[CALL TO ORDER]
[00:00:05]
- OKAY, WELCOME TO WATSONVILLE.
I'D LIKE TO CALL THIS MEETING TO ORDER OF NOVEMBER 4TH, 2025 OF THE SANTA CRUZ COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS.
WILL THE CLERK PLEASE CALL ROLL CALL? - MEMBER DE SERPA? - I'M PRESENT.
- MARTINEZ? - PRESENT. - AND KOENIG? - HERE.
[MOMENT OF SILENCE AND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE]
- NEXT WE'LL HAVE A MOMENT OF SILENCE IF ANY, UH, BOARD MEMBER WOULD LIKE TO JOIN US IN A MOMENT OF SILENCE? - I HAVE ONE.I FOUND OUT LAST NIGHT THAT APTOS RESIDENT, DALE BERMAN HAS UNFORTUNATELY PASSED AWAY LAST WEEKEND.
UH, DALE WAS A, UH, BUILDER, UM, HAD, UM, GOOD ADVICE FOR OUR PLANNING DEPARTMENT, WHICH HE PASSED ON TO ME.
HE'S A FATHER, A WONDERFUL HUSBAND, UM, AND HELPED ME, UH, TO CREATE MANY, MANY PROJECTS ON UH, OUR SCHOOL CAMPUSES THAT BENEFITED, UM, CHILDREN AND FAMILIES FOR MANY YEARS.
SO, UM, DALE, I'M SORRY YOU'RE GONE AND TO ANYBODY OUT THERE WHO'S NOT FEELING WELL, PLEASE GET YOURSELF TO THE DOCTOR.
DON'T IGNORE SYMPTOMS. THANK YOU.
- ANYONE ELSE? - I DO HAVE SOMEONE.
UM, WE HAVE MANUEL BERSAMIN THAT HAS PASSED AWAY AT 67.
HE WAS A FORMER COUNCIL MEMBER, MAYOR HERE IN WATSONVILLE.
UH, YOU STILL SEE HIS PHOTO UP IN THE FRONT.
UH, HE WAS ACTUALLY MAYOR IN 2000, I THINK HE CAME IN IN 2002.
UM, HE HAD APPOINTED ME AS HIS PLANNING COMMISSIONER PRIOR TO MY LIBRARY COMMISSION, AND HE WAS GONNA RETIRE, AND, FROM THE COUNCIL, AND I GOT APPOINTED TO THE CITY COUNCIL THAT WAY THROUGH MANUEL BERSAMIN.
BUT HIS PASSING HAPPENED THIS, UH, LAST WEEKEND.
UM, HE DEDICATED HIS LIFE TO PUBLIC SERVICE.
HE WAS A CABRILLO COLLEGE TRUSTEE AT THE AT THE MOMENT, AND ALSO WORKED AT THE TRIO, UH, IN HARTNELL COLLEGE.
PLEASE JOIN ME IN A MOMENT OF SILENCE.
[SILENCE] PLEASE JOIN ME 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.
- I'D LIKE TO ASK THE CEO IF THERE'S ANY LATE ADDITIONS TO THE
[CONSIDERATION OF LATE ADDITIONS TO THE AGENDA; ADDITIONS AND DELETIONS TO CONSENT AND REGULAR AGENDAS]
AGENDA OR ADDITIONS OR DELETIONS TO THE CONSENT OR REGULAR AGENDAS.- YES, CHAIR. UM, WE HAVE ADDITIONAL MATERIALS FOR AGENDA ITEM 9 ON THE REGULAR AGENDA.
WE HAVE A REVISED STAFF REPORT, WHICH IS PACKET PAGE 30.
UM, IT HAS BEEN REPLACED, UM, WITH UNDER THE DISCUSSION IN PARAGRAPH 6, BULLET POINT 2 SHOULD READ, "THE CITY OF WATSONVILLE WILL CONTRIBUTE $100,000 TO BE APPROVED AT THE NOVEMBER 18TH COUNCIL MEETING." AND ALSO UNDER DISCUSSION, UH, PARAGRAPH 7 SHOULD READ, "THIS RESULTS IN TOTAL CONTRIBUTIONS OF $1,050,000, LEAVING A GAP OF $250,000." - RECORDING IN PROGRESS.
- WOAH. - AND THAT'S ALL WE HAVE.
SO, ARE WE ONLINE NOW? - CHAIR, WE ARE CONTINUING TO, UM, ATTEMPT TO ADDRESS MULTIPLE ISSUES WITH THE TECHNOLOGY, INCLUDING AUDIO AND VISUAL.
- OKAY. WE'LL MOVE ON TO ITEM NUMBER 4,
[ANNOUNCEMENT BY BOARD MEMBERS OF ITEMS REMOVED FROM CONSENT TO REGULAR AGENDA]
SEE IF ANY BOARD MEMBERS WOULD LIKE TO REMOVE ANY ITEMS FROM THE CONSENT TO REGULAR.- UH, YES, CHAIR. I HAVE 2 ITEMS I'D LIKE TO PULL.
THE FIRST IS ITEM NUMBER 31, THE APPOINTMENT TO CSAC.
AND THE SECOND IS ITEM 39, UH, THE MULTIYEAR CONTRACT WITH COMMUNITY FOUNDATION, UH, FOR $900,000 FOR THE OPIOID SETTLEMENT FUNDS.
[00:05:04]
31.[PUBLIC COMMENT]
NOW, WE'LL MOVE ON TO PUBLIC COMMENT.THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC TO SPEAK TO US REGARDING ITEMS THAT ARE NOT ON THE AGENDA, ITEMS ON CONSENT AGENDA, OR IF YOU'D LIKE TO SPEAK TO US REGARDING AN ITEM ON REGULAR AGENDA, PLEASE NOTE THAT YOU WILL NOT BE ABLE TO SPEAK TO IT A SECOND TIME WHEN THE ITEM IS HEARD.
SPEAKERS WILL BE GIVEN 2 MINUTES.
PLEASE FORM A LINE AND APPROACH THE PODIUM TO SPEAK.
- CHAIR, IF I MAY, I'M SO SORRY.
BEFORE WE BEGIN PUBLIC COMMENT, WE'RE CONTINUING TO ADDRESS TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES, UH, AND ARE WORKING TO RESOLVE THOSE TO BE ABLE TO FACILITATE PUBLIC COMMENT.
CAN WE PLEASE TAKE A COUPLE MOMENT RECESS TO HOPEFULLY GET THE PUBLIC COMMENT FEATURE FUNCTIONAL? THANK YOU.
- CHECK, CHECK, CHECK, CHECK, CHECK, CHECK.
- OKAY. WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO GO THAT WAY.
- SORRY FOR THAT, EVERYONE MAKING THE PUBLIC COMMENT, BUT WE'D LIKE TO SEE EVERYONE THAT MAKES PUBLIC COMMENT TO MAKE IT, UH, VISIBLE AND PUBLIC TO EVERYBODY SEEN ONLINE OR ON TELEVISION.
WE'LL NOW MOVE ON TO PUBLIC COMMENT.
SORRY ABOUT THE TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES HERE.
I'M SPEAKING TO THE COUNTY'S PATTERN OF APPARENT DISREGARD FOR PUBLIC INPUT ON THE DRAFTING OF THE NEW LAND USE ORDINANCE REGULATING BESS FACILITIES USING FLAMMABLE AND EXPLOSIVE LITHIUM-ION BATTERIES.
SUPERVISOR HERNANDEZ'S TOWN HALL ON OCTOBER 27TH WAS SCHEDULED FOR ONE AND A HALF HOURS BETWEEN 5:30 AND 7:00 P.M.
IT STARTED OVER 10 MINUTES LATE.
UM, FOLLOWING THE INTRODUCTION, THE FIRST PRESENTER, LEAD ORDINANCE PLANNER, STEPHANIE HANSEN, STARTED HER PRESENTATION AT 5:48.
THE WINDOW FOR PUBLIC COMMENT OPENED A FEW MINUTES AFTER 7:00 P.M., AFTER THE PLANNED END OF THE MEETING.
DUE TO LACK OF TIME, THE PUBLIC WAS LIMITED TO 2 MINUTES EACH, AT A TOWN HALL MEANT BY DEFINITION TO SOLICIT AND RESPECT PUBLIC COMMENTARY AND INPUT.
TWO REPRESENTATIVES OF 3CE, DAS WILLIAMS AND SOPHIA SCHWIRZKE, SPENT OVER 4 MINUTES OF THE TIME ALLOTTED TO THE PUBLIC REPRESENTING 3CE'S INTERESTS.
WILLIAMS WENT OVER TIME AND HAD TO HAVE THE MIC PULLED AWAY FROM HIM BY THE MODERATOR, DENNIS WEBB.
AT LEAST 5 PEOPLE AT THE END OF THE PUBLIC LINE WERE DIRECTED TO SIT DOWN WITHOUT BEING HEARD BECAUSE THEY NEEDED TO LOCK UP.
AFTER ONE OF THESE PEOPLE CALLED OUT LOUDLY, "DISCRIMINATION," THE OPTICS OF THE SITUATION PROMPTED MR. RAMON GOMEZ TO ALLOW THE LAST MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC, A HISPANIC HIGH SCHOOL-AGE GIRL, TO SPEAK.
MORE THAN HALF AN HOUR LATER, NOTHING HAD BEEN LOCKED UP.
THE ROOM WAS STILL OPEN, AND SUPERVISOR HERNANDEZ WAS GETTING INTERVIEWED BY MICHAEL ROSALES OF KSBW 8.
THE VIDEO OF THE TOWN HALL FOR PUBLIC VIEWING STOPS DIRECTLY SHORT OF PUBLIC COMMENT.
NO PUBLIC COMMENT WAS RECORDED, WE'RE NOT SURE, FOR EITHER THE COUNTY'S OR PUBLIC'S FUTURE REFERENCE.
PERHAPS THIS IS SIMPLY, AN OVERSIGHT.
IN THAT CASE, PLEASE REPOST THE VIDEO WITH PUBLIC COMMENT INCLUDED.
THE VIDEO HAS BEEN POSTED ON THE COUNTY YOUTUBE SITE WITH 503 FOLLOWERS IN A COUNTY OF 263,000.
THE VIDEO HAS BEEN VIEWED 77 TIMES BECAUSE IT'S NOT VISIBLE TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC.
THE VIDEO WAS ALSO POSTED ON HERNANDEZ'S FACEBOOK PAGE WITH A FOLLOWING OF 4,400 THREE DAYS AFTER THE EVENT.
MANY PEOPLE, AS WE ALL KNOW, DO NOT USE FACEBOOK.
- GOOD MORNING, I'M GREGORY AUDINO, I'M GOING TO CONTINUE.
THE VIDEO HAS NOT BEEN POSTED ON THE OFFICIAL COUNTY OF SANTA CRUZ FACEBOOK PAGE OR ADDED TO THE COUNTY'S MAJOR PROJECTS APPLICATIONS WEBSITE PAGE WHERE THE PROPOSED BESS ORDINANCE AND THE 90 MINTO ROAD BESS APPLICATION INFORMATION LIVES.
THE TOWN HALL WAS NOTICED ONCE IN ONE NEWSPAPER ONLY BY THE COUNTY ON PAGE 8 OF THE PAJARONIAN ON OCTOBER 3RD IN A THREE-SENTENCE STATEMENT.
THEN IT WAS NOTICED ON THE OFFICIAL COUNTY OF SANTA CRUZ FACEBOOK PAGE AND SUPERVISOR HERNANDEZ'S VOTE FOR HERNANDEZ FACEBOOK PAGE, 10 DAYS PRIOR.
MANY PEOPLE DO NOT USE FACEBOOK.
TO DATE, THE COUNTY'S MAJOR PROJECTS APPLICATIONS WEBSITE PAGE
[00:10:02]
DOES NOT FEATURE ANY INVITATION FOR PUBLIC INPUT.SUCH AS THE ONE ON SOLANO COUNTY'S BESS PROJECT PAGE, WHICH READS, "PUBLIC INPUT IS KEY.
EMAIL COMMENTS TO ENERGYSTORAGE@SOLANOCOUNTY.COM." ELEVATOR ACCESS WAS LOCKED AT 5:15 ON THE EVENING OF THE TOWN HALL.
THERE WAS NO SIGNAGE AT ALL EXPLAINING HOW TO GET UP TO THE FOURTH FLOOR OF THE BUILDING TO THE COMMUNITY ROOM, AND NOT THE CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS.
AS WAS ADVERTISED, AND MANY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC ARRIVED LATE, AFTER SPENDING SIGNIFICANT TIME TRYING TO FIGURE OUT ACCESS.
FOLKS, WE ALL LIVE HERE LOCALLY.
IT'S NOT A COINCIDENCE THAT MOSS LANDING BURNED AT 3:00 P.M.
THAT WAS AT PEAK LOADING TIME, EVEN IN THE MIDDLE OF WINTER ON A SUNNY DAY.
THOSE BATTERIES WERE FULL, AND ONE CELL ABOUT THE SIZE OF A RED BULL CAN WENT AND CAUSED THAT, AND THEY'RE STILL USING THOSE SYSTEMS IN THE BATTERIES PROPOSED FOR HERE.
- GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS ROBERT HABERLE FROM SOCAL, AND I'M HERE TO SUPPORT ITEM 27 ON THE CONSENT AGENDA, THE RESOLUTION TO SUPPORT AND TO DEFEND THE US CONSTITUTION.
I SUPPORT THIS RESOLUTION BECAUSE I BELIEVE IT IS TIME FOR LOCAL GOVERNMENTS TO TAKE A PUBLIC STAND AGAINST THE UNLAWFUL AND UNCONSTITUTIONAL ACTIONS OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
I'M ALSO VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THE CONSOLIDATION OF POWER, THE VAST POWER OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, INTO THE HANDS OF A SINGLE INDIVIDUAL, THE TRANSFORMATION OF ICE AGENTS INTO THUGS, AND THE, UH, CHILLING DEPLOYMENT OF ARMED MILITARY PERSONNEL INTO THE STREETS OF OUR CITIES.
THESE ACTIONS ARE UN-AMERICAN, AND IF LEFT UNCHECKED, WILL LEAD TO THE COLLAPSE OF OUR DEMOCRACY, THE CREATION OF A POLICE STATE, AND THE BEGINNING OF AUTHORITARIAN RULE.
I REALIZE THAT SOME MAY VIEW THIS RESOLUTION THROUGH A PARTISAN LENS.
BUT THIS IS NOT ABOUT POLITICS.
IT IS ABOUT PROTECTING OUR RIGHTS, DEFENDING THE CONSTITUTION, AND ADVOCATING FOR THE BEDROCK PRINCIPLE OF OUR DEMOCRACY, THE SEPARATION OF POWERS.
I BELIEVE THIS IS SOMETHING THAT ALL AMERICANS, INCLUDING THOSE LIVING HERE IN SANTA CRUZ COUNTY, CAN SUPPORT.
SINCE ALL GREAT MOVEMENTS IN US HISTORY BEGAN WITH ACTIVISM AT THE LOCAL LEVEL, I URGE THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS TO UNANIMOUSLY ADOPT THIS RESOLUTION.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR HEARING ME.
- HELLO, MY NAME IS MARIA MARCILLIO AND I'M HERE TO ENCOURAGE THE COUNTY TO NOT PUT ADDITIONAL PROPERTY TAXES ON THE RESIDENTS FOR MOSQUITO AND VECTOR CONTROL.
YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
WELL, PRICES HAVE GONE UP, UM, PROPERTY INSURANCE AND EVERYTHING ELSE.
IT'S DIFFICULT TO LIVE IN SANTA CRUZ COUNTY.
I WOULD LIKE TO HANG ON TO THE HOUSE THAT I HAVE, AS WELL AS EVERYONE ELSE.
UM, SO ADDING ADDITIONAL PROPERTY TAXES TO AN ALREADY BURDENED COMMUNITY IS A PROBLEM.
SOME OF US ARE LIVING ON FIXED INCOME, AND, IT'S A DIFFICULT PLACE TO LIVE.
SO I ENCOURAGE YOU NOT TO PUT THE ADDITIONAL TAXES FOR MOSQUITO AND VECTOR CONTROL, BECAUSE GETTING EXTRA MONEY FROM ALL THE NEW HOUSING THAT'S GOING UP, THERE'S A LOT, AN ABUNDANCE OF THAT, AND COST OF HOUSING HAS GONE UP.
WHERE IS THIS MONEY GOING? PLEASE, PLEASE, DO NOT BURDEN US ANYMORE WITH ANY MORE TAXES.
- GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS BECKY STEINBRUNER, AND I WANT TO, UH, SUPPORT WHAT WAS STATED TO YOU THIS MORNING BY NINA AND GREG AUDINO.
[00:15:03]
I WROTE YOU BASICALLY THE SAME THING IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE OCTOBER 27TH TOWN HALL MEETING OR PUBLIC MEETING ABOUT THE BATTERY ORDINANCE.UM, WE WERE TOLD THAT THIS WAS NOT ABOUT THE NEW LEAF PROJECT, AND YET THE NEW LEAF PROJECT DEVELOPER, MAX CHRISTIAN, WAS GIVEN ALMOST 20 MINUTES TO TALK UNINTERRUPTED ABOUT THE PROJECT.
IT WASN'T FAIR, AND IT SHOULD BE STRICKEN FROM THE RECORD AS ANY SEMBLANCE OF A PUBLIC MEETING FOR THE ORDINANCE.
I ALSO WANT TO HAND TO YOU, UM, THE DRAFT COUNTY OF SOLANO COUNTY BESS ORDINANCE.
THEY ARE VOTING ON THAT TODAY OR REVIEWING IT TODAY.
I'M GOING TO LEAVE THIS WITH YOU FOR THE RECORD, BUT I HAVE FORWARDED IT TO MANY OF YOU IN CORRESPONDENCE.
UH, THERE WILL BE A PUBLIC MEETING, UH, CONVENED BY THE PUBLIC NOVEMBER 10TH IN THE SIMPKINS CENTER, 6:30 P.M. TO 8:00 P.M.
THE NOTABLE THING ABOUT THE SOLANO COUNTY PROCESS IS THEY INVOLVED A TECHNICAL ADVISORY GROUP THAT THE PUBLIC HERE HAS BEEN BEGGING YOU TO DO FOR MONTHS, AND YOU HAVE NOT.
SOLANO'S, UH, GROUP INCLUDES MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC, HAZMAT, AG MANY SPECIALISTS THAT HAVE HELPED THEM WRITE THIS EXCELLENT 21-PAGE DOCUMENT.
IN CONVERSE, OURS IS A 7-PAGE DOCUMENT THAT TALKS ABOUT AG LAND.
I WANT TO NOW MOVE TO, UM, AN EXCELLENT DOCUMENT.
WELL, LET ME GO TO THE, UH, YOUR CONVERSATION ABOUT MEASURE Q AND FREEDOM LAKE.
THANK YOU, SUPERVISOR KOENIG, FOR YOUR COMMENT.
AND I JUST WANT TO ALSO LEAVE WITH A RECORD WHAT HAS BEEN DONE THERE BEFORE AND, UM, QUESTION THE USE OF $700,000 OF MEASURE Q.
- LASTLY, I WANT TO LEAVE YOU... - THANK YOU.
- ... A EXCELLENT DOCUMENT THAT WILL BE COMING TO YOU FROM THE HISTORIC RESOURCES COMMISSION.
- WITH THE RECOMMENDATIONS. PLEASE REACH OUT TO YOUR HISTORIC RESOURCE COMMISSIONERS.
- MY NAME IS, UH, TREVOR HUTCHINSON FROM SANTA CRUZ COUNTY.
I RUN A WORKFORCE REENTRY PROGRAM IN SANTA CRUZ COUNTY THAT HELPS REDUCE THE RECIDIVISM, UH, AND ALSO INCREASE COMMUNITY VOLUNTEERISM.
UM, OUT OF THE DOWNTOWN VETERANS BUILDING IN SANTA CRUZ.
UH, AND I ALSO HELP WITH SEVERAL FOOD PANTRIES.
UM, IN THIS AREA, I HELPED THE WATSONVILLE FOOD PANTRY, THE VETERAN FOOD PANTRY OPEN, DID IT WITHIN 3 HOURS.
UM, AND I JUST WANTED TO TALK TO YOU GUYS REAL QUICK ABOUT ADDRESSING THE FOOD STAMP ISSUE.
UM, I DID A EARLY ASSESSMENT ON SUNDAY AT HOLY CROSS.
UH, WHICH IS A PANTRY I HELPED OUT AT FOR ABOUT 4 YEARS.
AND, UH, IT LOOKS LIKE SANTA CRUZ COUNTY IS GONNA BE ONLY SEEING A SLIGHT INCREASE.
UM, BUT I HEAR FROM THE WATSONVILLE COMMUNITY THAT THERE'S A GREATER INCREASE.
AND THAT'S PROBABLY FOOD STAMP PERCENTAGES.
IF THERE'S MORE PEOPLE HERE THAT ARE ON FOOD STAMPS, THEN IT'S PROBABLY GONNA BE A BIGGER ISSUE HERE.
BUT I WANTED TO LEND MY, UH, ADVICE, SERVICES, WHATEVER I CAN DO.
UM, I CAN HELP OPEN UP ANOTHER FOOD PANTRY IN THIS AREA IF IT'S NEEDED.
I KNOW SECOND HARVEST IS NOW OPEN, UH, TO THE COMMUNITY FOR DISTRIBUTION, WHICH IS GREAT.
IT'LL HELP ALLEVIATE ANY ISSUES.
UM, BUT IF WE NEED TO, MAYBE EXTEND THE HOURS AT THE VETERANS' BUILDING FOR COMMUNITY MEMBERS, NOT JUST VETERANS, UM, SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
MAYBE WE CAN MAKE AN AGREEMENT WITH THE PEOPLE THAT ARE ORGANIZING AND RUNNING THE BUILDING.
I WORK WITH A LOT OF PEOPLE ON THE VETERANS COUNCIL.
UM, SO YEAH, I'M ALL EARS AND READY TO HELP AND HAVE A LOT OF COMMUNITY SUPPORT TO BE ABLE TO DO IT.
JUSTIN'S GOT MY CELL PHONE NUMBER, YOU KNOW, GET OUT THERE, PLAY SOCCER EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE.
ALTHOUGH I CAN'T, BUT THANK YOU.
- GOOD MORNING, CHAIR AND SUPERVISORS.
I'M THE MANAGING DIRECTOR OF HOLISTIC DEFENSE FOR THE PUBLIC DEFENDER'S OFFICE.
UM, I'M HERE TODAY TO SPEAK IN SUPPORT OF LINE ITEM 29 ON THE CONSENT AGENDA, JAIME LONGORIA'S APPOINTMENT TO THE LATINO AFFAIRS COMMISSION.
JAIME JOINED OUR OFFICE IN MAY OF 2023 AS AN EXPERIENCED FELONY ATTORNEY AND HAS QUICKLY BECOME AN INVALUABLE MEMBER OF OUR TEAM.
HE BRINGS NOT ONLY EXCEPTIONAL LEGAL SKILL,
[00:20:02]
BUT ALSO A DEEP PERSONAL COMMITMENT TO EQUITY, JUSTICE, AND COMMUNITY SERVICE.AS A FIRST-GENERATION MEXICAN-AMERICAN AND THE FIRST IN HIS FAMILY TO FINISH HIGH SCHOOL, JAIME EMBODIES THE VALUES OF PERSEVERANCE AND REPRESENTATION THAT THIS COMMISSION SEEKS TO UPLIFT.
HE HOLDS A DEGREE IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE, LAW, AND A MASTER OF LAWS IN TRIAL ADVOCACY.
AND HIS CAREER HAS BEEN DEFINED BY SERVICE.
FIRST AS A UNITED STATES MARINE AND NOW AS A LOCAL PUBLIC DEFENDER.
BEFORE COMING TO SANTA CRUZ COUNTY, JAIME REPRESENTED THOUSANDS OF INDIGENT CLIENTS IN SAN FRANCISCO, COMPLETING OVER 20 JURY TRIALS AND WORKING EXTENSIVELY IN COLLABORATIVE COURTS SUCH AS VETERANS JUSTICE COURT, DRUG COURT AND COMMUNITY JUSTICE COURT.
HIS EXPERIENCE NAVIGATING THESE SYSTEMS GIVES HIM A UNIQUE UNDERSTANDING OF THE SOCIAL AND STRUCTURAL CHALLENGES FACING MANY LATINO COMMUNITY MEMBERS HERE IN SANTA CRUZ COUNTY.
JAIME IS ALSO A DISABLED VETERAN AND AN ACTIVE MEMBER OF THE SANTA CRUZ COUNTY EMERGENCY RESPONSE TEAM, CERT.
HE IS DEEPLY ROOTED IN THIS COMMUNITY AS A FATHER AND NEIGHBOR AND A PUBLIC SERVANT AND BRINGS BOTH LIVED EXPERIENCE AND PROFESSIONAL EXPERTISE TO THE TABLE.
OUR OFFICE IS CONFIDENT THAT JAIME WILL SERVE THIS COMMISSION WITH INTEGRITY, COMPASSION AND INSIGHT.
AND WE STRONGLY SUPPORT THIS APPOINTMENT.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.
- GOOD MORNING. ADRIANA MATA, CHIEF COMMUNITY IMPACT OFFICER FOR SECOND HARVEST FOOD BANK.
I JUST WANTED TO, UH, BE HERE AND PROVIDE SOME INFORMATION REGARDING THE, UH, THE IMPACTS OF THE CALFRESH UM, HOLD THAT'S BEEN HAPPENING OVER THE LAST WEEK.
AS YOU ALL KNOW OUR COMMUNITY'S IN FEAR, THEY'RE AFRAID.
WE... JUST TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA, UH, WE'RE GONNA TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT WE'VE SEEN.
THE LAST WEEK WE HAD OVER 150 CALLS COME THROUGH OUR COMMUNITY HOTLINE, WHICH INCLUDED FAMILIES ASKING ABOUT WHERE THEY CAN FIND FOOD, UH, WHAT THE PROCESS WAS LIKE, WHAT SORT OF DOCUMENTATION WE WERE ASKING FOR, AND ALSO BECAUSE THEY'VE NEVER...
THEY EITHER ONE, THEY'VE NEVER ACTUALLY GONE TO A FOOD DISTRIBUTION OR THEY DON'T KNOW HOW TO OBTAIN THE RESOURCES THAT THEY'RE GONNA NEED.
UM, ALSO JUST SO THAT YOU HAVE AN IDEA, WE'VE ALREADY ESTABLISHED SOME COMMUNITY EMERGENCY COMMUNITY DISTRIBUTIONS.
WE'RE GONNA BE HOSTING TWO FOR, UM, IN, IN SUPPORT OF HSA, THURSDAY AND FRIDAY.
UH, WE ARE ALSO CONDUCTING A, UH, EMERGENCY COMMUNITY FOR DISTRIBUTION THAT'S GONNA BE HAPPENING AT THE FAIRGROUNDS AND, UM, AND INCREASING OUR PARTNER DISTRIBUTIONS AS WELL.
UH, WE HAVE, UH, SCHOOLS CALLING, WE HAVE COMMUNITY MEMBERS CALLING, WE HAVE EVERYBODY, UM, ASKING FOR SUPPORT AND WE'VE JUST BEEN GREATLY IMPACTED BY EVERYTHING THAT'S GOING ON.
UH, THANK YOU FOR CONSIDERATION, UM, PROVIDING A RESOURCE, BECAUSE AT THIS MOMENT, WE NEED VOLUNTEERS FOR EVERY SHIFT.
IF IT'S PACKING, IF IT'S, UH, COMMUNITY DISTRIBUTIONS, IF IT'S ACTUALLY JUST TAKING CALLS, COMING TO OUR OFFICE AND SUPPORTING SOME OF THE STAFF.
WE HAVE OUR STAFF WORKING, UM, OVERTIME TO BE ABLE TO SUPPORT THE NEED, WHICH INCLUDES EVERYTHING FROM WAREHOUSE TO BEING OUT IN THE COMMUNITY, TO ANSWERING CALLS.
UM, OVER THE LAST WEEK JUST TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA, WE'VE ALSO PROVIDED GIFT CARDS.
THESE GIFT CARDS ARE FOR FAMILIES THAT ARE GONNA NEED A SOURCE OF PROTEIN.
UM, AND WE WERE ABLE TO PROVIDE OVER $10,000 WORTH OF GIFT CARDS TO OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
UH, FAMILIES, UH, DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY'RE...
WHAT THEY'RE GONNA HAVE TO PRIORITIZE IF THEY'RE GONNA HAVE TO PRIORITIZE THEIR RENT, OR THEIR FOOD FOR THIS MONTH.
- HI, I'M MIRIAM, THE, UH, CHIEF PEOPLE AND CULTURE OFFICER AT SECOND HARVEST FOOD BANK.
JUST TO ECHO WHAT ADRIANA SAID, MY TEAM RUNS OUR EMERGENCY, UH, COMMUNITY FOOD HOTLINE.
IN SEPTEMBER, WE WERE AVERAGING AROUND 50 CALLS A WEEK.
AND THAT'S NOT COUNTING THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WALKING INTO OUR DOORS.
WE HAD TO BRING IN BILINGUAL VOLUNTEERS TO HELP US WITH THE OVERWHELM OF PEOPLE SEEKING FOOD ASSISTANCE.
MANY OF WHOM HAVE NEVER GONE TO A COMMUNITY FOOD DISTRIBUTION, HAVE NEVER NEEDED A FOOD PANTRY.
UH, THERE'S A LOT OF FEAR AND ANXIETY IN OUR COMMUNITIES.
SO I JUST WANNA ECHO, UH, THE, THE THANKS FOR CENTERING THIS, THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE REALLY STRUGGLING, THAT THEY DON'T KNOW WHERE TO TURN.
UM, AND WE, UH, CAN USE BILINGUAL VOLUNTEERS TO HELP US PACK THE FOOD TO DISTRIBUTE IT AND TO HELP ANSWER THE MANY QUESTIONS THAT OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS HAVE ABOUT WHY THIS IS HAPPENING.
- IS THERE ANYONE ONLINE THAT'D LIKE TO ADDRESS THIS? - YES, CHAIR.
- CAROL, YOUR MICROPHONE'S NOW AVAILABLE.
- GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS CAROL BJORN.
I'M HERE TO ASK THAT THE COUNTY APPROVE A BESS ORDINANCE SIMILAR TO THE ONE BEING CONSIDERED BY THE SOLANO COUNTY.
I SENT A COPY OF THE SOLANO COUNTY BESS PROPOSED ORDINANCE TO YOU ON TUESDAY, OCTOBER 28TH, 2025, AT 8:24 A.M. VIA EMAIL.
[00:25:05]
WHY IS THE COUNTY NEW LEAF AND 3CE EXCLUDING AND SUPPRESSING VALID AND LEGITIMATE PUBLIC COMMENTS FROM NOT ONLY PUBLICLY SPEAKING ABOUT THE BESS ORDINANCE, BUT ALSO EXCLUDING VALID AND LEGITIMATE PUBLIC COMMENTS FROM THE RECORD.CHRIS DEMERS BLATANTLY EXCLUDED PUBLIC COMMENT FROM THE WRITTEN REPORT FROM THE COMMISSION ON THE ENVIRONMENT.
HE ALSO FAILED TO EVEN MENTION THE VALID AND LEGITIMATE PUBLIC COMMENTS WHEN HE SPOKE FOR 20 MINUTES LAST WEEK AT THE SUPPOSED TOWN HALL HOSTED BY YOU, FELIPE HERNANDEZ.
AND I CALL IT A SUPPOSED TOWN HALL, BECAUSE ONLY THE INTERESTED AND CONFLICTED PARTIES I.E THOSE WHO MAY BENEFIT FROM ONE OUTCOME WERE PRESENTING THEIR SIDE.
A TOWN HALL IS A MEETING WHERE EVERYONE GETS TO SPEAK AN EQUAL AMOUNT OF TIME.
ONE SIDE IS NOT GIVEN THE FLOOR FOR AN HOUR AND A HALF WHILE THE PUBLIC COMMENTS ARE PUSHED TO THE END WHEN THERE'S NO MORE TIME.
ANOTHER VERY SIMILAR BLATANT EXAMPLE OF EXCLUDING VALID AND LEGITIMATE PUBLIC COMMENT, OCCURRED AT THE WATSONVILLE CITY COUNCIL MEETING ON TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 23RD WHEN MAYOR MARIA OROZCO, WHO ALSO WORKS FOR YOU, FELIPE, EXCLUDED PUBLIC COMMENT IN RESPONSE TO NEW LEAF'S PRESENTATION.
NOT ONLY HAVE THESE VALID AND LEGITIMATE COMMENTS BEEN EXCLUDED BUT YOU GUYS HAVE NOT BEEN PUBLICLY NOTICING THE GOOD PEOPLE OF WATSONVILLE AND THE GOOD PEOPLE OF THIS COUNTY THEY'RE PAYING YOUR SALARY AND YOU'RE BETRAYING THEM.
YOU NEED TO BE MAILING THEM NOTIFICATIONS IN ENGLISH AND SPANISH OF ALL THESE MEETINGS.
DID NEW LEAF PROPERLY NOTIFY EVERYBODY WHEN THEY HAD THEIR INITIAL MEETING, WHEN THEY STARTED THEIR APPLICATION PROCESS? I THINK NOT.
AND I ALSO JUST WANNA ASK, YOU GUYS NEED TO START THIS WHOLE PROCESS ALL OVER.
PROPERLY NOTIFY EVERYBODY IN THE COUNTY OF WHAT'S GOING ON IN BOTH SPANISH AND ENGLISH.
- LOWELL, YOUR MICROPHONE'S NOW AVAILABLE.
CAN YOU HEAR ME OKAY? - YES, WE CAN.
- UH, THANK YOU, UH, LOWELL HURST HERE.
YOU KNOW, I AM A RESIDENT OF WATSONVILLE, BUT I DO LIVE IN THE UNIQUE, UH, 2ND DISTRICT, UH, SUPERVISORIAL DISTRICT.
AND SO I WANT TO, YOU KNOW, REMIND ALL THE SUPERVISORS, UH, TO PAY ATTENTION TO SOUTH COUNTY IN WHATEVER WAY YOU CAN.
IT'S AN IMPORTANT PART OF THE COMMUNITY AND, UH, WE HAVE OUR OWN UNIQUE AND SPECIAL CHALLENGES THAT SOMETIMES NEED, UH, SOME EXTRA HELP.
SO I JUST WANNA COMMEND THE SUPERVISORS FOR THEIR FOCUS AND THEIR GOOD WORK.
AND I WANNA THANK STAFF, PARTICULARLY CARLOS PALACIOS WHO HAS DONE A TREMENDOUS JOB WITH THE COUNTY, AND I WANNA WISH NICOLE, UH, THE VERY BEST LUCK IN THE FUTURE.
GOT A LONG, BRIGHT, UH, HISTORY AND A, YOU KNOW, LONG BRIGHT FUTURE AHEAD OF US.
SO MY MESSAGE TODAY AND I'M SORRY I COULDN'T BE THERE IN PERSON, UH, YOU KNOW, MY RETIREMENT IS, UH, SO NICE THAT, UH, SOMETIMES I JUST DON'T FEEL LIKE, UH, LEAVING THE HOUSE.
BUT I'M STILL ENGAGED WITH THE CIVIC AFFAIRS AND I WANT TO SEE THE BEST FOR ALL OUR COMMUNITY.
I JUST SAY PLEASE REMEMBER SOUTH COUNTY AND THEIR UNIQUE NEEDS, AND, UH, THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR WORK.
- HEATHER, YOUR MICROPHONE'S NOW AVAILABLE.
UM, THANK YOU FOR TAKING MY COMMENT.
UM, WHILE I SUPPORT AND APPRECIATE ITEM NUMBER 9, UH, THE DECLARATION OF THE LOCAL EMERGENCY DUE TO FOOD INSECURITY FROM, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
I ASK YOU TO PLEASE CONSIDER THE EXPANSION OF THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS; TO PLEASE CONSIDER, UM, THE NUTRITIONAL NEEDS THAT FOOD BANKS OFTEN PROVIDE ARE REALLY OFTEN CARB-HEAVY AND DIFFICULT FOR DIABETICS.
UH, OR CULTURAL FOOD NEEDS FOR DIFFERENT COMMUNITIES.
THE FEAR OF GOING TO FOOD BANKS BECAUSE OF NATIONAL GUARD/ICE INVOLVEMENT, THANKS TO OUR GOVERNOR'S PROCLAMATION OF INCLUDING THEM IN OUR FOOD BANK DISTRIBUTIONS.
UH, MOBILITY ISSUES FOR PEOPLE WAITING IN LONG LINES.
