SD County Board of Supervisors' Meeting
February 6th, 2024 Agenda
COUNTY OF SAN DIEGO BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
REGULAR MEETING
MEETING AGENDA
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 2024, 9:00 AM
COUNTY ADMINISTRATION CENTER, ROOM 310
1600 PACIFIC HIGHWAY, SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA
Order Of Business
A. Roll Call
B. Statement (just cause) and/or Consideration of a Request to Participate Remotely (emergency circumstances) by a Supervisor, if applicable.
C. Invocation
D. Pledge of Allegiance
E. Presentation or Announcement of Proclamations and Awards
F. Non-Agenda Public Communication: Opportunity for members of the public to speak to the Board on any subject matter within the Board’s jurisdiction but not an item on today’s agenda.
G. Approval of the Statement of Proceedings/Minutes for the meeting of January 23, 2024.
H. Consent Calendar
I. Discussion Items
J. Board Member Committee Updates. This is an opportunity for Members of the Board to provide informational updates on their committee assignments. No action may be taken.
CONSENT CALENDAR
1. AUTHORIZE ACCEPTANCE OF A GRANT FROM THE PUBLIC HEALTH INSTITUTE BY THE SAN DIEGO COUNTY OFFICE OF EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES TO TREAT OPIOID USE DISORDER; ESTABLISH APPROPRIATIONS; EXECUTE
CONTRACTS RELATED TO THE GRANT, AND AUTHORIZE COMPETITIVE PROCUREMENTS FOR GRANT IMPLEMENTATION
SERVICES [FUNDING SOURCE: GRANT FUNDS FROM THE PUBLIC HEALTH
INSTITUTE]
(4 VOTES)
This grant is so that the EMS division of County Fire can get a supply of buprenorphine, which is combined with naloxone. As usual, our government officials continue to put band-aids on our drug problems. Drugs and manufacturing ingredients continue to pour into the country, which is conveniently never addressed in a meaningful way.
2. GENERAL SERVICES - AUTHORIZE COMPETITIVE SOLICITATION AND AWARD A CONTRACT FOR SECURITY GUARD SERVICES AT VARIOUS COUNTY FACILITIES
[FUNDING SOURCE: CHARGES TO CLIENT DEPARTMENT OF SERVICES]
I notice the Board letter says "Over the last four years, the number of contracted security guards have grown from approximately 150 to 600 due to changes in business operations. For example,...serving as COVID storage, vaccination or isolation during the pandemic..." So I hope the contract is for less than last year.
Another interesting thing I noticed is that the letter says "The Department of General Services (DGS) provides...services to approximately 76 permanent facilities..." Approximately?
3. GENERAL SERVICES - APPROVAL OF LEASE FOR THE SHERIFF’S DEPARTMENT, BOUCHER HILL COMMUNICATION SITE AND NOTICE OF EXEMPTION [FUNDING SOURCE: REVENUE FROM NETWORK OPERATING
COST FEES COLLECTED FROM PUBLIC SAFETY AGENCIES PARTICIPATING IN THE REGIONAL COMMUNICATION SYSTEM]
Does this mean that the Sheriff will be communicating better with us?
4. GENERAL SERVICES - REPORT OF ACTION PURSUANT TO PUBLIC CONTRACT CODE SECTION 22050 OF EMERGENCY REPAIRS AT THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATION CENTER AND ASSOCIATED ENVIRONMENTAL FINDINGS
(4 VOTES)
Repairs don't seem finished. Scaffolding still up. Elevators unfinished. Someone must want more money?
5. AN ORDINANCE AMENDING THE COMPENSATION ORDINANCE RELATING TO THE SAN DIEGO FLOODS 2024 EMPLOYEE LEAVE TO TAKE EFFECT IMMEDIATELY & AN ORDINANCE AMENDING THE COMPENSATION ORDINANCE (2/6/2 4 - First Reading; 2/27/24 -Second Reading, unless the ordinance is modified on second reading)
(4 VOTES)
.
