Board of Supervisors - Regular Meeting

And...

Good evening, everyone. Welcome to the Stanislaus County Board of Supervisors meeting. The date is May 19th and the time is 631. I'm going to ask everyone to please stand and join me in the Pledge of Allegiance. And then please remain standing for an invocation from Rabbi Caitlin Bromberg from Congregation Beth Shalom.

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.

Good evening, Chairman Chiesa and supervisors. Thank you for the honor of addressing you today. Before we ask God's blessing over the welfare of our county, we must pause to express our outrage over yesterday's tragic hate crime against the Muslim community of San Diego. As we stand today in solidarity with those targeted by violence and prejudice, we offer this prayer for our community and its leaders. Sovereign of the universe, healer of shattered hearts, we come before you today shaken by the shadows of hatred that have spread across our state and touched our community. This week, the Jewish community celebrates the holiday of Shavuot, the day when we stood at the foot of Mount Sinai and received your Ten Commandments. You have taught us through your Torah that no person should ever have to fear for their existence or their safety because of how they pray, how they look, or where they come from. Holy One, we ask for your comfort to be with the victims and their families and all those who are traumatized. Grant them the strength of the prophet Jeremiah to find sparks of light even in this deep and profound darkness. Holy One, For the members of this board of supervisors, we ask for an extra measure of your wisdom and discernment. May their leadership be a beacon of righteousness, ensuring that our county remains a stronghold where every resident, every faith and background can live in dignity and security. Help us to remember that we are all members of one human family. Uproot from our hearts the seeds of malice and indifference and plant in their stead a commitment to loving action that counters hate in all its forms. May it be your will that we see a day when nation shall not lift up sword against nation and where every sacred space and every home remains a refuge of hope. And let us all say, Amen.

Thank you so much, Rabbi. And we always love when there's, we know when there's kids in the house, when we do the Pledge of Allegiance, they're always so diligent and always nice to hear that. Thanks, guys. All right, we do have a couple of presentations today. The first one is item number one, and it's the commendations for the 2026 Stanislaus County Outstanding Senior Citizens of the Year in celebration of Older Americans Month. I think Jose Michelle Oden.

Good evening, Chairman Chiesa, board members, Mr. Hayes, Mr. Bose, Mr. Condit, who's a member of our Stanislaus County Area Commission on Aging. I'm Joyce Gandelman. I am the president of the Stanislaus County Commission on Aging. It's my honor this evening to introduce the 2026 Stanislaus County Outstanding Senior Citizens. The month of May is officially recognized as Older Americans Month throughout the nation, and older adults around the nation are being recognized for their contributions to our country. Stanislaus County joins with communities nationwide in celebrating this month. When I first became involved with our local area agency on aging and other senior services, I would lament that older adults were invisible. And we were being forgotten in many aspects of our society. Now, over 20 years later, as you look around this room, as you go to the store, as you go to rock and roll concerts, you see we're no longer invisible. We are the overwhelming population. The overwhelming population is older Americans. Tonight, the Stanislaus County Board of Supervisors are recognizing eight older adults from the five supervisorial districts for outstanding volunteer work in their respective communities. Through their volunteer work, they have enriched the quality of life for all county residents. And on behalf of the Stanislaus County Commission on Aging, I thank these outstanding seniors for their contributions. They are truly an inspiration to all of us. And so from District 1, I'd like to introduce.

We're going to do District 3 first, if that's OK.

I'm sorry.

District 3 first.

District 3. Carol Wagner. And the supervisor is Supervisor Withrow.

Hi.

Congratulations.

Thank you.

OK, Carol, I'm going to talk with you here. Oh, here you are. Yes. So very nice to have you up here. Thank you. Thank you. They always let me go first. I get nervous sitting there too long, so they let me go first. Thank you. So Carol is a volunteer extraordinaire, is what we would say. It was OK to say how old you are. Oh, yeah. I'm the oldest in the room.

I'm the oldest in the room.

She's 84 years old, the oldest in the room here.

That's right.

Oh, sorry. I think some people are going to argue with you on that. That's all right. But you're close. You're very close.

I think that's the first time anybody argued that they are the oldest.

That's right. It doesn't happen very often. Yes.

I'm always the oldest.

That's usually you are. So just a little bit. I want a little bit about Carol. I'm going to let her kind of tell us a little bit about where you were born, where you grew up. Let's start with that.

OK. I was born in Sacramento, but I was from Cortland, California, which is a little north of Walnut Grove because no one knows where Cortland is. I lived there for many years. I grew up there.

You went to college in Sacramento? Sacramento, yeah. Where did you meet? So I know you're a widow, and you said that you were married for 49 years. Where did you meet your husband?

At his birthday party.

Okay. Hopefully it wasn't his 16th birthday party.

No.

Across the street from my sister. She lived across the street and said, oh, you should go over there. It would be fun.

Was this in Corkland?

Oh, no. He lived in Sacramento. Oh, okay. Yeah, he was from Sacramento. Okay.

And then you guys married, and you told me that you moved to South Lake Tahoe. Is that the right chronology?

Yeah. When he got out of the Army, we moved there. Okay, okay. And you lived there for how long? Oh, I don't remember how many years.

How many years, guys?

A long time.

Six.

Six years. OK. Very good. And then I heard you said you told me you moved then to, you guys moved to Pine Mountain Lake. Yeah. Right? I know where that's at. We all know. And then from there, because the kids, I think, had to bus a long ways to get to school, you said that. If they got to high school.

Yeah. They were getting ready for that.

OK. And so then you moved to Modesto from there.

That's right.

Very good. Okay.

Modesto is the first city I ever lived in.

So all the rest of them were towns, and this was the first incorporated city.

That's right.

Yeah.

And this was your favorite place too, right?

Oh, of course.

Good answer. Good answer. Stanislaus County. Good going. So you have, tell us about how many children you have and how many grandchildren you have.

I have three children. That's OK. Let me count. OK. I have seven grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.

That's great. That's great.

A few that I've adopted on the way.

One is here.

Where are you, Levi? Well, Levi disappeared, but he brought me this corsage.

Oh, that was nice. Very nice. So what's remarkable, I appreciate you filling us all in on your history and how you got here, but it sounds like you were a volunteer from way back, and you said you followed in your parents' footsteps, that they both were big volunteers during World War II. Is that correct? That's correct. And so then you just kind of learn that from then and continue on. And so now, at 84 years old, you lead exercise classes.

Yes, I do.

And that's just amazing. And it's so important for us as we get older to continue to stay fit and stay in shape or we get injured and get healthy again. And so what it says here is you actually do exercise classes at Our Lady of Fatima, St. Joseph's Church, and the Veterans Center.

I sub at St. Joseph. I don't go to the Veterans Center anymore. And I opened... After COVID, I opened St. Joseph, and then I went to the Veterans, and we opened that. And then finally they found a helper for me that's a yoga instructor, and she and I opened our Fatima.

So you teach yoga classes?

Oh, no. No yoga. We might. They want us to dance in that class. They're all dancers. They love it. So we do a lot of crazy things that we're not supposed to do. But don't tell Jessica that.

OK. And so, like I said, everything that I read here just talks about how you're just a true spirit of teamwork, community, and you work so hard with the community. Even though you've had some of your own health challenges recently, we were both just talking about our sciatic nerve that we have going. And you probably handle it better than I do, I'm sure. And it's just like your history of volunteering. And it says kind of your motto is don't be afraid to volunteer.

That's right. I think everyone should try it. And it's very, very rewarding.

It is very rewarding.

I've met a lot of people and made a lot of friends. And I don't know what I'll do on the day where I can't do it.

