[0:00] >>STEPHANIE MOULTON-PETERS,
[0:01] PRES.: Good morning, everyone.
[0:02] What a happy crowd we have here.
[0:04] All right. I'd like to call to
[0:05] order the Marin County Board of
[0:08] Supervisors meeting of December
[0:10] 12, 2023. I will ask the clerk
[0:12] to take the roll and tell us how
[0:14] to participate remotely.
[0:16] >>CLERK: Thank you. Supervisor
[0:16] Rice.
[0:20] >>KATIE RICE: Here.
[0:21] >>CLERK: Supervisor Lucan.
[0:22] >>ERIC LUCAN: Here.
[0:24] >>CLERK: Supervisor Sackett.
[0:24] >>MARY SACKETT: Here.
[0:25] >>CLERK: Supervisor Rodoni.
[0:27] >>DENNIS RODONI: Here.
[0:27] >>CLERK: Supervisor
[0:28] Moulton-Peters.
[0:29] >>STEPHANIE MOULTON-PETERS,
[0:29] PRES.: Here.
[0:30] >>CLERK: If you are joining us
[0:30] today on zoom or would like to
[0:32] participate, please use the
[0:33] raise hand icon located on your
[0:35] screen. If you are
[0:36] participating by land line,
[0:37] please press* 9 to raise your
[0:39] hand. When it's your turn to
[0:41] speak, your name will be called
[0:42] and you will be asked to unmute
[0:43] your device. If you are
[0:44] participating by land line, you
[0:45] will hear that you are unmuted.
[0:47] That concludes the instructions
[0:48] and I will pass the meeting back
[0:50] to President Moulton-Peters.
[0:50] >>STEPHANIE MOULTON-PETERS,
[0:52] PRES.: Thank you. We have the
[0:54] pleasure of starting this
[0:55] morning's meeting honoring a
[0:57] very special person, Director
[1:00] Benita McLarin, Health and Human
[1:01] Services, who is retiring from
[1:03] public service after 43 years of
[1:07] exemplary public service.
[1:08] We have a little resolution that
[1:11] we'd like to start with. Then
[1:12] we're going to hear from elected
[1:15] officials in our different
[1:17] offices. Then Benita will have
[1:19] a chance to comment, followed by
[1:21] her Health and Human Services
[1:23] executive team. We'll have
[1:25] public comment, and then the
[1:26] Board of Supervisors will get
[1:28] one more opportunity to thank
[1:29] you.
[1:29] So with that, I want to start
[1:31] with the resolution, and we're
[1:33] going to share it up on the dais
[1:35] as we have come to do. So I
[1:37] have the first paragraph and
[1:39] some intervening paragraphs, and
[1:41] here we go.
[1:43] Whereas, the Board of
[1:45] Supervisors wishes to recognize
[1:45] and honor Dr. Benita McLarin,
[1:48] PhD, SM, MHA, AB, FACHE who has
[1:56] served as Marin County Director
[1:58] of Health and Human Services
[1:59] since 2019; and.
[2:03] >>ERIC LUCAN: Whereas,
[2:04] Dr. Benita McLarin began her
[2:05] government career in 1980 as a
[2:07] private in the United States
[2:08] army reserve and completed over
[2:10] 25 years in her military medical
[2:12] career, which included several
[2:14] overseas assignments to Germany
[2:15] and Korea, deployments to
[2:18] Honduras, Bosnia and to Saudi
[2:20] Arabia for the first Gulf War.
[2:21] Dr. McLarin completed the army's
[2:23] command and general staff
[2:24] college and air war college.
[2:26] Dr. McLarin is a combat veteran.
[2:29] Her last role with the United
[2:31] States army medical service
[2:32] corps was as battalion commander
[2:34] for the 168th medical battalion
[2:38] area support in Daegu, Korea.
[2:40] Dr. McLarin retired from active
[2:42] duty as a Lieutenant-Colonel in
[2:44] 2006; and.
[2:46] >>DENNIS RODONI: Whereas,
[2:47] Dr. Benita McLarin was selected
[2:49] director of Health and Human
[2:50] Services for the county of Marin
[2:52] in 2019, and immediately
[2:54] responded to power shutoffs,
[2:57] fire events, neighboring county
[3:00] evacuations, and a historic
[3:04] coronavirus disease pandemic.
[3:05] Dr. McLarin successively led
[3:08] department leaders and staff to
[3:09] an overall successful response
[3:11] of the pandemic, including
[3:14] superb social services support,
[3:18] exceptional Behavioral Health
[3:20] and Recovery Services, expanded
[3:21] homelessness services, and a
[3:23] nationally recognized public
[3:25] health response, including
[3:26] equity-focused testing access
[3:28] and vaccine distribution
[3:30] resulting in the county having
[3:32] the highest number of residents
[3:34] vaccinated, the lowest number of
[3:37] coronavirus disease cases in the
[3:39] State of California.
[3:40] Dr. McLarin led the
[3:43] implementation of department's
[3:44] first strategic plan to achieve
[3:46] health and wellness equity
[3:48] leading with race equity and.
[3:52] >>MARY SACKETT: Whereas,
[3:53] Dr. Benita McLarin has extensive
[3:55] education and training -- we'll
[3:57] define all those letters we
[3:59] heard earlier -- receiving a
[4:00] doctor of philosophy in health
[4:02] services leadership from Walden
[4:03] University, a masters of science
[4:05] and health policy in management
[4:06] from Harvard University school
[4:08] of public health, a masters of
[4:12] health administration from
[4:13] Chapman University, and a
[4:15] bachelor of arts with a major in
[4:16] psychology and a minor in
[4:17] women's studies from Washington
[4:19] University.
[4:23] >>KATIE RICE: And whereas
[4:23] Dr. Benita McLarin has worked
[4:25] tirelessly to ensure the health
[4:26] and well-being of the safety net
[4:29] population in Marin County and
[4:30] throughout the Bay Area. She is
[4:32] well known for being a positive
[4:34] communicator, an excellent
[4:36] collaborator, and a
[4:38] compassionate and caring and
[4:39] kind leader, and.
[4:39] >>STEPHANIE MOULTON-PETERS,
[4:44] PRES.: And I'm going to add that
[4:46] Dr. McLarin has served in so
[4:48] many Northern California
[4:51] counties, and I want to direct
[4:52] everyone to read the full
[4:54] resolution that you can find
[4:55] also in the packet, but I am
[4:57] going to add that Benita has
[5:01] been a marvelous teacher and
[5:02] mentor and primary instructor,
[5:05] adjunct instructor, and guest
[5:06] lecturer for over 20 years in
[5:08] various educational
[5:09] institutions. She's been a
[5:11] mentor in the County of Marin
[5:13] mentor program, college
[5:16] executive health care and
[5:17] iMentor Bay Area.
[5:19] And so for her many, many
[5:20] contributions, professionally
[5:22] and in her off-work hours, the
[5:28] Marin County Board of
[5:30] Supervisors wishes to express
[5:31] its sincere gratitude for the
[5:33] many contributions she has made
[5:34] to the Department of Health and
[5:36] Human Services and to making
[5:38] Marin a healthier and safer and
[5:39] more equitable community.
[5:43] So we will pass the resolution
[5:46] at the end of our remarks, and
[5:49] so I'm going to invite our
[5:51] elected officials to come up
[5:52] now, and we'll start with
[5:58] Assemblymember Connolly. Sorry,
[6:01] Damon. Well, it's part of the
[6:04] hometown team. Come on.
[6:07] >>DAMON CONNOLLY: I know. Maybe
[6:07] this morning I can go back to
[6:09] that role.
[6:10] >>STEPHANIE MOULTON-PETERS,
[6:11] PRES.: Honorary?
[6:12] >>DAMON CONNOLLY: No, it's
[6:13] really great to see the board
[6:14] this morning. Good morning,
[6:16] community. I'm Damon Connolly,
[6:18] your state assemblymember. Just
[6:23] really honored to be here this
[6:24] morning to recognize an
[6:26] extraordinary person and also
[6:28] public servant. As we celebrate
[6:30] the remarkable career of the
[6:32] county's director of Health and
[6:35] Human Services, Benita McLarin,
[6:36] on her well-deserved retirement
[6:38] after 43 years of dedicated
[6:41] public service, including four
[6:43] years of exemplary leadership in
[6:46] the County of Marin, and I was
[6:48] happy to actually participate in
[6:50] hiring Benita and just can
[6:55] attest how much she stood out
[6:57] with her commitment and her
[6:59] background, and it certainly
[7:04] panned out where you were
[7:05] literally the right person for
[7:07] the job in what turned out to be
[7:09] extraordinary times.
[7:11] Benita's commitment to public
[7:13] service has left an indelible
[7:15] mark on our community, and her
[7:17] impact over the years has been
[7:18] nothing short of extraordinary.
[7:21] It was mentioned in the
[7:23] resolution that you wrote a
[7:26] number of specific situations,
[7:28] including fire evacuations,
[7:31] public safety power shutoffs,
[7:34] and what really struck me is the
[7:36] level to which Benita was so
[7:38] hands on at all times, and all
[7:44] in. She didn't just oversee an
[7:47] emergency operation center. She
[7:49] pulled out the cot, slept down
[7:53] there for, like, three or four
[7:55] nights in a row. It's as if she
[7:57] needed to kind of relive her
[7:59] army days as she was doing this
[8:04] job, and I think it really set
[8:06] the tone for the approach that
[8:08] all the rest of us approached it
[8:11] with.
[8:12] And of course that was a -- but
[8:16] a warmup to the pandemic, and I
[8:20] think that really tested all of
[8:23] us. It tested the county. It
[8:26] tested our community, and
[8:28] Benita, it was really your
[8:31] leadership and steadfastness
[8:33] throughout that that I think
[8:35] really allowed us to get through
[8:38] that extraordinary time.
[8:40] I also had the pleasure of
[8:41] working closely with you on
[8:44] homelessness, the mental health
[8:46] crisis that our communities are
[8:48] now facing, and as was
[8:51] mentioned, your emphasis on
[8:53] bringing an equity approach,
[8:56] elevating all of us in what
[8:58] we're doing here for county
[9:01] residents will not be forgotten.
[9:04] Her ability to make tough
[9:06] decisions, coupled with her
[9:08] compassionate approach, ensured
[9:10] that the residents of Marin
[9:11] County received the support and
[9:13] care they needed during these
[9:15] challenging times.
[9:17] As we bid farewell to Benita
[9:19] McLarin, I take a moment to
[9:21] express our profound gratitude
[9:23] for her four decades of service
[9:27] to the public and her four years
[9:30] to the County of Marin. Her
[9:32] impact on the health and
[9:34] well-being of our community is
[9:36] immeasurable, and her legacy
[9:38] will undoubtedly endure for
[9:40] years to come.
[9:42] Benita, your retirement is
[9:43] richly deserved, and we wish you
[9:45] all the joy, relaxation --
[9:48] hopefully -- and fulfillment
[9:49] that this new chapter in life
[9:51] brings. May your future
[9:54] endeavours be as rewarding and
[9:56] inspiring as the incredible
[9:58] career you have left behind.
[10:00] Congratulations, Benita. Thank
[10:02] you for 43 years of selfless
[10:05] dedication to the betterment of
[10:08] the North Bay and beyond.
[10:10] And so it's my distinct honor,
[10:13] with California State Senator
[10:16] Mike McGuire, to present a
[10:18] resolution -- and we always get
[10:21] to make it really big, which is
[10:25] cool. I like that part of this
[10:27] gig. And Summer Cassel is here
[10:33] for Senator McGuire, and again,
[10:35] with sincere appreciation and
[10:38] congratulations. Thank you.
[10:39] All right.
[10:42] [ Applause ]
[10:55] Do we get a photo op later?
[10:58] Let's go to that.
[11:15] >>STEPHANIE MOULTON-PETERS,
[11:16] PRES.: Very good, and I'm going
[11:16] to go ahead and read the
[11:18] certificate of special
[11:20] congressional recognition from
[11:21] our Congressman Jared Huffman.
[11:24] Presented to Dr. Benita McLarin,
[11:27] in recognition of outstanding
[11:29] service to the residents of
[11:30] Marin County as Marin County
[11:32] Health and Human Services
[11:32] Director. Dr. McLarin led the
[11:35] county's largest department
[11:37] through three challenging years
[11:38] of the pandemic. Dr. McLarin
[11:41] drew on her extensive education,
[11:44] as well as her more than 20
[11:45] years as a medical services
[11:47] corps officer with the U.S. army
[11:49] to benefit her staff and the
[11:51] residents of Marin County.
[11:53] Among her many contributions is
[11:55] the implementation of the Health
[11:58] and Human Services strategic
[11:59] plan to achieve health and
[12:00] wellness equity, recognizing the
[12:03] severity of institutional racism
[12:06] as a public health crisis,
[12:08] Dr. McLarin prioritized
[12:09] equity-driven initiatives,
[12:11] including training staff on how
[12:13] to lead an anti-racist
[12:15] organization. As director, she
[12:18] assisted in the establishment of
[12:19] three new Homekey sites and
[12:22] continued the implementation of
[12:23] Marin's housing first policy.
[12:26] I join with her colleagues in
[12:28] extending deep appreciation to
[12:30] Dr. McLarin for outstanding
[12:32] public service to the Department
[12:34] of Health and Human Services and
[12:36] to the County of Marin. Jared
[12:39] Huffman, our Congressman.
[12:41] Congratulations, Benita.
[12:43] [ Applause ]
[12:52] Benita, we'll turn to you now
[12:54] for some comments.
[13:05] >>BENITA McLARIN: First of all,
[13:06] I want to say thanks be to God
[13:08] for the opportunities I've had
[13:09] over the last 43 years to serve
[13:12] the public of the United States
[13:14] of America. I'm very thankful
[13:16] for my family and the support
[13:20] they have given me during this
[13:22] time. I have a wonderful
[13:24] mother, Ethelene McLarin who has
[13:28] just been a tremendous support
[13:29] for all these 43 years, and I
[13:31] couldn't have done it without
[13:32] her support.
[13:33] I also want to thank my family,
[13:36] brothers and sisters represented
[13:38] by my sister Michelle Lafaleice
[13:42] who is here today, and all my
[13:44] other siblings, Benjamin,
[13:46] Melinda, and Kimberly, who have
[13:49] just been tremendous support
[13:49] over this time.
[13:50] I also want to thank the many
[13:52] friends that I've had over the
[13:54] years who have gotten me through
[13:55] some tough times, and one of
[13:57] them is represented today with
[13:59] Julie Block who is here, and she
[14:01] represents my many friends and
[14:02] colleagues.
[14:04] I also want to thank my pastor,
[14:08] Bishop J.W. Macklin who has just
[14:13] been an awesome leader in the
[14:15] State of California and
[14:16] throughout the world. He is the
[14:17] First Presiding Bishop of the
[14:19] Church of God and Christ
[14:20] International, and a tremendous
[14:21] leader, one that I have tried to
[14:24] emulate in terms of caring,
[14:26] compassion and dedication.
[14:28] Thank you, Bishop Macklin.
[14:31] I want to say thank you to the
[14:32] Board of Supervisors for the
[14:33] opportunity I've had over the
[14:34] last four years to serve here in
[14:37] Marin. It's truly been an
[14:38] experience, and it's always an
[14:40] honor to serve. I especially
[14:43] want to thank Supervisor Rice
[14:44] and Supervisor Moulton-Peters
[14:46] for their support, and
[14:48] Supervisor Rodoni, Supervisor
[14:50] Sackett and Supervisor Lucan.
[14:52] All of them for supporting the
[14:54] best department in the county,
[14:56] Health and Human Services.
[15:00] [ Applause ]
[15:06] I also want to thank Matthew
[15:09] Hymel, county executive officer,
[15:10] for his support during my tenure
[15:12] as HHS Director. His support on
[15:15] our equity agenda has been
[15:17] nothing but stellar. Thank you,
[15:18] Matthew.
[15:19] I also want to thank my fellow
[15:21] department heads. They have
[15:23] just been great. The women
[15:25] senior leaders in Marin and the
[15:27] COMAEA affinity group for all
[15:29] their support. Although it's
[15:30] been a tumultuous and never dull
[15:33] last four years, including the
[15:34] COVID response, I can truly say
[15:36] that I'm glad that this is how I
[15:39] ended my career, fighting for
[15:40] equity and change wherever
[15:42] possible.
[15:43] I'm proud of our work providing
[15:46] benefits to those in need and
[15:48] feeding the hungry, improving
[15:49] the lives of foster children,
[15:51] fighting for homeless, reducing
[15:53] suicides and addiction, caring
[15:54] for families and newborns,
[15:57] reducing isolation for older
[15:59] adults, improving our systems
[16:01] with performance improvement
[16:02] work, with new electronic health
[16:05] systems and social services and
[16:07] behavioral health, starting
[16:09] veterans corps, and so much
[16:10] more.
[16:11] There are so many
[16:12] accomplishments, and I'm
[16:13] grateful for the work that I've
[16:15] had the opportunity I've had to
[16:17] work with such smart and
[16:18] dedicated people in Health and
[16:20] Human Services and throughout
[16:20] the county.
[16:22] It's hard to believe that a
[16:23] young 17-year-old from Memphis,
[16:26] Tennessee who joined the army
[16:27] just to get a high school class
[16:29] ring is now completing 43 years
[16:31] of public service.
[16:34] [ Applause ]
[16:42] I am humbled by the thousands of
[16:44] people that we've been able to
[16:46] help and support, not just
[16:47] clients and patients but also
[16:49] great soldiers, employees,
[16:52] community members, and partners.
[16:54] I want to say a special
[16:56] shout-out and thank you to my
[16:57] military family represented by
[17:00] Colonel Jim Myers who is here
[17:03] today, and the great folks that
[17:04] I have --
[17:05] [ Applause ]
[17:06] And the great folks that I've
[17:08] had the great opportunity to
[17:09] serve with in the last 43 years.
[17:13] I've been in multiple countries
[17:15] and states and five counties
[17:17] that I've served within these 43
[17:19] years, and it's been an honor in
[17:20] every place.
[17:22] To the employees of Marin Health
[17:25] and Human Services, thank you
[17:25] for your hard work and
[17:27] dedication and commitment to the
[17:29] people of Marin and to -- and
[17:31] for your support during my
[17:32] tenure. You have been an
[17:34] awesome team, and I love you. I
[17:36] want to especially thank my
[17:37] executive team in HHS. They are
[17:40] tremendous leaders, and you're
[17:42] very fortunate to have them to
[17:43] continue here doing great work
[17:45] and leadership. I'm very proud
[17:46] of them.
[17:48] I want to say thank you all for
[17:50] a job well done, for your
[17:52] loyalty and your dedication and
[17:53] your great leadership. Keep up
[17:55] the good work. Keep moving
[17:56] forward. And just remember, if
[17:58] you remember who you are, listen
[18:00] to your heart, always do the
[18:01] right things, then you will
[18:03] thrive and excel and so will the
[18:06] community. Thank you for today.
[18:07] [ Applause ]
[18:37] >>STEPHANIE MOULTON-PETERS,
[18:38] PRES.: I'd like to invite
[18:39] members of the executive team in
[18:41] HH & S to come up and give some
[18:43] comments.
[19:05] >>SPEAKER: At this time we would
[19:06] like to ask all employees of the
[19:07] Health and Human Services
[19:09] department who are present here
[19:10] today to please stand.
[19:16] [ Applause ]
[19:19] >>BENITA McLARIN: Oh, I love it!
[19:25] >>SPEAKER: This is but a small
[19:27] portion of our 800-plus-strong
[19:30] staff. We are here to read the
[19:32] letters of Dr. McLarin's name
[19:36] that shows our creativity, and
[19:38] creativity, and what each letter
[19:40] means to us and how Dr. McLarin
[19:42] has impacted each of us
[19:43] individually. I get the
[19:45] privilege to say dedicated for
[19:48] Dr. McLarin. For more than 43
[19:50] years, you have been
[19:52] dedicated -- you have dedicated
[19:54] your life to serving the public
[19:55] with passion and integrity. You
[19:58] embody dedication. You have
[20:00] shown your commitment to our
[20:01] mission, especially in times of
[20:03] crisis. You showed up. I
[20:05] admire and appreciate your
[20:07] leadership. Thank you,
[20:07] Dr. McLarin.
[20:09] [ Applause ]
[20:11] >>SPEAKER: Hello, Kari Beuerman,
[20:15] social services director, and I
[20:16] have the honor to
[20:17] read "responsive."
[20:19] Dr. McLarin embodies
[20:22] responsiveness as a leader. She
[20:23] is not only in the office five
[20:25] days a week but some weeks
[20:27] seemingly 24/7. She can switch
[20:29] effortlessly from macro to micro
[20:31] and back again. Whether she is
[20:33] responding to the community or
[20:34] to your board regarding the
[20:36] COVID pandemic or doing an
[20:38] entrance or exit interview with
[20:40] every single person who joins
[20:41] our 800-person department,
[20:43] responsiveness is a quality that
[20:45] Benita successfully models for
[20:46] all of us. Thank you so much.
[20:49] [ Applause ]
[20:50] >>SPEAKER: Benita, I get to --
[20:55] Benita stands for "B" is brave.
[20:59] A few short months into your
[21:01] role here we were hit with a
[21:03] global pandemic, and soon after
[21:04] that George Floyd was murdered.
[21:07] Your four years have spanned one
[21:09] of the most turbulent chapters
[21:11] in recent history. In times of
[21:12] uncertainty and fear, you led us
[21:15] with courage and conviction.
[21:18] Leading us towards equity,
[21:19] social justice, anti-racism, and
[21:23] anti-oppression is hard for
[21:25] anyone. Carrying that work as a
[21:27] Black woman in Marin County
[21:30] takes super human courage.
[21:33] [ Applause ]
[21:39] Whether you know her or not, if
[21:40] you're part of this community,
[21:41] you've benefited from the fact
[21:43] that Benita is one of the
[21:44] bravest leaders I've known.
[21:47] [ Applause ]
[21:50] >>SPEAKER: Good morning. Todd
[21:54] Schirmer, director of Behavioral
[21:56] Health and Recovery Services.
[21:57] My letter is "E" for empowering.
[21:59] Through her words and actions,
[22:01] Dr. McLarin has taught me what
[22:03] it means to be a leader. This
[22:04] includes simple day-to-day
[22:06] leadership, like setting an
[22:07] agenda and running a meeting,
[22:08] and complex tasks, like
[22:10] articulating a long-term vision
[22:11] for the department and the
[22:12] county.
[22:13] She has seen it all and always
[22:15] knows what is going on behind
[22:17] the scenes. She entrusts and
[22:20] empowers others to make
[22:23] difficult decisions and then
[22:23] stands by them. Thank you.
[22:25] [ Applause ]
[22:26] >>SPEAKER: Good morning. Amit
[22:31] Rajparia, medical director for
[22:33] Behavioral Health and Recovery
[22:33] Services, and I get to talk
[22:34] about the letter "N," noble.
[22:38] Dr. McLarin leads from a place
[22:40] of moral principles, both in the
[22:42] big moments and the little ones.
[22:43] Even when these principles mean
[22:45] doing the difficult thing, and
[22:47] she's willing to put in the hard
[22:48] work to back it up. Her style
[22:51] of leadership naturally draws in
[22:53] followers and engenders great
[22:56] respect. She's a tremendous
[22:57] role model for all of us.
[22:59] [ Applause ]
[23:00] >>SPEAKER: Hi, Benita. Lisa
[23:05] Santora, deputy health officer
[23:07] in public health.
[23:07] I have inclusiveness.
[23:10] Benita has been a role model for
[23:12] inclusive leadership. She has
[23:13] ensured that every volunteer,
[23:15] intern and employee is treated
[23:17] fairly and respectfully and is
[23:20] fully accepted for all they are
[23:22] and all they bring to team HHS.
[23:25] See, I care forever. Hua!
[23:32] [ Applause ]
[23:32] >>SPEAKER: Good morning. Gary
[23:36] Naja-Riese, director for
[23:37] homelessness, and my letter is
[23:38] "T" for transformative.
[23:39] Dr. McLarin, through your
[23:41] unwavering focus on our HHS
[23:44] mission, you've transformed our
[23:47] approaches to behavioral health,
[23:49] social services, homelessness,
[23:50] aging, and public health,
[23:53] literally saving -- excuse me --
[23:55] hundreds of thousands of lives
[23:57] and making things better for
[23:58] every resident of this county.
[24:02] In making our county a leader in
[24:04] the Bay Area and across
[24:08] California. Thank you.
[24:08] [ Applause ]
[24:09] >>SPEAKER: Good morning.
[24:14] Niccore Tyler, chief strategy
[24:16] officer for Health and Human
[24:17] Services, and I have the
[24:19] pleasure of presenting "A" for
[24:20] advocate.
[24:23] Actively supporting and
[24:24] representing the interests of
[24:25] others, Benita, you've always
[24:28] prioritized the needs of others
[24:29] and this community. I admire
[24:32] your consistency and always
[24:34] standing firm and doing the
[24:35] right thing. Sometimes this may
[24:37] not always be the popular thing,
[24:40] but you always continued your
[24:42] advocacy for the right thing.
[24:43] So thank you for that.
[24:46] [ Applause ]
[24:52] Benita, we appreciate the legacy
[24:54] you are leaving us with and will
[24:57] continue as a department to do
[24:58] the work that you have reminded
[24:59] us is so important. I hope you
[25:02] see just a fraction of the
[25:04] people in this department who
[25:06] admire you and love you dearly.
[25:09] And as a token of our
[25:10] appreciation, we want to present
[25:11] you with the departmental award,
[25:14] as well as this wonderful
[25:16] bouquet of flowers.
[25:25] [ Applause ]
[25:40] Thank you, Dr. Benita, for being
[25:42] such an inspirational leader,
[25:44] and we wish you all the best in
[25:45] your next phase. Thank you.
[25:47] [ Applause ]
[26:09] >>STEPHANIE MOULTON-PETERS,
[26:10] PRES.: I'd like to invite
[26:11] members of the public now to
[26:12] come up, and I do want to
[26:14] acknowledge team HH & S for your
[26:16] blue suits that you all wore
[26:17] today.
[26:20] All right, if there's anyone who
[26:22] hasn't spoken yet, would like to
[26:24] make some remarks, now is the
[26:27] time. We will take people in
[26:28] the chamber first, starting with
[26:30] the Bishop, and then we'll go
[26:31] online. So please come on up
[26:33] and give your name.
[26:36] >>SPEAKER: Thank you very much
[26:37] for allowing Alameda County to
[26:41] be represented here at Marin
[26:42] County. Thank you very much. I
[26:43] am bishop Jerry Macklin at Glad
[26:48] Tidings Church International
[26:49] there in Hayward, California.
[26:52] Ms. Benita has been a phenomenal
[26:53] member of our church and a great
[26:55] contributor to the better health
[26:58] of not only our City of Hayward,
[27:01] but throughout our county.
[27:03] There are a few things that I
[27:05] have said over the years that I
[27:06] see her embody, and so from now
[27:09] on I just need to point people
[27:11] to her and I won't have to say
[27:12] it. One has been anyone wrapped
[27:16] up in themselves makes a small
[27:17] package. You have not done
[27:21] that. You have been larger than
[27:22] life.
[27:25] He that aims at nothing seldom
[27:27] misses. Benita, you have
[27:31] constantly kept the goal in
[27:33] mind, and you have accomplished
[27:33] so very much.
[27:35] It begins with you, but it's not
[27:37] about you. That has been your
[27:39] lifestyle and your life mission.
[27:42] And then finally, it makes no
[27:44] difference who gets the credit
[27:45] as long as God gets the glory,
[27:47] and God has received much glory
[27:51] as a result of your service.
[27:52] Thank you not only on behalf of
[27:53] Marin but on behalf of your
[27:54] church and the kingdom of our
[27:56] Lord. Thank you so very much.
[28:00] [ Applause ]
[28:07] >>SPEAKER: Good morning, board,
[28:12] Latoya Webb, HHS. COMAEA
[28:16] president. I'm going to do my
[28:17] best to keep it together.
[28:19] Dr. Benita, you are a light. So
[28:26] COMAEA is here today to present
[28:27] you with these four dozen yellow
[28:29] roses because you are a light.
[28:31] As a reminder to you how much of
[28:32] an impact that you've had here
[28:34] and that you are leaving a
[28:36] long-lasting legacy. I do have
[28:38] a few words, so I'll make it
[28:39] quick.
[28:41] Dr. Benita McLarin, since you
[28:43] stepped foot into the county,
[28:45] you have been a light. Before
[28:46] even getting the job, being
[28:48] disregarded, disrespected and
[28:51] counted out for a position that
[28:52] you would have that would impact
[28:54] many. The odds were stacked
[28:57] against you. You've held your
[28:59] head high and continue to be a
[29:01] light, shining, pressing
[29:02] forward. Publications
[29:05] discrediting your ability to do
[29:06] the job, yet being
[29:08] overqualified, you pressed
[29:10] forward. I think we have the
[29:14] definition of light all wrong.
[29:16] In my opinion, light is not the
[29:19] absence of darkness. It is the
[29:21] unstoppable force that exists
[29:22] even when surrounded by
[29:24] darkness. Thank you for being a
[29:26] light and unknowingly planting
[29:29] seeds, providing inspiration for
[29:30] us to grow and become stronger
[29:33] and rooted. Thank you for being
[29:35] a light that always showed up
[29:37] authentically. Thank you for
[29:39] not allowing anyone or anything
[29:41] to dim who you are or your
[29:43] impact. We see you. We support
[29:47] you and your next phase of your
[29:49] journey. We also appreciate
[29:51] you. So today we honor you,
[29:57] reminding you that you have not
[29:58] only impacted HHS but an entire
[30:00] community. Thank you for being
[30:02] a light. God bless.
[30:05] [ Applause ]
[30:14] And really quickly, sorry, got
[30:16] emotional. Before Kianna Davis
[30:21] speaks, on behalf -- this is
[30:22] from the COMAEA board and
[30:23] community, these roses, as well
[30:25] as this spa gift certificate.
[30:27] We want you to enjoy yourself
[30:29] and kick this retirement off
[30:31] right, so we love you.
[30:33] [ Applause ]
[30:42] >>SPEAKER: I'll try to hold it
[30:43] together also. Good morning,
[30:45] Board of Supervisors, my
[30:47] co-workers, teammates and
[30:51] partners in public service, and
[30:52] to you, my queen. I am Kianna
[30:55] Davis with Public Works and a
[30:56] proud member of COMAEA's board.
[30:59] Today we as COMAEA are feeling
[31:03] bittersweet. As much as we are
[31:06] excited about Dr. Benita's
[31:08] retirement, it stings a little
[31:12] because it feels like we are
[31:14] losing such an exceptional
[31:15] leader. I mean, we heard the
[31:17] words today. Dr. Benita is one
[31:22] that is consistent and one that
[31:25] COMAEA could count on always.
[31:29] Your encouraging words, your
[31:31] absolutely beautiful smile, that
[31:32] famous thumbs up as she walks
[31:36] by, and your honesty. And to
[31:39] get all of that, to get all of
[31:41] that from a department head such
[31:43] as Dr. McLarin set the tone for
[31:46] greatness here in this county.
[31:48] So we as COMAEA had a chance to
[31:50] talk with Dr. Benita recently,
[31:53] and none of those in the room
[31:54] wanted to even leave your
[31:56] presence. We soaked up every
[31:59] second, every minute to do
[32:03] nothing but glean from you. We
[32:06] gathered your words, and we
[32:08] stored them in our hearts.
[32:10] Dr. McLarin, you are an example
[32:11] of exemplary leadership, a
[32:14] pillar in the community with the
[32:15] ability to be honest. You are a
[32:18] problem solver, focused on
[32:20] solutions, a forward thinker and
[32:22] a hard worker, a game changer
[32:26] and an influencer. And yet, you
[32:29] always still find a way to
[32:31] provide words of strength, to
[32:35] continue to help us to push
[32:37] forward to our greatness. Today
[32:39] we want you to know just how
[32:41] amazing of a light that you are
[32:43] to us and to this county. You
[32:46] have the ability to shine no
[32:48] matter where you are. You
[32:52] showed up with intentions to
[32:53] make it better and to make it
[32:56] brighter than what you found it.
[32:59] As we all wish you well and we
[33:01] stand here to salute you, we are
[33:04] grateful to be able to see you
[33:05] take a position in this county
[33:07] and to be successful at it
[33:10] during the toughest of times.
[33:12] And as we stand on your
[33:14] shoulders, we want you to know
[33:15] that you are the light that we
[33:18] carry. Michelle Obama authored
[33:21] a book titled "The Light We
[33:23] Carry: Overcoming in Uncertain
[33:28] Times." There's a part in the
[33:29] book that says: I believe that
[33:31] each of us carries a bit of
[33:33] inner brightness, something
[33:35] entirely unique and individual,
[33:38] a flame that's worth protecting.
[33:42] When we are able to recognize
[33:43] our own light, we become
[33:45] empowered to use it, and when we
[33:47] learn to foster what is unique
[33:49] in the people around us, we
[33:51] become better able to build
[33:54] compassionate communities and
[33:56] make meaningful changes. Today
[33:58] we stand here shining, and we
[34:01] shine bright. As members of
[34:03] COMAEA, we thank you,
[34:04] Dr. McLarin, for believing in
[34:06] us. We thank you for showing us
[34:08] how to carry inner brightness
[34:10] first within ourselves, even
[34:12] when others try to dim out our
[34:14] light or snuff it out. You have
[34:16] showed us that. You have kept
[34:18] our light brightly shining. As
[34:21] a matter of fact, our light is
[34:22] burning bright, and you have
[34:24] modeled behavior that showed us
[34:26] how to allow our light to touch
[34:27] others, and to make a positive
[34:30] impact. So you encouraged us by
[34:33] standing as individuals. We
[34:35] have something in us worth
[34:37] protecting. That's what you
[34:38] have taught us. That's what we
[34:39] have watched. You have helped
[34:40] us to recognize our own light.
[34:43] We watched you empower others to
[34:46] use their light more than
[34:48] anything. We watched you take
[34:50] your light to ignite others,
[34:52] which led us all to build, to be
[34:56] compassionate, and to never
[34:58] forget the communities that we
[34:59] serve. So Dr. Benita, we stand
[35:02] here as your lights. Look
[35:04] around the room. Take it in.
[35:07] Look around. We proudly salute
[35:11] you for making meaningful change
[35:14] for COMAEA and for the overall
[35:16] County of Marin. May your light
[35:18] continue to burn bright and
[35:20] ignite goodness and blessings in
[35:22] your next chapter. We wish you
[35:24] the absolute best.
[35:26] Congratulations.
[35:32] [ Applause ]
[35:41] >>SPEAKER: That is one tough act
[35:44] to follow. From everyone's
[35:48] heart here, anyone with a dry
[35:49] eye here, you know, check
[35:50] yourself, because there's
[35:51] something wrong.
[35:53] For those that don't know me,
[35:55] I'm Lori Frugoli. It's my honor
[35:57] to serve as your District
[35:59] Attorney, and I don't want to
[36:00] repeat what everyone has said
[36:01] here. I just want to say from
[36:03] my heart as a newer department
[36:07] head, I have seen your
[36:09] brilliance, that you are truly a
[36:10] servant. That's one common term
[36:12] that we hear about you, and it's
[36:14] from your heart and your soul.
[36:16] And you are so humble. In our
[36:19] department meeting heads you
[36:21] have led with equity and your
[36:22] heart and wisdom. You rarely
[36:24] wag your own tail or talk about
[36:26] your accomplishments, which is
[36:27] such a rare quality in a leader.
[36:30] And when I first learned that
[36:32] you were a veteran, it was when
[36:33] I came to a veterans ceremony,
[36:34] and there you were in your
[36:35] uniform. I'm like, what do I
[36:37] not know about this woman? A
[36:39] million things. You've done so
[36:40] many things. You never talk
[36:42] about your own accomplishments
[36:43] and what you've done. You just
[36:45] keep leading. You just keep
[36:48] working, and for that we honor
[36:50] you, and I just want to thank
[36:52] you personally on behalf of our
[36:53] gun safety collaborative where
[36:54] you have stepped up and been a
[36:55] leader. You have helped with
[36:57] our veterans support and
[36:59] supported our veterans, and I
[37:00] want to tell one story that
[37:02] really to me I exemplified -- I
[37:04] shared this with you last night,
[37:05] that we were at a meeting with a
[37:07] lot of county leaders from
[37:08] different county entities, and I
[37:10] won't say how many people --
[37:12] many -- were criticizing the
[37:14] policies in place during COVID
[37:16] and masking and shutdowns, and
[37:19] just the meeting was getting
[37:20] almost out of control, and
[37:22] people were, when are we going
[37:25] to open up, when are we going to
[37:26] do this, and you handled it with
[37:28] grace and wisdom and all you
[37:30] said, which stopped everybody in
[37:33] their tracks, was: We are saving
[37:36] lives. And it shut everybody
[37:40] up, for lack of a better term,
[37:43] and it really brought everybody
[37:44] back to the reality of what we
[37:45] were facing at that moment in
[37:47] time and our world and in our
[37:49] county, and how you were
[37:50] leading. I so honor you for
[37:54] that moment. You didn't have to
[37:55] say that, but you did, and I
[37:57] just wish you well and also
[37:58] honor you. I know you spend a
[38:01] lot of time taking care of your
[38:02] mother. You've made so many
[38:03] sacrifices for our county. It's
[38:04] time that you really take this
[38:05] time for yourself, and we wish
[38:07] you all the best and hope to see
[38:08] you around the community.
[38:12] [ Applause ]
[38:20] >>SPEAKER: Good morning. Ida
[38:24] Times Green, and Dr. McLarin, I
[38:26] am just so grateful and proud to
[38:28] get to know you in the capacity
[38:30] that I have over these years.
[38:30] You deserve your flowers on
[38:32] today, and in this chamber it's
[38:34] so fitting that we are here to
[38:36] wish you well and for your next
[38:39] journey because it was here,
[38:41] four years ago, that the board
[38:43] introduced you as a new HHS
[38:46] director, and the proud moment,
[38:48] I have to say, because here
[38:50] stood this beautiful Black woman
[38:52] who was getting ready to lead
[38:53] one of the largest departments
[38:55] here in the county where we only
[38:58] represent 2% of the county, and
[39:00] you have forged on, and on that
[39:03] day, when we met, I was here
[39:05] with my mentor, Alberta
[39:08] Erickson, God rest her soul, and
[39:10] I took your business card. And
[39:12] when I got home, I put it in my
[39:14] Bible because I said: You must,
[39:17] you must pray for her because
[39:18] this county can be tough.
