Tulare County Board of Supervisors Feb. 6 meeting

Documented by Dani Huerta

Summary —  What you need to know

• The meeting was held at the Linsday Council Chambers. Although it began at 5:30 p.m, there were technical difficulties with the live stream. A nearly complete recording was uploaded to the County of Tulare Youtube channel the next day.
• One of the approved items from the consent calendar was a funding agreement with the California Mental Health Services Authority committing to participation in the statewide prevention and early intervention program.
• Chief Charlie Norman gave an update on the Fire Department. Firetruck one was put in service at station one. Terra Bella fire station remodel is complete and will house firetruck 21.

Follow up Questions

• Was the reason for the technical difficulties the fact that the meeting was held at the Linsday Council Chambers?

Board of Supervisors

• Larry Micari – chair, District One
• Pete Vander Poel III – vice chair, District Two
• Amy Shuklian, District Three
• Eddie Valero, District Four
• Dennis Townsend, District Five
• Jason T. Britt, County Administrative Officer (CAO)
• 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 5:30 p.m. on Feb. 6, 2024. A closed session was held at 3 p.m. The beginning of the meeting was not shown via live stream due to technical difficulties. The meeting was held at the Lindsay Council Chambers. The recording began with Valero discussing Board of Supervisors matters.

Actions

• Board of Supervisors matters
  • Valero
    • Last week was a Law Library Commission meeting, and he toured the Tulare County Public Library branch in Dinuba
    • Upcoming are the Soroptimist Ruby awards, Superior Grocers in Dinuba grand opening, Northern Tulare County Regional Water District consolidation meeting, Tulare County Forest Health Task Force meeting. He will serve as vice chair on the Administration of Justice Committee for the California State Association of Counties (CSAC) and attend the National Association of Counties conference.
  • Townsend
    • Last week he had a call with the Rural County Representatives of California, a call with government affairs liaison Heather Romero and an Eastern Tule Groundwater Sustainability Agency meeting,  
    • Upcoming is a Tulare County Forest Health Task Force meeting, a visit to Harmony Magnet Academy, Farm Bureau Drive-thru dinner, National Association of Counties conference, farm show breakfast, Farmworker Appreciation Day in Porterville, Harmony Magnet Academy interviews, Sierra Nevada Conservancy briefing, speaking to the Garden Club in Porterville, Sierra Nevada Conservancy meeting, Mooney’s Grove Museum ribbon-cutting and he will be speaking at the Porterville Military Academy. 
  • Shuklian
    • Last week was the 4-H awards and a check presentation by Senator Hurtado for homelessness.
    • Upcoming are the Soroptimist Ruby awards, California Council of Governments conference, World Ag Expo opening, the Voices at 210 panel, Mooney’s Grove Museum ribbon-cutting and the Ruth Woods Hospice Moonshine Soiree.
  • Vander Poel
    • Last week was a Tulare Chamber of Commerce Governmental Affairs committee meeting, 
    • Upcoming is a Tulare County Employees Retirement Association Board meeting, Tulare-Kings Master Plan on Aging, Health and Human Services Agency directors meeting, touring Joaquina School, Farm Bureau Date Night Scholarship fundraiser, First 5 Technical Advisory Committee meeting, San Joaquin Valley Insurance Authority meeting, Happy Trails showcase, Greater Kaweah Groundwater Sustainability Agency meeting and the World Ag Expo. 
  • Micari
    • Last week was the 4-H awards, Tri-County Walnut Day, meeting with HHSA and Tim Ward of the district attorney’s office, breakfast with Congressman Costa, he visited the Woodville Farm Labor Center, a check presentation concerning homelessness by Sen. Melissa Hurtado, D-Hanford, and the Lindsay Chamber of Commerce awards dinner.
    • Upcoming is a Veterans’ Advisory Committee meeting. 
• (Approved unanimously) Consent calendar (items 3-23)
  • Some of the approved items included the cancellation of the Board of Supervisors meeting on April 30 (item 3), approval of the capital asset purchase of a 2024 Chevrolet Silverado truck for the General Services Agency Facilities Division (item 7) and approval of an agreement with the California Mental Health Services Authority committing to financial support of the statewide prevention and early intervention program (item 12).
• Board matter requests
  • Vander Poel highlighted that there is an applicant for the public member position for the Tulare County Employees Retirement Association Board.

Public Comment

• Fire Chief Charlie Norman gave an update on the Fire Department. Firetruck 1 was put in service at Station 1. The Terra Bella fire station remodel is complete and will house Firetruck 21.

The next Tulare Board of Supervisors meeting will be Feb. 27.

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