[SILENCE] [00:00:09] [SILENCE] [SILENCE] [SILENCE] - [INAUDIBLE] [SILENCE] [SILENCE] [SILENCE] - MADAM CLERK, ARE YOU READY? - YES, CHAIR. [SILENCE] - I'D LIKE TO CALL TO ORDER THE AUGUST 19TH, UH, 2025 [CALL TO ORDER] MEETING OF THE SANTA CRUZ COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS. WILL CLERK PLEASE CALL ROLL CALL? - CERTAINLY. SUPERVISOR KOENIG? - HERE. - DE SERPA? - PRESENT. - CUMMINGS? - HERE. - MARTINEZ? - HERE. - AND HERNANDEZ? - PRESENT. - I'D LIKE TO SEE IF ANY OF THE MEMBERS OF THE BOARD [MOMENT OF SILENCE AND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE] LIKE TO DEDICATE TODAY'S MOMENT OF SILENCE. SUPERVISOR MARTINEZ AND SUPERVISOR CUMMINGS. - THANK YOU, CHAIR. I'D LIKE TO DEDICATE OUR MOMENT OF SILENCE TODAY IN REMEMBERANCE OF THE CZU FIRE, WHICH TOOK PLACE 5 YEARS AGO ON AUGUST 16TH. WE KNOW EVERY ANNIVERSARY OF THE FIRE BRINGS BACK OR INTENSIFIES TRAUMATIC FEELINGS AMONG OUR RESIDENTS WHO LOST THEIR HOMES, AND EVERYONE WHO EVACUATED. WE ALSO SPECIFICALLY REMEMBER TAD JONES, THE LAST CHANCE RESIDENT WHO LOST HIS LIFE IN THE FIRE. OUR COMMUNITY CONTINUES TO HEAL FROM THIS TRAGEDY EVEN AS WE ARE STRONGLY COMMITTED INSIDE THE COUNTY AND WITH OUR PARTNERS TO THE ONGOING RECOVERY EFFORTS AND REBUILDING RESILIENCY COUNTYWIDE. ALSO, I WOULD LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE PASSING OF LUNA MELLO, A FIREFIGHTER WHO HAD SERVED WITH THE FELTON FIRE DISTRICT SINCE 2022. WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR HER SERVICE, AND OUR HEARTS GO OUT TO HER FAMILY AND HER COLLEAGUES AT THE FIRE DISTRICT. - THANK YOU. SUPERVISOR CUMMINGS? [SILENCE] - OKAY. - THANK YOU, CHAIR. I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO DEDICATE TODAY'S MOMENT OF SILENCE TO DR. LINDA JEAN CALCIANO. DR. LINDA JEAN CALCIANO PASSED AWAY PEACEFULLY ON JULY 31ST, 2025, SURROUNDED BY HER CHERISHED CHILDREN AND SISTER, LEAVING A STRONG LEGACY OF LOVE AND DEVOTION TO FAITH AND FAMILY. ORIGINALLY FROM CLEVELAND, OHIO, LINDA MOVED TO CALIFORNIA WITH HER FIRST HUSBAND IN 1970. HERE, SHE GAVE BIRTH TO JOHN, JOANNE, AND JOSHUA. AFTER CONTINUING HER EDUCATION, SHE BECAME A RESPIRATORY THERAPIST WORKING AT GOOD SAMARITAN HOSPITAL IN SAN JOSE. IN 1985, LINDA MARRIED THE LOVE OF HER LIFE, DR. ANTHONY J. CALCIANO, ADDING DREW, ELIZABETH, AND GRAHAM TO HER FAMILY. LINDA AND TONY'S CHILDREN TOGETHER, ALEXANDER, ANASTASIA, AND NICHOLAS COMPLETED THIS WONDERFUL BLENDED FAMILY. LINDA WAS A BRAVE AND BRILLIANT STUDENT. SHE REARED SIX CHILDREN WHILE CONTINUING HER GRADUATE EDUCATION AND RECEIVED HER PHYSICAL ORGANIC CHEMISTRY DOCTORATE FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SANTA CRUZ IN 1989. SHE WENT ON TO COMPLETE A POST-DOCTORATE IN BIOCHEMISTRY AT UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, BERKELEY. WHILE COMPLETING THESE RIGOROUS STUDIES, LINDA NEVER MISSED AN OPPORTUNITY TO SUPPORT HER CHILDREN IN THEIR MANY ENDEAVORS AND ALWAYS CELEBRATED EACH BIRTHDAY AND MILESTONE. TRAGICALLY, IN 1995, HER SON JOHN TOOK HIS OWN LIFE AT THE AGE OF 23. IN HER GRIEF, LINDA SPEARHEADED THE FOUNDING OF THE JOHN E. NADHERNY/CALCIANO YOUTH SYMPOSIUM IN 1997, WHICH CONTINUES TO ADVOCATE FOR ADOLESCENT BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SERVICES AND GUIDANCE. IN AN ARTICLE IN THE SANTA CRUZ SENTINEL IN 2018, LINDA STATED THAT SHE WANTED TO PROTECT OTHER PARENTS FROM THE PROFOUND GRIEF SHE FACED. IN MARCH THIS YEAR, THE SYMPOSIUM CELEBRATES ITS 27TH YEAR OF STRENGTHENING BEHAVIORAL HEALTH RESOURCES FOR THE COMMUNITY. BUT OF ALL HER ROLES, NONE MEANT MORE TO LINDA THAN BEING A MOTHER, GRANDMOTHER TO 20 PRECIOUS GRANDCHILDREN, SISTER, AUNT, AND FRIEND. TOGETHER, SHE AND TONY RAISED THEIR FAMILY WITH STRONG CHARACTER, HONESTY, AND LOVE FOR EACH OTHER. LINDA AND TONY WERE GRACIOUS AND GENEROUS HOSTS WHO CREATED MANY DELIGHTFUL MEMORIES IN THEIR APTOS HILLS HOME. LINDA'S LEGACY LIVES ON NOT ONLY IN HER CHILDREN AND GRANDCHILDREN BUT ALSO IN THE QUIET ACTS OF LOVE SHE GENEROUSLY GAVE TO HER COMMUNITY AND HER DEDICATION TO SUPPORTING THOSE IN THE COMMUNITY WHO STRUGGLE WITH MENTAL HEALTH, ESPECIALLY ADOLESCENTS. [SILENCE] - DE SERPA? - THANK YOU. I'D LIKE TO DEDICATE THE MOMENT OF SILENCE TO DR. LARRY DEGITALDI. [00:05:03] UM... WITH DEEP SADNESS, THE SUTTER FAMILY, UH, RECOGNIZES UH, DR. DEGITALDI AS A TOWERING FIGURE IN CENTRAL COAST HEALTH CARE AND A PROUD UC SANTA CRUZ ALUMNI IN 1976 BIOLOGY AND CHEMISTRY. HE EMBODIED CORE VALUES OF SERVICE TO OTHERS, CHAMPIONING EQUITABLE ACCESS TO QUALITY HEALTH CARE. UM, HAD GONE TO WASHINGTON D.C. MULTIPLE TIMES TO GIVE TESTIMONY TO TRY TO IMPROVE REIMBURSEMENTS TO BOTH HOSPITALS AND PHYSICIANS TO STABILIZE OUR HEALTH CARE SYSTEMS HERE ON THE CENTRAL COAST. HE WORKED TIRELESSLY AND INNOVATIVELY TO MAKE HIGH-QUALITY ACCESSIBLE CARE A REALITY. [PAUSE] WAS AN ADVOCATE, AND SPOKE PASSIONATELY TO STUDENTS ABOUT THE REWARDS OF A CAREER IN MEDICINE. BEGAN PRACTICING HERE IN THE 1980S, SERVED OVER TWO DECADES AS SUTTER HEALTH'S CHIEF EXECUTIVE FOR THE SANTA CRUZ REGION. WILL BE REMEMBERED AS A CONNECTOR, MENTOR, AND TEACHER. WE SEND OUR HEARTFELT CONDOLENCES TO HIS WIFE, LYNN, THEIR CHILDREN, GRANDCHILDREN, FRIENDS, AND COLLEAGUES. THANK YOU. - THANK YOU. PLEASE JOIN ME IN A MOMENT OF SILENCE. [SILENCE] THANK YOU. WOULD YOU PLEASE JOIN US IN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE? I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. [CONSIDERATION OF LATE ADDITIONS TO THE AGENDA; ADDITIONS AND DELETIONS TO CONSENT AND REGULAR AGENDAS] MOVING ON TO CONSENT. WOULD ANY SUPERVISOR LIKE TO REMOVE ANYTHING FROM CONSENT? SUPERVISOR CUMMINGS? - YEAH, I'D LIKE TO, UM... L CAN EITHER PULL ITEMS OR ADD ADDITIONAL DIRECTION, DEPENDING ON HOW THE CHAIR FEELS. [ANNOUNCEMENT BY BOARD MEMBERS OF ITEMS REMOVED FROM CONSENT TO REGULAR AGENDA] ITEM NUMBER 38, BATTERY ENERGY STORAGE FACILITY, I WOULD LIKE TO ADD ADDITIONAL DIRECTION TO THAT ONE. AND TO ITEM NUMBER 56, I DO NOT THINK IT SHOULD BE VERY CONTROVERSIAL, BUT IF THEY NEED TO BE PULLED, I AM HAPPY TO PULL THE ITEMS OR JUST PROVIDE THE ADDITIONAL DIRECTION WHEN WE COME BACK FROM PUBLIC COMMENT. - WE COULD PROVIDE THE ADDITIONAL DIRECTION. LET ME SEE IF 56 WAS... - I BELIEVE IT'S THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT... - OH, OKAY. - ... STRATEGY. - YEP. IS THAT THE ONLY, 56 THEN? OKAY. - THIRTY - SUPERVISOR, KOENIG? - I'D LIKE TO PULL ITEM 35. THE, UM... CONCERNING CEQA AND NATIVE AMERICAN TRIBES, COMPENSATING NATIVE AMERICAN TRIBES. - DID YOU GET THESE 3 NUMBERS ON THEM? - WE'RE JUST GOING TO PULL 35, AND THAT IS GOING TO BECOME 6.1. AND THE OTHER ITEMS WILL BE ADDRESSED, UM, IN SUPERVISOR CUMMINGS' COMMENTS ON CONSENT. IT SOUNDS LIKE. - OKAY. - CHAIR, I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO PULL ITEM 16. IT'S A SHORT-TERM RENTAL ORDINANCE. - AND THAT WILL BE 6.2. OKAY, IMMEDIATELY AFTER, UH, CONSENT. NOW WE WILL MOVE TO PUBLIC COMMENT. [PUBLIC COMMENT] ANYONE IN THE BOARD WHO WISHES TO ADDRESS US ON ITEMS NOT ON THE AGENDA OR ON CONSENT ITEMS? - GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS JAMES EWING WHITMAN. I AM GLAD TO SEE, HERNANDEZ, YOU ARE LEARNING HOW TO DO YOUR JOB. UM, I AM GOING TO COMMENT ABOUT SEDITIOUS TREASON. THERE IS A BOOK FROM 1977, THE METROPRACTS: REGIONALISM AND NONLAW GOVERNANCE ARE DESTROYING THE UNITED STATES. SO, THIS IS PAGE 22 OF THAT BOOK. "DETERMINED ALTERNATIVES ARE TAKING SHAPE AMONG THE THOUSANDS OF AMERICANS SO GAGGED." THE CALIFORNIAN REMARKING THAT, QUOTE, "OUR NATION CAN'T FLOUNDER ANY LONGER LIKE THIS FOREVER," AND QUOTING THE U.S. CRIMINAL CODE, TITLE 18, RECOMMENDS INITIATING CHARGES AGAINST CERTAIN PUBLIC PERSONAGES FOR MISPRISION OF TREASON, SECTION 2382, AND, "SEDITIOUS CONSPIRACY... TO DESTROY BY FORCE THE GOVERNMENT OF THE UNITED STATES," SECTION 2384." [00:10:03] THE INDIVIDUAL NOTED, "PLEASE OBSERVE THAT THE LAW DOES NOT SAY 'MILITARY FORCE'. IT SIMPLY SAYS 'FORCE'. WHAT GREATER DESTRUCTION IS WROUGHT BY ECONOMIC FORCE?" THIS IS 1956. THERE IS INFORMATION THAT THE TREASON GOING ON BY, AND I AM DIRECTLY POINTING AT THE TWO OF YOU AND THE FIVE OF YOU, FOR THE CONFIDENTIALITY AGREEMENTS YOU HAVE SIGNED IS SEDITIOUS TREASON. GREAT. I HAVE 42 SECONDS. YOU KNOW, MANY PEOPLE DO NOT REALIZE THE SUBVERSION BY INDIVIDUALS WHO TRAINED ADOLF HITLER AND GÖRING. AND... I FORGET [INAUDIBLE] I FORGET HIS NAME. THE ROCKEFELLER FOUNDATION, LELAND STANFORD, CARNEGIE. THEY BROUGHT OVER JOHN IVY BETWEEN WORLD WAR I AND WORLD WAR II BECAUSE THE MESSAGE TO PACIFY THE PEOPLE IN THE UNITED STATES WORKED SO WELL, THEY WANTED THE NAZIS TO BE ABLE TO DO IT. SO WHO ARE THE ACTUAL NAZIS IN THE ROOM? I'LL PROCEED LATER. THANK YOU. - GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS NAJEEB KAMIL. I AM A SENIOR ANALYST WITH SANTA CRUZ COUNTY PUBLIC HEALTH IN THE CHILDREN AND FAMILY HEALTH BRANCH. AND I AM HERE WITH A NUMBER OF COLLEAGUES FROM DIFFERENT AGENCIES TO REALLY THANK YOU FOR THE PROCLAMATION FOR COMMUNITY HEALTH AWARE, COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKER AWARENESS WEEK. UM, BECAUSE THEY PLAY SUCH A CRITICAL COMPONENT IN THE HEALTH CARE OF OUR COMMUNITY. SO, I AM GOING TO TAKE A LITTLE BIT OF TIME TO READ SOME OF THE PROCLAMATION. AND MY COLLEAGUES WILL ALSO DO THAT AS WELL AS SHARE SOME OF THE IMPACTS THEY HAVE, THEY DO EVERY DAY IN THE COUNTY AS COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKERS. SO, "PROCLAIMING AUGUST 25 TO 29, 2025, AS COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKER WORKER AWARENESS WEEK IN SANTA CRUZ COUNTY. WHEREAS THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKERS DEVELOPED THE FIRST-EVER NATIONAL CAMPAIGN TO CELEBRATE AND COMMEMORATE COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKERS IN AUGUST 2023. WHEREAS COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKERS ARE FRONTLINE PUBLIC HEALTH WORKERS WHO ARE TRUSTED MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITIES THEY SERVE AND HAVE INTIMATE KNOWLEDGE OF ISSUES IMPACTING THEIR COMMUNITIES. AND WHEREAS 'COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKERS' IS AN UMBRELLA TERM THAT CAN INCLUDE PROMOTORAS, COMMUNITY HEALTH REPRESENTATIVES, AND 90 OTHER JOB TITLES, WHO ARE A UNIQUE WORKFORCE, DIVERSE IN ETHNICITY, LANGUAGE, AND CULTURE, AND RECOGNIZED AS HEALTH PROFESSIONALS BY THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT. WHEREAS CHWS, COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKERS, CONTRIBUTE TO IMPROVED HEALTH OUTCOMES, REDUCED HEALTH CARE COSTS, AND STRONGER COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS BY WORKING IN DIVERSE SETTINGS SUCH AS CLINICS, SCHOOLS, HOUSING PROGRAMS, COMMUNITY CENTERS, AND HOME ENVIRONMENTS." ONCE AGAIN, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BRINGING THIS, UH, VERY CRITICAL WORKFORCE TO LIGHT. AND WE REALLY APPRECIATE THE PROCLAMATION. THANK YOU. - THANK YOU. - HELLO, MY NAME IS ADRIAN SAXTON, AND I SUPPORT THE COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKER CERTIFICATE PROGRAM AT CABRILLO COLLEGE. I AM ALSO, UM, A SUPPORTER AND FACULTY AT CSU MONTEREY BAY IN THE COLLABORATIVE HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES MAJOR. OUR STUDENTS GET TRAINED AS COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKERS AND, REALLY, GET THE OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE. OUR STUDENTS ARE MOSTLY ADULT LEARNERS, SECOND OR MULTIPLE LANGUAGE LEARNERS AND, UM.... AND WE FIND THAT, UM, THIS PATHWAY TOWARD, UH, GIVING A CERIFICATE AT CABRILLO COLLEGE, AND THEN OFTEN MANY OF OUR STUDENTS END UP EVEN MOVING ON TO GET THEIR BACHELOR'S DEGREE OR MASTER'S DEGREE. AND WE JUST REALLY WANT TO SUPPORT YOUR PROCLAMATION BECAUSE IT HAS LIFTED GROUPS WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY TO SPACES WHERE THEY CAN REALLY MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THE COMMUNITY AS LEADERS. THANK YOU SO MUCH. - GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS DAVID PRICE, AND I AM THE '25 - '26 PRESIDENT OF THE SANTA CRUZ SUNRISE ROTARY CLUB. AND WE ARE HERE TODAY, I AM HERE TODAY WITH SOME OF MY FELLOW ROTARIANS, INCLUDING TWO CHARTER MEMBERS OF OUR CLUB, TO THANK THE BOARD, UH, FOR ISSUING A PROCLAMATION DATED AUGUST 5TH THAT DECLARED AUGUST 9TH SANTA CRUZ SUNRISE ROTARY DAY IN THE COUNTY OF SANTA CRUZ. UM, WE VERY MUCH APPRECIATE THAT PROCLAMATION, AND I WANTED TO MAKE A COUPLE OF REMARKS ON BEHALF OF, UH, OUR CLUB AND ROTARY. UM, THE SANTA CRUZ SUNRISE ROTARY CLUB HAS WORKED TO EXEMPLIFY ROTARY INTERNATIONAL'S TIMELESS MOTTO, "SERVICE ABOVE SELF." FOR DECADES, THE CLUB HAS UNITED LOCAL LEADERS, PROFESSIONALS, AND FRIENDS TO MAKE A LASTING DIFFERENCE IN SANTA CRUZ, ACROSS THE NATION, AND THROUGHOUT THE WORLD. OUR 100-PLUS CLUB MEMBERS, PART OF A GLOBAL NETWORK [00:15:03] OF 1.4 MILLION ROTARIANS IN 33,000 CLUBS, FOCUSES ON GUIDING ROTARY'S 7 AREAS OF FOCUS. THOSE ARE PROMOTING PEACE, FIGHTING DISEASE, PROVIDING CLEAN WATER, SANITATION, AND HYGIENE, SAVING MOTHERS AND CHILDREN, SUPPORTING EDUCATION, GROWING LOCAL ECONOMIES, AND PROTECTING THE ENVIRONMENT. THROUGH OUR COMMUNITY SERVICE PROJECTS, YOUTH SCHOLARSHIPS, AND INTERNATIONAL INITIATIVES, THE SANTA CRUZ SUNRISE ROTARY CLUB HAS BEEN A CATALYST FOR GOODWILL AND MEANINGFUL CHANGE. OUR SIGNATURE EVENTS INCLUDE THE ANNUAL JULY 4TH FIRECRACKER 10K RUN, AND JOHNY KEN'S MOST EXCELLENT ADVENTURE, THREE-DAY BIKE RIDE, AND HANDS-ON SERVICE PROJECTS THAT HAVE STRENGTHENED OUR COMMUNITY WHILE FOSTERING FELLOWSHIP AND LEADERSHIP AMONG ITS MEMBERS. LOOKING AHEAD, AS WE CELEBRATE 40 YEARS OF DEDICATION, THE SANTA CRUZ SUNRISE ROTARY CLUB PROUDLY RENEWS ITS COMMITMENT TO BUILDING A BRIGHTER FUTURE, ONE ACT OF SERVICE AT A TIME. THANK YOU SO MUCH. - THANK YOU. - HI, I'M, UH, KEITH MCHENRY. UM MY GRANDFATHER RETIRED AS UH, FROM YOSEMITE AS CHIEF NATURALIS TO SANTA CRUZ AND STARTED THE TIDAL POOL WALKS AT UH, NATURAL BRIDGES IN THE '50S. ANYWAY, WE RECEIVED IN THE COUNTY, UH, A "PREVENT BATTERY FIRES" DOCUMENT, AND IT SAYS, "ALWAYS CONSIDER HOW YOU'LL SAFELY DISPOSE OF THE DEVICE BEFORE YOU BUY IT." SO, I AM ENCOURAGING THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS TO PASS LEGISLATION TO BAN LITHIUM BATTERY FACILITIES IN OUR COMMUNITY. I'M, ALSO ENCOURAGING THE COMMUNITY TO OPT OUT OF CENTRAL COAST COMMUNITY ENERGY. OVER $7 MILLION OF THE MONEY THAT YOU PAY BY BEING A MEMBER, BY NOT OPTING OUT OF THE CENTRAL COAST COMMUNITY ENERGY UM, PAYMENT THAT YOU ARE MAKING EACH MONTH ON YOUR ELECTRIC BILL, GOES TO $7 MILLION JUST PAYING THEIR STAFF, AND WE GET NO BENEFIT FROM THAT. IT IS JUST A MARKETING ORGANIZATION THAT IS TRYING TO PUT LITHIUM BATTERIES THROUGHOUT OUR COMMUNITY. AND SO IF IT'S DANGEROUS TO PUT LITHIUM BATTERIES IN THE GARBAGE BECAUSE THEY CATCH FIRE, OR BECAUSE YOUR E-BIKE BURNS DOWN STUDENT HOUSING AT THE UNIVERSITY, AND ALL THE OTHER THINGS. WHILE MEGA BATTERY STORAGE FACILITIES IN WATSONVILLE, AND AT THE HOSPITAL, AND NEAR, UH, UM, APTOS HIGH SHOULD DEFINITELY NOT HAPPEN. SO MY FAMILY WAS POISONED BY THE BATTERY FIRE AT MOSS LANDING. IT TOOK US NEARLY HALF A YEAR TO RECOVER FROM THAT AND WE DO NOT KNOW IF WE HAVE PERMANENT HEALTH DAMAGES BECAUSE OF THAT. WE HAD TO LEAVE THE UNITED STATES TO TRY TO RECOVER BECAUSE IT WAS SO BRUTAL, WHAT WE WENT THROUGH. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR HELP. BYE-BYE. - HELLO, MY NAME IS MARIA GUADALUPE AROMARTINEZ. I AM A COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKER FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILY HEALTH, UH, HERE IN SANTA CRUZ COUNTY PUBLIC HEALTH. UH, I WANT TO SHARE A LITTLE BIT ABOUT MY JOURNEY. I ONCE UPON A TIME, I WAS A SINGLE-MOM, STRUGGLING FINANCIALLY AND EMOTIONALLY. IT WAS REALLY TOUGH. I REALLY OFTEN FELT LIKE I WAS DOING IT ALL ON MY OWN, BUT THAT CHANGED WHEN I MET A COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKER WHO HELPED ME CONNECT TO RESOURCES, BUT ALSO MY OWN COMMUNITY. UM... THAT OPENED A LOT OF DOORS FOR ME, AND EVENTUALLY, IT GOT ME TO BECOME A COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKER MYSELF. UM... I, I HAVE THE PRIVILEGE TO SAY NOW THAT I AM SUPPORTING OTHER PEOPLE WHO ONCE WALKED MY OWN PATH. MY, UM, MY HOPE IS TO HELP OTHERS AND TO BE ALONGSIDE OTHERS WHO ARE BREAKING THE CHANGE, THE CHANGE, THE CHAINS THEY NEVER ASKED FOR TO REBUILD AND THRIVE. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME. - THANK YOU. - GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS SUZANNE DOTY, AND I AM HONORED TO SERVE AS CO-CHAIR OF THE WOMEN'S COMMISSION OF SANTA CRUZ COUNTY. AND I AM ALSO PROUD TO BE A SECOND-WAVE FEMINIST. I HAVE BEEN ENGAGED IN THE STRUGGLE FOR EQUAL RIGHTS FOR WOMEN SINCE THE '70S. [00:20:01] I KNOW, I'M OLDER THAN I LOOK. UM,AND I THANK SUPERVISOR CUMMINGS FOR THE PROCLAMATION FOR WOMEN'S EQUALITY DAY, AND I THANK THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS FOR THEIR SUPPORT OF THIS IMPORTANT MILESTONE IN OUR HISTORY. AS THE SAYING GOES, "IF YOU'RE NOT AT THE TA- IF YOUR'RE NOT AT THE TABLE, YOU'RE ON THE MENU." UH, WOMEN'S EQUALITY DAY IS CELEBRATED ON AUGUST 26 TO COMMEMORATE THE 1920 ADOPTION OF THE 19TH AMENDMENT TO THE CONSTITUTION, WHICH PROHIBITS THE STATES AND THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT FROM DENYING THE RIGHT TO VOTE TO CITIZENS OF THE UNITED STATES ON THE BASIS OF SEX. IT WAS FIRST CELEBRATED IN 1971, DESIGNATED BY CONGRESS IN 1973, AND IS PROCLAIMED EVERY YEAR BY THE US PRESIDENT. WE WILL SEE IF THAT HOLDS TRUE. UM, NIXON, PRESIDENT NIXON IN 1972 ISSUED THE FIRST OFFICIAL PROCLAMATION, WHICH DESIGNATED AUGUST 26, 1972, AS WOMEN'S EQUALITY DAY. AND ON AUGUST 16, 1973, CONGRESS APPROVED A RESOLUTION FOR THE SAME AND ASKED THAT THE PRESIDENT BE AUTHORIZED AND REQUESTED TO ISSUE A PROCLAMATION IN COMMEMORATION OF THAT DAY IN 1920 IN WHICH THE WOMEN IN AMERICA WERE FIRST GUARANTEED THE RIGHT TO VOTE. AND ON THAT SAME DAY, PRESIDENT NIXON ISSUED A PROCLAMATION FOR WOMEN'S EQUALITY DAY. AS OF 2024, EVERY PRESIDENT SINCE RICHARD NIXON HAS ISSUED A PROCLAMATION DESIGNATING AUGUST 26 AS WOMEN'S EQUALITY DAY. WE FIND OURSELVES TODAY FACED WITH THE VERY REAL THREAT THAT MANY OF THESE RIGHTS ARE BEING REVERSED. WE CANNOT TURN AWAY FROM THIS. WE HAVE WORK TO DO. AUGUST 26 IS A CHANCE FOR US ALL TO STAND TOGETHER AND TO STAND UP FOR OUR RIGHTS AS AMERICANS. THANK YOU. - GOOD MORNING. [INAUDIBLE] BRITTON, MATSON BRITTON ARCHITECTS. UM, TWO WEEKS AGO, I WAS HERE, AND I WAS VERY DISTURBED BY HOW THE HEARING WAS CONDUCTED. UM, YOU ARE A SEMI-JUDICIAL BOARD. UH, WHEN SOMEBODY TAKES THE EXPENSE, MONEY, AND TIME TO APPEAL TO YOU, YOU SHOULD TREAT THE APPELLANT RESPECTFULLY AND GIVE THEM DUE TIME TO EXPLAIN THEIR POSITION. THAT MEANS ALLOW REBUTTAL, ALLOW COMPLETE THOUGHTS. AND IF YOU DO NOT KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT GEOLOGY, ASK QUESTIONS. WE HAD THE CHAIR, PAST CHAIR OF THE BOARD OF GEOLOGY SITTING THERE IN THE AUDIENCE. YOU COULD ASK. YOU COULD HAVE ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT THE WIDTH OF THE ROAD. YOU COULD HAVE ACTUALLY ASKED ABOUT THE FACT THAT THE NEIGHBORING PROPERTY, UM, HAS AN ENFORCEMENT ACTION ON IT. BECAUSE THEY DID ILLEGAL WORK THROUGH A SEAWALL. AT SOME POINT, THAT WOULD AFFECT THAT PROJECT, AND THEY WOULD BE REQUIRED TO FIX THEIR SEA CAVE. THERE'S A LOT OF FACTS THROWN OUT THAT WERE NOT FACTS BY STAFF, INCLUDING THINGS LIKE SB 478 AND WHAT IT MEANS. ONLY ONE SECTION WAS QUOTED. THE OTHER SECTION THAT WAS CRITICAL IS THAT, YES, YOU HAVE DISCRETION, UH, OVER THE PROJECT, BUT ONLY AS MUCH AS IT, UM, ALLOWS A 100% FAR. NOW THESE ARE THINGS THAT YOU SHOULD HAVE HEARD AT THAT HEARING AND IT'S THINGS THAT YOU SHOULD ASKED FOR. SO IF YOU ARE ASKING THE COUNTY PLANNING STAFF TO CHANGE THEIR CULTURE, I WILL REMIND YOU THAT YOU ALSO NEED TO CHANGE YOUR CULTURE AND LISTEN TO APPLICANTS. THEY ARE NOT SUPPLICANTS. TREAT THEM RESPECTFULLY. THANK YOU. HI, MY NAME IS ATHENA FLANNERY. I DO MUTUAL AID WORK. I GIVE FREE THINGS TO PEOPLE, AND I MAKE FRIENDS. AND THROUGH THAT, I HAVE A LOT OF FRIENDS WHO ARE HOMELESS, AND I SPEND A LOT OF TIME WITH THE HOMELESS COMMUNITY IN YOUR GUY'S COUNTY AND OUR COUNTY. I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE TESTIMONY TO ALL THE PEOPLE WATCHING AT HOME, AS WELL AS EVERYONE HERE, THAT THE POINT-IN-TIME COUNT IS A COMPLETELY FRAUDULENT NUMBER. IT IS A DRA- DRAMATIC UNDERCOUNT. I WANT EVERY TIME YOU HEAR THE POINT-IN-TIME COUNT NUMBERS FOR THERE TO BE AN ASTERISK IN YOUR HEAD THAT SAYS THIS IS AN EXTREME UNDERCOUNT. IN SANTA CRUZ CITY, THE CITY CONDUCTED RAIDS, SWEEPS, FORCED DISPLACEMENT, AND FORCED PEOPLE INTO HIDING JUST 2 DAYS BEFORE THE POINT-IN-TIME COUNT. I THINK THAT IS EXTREMELY FRAUDULENT BEHAVIOR, AND THAT HAD TO GET APPROVED BY CITY, BY PD. AND I HAVE NO DOUBT THAT THAT CONTINUED ACROSS THE COUNTY BEFORE THE POINT-IN-TIME COUNT. IF YOU FORCE PEOPLE INTO HIDING, THEN YOUR VISUAL COUNT IN THE EARLY, EARLY WINTER MORNING, WHEN EVERYBODY IS TRYING THEIR BEST TO MAKE IT THROUGH THE COLD, COLD MORNING, YOUR NUMBER IS FRAUDULENT IF YOU DID NOT ACTUALLY [00:25:02] DO THE WORK. IF YOU MAKE EVERYBODY HIDE BEFORE YOU COUNT, THEN YOU HAVE A FAKE NUMBER, AND THAT NUMBER AFFECTS FUNDING. SO, I DO NOT KNOW WHY THE CITY OR THE COUNTY WOULD WANT A SMALLER NUMBER, AN INACCURATE NUMBER. AND I WOULD LIKE TO ALSO POINT OUT THAT THIS INACCURATE, SMALL NUMBER IS STILL UNDERSERVED. THE AMOUNT OF SPACE IN SERVICES AND SHELTERS IS DRAMATICALLY LESS THAN THE AMOUNT OF PEOPLE THAT ARE LIVING ON THE STREETS. AND THIS BOARD HAS THE POWER, PLEASE, TO FIGHT FOR HOMELESS , PEOPLE, TO FIGHT FOR THE POOR PEOPLE IN THIS COUNTY. POVERTY IS THE BIGGEST KILLER. PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE. THINK ABOUT THE PEOPLE LIVING ON THE STREETS. THINK ABOUT HOW WE CAN MAKE SURE LESS PEOPLE ARE LIVING ON THE STREETS. THINK ABOUT THE REAL PEOPLE THAT ARE BEING MISCOUNTED. - GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS DELIA BERNAL, AND I AM A COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKER. UH, I WORK AT SECOND HARVEST FOOD BANK OF SANTA CRUZ COUNTY AS A PART OF THE NUTRITION TEAM UNDER THE HEALTH AND WELLNESS PROGRAM UH, WHERE I HAVE SERVED AS A NUTRITION EDUCATOR FOR THE PAST SEVEN YEARS. SO, I ALSO HOLD A BACHELOR'S DEGREE IN BACTERIOLOGY FROM COLUMBIA, A CH, UH, W, CERTIFICATION FROM CABRILLO COLLEGE, AND I, I [INAUDIBLE] COUNSELOR [INAUDIBLE] HERE [INAUDIBLE] UH, HERE IN CALIFORNIA. SO, ALL THESE STUDIES COMBINED HAVE DEEPENED MY UNDERSTANDING ABOUT THE POWERFUL CONNECTION BETWEEN FOOD, AND BODY AND MIND AND SPIRIT. SO, UH, I ALSO STUDIED CULINARY ARTS, WHICH ALLOWS ME TO BLEND ALL MY PASSIONS, SCIENCE, WELLNESS, AND FOOD, UH, INTO WHAT I CALL FOOD LITERACY. SO TO ME, FOOD LITERACY IS THE ART OF LEARNING UH, HOW CAN MAKE, UH, KNOWLEDGE AND, UM, RIGHT FOOD CHOICES. SO, THIS IS WHY I AM HERE TODAY WITH A CALL TO ACTION. UH, WE NEED, UH, MORE SUPPORT FOR NUTRITION EDUCATION IN THE COMMUNITY, UH, HEALTH WORKER PROGRAM. UM, IT IS CRITICAL TO EQUIP, UH, WITH A BETTER AND DEEP, UH, KNOWLEDGE ALL THE CHW TO SERVE BE- BETTER OUR COMMUNITY. SO, DATA SHOWS VERY CLEAR, UM, UH, HOW MANY CHRONIC DISEASES WE ARE, UH, FACING RIGHT NOW JUST BECAUSE OF THE LACK OF, UH, EDUCATION IN CHOOSING THE RIGHT FOOD TO BE HEALTHIER. SO, UM.. - THANK YOU. - LET'S.... OH... THANK YOU. I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR LISTEN AND FOR SUPPORTING THE JOB OF THE COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKER. THANK YOU. - UH, GOOD MORNING. UH, MY NAME IS SHANE O'NEIL. I AM, UH, MY WIFE AND I OWN O'NEIL VACATION RENTALS. UH, WE ARE A BUSINESS THAT TAKES PEOPLE'S SECOND HOMES AND HELPS THEM CONVERT THEM TO VACATION RENTALS TO HOST FAMILIES WHO WANT TO TRAVEL TO THE, UH, OUR LOVELY TOWN. UH, I WANT TO FIRST START OFF SAYING WE ARE IN FAVOR OF REGULATING AND RESTRICTING THE GROWTH OF THE SHORT-TERM RENTAL MARKET, UM, BUT WE ARE AGAINST THE POTENTIAL DECLINE OF THE NUMBER OF SHORT-TERM RENTALS. UM, I JUST WANTED TO SHARE A COUPLE OF DATA POINTS FROM THE SUBSET OF HOUSES THAT WE MANAGE THAT MAYBE WOULD HELP WITH YOUR, I GUESS, DECISIONS. UM, SO AS WE KNOW, THERE IS ROUGHLY 1% OF THE OVERALL HOUSING SUPPLY IN THE SHORT-TERM RENTAL MARKET. UM, WE MANAGE ABOUT 80 PROPERTIES THAT ARE SHORT-TERM RENTALS. OF THOSE, ONLY SIX HOUSES DID NOT HAVE THEIR OWNERS USE THE HOME MULTIPLE TIMES IN THE LAST 12 MONTHS. UM, THE POINT BEING, THESE ARE PEOPLE'S VACATION HOMES. SO, THESE WILL NOT CONVERT TO HOUSING STOCK UH, FOR LONG-TERM HOUSING BECAUSE THESE OWNERS WANT TO USE THEIR HOUSES. UM, SO, AGAIN, THAT'S 74 OUT OF 80 PROPERTIES, WHERE PEOPLE USE THEIR HOMES OFTEN. THAT IS 92% OF THE PROPERTIES THAT WE MANAGE. UM, MOREOVER, WE WANNA GET SOME NUMBERS THAT HELP LEARN HOW THESE SHORT-TERM RENTALS ARE HELPING OUR ECONOMY. UM, WE HOST ABOUT 550 BOOKINGS PER MONTH, AVERAGE OF SIX GUESTS, THAT IS 3,480 TRAVELERS TO THE AREA. THIS IS THE WHOLE COUNTY, NOT JUST UNINCORPORATED, BUT, UM, PER MONTH, THAT'S... AND, UH, EACH OF THESE, UH, SIT, UH, EAT OUT AT LEAST ONCE PER TRIP. THAT IS 3,480 MEALS AT OUR LOCAL RESTAURANTS, 41,000 MEALS PER YEAR AT OUR RESTAURANTS IN TOWN. UM, OTHER ASPECTS OF THE ECONOMY THAT WE HELP PROVIDE. WE PAY $1.2 MILLION A YEAR IN CLEANING AND LINEN FEES TO OUR, TO OUR LOCAL COMPANIES THAT LAUNDER. [00:30:03] THAT COSTS 12 CREWS AND EMPLOY OF OVER 100 PEOPLE IN OUR AREA. UH, $280,000 IN REPAIRS AND MAINTENANCE TO LOCAL VENDORS. UM, WE PAY OVER A MILLION DOLLARS A YEAR IN TOTS UH, ON BEHALF OF THE TRAVELERS, AND WE EMPLOY 10 PEOPLE AS WELL. SO WE HOPE TO SEE ALL THAT STAY IN PLACE. THANKS. - HI, I AM NOEL BACH, AND I AM ADDRESSING CONSENT AGENDA... - CAN YOU LOWER THE MIC? - OH, I AM A LITTLE BIT SHORT. [LAUGHS] I AM NOEL BACH, AND I AM ADDRESSING CONSENT AGENDA ITEM NUMBER 27. I AM ON THE BOARD OF THE DAVENPORT NORTH COAST ASSOCIATION, AND I HAVE LIVED IN DAVENPORT FOR OVER 35 YEARS. AND IN THAT TIME, WE HAVE SEEN THIS LITTLE TOWN GROW FROM A FACTORY TOWN TO A TOURIST DESTINATION WITH A NATIONAL MONUMENT AND AN UPCOMING RAIL TRAIL. TWO DAYS BEFORE THE COTONI-COAST DAIRIES GRAND OPENING, OUR FEARS CAME TRUE, AND THERE WAS A FIRE IN THE ADJACENT EUCALYPTUS GROVE THREATENING NEWTOWN. IN THE DAYS AFTER THE OPENING, THE LACK OF SIGNAGE, PERSONNEL, AND PARKING SPACES HAS RESULTED IN A MULTITUDE OF HAPHAZARD PARKING ALONG CEMENT PLANT ROAD INTO NEWTOWN. THEREFORE, THE RESIDENTS OF DAVENPORT WERE RELIEVED TO HEAR ABOUT THE LAW ENFORCEMENT AND COUNTY PARKS MANAGEMENT HUB PROPOSED FOR DOWNTOWN DAVENPORT. IN PREPARATION FOR THE DEVELOPMENTS THAT HAVE OCCURRED, WE HAVE, WE WERE PART OF THE NORTH COAST FACILITIES MANAGEMENT PLANNING MEETINGS, AND THE PURPOSE WAS TO CONSOLIDATE AND COORDINATE LAND MANAGEMENT ON THE NORTH COAST. SO, NOW THE SHERIFF AND COUNTY'S HUB CAN BE PART OF THAT GOAL AND ASSURE THE COMMUNITY AND VISITOR SAFETY, STRENGTHENING INTERAGENCY COLLABORATION, IMPROVING RESPONSE TIMES, AND MAINTAINING A VISIBLE PRESENCE IN THE COMMUNITY. FOR THAT, WE THANK YOU, SUPERVISORS, AND JUSTIN ESPECIALLY, IN ADVANCE FOR THIS FACILITY AND FUNDING. THANK YOU. - THANK YOU. COME UP NEXT. LET'S, UH, HOLD THE APPLAUSE OUT OF RESPECT FOR THE FOLLOWING SPEAKERS THAT WE HAVE IN-LINE, WAITING. THANK YOU. - GOOD MORNING. I AM GREGORY AUDINO. I LIVE OUT IN OLD [INAUDIBLE]. WHAT IS GOING ON AT THE COE, THE COMMUNITY PROJECT OF PUBLIC EXPERT PANEL MEETINGS WITH GUEST SPEAKERS? INDUSTRY INSIDERS ARE SUPPORTING THE INDUSTRY'S AGENDA. THE CHAIRMAN OF CISA IS A LOBBYIST AND HE'S A SALESMAN. HE IS PAID TO SAY WHAT HE SAID FOR 45 MINUTES. PRESENTING THE IDEA THAT THIS IS ALL WE HAVE, THAT THE LFP BESS IS SAFER. HOW SAFE IS IT? NO DATA. WE HEARD FROM THE SCIENTIST... NO, WE NEED TO... WE HAVEN'T HEARD FROM SCIENTISTS WHO CAN SPEAK ABOUT THE REAL DANGERS OF THESE FLAMMABLE AND EXPLOSIVE SITES AND LONG-TERM, WHAT A BESS BRINGS TO OUR COUNTY AS FAR AS THE ENVIRONMENT GOES. NEW LEAF ENERGY HAS PROPOSED A BESS SITE AT 90 MINTO ROAD TO BE PLACED IN THE MIDDLE OF PRIME FARMLAND. YES, THERE IS AN APPLE ORCHARD THERE NOW THAT IS PRODUCING. THEY WILL REMOVE THE ORCHARD, LEVEL THE LAND, PAVE OVER A 10 TO 12 FOOTBALL FIELD-SIZE OF LAND OF PRIME FARMLAND TO PUT IN AN INDUSTRIAL GRID-SCALE 200 CONTAINERS WORTH OF BESS FACILITY THAT WILL BE PERMANENT. THIS WILL FOREVER CHANGE THE AGRICULTURE OF THE AREA. WHAT WILL THIS DO TO OUR CLOSE TO $2 BILLION LOCAL AGRICULTURAL COMMUNITY? THIS LAND IS SOUTH-FACING, DOWN-SLOPING TOWARDS THE SOUTH, IN THE MIDDLE OF VERY PRODUCTIVE BERRY AND PRODUCE FIELDS WITHIN A HALF-MILE OF A [INAUDIBLE] ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, A MILE OR SO FROM THE FAIRGROUNDS, AND A QUARTER-MILE FROM PEOPLE'S HOMES. THIS TECHNOLOGY EXPERIENCED LARGE GROWTH. WHY ARE WE RUSHING INTO OLD TECH WHEN NEW TECH IS COMING AVAILABLE? THANK YOU. - GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS JULIO ANDRADE. ON BEHALF OF CRADLE TO CAREER SANTA CRUZ COUNTY, I WOULD LIKE TO EXPRESS OUR DEEPEST GRATITUDE FOR THE RECENT PROCLAMATION RECOGNIZING COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKERS. THIS PUBLIC ACKNOWLEDGMENT IS A POWERFUL TESTAMENT TO THE ESSENTIAL AND OFTEN UNSEEN WORK THAT THE COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKERS PERFORM EVERY DAY. THE PROCLAMATION NOT ONLY HONORS THE DEDICATION AND RESILIENCE OF COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKERS BUT ALSO ELEVATES AWARENESS OF THEIR CRITICAL ROLE IN OUR HEALTH CARE ECOSYSTEM BY BRIDGING THE GAP BETWEEN CLINICAL CARE AND COMMUNITY NEEDS. COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKERS ARE INSTRUMENTAL IN PROVIDING CULTURALLY COMPETENT SUPPORT, CONNECTING RESIDENTS TO VITAL RESOURCES, AND IMPROVING HEALTH CARE, HEALTH OUTCOMES [00:35:01] FOR OUR MOST VULNERABLE POPULATIONS. THE RECOGNITION OF THEIR EFFORTS WILL UNDOUBTEDLY INSPIRE AND MOTIVATE OUR WORKFORCE, REINFORCING THE VALUE OF THEIR TIRELESS ADVOCACY AND COMPASSIONATE SERVICE. THIS PROCLAMATION IS MORE THAN A FORMAL STATEMENT. IT IS A CALL TO ACTION AND A COMMITMENT TO A HEALTHIER, MORE EQUITABLE FUTURE FOR ALL. WE ARE INCREDIBLY GRATEFUL FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP AND YOUR UNWAVERING SUPPORT. THANK YOU. - GOOD MORNING. BECKY STEINBRENNER. I WANT TO, UH, FIRST SPEAK TO ITEM NUMBER, CONSENT 38, WHEREIN, UH, CHAIRMAN, HERNANDEZ, YOU ARE ASKING TO DELAY THE COUNTY SUPERVISORS' REVIEW OF THE BATTERY ENERGY STORAGE SYSTEM ORDINANCE FOR OUR COUNTY. I, UH, I THINK IT IS WISE TO GATHER FURTHER INFORMATION, BUT I DISAGREE WITH YOUR REASONS FOR DOING SO. I DO NOT FEEL THAT SOLELY THE LANGUAGE OF SB 283 SHOULD BE UNDER CONSIDERATION. I THINK YOUR BOARD ALSO NEEDS TO SUPPORT AB 303 AND AB 434. AB 303 WOULD ESTABLISH CONCRETE SETBACKS, OBJECTIVE SETBACKS FOR FUTURE BATTERY ENERGY STORAGE SYSTEMS FROM RECEPTIVE, UH, SCHOOLS, UH, HOSPITALS, PLACES LIKE THAT. RIGHT NOW, IT IS NOT THERE. YOU NEED TO SUPPORT THIS. YOU ALSO NEED TO SUPPORT AB 434, WHICH PUTS AN EFFECTIVE MORATORIUM ON NEW BATTERY, LITHIUM BATTERY TECHNOLOGY, GRID-SCALE PROJECTS UNTIL THE CURRENT STATE FIRE CODE THAT WILL MAKE THIS, UH, THAT WILL PROTECT THE HEALTH AND SAFETY OF THE FIREFIGHTERS AND THE PUBLIC UNTIL THOSE NEW STATE FIRE CODES ARE ADOPTED. YOU NEED TO SUPPORT THOSE AS WELL. LIKE MR. AUDINO, I FEEL THAT THE COMMISSION ON THE ENVIRONMENTS INFORMATION IS NOT BALANCED AT ALL. I THINK IT IS BORDERING ON PROPAGANDA. AND I WILL SUPPORT, GIVE TO YOU, UM, MOSS LANDING, NEVER AGAIN, MOSS LANDING ENVIRONMENTAL LESSONS LEARNED FOR YOUR, UM, PREVIEW. FINALLY, I WANT TO PUT YOU ON NOTICE. I WAS SO DISAPPOINTED ON AUGUST 5TH WITH THIS ACTION THAT YOU TOOK AGAINST THE REDMOND-HIRAHARA HOUSE. SUPERVISOR CUMMINGS, THANK YOU FOR STANDING UP TO SUPPORT THE PRESERVATION OF HISTORIC THINGS. YOU ARE, UH, ON NOTICE. I PLAN TO TAKE ACTION LEGALLY BECAUSE YOU VIOLATED CEQA. THANK YOU. - HELLO, MY NAME IS ROCIO SANCHEZ. I STAND FOR EQUITY AND HEALTH FOR MYSELF AND OTHERS, AND I'M HERE, UM, AS PART OF CRADLE TO CAREER IN SANTA CRUZ COMMUNITY HEALTH. UH, I'M JUST TELLING YOU A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT PROMOTORAS. PROMOTORAS ARE THE HEART FOR OUR COMMUNITY. THEY WALK ALONGSIDE FAMILIES, OFFERING GUIDANCE, CARE, AND ENCOURAGEMENT IN WAYS THAT HONOR CULTURE AND LANGUAGE. THROUGH THEIR DEDICATION, THEY SHARE HEALTH INFORMATION, CONNETING NEIGHBORS TO RESOURCES, AND INSPIRE HOPE. THANK YOU SO MUCH. - HOLLA, BUENOS DIAS. UM, GRACIAS. HELLO, MY NAME IS DIANA VALADEZ. I HAVE BEEN A PROMOTORAS FOR 5 YEARS, 7 YEARS VOLUNTEERING. AND SHE LIKES TO SAY THAT SHE IS A BRIDGE FOR THE COMMUNITY AND HELP AND SUPPORT. THANK YOU SO MUCH. - UH, GOOD MORNING. UM, I AM GREG MINGSON, A RESIDENT OF SANTA CRUZ DISTRICT 3. OOCCASIONALLY I VISIT DISTRICT 5, [INAUDIBLE]. UM, I WANT TO COMMENT ON THE POINT-IN-TIME HEADCOUNT RELEASED DATA. UM, I DID NOT DO IT LAST YEAR, BUT I VOLUNTEERED TO ROAM AROUND THE PREVIOUS TWO YEARS. AND I UNDERSTAND THAT, UH WE HAVE TO MAINTAIN A CERTAIN PROTOCOL SO THAT YEAR-TO-YEAR THINGS MAKE SENSE. BUT, UM, AS MS. FLANNERY SAID, HAVING THE MASSIVE, MASSIVE SWEEP THAT COMPLETELY DISRUPTED ANY HOPE OF REALITY IN A HEADCOUNT 2 DAYS BEFORE THAT IS EITHER A MISTAKE [00:40:01] OR AN ABSURD INSULT TO DATA. UM... AND OF COURSE, I MEAN, IT LOOKS GOOD TEMPORARILY TO EITHER TO SHOW THAT MAY BE PRO- PROGRESS WAS DONE IN CERTAIN AREAS, AND IT WAS. I MEAN, PROGRESS IS HAPPENING. I ABSOLUTELY, I, I I'M, I'M HOMELESS MYSELF, SO I ATTEST TO THAT. UM, BUT WE DO LOSE MONEY WHEN WE UNDERCOUNT. SOMEBODY IS GETTING THAT MONEY, AND THEY ARE THE ONES THAT MIGHT BE MORE ACCURATELY COUNTING. UM... I KNOW THERE'S, I KNOW THERE'S A LOT OF DIFFICULTIES IN THIS SO IT, WHEN YOU, WHEN YOU REALLY GET DOWN TO THE DETAILS, BUT LET'S JUST PUT OUR HEADS TOGETHER ON THAT, TOGEHER ON THAT. ALSO, UM, I AM NOT HOMELESS ANYMORE. I GOT AN APARTMENT AFTER SIX YEARS HOMELESS HERE, SO THAT IS COOL. I APPRECIATE EVERYTHING THAT HAPPENS HERE. AND PEACE. - GOOD MORNING, CHAIR