[39:20] Believe me. My mother sat in a
[39:22] director position in this
[39:23] county, and so I appreciate the
[39:25] county for its boldness, for
[39:28] putting someone like yourself in
[39:29] place, and believe that we
[39:31] continue to edge a little
[39:33] further in the equity part of
[39:35] what's happening in the lives of
[39:37] so many. You have made such a
[39:40] difference. So yes, shed your
[39:42] tears, smell your flowers, enjoy
[39:44] your massage. You deserve it
[39:45] all.
[39:46] [ Applause ]
[39:56] I am so proud to be able to
[39:57] stand here as an employee in the
[40:00] Department of Health and Human
[40:02] Services and social services
[40:04] because of your leadership. The
[40:06] services have been expanded to
[40:08] southern Marin. That is a part
[40:09] of your legacy, something that
[40:11] this county has been working
[40:13] towards for years. You made
[40:14] that happen, and so we must
[40:16] continue the work.
[40:18] We shall fight the good fight.
[40:20] You have challenged us, and we
[40:22] are going to do it. Thank you,
[40:24] Dr. McLarin. Love you so much,
[40:26] my God.
[40:35] [ Applause ]
[40:36] >>SPEAKER: Good morning, board,
[40:37] and good morning, Benita. This
[40:40] is horrible following up on some
[40:41] of these speeches. Mine is not
[40:43] going to be so impressionable,
[40:45] but Benita, I wanted to just
[40:46] recall the time when you and I
[40:48] first met. It was a phone call
[40:49] on the weekend. I think it was
[40:51] March whatever, when you said,
[40:53] Liz Darby, report to duty at the
[40:56] EOC at 9:00 in the morning, and
[40:58] I'm like, what? And I learned
[40:59] from that, that when Benita says
[41:01] do something, I just needed to
[41:03] show up.
[41:04] While I was working with you in
[41:06] COVID, I had the fortune and the
[41:09] honor, of course, of working in
[41:10] communities in our underserved
[41:12] communities, and that's when I
[41:12] got to know you as a person,
[41:15] your leadership, your integrity,
[41:17] your caring, your genuineness to
[41:21] support our residents and our
[41:23] communities, particularly those
[41:24] in our underserved communities,
[41:26] particularly those of color.
[41:28] Yes, we knew the data about the
[41:30] health outcomes. You expanded
[41:32] that, and you made sure that
[41:34] equity was first and center in
[41:36] all of the work that we did
[41:38] together. And you took my calls
[41:40] in the morning, late at night,
[41:42] when we were texting, when I was
[41:43] having those challenges to
[41:44] figure out how to do this, you
[41:47] led and you taught me. And for
[41:49] that I will always be grateful,
[41:51] and our communities should
[41:52] always be grateful, and I know
[41:54] it's been a tough road, but I
[41:55] hope today you have gotten a
[41:57] chance to see just a glimmer of
[42:00] how much we've respected and
[42:02] cared for you and supported you
[42:03] all the time, and we wish you
[42:05] only the best. Thank you so
[42:06] much, Benita.
[42:07] [ Applause ]
[42:17] >>SPEAKER: Good morning,
[42:19] supervisors. Good morning,
[42:20] Benita. Jason Balderama, the
[42:24] chief security information
[42:25] officer in our security
[42:28] Information Services Technology
[42:28] department. Liza Massey,
[42:31] unfortunately, could not make it
[42:32] today. Thinking of what you
[42:34] said earlier, she too would say
[42:37] she has the best department in
[42:38] the county.
[42:38] I just want to say what a
[42:40] pleasure it's been to work with
[42:41] you and to help support your
[42:42] department, particularly with
[42:43] the COVID response. I think
[42:45] that it showed that we really
[42:47] did our best there, whether it
[42:49] be supporting the various pop-up
[42:51] sites or facilities needs,
[42:53] getting new applications online,
[42:56] putting up new websites, doing
[42:57] public communications, and even
[42:59] just getting on the front lines,
[43:00] serving as DSWs, being able to
[43:04] serve the community, and all
[43:05] that was made possible by your
[43:06] leadership and your department,
[43:08] so just want to say on behalf of
[43:09] IST, truly thank you. I wish I
[43:11] had had more time to get to know
[43:13] you better and work with you,
[43:14] but I can see from all the
[43:16] comments and everything that I
[43:19] think the presence in this room
[43:20] is just a testament to what
[43:22] you're leaving behind. So
[43:24] anyway, thank you so much.
[43:25] [ Applause ]
[43:29] >>SPEAKER: Rollie Katz, Marin
[43:33] Association of Public Employees.
[43:34] All the departments are the best
[43:36] departments because they all
[43:37] have MAPE members working in
[43:40] them.
[43:41] People have been far more
[43:42] eloquent than I will be, but I
[43:43] just wanted to also add on
[43:46] behalf of MAPE our appreciation
[43:48] for your service to the county
[43:50] and your time here, and public
[43:52] service, as I often say, is an
[43:54] honorable calling, and you've
[43:56] had a very, very long history of
[43:57] answering that call, and I do
[43:59] want to add that I have to think
[44:01] back about the worst time during
[44:03] the COVID shutdown and all the
[44:07] work the county did, but your
[44:08] department in particular and
[44:10] your leadership for that was
[44:13] critical because lots of people
[44:14] were getting lots of malarky
[44:18] when we were just out trying to
[44:20] make sure people were healthy.
[44:21] Thank you.
[44:25] [ Applause ]
[44:26] >>SPEAKER: I want to say I thank
[44:27] the board for having this
[44:28] resolution. I want to thank
[44:30] Damon Connolly for coming and
[44:31] showing up, and Matthew Hymel,
[44:33] and everyone for selecting
[44:35] Benita for the position because
[44:37] we know the systemic challenges
[44:40] at the director position and
[44:42] dealing with community-based
[44:44] issues. It's challenging, and
[44:47] because you didn't waver from it
[44:50] and you were transformative,
[44:51] because you inspired everybody,
[44:53] and knowing that I'm an HHS guy,
[44:56] and I always say that to you,
[44:57] you give me the thumbs up, and
[44:58] let's give a round of applause
[44:59] for HHS and the departments for
[45:02] selecting Benita.
[45:04] [ Applause ]
[45:05] And before I end, I just want to
[45:07] say that, you know, when we talk
[45:09] about transformative, it's about
[45:12] not dividing but bringing
[45:13] everybody together, and when you
[45:15] look at Benita, her tenure for
[45:18] the four years, she brought
[45:19] people together, and when we saw
[45:21] those informations being in the
[45:25] IJ, we know when you're at the
[45:29] apex of your career people are
[45:30] going to try to tear you down
[45:31] because they are afraid, because
[45:32] they know what you bring and
[45:34] influence you have, and
[45:36] influence you brought to Marin
[45:37] County is bringing people
[45:39] together and not dividing
[45:40] people, and everybody needs to
[45:43] respect that and understand
[45:43] that, you know, the challenges
[45:45] that come with that, and because
[45:46] we know it's optics, you're
[45:48] dealing with public, you're
[45:49] dealing with the board, you're
[45:51] dealing with the administration.
[45:52] You're dealing with a whole
[45:53] breakdown of procedures and
[45:56] protocols, and you overcame that
[45:59] and brang everybody together
[46:01] shows your perseverance and your
[46:04] tenacity. So I appreciate you.
[46:08] [ Applause ]
[46:09] >>SPEAKER: Hey, I'm the short
[46:13] one here. Good morning,
[46:14] everyone. I'm Jamie, Jamie
[46:18] Enfaro. I'm a volunteer. I
[46:21] like all of you have
[46:24] [indiscernible] behind your
[46:25] name, I don't. I'm just a
[46:27] simple person, and I come before
[46:28] you, Benita, you know, I came in
[46:32] and I see you coming through the
[46:33] door and together with everyone,
[46:40] the totem pole watching the
[46:42] leaders in the making and the
[46:44] leaders in the shaping, so it
[46:47] was a very humbling experience
[46:49] to be able to see and watch
[46:52] leadership taking shape, and in
[46:56] the voice of equity I'm speaking
[46:57] today because there's so much
[46:59] need for us, the segregated
[47:02] society and people who actually
[47:04] are so far apart, but yet today
[47:06] I'm very influenced because of
[47:08] Health and Human Services. Just
[47:10] FYI, I recently took some
[47:15] courses in Health and Human
[47:16] Services. I'm now pursuing a
[47:18] degree in it, yeah. I just
[47:20] finished my --
[47:21] [ Applause ]
[47:26] With Contra Costa college. I am
[47:33] pursuing three more in the
[47:34] spring. But it's all because of
[47:36] the leaders in the Health and
[47:37] Human Services, what we are
[47:38] doing, and I want to say under
[47:41] the extreme leadership of Benita
[47:44] and my professor, but I'm not
[47:49] going to digress on that.
[47:50] I want to say, Benita, your
[47:53] example, showing in what you do,
[47:55] not just talk the talk but walk
[47:57] the talk, to be able to show us
[47:58] in leadership, in equity, with
[48:02] Jamillah under her belt of
[48:03] equity as well. Because we are
[48:06] so marginalized in Marin.
[48:09] Despite that, we have so many
[48:10] colors and spectrum, there's no
[48:13] one size that fits all, so I'm
[48:16] humbly coming before you to
[48:17] thank you from the bottom of my
[48:19] little heart to say that there's
[48:22] so much that we need to do
[48:23] collaboratively, especially
[48:25] Damon you -- to see how we can
[48:29] build Marin. Because there's so
[48:31] much of us that we need help, I
[48:34] mean what you do with mental
[48:36] health, together with Todd and
[48:39] Matt, what you do with Health
[48:41] and Human Services of COVID and
[48:42] everyone, the leaders in the
[48:43] room. You guys are the
[48:45] expertise in the room.
[48:47] Can we find a way to work
[48:48] together, put our petty
[48:52] differences aside, but let
[48:53] Benita show as an example to us
[48:55] where she has undertake so
[48:57] many -- so much under her belt.
[49:00] I'm not going to take up the
[49:04] time of the board, but I'm just
[49:06] wanting to say you all have so
[49:08] many districts, but can we come
[49:10] together with one common goal,
[49:12] with compassion in our hearts,
[49:14] especially in these times of
[49:16] need, with kindness and an act
[49:21] of spontaneity, can we do
[49:25] something different this time,
[49:26] instead of segregation, but link
[49:27] with our hearts so that we can
[49:28] have a little bit cheer, so that
[49:30] we can give a little way of this
[49:33] time to give, you know, Benita,
[49:36] you have so big footprint that
[49:39] you left behind. I don't know
[49:40] how to refill in your roles, you
[49:43] know. I hope we can, but it is
[49:46] a tall order, and being a
[49:50] volunteer, I learn so much
[49:51] through your work. I have not
[49:53] directly had a chance to work
[49:55] with you, but I'm sure when we
[49:57] meet each other in the world or
[49:59] somewhere along the line I can
[50:00] hear about your experiences and
[50:02] how to set example in the Health
[50:06] and Human Services, because in
[50:09] the world I learn that's where
[50:10] the heart is, right? So how do
[50:12] you embody that, and you said to
[50:14] serve our community better, to
[50:17] be of servitude, to be better
[50:19] representation of the community
[50:22] and be a better person, I guess.
[50:24] Thank you.
[50:25] [ Applause ]
[50:40] >>SPEAKER: Assistant director of
[50:45] Marin County free library, and I
[50:46] just want to take this moment to
[50:48] thank you, Benita, for your
[50:50] leadership. As a Black woman in
[50:52] executive leadership in Marin
[50:54] County, it's not easy. Seeing
[50:56] you in every meeting, the
[50:58] management council, other
[51:00] assistant department heads, has
[51:01] really transformed my life and
[51:04] influenced -- and influenced me
[51:06] in such a way that I think I
[51:07] can't even articulate the words
[51:09] very well, but you've showed me
[51:11] strength. You've helped me
[51:13] through some of my hardest times
[51:14] being a Black woman in executive
[51:16] leadership at the county. You
[51:18] really -- you listen to me. You
[51:21] heard how difficult it can be at
[51:24] the top, and you really have
[51:27] just poured yourself into
[51:30] demonstrating the type of
[51:31] servant leadership that I think
[51:32] we all aspire to in public
[51:34] services, and I just want to
[51:36] say, you know, the lies that
[51:38] have been said about you are
[51:39] very untrue, and I want to go on
[51:42] the record with that, and I'm
[51:43] sorry that, you know, it's not
[51:46] my role to apologize, but I want
[51:47] to say and acknowledge that I'm
[51:49] sorry that you were treated in
[51:50] such a way with all of the
[51:53] leadership you've demonstrated
[51:54] in this county over the past
[51:56] four years through some of the
[51:57] darkest and most difficult
[51:59] times, you have been the light,
[52:01] as COMAEA said, for us, and I
[52:03] want you to know that we see
[52:05] you. We support you, and we
[52:07] love you. And thank you for
[52:10] everything you've done for the
[52:11] county, for the leaders, and for
[52:15] all of the departments. You
[52:16] have been nothing but a light,
[52:18] as COMAEA said, and I want you
[52:19] to remember that, so thank you.
[52:21] [ Applause ]
[52:32] >>SPEAKER: Hi, my name is Robin
[52:34] Berren, and I am a department
[52:37] analyst with our HHS department
[52:39] with our strategy team. I'm
[52:41] equity branch of that strategy
[52:42] team, and I just want to say,
[52:43] Benita, you have never made my
[52:46] job hard. You have made my job
[52:49] easy. You have given me access
[52:50] to people and positions of power
[52:54] to make decisions about equity
[52:56] and inclusion and belonging.
[52:58] You have given me space to
[53:00] challenge people, to really look
[53:04] at how we are addressing equity,
[53:07] and to know the difference
[53:08] between equality versus equity,
[53:11] and you have never been ashamed
[53:12] of that.
[53:14] And I also want to say that one
[53:16] of the things that a lot of
[53:17] folks have said here is that
[53:19] it's really been meaningful for
[53:21] you to be a Black woman in this
[53:23] position, and what they are
[53:24] saying is representation
[53:25] matters, and to have a woman of
[53:28] color here in this position has
[53:31] been so meaningful because your
[53:34] lived experience has been
[53:36] meaningful, and regardless of
[53:37] what people have said to you,
[53:39] your position has been
[53:41] meaningful to me and to everyone
[53:43] at HHS, and I want you to know
[53:47] that Barack Obama was criticized
[53:50] for wearing a tan suit, so . . .
[53:53] you know, like, I mean, I just
[53:54] feel like a lot of Black folks
[53:56] in positions of power get
[53:57] criticized for every little
[53:59] thing because of who they are,
[54:01] and so I want you to know, and I
[54:03] want you to know that God sees
[54:06] you and that we all see you as a
[54:08] beloved woman of God and as a
[54:11] Black woman who has led our
[54:12] department with power and grace
[54:15] and has spoken truth to power,
[54:17] and we bless you in your
[54:19] retirement and thank you for
[54:20] your leadership.
[54:21] [ Applause ]
[54:31] >>SPEAKER: Thank you, Eva
[54:34] Chrysanthe. I want to recognize
[54:35] all the appreciation of Benita
[54:38] McLarin and her hard work for
[54:39] the county. I also think it's
[54:41] important to recognize that
[54:42] Benita was limited in what she
[54:44] could do because of the
[54:45] leadership in this county.
[54:48] While representation matters, it
[54:50] is also worth noting that this
[54:53] Board of Supervisors is entirely
[54:54] White, and their decisions -- I
[54:56] note that Damon Connolly is
[54:57] here, assemblyman Damon Connolly
[55:00] is here. It was Damon Connolly
[55:02] and Kate Colin and -- I'm sorry,
[55:06] state senator Mike McGuire who
[55:10] put together that internment
[55:11] camp under the freeway. One
[55:12] person who is not here even to
[55:14] see this event is Jimmy Sanders,
[55:17] a Black marine corps veteran who
[55:20] died on the street last July.
[55:22] He was remanded into that camp
[55:23] because law enforcement in this
[55:25] county decided to take his RV
[55:27] improperly, and so he was made
[55:30] homeless, and this is someone
[55:32] who was already made sick by his
[55:34] military service. He was
[55:36] [indiscernible].
[55:37] I just think it's important, we
[55:39] have a lot of work to do, and I
[55:40] understand the political purpose
[55:41] of the county congratulating
[55:42] itself, but it's also -- it's
[55:45] not okay when the people who
[55:48] need to be here, who need to be
[55:50] heard, are not really made to
[55:53] feel welcome in the room. Thank
[55:54] you, Benita, for your service.
[55:55] I think you did a good job by
[55:57] the county. The issue is really
[55:59] what are the county's goals.
[56:01] Damon Connolly has provided no
[56:03] explanation for his putting
[56:06] together that camp. It was a
[56:08] majority Black and Latino camp,
[56:10] and they were treated horribly.
[56:12] It was the worst-treated group
[56:15] of unhoused people in the entire
[56:16] county. There was no lawyer to
[56:18] come to their aid. I asked for
[56:21] a health inspection many times.
[56:22] I contacted Damon Connolly's
[56:25] office many times, Mary Sackett
[56:28] remembers this. We must
[56:29] remember the people we are here
[56:31] to serve. Thank you.
[56:34] [ Applause ]
[56:38] >>SPEAKER: Hi. My name's Amy
[56:41] Dietz. I'm a senior program
[56:44] coordinator for Health and Human
[56:44] Services, and I just want to say
[56:46] how impressed I was that you
[56:47] just show up. I've had the
[56:50] opportunity to volunteer at some
[56:52] of our overnight shelters during
[56:53] the storms, and you show up at
[56:57] six in the morning with a hot
[56:59] chocolate bar to serve the
[57:00] homeless, right? Like, we're
[57:02] not expecting you to be there.
[57:03] You just show up. At the
[57:05] softball games, you show up, and
[57:07] you're distributing chips to
[57:08] everyone, like Cracker Jacks to
[57:13] the stands, and just how
[57:15] impressed I've been that you
[57:16] show up for your Health and
[57:20] Human Services employees when
[57:21] they're not expecting it.
[57:22] You're just there in support,
[57:24] and I think that's emblematic of
[57:27] everything you are and how much
[57:31] I've appreciated seeing that, so
[57:33] thank you.
[57:37] >>SPEAKER: Greetings to the
[57:38] board and hopefully I guess
[57:39] maybe I'll be the last one, and
[57:41] maybe appropriate.
[57:42] I am Michelle Lafalez. I am
[57:45] Benita's oldest sister. I am
[57:46] the first born, and I know her
[57:48] very well. I could tell laugh
[57:53] little secrets.
[57:53] [ Laughter ]
[57:56] But I just want to stand and
[57:57] represent our family. Our
[57:59] parents are very proud of you.
[58:01] We come from a humble
[58:03] background, as Benita has said.
[58:05] There were times when as
[58:06] children we had to heat up our
[58:09] bath water on the stove to take
[58:11] baths, so when you see Benita
[58:14] and all her accomplishments, and
[58:16] all her sacrifices, they are
[58:18] real, and they are from the
[58:20] heart. We are so proud of you,
[58:23] Benita. We graduated from
[58:25] Washington University, which is
[58:26] the Harvard of the Mideast.
[58:31] Then she went to Harvard and
[58:33] graduated from there, so that
[58:34] just -- you know, and it just
[58:36] goes on and on, but just as you
[58:38] see her at work, she is at home
[58:40] too. Let me tell you, she's a
[58:43] soldier over us, and she
[58:44] commands us just as much as she
[58:46] commands you all. But we love
[58:48] her dearly, and she has set the
[58:50] example, and I'm so proud to
[58:52] hear all of your testimonies
[58:53] about her. It really is
[58:56] important, and it really is
[58:59] valuable, what you all have done
[59:00] and what you all have said, and
[59:01] I'm going to take it back to my
[59:03] family. We're very proud and we
[59:04] love you.
[59:05] [ Applause ]
[59:31] >>STEPHANIE MOULTON-PETERS,
[59:32] PRES.: We have I believe one
[59:33] speaker online. We have two I
[59:37] see. So this is for
[59:39] Dr. McLarin's retirement.
[59:43] >>MODERATOR: The first speaker
[59:44] is Musa Tariq.
[59:52] >>SPEAKER: I realize this is for
[59:53] the commendation, so I'll raise
[59:54] my hand for the next round of
[59:55] public comments.
[59:56] >>STEPHANIE MOULTON-PETERS,
[59:56] PRES.: Okay, thank you.
[59:57] >>MODERATOR: The next speaker is
[59:58] Ken Shapiro. Please unmute.
[1:00:03] >>SPEAKER: Hi, everybody. Can
[1:00:04] you hear me? I don't see a
[1:00:05] picture of myself, but that's
[1:00:06] okay.
[1:00:07] >>MODERATOR: We can hear you.
[1:00:08] Go ahead.
[1:00:09] >>SPEAKER: I was going to show
[1:00:10] you all the gray hairs on my
[1:00:11] beard, and it's my time with you
[1:00:15] that I say are responsible for
[1:00:16] them, but there are -- I
[1:00:17] wouldn't trade it for a minute,
[1:00:19] for anything. Every minute with
[1:00:20] you was a joy. I miss you so
[1:00:22] much. I think about you every
[1:00:24] day. Every little lesson you
[1:00:26] taught me I'm applying to my
[1:00:29] life every single day. You're
[1:00:30] an amazing leader. You're an
[1:00:33] amazing mentor, and I miss your
[1:00:36] laugh so much, especially at the
[1:00:37] end of the day when we go
[1:00:39] through all the stuff that was
[1:00:40] so difficult and the problems we
[1:00:43] didn't have a solution for. You
[1:00:45] still find a way to make me
[1:00:47] laugh every single evening, and
[1:00:49] I'm so happy to dip my toe back
[1:00:52] into Marin for a couple minutes
[1:00:53] and see all these people
[1:00:54] honoring you, and I'm just so
[1:00:56] proud of you. Congratulations.
[1:00:59] >>MODERATOR: President
[1:01:00] Moulton-Peters, there are no
[1:01:00] additional speakers in the
[1:01:05] queue.
[1:01:06] >>STEPHANIE MOULTON-PETERS,
[1:01:07] PRES.: Yes, Matthew Hymel,
[1:01:09] please.
[1:01:11] >>MATTHEW H. HYMEL: Well, good
[1:01:11] morning and I think everybody
[1:01:13] has said it better than I can
[1:01:14] say it, but I did want to add my
[1:01:16] personal thanks to Benita. When
[1:01:19] we first interviewed Benita, I
[1:01:21] just couldn't think how
[1:01:22] fortunate we were to have
[1:01:23] someone with her character, her
[1:01:25] intellect and her caring nature,
[1:01:27] and we couldn't have seen what
[1:01:28] we were going to be in store for
[1:01:30] over the next four and a half
[1:01:31] years, but all of those were
[1:01:33] tested, and you, you know,
[1:01:36] stepped up even more than we
[1:01:37] could have imagined, so I want
[1:01:38] to thank you for that.
[1:01:40] And I know you're a religious
[1:01:42] person. I'm not particularly a
[1:01:43] religious person, but I think
[1:01:46] there was a little divine
[1:01:47] intervention here to bring you
[1:01:49] to our community when we needed
[1:01:50] you most, and so thank you for
[1:01:52] that service. I can't imagine
[1:01:56] anyone who deserves a more, you
[1:01:58] know, wonderful retirement, and
[1:02:00] so thank you so much, and we
[1:02:02] wish you nothing but the best
[1:02:03] from the county family, and I
[1:02:05] hope to continue to learn from
[1:02:07] you and work with you as I take
[1:02:10] my transition as well. Thank
[1:02:12] you. There we go. All right.
[1:02:13] >>STEPHANIE MOULTON-PETERS,
[1:02:25] PRES.: I want to bring it back
[1:02:26] to the board now for some
[1:02:27] closing comments and then we'll
[1:02:29] pass that resolution. Vice
[1:02:31] President Rodoni?
[1:02:34] >>DENNIS RODONI: Wow. What a
[1:02:35] morning. Congratulations,
[1:02:36] Benita. You know, I don't know
[1:02:40] if you could have packed
[1:02:41] anything more into four years.
[1:02:43] I think we probably maxed you
[1:02:45] out, but I'm sure if we had
[1:02:46] something else, you would have
[1:02:47] handled it really well.
[1:02:49] You know, a couple people talked
[1:02:51] about showing up, walking the
[1:02:53] talk today, and I think that's
[1:02:55] what I like the most about you.
[1:02:58] As supervisors, we're out in the
[1:03:01] community a lot, and almost
[1:03:03] always Benita would be at those
[1:03:04] events. I could remember
[1:03:06] several times you coming to
[1:03:08] Bolinas at night, knowing you've
[1:03:10] had a long ride home, but
[1:03:12] showing up there was so
[1:03:14] important to that community, and
[1:03:16] I have to confess to you that
[1:03:18] recently, two or three months
[1:03:20] ago we were there and a
[1:03:21] gentleman came up to you and
[1:03:22] told you how the social worker
[1:03:25] had saved his life, basically,
[1:03:27] by getting him a surgery he
[1:03:30] needed, and I have to confess, I
[1:03:33] sent him up to you that night,
[1:03:34] but I'm glad I did now that
[1:03:38] [indiscernible] retirement,
[1:03:39] because I think that's a moment
[1:03:40] you'll remember. Thank you so
[1:03:40] much.
[1:03:48] >>MARY SACKETT: Dr. McLarin,
[1:03:50] we've heard so many wonderful
[1:03:51] things about you today. One of
[1:03:54] the numbers that just jumps out
[1:03:56] to me is that under your
[1:03:57] leadership 150 units of
[1:03:59] permanent supportive housing
[1:04:00] were created in Marin County.
[1:04:08] That -- there's no small feat
[1:04:10] there, and that was due to your
[1:04:14] unabashed leadership of a great
[1:04:15] team who then took that and ran
[1:04:17] with it and knew that you
[1:04:18] supported them through all that
[1:04:19] work, so many generations to
[1:04:21] come are grateful for those
[1:04:22] units of housing.
[1:04:25] I have really appreciated our
[1:04:27] monthly discussions where your
[1:04:29] frank honesty breaks through
[1:04:31] from your always professional
[1:04:33] decorum. You've pointed so many
[1:04:36] things out to me that I don't
[1:04:37] experience in this county, and I
[1:04:39] really appreciate that. I know
[1:04:40] one of your concerns when you
[1:04:42] talked about retiring was will
[1:04:44] your -- will all the work you've
[1:04:46] done on equity be carried
[1:04:48] forward, and I think this room
[1:04:49] is a testament that you've
[1:04:51] touched so many people deeply
[1:04:53] and internally that there's a
[1:04:55] lot of us to carry your work on,
[1:04:56] so thank you so much. Enjoy
[1:04:58] your retirement.
[1:05:08] >>KATIE RICE: Benita, what a
[1:05:11] wonderful morning, and I know
[1:05:12] it's -- I know this is what the
[1:05:14] Bishop said, things shouldn't be
[1:05:17] about, but this is all about
[1:05:17] you.
[1:05:24] I am just really going to miss
[1:05:26] you so much. Benita does show
[1:05:28] up everywhere, unbelievably so,
[1:05:32] and she was also at every single
[1:05:33] Tuesday meeting, right? We have
[1:05:39] spent a lot of time together in
[1:05:41] different ways, and I'm going to
[1:05:42] miss those monthly calls and the
[1:05:44] frankness, but also all the
[1:05:45] other interactions, like
[1:05:47] everyone else in this room who
[1:05:48] has stood up and spoken and
[1:05:50] those who haven't and the many,
[1:05:52] many folks on your HHS team and
[1:05:55] beyond, you have inspired me.
[1:05:58] You have bolstered me, and I
[1:05:59] think you have made me a better
[1:06:01] person and a better leader, and
[1:06:03] hopefully -- and it doesn't
[1:06:05] sound like that -- maybe I'll
[1:06:09] move forward with more humility
[1:06:10] and more conviction for having
[1:06:12] worked with you during these
[1:06:13] last four years.
[1:06:16] It has been just something to
[1:06:17] hear everybody, all your people
[1:06:22] speak today, and I'm so glad
[1:06:25] they have had the opportunity,
[1:06:27] not only to share with you their
[1:06:29] experience with you, but also so
[1:06:32] that the entire county can hear
[1:06:35] how much you have meant to us as
[1:06:37] individuals and to the health of
[1:06:40] this county and community and to
[1:06:42] the betterment of this place
[1:06:43] going forward, so thank you so,
[1:06:45] so much for your service here
[1:06:48] and for being such an incredibly
[1:06:50] wonderful colleague. Thank you.
[1:06:52] [ Applause ]
[1:06:57] >>ERIC LUCAN: Thank you very
[1:06:59] much, Benita. First and
[1:07:00] foremost, please don't teach
[1:07:01] anybody else how to retire. You
[1:07:05] even do this with such
[1:07:06] excellence, you're making it
[1:07:07] look so appealing. No, really
[1:07:09] congratulate you and thank you
[1:07:11] for everything. Just a couple
[1:07:12] quick words at the end here.
[1:07:14] Thank you for choosing Marin.
[1:07:16] With all of your experience,
[1:07:17] with everything that you've done
[1:07:18] in your career, with all the
[1:07:19] letters after your name, you
[1:07:21] could have gone anywhere, and
[1:07:23] you chose to spend these past
[1:07:25] four years here in the County of
[1:07:26] Marin. We can't thank you
[1:07:28] enough, and boy did we need you
[1:07:29] during that time. Thank you for
[1:07:31] loving Marin, for living out
[1:07:32] your faith each and every day in
[1:07:36] serving those and putting others
[1:07:37] above yourself.
[1:07:38] And lastly, as you're leaving,
[1:07:41] you're not just leaving the
[1:07:42] county. You're leaving a
[1:07:43] legacy, and thank you for
[1:07:44] leaving something behind that we
[1:07:46] can continue to build off of.
[1:07:47] My only regret was that I only
[1:07:48] got to spend one year of your
[1:07:51] tenure here with you, but I
[1:07:53] thank you for everything that
[1:07:54] you've left here and wish you
[1:07:55] the very best in your
[1:07:56] retirement. Thank you.
[1:08:00] [ Applause ]
[1:08:03] >>STEPHANIE MOULTON-PETERS,
[1:08:04] PRES.: You are leaving a legacy,
[1:08:06] Benita. I hope you know that.
[1:08:07] And I want to thank you for
[1:08:11] prioritizing health and wellness
[1:08:12] for all people, and also for
[1:08:14] your work in elevating the needs
[1:08:16] of Marin City and southern
[1:08:19] Marin, and persevering with your
[1:08:27] vision of the health and
[1:08:29] wellness hub in southern Marin.
[1:08:32] And for bringing in the mobile
[1:08:34] services and Ida Green in the
[1:08:37] meantime in helping out down
[1:08:39] there and all of your staff
[1:08:41] helping out. That has been so
[1:08:43] meaningful for southern Marin.
[1:08:45] I want to thank you for the
[1:08:47] homeless and the encampments and
[1:08:48] the anchor outs on Richardson
[1:08:50] Bay. That was a tough
[1:08:52] situation, and we were making it
[1:08:53] up all the time, as Gary and Ken
[1:08:55] have said, and it worked out
[1:08:56] very well, and we have set
[1:08:59] [indiscernible] that I'm very
[1:09:00] proud of.
[1:09:01] I want to thank you for your
[1:09:02] personal warmth and compassion
[1:09:06] and the way you build
[1:09:07] relationships with all of us. I
[1:09:08] think every one of us in this
[1:09:09] room has been touched by you,
[1:09:11] and you've made a difference in
[1:09:13] our lives. So I just on behalf
[1:09:17] of our community and all of us
[1:09:19] here, thank you from the bottom
[1:09:21] of our hearts for choosing Marin
[1:09:23] and for everything you've done
[1:09:24] for us. Have a great
[1:09:26] retirement.
[1:09:31] [ Applause ]
[1:09:33] Okay, did you move the
[1:09:34] resolution?
[1:09:37] >>KATIE RICE: I'd like to move
[1:09:38] the resolution commending
[1:09:41] Dr. Benita McLarin for her four
[1:09:44] years of service here at the
[1:09:45] County of Marin and her 43 years
[1:09:47] of exemplary service to the
[1:09:49] people of the United States of
[1:09:50] America.
[1:09:51] >>STEPHANIE MOULTON-PETERS,
[1:09:52] PRES.: All right.
[1:09:53] >>MARY SACKETT: Second.
[1:09:54] >>STEPHANIE MOULTON-PETERS,
[1:09:54] PRES.: Okay. A motion and a
[1:09:55] second. All in favor?
[1:09:56] Aye.
[1:09:58] That motion carries. Thank you,
[1:09:59] Benita.
[1:10:07] [ Applause ]
[1:10:20] Benita, if you and Matthew would
[1:10:21] join us for a photo up front
[1:10:23] here with the board, and Damon,
[1:10:24] come join us.
[1:18:20] >>STEPHANIE MOULTON-PETERS,
[1:18:21] PRES.: We are going to reconvene
[1:18:22] now as the Board of Supervisors.
[1:18:25] We're going to have public open
[1:18:26] time, and I am going to read our
[1:18:31] admonishment to the community
[1:18:33] about open time.
[1:18:34] The Marin County Board of
[1:18:37] Supervisors encourages the
[1:18:37] respectful dialogue that
[1:18:39] supports freedom of speech and
[1:18:40] values diversity of opinion.
[1:18:43] The board, staff and members of
[1:18:44] the public are expected to be
[1:18:46] civil and courteous and to
[1:18:48] refrain from questioning the
[1:18:49] character or motives of others.
[1:18:53] The county requests that
[1:18:55] speakers not use threatening,
[1:18:57] profane or abusive language
[1:18:58] which disrupts, disturbs or
[1:19:01] otherwise impedes the orderly
[1:19:03] conduct of the board meeting.
[1:19:05] Members of the public may
[1:19:06] comment on any item on the
[1:19:08] agenda during the board
[1:19:10] consideration of the item, and I
[1:19:12] will invite public comment
[1:19:13] following the staff presentation
[1:19:15] on each item, generally giving
[1:19:19] two minutes, unless we have a
[1:19:20] large crowd.
[1:19:21] I also want to take a moment to
[1:19:23] observe the expressions that we
[1:19:27] just heard about Marin County
[1:19:29] and what we value, which is
[1:19:32] coming together rather than
[1:19:34] divisiveness, and that is the
[1:19:36] hallmark of Marin County, is to
[1:19:38] come together to solve the
[1:19:40] issues that are before us here
[1:19:41] in the county. So with that,
[1:19:44] I'm going to open now to public
[1:19:46] open time, and I'm going to ask
[1:19:49] people to line up in the
[1:19:50] chambers, please, so I can see
[1:19:52] how many are here that wish to
[1:19:54] speak. If you wish to speak
[1:19:56] online, please raise your hand
[1:19:57] now. We will have 45 minutes
[1:20:00] this morning for public comment,
[1:20:03] and anyone who doesn't have the
[1:20:05] opportunity to speak can speak
[1:20:07] at the end of today's business
[1:20:08] meeting.
[1:20:10] I will do what I did last week,
[1:20:12] which was to invite five
[1:20:14] speakers in the chambers and
[1:20:16] then we'll go five speakers
[1:20:18] online, so -- and I'm going to
[1:20:22] look at how many speakers we
[1:20:25] have. I'm seeing . . .
[1:20:34] Matthew, are you able to get a
[1:20:35] count for how many we have in
[1:20:38] the chambers, speakers?
[1:20:47] Okay, yeah, okay, I'm going to
[1:20:49] ask everyone, because if
[1:20:50] we're -- I'd like to hear
[1:20:52] everyone this morning, and so
[1:20:53] I'm going to -- in order to do
[1:20:54] that within 45 minutes, I'm
[1:20:57] going to ask everyone to just
[1:20:58] make your comments brief, one
[1:21:00] minute, please. Please give
[1:21:01] your name and make your comment,
[1:21:03] and we'll, again, take five
[1:21:05] speakers in the chamber, then
[1:21:06] we'll go online, come back to
[1:21:07] the chamber.
[1:21:09] So please, if you'd like to
[1:21:10] start.
[1:21:11] >>SPEAKER: Hello. My name is
[1:21:13] Ava. I grew up on a boat in
[1:21:15] Richardson Bay and I'm a student
[1:21:16] at College of Marin, and I'm
[1:21:17] here to ask you to please put
[1:21:19] forth a resolution for a
[1:21:21] ceasefire and to please pass a
[1:21:23] resolution and follow suit
[1:21:26] Oakland and Richmond have
[1:21:27] already passed ceasefire
[1:21:29] resolutions, and I really
[1:21:30] shouldn't have to say stop
[1:21:31] bombing children, and that
[1:21:33] shouldn't be a controversial
[1:21:35] opinion. The government should
[1:21:37] stop bombing children, and you
[1:21:40] know, there are several
[1:21:41] genocides going on in the world,
[1:21:43] and I think we need to recognize
[1:21:44] that we are the benefactors of
[1:21:46] the systems that allow for us to
[1:21:48] be so privileged at the expense
[1:21:50] of millions of other people
[1:21:51] around the world who literally
[1:21:53] die so we can have strawberries
[1:21:55] year round, even when they are
[1:21:56] not in season.
[1:21:58] We have surpassed the numbers of
[1:22:01] the original 1948 nakba where
[1:22:05] Palestinians were murdered and
[1:22:07] displaced, and there has been an
[1:22:08] ongoing genocide, much like the
[1:22:10] genocide that happened here in
[1:22:11] America at the Native
[1:22:13] Americans --
[1:22:14] >>STEPHANIE MOULTON-PETERS,
[1:22:15] PRES.: Thank you. Thank you so
[1:22:15] much. Next speaker, please.
[1:22:26] >>SPEAKER: Hi, my name is Tyler.
[1:22:27] I go to Terra Linda. I'm urging
[1:22:29] the Marin County Board of
[1:22:30] Supervisors to propose and pass
[1:22:32] a ceasefire resolution. How
[1:22:34] many people is it gonna take to
[1:22:37] come and demand a ceasefire
[1:22:39] resolution for you to do it?
