City Council - Regular Meeting

Good morning, everyone. I would like to call this meeting to order and acknowledge the High Desert and Joshua Tree video conferencing sites, and thank you all for joining us. Before we begin, if there are any property owners wishing to file written protests on item number 102, please see the special district staff available in the rotunda behind us out out here. Additionally, if anyone is here regarding items number three one zero three and one zero four, we also have staff in the rotunda as well to assist with any questions that you may have related to delinquent water, sewer or solid waste charges. This morning, our pledge and invocation will be led by the fifth district.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Good morning, everybody. I have the pleasure and honor of introducing And And And pleased and community servant with over the a decade of ministry experience. And I personally have had the opportunity to visit his church many, many times. He began pastoring in Compton, California in 2013 and now serves as a senior pastor in a growing congregation in the city of San Bernardino.

He was a consecrate as a bishop in 2020. He also holds the honorary doctorate degree in theology from the Next Dimension University. In addition to ministry, Bishop Smith is a licensed vocational nurse chaplain for San Bernardino Police Department and vice president and general board member of the Neighborhood Association of Council for the city of San Bernardino, which is

a

volunteer group of neighborhood watch. He resides in San Bernardino with his wife, Lady Jessica Smith, welcome, and their daughter, Autumn Smith, who's here. And he remains committed to serving and uplifting his community through faith, leadership and compassion. Please lead us in prayer. Mister Smith?

Let us pray. Gracious heavenly father, lord, we thank you for this day. We thank you for waking us up this morning in our right minds and starting us on our way. Lord, we thank you for each and every person that's assembled here for this meeting. Lord, it's in the mighty name of Jesus that we pray for the county of San Bernardino and every city within it.

Lord, we ask that you watch over our elected officials. Your word says that we should pray for those and rule over us. So we pray for our supervisors. We pray for the county members and everybody that serves this illustrious area. Lord, we ask that in this meeting that you would go forward, that you would touch our minds, touch our ears, touch our hearts, and allow us to receive what it is that you would have to help us be about a better county. It's in Jesus' name we pray. Amen. And now the pledge of allegiance. Ready? Begin.

I pledge allegiance to the flag of The United States Of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

Thank you.

Very much, bishop. We will now move on to our memorial adjournments. Vice chair?

Thank Thank you, Madam Chair. I do have one. Today, I'd like to take the opportunity to adjourn in memory of Ms. Judy Coombs of Rialto. She was 82 years of age, and I had the personal honor of knowing Ms. Coombs. We served together on the Probation Youth Accountability Board for twelve years in the city of Rialto. She was just a wonderful woman. They're having her services now as we speak. So just want to make sure we adjourn in memory of Ms. Judy Coombs, 82 of Rialto. Thank you Madam Chair.

Thank you very much. Supervisor Cook. Supervisor Armanderes.

Yes, I have two. First, I would like to enjoy the memory of a friend, Sergeant Daniel Garcia's father passed away. He's a Fontana he was assigned to Fontana Sheriff's Station. He was 97 years old. He was a veteran. He served as a corporal in the United States Army on the Korean War. He was one of the twenty fifth, Infantry Division, fourth Infantry Regiment. He was survived by his two sons, his daughter and his wife, and four grandchildren. Our hearts go out to the family. And the other one is Al Castro Leon, originally from Redlands.

He passed away. He lived in Yucaipa when he passed away. Al was 79 years old. This one was important to me, and thank you, chair, for allowing me to do this one because Al was one of the first people who trained me. I got my skills as a diesel mechanic under his watch, and he happens to be my, my sister's father-in-law because who would have known, you know, thirty years later that everything would come to fruition and his son would marry my sister?

So he was a great man. He was employed by Dalton Truckee for thirty seven years, Pepsi for eleven years. He was a vet a vet from the US Navy. He survived by his son, his daughter, his wife of fifty seven years, and his three grandchildren. So I just want to say my heart goes out to them and the family, and that's all.

Thank you. Supervisor Hagman?

Thank you, madam chair. Have two today as well. First is for, I'd like to adjourn to Charles Nichols. Charles Nichols was, life was defined by hard work, vision, devotion to family, and enduring passion for aviation. Was born 05/02/1936, and passed peacefully on 05/04/2026.

He lived a full and meaningful ninety years, leaving a legacy that will continue for generations. Along with his wife Judy, he co owned and operated Nichols Lumber in Baldwin Park for a half a century. His work ethic was shown up every day, worked hard, and take pride in what he built. Beyond businesses, his greatest passion was aviation as the founder of Yanks Air Museum at Chino Airport, one of the largest aircraft collections in the world, he devoted countless hours to preserving the history of aircraft through collecting, restoring, and sharing these incredible machines for future generations. He began the museum collection in 1973 and spent forty years traveling the world in order to find rare American airplanes and parts.

Because of his hard work and dedication, the Yates Museum is now home to over 200 aircraft, many of which are extremely rare and the only one remaining species of their kind. He and his beloved wife, Judith Nichols, built a beautiful home and life centered around the work of love and commitment. He is proceeding in death by his wife and his son, Brett Nichols, survived by his daughters, Christine and Valerie, eight grandchildren, as well as many beloved great grand grandchildren who would carry on his memory forward. And secondly, I'd like to adjourn to Lieutenant Jim Michael memory. He was just five months in his retirement after twenty eight years of dedicated service to Montclair Police Department when he passed away in 1993.

He enlisted in The United States Army, where he served three years in a light infantry air assault unit assigned to the twenty fifth Infantry Division out of Hawaii. He deployed to Japan and Haiti as well. Lieutenant Michael was honorably discharged in 1996. He attended the San Diego County Sheriff's Academy in 'ninety seven. Lieutenant Jim Michael began his career with the Montclair Police Department in December 1997.

Lieutenant Michael worked in uniformed patrol. He was a field training officer at DRE, a member of the POP team, and an narcotics investigator. Lieutenant Michael held four year assignments as a detective where he worked fraud, property crimes, and crimes against a person. In August 13, Lieutenant Michael Sporle, sergeant, survived the supervised patrol, major accident investigation team, field training program. In November 2018, he was promoted to lieutenant.

As a field service lieutenant, he managed patrol operation dispatch, mobile field force, the field training program, specialized enforcement team, the major accident investigation team, volunteers, the explorer program, recruitment, and community relations. As supportive service lieutenant, he served as the department's department's post coordinator and managed the Detective Bureau, Tech Services Evidence and Records Bureau. And with that, I'd like to adjourn memory in both those names, Madam Chair. Thank you.

Thank you very much. This morning, I would like to adjourn in memory of two Big Bear residents who lost their lives in a tragic automobile accident. Kathy Greenwood was 85 at the time of her passing, and Sandra Sense was 64. Both women were incredibly involved in their community and volunteered for the local Meals on Wheels program. Kathy's daughter was also in a vehicle with them at the time of the accident and currently is in critical condition.

I'd like to ask everybody to keep their families in their presence at this difficult time. Thank you. And this morning, have one special presentation. If everyone will join me in the well, please. Could I have Steven Lee Castillo join us up here, please?

Good morning and congratulations. We would like to present this certificate of resolution in honor of Stephen Lee Castillo who's retiring after thirty years with the county. Stephen began his career as a fiscal clerk and has since advanced across 11 departments. He's concluding his career with County Fire where he serves as a finance officer. Steven is a lifelong resident of the county and has committed numerous years to youth sports with the Grand Terrace Community Soccer Club and the Grand Terrace Little League. We thank you for your dedication to the county and a happy retirement.

Sure, thank you. I just would like to say thank you. I completely appreciate the opportunity to have a career. I now intend to spend more time with friends and family, and thank you all.

Would you like to bring up any friends and family for photos?

Yes, please.

Friends and family, will you feel join us up here? I was about to hand him the microphone. If we have others from the department that would like to join us.

Actually, Steven has been a very valued member of our team and has done so much for us to get us on the right fiscal track and a little surprise. I mean, kind of handed over it and I kept telling him thirty more years, but he didn't want to listen. But it's a great day for your family and we're really proud of you Thank you for supporting us the way you have.

Congratulations. Thank you again. We will now move on to our reports from our county council. Laura? Thank you, Madam Chair.

I have nothing to report.

All right. And due to the length of our meeting today, it will be exceptionally long. We're going to move our comments, our board member comments and our CEO comments to the very end of today's agenda. And with that, Danette, do we have any changes or additions to the agenda today?

We do. On Item 99, recommendation 2A has been revised to approve the application and preliminary environmental description form, including the nonstandard indemnification provision related to local agency formation commission proposal, LAFCO three thousand two and seventy nine. Recommendation 2B has been revised to delegate authority to the fire chief, fire warden or the deputy chief to sign and certify the application and preliminary environmental description form and any other documents which includes a non standard provisions related to local agency formation commission proposal, LAFCO three thousand two seventy nine subject to review by County Council and recommendation 2C was revised to direct the fire chief fire warden to transmit the application and preliminary environmental description form and any documents under recommendation 2B to the Secretary of the Board of Directors within thirty days of execution. Those are all the changes that I have today. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you very much. If any Board member has any conflict of interest to disclose, now would be the time to do so. All right. Seeing none, we will move on to our consent calendar, which today consists of items number two through 100. Do we have any board members wishing to pull an item for discussion? All right. We have two requests to speak this morning. First up is Garth Pissant followed by Carlo. Do we have Garth in chambers? Oh, thank you.

Good morning, sir. Now we can.

Good morning. It's good to be before the honorable board of supervisors. Item 50, probation. Authorize the purchase of prepaid negotiables for from various transportation, retail, and food vendors for use by adult and juvenile offenders to assist with basic necessities and support adherence to program plans in an aggregate amount not to exceed $280,000 for the period of 07/01/2026 through 06/30/2027. Presenter Tracy Reese. I take my hat off to you.

Thank you very much. Our next request is from Carlo. Good morning, sir.

Good morning. The ankle's getting better, you know? Some things you do serving your country, and you're like, alright. I gotta fix this later. But, anyways, I wanna say thank you to the board, first and foremost, for allowing me to speak and some of the mothers and fathers to speak as well in regards to CFS.

As we look at these agenda items and especially with '29 and 2030, we just don't know. We haven't had clear evidence that these false allegations and everything supporting the system has stopped. We're talking about $8,000,000 today. Last week, we were here for a 147,000,000 and etcetera. But as these Latinos and black families are going through these services for child abuse mind you, child abuse.

Right? Let's think about that a little bit. What are group homes? They're filled with child abuse. The state, the county has pulled these kids out of their homes, and you can't provide proof that they're based on false allegations, and they're sitting in wallowing in child abuse.

Victorville, foster homes, torture, starvation, child abuse. People in suits who come to your home, take your kids, who falsify allegations on paper, put them in worse situations. But yet in court, you're abusing the families. This is family abuse, emotional abuse, trauma, cycles of this. And we're targeting Latinos, blacks, and poor whites.

Now I'm starting to see other races as Asians and whatnot. But I always ask these families when we're looking at these cases, because I wanna give it a Maria test. Right? The white Maria test. If you can grow up your kids, spray them in the face with oven cleaner, and attack them for the bible, and not lose one day of custody, that should be the standard here in San Bernardino because the Equal Protection Clause says such. You cannot treat one person, her status, economic standing and class in the society, and treat black, brown, and Latina women different. And then say, hey. Guess what? We have all these kids that we need services because they were abused. Bam.

What is really going on here? It just smells to me like a bunch of fraud. Seriously. We've had history and reports in other states of social workers and county councils, attorneys being arrested and charged for this. I'm telling you, it's going on now.

It is going on now in San Bernardino. And all of us who are taxpayers, pay for this. We are paying for this, and we'll pay for this because God is watching all of us. Silence is complicity. Thank you, and have a great morning.

Thank you very much.

That is

same items to

request to speak. Thank you for the motion, supervisor Hagman, and the second, vice chair Baca. All those in favor? Aye. Any opposed? Any abstentions?

With that, the consent calendar passes unanimously.

Thank you very much. We will now move on to our discussion calendar starting with agenda item number 101, which is a public hearing and ordinance related to the adoption and amendment of the 2025 Addition of the California Fire Code being presented this morning by Chief Muncie. I will open the public hearing while he makes his way down to join us. Good morning, chief.

Good morning. I'm gonna be sitting here, but our fire marshal Monica Ronchetti will do the presentation. Presentation.

Morning. These microphones right in front of you are hard to hear. If you can pull it close to you, that would be fantastic.

Is that better?

Much better.

Alright. Good morning, Madam Chair, Board of Supervisors. The San Bernardino County Fire Protection District Ordinance related to the adoption and amendment of the 2025 edition of the California Fire Code.

Next slide.

