Documenter: Josef Sibala

Here’s what you need to know:

  • During the last six months, families who have received emergency rental assistance in the county have risen from 47 to 63.

  • Madera will use the 2016-2017 districting map and the 2020 census to understand the population shifts and ensure “correctly” redrawn boundaries.

  • City Planner Trevor Stearns said that any redraw of the boundaries by the public must fall on a 3% change in population. 

The Scene

According to its website, The Madera Board of Supervisors is the legislative and executive governing body of the Madera County government. Each of the five supervisorial districts of the County elects one supervisor.

Within limits prescribed by State law, the Board enacts ordinances and rules, determines County policy, supervises the activities of County departments, adopts an annual budget, and fixes salaries.

The Board meets regularly the first three Tuesdays of each month and occasionally on Mondays in the Board Chambers of the County Government Center in Madera. The meeting was on Tuesday, September 7, 2021, at 9:00 am. 

Madera County Board of Supervisors Members present:

  • Brett Frazier (District #1)

  • David Rogers (District #2)

  • Robert Poythress (District #3)

  • Letizia Gonzalez (District #4)

  • Tom Wheeler (District #5)

Others Present:   

  • County Administrator Jessica Leon

  • Public Health Director Sara Bosse

  • Senior Planner Jamie Dax and Sam from the Community and Economic Development-Planning Division in Madera County

  • City Planner Trevor Stearns

  • California Rural Legal Assistance Director Baldwin Moy

  • Deputy County Administrative Officer for Finance Joel Bugay

  • Deputy Public Works Director Jared Carter

  • Office Assistant Laura Barita

  • Sherry Biller of American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME)       

Discussions/Actions

During public comment, Office Assistant at Madera County Laura Barita and Sherry Biller, representing the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), demand negotiation for a fair contract and invest in frontline workers. 

In the consent agenda, the board unanimously approved items the following:

  1. Regular Meeting Minutes for August 17, 2021. 

  1. Position Allocation for the Auditor Controller’s Office as follows: 

  • Civil Service Commission’s recommendation to grant position allocation status to John Vargas as Administrative Analyst I effective September 1, 2021. 

  • Authorized the Department of Human Resources to amend the position allocation to reflect the reallocation of one (1) Senior Accounting Technician to Administrative Analyst I in the Auditor-Controller’s Office. 3. Set employee’s salary per Madera County Code Section 2.60.250 – Appointment to a position in a class with a higher rate of pay.

  1. Tax rates for the Fiscal Year 2021-2022. 

  1. Agreement with California Health Collaborative in the amounts provided in the budget as Exhibit B for outreach and counseling services for Fiscal Years 2021-2026.

  1. Agreement with Zaks Enterprises, LLC in an amount not to exceed $70,000.00 for security patrol services at the Behavioral Health 7th Street building for the Fiscal Year 2021-2022.

  1. Amendment to MCC No. 11793-20 (State Agreement No. 20-10183 A01) with the California Department of Health Care Services for a maximum amount of $4,950,000.00 to amend the budget for Fiscal Years 2020-2023.

  1. Memorandum of Understanding with the Yosemite Sequoia Resource Conservation & Development Council (YSRCDC) to clarify roles and responsibilities of signatories in establishing a foundation to enhance partnership and coordination in the region for a five-year term.

  1. Proclamation in honor of John Robert Lawson. 

  1. Agreement with BPR Consulting Group in an amount not to exceed $600,000.00 annually to provide on-call outside plan processing and building inspection services for a five-year term.

  1. Agreement with Community Action Partnership of Madera County in an amount not to exceed $220,734.00 for administering the Madera County Senior Meals Program for Fiscal Year 2021-2022.

County Administrator Jessica Leon announced that seniors could sign in for the program and receive 14 meals once a week. 

  1. Agreement with Jones Hall for Bond and Disclosure Counsel Services to form a Community Facilities District for the Tesoro Viejo development and authorize the Chairman to sign. 

  1. Agreement with Pacific Gas and Electric Company to grant the license to County-owned Real Property (Assessor’s Parcel Numbers 005-190-011 and 012) for the limited purposes of storing equipment, parking vehicles; and accessing, investigating, and maintaining its gas transmission line for a term of ninety (90) days.

