Board of Supervisors - Regular Meeting

We're unmuted.

Good morning, Eldorado County, and it's great to see so many people here this morning. I'd like to welcome you to our regularly scheduled board of supervisors meeting. Today is Tuesday, and it is 05/19/2026. Hard to believe. I'd first like to start with an invocation, and pastor Chris Scott, would you please come forward and help us with that? Good morning.

Good morning, board. Will you please join me in a prayer this morning here? Lord, thank you for this opportunity for us to gather, for us to lift up celebration and joy in our county, but also for us to focus in on the details of running and making decisions about this beautiful strip of land that we get to call home. We are blessed that we get to live here, and we are extremely grateful for it. We ask for your ongoing wisdom and guidance in navigating the challenges before us here and how to govern well, how to care well, so that ultimately that we can be united with you and caring for the people of El Dorado County.

We pray that every comment in conversation today would be held in a tongue of respect and dignity and ultimately love for the county that we get to live in and we get to call home. Thank you again for this day, and thank you for the men and the women who make up this room. It's in your powerful name that we get to pray these things together. Amen.

Thank you.

Thank you. Supervisor Turnboo, will you please lead us in the pledge of allegiance? At this time, we're going to deviate just a little bit, and I'd like to call on supervisor Turnboo and supervisor Verkamp who would like to make some comments.

Yeah. I would like to dedicate and close this meeting in the honor of Richard Mason, uncle Fuzzy, that everybody knew. He was on the assessments appeals board that I appointed when I first got elected. He's done a great job. He was an asset for this community. He loved life. He really did. And he was a great, great person. So, anyway, I would like to dedicate in his honor. Close.

And I'll, add in here that, uncle Fuzzy was an ambassador for El Dorado County. Brought the world gold panning championships, the world gold panning championships here in 2016. I had the pleasure of traveling with him to Spain, Scotland, Finland, and competing in those gold panning championships as well as helping to organize them and the friendships, you you wouldn't even know the friendships that man had across the world, not just not just locally. And he's very gonna be very missed, very let a blessed life. Joyce, we love her as well in the family.

Yeah.

And we're we're already working to try to carry that legend on. My wife, Lori, did a panning demonstration Friday for Camino School. So we'll keep it going if in in his honor.

So Yeah. Yep. Thank you for that.

Solely be missed.

Also, I'd like to take time and ask for a time of silence in his honor. Okay.

Thank you. We'll go ahead and return to our agenda at this point. Madam CAO, are there any changes to the agenda that

was posted on May 13?

No. Thank you, Madam Chair. Okay.

We'll go ahead and move on to our consent calendar. Are there any items that my colleagues wish to comment on or pull for discussion? We'll start with District 4. Miss Parlin?

Oh, don't know me. Start with me, so I wasn't prepared. I just wanted to thank supervisor Ferrero for cosponsoring the proclamation for that will go along with your commission on aging presentations today. So he couldn't be here today, but I appreciated his cosponsorship. Cosponsorship. And then I forgot to check-in with supervisor of your camp as to, we have another proclamation on the agenda today, and I didn't know if you were planning on saying anything or doing anything, pulling it or anything.

Nope.

I will let you speak to it then.

Alright. District two, supervisor Turnboo.

No changes.

District three, supervisor Virkam.

Yeah. I wasn't actually gonna speak on that today, but I'm gonna let it go. Laurie, if you wanna say something, go ahead.

Well, it's just we have a proclamation on the, consent calendar for, honoring, Tim Cordero for all of his years of service, and I feel that, you know, we don't do ceremonial events any longer for proclamations, but I just wanted to acknowledge it. It's a really big deal and, have always appreciated his his leadership, not just with the fire service, but within the county. So, and I think there might be some folks here that might be making comment on that. So just wanted to say thank you so much to miss, chief Cordero.

Acknowledged. Yeah. And and we're not gonna meet again till after, yeah, wagon train. So wagon train rolls into town on June 6, and they're also doing an very nice memorial for Davy Doc Weiser. I know that

Okay.

Touched a lot of lives here locally. Yeah. And that'll be a very nice memorial downtown city of Placerville following the wagon train, which he always followed brought up the rear of the wagon train. Yeah. It'll all be fitting.

Very good.

And I won't be here on the board meeting June 9 because my surgery on my knee is on June 8. So I'm gonna be missing at the board meeting.

We'll get a lot done on that day.

There we I won't be talking so much. Right?

You'll be appointed to a few things. We'll have fun. All right. As far as District 5 goes, I want to comment on item number 23 that is on our consent calendar today. I don't want to pull it.

We had a discussion last week about it, but there was some information that was omitted in the discussion that has created some confusion for some of the residents that I represent up in Tahoma and Meeks Bay. So I just would like to enter this information for the record. This is a second reading of amendment to the ordinance entitled solid waste management. And the point of the amendment is to expand mandatory garbage collection, in the Tahoma and Neeks Bay area. But I wanted to, for the record, make clear that Tahoe Truckie Sierra disposal that currently services that area signed a franchise agreement with Eldorado County back in 2015, and that agreement was due to expire in 2022.

An amendment was agreed upon in 2022 to extend the service through 2025. And then in 2025, Tahoe Truckie excuse me. Tahoe t t s d

TTSD.

Thank you. Signed a approached El Dorado County with a desire to service the area with residential mandatory service. And that was a condition of an extension that would then take us through 2028. Specifically, the the amendment says, in the event that residential service in the franchise area has not become mandatory by county ordinance by 07/01/2026, TTSD has forty five days that they could notice to terminate the contract. So the the likelihood if we did not make the service mandatory, the likelihood that PTSD would have given us notice is probable.

And that would have left us likely without any garbage service in that area for the entire summer, as the county would have had to put out an RFP. Likely, PTSD would have been the only one to respond to the RFP, request for proposal, and they probably would have said, we'll do it as long as it's mandatory. So we kind of were stuck between a rock and a hard place, and that's why we are where we are today. Eldorado County and TTSD will continue to negotiate the terms of what services will be provided as part of the mandatory service. TTSD has already submitted their ideas, and El Dorado County, will likely submit additional items to be negotiated.

So thank you for allowing me that opportunity to just put that on the record. We did not discuss that specific thing last week. And so I really when I began to tell residents about it, they were like, oh, okay. Well, we didn't know that.

Yeah. And I really appreciate you getting that on the record because it's a critical piece of information. And I would say that with the last minute change of presenters because of a medical emergency, that's why it got admitted as my guess. So I really appreciate you bringing that clarity to the item. Yeah.

Thank you, Supervisor Parlin. Okay. We will now take public comment on all matters on the consent calendar, including item 23 that I just spoke about. Public comment on closed session items will also be taken at this time. So to be specific, we will now hear public comment on closed session items one and two and consent items numbers three through 26, including item number 29. Please identify which item number or numbers you will be addressing to the board. Miss Dawson, would you please

Of course. For public comment, each speaker will have three minutes to address the board. A timer will alert you in thirty seconds remain and again when your time has ended. We will begin with comments from individuals present in the boardroom followed by those participating via Zoom. If you're joining via Zoom, please ensure you unmute yourself when called upon. If you're joining by phone, press 9 to raise your hand. If you're on Zoom, use a raise hand feature to indicate your interest in speaking. We ask that you voluntarily state your name for the record before beginning your comments.

Are there any members of the public in the room with us this morning that would like to address the Board on any of the items on consent or closed session?

And that includes proclamations. And that includes Just so, no. I didn't know if anybody.

Yeah. Thank you. That would include the proclamation on aging as well as the proclamation recognizing Chief Cordero. Anybody want to say anything?

There I couldn't find you in the room. There's so many people here today. Was I was looking everywhere. Like, where is he?

I I wasn't gonna miss the last opportunity to

to address

Good morning.

But, madam chair, CAO, and supervisors, I really appreciate, the kind words and thoughts. It's been a privilege and honor to serve the the citizens of El Dorado County and the citizens of City Of Placerville over the last few years, we'll just say. You know, there's been a lot of changes in the fire service. I've been honored to be part of some of the the things going on between county fire chiefs, the JPA, and most recently the OWOPR that, again, I've commended this board on that project before, and I'm gonna do it one last time. Well, maybe last time.

But, your forethought in putting that together, the leadership that, your CEO, Sue Phillips, brought to the table with that, rallying, Ken Penwat, who's here today, and chief Blankenheim. I mean, really, they have been the driving force on a on a model that I think is is catching the attention statewide. And, it's it's really phenomenal that as these changes take place, they have roots back to El Dorado County. So I think that's that's a great service. Most recently, being able to be part of completing the annexation with Diamond Springs, you know, part of that team that really worked and and did what a lot of people thought we wouldn't be able to do.

And I'm encouraged that there's there's conversations out in the county right now with other departments. You know my position on it. We're stronger as one. It doesn't make sense to have, you know, as many fire departments as we do. We can honor honor the past, honor the legacies of those individual departments, but the supervisor of Rare Camps knows it's the fire service today is much different than when I worked alongside you a handful of years ago. I mean, it's it's changing. And and the fire service is is public service, and we need to focus on that. And, I'm really, really encouraged with some of the conversations that are taking place out there that, hopefully, things things will progress in in the manner that they need to do that. But, again, thank you. I really truly appreciate it. It's been an honor and a privilege.

Thank you.

Well, thank you for your forty years of service, and we wish you the best in your retirement. And we know you're not going anywhere. Yeah. We still have you. So thank you. Thank

you, Kim.

Well done, well done. All right, are there any other members of the public that would like to address the board on any item on consent or closed session? Okay. Seeing none, may we go on to Zoom, please.

Now taking public comment from online participants. Now taking public comment from Linda Campbell.

Morning, everyone. Linda Campbell, Eldorado Hills. First, actually, I have a question on item 15, which is the IT firewall request. Just to note, the Utah NASPO master agreement expires September of this year. Is there impact to our agreement if that's not renewed?

I didn't notice any contingency in our part of the agreement. The next, I actually wanna cover item 18. To the supervisors, I wholeheartedly support this proclamation. To chief Cordero, although the proclamation covers extensive recognition for your career and contributions to the community, I would like to commend you as a true servant leader. You want the best for your personnel, both in their careers as well as their individual lives.

You know it is not their job that makes them valuable, but instead their individual lives and character are what makes them great at their jobs. You have championed options for them to prioritize their mental and emotional health for optimal success in their roles. It's wonderful how you have embraced expanded engagement with the chaplaincy as another source of wellness care for your personnel. Personally, it's been an honor to know you more over the last few years. I know that retirement will not be. We never see you again. So I pray for your time to recharge, regroup, and determine what area of service you'll move into. I look forward to every time in the future that our paths will cross. Thank you for everything, and congratulations on your recognition today.

Thank you.

Now taking public comment from Laurel. Laurel, we can't hear you. Laura, I'm gonna move on to the next. I don't know if you can maybe try rejoining. Now taking public comment from five to five.

Hi. Lael Bennett Coshon, president, Eldorado County, live in Polar Pines currently. I wanted to thank our representative for bringing out the clarity about solid waste management. And second, what Supervisor Parlin said about vital pieces of information. You've heard many comments about how you use the consent agenda and I'm affirming improvements.

From my perspective, items thirteen, fifteen and twenty all reference funding general fund. And I think it would add for public understanding if that amount of money is actually there, whatever it is, so we don't have to keep digging in to how much is this going to impact the general fund. And secondly, when we do click and then go deeper into Legislature that when the funding is identified, and I thank you for when you put a dollar amount on it, that it reference where we can find that in the budget because the billion dollar budget is a really big budget. And during fiscal cutback times, then you folks focus on critical issues. But I think it helps if you hear from more people, And making it easier to do the research can help with that public engagement in my experience.