We hope that's a long ways away. We hope. I hope so, too. Yes. And so we as a board in the county, we are constantly looking for individuals to get involved, to volunteer. And that is the hardest thing, to get individuals to step up and get involved. We have a lot of people that like to tell us what we should do or should be doing. But hardly any will get involved in it. And so somebody like you are just few and far between. We talk about it often. I'm going to use our line. We always talk about the greatest generation here. You come from what we consider the greatest generation, and we just wish that our youth today could have you as an example, all of these individuals that are here tonight, as examples to how we are good citizens and how we help other people. And so on behalf of the Board of Supervisors, I want to congratulate you on your Senior of the Year, and thank you for all you do.

And then as soon as we're done with the five seniors, as soon as we're done with the five district seniors, we're going to take one group shot with everyone up front just to let you know.

District 1 is next. I'd like to introduce Don Reese and Winnie Mullins.

Ladies before gentlemen. Yeah, we'll go with ladies first.

And Winnie, come on up here.

I want everybody to get a good look at you. And Winnie, she's better known as either the mayor or queen of Valley Home. And so because she does so much great work in the community out there. And I'm just going to read about it.

Oh, before you do that, can I please call your brother up here?

You want Brock to come up here too? I do. Okay. Brock, come on up.

Okay.

You ready? He's my strength. Okay. All right. Mrs. Winnie Mullins and her beloved husband, Richard Mullins, shared a remarkable journey of love for 47 years. Having first crossed paths when she was just 17 and he was 18, together they raised three wonderful daughters and are blessed with four cherished grandchildren. For over two decades, Winnie has devoted herself to volunteerism with immense selfless, contributing more than 1,000 hours to various community initiatives in her invaluable involvement in the Harvest Festival for 23 years. And the Christmas parade for 25 years has been instrumental in preserving the cherished traditions that bring our Oakdale and Valley home communities together. As a respected 4-H leader, Ms. Mullins has employed countless youth, guiding them in projects that instill a lifelong passion of service and community involvement. Her 15 years active participation on the Valley Home Municipal Advisory Council, the MAC, has given a voice to local residents ensuring their needs and concerns are addressed. Winnie has made significant contributions as a member of the Valley Home Community Park Board, enhancing our shared spaces and promoting community engagement through events such as the Easter Parade and National Night Out. Through her column in the Oakdale Leader, and you are a great writer, you tell great stories, she consistently shines a spotlight on local events, businesses, and volunteer efforts, weaving the tapestry of connection and inspiration within Valley Home. Her commitment to volunteerism reflects the core values of empathy, kindness, and citizenship, encouraging others to embrace the spirit of unity that defines a community. Winnie enriches the lives of those around her, leading by example and exemplifying what it means to be a true champion of the community. Her reliability, steadfast dedication, and genuine care have inspired peers and younger generations alike to take pride in their hometown. fostering an environment of active contribution and enrichment. Ms. Mullins beautifully reminds us that life does not have to be perfect to be wonderful. Winnie wishes to extend her heartfelt appreciation to first responders for their invaluable service and dedication to the community. She is deeply grateful for their unwavering support, acknowledging its profound impact on her life and the lives of many others. In addition, she offers her sincerest thanks to each member of the Board of Supervisors, recognizing their kindness and exemplary leadership. Her appreciation of their efforts is deep and true, deserving more than mere words can express. We're at, or excuse me, winning unwavering dedication and exemplary contributions to the Valley Home community showcase the very essence of service and leadership. Now therefore, be it resolved that the Stanislaus County Board of Supervisors does hereby thank Mrs. Winnie Mullins for her exceptional contributions to Stanislaus County and congratulates her for being the 2026 Outstanding Senior Citizen for District One. Congratulations.

Thank you. I'm just going to say one thing. First of all, I thank all of you. I really sincerely do, because I know what you've given up even tonight to be here. So I thank you very much. And of course, I want to thank this guy and his brother, because without these two, honestly, I couldn't do. what I do. And Don will tell you that. You would do it with anybody, Wendy. I can tell you that you guys are my strength.

She knows how to work us. Don't go anywhere. Hold on a second. We've got to get a picture.

Aesthetics. Good job, supervisor.

Look good.

This is a condom sandwich.

Mr. Don Reese, come on up.

We had such good candidates in District 1 that we got to pick two. All right. Mr. Don Reese, for more than five decades, has exemplified what it means to serve a community with heart, dedication, and unwavering commitment. His volunteer journey began in 1969 with the Oakdale JCs, where as president, he helped launch the first children's shopping tour for low-income families, a program established in partnership with the local school nurses, and which is still thriving today through the Lions Club. 1969, that was the year I was born. The pivotal role he played in establishing this program is a legacy closest to his heart. As a member and later president of Rotary International, he supported global polio eradication efforts and invested in local school leadership programs for students. His commitment to community youth and education has remained constant through decades of service. Mr. Reese has also volunteered with the Oakdale Chamber of Commerce for over 50 years. Don has helped promote Oakdale's identity and history by serving on the tourism subcommittee and leading Oakdale since 1971, serving as president in the 1980s and consistently contributing to local school scholarships. Don's commitment to preserving community heritage extended to his 22 years on the board of directors of the Oakdale Citizen Cemetery, where he also served as president. In addition, he reliably showed up as a volunteer parent, grandparent, and outdoor leader for Troop 43, supporting both his children and grandchildren in their scouting endeavors. In 2008, Don's passion for local history led him to the Oakdale Museum, where he became the organization's first board president, serving 2009 to 2011. Don led essential fundraising efforts that laid the foundation for what the Oakdale Museum and the History Center is today. Now serving as vice president, he remains deeply involved to ensure Oakdale's past is preserved for its future. He also launched and manages the Oakdale History Matters and Oakdale Museum and History Center Facebook pages, further extending community access to local heritage. Mr. Reese's decades of service are not only impressive in length, but extraordinary in impact. His volunteer legacy reflects exceptional leaderships, dedication, and unwavering belief in the power of community. I think everybody's getting kind of the same rate. Everything evolves around community. Don's service has shaped programs, preserved Oakdale's historical heritage, supported generations of families, and strengthened the Oakdale community for more than 50 years. At the heart of it all is his deep devotion to his five children, 14 grandchildren, and the memory of his beloved wife of 58 years, whose passing last year marked a profound loss. Her steadfast support and the love of his family has been his foundation, inspiring a lifetime of service that reaches far beyond his own home. His volunteer work continues to give him something to look forward to with hope for the future. Now therefore be it resolved that the Stanislaus County Board of Supervisors does hereby thank and commend Mr. Don Reese for his exceptional contributions to Stanislaus County and congratulates him for being the 2026 Outstanding Senior Citizen for District 1.

Thank you, Buck Conda. That's amazing. I'd forgotten about all those things that I did. But there's a lot more, but I'm not going to bore you with all that lot more. Basically, I need to recognize my wife who put up with me for, it would have been 60 years this May the 15th. That would have been our 60th anniversary. She passed a year ago in March. So she's not with us, but we had five great kids. Five great kids. And two of them are here tonight. Yep, two of them are here tonight. Three of them couldn't make it, but that doesn't mean anything. I think they love me anyway. And so because of that, I need to really say, in addition to all those things I did for the community, I did an awful lot for those five kids. When Oakdale Youth Soccer first started in the 60s, I stuck my hand up and said, yeah, I've got kids that should get out there and play soccer. They need to get busy. need to learn about teamwork, need to learn about exercise. And so all five of my kids got involved in soccer. I was their coach in some cases. The other cases, I was an assistant coach, but I was always there as, guess what, the cheerleader, their biggest cheerleader. So God bless my five kids. God bless my wife. God bless all of the town of Oakdale. And thank you, Board of Supervisors, all of you, all of you.

Thank you, Supervisor Condit. Now I'd like to introduce Supervisor Chiesa and Martin and Nancy Qualley from District 2.