HERNANDEZ, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD. MY NAME IS DAVE REED. AND THIS IS AMANDA GULLINGS. AND WE ARE TWO OF YOUR FIVE MEMBERS OF YOUR OFFICE OF RESPONSE, RECOVERY, AND RESILIENCE. WE WANTED TO THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK WITH YOU AND TO RECOGNIZE AND PROCLAIM AUGUST AS NATIONAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AWARENESS MONTH. UM, AND TAKE A MOMENT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE CRITICAL ASPECTS OF PREPAREDNESS, RESPONSE, RECOVERY, AND RESILIENCE THAT WE WORK TOWARDS, UM, EVERY DAY FOR OUR COMMUNITY. AS THE SUPERVISOR MENTIONED, AUGUST IS OUR 5-YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF THE CZU LIGHTNING COMPLEX FIRE. A DEVASTATING EVENT THAT CHANGED THE LIVES OF MANY OF OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS BUT ALSO CHANGED THE COUNTY ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE AS WELL. UM, IT MARKS THE 5-YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF THE CREATION OF OR3. THE BOARD, UM, TOOK THAT ACTION TO CREATE THIS OFFICE. WE ARE YOUR OFFICE OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AS WELL AS PROVIDING OTHER FUNCTIONS IN THE COMMUNITY. UM, I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT SOME OF THE THINGS THAT OVER THOSE LAST 5 YEARS THAT WE'VE TRIED TO DO AND WORK TOWARDS, UM TO BUILD MORE RESILIENCE AND PREPAREDNESS FOR OUR COMMUNITY. UM, SINCE THE CREATION IN, IN LATE 2020, WE'VE COMPLETED AN UPDATE TO OUR EMERGENCY OPERATIONS PLAN. WE'VE CREATED AN EVACUATION ANNEX. WE'VE LAUNCHED CRUZAWARE, WHICH WAS, UM, OUR FIRST CAPABILITY TO COMMUNICATE WITH THE PUBLIC INDEPENDENT OF OUR 911 SYSTEM. WE'VE ALSO TAKEN, UH, CONSIDERABLE EFFORT. ACTUALLY, UM, AMANDA HAS LED THE CHARGE IN, IN DOING OUTREACH IN COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT. WE REALLY FEEL STRONGLY TO BE OUT IN THE COMMUNITY EDUCATING FOLKS. WE'VE REACHED THOUSANDS OF FOLKS THROUGH THE WRITERS RESOURCE FAIR FOR FARMWORKERS. WE HAVE BEEN AT NATIONAL NIGHT OUT, TRUNK OR TREAT, THE STRAWBERRY FESTIVAL, AND THE PAJARO EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS FAIR, TO NAME A FEW. ON THE RECOVERY FRONT, WE HAVE WORKED, UM, WITH THE US DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE ON A GRANT TO HELP REBUILD DAMAGED STREAMS ALONG, UM, SOME OF OUR WATERWAYS FOR FOLKS THAT WERE IMPACTED BY THE 2023 DISASTERS. ON THE RESILIENCE SIDE, WE HAVE UPDATED OUR CLIMATE ACTION AND ADAPTATION PLAN. WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF UPDATING OUR MULTI-HAZARD LOCAL, UH, LOCAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN. AND IN CLOSING, WE LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH ALL OF YOU AND CONTINUING TO BUILD RESILIENCE IN OUR COMMUNITY. THANK YOU. - HELLO, MY NAME IS RAY RAMIREZ, AND I AM A CHW AT PAJARO VALLEY PREVENTION AND STUDENT ASSISTANCE. AND I AM GONNA READ THE PROCLAMATION IN SPANISH. UM... GRACIAS. - [00:46:30] GRACIAS. - GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS KENDALL WATSON, AND THIS IS MY HUSBAND, MATT WATSON. I AM HERE IN SUPPORT OF SHORT-TERM VACATION RENTALS. UH, ABOUT EXACTLY AUGUST OF 2017, WE STARTED OUR VACATION RENTAL WITH AIRBNB. UH, SINCE THEN, WE HAVE HAD FIVE-STAR RATINGS. I AM A SUPER HOST, AND, UH, WE'VE NEVER HAD ANY COMPLAINTS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD FROM ANY OF OUR NEIGHBORS. WE MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE RESPECTFUL OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD. WE ALSO BRING IN A BUNCH OF REVENUE FOR THE CITY, WHICH WE LOVE. WE HAVE BOTH LIVED HERE FOR 30 YEARS, AND WE LOVE GIVING BACK TO THE COMMUNITY. I EVEN HAVE A FOLDER IN OUR AIRBNB THAT IS FULL OF RECOMMENDATIONS FOR ALL THE LOCAL BUSINESSES THAT WE LOVE AND WE WANT TO CONTINUE TO THRIVE IN THIS AREA. WE ALSO USE SOME OF OUR, UH, REVENUE TO GIVE BACK TO THE COMMUNITY, SUCH AS THE SANTA CRUZ COMMUNITY FOUNDATION, UH, NAMI OF SANTA CRUZ, AND GIRLS INC. OF THE CENTRAL COAST. UH, YEAH WE KNOW THAT AIRBNB OR SHORT-TERM RENTALS CAN BE TRICKY BECAUSE OF THE ISSUES THEY CAN CAUSE FOR THAT NEIGHBORHOOD, BUT OUR AIRBNB IS ON OUR PROPERTY. WE ARE THERE TO MAKE SURE EVERYONE IS RESPECTFUL OF EACH OTHER. WE ALSO ONLY ALLOW TWO GUESTS IN OUR AIRBNB. IT IS A ONE-BEDROOM, SO WE ARE SURE WE'VE NEVER HAD ANY PARTIES OR ANY WILD THINGS GOING ON. SO, WE HOPE YOU TAKE THIS INTO CONSIDERATION FOR SHORT-TERM RENTALS. THANK YOU. - GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS CAROL BJORN, AND I WANT TO TALK ABOUT AGENDA ITEM 38 AS WELL. AND I WANNA REITERATE EVERYTHING THAT BECKY SPOKE ABOUT EARLIER. SO IF WE COULD PLEASE INCLUDE WAITING ON AB 303 UNTIL THAT IS PASSED, AS WELL AS AB 434, WHICH WOULD PLACE A MORATORIUM ON ANY LITHIUM BESS, UM, FACILITIES UNTIL THE FIRE CODES ARE UPDATED. WE HAVE STATE FIRE CODES. THEY ARE MEANT TO KEEP US ALL SAFE. WE NEED TO WAIT UNTIL THEY ARE UPDATED, WHICH I BELIEVE OCCURS LIKE IN NEXT YEAR. SO IT'S REALLY NOT THAT LONG TO WAIT. ALSO, UH, BECKY HAD A REALLY WONDERFUL GUEST ON HER RADIO SHOW LAST FRIDAY, MR. HASAR, WHO WORKS FOR A COMPANY I BELIEVE IS CALLED INVINITY. SO THEY HAVE VANADIUM-BASED ENERGY STORAGE SYSTEMS. THEY'VE ACTUALLY PLACED THESE VANADIUM STORAGE SYSTEMS IN PLACE, IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA. SO I WANT TO ENCOURAGE EVERYONE HERE TO LOOK INTO THE VANADIUM STORAGE SYSTEMS BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT FLAMMABLE AT ALL. SO THAT WOULD BE A GREAT WAY TO REALLY REDUCE THAT RISK. AND LET'S LOOK, UM, FOR A SECOND AT THE DRIVING FORCE BEHIND THE RENEWABLES AND THE BESS SYSTEMS. IT IS REALLY 3C ENERGY. SO, IT'S CENTRAL COAST COMMUNITY ENERGY, WHICH WAS REALLY RECENTLY PUT TOGETHER. AND I ACTUALLY PULLED UP THEIR FINANCIAL STATEMENTS. THEY HAVE A YEAR ENDING SEPTEMBER 30TH, 2024. AND WHAT KEITH WAS SPEAKING ABOUT EARLIER IS CORRECT. THEY ARE PAYING $7 MILLION IN SALARIES. [00:50:03] I'M NOT SURE HOW WE ARE GOING TO HAVE LOWER ENERGY COSTS WHEN WE ARE HAVING TO COVER $7 MILLION OF THEIR SALARIES PLUS BENEFITS AND THEIR DEFINED RETIREMENT CONTRIBUTION PLAN, AS WELL AS ANY RENT THAT THEY ARE PAYING TO OFFICE SPACE. AND THEY'RE PURCHASING LAND. THEY'RE PURCHASING LAND IN SAN LUIS OBISPO. THEY ARE GETTING OFFICE SPACE HERE IN SANTA CRUZ COUNTY. SO, WE CAN ALL OPT OUT OF 3C ENERGY, AND IT IS REALLY EASY TO DO. KEITH HAS A HANDOUT. I HAVE A HANDOUT. UM, YOU CAN CALL 3C ENERGY AND ASK TO OPT-OUT. THAT WAY YOUR MONEY IS NOT GOING TO SUPPORT THESE, UM, EXPLOSIVE FACILITIES. THANK YOU. - HI, I'M JASMINE, UM, AND I AM HERE BECAUSE I JUST, UH, DROVE UP TO COMMENT ON SOMETHING ELSE THAT I WILL BE DOING. BUT WHEN I PARKED, I NOTICED THAT SOMEBODY LIKE WAS ALREADY MARKING THE TIRES ON EITHER CAR ON EITHER SIDE OF ME. AND I WAS LIKE, "WELL, IT'S JUST GOING TO BE A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE I WALK AWAY AND THEY DO THAT." AND I WAS WONDERING WHAT HAPPENS WHEN WE COME TO THESE MEETINGS. LIKE, I'M A MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC, CONCERNED. I WANNA DISCUSS THINGS. THIS COULD EASILY TAKE MORE THAN TWO HOURS. AND I AND I WANT EVERYONE ELSE TO KNOW THEY ARE MARKING TIRES. SO, I HAVE THIS ALARM SET FOR TWO HOURS, WHICH WILL NOW INTERRUPT THE MEETING. IT'S LIKE I, I DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW THIS IS SUPPOSED TO WORK. ACCESSIBILITY IS VERY IMPORTANT TO ME. I AM DISABLED, AND I NEED TO KNOW WHAT I AM SUPPOSED TO DO. IF I GO BACK OUT AND MY CAR IS TOWED OR I HAVE A TICKET BECAUSE I CAME HERE TO TALK TO YOU, THAT FEELS SUPER, JUST UNDEMOCRATIC, RIDICULOUS. - MY NAME IS HECK TRAVERS, AND I AM HERE REPRESENTING SHORT-TERM RENTALS. MY WIFE AND I HAVE BEEN MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY FOR 36 YEARS. MY WIFE HAS BEEN A TEACHER FOR 21 YEARS AND FORMERLY A, UH, SINGLE-MOTHER. MY SELF, I'VE BEEN IN PUBLIC SAFETY FOR 25 YEARS. AND JUST GOT PULLED BACK... IN RETIREMENT PULLED BACK INTO SERVICE IN MY LOCAL FIRE DEPARTMENT. I'VE ALSO BEEN A DEPUTY SHERIFF. UM... I WANTED TO GIVE YOU SOME STATISTICS. OH, BY THE WAY, I AM ALSO A CZU AUGUST LIGHTNING COMPLEX FIREFIGHTER. I FOUGHT THE FIRE. UM, I'M GOING TO GIVE YOU SOME PER- PERCENTAGES OF AIRBNB RENTALS, SHORT-TERM RENTALS; 76% OF SHORT-TERM RENTALS HOSTS SUPPLEMENT THEIR INCOME WITH THAT PLATFORM. OUT OF THAT, 51%, AND THIS IS IN CALIFORNIA, UM, ALLOW THEM TO COVER THE RISING COST IN CALIFORNIA. JUST THAT ALONE. OTHERS, OVER HALF OF THOSE HOSTS IN CALIFORNIA, UM, HAVE SAID THAT IT HELPED THEM TO STAY IN THEIR HOMES, AVOIDING FORECLOSURES AND EVICTIONS. YEAH, UM, 16%, 16.2% IS THE POPULATION OF SENIORS IN CALIFORNIA, AND THAT IS A GROWING POPULATION. UM, AND WHAT DOES THAT HAVE TO DO WITH AIRBNB RENTALS? AIRBNB RENTALS, THAT IS ALSO GROWING IN POPULATION FOR AIRBNB RENTALS, SHORT-TERM RENTALS. UH, I REPRESENT THE PRIVATE SIDE OF THIS, OF COURSE. UM... SENIOR HOSTS ARE A GROWING POPULATION, AND OUT OF THAT, 64% OF THOSE ARE WOMEN. I CAN ONLY DEDUCE THAT THAT MAY BE BECAUSE OF DIVORCE OR BEING A WIDOW. UM.... WHILE 16% IS NOT A SIGNIFICANT, UM, UH, SENIOR POPULATION IN CALIFORNIA, THE POPULATION IN CALIFORNIA IS LARGE, SO IT IS A LARGER SEGMENT THAN ANY OF THE OTHER STATES. UM.... - THANK YOU. - AND, AND THAT IT? OH, OKAY, THANK YOU BOARD. AND MY CONDOLENCES GO TO LUNA AND HER FAMILY. - UH, GOOD MORNING. BUENOS DÍAS, CHAIR AND BOARD. WELCOME BACK, YOU KNOW, UM... MY NAME IS BERNARD GOMEZ, UH, IN DISTRICT 3 AND BORN AND RAISED IN DISTRICT 4. UM, I ALSO WORK WITH THE ORGANIZATION CALLED MILPA. I AM HERE TO ALK ABOUT, JUST COMMENT ON IIEM 21. I KNOW THAT THE CHIEF PROBATION OFFICER, UM, IS A BIG ROLE FOR THE COUNTY, RIGHT? IT, UH, THERE'S A LOT OF INTERSECTIONS WITH THAT POSITION. A VERY IMPORTANT POSITION. ONE THAT, UH I BELIEVE THAT WHEN THIS BOARD MAKES IT'S DECISION, I HOPE THAT THIS BOARD ALSO HAS AND HAS BEEN, UH HAS BEEN INFORMED ALSO BY OR PROVIDED AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE COMMUNITY TO INFORM THIS PROCESS AS WELL. UM, I'M NOT SURE HOW IT HAS BEEN DONE BEFORE, YOU KNOW? UM, BUT I'M A RECENT ALSO COMMISSIONER FOR THE JUVENILE JUSTICE DELINQUENCY PREVENTION COMMISSION, UH, UNDERTAKES INSPECTIONS OF JUVENILE HALL AND STUFF LIKE THAT. [00:55:04] YOU KNOW, IT'S SOMETHING THAT I, THAT I CARE ABOUT, YOU KNOW, JUST BEING, UH, IMPACTED BY THAT SYSTEM. UH, FORMERLY INCARCERATED AND ALL THAT, YOU KNOW? SO... YEAH, JUST REALLY THINK ABOUT PROVIDING A SEAT FOR, I WOULD JUST SAY FOR MILPA TO BE THERE, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE WE REPRESENT UH, A VAST MAJORITY OF FOLKS THAT NOT NECESSARILY ARE WILLING TO BE PART OF THESE, THESE, THIS PROCESS OR, YOU KNOW, ARE STRUGGLING THEMSELVES, YOU KNOW, SO, I THINK WE'D BRING A UNIQUE PERSPECTIVE ALSO THAT IS, THAT HAS MERIT, YOU KNOW? I, I HEARD, I'VE SEEN THAT ON THE MOU, YOU KNOW, ABOUT A MERIT SYSTEM. UM, I MEAN... OUR MERIT SYSTEM ALSO IS A LIVED EXPERIENCE, SO I THINK WE SHOULD BE AT THAT TABLE. UM, AND LAST THING I WILL SAY IS, YOU KNOW, FERNANDO, HE, HE TOOK THE COUNTY THIS FAR AND ALL THE POSITIVE STUFF THAT HE DID, YOU KNOW? AND WE NEED, SO THINKING ABOUT WHAT'S THAT NEXT LEVEL. HOW DO WE TAKE IT FURTHER? HOW DO WE REDUCE, CONTINUE TO REDUCE, UH, THE, THE, UM, YOUTH INCARCERATION, RIGHT? AND THERE'S, THERE'S ADULT AND YOUTH, YOU KNOW? SO, ANYWAY, THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO BEING PART OF THE DECISION. THANK YOU. - HI. MY NAME IS JANICE RODRIGUEZ, AND I AM ALSO A VACATION RENTAL MANAGER HERE IN SANTA CRUZ COUNTY. UM, I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF TALK OF LIKE HOW VACATION RENTALS UM, THAT'S LIKE FOR PROPERTY OWNERS, AND THEY MAKE A LOT OF MONEY AND STUFF. BUT I BELIEVE THAT THERE IS MORE TO THAT. UM, AS A SMALL BUSINESS OWNER, I EMPLOY MANY, I HAVE MANY EMPLOYEES AND MOST OF THEM ARE SINGLE MOTHERS WHO ARE MAKING WELL ABOVE MINIMUM WAGE. UM, I ALSO, THEN WE HAVE HANDYMEN, LANDSCAPERS, AND LIKE BASICALLY, WHAT SHANE WAS SAYING EARLIER IS IT'S NOT JUST THE PROPERTY OWNERS. IT IS THE RIPPLE EFFECT INTO PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN THE COMMUNITY AND ARE PART OF OUR COMMUNITY THAT ARE GOING TO BE AFFECTED BY THIS. AND I'M ALSO ASKING FOR YOU TO GRANDFATHER EXISTING RENTALS INTO THE NEW ORDINANCE THAT YOU HAVE. THANKS. - HI, UH, MY NAME IS JASON HERRERA. UH, THANK YOU FOR THE TIME TO TALK HERE TODAY. UM, I'M SPEAKING ON THE SAME TOPIC AS JANICE, THE POSSIBLE CHANGES TO ORDINANCES AND REGULATIONS FOR SHORT-TERM RENTALS. UM, I GREW UP IN THIS AREA, UM, ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, MISSION HILL, UH, ET CETERA. UM, I AM CURRENTLY TIED TO AND TORN BETWEEN TWO COMMUNITIES. UH, MY RESIDENCE IS ACTUALLY OAKLAND. UH, BUT A FEW YEARS AGO, MY SIBLINGS AND I WERE ABLE TO UM, PURCHASE A HOME HERE WITH THE INTENT THAT MY WIFE, TWO SONS, AND I WILL MOVE HERE WHEN, WHEN WE'RE READY. AND I SAY, "WHEN WE'RE READY," BECAUSE, UH, WE'RE NOT ABLE TO DO THAT, ONE, BECAUSE OF ECONOMICS. OAKLAND IS, IS WHERE MY JOB IS UNTIL I CAN CHANGE THAT. TWO, UM, WE ARE TIED TO OUR CHURCH COMMUNITY THERE AND, UH, HAVE A LOT OF OBLIGATIONS. UM, PERSONAL OBLIGATIONS. THERE'S NO LEGAL OBLIGATIONS, BUT TO CARE FOR PEOPLE UH, IN THAT COMMUNITY. UM, EVEN THIS PAST WEEK, WE SIGNED ON TO BE A HEALTH CARE UH, POWER OF ATTORNEY FOR SOMEONE WHO HAS BEEN IN AND OUT OF THE HOSPITAL AND NEEDS IT. UM, AND, AND WHEN THE TIME COMES, WE WILL MOVE HERE. BUT WITHOUT BEING ABLE TO, TO SHARE OUR HOME, TO RENT OUR HOME, WE WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO DO THAT. I'VE HAD, I HAVE ELDERLY PARENTS IN BOTH PLACES. UH, MY MOM WAS A RESIDENT OF SANTA CRUZ COUNTY FOR 40 YEARS, WATSONVILLE FOR 20 YEARS, AND SHE WOULD HAVE BEEN UTTERLY ALONE IN HOSPITALS, IN HEALTH CARE CENTERS, AND EVEN IN HOSPICE IF I DIDN'T HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE HERE UM, WITH HER AND PROVIDE A HOME FOR HER. UM, WE DO NOT PROFIT FROM OUR SHORT-TERM RENTALS. IT JUST GIVES US THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE HERE AND TO, UH, TO MOVE WHEN, WHEN WE ARE ABLE. UM, AND I'LL JUST ECHO WHAT EVERYBODY ELSE SAID. AS SOON AS I MOVE HERE, THERE ARE GOING TO BE JOBS LOST BECAUSE SERVICES THAT I PAY FOR NOW AREN'T GONNA BE PAID FOR, UH, ONCE WE DO MOVE. THANK YOU. - GARY RICHARD ARNOLD, SUPERVISOR CHAIRMAN, SUPERVISORS. IT WAS 40 YEARS AGO, AND I AM GOING TO PASS OUT, UH, THE ANNOUNCEMENT OF MIKE ROCKIN'SUH, IT'S BEEN 40 YEARS SINCE, UH, WILLIAM DOMHOFF, A SUPER PROFESSOR AT UCSC, CALLED SANTA CRUZ THE MOST COMMUNIST, LEFTWARD CITY IN THE COUNTRY. UM... WE KNOW THIS BECAUSE BY MERELY WALKING [01:00:03] UP THE COURTHOUSE STEPS, WE SEE THE NAME OF COMMUNIST SPY, HUGH DE LACY, WHO HAD BELONGED TO SIX DIFFERENT SPY RINGS: PERLO, SILVERMASTER, [INAUDIBLE], WHICH IS ONE OF THE MOST FAMOUS, UM, OF ALL TIME, AND A NUMBER OF OTHERS THAT DO NOT COME TO MIND IMMEDIATELY. ALSO, UH, THE ROTARY MAN DID NOT SAY THAT THE ROTARY CLUB IS PART AND PARCEL OF, UH, THE PROPAGANDA NETWORK FOR WORLD GOVERNMENT. AND, UH, IF YOU LOOK UP ROTARY, YOU'LL FIND THEM PART AND PARCEL OF THE UNITED NATIONS ITSELF. UM, A LOT OF OUR SCHOOLS ARE PUSHING "GLOBAL ONLY" ON OUR CHILDREN IN ADDITION TO THAT. UM, ALSO, YOU DO NOT REPORT YOUR, UH, ARRANGEMENTS WITH AMBAG, THE ASSOCIATION OF MONTEREY BAY AREA GOVERNMENTS. UH, THAT IS A COG, THE COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENTS. IT IS NO MORE THAN A SOVIET, NOR DO YOU REPORT YOUR MEETINGS OR EXPENSES AT CALCOG. THAT INCLUDES EVERY COUNTY IN THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA THAT HAS ADOPTED THE SOVIET SYSTEM. I'LL GIVE YOU COPIES OF THAT, WHICH INCLUDE EVERYBODY. INCLUDING A MAN WHO'S RECENTLY JOINED [INAUDIBLE]... I AM SORRY WE DON'T HAVE MORE TIME, UH, TO TALK, BUT ANYWAY, UH, THAT'S THAT STORY. DROP YOUR MARXISM. GO FOR FREE ENTERPRISE, PLEASE. - HI, EVERYONE. THANKS FOR HEARING ME. I WASN'T GOING TO COMMENT ON THIS, UM, BUT I FELT COMPELLED AFTER I HEARD SOME OF THE OTHER COMMENTS. UH, MY NAME IS ALICIA POOLE. I'M PRESIDENT OF THE SANTA CRUZ HOMELESS UNION, AND I AM ALSO A COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKER. UH, MONICA AND I WORKED TOGETHER AT ENCOMPASS AT THE SAME TIME. UM, I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR ACKNOWLEDGING COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKERS, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, I WANT TO ASK YOU GUYS TO PLEASE LISTEN TO US. YOU HAVE HEARD A LOT OF, UM, COMMENTARY REGARDING THE POINT-IN-TIME COUNT. I ALSO WANT TO ECHO THAT THAT IS A REALLY INACCURATE COUNT. UM, AS I SIT HERE AND LOOK AT THESE PROPOSALS, I SEE THAT YOU GUYS ARE KIND OF, LIKE, ATTEMPTING TO REWRITE LAW, REWRITE ORDINANCES. UM, AND WHEN I SEE THESE THINGS, I AM THINKING IF YOU CAN REWRITE WHAT MAKES A VEHICLE INOPERABLE, YOU CAN FIND A BETTER WAY TO COUNT HOMELESS PEOPLE. UM... AND I WANT TO JUST REALLY, REALLY SAY THAT I'M HERE TO ASK FOR A SOLUTION, NOT JUST COMPLAIN THAT THE COUNT IS INNACURATE. WHAT I'M HERE IS ASKING YOU TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT. UM, I WAS REALLY TRIGGERED BY THAT COMMENT, "IF YOU'RE NOT AT THE TABLE, YOU'RE ON THE MENU." I FEEL LIKE THAT'S KIND OF CONSTANTLY OUR NARRATIVE REGARDING UNHOUSED INDIVIDUALS. UH, WE HAVE A LOT TO SAY; WE HAVE A LOT OF INPUT TO HELP YOU WITH SOLUTIONS IN THESE MATTERS, BUT WE ARE CONSTANTLY FIGHTING FOR A SEAT AT THE TABLE. UH, PLEASE LISTEN TO US. PLEASE ACKNOWLEDGE AND DO SOMETHING ABOUT THESE HUGE ISSUES THAT ARE PLAGUING OUR COMMUNITY BECAUSE THEY ARE NOT GOING TO GO AWAY UNTIL YOU ACKNOWLEDGE THE ROOT ISSUES. WE CAN'T JUST BLAME MENTAL HEALTH, SUBSTANCE ABUSE. WE CAN'T JUST REWRITE ORDINANCES AND KEEP DOING THE SAME THINGS THAT AREN'T WORKING. WE NEED TO TRY HARDER, DIG DEEP, BECAUSE IT IS IN YOUR POWER TO DO THAT. THANK YOU. - GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS NINA AUDINO. MY HUSBAND AND I OWN A HOME IN RURAL SOUTH COUNTY NEAR CORALITOS. RESPECTFULLY, I'D LIKE TO DRAW ATTENTION TO CRITICALLY CONCERNING AND MISLEADING MISREPRESENTATIONS OF THE ENERGY STORAGE COMBINING DISTRICT ORDINANCE AND NEW LEAF ENERGY'S APPLICATION FOR A 200-MEGAWATT BESS BUILD AT 90 MINTO ROAD. REPEATED STATEMENTS MADE TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC, PUBLIC AND PRIVATE GROUPS, AND TO THE PRESS BY NEW LEAF ENERGY, THEIR PR FIRM MILLER MAXFIELD, AND SUPERVISORS HERNANDEZ AND KOENIG HAVE CLAIMED THAT OF THE THREE BESS SITES IDENTIFIED IN THE DRAFT BESS ORDINANCE, ONLY THE ONE IN SOUTH COUNTY AT MINTO ROAD IS VIABLE. IN THIS VEIN, SUPERVISOR KOENIG, IN YOUR MOST RECENT CONSTITUENT'S NEWSLETTER, YOU CLAIM TO EXPLAIN THAT INDUSTRY PROFESSIONALS HAVE DETERMINED THE OTHER TWO SITES ARE, "OFF THE TABLE", BUT YOU ARE NOT ACTUALLY EXPLAINING WHAT THE PUBLIC NEEDS TO KNOW. FIRSTLY, THE PUBLIC NEEDS TO KNOW WHETHER THE OTHER TWO SITES ARE STILL BEING INCLUDED IN THE NEW BESS ORDINANCE BECAUSE THE NEW ZONING ORDINANCE LAW WILL REGULATE BESS DEVELOPMENT NOT JUST FOR NEW LEAF ENERGY, BUT FOR ANY OTHER RENEWABLE ENERGY DEVELOPMENT COUNTYWIDE IN THE FUTURE. AND SINCE ALL THREE SITES ARE, IN FACT, ACCORDING TO THE COUNTY [01:05:01] PLANNING, STILL BEING INCLUDED IN THE FINAL DRAFT OF THE ORDINANCE, THEY ARE NOT ACTUALLY OFF THE TABLE. SECONDLY, THE PUBLIC NEEDS TO KNOW THAT AT THIS POINT IN TIME, THE QUALIFYING ANALYSIS THAT PROVES THAT ANY OF THE 3 SITES ARE NOT VIABLE DOES NOT EXIST. AND THIRDLY, THE PUBLIC NEEDS TO KNOW THAT THE DETERMINATION OF WHETHER ANY OF THE SITES ARE NOT VIABLE DOES NOT REST WITH INDUSTRY PROFESSIONALS. THAT DETERMINATION IS A RESULT OF THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT WORKING THROUGH THE LEGAL CEQA PROCESS, WHICH ALSO INVOLVES EXTENSIVE PUBLIC COMMENT. OF COURSE, IF ELECTED, COUNTY LEADERS AND THE INDUSTRY BLANKET THE GENERAL PUBLIC, PRIVATE AND PUBLIC GROUPS, AND THE PRESS WITH MISLEADING STATEMENTS ABOUT 90 MINTO ROAD BEING THE ONLY VIABLE SITE, IS FAIR TO SURMISE THAT THE PUBLIC, COUNTYWIDE, MAY BE LESS MOTIVATED TO OBJECT TO THE PROPOSED INTRODUCTION OF FLAMMABLE AND EXPLOSIVE INDUSTRIAL-SCALE LITHIUM BESS FACILITIES INTO OUR RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOODS RIGHT NEXT TO OUR HOMES. I IMPLORE YOU, THEREFORE, RESPECTFULLY TO REPRESENT THE NEW BESS ORDINANCE TO THE PUBLIC IN STRAIGHTFORWARD AND HONEST TERMS THAT UPHOLD LAWFUL PROCESS. THANK YOU. - THANK YOU. - LEANNE ALBERS, UH, IN SUPPORT OF THE SHORT-TERM RENTALS ALSO. I JUST WANT TO ADD A COUPLE OF POINTS THAT WERE NOT MENTIONED. UM... UH, ONE POINT IS THAT 9 OUT OF 10 HOSTS IN SANTA CRUZ COUNTY LIST A SINGLE-PROPERTY, LIST A SINGLE PROPERTY AND ARE REGULAR PEOPLE TRYING TO MAKE ENDS MEET. [PAUSE] IT'S AS SIMPLE AS THAT. HOSTS ARE REAL PEOPLE, NOT CORPORATIONS. AND WE BRING A REAL SOURCE OF INCOME TO OUR COMMUNITY. [PAUSE] UM... OUR GUESTS FREQUENT THE RESTAURANTS, UM, THE PARKS AND DO SUPPORT OUR COMMUNITY. SO THAT'S ALL. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. - UM, WE HAVE BEEN OVER AN HOUR. WE'RE GOING TO MOVE... JIM, COME UP. IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE BEFORE I MOVE TO CALLS ONLINE? OKAY. - HI, MY NAME IS, UH, LEON SCHWAB, AND, UH, I LIVE HERE, UH, IN THE, IN THE GARDENS. AND I HAVE, UH, AN AIRBNB IN APTOS, AND JANICE IS MY MANAGER. UH, I JUST WANT TO SHARE MY PERSONAL STORY. UH, I DO NOT HAVE ANY STATISTICS OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT. UH, UM, I JUST WANTED TO, UH, TELL YOU THAT, UH, I FELT WELCOME IN THE COMMUNITY WHEN I WAS, UH, WHEN I WAS LOOKING FOR A PLACE TO LIVE HERE. UH, ME AT THE TIME, MY WIFE, UH, WERE LOOKING FOR A PLACE TO LIVE. AND THEN, AND WHEN WE SAW THIS OPPORTUNITY OF HAVING SOME EXTRA INCOME, UH, WITH A BEAUTIFUL PROPERTY THAT WE LOVE AND RESPECT, UH, AND RESPECT ALSO THE NEIGHBORHOOD, UM, WAS ABLE, UH, TO GIVE US THE, UM, UH, THE RIDE ON TO SAY, "OKAY, YOU'RE WELCOME HERE. YOU CAN, UH, START A FAMILY HERE." I CAME FROM SAN JOSE, AND SHE CAME FROM, UH, FROM HAWAII. AND, UM, IT WAS, UH, IT WAS HELPING ME TO HAVE LIKE 2 BEAUTIFUL GIRLS AND SUPPORT OUR FAMILY, TO GIVE US, UH, THE OPTION TO DO THAT HERE. UM, BESIDES, BESIDES THAT, UM, I KNOW, UH, I SEE HOW IT SUPPORTS UH, PEOPLE LIKE JANICE AND HER WORKERS. UH, AND HOW WE, AND HOW I, I CONTRIBUTE TO THE COMMUNITY IF I HAVE, IF I NEED TO DO SOME KIND OF, UH, REPAIR ON THE HOUSE, AND I'M USING A LOCAL CONTRACTOR AND PEOPLE PROVIDE SERVICES. UM, BEYOND THAT, WE HAVE, UH, ENDLESS, ENDLESS STORIES ON OUR GUESTBOOK OF HOW THAT PROPERTY WAS SO SPECIAL FOR THEM. AND IT IS REALLY MAGICAL TO, UH, FEEL PROUD, TO FEEL PRIDE AND AND PROUD TO, UH, PROVIDE PEOPLE WITH SOMETHING LIKE ANNIVERSARIES OR THEY PROPOSE THEIR ENGAGEMENT PARTIES, SMALL, WITHOUT NOISE, THINGS LIKE THAT. [CHUCKLES] SO, JUST MY PERSONAL TAKE. THANK YOU. - THANK YOU. NOW WE'LL MOVE ON TO ONLINE. IF WE CAN, UH, HOLD THE COMMENTS ONLINE TO ONE MINUTE. UH, WE'VE BEEN OVER AN HOUR FOR ITEMS ON THE AGENDA. - LUISA, YOUR MICROPHONE IS NOW AVAILABLE. - HI THERE, MY NAME IS LUISA MCGARRION. [01:10:02] I AM SPEAKING ON ITEM 44 FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA, WHICH I THINK REALLY REQUIRES PUBLIC COMMENT AND DISCUSSION. ACQUIRING DRONES FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY COULD FORCE OUR LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT TO FOLLOW THEIR PRIORITIES, WHICH, AS WE ARE SEEING RIGHT NOW, ARE REALLY ABOUT ICE TERRORIZING OUR COMMUNITIES AND ALSO SUPPRESSING PEOPLE WHO ARE EXPRESSING THEIR FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHTS. SO IT'S REALLY TROUBLING. I DON'T THINK WE SHOULD BE ACQUIRING NEW DRONES, EVEN IF THEY ARE FREE, IF THEY ARE COMING WITH STRINGS ATTACHED LIKE THIS. IT COULD, UM, MAKE US, UM, VIOLATE OUR COMMITMENTS TO BEING A SANCTUARY COMMUNITY AND, UM, REALLY VIOLATE ALL OF OUR RIGHTS. THANK YOU. - WELL, THERE'S 628. YOUR MICROPHONE IS NOW AVAILBLE. - YES, CAN YOU HEAR ME? [PAUSE] HELLO? - YES, WE CAN HEAR. - YES. - YES. WE CAN HEAR YOU. - [CROSSTALK] BUCKINGHAM. I'D LIKE TO, I'M BACK, I'D LIKE TO READ A COUPLE OF EXCERPTS FROM LEON CANEROT'S BOOK: THE UNFORTUNATE TRUTH ABOUT VACCINES: EXPOSING THE VACCINE ORTHODOXY. OKAY. "ASSUMPTION 3: VACCINE, VACCINES HAVE WIPED OUT ALL MAJOR DISEASES." "TO GIVE VACCINES CREDIT FOR GLOBAL REDUCTION IN DISEASE IS LIKE GIVING A BAND-AID TO... - [CROSSTALK] TO THE PHONE TOO AS WELL. - ... THAT WAS ALREADY CLOSING. [PAUSE] TO BETTER UNDERSTAND THE ASSUMED IMPACT THAT VACCINES HAVE HAD IN WIPING OUT DISEASES LIKE SMALLPOX, IT IS HELPFUL TO LOOK AT THE EVIDENCE OF SUCH CLAIMS FROM A HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE. IN SUZANNE HUMPHRIES', M.D., AND ROMAN BYSTRIANYK'S HIGHLY INFORMATIVE BOOK, DISSOLVING ILLUSIONS: DISEASES, VACCINES, AND THE FORGOTTEN HISTORY, THEY REVIEWED THE HISTORY OF DISEASES AND VACCINES SHOWING THAT VACCINES WERE NOT THE REASON FOR THE SHARP DECLINE IN MANY DISEASES. IN VIVID DETAIL, THEY CHRONICLED THE HISTORY OF DISEASES IN THE PAST SHOWING THAT SHOWING HOW THESE DISEASES WERE LARGELY THE RESULT OF POOR LIVING CONDITIONS THAT CAUSED WIDESPREAD INFECTION. INDUSTRIALIZATION IN THE 1800S CREATED OVERCROWDING IN LARGE CITIES... [SILENCE] - LISA, THE MICROPHONE IS NOW AVAILABLE. - GOOD MORNING. THE, IS THERE [INAUDIBLE] SPEECH IMPAIRMENT. UM, THE, MY... THE, MY CONCERN IS THAT, THAT I JUST MOVED TO SANTA CRUZ, AND I JUST FOUND OUT THAT YOU CUT THE FUNDING FOR MEALS ON WHEELS FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITY. THE OTHER THING THAT I'M FINDING CONCERNING [INAUDIBLE] THING, THE, AND THE OTHER THING THAT I'M CONCERNED IS ABOUT [INAUDIBLE] THAT I THINK THE [INAUDIBLE] TRANSPORTATION [INAUDIBLE] AS WELL. SO, FOR THE [INAUDIBLE] THE WHOLE BODY IS PROTECTED. THE, THE, THE, [INAUDIBLE] TO FUND THE FUNDING FOR MEALS ON WHEELS TO [INAUDIBLE].... - THANK YOU. - [INAUDIBLE]. - JOHN, YOUR MICROPHONE IS NOW AVAILABLE. - THANKS. MY NAME IS JOHN DOE. I AM A SENIOR ATTORNEY AT THE ACLU OF NORTHERN CALIFORNIA. I AM HERE TO COMMENT ON ITEM 8, WHICH SEEKS TO EXPAND THE JURISDICTION'S TOWING PRACTICES. UH, OF PARTICULAR CONCERN, THIS ITEM IS DIRECTLY TARGETED TOWARDS INHABITED RVS. I FEAR ITEM 8 WILL DEPRIVE FOLKS OF NOT ONLY THEIR CONSTITUTIONAL DUE PROCESS RIGHTS, IT'S ALSO INCONSISTENT WITH STATE LAW AND WILL LEAD TO THE DESTRUCTION OF PEOPLE'S HOMES AND LEAVE, UH, RELEGATE THEM TO THE STREET, UH, EXACERBATING POVERTY AND MISERY. UH, I SUGGEST YOU ALL LOOK AT STATE LAW, UH, WHICH LAYS OUT THE TOW AUTHORITY. THERE ARE NO EXCEPTIONS, GENERALLY SPEAKING, FOR NOTICE, BUT THE NEW ORDINANCE, UH, WOULD ALLOW FOR, ALLOW FOR NO NOTICE WHATSOEVER. IT ALSO EXPANDS THE DEFINITION OF WHAT CAN BE TOWED. EVERYTHING, FROM VEHICLES FOR EXAMPLE, THAT ARE NOT REGISTERED, WHICH HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH WHETHER OR NOT A VEHICLE IS ACTUALLY OPERABLE, UM, OR A HAZARD. SAFE PARKING CAN WORK. LOOK AT SANTA CRUZ, TIER 3 PROGRAM. [01:15:05] - TIM, YOUR MICROPHONE IS NOW AVAILABLE. - HELLO. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HEARING ME AGAIN. THIS IS TIM DELANEY. UH, SO, QUANTUMSCAPE. I THINK, UH, ALL OF YOU FOLKS ON THE BOARD NEED TO HIGHTAIL IT OVER TO THAT COMPANY AND JUST TAKE A LOOK. IT'S IMPORTANT FOR YOU FOLKS TO COLLECT INFORMATION ESPECIALLY WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT BATTERIES AND CLEAN TECH. AND, UH, CLEAN FOOD AND WATER ARE IMPERATIVE. AND YOU ALL KNOW HOW I FEEL ABOUT PROSTATE AND CERVICAL CANCER, OKAY? SO THAT IS IMPORTANT. I THINK YOU SHOULD GO DOWN THERE AND JUST TAKE A LOOK, BECAUSE IF THEIR TECHNOLOGY CAN BE DEPLOYED WITHOUT THAT RISK TO OUR COMMUNITY, THEN THAT PERHAPS WOULD BE A BETTER THING. ALSO, REMEMBER MY LAST NAME IS DELANEY. AND, OF COURSE, I'M HIGHLY OFFENDED THAT ICE DETAINS PEOPLE THAT ARE VULNERABLE, IN THESE PRISONS, OKAY? A FEW OTHER WORDS, BUSH DID NOT SAY TO SADDAM HUSSEIN THAT OH, YOU KNOW, I, YOU KNOW, IRAQ'S A BIG COUNTRY AND MAYBE KUWAIT SHOULD LIKE, GIVE UP SOME LAND, ALRIGHT? I GUESS THAT'S ALL I HAVE TIME FOR. YOU FOLKS HAVE A FINE DAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. - PETER, YOUR MIC IS NOW AVAILABLE. - THANK YOU. UH, THIS IS PETER GELBLUM, UH, ALSO SPEAKING ON ITEM 44, ECHOING WHAT THE PREVIOUS SPE- UH, CALLER SAID. BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, OR JUST AS IMPORTANTLY, UH, THIS BOARD HAS NO LEGAL AUTHORITY TO APPROVE THE PURCHASE OF THESE DRONES. DRONES ARE SPECIFICALLY SUBJECT TO STATE LAW AB 481. I SUBMITTED A WRITTEN COMMENT WHICH HAS ALL THE STATUTORY CITATIONS AND, UH, LEGAL ARGUMENTS. UH, AB 481 REQUIRES, UH, THE GOVERNING BODY OF THE AGENCY TO GET THE MILITARY EQUIPMENT TO, UH CONSIDER IT A MATTER THAT WOULD BE THE CITY COUNCIL BECAUSE THESE DRONES ARE GOING TO SANTA CRUZ POLICE DEPARTMENT AND SANTA CRUZ FIRE DEPARTMENT. YOU CANNOT APPROVE IT. AB 481 IS A VERY DETAILED PUBLIC PROCESS INCLUDING OPEN MEETINGS WITH THE AGENCIES AND WITH THE CITY COUNCIL, AND IT MUST BE ON AN AGENDA CITY COUNCIL MEETING. SO, UH, AT A MINIMUM, YOU MUST PULL THOSE TWO ITEMS FROM THIS, UH, ITEM 44. YOU, YOU CANNOT LEGALLY APPROVE THIS PURCHASE. THANK YOU. - CALLER AND USER 1, YOUR MICROPHONE IS NOW AVAILABLE. - CALLER AND USER 1, YOUR MICROPHONE IS NOW AVAILABLE. - HELLO, CAN YOU HEAR ME? - YES. - HELLO? - YES, WE CAN HEAR YOU. - CAN YOU HEAR ME? YEAH? - YES. - OKAY. BAN TOXIC BATTERY SITES, PREVENT DISASTER, AND ALSO EDUCATE BEFORE YOU VACCINATE. IN 1986, THE SUPREME COURT RULED THAT VACCINES ARE "UNAVOIDABLY UNSAFE." VACCINES ARE UNAVOIDABLY UNSAFE. THEREFORE, THEY SHOULD NEVER BE MANDATED, AND THE RIGHT TO PUBLIC EDUCATION SHOULD NEVER BE DENIED TO CHILDREN WHOSE PARENTS ARE TRYING TO PROTECT THEM FROM BEING HARMED FROM TOXIC, UNAVOIDABLY UNSAFE VACCINE INJECTIONS. "SAFE AND EFFECTIVE" IS A LIE. EDUCATE BEFORE YOU VACCINATE. SOME SOURCES ARE LEARNTHERISK.ORG AND THE WESTON A. PRICE... - ALISON, YOUR MICROPHONE IS NOW AVAILABLE. - HEY, CAN YOU HEAR ME? - YES. - OKAY, GREAT. I AM A RESIDENT OF DAVENPORT, UM, A HOMEOWNER, AND I AM JUST CALLING TO SUPPORT THE, UM, PROPOSED SHERIFF SUBSTATION UP HERE. I REALLY THINK WE NEED IT. WE ARE PRETTY INUNDATED ON THE WEEKENDS. IT'S KIND OF THE WILD WEST UP HERE. THERE'S NOT A LOT OF LAW ENFORCEMENT AT THE READY, AND THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE ALL OVER THE PLACE FROM OUT OF TOWN, AND THE IMPACT IS HUGE. SO I JUST REALLY ENCOURAGE THE BOARD TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT. IT REALLY WOULD HELP US UP HERE A LOT. SO THAT IS IT. - LISA, THE MICROPHONE IS NOW AVAILABLE FOR YOU TO SPEAK. [01:20:04] - HI, I AM COMMENTING ON ITEM NUMBER 16. I'M LISA BURNETT, AND I AM REQUESTING A REMOVAL OF THE ZONING VARIANCE THAT WOULD ALLOW ME TO BE A SHORT-TERM RENTAL AIRBNBIER. I AM AN OWNER OF A PARCEL IN BOULDER CREEK THAT SHARES A PRIMARY STRUCTURE AND AN ADU, WHICH I BUILT FULLY TO CODE AS A DETACHED ADU ON MY PROPERTY, SIGNED OFF BY COUNTY. A FULLY LIVABLE UNIT IN AUGUST 2023 UNDER PERMIT NUMBER B216108A. AND AT THIS TIME, I AM REQUIRED TO RENT 30 DAYS OR MORE FOR EVERY SINGLE RESERVATION THAT COMES IN. IT'S CREATING MANY HARDSHIPS FOR US, EVERY OTHER RESEVATION. AND I'D LOVE TO SEE A ZONING CHANGE TO ALLOW ME TO BE A SHORT-TERM RENTER. THANK YOU. - KARA, THE MICROPHONE IS NOW AVAILABLE TO YOU. - YEAH, HI. ACTUALLY, I'M SIGNING IN ON MY WIFE'S COMPUTER. MY NAME IS JOEL KAUFMAN. I'M A RESIDENT AND HOMEOWNER UP IN DAVENPORT. I JUST WANTED TO ECHO THE OTHER PERSON'S COMMENTS ABOUT HOW BADLY WE NEED MORE ENFORCEMENT UP HERE AND THAT THE HUB IS A GREAT IDEA. I'LL ADD THAT I ALSO HAVE TALKED TO MANY HOMEOWNERS, EVERYONE'S IN SUPPORT OF IT. WE ARE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT HAVING MORE PRESENCE ON THE NORTH COAST. IT IS GOING TO BE NEEDED AS THE MONUMENT JUST OPENED AND THE RAIL TRAIL IS OPENING. UM, I'LL ALSO ADD, I COULD NOT FOLLOW EXACTLY WHAT THE GUY SAID ABOUT THE TOWING ORDINANCE, BUT WE HAVE A MAJOR ISSUE ON THIS COAST WITH TOWING VEHICLES THAT ARE ABANDONED, OR EVEN BEING LIVED IN, OR DRUGS ARE BEING SOLD OUT OF THEM. SO LIKE I SAID, I COULDN'T FOLLOW WHAT HE SAID ABOUT THE LEGALITY OF IT, BUT I'M IN SUPPORT OF ANYTHING THAT ALLOWS THE POLICE AND ENFORCEMENT, BLM, WHOEVER IT IS, TO TOW VEHICLES. SO, THANKS. - THERE ARE NO MORE SPEAKERS, CHAIR. - THANK YOU. WITH THAT, I WILL BRING IT BACK TO THE BOARD. UH, WE HAVE, UH, SOME ITEMS THAT WANTED TO BE TOUCHED ON FROM SUPERVISOR CUMMINGS. FORGOT WHAT THEY WERE. - 56 AND 38. SORRY. - I'LL JUST STAY ON MY COMMENTS, AND I WILL COMMENT ON THOSE ITEMS WHEN I GET TO THEM. UM, FIRST, I JUST WANT TO THANK ALL THE COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKERS, UM, WHO PROVIDE CARE FOR THE PEOPLE IN OUR REGION. UM HAVING YOU HERE IS, IS SO CRITICAL. AND AS WE'VE SEEN IN SOME OF THE OTHER REPORTS WE'VE HEARD HERE TODAY, HEALTH CARE IS ONE OF THE MAJOR EMPLOYMENT SECTORS HERE IN OUR COMMUNITY. AND SO I JUST WANT TO EXPRESS MY SUPPORT FOR OUR COMMUNITY HEALTH CARE WORKERS, KNOWING THAT IN THE MONTHS AND YEARS TO COME, THINGS ARE GOING TO GET REALLY CHALLENGING, ESPECIALLY FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE LOW-INCOME SEEKING HEALTH CARE. AND SO, OUR COMMUNITY HEALTH CARE WORKERS ARE GOING TO BE REALLY CRITICAL AND VITAL FOR HELPING TO PROVIDE HEALTH CARE FOR LOW-INCOME PEOPLE. ALSO, I WANNA THANK, UM, OR3 AND, AND ALL THOSE WHO WORK IN OUR EMERGENCY RESPONSE DIVISION. UM, AS WE SAW WITH THE CZU FIRES AND AS WE'VE SEEN WITH THE SUBSEQUENT STORMS THAT HAVE IMPACTED SANTA CRUZ COUNTY, HAVING OUR EMERGENCY UH, RESPONSE WORKERS IS REALLY CRITICAL TO MAKING SURE WE ARE GETTING ACCURATE INFORMATION OUT TO FOLKS AND PEOPLE KNOW HOW THEY CAN RESPOND DURING TIMES OF EMERGENCY AND DISASTER. AND SO I JUST WANT TO EXPRESS MY APPRECIATION FOR ALL THE FOLKS WHO WORK IN THAT FIELD AS WELL. [COUGHS] ITEM NUMBER 21, UH, THIS IS APPROVAL OF A MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING WITH SANTA CRUZ SUPERIOR COURT FOR THE APPOINTMENT AND OVERSIGHT OF THE CHIEF PROBATION OFFICER. UM, I JUST WANT TO EXPRESS MY SUPPORT OF THE CREATION OF THE, THE, THE