Thread by @AndyHS

Fresno County Board of Supervisors meeting November 16, 2021! Among the items includes the second hearing of the controversial Redistricting Map at 1 pm; Also Capital Project updates;Fresno Ag report;Behavioral Health Dept report on Mental Health/substance abuse services;

Negotiations with City of Fresno on purchasing old Valley Medical Center will be held during Closed Session;Selected Consent Calendar items:21.*Proclaim December 2021 Toys for Tots Month

22.
*Adjourn in Memory of Mike Cavallero

27.Amendment to Agreement with RR-M Reyna Inc., for Decedent Removal Services through May 15, 2022 with the option to extend the term of the agreement for two additional one-year extensions, increasing the agreement maximum compensation amount by $770,000 to a total of

$2,000,000. The demand for decedent removal services has increased due to the COVID-19 pandemic and increased deaths that have occurred in Fresno County.

29.1 Settlement of Cases Against Distributor Defendants and Defendant Johnson & Johnson in the federal multidistrict National Prescription Opiate Litigation It is expected based on the current estimates of participating entities that the County will receive between $17 million

and $22 million over the 18 year payout period provided for in the settlement. While a small portion of these funds are available to reimburse past county expenses the bulk is restricted to expenditure on county opioid abatement and treatment purposes.

36. Approve and authorize the Chairman to execute First Amendment to Agreement 19-287, a countywide agreement with MetaSource, LLC. for increased archival digitization services, effective upon execution with no change to the term of June 4, 2019 through June 3, 2024 and

increasing the maximum by $2,200,000 to total of $3,000,000. Approval of the recommended action will authorize MetaSource, LLC. (MetaSource) to begin the process of digitizing the physical record archives for the Departments of Human Resources and others considering digitization.

49.Approve and authorize the Chairman to execute a retroactive revenue Agreement with California Department of Public Health, for the Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health and Black Infant Health programs, effective July 1, 2021 through June 30, 2022 ($9,516,602)

52. *PLHA Loan Agreement with Mendota Esperanza Commons, LP for the Esperanza Commons Apartments Project in the City of Mendota The Project is located on an 8.56-acre parcel bounded by Smoot Avenue, Gregg Court West and Sorensen Avenue in the City of Mendota (see Location Map).

The Project will house persons earning no more than 80% of the area median income (AMI) for the County. The Project will consist of a mix of one and two-bedroom units, for a total of 60 units, 59 of which are restricted to households at varying income levels. @Kromero21

which will range from 30% to 80% AMI.

53. *Approve and accept the Final Map for a 133-lot subdivision in the
Millerton Specific Plan area near the intersection of Millerton Road and Marina Drive, eight miles north of the northern boundary of the City of Clovis and two and a half miles east of the community of Friant

57.Approve a resolution for the dissolution of the Child Welfare Petty Cash Fund for the Department of Social Services Org 5610 in the amount of $200 (4/5 vote). The purpose of the established fund is to provide out of town travel, meals, and other expenses related to the day-to-

day needs of dependent children who are awaiting placements. The Division has transitioned to using the CalCard for these types of expenses; therefore, a Petty Cash Fund is no longer required.

You can watch the meeting beginning at 10 am fresnocounty.granicus.com/player/event/5…

All Supervisors present. Invocation by new County CAO Paul Nerland. Introduced by Quintero. He is Originally from Canada and attended Clovis Schools.

21.*Proclaim December 2021 Toys for Tots Month Quintero:annual event. ISD Jessica Montanez works year round on this. Look for the Train designed by Walt Disney in 1948. Boxes have been delayed until end of month though.50,000 kids just in Fresno County.

22.
*Adjourn in Memory of Mike Cavallero. Quintero: he was a good friend of many. Officer for 32 years.

3. *Adopt a proclamation congratulating the Sierra Gateway Trust and James M. Spitze on the publishing of "Treasures en route to Sequoia and Kings National Park” @LincolnSeward We can read about our pioneers. Flumes are covered in the book. Learn from the past as we go forward.

BJ says this group began to make 180 a Scenic State Highway along with Supervisors help. We would like more signage.Kings River is a focus for the entire gateway. Highway is a tourist boon for the area.Chapter 7 has amazing paintings of flowers. Chapter on Yokuts and Mono tribes.

Brandau is up to page 60 he says.

