[This transcript was generated automatically from audio using AI and hasn't been reviewed by a person -- it can contain mistakes, including plausible-sounding sentences that were never actually said. Treat it as a starting point, not a verbatim record.]

[0:03] Good morning and welcome to the Imperial County Board of Supervisors meeting for Tuesday, January 23rd, 2024. Madam Clerk, I'd like to call this meeting to order. Let's do our roll call. Good morning, District 1. Is this a lot of those go back? Good morning. District 2, Chairman Luis Anthony Blancate. Good morning. District 3, Michael Kelly. Yes. District 4, Ryan Elliott Kelly. Here.
[0:29] Thank you, Madam Clerk.
[0:30] The district five, John Hock.
[0:32] Here.
[0:33] Thank you, Madam Clerk.
[0:35] Do we have any urgency items to be added to today's agenda?
[0:41] None.
[0:41] None.
[0:42] Thank you.
[0:44] We will then move on to item three, closed session public comment.
[0:48] This is an opportunity for members of the public to address the board on any subject matter within the closed session calendar.
[0:56] Is there anybody here present that wants to speak on closed session?
[1:01] Non-Madam Clerk, do we have anyone online?
[1:03] No, we don't.
[1:04] We do not.
[1:05] Okay.
[1:05] Then we will go ahead and close the public comment session and
[1:11] entertain motions to go into close.
[1:14] We have a motion by supervisor Eskovar, second by supervisor Kelly.
[1:19] Please vote.
[1:22] You
[1:25] have to identify which Kelly.
[1:27] That was Ryan Kelly.
[1:28] There you go.
[1:30] For the record.
[1:31] It's the Kelly on my right,
[1:36] item passes, 5-0, we'll be back at 10 am.
[1:42] Thank you.
[2:00] Good morning and welcome to the Imperial County Board of Supervisors meeting for Tuesday,
[2:05] Stay January 23rd.
[2:07] Madam Clerk, let's go ahead and reestablish a quorum.
[2:10] This is to a roll call book.
[2:13] Yes, good morning.
[2:14] Supervisor District 1, Hizu Sala-Aluzkova.
[2:17] Morning.
[2:18] District 2, Chairman Luis Antonio Flancarte.
[2:21] Good morning, everybody, here.
[2:22] District 3, Michael Kelly.
[2:24] Here.
[2:25] District 4, Ryan Elliott Kelly.
[2:27] Here.
[2:27] And District 5, John Hock.
[2:29] Should we make it this way in shortly?
[2:33] at this time, I like to ask you to stand and join me along with Pastor Joey Mora for
[2:41] Valley Victory Outreach in an invocation. Supervisor Ryan Kelly, I like to ask that after
[2:48] that you meet us in a pledge.
[2:55] Make sure you push the red button at the
[2:57] base. Perfect. Thank you. Let us pray. Heavenly Father, we just come before you hear this
[3:03] morning, God, we thank you for your presence. We pray that you bless this meeting. God, I pray for
[3:08] our Board of Supervisors continue to be with them and bless them and unify them. Lord, God,
[3:13] are all of our Imperial County employees, God, our law enforcement, Lord, and everything that has
[3:18] to do with this meeting. Everybody in attendance, Lord, may we may we come unified to continue, God,
[3:23] to prosper our County. And we just give you all the honor and we give you all the glory. In Jesus' name,
[3:29] Can we pray? A men.
[3:31] A men.
[3:31] God bless you all.
[3:38] Ready?
[3:40] What's your allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic
[3:46] for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all?
[3:57] Thank you, Pastor.
[3:58] Thank you, Supervisor Brian Kelly.
[4:14] We will now go on to the public comment portion of today's meeting.
[4:18] This is an opportunity for members of the public to address the board on any subject matter within the board's jurisdiction, but not on today's agenda.
[4:28] Any action taken, as a result of public comments, she'll be limited to direction to staff.
[4:35] When addressing the board, state your name for the record prior to providing your comments,
[4:40] police address the board as a whole through the chairman.
[4:45] Individuals will be given three minutes to address the board.
[4:48] Groups or specific topics will be given a maximum of 15 minutes.
[4:53] Public comment will be limited to 30 minutes maximum.
[4:56] If additional time is required, for public comment, this will be heard at the end of the meeting.
[5:03] Please remember to follow the public comment code of conduct.
[5:06] no profanity or obscenity, yelling or screaming, no slander or deflamatory statements, no personal threats or attacks, no hateful or
[5:17] demeaning language based on hate of a person's race, religion, sexual orientation, ethnicity, gender or disability.
[5:26] Respect all people that are present and are watching online, obey the directions of the clerk of the board and the chair of the board.
[5:35] Please remember that if you do start to get out of line, I will ask the clerk to turn off the microphone.
[5:42] Thank you.
[5:43] So with that, I'd like to turn it over to Madam Clerk, since you have a list of those who have requested to speak.
[5:50] We'll start with those in chambers.
[5:53] Yes, Mr. Speaker, is he su Solano?
[6:13] Mr. Solano makes, there you go, perfect, thank you.
[6:17] Good
[6:21] morning, Paul.
[6:22] Good morning, Mr. Chair, Board of Supervisors, Director, and staff.
[6:32] My subject matter is not on the agenda, but I did notice that on item 23, Comitacevico
[6:39] del Valle, a broadly non-profit, is appealing to the Planet Department Association on a Lithium
[6:45] Project.
[6:46] Sir, if this is not sir, if this is on that item, you have to wait till that item comes up
[6:51] on the agenda.
[6:51] That was just a comment, that was just a comment.
[6:55] My status is still the county of imperial decision to award and approve over $720,000 of public
[7:05] funding to non-profit, mostly controlled by Luis Olmedo, director of commitesidico.
[7:11] As part of the minutes I have submitted a one page overview which has several red tags
[7:17] of which your locations to public funding.
[7:20] In my opinion, in many other parties, this whole proposal process does not pass the
[7:27] smell test.
[7:28] Since the last meeting on Tuesday, January 9, 2024, I stood in front of you, your board
[7:35] and requested an audit.
[7:36] As I stated before, you are funding nonprofits that do not engage in community and projects.
[7:44] They violate zoning safe regulations, environment regulations, and they made a back door room deal on a piece of city real estate without any public notice.
[7:57] This was a gift the public funds to benefit certain individuals.
[8:03] And a nonprofit organization that does not engage in community on projects.
[8:08] I call Comitell Olmedón, Urenya, Monsonales, and Imperial Valley Equity in Justice, Non-Profits,
[8:16] Totally Hipprockets, Wake Up Board of Supervisors, they failed, you won't, but we in
[8:23] Calexico know how they operate, and the question here, we believe that it's a state and the board
[8:30] of responsibility to monitor these situations, okay, because they're circumventing and abusing
[8:37] the system of the tax exempt, they are not registered as a 501C4, okay, where it's permitted to a certain point where they can get involved, as long it's not their main priority, okay, they are registered as a 501C3 where it's prohibited to pass out propaganda and get involved in politics, thank you.
[9:02] Next
[9:09] speaker is Ms. Maritzo Ortado.
[9:30] Good morning.
[9:31] My name is Maritzo Ortado, and I am the team leader for the recall in
[9:36] Calexico, California, where we are recalling former mayor Raul Lureña and
[9:42] Councilman Huberta Mantanades.
[9:45] I also share the same feelings with Mr. Solano, who is one of our best volunteers in this recall.
[9:50] We have been very concerned about many issues in Calexico and has to do with IV equity and
[9:55] justice, participation in a lot of what we have been needing and moving forward in the
[9:59] City of Calexico. Besides this body here being concerned with regard to the $170,000 given
[10:06] to IV equity for so-called social justice or equity outreach, they actually are continuously
[10:15] in Calexico just this past weekend. Continuing the activity, we saw them only steps away from
[10:21] the international border on first trade.
[10:23] So in Collexico we're still concerned with this group but also I wanted to remind you that
[10:27] this same group penetrated and assisted our council and probably was planned all along
[10:34] to move around a lot of our ARPA funds.
[10:36] So we're very concerned about our ARPA funds.
[10:38] We have station number two in Collexico has yet to be reopened with the respect that our
[10:43] firemen require.
[10:44] So the fact that IV equity and justice, and as you know, Alexis Castro, who's now sitting
[10:52] at the legislature, had a lot of involvement in the background as far as how our monies
[10:56] was going to be spent.
[10:57] So we are very concerned about IV equity and justice, those that are revolving around what
[11:03] their activities are, the fact that they do not ask permission or that we have lost control
[11:08] about their activities, their protesting primarily.
[11:11] And what's very concerning, I think, and why Mr. Solano and I come here to the county to let you know what we're experiencing in
[11:17] Collexico is because Collexico feels that we're being terrorized by this group.
[11:22] And honestly, we don't feel that any other group or any other campaign, I would say, should be supporting this group.
[11:29] This group is young, they say they're progressives, but they're actually extremists.
[11:34] And they're radicals.
[11:35] And that is exactly what we have been experiencing in Collexico.
[11:38] and why we're fighting back and why this recall is so successful.
[11:43] This recall has nothing to do with personal choices. Please understand that.
[11:47] We don't appreciate when individuals indicate that this recall has a lot to do with his personal choices.
[11:51] It does not. It has to do with what this county,
[11:54] these supervisors and this community should be very concerned about,
[11:58] is radicals on the loose in your community that are actually making changes
[12:04] because they have power in leadership.
[12:07] And that power in leadership will be removed on April 16th, 2024.
[12:13] When thank the Lord, we were able to organize sufficiently against this threat
[12:18] to our quiet community.
[12:20] The community of Kilexico, nor the County of Imperial Require,
[12:24] more than to just get organized to fight this off.
[12:27] It will make a huge difference for you and your children.
[12:30] If we eliminate this dangerous element from our community, Ivy Equity and Justice, Raul Udenya and Manzanaris, got to go.
[12:42] Next speaker, Ms. April Ochoa.
[12:55] Good morning. I am here on behalf of the night in Chamber of Commerce.
[13:00] I think everyone received a paper that I brought for you guys to kind of give you an idea why we are here.
[13:06] The Imperial County gave us a grant for $50,000 and the township is grateful for that.
[13:13] That was for the flood that we had back in September 1st.
[13:17] The problem with that is that there was an income bracket and that cost a lot of friction within the community.
[13:22] We are only 452 people.
[13:24] Over 80 families were affected and for there to be a bracket, that's kind of injustice wide.
[13:34] because there's people that don't qualify because they go over $100.
[13:39] It seems a bit unfair.
[13:41] And so we're here today asking that the income bracket be removed.
[13:45] $50,000 is not really anything when you make that division over these people,
[13:52] all these affected people.
[13:54] And we are asking as well for additional funding.
[13:59] I understand that you guys gave us $50,000 through this ARPA grant,
[14:02] And then there's all these things that consist of that, but it is not enough.
[14:08] We've been neglected, we don't have a city council, we don't have a mayor.
[14:11] You guys are our support, so we're asking for your help.
[14:15] There's people that lost their homes, that have been in their houses for 60 years.
[14:20] And they're having a live with other family members because they no longer have a home.
[14:25] If you've been to Nyland, if you see those images that I gave you, I am very sure that
[14:31] if you lived out there, you'd be very unhappy to see how those homes were damaged, how
[14:37] people lost their cars, how people lost minor things as they're washing and drying, they
[14:41] can't afford it.
[14:44] There's 15 people here from Nyland that was able to come in groups for transportation because
[14:49] Because we only have one bus that goes out there two times a day.
[14:53] That's not even enough transit for them.
[14:56] You know, it's a 50 minute drive from here to there.
[15:00] There's no transportation. There's no help. We are neglected. N Island, you ask people what they think about N Island, and it's always a negative remark. If we are not here asking for help, then no one's going to do it. Oh, question. Yes, sir. You concern is the limitation on income. It's kept at 50,000. That's one concern. Yes. Okay. And at 50,000 or more, you're not eligible.
[15:29] vote to receive the assistance?
[15:31] No, there's an income bracket of based on household.
[15:36] If there's one to people, it's a specific amount.
[15:38] If there's three to four, there's a specific amount.
[15:41] A lot of people don't qualify some due, because obviously
[15:44] we're kind of the lowest income in Imperial County.
[15:47] But these people that go over $100 don't qualify.
[15:50] And it turns out they're the ones that
[15:52] had the highest damages in their homes.
[15:55] And so this flood affected everyone.
[16:01] So that's based on the source of funding, which is the federal government considering the source that was used for this matter, if I may, Chairman.
[16:15] Ms. April, do know that your concern was brought to my attention, and we are looking internally as to how that can be addressed for the betterment of the community and the items you raised.
[16:28] My other concern is that $50,000 is still not enough.
[16:33] I know that the county is not responsible for this.
[16:36] We feel that the IID is responsible and I will be there this afternoon to raise my issues
[16:41] and concerns with them.
[16:43] But you are our council, you are our mayors.
[16:47] Every other town in this community, their council and mayors fight for them.
[16:51] Who do we go to?
[16:52] Ryan Kelly is our supporter and I know he's trying.
[16:55] but it's one. There's six people here to make a vote on that. We have to
[17:00] convince you guys are a city council, you guys are a mayor. Who do we go to? Who
[17:06] fights for us? So we need that. We need those additional funds because even then
[17:12] if you divide those funds, I give you a list. I did a math and that's just 55
[17:16] people. It took me one week. I had people helping me getting signatures. That's
[17:20] $1 million, $28,560 damages, and that's only 55 people.
[17:26] I'm still going to keep collecting signatures.
[17:30] Every claim that the people filed with the IIV was denied.
[17:35] That is unfair.
[17:37] We don't have the money to hire an attorney.
[17:40] Can the city council hear the four help us with money to hire an attorney?
[17:46] Because somebody has to be held responsible.
[17:48] So, I, we've been sending out letters for help, literally we're crying for help, please help us, please give us additional funds if we can't do it through ARPA, look into your other programs.
[18:04] Please. Now, my second concern.
[18:08] And Mr. Choi, you should wrap it up for the way beyond your time.
[18:11] Okay, I apologize for that, and thank you. Public works, I know they've been out there trying to help us, but there's still a lot of silt being removed from homes.
[18:19] There's piles of dirt outside people's homes. We're not wanting it to be, you know,
[18:25] What's I can't say the word level? No, we want it removed because you've got to remember the water was up to here
[18:32] All that sewer all that feces when everywhere
[18:36] We don't want it spread. We want it removed the trees. I mean, there's so many damages out there
[18:43] Public works is still not done
[18:45] The potholes, the lids for the sewer, they're missing, you don't see that here in
[18:51] Los Angeles, you don't see that in the city imperial, you don't see it, like as
[18:55] they're bigger communities, there's more fight for them, some here fighting for my
[19:00] township. Thank you Mr. Chau. Okay. Thank you.
[19:03] I care to comment.
[19:10] Mr. Esmerlake, it's okay with Supervisor Kelly if Mr. Chau could
[19:16] meet with our CEO, voice for concerns with detail, and see what we can do about it.
[19:21] That'd be great.
[19:22] Excellent.
[19:23] No, the other question is that this information we have, the amount of loss sustained by each
[19:29] individual, but there's no description of what that loss really is.
[19:35] Mr. Chair.
[19:38] So I was able, and I know we can't take any action today, but I was able to talk with the CEO
[19:44] last week in regards to the requests that there is a pathway to be able to remove the income
[19:51] barrier or the requirements and the requests for the additional funding can be considered at our
[19:59] next meeting. So I understand Mr. Cho and I certainly have heard the concerns in Nylon and we
[20:09] We will continue to advocate to make sure that your concerns are heard, and I wish you success at your next meeting at IED.
[20:19] Thank you for having this question.
[20:22] That will be the last, if you come up to the microphone, so those on-line can hear.
[20:26] And please keep it brief.
[20:28] Yes, sir.
[20:29] Regarding the question of the losses and damages, we do have an application, and every person that applies for this funding has to show proof.
[20:38] So we are going to make sure that the
[20:40] prepper trail is that to support that.
[20:43] Thank you.
[20:44] Thank you.
[20:44] Thank you.
[20:45] Okay.
[20:46] CEO's office has direction going on to our next speaker.
[20:51] Or do they know the direction where they can be available for that discussion?
[20:54] Yes, it was made verbally on the microphone for over to work for their studio.
[20:59] Supervisor Kayle, I'll make sure that staff right now works with me so true as we can have
[21:03] that dial.
[21:04] Okay.
[21:06] Next speaker is Mr. Jacob Rodriguez.
[21:19] All righty.
[21:20] Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
[21:21] And today I want to talk about something that's not on the agenda, but was previously reported
[21:25] in Navi Press, and this is what it relates to.
[21:28] Yesterday, the Attorney General of California visited the Imperial Valley, and I got the chance
[21:33] to meet him at the El Centro Public Library.
[21:35] And I handed him a letter involving our county and its states, and I'll read it verbatim.
[21:41] Dear Mr. Newman, senior assistant attorney general of the California Department of Justice Civil Rights Enforcement Division.
[21:47] Last month, your section successfully obtained a stipulated judgment which the trial court entered and approved against Kern County regarding
[21:53] their policies and practices related to free speech rights guaranteed under the California and the First Amendment to the US Constitution.
[22:01] In that case, Kern County particularly some members of board supervisors were found by the DOJ investigation
[22:06] to have violated the free speech rights of a coalition of community organizations and a small business
[22:11] by refusing to enter into contracts with them because they had engaged in constitutionally protected free speech activities.
[22:18] Specifically, participating in a public debate about defunding the police and expressing their support for that.
[22:24] In Imperial County, we are currently experiencing something uncannily similar.
[22:27] However, instead of police funding being the current topic of immense public debate, it is now the Israel-Palestine Conflict.
[22:33] On December 26, 2023, it was reported that the Imperial County then chairman Ryan Kelly directed staff to review grants for Lithium Valley outreach, and he requested that staff reform a review into a certain specific nonprofit, which was previously mentioned in the public comments.
[22:52] However, this allegation is based upon an employee of the nonprofit participating in a protest on their personal time, which the organization was quick to verify or to confirm.
[23:02] In a phone interview, then Board Chair Ryan Kelly provided the press with several ostensibly
[23:07] viewpoint neutral reasons for potentially clawing back phones and performing the review in the
[23:12] first place. However, there's evidence to suggest that those reasons for pursuing these adverse
[23:16] actions against the nonprofit are merely pretextual in nature and that the Imperial County's selectively
[23:23] targeted the nonprofit over their protective speech and already quote Imperial County administration
[23:29] and legal counsel are currently engaged in a detailed review of the request to ensure compliance with the policies.
[23:35] And it should be interesting to note that no other nonprofits were subjected to such review.
[23:41] And I press the attorney general on his commitment to, because shortly after the current county, he said,
[23:46] and he was quoted on the press release, he's committed to ensuring free speech through California and
[23:50] in current county.
[23:51] And I asked him, will he committed to extending that same level enforcement to Imperial County?
[23:54] And he did, and I forwarded to one of his assistants who will send it to the proper
[23:59] section.
[24:00] And I would just ask that the, I think the only appropriate remedy in this case is
[24:04] to conduct, or to terminate that review, because honestly the investigation was
[24:08] tainted from the beginning with an unconstitutional, there's a term to describe this in law,
[24:12] and it's called viewpoint discrimination.
[24:14] When you're a government agency, you just can't do that type of action.
[24:17] And I ask the board to strongly terminate it.
[24:19] Thank you.
[24:26] Mr. Rodriguez, in your comment, I ask for a review and my fiduciary responsibility
[24:37] for the county of Imperials to make sure that the money that is allocated is being used
[24:42] in the endeavor that it was agreed upon.
[24:44] The review is ongoing and noticed to all agencies that were awarded, has been sent.
[24:51] But it was found that three agencies had not been submitting invoices,
[24:55] which was required under agreement monthly, and also quarterly reports, which had not been submitted.
