Tulare County Board of Supervisors 9/19/23

Documented by Dani Huerta

Here’s what you need to know

• The consent calendar was approved unanimously, except for item 6 in which Vice Chair Larry Micari recused himself because of his acceptance of campaign contributions from an associated party. Item 6 was the award of a contract to Willitts Equipment and Engineering Company, Inc. for a new water well and pump at Bartlett Park, and was approved. Other approved items included reaffirmation of the local emergency due to winter storms and flooding and an agreement with WestCare California, Inc. to provide offenders with residential treatment, training services and outpatient services.
• Budget hearings for the 2023-24 fiscal year were held. The general fund budget is $1.2 billion, a $133.8 million increase. The county’s long-term debt is $242.9 million. Some capital projects are the mental health supportive housing facility ($10.6 million), parks improvements funded by American Rescue Plan Act ($6.5 million) and the main jail demolition ($5.3 million). The $1.98 billion budget was approved unanimously.
• Matheny Tract residents spoke during the public comment section of the budget hearings, voicing their concerns about what their community lacks. They asked for sidewalks, a rec center, lighting and other improvements. Micari responded that there are things they can do, such as contacting the Fire Department about fire hazards. He urged Leadership Counsel to apply for grants for some of the changes they want to see.

Follow-up questions

• Why does Leadership Counsel have to apply for funds? Why can’t the county apply on behalf of low-income communities such as Matheney Tract?
• What is the county doing to pay off its long-term debt?

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 in-person and live streamed via YouTube at 9 a.m. on Sept. 19, 2023. The meeting began with the Pledge of Allegiance and a moment of silence. 