GAS COSTS FOR PEOPLE WAITING IN LONG LINES.
DISTRIBUTION SITES OFTEN NOT HAVING TIMEFRAMES FOR WORKING PEOPLE.
UM, I NOTICED TWO OF THE NEWER DISTRIBUTIONS ARE HAPPENING WITHIN THE... THIS WEEK.
UM, BOTH HAPPEN AT TIMES WHEN MOST PEOPLE ARE AT WORK.
UM, I CALL ON YOU TO LOOK AT OTHER OPPORTUNITIES FOR EXPANDING THAT FUNDING OUT.
ESPECIALLY NOW THAT HALF OF THE FUNDING HAS BEEN COMMITTED TO THIS MONTH, UM, AT LEAST.
KNOWING THAT IT'LL TAKE A WHILE TO RAMP UP
[00:30:02]
AND GET OUT THERE.I ADVISE YOU TO LOOK AT OTHER SOLUTIONS LIKE, UM, PARTNERING WITH LOCAL FOOD BANK OR FARMER'S MARKETS, THAT HAVE, UM...
IT'S NOT FLEXIBILITY, BECAUSE THEY'RE EXEMPT FROM, UH, THE VARIOUS, UH...
SORRY, THAT LITTLE RED SCREEN JUST POPPED UP AND I LOST MY TRAIN OF THOUGHT.
BUT ANYWAYS, UM, YES, I'M HOPING THAT YOU CAN BREAK THAT $500,000 DOWN AND REAPPROPRIATE IT TO SOME THINGS LIKE MEALS ON WHEELS AND, UH, GRAY BEARS AND THE FARMER'S MARKETS TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S A WIDER SWATH OF COMMUNITY THAT IS RECEIVING THE FUNDING.
- CAROL R., YOUR MICROPHONE IS NOW AVAILABLE.
- GOOD MORNING. CAN YOU HEAR ME? - YES.
I WAS ALSO AT THE, UM, TOWN HALL MEETING, AND I DO CONCUR WITH, UM, MRS. AUDINOS AND, UM, MS. JOAN'S, UM, COMMENTS.
THERE WERE SEVERE, UM, RESTRAINTS ON THE PUBLIC'S INPUT, AND IT ALMOST APPEARS STRATEGIC, IN A WAY THAT WOULD SEEM THERE IS A PLAN TO MAKE THE ORDINANCE MOVE FORWARD IN A WAY THAT THE PUBLIC WAS NOT, UM, IN ANY WAY OPPOSED TO IT.
UM, I THINK THAT NEEDS TO BE CORRECTED.
I'M NOT SURE HOW YOU GO BACK AND CORRECT THAT KIND OF THING EXCEPT HAVE ADDITIONAL TOWN HALL MEETINGS.
UM, THE ONE THING THAT STOOD OUT TO ME IS THAT MANY OF US PRESENTED THE, UH, CARDS WITH OUR QUESTIONS ON THEM, AND ONLY VERY FEW OF THOSE WERE, UM, FORWARDED AND ADDRESSED BY THE PANEL.
UM, AND I'M SURE THERE WERE MANY MORE GOOD QUESTIONS BESIDES MY FOUR THAT WEREN'T EVEN BROUGHT UP.
UM, AND SO IT JUST SEEMED LIKE THERE WAS A VERY WEAK, UM, EXCHANGE BETWEEN THE PUBLIC AND THE PANEL, AS WELL AS A VERY POOR, UM, PLAN FOR ALLOWING THE PUBLIC TO SPEAK OUT.
BECAUSE THE PANELISTS SEEMED TO WIND UP IN THE LINE, UM, TO BE MAKING THE COMMENTS AT THE END.
UM, I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU ADDRESS THIS, BUT I THINK IT NEEDS TO BE, UM, FORWARDED AND THOUGHT ABOUT AND CORRECTED.
- CALL IN USER 2, YOUR MICROPHONE IS NOW AVAILABLE.
SO AT YOUR NEXT MEETING YOU HAVE THIS ITEM ABOUT THE ORDINANCE ON BATTERY STORAGE.
MY QUESTION TO YOU, ARE YOU PLANNING A BATTERY FIRE FOR OUR NEIGHBORHOODS? MANDATED FIRE AND TOXICITY SHOULD YOU APPROVE MOVING FORWARD? AND THIS IS BASED ON FACTS YOU'VE BEEN PROVIDED ON THE HAZARDS.
I HAVE BEFORE ME, A DOCUMENT ENTITLED "ALARMING TRUTH: THE HAZARDS OF CURRENT BATTERY ENERGY STORAGE SYSTEMS".
"DEADLY FOREVER CHEMICALS AND LITHIUM-ION BATTERIES, PFAS.
INTERNATIONALLY RECOGNIZED DANGEROUS TOXINS THAT ARE NOW PROHIBITED AND HIGHLY REGULATED WORLDWIDE ARE RELEASED DURING MANUFACTURING, USE,AND DISPOSAL OF LITHIUM-ION BATTERIES." THIS IS...
SOURCE IS FROM THE DIRTY SIDE OF GREEN ENERGY, "LITHIUM ION BATTERIES AS A SOURCE OF PFAS IN THE ENVIRONMENT" FROM RESEARCH SQUARE JULY 2023.
AN EARLIER SPEAKER TALKED ABOUT AUTHORITARIAN RULE THAT WE ARE EXPERIENCING FROM THE WHITE HOUSE AND DOWN.
THIS IS AUTHORITARIAN RULE BY THESE CORPORATIONS WHO ARE WRITING THESE SO-CALLED ORDINANCES
[00:35:02]
AND FORCING THIS TOXICITY OF THE PUBLIC AND YOU ARE SUPPOSED TO REPRESENT THE PUBLIC WELLBEING.THIS SHOULD BE STOPPED LIKE MEDICAL RESEARCHERS URGE. STOP... - THANK YOU.
- ... THE LITHIUM ION BATTERY ENERGY STORAGE SYSTEMS. REPRESENT OUR WELLBEING NOT CORPORATE...
ALEX YOUR MICROPHONE'S NOW AVAILABLE.
ALEX YOUR MICROPHONE'S NOW AVAILABLE.
- CHAIR, I'M GONNA MOVE ON TO THE NEXT SPEAKER.
PLEASE CONTINUE. - NOT SURE IF YOU CAN HEAR ME.
MY NAME IS SUSIE O'HARA AND I SERVE AS A SANTA CRUZ CITY COUNCIL MEMBER REPRESENTING DISTRICT 5.
I APPRECIATE THE TIME, UH, TO COMMENT ON ITEM 39 DURING PUBLIC COMMENT AS I'M UNABLE TO JOIN THE MEETING LATER THIS MORNING.
I SUPPORT SUPERVISOR [INAUDIBLE] TO DELAY ITEM 39 SO THAT THE COUNTY AND CITY CAN WORK COLLABORATIVELY ON A MORE STRATEGIC APPROACH TO USING OUR OPIOID SETTLEMENT FUNDS.
SUPERVISOR KOENIG AND I ARE IN THE EARLY STAGES OF ENGAGING ON THIS ISSUE TOGETHER, AND I APPRECIATE THE CHANCE TO SHARE A FEW THOUGHTS.
BEFORE SERVING ON COUNCIL, I WAS THE PROGRAM MANAGER FOR THE BOB LEE COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP FOR ACCOUNTABILITY, CONNECTION AND TREATMENT, KNOWN AS PACT OR THE DOWNTOWN ACCOUNTABILITY PROGRAM.
PACT BROUGHT TOGETHER THE COURT, DA, PUBLIC DEFENDERS, LAW ENFORCEMENT AND BEHAVIORAL HEALTH, AND SERVICE PROVIDERS TO CONNECT INDIVIDUALS STRUGGLING WITH ADDICTION TO REAL TREATMENT OPTIONS WHILE MAINTAINING ACCOUNTABILITY AND PUBLIC SAFETY.
IT WORKED BECAUSE IT WAS COORDINATED AND PERSON-CENTERED.
PACT RESULTED IN AN 80% IN REDUCTION OF CITATIONS AND ARRESTS FOR OUR CLIENTS AND TRANSFORMED MANY LIVES ACROSS SANTA CRUZ COUNTY.
LAST MONTH, SUPERVISOR KOENIG AND I ATTENDED A REGIONAL MEETING AT SAN JOSE CITY HALL HOSTED BY MAYOR MAHAN AND STANFORD PROFESSOR DR. KEITH HUMPHREYS, A FORMER OBAMA WHITE HOUSE POLICY ADVISOR AND ONE OF THE COUNTRY'S LEADING VOICES ON ADDICTION POLICY.
DR. HUMPHREYS EMPHASIZED THAT OUR CURRENT FRAGMENTED SYSTEM FAILS BOTH THOSE SUFFERING FROM ADDICTION AND COMMUNITIES AFFECTED BY ITS IMPACTS.
AND THE MOST PROMISING SOLUTIONS ARE PACT-LIKE MODELS THAT COMBINE TREATMENT, ACCOUNTABILITY, AND SUSTAINED CASE MANAGEMENT.
WITH PROP 46 NOW RESHAPING HOW WE HANDLE REPEAT DRUG OFFENSES, THIS IS EXACTLY THE RIGHT TIME TO PAUSE, DESIGN A COORDINATED FRAMEWORK THAT INVEST OUR SETTLEMENT FUNDS IN UNRESTRICTED TREATMENT ACCESS AND NAVIGATION SUPPORT FOR PEOPLE FACING ABUSE, SUBSTANCE ABUSE AND JUSTICE.
RESPECTFULLY URGE YOU TO SUPPORT DELAYING THIS ITEM SO WE CAN WORK TOGETHER ON RELAUNCHING A MODERN [INAUDIBLE].
- YEAH. HELLO? UM, I'M NOT SURE HOW WELL I CAN BE HEARD.
[00:40:01]
THIS IS JAMES EWING WHITMAN, UH, THE COMPUTER STUFF LEAVES SOMETHING TO BE DESIRED.BUT I STILL DON'T KNOW IF I CAN BE HEARD.
CAN I BE HEARD? - YES, PLEASE CONTINUE.
- I'M NOT FOR SURE MY TIME HASN'T STARTED YET.
- YEAH. [INAUDIBLE] - OKAY. I CAN HEAR IT ON THE FACEBOOK.
SO HERE WE HAVE AN ELECTION GOING ON TODAY.
I HOPE EVERYBODY IS TO, READ THE BEGUILING DIFFERENT THINGS ON THE EVENTS AND WHAT'S SUPPOSED TO BE PASSED.
UM, I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH TIME I HAVE LEFT, IT SAYS 1:45.
A WOMAN NAMED JO HINDMAN WROTE A BOOK IN 1977, CALLED THE METROCRATS.
REGIONALISM, AND NON-LAW GOVERNMENTS ARE DESTROYING THE UNITED STATES.
A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO IN SANTA CRUZ, WE HAD A SECOND NO KINGS.
AND THAT'S WHY IN 1776, WE, UH, REMOVED OURSELVES FROM OUR CONNECTION WITH BRITAIN, SUPPOSEDLY.
SO ON THE BACK PAGE OF THE BOOK, THE METROCRATS, IT'S ABOUT THE AUTHOR.
FOR MORE THAN 15 YEARS, JO HINDMAN HAS BEEN KNOWN AS AN UNYIELDING OPPONENT TO THE ALIEN IDEAS THAT HAVE BEEN TURNING THE SELF-GOVERNMENT OF AMERICANS INTO A GROTESQUE REPLICA OF OLD-WORLD DIVINE RIGHTS AND RULERS.
HOW DOES THAT FIT IN? ANY CHARTER CITY OR COUNTY IS CONTROLLED BY A CITY OR COUNTY MANAGER.
AND THEY'RE PART OF THE ROCKEFELLER AND STANFORD, CARNEGIE SYNDICATES OF 1313.
SO WHAT I'M SUGGESTING IS THAT THERE'S, THERE'S NOT A WHOLE LOT OF CLARITY AS FAR AS WHAT'S GOING ON.
I BELIEVE THAT THE PEOPLE THAT WERE ELECTED HAD GOOD INTENTIONS FOR WHAT THEY'RE DOING, BUT IF THEY'RE CONTROLLED BY AN UNELECTED, INTERNATIONALLY CONTROLLED CITY OR COUNTY MANAGER, ARE THE PEOPLE REALLY BEING SERVED IN A CONSTITUTIONAL REPUBLIC? THERE'S NOWHERE IN OUR CONSTITUTION OR DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE THAT SAYS ANYTHING POSITIVE ABOUT A DEMOCRACY.
AND WE CAN THANK VERY BEGUILING... - THANK YOU.
- ... CHARACTERS, SUCH AS ZACH FRED.
- ALEX, YOUR MICROPHONE IS NOW AVAILABLE.
MY NAME IS ALEX MILLER, A RESIDENT OF APTOS.
THIS SPRING AND SUMMER, NEW LEAF, UM, ENERGY PROJECT MANAGER MAX CHRISTENSEN DESCRIBED OUR NEED FOR BATTERY ELECTRIC STORAGE USING WHAT CASO CALLS THE DUCK CURVE.
A FOUR-HOUR PERIOD WHERE PEOPLE COME HOME AND, YOU KNOW, PREPARE DINNER AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
BUT THE SUN ISN'T SHINING, AND SO THE BATTERIES NEED TO SUPPLEMENT WHAT'S AVAILABLE ON THE GRID.
BUT CALIFORNIA EXPECTS, UM, RAPID EV ADOPTION.
AND IN FACT, THEY EXPECT THE ELECTRIC DEMAND FROM EVS TO DOUBLE OUR NEED BY 2045.
AND THIS CREATES A DIFFERENT TYPE OF A CURVE, A, A CAMELBACK CURVE IN WHICH WE HAVE A PEAK IN THE EARLY EVENING AND A LATER PEAK WHEN PEOPLE PLUG IN THEIR EVS TO CHARGE.
THE FOUR-HOUR DURATION OF LITHIUM BATTERIES CANNOT MEET THIS NEW DEMAND.
UH, WE NEED LONG-DURATION ENERGY STORAGE.
FOR EXAMPLE, THE, UM, VANADIUM FLOW BATTERIES.
UNFORTUNATELY, OUR COUNTY WORKSHOPS ON BESS HAVE BEEN A SINGLE-VENDOR SHOW.
I URGE THE COUNTY TO SOLICIT, UM, AND AMEND THE, THE BESS ORDINANCE TO INCLUDE VENDORS WHO WILL USE NON-FLAMMABLE LONG-DURATION BATTERY TECHNOLOGY.
- WE HAVE NO FURTHER SPEAKERS, CHAIR.
- THANK YOU. WITH THAT, WE'LLL BRING IT BACK TO THE BOARD
[ACTION ON THE CONSENT AGENDA (ITEMS 13-55)]
FOR ANY COMMENTS.SUPERVISOR MARTINEZ? - THANK YOU, CHAIR. .
IT'S NICE TO SEE ALL OF YOU THIS MORNING.
UM, I ONLY HAVE COMMENTS ON ONE ITEM ON TODAY'S CONSENT AGENDA.
UM, AND THAT IS ITEM NUMBER 52 TO ADOPT A RESOLUTION ACCEPTING UNANTICIPATED REVENUE IN THE AMOUNT OF $100,000 IN THE DEPARTMENT OF, UM, PARKS FROM A TRANSFER OF FUNDS FROM THE CDI, UM, TO PROVIDE LITTER ABATEMENT SERVICES IN NORTH COAST LOCATIONS THROUGH THE END OF THE FISCAL YEAR.
SO I WANT TO START OFF JUST BY THANKING BOTH PARKS AND CDI FOR WORKING TOGETHER TO PLAN TO ADDRESS LITTER ABATEMENT IN THE ABSENCE OF THE DOWNTOWN STREETS TEAM CONTRACT.
[00:45:03]
THE PLAN, SO FOLKS ARE AWARE, IS THAT PARKS MAINTENANCE IS GOING TO PICK UP THE WORK ON THE NORTH COAST AND FOR CDI ROAD CREWS TO ADD MONTHLY STREET SWEEPING TO DOWNTOWN FELTON.BUT IN TERMS OF THE DOWNTOWN STREET TEAM'S OVERALL IMPACT THAT WAS PLANNED FOR THIS YEAR, THE REPORT DOESN'T MENTION CLEANUPS AT COVERED BRIDGE PARK IN FELTON AND DOWNTOWN BOULDER CREEK.
UM, IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THE PARKS CREW WILL PICK UP THE LITTER ABATEMENT AT THE COVERED BRIDGE PARK, BUT THAT LEAVES ME WONDERING A LITTLE BIT ABOUT DOWNTOWN BOULDER CREEK.
AND I'M WONDERING IF DIRECTOR MACHADO COULD COME UP AND JUST ANSWER A REALLY QUICK QUESTION THAT I HAVE ON THIS ITEM.
UM, IS THERE A PLAN WITHIN CDI TO ADDRESS LITTER ABATEMENT IN BOULDER CREEK, UM, BASICALLY TO ADDRESS THE GAP THAT'S CREATED WITHOUT THE DOWNTOWN STREETS TEAM? - YES. UH, GOOD MORNING, BOARD MEMBERS.
MATT MACHADO, DIRECTOR OF CDI.
UH, SO TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, UM, WITH REGARD TO BOULDER CREEK, UM, YOU'LL PROBABLY RECALL THAT WE DID A PILOT STUDY THERE TO ADDRESS THE LITTER ABATEMENT.
AND, UH, WE, UM, IMPLEMENTED THAT FOR ABOUT 18 MONTHS.
UH, AND ON A MONTHLY BASIS, WE WERE COLLECTING UH, A LITTLE LESS THAN ONE GARBAGE CAN PER MONTH.
AND SO WE RECOGNIZE THAT THERE MAY NOT BE A LITTER ISSUE PER SE.
UM, BUT THAT SAID, OUR PLAN GOING FORWARD IN THE FUTURE, AND WE'RE TRYING TO DEVELOP THIS FOR OUR NEXT UM, BUDGET CYCLE, IS TO ADOPT OR DEVELOP A COUNTYWIDE PROGRAM WHERE WE HARNESS, UM, VOLUNTEERS AND WE COORDINATE THAT AS THE LEAD TO ADDRESS THOSE, UM, ONGOING LITTER ABATEMENT, UH, NEEDS COUNTYWIDE, NOT JUST BOULDER CREEK.
AND SO WE PLAN TO ROLL BOULDER CREEK INTO A MORE COUNTYWIDE APPROACH, UM, KNOWING THAT A SPECIFIC PROGRAM IS PROBABLY NOT WARRANTED JUST FOR BOULDER CREEK, CONSIDERING THE 18 MONTHS OF MINIMAL TRASH PICKUP AND, YOU KNOW, CONSIDERABLE COST TO DO THAT.
SO WE'RE TRYING TO DEVELOP A COMPREHENSIVE PROGRAM THAT ADDRESSES ALL THE NEEDS OF THE COUNTY UH, FOR LITTER ABATEMENT.
HOPE THAT ANSWERS YOUR QUESTION.
- THANK YOU. IT DOES ANSWER MY QUESTION.
AND I APPRECIATE YOU LOOKING AT IT FROM A MORE COMPREHENSIVE APPROACH.
I LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING BACK ON HOW THAT'S GOING, HOW THAT PLANNING IS GOING, AND TO ENSURE THAT THE VARIOUS VILLAGES IN THE SAN LORENZO VALLEY ARE INCLUDED IN THAT.
SO THANK YOU FOR THE ANSWER. - THANK YOU.
- UM, AND THEN MY FINAL COMMENT IS JUST, UM, APPRECIATION FOR THE TEAM. I KNOW YOU'RE STRUGGLING WITH THE AUDIO AND VISUAL TODAY.
UM, THANK YOU TO THE AUDIENCE AND THE COMMUNITY FOR YOUR PATIENCE.
UM, IT'S ALWAYS STRESSFUL WHEN YOU HAVE TECHNOLOGY CHALLENGES, BUT I REALLY APPRECIATE THE TEAM ROLLING WITH THAT, UM, AND APPRECIATE YOUR PATIENCE AS WE NAVIGATE IT FOR THE REST OF THE DAY.
- SUPERVISOR CUMMINGS? - THANK YOU, CHAIR. I JUST WANTED TO, TO ASK THE CEO JUST TO MAKE A BRIEF COMMENT ON KIND OF THE NEXT STEPS IN THE PROCESS WITH THE, BECAUSE WE HAD A LOT OF PEOPLE COMMENTING ON BATTERY ENERGY STORAGE ITEMS GOING TO BE COMING TO THE BOARD.
I'M JUST WONDERING IF YOU CAN SPEAK TO IT.
UM, ALSO IN PARTICULAR, YOU KNOW, I THINK WE ALSO WANT TO MAKE IT CLEAR TO THE PUBLIC, WE HAVEN'T ACTUALLY, YOU KNOW, DECIDED AS A BOARD IF WE WANT TO HAVE A LOCAL ORDINANCE OR GO THROUGH THE STATE PROCESS.
I'M JUST WONDERING IF YOU CAN JUST BRIEFLY SPEAK TO KIND OF WHAT THE NEXT STEPS WE'RE ANTICIPATING, JUST SO THAT IT'S CLEAR FOR THE MANY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WHO ARE CONCERNED WITH THIS ITEM.
- YEAH, HAPPY TO SPEAK TO THIS ITEM.
SO, WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF TAKING A VARIETY OF STEPS RIGHT NOW.
THE ORDINANCE UNDER CONSIDERATION, UM, WILL BE POSTED EARLY.
UM, IT'S SCHEDULED TO COME TO THE BOARD, UM, FOR CONSIDERATION AT OUR NOVEMBER 18TH MEETING, AND WE'RE PLANNING TO POST THIS AGENDA ITEM BY THE END OF THIS WEEK SO THAT THE PUBLIC HAS ENOUGH TIME TO REVIEW AND PROVIDE COMMENTS ON THIS ITEM.
UM, WE REALIZE THAT IT'S RECEIVED A LOT OF ATTENTION.
UM, I ALSO WANT TO NOTE, WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF ESTABLISHING A COUNTY WEB PAGE THAT IS GOING TO HAVE INFORMATION ON THE PROPOSED ORDINANCE.
IT WILL INCLUDE THE VIDEO FROM THE MEETING.
WHILE THE MEETING WAS NOT AN OFFICIAL MEETING, UM, OF THE COUNTY, OTHER THAN THE FACT THAT IT WAS A TOWN HALL THAT SUPERVISOR HERNANDEZ HELD, WE WILL BE POSTING THE ENTIRE VIDEO ON THE WEB PAGE ALONG WITH OTHER INFORMATION.
WE ARE ALSO, UM, COMPILING ALL THE QUESTIONS.
WE RECEIVED 75 QUESTIONS AT THE TOWN HALL, UH, THAT THE PUBLIC ATTENDED, SO WE'VE BEEN TAKING IN ALL THOSE QUESTIONS TO SUMMARIZE AND PRODUCE A FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTION, UM, MATERIAL THAT WILL BE ON THE WEB PAGE AS WELL, ALONG WITH OTHER INFORMATION.
WE PLAN TO POST A LINK OR POST THE ACTUAL ITEM THAT THE BOARD IS GOING TO BE REVIEWING, UM, ON THE NOVEMBER 18TH MEETING, AND, UM, OUR COUNTY PIO WILL BE NOTIFYING THE MEDIA AND THE PUBLIC LATER THIS WEEK VIA PRESS RELEASE
[00:50:01]
OF ALL OF THIS INFORMATION.UM, SO HOPEFULLY THIS WILL PROVIDE AN ADDITIONAL ABILITY FOR THE PUBLIC TO, UM, PROVIDE THE BOARD WITH INFORMATION AHEAD OF NOVEMBER 18TH.
UM, SO ITEM NUMBER 27, I JUST WANT TO THANK SUPERVISOR KOENIG FOR JOINING ME IN PUTTING THIS ITEM.
AND I WANT TO THANK THE PUBLIC FOR BRINGING THIS ITEM TO OUR ATTENTION.
THIS IS SUPPORT AND DEFEND THE US CONSTITUTION, CIVIL RIGHTS, AND SEPARATION OF POWERS.
UM, AS, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE WHO'VE TAKEN, UM, AN OATH TO DEFEND THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES AND THE CONSTITUTION OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA, AND AS WE'RE SEEING, UM, MANY CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS BE TAKEN AWAY FROM PEOPLE, UM, WITH ICE BEING DEPLOYED TO NEIGHBORHOODS, WITHOUT THERE BEING ANY DUE PROCESS, AND PEOPLE BEING TAKEN AND FORCED INTO VEHICLES, FORCED INTO DETENTION, UM, WITH, YOU KNOW, NO CONTACT WITH FAMILY, AND NO ABILITY TO EXERCISE THEIR CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS.
IT'S REALLY CRITICAL THAT LOCAL LEADERS ARE STEPPING UP AND SAYING THAT THIS ISN'T APPROPRIATE, AND MAKING SURE THAT THE PEOPLE OF OUR COMMUNITY KNOW THAT WE ARE DEDICATED TO PRESERVING THEIR CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS, THEIR FREEDOMS, AND THEIR CIVIL RIGHTS, UM, THAT HAVE BEEN FOUGHT FOR BY THE MANY PEOPLE, UM, WHO'VE FOUGHT FOR THIS COUNTRY.
AND SO, I REALLY THINK IT'S CRITICAL AT THIS POINT IN TIME THAT WE'RE TAKING THIS STANCE, AND I HOPE THAT OTHER JURISDICTIONS WILL JOIN US IN TAKING THIS STANCE TO PUSH BACK AGAINST THE FEDERAL EFFORTS TO, UH, UNDERMINE THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES AND THE CONSTITUTION OF ALL OUR STATES, UH, ACROSS THE UNITED STATES.
SO, THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT ON THAT.
AND, UM, AND THEN ITEM NUMBER 52, WITH LITTER ABATEMENT.
I WANT TO THANK, UM, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT INFRASTRUCTURE AND OUR PARKS DEPARTMENT AGAIN FOR BEING ABLE TO COME UP WITH A CREATIVE SOLUTION TO THIS ISSUE THAT WAS REALLY, UM, THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, CAUGHT US BY SURPRISE, AS WE'VE BEEN CAUGHT BY MANY OF THESE OTHER SURPRISES, UM, THAT UNFOLD EVERY SINGLE DAY.
BUT LOSING THE DOWNTOWN STREETS TEAM AND ALL THEIR AMAZING EFFORTS AND WORK THAT THEY DO TO KEEP OUR NORTH COAST BEACHES CLEAN WAS, YOU KNOW, VERY CONCERNING TO OUR OFFICE AND TO MANY OF THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN THOSE COMMUNITIES.
SO I'M GLAD TO SEE THAT WE HAVE A TEMPORARY FIX AND CAN LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING TO WORK WITH YOU ALL, ON HOW WE CAN HAVE A MORE PERMANENT FIX MOVING FORWARD.
AND I GUESS ONE THING I WOULD ADD IS IF THERE'S ANY OPPORTUNITY TO COLLECT DATA ON THE AMOUNT OF LITTER THAT'S BEING PICKED UP, BECAUSE WE DO, THE BOARD DID, YOU KNOW, DIRECT THAT WE MOVE FORWARD WITH A COASTAL DEVELOPMENT PERMIT TO HAVE NIGHTTIME BEACH CLOSURES TO HELP ADDRESS SOME OF THE LITTER ISSUES.
I THINK IT'D BE REALLY HELPFUL TO BE ABLE TO SEE, YOU KNOW, WHAT ARE THE LITTER ABATEMENT ISSUES PRIOR TO THAT AND AFTERWARDS TO SEE IF THE CHANGE IN THE TIMING OF PARKING ON THE NORTH COAST ACTUALLY HAVE AN IMPACT ON REDUCING LITTER. SO, THANK YOU ALL.
AND, UH, THAT CONCLUDES MY COMMENTS.
- THANK YOU. SUPERVISOR KOENIG.
ON ITEM 27, I ALSO WANT TO THANK SUPERVISOR CUMMINGS FOR HIS WORK, UH, AND PARTNERSHIP ON THIS RESOLUTION, UH, TO SUPPORT AND DEFEND THE US CONSTITUTION AND FOR COMMUNITY MEMBERS FOR BRINGING IT TO OUR ATTENTION.
I THINK THIS IS REALLY A GOOD WAY TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE, UM, AND IT WILL DEMONSTRATE US STANDING SHOULDER TO SHOULDER WITH OTHER JURISDICTIONS LIKE THE CITY OF BOSTON AND PHILADELPHIA WHO HAVE ALSO PASSED SIMILAR RESOLUTIONS.
UH, I THINK THE, UH, GENTLEMAN FROM SOCAL MADE AN EXCELLENT POINT.
THIS IS NOT MEANT TO BE A PARTISAN RESOLUTION.
IN FACT, WE DON'T SAY DEMOCRAT OR REPUBLICAN ANYWHERE IN THIS RESOLUTION.
THIS IS NOT ABOUT, UH, PARTISANSHIP.
IT'S ABOUT OUR CONSTITUTION, UH, AND THE FOUNDATIONAL DOCUMENTS FOR OUR DEMOCRACY.
UM, THE ACTS THAT WE'VE SEEN THIS ADMINISTRATION TAKE ARE TRULY SHOCKING.
UH, THEY'VE EXCEEDED THEIR CONSTITUTIONAL AUTHORITY BY ATTEMPTING TO REVOKE BIRTHRIGHT CITIZENSHIP, CLOSE AGENCIES WITHOUT CONGRESSIONAL CONSENT, IMPOSE UNAUTHORIZED TARIFFS.
THEY'VE THREATENED THE FREEDOM OF SPEECH BY WITHHOLDING FUNDS FROM AND ATTEMPTING INSTITUTION-WIDE CENSORSHIP OF, UH, EVERYTHING CALIFORNIA'S WORLD-RENOWNED EDUCATIONAL, HEALTH CARE, AND SCIENTIFIC INSTITUTIONS, AND USING THE REGULATORY POWER OF THE FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION TO SILENCE CRITICS.
THEY'RE HOLDING PEOPLE WITHOUT ACCESS TO COUNSEL.
UH, THIS IS ABSOLUTELY INSANE, AND WE CANNOT, AS, UH, ELECTED OFFICIALS WHO TOOK AN OATH TO DEFEND AND SUPPORT THE CONSTITUTION, WE CANNOT SIT IDLY BY WHILE THIS ADMINISTRATION TRAMPLES ON OUR CONSTITUTION.
UM, SO, UH, THANK YOU ALL FOR, FOR JOINING US IN PASSING THIS RESOLUTION.
- UH, ON, ON A MORE REGIONAL NOTE, JUST ON ITEM 49, UH, THE SPEED BUMPS ON DOVER DRIVE, I JUST WANT TO THANK, UH, PUBLIC WORKS AND PARTICULARLY TIM WYNN, WHO'S DONE A GREAT JOB, UH, GETTING OUR SPEED BUMP PROGRAM BACK UP, WELL, UP TO SPEED, ALTHOUGH, YOU KNOW, SAFELY REDUCING SPEEDS THROUGH THAT WORK, AND THESE SPEED BUMPS ON DOVER DRIVE WILL REALLY HELP TO REDUCE CUT-THROUGH TRAFFIC, UH, WHEN SOQUEL DRIVE BACKS UP.
FOLKS HAVE BEEN CUTTING THROUGH THE NEIGHBORHOOD THERE FOR A LONG TIME, UM, AND I THINK THESE ARE REALLY GOING TO HELP TO IMPROVE SAFETY THERE.
- THANK YOU. UH, SUPERVISOR DE SERPA? - THANK YOU.
UH, I WANT TO ALSO THANK OUR ROADS CREW, UM, STEVE WIESNER AND, UM, TIM NGUYEN, UM, FOR ALWAYS, UH, BEING WILLING TO HELP OUT WHEN WE HAVE TRAFFIC
[00:55:02]
AND SAFETY ISSUES.UM, YESTERDAY WE MET IN RIO DEL MAR, UM, ON A CORNER THAT IS, UM, VERY, A SERIOUS TRAFFIC SITUATION, AND I REALLY APPRECIATED THEIR HELP, UM, WITH OUR CONSTITUENTS AND OUR PUBLIC.
SO, THANK YOU VERY MUCH, TO OUR ROADS CREW.
UM, UNDER CONSENT ITEM 34, UM, THANK YOU, UM, TO THE SCHEDULING UH, FOR NOT SCHEDULING BOARD MEETINGS ON YOM KIPPUR.
THIS YEAR, UM, THERE WAS A BOARD MEETING, UH, THAT DAY.
I DON'T THINK FOR THIS AGENCY, BUT FOR ANOTHER, AND, UM, AND I MISSED BEING ABLE TO GO TO THE TEMPLE.
SO I REALLY APPRECIATE, UM, THE ATTENTION TO THAT DETAIL.
UM, UNDER PUBLIC SAFETY ITEM 35, UM, THE ELDER ABUSE PROGRAM.
THANK YOU TO THE DA, UH, FOR APPLYING FOR THAT.
IN MY DISTRICT WE'LL BE HOLDING, UH, SCAM AND FRAUD, UM, UM, PROGRAM FOR, UM, SENIORS IN OUR COMMUNITY, SOON.
AND SO I REALLY APPRECIATE, UH, THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY, UH, PURSUING ALL MONIES AVAILABLE TO HELP OUR COMMUNITY.
ITEM 36, THE $270,000 GRANT THAT WE'RE APPLYING FOR, FOR VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN PROSECUTION PROGRAM.
APPRECIATE AGAIN THAT THAT, UM, PARTICULAR POT OF MONEY WILL PAY FOR AN ADVOCATE AND PART OF A DA TO PROSECUTE THOSE CRIMES.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH TO OUR DA FOR THAT.
ITEM 38, THE EDWARD BYRNE MEMORIAL JUSTICE GRANT FOR $205,000 FOR THE PUBLIC DEFENDER TO REPLACE THEIR CASE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM.
REALLY IMPORTANT IN TERMS OF TRACKING OUTCOMES, UM, AND HELPING PEOPLE.
SO, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR GOING AFTER THAT, POT OF MONEY.
AND, I HOLD THE REMAINDER OF MY COMMENTS, FOR ITEM 39, WHEN IT COMES BEFORE US.
WITH THAT, I'D LIKE TO BRING BACK THE BOARD TO ENTERTAIN A MOTION OR APPROVE CONSENT AGENDA? - I MOVE TO CONSENT - I SECOND. - WITH EXCEPTIONS...
- OF ITEMS, UM... - I'M SORRY.
- WE HAVE A MOTION FROM SUPERVISOR CUMMINGS, AND THE SECOND FROM SUPERVISOR DE SERPA? MADAM CLERK, IF WE WOULD TAKE A ROLL CALL? - SUPERVISOR KOENIG? - AYE.
- AYE. MOTION TO PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.
- WE'LL NOW MOVE ON TO THE REGULAR AGENDA.
[7. Presentation from the Save the Waves Coalition on the Climate Vulnerability of California's Natural Surfing Capital Report]
I DO WANNA NOTE THAT WE DO HAVE AN ITEM FOR 10:45, AH, THIS CLOCK IS NOT RIGHT, BY THE WAY.UH, BUT WE DO HAVE, AN ITEM FOR 10:45; WELL, NUMBER ONE TO NUMBER SEVEN.
PRESENTATION FROM THE SAVE THE WAVES COALITION ON THE CLIMATE VULNERABILITY OF CALIFORNIA NATURAL SURFING CAPITAL REPORT.
I'LL TURN IT OVER TO SEAN BURNS, RESERVES NETWORK COORDINATOR, AND ESTELLA BONNER, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF BLACK SURF SANTA CRUZ COUNTY, FOR THE PRESENTATION.
- I THINK WE HAVE A ONE-MINUTE VIDEO TO OPEN UP ON IF ITS ABLE TO PLAY TODAY.
- THE WAVES, AND OUR LOCAL PARTNERS, JUST LAUNCHED A FIRST OF ITS KIND STUDY, SUPPORTED BY THE OCEAN PROTECTION COUNCIL, TO PAINT A REALLY DETAILED PICTURE OF THE SURF ECONOMY, IN SANTA CRUZ.
WE HAVE A MUCH BETTER UNDERSTANDING NOW OF THE ECONOMICS OF SURFING IN SANTA CRUZ.
BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, WE HAVE A BLUEPRINT FOR HOW TO BRING THIS STATE-WIDE.
SURF ECOSYSTEMS, NEED TO BE EMBEDDED IN THE POLICY PROCESS AND IF THEY DON'T HAVE STATUS, IF THEY'RE NOT RECOGNIZED, WE ARE LOSING OUT ON THE NATURAL CAPITAL THAT WE HAVE.
