Board of Supervisors - Regular Meeting

Thanks. Good morning and welcome to the Tuesday, August 11th, 2026 meeting of the Fresno County Board of Supervisors. We'll begin with the invocation and a flag salute. The invocation will be led by District 5. After the invocation, please remain standing for the flag salute.

Thank you, Chairman. Today we have Chester Goodale. Chester is an elder at First Presbyterian Church of Fresno. He previously served as a deacon, children's music director, and adult children Sunday school teacher. He was a teacher for the past 40 years and recently retired from Madera County Superintendent of Schools. He's married to his wife, Julie, and they have three children and four grandchildren. Please rise.

Okay, is there a motion and a second to approve the agenda? All those in favor, say aye.

Okay. These matters are routine in nature, usually approved by a single vote. Would any board members like an item removed from consent for discussion?

I need item 31 pulled because of the Levine Act.

Okay. 31. Any other members? OK. Would any members of the public like an item pulled for discussion? Yeah, you can come on up, please.

Well, I think you could address it in a public comment.

Anyone else? OK. Is there a motion and second to approve the rest of the consent agenda? All those in favor, say aye. Aye. It passes unanimously.

And I believe the Sheriff's Office is here to present.

Thank you. Any comments from the board? Yes, Supervisor Magzik.

Sergeant, I have enjoyed working with you in developing the memorial that's at the Area 2 substation, and I think that legacy will last many generations. But your commitment here, as was stated, you've definitely left a mark. We appreciate that, and we hope that you are not a stranger. So thank you.

Sergeant, just congratulations on three decades of service to you. And you definitely will leave a mark. And I thought you looked familiar over being over at the statue. I think you might have had a hand in making sure that that looked like you or not. But thank you so much for your service. And thank you to your family for sacrificing and sharing you with our Fresno County family. Thank you. And well earned.

I would just add my congratulations and good luck in the next chapter.

And I too would want to say congratulations and thank you. Thank you to you, thank you to your wife and family because they have to support you and it's not an easy job. It's a tough job putting on a uniform and protecting this community and as you said, sometimes seeing the worst of the worst and you have to deal with the worst of the worst. and it's not a job I would wanna do. It's a dangerous job. Sometimes it's a thankless job, but I can assure you that most of the people in the community are very grateful and thank you all the time. You don't hear it all the time, but it's true. And so th

Yeah, come on up to the, like we have the Humane Animal Shelters Pet of the Month, which we all enjoy doing and highlighting. I believe we have Freddy, who is a Labrador Retriever mix, three years old, and he identifies as a male. So would you like to come to the mic and say some things about the dog?

Three weeks, okay. Well, we encourage the public to obviously come to the shelter. And there are plenty of dogs who are wonderful dogs looking for forever homes. And if you've never had one before, it changes your life for sure, for the positive. So any comments from the board? Yes, Supervisor Maxey.

He may have entered the shelter as a male, but when he leaves the shelter, he will be neutralized. And I just want to remind the public how important spaying and neutering at your pets is. Because one of the biggest problems we have in Fresno County is we have many dogs that people just abandon. And then they have puppies, a lot of those puppies, and right back up at our shelter. Last year, I had the pleasure of spending time with a dog by the name of Doug, who was a gigantic pit bull, but he was just a big puppy. And fortunately, we were able to find a spot for him, but I appreciate the work

Yeah. Any anyone else from the board? Yeah. And I also have two dogs we've we adopted and they are the best. So I do encourage people to really reach out to the shelter. There are dogs who really need you. And we often need them without even realizing it. Any other comments from the public?

Let me hang on one second. I see we have Congressman Jim Costa here. Welcome, Congressman. I understand you would like to do a quick presentation for the board. So let's do that.

Yes, and we have representatives here from the HR department, and so I'd like to turn it over to them. And we do, of course, have a proclamation, which we'll present right after.

Thank you. Is there anybody else who wants?

I'm ready to make a motion to approve this proclamation.

Any comments from the board? Any comments from the public? Okay, I'll bring it back.

Pass easy and anonymously. Want to come up, get a picture?

Any questions or comments from the board? No. Any questions or comments from the public? Okay, I'll bring it back. Is there a motion? Motion to approve. All those in favor say aye. Aye. Passes unanimously. Thank you.