The California Fire Code contains regulations consistent with practices for safeguarding life and property from hazards including the hazards of fire and explosion and use of hazardous materials. The California Fire Code is updated by the state every three years. The last update was the 2025 edition of the California Fire Code. Pursuant to California Health and Safety Code section 13,869 and government code section 50,022, the San Bernardino County Fire Protection District may adopt by reference the 2025 edition of the California Fire Code and amend as necessary based on certain findings. The proposed ordinance will repeal ordinance FPD 20 three-one and adopt the provisions of the 2025 edition of the California Fire Code along with certain changes that are reasonably necessary.

Include existing local amendments carried over from the previous adoption and amend the 2025 edition of the California Fire Code the 2025 edition of the California Wildland Urban Interface Code as appropriate. Some of these significant changes deleted Section three through 26 and Section 28 through 34 of the previous ordinance as they have been included in Chapters one, three, five, fifty, fifty seven and fifty eight adopted Chapter one of California Fire Code adopted California Wildland Urban Interface Code by reference increased idle pallet storage height to 20 feet in height to match the California Fire Code amended requirements for mechanically operated security gates to require exit loops be installed at a fire access gate and required an infrared automatic gate system for all new and existing electrically operated gates adopted Appendix P to provide codes for temporary haunted houses, ghost walks and similar amusement uses increased penalties for transportation and storage of dangerous fireworks from $12.50 dollars to a maximum penalty of $15,000 Any questions?

Do we have any questions? No? Very good. I will close the public hearing. I do not believe I have any requests to speak on this item. I have a motion from Supervisor Hagman and a second from Vice Chair Baca. All those in favor? Aye. Any opposed? Any abstentions?

With that, item 101 passes unanimously.

Thank you very much. Item number 102 is a public hearing on proposed adjustment to property related service charges for Community Service Area 70 Zone R15,

which

is in Landers being presented this morning by Noel Castillo. Before I open the public hearing, are there any property owners or persons registered to vote in the county service area who wish to file a written protest? If so, they must be filed with the clerk now. All right. I will open the public hearing. Good morning, Noel.

Good morning. Good morning, Chair, Board members. I'm here to give a brief overview of the proposed adjustments to the property related service charge for CSA 70, Zone R15. Next slide. In 1984, property owners requested the formation of this road zone to support maintenance and grading for about 164 miles of dirt roads in the Landers area.

The annual parcel charge set at $20 has never been adjusted since its adoption. Next slide. A recent 2025 departmental review found that this fixed fee no longer covers the cost of maintaining the dirt roads. As a result, routine grading has been suspended due to lack of adequate funding. The proposed changes are solely to support operations, maintenance, not capital projects.

Next slide. To address this shortfall, we proposed to update the annual port parcel charge from $20 to $75 Included with this adjustment is an annual inflationary adjustment of up to 3%. There is no allocation for loans or capital improvements. This is strictly about sustaining day to day maintenance activities. This adjustment is designed to restore sustainable maintenance levels and ensure continued service for the community.

The road district is within the Landers area as you can see here. Next slide. As required by the Proposition two eighteen process, if a majority protest is received, the adjustment cannot proceed and the zone will be disillusioned, shifting road maintenance responsibility to the property owners. If the majority protest is received, the board may authorize a a if no majority protest is received, the board may authorize a mail ballot election with the earliest possible date being 07/03/2026. An independent provider would conduct the election, a majority yes vote from the property owners would required for the would be required for the new rate to take effect.

We recognize the road maintenance effects, daily access, safety, and quality of life for residents in this area. Your participation today, whether through questions, comments, or formal protests, is vital part of this process. Next slide. And this concludes my presentation.

Thank you very much. We have a number of public speakers. We're going to start here in San Bernardino, then we're going go out to our Jawasu Retrie conferencing site. First up here is Ray Pessa followed by Mike Hawkins. Oh, sir, our podiums for public comment are up in the two.

Good morning, Ray. Our public commenters will have three minutes. When it reaches the thirty second warning, the light will flash yellow and then red at the end of the time. Thank you very much.

Okay. Thank you for hearing me. And my concerns about the increase in cost to the special districts for road maintenance. I pretty made clear the last time we were up here. And so I just thought I'd use my three minutes to bring a little more to your attention.

The little map that I handed out is pretty old, kinda like my memory. But if you look at section 13, that's the section that I referred to when I talked about the, letter from Tim Millington to get the, tractor to stop grading the two roads, Wright Road and Touchstone because they were being destroyed, cutting the the hard crust off the top. And, he agreed as long as they preferred or agreed to continue paying the the $20, which was nothing, but it's a little bit different now. I mean, I know this is not a lot of money, but everybody in that section 13 that I have circled there signed it. Well, I shouldn't say everybody.

They signed that petition to make that happen. And I would propose to special districts that section 13 and the one to the to the left, 18, which is in a different township, 18 is completely barren. There's nothing on it. There's no taxes to be received there. And 13, as I said last time we were here, hasn't received any road maintenance since 2007.

I think it was seven. And the property owners themselves maintain the roads as agreed to with Tim Millington. And on the left, Section 14, is another section. And there are property owners out there. And it probably wouldn't take much me for me to petition them to agree with my idea.

And what I propose is to have special district draw a line across the bottom of those three sections on which on this map it says Ritchie Road, but it's not Ritchie Road. It's Bodik Bodik Road, and remove those three sections from the Special district Zone 70 R 15. So that would be my challenge whether or not the increase of funds for the road maintenance go through is to get those three sections removed. None of them are receiving road maintenance at Thank this

you, sir. The next request to speak is Mike Hawkins, and then we're going go out to Joshua Tree. And as Mike is making his way to the podium, our speakers will have Jennifer Cusack out there followed by Christine Hudson. Good morning.

Good morning, board. I'm Mike Hawkins. I live in Yucca Valley, California. And I'm against the proposed increase and I opposed putting it on the ballot. Forty years ago, myself and another property owner in what became the northernmost portion of Road District 15 attended meetings to consider its formation.

I conveyed them that we were not interested in anyone grading our roads, the roads in our area, Section 13, as was mentioned by Ray. Section 13 Township 3 North, Range 5 East Of San Bernardino Meridian. We were included nonetheless. Many property owners in our area are the same families who acquired their places through the Small Tract Act in the fifties. It was they who built our roads.

It was we who maintained them better than seventy years, not the government, not the taxpayer. They are not county roads. They are ours. Nineteen years ago, we had to petition the district to stop work in our area because of problems it was causing. Grading has scraped off many tons of decomposed granite that was laid down in the fifties to fortify a quarter mile stretch of Wright Boulevard, leaving it so sandy that property owners on Robynesse and Ordway began allowing the handful of neighbors to the north access through their properties.

Berm work on both Makiska and Bodik, just west of Wright Boulevard, changed drainage in such a manner that it allowed subsequent rain to flood two occupied residences on Wright Road. When a resident on the North Side of Touchstone decided to put a fence on his property line, never mind that that's the middle of the road, the greater simply moved the road over beyond the right of way provided on the opposite property. The district does not need our roads. There is no access through the district through our area as it is open desert beyond. And our area is accessible without the district as well, Steve MAP.

In 2007, special districts agreed to stop the maintenance in our area but continued the annual charge. Our outlying area has subsidized the rest of the district without benefit to us for nineteen years. That's okay. We like to help with all the roads that everyone uses. Glad to that the district stopped destroying ours. But I'm against quadrupling the cost, nearly quadrupling the cost of a service we didn't want in the first place, haven't even had for two decades and still won't have no matter what we are charged. Thank you.

Thank you very much. We'll now go out to our Joshua Tree teleconferencing site. We'll have Jennifer Cusack followed by Christine Hudson and then Mike Lipsetz.

Good morning, chair, members of the board. Thank you for allowing remote participation today. My name is Jennifer Cusack. I'm the new general manager at Bighorn Desert View Water Agency in Landers. Last week, our board of directors adopted a resolution in support of County service Area 70 Zone R 15 for Landers.

We strongly support increasing the assessment to maintain this critical basic service. The current assessment at only $20 per parcel that has not been increased since 1984 is no longer sufficient to keep pace with the inflation or even provide adequate emergency repairs following rain events, flooding, and erosion. County staff have done a good job with limited resources, but the current funding structure is simply no longer sustainable. Maintaining dirt roads and landers is important not only for residents and emergency access, but also for protecting public infrastructure. Flooding and erosion can expose water lines and damage infrastructure located within the roads.

Ongoing grading and storm repair help reduce those risks and maintain safe and reliable access throughout the community. The proposed increase to 55 of 55 more per parcel annually with a reasonable 3% inflationary adjustment is necessary to maintain this critical service into the future. It is our understanding that without your support, this service will no longer be viable and is currently already paused. We recognize the importance of county road service funding, and we support maintaining this item and respectfully encourage your support. Thank you for your time.

Thank you very much. Next up, we have Christine Hudson followed by Mike Lipsetz and then Jose Martinez.

Hello. I'm Christine Hudson. I live on Yucca Mesa in Landers, and I'm for the increase in the road maintenance. I've been out here for over fifteen years. I've seen the my road, Yucca Mesa, degrade due to increased traffic, and I just support raising the the fee because we do need our roads maintained because there's been some services that won't come out to my house because of the road.

So I'd like to see it on the ballot, and I want to have the ability to have my road maintained for traffic and also this my car. I mean, it's tearing my car up. So, thank you.

Thank you very much. Mike Lipsetz followed by Jose Martinez and then Jane Martinez.

Good morning. Thank you for the opportunity to weigh in on the issue of road maintenance in Landers. My name is Mike Lipsetz. I'm president of the Landers Homestead Valley Community Association, and have been a resident of Landers since 2004. Take a drive along any two miles of the more than 150 miles of Landers graded dirt roads.

You'll understand why there's community support for the road maintenance increase. Henry Mack and his team at special districts have put together a solid proposal that is reasonable in scope, manageable as far as the cost to property owners, and sustainable given the annual inflation based increase. A $75 annual a $75 annual assessment is a fraction of the cost of replacement shocks or struts, tires, and alignment. Vehicle repair is an obvious cost, less obvious, but just as certain are the costs associated with depressed property values, damages to utilities like phone lines and water infrastructure, and any of the other consequences seen when roads turn to gullies and bone join washboards. How about the cost of a human life should first responders arrive too late to render aid because bad roads require detours and other delays?

For these reasons, the Landers Homestead Valley Association unanimously passed a resolution in support of the road maintenance increase as did Bighorn Desert View Water Agency. The dire need for road maintenance in Landers is a given. What our community is asking for today is a little different. We're asking for the same opportunity that you've given Copper Mountain Mesa, Flamingo Heights, Yucca Mesa, Pioneer Town, and Wonder Valley. What we're asking for is the freedom to vote on this road maintenance proposal.

You're not deciding if our roads get fixed. You're deciding whether or not property owners and landers get to make that determination for themselves. We hope you'll make the right decision. And very quickly, I'd like to ask the clerk of the board why many letters why the many letters of support failed to make it into the background material for the issue. That omission was a disservice to the board and the people of Landers. Thank you. Good morning.

Thank you. Jose Martinez followed by Jane Martinez.

Good morning. Good morning, board of supervisors and chairman Rowe. My name is Jose r Martinez. I am a homeowner of three properties in the Yucca Valley area, and I'm here to advocate not just for myself. I already have had the privilege of voting for my properties, voting yes that we need the roads approved.

I'm also a member on the board of directors at the Big Horn Water District, which indicated to you that we need it as well. I understand that there are some folks opposed, and I've been there since 1987. And I understand that there's some folks opposed, but the reality is that all of us I'm not advocating for myself because I'm able to vote now. I'm advocating for the whole community. Landers has a right to vote.

Let us make our own determination. Let us make our own determination as to what we need. That's what we're asking for. I'm asking for and advocating for my my friends and neighbors in Landers to have the same opportunity that I have in Flamingo Heights, those that are in the Mesa, those that are in the Johnson Valley, all of our communities that have that had the right to vote, that Landers have the right to vote. And those that are opposed, they can oppose it.

But those of us that are for it, let us have that right and let us decide for ourselves, your constituents, to decide for ourselves what is right for us, not anyone else. Let us have that right. I'm asking you to consider landers and give them the opportunity to vote like I've had. I think that's the only right thing that all your constituents have the same rights that I've had. I wanna thank you for your time, and I hope that we have an approval.

Thank you, sir. Jane Martinez is our last request to speak.

Thank you for allowing me to speak to you this morning. Landers is an anchor community in the Homestead Valley area. The population is approximately 3,000. There is Landers Elementary School, post office, Moose Lodge, Homestead Valley Association, including a thrift store, Homestead Valley Park, Googler's Orchid Farm, the Integratron, and a couple of, event centers that are being built as well as two churches. It is imperative that this community have the opportunity to vote on improving its roads because it is needed for its citizens to travel safely. Thank you.

Thank you very much. That is the last request to speak. Any questions of the board?

