Here’s what you need to know:

  • An application fee of $500 for administrative appeals was approved. The fee covers hearings heard by the County Hearing Officer that currently do not have a fee set in an ordinance code. The fee is not a full cost recovery fee.
  • A presentation was given about the Tule Subbasin’s Multibenefit Land Repurposing Program. Tulare County has received a $500,000 grant for water security programs in disadvantaged communities. The Tule Subbasin eeds to reduce by 115,000 acre foot shortage per year to achieve groundwater sustainability and the WC Technical Advisor Committee has proposed a $10 million block grant for the Tule Subbasin.
  • The Master Stewardship Agreement between the USDA, Forest Service, and the County of Tulare was approved. This allows the County to utilize their contracting protocols instead of the Forest Service’s. There are only a few counties that have this agreement.

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 May 10, 2022. It began with the pledge of allegiance and a moment of silence. Due to a family emergency, Supervisor Micari was not present at today’s meeting as well as next week.

Actions

  • Board of Supervisors matters
    • Supervisor Vander Poel
      • Last week he attend the Earlimart Rotary raffle and the Tulare County Water Commission meeting.
      • Upcoming he will be attending the ribbon cutting of the Caldwell widening project, this month is mental health awareness month, rawhide game, Kings-Tulare Area Agency on Aging, GKGSA, and a Tulare County Association of Governments meeting.
    • Supervisor Shuklian
      • Last week she attended a Mental Health Board, Peace Officers memorial, Farm Bureau annual banquet and meeting, TCAG awards, San Joaquin Valley Insurance Authority, and the Tulare-Kings Hispanic Chamber of Commerce awards.
      • Upcoming is mock interviews with Central Valley Miss Teen, Workforce Investment Board meeting, meeting with Senator Caballero, Comics for Kids event, and the Family Resources annual picnic at Riverway Sports Park
    • Supervisor Townsend
      • Last week he attended the Tulare County Peace Officers memorial, Tulare County Farm Bureau Awards Banquet, a Congressional delegation of the House of Natural Resources Committee, meeting with the HHSA Director, meeting with the County Librarian regarding the upcoming Springville Library, 
      • Upcoming he will attend the San Joaquin Valley Regional Policy Council, Porterville Fair Junior Livestock auction, Tulare County Association of Governments, and a Tulare County Transportation Authority meeting.
    • Supervisor Valero
      • Last week he attended the Farm Bureau dinner, met with Sequoia Kings Canyon Park Superintendent, Audit Committee, Tulare-Kings Hispanic Award dinner where he received the Man of the Year Award, and the Cinco de Mayo parade in Dinuba. 
      • Upcoming is a Library Advisory Board meeting, presenting at The Pink House in Fresno, Good Morning Dinuba, speaking at the Supervisorial Academy Graduation, Leadership Northern Tulare County, and an LNTC meeting.
  • Present a Proclamation recognizing May 2022 as National Foster Care Month in Tulare County.
    • Supervisor Valero presented the proclamation. Courtney Sallam, Deputy Director of Child Welfare Services, thanked all resource parents.
      • Supervisor Vander Poel asked if there is a shortage of resource parents. Sallam said there are agencies that help families in various ways as well as over 500 resource parents.
  • Receive a Presentation by Happy Trails Riding Academy for the Year of the Youth Presentation Series.
    • Leslie Gardner, Executive Director, and Nicole Payne, Director of Services,  gave the presentation.
    • Happy Trails Riding Academy is a therapeutic riding center for children and adults with disabilities, with an average 2,400 rides per year. A video was shown explaining more about Happy Trails, but the sound did not work during the meeting.
    • Some services other than riding are services with an occupational therapist, recreational services, a Vetran’s program, They are a fully accredited program that has been around for twelve years and provides services for children ages six through eighteen.
  • The consent calendar was approved
  • Request from the County Counsel’s Office to consider and approve the proposed application fee of $500 for administrative appeals to be conducted by the County Hearing Officer, effective May 10, 2022. 
    • Jennifer Flores presented the item. The $500 fee is for covering hearings heard by the County Hearing Officer that currently do not have a fee set in an ordinance code.
    • Supervisor Shulkian noted that it is not a full cost recovery fee.
    • Approved
  • Receive a presentation from the Resource Management Agency regarding the Tule Subbasin’s Multibenefit Land Repurposing Program.
    • Ren Eckiona, Watershed Coordinator, gave updates on the subbasin. The program’s purpose is to help the GSA’s plan projects to build landscape resilience and help local communities build long lasting groundwater profiles.