OK. Any comments from the board? OK. Yeah. Before the, well, OK. Let me ask any comments from the public before we adjourn. OK, before the board recesses to closed session, I asked if there was any comments from the public. The board will now recess to closed session. And once we're done, we will come. Yeah, you wanted to come? OK. Sorry about that.

Thank you very much. Anyone else from the public? Yes.

Is there anyone else? OK, I'm going to close the public portion. We are going to recess for a closed session.

Okay, thank you. Any questions from the Board? Yes, Supervisor.

Actually, a couple of quick questions. I know that in that Exhibit A document and some of the questions I had last week, I talked about the ambiguous nature of a lot of that language. So even if it's handled in the SIP after the fact, do we still have the potential of this landing in court? Because it's my understanding the document, it's a self-performing document where there's language in there saying that this is the will of the voters. And so if the implementation plan is in conflict,

I want to thank staff. I spent over an hour, of course, with a lot of the questions and concerns that I had. Some of the concerns were actually laid out in this technical document just stating that it may be very difficult for us to fully expend our allotments. And right now with regional projects, we take a dollar of Measure C and we're able to leverage that sometimes six, seven, eight times with state and federal dollars to build regional projects. So as we spend to maintain local roads, there's not a whole lot of leveraging that can be used so this report speaks to a lot of that and also to

Any other questions? I also want to thank you for This is the work of 30 days a month with all the staff, with all the information that can now be presented to the Fresno voters when this measure comes before them. We had, by election code, the responsibility and the obligation and the opportunity to get this information, and we followed the law. We did exactly what we were allowed to do, required to do by state law, And I think this is very important information that the public is going to have access to when they make the decision on this measure. So I thank you for all the work that you've

OK. It's included. But you could have gone online as well. It's online. Any other comments from the public? Okay, seeing none, I will bring it back. Supervisor Chavez.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Did we, or County Clerk, did you want to speak on this?

Did you have anything you wanted to add? I apologize.

Any questions? Just before you sit down, County Clerk, just for the record, how many signatures were submitted and how many were certified officially?

And so thank you for that, because I think Supervisor Pacheco had a quick question.

Yeah, County Clerk, it's my understanding we have two resolutions that we're going to vote on today. One is for March and then one is for November. What's your intent or are you going to wait until you see the outcome of that vote? I will the outcome of that? Well, I guess my question more specifically, will the outcome of the vote influence what your decision is going to be?

Thank you. And thank you for that, County Clerk. I did want to ask you that question on the record, just because I think, for me, this conversation has kind of segued into a number of other conversations with regards to the technicality of Measure C, provisions, clauses, stipulations. But I think, for me, it's always been very simple. And I'd like to always put people first. The 32,000-plus folks that you referenced, 20,000 plus folks that you were certified, I think to me, spoke volumes. And I think on my end, my preference would be to put this on the November 2026 ballot and comply with ever

But, but, Buddy, you were, he was going to go last. Oh, are you, Buddy, did you want to speak at all?

Okay. I appreciate those comments. You know, the DEI language that you alluded to, that was put out broadly across everywhere. It was a national law. It wasn't solely set for Fresno or Los Angeles. This law was. This law targets Fresno County. It's not set aside across the state. And that's the difference. We have general laws that are made by the legislature across the state. This is very different where they have targeted Fresno County to benefit the people that they have relationships with and that's what happened. The fact is people sign signatures, we respect that. But not all the signatu

Okay, and if the board passes a resolution for the March 2028 ballot, where does that leave you?

So what I hear you saying, with what you just read, that's the proposed language that you would want used? Okay, fair enough. And James, some questions I have for you, and I know that you're not an attorney, but I have to ask these questions because I'm in a bit of a conundrum with 1923 and elections law. So based upon your reading of 1923, did AB 1923 set aside election law or are we still supposed to follow election law?

And regular rules say that we cannot add a measure. Elections law says that the deadlines 88 days from the election is the deadline for a measure to be on the ballot. Is that correct? And so what you just stated is you have 1923, which has been very instructive, but then it also says follow elections law, and elections law is in conflict with 1923, correct?

And here, this is why I'm in a conundrum with this, and I can appreciate the legislature trying to solve a problem, but what they've done is they've actually created... many, many more problems for me as I sit here today, because I recognize we are a nation of laws, and we are a state of laws. And I find that 1923 is now in conflict with election law. One way the legislature could have corrected that is if they would have written the law and they would have set election law aside specifically for 1923, that would have allayed a lot of my concerns, but that wasn't done. I didn't read that in th

That basically sums up exactly what I said but in a resolution so yes I accept that language.