Just a comment. Sure. Thank you. I realized that I've been around long enough to see these, and they were established about forty years ago and never been updated, adjusted. And just the cost of inflation from 1984 to today is 220.4%. So even at '75, it's less than what the inflation rate's been since it established forty years ago. I'm just wondering, Noel, how many more are these out there? Because I keep thinking of, if I found one that's no longer here, nope. I guess there's a bunch more. And how can we get them because we're doing a disservice.

We have an area that's supposed to be maintained, and we're not doing it because we're not bringing the funds in. We are doing a disservice to those people are paying those property taxes. How do we get this up to more of a modern type of thing and not have to wait forty years to do adjustments?

Thank you for the question, Board member. I have to give kudos to our staff on the concerted effort that they've been doing on this front. So we're about halfway there. So our folks have been meeting with the communities. It takes a lot of community engagement and meetings to make sure that we're out there, first of all, and trust making sure that they have our trust that we're doing the right thing with monies that we're stewards of, right, to make sure that we are doing an efficient job.

So through all those meetings, we make sure that we're level setting with them. They understand what services we're able to provide. And as you may know, this special district's division of the public works department was taken over in 2020. So we've been working towards this ever since to get us to a sustainable entire system. So, again, we're about halfway there, and then we'll continue to have those community meetings with each community, make sure we have that engagement, that we have that buy in as we continue to move forward because it really is up to them. And as you can tell today, we put it up to a vote through a ballot to make sure that they want to do this.

No, and I appreciate that process. Appreciate your team's hard work on this, too. But, you know, to the public who just saw this one item, oh, you're going up 400. Well, it's really been less than 3% without adjustment since the time. Even that 3% would be or just the cost inflation would be $81.75 that you're proposing today, with my rough calculations here. But it doesn't look good. Go from one thing to the other. So yeah, as much as you can working with the CEO staff to bring those other ones through and get them on track. Or alternative is for us to let those things go. And I do like the idea for residents to have their say in it and have the vote on it and what they want to do with their community.

But hopefully, you'll get them service if we're going be charging them for it, too. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you. Any other comments? Supervisor Cook?

Yeah. Landers in the area that talked to I'm in strong support of this. It's an area that simply because it's in the middle of nowhere, the desert, it has a tendency to be forgotten. And, unfortunately, I've had occasion out there because even back when I was in the Marine Corps where you'd have somebody that after a a of the exercises that they would have out there, you would be missing an individual. And I hate to tell you this, but very rarely found them.

And it's kind of scary when you think about it. It's a huge area. In the summer, it's almost impossible to to be outside. There's a lot of people that come in from the big cities to go out there. They don't even have water going out there.

I mean, how stupid can you be? And and the desert is very, very unforgiving. It's very beautiful. It's majestic and everything else. And sometimes the people that live out there because they're just such a small number, they don't have the power that other people in other communities have because of the small numbers.

I I don't know. There's a lot of history. I I think it's an area that has a tendency for people in all areas to forget about them. And the worst situation is when you have somebody left over from a or whatever that you can't find them. And you walk constantly or you're you're trying to find them hopefully alive.

Sometimes it doesn't turn out like that because we all know the desert is very, very unforgiving. So I'm very, very supportive of what we can do on that and correct an area simply because of the small number of people there. I think their power to be represented is often forgotten. Thank you.

Thank you. Luther?

Thank you, madam chair. Just a comment I'd like to make about the rate increases in general as it relates to these special districts, as well as the annual inflator, as Supervisor Hagman was mentioning. While it's not popular to increase rates, equally not popular to have an annual inflator, what we found in reviewing these is that those special districts that were established with an annual inflator built into it have been able to self sustain. And the way the law works and the legal process, the administrative process that goes into addressing rate increases with these, they're expensive, and those processes are paid for from those districts. So the funds that could be used for road maintenance end up being used for the administrative process to get rate increases.

Increases. So in Noel and my conversations, we are strong advocates for when we do bring these forward, bringing them forward with some sort of annual increase in that amount so that it paces with inflation so that we're able to keep talented, qualified employees there serving and working on those roads. And any labor costs or in materials costs, equipment costs also pace with that. So I just wanted to share that. I know it's not fun to have rate increases. It's not you know, it impacts people. But that is not our goal. Our goal is to keep them small, modest, and the district's in good repair. Thank you.

Thank you. I would like to address the comment that we had from Mr. Lipsetz about the public comments that were received. They were emailed to the clerk of the Board, a specific Board member comment, email address. And the residents and landers that were in favor of this sent them in by the close of business on Thursday, is what I was told.

But apparently, according to the clerk, that email address doesn't open until Friday when the agenda is published. And then the comments are received during the period of time until we start the meeting, and then they are distributed electronically to the Board of Supervisors. So when I realized that that happened, I asked for all of those to be pulled out, and then they were there were 17 of them. They were then emailed to the Board electronically, even though they may not have made it into background for the record on this, but that the supervisors did receive them in support of this. And maybe we can discuss how we keep that email open at all times in the future.

It was confusing to me as well as the residents. With that, I'll entertain a motion. I'll move it. Thank you for the motion, Supervisor Hagman, and a second by Sherbaca. All those in favor? Oh, wait.

I'm going

to close the public hearing before I call for the vote. All those in favor? Aye. Any opposed? Any abstentions?

With that, recommendations one and

two passes unanimously. Thank you very much. And with that, we will move on to let's see here. We have to tabulate now?

Correct. We did not receive any? So nothing has been received? Correct. So a majority we didn't receive it today, but there is not a majority protest that exists.

So now we move on to the board recommendations item three and four. Correct. Thank you for the motion. Supervisor Hagman and the second Vice Chair Abacca. All those in favor of recommendations three and four? Aye. Any opposed?

With that recommendations three and four passes unanimously.

Thank you very much. Thank you, Noel. Appreciate the patience on this agenda item. Item number 103 is a public hearing regarding the placement of delinquent water and sewer charges on the twenty twenty six-twenty twenty seven tax roll for collection also being presented by Noel. As a reminder, there is staff in the rotunda area available to answer any questions that you have on this as well as item number 104. So I will open the public hearing and turn it over to Noel.

Thank you once again, Chair Rao. Next slide. Special Districts provides water and sanitation services for a total of 13 county service areas, CSAs. Within that, there is five water only, six sanitation only and two water and sanitation combo CSAs. Any water or sanitation accounts sixty days delinquent as of May 1 are added to our county tax roll for collection.

Collection of delinquent charges supports fiscal solvency of the CSAs by ensuring revenues for the operation and infrastructure maintenance of each separate system. The total number of delinquent water accounts is 136 out of 8,387, which is an average delinquency rate of two percent. No change in percentage from last year. The total number of delinquent sanitation accounts is five twelve out of 9,011, which is an average delinquency rate of 6%, a decrease from 8% last year. Next slide.

All CSA bills are mailed on a bimonthly basis for a total of six cycles annually. To mitigate delinquent fees, special districts notified customers of delinquent accounts by completing the following actions before applying delinquent charges to the county tax roll. Regular bimonthly bill mailed, thirty day delinquent notice mailed with past due messages and late charges applied, forty five day final notice mailed, And for water only, sixty day service disconnected. Seven days prior to the disconnect disconnection, customers receive a courtesy phone call on a red door tag if unable to reach customer by phone. For sanitation only, ninety day intent to lien notice mailed, including payment plan option.

Special districts mailed a hearing notice letter to letter prior to 05/01/2026 to notify property owners with delinquent accounts of hearing. In addition, all attempts by customers to contact special districts by phone, e mail or in person regarding the delinquent water and sanitation charges are actively offered a payment option plan. Customers are also offered an external resource for financial assistance. If the delinquent accounts amounts owed are still outstanding on August 3, special districts will submit a final list of accounts to the county to collect funds through the property tax roll. Any delinquent fees resolved by August 3 will not be added to the tax roll.

Next slide. Currently, there are a total of six forty eight delinquent accounts through 2026, with approximately $466,000 in unpaid fees. It is important to mention historically, we have found 25% of delinquent accounts are resolved before the final list is submitted to the tax collectors collectors office in August. Special districts customer service staff are in the rotunda available to answer any questions to the public, that they may have. This concludes my presentation.

Thank you very much. Do we have any requests to speak on this item at all? We do not.

Just a comment.

Comment? Just

a comment. No, you brought it up in your presentation, but not in the paperwork that we received. I'm a big trend person. I'd love to see five years. We're going trending one way or the other. And is it mostly the sewer or the water? Just some historical, know, having a certain number at a year date doesn't help too much. But if I know the trend's going worse or it's getting less, can I give you a sense of the microeconomies throughout the county?

I agree. Yes. We'll definitely do that maybe for the five years to see the longer trend line.

Thank you. I'll move the item.

I'm gonna close the public hearing. Thank you very much for the motion. Supervisor Hegmann and the second Vice Chair Baca. All those in favor? Aye. Any opposed? Any abstentions?

With that, item 103 passes unanimously. Thank you

very much. Item number 104 is a public hearing for the collection of solid waste handling fees, also presented by Noel. And I will open the public hearing.

Thank you. Last item, I promise. Good morning once again. We'll go on to slide number two. Uniform handling or mandatory trust collection was established by the county in 2004 for residential property owners in Valley and most of the mountain areas to assist the county with meeting the assembly bill nine thirty nine and senate bill thirteen eighty three.

Assembly bill nine thirty nine mandates the county to divert 50% of all waste from landfills and Senate Bill thirteen eighty three mandates the county to adopt enforceable mechanisms to provide organic collection service to all generators. In 2022, uniform hauling was approved for all unincorporated residential and commercial properties unless granted a low population waiver from the state in order to comply with Senate Bill thirteen eighty three regulations. Uniform handling service is a standardized way to provide refuse collection service, reduce illegal dumping, and enhance recycling programs. To provide flexibility to residents and businesses, there are alternative to uniform handling service that include the county's self haul exception program where residents and businesses can haul their own waste in lieu of paying for mandatory service to the franchise waste and haulers, And the hauler provided fee waiver program where the residents in some franchise areas that infrequently use their properties and have less than six kilowatts of daily average power usage per month can opt out of mandatory service and receive bill credits through the haulers. Next slide.

In areas subject to uniform hauling services, County Code and the franchise agreements prohibit that franchise waste hauler from discontinuing service because of nonpayment of service fees. Accounts that are unpaid for ninety days or more become delinquent and fees are considered a debt to the county that are subject to collection through property tax as a lien. To mitigate delinquent fees, waste haulers notify customers of their delinquent accounts through monthly robocalls, messages on billing statements and direct notices. The county generated a hearing notice letter that was mailed out by the waste haulers on 05/05/2026 to notify property owners with delinquent accounts of the hearing and the option to pay any delinquent fees by July 27 to avoid the fees going to the property tax bill. If the delinquent amounts owed are still outstanding after July 27, the waste haulers will submit a final list of accounts to the County to collect funds through the property tax roll and liens will be recorded against the properties.

Any delinquent fees subject to the lien process are not sorry, any delinquent fees subject to the lien process that are not resolved by July 27 will not be added to the tax roll. Next slide. Currently, is a total of 9,015 delinquent accounts through March 2026, which approximately $3,600,000 in unpaid fees. This equates to about a 13% delinquency rate. The percentage of delinquent accounts dropped to 9% in 2025, but rose to 13% in 2026.

A shift influence expanded by mandatory service areas as well as the annexation of some additional parcels as well as SB thirteen eighty three requirements. And earlier administration deadlines that increased the number of accounts appearing on initial administrative deadlines I'm sorry. The last item that caused the increase was administrative deadlines that increased the number of accounts appearing on initial delinquency list. So although more accounts were flagged as delinquent to these changes, historical trends suggest that the same number of liens will be resolved prior to the liens being recorded. In the past, on average, this equates to approximately a third of the number of potential liens being initially reported.

Therefore, the final number of liens recorded in 2026 is expected to resemble the 2025 levels. As of Friday, May 15, the total number of liens had been reduced by 30% from six thousand two hundred and forty six six thousand two hundred and forty six instead of the 9,015. And we expect the number to continue to decrease prior to the liens being recorded. Next slide. This concludes my presentation.

Thank you very much. I do not have any requests to speak on this item. Any members of the Board have questions?

Just the same general comment. I mean, that's a big number, dollars 3,600,000. I'm just wondering what the trend lines are for year over year on that. Is this normal? Is this higher? That type of thing. So thank you. I'll move it.

I'm going to close the public hearing. Thank you for the motion. Supervisor Hagman?

Second.

Thank you. All those in favor? Aye. Any opposed? Any abstentions?

With that, item 104 passes unanimously.

Thank you very much. Item number 105 is requested by Ensign Mason to retain independent legal counsel being presented by Laura Feingold.