    • Tulare County did receive a $500,000 grant for water security programs. The money will be used to identify water security projects for disadvantaged communities and to move these projects into concept design.
    • The WC Technical Advisor Committee has proposed a $10 million block grant for the Tule Subbasin.
    • Tule Subbasin
      • Needs to reduce by 115,000 acre foot shortage per year to achieve groundwater sustainability.
      • The plan is to implement strategic land retirement, develop habitat resources, and enhance water resources in the subbasin. The plan objectives are to:
        • Develop a multi benefit agricultural land repurposing resourcing research and plan ($1.7 million)
        • Complete project design and permitting ($1.75 million)
        • Implement the land repurposing project
        • Leave about $3.5 million unassigned and available for additional projects
        • Support regional capacity needs (about $1 million)
        • Outreach, education, and training ($600,000)
        • Perform project monitoring (about $600,00)
    • Supervisor Townsend asked about the Capinero Creek restoration project. Eckiona said the land can be bought and used to irrigate other places. The objective is to restore the ground. If the project goes right, there will be net water savings spread across the entire district.
  • Receive a presentation from the General Services Agency regarding Tulare County Parks Strategic Outreach Plan. Approve the Tulare County Parks Strategic Outreach Plan and direct staff to initiate implementation of the Plan’s recommendations.
    • Brooke Sisk and Janet Zaragoza gave the presentation.
    • Background
      • The Park Strategic Business Plan was created in 2016. Today’s presentation is working towards increasing public development and outreach through community meetings.
    • Logo Contest
      • They partnered with the arts consortium with a total of 21 entries. Travis Walters from Visalia was the winner.
    • Corporate Sponsorship
      • Tule Tier ($1,500 annually)
        • Sponsors will receive a certificate of appreciation, recognition in Parks newsletter, brand placement on social media and webpage, one no-cost Arbor booking annually, and four annual park passes
      • Kings Tier ($3,000 annually)
        • Sponsors will receive the same benefits as the Tule Tier as well as a plaque of appreciation instead of a certificate, brand placement on entry signs or banner, and six annual park passes instead of four.
      • Kaweah Tier ($5,000 annually)
        • Sponsors will receive the same benefits as the Kings Tier as well as one no-cost Arbor booking annually and waiver of entrance fees for up to 20 vehicles instead of one without the waiver, and eight annual park passes instead of four.
      • Sequoia Tier ($10,000 annually)
        • Sponsors will receive the same benefits as the Kaweah Tier was well as one annual no-cost priority event booking, two no-cost Arbor booking annually and waiver of entrance fees for up to 50 vehicles per event instead of a 20 vehicle waiver, waived entry fee for annual event, ten annual park passes instead of eight, and one annual service day recognition at an identified park.
    • Individual Membership program
      • Acorn ($100 annually)
        • Members will receive a membership card, newsletter, one annual park pass, and a calendar.
      • Sprout ($300 annually)
        • Members will receive the same benefits as the Acorn Membership as well as two annual park passes instead of one, and a water bottle.
      • Oak ($500 annually)
        • Members will receive the same benefits as the Sprout Membership as well as entry tickets for two to a recognition event.
    • Other sources of funding and support are through the Adopt-An-Arbor Program, memorial tree program, memorial branch program, an annual fundraising event, In-kind donations, event partnerships, and volunteer outreach and recruitment.
    • Approved
  • Request from the Resource Management Agency to approve a Master Stewardship Agreement between the USDA, Forest Service, and the County of Tulare for a term of 20 years to document the cooperative efforts between the parties.
    • Denise England presented the agreement.
    • This is the starting point, the next step is to execute special project agreements.
    • The Agreement allows the County to utilize their contracting protocols instead of the Forest Service’s.
    • 3 deviations from county contracting protocol
      • The County agrees to indemnify the US Forest Service
      • The County will sign the agreement first
      • The Agreement includes an alternative dispute resolution clause
    • Supervisor Valero asked if they are the last county to do this agreement. England said there are only a few counties that have this agreement.
    • Approved
  • There were no Board matter requests.

Public Comment

  • Nancy Ruble, District Superintendent Pixley Unified School District, thanked the Board for hearing her concern last week regarding road safety near schools. She specifically thanked Supervisor Vander Poel’s effort to send a crew to the area.

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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