It's a team effort here. Nancy, come on in. So first of all, if you've been around Houston at any point in the last, say, 80 years, you know the quality name. And we just had this quick conversation that the parents of Martin, Alvin, and then I said, Mrs. Qualley. And he said, her name's Margaret. And I'm like, you never said your preschool teacher's first name. You didn't even know they had one. And so I found that out today. Her name is Margaret. And so two generations of Kiezas went through. They're probably two and a half generations. And it was a mainstay in the community. And so out of that, Martin and Nancy moved to Turlock. But Nancy worked at Little Folks Nursery, which is just fantastic. And Martin had a career at Turlock Irrigation District for 40 years. So pretty exciting. But that's not why we're here to talk about you. But I always like to personalize it because I have such fond memories of your parents and the brutal honesty of your mother and parenting skills, telling parents that you have poor parenting skills. Which is true. That's the worst part. Outstanding. I'm proud to be here today with the qualities for the outstanding senior citizen for District 2, whereas the Stanislaus County Board of Supervisors wishes to acknowledge the outstanding service and contribution of senior citizens and whereas Martin and Nancy Qualley are a dynamic husband and wife team who have dedicated over 13 years of tireless service to the United Samaritans Foundation. There's a big number coming up. Embodying the true spirit of volunteerism and community engagement. And whereas through their unwavering commitment, they have selflessly contributed over 10,000 hours and have dedicated more than 300 Mondays. They've been collecting food donations and support the needs of the local community, demonstrating the profound impact with consistent and compassionate efforts. Whereas Martin and Nancy serve as exemplary role models, guiding others through their actions and amplifying their support for the needy, Their thoughtful approach to food donations planning has made significant difference in the lives of many individuals and families throughout Stanislaus County. And for those of you who might not know United Samaritans, they have the food trucks, they put meals together and they deliver them out to the community. Wherever that is, they take them to where the people need their meals. It might be in your house, it could be in a park, but truly an amazing organization. Whereas, as true beacons of hope, Martin and Nancy listen deeply, act purposefully, and care passionately about the well-being of others. While Nancy exemplifies a quiet and methodical strength, Martin shines as a force of nature, always ready to take on a new task and lead by example. Did he write that? He wrote that, didn't he? That is great. Before I go any further, we were talking, and I don't want to talk about age or any of that other stuff, but the board has two baby boomers on it. They've got two... Let's see. I've got to remember. Millennials, right? No. Gen X. Gen X. And then one millennial. And it's really good. But Terry's eligible, so District 3, watch out next year. So he's now eligible for this award. That's why I didn't want to talk about it. You just have to accomplish something. 10,000 hours. This is just amazing. Whereas Martin and Nancy have built a wonderful life together, having been happily married for 44 years, nurturing a loving family that includes two sons and two grandchildren with one more on the way. I'd asked them earlier if they like to travel, what they like to do. And they're babysitting grandkids, having a good time. And they took the kids to Vegas, which is just awesome. That's good parenting skill. Your mother would have been really happy. Awesome. Martin often reflects on the values instilled in him by his parents who always emphasize the importance of giving back. Now, therefore, be it resolved, Stanislaus County Board of Supervisors does hereby thank Mr. and Mrs. Martin and Nancy Qualley for their exceptional contributions to Stanislaus County and congratulate them on being outstanding senior citizen for District 2. And I'm going to hand Martin. Is he going to get the mic? Yeah. Let me read that line one more time for you in case you didn't hear it.

I want to thank Linda for running a great organization. Both our parents were givers and tried to teach us the right way to give back. We feed the homeless. The only thing I will say is Anybody could be homeless. And every time we see them, it's what happened in their childhood, where did they misstep. There's a story behind everybody. And we need to, everybody needs to eat. And Linda certainly makes sure that happens. And I want to thank all of you and all of you. Good night. That's it.

So we made a rezzo for both of them so that they didn't have to fight on their way home, but anyone's going to carry it. It's awesomeness. Come on, let's take a picture.

Thank you. Congratulations to Martin and Nancy. Next, District 4, Manny Grewal, and our honoree is Nancy Cook.

All right. Good evening, everyone. Hi, Nancy.

Hi.

How are you doing? All right, my District 4 representative or nominee recipient for Citizen of the Year is Nancy Cook. So let me tell you a little bit about Nancy. Nancy has tirelessly dedicated her time and talents to the Healthy Aging Association since 2022, starting with her vital role in COVID outreach, COVID-19 outreach. But it does not end there. It just begins there. Nancy has become an exemplary volunteer instructing the young at heart class at the Stanislaus County Veterans Center twice a week. So if any of you are interested, it's on Mondays and Wednesdays, right? And there's 140 people that have already signed up for that class. 65 show up on a regular basis, and 25 of them are guys, right? I got that right? And then if you don't want to come to that class, you could join me on Tuesdays and Thursdays when they hand out donuts, right? Got all the options at the Veterans Center. Ms. Cooks, and then the second thing that I learned when I talked to her before the meeting is she has her commitment to the Green Bag Program, which assists monthly in packing bags with fresh fruits and vegetables for older adults. And it doesn't end there, because after that, they teach you about nutritional education and, yeah, nutritional education, which showcases her dedication to improving the well-being of older adults. Nancy's extensive experience in supporting children's families and community shines through her service on various educational and community boards, including her previous work at San Joaquin Dental College. She's a certified exercise instructor, inspires and encourages her participants to remain active and engaged, emphasizing that they can always contribute to their health and wellness journey. Nancy doesn't like the spotlight. She wants to rather put that spotlight on the participants in her class and her unwavering dedication to volunteering throughout her life. But I know you don't like the spotlight. But I want to say, through that exercise program and the green bag program, I think you're single-handedly raising the age expectancy in Stanislaus County. A little bit about her past. She was born and raised in Boulder, Colorado. Born and raised in Boulder, Colorado. A degree from University of Northern Colorado. And she moved to Modesto to pursue her passion for community service and volunteerism. So Nancy Cook, thank you so much for your devotion of helping others, especially in your work with seniors, and you reflect that they should have fun, be active, social connections that are vital to a healthy lifestyle. Therefore, it be resolved that Stanislaus County Board of Supervisors thanks you for your exceptional contributions to Stanislaus County and congratulates for being the 2026 Outstanding Senior Citizen for District 4. Thank you so much, Nancy. The mic is yours. I just got braces, so I think I might have, like, put some... I'm going to clean this up real quick.

I... Yeah, I'm not a spotlight person at all, but thank you so much for this award. And, yeah, it is a pleasure. I do what I do because I enjoy it. It's a great opportunity to be out and about in the community and with... us as older adults. I think Joyce said it best when she said that it used to be that seniors were kind of invisible. And I think that we are really trying to work to create more visibility for seniors and more opportunities for seniors in our community. any support that we have. Funding is always a big thing that everyone needs to be able to do programs and to do the kinds of things that are needed in our community. So we appreciate that support. Thank you.

Congratulations Nancy from District five supervisor chance Condit we have two people Shirley Rogers and Guadalupe Vegas

Good evening. We're going to go ahead and do Lupe's first. Then we'll go on to Shirley. So Lupe. So Guadalupe Villegas, affectionately known as Lupe, has volunteered for numerous organizations demonstrating her unwavering commitment to uplifting those around her through her selfless acts of kindness. Lupe has four children and eight grandchildren. She has also dedicated 14 years to St. Vincent de Paul Church, where she cooks and distributes brown bag lunches to the homeless. Ms. Villegas has enriched the lives of many at the Hammond Senior Center in Patterson by helping set up and assisting with the senior lunch program and exercise classes. She has significantly contributed to the Patterson Promotoras and Rising Sun School by teaching exercise classes for migrant and special needs children, promoting health and wellness in our community. Lupe is a member of the Patterson Garden Club and has been for 14 years and has played a pivotal role in organizing meetings, food, decorations, raffles, and further enhancing community engagement. She has participated in Love Patterson and community cleanup events, and her volunteer work and invest in me reflect her dedication to beautifying our surroundings and supporting our senior citizens and youth by teaching life lessons through gardening. Ms. Villegas has not only volunteered her relentless enthusiasm, but has also exemplified her belief that life is a gift, and it is our job to put a bow on it, inspiring those around her with positivity and purpose. Lupe, it's such an honor to recognize you as District 5 Senior of the Year. Thank you so much for your contributions to the west side and to all of Stanislaus County.