  1. Resolution authorizing an updated lending policy and approving a revised fee schedule for library WiFi hotspot and Chromebook lending program.

  1. Amendment to MCC No. 11789-20 with Madera County Children and Families Commission, First 5 Madera County in an amount not to exceed $30,000.00 to extend funding for Backpack Literacy Program for the Fiscal Year 2021-2022.

  1. Revised Madera County Juvenile Justice Coordinating Council Bylaws. 

  1. Budget Adjustments.

  • Receipt of Unanticipated Revenue No. 21- 010 for $250,000.00 derived from Local Law Enforcement SVC ACC – ST SB 823 Juvenile Justice Realignment to Operating Transfer Out for the Fiscal Year 2021-2022. 4 Votes Required 

  • Receipt of Unanticipated Revenue No. 21- 009 of $250,000.00 derived from SB 823 Juvenile Justice Realignment – Operating Transfer Into Special Departmental Expense for the Fiscal Year 2021-2022. 4 Votes Required.

  1. Agreement with the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) for the California Public Health Corps (CA-PHC) Training and Pathways Program.

  1. Agreement with the California Government Operations Agency (“GovOps”) (State Agreement No. GOVOPS-C2082) to administer vaccines in communities that are at increased risk of COVID-19 infection and hospitalization for the Fiscal Year 2021-2022.

Public Health Director Sara Bosse said that the funds would be targeted in the bottom 25% of the Healthy Places Index, including Madera, Chowchilla, and surrounding areas.

  1. Agreement with Madera Unified School District (MUSD) for $105,002.00 for inmate education for the Fiscal Year 2021-2022.

  1.  Agreement with MBF Industries in an amount not to exceed $1,022,035.00 for a Regional Command Post Vehicle.

  1. Consideration of approval to amend the Position Allocation for the Sheriff’s Office – Corrections Division as follows: 

  • Position allocation status to Jeanette Flores as Administrative Analyst I effective September 1, 2021. 

  • Authorized the Department of Human Resources to amend the position allocation to reflect the reallocation of one (1) Administrative Assistant to Administrative Analyst I in the Sheriff’s Office-Corrections Division. 

  • Set employee’s salary per Madera County Code Section 2.60.250 – Appointment to a position in a class with a higher rate of pay. 

  1. Resource Family Approval (RFA) Program.

  • Resolution approving Agreement No. 21-5023 with the California Department of Social Services (CDSS) for legal consultation and representation and authorizing the Director of Social Services to execute all documents necessary to carry out the intent of this resolution. 

  • State Agreement No. 21-5023 with the California Department of Social Services (CDSS) for Resource Family Approval (RFA) Program legal consultation and representation for Fiscal Years 2021-2024.

  1. Agreement with California State University Bakersfield for non-paid internship/field placements.

  1. Resolution ordering the Discharge of Accountability for delinquent taxes on an unsecured property.

  1. 2021 California Resilience Challenge Grant. 

  • Resolution authorizing application for a grant under the California Resilience Challenge 2021 Grant Program and authorized the Director of Water and Natural Resources to prepare and submit the Grant Application Package to receive grants funds. 

  • 2021 California Resilience Challenge Grant Grant Program letter of support to the Grant Application Review Committee to fund the Fairmead Groundwater Resilience Project.

The board discussed the items as follows:

  • Update on the Emergency Rental Assistance Program for Madera County.

County Administrator Jessica Leon introduced the Director of California Rural Legal Assistance (CRLA), Baldwin Moy.

During the last six months, families who received emergency rental assistance have risen from 47 to 63, which account for 1/20 of the funds. 

Moy noted that 10 families on average received money to cover rent and utilities. CRLA distributed flyers in the community and to over 2,500 landlords.

He stated that the state must assign the funds to local jurisdictions, “in touch” with residents.

Then, he likened the problem of housing to the game of “musical chairs.”The number of houses is static while families who require it continuously increase. 

He urged the board to continue the rental program to families affected by COVID but not qualify for the program.

With $2.6 billion in the program, only 169 families throughout the state applied. 

Next, he reported “no word” for another moratorium and pleaded to reinstate the emergency rental assistance program.

He remarked that the program was “well-intended” but not designed by “on the ground” who have extreme personal cases.

Supervisor Frazier asked if there was a more flexible “pot of money” for residents.