[25:03] So there is cause to re-review, you sign an agreement and you're to be held to it.
[25:12] I am not challenging anyone's free speech, but if public funds are being used in an inappropriate manner, I wanted to have that review.
[25:21] Thank you, I appreciate I know more of that, but I still believe that's a pretext, and I look forward to the Attorney General's office seen through that.
[25:29] Thank you.
[25:34] Thank you, Madam Clerk.
[25:35] No more speakers.
[25:37] Thank you.
[25:39] Okay, we go on to Board Member Reports and announcements.
[25:43] We'll start with Supervisor Ryan Kelly.
[25:48] I have nothing to say.
[25:51] Thank you, Supervisor Kelly, Supervisor Michael Kelly.
[25:55] Good morning.
[25:56] Last week I was in Sacramento,
[25:58] attending the Royal County Representation of California's
[26:01] installation of new officers,
[26:03] and also ongoing Board of Directors meeting.
[26:05] We did get input from Secretary of National Resources, Secretary Covefoot, and he actually
[26:15] highlighted in Pro County as a model county and I have to go forward in dealing with issues
[26:20] such as the lithium, the tax base for the lithium, and worse going, so we did get a pad
[26:25] on the back on that.
[26:26] So, it was a good productive meeting.
[26:28] 13th, Thursday evening, I attended the IVEEDC annual dinner and banquet and report, and that's about all I have.
[26:39] Thank you.
[26:41] Thank you, Supervisor Kelly, Supervisor Escobar.
[26:44] Thank you, Chair.
[26:45] I enjoy the rain and I did see a couple of half-fire fighters are chief and our previous team member here for the county and
[26:55] now, unfortunately, left with the city of Brawley.
[26:59] But obviously, the rain kind of plays havoc on our streets
[27:03] and on our driving patterns because we never drive
[27:06] in the rain.
[27:06] So just be careful out there.
[27:09] It's still somewhat slick.
[27:11] And the rain really drove me into thinking of an issue
[27:15] that is very near and dear to my heart.
[27:17] And it is not getting better.
[27:18] It's getting worse.
[27:19] And that is traffic congestion.
[27:23] We have individuals crossing the border on a daily basis and they take one or two hours
[27:29] to get through to their jobs in Imperial County.
[27:33] And then they have to have a one or two hour border wait to cross the border in Calexico.
[27:40] So I with assistance of my fellow supervisors established a southern border committee a few
[27:45] years back.
[27:47] And I want to re-emphasize the importance of getting back together and working with not
[27:51] not just local entities, such as our counties, such as cities, such as ICTC, but state agencies as well,
[28:01] name it highway patrol, name it CalTrans, or federal agencies, might be GSA or CBP,
[28:08] or international agencies, such as Sedena, SOT, as well as state and local government.
[28:15] This is not a colexical problem.
[28:17] This is not a Michik Ali problem. This is a problem that everybody everyone that has a relative
[28:22] A friend that crosses the border on a consistent basis has and it's time to stop
[28:28] I mean if you unfortunately live on one side of collects it go I have to drive to the other
[28:32] I'm not exaggerating when I say this and there's people in the audience that live in collects it go
[28:36] You can take you a freaking half an hour to get from one side of the city to the other
[28:41] We're not talking to all people that are crossing the border
[28:44] So it's time to put a stop to this.
[28:46] It's time to work as a cohesive unit.
[28:49] It's not about what he said or what she said.
[28:51] It's not about what is happening at the state or federal level to what's happening here in our local community and what's best for us.
[28:58] So again, I will be in the next few weeks engaging local state and federal authorities along with international authorities to assist us in trying to really try and not just try.
[29:09] I think TRI is, we've tried to fix the new river, right Mike?
[29:15] Yeah, many years.
[29:16] And we still haven't fixed it, even though we're trying to.
[29:19] So I think TRI is almost a bad word.
[29:21] I think we really have to make a concerted effort
[29:25] to fix the issue once and for all.
[29:28] And the only way we're going to do it is we work together.
[29:30] It's not about colexic, it's not about Imperial County,
[29:33] it's not about CalTrans, it's about everybody coming together
[29:36] and fixing the problem.
[29:38] Thank you, Chair.
[29:39] Thank you, Supervisor Escolar, Supervisor Hawk.
[29:43] Yes, let me just begin that I know that our county has a lot of challenges.
[29:49] There are a number of things that we need to do and I believe that our supervisors are working on that.
[29:55] Let me bring your attention to another item that I think is very important.
[30:00] January is sanctity of life month. And as a board, we shared our thoughts about this in private. And we concluded that as we concur, that life is precious, we would hold our thoughts in a personal venue. So I think we need to really appreciate the fact that, you know, as we think of sanctity, we think of life, we think of the fact that we're all unique in many ways.
[30:29] that we need to appreciate the fact of honoring life.
[30:34] I'm a father of five and a grandfather of 16,
[30:38] and I can't imagine life without anyone
[30:41] of my grandchildren or children.
[30:43] They're so unique and precious in God's sight.
[30:47] And I think you can imagine when I take them
[30:49] to in an outperger what the bill is when I get them there.
[30:54] It gets pretty expensive.
[30:55] And not only that, what they order.
[30:57] So they're all unique and so I would just wanna say that I'm thankful as I look around this room.
[31:06] I've met many of you for the first time this year and in the county.
[31:14] And I think of the acquaintances that I've made and I want you to know that you are unique and blessed and appreciated.
[31:22] Thank you.
[31:24] Thank you, Supervisor Huck.
[31:27] I myself have no comments.
[31:29] We've already reported on the IBEDC event.
[31:33] Other than that, let's go ahead and move on on our agenda.
[31:38] Item number eight, items to be pulled from the action or discussion or consent budget calendar.
[31:44] Madam Clerk, do we have any requests for any items?
[31:48] Yes, we do.
[31:49] Ms. Mareed Sartham.
[31:53] She is requesting to pull item 38.
[31:57] 38.
[31:58] Okay, so item 38 will be pulled from the consent agenda, and it will be in item number 19-20 range somewhere in there when it comes up.
[32:10] 20 and items pulled for discussion.
[32:13] Thank you.
[32:14] Any urgency items to be added?
[32:18] None.
[32:20] Okay, I'll entertain motions for the approval of the agenda, polling item number 38 out from consent and adding it to the discussion agenda.
[32:29] We have a motion by Supervisor Michael Kelly, a second by Supervisor Eduardo Escobar, please vote.
[32:42] Item passes 5-0, agenda item number 9, approval of the consent calendar,
[32:50] as modified.
[32:51] We have a motion by Supervisor John Hawke, second by Supervisor Ryan Kelly, please vote.
[33:10] Item passes 5-0.
[33:13] Agenda item number 10, today is the approval of the consent budget calendar.
[33:19] We have a motion by Supervisor Michael Kelly, a second by Supervisor Eduardo Escobar.
[33:25] There's no further discussion, please vote.
[33:37] Item passes 5-0.
[33:39] Item number 11, approval of the official proceedings for our meeting of January 9th, 2024.
[33:47] Seeming to be no discussion, we have a motion by Mr. John Hawke, a second by the supervisor Kessel-Sis-Kawar, please vote.
[34:03] Item passes 5-0, we go on to department announcements, we have four departments that I know of, we'll start with Gil.
[34:17] Good morning board, Gil Robler W.C.L., real brief as the Chairman stated last meeting.
[34:23] Save Mark the calendar. Thursday, March 21st at the Prestige event center in Heber will
[34:29] be our annual state of the county address. Invitations are going out and they have gone out.
[34:34] So I just want to remind the public, remind anyone here to also RSVP to the clerk of the
[34:39] board, Cynthia Medina. But yes, I just want to remind the people of the state of the county
[34:45] and the prestigious event center right off my 111 in the community of Heber.
[34:49] And that concludes my department announcement.
[34:51] Thank you, and I look forward to seeing you all there.
[34:57] Lindsay, Dale with our elections department.
[35:04] Good morning, Lindsay, Dale, registrar voters.
[35:06] Just a quick update on the March primary election.
[35:09] Uacava ballots that is our military and overseas ballots went out last week.
[35:14] On Thursday, the due date was for them to go out on Saturday, but we were able to do that early.
[35:18] We are going to begin our L&A training, which is our logic and accuracy testing on our
[35:24] vote machines.
[35:25] So, we are waiting for the package to come in from our vendor.
[35:28] As soon as that comes in, we will start that.
[35:30] I'm planning to send out a letter to various organizations, the media, the sport as well,
[35:37] to join us for a public viewing opportunity.
[35:40] Probably on Monday, we're waiting to see when that package comes in and then we'll determine
[35:43] that date and time.
[35:45] So, keep an eye out for that invitation.
[35:47] Also, our state voter information guides will be out to voters.
[35:50] If you haven't already received them yet, they go out in different segments from the state.
[35:56] So I know I haven't gotten mine yet, but it is expected somewhere between now and about E-40.
[36:02] We are at E-42 right now, that's 42 days from Election Day.
[36:07] And then our sample ballots will follow that as well for local issues.
[36:10] That's all I have for you.
[36:13] Thank you, Lindsay.
[36:13] Yeah.
[36:16] Jolline Desert.
[36:23] Good morning board.
[36:24] Thank you.
[36:25] Chair.
[36:26] So I'm just advising everyone that we're rolling out the Ag Benefit Scholarship for the
[36:31] Year.
[36:32] So if you remember last year, it's offered to students majoring in agriculture and those
[36:38] attending vocational schools and seeking a career that's related to Ag or in Ag so that
[36:45] could be welding, irrigation, electrical.
[36:48] So those will be rolled out, we'll be sending out notices to all of the schools, the colleges.
[36:53] It'll be on our website and hopefully I'll give it to Gail so he can post it as well.
[36:57] So that will be open through April 10th.
[36:59] What is that website?
[37:01] Oh, it's our ad commissioner website, so I'll get that out there.
[37:07] Okay.
[37:08] Thank you.
[37:12] Chief,
[37:15] looks like he's got a briefcase full of money for us.
[37:21] Good morning.
[37:22] In case you haven't noticed, we received a little rain yesterday.
[37:27] Rainfall totals, rains from throughout the county, from just over half inch to 1.2 inches
[37:33] in the winter haven area.
[37:36] Several roads were shut down.
[37:38] Thank you to Public Works for being on top of that.
[37:41] We pushed that out yesterday to all our stakeholders.
[37:45] No emergency operation centers were opened.
[37:47] We remained on management watch.
[37:49] However, we have two cities that are still doing some evaluations, so they may proclaim,
[37:55] but they're not sure yet.
[37:56] They're still assessing some issues that they're having.
[38:01] And with that, mostly what we encountered with our personnel was roadway flooding sporadic
[38:08] throughout the county as did many of the cities.
[38:12] Thank you.
[38:13] Questions?
[38:14] No?
[38:15] Thank you.
[38:15] Thank you, Chief.
[38:16] Thank you.
[38:18] All right, we'll go on to agenda item 13,
[38:22] recognitions of the 2024 MLK Stone of Hope award if members will join me down.
[39:01] You want to get in here?
[39:02] I have, do you want to get in here?
[39:05] Hi, are we standing up here?
[39:07] Yeah, you don't want me to say yes.
[39:09] All right.
[39:18] So before we get started in doing these presentations, tell us a little bit about the award, what it means.
[39:25] Okay. I'm quite sure all you serve the name of Martin Luther King and all. And we've always
[39:33] in our community celebrated Martin Luther King housing. And now we've made a turn about
[39:41] in 2014 when they did the memorial in the work that we see. And so now we call it the Martin Luther King
[39:53] So, as you can see, a lot of people always think black, we say Martin Luther King, but we are
[40:00] engaged in a multiple cultural work in there and this has been choreographed.
[40:08] So, those people that you see standing here today, it was not given to them.
[40:14] So, we did, we did, are they really making a difference, are they my best friend and all
[40:21] that.
[40:21] So, that, it's very special to us and it's very meaningful and they aspire to the
[40:26] principles of Dr. Martin Luther King and what we're here today.
[40:32] Thank you, Merlead.
[40:33] So, first off, we're going to recognize Daniel Vega,
[40:40] Daniel here, okay, we'll make sure you
[40:43] get set.
[40:43] That's
[40:48] your sexy dog keep management
[40:55] Next up, we have Pastor Gregory Brown and Anthony are able to
[41:12] group picture just okay, this we pass
[41:17] Erica are you left?
[41:26] This is from Mr. Luis Pastral
[41:36] Boy this one I got a look she was very
[41:40] Congratulations, Mary Smith-Fee.
[41:49] Next one goes to Maxine Cannon.
[41:52] Miss Cannon is up at age, and this weather change,
[41:58] I'm not sure today.
[42:00] But for those of you who may not know Maxine Cannon,
[42:03] that she is the wife of the former Jimmy Cannon.
[42:08] And so that's it.
[42:10] So let us know if one of us needs
[42:12] to go present it personally.
[42:14] I myself would be happy to do so, and anybody that wants to join.
[42:20] Next one goes to Marlene Mollie, Swinegan.
[42:35] Next up, we have my D.I. Saviev, who said,
[42:38] I know she's over here.
[42:40] I'm
[42:49] a certain little one. I know he's here.
[42:52] It should be awesome.
[42:56] Thank you.
[42:57] Thank you.
[42:58] And last but not least are the ones that are here.
[43:05] if
[43:09] any of you would like to say anything before we take out pictures you're
[43:13] welcome to do so okay buy a bunch you know do your thing squeeze in
[43:24] and come on, squeeze in, get in, squeeze right in, come on in this way. There you go. Ready, one, two, and all
[43:37] right. Thank you very much, and once again, we'll be back for you,
[43:43] please.
[43:49] All right,
[44:15] the most difficult ballot of the day.
[44:38] I lost two.
[44:44] So as we get going with the items, please know that we have a time certain public hearing at 11 a.m.
[44:51] And so we may split these items to before and after in order to get as close to that 11 starting time that
[45:00] Yes, as we can. We will go ahead and go on to our action calendar item number 14. This is a discussion action item regarding an agreement with services with geo reentry services, LLC, chief prince. You will be presenting on this. Good morning. Yes, and with me is our business manager, Catherine, Paula, techie. Also in the audience, Mr. Chairman and honorable members of the board, Carlos Contreras, who is the site manager for geo reentry services.
[45:29] and we're here today to ask for your approval for a three-year contract and renewal of our day reporting centers,
[45:39] the Havier Modification Program, which has very proficiently been managed by the GO group for the last ten years.
[45:46] This is a three-year contract, approximate cost of $740,000 per year.
[45:50] There are no general fund monies involved.
[45:53] The funding source is AB 109 through state re-alignment funds.
[45:58] I'll make a motion for approval.
[45:59] I think it's a dynamic program and keep up to good work, you all.
[46:06] Any comments, questions from members of this body?
[46:10] We have a motion, made by supervisor Michael Kelly, a second by John Hock.
[46:17] There's no additional discussion or public comment on this item.
[46:22] We will go ahead and take a vote.
[46:29] Item passes, 5-0.
[46:31] Thank you, Chief.
[46:32] Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
[46:33] I want to thank the Board for your continued support.
[46:35] Board for giving offenders a second chance from the community, thank you.
[46:41] Item number 15 is a discussion action item.
[46:45] This is a resolution of the Board of Supervisors, related to hiring of one senior deputy public defender at step F, as required by our public defender, Mr.
[46:58] Solodio, this will be presented by this office.
[47:02] Good morning.
[47:02] Good morning, Mr. Chairman, members of the board.
[47:08] My name is Daniel Rosenberg, I'm the Assistant Public Defender here in Imperial County.
[47:13] The Public Defender's office represents indigent, dependent clients.
[47:17] We also represent mental health clients, children within the juvenile delinquency system.
[47:23] But also we represent the foster youth of Imperial County.
[47:27] meaning that we represent the children that have been removed from their homes because of abuse and because of horrific neglect.
[47:39] We have a core, a team of attorneys at our office.
[47:44] We have support staff, we have investigators, and they are truly an excellent group of employees.
[47:54] In the year 2023, our office was successful in over 70% of their trials.
[48:04] Those are unprecedented numbers.
[48:08] We are constantly battling retention and recruitment.
[48:14] But we have been able to hire two new attorneys in October.
[48:18] We've been able to hire a third attorney this month.
[48:21] He should start next week or a week after that, and we have a fourth attorney ready and
[48:26] available should the board pass this agenda item.
[48:32] This applicant is no stranger to Imperial County.
[48:36] He has practiced here in the past.
[48:38] I've heard one of the local judges refer to him as one of the best trial attorneys he has
[48:43] seen in his entire career.
[48:46] We have been recruiting this applicant for months.
[48:49] He is currently employed in San Diego County, and he is willing to come back.
[48:56] He is going to be taking a pay decrease, we're asking the board to minimize that as much as possible.
[49:03] There will be no cost to the general funds.
[49:06] This will be completely within the 2023 and 2024 fiscal budget.
[49:12] Thank you.
[49:14] Thank you, do we have any questions from members of this body?
[49:17] Yep. Any public comment on this item of
[49:22] the none? I'll bring it back. I do have a question. What's the current? What's the staffing number that you are
[49:30] budgeted for and where are you at right now? I believe we have and I'm not positive about the total number
[49:36] We're allowed to get up to I believe 17 attorneys. We currently have
[49:41] six attorneys that are hired. We have a seventh one that is about to begin. We have the eighth attorney ready to go over here
[49:49] There we also have what are called two post-bar applicants who are from out of county, who are going to be coming here.
[49:55] They have taken the bar, I believe, at the beginning of next month, and they are ready to start if and when they do pass the bar at that time.
[50:02] Next one, I'm glad to see progress has been made on really hot.
[50:05] We really have been thinking outside of the box.
[50:07] We've been recruiting heavily in other counties, and thank God we've had a lot of success as of late.
[50:12] All right, thank you, Mr. Rosenberg.
[50:16] With that, I have a motion with Supervisor Johnis, I'm sorry, John Huck, a second by Supervisor Michael Kelly.
[50:23] Please vote.
[50:34] Item passes, 5-0.
[50:36] Thank you very much.
[50:37] Thank you very much, sir.
[50:41] Moving on to agenda item number 16.
[50:43] This is a discussion of our meeting calendar for 2024.
[50:49] Should be for discussion.
[50:51] this body. I had copies put in the agenda for your consideration.
[50:58] This is the time of the year
[50:59] when we look at some of the different conferences that we will be attending,
[51:06] different meetings that we will be attending, and try to kind of give a heads-up
[51:11] of some of the days that we may be dark or may be.
[51:16] It's all subject to adjustment down the road depending on circumstances.
[51:19] It always is, it always is, obviously there's things that happen that make us reactive to either cancellation or adding something.
[51:29] And so that is always on the table.
[51:32] One item we had discussed, there was a possibility of going to DC March 4th through the 8th, that has changed to the week of May 13th through the 17th.
[51:44] And so I would ask that we look at whatever changes we recommend today.
[51:52] We look at ratifying them next week, just to make sure that any post-reflection has looked at.
[51:58] Is there anything else that you would consider putting on here?
[52:02] The living document.
[52:04] The living document, okay?
[52:06] Supervisor Hall?
[52:11] May is going to be a tough month for me, but regardless, Mr. Fuyato, any comments?
[52:20] Every month's a tough month for me.
[52:23] One thing that I do want to point out, Chairman, is that we've also included the proposed
[52:27] budget dates on the top right corner of the calendar.
[52:32] That way we show what the schedule is looking like on that end.
[52:42] Okay, because this is a living document, this is subject to come back to for update as the year goes by.
[52:52] So we have a motion by supervisor Ryan Kelly, a second by supervisor Mike Kelly, please vote and
[53:09] pass this committee
[53:18] appointments.
[53:19] This item number 17 would be committee appointments.