And then specifically item 12, which is you resolving an unfair practice. When you did a layoff based upon fiscal concerns that there's nothing in writing. So I'm glad that you guys met and conferred and now everybody understands. But again, in my experience, if it's not in writing somewhere as years go forward, then this good communication can be lost as memory gets lost as people retire. And I affirm what Linda Campbell was saying, the importance of leadership and wellness.

And at the beginning of last year's budget cycle, you made a firm commitment to lay nobody off. And then for a variety of reasons, decided that you didn't. And from my perspective, a focus on wellness, you would have held to that commitment. You would have looked at your reserves. In my experience, you had enough flexibility from prior years, ten years of budget growth, you have not laid anybody off if you had focused on budget flexibility as more important than the things you did focus on, which was short term. Thank you for taking my comment.

Thank you.

Now taking public comment from Chris.

Good morning, board. Chief Cordero, so glad that you've made it to this point in your life where you have helped Diamond Eldorado and and Eldorado County Fire come together with the help of Matt Gallagher, who's my neighbor. So, anyway but I wanted to express to you that it's strange that you would retire at this point when we're going into the toughest time of the year with our wildfire issues. So I I know that in your heart that you'll keep involved no matter what because it's hard after so many years to be able to not have that on your mind daily. But, anyway, congratulations, though, and and I hope you do find some way to help, continue to help the community as you have over this last forty years.

Thank you very much.

Thank you.

There's no additional public comment.

Did Laurel try to come back in? No. Okay. All right. Thank you. Then we'll bring this item back to the board for action. Ms. Dawson, would you please read this item into the record?

Approval of the consent calendar with no changes. Changes.

Madam Chair, I'll move consent.

Thank you. There's a motion and a second. Is there any discussion on the motion? All those in favor say aye. Aye. Any opposed?

Motion passes four-zero, with Supervisor Ferrero being absent.

All right. We'll move on on the agenda. Now, we will be taking public comment on all other agenda items, excluding the two public hearings that are scheduled for this morning around not before 09:30, let's say. So we will be taking public comment now specifically on items number 27, 28, 32, 33, and 34. And I know a lot of you are here for item number 34, which we're going to actually take up next, but this would be the time to make public comment on that item if you'd like to.

And that item being the senior nominees and the senior of the year. So are there any members in the room that would like to make a comment to the board on any of those items?

For public comment, each speaker will have three minutes to address the board. A timer will alert you when thirty seconds remain and again when your time has ended. We will begin with comments from individuals present in the boardroom followed by those participating via Zoom. If you're joining via Zoom, please ensure you unmute yourself when called upon. If you're joining by phone, press 9 to raise your hand. If you're on Zoom, use the raise hand feature to indicate your interest in speaking. We ask that you voluntarily state your name for the record before beginning your comments.

Thank you, Ms. Dawson. Are there any members in the room that would like to address the board at this time? Okay. Seeing none, may we go online, please?

Now taking public comment from online participants. Now taking public comment from 05:25.

This is Lael Benikoshan again. I wanted to thank you for item 35 for your addressing the emergency situation of the Whitehall Structure on Highway 50. Whenever I have the pleasure of driving to our wonderful basin area, I kinda hold my breath driving by that building. So just want to affirm that you now have in place a true procedure that will deal with this before it unfortunately falls into our wonderful river basin type stuff. And then I wanted to extend the welcome to our new chief probation officer.

I've been always impressed by our probation department, and I've gone to their open houses, seeing the level and quality of services where they're helping to break the constant cycle that we have too much of where people's involvement with our justice system ends up perpetuating bad habits and injustices as opposed to returning them to productivity with our society. Thank you for taking my comments.

Thank you.

There is no additional public comment.

Okay. Thank you for that. Let's move on to item number 34, which I know is why a lot of you are here with us this morning. So this is being presented by our Health and Human Services Agency. This is the senior of the year nominees and twenty twenty six winner. I'd like to ask miss Dawson to read this item into the record, please.

Item 34 comes from Health and Human Services Agency on behalf of the Eldorado County Commission on Aging recommending the board 1% of certificate to each senior of the year nominee mentioning as noted on the certificate their primary contribution to the community, and to announce the 2026 County Of Eldorado senior of the year and present the award to the nominees selected by the Commission on Aging to receive this honor.

Thank you. Like to welcome Ms. Engelhard Stott. Are you with us this morning to kick this item off? There you are. Please come forward.

And there's a portable mic there too for you. Don't know if you're going to walk around. Yeah, just so you know. Hopefully it works. Yes.

Is whoops.

Yeah, try that.

On behalf of the Commission on Aging, I'd like to welcome you all to the Senior of the Year Award. I am Elizabeth Powell. I'm a member of the Commission on Aging. I'm joined today by Lynette, who's in charge of the Area Agency on Aging, and Joan Farquay, who is our Chairman of the Commission on Aging. We are here and proud to present five I always get emotional five honored people who have been so marvelous in their years of volunteering in our community, giving their emotions, their time, and their skill to our community.

So I'm gonna give brief bios of each one, and then we'll move on. Sharon Booth, could you come forward please, Sharon? Sharon Booth is a dedicated community leader whose work with the Friends of the Eldorado Hills Library has made a lasting impact on local programs and resources. Since 2011, she has contributed thousands of volunteer hours, helped helping develop programs, manage book donations, and sales efforts that support the library. She also trains and coordinates teams of volunteers, ensuring that these efforts continue to thrive.

Sharon's leadership and commitment have helped strengthen the library as a vibrant community hub. Congratulations. Our next nominee is Kathy Adams. There you are, Kathy. Good morning.

Kathy Adams is a compassionate and dependable volunteer who plays a vital role in supporting the Grizzly Flats community, particularly through her work with the local food bank. She helps coordinate food distribution efforts and ensures residents in need have consistent access to essential resources. Known for her reliability and generosity, Kathy often goes above and beyond to support her neighbors. Her kindness and steady commitment make her an invaluable part of the community. Congratulations.

Next is Judy Monastier. Judy Monastier is a dedicated volunteer whose decades of service span environmental education, senior support, and community enrichment. She has contributed many years to organizations like Sierra Wildlife Rescue, helping educate the public and support wildlife programs while also assisting through senior nutrition services. Judy is also an active member of the Placerville Shakespeare Club supporting scholarships and local initiatives. Her lifelong commitment reflects a deep dedication to improving lives across Eldorado County.

Congratulations. John Marchant. John Marchant is a long time volunteer time volunteer with the Eldorado County Sheriff's STAR program, where he has spent nearly two decades serving his community. Through patrols, safety checks, and community outreach, he helps support the well-being of local residents. Even in his mid nineties, John remains active attending meetings and volunteering at events.

His friendly nature and continued dedication make him a respected and inspiring presence in the community. Congratulations. And Gary Campbell. How are you, Gary? There we go.

Gary Campbell is a lifelong Eldorado County resident and dedicated volunteer whose leadership has made a lasting impact across the community. As vice president and program director of the Sierra Community Access Television, he helps produce programming that highlights local stories and voices. A retired US Air Force technical sergeant, sir, Gary also serves as president of the Eldorado County Veterans Alliance, supporting veterans and their families. His continued service reflects a strong commitment to community and volunteerism. Congratulations.

And the winner is

I cannot imagine picking one out of those five. Yep. Incredible. Incredible contributions. Contributions. Okay. Drum roll. The winner is John Marchantz.

And this certificate says you're the winner. You're very welcome. Would like to invite everyone who is here for the senior of the year award to join us downstairs for a reception. At this time, we have a brunch set up for you. We have do we have time for a small

photo op?

Sure. Yeah. Let's do, a group photo with all the nominees and the winner. All of them. Okay.

Could we have all the nominees up front please? All the nominees up front.

We're gonna go ahead and take a five minute recess so that we can do this and everybody can do their thing.

Oh, that's good. Okay.

Okay. Thank you. Welcome back, to our meeting. We're going to ask for item number 27. We have a very special and, important appointment that we'd like to make. It'll just take a couple minutes, then we'll start with our public hearing. So item number 27, Ms. Dawson.

Item number 27 comes from Human Resources Department recommending the board appoint Casey Smith to the position of Chief Probation Officer effective 05/30/2026.

And I'd like to welcome mister Carusco from human resources. He's our director. Welcome.

Thank you. Welcome. It's good to see you all. Yes. I'm very pleased to present this item today. I wanted to start by thanking some of our stakeholders who worked on drafting a new MOU between the county and the court, some of our board members, Sue, Dave, myself. We're on a small committee to draft an MOU. We worked closely with a couple judges and the court executive officer Shelby to create a new MOU. It was a really nice working group, and the collaboration was excellent. The recruitment to fill behind our our previous chief probation officer started shortly after his departure, which I believe is last fall.

Casey Smith has been the interim since that time. We launched a recruitment that started February 16, and it ended on March 15. So it's open for a month. We had 17 applications received. Our top five candidates were invited to in person interviews.

We had a great panel. We had two great panels, actually. The first one was Jim Deal from HHS, sheriff Lykoff, Terry Monarosso, the public defender, and Vern Pearson, the district attorney, were on that first panel. Then the following day, we had panel number two. And on that panel, it was myself, judges McLaughlin, and Mayberry from the court, Sue, our CAO, and Shelby, the court CEO, were on that panel.

At the end of all of that, we referred our top two candidates to the board. You had the honor to meet both of them. And at the end of that process, Casey Smith, our interim chief probation officer, came out on top. So with that, I'm very happy to recommend that she be appointed as our new permanent chief probation officer. A little bit about Casey.

She has a master's degree from Marshall University in criminal justice and corrections. She's been with the county probation department since January 2010. And I think she's here now. So if I'm saying anything that's incorrect, she'll correct me. She's ready for the challenge, and it's my pleasure to recommend her appointment at step two of the salary range. It's just outlined in the in the staff report, and that would go into effect if the board appoints Casey today on May 30. So with that, I see Casey's got a lot of support here, and she's here too in in case the board has any questions.

All right. Board, do you have any questions for Mr. Carusco at this time?

No ma'am. No.

Okay. And would you like to hear from our soon to be, hopefully, Chief Probation Officer Ms. Smith? Would you come forward please? We're very proud of you. Congratulations.

Thank you. Good morning, chair, supervisors, CAO. It has been my honor to serve as a probation officer in El Dorado County for the entirety of my career. Thank you for trusting me and believing me to lead an outstanding public safety agency. Having the opportunity to live and work in a community that not only values public safety but prioritizes it is truly a blessing.

All of your support and communication over the nine months, past nine months is appreciated, and it continues to make all the difference in the success of our department and making a healthy El Dorado County. I will continue to strengthen probation's relationship and reputation with all of our partners and capitalize on collaborative efforts to keep our community safe. This county is a special place to work and live, and the probation department intends on contributing to all the ways that keeps it that way. To all of the department, especially those here today, I'm so proud to be on your team. You are an exceptional group of officers and professionals with passion to make real change.

Thank you for the support and allowing to be here today to lead you to the next level. We are and will remain the best probation department in the state, and we are just getting started. Thank you all.

Thank you. Congratulations. Any questions? Questions? Comments? Or shall we make it official?

Let's make it official. I would move the appointment of Casey Smith.

Second. Okay.

There's a motion and a second. Questions on the motion?

No. I just think Casey's gonna do a fine job. I really do.

Yeah. And can we make comments also, not just questions? Yes.

Let's make comments. Questions.

I just wanna say thank you, while you've been the interim. I have so appreciated, your communication style, your collaboration with everyone. You've helped me understand issues in the department, and I've seen, the collaboration amongst, you know, not just your team, but the county as a whole, the collaboration. And and and I just love that. I always try to see things as a team effort regardless. And so thank you so much for stepping in and and and stepping up.