TWO TASK FORCES THAT ARE GOING TO BE UM, IMPLEMENTED. ONE IS GOING TO BE A, A COMMUNITY TASK FORCE THAT WILL HELP WITH THAT RECRUITMENT AND HIRE. ANOTHER WILL BE A TECHNICAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE. I JUST WANNA, UM, EMPHASIZE THE COMMENTS THAT WERE MADE EARLIER BY THE REPRESENTATIVE FROM MILPA. HAVING PEOPLE WITH, WHETHER THEY ARE YOUTH WITH LIVED EXPERIENCE, OR PEOPLE WHO WERE INCARCERATED AS YOUTH OR EVEN ADULTS WHO HAVE INCARCERATED HAVE GONE THROUGH A PROBATION SYSTEM HAVING THAT, UM, VOICE ON THE BOARD I THINK IS GOING TO BE REALLY IMPORTANT. AND, UM, I KNOW THAT THE JUVENILE JUSTICE AND DELINQUENCY PREVENTION COMMISSION HAS EXPRESSED INTEREST IN HAVING THEIR, ONE OF THEIR CO-CHAIRS ON THAT, ONE OF THOSE COMMITTEES. AND SO I HOPE THAT WE CAN ACCOMMODATE THAT WHEN THOSE COMMITTEES ARE FORMED. ITEM NUMBER 27, UM, THIS IS THE APPROVAL OF A LEASE FOR THE NORTH COAST SHERIFF SERVICE CENTER LOCATED AT 415 HIGHWAY 1, DAVENPORT. UM I JUST WANT TO REALLY EXPRESS MY APPRECIATION FOR THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT FOR ALL THEIR WORK WITH OUR OFFICE IN TRYING TO IDENTIFY A SITE THAT WOULD BE, UM, SUFFICIENT FOR THEM AND PROVIDE THEM WITH THE SPACE THAT THEY NEED, AND ALSO, UM, BE SOMETHING THE COMMUNITY COULD REALLY APPRECIATE. AND SO, I WANT TO THANK THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT FOR ALL THEIR WORK, UM, WITH HELPING US IDENTIFY A SITE, AND I WANT TO THANK PARKS AS WELL FOR BEING A PARTNER IN THIS. AND I HOPE WE CAN ALSO MAYBE, UM, APPROACH, UH, BLM SINCE THEIR, SINCE THE COTONI-COAST DAIRIES IS NOW OPEN. UH, MAYBE THEY COULD ALSO RENT OUT SOME OF THE SPACE THERE, AND WE COULD HAVE THEM HAVE A PRESENCE UP THERE AS WELL AND PROVIDE THAT SPACE FOR THEM. AND SO I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR THE FOLKS IN DAVENPORT AND, UM, AND I JUST WANNA EXPRESS AGAIN, MY THANKS FOR EVERYBODY FOR THEIR HARD WORK TO MAKE THIS COME FORWARD. UH, AND ALSO, I JUST WANT TO THANK THE CO'S OFFICE. [01:25:02] UM, I KNOW GETTING THE LEASE AGREEMENT TOGETHER WAS A LITTLE BIT OF A SCRAMBLE AT THE LAST MINUTE, BUT WE WERE ABLE TO MAKE IT HAPPEN. AND I KNOW THAT, UM, THE PROPERTY OWNER REALLY APPRECIATED THAT. BECAUSE THERE HAD BEEN A LOT OF BACK AND FORTH. AND SO, UM, JUST BEING ABLE TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN, I THINK, IS SOMETHING THAT THE COMMUNITY IS GONNA, UH, VERY MUCH APPRECIATE. ITEM NUMBER 34, I JUST WANT TO THANK, UM, SANTA CRUZ FIRE CHIEF, ROB ODEY FOR, UM, BEING WILLING TO SERVE ON THE EMERGENCY MEDICAL CARE COMMISSION. UH, I RECENTLY GOT TO MEET WITH THEM, AND THERE IS A LOT OF INNOVATION AND THOUGHT IN THAT AREA AROUND HOW WE CAN IMPROVE EMERGENCY MEDICAL CARE AND EMERGENCY MEDICAL RESPONSE. AND SO I JUST WANT TO THANK HIM FOR, UM, BEING WILLING TO SERVE ON THAT COMMISSION. ITEM NUMBER 35 GOT PULLED, SO I WILL SAVE MY COMMENTS ON THAT. UM, ITEM NUMBER 38. THIS IS THE ONE I WANTED TO ADD SOME DIRECTION ON. UH, THIS IS DEFER TO ON OR BEFORE NOVEMBER 18TH, 2025, A REPORT BACK ON THE ENERGY STORAGE COMBINING DISTRICT ORDINANCE. UM, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF WHAT WE HAVE BEEN HEARING FROM THE COMMUNITY ARE CONCERNS ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THE VARIOUS LAWS, THE VARIOUS STUDIES THAT HAVE HAPPENED SINCE THE FIRE IN MOSS LANDING. AND REALLY WANTING TO UNDERSTAND WHAT'S HAPPENED, WHAT ARE THE NEXT STEPS. AND, UM, YOU KNOW, LOOKING AT, UM, SB 283, THAT'S STILL MOVING THROUGH COMMITTEE. IF IT DOES PASS, IT WON'T BE IMPLEMENTED UNTIL JANUARY. WE KNOW THAT THE MONTEREY STUDIES ARE STILL ONGOING FROM THIS [INAUDIBLE], FROM THE COUNTY. AND SO I THINK THAT HAVING THIS DEFERRED TO NOVEMBER MIGHT NOT BE SUFFICIENT ENOUGH TIME FOR US TO REALLY GET THE INFORMATION BACK ABOUT THE IMPACTS OF THE MOSS LANDING FIRE AND HOW A NEW STATE LAW AND THE CHANGES TO THAT WILL INFLUENCE, UH, THIS ORDINANCE. SO, I WOULD RECOMMEND THAT THE BOARD CONSIDER DEFERRING THIS TO ON OR BEFORE THE SECOND MEETING IN AUGUST 2026. SO THAT'S A YEAR FROM NOW. BY THEN, WE WILL PROBABLY HAVE ENOUGH INFORMATION ON THE NEW STATE LAWS, UM, ALL THESE DIFFERENT STUDIES, HOW THEY ALL INTERSECT WITH, YOU KNOW, THE PROPOSALS THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE TRYING TO MAKE SO WE CAN HAVE THE BEST ORDINANCE COMING BACK THAT ALSO HAS INPUT FROM, NOT JUST THE COMMUNITY, BUT THE COMMISSION ON THE ENVIRONMENT WITH THEIR ONGOING, UH, COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT OPPORTUNITIES AS WELL. SO THAT'S THE RECOMMENDATION THAT I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE FOR ITEM NUMBER 38. AND THEN... ITEM NUMBER 56 IS APPROVE THE COMPREHENSIVE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY FOR SUBMISSION TO THE UNITED STATES ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ADMINISTRATION. UM, I DO NOT WANT TO DELAY THIS. I DID HAVE SOME CONCERNS AND, UM, HOPE TO BE ABLE TO MEET WITH FOLKS FROM THE HUMAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT TO DISCUSS, UM, SOME OF WHAT WAS BROUGHT UP IN THIS, UH, IN MORE DETAIL. UM, BUT IN PARTICULAR, THERE'S A NUMBER OF GOALS THAT WERE OUTLINED. AND ONE OF THOSE GOALS, UM, WAS AROUND HOUSING. AND I JUST WANTED TO EDIT THE ITEM NUMBER 2, THE GOAL NUMBER 2, UM, IT SAYS, UM, IT SUPPORTS TO... IT WANTS TO ADDRESS AFFORDABILITY, UH, AROUND HOUSING, AND I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT THAT WE ADD "AFFORDABLE" UM, BEFORE HOUSING AND COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE WITHIN THAT GOAL, NUMBER 2, SO THAT IT'S EXPLICIT THAT WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO ADDRESS HERE AROUND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IS BUILDING AFFORDABLE HOUSING FOR OUR WORKFORCE AND FOR THE PEOPLE WHO WORK AND LIVE IN THIS COMMUNITY SO THEY ARE NOT GETTING DISPLACED. AND SO, THAT CONCLUDES MY COMMENTS, AND THOSE ARE MY ADDITIONS TO CONSENT. - THANK YOU. I JUST WANTED TO NOTE THAT, UH, NOVEMBER 18TH DATE WAS SET BECAUSE THAT IS THE TIME THE GOVERNOR'S SUPPOSED TO SIGN ALL CLEARED BILLS. UM, SO IT WILL, THE, THE S- STATE WILL BE DONE WITH WHATEVER THEY NEED TO DO IN TERMS OF SB 283 AND ANY OTHER ONE. SUPERVISOR, DE SERPA? - THANK YOU. UM, I PULLED ITEM 16, SO WE'LL TALK ABOUT THAT NOW, OR NO? - NO. - NO? - JUST ANY OTHER ITEMS. - OKAY, NO, I AM GOOD. - OKAY. - THANK YOU. - SUPERVISOR MARTINEZ? - THANK YOU, CHAIR. UM, GOOD MORNING, EVERYBODY. THANK YOU FOR THOSE WHO CAME TO SPEAK TO US TODAY. UM, I WANT TO THANK EVERYBODY WHO CAME TO SPEAK ABOUT COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKER AWARENESS WEEK. UM, IT IS REALLY, UM, A PRIVILEGE TO HEAR ABOUT YOUR GOOD WORK. AND I WANNA ENCOURAGE YOU TO CONTINUE TO SERVE, UM, THOSE IN OUR COMMUNITY. UM, I ALSO, THANK YOU TO THOSE WHO CAME TO TALK ABOUT SHORT-TERM RENTALS. I JUST WANT TO NOTE THAT THAT ITEM WAS PULLED AND IT, UH, IS GOING TO BE COMING UP SHORTLY. SO WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE ADDRESSING IT QUITE YET, BUT THOSE COMMENTS WILL BE COMING UP SHORTLY. UM, I WANT TO MAKE A COMMENT ON ITEM NUMBER 19, WHICH IS TO ACCEPT AND FILE THE SECOND FISCAL YEAR 2024-2025 BIANNUAL REPORT ON CANNABIS LICENSING OFFICE OPERATIONS AND TAKE RELATED ACTIONS. UM, I WANNA THANK OUR CANNABIS LICENSING OFFICER, SAM LAFORTE, AND DEPUTY CEO, MELANIE SERINO, FOR THIS REPORT. I WAS REALLY HAPPY TO SEE THAT PROGRESS IS BEING MADE IN WORKING WITH PUBLIC HEALTH TO ADDRESS THE EDUCATION ISSUES THAT WERE DIRECTED BY THE BOARD, UH, RELATED [01:30:01] TO RETAIL AND FARM CONSUMPTION. AND I WAS ALSO GLAD TO SEE THAT THE NEED FOR SHERIFF'S OFFICE ENFORCEMENT ACTIVITIES ON ILLEGAL GROWS IS DOWN. UM, THIS IS GOOD IN GENERAL FOR COMMUNITY HEALTH FOR, UM, YOU KNOW, I'LL, ADDITIONALLY FOR A, FOR A FISCAL PERSPECTIVE. IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THE, THERE'S A NET REDUCTION IN GENERAL FUND EXPENDITURES RELATED TO THE CLO OF $268,000 FROM THE LAST FISCAL YEAR AND THAT THAT WENT BACK INTO THE GENERAL FUND, UM, TO HELP BALANCE THE BUDGET. SO, I SEE THIS AS A GOOD THING TO CALL OUT. AND, UM, SINCE WE'RE OPERATING WITH MANY CHALLENGES IN THE UPCOMING FISCAL YEAR, I AM GLAD TO SEE THAT WE ARE ABLE TO SAVE SOME, UH, RELATED TO THAT. UM, I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE SOME COMMENTS ON ITEMS NUMBER 44, 45, AND 46. AND ADDITIONALLY, I HAVE A QUESTION ON ITEM NUMBER 44. UM, SO ITEM 44 IS TO ADOPT THE RESOLUTION DESIGNATING AUTHORIZED AGENTS FOR THE CALIFORNIA GOVERNOR'S OFFICE OF EMERGENCY SERVICES, TO RATIFY A GRANT AGREEMENT WITH CAL OES FOR THE FISCAL YEARS '24 TO '27 STATE HOMELAND SECURITY GRANT PROGRAM, AND ACCEPT UNANTICIPATED REVENUE IN THE AMOUNT OF $295,835 FROM CAL OES FOR THE SHSGP, AND TAKE RELATED ACTIONS. UM, THE FIRST THING I WANNA CALL, I WANTED TO JUST RECOGNIZE THAT IN, WITHIN THAT GRANT IS THE, UM, EMERGENCY SIREN FOR THE ZAYANTE FIRE DISTRICT. AND THAT IS A REALLY IMPORTANT PROJECT FOR MY DISTRICT. IT'S GOING TO ALLOW FOR SOME EARLY ACCESS IN, OR EARLY COMMUNICATIONS IN THE EVENT OF AN EMERGENCY, SO I WAS GLAD TO SEE THAT. UM, BUT I DO HAVE A QUESTION FOR DIRECTOR REED RELATED TO THE CALL THAT CAME IN REGARDING OUR COUNTY'S JURISDICTION TO APPROVE DRONE PURCHASES FOR OTHER JURISDICTIONS LIKE THE CITY OF SANTA CRUZ. DO YOU HAVE A RESPONSE TO THAT QUESTION? - YES, THANK YOU. UM, SO THIS IS AN ANNUAL GRANT THAT THE COUNTY AND, UH, THE OFFICE OF RESPONSE, RECOVERY, AND RESILIENCE ADMINISTERS ON BEHALF OF THE OPERATIONAL AREA. UM, SO, IT'S NOT UNCOMMON FOR THE AUTHORIZED BODY OF FIVE, WHICH IS THE AUTHORIZED GROUP OF TWO LAW ENFORCEMENT, TWO FIRE, AND ONE PUBLIC HEALTH MEMBER, UM, TO IDENTIFY AND SELECT THE PROJECTS. IT IS NOT UNCOMMON FOR SOME OF THOSE PROJECTS TO BE AGENCY-SPECIFIC PROJECTS. THOSE AGENCIES ARE REQUIRED TO FOLLOW ALL OF THEIR RULES IN TERMS OF PROCUREMENT AND GUIDELINES IN TERMS OF USE OF THAT ACTIVITY. THERE WAS CONSIDERATION OF OTHER, UM, GRANT OPPORTUNITIES IN PRIOR YEARS WHERE AGENCIES HAD WALKED SOME OF THOSE THINGS BACK. SO, UM, THE EXPECTATION IS THAT THE CITY OF SANTA CRUZ WILL BE FOLLOWING ALL OF THEIR POLICIES AS WELL AS ALL THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT POLICIES RELATED TO DRONE PURCHASES, THERE IS, OF WHICH THERE ARE MANY. AND THE ONLY OTHER THING I WOULD SHARE, UM, BECAUSE THERE WAS A COMMENT MADE BY THE, BY A MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC. UM, WE ARE LOOKING VERY CLOSELY. THIS GRANT CYCLE DOES NOT HAVE THE STRINGS ATTACHED THAT THE CALLER WAS CONCERNED ABOUT. THE 2025 GRANT CYCLE DOES. SO WE ARE EVALUATING WHETHER WE ARE GOING TO FORGO PURSUING THAT GRANT APPLICATION BECAUSE THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS STARTING TO PUT MORE STRINGS ON THESE TYPES OF GRANT PROGRAMS. - THANK YOU FOR CLARIFYING THAT. UM, AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR GOOD WORK. UM, THE REASON WHY I WAS COMBINING 44, 45, AND 46 UM, IN MY COMMENTS IS BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, ALL OF THESE ACTIVITIES COMING FROM YOUR DEPARTMENT ARE RELATED TO STRENGTHENING THE RESILIENCY OF OUR COMMUNITY. UM, THE, AS WE MENTIONED IN THE MOMENT OF SILENCE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE STILL RECOVERING FROM THE CZU FIRE, AND, UM, THERE ARE A NUMBER OF ACTIVITIES WITHIN THAT GRANT THAT ARE SUPPORTIVE TO A STRONGER, UH, MORE RESILIENT SAN LORENZO VALLEY AND, AND COUNTYWIDE. ITEM 45 IS ALSO A GREAT EXAMPLE OF COLLABORATION BETWEEN THE COUNTY AND THE SAN LORENZO VALLEY WATER DISTRICT ON HAZARD MITIGATION. AND FINALLY, JUST GENERALLY RECOGNIZING AUGUST AS NATIONAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AWARENESS MONTH. UM, IT REALLY IS A GOOD TIME TO PAUSE, AND REMIND OURSELVES HOW MUCH WE RELY ON OUR EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT NETWORK DURING NATURAL DISASTERS AND OTHER INCIDENTS THAT REQUIRE ALL HANDS ON DECK. SO I WANT TO THANK YOU, DIRECTOR REED, AND, UM, OR3 FOR YOUR GOOD WORK IN THESE CRITICAL INITIATIVES AND PARTNERSHIPS. THANK YOU. UM, AND THEN MY FINAL COMMENT IS JUST A THANK YOU ON ITEM NUMBER 58 TO OUR PUBLIC WORKS TEAM WITHIN CDI FOR THEIR WORK ON, UM, THIS PROJECT IN MY DISTRICT. UM, THE REPAIR UPDATES WE RECEIVED AT THE BOARD LEVEL ARE IMPORTANT REMINDERS OF THE ONGOING STORM REPAIR PROJECTS THROUGHOUT OUR COUNTY THAT REQUIRE A LOT OF WORK AND ALSO CARRY A REALLY BIG PRICE TAG. SO THANK YOU FOR CONTINUING TO FOLLOW-UP ON THESE STORM-RELATED PROJECTS. THOSE CONCLUDE MY COMMENTS. - SUPERVISOR KOENIG? - THANK YOU, CHAIR. [01:35:01] ON ITEM 17, THE SB 9, URBAN LOT SPLIT ORDINANCE BASED ON COASTAL COMMISSION FEEDBACK, I JUST WANNA, UH, THANK MY COLLEAGUES AND PLANNING STAFF FOR THEIR PATIENCE ON THIS. OF COURSE, WE DID HEAR BACK FROM HCD SHORTLY AFTER OUR LAST MEETING, UM, MOSTLY THEM SAYING THAT, UM, THEY'RE, THEY'RE GONNA DEFER TO THE COASTAL COMMISSION AND ARE FINE WITH THE CHANGES. AND SO I AM SATISFIED WITH THAT AND HAPPY TO SUPPORT THE ACTION TODAY. UM, ON ITEM 59, AUTHORIZING THE INSTALLATION OF ROAD BUMPS ON MARSEILLE AVENUE, I JUST WANT TO THANK AND CONGRATULATE THE NEIGHBORS FOR THIS EFFORT. UH, THESE PROCESSES, UM, OR I BELIEVE A 13-STEP PLAN TO INSTALL ROAD BUMPS THAT CAN TAKE A LITTLE BIT OF TIME. AND, UH, CONGRATULATIONS TO THE MARSEILLE AVENUE NEIGHBORHOOD FOR GETTING 65% COMMUNITY SUPPORT ON THIS. UM, IT'S GREAT THAT WE HAVE A DEVELOPER WHO IS AS THEY PUT IN MORE HOMES IN THAT AREA, WE'RE GOING TO PAY FOR THESE ROAD BUMPS ENSURING THAT AS WE ADD HOUSING, WE ARE ALSO BUILDING SAFE AND WALKABLE COMMUNITIES. UM, AND THEN FINALLY, ON ITEM 61, APPLYING FOR $5.8 MILLION FROM THE REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION'S CONSOLIDATED GRANT PROGRAM FOR THE SOQUEL DRIVE MULTIMODAL PROJECT. UM, THIS IS, I MEAN, WE, WE HAVE ALREADY SEEN THE FIRST PHASE OF THIS PROJECT GO IN, UH, ALONG SOQUEL DRIVE NEAR THE HOSPITAL AND GOING ALL THE WAY DOWN BY, UH, UH, CABRILLO COLLEGE INTO APTOS. AND I THINK IT'S, IT'S CLEARLY REALLY TRANSFORMATIVE AND AN INCREDIBLY EXCITING PROJECT. AND OUR COMMUNITY IS VERY LUCKY TO HAVE BEEN AWARDED, UM, A HUGE GRANT OF $20.3 MILLION FROM THE STATE TO CONTINUE THE PROJECT ALL THE WAY TO FREEDOM BOULEVARD. UM, YOU KNOW, IT DOES... SUPPORTING THIS PROJECT DOES MEAN, UM, YOU KNOW, MAKING DIFFICULT CHOICES. AND THAT THERE ARE ONLY SO MANY APPLICATIONS WE COULD SUBMIT TO THE REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION FOR AWARDS OF THIS SIZE, AND IT MEANS ULTIMATELY NOT DOING OTHER PROJECTS, UH, IN THE FIRST AND SECOND DISTRICTS AS A RESULT. UM, I THINK THIS IS A REALLY ONCE-IN-A-GENERATION PROJECT AND WORTH SUPPORTING. I MEAN, WE ARE TALKING ABOUT SOMETHING AS BASIC AS SIDEWALKS THROUGH APTOS VILLAGE. UH, THAT IS CLEARLY NECESSARY, A PLACE WHERE WE HAVE BEEN BUILDING MORE HOUSING, AS WELL AS THOSE, UM, PROTECTED BIKE LANES THROUGHOUT, UH, ON SOQUEL DRIVE. SO I'M HAPPY TO SUPPORT IT. IT DOES, UH IT, IT IS, IN SOME WAYS A, A DEFINITELY A DIFFICULT CHOICE. AND, OF COURSE, IF WHAT, WHAT WE'RE SEEING IS THAT IF WE ADDED MORE LARGE-SCALE PROJECTS IN OUR COUNTY, LIKE PASSENGER RAIL, UM, THE AMOUNT OF FUNDS AVAILABLE FOR THESE KINDS OF PROJECTS WOULD BE CUT IN HALF. UM, SO I AM HAPPY TO MAKE THIS COMMITMENT TO THIS PROJECT TO TODAY, BUT I THINK THAT WE NEED TO BE, UM, JUST AWARE AS A BOARD THAT THIS MONEY IS, IS PRECIOUS. THANKS. ]- THANK YOU. UM, I ALSO WOULD LIKE TO THANK SOME OF THE FOLKS WHO CAME OUT HERE WITH THE COMMUNITY HEALTH CARE WORKERS. [INAUDIBLE] - YES, SIR. - SUPERVISOR MARTINEZ? - NO, I DID. - YOU ALREADY DID? OKAY. - THANK YOU. - YES, AND, UM, I WOULD LIKE TO THANK ALL THE COMMUNITY HEALTH CARE WORKERS THAT CAME OUT, THE CHWS. UH, JUST A FEW ITEMS I WANT TO TOUCH ON. UM, I AGREE WITH SOME OF THE, MAKING SURE THAT WE DO HAVE A COMMITTEE THAT INVOLVES COMMUNITY AGENCIES AND DIFFERENT FOLKS THAT WORK WITH OUR PROBATION TO BE INVOLVED IN THE PROCESS AS WELL. THAT'S FOR ITEM NUMBER 21. UH, NUMBER 25, I WANT TO GIVE MY GRATITUDE TO THE FOLKS THAT RUN AZTECAS PROGRAM, GINA, AND THE FOLKS IN PROBATION, BECAUSE THEY'VE DONE A STELLAR JOB, UH, KEEPING YOUTH INVOLVED AND CREATING THAT, UH, ROLE MODEL AND STRUCTURE IN YOUNG PEOPLE'S LIVES IN SOUTH COUNTY THAT IS MUCH, UH, NEEDED. AND, UM, THAT ITEM NUMBER 37, I WANT TO THANK THE NEW APPOINTED COMMISSIONER, RACHEL MONTOYA, ONTO THE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH BOARD. THESE BOARDS ARE REALLY IMPORTANT FOR US. ALL THESE BOARDS THAT WE HAVE BECAUSE THEY ARE THE STEPPING STONE, AND THE SOURCE OF OF INFORMATION THAT WE GET THAT ARE PROJECTS THAT ARE COMING UP FROM DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS. UH, AND FINALLY, NUMBER 38, THE BESS ORDINANCE. YOU KNOW, UH, THIS ORDINANCE IS REALLY... WHAT I SEE OUT OF IT IS THAT IT TAKES LOCAL CONTROL OF WHAT HAPPENS HERE. UH, THAT'S WHAT WE WANT TO ESTABLISH WITH THIS ORDINANCE, TO SET UP SAFETY STANDARDS. BECAUSE WHAT WE DON'T WANT IS, WE DON'T WANT ANY PROJECTS OF THIS MAGNITUDE TO MOVE FORWARD WITHOUT LOCAL INPUT, WITHOUT, UH YOU KNOW, OUR BOARD, UH, AND OUR PLANNING COMMISSION BEING INVOLVED. SO, I THINK THAT IS WHAT WE WANT FROM THIS ORDINANCE. SO, THAT CONCLUDES MY COMMENTS. UM... WITH THAT, I'LL BRING IT BACK TO THE BOARD [ACTION ON THE CONSENT AGENDA (ITEMS 13-63)] FOR A CONSENT AGENDA. - I'LL MOVE CONSENT, UM, WITH THE CHANGES TO ITEM NUMBER 38 UM, TO DEFER TO ON OR BEFORE THE SECOND MEETING OF AUGUST 2026. AND, UM, I THINK WE MIGHT HAVE TO MAKE A 6.3 FOR THAT ONE. [01:40:03] UM, 38. - YEAH, THEN LET'S PULL 38. - IF YOU WANT TO PULL IT TO HAVE A FURTHER DISCUSSION AROUND IT, YOU CAN DO THAT. - OKAY, CAN I ALSO JUST MAKE ONE ADDITIONAL POINT? WHICH IS THE "ON OR BEFORE", THE ON OR BEFORE DATE ALLOWS FOR FLEXIBILITY. IT JUST MEANS THAT, YOU KNOW, THIS CAN COME BACK SOONER, OR IT CAN COME BACK, BUT NO LATER THAN THE SECOND MEETING IN AUGUST OF 2026. SO, THERE'S NOTHING REALLY PREVENTING THIS FROM COMING BACK ANY SOONER. IT CAN COME BACK IN DECEMBER, IT CAN COME BACK IN OCTOBER, IT CAN COME BACK IN FEBRUARY. BUT THIS IS PROVIDING FLEXIBILITY BECAUSE WE SEE THE CHANGES IN STATE LAW. AND TO SUPERVISOR HERNANDEZ'S POINT, THE GOVERNOR MAY ACT UPON THESE LAWS IN, IN NOVEMBER THIS YEAR, BUT IT'S GOING TO TAKE TIME FOR US TO INTERPRET WHAT THOSE CHANGES IN THE LAWS ARE. THIS IS, AS I LOOKED ONLINE ON LEGISCAN, THERE'S THIS, THIS BILL OR JOHN LAIRD'S BILL IS STILL GOING THROUGH COMMITTEES, AND THERE ARE STILL AMENDMENTS BEING MADE TO THE BILL. SO EVEN IF THE BILL ARRIVES ON THE GOVERNOR'S DESK IN NOVEMBER AND HE SIGNS OFF ON THEM, WHICH WE DON'T KNOW IF HE WILL OR NOT, UM, THERE'S STILL GONNA BE TIME. AND WE'RE GONNA NEED TIME FOR THE COMMUNITY AND FOR OUR STAFF TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THOSE CHANGES ARE, HOW WE IMPLEMENT THOSE CHANGES, AND INCORPORATE THOSE CHANGES... AND ADDITIONALLY, AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, WITH THE, UM, MOSS LANDING FIRE, THERE ARE STILL STUDIES BEING, THAT ARE ONGOING, AND BEING CONDUCTED, AND WE DON'T HAVE THOSE RESULTS. I'M CONCERNED THAT WE ARE NOT GOING TO HAVE THE RESULTS IN TIME FOR NOVEMBER, BECAUSE I THINK IT IS REALLY IMPORTANT THAT THOSE STUDIES ARE DONE AND THAT WE ARE ABLE TO REVIEW THEM BEFORE WE'RE INCORPORATING AND MOVING FORWARD WITH AN ORDINANCE FOR THESE TYPES OF FACILITIES. AND SO, THAT IS THE, KIND OF, DESIRE BEHIND THIS. IT IS NOT TO SAY THAT WE CAN'T COME BACK TO THIS SOONER, BUT IT IS EXTENDING, KIND OF, THE TIMELINE FOR WHEN WE CAN BRING THIS BACK. AND I HOPE THE STAFF CAN WORK WITH THE DISTRICT 4 OFFICE TO BRING THIS BACK IN A TIMELY MANNER, BUT I AM JUST TRYING TO PROVIDE SOME ADDITIONAL FLEXIBILITY, WHICH WE'VE ALSO HEARD FROM THE COMMUNITY AS WELL, AS IT PERTAIS TO THIS ITEM. - SO IS THAT... NOT CHANGING THE DATE, BUT SAYING AN "UP TO" DATE OF AUGUST 2026. - ON OR BEFORE? SO BEFORE, IT CAN EITHER... NO LATER, IT, IT SHOULD COME BACK TO US NO LATER THAN A YEAR FROM, UH, THE SECOND MEETING IN AUGUST. - IS THERE ANY, UM... SO THAT'S OKAY THAT WE DO THAT THEN? OR DO WE NEED TO HAVE A, DO FOLKS WANNA HAVE A DISCUSSION? - I, I DO NOT HAVE ANY CONCERN ABOUT THE WAY THAT SUPERVISOR CUMMINGS HAS FRAMED THE ADDITIONAL DIRECTION. - OKAY. - AS LONG AS EVERYBODY UNDERSTANDS WHAT IT IS, AND THERE WOULDN'T BE A NEED TO HAVE FURTHER DISCUSSION. BUT WE ARE GETTING TO THE POINT WITH THIS, WHERE, IF YOU ARE NOT ABLE TO RESOLVE IT RIGHT NOW, YOU SHOULD PULL IT AND YOU SHOULD MAKE IT 6.3 AND THEN HAVE A MORE FULL DISCUSSION ABOUT IT. - OKAY. - I'M FINE WITH, UH, "UP TO" IN THE LANGUAGE. - YEAH, I AGREE. I'M [INAUDIBLE] WITH THAT "UP TO" DATE. I MEAN, I THINK YOU MADE EXCELLENT POINT THAT IT MAY TAKE ADDITIONAL TIME TO INTERPRET THE STATE LAW AND THAT, UM, WE ARE STILL WAITING FOR FINDINGS OUT OF MONTEREY COUNTY. AND I KNOW THEY ARE WORKING ON AN ORDINANCE AS WELL. SO, UM, I MEAN, IT COULD BE THAT WE STILL END UP WITH A NOVEMBER DATE, IT COULD BE FEBRUARY, IT COULD BE AS LATE AS AUGUST. I MEAN, WE, I KNOW WE'VE POSTPONED THIS ITEM A NUMBER OF TIMES. WE KEEP SORT OF KICKING IT DOWN THE ROAD. AND THIS KIND OF JUST, I MEAN, IT DOESN'T PROVIDE ANY MORE CERTAINTY BUT IT DOESN'T PROVIDE ANY LESS, SO, I'LL, I'M FINE WITH THE ADDITIONAL DIRECTION. - CHAIR? - AYE. - CAN I HAVE A COUPLE OF COMMENTS? I'M SORRY I MISSED MY QUEUE BEFORE. I'M FINE WITH WHAT, UM, SUPERVISOR CUMMINGS HAS ADDED IN TERMS OF DIRECTION ON ITEM 38. UM, I'D LIKE TO THANK SUZANNE DOTY, THE CHAIR OF THE WOMEN'S COMMISSION, FOR, UM, HER COMMENTS TODAY. AND THANK YOU TO SUPERVISOR CUMMINGS FOR, UM, THE PROCLAMATION FOR WOMEN'S EQUALITY DAY. I LOOK FORWARD TO THE UPCOMING REPORT. UM, I'M VERY SUPPORTIVE OF THE SHERIFF'S NORTH COAST SERVICE, UH, CENTER. UM, I LOOK FORWARD TO HAVING EXTRA PATROL IN THAT AREA TO HELP WITH FIRST RESPONSE. I KNOW THERE'S BEEN, THERE'S ALWAYS, EVERY TIME I'M UP THERE, THERE'S ACCIDENTS, FIRES, ET CETERA. [INAUDIBLE]. UM, HAVING EXTRA PATROL UP THERE WILL BE WONDERFUL. UH, THANK YOU AGAIN TO THE SANTA CRUZ SUNRISE ROTARY FOR COMING TODAY. WE TOOK A PICTURE WITH THEM EARLIER WITH THE PROCLAMATION FROM SUPERVISOR HERNANDEZ. THEY DO AMAZING WORK IN OUR COMMUNITY, UM, AND CONNECT PEOPLE UH, IN THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY. UH, AND MY OWN... I'M... I SERVE ON A CHILDREN'S, UH, CHARITY, FOR KIDS FOUNDATION MONTEREY BAY, AND WE WERE THE LUCKY RECIPIENTS OF A $12,000 CHECK RECENTLY, UM, FROM THE FIRECRACKER RUN. AND WE VOLUNTEERED MANY HOURS WITH THEM, ALONGSIDE THEM. SO I WANNA THANK THEM FOR THEIR WORK IN THE COMMUNITY. I'M VERY HAPPY TO SUPPORT THE HUMAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT [01:45:01] APPLYING FOR A $4.3 MILLION GRANT FOR PREVENTION AND HOUSING. AND I CROSS MY FINGERS THAT WE RECEIVE THAT. UM, BECAUSE WE HAVE SUCH LIMITED RESOURCES IN OUR GENERAL FUND APPLYING FOR GRANTS IS VERY, VERY IMPORTANT ACROSS ALL SECTORS OF OUR COUNTY. UM, SO THANK YOU FOR DOING THAT. ITEMS 58 AND 60, RURAL ROADS, UM, ARE VERY IMPORTANT TO US IN THIS COUNTY AND HAVE BEEN UNFORTUNATELY NEGLECTED OVER TIME BECAUSE OF, UM, OUR MONEY SITUATION AND THE STORM DAMAGE. AND I APPRECIATE, UH, EUREKA CANYON, UH, BEING WORKED ON. I SEE THAT IT IS DEFERRED UNTIL THE END OF SEPTEMBER, BUT I LOOK FORWARD TO THE REPAIRS THERE. AND THANK YOU FOR THE REPAIRS ON, UM, LITTLE BASIN ROAD. UH, AND THEN TO ECHO, UH, SUPERVISOR KOENIG'S REMARKS REGARDING THE $5.1 MILLION GRANT, UM, TO THE RTC, I'M VERY, VERY SUPPORTIVE OF THAT. UNFORTUNATELY, THAT IS GOING TO DELAY SOME OTHER ROAD REPAIR IN OUR AREAS, BUT, UM, THE SOQUEL CORRIDOR IMPROVEMENTS ARE VERY IMPORTANT. AND WE DID RECEIVE THE HIGHEST, UM, GRANT EVER IN THE COUNTY'S HISTORY FOR, UH, TRANSPORTATION, $1.2... 1, 1, SORRY, $I28.7 MILLION WAS AWARDED TO THE RTC. THIS GRANT APPLICATION, AGAIN TO THE CONSOLIDATED GRANT PROGRAM, HOPEFULLY, IF WE END UP GETTING IT, WE'LL BE ABLE TO MATCH THAT LARGER GRANT SO THAT WE CAN COMPLETE, UH, THE WORK ON THE SOQUEL CORRIDOR. SO THANK YOU. THAT CONCLUDES MY REMARKS. - THANK YOU. SO I'LL BRING IT BACK TO THE BOARD. UH, WE DO HAVE SOME ADDITIONAL, UH, I GUESS, UH, DIRECTION, UH, LET ME GET THIS RIGHT FOR THE CLERK OF THE BOARD UH, TO ADD THE DATE FOR, UH, ITEM NUMBER 38. - CHAIR... - CHAIR, I THINK HE WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF MAKING A MOTION WHEN THE, WHEN THE DISCUSSION GOT A LITTLE DERAILED. SO, MAYBE HE COULD GO BACK TO FINISHING HIS COMPLETE MOTION AND SEE IF WE GET A SECOND. - OKAY. - ALRIGHT, SO THE MOTION WOULD BE TO MOVE CONSENT WITH THE ADDITION TO ITEM NUMBER 38, CHANGING THE LANGUAGE TO DEFER TO ON OR BEFORE THE SECOND MEETING IN AUGUST 2026, AND ALSO A CHANGE TO ITEM NUMBER 56 UNDER GOALS NUMBER 2 "INCREASE THE STOCK OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND AFFORDABLE COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE", TO BE ADDED TO THE GOALS AND ALSO TO THE PLAN STRATEGIES. AND YEAH, THAT'S IT. - [INAUDIBLE]. - SORRY? - 21, YOU MENTIONED SOMETHING ABOUT... - NO. - OKAY. - WE HAD A MOTION FROM SUPERVISOR CUMMINGS, AND A SECOND FROM SUPEERVISOR KOENIG. - SUPERVISOR KOENIG? - AYE. - SUPERVISOR DE SERPA? - AYE. - CUMMINGS? - AYE, AND FOR THE RECORD, I DID WANNA REGISTER A NO VOTE ON ITEM NUMBER 17. - THANK YOU. MARTINEZ? - AYE. - AND HERNANDEZ? - AYE. MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. - [INAUDIBLE]. [35. Approve a pilot program that compensates local California Native American Tribes for their consultation on County permitted projects for the purpose of protecting and preserving Tribal Cultural Resources, and take related actions] UH, ITEM NUMBER 35, WHICH IS NOW 6.1. SUPERVISOR KOENIG? - THANK YOU. UM, FIRST OF ALL, I REALLY WANT TO APPRECIATE SUPERVISOR CUMMINGS FOR THIS PROPOSAL. UM, BASICALLY TO COMPENSATE NATIVE AMERICAN TRIBES UH, FOR CONSULTING ON CEQA MATTERS. UM, I THINK THAT THE FAIRNESS ARGUMENT RESONATES WITH ME THAT YOU KNOW, FOLKS PAID ALL KINDS OF CONSULTANTS THROUGHOUT THE CEQA PROCESS. AND TRIBES ARE ASKED TO PARTICIPATE WITHOUT ANY COMPENSATION WHATSOEVER. UM, AND, YOU KNOW, I THINK I'LL ALSO JUST ONE OF THE REALLY POSITIVE DEVELOPMENTS WE'VE SEEN UH, IN PRESENT TIMES IT'S SORT OF THIS EVOLUTION TOWARDS INVOLVING TRIBES MORE IN, UM, YOU KNOW, BOTH LAND MANAGEMENT AND GOOD FIRE, UM, APPLICATION AND CERTAINLY, I THINK THIS IS A, UM, I, I SEE THAT IN THE SAME LIGHT, AND ULTIMATELY SUPPORT THE INTENTION. UH, MY ONLY CONCERN IS THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, WE... ACTUALLY MY BIGGEST CONCERN IS ACTUALLY THAT WE'RE HAVING THE COUNTY NEGOTIATE AN AGREEMENT TO WHICH THE APPLICANT HAS TO PAY WHETHER OR NOT THEY SIGN ON TO IT. AND JUST BY WAY OF EXAMPLE FOR HOW THINGS COULD GO SIDEWAYS, WITH THIS, I MEAN, SOMETIMES, UH, LAWS LIKE THIS ARE SORT OF GROSSLY INTERPRETED, I'D SAY, ON THE COUNTY'S PART. I HAVE A FRIEND WHO LIVES IN THE, IN THE COUNTRY UP AT ABOUT 1,400 FEET AND IT'S PROBABLY A DAY'S WALK FROM THE OCEAN. THEY WERE BUILDING A PROJECT RECENTLY. [01:50:01] THEY WERE LIKE, "OH, WE LIKE TO EAT OYSTERS. THERE'S SOME OYSTER SHELLS IN OUR BACKYARD IF YOU'RE WONDERING WHERE THOSE CAME FROM." UM, AND THE FINDINGS WE'RE USED TO SAY, "OH THIS COULD BE A, A, A [INAUDIBLE] WHERE, UH, TRIBES GATHERED TO EAT SHELLFISH. UM, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, A DAY'S WALK FROM THE OCEAN, AND THEY HAD TO DO A FULL DIG. THERE WERE ARCHAEOLOGISTS OUT THERE LOOKING FOR ADDITIONAL SIGNS OF TRIBAL USE. SO, YOU KNOW, I, I DON'T THINK THAT IT IS GOING TO GO THERE, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, WE HAVE SEEN, SORT OF, GROSS INTERPRETATIONS IN THE PAST. I GUESS, THE MAIN CORRECTION, I'M WONDERING... UM, OR, OR, AGAIN, THE MAIN THING I HAVE A LITTLE DISCOMFORT WITH IS IS SECTION 3, WHERE WE ARE SAYING THAT THE COUNTY'S GOING TO NEGOTIATE AN AGREEMENT, UH, WITH THE TRIBE IF THEY WANT TO ENGAGE IN FURTHER CONSULTATION. UM, YOU KNOW, I GUESS THE QUESTION IS, WHY NOT HAVE THE APPLICANT THEMSELVES NEGOTIATE THAT AGREEMENT SINCE THEY ARE ULTIMATELY THE ONE PAYING THE BILL? - HELLO AGAIN. I THINK, THE, THE INTENT OF THIS IS FOR IT TO BE A PILOT. I SHARE SOME OF YOUR CONCERNS TOO. AND ACTUALLY, AS WE WERE WORKING OUR WAY THROUGH THIS, I WAS CONCERNED, WELL, YOU KNOW, HOW TO, HOW ARE THE RATES SET AND HOW ARE THOSE NEGOTIATED? AND I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WAS BROUGHT TO US BY THE TRIBES, AND PEOPLE WHO ARE REPRESENTING THE TRIBES, SO THIS IS A FIRST PASS. AND SO THE PART OF WHY WE WANTED TO DO IT AS A THREE-YEAR PILOT IS SO ALONG THE WAY, WE CAN SEE IF THERE ARE CHALLENGES THAT COME UP, AND WE CAN MAKE CHANGES, UM, THROUGHOUT THE PROCESS. I DO NOT THINK, AND I, YOU KNOW, ONE THING I DO WANNA HIGHLIGHT IS THAT I DON'T THINK THERE IS ANYTHING PRECLUDING THIS BOARD FROM REVISITING THIS ITEM SHOULD PROBLEMS LIKE YOU ARE BRINGING UP END UP, UM, EXISTING. AND, AND I'M FLEXIBLE, AND I THINK THAT WORKING WITH THE TRIBES, THEY ARE FLEXIBLE BECAUSE THIS IS THE FIRST OF ITS KIND, UM, FOR THE STATE, AND WE ARE REALLY TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW WE CAN MAKE THIS WORK. SO, I MEAN, CAN I ANSWER THE QUESTION? I MEAN, THIS IS JUST US TRYING TO FIGURE OUT, LIKE LET'S COME UP WITH A PROCESS AND THEN LET'S REFINE IT AS WE MOVE ALONG AND SEE WHETHER IT'S BENEFICIAL OR NEGATIVELY IMPACTS FOLKS, SO... - IF I MIGHT JUST ADD A LITTLE CLARIFICATION, STEPHANIE HANSEN, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR, CDI. UM... THE, UH, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AND INFRASTRUCTURE AL- ALREADY ENGAGES WITH TRIBES. SO, THIS RESOLUTION, WHILE IT PROVIDES SOME COMPENSATION, UM, THIS, BEYOND THAT IT DOESN'T CHANGE OUR PROCESS VERY MUCH. WHEN WE DO THE NOTICING THAT WE ARE REQUIRED TO DO UNDER CEQA, GENERAL PLAN, SB 35, AND NOW AB 130. THEY KEEP ADDING. UM, AND WHEN WE HEAR FROM TRIBES, WE ENGAGE. WE ALWAYS ENGAGE, AND IT IS A THREE-WAY PROCESS WITH THE APPLICANT BECAUSE YOU ARE RIGHT, THEY DO END UP PAYING FOR IT, BUT IT'S OUR, USUALLY OUR CEQA, OUR PERMITTING, OUR PROCESSING. SO WE ALL WORK TOGETHER IN FIGURING OUT HOW THE TRIBES CAN ENGAGE, WHETHER THEY DO MONITORING, ET CETERA. SO, I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT THIS ISN'T THAT BIG A CHANGE FROM OUR EXISTING PROCESS. HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS. - SURE. SO, YEAH. WHILE YOU ARE THERE, CAN YOU JUST GIVE US SOME SENSE OF LIKE OF THE PERCENTAGE OF PROJECTS THAT, UM, GO THROUGH THIS LEVEL OF REVIEW? OR, I MEAN, FIRST OF ALL, MAY BE THE, WHICH ARE THE PROJECTS THAT REQUIRE A CEQA REVIEW THAT THEN, UH, HAVE, YOU KNOW, JUST REQUIRE SOME RESPONSE LETTER FROM THE TRIBES, AND THEN HOW MANY HAVE A FURTHER LEVEL OF EVALUATION? - YOU KNOW, IT'S REALLY INTERESTING BECAUSE ONE OF THE REASONS WHY STAFF WAS SUPPORTING OR IN SUPPORT OF THIS IS THAT THINGS HAVE BEEN CHANGING A LOT, QUITE A BIT, AND WE ARE GETTING, UM, KIND OF FUNNY RESPONSES FROM TRIBES WHERE THEY DON'T WANNA REALLY ENGAGE IN CONSULTING, BUT THEY GIVE US, UM, THEIR RESUMES. AND SO IT PROVIDES A LITTLE BIT MORE CLARITY ON WHAT IT MEANS TO CONSULT AND, AND HOW THE PROCESS WORKS. UM, WHAT I WOULD SAY IS THAT BECAUSE ADDITIONAL STATE LAWS NOW REQUIRE TRIBAL CONSULTATION OR AT LEAST THE NOTICING, UM, THEN WE WOULD HAVE AN INCREASE. HOWEVER, UH, AB 130 ALSO, UM, ELIMINATED CEQA FOR A LOT OF HOUSING PROJECTS. AND SO IT COULD BE A REDUCTION. WE'RE VERY MUCH IN FLUX. SORRY FOR THE "IF/AND". - DO YOU HAVE ANY, UH, JUST A SENSE OF, YOU KNOW, GENERAL SCALE? ARE WE TALKING ABOUT HUNDREDS OF PROJECTS, TENS OF PROJECTS? - NO, I WOULD SAY JUST A COUPLE OF PROJECTS A YEAR. - UM... AND, I MEAN, IS AN APPLICANT GOING TO GET DOUBLE-CHARGED FOR BOTH COUNTY TIME AND THE TIME WORKING THROUGH THIS AGREEMENT WITH THE TRIBES IF THE COUNTY IS THE ONE NEGOTIATING THE AGREEMENT? I MEAN, IS THAT GOING TO BE LIKE 5 TO 10 HOURS OF STAFF TIME THAT NOW... - WE, WE HAVEN'T ACTUALLY WORKED THROUGH THE FEES AND HOW MUCH THE FEES WOULD INCREASE, UM, BUT I WILL SAY THAT STAFF PRETTY MUCH IS ALREADY DOING [01:55:02] THAT ENGAGEMENT FOR, AND NOT CHARGING ADDITIONAL BEYOND PERMIT FEES ANYWAY. - OKAY. UM, I MEAN, WOULD THERE BE ANY PROBLEM WITH THE APPLICANT THEMSELVES BEING THE ONE ENGAGING IN THE AGREEMENT? - THEY SHOULD ENGAGE IN THE AGREEMENT. THEY, THEY HAVE TO ENGAGE IN THE AGREEMENT. UM, HOWEVER, SO DOES THE COUNTY. WE WOULD NOT WANT THAT TO BE JUST THE APPLICANT AND THE TRIBE. - OKAY, SO I MEAN, BECAUSE I JUST DO NOT SEE ANY MENTION OF THE APPLICANT IN THE PARAGRAPH ABOUT THE AGREEMENT. SO.... - WELL, UM, BUT THAT DOES NOT MEAN IT DOESN'T EXIST. THAT IS THE PROCESS. - OKAY. - WE'LL GET A SIX-MONTH REPORT ON THIS, OR YEARLY REPORT? - I DON'T BELIEVE WE HAVE A REPORT BACK, BUT IT IS MEANT TO BE A 3-YEAR, UM, PROGRAM. SO, WE ARE HAPPY TO COME BACK WHEN WE HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF, OF DATA ON IT. IT'S, YOU KNOW, IT'S MEANT TO IMPROVE AND INCREASE, UM, TRIBAL INPUT ON PROJECTS. IT'S, UM... BEYOND SOME SMALL ADDITIONAL COST FOR A DEVELOPMENT, WHICH COSTS A LOT MORE TO DEVELOP, IT IS PRETTY, UH, MINIMAL IN, IN THAT REGARD, UNLESS, OF COURSE, YOU HAVE RESOURCES, AND THEN EVERYTHING CHANGES. - UH, OKAY. SO MAYBE A YEARLY, UH, YEARLY, KIND OF, REVIEW FOR THIS PILOT PROGRAM WOULD BE.... - SURE. - OKAY. SUPERVISOR MARTINEZ? - UM, YEAH, I, I, I KNOW YOU'RE GOING TO GO TO PUBLIC COMMENT IN A MOMENT BUT I CAN GIVE SOME COMMENTS. UM, YEAH, I WANNA THANK SUPERVISOR CUMMINGS FOR BRINGING THIS FORWARD. UM, YOU KNOW, IT WAS REALLY INSIGHTFUL TO RECOGNIZE, KIND OF, THE DISCREPANCY BETWEEN FORMAL LICENSING, PERMITTING BODIES AND OUR TRIBES. AND SO I'M GLAD TO SEE THIS FORMALIZED, AND I'M VERY SUPPORTIVE OF IT BEING A THREE-YEAR PILOT PROGRAM. UM, I SHARED SOME OF THE QUESTIONS AND CONCERNS ABOUT SORT OF WHEN AND HOW WE'LL GET A REPORT BACK. SO WHEN THE TIME COMES, I WOULD SUGGEST, UM ADDITIONAL DIRECTION TO ACTUALLY ASK STAFF TO COME BACK WITH A REPORT, PERHAPS ON OR BEFORE FEBRUARY 2027, TO PROVIDE AN UPDATE ON IMPLEMENTATION PROTOCOLS. AND PROVIDE DATA ABOUT THE IMPACT OF THE MODIFICATIONS BEING PROPOSED TODAY, WHEN THE TIME COMES FOR A