Actions

• Board of Supervisors matters
  • Vander Poel
    • Last week was the Tulare County Fair, Porterville substation ribbon-cutting and the National Alliance on Mental Illness walk. 
    • Today is Bob Wiley’s memorial ceremony. 
  • Shuklian
    • Last week was the Tulare County fair parade, Leadership Northern Tulare County meeting and the Lions murder mystery dinner.  
    • Upcoming is the Rural County Representatives of California (RCRC) conference. 
  • Valero
    • Last week the Federal Government Office of Management and Budget visited Tulare County. There was also the Tulare County Fair parade, a state Water Board commissioner visited East Orosi, he attended the El Grito event, Tulare County Regional Transportation Authority (TCRTA) interviews, Tulare County Association of Governments (TCAG) meeting and a TCRTA meeting. 
    • Upcoming is the RCRC conference, Dinuba raisin day parade, and the Kiwanis Woodlake brewfest.
  • Micari
    • Last week was the Tulare County Fair and parade, veterans ribbon-cutting and quilt ceremony, Viva Mexico ceremony, El Grito event, Visalia murder mystery event, Tulare County Sheriff’s Posse breakfast, Poplar Hispanic Heritage Month celebration, Poplar well dedication, TCAG and a Highway 65 realignment meeting. 
  • Townsend
    • Last week was the San Joaquin Regional Policy Council, board representatives celebration, Constitution Week, TCAG, TCTA meetings and he took a picture with the Resource Management Agency staff. 
    • Upcoming is the RCRC conference.
• (Approved unanimously, item 6, Micari recused) Consent Calendar (Items 4-21)
  • Item 6 was pulled for separate consideration. The remainder of the consent calendar was approved unanimously.
    • Micari recused himself from this item because he has received related campaign contributions of more than $250.
    • Item 6: Award a contract to Willitts Equipment and Engineering Co., Inc., for the installation of a new water well, pump and associated improvements at Bartlett Park in an amount of $311,000. Find that the Bartlett Park Well Project is exempt from review under the California Environmental Quality Act and the State California Environmental Quality Act Guidelines as an action “necessary to prevent or mitigate an emergency.”
    • A correction was made. It should read “$315,683.22” instead of “$311,000” under Bartlett Park improvements.
    • Item 6 was approved, Micari abstained (recused)
  • Some of the approved items included the approval of an agreement with Blue Cross of California Partnership Plan, Inc. for the retinal camera project for the provision of diabetic retinopathy screenings (item 9), reaffirmation of the local emergency due to winter storms and flooding (item 12) and an agreement with WestCare California, Inc. to provide offenders with residential treatment, training services and outpatient services (item 15).
• (Approved unanimously) Public Hearing: Budget hearings
  • Jason Britt, county administrative officer, gave the presentation.
  • Fiscal year 2022-23 recap
    • Some accomplishments were that $7 million was appropriated to the capital improvement plan, $2 million assigned to homelessness and community activity fund, and $5 million assigned for jail medical expenditures.
  • Total state budget is $310.8 billion
  • County total budget is $1.98 billion ($154.3 million increase)
    • General fund: $1.2 billion ($133.8 million increase)
      • Some highlights are $4.5 million for the March 2023 storms flood response and disaster abatement, $1.5 million for elections and $1 million for homeless and community activities.
    • Discretionary revenues: $221.8 million ($14.1 million increase)
    • General fund net county cost: $289.9 million ($14.2 million increase)
      • The increase is due to inflation
    • General fund unassigned fund balance: $68.2 million ($56,000 increase)
    • Strategic reserve: $41 million ($5 million increase)
    • Contingency $5 million
  • Some capital projects are the mental health supportive housing facility ($10.6 million), American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA)-funded parks improvements ($6.5 million) and the main jail demolition ($5.3 million).
  • Total county long-term debt is $242.9 million.
  • Sales and tax allocation budget and proposition 172 is slightly less than last year because there is a forecast for a modest decline.
  • Assessed valuation growth without exemptions growth rate is 6.744% and the assessed valuation growth with exemptions growth rate is 6.668%.
  • Some significant financial challenges are rising labor costs, increased operational costs and the new countywide human resources system.
  • Adjourned as the Tulare County Board of Supervisors and convene as the Terra Bella Sewer Maintenance District
    • Conduct a public hearing on the fiscal year 2023-24 recommended budget and adopt the final budget as modified during the hearings. Authorize the auditor-controller to make necessary minor adjustments.
      • Approved unanimously
  • Adjourn as the Terra Bella Sewer Maintenance District and convene as the Tulare County Flood Control District
    • Conduct a public hearing on the fiscal year 2023-24 recommended budget and adopt the final budget as modified during the hearings. Authorize the auditor-controller to make necessary minor adjustments
      • Approved unanimously
  • Adjourn as the Tulare County Flood Control District and reconvene as the Tulare County Board of Supervisors
    • Conduct a public hearing on the fiscal year 2023-24 recommended budget and adopt the final budget for all funds and activities as modified during the hearings for the enterprise and assessment district funds, county service areas 1 and 2, special districts, internal service funds, operating fund and the general fund.
    • Amend the personnel class specifications, class designations, compensation changes and salary band adjustments subject to meet and confer.
    • Amend the position allocation list reflecting adds, deletes, amends and reclassifications subject to meet and confer.
    • Approve salary increase due to cost-of-living factors, superiors not having a much higher wage than their employees, equity adjustments and/or merit increases for the following county elected officials:
      • County assessor/clerk-recorder (7%), auditor-controller/treasurer-tax collector (7%), district attorney (7%) and sheriff-coroner (12%)
        • Shuklian clarified that the board does not receive an extra 8.25%.
  • Approve a 4% cost-of-living adjustment for the Board of Supervisors, (effective 60 days after the adoption of the final budget).
  • Approve the capital asset purchase list.
  • Authorize the auditor-controller to make necessary minor adjustments to bring the fiscal year 2023-24 budget into final balance.
  • Public comment
    • Emma De La Rosa, regional policy manager of Leadership Counsel of Justice and Accountability, asked for improvements to  low-income communities such as sidewalks and infrastructure. 
    • Maria Arevalo, a resident of Pixley, asked for improvements to her community such as cooling centers, windows with screens to keep flies out, and markets.
    • Clarence Ogens, member of the Matheny Tract Committee, asked for a rec center for young people
      • Rosemary Wade, member of the Matheny Tract Committee, asked for lighting, a park and cleaner yards.
    • Sarah Salas, resident of Matheny Tract, asked for sidewalks, water catchment and better traffic control.
    • Micari said many things can be done such as contacting the fire department about fire hazards. He said there are issues with lighting and sidewalks in Toolieville because of the way it was built. He wants Leadership Counsel to apply for grants and work together with the board.
• There were no board matter requests

Public Comment

There was no public comment.
The board will meet again on Sept. 26.

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