[1:22:41] 400 signatures on the petition
[1:22:43] online. How many people, dozens
[1:22:44] of people have come and made
[1:22:45] public comment, and no action
[1:22:46] has been taken. The Gaza health
[1:22:50] system, all the hospitals are in
[1:22:52] disrepair. It's -- the doctors
[1:22:54] there said the medical system
[1:22:56] has collapsed. There's a large
[1:23:00] breakout of hepatitis A across
[1:23:02] Gaza, and the UNRWA says that
[1:23:05] this will only grow in number
[1:23:07] and severity if there is not an
[1:23:09] immediate permanent ceasefire
[1:23:10] for the entirety of Gaza. Our
[1:23:12] government funds this genocide
[1:23:14] and killing and bombing of
[1:23:16] civilians. Israel's bombed
[1:23:18] schools, UN workers, children,
[1:23:21] hospitals. They are shooting
[1:23:23] people who tried to leave a
[1:23:24] hospital to get dead people.
[1:23:26] They are piling bodies in the
[1:23:26] hospital --
[1:23:27] >>STEPHANIE MOULTON-PETERS,
[1:23:28] PRES.: Thank you. We're at
[1:23:28] time. Next speaker, please.
[1:23:30] >>SPEAKER: When will you call
[1:23:31] for a ceasefire?
[1:23:32] >>STEPHANIE MOULTON-PETERS,
[1:23:33] PRES.: Next speaker, please.
[1:23:37] >>SPEAKER: Hi. Roger Stohl, San
[1:23:41] Rafael, speaking for a
[1:23:44] unilateral permanent ceasefire
[1:23:45] resolution. I'm going to talk
[1:23:48] about a particular issue. Yom
[1:23:51] Kippur happened to come before
[1:23:53] Israel stepped up killing of
[1:23:54] Palestinians, but when I was in
[1:23:56] synagogue chanting and fasting
[1:23:57] this year, a thought crossed my
[1:23:58] mind, any synagogue's
[1:24:01] congregation might be targeted
[1:24:02] by someone who linked Jewish
[1:24:04] identity to Israel and was
[1:24:06] outraged by Israel's treatment
[1:24:07] of Palestinians. They might
[1:24:08] know of the British Israeli and
[1:24:10] American project to rid historic
[1:24:12] Palestine of its Indigenous
[1:24:13] people in a protracted and now
[1:24:15] rapid ethnic cleansing and
[1:24:17] genocide. It's hard to blame
[1:24:19] any gentile for this confusion.
[1:24:22] Zionism has been a tenet of
[1:24:23] every Jewish institution I've
[1:24:24] grown up with, including
[1:24:26] synagogues, religious schools
[1:24:27] and summer camps, so there is
[1:24:29] some logic in Israel's policies
[1:24:32] conflating anti-Zionism with
[1:24:33] anti-Semitism, but because of
[1:24:35] their insistence on identifying
[1:24:37] Judaism with Zionism, as do the
[1:24:39] mainstream Jewish institutions,
[1:24:41] they have amplified the risks
[1:24:42] from anti-Semitism, and you
[1:24:43] should not listen to them.
[1:24:44] >>STEPHANIE MOULTON-PETERS,
[1:24:45] PRES.: Thank you, we're at time.
[1:24:46] >>SPEAKER: You should not listen
[1:24:46] to them.
[1:24:47] >>STEPHANIE MOULTON-PETERS,
[1:24:48] PRES.: Thank you.
[1:24:55] >>SPEAKER: Hello. My name is
[1:24:57] Janine Herron. I'm 87 years
[1:25:00] old, and I started my teaching
[1:25:02] career in Ramallah at a Quaker
[1:25:06] friends school in Ramallah.
[1:25:11] We protested against the Vietnam
[1:25:14] War because we felt America was
[1:25:18] doing immoral and illegal things
[1:25:22] against another nation. After
[1:25:26] 9/11, we rushed into action with
[1:25:32] improper information, and we
[1:25:35] should have learned a lesson
[1:25:36] from that. Right now America is
[1:25:40] supporting an incredibly
[1:25:42] horrible war against the
[1:25:47] Palestinians. We were not
[1:25:51] anti-American when we protested
[1:25:54] the Vietnam War. We loved
[1:25:58] America, and we are not
[1:26:00] anti-Israeli or anti-Semitic
[1:26:04] now.
[1:26:04] >>STEPHANIE MOULTON-PETERS,
[1:26:05] PRES.: We're at time, thank you.
[1:26:07] >>SPEAKER: When we protest the
[1:26:09] horrible and illegal and immoral
[1:26:10] actions of Israel.
[1:26:11] >>STEPHANIE MOULTON-PETERS,
[1:26:12] PRES.: Thank you. We're at
[1:26:12] time.
[1:26:13] >>SPEAKER: Thank you.
[1:26:14] >>STEPHANIE MOULTON-PETERS,
[1:26:14] PRES.: Okay, we're going to go
[1:26:15] online.
[1:26:16] >>MODERATOR: The first speaker
[1:26:16] is Laurie Dubin. Please unmute.
[1:26:23] Laurie, I think you lowered your
[1:26:25] hand. The next speaker is
[1:26:26] Rodrigo Izquierdo. Please
[1:26:27] unmute.
[1:26:31] >>SPEAKER: Hi. I'd like to talk
[1:26:32] about the United Nations. The
[1:26:35] United Nations, they have a
[1:26:37] Human Rights Commission, and
[1:26:39] it's pretty much ignored by
[1:26:43] countries who have -- who
[1:26:48] violate it. Okay, so that's
[1:26:52] just what you expect from
[1:26:54] countries like that that have no
[1:26:56] democracy, so the question is:
[1:26:58] Why is it that we have a Human
[1:27:00] Rights Commission here in Marin
[1:27:03] supposedly a very outstanding
[1:27:06] county, but your commissioners,
[1:27:10] they don't go by the Brown Act.
[1:27:12] They don't go by their own
[1:27:14] bylaws. They don't go by the
[1:27:17] Robert's Rules of Order, and
[1:27:18] they actually attack
[1:27:19] journalists. They want to --
[1:27:22] they don't want any kind of
[1:27:24] participation, so in a way, why
[1:27:28] don't you start doing something
[1:27:30] about the Human Rights
[1:27:31] Commission in your own backyard.
[1:27:34] >>MODERATOR: The next speaker is
[1:27:36] Lesley Savelli. Please unmute.
[1:27:45] >>SPEAKER: I'm going to read
[1:27:45] really quickly because I need
[1:27:46] the whole minute.
[1:27:47] As an Armenian Jew that is a
[1:27:49] direct descendant of genocide on
[1:27:52] both sides, the lack of a stance
[1:27:53] is beyond offensive. The lack
[1:27:55] of outcry is what has allowed
[1:27:57] and contributed to every past
[1:27:59] genocide in history. As I said
[1:28:01] after the last board meeting to
[1:28:04] Ms. Sackett, the woman who
[1:28:06] attacked people for and said
[1:28:09] their children should be raped
[1:28:10] and murdered, that should have
[1:28:11] been a hate crime, and if that
[1:28:13] had been said to Jewish people,
[1:28:15] that would have been a hate
[1:28:16] crime. If this were happening
[1:28:18] to the Jewish community, that
[1:28:21] would -- there would be a
[1:28:22] stance. Just as Huffman
[1:28:27] immediately came out and on
[1:28:29] Facebook spoke after 10/7. You
[1:28:32] don't have the ability for a
[1:28:34] ceasefire, but you do have the
[1:28:36] ability to serve your public and
[1:28:39] take a stance against a clear
[1:28:40] genocide.
[1:28:44] >>MODERATOR: The next speaker is
[1:28:45] Musa Tariq. Please unmute.
[1:28:50] >>SPEAKER: Hi. Before I start
[1:28:51] I'd like to commend Health and
[1:28:53] Human Services director Benita
[1:28:54] McLarin on her retirement and
[1:28:55] service. My name is Musa. I'm
[1:28:58] speaking on behalf of the
[1:28:59] council on Islamic America
[1:29:01] relations. We propose and pass
[1:29:03] a ceasefire resolution and call
[1:29:04] for a hostilities following suit
[1:29:07] with Richmond and Oakland.
[1:29:09] 20,000 Palestinians have been
[1:29:10] killed by Israel, nearly half of
[1:29:12] them being children. The
[1:29:13] average age of those killed is 5
[1:29:14] years old and 99% of the
[1:29:16] casualties have been innocent
[1:29:17] civilians and Israel is using
[1:29:19] dehumanizing language to justify
[1:29:20] this genocide by using phrases
[1:29:22] such as human animals and
[1:29:23] children of the darkness, and
[1:29:24] that language has repercussions
[1:29:25] here at home. Many Muslims in
[1:29:28] the Bay Area -- death threats
[1:29:33] and more, and by now we have all
[1:29:35] heard about the 6-year-old
[1:29:36] Palestinian boy in Chicago who
[1:29:38] was fatally stabbed 26 times,
[1:29:39] and the language our electives
[1:29:42] use matters. This is horrifying
[1:29:43] and won't end there. We need to
[1:29:45] consider Palestinian people as
[1:29:46] human beings with hopes and
[1:29:47] dreams, so we urge you to stay
[1:29:48] on the right side of history and
[1:29:50] support a ceasefire resolution
[1:29:52] in the city of Marin. Thank you
[1:29:54] so much.
[1:29:55] >>MODERATOR: The next speaker is
[1:29:57] Clayton Smith. Please unmute.
[1:30:02] >>SPEAKER: Notwithstanding the
[1:30:03] cause and motivations, all
[1:30:07] actions have consequences,
[1:30:12] actions and reactions to events
[1:30:13] are often judged on the basis of
[1:30:15] their proportionality, being a
[1:30:16] question of scale. They are
[1:30:19] also judged on the basis of the
[1:30:21] appropriateness of their focus.
[1:30:23] Self-destruction is the means to
[1:30:25] the downfall not just of
[1:30:27] individuals but of nations as
[1:30:29] well. That is why we have the
[1:30:34] admonitions against vengeance
[1:30:36] and vindictive hotheadedness.
[1:30:38] In the Torah is the statement:
[1:30:41] The sins of the father will be
[1:30:42] visited on to the third
[1:30:43] generation, so here we are.
[1:30:46] It's time to remind ourselves
[1:30:48] that we are not helpless in our
[1:30:51] choices. Had the events of
[1:30:53] October 7 been treated properly
[1:30:56] as a crime scene, the
[1:30:58] opportunity for a measured
[1:31:00] response would have been
[1:31:01] possible. This was not the
[1:31:03] case.
[1:31:06] >>MODERATOR: The next speaker is
[1:31:07] Guila Rice. Please unmute.
[1:31:15] >>SPEAKER: Good morning and
[1:31:15] thank you. Calls for a
[1:31:17] ceasefire here in Marin, the Bay
[1:31:19] Area, or across the country will
[1:31:20] not end what is happening in the
[1:31:22] Middle East. What it will do,
[1:31:23] and does, is flame the fire of
[1:31:25] anti-Semitism. Jew hatred here
[1:31:28] in Marin, the Bay Area and
[1:31:29] across the country. This is not
[1:31:31] a fight against the people of
[1:31:32] Gaza or the Palestinians but a
[1:31:34] fight against Hamas, which is
[1:31:36] not just -- which not just
[1:31:39] Israel but Australia, Canada,
[1:31:41] Japan, Paraguay, New Zealand,
[1:31:43] the U.K., the United States and
[1:31:44] the European Union have all
[1:31:46] designated as a terrorist
[1:31:47] organization. This conflict,
[1:31:49] this war could and would end
[1:31:51] today if Hamas only did one
[1:31:53] thing, hand over all of the
[1:31:56] kidnapped victims, men, women,
[1:31:57] children, babies, and sadly hand
[1:31:59] over any bodies of murdered
[1:32:02] victims. The loss of life in
[1:32:04] the region is tragic and
[1:32:05] heartbreaking, but let us not
[1:32:07] forget one basic thing, that the
[1:32:10] death, the suffering and war is
[1:32:12] the root of Hamas. They are
[1:32:14] evil and they are the ones that
[1:32:15] need to be end, and they must be
[1:32:17] eliminated. Thank you to the
[1:32:18] board for this time.
[1:32:18] >>STEPHANIE MOULTON-PETERS,
[1:32:20] PRES.: We're going to go back
[1:32:21] into the chambers now for the
[1:32:22] next five speakers. Go ahead
[1:32:24] and introduce yourself.
[1:32:25] >>SPEAKER: Hi, my name is Arian
[1:32:28] Schneider Stalking. I have been
[1:32:32] horrified by what has been
[1:32:33] happening in Gaza, in Ramallah,
[1:32:34] in Palestine. We know that more
[1:32:36] than 17,400 Gazans have been
[1:32:40] killed, 1.8 million Gazans have
[1:32:44] been displaced, tens of
[1:32:45] thousands are at risk of
[1:32:47] imminent death. Gutierrez
[1:32:50] warned Gaza is becoming a
[1:32:52] graveyard for children. Israel
[1:32:54] pushed the population from
[1:32:55] northern Gaza to the south, then
[1:32:57] invaded the south. Israeli
[1:33:00] authorities told Gazans to flee
[1:33:02] for their lives to zones within
[1:33:03] the south, and then bombed these
[1:33:06] places to which the Gazans had
[1:33:09] been directed. I am absolutely
[1:33:13] opposed to these actions that
[1:33:16] are supported by the United
[1:33:18] States with our military aid
[1:33:20] that we give every second to
[1:33:22] Israel. I want my county and my
[1:33:26] county representatives to
[1:33:28] support an immediate permanent
[1:33:30] ceasefire in Gaza now.
[1:33:30] >>STEPHANIE MOULTON-PETERS,
[1:33:32] PRES.: Thank you. We're at
[1:33:33] time. Next speaker, please.
[1:33:36] >>SPEAKER: Over 17,000 dead, a
[1:33:38] Palestinian child is killed
[1:33:39] every 10 minutes, a thousand
[1:33:41] limbs lost on the children who
[1:33:43] survive. Operations without
[1:33:45] anaesthesia, no food, no water,
[1:33:46] no sanitation. People who
[1:33:48] survive the bombings are dying
[1:33:49] disease and infection,
[1:33:51] starvation, exposure to the
[1:33:52] elements. White phosphorus. A
[1:33:55] ceasefire is an immediate need
[1:33:56] to save anybody that we can that
[1:33:59] is left alive, as well as an
[1:34:00] immediate stop to the millions
[1:34:01] of dollars Marin County sends to
[1:34:02] Israel. Palestinians-Americans
[1:34:06] in Marin deserve to feel safe,
[1:34:07] not know their neighbors chose
[1:34:08] to fund the murder of their
[1:34:10] relatives. Last few weeks of
[1:34:12] watching a genocide in real time
[1:34:14] has changed us. We will not
[1:34:17] forget, we will not stop
[1:34:19] demanding justice, and we will
[1:34:20] remember everybody that led to
[1:34:22] us as a county being complicit
[1:34:24] in this genocide and all of
[1:34:26] these deaths. It is entirely
[1:34:28] preventable and we can be a part
[1:34:30] of the change. We are giving
[1:34:31] money to the bombing of these
[1:34:33] children, these innocent
[1:34:34] families. We would never
[1:34:35] conflate terrorist groups with
[1:34:37] civilians here if they bombed
[1:34:39] the hospital with my families.
[1:34:40] That would never be accepted.
[1:34:42] Never.
[1:34:42] >>STEPHANIE MOULTON-PETERS,
[1:34:43] PRES.: Thank you. We're at
[1:34:44] time. Next speaker, please.
[1:34:47] >>SPEAKER: Good morning. My
[1:34:48] name is Cecelia Avilar and I'm
[1:34:51] speaking to you as an educator
[1:34:52] here in Marin County. I also
[1:34:53] want to commend the board for
[1:34:55] recognizing Dr. Benita this
[1:34:56] morning. I think we all
[1:34:58] spoke -- or many people spoke
[1:34:59] about how she led with heart and
[1:35:01] equity, and I'm turning that now
[1:35:03] on to you, Board of Supervisors,
[1:35:04] to also lead with heart and with
[1:35:05] equity. UNICEF recently called
[1:35:08] Gaza the most dangerous place to
[1:35:10] be a child, and our tax dollars
[1:35:12] directly fund that danger for
[1:35:13] children. So the global is
[1:35:15] local, so I'm calling on you to
[1:35:17] adopt a ceasefire resolution.
[1:35:19] Those tax dollars could instead
[1:35:21] fund the lives of children here,
[1:35:23] the Health and Human Services
[1:35:24] departments here in Marin
[1:35:25] County, and instead that money
[1:35:27] could be used to fund life and
[1:35:29] not destruction halfway across
[1:35:30] the world, so lead with equity,
[1:35:32] lead with heart, and call for an
[1:35:33] immediate and permanent
[1:35:34] ceasefire resolution here in
[1:35:36] Marin County. Thank you.
[1:35:37] >>STEPHANIE MOULTON-PETERS,
[1:35:37] PRES.: Okay. Thank you. Next
[1:35:39] speaker, please.
[1:35:40] >>SPEAKER: Hi, my name is Chin.
[1:35:42] I was born and raised in China,
[1:35:45] but I grew up in Marin, and I
[1:35:48] urge the board to please adopt a
[1:35:50] permanent ceasefire resolution.
[1:35:51] I would like to bring specific
[1:35:54] attention to the statistical
[1:35:55] disproportion of deaths in
[1:35:56] regards to the Palestinians.
[1:35:59] 70% are women, elderly and
[1:36:01] children, 50% of which are
[1:36:03] children. This is the most
[1:36:05] documented crime against
[1:36:06] humanity and yet we are failing
[1:36:11] them by not doing enough. And
[1:36:16] you cannot call this a war
[1:36:17] because they don't have an army,
[1:36:20] and they -- if you compare it to
[1:36:24] Ukraine, Iraq and the Syrian
[1:36:29] war, the casualties in children
[1:36:32] do not compare. 500 children
[1:36:35] have died in 21 months in
[1:36:36] Ukraine, 3,000 died in 14 years
[1:36:40] in Iraq, 7,000 children died in
[1:36:43] seven weeks in Gaza.
[1:36:44] >>STEPHANIE MOULTON-PETERS,
[1:36:44] PRES.: Thank you. We're at
[1:36:45] time. Thank you.
[1:36:46] Okay, one more speaker here and
[1:36:48] then we'll go online.
[1:36:50] >>SPEAKER: Hi, Eric, Katie,
[1:36:52] Stephanie, Dennis, hey, Mary.
[1:36:54] My name's Miche. I'm a first
[1:36:57] generation Jewish American. My
[1:37:00] family came here from Ukraine
[1:37:02] because of the rampant
[1:37:03] anti-Semitism that exists in
[1:37:05] Ukraine. I'm grieving with and
[1:37:06] more Palestine. In just six
[1:37:09] weeks Israel was able to drop
[1:37:11] over 22,000 U.S.-provided bombs
[1:37:14] on Gaza. That is the equivalent
[1:37:17] of two nuclear bombs. And the
[1:37:20] U.S. dollars we are funding
[1:37:22] this. It is a genocide, an
[1:37:26] ethnic cleansing, and collective
[1:37:28] Jewish trauma is being used to
[1:37:30] enable this. Biden has already
[1:37:33] given Israel $14 billion, and
[1:37:35] he's working with Congress to
[1:37:37] give them another $106 billion,
[1:37:41] but the U.S. has only given $100
[1:37:44] million to the them in aid this
[1:37:46] year. As of October 7, over
[1:37:48] 17,000 Gazans have been killed
[1:37:50] by Israel, 25,000 are children.
[1:37:51] >>STEPHANIE MOULTON-PETERS,
[1:37:52] PRES.: Thank you. We're at
[1:37:53] time. Thank you. We'll go
[1:37:54] online now. Thanks.
[1:37:56] >>MODERATOR: The first speaker
[1:37:57] is Isa P. Please unmute.
[1:38:04] >>SPEAKER: I'm just here to say
[1:38:05] that it is urgent that the
[1:38:07] council adopt an put forth a
[1:38:10] resolution for ceasefire now.
[1:38:11] Biden was quoted as saying if
[1:38:13] Israel did not exist the U.S.
[1:38:14] would have to invent one in
[1:38:15] order to keep our interests in
[1:38:17] the region current, and I think
[1:38:19] that is the only statement we
[1:38:21] need to listen to. Zionism is
[1:38:25] fascism. Zionism is an
[1:38:26] extension of the U.S.'s
[1:38:27] interests in the region, and
[1:38:28] what we need now is for the U.S.
[1:38:30] to end its accomplice. It's
[1:38:33] just support of what is just a
[1:38:35] genocide. One child every ten
[1:38:37] minutes, unimaginable suffering.
[1:38:39] The only nation to vote against
[1:38:41] ceasefire is the U.S., and this
[1:38:42] is not a controversial opinion.
[1:38:44] Polls are saying that the
[1:38:45] majority of Americans support a
[1:38:46] ceasefire in order to stop
[1:38:48] anti-Arab hate at home, it's
[1:38:50] important that our county stand
[1:38:52] true to its values and support
[1:38:55] ceasefire abroad. It's time for
[1:38:56] you to take a stand, use your
[1:38:58] power, don't let the Zionist
[1:39:00] lobby buy your vote. This is
[1:39:01] not controversy. This is
[1:39:04] popular opinion. Vote for
[1:39:05] ceasefire now.
[1:39:06] >>MODERATOR: The next speaker is
[1:39:09] Cev he/him. Please unmute.
[1:39:12] >>SPEAKER: Hi, I'm a lifelong
[1:39:14] resident. I live and work in
[1:39:15] Terra Linda. I am hear to speak
[1:39:19] today to ask you to use the
[1:39:21] platform that you have been
[1:39:22] given to, as was said before,
[1:39:24] lead with your heart and listen
[1:39:27] to your constituents who are all
[1:39:28] asking for you to use your
[1:39:33] platform to call for a
[1:39:34] ceasefire. Call for
[1:39:37] non-military aid. Whatever is
[1:39:39] in your power, which you do
[1:39:41] have. This is relevant to our
[1:39:42] county. Our tax dollars fund
[1:39:44] this, and disproportionately
[1:39:47] Marin is extremely wealthy, much
[1:39:49] of our money, particularly from
[1:39:50] this area, is going to fund
[1:39:52] this. It's not a war. It is an
[1:39:55] assault, a crime against
[1:39:57] humanity. Please use your
[1:39:58] platform to call for a ceasefire
[1:40:00] now. Thank you.
[1:40:02] >>MODERATOR: The next speaker is
[1:40:04] Rebekah Collins. Please unmute.
[1:40:09] >>SPEAKER: I want to say thank
[1:40:10] you to the Board of Supervisors.
[1:40:14] Children need clean water. They
[1:40:15] need good food. They need the
[1:40:17] warm arms of a mother and
[1:40:19] father, a safe place to learn to
[1:40:22] crawl, to talk, to walk, to run,
[1:40:25] to hop, to skip, to climb a
[1:40:27] tree, to follow a butterfly, to
[1:40:29] listen to birds, to watch
[1:40:31] clouds, to hold a sister's hand,
[1:40:34] to eat ice cream, to make a
[1:40:36] castle, to splash in waves.
[1:40:38] This is not just a nice thing
[1:40:40] for children to do. This is how
[1:40:42] a child's brain properly
[1:40:45] develops. Without these types
[1:40:48] of activities, without feeling
[1:40:49] safe, the frontal lobes of the
[1:40:52] child's brain cannot develop
[1:40:55] properly. They are left with
[1:40:57] lifelong trauma. The children
[1:40:59] of Gaza need all the adults who
[1:41:02] are witnessing them to come
[1:41:04] together and make a permanent
[1:41:08] ceasefire happen. Thank you.
[1:41:10] >>MODERATOR: The next speaker is
[1:41:12] Elias. Please unmute.
[1:41:16] >>SPEAKER: Hi. I am a
[1:41:19] Palestinian-Israeli citizen and
[1:41:21] resident of Marin County for 30
[1:41:23] years. I support a permanent
[1:41:26] ceasefire resolution by the
[1:41:30] Marin County Board of
[1:41:31] Supervisors. I would like to
[1:41:35] bring the Marin County
[1:41:36] supervisors' attention to the
[1:41:37] fact that Palestinians living in
[1:41:39] Marin County live under a
[1:41:40] climate of fear that is fueled
[1:41:42] by the U.S.'s funding of Israeli
[1:41:46] war crimes. We have hundreds,
[1:41:50] maybe thousands, of Palestinians
[1:41:51] here living in Marin County,
[1:41:55] many of whom are afraid to be
[1:41:57] here speaking right now. I
[1:41:59] myself am risking my
[1:42:03] citizenship, my ability to go to
[1:42:04] my home country, by speaking
[1:42:06] right now. People don't
[1:42:09] understand this. Palestinians
[1:42:11] living in Marin County have been
[1:42:13] living in fear for decades, and
[1:42:16] you need to make a ceasefire
[1:42:18] resolution right now.
[1:42:22] >>MODERATOR: The next speaker is
[1:42:25] Christina Amoroso. Please
[1:42:27] unmute.
[1:42:30] >>SPEAKER: Hi, I'm a nurse at
[1:42:31] UCSF medical center and I live
[1:42:33] in Bolinas. I've grown up in
[1:42:34] Marin, and I also strongly
[1:42:37] support the Board of Supervisors
[1:42:39] passing a resolution for
[1:42:41] ceasefire. Anything that we can
[1:42:43] do to stop the senseless killing
[1:42:45] of people that cannot defend
[1:42:48] themselves and did nothing,
[1:42:50] nothing, and 60% of the
[1:42:55] aggregate 18,000 people who have
[1:42:57] been killed in Palestine are
[1:42:58] women and children, children who
[1:43:00] have died most likely painfully.
[1:43:04] All of these people bombs
[1:43:06] falling, shredding them apart,
[1:43:08] are dying painfully, and we are
[1:43:10] doing nothing but providing
[1:43:12] Israel with the warheads and
[1:43:14] funding them to do this. It is
[1:43:17] shocking that I cannot believe
[1:43:19] that the U.S. voted against that
[1:43:22] and Marin County please pass a
[1:43:24] measure, anything, any voices
[1:43:25] that we can add for a ceasefire
[1:43:28] is something that we can do. We
[1:43:30] have a little bit of power.
[1:43:31] Please, Board of Supervisors,
[1:43:32] please do this.
[1:43:33] >>STEPHANIE MOULTON-PETERS,
[1:43:34] PRES.: We're at time. We're at
[1:43:35] time.
[1:43:36] Okay, we're coming back into the
[1:43:38] chambers now for the next five
[1:43:39] speakers.
[1:43:42] >>SPEAKER: Hello. I've lived in
[1:43:43] San Rafael most of my life, and
[1:43:44] I echo the sentiment of those in
[1:43:46] front of me, in the line, and
[1:43:48] behind me as well, that I would
[1:43:50] ask the Board of Supervisors to
[1:43:53] propose and pass an immediate
[1:43:54] and permanent ceasefire
[1:43:56] agreement. The atrocities there
[1:43:58] cannot be overstated, and I
[1:44:01] refuse to let my tax dollars and
[1:44:03] my county to be a part of the
[1:44:06] people that are helping to fund
[1:44:08] it and are standing by the
[1:44:10] wayside as it happens. I have
[1:44:13] heard it said that how we are
[1:44:17] acting now is how we would be
[1:44:19] acting in the holocaust, and I
[1:44:20] refuse to be a bystander. Thank
[1:44:22] you so much.
[1:44:23] >>STEPHANIE MOULTON-PETERS,
[1:44:25] PRES.: Next speaker, please.
[1:44:27] >>SPEAKER: Hi, my name is Presh.
[1:44:30] I was born and raised in Marin
[1:44:31] County. In fact, I went to high
[1:44:32] school just down the street. I
[1:44:34] would ask the board to pass a
[1:44:38] permanent ceasefire resolution.
[1:44:40] There are atrocities being
[1:44:42] committed in Palestine that have
[1:44:44] only been echoed by genocides in
[1:44:46] the past. Many of the people
[1:44:49] killed are civilians. In fact,
[1:44:51] the majority are civilians.
[1:44:55] Sorry, I'm bad at public
[1:44:58] speaking.
[1:44:59] In fact, in doctors, from
[1:45:01] Doctors Without Borders have
[1:45:03] been killed, many journalists
[1:45:04] have been killed. Many, many,
[1:45:05] many, many non-combatants have
[1:45:07] been killed in this genocide,
[1:45:09] and I think you should use your
[1:45:12] power to pass a resolution to
[1:45:13] put a stop to this. Thank you.
[1:45:14] >>STEPHANIE MOULTON-PETERS,
[1:45:16] PRES.: Thank you. Next speaker,
[1:45:17] please.
[1:45:21] >>SPEAKER: Thank you. I'm Eva
[1:45:23] Chrysanthe, and I write a lot
[1:45:24] about what local media doesn't
[1:45:26] report in this county, and so I
[1:45:28] recently have been writing a lot
[1:45:30] about the Marin County response
[1:45:32] to the crisis, the ongoing
[1:45:35] crisis.
[1:45:37] You can read more details about
[1:45:38] that at
[1:45:42] MarinCountyconfidential.substack
[1:45:42] .com. It's a totally free
[1:45:44] service. I do want to point out
[1:45:46] that yesterday the "Washington
[1:45:49] Post" reported that white
[1:45:52] phosphorus, the white phosphorus
[1:45:55] used on civilians by the Israeli
[1:45:56] military was proved to have come
[1:45:58] from the United States. As I
[1:46:01] always do, I beg the Board of
[1:46:04] Supervisors to consider and pass
[1:46:06] a ceasefire resolution because
[1:46:08] it protects us. We are at
[1:46:11] serious risk of blowback, both
[1:46:14] blowback in terms of physical
[1:46:16] threat, but also economic
[1:46:17] threat.
[1:46:19] Economic retaliation, potential
[1:46:21] boycotts that the U.S. could
[1:46:23] withstand for its incredibly
[1:46:25] bizarre ongoing funding of this
[1:46:28] genocide. Thank you.
[1:46:29] >>STEPHANIE MOULTON-PETERS,
[1:46:35] PRES.: Okay.
[1:46:36] >>SPEAKER: Hello. My name is
[1:46:37] Laura and I'm a resident in
[1:46:39] District 2. Today I'm here to
[1:46:41] urge you to pass a ceasefire
[1:46:42] resolution, and I hope that
[1:46:43] you've heard all of the
[1:46:45] statistics and things that
[1:46:46] people have been bringing to you
[1:46:47] today. Today I'd like to read
[1:46:49] you some words from people in
[1:46:50] Gaza.
[1:46:52] I pray that they can look at us
[1:46:54] as humans, not just political
[1:46:57] situations and political
[1:46:58] conflicts. We're humans. 2
[1:47:02] million people trapped with
[1:47:04] nowhere to go. We should be
[1:47:06] more valuable to the world than
[1:47:08] this. We have lives. We should
[1:47:11] be able to live our lives. This
[1:47:15] is a poem by someone who died
[1:47:18] recently in Gaza. If I die, you
[1:47:22] must live to tell my story, to
[1:47:24] sell my things, to buy a piece
[1:47:26] of cloth and some strings. Make
[1:47:28] it white with a long tail. I
[1:47:30] won't be able to finish the
[1:47:32] poem, but I hope you look it up
[1:47:34] because it's very powerful and
[1:47:35] please pass a ceasefire
[1:47:38] resolution.
[1:47:39] >>STEPHANIE MOULTON-PETERS,
[1:47:39] PRES.: Thank you. Okay, one
[1:47:40] more speaker and then we'll go
[1:47:41] online.
[1:47:42] >>SPEAKER: Thank you. Good
[1:47:43] morning, Board of Supervisors.
[1:47:44] My name is Joe McGarry and I
[1:47:46] live in Fairfax, and I'm an
[1:47:49] organizer with Ceasefire Now
[1:47:52] Marin. We will be re-submitting
[1:47:54] the petition we sent you last
[1:47:55] week later this week as there
[1:47:57] are now close to 500 signatures
[1:47:58] of people in Marin calling for
[1:48:00] you to adopt a permanent
[1:48:02] ceasefire resolution.
[1:48:05] Today or yesterday there were
[1:48:08] reports that came out that
[1:48:09] 25,000 children in Gaza have
[1:48:12] been orphaned. 20,000
[1:48:16] Palestinians have been
[1:48:17] slaughtered, 10,000 will soon
[1:48:21] hit -- about 10,000 of those
[1:48:24] being children. Nine out of ten
[1:48:25] people in Gaza don't eat every
[1:48:29] day. How much more punishment
[1:48:32] of civilians is enough? I ask
[1:48:35] you to put Marin County on the
[1:48:38] right side of history, and I
[1:48:39] urge you to bring forward and
[1:48:42] adopt a ceasefire resolution.
[1:48:42] >>STEPHANIE MOULTON-PETERS,
[1:48:46] PRES.: Okay. We're going to go
[1:48:48] online now. We have four
[1:48:49] speakers remaining.
[1:48:51] >>MODERATOR: The first speaker
[1:48:52] is Laurie Dubin. Please unmute.
[1:48:57] >>SPEAKER: Good morning. I'm
[1:48:58] Laurie Dubin, and I've lived in
[1:49:01] Larkspur for 25 years. We have
[1:49:02] raised three children here and
[1:49:03] our family is hoping that this
[1:49:05] board will not consider a
[1:49:09] resolution on the Middle East.
[1:49:10] We have mourned too many deaths
[1:49:11] since October 7. It's been a
[1:49:13] devastating period for our
[1:49:15] Jewish community, and we've also
[1:49:17] been heartbroken over the
[1:49:19] devastation of Gaza and the
[1:49:21] deaths of Palestinians. But as
[1:49:25] gold to my ear, Israel's former
[1:49:27] Prime Minister said in 1969,
[1:49:28] when peace comes, we will
[1:49:30] perhaps in time be able to
[1:49:32] forgive the Arabs for killing
[1:49:34] our children, but it will be
[1:49:35] harder for us to forgive them
[1:49:37] for forcing us to kill theirs.
[1:49:40] Over 50 years later, Israel is
[1:49:42] again being forced to defend
[1:49:43] itself against jihadist groups
[1:49:45] who use their own people as
[1:49:47] human shields and block their
[1:49:49] citizens from leaving when
[1:49:51] Israel gives them advance
[1:49:52] warning.
[1:49:54] Repeating falsehoods of
[1:49:56] genocide, apartheid and ethnic
[1:49:59] cleansing over and over again
[1:50:00] does not make them true. Thank
[1:50:02] you.
[1:50:04] >>MODERATOR: The next speaker is
[1:50:06] Maggie. Please unmute.
[1:50:11] >>SPEAKER: Good morning. I am
[1:50:12] Maggie Daws. I am a former San
[1:50:16] Rafael city schools public
[1:50:17] teacher, and in the spirit of
[1:50:20] coming together rather than
[1:50:24] living in divisiveness, I want
[1:50:27] to please, please, please, for
[1:50:30] the children who are being
[1:50:31] murdered and slaughtered and
[1:50:34] disfigured, ask the Board of
[1:50:39] Supervisors to pass -- well,
[1:50:41] propose and pass a permanent
[1:50:46] resolution. You know, an eye
[1:50:49] for an eye makes us all blind.
[1:50:51] That's what Gandhi said, and I
[1:50:53] hear that many of our Jewish
[1:50:56] friends are very, very afraid
[1:50:59] right now, but I think they need
[1:51:03] to examine their faith. Thank
[1:51:06] you very much.
[1:51:07] >>MODERATOR: The next speaker is
[1:51:08] Susan Hopp. Please unmute.
[1:51:12] >>SPEAKER: Yes, good morning,
[1:51:13] supervisors. Yes, these
[1:51:16] statistics are just so shocking.
[1:51:18] Over 20,000 civilians
[1:51:20] slaughtered, 87 journalists
[1:51:23] killed, records set for the
[1:51:26] number of hospitals bombed and
[1:51:28] destroyed, the number of aid
[1:51:30] workers killed, and then the
[1:51:32] disease that is rampant.
[1:51:34] This is not the time to be
[1:51:36] timid, nor to allow or tolerate
[1:51:39] what Hannah Errant termed the
[1:51:43] banality of evil. We in Marin
[1:51:46] County can at the very least not
[1:51:48] look away from this evil, insane
[1:51:52] slaughter perpetrated and
[1:51:54] enabled by our country. We can
[1:51:57] state our horror through calling
[1:52:00] for a ceasefire now. Thank you.
[1:52:06] >>MODERATOR: The next speaker is
[1:52:07] Nathan Durwood. Please unmute.
[1:52:12] >>SPEAKER: Hello, my name is
[1:52:13] Nathan Durwood, long-time
[1:52:15] resident of Marin. Marin's long
[1:52:17] taught its children in schools,
[1:52:18] particularly its large -- given
[1:52:19] its large Jewish population, the
[1:52:21] horrors of the holocaust, and
[1:52:22] right now in Gaza,
[1:52:24] indiscriminate and deliberate
[1:52:26] slaughter of Gaza children --
[1:52:34] >>MODERATOR: Mr. Durwood, we
[1:52:35] lost your audio.
[1:52:37] >>SPEAKER: Can you hear me?
[1:52:38] >>MODERATOR: We can hear you
[1:52:39] now.
[1:52:40] >>SPEAKER: Okay. I'm saying
[1:52:41] that the -- yeah, we have long
[1:52:45] professed the horrors of the
[1:52:46] holocaust and have taught our
[1:52:47] children to find it horrifying
[1:52:48] and to act against it, and I
[1:52:50] think in order to prove whether
[1:52:52] or not those statements were
[1:52:53] hollow, were true, we have to
[1:52:56] consistently apply those values
[1:52:57] to now where genocide is
[1:52:59] occurring on the largest open
[1:53:01] air prison on the planet, and if
[1:53:03] we wish to walk the walk, the
[1:53:06] bare minimum we can do, being
[1:53:09] the country that's supplying
[1:53:10] almost all of Israel's weapons,
[1:53:11] is to pass a ceasefire
[1:53:14] resolution. Thank you.
[1:53:15] >>MODERATOR: President
[1:53:16] Moulton-Peters, there are no
[1:53:16] additional speakers in the
[1:53:17] queue.
[1:53:17] >>STEPHANIE MOULTON-PETERS,
[1:53:18] PRES.: Okay, we're going to can
[1:53:19] come back to the chambers for
[1:53:20] the last two speakers. Three.
[1:53:24] >>SPEAKER: Hello, my name is Pat
[1:53:26] Murphy from Terra Linda. Thanks
[1:53:27] for having me today. I'm here
[1:53:30] today, supervisors, to plead to
[1:53:32] you to pass a permanent
[1:53:34] ceasefire resolution. Over
[1:53:37] 15,000 Palestinians have died
[1:53:39] since October 7, many are women
[1:53:41] or children, and as Joe said,
[1:53:44] 25,000 Palestinian children are
[1:53:47] orphans now as a result of the
[1:53:48] mass indiscriminate bombing
[1:53:50] campaign by Israel.
