS.

THEY'RE NOT ALWAYS REPRESENTED AS SUCH WHEN THE RUBBER MEETS THE ROAD AND THERE'S AN ACTUALLY A PROJECT THAT GETS OVERLAID WITH OUR POSITION PAPERS.

AND SO, WHILE I, AND I DON'T WANT TO SPEAK FOR STAFF, YOU KNOW, THE IDEA OF MULTI BENEFIT IS WHAT I THINK WE WERE ALL STRIVING FOR, CERTAINLY, WHEN THE PARTNERSHIP WAS PUT TOGETHER THAT IS NOW EXPIRED.

I WAS PART OF THAT DISCUSSION MYSELF AND SUPERVISOR PROVENZA WHEN WE SPOKE OF MULTI BENEFIT BECAUSE IN LARGE PART THAT THE TERMS MULTI BENEFIT WERE WHAT THE STATE AND FEDERAL GOVERNMENT WERE USING TO DRIVE POLICY AND DRIVE FUNDING.

SO EVERYBODY WAS CHASING THE MONEY.

THE REALITY IS THAT AS YOU AS YOU'VE SEEN SABRINA SO ELOQUENTLY LAY OUT THE COMPLEXITY OF ALL THE PROJECTS AND THE BYPASS IS THAT THE INTERPRETATION OF WHAT THAT MIGHT LOOK LIKE CAN OFTEN OR HAS RESULTED IN A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF WORK TO REINVENT THE DEFINITION OF WHAT DOES MULTI BENEFIT MEAN, SPECIFICALLY THE YOLO COUNTY.

AND WHILE I WOULD AGREE, I DON'T DISAGREE, I THINK THAT'S WHAT I'M SAYING.

I DON'T DISAGREE, BUT I DO THINK WE NEED TO HAVE SOME MORE MEAT AROUND THE BONES ABOUT WHAT THAT ACTUALLY MEANS WHEN STAFF WALKS IN AND HAS BEEN RECOMMENDED ON THIS POSITION PAPER THAT SABRINA WILL NOW WALK IN WITH.

YOU'RE GOING TO GET IT TATTOOED RIGHT SABRINA IS THAT WHAT YOU SAID YOU WERE GOING TO DO YOU'RE GOING TO GET IT TATTOOED ON YOUR BODY TO WALK IN AND SAY, I'M REPRESENTING YOU DON'T YOU DON'T SEEM LIKE THE TYPE THAT'S GOING TO GET TO.

BECAUSE I DO THINK WE'VE NOW HAD SINCE 2024 THE POSITION PAPER AS A WAY TO SORT OF IS OUR PREAMBLE OF SORTS FOR THE BYPASS.

AND WE'VE HAD MULTIPLE PROJECTS.

LOOK AT IT.

TOUCH IT, FEEL IT, SMELL IT, AND THEN DISMISS IT IN A WAY THAT IS NOT HELPFUL TO US. AND SO I, I DO WORRY A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT I THINK IT'S A GOOD CONVERSATION TO HAVE I JUST, I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE CLEAR ABOUT WHAT WE MEAN BY IT.

THAT'S ALL.

THANK YOU, I APPRECIATE THAT AND SUPERVISOR FRERICHS AND SUPERVISOR VILLEGAS IF I MAY RESPOND, YOU KNOW I THINK I HEAR, IF YOU CAN VERIFY IF I HEAR CORRECTLY TO BE MORE EXPLICIT THAT YOU KNOW WE DO, WE DON'T WANT TO BE OBSTRUCTIONIST TO THESE PROJECTS.

AND IN SIGNING THE 2016 MOU INTO THE PARTNERSHIP, WE WERE SEEKING TO CREATE MULTI-BENEFIT PROJECTS TO OVERLAP OUR YOU KNOW SOMETIMES CONFLICTING INTERESTS INTO ONE IMPLEMENTATION.