MOTION. - I WANNA ALSO TAKE IT TO THE PUBLIC FOR PUBLIC COMMENT. - [INAUDIBLE], HELLO. MY NAME IS DR. JULISSA LOPEZ, AND I WANT TO THANK THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION OF THIS THREE-YEAR PILOT PROJECT TO PAY TRIBAL REPRESENTATIVES FOR OUR CONSULTATION. I'M A MEMBER OF THE AMAH MUTSUN TRIBAL BAND AND A MEMBER OF THE AMAH MUTSUN LAND TRUST BOARD OF DIRECTORS. I'M ALSO A RESIDENT OF WATSONVILLE AND A POSTDOCTORAL FELLOW AT UC SANTA CRUZ, AND AN ALUMNUS OF UC SANTA CRUZ. UH, FOR MANY YEARS, OUR TRIBAL MEMBERS HAVE ATTENDED COUNTY CONSULTATION MEETINGS WITH COUNTY PLANNING MANAGERS, PLANNING STAFF, PROJECT ENGINEERS, ATTORNEYS, PROGRAM MANAGERS, AND OTHER GOVERNMENT AND SPECIAL PROFESSIONALS. EACH OF THESE PEOPLE ARE PAID FOR THEIR TIME. IT IS ONLY TRIBAL REPRESENTATIVES THAT ARE EXPECTED TO WORK ON A VOLUNTEER BASIS, AND WE HAVE. NOT JUST FOR THE COUNTY, BUT FOR MANY GOVERNMENT ENTITIES AND RESEARCH INSTITUTIONS. FOR SO LONG, STATE-SANCTIONED VIOLENCE HAS UNDERMINED OUR COMMUNITY'S ABILITY TO PRACTICE OUR CULTURAL LIFEWAYS. OUR PEOPLE HAVE BEEN DISPLACED FROM OUR HOMELANDS, WHICH INCLUDES SOUTH COUNTY ALONG THE PAJARO RIVER. I'M ONE OF THE ONLY TRIBAL MEMBERS TO LIVE IN SANTA CRUZ COUNTY TODAY. OUR MEMBERS TRAVEL HOURS BACK TO OUR HOMELANDS TO BE HERE, TO CONNECT, TO GIVE BACK, AND TO CONSULT. OUR CHAIRMAN, VALENTIN LOPEZ, WOULD HAVE BEEN HERE TODAY, BUT HE WAS CALLED TO TESTIFY FOR NAGPRA IN SACRAMENTO. BUT IF HE WAS AVAILABLE, HE WOULD HAVE DRIVEN THREE TO FOUR HOURS FROM SACRAMENTO TO SANTA CRUZ TO JUST SHARE THE TWO MINUTES OF HIS TIME. THERE ARE SO MANY BARRIERS PUT UP AGAINST US, AND YET WE ARE PERSISTENT, DETERMINED, AND TENACIOUS. TODAY, YOU ALL CAN BE A PART OF TAKING DOWN THOSE BARRIERS BY ENSURING THAT TRIBAL CONSULTATION IS VALUED AND COMPENSATED ON PAR WITH ALL OTHER ATTENDEES AT THE MEETING. IT IS FOR THIS REASON THAT WE ASK FOR YOUR "YES" VOTE ON THIS ITEM. THANK YOU. - GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS KATE ANDERTON. I'M THE CHAIR OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE LAND TRUST OF SANTA CRUZ COUNTY. AS YOU KNOW, THE LAND ON WHICH WE GATHER IS THE UNCEDED TERRITORY OF THE AWASWAS-SPEAKING UYPI TRIBE. THE AMAH MUTSUN TRIBAL BAND COMPRISED OF THE DESCENDANTS OF INDIGENOUS PEOPLE TAKEN TO MISSION SANTA CRUZ AND SAN JUAN BAUTISTA DURING SPANISH COLONIZATION [02:00:02] OF THE CENTRAL COAST, IS TODAY WORKING HARD TO RESTORE TRADITIONAL STEWARDSHIP PRACTICES ON THESE LANDS AND TO HEAL FROM HISTORIC TRAUMA. WE HAVE ALL HEARD THIS LAND ACKNOWLEDGMENT MANY TIMES. TODAY, YOU HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE A STEP BEYOND MERE ACKNOWLEDGMENT. A STEP TOWARD THE HEALING OF THE HISTORICAL TRAUMA OF THE INDIGENOUS PEOPLES OF OUR COUNTY BY ADOPTING A PILOT PROGRAM TO UNDERWRITE PRESERVATION OF IRREPLACEABLE TRIBAL CULTURAL RESOURCES. TODAY, YOU HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO ENSURE THAT TRIBES HAVE THE RESOURCES TO ENGAGE MEANINGFULLY AND EXPEDITIOUSLY IN CONSULTATION WITH THE COUNTY TO BALANCE THE PRESSURES OF CHANGE AGAINST THE POTENTIAL LOSS OF OUR COUNTY'S LEGACY, A LEGACY WE ALL SHARE, REACHING BACK MORE THAN 10,000 YEARS TO THOSE WHO LIVED ON THE CENTRAL COAST BEFORE SPANISH COLONIZATION. LAWS REQUIRE TRIBAL CONSULTATION TO MITIGATE PROJECT IMPACTS TO TRIBAL CULTURAL RESOURCES. BUT AS YOU'VE HEARD, FINANCIAL AND TRIBAL CAPACITY CONSTRAINTS OFTEN MAKE MEANINGFUL CONSULTATION IMPOSSIBLE. ALL OTHER CONSULTANTS AND COUNTY STAFF ARE COMPENSATED FOR PROJECT REVIEW, PAID FOR BY PROJECT APPLICANTS. TRIBES ALONE SHOULDER THE COST TO CONSULT. THANK YOU, SUPERVISOR CUMMINGS, FOR DEVELOPING THIS PILOT PROJECT AND BRINGING IT TO THE BOARD. WE URGE YOUR SUPPORT. THANK YOU. - UH, GOOD MORNING, STILL MY NAME IS JAMES EWING WHITMAN. AND THIS ITEM WAS PULLED OFF THE AGENDA NUMBER 25. IT READS, "APPROVE A PILOT PROGRAM THAT COMPENSATES LOCAL CALIFORNIA NATIVE TRIBES FOR THEIR CONSULTATION ON COUNTY PERMITTED PROJECTS FOR THE PURPOSE OF PROTECTING AND PRESERVING TRIBAL CULTURAL RESOURCES AND TAKE RELATED ACTIONS," BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, 3RD DISTRICT. I THINK THIS IS COUNTY CODE FROM WHAT IT SAYS, 16.40, AND THE MINIMUM COMPENSATION IS $200. WHAT ARE YOU GUYS GONNA DO? SEND SMOKE SIGNALS TO THE ANCESTORS? MY UNDERSTANDING IS 65 MILLION INDIVIDUALS WERE GENOCIDED BY, UM OH, I CAN'T THINK WORD-FOR-WORD WHAT IT'S CALLED. THIS NATION WAS FOUNDED ON GENOCIDE AND SLAVERY, AND IT'S BEEN OVERTHROWN BY THE FOURTH BRANCH OF GOVERNMENT, WHICH YOU GUYS JUST KISS THE ASSES OF WHEN YOU MAKE THE NAZIS LOOK LIKE SWEET LITTLE GIRLS. SO, LET'S JUST PROCEED WITH THE PROCEEDINGS. SINCE I'M HERE WAITING, I MIGHT AS WELL TALK ON THIS SUBJECT TOO. THANK YOU, GUYS, FOR BRINGING THIS UP. IT'S SO IMPORTANT. - GOOD MORNING, SUPERVISORS. UH, THANKS SO MUCH FOR THE CHANCE TO COMMENT ON THIS ITEM. I JUST WANNA ADD TO BOARD CHAIR, KATE ANDERTON'S PUBLIC COMMENT AND, UH, NOTE THAT THE LAND TRUST OF SANTA CRUZ COUNTY IS IN STRONG SUPPORT OF THIS PILOT PROJECT, UH, WITH THANKS IN PARTICULAR TO DISTRICT 3 AND SUPERVISOR CUMMINGS. AS A CONSTITUENT OF D3, I GREATLY APPRECIATE IT. AND I'M ALSO SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF SARAH NEWKIRK, OUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, IN STRONG SUPPORT OF THIS PILOT. UH, LASTLY, I JUST WANT TO NOTE SOME [INAUDIBLE] SUPPORT AS WELL AND, UH, THE WORK OF THE CONSERVATION ORGANIZATIONS IN THIS REGION TO SUPPORT OUR TRIBAL PARTNERS. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE TIME. - THANK YOU. IS THERE ANYONE ONLINE? - YES, CHAIR. TIM, YOUR MICROPHONE IS NOW AVAILABLE. - THANK YOU ONCE AGAIN. UM, I AM 100% SUPPORTIVE OF OUR TRIBES, SO I, I, I DO HAVE A LOT OF APPRECIATION HERE FOR WHAT IS BEING TALKED ABOUT. AND, YES, OUR COUNTRY WAS FOUNDED ON GENOCIDE. THERE'S NO DOUBT ABOUT THAT ONE, AND THAT CONTINUES. IF YOU LOOK AT, YOU KNOW, IN THE AMERICAS, IT CONTINUES. IF YOU LOOK IN SOUTH AMERICA, YOU LOOK AT THE AMAZON JUNGLE [CHUCKLES] WOW. THE AMAZON BASIN IS, YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT [INAUDIBLE] WHERE YOU HAVE HUGE HERDS OF BUFFALO STORMING ACROSS IT. SO THEY ARE CHOPPING IT ALL DOWN, CONTINUING WITH THIS GENOCIDE. AND WE TAKE POTASH FROM CANADA AND RUSSIA AND SEND IT DOWN THERE TO FERTILIZE THE SOIL THAT IS NOT SUITABLE FOR THESE GRAZING ANIMALS. ALL SO THEY CAN HAVE 300 MILLION CATTLE SO VLADIMIR PUTIN CAN CHALLENGE THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. I WANT TO REMIND THE AMERICAN PEOPLE THAT DURING REAGAN, REAGAN HAD SOME ADVANTAGES HERE. CHINA AND RUSSIA WERE STARVING, AND WE WERE PROVIDING THEM FOOD. BUT NOT NOW, BECAUSE BRAZIL IS SUPPLYING ALL THE PROTEINS TO THOSE COUNTRIES. SO, ANYWAYS, UH, YOU KNOW, I JUST LOOK AT THIS WHOLE BIG PICTURE [02:05:02] HERE AND IT'S, IT'S QUITE DISAPPOINTING. BUT, YOU KNOW, HEARING FROM ALL OF YOU IN SANTA CRUZ, INCLUDING JAMES TALKING HERE ABOUT GENOCIDE, IT'S VERY ENCOURAGING THAT THIS SORT OF TALK IS GOING ON HERE RIGHT NOW. IT IS ABOUT TIME. ANYWAYS, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL YOUR HARD WORK AND ALL THE COMMUNICATION. YOU HAVE A FINE DAY. - THERE ARE NO MORE SPEAKERS, CHAIR. - WITH THAT, I WILL BRING IT BACK TO THE BOARD. UH, SUPERVISOR CUMMINGS, I KNOW THAT THERE'S ALL SORTS OF ADDITIONAL INPUT. - YEAH, UM... SO FIRST OF ALL, I JUST WANT TO THANK, UM, MS. ANDERTON, AND THE LAND TRUST, AND THE AMAH MUTSUN FOR BRINGING THIS ITEM FORWARD. AND, UM... AS SOMEBODY WHOSE BEEN VERY DEDICATED TO CONSERVATION AND ALSO WANTING TO WORK WITH OUR TRIBAL MEMBERS, AND HAVE DONE A LOT OF WORK WITH OUR TRIBAL MEMBERS, UM, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WHEN IT CAME, WE HAD A CONVERSATION ABOUT IT. I THOUGHT IT WAS SOMETHING THAT THIS COMMUNITY WOULD REALLY APPRECIATE. UM, AND IT IS SOMETHING THAT WE SHOULD TRY OUT BECAUSE WE OFTEN SAY THAT WE CARE ABOUT OUR TRIBAL COMMUNITY, WE WANNA DO SOMETHING TO SUPPORT THEM. WELL, HERE IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO ACTUALLY DO SOMETHING MEANINGFUL. AND, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE, AND I, AND I, AND I HEAR FROM SOME OF MY COLLEAGUES WHEN IT COMES TO INCREASING COSTS OF PROJECTS, BUT THIS IS ANOTHER EXAMPLE WHERE THE STATE IS REQUIRING LOCAL JURISDICTIONS AND AGENCIES TO ENGAGE WITH TRIBES, BUT THEY ARE NOT REQUIRING ANY COMPENSATION. WHEN WE THINK ABOUT TRAFFIC STUDIES AND BIOLOGICAL STUDIES, WE ARE CONSTANTLY PAYING THOSE FOLKS OUT AND THOSE CONSULTANTS OUT. BUT WHY ARE WE NOT PAYING OUR TRIBAL, UM, PARTNERS WHEN THEY ARE BEING ASKED TO COME OUT AND CONSULT US ON, UH, THE IMPACTS TO TRIBAL RESOURCES. SO, I THINK THIS IS GONNA BE A REALLY GOOD MODEL FOR OTHER COMMUNITIES, AND I'M REALLY JUST THANKFUL. AGAIN I'M APPRECIATIVE THAT WE ARE ABLE TO CONSIDER THIS HERE TODAY. UM, I ALSO DID HEAR FROM MY COLLEAGUES THAT THERE IS AN INTEREST IN GETTING A REPORT BACK. AND SO, UM, YOU KNOW, I'M HAPPY TO INCLUDE WITHIN THE MOTION THAT WE GET A REPORT BACK, UM, DURING THE BUDGET OR MAY BE IT'S THE MID-YEAR BUDGET. I MEAN, I KNOW THAT WE JUST GOT THROUGH OUR BUDGET PROCESS, SO THAT WILL BE KIND OF A YEAR FROM NOW. IF THEY ADOPT IT NOW, THAT MIGHT BE A GOOD ENOUGH TIME TO FIND OUT HOW EFFECTIVE THIS PROGRAM HAS BEEN WHEN WE'RE HAVING OUR UPDATES FROM DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS DURING THE BUDGET SESSION. SO, IF THAT'S ACCEPTABLE, I'D BE HAPPY TO MAKE A MOTION AND INCLUDE THAT WE GET A REPORT BACK ON THIS PROGRAM DURING, UH, THE BUDGET HEARINGS IN 2026. - THANK YOU. YEAH, I THINK THE IDEA OF A REPORT BACK IS FINE. IT'D BE GOOD TO KNOW, KIND OF, JUST GENERALLY HOW MANY FOLKS PAY A BASIC FEE FOR A LETTER, UM, BACK AND THEN HOW MANY PEOPLE WENT THROUGH FURTHER CONSULTATION. THE ONLY OTHER, I GUESS, FRIENDLY AMENDMENT, I DON'T THINK YOU'D TECHNICALLY MADE A MOTION YET. BUT WOULD BE IF YOU, UH, WOULD LIKE [INAUDIBLE] ADDING THAT IN SECTION 3, TO CONSULTATION COMPENSATION. UH, BASICALLY JUST ADDING "THE APPLICANT" TO THAT. SO, BASICALLY IT'D BE "THE COUNTY AND APPLICANT, UH, SHALL ENGAGE IN AN AGREEMENT WITH THE CONSULTING TRIBE TO PROVIDE IDENTIFIED SERVICES." AND EVERY TIME IT SAYS "THE COUNTY," ADDING "AND APPLICANT." WE'RE HEARING FROM STAFF THAT IS BASICALLY HOW IT WORKS ANYWAY. AND SO I JUST WOULD LIKE TO SEE THAT FORMALIZED IN THE POLICY. - CERTAINLY. I WAS TRYING TO MAKE A MOTION EARLIER, TOO. I DON'T THINK ANYBODY CAUGHT THAT BUT, UM... - IF THAT WAS A MOTION, YOU COULD WORK AT THAT. I'M HAPPY TO INCLUDE THAT. I'LL SECOND IT. - OKAY. - SUPERVISOR DE SERPA? - YES, I'M, I'M ALSO IN FULL SUPPORT. I HAVE BEEN PARTICIPATING IN THE SANTA CRUZ MOUNTAIN STEWARDSHIP NETWORK PROGRAM CALLED SPOTLIGHT STEWARDSHIP. AND, UM, HAVE HAD THE PLEASURE OF TOURING THE QUIROSTE VALLEY WITH THE LEADER OF THE BAND OF THE AMAH MUTSUN. AND IT IS QUITE BEAUTIFUL AND INTERESTING TO REALLY LEARN AND SEE FIRSTHAND THE HISTORY, UM, ON THE CENTRAL COAST. SO, I'M IN FULL, FULL SUPPORT TODAY. THANK YOU FOR BRINGING IT FORWARD. - SO, IF THERE IS NO FURTHER COMMENT, WE CAN RESTATE THE MOTION. - CHAIR, I MOVE THE RECOMMENDED ACTION, WITH THE ADDITION THAT WE HAVE A REPORT BACK ON THE PILOT DURING THE 2026 BUDGET HEARINGS AND THAT WE ADD IN SECTION 3 THAT "THE COUNTY AND APPLICANT" SHALL CONSULT WITH THE TRIBES, AND ADD "APPLICANT" WHERE APPROPRIATE IN THAT SECTION TO ENSURE THAT THE COUNTY AND APPLICANT ARE IN, BOTH IN CONSULTATION WITH THE TRIBES. - SECOND. - [INAUDIBLE], IT WAS ALREADY SECONDED BY... - I DIDN'T KNOW. - SUPERVISOR DE SERPA? - AYE. - CUMMINGS? - AYE. - MARTINEZ? - AYE. - KOENIG? - AYE. - AND HERNANDEZ? - AYE. MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. [02:10:03] NEXT, WE HAVE,UH, ITEM 6.2, WHICH WAS NUMBER 16, [16. Adopt “An Ordinance of the Board of Supervisors of the County of Santa Cruz Amending Santa Cruz County Sections 13.10.312, 13.10.322, 13.10.332, 13.10.352, 13.10.362, 13.10.372, 13.10.689, 13.10.694, and 13.10.700, adding Sections 13.10.695 and 13.10.696, and repealing Section 13.10.690, regarding Short-Term Rentals” (Approved in concept August 5, 2025)] UH, HAVING TO DO WITH SHORT-TERM RENTALS. SUPERVISOR DE SERPA? - THANK YOU. UM, THIS IS AN ITEM THAT WHEN IT CAME BEFORE US FOR FIRST READ, I DID VOTE YES. HOWEVER, IN FURTHER REVIEW, IT IS, TO ME, IN MY MIND, IT'S SORT A COMPLICATED ITEM. PARTLY, THAT'S BECAUSE I'M NEW, AND I'M STILL LEARNING ABOUT SHORT-TERM RENTALS AND CDI AND PUBLIC WORKS AND ALL THAT. THIS IS NOT MY AREA OF EXPERTISE. SO I DON'T KNOW IF STEPHANIE IS STILL HERE. STEPHANIE, DO YOU MIND COMING UP? THANK YOU SO MUCH. JUST IN CASE I NEED SOME CLARIFICATION. SO, WHAT I HEARD, UH, IN THIS ITEM IS THAT IN MY AREA CALLED SALSDA MUCH BIGGER THAN, UM, THE DAVENPORT AREA. THAT, MY, THE SHORT TERM RENTALS WERE GOING TO BE REDUCED BY ALMOST A HUNDRED. IS THAT CORRECT? - NO, I, I THINK WE CLARIFIED THIS QUESTION PREVIOUSLY. - I THINK YOU DID, BUT IT WAS STILL VERY CONFUSING TO ME. BECAUSE WHEN I SEE 241 AND THEN A NUMBER NOW THAT'S 147, THAT DOESN'T MAKE ANY SENSE TO ME, STILL. SO, MAYBE WE COULD TALK IT THROUGH. - ABSOLUTELY. STEPHANIE HANSEN, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR, CDI. THERE'S AN EXCEPTION ZONE WITHIN THE SALSDA, 94 PERMITS IN THAT EXCEPTION ZONE. UM, WE'VE CLARIFICATION THAT THE EXCEPTION ZONE SHOULDN'T, UM, CONTRIBUTE TO THE CAP IN THE SALSDA. UM, AND WE WERE CLARIFYING IN THE ORDINANCE THAT THOSE NUMBERS DON'T CONTRIBUTE TO THE OVERALL SALSDA NUMBERS, SO THERE'S NO EFFECTIVE CHANGE. UM, AND I WOULD SAY, IF YOU DO ADD IT BACK INTO THE CAP, YOU'D ACTUALLY BE LIMITING IT IN THE EXCEPTION ZONE. SO, THAT'S, KIND OF, THE FLIP SIDE. THIS IS JUST A MATTER OF HOW WE CALCULATE, NOT A REDUCTION IN THE NUMBER OF UNITS. - SO THERE'S NO REDUCTION IN THE NUMBER OF UNITS AT ALL? - RIGHT. - WELL, THE NUMBERS STILL DON'T ADD UP, SO THAT'S WHY IT'S CONFUSING NOT JUST TO ME, BUT TO THE PUBLIC, RIGHT? - LET ME, LET ME TRY TO EXPLAIN. SO THE WAY WE HAVE THE RULES NOW, WE HAVE AN EXCEPTION ZONE. FOR SOME REASON THERE WAS A CAP AND THE UNITS THAT WERE IN THE EXCEPTION ZONE WERE INCLUDED WITHIN THAT CAP, WHICH IS KIND OF LIKE A DOUBLE NEGATIVE. IT'S LIKE WHY HAVE BOTH OF THOSE THINGS APPLY AT THE SAME TIME? SO WHAT THEY'RE DOING IS THEY'RE CENTRALLY SAYING INSTEAD OF HAVING 250 AND INCLUDING THE UNITS IN THE EXCLUSIONARY ZONE, WE'RE JUST GOING TO CALL THE EXCLUSIONARY ZONE, WHAT IT IS, IT'S THE EXCLUSIONARY ZONE. SO, SO NO CAPS OR ANYTHING NEED TO APPLY THERE. AND FOR THE NON-EXCLUSIONARY ZONE, WE'RE JUST GONNA LOWER IT DOWN TO, LET'S SAY, 150 OR WHATEVER IT, OR WHATEVER IT IS. BUT THERE IS NO REDUCTION OVERALL IN THE NUMBER OF VACATION RENTAL UNITS THAT WILL BE APPLIED IN THE SALSDA. IT'S JUST A DIFFERENT WAY OF COUNTING AND ACCOUNTING FOR. IT'S REALLY CORRECTION OF SOMETHING IN THE ORDINANCE THAT SHOULDN'T HAVE BEEN THERE TO BEGIN WITH. AND, YOU KNOW, UM, IT'S, IT, IT'S CLEARER THE WAY THAT IT'S BEING REDRAFTED. - OKAY. SO CURRENTLY THEN, AS THE ORDINANCE IS WRITTEN THE SALSDA ZONE HAS 147, RIGHT? [CROSSTALK] - BECAUSE YOU'RE NOT COUNTING WHAT'S IN THE EXCEPTION AREA. - OKAY. UM, SO WHAT I NOTE IS THAT STILL IN THE LIVE OAK AREA, THERE'S LIKE MORE THAN 200. SO WHY IN AN AREA THAT'S BIGGER, UM, AM I LIMITED TO 147? - WELL, YOU'RE NOT LIMITED TO 147... - YOU SAID I HAVE THE EXCLUSION. - ...YOU STILL HAVE THE EXCLUSION ZONE. THE REASON THERE ARE A COUPLE OF EXCLUSION ZONES, UM, OR AREAS THAT WE DON'T COUNT IN VACATION RENTALS, AND THAT'S BECAUSE HISTORICALLY THEY'VE BEEN USED FOR VACATION RENTALS. SO WHEN THE ORDINANCE WAS ADOPTED, THE BOARD AT THE TIME DIDN'T WANNA BE TAKING AWAY PERMITS FROM ANYBODY, SO THEY KIND OF CREATED THESE AREAS WHERE, WHERE WE DON'T DO THE COUNTING. THERE'S SOME DOWN IN PAJARO DUNES AS WELL. - OKAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. - SURE. - DO ANY OTHER BOARD MEMBERS HAVE CLARIFICATION QUESTIONS? [02:15:05] THEN, UM, WITH THAT I'M GONNA TAKE IT OUT FOR PUBLIC COMMENT. HOWEVER, IF YOU'VE ALREADY SPOKEN ON THIS ITEM, UM, DURING THE ORIGINAL PUBLIC COMMENT, THEN YOU'RE NOT ABLE TO SPEAK AGAIN. SO ARE THERE ANYBODY IN ADDITION WHO'D LIKE TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? ANYBODY ON THE PHONE? - YES. - TIM, YOUR MICROPHONE IS NOW AVAILABLE. - THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM. UM, JUST SO YOU KNOW, UH, YOU KNOW, I, I DO HAVE SOME CONCERNS WITH, UH, SHORT-TERM RENTALS AND SO ON. AND THAT'S FROM EXPERIENCE IN, UH, DEALING WITH THIS UP IN THE TAHOE BASIN. UP IN TAHOE, SHORT-TERM RENTALS, ABSOLUTELY ANNIHILATED LAKE TAHOE AND ALL THIS DISCUSSION ABOUT AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND EVERYTHING. THESE PEOPLE JUST COME UP AND JUST THEY COMPLETELY DEMOLISHED THE BEACHES AND THE ECOLOGY OF LAKE TAHOE. BASICALLY, HE GETS SOME GUY, HE OWNS A PLACE, RIGHT? OR HE MAYBE OWNS 10 PLACES, PUTS THEM OUT THERE TO RENT. YOU KNOW, IT'S A ONE LITTLE BITTY LITTLE ONE BEDROOM OR THREE BEDROOM PLACE, SLEEPS 50. AND THEN ALL THESE TOURISTS COME UP AND JUST HAMMER INTO THE PLACE. THEN THEY STORM OUT ONTO THE BEACHES HERE ON THE EAST SHORE, AND THEY THROW BOTTLES AND ALL KINDS OF JUNK. THEY BUST BOTTLES, CANS, EVERYTHING. AND SO YEAH, I PICKED UP A LOT OF THE GARBAGE ON TAHOE'S BEACHES. AND JUST IMAGINE ME, YOU KNOW, IN FRONT OF THE CLIENTELE THERE, I SAY AT SECRET COVE, AND I ASKED A COUPLE OF MEN, "HEY, YOU KNOW, COULD YOU LIKE HOLD ME BY MY ANKLES UPSIDE DOWN HERE AND LOWER ME INTO THIS GRANITE BAT CAVE SO I COULD PULL ALL THESE BOTTLES OUT." PEOPLE WERE ASTOUNDED AT WHAT I PULLED OUT OF ALL THESE GRANITE BOULDERS AND OUT OF MANZANITA BUSHES. I PULLED OUT BABY DIAPERS FILLED WITH POO, TOILET PAPER FILLED WITH POO, ALL KINDS OF BROKEN, YOU KNOW, SHARDS OF GLASS, CANS, JUST EVERYTHING. AND THIS IS WHAT HUMAN BEINGS DO. SO WHEN I HEAR ABOUT THIS SORT OF STUFF, THAT'S MY CONCERN. HOW ARE YOU GONNA CONTROL THIS AND PROTECT YOUR COMMUNITY HERE AND PREVENT ENORMOUS AMOUNT OF DAMAGE COMING TO YOUR COMMUNITY AND HUGE HUMAN WAVES OF PEOPLE THAT JUST DON'T CARE ABOUT ALL OF YOU? ANYWAYS, YOU FOLKS THINK ABOUT THAT AND HAVE A WONDERFUL DAY. - THANK YOU. - JOE, YOUR MICROPHONE IS NOW AVAILABLE. - THANK YOU. I JUST WANNA URGE THE BOARD TO MOVE FORWARD ON THE PROPOSED CHANGES. I WROTE A COMMENT, WE'VE BEEN WORKING AT THIS FOR ALMOST 11 YEARS, 12 YEARS NOW, AND THE COMMUNITY VOTED THE REVENUES TO ENFORCE THE ORDINANCE. AND I THINK THE COMMENTS FROM THE GENTLEMAN WHO WAS JUST BEFORE ME KIND OF GIVES A HINT OF WHAT WE'VE BEEN DEALING WITH. WE FINALLY HAVE A FEW THINGS THAT'LL HELP ENFORCE THE ORDINANCE YOU HAVE, AND THE ONE THING THAT CAN HELP IS IF YOU FINALLY ADOPT IT. SO I JUST WANT TO URGE YOU TO ADOPT IT. UH, I'M SORRY I COULDN'T ATTEND YOUR LAST MEETING, BUT I'M GLAD I HAVE A CHANCE TO COMMENT NOW. SO PLEASE MOVE FORWARD. WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS FOR A DECADE OR MORE, AND THIS ORDINANCE IS SUBJECT TO ABOUT A YEAR OF CONVERSATION. THANK YOU SO MUCH. - THERE ARE NO FURTHER SPEAKERS. - THANK YOU. I'LL NOW BRING IT BACK TO THE BOARD TO, UM, ENTERTAIN DISCUSSION AND A MOTION. SUPERVISOR CUMMINGS. - THANK YOU, SUPERVISOR MARTINEZ. YEAH, I JUST WANTED TO, UM, UM, REFLECT ON SOME OF THE COMMENTS. IT HAD BEEN BROUGHT UP EARLIER AND JUST WANTED TO ALSO EMPHASIZE THAT, UM, SUPERVISOR KOENIG AND I HAVE BEEN WORKING ON THIS FOR WELL OVER A YEAR, PROBABLY GETTING CLOSE TO TWO ALMOST NOW IN TERMS OF THE AMOUNT OF OUTREACH AND THEN COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT THAT WE'VE BEEN CONDUCTING. AND A LOT OF IT, UH, TO PROVIDE SOME BACKGROUND IS REALLY ON THE FACT THAT A LOT OF FOLKS IN NEIGHBORHOODS WHERE THEY'VE SEEN PROLIFERATION OF SHORT-TERM RENTALS, THEY'VE BEEN REALLY SEEING SIGNIFICANT NEGATIVE IMPACTS WHEN THOSE SHORT-TERM RENTALS ARE UNHOSTED. I THINK OVERWHELMINGLY WHAT WE'VE BEEN EXPERIENCING, WHAT WE'VE BEEN HEARING IS THAT HOSTED SHORT-TERM RENTALS ARE THE THINGS THAT WE WANNA BE ABLE TO SUPPORT. AND IN DECEMBER OF 2023, WHEN I WAS ON THE COASTAL COMMISSION, WE ACTUALLY HAD A MEETING, UH, WHERE WE BROUGHT IN SOME HOUSING FOLKS WHO WERE DISCUSSING THE IMPACTS OF SHORT TERM RENTALS. AND WHAT THEY ACTUALLY ENCOURAGED IS THE COMMUNITY SHOULD BE MOVING AWAY FROM UNHOSTED SHORT-TERM RENTALS AND BE MOVING TOWARDS HOSTED SHORT-TERM RENTALS. ANOTHER PART OF WHAT CAME OUTTA THAT MEETING AND PER THE DISCUSSION WAS THE CORPORATIZATION OF RESIDENTIAL HOUSING. SO HAVING LARGE CORPORATIONS AND LLCS THAT COME INTO COMMUNITIES, THEY START BUYING UP ALL THE HOUSING, UM, THEY'RE ABLE TO MAKE CASH OFFERS WHICH ALLOW, WHICH, YOU KNOW, MAKE THEM MORE COMPETITIVE [02:20:01] THAN PEOPLE WHO ARE FIRST TIME HOMEOWNERS AND MAYBE THEY'RE FIRST TIME HOMEOWNERS WHO WOULD LIKE TO HAVE A HOSTED AIRBNB SHORT-TERM RENTAL SO THEY CAN HELP PAY FOR THEIR HOME. I MEAN, THIS IS WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO ENCOURAGE WITH THE, THE MOTION THAT'S BEFORE US. UM, AND SO, AND ALSO AS PART OF THE, THE BOARD ITEM THAT'S BEFORE US, IT'S REALLY LIMITING HOW MANY, UM, PERMITS SOMEONE CAN GET. SO, SURE YOU WANNA LIVE IN YOUR HOME, YOU WANT TO HAVE A HOSTED RENTAL, YOU CAN GET A PERMIT. YOU ARE ABLE TO BUY A SECOND HOME. YOU WANNA RENT THAT OUT AS A SHORT TERM RENTAL. GO RIGHT AHEAD AND YOU CAN USE AS YOUR, YOUR, YOU KNOW, SUMMER HOME WHEN YOU'RE NOT RENTING IT OUT. BUT WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO PREVENT BECAUSE FROM PE-, FROM COMPANIES AND CORPORATIONS COMING INTO SANTA CRUZ COMMUNITY AND MAKING ALL THE HOUSING INACCESSIBLE FOR THE PEOPLE WHO WANNA LIVE AND WORK HERE. UM, THERE WAS A COMMENT THAT WAS MADE AROUND, UM, SOMEBODY WHO'D BUILT AN ADU AND WANTED TO CONVERT THAT INTO A SHORT-TERM RENTAL. THE PROBLEM IS THE STATE LAW PROHIBITS THAT FROM HAPPENING. SO ADUS CANNOT BE CONVERTED INTO SHORT-TERM RENTALS. WE ACTUALLY DISCUSSED THAT. WE ACTUALLY DISCUSSED POTENTIALLY HAVING THE HOMEOWNER MOVE INTO THE ADU AND RENTING OUT THEIR HOME. UM, THAT WAS ALSO STRUCK DOWN, UM, AND WE'VE FOUND THAT THAT WAS NOT, UM, PERMISSIBLE BY LAW. AND SO, UM, SO WE'RE UNABLE TO DO THAT AS WELL. FURTHERMORE, UM, RIGHT NOW WHAT WE'RE DOING IS WE'RE CAPPING THE UNHOSTED IN THE UNINCORPORATED OUTSIDE OF THESE ZONES THAT WE'VE JUST BEEN DISCUSSING IN THE COASTAL AREA. UH, BECAUSE THERE IS NO CAP CURRENTLY ON UNHOSTED RENTALS. UM, THERE IS A CAP ON HOSTED THAT'S PREVIOUSLY BEEN IN PLACE, BUT THERE'S SO MANY PERMITS OUT THERE FOR HOSTED. WE'RE JUST GONNA WAIT TO SEE WHAT HAPPENS. IF WE GET TO A POINT WHERE WE HIT THE CAP OF THE HOSTED, WE CAN HAVE A DISCUSSION ABOUT REMOVING THAT CAP AND I THINK THIS BOARD WOULD BE, UM, FLEXIBLE WITH DOING THAT BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT THE PEOPLE WHO OWN THE PROPERTY ARE ACTUALLY LIVING ON SITE. AND SO, UM, SO I THINK THAT THIS IS A REALLY GOOD BALANCE, UH, BETWEEN US TRYING TO GRANDFATHER AND WHO'S CURRENTLY HERE, REDUCE THE NEGATIVE IMPACTS OF UNHOSTED RENTALS. UM, WE ALSO, UH, HAVE A SYSTEM WHERE WE CAN TRACK, YOU KNOW, WHO HAS PERMITS AND WHO DOESN'T HAVE PERMITS SO WE DON'T HAVE ILLEGAL RENTALS, UM, BECAUSE ULTIMATELY WE, WE DO UNDERSTAND THAT THERE'S A BALANCE BETWEEN, YOU KNOW, SOME FOLKS WHO NEED SUPPLEMENTAL INCOME. OUR DESIRE TO, I MEAN, AS A TOURIST COMMUNITY, TO BE ABLE TO INVITE PEOPLE IN. WE REALLY WANT TO DO IT IN SUCH A WAY THAT WE'RE NOT NEGATIVELY IMPACTING OUR HOUSING STOCK AND THAT WE'RE ALSO, UM, YOU KNOW, REALLY TRYING TO BALANCE THE IMPACTS OF VISITORS COMING IN ON THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE LIVED IN THESE COMMUNITIES. AND SO I THINK THAT THIS IS A GOOD FIRST STEP AS WE HEARD IN THE LAST MEETING, THERE'S BEEN A NEW SHORT TERM RENTAL SUBCOMMITTEE CREATED WHO WILL CONTINUE TO PROVIDE INPUT AND REFINE OUR ORDINANCES. AND SO I THINK THAT TODAY, YOU KNOW, WE'LL MAKE, IT WILL BE A MILESTONE IN US ADVANCING, UM, AND MAKING MEANINGFUL CHANGES TO THIS POLICY THAT'S EXISTED. SO I'LL LEAVE MY COMMENTS THERE. THANK YOU. - ANY FURTHER, ADDITIONAL COMMENTS? OKAY, I'LL BRING IT BACK TO THE BOARD. - I'LL MOVE THE RECOMMENDED ACTION. - SECOND. - WE HAVE A MOTION FORM SUPERVISOR CUMMINGS AND THE SECOND FROM SUPERVISOR MARTINEZ. CAN WE TAKE THE ROLL CALL VOTE? - SUPERVISOR KOENIG? - AYE. - DE SERPA? - AYE. - CUMMINGS? - AYE. - MARTINEZ. - AYE - AND HERNANDEZ? - AYE. MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. AT 6.1, 6.2. NEXT ON THE AGENDA WE HAVE ITEM NUMBER 7, [7. Consider approving in concept “An Ordinance of the Board of Supervisors of the County of Santa Cruz Amending Chapter 2.94 of the Santa Cruz County Code,” and take related actions] CONSIDER APPROVING IN CONCEPT AN ORDINANCE OF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS OF SANTA CRUZ COUNTY, AMENDING CHAPTERS 2.94 OF THE SANTA CRUZ COUNTY CODE AND TAKE RELATED ACTIONS, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT INFRASTRUCTURE. I'LL TURN IT OVER TO SUZANNE ISE, PRINCIPLE PLANNER FOR THE PRESENTATION. - GOOD MORNING, CHAIR AND SUPERVISORS. MY NAME IS SUZANNE ISE. I AM PRINCIPAL PLANNER IN CDI FOR HOUSING, AND I HAVE WITH ME HERE TODAY FROM THE CIO'S OFFICE, UH, DEPUTY CIO, NICOLE COBURN. UM, THE ITEM BEFORE YOU TODAY IS, UM, ANOTHER STEP, UH, WHICH IS AN OUTCOME OF THE MULTIPLE YEAR PROCESS THAT WAS CALLED 'SANTA CRUZ COUNTY, LIKE ME.' UM, THAT WAS FIRST INITIATED BACK IN 2021 AS A SORT OF A COLLABORATION BETWEEN THE COUNTY AND CERTAIN COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS, INCLUDING, UH, VENTURES. UM, THE GOAL OF THIS EFFORT WAS TO, UM, IMPROVE THE UH, UH, QUALITY AND, AND, UH, BREADTH OF REPRESENTATION IN LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND WITH A FOCUS ON, UH, COUNTY BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS. UM, SO THIS ITEM TODAY IS REGARDING THE HOUSING ADVISORY COMMISSION OF THE COUNTY. UM, WE, UH, MET WITH THE HOUSING ADVISORY COMMISSION AT TWO OF THEIR REGULAR MEETINGS OVER THE COURSE OF TWO YEARS TO, UH, BRING THEM UP TO SPEED ON THE SANTA CRUZ COUNTY LIKE ME PROGRAM. HAVE THEM, UH, DISCUSS IT AS IT IMPACTS THAT, UH, COMMISSION SIMILAR TO THE APPROACH THAT WAS, UH, [02:25:01] TAKEN WITH A NUMBER OF THE OTHER, UH, LOCAL BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS THAT THE COUNTY IS INVOLVED WITH. UM, AND, UH, THE OUTCOME OF THOSE EFFORTS IS THAT TODAY WE HAVE A, UM, AN ORDINANCE PROPOSING SOME, UH, NOT MASSIVE AMENDMENTS, BUT SOME, YOU KNOW, SEVERAL, UM, SUBSTANTIVE AMENDMENTS TO THE COUNTY CODE SECTION THAT CURRENTLY ESTABLISHES THE HOUSING ADVISORY COMMISSION. UM, JUST BY WAY OF A LITTLE HISTORY, THIS COMMISSION WAS FIRST ESTABLISHED, I BELIEVE IT WAS IN THE EARLY '80S, AND, UM, HASN'T REALLY HAD ANY MAJOR SUBSTANTIVE CHANGES TO ITS COMPOSITION, UH, SINCE THAT TIME. UM, ANOTHER NOTE IS THAT, UM, SOME OF THE CHANGES THAT WE'RE PROPOSING IN TERMS OF, UM, ADDING A CERTAIN NUMBER OF SEATS THAT WE REFER TO IN THE STAFF REPORT AS STAKEHOLDER SEATS. UH, THIS IS BUILDING ON WORDING THAT'S CURRENTLY IN THE CODE SECTION FOR THIS COMMISSION WHERE IT TALKS ABOUT THE TYPES OF VOICES AND THE TYPES OF COMMUNITY MEMBERS THAT THE BOARD AT, BACK IN THE '80S, I GUESS, WANTED TO SEE ON THIS COMMISSION. BUT WHAT WE'VE SEEN OVER THE YEARS, AND I, I PERSONALLY HAVE STAFFED THIS COMMISSION FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS, UM, IS THAT HISTORICALLY, UH, THOSE GOALS WERE NOT EFFECTUATED ONE WAY OR ANOTHER FOR, YOU KNOW, PROBABLY JUST LOGISTICAL REASONS OR WHO HAD TIME TO PARTICIPATE. AND HISTORICALLY THE COMMISSION HAS BEEN, UM, COMPRISED OF, UM, APPOINTMENTS OF TWO MEMBERS BY EACH SUPERVISOR. SO EACH SUPERVISOR GETS TO APPOINT TWO SEATS, UM, TO THE COMMISSION AND IT HAS BEEN A 10-MEMBER COMMISSION FOR ALL THIS TIME. WHAT WE ARE RECOMMENDING IN TERMS, IN, IN AN EFFORT TO KIND OF REALLY FINALLY BE ABLE TO ENSURE THAT THAT BROADER RANGE OF VOICES IS ACTUALLY APPOINTED TO THE COMMISSION IS RATHER THAN HAVING EACH SUPERVISOR APPOINT TWO DISTRICT-BASED SEATS, WHICH TRADITIONALLY HAVE PRIMARILY BEEN RESIDENTS OF THAT DISTRICT, AND, AND MORE OFTEN THAN NOT HOMEOWNERS IN THAT DISTRICT, UM, WE'RE RECOMMENDING TO DO A SLIGHT SHIFT IN THE COMBINATION OF THE SEATS OR IN THE, UH COMPOSITION OF THE SEATS WHERE EACH DISTRICT WOULD, UM, RETAIN ONE DISTRICT APPOINTEE. THEY WOULD HAVE ONE ALTERNATE. SIMILAR TO THE WAY THE PLANNING COMMISSION IS NOW, YOU HAVE FIVE SEATS AND FIVE ALTERNATES, RIGHT? UM, AND THEN WE ADD EITHER FOUR OR SIX NEW SEATS, WHICH WE'RE CALLING STAKEHOLDER SEATS. AND THIS IS SIMILAR TO THE APPROACH THAT SOME OTHER BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS HAVE. I THINK IT WAS THE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH COMMISSION THAT HAS A SIMILAR, UH, SITUATION WHERE THERE ARE SOME STAKEHOLDER SEATS, AND IT'S NOT JUST BASED ON WHO LIVES IN WHAT DISTRICT. UM, SO WE LOOKED AT THAT AS A GOOD EXAMPLE TO FOLLOW WITH, WITH THE HOUSING ADVISORY COMMISSION. AND, UM, WE'RE RECOMMENDING EITHER FOUR OR SIX, BECAUSE WHEN YOU ADD THAT TO FIVE, THEN YOU GET AN ODD NUMBER AND IT JUST HELPS AVOID TIE VOTES. IT'S JUST A PRACTICAL, UH, RECOMMENDATION. SO IT'S, IT'S REALLY THE BOARD'S PREROGATIVE IF, IF YOU WANNA LAND ON FOUR OR SIX, ULTIMATELY WHEN THOSE APPLICATIONS COME IN AND YOU'RE MAKING THOSE APPOINTMENTS. UM, SO, UH, WE HAVE, UH, A DRAFT ORDINANCE THAT WE'VE WORKED WITH COUNTY COUNCIL AND THE CAO'S OFFICE TO DRAFT THIS ORDINANCE, UM, AND MAKE THESE DETAILED RECOMMENDATIONS. UH, AND, UM, YEAH, I, I THINK THAT'S THE BULK OF OUR PRESENTATION. IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, UH, THE RECOMMENDED ACTIONS ARE CONSIDER APPROVING IN CONCEPT AN ORDINANCE OF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS OF THE COUNTY OF SANTA CRUZ, AMENDING CHAPTER 2.94 OF THE SANTA CRUZ COUNTY CODE. SCHEDULE THE ORDINANCE FOR A SECOND READING AND FINAL ADOPTION ON SEPTEMBER 9TH, 2025, AND DIRECT THE CLERK OF THE BOARD TO PUBLISH THE NOTICE OF PROPOSED ORDINANCE SUMMARY IN A NEWSPAPER OF GENERAL CIRCULATION AT LEAST 5 DAYS PRIOR TO THE TO THE SCHEDULED SECOND READING AND FINAL ADOPTION, NO LATER THAN SEPTEMBER 4TH, 2025. AND I HAVE, UH, NICOLE HERE IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR HER. - REALLY QUICK, JUST FOR, UH, CLARIFICATION. SO IT'S EITHER 9 OR 11 TOTAL? - THAT IS OUR RECOMMENDATION, AND THAT'S HOW THE DRAFT ORDINANCE READS CURRENTLY. - GOT IT. WITH THAT, UH, I'LL TAKE IT OUT TO THE PUBLIC TO SEE IF ANYONE WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS US ON THIS ITEM. SEEING NONE, ANYONE ONLINE? - NO CHAIR. WITH THAT, I'LL BRING IT BACK TO THE BOARD. SUPERVISOR KOENIG? - UH, SO THANK YOU FOR THE PROPOSED, UM, CHANGES TO THE ORDINANCE TODAY. I DON'T HAVE ANY PROBLEM WITH THEM. UM, THE, YOU KNOW, THE ONLY QUESTION I HAVE IS I KNOW, YOU KNOW THAT THE FOLKS ON THE HOUSING ADVISORY COMMISSION, WHOEVER THEY ARE, WANNA BE EFFECTIVE AND WANT TO HELP WITH THIS, JUST, I MEAN, CORE PROBLEM IN OUR COMMUNITY OF HOUSING BEING SO UNAFFORDABLE. UM, AND ONE OF THE PIECE OF FEEDBACK I'VE HEARD IS THAT, [02:30:02] YOU KNOW, THEY'VE TRIED TO PUT STUFF ON THE AGENDA AND BEEN TOLD LIKE THAT THEY DON'T HAVE THE ABILITY TO, YOU KNOW, EITHER FOR THE CHAIR TO AGENDIZE THINGS OR FOR OTHER MEMBERS WORKING THROUGH THE CHAIR TO DO THAT, AND THAT THEY NEEDED DIRECTIONS FROM THIS BOARD. AND OBVIOUSLY WE'RE HAPPY TO DO THAT, I PROVIDED SOME DIRECTION AND THIS BOARD, YOU KNOW, APPROVED THAT AS FAR AS LOOKING AT, UM, AB 1033, THE CONDORIZED ADU AND MULTIPLE ADUS, AND I THINK THEY'RE STILL GONNA GET TO THAT. UM, BUT I DON'T SEE ANYTHING IN THIS ORDINANCE THAT SAYS THEY COULDN'T, YOU KNOW, INDEPENDENTLY ANALYZE HOUSING SOLUTIONS. UM, SO I'M JUST, CAN WE CLARIFY THAT HERE? I MEAN, ULTIMATELY WE'RE, WE'VE GOT THIS HIGHLY SELECTED GROUP OF PEOPLE WHO WANNA SOLVE THE PROBLEM, CAN'T WE JUST, I DON'T SEE ANYTHING THAT DOESN'T EMPOWER THEM TO DO THAT. - YEAH, I CAN ANSWER THAT QUESTION, SUPERVISOR KOENIG. SO, UH, CHAPTER 2.38 IS OUR COMMISSION'S POLICY ORDINANCE. AND IT TALKS ABOUT THE ROLE OF THE STAFF LIAISON AND THE ROLE OF THE CHAIR, VICE CHAIR OR CO-CHAIRS. AND TYPICALLY, THE STAFF LIAISON WOULD WORK WITH THE CHAIR OR THE CO-CHAIRS TO, UM, FINALIZE AN AGENDA AND POTENTIALLY GET, YOU KNOW, INPUT ONTO WHAT THE TOPICS ARE FOR DISCUSSION. SO I WOULD THINK MAYBE IT'S JUST A, A CLARIFICATION THAT NEEDS TO BE MADE. OBVIOUSLY THE BOARD CAN DIRECT THINGS THAT IT WANTS THE COMMISSION TO CONSIDER, BUT IF THERE'S SOMETHING IN PARTICULAR THE CHAIR WOULD LIKE TO BRING FORWARD, I WOULD RECOMMEND THAT THEY WORK WITH THE STAFF LIAISON ON THAT. - OKAY. RIGHT. SO THAT, THAT IS ONE OF THEIR POWERS AS CHAIR TO WORK WITH STAFF? - MM-HMM. - OKAY. - SUPERVISOR MARTINEZ? - THANK YOU. UM, THANK YOU FOR BRINGING FORWARD THESE CHANGES. UM, I AM VERY SUPPORTIVE OF THE COUNTYWIDE WORK WITH THE SANTA CRUZ LIKE ME TO DIVERSIFY VOICES ACROSS THE VARIOUS APPOINTED BODIES. UM, PERSONALLY, I'VE STRUGGLED TO FIND THE RIGHT APPOINTEE TO THIS COMMISSION BECAUSE I'M OFTEN LOOKING TO DIVERSIFY MY APPOINTEES. SO BY HAVING KIND OF THIS RUBRIC OR THIS, UM, OTHER SEATS AVAILABLE TO ENSURE THAT WE HAVE DIVERSE VOICES ACROSS THE COMMISSION, THAT'LL REALLY HELP, UM, ME JUST FEEL, FEEL, UH, CLEAR THAT WE REALLY HAVE, UM, DIFFERENT EXPERIENCES ON THE COMMISSION. UM, ONE OF MY, UH, STAFF MEMBERS IN THE DISTRICT 5 OFFICE USED TO SERVE ON THIS COMMISSION AND, UM, WAS THE CHAIR FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS, AND FOR A LONG TIME WAS THE ONLY RENTER OUT OF 10 PEOPLE ON THAT COMMISSION. AND SO I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, VARIOUS INCOMES, UM, VARIOUS HOUSING STATUS, VARIOUS BACKGROUNDS, UH, YOUNG PEOPLE, VOICES WHEN WE APPOINT THESE TYPE OF TOPICS. SO, UM, I AM SUPPORTIVE OF THIS ACTION AND, UM, BE HAPPY TO MOVE APPROVAL WHEN THE TIME COMES. - SUPERVISOR CUMMINGS? - YEAH, I JUST WANNA THANK STAFF FOR THEIR WORK ON THIS. I THINK AS WE CONTINUE TO, YOU KNOW, EXPRESS A DESIRE IN INCREASING REPRESENTATION AND DIVERSITY AND A LOT OF THESE SPACES, UM, I THINK THIS IS REALLY A CRITICAL SPACE AS THE MOST UNAFFORDABLE, UH, RENTAL COMMUNITY IN THE UNITED