Documenter: Dani Huerta

Here’s what you need to know:

  • An appeal was made by Moore/Stephenson against Pavel and Laura Finatean’s special use permit. The Finateans applied to breed up to 350 adult goats on a 160 acre parcel. Appellant Patricia Moore claims the Finatean’s had previously agreed to make changes to their application and that The Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board suggested revisions. The Finatean’s claim grazing is good for the land and nearby ranches do not have these regulations. This matter was discussed during closed session and will further be discussed at the meeting on February 1, 2022.

  • David McElroy, a blind resident of Visalia, believed he paid his taxes online through the Tulare County tax website but was later given a fee. He believes his rights under the Americans with Disabilities Act were violated and the website should be more accessible.

  • A bid protest filed by Flex Pro was denied. The protest claimed TGN  should be deemed non-responsive because they did not list a subcontractor, listed glasswork twice, and did not list a contractor for asbestos abatement. The General Services Agency said TGN met all qualifications. A representative from TGN did not attend. The bid protest was denied. 

Board of Supervisors

  • Larry Micari, District One

  • Pete Vander Poel III, District Two

  • Amy Shuklian, District Three

  • Eddie Valero – Chairman, District Four

  • Dennis Townsend – Vice Chair, District Five

  • Jason T. Britt, County Administrative Officer

  • Jennifer M. Flores, County Council

  • Melinda Benton, Chief Clerk

The Scene

The Tulare County Board of Supervisors meeting was held simultaneously both in-person and streamed via YouTube and Zoom at 9 a.m. on January 11, 2022. This meeting was held in the Human Resources building. It began with the pledge of allegiance and a moment of silence. 

Supervisors Townsend and Micari participated via Zoom.

Actions

  • Board of Supervisors matters

    • Supervisor Vander Poel

      • Yesterday he attended a Tulare County Water Commission meeting.

      • Upcoming is a Tulare County Employee Retirement Association Tesera Board meeting, Tulare County Employee Retirement Association Investment Committee meeting, Tulare County Audit Committee meeting, Olympic medalist Richard Torres mural reveal in downtown Tulare, GKGSA meeting, Leadership Tulare County Day, KTAAA meeting, and Tulare County Association of Governments meeting. There is no board meeting next tuesday.

    • Supervisor Shuklian

      • Last week she had a meeting with the GSA director, a meeting with the HHSA director, San Joaquin Joint Powers Authority special meeting, and attended the grand opening of Source in Visalia.

      • Upcoming is a meeting with a Sequoia Gateway Project representative, Mental Health Board meeting, Avenue 280 widening outreach, presenting at the County Center Rotary, Homeless Task Force meeting, San Joaquin ValleyAir Pollution Control District meeting, and a Parks Advisory Committee meeting.

    • Supervisor Micari

      • Last week he met with Health and Human services Director Tim Lutz, Exeter Lions club, Strathmore Women’s club, met with the new IT Director Joe Halford, toured Source, attended a zoom meeting regarding SGMA, and the Tulare County Veterans Association meeting.

      • Upcoming is RCRC Golden State Finance Authority meeting, Countywide Oversight Board meeting, public nuisance ordinance meeting, Builder Association meeting, AG pass webinar. Bank of Sierra donated building for CSET to provide full services. He will also attend Kings Tulare Alliance agency and a TCAG meeting.

    • Supervisor Townsend

      • Last week he attended the Eastern Tulare Groundwater Agency meeting.

      • Upcoming is the RCRC Board meeting, Golden State Natural Resources, Golden State Connect Authority, Golden State finance meeting, public nuisance ordinance meeting, TCAG meeting, and TCTA meeting

    • Supervisor Valero

      • Last week he had a “see you later” for his godson, visited Coachella Valley regarding renewable energy and water, and attended a Tulare County Regional Transportation Authority meeting. 

      • Upcoming is a Good Morning Dinuba meeting, San Joaquin Valley Early Action Housing Planning meeting, Well Central Valley Conference Planning meeting, law library special meeting, budget briefing with the Volunteer’s Commission, LNTC meeting, town hall meetings in Dinuba and Three Rivers, and a community meeting for Delft Colony.

  • Request from the Resource Management Agency to deny the appeal for Special Use Permit (No. PSP 21-074) based on staff findings and affirm the Planning Commission’s approval to allow increased animal densities

    • CAO Aaron Bach presented the matter

    • Those involved are Patricia Moore, Kathleen McCleary, Pavel Finatean, and Laura Finatean. 

    • Appeal made by Moore/Stephenson

      • Application was to breed up to 350 adult goats on a 160 acre parcel. Required more than two mature animals for each acre, or more than 25 animals total. Initial phase includes existing shed, storage and water lines. Second phase proposes building an AG shop. Filed in response for having 25 goats without obtaining a special permit.

      • The appeal is that the Planning Commission misapplied the right to farm ordinance, were in error finding that the permit wouldn’t affect their water source, did not apply the 100-foot creek buffer nuisance mitigation, and did not address their concerns about the electrical fencing.

      • RMA received a last minute email from the Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board. The main comments were that the property does not appear to be considered a “confined animal operation”, they assume the other livestock will graze similarly to the goats, and the project does not appear to meet the definition of a “confined bovine feeding operation”.

