[0:00] 2021 at 8.30 a.m. It's a regular Eastern Sierra Council of Governments, joint powers authority, regular meeting, pledge of allegiance. John, do you like to lead us in the pledge of allegiance? Okay, here we go. Everybody ready?

[0:21] Begin. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands.

[0:31] one day under God, indefisible, with liberty and justice for all.

[0:42] Welcome.

[0:43] Welcome, please.

[0:47] Chair sports.

[0:49] Vice Chair Wentworth.

[0:54] Supervisor Cornless.

[0:56] Here.

[1:02] I am sorry.

[1:03] Supervisor Gardner.

[1:04] Here.

[1:07] Councilmember Salcedo.

[1:12] Vice Chair Wentworth.

[1:13] We have.

[1:14] Supervisor Griffiths.

[1:16] I'm here. Supervisor Totharo. Here. Thank you.

[1:25] Call, Jim Ellis. Yeah, I'm here too.

[1:29] Councilmember Jim Ellis, I apologize. Okay, great.

[1:34] Jim,

[1:37] moving on to public comment. This time I set aside to receive public comment on matters

[1:42] not calendar, calendared on the agenda. Is there any public comment?

[1:46] I

[1:49] have no one here, but I did receive a public comment from Patricia Robertson with MLH,

[1:55] which I did email to the board earlier in the week, and it is uploaded on the SCOG

[2:02] website.

[2:02] If you'd like me to read it, I can do so.

[2:06] Sure.

[2:07] Go ahead and read it.

[2:08] Okay.

[2:08] Dear SCOG partners, I'm excited to share with you, mammoth lake's housing's 2020 annual report.

[2:13] And the report you will see that all we accomplished under the extreme circumstances we all faced.

[2:18] We implemented an emergency rent assistance program and raised nearly $1 million to help

[2:23] folks pay rent.

[2:25] Our home ownership program saw an increase in success of 55% and we submitted 4.5 million

[2:31] in grant applications to convert a commercial property into 11 one-bedroom apartments.

[2:37] We also hosted a free virtual workshop on tenant protections during COVID.

[2:41] You can watch the video here and she's got a link.

[2:44] In 2021, we are looking forward to a rebranding process collaborating with LISC and the state

[2:51] on rental and utility assistance to keep folks in their home and building new relationships

[2:56] to find creative housing solutions for viable economy and sustainable community.

[3:02] I hope you'll consider joining us to achieve our vision that communities in the eastern

[3:06] zero-thrive because everyone has access to safe, affordable, quality housing, and she has

[3:12] attached their annual report for the year 2020. Again, her comment and the annual report

[3:19] are both uploaded on the Eskog website for the members to see it in full. Thank you.

[3:26] Do you see Madam Chair, Angie, did you receive a public comment from Matt Perrillo,

[3:33] No, my chance.

[3:36] Not unless it came in the last few minutes.

[3:38] Let me just take a look.

[3:46] No big deal if you did.

[3:47] Just check and he said he was going to send it.

[3:49] No, it actually, I did.

[3:54] Okay, I'll go ahead and read that to you.

[3:56] Good morning, Supervisor and Council members.

[3:58] Within the last two weeks, I have participated

[4:00] in several interagency coordinated meetings,

[4:04] including the US Forest Service,

[4:06] Region V Sustainable Outdoor Recreation Collaborative.

[4:10] the regional dispersed camping summit spearheaded by Mono County and the regularly scheduled meeting of the Eastern Sierra Sustainable Recreation Partnership.

[4:19] The high level of cooperation among agencies and NGOs at these meetings is incredible and inspiring.

[4:26] There were several common themes shared by these collaborative centered around providing better and virtual visitor information services, mitigating the impacts of van life and dispersed camping.

[4:38] The need for more and better information on how to volunteer and recreate responsibly,

[4:44] and the need to provide consistent and accurate information across jurisdictions in real time.

[4:51] I would like to acknowledge the work of the Sustainable Recreation and Tourism Initiative,

[4:56] and in particular, the outcomes of the Visitor Connection Working Group.

[5:00] The Visitor Connection Working Group was comprised of 28 representatives from regional organizations

[5:06] that work through several of these complicated issues.

[5:09] The Working Group convened a series of workshops

[5:12] over 14 months to identify the components of a communications program

[5:17] to articulate a unified voice for the Eastern Sierra

[5:20] rooted in sustainable recreation and stewardship.

[5:24] One desired recommendation of this track

[5:26] includes building and maintaining a dedicated web page

[5:29] that visitors can direct to upon their arrival

[5:32] or in planning their trip to the Eastern Sierra

[5:35] from their place of origin.

[5:38] Much of this information exists on different agency

[5:40] and NGO manage websites, but not in one central

[5:44] and easy to find location.

[5:46] I would like to make the council aware of the S-R-T-I,

[5:49] visitor connection package,

[5:51] and recommend the council consider the benefits

[5:54] of creating a central web-based resource

[5:57] that addresses these common needs.

[5:59] The visitor and connection package and outcomes

[6:02] of the visitor connection working group can be found here.

[6:05] and he has a link which I will forward this email to the board, and I will also upload it to the SCOS website.

[6:14] And he thinks us for our time.

[6:20] Great, thank you. Are there any other public comments?

[6:24] No comments at this time.

[6:27] Thank you. Let's move on to the consent agenda.

[6:31] We have a motion to approve the minutes of February 12, 2021.

[6:34] on a meeting of the S-cold GPA.

[6:41] So moved.

[6:43] Second.

[6:44] All in favor?

[6:46] Aye.

[6:50] We do that on Zoom.

[6:52] Yes, sorry, so just a reminder under the Brown Act,

[6:55] if we are doing a Zoom meeting, we have to do a roll call vote.

[6:58] So if they're good, call a call, that would be great.

[7:01] Okay.

[7:02] That's Andrew.

[7:03] We do a roll call, please.

[7:05] Thank you.

[7:06] Supervisor Coralis?

[7:08] Yes.

[7:08] Yes. Supervisor Gardner. Yes. Council member Wentworth. Yes. Supervisor Griffiths.

[7:20] That's your muted. Supervisor Griffiths. Yes. Thank you. Supervisor Toe Thoreau.

[7:26] Hi. Council member Ellis. Yes. Chair Schwartz. Yes. Thank you. Great. Okay. Let's move into our

[7:37] full agenda here. We have a very large agenda so I'm trying to move things

[7:44] along quickly. We are going to do item number six, discuss and provide direction

[7:50] to staff regarding S. College serving as the California Environmental Quality Act

[7:55] Sequa, the Agency for Regional Ecosystem Management for Sustainable Recreation

[7:59] Projects. This goes to Elaine Kamala.

[8:06] Good morning, Madam Chair. Council members

[8:09] and supervisors. So this item was brought to my attention by

[8:13] the mayor's member in our last S-COG meeting. Can you hear me? Okay, it seems like people are adjusting volumes.

[8:23] Better now. Thank you. So this item was brought to my attention by Janet Hatfield

[8:30] and Thomas Corporation. You may remember at our last S-COG meeting, we approved this

[8:36] the middle of an application for a California Department of Fish and Wildlife on one grant.

[8:42] That is intended to build an inter-disciplinary team to provide third-party

[8:48] meet-up services and develop all of the qualifications locally to do third-party meet-up.

[8:54] One of the components of that grant had originally also been to do the necessary seek for work

[9:00] for fuel's mitigation, particularly with the pilot project around the town of Pamela Blades.

[9:05] And because we were not able to identify an appropriate lead agency before the grants

[9:11] middle, that component of the scope report was removed from the grant application.

[9:16] So since then, this have yield and I have had a number of conversations about the necessity

[9:23] to have a appropriate lead agency identified in future, such that if future funding opportunities

[9:31] come along, there would be an organization that would be willing to serve as

[9:36] lead agency and would not miss those future funding opportunities. So I'm

[9:41] going to provide a little bit of background on what it means to be a lead

[9:44] agency and I know that there's probably general familiarity within this group of

[9:50] how SQL works but generally for a project, all state and local government agencies

[9:58] are required to do environmental review under the California Environmental Quality Act.

[10:02] And the organization that is responsible for making the approvals, the discretionary

[10:08] decisions is typically given the role of the lead agency, which makes them responsible for

[10:13] preparing the environmental documents, but more for a certified that it's adequate for the project.

[10:20] Not all projects require a full environmental review, however, to get most state funds you

[10:25] need to at least be able to check that box that the CEQA requirement has been met.

[10:31] But the lead agency also has the responsibility and assumes the liability of if that CEQA documents

[10:38] is challenged. In instances where there are multiple primities such as in the field reduction

[10:45] project around mana, there are all of the different agencies who would be considered responsible

[10:50] agencies and the agency with the most responsibility

[10:54] in implementing the project would be the lead agency.

[10:58] We have inferred with Ms. Chichla and she has done the homework.

[11:04] We are, the SConn is,

[11:07] and as a JPA, the overall of the lead agency and appropriate projects,

[11:13] where, for instance, we might be applying for an implementing grant.

[11:16] So today, staff is requesting the board discuss and just provide general directions to the staff that it's funding opportunities arise.

[11:26] Whether or not they as a public be willing to serve as a lead agency in the appropriate instances.

[11:32] And I believe this have field has joined the call this morning as well and answering questions you may have.

[11:37] This concludes my staff and I'll take questions you have. Thank you.

[11:44] I have a question. I'll go ahead Dan. Go ahead.

[11:47] I was just wondering in a relationship to lead agency is usually the group that has the responsibility for the decision.

[11:58] In some cases, we may be getting a grant but passing that upon or coordinating with groups, but are we the group that is really responsible for the decision?

[12:07] And how does that fit in with us being the lead agency?

[12:13] Yeah, so there may be projects that are cross-terrestrial, where there will be approvals required

[12:21] for many different organizations. And so in that instance, it would be the agency that is

[12:27] most responsible for the implementation of the project. So the examples that we sort of found

[12:33] to run, but if you know if we did, or it's a recreation project that crosses the unique lines,

[12:39] but the grant is being submitted and administered by SCOG,

[12:46] SCOG is overseen the implementation of the project.

[12:49] That would qualify for SCOG to serve the committee in that instance.

[12:53] And for projects where it's not immediately obvious that there's a clearly agency,

[12:59] the state will provide direction.

[13:02] So it sounds like what we're really saying is,

[13:06] where we would be the appropriate group to be the lead agency,

[13:11] we're willing to do it.

[13:12] Not that we're leading agency for all projects.

[13:16] That is correct.

[13:18] Yeah, that's correct.

[13:20] Okay, thank you.

[13:24] I have a question.

[13:25] So if we are the lead agency on a certain project,

[13:27] are we the ones that go out and outsource someone

[13:30] to do the CEQA work?

[13:32] And then we hire like the escog would then

[13:34] have hire a firm to do that work.

[13:40] That's correct. I mean, we can also choose the parent and house, but I don't think we have adequate staff to do that. It's not appropriate for a very large project. So yeah, the, the escog would hire a consultant or potentially coordinate with the ID team.

[13:57] if that problem one grant comes through.

[14:00] And then the ASCOC as lead agency

[14:03] would certify the adequacy of the seek the document.

[14:08] And does the consultant sometimes share

[14:10] some of the legal liability of that document?

[14:17] I would let Ms. Chichlal answers the full extent of that.

[14:21] But generally, I would say,

[14:24] you know, the lead agency would take on that liability,

[14:29] but it's typically not like a financial liability.

[14:32] The first administrative remedy is to say that the document

[14:36] isn't adequate.

[14:38] And so if there was a portfolio for the project,

[14:42] that has come for serving on behalf of them as a leave agency.

[14:46] So for instance, it was not a recognition project,

[14:47] but it was a type of development project.

[14:51] The applicant for that would have to do that,

[14:55] And that gave a legal cost to three.

[15:10] So, just to chime in a bit more on what Elaine said, I think she hit the nail in the head, but I think there's an important distinction to draw what we're talking about as far as liability is a lead agency. So, first year to answer council member Schwartz's first question. No, the next question.

[15:29] consultant does not have any liabilities should the EIR be found and out with.

[15:34] And that is a general answer, I'm going to suppose with a structure sort of special relationship,

[15:38] but you know that is just the general rule and sequel of that. The consultant is merely there to

[15:43] go out and you know count the trees, do the burrowing owl studies, you know whatever technical scientific

[15:50] work we need them. Then you know they write up the EIR and someone wants to come in and challenge

[15:57] to an environmental group besides the synadequate

[16:00] and comes and challenges it.

[16:02] There are two different scenarios under SCOG

[16:05] to sort of discuss that type of challenge.

[16:08] The first is when the lead agency and the project

[16:11] proponent are the same.

[16:13] So that would be SCOG is carrying out a project

[16:17] and SCOG is the lead agency reviewing the adequacy

[16:21] of the environmental documents.

[16:23] In that case, SCOG would bear full liability

[16:27] for any sequel lawsuit that would come our way because, you know, we're the ones both doing the project and doing the review of the environmental impacts of the project.

[16:38] The second scenario is escog is serving as the leave agency, but like Stabala pointed out, there's a separate project proponent.