STATES, WHERE WE REALLY DO NEED TO HAVE THE VOICES OF THOSE, THE PEOPLE WHO ARE IMPACTED, UM, BEING EQUALLY REPRESENTED AT THE TABLE. AND I THINK THIS DOES A GOOD JOB OF TRYING TO, YOU KNOW, BETTER INCORPORATE THOSE PEOPLE INTO, UM, THESE DISCUSSIONS AND INTO THIS PROCESS. UM, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WHILE PEOPLE MAY HAVE EXPERIENCED RENTING A LONG TIME AGO, MAYBE THEY OWN A HOUSE FOR 10, 15 YEARS, RENTING TODAY IS VERY DIFFERENT FROM RENTING 15, 20 YEARS AGO, AND THE STRUGGLES THAT PEOPLE FACE TO TRY TO KEEP THEIR HOUSING. SO I REALLY APPRECIATE THE, UM, THE DIRECTION THAT'S BEING, UH, RECOMMENDED TO US TODAY. AND THEN I WOULD JUST, YOU KNOW, TO HELP US GET THROUGH, I WOULD ALSO, UM, RECOMMEND THAT WE DO THE SIX AT LARGE SEATS, AND THEN WE CAN SEE HOW IT GOES, UM, SO THAT WE CAN, YOU KNOW, MAXIMIZE REPRESENTATION. IF IT TURNS OUT THAT THERE'S ISSUES WITH QUORUM OR PEOPLE CAN'T COME, MAYBE WE CAN, YOU KNOW, REDUCE THE NUMBER BACK DOWN TO FOUR. BUT I THINK STARTING AT SIX MAKES A LOT OF SENSE. SO THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR HARD WORK. AND THAT CONCLUDES MY COMMENTS. - SUPERVISOR DE SERPA? - THANK YOU. UM, SO I, I THINK THIS IS A GOOD IDEA, YOU KNOW? I, THE PERSON THAT I APPOINTED, UH, INTO THE SEAT, UH, IS SOMEBODY WHO HAS CONTENT EXPERIENCE THAT IS SUPER RELEVANT TO THE HOUSING COMMISSION. UM, UH, SHE WAS FOR YEARS, A LOW-INCOME DEVELOPER WITH, UM, WITH MULT-, WITH EDEN AND MID PEN, ET CETERA. SO SHE'S GOT RELEVANT EXPERIENCE THAT I THINK IS, IS KEY, DESPITE THE FACT THAT SHE IS A HOMEOWNER IN MY DISTRICT. UM, I DON'T, YOU KNOW, I DON'T, I, I FEEL LIKE WHAT WE'RE MISSING IN THIS COUNTY IS, UM, MODERATE PRICED, UH, HOUSING FOR BOTH RENTERS AND HOMEOWNERS. UM, AND I DON'T, IT'S, IT'S HARD FOR ME TO SEE THAT PERSON IN THIS LIST OF WHO WOULD BE ADDED. SO ANYWAY, [02:35:02] I JUST WOULD LIKE TO BRING THAT TO YOUR ATTENTION. IF THERE WAS A, A PLACE FOR SOMEBODY WHO'S MODERATE INCOME, I THINK THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL. UM, MONICA, DID YOU MAKE THE MOTION OR YOU WERE GOING TO MAKE THE MOTION? - I'D BE HAPPY TO MOVE THE RECOMMENDED ACTIONS. - AND I WOULD BE HAPPY TO SECOND. - WE HAVE A MOTION TO SECOND, UH, WE DO HAVE SOME... - AND THEN JUST THE FRIENDLY AMENDMENT THAT IT'S THE SIXTH AT LARGE. - THAT'S THE LEAST NUMBER, RIGHT? SO IT'LL BE TOTAL OF NINE. - YES. - SO THE WAY THE ORDINANCE IS DRAFTED, YOU DON'T HAVE TO MAKE THAT DECISION NOW. IT SAYS THEY COULD EITHER BE FOUR OR SIX. AND WE WERE KIND OF THINKING IF YOU CAN'T QUITE GET SIX NEW APPLICANTS, YOU COULD GO AHEAD AND APPOINT THE FOUR, AND THEN MAYBE IF SOME MORE MATERIALIZED LATER, YOU COULD APPOINT THE SIX. SO YOU DON'T ACTUALLY HAVE TO DECIDE THAT RIGHT NOW. - OKAY. THANK YOU FOR THE CLARIFICATION. - SO WE HAVE A MOTION FROM SUPERVISOR MARTINEZ AND A SECOND FROM SUPERVISOR DE SERPA. UH, IF WE COULD TAKE A, A ROLL CALL VOTE. - SUPERVISOR KOENIG? - AYE. - DE SERPA? - AYE. - CUMMINGS? - AYE. - MARTINEZ? - AYE. - AND HERNANDEZ? - AYE. MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. MOVING ON TO ITEM 8, CONSIDER APPROVING IN CONCEPT [8. Consider approving in concept an "Ordinance Repealing and Replacing Chapter 9.57 of the Santa Cruz County Code Relating to Abandoned, Wrecked, Dismantled, or Inoperative Vehicles,” and take related actions] THE ORDINANCE, REPEALING AND REPLACING CHAPTERS 9.57 OF THE SANTA CRUZ COUNTY CODE RELATING TO ABANDONED, WRECKED, DISMANTLED, OR INOPERATIVE VEHICLES, AND TAKE ALL RELATED ACTIONS. I'LL TURN IT OVER TO FIRST DISTRICT SUPERVISOR MANU KOENIG FOR THE PRESENTATION. - THANK YOU CHAIR. UH, AND THANK YOU FOR CO-AUTHORING THIS ITEM WITH ME. UM, SO WE CAN GO AHEAD AND PROCEED TO THE NEXT SLIDE. THE PROBLEM THAT THIS ORDINANCE UPDATE REALLY SEEKS TO ADDRESS IS THE FACT THAT, UM, OUR COUNTY CODE TODAY DOESN'T HAVE ANY TEETH. UM, I FIRST HEARD ABOUT THIS ISSUE, UH, IN PARTICULAR ACTUALLY ABOUT THE RV PICTURED ON THE TOP THERE. UM, PARKED ALONG, HARDEN WAY, UH, HEARD FROM RESIDENTS WHO SAID, YOU KNOW, THIS RV'S BEEN PARKED HERE FOR OVER A YEAR. UH, THAT'S AGAINST COUNTY CODE. THEY'RE, YOU KNOW, WERE CONCERNED ABOUT, UM, HEALTH AND SAFETY ISSUES, AND ALSO, IT'S NOW ATTRACTING OTHER PEOPLE AS WELL. I THINK, UH, AT THE TIME I WAS TALKING TO RESIDENTS, THERE WAS AN ADDITIONAL RV THAT HAD COME TO START PARKING HERE AND SOMEONE LIVING OUTTA THEIR CAR ON THIS STREET. UH, AND SO I CONTACTED THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE AND SAID, "WELL, WHAT'S GOING ON HERE? CAN YOU GO OUT AND PAY A VISIT TO THE VEHICLE, TICKET THEM IF THEY DON'T MOVE." AND THEY SAID, "WELL, WE HAVE, WE'VE ACTUALLY TICKETED 'EM 30 TIMES. UH, WE'RE WELL AWARE OF THE SITUATION, AND THE PROBLEM IS THAT WE JUST CAN'T TAKE THE NEXT LEVEL OF ENFORCEMENT, WHICH WOULD BE ACTUALLY TOWING THEM FOR, UM, THE VIOLATION." I SAID, "WELL, WHY NOT?" UH, AND THEY EXPLAINED, "WELL, THE REASON IS THAT TOW COMPANIES DON'T RESPOND TO OUR REQUESTS. THE COSTS, UH, FOR THEM TO RESPOND AND THEN TO STORE THE VEHICLE, UM, IS BOTH HIGHER THAN WHAT THEY CAN RECOUP. UH, AND ALSO THEY'RE CONCERNED ABOUT, YOU KNOW, IF, UH, FOLKS ACTUALLY BREAKING IN TO GET INTO THEIR TOW YARD TO GET THEIR VEHICLES BACK. UM, THEY'RE CONCERNED WITH RVS ABOUT, UM, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE ADDITIONAL ELEMENTS, UM, THAT, THAT MIGHT BE INVOLVED, BUT THEY DID ULTIMATELY DISMANTLE THEM. UM, SO THAT LED US TO LOOK FOR POTENTIAL SOLUTIONS TO THIS ISSUE. WE IDENTIFIED THAT, UM, WITHIN, UH, WELL, UM, I GUESS YOU CAN GO TO THE, GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. UH, WITHIN, UH, STATE LAW, THERE'S ACTUALLY AN OPTION, UH, TO EITHER STORE VEHICLES FOR A NUMBER OF DAYS OR PROVIDE ADEQUATE WRITTEN WARNING AHEAD OF TIME ON THIS, UH, CASE, WE'RE INCLUDING A 10-DAY, UM, NOTICE PERIOD. UM, AND THEN IF THAT, UH, WARNING HAS BEEN GIVEN THAT WHEN YOU DO FINALLY TOW THE VEHICLE, IT COULD BE DISMANTLED IMMEDIATELY. UM, AND SO IN DISCUSSING THIS, UM, THIS OPTION WITH TOW COMPANIES, THEY SAID THAT THEY WOULD IN FACT, BE RESPONSIVE TO THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE REQUESTS, UH, IF WE UPDATE OUR LOCAL ORDINANCE TO REFLECT THIS OPTION UNDER STATE LAW. UM, AND SO IT WOULD EFFECTIVELY GIVE OUR COUNTY CODE SOME TEETH AGAIN. UM, SO THAT'S PRETTY MUCH WHAT'S BEING SUGGESTED. THERE IS, UM, YOU KNOW, THE, THE, THE WRITTEN WARNING, AND THEN THE SHERIFF CAN MAKE FINDINGS THAT IF THERE'S AN IMMEDIATE HEALTH AND SAFETY RISK THAT THEY, THEY COULD TOW, UH, A VEHICLE IMMEDIATELY WITHOUT, WITHOUT THAT 10-DAY WARNING. BUT OF COURSE, THEY'D HAVE TO BE ABLE TO MAKE THOSE FINDINGS. UM, NEXT SLIDE. [PAUSE] NOW, UM, YOU KNOW, WE'VE, WE'VE HEARD ALREADY, UM, REFERENCED DURING PUBLIC COMMENT, AND, YOU KNOW, SOME OBVIOUS CONSIDERATIONS HERE IS THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, SOME PEOPLE DO LIVE IN THEIR VEHICLES, UM, AND THIS, UH, THIS CHANGE COULD ULTIMATELY, UM, LEAD TO THE TOWING OF SOME VEHICLES THAT PEOPLE ARE LIVING IN. UM, AND SO ONE NATURAL CONSIDERATION, UH, WAS, WELL, SHOULD WE BE CREATING A SAFE PARKING PROGRAM AT THE SAME TIME THAT WE, UH, PROPOSE THIS CHANGE TO THE ORDINANCE? UM, ULTIMATELY THAT IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECOMMENDATIONS [02:40:03] TODAY. UM, AND THE REASONS ARE THAT, UH, FIRST OF ALL, THE, THE VEHICLES IN QUESTION MAY NOT BE MOVABLE, UH, TO A SAFE PARKING LOCATION. UM, WE'VE ALSO SEEN THAT THE CITY OF SANTA CRUZ, WHICH HAS A SAFE PARKING PROGRAM, HAS NOT SEEN HIGH UTILIZATION OF THEIR PROGRAM BY THE INTENDED AUDIENCE. SO WE'RE HEARING THAT SOME NEIGHBORS WILL SAY, "HEY, MY FRIEND'S COMING INTO TOWN AND, AND WITH HIS RV," THERE, THESE ARE SOME OF THE SAFE, UH, THESE ARE SOME OF THE LOTS THAT YOU CAN STAY OVERNIGHT. UM, AND SO IT'S BEING USED BY MORE OF A RECREATIONAL CROWD THAN THE, THE AUDIENCE THAT ACTUALLY, UM, NEEDS A SAFE PARKING SPOT. UM, AND IT IS OUR UNDERSTANDING THAT THE CITY IS ACTUALLY NOT AT CAPACITY WITH THIS PROGRAM RIGHT NOW AND IS REDUCING THE NUMBER OF SITES. UM, AND FINALLY, YOU KNOW, IF WE LOOK AT A COUNTY OWNED PROPERTY TO ESTABLISH A SAFE PARKING PROGRAM, THERE COULD CERTAINLY SOME EMPLOYEE CONCERNS, UH, MIGHT ARISE THERE. SO, UH, THAT'S, UH, PRETTY MUCH ALL I HAVE IN THE WAY OF INTRODUCTION TO THIS. THE RECOMMENDED ACTIONS THAT ARE CONSIDER ADOPTING A CONCEPT, AN ORDINANCE REPEALING AND REPLACING CHAPTER 9.57 OF THE SANTA CRUZ COUNTY CODE RELATING TO ABANDONED, WRECKED, DISMANTLED OR INOPERATIVE VEHICLES TO SCHEDULE THE ORDINANCE FOR A SECOND READ AND FINAL ADOPTION ON SEPTEMBER 9TH, 2025, AND DIRECT THE CLERK OF THE BOARD TO PUBLISH A NOTICE OF PROPOSED ORDINANCE SUMMARY IN A NEWSPAPER OF GENERAL CIRCULATION AT LEAST FIVE DAYS PRIOR TO THE SCHEDULED SECOND READINGS AND FINAL ADOPTION, NO LATER THAN SEPTEMBER 2ND, 2025. CHAIR HERNANDEZ, DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING YOU WANNA ADD? - JUST A LITTLE BIT TOO. UM, I JUST WANTED TO REITERATE THAT THIS IS FOR ABANDONED, AND WRECKED, DISMANTLED, INOPERATIVE VEHICLES. UM, WE'VE HAD SEVERAL CASES IN SOUTH COUNTY WHERE THERE'S A LOT OF ABANDONED VEHICLES LEFT ON AGRICULTURAL PLACES, AND THEY'VE HAD THAT ISSUE WHERE IT'S, YOU KNOW, THEY'VE BEEN THERE FOR A WHILE. I MEAN, ACTUALLY WE'VE HAD EVERYTHING FROM ABANDONED BOATS TO RVS AND VEHICLES AS WELL, BUT IT, IT, UH, REALLY ADDRESSES THE ISSUE SO THAT THEY CAN BE REMOVED FROM PLACES LIKE THAT, UH, PARKING OFF THE HIGHWAY, UH, OR OFF OUR RURAL ROADS. SO, UM, THE THING IS THAT, AND THEN, UH, SUPERVISOR KOENIG MENTIONED TOO AS WELL, IS THAT FOLKS THAT THEY ARE LIVING IN, IN, UH, THESE, UH, OVERSIZED VEHICLES OR TRAILERS, UH, THERE IS SOME DISCRETION, I BELIEVE, WITH THE SHERIFF TO ADDRESS THOSE ISSUES TOO, AS WELL. UH, SO IT'S NOT AUTOMATICALLY THAT THAT 10-DAY PERIOD WILL COME IN, IN INTO EFFECT IMMEDIATELY. UH, WE DO WANNA WORK WITH FOLKS THAT ARE UNHOUSED. SO I THINK THAT'S PRETTY MUCH CONCLUDES MY COMMENTS. - AND I'LL, I'LL JUST ADD THAT WE DO HAVE UNDERSHERIFF AINSWORTH, UH, AND, UH, LIEUTENANT BALDRIDGE HERE IN THE AUDIENCE WHO ARE HAPPY TO, WHO, WHO'VE WORKED CLOSELY ON THIS PROGRAM, HAPPY TO ANSWER QUESTIONS. UM, LIEUTENANT BALDRIDGE LEADS OUR COMMUNITY POLICING DIVISION, UH, WHICH, YOU KNOW, REALLY IS RESPONSIBLE FOR DEALING WITH, UH, WITH THESE KINDS OF COMPLAINTS. - I GUESS IT'S AFTERNOON NOW. GOOD AFTERNOON, BOARD AND CHAIRMAN HERNANDEZ. UH, I'M UNDERSHERIFF JACOB AINSWORTH WITH THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE. FIRST, I JUST WANNA EXPRESS THE SHERIFF AND MY, UM, UH, SUPPORT OF THIS RV ORDINANCE. THE AMENDMENTS TO THIS ORDINANCE PROVIDES THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE AND THE COUNTY, UH, WITH THE NECESSARY TOOLS TO ADDRESS THESE VEHICLES MORE SO IN A MORE TIMELY MANNER. UH, THESE VEHICLES ARE OFTEN CONTRIBUTE TO ILLEGAL DUMPING, HAZARDOUS WASTE, AND EXCESSIVE TRASH ACCUMULATION, CREATING BOTH ENVIRONMENTAL AND PUBLIC HEALTH RISKS FOR US AND THE COMMUNITY. SO I BELIEVE THAT THE ABILITY TO ENFORCE THIS ORDINANCE, WE'RE ABLE TO REDUCE THESE HAZARDS, IMPROVE NEIGHBORHOOD CLEANLINESS, UH, AND PROTECT THE NATURAL RESOURCES THAT, THAT EXIST WITHIN OUR COUNTY. UH, AND JUST AS IMPORTANTLY, ALLOW US TO RESPOND TO THE, UH, CONCERNS OF OUR COMMUNITY AND ADDRESSING THE QUALITY OF LIFE ISSUES THAT COME UP. OFTENTIMES, UH, WE'RE, WE'RE RESPONDING TO QUALITY OF LIFE ISSUES ASSOCIATED WITH THESE VEHICLES, UM, AND THAT, UH, OUR NEIGHBORHOODS REMAIN SAFE, CLEAN, AND A WELCOMING PLACE FOR THOSE THAT LIVE HERE IN OUR COMMUNITY. UH, SO AS MENTIONED, I, I'M HERE TODAY WITH LIEUTENANT NICK BALDRIDGE FROM OUR COMMUNITY POLICING DIVISION, WHO OVERSEES OUR AVA PROGRAM. UM, I THINK WE CAN ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT, THAT MAY, UM, EXIST WITHIN THIS ORDINANCE OR THE CHANGES THIS ORDINANCE, UM, AND MAYBE SOME PAST PRACTICES OF CONCERNS THAT YOU MAY HAVE AND HOW WE DEAL WITH THESE. - THANK YOU, UM, I'LL, I'M GONNA TAKE IT OUT TO THE PUBLIC FIRST BEFORE I, UH, WE HAVE QUESTIONS, UM, SO WE CAN HAVE FOLKS FROM THE PUBLIC, UH, ADDRESS US ON THIS ITEM. - SO I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH TIME I HAVE, BUT I HAVE A LOT TO SAY ABOUT THIS ITEM. UM, NUMBER ONE, I AM A FORMERLY UNHOUSED INDIVIDUAL WHO LIVED IN MY RV. MY RV WAS REGISTERED, IT WAS INSURED, AND IT WAS CLEAN AND IT WAS LABELED AS ABANDONED [02:45:02] MULTIPLE TIMES, UH, BY THE POLICE, BY THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE. IF MY RV WERE TO HAVE BEEN TOWED WHEN, AND DEMOLISHED WHEN I WERE HOMELESS, YOU'D HAVE BEEN PUTTING A FAMILY OF FIVE, THREE CHILDREN ON THE STREETS, UH, TO BE UNSAFE AROUND PEOPLE WITH MENTAL HEALTH, UM, UNSOLVED ISSUES, PEOPLE WITH SUBSTANCE ABUSE ISSUES. UH, HOW WOULD DEMOLISHING MY RV HAVE HELPED SOLVE THE PROBLEM THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT? WE ALREADY HAVE MULTIPLE THINGS PUT IN PLACE AND TOOLS THAT ARE AT YOUR DISCRETION FOR THIS ISSUE. AUTO CARE TOWING WORKS SPECIFICALLY WITH THE CITY AND WITH THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT AND, UH, WILL ADDRESS YOUR, YOU'RE SAYING THAT THEY WON'T TOW WHAT YOU'RE ASKING THEM TO TOW, AND THAT'S NOT TRUE BECAUSE YOU CONTRACT DIRECTLY WITH ONE OF THEM. UM, SO I FEEL LIKE YOU'RE BEING DISHONEST IN ORDER TO PASS SOMETHING AND GET YOUR WAY, WHICH IS SOMETHING THAT I'VE NOTICED MULTIPLE TIMES. EMBELLISHING THE TRUTH, UH, IS NOT A WAY TO CHANGE ORDINANCE. UM, HOW IMPORTANT IS IT, IS AN RV TO SOMEBODY IF THEY'RE WILLING TO BREAK IN TO GET IT BACK, THAT'S THEIR HOME. THEY NEED THAT. THAT'S OBVIOUSLY KEEPING THEM FROM A MORE HARMFUL SITUATION. UH, YOU SAID NO TO EXPANDING TIER 3 SAFE PARKING. THAT SITUATION RIGHT THERE THAT HAS A 40-PERSON WAITING LIST, THAT PARKING PROGRAM IS WORKING, YOU JUST DON'T WANNA EXPAND IT 'CAUSE IT'S THE MORE EXPENSIVE OPTION. PEOPLE AREN'T USING YOUR OVERNIGHT PARKING BECAUSE IT'S MORE EXPENSIVE FOR THEM TO USE THAT. IT'S MORE DETRIMENTAL AND IT CAUSES HARM FOR THEIR FINANCIAL SITUATION TO MOVE BACK AND FORTH, BACK AND FORTH. JUST BECAUSE YOU DON'T WANNA SEE THEM SOMEWHERE. THAT'S THE REASON IT'S NOT WORKING. YOU NEED TO EXPAND THE PROGRAMS THAT ARE WORKING. [PAUSE] IT'S THEFT. TAKING SOMEBODY'S VEHICLE AND DEMOLISHING IT WITHOUT DUE PROCESS AND ALLOWING THEM TO GET THEIR VEHICLE BACK IS THEFT. MY RV WAS OVER $10,000. THAT'S WHAT YOU WOULD'VE TAKEN FROM ME. IT DOESN'T JUST APPLY TO RVS, IT ALSO APPLIES TO VEHICLES, AND IT'S A WAR ON THE POOR. THERE'S TIMES NOW THAT I CAN'T AFFORD TO PAY MY VEHICLE REGISTRATION, YOU'RE SAYING IT WOULD BE INOPERABLE. - THANK YOU. - SO YOU CAN STEAL MY DODGE FROM ME TOO, RIGHT? IF I'M POOR AND I CAN'T AFFORD IT. NO, THERE'S NO, THERE'S NOT ENOUGH OVERSIGHT FOR YOUR POLICE DEPARTMENT TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE AREN'T JUST GOING TO BE LABELED AS... - THANK YOU. - UNION AND... - OKAY, THANK YOU, MA'AM. - HI, MY NAME'S KEITH MCHENRY AND I HAVE REPEATEDLY RAISED MONEY TO SAVE PEOPLE'S RVS WHO HAVE BEEN TOWED. SO THE NUMBER OF HOMELESS PEOPLE IS DRAMATICALLY INCREASING. WE SAW THAT THE, UH, UH, POINT IN TIME COUNT WAS DONE AFTER MASSIVE SWEEPS. AND ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS, AND ALICIA IS AN EXAMPLE OF THIS, WHEN YOU START TO SEE YOU'RE GOING TO BE HOMELESS, YOU KNOW THAT YOUR ONLY OPTION IS GOING TO EITHER BE MOVE INTO YOUR CAR, WHICH IS MUCH SAFER THAN MOVING ONTO A LEVEE WITH A PUP TENT OR, OR LIKE IS AS SMART AS ALICIA IS SHE, AND SHE KNEW SHE WAS GONNA BE HOMELESS. SHE RAISED THE MONEY TO BUY THIS $10,000 RV, AND I KNOW THERE WAS A, THERE WERE COPS ON THE WEST SIDE WHO JUST FOCUSED ON TICKETING HER SO THAT SHE WOULD GET SO MANY TICKETS, SHE COULDN'T PAY HER, HER REGISTRATION. THIS HAPPENS ALL DAY, EVERY DAY. AND SO YOU'RE STEALING PEOPLE'S LAST HOME. NOW, I CANNOT TELL YOU HOW MANY TIMES OLDER WOMEN IN THEIR 60S, 70S, AND 80S HAVE WALKED UP TO FOOD NOT BOMBS, ASKING WHERE THE WOMEN'S SHELTER IS BECAUSE THEY JUST LOST THEIR VEHICLE. AND IT WAS TOWED BY THE COUNTY OR THE CITY, AND ALL OF HER MEDICATIONS, ALL OF THEIR, UH, UH, THEIR FAMILY PHOTOS, THE LAST THING THEY LEFT THEIR LAST ADDRESS WITH WAS ALREADY TAKEN AWAY. AND FORTUNATELY, WE HAVE SOME RELATIONSHIPS WITH SOME OF THE TOW COMPANIES WHERE THESE VEHICLES ARE TOWED TO, AND WE CAN NEGOTIATE TO GET THAT PROPERTY BACK SOMETIMES. BUT THAT'S VERY RARELY THE CASE AND THEN, AND IT RUINS A PERSON'S ALREADY INABILITY TO GET BACK OFF THE STREETS BECAUSE YOU NOW DESTROYED THEIR ONLY WAY OF LIVING. AND THIS, THIS, YOU KNOW, THIS IS OUTRAGEOUS AND THIS ISN'T A TIME WHERE TRUMP AND NEWSOM ARE CALLING FOR, UH, CRIMINALIZING THE HOMELESS IN A MASSIVE WAY, AND THEY'RE EVEN USING THE NATIONAL GUARD TO ATTACK HOMELESS PEOPLE IN WASHINGTON DC. THIS IS BRUTALITY. IT SHOULD STOP, AND I WILL DEFINITELY BE WORKING WITH ALICIA TO SUE YOU [02:50:02] IF YOU TRY TO DO THIS. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. - THANK YOU. - HI, I AM JASMINE MIA. UM, I SPOKE BEFORE AND I TOLD YOU I WAS DISABLED, WHICH IS STILL TRUE. UM, AND I CAN'T MAKE ENOUGH MONEY TO SURVIVE EVEN THOUGH I WENT TO STANFORD, EVEN THOUGH I HAVE A MASTER'S DEGREE IN COUNSELING PSYCHOLOGY. I'M A LICENSED MARRIAGE AND FAMILY THERAPIST HERE. AND I KNOW LIKE I'M SO CLOSE TO THAT, LIKE UNDERSTANDING WHAT IT WOULD BE LIKE TO NOT BE ABLE TO SURVIVE AND BEING IN A VEHICLE MYSELF. SO I UNDERSTAND THIS AND HAVE A LOT OF EMPATHY. YOU SAY THIS ORDINANCE IS NOT SUPPOSED TO BE USED TO TARGET PEOPLE OF A CERTAIN HOUSING STATUS, BUT IT WILL BECAUSE LET'S BE HONEST, IT'S GONNA IMPACT PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN THEIR RVS. AND LIKE THE STORIES YOU'VE HEARD, I'VE HEARD OF TOO MANY STORIES WHERE PEOPLE ARE EVEN IN THEIR VEHICLES WHEN THEY GET TAGGED AND LIKE AT THE TIME OF THE TAGGING. SO IT'S JUST, IT'S JUST NOT TRUE THAT IT'S FOR ABANDONED VEHICLES. IT ALSO WAS EVEN WRITTEN, I WAS READING THROUGH THE ORDINANCE AND IT STARTED TO BE WRITTEN LIKE, YOU KNOW, KNEW IT WAS GOING TO BE AFFECTING PEOPLE WHO HAD USED IT AS HOUSING. AND OFTEN DUE TO FINANCIAL BARRIERS, RVS BREAK DOWN. THAT'S WHY THEY CAN'T GET TO SAFE PARKING. THAT'S WHY THEY CAN'T JUST MOVE ON A WHIM. AND IT'S BEING DEEMED, THE LANGUAGE IN THERE IS SO DEHUMANIZING. YOU PUT THAT THEY ARE A PUBLIC NUISANCE AND BLIGHT? UM, I JUST FEEL LIKE THAT FURTHER DEHUMANIZES PEOPLE PUTS 'EM IN HARM'S WAY. AND THEN WE TALKED ABOUT SAFE PARKING, WHICH, YOU KNOW, THE ISSUES ARE, THERE'S BARRIERS TO ACCESS, INCLUDING REQUIRING PERSONAL INFORMATION, WHICH WOULD BE SCARY IF YOU'RE ALREADY BEING DISCRIMINATED AGAINST BY THE SYSTEM. THE ACTUAL HUMANE THING TO DO IS LET PEOPLE SURVIVE HOWEVER THEY NEED TO. THE, AND THE ONLY EXCEPTIONS IN THE ORDINANCE HAVE SO MANY CONDITIONS THAT HAVE TO BE MET. AND I WANTED TO, UH, POINT OUT, WE'RE SUPPOSED TO BE A SANCTUARY COUNTY IN TERMS OF IMMIGRATION AND LGBTQ PLUS. HOW DOES THAT NOT EXTEND TO OUR NEIGHBORS WHO RESIDE OUTSIDE TO MEMBERS OF THIS COMMUNITY? HOW CAN WE BE A SANCTUARY FOR SOME AND NOT ALL? UM, EVEN MORE PUNISHING, THE ORDINANCE SAYS THAT PEOPLE WHOSE HOUSE YOU JUST THREW AWAY COULD BE INDEBTED TO THE COUNTY. THE COST IS GOING TO BE PUT ON THE PEOPLE WHOSE TRAILLER YOU JUST TOWED. THAT'S... I CAN'T EVEN LIKE COMPREHEND THAT. AND 10 DAYS FOR NOTICE IS NOT ENOUGH TIME. WHAT IF SOMEBODY GOT HOSPITALIZED? WHAT IF SOMEBODY'S INCARCERATED, WHICH ACTUALLY HAPPENS QUITE OFTEN DUE TO DISCRIMINATION FOR BEING POOR OR FOR USING DRUGS, AND PEOPLE JUST GET CARTED OFF AND THEN THEY COME BACK TO NO HOUSE. SO WHAT WOULD YOU HAVE THESE FOLKS DO? GET BACK ONTO THE VEHICLE, NOT HAVE SHELTER, AND THEN DIE ON THE STREETS? I REALLY HOPE YOU RECKON WITH YOUR HUMANITY HERE AND THINK IF YOU WERE IN THIS SITUATION, WHAT YOU WOULD WANT TO BE DONE TO YOU. - THANK YOU. - MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY, MEMBERS OF THE AUDIENCE, UH, A COUPLE OF THREE POINTS TO BEGIN WITH. UH, YOU MAY BE FAMILIAR WITH THE CASE OF FREMONT SAN JOSE AND RICHMOND, WHICH ARE CRIMINALIZING HOMELESS PEOPLE PRETTY DIRECTLY. THIS IS ANOTHER MOVE SOMEWHAT, UH, PRETTIED UP WITH, OH, YOU KNOW, WE'VE, THEY'RE, IT'S, IT'S TOO EXPENSIVE TO WORK ON, UM, STORAGE PLACES FOR VEHICLES. YOU SHOULD BE AWARE THAT THERE IS A WAITING LIST OF 50 PEOPLE FOR THE ARMORIES VEHICLE, VEHICULAR PROGRAM. AND THAT WE'VE SPOKEN WITH, UH, EVAN MORRISON WHO RUNS THE PROGRAM. HE SAYS IT'S A CONTINUING SITUATION. THEY JUST DO NOT HAVE ENOUGH RESOURCES THAT ARE BEING GIVEN. THE OTHER, THE EARLIER PROGRAM THAT YOUR OTHER PEOPLE SPOKE OF, UH, ARE INDEED, THEY, THEY'RE GAS EXPENSIVE, PEOPLE CAN'T USE THEM, UH, MUCH LESS MAKE REPAIRS ON THEIR VEHICLES TO GET THEM OPERABLE. IF YOU WANNA FIND OUT IF THIS IS DISCRIMINATING HOMELESS PEOPLE, THE PLACE TO GO ARE PUBLIC RECORDS OF THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT TO FIND OUT THE ADDRESSES OF THE VEHICLES THEY HAVE TOWED. LOOK AT IT TO SEE IF IT IS BEING USED IN A DISCRIMINATORY FASHION, EVEN AS IT EXISTS BEFORE YOU MAKE IT EVEN WORSE AND GIVE THEM EVEN MORE POWER BECAUSE THIS IS MORE POLICE POWER THAT YOU'RE GIVING THEM. YOU'RE CHANGING IT. SO JUST BEING OUT OF REGISTRATION IS ADEQUATE TO HAVE YOUR VEHICLE TOWED AND EVEN DEMOLISHED BEFORE IT'S TOWED IF IT'S DIFFICULT TO TOW. UH, SO IT'S, I MEAN, IT'S, YOU CAN HAVE A DEMOLISHED, EVEN IF, IF IT'S TOWABLE AT THE, AT THE WHIM OF THE TOW COMPANY. I MEAN, WHAT IS THIS, A TOW COMPANY BONANZA? I MEAN, THIS IS, IT'S CLEARLY AN ATTACK AND ON, ON, ON HOMELESS FOLKS AND GIVES THE HECKLER'S VETO THE AESTHETIC PERSON WHO DOESN'T WANT THAT VEHICLE AROUND MY NEIGHBORHOOD TO BE ABLE TO TERRORIZE PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN THEIR VEHICLES AND TO DRIVE THEM AWAY AND TO ACTUALLY PUT MORE PEOPLE ON THE STREETS. IT'S CRAZY. THANK YOU. - ANYONE ONLINE? - YES, CHAIR. CALL-IN USER NUMBER 2 YOUR MIC IS NOW AVAILABLE. - MARILYN GARRET. THANK YOU TO THE TESTIMONY OF THE PUBLIC. THIS IS AN OUTRAGEOUS, ARROGANT PROPOSAL FOR WAR ON THE POOR AND THE VICTIMS OF THIS CAPITALIST SOCIETY THAT IS PUTTING MORE AND MORE PEOPLE INTO POVERTY. [02:55:04] I'M THINKING OF THE FREE HOUSING THAT THE US MILITARY HAS ALL OVER THE WORLD, BASES EVERYWHERE, FOOD, AND SHELTER. AND HERE ARE PEOPLE... I'M REMINDED OF NAZIS GERMANY, RIGHT? FIRST THEY CAME FOR THE TRADE UNIONIST. THEN I WASN'T A TRADE UNIONIST, SO I DIDN'T SPEAK UP. THEN THEY CAME FOR THE COMMUNIST. I WASN'T A COMMUNIST, SO I DIDN'T SPEAK UP. WHAT HAPPENS NOWADAYS COMING FOR THE LATINOS AND I DIDN'T SPEAK UP, COMING FOR THE HOMELESS. PRETTY SOON EVERYONE WILL BE NEXT. WE NEED TO BE HAVING PUBLIC HOUSING AND A REORDERING OF PRIORITIES IN THIS COUNTRY. THE MILITARY INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX SHOULD BE DISMANTLED AND WE SHOULD HAVE MEANINGFUL SERVICES FOR OUR COMMUNITIES AND, AND ALL THE, ALL THE POOR. THIS IS OUTRAGEOUS. I AM JUST SHOCKED SUPERVISOR KOENIG. UM, THIS KIND OF ORDINANCE, YOU WHO HAVE MONEY AND GOOD HOUSING AS TO ALL THE SUPERVISORS AND PEOPLE BEING TICKETED AND HAVING THEIR ONLY LIVING QUARTERS TOWED. THIS IS OUTRAGEOUS. SHOULD BE NOT APPROVED AT ALL. THANK YOU. - YES, CHAIR. LISA, YOUR MICROPHONE IS NOW AVAILABLE. - SO GOOD AFTER-, UH, I THINK IT'S AFTERNOON OR CLOSE TO IT. UH... I GUESS I WAS ENTITLED TO DISCUSS ABOUT THE, ABOUT THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND THE, AND WHEN, WHEN I WAS ACTUALLY LOOKING FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING THE LAST YEAR, THE, UM, THE, UH, THE PLACES, UH, MY SISTER, THE, WHAT MY SISTER WAS SAYING, SAYING IT WAS UNSAFE SCIENTIFIC... - THAT'S NOT THE AGENDA ITEM TODAY. RIGHT NOW WE'RE DISCUSSING, UH, THE ABANDONED, WRECKED, DISMANTLED, AND INOPERABLE VEHICLES ORDINANCE FOR THE COUNTY. - TO MY, TO MY OPINION ABOUT ABANDONED RV OR... LIVING BUSES, UM, THEY, IS ACTUALLY LIVING AND IT CAN, THEY, IT CAN COVER THE WAY INTO, UM, THE, INTO HEALTH- HEALTH CLINIC TO OUR PEOPLE WHO'S THE PEOPLE WHO ARE IN THE MEDICAL CRISIS THAT THEY NEED TO SEE A DOCTOR, THEY CAN HAVE A MOBILE UNIT. [PAUSE] THAT, THAT'S ALL I CAN SAY RIGHT NOW. - THANK YOU. - SAMSUNG CALLER, YOUR MIC IS NOW AVAILABLE. - HI, CAN YOU HEAR ME? - YES. - THANK YOU. MY NAME IS ATHENA AND I WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK TO THE FACT THAT THE CURRENT SAFE PARKING PROGRAM IS NOT FUNCTIONAL. IT IS NOT USEFUL. THE REASON WHY YOU ARE GETTING MORE TOURISTS USING YOUR SAFE PARKING PROGRAM THAN THE PEOPLE THAT YOU INTENDED IS BECAUSE YOU DID NOT BRING PEOPLE LIVING IN THEIR VEHICLES INTO THE DISCUSSION OF HOW THIS PROGRAM WAS GONNA GET SET UP. IT IS NOT REASONABLE TO BE ABLE TO MOVE BY 8:00 OR 9:00 AM SOMETIMES EVEN 7:00 AM TO DRIVE YOUR CAR AROUND TO WASTE GAS. GAS PRICES ARE GOING UP HIGHER AND HIGHER. IT IS NOT AFFORDABLE TO BE LIVING IN A SAFE PARKING PROGRAM. TIER 3 AT THE ARMORY HAS A HUGE WAITING LIST BECAUSE IT IS A SUCCESSFUL PROGRAM. YOU CAN TAKE CLEAR NOTES FROM THE SUCCESSFUL PROGRAMS AND FIX YOUR SAFE PARKING PROGRAM, AND THAT COULD SUBSTANTIALLY HELP GET SOME OF THE VEHICLES INTO SAFER PARKING LOTS. BUT YOU CANNOT PASS THIS ORDINANCE. THIS ORDINANCE, THIS POLICY IS MURDEROUS. YOU WILL HAVE BLOOD ON YOUR HANDS. YOU WILL SEE THAT MORE PEOPLE ARE ON THE STREETS, THAT MORE PEOPLE ARE GOING TO BE LOSING THEIR HOUSING. ALREADY, PEOPLE WHO ARE USING THEIR VEHICLE ARE MARKED FOR ABANDONED VEHICLE, ALL THE TIME. THERE IS NOT ENOUGH OVERSIGHT OVER THE SHERIFF'S OR THE PD. [03:00:02] THERE IS NOT ENOUGH OVERSIGHT IN THIS POLICY OF WHAT REALLY MAKES A VEHICLE INOPERABLE. THERE IS NOT ENOUGH SERVICES FOR PEOPLE LIVING IN THEIR VEHICLES TO GET OUT OF THE SITUATION THAT THEY ARE IN. THIS POLICY IS ONE OF THE MOST OFFENSIVE THINGS I'VE SEEN THIS BOARD BRING UP AND TO BRING UP SO CASUALLY. I WANT TO SAY ONCE AGAIN, THAT YOU'VE HEARD MANY TIMES TODAY, "IF WE ARE NOT AT THE TABLE, WE ARE ON THE MENU." TO HEAR KOENIG, LITERALLY USE THE WORD "TEETH" MULTIPLE TIMES TO SAY, "WE NEED MORE TEETH." TO WHAT? BITE AND EAT IMPOVERISHED PEOPLE? YOU REALLY NEED TO BITE AND PUNISH POOR PEOPLE? IS THAT REALLY WHAT YOU NEED TO DO? PLEASE DO BETTER. - GAVIN, YOUR MIC IS NOW AVAILABLE. - HELLO. CAN YOU HEAR ME, OKAY? - CAN YOU SPEAK UP PLEASE? - UH, YEAH, CAN YOU HEAR ME OKAY? - YES. UH, THANK YOU FOR THE TIME THIS MORNING. MY NAME IS GAVIN HUSSEY. I'M THE PARKING PROGRAM MANAGER FOR THE CITY OF SANTA CRUZ. I ASSIST WITH THE OVERSIGHT OF THE SHORT-TERM PARKING PROGRAM FOR THE CITY. I JUST WANTED TO CALL OUT SOME INACCURACIES IN THE STAFF REPORT, UM, AND THE PRESENTATION REGARDING THE SAFE PARKING PROGRAM. SINCE THE SAFE PARKING PROGRAM WENT INTO EFFECT IN NOVEMBER OF 2023, THE PROGRAM HAS SUPPORTED ROUGHLY 70 UNIQUE INDIVIDUALS. THESE MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY NEEDED SOME SORT OF LONG-TERM SHELTER. THE SAFE PARKING PROGRAM HAS NOT BEEN USED BY RECREATIONAL USERS AS THE STAFF REPORT INDICATES. UH, THE CITY HAS OTHER PROGRAMS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH LODGING ESTABLISHMENTS, UM, TO SUPPORT THOSE NEEDS FOR RECREATIONAL USERS. UM, WE DO NOT, UH, SEE RECREATIONAL USERS, OR WE DO SEE RECREATIONAL USERS USE THE LOTS DURING THE DAYTIME HOURS, UM, BUT UH, THE PROGRAMS THAT WE HAVE SUPPORTED AND LOTS OF SUPPORT, ARE OUR SHORT-TERM SAFE PARKING PROGRAM, UH, SPECIFICALLY USED OVERNIGHT BY THE PARTICIPANTS IN THE PROGRAM. I ALSO WANTED TO CALL, CALL OUT A DISCREPANCY IN THE REPORT, THE PRESENTATION THAT OUTLINES THAT ARE OVER CLOSING LOTS, UM, DUE TO USER PARTICIPATION, THAT IS INACCURATE. WE ARE NOT CLOSING LOTS DUE TO USER PARTICIPATION. IT'S DUE TO CONSTRUCTION EFFORTS ASSOCIATED WITH OUR MIXED USE LIBRARY PROJECT. THANK YOU. - KATHY, YOUR MICROPHONE IS NOW AVAILABLE. - HELLO, MY NAME'S KATHY LASS. I LIVE IN APTOS, AND I'M, I'M HERE TO EXPRESS MY OUTRAGE AT THIS PROPOSAL OF THIS, UM, ORDINANCE AND THE LACK OF SUSPORT, SUPPORTING ARGUMENTS FOR IT. UM, I FEEL LIKE THE, THERE, THERE WERE, AND THERE'S BEEN ANECDOTES MENTIONED AND THEY'VE PICKED THE MO-, THE CHERRY PICKED THE MOST EGREGIOUS EXAMPLE. UM, I FEEL LIKE THE 10 DAYS IS COMPLETELY INADEQUATE, UM, WARNING, EVEN IF SOMETHING LIKE THIS WERE TO GO, GO THROUGH. UM, I DEFER TO ALL THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE ALREADY SPOKEN WITH, UM, WHO HAVE EVEN MORE KNOWLEDGE ABOUT WHAT'S NOT TRUE ABOUT THE CLAIMS THAT HAVE BEEN MADE FOR THIS OR FOR THE PROPOSAL, THIS ORDINANCE. SO I STRONGLY, STRONGLY URGE YOU TO VOTE NO ON THIS ORDINANCE. THANK YOU. - PETER, YOUR MICROPHONE IS NOW AVAILABLE. - THANK YOU. UH, I SUPPORT ALL THE SPEAKERS WHO SPOKEN AGAINST THIS, UM, BUT I HAVE A FEW COMMENTS TO MAKE, UM, UH, IN THE EVENT THAT YOU DO GO AHEAD AND PASS IT, THAT IT NEEDS TO BE CLEANED UP. FIRST OF ALL, THE FACTUAL UNDERPIN- UNDERPINNINGS, UH, CITED IN THE, IN THE, UM, PAPERS HAVE BEEN COMPLETELY UNDONE, UM, BOTH BY THE GENTLEMAN WHO JUST SPOKE ON BEHALF OF THE SAFE PARKING PROGRAM IN THE CITY, UH, AND BY ALL THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE TESTIFIED THAT VEHICLES WERE MARKED AND ABANDONED WHEN PEOPLE, IN FACT, WERE LIVING IN THEM. ONTO THE ORDINANCE ITSELF. STATE LAW, STARTING WITH VEHICLE CODE 22660 REQUIRES A 10-DAY NOTICE TO DO THIS. THIS ORDINANCE ALLLOWS THE DISPOSING WITH A 10-DAY NOTICE UNDER CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES THAT VIOLATES STATE LAW. UM, THE DEFINITION IS VERY DIFFICULT, SERIOUS PROBLEMS. THE DEFINITION OF "INOPERABLE" INCLUDES, AS SOMEBODY ELSE POINTED OUT, UM, NOT HAVING REGISTRATION. NOT HAVING REGISTRATION DOES NOT MAKE A VEHICLE INOPERABLE, I'M SURE SOME EVEN FROM THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE WILL TELL YOU, THEY CITE PEOPLE ALL THE TIME FOR DRIVING WITHOUT VALID REGISTRATION. SO IT'S CLEARLY DOESN'T, THAT'S GOTTA BE STRICKEN FROM THE DEFINITION OF INOPERABLE, THAT THERE'S NO REGISTRATION. WORDS "DESERTED" AND "WRECKED VEHICLES" ARE ALSO USED TO JUSTIFY GIVING A 10-DAY NOTICE, BUT THEY'RE NOT DEFINED ANYWHERE. WHAT DOES DESERTED MEAN? I SUGGEST THAT YOU DO GO THROUGH WITH THIS, THAT YOU ADD A PROVISION THAT SAYS IF SOMEBODY'S POSSESSIONS OR PETS OR CLOTHING ARE IN A VEHICLE, [03:05:04] BY DEFINITION, THAT IS NOT A DESERTED VEHICLE. UM, WRECKED. WHAT DOES WRECKED MEAN? HOW BADLY DOES WRECKED... BY HOW MUCH DAMAGE CONSTITUTES WRECKED? THERE'S TOO MUCH DISCRETION IN HERE WITH THESE UNDEFINED TERMS. IF YOU'RE TAKING AWAY SOMEBODY'S HOME YOU'VE GOTTA BE REALLY CLEAR ABOUT WHAT THEY HAVE TO DO. HAVING NO WINDOWS ON THE VEHICLE DOES NOT MAKE THE VEHICLE INOPERABLE OR ABANDONED. IT MAY MAKE IT UNCOMFORTABLE TO RIDE IN, BUT IT'S NOT ABANDONED, DESERTED, OR INOPERABLE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. IF YOU DO PASS-, DON'T PASS THIS. IF YOU DO, PLEASE CLEAN IT UP. - GUEST SPEAKER, YOUR MIC IS NOW AVAILABLE. - YES, GOOD AFTERNOON NOW AFTER A FEW MINUTES. MY NAME IS JAMES EWING WHITMAN. CAN I BE HEARD? HELLLO? - WE CAN HEAR YOU. - OH, EXCELLENT. OKAY. SO THIS ITEM NUMBER 8: CONSIDER APPROVING IN CONCEPT AN ORDINANCE REPEALING AND REPLACING CHAPTER 5.9.57 OF THE SANTA CRUZ CODE REGARD, RELATING ABANDONED, WRECKED, DISMANTLED OR INOPERATIVE VEHICLES AND TAKE RELATED ACTIONS BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, 1ST DISTRICT. OBVIOUSLY, I WOULD BE THERE IN PERSON STILL IF I DIDN'T HAVE TO TAKE MY FRIEND TO THE DOCTOR. SO THIS IS SUBMITTED BY MANU KOENIG AND FELIPE HERNANDEZ, RECOMMENDED BY CARLOS PALACIOS, UM, AND THE LAWYER IN QUESTION, RYAN THOMPSON, ASSISTANT COUNTY ATTORNEY, SIGNED THIS ON 8/12/25 AT 10:56:05 AM. I HAVE SOME STRONG QUESTIONS ON THAT. MY FIRST STRONG QUESTION IS WHERE AS IMMEDIATE DESTRUCTION OF TOWED VEHICLES IS AN ALLOWABLE OPTION UNDER STATE LAW, AND THIS ORDINANCE ADOPT THOSE PROVISIONS TO THE SECC WHERE THE STATE LAW, WHERE IS THE STATE LAW? THIS IS GOING OVER SECTIONS 9.57.010 THROUGH 9.97.160. WHERE ARE THESE LAWS? MY CONCERN WITH HOW THIS IS WRITTEN IS THEY'RE CREATING SOME WORST CASE SCENARIOS AND I THINK THAT THERE SHOULD BE SOME CAUTION. BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, I, I FOUND THAT THE OFFICERS IN SANTA CRUZ PRACTICE A GREAT DEAL OF LEEWAY AND THEY HAVE A LOT OF WORK THROWN ON THEM BY, BY ALL THIS MISCONSTRUED INFORMATION. NOW, I CAN'T TELL HOW MUCH TIME I HAVE LEFT. COULD YOU PLEASE TELL ME. - TEN SECONDS. - TEN SECONDS. WELL, I WOULD'VE BEEN THERE. I'M GLAD THAT I WAS ABLE TO TAKE THE UNDERSHERIFF, FORGIVE ME, I DON'T KNOW YOUR LAST NAME, BUT JACOB, THANK YOU FOR LISTENING. AND THIS SUBJECT IS NOT OVER. