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

[0:00] I call the March 17, 2020 special meeting of the Modak County's Board of Supervisors to
[0:14] order. Please silence all electronic devices. Supervisor Collins, will you lead us in the
[0:21] pledge of allegiance?
[0:22] I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which
[0:33] it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.
[0:40] Thank you.
[0:42] Pastor McCurry, our moment of prayer, please.
[0:48] Dear Lord Jesus, we just come before you right now.
[0:52] Lord, the decisions that are being made across your country, Lord, we just pray for godly
[0:59] wisdom in all the various venues that are making decisions to keep our citizens safe.
[1:07] Lord, we pray that we would use faith instead of fear, wisdom instead of worry, and prayer
[1:18] instead of panic as we deal with the issue of this unseen bug that's doing so much devastation
[1:25] across our world and disrupting life as we know it.
[1:30] But Lord, we know that we can count on you to help us to assist us.
[1:36] And Lord, we just pray your protection over our town, our county, our country, our state,
[1:44] our world.
[1:45] And Lord, we just pray that you would just give wisdom to those in leadership above
[1:50] us to do the right things to protect our citizens.
[1:55] And Lord, may we just take this time and opportunity, Lord, is just to draw close to
[2:02] you, Lord.
[2:03] You are the source of all healing, of all hope, of all health.
[2:08] And so, Lord, when we don't know what to do, Lord, we turn to you.
[2:12] So we're turning to you right now.
[2:14] Give our supervisors divine wisdom, Lord, in how to handle the situation in our county.
[2:20] And Lord, we pray as special shield of protection around Warner View, around our senior citizens
[2:27] in our community.
[2:28] Keep them safe, Lord, from this virus that they're so susceptible to.
[2:35] And we just ask that in the mighty name of Jesus Christ.
[2:38] Amen.
[2:39] Amen.
[2:40] Thank you, Clarence.
[2:42] Thank you.
[2:44] Public comment.
[2:51] This is the time set aside for citizens to address the board on matters on the consent agenda and
[2:58] matters not otherwise on the agenda.
[3:00] Comments should be limited to matters within the jurisdiction of the board.
[3:05] If your comment concerns an item shown on the agenda, please address the board after
[3:10] that item is open for public comment.
[3:13] By law, the board cannot take action on matters that are not on the agenda unless otherwise
[3:19] announced, the chair reserves the right to limit the duration of each speaker to three
[3:24] minutes.
[3:25] Speaker may not cede their time.
[3:28] Agenda items with times listed will be considered at that time.
[3:33] All other items will be considered as listed on the agenda or as deemed necessary by
[3:38] the chair.
[3:39] Are there any public comments?
[3:42] Hearing none, any additions or deletions to our agenda?
[3:49] Moves to approve.
[3:51] Second.
[3:52] We have a motion and a second.
[3:55] Any further discussion from the board?
[3:58] The public, all in favor?
[4:00] Aye.
[4:01] Any opposed?
[4:02] No abstention?
[4:03] Motion carries.
[4:05] Item one, health services 1A, consideration action, requesting approval to ratify a
[4:11] resolution to proclaim a local public health emergency due to the threat of
[4:16] COVID-19.
[4:17] Good afternoon, Stacey Sparr, interim director of health services.
[4:21] I'm here on behalf of our local health officer, Edward P.
[4:25] Rickert.
[4:26] This is a request for the MoDOT County Board of Supervisors to ratify the
[4:30] proclamation of the local health emergency that was declared by the
[4:34] MoDOT County Health Officer, Dr. Rickert on 312, 2020.
[4:38] On March 12th, the county health officer declared a local health
[4:43] emergency for MoDOT County.
[4:45] This declaration was in accordance to the California Health and Safety Code.
[4:49] And this was declared in response to immediate imminent threat to the
[4:54] induction of an infectious agent into our county known as the novel
[4:58] coronavirus or also known as COVID-19.
[5:03] This virus is considered to be a serious public health threat.