[1:53:53] The Palestinian people not only
[1:53:55] have Israel's constant bombing
[1:53:57] threatening their lives each and
[1:53:59] every day, but now starvation,
[1:54:01] dehydration, lack of shelter,
[1:54:03] lack of proper sanitation, and
[1:54:05] dead bodies rotting in the
[1:54:06] rubble all leading to disease
[1:54:09] and death. With the bombing of
[1:54:12] so many hospitals and the lack
[1:54:13] of medical aid and basic
[1:54:15] necessities being allowed in
[1:54:16] Gaza, so many more Palestinian
[1:54:18] lives will die.
[1:54:21] There are no easy solutions to
[1:54:23] this long-standing conflict
[1:54:24] between Palestine and Israel,
[1:54:26] and that's not for us to figure
[1:54:27] out.
[1:54:28] >>STEPHANIE MOULTON-PETERS,
[1:54:29] PRES.: Thank you. We're at
[1:54:29] time.
[1:54:31] >>SPEAKER: Thank you.
[1:54:32] >>STEPHANIE MOULTON-PETERS,
[1:54:33] PRES.: Mm-hm. Next speaker,
[1:54:33] please.
[1:54:36] >>SPEAKER: Hi. My name is
[1:54:39] Nicole, and I'm a
[1:54:40] Palestinian-American living in
[1:54:42] Novato. And when I saw the
[1:54:44] photos yesterday of men being
[1:54:45] kidnapped, stripped of their
[1:54:46] clothes, blindfolded and bound
[1:54:48] and paraded around, it reminded
[1:54:50] me of when they did this to my
[1:54:52] own great-grandfather in a town
[1:54:54] called Ramallah, which is now
[1:54:56] part of Tel Aviv, but to be more
[1:54:58] recent, there's a short story I
[1:54:59] want to share of something that
[1:55:00] happened only yesterday.
[1:55:02] The IDF committed a military
[1:55:04] raid of a UN school where
[1:55:06] thousands were displaced. A
[1:55:07] child was shot by the IDF,
[1:55:10] filmed briefly as getting help,
[1:55:11] and then when the cameras were
[1:55:13] turned off, forced to bleed out
[1:55:15] as people watched. They then
[1:55:17] kidnapped dozens of Palestinian
[1:55:19] civilians for use as human
[1:55:21] shields, something the U.S.A.
[1:55:22] and Israel falsely accuses
[1:55:25] Palestinians of doing. There
[1:55:26] was a story of a child as young
[1:55:27] as 15 being forced to wear an
[1:55:29] explosive vest and enter tunnels
[1:55:30] before the IDF. That all
[1:55:32] happened yesterday. Each day
[1:55:34] things like this happen, and we
[1:55:36] need to call for a ceasefire
[1:55:37] today, showing we don't support
[1:55:38] that.
[1:55:44] >>SPEAKER: Hello, my name's ace
[1:55:46] Dillon. I live in forest
[1:55:52] knolls. I spoke here about the
[1:55:54] colonial roots of Israel as a
[1:55:55] state, creating a majority
[1:55:58] Jewish democratic state in a
[1:55:59] major Arab country has always
[1:56:00] been the fundamental
[1:56:02] contradiction to Zionism. So in
[1:56:06] 1948, the UN, which is what
[1:56:11] Israel claims its legitimacy
[1:56:13] from, partitioned historic
[1:56:15] Palestine. The partition never
[1:56:17] went into effect. The Israel
[1:56:19] took 78% of the land, killed
[1:56:23] 15,000 Palestinians, and
[1:56:25] displaced half the population,
[1:56:26] 750,000 Palestinians. That
[1:56:29] historic crime has never been
[1:56:32] addressed, so it's continued for
[1:56:34] 75 years, and Israel is an
[1:56:39] apartheid state. We need a
[1:56:41] one-state solution in Palestine,
[1:56:43] and to start that we need an
[1:56:45] immediate ceasefire. Thank you.
[1:56:45] >>STEPHANIE MOULTON-PETERS,
[1:56:48] PRES.: Okay, with that I'm going
[1:56:49] to close public open time.
[1:56:52] Thanks, everyone, for remaining
[1:56:54] civil. We're going to take a
[1:56:55] two-minute break to let people
[1:56:58] leave the chambers before we
[1:56:59] finish -- continue on with our
[1:57:01] business. Thank you.
[2:01:23] >>STEPHANIE MOULTON-PETERS,
[2:01:24] PRES.: Okay, everyone, I'm going
[2:01:25] to call our meeting back to
[2:01:26] order now, and we are on agenda
[2:01:28] Item No. 3. This is Board of
[2:01:30] Supervisors matters and
[2:01:32] informational updates, as well
[2:01:33] as the county administrator's
[2:01:35] report. So Supervisor Rodoni,
[2:01:39] would you like to start?
[2:01:40] >>DENNIS RODONI: Yeah, thank
[2:01:41] you. Good morning, everyone.
[2:01:42] Just a couple small
[2:01:43] announcements. I've been to a
[2:01:46] couple toy giveaway events, and
[2:01:49] I just wanted to mention them,
[2:01:50] and one is coming up Saturday.
[2:01:52] The Center for Independent
[2:01:55] Living in matrix, their company
[2:01:58] in Sonoma County had a nice
[2:02:01] event on Saturday, December 2,
[2:02:03] and I was able to attend that
[2:02:05] with my grandson, including
[2:02:07] Santa and the horse-drawn
[2:02:08] carriage, so it was kind of a
[2:02:09] fun event.
[2:02:10] And then parent voices last
[2:02:14] Saturday had a Christmas present
[2:02:17] giveaway for 35 families at the
[2:02:19] parking lot of the center for
[2:02:21] domestic peace, and Santa was
[2:02:22] there with the San Rafael fire
[2:02:24] department, and the event was
[2:02:27] supported by San Rafael Santa
[2:02:28] cops. I want to thank hem.
[2:02:30] Next Saturday the voices of the
[2:02:31] Canal will have an annual
[2:02:32] present giveaway in the Canal.
[2:02:35] They are still looking for
[2:02:36] donations if anyone is thinking
[2:02:38] of someone to donate to. They
[2:02:39] would welcome those.
[2:02:41] And then I want to adjourn in
[2:02:42] memory of Jane Garfield
[2:02:45] Livingston who passed away at
[2:02:49] her home in Corte Madera at the
[2:02:51] age of 93. She was active in
[2:02:54] the prison educating inmates.
[2:02:57] She left a message on the fridge
[2:02:59] for her family, and it said: Who
[2:03:01] will take care of the world when
[2:03:03] I'm gone? So quite a question
[2:03:04] she left us all, so thank you.
[2:03:05] >>STEPHANIE MOULTON-PETERS,
[2:03:09] PRES.: Supervisor Sackett?
[2:03:10] >>MARY SACKETT: Yeah, just
[2:03:11] quickly I want to second
[2:03:12] Supervisor Rodoni's plug for the
[2:03:16] Canal event. It's always a
[2:03:17] really neat event and
[2:03:19] opportunity to engage with the
[2:03:20] community with gifts. I had the
[2:03:22] opportunity to spend Saturday
[2:03:23] with Homeward Bound unpackaging
[2:03:27] and matching up clothes for
[2:03:29] folks in all of our shelters,
[2:03:31] and it was really nice
[2:03:35] opportunity with seven or eight
[2:03:37] of us to just share our
[2:03:38] gratitude and be thankful and
[2:03:42] share a little joy. Thank you.
[2:03:42] >>STEPHANIE MOULTON-PETERS,
[2:03:47] PRES.: Supervisor Rice?
[2:03:48] >>KATIE RICE: Nothing.
[2:03:49] >>STEPHANIE MOULTON-PETERS,
[2:03:49] PRES.: Okay, Supervisor Lucan?
[2:03:51] >>ERIC LUCAN: Just real quick,
[2:03:52] last Wednesday along with
[2:03:53] Supervisor Sackett, we got to
[2:03:56] celebrate with the Marin Foster
[2:03:58] Care Association on the ribbon
[2:03:59] cutting of their new ten-unit
[2:04:02] building in Novato that they are
[2:04:04] going to be making available for
[2:04:07] aging out foster youth. It was
[2:04:09] a project supported through our
[2:04:10] housing trust fund here at the
[2:04:12] county, community foundation,
[2:04:14] the city of Novato. It was a
[2:04:16] wonderful ribbon cutting. We
[2:04:17] got to tour one of the units
[2:04:18] that has recently been furnished
[2:04:21] by make it home, another great
[2:04:22] local non-profit, an great to
[2:04:24] see these units coming online to
[2:04:26] support the aging out foster
[2:04:27] youth.
[2:04:28] Secondly I would like to request
[2:04:29] that we adjourn in memory of
[2:04:31] Nick Zoli. Nick unexpectedly
[2:04:34] passed away after recently
[2:04:35] retiring from the Novato police
[2:04:37] department as a police corporal.
[2:04:38] He spent 16 years as an officer,
[2:04:41] a corporal, a field training
[2:04:42] officer, a peer support team
[2:04:44] member and a mental health
[2:04:45] liaison. In 2019 he received
[2:04:47] the medal of merit award after
[2:04:49] talking to suicidal individual
[2:04:51] off an overpass in Novato, and
[2:04:53] our hearts go out to the family
[2:04:55] and those around Nick on his
[2:04:57] unexpected passing.
[2:04:58] >>STEPHANIE MOULTON-PETERS,
[2:05:00] PRES.: Okay. Nothing from me
[2:05:01] today. We'll go to our county
[2:05:03] administrator.
[2:05:04] >>MATTHEW H. HYMEL: Good
[2:05:05] morning, supervisors. Just
[2:05:06] briefly I wanted to point a few
[2:05:08] amendments to our agenda. Three
[2:05:11] items are going to be removed in
[2:05:14] the housing authority. It's the
[2:05:16] closed session item 13a, as well
[2:05:18] as 13g, and then on your Consent
[2:05:23] Calendar A, the sheriff has
[2:05:27] requested we remove item CA-12.
[2:05:30] I also wanted to point out that
[2:05:31] we have updated three items on
[2:05:32] our agenda, and they include
[2:05:34] item 12e, consent item CA-7e,
[2:05:39] and item 10d. And that's my
[2:05:42] report.
[2:05:42] >>STEPHANIE MOULTON-PETERS,
[2:05:44] PRES.: Okay. Matthew, would you
[2:05:46] remind, going over those changes
[2:05:49] to the agenda again?
[2:05:50] >>MATTHEW H. HYMEL: Sure. We're
[2:05:52] removing two items from the
[2:05:53] afternoon session of the housing
[2:05:54] authority. The first one is
[2:05:56] 13a, and then the second one is
[2:05:57] 13g.
[2:05:59] And then on Consent Calendar A
[2:06:02] we're removing item CA-12. So
[2:06:05] those are the complete removals
[2:06:06] from the agenda.
[2:06:08] And then I was just pointing out
[2:06:09] that we have updated some
[2:06:11] existing items, which include
[2:06:13] 12e, CA-7e and 10d, and those
[2:06:21] are all posted online and
[2:06:22] updated online. I just wanted
[2:06:23] to point it out for folks.
[2:06:24] >>STEPHANIE MOULTON-PETERS,
[2:06:27] PRES.: Okay, very good. Thank
[2:06:28] you. We'll open to public
[2:06:29] comment now.
[2:06:36] >>SPEAKER: That you received an
[2:06:37] email from me last week
[2:06:40] regarding Curtis Aiken's role
[2:06:43] within the county as an
[2:06:45] appointee both on the sheriff
[2:06:48] civilian's oversight working
[2:06:49] group. He's also been serving
[2:06:50] on the HRC. I want to correct
[2:06:53] some of the information.
[2:06:56] Curtis Aikens did not disclose
[2:06:57] that his son is a law
[2:07:00] enforcement officer. He did not
[2:07:01] disclose that until June of this
[2:07:03] year. He had been appointed to
[2:07:07] multiple boards and commissions
[2:07:09] in that capacity. He defended
[2:07:10] law enforcement. He defended it
[2:07:12] against questions about what was
[2:07:13] happening, especially in the
[2:07:15] county with regard to the county
[2:07:16] jail. I do want to correct
[2:07:21] something I wrote. I said that
[2:07:24] Curtis Aikens' son, I correctly
[2:07:28] called, had been an officer with
[2:07:29] the San Francisco police
[2:07:30] department. I was incorrect in
[2:07:32] saying that he had moved on to
[2:07:36] San Francisco sheriff rather
[2:07:37] than Sonoma County sheriff, and
[2:07:39] that is a very important
[2:07:40] distinction, because it turns
[2:07:41] out that Curtis Aikens' son,
[2:07:46] while in the employ of Sonoma
[2:07:48] County sheriff, was involved in
[2:07:49] a very serious use of force
[2:07:51] incident, and that was not
[2:07:53] disclosed to anyone. What's
[2:07:55] unbelievable to me is that no
[2:07:58] one on sheriff civilian
[2:08:00] oversight, that incredibly
[2:08:02] secretive and conflict of
[2:08:04] interest laden group, knew about
[2:08:05] that, because you also had Heidi
[2:08:07] Merchant on that group, and
[2:08:09] Heidi was not only a sheriff
[2:08:12] deputy, undisclosed to the
[2:08:14] public, by the way, not only a
[2:08:15] sheriff deputy here in Marin
[2:08:17] County and in Sonoma County, but
[2:08:18] she is married to the assistant
[2:08:21] sheriff of Sonoma County. I
[2:08:22] mean, it's . . . you know, that
[2:08:25] whole sheriff's civilian
[2:08:28] oversight working group was a
[2:08:29] disaster. It did nothing but
[2:08:31] provide cover for the additional
[2:08:32] $3 million to the sheriff, so I
[2:08:35] really ask that you review the
[2:08:36] entire package and start over.
[2:08:37] Thank you.
[2:08:38] >>STEPHANIE MOULTON-PETERS,
[2:08:40] PRES.: Okay, seeing no more
[2:08:41] speakers in the chambers, we'll
[2:08:42] go online. I see one hand.
[2:08:45] >>MODERATOR: The first speaker
[2:08:45] is Rodrigo Izquierdo. Please
[2:08:46] unmute.
[2:08:52] >>SPEAKER: Hi. I want to add to
[2:08:54] everything that Ms. Chrysanthe
[2:08:58] said, and that is the lack of
[2:09:00] transparency with the Human
[2:09:02] Rights Commission. You have
[2:09:04] commissioners who basically
[2:09:05] don't participate in any
[2:09:06] community events. You have a
[2:09:10] nun who doesn't go to any place.
[2:09:13] You have a resident from Marin
[2:09:17] City who doesn't want to be
[2:09:20] chair of the commission because
[2:09:24] there's so many absences. You
[2:09:27] have a chair of -- the present
[2:09:31] chair who is up for -- well,
[2:09:32] they are going to elect a new
[2:09:35] chair, but right now the last
[2:09:38] two months they have not had a
[2:09:40] meeting, so in other words,
[2:09:42] their performance is horrible.
[2:09:43] They hardly have any meetings.
[2:09:45] They don't follow their own
[2:09:47] bylaws. They don't have their
[2:09:49] annual report. They do zero, so
[2:09:53] in a way they are not vetted.
[2:09:55] You don't vet them. You just
[2:09:57] get them in there and they just
[2:09:59] stay there forever. And the
[2:10:01] less that they do is the better
[2:10:03] they are. They don't go to the
[2:10:08] Dolores event. They don't pass
[2:10:10] a Palestine resolution. You
[2:10:13] just don't see them. In other
[2:10:15] words, you know, the less you
[2:10:17] see of them the better, but you
[2:10:20] use them. You use them to
[2:10:22] actually rubber stamp any kind
[2:10:24] of some kind of program, like
[2:10:28] especially with the police
[2:10:31] action, like 1187, you have
[2:10:35] Heidi Merchant who doesn't do
[2:10:37] anything in her own county. She
[2:10:40] has a county job in Napa, and
[2:10:42] she doesn't do anything. She
[2:10:44] doesn't -- they don't have a
[2:10:45] Human Rights Commission. They
[2:10:46] don't -- she doesn't do anything
[2:10:49] in Sonoma where her husband
[2:10:51] works, but she's very available
[2:10:52] for Marin to tell us what to do.
[2:10:56] >>MODERATOR: President
[2:10:57] Moulton-Peters, there are no
[2:10:58] additional speakers in the
[2:10:58] queue.
[2:10:59] >>STEPHANIE MOULTON-PETERS,
[2:10:59] PRES.: Okay, thank you. We'll
[2:11:00] bring it back and close --
[2:11:03] >>DENNIS RODONI: I move Consent
[2:11:06] Calendar A less CA-12.
[2:11:08] >>ERIC LUCAN: Second.
[2:11:09] >>STEPHANIE MOULTON-PETERS,
[2:11:09] PRES.: Okay, very good. Before
[2:11:10] we vote on that, I'd like to
[2:11:12] pull CA-8, and this is from
[2:11:15] human resources. It's a
[2:11:17] resolution to recognize the 2023
[2:11:21] Marin County employee of the
[2:11:22] year class, and so I can go
[2:11:27] ahead and read the names on
[2:11:29] that? Great. All right, so I
[2:11:30] want to acknowledge all the
[2:11:32] employees who have received
[2:11:33] awards this year for the 2023
[2:11:36] employee of the year, and they
[2:11:39] include: Dann Walters,
[2:11:43] Agricultural Weights and
[2:11:43] Measures, Martha Martinez, UC
[2:11:47] Cooperative Extension Marin,
[2:11:48] Emilee Bozzard, Assessor,
[2:11:50] Recorder, County Clerk,
[2:11:53] Stephanie Reed, Child Support
[2:11:54] Services, Genevieve Hahn Kerr,
[2:11:58] Community Development Agency,
[2:12:02] Josh Swedberg, County
[2:12:04] Administrator's Office, Rachel
[2:12:04] Porter, County Counsel, Marleny
[2:12:08] Heitz, Cultural Services, Tony
[2:12:11] Aquilino, Elections, Bevin
[2:12:11] Gardner of finance, Marshall
[2:12:13] Briggs, Public Works, Rob
[2:12:15] Carson, Public Works, Rosemary
[2:12:17] Slote, District Attorney's
[2:12:19] office, Pat Terstegge, fire
[2:12:24] department, Sarah Githens,
[2:12:25] Health and Human Services,
[2:12:27] Krista Hopper-Pasillas, Health
[2:12:29] and Human Services, Juan
[2:12:32] Jiminez, Health and Human
[2:12:33] Services, Vicki Nightingale,
[2:12:35] Health and Human Services, Tara
[2:12:38] Clark, Human Resources, Delvon
[2:12:41] Mitchell, Information Services
[2:12:41] and Technology, Ann Bertucci,
[2:12:42] library, Craig Richardson,
[2:12:45] Parks, Karen Brard, Public
[2:12:47] Defender and Michael Thompson,
[2:12:49] Sheriff's Office.
[2:12:50] Congratulations to everyone.
[2:12:57] [ Applause ]
[2:12:58] And with that, we'll take public
[2:12:59] comment on Consent A if there is
[2:13:01] any.
[2:13:06] Okay, I'm not seeing anybody in
[2:13:08] the chambers and I'm not seeing
[2:13:10] anybody online. We'll bring it
[2:13:11] back. We've had a motion and a
[2:13:12] second. All in favor?
[2:13:14] Aye.
[2:13:15] Okay. Consent B, would somebody
[2:13:18] move B if there's no changes?
[2:13:21] >>KATIE RICE: I'll move Consent
[2:13:21] B.
[2:13:22] >>STEPHANIE MOULTON-PETERS,
[2:13:24] PRES.: Is there a second?
[2:13:25] >>ERIC LUCAN: Second.
[2:13:25] >>STEPHANIE MOULTON-PETERS,
[2:13:26] PRES.: Thank you. Is there any
[2:13:27] public comment on this item?
[2:13:35] >>SPEAKER: I just want to
[2:13:36] recognize how little discussion
[2:13:37] there was on amongst the
[2:13:40] supervisors on this consent CB-4
[2:13:44] and CB-12. And I don't know if
[2:13:46] those are items that Matthew
[2:13:48] pulled, but those are pretty
[2:13:50] serious issues. The first was
[2:13:53] with a sheriff justice benefits
[2:13:58] for funding for housing
[2:14:01] incarcerated undocumented
[2:14:01] criminal aliens. And then the
[2:14:05] other issue is probation, to
[2:14:10] increase baseline appropriations
[2:14:11] by $1.730 million, and I just --
[2:14:16] I think unfortunately we're not
[2:14:18] really looking at how much law
[2:14:20] enforcement is actually growing.
[2:14:23] It's alarming when you see the
[2:14:26] breadlines, the lines to get
[2:14:27] into the food banks in this
[2:14:29] county, that you guys are giving
[2:14:30] ever more money to law
[2:14:33] enforcement and then you see how
[2:14:37] booked up -- I was really
[2:14:38] surprised when you did the
[2:14:40] probation presentation to see
[2:14:42] how probation is actually
[2:14:46] addressed. Like you know, a lot
[2:14:48] of heavy armor and stuff, it
[2:14:50] just seemed odd, so I think, you
[2:14:53] know, maybe what needs to go on
[2:14:57] the agenda for next year is a
[2:14:58] serious discussion about the
[2:15:00] proportion of money that is
[2:15:03] going into additional law
[2:15:05] enforcement services over time,
[2:15:09] benefits, yadda yadda, versus
[2:15:10] actually getting food on the
[2:15:15] tables of the poor in this
[2:15:18] county, because those lines are
[2:15:21] severe, and I know Katie was
[2:15:23] concerned in that private
[2:15:25] meeting about people not getting
[2:15:28] benefits, and that's got to be a
[2:15:30] priority as winter's coming.
[2:15:32] Thank you.
[2:15:32] >>STEPHANIE MOULTON-PETERS,
[2:15:37] PRES.: Okay, we'll close public
[2:15:38] comment in the chambers. I'm
[2:15:39] not seeing anyone online, so
[2:15:42] we'll bring it back now for a
[2:15:44] vote. Did we do a motion and
[2:15:45] second? Sorry, folks.
[2:15:46] >>KATIE RICE: I moved it and
[2:15:47] Eric seconded it.
[2:15:48] >>STEPHANIE MOULTON-PETERS,
[2:15:48] PRES.: Okay, all in favor?
[2:15:50] Aye.
[2:15:51] Thank you. That passes and
[2:15:52] we'll go on to our next agenda
[2:15:54] item. Okay, Binford Road.
[2:16:11] >>DAN EILERMAN: Good morning,
[2:16:12] board members, Dan Eilerman,
[2:16:14] assistant county executive, and
[2:16:16] while some colleagues are
[2:16:17] joining me here, I wanted to
[2:16:19] note for Al that we have a
[2:16:20] presentation, if he could load
[2:16:21] that. Sitting to my left we
[2:16:24] have Gary Naja-Riese, director
[2:16:26] of whole person care and
[2:16:28] homelessness with Health and
[2:16:29] Human Services, and to my right
[2:16:30] is deputy Michael Thompson with
[2:16:33] the Marin County's sheriff's
[2:16:35] office, and behind him is Greg
[2:16:39] Pirie who is the deputy EHS
[2:16:41] director in community
[2:16:42] development.
[2:16:43] And so, Al, if you're able,
[2:16:45] thank you, for bringing up the
[2:16:47] PowerPoint. I'm going to start
[2:16:49] off and we'll have some
[2:16:52] opportunity for questions at the
[2:16:53] end. But next slide, please,
[2:16:56] Al.
[2:16:58] You'll recall that we provided
[2:16:59] an initial update to your board
[2:17:01] on August 22. It's about 101
[2:17:03] days, actually, from today.
[2:17:05] Actually from December 1 when
[2:17:07] our metrics really stopped.
[2:17:09] We promised at that time to
[2:17:11] provide an update to your board
[2:17:12] every three to six months with
[2:17:13] an initial goal to facilitate
[2:17:15] and to accelerate intermediate
[2:17:17] term options while making
[2:17:19] visible short-term progress.
[2:17:20] This is largely funded with a
[2:17:22] $1.6 million state Encampment
[2:17:26] Resolution Fund grant that the
[2:17:27] county received, which requires
[2:17:28] us to resolve the camp within a
[2:17:31] period of three years, but we
[2:17:33] are accelerating that effort as
[2:17:34] best as we can.
[2:17:35] What you see there are some
[2:17:37] general guidelines that we have
[2:17:38] been operating with for these
[2:17:39] past 100 or so days. What we
[2:17:41] want to do is to identify safe
[2:17:43] permanent housing destinations
[2:17:44] for all individuals, no
[2:17:47] relocation of occupants in need
[2:17:48] to other jurisdictions, we want
[2:17:50] to protect the sensitive habitat
[2:17:52] of the Rush Creek reserve and
[2:17:54] slough, and we also want to
[2:17:56] continue with enforcement
[2:17:58] compliant with all legal and
[2:17:59] regulatory requirements. Next
[2:18:02] slide, please.
[2:18:03] And our goals, as we outlined in
[2:18:05] August, were to achieve a 50%
[2:18:07] reduction in the population via
[2:18:10] housing or through incentives by
[2:18:13] August 2025, and 100% by August
[2:18:16] of 2026, which represents that
[2:18:18] three-year period. And we had
[2:18:22] organized our strategies into
[2:18:23] three broad and comparing
[2:18:25] strategies. One is supportive
[2:18:26] services. That's led by Health
[2:18:28] and Human Services, enforcement
[2:18:29] and regulation, which is a team
[2:18:31] effort, probably led most by the
[2:18:34] Marin County sheriff's office,
[2:18:35] and then environmental
[2:18:36] protection, another team effort,
[2:18:37] but led principally by the
[2:18:40] Community Development Agency,
[2:18:40] and particularly environmental
[2:18:41] health services staff.
[2:18:44] Next slide, please.
[2:18:45] This briefly outlines the at
[2:18:48] least six departments that have
[2:18:50] been coordinating for the past
[2:18:51] 100 days on this project, of
[2:18:54] course Health and Human
[2:18:54] Services, the sheriff's office,
[2:18:55] Public Works, community
[2:18:56] development, the County
[2:18:59] Administrator's Office, and
[2:18:59] county counsel, of course, and I
[2:19:01] think last week we actually had
[2:19:03] Marin County fire pitch in for
[2:19:05] some additional work, so the
[2:19:06] effort is growing. Next slide,
[2:19:06] please.
[2:19:10] So approximately 100 days later
[2:19:12] we do have some achievements to
[2:19:15] articulate. There is work to
[2:19:17] do, but in those first 100 days,
[2:19:20] Health and Human Services
[2:19:21] identified all individuals at
[2:19:22] the encampment, 69% of them have
[2:19:24] been assessed for coordinated
[2:19:25] entry. We have launched the ERF
[2:19:28] grant that I mentioned. This
[2:19:30] supplies additional staffing,
[2:19:32] client supports and cleanup. We
[2:19:33] have hired a new dedicated
[2:19:35] senior social services worker
[2:19:37] with a focus on Binford. She
[2:19:40] actually just started yesterday.
[2:19:41] And then the sheriff's office is
[2:19:43] inventoried all vehicles, not
[2:19:45] just RVs, and we have
[2:19:48] implemented biweekly
[2:19:51] recreational pumpouts, as well
[2:19:53] as installing additional
[2:19:55] portable washrooms or hand
[2:19:58] washing stations roughly every
[2:20:00] ten RVs.
[2:20:02] Again, continuing with some more
[2:20:04] accomplishments or progress, we
[2:20:05] have established a new 35 miles
[2:20:08] an hour speed limit effective
[2:20:09] December 28, so Public Works
[2:20:11] will be working on installing
[2:20:12] the signs. I think the
[2:20:14] sheriff's office will probably
[2:20:15] start with more of an
[2:20:17] educational campaign, but the
[2:20:18] effort is to lower the speed for
[2:20:19] what is right now a 55 miles per
[2:20:23] hour road. We will continue
[2:20:24] enforcement to remove
[2:20:25] non-occupied vehicles in the
[2:20:26] right-of-way considered
[2:20:28] abandoned, excess or
[2:20:29] non-compliant. Enforcement will
[2:20:31] continue to ensure no new
[2:20:34] arrivals not in accord with
[2:20:36] regulations. That includes new
[2:20:38] restrictions such as fencing of
[2:20:41] vacated spaces. Either through
[2:20:42] incentives for folks who -- or
[2:20:47] placing people in safe housing.
[2:20:49] And we'll also be talking today
[2:20:50] about a couple of new
[2:20:52] authorities that we've asked
[2:20:53] your board to adopt. One is a
[2:20:55] new pilot vehicle buy back
[2:20:59] incentives program, and Gary
[2:21:00] will walk through that in a
[2:21:02] couple of minutes, and by virtue
[2:21:03] of adoption of your consent
[2:21:05] calendar today, your board
[2:21:06] approved a no overnight parking
[2:21:08] resolution. We will initially
[2:21:10] enforce that on the business
[2:21:11] side or the west side of Binford
[2:21:13] Road, and we will come back to
[2:21:14] your board in coming weeks and
[2:21:17] move that on to the west side
[2:21:19] or -- yeah, the east side of the
[2:21:21] road as well, once we vacate
[2:21:23] some more spaces. Next slide,
[2:21:24] please.
[2:21:26] The population of individuals at
[2:21:30] December 1, that's our
[2:21:31] point-in-time where we marked
[2:21:33] our metrics was 101 individuals.
[2:21:36] Some have simply been harder to
[2:21:37] reach, and HHS has put in a lot
[2:21:40] of effort the last couple of
[2:21:41] months to do extended outreach,
[2:21:43] on evenings, on weekends. A
[2:21:45] number of people work, and so if
[2:21:47] you're there at, say, 2 p.m.,
[2:21:49] the population is lighter, but
[2:21:51] if you're there at 5:30 or 6,
[2:21:53] people are coming back from work
[2:21:54] and there's more people there,
[2:21:55] but we've identified those
[2:21:57] people, some of whom were
[2:21:59] doubled up or just hard to find
[2:22:00] for various reasons, and that's
[2:22:02] been reconciled after that
[2:22:03] extended outreach.
[2:22:05] 85% qualify for permanent
[2:22:07] supportive housing through
[2:22:09] coordinated entry. That's more
[2:22:10] than we initially expected, so
[2:22:12] that's a larger subset of that
[2:22:13] population than we initially
[2:22:14] expected. But the good news is
[2:22:16] ten have been housed, ten
[2:22:18] individuals have been housed
[2:22:19] since August. Three through
[2:22:21] permanent supportive housing,
[2:22:22] five through the CalWORKs rapid
[2:22:24] rehousing program, and two
[2:22:26] additional via other means.
[2:22:28] And we have 19 more folks on a
[2:22:32] pathway to housing. That's some
[2:22:34] pretty visible progress in just
[2:22:35] this first 100 days. Next
[2:22:36] slide, please.
[2:22:38] Before I turn it over to Gary,
[2:22:41] in terms of vehicles, we have
[2:22:43] 132 vehicles there as of
[2:22:45] December 1. That includes
[2:22:48] 57RVs, but also other types of
[2:22:52] vehicles. This includes
[2:22:54] everything from RVs to cars,
[2:22:56] trucks, vans, motorcycles, even
[2:22:59] utility trailers for example.
[2:23:01] The sheriff has a good inventory
[2:23:03] on what vehicles are there and
[2:23:04] have been there, and the
[2:23:05] sheriff's office has been able
[2:23:06] to remove 18 vehicles,
[2:23:08] unoccupied vehicles, including
[2:23:09] five RVs, nine vehicles, three
[2:23:13] trailers and one sailboat, and
[2:23:16] their expectation is they will
[2:23:18] be able to remove one additional
[2:23:21] unoccupied RV per week until all
[2:23:22] that are abandoned or considered
[2:23:25] excess are removed. With that
[2:23:26] it's a brief introduction. I
[2:23:28] want to turn it over to Gary
[2:23:30] Naja-Riese, our director of
[2:23:31] homelessness and whole person
[2:23:32] care at HHS, and he will talk
[2:23:34] about the first of the three
[2:23:36] strategies I outlined earlier,
[2:23:37] which includes now supportive
[2:23:38] services. So next slide,
[2:23:39] please.
[2:23:42] >>SPEAKER: Thank you, so we can
[2:23:43] move to the next slide. And
[2:23:45] first I just want to start by
[2:23:46] saying thank you to the Board of
[2:23:47] Supervisors for their leadership
[2:23:49] in helping address Binford,
[2:23:52] especially Supervisor Lucan, and
[2:23:55] thank you to all the other
[2:23:56] departments who have come
[2:23:57] together. We at Health and
[2:23:59] Human Services greatly
[2:24:00] appreciate the collaboration and
[2:24:01] coordination with our fellow
[2:24:03] departments, and it truly has
[2:24:05] made a difference at Binford.
[2:24:08] Finally I want to thank our team
[2:24:09] in the division of homelessness
[2:24:12] and whole person care, a number
[2:24:14] who are here today, and their
[2:24:15] work in financing and grants to
[2:24:18] programs and other supports
[2:24:19] ensuring that everything that we
[2:24:21] can possibly do through our
[2:24:22] division is being done, and I
[2:24:24] especially want to point out
[2:24:27] Barber from our team who has
[2:24:31] been serving as our lead point
[2:24:33] person at Binford and doing an
[2:24:35] incredible job to get everything
[2:24:36] from the ERF stood up to all of
[2:24:39] these initial successes and the
[2:24:42] development and expansion of our
[2:24:44] Binford service fair. Enormous
[2:24:46] appreciation.
[2:24:47] Also to as you see on the slide
[2:24:49] our community partners,
[2:24:51] specifically through Downtown
[2:24:52] Streets who have hired two new
[2:24:55] outreach workers and a case
[2:24:56] manager under the ERF project
[2:24:58] and our continued partnership
[2:25:00] with Community Action Marin and
[2:25:02] their efforts up there as well,
[2:25:03] and welcoming to our division
[2:25:06] Andrea O'Malley who is with us
[2:25:08] also this morning as our new
[2:25:09] Binford point person and staff
[2:25:11] member joining to be the
[2:25:13] coordination for everything
[2:25:14] happening up there at Binford.
[2:25:17] As well, through our partners we
[2:25:19] have expanded hours of outreach
[2:25:22] through there being there
[2:25:23] evenings and weekends, and also
[2:25:25] finally appreciation to all of
[2:25:26] our HHS divisions who stood up
[2:25:28] in rapid response effort during
[2:25:31] October and November to assure
[2:25:33] that we reached 100% of all
[2:25:34] residents who live at Binford,
[2:25:37] and again, the incredible work
[2:25:39] of so many county and community
[2:25:41] partners at the weekly -- or
[2:25:44] monthly, sorry, Binford service
[2:25:46] support fair which provides
[2:25:48] essential medical, harm
[2:25:51] reduction services, Clean Slate,
[2:25:53] food, water, and all of our
[2:25:56] social services, and even things
[2:25:58] through the Humane Society. So
[2:26:01] caring for our residents up
[2:26:03] there with their day-to-day
[2:26:04] needs. Next slide.
[2:26:06] I wanted to especially point out
[2:26:07] and thank Department of Public
[2:26:09] Works, Community Development
[2:26:11] Agency, our community agencies
[2:26:14] and division staff who helped
[2:26:16] organize cleanup efforts at
[2:26:18] Binford. You can see with the
[2:26:20] slides some of the distinct
[2:26:22] differences that have been made
[2:26:23] in how the road looks currently.
[2:26:26] Next slide.
[2:26:29] And referring back to the
[2:26:32] numbers that Dan was talking
[2:26:33] about earlier, so the number of
[2:26:35] clients who have been assessed
[2:26:36] for our coordinated entry
[2:26:38] system, we gave you a midpoint
[2:26:39] here as well as the current
[2:26:41] since the last August update, so
[2:26:43] in October we were at about 64
[2:26:46] folks assessed, and now we are
[2:26:48] up to that 69 number, and
[2:26:51] continue to make progress with
[2:26:52] that through our community
[2:26:53] partners. Next slide.
[2:26:57] The number of clients engaged,
[2:26:59] this means, you know, do we know
[2:27:01] everyone who's up there. Have
[2:27:03] we met everyone? So as you can
[2:27:05] see, at that midpoint, as of
[2:27:07] October 1 there were still about
[2:27:08] 35 clients for us to meet, and
[2:27:11] through that coordinated effort
[2:27:12] that happened across HHS
[2:27:14] divisions and our community
[2:27:15] partners, we're able to reach
[2:27:19] all 101 by today. And next
[2:27:20] slide.
[2:27:21] And then finally, diving in a
[2:27:25] little bit to our exits from
[2:27:27] Binford and housing successes,
[2:27:29] so five individuals have been
[2:27:30] housed through a partnership
[2:27:31] with our social services
[2:27:32] division under a program called
[2:27:34] CalWORKs, which focuses on
[2:27:36] families. Three through our
[2:27:38] permanent supportive housing
[2:27:39] system through coordinated
[2:27:41] entry. Three individuals have
[2:27:44] left Binford on their own which
[2:27:46] sometimes happens with
[2:27:47] encampments, and two have been
[2:27:50] housed in other ways or have
[2:27:52] found connections themselves
[2:27:53] through family or friends for a
[2:27:57] permanent housing destination.
[2:27:58] Next slide.
[2:27:59] So what we're proposing to your
[2:28:00] board today is a new incentive
[2:28:02] to continue to help accelerate
[2:28:04] transition similar to a model
[2:28:06] that was used with the
[2:28:07] Richardson Bay regional
[2:28:08] authority is a pilot buyback
[2:28:11] program. So for eligibility for
[2:28:12] that program, individuals will
[2:28:13] have to be present on Binford as
[2:28:16] of or before October 1 this
[2:28:19] year. The highest priority will
[2:28:23] be unoccupied vehicles, whether
[2:28:25] that be RVs or some other type
[2:28:28] of occupied vehicle that a
[2:28:29] person is living in at $175 per
[2:28:31] linear foot, and part of that
[2:28:34] eligibility will be the
[2:28:35] individual documenting that they
[2:28:38] are exiting to a permanent
[2:28:39] housing destination.
