Documented by Dani Huerta

Here’s what you need to know

  • Fire Prevention Week is set for Oct. 9-Oct. 15. Brian Duffy, administrative battalion chief of the Tulare County Fire Department, gave a presentation on statistics of fire safety and introduced the staff. The Fire Prevention Bureau’s three main missions are education, enforcement and engineering. 
  • A public hearing was held to adopt an amendment to the Tulare County Zoning Ordinance for a change of zone on property located on the east side of Anderson Road, and approximately 800 feet south of State Route 198, north of Exeter. The purpose of this zone change was to split the property into two parcels. It was adopted unanimously.
  • An amendment with Empower Annuity Insurance Co. to provide financial planning services to employees eligible to participate in the Defined Contribution 457(b) Plan was approved. Cass Cook, plan administrator of the Deferred Compensation Plan, explained the Defined Contribution Plan. It costs $15 per employee per year and there are currently 81% of employees participating. 

Follow up Questions

  • Why does the Defined Contribution Plan only cost $15 per 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 Oct. 3, 2023. The meeting began with the Pledge of Allegiance and a moment of silence. 

Actions

  • Board of Supervisors matters
    • Valero
      • Last week was a See You At The Pole event, Catalyst Bible College ribbon-cutting, San Joaquin Valley Regional Association meeting, Tulare County Association of Governments (TCAG) staffing committee meeting, and the Riotta Ranch dinner.
      • Upcoming Fair View mutual neighborhood meeting, community water center event, Orosi High School performing arts groundbreaking event, a meeting with Tulare County Information and Communications Technology (TCICT) director, Tulare County Forest Help Task Force meeting, Antelope Valley meeting, Latino Nuevo Comienzo conference, Sequoia Kings National Parks update, Southern California Edison Multicultural event, and Dinuba’s Dog Days event.
    • Shuklian
      • Last week was the dedication of a memorial bench at Mooney Grove Park, San Joaquin Regional Association of California Counties Conference and the Portuguese Ladies Society Christmas tree auction.  
      • Upcoming is a soft opening for Visalia Nordstrom Rack, Calvary Church National Night Out event, dinner for Visalia City Council members, centennial celebration of Visalia, Tulare County Historical Society event, United Way breakfast and Pride in the Park.
    • Vander Poel
      • Last week was the San Joaquin Regional Association of California Counties Conference and a California Air Resources Board hearing. 
      • Upcoming is a Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCo), meeting about business sites in District 2, Tulare County Association of Governments (TCAG) meeting, Southern California Edison Multicultural event, South Valley industrial summit, Happy Trails round up event, Greater Kaweah Groundwater Sustainability Agency meeting, Tulare County Water Commission, Tulare County Employees retirement association, First 5 meeting, Santa Fe Commons ribbon-cutting, Pipeline Church community panel, United Way breakfast event, College of the Sequoias Tulare Campus chamber crush party, reopening anniversary of Venice Health Group hospital and a Kings Tulare Area Agency on Aging meeting.
    • Micari
      • Last week was the San Joaquin Regional Association of California Counties Conference, Visalia breakfast Rotary dinner fundraiser, Happy Tails breakfast, Portuguese Ladies Society Christmas tree auction, Riotta Ranch dinner and the Sequoia Union carnival.
      • He said there has been a mountain lion sighting at the city limits of Exeter. 
    • Townsend
      • Last week was the San Joaquin Regional Association of California Counties Conference.
      • Upcoming is National Night Out at Calvary Chapel, welcoming remarks at the Tulare County Health Fair, lunch with the TCAG director, LAFCo meeting, meeting with the TCICT director, Eastern Tule Groundwater Sustainability Agency hearing, forest reliance project Sugarloaf outreach, Southern California Edison Multicultural event, Porterville Dermatology ribbon-cutting, joint meeting of Tulare County Employees Retirement Association and Visalia City Council, Porterville Breakfast Rotary meeting, Sustainable Corridors Committee, United Way Breakfast, Happy Trails Round-up event, Sierra View Medical Center Foundation event, TCAG meeting, and a Tulare County Teachers Association meeting.