OUR POSITION STATEMENT STILL REFERS TO THE PARTNERSHIP AS THE FOUNDATIONAL DOCUMENT THAT INFORMED A LOT OF THE POLICY THAT'S INCLUDED IN THERE.

I ALSO WANT TO CLARIFY THAT WE HAVE LEARNED THROUGH ENGAGING IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE STATE YOLO BYPASS CACHE SLOUGH MASTER PLAN, WE HAVE DIFFERENT DEFINITIONS OF WHAT MULTI-BENEFIT MEANS.

YOU KNOW TO LIKE THE CENTRAL VALLEY FLOOD PROTECTION BOARD AND DEPARTMENT OF WATER RESOURCES, IT WAS CLEAR TO US THAT MULTI-BENEFIT TO THOSE ORGANIZATIONS MEANS FLOOD AND HABITAT COUPLED TOGETHER.

AND YOU KNOW WITH YOLO COUNTY AND OUR PARTNERS IN SOLANO TO US SOMETIMES THAT MEANS AGRICULTURE AND FLOOD OR AGRICULTURE AND RECREATION.

SO WE'RE ALWAYS TRYING TO INTERPRET ONE ANOTHER WHEN WE ENGAGE WITH THESE.

THAT'S GREAT.

I APPRECIATE THAT.

I MEAN I WOULD JUST RESPOND WITH THEN WE SHOULD ACTUALLY EXPLICITLY SAY THE THINGS THAT WE THINK ARE CONTAINED WITHIN MULTI-BENEFIT.

AND ARE YOU JUST SO I CAN UNDER IT BECAUSE I TOOK A NOTE AND I WANT TO MAKE SURE IT'S THE RIGHT THING THAT YOU'RE SAYING THAT MULTI-BENEFIT INCLUDES CONSERVATION.

IS THAT WHAT YOU WERE TRYING

[03:10:02]

TO ADD IN THERE? YES.

SURE.

BUT I MEAN BUT IT'S AGRICULTURE FOR SURE.

I MEAN IT'S YOU KNOW HABITAT.

THERE'S A WHOLE RANGE OF ITEMS. BECAUSE THERE'S SOMETHING I WANT TO ADD IN IT.

I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE FOR MAKING A LIST.

I DON'T HAVE AN EXPLICIT LIST THAT IS YOU KNOW THIS IS A, B AND C.

I JUST THINK THERE ARE A WIDE RANGE OF ITEMS AND I DON'T WANT IT TO JUST BE I WANT TO MAKE SURE YOU KNOW WE WANT TO I WANT TO MAKE SURE IT REFLECTS WHAT WE THINK IS IMPORTANT FOR YOLA.

PRIORITY.

MAYBE WHAT I'M HEARING FROM THIS IS MAKING SURE THAT THE POSITION STATEMENT REFLECTS A COUNTY VIEW THAT MULTI-BENEFIT TRULY IS SOMETHING THAT WE CONCEIVE OF BROADLY.

EXACTLY.

IT'S NOT JUST FLOOD PROTECTION WITH A LITTLE BIT OF SOMETHING ELSE OR A HABITAT PROJECT WITH MAYBE A PARKING LOT AND A VIEWING PLATFORM.

SOMETHING MORE SUBSTANTIAL BROADER IN TERMS OF THE INTERESTS IT ENCOMPASSES RATHER THAN I THINK AS SABRINA SAYS OFTEN YOU TALK TO THE FEDERAL OR STATE AGENCY.

MULTI-BENEFIT IS WHATEVER SQUARELY WITHIN THEIR AGENCY MISSION AND THEN MAYBE A LITTLE TINY BIT OF SOMETHING ELSE THAT THEY CAN SAY IS ALSO A BENEFIT OF THE PROJECT RATHER THAN SOMETHING THAT'S MORE INCLUSIVE.

AND I THINK THAT'S WHY I HAVE TO BE CAREFUL WITH MULTI-BENEFIT BECAUSE IT'S HOW DO YOU DEFINE THAT.