[16:46] And you know, that scenario, while this is probably not something that would come in from

[16:50] the best college, just to use a simple example that can make sense to everybody, is something

[16:55] like a developer coming in and building a subdivision, right?

[16:58] In that case, you have the developer saying, I want to build the subdivision and LA County

[17:03] perhaps is the lead agency reviewing the adequacy of all of that developer's environmental

[17:09] So, in that case, the developer would be the one who would bear the cost of any SQL lawsuit.

[17:16] Generally, the way that we ensure that is that the lead agency enters into an indemnification agreement with the developer

[17:22] that basically says, if anyone sues us claiming that the SQL review is inadequate, you have to cover all of our costs of the lawsuit.

[17:30] So, the only reason SCOG would really be on the hook for serving as a lead agency

[17:35] is an S-con for all of the projects proposed.

[17:38] So if S-con were both the developer and the county

[17:40] in the hypothetical, I just gave you.

[17:46] Thank you.

[17:55] Any other questions or discussions?

[17:58] It's a quick question for staff.

[18:01] So Elaine and Grace, you know what our bandwidth is.

[18:06] Are you confident that should we serve in this role,

[18:09] which I think is incredibly important,

[18:11] especially given what half a billion dollars announced

[18:14] just as we can, additional money can be for fire mitigation and that little fire that's

[18:18] burning down by onion valley right now. Do we have the, we don't, we may not have the capacity

[18:25] right now, but should we get into these types of projects, do we have the ability to scale,

[18:31] to contract, to bring on the resources to serve in this capacity from both of your professional

[18:37] opinions. What do you have for both of you? I

[18:43] think that we would have the capacity to

[18:47] hire consultants and manage an administrator for pretty consultant to prepare for you and bring

[18:54] it to the House of Commons. Yeah, I'll speak more from the legal perspective. I think legally we're very

[19:02] well-poised to do that. I don't see any legal impediments. The beauty of us being a JPA is that

[19:09] As far as the law is concerned, you know, we have teeth, we have power, we can hire employees, we can enter into contracts, we can assume debt, you know, we can do all those things that entities generally need to do in order to carry out these larger scale projects.

[19:24] And second point, John, I think your question is very important because when selecting a lead agency, it's, you know, the law says that it's either the agency who has the permitting authority over the project.

[19:36] So, you know, the county planning department is yet to issue a CUP or the entity that's

[19:42] carrying out the project.

[19:43] An escod would fall under the carrying out wrong because I don't think anyone envisions

[19:48] that escod's going to be issuing CUPs or building permits or anything in the future.

[19:54] But a common challenge to see what is that you've chosen the wrong lead agency.

[20:00] Because the lead agency is not in your figurehead.

[20:02] It is someone who is supposed to have expertise and deep involvement and be deeply intertwined

[20:08] in carrying out the project. So, you know, as John noted, if ESCA does want to serve as a late

[20:14] agency, we wouldn't need to scale up and hire consultants and really have our fingers in that pie,

[20:20] so to speak. Otherwise, you know, I think we open ourselves up to a sequence challenge.

[20:28] And with that said, as I said at the beginning of my presentation,

[20:33] sequins likely required for any sort of implementation projects that

[20:37] Ascog could choose to write grants for administer an implement.

[20:42] So I think that I should perhaps have my response to say that

[20:46] in so much as we anticipate Ascog will be ramping up for those projects

[20:50] and capable of administering those that yes, we would also be

[20:55] proportionately being able to hire consultants and oversee the corresponding environment.

[21:03] Excellent. Thank you very much.

[21:07] Anyone else at the stage?

[21:09] Yeah, thanks.

[21:15] The discussion is absolutely supported.

[21:19] I think starting our ecosystem services program of work we visit is a kind of a logical next step.

[21:30] And of course, we need to be careful and strategic about the projects we choose to take on.

[21:37] But, you know, they're going to be things that all four agencies support.

[21:43] And we all collectively want to see happen.

[21:47] And I apologize.

[21:51] I have a bad connection.

[21:58] You see it mentioned she has a poor connection.

[22:00] So we can wait a moment for her to get back online.

[22:04] No, I just go. Can you hear me now? I need to do my video off. Sorry.

[22:11] I'm basically just saying I support us going ahead. I think we need to do this.

[22:19] Thank you. Any other comments?

[22:25] I guess the only thing I've mentioned is that as I guess was stated earlier, we're pursuing the grant to be able to pay for these studies.

[22:31] we need to be the lead agency to do the studies.

[22:35] So this is sort of the other shoe,

[22:36] as I understand it,

[22:37] just to kind of reinforce that point, right?

[22:42] Yeah, that's correct, thank you.

[22:46] Is this a gen-dice reactionary

[22:48] that's looking for step-to-step action?

[22:51] We're only looking for step-to-step direction.

[22:56] Specific action will be taken

[22:58] if those studying opportunities arise

[23:00] and we'll come back to that side board

[23:02] with specific applications.

[23:04] but I think today we're just looking to gauge the general support of the S-Concourses

[23:10] serving as lead agency when the appropriate opportunities rise.

[23:19] Madam Chair, I, because I didn't make clear, I support this and I support, let's explore

[23:23] this moving forward along these lines.

[23:27] Great, I saw thumbs up from Jim.

[23:29] Dan?

[23:30] Yes.

[23:31] I do support as long as we're calm down, just going in appropriately to each one.

[23:38] Fantastic.

[23:39] So, it looks like Elaine the entire board is in favor of moving forward with this and you have your direction as needed.

[23:50] Yes, I do. Thank you. And we will obviously come back to you if there are any instances in which we'll need to serve you state agency in the future. Thank you.

[24:00] Yeah, move on to item seven.

[24:04] Receive presentation from California citizens,

[24:06] redistricting commission,

[24:08] regarding the state level, redistricting process,

[24:12] legal counsel of grace.

[24:14] Miss Heidi pronounced your last name.

[24:16] Announce Hubla, it's a very tough one.

[24:18] Okay, grace Hubla.

[24:21] Yes, all right, so thank you.

[24:24] I'm here today with Linda Aguitagawa and Jane Anderson,

[24:28] who looks like they have just joined our Zoom.

[24:32] As Council member Schwartz mentioned,

[24:34] they are both members of the California Citizens

[24:37] Redistricting Commission.

[24:39] And that is the group that's responsible

[24:42] for overseeing redistricting,

[24:44] which is the process of adjusting boundary lines,

[24:48] following each census to account for movement births

[24:52] and deaths within the state.

[24:55] And as most of your board is probably already

[24:58] where there is redistricting occurring at the county level and at the city level for some cities,

[25:05] those who are not at large. I believe Bishop may be an at-large city, so I don't think there's

[25:10] redistricting occurring for Bishop. But I am overseeing in your county's redistricting process, and I got

[25:17] in touch with Jane and Linda who are overseeing essentially the parallel process at state level.

[25:25] So, I thought it would be useful for Linda and Jane to just speak briefly to your board to give you guys a brief overview of what they're doing and to explain the synergies and parallels that we see between state level redistricting and county and city level redistricting to hopefully increase citizen engagement and just make sure that everyone is informed about this crucially important process.

[25:50] Linda and Jane, take it away.

[25:53] All right, thank you so much, Grace, and thank you to all the board members of ESCOG.

[25:58] We do appreciate this opportunity to be able to speak to all of you and present to you

[26:02] and also to any of the members of the public who's also listening in.

[26:07] We just want to say thanks for being on the person.

[26:09] We appreciate this opportunity.

[26:11] I'm going to go ahead and start sharing my screen so they see our presentation.

[26:17] Just go quickly here.

[26:19] All right.

[26:20] So just, let me just go ahead and first just briefly introduce myself and then James also going to introduce herself as well too.

[26:27] My name is Linda Akujigawa and I am one of 14 commissioners that is on the California citizens redistricting commission.

[26:37] It is an independent commission.

[26:39] It does consist of an even, I guess, partisan balance.

[26:46] There are five Republicans, five Democrats, and four, I guess either independence

[26:52] or no party preference declines state.

[26:55] There's so many different terms that I use that.

[26:57] I try to just cover it all.

[26:59] I'm one of the members that is a declined state or an independent.

[27:04] And I just really want to just again just reiterate, you know,

[27:07] just how much it's both an honor and just really just an exciting kind of time to be part of this effort in 2020 and go through the next 10 years.

[27:19] Jane, do you want to go ahead and introduce yourself real quickly?

[27:22] Good morning, and as Linda has already said, thank you very much and letting us present with your board.

[27:27] You understand that you're under a bit of a time crunch, so we're gonna try to make our presentation concise and direct to points.

[27:34] I'm my name is Jane Anderson. I am one of the Republicans on the commission and I'm from all

[27:42] perfect California. So go ahead, go ahead. All right, thank you very much. And I guess I should also mention I

[27:48] from Orange County, California, which is to the south. So I'm just going to go ahead and just move the slide

[27:55] along. This is the caveat that we have to put into all of our presentations that we cannot take any

[28:03] public input today per the California government section code and I do understand that you're

[28:09] also working on the Brown Act as well too so I know that you do understand that so

[28:14] anybody who does want to provide public input we will also give instructions on how you

[28:19] could do that where you could provide it but there simply you could start with our website at

[28:24] to reach all the points, CA.org.

[28:27] Okay, let me just go ahead and move on.

[28:29] So I know that as members of,

[28:35] as Convinne, I know you all understand redistricting,

[28:37] but just put the sake of just this presentation

[28:40] and for those that are listening in.

[28:42] I wanna start with what is redistricting?

[28:44] So redistricting, as you could see,

[28:46] is just about drawing the boundaries

[28:48] that determine which Californians are represented

[28:50] by each electoral district again.

[28:53] And as you can see, we just went through the every 10 year process of census.

[28:58] Following the census is the redistricting process, which then leads to the representation

[29:04] process that we'll all be undergoing following redistricting. And why do we draw

[29:10] district maps? We draw district maps because change does happen. Our communities change because

[29:16] people are born, people pass away, and people move. They move in, they move away. And so because of that,

[29:24] it does change just the makeup of our community. So in some cases, some communities will grow

[29:31] in size, and in other cases, some communities will shrink down in size. And so in 2010, during that

[29:39] process, the areas that were once roughly about the same number of people for each electoral

[29:46] district might have become unequal in this 10-year interim time. And so the process that we're

[29:54] undergoing is about trying to rebalance again and make sure that each electoral district is

[30:02] So, I want to just talk about, so what's in it for you? Why should you care? And so, I think this chart here is a, is a representation of why, why should you care about redistricting? Why should you at least provide public inputting? And I know for a lot of Californians, you know, the census itself is one thing.

[30:23] redistricting can be a little bit

[30:26] experimenting to some, but like the

[30:29] census, I think there's an

[30:31] importance to this process because

[30:33] what the district can really

[30:34] represent is its power of our

[30:37] voice, our, you know, what we think

[30:40] and how it's not only just like

[30:42] the vote, you know, electing

[30:45] people that we want representing

[30:46] us, but it really is about

[30:48] determining, you know, who is

[30:50] going to be able to run to

[30:53] who asked for your vote to represent you and your voice.

[30:57] And what you'll see here is that redistricting

[31:00] is about power to you, the people.

[31:03] It really took the changes in the law

[31:07] that established the independent redistricting permission

[31:10] really took the power of redistricting from politicians

[31:14] and gave it to us, the people of California.

[31:17] And that's why we believe that being able to exercise

[31:21] our voices is process important. It's also way for you to be able to say you know what do you want

[31:28] your electoral district to look like so that the likelihood of getting potential candidates

[31:35] will represent and champion your issues is going to be greater so that then the likelihood is that

[31:41] you'll be able to really then hold accountable the politicians that you elect. You know it always

[31:48] always does come down to money, redistricting is really about being able to

[31:52] elect the people who are going to be able to represent your issues, but also

[31:57] ensure that they have your financial issues at heart so that when it comes

[32:01] time for what your community needs, the county, the city, you know, it's

[32:06] ensuring that you have people who are going to be in place to fight for the kind

[32:10] of things that are important to you. And lastly, about community boundaries,

[32:18] it's

[32:18] group into what districts and we'll be talking a little bit about communities of interest

[32:22] in a moment but it really is about who do you want and we send this to in your county who

[32:29] does in your county want to be connected to who does model county want to be connected to in

[32:36] terms of thinking about a district is it about going north or is it about going south or is it about

[32:41] going a little bit to the west it's really about the people of your counties being able to speak

[32:48] to that and just giving us input. And the more input we have, the better the maps we can draw.

[32:55] All right, so next is, let me just and great attention this and I think this is an important part.

[33:02] What we're doing is we're doing the district team at the state level, but it does flow down and you

[33:09] can see at the state level where we're responsible for Congress, the state senate is simply important

[33:13] of equalization. But at the county levels, counties are also doing

[33:17] redistricting as well too, and that also can point down to the city level.

