UnGovr Transcript
iHow this transcript is madeUnGovr transcribes the official recording with automated speech-to-text, separates speakers by voice, and matches voices to the seated roster. Names and attributions are AI estimates and may contain errors.Verify any quote yourself: click anywhere in the transcript and the official video jumps to that exact moment, so you can check any quote against the recording.0:01 – 0:076 turns
governments, including in no particular order. Fernandeno Tataviam Band of Mission Indians, Gabrielino Tongva Indians of California Tribal Council, Gabrieleno Tongva San Gabriel Band of Mission Indians To learn more about the First Peoples of Los Angeles County, please visit the Los Angeles City-County Native American Indian Commission website at This morning the invocation will be led by Minister James Gibbs from the East 105th Street Christian Church of Los Angeles, representing the 2nd District. Followed by the Pledge of Allegiance which will be led by Julissa Gomez former Corporal for United States Marine Corps representing the 3rd District if you are able please join us and stand thank you
Good morning. First giving reverence to God, our Creator who is the head of my life. Honor to Madam Chair Solis, Honorable Supervisors Mitchell, Horvath, Hahn and Barger, distinguished county leaders, staff and members of the public I am Reverend James M. Gibbs II, and I bring you greetings and a word of prayer from East 105th Street Christian Church in Los Angeles under the leadership and tutelage of our Senior Pastor Elton J. Penn located in the 2nd District under the leadership of Supervisor Holly J. Mitchell.
I thank you for the privilege of offering today's invocation. Please join me in a moment of prayer. May we bow our heads? Most precious and gracious Lord, it is written that this is the day that the Lord has made. Rejoice and be glad in it. So we rejoice today, Lord, first because you are God our creator, sustainer, provider and redeemer. We rejoice today because you have blessed us with life and another beautifully blessed brand new day. We rejoice today because we have a reasonable portion of health and strength and we are enclosed in our right minds. We rejoice today, Lord, because you have allowed us all to make it here safely this morning. Today we rejoice, Lord, because of your son Jesus who gives us direct access to you. Please forgive us for our sins and our transgressions.
We ask that you bless us today with wisdom to make proper decisions, discernment so we are able to see truthfully courage to stand for right in any decisions made here today. Bless us, oh God with humility to keep us free from prideful and arrogant decisions and to keep the focus on helping our community bless us with compassion to fill the hearts and needs of the community. And we ask Lord that you bless us today with unity despite any differing viewpoints Bless us with justice that's balanced with mercy. Lord, grant protection for all of the county employees, first responders, community clergy leaders and vulnerable residents of our community. We love you lord and we thank you again for this day as we bless your name. We praise you father for who you are and we thank you god for your good and your mercy endures forever.
And we ask these blessings in the name of your darling son jesus who we pray forever amen
I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation under God indivisible with liberty and justice for all.
Supervisor
Mitchell you're recognized. Thank You Madam Chair and good morning Los Angeles I'm going to try that again. Good morning Los Angeles! Yeah, thank you. Thank you Minister Gibbs for graciously leading us in today's prayer, today's invocation and the reminder for the...I was gonna write it down but I already forgot my portion. Tell me what you said again? My reasonable portion.
My reasonable portion of health and strength. That's a fair thing to ask for every morning, a reasonable portion right Supervisor Hahn? A reasonable portion don't be greedy, a reasonable portion. Minister Gibbs has served as a licensed ordained pastor for more than 20 years and for the past decade he has ministered at East 105th Street Christian Church where he continues to channel his deep passion for serving those in need and uplifting our greater community. He's currently pursuing a master's degree in Christian counseling from Emanuel Bible College and Seminary.
Minister Gibbs is the proud father of four. We extend our sincere gratitude to Minister Gibbs for offering today's invocation and for his steadfast service, leadership and dedication to not only the residents of the Second District but the greater LA community. We're grateful for your presence with us today thank you appreciate you. Supervisor
Horvath, you're recognized.
0:07 – 0:106 turns
Usually when it's low, it's good for me but this was just a little too low. Good morning! Please join me in thanking United States Marine Corps Corporal Julisa Gomez for leading us in the Pledge of Allegiance today. Julisa served in the Marine Corps in the 3rd Radio Battalion from 2020 through 2024 While serving, she was awarded many decorations including Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal, Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation, Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Korea Defense Service Medal, Sea Service Deployment Ribbon, Letter of Appreciation and Expert Rifle Qualification Badge. Julissa continues to serve the veteran community as a peer support specialist for the Goodwill of Southern California Veteran Peer Access Network program.
And she also has an associate's degree from Pierce College and is pursuing a bachelor's degree in graphic design. I want to thank you for all that you do for our veteran community, I'm incredibly proud of your service and even prouder to have you as a resident of our third district. Thank you very much.
And this is for you, and this is for you too.
Thank you. You're welcome.