      • The Planning Commission’s response to the appeal is that they did, correctly apply the farm ordinance, there is no direct evidence of water quality damage, had sufficient evidence to find impact of the well to be speculative, were not required to recommend a 100-foot buffer nuisance mitigation around the creek, and adequately addressed appellant’s temporary electrical fencing concerns.

      • Supervisor Townsend asked if the other cows are under special ordinance. Bach says he does not think so. The creek is not a protected body of water.

      • Property Owner Pavel Finatean spoke. He said grazing is good for the land. Laura Finatean said there is a nearby large cattle ranch that has a blueline on their property with no setbacks or regulations.

      • Appellant Patricia Moore said she has lived there for thirty years. She says the Finatean’s did not bring goats on property until 2019. The Finateans were previously willing to revise but the Planning Commision accepted the permit without revision. The Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board suggested revisions and that concerns about surface and groundwater “have not been assessed”. 

      • Supervisor Vander Poel asked property owners if they were willing to adjust their application at the Planning Commission meeting and what they were willing to do.

        • Pavel said they were willing to agree to the suggestions but did not know there were no ordinances in place. HE said the property had livestock before they bought the property. Laura said it could hold up to 1600 goats. She said grazing is good for fire mitigation and their neighbors don’t have these conditions.

      • Kathleen McCleary, a neighbor, spoke during public comment. She said she has had issues with the Finatean’s and questions what the purpose is of the increase of animals. She thinks they have enough goats and more dogs and a barn is unnecessary if they keep a smaller amount of goats. She also said their dogs come off the property and bother her. She says the Finatean property slopes and her creek is clogged with mud from their property.

      • Supervisor Valero called for this item to be further discussed in closed session. When reconvened, Supervisor Valero asked the staff for their recommendation. Bach said to push it to the meeting on February 1st.

      • The Board moved this item to February 1st, 2022

  • Consent Calendar

    • Member of the public requested Item 9 be pulled and there was an oral correction Item 18

    • Item 9 Approve the acceptance of allocation funds from the California Department of Public Health for the Epidemiology Laboratory Capacity Strengthening Public Health Laboratory Preparedness program through Laboratory Response Network for supplemental funding, in an amount not to exceed $142,473, retroactive from May 12, 2021 through July 31, 2022. Approve the necessary budget adjustment. Approve the Capital Asset purchases needed to support essential COVID-19 laboratory functions: a GeneXpert Module, in an amount not to exceed $25,000, and KingFisher Flex, in an amount not to exceed $83,000.

      • Pamela, a member of the public, requested this item be removed.  She says each KingFisher Flex unit costs about $5,000. She wants clarification on why the agenda lists it as $83,000. She says there is a $73,000 Smart Start plan with a one-year warranty.

      • Karen Elliot says the model they are looking to get is more extensive as well as other fees associated with it. It is recommended by the Public Health Manager. Valero asks if this is for COVID as well as other communicable diseases. Elliot says it is. 

      • Item 9 approved

    • Item 18 request 2 should state “Accept the categorical exemption as the appropriate environmental determination, consistent with the California Environmental Quality Act and the State California Environmental Quality Act Guidelines, pursuant to Title 14, Cal. Code Regulations Section 15301, Class 1, Existing Facilities”.

      • Item 18 approved

    • The consent calendar was approved

  • Request from the General Services Agency to deny the bid protest filed by Flex Pro, Inc. Award the contract for the Auditor’s Office Remodel to the lowest responsible and responsive bidder, TGN Build, Inc. in an amount not to exceed $785,000.

    • Brooke Sisk, General Services Director, explained that the second lowest bidder (Flex Pro, Inc.) claims the lowest bidder (TGN Build, Inc.) should be considered non-responsive due to lack of subcontractors listed and listing glasswork twice. TGN said they are a B licensed contractor and glasswork is listed twice because there are two different glass contractors. 

    • Vice President of Flex Pro, Jason Tente said TGN should be listed as non-responsive due to a lack of subcontractor listing. TGN did not list a contractor for asbestos abatement. TGN did not list a contractor to remove asbestos because it was not listed in the asbestos survey although the plans show there is asbestos. They would need a special contract to remove it. Tente says under public contract code their bid cannot be accepted and their bid bond was incomplete. TGN was required to list a contract to remove hazardous material and they did not.

    • Supervisor Townsend asked if there was required asbestos removal in the bid details. Kyle Taylor, General Services Agency Deputy Director, said there is not asbestos abatement in the bid. TGN meets the qualifications.

    • A representative of TGN did not attend

    • The bid protest was denied

  • There were no Board Matter Requests

Public Comment

  • David McElroy, resident of Visalia, spoke regarding the Tulare county tax collector. He thought he paid his taxes online but got charged a fee because the bill did not go through. He and his partner are blind and had no way of knowing it did not go through until he got charged the fee. He believes this is a violation of Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act. He wants an accessible website and was previously told by Supervisor Shuklian that the Board has no authority of the tax collector. 

  • Pamela spoke against funding for vaccination education outreach. She asked why the county spends this money before they get it and why it is going until February. She also asks why they support the vaccine if healthy people are having heart attacks. She wants the Board to look into the safety of the vaccine and other methods than the vaccine including antivirals. She says she does not want to spend money on propaganda and testing.

There is no board meeting next tuesday January 18, 2022 due to the holiday.

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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