4. Accept the Annual Fresno County Crop and Livestock Report for 2020 from the Department of Agriculture Ag Commissioner with the report. Record $7.8 Billion crop value. Almond prices dropped but also highest of the crop with grapes&pistachios next. Peaches back in top 10 dis-

-placing Mandarins.Exported to 100 countries.Also recognize the essential farmworkers.Farm Bureau's Ryan Jacobsen says we had closed businesses and food chain problems we continued to feed our nation during the pandemic.Safety for workers put in place. We were

first in state to get farmworkers vaccinated.2020 has shown how resilient our farmers and ranchers are. Thanks outgoing CAO Jean Rousseau for all his work.Ag Commissioner thanks her staff for this report.She thanks Angel for her work.Magsig:fuel prices,inflation

etc going up. How will this effect farmers?A:inflation tends to hit farmers late. Drought may be biggest issue and West Fresno is fallow. @BuddySupervisor fertilizer prices have doubled/tripled with world wide shortage and we don't develop it in USA anymore. Commissioner:Fallow

ground creates pest problems for neighbors. Mendes:Piastachios will be a $billion crop in a few years. Quintero:Employee shortage? A:every year it is an issue.Farmworkers don't have to be told they are essential as they know. Pacheco:without water or workforce we have no ag. Next

year we hope for rain. Production of crops wasn't the issue this year but distribution was.

5.Conduit Financing for Community Hospitals of Central California and Fresno Community Hospital and Medical Center (Not a County Liability) The Borrowers have requested that the CMFA issue 501(c)(3) bonds in the amount not to exceed $425,000,000 for projects located in Fresno

County. The facilities and/or equipment to be financed are at the Clovis Community Medical Center, located at 2755 Herndon Avenue, Clovis California in an amount not to exceed $400,000,000 and the Community Regional Medical Center, located at 2823 Fresno Street, Fresno

, California in an amount not to exceed $50,000,000. The total maximum amounts listed above exceed the maximum amount of the Bonds that may be issued by the CFMA; nevertheless, the maximum total dollar amount of the financing will not exceed $425,000,000. The projects to be ,

California in an amount not to exceed $50,000,000. The total maximum amounts listed above exceed the maximum amount of the Bonds that may be issued by the CFMA; nevertheless, the maximum total dollar amount of the financing will not exceed $425,000,000. The projects to be

financed include the construction, improvement, expansion, renovation and/or equipping of certain portions of the health care and related facilities.In order for the CFMA to issue all or a portion of the Bonds, applicable elected representatives of a qualifying

governmental unit, such as the Board of Supervisors for the County of Fresno, must conduct a public hearing (TEFRA Hearing) providing for members of the community an opportunity to speak in favor of or against the use of the Bonds for the financing of the proposed projects.

NO public to speak on this item. Pacheco said there was no opposition at committee meeting. Approved 5-0

6.Probation Salary Resolution Amendment and Budget Resolutions Approval of the recommended actions will allow the Department to add three positions as follows: one Social Worker I-III to assist with the provision of diversion services; one Staff Analyst I-III to perform

safety coordinator duties; and one Senior Staff Analyst to supervise one Staff Analyst and provide oversight of the Division of Juvenile Justice (DJJ) implementation. These positions will be fully funded with Second Strike Post Release Community Supervision (PRCS), Division of

Juvenile Justice (DJJ), Youthful Offender Block Grant (YOBG), Juvenile Justice Crime Prevention Act (JJCPA), and Net County Cost. Probation Chief Kirk Haynes this will allow better focus on kids. Magsig:State seems to be wanting to run children through homes rather than criminal

systems now. Is that correct? Haynes:group homes have gone down in number.Magsig:some of the youths have violent or mental illness backgrounds. How do we protect the group home? Haynes:we first try to have family take in the kids before we go to a short term group home (STG).

@LincolnSeward is the State creating unfunded mandates? Mendes:Hayne's has a difficult position with state. Haynes: I have a good staff. Mendes:public doesn't know the California Youth Authority's a few years ago. Quintero:how many group homes do we have? Haynes:they have gone

in number but I will need to get back to you the exact number. The need is great. Quintero:the CYAs shut down were they the boot camps? Haynes:we do have the youth that go out to fight fires. Boot camp closed down due to longterm impacts of the camps from keeping clean, crime

riddled. APPROVED 5-0 Haynes thanks CAO Jean Rousseau too.