Supervisor Barger, pet presentation.
All right I'm gonna introduce you all to Snuffy. Snuffy is a six year old, 115 pound Mastiff with an even bigger heart. He is absolutely the sweetest dog. But don't let his size fool you. This gentle giant is all about love. Snuffy adores spending time with his people and gets along wonderfully with both humans and other animals, and loves tiny small dogs. If you're looking for a loyal affectionate companion with a fun-loving personality, Snuffy might be the perfect addition to your family. Come meet this big sweetheart and discover just how much love this gentle giant has to give.
You can call the Agora Care Center at 818-991-0071 to bring Snuffy home. Yeah, Snuffy. And now please turn your attention to the screen for our pet from Palmdale. Meet Nala. She's a beautiful five year old Armenian gamper with a calm relaxed Gentle demeanor. She walks well on a leash and is very gentle with her approach. Nala loves being around people. She is eagerly awaiting her new family where she can let her gentle, playful personality shine. You can call the Palmdale Care Center at 661-575-7888 to make her yours.
And then we have the promotion, August is Clear the Shelters Month where adoption fees are waived for all cats and dogs at all seven care centers. You can visit animalcare.lacounty.gov to find yours. Thank you Madam Chair.
Thank you. Very good. Executive Officer will you please call the agenda?
0:11 – 0:158 turns
Good morning Madam Chair. Members of the board, today's agenda will begin on page two. Consent calendar Board of Supervisors items one through 17. On item one, Supervisor Horvath requests that the appointment of Skekina Delcaris Los Angeles County Youth Climate Commission be referred back to her office. Also this includes a revision as indicated on the supplemental agenda.
On item three, this includes a revision as indicated on the supplemental agenda. On Item 4, Supervisor Hahn requests that this item be held with Item 59A. Also this includes a revision as indicated on the Supplemental Agenda. On Item 9, this includes a revision as indicated on the Supplemental Agenda. On Item 12, Supervisor Hahn requests that this item be held. Also this includes a revision as indicated on the Supplemental Agenda.
On Item 13, Supervisors Solis and Hahn would like to abstain from the vote. On item 15, Supervisor Solis requests that this item be held. Also this includes a revision as indicated on the supplemental agenda. On item 17, Supervisor Mitchell request that this item be held. On page 13, Administrative Matters items 18 through 61. For item 21, Supervisor Mitchell would like to be recorded as a no vote.
On item 22, Supervisor Hahn requests that this item be held with item 62. On Item 23, Supervisor Mitchell requests that this item be continued one week to August 11th, 2026. On Item 27, Supervisor Barger requests that this item be continued to September 1st, 2026 as indicated on the posted agenda. On Item 33, Supervisor Mitchell requests that this item be held.
On Items 36 and 37, Supervisor Mitchell would like to be recorded as a no vote. On page 35, this includes miscellaneous additions to the agenda which were posted more than 72 hours in advance of the meeting as indicated on the supplemental agenda items 59A through 59C. On item 59A, Supervisor Hahn requested that this item be held with Item 4. On Item 59C, Supervisor Horwath requests that this item be held.
On page 36, ordinances for introductions item 62 and 63. On item 62 Supervisor Hahn requests that this item be held with item 22. On page 37 special district agenda this is the agenda for the meeting of Los Angeles County Development Authority items 1D through 3D on item 1D supervisor Barger would like to be recorded as a no vote On page 40, separate matter item 64.
On item 64 the board will take a separate vote on this matter. On page 41 notices of closed session items CS1 through CS4. On item CS1 County Council requests that this item be continued one week to August 11th 2026 as indicated on the supplemental agenda. The request for continuances, items to be referred back through CS4 are before you with the exception of items 22 and 62 of which the board will take separate vote on.
That completes the reading of the agenda Madam Chair.
Madam Chair did you say that I voted no on 1D? Did I miss a
register to vote a no? On item 1 D Supervisor Barger would like to be recorded as a no vote.
That is inaccurate. I apologize if you were given wrong information, I'm supporting that. Okay
with that move by Supervisor Horvath seconded by Supervisor Mitchell to approve these items as indicated by the executive officer and that will be the order.
The request for continuances and items are referred back to CS4 before you completes the reading agenda excuse me
Moved by Supervisor Hahn, seconded by Supervisor Barger. Executive Officer call the roll.
Roll-call vote Passed 5–0 Moved by Janice Hahn · Seconded by Barger Moved by Supervisor Hahn, seconded by Supervisor Barger. Executive Officer call the roll.
Show transcript
Executive Officer will you please play the Code of Conduct
0:15 – 0:204 turns
Ladies and gentlemen, may I please have your attention. The meeting of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors is about to commence. A code of conduct will now be read and we request that you comply with it to ensure the efficient administration of the meeting. Members of the public, it is your right to participate in today's board hearing and the Board encourages such participation. However, the right of the public to address the Board must be balanced with the need to ensure that public comment does not interfere with the orderly course of the Board's business.