Thank you, Madam Chair and members of the board. As referenced by the chair, this item is to consider Ensign Mason, the county's elected auditor controller, treasurer, and tax collector's request made on May 12 that the county retain independent counsel to represent his interests in an ongoing investigation. That investigation was requested by the chair on 02/24/2026, to evaluate two issues regarding Mr. Mason. The first was to consider whether the operation of mister Mason's private investment business in Synn Financial Services creates an actual or perceived conflict of interest with his elected position.

The second part of the investigation concerns an allegation of whether mister Mason is able to fulfill his county duties while also managing his private business. To complete this investigation, my office hired two firms, two independent firms, one a law firm and one an accounting firm. One portion of that investigation has been completed. The report is submitted to my office. The second portion has not been completed and remains ongoing.

Mr. Mason is requesting for the remainder of that investigation. The law permits Mr. Mason to make that request when he believes the county counsel has a conflict of interest and that that prevents him from that prevents my office from providing legal services to help him perform his job duties. Because my office is overseeing this investigation, we do have a conflict of interest.

However, mister Mason's request is specifically for counsel to represent his interest in the investigation. He is not requesting counsel to assist him in carrying out the official duties of his office. The law does not require the county to pay for legal representation for mister Mason personally because it is not necessary to the performance of his duties. The question before the board today is whether the county would like to authorize payment for independent counsel to represent mister Mason in connection with this investigation as he has requested.

Do we know what caused the delay in the second investigation?

Mister Mason made a request to delay his interview initially until after the election, but ultimately agreed to be interviewed on May 11. That interview was completed. It resulted in the production of documents that are being evaluated before the final report is prepared and sent to our office.

And do we know if Mr. Mason has representation now? Any interaction with an attorney?

I am not aware, but I've also not asked him.

Okay. I have one request to speak on this, and then we'll bring it back to the board. Mr. Mason?

Good morning, board. The item we have before you is a, government code nine nine five demand letter, which creates a situation where litigation is reasonably anticipated whether you vote yes or no, and it should be addressed in closed session. Discussion of the legal merits and scope of the investigation or the county's potential exposure in open session would prejudice the county's legal position in any such proceedings. Closed pro closed session is appropriate and recommended under government code five four nine five six dot nine. I have asked for a copy of the first investigation which has been completed, and that that request was denied under attorney client privilege.

If anything is discussed here about that investigation, it becomes immediately disclosable to me under under label labor code one one nine eight point five three. You will be waiving client attorney privilege under evidence code nine one two. If you discuss anything other than the attorney request, that you would once again be violating the Brown Act, is also known as government code five four nine five zero. The investigation itself was a Brown Act violation. As everybody on the diocese should know, you are not permitted to discuss nor take action on any item that's not on the agenda.

You discussed the item and took action on an item, and it was not on the agenda. You have violated the Brown Brown Code. If you discuss the investigation here today, you will be doing so again. All the other folks that come up here, especially the CPS peep people who are concerned about CPS, Every meeting, beg for your help, beg for your involvement, and you do nothing. You say nothing because you can't, because it's a Brown Act violation.

But you decided to you decided whatever it was for me to to to not do that. You won't help children when people come up here every single meeting and ask, but you will attack me. So I'm asking that you don't do that again. Harm my they don't get as much as a reassuring word, but you you will go out of your way to harm my reputation. This is the last meeting before election. I don't I think everybody who's listening to this knows what's what's going on here, why this investigation is being performed, and and probably, you know, the motive behind the words you're about to say. So thank you.

That's the last request to speak that I have. So, Lor, can you clarify the motion today is to authorize payment of his attorney's fees that we're unaware of or to deny that. Is that correct? Correct. So I need a board motion one way or the other.

I'll make a motion that we deny.

Do I have a second? I'll second the motion to deny. All those in favor? Aye. Any opposed? Alright. And I have a question for you. We have heard Mr. Mason make a lot of accusations directly to the media as well as on social media that I do not believe at all to have merit or truth in them. Could you please bring back an item for the board to consider censure or removal?

Yes. Thank you.

With that, we will move on to our next agenda item, number 106. It is the appeal of the Planning Commission's approval of the Maverick convenience store and gas station project. This item is being continued to the June 9 board meeting, but I would like to open the public hearing and have anybody here today provide public comment that came down for this. And I believe we have four requests to speak so far. So your comments today will remain a part of the official record, and then we will continue this to that future meeting on June 9.

Our first request to speak is Debbie McAfee, followed by Ann Hale, and then Barbara Fredett. Do we have

For my text here. Hold on. Hi. My name is Debbie McAfee. I moved to Pinion Hills twenty one years ago from Los Angeles. I moved here specifically because I wanted to live in a rural and natural environment. I would have moved to Hisperia or Victor Ville if I had wanted more services. Twenty one years later, I still marvel at the mountains behind my home and the valley to the north. In the mornings, I wander my yard listening to the birds and looking for wild flowers. I do not want a maverick truck stop a stone's throw away from my home.

Since December, our team has been talking with hundreds of local residents, and the majority of folks are opposed to having a maverick truck stop in our community. If this is built, it will become the anchor of our town. A large gas station truck stop will turn this town into a pass through town for travelers. In addition, the proposed site is directly across from several residences. The proposed station will negatively impact the quality of those folks' lives drastically and possibly the value of their homes.

This will greatly interfere with our local community going to pick up their mail at the post office. Our team had a personal conversation with the postmaster. She told us that no one in the office of the applicant had made any contact with them talking about the Maverick's requirement that the traffic pattern going in and out of the post office be changed. And she specifically said they are not willing to do it because of how the mail gets delivered from their main station. Let's see.

Kevin Dites at the last meeting said he had talked to them, and they did not. We request that the county provide written proof that the US Post al Service was informed and is agreeable to the changes as per the statement that Kevin Dice made at the last meeting. In addition, this will create more traffic on Oasis Road in front of the Pinion Hills Elementary School with more big rigs going up and down. It will create a danger for the children entering and exiting the school and will interfere with multiple bus stops. I am not here to hate on Maverick.

We all want cheaper gas. Don't get me wrong. We are saying the location of this is completely wrong. I know the county wants the sales tax revenue. San Bernardino County is the largest county in the nation.

I know that a better location for this can be found in the county. As far as I'm aware, also, the applicant does not even own the property in question. It is not recorded in the applicant's name, and the realtor whose sign is on the property only tells us the property is in escrow. If the applicant were to find an additional location that would not impact the local residents or the local post office in another location in San Bernardino County, it would be a win win for all of us.

That's time.

Thank you. Anne Hale, followed by Barbara Fredette, and then Jan Grogan.

Morning. My name is Anne Hale. I've lived in Pinion Hills for thirty six years. I'm in opposition to the Maverick project. Traffic at the signal on Highway 138 and Oasis Road can back up for over a mile during peak hours.

Getting to the post office will be very difficult, if dangerous. Most residents in Pinion Hills must pick up their mail on-site since there are no home deliveries. The post office also serves home based businesses, people wanting to apply for passports, purchase stamps, ship packages, or buy money orders. Approximately eighteen eighty patrons pick up their mail regularly. Truck and vehicle traffic entering and exiting the Maverick Fueling Center would add an intense burden to the narrow roads by the post office.

Truck and vehicle paths crossing at the intersection of Buckthorn Road and Oasis Road would be dangerous. Traffic buildup on Highway 138 behind slow trucks leaving the Maverick Station or slower stopped excuse me trucks waiting to turn right on Oasis Road to enter the station would make it difficult for patrons to easily access the post office. The Maverick project would be across the street from the post office. Trucks entering and leaving the fueling station onto Oasis Road from Buckthorn Road would be mixing with vehicles trying to enter or leave the post office parking lot. There are no approved plans for the county to reconfigure the intersection at Buckthorn and Oasis where traffic exits the post office.

No one has contacted anyone

at

the post office from the postmistress on up about the proposed Maverick project. Project. This is quite an oversight considering that at the last hearing, Kevin Dice stated that he'd gotten word from the post office that they were amenable to reconfiguring the entire parking lot, changing the traffic pattern. Again, the post office knows of no such discussion. The project was approved by land use staff, even though these statements and certain site maps were not previously approved.

Thank you. Thank you very much. Barbara Ferdette, followed by Jan Grogan.

Good morning, supervisors. Regarding item 106, my husband and I own a home less than one mile from the approved Pinion Hills construction site for a Maverick truck stop. I'm here today to ask you to reject this construction project specifically because the station will service large trucks. Given that over half of the property area, five of the fueling stations and two of the three entrances are specifically designed for large commercial trucks, it is not unreasonable to expect that large trucks will comprise a large portion of the station's customers. The commercial property that has been proposed for the project is poorly suited for large truck access, and I believe will be extremely problematic and unsafe, not only for the Pinion Hills residents, but for also the truck drivers and car drivers who will use the station.

Here are my specific reasons. First of all, the truck stop has no direct access to Route 138 and instead proposes indirect access via Oasis Road and Buckthorn Road. While Highway 1 Hundred 38 meets state standards for STAA truck travel, neither Oasis Road nor Buckthorn Road meet these standards. Commercial truck use of these roads may even be in violation of AB 98 and SB four fifteen. These local rural roads are not suited for STAA truck travel.

Simply paving them between 138 and the station entrance will not make them suited or safe for large truck travel. The Maverick Corporation should have sought a better suited commercially zoned property, one that has Caltrans approved access to a designated truck route, thus ensuring safe and legal access to the station. Secondly, in the Maverick project plan, Oasis Road serves not only as an entrance to the gas station but also as an entrance to the Pinion Hills post office. Residents of Pinion Hills have no mail delivery to their homes. Eighteen eighty households must retrieve their daily mail deliveries from post office boxes located inside the post office.

The Maverick company has proposed the traffic will run smoothly and safely on Oasis and Buckthorn Road because they claim that Caltrans will post signal signage on Oasis Road and also that the post office has agreed to alter their traffic flow through their parking lot and alter their entrance and exit. But does the Maverick proposal include documented proof that Caltrans or the Pinion Hills post office to show that these precautions will occur? If such documents were not included in the proposal, then why was this project approved by the planning commission? The current plan presents a dangerous traffic situation on Oasis Road for Pinion Hills residents and for Maverick customers accessing the gas station. Surely, there must be commercial ventures that are better suited for this commercial property.

I urge the San Bernardino County Board Of Supervisors to overturn the Planning Commission's decision. This poorly planned project should never have been approved. Thank you. Thank you very much.

More?

Jan. It has disappeared for me. If you can read the name oh, Jan Grogan. There it is. Good morning.

Good morning, and thank you for listening to us. These three ladies have just covered everything. And I want to say that I have lived in Pinion Hill since 2002. And it is the most wonderful place that I've ever lived. Our neighbors are like family.

It's so different than other places I've lived that were also nice, but the people did not have ethics and the responsibility these people have. And one day, I was going down Gosch Road to Oasis. And that's about a half mile south or excuse me, north of Pinion Hills Elementary School. And a large semi flew past the stop sign I was at. He had a long flatbed behind him.

And when he got to the school area and where it says the speed limit should drop to 25, he did not slow down. I was had turned left, and I was behind him. And he was completely past that school before I even came to it. The playground on that elementary school is right next to Oasis Road. There's a sidewalk that's about four feet wide and then the fence that keeps the students in there.

In the afternoons, the parents pick these students up. Some of the students cross Oasis Road. They do have somebody holding a stop sign. But when you have that much traffic, those students are put at extreme danger. The thought of losing what we have in that rural community just devastates me.

And it does my neighbors, too, and other people that live in Phelan. And even up to Hesperia realize what we have in our area. And why would a truck stop be allowed to devastate a community like this? It's a rural community. Why don't they put that next to a freeway or in a larger city where it would be welcomed?

And people could use that. We don't need that in our community to destroy or kill or anything like that. And will our property taxes be raised to accommodate the road changes that will have to be made for these big trucks? And can the people afford them? We have wonderful young people with children, the most wonderful parents I've met in my life. They're so dedicated to their children. Why should they give this up so we can have a truck stop up there that will devastate

That's our time.

Thank you very much. With that, I will entertain a motion to continue this item to June 9.

Second.

Thank you, Supervisor Heigmann. And for the second, Vice Chair Baca. All those in favor? Aye. Any opposed? Any abstentions?

With that, item 106, open hearing, has been continued to 06/09/2026.

Thank you very much. Item number 107 is a presentation on the state of health care and key impacts facing hospitals being presented this morning by Andrew Good morning.

Good morning, Chair Rao, members of the Board. I'm Andrew Gofrack, the Chief Executive Officer for Arrowhead Regional Medical Center. Today I'm going to provide a brief overview on the state of healthcare and understanding key impacts and the healthcare landscape that we're facing related to HR1. The slide deck should only be about ten minutes or so and then I'll entertain questions as we go through this. The objective, as I mentioned, is really to provide you with a clear understanding of the healthcare landscape within San Bernardino County and the potential impacts that we all face relating to H.