[5:07] Although we have no confirmed cases that have been identified in MoDOT
[5:11] County, Dr. Rickert anticipates cases of coronavirus or COVID-19 in MoDOT
[5:17] County in the immediate future.
[5:19] This declaring of this local emergency will enhance the county's
[5:24] ability to prepare and respond when cases are identified.
[5:28] And this declaration of the local health emergency also gives the MoDOT
[5:32] County Public Health Officer some additional legal authorities to
[5:36] protect the health of the communities within MoDOT County and to
[5:39] obtain additional resources in order for us to respond to this
[5:43] novel coronavirus.
[5:47] We began our efforts in addressing the novel coronavirus about a
[5:52] month ago where we opened our DOC on March 16th.
[5:56] We found that our resources were being exceeded at public
[5:59] health, so we have rolled into the EOC and a joint unified
[6:02] command system with me as the IC representing Dr. Rickert as his
[6:07] designee and the sheriff, Tex Dowdy.
[6:10] And since then, we have been planning and rolling out different
[6:15] guidances throughout the county in order to protect the people of our
[6:19] county, the health and the safety.
[6:22] I'm going to say just for the public's IC is Incident
[6:27] Commanders at Christ.
[6:28] Yes.
[6:29] Sorry about the acronyms.
[6:30] No problem.
[6:32] Motion to approve.
[6:33] Second.
[6:34] We have a motion and a second.
[6:37] Any further discussion or questions from the board?
[6:41] I just have a question.
[6:42] So are you currently recommending groups of 25 or groups of 10
[6:45] after yesterday's press conference?
[6:47] We're reviewing the guidance that was given out by the
[6:50] governor and we're seeing what's really applicable to our
[6:52] county.
[6:53] The executive order that was put out is really giving the
[6:57] local officials the authority to roll out the guidance as it
[7:00] meets the needs of our community.
[7:01] We don't have any cases, but we are looking at guidance to
[7:04] make sure we're protecting the public health, but we're also
[7:07] not harming businesses and such.
[7:09] So we're working through that unified command system to make
[7:12] those decisions.
[7:13] Any other questions or discussion?
[7:21] Any discussion from the public?
[7:26] All in favor?
[7:30] Aye.
[7:31] Any opposed?
[7:32] No abstention?
[7:33] Motion carries.
[7:34] Thank you.
[7:36] Item two, sheriff 2A consideration action requesting approval to
[7:41] ratify a resolution to proclaim a local emergency due to the
[7:45] threat of COVID-19.
[7:48] Good afternoon.
[7:49] Texas County Sheriff and Office of Emergency Services
[7:52] Director.
[7:54] As all of you know with the coronavirus going around that we
[7:59] are taking this extremely serious.
[8:01] And on March 12th, 2020, I declared a local emergency because
[8:05] of the impact of COVID-19 was having on our community.
[8:09] Although COVID-19, we have no cases of COVID-19 in our
[8:13] community.
[8:14] Currently, we are quickly exhausting our resources.
[8:16] As you know, our threshold is very, very low.
[8:21] This crisis is predicted to last for several months.
[8:24] And we are extremely concerned that without financial support from
[8:27] the state and federal government, it has the potential to
[8:30] cripple our county for years to come.
[8:32] Therefore, I'm asking you today to ratify this emergency
[8:36] declaration.
[8:39] Motion to approve.
[8:40] Second.
[8:42] We have a motion and a second.
[8:45] Any further discussion from the board?
[8:49] On the public.
[8:51] All in favor.
[8:52] Aye.
[8:53] Any opposed?
[8:54] No abstention.
[8:55] Motion carries.
[9:00] Item 3, Board of Supervisors, 3A, consideration action
[9:04] requesting approval of a resolution establishing interim
[9:08] personnel policies related to COVID-19.
[9:12] Chester Robertson, Modoc County Administrative Officer.
[9:15] So as a result of these declarations, they will
[9:18] have an impact on our county staff.