SO WE HAVE TO SAY HERE'S WE ASK MULTI-BENEFIT FOR US THAT MEANS THIS THIS AND THIS.

AND WE'RE NOT SAYING BY EMBRACING A BROAD VIEW OF MULTI-BENEFIT PROJECTS THAT EVERY PROJECT HAS TO INCLUDE SUBSTANTIAL HABITAT CONVERTING FARMLAND WHEN CONVERTING FARMLAND IS ONE OF THE THINGS WE WANT TO GENERALLY AVOID OR ENSURES HAPPENS IN BALANCE WITH OTHER PRIORITIES.

IT IS VERY IMPORTANT FOR US TO MAKE SURE THAT IT'S ONE OF AGRICULTURE IS CONSIDERED ONE OF NUMEROUS KIND OF BENEFIT OPTIONS.

AND IT'S NOT JUST HABITAT OR THAT CENTERED THAT IT HAS IT HAS EMPHASIS IN YOLO COUNTY.

RIGHT. SO THAT'S WHERE I THINK STAFF HAS STRUGGLED WHICH IS WHY THIS POSITION PAPER WITH ITS UPDATES NEEDS TO STAY CURRENT RELATIVE TO WHAT WE THINK IS IMPORTANT.

FIRST OF ALL THIS IS PERFECT BECAUSE THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT STAFF I THINK NEEDS BECAUSE WITH THE 30 PLUS PROJECTS IN THE BYPASS AT THE MOMENT AND MORE COMING GIVEN WHAT WE JUST SAW.

IT IS IMPORTANT TO HAVE THESE CONVERSATIONS SO THAT STAFF KNOWS HOW TO PREFACE THE CONVERSATION IN THESE NEGOTIATIONS WHICH IS SABRINA JUST SAID WHICH SHE'S DOING AN AMAZING JOB IS INCREDIBLY TIME CONSUMING.

ANY ONE PROJECT CAN ABSORB 100 PERCENT OF HER TIME JUST TRYING TO KEEP UP WITH THE COMMENTS ESPECIALLY WHEN THERE'S 30 DAY COMMENT PERIODS ON THESE MASSIVE TECHNICAL DOCUMENTS.

SO TO BE ABLE TO REPRESENT OUR POSITION OUR OPINIONS.

THIS IS I THINK SUPER HELPFUL WHICH IS WHY WE ASKED THE BOARD ENGAGE ON AND I THINK IT'S 49 PROJECTS IS THAT WHAT WE WERE AT.

I DON'T KNOW YOU HAD A MAP THAT HAD.

SO I WAS HOPING THAT MAP WOULD BE ON IT LIKE THIS 49 PROJECTS FOR PIZZA.

I THINK THIS MAP HERE DEPICTS ABOUT 35 PROJECTS ARE IDENTIFIED IN THE STATE MASTER PLAN.

OK. I'M SORRY. SO MARY HAD HER HAND UP AND THEN WE'LL GET TO YOU.

OK. GO AHEAD.

SO FIRST OF ALL I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THIS REPORT AND THE PRESENTATION.

I THINK IT WAS EXCEPTIONAL AND I APPRECIATE A REALLY GOOD POLICY FRAMEWORK AND I THINK YOU'VE ESTABLISHED IT IN A REALLY COMPLEX IF NOT MURKY.

IF YOU DON'T MIND ME USING THAT WORD OR TALK ABOUT WATER YOU KNOW THERE ARE A LOT OF DIFFERENT PARTS HERE.

SO I THINK PARTICULARLY SOME OF YOUR SLIDES HERE DEMONSTRATE SOME DEMONSTRATE CLARITY IN WAYS THAT I THINK ARE REALLY GOOD.

I WANT TO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THAT.

I ALSO WANT TO SAY THAT YOU KNOW OF COURSE WE'RE ALWAYS SEEKING MULTI-BENEFIT BUT I THINK THAT'S A CONCEPT THAT SOMETIMES NEEDS TO BE SPECIFIED IN DIFFERENT DIFFERENT WAYS IN DIFFERENT CONTEXTS AND I THINK THAT IS APPROPRIATE.