Thank you. And what was very impressive was the fact that over these last nine months, you would show up in our chambers and just listen to the board, just get a feel for how we do things and the types of issues that we're dealing with that had nothing to do with probation. So it really demonstrated your dedication, and we know we made the right choice. So congratulations. There's a motion and a second. Any further discussion? Nope. All those in favor, aye. Aye. Any opposed?

Motion passes four-zero, with Supervisor Ferrero being

absent. Congratulations.

Thank you all very much.

All right. Let's move on to our time certain public hearings. And we will start with item number 30, which is the Department of Transportation. Ms. Dawson?

Item number 30 is a hearing from the Department of Transportation Maintenance and Operations Division recommending the board, one, conduct a public hearing to receive public comment from all interested parties for or against the boundary revisions of the West Valley Village Zone of Benefit ninety eight thousand six hundred twelve to make findings consistent with the county's policy and procedure guidelines for creation and administration of zones of benefit within the county service area. And three, if there is no majority protest, adopt and authorize the chair to sign a resolution.

Thank you. I'll go ahead and open the public hearing and welcome Ms. Hess, administrative analyst for Department of Transportation. Welcome.

Thank you very much, Chair. Hello, Board and CAO and County Council. It's a pleasure to see you all again. Elizabeth Hess, Department of Transportation with the Zones of Benefits program. Today we're here to discuss the request to revise the boundaries of the West Valley Village zone of benefit that is located in District 2.

And so what we are looking at here is a zone that was formed, you know, way back in 2006. The newest part of the area there is the Eastridge development, and that is, currently being, excuse me. That is you your board in 02/2023 formed the CFD 2023 dash one, which is the Eastridge CFD, to fund the construction of the certain major infrastructure improvements and to pay certain impact fees associated with the development project. In December 2025, you adopted resolution one seventy six twenty twenty five to amend the special tax formula, and that was, adding the services, to be authorized adding more services to be authorized by the CFD, and it was primarily to facilitate the exit of their development from the zone of benefit. And so we received a application and all the supporting documents from the applicant, the landowners.

Pursuant with government code 25,217.2, the board may revise the boundaries of a zone of benefit, either by petition of property owners or board initiated proceedings when determined to be in the public's best interest. As I said, we received our completed application. Staff has validated the information, and we are in support of this boundary revision request. And I'll remain here if you have any questions for me about the

zone. Excellent. Thank you. You're welcome. Questions? Anybody?

I just think it's a good thing. It really is because, these zoned benefits, you know, there's a lot of these communities, and homeowners don't pay a lot into these zoned benefits. And it takes a lot of time to accumulate to be able to do anything at all, a fix and repair the roads or drainage problems. So and it just seems like to me, this is this is a better way, and I and so to help those people that they're gonna form their own. And I think it's a great great thing is what it is.

Thank you, supervisor. Are there any questions or other comments? Okay. Thank you, miss Hess. We'll go ahead and open this up for public comment. Miss Dawson?

We are now taking public comments specifically on item 30. A timer will alert you when thirty seconds remain and again when your time has ended. We will begin with comments from individuals present in the boardroom followed by those participating via Zoom. If you're joining via Zoom, please ensure you unmute yourself when called upon. If you're joining by phone, press 9 to raise your hand. If you're on Zoom, use the raise hand feature to indicate your interest in speaking. We ask that you voluntarily state your name for the record before beginning your comments.

Thank you, Ms. Dawson. Are there any members of the public in the room that would like to address the board on item number 30? Okay, seeing none, may we go online please?

Now taking public comment for online participants. There is no public comment.

Oh, right. Then we'll go ahead and close the public hearing, and I'll bring it back to the board for action and or further deliberation.

I'll make a motion that we approve what DOT has recommended.

Second. Okay, there's a motion and a second. Any discussion on the motion? All those in favor say aye. Aye. Any opposed?

Motion passes, four-zero, with Supervisor Ferrero being absent.

Okay, excellent. We'll go ahead now and move on to item number 31, which is also a public hearing. We'll go ahead and open the public hearing. Ms. Dawson.

Item number 31 is a hearing from the chief administrative office recommending the board consider a request from the Lake Valley Fire Protection District to adopt an authorized chair to sign a resolution approving the updated fire impact fee nexus study and increasing development impact mitigation fees.

Thank you. And I'd like to welcome Ms. Stout, who's a principal management analyst out of the CAO's office. Welcome. Thank you.

Good board. Today's hearing is to consider a request to approve the updated fire impact nexus study, which also reviews excuse me, revises the fee for Lake Valley Fire. California Mitigation Fee Act allows for local governments to charge fees on new development to help offset the impact on public facilities and maintain service levels. Special districts cannot impose these fees directly, so they ask the Board of Supervisors to adopt and collect them on their behalf. Lake Valley Fire's current Nexus study was approved in April 2018 and the study incorporated an option for an annual inflation rate based on the percentage change on the consumer price index.

The district never initiated those increases and had been collecting these fees, which were from a study in 2015 and it wasn't adopted until three years later. So staff going forward will work with the district to get them to use their CPI increases or adjustments as needed to keep them financially sustainable and aligned with current facilities and equipment costs. The proposed updated fees are included in the board item and also in exhibit A of the resolution. And effective 01/01/2022. The act also requires all districts to update their nexus studies every eight years.

So they will be back at least in eight years. If approved, the fees will take effect sixty days after the board adopts the resolution. So Chief McNamara and the district's consultant, Dmitry, are here if you have any questions. And that has everything that I have for you.

Okay, thank you, Ms. Stout. Are there any questions of Ms. Stout? No? Okay. As you mentioned, Chief McNamara is here with us. Chief, did you have anything you wanted to add or say at this point? Okay. Alright. Okay.

We were gonna get you up here, but nope.

Come up and make introductions because

Sure. I'll be quick.

Okay. No problem. Chief McNamara is relatively new to Lake Valley Fire, and I will say that, he fits right in and is well respected and

is Thank

you. Just doing a great job.

Appreciate it. Oh, yeah. For the record, John McNamara, fire chief for Lake Valley Fire Protection District. Just wanna say thank you all for allowing us to get this before the board and pass. Lake Valley in the past has a struggle with finances. We're in a great spot right now, and my goal as fire chief is to continue keeping us where where we're at and improve for for the future. With anticipated hopeful growth in certain areas, we're looking at, you know, looking at a new fire station. Eventually, we're figuratively and literally outgrowing what we have right now. So we wanna instead of playing catch up, hopefully, get in front of everything and prepare for the future. Thank you very much.

Thank you.

Thank you, chief.

Any questions for the chief? All right, let's go ahead and open this up to public comment. Ms. Dawson.

We are now taking public comments specifically on item 31. Each speaker will have three minutes to address the board. A timer will alert you when thirty seconds remain and again when your time has ended. We'll begin with comments from individuals present in the boardroom followed by those participating via Zoom. If you're joining via Zoom, please ensure you unmute yourself when called upon. If you're joining by phone, press 9 to raise your hand. If you're using Zoom, use the raise hand feature to indicate your interest in speaking. We ask that you voluntarily state your name for the record before beginning your comments.

Are there any members of the public that would like to address the board on item number 31? Okay, seeing none, may we go online please?

Now taking public comment from online participants. There is no public comment.

All right. Thank you. I'll go ahead and close the public hearing and bring it back to the board for further deliberation and or action. I would be very happy I would to go go ask ahead

if you'd like to.

There you go. I'd be very happy to make the motion to approve the NEXUS study and fee adoption for Lake Valley Fire District.

I will second that.

Thank you. There's a motion and a second. Further discussion? Nope. All those in favor say aye. Aye. Any opposed?

Motion passes four o with supervisor Ferrero absent.

Alright. Thank you.

Congratulations, chief. Yeah. Thank you very much. Yep.

We'll go ahead and call on item number 28, which is comes out of the chief administrative office. Miss Dawson?

Item number 28 comes from the chief administrative office recommending the board provide conceptual approval pursuant to board policy A3 to amend chapter 5.1 of the county ordinance code, county property vending licenses.

Thank you. I'd like to go ahead and welcome miss Franech, here today. She's the deputy chief administrative officer out of the CAO's office. Welcome. Glad you're here. Thank you. Good morning, board.

For this item, we are requesting direction to consider changes to, a portion of the county ordinance code. It's for, vendors on county property. These licenses, apply whenever an outside vendor would like to locate temporarily on county property. And some departments and programs over the past years have expressed a need to allow vendors such as food trucks on county property temporarily for an event. Currently, this ordinance requires a request for proposals or another, competitive process and is geared more toward those longer term contracts, so it's quite a process.

And we would like to explore ways to keep the process minimal for, shorter term uses such as for events. So with direction today, we will review the ordinance in more depth and look at some draft changes, work with county council, and return to the board with some suggested, or recommended changes.

Excellent. Thank you for that presentation. Are there any questions of miss miss Brandich? Okay. Supervisor Barlow.

And I don't know if it's so much questions. Well, I don't know who to ask the questions to. Can you okay. I'm just keeping it real. I have a little bit of deja vu PTSD from the last time the county delved into a food truck on county property. It went very badly. And and I can't remember what year it was. I can't remember who was on the board.

Think it was 2023.

Think Okay.

I was newly coming on.

So, I want to avoid that type of situation again, and I don't know how to do that conceptually to give you know? So you're aware of what happened out there at HLP. Can't have that happen again. So how do we craft an ordinance that's for countywide property when our parks are are county property? I mean, we really need to do this carefully and thoughtfully so that we don't have another situation like that.

It took I cannot tell you how many hours of staff time and my time and community time to navigate that situation that we inadvertently created. We had good intentions, and it went very badly. So, I think I had to bring a couple board items on that topic. It it was it was not good. So, I guess that's my cautionary tale of this needs to be done really well.

And I think that it needs to be vetted by many people to make sure that we're not missing that we don't have a blinder somewhere. Because I think that's what happened last time. I'm not saying we shouldn't do it, and I know this is just conceptual, but wow, we can't I can't do that again to anyone. It was it was awful. I can't tell you guys. I had to have meetings with the community and staff and bring things back to the board, and it was awful. I think we had people in tears and upset. It it was very bad. So I am having a little bit of p t I. It was very bad.

And, again, it was well intentioned. And that's the problem when we change ordinances. Anytime we make any change to an ordinance, there will be. There is it's never not happened. It always there is an unintended consequence. So I just think that we need to make sure that we have lots of angles and eyes on it. And I'm so sorry to keep going on, but that that was a horrible experience for me, and I don't want I don't want anyone to have to do that again. So please please know that.

Okay. Yes. Understood. And I remember that as well, and we don't wanna create more problems. So, we can look into maybe noting, you know, particular areas of the county that this would apply to. And, yeah, we can come up with options, and we'll definitely make sure we engage with the board. Yeah. Because do you have, like direction.

There is there a specific request that you have that you're trying to address? Is that what it is so that we could have specific locations maybe? Or Yes. Okay. Yeah. That might be

able to help.

And for the most part, honestly, it's been requests to have a food truck for, like, a a staff related event, so not so much parks to serve the public.

Mhmm.

Although that's an option, but we could also try to veer away from that if that's where we wanna go. Understood. Okay.

And I think, madam CAO, would you like to

Yeah.

I just wanna add on. I know I know Jennifer, we both lived through that that scenario. And in my time with the county, we've also been through several other sort of food truck escapades, I guess, for lack lack of better word. Yep. It's it is a challenge because we on the one hand, we often get staff or people saying, you know, why can't we have a food truck come to the county offices?

