Down at the Fresno County Board of Supervisors meeting September 11th!
Among the many consent items is to Re-designate two parcels from Rural Residential to Light Industrial in order to allow an Animal Hospital to be built near Parkway Dr &Tenaya Ave. Approve Grant application of Alcohol/Drug Vertical Prosecution. Inmate Welfare Trust Fund Report
Waive competitive bidding for Automated Fingerprint ID and Integrated Mug Photo System. Adopt Resolution to continue local emergency status relating to high levels of tree mortality created by drought. Adopt 2019 Supervisors meeting schedule.
Opened with a Moment of Silence for those who passed away on 9/11 seventeen years ago. A framed flag that flew at Trade Tower area a few months after attack. Owner said it still smelled of smoke when he framed it. 
High School Voter Education Week. High School students now are automatically registered to vote upon reaching 18 years of age. Fresno EOC’s SOUL School Rep. Sam Hariston says School emphasizes public service including voting. Senior D’Angelo has helped as a poll worker.
D’Angelo Bettencourt says being a student poll worker helped his community, democracy, gave him people skills, a work resume, as well as his first paycheck which he used to help his mother buy a new car Tire. It is also National Voter Registration Day. Can register at website.
Chairman Sal Quintero says those who decline to vote are in fact voting: voting against education, infrastructure, etc.
Supervisor Borgeas @AndreasBorgeas Proclamation of Suicide Prevention Week. Cluster of teen suicides in Clovis USD in 2106. Intervention is key. Gun Shop Project by hoping for more education to prevent suicide. Railroads has most suicides on tracks thru Central Valley.
Suicide leaves survivors behind and need to help them as well. Fresno County has 2.2 suicides a week. Borgeas quotes tv show that stated suicide risk factors have changed over the year. Technology, stigma of seeking help, social media that preys on those who are vulnerable.
CAO Jean Rousseau says his family have dealt with suicide and he thanks presenters on their work for the County.
Supervisor Magsig proclaims Dystonia Awareness Day a not well understood muscular disorder. There is very little funding for this disorder. No cure but some treatments. Can effect kids/youth as well. Related to Bell’s Palsey. There is a Zoo Walk Saturday September 29th.
Fresno/Clovis Convention&Visitors Bureau has a State Capitol multi media display representing Fresno County. Theee windows that change every two minute: “Realize Fresno Co.”’Welcome” “Slide Show of Each District” It is better than any other county’s display.
Supervisor Mendes Votes No due to he wasn’t able to preview the content on the displays. He assumes it is adequate but would like to see it first. Moving on to Fresno County Raod Improvement Program. Borgeas says if Gas Tax is Voter down in November this will change In the short
Time that SB 1 has been effect it has generated $7 million for roads. Some of that will be able to spend if it is voted down as it has been already collected. Borgeas jokes that CAO will make up the difference with General Fund. Staff says SB 1 is very vital due to matching fund
A Billion Dollar in deferred road repairs and any money helps. Mentioned that electric cars don’t pay gas tax although there is still the wear and tear. Passes 5-0. Now up: Selling surplus County property a home at 4585 E Harvard in Mayfair District. $80,000 minimum bid.
oral/written bids must have deposit 10% of minimum bid ($8000). Clerk is now opening written bids now. Tied at several $80,000 bids. Oral bids now. Final Bid goes for $180,000+
Lowest Bids on Asphalt Concrete Overlay on Nees near Millux Alignment and Russell for $892,000 by Agee Construction. Magsig asks if Agee is a female run company. Staff says it is a Disadvantage Status. Approved 5-0.
Moving on to Animal Hospital Shelter that will take a General Plan Amendment to switch from Rural Residential to Light Manufacturer as well as a re-zone. Quite a few in audience for this topic. Limiting public comments to 2 minutes. Just West of Bullard/99.
Location is 180 feet southwest of City of Fresno. Mendes/Pacheco asks why City didn’t annex this? Staff unsure. City could annex again providing some road improvements. Magisg says City Will treated as a City property because they will hook to City sewer/water and No Well needed.
Pacheco/Magsig/Quintero declares potential conflicts regarding speaking to neighbors, Shelter etc as well as Darrel Ridenour. Borgeas asks about community outreach. County went to 1500 feet from project. Applicant had a public meeting as well as Planning Commission. Moving to
Public Comments. Jeff Roberts is a volunteer on this project. He is in favor of this. Says this is single use only. If not a Shelter 44 other uses could’ve been legal there including General Manufacturing, School, Hospital. Already a noisy site and not appropriate for Rural Home.