SO I JUST WANT TO PLUS ONE SUPERVISOR FOR ERIC'S CALL FOR HABITAT RESTORATION AND CONSERVATION BEING CALLED OUT AS PART OF THE MULTI-BENEFIT.

I THINK IT'S CONSISTENT WITH WITH OTHER THINGS THAT WE'RE WORKING ON AND AND I THINK IT'S I THINK THAT'S A USEFUL CALL OUT AND I WOULD SUPPORT THAT.

THANK YOU. SUPERVISOR BARAJAS.

OK. THANK YOU.

YES. SO I JUST JUST THOUGHT MAYBE WE CAN TABLE THIS AND JUST MOVE IT TO THE SUBCOMMITTEE.

SUBCOMMITTEE WORKS WITH STAFF COMES BACK ON A CONSENT CALENDAR FOR APPROVAL UNLESS WE'VE ALREADY HASHED IT OUT.

I THINK THAT MAKES SENSE.

I THINK WE'LL NEED SOME TIME TO REFLECT ON THE EXACT RIGHT EDIT TO THE POSITION STATEMENT BUT WE CAN PROBABLY BRING IT BACK IN JUST A COUPLE OF WEEKS I THINK.

YEAH. I THINK THAT THERE ARE LOOKING I THINK THAT THAT'S APPROPRIATE AND THEY'RE LOOKING FOR SOME DIRECTION THAT WE HAVE SOME ADDITIONAL INPUT.

THERE WAS ONE.

DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING ELSE YOU WANT TO ADD.

I'D LEAVE IT TO THE BOARD MEMBERS ASSIGNED TO THAT SUBCOMMITTEE.

OK. WELL WE WANT TO MAKE SURE YOU KNEW WHAT WAS WHAT WAS HAPPENING BECAUSE THERE ARE SOME BIG THINGS HAPPENING.

AND I THINK AN EXAMPLE OF WHEN I READ THE POSITION STATEMENT

[03:15:04]

AND DOES IT REALLY ENCOMPASS WHAT WE ARE DEALING WITH CURRENTLY.

THE EXAMPLE OF THE THE COMPREHENSIVE STUDY I THINK WAS A GREAT EXAMPLE OF THE THOUGHT THAT THEY WOULD SAY IT'S MULTI-BENEFIT BECAUSE YOU KNOW THEY'RE DOING FLOOD PROTECTION AND THEN THEY'RE GOING TO THROW IN SOME HABITAT.

BUT ALL OF THE IMPACT PARTICULARLY THE AGRICULTURAL AND I WOULD LIKE TO ADD IN HERE SOMEWHERE ECONOMIC IMPACT IS 100 PERCENT ON YOLO AND ALL OF THE ECONOMIC ADVANTAGE.

AND THE FLOOD PROTECTION ADVANTAGE IS SOMEPLACE ELSE.

SO I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE WHEN WE'RE CALLING OUT THINGS THAT IT'S ABSOLUTELY KEEP AG IN THERE.

BUT THERE ARE OTHER ECONOMIC IMPACTS TO US.

SO IT MIGHT COME IN THE FORM OF MITIGATION.

IT COULD COME IN OTHER KIND OF FORMS OF A WAY TO ADDRESS THE ECONOMIC IMPACT THAT WOULD HAPPEN TO YOLO COUNTY WHEN WE'RE TRYING TO PROVIDE INPUT.

SO I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT ECONOMIC IMPACT IS ADDED IN HER SOMEWHERE AND SOMEWHERE SOMEPLACE YOU SAID AND I DON'T THINK IT'S IN THERE IS TANGIBLE BENEFITS TO LOCAL COMMUNITIES.

I REALLY LIKE THAT PHRASE BECAUSE THEN THAT GETS TO THAT IT WOULD LOCALLY IT WOULD MAKE IT WOULD BE A POSITIVE FOR OUR LOCAL COMMUNITIES.