Undated, submitted in haste, apparently. Ordinance affecting leave and therefore services should be up for discussion.
In fact, the first sentence is "This is a request to adopt an urgency ordinance and a regular ordinance ..." so if it's a regular ordinance, it should be up for discussion.
Do employees deserve time off for repairing damage to their property? I don't recall workers in the private sector ever receiving paid leave to make home repairs for themselves or a family member. Why should 80 hours be paid leave?
Section 4 of the urgency ordinance has a tattletale provision "a summary shall be published once with the name of those members voting for and against the same in the newspaper of general circulation published in the County of San Diego." This basically does nothing but smear the reputation of any dissenter, and if you really need, the info is on the County websites, the video, the minutes.
6. AN ORDINANCE AMENDING THE COMPENSATION ORDINANCE AND ESTABLISHING COMPENSATION (2/6/24 - First Reading; 2/27/24 - Second Reading, unless the ordinance is modified on second reading)
7. APPROVAL OF THE CONFLICT OF INTEREST CODES FOR ALTUS SCHOOLS SAN DIEGO, NORTH COUNTY TRANSIT DISTRICT AND 18 COMMUNITY PLANNING GROUPS
8. APPOINTMENTS: VARIOUS
These are matter of Public interest - should be in DISCUSSION section, not buried in consent with 8 other items competing for time and attention. I am also glad to see that there are no ordinances or rules changes on today's Consent Agenda. Hope these non-routine items won't be in the future, either.
9. COMMUNICATIONS RECEIVED
DISCUSSION ITEMS
10. AUTHORIZE EXPLORATION OF OPPORTUNITIES TO ENHANCE RECREATIONAL SPACES FOR UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES: ENVISIONING A GATEWAY TO THE CALIFORNIAS
Why are we exploring opportunities to develop the TJ valley when there are huge pollution problems. It's like come play and hike in the TJ River Valley Regional Park watershed and if you find any garbage, I hope you clean it up for us and don't get sick.
But if you've been following the headlines, you will know that there are two major sewage treatment facilities - two - that are leaking untreated waste - the International Border Plant on our side of the border, and the one in Tijuana.
Of course we want parks that are safe and welcoming, but let's be clear: until the sewage problem is resolved, you will not be able to create a nearby high-quality park and recreation resources that is safe, welcoming, or inclusive.
And if that is not enough, there is the problem of illegal immigrants periodically invading our County. This is not calculated to make a park right there safe or welcoming to our people either.
As for the end of COVID restrictions, in this case, it's back to the restrictions from pollution that the locals were observing that you should solve first.
And as long as we are talking about the end of COVID restrictions, ARPA funds are for COVID. You just made a case that this is not for COVID.
I don't think you should waste Sarah's [Aghassi. the new CAO] time on this when there are so many other priorities for the County, like disaster planning and recovery.
11. SUSTAINABLE PLANNING FOR THE FUTURE LONG-TERM, STATE AND FEDERALLY FUNDED MIGRANT TRANSFER SITE AND RESPITE SHELTERS FOR THE SAN DIEGO REGION TO ADDRESS STREET RELEASES
The Board letter says "...we have been in search for additional funding streams to support the work of the transfer site, including seeking federal funds. The funds approved by the Board on October 10, 2023, and December 5, 2023, will be exhausted by March."
This is what we need: a solution at the Federal level and funding at the Federal level - or I'm sure that we could join Governor Abbott in Texas with his creative solutions.
I'm surprised that this letter still calls for long term planning. After at least a year that the Board has been aware of this problem, there should be a plan in place.
12. EXPLORING THE FEASIBILITY OF CHILDCARE SERVICES FOR SHERIFF’S DEPARTMENT AND PUBLIC SAFETY PERSONNEL [FUNDING SOURCE: GENERAL PURPOSE REVENUE]
Surprised you're discussing childcare when you say the main problem is "overtime has had negative impacts on morale and the health and wellness of deputies and staff."