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH. - R. WINDSOR YOUR MICROPHONE IS NOW AVAILABLE. - HI, THIS IS UH, REGGIE MEISLER. UM, I'M A MEMBER OF SANTA CRUZ CARES AND I WAS, UH, ON THE ADVISORY BOARD FOR THE OVERSIZED VEHICLE ORDINANCE IN THE CITY OF SANTA CRUZ. UM, I THINK THAT WHAT A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE SAID ABOUT THE, UH, SAFE PARKING, UH, REALLY INVALIDATES THE EFFORTS PUT FORWARD BY THE COUNTY, WHICH IS QUITE, I MEAN, THIS IS REALLY EMBARRASSING FOR YOU GUYS, RIGHT? YOU GUYS ARE PAID PRETTY WELL TO DO THIS KIND OF RESEARCH, ESPECIALLY STAFF, AND THE FACT THAT YOU JUST KIND OF MADE SHIT UP. UM, TO KIND OF LIKE, COME UP WITH THIS INCREDIBLY HARMFUL, I MEAN, REALLY FASCISTIC POLICY IS QUITE BIZARRE. I MEAN, EVEN IN MR. KOENIG'S PRESENTATION, HE... WE CALL THIS AN ABANDONED VEHICLE POLICY, AND IT WASN'T ABANDONED IN THE EXAMPLE. THE ONLY EXAMPLE YOU HAD WAS A NOT ABANDONED VEHICLE. YOU SAID PEOPLE WERE REGULARLY ENGAGING WITH THE VEHICLE, THAT THE POLICE MADE CONTACT WITH THEM, WHICH SUPPOSEDLY YOU GUYS SAID THAT IF THEY DO THAT THEY LIKE OFFER HOUSING OR SOMETHING. I MEAN, IT'S LIKE YOU JUST DISPROVE THAT, IN YOUR OWN EXAMPLE, THAT ANY OF THIS WOULD BE LIKE, YOU KNOW, UH, CAREFULLY MANAGED BECAUSE THE POLICE, ALL THEY WANTED TO DO WAS DESTROY THE VEHICLE. THEY CLEARLY DID NOT DO ANY SORT OF ENGAGEMENT WITH SERVICES. THEY DID... ALL THEY WANTED TO DO WAS GET RID OF THAT VEHICLE AND REMOVE IT FROM THOSE PEOPLE WHO WERE ENGAGING WITH IT. SO, I MEAN, I THINK, I DON'T, I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO SAY TO YOU GUYS. I MEAN, FOR YOU TO EVEN PUT THIS ON THE AGENDA. I MEAN, THIS REALLY SHOWS WHO YOU ARE. AND LIKE, I GUESS I'M SPEAKING TO THE PUBLIC HERE BECAUSE I MEAN, THIS IS SOCIOPATHIC. UH, SO IF, IF YOU VOTE FOR THIS, I MEAN, IT REALLY JUST, [03:10:05] IT, IT, IT'S JUST SO MASK OFF. I MEAN, JESUS, YOU THINK TRUMP'S BAD? YOU THINK THIS IS LIKE SOMEHOW BETTER THAN A TRUMP POLICY? I MEAN, WHO ARE YOU? WHO, WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOURSELVES? - THANK YOU. - INAUDIBLE] - IF WE CAN LET THE SPEAKER SPEAK, PLEASE? - HEY, YOU KNOW WHAT? I ALREADY SPOKE ONCE. MY NAME IS JAMES EWING WHITMAN, SO I'LL RESPECTFULLY JUST SPEAK ONCE. THANK YOU. - THERE ARE NO FURTHER SPEAKERS, CHAIR. - WITH THAT, I'LL BRING IT BACK TO, UM... I, I DO, I THINK WE HAVE SOME, MAYBE SOME QUESTIONS. - EXCUSE ME, CHAIR. I'M SORRY. THERE'S ONE MORE SPEAKER. - OKAY. - BERNIE, THE MICROPHONE IS NOW AVAILABLE. - YEAH. THANK YOU. UM, BERNIE GOMEZ. UH, ALSO JUST, JUST WANT TO SAY THAT, UM, I ENCOURAGE THIS BOARD TO OPPOSE THIS, UH, ORDINANCE AND IF, AND THINK ABOUT SOMETHING DIFFERENT. LIKE IF, IF YOU'RE THINKING ABOUT ABANDONED VEHICLES, I DON'T KNOW MUCH ABOUT THIS ISSUE, RIGHT? BUT JUST KIND OF TAKING IT BY BASE AND HEARING THE, THE PUBLIC'S COMMENTS AND STUFF. YOU KNOW, IT'S LIKE WE CAN'T NECESSARILY JUST DESTROY, UH, WHAT WE CONSIDER A, A, A ABANDONED VEHICLE OR SOMETHING THAT POTENTIALLY IS LIKE A NUISANCE OR LIKE TO CERTAIN PEOPLE 'CAUSE THEY DON'T LIKE WHAT THEY SEE OR WHATEVER, YOU KNOW, IT'S... AGAIN, SOME, UH, SOME OF THE PUBLIC MENTIONED THAT THESE ARE, PEOPLE LIVE IN THESE VEHICLES, RIGHT? THEY, YOU KNOW, THIS IS THEIR ONLY MEANS OF TRANSPORTATION OR THEIR ONLY MEANS OF STORAGE, HOWEVER THAT LOOKS. AND IT'S, I THINK THE COUNTY CAN DO SOMETHING BETTER, RIGHT? AND THAT ACTUALLY DO SOMETHING TO, YEAH, TO, TO HELP, YOU KNOW, INSTEAD OF JUST TAKING AWAY FROM PEOPLE. UM, AND THEN, I MEAN, UH, AGAIN, 'CAUSE I DON'T KNOW MUCH ABOUT THIS ISSUE, BUT I'M THINKING IF IT'S ABANDONED VEHICLE, YOU KNOW, THERE'S, THERE SHOULD BE A CERTAIN CRITERIA, WHAT THAT MEETS LIKE, IS IT AN ABANDONED VEHICLE THAT'S LIKE ON, ON BLOCKS WITH NO WHEELS, BROKEN WINDOWS. OBVIOUSLY IT'S NOT BEING INHABITED OR NO, THERE'S NO CONTACT WITH IT, YOU KNOW, IT'S LIKE, AND YOU SEE THOSE LIKE UP HOW WE WANT SOMETIMES, YOU KNOW, JUST ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD LIKE THAT WOULD CONSIDER BE, UH, AN ABANDONED VEHICLE TO ME, RIGHT? AND YEAH, YOU KNOW, IT'S, YOU KNOW, USUALLY FOLKS TOW TRUCKS, THEY COME AND PICK IT UP AND TAKE IT AWAY. BUT TO HAVE AN ORDINANCE TO THAT IS SUCH A, THAT HAS, I GUESS NO PARAMETERS. LIKE NO REAL, LIKE CLEAR LIKE PARAMETERS AS TO, YOU KNOW, WHAT, WHAT CAN BE THROWN AWAY OR TRASHED, I DUNNO. SORRY ABOUT THAT. THANK YOU. - THERE ARE NO FURTHER SPEAKERS, CHAIR. - NOW WE'LL BRING IT BACK TO THE BOARD, BUT I KIND OF WANTED TO HAVE, UH, THE SHERIFFS COME UP AND, UH, NOT ANSWER SOME OF THE, SOME OF THE QUESTIONS QUESTIONS THAT WE'RE ASKED, BUT MORE LIKE, UH, LIKE WHAT'S A STANDARD PRACTICE RIGHT NOW IN DEALING WITH FOLKS WITH, WELL, NOT FOLKS. FIRST OF ALL, WITH ABANDONED VEHICLES, LIKE, LET'S SAY 181 WHITING, WE HAD AN RV THERE FOR LIKE, SINCE WE GOT THE PROPERTY UP UNTIL WE FINALLY STARTED FIXING THE PROPERTY, LIKE OVER A YEAR. UM, WITH THOSE TYPE OF, UH, RVS, UH, THAT ARE ABANDONED AND WITH FOLKS THAT HAVE, UH, FOLKS LIVING IN IT, UH, I KNOW 181 WHITING IT WAS OBVIOUS NOBODY WAS LIVING THERE, BUT WHAT'S, WHAT'S KIND OF THE, THE STANDARD PRACTICE FOR THOSE TWO JUST ABANDONED VEHICLES AND VEHICLES THAT WE THINK SOMEONE MIGHT LIVE IN THERE. - [INAUDIBLE]. - YEAH, I CAN DO THAT. UM, SO REALISTICALLY, WHEN IT COMES TO THE, OBVIOUSLY ABANDONED BEEN THERE, THERE'S NO ONE COMING AND GOING, IT'S EMPTY. UM, THAT IS VERY, UM, SPECIFIC TO HOW WE CAN HANDLE THOSE ISSUES, WHICH ARE MORE STREAMLINED. WHEN IT COMES TO, UH, RVS OR ANY, ANYTHING OF THAT NATURE WHERE THERE ARE PEOPLE LIVING IN IT. MUCH LIKE WITH OUR ORDINANCE, WHEN IT COMES TO ENCAMPMENTS AND OUR APPROACHES TO DO THAT, YES, WE DO PUT A TIMELINE ON IT, BUT THAT IS NOT A HARD AND FAST TIMELINE. IT'S ABOUT ENGAGING. IF WE'RE GETTING ENGAGEMENT AND WE'RE ABLE TO WORK THROUGH PROCESSES AND WORK WITH THE CBOS, UM, AND WORK WITH THE DIFFERENT GROUPS TO BRING THOSE RESOURCES TO RESOLVE THE MATTER. AND IT TAKES 15 DAYS, IT TAKES 20 DAYS AS LONG AS WE'RE SEEING PROGRESS. THIS JUST ALLOWS US TO KIND OF KEEP THINGS ON TRACK AND MAKE SURE THAT THAT PROGRESS IS MOVING FORWARD AND THAT IT'S NOT JUST BEING IGNORED. UM, AND SO THIS GIVES US THAT ABILITY TO, TO REALLY PARTNER AND BRING ASSISTANCE, UM, TO THOSE FOLKS. UM, AND THEN, AND WORK FORWARD [03:15:01] WITH HOW WE'RE GONNA RESOLVE THE PROBLEM FOR THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY, UM, AS A WHOLE. - WAS THERE ANYTHING ELSE THAT, FROM SOME OF THE QUESTIONS THAT AROSE FROM THE PUBLIC THAT YOU GUYS WANNA ADDRESS? - I, I THINK... - ALL RIGHT, WE'LL, WE'LL BRING IT BACK TO THE BOARD. SUPERVISOR DE SERPA? UM... SO THE PART OF THIS ORDINANCE I REALLY APPRECIATE IS THE OUTREACH. AND SO CAN YOU JUST TELL US A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THE OUTREACH PIECE? AND SO, BUT BEFORE YOU DO, I'D LIKE TO JUST PREFACE WHAT YOU'RE GONNA SAY WITH, UM, MY OWN EXPERIENCE OF BEING A CLINICAL SOCIAL WORKER IN HEALTHCARE, WHERE I HAD A PATIENT LIVING IN HIS CAR WHO'D HAD A CATASTROPHIC STROKE, AND, UM, HIS CAR WAS TOWED. I SHOWED UP AT THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE, AND, BECAUSE THERE HAD BEEN A STICKER APPLIED, RIGHT? BUT YOU, THE CAR HAD BEEN TOWED PRIOR TO THE EXPIRATION DATE ON THAT STICKER. YOU GUYS HAD AGREED WITH THAT, WRITTEN ME A NICE LETTER. I TOOK THAT TO THE TOW YARD. TOOK A LONG TIME TO FIGURE OUT WHERE THE CAR HAD BEEN TOWED TO. I THINK MAYBE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT HAD TOLD ME THAT IT WAS IN MOSS LANDING. I HAD TO DRIVE DOWN TO MOSS LANDING, FIGURE OUT THAT HIS CAR HAD BEEN THERE FOR, I DON'T KNOW, A TOTAL OF WHATEVER. IT WAS GONNA BE LIKE $1,200 TO GET HIS CAR OUT OF [INAUDIBLE]. THEY REFUSED TO BEND DESPITE THE FACT THAT I HAD THE LETTER FROM YOU GUYS. I ENDED UP REACHING INTO MY OWN POCKET AND PURCHASING A CAR THAT WAS ON THEIR, THEIR LOT. IT WAS A PICK AND PULL THAT WAS CHEAPER THAN WHAT IT WOULD COST TO TAKE THE CAR OUT OF THE IMPOUND. UM, SO THIS IS A PERSON WHO'S NOT ELIGIBLE NECESSARILY FOR ANY HOUSING ASSISTANCE BECAUSE HE IS UNDOCUMENTED, BUT HE'S, YOU KNOW, HAD A CATASTROPHIC STROKE AND THAT WAS HIS ONE PLACE WHERE HE COULD STORE HIS THINGS, LOCK THE DOORS AT NIGHT SO HE WAS SAFE. IT WAS, IT WAS PRETTY UPSETTING. SO I WANNA KNOW, IN THIS ORDINANCE, LIKE I, I DO UNDERSTAND WHY WE WOULD WANNA DO SOMETHING LIKE THIS. 'CAUSE IT IS VERY DIFFICULT SOMETIMES TO REMOVE THESE ABANDONED VEHICLES THAT ARE RACKED, NOBODY'S LIVING IN, ET CETERA. BUT CAN YOU TELL ME PLEASE, ABOUT THE OUTREACH AND IF THERE'S ANY, UM, FUND FOR MITIGATION IN TERMS OF HELPING PEOPLE WHO HAVE HAD THEIR VEHICLES TOWED POTENTIALLY BY MISTAKE, ET CETERA? - YOU WANNA COVER THAT. - YEAH. - MAYBE, MAYBE THERE WE DON'T HAVE THAT. - YEAH, I MEAN, JUST TO, TO SPEAK TO THE OUTREACH, UM, SUPERVISOR DE SERPA, AS YOU KNOW, UM, WE'RE RECENTLY DEALING WITH AN ISSUE THAT'S NOT AN RV, BUT HAS BEEN ONGOING. AND WE'VE BEEN PART OF THOSE COMMUNICATIONS, UM, AND ENGAGING THAT INDIVIDUAL OF TRYING TO GET ASSISTANCE, IN FACT, GETTING THEM CONNECTED WITH HOUSING MATTERS, WHO GOT THEM CONNECTED WITH BEDS, UM, AND ALL OF THIS ALL TO BE, UM, MORE OR LESS GHOSTED, BUT WE ARE DOING OUR PART TO BRING THOSE RESOURCES TO THEM. AND AGAIN, IT'S THAT AS LONG AS WE'RE GETTING MOVEMENT, WE'RE GONNA HAVE SOME OF THAT GIVE, UM, TO BE ABLE TO DO THIS. WHEN IT COMES TO, UM, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE TIMEFRAME WAS ON THAT, IT SOUNDS LIKE THAT WENT THROUGH OUR VEHICLE ABATEMENT PROGRAM POTENTIALLY. UM... - YEAH, MINE WAS A VERY LONG TIME AGO. - OKAY. - UM, BUT YEAH, MORE THAN FIVE YEARS AGO, BUT NONETHELESS, IT WAS A REAL EXPERIENCE AND, UM, I WAS, YOU KNOW, I'M CONCERNED THAT WE, A, FOLLOW THE RULES THAT WE MAKE AND B, WHAT'S THE HELP FOR PEOPLE THAT NEED IT? - YES, AND, AND I WOULD SAY THAT, ESPECIALLY OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS, UM, THAT I KNOW OF BECAUSE, UH, I'M WORKING IN COMMUNITY POLICING FOR THREE AND A HALF YEARS NOW, WE'VE TAKEN SPECIFIC STEPS IN SOME OF THESE AREAS AND THE ADVANCEMENT, UM, OF OUR APPROACH AND HOW WE DEAL WITH THIS, IT'S A BALANCING ACT OF BEING ABLE TO PROVIDE RESOURCES AND PROVIDE OUTLETS AND PROVIDE OPTIONS, UM, WHILE STILL HAVING TO, UM, MAINTAIN THE SAFETY FOR THAT AREA OF THE COMMUNITY THAT MAY BE CALLING IN OR MAY NEED THIS ISSUE DEALT WITH. UM, AND SO THERE'S A BALANCING ACT, BUT WE HAVE DEFINITELY CHANGED OUR APPROACH IN THE LAST FEW YEARS OF HOW WE DO THAT. AND IT'S ABOUT GETTING THOSE RESOURCES OUT THERE. - THANK YOU. - SUPERVISOR CUMMINGS? - YEAH, THANK YOU CHAIR. AND, UM, I WANNA THANK THE SHERIFFS FOR BEING HERE TODAY TO ANSWER QUESTIONS. I WANNA THANK THE COMMUNITY FOR BEING HERE. I REALLY HOPE THAT WE CAN, UM, TRY TO AVOID SOME OF THE, THE, THE CLAPPING AND POTENTIAL BOOING OR WHATEVER SO WE CAN HAVE A PRODUCTIVE CONVERSATION HERE RIGHT NOW. UM, I WILL SAY I APPRECIATE THIS, UM, THIS BOARD ITEM COMING FORWARD, BUT I DID ALSO FIND IT A BIT CONFUSING AT FIRST BECAUSE OF THE FACT THAT, UM, IT SEEMS LIKE IT'S TRYING TO ADDRESS TWO THINGS. ON THE ONE HAND, THERE'S EMPTY, ABANDONED VEHICLES, [03:20:04] WHICH SOMEWHAT, I FEEL LIKE THIS IS APPROACHING, THIS IS ADDRESSING, BUT THEN AT THE SAME TIME, UNDERLYING ALL OF THIS, IT SEEMS LIKE IT'S REALLY TRYING TO ADDRESS ABANDONED VEHICLES THAT PEOPLE ARE LIVING IN AND THEN ALSO POTENTIALLY OVERSIZED VEHICLES, WHICH HAVING BEEN ON THE CITY, SANTA CRUZ CITY COUNCIL, WHEN THE OVERSIZED VEHICLE ORDINANCE WAS GOING THROUGH, IT TOOK ALL, UH, WELL, IT COULD HAVE TAKEN MORE TIME PERSONALLY. UM, BUT THERE'S A LOT OF DIFFERENT PROVISIONS THAT CAME THROUGH THAT IN ORDER FOR THAT TO BECOME EFFECTIVE. AND IT REALLY DOES ADDRESS OVERSIZED VEHICLES THAT ARE, UM, IT, WELL, IT SPECIFICALLY ADDRESSES OVERSIZED VEHICLES, THE MAJORITY OF WHICH ACTUALLY CAN MOVE. UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I THINK THIS IS LACKING IS REALLY TO SUPERVISOR DE SERPA'S POINT. YOU KNOW, WHAT IS THE SERVICES AND OUTREACH PLAN FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE LIVING IN THEIR VEHICLES? BECAUSE, UM, WE HAD AN INSTANCE IN SANTA CRUZ, I THINK IT WAS ABOUT TWO CHRISTMASES AGO, WHERE THERE WAS A 3-GENERATIONAL FAMILY WHERE THEIR VEHICLE GOT TOWED AND THERE WAS THE GRANDMOTHER, THE MOTHER AND THE CHILD WERE ALL LEFT OUT IN THE COLD, UM, RIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS. AND I THINK TO SUPERVISOR DE SERPA'S POINT, ONE OF MY CONCERNS IS, UM, YOU KNOW, IF SOMEBODY GETS THEIR VEHICLE TOWED AND THEN, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE LEFT OUT ON THE STREET, THEN WHAT? UM, IN MY DISTRICT, AND THIS, THIS IS AN ISSUE IN MY DISTRICT TOO, SO I'M, I'M REALLY THINKING THOUGHTFULLY ABOUT THIS. WE HAVE AN RV THAT'S BEEN IN DAVENPORT, IT'S BEEN BROKEN DOWN, BUT THERE'S A FAMILY THAT LIVES THERE. ONE OF THE INDIVIDUALS IS ACTUALLY, LIKE, HER FAMILY LIVES IN DAVENPORT, UM, ONE OF THE PARENTS, BUT THEY HAVE TWO SMALL CHILDREN. AND SO IT'S BEEN A STRUGGLE OF HOW DO WE ADDRESS THIS? AND I FEEL LIKE, YOU KNOW, WITH THIS ORDINANCE, I MEAN, IF IT WERE TAKEN TO THE LETTER OF THE LAW, POTENTIALLY THEY COULD GET REPORTED. THEY'D GET A 10-DAY NOTICE, AND THEN THEY COULD POTENTIALLY HAVE THEIR RV DESTROYED, UH, WHICH IS THEIR HOME. AND THERE'S NOTHING IN HERE SAYING THAT WE'RE GONNA PUT THEM SOMEWHERE ELSE. SO, UM, YOU KNOW, PERSONALLY, I THINK I'D FEEL MUCH MORE COMFORTABLE HAVING A LITTLE BIT MORE TIME. I ALSO WAS A LITTLE TAKEN BACK BECAUSE I WAS JUST THINKING THE SAME THING WITH SOME OF THE COMMENTS THAT WERE MADE ABOUT THE CITY OF SANTA CRUZ'S PROGRAM, WHICH HAS BEEN EFFECTIVE. IT HAS BEEN USED. WE MEET MONTHLY TO DISCUSS IT. THERE WAS ACTUALLY A PROPOSAL AT ONE POINT IN TIME FOR US TO USE THE COUNTY'S PARKING LOT TO EXPAND THEIR SAFE PARKING PROGRAM. UM, AND THEN IT TURNED OUT THAT IT WAS BEING UNDERUTILIZED AND THEY HAVE CAPACITY IN THE CITY OF SANTA CRUZ, AND NOW THEY'RE LOSING SOME OF THAT CAPACITY FOR THE LIBRARY CONSTRUCTION. UM, BUT THOSE PROGRAMS ALSO WORK, BUT THAT'S OBVIOUSLY A DIFFERENT THING. SO I THINK WE NEED TO, TODAY, ONE OF THE THINGS WE MAY NEED TO DO IS BIFURCATE THIS INTO ABANDONED VEHICLES VERSUS VEHICLES THAT PEOPLE ARE LIVING IN. AND THEN IF WE WANNA DO OVERSIZED VEHICLE ORDINANCE AS WELL, WE CAN MOVE IN THAT DIRECTION. BUT I THINK THAT WE'RE, THERE'S AN ATTEMPT TO ATTACK THREE DIFFERENT PROBLEMS IN ONE ORDINANCE, AND IT'S, I THINK IT'S REALLY CONFUSING AND COMPLICATED. UM, SO YEAH, I HAVE A LOT OF QUESTIONS, BUT I REALLY, YOU KNOW, WOULD LIKE TO SEE IF THERE'S SOME WAY WE CAN CONTINUE THIS OR WE CAN, UM, YOU KNOW, SPLIT IT SO THAT WE'RE APPROPRIATELY ADDRESSING THE DIFFERENT ISSUES. BECAUSE THE WAY THAT IT'S WRITTEN CURRENTLY, I, I'VE JUST HAVE A LOT OF CONCERNS WITH IT. I THINK THOSE CONCERNS ARE BEING EXPRESSED HERE IN THE ROOM TODAY. BUT I DO ALSO WANNA ACKNOWLEDGE THAT WE DO HAVE THESE PROBLEMS WITH OVERSIZED VEHICLES AND ABANDONED VEHICLES THAT WE ALSO NEED TO ADDRESS AS WELL. SO I'LL LEAVE MY COMMENTS THERE FOR NOW. - THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS, SUPERVISOR CUMMINGS. I THINK THAT YOU KIND OF DID KIND OF DESCRIBE SOME OF THE ISSUES THAT WE'RE HAVING HERE. I KNOW IN SOUTH COUNTY IT'S A VERY DIFFERENT SITUATION THAN SANTA CRUZ, A LOT DIFFERENT. AND SO WE DON'T HAVE THE SAME KIND OF ISSUES AS MUCH THAT SANTA CRUZ HAS. IT'S MORE THE RURAL AREAS. - UH, SUPERVISOR MARTINEZ, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? - YEAH, I HAVE A COUPLE QUESTIONS UM, AND, AND CONSIDERATIONS. UM, FIRST HELP ME UNDERSTAND WHAT'S DIFFERENT BETWEEN THIS ORDINANCE AND THE EXISTING ORDINANCE. UM, IT SOUND, AS I UNDERSTOOD IT, THIS ORDINANCE REALLY IS ABOUT, UM, ALLOWING THE DESTRUCTION AFTER IT'S REMOVED, BUT THAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE THE ABILITY TO TOW. IT'S JUST THAT IT'S NOT ABLE TO BE DONE BECAUSE THE TOW COMPANIES AREN'T WILLING TO, IS THAT, IS MY UNDERSTANDING CORRECT? SO REALLY WITH THE CHANGE HERE IS JUST ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT WE ALLOW THEM TO BE DESTROYED IMMEDIATELY? - THAT'S CORRECT. AND, AND UTILIZING THE, THE SECTION TO BE ABLE TO TOW THEM UNDER THE CURRENT CONDITIONS WHERE THE TOW COMPANIES ACTUALLY WILL NOT COME OUT AND PICK THEM UP, UM, UM, SIMPLY BECAUSE OF COSTS AND THEY END UP, YOU KNOW, ABSORBING THOSE, THOSE FINANCIAL COSTS. - OKAY, SO IT SOUNDS LIKE, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE COMMENTS WE'RE GETTING MAYBE ARE MORE ABOUT WHAT IS ALREADY AN EXISTING ORDINANCE AND NOT NECESSARILY WHAT'S BEING PROPOSED TODAY. AND I JUST WANNA, THAT MIGHT ALSO BE HELPFUL FOR CLARIFICATION, AS WE CONTINUE TO DISCUSS THIS ITEM, REALLY WHAT CHANGE ARE WE PROPOSING [03:25:02] OR ARE WE VOTING ON? UM, CAN YOU SHARE, START WITH, YOU KNOW, FROM YOUR UNDERSTANDING, HOW MANY CURRENT VEHICLES EXIST TODAY THAT YOU WOULD IMAGINE COULD BE IMPACTED BY THIS ORDINANCE? - UH, IF IT WAS TO BE IN THE UNINCORPORATED, UM, AREA, WHICH IS SPECIFIC TO THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE, UM, COUNTYWIDE, YOU'RE TALKING PROBABLY, I THINK IT WAS 10 TO 12 FROM MY SERGEANT'S COUNTS, UH, A FEW MONTHS AGO. - OKAY, SO ABOUT A, A DOZEN THAT WOULD BE IMPACTED TODAY? - YEAH. - UM, AND YOU KNOW, I'M, I'M CURIOUS. I NOTICED THAT THERE WASN'T A FINANCIAL IMPACT LISTED IN THE STAFF REPORT, BUT WHO, SO IF WE ARE UNABLE TO CLAIM THE TOWING FEE FROM THE OWNER, WHICH I IMAGINE IS PROBABLY THE CASE, THEN WHO COVERS THE COST OF THE TOWING? - YEAH, THERE'S GONNA BE SOME FINANCIAL IMPACT FROM THIS. UM, CURRENTLY WE'RE ABLE TO, UH, BILL THE REGISTERED OWNER FOR IT, BUT REALLY THERE'S NO SUCCESS TO THAT. WE OFTENTIMES DON'T GET A RESPONSE BACK FOR THAT. UH, THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE ENDS UP ABSORBING THOSE COSTS. - OKAY. SO THEN I THINK MAYBE IF THIS WERE TO COME BACK KIND OF INCORPORATING THE COST ASSOCIATED MIGHT BE SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE USEFUL AS WELL. UM, YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT, UM, AT A BIGGER PICTURE HERE, UM, YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT WE'RE TRYING TO STRIKE THE BALANCE BETWEEN RECOGNIZING THAT SOMEBODY LIVING IN AN INOPERATIVE VEHICLE IS, THAT'S NOT HOUSING, RIGHT? THAT'S NOT A SOLUTION TO HOMELESSNESS. AND THAT WE WANT TO ENSURE THAT THOSE FOLKS HAVE ACCESS TO SERVICES AND SUPPORTS TO GET OUT OF THAT SITUATION WHILE ALSO EQUIPPING OUR SHERIFF'S OFFICE WITH THE TOOLS THAT YOU NEED TO EFFECTIVELY FOLLOW-UP WHEN NECESSARY. AND SO I REALLY COMMEND MY COLLEAGUES FOR BRINGING THIS FORWARD BECAUSE I THINK THAT IT'S TRYING TO GET THERE TO STRIKE THAT BALANCE, TO HAVE THE TOOLS WE NEED AND ALSO PROVIDE THE SERVICES. UM, I DON'T THINK THAT THIS ORDINANCE AS IT STANDS IS QUITE THERE YET. UM, I THINK THAT IF IT WERE TO COME BACK, OR WHEN IT COMES BACK, I WOULD BE INTERESTED IN LEARNING MORE ABOUT THE ENCAMPMENT RESPONSE GUIDELINES. UM, PERHAPS HAVING SOMEBODY FROM HOUSING FOR HEALTH TO COME AND SPEAK TO THAT SO WE CAN BETTER UNDERSTAND WHAT SERVICES ALIGN WITH, UM, WITH THE TYPE OF ENFORCEMENT THAT YOU'RE DOING. I MEAN, I KNOW THAT, THAT YOUR OFFICERS ARE ON THE FRONT LINES OF THIS AND IT'S REALLY DIFFICULT WORK. UM, AND AS A BOARD, I THINK WE WANNA SUPPORT YOU WITH THE SOCIAL SERVICES THAT, THAT YOU NEED AND THAT OUR, UM, MOST VULNERABLE MEMBERS NEED TO, TO GET OUT OF THAT PREDICAMENT. UM, ADDITIONALLY, YOU KNOW, IF THIS WAS TO COME BACK, UM, THERE'S A COUPLE OF LANGUAGE MODIFICATIONS AROUND NOTICING THAT I WOULD LIKE TO ENSURE IT COMES BACK WITH. UM, ONE OF THEM IS TO ENSURE THAT WHEN WE DO PUBLISH NOTICES, UM, BOTH IN MAIL AND ALSO STUCK TO THE VEHICLE, BUT IT'S BOTH IN ENGLISH AND SPANISH, UM, THAT'S NOT CURRENTLY IN THE ORDINANCE. UM, I WOULD ALSO, I, I NOTICED THAT IN THE ORDINANCE AS WRITTEN, UM, THERE'S AN OPTION TO NOTIFY THE OWNER OF THE VEHICLE BY MAIL AND CERTIFIED MAIL, UM, OF THEIR SORT OF 10-DAY NOTICE. AND IF WE AREN'T ABLE TO IDENTIFY THEM BECAUSE THERE IS NO VIN OR YOU KNOW, NO ADDRESS, THAT WE WOULD STICK THE VEHICLE WITH A STICKER OF NOTICE AND MY HOPE IS THAT WE ALWAYS PUT A NOTICE ON THE VEHICLE RECOGNIZING THAT PEOPLE MIGHT NOT BE ACCESSING THEIR MAILBOXES. UM, SO JUST INCORPORATING THAT INTO THE LANGUAGE AS WELL. UM, AND THEN I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S ON THAT NOTICE, BUT I, I, UM, SAW IN THE ORDINANCE THAT THERE IS A OPTION TO APPEAL DECISION AND HAVE A HEARING. AND I WOULD HOPE THAT THE NOTICE INCLUDES HOW SOMEBODY COULD ASK FOR THAT HEARING AND THAT APPEAL, UM, ON THE NOTICE THAT'S ON THE VEHICLE. - UH, I COULD BE MISTAKEN, I BELIEVE THAT THERE'S A, THERE'S A CARVE OUT FOR THAT, THAT, THAT SAYS THAT, THAT THOSE THINGS SHOULD BE LISTED ON THE NOTICE ITSELF. - FANTASTIC. THANK YOU. UM, SO WITH THAT, UM, AGAIN, I, I DO WANNA COMMEND BOARD MEMBERS FOR BRINGING THIS FORWARD. WE ARE, WE'RE TRYING TO ADDRESS A PROBLEM THAT DOES EXIST. UM, AND I THINK WITH JUST A LITTLE MORE WORK WE COULD GET THERE TO, UM, AN OPTION THAT, THAT HELPS TO BOTH SUPPORT PEOPLE WHO ARE MOST VULNERABLE AND PROVIDE OUR SHERIFF'S OFFICE WITH THE, THE TOOLS THEY NEED TO BE EFFECTIVE. [03:30:02] - THANK YOU, SUPERVISOR MARTINEZ. UM, SUPERVISOR KOENIG? - UM, YEAH. WELL, THANK YOU FOR ALL THE COMMENTS, UM, FROM MY FELLOW BOARD MEMBERS. IF THERE'S ANY PARTICULAR SUGGESTIONS AS FAR AS HOW TO UTILIZE THE, UM, YOU KNOW, TO ADDRESS THIS SORT OF ENGAGEMENT PIECE. BE OPEN TO HEAR THOSE, UM, AND TRY TO FIND A WAY TO INCLUDE SOMETHING, I MEAN, UM, YOU KNOW, AT THE END OF THE DAY, THIS, THE GOAL HERE IS REALLY JUST TO CREATE A PATHWAY WHERE FOLKS HAVE TO ENGAGE WITH OUR SHERIFF'S OFFICE, RIGHT? I MEAN, TODAY THEY'RE NOT, AND THERE'S NO PENALTY FOR THAT WHATSOEVER. UM, I MEAN, SOMEONE COULD LITERALLY JUST COME, PARK THEIR RV IN FRONT OF YOUR HOUSE AND LIVE THERE INDEFINITELY. AND UNFORTUNATELY, OUR COUNTY ORDINANCE CAN'T DO ANYTHING BECAUSE THERE'S NO ULTIMATE ENFORCEMENT ACTION. WE REALLY CAN'T STOP THAT. UM, AND SO THAT'S PRETTY MUCH THE SITUATION WE'RE TRYING TO ADDRESS HERE. I HAVE FAITH THAT OUR SHERIFF'S OFFICE IS, UH, YOU KNOW, TRYING TO ENGAGE PEOPLE PRODUCTIVELY. I MEAN, AS YOU HEARD, THEY ACTUALLY IDENTIFIED, UM, SOME HOUSING RESOURCES FOR PEOPLE, AND THEN THEY SORT OF JUST, THE, THE PERSON THEY WERE TRYING TO HELP JUST LEFT THE CONVERSATION. UM, WE'RE JUST TRYING TO, TO SOLVE THESE PROBLEMS. UM, SO, I MEAN, I'D BE PREPARED TO, TO MOVE THE ORDINANCE WITH SOME ADDITIONAL, UH, UH, MODIFICATIONS, INCLUDING THAT REQUIRING THAT THE NOTICE BE AVAILABLE IN BOTH ENGLISH AND SPANISH. UM, AND ALSO, UH, IT ACTUALLY WAS THE INTENTION ORIGINALLY TO REQUIRE, UH, THE, THE NOTICE BE PUT ON THE VEHICLE IN ALL CASES. AND I THINK WE COULD ACCOMPLISH THAT BY, IN 9.57.080A, THE 10-DAY NOTICE STRIKING OUT THE WORDS, "IF THE VEHICLE OR PARTS THEREOF IS IN SUCH CONDITION THAT IDENTIFICATION NUMBERS ARE NOT AVAILABLE TO DETERMINE OWNERSHIP," AND THEN IT SAYS THE 10-DAY NOTICE OF INTENTION TO ABATE AND REMOVE WILL ALSO OR "WILL ALSO BE POSTED ON THE VEHICLE OR PARTS THEREOF." I GUESS WE WOULD ALSO HAVE TO STRIKE "ALSO". SO THAT WOULD BASICALLY JUST MEAN THAT THE 10-DAY NOTICE WILL ALWAYS BE POSTED ON THE VEHICLE. - CAN I ASK ANOTHER QUESTION? - YES, SUPERVISOR DE SERPA? - UM, YOU KNOW MANY OF THESE PEOPLE LIVING POTENTIALLY IN THEIR CARS OR IN RVS, UM, ALSO HAVE, UM, HEALTH ISSUES, AND OFTENTIMES THEY'RE HOSPITALIZED. IS THERE A WAY, OR WOULD THAT BE TOO DIFFICULT? IS THERE A WAY TO CHECK IN WITH THE SOCIAL WORK TEAM AT THE HOSPITAL IF WE'RE, UH, YOU KNOW, IF WE'RE TAGGING SOMEBODY'S CAR, JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT PERSON ISN'T HOSPITALIZED? BECAUSE THE... - YEAH, WE'RE GONNA DO... - ... LIKE, SOME PEOPLE ARE HOSPITALIZED FOR A LONG PERIOD OF TIME, THEN THEY END UP GOING TO SKILLED NURSING. AND, UH, YOU KNOW, SO THAT, THAT, YOU KNOW, I, I DO WORRY ABOUT THAT. - LIKE MANY OF THE THINGS THAT WE DO IN OUR, UH, IN OUR, OPERATIONS, WE EXTEND THE BACKGROUND INTO LOOKING TO WHERE PEOPLE ARE AT. WE'LL RUN THE VEHICLE LOOKING TO SEE IF MAYBE, UM, FIRE MEDICS HAVE RUN CALLS FOR SERVICE TO THAT PARTICULAR VEHICLE. UM, JUST LIKE WHEN WE DO MISSING PERSONS CASES WE'LL BE CHECKING HOSPITALS AND, UH, LOCAL CORRECTIONAL FACILITIES AND STUFF LIKE THAT TO ENSURE THAT THESE INDIVIDUALS ARE NOT IN THERE AND UNABLE TO SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES IF WE WERE TO SEND THEM VIA MAIL OR PUT SOMETHING ON THE VEHICLE ITSELF. SO, UM, UH, THIS IS, THESE ARE JUST, UM, AS, AS FAR AS THE SHERIFF IS CONCERNED, THESE ARE GUIDELINES TO KINDA HELP US MOVE THROUGH THIS PROCESS. BUT, UM, BY NO MEANS IS IT THAT WE'RE TRYING TO MOVE PEOPLE OUT OF VEHICLES AND JUST LEAVE THEM THERE ON THE STREETS. IT'S, IT'S A WAY FOR US TO UTILIZE THE RESOURCES WE HAVE, HOPING TO ENCOURAGE THEM TO, UH, GET THE ASSISTANCE THEY NEED OR GET THE VEHICLE FIXED OR PROVIDE THEM THE RESOURCES WE HAVE AVAILABLE TO US. - THANK YOU. AND, UH, SUPERVISOR MARTINEZ, I REALLY APPRECIATED THE WAY THAT YOU FRAMED THIS BECAUSE WE DO WANNA GIVE YOU THE TOOLS YOU NEED TO TAKE ACTION WHEN IT'S APPROPRIATE. AND I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT THIS SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT, THIS SHERIFF THAT WE HAVE HAS SET A CULTURE OF COMPASSION FROM THE TOP DOWN. AND SO THAT YOU'RE TELLING US THAT, YOU KNOW, THERE'S, UM, FLEXIBILITY IN HEARING SOMEBODY'S STORY AND OFFERING HELP OR EXTRA TIME MAKES ME SATISFIED THAT, UM, THAT WE'RE, WE'RE ON THE RIGHT TRACK. SO I, I, I ACTUALLY WOULD SUPPORT THIS TODAY, UM, OR SUPPORT IT COMING BACK WITH SOME AMENDMENTS. SO EITHER WAY, THANK YOU. - I ALSO WANNA THANK SUPERVISOR MARTINEZ AND SUPERVISOR, UH, CUMMINGS FOR THEIR, THEIR COMMENTS. I THINK THAT, UH, WHAT REALLY HIT THE, HIT ON THE NAIL IS THAT, YOU KNOW, I THINK EVERYBODY AGREES WITH THE, WITH THE ORDINANCE, BUT WHAT'S NOT REALLY SPELLED OUT IS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU HAVE A PERSON THAT ACTUALLY LIVES THERE. WHAT'S THE PROCESS? AND, YOU KNOW, THAT'S A CLEAR PROCESS. AND I THINK THAT'S PROBABLY WHAT WE ARE MISSING. [03:35:01] UM, BUT I THINK THAT THE, AS IT IS RIGHT NOW, MINUS THAT QUESTION MARK, I THINK WE'RE, UH, HEADED IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION FOR SURE. UM, SUPERVISOR MARTINEZ? - YEAH, UM, YOU KNOW, WE'RE READING, WE'RE HEARING THIS ORDINANCE TODAY AS A FIRST READ, UM, WITH SOME AMENDMENTS. ONE, I'M, I'M CURIOUS IF IT STILL COUNTS AS A FIRST READ, OR IF IT NEEDS TO COME BACK FOR ANOTHER FIRST READ. UM, AND I'LL JUST SHARE, I THINK WHAT MY RECOMMENDATION MIGHT BE IS TO HAVE IT COME BACK WITH, AS ANOTHER FIRST READ WITH THOSE AMENDMENTS, UM, WITH THE FINANCIAL IMPACT INCLUDED IN THE STAFF REPORT, AND, UM, ACCOMPANIED WITH, UM, PERHAPS A PRESENTER FROM HOUSING FOR HEALTH WHO CAN SHARE ABOUT THE OUTREACH PART OF IT. UM, AND I THINK THAT WOULD EASE, I GUESS, SOME OF THE QUESTIONS AND CONCERNS THAT I'M HEARING UP HERE. AND I, I MEAN, I'D BE PREPARED TO EVEN HEAR THAT IN, IN THE NEXT MEETING IF, UM, IF IT WOULD BE READY, UM, BECAUSE I DON'T THINK THAT THERE'S, UM, THERE'S THAT MUCH, THERE'S THAT MANY CHANGES. UM, BUT I KNOW THAT'S NOT THE MOTION ON THE FLOOR. SO, UM, I THINK I'M GONNA VOTE NO ON THE MOTION ON THE FLOOR AND HOPE THAT I GET A CHANCE FOR A SUBSTITUTE OR ANOTHER MOTION. - LET, LET ME JUST, JUST, A HOUSEKEEPING MATTER. I DON'T THINK THERE'S BEEN A SECOND TO THE MOTION. SO, SO, UH, TO CONTINUE DISCUSSION ON THE CURRENT MOTION, I WOULD RECOMMEND THAT YOU HAVE A SECOND SO IT'S CLEAR FOR THE RECORD IF YOU, IF SOMEBODY WANTS TO DO THAT. - I DIDN'T HEAR THE MOTION. WOULD YOU PLEASE REPEAT THE MOTION? - UM, WELL, SO THE MOTION WAS FOR THE RECOMMENDED ACTIONS WITH, UM, UH, MODIFICATIONS TO THE ORDINANCE THAT REQUIRE THE NOTIFICATION BE IN BOTH ENGLISH AND SPANISH, UM, AND EFFECTIVELY THAT, UM, THE, THE NOTICE BE PUT ON THE VEHICLE IN ALL CASES. - AND WITH THE SECOND HEARING, UH, WITH ADDITIONAL INFORMATION IN THE SECOND HEARING THAT SUPERVISOR, I'M NOT SURE IF THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE ASKING SUPERVISOR MARTINEZ, BUT IS THAT POSSIBLE? - JUST, JUST BECAUSE, BECAUSE THERE ISN'T A SPECIFIC... BECAUSE THESE ARE CONCEPTUAL IDEAS, THEY'RE NOT SPECIFIC IN NATURE. UM, I WOULD RECOMMEND THAT YOU GIVE STAFF THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO BACK, PUT THOSE IN THE ORDINANCE AND BRING IT BACK FOR A FIRST READING. IT'S DIFFICULT TO PUT IT ON FOR A SECOND READING, UM, WHEN THEY'RE, THE IDEAS ARE MORE CONCEPTUAL IN NATURE. - SO POINT OF ORDER, IF THERE'S NO SECOND TO THE MOTION, DOES THE MOTION THEN FAIL? - YES. - AND THEN IT CAN BE TAKEN BACK? - YES, IF THERE'S NO SECOND UH, THE, THE, THE MOTION FAILS AND THEN SOMEBODY ELSE CAN MAKE A MOTION. - SO YOU'RE SAYING THAT WE, WE, I-IF WE DO IT NOW, WE CAN HAVE A SECOND READING TO HAVE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON THERE. - NO, IF YOU... - SO THAT'S WHAT I WAS ASKING. - UM, THE MOTION THAT WAS MADE, IF IT GETS A SECOND, WE WILL BRING THE ORDINANCE BACK FOR A FIRST READ, FOR ANOTHER FIRST READ BECAUSE WE NEED TO... - OKAY, GOT IT. - ... PUT SPECIFIC LANGUAGE IN THE, IN THE, IN THE ORDINANCE FOR Y'ALL TO REVIEW. - OKAY, THEN I'LL SECOND. - NOW, UH, I THINK SUPER-, MART-, SUPERVISOR MARTINEZ MIGHT WANNA GIVE DIRECTION NOW. - SUPERVISOR MARTINEZ? - YOU CALLED A POINT OF ORDER. - UM, YES. - OKAY. SO... - I'M SORRY. - ... JUST 'CAUSE I'M, NOW I'M REALLY CONFUSED. SUPERVISOR KOENIG HAS MADE A MOTION TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE RECOMMENDED ACTIONS PLUS ADDITIONAL DIRECTION THAT'S PROVIDED BY SOME MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, WHICH HAS BEEN SECONDED. SO IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THAT LANGUAGE WOULD THEN, WOULD THEN BE INCORPORATED AND WE'D HAVE ANOTHER FIRST READING OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS OR WOULD THAT BE A, A SECOND READING SINCE IT'S NOT A... - IT WOULD BE A FIRST READING. WE WOULD, WE WOULD, WE WOULD PUT IT AT, AT THE NEXT AVAILABLE MEETING WHEN THE WORK HAS BEEN ACCOMPLISHED, WE WILL PUT IT, PUT THIS ON FOR A BRAND NEW... - BUT IT'S JUST THOSE FEW INCORPORATED CHANGES. - NO, IT'S FOR THE WHOLE, IT'S FOR THE WHOLE THING. UH, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S A BRAND NEW FIRST READING OF THE ORDINANCE WITH SOME MODIFICATIONS... - YOU'RE [CROSSTALK]. - ... THAT ARE BEING, THAT ARE BEING, UH, UM, DIRECTED BY YOUR BOARD TO BE MADE. - AND I THINK, UH, SUPERVISOR MARTINEZ WAS GONNA ADD A, A FRIENDLY AMENDMENT, UH, TO IT AS WELL. - YES. UM, I AM SUPPORTIVE NOW WITH THE CLARIFICATION THAT WE'LL HAVE ANOTHER FULL FIRST READING AND I WOULD LIKE TO ADD A FRIENDLY AMENDMENT FOR IT ALSO TO INCLUDE THE FINANCIAL IMPACT OF TOWING VEHICLES AS WELL AS A REPORT FROM HOUSING FOR HEALTH ON THE ENGAGEMENT PIECE. - YEAH, THE PROCESS FOR ME. - DO WE WANT THAT REPORT FROM HOUSING FOR HEALTH OR FROM OUR OWN COUNTY STAFF? - UH, OBVIOUSLY THEY ARE, SORRY, I'M THINKING HOUSING MATTER... YEAH, HOUSING FOR HEALTH. THANK YOU. - YES. - IS THAT... - IT'S ACCEPTABLE TO... - IT'S ACCEPTABLE ALSO TO ME. - OKAY. WE'LL TAKE A ROLL CALL VOTE. - NO, NO, NO. - MORE COMMENTS? - YES. UM, YEAH, I JUST WANNA SAY AGAIN, I APPRECIATE THE WORK THAT'S GONE INTO THIS AND I DO THINK [03:40:02] THAT THERE ARE, UM, THAT THIS IS, I MEAN, I PERSONALLY, I THINK HAVING A BROADER DISCUSSION AND MAYBE DIRECTING STAFF TO RETURN WITH RECOMMENDED, A RECOMMENDED RESOLUTION AND DRAFT ORDERS TO SPECIFICALLY ADDRESS ABANDONED VEHICLES. AND THEN ABANDONED AND INOPERABLE VEHICLES, AND THEN SERVICES FOR THOSE VEHICLES WHERE PEOPLE RESIDE WOULD MAKE SENSE FOR US TO HAVE A DISCUSSION AROUND BECAUSE AS THIS ORDINANCE IS WRITTEN AND AS IT INCORPORATES OVERSIZED VEHICLES, IT'S NOT CLEAR WHETHER WE'RE TALKING ABOUT OVERSIZED VEHICLES THAT ARE MOVING, OR THAT ARE ABANDONED, OR THEY'RE INOPERABLE. BECAUSE IF WE START GETTING DOWN THE ROUTE OF OVERSIZED VEHICLES THAT ARE JUST PARKED IN THE COASTAL ZONE OR THAT ARE PARKED, THEN WE'RE GONNA OPEN UP A HUGE PANDORA'S BOX AS IT RELATES TO THE COASTAL COMMISSION. BECAUSE WE DEALT WITH A LOT OF THESE SITUATIONS BEFORE. ADDITIONALLY, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ABANDONED VEHICLES THAT ARE BEING TOWED. I THINK THAT WHAT I, WHAT'S COMING THROUGH THIS AGENDA REPORT IS THAT TOW COMPANIES DON'T WANNA TOW POTENTIALLY OVERSIZED VEHICLES THAT HAVE BEEN ABANDONED. THIS DOES NOT SPECIFICALLY CALL THAT OUT AS JUST SAYING THAT WE'RE GONNA DESTROY ANY VEHICLE THAT HAS BEEN ABANDONED AND TOWED. AND THAT I DON'T THINK IS, I MEAN, WE DON'T SEE TOW COMPANIES SAYING, "WE'RE NOT GONNA TOW A CAR OR A WRECKED CAR ON THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY." UM, BUT WHAT THIS IS SAYING IS THAT TOW COMPANIES, TECHNICALLY, AFTER GIVING THE NOTICE COULD COME IN AND TOW TO SOMEBODY'S CAR AND DESTROY IT WITHOUT THOSE PEOPLE, UM, HAVING ANY NOTICE. SO I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF ISSUES WITH WHAT'S CURRENTLY BEFORE US AND HAVING SOME TIME TO KIND OF PULL IT APART, GET VERY SPECIFIC WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT WHAT PROBLEMS WE'RE TRYING TO ADDRESS AND WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DIRECT, I THINK WILL MAKE THE MOST SENSE BECAUSE AS IT IS RIGHT NOW, THERE'S A LOT OF ISSUES IN THIS ORDINANCE THAT I THINK WOULD BE CLEANED UP. BUT IF IT'S NOT, THEN IT CAN GET VERY CONFUSING. [PAUSE] AND, AND I, AND FURTHERMORE, I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO SAY THAT I WAS DISAPPOINTED TO HEAR THAT THERE'S, YOU KNOW, INFORMATION THAT'S IN THIS AGENDA REPORT THAT WAS IN DIRECT CONFLICT WITH THE CITY AND THE CITY WAS COMING TODAY TO ACTUALLY CLARIFY SOME INACCURACY IS IN HERE. SO I THINK WE ALSO NEED SOME TIME TO MAYBE MEET WITH OUR CITY PARTNERS TO DISCUSS WITH THEM WHAT'S WORKING, WHAT'S NOT, BECAUSE THEY DO HAVE CONTRACTS AND THEY ARE TOWING, UM, VEHICLES THAT DON'T MOVE. AND SO IF THE CITY IS WORKING WITH TOW COMPANIES THAT ARE TOWING INOPERABLE RVS, IT'S NOT CLEAR WHY THE COUNTY IS HAVING SUCH A PROBLEM. AND MAYBE THAT'S BECAUSE THEY HAVE A CONTRACT AND MAYBE WE SHOULD CONSIDER THAT AS WELL. BUT I, I DO HAVE SOME SERIOUS CONCERN WITH US MOVING IN THE DIRECTION OF TRYING TO DESTROY OTHER PEOPLE'S PROPERTY, UM, BECAUSE THEY HAVEN'T HAD A CHANCE TO BE ABLE TO ENGAGE. SO I'M HAPPY TO PROVIDE A, A SUBSTITUTE MOTION. UM, BUT I, I, I CAN'T SUPPORT US MOVING FORWARD WITH CURRENTLY WHERE WE'RE HEADED RIGHT NOW. - THIS DOESN'T NECESSARILY HAVE TO COME BACK NEXT MEETING. IT CAN COME BACK ONCE WE TALK TO PARTNERS AND TALK TO DR. RANDALL AND... - THE SPO-, UH, THE SPONSORS OF THE ORDINANCE WOULD DETERMINE WHEN TO BRING IT BACK. - YEAH. - I MEAN, I, I APPRECIATE, UM, SUPERVISOR CUMMINGS COMMENTS AND, UM, YOU KNOW, WOULD BE AS ONE OF THE SPONSORS OF THE ORDINANCE WOULD BE HAPPY TO, TO SEE WHAT ELEMENTS OF YOUR CONCERNS WE CAN WORK THROUGH BEFORE BRINGING IT BACK. UM, YOU KNOW, I THINK ALSO THE, THE HEARING ITSELF THAT WE HAVE WOULD ALSO BE AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO, UH, TO, TO CONTINUE TO WORK THROUGH THESE ISSUES. - AND REALLY, I THINK YOU SEPARATE THE ABANDONMENT, UH, ISSUE FROM, UM, THE PART OF THE ORDINANCE WITH PEOPLE THAT ACTUALLY LIVE IN IT, RIGHT? SEPARATE THOSE TWO SO THERE'S A CLEAR PATH. SUPERVISOR DE SERPA, DID YOU HAVE ANY COMMENTS BEFORE WE...? - NO. - OKAY. ALL RIGHT. WELL, WE'LL TAKE A ROLL CALL VOTE IF THERE'S NO FURTHER COMMENT. - NO, THERE'S FURTHER COMMENT 'CAUSE I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE WE'RE GETTING THIS RIGHT. SO CAN YOU, LET ME JUST READ BACK THE... - SURE. SO, UM, THE MOTION IS TO BRING BACK THE ORDINANCE FOR A NEW FIRST READ, UH, WITH THE MODIFICATIONS THAT