[33:21] Cities are also doing redistricting, so are schools, and so are other entities like

[33:27] water districts and community colleges, college districts. And so

[33:32] redistricting is happening at all levels, but it's important that we're all

[33:36] working together and also supporting each other because the input that you

[33:40] provide will also be important to the other entities that are also going to be important to you

[33:47] in terms of the process that they're going to do. Let me just also share a little bit about

[33:54] the commission itself and why we're doing what we're doing. So part of the role that Jane and I have

[34:01] as commissioners is not just to draw the maps, but it is also to hold these community outreach and

[34:09] public input meetings so that we can engage the people of California and we can encourage and

[34:16] solicit your input and hear your public testimony as to why what your communities are.

[34:23] Who do you think your communities should be affiliated with and really you know what is the

[34:29] kind of input that we should be keeping in mind as we think about communities because we want to

[34:34] as much as possible, keep communities of interest intact.

[34:39] Jane, do you want to just go ahead

[34:40] and talk about the baptized part of our role?

[34:45] Before we do that, Madam Chair,

[34:46] can we just request everybody

[34:47] if they're microphones, if they're not speaking them?

[34:50] Much of rustling going on in the strike presentation.

[34:55] Thank you.

[34:56] Thank you.

[34:57] Yes, at this point, I'll jump into the actual,

[35:01] what the commission does as far as the map drawing.

[35:04] And we, as Linda said, we draw maps for four different types of governmental bodies.

[35:10] The congressional districts, which will probably have about 52, the state senate districts

[35:16] for the 40 of them, the state assembly, we have 80 of them, and the board of equalizations,

[35:21] which will help the board.

[35:23] Next slide, please.

[35:29] So, do we just draw these lines, Willie Nilly?

[35:32] No, we have criteria, and these are our six criteria, and they are in order.

[35:37] The first one is equal population population.

[35:42] The districts must be a nearly equal population to comply with the United States Constitution.

[35:48] The second criteria is the Boding Rights Act.

[35:52] We have to comply with that to ensure that minorities have a fair opportunity to elect representatives

[35:56] of their choice.

[35:58] At the state level, we follow the Federal Boding Rights Act.

[36:01] When the counties and cities will follow the California Boding Rights Act, which is slightly

[36:06] different.

[36:07] The third one is contact community, which means our districts must connect.

[36:13] Number four, and this is the most important to you as a community and how to put your input to the commission and to the maps is communities of interest.

[36:26] Districts must minimize the division of cities, counties, neighborhoods, and communities of interest to the extent possible.

[36:34] I'll give this into that in a little bit more detail later.

[36:38] Number five is a compact, geographically compact.

[36:42] This does not mean shape.

[36:45] This means population density, which means just because it looks funny does not mean it's

[36:51] not a very good district.

[36:54] And number six is what's called nesting districts.

[36:57] This is wherever practical, each senate district should be comprised of two complete and adjacent assembly districts.

[37:07] Four of equalization districts should be comprised of 10 complete and adjacent state senate districts.

[37:13] That can't always happen because the populations are, we don't pick by numbers, we pick by census blocks, which are small and building blocks.

[37:25] Now, in addition, and this is extremely important to California because most of the states

[37:29] do not have this criteria.

[37:31] The place of residence of any incumbent or political candidate may not be considered in the

[37:37] creation of a map.

[37:39] The districts may not be drawn for the purpose of favoring or discriminating against any incumbent,

[37:45] political candidate, or political party.

[37:48] So these are supposed to be politically independent.

[37:51] Next slide, please.

[37:54] As I said, this is the most important for you and what does this mean?

[38:01] We have to keep these together and we can easily get the city and county maps but we cannot

[38:09] have communities of interest.

[38:10] We don't know what those are until you tell us.

[38:14] So what do we mean?

[38:15] and the community of interest is a concentrated population that shares a common social, economic interest that should include a single district for the purpose of being effective in fair representation.

[38:31] This can mean different cultures, different ethnicities. This can mean people who live in one area and you shop in another.

[38:42] You can have the transportation, you can have highways, you can have where you will work, you can have a particular media.

[38:51] And multiple people can belong to multiple communities of interest.

[38:55] It doesn't mean you are just one community. You can be Mono County, you can be Mono County in your county, you know, this S-Cog.

[39:03] These are all different communities of interest. And we'd like you to tell us about all of them.

[39:08] Now, community interest is not the same as a district.

[39:12] These are building blocks of districts.

[39:16] Next slide, please.

[39:19] So, how do you define your communities?

[39:21] This is sort of a way that you can think of as a community,

[39:25] how do you put yourself together?

[39:27] How do you get your community to think of what they are?

[39:32] And you can create this by actually drawing maps

[39:35] and telling us about your community.

[39:37] How do you get there? Or testimony? These are powerful personal stories. This is a great idea.

[39:47] You know, you have relatives who have been here for a time immoral.

[39:52] You know, what would you tell the people from out of town? These are, this is a great way.

[39:58] You can write this down and send this to the commission. Written testimony.

[40:02] You can actually describe, and you can do this in our Community of Interest tool, which

[40:07] I'll tell you about in a minute.

[40:09] And whenever possible, any of these items please use statistics, data, why should you

[40:20] be together?

[40:21] What are you?

[40:22] So who are you?

[40:24] You can consider using a sense of bureau data.

[40:27] You can use any kind of data.

[40:28] That's always good.

[40:29] It doesn't have to have data.

[40:30] And sometimes the way to get people together is say, okay, we're not being heard and that brings people out to tell you, give you information.

[40:42] And then boundary maps are, you need to do create a map of your neighborhood area.

[40:47] You can say, okay, what's street signs? Is it this county? Is it that county? Is it the city? Is it a death valley?

[40:56] You know, it's certain areas that are in your, you know, what's in the model-laking area.

[41:03] These are your communities.

[41:06] Next slide, please.

[41:09] So, how do you, what do you do with this information?

[41:13] The best way to get this information to the commission is through what we're calling a community interest tool,

[41:19] which is a special program to put together for us.

[41:25] and you can access that to drawmycacommunity.org.

[41:32] And if you can't spell community, that's okay,

[41:35] because we have grabbed the names of pretty much every way you can think of spelling it.

[41:40] So it's drawmycacommunity.org.

[41:44] And all that, it walks you through.

[41:47] The first step is just writing your community.

[41:49] Who are you?

[41:51] And you can do this anonymously.

[41:52] you don't have for training then. You can say this is who this is this is who we are and you

[41:58] then you draw that on a map and it's very simple it's a click and drag you can type in

[42:04] I'm this county or I'm in this city or this zip code it will get you there and then you can go

[42:10] from there and then you send that to the commission in for remote areas we're actually coming up with

[42:17] paper versions of this. So you can actually send this out to people in your community.

[42:25] Next slide please.

[42:29] Now, so timeline, this is a crucial one because when what's happened here,

[42:37] and you've probably heard that the census is very late. It's delayed, delayed, delayed, and we're all

[42:43] told that September 30th the census is going to be delivered. The data is going to be delivered to

[42:48] all states across the country at the same time.

[42:51] But if you'll those down at the bottom here,

[42:54] it says February 15th would be the final district maps

[42:57] of the Secretary of State.

[43:00] Should, excuse me, the state not get it

[43:02] until the 30th of September, we would have,

[43:05] the commission would have up until September, February 15th,

[43:08] to finish the maps.

[43:10] However, this runs smack dabbing to the electoral process

[43:15] and causes lots of problems.

[43:17] So we've been trying to work backwards from that and working with the governor's office,

[43:25] the secretary of state, all the electoral parties involved to try to do what can we do about this?

[43:31] And you may have heard the state of Ohio sued the Census Bureau because while we have a mechanism in California

[43:39] to allow us to extend our dates, most states did not do such a thing.

[43:44] And so there have been a much worse position than we are.

[43:48] And they sue the censors that, well, we'll do what we can.

[43:54] And then they said, well, we do have this thing called legacy data,

[43:59] which is what it sort of looked like 10 years ago, the same format,

[44:03] which we could give you maybe even by the middle of August.

[44:08] But it is very, it's you need to be statisticians to work with them.

[44:13] But we're fortunate in California to have a state-wide database, which is where all of

[44:19] our electoral data is delivered to, and that's where we go back to, to get this information.

[44:28] And they can take this lengthy data and put into a shape that we can then start to work

[44:33] with it.

[44:34] Now, it does take them two weeks to get it into shape, and then another month to, we just

[44:40] see on our timeline, we have September 3rd, October 31st for the Commission can use it.

[44:45] That month is where the state-wide database does we have in California called Prisoner

[44:51] Reallocation, which is something all the states and counties and cities, lots of states.

[44:58] we are in the same...

[45:00] I think also doing this, the citizen count is must. And it's actually taking the people who are in prison now, out of where the prisons are, and relocating them towards their representative districts, because remember representations for 10 years. It's not just what happened in prison for this year or so. And that, so as a result, should we get the data from the Census Bureau in the middle of August?

[45:29] But the commission still would not get it until it would be instead of October 31st.

[45:35] It might be a month earlier, which would be wonderful, and it could move this date up

[45:42] to January 15th, probably the latest, possibly even by the end of December.

[45:48] So we won't know that, and everyone will hear as soon as that data, as we get the census

[45:54] data everywhere we'll hear, and these dates which are here, they're slightly modified

[46:00] on our website, and we'll put up the latest data as soon as we can.

[46:04] Next slide please.

[46:07] And now this is where we're wrapping up.

[46:08] This is basically, we've already said, we can't take public input today, however, next

[46:14] slide please.

[46:18] Next slide please.

[46:20] Thank you.

[46:20] Yeah, so we do want to just, and then just recap the ways to provide input, as Jane just mentioned, just a reminder that we can't take public input, but there are ways in which you can provide public input.

[46:36] She talked about the communities of interest mapping tool.

[46:39] We did also mention that we're making it the community of interest mapping tool for making it not just online, but also in a paper form. So you can go to either draw my CA community dot dot board.

[46:54] Or you can go through via our website, the commission website that we draw the line CA dot board and then it will take you to community interest tool.

[47:05] You could email us public comment as well too so you could write a letter and then just

[47:10] email it us, email it to us.

[47:12] You can even call and leave a message and tell your story.

[47:16] I was even thinking we could probably even take a video.

[47:20] You know, a lot of young people now do video kind of things where they tell their stories.

[47:24] Or you can mail your communities of interest, public interest to us.

[47:29] And we do also want to mention, for those of you who have citizens and residents that

[47:36] are perhaps limited English speakers, we also do have the online communities of interest

[47:42] who will available in various languages as well, and tutorials are available in those

[47:47] various languages.

[47:49] And so with that, that does complete our presentation.

[47:52] I do want to just acknowledge a supervisor on top row and supervisor Griffiths and Grace

[47:59] for listening to our presentation.

[48:02] Again, we had the opportunity to present to the incoming supervisors at the beginning of the week.

[48:07] So hopefully we had a couple of new slides added, so it was a little bit different from what you heard.

[48:14] Thank you very much for having us.

[48:15] It's helpful.

[48:16] Ready to take any questions you might have.

[48:19] And our slides are in your packets so don't worry that you weren't able to write the website

[48:27] to things down that is in your agenda packet.

[48:31] So, we want to stop sharing the screen,

[48:37] and if there are any questions, we'll be happy

[48:39] to answer them.

[48:41] Very much.

[48:42] Does anyone have any questions?

[48:45] I don't have any questions, so I want to thank you for presenting.

[48:51] So, for the Council of Governments, do you think that we should agenda this for a discussion

[49:00] on the future meeting, because I think we do have some decisions to make regionally

[49:08] about what's best for us, what's best for

[49:21] us, should we be connected to the north?

[49:27] which we connected to this code

[49:31] over the mountains to Fresno.

[49:35] You know, do you think it's all a discussion from the region?

[49:41] One thing I might say is please submit, if you can,

[49:46] do this and submit your information before the census gets there.

[49:51] Because we collect this, all this information now,

[49:54] we can assemble it now.

[49:56] Once the census data gets there, it gets very busy.

[50:00] And once the maps get out, it's everyone starts to talk about minute areas, and if you get your big picture in the earlier you get it in, the better it will be received and considered.

[50:14] So there's no time like the present. So thank you.

[50:18] I guess I do have a quick question.

[50:22] So this small list division for consideration of these maps is a census block.

[50:32] That's correct.

[50:33] And on the community interest tool, the mapping tool is, as you get smaller, you'll notice the lines

[50:42] are perfectly smooth except for rivers or certain areas, they are little tiny blocks.

[50:49] They look almost like little Lego blocks and because those are census blocks.

[50:53] There's also, it gets larger and they're called census tracts.

[50:58] And then it gets bigger as well.

[51:02] But the smallest block is a census block and not all census blocks contain the same number of people.

[51:09] and they have some sort of slots are large and some are very small, you know, as you get into, you know, downtown LA, well, neighborhoods around downtown LA, those are small because they're, it's dense.

[51:24] So there is a variation, which you will see if you start playing around with this community, this, you know, community of interest mapping tool.

[51:32] So I also will just chime in. I know that it's already been said by Jane to get here and put in early. I think I just want to encourage, you know, everyone here on this call, but also anybody who's listening in.

[51:49] Please, please send in any input that you would have about your communities, because I think the more new ones, the more input we get, the more new ones we can be in terms of understanding how these district lines are going to be drawn in.

[52:02] I think, you know, it's been already well reported that it's expected that California

[52:07] is going to lose at least one congressional district.

