Tulare County Board of Supervisors Feb. 27 meeting

Documented by Dani Huerta

Here’s what you need to know

• Chair Larry Micari apologized for remarks he made during a candidate forum, accusing Supervisor Eddie Valero of wanting to replace county department heads with Latinos. Valero accepted the apology and they both agreed to move past their dispute. Micari asked people to not send letters about the issue to Valero and that they will not be answering further questions from journalists. During public comment many people expressed their hopes to talk about the incident, but made their remarks short to honor the supervisors’ wishes.
• The auditor-controller gave a presentation on the annual comprehensive financial report for the recent fiscal year. Some highlights are that .63% of general fund expenditures went toward health and public assistance programs and that the general fund is in good health according to all of the financial health indicators.
• Sgt. Bobby Soldaña of the Tulare County Sheriff’s Office gave a presentation on the new automated license plate reader systems that will be put into use this year. They will be installed in poles at intersections. The system works by translating pictures into text files, which are then compared to a collection of information regarding stolen vehicles and amber alerts.

Follow-up questions

• How many automated license plate reader systems will be installed throughout the county?

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
• 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 Feb. 27, 2024. The meeting began with the Pledge of Allegiance and a moment of silence. Micari apologized to Valero and said he hopes they can move forward. He did not specify what he apologized for. However, according to an article Wednesday in the Fresno Bee, “Larry Micari, who is facing a strong challenge from a Latino in his re-election bid, accused colleague Eddie Valero of wanting to replace all county department heads with Latinos. ‘Eddie Valero was running his mouth saying that once he gets his Latino majority, they’re going to fire all the white department heads cuz the county is too white,” Micari is heard during a 33-second video posted online. “And they’re going to take 40 million (dollars) from the sheriff for their programs.’ ’”The uproar was immediate in a county that is 66.5% Latino.”