And that'd be great. We wouldn't have to go anywhere. It's often not very profitable. So we end up going through this protracted process to get somebody here and then find out that after a few months, they they just it's not working for them. So the the goal, as Jennifer said, is really to streamline the process, but then we can do that while at the same time sort of balancing all these other considerations of, you know, impact that it might have on the community, other local businesses, things like that.

So I think we can definitely do a couple of different tracks. We can include if there are other if the concern is specifically about parks, and county council had a good suggestion, maybe we include the Parks and Recreation Commission in sort of, you know, review of some of those licenses. But I think we can do kind of a long term license track where it's more of a permanent situation versus event centered temporary situation. So I think we have a good awareness of some of the issues. And then the purpose of this, like we said, is get that conceptual approval. When we come back, you'll have options. And if it's not right the first time we bring it back, we'll keep bringing it back until it's right.

So And just wanna tag on to that. My rec and this is off the top of my head. I saw this item, and I kind of freaked out, I think. I kind of just said, I'm not gonna look at it. I don't know what it was, but it was anyway, I know that's silly, but that's kind of what happened.

I my recollection too was we were reminded, on another situation that came up. It wasn't HLP. It was something else. I believe in the city of Placerville, food trucks are kinda banned or something in certain situate I don't know what it was, but that was brought to our attention on another request. So, I think it would depend on which facility in there's just a lot here, and I appreciate you bringing up the fact that the county has been through past iterations, and it's just not as straightforward as we'd all like it to be.

And, yeah, the RFP and all those things just makes it quite awkward and burdensome. Other questions, comments? We could say no, but no, we won't do that. Let's let's figure it out.

I'm sorry.

So, miss Frantich, when you take on something like this, do you look at, like, what neighboring you know, what the city of Placerville may or may not have in place, city of South Lake Tahoe, kinda see what other people are doing and see what applies.

Yes. That's oh, we we always if someone has something that's working really well, then we will steal whatever parts of it we we can find. Very good. So, yes, we will look at what the surrounding areas are doing and try to look at whether they've had success or if they've had problems with.

Okay. That would be great. Yeah. I know I was part of an ordinance with the city of South Lake Tahoe, and, you know, you always you get that immediate, hey. I have to have a commercial kitchen. I have to have all these permits. I have to I have brick and mortar. I have my overhead, and then you have, like, this food truck that's

Mhmm.

Cost $20,000 that rolls up and takes, you know, a portion of the demand. And so I think the city of South Lake Tahoe came up with a good ordinance that's been working because, you know, restaurants and tourism is a big part of what we do. So Yep. We found a way to kinda make it work. And what I'm what I'm recalling is it's a requirement that they move on.

You know, they can't just plop in one place like you experienced. Yeah. So there's ways of doing it and and still allowing them to have that option Because eventually, they sometimes do grow into brick and mortar, and they elevate their business from a truck to an actual restaurant. If that's what they want, that works out well for everybody. So something to think about. But thank you for taking a look at this. And here's the Kleenex. Piece.

I know. I'm like going, Okay. We can do this.

We can do it.

All right. Are there any other questions or comments? Or I would entertain a motion at this point.

No, I'm not going to move it.

Madam Chair, I will move it for approval.

Verkamp. Thank you, Mr. Chernboo. There's a motion and a second. Any further comments or discussion? All those in favor say aye. Aye. Any opposed? Okay. You.

Motion passes four-zero, with Supervisor Ferrero being absent.

Thank you, Ms. Dawson. We have a little time before our 11:00 time certain, so we can go ahead and move into closed session. Is that okay?

That works well for me. I do believe we may have some timing constraints on item number one that require it be heard later in the day, but we could certainly hear item number two.

Oh, let's hear item number two. Perfect.

All right. Thank you. We'll go ahead and move into closed session. Thank you. Okay.

Great. Welcome back. We are back from closed session. And county counsel, do you have anything that we need to report out today?

Yes, madam chair. On item two, existing litigation titled Bradley Christian versus Eldorado County, which concerns operation of the Black Oak Mountain Vineyards. Settlement discussions remain ongoing and in good faith furtherance of those discussions. Black Oak Mountain Vineyards has informed us that weddings and special events for the calendar year will conclude 06/03/2026. That concludes my report. Thank you.

Excellent. Okay. Thank you. Alright. Let's move on, to item number 32. This is a time certain presentation. And, miss Dawson, would you please read this item into the record?

Of course. Item 32 comes from Supervisor Parlin recommending the board receive and file a presentation provided by representatives of the rural county representatives of California on their strategic plan, legislative platform and the work of their affiliated entities.

Excellent, thank you. And supervisor Parlin, I know that RCRC is really near and dear to your heart. You have represented us so well on that board. And so I'm happy to turn this over to you and hear the presentation.

Yeah. Thank you so much, chair. Yeah. I've had the honor of representing El Dorado County since I got in office in 2019. RCRC is is just an amazing, one of them you know, we talk about county families and stuff, and RCRC is one of those. Every year, we go to a a meeting, and it's called the the county of the chair, which is great. So, you know, I I have now been to Modoc County, which I'd never been to before. So wherever our chair is, that wherever their county is, that's where we go. And so we're going gosh. In June, the first week in June, we're going over to Mariposa County, and I think we get to do some Yosemite stuff perhaps.

So, I have been there before, but looking forward to it. All the fabulous advocacy work that RCRC does. And additionally, I I think you guys have heard I have a passion for trash, meaning recycling, and environmental services. And so I took my assignment to heart and have I think don't I know if I've missed any yet of the they, RCRC has the environmental services JPA. And again, great advocacy work, on some of that legislation like the big, SB thirteen eighty three that we kept talking about.

And, I was there when, RCRC was in the ESJPA. We're like right in the thick of that with the red lines trying to get the legislators to understand how unworkable it was. And I just really got to see how legislation does or doesn't work, guess is the right word, and how important these advocacy groups and I think we're all on an advocacy group or two or three these groups are really critical to making it so that our legislators understand that the counties, yes, we do do the work, but we need them to make it make sense. And that's where I really appreciate all of this. So with that, I'd like to welcome up Mary Ann Warmerdan.

And, Mary Ann, forgive me. I cannot remember your title, so I will let you self introduce.

Oh, I know the title. You are vice president of government affairs.

Thank you. X. Oh, red, yep, on. I know. Red means hot. Danger, it's on. Hot mic.

Got it. Got it. Thank you for the clarification. And

thank you for

inviting me to spend a few minutes with you today. My name is Maryann Wormerdam. I lead our government affairs team at RCRC, and we very much appreciate representing you and our other 39 counties. I believe we have a PowerPoint. Oh, great. Thank you. So how much time do I have? I'll try to be respectful. I could chat for hours. I don't expect you want me to chat for hours.

Yeah. You you're our final item between us and lunch.

Oh, dear.

Yeah. Okay.

So please take as much time

as you can.

I I will keep that in mind. We start

chewing on ourselves. You'll know.

I'll know. I've overstayed my welcome. And if you have any questions as I go through, I'll try to do a top line, and we can do any follow-up questions as they occur to you. Sure. So RCRC, as I noted, next slide, please, is an organization of 40 rural counties.

Our board has defined rural as a county with a population under 600,000, which really shocks some of our counterparts in other states. And we have one of you from each of our 40 counties. Thank you, supervisor Parlin, for representing Eldorado County on our board. We have four divisions, and we have six affiliates. Two of the affiliates are connected with providing housing in rural areas.

So why don't we move on to the next slide, please? So as part of our strategic plan, we have done an effort, made an effort at the direction of our board to do two things. One, to perform against our vision, which as you'll see on this slide, is to be the premier advocate for Rural California, our member counties, and service providers to our member And as many of our counties will tell us, we try to do for them collectively what individual counties cannot do individually. Mhmm. And that's particularly true given the representation in the legislature where Rural California is probably not as well served as some of our folks would like.

I think about the roughly 22 representatives we have out of the 120 members. That's all of our 40 counties. That equals to roughly what Los Angeles County has in and of itself.

Yeah.

So it's just an interesting dynamic to work with. One of the things that we do try to do in that effort is to as you'll see, we have four major areas of interest, and our board has directed us to cross pollinate, eliminate silos as much as we can as we try to move against all four of these areas. Let's go into the next slide, please. State and federal advocacy. That's that's my sweet spot.

I've been doing fed federal and state advocacy for more years than I care to count, about ten of them for RC RC, with a couple of breaks in between. Our priorities at the moment I think I'd say our priority today as it relates to California is the effect of h r one implementation on our member counties. The governor's budget was not particularly sensitive to the concerns that we've expressed, particularly as it relates to indigent care. We have been working with our partners in the county family to identify a path forward that we think will provide us with, an opportunity to do two things. One, to stay within a roughly $50,000,000 total cost to the state, which given the state's budget is, I hate to say rounding error, 50,000,000 is a lot of zeros.

However, in the context of the state budget of roughly 350 mill billion, it is rounding error. And we're proposing a $50,000,000 investment in a two year pilot project, which will essentially take us to utility of Medi Cal and keeping individuals within that structure but with some flexibility. And please don't ask me too many details. I can give you some detail if you're interested, but I'm not the subject matter expert. We're blessed with Sarah Dukat, who has really spent a lot of time trying to sort through how we can best protect our counties against the costs of 17,000 code section requirements for our counties.

The other area, and I don't wanna spend too much time talking about particular policy areas, happy to answer any questions, has to do with forest resiliency. And how do we do a better job protecting our communities from the threat of wildfire? And that's another area where we're concerned that the state budget that's being proposed for 2627 is not doing right by our investment in forest resiliency. We have dependent upon the GGRF funds. And there's been a lot of press on that funding right now, particularly in light of some of the changes that CARB is forecasting with respect to dollars coming into that fund.

We're we're we're going to advocate to continue to invest at least 200,000,000 into forest resiliency. But like so much of what we do, it's a bit of a slog. It's a technical term. And we're really not sure where this is going to land. We should know a lot more in a couple of weeks when we have a better feel where the legislature and the governor decide to land as it relates to the state budget for the out years.

Another area that I just wanna talk touch upon because I know it's something that El Dorado County has looked at with some concern is how do we manage our species, our predatory species in particular. Wolves have hit the headlines of late, but it's not just wolves. It's mountain lions. It's coyotes, and trying to try to find the right spot for the inner where the intersection of human communities and the management of these species intersect. We are encouraged conversations we've had with the new director of the California Department of Fish and Wildlife.

Director Hertel has been visiting with some of the counties that have experienced some of these predations. And she seems much more open to looking at different approaches than her predecessor was. But we do have a high bar with respect to how can we manage for these species. Fundamentally, let me flip over to the federal side for a moment. We are advocating with the administration to reinstitute the executive order to delist wolves from the federal species list.

With that, we know that it will likely be taken to court and likely be overturned, but it will give us a moment in time where we can start pressing within the state on different strategies to manage the wolf population. I was just reading this morning. There's a female. She's been seen in Sequoia National Park, which is down in Tulare County, and, she's looking for a mate. She finds one.

We know what's gonna happen to the pack presence in in Tulare County. And so she the wolves are moving farther south. And farther south also means greater interactions between communities livestock. So we've got a bit of a task ahead of us. One of the things I did wanna call out with respect to how our board addresses some of these contemporary issues is our ad hoc.

We have an ad hoc that is focused on recruitment and retention, knowing how difficult it is for our small counties to recruit and retain professional staff. We have a predatory species management ad hoc, and that, as I've just alluded to, focuses on what can we do to provide policy direction to better manage the interactions. And we also have a Sigma ad hoc. And the Sigma ad hoc is probably our newest ad hoc, I think. In fact, it is our newest ad hoc.