[53:24] This is an opportunity when we get to look at about the doesn't-plus committees and
[53:29] boards that we serve on, and try to make any changes as needed.
[53:35] As my last year in service, I'd be happy to give up all 10, 12 that I have to.
[53:40] Anybody that will even look this way, but I don't think it's going to happen.
[53:44] Well, yeah, well, those are committees, right?
[53:49] Any, any proposed changes?
[53:56] Yeah, as I discussed with you personally,
[53:59] I think that another face, a newer face,
[54:02] Mr. Hawke is serving on the two on two
[54:05] with imperial irrigation district.
[54:07] And so I would, after a while on that,
[54:11] I would like to step away and allow someone else to participate.
[54:15] I've had the experience of the two on two meeting and I'd like to offer that experience to someone else.
[54:21] It's very interesting and very hopefully productive, hopefully.
[54:27] Okay, any other requests for any other changes?
[54:35] All right, so since this is a rather extensive list, what I like to do is an opportunity to have
[54:42] a supervisor or escobar in myself discuss the two on two, whether it be him or me or
[54:48] We have a supervisor hot just pay extra attention at every meeting and do it to channel. They would go work. I would rather have someone with me.
[54:57] Yeah, I don't want to go in there alone. Yeah, so I like to bring this one back for the next meeting and just to make sure that we have additional information on that next item agenda item number 18 is the rules for this body.
[55:15] There is a document in your agendas that discusses all the rules that we try to work
[55:24] by and adhere to so that we can cohesively work.
[55:28] I did not receive much or if any input from the group.
[55:33] Once again, I'd like to invite all of you or any of you to submit any changes that you
[55:41] would like to change or make to the clerk of the board's office or the CEO's office or both,
[55:48] so that we may bring back this next week and take a look at it.
[55:53] There are some items that I found on it that just as times have changed,
[56:00] this still heavily addresses in person meetings.
[56:04] There are now issues for public comment online that we did not have before.
[56:10] So updates such as that, it does address an issue where right now it requires one board member to put something on the agenda.
[56:19] I think that I would feel more comfortable seeing or proposing that we go to two.
[56:25] There's a couple of other items, so I will make sure that a notated, suggested changes goes out.
[56:35] Please let us know of any changes that you would like.
[56:37] I know at one time Supervisor Hawke had looked at the possibility of a start-time change,
[56:45] but this is the opportunity for all of us to have that conversation.
[56:50] And so we'll bring this item back as well next week.
[56:54] So that'll be next week to vote on.
[56:56] Next week to vote on, right?
[56:59] I like your idea of two requests in items on the board instead of an independent individual.
[57:05] So Cynthia, we're dark next week, correct?
[57:09] That is correct, our next meeting will be February.
[57:11] Thank you.
[57:12] Okay, thank you for catching that.
[57:14] I would have been real long in this room next to you.
[57:16] Thank you so much.
[57:17] I'm glad you're still.
[57:17] Thank you.
[57:19] Also in your agendas or not in your agendas and your emails,
[57:22] you probably have committee assignments.
[57:25] If you have not gotten them,
[57:27] these are people within our district that we have assigned
[57:31] to various districts throughout the years.
[57:35] There has been a redistricting that happened a couple years ago, and I don't think that we have reconsidered some of the members that we have appointed that may have changed where now district-wise they belong.
[57:48] So, why are some of the names highlighted in red and some not?
[57:54] I do not know, in my documents specifically, they are all in red, not mine.
[58:00] It might have been just a typo of not highlighting in red.
[58:05] We just included all the names in red.
[58:08] Okay.
[58:09] Some of them have also had terms that have expired, at least on mine, and they have gone on a month to month service basis, if you will.
[58:18] So, I'd like to invite you all to revisit this list and maybe this is an opportunity to talk to some of those committee members and see if they wish to continue to serve.
[58:31] So, if we have another name or an alternate, we'll get with the truck of the board's office and have them update our list.
[58:37] That would be the case, also, for example, in the case of redistricting that may put
[58:43] somebody say in my district no longer eligible, but who you had now eligible in my
[58:48] district, then that would be more of a correction of what district are covering.
[58:55] And but it would be a good opportunity for us to clean it up going forward.
[58:58] You know, so some of the people that have appointed in different committees, are they
[59:04] I mean, it's also one that I pointed back in 20-something, and along with their selective then, that's good, thank you.
[59:14] Thank you.
[59:15] All right, so we'll bring that back as well in two weeks.
[59:19] So with that, we will go ahead and take a couple minutes, you get ahead, you can go ahead and get ready for, no, I take that back.
[59:28] There is an item that was pulled for discussion.
[59:31] However, we're coming up, I did not want to go forward without recognizing it.
[59:36] We do have a public hearing coming up that it's time certain, so we'll go ahead and get ready for that.
[59:41] Mr. Minnick and your team, if you can start getting ready for this.
[59:49] Here we are.
[59:50] Can we
[59:58] do this?
[59:59] Yep.
[1:00:24] Okay, we will now get started on agenda item number 22. This is a public hearing to consider public input regarding the following actions as recommended by the Planning Commission for the Green Valley Logistics Center period. Mr. Minick, I'll go ahead and let you address item eight to the office. They are being presented. Thank you. Jim Minick for a kind of planning director. Good morning, Boarding Supervisors.
[1:00:52] Before you as a project called Green Valley Logistics Center, it's been submitted by Tomcat
[1:00:57] Development LLC and the request is to develop an area of the Mesquite Lake specific plan.
[1:01:06] As you recall, Mesquite Lake was approved as a specific plan back in the early 2000s.
[1:01:10] This is a property that's located on the west side of the railroad east of 86 and what's
[1:01:20] development of a intermodal, actually it's like three tracks, three spurs that come out
[1:01:26] together.
[1:01:27] As opposed to an oval, you've seen the oval intermodals we have in Calipacy, a little
[1:01:30] bit different, same setup, essentially that's the major project that also would include
[1:01:35] some warehousing in the future and a fuel depot and so forth.
[1:01:41] One of the things that's of note is this is a geographical area.
[1:01:44] What's been front of you is a zone change and a general plan amendment to amend the specific
[1:01:49] plan to allow this project to happen.
[1:01:52] This is how it looks right now.
[1:01:54] The left of your screen is the existing zoning.
[1:01:58] The heavy industrial is the dark color.
[1:02:02] Medium industrial is the light color and the turquoise or greenish,
[1:02:06] whatever you want to call it, is a government special public.
[1:02:11] It's a portion of the existing cemetery.
[1:02:14] To your right is the proposed change.
[1:02:16] It's converting most of it back to a heavy industrial to allow for the intermodal and shrinking down the government's special public.
[1:02:24] As part of the project we're doing a we're proposing a 23 unit track map along with a height variance to allow for taller structures and of course a water assessment that was approved.
[1:02:38] The project was
[1:02:39] This is an environmental assessed and also went to the Pioneer Commission with a recommendation
[1:02:45] to approve on December 13th to your off to your thing.
[1:02:49] We're going to have the environmental consultant come up and speak on the project's environmental
[1:02:53] review.
[1:03:15] Good morning board.
[1:03:16] This presentation is on the MND in initial study as previously stated applicant is Tom
[1:03:29] Sorry about that.
[1:03:31] There we go.
[1:03:32] As previously shown, here's the project location,
[1:03:37] a reiteration of the project description,
[1:03:45] and not to reiterate or belabor the point,
[1:03:48] but here's more of the project description.
[1:03:51] Here is the site plan with the 23 lots.
[1:03:59] And getting into the environmental analysis,
[1:04:01] the initial study covered the gamut of appendix G
[1:04:05] of the secret guidelines.
[1:04:07] Here are all the resource areas
[1:04:09] that were analyzed within the initial study.
[1:04:13] Additional technical studies to support the findings of the initial studying MND include
[1:04:18] a noise technical report, a GHG emissions technical report, an energy analysis, a biological
[1:04:25] technical report, an air quality analysis, a water supply assessment, and a VMT and transportation
[1:04:32] impact analysis.
[1:04:33] Resource
[1:04:36] areas result in no impact or less insignificant where aesthetics, recreation,
[1:04:41] utilities and service systems, agriculture and forestry resources, greenhouse gas emissions,
[1:04:47] land use and planning, population and housing, wildfire, energy and mineral resources.
[1:04:55] Resource areas resulting in less than significant with mitigation incorporated, meaning these resource
[1:04:59] areas required mitigation to reduce the impacts to less than significant include air quality,
[1:05:04] Biological resources, cultural resources, geology and soils, hazards and hazardous materials,
[1:05:11] hydrology and water quality, public services, transportation, tribal and cultural resources,
[1:05:16] tribal cultural resources and cultural resources, and utility and service systems.
[1:05:23] It's important to note here that many of these mitigation measures were required as part
[1:05:27] of the Mesquite Lake specific plan, FEIR, at the time it was adopted.
[1:05:32] The next number of slides go over the mitigation strategies included to reduce the impacts
[1:05:37] to less than significant.
[1:05:40] Going down the list, again, the items that are numerical are from the MISKEET Lake specific
[1:05:46] plan and therefore our mitigation required under the purview of that.
[1:05:52] The mitigation measures starting with MM are conditions put on this project.
[1:06:00] So, in addition to what was required under the Mesquite Lake specific plan, as part of
[1:06:06] the project and under mitigation measure air quality one, they will also be required
[1:06:11] to prepare a haul route plan.
[1:06:16] Biological resources, there are many, we tried to group them so that it's a bit more clear,
[1:06:23] but generally speaking, providing flagging and fencing that will be removed upon completion
[1:06:29] of construction, providing an environmental education program for all personnel training,
[1:06:35] in other words, a week training, otherwise known as a week training rather, a number
[1:06:38] of mitigation measures specific to burrowing owls, and other sensitive species,
[1:06:49] cultural
[1:06:50] resource mitigation strategies include monitoring during construction,
[1:06:58] and further surveying
[1:07:00] in less previously serviced.
[1:07:04] Geology and soils, these are all requirements that came out
[1:07:07] of the Mesquite Lake specific plan.
[1:07:16] And hazards and hazardous materials,
[1:07:29] hydrologene
[1:07:30] and water quality.
[1:07:39] And if I move on from any of these to quickly please, let me know and
[1:07:41] I can go back. Public services and
[1:07:51] transportation,
[1:08:01] more transportation, mitigation, tribal.
[1:08:15] And
[1:08:16] In accordance with AB 52, tribal consultation was conducted, notices were sent out on the
[1:08:23] dates and responses were requested by the date identified there, and the Kishan tribe
[1:08:30] and Fort Euma Reservation were the only tribes to respond, noting that they have no comments
[1:08:35] on the project.
[1:08:42] Sorry, utility and service system mitigation and
[1:08:49] wildfire.
[1:08:54] In conclusion, the initial study failed to identify any potentially significant impacts that
[1:08:58] that could not be mitigated to a level less insignificant and all impacts will be reduced
[1:09:03] to level significant with mitigation, resource areas there, and reiteration of the EEC
[1:09:11] hearing conclusion
[1:09:19] of that, and the public review period was from August 22, 20th, to public
[1:09:27] comment letters were received, identified there,
[1:09:32] and that concludes my presentation.
[1:09:34] Any questions?
[1:09:34] questions.
[1:09:38] Yes, sir.
[1:09:44] Thank you.
[1:09:51] The applicant's consultants online as well and the applicants in the audience.
[1:09:54] So I believe the applicant consultant can speak.
[1:10:03] Mr. Desard, good morning.
[1:10:07] Good morning, Board.
[1:10:08] Here to answer any questions.
[1:10:12] Any questions?
[1:10:14] Still not?
[1:10:15] Yeah, where's he?
[1:10:15] How can we not stand in right here?
[1:10:18] I've got a baby on the way.
[1:10:20] Supervisor Kelly.
[1:10:21] So you're not a hospital lady.
[1:10:22] Very close to my wife right now.
[1:10:24] It's a very good man.
[1:10:25] Good man.
[1:10:26] Congratulations.
[1:10:28] Thank you all very much.
[1:10:29] So with that, we'll go ahead and open the public hearing portion of this.
[1:10:33] I don't see any speakers who request that to speak ahead of time.
[1:10:37] So you guys have a question.
[1:10:40] If they've talked, you haven't talked about the water issue yet, the water.
[1:10:44] There was a water assessment and it was approved by ID.
[1:10:47] Okay.
[1:10:48] It's part of your packet.
[1:10:49] So, and the, right, so the, the need for water is very minimal.
[1:10:54] Is that correct?
[1:10:55] Yes, sir.
[1:10:55] Probably 190 acres.
[1:10:58] 180 acres.
[1:10:59] 180 acres.
[1:11:02] So that's not an issue and everything is not to my understanding.
[1:11:05] Okay.
[1:11:06] Okay.
[1:11:07] There then appearing to be no public comment on this item.
[1:11:11] I'll go ahead and close the public hearing.
[1:11:14] And we will entertain motions.
[1:11:17] County Council, are these one lump sum?
[1:11:20] Or do they have to be individual?
[1:11:21] That's right.
[1:11:22] But we're recommending separate motions at this time, Chair.
[1:11:26] So at this time, I'll entertain motions for item 228 to adopt the resolution for the approval of the Water Supply Assessment.
[1:11:38] We have a motion by Supervisor Michael Kelly, a second by Supervisor John Huck, please vote.
[1:11:53] Item passes, 5-0, item number 22b is to adopt the resolution for
[1:11:59] for the approval of the mitigated negative declaration with a mitigated monitoring and reporting program.
[1:12:06] We have a motion by Supervisor Hock, a second by Supervisor Escobar.
[1:12:11] Please vote.
[1:12:18] Item passes, 5-0.
[1:12:20] Going on to agenda item 22-C, adopt a resolution for the approval of the specific plan amendment.
[1:12:27] Number 21-001, motion by Supervisor Michael Kelly, second by Supervisor Hock.
[1:12:34] please vote,
[1:12:40] item passes 5-0, 22D is adopt ordinance for the approval of the zone
[1:12:47] change number 21-0005. We have a motion by supervisor Hock, second by
[1:12:54] supervisor Escobar, please vote,
[1:13:03] item passes 5-0, 22E adopt resolution for the
[1:13:08] approval of track map number 0-0993 with the conditions, motion by
[1:13:15] by Supervisor Michael Kelly, second by Supervisor Escobar, please vote.
[1:13:24] Item passes, last item 22F adopt the resolution for the approval of variance number 23-007.
[1:13:35] We have a motion by Supervisor Ryan Kelly, a second by Supervisor Casualz Escobar, please vote.
[1:13:48] Item passes 5-0.
[1:13:50] Thank you.
[1:13:51] Thank you, Mr. Manic.
[1:13:53] I did want to highlight the one of the conditions on this development and
[1:13:57] Mr. Minick can you elaborate his memory gardens and some improvements for
[1:14:03] the cemetery that is going to be fun.
[1:14:07] Yes, the applicant also owns the cemetery and he's already been doing a lot of work
[1:14:12] with the providing water to it fixing all of that stuff.
[1:14:16] And I believe there's awesome memorial being proposed.
[1:14:23] I spoke with him and he said they are going to be good neighbors to the cemetery, correct?
[1:14:29] You want to be a bad neighbor to the cemetery?
[1:14:33] You don't want to be a resident?
[1:14:36] I think John Loyola.
[1:14:40] John Loyola, 2354 Millen Road.
[1:14:44] My board probably has a spot out there for me already, but...
[1:14:48] Yes, we are working to green memory gardens up.
[1:14:53] There's been a faithful volunteer that's been going and watering all the trees.
[1:14:58] We're looking in to put it in there.
[1:15:05] We're actually adding a few acres to put in veterans Memorial Park because there are veterans
[1:15:14] out there buried. And you have water actually, it's already out the site, right? Yes. Yes.
[1:15:20] And there's power out there, too. Okay, well, if possible, I'd like to get updates on
[1:15:27] and how that's going, because you and I talked out there
[1:15:30] several times, and it's a desperate need of improvement.
[1:15:35] Yes, so yeah, and I just thank you to everybody
[1:15:39] in the county and helping us.
[1:15:41] We were able to get the water out there quickly
[1:15:43] and the power now, we're gonna continue making it look better
[1:15:48] and make it so that for everybody that's out there
[1:15:51] and their families.
[1:15:51] I hope you do that.
[1:15:56] Thank you, sir.
[1:15:59] Okay, that concludes that item.
[1:16:00] And then we will now go to agenda item number 23.
[1:16:03] This is to conduct a public hearing to consider public input regarding appeal number 230004 of the December 13, 2023 planning commission's decision of approval for
[1:16:18] Health's Kitchen, Power Company 1, LLC, and Health's Kitchen, Lithium Company 1, LLC, has submitted by Control Thermal Resources Inc.
[1:16:30] Just for those that are planning on speaking during comments, there are forms in the back
[1:16:35] that you must turn in, there is a limit per total public comment so if you have not
[1:16:44] added a form you can do so and we will try to accommodate as many of you as possible.
[1:16:51] With that Mr. Mennick.
[1:16:52] Okay,
[1:16:55] Jimic, throw kind of plan director, so before you as a project, it is an appeal of an approved project by the Planning Commission on December 13th.
[1:17:03] Project is a geothermal plant.
[1:17:06] It is being proposed by control thermal resources.
[1:17:10] Dalsen goes to the Lithium extraction facility.
[1:17:14] If you located on either side of Alcott Road, West of day on the West side of Davis Road.
[1:17:20] So
[1:17:23] before you is noted earlier is a water assessment, an environmental document, mitigation monitoring program,
[1:17:29] conditional use permits for both the geothermal plant as well as lithium extraction and variance for height.
[1:17:38] The lithium extraction proposes to extract 20,000 metric tons and the geothermal plant in accordance with the California Energy Commission allowances is proposed to be a 49.9 megawatt net to the grid, which is under our purview.
[1:17:53] What we're going to do next is we're going to have Thomas Strand from Chambers Group come up and talk about the environmental and then after him we'll have Mike Bracken on the county's economist to talk about his presentation.
[1:18:09] Good
[1:18:24] morning board, Thomas Strayon with Chambers Group, the county's environmental consultant
[1:18:28] on this project.
[1:18:29] So we will be talking about the environmental process, the finally IR, and the mitigation
[1:18:35] included within the MMRP that's required through CEQA.
[1:18:43] Project description here, health kitchen is proposing health kitchen, power co-1, and also health
[1:18:51] kitchen Lithium-Co1 development of 49.9 megawatts of geothermal power and
[1:19:03] it
[1:19:08] evolves the development of mineral extraction and processing facilities
[1:19:11] capable of producing lithium hydroxide silica and polymetallic products and
[1:19:16] possibly boron compounds for commercial sale. The power and lithium produce
[1:19:22] Production facilities are located in an area that is zoned SG-1, SG-2, and M-2-G-P-E, S-1-G-S-2-G-N-M-2-G-P-E allows for geothermal exploration with an approved conditional use permit.
[1:19:42] The project site is within the Imperial County's agricultural land use designation.
[1:19:46] The project would require zoning variances for the structures above 35 feet including two
[1:19:52] lime silos, up to 60 feet tall, the evaporator structure, up to 80 feet tall on the cooling
[1:19:58] towers up to 50 feet tall, the crystallizers, which will be 80 to 110 feet tall in the electrical
[1:20:03] power line and transmission structures, up to 120 feet.
[1:20:19] Madam Clerk, can you give a hand with the next slide?
[1:20:23] It's not advancing.
[1:20:39] So continuing with the project location, the development area of the project would be
[1:20:43] approximately 68 acres, the majority that proposed HKP1 and HKL1 facilities are located
[1:20:49] immediately west of Dave's road, and the Gentine line for, Gentine line for HKL's kitchen
[1:20:56] power one.
[1:20:58] We'll run from an off-singer road.
[1:21:07] Here again is the project location, it's previously shown.