And that was seconded by Supervisor Mendez. You had a question?

Yeah, County Clerk, just for the benefit of the public, Having heard the conversation now, it is your position to comply with AB 1923. You're moving in that direction. Subsequently, the language that you will use to do that compliance will be the language that this board will adopt. That's the material that you will use for placing on the November 2026 ballot. Is that correct? Correct. Short of a court telling you not to do that, that's what your direction will be, correct? Correct.

So it's understood that we are moving towards the March 7, 2028. That's the motion. OK. All those in favor, say aye. Aye. Those opposed? No. Passes three to two.

You're going to have to provide additional information to the board. What are you referring to?

I think I understand. With this going before voters... the ballot statements in favor and against, I think it would be perfect to have Luis and Gary to be the individuals to do that. So it's very similar. Anytime you have a measure that's brought by the Board of Supervisors or an initiative, the Board of Supervisors has an opportunity to opine on that.

We'll do that. We're used to arguing with each other.

You two are perfect for it. So as far as committee is concerned, I think those two would be perfect to deal with the arguments in favor.

Consensus is agreed. Okay. I'm good. Good.

Could I have a question on the last item? And I don't know if we need to open it up. Can we modify the resolution that the materials would be provided in September?

The question I have is can whatever materials we need to provide to the clerk, can we provide them in September as opposed to immediately? If the...

So going from memory, I think there's like a 10-day clock that will start once it's set. And so depending on what the courts may do, because right now we just passed this for 2028, so the clock on when the arguments in favor and against are due are in the future. But if for some reason this ends up on the ballot in November, you have so much time to write your argument. Typically, it's 10 days. So you'll be notified by the clerk's office.

So just a question I have for County Council, and also for Joe. So these EMT fees, your office supplies certification to individuals who go through the EMT process, right? So a question I have. Am I conflicted out on this? I just thought about this. My son is a licensed EMT family member, but is this general enough that this is something I can vote on, or is this something that I need to leave the room over?

Any other comments from the board? Any comments from the public? Seeing none, I'll bring it back. Is there a motion to second? Is there a second? All those in favor say aye. Aye. Any opposed? One abstention. Four ayes and one abstention.

OK. Any questions from the board? Comments? Go ahead.

Thank you for that presentation. Just want to make a really brief statement to folks. I think last time when the agenda item came forward, there was a lot of perception that we somehow just wanted to have one hauler. I can tell you that was not the case. We don't have an interest in taking anybody out of business. I think we want folks to keep doing what they've been doing. Having said that, I also would like as we go forward through this conversation to include some language that really makes our haulers a true partner in this conversation. I know in the past language has been very loosely wr

So right now, as it stands, they have the traditional cart service. They have their trash, all that. What I would like to see is having like an operation cleanup, what the city does, where once a year they come and clean up their material and pick it up for their constituents.

And I'm not talking for rural communities, Sir President, if you want to leave yours. It does. But it costs us more money when we're spending $4 million on illegal dump sites. And that's what I'm asking staff to do. That's what I'm asking staff to do to come back with some pricing on it.

I agree with that, by the way. Just want to make that clear. We don't want Riverdale to pay for Kalawha or vice versa.

Okay. Any other comments from the board? Bring it out to the public. Anybody from the public wishing to speak or address this item? I'm here. All right. Come on up.

I have a question for you. Yeah. So you're in agreement with what the staff is recommending today, right?

Okay. Thank you. Anyone else? Okay. Yes. Yes.

OK. Thanks. Any other? OK. Anyone else from the public? OK.

Let me ask you a question. Sure. When you're talking about a long-term contract, are you talking 10 years? Are you talking five years? What is your desire?

You also feel 10 years is what you're needing? Yes.

OK. Thank you. Anyone else from the public?

Two fives, okay, thanks. Anyone else? Okay, I'm gonna close the public portion. Let me ask you something. So hearing the standard, at least from their perspective, what would be your objection to a 10-year plan?

Let me ask you a question. You were saying that there aren't problems for the most part with the way things have been going. Is that right?

I understand that, but can't you clean up the language, create accountability within a 10-year contract?