7.*Acceptance of non-competitive award allocated by the California Department of Public health Approval of the first and second recommended actions would provide a total of $1,749,848 in State allocated funding from the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 through the State’s

Public Health Workforce Development Supplemental funding, to establish, expand, train, and sustain the short term/long term public health workforce to support jurisdictional COVID-19 prevention, preparedness, response, and recovery initiatives, including school-based health

programs. This funding was a formula-based allocation from the State and is contingent upon State approval of the submitted spending plan as well as your Board’s approval to accept the funds. Approval of the third and fourth recommended actions will increase the Department of

Public Health FY 2021-22 appropriations and estimated revenue to implement dedicated workforce development staffing and related operational cost to train and prepare for future public health emergencies. Approval of the fifth recommended action will amend the Salary Resolution

adding one Staff Analyst, two Program Technicians, one Health Educator, and one Administrative Assistant-Confidential to the Public Health’s Org 5620. This item is countywide. Dept Chair:Would like to encourage kids to go into the profession.Anaylst in Public Health.This is a

tired department after last year so we need to add more.Public:Shawn:Money for vaccine rates in schools bothers me. I attend school board meetings to. They are looking for ways to protect their staff with the new mandates. Staff will leave if these mandates occur. 300 deaths and

7000 adverse effects from vaccinated children. I have great concerns on this. Next:Heather Evans:previous speaker used Bayer report which is unverified. County is actually high for covid and testing is low. "I am tired of seeing people die! Next:I agree with Heather. I don't want

the supervisors to think the first speaker represents the rest of the community. Next:some of these supervisors are responsible for the high rates in this County for standing with Proud Boys, anti-masks.

Next:Best way to protect our children and grandchildren is to get them vaccinated. Brandau:page 3 was brought up by Shawn. This is only about goals and nothing about mandates. It is to get the right personel in place.I approve this item.

8.Amendment to Master Schedule of Fees - Public Works and Planning Approval of the recommended actions will revise the existing fees in the Master Schedule of Fees, Charges, and Recovered Costs (MSF) Sections 1000, 1500, and 2200 based on actual Department of Public Works

and Planning (PWP) costs. The fees are used to reimburse Department staff costs for projects requested by County departments and outside public agencies. Attachment A includes the current and proposed fee rate changes to Subsection 1001- Staff Time under Section 1000 -

Computer Services - EMIS. The hourly rates are used for requests from outside the County.Attachment B includes the current and proposed fee rate changes to Subsections 1502-Picnic Grounds-Reservation Fees and 1509 - Parks Staff under Section 1500 - Parks and Recreation. The fee

for Avocado Lake is being deleted as this area is not reservable. The hourly rates are used to charge outside public agencies and to estimate work for County departments for grant funded projects.Attachment C includes the current and proposed fee rates to Subsections 2207 -

Capital Projects; 2208 - Admin Services - Resources; and 2209 - Development Services under Section 2200 - Public Works, which specify the hourly rate fees applied to projects requested by outside agencies, projects using tax-exempt bonds, and other special grant funded County

department projects.Changes in the rates stem from changes to staffing composition within each job classification and are primarily due to salary and benefit changes.The proposed fee rate changes will take effect 30 days after the second reading if adopted by your Board.Approved

9.Receive presentation from the Director of the Department of Behavioral Health regarding mental health and substance use disorder services in the County of Fresno Brandau:Director is resigning and moving on so I would like to hear the good and bad.This job is hard but rewarding.

Affordable Care Act allowed us to increase the staff numbers. Suicide Outreach created.Helped get Behavioral Health clinician in each County school.16 bed children psychiatric facility. Only one in Central Valley.Urban Crisis team created. Supportive homes for those with severe

psychiatric issues. We pivoted quickly to teleconference appointments during pandemic. Challenges are ahead. We get what systems are designed for and government is not exception. Complex problems often have magical solutions create d by legislature no matter how well intentioned

creating silos. Our funding doesn't come from County general funding but State funding that comes from Registration fees and tax on Billionaires. This funding often goes down right when society needs it. Early intervention is needed to prevent negative outcomes.Shifting reg-

-ulations makes it hard to meet in a timely fashion. Housing for the people we serve are needed so they can take advantage of our services. Affordable and consistent homes needed.Critical work force pre-pandemic is even worse. We are lowest in State. Retirements, moving, burnout

and even leaving the profession altogether. Need to create a workforce that is diverse and matches our community. I was raised in Fresno , moved for 10 years and came back for all the good things we have here. We do have bad air, premature deaths, high covid rates, poor mass

transit. We can love our county while also addressing these issues. We need to treat the root causes. If any one system could solve it we would have already solved it. We have all the ingredients to change our direction. We are all effected until we solve this. We need longterm

focus by County and Supervisors to leave a legacy. Brandau:I need a copy of that speech! We appreciate your honesty. @LincolnSeward thank you. Affordable housing is near and dear to my heart. Supervisors all want to get to root cause but may have differing ways to do that.

