Documenter: Jenine Paniccia Klein

Here’s what you need to know:

  • Board unanimously voted to amend the ordinance change of Chapter 9.94 to Title 9 following a presentation by Becky Beaver, deputy director of the Community & Economic Development Department/Planning Division encouraging the adoption of an ordinance to stop the public from firing weapons at the river bottom for recreational and hunting purposes.

  • The Board of Supervisors voted 5-0 to award a stipend of $240 to the Grand Jury foreperson for duties performed after the Fiscal Year 2019-2020. 

  • All members of the Madera County Board of Supervisors voted for Option C, favoring cattle ranchers, rather than farmers/growers. Option C will stop the overdraft of water, have sustainable yield benefits and the GSA will monitor the responses of the basin to this allocation of approach of water.

The Scene:

The Madera Board of Supervisors Meeting started at 9:00AM on June 8, 2021. All of the supervisors were in attendance. Board Member Robert Poythress welcomed everyone to the meeting; Per the first item on the agenda the board went into a Closed Session. The specific items being discussed in Closed Session were not made available to the public. The meeting was made available via Webcast Video and will reconvene after the Closed Session at 10:00 a.m.

Names of the Board of Supervisors:

BRETT FRAZIER – Madera County District 1

DAVID ROGERS – Madera County District 2

ROBERT L. POYTHRESS – Madera County District 3

LETICIA GONZALEZ – Madera County District 4

TOM WHEELER –  Madera County District 5

Consent items:

  • BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SERVICES DEPARTMENT Consideration of approval to appoint Nina J. Zarucchi-Mize as a District No. 1 representative to the Madera County Behavioral Health Board for a term ending June 15, 2024.  

  • BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SERVICES DEPARTMENT Consideration of entering into an Agreement with Central Star Behavioral Health, Inc. for the provision of an adolescent inpatient psychiatric health facility for Fiscal Years 2021-2024 and authorize the Chairman to sign. 

  • BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SERVICES DEPARTMENT Consideration of entering into an Agreement with Davis Guest Home for board and care services for Fiscal Year 2021-2022 and authorize the Chairman to sign. 

  • BOARD OF SUPERVISORS DEPARTMENT – DISTRICT NO. 5 Consideration of approval to reappoint Nick Salinas, District No. 5, to the Madera County Mosquito and Vector Control District’s Board of Trustees for a term ending July 11, 2023. 

  • COUNTY ADMINISTRATION DEPARTMENT/GENERAL SERVICES DIVISION Consideration of entering into an Agreement with RPR Architects in the amount of $129,300.00 for architectural and engineering services related to the Jackass Rock Camp project for Fiscal Year 2020-2021 and authorize the Chairman to sign. 

  •  DISTRICT ATTORNEY DEPARTMENT Consideration of entering into an Agreement with San Joaquin College of Law (SJCL) for student internship program for July and August 2021 and authorize the Chairman to sign. 

  • FIRE DEPARTMENT Consideration of approval of Request for Transfer of Appropriations No. 20-116 in the amount of $9,500.00 transfer from MTCE – Equipment to Equipment/Furniture>$5,000 for Fiscal Year 2020-2021. County of Madera Page 4 Updated 6/4/2021 

  •  PROBATION DEPARTMENT Consideration of approval of Receipt of Unanticipated Revenue No. 20-122, in the amount of $5,000.00 derived from Probation – Miscellaneous to Special Department Expenses for Fiscal Year 2020-2021 for the purchase of youth outreach educational materials and supplies. 4 Votes Required

  • PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENT Consideration of entering into an Agreement with Mariposa County at a rate of $150.00 per hour for backup Health Officer services and authorize the Chairman to sign. 

  • PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT/ENGINEERING SERVICES DIVISION Riverstone Tract No. 288 1. Consideration to adopt a Resolution accepting offers of dedication for public streets as shown on Tract No. 288. 2. Consideration to authorize the Chief of Development Services to sign and record the Acceptance of Dedication. 

  • SHERIFF-CORONER’S OFFICE Bass Lake and Mammoth Pools. 1. Consideration of entering into an Agreement (FS Agreement No. 17-LE11051360-029 Exhibit A) with United States Forest Service (USFS), for the 2021 Controlled Substance Annual Operating and Financial Plan for Bass Lake and Mammoth Pools to suppress the manufacturing and trafficking of controlled substances in the Sierra National Forest and authorize the Chairman to sign. 2. Consideration of entering into an Agreement (FS Agreement No. 17- LE-11051360-029 Exhibit B) with United States Forest Service (USFS), Sierra and Inyo National Forests for the Cooperative Law Enforcement 2021 Annual Operating Plan and Financial Plan for Bass Lake and Mammoth Pool and authorize the Chairman to sign. 

  • SHERIFF-CORONER’S OFFICE Consideration of approval of Transfer of Appropriations No. 20-125 in the amount of $250,000.00 from Sheriff-Coroner – Rents & Lease to Eqpt/Furniture>$5000 for Fiscal Year 2020-2021. 