SO WHEN WE'RE REWRITING IF WE CAN INCLUDE THOSE TWO PHRASES I APPRECIATE THAT.

OKAY. ABSOLUTELY. THANK YOU.

ALL RIGHT. WE DIDN'T DO PUBLIC COMMENT.

I HAVE NO CARDS CHAIR. IS THERE ANY ONLINE COMMENT.

YES. SURE. I HAVE ONE PUBLIC COMMENT AS A REMINDER. YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES TO SPEAK. GIVE ME ONE SECOND TO SWITCH SCREENS REALLY QUICK.

ALL RIGHT. OUR SPEAKER IS MICHELLE CLARK. WELCOME.

YOU CAN UNMUTE YOURSELF.

THERE I AM. GOOD MORNING AFTERNOON.

I AM MICHELLE CLARK THE PRESIDENT OF RECLAMATION DISTRICT 1600 RECLAMATION DISTRICT 1600 IS LOCATED SOUTH OF THE FREMONT WE'RE BETWEEN THE SACRAMENTO RIVER AND THE YOLO BYPASS.

OUR DISTRICT WILL BE MOST IMPACTED BY BOTH THE BIG NOTCH PROJECT AND THE YOLO BYPASS COMPREHENSIVE STUDY.

FIRST I WANT TO THANK ALL OF YOU SUPERVISORS FOR BRINGING THIS MATTER TO TO A PUBLIC MEETING.

AND I ALSO WANT TO THANK ESPECIALLY STAFF PHIL AND SABRINA FOR THE SUPPORT THEY'VE GIVEN RECLAMATION DISTRICT 1600 WITH RESPECT TO THESE MATTERS.

WE ARE A SMALL DISTRICT. WE'RE LESS THAN SEVEN THOUSAND ACRES PRIMARILY AGRICULTURE.

THERE IS THERE ARE RESIDENCES OUT THERE AND WE WILL SUFFER THE GREATEST IMPACT FROM THESE PROJECTS.

THE ARMY CORPS COMPREHENSIVE STUDY STATED THAT APPROXIMATELY THIRTEEN HUNDRED AND ONE THOUSAND THREE HUNDRED FIFTY ACRES IN THE UPPER ELKHORN BASIN WILL BE DIRECTLY IMPACTED.

AND THEY SAID, WELL, IT'S A SMALL PERCENTAGE, SO IT'S INSIGNIFICANT.

I WOULD JUST NOTE THAT THAT'S NOT INSIGNIFICANT TO THE MEN AND WOMEN WHO WORK IN THAT AREA.

ALSO OF IMPORTANCE IS THE FACT THAT RECLAMATION DISTRICT 1600 RELIES ON ANNUAL ASSESSMENTS TO FUND THE DISTRICT.

WE WILL LOSE ASSESSMENTS AS THE COUNTY WILL LOSE PROPERTY TAXES AS WELL.

WHEN THE UPPER BY UPPER ELKHORN PROJECT IS CONSTRUCTED.

THANK YOU FOR THE TIME. AND I APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT THERE WILL BE COMMENT LETTER COMING FROM THE COUNTY.

ONCE AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR THE COUNTY SUPPORT. WE'RE FIGHTING A FIGHT THAT WE'RE JUST A LITTLE GUY AND WE APPRECIATE ALL THE HELP WE CAN GET.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

I BELIEVE YOU SAID ONE COMMENT.

IS THAT ALL WE HAD MODERATOR? YES, I HAVE NO FURTHER COMMENT.

RIGHT. GREAT.

WE'LL BRING IT BACK TO THE BOARD THEN. YOU'VE RECEIVED SOME INPUT. CAN I CHECK BACK WITH? WELL, FIRST OF ALL, ANYBODY HAVE ANYTHING ELSE UP HERE? THERE WAS A SUGGESTION TO HAVE THE BYPASS COMMITTEE TAKE A LOOK AT IT AND THEY COME BACK SO THAT WE CAN HAVE THE FINAL OKAY FROM THE BOARD AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

STAFF, DID YOU HAVE ANYTHING THAT YOU WANTED TO EITHER ENCAPSULATE OR ASK A QUESTION? DO YOU HAVE EVERYTHING YOU NEED? I DO HAVE A QUESTION, CHAIR.