Thank you so much, everybody. Thanks, my friends, for coming up. Thank you, everybody, for being here. Thank you so much. Thank you. God bless you, everybody.

Thank you. Thank you. Good job. Congratulations.

And for our next recipient, Miss Shirley Rogers of Ceres. Shirley Rogers has been a steadfast member of the series community where she has lived for over 50 years, raising five children and proudly being a grandmother to 11 and a great grandmother to seven. Shirley was married to her beloved husband, Russell Budd Rogers, for an incredible 63 years. Shirley Rogers exemplifies her commitment to the community service through her extensive volunteer work in the city of Ceres, dedicating her time and energy to a variety of organizations, including the Ceres Volunteer Fire Department, Ceres Cemetery, and the Ceres Senior Free Food Giveaway, Ceres War Memorial, Ceres Historical Society, Ceres Police Department, Ceres Theroptimus, and the Ceres Senior Lunch Program, among others. Mrs. Rogers embraces life's challenges with her motto, take life as it comes, don't sweat the small stuff. That's right. A perspective stemming from her own experiences, including her resilience through personal obstacles as a juvenile. Mrs. Rogers did not finish high school, but demonstrated incredible determination by attending night school at the age of 50, where she earned her high school diploma and subject to... and persisted her education at Modesto Junior College, focusing on public speaking, English, and debate. Through it all, Shirley Rogers' involvement in various initiatives, such as spearheading the Grandparents Garage Sale to benefit senior events and delivering homemade scarves and hats to city staff and volunteers, Shirley showcases her unwavering spirit of generosity and community service. She also proudly represents District 5 on the Commission on Aging, continuing her advocacy for those of our senior adults here in Stanislaus County. So Shirley, it's such an honor to recognize you as District 5's Senior of the Year. Thank you for all your contributions to Stanislaus County.

Nobody that knows me is going to believe this, but I'm at a loss for words. No, in July I'll be 90.

Thank you.

Oh wow, that is a first. Then we have some special acknowledgements. We have some city officials here that want to acknowledge you as well. And it seems like Shirley brought the whole city of Ceres, or at least half of it, with her tonight. So I do want to bring up, we have a couple council members here tonight who have a proclamation on behalf of the city council. We have Council Member Rosalinda Vieira, as well as Council Member Jim Casey. And I'm going to bring up our amazing police chief from Ceres, Chief Johnson, in the back. So if you guys want to come up and acknowledge Shirley, we have a...

Hi, Shirley. I'm glad to be here tonight. Shirley has been amazing in our community. She's very vocal, and her and I do engage in very healthy conversations, though.

They are.

Okay, but I want to thank you, Shirley, and Council Member Casey is with me, for what you do for our community. You make a great positive impact, and I appreciate everything you do and the positive effects that you have to our community, especially our seniors that live in Ceres, and we appreciate it. And we're all here to support you because we couldn't do it without you.

I might use that to piggyback on one of your meetings one day. So I just want you to know, I might come crash one of your meetings in the future. Got one more?

I want to thank some of my special friends, and they know who they are that have showed up. And my daughter, Marsha, and my son-in-law, and my bikers back there, and my low riders, and all the different people.

All right, now we're going to bring up everybody, and we're going to take a group photo with the board. There you can, yeah, you look big, come over here, look big.

Thank you. Congratulations, sir. Thank you, Kenneth.

Which one is your dad? Oh, Chad's my dad.

Gary's my grandpa. Gary's my dad.

It's great, you have a big following. Congratulations. Do you have some more words, Joyce? Just a couple. Okay. I got the podium, I'm gonna say what I can. Excuse me, we're not quite done.

and honoring our outstanding seniors. And I also want to remind you that we're no longer invisible. We are a force to be reckoned with. We're not going anywhere. And we're the foundation of Stanislaus County and the world. And I want to remind the kids that are here, it's very important that you spend time with the older adults in your life. You might learn something about rock and roll music.

Thank you so much. So kids, I want you to know that the Board of Supervisors has the power to excuse you from school tomorrow. The problem is, we're not going to. All righty then.

All right, Terrance and Chance, it's time. It's a school night.

Okay, we're going to move on to the next presentation item, which is recognition of the 2026 Stanislaus County Recycling Poster Contest winners. And Janice McClendon will be presenting. Janice, you just walk up slowly so that I know they're going to be just a minute away.

The rowdy crowd back there. Good evening, Assistant Executive Officer Mendez, Chairman Chiesa, and members of the board.

I'm going to have you stop for one second. If I could ask everyone, if you want to continue your conversation, we have to continue the meeting. Take it outside.

Thank you.

Janice McClendon with the Department of Environmental Resources. Tonight, I am here to present the winners of the 2026 Recycling Poster Contest. This sparks the 22nd year of this contest, and we had over 200 posters submitted by students from schools across the county. We received so many creative, inspiring entries, making the selection process very difficult. However, there can only be 12 winners, and tonight I am honored to recognize these students. So, let's get started. For the category of kindergarten through first grade, in third place, we have Westport Elementary, Ariana Madrez. Come on up, Ariana. This is Ariana's second year winning, so she's a pro at this. In second place from Westport Elementary, we have Hannah Arias. Come on up, Hannah. And first place from Hickman Elementary, we have Mateo Pena.

Perfect.

For the category from second to third grade, in third place from Hickman Elementary, we have Bee Cox. Second place from Barrington Elementary, we have Saoirse Salador, and she was not able to attend. First place from Barrington Elementary, we have Emiliana Sepulveda. Thank you. For the category fourth to fifth grade, from Dena Boer Elementary, we have Kamini Grayson, and She's Not Able to Be Here. In second place, from Heart Ransom Elementary, we have Eli Rivas. First place from Hickman Elementary, well, Hickman, you're really taking it tonight, we have Mallory Heaton. For the sixth to eighth grade, third place from Mountain View Middle School, we have Sofia Gonzalez. I don't think she's here. And second place from Glick Middle School, Diane Esquivel. Is she here? And last but not least, first place from Dinera Middle School, we have Emma Machado. Congratulations, you guys. You did great. Your coaches are awesome.

I'm going to stand behind you guys, if that's OK. Come in closer.

I'm going to come to the other side.

We're going to even this out. Perfect. Great. Thank you, everyone. Thank you. Yes, we did.

Thank you.

All the first place winners win $75. All the second place winners win $45. And the third place win $30. So there's some serious competition here.

Good job. See you guys again next year. Thank you. Thank you.

So that's the end of the presentations. And this is an opportunity we're going to move on to the public comment period. It's an opportunity for anyone to speak on any item that's not on today's posted agenda. We do please ask you to limit your comments to five minutes so that everyone will have a chance to speak. The first speaker card I have is Rocio Garcia, the Assistant General Manager with Recology, who's going to be also presenting some checks. And Tim, are you? Coming up, too? All right. Come on up. This is always an exciting night, too.