THE NOTICE, UH, THE 10-DAY NOTICE WOULD NEED TO BE POSTED ON, UH, ALL VEHICLES, UM, OR IN ALL, ALL ENFORCEMENT CASES AND THAT IT WOULD BE PROVIDED BOTH ENGLISH AND SPANISH. UM, AND THEN AT THAT, UH, NEXT FIRST READING, WE WOULD ALSO HAVE A PRESENTATION BY HOUSING FOR HEALTH, UM, ON THE ENGAGEMENT POLICY, UM, FOR ANY VEHICLES THAT ARE INHABITED, UH, AS WELL AS, UM, SOME UNDERSTANDING OF THE COST IMPACTS FOR THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE FOR THE PROGRAM. - HOW ABOUT MAYBE THAT DISCUSSION WITH THE CITY TO SEE WHAT, WHAT THEY'RE DOING? - UM, SURE. AND WE COULD, UH, ALSO INCLUDE A FORMAL REQUEST FOR COMMENT, UM, FROM THE CITY OF SANTA CRUZ ON THEIR PROGRAM. - I'M HAPPY TO AMEND MY SECOND TO REFLECT THAT. - SUPERVISOR CUMMINGS? - OKAY, I'M JUST GONNA GO FOR IT. I'M GONNA MAKE A SUBSTITUTE MOTION. AND I, AND I THINK IT'S IN ALIGNMENT WITH WHAT PEOPLE WANT, [03:45:02] BUT I KNOW THAT IF I START ADDING LITTLE THINGS, IT'S, IT'S GONNA BE, WE'RE GONNA BE HERE FOR A WHILE. SO THE SUBSTITUTE MOTION WILL BE TO DIRECT STAFF IN, IN COORDINATION WITH THE MEMBERS OF THE BOARD WHO BROUGHT THIS ITEM FORWARD TO RETURN WITH RECOMMENDED, RECOMMENDED, SORRY, WITH A RESOLUTION AND DRAFT ORDINANCE RECOMMENDATIONS TO SPECIFICALLY ADDRESS ABANDONED AND INOPERABLE, INOPERABLE VEHICLES AND PROPOSALS FOR PROVIDING SERVICES TO THOSE VEHICLES WHERE PEOPLE ARE LIVING IN CONSULTATION WITH REGIONAL PARTNERS, INCLUDING NOT LIMITED TO THE CITY OF SANTA CRUZ. AND THE OBJECTIVE THERE IS REALLY TO LEAVE THIS OPEN IN TERMS OF THE, THE ABILITY FOR US TO HAVE DISCUSSION, UM, AND BRING BACK SOMETHING THAT'S, CAN ACTUALLY WORK. LOOKING AT, THAT'S GONNA BE, YOU KNOW, THE BEST OPTION FOR THE COMMUNITY. - THAT'S WHAT I'M SAYING, YOU KNOW? - UH, YEAH. I MEAN, IT'S NOT ENTIRELY CLEAR ON THE DISTINCTION, BUT I MEAN, I WILL SAY I THINK THAT PROBABLY THE, THIS ULTIMATE SOLUTION HERE IS SOMETHING WHERE, YOU KNOW, WHERE WE HAVE THE O-, WE HAVE THE, THE ORDINANCE AND YES, I MEAN, IT ADDRESSES ALL VEHICLES THAT MEET THE DEFINITION OF ABANDONED OR WRECKED. UM, AND THEN WE PROBABLY ALSO DIRECT THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE TO USE SOME KIND OF ENGAGEMENT PROTOCOL FOR ANY VEHICLE THAT'S BEEN IDENTIFIED, UM, AS INHABITED AS PART OF ENFORCEMENT OF THAT ORDINANCE. I MEAN, THAT'S KIND OF WHERE I THINK WE, WE MIGHT LAND THIS NEXT TIME WE TALK ABOUT IT. THAT'S WHEN WE'VE HAD INPUT FROM THE CITY, WHEN WE'VE, WHEN WE'VE HAD INPUT FROM HOUSING MATTERS. UM... - SO, SO I'M WONDERING IF, IF IT MAKES SENSE TO JUST CONTINUE THE ITEM TO FUTURE DATE SO THAT WE HAVE OPPORTUNITY TO ENGAGE WITH STAFF AND COMMUNITY PARTNERS AND THEY CAN TAKE IN, TOO. - WELL, I, I THINK RIGHT NOW YOU NEED TO GET A SECOND ON YOUR SUBSTITUTE MOTION TO CONTINUE DISCUSSING IT. AND, UH, RIGHT NOW I, I HAVEN'T HEARD A SECOND ON THE SUBSTITUTE MOTION YET. - YOU KNOW, IT REALLY SOUNDED THE SAME TO ME, BOTH OF THEM, BUT I THINK THAT... - CHAIR, YOU NEED TO MAKE A RULING. - IS THERE A SECOND OR NOT? AND THEN YOU NEED TO MOVE ON TO VOTE. - OKAY, SEEING THERE'S NO SECOND, WE'LL GO BACK TO THE FIRST MOTION. - THE ORIGINAL MOTION, UNLESS IT, YES, YOU WOULD GO BACK TO THE ORIGINAL MOTION IF THERE'S NO SECOND ON THE SUBSTITUTE MOTION. - OKAY. THEN I'LL JUST, I'LL JUST SAY FOR THE RECORD, I APPRECIATE THE CONVERSATION. I'D FEEL LIKE WE'RE CONSTRAINING OURSELVES WITH THE DIRECTION THAT'S BEEN GIVEN BECAUSE THERE'S, I DON'T THINK THAT THERE'S REALLY AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US BECAUSE IF WE'RE SAYING THAT THERE'S JUST VERY SMALL SPECIFIC TWEAKS TO THIS, THAT WE'RE REALLY NOT ADDRESSING SOME OF THE MAJOR ISSUES IN THIS ORDINANCE, UM, THAT COME BEFORE US TODAY. AND SO, UM, I'VE, I'M FULLY OPEN AS CONTINUING TO HAVE THIS CONVERSATION. I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE'RE, EACH OFFICE IS PROVIDING INPUT SO WE CAN GET TO SOMETHING THAT WORKS. BUT I JUST DON'T THINK THAT THERE'S AS MUCH FLEXIBILITY AS THERE APPEARS CURRENTLY IN THE MOTION THAT'S BEING PROVIDED. AND WHAT'S GOING TO LIKELY HAPPEN IS THIS IS GOING TO KEEP COMING BACK AND BACK AND BACK AND BACK INSTEAD OF US HAVING AN OPPORTUNITY TO REALLY TRY TO PROVIDE INPUT SO THAT WHEN IT DOES COME BACK, IT COMES BACK AS SOMETHING THAT'S LIKELY GONNA BE ACCEPTABLE TO MAJORITY OF THE BOARD. SO, UM, SO WITH THAT, I'LL, I'LL BE VOTING NO, UM, ON WHAT'S PROPOSED, BUT I DO SUPPORT THE DIRECTION THIS IS GOING. AND I DO WANNA WORK WITH THE SHERIFFS. I DO WANNA WORK WITH OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS TO SEE HOW WE CAN MAKE THIS EFFECTIVE. WE OBVIOUSLY HAVE PEOPLE FROM THE HOMELESS COMMUNITY WHO ARE HERE TODAY, WHO'VE EXPRESSED SOME ISSUES AND I DON'T THINK THAT WE'VE ADDRESSED THOSE IN THE MOTION THAT'S BEFORE US CURRENTLY. SO THAT'S WHERE I'LL STAND. THANK YOU. - I THINK IT GIVES US OPPORTUNITY TO ACTUALLY ADDRESS THOSE ISSUES. IT DOESN'T RIGHT NOW, BUT IT DOES OPEN UP THE OPPORTUNITY. UH, BUT WITH THAT, UH, WE WILL TAKE ROLL CALL VOTE. - SUPERVISOR DE SERPA? - AYE. - CUMMINGS? - NO. MARTINEZ? - AYE. - KOENIG? - AYE. - AND HERNANDEZ? - AYE. MOTION PASSES WITH ONE, UH, NO VOTE, UH, FOR SUPERVISOR CUMMINGS. - CHAIR, WE HAVE, UM, STAFF HERE THAT HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR THE MOSQUITO VECTOR. IF WE COULD GET THAT DONE BEFORE THE LUNCH BREAK AND THEN MAYBE YOU TAKE A BREAK FOR LUNCH AND THEN WE'LL COME BACK AND... - OKAY. - ... YOU MAY ALSO WANT TO INCLUDE THE METRO. IT'S UP TO YOU. - [INAUDIBLE]. - SO PASS 8 AND GO TO 9 AND 10. ALL RIGHT, NEXT WE'RE MOVING, UH, ITEM 8 TO NUMBER 9. [9. Consider presentation and resolution to initiate proceedings, provide notice of intent to levy assessments, preliminarily approve the Engineer's Report, provide notice of hearing, and mailing of assessment ballots for the Santa Cruz County Mosquito and Vector Control Division, Mosquito, Vector and Disease Control Assessment, and take related actions] CONSIDER PRESENTATION RESOLUTION TO INITIATE PROCEEDINGS. PROVIDE NOTICE OF INTENT OF LEVY IN ASSESSMENTS. PRELIMINARY APPROVED ENGINEERS REPORT. PROVIDE THE NOTICE OF HEARING AND MAILING OF ASSESSMENT BALLOTS FOR SANTA CRUZ COUNTY MOSQUITO AND VECTOR CONTROL DIVISION. MOSQUITO VECTOR AND DISEASE CONTROL ASSESSMENT AND TAKE ALL RELATED ACTIONS. I'LL TURN IT OVER TO DAVID SANFORD, AGRICULTURAL COMMISSIONER AND AMANDA POULSEN, ASSISTANT VECTOR CONTROL MANAGER. - I DON'T THINK SO. [03:50:03] - THANK YOU, CHAIR, AND, UH, GOOD AFTERNOON BOARD OF SUPERVISORS. UH, I AM DAVE SANFORD, THE, THE CURRENT COUNTY AG COMMISSIONER AND ALSO THE, UH, THE DIRECTOR OF MOSQUITO AND VECTOR CONTROL FOR THE COUNTY. UH, IN AN EFFORT TO ADDRESS EMERGING PUBLIC HEALTH THREATS AND, AND STEADILY RISING OPERATIONAL COSTS, TODAY WE'RE GOING TO, UH, PRESENT YOU WITH INFORMATION ON PROPOSITION 218, UH, BENEFIT ASSESSMENT THAT WOULD SUPPORT THE WORK OF MOSQUITO AND VECTOR CONTROL DIVISION IN SANTA CRUZ COUNTY. UH, WITH THE BOARD'S AUTHORIZATION, THE ASSESSMENT BALLOTS WOULD BE MAILED OUT TO ALL PROPERTY OWNERS IN THE COUNTY ON SEPTEMBER 2ND, 2025. UH, HERE WITH ME TODAY TO REVIEW THE ESSENTIAL ELEMENTS OF THIS BENEFIT ASSESSMENT IS ASSISTANT VECTOR CONTROL MANAGER, AMANDA POULSEN ON MY LEFT HERE. AT THE ADJACENT TABLE ARE JOHN BLISS, WHO'S PRESIDENT OF SCI CONSULTING GROUP. THIS IS THE FIRM THAT, UH, HAS ASSISTED US WITH THIS PROJECT AND PREPARED THE ENGINEER'S REPORT AND SENIOR CONSULTANT WITH SCI BRANDON VANLEUVEN. UM, AND I'LL NOW PASS IT ON TO ASSISTANT VECTOR CONTROL MANAGER, AMANDA POULSEN, TO PROVIDE SOME BRIEF BACKGROUND ON THE, ON THE DISTRICT, ON THE DIVISION AND THE NATURE OF THE FUNDING THAT SUPPORTS IT. THANK YOU. - THANK YOU, DAVE. UM, GOOD AFTERNOON. SO, FIRST AND FOREMOST, MOSQUITO AND VECTOR CONTROL IS A PUBLIC HEALTH AGENCY. UM, WE FORMED IN 1993 TO REDUCE THE RISK OF MOSQUITO-BORNE ILLNESS AND OTHER VECTOR-RELATED THREATS THROUGHOUT SANTA CRUZ COUNTY. UM, WE HAVE SCIENCE-BASED OPERATIONS. WE USE INTEGRATED VECTOR MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES, LAB TESTING AND FIELD SURVEILLANCE TO IDENTIFY AND CONTROL WHERE WE HAVE VECTOR PROBLEMS IN OUR COUNTY. AND OUR PROGRAM REALLY FOCUSES ON COMMUNITY EDUCATION AND PREVENTION. WE PARTNER WITH RESIDENTS THROUGH OUTREACH SCHOOL PROGRAMS AND SERVICE REQUESTS TO PREVENT VECTORS AND PROMOTE SAFE CONTROL PRACTICES. [PAUSE] OUR SERVICES THAT WE PROVIDE SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCE MOSQUITO POPULATIONS, ESPECIALLY ONES THAT CAN TRANSMIT DISEASE. UM, WE PROVIDE SURVEILLANCE CONTROL OF OTHER VECTORS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY. WE RESPOND TO PUBLIC SERVICE REQUESTS RELATED TO MOSQUITOES, RODENTS, AND OTHER PESTS. AND WE OFFER COMMUNITY EDUCATION, OUTREACH ON PREVENTION AND VECTOR CONTROL BEST PRACTICES. [PAUSE] SO IN TERMS OF OUR FINANCES, WE HAVE EXPERIENCED SOME CHALLENGES OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS. UM, THE SANTA CRUZ COUNTY MOSQUITO AND VECTOR CONTROL DIVISION IS CURRENTLY FUNDED THROUGH BENEFIT ASSESSMENTS. UM, OUR OUTSTANDING BENEFIT ASSESSMENTS ARE BETWEEN $18.69 TO $24.26 ANNUALLY FOR SINGLE-FAMILY HOMEOWNERS. UM, THE COST OF OUR OPERATIONS MATERIALS AND RESPONSE TO NEW VECTOR THREATS SUCH AS THE INVASIVE MOSQUITO WE FOUND IN WATSONVILLE IN 2022 CONTINUE TO RISE. SO THE CURRENT ASSESSMENTS HAVE NOT KEPT PACE WITH INFLATION AND INCREASING OPERATIONAL COSTS OVER TIME. WE'VE HAD TO DRAW FROM OUR RESERVES ANNUALLY TO MAINTAIN ESSENTIAL SERVICES AND TO MEET PUBLIC HEALTH NEEDS. [PAUSE] SO THIS, WHAT WE'RE PROPOSING TODAY, UM, WOULD FOCUS ON REDUCING MOSQUITO AND VECTOR CONTROL POPULATIONS. WE WOULD FOCUS ON INCREASING SURVEILLANCE AND TREATMENT IN HIGH RISK AREAS, ESPECIALLY FOR INVASIVE MOSQUITOES LIKE INVASIVE ADES AEGYPTI, UM, WHICH HAS BEEN KNOWN TO TRANSMIT DENGUE VIRUS IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA. UM, WE'RE CONTINUING DISEASE TESTING AND PUBLIC HEALTH RISK MONITORING. WE WANT TO PRESERVE OUR EXISTING STAFF AND OPERATIONS WITHOUT RELYING ON RESERVE FUNDING, AND WE'D LIKE TO EXPAND OUR COMMUNITY OUTREACH AND EDUCATION TO PREVENT MOSQUITO BREEDING AND REDUCE POTENTIAL EXPOSURE TO DISEASE. [PAUSE] WHAT WE'RE PROPOSING TODAY, UM, IS MEANT TO COVER THE WHOLE COUNTY. OUR SERVICES ARE COUNTYWIDE, UM, AND THEREFORE THIS NEW ASSESSMENT WOULD BE APPLIED TO THE ENTIRE COUNTY. [PAUSE] THANK YOU. BRANDON? - THANK YOU. - GOOD EVENING, BOARD OF SUPERVISORS. MY NAME IS BRANDON VANLEUVEN, A SENIOR CONSULTANT WITH SCI CONSULTING GROUP. I JUST WANT TO GO OVER A HIGH-LEVEL ASSE-, A BENEFIT ASSESSMENT PROCESS UNDER PROP 218. I'M JOINED BY MY COLLEAGUE JOHN BLISS, WHO IS THE ENGINEER OF WORK ON THIS ASSESSMENT. AND I'VE BEEN THE PROJECT MANAGER WORKING CLOSELY WITH AMANDA AND DAVID OVER THE PAST SEVERAL WEEKS PREPARING FOR THIS VERY IMPORTANT MEETING. AS MENTIONED BY AMANDA, EVERY PROPERTY OWNER WITHIN THE COUNTY THAT HAS A PARCEL WITH AN ASSESSMENT WOULD BE RECEIVING A BALLOT. SOME PROPERTY OWNERS WHO OWN MULTIPLE PROPERTIES WOULD HAVE MULTIPLE PROPERTIES LISTED ON THAT BALLOT. AND EACH BALLOT THAT THEY RECEIVE IS WEIGHTED BY THE PROPOSED ASSESSMENT OF THEIR, OF THEIR PARCELS. TO GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE, LET'S SAY I HAVE TWO HOMES AT OUR SFE RATE, WHICH I'LL TALK ABOUT MORE AT 1199. [03:55:05] AND JOHN HAS FOUR HOMES AT THAT SAME RATE. HE WOULD HAVE TWICE THE FINANCIAL OBLIGATION, BUT ALSO TWICE THE AMOUNT OF YES VOTES. PARTICIPATION IS VERY IMPORTANT IN THESE ASSESSMENTS BECAUSE ONLY RETURN BALLOTS ARE TABULATED. AND AGAIN, THEY'RE WEIGHTED ON THEIR PROPOSED ASSESSMENT. UM, UNLIKE A SPECIAL TAX, THIS ACTUALLY REQUIRES A SIMPLE MAJORITY, MEANING 50% FOR APPROVAL AND ADOPTION. [PAUSE] THE RATE FOR THIS ASSESSMENT WOULD BE $11.99 FOR A TYPICAL SINGLE-FAMILY HOME IN OUR ZONE A. AS YOU SAW ON THE MAP, MOST PARCELS WITHIN THE COUNTY IN ZONE A. OTHER PROPERTIES LIKE COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES, LIKE A SHOPPING MALL OR AN APARTMENT WOULD HAVE A HIGHER ASSESSMENT BECAUSE THAT PROPERTY WOULD RECEIVE MORE SPECIAL BENEFIT IN OUR METHODOLOGY. THERE'S ALSO A SMALL PORTION OF THE COUNTY THAT RECEIVES A SLIGHTLY REDUCED LEVEL OF SURVEILLANCE. AND THOSE ARE IN ZONE B, AND THEY WOULD PAY SLIGHTLY LESS AT $11.69 PER SINGLE-FAMILY EQUIVALENT. THIS ASSESSMENT IS DECIDED BY PROPERTY OWNERS BECAUSE ONLY RETURN BALLOTS WOULD BE COUNTED AND EVERY PROPERTY OWNER IN THE COUNTY WITH AN ASSESSMENT WOULD RECEIVE A BALLOT. THE ASSESSMENTS VARY BY THE TYPE OF PROPERTY, THE SIZE OF THE PROPERTY, THE NUMBER OF DWELLING UNITS. AND THESE PROPOSITION 218 BENEFIT ASSESSMENTS ARE A VERY COMMON LOCAL FUNDING OPTION IN CALIFORNIA. UH, THIS WAS ACTUALLY, THIS LEGISLATION WAS ACTUALLY PASSED IN 1996. AND THE IDEA BEHIND IT WAS TO ENSURE THAT VOTERS HAD A SAY IN ALL NEW TAXES, FEES, OR ASSESSMENTS IMPOSED ON THEIR PROPERTY. [PAUSE] SO THIS ASSESSMENT IS BASED ON THE DIVISION'S BUDGETARY NEED AS PUBLISHED IN THE ENGINEER'S REPORT. UH, PART OF THE PROCESS OF DEVELOPING THIS ASSESSMENT WAS FINDING OUT HOW MUCH THE DIVISION ACTUALLY NEEDS AND DEMONSTRATING THAT FINANCIAL NEEDS IN OUR REPORT THOSE FINANCIAL NEEDS IN OUR REPORT. IF APPROVED, THIS WOULD SHOW UP, THIS ASSESSMENT WOULD BE PLACED ON THE ANNUAL TAX BILL FOR PROPERTY OWNERS, AND THE ASSESSMENT CAN INCREASE, BUT NOT TO EXCEED 3%. AND IT'S ADJUSTED BY THE CONSUMER PRICE INDEX FOR THE SAN FRANCISCO, OAKLAND, HAYWARD AREA. ANY CHANGE IN CPI THAT'S BEYOND 3% CAN ACTUALLY BE PUT IN RESERVE FOR YEARS WHERE THE CPI WAS NOT AS HIGH. FOR A VERY SIMPLE EXAMPLE, LET'S SAY WE HAD 4% CPI INCREASE IN ONE YEAR AND 2% IN THE NEXT, THE DIVISION COULD TAKE THE 3% IN THAT YEAR AND THEN APPLY THAT LEFTOVER AMOUNT TO EQUAL 3% IN THE FOLLOWING YEAR. BUT IT CANNOT EXCEED THAT 3% AMOUNT. THE ASSESSMENT, IF APPROVED, WOULD BE THE, UH, THE, UH, THE AUTHORITY TO REVISE THE ASSESSMENT OR TO INCREASE THE RATE, MAINTAIN THE RATE, OR TO REDUCE THE RATE, WOULD REST IN THE HANDS OF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS. THE ASSESSMENT DOES NOT HAVE AN EXPIRATION DATE. HOWEVER, THE ASSESSMENT CAN ONLY BE CHARGED IF THE DIVISION CAN JUSTIFY THE BUDGETARY NEED. AGAIN, IN THE ENGINEER'S REPORT THAT WE WOULD PUBLISH ANNUALLY. IN ADDITION TO, I, I SORT OF ALREADY COVERED ON THIS, BUT THE RATE CAN BE INCREASED NOT TO EXCEED 3%, BUT IT CAN ALSO BE LOWERED OR MAINTAINED IF THE BUDGETARY NEED IS NOT THERE IN THAT FISCAL YEAR. THE BOARD, ALTHOUGH RARE, COULD ALSO CHOOSE TO NOT LEVY THE ASSESSMENT IF THOSE FUNDS ARE NO LONGER NEEDED. [PAUSE] IF WE, IF THE, UH, RESOLUTION IS PASSED TODAY AND WE'RE DIRECTED TO PROCEED, THE NEXT STEP WOULD BE WE WOULD BE MAILING BALLOTS IN AN ENVELOPE THAT LOOKS LIKE THIS TO ALL PROPERTY OWNERS. INSIDE THEY WOULD RECEIVE A BALLOT THAT LOOKS LIKE THIS. THEY WOULD BE, UM, DIRECTED TO VOTE YES OR NO, AND THE TOTAL FINANCIAL OBLIGATION AND THEIR BENEFIT, AND THIS BENEFIT ASSESSMENT WOULD BE LISTED ON THE BACK, ALONG WITH THE LIST OF ALL THEIR PROPERTIES. ALONG WITH THAT, THEY WOULD GET A POSTAGE PAID RETURN ENVELOPE THAT'S ADDRESSED TO WHERE THE BALLOTS SHOULD BE SENT. THERE ALSO WOULD BE INCLUDED INSIDE A, A BALLOT IN, A BALLOT NOTICE, WHICH DIRECTS THE PROPERTY OWNER HOW TO VOTE, AND ALSO GIVES SOME INFORMATION ABOUT THE ASSESSMENT AND THE DIVISION ITSELF. UH, THE END... ON NOVEMBER 4TH IS WHEN THE BALLOTS MUST BE ALL RETURNED, AND THEY WOULD BE DUE BY THE PUBLIC INPUT PORTION OF THE PUBLIC HEARING ON THAT DAY IN NOVEMBER. THE TABULATORS WOULD THEN BE DIRECTED TO TABULATE, AND THE RESULTS OF THIS ASSESSMENT WOULD BE ANNOUNCED [04:00:01] ON NOVEMBER 18. IN CLOSING, PROPOSITION 218 BENEFIT ASSESSMENTS ARE A STABLE AND COMMON FUNDING MECHANISM USED IN CALIFORNIA, MANY COUNTIES AND SPECIAL DISTRICTS USE THESE FUNDS TO, UH, USE THESE ASSESSMENTS TO FUND ESSENTIAL SERVICES. AND WITH THAT I'LL LET JOHN JUMP IN AND ADD ANYTHING IF YOU'D LIKE, BUT WE'RE HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS AND WE APPRECIATE YOUR TIME. - THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION. UM, START OFF BY GOING TO THE PUBLIC TO SEE IF THERE'S ANY PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS. - THERE'S NO PUBLIC COMMENT. - THANK YOU. WITH THAT, I'M GONNA BRING IT BACK TO THE BOARD TO SEE IF THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS OR A MOTION. - I'LL MOVE THE RECOMMENDED ACTIONS. - SECOND. - YEAH, OKAY. SO WE HAVE A MOTION FROM SUPERVISOR CUMMINGS AND A SECOND FROM SUPERVISOR DE SERPA. UM, BEFORE WE CALL VOTE, I JUST WANT TO REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR GOOD WORK. I KNOW YOU'VE BEEN WORKING VERY HARD ON THIS. UM, YOU'VE BEEN VERY DILIGENT IN UNDERSTANDING THE COSTS OF YOUR DEPARTMENT AND ENSURING THAT YOU HAVE THE RESOURCES THAT YOU NEED TO, UM, DO IMPORTANT PUBLIC HEALTH WORK. SO I REALLY WANNA APPRECIATE THAT AND COMMEND THAT. AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK ON THE PRESENTATION. WITH THAT, WE'LL GO AHEAD AND CALL A ROLL CALL VOTE. - SUPERVISOR KOENIG? - AYE. - DE SERPA? - AYE. - CUMMINGS? MARTINEZ? - AYE. - MOTION PASSES. - GOOD LUCK. - THANK YOU. - AND FOR THE SAKE OF TIME, I'D LIKE TO CALL [10. Consider selection of one of the two nominees for appointment to the Santa Cruz Metropolitan (METRO) Transit District Board of Directors, as an at-large general community member representative, from the nominations of Elizabeth Madrigal and Larry Pageler, for a term to expire on December 31, 2026 (nominations accepted June 24, 2025)] ITEM NUMBER 10 BEFORE WE GO TO LUNCH, UM, AND CLOSED SESSION. SO ITEM NUMBER 10 IS TO CONSIDER SELECTION OF ONE OF THE TWO NOMINEES FOR APPOINTMENT TO THE SANTA CRUZ METROPOLITAN TRANSIT DISTRICT BOARD OF DIRECTORS AS AN AT LARGE GENERAL COMMUNITY MEMBER, REPRESENTATIVE FROM THE NOMINATIONS OF ELIZABETH MADRIGAL AND LARRY PEGLER FOR A TERM TO EXPIRE ON DECEMBER 31ST, 2026. NOMINATIONS ACCEPTED JUNE 24TH, 2025, UM, AS POSTED FROM THE CLERK OF THE BOARD. - DO I JUST [INAUDIBLE]. I'M HAPPY TO - I'M HAPPY TO IF YOU WANT TO. - IS THERE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT OR...? UM, WELL, LET ME START, START BY, UM, ASKING SUPERVISOR KOENIG TO INTRODUCE THIS ITEM. - SURE. UM, THANK YOU, VICE CHAIR, MARTINEZ. UM, SO AS WAS STATED AT A PREVIOUS MEETING, UM, BOTH SUPERVISOR MARTINEZ AND I AS, UM, OUR BOARD'S REPRESENTATIVES ON THE, ON THE METRO BOARD REALLY, UH, CREATED A, A PRETTY DILIGENT PROCESS TO REVIEW APPLICATIONS, UH, FOR THIS OPEN SEAT. UM, AND, YOU KNOW, WE, WE LOOKED AT, UM, BASICALLY WE CREATED VERY DEFINED PROCESS WHERE WE EVALUATED ALL THE APPLICANTS BASED ON THEIR KNOWLEDGE AND USE OF METRO, UH, THEIR, UM, INTERACTION WITH THE DISABLED COMMUNITY, UH, AND THEIR, UH, GENERAL UNDERSTANDING OF THE AGENCY, UH, JUST TO, TO SUMMARIZE. UM, AND, UH, WE, WE INTERVIEWED EACH ONE OF THE APPLICANTS, UH, WITH A DEFINED SET OF QUESTIONS. AND, UM, YOU KNOW, I'D SAY WE HAD, I BELIEVE, SEVEN APPLICANTS, UH, THEY'RE ALL EXTREMELY QUALIFIED. UM, AND I, I THINK HAS BEEN SAID BEFORE WE'RE, WE'RE JUST, UM, YOU KNOW, VERY BLESSED TO HAVE SO MANY QUALITY PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY WHO ARE INTERESTED IN BEING, UH, ON THIS BOARD. UM, WE ULTIMATELY AGREED WITH THE NOMINATION FROM DISTRICT 4 OF ELIZABETH MADRIGAL, UH, THAT SHE'S BOTH, UM, I THINK WHAT, WHAT MOST SHOWN THROUGH FOR ELIZABETH IS THAT SHE RIDES TRANSIT AS HER PRIMARY MEANS OF TRANSPORTATION. UH, AND SHE GOES, UH, FROM, YOU KNOW, FROM NORTH COUNTY TO SOUTH COUNTY FOR HER WORK ON A DAILY BASIS USING METRO. UM, AND THEN ON TOP OF IT, UH, SHE CAN REPRESENT THE, UM, UH, THE HOUSING ANGLE AND THE IMPORTANCE OF TRANSIT FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING BECAUSE SHE WORKS WITH MID PENN AS A POLICY MANAGER THERE. UM, AND THEN I THINK FINALLY WE WERE ALSO REALLY IMPRESSED WITH THE FACT THAT, UM, SHE DID GROW UP IN A SPANISH SPEAKING HOUSEHOLD DURING SOME OF THE, UH, RECENT SCHEDULE CHANGES THAT METRO HAS, HAS HAD. SHE WAS ACTUALLY ACTIVELY WORKING TO ENSURE THAT MONO- MONOLINGUAL SPANISH SPEAKERS WHO RIDE THE BUS, UH, UNDERSTOOD THE IMPLICATION OF THOSE CHANGES. IT WOULD BE GREAT TO HAVE HER ON THE METRO BOARD TO TRY TO GET AHEAD OF SOME OF THESE ISSUES IN THE FUTURE. UM, AND, UH, AND FINALLY ALSO THROUGH HER ROLE AS A POLICY MANAGER AT, AT MID PENN, SHE DOES WORK WITH THE DISABLED COMMUNITY PLANNING AND ENSURING THAT HOUSING PROJECTS, UM, ARE ACCESSIBLE TO ALL. SO, BUT SHE REALLY CHECKED ALL THE BOXES, UM, AND ULTIMATELY AGREED WITH THE NOMINATION. - REALLY QUICK, I, I, I THINK MANU MENTIONED, UM, A LOT THERE BUT WITH, UH, YOU KNOW, [04:05:02] I DO APPRECIATE ALSO THAT SHE DOES RIDE THE METRO AND AS A MATTER OF FACT, UH, WHEN I HAD A MID PENN RELATED MEETING WITH HER, SHE ACTUALLY DROVE, RODE THE BUS RIGHT INTO WESTRIDGE. AND IT WAS RIGHT, LIKE WHEN, RIGHT WHEN IT STARTED, THE SHUTTLE SERVICE STARTED THERE AT THE, AT THE, UH, WESTRIDGE CENTER. BUT ALSO, YOU KNOW, WITH HOUSING I THINK THAT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I REALLY LIKE TO SEE, AND THAT SHE'S ALSO WORKING ON IT HERSELF, IS THESE TRANSIT ORIENTED DEVELOPMENTS AND DEVELOPING HOUSING ALONG THE CORRIDORS, UH, TO MAKE IT, UH, EASY FOR, FOR BUS RIDERS TO HAVE, UH, TO LIVE WITHOUT A CAR AND WITHOUT, YOU KNOW, ANY KIND OF VEHICLE MAKES IT... THESE TYPE OF DEVELOPMENTS MAKE IT EASY FOR THAT. UH, SO I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT. UH, I MEAN, FROM THAT WORLD, RIGHT? JUST THE HOUSING, A METRO, METRO, NOT A SPORADIC METRO DRIVER. SHE DOESN'T HAVE A CAR. SHE'S A METRO RIDER. SO THAT'S, YOU KNOW, THE REASON THAT I WAS REALLY EXCITED TO, TO ACTUALLY HAVE THAT VOICE, UH, FROM, UH, YOU KNOW, AND OF COURSE, SANTA CRUZ LIKE ME, IF A PERSON OF COLOR TOO AS WELL. SO YEAH, SUPERVISOR MARTINEZ? - THANK YOU AND I, I WANNA APPRECIATE MY FELLOW COLLEAGUES ON THE BOARD FOR ALLOWING US TO EXTEND THE DEADLINE TO DO OUR INTERVIEWS AND APPLICATION PROCESS. UM, I DO BELIEVE THAT THIS PROCESS THAT SUPERVISOR KOENIG AND I FOLLOWED WAS FIRST OF, OF ITS KIND TO HAVE, YOU KNOW, THE TWO BOARD MEMBERS APPOINTED TO THE METRO BOARD JOINED TOGETHER IN A SELECTION PROCESS THAT WAS CLEAR AND TRANSPARENT AND, UM, YOU KNOW, REALLY KEPT THE VALUES AND THE, THE, UM, OBJECTIVES OF METRO IN THE FOREFRONT OF OUR DECISION MAKING PROCESS. AND SO I REALLY WANNA THANK THE BOARD FOR TRUSTING US WITH THAT, UM, AND ALLOWING US TO COME FORWARD WITH A RECOMMENDATION AND THANK SUPERVISOR KOENIG FOR THE, UM, REALLY THE TIME IT TOOK OVER THE SUMMER TO GO THROUGH AND INTERVIEW SEVEN DIFFERENT CANDIDATES. SO, UM, REALLY APPRECIATE THAT. AND UM, WITH THAT I WOULD LIKE, GOSH, IS THERE A RECOMMENDATION SECTION? - POINT OF ORDER, YOU STILL HAVEN'T ACTUALLY GONE ON TO PUBLIC COMMENT. - OH. - WELL THEN I WILL HOLD MY MOTION AND STILL... - I JUST GOT HERE, SO I DIDN'T REALLY KNOW. SO BEFORE WE MAKE THAT MOTION, CAN WE TAKE IT OUT TO THE PUBLIC TO SEE IF ANYBODY WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS ON THIS ITEM? AND IF NOT, IS THERE ANYBODY ONLINE? - THERE ARE NO SPEAKERS ONLINE. - OKAY, I'LL BRING IT BACK TO SUPERVISOR MARTINEZ. OH, SUPERVISOR DE SERPA? - IS THIS A VOTE OR... - NO. - ...WHAT'S HAPPENING HERE? WE'RE JUST, THIS IS JUST... - IF YOU HAVE ANY COMMENT. - UH, NO, I AM SUPER APPRECIATIVE THAT, THAT THIS, UM, COLLABORATION, UH, TOOK PLACE. I KNOW THERE HAVE, I, I ACTUALLY HAD RECRUITED A COUPLE OF PEOPLE WHO I THOUGHT WOULD BE EXCELLENT, AND I THINK THEY WERE INTERVIEWED AND THEY WERE COMPLETELY QUALIFIED. UM, SO ANYWAY, I, I TRUST THAT, THAT, THAT YOU HAVE RECOMMENDED THE BEST CANDIDATE. SO THANK YOU, UM, THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK AND, UM, THANK YOU TO, UM, LARRY PEGLER ALSO FOR HIS INTEREST AND HIS SERVICE OVER THE YEARS. I KNOW HE, HE'S BEEN, HE'S SERVING A LONG TIME AND, UM, ANYWAY, THANKS. - SUPERVISOR KOENIG? OH, SUPERVISOR CUMMINGS. SORRY. [LAUGHS] - THANK YOU, CHAIR. UM, JUST WANNA START, UM, I APPRE-, I, I WILL EXPRESS APPRECIATING THE, THE WORK THAT HAS BEEN DONE BY THE TWO REPRESENTATIVES ON THE BOARD, ON THE METRO BOARD FOR GOING OUT AND INTERVIEWING. BUT I DO WANT THE PUBLIC TO BE AWARE THAT WE DIDN'T CREATE A NEW PROCESS FOR SELECTING AN AT LARGE APPOINTMENT TO THE BOARD, UM, TWO BOARD MEMBERS WORK TOGETHER TO CREATE A, A PROCESS FOR THEMSELVES TO CREATE, TO NOMINATE BOARD MEMBERS. BUT I JUST WANT IT TO BE CLEAR THAT WE ALL GET TO NOMINATE. THAT'S THE PROCESS THAT WE HAVE, IS THAT EACH BOARD MEMBER GETS TO NOMINATE SOMEONE FOR THIS POSITION. UM, BECAUSE IT'S AN AT LARGE APPOINTMENT. IT'S NOT A METRO BOARD SUBCOMMITTEE APPOINTMENT. IT'S AN AT LARGE APPOINTMENT FOR THE BOARD. SO JUST WANNA BE CLEAR THERE. UM, AND I JUST WANTED TO ALSO EXPRESS THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, WHEN I LOOK AT THE COMPOSITION OF THE METRO BOARD, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT RACIAL REPRESENTATION, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT GEOGRAPHIC REPRESENTATION, IT'S VERY DIVERSE. BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I FIND THAT'S MISSING, THAT I THINK THAT MR. PEGLER WOULD BRING IS THE FACT THAT, UH, LARRY PEGLER WORKED FOR DECADES FOR TAPS ON CAMPUS. AND WHEN WE THINK ABOUT THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN TAPS AND METRO, IT IS PROBABLY ONE OF THE CLOSEST LINKED RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN TWO AGENCIES WITHIN THIS COUNTY, ESPECIALLY GIVEN THE FACT THAT THE VAST MAJORITY OF RIDERS OF METRO ARE STUDENTS AT UCSE. AND SO HE HAS A UNIQUE EXPERIENCE THAT IS NOT CURRENTLY REFLECTED ON THIS BOARD. AND YES, IT'S ONE THING TO BE A RIDER OF METRO. BUT IT'S ANOTHER THING TO BE SOMEONE WHO, MAN, [04:10:01] WHO HAS DIRECT PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE IN MANAGING TRANSIT DISTRICTS. AND I DON'T KNOW OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD WHO'S THIS, UH, BANANA SLUG OR NOT. BUT HAVING SPENT SIX YEARS ON THAT CAMPUS AND KNOWING HOW GEOGRAPHICALLY AND TOPOGRAPHICALLY CHALLENGING THAT CAMPUS IS, ESPECIALLY IF IT WERE FOR SOMEBODY WITH DISABILITIES, IT HAS ONE OF THE BEST TRANSIT SYSTEMS FOR SUCH A GEOGRAPHICALLY CHALLENGING LOCATION. AND AS SOMEONE WHO, YOU KNOW, PLAYING SOCCER WOULD GET INJURED AND THEN HAVE TO, TO GET FROM CLASS TO CLASS AND PLACE TO PLACE ON CAMPUS, IT WAS MUCH MORE EFFICIENT THAN ANY OTHER UNIVERSITY CAMPUS THAT I'VE WORKED ON. AND SO GIVEN THE FACT THAT THIS POSITION, AS IT WAS STATED IN THE LAST MEETING, WAS SUPPOSED TO BE FOR SOMEBODY WHO CAN REPRESENT THE DISABLED COMMUNITY, I WOULD SAY THAT BECAUSE OF THE FACT THAT YOU HAVE SOMEONE WHO DIRECTED AND RAN THE TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM FOR UCSE FOR DECADES AND HAS MADE THAT A MUCH MORE ACCESSIBLE CAMPUS, THAT WOULD LEAD ME TO BELIEVE THAT LARRY PEGLER WOULD BE THE BEST CANDIDATE, UH, FOR THAT POSITION, ESPECIALLY IF IT'S GONNA BE FOR SOMEONE WHO DEALS WITH PEOPLE WHO HAVE DISABILITIES. I'D ALSO LIKE TO ADD THAT LOOKING AT THE COMPOSITION OF, UM, THE METRO BOARD. UM, LARRY WOULD ALSO REPRESENT SENIORS. WHICH ARE A HUGE NUMBER OF RIDERS FOR OUR COMMUNITY THAT IS NOT REPRESENTED ON THIS BOARD. AND SO I APPRECIATE, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF THE, UM, BENEFITS THAT, UM, MS. MADRIGAL WILL BRING TO, UH, THIS BOARD, I DO THINK THAT LARRY PEGLER WOULD BE AN IMMENSE HELP AND SOMEONE WHO WOULD BRING TREMENDOUS, NOT ONLY EXPERTISE BUT ALSO AN EXPERIENCE THAT IS NOT CURRENTLY REFLECTED ON THIS BOARD. AND SO I'M ACTUALLY GONNA MOVE THAT WE NOMINATE LARRY, THAT WE APPOINT LARRY PEGLER TO THE METRO BOARD. - SEEING THERE'S NOT A SECOND, WE'LL MOVE TO THE, THE ORIGINAL MOTION. - UM, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE NOMINATION OF ELIZABETH MADRIGAL TO THE METRO BOARD FOR AN APPOINTMENT TO EXPIRE IN DECEMBER 2026. - SECOND. - SO WE HAVE A MOTION FROM, UH, SUPERVISOR MARTINEZ, A SECOND FROM I, BETWEEN HERNANDEZ AND KOENIG. - SUPERVISOR KOENIG? - AYE. - DE SERPA? - AYE. - CUMMINGS? - AYE. - MARTINEZ? - AYE. - AND HERNANDEZ? AYE. SO MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. SO WE SKIP EIGHT. - UM, YOU HAVE ONE MORE ITEM LEFT REMAINING FOR THE DAY. DO YOU WANT TO TAKE A BREAK RIGHT NOW FOR LUNCH AND THEN COME BACK AT TWO O'CLOCK? - YES. - OKAY, SO WE'LL HAVE CLOSED SESSION RIGHT NOW AND THERE'S NOTHING REPORTABLE FROM CLOSED SESSION. - RECORDING STOPPED. [SILENCE] [SILENCE] [SILENCE] [11. Consider the Foundational Review of the Santa Cruz County Strategic Plan for 2018-2024, and take related actions] - [INAUDIBLE] I'LL TURN IT OVER TO ELISA BENSON, ASSISTANT COUNTY EXECUTIVE OFFICER, AND SVEN STAFFORD, PRINCIPAL ADMINISTRATIVE ANALYST, AND BELLA BONNER FOR THE PRESENTATION. - GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYONE. ELISA BENSON WITH THE CEO'S OFFICE. UH, THANKS FOR BEING HERE TODAY AND WAITING FOR THIS FINAL ITEM. UH, TODAY WE'RE GONNA, WE'RE GONNA BE, UH, LOOKING BACK ON WHAT WE'VE LEARNED FROM THE STRATEGIC PLAN FROM 2018 TO 2024. AND REALLY BOTH IN TERMS OF OUR IMPLEMENTATION RESULTS AND OUR IMPLEMENTATION PROCESSES TO REALLY INFORM WHERE WE GO FROM HERE. AND I'LL JUST LIKE CALL OUT THE OBVIOUS. WE HAD A VERY, WE HAD A DIFFERENT BOARD WHEN WE DID THE LAST PLAN. SO THIS IS REALLY A LEARNING OPPORTUNITY FOR ALL OF US. WHO HAS THE CLICKER? - I HAVE IT. - SVEN HAS THE CLICKER. - [INAUDIBLE]. SO REALLY QUICKLY, I AM JOINED HERE WITH BELLA BONNER, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF BLACK SURF SANTA CRUZ AND SVEN, WHO IS OUR LEAF STAFF ON THIS. TODAY WE'RE GONNA COVER, UM, BASICALLY, UH, WE'RE GONNA FIRST TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE TIMELINE, THE PROCESS, UH, IN THIS STRATEGIC PLAN REFRESH, THEN WE'LL TALK ABOUT THE FOUNDATIONAL REVIEW, WHAT WE FOUND IN TERMS OF LEARNING, AND THIS REALLY IS A PLAN DO CHECK, ADJUST MOMENT, AND THEN WE'LL MOVE ON TO THE, STEERING COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THIS FALL. UM, AND REALLY BRINGING FORWARD HOW WE'RE GONNA, UH, MOVE FORWARD WITH COMMUNITY AND ENGAGEMENT IN THE FALL [04:15:01] AND THEN WE'LL HAVE TIME TO GET YOU GUYS' INPUT AND DIRECTION AS WE KEEP TALKING ABOUT THIS. SO, VERY QUICKLY. WE HAVE BEEN AT THIS FOUNDATIONAL REVIEW SINCE ABOUT JANUARY, AND HERE WE ARE IN AUGUST WITH OUR REPORT. UM, AND AS WE'VE MENTIONED, THIS IS REALLY A LEARNING MOMENT. WE'VE BEEN VERY, UM, INTENTIONAL ABOUT, UH, LOOKING BACK AND HAVING LOTS OF TOUCH POINTS MOVING FORWARD TO, TO BRING YOU INTO THIS PROCESS. TODAY, WE'LL BE WALKING THROUGH THE FOUNDATIONAL REVIEW AND THEN WE'LL BE IN, AT THE SEPTEMBER 9TH MEETING BRINGING FORWARD THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PLAN PROPOSAL. THEN YOU'LL SEE US AGAIN IN OCTOBER WHERE WE'LL BE LOOKING AT FOCUS AREA, VALIDATION AND, AND WHAT WE'RE HEARING FROM COMMUNITY AS GOAL AREAS, AND THEN TOWARDS THE VERY END OF THE YEAR, A DRAFT PLAN. SO THIS IS REALLY AN INTENTIONAL AND PHASED CONVERSATION. SO WE CAN BUILD ON LESSONS LEARNED, CONTINUE TO GATHER COMMUNITY AND BOARD INPUT AND FEEDBACK ALONG THE WAY, AND BUILD THIS TOGETHER. SO NOW LET'S DIVE INTO THE FOUNDATIONAL REVIEW. SO WE REALLY WANTED TO UNDERSTAND OUR, OUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS, OUR CHALLENGES, AND USE THOSE AS LESSONS TO SORT OF LEARN AND, AND ADDRESS WHAT WE'RE DOING MOVING FORWARD. SO AS A LEARNING ORGANIZATION, WE'VE TAKEN THIS VERY SERIOUSLY AND TO LOOK AT WHAT WE'VE ACCOMPLISHED AND WHERE WE'VE FALLEN SHORT. SO WE FORMED A STEERING COMMITTEE, INCLUDING BOTH COUNTY AND COMMUNITY. IT INCLUDES MYSELF, ASSISTANT CEO, NICOLE COBURN, SHERIFF CLARK, HSD DIRECTOR, MORRIS, AS WELL AS TWO CRITICAL COMMUNITY MEMBERS. WE HAVE SECOND HARVEST, CEO, ERICA PADILLA-CHAVEZ, AND BLACK SURF SANTA CRUZ, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, BELLA RIGHT HERE. SO THIS HAS BEEN A GREAT CHANGE FROM HOW WE'VE DONE THIS IN THE PAST BY HAVING COMMUNITY LEADERS AT THE TABLE FIGURING OUT HOW WE'RE GONNA MOVE THIS FORWARD, HOW WE'RE PLANNING OUR ENGAGEMENT. UM, SO IT'S JUST ONE MORE OF THOSE THINGS WE'RE ADJUSTING AS WE GO. THE STEERING COMMITTEE, BASICALLY IN THE LAST SIX MONTHS, AUTHORIZED VERY FOCUSED OUTREACH WITH FULL RECOGNITION THAT THE REAL COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AROUND THE PLAN MOVING FORWARD WOULD BE THIS FALL. SO THIS WAS MUCH MORE OF THAT REFLECTIVE RETROSPECTIVE, UH, PART OF OUR PROCESS. WE TALKED TO PRIMARILY PEOPLE THAT HELPED WITH IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PLAN, OUR STAFF, OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS, AND OF COURSE THE BOARD. AND OVERALL, ABOUT A THOUSAND PEOPLE CONTRIBUTED. AS YOU'LL SEE ON THIS SLIDE, WE HAD BOARD INTERVIEWS, WE HAD 9 FOCUS GROUPS AND ABOUT A THOUSAND RESPONDENTS TO OUR SURVEY. SO WITH THAT, I'M GONNA PASS IT OVER TO SVEN TO SHARE SOME OF OUR KEY TAKEAWAYS. - ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU, ELISA. GOOD AFTERNOON BOARD. SVEN STAFFORD, WITH THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE OFFICE. WE'RE GONNA START WITH SOME OF THE GOOD NEWS WHERE WE'VE SEEN REAL RESULTS. IN EACH OF THESE CASES SUCCESS CAME WHEN WE HAD CLEAR POLICY GOALS, STRONG PARTNERSHIPS, AND THE RESOURCES TO DO THE WORK. ONE OF OUR MOST STRIKING SUCCESSES CAME DURING THE PANDEMIC WHERE THE COUNTY LED A HIGHLY COORDINATED COVID-19 VACCINATION EFFORT. WE PRIORITIZED EQUITY AND VACCINE DISTRIBUTION AND DEFINING THAT BY MEETING THOSE COMMUNITIES AT GREATEST RISK, RECEIVED THE HIGHEST LEVELS OF PROTECTION. THE DATA TELLS THAT STORY CLEARLY. THE MOST AT RISK RESIDENTS, UH, REACHED AN 86.2% VACCINATION RATE, THOSE HIGHER THAN THE COUNTYWIDE AVERAGE OF 82%, AND IT WAS ONE OF THE BEST, BEST IN THE STATES FOR, IN THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA FOR THAT QUADRANT. THAT OUTCOME WASN'T ACCIDENTAL. IT WAS THE RESULTS OF STRONG COLLABORATION BETWEEN COUNTY PUBLIC HEALTH, HEALTH PROVIDERS, COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS, AND TRUSTED LOCAL LEADERS. THAT EFFORT DEMONSTRATED THAT WHEN WE COMBINE CLEAR ROLES, SHARED GOALS AND RESOURCES, WE CAN REACH EVEN THE HARDEST