Tulare County Board of Supervisors (7/25/23)

July 25, 2023 — Tulare County Board of Supervisors

Documented by Dani Huerta

Here’s what you need to know

• At the July 25 Tulare County Board of Supervisors meeting, responses to the 2022-2023 Tulare County Grand Jury Final Report, “South County Detention Facility” were approved. An adjustment was made to reflect the date of the meeting. The approved findings were that the location saves time and cost for transport to the South County Courthouse, the location reduces cost for the Porterville Police Department for transportation to Visalia facilities and saves time in the booking process, and there are costs incurred to transport premade food from the Bob Wiley Facility. 
• An update to the County of Tulare American Rescue Plan Act Final Recovery Plan was approved. Updates include decreased funding to COVID-19 support, decreased funding for homelessness projects and increased funding to impacted nonprofits. 
• The placement of delinquent sewer service fees, delinquent penalties and auditor’s collection charges for County Service Areas 1 and 2, the Terra Bella Sewer Maintenance District and the Orosi Community Services District on the 2023-2024 tax roll was approved. There are 199 total delinquent customers. The amount rolled includes fees of $200 per zone of benefit, $1 per assessor parcel number and a 10% penalty.

Follow up Questions

• How are impacted nonprofits determined eligible for increased funding under the Tulare American Rescue Plan Act Final Recovery Plan?
• Why was funding for homelessness decreased under the Tulare American Rescue Plan Act Final Recovery Plan?

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 July 25, 2023. The meeting began with the Pledge of 

allegiance and a moment of silence. Townsend was absent.