[1:21:13] Here are the facilities, both HPK1 and Lithium-Co1, as delineated on the map.
[1:21:25] Project activities, this is a reiteration of project description,
[1:21:35] environmental analysis,
[1:21:36] an initial study was prepared for the proposed project, and here are the resource areas
[1:21:41] that we analyzed within the initial study.
[1:21:48] Here is a list of the additional technical studies
[1:21:51] prepared including air quality reports, cultural reports, a number of different biological resource
[1:21:58] reports, geotechnical hydrology, visual simulations, water supply assessment, water quality,
[1:22:07] traffic, hazards, and noise.
[1:22:14] Here are the resource areas that were analyzed in the initial study that
[1:22:18] that were determined to result in no impact or less insignificant and
[1:22:30] here are the resource
[1:22:31] areas that required mitigation to reduce the impacts to less insignificant and
[1:22:44] here is
[1:22:44] a list of air quality mitigation strategies that are included within the MMRP.
[1:22:58] Please let
[1:22:58] me know if anybody would like to go back and
[1:23:09] for biological resources and
[1:23:36] cultural resources
[1:23:37] is
[1:23:44] geology and soils,
[1:23:49] which also includes paleontological resources, as you'll see there,
[1:24:01] hazards and hazardous materials,
[1:24:10] hydrologene water quality and
[1:24:21] utility and service systems.
[1:24:29] And a recap of public review, EIR was circulated from August 30th to October 23rd.
[1:24:37] Comments were accepted on the EIR, the draft EIR up to November 30th.
[1:24:43] 12 comment letters were received, the commenters are listed here and
[1:24:52] here,
[1:25:00] and that concludes the presentation.
[1:25:01] Any questions, comments at this time?
[1:25:05] Questions from this body?
[1:25:07] Not yet.
[1:25:07] Thank you, sir.
[1:25:08] Thank you.
[1:25:09] One
[1:25:24] second here.
[1:25:33] Morning Honorable Chair, members of the Port of Supervisors.
[1:25:36] My name is Mike Bracken and before we begin, because this is part of your administrative record,
[1:25:41] it's important that I go for my qualifications.
[1:25:43] So, indulge me.
[1:25:46] I serve as the Managing Partner of Development Management Group
[1:25:49] and Cooperated.
[1:25:49] We're founded in 2003.
[1:25:52] I also serve as the Chief Economist.
[1:25:53] By education, I have a bachelor's degree and a master's degree.
[1:25:57] The master's in public policy.
[1:25:59] The bachelor's is in economics and finance.
[1:26:02] I've testified before Congress on both empowerment zones
[1:26:05] and workforce development.
[1:26:06] I assisted in drafting the payroll protection.
[1:26:09] Otherwise, known as the PPP during the pandemic,
[1:26:11] Those were a few sleepless nights, serve as an expert witness in both state and federal courts have testified before the California State Legislature as many of you have.
[1:26:21] I also have obviously, have testified before numerous county and local governments, also serve as an expert economist for the Southern California Association of Governments and have completed literally hundreds of fiscal and economic impact analysis.
[1:26:33] Again, I serve as an independent economist contracted by the county to do a fiscal and economic impact analysis of the project that's before you today.
[1:26:45] So let me make sure this scrolled correctly, one second.
[1:26:50] Let's go back one.
[1:26:51] Okay. In April of 2023, we produced this economic impact analysis along with the fiscal impact analysis and the job impact analysis on the two projects.
[1:27:02] the combined projects of what you call Lithium-Co-1 and Power-Co-1.
[1:27:07] As your environmental consultant told you, it's approximately 640 acres, 49.9 megawatts
[1:27:13] net to grid of energy and 20,000 metric tons annually of lithium extraction.
[1:27:18] The project is designed on the energy side to provide base load power to the residents
[1:27:24] of the state of California.
[1:27:25] This, of course, is part of the ongoing legislation that the state has passed for
[1:27:30] green energy and to get ourselves away from things like coal and oil and other things.
[1:27:37] The project that's before you today by my calculations is a 1.2 plus billion dollar initial investment.
[1:27:46] Let me say that again, 1.2 billion dollar initial investment and as I'm sure the proponent can tell you
[1:27:53] the cost for that project rise just about every day as does the cost of everything else.
[1:27:58] So, we did three analysis for you, and let me just describe them briefly, one's an economic impact analysis.
[1:28:05] So, imagine what the economic impacts are of this project to the entire county, not just the county's municipal corporation, but to the entire county, meaning the taxpayers, the residents, the businesses, the landowners.
[1:28:18] The second is what we call a job or an employment impact analysis, where we're looking at both construction jobs and also the permanent jobs.
[1:28:26] And the third of which is the fiscal impact analysis, meaning how will it impact your budget
[1:28:33] as a county, as a municipal corporation.
[1:28:36] The idea of doing a fiscal impact is to make sure a project does not cost the taxpayers
[1:28:42] more than is being produced in tax revenue.
[1:28:47] So we'll go with one quick slide for each of these.
[1:28:50] On the economic impacts, we look at the construction labor, the operational labor, local construction
[1:28:55] purchases, local operation ongoing purchases and the impacts of the land purchases.
[1:29:00] Over the next 30 years of this project, if it is approved and ultimately billed, it
[1:29:04] will have over a $1.6 billion economic impact to this region, to the Imperial County
[1:29:12] region and Piro Valley as some refer to it.
[1:29:17] The next to the job and employment impacts, and we look at a couple things there, one is
[1:29:21] what is the construction impacts, and two is what is the permanent job creation.
[1:29:25] On the construction side this project will generate 250 full-time equivalent jobs lasting two years.
[1:29:33] That means on average on any given day there will be 250 construction workers on site working to build the project.
[1:29:43] Now, let me hit something, the nail so to speak on something.
[1:29:47] I often hear in these public testimonies and these public hearings about how construction jobs are temporary.
[1:29:54] Yeah, I'm all hands wide. There's nothing left up here, okay? Hair wide.
[1:30:00] It's hopefully the brain's still working. But something that's very important, how many of us know construction workers? Who started out as that temporary job 30 years ago? And over 30 years go from one temporary job, construction job to the next temporary job, construction job, and they've made a career of it. That's indicative of the construction industry. We also look at the operational jobs. This company will be producing approximately 75 full time operational jobs.
[1:30:29] for this facility, they'll be working in and around that facility every day.
[1:30:35] By the way, the average wage of those jobs, not benefits just the wage, in today's dollars,
[1:30:40] 2023 dollars, because we did this analysis late last year.
[1:30:44] The 2023 dollars are $87,000 a year, is what the average full-time job will pay at that facility.
[1:30:54] Finally, let's go to the fiscal impacts, which I know is important to the five of you.
[1:31:00] This is a significant project in terms of the economic and the fiscal impacts to you.
[1:31:07] Overall, this project will create almost half a billion dollars of tax revenue to the county.
[1:31:16] Additionally, just in the lithium tax, what we call the SB 125 tax, this will generate $158 million to the state of California.
[1:31:27] from the lithium tax that they have the ability, meaning the state of California, to put into various programs and projects of their choosing.
[1:31:39] The $496 million breaks down about $8.5 million in sales tax, about $12.5 million or $12.75 million in property tax over the 30 years.
[1:31:49] So you can see those are fairly minor and then the bulk of it of course is in the lithium or the extraction tax.
[1:31:57] We also look at the other side, okay, here's how much revenue you have coming in.
[1:32:00] How much is it going to cost you to support this project?
[1:32:03] And our calculations are about $42 million over there's 30 years, so you can see a net
[1:32:09] benefit to the county with this project, with the lithium tax in place, with sales tax and
[1:32:15] with property tax of about $450 million.
[1:32:19] Now there are some recommendations as part of this that were in the full report.
[1:32:23] or these are very similar recommendations we have for all of us.
[1:32:27] One is the county would have assurances through the conditions approval or through some type of an operating agreement.
[1:32:33] That the point of sale for the construction materials is the job site.
[1:32:37] Now in the state of California, if a job site has more than $5 million of construction materials headed to it,
[1:32:43] and certainly this project does, then the point of sale can be designated as the actual job site.
[1:32:51] The second part of this is the county would enter an agreement with the proponent to not challenge the property tax bills, based on the depreciation schedules in our report, which are based on information received from them, also relative to allowing the land to increase in value at the 2% cap, which is under Prop 13, which most of it does.
[1:33:13] And that finally that we call Hell's Kitchen Internally Lithium Co-1 Power of Co-1 would agree with compliance with SB 125, which we need to do with the state law, or a like amount in net proceeds to the county of Imperial.
[1:33:29] So that's the end of our report based on our independent findings and I'll be available at the end of your public hearing or now at your disposal to answer any questions you may have.
[1:33:40] Thank you Mr. Bracken Jim anybody else on your team for sending it this time okay
[1:33:51] So now we will go ahead and hear from the appellant on this item please step forward. Thank you
[1:34:11] Good morning, our little chair and board members
[1:34:13] My name is Jordan Sisson and the land you seek what turning here representing Comit Day
[1:34:18] Who is the palant here? There will be the only one speaking for us? I think maybe three to five minutes should suffice
[1:34:24] But I defer to the Chairman in terms of how much time to be allotted.
[1:34:31] In my limit time, I want to hit just five quick points.
[1:34:35] First, like the board here, Comite is very excited about the Lithium Ministry and the opportunities
[1:34:42] that it can hold.
[1:34:44] It can be part of the solution of the state in the national climate crisis, and can be a great
[1:34:49] engine of economic development.
[1:34:51] We agree.
[1:34:53] However, committee is opposed to this particular leave it approach that CTR has unfortunately
[1:35:00] placed upon the county at this stage.
[1:35:03] These issues have been addressed in numerous common letters that's in the record that has
[1:35:08] been presented in our appeal during the draft EIR, even over the past few weekend days as
[1:35:15] we were digesting the staff report.
[1:35:19] The board is in a unique position here, where the board can kind of serve as a peacemaker.
[1:35:26] They can provide the opportunity in the space for the parties to meet and incorporate a lot
[1:35:30] of these great things that have been promised on the diets.
[1:35:34] A continuance of 30 days is something that this board could ask of CTR and CTR could come
[1:35:40] up right here and agree to it and provide a nice off-ramp for everybody.
[1:35:44] That's my first point and I think it's a very critical point.
[1:35:48] Second, I want to stress that this EIR is deeply flawed.
[1:35:52] As I stated, we submitted multiple common letters including multiple expert comments
[1:35:57] that despite, in contrary to claims otherwise, have not been addressed individually in
[1:36:02] the final EIR or in the response to the appeal, it has not.
[1:36:06] Multiple common letters submitted have not been responded to.
[1:36:10] That is a fact.
[1:36:12] In my little time, I just want to highlight some of the big issues.
[1:36:14] You heard about operation and throughput, there's nothing to really limit lithium extraction
[1:36:20] beyond those limits.
[1:36:22] There are not the conditions of proof or the mitigation measures that protect that.
[1:36:26] Most alarming is that this project refuses to acknowledge that three known projects will
[1:36:35] overallocate the amount of water that IID has set aside for non-ag industrial uses.
[1:36:41] their explanation is that the projects are more than a mile away. We all know that
[1:36:49] that is plainly irrelevant whether or not the project is a mile away when it
[1:36:56] drops in the same bucket of water. The EIR does not address this
[1:37:01] squarely. Also troubling is that you cannot just assume that this is just another
[1:37:09] geothermal operation. It's left in extraction. It is novel. It is recognized as novel. It has been
[1:37:16] untested at the levels that are being proposed. The EI does not acknowledge that. It has not come
[1:37:21] to terms with the fact that there are areas of unknown. And you cannot simply say that it's not
[1:37:27] going to be significant impact because it's speculative. No, there needs to be far stronger safeguards
[1:37:33] and reviews data monitoring to ensure that as this industry evolves and best practices evolve that this project will evolve with it and make sure that the public and the county has those safeguards.
[1:37:49] Moreover, none of these secret issues have been addressed by again the final EIR, the response to the appeal or this last minute mitigation measure just alerted to our office last night or 3pm by email.
[1:38:03] regarding mitigation measure, utility one, regarding water, does not address the fundamental
[1:38:08] flaws in the SQL document. So, we just discussed some of the substantive issues with this project.
[1:38:15] It also is procedurally not gone. It's going to run. My client has given every opportunity to work with CTR
[1:38:23] and ample opportunities to meet with my client and they have refused to.
[1:38:27] I just want to highlight some of those opportunities.
[1:38:30] Was there any meaningful outreach by CTR when we submitted NOP notice of preparation comments?
[1:38:37] No.
[1:38:37] Did we get any meaningful outreach when we submitted detailed draft EIR comments, including multiple
[1:38:45] expert comments?
[1:38:46] No.
[1:38:47] Nothing.
[1:38:48] Did we get a call when they finished their final EIR and they went for the planning commission?
[1:38:55] No outreach.
[1:38:57] There wasn't an outreach during the holiday season when my client was forced over the holiday
[1:39:02] weekend to submit an appeal.
[1:39:04] Did was there any meaningful outreach from six years at that point?
[1:39:07] No.
[1:39:08] Did it not?
[1:39:09] Instead, they insisted on a real perfunctory response and forcing the county's hand here today,
[1:39:16] demanding this hearing.
[1:39:19] Lastly, just in the last 30 days, they've announced that this is not their only project.
[1:39:23] We're not just talking about 20 metric tons of lithium and one geothermal lithium extraction
[1:39:30] product.
[1:39:31] Even as a giant campus where this is just one of seven stages.
[1:39:36] Did they reach out to us?
[1:39:38] Let us know about this.
[1:39:39] This plan?
[1:39:40] Was it alluded to in the EIR?
[1:39:42] No.
[1:39:44] So, respectfully, we've given every ample opportunity to meet with the experts to try to have
[1:39:50] a solution, but they haven't done so.
[1:39:52] They've forced the issue onto this honorable board, which is unfortunate.
[1:39:58] My fourth point is that, again, we are excited about Lithium, extraction economically, as
[1:40:06] well as its usage to meet the state's goals.
[1:40:09] But it is nevertheless an extractive industry in a disadvantaged community.
[1:40:15] The fact of matter is there's mitigation measures, project alternatives, and public benefits
[1:40:20] that are left off the table.
[1:40:21] They could have been codified in the development agreement with real enforceability.
[1:40:28] That's an option that the county had, that's an option that CTR could agree to that process,
[1:40:34] but they have not.
[1:40:35] That is what's at stake.
[1:40:36] It is not, we're not here to kill projects for the sake of killing projects.
[1:40:40] This appeal really matters.
[1:40:43] My fifth point is
[1:40:48] that again, you guys can serve as a peacemaker.
[1:40:51] You heard today some economic promises, something like a billion dollars investment, all this tax revenues or some recommendations about things that could be codified.
[1:41:02] There's a lot of promises I hear, but that's not the same thing as a development agreement.
[1:41:08] That's not the same thing as putting pendant paper and saying, hey, we're going to put our names behind this.
[1:41:13] We're going to make sure it's enforceable and make sure that the county and the public has an opportunity to really enforce those.
[1:41:18] Now, long after the jobs, the construction jobs are constructed, it's the county, and
[1:41:25] the residents, and the EJ communities are going to suffer the potential impacts.
[1:41:29] And I don't think anybody could be honest with this honorable body to say that we know
[1:41:34] absolutely of what's going to happen in the future.
[1:41:36] We don't.
[1:41:36] Not for this novel industry.
[1:41:39] We're not just talking about another cattle farm, we're not talking about just another
[1:41:44] this is a novel industry that we need to provide safeguards.
[1:41:49] We are with the county here in the Sunset.
[1:41:51] We don't want to be here in this take-and-leave approach.
[1:41:55] And you guys can ask CTR to come up and say, hey,
[1:41:58] you know, it seems like you have a lot of promises.
[1:42:00] There's some still outstanding issues.
[1:42:02] Will you agree to a continuance?
[1:42:04] 30 days or date to be termed.
[1:42:06] Let's, the experts work these out.
[1:42:08] Let's put pen to paper and make sure that we flush these out
[1:42:11] because it's so important to get it right now.
[1:42:14] Because if they don't, it's forcing the county
[1:42:17] into a position.
[1:42:18] And it's also forcing my client into a position
[1:42:20] where we can no longer work cooperatively.
[1:42:23] CTR has put us in a situation where they have ignored
[1:42:26] every off-ramp that we have offered
[1:42:29] and forcing my client to submit a notice of intent
[1:42:33] to file an action, which we don't want.
[1:42:36] We don't want to do that.
[1:42:37] We want to work with the county
[1:42:38] to make sure this project is done right.
[1:42:41] So with that in closing, I hate being up here.
[1:42:45] I hate being up here, force in a situation where you're forced to take or leave it from
[1:42:52] this developer.
[1:42:53] 30 days is not that long to get this right because as you heard, 30 years, it's very difficult
[1:43:01] to unwind this.
[1:43:02] It's I really respectfully request that you ask CTR for the continuance, and we can continue this conversation, 30 days, date to be termined, and so we can work together collectively.
[1:43:15] Thank you so much for your time, and I wish you a very best decision making.
[1:43:18] Thank you.
[1:43:19] Thank you, sir.
[1:43:24] Any comments or questions before I open the public hearing?
[1:43:30] Okay, being none, I will go ahead and open the public hearing portion of this item.
[1:43:36] We have, I'll let the clerk of the board do the traffic management.
[1:43:41] Yes, Jim.
[1:43:42] Did you want the applicant to speak?
[1:43:43] I am sorry.
[1:43:45] I oversaw that.
[1:43:47] Is the applicant here and does a representative of the applicant want to speak before I open the open hearing?
[1:43:55] Almost forgot.
[1:43:57] Good morning.
[1:43:58] My name is Jim Turner.
[1:43:59] I am the president of control thermal resources.
[1:44:02] And I've been associated with this project for probably almost 10 years now.
[1:44:08] Rod Callwell or CEO originally came out here around 2011-ish looking at the geothermal
[1:44:17] resource at the Salt and Sea to see if it was something that he would be interested
[1:44:22] in trying to develop.
[1:44:25] And luckily for us he said yes and an off we went.
[1:44:30] that I met Rod about 2014 and he had a vision that if we could get a hold of that portion
[1:44:41] of the geothermal reservoir which is on the north side of Red Island in the west side
[1:44:46] of Davis Road that we could develop that and at the same time eliminate or severely decrease
[1:44:57] a dust emission that was going to arrive as...
[1:45:00] As a result of the shoreline of the Salt and Sea receding. And just to reply to one remark that I heard already today, if you go back in time, we talked about developing that area, and we had plans that we drew up to try to meet his vision, that would not only put a clean energy campus in place, whether it was our plants or somebody else.
[1:45:29] else's facilities out there, but it would eliminate the dust emissions every place that
[1:45:34] we put our foot down.
[1:45:38] And that's a concept.
[1:45:39] That's a vision that he had.
[1:45:41] It's a concept today.
[1:45:43] And one of the documents that was submitted, I think, in the last few days by the appellate
[1:45:50] has a diagram that must have been pulled right off of our website, and I would encourage
[1:45:55] you to look in the lower right hand corner because it clearly states.
[1:45:59] this is a concept. Right now we've developed stage one which is the project
[1:46:05] that's before you. We think we did an excellent job on the SQL analysis for
[1:46:11] that project with the county's consultant. We stand by it. We do not agree to
[1:46:17] any continuance at all. So I'll stop there and then maybe at the end if you have
[1:46:24] Any questions at all more than happy to respond to those
[1:46:29] Thank you, sir.
[1:46:33] Okay without I will go ahead and now open the
[1:46:38] Public hearing portion we do have some requests to speak
[1:46:44] Cynthia you will help me since you have the list of the in the in the order that they came in yes
[1:46:51] First week here is Dr. Mark Alaska.
[1:47:08] Thank you
[1:47:11] Thank you, Board. My name is Dr. Mark Laska. I'm the founder and the CEO of Greater Ecology.