[2:28:42] This can apply to additional
[2:28:44] vehicles that a person owns as
[2:28:46] well, but priorities will be on
[2:28:47] the vehicle that they are living
[2:28:48] in. And again, you know, as we
[2:28:50] talked about back in August,
[2:28:51] sometimes, you know, when folks
[2:28:53] become unhoused and we told a
[2:28:55] few of those stories and
[2:28:57] circumstances back in August,
[2:28:58] sometimes the RV and their
[2:29:00] vehicles are the final things,
[2:29:01] besides personal possessions,
[2:29:02] that they possess. And as they
[2:29:05] go back into a permanent housing
[2:29:06] destination, being able to
[2:29:08] convert some of those
[2:29:10] possessions that may not be
[2:29:12] needed anymore into supports to
[2:29:14] assist them with their housing
[2:29:16] and securing that housing
[2:29:17] destination can be of great
[2:29:18] value.
[2:29:19] Second priority, at $50 per
[2:29:22] linear foot will be some of
[2:29:24] those other vehicles that Dan
[2:29:25] talked about, things like maybe
[2:29:28] trailers or boats that folks may
[2:29:29] have up there as well. Next
[2:29:30] slide.
[2:29:32] And the second part of our
[2:29:34] incentives program, which we
[2:29:36] believe we have the eligibility
[2:29:38] and authority to already do but
[2:29:40] we're going to be using the same
[2:29:41] fund for are some temporary
[2:29:45] supports really to assist,
[2:29:47] again, individuals with anything
[2:29:48] they might need in that
[2:29:50] transition to a permanent
[2:29:51] housing destination.
[2:29:52] So again, the eligibility is
[2:29:54] that they are present on Binford
[2:29:56] as of or before October 1.
[2:29:58] Again, you need to have a
[2:29:59] permanent housing destination
[2:30:02] identified, an exit day, and
[2:30:05] this is limited-term assistance.
[2:30:07] It can include, you know, for
[2:30:09] example vehicle and repair
[2:30:10] maintenance, transportation,
[2:30:12] et cetera, any small expenses
[2:30:14] that might be standing in the
[2:30:15] way of a person successfully
[2:30:17] transitioning. And that there's
[2:30:23] abidance by all the county
[2:30:24] vehicle codes and regulations
[2:30:26] for all the eligibility program.
[2:30:28] And finally, on the next slide,
[2:30:30] we propose that this can
[2:30:32] administered through a
[2:30:33] third-party fiscal agent,
[2:30:34] similar to how these programs
[2:30:35] have run before to facilitate
[2:30:37] the speed of doing this and
[2:30:39] really not hold folks up in
[2:30:41] this. This really simplifies
[2:30:42] the process and expedites the
[2:30:44] administration of it. It allows
[2:30:46] our department to respond
[2:30:47] quickly. There's really a
[2:30:49] nominal administrative fee, and
[2:30:50] there is a precedent that this
[2:30:52] has worked well before in other
[2:30:53] circumstances. So back to Dan.
[2:30:57] >>DAN EILERMAN: Thank you. Next
[2:30:58] slide, please.
[2:30:58] So I will move into enforcement
[2:31:01] and regulation. First I want to
[2:31:03] thank Gary and his team for all
[2:31:04] the effort, the stepped up
[2:31:06] outreach.
[2:31:07] It's really made a difference,
[2:31:08] and I also want to thank the
[2:31:09] sheriff's office. Deputy Mike
[2:31:11] Thompson has just been a hero,
[2:31:13] working full-time on that for
[2:31:15] the past year, developing a lot
[2:31:17] of relationships, and being part
[2:31:18] of us making connections with
[2:31:20] those folks. So enforcement and
[2:31:22] regulation is really a
[2:31:25] combination of several
[2:31:27] departments. It's the sheriff,
[2:31:28] CEA, DPW, county counsel, HHS
[2:31:32] and the administrator's office
[2:31:34] all working together. As I
[2:31:35] mentioned, deputy Thompson is
[2:31:36] out there every day full-time,
[2:31:40] conducting daily patrols, taking
[2:31:43] a weekly census, tagging of
[2:31:45] non-operable vehicles and
[2:31:47] removing previously tagged
[2:31:49] vehicles and other debris. Next
[2:31:49] slide, please.
[2:31:51] This is a quick chart that
[2:31:53] illustrates the 18 vehicles that
[2:31:55] were removed that I mentioned
[2:31:57] earlier. You can see that nine
[2:31:58] of them were cars or trucks,
[2:32:00] five were RVs, three were
[2:32:03] trailers and there's one
[2:32:04] additional vehicle, and the
[2:32:06] sheriff anticipates to continue
[2:32:07] removing at least one vehicle
[2:32:09] per week as we go forward that
[2:32:11] is unoccupied and otherwise not
[2:32:13] compliant with California
[2:32:15] vehicle code or county
[2:32:16] regulations. Next slide,
[2:32:17] please.
[2:32:19] This is a quick chart that shows
[2:32:21] some of the trending on
[2:32:22] vehicles. So we go back to
[2:32:25] about 160 vehicles. Think back
[2:32:28] on October 1 when our
[2:32:30] enforcement program really
[2:32:31] kicked into high gear, and
[2:32:32] that's after we did an extensive
[2:32:34] amount of work developing
[2:32:36] possessions, storage, protocols,
[2:32:39] noticing protocols, and came up
[2:32:42] with a program that we felt was
[2:32:44] sustainable. And so those
[2:32:46] vehicles have been reduced to
[2:32:47] about 132, and it's been a mix
[2:32:49] of, you know, lived-in vehicles
[2:32:51] through success or folks
[2:32:53] leaving, vehicles that are
[2:32:55] considered daily drivers, and
[2:32:57] kind of other types of vehicles.
[2:33:00] Next slide, please.
[2:33:01] To illustrate some of the
[2:33:02] success we're talking about,
[2:33:03] it's really important one of the
[2:33:05] lessons learned from the
[2:33:08] Richardson Bay Regional Agency
[2:33:08] was ensuring that we don't have
[2:33:11] backfill when we do have
[2:33:12] success, whether it's through
[2:33:13] removing unoccupied vehicles or
[2:33:15] finding safe housing for
[2:33:16] individuals, but what you see on
[2:33:19] the left there is an example of
[2:33:20] some of the fencing that is put
[2:33:22] up in vacated areas. In behind
[2:33:25] that, that concrete bar is
[2:33:27] called K rail, and so a
[2:33:29] combination of K rail, concrete
[2:33:32] bars, in some cases berms. You
[2:33:34] can see that a little bit in the
[2:33:35] photo to the right. So you see
[2:33:37] a couple of vacated spaces there
[2:33:39] with fencing that inhibits
[2:33:41] anybody from coming to reoccupy
[2:33:42] that space, and kind of to the
[2:33:44] right of that small truck you
[2:33:45] see an example of a berm. So we
[2:33:48] are transitioning from kind of
[2:33:49] those earthen berms to more the
[2:33:52] sustainable fencing given the
[2:33:54] coming winter season, but that's
[2:33:56] one example of some of our
[2:33:58] progress. Next slide, please.
[2:34:02] And that's another example of,
[2:34:04] you know, more of the fencing in
[2:34:06] a different area, so as we
[2:34:08] achieve success, that is our
[2:34:09] primary goal, to coordinate as a
[2:34:11] team and ensure once a vehicle
[2:34:13] is removed the fencing is put in
[2:34:15] right afterward. Next slide,
[2:34:15] please.
[2:34:18] So in terms of next steps, your
[2:34:20] board today on the consent
[2:34:22] calendar, again, under Public
[2:34:24] Works, you adopted a new
[2:34:25] overnight parking regulation, so
[2:34:27] from 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. this will
[2:34:31] be initially on the business
[2:34:33] side of Binford Road, that's to
[2:34:34] achieve more turnover and to
[2:34:36] ensure parking for the business
[2:34:37] employees, and staff plans to
[2:34:39] return in coming weeks,
[2:34:41] potentially a couple of months,
[2:34:42] with some additional measures to
[2:34:44] address other community business
[2:34:46] environmental concerns as more
[2:34:47] spaces are vacated, and those
[2:34:49] will probably be focused on the
[2:34:50] east side, on the water side.
[2:34:52] We want to achieve some more
[2:34:53] success, some more vacated
[2:34:56] spaces along that east side of
[2:34:58] the corridor before we start
[2:34:59] putting up the no overnight
[2:35:00] parking signs, and again, as we
[2:35:03] vacate spaces, putting up more
[2:35:05] fencing.
[2:35:06] So our principal goal is to
[2:35:07] ensure no new arrivals to the
[2:35:09] corridor that are not in accord
[2:35:10] with county ordinances or state
[2:35:12] vehicle code regulations, and we
[2:35:14] will continue removing
[2:35:16] unoccupied vehicles in the
[2:35:17] right-of-way that are considered
[2:35:19] abandoned, excess or
[2:35:20] non-compliant. So next slide.
[2:35:22] So I'm going to transition here
[2:35:24] to cover environmental
[2:35:25] protection, the third of our
[2:35:26] three strategies. Sarah Jones
[2:35:29] wanted to be here today. She is
[2:35:31] in our department head interview
[2:35:34] panel, and so Greg Pirie from
[2:35:37] environmental services is with
[2:35:39] us here today, but I also want
[2:35:41] to commend CDA for really
[2:35:42] stepping up, so they are not
[2:35:44] only involved with the
[2:35:47] environmental preservation
[2:35:48] aspect, but they have been
[2:35:49] heavily involved in helping us
[2:35:51] to set up the protocols around
[2:35:53] noticing, personal possessions
[2:35:55] storage and protocols,
[2:35:56] identifying personal possessions
[2:35:58] and methods of retrieving them
[2:36:00] when necessary.
[2:36:01] So to the left you'll see an
[2:36:03] example. That's Gnoss Field
[2:36:05] Airport in the back, but an
[2:36:06] example of the environment that
[2:36:07] we want to make sure we protect.
[2:36:10] To the bottom right is a
[2:36:11] picture. I believe that's from
[2:36:12] May of 2023, an example of what
[2:36:14] we're trying to mitigate with a
[2:36:16] lot of these efforts that we've
[2:36:17] been talked about. So next
[2:36:17] slide, please.
[2:36:20] We have established pumpout
[2:36:23] services for 19 of the 57
[2:36:25] recreational vehicles so far.
[2:36:27] We want to see that increase.
[2:36:29] CDA, environmental health
[2:36:31] services, has assessed the RVs
[2:36:33] out there. Some RVs are simply
[2:36:35] not suitable for the service.
[2:36:36] It would be dangerous or create
[2:36:38] more damage to do pumpout
[2:36:41] services for those RVs. Some
[2:36:45] are vacant and others have been
[2:36:46] non-responsive to surveys. For
[2:36:48] those we are exploring other
[2:36:50] enforcement options with
[2:36:51] community development and with
[2:36:53] county counsel, which could
[2:36:55] include, for example,
[2:36:57] decommissioning some of those
[2:36:58] toilet facilities that are not
[2:36:59] working in those RVs. That is a
[2:37:01] continuing effort.
[2:37:02] We have also installed
[2:37:04] additional sanitary stations,
[2:37:06] total of 12, one restroom, one
[2:37:09] handwashing station roughly
[2:37:10] every ten RVs, and as I
[2:37:13] mentioned we've been installing
[2:37:14] fencing. So next slide, please.
[2:37:16] So again, 19 out of 57 RVs being
[2:37:21] pumped out thus far. This is a
[2:37:22] picture of a contractor doing a
[2:37:25] pumpout service for an RV. Next
[2:37:25] slide, please.
[2:37:29] This is a picture of new
[2:37:32] sanitary stations being dropped
[2:37:33] in, and you can see kind of in
[2:37:34] the middle to the right there,
[2:37:36] the handwashing station, so
[2:37:39] again roughly one of these every
[2:37:40] ten RVs. Next slide, please.
[2:37:43] This will be an example -- yeah,
[2:37:47] next slide, please. Thank you.
[2:37:49] An example of the fencing that
[2:37:50] you see along the water. It's
[2:37:53] one of the big areas and we're
[2:37:55] doing more of this, and one of
[2:37:56] the goals is as wind blows
[2:37:59] things around trying to inhibit
[2:38:00] it from blowing into the water,
[2:38:03] and also just otherwise trying
[2:38:04] to mitigate any environmental
[2:38:06] damage, and so then next steps,
[2:38:08] and we're coming up to the end
[2:38:09] here.
[2:38:10] So environmental protection, we
[2:38:11] want to increase pumpout
[2:38:13] services wherever feasible. We
[2:38:15] are exploring enforcement to
[2:38:16] decommission some of those
[2:38:17] toilets that are not suitable
[2:38:19] for pumpout services. We want
[2:38:21] to consider potentially some
[2:38:23] supports for basic sanitary
[2:38:25] repairs to make some of those
[2:38:26] RVs suitable for pumpout
[2:38:28] services. We want to enhance
[2:38:30] and continue to maintain the
[2:38:31] sanitary stations and explore
[2:38:33] new restrictions, such as
[2:38:35] fencing where spaces are
[2:38:37] vacated, either due to
[2:38:38] enforcement or placement of
[2:38:39] folks into safe housing.
[2:38:41] So final slide, please, we do
[2:38:44] know there's a lot of work to
[2:38:46] do. There has been some visible
[2:38:47] progress, and particularly the
[2:38:49] last 100 days. Staff are really
[2:38:51] coming together. I really want
[2:38:52] to thank all the departments who
[2:38:54] have been a big part of this
[2:38:55] effort. It really has been a
[2:38:57] big lift. Everybody's really
[2:38:59] committed, though, and there are
[2:39:01] additional ideas that we are
[2:39:02] thinking of as we go forward,
[2:39:04] but at this time we're open to
[2:39:06] any questions your board might
[2:39:07] have.
[2:39:08] >>STEPHANIE MOULTON-PETERS,
[2:39:10] PRES.: Thank you, everyone, for
[2:39:11] the report. Are there any
[2:39:12] questions?
[2:39:15] >>MARY SACKETT: Yeah, I have two
[2:39:16] quick questions. Thank you. So
[2:39:20] it shows the -- or this report
[2:39:22] gives us the vehicle buyback
[2:39:25] program, how the owner of the
[2:39:27] vehicle is compensated. How are
[2:39:29] we funding the actual disposal?
[2:39:33] Is that on us or is there
[2:39:34] another funding source to -- I
[2:39:38] notice that it was like we don't
[2:39:40] want to keep these in
[2:39:41] circulation, so I'm just
[2:39:42] wondering how that is being
[2:39:43] funded.
[2:39:45] >>DAN EILERMAN: Right, that's a
[2:39:46] good point, supervisor. One of
[2:39:47] our efforts to ensure just like
[2:39:49] with our BRA, the buyback a
[2:39:51] vessel it doesn't end up back in
[2:39:53] the same place, so anybody who
[2:39:55] participates has to sign a legal
[2:39:57] binding agreement that they will
[2:39:58] otherwise abide by all
[2:39:59] California vehicle code and
[2:40:01] county ordinances.
[2:40:03] And yes, that's probably going
[2:40:04] to be the case in most of these
[2:40:06] cases where we will pursue
[2:40:08] destruction of the vehicle.
[2:40:10] That would be an additive cost
[2:40:12] to the actual incentive. We
[2:40:14] have $100,000 available for the
[2:40:16] incentive program, but at the
[2:40:18] end of the day it's probably
[2:40:19] going to be more cost effective
[2:40:21] to have people voluntarily turn
[2:40:23] in a vehicle and then, you know,
[2:40:25] we will decommission it to
[2:40:27] ensure it doesn't return to the
[2:40:28] site, or another site.
[2:40:30] >>MARY SACKETT: Okay, and then
[2:40:30] the Marin link piece I think
[2:40:33] makes sense. Do we -- does
[2:40:36] county staff retain the
[2:40:37] discretion of who gets that
[2:40:39] funding? Or is that decision
[2:40:41] making, does that also go with
[2:40:43] the funds with Marin link?
[2:40:46] >>DAN EILERMAN: I'll let Gary
[2:40:48] chime in if he wants to add, but
[2:40:50] the director of Health and Human
[2:40:51] Services has discretion. The
[2:40:52] way the policy is written, we
[2:40:53] have a preference for
[2:40:55] recreational vehicles and for
[2:40:56] lived-in vehicles for folks who
[2:40:58] have an identified housing
[2:41:01] destination, but then the second
[2:41:02] priority is a registered
[2:41:03] vehicle, that could be a second
[2:41:05] or third vehicle, for example,
[2:41:07] but the Director of HHS or
[2:41:10] designee will have the ability
[2:41:11] to evaluate those options. I
[2:41:13] think from what we've heard
[2:41:14] there is interest in the
[2:41:15] program, and so if it's
[2:41:17] effective immediately tomorrow
[2:41:19] we anticipate getting some
[2:41:20] interest relatively early, but
[2:41:23] the director will have the
[2:41:24] ability to make those
[2:41:26] prioritizations and I think will
[2:41:27] probably work with a team and
[2:41:29] county counsel regarding
[2:41:30] individual buyback agreements as
[2:41:32] some situations may be different
[2:41:33] than others.
[2:41:34] >>MARY SACKETT: Thank you.
[2:41:35] >>DAN EILERMAN: Mm-hm.
[2:41:36] >>DENNIS RODONI: Yeah, thank you
[2:41:37] for the update. Really exciting
[2:41:38] to see what's happening up there
[2:41:41] and improvements. I'm wondering
[2:41:44] about the pilot buyback program.
[2:41:46] It seemed like such an important
[2:41:48] tool. I know this is focused on
[2:41:50] Binford, but I'm sure Mike might
[2:41:53] like to have this tool in his
[2:41:54] tool chest for other places too,
[2:41:57] so I hope you take a look at
[2:41:58] that or see if there's
[2:41:59] opportunity to have that in our
[2:42:01] tool box for other uses.
[2:42:02] And then on slide 15, the
[2:42:05] October 1 date, I know that's
[2:42:07] probably something you've
[2:42:09] already established, but with
[2:42:10] the new information, number one
[2:42:13] information, is there any reason
[2:42:15] to change [indiscernible].
[2:42:26] >>GARY NAJA-RIESE: That is a
[2:42:26] great question and I believe
[2:42:27] that we have full knowledge of
[2:42:28] all 101 individuals who are
[2:42:29] there as of October 1, so that
[2:42:31] date makes the most sense.
[2:42:33] >>DENNIS RODONI: Okay, thank
[2:42:33] you.
[2:42:35] >>DAN EILERMAN: Yeah, and
[2:42:36] supervisor, I think I would add
[2:42:37] to that, yeah, the December 1
[2:42:39] count we're confident in, the
[2:42:41] October 1 count we're confident
[2:42:43] in, but I think the reason we
[2:42:45] have chosen October 1 is so that
[2:42:46] we can ensure that we are
[2:42:49] dealing with vehicles that were
[2:42:51] there and not in any way
[2:42:52] incentivizing any new vehicles
[2:42:54] to arrive. The sheriff will
[2:42:56] have a solid inventory on those
[2:42:58] vehicles to ensure they are
[2:42:59] applicable.
[2:43:01] >>ERIC LUCAN: I just want to
[2:43:02] quickly commend the team and all
[2:43:03] the work you're doing at Binford
[2:43:04] across all different
[2:43:06] departments. This is really
[2:43:07] exciting progress that we made
[2:43:08] to date. Housing ten
[2:43:11] individuals in just the past
[2:43:12] month or so, which is I think
[2:43:13] what our team normally houses
[2:43:16] countywide sort of to do in
[2:43:18] addition to that ten from
[2:43:19] Binford is really remarkable,
[2:43:20] and just the tenor and the
[2:43:22] relationship we've had with the
[2:43:23] individuals that we're serving
[2:43:24] out there is so key to this
[2:43:26] work. The individuals we are
[2:43:28] serving might not love
[2:43:29] everything we're doing out
[2:43:30] there, but they don't hate it.
[2:43:33] They are not pushing back.
[2:43:34] There's a really good
[2:43:36] relationship that have been
[2:43:36] built, and that's really a
[2:43:38] credit to the whole team here on
[2:43:38] this.
[2:43:39] Just one question with regards
[2:43:41] to the pumpout services. It's
[2:43:42] great to see 19 of 57 that we've
[2:43:45] gotten to. Granted we're never
[2:43:47] going to get to 57 of 57 because
[2:43:49] of the points that you mentioned
[2:43:50] there. What would be some
[2:43:52] realistic goals over the next
[2:43:53] few months in terms of either
[2:43:58] decommissioning additional ones
[2:44:00] or getting the ones that are
[2:44:01] eligible to pump out to pump
[2:44:03] out? Is it going to be slow
[2:44:04] moving from here? Maybe just a
[2:44:05] goal we can put out for
[2:44:07] ourselves.
[2:44:08] >>DAN EILERMAN: Sure. I will
[2:44:09] see if Greg has anything to add,
[2:44:11] but definitely we want to
[2:44:13] increase that number of vehicles
[2:44:15] being pumped out. In some cases
[2:44:19] we expect some of them may move
[2:44:21] away via successes and other
[2:44:28] ways, but I would like to see us
[2:44:29] in the next three months having
[2:44:30] a solid plan for if vehicles are
[2:44:33] not being cooperative with
[2:44:37] attempts to assess the RVs and
[2:44:40] capacity for services, I
[2:44:42] mentioned some have just been
[2:44:44] non-respondent, we need to
[2:44:46] figure out how we're going to
[2:44:47] deal with those.
[2:44:48] One of the efforts to follow up
[2:44:51] on going forward is to ensure
[2:44:52] the appropriate authority to
[2:44:54] actually decommission those
[2:44:55] toilets, to make sure that they
[2:44:56] are not polluting the
[2:44:57] environment, but yeah, Greg may
[2:45:01] have some more to add.
[2:45:04] >>GREG PIRIE: Yeah, one thing to
[2:45:05] add, Supervisor Lucan. One
[2:45:06] thing to consider is that we
[2:45:09] have different types of RVs out
[2:45:11] there. Some have started
[2:45:13] pumpout service. Some don't
[2:45:15] have water now so you're not
[2:45:18] going to have a lot of pumpouts
[2:45:20] if they don't have water in the
[2:45:21] RVs, and some are going
[2:45:24] out-of-county for their
[2:45:26] services. We can continue to
[2:45:27] identify what RVs are possible
[2:45:29] and can use it, and also Dan
[2:45:32] mentioned also the RVs that can
[2:45:34] be repaired. We can also look
[2:45:35] at that too.
[2:45:36] Even though we have 57, there
[2:45:38] may be only a certain amount
[2:45:39] that could actually handle the
[2:45:41] service. We're going to be
[2:45:42] reviewing that as we go.
[2:45:44] >>ERIC LUCAN: Sounds good. I
[2:45:44] think that's great. There's the
[2:45:46] ones that can't handle the
[2:45:47] service. Let's do what we can
[2:45:48] to get them to handle the
[2:45:50] service, and then I think
[2:45:51] individuals just flat out refuse
[2:45:53] the service, there are some
[2:45:56] approaches that we can take that
[2:45:57] might be a little more on the
[2:45:58] enforcement side, especially
[2:45:59] since we're providing the
[2:46:00] service at no cost. I think
[2:46:02] that's one where we might maybe
[2:46:03] shouldn't be afraid of stepping
[2:46:05] up the enforcement to get some
[2:46:07] compliance and protect the
[2:46:08] natural resources and the
[2:46:09] environment in that area. Thank
[2:46:10] you.
[2:46:12] >>DAN EILERMAN: Mm-hm.
[2:46:14] >>KATIE RICE: Yeah, thank you.
[2:46:16] Appreciate the report and all
[2:46:19] the progress that is being made,
[2:46:21] and the creativity also and
[2:46:26] these items that you're bringing
[2:46:27] today to us to approve.
[2:46:28] I just have a question slash
[2:46:31] concern around just given the
[2:46:34] high number of folks who have
[2:46:37] been sort of -- have been
[2:46:39] assessed as eligible for
[2:46:42] permanent supportive --
[2:46:43] qualifying for permanent
[2:46:44] supportive housing through our
[2:46:46] coordinated entry process, and
[2:46:48] as you all well know, that is a
[2:46:52] big list including those folks
[2:46:54] as well, and so I'm just
[2:46:57] thinking about the timeline to
[2:46:59] getting these folks on the path
[2:47:01] to housing and into housing,
[2:47:03] given that they may require --
[2:47:06] likely require permanent
[2:47:07] supportive housing which is
[2:47:09] supplied through the county.
[2:47:10] I guess my question is have
[2:47:15] there been targets sort of
[2:47:17] established for actually
[2:47:19] improving the health and
[2:47:21] economic status, frankly, in
[2:47:25] terms of having folks getting
[2:47:26] signed up for whatever support
[2:47:28] they may be qualified for,
[2:47:30] CalFresh, SDI, what have you,
[2:47:32] that they might not be now. I'm
[2:47:35] thinking of this coordinated
[2:47:36] entry population, because it is
[2:47:37] going to be -- it is going to
[2:47:39] take some time as this plan maps
[2:47:40] out to really move everyone in
[2:47:43] to housing or into the situation
[2:47:44] that they need, and I'm thinking
[2:47:46] that there's an opportunity to
[2:47:47] actually really improve the
[2:47:49] overall financial and medical
[2:47:54] and physical and mental health
[2:47:55] of some of the individuals that
[2:47:57] are there.
[2:47:58] So I'm just curious as to sort
[2:48:00] of targets towards improving
[2:48:02] people's status as things go
[2:48:06] along over time and, frankly, is
[2:48:08] there even an opportunity to --
[2:48:09] for some folks conditions
[2:48:13] economically and otherwise to
[2:48:14] improve enough so that maybe
[2:48:16] they won't need full-on
[2:48:18] permanent supportive housing
[2:48:19] over time. Long-winded
[2:48:21] question, but I think you . . .
[2:48:24] get where I'm getting at.
[2:48:25] >>GARY NAJA-RIESE: Thank you,
[2:48:26] supervisor, for the question,
[2:48:27] and you know, although we use
[2:48:30] what folks are familiar with,
[2:48:31] the housing first model in our
[2:48:34] county, I think the caveat we
[2:48:35] give to that all the time is
[2:48:37] that does not mean housing only.
[2:48:38] All that model means is that
[2:48:40] there are just no conditions on
[2:48:43] someone before they are able to
[2:48:44] get successfully connected to
[2:48:46] housing. But I think what we
[2:48:47] often leave out of that equation
[2:48:49] and conversation is the
[2:48:50] tremendous amount of work that
[2:48:52] outreach workers and case
[2:48:54] managers do on a daily basis
[2:48:55] with folks across our county and
[2:48:58] specifically the ones that are
[2:48:59] dedicated to Binford.
[2:49:00] So those outreach workers, those
[2:49:02] case managers are working daily
[2:49:03] with folks on their medical and
[2:49:05] behavioral health needs, on
[2:49:08] ensuring they get transportation
[2:49:09] to critical appointments,
[2:49:11] helping them locate
[2:49:13] documentation that they may have
[2:49:14] lost that they need in the
[2:49:17] paperwork process for things
[2:49:19] like section 8, helping them to
[2:49:21] get ready for those
[2:49:22] applications, connecting them
[2:49:23] with CalFresh and Medi-Cal and
[2:49:26] other temporary financial
[2:49:31] supports and services.
[2:49:33] Assisting them with their
[2:49:34] banking and their shopping and
[2:49:35] their spending and locating food
[2:49:36] and water and everything that it
[2:49:38] takes for day-to-day. So really
[2:49:40] those outreach workers and case
[2:49:42] managers carry a tremendous
[2:49:44] amount of activity with the
[2:49:46] clients that are engaged with,
[2:49:48] and although ten may have been
[2:49:49] housed although 19 are on an
[2:49:52] identified housing pathway,
[2:49:53] these outreach workers and case
[2:49:56] managers are engaged with 101
[2:49:58] individuals at Binford and their
[2:49:59] needs, and that's also the
[2:50:00] benefit of this service fair
[2:50:02] that is up there monthly, and I
[2:50:04] think the beauty of what's
[2:50:06] happened through that service is
[2:50:08] seeing folks connect directly
[2:50:10] with medical appointments
[2:50:11] through the street medicine van,
[2:50:13] get signed up for Medi-Cal and
[2:50:16] CalFresh right on the spot, be
[2:50:18] able to tell us that their cards
[2:50:19] have been misplaced and they
[2:50:20] need replacement ones so that we
[2:50:24] can get that out to them, but
[2:50:26] whatever it might take in their
[2:50:27] day-to-day lives to help with
[2:50:29] any immediate needs, and so know
[2:50:31] that all of those things are
[2:50:32] happening every single day, not
[2:50:34] only with residents at Binford
[2:50:36] but through everyone else that
[2:50:38] our many outreach workers and
[2:50:40] case managers have contact with
[2:50:41] across our county.
[2:50:43] >>KATIE RICE: And so I'm
[2:50:45] assuming that given what is
[2:50:48] happening there in Binford,
[2:50:51] especially, that -- I mean, my
[2:50:52] question is: Can I assume, can
[2:50:54] we assume that actually folks
[2:50:56] will over time be in a much
[2:50:58] better state financially,
[2:51:00] health-wise, what have you, than
[2:51:02] they would have been without all
[2:51:03] this and, therefore, maybe a
[2:51:06] need of less support in
[2:51:09] permanent supportive housing or
[2:51:11] in a different state as we move
[2:51:12] along over the next couple of
[2:51:13] years? I think it's really
[2:51:14] important, because you know we
[2:51:17] depend on vouchers and other
[2:51:19] funding in order to establish
[2:51:21] permanent supportive housing and
[2:51:22] make it real for the long term,
[2:51:24] and those vouchers, that flow of
[2:51:26] vouchers is not this big wide
[2:51:29] thick stream ongoing. We don't
[2:51:31] have a local source of vouchers.
[2:51:33] It's something we need to be
[2:51:34] talking about, but it is a
[2:51:36] challenge. Permanent supportive
[2:51:37] housing and how much we're able
[2:51:39] to create is dependent on how
[2:51:41] much vouchers are available
[2:51:42] here, and in the meantime we
[2:51:43] need to be helping people as
[2:51:45] much as we can in the interim
[2:51:47] before housing becomes available
[2:51:49] and, frankly, I just would like
[2:51:50] to know that maybe we're using
[2:51:53] this time and these situations
[2:51:55] in order to potentially create
[2:51:57] situations in which some folks
[2:51:58] may not need, ultimately,
[2:52:00] permanent supportive housing.
[2:52:02] >>GARY NAJA-RIESE: Absolutely,
[2:52:02] yes.
[2:52:03] >>KATIE RICE: Thank you.
[2:52:04] >>STEPHANIE MOULTON-PETERS,
[2:52:04] PRES.: Great. I want to add my
[2:52:06] support for the vehicle buyback
[2:52:08] program. I certainly saw how
[2:52:10] this worked at Richardson Bay,
[2:52:12] largely with the sailboats we
[2:52:13] had there, but it was -- motor
[2:52:15] boats. It was the same
[2:52:16] situation.
[2:52:17] I want to appreciate and
[2:52:19] acknowledge the comprehensive
[2:52:20] approach you've taken here again
[2:52:22] at Binford. I was able to tour
[2:52:26] with Supervisor Lucan and my
[2:52:30] observation a few weeks ago is
[2:52:31] that things were organized and
[2:52:33] there was increasing safety out
[2:52:35] there. I'm glad that the speed
[2:52:39] reduction has occurred.
[2:52:40] The sanitation services and
[2:52:41] pumpout and everything you're
[2:52:43] working on I think are really
[2:52:44] key, and I want to appreciate
[2:52:46] the sheriff's office for his
[2:52:48] work out there.
[2:52:50] My experience in Richardson Bay,
[2:52:52] as we made slow and steady
[2:52:54] progress in moving people off
[2:52:55] the water into housing, and that
[2:52:58] also you start to get to a point
[2:53:00] where you've got critical mass
[2:53:02] where enough people are moving
[2:53:03] on with their lives it
[2:53:05] encourages more people to do the
[2:53:06] same, so I think we'll see
[2:53:07] things pick up, notwithstanding
[2:53:09] the need for housing, but people
[2:53:11] start to sort it out and figure
[2:53:13] it out, so anyway, thank you,
[2:53:16] and I'd be prepared to take a
[2:53:21] motion to approve the buyback
[2:53:23] program, and then we'll go to
[2:53:24] public comment.
[2:53:29] >>ERIC LUCAN: I'll move such
[2:53:30] action.
[2:53:30] >>STEPHANIE MOULTON-PETERS,
[2:53:31] PRES.: Okay, very good.
[2:53:32] >>MARY SACKETT: Second.
[2:53:32] >>STEPHANIE MOULTON-PETERS,
[2:53:33] PRES.: Thank you. We have a
[2:53:34] motion and second. Is there any
[2:53:35] public comment in the chambers
[2:53:35] on this?
[2:53:51] >>SPEAKER: Thank you. You guys
[2:53:53] mentioned environmental health
[2:53:54] and you've mentioned safe
[2:53:57] sanitary housing. I remind you
[2:54:00] the community should be made
[2:54:02] aware that in 2011 or '12,
[2:54:06] environmental health made a
[2:54:07] decision to stop taking
[2:54:11] complaints from Golden Gate
[2:54:14] Village in Marin City. 296
[2:54:16] units all of a sudden, suddenly,
[2:54:19] were denied the availability to
[2:54:22] call the department in the
[2:54:24] county to work with them
[2:54:26] regarding unsanitary living
[2:54:28] conditions. Everywhere else in
[2:54:31] the county, you can call them.
[2:54:32] Golden Gate Village residents in
[2:54:33] Marin City, they can't.
[2:54:40] In the IJ you all went to -- and
[2:54:42] yourself, Greg and Sarah, went
[2:54:44] to the IJ just in July and said,
[2:54:46] and we're going to work with
[2:54:48] them. It's in the IJ. We're
[2:54:51] going to do better. In August
[2:54:54] the IJ editorial said it's a
[2:54:57] great thing they are working
[2:54:58] together. Yes, they are all
[2:55:00] working together, getting
[2:55:01] together to serve a population
[2:55:02] that's underserved. In the
[2:55:03] meeting a month ago Greg was
[2:55:06] present, face-to-face with me
[2:55:08] and many others, Sarah was on
[2:55:10] Zoom, they said, no, that's not
[2:55:12] true. We're not there yet.
[2:55:13] That's not true. You all did a
[2:55:16] PR stunt to make it seem like
[2:55:19] you're working with the
[2:55:19] residents of -- so you're going
[2:55:21] to turn the tide. That was a
[2:55:22] lie, a stunt. You lied to the
[2:55:25] community. Racism. Why did you
[2:55:29] lie? Stephanie, this is your
[2:55:30] district. Greg, you quoted in
[2:55:33] the IJ of saying we're going to
[2:55:35] do better, and then months
[2:55:36] later, face-to-face, you say
[2:55:38] it's not true. I remind you,
[2:55:45] this population in Marin City,
[2:55:48] Golden Gate Village, it used to
[2:55:49] be a higher number of
[2:55:50] African-American people,
[2:55:52] families, but -- I'll finish in
[2:55:54] a second. But because Marin
[2:55:56] Housing has hidden Black
[2:55:59] applicants, it's on the record,
[2:56:01] Black applicants at Golden Gate
[2:56:03] Village thrown in the garbage.
[2:56:04] >>STEPHANIE MOULTON-PETERS,
[2:56:04] PRES.: Thank you for your
[2:56:05] comments, Damien. We're at
[2:56:06] time.
[2:56:09] >>SPEAKER: Less African-American
[2:56:10] families in Golden Gate Village
[2:56:11] now. You need to answer to the
[2:56:12] people why you put a false
[2:56:14] article in the IJ.
[2:56:15] >>STEPHANIE MOULTON-PETERS,
[2:56:16] PRES.: Damien, we're at time.
[2:56:19] I'm going online according to
[2:56:21] him, it's not true. Racism.
[2:56:21] >>STEPHANIE MOULTON-PETERS,
[2:56:23] PRES.: Thanks for your comments
[2:56:23] on Binford Road. Next to
[2:56:25] online, please.
[2:56:26] >>MODERATOR: The first speaker
[2:56:26] is Johnson Reynolds. Please
[2:56:28] unmute.
[2:56:31] >>SPEAKER: Yeah, Johnson
[2:56:32] Reynolds. I'm currently in Maui
[2:56:34] with my sister who has
[2:56:35] short-term memory loss, but I am
[2:56:39] resident of Marin County and the
[2:56:41] Canal. I'm part of Marin
[2:56:44] organizing Committee. I'm
[2:56:51] concerned the Marin
[2:56:52] environmental housing committee
[2:56:54] notified me it was on the agenda
[2:56:55] today. I appreciate that you're
[2:56:56] doing work to deal with people
[2:57:01] that are in Binford in vehicles
[2:57:03] and RVs and that kind of thing.
[2:57:05] It sounds like you're really
[2:57:07] moving forward on that. I
[2:57:09] really appreciate that there are
[2:57:12] case workers and counselors that
[2:57:13] are working with all the 101
[2:57:17] people there to move them
[2:57:19] forward towards the possibility
[2:57:21] of permanent supportive housing.
[2:57:24] If that's possible. There's
[2:57:26] still lack of housing even that
[2:57:28] there's the Homekey options, but
[2:57:32] other options where they have to
[2:57:34] have vouchers to get into those
[2:57:36] housing and doing what we can do
[2:57:38] to do that is what we need to
[2:57:40] do, but there are still going to
[2:57:41] be a lot of people that continue
[2:57:42] to live in their vehicles or RVs
[2:57:45] and decide to do that, and
[2:57:50] providing sanitation services is
[2:57:51] really important for them as
[2:57:52] they still live there, so we
[2:57:55] need to accommodate if you have
[2:57:59] a buyback for the RVs, that's
[2:58:01] fine, but they need to have
[2:58:04] other places they can go if they
[2:58:07] are going to be reimbursed for
[2:58:11] the buyback, we need places for
[2:58:12] them to go immediately, and then
[2:58:13] the people that are still in
[2:58:15] their vehicles need to have the
[2:58:17] sanitation services to sustain
[2:58:19] that as they live there. That's
[2:58:21] an option for people. Let's
[2:58:23] consider these people, really
[2:58:27] supporting the people who are
[2:58:28] homeless to live productively
[2:58:30] and quality lives wherever they
[2:58:32] are, whether they are in
[2:58:33] permanent supportive housing
[2:58:34] and/or their vehicles, so thank
[2:58:35] you.