AND AGAIN, APPRECIATION TO YEAH, THE AUDIO AND VISUAL TEAM TODAY I KNOW IT'S ALWAYS A TRICKY TASK TO DEAL WITH.
SO, UM, THANK YOU FOR SHOWING THE ONE MINUTE VIDEO AND WE ALSO HAVE, A POWERPOINT TO DISPLAY, AS WELL AS WITH SOME SLIDES.
[01:00:28]
- I CAN START GETTING INTO A LITTLE BIT, BUT UM, YEAH.JUST, I GUESS I RELY A LITTLE BIT ON THE SLIDES, JUST TO REMEMBER EXACTLY WHAT I'M GONNA SAY BUT, I CAN START, UM, OH HERE WE GO. LOOKS LIKE THEY'RE POPPIN' UP.
[SILENCE] BUT YEAH, I JUST WANNA SAY, THANK YOU TO THE BOARD VERY MUCH, AH, FOR THE TIME TO PRESENT THIS STUDY.
UM, YEAH MY NAME IS SEAN BURNS.
I'M BORN AND RAISED HERE IN SANTA CRUZ, I'VE BEEN WORKING SAVE THE WAVES FOR THE LAST 4 YEARS, AS THE RESERVE NETWORK COORDINATOR.
I WORK WITH THE SANTA CRUZ WORLD SURFING RESERVE.
SAVE THE WAVES IS A NON-PROFIT, HAS 13 WORLD SURFING RESERVES, ALL AROUND THE WORLD.
THE LAST TWO YEARS, WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON THIS PROJECT SPECIFICALLY HERE, IN SANTA CRUZ.
STUDYING THE SURFANOMICS, CLIMATE VULNERABILITY OF THE SURF BREAKS HERE IN SANTA CRUZ.
SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH, FOR HEARING FROM US TODAY.
AH, THANK YOU TO OUR PARTNERO-- PARTNERS, BLACK SURF SANTA CRUZ, AND INTEGRAL CONSULTING, WHO ARE HERE, AND ARE GONNA COMMENT, AS WELL ON THIS PROJECT.
THANK YOU TO THE CITY OF SANTA CRUZ WHO ALSO, HELPED UM, SUPPORT THIS PROJECT.
IT WAS ULTIMATELY A GRANT BY THE OCEAN PROTECTING COUNCIL, SO, IT'S GREAT TO SEE SOME STATE BUY-IN, TO LOOKING MORE INTO SURF BREAKS.
AND IF WE CAN GO THE NEXT SLIDE PLEASE? SO YEAH, A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND ON WHY SURFING.
AND SO THESE NUMBERS THAT YOU CAN SEE ON THE SCREEN, ARE FROM A... THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
ARE FROM A PROJECT, PRE-COVID.
SO YOU CAN SEE WORLDWIDE, ABOUT 35 MILLION SURFERS.
IF YOU'RE A SURFER YOU DEFINITELY KNOW THAT'S GONE UP.
UH, SURF SPOTS ARE A LITTLE BIT MORE CROWDED THESE DAYS.
BUT, IT'S A GOOD THING BECAUSE I THINK SURFING, YOU KNOW, IS SUCH A UNIQUE AND AWESOME SPORT.
AND VERY, UM, SPECIAL HERE IN SANTA CRUZ.
AND WHEN YOU START LOOKING AT THE NUMBERS, OF SURFONOMICS, WHICH IS WHAT THIS PROJECT WAS, WHEN YOU LOOK AT INTERNATIONAL SURF TOURISM EXPENDITURES, YOU'RE LOOKING CLOSE TO $65 BILLION, WHICH IS A LOT OF MONEY.
AND SO, WE DID A DEEPER DIVE IN THE SANTA CRUZ AND WHAT THE SURFONOMIC NUMBERS HERE ARE IN TOWN.
A LITTLE BIT MORE BACKGROUND ON WHY SURFING, IT'S THE STATE SPORT OF CALIFORNIA.
THERE'S OVER 300 SURF BREAKS IN CALIFORNIA.
AND HERE IN SANTA CRUZ, ESPECIALLY, IT DATES BACK TO 1885, IT STARTED SURFING.
IT WAS THE FIRST DOCUMENTED SURF SESSION HERE IN SANTA CRUZ, AT THE RIVERMOUTH.
SO LITTLE BIT ABOUT THIS PROJECT, UM, IT WAS HERE, IN THE WORD SURFING RESERVE.
AH, YOU CAN SEE FROM THIS MAP WE DESIGNATED 3 AREAS, SO THE WEST SIDE, MIDTOWN AND EAST SIDE.
IT WAS 31 SURF BREAKS THAT WE ASSESSED.
AND SO, IT'S PRETTY UNIQUE TO SANTA CRUZ THAT THERE'S 31 SURF SPOTS, JUST IN THAT MILE COASTLINE.
AND WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE COUNTY WIDE OF ABOUT 29 MILES THERE IS OVER 60 SURF BREAKS IN SANTA CRUZ COUNTY, AND THEN, I JUST MENTIONED THERE'S JUST ABOUT OVER 300 SURF BREAKS IN CALIFORNIA.
SO, VERY UNIQUE COASTLINE WE HAVE HERE, THAT'S TRULY VALUABLE, UH, ECONOMICALLY AND CULTURALLY, AS WE'RE GONNA GET INTO.
SO, A LITTLE BIT OF PROJECT OVERVIEWS.
UM, ONE, WE WANT TO QUANTIFY THE SANTA CRUZ SURF ECONOMY AS YOU SAW ON THE VIDEO.
194.7 MILLION BROUGHT IN, AH, ECONOMICS, JUST THROUGH SURFING IN SANTA CRUZ.
WE WANTED TO ACCESS THE VULNERABILITY.
SO LOOKING AT THE SURFABILITY OF TIMES THAT WE'RE GONNA GET INTO A LITTLE BIT HERE, WITH SEA LEVEL RISE AND HOW THE SURFABILITY, IS ACTUALLY DIMINISHING.
ALSO WANTED TO BETTER UNDERSTAND YOU KNOW, THE ECONOMIC BARRIERS OF SURFING.
AND TO MAKE SURE WE'RE HEARING FROM THE ENTIRE SURF COMMUNITY HERE IN SANTA CRUZ.
AND THEN THE REASON I'M HERE TODAY IS WE WANTED TO HELP GUIDE COASTAL POLICY AND SPEAK TO YOU ALL ABOUT PUTTING THIS IN AND PRIORITIZING SURF BREAKS INTO COASTAL PLANNING.
SO A LITTLE BIT ON THE SANTA CRUZ SURFING ECONOMY.
UM, AS YOU SAW IN THE VIDEO, 783,000 SURF VISITS TO SANTA CRUZ PER YEAR.
UH, SO THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE COMING HERE FOR SURFING, BUT ALSO COMING HERE JUST FOR THE BEACHES AND COASTLINE AND THE OCEAN.
WE HAVE A VERY UNIQUE OCEAN HERE.
IT'S A THRIVING ECOSYSTEM THAT'S VERY HEALTHY.
I'M SURE YOU'VE ALL GOTTEN IN THE WATER AND JUST FELT HOW REWARDING AND REFRESHING IT CAN BE HERE.
WE'RE VERY LUCKY TO HAVE A THRIVING OCEAN HERE, BUT AS WELL AS WORLD-CLASS WAVES.
AND SO THEN, YEAH, YOU LOOK AT THE SURF TRIPS BY VISITORS, 44.5 MILLION ANNUALLY, AND THEN 150.2 MILLION EACH YEAR, KIND OF IN THE BROADER REGION AROUND SURF LESSONS AND PEOPLE SPENDING ON SURF GEAR IN SANTA CRUZ.
$194.7 MILLION PER YEAR JUST OFF SURFING IN SANTA CRUZ, SHOWING THE ECONOMIC VALUE THAT WE HAVE HERE WITH OUR SURF BREAKS.
UM, THE BOTTOM RIGHT CORNER WE'LL GET INTO IS KIND OF WHAT POTENTIALLY, YOU KNOW, WHEN THAT SURFABILITY WITH SEA LEVEL RISE
[01:05:02]
AND EROSION AND HOW SURF BREAKS ARE CHANGING GOING INTO, UH, THE FUTURE, POTENTIALLY WHAT WE'RE LOSING OUT ON ECONOMICALLY THROUGH SURFING.AND SO YEAH, THE PRESENT-DAY SURFABILITY.
UH, THIS IS ONE OF MY FAVORITE ASPECTS OF THIS PROJECT.
IT REALLY KIND OF GROUNDED US IN AUTHENTICITY AND WE WORKED WITH LOCAL SURF CONDITION EXPERTS.
SO, UH, PEOPLE THAT HAVE BEEN SURFING THESE SURF BREAKS FOR 30 PLUS YEARS, PEOPLE LIKE FROSTY, UM, YOU KNOW, IN CHASING MAVERICKS, HE KIND OF GAVE US HIS INPUT ON WHAT THE IDEAL TIDE WAS.
AND SO WE WERE ABLE TO COME UP WITH THAT SURFABILITY FOR THE MOST IDEAL TIDE FOR EACH ONE OF THESE SURF BREAKS.
PEOPLE LIKE PETER MELL, TYLER FOX, SEAN DOLLAR, ALL GAVE THEIR INPUT ON THE IDEAL TIDES TO COME UP WITH THAT SURFABILITY.
AND THEN I'M GONNA PASS IT TO BELLA FROM BLACK SURF SANTA CRUZ TO ALSO TALK ABOUT THE IMPORTANT WORK WE DID WITH BIPOC FOCUS GROUPS.
SO AS A PART OF THIS PROJECT, BLACK SURF SANTA CRUZ HOSTED A SERIES OF FOCUS GROUPS TO BETTER UNDERSTAND THE SOCIOECONOMIC AND CULTURAL BARRIERS TO SURFING THAT WE SEE WITH OUR CONSTITUENTS.
UM, AND SOME OF THE VARIABLES WE WERE LOOKING TO LEARN A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT ARE SOME OF THE BARRIERS, INCLUDING SOCIAL EXCLUSION, FEELINGS OF PSYCHOLOGICAL SAFETY AND BELONGING.
SO WHO DOES AND DOESN'T FEEL LIKE THEY FEEL SAFE OR LIKE THEY BELONG OUT IN THE OCEAN, UM, ECONOMIC BARRIERS, PHYSICAL ACCESSIBILITY ISSUES, AS WELL AS COMMUNITY REPRESENTATION OR LACK THEREOF.
AND SO SOME OF THE BARRIERS THAT CAME OUT OF THE FOCUS GROUPS, WE HOSTED TWO SESSIONS WITH JUST OVER 10 PARTICIPANTS, UM, INCLUDED FEELINGS OF SOCIAL EXCLUSION.
SO THAT INCLUDES LOCALISM, TERRITORIALISM AND PROFILING IN THE WATER THAT REDUCES PARTICIPATION.
UM, ECONOMIC BARRIERS, SO HIGH COSTS LIMIT ACCESS FOR BLACK AND BIPOC COMMUNITIES OR HISTORICALLY EXCLUDED GROUPS.
THAT CAN INCLUDE COST OF LIVING IN SANTA CRUZ, COST TO RENT GEAR, UM, COST TO MAINTAIN GEAR, TRANSPORTATION COSTS AND THE LIKE.
UM, PHYSICAL ACCESSIBILITY, SO LIMITED TRANSPORTATION, BUS ROUTES TO THE BEACH, PARKING, PAID OR FREE, UM, WHEELCHAIR ACCESS.
WE'VE SEEN SOME OF THOSE MOBI-MATS BE IMPLEMENTED, SHOUT OUT COUNTY PARKS OVER THERE, UM, AS WELL AS REPRESENTATION.
SO, UM, WE SEE THAT IN PERMITTING, WHO IS AND WHO ISN'T ABLE TO TEACH SURF LESSONS, UM, OTHER VARIOUS AQUATIC PROGRAMMING, UM, LIMITS TO REPRESENTATION AS WELL.
UM, AND THAT CONTRIBUTES TO WHO AGAIN, FEELS LIKE THEY BELONG IN THESE SPACES.
UM, SOME OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE AND EQUALITY AND POLICY PIECES.
SO WE ASKED FOCUS GROUP PARTICIPANTS TO TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT WHAT WOULD HELP INCREASE THEIR PARTICIPATION TO SURFING.
AND ONE OF THE BIGGEST THREE-LINE THEMES CONTINUES TO BE FEELINGS OF CULTURAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL SAFETY.
SO, UM, BARRIERS CONTINUE TO PERSIST WITHOUT TRAUMA-INFORMED PROGRAMS UM, OR VISIBLE REPRESENTATION IN THE LINEUP.
UM, HIGH COSTS AND LIMITED AFFORDABILITY, UH, REINFORCED EXCLUSION IN THE SPORT OF SURFING AND TRANSPORTATION.
SO LACK OF TRANSIT SOLUTIONS, UM, CONTINUE TO, UH, CONTRIBUTE TO RESTRICTED EQUITABLE OCEAN ACCESS OVER TIME.
UH, DAVID REVELL WITH INTEGRAL CONSULTING, UM, WAS HELPING ON SOME OF THE TECHNICAL ASPECTS, UH, OF THIS.
UM, SO I'M NOT GONNA READ ALL THESE NUMBERS, BUT SEAN, UH, TALKED ABOUT THE SURFABILITY, WHICH IS REALLY THE NUMBER OF HOURS IN, OF DAYLIGHT HOURS THAT ALL OF THESE BREAKS ARE SURFABLE.
AND, UM, THE MORE SURFABLE ONES, STEAMER LANE, PLEASURE POINT, FOR EXAMPLE, HAVE, UM, A LOT HIGHER USE.
UM, AN EXAMPLE IN THE REPORT, UM, THEY'RE COLOUR-CODED GREEN IS GOOD, HAS GREATER THAN 50% CHANCE OF BEING SURFABLE DURING ANY DAYLIGHT HOUR IN THE YEAR.
UM, AND WE DID THIS FOR EVERY BREAK.
UM, AND THERE'S SOME TODAY THAT ARE, UM, ARE ONLY SURFABLE FOR A FEW MUCH, YOU KNOW, LESS THAN 10% OF THE TIME.
MOST OF THE SANTA CRUZ COUNTY COAST, ESPECIALLY IN THE URBANIZED AREAS, IS ARMORED OR CLIFF-BACKED.
AS, UH, HIGH TIDES INTERACT WITH THE COASTAL STRUCTURES, IT REDUCES THE QUALITY OF SURF AND OFTEN CANCELS IT OUT, SENDING WAVES BOUNCING BACK AND DISRUPTING THE QUALITY OF SURF AND THUS THE SURFABILITY.
SO WE LOOKED AT ADDING SEA LEVEL RISE, ONE FOOT, TWO FOOT.
[01:10:05]
BY THREE FEET, ALMOST MOST OF THE, BY FOUR FEET, MOST OF THE BREAKS ARE GONE.BY THREE FEET, ONLY THE ONES AROUND THE LANE AND PLEASURE POINT ARE SURFABLE, UM, AT ANY REAL AMOUNT.
UM, AND SO WE STARTED TO ASK, THAT'S WHAT HAPPENS IF WE DO NOTHING.
BUT WE'RE CREATIVE PEOPLE, WE'RE GONNA TRY AND ADAPT, ESPECIALLY WHEN WE START REALIZING THAT WHEN WE GO FROM ALMOST $200 MILLION A YEAR TO THE COUNTY, FROM THE SURF ECONOMY TO ZERO WHEN ALL THE BREAKS ARE GONE, IF WE KEEP ARMORING OUR COAST, NOT LETTING, UM, YOU KNOW, NOT MOVING OUT OF THE HARM'S WAY WHEN IT'S APPROPRIATE, THEN WE STARTED TO LOOK AT 4 DIFFERENT ADAPTATION STRATEGIES.
CONTINUING TO ARMOR, PUSH MORE ROCKS OUT, EXPAND OUR REVETMENTS.
WHAT IF WE REPLACE SOME OF THOSE WITH A VERTICAL SEAWALL, SO WE BUY BACK A LOT OF THE BEACH AND COASTLINE THAT'S BEEN BURIED UNDER ROCKS THAT ARE TWO TO ONE SLOPE ON A 40-FOOT SLOPE TAKE UP 80 FEET OF THE BEACH.
IF WE MOVE TO A 5-FOOT FOOTPRINT, WE HAVE 75 FEET OF BEACH BACK.
THAT BUYS TIME TO ENHANCE SURFING.
WHAT IF WE WERE TO LOOK AT IMPLEMENTING OR ALTERING SAND MANAGEMENT PROGRAMS WHICH WOULD WIDEN THOSE BEACHES, REDUCE THE INFLUENCE OF COASTAL ARMORING ON OUR SURF BREAKS? THAT ALSO BUYS TIME AND ADDS MORE MONEY ANNUALLY FOR A LONGER PERIOD OF TIME TO THE SANTA CRUZ ECONOMY.
AND THEN WE LOOKED AT MANAGED RETREAT.
MANAGED RETREAT HAS A BAD NAME.
I THINK ABOUT IT AS GETTING OUT OF THE WAY GRACEFULLY.
WE CAN'T, OR IT'S NOT AN EVACUATION, BUT OVER TIME, YOU KNOW, THE OCEAN'S GONNA WIN.
WE EITHER WORK WITH THAT OR WE SUFFER.
AND SO WE LOOKED AT THOSE 4 STRATEGIES OVER TIME, AND THIS IS ONE EXAMPLE FROM 26TH AVENUE, UM, AND THESE SQUIGGLY LINES, UM, BASICALLY THE BLUE LINE IS HISTORIC.
ANYTHING, UM, ABOVE THAT BLUE LINE, AND THERE IS A LASER POINTER, THERE IS NOT A POINTER. OKAY.
UM, ANYTHING THAT'S ABOVE THAT BLUE LINE IS GENERATING MORE REVENUE FOR LONGER PERIODS OF TIME.
SO THE BLUE LINE IS THE SECOND FROM THE BOTTOM.
UM, THE RED LINE IS SAND MANAGEMENT.
THAT WILL BUY MORE TIME FOR AS LONG AS THERE ARE SURF BREAKS.
UM, IF WE WERE TO REPLACE THAT ROCK REVETMENT, THAT IS AT A TWO-TO-ONE SLOPE AT 40 FEET AND RECLAIM 75 FEET OF BEACH, WE INCREASE THE SURFABILITY UP TO ABOUT A FOOT AND A HALF OF SEA LEVEL RISE.
SO WE WOULD ACTUALLY POTENTIALLY GAIN MORE ECONOMIC REVENUE AND INCREASE CAPACITY, REDUCING SOME OF THE BARRIERS TO INCLUSION AND OVERCROWDING.
IF WE LOOK AT MANAGED RETREAT, WE ACTUALLY CAN INCREASE AND MAINTAIN OUR SURF BREAKS ALMOST AN EXTRA FOOT OF SEA LEVEL RISE.
THAT'S MAYBE END OF THE CENTURY, 2080 WE HAVE TIME TO PLAN THIS AND IMPLEMENT THIS, BUT THERE ARE OPPORTUNITIES IN POLICY AND THE FINDINGS FROM THIS.
UM, THE FINDINGS FROM THIS REALLY PROVIDE, UM, A GOOD ECONOMIC BASIS FOR INTEGRATING SURF BREAKS INTO COASTAL MANAGEMENT DECISION-MAKING.
AND WITH THAT, I'M GONNA TURN IT BACK OVER TO SEAN TO TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS.
UM, YEAH, SOME, YOU KNOW, SHOCKING NUMBERS THERE, UM, GOING INTO SEA LEVEL RISE, BUT WORKING WITH ADAPTATION.
UH, THERE'S SO MUCH IN THIS PROJECT.
YOU KNOW, IT TRULY WAS A GROUNDBREAKING STUDY, UM, LOOKING INTO THE SURF BREAKS HERE IN SANTA CRUZ.
UM, I ENCOURAGE YOU TO LOOK AT THE FULL REPORT ONLINE AT SAVETHEWAVES.ORG.
SO YEAH, YOU HEARD FROM DAVE, HEARD FROM BELLA, HEARD FROM MYSELF.
WE TOOK PRETTY MUCH ALL VOICES OF THE SURF COMMUNITY INTO THIS STUDY.
AND SO WE'RE HERE TODAY TO TELL YOU THAT SURFING NEEDS TO BE TAKEN INTO PRIORITY AND WORKING MORE TODAY ON THE OFFENSE INSTEAD OF JUST ON THE DEFENSE, IF WE DON'T LOOK INTO THIS STUFF, YOU KNOW.
IT'S REAL-WORLD PROBLEMS THAT ARE CHANGING SURF BREAKS RIGHT HERE.
I THINK YOU'VE ALL SEEN THE VIDEO OF STEAMER LANE AND THE TRUCK-SIZED BOULDER FALLING INTO THE WAVE.
AFTER EACH WINTER, THERE'S EROSION, SEA CLIFF, CAPITOLA WHARF, SANTA CRUZ WHARF.
THERE'S A LOT OF EROSION HAPPENING TODAY, AND AS YOU CAN SEE WITH THE VULNERABILITY ASSESSMENT GOING INTO THE FUTURE WITH SEA LEVEL RISE,
[01:15:01]
THIS IS SERIOUS STUFF THAT NEEDS TO BE PRIORITIZED.SO, A LITTLE BIT OF RECAP ON THIS PROJECT.
SURFABILITY WITH SEA LEVEL RISE IS CHANGING HERE IN SANTA CRUZ.
WE COULD LOSE OUT ON ECONOMIC REVENUE THROUGH SURFING, SO WE NEED TO LOOK AT PROTECTION AND ADAPTATION TOWARDS SURF BREAKS.
194.7 MILLION ANNUALLY ON CURRENT CONDITIONS RIGHT NOW IS BRINGING THE CITY OF SANTA CRUZ.
OUR GOAL WITH THIS PROJECT IS TO ALSO USE SANTA CRUZ AS A MODEL.
WE'VE CREATED THIS AWESOME METHODOLOGY WITH OUR PARTNERS TO BRING THIS STATEWIDE.
AND THAT'S HOPEFULLY WHAT WE CAN DO.
GO TO PLACES LIKE SURF CITY USA AND OTHER PLACES I'M JUST, I PUT THAT IN PARENTHESES BECAUSE SANTA CRUZ IS A REAL SURF CITY.
BUT HUNTINGTON BEACH, THEY CALL IT SURF CITY USA.
BUT WE WANT TO SEE WHAT ELSE IS, YOU KNOW, WHAT THIS PROJECT CAN BRING TO OTHER COASTAL COMMUNITIES IN CALIFORNIA.
SO HERE TODAY IN FRONT OF YOU ALL TO HOPEFULLY, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN UNDERSTAND THE FEELING AND THE VALUE OF THAT SURFING BRINGS, YOU KNOW? SURFING IS, YOU KNOW, IT'S A LIFESTYLE.
AND HERE IN SANTA CRUZ, WE'RE SO FORTUNATE TO HAVE WORLD-CLASS WAVES, BUT ALSO THRIVING ECOSYSTEM AT OCEAN AND BEACHES, UM, THAT ALONG THIS 29 MILES OF COASTLINE IN SANTA CRUZ COUNTY IS SO BEAUTIFUL.
SO, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE SOME POLICY, YOU KNOW, IMPLICATIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP.
I THINK PUTTING THESE FINDINGS AND WHAT WE PRESENTED TODAY INTO THE LCP, UH, MYSELF AND BELLA ARE PART OF THE COMMUNITY WORKING GROUP FOR THE LCP THAT'S BEING WORKED ON RIGHT NOW.
I THINK ADDING IN THIS DATA FROM THIS STUDY INTO THE LCP GOING FORWARD, UH, PRIORITIZING SURF BREAKS, LOOKING AT ADAPTATION, MAKING SURE WE'RE MANAGING OUR COASTLINE EFFECTIVELY WITH SURF BREAKS.
AND SO THAT'S, UH, ONE WAY THAT YOU, THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, CAN TAKE LEADERSHIP ON PROTECTING SURF BREAKS HERE IN SANTA CRUZ.
AGAIN, I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
I KNOW YOU ALL ADDRESSED VERY IMPORTANT MATTERS, AND I HOPE YOU REALIZE THE IMPORTANCE OF SURFING HERE IN SANTA CRUZ COUNTY.
AND WE'RE HERE FOR ANY QUESTIONS IF YOU HAVE ANY.
- THANK YOU. FIRST, WE'LL TAKE IT OUT TO THE PUBLIC TO SEE IF ANYONE WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS US ON THIS ITEM.
THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION, BECKY STEINBRUNNER.
I SAW YOUR PRESENTATION OUT TO THE SANTA CRUZ CITY COUNCIL.
UM, I WANT TO JUST MENTION, WELL, WHAT WOULD BILL GATES SAY? UM, WHEREIN HE HAS RECENTLY SAID THAT POVERTY POSES A MUCH GREATER THREAT TO OUR WORLD THAN DOES CLIMATE CHANGE.
THINK ABOUT THAT AND THINK ABOUT IT.
THAT THERE ARE KIDS LIVING IN WATSONVILLE THAT HAVE NEVER BEEN TO THE BEACH.
I WOULD LIKE TO ASK YOU TO PERHAPS CALL UP COUNTY PARKS STAFF AND FIND OUT WHAT PROGRAMS THEY DO OFFER FOR FREE OR REDUCED RATES FOR KIDS IN WATSONVILLE AND AROUND THE COUNTY TO BE ABLE TO GO TO THE BEACH, TO BE ABLE TO SURF, TO BE ABLE TO JUST BE IN THE OCEAN WATER.
IT IS AMAZING THAT MANY HAVE NEVER BEEN THERE.
UM, I ALSO WANT TO SAY THAT WE HAVE TO PROTECT OUR WATER QUALITY FOR OUR SURFING POPULATION, FOR OUR BEACHGOERS.
AND TO THAT END, THE CITY OF SANTA CRUZ, UH, WASTEWATER EFFLUENT PIPE HAS LEAKS.
AND THIS IS A DOCUMENTED FACT KNOWN BY THE CITY, BROUGHT TO THE ATTENTION OF THE CENTRAL COAST REGIONAL WATER QUALITY CONTROL BOARD.
THIS EFFLUENT PIPE DOES LEAK NEAR SHORE.
AND IT HAPPENED BECAUSE OF SEVERE STORMS. SO THE CITY IS NOT WILLING TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT BECAUSE OF COST.
BUT WE MUST, UM, KEEP AN EYE ON THAT.
I ALSO WANT TO SAY THAT THE PURE WATER SOQUEL PROJECT WILL BE DUMPING MILLIONS OF GALLONS EVERY DAY OF CONCENTRATED BRINE EFFLUENT FROM THEIR WASTEWATER TREATMENT OF THE PURE WATER SOQUEL THROUGH THIS PIPE AS WELL, WITH NO STUDIES ABOUT THE IMPACTS ON THE MARINE OR THE, UH, THE HEALTH OF PEOPLE NEARBY.
I WANT TO GIVE A SHOUT-OUT TO OPERATION SURF FOR VETERANS WHO DO SURFING AND... - THANK YOU.
- ... DAY AT THE BEACH FOR DISADVANTAGED KIDS.
- ANYONE ONLINE? - YES, CHAIR.
- CALL IN USER 2, YOUR MICROPHONE'S NOW AVAILABLE.
[01:20:01]
- IT SOUNDED LIKE AN EXCELLENT PRESENTATION OF THE DIRE SITUATION OF OUR OCEANS, BUT I COULD ONLY HEAR A PART OF IT BECAUSE THE SOUND QUALITY OF THE MEETING TODAY IS EXTREMELY POOR.I DID HEAR YOU REFER TO STRATEGIES WE COULD BE TAKING, AND I'D LIKE TO ADD ON TO THAT.
UM, WHAT ARE SOME OF THE CAUSES OF THE CLIMATE CATASTROPHES BESIDES THE POLLUTION BEING DONE BY, UH, CHEMICAL AGRICULTURE WITH LOTS OF PESTICIDES, THE, IN FACT, I'M DIVERTING HERE.
I SAW A FILM RECENTLY CALLED OUT OF PLAIN SIGHT ABOUT DDT.
AND I RECALL IN 1969, THERE WERE TRACES OF DDT IN EVERY BUCKET FULL OF OCEAN WATER WAY BACK THEN.
I LEARNED FROM THE FILM THAT DDT WAS THE FIRST FOREVER CHEMICAL.
AND NOW, THERE'S ELECTROPOLLUTION FROM CELL TOWERS UNDER THE OCEAN, THE GEOENGINEERING.
I THINK AN IMPORTANT STRATEGY IS TO TRY TO SOLVE THIS GEOENGINEERING, AND I REFER YOU TO GEOENGINEERINGWATCH.ORG.
GLOBAL CLIMATE MODIFICATION PROGRAMS ARE THREATENING ALL LIFE ON EARTH, INCLUDING CONTRIBUTING TO EXTREME DROUGHT, FLOODING, AND STORMS. GLOBAL GEOENGINEERING HAS COMPLETELY DISRUPTED THE PLANETARY... - THANK YOU.
- WE HAVE NO FURTHER SPEAKERS ONLINE, CHAIR.
- THANK YOU. I'LL BRING IT BACK TO THE BOARD FOR ANY COMMENTS, QUESTIONS.
- YEAH. FIRST, I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU ALL FOR UM, BRINGING THIS PRESENTATION TO THE BOARD'S ATTENTION.
I REMEMBER WHEN YOU ALL CAME TO THE CALIFORNIA COASTAL COMMISSION AND HEARING, YOU KNOW, THE ECONOMIC SIDE OF SURFING REALLY JUST BLEW US AWAY IN TERMS OF HOW MUCH SURFING CONTRIBUTES TO, NOT ONLY OUR LOCAL ECONOMY, BUT THEN EXTRAPOLATE THAT TO CALIFORNIA'S ECONOMY AND HOW MUCH AND HOW IMPORTANT SURFING IS TO TO OUR COMMUNITIES.
AND MAYBE THIS CAN BE A QUESTION FOR STAFF OR IT'S A QUESTION FOR YOU ALL, BUT I DID JUST WANT TO TOUCH ON THE ELSE, THE LOCAL COASTAL PROGRAM UPDATES AND WANTING TO BETTER UNDERSTAND THAT HOW THIS IS BEING INCORPORATED INTO THAT PLAN.
SO MAYBE HEAR FROM STAFF, BUT ALSO SINCE COUPLE OF YOU ARE ON THAT TECHNICAL ADVISORY PANEL, JUST BE GREAT TO UNDERSTAND HOW THIS KIND OF DATA FITS INTO THAT OVERALL PLANNING.
AND THEN ALSO, MAYBE IF YOU COULD JUST SAY KIND OF WHERE THINGS ARE AT WITH THAT TOO SINCE WE HAVEN'T HEARD ABOUT IT IN A WHILE.
- YEAH, UH, GOOD MORNING, UH, BOARD. STEPHANIE HANSON, UH, CDI.
UM, THE WORK THAT CDI IS DOING FALLS WITH MY TEAM.
UM, WE WILL BE TAKING THIS INFORMATION INTO ACCOUNT, UM, PARTICULARLY FOR THE UNINCORPORATED AREAS.
UM, UH, AS YOU KNOW, DAVE IS, UH, ALSO ON OUR CONSULTING TEAM WORKING ON THAT, AND THESE FOLKS ARE ON OUR, UH, WORKING GROUP AS WELL.
UM, SO-SO THEY'RE MID-PROCESS.
I THINK THEY'RE TRYING TO GET THROUGH THE BASIC ASSUMPTIONS FOR THE STUDY.
AND WE KNOW IT'S TAKING, YOU KNOW, WE KNEW THIS WAS GONNA BE A 3-YEAR PROCESS, UM, BUT WE WILL, UM, CONTINUE TO BE WORKING ON IT.
IT'S ACTUALLY GOING VERY STRONGLY, I THINK, SO...
HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
UM, AND I GUESS WHEN WE TALK ABOUT INCLUSION, I'M JUST WONDERING IF THERE'S ANY FROM RESPONDER, BASED ON THE WORK THAT YOU'VE ALL DONE, KIND OF WHAT LOCAL JURISDICTIONS CAN DO TO TRY TO HELP INCREASE, UM, INCLUSION.
I KNOW THAT THERE'S A NUMBER OF THE PUBLIC WHO JUST SPOKE TO THAT, AND WE'VE DONE A LITTLE BIT OF WORK HERE AT THE BOARD TO INCREASE, UM, NON-PROFITS TO BE ABLE TO HAVE PREMISE TO CONDUCT SURFING SCHOOLS, BUT I'M WONDERING IF THERE'S ANYTHING ELSE YOU MIGHT WANT US TO HEAR TODAY SO THAT WE CAN CONSIDER HOW WE CAN BEST SUPPORT INCLUSION IN SURFING.
- YEAH. UM, ONE OF THE BIGGEST BARRIERS WE'VE SEEN IS THE ACCESS TO PERMITTING THAT THE COUNTY AND THE CITY HAVE WORKED REALLY HARD ON REDUCING SOME OF THE BARRIERS AS TO WHO'S ABLE TO TEACH SURF LESSONS.
SO SOME OF THE NON-PROFIT SURFER, SOME OF THE SURF SCHOOL ORDINANCES THAT ARE IN PLACE THROUGHOUT OUR ENTIRE COUNTY HAVE HISTORICALLY BEEN A HUGE BARRIER, BUT THROUGH POLICY SHIFTS AND THROUGH, UM, CONVERSATIONS, WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO SEE SOME OF THOSE
[01:25:02]
BARRIERS BE REMOVED.UM, WE'RE ALSO SEEING LACK OF ACCESS TO TRANSPORTATION, UM, SO PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION TO OUR BEACH BREAKS.
UM, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN HAVE ACCESS TO A SURFBOARD, YOU CAN HAVE ACCESS TO A WET SUIT, BUT DO YOU HAVE ACCESS TO TRANSPORTATION TO GO AND FROM THE BEACH? ARE YOU HAVING TO PAY FOR PARKING? UM, SO THE LEAST BARRIERS FINANCIALLY THAT WE CAN SEE, UM, ARE VERY, VERY HELPFUL, AS WELL AS, UH, CITY OF SANTA CRUZ ALSO IMPLEMENTED CULTURAL SENSITIVITY, UM, TRAINING TO ALL SURF SCHOOLS, SO EVERYONE WHO HOLDS THAT SURF SCHOOL PERMIT IS NOW REQUIRED TO GO THROUGH CULTURAL SENSITIVITY TRAINING.
UM, AND THEN, LASTLY, I'LL SAY, UM, ONE OF THE, UH, MOST INTERESTING FINDINGS FOR MYSELF THROUGH THIS PROJECT WAS WHEN YOU LOOKED AT SOME OF THE SURF BREAKS THAT HAVE THE MOST ACCESS OF PARKING STRUCTURES, SHOWERS, UM, STAIRCASES, SO ARE THE "MOST ACCESSIBLE", WE SEE, CULTURALLY, THE MOST TERRITORIALISM HAPPENING AND HOSTILITY AT THOSE SURF BREAKS.
UM, AND SO, BY ADDRESSING THE CULTURE, WHETHER THAT BE THROUGH SIGNAGE, UM, OR THROUGH WAYS THAT REALLY SAY THAT IN OUR COUNTY, WE DON'T HAVE A TOLERANCE FOR HATE, UM, IS A HUGE STEP AS WELL.
SO ADDRESSING SOME OF THOSE CULTURAL BARRIERS THAT WE SEE WITHIN SURFING AS WELL.
- THANKS. I JUST HAVE ONE MORE COMMENT, AND ONE MORE QUESTION, TOO.
UH, THE COMMENT I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE IS JUST THAT, YOU KNOW, THROUGH WHAT YOU'RE SAYING RIGHT NOW, IT SEEMS LIKE EVEN MAYBE BRINGING THIS TO THE ATTENTION OF THE METRO BOARD, AND WE HAVE TWO METRO BOARD MEMBERS HERE, BUT, YOU KNOW, UM, GETTING SURFBOARDS ON THE BUSES SEEMS LIKE IT CAN BE A CHALLENGE, AND THE FACT THAT WE'VE OUTFITTED BUSES WITH BIKE RACKS, YOU KNOW, IS THERE AN OPPORTUNITY TO OUTFIT BUSES WITH SURF RACKS, AND THEN, ARE THERE ROUTES THAT WILL ACTUALLY TAKE PEOPLE FROM THESE DISADVANTAGED AREAS AND DROP THEM CLOSER TO SURF BREAKS SO THAT ALLEVIATES THAT BARRIER, MAY BE A WAY OF HELPING TO ADDRESS SOME OF THESE ACCESS ISSUES AS WELL? SO I HOPE YOU ALL CAN TAKE THAT INTO ACCOUNT.