[52:10] So that's going to mean a reshuffling of a lot of districts and a lot of district lines

[52:16] and so the more input we get from, you know, the residents of your cities and counties,

[52:23] you know, speaking up about this is who we are, this is who we want to be connected to.

[52:30] that will be really helpful for us in terms of really understanding, you know, where those

[52:35] nuances in the lines, you know, sometimes it could make a difference as, you know, one street

[52:40] over another street, you know, just because of the way that both the numbers and what we have to

[52:44] follow in terms of those six line drawing criteria, but the more information we have, the better

[52:51] will be able to make district lines that reflect really what communities are also really interesting,

[52:59] didn't see happening as well, too.

[53:02] And so the other thing I want to mention

[53:04] is the communities of interest toll.

[53:07] In my sound daunting, so supervising

[53:10] Griffiths to your question about the census blocks,

[53:13] it's actually really quite easy.

[53:15] Because I am such a non-technical kind of person.

[53:20] The first time I tried out the communities of interest toll,

[53:23] I was very pleasantly surprised at how much easier it was,

[53:28] because I'm not a artist, so I can't draw.

[53:31] And I'm thinking, oh my gosh, how am I supposed to do this?

[53:33] But they make it super, super easy.

[53:36] So anybody who's curious, it is kind of fun.

[53:39] You know, to go and check out like, okay, I'm going to do this.

[53:42] And, you know, just also remember that where we live,

[53:46] where we work, where we play are each different communities

[53:50] of interest that we could submit separate maps for also to.

[53:53] So, you know, I just really want to encourage everybody,

[53:56] you know, everybody and anybody to please participate.

[54:00] I know that you may be thinking, well, you know,

[54:05] I don't want my information.

[54:06] I don't want my name collected.

[54:08] It is anonymous, jankously.

[54:09] That's why I want to really exercise that too.

[54:13] And you know, these kind of things are not always the kind

[54:17] of, as someone said to me, the sexiest things, you know,

[54:20] in terms of redistricting, but it is incredibly important.

[54:24] and it's amazing when you really start to understand the process,

[54:30] it's going to be incredibly important to your day-to-day lives too.

[54:33] So, you know, just really encouraging your top residents to participate.

[54:40] Thanks. John, did you have something to say?

[54:43] Yeah, I would, this is a very important topic, but this would take a lot of time to get through.

[54:48] And I would propose to the SGOG if based on timing dates and things like that, if we want

[54:55] to have a special meeting to dig into all this, I would also defer legal counsel whether

[55:01] the SGOG has a jurisdiction for this or whether this is something that is truly up to the

[55:05] counties.

[55:05] We'll put the role of the SGOG being in these types of conversations.

[55:08] This is a big one, and I think we need to think about perhaps that special conversation

[55:13] of this.

[55:14] That's it.

[55:15] Thank you.

[55:15] So, just to quickly answer, council member, one more question.

[55:19] As Kong doesn't actually oversee any redistricting, but we can absolutely submit comments

[55:25] just like any other citizen can.

[55:28] And I think we are very well equipped to submit really thorough detailed comments, you know,

[55:35] perhaps more so than just an individual person.

[55:39] So, you know, I do think that we can, can and should get involved on that level.

[55:44] And I might say, if you'd like depending on the type of meeting, you could have one of

[55:50] us at that meeting for to answer additional questions.

[55:54] We'd be happy to attend.

[55:58] Great.

[55:59] Okay. Well, I think we can add this to an agenda potentially, a special meeting.

[56:04] Thank you so much for your time.

[56:05] I really, really appreciate it.

[56:07] It's really important and informative that we can bring back to our constituents as well.

[56:12] Thank you very much for giving us this opportunity.

[56:15] Thank you very much. We appreciate this opportunity and, you know, very much glad to be a partner to all of you as much as we can. So thank you.

[56:25] Okay, bye.

[56:26] Bye.

[56:27] All right. Let's move on to receive a presentation from quantified ventures regarding innovative financial financing for national forest business planning and campgrounds.

[56:37] And I think most of us were at the meeting on Monday.

[56:42] I don't know, is there anyone that hasn't seen this presentation?

[56:45] I guess maybe Jim, you weren't there on Monday.

[56:47] It's a good one.

[56:48] So, but just like you guys know, I would say,

[56:50] the majority of us have seen this.

[56:56] So I go ahead and share my presentation.

[56:59] I think I press my mute too quickly.

[57:01] Yes, go ahead, Laura.

[57:02] Thank you.

[57:02] Thank you so much, Sarah.

[57:05] So it was great to see all of you again,

[57:08] or see for the first time during this presentation.

[57:10] My name is Lauren Brescher. I work with the firm called

[57:13] Climate Consenters and we are working with John and his MLPPA

[57:18] capacity and the Indian National Forest to look at innovative

[57:23] financing on.

[57:26] So we've here to talk with the FTI today about

[57:29] opportunities that we see for Eastern spirit to sufficiently

[57:34] leverage public and private capital in the future, right? So,

[57:38] so help

[1:00:04] I'm going

[1:10:16] to get some volunteer representatives to individually or with a group meet with Laura,

[1:10:24] is that. We have the town. I know Linda's on your day, but I'll certainly be with you guys. If any other. If the town, if plan or Jeff, if we want to cross pollinate a little bit, talking to you and mammoth or talk on our own bishop or whatever we want to be configured, but certainly be.

[1:10:44] the part of those conversations.

[1:10:47] Okay.

[1:10:47] And then in your county?

[1:10:50] Well, I'm just curious if I think this is something that my whole board would be interested

[1:10:55] in considering.

[1:10:57] Is that possible for you to give this presentation to the in your county board as supervisors?

[1:11:03] Yeah.

[1:11:03] Absolutely.

[1:11:04] Jack, I can work with you offline figure out those times.

[1:11:10] I love

[1:11:14] it so much.

[1:11:14] I want to see the third time.

[1:11:18] Just real quick, if I could, it would be useful and I get that every one of these things

[1:11:22] is different.

[1:11:23] But if we could see what the business plan and what the money flow looked like for

[1:11:28] your project in Ohio, that would be useful, I think, in helping people understand how

[1:11:33] this works because it sounds good, it looks good, and the piece is moving to coordinate things

[1:11:39] look good, but it would be useful to understand who gets money from where and who gets paid

[1:11:44] how and all of that and again I get through all different but it would be interesting to see how that

[1:11:48] works. Absolutely, we'd love to do that and then that can be a part of the follow on discussions

[1:11:54] is like going a little bit deeper in these examples and then having conversations of implications for

[1:11:59] great thank you. Do you have something to say? Yeah I love the concept of this I did not catch Monday's

[1:12:08] adventure, but I've been in on some of this first camping meetings and you're seeing a shift

[1:12:17] towards this and I love the concept of bringing in the private money.

[1:12:22] Just from listening to some of the meetings I've been involved in, you're seeing a change

[1:12:28] happening up here that I think we're finally maybe a little behind the curve but we're starting to catch

[1:12:33] where it used to be plant vacations, family plant vacations.

[1:12:37] They went somewhere, they did fishing, they hiking, water skiing, and you're seeing a shift

[1:12:41] to now more of a lifestyle, sometimes almost nomadic camping and that's where the dispersed

[1:12:50] camping components come in and you're seeing a change.

[1:12:55] But this is focused on international force, but I'm glad Jeff is asking for it to be brought

[1:13:00] the county. But I'm looking at updating of campgrounds within the county. Not everyone

[1:13:06] goes to international forest to camp, but you're seeing it disperse. The problem,

[1:13:10] lack of facilities almost. And the private, you know, the partnerships between governments,

[1:13:18] state landholders, and some kind of private investment to actually make this happen is a, I think,

[1:13:27] It's good to hear that it's going that way.

[1:13:29] Maybe it'll start changing the dynamic

[1:13:33] and seeing what the whole picture is.

[1:13:36] So thank you, I look forward to hearing more on this.

[1:13:39] And I think that collaboration is probably the key

[1:13:41] and I'm glad to see some.

[1:13:42] It had that direction.

[1:13:44] So thank you.

[1:13:45] I think that presentation makes sense

[1:13:47] for the Bishop City Council as well.

[1:13:49] If you guys have time, I can get with you.

[1:13:52] I don't know if you want to be the lead from the city to get a point person with this

[1:13:58] project.

[1:13:59] I don't like how John is for me, I'm just kind of volunteering you.

[1:14:04] Okay.

[1:14:06] In the Mono County, do you guys have any comments?

[1:14:11] Again, I think it's great as long before and as I said in the right direction, we'll be good

[1:14:15] to participate.

[1:14:16] I don't know if Stacy, whether you think the board would like to see this, it's good information

[1:14:22] and does kind of put some to meet under the things that we've talked about.

[1:14:27] I know John, you mentioned just on Tuesday, this is one of the things that the SSRP has been working on,

[1:14:33] so we've had a little bit of information on it already.

[1:14:36] But the more we increase awareness of this, the better off we're going to be in terms of moving forward on it.

[1:14:44] Yeah, but I'm guessing our board would probably like to see a presentation,

[1:14:50] And if that's what other agencies are doing, maybe just to be consistent.

[1:14:54] But otherwise I'm going to volunteer you to be a charge of this for Mona.

[1:15:04] And yeah, and I think if that's where we're going, I think the town of Memphis, I think it'd be very important to get that consistent understanding, especially as this is going to be. But the S County is right in the heart. So it's a, it's a, it's a two-head thing. It's about campgrounds and infrastructural residents. It's also for regional partners, understanding properties. I think Jeff and Clint, one of the things I think it's so interesting in this is the.

[1:15:30] because the idea about building wealth will be identifying and creating the jobs,

[1:15:35] making quality jobs, but also how to build regional wealth for all our constituents.

[1:15:40] And Jim, even though this grant came through for the service is about

[1:15:46] for the service in the Ambrose, but it's always been intended for the beginning to

[1:15:52] grow, to reach out, to bring in other campgrounds, down in campgrounds,

[1:15:56] other types of facilities, but I think this is made for today, these are the components

[1:16:01] of the engine that we could apply to any manner of different types of infrastructure.

[1:16:07] Whether it's hand-grounds, bathrooms, trail ads, whatever the stuff is that we need, this

[1:16:14] is the architecture of the engine, and it is always intended to start with hand-grounds,

[1:16:18] to start with the international course, but we don't find a way that this could work for

[1:16:22] things beyond that.

[1:16:22] It's always kind of. And John, I think any success always brings about the willingness

[1:16:30] to now try to take a successful model. If it's in international forest, it makes it

[1:16:36] easier to move that over to Inno County, Mono County, Proper, DGBP, whoever we, whatever

[1:16:45] stakeholders you show success is I think that it makes the whole process easier and solves

[1:16:49] a problem. So yeah. What additional comment if I could just I know Reds Meadow area is in the mix.

[1:16:59] Is anybody engaging with Madera County? I would highly recommend that if you have any yet.

[1:17:05] Yeah and stay still that real quick. I know the town is looking to

[1:17:10] really work on our relationship with Madera County and I know that we can that's probably a

[1:17:15] conversation we can have offline but we're very aware of that and the town certainly with the county because so we need to start

[1:17:22] really investing in that relationship and that has been a source of a little bit concerned for these campground projects because of the fact that it's in a different place.

[1:17:32] So yeah well I think you would be you know very willing partners in this and it's you know having maybe Laura or you know a neutral third party

[1:17:43] be with a great plan and promising future.

[1:17:49] That would be a good way to start, but I'm happy to make any introductions or facilitate

[1:17:54] that however I can.

[1:17:56] I have a good relationship with those folks.

[1:17:58] Yeah, that would be great.

[1:17:59] I think we'll probably take up on that.

[1:18:00] Thank you.

[1:18:02] It's a Lord.

[1:18:03] You want to get with a lane to get the contact info for the representatives that will meet

[1:18:09] with you from each entity.

[1:18:10] I don't know who is going to be in you.

[1:18:11] Is it going to be Jeff or Dan?

[1:18:17] Does it matter?

[1:18:19] I'm happy to do it.

[1:18:21] Okay, so it'll be Jeff, Jim, John, and Bob.

[1:18:25] And then we'll schedule, I guess, Elaine.

[1:18:29] You can come and coordinate with Lauren to schedule presentations with each entity.

[1:18:34] Thank you so much for your time.

[1:18:36] And really bringing forward this really innovative approach to recreation in our community.

[1:18:42] Yeah, thank you for having us and we might listen to the talk a lot of the other agenda items will inform the work that we're doing.

[1:18:51] So yeah, thanks for having us today.

[1:18:55] Oh, great. That's move on.

[1:18:56] Oh, yes.

[1:18:59] So Madam Chair, point of order.

[1:19:02] I'm a little concerned about whether we're going to get all the way through the agenda.

[1:19:06] And I do have some important things for board member reports, so I'm just curious if we're are we able to like if we don't get through can we continue this meeting till after the estimating just wanted to see from the board weather.

[1:19:22] That's a good time. I'm available. Is anyone else.

[1:19:26] I'm not sorry.

[1:19:27] Okay. Is

[1:19:33] there anything that we could next? I mean, is there anything that isn't?