I JUST WANT TO CLARIFY. WE DO HAVE SOME PRESSING TIMELINES ON COMMENT LETTERS RIGHT NOW FOR THOSE THREE INITIATIVES THAT WE COVERED.

THE PARTNERSHIP, THE COMPREHENSIVE STUDY AND BAY DELTA PLAN ARE ALL DUE.

ONE IS DUE, I THINK, CLOSE THE BUSINESS TODAY AND THE OTHER ONE IS THE OTHER TWO ARE SEPTEMBER 18TH.

TO ADDRESS THAT, WE'D LIKE APPROVAL OF RECOMMENDED ACTIONS C AND RECOMMENDED ACTION B RELATES TO THE POSITION STATEMENT AND AS WE DISCUSSED,

[03:20:01]

WE'LL BRING THAT BACK IN THE NEAR FUTURE.

BUT C AND D, WE'D STILL LIKE ACTION ON TODAY.

OKAY. SO THE RECOMMENDATION IS TO MOVE FORWARD WITH ATTACHMENTS C AND D SO THAT WE CAN HAVE TIMELY INPUT, BUT THERE'LL BE ADDITIONAL CONVERSATION THAT WILL BRING IT BACK TO THE COMMITTEE AND BACK TO US SO THAT YOU CAN MOVE FORWARD.

NOT ATTACHMENTS C AND D, BUT RECOMMENDED ACTIONS.

RECOMMENDED ACTION C AND D.

OKAY, SO IT WAS MOVED BY SUPERVISOR VILLEGAS, SECONDED BY VIXIE SANDY.

IS THERE ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? OKAY. ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE.

AYE. OPPOSED? OKAY, THAT PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.

DID YOU GET EVERYTHING YOU NEEDED THEN TO GET OUR COMMENTS OUT? OKAY, GOOD.

[27. Action items and reports from members of the Board of Supervisors, including announcements, questions to be referred to staff and reports on various 2x2s and meetings with other agencies. (Board of Supervisors) Revenue Generation Ad Hoc Subcommittee update. (Supervisors Villegas and Frerichs) Farmworker Housing Ad Hoc Subcommittee update. (Supervisors Frerichs and Barajas) Yolo Bypass Ad Hoc Subcommittee update. (Supervisors Villegas and Allen) Cannabis Ad Hoc Subcommittee update. (Supervisors Allen and Barajas) Budget Ad Hoc Subcommittee update. (Supervisors Allen and Barajas)]

THANK YOU FOR THAT AND FOR ALL OF YOUR CAREFUL READING.

IF YOU WANT SOMEBODY TO READ A LONG DOCUMENT AND FIND THE ONE LITTLE THING YOU WANT TO KNOW ABOUT, HAVE SABRINA READ IT.

SHE'S AMAZING THAT WAY.

OKAY, 27 IS UPDATES FROM SUBCOMMITTEES, REVENUE GENERATION AD HOC, VILLEGAS AND FRERICHS.

ANYTHING TO REPORT? YEAH, BRIEF UPDATE.

I FORGET THE MEETING DATE.

I APOLOGIZE.

TEN-ISH DAYS AGO, TWO WEEKS AGO, BUT A COUPLE OF QUICK ITEMS. SO FIRST OF ALL, FULL UPDATE FROM THE COMMITTEE OR SUBCOMMITTEE IS EXPECTED AT THE NOVEMBER 17TH BOARD OF SUPERVISORS MEETING.

BUT A SHORT VERSION OF A NUMBER OF ITEMS WE DISCUSSED.