[1:47:18] We are an environmental and design firm based in San Diego for 22 years now. Excuse me.
[1:47:26] We're consultants to control thermal resources, and I'm here today to express support for
[1:47:32] the Hell's Kitchen Geothermal Project.
[1:47:35] My firm first worked for CTR about six or seven years ago,
[1:47:39] and we've been working intensively with the company
[1:47:44] for three years on many, many aspects
[1:47:47] of the environmental elements of the project.
[1:47:50] Some of them are extremely complicated,
[1:47:52] and I've brought my staff.
[1:47:54] I've got six people here that are deeply embedded
[1:47:57] with the control thermal resources on working to solve as many of the environmental issues associated with not just the project, but with the area we heard about one dust suppression.
[1:48:12] CTR holds itself to the highest environmental standards and has engaged our firm to support their regulatory requirements such as the permitting, the compliance, and the design of the habitat mitigation project
[1:48:26] That is planned for the site.
[1:48:28] It's going to be a very large and fantastic habitat that will create just phenomenal, phenomenal
[1:48:36] environmental resources and dust suppression for the region.
[1:48:39] As you've already heard, the project brings jobs to the Valley and will be a safe domestic
[1:48:44] source of lithium with extremely low greenhouse gas emissions.
[1:48:48] the project seats to protect the habitat and will mitigate any areas with unavoidable impacts.
[1:48:56] On behalf of my firm and my staff, I really want to express my strong support for the HKG project.
[1:49:03] Thank you very much for your consideration.
[1:49:07] Thank you, sir. Cynthia, can you give us the next two that way they can start staging at the separate microphones?
[1:49:13] Yes. Next speaker would be Sean Wilcock and then Sean Ellis.
[1:49:17] Mr.
[1:49:23] Wilcox, Mr. Ellis.
[1:49:32] Good morning, Chairman Wilcox Cartet, members of the board.
[1:49:36] My name is Sean Wilcox, representing IBEDC this morning.
[1:49:40] I've had the pleasure of working alongside the CTR folks for nearly 13 years, I believe it
[1:49:45] is.
[1:49:46] And I have absolute faith in their abilities to pull this project off in a safe and environmentally-friendly
[1:49:52] way.
[1:49:53] You know, we already have CEQA, and we have a very savvy planning department led by
[1:50:01] Jim Minick, and I have full faith in their abilities to make sure that this project remains
[1:50:06] compatible with the community.
[1:50:08] I've also been very involved with CTR and other companies in the industry in bringing them
[1:50:14] forward and working alongside Imperial Valley College and San Diego State to put curriculums
[1:50:22] together for our local students and our local job seekers for the future.
[1:50:27] And so we've been able to put together a number of courses that I'm happy to report.
[1:50:34] There are 58 current plant operator graduates coming out of one of those courses right now.
[1:50:43] And we need jobs, you know, we need this project, we need the jobs, we need a place to place
[1:50:48] those students, and many more students that are coming through the process.
[1:50:53] So I'm here to urge you to deny the appeal and approve the conditional use permit.
[1:50:59] These appeals and these obstructions in different forms are never going to stop.
[1:51:03] So let's not let them start today.
[1:51:05] Thank you.
[1:51:06] Thank you, sir.
[1:51:10] Who's after Mr. Ellis?
[1:51:13] Jason Turner?
[1:51:14] Mr. Turner, if you can start lining up for this microphone over here, appreciate it.
[1:51:20] Good morning supervisors. How you guys doing? My name is Sean Ellis. I'm the political director and organizer for the plumber's and pipe fitters union in Imperial Valley and Imperial County and San Diego County. So I'm just going to get right to the point. I don't need any notes or anything here to talk about this. Okay. I covered Imperial County where I have a few hundred members. I covered San Diego County where I got another few thousand members. The environmentalists in several regions across this state are banning natural gas, ending power plants and destroying our very work that we do on a constant basis. Here's an opportunity to
[1:51:50] to build a new plant that could allow the union workers in which, by the way, CTR has agreements with local workforce higher guaranteeing that the men and women that live in this region will come and work for the union and the responsible contractors to pay them a living wage.
[1:52:04] So that's a really good thing to be proud of in this region where we've struggled with business owners to find a common pathway today we did.
[1:52:11] We're there now.
[1:52:11] Okay, so as you're speaking to environmentalists group one hand they tell you let's ban natural gas
[1:52:16] That's electrify and the other hand you have a geothermal plant with lithium extraction to make the next
[1:52:21] Electric cars of the world and now they're fighting that
[1:52:24] So let's go ahead and move forward. You have labor here and I bet you if I saw my brothers and sisters back there to raise
[1:52:30] Your hand if you're a support of that project by the way raise your hand if you're a support of that project
[1:52:34] We're here in force. That's union normal workers of the community private industry union industry
[1:52:39] We're all here ready to make something to happen.
[1:52:41] Look, San Diego is the most inflated place to live.
[1:52:45] Imperial's next.
[1:52:46] This county's next.
[1:52:48] So once you build this plant, and we build the next generation
[1:52:50] of geothermal lithium extraction plants here,
[1:52:53] you'll have a foundation of middle-class income
[1:52:55] that can literally have your people, your constituents,
[1:52:58] that vote you and put you in power
[1:53:00] to be ready for the next turn in our economy,
[1:53:03] whatever that takes us.
[1:53:04] So once again, let's talk about that.
[1:53:06] Geothermal energy.
[1:53:06] The most powerful green energy source in the world, other than nuclear energy, in which I'm a fan of, but if I can't have that, let's get geothermal energy because we'll create your basal energy and guess what? Imperial will supply us with all the power that California needs instead of the 60% that we import from Utah and Nevada and Arizona, right?
[1:53:26] I thought California's government's job is to make sure that we supply the power and the infrastructure for our people, especially when private industry and labor is together in one stand.
[1:53:37] So like I said, don't let one group ruin it for the masses of this community, for the state of California and for the very example this beautiful county can make.
[1:53:45] So once again, I'm Sean Ellis, political director for the United Association, plumbers, and pipefitters of the United States, Canada, Australia, and Ireland, and we cannot wait to build this plan, work with CTR and all of our brothers and sisters.
[1:53:57] So thank you for the time. God bless you guys on the beautiful day.
[1:54:00] Thank you, sir.
[1:54:01] Cynthia, who should be lining up?
[1:54:03] Chair, quick comment.
[1:54:05] Mr. Chairman, for office.
[1:54:06] No, I'm doing the right, brother.
[1:54:10] Brian Floyd.
[1:54:12] Mr. Floyd, if you want to start lining up at the other microphone, thank you.
[1:54:17] My name is Jason Turner, I'm the CEO and founder of PMC, a general contractor from Hopeville.
[1:54:23] We have been selected as a general contractor for the Hell's Kitchen project.
[1:54:28] We'll be working with the Union, we'll be working with CTR on hiring local people.
[1:54:35] And I think it's a big step on CTR's part to hire a local contractor.
[1:54:40] We've built huts and ranch and other geothermal facilities in the past.
[1:54:46] I didn't bring any notes, I didn't rehearse this, but I just thought that maybe you guys would like to hear from somebody from the Imperial Valley, from Hopeville.
[1:54:53] We've seen a lot of people come and go out there at the salt and sea, and for that matter, we've built a lot of plants down in Heber and also in Hopeville.
[1:55:03] And we've seen people come, developers come in here and try to extract lithium,
[1:55:09] build power plants, and fold up and leave.
[1:55:11] CTR hasn't, I've worked with Rod for almost 10 years, almost 11 years now.
[1:55:17] And I've seen him up and down, and he's battled through it.
[1:55:21] But I will say that I was surprised to hear that there's opposition to this,
[1:55:26] because I need to talk to you in real simple, whole bill, lay terms.
[1:55:31] We've been in business for 26 years, but my dad was a maintenance manager for the power plant.
[1:55:37] So when I was growing up in high school, that was my east of break, was working out the power plants.
[1:55:41] So I've got to see this from the very beginning.
[1:55:45] There is nothing new under the sun here.
[1:55:48] Don't let anybody scare you guys.
[1:55:50] There are 17 plus geothermal facilities in the Pearl Valley, okay?
[1:55:55] It's for 41 years we've had geothermal here.
[1:55:58] Same pots and pans, the only thing different that they're doing with the extraction
[1:56:03] is adding a filter on the water before it goes back down.
[1:56:06] That's it, that's it, and if anybody wants to question me, I was there when we built
[1:56:11] the zinc plant, and the zinc plant was further than the lithium, it's a couple of steps
[1:56:15] for, you know, on this side of it, for lithium.
[1:56:18] So anybody opposing this is uneducated or just too lazy to research it.
[1:56:23] Please approve this project, there's no reason we're ready to get the work, thank you.
[1:56:27] Thanks, sir.
[1:56:32] Who's next after Mr. Floyd?
[1:56:34] Jorge Vira Montez and Christopher Allen.
[1:56:38] Mr. Vira Montez, Mr. Allen, if you want to start lighting up at the microphones, we'd appreciate
[1:56:42] it.
[1:56:42] Thank you.
[1:56:44] Good morning, everyone.
[1:56:45] Good morning.
[1:56:45] First of all, I'd like to do what somebody people rarely do for you guys in office is to say
[1:56:51] thank you for the hard work and dedication that you all put in to making our community
[1:56:54] better place.
[1:56:56] I've lived in Brawley on my life and I'm here in support of the Control
[1:57:00] Thermal Resources Project. I want to tell you that I'm the business development
[1:57:05] director for EFR Environmental. We are working out there on the site already
[1:57:12] helping with their hazard and space removals. They are hiring local people and it's
[1:57:18] already been said before I don't want to repeat everything but we do need the
[1:57:21] power, the base load, it's not just about the lithium, but that's a huge advantage.
[1:57:27] But we do need the power because we're going to plug in our electric cars and
[1:57:30] then we're going to get a notice in the afternoon in August and say, don't plug in an electric
[1:57:34] car, so you can't go to work tomorrow.
[1:57:37] So, layman's terms, you know, the green energy people say we need solar panels, but we can't
[1:57:43] put them in a desert because there's a bush in our way or there's an insect in our way.
[1:57:46] But here's something that's sustainable.
[1:57:49] This is something that is going to be a long-term benefit for Imperial County.
[1:57:54] It's not just like you're going to build something and it's going to fade away.
[1:57:57] So this is going to provide long-term jobs, it's going to provide local jobs.
[1:58:01] It's going to have scientists involved, engineers involved, you're going to have pipe fitters involved.
[1:58:06] You name it, we're going to have to have more people down here as far as in our oversight.
[1:58:17] And so scientists want to come in and work for
[1:58:20] Peril County environmental health and things like that.
[1:58:22] Just going to provide jobs everywhere.
[1:58:25] And as you guys know,
[1:58:28] forever, when you're growing up in Peril Valley,
[1:58:30] you look forward and say, what's my opportunities here?
[1:58:33] You know, I started irrigating and driving the tractor.
[1:58:36] You know, and then what else are you going to do?
[1:58:38] Well, you can get as a law enforcement.
[1:58:40] You can work for the prison where the prison came,
[1:58:42] but there has, the jobs have been very few.
[1:58:45] Of course, we have other digital thermal plants already that provide some good jobs.
[1:58:49] But here's an opportunity to get this thing going and let's just move it forward.
[1:58:54] That's not that these people, everybody says I want something, I want my roads fixed,
[1:59:00] but I just don't want to fix that way.
[1:59:02] I want you to bring in a business, I want you to bring an industry.
[1:59:04] I just don't want you to bring in that way, I want to have control over it.
[1:59:07] So, let's get this ball rolling, let's approve this project.
[1:59:10] And let's just keep making Imperial County a great place to live.
[1:59:14] Thank you very much for your service, our community, we appreciate it.
[1:59:17] Thank you, Mr. Floyd.
[1:59:21] Mr. Rita Montes, and lining up should be Mr. Allen.
[1:59:25] Chair, board members, good afternoon.
[1:59:28] My name is Jorge Rita Montes, I'm the business representative for
[1:59:31] the Western State Regional Council of Carpenters, local 619 of San Diego.
[1:59:36] We want to put on record at the Carpenters, you need to put 100% in support of this project.
[1:59:42] We want to come out here and let you guys know that like somebody has said before me all our union brothers are out there
[1:59:47] And it's going to be a great project. So let's get this passed. Thank you. Thank you, sir
[1:59:52] Mr. Allen and Mr.
[1:59:55] Should be laying out who's and your shorts and your shorts, please start getting ready
[2:00:00] Christopher Allen, special representative for the Western states regional council carpenters. I want to bring you guys my family story. My family immigrated up here from the wrong of Mexico, settled in Brawley and El Centro, and many of them moved to different places in the United States, whether it be San Diego, Fresno, Texas, Arizona. And the number one reason why they moved out is because there wasn't economic opportunities for them to stay. They always say, oh, yeah, if you worked with IID or the prison system, you're good to go.
[2:00:30] So, but if not, you're going to be struggling.
[2:00:33] CTR and PMC of Middick Mim in to the local workforce here.
[2:00:37] It's your opportunity today to pass this project that way you can empower people and
[2:00:43] change lives in Imperial Valley.
[2:00:44] Thank you.
[2:00:46] Thanks, sir.
[2:00:49] Next, Jose Saldaña.
[2:00:52] Go ahead, sir.
[2:00:52] Brother Chairman and board members, my name's Andrew Schwartz.
[2:00:55] I'm a business representative with the International Union of Operating Engineers, Local 12.
[2:01:00] I'm also with the Inland Empire Labor Council as a vice president and vice president of the Imperial County Building Trades.
[2:01:08] Local 12 operating engineers and all these associations that I'm involved with are in support of the Hell's Kitchen Project completely.
[2:01:17] I am a 38 year construction worker myself, worked in Imperial County quite a bit on Highway 86, Highway 111.
[2:01:26] and my grandfather, great-grandfather,
[2:01:29] I'm fourth-generation operating engineer.
[2:01:31] And we enjoyed working down here.
[2:01:33] We hope that it keeps on going
[2:01:35] and we hope that these projects keep moving us forward.
[2:01:38] And we thank you all for all the hard work
[2:01:40] you've done over the last few years
[2:01:41] to get this project moving forward.
[2:01:44] Thank you.
[2:01:45] Thanks, sir.
[2:01:48] Steve, Frank?
[2:01:53] Hi, my name is Willis Aldania.
[2:01:55] I represent the Summit Mason Local 500.
[2:01:57] I'm here in support of this health kitchen project and yeah, I mean we have a lot of members
[2:02:05] down here like like a lot of the crats have down here and we want to keep those members busy
[2:02:10] down here without them having to travel all the way down to Coachella keeping them down
[2:02:16] here keep all that money down here and get reinvested within the community so I'm just going
[2:02:21] I think you'd be sure to, I'm in favor of this agreement.
[2:02:24] Thank you, Mr. Secretary.
[2:02:28] Frank Salala.
[2:02:34] Good afternoon, gentlemen.
[2:02:35] My name is Steve Bond.
[2:02:36] I'm with the Plaster's Union of Southern California.
[2:02:38] We're in support of this project.
[2:02:42] It'll bring lots of work to the community.
[2:02:44] We can bring a new apprentices to work on this facility.
[2:02:47] We appreciate it.
[2:02:49] I guess, oh, thank you.
[2:02:50] Thank you, sir.
[2:02:53] Daniel Moshe.
[2:02:59] Good morning.
[2:03:00] I have about 15 pages to read,
[2:03:02] but I'll keep down the two.
[2:03:05] And I'll make you short.
[2:03:07] Good morning, my name is Frank Zvola.
[2:03:09] I am here on behalf of the State Building Construction Trades Council of California to speak
[2:03:15] in support of the Hell's Kitchen Project.
[2:03:19] The State Building Construction Trades Council of California represents over 45,000 working
[2:03:25] women and men from affiliates of 14 combined.
[2:03:30] Construction trades include roughly 65,000 apprentices trained in California.
[2:03:36] Next generation of skilled union trades.
[2:03:39] Before I came to work for the state billing trades in 2013,
[2:03:44] I worked in the field for 10 years as a labor.
[2:03:47] Then I came aboard with the labor's local 300 as a field representative and a executive board member.
[2:03:55] In those years, I worked there over 20 years.
[2:03:57] During my career as a union labor, I earned good middle class wages,
[2:04:03] allowed me to support my family, receive health benefits, and never had to worry about the ability to retire thanks to my union pension.
[2:04:12] The House Kitchen Project will afford hundreds of construction workers, these same opportunities and benefits that thanks to a project labor agreement between control thermal resources.
[2:04:24] the state building trades and our local affiliates council, the Imperial County Building
[2:04:30] trades council. This PLA guarantees that the project will build to the highest standard
[2:04:38] by skilled women and men who receive fair wages and benefits, emphasizing on local hire.
[2:04:45] The House Kitchen project has the potential to bring about transformative changes in Imperial
[2:04:51] the regional valley, the region that has long grapple with high unemployment levels.
[2:04:57] The creation of nearly 500 new construction jobs, plus hundreds of additional direct
[2:05:03] project jobs and thousands of indirect jobs in this project to better the lives of thousands
[2:05:12] Californians and their families.
[2:05:14] Not just the present but the generations to come in immense.
[2:05:19] This project is not, if this project is not allowed to move forward as planned, it would be a blame mistake opportunity.
[2:05:32] Beyond the clear economic benefit, the Hell's Kitchen project will move California closer to meeting our ambitious goals,
[2:05:40] climate goals, and allow the United States to listen.
[2:05:44] It's dependence on second page.
[2:05:47] The other countries from Lithium and other key materials needed for carbonization efforts.
[2:05:55] California has some of the world's strictest environmental labor standards.
[2:06:01] We can do this, work safely, and listen in this of ways possible to the environment.
[2:06:09] Benefits of House Kitchen Project for Imperial Valley and
[2:06:13] And beyond should speak for themself, the state building traits and affiliates union asks that you please allow this project to proceed as planned.
[2:06:22] Thank you for your time and consideration in closing.
[2:06:25] I heard a lot of scares, a lot of tactics.
[2:06:29] Please, the people need this and they really do.
[2:06:33] They want to stand for themself in Piro County is well, well overdue.
[2:06:38] Thank you very much for your time.
[2:06:40] Thank you, sir.
[2:06:42] Daniel Wisma would be next.
[2:06:45] Cleaning board.
[2:06:48] Dating machine, IBW local 5.69, and also Imperial County
[2:06:54] Building Trade Secretary Trisha.
[2:06:57] One of the things that we're bringing to this is I wasn't
[2:07:04] born an electrician.
[2:07:07] I had to go through a trade and learn a trade for me to become
[2:07:10] an electrician.
[2:07:11] and these jobs are going to create a lot of opportunities for our people here in Imperial County, for them to have the chance to become electricians, become carpenters, become fitters, become plumbers, become insulators, I mean there's, I represent 20 different crafts and I negotiate on behalf of them.
[2:07:36] opportunities that are going to bring your people to the middle class.
[2:07:39] We're not talking about jobs that you get out of that one.
[2:07:42] And then you got to go to the next one because that first one doesn't pay enough for you to be able to live here.
[2:07:48] And after you get out of your second job, you got to go across the border because that's the only place you can afford to live.
[2:07:54] You know, this is our middle class jobs that we are going to create.
[2:07:58] And this is all for our people.
[2:07:59] So we stand on support of this project.
[2:08:02] Thank you very much.
[2:08:03] Thank you, sir.
[2:08:05] Hector, Miss.
[2:08:11] All right, good afternoon.
[2:08:13] My name is Dan Wisma, iron workers, local 229, representing San Diego and Imperial County.
[2:08:19] We have many members that live here locally and within Imperial, and they drive back and forth to San Diego just to try and help their family survive.