UM, AND THEN MY LAST QUESTION, YOU KNOW, THIS IS REALLY KIND OF A UNIQUE STUDY THAT'S BEEN DONE NOW.
AND WITH ALL THE THREATS TO, THAT WE'RE HEARING NOW TO, UM, OIL AND GAS EXPLORATION AND DEEP SEA BED MINING, I'M JUST WONDERING IF THERE'S OPPORTUNITIES TO EXPAND THIS KIND OF STUDY TO LOOK AT THE ECONOMIC VALUE, FOR EXAMPLE, LIKE NATIONAL MARINE SANCTUARIES AND HOW THAT KIND OF DESTRUCTION CAN HAVE IMPACTS ON LOCAL JURISDICTIONS.
- UM, THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.
WHEN WE DID THE ECONOMICS, WE SORT OF BROKE OUT WHAT ARE THE VISITOR, UH, REVENUES GENERATED BY VISITATION, AND THEN WE ALSO LOOKED AT WHAT THE SERVICES PROVIDED ASSOCIATED WITH SURFING.
A SIMILAR STUDY COULD BE, UH, EXPA-...
A STUDY LIKE THAT COULD BE EXPANDED TO LOOK AT DIRECT REVENUE GENERATED BY THE SANCTUARY, BY, UM, YOU KNOW, WATER QUALITY.
UM, THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF WATER QUALITY STUDIES, SEA CLEAN, TRYING TO MAP POLLUTANT SOURCES OUT INTO THE OCEAN.
UM, THOSE CAN BE QUANTIFIED IN A NATURAL RESOURCE ECONOMIC EVALUATION.
AND I'M HAVING LUNCH WITH THE CALIFORNIA MARINE SANCTUARY FOUNDATION, ONE OF THEIR, UM, VICE PRESIDENTS TOMORROW.
UM, AND THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT CAME UP AT THE SEA STAR GALA.
THE OTHER COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO.
AND I THINK THERE IS A NEED FOR INCLUDING ENVIRONMENTAL ECONOMICS IN LOCAL COASTAL PROGRAM, OCEAN MANAGEMENT, ALL OF THESE THINGS THAT ARE REALLY HARD TO QUANTIFY, WE HAVEN'T FOR A LONG PERIOD OF TIME, AND YET EVERYBODY HERE WOULD ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THERE IS A VALUE OF THE OCEAN OF THE SURF BREAK THAT WE DON'T MOW THE GRASS FOR, OF THE, UM, WAY WE FEEL WHEN WE'RE STANDING, LOOKING AT THE OCEAN AND SEEING SEA OTTERS, UM, THAT REALLY IS AN ECONOMIC AND MENTAL HEALTH BENEFIT.
SO I THINK IT IS, UH, VERY POSSIBLE AND CAN BE USED TO SORT OF HELP INFLUENCE DECISIONS AROUND DEEP SEA MINING AND OIL AND GAS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
- SUPERVISOR DE SERPA? - UH, I'M SORRY I LEFT BECAUSE I WAS HAVING A LITTLE NEED FOR A DRINK OF WATER.
UM, CAN YOU JUST GO OVER BRIEFLY HOW YOU GOT TO THE $194 MILLION VALUATION OF THE ECONOMICS? BECAUSE THAT SEEMS ENORMOUS, LIKE AN ENORMOUS NUMBER, AND I'M NOT QUITE SURE LIKE HOW YOU GOT THERE.
- SURE. UM, THERE'S A LOT MORE DETAIL IN THE REPORT, UH, AND I'M NOT THE, UH, ECONOMIST, SO I CAN'T GET INTO ALL OF THE NITTY-GRITTY.
UM, HOWEVER, WE DID LOOK AT DIRECT REVENUES.
SO WHAT IS BEING SPENT FROM SURF SHOPS, FROM, UM, JOBS ASSOCIATED WITH THE SURF INDUSTRY.
UM, WE'VE ALSO LOOKED AT VISITOR TRAVEL COST MODEL.
[01:30:01]
SO PEOPLE COME FROM AROUND THE WORLD TO COME SURF SANTA CRUZ.AND SO WE'VE BROKEN THOSE UP ANNUALLY.
IT'S ABOUT 45 MILLION FOR PEOPLE COMING TO VISIT SANTA CRUZ TO GO SURFING ALONE.
AND WE USE A LOT OF CELL PHONE DATA THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, SORT OF SHOWS WHERE PEOPLE ARE COMING FROM AND WHERE THEY'RE, YOU KNOW, FOCUSING THEIR TIME AND WHERE DO THEY GO AFTER THEY GET OUT OF THE WATER.
SO WE SORT OF WE'RE ABLE TO BACKTRACK, KIND OF, WHERE THEY'RE COMING FROM THAT DISTANCE AND THEN WHERE THEY GO AFTERWARDS TO SPEND MONEY, BUY [INAUDIBLE], YOU KNOW, BUY, YOU KNOW, SERVICES.
UM, SO THAT'S PART OF HOW WE GOT AT THAT.
- UM, AND SINCE I REPRESENT MID AND SOUTH COUNTY, I NOTED THAT THERE WAS NO, NOTHING SAID AT ALL ABOUT ANY OF THE BREAKS THAT ARE SOUTH.
- YEAH. - IT SEEMED TO BE VERY FOCUSED ON THE SANTA CRUZ AREA.
CAN YOU TALK ABOUT THAT A LITTLE BIT? - YEAH. AND THEN THE LAST POINT ON THE LAST QUESTION TOO IS WE HAD A 2-YEAR LONG SURVEY OUT THERE.
IT WAS ABOUT A 10-MINUTE SURVEY HOW WE WERE ABLE TO GET PEOPLE'S FEEDBACK, AND SO...
YEAH, I... YOU KNOW, CAPACITY WISE, I WISH WE COULD HAVE DONE THIS, YOU KNOW, THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY, BECAUSE LIKE I MENTIONED, THERE'S OVER 60 SURF BREAKS JUST IN THE COUNTY.
WE FOCUS BY PRIORITIZING THE 31 SURF BREAKS IN THE SANTA CRUZ WORLD SURFING RESERVE.
SO THE SANTA CRUZ WORLD SURFING RESERVE SPANS FROM NATURAL BRIDGES, UH, DOWN TO CAPITOLA, AND THIS WAS ACTUALLY EVEN BEFORE CAPITOLA WAS A PART OF THE WORLD SURFING RESERVE, BUT NOW, IT SPANS 3 JURISDICTIONS, CAPITOLA, THE COUNTY, AND THEN THE CITY OF SANTA CRUZ.
AND SO, THE WORLD SURFING RESERVE HAS BEEN AROUND SINCE 2012 AND SO WE HAVE A PRETTY GOOD UNDERSTANDING OF THE SURF BREAKS WORKING WITH LOCAL, UM, STEWARDSHIP COUNCIL, UH, PEOPLE THAT ARE KIND OF REPRESENTED AS LOCAL STAKEHOLDERS ON THOSE WAVES AND, UM, COASTLINE, AND SO...
BECAUSE WE FELT LIKE THE CAPACITY TO ANALYZE SURF BREAKS OR, YOU KNOW, THE VULNERABILITY ASSESSMENT, AND THEN ALSO GETTING SURVEY NUMBERS FROM PEOPLE AT COUNTY WIDE IS A PRETTY GRAND AND COULD POTENTIALLY BE A TRICKY PROJECT.
WE WANT TO FOCUS IT ON THE WORLD SURFING RESERVE.
WE ACTUALLY APPLIED TO THE OCEAN PROTECTION COUNCIL TO MAKE THIS MORE OF LIKE A STATE-WIDE PROJECT WHERE WE COULD ASSESS SURFING IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA AND SANTA CRUZ AND NORTHERN CALIFORNIA, BUT THEY WANT US TO START A LITTLE BIT SMALLER, AND THIS KIND OF... SO WE LOOKED AT THIS AS KIND OF LIKE A PILOT PROJECT.
AND SO, HOPEFULLY, ONE DAY, YEAH, WE CAN EXPAND TO THE COUNTY, AND LIKE I MENTIONED, OTHER PARTS OF CALIFORNIA AS WELL.
- UM, IF I CAN ADD ONE THING TO THAT, UM, SINCE I AM WORKING WITH THE COUNTY ON THE LOCAL COASTAL PROGRAM VULNERABILITY ADAPTATION, UM, PLANNING THAT WILL HELP INFORM THE LCP UPDATE, UM, ONE OF THE WONDERFUL THINGS THAT CAME OUT OF THIS STUDY IS A VALUE PER PERSON THAT'S SPENT ON A DAY GOING SURFING.
AND SO WE HOPE IN THAT LCP PROCESS TO LEVERAGE THIS STUDY, GET SOME ESTIMATES OF THE NUMBERS OF SURFERS ELSEWHERE IN THE COUNTY AND BE ABLE TO SORT OF BRING IN A BIGGER, UM, REPRESENTATION ACROSS THE COUNTY SO, SOUTH COUNTY, WILL NOT BE FORGOTTEN.
- SUPERVISOR MARTINEZ? - THANK YOU.
JUST LIKE TO START OFF, BY, THANKING YOU, FOR, BRING THIS PRESENTATION TO US, TODAY.
UM, I'M VERY MUCH IN SUPPORT OF OPENING UP THESE REALLY, YOU KNOW, PRO-SOCIAL, HEALTHY OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES FOR OUR YOUTH, FOR OUR PUBLIC, AND, UM, EDUCATING US, ABOUT THE ECONOMIC IMPACT, OF SUCH ACTIVITIES, UM, AND, THE IMPACT ON LOCAL TOURISM AND JUST ONE OF THE THINGS THAT MAKES OUR REGION GREAT.
SO, I VERY MUCH APPRECIATE YOU BRINGING THAT TODAY.
ONE, YOU KNOW, IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU HAVE SOME STATE-WIDE PLANS, AND HOPES TO EXPAND THIS STUDY, AND INTEGRATE IT INTO STATE POLICY.
AND IF THERE'S ANY WAY THAT WE CAN SUPPORT YOU IN THAT, THROUGH OUR LEGISLATIVE PARTNERS, OUR LOCAL, UM, STATE REPRESENTATIVES.
I'D BE HAPPY TO SUPPORT YOU IN THOSE CONNECTIONS.
I'M SURE OTHER MEMBERS OF THE BOARD WOULD AS WELL.
SO, PLEASE STAY IN TOUCH WITH US, IF THERE'S THINGS THAT WE CAN DO TO SUPPORT YOUR EFFORTS MOVING FORWARD.
AT THE LOCAL LEVEL, I HEARD COMMENTS ABOUT OUR SANTA CRUZ METRO, UM, I DO SIT ON THE METRO BOARD, UM, ACTUALLY RODE THE BUS YESTERDAY WITH MY KIDS.
AND UM, I'D BE HAPPY TO AT LEAST ASK A QUESTION, AND BRING UP A CONVERSATION ABOUT POLICIES AROUND SURFBOARDS ON BUSES.
I ACTUALLY DON'T KNOW WHAT THE POLICY IS TODAY, AND WHAT MIGHT BE POSSIBLE IN THE FUTURE, BUT I'D BE HAPPY TO BRING THAT CONVERSATION FORWARD, TO THE METRO.
AND FINALLY, YOU KNOW, I JUST WANNA NAME THAT, THE CONVERSATION THAT WE'RE HAVING TODAY IS REALLY, UM, A PART OF AN ONGOING CONVERSATION ABOUT OUR...
[01:35:03]
YOU KNOW, HISTORIC RELIANCE ON FOSSIL FUELS, AND OUR GOALS TO REDUCE GREENHOUSE GASES, AND TO REDUCE THE IMPACT OF CLIMATE CHANGE, UM, THOUGH A VARIETY OF THINGS, THAT OUR COUNTY HAS ADOPTED, INCLUDING, OUR CLIMATE ACTION AND ADAPTATION PLAN.AND GIVEN THAT THERE MIGHT BE SOME INTERSECTION BETWEEN THE CAP, AND THIS PRESENTATION, I WAS WONDERING IF I CAN ASK DIRECTOR REID, IF HE CAN COME UP AND IF ANYTHING STANDS OUT TO YOU, ABOUT WAYS THAT OUR LOCAL CLIMATE ACTION AND ADAPTATION PLAN, EITHER INCORPORATES THE COMMENTS TODAY, OR UM, YOU KNOW, COULD POSSIBLY SUPPORT THESE GOALS MOVING FORWARD? - YEAH, THANK YOU, UM, SUPERVISOR, DAVE REID, OR3, UM, ACTUALLY THERE'S A COUPLE AREAS, THAT THIS CONVERSATION TODAY UM, MAKE CONNECTIONS, WITH THE WORK THAT WE'RE DOING.
ONE IS CERTAINLY WITH THE CLIMATE ACTION AND ADAPTATION PLAN, CERTAINLY AROUND SEA LEVEL RISES, DRIVEN BY GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS.
SO WHAT EVER WE CAN DO, IN REDUCING EMISSIONS IS CRITICAL, ESPECIALLY GIVEN THE CHANGES IN THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT'S SUPPORT FOR THOSE EMISSION REDUCTION EFFORTS.
UM, COUPLE OTHER PLACES, THAT ARE IMPORTANT, THE LOCAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN, THAT WE ARE NOW SUBMITTING TO THE STATE THIS WEEK, ACTUALLY, UM, HAS A NUMBER OF STRATEGIES IN IT, AROUND COASTAL ADAPTATION, THAT WILL BE ADDRESSED THROUGH THE LCP WORK THAT'S BEEN DISCUSSED ALREADY.
AND THEN THE THIRD ONE THAT I WOULD BRING UP IS THAT, DURING THE MEASURE Q VISION PLAN PROCESS, THERE WAS EXTENSIVE COMMENT MADE, UM, AROUND COASTAL ACCESS IN SOUTH COUNTY, AND THE NEED TO IMPROVE COASTAL ACCESS TO SOUTH COUNTY.
SO, IN SOUTH COUNTY, PARTICULARLY ALONG THE KIND OF, BEACH CORRIDOR, OR BEACH TREE CORRIDOR.
SO, I THINK THERE'S LOT'S OF OPPORTUNITIES WITH THE VALUE OF THIS STUDY TO ADVANCE THE WORK IN THE CAP, THROUGH MEASURE Q, AS WELL AS THE LOCAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN.
- THANK YOU, I APPRECIATE THAT, DIRECTOR REID.
AND, YOU KNOW, YOU SEE THE WAY THAT COMMUNITY PARTNERS WHO ARE EAGER TO WORK WITH YOU, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING HOW THAT PARTNERSHIP CONTINUES TO PROGRESS, THANK YOU.
- SUPERVISOR KOENIG? - THANK YOU, CHAIR.
UH, THANK YOU FOR THE GREAT PRESENTATION.
I MEAN, I THINK YOU'VE BASICALLY, KIND OF, GRABBED SOMETHING OUT OF THE ETHER, THAT WE ALL KNOW IS THERE, HERE IN SANTA CRUZ, AND UM, AND YOU'VE MEASURED IT.
UM, AND, WHETHER OR NOT IT'S AN ACCURATE MEASUREMENT IS SORT OF, UM, IRRELEVANT AT THIS POINT.
BECAUSE, IT'S AN INITIAL MEASUREMENT, UM, WHICH IS A LOT MORE THAN NO MEASUREMENT.
UM, YOU KNOW, THERE'S SUBTEXT OF COURSE OF WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT, UM, WITH ALL THE PUBLIC BENEFITS, IS THE PRIVATE BENEFITS THAT EXISTS WITH PEOPLE WHO OWN COASTAL HOMES, THAT WOULD WANNA PROTECT THEM, UM, WITH SOME KIND OF, SEA WALL OR OTHER, OTHER PROTECTION MECHANISM.
UM, AND HOW THOSE ARE INCREASINGLY GOING TO COME INTO CONFLICT, WITH SEA LEVEL RISE.
WHAT I FOUND MYSELF THINKING ABOUT, IS, WELL WHAT IS THE VERY MEASURABLE BENEFIT FROM THE PRIVATE HOMES RIGHT? I MEAN EVEN JUST IN TERMS OF TAX REVENUE, THAT THE COUNTY GETS, AND WHERE'S THE INFLECTION POINT? UM, WHERE ALL OF A SUDDEN THE LOSS, OF PUBLIC BENEFITS IS NOW, YOU KNOW, GREATER THAN THE TOTAL BENEFIT THAT THE PRIVATE HOMES ARE PROVIDING.
AND OF COURSE IT'S NOT JUST SURFING, I MEAN IT'S OUR, ALL OF OUR BEACHES.
AND I'M ALMOST BE INTERESTED TO SEE THIS, EXTENDED TO THE WIDTH OF OUR BEACHES, THE AMOUNT OF TIME THAT YOU KNOW, POPULAR BEACHES ARE WALKABLE, UM...
BECAUSE, I MEAN I THINK, THE TOURISM ADMINISTERIAL OVERALL IN SANTA CRUZ, CLOSE TO A BILLION DOLLARS A YEAR, RIGHT? AND SO, UH, THOSE PUBLIC BENEFITS ARE REALLY ENORMOUS.
I'M CURIOUS, UH, SORT OF IN PARTICULAR, WHAT YOU SEE, UM...
ONE THING, ONE PLACE THAT COMES TO MIND, IS EAST CLIFF, BECAUSE I MEAN, AS YOU SAID THERE'S FOUR GREAT SURF SPOTS, OUT THERE OR, FOUR GREAT BREAKS THAT ARE CONSISTENT THERE.
UM BUT ALSO, WE'VE ALREADY GOT THIS ARMORING PROJECT ARGUABLY A, PRETTY GOOD ONE, AND THAT IT TENDS TO MIRROR SOME NATURAL FEATURES.
AND WE'VE GOT PUBLIC INFRASTRUCTURE RIGHT THERE, RIGHT? SO, I MEAN, THIS SEEMS LIKE, A PRIME EXAMPLE WHERE WE MIGHT HAVE TO THINK ABOUT SOMETHING LIKE SAND NOURISHMENT, OR I MEAN, I DON'T KNOW WHAT ELSE WE COULD CONSIDER THERE, UM...
YOU KNOW, ARTIFICIAL REEFS, OR GROINS, OR SOMETHING, UM, BECAUSE IN THAT CASE IT'S A LITTLE BIT HARDER TO JUST MAKE THE ROAD GO AWAY.
UH, WE WOULD ACTUALLY LOSE A LOT OF THAT ACCESS, RIGHT? I MEAN YOU'D HAVE TO START NOW, TAKING AWAY OF THE ROAD, AND A ROW OF HOMES IN ORDER TO MAINTAINED PUBLIC ACCESS SO, IT'LL QUICKLY BECOME INCREDIBLY EXPENSIVE, AND THAT INFLECTION POINT MIGHT BE FURTHER OFF IN THE FUTURE, SO, JUST CURIOUS ABOUT ANY WAYS YOU'RE APPROACHING PLACES LIKE THAT.
- THERE ARE SO MANY DEEP THOUGHTS IN THERE SUPERVISOR.
- AND, UH, I DO APPRECIATE YOU MODERATING THAT, UM, TOWN HALL, WITH THE, UH, OCEANFRONT PROPERTY OWNERS ASSOCIATION,
[01:40:05]
UM, I GUESS 2 WEEKS AGO.IT WAS INSIGHTFUL FOR ME TO HEAR SOME OF THAT PERSPECTIVE, MIC IS.. I'M NOT GOOD WITH THE MIC I GUESS..
UM, SO, UM I GUESS MY REACTIONS WOULD BE, THAT THIS IS, A DATA POINT.
AND IF ANYTHING I'D SAY IS MAYBE, UNDERREPRESENTATIVE, BECAUSE WE DID RELY ON CELLPHONE DATA.
AND WE KNOW, THERE'S A LOT OF SURFERS THAT LIVE IN PLEASURE POINT THAT DON'T TAKE THEIR PHONES SURFING.
SO, IT MAY BE, GREATER, WE DIDN'T LOOK AT THE IMPACT OF THE CONTESTS OR EVENTS.
SO, THIS COULD BE MUCH LARGER, THAN 194.7 MILLION.
UM, AND I SCOLDED MY ECONOMIST FOR USING EVEN A DECIMAL POINT AS WE CAME UP WITH THESE CALCULATIONS.
BUT THAT'S WHAT THE CALCULATION SHOWED.
THERE ARE MANY HOMES THAT INFRASTRUCTURE, REPLACEMENT COSTS, ALL OF THAT, IS A TREMENDOUS BURDEN ON THE COMMUNITY THAT WOULD REALLY, SUFFER.
THE OCEAN, AND THE WATER QUALITY, WOULD GO TO POOP, IF THE WASTEWATER INFRASTRUCTURE BREAKS, AND ISN'T PROTECTED.
WE CAN'T HAVE A COMMUNITY WITHOUT A FUNCTIONING SANITARY SYSTEM.
THERE ARE CHECKS AND BALANCES, THE WHOLE COASTAL ACT IS ABOUT BALANCING PUBLIC TRUST, WITH, INFRASTRUCTURE AND DEVELOPMENT.
AND, THE LCP PROCESS THAT I'M ALSO INVOLVED, IN, UM, YOU KNOW WE ARE ATTEMPTING TO, LAY OUT THESE DIFFERENT OPTIONS, AND LOOK AT SOME OF THE OTHER OPTIONS, POTENTIALLY GROINS, OTHER OTHER STRATEGIES FOR ADAPTATION AND THEN COMPARE THE, COSTS AND BENEFITS, OVER TIME, TO TRY AND UNDERSTAND THAT INFLECTION POINT.
SO, I HAVE A FEELING I WILL BE BACK IN FRONT OF YOU ALL, UM, TALKING ABOUT THE LCP PROCESS.
UM, I WILL SAY THAT WE ARE, TRYING TO GET A FINAL VULNERABILITY ASSESSMENT WHICH LAYS OUT THE, IMPACTS OF, WITH THE EXISTING COASTAL ARMORING AND WITHOUT BY BEGINNING OF MARCH.
AND THEN WE WILL GET INTO THESE ADAPTATION AS WELL.
SO, THE ECONOMICS FROM THIS STUDY, WILL DEFINITELY INFORM SOME OF THAT WORK.
BUT IT WILL BE A BALANCE, AND IT WILL BE A COMMUNITY DECISION.
UM, I LOOK FORWARD TO WATCHING THIS, PROCESS EVOLVE IN THE, IN THE STUDY, AND THE VARIOUS ELEMENTS THAT AS YOU SAID, IT LOOKING, TAKING THIS, REPORT AND GETTING INTO THE VULNERABILITY ASSESSMENT, INTEGRATING THAT INTO LOCAL COASTAL PROGRAM AMENDMENT, UM, IT WILL BE A VALUABLE PROCESS.
UM, AND DEFINITELY SOME, YOU KNOW, IT'S SEEMS LIKE WE HAVE A FAIR AMOUNT OF TIME NOW, BUT I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY, IT'S AN ACCELERATING PROBLEM, RIGHT? I MEAN, THE MODELS THAT THROUGH GENERAL STATE-WIDE MODELS SAY, WE SHOULD BE PLANNING FOR A FOOT OF SEA LEVEL RISE BY 2050, BUT 5 FEET BY 2100, SO, UM, IT'S IT'S SOMETHING WE'RE REALLY GONNA HAVE TO GRAPPLE WITH VERY QUICKLY, COME THE SECOND HALF OF THE CENTURY, AND NOW'S THE TIME TO START THINKING ABOUT WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO.
- WELL, THANK YOU FOR YOU PRESENTATION UM, I JUST KINDA WANT TO ALSO ASK, I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S PARKS OR THE GROUP HERE, UH, KINDA SAME LINE THAT, UH, SOME OF THE PUBLIC COMMENT FROM BECKY, AND SUPERVISOR CUMMINGS.
I KNOW THAT I HAVE READ BEFORE THERE'S SOME SORT OF A YOUTH TEAM PROGRAM, IN LIVE OAK SOMEWHERE.
I'M WONDERING IF THAT'S STILL GONNA CONTINUE, AND IF THERE'S GONNA BE OPPORTUNITIES FOR SOUTH COUNTY KIDS TO, BE INVOLVED IN THAT PROCESS.
AND I'M ALSO GLAD THAT BECKY MENTIONED THE SURF GROUP THE VETERANS SURFED BECAUSE I THINK IT'S VERY GOOD IN TERMS OF WELLNESS, FOR THE, A LOT OF THE VETERANS TO GET OUT THERE, IN THE SURF.
AND ALSO, YOU KNOW, SPEAKING OF TOURISM, I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE DO INVOLVE YOU KNOW, THE, SANTA CRUZ COUNTY TOURISM BOARD.
UH, ALONG WITH SURFING, I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO, I ENDED UP A FEW YEARS AGO IN BIARRITZ, FRANCE.
AND, THEY'RE REALLY, INTO, SURFING, OVER THERE, AND ONE OF THE LITTLE SHOPS THAT I WENT TO, THAT SELL SOME OF THE TOURISM LITTLE KEYCHAINS, AND MAGNETS, THEY HAD A CITY OF SANTA CRUZ UP ON THERE, AND THEY SAID, THEY HAD LITTLE THING, IT WAS UH, THAT IT WAS, UM, FRANCE'S SURF CAPITAL, AND THAT THEY'RE SISTER CITIES WITH THE CITY OF SANTA CRUZ.
SO THEY TAKE GREAT PRIDE, IN THAT, UH, THAT THEY'RE THE SURF CAPITAL THERE, IN FRANCE, AND ALSO, SISTER CITY'S WITH SANTA CRUZ, SO THAT THEY CALL THE SURF CAPITAL OF CALIFORNIA.
WE GOTTA CONTINUE WITH THE UH, THE UH, TOURISM END OF IT TOO.
- GOOD MORNING, UH, JEFF GAFFNEY, COUNTY PARKS DIRECTOR.
UH, YEAH, YOU ASKED A QUESTION ABOUT, PROGRAMS THAT WE CAN DO IN SOUTH COUNTY, UM, AND PROGRAMS WE'RE WORKING ON IN SOUTH COUNTY.
WE'VE BEEN WORKING IN PARTNERSHIP WITH OUR COUNTY PARK FRIENDS,
[01:45:02]
NON-PROFIT.AND WITH BELLA AND HER TEAM, UM, AND WE ARE CURRENTLY WORKING TOWARDS MORE OUTDOOR EDUCATION PROGRAMMING, ESPECIALLY IN SOUTH COUNTY, WE'RE VERY FOCUSED ON THAT.
WE'VE GOT HUNDREDS OF PROGRAMS WE'VE BEEN DOING LAST COUPLE OF YEARS, AND SPECIFICALLY, IN THIS AREA, UM, THIS IS ONE OF THE OUTDOOR EDUCATION INITIATIVES THAT WE'RE LOOKING TOWARDS.
UM, WE RECENTLY, WITH YOUR BOARD'S APPROVAL, ARE MOVING TOWARDS HIRING A RECREATIONAL COORDINATOR.
AND THAT SPECIFIC POSITION IS FOR OUTDOOR EDUCATION, AND SO THIS IS SOMETHING WE'VE BEEN STRIVING FOR, FOR LITERALLY A DECADE AND VERY EXCITED THAT WE'RE IN THIS SPACE, ESPECIALLY NOW, DURING THIS TIME IN OUR WORLD THAT WE CAN PROVIDE THESE PLACES THAT ARE ALMOST LIKE WATER AND FOOD TO PEOPLE.
THE HAVING THE OUTDOOR SPACE, HAVING PLACES TO GO, BEING ABLE TO RECREATE LIKE THIS, AND I'M VERY EXCITED THAT WE GET TO HEAR PRESENTATIONS LIKE THIS, THAT ARE A REMINDER TO THIS BOARD AND EVERYBODY, THAT THEY ARE SO IMPORTANT TO PEOPLE.
SO WE'RE WORKING ON THAT RIGHT NOW.
- I JUST WANNA ADD, ONE THING, TO THAT COMMENT.
UM, A LOT OF THE SOUTH COUNTY BEACHES ARE STATE PARK-RUN AND MANDATED, AND SO THE PERMITTING PROCESS FOR STATE PARK FOR LIKE, MANRESA, OR SUNSET STATE BEACH, ARE A WHOLE NOTHER WORLD, AND SO TALKING TO AGENCY PARTNERS, LIKE, STATE PARKS, ABOUT THEIR STATE WIDE, UH, SURF ORDINANCE, AND PERMITTING, PROCESSES WOULD HELP UM, AS WELL.
AND, UH, AT BLACK SURF SANTA CRUZ WE'VE TAKEN OUT A FEW SOUTH COUNTY GROUPS, INCLUDING, PARTNERING WITH UM, FOODWHAT TO TAKE OUT THEIR YOUTH AT MANRESA STATE BEACH, AND THAT WAS OUR FIRST, UH, APTOS-SOUTH COUNTY, UM, PARTNERSHIP TO YOU KNOW, REALLY START TO HAVE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THE ACCESS BARRIERS, THAT WE SEE IN SOUTH COUNTY.
I'LL BRING IT BACK TO THE BOARD, TO SEE IF, UH, TO ENTERTAIN...
- THANK YOU VERY MUCH, FOR THE PRESENTATION.
WE DO HAVE A SCHEDULED ITEM FOR 10:45, UH, WE'RE GONNA BEGIN
[11. Hold a public hearing to consider whether the Mosquito, Vector and Disease Control Assessment should be formed and assessments levied and collected as proposed in the Engineer's Report starting Fiscal Year 2026-27, and take related actions]
THAT NOW, AND MOVE FROM ITEM 8 TO ITEM NUMBER11.THE NEXT IS, UH, AGENDA ITEM IS NUMBER 11, HOLD A PUBLIC HEARING, TO CONSIDER WHETHER THE MOSQUITO VECTOR AND DISEASE CONTROL ASSESSMENT, SHOULD BE FORMED AN ASSESSMENT LEVIED, AND COLLECTED, AS PROPOSED, IN THE ENGINEER'S REPORT.
STARTING FISCAL YEAR '26-'27, AND TAKE OVER RELATED ACTIONS.
I'LL TURN IT OVER TO, AMANDA PAULSON, ASSISTANT VECTOR CONTROL MANAGER, AND BRANDON VANLEUVEN, OF SCI CONSULTING FOR THE PRESENTATION.
UM, OUR CONSULTANTS SCI BRANDON VANLEUVEN WILL MAKE A FEW COMMENTS.
- YES, UH, GOOD MORNING AND THANK YOU CHAIR.
GOOD MORNING, AND THANK YOU, CHAIR.
BALLOTS WERE MAILED ON SEPTEMBER... - CAN YOU SPEAK INTO THE MICROPHONE.
BALLOTS WERE MAILED ON SEPTEMBER 2ND, UH, TO ALL IDENTIFIED PROPERTY OWNERS WITHIN THE PROPOSED ASSESSMENT AREA, UH, CONSISTENT WITH PROP 218 PROCEDURES.
REPLACEMENT BALLOTS ARE AVAILABLE TODAY, FOR VERIFIED PROPERTY OWNERS.
AND THE ENGINEER'S REPORT ON FILE OUTLINES THE BENEFIT METHODOLOGY AND THE PROPOSED BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR '26-'27.
UH, FOR THE PROPOSED MOSQUITO VECTOR AND DISEASE CONTROL ASSESSMENT.
AFTER THE CLOSE OF TODAY'S PUBLIC HEARING, ALL SUBMITTED BALLOTS WILL BE SECURED FOR TABULATION, AND THE RESULTS WILL BE, REPORTED AT THE CONTINUED HEARING ON NOVEMBER 18TH.
DEPENDING ON THE OUTCOME OF THAT TABULATION, THE BOARD MAY CONSIDER THE NEXT STEPS IN THE PROCESS AT THIS TIME.
ALL BALLOTS MUST BE RECEIVED BY THE END OF THE PUBLIC INPUT PORTION, OF THE HEARING TO BE TABULATED.
AND I'M GONNA BE OVER IN THIS, CORNER OVER HERE, IF YOU NEED A REPLACEMENT BALLOT, FOR, UH FOR THIS PROCESS.
- SO, THIS IS A PUBLIC HEARING, I'M GONNA OPEN IT UP TO THE PUBLIC TO SEE IF ANYONE WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS THIS ON THIS ITEM? OR, WOULD LIKE TO GET A BALLOT? - THANK YOU. BECKY STEINBRUNER.
UH, RESIDENT OF THE APTOS HILLS.
UM, I WANT TO ALSO, CONFIRM THAT YOU WILL INCLUDE, MS. MARIA MARCELIOS COMMENT, THAT WAS PROVIDED, UM, DURING OPEN COMMENT.
SHE, LIKE MANY PEOPLE, CANNOT STAY UNTIL THIS HAPPENS.
SO PLEASE, INCORPORATE HER COMMENT INTO TODAY'S RECORD FOR THIS PUBLIC HEARING.
THE ISSUE, I HAVE UM, WITH THIS IS THAT, IT WAS NOT CLEAR, A
[01:50:03]
CLEAR SEPARATION OF GENERAL BENEFIT VERSUS SPECIFIC BENEFIT.AND UM, THAT IS AN IMPORTANT ISSUE, IN THE CALIFORNIA CONSTITUTION, ARTICLE 13, SECTION C AND D PROP 218.
ENGINEERS' REPORTS MUST CLEARLY SPECIFY AND DELINEATE, SPECIAL VERSUS GENERAL BENEFIT.
SO, UM, CAN YOU PLEASE TALK ABOUT THAT, AND EXPLAIN TO THE PUBLIC AND THE SUPERVISORS, HOW THAT IS DELINEATED.
- ANYONE, UH, ANYONE ONLINE? - YES, CHAIR.
CALL IN USER 002, YOUR MICROPHONE'S NOW AVAILABLE.
THE SPEAKER HAS PUT THEIR HAND DOWN, I'M GONNA MOVE.
I'M GONNA MOVE TO THE NEXT SPEAKER.
CALL IN USER 2, YOUR MICROPHONE'S NOW AVAILABLE.
- ARE YOU ON ITEM, UM, 8? IT'S SO DIFFICULT TO HEAR THE POOR QUALITY OF SOUND TODAY.
- NO, WE ARE ON ITEM 11, UH, SCHEDULED ITEM FOR 10:45.
WE'LL COME BACK TO WHAT THAT ITEM LATER. - WHAT ITEM ARE YOU ON? WHAT NUMBER? I CAN'T EVEN HEAR YOUR RESPONSE.
- NO, WE'RE ON ITEM 11, A SCHEDULED ITEM FOR 10:45.
WE'LL COME BACK TO ITEM NUMBER 8 IN A FEW MINUTES.
- SO WHAT ITEM ARE YOU PRESENTLY ON? - 11. THANK YOU.
- I'M SORRY, I CAN'T HEAR YOU.
- YOU'RE ON ITEM 11? I HEARD YOUR VOICE ON THE SCHEDULE THE ITEM ABOUT THE MOSQUITO VECTOR.
THE HISTORY OF THE USE OF, UH, PESTICIDES HAS TO DO WITH A LOT OF TOXICITY AND HARM TO THE PUBLIC AND DOESN'T SOLVE THE PROBLEM.
I DO NOT HAVE GIVEN THE HISTORY, ANY TRUST IN THIS KIND OF ABATEMENT CONTROL.
- IS THERE ANYONE ELSE ONLINE? OH, OKAY.
- CALL IN USER 002, YOUR MICROPHONE'S NOW AVAILABLE.
WE HAVE NO FURTHER SPEAKERS, CHAIR.
- SO I DO HAVE A... THIS IS A PUBLIC HEARING I DO HAVE ADDITIONAL, UH, COMMENTS.
UH, ARE THERE ANY WRITTEN COMMUNICATIONS TO BE READ INTO THE RECORD AT THIS POINT? - UH, WE RECEIVED TWO LETTERS OF OBJECTION THAT WERE, UM, PROVIDED IN THE BOARD PACKET, BUT THAT'S ALL THAT WE'VE RECEIVED.
THANK YOU. I'LL BRINGING IT BACK TO THE BOARD NOW.
UM, I WANT TO NOTE THAT AT THE END OF THE BOARD DISCUSSION, WE WILL BE ISSUING THE LAST CALL FOR THE BALLOT SUBMISSION.
I'LL BRING IT BACK TO THE BOARD.
- I'LL MOVE THE RECOMMENDED ACTIONS - SECOND.
- WE HAVE A MOTION AND SECOND, I WILL CLOSE...
AFTER THIS VOTE, I WILL CLOSE THE ALLOTTED TIME
[01:55:01]
FOR SUBMISSION OF BALLOTS.- AYE. MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.
SO AT THIS TIME IT'LL BE THE LAST CALL FOR BALLOT SUBMISSION.
AND I WILL NOW CLOSE THIS HEARING.
WE WILL NOW MOVE TO ITEM NUMBER 8.
