Tulare County Board of Supervisors (9/26/23)

Documented by Dani Huerta

Here’s what you need to know

• A proclamation was presented recognizing Oct. 23-31 as Red Ribbon Week in Tulare County. Red Ribbon Week brings awareness to the dangers of drug use. The theme this year in Tulare County is “Be kind to your mind and live drug free”. 
• The 2022 Tulare County agricultural crop and livestock report was presented by Tom Tucker, agricultural commissioner. A milestone of $8.6 billion in value of products was reached. The category with the most products was fruits and nuts. Oranges were the top export commodity. The only category to decrease in profit was pistachios, which dropped by $117 million.
• New guidelines for the Community Development Block Grant Program were adopted. Under these new guidelines, loans can be forgiven due to hardship, a deceased borrower, if foreclosure cannot be justified, loan-to-debt value ratio and heir hardship. 

Follow up Questions

• Which crops will be affected most by the floods earlier this year?

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 live streamed via YouTube at 9 a.m. on Sept. 26, 2023. The meeting began with the p\Pledge of Allegiance and a moment of silence. 

Actions

• Board of Supervisors matters
  • Micari
    • Last week was the New Jails Ministry dinner, Porterville substation ribbon-cutting, interview with the Ag Advisory Committee, Remote Access Network Board meeting, Fresno State Portuguese Leadership Council meeting and an East Kaweah Groundwater Sustainability Agency meeting. 
  • Valero
    • Last week was the Rural Counties Representatives of California conference, Raisin Day festival in Dinuba, Woodlake brewfest, Tulare County League of Mexican-American Women event and a Neighborhood Church neighborhood program event. 
    • Upcoming is an Ivanhoe Community Council meeting, San Joaquin Valley Regional Conference, Yosemite Sequoia Resource Conference and Development Council meeting and the Riata Ranch fundraiser.
  • Shuklian
    • Last week was the Rural Counties Representatives of California conference. 
    • Upcoming is a dedication of a memorial bench in Mooney Grove Park, Downtown Visalia Property Owners Association, Tulare County Economic Development Corp. meeting, Visalia Emergency Aid event and she will be emceeing the PPAV Hall Ladies’ Society Christmas tree auction.
  • Vander Poel
    • Last week was an East Kaweah Groundwater Sustainability Agency meeting.
    • Upcoming is a Greater Kaweah Groundwater Sustainability Agency meeting, Tulare County Employees Retirement Account Board meeting, San Joaquin Valley Regional Association of California Counties Conference, Kings-Tulare Master Plan for Aging meetings and he will be testifying before the California Air Resources board. He will also attend a FIrst 5 Technical Advisory Committee meeting and host an event for Alpaugh School for new classrooms.
  • Townsend
    • Last week was the Rural Counties Representatives of California conference and a Kings-Tulare Habitat for Humanity meeting. 
    • Upcoming is the San Joaquin Valley Regional Association of California Counties Conference, Tule River Improvement Joint Powers Authority meeting and an event at Calvary Chapel.
• Presented a proclamation recognizing October as National Retirement Security Month in Tulare County.
  • Vander Poel presented the proclamation. Cass Cook, auditor controller, thanked the board for supporting the retirement contribution plan. There is currently 81% participation.
• Presented a proclamation recognizing Oct. 23-31 as Red Ribbon Week in Tulare County.
  • Alice Flores, Our Choices program facilitator, and Gilbert Rivas, deputy director of mental health, thanked all their partners for spreading awareness of Red Ribbon week and Awareness Against Drugs. The theme this year in Tulare County is “Be kind to your mind and live drug free.” Townsend presented the proclamation.
• Presentation was given by the agricultural commissioner on the 2022 Tulare County agricultural crop and livestock report.
  • Tucker said the county has hit a milestone of $8.6 billion in value of products in 2022.
  • The category with the most products was fruits and nuts (47.92%).
  • There was an increase of 1,353 field crop acres.
  • The top five comedies were milk ($2.6 billion), oranges ($1.3 billion), grapes ($841 million), cattle and calves ($763 million) and pistachio nuts ($442 million).
    • Milk value increased 37%, oranges increased $83 million, grapes increased $157 million, cattle and calves per unit increased $90 million and pistachios decreased $117 million.
    • 45% of oranges grown in Tulare County went to Korea, 27.9% of grapes went to Mexico and 28% went to China. Oranges are the top export commodity.
    • 32,513 phytosanitary certificates were issued, a 3,882 decrease compared to 2021.
  • Vander Poel commented that next year’s report will be interesting because of crops being destroyed by floods. 
• Consent Calendar (Items 8-34)
  • Item 30 was pulled for separate consideration. Item 34 was pulled for comment.
    • Item 30: Authorize the filing of a notice of full nonrenewal for one land conservation contract and four partial nonrenewals, as provided in the Williamson Act. The request fulfills conditions resulting from three tentative parcel maps and one lot line adjustment. Approve the amendments.
      • Vander Poel recused himself from voting on this item because his uncle is a party to the agreement.
      • Reed Schenke of Public Works explained the item.
      • Approved
    • Item 34: Approve a letter of support to the California Public Utilities Commission for the Comcast Last Mile Federal Funding Account Broadband Application to expand the broadband infrastructure throughout Tulare County.
      • Valero commented that it is important, especially for unincorporated communities. 
  • The reminder of the consent calendar was approved unanimously. 
  • Some of the approved items included the approval of an agreement with the U.S. Department of Justice to participate in the Federal Equitable Sharing program (item 11), approval of a memorandum of understanding with the Tulare County superintendent of schools to coordinate transportation services for Tulare County foster children (item 20) and approval of a support letter to the California Public Utilities Commission to expand broadband infrastructure throughout the county (item 34).
• (Approved unanimously) Public hearing: Request from the Resource Management Agency (RMA) to adopt single-family housing rehabilitation guidelines for the Community Development Block Grant Program. Adopt a resolution approving the guidelines for the grant program.
  • Mike Washam, Assistant director for Economic Development & Planning Resource Management, gave the presentation. The Community Development Block Grant Program (CDBG) began in 1985. Under the new guidelines, loans can be forgiven due to hardship, if a borrower has died, if foreclosure cannot be justified, loan-to-debt value ratio and an economic hardship experienced by an heir. Participants interested in loan forgiveness must provide evidence. Decisions will be made by the Board of Supervisors.
• (Approved unanimously) Public hearing: Request from the RMA to consider the vacation of Road 46 between Avenue 38 and Avenue 42 and Avenue 38 between Road 44 and Road 48. Determine that the Road 46 area is an excess rights of way, unnecessary for current or prospective public use, and vacation is in the public interest. Vacate Road 46 and order that the public use is hereby vacated, necessary for public utilities. Determine that the vacations are exempt from review under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and the State CEQA Guidelines.
  • This area will be used as a right of way as part of the Angela Solar Project.
  • Notices of the public hearing were given to property owners within 300 feet of the project.
• (Approved unanimously) Request from the General Services Agency to open, examine and declare sealed bids for the sale of surplus real property located at Kings River Park, Kingsburg for a minimum price of $87,500. Direct staff to return within 10 days with a recommendation to pursue negotiations with the highest responsible bidder, or a recommendation to reject all bids.
  • Brooke Sisk, general services agency director, explained the item. Sealed bid proposals were due Sept. 24. Brent Jackson was the only one to submit a bid, in the amount of $87,500. There were no oral bids.
• There were no board matter requests

Public Comment

• Alexis Espinoza said that she has had to make numerous 911 calls due to frequent car accidents at the intersection of Highway 65 and Avenue 12 near her home. She asked for a traffic study for that area.

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