TO REACH POPULATIONS. [PAUSE] THE SAME IS TRUE IN OUR WORK ON HOMELESSNESS, IN 2025 THE POINT IN TIME COUNT, WE SAW A 20% DROP IN THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS DOWN TO 1,400 INDIVIDUALS FROM THE YEAR BEFORE. UM, WE'VE ALSO SEEN INCREASED ENROLLMENT IN OUR, IN OUR PROGRAMS. UH, WE'VE SEEN INCREASE IN THE RATE OF PEOPLE STAYING HOUSED SIX MONTHS AFTER THEY'VE RECEIVED, UM, SERVICES. SO IT'S NOT JUST THE POINT IN TIME COUNT THAT POINTS TO THE SUCCESS. UH, IT'S NOT ALSO AN OVERNIGHT SUCCESS. IT'S CONSISTENTLY IMPLEMENTING A PLAN OVER TIME. UH, HOUSING FOR HEALTH DIRECTOR ROBERT RATNER HAS SAID THAT THIS SHOWS WHAT'S POSSIBLE WHEN SUSTAINED INVESTMENT MEETS CONSISTENT COMMUNITY SUPPORT. [04:20:02] THE PROGRESS IS PARTICULARLY NOTABLE AMONG YOUTH AND WORKING ADULTS AND VETERANS GROUPS THAT HAVE BENEFITED FROM MORE STABLE FUNDING AND A STRONG NETWORK OF HOUSING AND SERVICE PROVIDERS. WE KNOW THERE'S STILL A LONG WAY TO GO HERE, AND GETTING TO ZERO WILL TAKE NOT ONLY CONTINUED INVESTMENT IN THIS SPECIFIC WORK, BUT ALSO ACCELERATION OF HOUSING PRODUCTION IN GENERAL. [PAUSE] ONE FINAL EXAMPLE IS THE SOUTH COUNTY GOVERNMENT CENTER. SINCE OPENING IT HAS SEEN MORE THAN 46,000 VISITS, UH, PROVIDING RESIDENTS WITH EASIER ACCESS TO COUNTY SERVICES WITHOUT THE BARRIER OF A LONG RIDE TO NORTH COUNTY. UH, THE BUILDING EXPANDS ACCESS PROVIDES A SPACE WE CAN BE PROUD OF, AND ALSO REDUCES EMISSIONS THROUGH FEWER TRIPS. IT'S ALSO A REMINDER THAT INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS, WHEN PLANNED WITH THE COMMUNITY IN MIND, CAN HAVE LASTING AND MEASURABLE IMPACTS. AND SO OF COURSE THE PICTURE IS IN ALL WINDS THERE ARE ALSO PERSISTENT BARRIERS THAT HELD BACK SOME PROGRESS, AND SO LET'S LOOK AT SOME OF THOSE. [PAUSE] HERE WE'RE LOOKING AT HOUSING PRODUCTION. WE'RE HEMMED IN ON ALL SIDES IN THIS COUNTY BY THE OCEAN, THE MOUNTAINS, AND BY OUR OWN ZONING AND PERMITTING POLICIES THAT LIMIT WHERE AND HOW HOUSING CAN BE BUILT. ONLY ONCE IN THE LAST 15 YEARS HAVE WE BUILT ENOUGH HOUSING FOR THE PEOPLE THAT ALREADY LIVE HERE. AND AS A RESULT, WE'RE NOW LOSING POPULATION. WE'VE MADE MORE PROGRESS RECENTLY. WE'VE REDUCED HOMELESSNESS, AS WE'VE SAID BEFORE, WE'VE PASSED A NEW HOUSING ELEMENT AND ARE WORKING WITH THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT ON STREAMLINING THEIR PROCESSES. UH, AND A QUESTION REMAINS, WHAT WOULD IT TAKE SO THAT EVERY RESIDENT HAS A REAL PATH TO STABLE, AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN OUR COUNTY? [PAUSE] THE BOARD HAS ALSO SPENT, THIS BOARD IN PARTICULAR HAS ALSO SPENT MANY HOURS TALKING ABOUT OUR INFRASTRUCTURE, OUR ROADS, CULVERTS, PIPES FORM A LEGACY NETWORK DEFINED, DESIGNED FOR A DIFFERENT CLIMATE AND DIFFERENT DEMANDS. ON THE CHART YOU CAN SEE A ROAD NETWORK STRUGGLING TO KEEP PACE DESPITE AN UNPRECEDENTED RATE OF STORM REPAIR AND IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS. BETWEEN, UH, OVER THE PERIOD OF THE STRATEGIC PLAN, UH, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT INFRASTRUCTURE REPAIRED OVER A HUNDRED DAMAGED STORM SITES COSTING OVER $182 MILLION. THAT DID IMPROVE ROAD CONDITIONS, UH, AND APPROXIMATELY 75 MILLION WORTH OF PROJECTS STILL LEFT TO REPAIR. AND SO A QUESTION THAT ARISES, HOW MIGHT WE DESIGN AND INVEST IN RESILIENT INFRASTRUCTURE THAT CAN KEEP PACE WITH THE CLIMATE REALITY THAT WE'RE NOW LIVING IN? [PAUSE] FINALLY, WE'VE SEEN AN INCREASE IN FOCUS ON MENTAL HEALTH. SELF-REPORTED MENTAL HEALTH DAYS OVER THIS PERIOD ARE UP 25%. OUR YOUTH AND OLDER ADULTS ARE INCREASINGLY ISOLATED, AND FOR FOLKS WITH SERIOUS MENTAL ILLNESS, THE POPULATION THAT WE AS A COUNTY ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR. THERE'S BEEN A KITCHEN SINK APPROACH AT THE STATE LEVEL TO CREATE NEW PROGRAMS, BUT NOT NECESSARILY TO FUND THEM. AND LOCALLY, THE WILLINGNESS TO BE CREATIVE AND COMPASSIONATE IS THERE, BUT NOT ALWAYS THE DISCIPLINE TO ALIGN WITH FIDELITY TO A PLAN. ALL THIS CAN LEAVE PEOPLE FALLING THROUGH THE CRACKS AND MAKE COORDINATED CARE MORE DIFFICULT. SO EVEN AS WE STAND UP OUR NEW CHILDREN'S CRISIS CENTER CONTINUE TO IMPLEMENT CARE ACT, MHS-, MHSA REFORM EXPANSION OF GRAVE DISABILITY LIMITS ON ACCESS TO STATE HOSPITALS, AS WE DO ALL OF THOSE THINGS, UH, A QUESTION THAT ARISES IS WHAT WOULD IT TAKE TO REALLY CREATE AN ALIGNED BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SYSTEM OF CARE THAT CREATES THAT CONNECTION AND BELONGING THAT WE WANT? AND SO I'LL NOW PASS IT TO EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, BONNER TO TAKE US THROUGH THE RECOMMENDATIONS AND HOW WE WANNA START ANSWERING SOME OF THOSE QUESTIONS. - THANK YOU, SVEN AND ELISA. UM, HERE WE HAVE SOME RECOMMENDATIONS. AND WHILE THESE STRUCTURAL AND SYSTEMIC CHALLENGES AREN'T ONES THAT WE CAN ANSWER OVERNIGHT, THEY POINT TO THE KIND OF CHANGES THAT ARE GOING TO TAKE SUSTAINED FOCUS, ALIGNMENT ACROSS SECTORS, AND A PLAN THAT BUILDS AND RISES FROM THE GROUND UP. THE RECOMMENDATIONS WE'RE BRINGING YOU TODAY ARE ABOUT CREATING THE CONDITIONS FOR THOSE ANSWERS TO EMERGE AND FOR US TO TAKE ACTION ON THEM. FIRST, WE NEED TO INTEGRATE FRAMEWORKS THAT LEAD TO ACTION AND ALIGNMENT. FRAMEWORKS THAT PROVIDE TOOLS TO CONNECT OUR DAILY WORK TO LONG-TERM GOALS IN WAYS THAT ARE EQUITABLE, MEASURABLE, AND RESULTS DRIVEN. THEN WE NEED TO START BY ENGAGING THE COMMUNITY TO IDENTIFY PRIORITY FOCUS AREAS AND THEN BRING THEM UP TO THE BOARD AND VALIDATE THEM. THIRD, WE NEED TO DEEPEN COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION, NOT JUST IN LISTENING SESSIONS, BUT IN TRUE CO-DESIGN, WHICH IS REFLECTED IN, UM, OUR COMMITTEE THAT I'M A PART OF. PEOPLE IN COMMUNITIES WHO ARE MOST AFFECTED NEED TO BE IN THE ROOM SHAPING SOLUTIONS FROM THE VERY START. FOURTH, WE NEED TO DEVELOP CLEAR EQUITY METRICS AND TARGETS FOR EACH FOCUS AREA. THESE WILL HELP US MEASURE PROGRESS, IMPROVE TRANSPARENCY, AND HOLD OURSELVES ACCOUNTABLE [04:25:01] TO THE GOALS SET. FIFTH, WE SHOULD CO-CREATE A SET OF SHARED VALUES WITH COUNTY STAFF AT ALL LEVELS. VALUES THAT NOT ONLY GUIDE HOW WE WORK, BUT ACCELERATE OUR ABILITY TO TAKE ACTION AND FOLLOW THROUGH. AND FINALLY, THE 2026 THROUGH 2032 STRATEGIC PLAN SHOULD BE A TRUE REFLECTION OF COLLABORATION, ONE THAT CARRIES FORWARD THE STRONGEST PARTS OF CURRENT WORK WHILE INCORPORATING THE PRIORITIES THAT HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED WITH STAFF, PARTNERS AND COMMUNITY RESIDENTS. IN SHORT, THE PROCESS WE'RE RECOMMENDING IS ABOUT POSITIONING THE COUNTY TO TAKE ON THESE BIG STRUCTURAL CHALLENGES, NOT IN ISOLATION, BUT WITH THE KIND OF ALIGNMENT, ENGAGEMENT, AND ACCOUNTABILITY IT WILL TAKE TO MOVE BEYOND THEM. WITH THAT IN MIND, WE'D LIKE TO HEAR FROM THE BOARD AND POSE A COUPLE OF REFLECTION QUESTIONS. FIRST, WHAT ARE THE LESSONS FROM THE PAST SIX YEARS THAT YOU ARE TAKING WITH YOU AND WHERE DO YOU SEE OPPORTUNITIES FOR US TO INCREASE IMPACT? I WILL PASS IT BACK TO ELISA. - SO, I'M JUST GONNA REALLY BRIEFLY GO OVER VERY SIMPLE RECOMMENDED ACTIONS. IT'S TO ACCEPT AND FILE THIS REPORT, AND WE REALLY SEE THIS AS THE TIME TO GET QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS AND INPUT FROM ALL OF YOU ON, ON TODAY'S PRESENTATION, ON THE PRETTY VOLUMINOUS STAFF REPORT. UM, AND, UH, AGAIN, WE'LL BE COMING BACK TO, WE'LL HAVE THIS ONGOING CONVERSATION FOR THE REST OF THE FALL TO KEEP MOVING FOR-, MOVING FORWARD IN A REALLY THOUGHTFUL, INTENTIONAL WAY, UH, WITH YOUR GUIDANCE. SO WITH THAT, WE, WE THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT TODAY AND WE WELCOME YOUR FEEDBACK AND ONGOING COLLABORATION. - THANK YOU. BEFORE I BRING IT BACK TO THE BOARD, I'M GONNA SEE IF THERE'S ANY, UH, ONE THAT WOULD LIKE TO COMMENT ON THIS ITEM. - HEY, GOOD AFTERNOON. UM, ANYBODY KNOW WHAT REDEMPTION LOOKS LIKE? LOOKING FOR A DEFINITION. WAS LISTENING TO WHAT YOU GUYS WERE SAYING BEFORE. NOW, WHAT REALLY DIDN'T COME UP IS WHAT IS THIS ABOUT? THIS IS AN EVALUATION OF THE, WHAT IS IT, 1918 TO 2024 - 2026. SOMEWHERE ON MY NOTES. EXCUSE ME. YOU GUYS DIDN'T BRING THAT UP. AND I THINK THE PREVIOUS SPEAKER WHO ACTUALLY BROUGHT UP WHAT THIS IS ABOUT, I KIND OF, WHEN SHE RAISED HER VOICE A LITTLE BIT, IT REALLY HADN'T BEEN DEFINED WHAT THIS WAS REALLY ABOUT. UH, I WOULD SAY MAYBE FOR AN EXAMPLE, WHEN YOU GUYS TALKED ABOUT THE THINGS THAT WORKED AND DIDN'T WORK, YOU WERE BRINGING UP YOUR STRATEGIC PLAN AND THAT'S SOME OF THE REASONS WHY I THINK THAT A LOT OF HARM HAS BEEN CAUSED IN THE PAST SIX YEARS, WITHOUT GOING INTO DETAIL, IT'S, IT'S ALREADY DONE. IT'S DONE DEAL. WHAT ARE WE GONNA DO NOW? I WAS SAYING, CAN I HAVE YOU FIND WHAT REDEMPTION IS? 'CAUSE I'D LIKE TO KNOW TOO, 'CAUSE I'M WORKING ON IT. UH, BUT AS FAR AS THE NOTES THAT I TOOK, IN PARTICULAR WITH WHAT WAS BEING SAID, BEYOND JUST WRITING OUT, DEFINING THIS, UM, YOU KNOW, PAGE 14, 2018, 2024 STRATEGIC PLAN. YOU GUYS DIDN'T MENTION THAT. YOU DIDN'T MENTION THAT IT WAS 85% COMPLETE WITH THE STUFF THAT YOU WANTED TO TALK ABOUT AND THE DOCUMENTS, I GUESS, CAN BE FOUND WWW.SCVISION.US. SO I HAVE 30 SECONDS. UM, I LISTENED TO, I HAD TO LEAVE, I HAD TO TAKE MY FRIEND TO THE DOCTOR, AND I RODE MY BIKE BACK HERE. IT WAS FUN. I HAD SOME EXTRA TIME 'CAUSE YOU GUYS HAVE TO HAVE LUNCH. SO I'M JUST TRYING TO BE HUMAN HERE. JUST LISTENING. UH, I'LL LEAVE IT AT THAT. I'M GLAD I MADE A COUPLE PEOPLE LAUGH TODAY. THANKS. - ANYONE ONLINE? - NO, CHAIR. THERE'S NO SPEAKERS ONLINE. - OKAY, WITH THAT I'LL BRING IT BACK TO THE BOARD FOR ANY QUESTIONS COMMENTS, OR ENTERTAIN A MOTION. SUPERVISOR CUMMINGS? - THANKS. I'M WONDERING IF YOU COULD PUT THOSE, LIKE, OKAY, SO... - PUT THE QUESTIONS UP. - I GUESS THE QUESTION IS, DO YOU WANT US TO ANSWER THOSE QUESTIONS NOW OR IS THAT LIKE A FIGURATIVE... - FIGURATIVE - ...TALK, LIKE ANSWER 'EM LATER, FIGURATIVE? - I, I THINK WE'D LOVE TO HEAR WHAT YOU HAVE TO SAY NOW. ASSUMING YOU GUYS WANNA SPEND MORE TIME TOGETHER. - I MEAN WE JUST GOT BACK IN SESSION, SO WHY NOT? - NO, I MEAN, AND WE, WE, THIS IS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR, FOR YOU TO SHARE WHAT YOU FEEL LIKE SHARING TODAY. THAT IS OUR INTENT. THAT IS OUR ASK. - WELL, IF YOU ALL GO BACK TO THOSE QUESTIONS, I MEAN, I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER YOU. AND MAYBE I'M THE ONLY ONE. UM, BUT I DO ALSO HAVE SOME COMMENTS AND IT ALSO IS IN, I GUESS MY BIG COMMENT, WHICH IS IN CONJUNCTION WITH, [04:30:04] UM, ONE OF THE REPORTS THAT WE HAD EARLIER, I THINK IT WAS ITEM NUMBER 56, I THINK IT WAS THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT REPORT THAT WAS ON THE AGENDA. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I THINK IS REALLY CRITICAL AS WE MOVE INTO THIS NEXT STAGE OF STRATEGIC PLANNING, AND I DON'T KNOW THE EXTENT THIS WAS INCORPORATED LAST TIME, BUT WE HAVE, WE ARE CONSTANTLY DOING OUTREACH IN PUTTING TOGETHER ALL THESE DIFFERENT PLANS, WHETHER IT'S THE MASTER PLAN ON AGING, WHETHER IT'S OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PLAN, YOU KNOW, RENA, WHAT HAVE YOU. WE HAVE ALL THESE PLANS OUT THERE, AND THEN NOW WE HAVE OUR STRATEGIC PLAN AND THERE'S OBVIOUSLY A LOT OF OUTREACH. BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I DIDN'T SEE INCLUDED IN THERE IS HOW WE'RE GONNA TAKE ALL THESE PLANS THAT WE'VE BEEN PULLING TOGETHER AND INCORPORATE THAT INTO THE STRATEGIC PLAN AS WELL? BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, I THINK, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE SEE THE WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT BOARD REPORTS COME OUT AND A VARIETY OF THESE DIFFERENT, UM, VERY INFORMATIVE REPORTS COME OUT, IT'S LIKE ACCEPT FILE. AND THEN IT SOUNDS LIKE WE HAVE A PROCESS, WE INVOLVE THE COMMUNITY. THEY SAY WHAT, YOU KNOW, THEY THINK IS RELEVANT AT THE TIME AND AT THE SAME TIME, YET AT THE SAME TIME, WE'VE SPENT SO MUCH TIME AND MONEY AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT ON ALL THESE OTHER REPORTS AND THAT THAT SEEM TO SOMETIMES SIT FLAT. AND SO I THINK THAT TO THE EXTENT THAT WE CAN INCORPORATE THOSE INTO THIS PROCESS, I THINK IT'LL BE REALLY BENEFICIAL. UM, AND THEN I'M GONNA TOUCH ON THAT, WELL, IT'S HARD BECAUSE I DON'T WANNA REFER TO, TO SPEAK ABOUT SOMETHING THAT WAS ALREADY ON THE AGENDA. BUT, UM, YEAH, I THINK INCORPORATING THOSE PLANS AND THEN ALSO MAKING SURE THAT THERE'S, THAT WHEN WE'RE MAKING RECOMMENDATIONS, WE'RE NOT MAKING CONTRADICTORY RECOMMENDATIONS. UM, AND ODD, SO NOW I'LL JUST TAKE AN EXAMPLE FROM THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PLAN EARLIER HOPING TO FOLLOW UP WITH STAFF ON IT, AND ONE OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS TALKED ABOUT HOW, UM, SANTA CRUZ HAS A LOT OF PEOPLE WITH LIKE DEGREES IN HIGHER EDUCATION AND THAT THEY'RE BEING LOST TO OTHER COMMUNITIES. AND THEN AT THE SAME TIME, I WAS SAYING THAT WE NEED TO TRAIN PEOPLE UP AND EDUCATE THEM SO THAT THEY CAN, YOU KNOW, ATTAIN HIGHER PAYING JOBS. IT'S LIKE, WELL THE ISSUE HERE IS... - WE DON'T HAVE 'EM. - ... WE DON'T HAVE THOSE JOBS. AND THE, THE OTHER ISSUE IS, ESPECIALLY AS IT RELATES TO HOUSING, IS THAT IF WE DO BRING OVER HIGHER PAYING JOBS, THAT'S GREAT, BUT WE STILL HAVE AN ENTIRE SECTOR THAT'S, YOU KNOW, TOURISM AND HOSPITALITY. AND IF WE CONTINUE TO DRIVE UP THE COST OF HOUSING, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE WE'RE BRINGING IN PEOPLE WHO CAN HAVE STARTING JOBS AT $200,000 A YEAR WORKING IN TECH THAT'S STILL NOT SOLVING THE ISSUE ON THE GROUND OF HOW WE'RE GONNA PROVIDE HOUSING FOR THE WORKING CLASS PEOPLE WHO ARE HERE. AND SO, UM, I JUST HOPE THAT AS WE'RE, UM, YOU KNOW, MOVING INTO THIS PROCESS, THAT WE'RE TAKING THESE PLANS AND WE'RE INCORPORATING THAT, AND BRINGING, YOU KNOW, WE'RE REFERENCING THOSE PLANS. LIKE, YOU KNOW, WE WANT, IF THE GOAL IS INCREASING AFFORDABLE HOUSING, THAT IS IN ALIGNMENT WITH OUR, YOU KNOW, HOUSING ELEMENT OR WHAT HAVE YOU. AND SO... - SVEN DO YOU WANNA TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE TOOL WE ARE THINKING ABOUT IMPLEMENTING AROUND PLAN INTEGRATION? - YEAH, I THINK WE CAN. I MEAN, I THINK THERE'S, THERE'S TWO THINGS. ONE IS THAT ABSOLUTELY WE WANNA BE IN ALIGNMENT WITH WITH OTHER PLANS THAT ARE EXISTING. RIGHT NOW FOR EXAMPLE, OUR PUBLIC HEALTH FOLKS ARE OUT THERE DOING THE COMMUNITY HEALTH IMPROVEMENT PLAN. WE WANNA BE IN ALIGNMENT AND LOCKSTEP WITH THEM SO THAT, YEAH, WHEN WE COME BACK AND PRESENT, WE'RE NOT PRESENTING SOMETHING THAT, YOU KNOW, POTENTIALLY HAS CONFLICTS OR, UM, ISN'T AS ALIGNED AS IT COULD BE. AND THEN INTERNALLY, WE'RE ALSO THINKING AROUND THROUGH OUR OPERATIONAL PLAN, HOW CAN WE BRING IN AND LINK THESE OTHER PLANS, AND WE'RE CURRENTLY EXPLORING, UM, UH, SOME TOOLS AND SOFTWARE THAT'LL HELP US DO THAT MORE CLEARLY. UH, SO THERE, THERE AREN'T, UM, REDUNDANCIES BETWEEN LIKE WHAT YOU'RE APPROVING IN THE OPERATIONAL PLAN AND WHAT YOU MIGHT BE APPROVING IN THE WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT PLAN OR WHAT YOU MIGHT BE APPROVING IN THE MASTER PLAN ON AGING, THAT THOSE THINGS WILL BE ABLE TO LINK WITH EACH OTHER AND, AND FEED UP INTO, UM, UH, YOU KNOW, A COUPLE DIFFERENT COMPREHENSIVE VIEWS. - YEAH, AND I THINK ALSO, I MEAN, WHEN THERE IS, YOU KNOW, IF, IF THERE ARE INSTANCES WHERE THERE'S RECOMMENDATIONS IN MULTIPLE DIFFERENT PLANS, I THINK THAT'S ACTUALLY, IT'S, IT'S BENEFICIAL BECAUSE THEN THE STRATEGIC PLANNING WE CAN EVEN CALL OUT LIKE THAT HAS BEEN HIGHLIGHTED IN MASTER PLAN FOR AGING, IT'S BEEN HIGHLIGHTED IN HEALTH IN ALL POLICIES, IT'S BEEN HIGHLIGHTED... SO THAT WE'RE REALLY DEMONSTRATING THAT, YOU KNOW, THIS IS A PRIORITY AND WHAT WE'VE SEEN THAT COME THROUGH IN, IN OTHER INSTANCES AS WELL. - YOU GUYS ARE GONNA GET A LITTLE BIT OF A, A SAMPLE OF THAT WHEN WE DO THE MEASURE Q VISION PLAN IN OCTOBER. 'CAUSE SAME THING, WE HAVE A LOT OF SUBJECT SPECIFIC SORT OF IN THAT NATURAL RESOURCE WATER QUALITY SPACE. LIKE THAT PLAN IS SUPPOSED TO BE INTEGRATING MANY, MANY OTHER PLANS. SO IT, WE DO HAVE A LOT OF PLANS AND WE'RE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WAYS WHERE THEY ARE, WE DO FIND THAT THAT CONCENTRATION OF SIMILAR RECOMMENDATIONS, LIKE IF YOU'VE GOT THAT IN FIVE DIFFERENT PLANS, HOPEFULLY THAT MEANS THAT IT HAS [04:35:04] SOME RELEVANCE AND SHOULD BE PRIORITIZED. SO WE'LL BE ABLE TO TEST OUR ABILITY TO DO THAT A LITTLE BIT IN OCTOBER WHEN WE COME BACK WITH MEASURE Q VISION PLAN, ALBEIT ON A, YOU KNOW, A MORE NARROWED, ALTHOUGH MEASURE Q DOESN'T FEEL NARROW, BUT IN THAT SORT OF NATURAL ENVIRONMENT SPACE. BUT, AND AS, AS SVEN SAID, THE TOOLS WE'RE LOOKING AT NOW ARE, ARE RECOGNIZING THAT, THAT, UM, THE RICHES OF OUR PLANS AND HOW DO WE SORT OF HAVE THEM, APPROACH THEM IN A MORE INTEGRATED WAY AS WE IMPLEMENT AND TRACK, TRACK WHAT WE'RE DOING. - THEN I GUESS I'LL, I'LL JUST SAY BRIEFLY 'CAUSE I KNOW WE CAN BOND FOREVER. I LOVE THESE KINDS OF TOPICS, BUT, UM, PAST SIX YEARS THAT, LIKE LESSONS THAT WE'RE TAKING WITH US, I THINK THAT THE ABILITY AND THE, THE ACCESSIBILITY OF BEING ABLE TO SEE AND TRACK AND GET UPDATES ON, LIKE, HERE ARE ALL THE GOALS WE'VE SET OUT FOR OURSELVES, HERE'S WHAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO ACHIEVE. I THINK THAT THAT'S BEEN VERY HELPFUL FOR TRANSPARENCY AND US BEING ABLE TO SEE LIKE, WHAT HAVE WE BEEN, WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH. HOW ARE WE ABLE TO GET THERE? WHAT HAVEN'T WE, WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH? WHY HAVEN'T WE ACCOMPLISHED THAT? SO THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE ABLE TO UNDERSTAND THE REALITIES OF SOME OF THE THINGS WE WANNA ACCOMPLISH, WHERE WE MAY HAVE THE RESOURCES AND THE ABILITY TO GET THEM ACROSS THE BOARD. AND IN OTHER INSTANCES, THERE MAY BE FACTORS THAT IMPEDE OUR ABILITY TO ACCOMPLISH SOME OF OUR GOALS. SOME OF THOSE ARE OUTSIDE OF OUR CONTROL, AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE'RE EDUCATING THE COMMUNITY ON WHY WE'RE NOT ABLE TO ACHIEVE THAT. AND THEN IF THERE ARE OTHERS THAT NEED MORE TIME AND MORE RESOURCES, FIGURING OUT, OKAY, LIKE WE'VE, THERE ARE LEARNING LESSONS AND HERE'S WHAT WE NEED TO TRY TO HELP, YOU KNOW, MOVE THIS ALONG AND MAYBE INCORPORATE THAT INTO THE NEXT SESSION. AND THEN WHERE DO WE SEE OPPORTUNITIES FOR INCREASED IMPACT? I THINK A LOT OF THE OUTREACH THAT THE COUNTY HAS DONE OVER THE YEARS, UM, AND ENGAGEMENT WITH COMMUNITIES, ESPECIALLY COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE BEEN UNDERSERVED AND, UM, NOT BEEN A PART OF THE PROCESS, HAS BEEN REALLY HELPFUL FOR BEING ABLE TO GAIN, UM, THOSE OTHER PERSPECTIVES AND MAKING THOSE PEOPLE FEEL LIKE THEY'RE INCLUDED IN THE PROCESS. AND I THINK TO THE EXTENT THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO BUILD ON THAT, I WILL REALLY BE HELPFUL TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY UNDERSTANDS HOW THEY CAN ACCESS GOVERNMENT AND HOW THEIR VOICE CAN BE INCORPORATED INTO THE DECISION-MAKING PROCESS. I'LL LEAVE MY COMMENTS THERE AND I'M HAPPY TO TALK TO YOU ALL MORE OFFLINE, BUT JUST WANNA THANK YOU ALL FOR THIS UPDATE AND THANKS FOR HAVING THE DISCUSSION TODAY. - OF COURSE. - SUPERVISOR CUMMINGS WILL BE PART OF THE COMMITTEE. - [LAUGHTER] - ANYONE ELSE? DO WE HAVE A... SUPERVISOR KOENIG? - SURE, I'LL, I'LL ANSWER THE QUESTIONS. UM, AS FAR AS WHAT THE LESSONS ARE FROM THE PAST SIX YEARS THAT I'M TAKING WITH ME, UM, I MEAN, I THINK FUNDAMENTALLY IT'S THAT WHEN WE FOCUS ON THINGS AND WHEN WE PLAN FOR THINGS, WE CAN HAVE AN INCREDIBLE IMPACT. I MEAN, YOU HIGHLIGHTED THREE, UH, PROBABLY THE SAME THREE THINGS I WOULD CHOOSE, WHICH IS, UH, OUR REALLY INTENTIONAL RESPONSE TO THE PANDEMIC, ONE OF THE BEST VACCINATION RATES IN THE STATE, IF NOT THE COUNTRY. I MEAN, AMAZING WIN, UH, WHEN IT COMES TO, YOU KNOW, CREATING THE DIVISION OF HOUSING FOR HEALTH. AND I MEAN, NOW WE'VE SEEN TWO, IF NOT CONSECUTIVE, I MEAN CLOSE TOGETHER YEARS WITH DOUBLE DIGIT DROPS IN, UH, THE, THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS. THAT'S JUST A PHENOMENAL OUTCOME. I DON'T THINK ANY OF US WOULD'VE PREDICTED THAT WHEN WE, YOU KNOW, DID WHAT SEEMS LIKE A BUREAUCRATIC EXERCISE OF CREATING A DIVISION. BUT I MEAN, THAT'S FANTASTIC. UM, AND THEN REALLY THE INTENTIONAL, UH, EFFORT TO MAKE SERVICES MORE EQUALLY AVAILABLE BETWEEN NORTH AND SOUTH COUNTY AND THE OPENING OF THE SOUTH COUNTY GOVERNMENT CENTER. UM, AND I MEAN REALLY JUST IN GENERAL, A FOCUS ON ENSURING THAT SOUTH COUNTY THAT WE'RE RISING TO THE OCCASION ON THINGS LIKE, UM, RESCUING THE WATSONVILLE HOSPITAL AND RETURNING THAT TO PUBLIC OWNERSHIP. OF COURSE WITH THE, THE FOCUS ON THE PAJARO RIVER LEVEE THAT, I MEAN, NOT ALL THESE THINGS ARE DIRECTLY RELATED TO COUNT-, I MEAN, LED BY, I MEAN, THEY, THEY BASICALLY HAVE BEEN LED BY COUNTY GOVERNMENT BECAUSE OF THE LACK OF, YOU KNOW, ALTERNATIVES. UM, AND BECAUSE THEY'RE SO IMPORTANT. SO, I MEAN, THESE ARE JUST HUGE WINS REALLY, AND I THINK IT JUST SHOULD BE INSPIRING TO ALL OF US THAT IF WE PUT OUR MINDS TO IT WE CAN ACHIEVE GREAT THINGS. UM, I'M HOPEFUL OR WHERE, WHERE WE HAVE OPPORTUNITIES TO INCREASE IMPACT. I MEAN, I'M HOPING THAT WE'RE GONNA START TO SEE SOME SIMILAR TYPES OF WINS WITH HOUSING, RIGHT? I MEAN, WE HAVE STARTED TO BE PRETTY INTENTIONAL ABOUT THAT FOR A WHILE NOW. UM, I'VE, I SEE SEEDS STARTING TO GERMINATE, RIGHT? I MEAN, BETWEEN BOTH THE SUSTAINABILITY UPDATE AND NOW THE HOUSING ELEMENT. UM, I MEAN, I CAN POINT TO A HANDFUL OF, I MEAN, SOME OF THE LARGEST BUILDINGS, THE UNINCORPORATED AREAS I'VE EVER SEEN, THE LARGEST HOUSING PROJECTS ARE HAPPENING. I MEAN, 180 UNITS THERE, 245 UNITS HERE. [04:40:01] I MEAN, WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE GOING TO SEE IT. UM, BUT OF COURSE WE'RE IN JUST SUCH A DEEP HOLE AS THE DATA THAT YOU SHARED SHOW, UM, YOU KNOW, THAT CAN WE GET THERE FAST ENOUGH? CAN WE, CAN WE START TO SEE SOME MEASURABLE IMPACT ON, UM, PEOPLE'S LIVES THROUGHOUT OUR COMMUNITY, RIGHT? WE DON'T WANT THOSE GAINS TO BE UNEQUALLY SHARED. UM, AND CAN WE START TO SEE ALSO SOME, SOME TANGIBLE IMPACT FOR COUNTY EMPLOYEES, RIGHT? I MEAN, THAT'S, IT'S NOT, NOT TO SOUND SELFISH, UH, AS A, AS AN ORGANIZATION, BUT IT JUST, IT IMPACTS OUR ABILITY TO DELIVER A WHOLE RANGE OF SERVICES BECAUSE WE HAVE MORE DIFFICULTY HIRING, UH, 'CAUSE WE HAVE DIFFICULTY HOUSING THOSE EMPLOYEES. SO, UM, THAT'S OBVIOUSLY TOP OF MIND. UM, UH, AND I THINK, I THINK WE SHOULD ALSO BUILD ON THE KIND OF SERVICE YOUR CUSTOMER FIRST, UH, THINKING THAT I THINK WE, WE'VE DEMONSTRATED WITH THE SOUTH COUNTY GOVERNMENT CENTER, UM, THAT, YOU KNOW, I THINK EVEN AS WE, YOU KNOW, THERE'S BEEN SOME BOARD DIRECTION TO LOOK AT OPPORTUNITIES TO COMBINE FUNCTIONS IN HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES. LIKE HOW CAN WE JUST MAKE GOVERNMENT WORK BETTER FOR PEOPLE JUST FROM THE EVERYDAY, UH, USER'S, PERSPEC-, CITIZENS' PERSPECTIVE, RIGHT? I MEAN, JUST RIGHT DOWN TO WHEN THEY WALK INTO, YOU KNOW, ANY COUNTY FACILITY, YOU KNOW, INCLUDING 701 OCEAN STREET RIGHT HERE. HOW TO JUST MAKE THEM FEEL LIKE, YEAH, THAT, WOW, THAT ACTUALLY WAS BETTER THAN I EXPECTED, RIGHT? I GOT WHAT I NEEDED, FAST, EASY AND, UH, HAVE MORE TIME IN MY DAY BECAUSE OF IT. UM, WE'RE DOING, AGAIN, WE'RE DOING THAT. WE'RE, WE'RE STARTING TO DO THAT WITH THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT REFORMS. UM, AND I THINK WE'RE STARTING TO SEE SOME POSITIVE FEEDBACK. I HOPE THAT WHEN WE LOOK AT THIS AGAIN, UH, YEARS FROM NOW, UH, WE'LL HAVE MORE TO SHOW. BUT THANKS. - SUPERVISOR MARTINEZ? - THANK YOU. UM, WELL, I REALLY WANNA START OFF BY THANKING, UM, THE TEAM FOR DOING SUCH, UH, GREAT CRITICAL ANALYSIS OF THE 2018 TO '24 STRATEGIC PLAN. UM, AND REALLY YOUR THOUGHTFUL APPROACH TO OUR UPCOMING STRATEGIC PLANNING PROCESS. UM, YOU KNOW, I HAVE A FEW COMMENTS AND PERHAPS A COUPLE QUESTIONS, UM, BUT REALLY JUST WANTING TO, UM, START BY HIGHLIGHTING YOUR COMMITMENT TO COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT. UM, YOU KNOW, WE'RE AT A TIME NOW WHERE OUR PUBLIC IS LOSING FAITH AND CONFIDENCE IN PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS, AND I THINK THAT IT'S OUR JOB AS A BOARD AND AS A COUNTY TO ENSURE THAT WE'RE AS TRANSPARENT AND ACCESSIBLE AND ACCOUNTABLE AS POSSIBLE. AND SO WHAT I LIKE ABOUT THE STRATEGIC PLANNING APPROACH THAT YOU'RE BRINGING FORWARD IS THAT IT INCORPORATES THOSE VALUES AND, UM, AND YOU'RE KIND OF DOUBLE DOWNING ON, UM, ENGAGING VOICES WHO AREN'T USUALLY AT THE TABLE TO, UM, TO PARTICIPATE. AND SO I LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING MORE ABOUT YOUR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PLAN ON SEPTEMBER 9TH, UM, BUT I ALSO KNOW KIND OF EVEN YOUR PROCESS TO LOOK BACK AT YOUR PROGRESS TO DATE OVER THE LAST SIX YEARS, UM, ENGAGE THE COMMUNITY IN A REALLY MEANINGFUL WAY. AND I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING MORE OF THAT AS WE LOOK FORWARD. UM, YOU KNOW, AS I THINK ABOUT KIND OF THE, THE NEXT STRATEGIC PLAN AND KIND OF SOME THINGS THAT I WOULD LOVE TO SEE TO INCREASE IMPACT, UM, YOU KNOW, BACK IN FEBRUARY I DID BRING FORWARD THE HEALTH IN ALL POLICIES MODEL AS A FRAMEWORK THAT POSSIBLY COULD HELP US IMPROVE HEALTH OUTCOMES THROUGH THE DAY-TO-DAY POLICIES THAT THE BOARD PASSES. UM, I WOULD LOVE TO CONTINUE TO PARTNER WITH YOU TO FLESH OUT WHAT THAT COULD LOOK LIKE AND HOW THE ACTIVITIES OF THE BOARD AND THE ACTIVITIES OF THE STRATEGIC PLAN, UM, FURTHER PROMOTE, UM, PROGRESS TOWARDS HEALTH OUTCOMES AND, YOU KNOW, METRICS THAT WE'RE WORKING TOWARDS COLLECTIVELY ON, ON POSITIVE HEALTH OUTCOMES. AND SO, UM, REALLY, UH, EAGER TO SEE THAT FURTHER INCORPORATED. THE OTHER AREA THAT, YOU KNOW, IT, IT'S, IT'S IN HERE IN THE REPORT THAT WAS PROVIDED, BUT ALSO I THINK I'D LOVE TO SEE MORE OF A FOCUS MOVING FORWARD IS JUST AROUND, UM, THE OVERALL IMPACT OF CLIMATE CHANGE IN OUR COMMUNITY. UM, WHETHER THAT'S LOOKING FROM A DISASTER PREPAREDNESS, A DISASTER RESPONSE OR RECOVERY FRAMEWORK, UM, [04:45:03] SOME OF OUR CLIMATE ACTION GOALS, I JUST, I FEEL LIKE I CAN'T GO TO ANY MEETING WITHOUT ALL ROADS LEADING TO DISASTERS OR CLIMATE CHANGE IMPACTS, RIGHT? LIKE, IT'S, IT'S EVERYWHERE. AND SO, UM, IT'S, IT'S TOO LATE TO GET IN FRONT OF IT, BUT WE COULD AT LEAST I THINK, BE EVEN MORE, UM, THOUGHTFUL AS WE KIND OF INCORPORATE THAT BROAD CHANGE HAPPENING IN OUR, UM, ENVIRONMENT, UM, INTO OUR GOALS. [PAUSE] I MEAN, I THINK THAT THE ONE QUESTION THAT I'M THINKING ABOUT IS, YOU KNOW, FOR AT LEAST THE, PERHAPS THE FIRST QUARTER OR THIRD, MAYBE HALF OF THE NEW STRATEGIC PLAN IS GONNA BE REALLY IMPACTED BY THE FEDERAL CHANGES AND, UM, CHANGES IN KIND OF FUNDING STRUCTURE AND OUR ABILITY TO MEET THE NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITY THAT'S COUNTING ON US. AND SO I GUESS MY QUESTION IS HOW, HOW ARE YOU THINKING NOW WITH THE PASSAGE OF HR1, UM, ABOUT HOW TO INCORPORATE THAT REALITY INTO THE CONTINUED WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING? - WHILE WE ARE THINKING ABOUT IT, AND, AND I'LL JUST DESCRIBE SORT OF THE CONCEPTS THAT WE'RE, WE'RE THINKING ABOUT NOW AND WE WANNA TALK WITH YOU ALL ABOUT, AND IT IS TRYING TO BRING THAT FEDERAL, UH, POLICY IMPACT RESPONSE WORK IN-LINE WITH THE STRATEGIC PLAN ENGAGEMENT WORK AND THE CONCEPT THAT WE ARE THINKING ABOUT AND, AND TALKING WITH SOME OF OUR PARTNERS, PARTICULARLY FROM PAJARO VALLEY, UM, COLLABORATIVE IS LATER IN THE FALL TRYING TO DO A GATHERING, A CONVENING THAT REALLY LOOKS AT THE IMPACTS OF FEDERAL POLICY AND BUDGET CHANGES FROM A PERSON-CENTERED PERSPECTIVE. AND WHAT I MEAN BY THAT IS, YOU KNOW, WE ARE TRACKING SORT OF THE CONTRACTS, THE GRANTS, WHEN WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO IMPLEMENT DIFFERENT THINGS. SO WE'RE, WE'RE TRACKING THE SYSTEM CHANGES. AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE ARE REALLY LEARNING AND GROWING FROM, FROM WITH OUR PARTICIPATION, AND I MEAN NICOLE AND MYSELF NOW AT THE PAJARO VALLEY, A COLLABORATIVE TABLE, IS THERE ARE PLENTY OF SYSTEMS THAT ARE FEELING IT MUCH QUICKER THAN US. YOU KNOW, WHETHER IT'S IN FOOD SECURITY, WHETHER IT'S IN EDUCATION, YOU KNOW, WE'RE SEEING IT IN HEALTH SYSTEMS, SO HOW DO WE, INSTEAD OF THINKING ABOUT IT FROM OUR SYSTEM PERSPECTIVE, TRYING TO LOOK AT IT FROM THESE ARE THE FAMILIES IN OUR COMMUNITIES AND WHAT THEY ARE FEELING RIGHT NOW. SO THAT IS A CONVERSATION WE'RE IN DEVELOPMENT WITH. OBVIOUSLY IT'S SOMETHING WE WANNA BRING TO YOU AS A CONCEPT FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION, BUT THAT'S THE WAY WE'RE, WE'RE STARTING TO THINK ABOUT IT, IS TRYING TO SHIFT A LITTLE BIT, UM, TO UNDERSTAND SORT OF THE COLLECTIVE EXPERIENCE. AND YEAH, MAYBE WE'RE NOT IN THAT SPACE WITH COE, BUT WE DO HAVE WAYS THAT WE SUPPORT EACH OTHER. AND WHAT, FOR ME, IT COMES BACK TO IS WHAT WE DID DURING COVID, LIKE THIS WAS WE WERE ALL ON THE SAME BUS AND WE WERE CALLING EACH OTHER AND WE WERE TALKING TO EACH OTHER. SO THAT'S HOW WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE TRYING TO THINK ABOUT IT A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENTLY AND TAKE SOME OF THE LESSONS OF COVID AND, AND AGAIN, SORT OF NOT JUST BRING OUR SYSTEM LENS, BUT TRY AND UNDERSTAND WHAT'S HAPPENING ALL AROUND US AT THE SAME TIME. AND THEN, OKAY, WELL, WHAT CAN WE DO GIVEN OUR ROLE, HOW CAN WE SUPPORT OTHERS SO THAT, AND THEN WHAT DOES THAT MEAN IN A STRATEGIC PLAN? SO THAT'S KIND OF, WE'RE TRYING TO TAKE A LITTLE BIT OF A, A TWIST ON IT TO RECOGNIZE WE ARE IN A REALLY REMARKABLE TIME. - RIGHT. I APPRECIATE THAT. AND I THINK, UM, I WOULD JUST ENCOURAGE YOU TO, UM, REMAIN NIMBLE AS YOU DEVELOP THE STRATEGIES AND THE GOALS MOVING FORWARD. I MEAN, KIND OF, I THINK WHEN WE DO THE, YOU KNOW, FINAL BUDGET, LOOK FOR THIS NEW FISCAL YEAR, WE'RE GONNA GET A REPORT ON, UM, THE IMPACTS OF HR1. AND I THINK THAT THAT WILL GIVE US MORE INFORMATION ABOUT WHAT POTENTIAL GAPS WE COULD BE FACING. AND I THINK THAT, UM, IT, IT'S POSSIBLE THAT SOME OF THE PRIORITIES THAT CAME FORWARD BEFORE, WE KNEW THIS INFORMATION MIGHT NEED TO CHANGE IN ORDER TO RESPOND TO THE HERE AND NOW. SO THOSE ARE MY FINAL COMMENTS. - SUPERVISOR DE SERPA? - THANK YOU. UM, I'VE READ EVERY PAGE. GOOD JOB. UM, YOU KNOW, I THINK THERE'S SOMEBODY WHO ISN'T HERE YET AT THE COUNTY THAT HAS TO HAVE A LARGE VOICE IN THIS, [04:50:05] AND THAT'S WHOEVER OUR NEW CEO IS. UM, BECAUSE OF THAT PERSON MAY HAVE INFORMATION FROM WHERE THEY'VE COME FROM OR NEW IDEAS OR DIFFERENT THINGS THAT THEY'VE HEARD THAT, UM, WOULD I THINK WEIGH HEAVILY ON THE CREATION OF THIS NEW SUSTAINABLE PLAN. UM, BUT CERTAINLY WHAT ARE LESSONS FROM THE PAST SIX YEARS? I WASN'T ON THE BOARD, BUT I CAN JUST SAY THAT, UM, ISSUES THAT I'M CONCERNED ABOUT INCLUDE, UM, HOUSING FOR SORT OF MIDDLE INCOME PEOPLE. YOU HAVE HEARD ME SAY IT ALREADY TODAY. I THINK IT IS, UM, AFFORDABLE HOUSING, PENCILS OUT, MARKET RATE, PENCILS OUT, BUT THAT MIDDLE INCOME HOUSING DOES NOT. AND SO WE NEED TO COME UP WITH SOME STRATEGIES TO MAKE SURE THAT MIDDLE INCOME HOUSING IS CREATED AND AVAILABLE. AND I'M NOT QUITE SURE HOW TO DO THAT, BUT I'D LIKE THAT SOMEHOW TO BE WORKED INTO A STRATEGIC PLAN. YOU KNOW, THE OTHER THING, UM, IS CONNECTIVITY AND BROADBAND IN THE RURAL AREAS CONTINUES TO BE A GIANT PROBLEM. UM, YOU KNOW, JUST RECENTLY THIS WAS UNDERSCORED BY, YOU KNOW, ALL OF THE ELECTRICITY GOING OUT IN THE ENTIRETY OF APTOS. UM, I COULD NOT COMMUNICATE WITH ANYBODY, NEITHER COULD ANY OF MY NEIGHBORS, IF, YOU KNOW, IF, IF YOU DON'T HAVE BATTERY BACKUP, WHICH I DON'T HAVE, OR A GENERATOR, WHICH I DON'T HAVE, LIKE WE'RE STRANDED. I, I MEAN, I KEEP A LANDLINE, WHICH IS LIKE A HUNDRED DOLLARS EXTRA A MONTH SO THAT I COULD CALL OUT ON IT, UM, IN AN EMERGENCY. BUT THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT DON'T HAVE ACCESS. AND IF THERE, IF THERE'S A FIRE OR A MEDICAL EMERGENCY, THIS IS A CRISIS FOR THE NEIGHBORS. AND SO, UM, I, THAT, THAT IS A BIG GOAL OF MINE IS TO INCREASE BROADBAND IN OR CONNECTIVITY IN OUR RURAL AREAS. UM, PAVEMENT AND CULVERT REPAIR, PAVEMENT REPAIRS IS STILL LIKE THE NUMBER ONE COMPLAINT IN MY DISTRICT, AND WE HAVE TO DO A BETTER JOB SOMEHOW. AND I APPRECIATE, UM, OUR CURRENT CEOS, UM, GIVING US EXTRA MONEY WHEN MONEY IS VERY, VERY TIGHT. I REALLY APPRECIATED THAT, CARLOS. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH IN THE LAST YEAR. UM, SAFETY FOR SENIORS, UM, IN THIS COMMUNITY IT'S SUPER IMPORTANT. AND WE NEED A ROBUST OMBUDSMAN GOING INTO ALL OF OUR FACILITIES AS PEOPLE ARE PUT INTO FACILITIES BECAUSE THEY CANNOT CARE FOR THEMSELVES. WE HAVE TO ENSURE THAT THEY'RE SAFE. AND I DON'T FEEL LIKE THAT'S SOMETHING THAT'S HAPPENING WELL NOW. UM, PROGRAMS LIKE HOME SAFE THAT APPARENTLY HAS GONE AWAY OR IS GOING AWAY. AND APS, UH, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A ROBUST APS STAFF. I, I, I WANNA STAND BY THAT, AND WE NEED TO EXPAND THAT, GIVEN THAT IT'S THE BIGGEST SEGMENT IN OUR, UM, IN OUR COUNTY'S POPULATION. UM, AND THEN SUPPORT FOR OUR HEALTHCARE SYSTEMS. WE HAVE ONE HOSPITAL, LITERALLY ON THE BRINK. YOU SAW THAT HAZEL HAWKINS WAS FOR SALE AND THEIR BUYER PULLED, AND THEY WILL LIKELY GO UNDER. UM, DOMINICAN IS NOT IN A GREAT POSITION EITHER. I THINK EVERYBODY'S REALLY, REALLY GONNA SUFFER UNDER, UNDER THE NEW GUIDELINES. AND SO THAT TO ME IS, UM, UH, INCREASING IMPORTANCE TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR HOSPITAL SYSTEMS CAN CONTINUE TO TAKE CARE OF PEOPLE IN THE WAY THEY NEED TO. I THINK THAT MIGHT BE IT, BUT I CAN GO ON. - THANK YOU. - THANK YOU. - [INAUDIBLE]. - FOR THE SECOND OF TIME, I'M GONNA DEFER ALL MY BOARD REFLECTIONS OFFLINE. - THANK YOU. UH, BUT WITH THAT, I ALSO MOVE STAFF RECOMMENDATION TO GET THINGS MOVING. - SECOND. - WE HAVE A MOTION FROM HERNANDEZ AND A SECOND FROM, UH, SUPERVISOR MARTINEZ. WE CAN TAKE ROLL CALL. - SUPERVISOR KOENIG? - AYE. - DE SERPA? - AYE. - CUMMINGS? - AYE, AND THANK YOU. - MARTINEZ? - AYE. - AND HERNANDEZ? - AYE. MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. AND THIS MEETING IS ADJOURNED. - [SILENCE] [SILENCE] [END] * This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.