Actions

• Board of Supervisors matters
  • Valero
    • Last week was the National Association of Counties Conference and Valero said he collaborated with Champions Recovery and Paw Estate Rescue and Shelter Inc. for a dog adoption event.
    • Upcoming is an Ivanhoe Community Council meeting, Public Art selection committee, Dancing With the Stars meet and greet, Yosemite Sequoia Resource Conservation and Development Council, Tulare County Association of Governments staff reviewing ad hoc committee and a Three Rivers meeting.
  • Shuklian
    • Last week was a homelessness task force meeting, Kings Tulare COS Police Academy graduation, League of California Cities dinner, San Joaquin Joint Powers Authority meeting, Enchanted Playhouse fundraiser and Shuklian said she spoke at the SNP Social group.
  • Vander Poel
    • Upcoming is the Tulare County Employees Retirement Association meeting, Kings Tulare Master Plan for Aging, San Joaquin Valley Insurance Authority, Tulare Jackson House ribbon-cutting and the Tulare backyard brewfest.
  • Micari
    • Last week Micari said he attended the Yokall Landing groundbreaking, the Blue Flamingo pool service ribbon-cutting, met with the Health & Human Services Agency (HHSA), went to the Farmersville transit center groundbreaking, the Mason Events grand opening, swore graduates in at the Tulare County Fire Department graduation, and attended a meeting of the East Kaweah Groundwater Sustainability Agency.
• (Approved) Consent Calendar (Items 7-28)
  • Item 9 and item 17 were pulled for comment. Item 21 was considered off calendar.
    • Item 9: Adopt a resolution approving the issuance of a Grant Anticipation Note by the county on behalf of the Waukena Joint Union Elementary School District.
      • Jeffery Cooley, Superintendent of Waukena School District, requested this item be approved. They are looking forward to a new well.
    • Item 17: Approve the Step Up Youth Activities Grant Awards. The Tulare County HHSA voted to recommend that the Tulare County Board of Supervisors Award $15,000 from the Step Up Youth Activities Grant program as follows: District 3: I Support the Girls, $5,000; District 4: Champions Recovery Alternative Programs, Inc., $5,000; Sequoia Symphony Orchestra, $5,000. Determine that the 2023 Step Up Youth Activities Grant Awards are necessary to meet the social needs of the population of Tulare County, including, but not limited to the areas of: education, health and welfare and the needs of financially handicapped persons.
      • Shuklian clarified that the Sequoia Symphony is in District 3, not District 4
  • Some of the approved items included the approval of the Tulare County Child Abuse Prevention Council’s request for annual funding from the county’s Children’s Trust Fund (item 14), reaffirmation of local emergencies due to winter storms and flooding, food and water contamination and flood debris (item 16), and an agreement between the Tulare County Sheriff’s Office and Woodlake to provide emergency dispatch services to the Woodlake Police Department (item 26).
  • Approved
• (Approved) Request from the Board Staff to consider, modify as needed and approve the responses to the 2022-2023 Tulare County Grand Jury Final Report, “South County Detention Facility.”
  • The Board received a draft including recommended actions. Finding 1: The location saves transportation times and cost for transport to the South County Courthouse. Finding 2: The location reduces cost for the Porterville Police Department for transportation to Visalia facilities and saves time in the booking process. Finding 3: There are costs incurred to transport premade food from the Bob Wiley Facility. The recommendation is to source staffing and funding to open the kitchen and farm operations. The board agrees with these findings and the recommendation. 
  • A recommended change is the date to recommend today’s date.
  • Approved
• Request from the County Administrative Office to approve an update to the County of Tulare American Rescue Plan Act Final Recovery Plan for the use of $90,552,914 of the American Rescue Plan Act funds received to support the county in responding to the economic and public health impact of the coronavirus, COVID-19 pandemic. Approve all budgetary and accounting transactions necessary to process transfers and reimbursements to cover the County of Tulare American Rescue Plan Act Final Recovery Plan costs for fiscal year 2023-2024. Authorize the county administrative officer to make adjustments to the plan projects and programs up to 5% of each expenditure category.
  • County Administrative Officer Jason Britt gave the presentation. The plan allocates $90.6 million to public health ($59.4 million), negative economic impacts ($4.4 million), services to disproportionately impacted communities ($5.6 million), premium pay ($5.8 million), infrastructure ($14.5 million), revenue replacement ($0) and administration ($674,232).
  • The first half of the money was received in June 2021 and the second half was received in July 2022.
  • Funding changes
    • Decreased COVID-19 funding, Increased medical expenses
    • Decreased homelessness projects, increased assistance to impacted non-profits
    • Decreased funding for payroll for Tulare County Sheriff Office staff and HHSA staff
    • Decreased Lewis Hill Tower relocation project funding because it was canceled. Increased funding for select radio towers and select park project improvements
  • New projects are the self-funded health insurance plan COVID-19 claims and an aquatic project.
  • Deleted projects are HHSA support for vaccine administration by community partners and the Lewis Hill Tower relocation project.
  • Approved
• (Approved) Public Hearing: Request from the Resource Management Agency (RMA) to introduce an amendment to the Tulare County Zoning Ordinance for Change of Zone PZC 23-003 to change the zone on approximately 6.84 acres from A-1 (Agriculture) Zone to the M-1-MU (Light Manufacturing with Mixed Use Overlay), on property located east of Kingsburg. Adopt the findings of approval, as set forth in the Planning Commission resolution and approve Zone Change No. PZC 23-003. Find that this amendment is exempt from review under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and the state CEQA Guidelines. Find that this ordinance by statute can only be passed after notice and a public hearing, so it is exempt from the usual requirements that an ordinance be read in full and adopted over two regular meetings
  • Aaron Bock, assistant director of the RMA, gave the presentation. The request is to change the zone from an agricultural to light manufacturing with a mixed-use overlay located within the Kingsburg Urban Development Boundary. The city of Kingsburg had no comments on this project.
  • Approved
• (Approved) Public hearing: Request from the RMA to consider placement of delinquent water and sewer service fees, delinquent penalties and the auditor’s collection charges for County Service Areas 1 and 2 on the 2023-2024 tax roll. Direct the tax collector to place delinquent sewer and water service fees, delinquent penalties and the auditor’s collection charges of County Service Areas No. 1 and No. 2 customers on the 2023/2024 tax roll if still delinquent after July 31.
  • Sherman Dix, assistant director of the RMA, gave the presentation. Customers were mailed notices April 30. The payment deadline is July 31. The delinquent customer list is due to the Auditor’s Office on Aug. 10. There are 199 total delinquent customers.
  • The amount rolled includes fees of $200 per zone of benefit, $1 per assessor parcel number, and a 10% penalty.
  • Public Comment
    • Reina Rodrguez, who lives in District 1, said she is disappointed because she said they could have pulled from ARPA funding to cover this. She said many people in this community are paying for water they cannot drink.
  • Approved
• (Approved) Adjourn as the Tulare County Board of Supervisors and convene as the Terra Bella Sewer Maintenance District 5.
  • Public Hearing: Request from the RMA to consider placement of delinquent sewer service fees, delinquent penalties, and Auditor’s collection charges for the Terra Bella Sewer Maintenance District, on the 2023/2024 tax roll. Direct the Tax Collector to place delinquent sewer service fees, delinquent penalties, and the Auditor’s collection charges of the Terra Bella Sewer Maintenance District customers on the 2023/2024 tax roll if still delinquent after July 31, 2023.
  • Sherman Dix gave the presentation. Timeline and delinquent charge history is the same as item 4 above.
  • Approved
  • Adjourn as the Terra Bella Sewer Maintenance District and reconvene as the Tulare County Board of Supervisors.
• (Approved) Public Hearing: Request from the RMA to consider placement of delinquent water service fees, delinquent penalties and auditor’s collection charges for the East Orosi Community Services District on the 2023-2024 tax roll. Direct the tax collector to place delinquent water service fees, delinquent penalties and the auditor’s collection charges of the East Orosi Community Services District on the 2023-2024 tax roll if still delinquent after July 31, 2023.
  • Sherman Dix gave the presentation. Timeline and delinquent charge history is the same as items 4 and 5 above.
  • Public Comment
    • Reina Rodrguez spoke again, this time as a representative of Proteus. Proteus helps with utility bills in the area, she said. She describes the item as a “trickle effect.”
  • Approved
• There were no board matter requests

Public Comment

There was no public comment.

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