[8. Consider the proposed Focus Areas for the County Strategic Plan 2032, and take related actions]
CONSIDER THE PROPOSED FOCUS AREA FOR COUNTY STRATEGIC PLAN 2032, AND TAKE ALL RELATED ACTIONS.I'LL TURN IT OVER TO NICOLE COBURN, COUNTY EXECUTIVE OFFICER, AND SVEN STAFFORD, PRINCIPAL, ADMINISTRATIVE ANALYST AND BELLA BONNER EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF BLACK SURF SANTA CRUZ COUNTY.
- SO THANK YOU, CHAIR, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
UM, SO I'M NICOLE COBURN, COUNTY EXECUTIVE OFFICER.
TODAY I'M GOING TO BE PRESENTING WITH SVEN STAFFORD, WHO'S A PRINCIPAL ADMINISTRATIVE ANALYST IN OUR OFFICE AND BELLA BONNER, WHO IS THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF BLACK SURF SANTA CRUZ, SANTA CRUZ, WHO YOU JUST HEARD FROM IN THE PREVIOUS, UH, PRESENTATION.
UM, TOGETHER WE'RE A PART OF THE DESIGN TEAM WORKING ON THIS AND, UM, GOING THROUGH THE FEEDBACK THAT WE HAD RECEIVED FROM THE PUBLIC.
SO TODAY WE'RE GONNA PRESENT FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION SIX FOCUS AREAS FOR THE NEXT STRATEGIC PLAN.
TO GET TO THESE SIX, WE WANT TO TELL YOU WHAT WE HEARD FROM RESIDENTS AND OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS.
UM, IT'S IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER THAT THE STRATEGIC PLAN IS ABOUT FOCUSING OUR LIMITED RESOURCES WHERE THEY'RE GONNA HAVE THE GREATEST IMPACT FOR OUR RESIDENTS.
UM, WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT WHAT WE'VE HEARD, WHAT WE, UH, WHAT MATTERS MOST TO THE COMMUNITY AND HOW WE'RE GOING TO STAY FOCUSED ON RESULTS.
SO RIGHT NOW, AS THE BOARD IS AWARE, WE'RE REALLY FEELING THE PRESSURE FROM ALL SIDES.
WE'RE FEELING IT FROM FEDERAL CUTS, RISING COSTS, AND GROWING COMMUNITY NEEDS.
UM, SO I JUST WANNA START OUT WITH, UM, AN ANECDOTE OR KIND OF PUTTING THIS, UM, IN CONTEXT.
SO IMAGINE BEING A FARM WORKER FAMILY HERE IN OUR COUNTY.
THE HARVEST IS COMING TO AN END AND MONEY IS TIGHT.
YOU ARE NOT ELIGIBLE FOR CALFRESH, OUR FOOD SECURITY PROGRAM.
BUT YOUR CHILD IS BECAUSE THEY WERE BORN HERE.
NOW THAT MONEY, WHICH POTENTIALLY HELPS FEED AN ENTIRE FAMILY ISN'T COMING IN, AND YOU HAVE TO START MAKING DECISIONS THAT ARE UNIMAGINABLE FOR MOST OF US.
IN THE PAST TWO BOARD MEETINGS ALONE, YOU HAVE APPROVED ALMOST $750,000 IN EMERGENCY FUNDING FOR PROGRAMS LIKE HEAD START IN CALFRESH.
IT'S OVER $1 MILLION FOR THIS CALENDAR YEAR, IF YOU TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THE ADDITIONAL BOARD PROVIDED SUPPORT FOR UNDOCUMENTED, UH, MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY AND LGBTQ MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY.
UM, BOTH OF THESE CONTINUE TO BE SCARED AND THREATENED BY THE FEDERAL ADMINISTRATION.
UM, THESE DECISIONS WERE VITAL, BUT THEY ARE NOT SUSTAINABLE AND WE CAN'T DO EVERYTHING FOR EVERYONE.
BUT WE KNOW IT'S CRITICAL TO ACT AND DO THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS WELL, WHEN WE CAN.
THAT MEANS ALIGNING OUR WORK BECAUSE ALIGNMENT AND ACTION ARE WHAT CREATE IMPACT.
THIS STRATEGIC PLANNING PROCESS IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO DO THAT TOGETHER.
SO, UM, THIS SLIDE HERE YOU'VE SEEN BEFORE, IT'S OUR TIMELINE OF THE STRATEGIC PLAN PROJECT UPDATE.
UM, THIS PROCESS HAS BEEN BUILDING ALL YEAR LONG FROM THE FOUNDATIONAL REVIEW THAT WE BROUGHT TO YOU IN AUGUST TO THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT THAT WE'RE CURRENTLY UNDERWAY RIGHT NOW.
UM, WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF DEFINING OUR SIX FOCUS AREAS.
UM, WE'LL BE GOING THROUGH THAT WITH YOU AND, UM, TALKING FIRST ABOUT WHAT WE HEARD FROM THE COMMUNITY, BUT I WANNA NOTE THAT APPROVING THE FOCUS AREAS TODAY WILL ALLOW US TO MOVE TO THE MOST INTERESTING PHASE OF DEVELOPMENT, WHICH REALLY FOCUSES ON RESULTS, INDICATORS, AND ALIGNMENT AND SVEN WILL TALK ABOUT THAT MORE.
BUT FIRST TO GROUND US IN WHAT WE'VE HEARD FROM THE COMMUNITY.
I'M GOING TO HAND IT OVER TO BELLA, WHO'S GOING TO BE...
WHO'S BEEN A LEAD VOICE ON OUR DESIGN TEAM AND LEADING THE ENGAGEMENT WORK.
UM, SO THE ENGAGEMENT OF THIS PHASE OF THE PLAN HAS BEEN DONE IN TWO PARTS, A COUNTYWIDE SURVEY IN 18 FOCUS GROUPS.
THE CHART THAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT NOW IS FROM THE SURVEY,
[02:00:01]
WHICH ASK RESPONDENTS TO CHOOSE THEIR TOP THREE STANDARD DRIVERS OF HEALTH.THESE AND THE SUBSEQUENT CHARTS, DO NOT AIM TO SAY THAT ANY OF THESE STANDARD DRIVERS IS UNIMPORTANT, BUT RATHER THAT THIS IS A SNAPSHOT OF WHAT IS TOP IN MIND FOR PEOPLE IN THE COUNTY RIGHT NOW.
ACROSS EVERY REGION, HOUSING, THE ECONOMY AND TRANSPORTATION WERE TOP SURVEY PRIORITIES.
IN OUR FOCUS GROUPS, WE HEARD THAT PEOPLE WANT VISIBLE ACTION AND CONNECTION ACROSS SYSTEMS. NOW LET'S LOOK A LITTLE BIT DEEPER AT HOW VARIOUS GROUPS WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY RATED THESE PRIORITIES.
DISAGGREGATING THE DATA HELPS US TO SEE WHOSE NEEDS MIGHT BE HIDDEN IN THE AVERAGES.
IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER THAT THERE IS MUCH MORE THAN WHAT WE HAVE IN COMMON THAN DIVIDES US.
FOR EXAMPLE, SAN LORENZO VALLEY RESIDENTS RATED NATURAL ENVIRONMENT HIGHER THAN ANY OTHER REGION, PERHAPS REFLECTING THEIR PROXIMITY AND VULNERABILITY TO NATURE.
RESIDENTS AGED 18 TO 54, UM, HOUSING WAS THE MOST OVERWHELMING PRIORITY, AND PERHAPS BECAUSE OF THE STRESS OF HOUSING, HEALTH AND MENTAL HEALTH ALSO ROSE INTO THE TOP THREE.
THE SAME IS TRUE FOR RENTERS WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY.
FOR RENTERS BEING ABLE TO MEET BASIC NEEDS, LIKE NICOLE MENTIONED WITH PROVIDING FOOD ON THE TABLE.
OVER 68 OF RESPONDENTS IDENTIFIED AS WOMEN, AND FOR OUR MALE IDENTIFYING RESIDENTS, TRANSPORTATION AND JOBS ROSE TO THE TOP, PERHAPS SIGNALING WHAT MEN NEED TO BOTH CONTRIBUTE ECONOMICALLY TO THEIR FAMILIES AND ALSO TO BE ABLE TO ENJOY THE FRUITS OF THAT LABOR WITHOUT SITTING IN TRAFFIC.
TO GIVE THE SURVEY SOME MORE CONTEXT, LET ME TELL YOU A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT WHAT WAS HEARD FROM FOUR DAYS AT THE COUNTY FAIR AND ANOTHER 18 FOCUS GROUPS THAT WERE CONDUCTED IN THE LAST 2 MONTHS FROM PAJARO VALLEY TO SAN LORENZO VALLEY.
PEOPLE OVERWHELMINGLY TALKED ABOUT WANTING SPACES WHERE THEY FEEL INCLUDED.
THIS WAS EVIDENT IN A CONVERSATION AT THE RAINBOW YOUTH CONFERENCE, WHERE KIDS ASKED TO BE ABLE TO HAVE PRIDE FLAGS IN THE CLASSROOMS AND WITH THE MILPA COLLECTIVE THAT TALKED ABOUT PROVIDING TRANSPORTATION TO PARKS AND TO THE OCEAN SO PEOPLE IN SOUTH COUNTY CAN DEVELOP RELATIONSHIPS WITH EACH OTHER AND WITH NATURE.
THE YOUTH TASK FORCE PICTURED IN THE MIDDLE TALKED ABOUT THE NEED FOR THIRD SPACES FOR GATHERING AND BEING, AND BELONGING.
PEOPLE WANT TO ENGAGE, AND THERE'S A DESIRE TO BUILD CONNECTION, AND THAT'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE COUNTY TO BUILD TRUST, ESPECIALLY AT THE LOCAL LEVEL.
THE FIRST STEP TO BUILD THAT TRUST IS TO REFLECT WHAT WAS HEARD IN OUR STRATEGIC PLAN THAT SVEN'S GOING TO SHOW US HOW WE TURN THOSE VOICES INTO THE 6 FOCUS AREAS THAT YOU WILL SEE NEXT.
- THANK YOU, BELLA, AND GOOD MORNING BOARD.
THE 6 AREAS, HOUSING AND INFRASTRUCTURE, HEALTH AND WELL-BEING, SAFETY AND JUSTICE, COMMUNITY CARE AND RESILIENCE, ENVIRONMENT AND ECONOMY, REPRESENT BOTH WHAT WE HEARD AND WHERE WE CAN HAVE REAL IMPACT.
EACH ONE OF THESE CONNECTS TO COMMUNITY VOICE THAT BELLA TALKED ABOUT AND TO OUR INTERNAL CAPACITY AND WHAT WE ACTUALLY DO, AND THE SERVICES THAT WE PROVIDE.
AND SO THE PURPOSE OF THESE IS TO CREATE FOCUS, ALIGNMENT AND SHARED ACCOUNTABILITY WITHIN EACH FOCUS AREA.
WE HEARD A LOT ABOUT THE DESIRE FOR ALIGNMENT BETWEEN THIS STRATEGIC PLANNING EFFORT AND ALL OF THE DIFFERENT COUNTY PLANS THAT WE HAVE.
AND SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE WERE VERY INTENTIONAL ABOUT IS TRYING TO CONNECT WITH EXISTING COUNTY PLANS.
AND SO YOU CAN SEE HERE, FOR EXAMPLE, IN HOUSING AND INFRASTRUCTURE THAT WE HAVE OUR REGIONAL HOUSING NEEDS ASSESSMENT, WE HAVE OUR CIP WITHIN COMMUNITY CARE AND RESILIENCE, WE HAVE OUR, HOMELESS FOR, HOUSING FOR A HEALTHY SANTA CRUZ PLAN, OUR MASTER PLAN ON AGING WITHIN HEALTH AND WELL-BEING, WE HAVE OUR COMMUNITY HEALTH IMPROVEMENT PLAN, OUR BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SERVICES ACT PLAN THAT WE'LL BE WORKING ON AND BRINGING TO THE BOARD, UH, EARLY NEXT YEAR.
THIS IS ABOUT BUILDING, TRYING TO BUILD ONE STORY FROM MANY EFFORTS THAT WE HAVE GOING ON ACROSS THE COUNTY, SO THAT THE COUNTY'S MOVING IN THE SAME DIRECTION.
AND USING DATA INDICATORS AND OBJECTIVES FROM THESE EFFORTS TO FEED THE STRATEGIC PLAN AND PROVIDE GUIDANCE FOR THOSE PLANS ON HOW THEY ALIGN WITH OVERALL COUNTY RESULTS.
UM, HERE YOU CAN SEE FOR THE LAST 3 FOCUS AREAS, AGAIN IN SAFETY AND JUSTICE, WE HAVE OUR COMMUNITY CORRECTIONS PARTNERSHIP THAT DOES AN ANNUAL PLAN.
UM, WE'VE HAD A SHARED PLAN, A SHARED SAFETY PLAN WITH ENVIRONMENT DIRECTOR, REED TALKED ABOUT THE, THE CLIMATE ACTION AND ADAPTATION PLAN MEASURE Q
[02:05:03]
AND THE LOCAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN, UH, THAT'S BEING WORKED ON.AND THEN WITHIN OUR ECONOMY AND JOB GROWTH FOCUS AREA, UH, THERE'S A WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT PLAN, STRATEGIC PLAN THAT'S DONE BY OUR WORKFORCE INNOVATION BOARD.
AND THE BROADBAND MASTER PLAN THAT WE HAVE.
WE'LL ALSO, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE, BE INCORPORATING THE WORK OF THE FEDERAL IMPACTS GROUP THAT'S MEETING ON NOVEMBER 20TH AND THEN WE'LL CONTINUE TO, UH, DEVELOP THAT WORK SO THAT AS WE MEET WITH COMMUNITY ABOUT THE FEDERAL IMPACTS, THAT WILL ALSO BE INCORPORATED INTO THE STRATEGIC PLAN.
UH, AND AS WE LOOK TOWARDS HOW WE ARE GONNA MAKE THIS, AND HOW WE'RE GONNA BE ACCOUNTABLE FOR THIS, WE DO WANNA TALK ABOUT THE LENSES AND GUIDING LENSES WE'LL BE APPLYING.
SO WE WILL USE A HEALTH AND ALL POLICIES LENS TO TRY TO KEEP WELL-BEING CENTRAL TO EVERY DECISION.
UH, THE EQUITY LENS WILL ENSURE THAT OUR WORK BENEFITS THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN LEAST WELL SERVED, WHO ARE OUR MOST VULNERABLE IN OUR COMMUNITY.
AND THE FISCAL LENS WILL ENSURE THAT OUR GOALS ARE REALISTIC AND SUSTAINABLE.
UH, ULTIMATELY, THESE 3 LENSES WILL END UP AS A SET OF QUESTIONS THAT THE BOARD HOPEFULLY WILL DIRECT US TO INCORPORATE INTO POLICY DECISIONS THAT COME BACK BEFORE YOU.
AND SO WE WANNA BE ABLE TO ALIGN THOSE SET OF QUESTIONS, OUR COUNTY VALUES THAT WE'RE CURRENTLY WORKING ON, AND THEN THE PLANS THAT WE HAVE TO INCORPORATE ALL OF THOSE SO THAT WHEN THINGS ARE COMING BEFORE THE BOARD, THEY'RE PRESENTED IN A HOLISTIC MANNER WHERE YOU CAN MAKE THOSE CONNECTIONS AND YOU CAN SEE THAT STAFF HAVE DONE THE WORK THAT YOU'RE ARE EXPECTING TO BE ABLE TO MAKE THE DECISIONS, IN LINE WITH THE PRIORITIES THAT YOU'VE SET FOR THE COMMUNITY.
UH, AND SO NICOLE WILL CLOSE US OUT WITH WHAT COMES NEXT.
- SO IN TERMS OF NEXT STEPS, UM, OUR DESIGN TEAM IS GOING TO BE DRAFTING RESULTS AND INDICATORS FOR EACH OF THESE SIX FOCUS AREAS.
UM, BASED ON THE INDICATORS YOU APPROVED IN MAY, UM, WE'RE THEN GOING TO ENGAGE COMMISSIONS, PARTNERS AND COMMUNITY GROUPS TO LOOK AT WHAT'S WORKING AND WHAT NEEDS TO CHANGE.
WE HAVE A JANUARY BOARD RETREAT THAT WE ARE PLANNING TO SCHEDULE, UM, THAT WILL SHARE WHAT WE'VE LEARNED AND WORK WITH YOU TO BEGIN VALIDATING AND PRIORITIZING WHERE WE CAN HAVE THE BIGGEST IMPACT.
AFTER THAT, WE'RE GOING TO DO THE SAME EXERCISE WITH OUR COMMUNITY ROADSHOWS TO MAKE SURE THAT WHAT WE'RE DOING MAKES SENSE TO THE PEOPLE WE'RE SERVING.
SO WITH THAT, UM, WE'RE MAKING STEADY PROGRESS, BUILDING ALIGNMENT AND DOING SO BY GIVING THE BOARD A FRAMEWORK FROM WHICH WE CAN MAKE SOME OF THE HARD DECISIONS THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE FACED WITH OVER THE NEXT YEAR AND INTO THE FUTURE.
UM, AND WE'RE HAPPY TO TAKE ANY OF YOUR QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS.
- THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
FIRST, I'LL SEE IF THERE'S ANYONE IN THE PUBLIC WISHING TO ADDRESS US ON THIS ITEM.
I THOUGHT HE WAS ANXIOUS TO REPORT ON THIS.
THANK YOU, UM, FOR THE REPORT.
MY NAME IS BECKY STEINBRUNNER.
AS A MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC, UM, I HAVE TO SAY THAT NONE OF THIS MAKES SENSE TO ME.
AND, UM, I DIDN'T HEAR ANY MENTION OF THE COUNTY'S DASHBOARD OF THE STRATEGIC PLAN THAT WAS IMPLEMENTED.
I HEAR THERE WILL BE A DESIGN TEAM.
IS THAT GOING TO BE A CONSULTANT GROUP? IS THAT GOING TO BE IN-HOUSE? UM, NONE OF THIS MAKES SENSE TO THE PUBLIC.
AND I REALLY HAVE ALWAYS QUESTIONED THIS STRATEGIC PLAN ISSUE.
IT SEEMS LIKE IT HAS TAKEN UP A LOT OF STAFF TIME UM, WITH THE PRIMO MEETINGS, WITH DEPARTMENT HEADS.
AND I HAVEN'T REALLY SEEN A LOT OF RESULTS.
I'M SORRY, BUT I HAVE TO BE HONEST.
SO, UM, HELP THE PUBLIC UNDERSTAND HOW THIS IS REALLY GOING TO IMPROVE OUR LIVES.
I KNOW THAT MONEY IS SHORT, AND I KNOW THERE ARE GOING TO BE SOME VERY DIFFICULT DECISIONS MADE, BUT HOW EXACTLY IS THIS DESIGN TEAM GOING TO DRAFT, UH, AND THE INDICATORS THAT WILL HELP THE BOARD DURING THIS COMING BUDGET SEASON? I'LL BE WATCHING, AND I HOPE THAT IT'S GOOD.
BUT RIGHT NOW, UM, IT ISN'T CLEAR.
[02:10:02]
AND, UM, I'LL LEAVE IT WITH THAT.- ANYONE ONLINE? - YES, CHAIR.
CALL-IN USER 002, YOUR MICROPHONE IS NOW AVAILABLE.
MY NAME IS JAMES EWING WHITMAN.
NOW, I APPRECIATE THIS BRIEF PRESENTATION, AND I DID LOOK OVER THE INFORMATION.
IT WAS PROBABLY LESS THAN 17 PAGES.
SO I'M GOING BACK TO THE, UM, BOARD OF SUPERVISORS MEETING, AUGUST 19TH, 2025, WHERE THIS ITEM, THE STRATEGIC PLAN CAME UP AS NUMBER 11.
UM, YEAH, IT TALKS ABOUT THE 3 OPERATION PLAN CYCLES, BUT DURING THE 2018 TO 2024, THERE WERE 469 OBJECTIVES WHERE THE COUNTY DEPARTMENT SAID THEY COMPLETED 85 OF THESE OBJECTIVES.
SO WE'RE REALLY ONLY TALKING ABOUT 6 OBJECTIVES.
SO, HAVE ALL THESE OTHER ISSUES, THE 469 OBJECTIVES, BEEN SWEPT UNDER THE RUG? SO I'M JUST GOING TO READ AS MUCH OF THIS AS I CAN.
UM, I THINK THE VACCINE ISSUE IS A SCI-OP, NOT THAT VACCINES ARE TERRIBLE, BUT THE VACCINE ISSUE IS BEING USED AS A SCI-OP TO GET US FOCUSED ON JUST THAT, RATHER THAN RECOGNIZING THAT WE ARE BEING BOMBARDED WITH NANOTECH VIA CHEMTRAILS, FOOD, WATER, PERSONAL PRODUCTS, ET CETERA.
SO THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS A PURE BLOOD ANYWHERE ANYMORE.
SO NOW THEY'VE GOT US ALL FIGHTING AND DIVIDED.
I THINK THEY'RE GOING TO MAKE VACCINES NON-MANDATORY, AT LEAST IN THE US.
AND THE LEVEL ONE TRUTHERS ARE GOING TO CELEBRATE AND THINK THAT WE WON, AND JFK IS A HERO AND ALL THAT CRAP.
SO WHAT'S REALLY GOING ON? I REALIZE I'M GOING TO HAVE TO DO SOME HOMEWORK TO FIND OUT WHAT THOSE 469 DIFFERENT OBJECTIVES WERE.
ANYWAY, I KNOW THE COURTS ARE DOING THE BEST JOB THEY CAN, AND IT WASN'T THEIR INTENTION FOR THIS MEETING TO BE NOT AS CLEAR AS IT COULD BE.
- KATHY, YOUR MICROPHONE'S NOW AVAILABLE.
HELLO, MY NAME'S KATHY, I'M IN APTOS, CALIFORNIA.
I'M CALLING JUST IN TO APPRECIATE THE COMMUNITY OUTREACH THAT'S GONE ON WITH THE STRATEGIC PLAN.
UM, OUR TEAM MET WITH SVEN EARLIER THIS MONTH, AND WE REALLY APPRECIATE THE CONVERSATION.
SO I JUST WANT TO ENCOURAGE THIS KIND OF FUTURE PLANNING AND, UM, EXTENSIVE COMMUNITY OUTREACH.
AND I LOOK FORWARD TO PARTICIPATING IN THE COMMUNITY OUTREACH AS IT CONTINUES FOR THIS.
- WE HAVE NO FURTHER SPEAKERS, CHAIR.
- I'LL BRING IT BACK TO THE BOARD.
SUPERVISOR MARTINEZ? - THANK YOU, CHAIR, AND THANK YOU FOR THIS PRESENTATION.
I JUST WANT TO START OFF BY REMINDING, UM, ALL OF US THAT OUR STRATEGIC PLAN PROCESS IS A MULTI-STEP PROCESS AND HAS BEEN BROUGHT TO THE BOARD MULTIPLE TIMES, EVEN TO GET TO THIS POINT.
AND I KNOW THAT THERE ARE GOING TO BE FUTURE MEETINGS MOVING FORWARD.
SO THIS IS JUST A SNAPSHOT IN TIME OF THE WORK THAT WE'RE, UM, DOING TOGETHER TO ENSURE THAT OUR COUNTY HAS A CLEAR PLAN MOVING FORWARD.
UM, I REALLY APPRECIATE THE INTEGRATION OF HEALTH IN ALL POLICIES AS A LENS TO BE USED MOVING FORWARD.
AND I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING THAT FLESHED OUT EVEN FURTHER AS WE GET, YOU KNOW, FURTHER DOWN THE PROCESS, AS WELL AS THE LENS OF EQUITY AND FISCAL STEWARDSHIP.
THESE ARE ALL GOING TO BE REALLY IMPORTANT PILLARS AS WE, UM, BUILD OUT THE REST OF THE PLAN.
I PERSONALLY HAVE APPRECIATED LOOKING AT SOME OF THE DATA THAT'S BEEN COLLECTED THROUGH THE PUBLIC.
I FOUND IT BOTH REALLY INTERESTING, BUT ALSO VERY INTUITIVE.
YOU KNOW, SOME OF IT'S LIKE, "OH, YEAH, YOU KNOW, THIS MAKES A LOT OF SENSE." AND, UM, YET, I'M REALLY GLAD THAT IT'S DOCUMENTED FOR US AND THAT THERE'S DATA FOR US TO REVIEW.
AND SO, UM, I THINK THAT TELLS US THAT WE'RE ON THE RIGHT TRACK.
AND I'M REALLY GLAD THAT THIS INFORMATION HAS BEEN GATHERED AND THAT WE'VE ENGAGED THE COMMUNITY IN THE WAYS THAT WE HAVE TO COLLECT THESE, UM, FOCUS AREAS.
I DO HAVE A QUESTION, UM, FOR CEO COBURN.
I HEARD IN YOUR FINAL REMARKS THAT THE NEXT STEP IS TO GENERATE RESULTS AND INDICATORS BASED ON WHAT WE APPROVED IN A PREVIOUS MEETING.
WILL THE WORK THAT'S BEEN DONE AND PRESENTED TODAY
[02:15:03]
WITH THESE NEW FOCUS AREAS INFLUENCE THOSE? WAS IT A LITTLE CART BEFORE HORSE TO APPROVE THOSE PREVIOUSLY? - YEAH, NO.THIS WORK, THE COMMUNITY, UM, FEEDBACK, AND, UM, EVERYTHING THAT'S GONE INTO THESE FOCUS AREAS, UM, IT WILL INFORM KIND OF HOW WE REFINE WHAT YOU PREVIOUSLY APPROVED.
SO WE WILL BE COMING TO YOU AT THE BOARD RETREAT IN JANUARY WITH SOME MORE STATEMENTS AROUND WHAT THOSE RESULTS ARE AND, UM, WHERE WE'RE HEADING.
AND THEN MAYBE YOU CAN HELP EXPLAIN, BOTH, YOU KNOW, FOR THE BOARD, BUT ALSO FOR THE PUBLIC, HOW THE STRATEGIC PLAN WILL HELP US MAKE DIFFICULT DECISIONS OR SET PRIORITIES MOVING FORWARD, PARTICULARLY IN THE CONTEXT OF, YOU KNOW, THE CUTS AND THE FISCAL CHALLENGES WE SEE ON THE HORIZON.
HOW IS A STRATEGIC PLAN USED TO, UM, GUIDE OUR COURSE MOVING FORWARD? - SO A STRATEGIC PLAN SETS A VISION FOR THE COUNTY.
SO TO THE EXTENT THAT WE HAVE TO MAKE DECISIONS AND EVALUATE TRADE-OFFS OF WHAT THE COUNTY MIGHT NEED TO ADJUST IN TERMS OF PROGRAMS AND SERVICES, UM, WHAT GOES INTO THE PLAN IS AN INDICATOR OF WHAT WE'RE PRIORITIZING THE MOST.
UM, OBVIOUSLY, WE COULD ALWAYS ADJUST OUR PRIORITIES OVER TIME DEPENDING ON WHAT THE SITUATION IS.
BUT IT REALLY SERVES AS A GUIDING DOCUMENT TO HELP US MAKE THOSE DECISIONS.
- THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE THAT.
UM, AND I RECOGNIZE THAT THERE'S A POSSIBILITY TO HAVE SOME DIFFICULT DECISIONS OR DIFFICULT CUTS AHEAD, AND SO PERSONALLY, I REALLY VALUE THE COMMUNITY INPUT, UM, THE ENGAGEMENT THAT'S BEEN DONE, THE, UM, RAISING UP OF VOICES WHO HISTORICALLY HAVEN'T BEEN AT THE TABLE.
SO THAT WAY, WHEN THOSE DIFFICULT DECISIONS COME TO US AND WHEN WE DO HAVE TO SET PRIORITIES FOR THE COUNTY, UM, THAT FEEDBACK IS INCLUDED AND, UM, AND A PART OF A STRATEGIC PLAN THAT WE CAN GO BACK TO WHEN WE ARE BEING ASKED TO MAKE THESE DIFFICULT DECISIONS.
SO, UM, SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE EFFORT.
I LOOK FORWARD TO THE BOARD RETREAT, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING THIS PROCESS.
- SUPERVISOR KOENIG? - THANK YOU. UM, FIRST QUESTION, SO THE FOCUS AREAS WHERE WE'RE BEING ASKED TO APPROVE TODAY, DO THOSE MAP TO THE GOALS IN THE CURRENT STRATEGIC PLAN? - SO THESE FOCUS AREAS, THE STRATEGIC PLAN, UM, WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DEVELOP FOR THE NEW SIX-YEAR PERIOD, UM, THEY WILL REPLACE OUR EXISTING FOCUS AREAS AND GOALS.
SO WE ARE LEAVING ALONE, FOR THE MOST PART, UNLESS THE BOARD HAS A DESIRE TO REVISIT THE, THE VISION OF THE COUNTY, THE MISSION OF THE COUNTY.
UM, WE'VE, UM, COME TO YOU BEFORE WITH, UM, A DESIRE TO CHANGE THE FOCUS AREAS AND THE GOALS.
UM, AND SO THESE WILL REPLACE THOSE.
UM, WE ARE ALSO GOING TO BE REVISITING THE VALUES OF THE COUNTY TO TRY TO GET TO A MORE CONDENSED LIST.
SO, UM, YOU WILL SEE OUR WEBSITE CHANGING NEXT SPRING, DEPENDING ON WHAT YOU FINALLY APPROVE.
- OKAY, WAS THERE A NEED TO DO THAT? LIKE WAS THERE IDENTIFIED NEED TO CHANGE OUR FUNDAMENTAL GOALS? - WELL, UM, WE RECEIVED FEEDBACK THAT, UM, THE COMMUNITY WANTED TO PROVIDE MORE INPUT, AND THAT WHAT IT SAW IN TERMS OF THE COUNTY'S GOALS WEREN'T REALLY REFLECTIVE OF EVERYTHING THAT THEY WERE THINKING AND FEELING.
AND SO IT'S ALWAYS BEEN THE INTENTION TO REVISIT THE FOCUS AREAS AND GOALS, UM, TO SEE WHAT CHANGES WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO MAKE.
I THINK YOU'LL SEE MANY OF THE CURRENT PROPOSED FOCUS AREAS REFLECT MANY OF THE THINGS IN OUR CURRENT PLAN IN TERMS OF FOCUS AREAS AND GOALS.
WE'VE REBRANDED THEM IN A DIFFERENT WAY, AND WE'VE ALSO PLACED MORE FOCUS ON WHAT THE COUNTY HAS CONTROL OVER.
UM, SO THAT'S KIND OF BEEN SOME OF THE SHIFTS WE'VE MADE.
- OKAY, I GUESS I ASK BECAUSE, UH, I ACTUALLY DON'T LIKE THE NEW FOCUS AREAS ALL THAT MUCH.
I MEAN, FOR ONE, YOU'VE GOT DUPLICATION.
I COULDN'T TELL YOU WHAT THE HECK IS IN COMMUNITY CARE AND RESILIENCE VERSUS HEALTH, WELL-BEING, AND CONNECTION.
EVEN IF YOU LOOK AT THE ICONS, THEY BOTH USE HEARTS.
LIKE WHERE DOES HEALTH BELONG? WHERE DOES HOMELESSNESS BELONG? THAT'S GONNA BE CONFUSING FROM NOW TO 2032
[02:20:01]
IF WE IMPLEMENT IT.UM, THERE'S ONE HEART IN THE CURRENT SET OF 6 ICONS FOR OUR GOALS.
UM, ALSO, THE FACT THAT THE TWO MOST IMPORTANT AREAS WE HEARD WERE HOUSING AND TRANSPORTATION.
THEY'RE SEPARATE IN OUR CURRENT GOALS, AND YET THEY'RE COMBINED INTO A SINGLE FOCUS AREA IN THE NEXT SET.
UH, I THINK THAT ACTUALLY SHORTCHANGES BOTH OF THEM.
THOSE ARE FUNDAMENTALLY VERY DIFFERENT POLICY AREAS.
UH, I MEAN, IN ONE, WE'RE A MONOPOLY PROVIDER FOR TRANSPORTATION, MAKING SURE THAT INFRASTRUCTURES, WELL, FOR ALL INFRASTRUCTURE, ENSURING THAT ROADS, SEWERS, AND STORM DRAINS ARE IN GOOD CONDITION.
IN THE OTHER, WE'RE TRYING TO MANAGE A VERY COMPLICATED MARKET, MUCH MORE DETAILED SET OF POLICY.
UM, I DON'T SEE HOW COMBINING THOSE DOES US ANY SERVICES OTHER THAN TO KIND OF DIMINISH BOTH OF THOSE, AND THEY'RE THE TWO MOST IMPORTANT THINGS THAT WE HEARD FROM THE COMMUNITY.
SO THOSE ARE THE TWO FUNDAMENTAL ISSUES I SEE WITH THE NEW PROPOSAL.
I DON'T SEE WHAT THE, THE, UM, ADDITIONAL FOCUS AREAS ARE PROVIDING THAT ARE LACKING IN THE CURRENT 6 GOALS, WHICH FOR MY FELLOW BOARD MEMBERS, YOU CAN FIND ON THE CURRENT STRATEGIC PLAN, WHICH ARE COMPREHENSIVE HEALTH AND SAFETY, ATTAINABLE HOUSING, RELIABLE TRANSPORTATION, SUSTAINABLE ENVIRONMENT, DYNAMIC ECONOMY, AND OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE.
UM, I MEAN, EVEN LIKE WE HAVE AN OFFICE OF RESPONSE, RECOVERY, AND RESILIENCE.
IN THE FOCUS AREAS, WE HAVE A SUSTAINABILITY AND KIND OF, UH, RESPONSE GOAL, BUT THEN RESILIENCE IS USED IN THE COMMUNITY CARE AND RESILIENCE FOCUS AREA, WHICH IS TO DEAL WITH HOMELESSNESS AND AGING.
I MEAN, THIS IS, IT'S JUST A LITTLE BIT CONVOLUTED TO ME.
UM, AND I THINK THAT'S, I MEAN, THE, THE OUTREACH TO THE COMMUNITY IS GREAT.
THE FEEDBACK FROM THE COMMUNITY IS GREAT.
UM, I HAVEN'T SEEN A LOT OF CLARITY COME OUT OF THE PROCESS YET.
UH, I MEAN, AS I'VE SAID BEFORE, IF I WAS DESIGNING THIS PROCESS, I THINK I WOULD START WITH ALL THE PEOPLE WHO DIRECTLY RECEIVE COUNTY SERVICES.
UM, WE'RE STARTING TO DO THAT IN PLANNING WITH ACTUALLY HAVING A FEEDBACK SURVEY.
I MEAN, WE DO THE SAME THING WITH OUR CLINICS, WITH PEOPLE WHO'VE JUST SIGNED UP FOR BENEFITS.
UM, I MEAN, MAYBE A GENERAL SURVEY FOR PEOPLE WHO DEAL WITH OUR INFRASTRUCTURE EVERY DAY, BUT HOW ARE WE DOING DELIVERING OUR BASIC SERVICES TODAY? LET'S START THERE.
HOW COULD WE POTENTIALLY EXPAND THOSE SERVICES TO MORE PEOPLE? UM, YOU KNOW, JUST GOING OUT AND ASKING WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE GOVERNMENT TO DO FOR YOU, IT'S, IT'S SOMEWHAT HELPFUL, BUT MAYBE NOT AS, AS HELPFUL AS THAT INCREMENTAL, UH, IMPROVEMENT TO SERVICES THAT WE'RE DOING EVERY DAY, UM, OR THAT WE NEED TO BE DOING EVERY DAY.
UM, SO, I'LL END MY COMMENTS THERE FOR NOW.
- SUPERVISOR CUMMINGS? - THANK YOU, CHAIR, AND I WANNA THANK THE STAFF AND ALL THE MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC FOR THEIR WORK ON THIS.
I GUESS THE ONE QUESTION I HAD, UM, WAS, YOU KNOW, LOOKING AT SOME OF THE NUMBERS OF, YOU KNOW, RESIDENTS PARTICIPATING IN THE SURVEYS, AND, UM, AND THE RESPONSES RECEIVED.
