Documented by Josef Sibala
Here’s what you need to know:
- The Kings County Board of Supervisors approved the standard agreement amendment with the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation for the County’s Senate Bill 81 Round Two Juvenile Center Remodel Project through Dec. 31, 2025. The state is providing $9.6 million for the project.
- The board received an overview and update on the 2024 State and Federal Legislative Platform draft calendar year. The top priorities in 2024 are water, natural resources and agriculture, unfunded mandates, homelessness and high-speed rail.
- The board authorized the director of public health to accept sponsorships from Anthem Health and CalVIVA for Community Health Assessment data collection incentives.
- During public comment, Fire Capt. Dolly Justin-Silveira expressed the concerns of Kings County Firefighters, IAFF 3747, regarding the recent downgrade of qualifications for the fire chief position.
Follow-up questions:
- When will the county address qualifications for the fire chief position?
- How will the county pursue its state and federal legislative platform?
The Scene
According to its website, Kings County is a “general law” county, meaning the state constitution and general law determine the county’s governmental structure.
The Board of Supervisors is the governing body for Kings County and many county special districts. Each of the board’s five members is elected in a nonpartisan manner to a four-year term. The board sets policies and depends on the county administrator, county officials and department heads to fulfill its wishes.
The Board of Supervisors has administrative, legislative and quasi-judicial duties and responsibilities prescribed by the state constitution and statutes.
The meeting was held at 9 a.m. in the board chambers at 1400 West Lacey Blvd. in Administration Building 1 in Hanford.
Kings County County Board of Supervisors members present:
- Joe Neves, District 1 (Lemoore and Stratford)
- Rusty Robinson, District 4 (Armona and Hanford)
- Richard Fagundes, District 5 (Hanford and Burris Park)
- Doug Verboon, District 3 (North Hanford, Island District and North Lemoore)
- Richard Valle, District 2 (Avenal, Corcoran, Home Garden and Kettleman City)
Others present:
- Fire Chief William Lynch
- Sheriff David Robinson
- County Administrative Officer Kyria Martinez
- Community Development Director Chuck Kinney
- Planner Noelle Tomlinson
Discussions/actions
Fire Capt. Dolly Justin-Silveira expressed the concerns of Kings County Firefighters Association, IAFF 3747, regarding the recent downgrade of qualifications for the fire chief position.
A. The board (5-0) approved the minutes from the meeting of Jan. 9, 2024
Under the consent calendar, the board (5-0) unanimously approved items as follows:
A. Assessor/clerk/recorder:
1. The board approved the agreement with Harold W. Bertholf Inc. to provide retroactive appraisal services for oil and gas-producing properties in Kings County, effective from Jan. 1, 2024, through Dec. 31, 2026.
According to the agenda packet report, the contract total is $120,960, paid over the three-year term. There will be an increase in cost from $3,260 per month to $3,360 per month over the three years, an additional $1,200 per year over the previous agreement.
The $600 increase for the remaining six months (January to June) of the current fiscal year was anticipated and included in the current budget.
There could be an additional fee based on hourly rates up to a maximum of $5,770 per year for adding new oil and gas wells drilled, constructed, transferred or abandoned.
B. Public Health Department:
1. The board approved the rollover from the fiscal year 2022-23 of three grant balances under the Communicable Disease Clinic budget unit and one grant balance under the budget unit Health Department Grant Program.
According to the agenda packet report, the sponsorship will be used to purchase supplies and incentives for the engagement of community members in survey collection, focus group participation and community events to promote Community Health Assessment data collection.
Funds will also support honorariums for local community-based organizations to recruit community members in rural communities.
2. The board authorized the director of public health to accept a $15,600-sponsorship from Anthem Health for Community Health Assessment data collection incentives.
According to the agenda packet report, the sponsorship will be used to purchase supplies and incentives for the engagement of community members in survey collection, focus group participation and community events to promote Community Health Assessment data collection.
Funds will also support honorariums for local community-based organizations to recruit community members in rural communities.
3. The board authorized the director of public health to accept a $24,400-sponsorship from CalVIVA for Community Health Assessment data collection incentives.
The sponsorship will be used to purchase supplies and incentives for the engagement of community members in survey collection, focus group participation and community events to promote Community Health Assessment data collection.
Funds will also support honorariums for local community-based organizations to recruit community members in rural communities.
4. The board adopted a resolution authorizing the director of public health to execute and submit all necessary grant documentation to implement the Solid Waste Local Enforcement Agency Grant program.
The total funding for the previously approved grant of $19,666 is included in the county fiscal year 2023-24 budget for Environmental Health Services.
The CalRecycle procedures allow an applicant’s governing body to declare specific authorizations by resolution for executing and submitting all required grant documents on behalf of the county.