R. One. The goal really is to look at the current landscape, provide an understanding of our current landscape, the financial overviews of the health care systems, and then the key headwinds and challenges that we're facing. Across San Bernardino County there are 19 acute care hospitals, 15 of which are private, one owned by the county, two district hospitals, and one federal VA facility. Addition, we have a fair number of specialty care hospitals, children's hospitals, post acute facilities, hospital based ambulatory clinics, federally qualified health care centers, private physician practices, mobile clinics, etc.

These are the services that really provide most of the health care services for the residents of San Bernardino County. This is just a quick snapshot of just the different hospitals that we have within the county just to kind of give a frame of reference. But what I really want to illustrate is really on the next slide, which is the inpatient utilization of services broken down by the payer or how those services are funded. Over 40% of all inpatient care services within San Bernardino County is done and paid through Medi Cal or Medi Cal managed programs. Of that, the vast majority of those are 83% of that is from IEHP.

Over 70% overall is from a government payer, which relates to both Medicare and Medi Cal services. And you can see that the top five hospitals that present or that receive patient care from a Medi Cal standpoint is Arrowhead Regional Medical Center, Loma Linda, Community Hospital San Bernardino, St. Bernardine, and Providence St. Mary's. While there is, again, the 19 hospitals, these are the top five that receive Medi Cal patients on the inpatient setting or the admitted patients.

This is different than the emergency department services, which as you can see on the next slide, similar in terms of number of hospitals where the top five hospitals that receive Medi Cal on the emergency department is Arrowhead, St. Bernardine's Community Hospital San Bernardino, Providence St. Mary's Medical Center, and Kaiser Fontana. But what I really want to illustrate on this slide is the numbers that are in front of you. The number of population for every, number of population within the county for every emergency department bed is about 4,445.

So for every one ER bed in the county, that represents 4,445 residents. That ranks 20 in the county rankings across all 58 counties. However, when you look at the counties with populations of 2,000,000 or more, we're the third highest ranked county in the state. The higher the ranking in this case is not good. It is it is bad.

And then when you look at the number of emergency department visits per bed, we actually rank number one in terms of large counties. What this really tells us is that we are very much currently over under bedded and overutilized in our emergency departments. This is going to play heavily as we talk through some of the impacts that we're facing over the next ten years under H. One. The way in addition to the hospitals themselves, we have 44 federally qualified health care centers and 12 community health care centers.

These are predominantly primary care services that are located throughout the county that help serve the underserved populations within San Bernardino County. In general, San Bernardino, the Inland Empire has the lowest number of primary care physicians per 100,000 patients in the nation at 35, where the average is between 60 to 80 primary care physicians per 100,000 patients. So we are already in a very stressed environment before any of the impacts of H. One, which we about to talk about. Do you have a question?

I just wonder how Adelanto has four FQHCs.

I'll be able to pull the data for you. The way the hospitals are funded, there's really four breakdowns of funding sources: Medicare, Medi Cal, or Medicaid. I'm going use Medicaid and Medi Cal somewhat interchangeably because Medicaid is the federal name and the state calls it Medi Cal, private insurance, and then other revenues such as grants, philanthropy, and investments. As I mentioned earlier, you know, the vast majority of patients that are seeking services within San Bernardino County fall under that Medi Cal bucket, which really looks at what inpatient fee for service payments, so per day basis, outpatient capitated rates, and then other supplemental programs that help offset the cost of health care delivery within the hospitals. When you look at the different types of payer mix between public hospitals, district hospitals, and private, you could see publics have a vast majority of services under the Medi Cal and then a much smaller ranking on the Medicare and private versus the others.

However, it is important to note that as we talk about the impacts coming up here in a moment, all of the uninsured populations regardless are going to continue to increase substantially over the next ten years. And that's going to play a major into the overall distressed hospital systems that we're going to be talking about. So the reason I share this information is to really help talk and set the stage, is to really help talk about the impacts that we're facing. US, house resolution number one or the one big beautiful bill was put into law in June 2024, and passed by the federal government, commonly referred to as the one big beautiful bill, which is by far the single biggest federal funding shift for health care delivery in modern times. This reconciliation bill will call for a $1,000,000,000,000 hit to Medicaid and Medi Cal services over the next ten years across the nation.

That is substantial. So what that really means is we're going to see, kind of at a brass tacks, substantial loss in medical coverage as there are multiple different initiatives under H. R. One relating to new work requirements, new immigration related eligibility, redetermination timelines, as well as additional state level Medi Cal policy changes, as well as different federal funding restrictions across the Medi Cal programs, really shifting the programs from the federal government to the states, to the local jurisdictions, to the hospitals, and to the practice. This is on top of already very fragile health care system where all of our costs are not covered already by reimbursement rates.

So if you think about a house of cards that we're already trying to juggle today in terms of how we finance hospitals, we're essentially taking a wrecking ball to that house of cards with HR1, which is going to result in a significant increase in uncompensated care, significant increase in the emergency departments, which are already overstressed, significant reduction in programs that hospitals provide, insurance companies pay for, taxpayers are going to be impacted, as well as privately insured services. Essentially, you know, when we look at the different hospitals and health systems, regardless of whether you have Medi Cal, Medicaid, or private insurance, if a hospital ends up reducing services or closing those services down as a result of HR one or other financial impacts, it's going to affect all patients regardless of who their payer is because those services will no longer be necessary or needed. A great example of this is there was a hospital in Riverside County that recently closed down its maternity services. As a result, regardless of the payer, anyone looking to seek those services has to now go to Pomona Valley or somewhere else. The timeline for H.

R. One is quite extensive over the next several years. This slide is actually intentionally complex and busy because it really helps illustrate the complexity of just all the different phases that H. R. I has put into place.

However, the big key dates to really pay attention to is this upcoming October, where we start to see the reduction in the federal Medicare assistance program or the federal share January 2027, where we start to see a lot of the work requirements go into place, and we'll start to see a significant decrease in Medi Cal enrollees. And then in 2028, in January, we'll start to see a lot of the supplemental programs that hospitals rely on decrease at a 10% clip year over year for the next ten years. This is going to drive down a lot of the financial challenges that we're going to be seeing over the next several years. Nationally, you can see the breakdown here on this slide that really talks about where the dollars are coming from that draws down to that $1,000,000,000,000. A lot of it is the cuts to the Medicare Medi Cal eligibility at around 550 $566,000,000,000 cuts to benefits, cuts to general financing.

We've seen some reductions already in the subsidies tied to the Affordable Care Act, and we've started to see reductions in individuals being enrolled in Medi Cal as a result of that. And that's what drives up the $1,000,000,000,000. The CBO is projecting about 11,800,000 people are going to be reduced or losing coverage as a result directly of the of HR one, as well as an additional 5,100,000 people will be losing coverage as a result of some of the changes in the ACA program. Bringing that down to the state and to the local levels, across California, we're going to actually see over the next ten years about $120,000,000,000 impact as well as locally within the San Bernardino County region, roughly about a $6,400,000,000 impact to how hospitals are able to be financed. This is on top of things that are already happening since we've designed this presentation.

Recently we saw in the news that CMS has decided to withhold $1,300,000,000 in the federal share of the Medi Cal program. So we're going to start to see some additional impacts directly as a result of that as well. From a public hospital standpoint, this waterfall slide, we call this the slide of doom, unfortunately. This is for all the 17 public hospitals and health systems across the state of California. We are looking at anywhere from, in 2026, a $1,700,000,000 hit all the way down to about a 4,000,000,000 to $6,000,000,000 hit just in the public hospital systems alone directly as relates to HR one as well as some of the state changes.

We saw in the May revise, the governor has called for a change in how we reimburse the hospitals for the what we call the UIS population or the unsatisfactory immigration status population and shifting them from responsibilities of the managed care plans directly to what's called a fee for service, that in and of itself is going to have an $800,000,000 impact to the public hospitals. Specifically across San Bernardino itself, we're anticipating about 300,000 individuals that are at risk of losing coverage. Roughly twenty percent of IHP's patient population is going to lose their coverage over the next three years as a result of the workforce requirements, the UIS populations, and others. This is going to directly result in an increase in the ER becoming primary care services and a significant increase in the emergency department utilization, again emphasizing an overtaxing of the emergency department, which is already overtaxed as it sits today. As a direct result, we're going to continue to see increased financial pressures on the different county systems.

We're going to see potential service lines closed or reduced across the different hospitals, not only in this county but across the region and across the state and across the nation, as well as a lot of the federal restrictions on the provider taxes to Medi Cal, which result in additional financial reductions and financial pressures to the different hospitals. The California Hospital Association has put up these numbers, which is in 2025, there's about 34 a little over 3,300 layoffs in hospitals, which is greater than the last five year average of 2,235 layoffs directly as a result of hospitals being getting prepared for HR one impacts. 2026, across the nation, 46 sorry, 42 health care organizations have already announced layoffs. That is far on out to outpace 2025 by a long shot as we look at what are the impacts across the region and across the nation are facing. These are gonna, again, affect not only the vulnerable populations that Medi Cal serves but really across the entire region and all patient populations regardless of who their payer is.

So kind of in summary and some key takeaways, you know, HR one is going to be driving significant federal funding restrictions and reductions that will reshape the health care delivery system as we know it today. The county as it as itself the county in itself is already disproportionately impacted due to the high volume of Medi Cal recipients already. 40% of all inpatient utilization is Medi Cal, so we're going to see a significant increase in the uninsured populations here locally. And the hospitals are going to continue to grow and face significant financial instability that will lead to potential reductions of services or even potential hospital closures. Closures.

As well as the uninsured care is going to continue to utilize the ER as primary care services, which will again continue to inundate the ER. Also, as we've talked about in other presentations in the past, the county systems will likely have to absorb a fair amount of cost due to the section 17,000 of the health and safety code. So from the action steps and what we're working on, we're continuing our consolidated ongoing advocacy efforts at the state and at the federal levels. Each different hospital and health systems has their own mitigation plans that they're working through to try to mitigate this to the extent possible, as well as we're partnering very closely with the health plans, predominantly IHP and Molina, which are the two Medi Cal plans in San Bernardino County, as well as the transitional assistance department here in the county on Medi Cal enrollment. This is really just, again, I wanted to provide just an overview.

Unfortunately, it's not a good overview, but an overview of what we're facing over the next ten years in hospital financing as a result of the federal and state changes. And with that, I'd like to open up with any questions.

Thank you. I would like to clarify that this is not meant to be political at all, just laying out of the facts. And I I know that this has a tendency to go political, and we are charged with living within our means from whatever is handed to us from any other outside source. And so I appreciate you laying out what the options will be and the the things that we will be facing.

Absolutely. Yeah. This is absolutely apolitical. This is really just based off the numbers, actuary reviews, as well as the language that's within the laws as it's written.

Very good. Supervisor Hagman. Thank you, and thank you, Andrew, I appreciate the ups and downs that you have to do as a hospital administrator. I've been here long enough to know before ACA what it was like. And that was ten years ago, where they put trillions of dollars into the medical system. And now they're taking some of those resources back out over the next ten years. So there was a plan before ACA. There will be a plan after ACA. There will be a plan if it changes again with the next administration. And do hope that we still consider our biggest cost is using that emergency room when people don't necessarily need those emergency services.

They can use regular doctors and stuff. And I know we'll continue to coordinate as chair of IEHP right now with my colleagues on that board the changing landscape that comes out. But I've seen our budget before we had those extra dollars. And hopefully, we can adjust as the political climate changes on the federal side and where our representatives feel like their priorities are to spend those dollars. Thank you. Thank you.

Yeah, thank you, Madam Chair. I appreciate Andrew bringing up the potential impacts of HR1. And I know that you and I have had several, several conversations in regards to the impact. But sometimes to keep in mind is part of the reason why our volume is so high is because of the amount of services. It's almost a double edged sword. We offer a lot at Arrowhead Regional Medical Center. One of the things is we're one of two level one trauma units in the county of San Bernardino. So that tends to draw a high amount of volume. The other thing is the homeless population. And a lot of times, and Andrew understands is that our homeless population can stay in a bed up to ninety days.

So I know one of the things we're looking at is looking at alternatives. Think one of the items we're looking at later on today or in the near future is to find alternatives to transition out of our beds which are much, much needed. The other thing that Regional Medical Center does do is they airlift two to three individuals sometimes out of the area and out of the county. People don't realize Arrowhead Regional Medical Center not just serves the valley but it serves a lot of the High Desert. And one of the challenges is that our hospitals in the High Desert tend to struggle or not have the services that we offer down here.

So that has a huge impact as we look at access to health care. But I appreciate what Andrew has done to try to maintain and keep this and keep in mind, this is one of few hospitals in the entire state that does not use any general fund money. So they've done a great job managing the money, making sure that they get reimbursements. But as time goes on, we know it's going to become much, much more challenging. But just want to thank you for that update. And I think there's a lot of things that on the basis of time could not talk about. But think those are key things for individuals to understand because of the services we offer, because we don't turn down anyone and we take everybody, that is a big cost to our system. But thanks for the report.