The Board letter says "In 2022 and 2023, the Board of Supervisors took actions to support the Sheriff's Department recruiting and retention efforts by authorizing... employee and family care support. So this begs the question 'why has this not worked after 2 years? Why do we need to spend more?'
I do not think that we need a $250,000 study, when the need for some sort of childcare is reasonably clear. Just stop the existing family care support and have subsidized childcare. Why waste time, taxpayer money, and the Deputies' patience while we do another study? A few weeks ago when the Board decided to fund this study as to why retention and recruiting in the Sheriff's Department was down, you chose to ignore the obvious - people want to be able to do their job, not just watch crime. California and local policies and financial threats from the Board don't allow the Sheriff's department to do their job. Why would anyone who is passionate and dedicated work in this department?
13. MAKING COUNTY LAND AVAILABLE FOR EMERGENCY HOMELESS SHELTER SOLUTIONS [FUNDING SOURCE: AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN ACT (ARPA)
AMOUNTS UNDER THE HOMELESS SERVICES COMPONENT OF THE ARPA FRAMEWORK.]
Recommendation is to "conduct a preliminary screening of opportunities to utilize County-owned sites for temporary emergency housing options, including safe sleeping cabin villages, safe parking, sprung shelters, or repurposing existing structures for homeless services."
I believe that several of these sites are already being used for housing. I also wonder if there were any preliminary site visits, or are these in the nature of pipe dreams. The good news is that I'm sure the County has surplus land.
Moreover, the site at Kettner and Beech is too steeply sloped for an overnight stay and wouldn't be developed until 2026.
The Escondido site may work out, although it would be nice to know what acreage is actually available. But if a request for development proposal has already been put out, why is it on this list?
The Mission Gorge site is already under development, as are the 73rd St. site and the University Ave. site. So these would be contract mods. Why are they on the 'prelim screening' list?
It seems that a lot of these issues could be resolved by contacting the developer even before any formal screening visit or RFI Request for Information.
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Maybe the City shouldn't have shut down Golden Hill last year?
And you shouldn't be using ARPA money for non-COVID stuff.
14. GUN VIOLENCE REDUCTION COMMUNITY NEEDS ASSESSMENT FINAL REPORT AND RECOMMENDATIONS [FUNDING SOURCE: PUBLIC SAFETY REALIGNMENT]
At the Jan. 23 Board meeting, we witnessed the disgraceful spectacle of the Board passing yet another resolution representing the position of the entire County all in the name of gun violence, although all of the in-chambers and call-in speakers were opposed as were all of the comments. And the number of County residents who actually approved this move was not mentioned in the Board letter or resolution even though you supposedly represent the County.
The problem with a gun violence resolution is that violence can be by assault garden shears, or assault pens, or the like. Man will find a way, guns or not.
Also, the resolution called for legislative action - a Constitutional Convention - with no rules. Who knows who could represent us or what crazy stuff could happen as a result? I do not think this is what any thinking person in this County would want.
For the future, I am proposing as an ordinance that no resolution representing the position of the County be issued unless by unanimous consent of the Board backed up by numbers, published in the agenda, by an uninterested and reliable polling, as to how many people in this County actually do favor the idea, and also the questions asked.
For now, I am suggesting that you rescind this undemocratic action and insult to the people. And I think the more you highlight gun violence, the more people will be tempted to dabble in it.
15. ANNUAL REPORT ON GUN VIOLENCE
We're talking about 88 deaths per year over 4 years. Probably more deaths from forced one-size-fits-all mRNA vaccines and other malpractice.
86% of County gun deaths were by suicide and only 22% were homicides. This is a huge indication that this is a mental health problem as Jim said. Emotional stress either brought on by chemical imbalances or societal pressures, not guns, were the problem.
I also think that the point in time count will show an increase in our unhoused population which is associated with extra violence. Take care of our homeless with dignity by giving them jobs, perhaps cleaning up storm debris, clearing drains and culverts, and caring for them in controlled settings if they can't care for themselves.