Hi. Good evening, Chair, members of the board. My name is Rocio Garcia, Assistant GM with Recology Blossom Valley Organics North Facility located in Vernalis. Recology is proud to be a member of the Stanislaus County Ag Community, and as the board is aware, several years ago, Recology established the Recology Ag Scholarship Program. Each year, we select one graduating high school senior from each supervisorial district who plans to further their education in ag and related fields. Tonight, I'd like to briefly recognize our 2026 scholarship recipients. Emily Collins from Grace Davis High School plans to attend Yosemite Community College and pursue studies related to fish and game. Bija Lopez from Patterson High School will attend Modesto Junior College studying ag business. Olivia Barletta from Ripon High School plans to attend Merced College before transferring to Cal Poly to continue her studies in ag business. Cadence Pavlik from Houston High School will attend Modesto Junior College to study ag education. And lastly, Willow Piotrowski plans to attend Humboldt State University studying biological sciences. On behalf of Recology, we want to congratulate all five students and thank the schools, families, and ag educators that continue to support the next generation of ag leaders here in Stanislaus County.

Thank you. So as always, Recology, thank you so much for giving out these Ag scholarships. College is not cheap, as everyone knows. And every little bit helps. And congratulations to the ladies. You guys are awesome. And we look forward to great things from you. Congratulations.

All right, ready?

Thank you.

Next up is Milt treeweiler Chair Supervisors staff and community members Milt treeweiler and I'm a lifetime Stanislaus County resident and just have one question start with what is the most important thing in or goal that we should have in our lives. And I think we're all going to have a different answer for that. But I think that actually taking care of our family is probably the most important goal and most important thing that we do in our lives. And that means our children and our family and our descendants. You probably saw in the paper that Stanislaus County actually lost population in 2025. And I believe that's a good thing because we are the greatest agricultural county in the world on earth. We have the best soils on earth. So not gaining population to me is a good thing. But I do know there are areas in our county where we can build housing. Okay, in the next 25 years, we're gonna face many challenges, so you can think of different challenges. Some of those challenges are artificial intelligence and robotics. We know that there's going to be a great change in our society because of these two items. We're not sure exactly how it's gonna work. There's a lot of prediction. There could be up to 20 to 40% unemployment. We don't know if that's gonna be factual, but we know it is going to create a great change. We already see that occurring. Actually, I heard some news today that in New Jersey, they're putting up a lot of the computer centers there. And it's increasing the price of electricity for the residents of New Jersey because you're fighting for the people's right to have their electricity and also the right for the processing. So another thing I could bring up is, and it was emphasized tonight. Planet warming our planet is warming. There's no question about it. You cannot deny that With the 24,000 weather stations around the world on an average It's going up not every single year, but it's in a trend that goes up It's not going to get cooler, and we're going to have to address this issue and So that's something all the children that were here could work on. It looks like a lot of them were going to do that, which is good. World diseases. We've heard of world diseases here recently. You know, we went through COVID five years ago. So that's something else that could crop up that we're not sure what will exactly happen. Major wars. That's another thing we could be faced with. So... It's important that we plan for the future and we be realistic about it. And that's basically just what I want to emphasize. We've got a plan for the future. We had a lot of young kids here in the, well, older people here in the beginning, and I'm part of that group, and younger kids here at the end. And they're the ones who are gonna face it the most. So I hope we can all work together and do a real good job for our children and descendants. Thank you.

Thank you very much, Mel. Next up, Seve Toscano. That is my last speaker card, so if anyone else wants to come up after Seve,

Good evening. Good evening. Well, first and foremost, before I say anything, I just want to take a moment to acknowledge that, man, tonight, just a few moments ago, this was the most packed I've personally ever seen this room in. It brought me a lot of joy to see so many people from our communities of Ceres and Oakdale, Patterson. There's a lot of beautiful souls here tonight. A lot of people who were here, they just left. I just wanted to acknowledge them, the elderly people who were here, our youth who made those beautiful works of art involving the recycling. I think that this is really wonderful to see that and it just brings me a lot of joy. So I just wanted to briefly acknowledge that and also wanna wish everybody a very safe and blessed Memorial Day weekend. And just thank you for allowing me to be up here. So without further ado, Good evening. My name is Seve Toscano. I spoke briefly at the last meeting and I first want to thank you for clarifying the process. I'm here today during the proper public comment period to follow up on that question. I want to follow up on that statement made by Chairman Executive Officer Jody Hayes regarding the Del Porto Canyon Reservoir project, specifically the statement that the county has not allocated funding toward the project and does not intend to. I appreciate that clarification. But I also think it's important to look beyond direct funding alone. During that same discussion, reference was made to the county's legislative platform, which allows support for grant applications, including letters of support for state or federal funding opportunities. So just my question tonight is this. Has Stanislaus County in any capacity, whether formal or informal, provided support, coordination, communication, advocacy, or assistance related to the Del Porto Canyon Reservoir project? Because even when direct funding is not involved, these forms of support can still influence whether a project moves forward. I'm simply asking for transparency and clarity so the public could better understand the county's role, if any, regarding this project. Thank you for your time, and God bless you all.

And thank you for your thoughtful comments about the kids and the adults. And we will get an answer for you on that. Jody, unfortunately, had an emergency this evening and couldn't be here. So we'll follow up, Seve, if that's okay.

Yes, sir. Absolutely. Just thank you again. And, of course, I love to see our community come together like this. It brings me a lot of joy. God bless you and thank you again. If I could just ask, Mr.

Chair, if we can get your contact information. I would ask maybe for you to. Connect with some of our staff in the back. Yes, sir, and then we can follow up with you directly.

Yes, sir. Thank you. Absolutely.

Thanks heavy Anyone else for public comment? All right seeing no one for public comment. I'm gonna close the public comment period and I'm gonna move on to the consent calendar before the board takes action on a consent calendar does anyone the audience wish to make a comment on any matter on the consent calendar and All right. Seeing none, does any board member want to pull any item? Seeing none, I will entertain a motion.

Motion to move all consent items. Second.

We have a motion and a second. All those in favor say aye. Aye. Opposed? Motion carries 5-0. Okay. We are going to quickly recess the... And we're going to sit in as the in-home supportive services public authority of Stanislaus County. Sitting as the in-home supportive services. I'm going to put my glasses on. Public authority. I'm calling it to order. We do have a consent item on items one, two, and three. Does anyone want to comment on any of those items? No comment. Does anyone in the audience wish to comment on any of those items? Yes. Seeing none, I will bring it back for one motion.

Motion to approve. Second.

We have a motion and a second on all three items. All those in favor say aye. Aye. Opposed? Motion carries unanimously. Item C. Yep. I have to do a public forum, right? It's a public comment. Yeah. Gray wall keeps being late. but he's quicker than Buck. Okay, so public forum, anyone wish to speak on during the in-home supportive services setting? Seeing none, we will adjourn and reconvene and sit as the Stanislaus County Board of Supervisors. All right, on to item eight, which is a public hearing. Public hearing to consider the Planning Commission's recommendation of approval of rezone application PLN 2026002, Modesto Toyota.

So good.

Good evening, Chair. Hold on one second, Jeremy. Okay, try again. All right. Perfect.