[1:19:38] I would suggest Madam Chair, if we identify a minimum amount of time for reports. And

[1:19:46] we just, let's just see if we can crank through the agenda. I think, Jeff, what, 45 minutes

[1:19:50] for, for member reports. So if we got, we go until 10, 15, or maybe 10, 20, something like

[1:19:57] that and what we don't get done, we don't get done and then we, how much time we want for individual

[1:20:02] reports? There's not a whole lot coming out of that.

[1:20:07] Okay, maybe we'll at 10.30 start

[1:20:11] reports, is that enough time? Maybe we have to 11, right? That's when Esther starts.

[1:20:17] So, we have an hour and 10 minutes. All right, well then let's move on to item 9, discuss,

[1:20:23] and provide direction to staff regarding the drafting of a memorandum of understanding between

[1:20:27] the ESCOG and Eastern Sierra Sustainable Recreation Partnership establish the desire and appropriate

[1:20:33] relationship between the ESSRP and the ESCOG. This is you, Grace.

[1:20:40] Yes, and with the consent of Moa and Council Member Webworth, I think we might be able to consider

[1:20:46] agenda items 9, 10 and 11 together. My understanding is they're all pretty close, they relate it,

[1:20:52] so that can save us a whole lot of time if others think that will work. I like that.

[1:20:57] Okay, great. So, again, I'm just going to start with a brief intro here, but then probably

[1:21:03] defer to Council Member Wentworth and Ms. Caballa, because they have really been doing

[1:21:07] the heavy lifting on this. My understanding is that we are looking for a way to potentially

[1:21:17] create some sort of relationship, a formal relationship between the ESSRP and SCOG,

[1:21:25] particularly once the S.R.T.I. ceases to exist, which will come at the end of this year.

[1:21:32] So I have been discussing with Council Member Wentworth and Isabella various ways that

[1:21:38] S.Cog could enter into M.O.U.s or contracts or any sort of more formal relationship with

[1:21:46] the ESSRP. From a legal perspective, I can tell you that that is something that S.Cog absolutely

[1:21:53] can do. It's really sort of a skies the limit as far as the law is concerned. I think what's going

[1:22:00] to be much more important here are financial, practical, operational, and political realities that

[1:22:07] are going to shape the relationship. So I think I will turn it over to Council Member Wentworth and

[1:22:13] Miss Faballa to help sort of flesh out those realities because that, like I said, is really going to

[1:22:19] be the driver here in this exploration of an ESS-RP-S-COG relationship.

[1:22:29] So if I could, Lane, I'll just advise the ESCARG that the first step in this is for the ESS-RP

[1:22:38] with its governance capacity, which Godgardner's charge of redraft and MOU that binds the ESS-RP.

[1:22:48] That will take a little bit of work.

[1:22:49] I think we can find some private resources to help to do that.

[1:22:53] And I think once that draft MOU and it will be an MOU to buy the members of the SSRP,

[1:23:02] as that comes forward and gets developed in an appropriate time,

[1:23:05] to reach out to Grace and to Lane and to start identifying what those opportunities are going to look like.

[1:23:10] We spent a fair amount of time talking about this,

[1:23:12] but I think that's probably the best way forward.

[1:23:14] And so I would advise, I guess, look for some consensus from the ESCAG, this ESCAG

[1:23:20] desire to have a relationship with the SSRB, which I'm assuming it does, but if that's

[1:23:24] the desire of the ESCAG, the SSRB memorandum of understanding, finding all those memorandums

[1:23:31] together, that we could start it, and at appropriate times, we'll reach out to Elaine and Grace

[1:23:36] and start looking for those opportunities to make those connections.

[1:23:40] It's probably a couple months to do this, but that's kind of where we're at.

[1:23:51] I suppose I should add to John's intro there, one other issue that did come up from a legal perspective is

[1:24:00] exactly what sort of services or what sort of relationship S. Cog wants to have with the ESSRP.

[1:24:09] My understanding is that the ESSRP's major need is administrative support.

[1:24:14] So, you know, the most basic things like having someone provide a Zoom account so that they could host meetings.

[1:24:21] Having someone put together their agendas, having someone allow them to sort of piggyback off their website, things like that.

[1:24:29] And assuming SCOM did provide those services, you know, not to be craft about it, but then sort of ask, okay, well, what's in it for SCOM?

[1:24:39] you know, we're giving all these services to ESSRP, what would ESSRP expect in return?

[1:24:46] And that's, I think, something where we would turn to your board for guidance.

[1:24:50] You know, the most basic is money.

[1:24:52] I suppose ESSRP could pay a small fee to ESSRP.

[1:24:56] Another theory is ESSRP has great technical expertise.

[1:25:01] You know, they, it's really a think tank of all the major recreational experts for our region.

[1:25:11] So ESSRP could perhaps feed good ideas to ask on, you know, that could be the structure of the MOU.

[1:25:18] So it would be great to get some guidance from your board as I start perhaps exploring the drafting of this MOU.

[1:25:24] Should your board decide that we want to have such an MOU?

[1:25:28] How would you like to see it structured?

[1:25:31] What do you expect from each side of those sorts of issues?

[1:25:39] Yeah, I think as I mentioned, I think we have to work with the ESS or BS to do that first step.

[1:25:46] That needs to get underway, and that's going to take a little while to do that.

[1:25:50] So I don't know if we need any direction at this point other than is there a desire

[1:25:57] of the ESCOG have some kind of relationship with the SSRB to be determined later and I don't think

[1:26:04] that before the tune meeting we're going to have a whole matter. Hopefully the tune meeting will be

[1:26:08] able to report back but I think it's going to take a little time to get the SSRB card figured out.

[1:26:16] I think we need to do this.

[1:26:21] Both organizations have the first two words that are the same

[1:26:26] And that to me kind of makes the point.

[1:26:30] I agree there's a lot of details I need to be fleshed out, but just to me is the next logical

[1:26:34] steps.

[1:26:35] It's harder to answer the question why wouldn't we do this?

[1:26:39] We've been kind of, yes SRP has been existing sort of around administrative and legal issues

[1:26:47] and this sort of begins to say okay let's simplify this, let's make this logical, let's get on

[1:26:52] with this particularly as we pursue more grand opportunities, which are founded in ESSRP work,

[1:26:59] but legally need to be supported by ESPA, period. And so this begins to build that bridge

[1:27:07] and make it easier and quicker and logical to get on with it to do the mission of sustainable

[1:27:14] recreation. So I'm certainly supportive of doing this and let's get on with it.

[1:27:21] Is this something where we're looking at moving the grant to be unheld by S-Pog instead of the time

[1:27:28] I'm with Lakes?

[1:27:29] I'm just trying to grasp like what it is that we're asking.

[1:27:34] So as Grace mentioned Karen, the S-R-G-I, the grant, that's going to be over by the end of this year.

[1:27:44] It's going away, so that's not going to be part of this at all.

[1:27:47] I think the Bob's point is about future funding.

[1:27:49] And remember, this is not just sustainable recreation.

[1:27:54] This goes back to the ESCOX program, which is sustainable recreation and ecosystem management.

[1:27:59] And the state just announced yesterday $500 million for fuel's work, and I think getting

[1:28:06] that relationship figured out between the ESCOG and the SSRB, as Bob said, it's critical

[1:28:13] we got to do it.

[1:28:13] So we just got to start doing the kind of the plodding work, get the ESS, all the ESS

[1:28:19] or B members, Park Service, BLM, CalTRAMs, all of our agencies, everybody who wants this.

[1:28:26] We just have to write in you, MOU, to find the ESS or B's that they can all be happy with

[1:28:33] how they're working.

[1:28:34] And as we build that new MOU for the ESS or B, then figure out how we're going to connect

[1:28:38] that to the ESS, with the technical language.

[1:28:45] Yeah, of course, also support this and I think it makes a lot of sense. It would make sense to our colleagues on our boards and councils into the public.

[1:28:58] Perhaps to have ESS RP be a formal advisory body to ask, you know, I know there have been comments at our board meetings, at least one member of our board.

[1:29:09] you know, I will comment that she doesn't understand exactly what the relationship is.

[1:29:15] This will clear everything up. And really we, and as John said, you know, the opportunities

[1:29:19] coming from the state right now are too good to miss. So, as comes the right place for this

[1:29:26] all to live and to build capacity and to take advantage for the benefit of all our communities

[1:29:33] around their region.

[1:29:39] Okay, so I agree that we should move forward as far as specific direction.

[1:29:45] Am I understanding that because it's sort of a moving target or nebulous

[1:29:51] decision points you're looking for as far as direction is the idea that we're going to

[1:30:00] for the next meeting with the right people.

[1:30:07] I think

[1:30:11] that's exactly right. You know, I will defer to council member one worth. I'm a small. If there's any more specific, they'd like, but just from my perspective, I wanted to sort of take the words temperature and see, you know, whether your answer was no, we want nothing to do with the SSR people or, you know, whether in theory, this MOU concept sounded like a good one.

[1:30:34] Sounds like a good one. This is great.

[1:30:39] All right. So I think you have

[1:30:42] I put direction, Lane and John, we

[1:30:52] need to move on to 10 or 11, or was that kind of all of it?

[1:30:56] Well, 10 or 11, I think we can get a little more specific direction on those items as well,

[1:31:01] but we can keep it free. And this is the point that they are all related. I appreciate your suggestion

[1:31:08] to consider them all at the same time. So 10 and 11 are also related to the relationship between

[1:31:14] the ESPAG and SRTI and SSRP.

[1:31:19] So everyone can spend engaged with the ESSRP

[1:31:22] over the last year and the development

[1:31:26] for fully projects under that.

[1:31:30] There was over the last year,

[1:31:33] the ESSRP amassed about 180 project ideas from the region

[1:31:38] and is now undergoing a facilitated process

[1:31:42] us to determine the visual priorities for narrowing that down into the portfolio projects

[1:31:49] with associated funding sources.

[1:31:51] So the first item, generally looking for a direction for is if the SCOG board would like

[1:31:57] to have me serve as the SCOG representative to the SRGI in the selection of that portfolio

[1:32:05] of projects. And then related to that, if the S5 has an interest, and again, this is more

[1:32:12] of a temperature taking exercise. If the S5 has an interest in sponsoring some of the projects

[1:32:19] that will come out of the portfolio, with maybe some specific direction on generally the types

[1:32:24] of projects, or how many other work things like that. And so, again, the first item I'd like

[1:32:29] direction on is if the board would like me to serve as the representative of the S class.

[1:32:35] And secondly, is there interest in sponsoring projects that we have about for place?

[1:32:41] I'm a yes to both. Anyone else?

[1:32:45] Okay, John's double thumbs up. I think we get thumbs up from everyone.

[1:32:49] Right? I'm seeing everyone. Stacy, are you good?

[1:32:54] I'm good. Yes, absolutely.

[1:32:56] All right, so Malayne, yes, we would like you to serve as our representative. And yes,

[1:33:02] we would like to look at sponsoring without either right words, some of these recreation projects.

[1:33:10] Thank you. Any specifics with regards to types of projects or is that something we'll determine

[1:33:17] when that book was done?

[1:33:20] I think that's to be determined. I think it's so important to bring that

[1:33:25] regional lens that the ASCOG is specifically interested in and I know Elaine you're very well

[1:33:31] to that I think it's a very normal seat beneficial to move forward the way

[1:33:35] just described. And so thank you.

[1:33:40] All right and then now we're on to item 12

[1:33:43] receive an update on funding opportunities.

[1:33:48] So we can make this a very quick

[1:33:49] item. Good morning again. There was a request to make this a standing agenda item

[1:33:55] just so as these opportunity for funding come up we can keep the

[1:34:01] on board, what's it coming or what we've been looking at in the past couple weeks or two specific

[1:34:08] grant opportunities that staff looked into for some of the recreation or ecosystem management projects

[1:34:14] that would fall under as an answer for you. Unfortunately, when I think of full information on

[1:34:21] a couple of those until after the agent's publishment none of those funding opportunities are appropriate

[1:34:27] for us at this time. But I think we should keep us at the standing item. We have reports of

[1:34:32] cheeses and I can have additional inputs in the community. Thank you.

[1:34:39] Okay, and then our last

[1:34:42] full agenda item, consider approval of a letter of support for projects to be submitted by the

[1:34:47] town of Myanmar flakes to Congressman Jay Obernolte for congressional appropriation. This is Dan

[1:34:57] And then it'll be done. Dan was about for 10 o'clock in there. They hear me? Okay. Yes.

[1:35:07] Thanks. I just saw my phone. I can't see. Yeah, basically, a conference with

[1:35:11] our over-and-ultimate from district agency and out of a request for projects for the next budget.

[1:35:18] I don't know that the new county is working on some things. The one before you today is we do have a

[1:35:23] which is an Air Rescue Firefighting and Maintenance Facility for our storage

[1:35:29] equipment, a plan for them to submit a airport. We were intending to request

[1:35:35] discretionary funds for that in the future of the our airport cap improvement

[1:35:38] program. But we thought it was appropriate to go ahead and submit it at this time

[1:35:42] to the congressman for that appropriation in case something should happen and

[1:35:46] some plans become available. One of the requests is to provide letters of support

[1:35:51] from partner agencies and various stakeholders in the region, and that's why we're here today just to request support for that project.