And we're looking at what can we do not to reopen Sigma. I think that's probably a bridge too far in terms of legislative opportunities, particularly if we go into a drought year next year. That raises the some of the challenges with respect to reopening at the sigma ad hoc or sorry, the sigma criteria. However, we do know that for some of our very small counties, the reporting requirements are very burdensome. And we think that there's an opportunity to release those burdens by separating out how often the medium and low priority basins need to report out.

I spent some time managing a water district, so I have some ideas about how sigma does or doesn't work. Happy to talk about that later if there are any questions. Yes, ma'am.

Mary, what does SIGMA stand for again?

Sustainable Groundwater Management Act.

Right. And the only reason I'm making sure everybody is aware of that is because the Tahoe Basin with Lake Tahoe and stuff, that's the only, sigma, you know, area in our county. And we do talk about that at the water agency about if, if we could somehow get to the point where it's silly that we have to do these reports for Lake Tahoe. It just doesn't make sense. And so to your point, rather than opening up the legislation, let's see if we can make the reporting make more sense. So our county is interested in helping with that effort if we can.

Yeah, we've been having some preliminary conversations with DWR. And they are open to trying to find an administrative path forward. So we're working on that. It may slow down a little bit because we're looking at the end of an administration. Yeah. And folks tend not to move as fast, interestingly enough, when we're looking at administrations changing. I think it's probably human nature, but anyway, I've got some ideas about that as well.

Thank you for that.

Yes. And why don't we move on? I won't belabor the advocacy component. I mentioned a few minutes ago that we have two housing affiliates, Golden State Finance Authority, which focuses on in state help to provide affordable housing options for individuals interested in living in rural areas. And then we have a federal or national affiliate, National Home Buyers Fund, which is focused on, I want to say, three states right now. One in the Midwest. I want to say I should know this, I apologize. I believe it's Oklahoma. And Washington State is another one where we've had a presence. And we're looking to state of Texas as well.

Since 1993, we've helped six forty four individuals in El Dorado County find a home and provided $4,700,000 in down payment assistance. Why don't we move to the next slide please, Kim? What I think is interesting about Golden State Finance Authority, it has also provided an Assist to Own program for county employees. And that's been pretty popular. We'd like to see more than two employees out of Eldorado County.

But nonetheless, it's nice to see almost every one of our counties taking advantage of it and using it as a way to recruit and retain. It's a very flexible program. We work with real estate agents and banks in our various counties to reach out into the communities that might best be served by this kind of a program. Next slide please. One of the other affiliates we have is Golden State Connect Authority.

This was stood up by our board several years ago to take advantage of some of the largest coming from the state and the feds as it related to broadband deployment. It's a bit of a slog. It's an ongoing program. The CPUC has not always been as quick in helping us move forward as we would like. However, on a positive note, a couple weeks ago, we did have, in Hamilton City, which is in Glen County, we laid our first fiber.

So we had a groundbreaking ceremony to celebrate that. And frankly, we've done more in this space with relatively limited funds versus the Department of Technology and their middle mile program, which seems to have a hard time finding that middle mile to invest in. With that, we've got about $190,000,000 of investment from various sources, FFA funds in particular. And we're working with Utopia and its affiliates out of Utah who have experience in developing a fiber infrastructure in rural areas. Next slide please.

Golden State Natural Resources. This is one of my favorites, to be honest. And we love all our children, of course. But this is one of my personal favorites. It was stood up a number of years ago for the express purpose of doing what we can to take advantage of private, state, and federal funding to stand up a facility or a program to allow us to take some of the overburden out of the forest, the fuel, and put it to a marketable use.

We've shifted as the economy and markets have shifted. We originally started looking at industrial sized pallets, which were very very hot market several years ago. It was viewed as a drop in replacement, roughly speaking, for coal and countries that were looking to meet their Paris climate accord obligations. We're looking to have these industrial sized pallets as an alternative fuel source to coal. That market has shifted.

It's no longer as interesting and as economically viable as it was several years ago. So now we're looking for opportunities to establish biomass and or a chipping approach that can be used for a variety of industrial type purposes, like wood laminated timber and the like. Yep. You know, we're trying to be as market driven and as nimble as we can be. We're going through the CEQA process right now.

We've had a lot of comments. We expect that some of our friends in the environmental community will eventually litigate because they're very unhappy, my view, with the idea of touching the forests all. But as you can see from this photo, that is just one of the piles in the Modoc Forest that has accumulated as we've tried to take out the fuel load and without a good place to put it. So we are hopeful that we get through the CEQA process in the next six to twelve months. You think we could do some of this stuff a little quicker, but we don't seem to be able to.

And in the meantime, we are working with private investors who have an interest in working with us to utilize this fuel for productive purposes. We're working with the US Forest Service to allow for long term contracts. Right now, the Forest Service is a little hesitant. But we found with this current administration, they're a lot more interested in trying to find long term contract opportunities. So we're in a very active conversation right now with them.

And between that and the interest we're receiving from the private sector, we feel pretty hopeful that we'll have something productive in the next couple of years. But still, it's going to be a two year my experience tells me it's going to be at least a two year time frame before we get really active in this space. Next slide, please. Thank you, supervisor Parlin, for your leadership with ESJPA. This is one of our oldest affiliates.

It's been around for some forty years or so, and it was stood up originally to help Coupa's achieve their goals. Over the years, it has morphed into an entity that provides policy guidance on solid waste writ large, both in the regulatory as well as the legislative arenas. And one of my colleagues runs the, ESJPA as the executive director. And another one of my colleagues does all the lobbying, both on the on the regulatory side and the legislative side, primarily within state as it relates to what we call trash issues. Yeah.

We like to think that we are pretty conversant in all things trash as it relates to rural areas and our ability to meet some of the more ambitious goals that Cal Recycle has put forward. Next slide, please. New well, not our newest entity, but our newest reinvigorated entity is Rural Advancement Institute. This is 05/00 one(three). It was reinvigorated by the board approximately three years ago.

And it has a twofold mission. One is to provide funding for research in areas that frankly we hear a lot of anecdotal information around, but we don't have hard data. RAI's mission is to to work with academic institutions. We worked with CSU Sacramento, UC Santa Barbara to work with the academics to give us data to support some of the concerns that we've been hearing from our board members. To date, our most recent project, research project has to do with fire and EMS capacity in rural counties.

UCSB, as I mentioned a moment ago, we did some work in housing in terms of what are the impediments to housing in rural counties, and that was done by Sacramento State. And then our original project was with UCSF having to do with health care workforce and how can we continue to, advance improved health care in rural California. The second component of RAI's work are educational tours. We've done several now, and most folks who's who work in this space wanna bring legislators out into whatever area they're interested in. We've we've taken a bit of a different approach.

We're working with chiefs of staff. And people say, well, why the chiefs of staff? They're staff. Yes. But staff stays around. And a chief will move from one member to another member to another member. And we're hopeful. And so far, early indications that the investment in the chiefs is beginning to pay off in terms of some sensitivities around policy issues affecting rural California. It's this is like long term endeavor, both of these are. And RAI is dependent upon, sponsorships and funding from the private sector.

Right now, we have the Nomalaki tribe out of Tehama County and PG and E as two of our biggest sponsors. And we're working to develop several more. Don't wanna release who that is yet because we're still in conversation, but we're hopeful. And, we're very excited that this will give us a different way to advocate in a competent and sustainable way in terms of both long term relationships and research data that we can use. And I think that is the end of my official presentation.

So I hope I didn't take too much of your time today. I'm happy to answer any questions and or get back to you with the information if I don't have it at hand.

No. That was a great pace, I think. It was easy to follow, and you let us interrupt a little bit on the way. So thank you for

that. Absolutely.

And

that, I think, is a brilliant strategy actually to switch over to the relationships with the chiefs of staff. I mean, the relationship with the legislators is important, but you're right. We we've seen it over and over again. Those staff members are there forever, and they do help guide their legislators. So, I think and I've I think I've noticed it on other committees too where that is starting to happen, that realization that we gotta look at this for long term. Many of these things happen quickly. So

Yeah. If a legislator was interested in joining us, of course Yes. We would invite that individual to join us as well. We have also had some success with cabinet level members. We've had CDFA, CNR Resources Agency, and Cal EPA leadership join us on a couple of these as well. Again, those of us who work in Sacramento, none of us seem to go away very quickly. So, again, we look at them as good long term investments in individuals. Very good.

And then just real quick, the the one thing I did wanna mention, the relationship, I think, between RCRC and CSAC has really greatly improved over the last few years in my mind and appreciate because you mentioned HR one right off the top, and that's an effort that I've appreciated seeing all of us come together on. And, Graham, because I'm the alternate on CSAC, so I get his text. I think everybody gets the text messages and just really appreciate you guys working together on some of those bigger, detrimental, quite honestly, issues. There will be nobody probably in the state of California that won't be touched by this somehow, if not themselves. They will know someone.

So that's a big deal. And I appreciate you guys working together on these things.

Yeah, it's been an interesting conversation too. But I think we're in a very good space right now. CSAC has set the umbrella. And we're working with CMSP, because so many of our member counties are CMSP members, to strike a path forward looking at indigent care and how indigent care fits under the umbrella. The hospital association is doing somewhat similarly.

And we're hopeful that as we go forward, make our pitch for the individual components and how they fit into the overall plan, that we will be successful in persuading the legislature that a zero investment is not a good place to be because counties just are going to fail. And it's not because you can't do your job, it's just the cost involved. There's just not enough freeboard in the budgets to take that on.

Yeah. Supervisor Turnboo.

Yeah. I just wanna say, you know, we have a good relationship with the Forest Service in El Dorado County now, which is really a good thing. Dave Fournier has been really great to work with, and the letters that I've sent back to Washington DC, the USDA, and and the Forest Service. So they just and we sent a letter back also through the water agency and myself supporting the farm bill. The farm bill just passed on 04/30/2026.

The house of representatives gotta go through the senate right now, but Pixar four stack bill Mhmm. Is included into that is what it is. So, hopefully, that'll help do that. Also, the forest service is gonna be centrally located here in El Dorado County throughout the whole state, some of the things that I've been pushing. And we also the nursery is gonna do an expansion of the nursery, the plaster nursery.

We'll be doing a 1.5 more, I think, million trees is what it is they're gonna plant. So this is a great thing. You know, we're we're working on it. And the biggest thing is is we gotta do it because we spend $3,100,000,000 in fire suppression per year in the state of California on an average, and we need to get away from that. And the best way to do that is just we just need to maintain our forest like we manage our gardens. That's what we need to do. So so we have a a good relationship, and things are moving forward. And and like you're talking about cross limited lumber, Laurie and I visited up in Plumas County. It was great. Shear Institute has done a great job up there.

They really have. And we're trying to get them here because Dave Hornet has reached out to them, Jonathan, and talking to Zach to see what they can do here in our county to help the forest service. So things are moving forward is what it is, and and it's a great thing. And that cross laminated lumber, pine is in the tank. But that cross laminated lumber, they can use a pine to do this.

And I think it's a great especially building these small homes or especially buildings and stuff. So and they've got two facilities they built already that's in Oregon. They used to import it all from Canada, and they're not doing that anymore. So now there's and I hope that we can bring something here to the county to make this county thrive for the future, especially bringing jobs and Mhmm. And and things out here too. So, anyway

Yeah. To to support what you're doing here, we're working with the community colleges to set up technical training because we've lost a lot of our experienced slum loggers or folks who've managed in the forest. So we're working with a community college system to set that program up. We have a conversation with a natural resources agency. There's some $80,000,000 of of funding that they have available to reinvest in things like perhaps biomass.

So we're in active conversations with them about that. And I'm more hopeful today than I was maybe four or five years ago that we're slowly but surely getting to a point where we've identified and conceded that our past management practices Right. Right. Were were not so successful.