[2:58:37] >>MODERATOR: The next speaker is
[2:58:38] Rodrigo Izquierdo. Please
[2:58:39] unmute.
[2:58:43] >>SPEAKER: I would like to know
[2:58:45] after listening to your great
[2:58:46] presentation on the situation at
[2:58:48] Binford and all the efforts that
[2:58:51] all the county is spending on
[2:58:55] them to take care of them, why
[2:58:59] is it that the Marin Human
[2:59:02] Rights Commission is not
[2:59:03] involved? Of all people they
[2:59:08] have a former homeless person
[2:59:13] who ran for supervisor, Jason
[2:59:15] Serres. What more of an expert
[2:59:18] can you possibly need to talk
[2:59:21] about the situation? I mean,
[2:59:24] the last meeting that they had
[2:59:25] for the Human Rights Commission,
[2:59:27] which was in September since
[2:59:28] they canceled October and
[2:59:30] November, and plus others, was
[2:59:34] talking about maybe putting up a
[2:59:39] porta-potty in Fairfax. That
[2:59:43] was pretty much it, and they
[2:59:44] were spinning their wheels
[2:59:47] talking about how much it was
[2:59:47] going to cost, $700 for one
[2:59:50] porta-potty, can we get more
[2:59:52] from the county. In other
[2:59:54] words, that's pretty much it.
[2:59:55] And then again, then you have an
[2:59:57] absence of two months, two
[2:59:59] months, and just like, you know,
[3:00:01] the homeless people, they have
[3:00:03] got nothing better to do, so
[3:00:04] they will just wait around for
[3:00:06] them to reconvene and see what
[3:00:08] they're going to do about it,
[3:00:09] whether they're going to take it
[3:00:10] up again and see if they're
[3:00:11] going to get a porta-potty,
[3:00:13] which is -- I mean, how minimal
[3:00:15] can you possibly get? And then
[3:00:17] even let's say in the previous
[3:00:19] month they talked about putting
[3:00:21] up three refrigerators and they
[3:00:26] allocated $1500 for that without
[3:00:29] asking the public to participate
[3:00:31] and the legality of who is going
[3:00:33] to provide the PG&E, who is
[3:00:35] going to provide the food, what
[3:00:37] locations. So in other words,
[3:00:38] they just spin their wheels and
[3:00:40] talk about it and then do
[3:00:42] nothing, and you don't want to
[3:00:45] count on them because you know
[3:00:46] they are not dependable.
[3:00:46] >>STEPHANIE MOULTON-PETERS,
[3:00:49] PRES.: Okay, we're going to
[3:00:49] close public comment now and
[3:00:51] bring it back to the board.
[3:00:53] Eva, you didn't get to the
[3:00:54] podium. You were way over
[3:00:57] there. No, I'm sorry. I'm
[3:00:59] closing public comment. We had
[3:01:02] a motion by Rice, a second by
[3:01:05] Lucan. All in favor?
[3:01:08] [Indiscernible].
[3:01:09] >>STEPHANIE MOULTON-PETERS,
[3:01:09] PRES.: Thank you. This matter
[3:01:10] has passed.
[3:01:11] >>SPEAKER: It is not appropriate
[3:01:11] for you to do that.
[3:01:12] >>STEPHANIE MOULTON-PETERS,
[3:01:13] PRES.: It is appropriate for me
[3:01:14] to do it.
[3:01:15] >>SPEAKER: No, it is not
[3:01:16] appropriate.
[3:01:16] >>STEPHANIE MOULTON-PETERS,
[3:01:17] PRES.: We're going to move on
[3:01:18] now to Item No. 8. We have to
[3:01:19] take this up because our speaker
[3:01:21] cannot be with us noon hour, and
[3:01:23] then we'll take a break.
[3:01:31] No, we're going to go out of
[3:01:33] order. We've got to get this
[3:01:35] done, and we've got to get to
[3:01:36] lunch and then we've got to come
[3:01:38] back and we'll take 7 and 9 as
[3:01:42] soon as I can figure that out.
[3:01:57] Hi, Jillian.
[3:01:59] >>JILLIAN ZEIGER: Good morning,
[3:01:59] board members. We're here today
[3:02:01] to receive a presentation from
[3:02:04] Scott Johnson. He's the
[3:02:06] executive director of the Napa
[3:02:10] Sonoma ADU Center, and staff
[3:02:11] recommend that the Napa Sonoma
[3:02:14] ADU Center merge with Marin
[3:02:16] County and its participating
[3:02:17] cities and towns.
[3:02:19] The contract for the merger
[3:02:21] would initiate a three-year
[3:02:23] pilot program to support the
[3:02:24] development of accessory
[3:02:26] dwelling units, also known as
[3:02:27] ADUs, and implement Housing
[3:02:30] Element programs for Marin
[3:02:31] County and the participating
[3:02:32] cities and towns.
[3:02:34] We have a program in our Housing
[3:02:35] Element to foster the
[3:02:36] development of ADUs.
[3:02:39] And I am going to pass it off to
[3:02:41] Scott to give a presentation
[3:02:42] about the services that would be
[3:02:45] provided for the merger and the
[3:02:47] successes of the Napa Sonoma ADU
[3:02:49] Center.
[3:02:50] >>SCOTT JOHNSON: Good morning.
[3:02:51] Thank you for having me. As she
[3:02:53] said, I'm the director of the
[3:02:54] Napa Sonoma ADU Center, and
[3:02:55] we're very excited to be able to
[3:02:57] present here today. I want to
[3:02:58] give a quick background of who
[3:03:00] we are and the services that we
[3:03:02] are providing to homeowners and
[3:03:03] jurisdictions across Napa and
[3:03:06] Sonoma, and what we can offer
[3:03:06] for Marin.
[3:03:08] The history of our organization
[3:03:09] started when the -- well,
[3:03:11] frankly, with the Tubbs Fires in
[3:03:14] Sonoma County where we lost
[3:03:15] almost 6,000 homes, and the
[3:03:17] community foundations of Napa
[3:03:18] and Sonoma County looked for new
[3:03:20] ways to rebuild and encourage
[3:03:22] affordable housing across the
[3:03:23] two counties. After about two
[3:03:25] years' worth of work, they came
[3:03:27] up with the idea for the ADU
[3:03:29] center. Because what we heard
[3:03:31] from a lot of homeowners and
[3:03:32] planners and architects was that
[3:03:34] building ADUs, while it was
[3:03:36] viable, it was very, very hard
[3:03:38] to get started. That was
[3:03:39] sometimes the hardest part of
[3:03:40] the whole project.
[3:03:41] Next slide, please. Next slide
[3:03:47] after that, thank you.
[3:03:48] And so with all those
[3:03:51] investigations and with our
[3:03:52] three years of experience now
[3:03:53] working at Napa Sonoma, we have
[3:03:56] keyed in on to three primary
[3:03:58] pillars of our work. We provide
[3:04:01] free technical assistance to
[3:04:03] homeowners. We provide
[3:04:05] technical assistance to
[3:04:06] jurisdictions on the subject of
[3:04:08] ADUs, and we provide what we
[3:04:09] call our standard plans program,
[3:04:11] which is similar to a
[3:04:13] pre-approved plans program as
[3:04:15] tried in other parts of the
[3:04:16] state with some key differences
[3:04:17] that we think makes it more
[3:04:19] attractive and viable for both
[3:04:21] homeowners and jurisdictions
[3:04:21] alike. Next slide.
[3:04:24] Our primary tools for
[3:04:27] homeowners, there's -- this is
[3:04:28] just a subset of the tools that
[3:04:30] we offer. We have a number of
[3:04:32] online tools, calculators based
[3:04:34] on location, based on
[3:04:36] jurisdiction, type of ADU to
[3:04:37] help give people a sense of what
[3:04:39] their project is likely to cost.
[3:04:41] We have address lookup tools so
[3:04:43] they can learn what they can
[3:04:44] build and what's appropriate for
[3:04:45] their neighborhood and their
[3:04:46] jurisdiction. We have stories
[3:04:48] of successes and floor plans of
[3:04:50] ADUs that have been built across
[3:04:52] Napa and Sonoma. We have 29
[3:04:54] different webinars on all kinds
[3:04:55] of subjects about getting
[3:04:57] started with your ADU program
[3:04:58] from financing to individual
[3:05:01] webinars with jurisdictions,
[3:05:02] with their planning and building
[3:05:04] staff, to help sort of humanize
[3:05:05] the process and give homeowners
[3:05:07] the confidence to move forward.
[3:05:09] And we have a vendor registry of
[3:05:13] folks that we know are licensed
[3:05:14] and ensured and working in the
[3:05:15] ADU space across Napa and
[3:05:18] Sonoma, and that's one tool that
[3:05:20] we're hoping to grow. We get a
[3:05:22] lot of feedback from homeowners
[3:05:23] that they would like to see more
[3:05:24] contractors, architects and
[3:05:26] engineers on that list.
[3:05:27] The last two are ones I want to
[3:05:29] dive into a little bit more in
[3:05:31] depth. They are kind of the
[3:05:32] crown jewels of our program. We
[3:05:34] have the feasibility
[3:05:35] consultations. Next slide,
[3:05:37] please -- actually, next two
[3:05:38] slides.
[3:05:39] These are one-on-one
[3:05:42] conversations and reports with
[3:05:46] homeowners who want to build an
[3:05:47] ADU. They sign up via our
[3:05:49] website. We do some
[3:05:51] pre-research. They give us
[3:05:52] information about the project
[3:05:53] they want to build, the budget
[3:05:55] they are looking at, the reason
[3:05:56] they are doing it, the concerns
[3:05:57] they have, and then we research
[3:05:59] their property to make sure we
[3:06:01] understand the zoning and the
[3:06:02] ADU rules and, you know, if it's
[3:06:04] sloped or any of the other
[3:06:05] details of their actual site,
[3:06:06] and then we have a one-on-one
[3:06:08] conversation where we can answer
[3:06:09] their questions in real time.
[3:06:11] We can talk them through kind of
[3:06:13] the very early stages of the ADU
[3:06:15] process to give them a framework
[3:06:17] so that they can make an
[3:06:18] informed, intelligent decision
[3:06:20] about their project. Sometimes
[3:06:21] that means the project is not a
[3:06:23] good fit for them. Sometimes it
[3:06:24] needs to be downsized or they
[3:06:27] are looking at issues that they
[3:06:28] hadn't considered, like septic
[3:06:29] or slope or, you know, things
[3:06:31] like that, fire -- potential for
[3:06:33] fire.
[3:06:34] So we talk them through all
[3:06:35] those pieces, and then we give
[3:06:37] them a written report that
[3:06:38] typically runs about 25 to 30
[3:06:40] pages that details their
[3:06:42] property, the rules in their
[3:06:44] jurisdiction, as well as next
[3:06:45] steps, potential budget, things
[3:06:48] to consider, best practices so
[3:06:50] that when they are ready to move
[3:06:52] on a project they have a solid
[3:06:55] set of information that they can
[3:06:56] talk to their jurisdiction about
[3:06:58] the particular issues of their
[3:06:59] site, they can find their
[3:07:01] architect or their contractor or
[3:07:02] their builder and move forward
[3:07:06] quickly with building an ADU. I
[3:07:08] can't tell you how many times
[3:07:09] I've had a conversation with a
[3:07:11] homeowner where they said we've
[3:07:13] wanted to do if for five years,
[3:07:14] or forever, and now we want to
[3:07:17] move forward but don't know
[3:07:18] where to begin. The consults
[3:07:20] are designed to help them get
[3:07:22] moving on their project. Next
[3:07:27] slide.
[3:07:28] And then the next spotlight is
[3:07:29] our standard plans which I
[3:07:31] mentioned briefly earlier. We
[3:07:32] looked at jurisdiction-approved,
[3:07:35] jurisdiction-paid-for ADU plans
[3:07:37] that were in use around the
[3:07:39] state, San Jose, Los Angeles,
[3:07:42] Mendocino County, as well as
[3:07:43] other locations, where
[3:07:45] jurisdictions had paid often
[3:07:46] tens of thousands of dollars to
[3:07:48] commission an architect to draw
[3:07:50] up ADU plans, two or three ADU
[3:07:53] plans for use of homeowners in
[3:07:54] that jurisdiction. Which is a
[3:07:57] great idea. It lowers the
[3:07:59] barrier to entry at the
[3:08:00] beginning of a project where
[3:08:01] that's most important. The
[3:08:02] challenges, the failures that we
[3:08:04] saw in those kinds of programs
[3:08:05] was that they were not often
[3:08:07] used. They were not often --
[3:08:08] they did not turn into ADUs
[3:08:09] built on the ground. A number
[3:08:11] of reasons for this. Some of
[3:08:12] them being that, you know, two
[3:08:14] or three designs is not a very
[3:08:16] diverse set. It doesn't work in
[3:08:17] all locations. Size and need is
[3:08:19] different. And so that limited
[3:08:22] for tens of thousands of
[3:08:23] dollars, that limited spend to
[3:08:25] have two or three ADU designs
[3:08:27] does not turn into ADUs on the
[3:08:28] ground, so we took a hybrid
[3:08:30] approach where we asked
[3:08:33] architects to create designs for
[3:08:35] us. We have 50-plus designs on
[3:08:37] our current website, and then
[3:08:38] the jurisdictions can sign on
[3:08:39] and say we want to pick those
[3:08:41] five or six or eight or ten, and
[3:08:43] we will review those plans for
[3:08:44] code compliance, and then when
[3:08:46] they come through our permanent
[3:08:48] process, we're going to expedite
[3:08:50] them. We're going to reduce
[3:08:51] fees.
[3:08:52] So jurisdictions get what they
[3:08:54] want, ADUs built on the ground.
[3:08:58] Architects get the ability to
[3:08:59] design once and sell multiple
[3:09:02] times across multiple
[3:09:03] jurisdiction, and homeowners,
[3:09:04] the best benefit is for them,
[3:09:06] they get a well-designed ADU.
[3:09:09] We have sizes that range from
[3:09:10] 750 square feet to 1200 square
[3:09:13] feet in many different sizes and
[3:09:14] many different styles.
[3:09:16] Actually, next slide you can see
[3:09:17] the web page that we have that
[3:09:19] shows our 50-plus plans, but
[3:09:23] they get to choose these -- the
[3:09:26] right ADU for them, and they pay
[3:09:28] a fraction of the cost that they
[3:09:29] would pay for a new clean sheet
[3:09:31] design with an architect.
[3:09:34] It is up to the homeowner and
[3:09:36] the architect to design the
[3:09:38] plans to coordinate and put
[3:09:39] together the localization
[3:09:40] documents, the site plan, the
[3:09:42] foundation plan, the things like
[3:09:43] that that would need to be for a
[3:09:45] full submittal, but even with
[3:09:47] that work to work for a
[3:09:48] particular property, the
[3:09:49] homeowner is going to pay about
[3:09:50] a third to less than half the
[3:09:52] cost of starting from scratch.
[3:09:54] So we see it as sort of a
[3:09:56] three-way win for the
[3:09:57] jurisdictions, for the
[3:09:58] homeowners and for the
[3:10:00] architects. It's been a
[3:10:01] successful program that we have
[3:10:02] used across the 16 jurisdictions
[3:10:03] in Napa and Sonoma, and we are
[3:10:05] looking forward to bringing to
[3:10:06] Marin.
[3:10:07] Two slides, please. That's the
[3:10:10] gallery plan there. There's six
[3:10:11] of 50 plus, and we've got more
[3:10:14] coming in, and then next slide,
[3:10:15] please.
[3:10:17] And I've been focusing on the
[3:10:19] homeowner benefits of our
[3:10:20] programs, but that is only part
[3:10:21] of what we do. The other part
[3:10:23] is that we work with
[3:10:25] jurisdictions. We look to be a
[3:10:28] partner for jurisdictions to
[3:10:30] help them be effective and look
[3:10:33] for opportunities where ADUs can
[3:10:35] be built. I assume folks out
[3:10:38] there are aware of most of the
[3:10:40] benefits of ADUs, but it can be
[3:10:43] hard to get them to actually be
[3:10:44] implemented. There are still a
[3:10:45] number of roadblocks and
[3:10:46] friction points along the way to
[3:10:48] get ADUs from idea to actually
[3:10:50] built environment, and we work
[3:10:53] with the jurisdictions providing
[3:10:55] updates on ADU rules, both as
[3:10:56] the law changes but as HCD
[3:10:59] provides guidance, we maintain a
[3:11:00] database of all the HCD's
[3:11:03] published guidance on ADU
[3:11:06] implementation. We are an
[3:11:08] on-call domain expert on ADUs
[3:11:10] and ADU resources, as well as
[3:11:12] feedback from homeowners in the
[3:11:14] jurisdictions. If we take the
[3:11:16] issue of a septic policy or
[3:11:18] planning policy that is causing
[3:11:19] a lot of grief with homeowners
[3:11:23] to get their projects done, we
[3:11:28] can sit down with the
[3:11:29] jurisdictions and say if you do
[3:11:31] this it will open the flood
[3:11:32] gates on these projects.
[3:11:34] Homeowners are not developers,
[3:11:36] and we are asking them to be so
[3:11:38] when they go with an ADU. They
[3:11:40] can be kind of a high-touch
[3:11:42] requirement for planners and
[3:11:43] staff at the jurisdictions to
[3:11:44] answer a lot of questions for
[3:11:46] someone who doesn't know
[3:11:47] anything about the planning
[3:11:48] process or the permitting
[3:11:49] process. We have taken all of
[3:11:52] that off of the jurisdictions in
[3:11:53] which we work, and we are the
[3:11:54] first line.
[3:11:55] So if the homeowner comes to a
[3:11:57] jurisdiction, they can -- the
[3:11:58] jurisdiction says talk to the
[3:11:59] ADU center, and we provide them
[3:12:01] the frameworks, the education,
[3:12:03] answer the questions in real
[3:12:04] time for the homeowner so when
[3:12:06] they go back to the jurisdiction
[3:12:07] they are ready to have a serious
[3:12:09] discussion about their project.
[3:12:11] And then I guess the next slide
[3:12:12] I think is the last slide, by
[3:12:15] the numbers, this is what we've
[3:12:17] done over the past three years.
[3:12:18] We've done over 500
[3:12:20] consultations across two
[3:12:21] counties. We've had 700
[3:12:23] inquiries, phone calls, emails
[3:12:25] we've answered directly. We've
[3:12:26] done 29 webinars. We've got 50
[3:12:29] plans in our standard plans
[3:12:30] program and more coming online
[3:12:31] in 2024, and of the homeowners
[3:12:35] who have gone through our
[3:12:36] consultation process, we keep in
[3:12:37] touch with them to hear how it's
[3:12:39] going, and of the 500 that we
[3:12:41] have completed, 73% are moving
[3:12:43] forward with their projects.
[3:12:45] And the flip side of that number
[3:12:47] is also important to me. 27%,
[3:12:49] once they got the information
[3:12:50] they needed realized it wasn't a
[3:12:51] good fit for them, without
[3:12:53] spending tens of thousands of
[3:12:54] dollars on architects and
[3:12:56] permits and everything else.
[3:12:57] So both sides of that number are
[3:12:59] important to us, that people are
[3:13:00] making the right choices for
[3:13:01] their individual needs. Thank
[3:13:03] you.
[3:13:03] >>STEPHANIE MOULTON-PETERS,
[3:13:05] PRES.: Thank you, Scott, for the
[3:13:07] information. Questions?
[3:13:11] Supervisor Rodoni?
[3:13:12] >>DENNIS RODONI: Thank you,
[3:13:13] Scott, for the presentation.
[3:13:14] It's really exciting to see this
[3:13:15] come before us. My question is
[3:13:19] really back to staff. I know
[3:13:21] we've been really busy with the
[3:13:23] Housing Element and doing all
[3:13:24] the other work, but we've had
[3:13:25] several starts and stops of ADU
[3:13:28] programs and proposals, and I'm
[3:13:31] just wondering what sort of
[3:13:32] performance goals you might want
[3:13:34] to attach to this, both to make
[3:13:36] sure it is successful for us, or
[3:13:38] a report back period, or
[3:13:40] something. By my calculation,
[3:13:42] we should be being 2.5 to 3 ADUs
[3:13:47] a month to meet our Housing
[3:13:51] Element goals. I think while
[3:13:52] this is a great program and I'm
[3:13:53] willing to spend the money, I
[3:13:54] think there should be some
[3:13:56] expectations coming out of this.
[3:13:56] So maybe you could just talk
[3:13:58] about that.
[3:13:59] >>JILLIAN ZEIGER: Yeah, so we
[3:14:00] have goals in our Housing
[3:14:03] Element for ADU production, and
[3:14:04] I would hope that we would stick
[3:14:06] to those goals, and as part of
[3:14:08] our annual progress report
[3:14:15] updates, we are happy to
[3:14:18] highlight the ADUs that are
[3:14:19] being developed, and I can work
[3:14:20] with Scott on some goals for
[3:14:22] unincorporated Marin County for
[3:14:23] the three-year pilot program,
[3:14:24] but I think that we can come
[3:14:27] back to the board after two
[3:14:30] years just to do a brief
[3:14:33] check-in, and then we'll come
[3:14:34] back after the three-year pilot
[3:14:36] program is over because we might
[3:14:38] tweak our contract just in terms
[3:14:41] of scope of services. Maybe we
[3:14:43] need more. Maybe there were
[3:14:45] specific things that we would
[3:14:46] like from the ADU center.
[3:14:49] >>DENNIS RODONI: And I would
[3:14:52] like to have it sooner. Maybe
[3:14:53] once a year report to see how
[3:14:56] progress is going.
[3:14:57] >>JILLIAN ZEIGER: Sure, yeah,
[3:14:58] that works.
[3:14:58] >>DENNIS RODONI: Thank you.
[3:15:03] >>KATIE RICE: Thank you. I
[3:15:04] appreciate this and appreciate
[3:15:05] the program and think it's a
[3:15:07] good investment and also
[3:15:09] appreciate the partnership of
[3:15:10] MCF and the funds that are
[3:15:11] coming to help get it going.
[3:15:13] I have a -- I do think I want to
[3:15:16] have these report backs. I also
[3:15:20] notice in the staff report, and
[3:15:21] you may have mentioned it but I
[3:15:23] was reading and listening at the
[3:15:24] same time, the forgivable loan
[3:15:27] program that Napa is doing with
[3:15:29] the five-year deed restriction,
[3:15:31] as it were. I have different
[3:15:33] feelings about that, but it
[3:15:35] sounds like it may be something
[3:15:37] we'll be considering, but what
[3:15:38] I'm concerned about in these
[3:15:39] report backs is the degree to
[3:15:42] which we have programs either
[3:15:44] that we're funding or partners
[3:15:46] are funding that are assisting
[3:15:47] folks in developing ADUs, which
[3:15:49] is great for checking off the
[3:15:51] Housing Element numbers box, but
[3:15:53] if it's not being leased out and
[3:15:56] if they are not being rented and
[3:15:57] used for housing and
[3:15:59] specifically if they aren't
[3:16:00] actually coming in as deed
[3:16:02] restricted or naturally more
[3:16:04] affordable housing, I feel like
[3:16:08] it's almost a gift of public
[3:16:10] funds at some level. I don't
[3:16:12] want to be that harsh, but I've
[3:16:14] seen -- I'm seeing work
[3:16:16] happening out in the county, and
[3:16:18] I'm not necessarily seeing ADUs
[3:16:19] being rented out or used for
[3:16:22] residential purposes, and I'm
[3:16:25] concerned about folks taking
[3:16:26] advantage of that.
[3:16:29] So I want to see a report back,
[3:16:30] and I want us to see if there
[3:16:32] aren't some elements we can
[3:16:33] build into our own programs that
[3:16:35] further incentivize and/or
[3:16:37] provide some accountability to
[3:16:40] folks who are taking advantage
[3:16:41] of our programs in a positive
[3:16:42] sense. Thanks.
[3:16:45] >>JILLIAN ZEIGER: Thanks,
[3:16:46] Supervisor Rice, yeah. I do
[3:16:47] want to mention that all of the
[3:16:49] jurisdictions and staff here are
[3:16:51] really interested in the loan
[3:16:53] program. We'll have to try to
[3:16:56] figure out source, et cetera,
[3:16:58] but our goal, and I think all of
[3:17:00] the cities and towns as well
[3:17:01] because some of them are more
[3:17:03] reliant on ADUs as part of their
[3:17:05] affordable housing that we --
[3:17:07] you know, we want affordable
[3:17:08] housing to be built as part of
[3:17:09] it.
[3:17:11] I don't know, Scott, if you want
[3:17:12] to speak to just what you've
[3:17:15] seen in Napa Sonoma in terms of
[3:17:17] affordability, because he and I
[3:17:19] have had this conversation too.
[3:17:21] >>KATIE RICE: Built and used as
[3:17:23] residential housing stock.
[3:17:25] >>SCOTT JOHNSON: I think this is
[3:17:26] where Napa's loan program really
[3:17:27] comes into play, because they
[3:17:28] have a lease-up requirement. If
[3:17:31] these funds are used to build
[3:17:34] ADUs, in order for it to be a
[3:17:35] loan, it has to be leased at the
[3:17:37] affordable rates, and what we
[3:17:38] see in other areas and studies
[3:17:41] aye done around the state for
[3:17:43] ADUs that have been in -- been
[3:17:45] developed for some time, several
[3:17:46] years, that they tend to be -- I
[3:17:51] say tend to be. 93% of them are
[3:17:53] rented at generally low and very
[3:17:55] low rates compared to the
[3:17:57] surrounding jurisdiction, and so
[3:18:01] as ADUs are built and become
[3:18:03] part of the built environment,
[3:18:04] the longer that they are in
[3:18:05] service, the trend is that they
[3:18:07] tend to be more affordable over
[3:18:09] time as well, so there is a
[3:18:10] challenge of getting them built
[3:18:13] because it is a high cost with
[3:18:14] construction and everything
[3:18:15] else, but once they are there
[3:18:17] they are sort of affordable by
[3:18:19] design based on their size,
[3:18:20] based on the amenities they
[3:18:22] typically have. We generally
[3:18:23] see very good outcomes with
[3:18:25] affordability over time.
[3:18:26] >>KATIE RICE: That's exactly the
[3:18:27] data I'd like to hear. How is
[3:18:29] it being used. Is it being
[3:18:30] used, and if it's 93% is getting
[3:18:33] rented out, that would be
[3:18:34] wonderful. Thanks.
[3:18:40] >>ERIC LUCAN: Thank you. Real
[3:18:40] quick, I think this is really
[3:18:42] exciting. Thank you for the
[3:18:43] openness here, the renaming, the
[3:18:45] re-branding, just the ADU center
[3:18:47] to incorporate Marin. I really
[3:18:49] wish some -- I have been through
[3:18:51] the process of an ADU. I wish
[3:18:52] something like this had been
[3:18:53] around when I went through mine.
[3:18:54] It probably would have saved me
[3:18:56] some money and probably a lot of
[3:18:57] headaches, but I'm glad that
[3:18:58] we're here at this point.
[3:19:00] With regards to working with
[3:19:02] local jurisdictions and helping
[3:19:04] them ease some of their things,
[3:19:05] I think our cities and towns in
[3:19:07] Marin are in pretty good shape.
[3:19:09] What successes have you had with
[3:19:10] special districts in Napa and
[3:19:11] Sonoma? Because I think there
[3:19:14] are still some friction here
[3:19:15] locally with regards to that.
[3:19:17] >>SCOTT JOHNSON: Yeah,
[3:19:18] unincorporated areas are
[3:19:19] particularly tricky, and mainly
[3:19:21] because you have a well and
[3:19:22] septic issue in most areas.
[3:19:24] Working with those departments
[3:19:25] and working with planning and
[3:19:26] building in those areas to come
[3:19:28] up with sort of an ADU game plan
[3:19:30] where you have ADU projects come
[3:19:31] across their desks, because
[3:19:32] there are -- ADU development is
[3:19:35] different in that homeowners are
[3:19:37] not developers. They don't
[3:19:38] understand the process
[3:19:39] generally, and it's easier for
[3:19:41] them to not build than move
[3:19:42] forward. There isn't often a
[3:19:43] financial motivation for people
[3:19:44] to build an ADU.
[3:19:46] So by working with jurisdictions
[3:19:48] that we have in Napa and Sonoma,
[3:19:50] particularly in the
[3:19:51] unincorporated areas, and
[3:19:52] finding pathways to reduce
[3:19:54] resistance, to getting permits
[3:19:56] or even just the uncertainty of,
[3:19:58] you know, is a septic thing
[3:19:59] going to be an issue on this
[3:20:00] property, we found that that has
[3:20:02] played out well for seeing ADUs
[3:20:05] actually be put on the ground.
[3:20:07] >>ERIC LUCAN: Yeah, I appreciate
[3:20:07] it. Some of this is with
[3:20:09] regards to connection fees for
[3:20:11] Water Districts, sanitary
[3:20:12] districts. I'll follow up with
[3:20:14] you separately, but I'm glad
[3:20:15] that we're going to be moving
[3:20:16] forward with this. Thank you.
[3:20:17] >>STEPHANIE MOULTON-PETERS,
[3:20:18] PRES.: Great, and I just have
[3:20:19] one question. This seems like a
[3:20:21] great thing to do and take
[3:20:24] advantage of what the other
[3:20:24] counties have done.
[3:20:25] Jillian, on the other side of
[3:20:26] the house, do we expect this
[3:20:27] will take some workload off of
[3:20:29] our current planners?
[3:20:30] >>JILLIAN ZEIGER: Yes. And
[3:20:32] myself. So even though I'm not
[3:20:35] in current planning, I receive
[3:20:37] ADU questions at least once a
[3:20:39] week asking things like setback
[3:20:41] and septic requirement,
[3:20:42] et cetera. So yeah, I mean,
[3:20:44] it's going to be a huge burden I
[3:20:48] think lifted for our current
[3:20:50] planning department, but also
[3:20:52] it's great for the cities and
[3:20:53] towns because they have less
[3:20:55] staff and they are also
[3:20:57] receiving a similar volume of
[3:21:00] ADU questions, but yes, we'll be
[3:21:02] linking the ADU center and also
[3:21:05] once we launch our merger we're
[3:21:07] going to have webinars that, you
[3:21:09] know, advertise the services of
[3:21:11] the ADU center, so we're hoping
[3:21:12] that homeowners will go to the
[3:21:16] ADU center directly, but if they
[3:21:18] don't, then our current planning
[3:21:19] division will tell them to start
[3:21:21] with the ADU center.
[3:21:22] >>STEPHANIE MOULTON-PETERS,
[3:21:23] PRES.: Super. Have a link on
[3:21:25] our new web page and all that
[3:21:28] kind of thing.
[3:21:29] >>JILLIAN ZEIGER: Yeah.
[3:21:30] >>STEPHANIE MOULTON-PETERS,
[3:21:30] PRES.: Great, sounds good. With
[3:21:31] that, I am going to open for
[3:21:32] public comment in the chambers.
[3:21:34] It looks like there is no one
[3:21:35] left in the chambers to do
[3:21:37] comment. Is there anyone
[3:21:38] online?
[3:21:39] >>MODERATOR: Yes, Johnson
[3:21:40] Reynolds, please unmute.
[3:21:44] >>SPEAKER: Yes, thank you. This
[3:21:45] is going to be very helpful.
[3:21:47] Not only to the county but to
[3:21:50] the jurisdictions within the
[3:21:51] county, and take the work off of
[3:21:56] the local staff. I assume this
[3:22:01] includes JADUs as well as ADUs.
[3:22:05] I make an assumption to that.
[3:22:07] And Kate mentioned that they
[3:22:09] make sure that these are
[3:22:11] actually given out to people
[3:22:15] that need low and very low money
[3:22:19] to live in these ADUs and JADUs.
[3:22:27] I appreciate that. Sounds like
[3:22:29] it's a good relationship for
[3:22:33] both the jurisdictions and the
[3:22:34] county itself to proceed and
[3:22:39] move forward to produce the
[3:22:40] JADUs and ADUs. Thank you.
[3:22:45] >>MODERATOR: The next speaker is
[3:22:46] Rodrigo Izquierdo. Please
[3:22:47] unmute.
[3:22:48] >>SPEAKER: Hi. I would like to
[3:22:49] know why Napa Sonoma was picked
[3:22:55] to guide Marin into the use of
[3:23:02] ADUs. Why wasn't San Francisco
[3:23:06] used? Because they kind of seem
[3:23:09] like they have the same -- more
[3:23:11] of the similar problem in that
[3:23:13] it's parking where they might
[3:23:16] have to relax the parking, one
[3:23:19] space per unit. So on a general
[3:23:22] terms, is the County of Marin
[3:23:25] relaxing the parking for an
[3:23:29] additional unit? In which case
[3:23:32] it might be two cars. So it
[3:23:36] seemed like on a general
[3:23:38] statement you should say this
[3:23:41] you are going to relax quite a
[3:23:45] few of the rules for Marin base
[3:23:47] Sonoma, Napa and Sonoma, they
[3:23:50] might simply have more space to
[3:23:52] accommodate a whole bunch of
[3:23:54] cars, trailers, you know, RVs.
[3:23:57] It's not the same thing for
[3:23:59] Marin that has winding roads,
[3:24:03] like you know for Mill Valley.
[3:24:06] It's impossible to have other
[3:24:08] cars. They can hardly manage
[3:24:09] right now with the cars that
[3:24:11] they have when one of them has
[3:24:13] to back up to clear the way, or
[3:24:17] fire engines, and all of a
[3:24:19] sudden you're going to have ADUs
[3:24:21] with an additional car or an
[3:24:22] additional two cars possibly
[3:24:26] straddling the road. Seems like
[3:24:28] you should make a general
[3:24:30] statement on the parking use of
[3:24:35] that aspect. Thank you.
[3:24:36] >>MODERATOR: President
[3:24:37] Moulton-Peters, there are no
[3:24:38] additional speakers in the
[3:24:38] queue.
[3:24:39] >>STEPHANIE MOULTON-PETERS,
[3:24:39] PRES.: All right, we'll bring it
[3:24:40] back to the board now. We have
[3:24:41] three recommended actions. I
[3:24:45] would entertain a motion for
[3:24:46] those three, and with a request
[3:24:48] that we return in one year for
[3:24:49] an update on the program.
[3:24:51] >>KATIE RICE: I will move the
[3:24:52] three actions associated with
[3:24:53] item 8.
[3:24:55] >>ERIC LUCAN: Second.
[3:24:56] >>STEPHANIE MOULTON-PETERS,
[3:24:56] PRES.: Okay. Motion by Rice,
[3:24:57] second by Lucan. All in favor?
[3:24:59] Aye.
[3:25:01] All righty. Thank you very
[3:25:03] much. Let's get started.
[3:25:05] County administrator, what's
[3:25:06] your suggestion?
[3:25:07] >>MATTHEW H. HYMEL: I'm going to
[3:25:08] suggest, as you know, we're
[3:25:09] behind schedule, so I was going
[3:25:10] to suggest that we break for 45
[3:25:12] minutes, so come back at 1:15,
[3:25:15] where we'll take the remainder
[3:25:16] of the morning agenda, which is
[3:25:19] items 7, 9 and 10, and then roll
[3:25:21] into our afternoon session.
[3:25:23] And then I did want to remind
[3:25:25] folks that the housing authority
[3:25:27] does not start at 2:00 because
[3:25:29] we removed that item from the
[3:25:31] agenda, so it starts at 2:30.
[3:25:31] >>STEPHANIE MOULTON-PETERS,
[3:25:35] PRES.: All right. Thank you.
[3:25:36] We are adjourned for lunch.
[3:25:58] >>PRES. MOULTON-PETERS: Okay.
[3:25:58] Welcome back, everyone. We're
[3:26:00] going to reconvene as the Marin
[3:26:04] County Board of Supervisors.
[3:26:05] We're going to pick up from this
[3:26:07] morning's agenda with agenda
[3:26:08] item number 7. All right.
[3:26:12] Jillian, you're back.
[3:26:18] >>SPEAKER: Good afternoon. So
[3:26:19] today we are here to recommend
[3:26:21] new housing trust fund
[3:26:23] guidelines for adoption. The
[3:26:25] guidelines we currently have
[3:26:28] were originally drafted in 2009,
[3:26:30] and amended in 2012, and since
[3:26:32] then, we've seen changes in the
[3:26:34] needs and requirements of the
[3:26:36] unincorporated county as it
[3:26:38] relates to housing production
[3:26:40] and housing policies of the
[3:26:41] local and state level. And
[3:26:44] staff reviewed the updated
[3:26:46] guidelines with our board
[3:26:48] subcommittee. Next slide.
[3:26:54] First, about the housing trust.
[3:26:56] Some members of the public may
[3:26:57] not know the Marin County
[3:26:59] housing trust was created in
[3:27:01] 1980. There's a typo. The
[3:27:04] presentation says 1988. It was
[3:27:06] created at the same time as our
[3:27:08] Inclusionary Housing program.
[3:27:10] And the funding is to be used
[3:27:12] for land and property
[3:27:13] acquisition, development,
[3:27:15] construction, or preservation of
[3:27:16] affordable units. The housing
[3:27:19] trust fund has historically been
[3:27:21] funded through residential in
[3:27:23] lieu fees, commercial linkage
[3:27:26] fees, and since 2009 the
[3:27:30] affordable housing impact fee.
[3:27:32] These are within our building
[3:27:33] and planning department. During
[3:27:35] the budget cycle, your board
[3:27:37] committed $5 million annually
[3:27:39] for the next five years to the
[3:27:40] housing trust fund. Next slide.
[3:27:43] So we wanted to go through some
[3:27:45] of the accomplishments of the
[3:27:46] housing trust fund. And in the
[3:27:49] last 20 years, the housing trust
[3:27:51] fund has been a major funder of
[3:27:54] affordable housing developments
[3:27:56] in unincorporated Marin as well
[3:27:59] as the cities and towns. We
[3:28:01] have some examples on the slide.
[3:28:03] They range from smaller
[3:28:04] developments to land purchases
[3:28:06] to rehabilitation to preserving
[3:28:09] naturally-occurring affordable
[3:28:11] housing. And the developments
[3:28:13] in bold are located in
[3:28:14] unincorporated county, but you
[3:28:16] can see it's a wide range of
[3:28:18] development sizes and locations
[3:28:21] in the county. Next slide. So
[3:28:25] staff reviewed an updated the
[3:28:27] priorities with the help of the
[3:28:29] affordable housing board
[3:28:30] subcommittee, and based on
[3:28:32] direction provided in the
[3:28:34] housing element in state law.