Yeah. I want to echo some of the comments of my counterparts here, but I think this is also an opportunity. You know, I try to always look at the glass half full, not half empty. And maybe this is an opportunity for us to reorganize. And maybe we, as San Bernardino County, can actually show what a well run hospital can do when given the opportunity.

Things like looking at how we are addressing our people who are coming in the emergency rooms, are undocumented. Maybe we need to have small pop ups where people are getting service not in the emergency room or prior to getting the emergency room, like some sort of urgent care or mobile medicine explored at a higher level or being proactive with especially those who don't have insurances. How do we find ways to get them if they choose to be vaccinated, getting them those basic proactive care and really focusing on the preventative versus having them come in when it's too late? I think that could be an opportunity for us and just really looking at that. Those are all my comments.

All right. I think that is it. Since this is a receive and file, thank you very much. We appreciate the update. And with that, we will move on to agenda item number 108. Before we do start 108, I wanted to just make an announcement for housekeeping. We will break at noon and take a fifteen minute recess, and then we'll reconvene at 12:15. So one hundred eight is a public hearing on government code section 3,502.3, which is AB2561 regarding vacancies and recruitment presentation being presented this morning by Leo Gonzalez. We'll open the public hearing. Good morning, Leo.

Good morning, Chair Rao and members of the Board of Supervisors. I'm Leo Gonzalez, human resources director, and I'm here to present to you on California Assembly Bill two five six one and the status of the county's vacancy, recruitment, and retention process. California Assembly Bill two five six one became effective 01/01/2025 and mandates that the public agencies annually assess and report on job vacancies. This information must present vacancy and recruitment data at a public hearing before finalizing the budget. The purpose of the law is to enhance transparency.

The county is excited by the opportunity to present to the public the ongoing strategies to recruitment and retention. Today's topics will include county workforce, hiring and recruitment strategies, retention strategies, recruitment outcomes, public, I'm sorry, position vacancy summary and vacancies by bargaining unit. So what's the county's workforce and what do they do? The county is proud to showcase the people behind the services. The following graphic gives you a snapshot of our county workforce, highlighting the number of dedicated staff, available opportunities, and a glance at the different services that help the community every day.

What services do we provide by the county? The county delivers a wide variety of services to support our community, including public safety, health and human services, community services, road and infrastructure, land use environment, along with county operations. What is the county's hiring and recruiting strategies? How does the county find and and hire people? We spread the word through social media, community outreach and events, building partnerships, and using advertising tools.

We build career pathways, programs such as SPARTH, youth employment program, career technical education, connectional programs, internships, apprenticeships, and entry level jobs that get people started and grow their careers with the county. We make it easy to apply. The online application is simple, mobile friendly, and provides the ability to apply for several jobs at once. I'd like to highlight a couple of the many twenty twenty five outcomes. We attended 89 outreach events across the county netting interactions with over 7,000 attendees.

Retention strategies. How does the county keep good employees? We make sure jobs match work by reviewing job descriptions. We understand what's working and what's not by monitoring hiring and staffing trends. We listen and respond through labor negotiations. We work to make competitive within the market. To highlight a couple of the many twenty twenty five outcomes, four eighty five classifications were modified and 43 classifications received equity adjustments. Recruitment outcomes. Is the county hiring the right people and fast enough? Yes.

We're reaching more people. Our increased outreach has boosted awareness of the county as a great place to work. We're we're growing future talent. We're hiring faster. We keep jobs filled. Thanks to strong recruitment and retention efforts, our vacancy rates stay low. Award winning, the county earned a prestigious challenge award from California State Association County, CSAC, for a rapid hire program. Let me show a couple of two twenty five outcomes. We recruited for eleven fifty positions, And during this process, we were able to hire 2,668 new hires and promoted over 2,800 employees within the County. So let's get to the numbers.

At a high level, the county's position vacancy summary for all bargaining units between 04/13/2025 and 04/13/2026 was an impressive 13.71 in comparison to last year's presentation of 15.31. This is a reduction from last year about 1.6%. If you look at the right side of the slide, you will see a high level position vacancy summary breakout by the respective bargaining groups. I will now navigate to each of these bargaining groups to better understand how we arrived at the overall position vacancy rate. First up is Teamsters Local nineteen thirty two.

As of 04/13/2026, the position vacancy rate was 14.64 for Teamsters. That number reduced by 2% from last year's 16.72 and below the AB2561 threshold of 20% vacancy rate. This is good work by departments across accounting and filling their vacancies. Next up is Sheriff's Employee Benefit Association, CEBA. As of 04/13/2026, CEBA's position vacancy rate was about 9.14, While this number is approximately 1.5% higher than last year's, this is attributed to approximately 131 sheriff's trainees currently in the academy that will soon be added to the workforce, thus improving these numbers.

Bear in

mind that these numbers are near impressive 11% below AB2561's threshold. Great work by the sheriff's department, the fire district, probation department, district attorney's office and others in filling their vacancies. Next up, let's transition to SEIU Local seven twenty one. As of 04/13/2026, the position vacancy rate was 17.74 for this group. That number has improved by 2% from a year ago below the AB2561 threshold of 20%.

Good work by CFS, DBH and other departments in working to fill their heart to fill recruitment efforts. This is followed by California Nurses Association, CNA. As of 04/13/2026 CNA's position vacancy rate was 12.39%. While this dropped three quarters of a percent, it is notable that this bargaining group is made up of nurse classifications across the county. This position, the position vacancy rate is well below the AB2561 threshold by almost 8%.

Great work by AMC, the sheriff's department, probation, DBH, public health, and other departments who fill these positions. Let's talk about professional firefighters local nine thirty five. As of 04/13/2026, the position vacancy rate was 11.17 for this group. That compared to last year's 16.5 is a reduction of over 5% and below the AB2561 threshold of 20 vacancy rate. The fire district has been impressive on the recruitment efforts.

So next up is San Bernardino County Probation Officers Association, POA. As of 04/13/2026, the POA's position vacancy rate was 8.68%. This dropped approximately 3.5% from last year's 12.2. This position vacancy rate is well below the AB two five six one threshold by almost 11.5%. Great work by the probation department.

This is followed by San Bernardino County Public Attorneys Association Attorney's Unit. As of 04/13/2026, the position vacancy rate was 10.8 for this group. That number has improved by 2.7% from last year, from a year ago, excuse me, and below the AB2561 threshold of 20% by over 9%. Good work by the district attorney, the public defenders and others fulfilling those positions. Up next is International Union of Operational Engineers, Local twelve, IUOE.

As of 04/13/2026, the IUOE's position vacancy rate was 7.14. That drop of approximately 11.25 is striking. The position vacancy rate is well below AB2561 threshold by almost 13%. Great work by the fire district. Next up is the Association of San Bernardino County Fire Management.

As of 04/13/2026, the position vacancy rate was 3.45% for this group. That compared to last year's 13.79 is a reduction of over 10% and below the AB2561 threshold of 20% vacancy rate by more than 16.5%. The fire district has steadfast recruitment efforts to continue to do these things. The last bargaining group to share with you today is the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Local forty seven IBW. As of 04/13/2026, the position vacancy rate was 21.43 for IBW.

This year's number is approximately 7% higher than it was last year's figure at 14.29. As I mentioned previously in the slides, AB2561's threshold is 20% vacancy rate. So we were slightly over that threshold. So I'd like to take a moment to talk about the recruitment challenges and opportunities for this group. This is one of the smaller bargaining groups within the county that provides specialized services for public work special districts.

It's a delicate balancing act as a staffing size can easily skew vacancy rates for this group. You will see illustrated on the graph that three classifications that triggered the vacancy rates. Those are maintenance worker onetrainee, maintenance worker two, and three, treatment plant operator four. So what's prompting the recruitment retention challenges? Limited qualified candidate polls that require specialized certificates, technical experience and licensure requirements.

Remote service locations along with travel requirements impact effort. Early turnover as employees obtain certificates and transfer to local water districts. However, the special districts continues to focus on recruitment efforts along with retention efforts to ensure that we can meet those workforce challenges. Let me share with you the recruitment outcomes. What are we doing to improve our candidate pool and our ability to hire quality candidates?

While you see illustrated that we received applicants for all three classifications, you see the large number of candidates that are applying for these positions. The list dwindles down once we actually start meeting the qualifications that are needed for these jobs. As such, the team has implemented recruitment strategies to increase our candidate pool. So I'll use maintenance worker one as an example. A rapid hire event filled for other vacancies.

Recruitment efforts generated 83 eligible candidates, and we're moving much faster to get candidates through the pipeline by ensuring that our certification lists are being much quicker, in this particular case, seven business days. There are currently two job offers for maintenance worker training. Once these positions are filled, we will go from 21.45 to 16.67. Again, one vacancy for this group could very easily put you above the 20% threshold based on the number of positions we actually have within the group. Next up is the maintenance worker two.

Continuous year round recruitments to maintain candidate pool. So we're ensuring that we're continuously looking at that list as opposed to waiting for vacancies to occur. The average turnaround time to actually get these lists prepared, it takes us three business days. Last one is the treatment plan operator four. This is now a continuous year round recruitment to maintain candidate pool in the event that we have a separation from this group.

And again, it's taken us about three business days to turn around getting candidates to the process. So what are we doing from a compensation workplace enhancements to support recruitment and retention? The board approved a successor MOU and for 2024 through 2027, a member understanding providing multiple year compensation stability that included increased employer medical premium contributions to reduce employees' healthcare cost. We've implemented 14% total salary increases over the term of this contract, including a new top salary step, increasing maximum pay by 2.5%. And the board approved 10% salary equity adjustments for the maintenance worker one through three series, along with the treatment plant operator one through four classifications.

These efforts have strengthened the county's ability to recruit and retain employees in historically hard to fill positions. I'd like to thank the board, our CEO Luther, along with our assistant executive officers and department executives for collaborating with human resources and filling our vacancies, along with our chief financial officer for creating opportunities for us to recruit and retain a talented workforce. Does the board have any questions, comments, or for me?

Thank you very much for that presentation. Supervisor Hagman.

It's like a broken record today. But again, I appreciate that you put last year's percentages. But as this is a requirement to do annual reporting now, it'd be nice to start just trend it and so we can look at overall trends for the years. Just one cheat sheet that just shows year to year for future, but great reporting. Thank you.

Thank you, sir.

Do we have any represented groups here today wishing to speak? Present?

Yes. John Richardson.

Good afternoon. Please feel free to come on down here. Yeah. Don't know. It's your preference.

Good morning.

Good morning.

I'm in the unenviable position of being between you guys and Lodge, the folks here. So I appreciate you indulging me. For those of you who don't know me here, I think I met most of board members so far. My name is John Richardson. I am a deputy DA.

I've been a twenty one year county employee. And I'm the current president of the Sanrio County Public Attorneys Association. We represent the deputy DAs, deputy public defenders, and the deputy support attorneys in this county. I would actually like to thank the board and the county staff for this presentation because I think it's very helpful. I spent a number of years working in HR, and I think it's important that the public can kind of see some of the strides and efforts the county's making and that HR is making to fill these positions and do this work.

So I do appreciate this. I'd also like to acknowledge and I don't know if we have any reps here but reps from the public defender's office, district attorney's office, child support, and HR for the work they've done in filling not just our positions but positions in the county wide. I know it takes a lot of work and it takes more than just Leo here. Leo knows he has a whole staff behind him doing the work to get that done and we appreciate that. One important thing, think Leo talked about it a little bit and I think supervisor Hagman kind of touched on is that these each of those presentations kind of demonstrate kind of a snapshot in time.

Demonstrates a snapshot now. It may not be reflective of what it looked like a month ago or what it's going to look like in a month because people could leave, right? You may have done a big recruitment a month ago. But at least as a result involves our membership, you saw about a vacancy rate of about 10% currently. That's what that snapshot revealed.

And, obviously, you know, our members fill this critical role of ensuring that the community is protected and that people's constitutional rights are protected as well. What this snapshot does not reveal is the ongoing struggles, though, that the public defender's office, the DA's office in child support have had in filling some of those positions. I'll tell you the county is facing serious recruitment or retention challenges. San Bernardino County continues struggle to compete with neighboring jurisdictions, most importantly, Riverside County. District attorneys and public defendants or or public defenders are experiencing significant turnover among newer attorneys.

One of the things that wasn't highlighted in this is that amongst our newer attorneys, we're seeing turnover in the range of nearly 40%. So what you see is folks come in because we're able to recruit and get them in, but we're seeing them leave after just a couple years. And one of the major reasons they're doing that is they're going to some of our surrounding competitors. They're leaving to go to competitors like L. A.