Yeah. And one of the biggest things, we're working on a mill. I wanna bring a mill back to El Dorado County, and and there is grant funding that's there. We just gotta work through it and and make it happen because I think it's gonna be great, especially when we used to have over a 100 mills at one time Mhmm. In this county. You know? And now we're down to, what, one planing mill is what it is. Yeah. And that's pretty much it.

So Yeah. It's been just on that point, there's a measure by Assembly Member Rogers that's being kicked around. Regrettably, it'll be on the assembly floor next week, I believe. With respect to demonstration forests and the facility in Humboldt County, which allows for logging and has an active mill, would be shut down if Mr. Rogers' measure moves forward.

We've been very unhappy with his approach. And we've been working actually with UCNR because they've done some great work on these demonstration forest sites on the five that we have in the state. And we really don't want to see those go away. If we're sincere about having science inform how we manage our forests, we need to look at different strategies. And the demonstration forests allow us to do that, including logging and supporting mills.

Right.

Exactly. But some of our friends don't see it quite that way, and their ambitions lie elsewhere. But with that, doesn't mean we don't try to educate in terms of what alternatives there are out there.

Right. Exactly. Because we don't want to end up losing a bunch of homes again, especially what happened in the Calendor fire and the Mosquito fire too. So

Yeah. And one of the things that has been regrettably helpful, I regrettably helpful? Yeah. Palisades in Eaton.

Right. Not

that I would wish that on anyone, and please don't please don't misunderstand me. But it has focused members of the legislature on the risk of the wildland interface areas in a way that, you know, when it was just just up in the North.

Yeah. Right.

But now it's like, oh, oh, dear. Yeah. It's not just up in the North. So Yeah. It's been helpful in that regard. I regret the Yeah. Suffering that folks have gone to. Just woke them

up. Yep.

Yeah. It's you know, like so much, a crisis opens our eyes and focuses our mind in ways that without it, we tend to be distracted.

Yeah. Right.

Supervisor Vucahn.

Yeah. So, our rural hospitals are struggling financially, throwing the seismic retrofit. Yeah. Obviously, I think what they'd had an exemption and the governor vetoed it. Is there any plan or discussion about what to do next? Because it's coming now. Yeah.

The, the short answer is the integrity of rural hospitals and hospitals writ large has only begun to be an area of conversation with the governor and the legislature. I think the first indication and the first time they really started focusing on it was when Madera closed, frankly. Yeah. And

That's a

late. Yeah.

Yeah. Pardon?

That's a little late.

A little late. A little late in the game. And even now, you know, they I think it opened people's eyes in terms of what the reopening process and costs are. And even today, they do not have labor and delivery services.

Right.

So it's an indication of where a lot of these hospitals are going. We know that there are and maybe to kind of mix the stew a little bit further, with HR1 implementation at the state level, we know there are two public hospitals in LA County that are perilously close to going into a failed situation. There are two in Santa Clara County. For rural California, that's not such a bad thing in the sense, again, like the fires. It opens people's eyes to what's going on in these public hospitals.

Glen County is moving forward to open up its hospital. It took a while to get CMS to reconsider its approach to how they were going to underwrite the mileage differential for Medicare patients. But I think we've made progress there. Bishop is having a hard time. So we've gotten too many examples that we're sharing. And it is penetrating, but I don't see a near term easy solution.

Okay. Thank you.

I'm just trying to be honest about The where we are right upside I will give you one bit of upside. The rural hospital infrastructure fund that Congress approved through HR one, we did get $1,800,000,000 I believe it was, out of that, which is more than we expected. Texas got a bit more. We got second, which surprised me, frankly, because California is not always on the most favored nation list these days in Washington DC. And so it was nice to see us get more monies than we expected.

What we don't know yet is how the state is going to divvy up those funds. So that's still something that we're working on.

Thank you.

You're very welcome. My pleasure.

Other questions, comments? No. No? Well, we just want to thank you for your time and for being here with us. I think RCRC just has their fingers in a lot of different pots and necessary. Mean, when you think we have 58 counties that make up the state of California, and 40 of them are part of RCRC and under 600,000 population. We're the majority with the minority voice. And so thank you for elevating that voice in the manner in which you are. It's good stuff.

That's what we're here for. That's what our board is asking of us, so we're happy to serve.

Yeah. Great. And also I want to thank Supervisor Parmer for representing Eldorado County. Thank you.

Yeah. Thank you, guys. It's been an honor and a privilege really, truly it is. It's been I've learned so much, and, it's it's been wonderful. I will truly miss it.

And we will miss you. She has led us in the development of a business plan to, improve ESJPA's financial situation. And she's been a real solid leader for ESJPA, we'll miss having you depart. Can't we change that?

Yeah, know. Yeah, we have a charter here in our county. Yeah, understand that. That ship has sailed. But

we really appreciate your service to ESJPA.

Thank you.

So with that, thank you all for your time. I appreciate it. If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out. And I think everyone here knows how to get ahold of us. Right. Thank you for your time.

Thanks, Maryann.

Thank you. Thank you. Excellent. That was a presentation item, so no action. I think we cannot go back and deal with closed session item number one yet. We're gonna have to take that after our 01:00 open forum and after our item 33.

Okay.

So we'll go ahead and recess into lunch, and we'll see you back here at 01:00. Perfect. Welcome back, Eldorado County. We are now on our 01:00 time allocation to take open forum. This is an opportunity for the public to comment to the board on any item that is not on today's agenda.

Ms. Dawson.

For public comment, each speaker will have three minutes to address the board. A timer will alert you when thirty seconds remain and again when your time has ended. We will begin with comments from individuals present in the boardroom followed by those participating via Zoom. If you're joining via Zoom, please ensure you unmute yourself when called upon. If you're joining by phone, press 9 to raise your hand. If If you're on Zoom, use a raise hand feature to indicate your interest in speaking. We ask that you voluntarily state your name for the record before beginning your comments.

Are there any members in the room that would like to address the board at this time? Welcome.

Madam Chair, members of the board, my name is Scott Chad. Just some observations perhaps. I'm really happy to see the road repair and rehabilitation that's going on right now. It's wonderful. I know we have to sit there for a while, but the work is really needed, and we're glad to see that it's happening.

I I think that it's important that, you know, of the 3,500 or so elections officers in The United States, the constitution gives the elections to the states, and and I would hope El Dorado County has a wonderful elections office. I I would hope that the federal government does not become involved in our elections. It's it would not be a good thing. I was in Washington DC in the seventies working with the transportation and housing subcommittee. That group doesn't exist anymore, but I was working with Norm Mineta and other people at that time.

The Democrats and the Republicans fought like cats in a gunny sack, and their anger and and frustration and fury at one another was always expressed with courtesy and a realization of where they were and the office they occupied. And at the end of the day, no matter how hard they had gone at one another, they most often would come to a a a compromise and an agreement and and be able to do something because both sides realized that the the whole purpose of them being there was to accomplish goals for the people. And, you know, the government has a, a monopoly on the use of coercion, and thank god for that. And thank god for the government Because, absent the government, we have to try to resolve our disputes amongst ourselves. That never has a good outcome.

So I would just hope that, you know, if I'm a liberal democrat and you're a conservative republican and we fight each other, we're not enemies. You know, United States has plenty of enemies. We're just people who who disagree. Thank you.

Thank you. Are there other members of the public that would like to address the board on non agenda items? Please come forward. Welcome.

Good afternoon. I'm Jan Melnico. I am a board member of NAMI Eldorado County and which is part of Clubhouse El Dorado. And I'm here today with, some members of Clubhouse El Dorado to give you a sense of, their experience with Clubhouse Eldorado and, share what, impact it's had on their lives. I have been involved with Eldorado County, NAMI for almost twenty years now.

And I've been in front of various board of supervisors, multiple directors of mental health, behavioral health. And I have to say, within the twenty years, Clubhouse is the program that has my heart. And so today, I'm I'm we invited some of our members to tell you exactly why this is making such an impact on, the community of, Eldorado County. So, with that, we'll give them a chance. So thank you.

Thank you.

Welcome.

Hello. My name is Lanea. I've been a member of Clubhouse Eldorado since August 2024. Before the clubhouse, I recently was incarcerated. I lost my kids, and I was suicidal. Before the clubhouse, I regained because of the clubhouse, I regained my confidence, giving purpose. And today, I get excited to wake up and be a part of the clubhouse. I continue pursuing my goals. I'm motivated, and I'm a better person to chase my dreams. And I get I I wouldn't be here without the clubhouse and their support.

The clubhouse helps support me in getting a job. They helped me in housing looking for housing. I'm grateful for the house the clubhouse. Without the clubhouse, I really wouldn't be standing before you today. I would not. I had a plan. I really did. I did not want to be here anymore, not having my kids in this world, being homeless. The clubhouse really changed my life for the better. They give you support, and they help you.

They are the best place to be walking through those doors. It's just phenomenal. Their employees just embrace you in more ways than one, and they help you become a better person and a better version of yourself. They help you with helping get back into society, with getting you a job, helping you find housing, helping I didn't wasn't very good at getting to my appointments. I get to my appointments now.

I'm getting to my mental health appointments. I'm seeing all my mental health. I see psychiatry, which I never did before. They're great. I love the Clubhouse of Eldorado, and I really, really wanna keep those doors open. That's a good place to have for everybody.

Thank you. Thank you.

One of the things that we do ask in this room is that we don't applaud or boo anybody because we want everybody to feel comfortable saying whatever they need to say to us. So, we would appreciate if you would comply with that. Thank you, and welcome, sir.

Hi. My name is Robert Dinwiddie. I've been with the clubhouse for almost a year. I got out of prison. Before I went to prison, I was on a bad road. And when I got out, I was almost on that same bad road again until I found the Clubhouse of Eldorado. It's really changed my life in many ways than one. They're they're there for me. It gives me a reason to wake up every morning and have something to do. They've taught me so much.

They have so many different groups I go to, and the resources that they have are that is is just great. I now got a job working because of the Clubhouse of Eldorado, getting me that motivation and helping me find the tools to to get where I need to be. And with that being said, I love the Clubhouse, Colorado with all my heart, and I just wanna thank them for everything they've done. It's such a good place, and I would I would hate to see those doors close. Thank you very much.

Thank you. Thank you. Welcome. Welcome.

Or thank you. I'm Krista Avolodis. So when I first heard about the clubhouse, I was living at the navigation center, I was homeless. After making a bad bad few bad choices, I landed at the clubhouse, and I was afraid to sleep alone, sleeping in my car. Being at the clubhouse assistance has given me a sense of home, and with friends, I become like my family.

Since being at the clubhouse, I have been able to use a computer lab and multiple resources. I was able to regain or get my temporary disability, and I've been sober for six months. And so now I'm housed, and I've been able to reconnect with members and make meaningful relationships. And Clubhouse overall has just given me a sense of purpose and a want to be sorry. I want to be alive and to be, somebody in society again and to just be helpful.

I put myself through the peer support training, hopefully, I can regain or gain a job helping others like myself. It would be really a shame to see the doors closed because a lot of members and people, have gained a lot of experience and a lot of hope from having the hope from Clubhouse. So thank you.

Yep.

Thank you. Thank you.

Welcome. My name is Heather Collins. I've been a member of Clubhouse since December '24. I, I too started there on an ankle monitor paration. I am now, nine months sober, and I isolated not just in my home, but in my bedroom for four years.

And since starting Clubhouse, I've gained friendships, an an acknowledgment of likeness. We're all, all dealing with different mental illness, but together, we're there together. And it is a safe place for me, and I have now regained possibly a new a new safe home to go to. Just had knee surgery, so looking into work. It is I it's my second family, and I would really, I'm nervous talking, but, I would really hate to see the doors close. It would be life threatening in a way, go back to isolating. And thank you for your time.