Deputy County Administrative Officer Joel Bugay recommended filling the program through Madera’s American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds.

  • The board unanimously approved the request for Transfer of Appropriations No. 20-164 for a $5,000,000.00 transfer from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Funds – Appropriations for Contingencies to Operating Transfers Out for the Fiscal Year 2020-2021.

  • Yosemite Area Regional Transportation System. 

1. Resolution to join the Yosemite Area Regional Transportation System (YARTS) Joint Powers Authority (JPA), which oversees the operation of public transit to Yosemite National Park and approves the YARTS JPA agreement. 

2. The board unanimously appointed Supervisor Wheeler and Frazier to represent Madera County as voting members on the YARTS Board of Directors.

  • Mobile Health Units. 

1. Agreement with Performance Trailer, Inc. to purchase two mobile health units totaling $338,135.00 plus applicable sales tax and related DMV fees.

2. Receipt of Unanticipated Revenue for $180,000.00 derived from Health Administration – State-Other to Equipment/Furniture>$5000.00 for the Fiscal Year 2021-2022.

3. Authorized the Auditor/Controller to issue payments of contingencies up to 10 percent of the award amount per established County Policy. 

On the public hearing, the board centered on the items as follows: 

  • The first hearing for Supervisorial Boundary Redistricting to accept public input under the Elections Code. 

The board introduced Senior Planner Jamie Dax and Sam from the Community and Economic Development-Planning Division in Madera County City Planner Trevor Stearns.

Stearns stated that they are focused on engaging, educating Madera residents about the supervisorial boundary redistricting process through outreach. They have reached out to language groups both in English and Spanish.

To understand the population shifts and ensure boundaries are “correctly” redrawn, the Madera will use the 2016-2017 districting map, which resulted from the district boundaries chain of District #5 and #1 and the 2020 census.

The total population of Madera has grown about 4% from 2010 to 2020.

The Census Bureau provided redistricting data in a legacy format summary file on Aug. 12, 2021

Then, the Census Bureau will continue to release the complete redistricting data toolkit on Sept. 30, 2021. 

State law mandates that the deadline to submit a final, readjusted map is Dec. 15, 2021.

AB840 requires four public meetings in redistricting.

Stearns added that the board would schedule five meetings as follows:

  • September 7, 2021: Present Redistricting Process and Timeline Process

  • October 12, 2021: Comparison of 2010 districts with 2020 Census data

  • October 19 and November 2, 2021: Discussion draft of Supervisorial Maps

  • November 16, 2021: Adopt Resolution Establishing New District Boundaries.

Under Election Code Section 21628, public outreach will concentrate on media, internet notices, and publications of demographic data.

He remarked that redistricting would adhere to federal laws against racial gerrymandering, the California Criteria for Cities, and other traditional redistricting principles.

The process will entail record keeping and a dedicated Internet webpage. He stated that any redraw of the boundaries by the public must fall on a 3% change in population. 

Supervisor Letizia Gonzales asked if the redistricting considered the prison population in Chowchilla. Senior Planner Jamie Dax said they would update the board regarding the criteria of those in the process.

On the pending legislation, the board considered the items as follows:

  • The board unanimously ratified a letter on Assembly Bill 451 related to the treatment of psychiatric emergency medical conditions. 

Under Supervisor and Staff Reports, the board followed the item as follows:

  • Report on Madera County Transportation Commission’s comment letter related to the Draft 2021 Interregional Transportation Strategic Plan. 

Deputy Public Works Director Jared Carter said that the letter proposes for the portion of the Northern 41 Corridor to be part of the plan.

Afterward, the closed session centered on the following items: 

2.a.7724: Government Code Section 54957.6

Conference With Labor Negotiators

Agency Designated Representatives: Elba Gomez, Director of Human Resources and Susan Carter, Human Resources Manager

Employee Organization: ALL UNITS

2.a7756: Government Code Section 54956.9 (d)(2)

Conference With Legal Counsel – Existing Litigation

Significant Exposure to Litigation

One Case

The meeting lasted until 1:00 pm. The next board meeting will be on Tuesday, September 14, 2021, at 9:00 am. 

If you believe anything in these notes is inaccurate, please email us at Documenters-admin@thefresnoland.com with “Correction Request” in the subject line.

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