MEASURE X, WHICH IS THE COUNTY'S PROPOSED TOT TAX INCREASE, IS THE FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS FOR THAT ITEM ARE NOW POSTED ON THE COUNTY'S WEBSITE.

SO JUST YOU CAN FIND THOSE FOR MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC.

JUST PROVIDING EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND OF WHAT THE ACTUAL PROPOSAL ON THE NOVEMBER BALLOT, MEASURE X, WOULD DO.

WE HAD A DISCUSSION ABOUT THE COUNTY'S GRAVEL FEE ORDINANCE.

HISTORICALLY, THE FEE ORDINANCE WAS ALIGNED WITH THE CACHE CREEK AREA PLAN UPDATE IN CASE CHANGES NEEDED TO BE ALIGNED.

BUT THE 2016 UPDATE WAS THEN OBVIOUSLY POSTPONED TO 2019, AND SO THAT ALTERED THE ALIGNMENT.

WE'VE HAD THIS CONVERSATION BEFORE.

BUT THE 4% COST OF COI, COST OF WHAT IS THAT? SORRY.

THE 4% COST OF IT'S JUST A COI INCREASE.

THIS 4% INCREASE ENDS JANUARY 2027.

SO WE WILL, THE STAFF IS GOING TO BE BRINGING A PROPOSAL TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS OVER THE NEXT COUPLE MONTHS BEFORE THE END OF THE YEAR TO CONTINUE THE 4% ESCALATOR FOR THE NEXT THREE YEARS AS A PLACEHOLDER SO WE CAN RECOUPLE THE FEE UPDATE WITH THE 10-YEAR UPDATE OF THE CACHE CREEK AREA PLAN.

THIS IS ALSO GOING TO ALLOW TIME FOR AN ECONOMIC STUDY TO ASSURE THAT FEES ALIGN WITH THE PROGRAM NEEDS.

THOSE WERE THE TWO MAJOR ITEMS OF DISCUSSION AT OUR LAST REVENUE GENERATION AD HOC SUBCOMMITTEE MEETING.

AND AGAIN, WE WILL HAVE A FULL UPDATE FROM OUR SUBCOMMITTEE TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS AT, TO PARTICIPATE AT THE NOVEMBER 17TH BOARD OF SUPERVISORS MEETING.

NEXT IS FARMWORKER HOUSING.

YEAH, WE, SUPERVISOR FERRIS AND I MET WITH THE FARMWORKER HOUSING ON AUGUST 26TH.

AND SO WE DID GET REPORTS, GOOD NEWS. SO WE HAD SOME FARMWORKER HOUSING THAT MOST LIKELY GOING TO BE DEVELOPED THROUGH THE LEADERSHIP OF THE YOLO COUNTY HOUSING AUTHORITY.

THEY MET AND THEY'RE WORKING WITH THE HABITAT FOR HUMANITY.

THEY DID A SOLE SOURCE, AND I THINK THE BOARD FOR THE HOUSING AUTHORITY APPROVED SOME AREAS IN ESPARTO.

THERE'S THREE AREAS IN ESPARTO.

AND, YOU KNOW, I REALLY THINK THAT THE COLLABORATION THAT WE AS A BOARD DESIGNED BY HAVING A SUBCOMMITTEE BROUGHT IN ALL THESE PARTNERS IN THE SAME ROOM.

AND THEN THEY GOT TO KNOW EACH OTHER AND THEY STARTED WORKING WITH EACH OTHER.

AND ALL OF A SUDDEN, YOLO HOUSING IS WORKING OUT DIRECTLY WITH HABITAT FOR HUMANITY.

SO THAT'S, THAT'S, THAT'S A, THAT HELPS THE REGION, THAT HELPS YOLO COUNTY.

SO THANK YOU FOR EVERYBODY'S LEADERSHIP AND SUPERVISOR LUCAS FERRIS FOR HIS LEADERSHIP AND IN ALL OF THIS DIALOGUE.

BUT WITH US, WE'RE STILL LOOKING AT PRIMARILY THREE LOCATIONS HERE IN WOODLAND.