There we go. Good evening, Chair Chiesa, Assistant Executive Officer Mendez, board members, and County Council Boats, Jeremy Ballard, Senior Planner, and I'll be presenting the reason of application for Modesto Toyota. So this is a request to resound the one acre parcel from Plan Industrial 2 to a new plan development to allow for the development of a vehicle inventory parking for Modesto Toyota, which is adjacent to the project site. Plan Industrial 2 was approved in 1989 and allowed for light industrial uses, including light manufacturing, warehouses, and offices. While allowing light industrial uses, PI2 did not permit inventory parking, thus this resound to a new plan development was required. In addition to the inventory parking, all privacy-allowed uses from PI-2 will be permitted within the new proposed planned development zoning district. The project site is located at Bangs Avenue between McHenry Avenue and Spires Way in the Modesto area and is within the City of Modesto's LAFCO-adopted sphere of influence. It has the current general plan designation of planned industrial, and as I stated, it is zoned planned industrial 2. The site is surrounded by car dealerships to the north, south, and east with light industrial development and auto repair shops to the west. There's additional commercial and office uses that are to the south that are located within the city of Modesto's jurisdiction. The site itself is currently vacant but does abut the Modesto Toyota dealership to the north and east. The proposed inventory parking will include 108 paved stalls with perimeter landscaping consisting of trees, shrubs, ground cover, with the exception of the property line to the east, which will link with the dealership via reciprocal access easements. Along Banks Avenue, there will be eight foot tall steel ornamental fencing installed and eight foot tall chain link fencing with slats along the western property line. There are no new driveways proposed onto Banks Avenue. The hours of operation and the number of employees and service capacity for the dealership remain unchanged, being open seven days a week, typically 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. for both service and sales customers. If approved, construction is expected to begin within three months of project approval. So no issues were identified during the project processing. General plan consistency was evaluated, including the general plan's land use designation of plan industrial, which is intended for light industrial uses in areas of public water and sewer. The general plan finds that the plan to development zoning may be appropriate with this plan industrial designation to allow flexibility to include a variety of allowable uses and development standards. Additionally, in accordance with the county's sphere of influence policy, the project was referred to the City of Edesto, who responded with support for the project and included city standards for signage, landscaping, lighting, stormwater management as requirements for the project. In terms of zoning consistency, a rezone to a new plan development is required to be consistent with the general plan designation, which staff believes is consistent as stated above. Project development requirements, including those requested by the city of Modesto, will act as development standards for this new plan development zoning district. Staff reviewed the project and determined that no further analysis is required pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act as the project will be consistent with the analysis completed for the general plan environmental impact report. A project specific consistency checklist has been prepared for the project and included in the attachment before this evening. Additionally, staff believes that the project would be exempt from CEQA pursuant to the common sense exemption. Development standards reflecting referral responses have been included in the project. the planning commission held the public hearing for this project on april 16th 26 2026 no one spoke during the public hearing for the project and ultimately the planning commission recommended the board of supervisors approved the project on a vote of six to zero So to conclude, the Planning Commission has recommended the Board of Supervisors approve the project. If the Board chooses to do so, to approve the project, staff recommendations before you include all the required findings for the project, such as findings regarding the environmental review, rezone improvements, and project approval. And that concludes my presentation. Happy to answer any questions.

Any questions of staff? All right, seeing none, I'm going to go ahead and open the public hearing. I want to acknowledge there are no written comments that we have here. And does anyone in the audience wish to come forward and provide any comment? Seeing none, I'll go ahead and close the public hearing and bring it back to the board for comments. I would again say that it's not an intensification of use and there's really no difference, so I'm very supportive of this. We'll entertain a motion. There's no more comments.

Second.

Okay. We have a motion and a second. All those in favor say aye. Aye. Opposed? No. Motion carries 5-0. Okay, I'm going to move on to public hearing number two, the approval to continue the public hearing to consider the appeal of the Planning Commission's denial of the use permit PLN 2025-0049, Madrigal. It's a permit for an existing firewood cutting. Angela.

I'm Angela Freitas, county's planning director. This item was originally scheduled to have the public hearing heard this evening. However, due to the need to meet state publication requirements, we are asking that the item be continued to June 2nd.

Yeah. Okay. So if it's the will of the board to not continue this, we're still going to do public comment, a lot of public comment. Okay, so I'm gonna open this up for public comment this item has been again Continued or potentially becomes continued upon our vote, but we do take public comment So if you want to speak come forward to the microphone

And this will come back. Assuming we approve the continuous, this will come back again. So sorry, you guys will probably have to come back here again. Go, sorry. To the June 2nd.

Hi, my name's Erin Dager. I am a parent at the school that neighbors this acreage that they're asking for this wood chopping place to be. We spoke last time of just how we don't feel safe. We don't know who's working there. It's driving rodents into the school. It's causing a lot of noise pollution so the teachers can't even have their doors open in the mornings and the afternoons. There's just a general consensus that this is not something we want in our neighborhood.

Thank you. Thank you.

Good evening, Board of Supervisors. I'm Sheila Mello, and we built our home on Pauline Avenue in 1976 and have lived there for 50 years and raised our family. We have wonderful neighbors and a close community, some are second and third generation. I'm here to represent our neighbors and our community to tell you that we do not want a commercial firewood business in our neighborhood. There are chainsaws, wood splitters going from early morning to evening, which is almost impossible to open your windows or have family or friends over for entertainment in your backyard due to all the noise. Piles of wood over one plus acre of land, brush piles containing all kinds of rodents of some sort. Semi trucks coming in and out to the property to pick up the firewood that has been shrink wrapped and loaded with a forklift. Our elementary school, which is Paradise Elementary, is right next door, which is very dangerous for the children, the teachers and parents delivering their children and getting out of the area due to these trucks. The noise level from all of this is going on has led the teachers to close their classroom doors not to have distractions for the students while teaching. The property has The property has bright orange porta potties in view, which we all have to look at every day. It's been very disrespectful to our neighborhood and also an embarrassment and disgrace to our community. This is not the property or the right environment to have a commercial firewood business in our neighborhood and community. I'm sure this is something you would all not like to see or look at in your neighborhood either. Thank you so much for taking the time to listen to us and our concerns in this matter. That we all, we all define that we are definitely opposing this firewood business permit. Thank you so much.

Thank you, Chair. Yeah. I want to make sure that the audience knows what is before the board. They're not making a decision on the item itself. The question is, should the board continue it to June 2nd of 2026? And that's the only thing that's in front of them. They still can speak. Yes, but you can still speak on that. Yeah.

And also to clarify, a decision cannot be made today because there was an issue with the publishing of the project. We cannot hear the project today, so we have to continue it to the second. There is a 45-day requirement to have the variance heard. A variance has been filed, and it needs to be heard.

Yeah. And in addition to that, the comments that you're making with respect to the merits of the decision, the board can't use those. They will have to wait until the public hearing opens up. So I just want to make sure everybody understands where we're at on this. But you can't express them?

Yeah, so just to make sure you guys know that this just has to be continued legally because it wasn't enough days that was required for it to be published before this meeting happened. So I'm sorry you guys sat here. You got to see a good meeting today, but I'm sure you had better things to do. Yeah, but we'll get you back here again, and I apologize for that.

Anyone else for public comment? Going once, going twice, and we're going to go ahead and close the public comment period, bring it back to the board to make a motion.

So I'll make a motion to continue this until June 2nd. Second.

We have a motion and a second from Buck. All those in favor say aye. Aye. Opposed? Motion carries 5-0. Thanks for coming in.

Thanks for hanging out with us. Sorry, we'll see you back here.

Okay, that's the end of the public hearings. We're going to move on to discussion item. The first discussion item is approval of a reduction in force and deletion of vacant positions within the Aging and Veterans Services Department. This does require a four-fifths vote. Jose Michel will be presenting.