[9:20] And we need to address our personnel policies to be able
[9:23] to address those potential impacts.
[9:26] There are seven elements of this interim policies.
[9:29] These are based on review by County Council,
[9:31] the Chair, Vice Chair, Administration,
[9:33] and based on samples that we reviewed in the
[9:35] member of other agencies and tailored to meet some
[9:38] of our local needs.
[9:39] The first aspect of this will allow the
[9:43] department heads with the approval of the administrative
[9:46] office with the enable employees if we need to
[9:49] to have employees work remotely.
[9:51] Again, the authorizations, examples of why we can't
[9:54] just have everybody while we hear that happen
[9:56] in other locations.
[9:57] There's resource constraints to our community.
[10:00] For instance, we're working to address resource
[10:02] constraints for information technology.
[10:04] It's not possible that we can have all people
[10:06] remotely.
[10:07] Some departments in order to provide the central
[10:09] public service, they have to occur at our
[10:12] place of business.
[10:13] We will identify as those requests come if it becomes
[10:16] necessary on a case-by-case basis and also be
[10:19] communicating with the incident command structure.
[10:22] The second one aspect of this resolution,
[10:25] it allows employees that are exposed to the
[10:27] COVID-19 virus.
[10:29] It addresses the volunteer quarantine and it
[10:32] addresses the approval process for documentation
[10:35] and it addresses that this becomes the
[10:38] appropriate leave balances that could be utilized
[10:40] for that.
[10:41] The third one addresses the impacts that we're
[10:43] already seeing.
[10:44] For instance, employees who have minor children
[10:46] who are unable to attend school due to illness,
[10:49] quarantine, school closures of COVID-19 or can't
[10:52] find childcare arrangements as a result of
[10:54] other impacts external to the county.
[10:56] That enables them to have methods to work
[10:59] remotely or to use sick leave or other forms
[11:03] of leave balances.
[11:05] And we will work on having appropriate forms
[11:07] work in our county council that would address
[11:10] the documentation that would occur with that.
[11:12] And we also have talked with the auditor's office.
[11:15] This fourth element of this resolution would
[11:18] allow for the advancement of leave balances for
[11:20] employees that do not have sufficient leave in
[11:23] the event that they have quarantine.
[11:25] It allows for them with those advance of those
[11:28] leave accrual balances.
[11:30] It makes provisions for having an agreement
[11:32] between the employee and the county and
[11:34] provision for repayment of those balances
[11:36] over a period of time and or at the time
[11:39] of separation of employment.
[11:43] It also provides some other elements
[11:46] related to medical certification.
[11:48] It's the fifth element of there.
[11:50] It also places the timeline for this resolution.
[11:53] These are good for 30 days and less renewed
[11:55] or modified by the board at a subsequent action.
[11:59] And then it makes provisions for us
[12:01] in our addressing this with the labor unions
[12:04] in order to effectively correspond.
[12:07] Thank you.
[12:10] Motion to approve.
[12:12] Second.
[12:18] So just just one brief additional comment
[12:21] on item three which deals with
[12:25] minor children at home.
[12:28] There again it references section one that
[12:31] those have to be approved by department head
[12:34] and by the administration.
[12:40] Any discussion from the board?
[12:43] From the public?
[12:45] Hearing none, all in favor?
[12:47] Aye.
[12:48] Any opposed?
[12:50] Any abstention?
[12:51] Motion carries.
[12:52] Thank you.
[12:53] We will work to roll those out to department heads tomorrow.
[12:55] Motion to adjourn.
[12:57] Before we go, I would just like to thank everybody
[13:02] that's involved in these resolutions
[13:04] and declaring an emergency.
[13:06] Thank you for all your hard work.
[13:08] This has been a basically a mud puddle
[13:11] changing minute by minute.
[13:13] And you all have kept us pretty well in form.
[13:15] Thank you.
[13:17] I want to mention that really quick.
