March 21, 2023 — Tulare County Board of Supervisors

Documented by Dani Huerta

Here’s what you need to know

  • Winners of the National Agriculture Week Children’s Art Calendar Awards were shown in a presentation by Trisha Stever Blatler, director of the Tulare County Farm Bureau. The overall winner is Emma Souza from District 3. 
  • County Fire Chief Charlie Norman gave a presentation on recent storms and flooding related to evacuation orders. He said there have been over 112 water rescues and over 1,500 flood-related calls. Allensworth and Alpaugh were added to evacuation orders on March 19. All orders related to evacuation issued by the Emergency Services Director were ratified. 
  • Implementation of the employer and employee retirement contribution rates of the Tulare County Employees’ Retirement Association (TCERA), were approved, with the rates to be adjusted within the pay period of the fiscal year. This option was chosen because a discount was available if contributions are prepaid. Leanne Malison, retirement administrator at TCERA, said that employer rates have increased about 82 basis points from last year mostly due to investment loss. 

Follow up Questions

  • Why was the public comment for item 21 not read aloud or commented on?

Board of Supervisors

  • Larry Micari – vice chair, District One
  • Pete Vander Poel III, District Two
  • Amy Shuklian, District Three
  • Eddie Valero, District Four
  • Dennis Townsend – chair, District Five
  • Jason T. Britt, County Administrative Officer
  • Jennifer M. Flores, County Counsel
  • Melinda Benton, Chief Clerk

The Scene

The Tulare County Board of Supervisors meeting was held simultaneously both in-person and streamed via YouTube at 9 a.m. on March 21. The meeting began with the Pledge of Allegiance and a moment of silence. 

Actions

  • Receive a presentation by the Tulare County Farm Bureau, in coordination with the Tulare County Office of Education, for the National Agriculture Week Children’s Art Calendar Awards.
    • Trisha Stever Blatler, director of the Tulare County Farm Bureau, gave the presentation. She invited Tim Vidak, county superintendent of schools, to talk as well. He thanked the student artists for their participation. The contest was open to elementary and high school students. This year there were 1500-plus entries. The cover winner wins a $50 cash prize. The winners for each district were shown.
    • The winners were
      • District 1: Abigail Mueller
      • District 2: Zoe Alvarado, Malaih Munoz, Polette Barba, Denise 
      • District 3: Clara Ferreira, Bryce Moore, Lily Iverson, Jasmin Rivas (back cover honoree), Dana Chavez (Produce Feature)
      • District 4: Analee Munoz Luna, Madison Daniska, Maya Arciga
      • District 5: Sara Satko,
      • Overall winner is Emma Souza from District 3
  • Board of Supervisors matters
    • Valero
      • He thanked everyone who has helped with the floods.
      • Upcoming is an event today at La Paz Church for people who need water, a Tulare County Regional Transit Agency (TCRTA) meeting and a town hall with the National Park Service in Three Rivers.
    • Micari
      • He thanked everyone for their help with the floods and said he used a drone to see what areas need help. He has been having meetings and calls with various people about the floods.
    • Vander Poel
      • Upcoming is a TCERA meeting and he will be flying around the flooded areas. He also thanked everyone for their help with the floods.
    • Shuklian
      • Last week was the swearing in of the new probation chief, a San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control Board meeting and a CSAC meeting.
      • She requested a letter to be written to encourage farmer funding for emission reduction.
      • Upcoming she will be speaking at a College of the Sequoias political science class and attending a San Joaquin Powers Joint Authority meeting.
    • Townsend
      • He thanked everyone for their help with the floods as well.
      • Last week Leadership Porterville attended the Board of Supervisors meeting, there was a San Joaquin Regional Policy Council planning meeting, a Springville Rodeo appreciation dinner, Tulare County Association of Governments meeting and a Convoy of Hope meeting.
      • Upcoming is a meeting about inland port projects, the Exchange Club public safety recognition dinner and Convoy of Hope in Springville, 
  • Consent Calendar (Items 4-30)
    • Items 12, 13, 19 and 20 were pulled for consideration at a later date. Item 21 was pulled for separate consideration.
    • The remainder of the consent calendar was approved.
    • Item 21: Ratify all Orders related to evacuations issued by the Emergency Services Director, or successor, between March 14, 2023, and March 20, 2023, pursuant to the Local Emergency proclaimed on March 9, 2023.
      • Norman gave a presentation on recent storms and flooding.
      • There have been over 112 water rescues and over 1,500 flood-related calls. The incident action plan is divided into six branches. There are about 65 people assigned to help with each branch. Heavy rain and strong winds are expected. The Dinuba shelter and animal shelter are closed. 
      • Each board member thanked Norman for his help and hard work.
      • Two areas have been added to this item: March 19, Allensworth and Alpaugh
      • A public comment email was received and handed to the board but was not read aloud.
      • Approved
    • Some of the approved items included an agreement with Blue Cross of California Partnership Plan, Inc. to provide select educational services to Medi-Cal Managed Care plan enrollees effective from March 21, 2023, (Item 15), a Memorandum of Understanding with the Superior Court of California, County of Tulare to provide monitoring and evaluation of clients in Mental Health Court (item 18), and the reaffirmation of the existence of an emergency due to the impending failure of the Cotton Gin Water Well at the Visalia Landfill item 30).
  • (Option 1 approved) Request from the Tulare County Employees’ Retirement Association (TCERA) to take action on one of the following options regarding employer and employee retirement contribution rates
    • Option 1: Approve implementation of the employer and employee retirement contribution rates from the TCERA Actuarial Valuation Report dated June 30, 2022, as approved by the Board of Retirement on Nov. 2, 2022, and direct that the rates be adjusted effective with the pay period of the fiscal year that includes July 1, 2023.
    • Option 2: Approve implementation of employer and employee retirement contribution rates from the TCERA Actuarial Valuation Report and direct that the rates be adjusted “not later than 90 days after the beginning of the immediately succeeding fiscal year”. The changes to the employer and employee contribution rates could be delayed until 2023 pay period 21, the last pay period before the end of the 90-day limit.
    • Leanne Malison, Retirement Administrator at TCERA, explained the item. Employer rates have increased about 82 basis points in interest rates from last year mostly due to investment loss. TCERA is offering a prepayment service of contributions at a discount.
    • Option 1 approved
  • Board Matter Requests
    • Shuklian requested a letter to be written to encourage farmer funding for emission reduction.

Public Comment

  • Michael Kreps of the Arts Consortium said there is an upcoming studio tour at the end of the month. He gave the board magazines. 

The meeting adjourned to a closed session.

If you believe anything in these notes is inaccurate, please email us at fresnodocs@fresnoland.org with “Correction Request” in the subject line.

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