[3:28:36] The trust fund will keep the
[3:28:37] priorities to fund projects
[3:28:39] located in unincorporated areas
[3:28:41] of the county, will keep the
[3:28:43] preservation and
[3:28:44] anti-displacement priority, and
[3:28:48] leveraging other funds through
[3:28:51] or competitive funds. New
[3:28:53] priorities include funding in
[3:28:55] high resource areas, promoting
[3:28:59] furthering our housing, as well
[3:29:00] as home ownership. And the new
[3:29:02] priorities were based on
[3:29:04] analysis we found in the needs
[3:29:05] assessment in the housing
[3:29:06] element, and one of the main
[3:29:08] goals of the policies and
[3:29:10] programs in our housing element,
[3:29:11] which is to affirmatively
[3:29:13] further fair housing, that
[3:29:16] essentially creates housing in
[3:29:17] our high resource areas, our
[3:29:19] high opportunity areas, which is
[3:29:23] a score from the state, and high
[3:29:26] resource areas typically have
[3:29:27] high performing schools, access
[3:29:29] to transit, and amenities. Next
[3:29:33] slide. We also are going to
[3:29:36] continue our local match with
[3:29:37] the cities and towns. So the
[3:29:39] county is contributed housing
[3:29:41] trust dollars to the cities and
[3:29:43] towns for a number of years, and
[3:29:45] will continue to do so. Given
[3:29:47] that several jurisdictions have
[3:29:49] recently adopted or updated
[3:29:50] their inclusionary policies to
[3:29:52] include fees, the county's open
[3:29:54] to different form of match, that
[3:29:57] could include fee waivers from
[3:29:58] the planning and building
[3:30:00] department, it could include
[3:30:01] contribution from the
[3:30:03] inclusionary fee, contributing
[3:30:05] other funds, and potentially
[3:30:07] exploring shared credit which
[3:30:10] we've seen in jurisdictions, I
[3:30:12] believe in Napa has shared
[3:30:14] credit. Next slide. We also
[3:30:18] amended our funding threshold.
[3:30:20] So currently -- or previously
[3:30:23] the housing trust guidelines are
[3:30:25] up to $50,000 per unit, that
[3:30:30] hasn't been updated since 2012.
[3:30:32] We've seen a huge increase in
[3:30:34] the cost of development, and the
[3:30:35] proposed changes to the
[3:30:36] guidelines are going to -- were
[3:30:39] provided to us by our housing
[3:30:42] element, by developers, so where
[3:30:47] appropriate, your board could
[3:30:49] make alternative funding choices
[3:30:50] to reflect high priority
[3:30:52] projects or unusual
[3:30:53] circumstances, but we also think
[3:30:55] that higher funding per unit
[3:30:58] might be necessary in certain
[3:31:00] areas of unincorporated county
[3:31:03] that might have higher land
[3:31:04] value, and also just to promote
[3:31:07] lower levels of affordability,
[3:31:09] more family housing, and new
[3:31:11] construction. If the Bay
[3:31:16] Area -- staff will return to
[3:31:20] your board to consider
[3:31:21] amendments to the guidelines to
[3:31:23] align and leverage those
[3:31:24] dollars. So I think that's the
[3:31:27] end of our presentation. And we
[3:31:30] are open to questions.
[3:31:35] >>PRES. MOULTON-PETERS: Thank
[3:31:35] you, Jillian. Any questions?
[3:31:42] >>DENNIS RODONI: Thank you,
[3:31:42] Jillian. Thank you for the
[3:31:44] update and the committee. We
[3:31:46] have trust priorities being
[3:31:49] preservation and
[3:31:50] anti-displacement. I would
[3:31:52] love -- the funding thresholds.
[3:31:55] I don't see preservation as one
[3:31:59] of the options for increased
[3:32:00] funding. Give that we're
[3:32:01] looking at $1.7 million average
[3:32:04] are real estate price in Marin,
[3:32:06] I think the preservation
[3:32:08] opportunity for higher funding
[3:32:10] should be in there in that
[3:32:12] category, also. It may be
[3:32:14] possible, but it's not this.
[3:32:17] I'm worried about that. And
[3:32:18] because something that we
[3:32:20] preserve could ever get sold in
[3:32:23] a real estate market, it'll
[3:32:25] never ever again be affordable.
[3:32:27] And so I think that preservation
[3:32:29] is so important. We might want
[3:32:34] to consider injecting that into
[3:32:36] the funding threshold, from my
[3:32:38] perspective. Than wasn't a
[3:32:46] question.
[3:32:47] >>KATIE RICE: Can I add on to
[3:32:48] that? I pause on this, as well.
[3:32:54] And I just understand it makes
[3:32:56] sense to have -- I feel this is
[3:33:03] unique depending on, you know,
[3:33:05] the community and opportunities
[3:33:07] for development and so I would
[3:33:10] hate to be -- I would just -- I
[3:33:12] can see having creating some
[3:33:14] thresholds that are set in
[3:33:18] stone. I think it's going to be
[3:33:19] important to preserve some
[3:33:23] discretion and latitude to take
[3:33:26] into account. I agree with
[3:33:27] Dennis that every unit we lose,
[3:33:30] we're barely going to offset
[3:33:33] what we're going to lose anyway.
[3:33:34] We can't afford to lose
[3:33:36] anything.
[3:33:38] >>SPEAKER: Yeah. Thank you for
[3:33:39] that comment and yours,
[3:33:43] Supervisor Rice. I would say
[3:33:44] what we're -- what is in front
[3:33:47] of you today is guidelines, as
[3:33:49] Jillian said, are recommended by
[3:33:50] the subcommittee, and if there
[3:33:53] is other circumstances, and we
[3:33:56] can always present something to
[3:33:58] your board. I mean, the
[3:33:59] reality is, we fund everything
[3:34:00] that comes across our table that
[3:34:02] is any way we can make viable.
[3:34:04] Right. That's our goal. To get
[3:34:06] housing preserve out of, you
[3:34:09] know, that is existing naturally
[3:34:11] occurring affordable housing and
[3:34:14] move it into the affordable
[3:34:16] column. It is helpful to have a
[3:34:20] dollar guideline, and one of the
[3:34:22] things I'm thinking about is
[3:34:23] these big preservation projects
[3:34:25] that we had, you know, the $152
[3:34:28] units we did with the 80 unit in
[3:34:31] San Rafael -- they were able to
[3:34:43] make them work at $50,000. I
[3:34:45] think that, you know, -- if they
[3:34:47] weren't, we would have worked on
[3:34:49] that and come up with a
[3:34:50] different recommendation to you.
[3:34:57] >>KATIE RICE: And I agree with
[3:34:58] that. I also I don't know to
[3:35:00] what degree the landscape might
[3:35:02] change going forward. But we
[3:35:04] have been in recent years, it
[3:35:10] feels like in a position --
[3:35:11] oftentimes being reactive when
[3:35:17] the properties come on the
[3:35:18] market and not planning ahead
[3:35:20] and strategizing. I think it
[3:35:22] puts us in a difficult position.
[3:35:28] Easier to see what is coming in
[3:35:30] years ahead as things go through
[3:35:32] an application process. I don't
[3:35:34] know if there's a way for us to
[3:35:35] be able to predict which
[3:35:38] something is going to come on
[3:35:39] the market. I'm with you in
[3:35:41] terms of the guidelines. And
[3:35:43] signaling a lower threshold when
[3:35:50] there's multiple units but
[3:35:51] maintaining discretion, as well.
[3:35:55] >>ERIC LUCAN: I had a follow up.
[3:35:57] I think the slide here maybe is
[3:35:59] a little bit different than the
[3:36:00] guidelines. And I want to make
[3:36:01] sure -- it says higher funding
[3:36:03] per unit, if new construction
[3:36:05] only. I don't know if it means
[3:36:06] if and only if. I'm looking at
[3:36:08] page 5 of the guidelines, it
[3:36:10] says under circumstances, our
[3:36:13] contribution may increase up to
[3:36:15] $100,000 per unit depending on
[3:36:18] funds available, number of
[3:36:19] bedrooms, level of
[3:36:20] affordability, and term of
[3:36:21] affordability restrictions. I
[3:36:23] think we have the flexibility,
[3:36:25] but I want to clarify.
[3:36:27] >>SPEAKER: Yes. We have the
[3:36:28] flexibility. It was worded a
[3:36:30] little bit differently in the
[3:36:31] slide. Our guidelines do
[3:36:33] provide that flexibility.
[3:36:35] Another reason why we want to
[3:36:36] the have that flexibility is
[3:36:37] because we don't see a lot of
[3:36:38] state and federal dollars for
[3:36:40] preservation. It's something we
[3:36:42] have to use our county funds
[3:36:45] for.
[3:36:47] >>ERIC LUCAN: Yeah. I think
[3:36:48] Supervisor Rodoni, based on what
[3:36:51] is written on page 5, should a
[3:36:54] preservation project come
[3:36:55] through. Maybe there are three
[3:36:56] bedroom units and it's a higher
[3:36:58] cost than that opportunity is
[3:36:59] available.
[3:37:01] >>SPEAKER: Yes. Thank you for
[3:37:02] the clarification. You're
[3:37:03] correct.
[3:37:11] >>KATIE RICE: On the terms
[3:37:11] portion, it says the trust funds
[3:37:13] can be alone or a grant. It
[3:37:15] sounds like generally a load. I
[3:37:18] know it's not the ultimate goal.
[3:37:44] Amount of rent they collect,
[3:37:46] whether they'll be able to repay
[3:37:47] it. That's kind of how we
[3:37:49] decide whether it's going to be
[3:37:49] a grant or a loan. And that we
[3:37:51] look at the amount of funds that
[3:37:53] were investing in a project. If
[3:37:55] it's a smaller project with a
[3:37:57] fewer units, those usually don't
[3:38:01] create enough revenue that we
[3:38:02] can get it back. There are some
[3:38:04] different circumstances. It's
[3:38:05] really we evaluate the specific
[3:38:07] project. Payments back that
[3:38:15] come into the trust fund and are
[3:38:16] available for other funds. And,
[3:38:18] you know, and we generally do a
[3:38:20] loan, which is called a residual
[3:38:23] receipts loan. So they look at
[3:38:24] first they pay off their primary
[3:38:27] mortgage, they set aside funds
[3:38:29] for maintenance and the
[3:38:31] property, and we're down
[3:38:33] farther, you know, in the water
[3:38:34] fall being repaid. So we want
[3:38:38] to, you know, our goal,
[3:38:39] obviously, is the project remain
[3:38:41] affordable. Over time then it
[3:38:43] is serving the population that
[3:38:45] hasn't been identified, that
[3:38:46] it's how the project is healthy
[3:38:48] and well maintained. But then
[3:38:51] if there's funds coming back, we
[3:38:53] think we should be repaid so we
[3:38:54] can use those for another
[3:38:56] project.
[3:39:05] >>KATIE RICE: If we could get a
[3:39:06] sense what anticipate is coming
[3:39:08] in. How much is left is a
[3:39:11] question in evaluating them.
[3:39:12] Kind of the bigger picture. We
[3:39:16] can always say what is
[3:39:17] available. It's a little hard
[3:39:19] to say because of the way our
[3:39:20] loans are structured as residual
[3:39:22] receipts. So it's not just
[3:39:25] we're going to get X amount of
[3:39:27] dollars every year because of
[3:39:29] the project needs, you know,
[3:39:31] some they hadn't planned for and
[3:39:35] maybe some other -- there's some
[3:39:38] variation. And with interest
[3:39:39] rates varying for their primary.
[3:39:42] Sometimes it's not very
[3:39:43] predictable. We could let you
[3:39:45] know kind of what we received in
[3:39:47] the past year, just as a report
[3:39:50] out. It might be a way of
[3:39:52] indicating kind of what we might
[3:39:53] anticipate for the coming year.
[3:40:01] >>PRES. MOULTON-PETERS: Okay.
[3:40:01] Public comment on this item.
[3:40:03] I'm not seeing anyone in the
[3:40:05] chambers. Is there anyone
[3:40:06] online?
[3:40:11] >>MODERATOR: President
[3:40:11] additional speakers in the
[3:40:11] Moulton-Peters, there are no
[3:40:11] queue.
[3:40:14] >>PRES. MOULTON-PETERS: Okay.
[3:40:14] We'll bring it back then for a
[3:40:18] vote to adopt the revise
[3:40:21] guidelines.
[3:40:22] >>DENNIS RODONI: I move we adopt
[3:40:23] the guidelines.
[3:40:24] >>KATIE RICE: Second.
[3:40:25] >>PRES. MOULTON-PETERS: Okay. A
[3:40:26] motion by Rodoni and seconded by
[3:40:28] Rice. All in favor? Aye.
[3:40:31] Thank you very much.
[3:40:32] >>SPEAKER: Thank you.
[3:40:41] >>PRES. MOULTON-PETERS: Okay.
[3:40:41] Lynda, you have been waiting.
[3:40:49] >>LYNDA ROBERTS: Good afternoon,
[3:40:49] Supervisors. Today I'm asking
[3:40:51] the board to consider adopting
[3:40:53] an ordinance -- not today, this
[3:40:56] is the introduction -- which
[3:40:57] would add a new chapter to the
[3:40:59] Marin County code. The new
[3:41:01] chapter would require electronic
[3:41:03] filing of campaign finance
[3:41:05] documents by candidates and
[3:41:07] campaign committees. Today's
[3:41:09] action is the introduction of
[3:41:10] the ordinance, and adoption
[3:41:12] would be scheduled for next
[3:41:13] week. The political reformat of
[3:41:17] 1974 requires candidates and
[3:41:19] campaign committees to regularly
[3:41:21] file numerous financial
[3:41:22] statements. Sensitive
[3:41:25] information such as addresses
[3:41:26] and bank account numbers must be
[3:41:27] redacted before forms are posted
[3:41:29] online. When the documents are
[3:41:32] filed electronically, using the
[3:41:34] department's existing filing
[3:41:36] system, the sensitive
[3:41:38] information is automatically
[3:41:39] redacted, required information
[3:41:42] cannot be left blank, and
[3:41:43] documents are immediately
[3:41:45] available to the public, which
[3:41:46] enhances transparency.
[3:41:49] Documents submitted on paper
[3:41:51] require significant staff time
[3:41:53] to manually redact the sensitive
[3:41:55] information. Follow up with
[3:41:57] candidates or committees that
[3:41:58] have incomplete forms, and
[3:42:00] organize, scan, and uploaded
[3:42:04] documents to the electronic
[3:42:04] system within 72 hours, as
[3:42:06] required. The elections
[3:42:08] department is the filing office
[3:42:10] for county, school, and special
[3:42:13] district candidates and
[3:42:15] measures, and workload can
[3:42:17] become significant when manually
[3:42:19] processing paper forms. In some
[3:42:21] instances, we've received up to
[3:42:23] 50 pages in one filing for one
[3:42:25] candidate. Electronic systems
[3:42:28] streamlines the process for the
[3:42:30] filing officer, and makes the
[3:42:32] basic review of documents more
[3:42:33] efficient. To become more
[3:42:35] efficient, we need all
[3:42:36] candidates and campaign
[3:42:37] committees to file their
[3:42:38] statements electronically. Let
[3:42:41] me be clear, a lot do already.
[3:42:43] So we just want to make this
[3:42:45] requirement for everybody. So
[3:42:47] adopting the proposed ordinance
[3:42:50] will support a business process
[3:42:53] improvement by standardizing
[3:42:54] procedures and aligning with the
[3:42:56] county's overall continuous
[3:42:59] improvement goals. Will improve
[3:43:01] the process for candidates,
[3:43:03] since electronic filings are
[3:43:04] maintained for easy updates in
[3:43:06] the next filing cycle. Will
[3:43:09] support better use of staff
[3:43:11] time, and will support greater
[3:43:13] transparency by making
[3:43:14] information immediately
[3:43:16] available to the public. Our
[3:43:18] designated filing officer is
[3:43:20] always available to help
[3:43:21] candidates and campaigns with
[3:43:25] his electronic process. So that
[3:43:28] is my overview. So do you have
[3:43:31] some questions?
[3:43:33] >>PRES. MOULTON-PETERS: Are
[3:43:33] there questions?
[3:43:36] >>DENNIS RODONI: Just quickly,
[3:43:37] Lynda. I know there's an
[3:43:39] exception in policy. Maybe you
[3:43:41] can talk about that.
[3:43:42] >>LYNDA ROBERTS: Oh, yes. For
[3:43:44] candidates or campaigns that
[3:43:45] only raise $2,000, spend $2,000
[3:43:49] or less, they wouldn't be
[3:43:50] required to do this. It's a lot
[3:43:53] less work when we're talking
[3:43:54] small dollar amounts.
[3:43:57] >>DENNIS RODONI: Thank you.
[3:44:00] >>KATIE RICE: Lynda, thank you.
[3:44:02] I'm in support of this moving
[3:44:03] forward, but I just want to ask,
[3:44:06] have you provided information
[3:44:08] about this to municipalities,
[3:44:11] other special districts that
[3:44:13] have elected bodies so they can
[3:44:15] share it with those officers,
[3:44:17] and adjust make it publicly
[3:44:19] known -- more broadly known.
[3:44:22] >>LYNDA ROBERTS: Actually for
[3:44:22] the municipalities, their clerk
[3:44:24] is their filing officer. So
[3:44:28] their candidates have to file
[3:44:29] with the city or town clerk.
[3:44:31] >>KATIE RICE: It's only for --
[3:44:32] >>LYNDA ROBERTS: It would be for
[3:44:33] the county officers, school
[3:44:35] districts, and special districts
[3:44:39] where the filing officer for
[3:44:41] those.
[3:44:41] >>KATIE RICE: For special
[3:44:42] districts and school districts,
[3:44:43] have you reached out to let them
[3:44:45] know this ordinance is coming
[3:44:47] forward?
[3:44:48] >>LYNDA ROBERTS: I did not.
[3:44:50] >>KATIE RICE: Could you please
[3:44:50] do that?
[3:44:54] >>LYNDA ROBERTS: Absolutely.
[3:44:56] >>KATIE RICE: Thank you.
[3:44:57] >>ERIC LUCAN: I think this is
[3:44:58] great. I'm curious as we take
[3:44:59] this move and require Net File
[3:45:03] for everyone, what sort of input
[3:45:04] or feedback to we have to Net
[3:45:07] File to making their system a
[3:45:09] little more user friendly -- and
[3:45:11] users are not just professional
[3:45:13] compliance firms that do
[3:45:14] campaign stuff.
[3:45:15] >>LYNDA ROBERTS: Well, I know
[3:45:15] our filing officer, who I'm sure
[3:45:18] you know Dan, Miller has a good
[3:45:21] relationship with Net File. I
[3:45:24] would imagine if we got feedback
[3:45:26] from people requesting something
[3:45:28] needs to be more user friendly.
[3:45:30] We can pass the feedback on to
[3:45:31] them.
[3:45:33] >>ERIC LUCAN: That would be
[3:45:33] great! The two ones -- I'll
[3:45:35] send more details on it. But
[3:45:38] being able to upload
[3:45:39] information. I know the
[3:45:40] professional compliance firms
[3:45:41] have an upload feature, but
[3:45:42] individuals doing their own
[3:45:44] reports have to key it in
[3:45:45] one-by-one, which is a little
[3:45:48] cumbersome. And then secondly,
[3:45:50] because there's some changes in
[3:45:52] state laws, you have to close
[3:45:54] and reopen a campaign committee
[3:45:56] every four years, and all of
[3:45:59] your donors don't transfer when
[3:46:01] you create a new one. So you
[3:46:04] have to re -- since you can't
[3:46:06] upload them, you have to rekey
[3:46:08] them in all over again the next
[3:46:10] time around. I'll share details
[3:46:11] in an e-mail you know, if we can
[3:46:13] get in front of the right people
[3:46:15] at Net File, I think it would be
[3:46:17] beneficial for everybody across
[3:46:19] the state that uses the system.
[3:46:21] >>LYNDA ROBERTS: That would be
[3:46:21] great i appreciate that
[3:46:22] information.
[3:46:23] >>ERIC LUCAN: Thank you.
[3:46:26] >>PRES. MOULTON-PETERS: I don't
[3:46:27] have any questions. We'll open
[3:46:28] for public comment. I'm not
[3:46:30] seeing anybody in the chambers
[3:46:33] who looks they want to comment
[3:46:35] on this. We'll go online to see
[3:46:37] if there's comment there.
[3:46:39] >>MODERATOR: The first speaker
[3:46:40] is Rodrigo, please unmute.
[3:46:54] >>SPEAKER: I wonder why you
[3:46:56] can't expand it to include
[3:46:58] Commissioners for committees.
[3:47:02] Especially when it comes to
[3:47:05] something where they might be
[3:47:06] governing or giving input to
[3:47:13] entities that might be a
[3:47:15] conflict, you know, you heard a
[3:47:17] lot from -- talking about, say,
[3:47:20] a Human Rights Commission and
[3:47:24] Curtis akin and maybe, you know,
[3:47:27] whatever, they they really --
[3:47:32] they had a Conflict of Interest,
[3:47:34] and they had an obligation to
[3:47:35] tell the public that they're
[3:47:37] going to be on committees and
[3:47:39] organizations that, in a way,
[3:47:43] influence -- and they are
[3:47:44] proponents for police
[3:47:46] organizations. So either way,
[3:47:49] you should know as to who is
[3:47:51] actually comprised. Who has an
[3:47:56] interest -- so why -- even
[3:47:58] though they're not running for
[3:47:59] office, even though they
[3:48:01] don't -- they're not meeting the
[3:48:03] $2,000 requirement, why you
[3:48:05] don't have them for committees.
[3:48:09] I think that, you know, Napa has
[3:48:11] form 700, whatever that is,
[3:48:14] financial interest but we're
[3:48:16] talking about, again, their
[3:48:18] ability to be impartial. And
[3:48:20] the County of Marin, you know,
[3:48:21] for these especially the Human
[3:48:24] Rights Commission, that is
[3:48:26] critical. Especially right now.
[3:48:28] And if they're going to be
[3:48:29] biased, that's the worst thing
[3:48:31] you can possibly do. Have
[3:48:34] someone who is biased or simply
[3:48:35] not going to do anything. So,
[3:48:37] again, you should expand it to
[3:48:38] include Commissioners and also
[3:48:41] to make sure that they abide by
[3:48:44] state laws, like the -- Act.
[3:48:47] Thank you.
[3:48:48] >>MODERATOR: President
[3:48:48] Moulton-Peters, there are no
[3:48:48] queue.
[3:48:48] additional speakers in the
[3:48:51] >>PRES. MOULTON-PETERS: Thank
[3:48:51] you. I want to follow up with
[3:48:53] Lynda. This is a campaign
[3:48:56] finance filing, right?
[3:48:59] >>LYNDA ROBERTS: Right. Yeah.
[3:48:59] This is for campaign finance
[3:49:01] filing. For elected officials.
[3:49:04] >>PRES. MOULTON-PETERS: Okay.
[3:49:04] Very good. All right. With
[3:49:05] that, I entertain a motion to
[3:49:08] approve the introduction of an
[3:49:09] ordinance. Direct the clerk of
[3:49:12] the board to place it on the
[3:49:15] December 2023 Consent Calendar
[3:49:17] for adoption.
[3:49:18] >>ERIC LUCAN: So moved.
[3:49:20] >>PRES. MOULTON-PETERS: I have a
[3:49:20] motion by Lucan and seconded by
[3:49:26] Rodoni. All in favor. We'll
[3:49:29] move on to appointments now.
[3:49:40] Supervisor Rodoni reminded me,
[3:49:43] we have four appointments now.
[3:49:44] They're listed on our agenda. I
[3:49:46] want to invite public comment on
[3:49:48] all four -- or any of the
[3:49:50] appointments. This would be
[3:49:51] through the lagoon advisory
[3:49:57] council, the integrated pest
[3:49:59] management commission, and
[3:50:00] measure W west Marin oversight
[3:50:04] committee. So if there's anyone
[3:50:05] now who would like to give
[3:50:07] public comment on any of those
[3:50:10] appointments, now is the time.
[3:50:13] I'm not seeing anyone in the
[3:50:15] chambers. Is there anyone
[3:50:17] online.
[3:50:18] >>MODERATOR: President
[3:50:18] additional speakers in the
[3:50:18] Moulton-Peters, there are no
[3:50:18] queue.
[3:50:20] >>PRES. MOULTON-PETERS: All
[3:50:20] right. We'll close public
[3:50:22] comment and move forward with
[3:50:24] the Bolinas lagoon advisory
[3:50:30] council.
[3:50:35] >>MARY SACKETT: Second.
[3:50:36] >>PRES. MOULTON-PETERS: I have a
[3:50:38] motion by Rodoni and second by
[3:50:40] Sackett. Okay. B is a disaster
[3:50:44] and citizens council.
[3:50:47] >>DENNIS RODONI: I would like to
[3:50:48] nominate Daniel Mahoney.
[3:50:54] >>ERIC LUCAN: Second.
[3:50:54] >>PRES. MOULTON-PETERS: Okay. A
[3:50:56] motion by Rodoni and seconded by
[3:50:59] Lucan. All in favor? Aye.
[3:51:02] Good. C integrated pest
[3:51:05] management commission.
[3:51:08] >>MARY SACKETT: I would like to
[3:51:08] move the appointment of Alice to
[3:51:13] the district vacancy.
[3:51:15] >>PRES. MOULTON-PETERS: We have
[3:51:15] a motion by Sackett. A second
[3:51:17] by Rice. All in favor? Aye.
[3:51:20] And, finally, the west measure W
[3:51:22] west Marin TOT over sight
[3:51:25] committee.
[3:51:26] >>DENNIS RODONI: I would like to
[3:51:27] reappoint Michelle Kline and
[3:51:28] appoint Mike -- to fill the role
[3:51:35] of the oversight committee.
[3:51:37] >>PRES. MOULTON-PETERS: Okay.
[3:51:37] We have a motion by Rodoni and
[3:51:40] second by Rice. All in favor?
[3:51:42] Aye. Very good. We have made
[3:51:44] those appointments.
[3:51:53] >>PRES. MOULTON-PETERS: Time now
[3:51:53] for agenda item number 11.
[3:51:56] Hello, Josh. This is our county
[3:51:59] budget development update.
[3:52:17] >>JOSH SWEDBERG: Good afternoon,
[3:52:18] Board of Supervisors. My name
[3:52:19] is Josh Swedberg. Today we're
[3:52:28] going to talk about and provide
[3:52:29] an update on our budget
[3:52:30] development process, as we gear
[3:52:32] up for the proposed Fy2024-26
[3:52:39] budget. Next slide. In terms
[3:52:40] of the goals of this process, we
[3:52:45] want to provide an update where
[3:52:46] we're at as we start the budget
[3:52:48] cycle. In terms of high-level
[3:52:51] updates, really, we want
[3:52:53] departments to -- and the entire
[3:52:54] process to be about reviewing
[3:52:56] our mission. Each department
[3:52:58] mission, departmental work
[3:53:00] plans, and our baseline budget
[3:53:02] appropriations through an equity
[3:53:04] lens. And Jamillah will talk
[3:53:08] about the county wide rollout to
[3:53:11] help facilitate and fulfill that
[3:53:13] within the organization. We
[3:53:15] want to make sure that we're
[3:53:16] advancing our continuous
[3:53:18] improvement efforts and
[3:53:19] highlight our next steps in
[3:53:22] terms of what we've provided.
[3:53:24] If you recall from last year,
[3:53:25] each department provided a
[3:53:26] high-level continuous
[3:53:28] improvement focus area. It was
[3:53:30] a race equity improvement in
[3:53:31] terms of services, a business
[3:53:33] process improvement, external
[3:53:34] enhancement, in terms of service
[3:53:37] delivery, or cross departmental
[3:53:39] collaboration. We'll be
[3:53:40] returning to your board and
[3:53:41] providing updates or new
[3:53:43] improvement focus areas. We
[3:53:46] want to effectively implement
[3:53:49] our previously approved one-time
[3:53:51] funding sources, and we want to
[3:53:53] update our fees to key these
[3:53:55] costs of providing services
[3:53:57] where applicable. Next slide,
[3:53:59] please. I guess I would add a
[3:54:04] goal throughout the process is
[3:54:06] to establish a collaborative and
[3:54:08] transparent budget development
[3:54:09] process that ensures that we are
[3:54:12] bringing forth to your board
[3:54:13] recommendations that aligns with
[3:54:15] the top community priorities.
[3:54:17] What you see before you, these
[3:54:18] are your board-approved
[3:54:20] priorities. They include
[3:54:21] increasing affordable housing,
[3:54:23] addressing homelessness,
[3:54:24] advancing race equity efforts,
[3:54:27] addressing climate change and
[3:54:28] sea level rise, preparing for
[3:54:29] disasters, enhancing our county
[3:54:34] infrastructure, and addressing
[3:54:35] the maintenance, and addressing
[3:54:38] recruitment and retention. Next
[3:54:39] slide, please. With that, I'll
[3:54:42] pass it over to my colleague.
[3:54:44] Thank you.
[3:54:45] >>JAMILLAH JORDAN: Thank you so
[3:54:46] much, Josh. Good afternoon to
[3:54:47] the board. It's wonderful to be
[3:54:48] here. Good afternoon to
[3:54:49] everyone in the chambers and
[3:54:51] folks joining us online. I'm
[3:54:53] the county's equity director,
[3:54:55] and as Josh pointed out, race
[3:54:59] equity is one of your board's
[3:55:01] top priorities. So we in the
[3:55:04] office of equity have been
[3:55:05] working hard behind the scenes
[3:55:06] and within the community to
[3:55:08] advance our racial equity
[3:55:12] strategies. I want to talk
[3:55:13] about one in particular today.
[3:55:14] Before we start, I want to
[3:55:15] provide a couple of contextual
[3:55:17] slides for everyone. One thing
[3:55:18] we know to be true is race
[3:55:20] matters. And when we look
[3:55:21] across almost every indicater,
[3:55:23] whether it be maternal child
[3:55:25] health, whether it be, you know,
[3:55:27] incarceration rates, income,
[3:55:31] graduation rates. We see these
[3:55:33] troubling disparities along
[3:55:35] racial and equity lines. It's
[3:55:37] important that we center race
[3:55:39] and our strategies of how we
[3:55:42] address these inequities. In
[3:55:44] addition to that, we also know
[3:55:45] these racialized disparities and
[3:55:49] social inequities are not
[3:55:51] natural, they're not inevitable,
[3:55:53] they're not random, either.
[3:55:55] They've been embedded into our
[3:55:57] system over years and years. We
[3:55:59] have to be intentional about our
[3:56:00] approaches to addressing them
[3:56:02] using a race equity lens. Let's
[3:56:06] go to the next slide, please.
[3:56:08] What we also know, disparities
[3:56:10] are often created and maintained
[3:56:12] through policies and practices
[3:56:14] that contain barriers to
[3:56:18] opportunity. It's possible and
[3:56:19] only possible to close the
[3:56:20] equity gaps by using strategies
[3:56:22] that are specifically
[3:56:23] intentional around a racial
[3:56:25] equity focus. And so one of the
[3:56:27] things that we've been doing
[3:56:28] here in the county is shifting
[3:56:30] our approach to the way we do
[3:56:31] business. And that really means
[3:56:35] for us applying resources where
[3:56:37] the needs are the greatest.
[3:56:38] What we found in our research
[3:56:40] and analysis and what the data
[3:56:41] is telling us anecdotally and
[3:56:44] statistically, is that we find
[3:56:45] our communities of color and
[3:56:47] lower end communities of color
[3:56:51] are faring worse than others in
[3:56:53] the county. We're taking a
[3:56:54] race-focused approach, but
[3:56:56] certainly not race exclusive.
[3:57:00] We find we bring an
[3:57:02] intersectionality to the work.
[3:57:08] By focusing on racial equity,
[3:57:10] it's an opportunity to bring
[3:57:12] frameworks, tools, and resources
[3:57:14] that can be applied to other
[3:57:16] areas of marginalization. Talk
[3:57:17] about ableism, talk about, you
[3:57:19] know, sexism, a number of --
[3:57:22] isms can be applied using this
[3:57:24] particular intersectional
[3:57:25] framework. Next slide. So one
[3:57:29] of the things that I wanted to
[3:57:31] be sure to cover here today is,
[3:57:33] you know, as you all mentioned,
[3:57:34] race equity is one of your
[3:57:36] priorities, and so we've been
[3:57:38] thinking how do we
[3:57:39] operationalized the thing called
[3:57:42] race equity. In part, we do it
[3:57:44] through developing tools that
[3:57:45] can drive antiracist outcomes.
[3:57:47] One tools I want to talk about
[3:57:49] today is the race equity budget
[3:57:52] tool. Next slide. Before we
[3:57:54] got started in -- I want to say,
[3:57:56] it's the first time we've done
[3:57:57] something like this in the
[3:57:58] County of Marin. I appreciate
[3:57:59] everyone's willingness to be
[3:58:01] creative, to be innovative, and
[3:58:04] to push. That's what we strive
[3:58:06] to do in the Office of Equity.
[3:58:09] We wanted to learn from other
[3:58:10] communities, learn from other
[3:58:12] jurisdictions. What worked when
[3:58:13] they developed their race equity
[3:58:15] budget tool, what didn't work,
[3:58:17] what are some of the glaring
[3:58:18] omissions that took place. We
[3:58:19] did a bunch of research. We
[3:58:21] talked to over 30 jurisdictions,
[3:58:23] and we focused in on about seven
[3:58:25] of them we felt were closest to
[3:58:27] the Marin county context. From
[3:58:30] there it lead us to the
[3:58:32] development of our own racial
[3:58:33] equity budget tool. Next slide.
[3:58:36] So what is it you might be
[3:58:38] wondering? And essentially,
[3:58:40] everyone, it's a decision making
[3:58:41] model. We encourage our
[3:58:43] departments, as well as our
[3:58:44] elected officials, and our
[3:58:46] community members to think
[3:58:48] critically about their role in
[3:58:49] advancing equity, how can they
[3:58:51] integrate decisions into the
[3:58:53] design of their budgets,
[3:58:55] policies, and practices. And
[3:58:57] ultimately what we hope it will
[3:58:59] do is spark questions on behalf
[3:59:01] of our staff to encourage them
[3:59:04] to think deeper in terms of what
[3:59:08] is their role. Wherever they
[3:59:10] sit in the organization, how can
[3:59:12] they advance Racial Equity.
[3:59:14] Next slide. So it's two parts.
[3:59:16] The first part is equity lens,
[3:59:18] which is basically a set of
[3:59:20] questions, a set of six
[3:59:21] questions we put to our staff
[3:59:22] and our community members. The
[3:59:24] first is "what is the proposal?"
[3:59:26] What is the project or
[3:59:27] initiative that you're seeking
[3:59:28] to start? What do you hope to
[3:59:30] accomplish? From there, it's
[3:59:32] community. We want this to be a
[3:59:34] tool that is rooted in
[3:59:35] community. And so we ask "how
[3:59:37] does the proposal serve or
[3:59:39] impact?" Who is benefiting our
[3:59:40] burdened by this particular
[3:59:42] proposal or initiative? And
[3:59:44] data is so important. We make
[3:59:46] data driven and informed
[3:59:47] decisions. So what information
[3:59:49] do you need? Where are the gaps
[3:59:52] in your analysis? How can we
[3:59:53] support you in unearthing some
[3:59:56] of their information.
[3:59:57] Implementation, "how are you
[3:59:59] going to do this?" What is your
[4:00:02] approach? What is your
[4:00:03] strategy. Analysis? What was
[4:00:06] the result of the good work and
[4:00:07] thinking? What came of it. And
[4:00:09] lastly, accountability, which is
[4:00:10] perhaps the most important one
[4:00:12] to a lot of our constituents.
[4:00:14] It's how did we share the
[4:00:16] information? How did things
[4:00:18] change as a result? How are
[4:00:19] People of Color in this county
[4:00:21] better off as a result of this
[4:00:23] particular initiative. Those
[4:00:24] are questions we put to staff,
[4:00:26] community, et. cetera. The
[4:00:29] second part of the tool is an
[4:00:31] equity data matrix. And
[4:00:33] essentially, you know, this is
[4:00:35] an opportunity for us to support
[4:00:36] the use of the racial equity
[4:00:37] lens, so we provided a set of
[4:00:40] curated data sources for staff,
[4:00:42] as a starting point. And we
[4:00:44] also know that a lot of our
[4:00:45] departments have a wealth of
[4:00:47] information and data sets
[4:00:48] already. So we encourage them
[4:00:49] to tap into that, to better
[4:00:51] understand some of the service
[4:00:52] gaps. But ultimately what is
[4:00:54] important is that these sources
[4:00:56] are disaggregated by race.
[4:00:58] That'll help us prioritize which
[4:01:00] programs and investments we want
[4:01:02] to make in order to reduce the
[4:01:04] disparities. And, you know, my
[4:01:06] hope, and the hope of our team,
[4:01:11] some of the data can spark
[4:01:13] critical awareness on behalf of
[4:01:14] our staff. What are the
[4:01:15] racialized outcomes? What are
[4:01:16] the patterns that exist? They
[4:01:18] are patterns. Right. And how
[4:01:20] do we encourage our staff to
[4:01:22] reflect on some of these
[4:01:23] assumptions that we take for
[4:01:25] granted? And rather root it in
[4:01:28] the data rather than the
[4:01:29] antidotal stories we tell one
[4:01:31] another. That's essentially the
[4:01:32] tool. It's six sets of
[4:01:34] questions, and then a set of
[4:01:36] data resources. Let's go to the
[4:01:38] next slide. So we started off,
[4:01:41] everyone, with a pilot. And
[4:01:44] that was one of the things that
[4:01:45] our colleagues taught us when we
[4:01:47] interviewed and did a bunch of
[4:01:49] research. They said, why don't
[4:01:51] you start with a pilot. Roll it
[4:01:53] out slower. It's a huge change.
[4:01:55] It's a transformational shift in
[4:01:56] the way the county does
[4:01:58] business. We took it to heart.
[4:01:59] We started with five
[4:02:01] departments. HHS, DPW, CDA,
[4:02:05] public defender, as well as our
[4:02:07] friends in Parks. And they were
[4:02:09] willing to try on the tool. So
[4:02:11] they took a particular project
[4:02:13] or initiative, and they went
[4:02:15] through the exercise. Going
[4:02:17] through the equity lens
[4:02:18] questions of using those data
[4:02:19] sources, and what they found is
[4:02:22] that there are often shifts they
[4:02:23] can make in their approach to
[4:02:25] better serve our most impacted
[4:02:27] community members, mainly
[4:02:29] communities of Color. So we
[4:02:33] took the learnings -- next
[4:02:35] slide -- we took the learnings.