Thank you. Welcome.

Hi. Excuse me. My name is Mike Todd. I'm here on behalf of Clubhouse, obviously. I didn't have anything prepared for you guys for three minutes. It was a little difficult for me trying to trying to write down exactly how I felt. So I'm just speaking to you guys from the heart right now. Before I was diagnosed, I was living the typical American dream, as close to it as I could. I I I was fairly successful. I just got promoted.

I was at my job at that time for about fifteen years. I'd had my house for about ten. I was going on ten years or so of marriage. I had a young son, and my well, my mental illness kicked in when the bottom dropped out on me. I was, my my ex wife divorced. It was an ugly child custody battle. I'd lost that job that I had had. I lost my place. I lost my vehicle. And I found myself completely at rock bottom, and I had absolutely no idea what was going on.

Not only had my, physical world around me collapsed, but my mental health took a took a dive as well. I didn't know how to react to the situation whatsoever. The way I was raised, there was no such thing as mental health illnesses. It was like, know, you handle business, you get over it, you get past it. So this was extremely difficult for me to reach out to to even understand what I had had because I had been very late to be diagnosed with anything. I had no idea what was going on with me. I was scared. I was lost. I was confused. I was hurt. I felt abandoned by the world and by myself. Felt like I had let myself down, and I didn't know how to confront this challenge. Very shortly after this, I found myself unhoused in here in Placerville. I was desperate. I didn't know what to do.

I found myself at the navigation center. Trying to get my life back together because as much as I wanted to harm myself, I know that my higher power is here for me, and I have a young son to continue raising. I I had obligations that I needed to meet. So from that point in time at the navigation center, through a friend, I was able to find Clubhouse. Once I found Clubhouse, there was no letting go. This place was incredibly warm to me from the beginning. They offered me community of like minded individuals that have gone down similar paths as I did, and they understand exact understood exactly where I was coming from. There was resources there. There was an incredibly warm staff that understood exactly where I was coming from and knew how to talk to me. They knew how to, help me proceed in my journey to recovery.

I'm completely grateful to every single second that I've spent at that place. I I was going there nine to five every single day until I was able to get myself motivated enough. And that's this place brought me self worth and purpose and everything that I needed and I was missing at that point in time. And it got me to a point where I was extremely confident. I was out there. I was hitting I was hitting, you know, everything I could as far as work and employment and getting myself off the street. I was able to get employment. At this point in time, I've done some certifications in in different classes. I'm I'm a mental health worker myself. I'm actually on my break right now. Come here and talk on behalf of Clubhouse. This place is needed in this community. There's so many more people that are needing this this facility to remain open.

Thank you.

Thank you. Thank you, Mike.

Welcome. Hi. My name's Paula, and I'm proud to be a member of Clubhouse Eldorado. Wow. How do I even begin? I retired two or three years ago and thought it would be great, and it wasn't great. And I began to isolate, and self confidence was so low. I'd always worked, so then I didn't have any purpose. You know? Husband's self sufficient.

The kids are gone. So I really struggled, for months, and my psychiatrist eventually gave me a pamphlet. I didn't even know anything about Clubhouse. And for about a month or two, I didn't really look at it. And one day, I got desperate enough, and I went in and asked for an interview. They showed me the place. I felt this is a place for me right now where I am right now in my life. This is where I need to be. I had debilitating shakes when I first came to the clubhouse where I couldn't even hold a pen because my medicines were so crazy. So I was accepted.

I didn't feel weird there that I shook because other people shake. Some do. Some don't. I don't know what a a family will do if I believe that in any family, there's probably one or two members that maybe have a little bit of mental illness in there. And, I don't think the the the population knows what's available out there. And this place is a great start or an interim after you've left the hospital or whatever, and you need to get back into society. It's soft. It's gentle. It's not you need to do this now. I eventually found work.

I eventually, got better. I have friends now in the clubhouse. Gives me something to do on those long days, and I would be absolutely mortified if this place closed. The amount of people that are out there that can use our services is just astronomical, and I believe everybody sitting here might have someone in their family or in their distant that had a problem. And there was a day and age where you didn't do anything about it, and they do things like isolate and kill themselves and hurt other people and all that.

So what you're doing what they're doing here in Eldorado County is extremely important. And I appreciate you listening to me, and that's my bell. Thanks.

Thank you. Thank you. Welcome.

Hi. Tom Cultra, a proud member of NAMI. See, I've joined I've been with them since January, I believe, of this year. And before then, I was just like anyone else. I was isolating.

I go to work, and then I go home. I didn't have anybody hang out with. And, I I lost my job, lost my living situation, and I threatened to jump off the Highway 50 Bridge. Something in me clicked to a call for help. I believe it's higher power, and they it led me to the clubhouse.

And I have to say, I didn't know that there is this type of family community still in our, you know, in society. I didn't I didn't know that there's a place where you can go, and you are welcome no matter who you are, what you are. It's amazing. It's yeah. I've been going to NAMI every day. It's helped me out so much. And now I'm not an isolator. I'm actually getting out into society, and I believe that, more people need to be given that opportunity. Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Hello.

Welcome.

I'm Jeff. I'm, like, probably one of their newest members there, and the clubhouse has been really awesome for me. I I came there out of a relationship that my girlfriend broke up with me, so I was in a lot of depression. And I came there. A friend referred me there.

And and when I got there, everybody welcomed me with open arms, you know, and they were really happy to to wanna help me, and and that was something that I never experienced before. So, like, right at the first day, I got I had a lot of hope. I isolated a lot, and they they told me to just come back, you know, and you'll you'll notice the difference. And, so I did. And I I owe them so much because they've done nothing but give me solutions to my problems.

I I've found so much there. They've helped me with I was in my first month there. They they helped me with my with not being homeless because I wasn't able to pay my rent, and I would have been evicted. So they thought they gave me the resources to to help me pay my rent, help me find the resources to help me do that, which was like a miracle to me because I was so scared that I was gonna be homeless. I didn't know what to do.

I'm not built for that anymore. And there was so much other things going on there that I felt like that I would be able to get involved in. Like, they got so much going on there for us to do. They got meetings. They got, a weightlifting program.

They got, art classes, a lot of other stuff that I've taken advantage of. I've taken I wanted to learn how to use the computer, so I'm in the process of learning that right now for the first time in my life. Just so much it's done for me and

k. You

have thirty seconds.

You have thirty seconds.

Morning. Thirty seconds. Morning. Excuse me. Anyways, you know, I feel like would be a good place for other people to come to and be a part of. It'd be quite a shame to this community if the doors were to shut or any funding be taken away because, you know, they like I said, they've been solutions to all of my problems. Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you. Welcome. Hi. My name is Destiny.

My journey with Clubhouse started a little more than a year ago. I was mid stride four years into a very abusive relationship. I got laid off from my job. There were tons of things going on in my life at that point. I started going, and I had been isolating. I was on the edge of suicide. I felt there were no other options. My family's all in Texas. I'm not from here. So I had nobody to turn to.

My caseworker at the center knew that and sent me to clubhouse. She tricked me to get me there, but I got there, and that's the important part. Through that time, I was with a man that was not working. A lot of the time we were together, helped me with laundry, hundreds of dollars of laundry, truly. My my rabbit passed away. They helped me have him cremated because he meant so much to me. Every step, they've been there. Every single step, they've been beside me. My confidence has risen. I'm no longer in that relationship.

I'm no longer there. And through the community supports like this one, I have managed to stay on my feet by myself and independent. And that means a lot to me when I don't have anybody here to turn to. They are my family. And I don't know exactly why we're here today.

I was suddenly asked right in middle of my workday, but I am happy to be here speaking on behalf of Clubhouse because what they do is they take broken people, and they don't put you together themselves. They show you how to put yourself back together. And I'm 45 or 46. I thought I knew. I thought I knew everything about fixing me, but I chose the same man in a different skin. So I knew that something was still broken there. Something was still very wrong there. And through the clubhouse, I have not only found my confidence Mhmm. I believe in myself. I have a very good job at Moore that I thought jobs before I'd love them.

I thought that that's where I belong before, but this place fills my entire heart. I go home singing happy. I take on incredibly long shifts because I believe in the value of them, but that job wouldn't have been a possibility for me without Jan and Alicia. They really they put me on a path to success, and I didn't fight it. And it is in my nature to be stubborn. I just went with it because I had no other hopes. I had no other alternatives, and I was ready to give up. And they are the only reason that I'm standing here before you today to attest to the miraculous work they actually do. And it is very emotionally hard on them, but they give us everything they have to give us every day and more. Thank

you. Thank you. Welcome.

Thank you. My name is Ryan. You've heard a lot of really amazing stories today, so I wanna thank everyone who's spoken today. Prior to the clubhouse, I felt very alone with my experiences. I felt like I was the only one who really understood my experiences. I lost my home. I lost my job. And through the clubhouse, I found connection. I've been there since day one, and it's it's changed my life. I've been able to get employment.

I've been able to obtain a community I didn't have before. And I've been able to see how hard the staff have worked, not just to create a community, but to he make each individual feel like they were everything to that community and allow each member to feel like they had the agency not just to improve their own lives, but to help others connect with their own sense of responsibility, their sense of improvement, their value. It's changed my entire life perspective, not just on myself, but how to approach life. And I'm immensely grateful to the program and to the staff, and it works. It's changed lives, not just in this county, but there are similar programs all across the country, similar clubhouses who transform lives, one person at a time.

And, it takes time. It takes effort on the, part of the individual and the program, but they're there day in and day out to see that happen. And I've seen that work happen at Clubhouse El Dorado, and I feel changed as a person. I feel welcome each time I I enter those doors and accepted and seen. And I appreciate the staff. I appreciate the program. And I appreciate the time to speak today. So thank you very much. Thank you. Thank you.

Welcome. Thank you.

My name is Stephanie Root, and, I'm here because a very dear friend of mine, practically a son to me, started at Clubhouse Eldorado earlier this year. If you've been in the position of trying to get somebody help a a mental for serious mental health issues. It's it's very difficult and frustrating. And one of the big reasons is that someone like my friend, who is almost 50 and was hospitalized for mental health for the first time when he was in high school, they get they get jaded about the system. They, I mean, one of the big things is meds because you you need a lot of support to go through the process of getting the right cocktail.

It it just doesn't happen overnight. And and and and so people give up. And there isn't isn't anything I've worked with student support systems in the the Black Oak Mine Unified School District for years and, and and with the some of the parents too. And there just isn't anything that fills that gap between hospitalization and being able to be helped just by over the count not over the counter meds, but meds that a doctor can put prescribed without, even necessarily psychiatric help. So so for my friend to find this place, it's not only been miraculous for him, it's been miraculous for me.

When you when you love somebody and they're going through, but you've just hurt, and you can't find them help because they're resistant to it and be and because they don't need once a week. They don't and they don't need being locked in a hospital. The clubhouse is the clubhouse is incredibly special, and, I've I'd, I actually came out of retirement to, start helping the clubhouse to to write, grant proposals. So I I get that whole perspective about what the the good data coming in, what's going on nationally and internationally, and how, how much it's being adopted by people who can see it not just as effective but cost effective. Because very little staff relative to the club members who run the place.

I think I've been dinged out. So thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you. Thank you all for being here and sharing your experiences. Thank you for your time.

Yep. Good job. Godspeed to all

of you. Are

there other members of the public that would like to address the board at this time? Mister Gaines?

How are you this afternoon?

Great. Yeah. Yeah.