I can understand staff's point of view. And again, it's no secret that 3D will be leaving. As a business person, I would want stability. I wouldn't want to wait two years for stability. I would want that right now. So again, we just heard that things seem to be going well. There are some things that need to be changed. I don't see why there's no reason why they can't make those changes in the next 60 days and present us with a 10-year acceptable contract to both us and the haulers. And if that can't be done, then fall back to the two-year position, because these trucks are not cheap. Their inv

And again, I don't deal with all the haulers. I deal with one. And I believe, for me, for the last year, we maybe had one complaint out of 200,000 constituents, maybe one complaint. So for me, at least in District 1, things are going well. I want to continue as is. And I'd like that for the residents. Because in five months, I'm going to be one of those residents. And I want status quo. Yeah, yeah. Good luck with that, yeah. Any other? But anyway, that would be my request.

Yeah, and I think as long as we just capture.

Incorporate what Supervisor Chapman wanted for the rule and whatever that is. For the urban area.

Yeah, yeah. And ensuring what. That he paid for and not letting him. Right, exactly what Supervisor Mendez mentioned, that those rate payers paid for it.

Any comments? Okay. All those in favor, say aye. Aye. Passes unanimously. Thank you.

Oh, let me see. Where am I? What do they want to do? Could I? If I can, I'm being requested to let some of these folks, now how many are there that want to speak? Two people want to speak? Three people? Okay, we'll let three people speak and then we'll go to supervisor comments because they need to get back to work. So let's do that quickly.

That's okay. No problem. Thank you. Next person, please.

Okay. Thank you, sir. I've got to cut you off. Thank you. Thank you. And you will be the final speaker, and then we're going to go to our regular agenda.

Thank you. And we have one on the phone.

We'll wait till the next. All right. So we're going to go back to Board of Supervisors Committee Reports and Comments. Supervisor Maxick, thank you for your indulgence.

Yes, I've got a couple of items. So our NACO, annual NACO conference took place July 16th through the 21st. I sit as the voting member for this body on NACO and I'm also on the board of directors of the National Association of Counties. It was a very humid conference because we were in Louisiana, but we had a number of different resolutions that we voted on. Really, there was nothing that was controversial. I also am the Vice Chair of the Finance, Pensions, and Intergovernmental Affairs. committee and we had about uh a dozen resolutions that we passed there that went on to the floor uh for app

OK. Anyone else? No. OK. We will move on. Board appoint, go ahead, I'm sorry. Anybody have it? Yes, Supervisor Magazine.

So for board appointments, I've got a couple. So to the West Fresno County Red Scale Protective District, reappoint David Hines to the at-large seat, which expired on 7-29-2025. Waterworks District Number 18, appoint Alex Sisk to the District 5 vacant seat, formerly held by Richard Davison. And to the Fresno Regional Workforce Development Board, reappoint Christopher Zeitz to the at-large joint city-county education-slash-government seat.

Mr. Chairman, I have three reappointments as well. I'd like to reappoint Tiffany Magnum to the Fresno Arts Council in Board Member A position for a term ending June 30, 2029. I'd like to reappoint Sean Howard to the Lower San Joaquin Levee District in Board Member B position for a term ending June 1, 2030. and I'd like to reappoint Christina Garza to the Fresno Regional Workforce Development Board and the Joint City-County Educational Government be at large position for a term ending November 1, 2027.

Okay, anybody else? I have three. I want to reappoint Chuck Rios to the Fresno Regional Workforce Development Board. joint city, county, and labor at large position. Reappoint Alicia Bonner to the Fresno Regional Workforce Development Board, joint city, county, labor at large position. and reappoint Dennis Montalbano to the Fresno Regional Workforce Development Board private sector at-large position. Is there a motion and a second to approve all this? Oh, I'm sorry, let me go out to the public. Is there anybody who wants to speak on this item from the public? Seeing none, I'll bring it back. I All those in favor say aye. Aye. Passes unanimously.

OK. And any comments from the public on any matter not on the agenda or any comments from closed session items 13 through 22? Please, welcome.

And CAO, item 51 was removed, correct? Okay, I just want to make sure the public understands that. Councilmember Karbasi, go ahead.

We are now going to go into closed session. I would like to, in closed session, again discuss item 5.1. I have some questions about that. And I don't know if there will be anything to report out. I don't know what we need to do from a legal point of view. But I would like to include that in our closed session item discussions today.

Okay. And we may have something to report out. Possibly is that something you have to say or no?

No, we will not adjourn until we do that. Okay. We will go into closed session now.

Okay. Is there a motion to adjourn? All those in favor?