[13:19] I would like to
[13:21] enhance that by stating
[13:23] and thanking our federal and state members
[13:25] that are also working very closely
[13:28] on this and on the ICF system.
[13:45] To just elaborate on what Sheriff just said,
[13:49] the CAL FIRE and U.S. Forest Service
[13:52] are providing personnel
[13:54] on the incident command structure
[13:57] to assist as is.
[14:01] OES and Robert, I did not catch your name
[14:04] or last name earlier today.
[14:06] Robert will work just fine.
[14:09] With CAL OES.
[14:12] So even though I'm getting this, I have a question
[14:14] that maybe someone here can answer.
[14:15] As people come to us in the community
[14:17] or are having problems with their businesses
[14:18] because of this,
[14:19] is there someone in the county
[14:20] who they should go see?
[14:22] So we'll actually have information coming to you guys tonight
[14:25] and we want to actually do a business leave
[14:27] on Rose for a lot of police things.
[14:29] She's reaching out to businesses
[14:31] and there's some funding that's going to come available
[14:33] probably to be passed today.
[14:35] Okay.
[14:36] Or employees out of work
[14:37] would not be the same thing.
[14:39] For the owners and for the employees.
[14:42] Okay.
[14:43] So in a lot of programs,
[14:44] they're all getting pulled out.
[14:46] So we can get them on this
[14:48] and get them on the project.
[14:50] You guys will get a summary
[14:52] and we'll actually do that every day.
[14:54] Thank you.
[14:55] Thank you.
[14:57] So before I use the gavel,
[14:59] I'd like to ask you...
[15:00] To maybe just speak briefly about what the plan is for informing the public as things,
[15:06] new information such as this is shared with the public and the board, those that have not been involved.
[15:13] We opened up our public phone line today. It's 233-1350. It's on both public health
[15:23] and Sheriff's Office Facebook so people can call in and we can point them in the right direction
[15:28] for resources. We're really trying to tie into the senior population and get them on a list
[15:33] especially if they're self-isolating so that we can check in on them and make sure they're getting
[15:38] everything they can and help them if they need prescriptions picked up or they can get signed up
[15:42] for the meals delivered from the senior center. We're working closely with our partners at Teach
[15:47] to make sure they're not overloaded with all of this too and make sure their resources are all there.
[15:54] We'll have posts every day on our Facebook page and on our website there's a red bar underneath
[16:00] the picture that has an alert that will link you to all the county admin page, public health,
[16:07] our Facebook page and everywhere we're posting. We're encouraging people to share our posts
[16:13] so that factual information is getting to people to keep the rumors at bay.
[16:18] And then we'll have stuff in the paper and on the radio as well.
[16:22] And we're sending flyers out in the deliveries tomorrow for food deliveries to the seniors
[16:27] to catch those people that don't do social media or might not have a paper subscription.
[16:33] My sister in law, Elizabeth Bay Area, got a test because they closed down,
[16:39] they basically house arrested everybody down there. Do we have that,
[16:44] if things were to turn really bad, do we have that capability?
[16:47] We do, so we use Code Red for our warning alert system and there's a, on our website,
[16:52] they can sign up for that. They do have to sign up for that, but if they have a landline
[16:55] they would automatically get that for reverse 911. We're not there yet, so we're not,
[17:01] but if we need to use it, it's there.
[17:06] The daily planning and community meeting.
[17:10] There is a cooperators meeting, a cooperators and a community meeting at 10 o'clock every day
[17:15] at the Vets Hall. If anybody wants to come, we go over kind of what we're working on
[17:20] and we take all the concerns at that time so we can come back and work on them at the EOC.
[17:25] So there's representatives from the business, businesses, hospitals, every,
[17:31] it's the whole county at this point. We've had amazing participation
[17:36] and offers of help and it's, we're really lucky that we all get along
[17:41] and can work together and collaborate because we really need to right now.
[17:48] Anything else? Hearing none, meeting adjourned. Thank you.