[2:08:28] I know we've been talking about jobs this whole time, but it's not just about jobs, it's about a career.
[2:08:33] A job is something that somebody else is going to look for after they're done with their
[2:08:38] current one or when they're ready and negotiating for their next wage.
[2:08:43] With these careers that this project is going to be providing here in the valley, it's
[2:08:47] going to give people the opportunity to a great future.
[2:08:50] Not only for them but their family too.
[2:08:53] Like the economics already spoke about, you're talking 30 plus years of good jobs here in
[2:08:59] in the Valley for the workers and their families.
[2:09:03] Thank you.
[2:09:10] Good afternoon, my name is Hector Messa.
[2:09:13] I'm a resident of Bali.
[2:09:14] I'm a business agent, I'm a business agent,
[2:09:18] journeyman and electrician for the International Brotherhood
[2:09:21] of the Electrical Workers, IBEW569.
[2:09:24] And I'm a apprentice graduate of our local,
[2:09:27] of our local electrical training institute
[2:09:29] here in Imperial, the city of Imperial.
[2:09:32] I am here in support of the Hell's Kitchen Project,
[2:09:34] The Imperial Valley Building Straits has a full PLA with CTR.
[2:09:39] This means more opportunities for local residents to join the middle class,
[2:09:43] to through state-approved apprenticeships. Currently, at IBW 565,
[2:09:49] we locally have over 70 apprentices working around the Imperial County.
[2:09:56] Once I can now biking, Paloma, there's a bunch of little projects in there.
[2:10:03] we have over 70 apprentices and we're planning on opening more apprentices'
[2:10:10] box thanks to this project and all of them are local residents and thanks to
[2:10:15] the PLLA which also has a main Instagram and clause with CTR not only are
[2:10:20] the locals going to build it but locals are also going to work on the projects
[2:10:24] for years to come with regular maintenance inspections and repairs so we
[2:10:29] We have Project Labor Agreement on that.
[2:10:31] I hope that the other developers take notes.
[2:10:34] I'm here in support of Hell's Kitchen.
[2:10:36] Thank you.
[2:10:38] Thank you, sir.
[2:10:41] We have Ipolito Magania and Fernanda Vega.
[2:10:56] Thank you very much and good morning, everyone.
[2:11:00] And thank you to the Board of Supervisors and Imperial County for this opportunity.
[2:11:05] I was born and raised in Imperial Valley and called my Valley for 60 years my home, and
[2:11:11] it's back.
[2:11:12] I'm here today, and I feel like I'm back home.
[2:11:16] I remember years ago working with Cliff Cogville, Orlando Foot, Phil Hill, Dick Proudfoot,
[2:11:23] Orby Hanks, and after a few years in banking, we decided we were going to find ways to
[2:11:31] diversify our economy here in the Imperial Valley and we broke our brains for 20
[2:11:39] years trying to figure out what to do. How do we diversify jobs, build jobs, build
[2:11:45] opportunities. Little did we know that the way the biggest boom in
[2:11:52] California is happening right now and it's under the sea at the South and
[2:11:56] Sea, at the floor.
[2:12:00] We had no idea that that would ever happen. Neil nor my banking
[2:12:04] business 35 years. I never had a client that said, I'm going to invest close to a billion
[2:12:11] dollars on a vision.
[2:12:16] And it's happening here at the floor at the South Sea. You have companies
[2:12:21] from all over the world. They say that as the ocean rises, ships rise with it. The biggest
[2:12:28] ship that we have that's going to rise is in New York County. And it's people. We talk about
[2:12:33] education. You cannot have economic development without education. We could have a world
[2:12:39] university here someday. We could have, you know, we had a gold rush a hundred years ago
[2:12:48] here in California. People came and they stayed. Now we're 35 million people. We have the
[2:12:56] gold here. We have to support CTR in what they're doing.
[2:13:06] And it's not only going to help
[2:13:09] the Imperial Valley. It's going to support the entire state of California. What do you
[2:13:17] think a new scientist is going to come? We've talked about the hundred and 250 jobs or 300 jobs.
[2:13:23] That is nothing. The future is going to be here. Where are new engineering companies
[2:13:29] going to send their students here? Scientists, because what we don't know is what we don't
[2:13:36] know about what's coming up out of Ocean floor. And all the products thereof, there's more
[2:13:42] than we could ever think of.
[2:13:45] We have to give them an opportunity. Who in the right mind would
[2:13:49] come in and invest the hundreds of millions of dollars on a concept that we are just at
[2:13:57] the very, very tip.
[2:14:00] We have to allow them to continue to move on because this is going
[2:14:06] to be the biggest boom in California and it's going to put already has put the Imperial
[2:14:13] Valley in the world market place for lithium production. And there are, there's so many things
[2:14:19] things that are going to happen here that we don't know yet.
[2:14:22] And you have the responsibility and the opportunity to help build this county for
[2:14:32] the next 100 years.
[2:14:34] Sir, your time is so much.
[2:14:36] Thank you so much.
[2:14:37] And let's let them grow.
[2:14:39] Thank you so much.
[2:14:40] Thank you.
[2:14:41] Hello, good afternoon supervisors.
[2:14:44] My name is Fernanda Vega, a community organizer with the Imperial Valley Equity and Justice Coalition.
[2:14:48] I'm here to read our organization's statement on control thermal resources and environmental
[2:14:52] impact report for its health kitchen drill, thermal and lithium development project.
[2:14:57] As this board knows, our coalition was
[2:15:00] We've been born out of this pandemic because of the public health disparities that we saw during that time. For years now, we have been active stakeholders in the conversations about Lithium. Today, IV equity has engaged with and provided education to hundreds of residents and stakeholders. Most who have not attended any other Lithium meeting hosted by the county, consultants or the industry. We engaged with residents in the cities of Calipatria, Westmoreland, Bombay Beach, Hopeville, Ocotillo, Imperial, Central and Calexico.
[2:15:28] In this period, we hosted over 20 engagement opportunities where residents were able
[2:15:33] to share their input and questions regarding the Lithium development.
[2:15:38] At every community meeting, residents and stakeholders expressed environmental concerns,
[2:15:43] so much have not been appropriately addressed by the current EIR by CTR.
[2:15:48] We want to uplift significant environmental concerns that have been raised by residents.
[2:15:53] Given the significant resident concerns and our review of the EIR, we believe that the concerns
[2:15:58] Students about habitat, environment, and natural resources haven't been adequately addressed in the final EIR draft.
[2:16:03] First, the final EIR states across multiple sections that there are no sensitive receptors within two miles of the project sites.
[2:16:11] However, it's important to note that experts have noted inconsistencies in the draft language.
[2:16:16] We want to highlight that the project is located only 3.6 miles from N Island.
[2:16:20] That means that residents like the children that attend Grace Smith School,
[2:16:24] So, great smith elementary would only be short 3.6 miles away from heavy construction
[2:16:29] and increased pollution that would take place even with all the mitigation plans.
[2:16:34] Nyland is already a polluted area with elevated asthma rates and PM 10 and 2.5.
[2:16:40] The final EIR indicates that it's not significant, but we want to emphasize that when you combine
[2:16:44] existing, elevating pollution levels to the increased pollution from this project, the
[2:16:49] impact is significant.
[2:16:50] it. For these reasons, air quality concerns must be better monitored, with better plans
[2:16:55] for mitigation in place. The water quality parameters of the water used for air quality
[2:16:59] mitigations are crucial. Thus, control through the application of potentially contaminated
[2:17:03] water can directly impact soil and natural habitats by introducing contaminants from the water
[2:17:08] to the environment. Further, the project description does not adequately describe the boundaries
[2:17:13] of the project. Specifically as a California State Lands Commission has already pointed out,
[2:17:18] the project lacks information about the location and direction of the proposed slant wells outside the project area.
[2:17:24] More questions about undisclosed directional drilling plans and state land use remain unresolved.
[2:17:30] It is important that these issues be erased for the record. We request that a continuance,
[2:17:35] we request that a continuance, so that there is additional time for CTR to strengthen the EIR and ensure that the health of Imperial Valley families is protected.
[2:17:44] Thank you.
[2:17:46] Carmen Lucas and Mariza Ortal.
[2:18:13] Good morning and I apologize for being so slow as you can
[2:18:17] see I'm an antique. First of all I would ask and you all hear me. Okay I've had problems
[2:18:24] hearing everybody else. My name is Carmen Lucas. I'm a Kwame Indian from Laguna mountains.
[2:18:34] I'm
[2:18:34] here on behalf of the history of the California Indians.
[2:18:39] Number one, I think it's terribly important after hearing so many people say they were
[2:18:44] born and raised here and have been here all their life at the American Indians in California.
[2:18:52] Superseed that.
[2:18:54] Ancient Lake, which is what you now call the salt and sea, has been impacted through
[2:19:06] this God-awful desire of our current times, money, money, money.
[2:19:14] Where I understand that's important.
[2:19:17] It's a culture today that cannot live without the paper dollar.
[2:19:22] I come from a culture who understood the environment, who knew how to live without money, could
[2:19:29] walk in this desert and survive even in a 120 degree weather.
[2:19:36] I'm concerned about this project, I have been involved on the agency level, the process
[2:19:45] testimony for a lot of years. I visited Hell's Kitchen. Conveniently my presence
[2:19:54] there was left out of the EIR. I'm very concerned about that because I
[2:20:00] understand our old people told us that Mother Earth is alive. When I went out
[2:20:09] there with Hell's Kitchen, and they took us to the Mud Pots. I witnessed the heartbeat
[2:20:16] of Mother Earth. There was a document in 1914 where my grandmother related to a white
[2:20:28] woman standing on the edge of Laguna Mountains in the far distance across the desert sands.
[2:20:36] You can see the flicker of the light in 1871, the geologist and the engineer's documented
[2:20:47] that the Native Americans in this area as well as the old white people, settlers talked
[2:20:53] about the flame of the earth and the steam coming up.
[2:20:58] Our people, our medicine people, understand that to be the heartbeat, the fire within of
[2:21:04] Mother Earth.
[2:21:05] So, I give you that little bit of history because, as you might imagine, as an American
[2:21:11] Indian in my blood is in this earth, the bones of my ancestors is in this earth.
[2:21:18] I am concerned about what is happening to the environment, to the heartbeat of Mother
[2:21:26] Worth, if you would.
[2:21:28] So, it isn't just Hell's Kitchen and all these labor union guys.
[2:21:32] It really is a few many of the facts.
[2:21:37] What are the unintended consequences?
[2:21:41] As an American Indian, I have a right to consult with you.
[2:21:44] I have written you a letter asking that I consult with you.
[2:21:49] I've yet to consult with you.
[2:21:51] Why is that?
[2:21:52] Is that because I'm an American Indian?
[2:21:55] I'm smelling something that doesn't smell good and it's not the salt and sea.
[2:22:00] So I'm asking you, please pause.
[2:22:04] Please have the courtesy to respond to the American Indian's request.
[2:22:09] This is far more than just money and jobs.
[2:22:12] This truly is the sacredness of Southern California.
[2:22:17] I know that Washington looks at us, just like they did with the windmills at Akitea wind,
[2:22:24] just like they have with the solar powers looking at this desert thinking it's a waste
[2:22:29] land. It is not a wasteland, but we are making it a wasteland. Nothing lasts forever and
[2:22:37] things do change. But I'd ask you to pause, think of your conscience. And I'm asking
[2:22:44] you to bring all my comments to the record. And I'm asking you once more, please consult
[2:22:52] with me. Thank you. Thank you, ma'am.
[2:23:04] Mariturtado?
[2:23:06] Sorry.
[2:23:07] Breaking your equipment.
[2:23:09] Mariturtado, collectible California.
[2:23:10] I am the team leader for the collectible recall of Raúl Urenia, our former mayor, and
[2:23:17] Hugh Berkman-Sanárez.
[2:23:18] I didn't think I would stand up here by state around for a little bit because it is interesting.
[2:23:23] I am going to say I am in favor of this project because it does bring great jobs.
[2:23:29] I can see that all of the individuals that are here are here to support this industry
[2:23:34] that is just so exciting for all of us in a collection.
[2:23:37] We see this happening, but we have also other issues out there.
[2:23:41] But one thing that I did want to make sure is to make sure to comment
[2:23:44] that the appellant, the person appealing this project,
[2:23:48] go meet the CVCO of Brawley, is here today behind us.
[2:23:51] And I could see that he has brought his IV equity and justice group,
[2:23:55] again, to work at the political, what they feel are in political positions here.
[2:24:02] I feel that IV equity and justice together with Comita Civico are highly hypocritical by appealing this project.
[2:24:11] It's important that you all know that Comita Civico did a project in the City of Collective Go and stole our park.
[2:24:18] And I was, we were here last week to tell the tribe where IV equity is also supporting that tribe about sacred land.
[2:24:24] Well, they took our park.
[2:24:25] We don't have very many parks in the City of Collective. We probably have only two that are actually operational.
[2:24:29] and Comitesh Savical came and did a deal with our mayor at that time who's being recalled
[2:24:33] at this time, and our city manager, Spananzacolio, where we didn't know what went down.
[2:24:40] We had a park that was in operation, and now we have EV chargers, so I was really confused
[2:24:45] too.
[2:24:45] Isn't Comitesh Savical the recipient of Imperial County's huge granting amount, which
[2:24:50] was like nine million, and now they're suing the actual industry and the companies that
[2:24:55] want to come and actually make it happen?
[2:24:57] It's really confusing to understand what Gomitaz Civico is doing to our community with regard to Lithium.
[2:25:02] It bothers me a lot.
[2:25:04] It's disturbing to see that there's high hypocrisy with regard to Gomitaz Civico's activities
[2:25:11] and how they can be hypocritical to a very, very poor community like collects ago
[2:25:16] and take a park, not pay for it, they got it for free.
[2:25:20] We all came here and told you that.
[2:25:22] That there was no sequel, there was no review, there was no planning commission.
[2:25:25] Comethasevico came straight to
[2:25:27] collectible, shook our mayor's hand,
[2:25:30] and walked away with a huge chunk
[2:25:32] of rockwood plaza.
[2:25:34] The citizens of collectible got nothing
[2:25:36] in return.
[2:25:37] Absolutely nothing.
[2:25:38] Shame on Comethasevico.
[2:25:41] Shame on Ivy Equity.
[2:25:43] Shame on all those individuals
[2:25:44] who are hypocrites in our community.
[2:25:48] They are carpet baggers.
[2:25:49] Nine million from Imperial County,
[2:25:52] Hustle Luis Romero of Comethasevico
[2:25:53] when here you are being a hypocrite, expecting all this,
[2:25:57] you need to pick a team, Komitesi, we go.
[2:26:06] Choose, Robertson.
[2:26:13] Comin' Dr. Moteve, my name is Manfred Scott.
[2:26:17] I'm from Zon Tribe.
[2:26:19] And we always talk about a meaningful consultation
[2:26:23] between tribes.
[2:26:25] And the Zon Tribe feels that AB 52 consultation
[2:26:30] has not been or has been inadequate.
[2:26:33] it and that significant travel cultural resource concerns have gone unaddressed.
[2:26:42] It affects all the areas within the southeast area of the cultural resources in that area
[2:26:55] of the health kitchen and it affects everything and it affects us when cultural resources get
[2:27:04] destroyed when you get destroyed it's irreplaceable and seems like there
[2:27:10] hasn't really been a consultation with the tribe rather government to
[2:27:15] government and so also it seems like the draft EIR there was some changes that
[2:27:20] were made and if they were are made is that a violation to the sequel and so we
[2:27:26] need more consultation with the tribes and with our tribe and that hasn't been
[2:27:32] met, and when is it going to be met, or is it not? Those are the questions we have,
[2:27:38] and when we always talk about meaningful consultation, we look at government to government agencies
[2:27:44] to agencies to make sure assurance that our cultural areas are protected.
[2:27:53] Thank you.
[2:28:07] I'm going to take a little bit different approach for you guys and by the way, I'm the owner
[2:28:14] of Radco Incorporated Co-owner.
[2:28:17] We employ several dozen people here in the valley locally 19 years.
[2:28:22] So my approach is can the Radco guys wave your hands?
[2:28:26] So these are faces that you can look at that are going to be positively impacted including
[2:28:31] their families on this project. This is just some of them from my company. So I just wanted to
[2:28:36] make sure that you guys actually saw faces and really understand the historical significance of
[2:28:42] this project. You know, the Imperial County has a really good opportunity that just landed in your
[2:28:48] laps. You know, literally, this is a really good opportunity and I would sure hate to see it go to
[2:28:55] ways. You know, I understand impacts, I understand there's some negative comments that are being made,
[2:29:03] but the positives, I mean, this, let's face it, in Pearl County, is it always on the news for good
[2:29:09] things? This is a great thing. You know, how many bridges, where's John at? How many bridges can 500
[2:29:16] million dollars fix? You know, I wasn't involved in the numbers, so that's just coming from this,
[2:29:23] this number earlier but I don't even know if those numbers include all of the payroll taxes and
[2:29:29] things like that from all the employees on that project throughout the time and how much of
[2:29:33] a how much of an impact is going to have on the entire county. I mean there's going to be new houses
[2:29:37] built. There's going to be potholes fixed bridges fixed. I mean this is huge and I would sure hate to
[2:29:45] see the county turn something down this significant when there's other states that are doing it right
[2:29:52] right now, too. What's stopping this company from picking up and leaving other than the
[2:29:57] huge investment at this point? But there are other communities...
[2:30:01] So, I encourage a 5.0 vote. I know I'd appreciate it. I know my guys would appreciate it. So, it's it. Thank you.
[2:30:15] Good afternoon, my name is Hugo Castañeda. I'm a union red for the Volomakers Local 92.
[2:30:23] My local union has been around for 132 years. Because of projects like this, we've been dying. According to people for
[2:30:32] for a hundred to two years already, right?
[2:30:35] And projects like this, it was kept us alive and brought a lot of work to our people here in every county.
[2:30:43] We cover all of Southern California, Southern Nevada with major projects like this, and it's going to uplift the people in every county, in every area.
[2:30:54] So we just share in support.
[2:30:56] Thank you, sir.
[2:30:57] Luis
[2:31:01] Pinedo and Sean Melanovic.
[2:31:17] Good afternoon, everyone.
[2:31:18] My name is Luis Pinedo.
[2:31:19] I represent the brick layers and tall layers and
[2:31:21] allied crafts for Southern California Local 4.
[2:31:24] And a project of this magnitude not only brings work for
[2:31:29] the workers, but it also has them spend that money again back in the communities and
[2:31:34] helps uplift the communities, helps the families.
[2:31:37] It helps workers that not only get paid a wage, but they also get benefits for themselves and their families.
[2:31:45] So it helps the economy at the end of the day, and it's very important for
[2:31:50] all the people that are here locally, that live here, that need that money to come back to them.
[2:31:55] Not only the workers, but when they go out and shop, when they take their families out, when they spend that money locally.
[2:32:01] Thank you.
[2:32:01] Good
[2:32:12] afternoon, my name is Sean Milanovic, and I am a member of the Aguacaliente Band of
[2:32:17] Kuiya Indians at the west end of the valley.
[2:32:21] I am in opposition to this project, and for all the lithium projects, lithium valley around
[2:32:30] the salt and sea at the east end of the Coachella Valley, that just sounds crazy to me.
[2:32:35] Our families, our tribal people hold this area as sacred.
[2:32:42] The sea itself as anti-Carmen had said, it is alive, it is breathing when we see those
[2:32:49] mud pots belching out that sacred earth belching out those gases in that water.
[2:32:58] That's the medicine.
[2:33:00] We still go to the sea, we harvest that medicine, we sing to it.
[2:33:04] We offer gifts to the sea, to the land, or around it, all around the saw and see the sea itself is
[2:33:11] vibrantly
[2:33:13] Shaking and lettuce letting us know that it's there and read. It's
[2:33:18] As we see it. It's our responsibility to take care of
[2:33:23] this of this beautiful landscape
[2:33:26] in
[2:33:26] 1852
[2:33:30] The United States government signed 18 treaties in California
[2:33:34] India.