County, Riverside County, Orange County, as well as some local municipalities like Riverside, Burbank, Long Beach, and Pasadena. What Riverside what we're seeing in Riverside is Riverside is now providing significant increases to their district attorneys and public defenders. And by July, Riverside attorneys were being paid roughly $14,000 more a year, the San Bernardino County attorneys. And that's an area where our folks are leaving to. They get some good experience here.

And I'll tell you, many of these what we're seeing these other municipalities is that they like to take laterals, right? Because those are people who've already demonstrated that they can do the job, that they know what they're doing. And what we're seeing is other municipalities poaching our people. Now for the last several years, San Bernardino County has been a constant state of recruitment for our attorneys. As recently as just four years ago, the county actually would just hold two recruitments year round.

And then it was timed around the time the bar passage would come out. Well, two recruitments year round when they were successful in filling vacancies. But around 2023, the sister the situation became a lot more urgent. What we started to see was that our internal comparables began to become misaligned with fifty years of county tradition and also with surrounding counties. Turnover began to increase, and the number of applicants began to dwindle.

Now I'm thankful that human resources have been a partner in this, And they were able to assist with what Leo actually touched on what they did with the treatment plan operators was doing ongoing recruitment year round to fill our positions. And so they do it year round rather than just twice a year. But even it being year round, our ongoing recruitment, we continue to struggle to fill those vacancies. Now I'm thankful for the board that we have. And this board, I can tell you, the sheriff Dicus and district attorney Jason Anderson have demonstrated through collaborative efforts time and again that the safety of our community is the highest priority.

And that's what this is all about. If we cannot adequately recruit and retain frontline attorneys, we will not be able to protect the vulnerable members of our community and ensure that our community's rights are defended. I look forward to working with the board and county staff, LEO staff, to fix these problems so that we can realign our attorneys internally and in the job market. Restoring parity is necessary to maintain fairness, preserve internal consistency, and ensure San Bernardino County remains competitive with surrounding jurisdictions so that we can work to recruit and retain those attorneys, we're gonna protect our community. Thank you.

Thank you very much. Do we have any questions from board board members? No? Thank you very much. This is a receiving file, and I don't believe I have anybody here. Although I do recall it was a public hearing. So I should close the public hearing. I'll do that. All right. Thank you both.

Thank you all.

All

right. We're going to oh, Luther.

I didn't want to make a scene over here waving. I just wanted to make a quick comment. When I joined the county as the COO about five years ago, our vacancy rates were close to 20%. And even since that time, we've increased about 3,000 additional positions as a county. And today, here we sit with a vacancy rate, 14.6.

I want to give kudos to staff, as well as to our board, for the work of making investments in our staff, in the wages that we pay, in the work that staff has done to really go out and recruit and do the hard work of finding and our then the work our departments are doing of retaining those talented people. It has been incredible to see it, to watch it, to be part of it. Yesterday, I have the privilege of speaking at every new employee orientation, and I stood in this room. There were 97 smiling faces who may or may not have slept the night before as they came in excited to start a new career. And I asked them, Who here is this your first government job?

And about 90% of the room raised their hand. It is fantastic to see government service alive and well and playing out every day in this county. I I just I just wanted to make the comment. There are so many people involved in this process, from our unions as well, advocating for their employees. It really is a beautiful thing to see all the way around. And I think we do an exceptionally good job here as a county in prioritizing our people, our staff, and doing a fantastic job. So kudos to the Board for the investments they've made. Kudos to Leo and his team, Mr. Richardson and his counterparts and other it really is We all you know, sometimes we fight. That's okay.

That's what we should do. Because but we are aligned in what we're trying to accomplish, which is taking care of our people. And so I just wanted to make those comments.

Luther. Luther.

If if he wasn't fine, he wouldn't be doing his job, so he's doing good too. But thank you very much for letting

me make

this call. Very much. We appreciate the presentation. We are going to recess. We'll be back here at 12:20.

Thanks, brother. Nice to meet you. Yeah.

You have a burger?

We did it. Yeah. Get they went out and got me that. You

know? Extra animal sex?

Well, I gotta stay up. Good

afternoon, and welcome back. Steve Rogers, would you like to speak first since you're standing up there? If you're ready. We're gonna move on to our public comment for items not on the agenda. As a reminder, our speakers will have three minutes, and the light will flash yellow as it gets to the end. And you have thirty seconds left. And good afternoon, Steve, whenever you're ready.

Madam Chair, Board of Supervisors, Steve Rogers, Redlands. I came today to speak with the Board of Supervisors about my experience here recently in trying to deal with a situation. I've contacted the DA's office. I contacted the fraud, waste, and abuse hotline, through, Vincent Mason's office. And basically, as I said when I I attended the last board of supervisors meeting, I'm appalled by what the board is attempting to do with Ensign Mason.

And I I received this mailer, this hit piece that I consider to be complete fake news. It has all the Board of Supervisors on the bottom endorsing this. And I believe this is on the verge of its election rigging, as is the entire situation of this investigation being brought up when it was not an agendized item and the board voted on it and approved and and and went forward with an investigation that was not on the agenda, that's a violation of the Brown Act. So this whole thing is is just a political shenanigan. And, I I I've sent over a public comment.

I'm not sure if that's what is being received at this time, but, I was gonna read the last paragraph where I'm requesting that my my case that's being held up by the district attorney's office and involves, you know, the board's biggest campaign contributor, that that case be moved to Riverside County. Because this board and the DA both have a considerable, conflict of interest with the subject matter involved here. This is a developer that was the same developers involved in county scandal involving the colonies project. So I mean, I'm requesting that it be moved to Riverside County to the Riverside County Sheriff and DA.

It's

time. Thank you very much. Garth Pizont, if you're ready, we'll have you up next, followed by Carlo.

My name is Garth Benjamin Sr. I have the combination to every prison break in the state of California. It is called ineffective assistance of counsel. They tried to keep me for life in two prisons and three state hospitals. I'm out, and you can get out too.

Just listen to me. To district attorney Jason Anderson, your department, civil rights attorney Aaron Zisser, sheriff deputy deputy investigator Leatherman, and its internal affairs officers, and San Bernardino City Mayor Helen Trout are alleged to be involved in conspiracy to cover tampering with evidence and obstruction of justice as a fiduciary breach in an 10/08/2020 officer involved shooting body camera rigging, victimizing Garth Pazalot senior. I will get justice. Google my successor and consult your demonic god that you may know who I am. We the people, for the people, by the people, we the people did not create this earth we live on, and it did not come about by chance.

The legislature are new laws created by mankind. It does not belong to us to survive independently from God. That is why Armageddon will come, not to destroy the elements that sustain us. Armageddon will destroy those of us whom are wicked. Seek Jehovah while you are still alive. You are before the highest court in the universe for committing one of the most heinous crimes imaginable. All the angels and all the peoples are witnessing your case. No defense attorney nor district attorney are present. You are about to be convicted and sentenced. Jehovah God says, son, I forgive you.

You are now sentenced to life eternal, unrestricted to turn this earth into a paradise along with your fellow humans forever.

Thank you. Carlo, followed by Derek Rutherford.

Good afternoon, board. The first point that I wanna make is it's a it's a heavy topic, and it's a heavy subject. So a mom reached out to me not too long ago on my TikTok channel, Sig is Life, and she mentioned and spoke to me about her two month old baby passing away in the system. And now she's afraid that CFS is gonna try to take her other children away this Friday. If we can have a conversation here about that issue here after this, I'd appreciate it so that way we can get some eyes on on the actual details.

And, again, I'm at this point where I don't really trust CFS if there were any false allegations in part of this because I would say, and you all know my story already, that if a person can grope her children, spray them in the face with sulfuric acid, and body slam them for having a bible gets a 100% custody, then we have to also look at the fourteenth amendment across the board for other, families. Second point I wanna make is there was an immigrant family that I met at the court. Now this is what I'm also doing for, to help the board understand what's going on is that the late filings. But this immigrant family went there, didn't understand what they were signing, and the social worker told her, if you don't sign this case plan, it can go a lot worse for you. And in that case plan was the word adoption at the end of it.

Are we coercing families to sign case plans that they agree to adoption? You know, this is an immigrant family from Mexico. You know, not even two years in this country. And what are we doing? Let's look at the case again. Right? Let's look at it. Let's tease out all the false allegations. And then, again, what these late filings do. What these late filings do is not a I don't know how how we can just stand and look at each other in the face and say, this is okay.

This practice is okay. I remember talking to Ms. Glasgow on the phone when Niall was handed my late filings. After the hearing, k? And then these people are getting their paperwork, and they have no chance to respond. Every time I go there, it's almost everybody. It's the same thing. It's the same thing. They sit there with no paperwork, and then someone comes up with a cart, here's your paperwork right before their hearing. Thank you.

Thank you. Derek Rutherford followed by Leticia Howard.

Good morning, chair Rowe and members of the board. My name is Derek Rutherford. I live at 14944 El Cariso Road in Unincorporated County Pocket in Victorville. I'm here request board action on county code section 83 o 1.08. On 04/29/2026, San Bernardino County stated on Facebook that the board and county public service professionals work to create an outstanding quality of life for residents and visitors.

I am here because that statement does not reflect my family's lived experience. For approximately eight years, repeated base intrusion from the same neighboring source has continued inside of our home. This is not ordinary noise. Low frequency base can travel through the walls and be felt inside of our home. The current 55 decibel a standard does not fully capture low frequency base.

Because a weighted is designed for ordinary speech and traffic noise, the decibel level a scale essentially turns a blind eye to base. It's like trying to record bass disturbances with an iPhone, which also filters out low frequency bass. I'm asking the county to add a c weighting, decibel c, or hertz bass standard so bass vibrations from large stereos can be measured and enforced. Health and safety code four six zero zero zero, California's noise control act should be used to support this request. Excessive noise is a serious public health threat and mandates state and local governments to protect citizens' welfare and peaceful living conditions.

If the county truly wants to create an outstanding quality of life for residents and visitors, then the county should review and update its noise ordinance and consider adopting a Roseville style noise standard chapter 9.24 as an example, including enforceable low frequency base or vibration based measurements. I'm asking the board to direct staff to review subsection 83 o one point o eight o, Study standards like Roseville City noise standard and bring back an ordinance update that gives residents a real remedy for chronic base intrusion in one's home. Court specific evidence needs to be objective to obtain lasting solutions in today's criminal justice system. No family should be controlled inside their home by harassing neighbors base intrusion allowed by an ambiguous code. If county code or statute is too vague, it cannot be enforced by law, leaving an actual quality of life that is not outstanding.

Thank you for your time.

Thank you. Leticia Howard followed by Victoria Perez.

Stand here today hoping that someone with a heart will listen and take action. When we come to these meetings, we are not here threatening anyone. We are not aggressive. We are asking for help for our children and families. Our mothers are we are excuse me.

We are mothers, fathers, grandparents, and advocates asking the board to investigate San Bernardino County Children and Family Services. My concern today is why does Jeannie Glasgow feel like she needs to be escorted out by sheriffs when she leaves and there's no threat against her? Are taxpayers funding protection for criminals while our children are the ones who are in danger? While she walks out with security escorts, children in the county are being abused, neglected, and trafficked through a system that is supposed to protect them, and families cannot even get a simple investigation open. Parents are being ignored.

Evidence is being ignored. Complaints are being ignored. Genie is the one signing off on these actions. So I ask again, are our tax dollars being used to protect the criminals instead of the children? Today, I call on advocates, civil rights leaders, attorneys, media outlets, churches, and community organizations. We need your help. Family families across this count county are saying the same thing over and over again. Children are being illegally removed and pushed towards adoption for financial incentives tied to title four e funding under the Social Security Act. Before anyone dismisses us as emotional parents, understand this. We have documentation.

We have recordings, court records, medical records, and other evidence. I am personally willing to provide my entire foul to anyone who is willing to help fight this battle and expose what is happening to families. We have complained. We have filed complaints. We have asked for investigations. And nobody seems care because too many people are benefiting financially off of the backs of stolen children and broken families. At this point, will somebody at what point will somebody in power decide to protect our children rather than to protect the system? And in case you haven't noticed, we're not going away. It's time for us to change the narrative. Stop letting them control what is being done with our money.

People, we need to register and get registered to vote and then vote. If current if the current people in power are not willing to do their jobs, replace them. If they are not working for the people, replace them. We have the power. But until people understand that action needs to be taken place, what is happening to our families will continue, and it will get worse.

Thank you. Victoria Perez followed by Andrea Wade. Do we have Victoria Perez? Andrea Wade. And then next up is Corey, followed by Mark Lee.

Alright. Victoria Perez going once, going twice. Andrea Wade. Last call. We have Corey followed by Mark Lee. Do we have Corey in the house? Yeah. Sir, either side.

Excuse me. Hi. I'm Corey Teralo, and I manage a large business in San Bernardino County. I've been here a couple times before, and I am back because I read that Ensign Mason said the investigation into his ethical conflict is over, and I wanted to get an update. So thank you for that.

