May 9, 2023 — Tulare County Board of Supervisors

Documented by Dani Huerta

 Here’s what you need to know

  • Proclamations were presented recognizing Woodville Warriors Alumni for their ongoing  commitment to the beautification of Woodville. Woodville Warriors Alumni began as a Facebook page and has grown to become a nonprofit organization.
  • Members of the Service Employees International Union spoke during public comment encouraging the county to invest in the workforce, specifically regarding the retention rate, more staffing and equal pay. They voiced concerns about not being able to help all the people they need to as a result of understaffing and overworking. 
  • The county initiated purchase of the former Casa Grande assisted living facility in Visalia for use as a new behavioral health supportive housing center. Supervisor Pete Vander Poel recused himself from this item because he said his property management company has managed properties for the owner of the facility.

Follow up Questions

  • What can the county do to increase employee retention rate?

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 5 p.m. on May 9, 2023. Closed session was held at 2 p.m. The meeting was held at Woodville Elementary School. It began with the Pledge of Allegiance. Micari led the meeting because Supervisor Townsend was absent.

Actions

  • Board of Supervisors matters
    • Vander Poel
      • Last week was a Tulare Chamber of Commerce Governmental Affairs meeting and a Greater Kaweah Groundwater Sustainability Agency meeting. 
      • Upcoming is a Health and Human Services Agency directors meeting and Countryside High School’s Mental Health Matters month, Allensworth Flood Resource Fair, Rep. Jim Costa dinner, Mother’s Day, Kings/Tulare Area Agency on Aging meeting and a Tulare County Association of Governments meeting.
    • Shuklian
      • Earlier was the opening of the new health clinic, Food Link Cinco De Mayo celebration, San Joaquin Valley Insurance Authority meeting, Senior Day at the Park, resource family picnic, ImagineU gala, and the Eagle Mountain Casino opening.
      • Upcoming is the Kaweah Delta Starlight awards, various ribbon cuttings, and the CASA gala.
    • Valero
      • Last week was Senior Day at the Park, Kaweah Water Foundation meeting, he judged the Lions Club speech contest, attended Cutler-Orosi town hall, Cinco De Mayo parade and the ImagineU gala.
      • He now serves on the board of the Kaweah Water Foundation.
      • Upcoming is a Three Rivers meeting with FEMA and SBA, Dinuba Chamber of Commerce Government Affairs meeting, the Dinuba High School Board meeting and a Kings/Tulare Area Agency on Aging meeting,
    • Micari
      • Last week was the health clinic opening, Senior Day at the Park, a San Joaquin Valley Insurance Authority meeting,Tulare County Kings Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Cinco De Mayo celebration and the ImagineU gala, a Veterans advisory meeting and he attended the peace officer memorial. 
  • Presented a proclamation recognizing May 7-13 as National Travel and Tourism week.
    • Vander Poel presented the proclamation to Mike Washam of the Resource Management Agency. Tulare County’s tourism heavily declined during the pandemic. Washam said tourism has recovered here faster than the state’s and is currently ahead of where they were in 2019.
  • Presented a proclamation recognizing May 13, 2023 as Letter Carriers’ Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive Day in Tulare County.
    • Shuklian presented the proclamation to Nissan Foster. More than 1.82 billion pounds of food have been collected since the inaugural food drive in 1991.
  • Items 4 and 5 were reviewed at the same time
    • Item 4: Presented a proclamation recognizing Woodville Warriors Alumni for their ongoing involvement in the community of Woodville.
    • Item 5: Presented certificates recognizing Violet Chavarria, Guadalupe Tapia, Julian Tapia, Pedro Tapia and Mitchel Arrezola for their continued service to the community of Woodville.
      • Micari presented the proclamation. Woodville Warriors Alumni began as a Facebook page and has grown to become a nonprofit organization. They have a commitment to the beautification of Woodville. A member of the Woodville Warriors Alumni thanked the board for their cooperation in improving Woodville’s community.
  • (Approved) Consent Calendar (Items 7-25)
    • Approved
    • Some of the approved items included the approval of an agreement with Community Services and Employment Training, Inc. to provide services for the Workforce Education and Training Supported Employment and Volunteer Program (item 14), the ratification and approval of an agreement with Witt O’Brien’s, LLC, for Post-Disaster Management Services (item 19), and the reaffirmation of the existence of an emergency as a result of the impending failure of the Cotton Gin Water Well (item 23).
  • Request from the General Services Agency to approve June 6 at 9 a.m. as the date and time to receive public comment regarding the board’s intent to consummate the purchase of real property located at 347 E. Walnut Ave. in Visalia. Authorized the General Services Agency director to send a “General Plan Referral Letter” to the city of Visalia regarding the proposed purchase of the property.
    • Vander Poel recused himself from this item because of a financial conflict of interest and left the room. He said that he is the owner of a property management company that manages properties for the owner of this property and that since he has received payment from them in the past, he recused himself from participating. 
    • Brooke Sisk, General Services Agency director, explained the item, which initiates the process of purchasing the former Casa Grande assisted living facility in Visalia.
    • Approved
  • There were no board matter requests

Public Comment

  • Sabina Ramos, child support specialist from Tulare and member of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), spoke about retaining workers. She submitted a report from her union of the workforce community impact findings. She hopes the board will continue working with the union.
    • Olivia Wolbrock, self-sufficiency counselor from Tulare and SEIU member, encouraged investing in Tulare County’s workforce. She said she needs more workers to help with processing CalFresh applications.
    • Ruby Correa, emergency dispatcher and SEIU member, also encouraged investing in the workforce. Short staffing makes her job much more stressful as a result of heavy workflow, she said.
    • Andrea Longoreah, Women’s Infants and Children health program assistant and SEIU member, spoke about her concerns about short staffing and not being able to help mothers.
    • Maria Ester Camacho, self-sufficiency support assistant for TulareWorks and SEIU member, also encouraged investing in Tulare’s workforce and equal pay. 
  • Ariela Jessica Lopez spoke about her experience attending an appointment at Tulare County Adult Mental Health Care. Getting her medicine was difficult because of low staffing and an incident with a manic patient. The metal detectors did not work

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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