  • Recognize Dennis Haines upon his retirement from the Agricultural Commissioner/Sealer Department for his many years of service.
    • Vander Poel presented a plaque to Haines, and said it is the highest honor the county can give. Haines has worked for the county for 45 years. Haines said he will be working on an insect project during retirement.
  • Present a proclamation recognizing Oct. 3 as Centenarian Day in Tulare County.
    • Dana Wild, division manager for the Health and Human Services Agency (Adult Division), said it is one of the highlights of his job to be part of the centenarians’ lives. They honored 13 centenarians. The board thanked the centenarians for attending and they sang “Happy Birthday” to Francisca Degracia, one of the centenarians. Townsend presented the proclamation.
  • Present a proclamation recognizing Oct. 9-15 as Fire Prevention Week.
    • Brian Duffy, administrative battalion chief of the Tulare County Fire Department, gave a presentation on Fire Prevention Week. This year’s topic is cooking safety. Ranges or cooktops were involved in 87% of cooking fire deaths. The Fire Prevention Bureau’s three main missions are education, enforcement and engineering. He then introduced the staff, including Division Chief Kevin Riggi. Townsend gave the proclamation.
  • (Approved unanimously) Consent Calendar (Items 7-31)
    • Valero commented on item 9
      • Item 9: Appoint Gracie De La Rosa to the Trustee Seat on the Woodlake Public Cemetery District for a term ending Jan. 5, 2026.
        • He thanked the new general manager of the cemetery for his work.
    • Some of the approved items included the approval of a purchase of four radio repeaters for the Fire Department (item 11), reaffirmation of an emergency due to the failure of the well at Bartlett Park (item 15), and the approval of an agreement with Community Services and Employment Training, Inc. for the Youth Transitions Program (item 21).
  • (Approved unanimously) Public hearing: Request from the Resource Management Agency (RMA) to adopt an amendment to the Tulare County Zoning Ordinance, for a change of zone on approximately 10 acres from the AE-40 (exclusive agriculture, 40-acre minimum) zone to the AE (exclusive agricultural) zone, on property located on  the east side of Anderson Road, and approximately 800 feet south of State Route 198, north of Exeter. Recommendation was to adopt the findings of approval and approve the zone change. Also find that this amendment is exempt from review under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and the state CEQA Guidelines.
    • Aaron Bock, RMA assistant director, explained the item. The zone change would split the zone into two parcels. The land use designation is Valley Agriculture.
  • (Approved unanimously) Request from the auditor-controller/treasurer-tax collector to approve an amendment with Empower Annuity Insurance Co. to provide financial planning services to employees eligible to participate in the Defined Contribution 457(b) Plan, in an amount not to exceed $15 per eligible employee per year in addition to the current contract amount, effective Nov. 1 through Dec. 31, 2026.
    • Cass Cook, plan administrator of the Deferred Compensation Plan, explained the Defined Contribution Plan. The money employees receive when they retire depends on how well their investments do. There are currently 81% of employees participating. The plan costs $15 per employee per year.
  • There were no board matter requests

Public Comment

  • Lupe Garza reminded employees of the 12th annual Employee Health Fair open to all employees. She said that Pink Tuesday will take place next Tuesday even though there is no county board meeting.
  • Tim Hire, Tulare County superintendent of schools, said the Tulare County Office of Education’s annual report is available. He offered copies to the public attending the meeting.
  • Rosalina Alexander, Green Rose executive director, said their flagship event will take place at the Visalia cemetery on Nov. 1.

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

Support our nonprofit journalism.

$
$
$

Your contribution is appreciated.

The Fresno Documenters are a group of local residents who are trained and paid to attend and take notes at local public meetings where officials decide how to spend public money and make important decisions...