[2:33:35] The agro-coliante band of Kuwait Indians was one of those tribes.
[2:33:39] Not all tribes were allowed to, were even invited to come and sign those treaties.
[2:33:48] But one of our members signed that treaty.
[2:33:51] And by signing that treaty, we have an obligation to be respectful and mindful to the United
[2:33:59] States.
[2:33:59] And in the same, the United States, including the state of California, Imperial County has an obligation to listen to the tribes.
[2:34:09] Not all tribes have been a part of SB 52.
[2:34:15] There's a lot of tribes that have not been a part of it, and what has been done has been very little.
[2:34:21] What about Section 106 for the National Historic Preservation Act, the National Environmental Protection Act?
[2:34:28] But there is no commitment to reach out to the tribes to do due diligence.
[2:34:38] We are being neglected, again, and I implore you to reach out to the tribes, to reach out to me,
[2:34:48] specifically right where Hell's Kitchen is going to go.
[2:34:51] That's an extremely sacred site.
[2:34:53] That's where our people go specifically for medicine, for training, and for healing right there.
[2:35:02] And if you want to know more about it, I can talk to you in a closed session.
[2:35:06] But this area is precious to my heart to our families.
[2:35:12] We have thousands of people that want to help and protect the sea.
[2:35:18] We go there regularly.
[2:35:21] early. And so I ask that you reach out to the tribes and talk to us.
[2:35:25] Reach out and talk to me. My name is Sean Milanovic.
[2:35:28] And I am a member of the Aguacaliente Band of Kuiya Indians.
[2:35:32] Thank you.
[2:35:34] Thank you, sir.
[2:35:36] Chairman, the next three speakers will be Biazov.
[2:35:39] Okay. And then that will conclude our public hearing.
[2:35:44] First speaker is Mariana Avafrolyk.
[2:35:49] Good afternoon, Honourable Chairman Flankarfi and Imperial Colonies Supervisors.
[2:35:55] My name is Maria Navifrolek.
[2:35:57] I'm a City Council Member for the City of Kalipagda, and I'm a resident of the City of Kalipatra,
[2:36:03] and formally from the town side of 90.
[2:36:07] The City of Kalipatra will be the most impacted municipality due to its close proximity to the
[2:36:13] Lithium Valley area.
[2:36:15] The City of Calipatres located at the northeastern end of the Imperial Valley
[2:36:20] contiguous to the salt and sea known as the geothermal resource area.
[2:36:25] It is 40 miles north of the U.S. Mexico border and 96 miles east of San Diego
[2:36:30] and 142 miles south east of Los Angeles.
[2:36:35] The City of Calipatres population is 6,515
[2:36:40] as of April 1st of 2020, which includes a prison population of approximately 3,000 in
[2:36:47] Calipatria State Prison as per census of 2020. Currently the city's population is at a
[2:36:53] decline of a minus 4.46% annually and has decreased by a minus 15.56% since 2010. The city of Calipatria
[2:37:06] And Imperial County has among the lowest, excuse me, the highest poverty rates in the nation.
[2:37:13] Persons in poverty in 2016 through 2020 for the city of Calipata was at 35.4% compared to Imperial County at 18.1%.
[2:37:24] And the state of California at 12.58%.
[2:37:28] The city's median household income in 2020 was at $37,196.
[2:37:35] dollars compared to the counties 46,220 and state 80,080,440.
[2:37:45] We are well aware of economic challenges as a disadvantaged community.
[2:37:51] The City of Calipatra has taken a proactive and strategic approach to apply our community's
[2:37:57] unique economic role and assets to help facilitate the momentum of the development of the Lithium
[2:38:04] Valley Project. The city has been actively involved in the Blue Ribbon Valley Commission meetings
[2:38:11] and programmatic EIR, community outreach and environmental workshops, meetings, forums and
[2:38:18] have conducted site visits related to the lithium valley projects to better assess how we can
[2:38:23] better support these projects. Control thermal resources, health kitchen, power company and health
[2:38:31] kitsch and lithium are among other lithium developers such as energy source minerals and
[2:38:36] birch are half the way energy renewables that will be part of the imperial county's
[2:38:41] lithium valley.
[2:38:44] I am speaking this afternoon on my own behalf as an individual and not for the entire
[2:38:49] council in support of this project because it is it is good for our economic development
[2:38:55] and will bring much needed jobs for many of our residents that are currently unemployed.
[2:39:02] I welcome the economic and global environmental benefits the Lithium Valley industry will bring
[2:39:08] to our municipality, county, and state, and to the nation's energy security.
[2:39:15] The Lithium Valley community benefits funding from the SB 1-2-5 excise tax will provide 30 percent
[2:39:23] direct investments towards the most disadvantaged communities and households
[2:39:29] within the red line communities of Calibata and Nile and other Northern
[2:39:33] communities. 20% of the excise funding will go directly to the restoration of
[2:39:39] the Sultan's Sea. The whole Imperial County will benefit from the community
[2:39:44] benefits for much needed funding for infrastructure projects, bridges and roads
[2:39:49] and economic development.
[2:39:51] These lithium projects will provide opportunities
[2:39:54] for business, public agencies, nonprofits,
[2:39:57] and other institutions to participate in and benefit
[2:40:01] from statewide and national efforts
[2:40:04] to promote green, clean energy.
[2:40:07] As well, let's say you can start working it up.
[2:40:08] And we need benefits.
[2:40:09] We'll provide the infrastructure funding
[2:40:11] for state highway 11 and improvements for streets
[2:40:14] and the acquisition of the water system in Cali Patra.
[2:40:17] My time is up, almost not.
[2:40:19] It's quite a finish.
[2:40:22] It will also provide educational funding to assist our local Califitry School District
[2:40:27] and Parivoli College and the San Diego State University and Imperial County campus.
[2:40:32] These community benefits will maximize economic and environmental and public health benefits
[2:40:38] for Califatara and the United Communities, particularly in the Salt and Sea receding charlains and complement
[2:40:43] And then efforts and increased funding to improve air quality to the impacted communities.
[2:40:49] These lithium projects will foster job creation by promoting local impacted communities within the lithium valley and geothermal basin area.
[2:40:57] I strongly urge you to do everything you can to help the Imperial County make these projects a reality.
[2:41:03] I ask today for the County Board of Supervisors to approve the CTR's health,
[2:41:09] health, kitchen, power, company, and health, kitchen,
[2:41:12] lithium, conditional use permit, as submitted by the Control Thermo Resources.
[2:41:17] Thank you very much for your time and have a good day.
[2:41:19] Thank you, Ms. Wolves.
[2:41:20] Thank you.
[2:41:23] Next speaker, Mr. Gerard and Mark.
[2:41:28] Hello, good afternoon.
[2:41:30] My name is Gerard Neymark.
[2:41:31] I'm the California Organizer with Earthworks.
[2:41:35] We're a nonprofit organization that protects communities in the environment from
[2:41:40] the adverse impacts of mineral and energy development while promoting sustainable solutions.
[2:41:47] And for the past two years, I've been working with community organizations in Imperial
[2:41:51] County to better understand the impacts of proposed lithium extraction projects.
[2:41:56] I'm commenting today to urge the board to grant the 30-day continuance that Komite Civico
[2:42:02] has requested or to grant the appeal.
[2:42:04] So, with Komite, I've reviewed and submitted comments at every stage of the process.
[2:42:11] I remain concerned that the applicant has failed to disclose and analyze significant environmental impacts as required by CEQA,
[2:42:18] and that our comments have not received a full response, and that the final EIR remains inadequate.
[2:42:25] In particular, I'm concerned about the lack of cumulative impacts analysis with regards to water supply for
[2:42:31] The Water Supply Assessment considers in isolation the project's 6,500 acre feet per year demand,
[2:42:42] ignoring the additional demand from the nearby proposed geothermal power plants.
[2:42:47] They would bring consumption for non-agricultural use well above the remainder under the interim water supply policy.
[2:42:55] Then, if you also account for what's being planned for Lithium Valley more broadly, now
[2:43:00] estimated at 100,000 acre feet per year in the initial study for the specific plan,
[2:43:06] for the major shortfall with no explanation of where this water will come from and what
[2:43:11] the impacts will be, the EIR needs to be revised to analyze this reality of limited water supply
[2:43:17] in the region, especially with federal scientists just now projecting that Lake Mead will once
[2:43:23] Again, reach historic lows by the end of 2025, every drop matters.
[2:43:28] I'm also concerned about the lack of clarity and analysis regarding hazards,
[2:43:33] such as potential for brine spills and classification of hazardous waste.
[2:43:37] The applicant continues to state that waste produced by descaling,
[2:43:41] exceeding California standards will be extremely rare.
[2:43:44] But they don't explain how they arrived at that finding.
[2:43:47] Understanding their methodology is crucial information to keep the community and
[2:43:51] and the environment safe from the hazards
[2:43:53] from a novel operation.
[2:43:57] Finally, I'd like to clarify that some of the comments
[2:44:02] made today about base load energy
[2:44:04] don't account for the fact that 35 to 40 megawatts
[2:44:07] will be used to power the lithium extraction plant itself.
[2:44:11] Geothermal and base load power are great,
[2:44:14] but this majority of this energy produced will go
[2:44:17] towards lithium extraction
[2:44:18] and that needs to be considered carefully.
[2:44:21] Earthworks is not against lithium extraction.
[2:44:24] On the contrary, we believe Imperial County has an historic opportunity to work towards
[2:44:28] adjust energy transition by pursuing responsible projects with the highest environmental standards.
[2:44:34] Unfortunately, the Hell's Kitchen project, as it currently stands, does not set a good example.
[2:44:40] And so I'd ask the board to grant the continuance where they appeal.
[2:44:44] Thank you for your consideration.
[2:44:45] Thank you, sir.
[2:44:48] Our last speaker for the day.
[2:44:49] Yes.
[2:44:50] Last speaker.
[2:44:50] Dr. Ali Sharba.
[2:44:55] Good afternoon.
[2:44:57] Good afternoon.
[2:45:00] Welcome to providers. My, my name is Dr. Ali Sharbat, I'm a professor of civil engineering at Cal Poly Pomona. My area of work, what I do is environmental engineering and water resources management. I've been involved in development of this draft environmental impact report. And we've been providing
[2:45:29] review comments since it was other side, we responded in October of 23, but
[2:45:44] unfortunately I see we have not seen proper response or action items from
[2:45:50] the applicants. So I would like to urge the Board of Supervisors to grant a
[2:45:58] appeal for the unrequired revision of the environmental impact report.
[2:46:05] I have a few points to make while I think this environmental impact report is not proper.
[2:46:15] First of all, this project does not properly consider the availability of water.
[2:46:23] It doesn't respond to water supply concerns.
[2:46:29] As all of us, we know the Colorado River basin experience
[2:46:34] in significant water stress, particularly in the lower basin,
[2:46:39] and Lake Mead is a good representative of the situation
[2:46:42] that is happening.
[2:46:45] During the past two decades, the level is going down.
[2:46:49] vendor is no water, how we are going to allocate 6,500 acre feet of water for a single project.
[2:47:03] I feel that there will be challenges, there is not available water for projects for simply
[2:47:12] municipalities are being concerned in other states and this is something that we need to be
[2:47:18] thinking of. The second point is the need for hydrogeology study. The ERI
[2:47:26] basically says since the other existing geothermal plants are returning back
[2:47:34] to the layers underground, this project is going to do the same thing. This is
[2:47:40] totally irrelevant. Comparing this project with the existing project is totally
[2:47:45] irrelevant because there are changes, there are undisclosed changes to the matrix of water.
[2:47:52] And this water is going to be changed and it's going to be injected underground and it is going to
[2:47:57] have significant effects on the quality of ground, the resource, which is underground.
[2:48:07] And I'm from Cal Poly Pomona. The picture you see behind me is the campus Cal Poly Pomona
[2:48:13] five decades ago, some private companies came and did some projects in the region and
[2:48:18] unfortunately the ground water underneath Cal Poly Pomona is contaminated forever.
[2:48:24] Next generations will not have the opportunity to use the ground water.
[2:48:28] Doctor, we can wrap it up, please.
[2:48:31] Thank you, absolutely. And what I want to
[2:48:37] And the way I want to wrap it up is that I'm totally in support of the economic developments
[2:48:43] of this type of projects which we'll bring to the region and people should not be concerned
[2:48:50] if the company moves to other states because other states do not have lithium resources to
[2:48:55] offer.
[2:48:56] What we are saying is this type of project need to be done properly and I would urge the support
[2:49:02] I would also provide this to Grant Appeal for the revision of the year right and thank you for the opportunity.
[2:49:09] Thank you, Dr.
[2:49:12] Kaye.
[2:49:13] That brings to close the public hearing portion of this item.
[2:49:18] Bring it back to this body for questions, comments, motions, chair, comment.
[2:49:25] Mr. Eskobart, go ahead.
[2:49:26] Thank you, Chair.
[2:49:29] I'll be sort of quick as I am hungry and thirsty.
[2:49:34] And no, I just did that, but thank you.
[2:49:38] Some of you know, because I think I've said the story before, my dad went through some
[2:49:43] hard times with all these pace of devaluations and came back to Imperial County to seek employment.
[2:49:53] And he went from being an accountant in Mexico to being what Ruth, where were you back in
[2:49:58] the day?
[2:49:59] a teamster with a lexical housing authority.
[2:50:02] And the job he got was as a utility worker.
[2:50:06] And it basically meant that he had to cut grass.
[2:50:10] And I'm not comparing it to farm labor workers
[2:50:13] because I think that might even be a harder job.
[2:50:16] But cutting grass at 120 degrees from seven to four
[2:50:20] is not an easy task.
[2:50:23] Six to seven months out of here.
[2:50:26] Circle back to, I was lucky enough to be unlucky enough, depending on how you see the glass
[2:50:32] have four, half empty, where I was able to go to college, get a degree, get an MBA, come
[2:50:38] back to a local bank.
[2:50:40] That local bank in Tadeh employed over 250 people with an average wage rate of roughly
[2:50:49] $50,000.
[2:50:51] My dad made $5 an hour, minute wage, I'm sure some of you are going to remember it was $4.25, this is 1987.
[2:50:59] Ten years later, I was able to get employed by a bank where the average wage rate was roughly $50,000.
[2:51:05] Plus benefits, retirement, et cetera.
[2:51:10] You know how many jobs are left in Peril County from that bank?
[2:51:13] From $250, plus?
[2:51:16] Two.
[2:51:18] Two.
[2:51:18] So, when opportunity comes our way that will, exponentially, increase opportunities, not
[2:51:29] for me, not for them, for our kids and for our grandkids, is very hard to turn a cold
[2:51:38] shoulder.
[2:51:39] It's very hard to turn a cold shoulder because this is the future of Imperial County.
[2:51:45] Imperial County will no longer be a government and form driven economy.
[2:51:51] It will be an industrial forming and government driven economy, which is a three-headed
[2:51:57] monster, which is a lot easier to digest and provides exponential opportunities for
[2:52:03] our kids and our grandkids.
[2:52:05] And for those of you out there that think, I don't care about health, come at me guns blazing.
[2:52:12] I've got three girls and they battle canters three times.
[2:52:17] Hodgkin's lymphoma, Ewing's sarcoma, and AML, acute my loaded leukemia.
[2:52:22] So if you think, I don't care about the health and
[2:52:26] well-being, air quality, water quality, in our county, you're fucking wrong.
[2:52:31] I apologize for the F-bond, but I'm very passionate about this.
[2:52:35] Good week.
[2:52:36] Thank you.
[2:52:37] Thank you, Mr.
[2:52:43] Hocker, then Mr. Kelly.
[2:52:46] Yes, thank you for an opportunity.
[2:52:49] I find that Mr. Sisson, the attorney for a committee, when I look at their objections,
[2:52:56] I feel that they are shallow objections.
[2:53:00] First of all, comments like a deeply flawed mitigation measure.
[2:53:07] What does that mean?
[2:53:08] Deeply flawed.
[2:53:08] So I look at that. I look at the overuse and allocation of water. One of their issues
[2:53:16] was that it's a mile away. My goodness, IID can deliver water to San Diego. That's a
[2:53:24] little farther than a mile away. They talk also about 6,500 acre feet of water. That's
[2:53:31] mitigation, I'm in the farming business and that is made up.
[2:53:37] Their water can be made up right here in our valley, and they're by conservation
[2:53:43] measures, okay.
[2:53:45] So all kinds of ways, I don't see that that's an issue.
[2:53:48] Another comment was novel areas of unknown safeguards.
[2:53:53] What does that mean?
[2:53:56] Okay, unknown safeguards, okay.
[2:53:58] and on and on in public benefits. But so committee has said we object, object to
[2:54:07] objections to fails and fails to use an accurate and stable project description.
[2:54:15] Okay, what does that mean? Listen folks, these are, these are very vague, very broad
[2:54:25] measures that they're using against Hill's kitchen. When I read in the report, I read a
[2:54:32] little bit more about, there's concerns about a brine pond. Okay, that might be a legitimate.
[2:54:39] But how? Okay, if you're doing it right because of the lining. Number two, re-injection process.
[2:54:46] And I'm just not sure that committee understands what a re-injection process is. Listen, they've
[2:54:54] been re-injecting ever since pawns have been out there ever since the geothermal industry
[2:54:59] has gone has been operating.
[2:55:02] And Mr. Turner could tell you that in a heartbeat.
[2:55:04] Okay?
[2:55:05] Listen, what happens when you don't re-inject is what you have in Mexico where they did
[2:55:09] not re-inject the fields below Mexicali?
[2:55:12] They sunk.
[2:55:14] It's terrible out there.
[2:55:16] It's just a big sump and then it's full of water and it's got all kinds of stuff.
[2:55:22] of chemicals and whatever, you know, very unsafe.
[2:55:27] So re-injection is proven and it's important.
[2:55:31] Then they talk about directional drilling
[2:55:34] and dewatering activities.
[2:55:37] Oh, what does that mean?
[2:55:39] Okay, you know, I'm not an expert, don't plan to be.
[2:55:42] But, you know, Mr. Sisson as an attorney,
[2:55:47] I would be concerned about criticizing someone
[2:55:50] that's been in the business like control thermal resources or any of the other companies
[2:55:58] that are out there.
[2:56:01] So here's the thing that I would say when a planning commission approves this project,
[2:56:07] that's huge.
[2:56:08] They have looked at every aspect of what is happening.
[2:56:12] When the planning and development department approves this project, that means a lot, okay?
[2:56:19] They've approved two CUPs, they've approved two variances, they've approved the environmental
[2:56:27] impact report which is huge.
[2:56:31] The mitigation monitoring and reporting program has been approved.
[2:56:37] The water supply assessment has been approved and the CEQA, California Environmental Quality
[2:56:45] Act has been approved.
[2:56:48] So, with respect to all the speakers, I think everybody for coming and with great respect,
[2:56:57] we honor Mrs. Carmen Lucas and Mr. Milanovic and what they've said about their native, their
[2:57:08] views on the native Indians and all of that, we appreciate that and we know that there
[2:57:13] There are concerns there, but an EIR, and let me conclude with this, an EIR is presumed
[2:57:20] adequate and the plaintiff in a sequel action as the burden of proving otherwise.
[2:57:28] So folks, there are things probably that are unknown, but I think they have exhausted
[2:57:33] everything that this county has asked them to do.
[2:57:38] They've been in this process for I don't know how many years, ten years.
[2:57:40] And so, when you look at this, it is an unbelievable hurdle that they've overcome.
[2:57:49] Not to mention the jobs, the productivity, the resources, the mothers in this valley that say bring my kids home, give them a good job.