THOSE THREE LOCATIONS ARE GOING TO COME TO THE BOARD FOR AN UPDATE AND THEN MAYBE A RECOMMENDATION FOR US TO DETERMINE WHICH ONE OF THOSE THREE WE SHOULD LOOK AT.

I BELIEVE THE PARTNER THAT'S INTERESTED IS ALSO HABITAT FOR HUMANITY, CORRECT? AND BUT THEY'RE COMING IN.

THE DIFFERENCE IS THAT THEY'RE SAYING THAT PERHAPS WE CAN DO WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, WORKFORCE HOUSING, RATHER THAN JUST STRAIGHTFORWARD HOUSING BECAUSE THERE'S MORE GRANT OPPORTUNITIES.

AND SO THAT'S GOING TO BE SOME OF THE PART OF THE DIALOGUE.

AND SO WE'RE OPEN TO THAT AND HAVING THAT CONVERSATION COME BACK TO THE BOARD.

AND WE'RE HOPING THAT WE CAN DO

[03:25:01]

THAT SOMETIME THIS YEAR BEFORE THE YEAR CLOSES.

IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE SUPERVISOR FERRIS? THAT'S IT? OKAY.

THAT WAS IT FOR THAT.

WELL, I THINK YOU JUST HEARD IT.

YOLO BYPASS AD HOC.

I DIDN'T HAVE ANYTHING TO ADD, DID YOU? OKAY.

THEN CANNABIS AD HOC.

I HAVE SOME NOTES HERE THAT WE MET I THINK LAST WEEK OR EARLIER THIS WEEK.

WE HAD A DISCUSSION WITH HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES AND DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY SERVICES TO MAKE SURE WE'RE COMMUNICATING ABOUT CANNABIS TOGETHER.

WE ALL KNOW WHO'S ON FIRST.

RECEIVED AN UPDATE ON THE COUNTY'S APPLICATION TO THE LATEST COHORT OF PROP 64 FUNDING.

RECEIVED AN UPDATE ON ACTIVE AND PENDING LICENSES FOR THE COUNTY'S CANNABIS PROGRAM.

MY NOTES.

DID YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO ADD? YES.

SO WE DID RECEIVE A $1.7 MILLION GRANT FOR A FIVE-YEAR PERIOD THROUGH PROPOSITION 64 FOR ENFORCEMENT-RELATED PURPOSES.

AND SO HOW WOULD IT WORK IS ESSENTIALLY THAT MONEY WOULD FLOW TO THE ENFORCEMENT PART OF CANNABIS THROUGH THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT IN COLLABORATION WITH THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT.

AND WE DID RECEIVE AN UPDATE.

I BELIEVE WE HAVE 17 LICENSES.

IS THAT RIGHT? IT'S VERY CLOSE TO THAT.

17 LICENSES, BUT EIGHT OF THOSE 17 DECIDED TO GROW TWO ACRES INSTEAD OF ONE ACRE.

SO REMEMBER OUR FIRST EIGHT YEARS OR SEVEN YEARS HERE IN YOLO COUNTY, YOU CAN ONLY GROW ONE ACRE.

WE CHANGED TO ADD ANOTHER ACRE OF CANOPY IF THEY SO DESIRE.

SO NOW WE HAVE EIGHT OF THOSE LICENSES LOOKING TO GROW TWO ACRES.

SO IN TOTAL, WE'RE LOOKING TO GROW OR CANNABIS IS LOOKING TO GROW SOMETIME SOON THIS YEAR, STARTING WITH 25 ACRES IN TOTAL.

WHAT THAT DOES TO OUR REVENUE MOST LIKELY WILL KEEP IT A LITTLE BIT STATUS QUO, IF NOT A LITTLE BIT ABOVE.

BUT WE WON'T KNOW UNTIL THOSE NUMBERS START ROLLING IN SOMETIME NEXT YEAR.

AND THAT'S WHAT I GOT.

THAT'S IT.