  • WATER & NATURAL RESOURCES DEPARTMENT Consideration of entering into an Amendment to MCC No. 11455-19 with KSN, Inc. to extend the term of the agreement by six months to terminate on or before September 18, 2021 and authorize the Chairman to sign. County of Madera Page 5 Updated 6/4/2021 

  • BOARD OF DIRECTORS SPECIAL DISTRICT/ MAINTENANCE DISTRICT NO. 28, RIPPERDAN/PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT/ENGINEERING SERVICES DIVISION Water System Improvements Project – Maintenance District No. 28 Ripperdan (MD-28). 1. Consideration of entering into an Agreement with Provost & Pritchard, Inc. in the amount of $544,000.00 for Professional Engineering and Environmental Services for the MD-28 Water System Improvements Project in Madera County and authorized the Chairman to sign. 2. Consideration of approval to authorize the Chief of Development Services or his designee to issue the Notice to Proceed for each task in accordance with the provisions of the contract. 3. Consideration of approval to authorize the Auditor-Controller to issue payments for contingencies up to 10% of the total contract award amount per established County policy. 4. Consideration of approval to authorize the Chief of Development Services or his designee to solely issue and approve Contract Change Orders in accordance with Public Contract Code, not to exceed authorized contingencies. 

Agenda Discussions:

The floor is open for public comments and Madeline Harris from Leadership Counsel spoke about this year’s budget approval process. Citing the Board of Supervisors’ need to “prioritize a precipitory budgeting process” and having a “special meeting to approve the budget really lacks the transparency and availability for public participation”.

Presentation by Becky Beaver, Deputy Director of the Community & Economic Development Department/Planning Division encouraging the adoption of an ordinance to stop the public from firing weapons at the river bottom for recreational and hunting purposes. 

“This area along the San Joaquin River has been used by many for hunting and fishing. However, as the areas of the river corridor are growing and developing in recreation, commercial and housing developments, safety has become a major issue. Continuing to allow the firing of weapons to occur in areas along the San Joaquin Riverfront significantly raises the likelihood of accidental shootings and other injuries, dangerous citizen encounters with injured and frightened animals, trespass onto private properties, and altercations between property owners and members of the public engaged in the subject activities”(AIS Ordinance Board Letter). 

Updates and revisions to Supervisorial Boundary Redistricting requirements presentation by Director, Jamie Bax the Community and Economic Development for Madera County.The boundary redistricting requirements ensures the equal number of voters are in each supervisorial district. There will need to be four meetings for public interaction before the restricting data will be released September 30, 2021. First public hearing early September 2021 to make sure the public and Supervisorial Boundary Committee have enough time to review the data. Other dates proposed for public meetings are October 19, 2021 and November 2 or 6, 2021 and final proposed meeting November 16, 2021. The Supervisorial Boundary Committee must have maps and data complete before the December 15, 2021 deadline mandated by the State of California.The meetings will be the revisions of the maps and redistricting. District guidelines must be done and adopted by December 15, 2021. The big change for the public hearings is one of them must be made available to the public on a weekday after 6:00PM, on a Saturday or Sunday for the public to be more engaged. It is recommended to the Board of Supervisors to attend the regularly scheduled Planning Commision Meeting at 6:00PM on November 2, 2021 or schedule one on Saturday, November 6, 2021. Board Member Tom Wheeler suggested having the meetings on Saturdays because he does not mind and could have the meeting in Oakhurst either via Zoom or in-person. He also said that if they have a meeting at a Planning Commission Meeting, the public would not understand it as much.  Board Member Brett Frazier suggests having “on the road” meetings once a month through September – November. Tom Wheeler told the board he is unable to do November 6, 2021. Brett Frazier then tells Tom Wheeler “everything is fine as long as it doesn’t get in the way of your fun” Tom Wheeler replied, “It has taken me 17 years to get drawn up in Nevada, and I am not going to throw it away and a whole bunch of money.”

There was more discussion about the meeting dates being held in Oakhurst and other Districts.

Jamie Bax concluded there will be maps at the meetings prepared for their approval.

Public Health Department Presentation on the current status of the Madera County Department of Public Health COVID-19 funding as well as on COVID-19 and current vaccination administration status for Madera County residents: Public Health DIrector Sara Bosse explained the case rates as of June 8, 2021 are at 2.4 per 100,000 and that Madera County is in the Orange Tier. There is consistency in the low cause rate. County Covid positivity rate is at 1.8%

The Public Health Department is offering $5 gift cards to those who go to pop-up testing sites. Vaccine rate for the first time shot recipients is at 45.9% and fully vaccinated is at 37.7% for ages 12 and up.

Madera County GSA’s Allocation: Evapotranspiration of Applied Water 

Presenter: Kim Witten 559-675-7703

Groundwater Allocation

Kim Witten began by explaining that Madera County is in the worst drought since 1977 because of the low snowpack in Bass Lake. Witten discussed the three options for Farmers/Ranchers for Madera County GSA’s Allocation, using the PowerPoint Presentation. Option A — Original with 2015 ETAW, Option B 2020 ETAW and Option C 2020 ETAW only irrigated areas. The Madera County Board of Supervisors Meeting live stream via Webcast lost connection at 10:50 AM and stopped airing. 

Microsoft PowerPoint – BOS Presentation 06082021 Final7 – Read-Only (maderacountywater.com)

If you believe anything in these notes are inaccurate, please email us at

Documenters-admin@thefresnobee.com with “Correction Request” in the subject line.

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