In the meantime, I did my own research, and I have discovered some alarming information. In addition to profiting from his role as the auditor, controller, treasurer, tax collector while simultaneously running an investment company full time, he was up to even worse, unforgivable things at the county. I have discovered that Ensign Mason employed a child sex predator at his county office. However, this is not even the worst part. Unbelievably, he kept him on payroll for over four months after he was arrested at the auditor controller's office here in the county.

Four months. Worse still is that this child sex predator lived at Ensign Mason's house, which was raided by the police for child pornography. Why am why am I paying taxes for Ensign Mason to employ a child sex predator who lives with him? This doesn't make any sense. He should never have been hired at our expense.

After he was arrested the first time, he should have been terminated immediately. But to have him arrested a second time at the county office is unfathomable. I hope you make your investigation on Ensign Mason public because we deserve to know all that he has done to endanger the taxpayer dollars and mismanage this county. And in my hand, if you would like to see it, I have the superior superior court of California, County Of San Bernardino search warrant that was issued to his his residence. Thank you. Thank

you. Next up, we have Mark Lee, and then we're gonna go back to somebody else that just popped in. Sir, go right ahead.

Okay. I'm Lee. I thank you for a few minutes of your time. I'm here, and I thank you for your investigation. I'm back here again today. I read in the newspaper that mister Mason seems to think that us citizens of our county mean nothing, that our discovery of his conflict of interest is some kind

of

scheme. Double dipping is a conflict of interest. It's not a scheme. It's thank you again for investigating. This is the same man who scrubbed his financial website the very same night after he was exposed here in public comment. In its clearest terms, he's using his public position to enrich himself. This is the fiscal watchdog of our county orchestrating a cover up. It's pathetic. And I thought that was enough to throw this crony out of office until I heard that his home was raided. Get this.

Child pornography. It's public record. No wonder this guy posted in his own words that he has been silent about corruption for almost seven years. He's orchestrated one of the biggest cover ups in this county's history. He has betrayed the trust of the public. He should resign office immediately. Thank you.

Thank you. Melinda, did we have someone up there that was trying to speak? No. Alright. Then our last request to speak is Kresia and I don't know how to say Kresia's last name.

How do you pronounce your last name? Kell. Thank you.

My name is Kresha Kell. I'm the mother of Adon Kell, a two year old child who's been in foster care. I left my son with his father, who reported to authorities that he did not know me or my son. I was arrested for abandonment. The DA never picked up charges. Charges were never filed. It was a tool that the social worker and the officer used to take custody of my child without a search warrant and without a petition to the courts. This happens on a regular basis. CFS will create the emergency circumstance and remove your child. It has been two years.

I have completed all courses and paid for additional courses out of my own pocket. My visits have been labeled detrimental, not because my son is abused, not because something bad happened to him or I said something to him, but because a social worker is mad because I called her Quasimodo, Because somebody said that my son's having nightmares, and maybe, just maybe, it might be because of Ma. But none of these tantrums or bad behavior ever persist during any of my visits. Every single monitor had labeled every one of my visits acceptable and appropriate, even the ones who go on court and say, I feel like this. I feel like this.

She makes me feel belittled, so now I don't see my son. When are we going to uphold law and not people's opinion about their feelings? Not discernment. Discernment should not enter our courtrooms. That judge is there to make a decision. I used to be scared, scared to say about what happened to me. But now I'm gonna yell it from the mountaintops because it doesn't matter. The consequences does not outweigh it outweighs the punishment. Regardless of the fact of that man being on open child support, the county did no due diligence to bring my son back to me, not one. We're here two years later.

My son went to the hospital that day. Nothing wrong with him. No signs of neglect, no signs of abuse. Where's the risk in returning him to the place where he has no signs of risk or abuse? Instead, he's in the system. He now has RSV. He's anemic. He's not meeting his he's not developing appropriately. He's not meeting his milestones. And yet, he hasn't been able to return home, hasn't been able to see his six brothers and sisters who I returned custody of, who were removed because of emotional damage over an event they were never there to see or hear about until CFF brought it to their attention.

We called Paul Cook several times over and over and over, The only one who's able to step in and regulate what CFS is doing in my district. Has he done it? Nope. Open signs, clear signs. I'm coming for your job. This is a petition to recall you, Paul Cook. If you don't do something different, we will recall your ass. It don't make sense that we gotta come up here 15 families at a time asking for help. You do nothing. You play on your phones. You send these people up here to do

That is the last request to speak that I have. We will now move on to our comments from our CEO, Luther. Thank

you, madam chair. Alright. Thank you, madam chair. I appreciate that. I'd like to recognize our workforce development department. I think Brad's still here. He is. They've been designated by the state of California as a high performing workforce board. This is a three year designation. It's a prestigious designation, and it reflects the workforce development department's excellence and leadership in workforce development efforts across our region.

So congratulations to Brad, his entire team on that outstanding achievement. I'd like to also highlight some recent work by our economic development team. They hosted the final stop of the Select USA spin off roadshow. This was an event. It created some meaningful connections between international companies, local businesses, health care leaders, and regional partners.

One of the things we're focused on, advancing entrepreneurship, and this was specifically focused on doing so. This is hoping to bring investment, new business development here in the county. So I appreciate those are departments you don't often hear a lot about here. Workforce, I had a chance to go up and meet with the Workforce Development Board, participate in an annual event they have. There is a lot of passion that comes out of that group and a lot of great work that comes from our Workforce Development Department as well as economic development.

So thank you to both of them. And just I want to take the opportunity here. We have a number of speakers who have come and spoken at public comment. Obviously, the board, they cannot respond during public comment, and so we do not respond. But I just want them to know that we hear them. I have a team that sits here. I I know there aren't many left here in the room. But for those of you who are here, my executive team comes to each of these meetings and participates. They hear we are often talking about things. They follow-up on just about everything that is discussed here on public comment.

I just wanted to make that clear to everyone who is listening and watching that though we may sit here, and hear them out and the Board is not able to respond, we are absolutely taking these things seriously and appreciate all the comments that are made. Thank you for that.

Thank you. We're now going to move on to our individual board member comments. Vice Chair Baca.

Thank you, Madam Chair, and thank you, Luther, for those comments. And I think it's important to let the public know that we are listening, we are engaged, and we do have staff readily available to answer any questions that the public has. So thank you for doing that. Just want to highlight some events and great things that are going on in the county. One of the things we had the opportunity to attend is myself and the Chair in Bloomington.

The new animal shelter received a $2,000,000 contribution from Congressman Hagilar. I want to thank the Chair for being there and really the investment that we're making in our animal shelter with Phase one and potentially Phase two coming on to begin to take on some of our city partners. So great progress. This will be done next year and address many of our needs that our animal shelter in Daburra cannot no longer meet as the county continues to grow. The other thing is our office had our fifth district youth advisory council scholarship awards event, which is right here in the building.

We gave out 23 scholarships at $1,500 a piece for many individuals throughout the 5th District. I want to thank those students for their civic engagement, involvement and wish them much success as they graduate in the next coming month. Also last week attended the Bloomington Senior Prom. I want to thank the Family Service Association for providing the food and the Bloomington Parks and Rec District for putting on the entertainment. It's great to see our seniors socialize and have a good time, especially one of our County facilities there at Ayala Park.

So hats off to the staff. Also, we had 100 items that we approved on the consent calendar, but just keep in mind, these are things that are good for the entire county and throughout several districts. But I want to particularly highlight just a few. One of them was item 31, which is a $2,850,000 investment days in, which will provide 49 permanent supportive housing beds here in the city of San Bernardino. It's not a homeless shelter.

It's basically those that are either disabled or maybe experienced homeless, but to give them permanent supportive housing so they can have the help that they need. And a lot of times people get confused between a homeless shelter and permanent supportive housing. The other thing is Item 46, operating support reserve for homeless youth program, which is $623,000 to help youth homeless and transition age youth help success for housing case management and supportive services. Item 51 which will provide probation officers through many districts throughout the county but I want to highlight the Colton Joint Unified, San Diego City Unified and County Schools will be receiving probation officers. Item 55 continued progress.

This is for Pacific Village Phase three. We're working on Phase two. This will be the next phase which will receive some B chip money. It's a great program to continue to address homelessness, especially the substance use disorder beds which are just so critically needed in our County. The other thing is want to thank the staff for item 62, the childhood lead poisoning prevention grant, 3,100,000 in state funding to prevent lead poisoning for our children.

Item seventy one and ninety five, it's a cooperative agreement with the city of Rialto to help with areas in the events with public works filling potholes. It's a $500,000 cost sharing agreement. It's a great investment item 73, which is our Muskoye pedestrian improvement project. This is a little over $3,000,000 which will help pedestrian safety in the community of Muskoye. And the last one is item 88, community cleanup employment pathway grant. This is a grant with Caltrans of 575,000 investment, which will help litter and abate workforce training which is great investments. And the last thing just want to thank our military for their service as we enter Memorial Day next Monday. Thank you Madam Chair.

Supervisor Cook? Supervisor Armanderes?

Yes. Thank you. Lots of stuff to be said. I I wanted to make sure I said something about, item four that we had where very pleased to see that we are moving in the direction where we're going to be able to take advantage and see what the technologies that are around, clean energy, energy in particular, are headed and creation of this ad hoc. But I am just curious, and, hopefully, the the board can entertain a possible workshop prior to that ad hoc commencing.

I believe it'd be great for all of us to kind of chime in upfront for a better understanding of what the goals and objectives of this ad hoc are gonna look like. And at least, some of us give some partial direction of the stuff we also wanna see. So I'm hoping, you'll consider doing some sort of board workshop for that. Also wanna highlight some items. We're doing a lot for the 2nd District.

You know, we we are working with Upland Chamber and, helping them with assisting of event cost. We're working with the Fontana Days Festival community project for scholarships. We're doing, we did $40,000 in Rancho Cucamonga, to fund one year of gold sponsorship for 2027 to assist with facility improvements and the cost for their Route 66 welcoming center, '30, for, the new San Bernardino County Fire Foundation to help them get them up and running, 15,000 for the Community Little League, for their equipment, tools, and supplies for their youth. And the one that I'm most proud of is the 40 k we are investing back in our kids through the SPARK program. SPARK program is something that those who know me know is very, very, very near and dear to my heart.

And we took, and put our second district discretionary money, into play on this because we believe we wanna affect more kids, and we wanna be able to help more kids in the 2nd District. So we are gonna be working with the county as part of that spark program to bring some additional kids into that, and we the 2nd District will be funding that. Also wanna commend since it's after the fact, our approval of the 420 grant award for Omnitrans measure I funds to support our elderly. I feel like that's very important. I've been asking about this through Omnitrans for a minute, like, how can we do more to help our seniors in our communities?

And I think this is just one step in moving in that positive direction to continue to do that. And I'm gonna let it go at that because there's no one else here.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Just have a couple updates from district. Recently, he was able to support the Veterans Legal Institute, which provides free legal services to at risk, low income veterans. And I know that our Veterans Department does an excellent job with that as well. So thank you for all their work.

I was also recently honored to attend the Chino Legends Academy, a competition at the Chino Senior Center, which has got to be over 55. So I do qualify to go compete next year. So we'll see. I also recently attended the City of Montclair's senior birthday celebration and Montclair's high school to college graduates, which is a program that gives students the opportunity to earn a two year scholarship at Chaffee College. Record number 175 students completed the program this year, which is fantastic.

And lastly, last week, we also donated 125,000 to the Chino Valley Fire District for a special vehicle to attack EV fires. And sure enough, two hours later, the EV overturned on Grand Avenue in Chino Hills and started a fire out there. So they put it to work that very day to help put out the EV fire. Tomorrow, we'll be speaking at Ontario Global Business Connect symposium at the Ontario Airport. Also, have our annual open house at our district office from five to seven And lastly, our next charting event will be June 6 in Chino. For anybody who's interested, please check to register. Thanks.

Thank you. Thank you. I wanted to highlight agenda item number 29 on our consent calendar today. It was an MOU with Loma Linda University Children's Hospital Resiliency Institute for Childhood Advocacy, also known as RICA. RICA's clinic services, they serve all children in the Inland Empire with priority given to CFS and court dependent youth.

They provide holistic care to children who have experienced abuse and trauma while offering ongoing treatment from professionals who are experienced in trauma informed care. And I'd like to thank the team at the clinic for their work. And lastly, the Highland Library Farmers Market. The county library is bringing a new weekly farmers market to Highland every Wednesday from two to seven at the Highland Sam Ridicchio Library. The market will feature local vendors offering farm fresh produce, artisan goods, and ready to eat food options. So that's exciting for Highland. That's it for me. Our meeting stands adjourned. Our next regularly scheduled Board of Supervisors meeting will be here June 9 at 10AM in this chamber. Thank you.