Thank you for this opportunity. And that was some impressive, comments about Elbrada Clubhouse and what it's doing for mentally ill in our in our county and providing hope for them. So that was a treat to listen to. What I'd like to, share with you briefly, if I could, is, talk about the California Voter ID Initiative, and that's officially qualified for the November 2026 ballot. And, the initiative does a few things.

It, requires ID to vote, requires election officials to verify the citizenship of registered voters. And the last thing is to maintain accurate voter roles. I was just talking to a neighbor of mine that got four ballots in the mail, and, there's only two people in the household. And so I I think what happened is there were the prior owners of the home that they sent the ballots to his address. He's been in that home for a couple of years, though.

And, so that is something that I think is important in terms of cleaning up. Other states have initiate initiated the voter ID programs and actually have increased voter participation, and that's including minorities. And I think if you have more faith in the system, you're more inclined to go vote. 70% of voters support this initiative or overall in a majority of Democrat voters. So it is truly a a bipartisan effort.

I think people wanna make sure that they, have confidence in the voting system. And, I just this is a great idea that this California voter ID initiative is coming forward. Voters will have an opportunity to weigh in on it, and I support it because I think you wanna make sure you have integrity within the voting system. So thank you for your time, and have a great day and a great meeting.

Thank you.

Take care. All

right. Any other members of the public that wish to address the board on non agenda items? Okay. Seeing none, may we go online, please?

Now taking public comment from online participants. I'm taking public comment from three ninety.

Oh, boy. First in line even though I was late. Ken Greenwood here from out at the beautiful Triple Junction. Noticed when I went down to Holiday Market that the DOT and the state Cal Fire crew from Ponderosa is doing some brush clearance along the road, along Sly Park Road. Very much needed.

Thank you very much. Do more. They did a pretty good jaws trim on, by where I live, right up, Sly Park there at at my street and very appreciated. Anyway, now we only have, what, 32,000 miles of county road to go. It's a lot of work, and it's it's tedious and all that.

Heaven knows. I've been working for the last two weeks clearing my yard unlike my neighbors. Anyway, item two, public participation. The system you guys got going right now is broken. Keep the comments with the item, as a sorting them through as a bunch.

The the human mind just doesn't work that way. And it's it can't work well for you. It doesn't work work well for the participants, etcetera. Speaking of disasters like Sly Park Road and our road system and all that, yesterday, Mount Saint Helens blew up forty six years ago. Up until May 11, that would be seven days before, I was right there by the mountain working with the US Forest Service kinda at gunpoint because they told us remain calm, all is well, which reminded me of Chip Dillard in Animal House played by Kevin Bacon, his first role, by the way.

Anyway and we saw what happened to Chip. Fifty seven people died. Could have been me. Could have been my coworkers. Thankfully, I got a better job at Plumas National Forest and got the hell out of there. The government was telling us that we will go up by the work the mountain each day and work,

or we will lay you up.

Anyway so just a reminder that disasters happen. Clubhouse sounds like a great thing. I'm really impressed. It it's it says a lot. Finally, no to count Town and Country. Please. No. No. No. Thank you very much, and have a great day. Hope to go to Squaw Valley on Thursday.

Thank you.

Now taking public comment from five to five.

Good afternoon, First, I'd like to affirm the board for taking an extra long lunch. I just think it's great that some days you take too short, some days you take too long. I would like to suggest that perhaps occasionally, you have a working lunch like you did in South Lake Tahoe, and the example today from the senior folks that had food downstairs. You have such a beautiful downstairs. And it was a very heart touching presentation by the NAMI Clubhouse, which will have its second anniversary on August 5, and maybe you could invite them back.

It's something I've seen at school board levels that collaboration is the best way to get things done and collaborating with nonprofits is a very effective way. As you spoke about wagon train and other things, nonprofits can do things in a way leveraging volunteers and multiple different variables better and more effective with county support. So it's just figuring out how to engage and support people doing that. And an example to me, again, to affirm that you had the conversation and have staff working on taking advantage of what our state legislator passed that was effective the first of twenty twenty five, which is the entertainment zones. And about alcohol, of course, but alcohol does raise a lot of money for nonprofits.

And I think that in addition to trying to be an entire county across all the districts incorporating the two cities in your two by twos and maybe every now and then have the cities your two cities plus the county all getting together and learning from the the basin, which doesn't have a specific entertainment zone, but certainly has areas that function very similarly and assisting, you know, a much smaller city that can use that kind of collaboration, namely our center for government and whatnot, Placerville. I just think there's a lot of possibilities out there for collaboration to go farther in improving these initiatives that the county is taking the lead on. You have much more resources. And, of course, you can learn things from smaller cities, smaller entities like the clubhouse that have explored this territory. So thank you for taking my comment and for a very interesting meeting.

Thank you.

Now taking public comment from Linda Campbell.

Everyone, Linda Campbell, Eldorado Hills. So first, I wanna say, please be bring back the public comment. So it's per item so that we have the opportunity to be able to engage in the discussion through the day. And then, actually, last, I'm really just curious. What is the age for being considered an older American these days? So, I'm kind of in denial of my own aging, but now today made me genuinely curious if potentially the, proclamation that was passed might apply to me sooner rather than later. So, anyways, just a funny for the day, but thank you again, and have a great rest of your afternoon.

Thank you.

There is no additional public comment.

Alright. Thank you for all of that information. We'll go ahead and move on to our department matter with 01:00 time. Well, not to be heard before 01:00. And that is item number 33, the tribe intergovernmental agreement. Miss Dawson, would you please read this into the record?

Item number 33 comes from the chief administrative office recommending the board approve and authorize a chair to sign an intergovernmental agreement between the Shingle Springs Band of Miwok Indians and Eldorado County for the gaming pavilion project at the existing Red Hawk Casino.

Thank you. And we'll welcome our very own Ms. Winter from the CAO's office, who is a principal management analyst. Welcome.

Good afternoon, Chairs and Board of Supervisors. Allison Winter from the Chief Administrative Office, and we are recommending the board approve and authorize the chair to sign the intergovernmental agreement with Shingle Springs Band Of Miwok Indians for their gaming pavilion. The tribe is proposing to develop a 6,200 square foot single floor gaming pavilion at the existing casino's Port Cochere, and they are looking to relocate some of their slot machines from an underutilized area into that area. So it's closer to the hotel entrance.

They

don't have any current plans at the time of publishing for the space that that will be empty. And because of their gaming compact with the state, they're required to do a tribal environmental impact report. And then in that report, they have to reach out basically to the county and kind of figure out if there's any kind of mitigation they can do to for the impacts to the, off reservation areas. And we, went through the TEIR and have met with the tribe on it, and we determined there's no major impacts to the county, outside of the reservation. And so in the agreement, we are basically just agree they're agreeing with us that they will follow, the county ordinances based on or specifically on grading erosion, dust protection, that kind of stuff.

And then they will, comply with all mitigation measures in the TEIR. And they will also, while they're constructing the gaming pavilion, every 30 report out of any of their, mitigation measures that they've done and any issues that they've had. So if there's any questions

Who specifically do they report out to?

They'll report to, the county chief administrative office.

Okay. Gotcha. I'll bring it to my colleagues. Questions? Comments? No. Miss Parlin? I wish the button. Did that work? You did. It worked.

I was like, you can't tell me you can't tell when

this end of the button works.

It works.

Yeah. I just, thank you for bringing this item. Appreciate, you know, that, we've been working with the tribe, to mitigate impacts from projects. Thank you for that. I I did reach out to, one of my contacts in the North Buckeye Rancheros Owners Association, n b r o a, just to let him know that this item was on the agenda because, you know, I I I find that if I forget to mention something, even though this one doesn't have a lot of impacts, but then they find out later, then I feel bad.

It's like so I'm I try to stay in front of it. This one, I didn't, remind anyone till yesterday, but, again, not big impacts here and appreciate the agreement. But then the question came back to me was, well, it was just a comment, that, you know, in the neighborhood's mind, it would be nicer for them if the event center were in this location instead of where it's being proposed. And, and I replied back and just said, yeah. I I kind of agree with that thought, and I I I think I asked about that in one of our conversations, but I can't remember because we've been talking about so many projects and all of that.

So I just wanted to check-in maybe, Allison, if you recall or mister Bryson's here that represents the tribe of did we ask about perhaps if they could swap the locations or do something different so that the event center isn't where it's being proposed right now, but is more over where this is. This is such a less impacting location. Just

I recall in conversations with the tribe that you did bring up possibly having it in a different location, And I'm not sure if it's exactly this location Yeah. In a location similar to

Just elsewhere on the property. And so Yeah. Okay.

It just wasn't, at that time, feasible for them to

do it.

Right. Okay. I just wanted to check and see because we've had many conversations with several of the projects along the way. And then just for the board to know to another on one of the other projects, I think we brought it up in the conversation about the taking the trust properties into trust, the 269 acres, whatever it is, and just an update that I don't think you guys have heard formally, but we did talk about moving the the entrance to the road so that all the tribal homes will have their own entry eventually. And my understanding is that also got added to their project for that project too, and I don't think we've had a chance to update the board on that.

So that is something that the the neighbors did ask us about, and I did talk with the tribe about it, and it is now in their project. So I appreciated, you know, that that we are trying to work these things through. They're not easy to do, but, I am happy and appreciate, you know, the tribe understanding that. And and I think that it'll make all parties happy with with that particular situation. So thank you for that.

Excellent. Okay. Do other of my colleagues have questions, comments? Okay. Thank you. Thank you. This is an action action item, item, so so I'll I'll bring bring it it back back to to the the board

for further deliberation or a motion. Oh, Thank

great. Yeah, I'll go ahead and move as recommended by staff.

I'll second.

Okay, there's a motion and a second. Is there a discussion on the motion? All those in favor, say aye. Aye. Any opposed?

Motion passes, four-zero, with Supervisor Ferrero being absent.

Supervisor Ferrero is absent?

Yeah.

Oh. I swear I thought you said Parlin.

You know, I'm there's a hearing things.

Okay.

Thanks, Nick. Thank you. We'll go ahead and move to board member updates, if that's okay with the board, and then we'll go back into closed session. Do we anticipate any report out from closed session?

No, madam no, madam chair. We do not.

Okay. Another good reason then to do board member updates now. Is anybody prepared to give a report?

Ready to go.

Alright. Supervisor Vercamp, please.

Last Wednesday, we participated in the Eldorado County Water Agency meeting. Plenty going on, especially in California with water, but nothing major at this point that we needed to really report out on. Then we also had a transit budget ad hoc committee meeting talking about next year's budget. There is a lot of challenges coming to the transit agencies throughout state and transit in general. Our transit agency in El Dorado County is stable.

That's about probably the best word I'll use at this point. So Yeah. It's good compared to others. Then that's later on that same day, I represented this board in congratulating Lloyd Walker for thirty one years of service as a ag commissioner to this county. He's since retiring retiring from that position, and it was a nice little there was a meeting at their meeting, and then the congratulations from everybody was very, very much appreciated by Lloyd. And then, this Thursday, we've got a SACOG monthly board meeting. So looking forward to it.

Excellent. Good report. Supervisor Turnboo, are you ready?

Yeah. I just, on Monday, this let's go back a ways because it's it's quite a bit agenda. So the SPTC, JPA discussion that we had, Laurie was in attendance. Anyway, it was a good meeting working with also Tribe Fire to be able to help clear a lot of the brush along the railroad tracks. And they're gonna work with also the trail people too, which is really good.

And then we had a a fair ad hoc committee meeting. Brian and I attended that, some good discussion, what was going on there. And then we had the transit meeting and transportation meeting. And then because I haven't talked about a lot of things that was going on. But also, we had I attended LogTown Fire Safe Council meeting, which was really good meeting and all the good things that they're doing out there.