[1:36:00] We have discussed it from time to time with the FAA and our regular meetings with in your county for Bishop Airport.

[1:36:07] So we'll work on that.

[1:36:08] So that'll do it.

[1:36:10] Thank you.

[1:36:14] Can you explain the project?

[1:36:16] I don't I don't understand.

[1:36:18] No problem.

[1:36:19] We have, as any airport, and certainly advantage of sympathy, we have an eastward snow management.

[1:36:26] We have several loaders, plumbers, we have a rescue firefighting vehicle, and right now

[1:36:33] they are stored out in the elements, which makes it very difficult both year round to maintain

[1:36:37] them and also during the winter to access and quickly to get snow off the runway to keep the airport

[1:36:42] open.

[1:36:43] This $5 million facility will create an APE or about an 8,000 square foot facility where we can

[1:36:50] store the equipment inside, we can maintain it inside the year round and we'll make the

[1:36:55] process much easier for the airport and the whole to not digest the rule, but to maintain

[1:37:00] all the great equipment.

[1:37:01] So it's about an 8,000 square foot, $5 million facility which will be located at the

[1:37:07] I

[1:37:11] guess I'll start off the discussion on this.

[1:37:14] I have no issues with the project itself.

[1:37:20] My concern is that the timeline on this year mark requests

[1:37:26] through over in this office has been pretty quick.

[1:37:30] I know that the in your company is submitting some things.

[1:37:36] And I'm not sure if the tunnel and the city of Michigan

[1:37:41] or I'm sorry, Mono County or the official issue

[1:37:46] of some as well.

[1:37:48] And so, yes, it's a regional body.

[1:37:53] You know, I think since this is a grant

[1:37:57] that there may be competing against other entities

[1:38:01] that maybe it's not appropriate for the East Coast

[1:38:05] care of council of governments to do this, you know, unless it had been through a more

[1:38:13] formalized process where there was consideration of the bodies at that time or an opportunity

[1:38:21] for other bodies to

[1:38:26] solve the problem for conversation with the rest of them for you.

[1:38:31] Yeah, Jeff, I would echo those concerns.

[1:38:37] I think, I don't think this is the fault, it's not the fault or any bad intention coming

[1:38:42] from anybody.

[1:38:43] But frankly, the process coming out of Congress has been so chaotic and has put a whole

[1:38:49] number of different staffs chasing after this and trying to find a project or trying to

[1:38:56] pull something together to try to make it happen.

[1:38:57] But I think it's important to emphasize the regional lens of the regional view that

[1:39:03] the SKI has and the reason why the SKI exists.

[1:39:07] And I'm conscious of the fact that this potentially puts, you know, a mammoth project competing

[1:39:14] against some other projects coming out of Peniel, I don't think that's appropriate.

[1:39:19] And I, Dan and I, this is the first, frankly, this morning is the first I've heard of this

[1:39:24] idea. Dan and I talked about a number of other different proposals. One of them was having to do with

[1:39:31] trying to get federal money to help out with the Atlantic Artego Highway 395 thing which seemed

[1:39:37] like a really good idea because that would be truly a regional benefit and I was my understanding

[1:39:43] that in New County it was going to be submitting something for that but again it's been so chaotic

[1:39:47] I can happen so quickly, and in the interest of regional comedy, I would certainly align Jeff

[1:39:56] with your representations on this, and I don't know if it's necessary to support this

[1:40:01] later because it's so, you know, individual, jurisdictionally specific. I guess if Dan are ready

[1:40:07] to make a case on how this is going to benefit retail air service, how would this help to advance

[1:40:12] the interest of the air service coming in the mission. I'd be interested in hearing that,

[1:40:16] but I again, I'm a little hesitant to do something like this, given the retail nature and the

[1:40:23] regional focus of what the outside is all about. Just for quick, I'll add that I think it's possible,

[1:40:33] again, this is moving so quickly, but in your county or the LTCs with perhaps monopony as well,

[1:40:40] or we're trying to figure out what we're going to do.

[1:40:43] Discipline, something, or allows you to know forlain.

[1:40:47] And then I did have extensive conversations

[1:40:49] with our lobbyists in Washington

[1:40:53] as who are in touch with Openalty's office.

[1:40:58] And there was a lot of discussion

[1:41:00] about regional sustainable recreation,

[1:41:04] campaign ground, signage, regional projects.

[1:41:07] and it was sort of decided that consent is among everyone that that just wasn't right yet.

[1:41:16] And that this process is going to come around every year and hopefully next year

[1:41:22] we'll have some more time

[1:41:27] so that we can get our act together.

[1:41:29] But I think there's absolutely a role for these kinds of governments in this process

[1:41:35] because, you know, considering that together as a region, we're still

[1:41:39] around here in the population of the eighth congressional district.

[1:41:43] At the more we can do this together and find bigger regional projects,

[1:41:48] the better, but it really was chaotic in the short time this year.

[1:41:56] If I could weigh in quickly on this, we weren't sure on the project that would be

[1:42:01] moving forward, we have had it to counsel this last Wednesday night for different options

[1:42:07] and stuff.

[1:42:08] We did look at the fighting on highways down there, I believe, with NOLTC taking a lead

[1:42:14] for, we'll be joining in for a build grant.

[1:42:17] There's a little higher likelihood that that would be approved, so I've got fold-off in terms

[1:42:22] of just the direction it could go in terms of success.

[1:42:25] And then the other couple of regional projects here that we looked at really were the airport

[1:42:30] work is because of the regional nature and discussion on the

[1:42:33] R4 shifting and the VA service there.

[1:42:36] Plus, it is a forward firefighting base for a helicopter attack

[1:42:39] that benefits the region.

[1:42:41] Obviously, the firefighting element is not

[1:42:44] unusual to have three to seven or more helicopters parked out

[1:42:48] there in the summertime.

[1:42:50] Being able to support that element is important.

[1:42:52] But the other side to that, we had Whitmore Park also

[1:42:55] as one.

[1:42:56] But I think the strips and emails with Grace

[1:42:59] and she didn't play on this.

[1:43:00] So I had another issue come up here from instill,

[1:43:02] but the policy element for S call

[1:43:06] that the obviously potentially

[1:43:07] have to go back to the various forms

[1:43:09] of your sign off on the timing.

[1:43:11] Everything's due today by five.

[1:43:14] So it may just be at this point,

[1:43:16] good awareness for S calls,

[1:43:18] the things that we're putting forward

[1:43:19] that we're looking at.

[1:43:20] That point, I think with our service,

[1:43:22] definitely is a regional and sub-regional facility.

[1:43:25] We have people from all over the county

[1:43:27] in New County coming up and utilizing now facility and recreational elements there, but the

[1:43:35] process on that is we can get the other, they're asking for a shot in demonstrations of support

[1:43:40] from other other agencies and other projects. So, the process was, hey, we can pop something

[1:43:45] in based on a short time frame of it, we can bring that forward for consideration. I think

[1:43:52] It's got grace is probably likely to have that you have to go back to your work and give you

[1:43:55] the form of approval to your policy level support better, but at that point in time we can

[1:43:59] do that, but it's probably it's definitely out of sync with the requirements and I believe

[1:44:05] everything has to be into the appropriations committee that are in this somewhere between

[1:44:10] the 27th and 30th of April. And so the timeline is really, really short and everything to

[1:44:19] to be in today by five, so I think it's good awareness for y'all, but likely, uh,

[1:44:28] probably got a viable option at this point, just getting structural rendered.

[1:44:33] But at least you're all aware of some of the deals we're working on.

[1:44:40] Thanks, Dan.

[1:44:41] Um, and I think when the opportunity you arise, where that's how you can support projects,

[1:44:46] and we have the time to bring them back to our individual jurisdictions,

[1:44:49] it's totally appropriate for those dogs to write letters of support when each

[1:44:53] jurisdiction gives the stamp approval.

[1:44:56] Great, okay, well

[1:45:00] We just blew through those last items. So let's move on to board member agency reports.

[1:45:10] Jeff, you said you had quite the report. So you want to start first? Sure.

[1:45:16] Where to start? I guess in the frame of earmarks, it's still up in the air, but I think the things

[1:45:27] that we were going to submit would be for the

[1:45:29] o-landship archival for learning,

[1:45:32] and then also for the Small Business Development Center

[1:45:38] where it is to be located in downtown Bishop

[1:45:41] and just to bring forward this meeting,

[1:45:44] and I can't remember much for a minute.

[1:45:47] In your county has acquired a building

[1:45:51] through a public-private partnership to be used

[1:45:55] a small business development center office in Bishop that will be a regional office that will serve both in

[1:46:03] you know, in Mono counties and that's been moving rather, rather quickly and

[1:46:11] process of developing a business plan right now also looking for a budget and funding sources for

[1:46:24] that we're in close communication

[1:46:27] with the Small Business Development Center

[1:46:29] as they concealed and included on that,

[1:46:35] included six host

[1:46:39] chambers of funds.

[1:46:43] And I will make sure I don't know if Mono or MF,

[1:46:49] if any of your folks have participated in that process

[1:46:54] and helped coordinate that,

[1:46:55] because it really will be a regional.

[1:47:04] Yeah, Jeff, if you wanna talk offline about that,

[1:47:06] I got Leslie in touch with some folks who I have experienced with running remote work facilities and things like that. I don't know where that went, but maybe we can check on that.

[1:47:20] I'd love to get some more information on that one.

[1:47:22] Great.

[1:47:25] Yeah, let's see.

[1:47:26] In no particular order.

[1:47:28] So we are working with a group, we have done this in the past to bring a visit from the Mexican consulate to Bishop.

[1:47:40] And it becomes a little bit challenging because Inyo and Mono are in different consular regions for Mexico.

[1:47:52] But in the past, when we work with law enforcement, the courts, and mock health and human services,

[1:48:01] just to coordinate this visit.

[1:48:04] And they do several things they can get documents and records for folks who are Mexican citizens living here.

[1:48:14] And I think it's fair to point out that many or most of the folks that use these services are

[1:48:22] legal residents in the United States, but are citizens of Mexico, some of those who are

[1:48:30] going to be expanding some more house, but they can do things like dual citizenship for the kids,

[1:48:38] who are American citizens, and all of the documents and law enforcement,

[1:48:47] really likes this because it just, it's going to make

[1:48:56] the whole thing easier.

[1:48:59] Anyways, I have a couple questions. Is Hector still working with the courts in Mono County?

[1:49:07] That's an excellent question.

[1:49:09] The answer is no. He's in Sonora County now.

[1:49:14] Okay, so I am looking for somebody to coordinate with for Mono County in general.

[1:49:27] So, just someone to work through, I can send the Zoom meeting invitations for information.

[1:49:37] That's...

[1:49:38] We can find out who that is.

[1:49:39] I don't know if the top of my head, but certainly are all of our county entities that deal with the court would know.

[1:49:48] And it doesn't have to be the court.

[1:49:49] It's just that I think it was pretty good our way interested in this and he was sort of in person.

[1:49:56] And so if there's a community-based organization

[1:49:59] or a staff person from one of your agencies,

[1:50:02] so put some thought into it and somebody can get back

[1:50:04] to me when I'm back here.

[1:50:06] Yeah, probably.

[1:50:07] I know our behavioral health department

[1:50:09] has a cultural outreach team.

[1:50:18] Supervisor Carlisano and she can certainly add to this

[1:50:21] have been working through the ESSRP on tribal outreach

[1:50:27] and sort of recognizing that perhaps as a community as a group we have been

[1:50:36] negligent for outreach to the tribes in that whole process, and that brought to mind

[1:50:45] for me the SOG and, you know, several years ago we did some outreach to tribes to, you know,

[1:50:56] make sure that we were soliciting participation, ask the most appropriate

[1:51:03] way and receive a whole lot of response. Putting into our minds, should we be doing

[1:51:11] more and should we be making a better effort that they must have put the role of

[1:51:16] do that? I don't know, I'm against that, but I'm just bringing up for people

[1:51:20] was not thinking about now.

[1:51:23] Kami Foot, our clerk's report, has taken another position

[1:51:28] with a voting advocacy organization in Washington, D.C.,

[1:51:33] which is a big loss for our community,

[1:51:34] but he will be searching for a new clerk's reporter.

[1:51:39] So you guys have a good one.

[1:51:41] Maybe we can lure him down from Mono County.

[1:51:43] That's our usual plan.

[1:51:46] April 29th, Wild Iris.

[1:51:48] We're starting with in young Mono counties is holding a resiliency symposium, which is I don't know if anyone's participated in the past, but it's a really important and powerful meeting taught and they have reported to us through

[1:52:06] and throughout the pandemic in Inyo and Mono counties,

[1:52:09] their case load has doubled in the number of

[1:52:16] survivors

[1:52:17] that they

[1:52:21] keep on

[1:52:25] obstinate with.

[1:52:28] Maybe a term or Jim can report on the mission

[1:52:32] for the department,

[1:52:35] EMS, enhancing EMS for physical care.