Good evening, Chairman Case, Assistant CEO Mendez, County Council Bose, and members of the Board. I'm Jose Michel. I'm Director with Aging and Veteran Services. I'm here to provide information about an approval of a reduction in force and deletion of vacant positions within our Department of Aging and Veteran Services. But before we get started, I just wanted to first acknowledge and thank a few individuals and some departments. I wanted to really thank the CEO's office, CEOHR, for all of their assistance. All of this was new to us, so really could not have done it without them, and also how they transitioned to to make sure that the impacted staff found other positions and such. So many thanks to them. Also, our business manager, HR manager, really appreciate all of her assistance through all of this. And of course, I want to thank our PEI and Project Hope staff for all their incredible work and dedication. So why are we here tonight, at least for this part? We're here to talk about a couple of programs that are very dear to our department, Project HOPE and PEARLS. Project HOPE is our prevention and early intervention behavioral health program, and PEARLS is our program to encourage active and rewarding lives. They are both set to sunset at the end of this fiscal year, June 2026. And then we'll also be discussing the positions that are impacted by them. So first, though, let's talk a little bit about what those programs are. Project HOPE is our prevention and early intervention program. And if you remember, the prevention and early intervention programs were funded through the Mental Health Services Act, which was passed in 2004. The idea behind prevention or early intervention is if we can intervene early, we may be able to avoid crises later on down the future. And so they would target specific populations in these programs. And so Project HOPE was one of them, and it worked specifically with older adults. And I have to be honest, I'm very biased towards this program. I did my MSW internship with Project HOPE, so it's very dear to me. Wonderful program, provides free in-home counseling to adults 60 or older in Stanislaus County, just individuals with mild symptoms of depression or anxiety. So we have licensed clinicians right now, two licensed clinicians. And then for those who would rather not do the talk therapy part, the clinicians go out on the average about eight sessions with them. But if someone would rather just have a friendly visitor, we also have this other component to it, the volunteer friendly visitor senior peer support program. where we have a volunteer coordinator that trains our volunteers and goes out into the homes and works with the participants just to do some friendly visiting and reduce social isolation. And then we had a navigation component, too. So for, let's say, someone after the eight sessions, they still want to seek other services, our volunteer navigator can help assist that person access services through their managed care plans, the Medicare Part B, that sort of thing. About the program, in fiscal year 26, Project HOPE totaled $423,120. $347,000 of that was for staffing and direct costs. And $75,525 was for administration and overhead costs. So pearls. It's our evidence-based depression treatment program. It's funded by the California Mental Health Wellness Act, administered by the Mental Health Services Oversight and Accountability Commission. The commission provides multi-million dollar grants to counties to improve access to and capacity for behavioral health services such as PEARLS. Pearls was a really nice option to have. Let's say someone did not really want to have something as formal as, like, you know, counseling. Pearls would assign a Pearls coach to the participant, and the participant would, you know, the coach would go to their home, and they would do six to eight sessions. The idea was to try to reduce social isolation and maybe do some goal setting, do some... The main intervention was behavioral activation. So what are some pleasant activities that you used to enjoy? What would you like to do again? So the goals were like, for example, if someone said, I want to get back to church, OK, well, let's see what those barriers are. Let's explore them. Let's see how we can get you back to do those things. And so just a really nice option to have if someone didn't really necessarily want to do the formalized counseling. So we also had some really great PEARLS groups in the community. So they could also attend the groups as well. The PEARLS grant was for three years. And over those three years, it was just a little over $2 million. And $1.9 of that was for staffing and direct costs. And $134,415 was for administration of the staff salaries. So why is PEI Project HOPE ending? Well, as I mentioned, it was originally funded through the Mental Health Services Act. But two years ago in 2024, passage of Prop 1 occurred and Prop 1 changed or updated, I should say, the Mental Health Services Act to the Behavioral Health Services Act and sort of shifted some of the priorities. So the priorities went from prevention early intervention and more to more of an intervention towards the more severely mentally ill, those who are also unhoused. But really what it really did was on a systemic level, shift the focus of early prevention, early intervention from the counties onto the state. The thinking is, well, a lot of these services could be accessed through either the managed care plans. And so for example, like when we're talking about older adults, since they're at least 60 or older, they're all gonna be almost eligible to Medicare at 65, so through their Medicare Part B, Medicare Advantage plans, and if they're not eligible to Medicare through their Medi-Cal plans, their Medi-Cal managed care plans, they could access very similar services. That's the thinking and why it got updated. So the positions impacted, at least the ones that are currently there, we have two full-time equivalent block budgeted mental health clinicians, one, two, and we have a part-time extra help volunteer coordinator. So PEARLS is a little more straightforward in terms of why it's ending. It was a grant. It was a three-year grant. And we were really hoping that the commission would come out with another round of PEARLS funding, and that just did not materialize in the time period. So it is now coming to an end. So the field positions that are impacted are one full-time block-budgeted social worker to three, and then one part-time extra help social worker three, a retiree we brought on to help us close down the program in a timely fashion. And I just want to say the staff also is just working very hard to make sure that everyone is seen and the participants have all their needs met by the time that the programs close. But for those that do not, if they still want to seek other services, we'd be happy to help them navigate how to access their services through their insurance. We also created a new navigation tool for how to access services through their insurance or through activities in the community. So that's available as well. So there are some vacant full-time positions that are impacted by these programs as well. PEARLS did have a vacant block-budgeted social worker 2-3. And then there's a staff services coordinator position. And that had several funding sources, partially funded by PEARLS, also the Veterans Services Office budget, and the Area Plan Older Americans Act administration budget. What happened in the Older American Act administration budget, that funding has remained flat for the last five years. It has not had any increases. And while all of the Older American Act programs, all of those costs have risen over the last five years. And so once that position became vacant, it was clear that we weren't able to hire behind it and sustain it. So that's why we did not hire behind it. And then we also have the Block Budgeted Accountant 1-2 position. That was also partially funded by PEARLS, also by PEI Project HOPE, and then also funded through the Modernizing Older Californian Act MOCA Supportive Services Program, which ended 3-31. So for that position, all of the funding sources have pretty much either ended or will be ending in June. So this table is to just sort of hopefully summarize it for you in a nice, neat little package for you. The positions that are filled and the positions that are vacant and their funding sources. So the two filled from Project HOPE, the Mental Health Clinician 1-2, the PEARLS Social Worker 2-3, which is filled, then the PEARLS vacant positions, Block Budgeted 2-3, the Staff Service Coordinator, which is vacant, which had the PEARLS funding, the VSO budget, Veterans Service Office budget, and the Area Plan Administration budget, and the Accountant 1-2 budget, which is funded by PEARLS, Project HOPE, and MOCA, Modernization of Older California Act budget. So our next steps. Approval of this item will allow Aging and Veterans Services and the Chief Executive Office to begin reduction in force proceedings by engaging with affected employees and their labor representatives to navigate the transition. These positions are recommended for deletion in accordance with the reduction in force provisions negotiated in the affected employee specific memorandum of understanding. And the county is committed to fulfilling its obligations to bargain in good faith with employee organizations representing affected county personnel over the negotiable aspects and or aspects of the potential actions. And Aging and Veterans Services and Chief Executive Office Human Relations Team will work to find positions in other county departments for the three affected employees, which is occurring and has happened. So the staff recommendations, there are four. We ask to approve the reduction of force of the three filled positions within our Area Agency on Aging budget effective June 27, 2026, as outlined in the staffing impact section of the report. To approve the deletion of the three vacant positions within the Aging and Veterans Services Area Agency budget effective June 27, 2026, as outlined in the staffing impact of the section of the report. Also to amend the salary and position allocation resolution to reflect the recommended changes effective June 27, 2026, as outlined in the staffing impact section of the report, and to authorize the Chief Executive Office and the Director of Aging and Veteran Services to fulfill the operational activities associated with implementation of the above recommendations. If there are any questions, again, my name is Jose Michel, and my phone number is there as well.

Is that your personal phone? Just a quick question on this, Jose. Thank you for the presentation. And I know it's disappointing to have to cut this thing down as part of Prop 1. So we're certain there's no way through a CalAIM that we could bill for this, that we could actually bill Medi-Cal for this type of stuff. Would it be eligible? We did look at that.