I MEAN, WE'RE AROUND, YOU KNOW, 14, 1,700, THOSE ARE TWO DIFFERENT NUMBERS THAT WERE REFERENCED, AND I'M JUST CURIOUS HOW, AND TO GETTING ACTUALLY TO SOME OF SUPERVISOR KOENIG'S POINTS, HOW CAN WE IMPROVE THE AMOUNT OF PEOPLE WE'RE HEARING FROM? I MEAN, IF WE HAVE A COUNTY OF 267, ROUGHLY 1,000 PEOPLE, AND WE'RE ONLY GETTING RESPONSES FROM 14 TO 1,700, I'M JUST CURIOUS, IF THERE, IS THERE SOMETHING THAT WE CAN DO TO HELP INCREASE THAT NUMBER? AND, UM, I THINK ALSO, IT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO UNDERSTAND WHO THE PEOPLE WHO ARE RESPONDING TO THESE SURVEYS ARE, LIKE ARE THEY SERVICE PROVIDERS, ARE THEY SERVICE RECIPIENTS? BECAUSE I DO ACTUALLY AGREE WITH SOME OF SUPERVISOR KOENIG'S POINTS.
YOU KNOW, IF, UM, LIKE, ARE WE HEARING FROM PEOPLE WHO ACCESS COUNTY SERVICES, OR ARE THESE THE SAME PEOPLE WHO TYPICALLY FILL OUT THESE SURVEYS, OR ARE WE ACTUALLY HITTING A BROADER NET OF FOLKS, AND ARE THESE PEOPLE WHO GENERALLY COME IN TO RECEIVE SERVICES FROM THE COUNTY? BECAUSE I DO THINK TO THAT POINT, I'D, YOU KNOW, HE POINTED OUT THAT, UM, OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE WAS REMOVED, I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE REALLY WANNA KEEP AT OUR CORE OF, YOU KNOW, COUNTY SERVICES.
LIKE, ARE WE DELIVERING, UM, SERVICES EFFICIENTLY, EFFECTIVELY, AND ARE WE REACHING THE BROADEST AMOUNT OF PEOPLE? UM, SO I'M JUST WONDERING, LIKE, IN TERMS OF JUST HOW WE CAN REACH MORE PEOPLE WITH THE SURVEY, IF Y'ALL HAVE ANY KIND OF FEEDBACK ON THAT.
- YEAH, I WANNA NOTE THAT WE'VE BEEN IN PLACES THAT WE NEVER WERE WITH THE FIRST STRATEGIC PLAN, UM, AND EVEN THIS YEAR, WE WERE AT THE COUNTY FAIR, AND WE WERE THERE THE WHOLE TIME.
WE WERE ENGAGING WITH PEOPLE WHO, UM, USUALLY DON'T ENGAGE WITH THE COUNTY OF SANTA CRUZ, AND SO THEY FILLED OUT OUR SURVEY RIGHT THERE ON THE SPOT.
WE'VE BEEN AT A NUMBER OF VENUES WHERE THE SAME, THE SAME THING HAPPENED, UM, IN, IN LOCATIONS AROUND THE COUNTY.
SO, UM, THERE PROBABLY ARE A LOT OF OUR NORMAL, UM, SERVICE PROVIDERS AND OTHERS WHO MAY HAVE RESPONDED, BUT I WOULD SAY WE'VE DONE A TREMENDOUS EFFORT
[02:25:02]
TO TRY TO REACH PEOPLE IN A DIFFERENT WAY.AND THE SURVEY WAS ANONYMOUS, SO WE'RE NEVER GONNA KNOW EXACTLY WHO, UM, FILLED IT OUT.
ALTHOUGH, UM, WE DO HAVE A GIFT CARD RAFFLE THAT WE PROMISED EVERYONE, AND SO IF YOU WERE WILLING TO PROVIDE YOUR NAME AND INFORMATION, WE KNOW WHO YOU ARE, BUT, UM, AND SVEN MIGHT BE ABLE TO SPEAK TO THAT A LITTLE BIT.
BUT, OBVIOUSLY, WE WANNA BUMP UP THE ENGAGEMENT, AND WE'LL THINK ABOUT WAYS TO DO THAT.
UM, FOR THE FIRST STRATEGIC PLAN, WE ONLY ENGAGED ABOUT 3,000 PEOPLE OUT OF 270,000 PEOPLE IN THE COUNTY OF SANTA CRUZ.
SO RIGHT THERE, WE'RE HALFWAY TO THAT, UM, BENCHMARK UM, AND THAT WAS THROUGH SURVEYS, YOU KNOW, TWO SURVEYS, FOCUS GROUPS, AND OTHER THINGS.
SO WE'LL TRY TO MAXIMIZE THE INPUT.
I THINK WHAT OUR GOAL IS TO GET DIFFERENT INPUT, LIKE YOU SAID, LIKE GET THE PEOPLE WHO MAY NOT NORMALLY ENGAGE WITH US SO WE CAN REALLY HEAR WHAT'S ON THE GROUND.
I MEAN, THAT IS OUR GOAL AT THE END OF THE DAY. WOO! UM, SO, AND IF YOU HAVE IDEAS FOR HOW, YOU KNOW, WE CAN REACH MORE PEOPLE, HAPPY TO TAKE THAT INTO CONSIDERATION, BUT WE'LL TRY TO BUMP IT UP AS MUCH AS WE CAN.
AND WE'VE TRIED TO ORGANIZE THE, THE THINGS THAT WE'VE BEEN HEARING FROM THE COMMUNITY IN A WAY THAT MAKES SENSE.
SO, UM, YOU KNOW, THE HOUSING AND INFRASTRUCTURE FOCUS AREA, SOME OF THE THINGS REALLY GO HAND IN HAND.
YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO HAVE THE INFRASTRUCTURE IN PLACE TO BE ABLE TO BUILD THE HOUSING OR PROVIDE, UM, THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IMPROVEMENTS THAT WE NEED.
SO WE WANT, IF WE'RE WORKING ON THINGS, WE REALLY WANT THE, UM, GOALS THAT WE'RE TRYING TO ACHIEVE IN THAT AREA, FOR INSTANCE, TO BE ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH, UM, THOSE RESULTS AND TO HAVE OBJECTIVES THAT HAVE HOUSING AND INFRASTRUCTURE REALLY HAND IN HAND.
- GREAT, NO, THANK YOU, I APPRECIATE THAT.
AND, YOU KNOW, TO THE EXTENT THAT WE CAN ALSO INCORPORATE THESE TYPES OF OPPORTUNITIES INTO OUR NEWSLETTERS.
UM, I CAN'T REMEMBER, UH, WHICH, I'D...
MY OFFICE TRIES TO INCLUDE THESE SURVEYS WHEN THEY'RE GOING OUT IN OUR NEWSLETTER, BUT TO THE EXTENT THAT WE CAN, YOU KNOW, RECEIVE THOSE SURVEYS AND HELP GET THE WORD OUT.
I THINK IT'S GONNA BE, UM, MUCH MORE HELPFUL TO TRY TO ENGAGE WITH OTHER COMMUNITIES AS WELL.
UM, I DID WANNA POINT OUT ONE OF THE THINGS I NOTICED IN THE AREA NUMBER FIVE AROUND ENVIRONMENT, UM, TALKS ABOUT RESILIENCY AND SUSTAINABILITY, BUT WE DON'T REALLY TALK ABOUT ACCESS.
AND I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE REALLY WANT TO INCORPORATE INTO THE STRATEGIC PLAN.
I MEAN, WE'VE HEARD THAT CONVERSATION TODAY ABOUT INCREASING ACCESS AROUND SURFING, INCREASING ACCESS TO THE OUTDOORS, AND SO I THINK THAT, UM, TRYING TO INCORPORATE THAT INTO THE ENVIRONMENTAL FOCUS AREA IS REALLY CRITICAL, UM, AS WE'RE CONSIDERING MOVING THIS FORWARD.
UM, AND THEN I THINK ONE THING THAT I REALLY HOPE THAT COMES OUT OF THIS PLAN IS THAT IT'S NOT STATIC.
UM, THERE ARE OFTEN TIMES WHEN, AS WE'RE SEEING, I MEAN, WE'LL BE TALKING ABOUT THIS IN A LITTLE BIT, BUT WE JUST ARE HEARING NOW THAT THE PRESIDENT MIGHT NOT BE MOVING FORWARD WITH GIVING ANY OF THE SNAP BENEFITS, AND WE ARE CONSTANTLY SEEING OUR COMMUNITIES BEING IMPACTED BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
AND SO, WHILE I THINK IT'S GOOD TO HAVE THIS AS A PLAN, AND IT'S A, YOU KNOW, A ROADMAP FOR WHERE WE'RE GOING, JUST THE COMPLETE UNCERTAINTY THAT'S HAPPENING RIGHT NOW WITH THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
AND THEN OVER TIME, WE JUST SEE UNCERTAINTIES COME UP AND ISSUES COME UP THAT WE CAN BE FLEXIBLE, AND I KNOW THAT OUR PRIORITIES MAY CHANGE DEPENDING ON WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THE COMMUNITY.
AND SO I JUST DON'T WANNA SEE THIS BE SOMETHING THAT'S RIGID, AND THAT IT'S A GOAL OF WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO ACHIEVE WITH KNOWING THAT WHEN OTHER PRIORITIES EMERGE WE MAY HAVE TO DEVIATE AND MAKE SOME SHIFTS.
- YEAH. AND IF I MAY, SUPERVISOR CUMMINGS, I WANTED TO ADD THAT TO YOUR OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE COMMENT.
FOR ME, THAT'S, UM, A FOUNDATION OF THE ENTIRE PLAN, AND SO, UM, WE WANTED TO HAVE MORE SUBJECT AREA FOCUS AREAS, AND OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE IS THAT FOUNDATION.
IT SHOULD BE ONE OF THOSE LENSES THROUGH WHICH WE'RE DOING ALL OF OUR WORK.
- AND I JUST APPRECIATE THAT TOO, BECAUSE CALLING THAT OUT, I THINK, MAKES ME HAPPY TO KNOW THAT THAT IS AT THE CORE, AND THAT THIS, YOU KNOW, AND HOW THE FRAMING OF THIS IS BEING THOUGHT ABOUT.
- THANK YOU. SUPERVISOR DE SERPA? - UM, YEAH, AND, UH, I JUST APPRECIATE THE WORK THAT'S GONE INTO THIS, THE, UH, WILLINGNESS TO RE-LOOK AT, UM, SOME OF, UM, THE PRIORITIES AND TRY TO REALIGN THEM AS NEEDED.
UM, I THINK, NICOLE, I TOLD YOU THAT I FELT LIKE THERE WAS VOICES FROM OUR BUSINESS COMMUNITY THAT WERE MISSING.
IN THE BACKUP YOU PROVIDED ALL THE DIFFERENT FOCUS GROUPS AND GROUPS YOU'VE REACHED OUT TO, AND THAT WAS GREAT.
BUT I DIDN'T SEE ANY, UH, ROTARY CLUBS, I DIDN'T SEE, UH, CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE, I DIDN'T, I DIDN'T SEE ANY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT GROUPS, UM, MBEP OR SANTA CRUZ WORKS, OR ANY OF THOSE TYPES OF PEOPLE.
[02:30:05]
UM, I THINK THEY HAVE AN IMPORTANT VOICE, UH, IN OUR COMMUNITY, UM, THAT NEEDS TO BE HEARD.UM, SO, THANK YOU FOR INCLUDING THOSE, UM, GROUPS, SVEN.
UH, I LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING MORE ABOUT IT.
ALSO, A, YOU KNOW, A ROADMAP GOAL IS SUPER IMPORTANT FOR ALL COUNTY OPERATIONS, BUT, UM, IN, WITH WHAT WE'RE, ALL COUNTIES ARE FACING, INCLUDING OURS RIGHT NOW, WE NEED TO RE-EVALUATE AND TRIAGE THE MOST NEEDED SERVICES TO THE VERY TOP OF THE PYRAMID.
SO, UM, SO I HOPE WE SORT OF, IN TERMS OF PLANNING RIGHT NOW, UH, I HOPE WE'RE TAKING THAT INTO ACCOUNT AS WELL, BECAUSE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO PROVIDE WE MIGHT NOT BE ABLE TO BASED ON OUR CURRENT BUDGETS.
AND I'LL JUST MAKE A PLUG FOR, UM, WHAT I BELIEVE IS THE COUNTY'S, UM, BIGGEST AND MOST IMPORTANT INFRASTRUCTURE, AND THAT IS ROADS, AND, UM, OUR, I KNOW OUR ROADS BUDGETS ARE VERY, VERY POOR, BUT, UM, IT'S A VERY, VERY IMPORTANT PART, UM, OF WHAT WE DO.
- THANK YOU. I'D JUST LIKE TO THANK, UH, NICOLE AND BELLA, SVEN, FOR ALL THEIR WORK ON THIS AND ALL THE OTHER STAFF THAT WORKED ON THE STRATEGIC PLAN.
UM, YOU KNOW, I DID GET TO HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO SOME OF THE SURVEYS OUT HERE ON SEPTEMBER 16TH CELEBRATIONS.
AND I THINK ERICA ALSO HELPED OUT WITH THAT TOO AS WELL AT THE COUNTY TABLE.
UH, BUT IT WAS REALLY EXCITING TO GET PEOPLE...
I MADE THE MISTAKE OF SAYING THAT EVERYONE GETS A GIFT CARD, BUT I DIDN'T KNOW IT WAS LIKE A RAFFLE.
- YOU COULD HAVE HAD A LONG LINE.
- YEAH, BUT WE HAD A LONG LINE 'CAUSE EVERYBODY WANTED A A GIFT CARD.
BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, I, UH, SUPERVISOR CUMMINGS SAID THAT WE HOPE THAT, WE HOPE THAT THIS, UH, STRATEGIC PLAN, THAT WE CONTINUE WORKING ON IT, AND NOT JUST MAKE IT, YOU KNOW, STOP OR MAKE IT STAGNANT.
AND I KIND OF, YOU KNOW, FEEL THE SAME WAY ABOUT IT.
UM, HAVE IT AS A EVOLVING PROCESS THAT WE CONTINUE TO WORK ON.
UH, AND OTHER THAN THAT, I WANNA JUST ENCOURAGE THE PUBLIC TO VISIT THE WEBSITE.
IT IS VERY, UH, INTUITIVE TO, UH, FOR THE PUBLIC TO VISIT THIS WEBSITE FOR THE STRATEGIC PLAN.
WITH THAT, I'LL BRING BACK TO THE BOARD, SEE IF ANYONE WANNA ENTERTAIN A MOTION.
- OKAY, LOOK, I'LL GIVE IT A TRY.
UM, I'LL START OFF WITH JUST A COUPLE OF COMMENTS IN RESPONSE TO WHAT I HEARD FROM MY COLLEAGUES.
UM, TO BEGIN WITH, I, I APPRECIATE HEARING THAT THE OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE PIECE WOULD BE INCORPORATED AS A FOUNDATIONAL LENS.
AND MY HOPE, I WON'T MAKE IT AS A PART OF ADDITIONAL DIRECTION, BUT MY HOPE IS THAT THAT WILL BE CALLED OUT IN THE SAME WAY THAT, UM, EQUITY AND FISCAL SUSTAINABILITY MIGHT BE.
BECAUSE I THINK THAT WOULD ADDRESS SOME OF WHAT I HEARD FROM OTHERS.
I FELT COMFORTABLE WITH THE GROUPING OF THE FOCUS AREAS.
UM, I AM HEARING FROM MY COLLEAGUES ON THE BOARD THAT THERE MIGHT BE SOME, UM, CLEANUP, OR, YOU KNOW, JUST BEING REALLY LASER-FOCUSED ON WHAT THE DEFINITIONS ARE OF THESE FOCUSED AREAS.
SO THAT WAY IT'S CLEAR TO US AS BOARD MEMBERS, BUT ALSO TO THE PUBLIC.
SO THINGS ABOUT, YOU KNOW, HOW WE USE THE WORD "RESILIENCE", FOR EXAMPLE, JUST MAKE SURE IT'S CONSISTENT, UM, AND, YOU KNOW, STAY AWAY FROM THE KIND OF JARGON THAT COMES WITH THESE TYPE OF PLANS.
UM, BUT I DO THINK THAT IN LOOKING AT THE WORK OF THE COUNTY AND THE EXISTING PLANS THAT HELP GUIDE THE FOCUS AREAS, THE BUCKETS THAT HAVE BEEN CREATED DO MATCH WELL WITH THAT AND WILL HELP US KEEP OUR WORK, UM, IN ALIGNMENT WITH A LOT OF COUNTY-WIDE EFFORTS.
AND SO THAT'S WHAT I REALLY LIKED ABOUT IT.
SO, UM, WITH THAT, I'M NOT GONNA ADD ANY ADDITIONAL DIRECTION TO THE RECOMMENDED ACTIONS, AND I'LL GO AHEAD AND MOVE THE RECOMMENDED ACTIONS.
SORRY, WE HAVE A MOTION FROM SUPERVISOR MARTINEZ AND A SECOND FROM, UH, SUPERVISOR DE SERPA.
MADAM CLERK, IF WE COULD TAKE ROLL CALL.
- AYE. MOTION PASSES WITH ONE NO VOTE FROM SUPERVISOR KOENIG.
NEXT AGENDA ITEM IS THE NUMBER 9.
[9. Consider adopting a resolution declaring a local emergency impacting vulnerable residents due to lack of federal financial support for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, approve a contribution up to $500,000 for emergency food procurement and distribution through Second Harvest Food Bank Santa Cruz County, and take related actions - 4/5 vote required]
CONSIDER ADOPTING A RESOLUTION DECLARING A LOCAL EMERGENCY IMPACTING VULNERABLE RESIDENTS DUE TO LACK OF FEDERAL FINANCIAL SUPPORT FOR THE SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM, SNAP.APPROVE A CONTRIBUTION OF UP TO $500,000
[02:35:02]
FOR EMERGENCY FOOD PROCUREMENT AND DISTRIBUTION THROUGH SECOND HARVEST FOOD BANK OF SANTA CRUZ COUNTY AND TAKE ALL RELATED ACTIONS.PLEASE NOTE, THIS IS A REQUIRED 4, UH, 4 OUT OF 5 VOTE IS REQUIRED FOR THIS.
I'LL TURN IT OVER TO NICOLE COBURN, COUNTY EXECUTIVE OFFICER, AND DAVID REED, DIRECTOR OF OFFICE RESPONSIVE RECOVERY AND RESILIENCE FOR THE PRESENTATION.
UM, SO DAVID REID, OUR OR3 DIRECTOR IS HERE AS WELL AS KIMBERLY PIERSON, WHO IS OUR, UH, UH, DEPUTY CHIEF OF, UM, OUR DEPUTY OF, UM, THE HUMAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT, AS WELL AS ERICA PADILLA-CHAVEZ, WHO IS OUR, THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER OF SECOND HARVEST FOOD BANK.
SO, UM, THIS MAY BE THE FIRST TIME WE'RE DECLARING A LOCAL EMERGENCY FOR A FOOD INSECURITY SITUATION, UM, BUT WE ARE FACING A LOT OF FIRSTS HERE IN SANTA CRUZ COUNTY AND THE NATION.
UM, SO WE ARE HERE TO ASK YOU TO DECLARE AN EMERGENCY AND ALSO CONSIDER, UM, APPROVING A CONTRIBUTION UP TO $500,000 TO SECOND HARVEST FOOD BANK BECAUSE OF WHAT WE'RE EXPERIENCING RIGHT NOW DUE TO THE FEDERAL SHUTDOWN.
UM, SO AS YOU KNOW, UM, ON SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 1ST, THE SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM, OR SNAP, WHICH IS ALSO CALFRESH HERE IN CALIFORNIA, UM, LAPSED.
THE BENEFITS LAPSED ON SATURDAY DUE TO THE SHUTDOWN, AND THIS IS CREATING, UM, A REALLY HORRIBLE SITUATION FOR THOUSANDS, TENS OF THOUSANDS OF LOW-INCOME HOUSEHOLDS IN SANTA CRUZ COUNTY.
UM, WE HAVE OVER 30,000 PEOPLE A MONTH, AND IT RANGES BY MONTH DEPENDING ON WHO IS ON CALFRESH, BUT AT LEAST 30 AND UP TO 40,000 PEOPLE WHO RECEIVE BENEFITS THROUGH CALFRESH FOR FOOD.
THIS INCLUDES CHILDREN, FAMILIES, AND OTHER ADULTS, UM, DUE TO, UH, THEIR, UM, SITUATION ECONOMICALLY.
AND SO, UM, LOCAL FOOD BANKS, FORTUNATELY, WE HAVE SECOND HARVEST, WHO IS JUST A TREMENDOUS PARTNER, WHO IS STEPPING UP TO HELP PROVIDE FOOD TO OUR COMMUNITY IN THIS SITUATION.
UM, YOU KNOW THAT, UM, THERE IS CURRENTLY LITIGATION, UM, AND, UM, COURT ORDERS THAT ARE INSTRUCTING THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO, UM, ISSUE SNAP BENEFITS WITH SOME CONTINGENCY FUNDS.
WE ARE SEEING THROUGH THE NEWS AND THROUGH THE ADMINISTRATION, AS WELL AS THROUGH THE CHILD WELFARE DIRECTORS ASSOCIATION THAT THOSE BENEFITS MAY NOT BE, UM, LOADED OR DEPLOYED ANYTIME SOON.
UM, WE ARE HEARING A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS REGARDING THOSE COURT RULINGS.
UM, MOST RECENTLY TODAY, THE FEDERAL ADMINISTRATION IS SAYING THAT THOSE BENEFITS MAY NOT ACTUALLY GET TO PEOPLE UNTIL THIS FEDERAL SHUTDOWN ENDS, EVEN THOUGH THERE ARE COURT RULINGS.
SO AT THIS MOMENT IN TIME, UM, WE BELIEVE THAT WE AS A COUNTY THROUGH, UH, DONATIONS THROUGH THE CITY OF SANTA CRUZ, THE CITY OF WATSONVILLE THAT ARE EACH CONSIDERING DONATING AN ADDITIONAL $100,000, AND THE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION HAS COMMITTED ANOTHER $100,000 TO PROVIDING FOOD OURSELVES TO THOSE WHO NEED IT.
UM, SO WE HAVE CONTRIBUTIONS TOTALING OVER A MILLION DOLLARS NOW BETWEEN THE COUNTY'S CONTRIBUTION OF A HALF A MILLION DOLLARS.
UM, SECOND HARVEST FOOD BANK THINKS THAT IT WILL COST APPROXIMATELY $1 MILLION A MONTH TO FEED AN ADDITIONAL 25,000 PEOPLE IN SANTA CRUZ COUNTY WHEN WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, ANYWHERE FROM 30,000 TO 40,000 PEOPLE ON CALFRESH HISTORICALLY.
SO THAT ALONE MAY NOT EVEN COVER EVERYONE WHO NEEDS THESE BENEFITS, BUT THE COMMUNITY HAS BEEN STEPPING UP TO PROVIDE FOOD IN A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT WAYS.
UM, WE WILL CONTINUE TO HELP, UM, TRY TO CLOSE THE GAP AND FUNDRAISE FOR THE, UH, REMAINING AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT'S NEEDED TO FEED PEOPLE THROUGH THE END OF DECEMBER.
UM, WE HAVE BEEN TOLD BY OUR FEDERAL ADVOCATE, UM, AND THROUGH PANETTA'S OFFICE THAT WE SHOULD PLAN TO FEED PEOPLE THROUGH THE MONTH OF DECEMBER, WHICH IS REALLY JUST SAD AND UNFORTUNATE OF WHERE WE'RE AT.
UM, AND SO WITH ALL OF THAT, UM, DAVE REID CAN SPEAK TO THE SPECIFICS OF WHAT THE EMERGENCY DECLARATION MEANS, UM,
[02:40:02]
BUT WE WOULD LIKE YOU TO BOTH DECLARE THIS LOCAL EMERGENCY AND PROVIDE A HALF A MILLION DOLLARS TO SUPPORT SNAP OR CALFRESH RECIPIENTS UNTIL THIS FEDERAL SHUTDOWN ENDS.UM, THE BOARD ITEM PROVIDES THE HUMAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT THE AUTHORITY TO ENTER INTO THIS CONTRACT AS SOON AS THIS WEEK WITH APPROVAL OF MY OFFICE AND COUNTY COUNCIL.
UM, WE WILL BE PROVIDING SOME CONTRACT LANGUAGE.
IT'S GONNA BE A NEW AGREEMENT, AND WE'RE GONNA BE HAVING SOME CONTRACT LANGUAGE IN THERE TO BREAK UP THE PAYMENT INTO WHAT WILL MOSTLY BE FOUR EQUAL, FOUR EQUAL INSTALLMENTS OF $125,000, OR IS THAT RIGHT? $125,000 IN FOUR, UH, EQUAL INSTALLMENTS, UM, SO THAT, UM, THE SECOND HARVEST CAN BUY FOOD, WHICH THEY NEED TO DO TWO WEEKS IN ADVANCE OF ACTUALLY DEPLOYING THE FOOD.
UM, AND THEN, UM, WILL ALSO GIVE US AN OPPORTUNITY SHOULD THE SHUTDOWN END THAT NOT ALL OF THOSE MONIES MAY BE NEEDED.
SO IF WE SEE IT RESOLVE, WE WILL BE ABLE TO KEEP WHATEVER MONIES AREN'T NEEDED TO BUY THE FOOD FOR ONE OF OUR OTHER IMPACTS THAT WE'RE ANTICIPATING OVER THE NEXT YEAR, BUT, UM, WE'RE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT HAVE.
I KNOW YOU PROBABLY DO HAVE A NUMBER OF THEM, UM, AND, UM, THE STAFF IS HERE TO RESPOND AS WELL.
- THANK YOU, I'M GONNA OPEN IT UP TO PUBLIC COMMENT, AND IF ANYONE WISHES TO ADDRESS US ON THIS ITEM, PLEASE DO SO NOW.
- THANK YOU, BECKY STEINBRUNER.
UM, THESE ARE DIFFICULT TIMES, AND SO BEFORE WHEN WE HEARD THIS PRESENTATION, I SUGGESTED THAT THE CEOS, OF THESE NON-PROFITS, AND THAT YOU, THE BOARD, TITHE A CERTAIN PERCENTAGE OF YOUR SALARY TO HELP FUND FEEDING, UM, THE PEOPLE THAT NEED IT IN OUR COUNTY.
I'M GOING TO ASK YOU TO DO THAT AGAIN.
I'M GOING TO ASK THE CEOS OF THESE NON-PROFITS TO ALSO TITHE A CERTAIN PERCENTAGE TO HELP TO HELP US ALL, AND THAT, UH, THERE IS A REAL STEP UP AMONG THE ADMINISTRATORS TO HELP HERE, AND TO SHOW THE PEOPLE THAT YOU ARE SERIOUSLY CONCERNED AND ARE WILLING TO SUFFER TOO.
THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE IN THIS COUNTY THAT, UM, ARE WILLING TO DONATE AND TO, UM, HELP EASE THE BURDEN IN THESE TIMES, BUT I'M ASKING YOU TO SET A GOOD EXAMPLE.
I AM ASKING ALL OF THE TOP PAID SALARIED PEOPLE IN THE COUNTY TO ALSO STEP UP, AND THAT EACH OF YOU ON THE BOARD ASK THEM TO DO THAT.
IT'S NOT GOING TO BE A POPULAR THING, BUT IF WE ARE ALL SINCERE IN OUR, UH, WISH TO HELP THOSE IN NEED, AND THE NEED IS GREAT, WE'RE HEARING, THEN WE ALL HAVE TO SET A GOOD EXAMPLE, AND I WILL INCLUDE MYSELF IN THAT. THANK YOU.
- YEP. HEY, UH, TREVOR HUTCHISON, AGAIN.
UH, I JUST WANTED TO GO OVER, WE TALKED ABOUT A LOT OF DIFFERENT CONCERNS ABOUT THE COMMUNITY.
MASLOW'S HIERARCHY OF NEEDS REALLY SUMS IT UP, AND A LOT OF THOSE THINGS ARE REALLY UNDER ATTACK RIGHT NOW.
AND IT'S IMPORTANT TO HAVE THE RIGHT LEADERSHIP LIKE ERICA PADILLA, WHO I'M, HAVE THE UTMOST CONFIDENCE IN WORKING WITH HER FOR 3 YEARS NOW.
UM, AND I THINK SHE'S THE RIGHT PERSON TO HELP US THROUGH, UH, ESPECIALLY THE ATTACK THAT'S UNDER, FOR FOOD RIGHT NOW FOR OUR CITIZENS.
UM, JUST TO GO OVER THOSE NEEDS REAL QUICK, THE AIR, WATER, FOOD, SHELTER, THOSE ARE THE BIGGEST CONCERNS.
AND IF THOSE ARE UNDER ATTACK, THOSE TAKE PRIORITY AND PRECEDENT OVER EVERYTHING ELSE, BECAUSE WITHOUT THOSE, YOU CAN'T DO ANYTHING ELSE.
UM, YOU KNOW, CLOTHING, SLEEP, REPRODUCTION, UH, SLEEP AND REPRODUCTION ARE BOTH PART OF THOSE ESSENTIAL NEEDS.
AND THEN, ON THE NEXT LEVEL IS PERSONAL SECURITY, HEALTH AND WELLBEING, STABLE ENVIRONMENT, FINANCIAL SECURITY, SAFETY NEEDS.
AND THEN IT GOES DOWN THE LIST.
SO JUST TO KNOW, I JUST WANTED TO NOTE THAT.
BUT I HAVE THE UTMOST CONFIDENCE IN ERICA BEEN WORKING WITH HER FOR A WHILE AND SHE'S THE RIGHT PERSON TO SEE US THROUGH THIS.
PLEASE GIVE HER, YOU KNOW, THE TIME, THE TOOLS THAT SHE NEEDS TO HELP US STEER THIS TITANIC
[02:45:02]
OF A SHIP THROUGH THESE TIMES.- IS THERE ANYONE ONLINE? - I SEE NO SPEAKERS ONLINE, CHAIR.
- OKAY. I'LL BRING YOU BACK TO THE BOARD NOW.
- THANK YOU, CHAIR, AND I JUST WANNA THANK, UM, STAFF FOR THIS PRESENTATION, ESPECIALLY THANK OUR CEO FOR HER EARLY ENGAGEMENT AND OUTREACH WITH SECOND HARVEST FOOD BANK AS A PARTNER.
I MEAN, IT'S REALLY TRAGIC THAT WE FIND OURSELVES IN THIS SITUATION HERE TODAY AND THAT WE SEE, UM, A FEDERAL ADMINISTRATION THAT, UM, IS GOING BACK AND FORTH ON ITS COMMITMENT, WHICH IS REALLY HAVING SIGNIFICANT NEGATIVE IMPACTS ON PEOPLE'S LIVES AND THEIR CONCERN AROUND, YOU KNOW, HAVING ACCESS TO FOOD.
AND I CAN JUST SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, TOWARDS THE END OF LAST WEEK, I KNOW THERE WERE SOME COUNTIES THAT, YOU KNOW, THEY DON'T, THEY HAVE THEIR MEETINGS AT DIFFERENT TIMES, SO THERE'S BEEN PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, OTHER COMMUNITIES TAKING DIFFERENT ACTIONS AT DIFFERENT TIMES, BUT TODAY, I THINK REALLY MARKS A REALLY IMPORTANT DAY FOR OUR COMMUNITY WHERE WE CAN DEMONSTRATE TO OUR COMMUNITY OUR COMMITMENT TO SUPPORTING FOLKS WITH FOOD SECURITY.
UM, I DO, UM, WANT TO ADD ANOTHER PIECE OF DIRECTION HERE, WHICH IS BECAUSE OF THE FACT THAT, UM, BACK WHEN I WAS MAYOR DURING COVID, IT WAS REALLY CHALLENGING WHEN FOOD SECURITY BECAME AN ISSUE TO TELL PEOPLE AND DIRECT PEOPLE LIKE WHERE THEY CAN GO TO GET FOOD RESOURCES.
AND I ACTUALLY ENDED UP REACHING BACK OUT TO THE AFC TO SAY, "HEY, DO YOU GUYS HAVE THAT LIST OF WHERE PEOPLE CAN ACCESS FOOD RESOURCES, AND LUCKILY THEY STILL HAD THAT LIST.
IT'S MAYBE NOT UP TO DATE, BUT WE'VE BEEN GETTING INFORMATION FROM DIFFERENT SOURCES OF WHERE PEOPLE CAN GO TO GET INFORMATION ABOUT WHERE THEY CAN GO TO GET FOOD, WHERE THEY CAN GO TO DONATE FOOD.
THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF PEOPLE REACHING OUT ABOUT WANTING TO VOLUNTEER AND SO I, AND TO ALSO DONATE AND I DO JUST WANT TO EXERCISE; I DON'T WANT TO EXERCISE CAUTION, BUT I DO JUST WANT US TO ALSO CONSIDER THE FACT THAT, UM, I THINK IT'S 100%, UM, AMAZING THAT WE'RE DONATING TO SECOND HARVEST FOOD BANK.
AND THERE ARE ALSO FOLKS WHO ARE SAYING, YOU KNOW, LIKE HOLY CROSS HAS THEIR FOOD PANTRY PROGRAM, THEY'RE STRUGGLING.
WE HEARD FROM GRAY BEARS EARLIER, WE KNOW THAT THEY'RE STRUGGLING.
WE KNOW THAT, UM, OTHER FOOD DONATION PROGRAMS ARE STRUGGLING AS WELL BECAUSE OF THE LACK OF FEDERAL FUNDING THAT THEY'VE BEEN ABLE TO RECEIVE.
AND SO, I REALLY HOPE THERE'S GONNA BE SOME WAY FOR SOME OF THOSE OTHER ORGANIZATIONS TO WORK WITH SECOND HARVEST FOOD BANKS SO WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE HAVING, UM, FOOD EQUALLY DISTRIBUTED THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY.
BUT I THINK IT REALLY IS CRITICAL THAT, UM, SIMILAR TO OTHER EMERGENCIES THAT WE HAVE, THAT WE HAVE A LOCAL FOOD EMERGENCY RESOURCE PAGE ON THE COUNTY'S WEBSITE, WHICH WOULD INCLUDE RESOURCES FOR FOOD ACCESS, UM, LOCATIONS FOR FOOD DONATIONS, LOCATIONS FOR FOOD DISTRIBUTION, WAYS THAT PEOPLE CAN DONATE FINANCIALLY AND VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES SO THAT WE CAN ENGAGE ALL THE MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY WHO REALLY WANNA HELP WITH THIS EFFORT.
BUT I THINK THAT THIS IS A REALLY GREAT FIRST STEP THAT WE'RE MAKING TO WORKING WITH SECOND HARVEST FOOD BANK AND SUPPORTING SECOND HARVEST FOOD BANK, AND SUPPORTING THE FOOD, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, SUPPORTING THE FOOD ACCESS NEEDS FOR PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY.
I DID ALSO WANT TO JUST, UM, ACKNOWLEDGE AND RECOMMEND THAT THE, UM, WHEN WE HAVE A LETTER THAT COMES FROM THE BOARD, I THINK IT'S UNDER NUMBER THREE, IT SAYS DIRECT STAFF TO INFORM THE COUNTY, STATE, AND FEDERAL DELEGATIONS OF BOARD ACTIONS.
I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT THAT LETTER COME FROM THE CHAIR, UM, ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD AND THAT WE, YOU KNOW, HAVE STAFF ENGAGING AND WORKING WITH OUR STATE AND FEDERAL DELEGATIONS.
BUT I DO THINK THAT THE ACTION THAT WE'RE SENDING TODAY IS, IS REALLY A REFLECTION OF THE BOARD AND COMING FROM THE BOARD.
UM, AND WITH THAT, I DON'T THINK I HAVE ANY FURTHER COMMENTS, BUT JUST, UM, REALLY HOPE THAT WE DON'T HAVE TO SPEND DOWN ALL THIS MONEY THAT WE DO HAVE, YOU KNOW, SNAP BENEFITS KICKING BACK IN FOR FOLKS.
BUT, YOU KNOW, I THINK WE'RE, WE'RE IN THIS FOR THE LONG HAUL.
I ACTUALLY DID WANNA MENTION ONE MORE THING I THINK INTO RESPONSE TO MS. STEINBRUNER'S COMMENTS.
YOU KNOW, WE DO HAVE OUR HOLIDAY, UM, SECOND HARVEST FOOD BANK DRIVE THAT'S HAPPENING RIGHT NOW.
AND I THINK MANY OF US, UH, WE HAVE, THERE'S A COMPETITION ACROSS JURISDICTIONS TO SEE WHO CAN RAISE THE MOST MONEY.
AND I THINK GIVEN WHAT WE'RE SEEING RIGHT NOW, IT REALLY PUTS US IN A POSITION WHERE WE SHOULD BE TRYING TO DO WHAT WE CAN TO RAISE MONEY AND HAVE THE COUNTY BE, YOU KNOW, THE HIGHEST, UM, A DONOR THIS YEAR.