Actions

• State of the County presented by Chair Larry Micari
  • He began by thanking the staff and all departments for supporting the county. He specifically thanked the departments involved in support for the 2023 floods. 
  • Some department highlights this year are:
    • Health and Human Services Agency (HHSA) serves 62% of Tulare County’s population through children and veterans services.
    • The Sheriff’s Office recovered over $2 million of stolen agricultural property.
    • There were 700 newly hired employees and the college reimbursement program was increased.
    • The Dinuba library is 80% complete, and is expected to open this spring.
• Board of Supervisors matters
  • Valero
    • He thanked Micari and accepted his apology. 
    • Currently the Resource Management Agency (RMA) is working to repair road damage.
    • Earlier he attended the annual National Association of Counties legislative conference, gave the oath of office to board members in Badger, attended the Traver Elementary step-up fair, Tulare County Regional Transportation Authority TCRTA meeting, he congratulated Woodlake and Dinuba high schools for reaching the championships. He also attended the Wreath Foods ribbon-cutting, and a meeting about Kings-River Park renovation.
    • Upcoming, a new type of transportation will be available April 1 through TCRTA. He will attend a Dr. Seuss read-a-thon at Golden Valley and Cutler schools, a gang intervention at Sequoia High School, Northern Tulare County Water Alliance meeting, Ivanhoe seniors resource fair, Woodlake Family Resource Center event about fentanyl, Proteus board meeting, Sequoia regional economic summit, London Hodges community fentanyl event, and a Supervisor at your Supermarket event.
  • Shuklian
    • She congratulated Nick Vargas and Brian Poth of The Source. They received the James Irvine Foundation award and a $350,000 grant
    • Earlier was the Ag Expo, she attended an air board meeting, Mooney walnut dehydrator annual luncheon, homelessness task force meeting, ag equipment museum ribbon-cutting and the Ruth Woods Kaweah Health Soiree.
    • Upcoming is a property owners’ association for downtown Visalians meeting, Salt+Light forum, Tulare County Economic Development Corp. meeting, Sequoia High School meeting about a restoration center, Kaweah Health board meeting and the sequoia economic summit.
  • Vander Poel
    • Upcoming is a Tulare County Employee Retirement Association board meeting, he will be speaking at an African American training symposium on mental health, Component Coffee ribbon-cutting, a meeting with Congressman Valadao’s staff, Tulare Youth Baseball Association opening, and the Visalia Technical Early College annual fundraiser.
  • Townsend
    • Earlier he attended the annual national association of counties legislative conference, the World Ag Expo, he gave a welcome to the farmworker appreciation fair, gave mock interviews to students of the Harmony Magnet Academy, spoke with the Garden Club ladies, Sierra Nevada Conservancy training call,  ag equipment museum ribbon-cutting, and he spoke to the Porterville Military Academy.
    • Upcoming is a meeting with the county assessor about the Williamson Act, meeting with Rep. David Valaeo’s staff, Leadership Porterville will visit the Board of Supervisors, he will participate in Reading Across America at John J. Doyle Elementary, attend the Rotary Club social, San Joaquin regional policy council meeting and the Springville Rodeo dinner.
  • Micari
    • He thanked Valero for accepting his apology. He asked people to stop harassing Valero and asked for people with issues to talk to him. He will stop talking to the media about this issue.
    • Earlier he attended the James Irvine Foundation award for The Source, and Kaweah Delta Hospital received $21 million.
• Proclamation recognizing February as Black History Month in Tulare County.
  • Vander Poel presented the proclamation to Denise and Kayode Kadara of Allensworth. Black History Week began in 1926, and Black History Month in 1986.
  • Denise said they were honored to be there, and shared a brief history of her history with Allensworth. Allensworth began as a community of African Americans. Her mother received this proclamation in around 2013. She said it is a small community, but passionate and committed.
• (Approved unanimously) Consent calendar (Items 6-43)
  • Some of the approved items included the approval of the purchase of two computer motherboards and components for a security system (item 15), the purchase of a rescue boat for the Fire Department (item 16), and approval of an amendment to and agreement with The Source LGBT+ Center to increase total compensation for providing human immunodeficiency virus care services (item 28).
• (Approved unanimously) Public hearing: Request from the RMA to close out community development block grant, community development-housing assistance, public service-subsistence payments and economic development-business assistance for the coronavirus response rounds 2 and 3.
  • Mike Washam, RMA associate director, gave a presentation on the item. Funding is through direct allocation. 
  • For housing assistance, $4.9 million was allocated towards converting rooms to apartments of Sequoia Village. Subsistence programs provided about $295,000 in mortgage, rent and utility assistance for families in Lindsay affected by COVID-19. Two businesses in Lindsay received $35,000 in forgivable grants.
• (Option 1 approved unanimously) Request from the Tulare County Employees’ Retirement Association (TCERA) to take action on one of the following options regarding employer and employee retirement contribution rates:
  • Option 1: Approve the rates from the TCERA Actuarial Valuation Report, as approved by the Board of Retirement on Dec. 13, and direct that the rates be adjusted effective with the pay period of the fiscal year that includes July 1.
  • Option 2: Approve the rates from the TCERA Actuarial Valuation Report, as approved by the Board of Retirement on Dec. 13, and direct that the rates be adjusted “not later than 90 days after the beginning of the immediately succeeding fiscal year.” Changes to the rates could be delayed until 2024 pay period 21, the last pay period before the end of the 90-day limit.
  • Leanne Malison, TCERA retirement administrator, explained the item.
• Receive a presentation from the auditor-controller regarding the annual comprehensive financial report for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2023.
  • The general fund’s total revenue was $844 million. 63% of revenue came from intergovernmental revenue such as state grants, 63% of expenditures went toward health and public assistance programs. There was $242,886 in long-term debt. According to the financial health indicators, the general fund is in good shape.
• Receive a presentation from the Sheriff’s Office regarding the operation of automated license plate reader systems.
  • Sheriff’s Sgt. Bobby Soldaña gave the presentation. They are in the process of implementing a software called Command Central. Part of this software will use the automated license plate reader systems. Pictures will be translated to a text file that will be compared to a collection of information regarding stolen vehicles and amber alerts. This system will be used this year, and will be installed in poles at intersections.
• There were no board matter requests.
• (Approved unanimously, Micari recused) Request from the General Services Agency to approve a lease agreement with Jagmohan Singh as lessor for the space located on Honolulu Street in Lindsay, for the county’s Agricultural Commissioner’s Office for a term of three years.
  • Micari recused himself due to accepting campaign contributions from Singh within the last year. A presentation was not given on this item.

Public Comment

• Raymond Macareno said he appreciates Micari’s apology. He asks the audience to not use public comment time to comment on the dispute between Micari and Valero.
• Sabina Ramos said Valero is an amazing supervisor and thanked Micari for his apology.
• Brock Neely said what happened at the candidate forum was unlawful, because not everyone was afforded the same forum. He said this incident has put the church in jeopardy as a nonprofit.
• Maria Guillen said everyone needs to learn from the Micari-Valero incident.
• Suzanne Gundy said Micari’s remarks concern other people in the county such as minorities. She also made a comment about improving nutrition at correctional centers and jails. 
• Randy Evans said it is difficult for him to attend these meetings because of his work hours. He said as an elected official he is reminded of how his words can be misconstrued.
• Daniel O’Connell said he was in a doctorate program with Valero. He said he is appalled by the racist comments from Micari and Vander Poel. He says he expects the supervisors to answer the questions from journalists.
• Rosalinda Alexander said she is a recipient of a California Arts Council grant from the Kern Dance Alliance Creative Corps. It will allow her to create a musical to stimulate the Central Valley economy.
• An email public comment was received and given to the Board.

The next Tulare County Board of Supervisors meeting will be held on March 5.

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