[1:52:43] We've had some meetings with the Wooden Warriors Center

[1:52:48] and the Federal Service Officer

[1:52:51] and I'm not looking at a friend's housing veteran service

[1:52:57] that's in Rooted Warrior Center complex.

[1:53:00] As a reminder, everyone, they were looking to build

[1:53:04] the Rooted Warrior Center in Mammoth,

[1:53:07] but there was a idea about the land,

[1:53:11] so they've cast the wider management work.

[1:53:16] That veteran's housing would be a foundational mono

[1:53:25] and in your counties, in that same vein, we have appointed Gordon Green as the Veteran

[1:53:34] Services Officer for Inyo and Mono Counties. I believe he has started to do outreach in

[1:53:43] Mono County and

[1:53:52] another regional agency that is housed within Inyo County is the Child

[1:53:59] support program. We have appointed Amy Werdig as a new child support director. The previous child

[1:54:08] support for her was Susan Riso.

[1:54:18] We sent it to your supervisor's mom or Stacy.

[1:54:24] She's an amazing,

[1:54:26] I think we're very lucky to have her

[1:54:33] great ideas on how to approach her list, not the region.

[1:54:36] Another area that I don't know that our regions are coordinating enough, I hope that they

[1:54:45] are, is the sheriff is moving the communication system to, and I don't fully understand all

[1:54:53] these technical details, but digital UHFs are able

[1:55:05] to have communications through about

[1:55:07] the remote parts of our region seamless and I know there have been talks in the past about

[1:55:16] making sure it's a seamless regional system for communications.

[1:55:24] I'm not sure where that

[1:55:24] is but I've grown out what the new chemistry is doing. As far as commercial air service and

[1:55:31] Bishop Airport, the Bishop Airport is preparing

[1:55:35] the UN-sequent documents.

[1:55:37] They had the last

[1:55:42] week, solid waste,

[1:55:45] which was one of our original things

[1:55:49] that we wanted to focus on as a Council of Governments.

[1:55:54] And I think it's still something we see in the effort

[1:55:56] of what everybody else is doing with that.

[1:55:59] In the past, we have had two franchisees,

[1:56:02] and franchises went from ruralists for franchise and one franchisee sold their business to

[1:56:13] the other franchisee. So we were able to make adjustments to the franchise to make the floor

[1:56:21] rate into a ceiling rate and then put us into a one company operation. And it's the same

[1:56:32] So give our eyes on, I'm sure that we know what each other's doing and if there's any areas that are appropriate for regional collaboration.

[1:56:48] Keep our eye on that all.

[1:56:49] In your county, similar to the city of Bishop is looking at housing and zoning in vacant

[1:56:58] lands, and what we could do to increase the stock of housing for our medicines, particularly

[1:57:07] for housing.

[1:57:09] And I thought for a while that it might be good to have a housing summit for the region.

[1:57:18] and just have all of the agencies report on what they're doing.

[1:57:26] It's a big job as a layman who is doing it off the city.

[1:57:30] It's a big job, and I think sometimes everybody

[1:57:34] doesn't know what everybody else is doing.

[1:57:36] And so it's an information show.

[1:57:38] And the last, oh, what's talking about COVID?

[1:57:44] So hopefully this is the last meeting

[1:57:46] where we've ever talked about COVID

[1:57:48] because it'll be solved by next meeting.

[1:57:50] But in your county is one of the two counties still in the purple.

[1:57:56] I believe that we have just a couple of days left of being in purple and we will be moving to the head shortly.

[1:58:03] I just got an update and our vaccination numbers, when you figure in Toyami.

[1:58:12] Toyami is a separate stream for vaccinations.

[1:58:17] And so right now when the percentage of in your county's population over the age of 18 when you include the triabi vaccinations is 45% fully vaccinated and monocounies somewhere up there too.

[1:58:35] So we also, fingers crossed, we'll be getting a big tranche of vaccine for a fast vaccination

[1:58:47] clinic in the next week or two of 2,300 first doses.

[1:58:53] You add that in there and we are getting pretty darn close to herd immunity.

[1:58:59] And the last thing I have is Inyo County did a nonprofit grant program to support nonprofits

[1:59:06] that had been affected by the pandemic.

[1:59:10] We put $100,000 into that program.

[1:59:13] We had a generous matching grant from the metabolic studios.

[1:59:18] It was $100,000.

[1:59:20] And so we were able to give out $200,000 for nonprofits, including.

[1:59:25] I was in the fairgrounds and many, many other good organizations, and so it was a feel-good

[1:59:35] thing to do the payment, and I think, literally, as a sort of organizations, if you could

[1:59:41] sell it.

[1:59:47] Yes.

[1:59:47] I was very thorough.

[1:59:49] Good information.

[1:59:52] Dan, do you have anything to add for a new county?

[1:59:55] You're muted.

[1:59:59] Dan.

[2:00:00] And I'm now muted. I don't have anything to add to perfection of thoroughness. All right. How about Mono County?

[2:00:11] Just as you may be, I'll jump in and you can listen in on the assembly gateway meeting the other day. A lot of information about international travelers and from different parts, Germany and Portugal and Britain. They're all saying it's going to take time but they're going to come back. I was surprised if they made a sound like they're going to come back.

[2:00:31] In two or three years, I think they'll come back sooner than that.

[2:00:35] They did say that, and I think the press releases have just gone out.

[2:00:39] The assembly is going to go back to their reservation system they used last year starting

[2:00:44] May 21st, but it's going to be, I think, Stacy Quickman, if I'm wrong, it's going to be a

[2:00:48] three-day rather than a seven-day based on their analysis, and they were quick to say they

[2:00:52] will watch and see what happens and adjust it.

[2:00:55] They will continue to have the pass-through program where residents and zip codes on both

[2:00:59] sites can drive through the park and those are the big things that they talked about except

[2:01:06] maybe Stacey, if there's anything I didn't mention. We're moving ahead with our just

[2:01:10] first camping initiative. We have another meeting at the end of March. There are five different

[2:01:16] subcommittees, education outreach, mapping, stewardship, infrastructure and law enforcement

[2:01:22] and all those subcommittees are working on action plans, which we hope to get going in

[2:01:26] May and June, and have the impact be demonstrated in the summer, hopefully some good things happening

[2:01:32] in terms of consolidated mapping, it says where you can't go information out in a consolidated

[2:01:38] way, agreement says to law enforcement procedures, actually getting some resources to purchase

[2:01:43] some dumpsters and portafoddies and select strategic locations, so there's a lot going on, a lot

[2:01:48] of stewardship opportunities, volunteer opportunities to go out and help new things.

[2:01:52] So a lot of good things coming out of that.

[2:01:55] We've had a meeting and continued concern about horses in the Mono Basin.

[2:02:01] That's a longer conversation, but something that is a region-wide issue and something

[2:02:06] that is increasingly a concern, certainly in terms of the increased problem they're creating

[2:02:12] in term.

[2:02:13] There's a horse poop all over south to the Navy Beach.

[2:02:16] There's been car accident last year on East 120.

[2:02:21] People are feeding the horses.

[2:02:23] We've got a real problem with the herd and the mono-based is estimated around 200 horses right now.

[2:02:29] And so that's a concern that we're working on.

[2:02:31] Having a phone call with some residents today about ATV and OHV issues in the mono-based as well.

[2:02:37] Again, people, the concern about a riding on county roads, what they can and can't do, speeding a lot of issues.

[2:02:45] It's a very tricky issue as my colleagues in New York County know.

[2:02:50] and we're going to have to sort through that one step at a time.

[2:02:54] It's also one of the classic ones where things have happened

[2:02:58] that haven't necessarily maybe been consistent with existing laws and regulations.

[2:03:04] And we have to sort of sort through that.

[2:03:06] So we're working on that, and there will be a lot more work on that down the road.

[2:03:11] SCE, we're having a briefing because SCE is starting to get involved with more tree terming

[2:03:15] and recommissioning their dam system up here at Rush Creek, and also they're involved in some

[2:03:22] street lighting that people don't like because it's too bright, and so we're having some

[2:03:26] conversations with them to keep the residents a chance to do that. Jeff, on your regional

[2:03:32] on the radio communication, there's a difference, of course, between radio communication system,

[2:03:37] the equipment, and then a regional dispatch approach. I would hope from a region we're talking

[2:03:41] together about all of that so that we are making

[2:03:45] and taking advantage of efficiency and savings

[2:03:47] and coordination, but I hope that at a minimum

[2:03:51] there has been some contact across that.

[2:03:54] I think we heard on Tuesday there's going to be some

[2:03:57] briefing to our board about where we stand

[2:04:00] on some of those things.

[2:04:01] So perhaps we'll know more about that in the future

[2:04:03] but I certainly hope we're working together on that.

[2:04:05] That's all I have, Stacy.

[2:04:07] Maybe you can fill in the blanks.

[2:04:10] Sure, all I'd add to the announcement about the reservation system, you know, just really

[2:04:15] emphasize that it's the ceiling of last year's reservation numbers is the floor now.

[2:04:24] So it's a much bigger number, and they're also adding, in addition to the pass-through for

[2:04:31] local residents, for gateway communities, they're going to have a pass-through allowed basically

[2:04:38] for anyone, you know, with a fee if you don't have a national parks pass. So you'll be able to go through an

[2:04:44] limited amount of time for a fee. So that's good news for, I know some, I think they're in your county communities that aren't

[2:04:54] included in the no-cost pass-through system. So a couple other things regarding

[2:05:04] While fair prevention and forest management, John talked about the great announcement yesterday that the governor and the legislature have reached a deal on that and there's significant early action funding.

[2:05:17] They're also, as part of that, are reconfiguring what used to be called the Forest Management

[2:05:22] Task Force, and counties are being given a seat at the leadership table on that.

[2:05:31] I'll be representing World County Representatives of California, and the California State Association

[2:05:36] of counties will be represented by their current president, James Gore.

[2:05:41] So I think it's a great opportunity to bring some of our regional issues up to a higher level

[2:05:47] and related to that.

[2:05:48] I'm not sure if Holly Albert and Rick Cattleman are still on, you know, our regional

[2:05:53] forests and fire capacity program is working on our regional effort for applying to some

[2:06:01] Cal Fire funding, a grant cycle that I think it's due, the applications are due in May.

[2:06:07] And I would just urge all of us to think regionally on this.

[2:06:11] I know a number of agencies, including Inyo County,

[2:06:14] are applying on their own with Rick and Holly.

[2:06:19] We have amazing knowledge and capacity through RFCP.

[2:06:27] So I don't know if maybe after this current grand cycle,

[2:06:31] if it's something we need to have a discussion about again

[2:06:33] here at SCOG.

[2:06:34] But let's really take advantage of what they're trying to do for us.

[2:06:39] This was an effort to bring these resources to the Eastern Sierra.

[2:06:45] So let's not miss by being a little bit afraid that somehow our individual agency is going

[2:06:50] to miss out if we participate regionally.

[2:06:53] And I say all that and that I'm absolutely struggling in mammoth to get any of our fire

[2:06:58] agencies to pay attention because they're so overwhelmed and it's like, no, guys, the idea

[2:07:03] is we're building capacity and they're saying, well, we don't have time to talk about capacity.

[2:07:08] So let's not, let's help them, let's work together. The other thing that I wanted to put out to this

[2:07:18] group is really an invitation. Mono County is working on a Justice Equity Diversity and Inclusion

[2:07:25] program and we're putting together a pretty exciting work program. Something also at the state level

[2:07:34] through the California State Association of counties, we're starting to talk about, but

[2:07:39] Mono County, what we're going to be doing, we're hiring, we're working with a consultant, Dr.

[2:07:44] Rita Cameron Wedding on a number of trainings and this could be something that your staffs could

[2:07:50] participate in, you know, so instead of each agency, again, doing this on their own,

[2:07:57] I think there are opportunities for your agencies to participate in what Mono County is doing.

[2:08:03] So if this is interesting to you, please just get in touch with me and Bob and or whatever

[2:08:09] about this. But what we're putting together, it's, you know, it's, I really want to, you know,

[2:08:15] Mono County to look at our own systems. We don't want to point fingers at other agencies. We're not

[2:08:20] trying to say anybody else is doing anything wrong and really the point is we're going to look at our own practices, try to make improvements, train ourselves and our staff and listen to our communities, why not try to do this together.

[2:08:34] So talk to me and Bob if you're interested.

[2:08:40] Stacy, I'm definitely interested in. Thank you for your leadership on the CCAC forum that was yesterday and I am meeting with the in your county team that's been dipping our toes into this soon. So if you could, if you could forward me the work plan or whatever information.

[2:09:02] I'm afraid we can do that.

[2:09:08] Great, I'll do that.

[2:09:11] The prank you just take on Karen Stacy reminded me

[2:09:14] and I wanted to check Jeff or Dan.

[2:09:16] That onion valley fire yesterday was,

[2:09:19] is it was a correct that it was started

[2:09:21] by a dispersed camping campfire that was not put out?

[2:09:28] That's what we heard.

[2:09:29] That's what it was going to press release this morning.

[2:09:32] That's what I saw.