That's a great question, Supervisor Witherell. We did look at that. It's just that the reimbursement rates were just not going to be sustainable. They're just lower than what we were... In order to... you know, in terms of the benefits and the salaries and all that, and the cost of the building and all that, it just, it was not something that, heaven forbid if someone doesn't show up, you don't get paid for that hour when they come, all of those things.

Kind of a fee for service is what you end up doing.

Exactly, right, right.

Okay, so I'm glad you looked into it to see if that was a possibility. Great, thank you.

So I would be curious, like six months from now, if you think that the state or the managed care plans are doing the same job we were getting here because earlier tonight we took up the home key project, which are important because it's always for homeless or people at risk. And too often we have to concentrate on the homeless or the seriously mentally ill and we're letting people slip into that. that could have been prevented from a mild to moderate, from slipping into it. So I'd be curious if the job is as well done. I appreciate everything and I know clinicians are in short supply so I think we'll have a fairly, good chance of transitioning them into another position. Any other comments?

Jose, thank you so much for your presentation tonight and your continued efforts and all the work you do for our county. I know you had said this numerous times, but just for the sake of facts and things not being distorted, these eliminations of these positions were out of our county's control. This is impacts from the state, from Prop 1, other things. I just want for the record for you to, again, clearly state this was out of the county's control. It's not like we're willingly or wanting to eliminate these positions. This is a budgetary crisis coming down from the state of California. That's correct, Supervisor Klein.

Thank you for that. Yes, definitely. The PEARLS program, it was time limited. It was coming to an end. And then with Project HOPE, the fact that Prop 1 changed the priorities, it just basically shifted the ability and put it back on to the states and the plans and such. So thank you for that.

Thank you.

Any other comments?

All right. We're going to acknowledge there are no written comments on this item. I'm going to open up the public comment period to see when the audience wish to provide public comment. Kevin, welcome.

Okay, so I want to know, I know that you've mentioned the state and the fact that There was a change in priorities mainly because of the proposition that you talked about and also because of the state. But what I'm also wondering is, did the Trump administration have anything to do with this in terms of curtailment of funds, of federal funds for veterans? And how is this going to affect services for veterans? It just seems to me that veterans are always the victim of the bureaucratic shuffle. And here we go again. How are they going to know where to go for their services now and how to attain those services? It just seems to me that their services are always being depleted time and time again. And they always end up on the losing end of everything. And here we go again. So where are they going to end up? What is this going to mean for veterans? And how much of this is due to the Trump administration? And what can the county do about this, if anything? Thank you.

Before you go, I'm going to ask for any other public comment. All right. Seeing none, go ahead, Jose and Michelle.

Sure. Well, Prop 1 happened in 2024 is when it passed and it gave all counties basically two years to, you know, implement it. I think Prop 1, that's pretty much the main thing. But in terms of your question for the veterans, that is one thing about our department. We are aging and veteran services. So we're on the aging side. And we also have the veteran services office. And actually, we were just awarded a small grant specifically for behavioral health navigation. So for veterans, if they need help navigating the behavioral health system, We will be starting that grant in the next fiscal year. So at least for that population, we'll be able to assist in that way. So those veterans that were eligible for Project Hope and Pearls, at least we'll be able to assist them through this new grant that we just obtained. Thank you for your question.

So to be clear, the people voted on it, I remember it barely passed with like 50.1%. And it is not a take back of money, it's a redirection of money from mild to moderate to seriously mentally ill. But you can thank 50.1% of the population for voting for it. All right, all right, I see no one else. I'm going to go ahead and bring it back. Any comments or motion?

Motion to approve staff recommendations.

Second. We have a motion and a second. All those in favor say aye.

Aye.

Opposed? Motion carries 5-0 again.

Thank you. All right.

Thank you. And Tori, you stuck around the whole meeting. Okay, we're going to move on to item 10, Board of Supervisors report. Start left to right.

So I just want to give a brief report. We conducted our 28th community cleanup in District 5 over the weekend in Patterson. We filled a total of nine bins, which equated to 27 tons of trash and debris that was hauled off to the landfill. I want to thank Patterson Unified School District for all their efforts in helping host us out there in Patterson, as well as providing the Student Organization Plus, which is a club out there at the high school who They volunteered the hours out there in helping us clean up and make a successful community cleanup today. Also, Vice Mayor Patterson, Carlos Roque, was out there the whole time. So, again, thank you to the volunteers and the community members that made our cleanup a great success. Thanks for always doing that.

Just real quick, you're going to talk about probation maybe? There was a grand opening for the Children's Garden, which is on Mays Avenue, right next to St. Stanislaus Church, between the church and Emerald. And Jessica Coleman and her husband, Greg Coleman, Gallo donated the land there. And it's just a beautiful spot for the kids. There's a fence between it and Franklin School on Emeril, and they actually are working right now on putting a gate right there for that. It's just a beautiful celebration. You've got to get out there to see what they've done. And the whole purpose of it is to teach kids about agriculture, about products that come from the store, teach them how to grow these things, send them home with seedlings or whatever. or things that they can take home for their family to grow on their own. And it's going to service the schools around there and any other schools. We look forward to a whole lot of schools in the county coming there and visiting. So great work. And just three cheers out to Jessica Coleman for what she did there.

Thank you very much. I would like to first thank Raul Mendez, who filled in as our executive officer, assistant executive officer with the county on very short notice. We appreciate it. Also, I always forget, so I'm going to do it right now. Sergeant Carranza and Sergeant Barringer, thank you again so much for keeping us safe. And the one event was Saturday. Probation had an open house, and they used to have it yearly, and now they're doing it every two to three years. And it was stunning. Raul, myself, Jerry Powers, former probation chief, Ruben Imperial was out there. Lots of folks went out there. It was incredible. It must have had hundreds and hundreds of people out there. And I thought it was a great recruiting tool, partially. And then there's probably people taking some of their problem children there to show them what their future might look like if they keep it up. But it was just so well received. Lots of people, the CHP was out, the sheriff's helicopter was out there, but just a great event highlighting the great things that our employees are doing, really. Anything else additional on that? No? Okay. So with that, we'll move on to item number 11, legislative fiscal management report.

Yes, thank you, Mr.

Chair, members of the board. Thank you. I have a couple items this evening. One, I did want to just share that the Board of Supervisors did send a few letters of support in alignment with your legislative platform, one pertaining to AB 2705, which establishes consumer protections and creates a more consistent statewide framework. for excess proceeds claims associated with tax-defaulted property sales. And then the second, supporting the Stanislaus Equity Partners in an application to the California Strategic Growth Council's Factory Built Housing Regional Pilot Program, round three. Also wanted to mention, as the board is aware and members of the community as well, the governor did issue his May revise last week. Your staff is continuing to evaluate what's contained in the governor's budget proposal for fiscal year 26-27. Some of the key areas that we're tracking for local impacts include lean investments to assist in the mitigation of HR1 impacts to CalFresh and Medi-Cal eligibility administration, proposed in-home supported services cost growth changes that could shift additional non-federal responsibilities to counties, We're monitoring HHAP funding. This is the funding source that goes for housing and homeless programs here in your community. Continued funding around seven, but still at the 50% level in comparison to the current year. There's no new funding for indigent health, no new funding for Prop 36 implementation. And then also we're noting expiration of AB 1869 backfill funding. This is information that was shared with us by our probation department. Previously provided San Jose County with approximately $950,000 annually. And this backfill is obviously ending. We will report back with more information, but wanted to just give you a summary of our preliminary analysis. And that's it, Mr. Chair. Back to you.

And this week, tomorrow, Wednesday, Thursday, and there is the California State Association of Counties, our legislative conference, which will have an opportunity. Some of us are headed up there, have an opportunity to speak with our elected officials and see if we can get some of that straightened out for you. That's great. All right. If there's nothing else for the good of the order, this meeting is adjourned.