10.Receive presentation on current and proposed County facility capital projects and provide direction regarding priorities and next steps.Brandau:we may not get the full report today (due to time i guess).

New supervisors space. Need to keep investing in Hall of Records regardless. $20 million has been put aside. Does Supervisors move to another site or remain in Hall of Records?

We hope to bring a plan in February and will need direction then from Supervisors.Public:Riley who is head of County employees. Please include these very employees to have some say with these projects.Brandau:good point. He also asks which supervisors want to be on which ad hoc

committee. Magsig:Hall of Records is fantastic and has historical significance. I don't think we can expand this room to what it needs to be for a County of 1.5 million. Madera has a larger chamber but less population. Pacheco:we cannot preserve history without using it. Rowell

Building across the street is a good example of preserving but also modernizing an historical building. We need to stay here. Quintero:we cannot ignore housing for foster kids either.Magsig:Pacheco and I need to sit down with staff as we are on opposite views.Brandau:cost is the

most important part for me as to what we do with this building (Hall of Records).Approved

Supervisor Reports:Magsig:I will bring to this Board opposition of protecting Fisher species as it will hurt in thinning the forests. I also want to note this is CAO Jean Rousseau's last meeting. He has made this board stronger. Pacheco:he has made this more financially sound.

@BuddySupervisor We should have started this meeting at 9:30. Quintero:want to honor Public Works for award they received. Also Public Health Officer received an award too.

Unscheduled Public:Shawn thanks for the clarification on earlier item. Riley:thanks CAO for asking for public's advice on how to spend American Rescue Plan. I did note it didn't list the essential worker portion in that survey. This was a disservice.

John Johnson:I live in "S" Valley as I think it needs to have it name changed. The entire County is effected as its name is on County signage. Please put this on an Agenda item so we can give input countywide. Next:Also a resident of S Valley. Need to hear residents comments.

People have to drive by this signage. Perhaps only 200 pioneers named this town S Valley. Next:I have a background in Native American culture and have found Squaw to be offensive. Town of Olympic changed its name from Squaw. Next:Robert McClosky:I have felt shame of living in a

town with this name. Dictionaries list it as an offensive word.It means a loose women or genitalia. Next:America is close to becoming a democracy that comes from a background of slavery and taking land from Native Americans. ( he turns his back to Supervisors to

continue his comments as this is how Supervisors make us feel. NOTE:Brandau has Deputies remove the speaker. Next:Heather Evans shows what a typical county workers is expected to spend to live. We see what Supervisors wage levels are. Cuts off for clerks, janitors too early.

Deputies remove Evans due to continuing to speak after time goes off. Next:Against S Valley name. Next:diverse native tribes find "S" word offensive.This word sexualizes and is damaging women.Please pass a resolution to change the name. Next:@JanineNkosi from Fresno State and

@FaithInFres I stand in solidarity with the 10,000 that are against the name S Valley. End the pejorative word. I have suffered multiple words use to degrade me.They are harmful and hurtful. It is a weapon.Find the moral courage to do the right thing. Next:Martha Coldstad says

history is important so keep Squaw Valley name. Supervisors will now go into Closed Session. Among the items will include item 14. Conference with Real Property Negotiators - Government Code, Section 54957(a); UMC Campus located at the corner of South Cedar Avenue and East Kings

Canyon Road, Fresno, CA; County Negotiator: Jean M. Rousseau or designee. Negotiating Parties: City of Fresno.

Only one meeting in December for Supervisors:December 14, 2021 - 10:00 AM
January 4, 2022 - 9:30 AM

Supervisors will be back around 1 pm for hotly debated Redistricting Map vote. (NOTE:t is now 12:32 pm)

@threadreaderapp unroll