I KNOW THAT THERE'S SOMETIMES COMPETITIONS BETWEEN JURISDICTIONS WHERE IF A JURISDICTION LOSES, THEY MIGHT HAVE TO JUMP OFF THE WHARF.
AND SO, UH, I DON'T LIKE COLD WATER AND SO I'M HOPING THAT WE CAN USE THIS OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO, TO GET OUT IN THE FRONT AND, AND GET THE MOST DONATIONS DURING THIS HOLIDAY SEASON.
SO THAT CONCLUDES MY COMMENTS.
I JUST WANNA THANK YOU AGAIN FOR BRINGING THIS FORWARD ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD.
- THANK YOU. I CERTAINLY WON'T BE JUMPING OFF NO WHARF.
- [LAUGHTER] - SUPERVISOR MARTINEZ.
UM, LET ME JUST START OFF BY BANKING OUR CEO, OR3, SECOND HARVEST AND ALL OF THE PARTNERS FOR WORKING TOGETHER TO COORDINATE THIS RESPONSE TO THE LOSS IN SNAP BENEFITS FOR OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
UM, I APPRECIATE THE CREATIVITY IN IDENTIFYING A FUNDING SOURCE.
UM, THIS 500,000 IS COMING FROM A REDUCTION OF OUR SUPPLIES AND SERVICES BUDGET RATHER THAN TAPPING
[02:50:04]
INTO OUR RESERVES, WHICH MAY BE NEEDED FOR, UM, FUTURE EMERGENCIES.SO, I REALLY APPRECIATE, UM, FINDING THAT FUNDING WITHIN OUR BUDGET.
AND, UM, I JUST WANNA SAY THAT THIS, THIS ITEM AS WELL AS, YOU KNOW, SOME PREVIOUS ITEMS THAT HAVE COME BEFORE OUR BOARD RECENTLY REALLY DEMONSTRATE THE VALUE OF COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP COMING TOGETHER VERY SWIFTLY IN RESPONSE TO WHAT'S HAPPENING TO TRY TO FILL THE NEED OF BASIC NEEDS, UM, AND REDUCTION OF SERVICES THAT WE'RE SEEING IMMEDIATELY.
UM, I DO WANNA TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT WHAT DECLARING A LOCAL EMERGENCY COULD MEANS IN TERMS OF, UH, PRACTICAL IMPACTS FOR OUR RESIDENTS.
UM, I KNOW THAT IN PAST EMERGENCIES, THINGS LIKE TENANT PROTECTIONS FROM EVICTIONS, UM, HAVE BEEN A PART OF IT.
AND WHEN I THINK ABOUT THE CHOICES THAT OUR RESIDENTS MIGHT HAVE TO MAKE IMMEDIATELY, RIGHT? THEY...
THEY'RE USED TO RECEIVING CALFRESH BENEFITS TO FILL THEIR REFRIGERATOR AND FOOD PANTRY FOR THEIR FAMILIES.
THEY'RE NOT ABLE TO, AND THEY'RE GONNA HAVE TO MAKE CHOICES ABOUT PAYING RENT OR PAYING FOR FOOD FOR THEIR FAMILIES.
UM, WHAT DOES IT MEAN WHEN WE DECLARE A LOCAL EMERGENCY, UM, AS IS PRESENTED? - SO THE, UM, DAVE REID, OR3, THERE'S A COUPLE THINGS.
ACTUALLY THE FOLLOWING ITEM IN TODAY'S AGENDA SPEAKS TO A LITTLE BIT OF IT, BUT, UM, YES.
SO BY DECLARING THE LOCAL EMERGENCY, WE WILL HAVE SOME TENANT PROTECTIONS IN PLACE FOR 30 DAYS SO WE CAN WORK, OR3 CAN WORK IN COLLABORATION WITH THE COUNTY COUNCIL AND OTHER STATE AND LOCAL AGENCIES TO ENSURE THAT WE ARE PROTECTING FOLKS FROM EVICTIONS DURING THAT, DURING THE PERIOD WITH WHICH WE KEEP THIS LOCAL EMERGENCY ACTIVE.
UM, AND THEN IT ALSO AFFORDS US THE ABILITY TO ACCESS SOME OF OUR DISASTER SERVICE WORKERS TO SUPPORT, AS HAS BEEN MENTIONED.
UM, VOLUNTEER NEEDS TO HELP DISTRIBUTE, UM, AND PREPARE FOOD FOR DISTRIBUTION SO WE CAN ACCESS SOME OF OUR DISASTER SERVICE WORKERS IN SUPPORTING SOME OF THOSE EFFORTS AS WELL.
- AND SO, GIVEN THAT SPECIAL, UM, PROVISION, WHAT IS THE LENGTH THAT WE EXPECT FOR THIS LOCAL EMERGENCY? WHAT IS THE PROCESS FOR ENDING THE EMERGENCY? - I CAN ASSIST WITH THAT.
UM, THE LOCAL EMERGENCY LASTS UNTIL THE BOARD, UM, REVOKES IT BASICALLY.
SO, UM, THERE'S NO END DATE ON IT.
THE, UM, PROTECTIONS FOR EVICTIONS, UM, AND FOR PRICE GOUGING, UM, THOSE LAST FOR 30 DAYS FROM THE DATE YOUR BOARD DECLARES.
HOWEVER, UM, THE CEO HAS BEEN DELEGATED AS SOMEONE WHO CAN RE-UP THAT EVERY 30 DAYS, AND WE DID THAT, UM, A NUMBER OF TIMES DURING, UM, AFTER THE CZU FIRES, FOR EXAMPLE.
WE THINK WE DID IT FOR ABOUT A YEAR OR SO AFTER THE CZU FIRES.
SO I THINK THAT IN THE ADDITIONAL DIRECTION THAT, UM, SUPERVISOR CUMMINGS IS PRESENTING ABOUT THE COUNTY WEBSITE, I THINK IT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO INCLUDE, UM, THE INFORMATION ABOUT TENANT PROTECTIONS ON THERE SO THAT WAY OUR, UM, LOCAL RESIDENTS ARE AWARE THAT THEY MAY, UM, BE PROTECTED IN THE EVENT THAT THEY'RE NOT ABLE TO PAY THEIR RENT WHEN THEY CAN'T ACCESS THEIR FOOD, UM, RESOURCES AND, UM, FUNDING.
UM, ANOTHER QUESTION FOR, UM, SECOND HARVEST.
SO AGAIN, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR COORDINATION AND YOUR LEADERSHIP.
UM, JUST CAN YOU HELP US AND THE PUBLIC HERE, WHAT'S NEEDED TODAY? UM, HOW ARE YOUR FOOD SUPPLIES? UM, ARE YOU SEEKING VOLUNTEERS? HOW CAN FOLKS HELP? - WELL, THANK YOU SO MUCH.
UM, FIRST OF ALL, UM, AS HAS BEEN STATED, I WANNA THANK, UH, CEO COBURN FOR BEING SUPER RESPONSIVE TO THIS UNPRECEDENTED MOMENT, UM, FOR ANY COMMUNITY ACROSS OUR COUNTRY.
SO, KNOW THAT SANTA CRUZ COUNTY IS NOT ALONE.
I SPEAK TO SO MANY OF MY COLLEAGUES ACROSS THE NATION, UM, SOME WHO ARE FORTUNATE TO WORK WITH LEADERS THAT ARE PEOPLE CENTERED, OTHERS THAT ARE HOPING THAT SOME MAGICAL MONEY WILL COME DOWN FROM FEDERAL AND STATE SOURCES AND IT'S JUST NOT HAPPENING.
UM, AND SO REALLY EVERY COMMUNITY IS STEPPING UP TO FEND FOR ITSELF.
AND THAT'S REALLY THE NATURE OF WHAT'S HAPPENING ACROSS OUR NATION RIGHT NOW.
YOU SEE, SANTA CLARA COUNTY JUST GAVE 4.5 MILLION TO THEIR FOOD BANK.
YOU SEE THAT SAN FRANCISCO'S GOING TO BE DOING GIFT CARDS.
EVERYONE'S TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW DO WE WORK TOGETHER LOCALLY.
[02:55:02]
SO, I JUST WANNA SET THE TONE FOR WHAT'S HAPPENING.THERE IS NO PLAYBOOK FOR THIS.
NO FOOD BANK, WHO, BY THE WAY, AND I KNOW I WAS HERE BEFORE, GRAY BEARS, LOAVES & FISHES, 65 ORGANIZATIONS ARE CONTRACTED WITH US.
WE DISTRIBUTE 13 MILLION POUNDS OF FOOD A YEAR.
IT WAS MUCH HIGHER DOING FEMA OR DURING COVID BECAUSE WE HAD FEMA RESOURCES, RIGHT? THOSE RESOURCES AREN'T COMING FOR THIS.
AND IT'S A $6.5 MILLION BENEFIT DELTA THAT IS NOT COMING TO HOUSEHOLDS.
NO FOOD BANK IS DESIGNED TO BE THE ONLY PURVEYOR OF FOOD SUPPORT FOR ANY COMMUNITY.
FOOD BANKS HAVE ALWAYS BEEN YOUR SECOND LINE OF DEFENSE.
BUT HOW ARE WE WORKING? WELL, WE'RE WORKING VERY STRATEGICALLY WITH ALL THESE PARTNERS, SOME OF THEM WHO WERE MENTIONED TODAY, RIGHT? AND WE ARE BEING VERY RATIONAL IN OUR CONVERSATIONS WITH EVERYONE AND REMINDING EVERYONE THAT WHILE WE SEE OUR COMMUNITY, LIKE THE COUNTY AND THE CITIES AND OUR LOCAL PHILANTHROPY STEPPING UP, IT IS NOT GOING TO EQUATE TO THE $6.5 MILLION FOOD THAT PEOPLE ARE USED TO ACCESSING.
AND SO, WE WILL NEED TO BE CAREFUL AND STRATEGIC TO USE DATA.
WE DO HAVE AND ARE WORKING CLOSELY WITH OUR COUNTY, UM, UH, LEADERS AT, UH, HUMAN RESOURCES AGENCY.
WE KNOW WHERE CALFRESH RECIPIENTS LIVE.
WE ARE GOING TO BE DISTRIBUTING FOOD TO OUR PARTNERS BASED ON DATA, BECAUSE WE KNOW WE WANT PEOPLE TO, WE ARE CLEARLY BEING IMPACTED BY THIS TO HAVE ACCESS WITHIN THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS, TO GO TO ONE OF OUR ACCESS POINTS THROUGH OUR PARTNERS AND ACCESS FOOD.
IN ADDITION TO THAT WE ARE WORKING WITH THE COUNTY TO PROVIDE 2, UH, EMERGENCY DISTRIBUTIONS THIS MONTH, ONE AT EACH ONE OF YOUR, UM, UH, UH, COUNTY FACILITIES WHERE PEOPLE GO TO ASK QUESTIONS ABOUT THEIR BENEFITS AND ENROLL.
WE KNOW THERE'S GONNA BE A LOT OF PEOPLE GOING TO THESE OFFICES WONDERING WHY THEIR CARD'S NOT WORKING, AND MANY PEOPLE WILL FIND OUT ABOUT WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THAT WAY.
THEY GO TO THE STORE, THEY DIDN'T KNOW THAT THERE WASN'T ANY MONEY IN THEIR CARD.
THEY'RE GOING TO FIND OUT THAT WAY AND THEY'RE GONNA GO TO THE COUNTY AND THEY'RE GONNA SAY, WHAT HAPPENED? RIGHT? I ALSO JUST WANNA BRING A HUMAN ELEMENT TO, OH, LET ME KEEP ANSWERING THE QUESTION, WHAT ELSE ARE WE DOING? IN ADDITION TO THESE 2 SITES, WE WILL BE WORKING, UM, WITH, UH, THE OFFICE OF EMERGENCY SERVICES TO HELP US DISTRIBUTE FOOD.
THINK ALL OF COVID, WE WERE AT THE BOARDWALK, WE WERE AT THE FAIRGROUNDS, AND THEN WE WILL WORK WITH THE, UH, DEPARTMENT TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL CALFRESH RECIPIENTS RECEIVE A MESSAGE THAT WE WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR THEM, ESPECIALLY THE WEEK BEFORE THANKSGIVING, RIGHT? UM, WE ARE AMPING UP OUR VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES AT THE FOOD BANK BECAUSE WHAT HAPPENS, THINK OF THE THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS OF POUNDS OF FOOD BEING DELIVERED EVERY WEEK TO ALL THESE SITES.
THE FOOD HAS TO BE PACKAGED SO THAT IT GOES TO THESE SITES READY TO BE HAND DELIVERED TO PEOPLE THAT ARE SHOWING UP, RIGHT? WE NEED VOLUNTEERS, AND SO IF YOU GO ONTO OUR WEBSITE, YOU'RE GOING TO SEE AFTERNOON AND SATURDAY SLOTS THAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR.
WE HAVE HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH SOME OF OUR PARTICIPANTS ABOUT USING THE NATIONAL GUARD.
UM, WE'VE HEARD LOUD AND CLEAR FOR OUR PARTICIPANTS THAT THEY WOULDN'T NECESSARILY FEEL SAFE SEEING PEOPLE IN UNIFORM AT THEIR FOOD BANK.
SO, THIS IS WHY WE'RE ASKING OUR COMMUNITY TO STEP UP AND HELP US.
WE WANNA MAKE SURE WE DON'T, NOT ADDING TO THE ANXIETY, UH, TO SOME OF OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
AND THEN LASTLY, I'LL JUST SAY THAT ONE OF OUR TOP PRIORITIES OF CONCERN IS OUR, UM, UNHOUSED COMMUNITY, MAKING SURE THAT OUR UNHOUSED COMMUNITY KNOWS WHERE TO GO FOR FOOD, AND WE KNOW THAT THEY HAVE THE TRADITIONAL PLACES WHERE THEY GO, AND SOME FOLKS HAVE RECEIVED BENEFITS AND THEY GO TO THE STORE AND THEY, THEY RECEIVE BENEFITS THAT WAY AND DON'T AVAIL THEMSELVES, RIGHT? OF THE SERVICES WE PROVIDE.
UM, I WANNA SHARE WITH YOU THAT MY STAFF IS, IS COMMITTED AND DOING THE BEST THEY CAN, BUT I ALSO WANNA BE VERY TRANSPARENT WITH YOU.
THE PHONE CALLS THAT WE'RE GETTING IN OUR, HOTLINE FROM PEOPLE THAT ARE BEING AFFECTED, THAT HAVE NEVER SOUGHT SERVICES FROM THE FOOD BANK ARE HEART WRENCHING.
STAFF IS DEALING WITH HEIGHTENED LEVELS OF ANGER AND FRUSTRATION.
STAFF IS DEALING WITH PARENTS ASKING THEM HOW THEY'RE GONNA MAKE ENDS MEET WITHOUT THE DOLLARS THAT THEY DEPEND ON FOR FOOD.
[03:00:01]
THIS IS HAPPENING TO OUR NEIGHBORS AND WE'RE GONNA DO THE BEST WE CAN, BUT THIS IS A MOMENT FOR OUR COMMUNITY TO DO EXACTLY WHAT WE'RE DOING TODAY, WHICH IS STANDING SHOULDER TO SHOULDER AND DOING WHAT WE CAN.UM, AND YES THE HOLIDAY FOOD AND FUND DRIVE IS YET ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY FOR OUR COMMUNITY TO ENGAGE.
UM, ONE THING THAT GIVES ME SO MUCH PRIDE THIS MORNING AS I WAS THINKING ABOUT THIS MEETING, THERE ARE COUNTIES THAT ARE CHOOSING TO NOT ACT.
YOU'RE ACTING, THE CITY OF WATSONVILLE WILL BE ACTING.
THE CITY OF SANTA CRUZ WILL BE ACTING.
AND I THINK RIGHT NOW, IF ANYTHING, WE NEED CHARACTER AND WE NEED TO DO WHAT'S RIGHT, YOU KNOW? THE BASIC PRINCIPLES THAT WE ALL WERE RAISED TO BELIEVE IN.
SO, WHEN HEARING THE STORIES OF THE PEOPLE THAT ARE BEING IMPACTED AND THEN WATCHING OUR LOCAL GOVERNMENT STAND UP AT THIS MOMENT, GIVES ME IMMENSE PRIDE KNOWING THAT THERE ARE COMMUNITIES THAT ARE NOT AS LUCKY AS THE PEOPLE THAT GET TO CALL SANTA CRUZ COUNTY HOME.
YOU SHOULD FEEL VERY, VERY PROUD OF YOURSELVES AND YOUR LEADERSHIP.
THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT TIME FOR FAMILIES.
THIS IS THANKSGIVING AND WE'RE COMING INTO THE HOLIDAYS, AND YOU NEED TO KNOW THAT OUR FOOD BANK IS PREPARING FOR THE DURATION OF THIS CALENDAR YEAR AND YOUR CONTRIBUTION'S GONNA BE SUPER HELPFUL, AND WE'RE ASKING THE COMMUNITY TO STEP UP EVEN MORE SO, 'CAUSE YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT A $13 MILLION POTENTIAL DELTA BETWEEN 2 MONTHS.
NO COMMUNITY CAN FILL THAT GAP, BUT WE'RE GONNA DO THE BEST WE CAN.
IF YOU GO ONTO OUR WEBSITE, YOU'LL FIND THE FIND FOOD MAP, ALL OF THE LOCATIONS FOR WHERE PEOPLE CAN GO.
WE'VE BEEN CIRCULATING THAT FLYER.
I THINK I SENT IT TO MOST OF YOU ELECTRONICALLY.
PEOPLE PUT IN THEIR ADDRESS, THEY KNOW WHAT THE CLOSEST DISTRIBUTION SITE IS AT.
EQUALLY, IF YOU WANNA GO DONATE FOOD, THERE IS A, UM, BARREL AVAILABILITY MAP.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I'M GONNA BE ASKING DAVID TO SEE IF WE CAN COORDINATE IS TO GET BARRELS TO ALL OF OUR, UH, LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICES ACROSS THE COUNTIES SO THAT WE CAN SOLICIT FOOD.
WE'RE NOT BIG ON SOLICITING FOOD HISTORICALLY BECAUSE IT COSTS THE FOOD BANK A LOT OF MONEY TO INVENTORIZE, ORGANIZE, AND THEN, UH, DISTRIBUTE THE FOOD.
THERE'S A LOT OF STAFFING POWER THAT HAPPENS THERE, AND IT'S COSTLY, BUT WE'RE IN A SITUATION WITH EVEN YOUR DONATIONS, WE NEED VOLUMES OF FOOD, RIGHT? AND THERE'S SPECIFIC KIND OF FOOD WE'RE ASKING FOR, SHELF STABLE FOOD.
OUR WEBSITE HAS A LIST OF ITEMS THAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR.
SO TO YOUR, UM, QUESTION, UH, SUPERVISOR CUMMINGS, WE WANNA LEAN ON OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICES, FIRE DEPARTMENTS, POLICE DEPARTMENTS, SO THAT THEY CAN BECOME PLACES WHERE PEOPLE CAN GO DONATE SOME OF THOSE SHELF STABLE FOOD.
UM, I'M HAPPY TO ENTERTAIN ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS.
AGAIN, PLEASE KNOW WE'RE COORDINATING WITH OVER 65 ORGANIZATIONS THAT WE ARE LUCKY TO CALL PARTNER AGENCIES.
WE ARE MEETING WEEKLY AND BEING RESPONSIVE AS WE'RE LEARNING WHAT WE'RE SEEING EVERY WEEK, BECAUSE THIS WILL BE THE FIRST WEEK, UM, THAT WE WILL SEE MASSIVE TURNOUT.
LAST WEEK OUR HOTLINE SAW AN INCREASE OF 40% CALLS.
UM, AND SO WE KNOW TO ANTICIPATE A WAVE OF PEOPLE NEEDING FOOD.
UM, AND OF COURSE YOU ALL HAVE MY CELL PHONE, SO IF ANY ONE OF YOU HAS ANY QUESTIONS, PLEASE FEEL FREE TO REACH OUT TO ME.
- THANK YOU. UM, THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT YOU'RE DOING.
IT'S CLEAR THAT YOU'RE MEETING AN INCREDIBLE NEED.
UM, AND I APPRECIATE YOUR COORDINATION WITH ALL THE VARIOUS ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE HELPING TO DISTRIBUTE FOOD.
UM, I'LL BE HOLDING A MEETING AT THE END OF THIS WEEK WITH THE ORGANIZATIONS WHO ARE DISTRIBUTING FOOD IN THE SAN LORENZO VALLEY AND IN SCOTTS VALLEY.
UM, AND I REALLY ENCOURAGE ALL MY COLLEAGUES ON THE BOARD TO, UM, YOU KNOW, KIND OF HELP WITH THAT COORDINATION, HELP TO SHARE INFORMATION AND, UM, DO WHAT WE DO BEST, WHICH IS TO PARTNER.
- SUPERVISOR KOENIG? - WELL, YEAH, I ALSO JUST WANNA EXPRESS MY IMMENSE APPRECIATION FOR STAFF AND ALL OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS WHO HAVE CREATED THIS OPPORTUNITY FOR ACTION AND BROUGHT IT TO US SO QUICKLY SO THAT WE CAN GET IT OUT THE DOOR AND ONTO FAMILIES' TABLES AND INTO THEIR BELLIES.
UM, I SUPPOSE WE DON'T, THERE'S SO MUCH UNCERTAINTY RIGHT NOW, BUT I MEAN A $13 MILLION DELTA OVER TWO MONTHS? DO WE HAVE ANY SENSE THAT WILL LIKE BE FULLY EXPENDED OR AVAILABLE IF THE GOVERNMENT DOES REOPEN, WHEN IT DOES REOPEN, EVENTUALLY?
[03:05:01]
I MEAN, THAT WAS ULTIMATELY BUDGETED FOR, RIGHT? - I CAN SPEAK TO THAT A LITTLE BIT.SO, UM, AS CEO COBURN MENTIONED EARLIER, UM, THERE'S BEEN A COURT ORDER THAT SNAP BENEFITS BE RELEASED, AT LEAST PARTIALLY RELEASED.
AND JUST EARLIER THIS MORNING, WE WERE RECEIVING INFORMATION REGARDING HOW THAT BREAKDOWN WAS INTENDED TO, UM, BE DISTRIBUTED AMONG TWO CLIENTS.
AND THE METHODOLOGY THAT WAS CHOSEN BY THE FEDERAL, UM, GOVERNMENT WAS ONE WHICH WAS GOING TO BE A LITTLE BIT MORE, UH, COMPLICATED TO GET OUT DIRECTLY TO PEOPLE WHO NEED THE BENEFITS AND IT WAS GOING TO TAKE A FEW WEEKS.
AND THEN JUST SITTING IN THIS MEETING, WE'VE SEEN THE NEWS THAT THE PRESIDENT HAS SAID THERE WILL BE NO ISSUANCE UNTIL AFTER THE SHUTDOWN ENDS.
SO I THINK IT'S A BIT UNCERTAIN WHAT THE ACTUAL REALITY WILL BE.
WE HAVE PREVIOUSLY BEEN TOLD BY USDA THAT ONCE THE SHUTDOWN ENDS ALL BENEFITS WILL BE, UH, ISSUED IN FULL.
SO PRESUMABLY IF WE'RE ABLE TO GET PARTIAL ISSUANCES OUT, UM, WHETHER IT'S ONE, THREE WEEKS FROM NOW HOPEFULLY IT'S NOT REALLY DELAYED UNTIL THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT REOPENS.
THEN ONCE THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT DOES OPEN WE'D BE ABLE TO ISSUE THE REMAINING BENEFITS.
SO IN A SENSE IT STILL DOESN'T ANSWER THE QUESTION ABOUT WHAT WILL BE THE GAP, WHEN WILL PEOPLE HAVE MONEY ON THEIR CARDS? UM, BUT I'LL REMAIN HOPEFUL THAT WE ACTUALLY WILL BE ABLE TO AT LEAST ISSUE PARTIAL BENEFITS SOMETIME THIS MONTH, BUT IT IS TO BE DETERMINED.
UM, AND I ALSO WANT TO THANK CEO COBURN FOR PUTTING TOGETHER A SOLUTION HERE THAT IS PAID FOR WITH BELT TIGHTENING, UM, RATHER THAN DIGGING INTO OUR RESERVES FURTHER SINCE I'M SURE WE'RE GOING TO NEED THEM.
- SUPERVISOR DE SERPA? - THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE TODAY, ERICA.
I'M IN COMPLETE SUPPORT OF THIS.
I JUST HAVE JUST A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS.
YOU KNOW, THERE'S OTHER, UM, SERVICES ON THE TABLE LIKE WIC, WHICH I BELIEVE HAS FUNDING THROUGH THE MONTH OF NOVEMBER, BUT THEN ENDS AT THE LAST DAY.
AND THAT'S ANOTHER SERVICE FOR, UM, FAMILIES THAT HAVE BABIES AND YOUNG CHILDREN TO SUPPLEMENT THEIR NEED FOR FOOD.
UM, SO THERE'S THAT PROGRAM AND THEN THERE'S MEALS ON WHEELS THAT COMES LATER.
SO I THINK I HEARD YOU SAY THAT WE'RE TRYING TO TARGET SNAP PARTICIPANTS, BUT, UM, HOW ARE WE DOING THAT OTHER THAN SENDING THEM A TEXT MESSAGE? - I THINK IT MIGHT BE YOU, AND THEN...
- UM THANK YOU SUPERVISOR DE SERPA.
UH, SNAP RECIPIENTS HAVE BEEN RECEIVING VARIOUS MESSAGING REGARDING THE SITUATION DIRECTLY FROM THE STATE AS WELL AS FROM US AS THE COUNTY DEPARTMENT ADMINISTERING SNAP BENEFITS.
SOME OF THE WAYS THAT WE'VE BEEN COMMUNICATING DIRECTLY WITH CLIENTS IS THROUGH ON OUR PHONE SYSTEM WE HAVE A RECORDED MESSAGE INFORMING THEM OF WHAT THE CURRENT SITUATION IS.
UM, THEY'VE ALSO RECEIVED DIRECT MAILINGS.
WE'RE ALSO DOING SOCIAL MEDIA POSTINGS AND WE'VE BEEN PRETTY AVAILABLE TO OTHER MEDIA OUTLETS THAT HAVE REACHED OUT TO US.
AND THEN, UH, ADDITIONALLY, AS YOU JUST ALLUDED TO, WE HAVE TEXT MESSAGING AVAILABLE, WHICH IN THE PAST HAS BEEN A PRETTY EFFECTIVE FORM OF COMMUNICATION, AS MOST OF US ALWAYS HAVE OUR PHONES AVAILABLE.
UM, THE FINAL OTHER METHODS OF COMMUNICATION HAS BEEN THROUGH OUR PARTNERS THAT WE KNOW MANY OF OUR CLIENTS WORK WITH, UH, DIRECTLY THROUGH SECOND HARVEST FOOD BANK, OF COURSE, AND WE HAVE, UH, MONTHLY MEETINGS WITH A NUMBER OF, UM, COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS THAT WORK WITH SOME OF OUR SHARED CLIENTS.
AND SO, UH, THE MESSAGE IS GETTING OUT AS WIDELY AS POSSIBLE.
I HOPE THAT ANSWERS YOUR QUESTION.
AND SO THE SNAP BENEFITS ARE TYPICALLY ABOUT $6.5 MILLION A MONTH THAT GO OUT INTO THE COMMUNITY THROUGH PEOPLE'S ABILITY TO BUY FOOD.
SO THERE'S GOING TO BE SOME DIRE ECONOMIC CONSEQUENCES FOR AGRICULTURE, FOR OUR STORES, AND ET CETERA, ET CETERA, ALSO.
- THE RIPPLE EFFECT OF THIS WILL, ESPECIALLY IF PROLONGED, WILL BE FELT BY MANY OF OUR RETAILERS WHO OPEN UP THEIR BUSINESSES TO WELCOME THE FOOT TRAFFIC, UH, THAT COMES WITH CALFRESH RECIPIENTS.
SO SURE, THERE'S BEEN FEEDING AMERICA HAS BEEN,
[03:10:02]
WHICH IS OUR NATIONAL SISTER ORGANIZATION, HAS BEEN ADVOCATING TO CONGRESS NOT JUST THE IMPACT TO THOSE WHO ARE IN NEED OF THIS BENEFIT, BUT CLEARLY THE IMPACTS THAT IT WILL POSE TO, UM, OUR LOCAL ECONOMIES AND OUR FARMERS, FOR SURE.- OKAY, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE.
- I'LL SECOND, I DO HAVE SOME ADDITIONAL DIRECTION I'D LIKE TO INCLUDE AS WELL.
- YOU KNOW, I THINK IT'S, UM,...
- I THINK I'M TURNING EVERYBODY'S MIC OFF RIGHT NOW.
I THINK WE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO DO A SORT OF A FOCUSED EFFORT ON TRYING TO GET FOLKS THAT ARE LOSING BENEFITS, SNAP PARTICIPANTS.
UM, I DON'T KNOW HOW THAT CAN BE DONE IF IT'S JUST SPECIFICALLY FOLKS THAT WERE ELIGIBLE FOR SNAP THAT ARE GOING TO BE CONTACTED DURING THIS TIME BY TEXT MESSAGE OR SPECIFIC DATES THAT ARE SET UP FOR FOLKS THAT ARE LOSING BENEFITS THAT GET MAILED TO THEM, UH, IN SNAIL MAIL TYPE OF MAIL.
UM, BUT I THINK, YEAH, THAT IS GOING TO BE IMPORTANT BECAUSE WE CAN OPEN IT UP TO EVERYBODY ELSE LATER IN TIME.
BUT I THINK THE IMPORTANT THING IS REACHING THOSE PEOPLE THAT ARE LOSING BENEFITS.
DID YOU HAVE ADDITIONAL COMMENTS? - YEAH, ADDITIONAL COMMENTS AND A LITTLE BIT OF ADDITIONAL DIRECTIONS BASED ON THE CONVERSATION.
I WANTED TO SEE IF THIS WAS A FRIENDLY AMENDMENT WOULD BE OKAY WITH THE MAKER OF THE MOTION THAT UNDER THREE.
UM, AND THEN JUST SAYING DIRECT STAFF, DIRECT STAFF AND THE CHAIR TO SEND A LETTER TO THE COUNTY'S STATE AND FEDERAL DELEGATION ON THE BOARD'S ACTIONS.
UM, AND THEN IN ADDITION TO THE RECOMMENDED ACTION THAT, UH, THE COUNTY PROVIDE NOT ONLY INFORMATION ABOUT FOOD RESOURCES, UM, LOCATIONS FOR FOOD DONATIONS, FINANCIAL DONATIONS AND VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES, BUT ALSO TO INCLUDE INFORMATION ABOUT, UM, RENTERS RIGHTS AND ASSISTANCE AND ANY OTHER RELEVANT INFORMATION AS IT PERTAINS TO THE EMERGENCY.
AND I THINK THAT'S GOING TO ALSO GET AT SOME LIKE, YOU KNOW, PRICE GOUGING ISSUES AND THINGS LIKE THAT THAT MIGHT COME UP.
AND THE LAST THING I WANTED TO SEE IF THE BOARD MIGHT BE WILLING TO CONSIDER, WHICH IS VERY UNTRADITIONAL, IS THAT WE SEND AN ALERT OUT THROUGH CRUZAWARE.
I KNOW WE USUALLY USE IT FOR DISASTER EMERGENCIES, BUT THIS IS AN EMERGENCY WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY.
AND THE FACT THAT IT'S ANOTHER WAY FOR US TO GET INFORMATION OUT FOR PEOPLE WHO MAYBE THEY'RE NOT ON BENEFITS, BUT THEY WANT TO HELP.
I THINK THIS COULD BE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO USE THAT SYSTEM.
BUT I WANTED TO ASK THAT QUESTION OF OUR OR3 DIRECTOR PRIOR TO HAVING THAT INCORPORATED INTO THE MOTION.
- SO IS YOUR ADDITIONAL DIRECTION THAT YOU'D LIKE TO USE, CRUZAWARE, TO POINT THEM TO DONATING TO THE FOOD BANK, OR IS IT JUST TO MAKE PEOPLE AWARE OF THE DISASTER? WHAT WOULD YOU...
- I THINK IT WOULD BE MAKING PEOPLE AWARE OF US DECLARING LOCAL EMERGENCY AND WHERE THEY CAN GO TO GET MORE INFORMATION ABOUT ACCESS TO FOOD RESOURCES, VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES, DONATIONS, ET CETERA.
- OKAY. SO I'D LIKE TO INCORPORATE THAT AS A PACKAGE OF FRIENDLY AMENDMENTS.
- SO, MADAM CLERK, WE DO HAVE A...
- [INAUDIBLE] BEFORE YOU, I JUST WANTED TO...
- BEFORE YOU MAKE A MOTION OR TAKE THE VOTE, I'LL JUST ADD I WAS HEARING FROM SOME COUNTY EXECUTIVES THAT THEY'VE BEEN TRYING TO TARGET IF THEY'RE USING THEIR SYSTEMS LIKE OUR CRUZAWARE TO ACTUALLY TARGET THE SNAP RECIPIENTS.
SO MAYBE THIS IS A QUESTION FOR HSD.
IF WE HAVE ACCESS TO THE TELEPHONE NUMBERS OF OUR SNAP RECIPIENTS, COULD WE SEND A MORE TARGETED ALERT? BECAUSE I'M A LITTLE BIT WORRIED THAT IF WE ALERT THE WHOLE COUNTY, I DON'T WANT TO USE ALL THE FOOD ON THE PEOPLE WHO MIGHT NOT NEED THE FOOD.
SO THAT'S JUST KIND OF A REFINEMENT THAT MAYBE STAFF, WE CAN LOOK INTO AS STAFF.
- FOR THE HSD CLIENTS, I WOULD SAY WE COULD MESSAGE THEM DIRECTLY THROUGH OUR SYSTEMS. WE HAVE PRIVACY RULES WE HAVE TO FOLLOW, SO, UM, WE COULDN'T NECESSARILY SHARE THAT FOR CRUZAWARE.
THOUGH I UNDERSTOOD, UH, THE DESIRE FOR THE MESSAGE TO BE MORE ABOUT OPTIONS FOR DONATING.
SO I DON'T KNOW IF THAT WILL MAKE A DIFFERENCE, BUT FOR OUR CLIENTS SPECIFICALLY, I WOULD SAY WE USE, UM, HSD SYSTEMS, WHICH WE DO HAVE ACCESS TO.
AND WE COULD, UM, INCORPORATE, UM, OTHER MESSAGES OR OTHERWISE VERY SPECIFICALLY TARGETED TO CALFRESH, UH, BENEFICIARIES FOR HSD, CALFRESH BENEFICIARIES, UM, FOOD DISTRIBUTION INFORMATION AND THE RESOURCE PAGE THAT WAS REFERENCED.
- SO SUPERVISOR CUMMINGS, WHAT I WOULD RECOMMEND IS THAT WE LOOK INTO DOING A CRUZ ALERT FOR THE GENERAL EMERGENCY AND INFORMATION AND WHERE TO FIND INFORMATION
[03:15:02]
AND THEN MESSAGE TO THE SNAP RECIPIENTS IN ANOTHER WAY ABOUT WHERE THEY CAN GO TO FOR FOOD.- AS LONG AS THE MAKER OF THE MOTION IS OKAY WITH IT.
- SO THANK YOU. BEFORE WE TAKE THE VOTE, I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT I WANT TO THANK ALL THE COUNTY STAFF, UH, MY COLLEAGUES HERE ON THE BOARD.
UH, EVERY TIME WE FACE THESE THINGS WITH, YOU KNOW, WHETHER IT'S THE THREAT OF ICE, IT'S A HEAD START OR, YOU KNOW, THESE THINGS THAT WE'RE DEALING WITH NOW WITH FOOD INSECURITY, THAT WE ALWAYS DEAL WITH IT WITH A SENSE OF COMPASSION AND THOUGHTFULNESS.
SO THANK YOU FOR ALL THE HARD WORK BEHIND IT TOO AS WELL.
MADAM CLERK, IF WE COULD TAKE THE VOTE NOW.
- AND HERNANDEZ? - AYE. MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.
- CHAIR, IF I MAY, UM, WE'VE RECEIVED INFORMATION FROM MULTIPLE SOURCES THAT THE QUALITY OF THE AUDIO HAS DETERIORATED AGAIN SIGNIFICANTLY.
OUR INFORMATION SERVICES TEAM HAS LOCATED A POTENTIAL SOLUTION.
MAY WE TAKE A FIVE-MINUTE RECESS TO ATTEMPT THAT SOLUTION? - WE ARE GOING TO TAKE A LUNCH BREAK RIGHT NOW AND CONVENE BACK AT 1:30 FOR CLOSED SESSION.