[2:09:33] I just wanted to, because that goes back and forth

[2:09:35] in terms of the whole conversation about this first camping, but this is about as good

[2:09:39] as an example as we could add to demonstrate the concern.

[2:09:43] Thanks.

[2:09:44] Yeah, and that's the same word I can add on, but that's what it was, and it was a rock-ringed

[2:09:50] campfire that was not completely out and wind blew some embers into brush not too far away.

[2:10:05] John, do you have an update for the time in place?

[2:10:09] Yes, Madam Chair.

[2:10:14] So as you know, I serve on this integrated climate adaptation and resiliency program

[2:10:19] to the ICARP, technical advisory council to the state for climate change issues.

[2:10:24] We had a pretty big meeting a couple weeks ago and what was notable was a real push from

[2:10:30] the state around nature-based solutions as part of the climate change program.

[2:10:34] This is backed up by an executive order from the governor, and it winds up very nicely with

[2:10:39] this $500 million announcement around fire and fuels, and it also winds up very nicely

[2:10:44] around.

[2:10:45] A good friend supervising Gordless's role on that forest-asper, as you just mentioned.

[2:10:51] And it's very encouraging to see the state now starting to actually move out in the landscapes

[2:10:57] such as ours.

[2:10:59] It seems to be obviously very specific direction from leadership, and I think between the

[2:11:04] As God, you know, the work that we're doing, we're very well poised to start taking advantage of these initiatives.

[2:11:09] On April 28th, the California Natural Resources Agency will be hosting a listening session.

[2:11:15] And I don't think there's way to put anything in the chat in this webinar format.

[2:11:20] But Lane, I'll share me a couple links for the date and time for that.

[2:11:24] But I really encourage all of us to attend that and get started getting our two cents in.

[2:11:29] That's coming up on April 28th.

[2:11:32] But this is a kind of a seismic change, and I think it's great to know that the states

[2:11:36] are besting all this money into fire and fuels and we have a good friend and colleague

[2:11:40] Jen and half-field is being enormously proactive in this space, but I think there's going

[2:11:44] to be ways that are making the next side between fire and fuel work or retail economic development

[2:11:50] or gateway community, sustainable recreation, and all the rest of it, so, you know, here it

[2:11:55] comes.

[2:11:56] a couple other things. The town council will be working on working on priorities. We've

[2:12:03] got access to this afternoon. And I think one of the things that's really current in all

[2:12:07] of us as Jeff mentioned, COVID will be over. I think it's Tuesday next week. I think it's

[2:12:12] done. But we may all be kind of healthy. We got our vaccines, you know, we're doing whatever

[2:12:21] whatever we do. But all of our institutions, all of our agencies, we've got some recovery work to do.

[2:12:26] We have to figure out what the real cost for all of us was with our agencies getting through all this.

[2:12:32] We have to kind of start patching and putting things back together, but we are all going to be emerging into a brand new normal.

[2:12:40] We're not, you know, whatever was going on before this happened, there's not an option to go back to that stuff.

[2:12:45] So we're going to be figuring out how we negotiate that, how do we come back into this new normal?

[2:12:49] Well, I think certainly having this regional body in place is going to be

[2:12:52] enormously helpful as we try to do that because it's going to be a whole brand new world.

[2:12:56] We actually come out of this.

[2:12:59] So we're working at that housing piece.

[2:13:03] The parcel is moving forward, but the council's got a really interesting

[2:13:08] lesson in, you know, what the state of California is up to in terms of

[2:13:14] the one hand saying that they want housing.

[2:13:16] they want to get built, but then on the other hand, trying to do every kind of legislative

[2:13:21] bureaucratic action they can actually think of to try to make it more difficult to make these

[2:13:24] things actually happen. So I think, Jeff, your idea of some kind of a regional housing,

[2:13:28] something I think is an excellent idea. We did something like that in Ameth, just

[2:13:32] you know, credit awareness from the parcel was opportunities, you've got a lot of things

[2:13:36] that we could use and some contacts and speakers and things like that, we can bring to that.

[2:13:42] And I think certainly that's one of the things we really need to be thinking of just a

[2:13:46] regional solutions. I serve on the LTC in Monte County and I'm always very interested

[2:13:52] in how we can, between the annual and the Monte County LTCs, we can be coordinating things

[2:13:56] a little bit better, but that's probably topic for another day, but that's certainly

[2:13:59] of interest. And finally, the town approved, town council approved a significant amount

[2:14:07] of money. I think it's well over three or four hundred thousand dollars that goes to the

[2:14:14] anticipated arrival. I mean, they're already here of the visitor population coming to,

[2:14:20] these coming in a man with legs and coming in and around our little, you know,

[2:14:24] acreage here in the Eastern Sierra. Don't serve code enforcement officers,

[2:14:30] community OS program, just all that frontline stuff. This ties it very nicely, I say,

[2:14:36] I think with this first campaign work that Maru County Bob is doing, we're doing also,

[2:14:40] So Jim, I know you're very interested in the self-doubted bishop.

[2:14:42] It's a region-wide thing, but we're getting ready for it.

[2:14:46] We'll see what happens in the interesting report out

[2:14:48] and see where out there.

[2:14:49] I think that's what I've got.

[2:14:51] I don't know if I can just say anything, but busy times,

[2:14:57] spring, yeah, thank you.

[2:15:00] Thank you. Jim, do you want to update us on the city?

[2:15:07] Actually, I want to leave that also to you, because I think you have had some questions on EMS, and I know you're part of the Fire Liaison Committee.

[2:15:14] I am not in the same world class as you guys. I have talked to nobody from the state or a federal government, apparently, lately.

[2:15:23] But what I have been kind of wrapped up in is through a lot of emails and conversations.

[2:15:31] On Earth, they come up, we have kind of an informal Earth Day event set up.

[2:15:35] I know in the past, Jeff, you were involved with Rotary Club doing this into the park.

[2:15:42] I got approached by Fran Hunt to do something a little more informal because of the COVID stuff.

[2:15:48] if we can't really do the whole part of things.

[2:15:50] So on the 24th coming up here,

[2:15:53] we're gonna see the traction limiters

[2:15:54] component of my life, which seems to take up a lot of it.

[2:15:59] We're doing kind of an informal thing,

[2:16:01] meaning behind City Hall,

[2:16:04] to I'm gonna provide some donuts

[2:16:06] and we're gonna, I've been working with Bishop Ways

[2:16:08] so they're gonna give us some dumpsters.

[2:16:11] We're gonna let the community come out

[2:16:14] in whatever fashion they can come out

[2:16:16] will go out and just attack some of the, not even this first campaign, it's locals are just as

[2:16:23] involved in trash in our areas we are as they are. But we're going to go out and do some stuff

[2:16:28] there and pretty informal event but same time we're going to try to do something to recognize the

[2:16:34] day and the importance of our community. And then I have another webinar that's been put together by

[2:16:40] tobacco-free eastern Sierra, it's like a birthday summit on the 20th. I've been working with Aaron

[2:16:46] out of India County and the representative out of Mono County and we're going to discuss

[2:16:52] the same thing and from the trash limiter side of my life, talk about what the impact that it's

[2:16:58] done there when our members go out and literally get excited picking up thousands and thousands

[2:17:05] of cigarette butts and it adds up pretty quickly. So that's about the extent of my world at the moment.

[2:17:12] So thank you guys. What time are the 24th, Jim?

[2:17:19] We're looking at probably starting at about nine

[2:17:21] in the morning till about noon so it's pretty short term. I know Fran was trying to work with

[2:17:28] a local vendor to do something at the end of that day. Like a lunch kind of thing you can buy lunch and

[2:17:35] and socially distance talk to each other and enjoy the day.

[2:17:46] Great. That's a good event. Thank you, Jim.

[2:17:50] I will mention a few things going on in the city of Bishop.

[2:17:54] Like Jeff alluded to, we are increasing our EMS service.

[2:18:01] Our fire chief total has been with us for maybe two or three years.

[2:18:05] Definitely highlighted to our community.

[2:18:07] We are lack of response to people in need for 911 calls, with we only really had one ambulance available and if that ambulance was in use, then sometimes the person calling 911 would be waiting extremely long response time.

[2:18:28] and actually our police chief comes from a bigger police department in Colorado,

[2:18:34] and he is a paramedic and he's actually saved quite a few lives by hearing the call and just going

[2:18:41] to the scene and doing CPR. So we are working closely with Simon's as being a backup

[2:18:51] responder. We're not going to still be the first responder but we will definitely be a backup

[2:18:55] that we've donated a ambulance that we can use to go to the scene and help out with

[2:19:03] the patient.

[2:19:04] But it is not a transport ambulance.

[2:19:06] It's just there to help that person who is in a critical need.

[2:19:13] And we'll see what goes from there.

[2:19:15] But it's going to be definitely a great addition to the 911 response medical needs of our community.

[2:19:22] We are still in recruitment for a new police chief and I'll update you on that where we're

[2:19:30] just still working with the consultant and I think he's just casting the net on potential

[2:19:34] applicants out there.

[2:19:36] We started April 1st, started to collect our 1% sales tax increase and we recently had

[2:19:44] a meeting about priorities of, you know, what to do with the additional general fund money

[2:19:50] and the main thing was to get us back into a sound financial position that we need to be in

[2:19:58] because COVID definitely to hit the city really hard. And once we recouped some of the losses

[2:20:05] of COVID, we were talking about housing as a major priority and really addressing that problem

[2:20:14] with, you know, the staff will come back with maybe a variety of options as to hiring maybe a planner or working with consultants or something but housing, we need to get more land to develop more housing.

[2:20:31] And that is a critical need for both Indio County and the City of Fisher.

[2:20:34] other things that came out of it were, you know, I don't know if you guys have

[2:20:38] scroll, take a stroll around the communities of downtown Bishop, but they're

[2:20:42] very lackluster in their sidewalks. You know, there are some some street

[2:20:46] sidewalks, some don't, so we talked about our community has been wanting sidewalks

[2:20:50] for a long time and really implementing a sidewalk program and some better

[2:20:56] mobility with bike paths throughout the community, not both combined true

[2:21:00] of ICADS and roadways.

[2:21:04] Hal Trans is beefing up the crosswalks in our community.

[2:21:08] They just start crosswalks have been a big source

[2:21:12] of concern, and we've complained to them about it.

[2:21:16] And so now we're going to be getting much more robust visibility

[2:21:22] when there is a pedestrian crossing the crosswalks.

[2:21:26] And that basically is a visit for the City of Bishop. Is there any closing comments from

[2:21:33] anyone?

[2:21:36] All right. Well, look at that 1052. We have time for a bathroom ready. A little

[2:21:40] snack. You did a nice thing, Madam Chair. Well, I did want to just finalize some of the

[2:21:48] agenda items that were, I guess we have agenda items. But we talked about the public comment

[2:21:54] from Matt Perillo. You know, I think that S-Cog might need to be a, and we can add this to an agenda,

[2:22:02] some sort of like connection point where we disseminate information to our visitor centers because

[2:22:08] I feel like our visitor centers are huge sources of information and even ECA, they kind of are like

[2:22:14] a visitor center a little bit, you know, and I feel like they really need to be in this conversation

[2:22:21] because they're the ones that are, you know, a touch point to the public and they have all their funding that goes to advertising and their website.

[2:22:29] So I really feel like they need to be a critical part of this visitor connection package.

[2:22:37] I think that they have the money and, you know, they're getting, at least in Bishop, you know, they're getting their TV and funds.

[2:22:45] So that's specifically identified in that visit connection package as part of this part of the

[2:22:51] content. So do we need to agenda something like that for a future meeting? I would defer. I think you've got

[2:22:58] we have our representative Elaine Gaballa who's going to be part of that work. I've taken that

[2:23:04] that this or connection package is one of the identified program project opportunities coming out of

[2:23:10] RTI, but I think having a lane at the table for those discussions and understanding what's

[2:23:16] in that packaging program, I think that's going to be part of the portfolio projects

[2:23:20] that comes out of RTI.

[2:23:22] So that's all on track, it's all moving forward into the next one suggestion, but it's all

[2:23:27] teed up and throw anything in there.

[2:23:29] Okay.

[2:23:31] And then do we need to have a sequela follow-up agenda item, is that okay, so we'll add

[2:23:39] that.

[2:23:39] And then do we need to have a special meeting regarding the district team?

[2:23:46] I think we can't let that fall to the cracks. I mean, I would defer to Jeff. You know, there's more knowledge.

[2:23:52] I'm just a little late. But I don't know that we need a special meeting because the time

[2:23:59] and it's kind of if you can just set it as an item.

[2:24:05] Okay.

[2:24:08] All right. Well then, that's anyone else have other agenda items to add at this time?

[2:24:16] I think that I'm sure there will be some sort of report out for the ESSRBI SRDI stuff.

[2:24:22] There will be some things in June that we can work with staff to identify what this is going to be.

[2:24:27] but a lot's going to happen between now and then I think the the council is going to be aware of.

[2:24:35] Well then, we'll adjourn this meeting to June 11th, 2021, 830 AM. See you all then.

[2:24:44] Bye-bye. Thanks for being here. So, work, Madam Chair. Thank you very much.

Eastern Sierra Council of Governments (ESCOG)

Agenda

Transcript