[4:02:36] That lead us to where we are
[4:02:38] today. I want to shed light on
[4:02:39] a couple of things that came
[4:02:41] from the pilot. One of the
[4:02:42] things we learned is that our
[4:02:43] departments are at different
[4:02:45] places in their journey of
[4:02:47] understanding this concept of
[4:02:48] equity. Some of them have
[4:02:49] strong equity muscles. Some of
[4:02:51] them are just gifting started.
[4:02:53] And so we in the Office of
[4:02:54] Equity make it a priority to
[4:02:56] meet them wherever they are.
[4:02:57] And so, in part, that relies on
[4:03:00] training and capacity building,
[4:03:03] communication loops, and other
[4:03:04] ways we can support the
[4:03:05] departments in their journey.
[4:03:08] Another thing that we learned is
[4:03:09] the process versus the product.
[4:03:11] And I think it's so important
[4:03:13] for us to think about equity as
[4:03:15] both an outcome and a process.
[4:03:19] And ultimately we hope it
[4:03:20] results in the fair and just
[4:03:22] access to opportunity. So we
[4:03:24] wanted to make sure that staff
[4:03:26] understood that, yes, the
[4:03:27] product is important but it's
[4:03:28] also the journey of how we got
[4:03:30] there. I think the last thing
[4:03:34] to highlight is the importance
[4:03:36] of this consultation and
[4:03:37] support. We want to be a
[4:03:40] friendly coach for our staff and
[4:03:42] our departments. So they can
[4:03:44] come along in this journey with
[4:03:45] us. And what we found is that
[4:03:47] there is a need for that
[4:03:48] consultation, that strategic
[4:03:52] guidance, and advice. We're
[4:03:53] bolstering our resources to best
[4:03:58] support our departments, as
[4:03:59] well. Here we are. I'm excited
[4:04:02] to share we're ready to launch
[4:04:04] this county wide! And our goal
[4:04:06] is to weave this race equity
[4:04:08] analysis into our fiscal year
[4:04:10] 2024-26 budget cycle. We've
[4:04:13] been working closely with Josh
[4:04:15] and his team to make sure it's a
[4:04:17] seamless transition for a lot of
[4:04:19] our staff. Some of us have
[4:04:21] been, you know, coming to me and
[4:04:22] saying "how do we use this tool?
[4:04:24] We love the idea. We love the
[4:04:26] concept. How do I use it in the
[4:04:28] day-to-day practice?" We've come
[4:04:30] up with a few ideas. We're open
[4:04:32] to staff being creative. One
[4:04:36] around service enhancements,
[4:04:38] funding requests, budget change
[4:04:40] proposals, implementing
[4:04:42] departmental budgets, and equity
[4:04:47] impact statements. Those are
[4:04:48] some of the ways we recommend
[4:04:49] and are asking for our
[4:04:50] departments to use the tool, in
[4:04:52] order to get this additional
[4:04:53] funding they're seeking in terms
[4:04:56] ecps. I've mentioned this, but
[4:04:59] I think it bears repeating, the
[4:05:02] importance of providing training
[4:05:04] and capacity-building supports
[4:05:06] as they go along on the journey
[4:05:08] with us and implementing the
[4:05:09] tool. I want to share a couple
[4:05:10] more slides and will pass it
[4:05:13] back to Josh. But what are the
[4:05:15] things your board asked of me
[4:05:17] is, you know, to make sure that
[4:05:19] our departments are being
[4:05:21] thoughtful in the way the design
[4:05:22] and develop equity impact
[4:05:24] statements. And so we believe
[4:05:26] that the tool can be a template
[4:05:28] for the design of some of those
[4:05:30] statements. And how they go
[4:05:31] through the analysis of thinking
[4:05:32] through who is benefiting and
[4:05:34] who is burdened. How are we
[4:05:35] impacting community members?
[4:05:39] Ultimately, what came of it?
[4:05:41] How are better people better
[4:05:42] off? We hope it's a way for
[4:05:44] them to develop thoughtful and
[4:05:46] intentional equity impact
[4:05:48] statements. Next slide. As I
[4:05:51] wrap it up, everybody, I wanted
[4:05:54] to share a few take aways. Some
[4:05:56] reflections from not only the
[4:05:58] pilot but our process so far.
[4:06:00] The first I want to start with
[4:06:01] is the excellent public service
[4:06:03] means that we are addressing
[4:06:05] these racialized disparities.
[4:06:07] We're addressing the social
[4:06:08] disparities. And that we're
[4:06:10] asking our departments to review
[4:06:11] their missions with that race
[4:06:13] equity lens in mind. Right.
[4:06:15] It's not something additional to
[4:06:16] their work plan. It's embedded.
[4:06:18] It's a part of what we do as
[4:06:20] county service workers. Another
[4:06:24] important part to highlight here
[4:06:25] is that we remain flexible. I
[4:06:28] mentioned it's the first time
[4:06:29] we're doing something like this
[4:06:30] in the county. So we want to be
[4:06:32] sure to be flexible and iterate
[4:06:34] as we go. It's important that
[4:06:36] we recognize we're building
[4:06:37] something new. So we will need
[4:06:39] to adapt and improve the process
[4:06:41] in real time. So we're very
[4:06:43] much looking forward to that
[4:06:44] challenge, and that opportunity.
[4:06:47] Another one to call out to you
[4:06:48] is creating spaces that are
[4:06:50] intentional. To
[4:06:53] institutionalize our approach.
[4:06:54] So whether Matthew is here,
[4:06:57] whether Josh is here, whether
[4:06:59] you all are here. That we bake
[4:07:02] this into the DNA of how we do
[4:07:03] business in the county. And so
[4:07:05] that's something that we're
[4:07:06] seeking to do in this initial go
[4:07:09] around. And, last but not
[4:07:11] least, I would close by saying
[4:07:13] that we want to highlight and
[4:07:14] share the message that equity is
[4:07:15] everyone's job, and that we have
[4:07:18] a part to play in making sure
[4:07:20] this is a county where everyone
[4:07:21] can thrive. So with that, I'll
[4:07:23] pass it over to my colleague
[4:07:24] Josh.
[4:07:29] >>JOSH SWEDBERG: Thank you very
[4:07:29] much. All right. For the next
[4:07:32] few slides, I'm going to talk
[4:07:33] about our economic forecast and
[4:07:35] our budget assumptions that we
[4:07:37] currently have. I would like to
[4:07:38] say we're not providing any
[4:07:40] recommendations today. We're
[4:07:41] just providing an update on the
[4:07:45] current trends. We will return
[4:07:46] back to your board with revised
[4:07:48] projections in 2024. So in
[4:07:51] terms of the economic forecast,
[4:07:52] our economy continues to show
[4:07:54] resilience, how to concerns
[4:07:56] remain. In a moment, I'll talk
[4:07:58] about kind of one of our biggest
[4:08:00] concerns is the state budget
[4:08:01] deficit. But in terms of the
[4:08:03] national economy, it is
[4:08:04] continuing its recent trend of
[4:08:06] growth. Fierce of recession are
[4:08:09] reducing, though are not
[4:08:12] eliminated. We are seeing,
[4:08:14] though, that the national and
[4:08:16] Bay Area level inflation is
[4:08:18] reducing. There has been stock
[4:08:19] market growth over the past six
[4:08:21] months. Then as we've seen in
[4:08:23] the next slide, I'll highlight
[4:08:24] the GDP is growing at
[4:08:26] proximately 5.3%. Actually, can
[4:08:28] you go back one more slide.
[4:08:30] Apologies. Thank you. Where
[4:08:31] one of our concerns is the state
[4:08:33] budget. Just recently the LAO's
[4:08:36] office released the report that
[4:08:39] the state budget is facing
[4:08:40] likely a $68 billion budget
[4:08:42] deficit next year. That's a
[4:08:45] significant amount. That report
[4:08:47] does not indicate, you know, --
[4:08:50] we don't know how the governor
[4:08:52] is planning on addressing those
[4:08:54] deficits. We'll receive the
[4:08:56] update as part of the January
[4:08:57] budget update. We'll have more
[4:08:59] information on what impacts to
[4:09:01] the county, what they will be at
[4:09:02] that time. We are also seeing
[4:09:04] the impacts of increased
[4:09:06] interest rates at our local
[4:09:08] economy. We don't yet know
[4:09:11] exactly when those will end and
[4:09:13] what the end result are, but we
[4:09:17] have been seeing a reduction in
[4:09:19] sales that are impacting the
[4:09:20] projections, as well. Next
[4:09:22] slide, please. So, again, just
[4:09:25] briefly through the charts here.
[4:09:26] As you see here, this is the
[4:09:28] gross domestic product over the
[4:09:30] past few years. Just recently,
[4:09:32] as of Q3, 2023, it grew at
[4:09:35] proximately 5.3%. It's capping
[4:09:40] off five consecutive quarters of
[4:09:42] growth. That's one of the good
[4:09:43] signs we're seeing. Next slide.
[4:09:45] One of the challenges, though,
[4:09:46] is the interest rates, the
[4:09:48] federal interest rates on our
[4:09:49] local housing market, and
[4:09:52] basically we are seeing a
[4:09:54] slowdown in sales. You know,
[4:09:57] part of that, we're revising our
[4:10:01] three-year projected tax growth
[4:10:03] rates from essentially 6% of the
[4:10:06] prior year to 5% for fiscal
[4:10:09] year' 24-' 25. The red line
[4:10:16] indicates our 20-year average.
[4:10:18] It's 5%. So we would currently
[4:10:20] project that to -- we would
[4:10:22] project to go below that 20-year
[4:10:24] average in the second and third
[4:10:26] years. Next slide. So, again,
[4:10:31] in terms of our budget
[4:10:32] projections. We're assuming
[4:10:34] moderate economic growth. Our
[4:10:36] current budget projections --
[4:10:38] I'll say this a few times.
[4:10:40] Apologies for the redundancies.
[4:10:42] Our projections did not assume
[4:10:45] significant state budget cuts.
[4:10:47] If it were to occur, we would
[4:10:48] need to come back and revise our
[4:10:51] projections. We'll be looking
[4:10:52] closely to the state budget
[4:10:53] update in January. Our property
[4:10:55] tax projections, as I mentioned
[4:10:57] earlier, projecting 5%, 4.5%,
[4:11:02] and 4%. We'll be working with
[4:11:04] the assess or so's office and
[4:11:05] department of finance to refine
[4:11:06] those moving forward. Where
[4:11:08] applicable, we're seeing growth
[4:11:09] in departmental fees. We're
[4:11:14] projecting a slight slowdown in
[4:11:15] sales tax. One of the key
[4:11:17] changes that we're considering,
[4:11:19] is revising our assumptions in
[4:11:22] terms of year-end roll over.
[4:11:24] Currently roll over $20 million
[4:11:26] to support the ongoing
[4:11:28] operational budget. We have
[4:11:29] seen over the past few years,
[4:11:32] really, that year-end savings
[4:11:34] tick up. We would consider
[4:11:36] revising that roll over from $20
[4:11:38] million to $25 million. Next
[4:11:40] slide, please. In terms of
[4:11:43] expenditures, we would maintain
[4:11:45] current service levels and
[4:11:47] previously improved
[4:11:48] enhancements. At this time, we
[4:11:50] see the potential for ongoing
[4:11:51] service enhancements, depending
[4:11:54] on the state budget. Previously
[4:11:55] approved COLAs will be retained.
[4:11:59] And we expect to see flat
[4:12:02] pension costs. And where
[4:12:04] applicable, if there are
[4:12:05] savings, we would devote those
[4:12:07] to our retiree health trust, per
[4:12:13] your board's adopted fiscal
[4:12:15] policies. Next slide. What you
[4:12:17] see here is our three-year
[4:12:20] general fund projection. I've
[4:12:21] highlighted in two shades of
[4:12:23] blue what we're currently
[4:12:24] seeing. So the light shade of
[4:12:26] blue is our change in
[4:12:28] assumption. That's that
[4:12:30] increase from $20 million to $25
[4:12:32] million. And then the dark blue
[4:12:34] is where we see our current, you
[4:12:37] know, beyond that assessment.
[4:12:39] Beyond that assumption. The
[4:12:41] challenge with this is, again,
[4:12:43] we assume we're not -- this
[4:12:45] projection assumes no state
[4:12:47] budget cuts. If it were to
[4:12:50] occur, we would have to revise
[4:12:52] this. One of the interesting
[4:12:53] challenges, and I'll talk about
[4:12:54] it in a second. Next year's
[4:12:56] budget, in terms of the state
[4:12:57] might be okay. There might be
[4:12:59] cuts coming in the years. We
[4:13:01] wouldn't necessarily want to
[4:13:02] enhance our budget, if we would,
[4:13:04] you know, expect cuts down the
[4:13:06] line. Next slide, please. All
[4:13:11] right. So, again, as I
[4:13:12] mentioned earlier, the LAO last
[4:13:15] week, on Thursday, released
[4:13:16] their fiscal projections from
[4:13:18] the state budget. They
[4:13:20] identified a $68 billion
[4:13:23] deficit. It's coming from three
[4:13:25] sources, for the most part. One
[4:13:26] is just reduced income tax
[4:13:28] collections. The other, and
[4:13:30] this is the more unique aspect
[4:13:31] of this situation the state
[4:13:34] finds itself is the federal
[4:13:36] postponement of certain income
[4:13:37] tax have reduced prior-year
[4:13:40] revenues. When the state
[4:13:42] adopted the current budget, they
[4:13:44] didn't have a great sense of
[4:13:45] where the revenues were. We're
[4:13:47] seeing a significant reduction
[4:13:48] of prior-year revenues which is
[4:13:52] exacerbating that state budget
[4:13:53] deficit. It assumed a certain
[4:13:56] amount of deficit was baked in.
[4:13:58] It's the combination of those
[4:13:59] three adds up to the $68 billion
[4:14:01] deficit. The state does have
[4:14:04] options, as indicated in the LAO
[4:14:06] report, to address the budget
[4:14:08] concern for next year. The LAO
[4:14:10] does anticipate proximately $30
[4:14:13] billion in annual deficits, if
[4:14:15] the state does not require the
[4:14:16] expenditures. All right. So,
[4:14:18] again, as I mentioned earlier,
[4:14:19] it's one of the concerns that we
[4:14:20] face is that even e if the state
[4:14:22] is able to address the budget
[4:14:24] deficit next year, we might not
[4:14:26] want to be enhancing our budget,
[4:14:29] if a cut is coming in, say,
[4:14:34] 2025-2026. The state budget
[4:14:36] will be released in January. It
[4:14:37] will highlight the mechanisms to
[4:14:39] address the -- the variety of
[4:14:42] mechanisms. One of the funding
[4:14:43] to special revenues. Increasing
[4:14:45] revenues or expenditure
[4:14:47] reductions. Your board has been
[4:14:49] prudent in establishing a $7
[4:14:51] million state and federal budget
[4:14:53] reserve that we can use in case
[4:14:55] revenues are significantly
[4:14:58] impacted, and would have to, you
[4:15:00] know, we would use this reserve
[4:15:02] to mitigate any cuts to our
[4:15:05] service delivery while we revise
[4:15:07] our budget. Okay. That's kind
[4:15:09] of our goal. Making sure we
[4:15:10] don't have to make snap
[4:15:12] decisions and revise our
[4:15:14] services to our residents.
[4:15:20] We're in an interesting
[4:15:21] situation. I want to provide
[4:15:22] the slide to talk about why we
[4:15:24] have a state shortfall when we
[4:15:26] see the local situation
[4:15:28] relatively strong. So one of
[4:15:29] the reasons that the county does
[4:15:31] not rely on income tax, the
[4:15:33] state is much more susceptible
[4:15:35] to the volatility of the market
[4:15:36] than we are. Particularly for
[4:15:37] high-income earners and certain
[4:15:40] sectors of the economy. So you
[4:15:42] look at technology, the
[4:15:44] technology sector, in
[4:15:45] particular. To the extent we
[4:15:47] are exposed to market losses, we
[4:15:49] have developed mitigation
[4:15:50] strategies. You see it with
[4:15:53] MCERA and gains and losses in
[4:15:55] the market are amortized over
[4:15:58] five years. Then you have
[4:16:00] adopted fiscal policies ensuring
[4:16:02] that savings and pensions are
[4:16:04] dedicated towards unfunded
[4:16:06] retiree health care liabilities.
[4:16:08] And another factor is that
[4:16:09] property tax is much more stable
[4:16:12] in terms of revenue growth. So,
[4:16:14] again, we are seeing a decline
[4:16:16] in that growth. But as a much
[4:16:18] more stable revenue source all
[4:16:20] together. Where we are is the
[4:16:23] Health and Human Services. In
[4:16:25] particular our public safety net
[4:16:27] programming. So that's where we
[4:16:29] need to plan for uncertainty.
[4:16:32] Next slide, please. So, again,
[4:16:35] if we find ourselves in a
[4:16:36] position in 2024 to enhance our
[4:16:38] budget, we would bring to your
[4:16:39] board recommendations with the
[4:16:41] following categories:we would
[4:16:43] look to provide some type of
[4:16:45] enhancements to enhance
[4:16:47] protection of the county work
[4:16:48] force, we would look to the
[4:16:50] departments and see where we can
[4:16:51] make service enhancements that
[4:16:54] provide the most benefit to our
[4:16:55] residents. We would be
[4:16:56] reviewing the proposals as part
[4:16:59] of that process, as part of the
[4:17:00] budget. Then we would look to
[4:17:02] address your county board and
[4:17:03] community priorities, as well.
[4:17:06] Next slide, please. Later this
[4:17:09] week, we'll be having the budget
[4:17:10] kickoff with departments. Some
[4:17:12] of the highlights I've talked
[4:17:13] about. I won't spend too much
[4:17:15] time on this. Again, it's the
[4:17:17] rollout of the race equity
[4:17:18] budget tool. How we would be
[4:17:21] using that in the tools and
[4:17:22] resources for them, so we can
[4:17:25] review our missions, with
[4:17:26] budgets, and baseline budget as
[4:17:29] well as funding enhancements
[4:17:31] request. We want to continue
[4:17:32] our continuous improvement
[4:17:33] efforts. If the state budget
[4:17:35] allows, we would like to have
[4:17:36] some level of ongoing BCP
[4:17:39] process to provide general fund
[4:17:41] enhancements, if the state
[4:17:44] budget doesn't involve
[4:17:46] significant cuts to the
[4:17:47] services. Next slide. We want
[4:17:49] to em ployment and use our
[4:17:50] previously-approved funding
[4:17:52] sources, and update our fees.
[4:17:58] In terms of next steps, so today
[4:18:00] we're providing an update.
[4:18:03] We'll be hosting the -- we'll be
[4:18:07] meeting with our departments to
[4:18:09] get an update on budget
[4:18:10] concerns, emerging priorities,
[4:18:13] and needs. As I mentioned
[4:18:14] earlier, in January, we expect
[4:18:16] to receive the state budget
[4:18:17] update, which will provide more
[4:18:21] input into the projections. In
[4:18:23] March we'll return to the board
[4:18:25] with an informational workshop.
[4:18:27] To provide an update on budget
[4:18:29] work plans and emerging
[4:18:31] priorities. In April we'll
[4:18:32] revise our projections for our
[4:18:34] next three-year projections and
[4:18:36] the year-end projection. Those
[4:18:37] will instruct the proposed
[4:18:41] budget. Then, finally, in June,
[4:18:43] we'll have our three-day public
[4:18:46] workshop on the proposed budget.
[4:18:48] And with that, I'll close for
[4:18:49] any questions. Thank you.
[4:18:53] >>PRES. MOULTON-PETERS: Thank
[4:18:53] you, Josh. And to Jamillah,
[4:18:58] good report, both of you.
[4:18:59] Questions?
[4:19:04] >>DENNIS RODONI: Thank you,
[4:19:04] Josh, for the report update.
[4:19:08] Just thinking out loud, and
[4:19:09] we're not making any decisions
[4:19:11] today, have we thought about
[4:19:14] increasing the year-end balance
[4:19:16] rollover by $5 million, that was
[4:19:19] before we knew what was going on
[4:19:20] in the State, and, you know, it
[4:19:22] looks like the State is going to
[4:19:24] be in a bit of trouble for a
[4:19:25] couple of years, and may spend
[4:19:27] out their rainy day fund, even.
[4:19:29] So I would hope we would take
[4:19:31] another look at that and see if
[4:19:32] maybe shifting that to this the
[4:19:34] state preserve or part might
[4:19:36] make sense in the future. Just
[4:19:38] your comment on that.
[4:19:40] >>JOSH SWEDBERG: Thank you.
[4:19:44] >>PRES. MOULTON-PETERS: Any
[4:19:44] other comments?
[4:19:47] >>KATIE RICE: I was going to go
[4:19:48] to exactly the same place.
[4:19:51] Thinking about the $7 million in
[4:19:54] the state reserve right now,
[4:19:55] which sounds like a lot, but
[4:19:57] what we know doesn't go that
[4:19:58] far, and so, also, yeah,
[4:20:01] thinking about is there a source
[4:20:02] to beef that up, even, you know,
[4:20:05] just be thinking about beefing
[4:20:07] that up. And we've talked about
[4:20:08] it in the past as mainly reserve
[4:20:12] that allows us to smooth cuts
[4:20:14] over time. So we don't see
[4:20:17] programs fall off cliffs. On
[4:20:18] the other hand, this is my
[4:20:20] question to you, I think if you
[4:20:21] go back historically, we'll see
[4:20:23] over the last 10 to 20 years, I
[4:20:25] guess going back to the Great
[4:20:27] Recession, when big cuts happen
[4:20:30] in the federal/state level in
[4:20:33] two or three years, often they
[4:20:34] came back. And so I would just
[4:20:38] throw out the question or --
[4:20:42] yeah. As to should we be
[4:20:44] thinking about that state
[4:20:45] reserve in terms of doing more
[4:20:51] of creating glide paths but
[4:20:53] bolstering enough to whether two
[4:20:55] or three years of cuts in lieu
[4:21:02] of the funding coming back. I'm
[4:21:04] talking about safety net
[4:21:05] programs. Not general fund
[4:21:07] discretionary programs. What do
[4:21:09] you think about that?
[4:21:12] >>MATTHEW HYMEL: I think the
[4:21:13] idea bolstering the -- is a good
[4:21:16] one. I think the idea of
[4:21:17] whether you take it ongoing
[4:21:19] basis or whether you reduce it
[4:21:21] over time, really, depends on
[4:21:22] the specifics of the state
[4:21:23] budget cuts. It gives us time
[4:21:34] to work with your board and come
[4:21:36] back with recommendations.
[4:21:37] That's the way we will proceed.
[4:21:38] I think we'll try to look at
[4:21:40] opportunities to increase that
[4:21:41] reserve in next year's budget,
[4:21:43] as well. To give your board
[4:21:44] that ability to flex in that
[4:21:47] way.
[4:21:55] >>PRES. MOULTON-PETERS: I
[4:21:55] thought your comment of so you
[4:21:57] or Josh had said -- I don't know
[4:21:59] that you used the words, but
[4:22:02] "back to basics budget" to look
[4:22:06] closely at the fundamentals we
[4:22:09] do and look closely at the BCP.
[4:22:12] I would add the board of
[4:22:16] Supervisorrings initiative, too.
[4:22:17] I looked through the budget. I
[4:22:27] think you have to look at it
[4:22:28] all.
[4:22:36] >>MATTHEW HYMEL: We pride
[4:22:37] ourselves. We don't take on a
[4:22:38] new service we can't sustain.
[4:22:39] That will be our filter as we
[4:22:41] make recommendations coming
[4:22:42] here.
[4:22:43] >>PRES. MOULTON-PETERS: Yeah.
[4:22:43] Great. Okay. We'll open to
[4:22:45] public comment now in the
[4:22:47] chambers.
[4:22:55] >>SPEAKER: In the budget
[4:22:57] projection, there's no
[4:22:58] consideration about the current
[4:22:59] funding for the conflict in
[4:23:02] Israel/Palestine may impact
[4:23:08] revenues. I want to note we're
[4:23:10] losing tech workers to Canada.
[4:23:12] A lot of wealth of the Bay Area
[4:23:14] relies on H1B visa workers.
[4:23:17] Those have become very
[4:23:19] imperilled here. When you see
[4:23:25] three Palestinian college
[4:23:26] students shot simply for being
[4:23:29] Palestinian, a lot of south
[4:23:31] Asians a lot of people can be
[4:23:39] mistaken for looking the wrong
[4:23:40] way. Are going to reconsider to
[4:23:45] try to get a visa. It's not
[4:23:47] just going to impact the
[4:23:49] technology sector. We rely on
[4:23:52] the visas to staff our
[4:23:53] hospitals, including UCSF. So
[4:23:59] that should be considered.
[4:24:01] There could be boycotts of U.S.
[4:24:04] products and U.S. goods, that
[4:24:05] would impact us. It's a
[4:24:07] short-sighted view, not to
[4:24:09] consider these potential
[4:24:10] impacts. As for Jordan's
[4:24:16] presentation the race equity
[4:24:17] aspect of this. I want to point
[4:24:19] out, for those who don't already
[4:24:21] know it, that Jordan and Matt's
[4:24:31] sheriff -- I find disturbing
[4:24:33] conflicts of interest. Most
[4:24:34] recently the Conflict of
[4:24:35] Interest involving Curtis Akins,
[4:24:39] who was the chair of your HRC,
[4:24:42] and the vice chair, and then was
[4:24:44] on the sheriff civilian working
[4:24:48] oversight group. He did not
[4:24:50] disclose that his son was in law
[4:24:52] enforcement, and was involved in
[4:24:54] serious use of force incident.
[4:24:57] So you can do better. Please
[4:24:58] do.
[4:25:01] >>PRES. MOULTON-PETERS: If
[4:25:01] there's no other comments --
[4:25:03] okay. Folks in the chambers,
[4:25:05] please line up, if there's
[4:25:06] anyone else who wants to --
[4:25:08] please don't sit in the back and
[4:25:09] wait until the end.
[4:25:28] >>SPEAKER: Your telling me I
[4:25:29] can't sit down? So that report
[4:25:31] is null and void. It has no
[4:25:34] teeth. The reason? Downstairs.
[4:25:38] The department called
[4:25:39] Environmental Health. 12 years
[4:25:44] ago, proximately, Environmental
[4:25:47] Health suddenly stopped taking
[4:25:49] phone calls or e-mails,
[4:25:51] complaints from Golden Gate
[4:25:52] Village. It houses 700
[4:25:56] residents in Marin City. How
[4:26:00] can you report race matters
[4:26:03] equity in all of those things if
[4:26:05] you've yet to figure this out.
[4:26:08] Stefanie, it's your district.
[4:26:12] Your leadership. You're
[4:26:13] refusing to change that. Office
[4:26:17] of Equity, paid by the county.
[4:26:20] You're refusing to look into
[4:26:21] this matter regarding Golden
[4:26:25] Gate Village residents, 700
[4:26:28] people who cannot call for help.
[4:26:30] Everywhere else, especially
[4:26:33] White people, can call for help
[4:26:35] if they're living in squalor.
[4:26:36] If there's issues. You recall
[4:26:38] in the Marin IJ there was two
[4:26:40] articles that came out. One in
[4:26:42] July and one in August. They
[4:26:48] said things are working. We're
[4:26:51] fixing this. We're moving
[4:26:52] forward. In a meeting last
[4:26:54] month, in Marin City, Sarah
[4:27:00] Jones said "that's not true."
[4:27:06] They both told us in the meeting
[4:27:08] in our faces those articles are
[4:27:10] not true. That was a political
[4:27:13] stunt. You lied to the
[4:27:15] community of Marin City. You
[4:27:16] lied to Golden Gate Village
[4:27:18] residents. You purposefully
[4:27:19] went to the IJ and put that
[4:27:21] article out as a political stunt
[4:27:22] to make the people believe you
[4:27:24] were working with the residents
[4:27:26] to improve what was happening
[4:27:27] down there. Thank you.
[4:27:36] >>PRES. MOULTON-PETERS: All
[4:27:36] right. We'll go online. I see
[4:27:38] four hands.
[4:27:39] >>MODERATOR: The first speaker
[4:27:40] is Roland Katz. Please unmute.
[4:27:50] >>SPEAKER: Good afternoon. I'm
[4:27:51] dumbfounded and taken aback by
[4:27:54] the suggestion you would
[4:27:55] increase your $20 million a year
[4:28:00] rollover, which is a paper
[4:28:02] transaction to $25 million. I
[4:28:05] tend not to be conspiracy
[4:28:07] theorist, but I have to wonder
[4:28:08] if the fact that a few weeks
[4:28:10] back, I pointed out that based
[4:28:12] on your own data you have at
[4:28:16] least every year in the last
[4:28:17] decade $5 million above the $20
[4:28:20] million, which you call one-time
[4:28:22] money, which clearly isn't
[4:28:23] one-time money. Labor costs --
[4:28:31] and $20 million paper
[4:28:34] transaction up to $25 or maybe
[4:28:37] it's a convenient way to say
[4:28:38] "let's not do that. Let's put
[4:28:41] it in State reserves." Remember
[4:28:43] the $20 million primarily comes,
[4:28:46] as I understand it, from the
[4:28:49] discussions with your budget
[4:28:50] people over the last decade, you
[4:28:52] built in your budget a couple of
[4:28:54] assumptions, which are never
[4:28:56] accurate. One is 100% staffing.
[4:28:59] Two is everybody in the top
[4:29:01] step. Nobody ever has 100%
[4:29:04] stashing. If you budget for
[4:29:07] 100%, of course you have money.
[4:29:09] And the roll over is not new
[4:29:10] money. It's a paper
[4:29:12] transaction. You would hope you
[4:29:14] would not increase that paper
[4:29:16] transaction from $20 to $25
[4:29:17] million and instead look at that
[4:29:20] money for years you called as
[4:29:22] one-time -- excuse me -- have
[4:29:26] better sense than it is. If you
[4:29:28] want to address retention and
[4:29:30] recruitment, don't spend a lot
[4:29:32] of time on so-called strategies
[4:29:34] like retention or hiring bonuses
[4:29:37] but pay more for people's health
[4:29:40] care, do something about
[4:29:41] retirement for people. Thank
[4:29:43] you very much.
[4:29:46] >>MODERATOR: Next speaker is
[4:29:48] Rodrigo.
[4:29:55] >>SPEAKER: I'm offended by Miss
[4:29:59] Jordan's way of doing surveys.
[4:30:01] I don't know -- that took the
[4:30:03] survey. So she's very selective
[4:30:06] about who she picks. And they
[4:30:08] might be quite jaded people she
[4:30:11] picks for the survey. Let's
[4:30:12] talk about affirmative action,
[4:30:16] and racial equity. You know,
[4:30:18] just the Human Rights
[4:30:20] Commission. You have three
[4:30:23] whites, one Latino, and three
[4:30:26] Blacks. And you're saying that
[4:30:27] is racial equity and you're
[4:30:30] going to be using them to
[4:30:33] support any of your viewpoints?
[4:30:36] I mean, how dare you say that
[4:30:38] when you don't even have it on
[4:30:39] the basic people who are
[4:30:41] supposed to represent people.
[4:30:48] So you're doing your own
[4:30:50] mysterious surveys on where you
[4:30:54] get your support. So you have
[4:30:58] the same people -- who Conflict
[4:31:06] of Interest, and you're going to
[4:31:07] be using that for other purposes
[4:31:11] to represent the county as to
[4:31:15] how to divide up the money. The
[4:31:17] population of Marin for Latinos
[4:31:19] is 20 to 22%, and you only have
[4:31:23] one Latina in the Human Rights
[4:31:24] Commission, and you're okay with
[4:31:26] that. You haven't even gone
[4:31:29] over that to present your
[4:31:31] viewpoint to them. And guess
[4:31:33] what. They are, you know,
[4:31:36] Curtis and Jeremy -- they are so
[4:31:39] supportive of you. And all the
[4:31:40] other ones are just simply
[4:31:42] quiet. Sitting on their hands.
[4:31:44] Listening to Curtis and Jeremy,
[4:31:47] you know, tell you what a great
[4:31:49] job you're doing. What a bunch
[4:31:52] of Baloney.
[4:31:56] >>MODERATOR: Next speaker is
[4:31:57] Johnson Reynolds. Please
[4:31:59] unmute.
[4:32:00] >>SPEAKER: Yes. Here I am
[4:32:01] again. Sorry. I know -- the
[4:32:07] issue about the boards and
[4:32:09] conditions on the meetings, and
[4:32:12] my perspective on that was to
[4:32:17] reach out and put on these
[4:32:19] boards and commissions, People
[4:32:21] of Color, immigrants, and other
[4:32:23] less-privileged persons. This
[4:32:27] same statement that I made at
[4:32:29] that time could affect a racial
[4:32:34] equitable budget. Simply having
[4:32:36] People of Color, immigrants, and
[4:32:38] less privileged persons part of
[4:32:40] the training on racial equity.
[4:32:44] It should be part of what you do
[4:32:47] for a racial equitable budget.
[4:32:50] The other thing is, a reminder,
[4:32:56] and you've said it before, you
[4:32:57] would consider public authority
[4:32:58] and the union represents --
[4:33:02] service workers to consider
[4:33:03] moving the living wage or, you
[4:33:09] know, services or care gives
[4:33:12] beyond the $18 an hour. That's
[4:33:15] a process, I think, as you meet
[4:33:17] with the union for the
[4:33:22] supportive services workers and
[4:33:23] the public authority. That
[4:33:25] matters. So just point that
[4:33:26] out, too, as a reminder. Thank
[4:33:28] you.
[4:33:29] >>MODERATOR: The next speaker is
[4:33:30] Beverly. Please unmute.
[4:33:36] >>SPEAKER: Hi. I just -- I'm
[4:33:38] coming on -- good afternoon,
[4:33:41] everyone. I'm coming on because
[4:33:43] I -- I'm attempting to invite us
[4:33:47] all to just show the residents
[4:33:49] of Golden Gate Village a little
[4:33:50] bit more regard. I just found
[4:33:54] out that a deal was made so
[4:34:01] people can use the tennis court
[4:34:03] for pickle ball for three years,
[4:34:04] but the resident council, the
[4:34:06] resident council can't -- had to
[4:34:10] almost force to sign one-year.
[4:34:13] So the pickle ball people who
[4:34:15] don't live here can use that
[4:34:16] facility. Our facility for
[4:34:19] three years, but we can't use --
[4:34:21] yes --
[4:34:23] >>PRES. MOULTON-PETERS: Beverly,
[4:34:24] would you like to bring it up
[4:34:25] when we do the Marin Housing
[4:34:26] Authority meeting?
[4:34:29] >>SPEAKER: Oh. This wasn't the
[4:34:31] time to talk about that?
[4:34:32] >>PRES. MOULTON-PETERS: We
[4:34:32] haven't gotten there quite yet.
[4:34:35] >>SPEAKER: Oh. I apologize.
[4:34:36] Okay. So you want to do it in
[4:34:38] this meeting?
[4:34:39] >>PRES. MOULTON-PETERS: Just
[4:34:39] come back and join us again in a
[4:34:41] few minutes.
[4:34:42] >>SPEAKER: Oh. In a few
[4:34:43] minutes. I apologize. I don't
[4:34:45] have an agenda. Please forgive
[4:34:46] me. I excuse myself.
[4:34:51] >>PRES. MOULTON-PETERS: Not a
[4:34:51] problem.
[4:34:52] >>SPEAKER: Peace.
[4:34:54] >>MODERATOR: President
[4:34:54] Moulton-Peters, there are no
[4:34:54] additional speakers in the
[4:34:54] queue.
[4:34:56] >>PRES. MOULTON-PETERS: Okay.
[4:34:57] Great. So I just want to
[4:34:59] comment, you know, the budget,
[4:35:03] this presentation was
[4:35:03] preliminary budget presentation.
[4:35:07] Miss Jordan's presentation, the
[4:35:09] race equity budget, she
[4:35:10] acknowledges it's a work in
[4:35:12] progress. We're making this up
[4:35:13] as we go, and we're going to
[4:35:16] change and refine it over time.
[4:35:17] And, so I think it's important
[4:35:19] that we all hold it that way.
[4:35:21] We are creating this and we need
[4:35:23] to work together to create this
[4:35:25] tool that I think will be really
[4:35:26] helpful. It will be very
[4:35:29] helpful over time. But it's
[4:35:31] going to happen with everybody
[4:35:32] working together on it. So,
[4:35:37] please.
[4:35:37] >>KATIE RICE: And I just --
[4:35:39] thank you for the work. But
[4:35:41] specifically to the race equity
[4:35:44] budget tool, and, actually,
[4:35:46] really weaving race equity into
[4:35:49] how we do business here in the
[4:35:50] county, budget and otherwise.
[4:35:53] Just to plug-in to both of your
[4:35:59] staff heads and department
[4:36:00] heads, if we're going into a
[4:36:02] scenario where the budget is
[4:36:04] tightening, that it's not that
[4:36:07] we're actually applying that
[4:36:09] race equity lens and that budget
[4:36:10] tool to developing the budget in
[4:36:14] ongoing programs. Not just for
[4:36:16] those PCPs or sort of special
[4:36:20] projects or new programs, but
[4:36:21] thinking about it in the
[4:36:22] day-to-day as we do our best for
[4:36:25] our most vulnerable in the
[4:36:27] community, and making sure we're
[4:36:29] understanding how our services
[4:36:31] are benefiting and/or burdening
[4:36:34] populations, and if we need to
[4:36:36] make adjustments along the way.
[4:36:37] I wanted to get that thinking to
[4:36:38] be comprehensive in how the
[4:36:42] county does budget. -- does
[4:36:44] its work. Thank you.
[4:36:53] >>PRES. MOULTON-PETERS: And
[4:36:53] we'll be starting Marin Housing
[4:36:55] in just a moment. , you know
[4:37:00] I'm going to ask you hold it.
[4:37:02] We've had public comment on the
[4:37:03] item now. We'll have public
[4:37:05] comment on Housing Authority.
[4:37:07] We'll all be here. You can hear
[4:37:09] it then. So with that, I
[4:37:11] believe there is a
[4:37:12] recommendation to accept the
[4:37:14] county executive report.
[4:37:17] >>KATIE RICE: I'll move
[4:37:18] acceptance of the county