[2:58:01] And I've walked an area in Brawley probably a year ago and I heard that over and over again we need good jobs.
[2:58:10] to bring our kids home, to bring them home they leave, they grow up in the valley and they take off.
[2:58:17] And it's one of the things that helps build families.
[2:58:21] When you can bring your kids home to a good job, then that's where families thrive and prosper.
[2:58:29] So I am willing to make a motion to approve Hills Kitchen as submitted by CTR.
[2:58:37] So I don't know if that's appropriate at this time?
[2:58:40] You can go ahead and when it comes time too.
[2:58:43] Okay.
[2:58:43] If you have no further comments, we'll go to the supervisor, Michael Kelly.
[2:58:46] Thank you.
[2:58:48] Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
[2:58:50] You know, I live in the valley my entire year.
[2:58:52] I'm not going to talk about myself with things I've done or seen or gone through to have
[2:58:58] this life.
[2:59:00] But I heard a lot of information today and one that keeps sticking out in my mind is disadvantaged
[2:59:05] advantage communities. Well, I submit to you the entire county
[2:59:11] of Imperial has been disadvantaged for many, many, many, many years. We now have an
[2:59:16] opportunity to change the direction of the course that Imperial County can go
[2:59:20] and benefit generations to come. And I submit to you, Board, would be totally and
[2:59:27] absolutely irresponsible for us not to go forward with this project. And that's
[2:59:33] how I stand, and that's my support.
[2:59:35] And it's nice and brief.
[2:59:37] Thank you.
[2:59:38] Thank you.
[2:59:39] Supervisor Kelly.
[2:59:40] Supervisor Ryan Kelly?
[2:59:42] Thank you, Chair.
[2:59:44] I want to acknowledge everybody that came to spend a morning and afternoon with us.
[2:59:53] Thank you.
[2:59:55] Everyone's voice is heard.
[2:59:57] But uh...
[3:00:00] I do want to share some of the conditions of where we are today, is that this board has been building an environment to see this activity. Not just Hell's Kitchen, but the entire lithium valley prospectus for the future of our youth and for us. To be able to have opportunities here in Imperial County beyond, as Mr. Eskora mentioned, government service and ag.
[3:00:30] And I've been living that this past 10 years, trying to get recognition of geothermal in federal and state hallways, and it finally happened in 2021, where the PUC recognized it and added it to the Integrated Resource Plan.
[3:00:50] And I didn't hear any of these complaints, though, in 2013 or in 2021 when another applicant was coming before this board.
[3:01:05] So I support Imperial County jobs, I support Imperial County's future, and I believe that the applicant and the county have performed their due diligence in giving us an opportunity.
[3:01:20] That's the document that we should feel comfortable with and move forward.
[3:01:24] I have reviewed, and I support a motion that's being proposed.
[3:01:31] Thank you, Supervisor Kelly.
[3:01:34] I think all of us can get behind all five of us can get behind the feeling shared today.
[3:01:41] I would like to thank everybody who has spoken on either side of this issue.
[3:01:48] And I respect your points of view.
[3:01:52] I think that today we have heard some good, solid information, but I also can see where
[3:02:00] there is red herring that saying, look at something else.
[3:02:05] You know, the sequel process clearly spells out what has to be done.
[3:02:10] And my fear is that if we either do a continuation on this or turn it down is that after that another organization will say, well, I wasn't consulted with, so let's go ahead and kick it forward another month or 60 days.
[3:02:31] improperly placing themselves in the future, in sequel processes, which that is not part of the sequel process.
[3:02:39] I think that this is a great opportunity for our county economics and also for us to get a message that we are growing Lithium Valley.
[3:02:50] We are here to do business.
[3:02:52] If you do your proper reports and environmental assessments in SEQUA, we will welcome you with open arms.
[3:03:03] So with that, Madam Clerk, if you make motions available, what I like to do is once the motions are made,
[3:03:14] I would like to go ahead and do a roll call vote on this item.
[3:03:17] And if I, and if you can go ahead and clarify your motion.
[3:03:23] Okay, my motion is to approve the Hills Kitchen project as submitted by CTR.
[3:03:30] And that would be denying the appeal.
[3:03:32] Denying the appeal.
[3:03:33] Is that?
[3:03:34] Yeah, wanted it.
[3:03:34] And, and Chairman, I would, I would recommend once again to go one at a time as listed on the agenda.
[3:03:40] Okay, and so where's the agenda if you want to make them okay I make a motion that we
[3:03:53] support approval of denial of appeal number 23 that's 0 0 0 4
[3:04:06] prior to a second do you
[3:04:11] You have to clarify anything as far as how the reading, how it's being read and presented, just to make sure that would be a question for the clerk as well as our county council.
[3:04:20] So this motion would be for, and it's in the backup here as number one, and then it has two A, B and C. As it's listed on the agenda, it's considered approval or denial of appeal.
[3:04:33] So this motion here is to deny the appeal and then to re-emphasize everything we would go down the list for all that conditional use permits and so on.
[3:04:45] And typically the clerk reads the portion of the item as well as the alphanumeric bullet point.
[3:04:56] So I just want to be clear so there won't be any issues down the road.
[3:04:59] I can go ahead and do that.
[3:05:00] Okay. Thank you. Sure. Yes, sir. As Mr. S. Gorgeous mentioned, so a first action would be the denial as listed on the item agenda.
[3:05:11] Very correct. Okay.
[3:05:13] Mr. Jimmy, you want to know how that is, that would be sending a clear message. Yes.
[3:05:20] Just for clarification, 23a would be considered denial of appeal, number 23-004.
[3:05:31] We have a motion by Mr. Hawke, a second by Mr. Michael Kelly on this one.
[3:05:42] District one.
[3:05:43] Yes.
[3:05:44] District two.
[3:05:45] Yes.
[3:05:45] District three.
[3:05:47] Yes.
[3:05:48] District four.
[3:05:49] Yes.
[3:05:50] District five.
[3:05:51] Yes.
[3:05:57] 23B.
[3:05:58] Be consider approval of water supply agreement.
[3:06:01] So, we have a motion by Supervisor Michael Kelly, a second by Supervisor John Huck, call for the vote.
[3:06:16] District one.
[3:06:17] Yes.
[3:06:18] District two.
[3:06:19] Yes.
[3:06:20] District three.
[3:06:20] Yes.
[3:06:21] District four.
[3:06:22] Yes.
[3:06:23] District five.
[3:06:24] Yes.
[3:06:24] Yes.
[3:06:30] 23C, consider approval of final EIR and findings of X for SCH, number 2022, 0307, 040.
[3:06:48] And that would be motion by Supervisor Hissley-Sosco, second by Supervisor Ryan Kelly.
[3:06:56] Just to clarify, for the record, clerk, consider it to denial.
[3:07:02] I think you said approval.
[3:07:04] I'm sorry.
[3:07:08] Approval of denial.
[3:07:10] No.
[3:07:10] The final year?
[3:07:12] Approval of denial.
[3:07:13] The final year?
[3:07:14] The final year?
[3:07:15] Approval of appeal.
[3:07:15] Okay.
[3:07:16] The wording here is denial of appeal, right?
[3:07:19] Yes, and now we're on, did you say, consider a approval of final year?
[3:07:27] Okay, let's go ahead and get the wording to your end list.
[3:07:31] So far, we're
[3:07:43] going through each letter and we're approving the different.
[3:07:53] Is it approval of the ERA?
[3:07:56] It is approval and denial of the appeal of the appeal, okay.
[3:08:00] We are denying the appeal.
[3:08:02] So in 23A, we denied the appeal.
[3:08:05] So we're going through each letter and we're approving the different.
[3:08:10] Correct.
[3:08:14] 23C, Approval Final EIR, SCH 2022.
[3:08:21] 030704, including findings of facts.
[3:08:23] We are approving the EIR.
[3:08:27] I see that.
[3:08:29] Okay, so we have a motion by supervisor Escobar, a second by supervisor Ryan Kelly.
[3:08:35] Let's call for the vote.
[3:08:39] District one.
[3:08:40] Yes.
[3:08:40] Yes. District 2.
[3:08:41] Yes.
[3:08:41] District 3.
[3:08:42] Yes.
[3:08:43] District 4.
[3:08:44] Yes.
[3:08:44] District 5.
[3:08:45] Yes.
[3:08:53] 23D.
[3:08:55] Approval of mitigation monitoring and reporting program.
[3:08:59] Correct.
[3:09:00] We have a motion by supervisor Michael Kelly, a second by supervisor John Huck, please vote.
[3:09:09] District 1.
[3:09:10] Yes.
[3:09:11] District 2.
[3:09:11] Yes.
[3:09:12] District 3.
[3:09:13] Yes.
[3:09:13] Yes.
[3:09:13] District 4.
[3:09:14] Yes.
[3:09:15] District 5.
[3:09:15] Yes.
[3:09:23] 23e.
[3:09:25] Approval of conditional use permit number 21-020, Power Code 1 LLC.
[3:09:34] We have a motion by supervisor John Hock, a second by supervisor Eskobar, please call for
[3:09:41] the vote.
[3:09:43] District 1.
[3:09:43] Yes.
[3:09:44] District 2.
[3:09:45] Yes.
[3:09:46] Yes.
[3:09:47] District 3.
[3:09:48] Yes.
[3:09:48] Yes, please.
[3:09:49] District 5.
[3:09:51] District 5.
[3:09:52] Yes.
[3:10:00] 23F.
[3:10:01] Approval conditional use permit.
[3:10:04] Number 21-021.
[3:10:06] Lithium-Co-1.
[3:10:07] LLC.
[3:10:09] A motion by Supervisor Michael Kelly.
[3:10:12] A second by Supervisor Hiss.
[3:10:13] Will this go out?
[3:10:14] Please call for the vote.
[3:10:16] District 1.
[3:10:17] Yes.
[3:10:18] District 2.
[3:10:19] Yes.
[3:10:19] District 3.
[3:10:20] Yes.
[3:10:21] District 4.
[3:10:22] Yes.
[3:10:22] Yes.
[3:10:22] District 5.
[3:10:23] Yes.
[3:10:30] 23G.
[3:10:31] Approval of variance and number 21-004, Power Co. 1, LLC.
[3:10:40] We have a motion by Supervisor John Hawke, second by Supervisor Michael Kelly.
[3:10:46] Please call for the vote.
[3:10:50] District 1.
[3:10:51] Yes.
[3:10:52] District 2.
[3:10:53] Yes.
[3:10:53] District 3.
[3:10:54] Yes.
[3:10:55] District 4.
[3:10:56] Yes.
[3:10:56] District 5.
[3:10:57] Yes.
[3:10:57] Yes.
[3:11:04] And 23H approval, approval of variance number 21-005, Lithium Coal 1, LLC.
[3:11:14] Last but not least on this item, we have a motion by Supervisor John Hawke, a second
[3:11:19] by Supervisor Eskobar, please call for the vote.
[3:11:24] District one?
[3:11:25] Yes.
[3:11:26] District two?
[3:11:27] Yes.
[3:11:27] District three?
[3:11:28] Yes.
[3:11:29] District four?
[3:11:30] Yes.
[3:11:31] District five.
[3:11:32] Yes.
[3:11:35] Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Therefore, the appeal
[3:11:45] is the client and the project is approved looking for the right one.
[3:12:00] 38. Correct. And with that, we will go ahead to item spool from the discussion calendar. Item number 38 is up next.
[3:12:28] Goal in this side of silence is gold but sometimes now we've got to go
[3:12:49] in.
[3:12:53] I didn't drink through sodas.
[3:13:00] Okay, we are coming back from break Barrow County Board of Supervisors meeting January 23rd, 2024.
[3:13:11] We are going on to agenda item number 38 register of voters.
[3:13:15] This is the approved conducting special election for the city of Calexico, authorizing the register of voters to Canvas and approved budget resolution, sorry, city of Calexico, correct.
[3:13:36] All right.
[3:13:39] Lizzie?
[3:13:39] Sure.
[3:13:40] So before you today is a request to allow us to conduct the callxico recall schedule for April 16th, we have received the resolution.
[3:13:50] This will be the approval for us to conduct the election and the canvas afterwards with an estimated budget of 128,346 that we've estimated.
[3:13:59] Of course we don't know exactly the exact figure, but that is our estimation based on previous elections at approximately $6 per voter multiplied by the number of voters that a city of classical currently has in the packet is a bar for your approval as well.
[3:14:17] Well, Lindsey just so that I understand this neighborhood of $6 per voter.
[3:14:24] That is per voter that we reach out to and not necessarily per voters that show up, is that correct?
[3:14:29] Correct, that's for each registered voter.
[3:14:31] Correct.
[3:14:31] So that's the voters that we send ballots to, not that return them.
[3:14:35] Okay.
[3:14:36] Any questions before I open public comment?
[3:14:38] Yes, sir.
[3:14:40] What exactly do you do when you can the city, the voters, what do you do?
[3:14:47] No, Canvas is when we count the ballots, basically.
[3:14:49] So that's the counting of the ballots.
[3:14:51] And then after the election we balance the precincts and the ballots that came in.
[3:14:56] There's a whole process there.
[3:14:58] So we're not actually talking to voters.
[3:15:00] So it's Canvas is canvassing the ballots. Okay. We will now open the public comment portion of the item. We have one request to speak from Chambers. I'm Ms. Medi-Sof-Thatham.
[3:15:18] Thank you very much for the opportunity. And thank you for reminding me to stay on topic. I know that it's very difficult when we come here for a recall to discuss that everything that's been going on in the pure county with regard in Calexico to our recall. I know that it's very easy and to be very charged.
[3:15:35] to emotionally charged here, however, it is very important that we ask that we come here
[3:15:40] so that it can be clarified why the City of Calexico ended up with $128,000 as the
[3:15:48] cost and why do I come here to ask that is because as you said, you want me to stay on topic
[3:15:54] but it is really hard as a community of Calexico to see that our media does not participate
[3:16:02] to educate our community and just last week the collectible chronicle had an editorial
[3:16:08] or forgot what it was, by an attorney or a very nice gentleman, Aguña.
[3:16:13] And Mr. Aguña had no information whatsoever as far as how this all happened.
[3:16:18] And Mr. Aguña accuses the citizens of collectible to be at fault for this for why it ended up increasing in price.
[3:16:27] So I think that if we can clarify not only to the Mr. Aguña's that are out there,
[3:16:31] find gentlemen that just are not informed on how this happened for the recall, help us
[3:16:36] the citizens to understand.
[3:16:37] And so that that way, the truth be known as to why the citizens worked so hard.
[3:16:43] Thank you, Imperial County.
[3:16:44] Thank you to the Department of Register of Voters who also assisted the citizens of
[3:16:49] Calexico in this recall to complete their tasks on time.
[3:16:53] We completed our task on time.
[3:16:55] As asked, we submitted over 5,000 signatures for each candidate.
[3:16:59] there are two. Mr. Rauulu Urenga and Mr. Gilberto Monsanadas, we did what was expected
[3:17:05] of us. We worked really hard. And for anyone out there with apparent responsibilities
[3:17:11] in the communities such as lawyers to be writing on our local paper that the fact that the
[3:17:18] citizens failed to act appropriately in this type of a process. This type of a process is not popular.
[3:17:25] You know that there hasn't been any successful recalls in a really long time in Imperial County.
[3:17:31] So why are we being treated this way?
[3:17:33] Why is it that we are being locked out of being respected?
[3:17:37] Because as far as the work that we did was highly respectable,
[3:17:40] we had a group of really awesome people come together to communicate,
[3:17:45] to get to know each other, to understand the issues,
[3:17:48] the very serious issues that we have in this area ago,
[3:17:50] that we feel that this administration that we have at this time needs to be recalled.
[3:17:55] As you can see today, you had an arm, I guess, of that group that came here, Ivy Equity
[3:18:00] and Justice.
[3:18:01] They have been troubled.
[3:18:02] Why?
[3:18:03] Because our mayor belongs to that organization.
[3:18:06] And you also have other individuals that belong to that organization that you have come
[3:18:09] across here as well, which is Alexis Castro.
[3:18:12] And Alexis Castro was an employee of Gomita Sivico, the person that came here today to appeal
[3:18:17] to you.
[3:18:18] So, I asked that you please clarify why this cost happened, why they was elevated, and that
[3:18:24] But it was not the fault of the community of Calexico.
[3:18:26] Rather, it was the fault of one single person.
[3:18:29] Gloria Romo, our now mayor of the City of Calexico, unfortunately.
[3:18:35] Thank you, Mr. Fellow.
[3:18:38] Any additional speakers, seeming to be none.
[3:18:41] Bring it back to this body.
[3:18:48] Any,
[3:18:52] do we have any questions, Lindsay?
[3:18:55] Is there anything you'd like to just briefly clarify?
[3:18:59] No, I have nothing else to add.
[3:19:02] Nothing else to add.
[3:19:03] Okay, so the City of Collective will be billed for the election.
[3:19:07] Correct, correct.
[3:19:09] This is how we run elections, the districts that the election is for, pays for the election.
[3:19:16] And they have been made aware of that, they've known that from the very beginning.
[3:19:23] We know seemingly additional questions.
[3:19:26] We have a motion by Supervisor Michael Kelly, a second by Supervisor John Huck.
[3:19:30] Please vote.
[3:19:38] I had him pass this, including the bar.
[3:19:40] Thank you.
[3:19:41] Mr. Chair, I forgot to bring something up earlier, but I'd like to take this opportunity to extend an invitation to this full board.
[3:19:49] The invitation is from New Creations that are having an appreciation luncheon for
[3:19:53] the Imperial County District Attorney's Office and probation, they have it every year.
[3:19:58] This year will be February the 21st at noon, at 590 West Orange Avenue, El Centro.
[3:20:06] I think I've gone to it every year, and it's a very successful thing that they do in
[3:20:11] appreciation for the hard work of the district attorney's office in probation.
[3:20:15] So if you would put that on your calendar, if you forget it, give me a call, let you
[3:20:19] know.
[3:20:20] And I mean, Cynthia will have it down.
[3:20:23] So that is February 21st at noon, at 590 West Orange Avenue, El Centro, and it's a good
[3:20:31] luncheon.
[3:20:31] And it's a good speaker.
[3:20:33] You guys will really enjoy it.
[3:20:34] Excellent.
[3:20:35] thank you for the invitation. Appreciate it. Okay, continuing on with our agenda. We will now reconvene into close session. Thank you.
[3:20:44] Thank you.
[3:20:46] Mr. Chairman, would you like to go through a discussion, Helena, just to let you lay something on the counter.
[3:20:59] So that they don't have to come back to report.
[3:21:02] Yeah, I'm learning I'm learning okay discussion
[3:21:14] Any reports
[3:21:16] And no legislation see your office
[3:21:20] Nothing to edit this time chairman county council. Nothing chairman. Thank you any departments or agencies
[3:21:29] Okay, being none we will allow we can be to close session
[3:21:33] Thank
[3:22:04] you, Cynthia.
[3:22:06] The Board met in closed session regarding a conference with real property negotiator under
[3:22:11] government code 54956.8 concerning the property at 440 West Main Street, Calipatria, APN
[3:22:19] 023-070-007, Negotiate Party City of Calipatria, direction was given no portable action taken.
[3:22:29] The board met and closed session regarding a conference of legal counsel, existing litigation under government code 54956.91, the case of Otero versus County of Imperial, Imperial Superior Court case number ECU003036, direction was given no Portable Action Taken, the board met and closed regarding a conference of legal counsel under anticipated litigation, significant exposure to litigation.
[3:22:56] The investigation, two matters under government code 54956.92.
[3:23:00] Direction was given no portable action taken.
[3:23:03] The board met in closed session regarding a comfort with labor negotiator under government code 54957.6.
[3:23:10] Direction was given no portable action taken.
[3:23:12] This includes my report.
[3:23:14] Thank you, Mr. Haven.
[3:23:15] It is 2.06 p.m., meeting adjourned.