Once Veterans Blvd is built Jeff Roberts says Grantland traffic will be less and not an issue for residents. Fresno Irrigation District requests pipe be upgraded if Shelter built. Neighbor calls herself part of “Forgotten Fresno” says Elementary School is across of shelter.
In tears She is worried animals may hurt the kids. She was attacked by a dog herself. Next: feels High Speed Rail, El Paseo, and housing Projects is changing the Rural neighborhood already. Neighbor says Clovis’ Miss Twinkles is more for adoption where this is for much more.
This will have 6 times more animals than Miss Winkles Shelter. Neighbor says he will “Hunt and Search” for supervisors’ homes and look to buy land near there to build an animal shelter. ( He is now on his third “last” comments) Next Public speaks in favor of Shelter. This is a
quality Humane Society. Only 5-6 more vehicles will be added. Now Dylan Griffith is a Neighbor speaks in favor of the shelter and organization. Old facility is throwing good money after bad. These shelters are usually pushed out of town but this new site helps City see the pro-
-blem for what it is. Also easier to access in order to adopt an animal than current location. New public: not against shelters and there is a need in Fresno just not in their neighborhood. Says shelter has 3500 signatures in favor but 2200 are from Fresno but this is not in town
Main neighborhood complaints are : traffic at the shelter on top of poor access across 99 , safety to school kids from animals, poor outreach etc. Magsig asks age of school ( 1949) and if it is impacted by population growth (yes). Neighbor says THIS is a GOOD spot for shelter.
At least 7 more citizens in line to speak. Neighbor says “it is great someone (Derrel Ridenour) donated this land: sell it and move this shelter elsewhere. Says Spanish/Indian neighborhood language speakers didn’t know about this or able to speak today.” Shelter Staff says
current location is adjacent to school and chapel. No noise/smell complaints. No issue of dumped animals. Most traffic is weekends and so not conflict with school. Bully Rescue spokesman says their 1-year old shelter has had no complaints from neighbors&some have adopted dogs.
Chairman Quintero says he will take two more speakers before wrapping up that portion. Land donor Derrel Ridenour speaks saying this is a good location. Neighbors complained when he first built storage units but now they like them. Same with an animal shelter. Mendes asks about
about FID pipe request. He will do if it necessary. Says when FID replaces their own pipes they do same as they have for years but a developer is required to do a “Cadillac” pipe. Last speaker says it will smell like a livestock yard. Supervisor Borgeas thanks Ridenour.
Supervisors once discussed a tax to support Animal Shelter. He likes State of Art Facility but have we done enough to mitigated problems? Magsig mentions this is not a site plan yet and that would satisfy some of that. He mentions Clovis had $1.7 million to build baseball field.
Community loved idea but went thru 17 sites because neighbors didn’t want it near them. Magsig in favor of shelter. and says smell, noise etc needs to be mitigated at Site Plan Level. @BuddySupervisor says it is agood location as most of County lives nearby but not ALL in County.
Pacheco wants to know if large animals will be located there as well as FID pipe. He is sad over outreach to neighborhoods by consultant. This shelter will be superior to any that could otherwise built. Says Planning Commission was split on this.Hard to get compromise in politics
Pacheco says as this is on his District that we need to wait to allow neighbors have questions adequately answered first. One more neighborhood meeting is needed. He is in support of shelter otherwise. Magsig asks if Site Plan Review could have public hearing such as Planning
Commission. If neighbors cannot agree he will vote in Favor. Borgeas says if this was in his district other supervisors would be deferential to his wishes. Magsig asks for last meeting in October (23rd) to allow Neighbor Meeting. Ridenour agrees. Approved to continue 5-0.
Moving on to Supervisors Comments. @AndreasBorgeas speaks on this morning’s 9/11 presentation at Pelco was impressive. Also General Plan needs to have more robust outreach to public. Can Publoc Informstion Officcer reach out and done have a date? What is legal ramifications of
2040? Counsel says can’t say in public. CAO says no date for next public outreach. Magsig asked League of Women Voters to bring a letter on 2040 General Plan and to speak to this Board . Moving on to Unscheduled Public Comment portion. Speaking on Homecare Help.
Next is a former county worker of 32 years. Had to retire and sell home to care for her mother with Alzheimer’s. Says it would be beneficial for a Homecare Payraise and fair contract. Supervisors will adjourn in honor of Fireman Mickey Kaitangian. Going to Closed Session now.
@threadreaderapp unroll