C. Public Works Department:
1. The board approved the final map for Tract 931, Phase 2 (Utica JLJ).
According to the agenda packet report, the land division is on Utica Avenue, west of Interstate 5. The Community Development Agency has reviewed the landowner’s request for division to ensure orderly development and to ensure public health and safety
2. The board accepted the dedication for In-Lieu Parcel Map 22-10 (MPB Ranches, Michael P. Bujulian and Barbara A. Bujulian) into the county-maintained mileage.
According to the agenda packet report, the land division is on Denver Avenue and 6th Avenue. The Community Development Agency has reviewed the landowner’s request for the division to ensure orderly development, public health and safety.
D. Administration:
1. The board approved the standard agreement amendment with the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation for the county’s Senate Bill 81 Round Two Juvenile Center Remodel Project through Dec. 31, 2025.
The state is providing $9.6 million for the project.
The SB 81 project consists of remodeling and expanding the existing county Branch Jail facility and building a new Juvenile Center and Juvenile Day Reporting Center.
The remodel and new construction include housing, classrooms, program space, office space and a day reporting center. The project includes 32 beds, classroom space, medical and programming space, a booking and intake control room, outdoor recreation, a warming kitchen and yard areas.
Construction is ongoing; the estimated completion date is May 10. It is also anticipated that the move-in date is Aug. 8.
Regular agenda items were as follows:
A. Fire Department
1. a. The board (5-0) authorized the purchase of the 2018 Caterpillar D6NXL Dozer from Central Valley Trailer Repair Inc.
b. The board (5-0) authorized the purchase of the 2022 Cozad low-boy trailer from Central Valley Trailer Repair Inc.
According to the agenda packet report, the purchase of the dozer and trailer will cost $ 557,227. Lynch said it will be funded through the California Office of Emergency Services (CalOES) pass-through funding awarded to the Fire Department from the state.
Responding to a question from Valle, he said that Kings County firefighters will operate the equipment.
B. Sheriff’s Office
1. The board (5-0) approved the agreement with Evidence IQ Inc. for a Ballistics IQ camera and software retroactively effective from Nov. 9, 2023 through Nov. 8, 2026.
According to the agenda packet report, the cost of the Ballistics IQ box, training and annual subscription is $11,749 per year, for a total of $35,247 over the life of the agreement.
The total cost of the agreement will be paid from the Sheriff’s Office Operations budget, and was included as part of the fiscal year 2023-24 budget.
Robinson said that the new technology will continue to allow detectives to identify new suspects and investigate leads. The NIBIN program automates ballistics evaluations and promptly provides actionable investigative leads.
Study sessions were as follows:
A. Administration
1. The board received an overview and update on the 2024 State and Federal Legislative Platform draft calendar year.
The top priorities in 2024 are water, natural resources & agriculture, unfunded mandates, homelessness and high-speed rail.
The legislative priorities for each department are as follows:
- Behavioral Health – Senate Bill 43
- Sheriff – Incompetent to Stand Trial (IST) Growth Cap, Immigration Status of Person Encountered, Transitional Housing Library
- Library – California Comeback Plan/Infrastructure Program
- Water – Clean Water Act
- Public Health Response – Public Health Programs
- Public Safety – Community-Oriented Policing Services (COPS) and Transitional Housing
- Telecommunications/ Broadband – Cybersecurity Grant Programs
- Human Services – Homelessness
- Community Development – Affordable Home Insurance
- Transportation – Environmental Reciprocity Program
- Elections – Elections Infrastructure
Public hearing
A. Community Development Agency
1 . a. The board (5-0) conducted a public hearing on the partial rescission of a Land Conservation Williamson Act contract and simultaneously entered into a new Land Conservation Williamson Act contract concerning In-Lieu Parcel Map 22-10.
b. The board (5-0) found that the partial rescission of a Land Conservation Williamson Act contract and simultaneously entering into a new Land Conservation Williamson Act contract is categorically exempt from environmental review under the California Environmental Quality Act Guidelines Section 15317, and none of the circumstances in Section 15300.2 apply.
c. The board (5-0) adopted a resolution to partially rescind Land Conservation Williamson Act Contract 1709 and simultaneously enter into a new Land Conservation Williamson Act Contract 2100
According to the agenda packet report, the net acreage of the existing contract will remain the same with the new contract.
Tomlinson said that the agricultural acreage and production would remain as is, so there would be no significant change under the revised contract.
The closed session included the following:
Personnel matter:
Public employee appointment: Fire chief
Personnel matter:
Public employee appointment: Library director
Workers compensation settlement: (one case)
Significant exposure to litigation: (one case)
The next board meeting is scheduled for Jan. 30 at 9 a.m.
If you believe anything in these notes is inaccurate, please email us at fresnodocs@fresnoland.org with “Correction Request” in the subject line.