- AND I JUST WANT TO NOTE, I ANTICIPATE THERE MAY BE A REPORTABLE ACTION AT A CLOSED SESSION.
DID THAT ISSUE GET RESOLVED WITH THE SOUND? I GUESS NOT.
- ONCE YOU OPEN, I JUST NEED TO REPORT OUT.
ONCE YOU OPEN THE MEETING, I JUST NEED TO REPORT OUT.
- OKAY, DO WE HAVE ANYTHING REPORTABLE FROM CLOSED SESSION?
[12. SCHEDULE A CLOSED PERSONNEL AND LITIGATION SESSION TO BE HELD AT THE CONCLUSION OF THE BOARD'S CONSENT OR REGULAR AGENDA, OR AT ANY OTHER TIME DURING THE COURSE OF THE MEETING ANNOUNCED BY THE CHAIRPERSON OF THE BOARD A. AS THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS FOR THE FREEDOM SANITATION DISTRICT: CONFERENCE WITH LEGAL COUNSEL – ANTICIPATED LITIGATION Consider initiation of litigation pursuant to paragraph (4) of subdivision (d) of Government Code section 54956.9: One case. Report of County Counsel - will be given at the conclusion of the closed session on any reportable action(s) taken in the closed session.]
- YES, ONE THING TO REPORT OUT AS THE BOARD OF THE FREEDOM COUNTY SANITATION DISTRICT, YOUR BOARD APPROVED THE FILING OF LITIGATION AGAINST ONE PARTY.UH, MORE DETAILS ABOUT THAT WILL BE MADE AVAILABLE AFTER THE LITIGATION IS FILED AND THE PARTIES HAVE BEEN SERVED.
[10. Consider approving in concept “An Ordinance of the Board of Supervisors of the County of Santa Cruz Amending Santa Cruz County Emergency Services Sections 2.26.020, 2.26.030, 2.26.040, 2.26.050, 2.26.060, 2.26.110, and 2.26.120,” and take related actions]
- THANK YOU, NOW WE MOVE ON TO ITEM NUMBER 10.CONSIDER APPROVING THE CONCEPTS IN ORDINANCE OF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS OF COUNTY OF SANTA CRUZ.
AMENDING SANTA CRUZ COUNTY EMERGENCY SERVICES SECTION 2.26.020 AND 2.26.030 AND 2.26.040 AND 2.26.050 AND 2.26.060 AND 2.26.110 AND TAKE ALL RELATED ACTIONS.
I'LL TURN IT OVER TO, UH, AMANDA GULLINGS, EMERGING SERVICES ANALYST AND DAVID REID, DIRECTOR OF OFFICE OF RESPONSE, RECOVERY AND RESILIENCE FOR THE PRESENTATION.
- GOOD AFTERNOON CHAIR HERNANDEZ AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT TODAY.
MY NAME IS AMANDA GULLINGS AND I'M AN EMERGENCY SERVICES ANALYST AND I'M HERE WITH DIRECTOR REID OF THE OFFICE OF RESPONSE RECOVERY AND RESILIENCE, ALSO KNOWN AS OR3.
I'M HERE TO INTRODUCE THE PROPOSED ORDINANCE AMENDING CHAPTER 2.26 OF THE SANTA CRUZ COUNTY CODE, WHICH GOVERNS OUR COUNTY'S EMERGENCY SERVICES FRAMEWORK.
THE INTENT OF THESE AMENDMENTS IS TO MODERNIZE AND STRENGTHEN THE COUNTY'S EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT STRUCTURE SO THAT IT ALIGNS WITH CURRENT STATE AND FEDERAL STANDARDS, REFLECTS BEST PRACTICES, AND SUPPORTS OUR RECENTLY ADOPTED EMERGENCY OPERATIONS PLAN.
OUR EXISTING CODE HAS SERVED US WELL, BUT DOESN'T REFLECT OUR CURRENT EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT ORGANIZATION.
THIS UPDATE ENSURES THAT SANTA CRUZ COUNTY IS READY TO RESPOND TO EFFECTIVELY TO ANY DISASTER WE MAY FACE, FROM WILDFIRES AND FLOODS TO PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCIES.
THESE PROPOSED REVISIONS FALL INTO THE FOLLOWING CATEGORIES.
THE LANGUAGE THROUGHOUT CHAPTER 2.26 HAS BEEN MODERNIZED TO MATCH CURRENT EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT TERMINOLOGY USED BY THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA AND THE FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY.
TWO, CLARIFIED ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES.
THE AMENDMENTS CLEARLY DEFINE THE POWERS AND DUTIES OF BOTH THE DIRECTOR OF EMERGENCY SERVICES, TYPICALLY HELD BY THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE OFFICER AND THE DIRECTOR OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT WITHIN OR3.
PROVISIONS HAVE BEEN ADDED FOR SECESSION OF AUTHORITY, ENSURING SEAMLESS LEADERSHIP AND DECISION-MAKING CONTINUITY DURING EMERGENCIES.
THREE, UPDATED PUBLIC HEALTH AND SAFETY PROVISIONS.
THE REVISED CODE GIVES THE COUNTY ADDITIONAL TOOLS TO ABATE PUBLIC NUISANCES THAT POSE A THREAT TO HEALTH AND SAFETY DURING EMERGENCIES.
AND FOUR, OPERATIONAL CONSISTENCY AND COORDINATION.
[03:20:02]
THE NEW STRUCTURE ENSURES THAT ALL EMERGENCY RESPONSE OPERATIONS FOLLOW THE NATIONAL INCIDENT MANAGEMENT SYSTEM AND STANDARDIZED EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM FRAMEWORKS PROMOTING SEAMLESS COORDINATION BETWEEN COUNTY DEPARTMENTS AND WITH OUR LOCAL, STATE, AND FEDERAL PARTNERS.TOGETHER THESE UPDATES CREATE A MORE RESILIENT, TRANSPARENT, AND OPERATIONALLY SOUND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT ORGANIZATION.
THEY STRENGTHEN OUR ABILITY TO COORDINATE EFFECTIVELY, PROTECT PUBLIC HEALTH AND SAFETY, AND SERVE OUR COMMUNITY WHEN IT MATTERS MOST.
IMPORTANTLY, THERE IS NO FISCAL IMPACT ASSOCIATED WITH THIS ORDINANCE.
TODAY, STAFF IS RECOMMENDING TO THE BOARD THAT YOU APPROVE IN CONCEPT THE ORDINANCE AMENDING CHAPTER 2.26, SCHEDULE A SECOND READING AND FINAL ADOPTION FOR NOVEMBER 18TH, 2025, AND DIRECT THE CLERK OF THE BOARD TO PUBLISH THE REQUIRED PUBLIC NOTICE.
IN CLOSING, THIS UPDATE REFLECTS THE COUNTY'S ONGOING COMMITMENT TO ENSURING THAT OUR EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT FRAMEWORK IS EFFECTIVE, EQUITABLE, AND RESPONSIVE BOTH TODAY AND FOR THE FUTURE CHALLENGES AHEAD.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND ATTENTION, AND I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THE BOARD MIGHT HAVE.
- WE'LL TAKE IT OUT TO THE PUBLIC FIRST TO SEE IF ANYBODY WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS US ON THIS ITEM.
- THANK YOU, BECKY STEINBRUNER.
I HAVE, UM, A CONCERN ABOUT THE COUNTY'S READINESS TO RESPOND TO A BATTERY ENERGY STORAGE FIRE SMOKE PLUME.
UM, IT WAS EVIDENT THAT THE COUNTY DID NOT KNOW WHAT TO DO WHEN IT HAPPENED JUST ACROSS THE BAY AT MOSS LANDING.
AND, UM, I WANT TO KNOW THAT THESE CHANGES WILL INDEED MAKE FUTURE RESPONSES SEAMLESS, EVEN IF THERE ARE DISASTERS THAT HAPPEN IN NEIGHBORING COUNTIES BUT DO AFFECT US.
WHAT IS THE, UM, PROCEDURE FOR WORKING WITH COLLABORATIVELY THE OTHER COUNTIES WHEN SOMETHING HAPPENS THERE BUT IT AFFECTS US? THE SMOKE PLUME FROM THE MOSS LANDING FIRE DID AFFECT US.
AND I WAS VERY DISAPPOINTED TO SEE THAT THIS COUNTY BASICALLY SAID THAT HAPPENED IN MONTEREY.
AND PEOPLE IN SANTA CRUZ COUNTY WERE ADVERSELY AFFECTED.
SO I WANT TO KNOW HOW THAT WOULD BE DIFFERENT IN THE EVENT OF ANOTHER FIRE AT MOSS LANDING OR IF THERE IS LITHIUM BATTERY, UM, TECHNOLOGY THAT CATCHES FIRE IN SANTA CRUZ COUNTY IN THE FUTURE.
- ANYONE ONLINE? - I SEE NO SPEAKERS ONLINE, CHAIR.
- I'LL BRING IT BACK TO THE BOARD.
- I'LL MOVE THE RECOMMENDED ACTIONS.
- WE HAVE A MOTION FROM SUPERVISOR...
WE HAVE A MOTION FROM SUPERVISOR KOENIG AND A SECOND FROM SUPERVISOR DE SERPA.
CAN WE TAKE ROLL CALL? - SUPERVISOR DE SERPA? - AYE.
- AND HERNANDEZ? - AYE. MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.
NEXT WE HAVE ITEM 10.1, WHICH WAS 31 WAS THAT SUPERVISOR...
[31. Approve reappointment of Supervisor Manu Koenig as Santa Cruz County's representative to the California State Association of Counties Board of Directors, and Supervisor Felipe Hernandez as the Alternate Director, for one-year terms beginning December 1, 2025]
- THIS GUY. - TALK TO ME.- THANK YOU. THIS IS THE APPOINTMENT TO CSAC.
UH, IT'S BEEN AN HONOR AND A PLEASURE TO BE OUR BOARD'S REPRESENTATIVE ON THE CALIFORNIA STATE ASSOCIATION OF COUNTIES FOR THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS, AND I APPRECIATE, UH, THE NOMINATION AGAIN THIS YEAR, UM, OR FOR THE, FOR THE NEXT YEAR.
HOWEVER, UH, I DO FEEL THAT, UM, IT IS A RATHER DEMANDING APPOINTMENT.
UM, AND, UH, I NEED TO SPEND A LITTLE BIT MORE TIME WITH MY FAMILY.
UH, AND SO I, UH, WOULD LIKE TO GIVE UP THE POSITION AND NOMINATE ONE OF YOU INSTEAD OR SUPPORT ONE OF YOUR NOMINATIONS.
UM, YOU KNOW, I'LL BE HONEST WHEN THINKING ABOUT THIS, AS FAR AS WHICH OF US WOULD BE BEST PREPARED TO DO THIS WORK OR BEST SUITED.
UM, I DID THINK OF SUPERVISOR CUMMINGS BECAUSE HE'S BEEN SO PROACTIVE IN TERMS OF FOLLOWING STATE BILLS, UM, AND, UM, YOU KNOW, MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE A PREPARED COUNTY STATEMENT ON THOSE, UH, AND OF COURSE, YOUR TIME ON THE COASTAL COMMISSION ALSO PREPARED YOU WELL FOR, UH, YOU KNOW, GRUELING ROAD WARRIOR LIFE.
UM, BUT I THINK THAT ANY ONE OF YOU WOULD BE, UM, WELL SUITED, AND THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY.
UM, I'D BE HAPPY TO SERVE CSAC REP.
UM, YEAH, MY OFFICE IS FOLLOWING A LOT OF THE STATE LEGISLATION WITH THE, UM, THE COUNTY MOVING FORWARD WITH THE, UM, OFFSHORE OIL DRILLING AND DEEP SEA MINING PREVENTION
[03:25:03]
ACTIVITIES AND COORDINATING ACROSS OUR PARTNERS AT THE STATE.I THINK THIS WILL ALSO GIVE US A REALLY GOOD OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE BETTER ENGAGEMENT WITH FOLKS AT CSAC AND GETTING THEM TO GET ON BOARD AND GETTING OTHER COUNTIES TO GET ON BOARD.
AND THROUGH MY PREVIOUS TRAVELS BEING ON THE COASTAL COMMISSION, I DON'T SEE THAT BEING AS A BARRIER FOR ME TO BE ABLE TO GO TO SACRAMENTO ON A REGULAR BASIS AND TO REALLY, UM, BE PROACTIVE AT HELPING TO ADVANCE AND, UM, AMPLIFY THE COUNTY'S NEEDS.
AND ALSO TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT, UH, SANTA CRUZ COUNTY, UM, HAS A VOICE IN SACRAMENTO AS WELL.
AND SO, UM, I'D BE HAPPY TO TAKE ON THAT ROLE.
- QUICK QUESTION FOR SUPERVISOR KOENIG, THIS WOULD BE EFFECTIVE FOR THIS, COMING CONFERENCE ALREADY, CORRECT? - THIS... - I THINK THIS APPOINTMENT, UM, IS FOR THE UPCOMING...
- RIGHT. - DECEMBER 1ST, 2025... - YES.
- ... FOR THE UPCOMING CALENDAR YEAR.
- OKAY. - SO IT'S FOR A YEAR FROM DECEMBER 1 TO NOVEMBER 30.
- OKAY. - SO YES, EFFECTIVELY.
- I HAVE A QUESTION, QUICK QUESTION.
UM, IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY, YOU WERE NOMINATED, RIGHT, AT THE LAST CSAC CONFERENCE BY LUIS ALEJO.
SO IS THAT WHOLE NOMINATION PROCESS...
- RIGHT. SO WHAT YOU'RE REFERRING [CROSSTALK] - I'M GONNA HEAR THOUGH FIRST.
- YEAH. - YEAH. SO, UM, I HAVE SERVED ON THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE OF CSAC FOR THE LAST YEAR, UM, AND WAS NOMINATED BY LUIS ALEJO FOR THAT.
UM, AND I THINK THAT'S THE PARTIALLY THE REASON IT'S BEST THAT WE DO THIS NOW BECAUSE THEN, UM, I THINK IT'S TOTALLY FEASIBLE THAT WHOEVER, UH, REPLACED ME COULD ALSO, IF INTERESTED, SERVE ON THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE.
THERE IS ANOTHER ELECTION PROCESS WITHIN CSAC AT THE DECEMBER CONFERENCE.
- THANK YOU FOR THE CLARIFICATION.
- I DON'T KNOW IF THAT WAS A NOMINATION, BUT I WILL, I WILL NOMINATE, UH, SUPERVISOR CUMMINGS AND I'LL REMAIN AS THE, UH, VICE OR THE ALTERNATE IF YOU NEED ME.
- I THINK WE STILL GO TO GO TO THE PUBLIC.
- DO YOU NEED... - ANYONE IN THE PUBLIC WISHING TO ADDRESS US ON THIS ITEM? ANYONE ONLINE? - I SEE NO SPEAKERS ONLINE, CHAIR.
- OKAY, SO I AM, I NEED A SECOND FOR MY MOTION. - I'LL SECOND.
MADAM CLERK WILL YOU A TAKE ROLL CALL.
- AND HERNANDEZ? - AYE. MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.
- THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR SUPPORT. - MORE ON YOUR PLATE NOW.
[39. Approve multi-year agreement with Community Foundation Santa Cruz County in the amount of $900,000 to create and maintain a competitive grant program funded by Opioid Settlement Funds for projects designed to alleviate the opioid epidemic in Santa Cruz County, and take related actions]
NOW WE HAVE ITEM 10.2, WHICH WAS NUMBER 39.UH, SO THIS IS THE, UH, TO APPROVE A NEW MULTI-YEAR CONTRACT WITH THE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION, UH, FOR $900,000 FOR THE OPIOID SETTLEMENT FUNDS.
AND I SEE THAT, UM, OUR, UM, THAT, THAT MARNI SANDOVAL, DR. SANDOVAL'S HERE AND IS, HAS WAITED PATIENTLY TO ADDRESS THIS ITEM.
SO I DO HAVE A COUPLE QUESTIONS IF YOU, IF YOU DON'T MIND COMING UP.
UM, AND, UH, WE DID, WHILE YOU'RE, WHILE YOU'RE COMING UP, I MEAN, PART OF MY THINKING BEHIND THIS, YOU, WE, WE HEARD FROM COUNCIL MEMBER SUZI O'HARA, UM, DURING PUBLIC COMMENT AND ACTUALLY, UH, SUPERVISOR RYAN COONERTY, UH, NOW WORKING IN MATT MAHAN'S OFFICE ORGANIZED A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO, UM, A CONFERENCE FOR SANTA CLARA COUNTY MAYORS AND WE TALKED ABOUT, UM, BEST PRACTICES IN TREATING ADDICTION.
AND, UM, THESE OPIOID SETTLEMENT FUNDS ARE SORT OF SOME OF THE ONLY...
THEY'RE NOT COMPLETELY DISCRETIONARY, BUT FLEXIBLE FUNDING WE HAVE, UH, TO DO THAT.
UM, AND SO WE WERE, UM, IT'S VERY ENERGIZING.
I'D BE HAPPY TO SHARE MORE ABOUT THAT, UM, WITH, UH, WITH YOU ALL AT ANOTHER POINT.
I THINK IT'S A CONVERSATION WORTH HAPPENING.
AND SO AS FAR AS THESE FUNDS, UM, I DID GET A CHANCE TO ACTUALLY SEE THAT THERE'S, UM, WELL THERE'S, WHAT IS IT? THE STEERING COMMITTEE FOR THE OPIOID SETTLEMENT FUNDS.
THERE'S ACTUALLY QUITE A BIT OF ORGANIZATION HAPPENING ABOUT ENSURING THAT THESE FUNDS ARE ADEQUATELY INVESTED.
UM, AND IT IS A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF FUNDING.
WHAT IS IT? $29 MILLION OVER 16 YEARS.
- SO, UM, I GUESS THAT'S MY FIRST QUESTION IS, SO THIS IS $900,000 OVER TWO YEARS.
SO, WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT WITH THIS PARTICULAR BOARD ITEM IS SPECIFIC TO A SET OF DOLLARS THAT HAVE BEEN PURPOSELY SET ASIDE TO ALLOW COMMUNITY, NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS TO APPLY FOR GRANT FUNDING IN THE SUBSTANCE USE, UM,
[03:30:01]
PREVENTION AND INTERVENTION SPACE.AND SO THE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION IS REALLY ADMINISTERING THAT GRANT APPLICATION AND OVERSIGHT PROCESS AND SUPPORTING THE DEPARTMENT.
SO IT'S JUST 900,000 OUT OF OUR LARGE BUDGET.
AND SO WE DO HAVE A 9% ALLOCATION OF OUR TOTAL BUDGET TOWARDS PERSONNEL ACTIVITIES, 74% OF THE FULL BUDGET IS GOING TOWARDS CONTRACTS AND GRANTS.
WHICH THIS 900,000 IS JUST A SMALL PIECE OF THAT AND THEN AN ADDITIONAL REMAINING 17% GOES TO ALL PREVENTION EFFORTS.
AND I KNOW SORT OF WITHIN ALL THAT, THERE'S ANOTHER INTERNAL GRANT PROGRAM FOR $350,000.
IS THAT PER YEAR? UH, AND THAT'S FOR COUNTY DEPARTMENTS TO APPLY FOR, IN ORDER TO, UH, OFFER OR IMPROVE SERVICES RELATED TO...
- YES, THAT'S A ONE TIME GRANT FUNDING OPPORTUNITY THAT WE HAVE SET ASIDE SPECIFICALLY FOR DEPARTMENTAL, UM, OPPORTUNITIES WITHIN COUNTY SYSTEMS. AND AGAIN, THAT FALLS INTO THAT CONTRACTS AND GRANTS, UM, COMPONENT OF THE FUNDING THAT WE'VE SET ASIDE.
- OKAY. UM, AND SO IS THE OTHER, WHAT'S THE STATUS OF THE OTHER FUNDING OUTSIDE OF THIS CONTRACT WITH THE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION? IS IT ALL SPOKEN FOR FOR THE NEXT 10 YEARS? IS IT, I MEAN, HOW...
- NO, AND THAT'S THE BEAUTY OF THE PLANNING PROCESS.
SO WE HAVE, THE BUDGET FOR THIS CURRENT YEAR HAS BEEN APPROVED BY THE BOARD FOR OUR OPIOID SETTLEMENT FUND.
SO THAT'S REALLY THE COMPONENT THAT'S STRICTLY BEEN APPROVED.
WE DO HAVE OUR MOU WITH THE CITIES WHERE WE ENGAGE WITH THEM WITH OUR CITY REPRESENTATION TO HELP INFORM WHAT MIGHT BE CHANGING NEEDS.
BUT WE ALSO DO HAVE A PRETTY ROBUST COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PROCESS, UM, THAT IS PART OF ALL THIS PLANNING THAT'S ONGOING.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, THERE'S COMMUNITY AND PROVIDER FORUMS THAT HAPPEN.
THERE'S, UH, SURVEYS THAT GO OUT THE MOST RECENT, THAT WAS JUST COMPLETED IN OCTOBER, UM, TO CONTINUALLY GATHER INPUT FROM BOTH THE COMMUNITY AND PROVIDERS ABOUT WHAT ARE THE NEEDS? HOW ARE THE SERVICES THAT WE'RE PROVIDING, MEETING THOSE NEEDS? HOW DO WE NEED TO THINK ABOUT THE REMAINING FUNDS AND HOW WE ALLOCATE THEM? SO THERE'S OPPORTUNITY ONGOING IN ALL OF THESE SPACES, INCLUDING, YOU KNOW, WITH OUR, WITH OUR CITY GOVERNMENTS TO REALLY TALK ABOUT WHAT OUR LOCAL NEEDS AND HOW DO WE MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE UTILIZING THESE FUNDS IN A WAY TO MEET THOSE LOCAL NEEDS.
SO WE CERTAINLY HAVE OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE FURTHER INPUT AS WE'RE DEVELOPING THE, THE FULL BUDGET THAT WILL COME TO YOU IN, IN THE NEXT, UM, BUDGET PROCESS.
- OKAY. SO IS THAT THE NEXT ENGAGEMENT POINT THEN, UM, DURING THE BUDGET HEARINGS? IF NOT, WHAT IS? - WELL, TECHNICALLY ANY CITY OFFICIALS COULD REACH OUT TO OUR DEPARTMENT AT ANY TIME AND WE COULD HAVE CONVERSATIONS.
I THINK THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE'RE HEARING ABOUT, THAT WE'RE CONSTANTLY IN COMMUNICATION WITH OUR PROVIDERS AS WELL.
UM, IN MARCH WE'LL BE THE NEXT ANNUAL, UM, GATHERING TO TAKE INPUT FROM ALL OF OUR SHERIFFS, LAW ENFORCEMENT, AND CITY OFFICIALS BUT WE DON'T HAVE TO WAIT TILL THEN IF THERE'S SOMETHING THAT'S COME UP IN ANY JURISDICTION.
- OKAY. UM, ARE THERE FUNDS THAT HAVE NOT BEEN ALLOCATED, UM...
- OUTSIDE OF THIS PARTICULAR, UM, ITEM THAT'S BEFORE YOU, YES.
UM, THAT'S ALL, UM, REASSURING.
AND WITH THE 350,000, THE INTERNAL GRANTS, WHAT KIND OF, UM...
DID WE, DID WE SEE ROBUST ENGAGEMENT FROM COUNTY DEPARTMENTS? YOU KNOW WHAT, HOW MANY...
BECAUSE I THINK THE APPLICATION DEADLINE WAS OCTOBER 3RD OR SOMETHING. - YES.
THE APPLICATION DEADLINE HAS COME AND GONE.
WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF FULLY REVIEWING ALL THE APPLICANTS, SO WE HAVEN'T MADE DECISIONS YET, BUT WHAT I CAN TELL YOU IS THAT WE HAD FOUR DEPARTMENTS THAT DID APPLY.
UM, AND SO WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF REVIEWING THOSE APPLICATIONS AND HOW THEY MEET THE APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS AND LOOKING AT HOW THEY FIT WITH OUR, OUR GOALS FOR OUR, UM, OPIOID SETTLEMENT FUNDS, UM, FOCUS AREAS THAT HAVE BEEN AGREED UPON IN THE PLAN.
- MM-HMM. - SO WE HOPE TO HAVE SOME, SOME FINAL AWARDS HOPEFULLY BY THE END OF THE MONTH.
UM, AS FAR AS METRICS GO, I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY THE REASON WE'RE WORKING WITH THE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION IS BECAUSE THIS IS WHAT THEY DO, RIGHT? AS FAR AS GIVING OUT GRANTS TO COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS AND THEY'RE REALLY GOOD AT IT.
AND, UM, I MEAN, I, WHEN I REACHED OUT TO EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR TRUE, UH, YOU KNOW, ASKING FOR WHAT DATA THEY HAD AS FAR AS THE SUCCESS OF THESE, UM, GRANT RECIPIENTS AT ORGANIZATIONS.
I MEAN, THEY DEFINITELY HAD ROBUST DATA AS FAR AS THE, UM, THE SERVICES BEING DELIVERED AND SOME OF THE IMPACTS.
WHAT WASN'T CLEAR TO ME THOUGH, IS WHAT WE'RE KIND OF MEASURING ACROSS ALL PROGRAMS. LIKE WHAT ARE THE, UM, UNIVERSAL METRICS FOR SUCCESS THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT? UM, YOU KNOW, IT WAS CLEAR LOOKING IN THAT AT ALL THE DIFFERENT PROGRAMS THAT STUFF WAS HAPPENING.
[03:35:03]
BUT THEN HOW DOES IT MOVE THE NEEDLE AS FAR AS YOU KNOW, MAYBE OVERALL OPIOID DEATHS OR, UM, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE ACCESSING ADDICTION SERVICES OR, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THOSE LARGER METRICS.DO WE HAVE THOSE? IT SOUNDS LIKE A WE DO.
- WE DO HAVE QUITE A BIT OF ROBUST DATA WITH WHAT HAS BEEN HAPPENING OVER THE LAST COUPLE YEARS.
UM, WE COULD CERTAINLY PUT TOGETHER A MORE DETAILED PRESENTATION.
UM, I MEAN, WE'D BE HAPPY TO MEET WITH YOU OR IF THE BOARD IS INTERESTED IN THAT PRESENTATION, WE COULD DEFINITELY PUT THAT TOGETHER AND GIVE YOU ALL A BETTER OVERVIEW OF WHAT HAS BEEN HAPPENING WITH THE ENTIRETY OF OUR OPIOID SETTLEMENT FUNDS AND THE KIND OF IMPACT THAT WE'RE HAVING.
THAT'S REALLY HELPFUL. THANKS.
UH, GIVEN THIS IS NOT THE ONLY FUNDING AVAILABLE, I MEAN, I THINK I'M SATISFIED LETTING THIS MOVE FORWARD TODAY.
UM, AND THEN IT SOUNDS LIKE MARCH IS A GOOD TIME AND SO IF WE GOT SOME KIND OF REPORT AND UPDATE ON THIS ENTIRE EFFORT, UM, BEFORE MARCH, UH, INCLUDING SOME OF THOSE UNIVERSAL METRICS, UM, AND YOU KNOW, CONVERSATIONS THAT HAVE BEEN ONGOING WITH, WITH VARIOUS PARTNERS INCLUDING THE CITIES, THAT WOULD BE GREAT.
- SO WE'LL OPEN IT UP TO THE PUBLIC, SEE IF ANYONE WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS US ON THIS ITEM.
- BECKY STEINBRUNER, RESIDENT OF RURAL APTOS.
SUPERVISOR KOENIG, THANK YOU FOR POLLING THIS BECAUSE I HAVE HAD FOR MANY YEARS, UM, A REAL QUESTION ABOUT COMMUNITY FOUNDATION MANAGING PUBLIC MONEY FOR THE COUNTY.
IN THE PAST, I HAVE TRIED TO DETERMINE ON MY OWN HOW THOSE MONIES ARE BEING SPENT, AND I'VE ALWAYS BEEN TOLD THE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION WORKINGS IS NOT OPEN TO THE PUBLIC, THEIR BOARD MEETINGS ARE NOT OPEN TO THE PUBLIC AND, UM, MY PUBLIC RECORDS ACT REQUEST COULD NOT BE HONORED BECAUSE THEY ARE A PRIVATE FOUNDATION.
SO TO ME, THIS IS ADDING A LAYER OF CLOUDS TO THIS MONEY.
AND I WANNA UNDERSTAND WHY CAN'T THE COUNTY MANAGE ITS OWN GRANT MONEY? WHY CAN'T OUR COUNTY PEOPLE BEING PAID TO DO THIS KIND OF WORK, MANAGE OUR OWN GRANT OR THIS MONEY? IT'S A LOT.
I DID A BIT OF MATH AND CHECK ME ON IT, BUT, UM, THAT WOULD WORK OUT TO ABOUT $1.4 MILLION A YEAR OVER 18 YEARS.
WHERE IS THIS NUMBER OF 900,000 A YEAR COMING UP? IT'S NOT THE FULL AMOUNT.
UM, I'VE JUST HEARD THAT THERE WILL BE A ONE TIME, UM, UH, GRANT INTERNAL OF 350,000.
UM, SO IS THAT TO BE INCLUDED EVERY YEAR? IS THAT 350,000 INTERNAL GRANT FOR COUNTY OPERATIONS OF THIS, UH, SERVICE GOING TO BE EVERY YEAR? IT'S NOT CLEAR.
THE OTHER THING THAT BOTHERS ME IS, UM, UNDER THE PRIORITIZATION OF ORGANIZATIONS, THERE'S NO MENTION OF VETERANS AS A PRIORITY.
THEY SHOULD BE AT THE TOP OF THE LIST AND...
- THANK YOU. - ...I'M OUT OF TIME.
BUT, UM, I WOULD APPRECIATE ANSWERS TO THE QUESTIONS THAT I HAVE RAISED HERE BEFORE YOU NOW.
THANK YOU AGAIN FOR PULLING THE ITEM.
- IS THERE ANYONE ONLINE WISHING TO ADDRESS US? - I SEE NO SPEAKERS ONLINE, CHAIR.
- OKAY. UM, WOULD OUR CEO WANT TO ANSWER ABOUT THE CAPACITY OF US, UH, ADMINISTERING THE MONEY? - UM, CONNIE WASN'T ABLE TO BE HERE TODAY, BUT SHE IS, UM, LOOKING AT THAT.
IT WAS TOO LATE TO MAKE ANY SORT OF ADJUSTMENT RIGHT NOW BECAUSE OF OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH THE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION.
BUT SHE'S GONNA BE LOOKING AT AND FIGURING OUT WHETHER IT MAKES SENSE TO BRING ADMINISTRATION OF THAT IN HOUSE.
- UH, ALRIGHT, SO I'LL MAKE A MOTION, UM, THAT WE MOVE...
TO MOVE THE RECOMMENDED ACTIONS WITH ADDITIONAL DIRECTION FOR STAFF TO RETURN WITH THE REPORT NO LATER THAN MARCH, 2026, UH, WITH INFORMATION ABOUT HOW WE'RE MEASURING THE IMPACT OF OPIOIDS IN OUR COMMUNITY.
AND THAT DESCRIBES THE INTERNAL GRANTS MADE TO COUNTY DEPARTMENTS, AND REQUESTING THAT THE DA PROVIDE INFORMATION ON LESSONS LEARNED FROM THE PAC, THE PARTNERSHIP FOR ACCOUNTABILITY CONNECTION AND TREATMENT PROGRAM, AND ANY OPPORTUNITIES TO REIMAGINE THAT PROGRAM BASED ON BEST PRACTICES FOR TREATING ADDICTION.
[03:40:05]
- WE HAVE A MOTION FROM SUPERVISOR KOENIG AND A SECOND FROM SUPERVISOR, UH, DE SERPA.- UM, I THINK THE SECOND WAS FROM... - IT'S OKAY.
- ... SUPERVISOR CUMMINGS. - ... FROM SUPERVISOR CUMMINGS.
- BUT I WOULD LIKE TO JUST ADD, UH, AMENDMENT IF I COULD.
UM, I WOULD LIKE TO ALSO, UH, IF A REPORT, IF AND WHEN THE REPORT COMES BACK, I WOULD LIKE TO HEAR FROM OUR SHERIFF CORONER ABOUT DEATHS, UM, DUE TO OPIOIDS IN OUR COUNTY.
AND, UH, AND ALSO, I DON'T KNOW IF WE KEEP THE OVERDOSE, UM, DATA AS WELL, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO HEAR MORE ABOUT THAT.
HAPPY TO INCLUDE THAT IN THE MOTION.
- OKAY. WE HAVE AN AMENDMENT TO ADD A REPORT FROM THE SHERIFF'S ABOUT FATALITIES AND OVERDOSES.
- LET ME ASK ONE QUICK QUESTION.
UM, I REMEMBER IN PRIOR YEARS, I DON'T KNOW IF THIS WAS AT THE MIDYEAR BUDGET OR DURING BUDGET HEARINGS, WE'D GET THOSE NUMBERS IN TERMS OF NUMBER OF DEATHS, OVERDOSES.
AND SO I'M JUST WONDERING IN TERMS OF TIMING, BECAUSE, UH, I THINK OUR MIDYEAR BUDGET IS FEBRUARY, IF THAT'S CORRECT.
- AND WE'RE GOING TO HAVE... - YEAH.
SOME OF THIS INFORMATION COME BACK THEN.
SO I MEAN, IF IT COULD COME BACK DURING MID-YEAR BUDGET, I THINK THAT'S A GOOD THING TO AIM FOR.
IF NOT, I THINK THE MARCH DATE'S FINE.
UM, BUT JUST, THERE'VE BEEN TIMES IN THE PAST WHERE WE GET THIS INFORMATION.
I KNOW SUPERVISOR DE SERPA EARLIER THIS YEAR WHEN SHE GOT ON BOARD, UM, WHEN SHE GOT ON THE BOARD, UM, AN ISSUE CAME UP AROUND THE OPIOID SETTLEMENTS AND WHAT HAPPENS WITH THAT MONEY.
AND SO I THINK SINCE WE HAVEN'T HAD THAT COMEBACK, HAVING A COMEBACK MAKES SENSE, UM, IN THE FORMAL REPORT.
BUT YEAH, JUST, YOU KNOW, IF THERE'S FLEXIBILITY AROUND THE TIMING, SO ON OR BEFORE LIKE THE FIRST MEETING IN MARCH OR ON OR BEFORE THE SECOND MEETING IN MARCH, MAYBE THAT'LL PROVIDE FLEXIBILITY IN CASE THEY WANNA BRING THIS INFORMATION FORWARD DURING THE, UH, MIDYEAR BUDGET.
- YEAH, I THINK SOME FLEXIBILITY WOULD BE GREAT ON OR BEFORE THE SECOND MEETING.
UM, WE DID HAVE A MIDYEAR REPORT ON IT.
UH, YOU MIGHT RECALL WE ADDED AN INVESTIGATOR AT THE HEIGHT OF OUR DEATHS AND OVERDOSES, UM, IN THE CORONER'S OFFICE.
UM, I DO UNDERSTAND, UH, THE NUMBERS ARE DOWN, UM, RELATED TO OPIOID, UM, DEATHS.
SO, BUT WE'RE HAPPY TO PROVIDE AN UPDATE MIDYEAR BEFORE THE END OF MARCH.
- I THINK THERE WAS THAT HOTSPOT MAP THAT WAS RED AND A COLOR MAP THAT HAD ALL THE HOTSPOTS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY.
IT SHOWS ALL THE NUMBERS REMEMBER THAT ONE? THAT WOULD BE GOOD DURING THE BUDGET TIME.
ALRIGHT, WE HAVE A MOTION FROM...
- I'M HAPPY TO CLARIFY IF IT'S ON OR BEFORE THE SECOND MEETING.
- OH, YES. OKAY. - ... OF MARCH, 2026.
- SO WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND, A FRIENDLY AMENDMENT.
IF WE COULD TAKE ROLL CALL VOTE.
- THANK YOU. YES. AND TO CLARIFY FOR THE RECORD, I HAVE RECORDED THE MOVER AS SUPERVISOR KOENIG.
SECOND ADVICE, SUPERVISOR CUMMINGS.
- AND HERNANDEZ? - AYE. MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.
AND THAT CONCLUDES OUR MEETING.
[Adjournment]
WE'LL NOW ADJOURN.NEXT MEETING WILL BE THE REGULAR AGENDA FOR SANTA CRUZ BOARD OF SUPERVISORS IS SCHEDULED FOR TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 18TH AT 9:00 A.M. AT THE, THE BASEMENT OF THE GOVERNMENT CENTER.
- WE COULDN'T GET THIS PLACE AGAIN? - UH, I [INAUDIBLE].
[END]
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.