All are reminded to abide by the following rules. Speakers must cease speaking immediately when their time has ended. Public comment on agenda items must relate to the subject matter of that item. General public comment is limited to subjects within the jurisdiction of the Board. Public comment does not include the right to engage in a dialogue with Board members or staff.
Please remain respectful of the forum and refrain from uttering, writing or displaying profane, personal, threatening, derogatory, demeaning or other abusive statements toward the board, any member thereof, staff or any other person. Members of the audience should be respectful of the views expressed by speakers, staff and board members and may not clap, cheer, whistle or otherwise disrupt the orderly conduct of the meeting.
Any person engaging in conduct that disrupts the meeting is subject to being removed from the board meeting. And finally, if you witness conduct or behavior by other members of the public that disrupts your ability to remain engaged or participate in this meeting, please notify the sergeant at arms or other county staff. Thank you for your cooperation.
Thank you and with that, today's meeting order will be the following. Public comment on items not held for discussion by the board including the closed session matters followed by item 17 then items 4 and 59A which will be taken up together then items 12 and 15 followed by items 33 and 59C then items 22 and 62 which will be taken up together then general public comment and finishing up with closed session Before we begin, Executive Officer please read the call-in information and explain the speaking rules.
Good morning members of the public if you wish to participate in public comment you may do so in person or remotely. To participate remotely please visit our website at www.bos.lacounty.gov. To register and join the meeting Or you may call 213-306-3065 and use access code 25350767753, and a meeting password of 2672026. You will have the opportunity to address the board throughout the meeting. For items not held by the board, you will receive one minute for one item and up to two minutes for two or more items.
For items held by supervisors, you will have one minute to address the board and one minute to address the board on general public comment. Please clearly state your name and indicate the agenda item in numbers you will be addressing. Please note, once your time has expired we will immediately
move to the next speaker. When it is your turn to speak if registered on a computer or device you will hear a beep and your name will be called. Or if joining by telephone you will hear your line is unmuted, your area code and the last two digits of your phone number will be called. To ensure we hear from both in-person and remote speakers we will alternate between the two speaking cues.
Members of the public who are in attendance, when you hear or see your name displayed on the screen please come down to the front of the boardroom and staff will assist you. Please do not approach the podium until directed to do so. Also for members of the public in attendance, please note that we have a constituent assistance team that includes representatives of the Departments of Mental Health, Public Health, Health Services, Public Social Services, Children and Family Services, Homeless Services and Housing, and Parks and Recreation in the audience should you need assistance from them.
At this time we will hear from members of the public wishing to address the board on public items not held for discussion by the supervisors, including closed session matters. The consent items will be acted upon with one motion. For members of the public joining us remotely to comment on these items Please use the raise hand feature if you are online or press star three, if on a telephone. Please indicate the agenda item numbers that you wish to address in the beginning of your comment for us to allocate the appropriate amount of time.
0:20 – 0:2610 turns
We will now call in in-person speakers, and while they're coming forward we'll take remote speakers. This will be for all items not held by the board for discussion and closed session items. Will the following individuals please come forward and staff will assist you? Claudia Jerez, Beckett Hutchins, and Barbara Olsen. Erica Rogers your line is open. Please state the agenda items you are addressing and begin.
I'm here to discuss agenda item 5. Good morning supervisors, my name is Erica Rogers and I am with the Community Clinic Association of Los Angeles County. I'm here today in support of agenda item 5 motion to proclaim August 2nd through August 8th 2026 as National Health Center Week throughout Los Angeles County. On behalf of the Community Clinic Association and our 68 non-profit community health center members which provide care to more than 2 million Los Angeles County residents, I want to thank Supervisor Solis for authoring this proclamation recognizing National Health Center Week. For more than 60 years, community health centers have been trusted healthcare partners providing high quality affordable comprehensive care regardless of a person's insurance status or ability to pay.
We appreciate the board's long-standing partnership and continued recognition of the essential role community health centers play in improving health outcomes and advancing health equity. Thank you for your support.
Thank you Andrew Yam your line is open please state the agenda items you're addressing and begin
Yes, thank you so much. I'm here to speak on agenda item 5 on behalf of ultimate health services. I'd like to express our appreciation to supervisor. So lease for introducing this proclamation and to the board of supervisors for recognizing August 2nd to 8th as National Health Center week. Every year, National Health Center Week celebrates the essential role that community clinics play in the health care safety net system. Community clinics are often the only accessible source of healthcare for low-income and uninsured individuals. And regardless of a patient's ability to pay, these clinics provide essential services that help people in the most underresourced communities live fuller and healthier lives.
Founded in 1969, Ultimate has been providing affordable high quality comprehensive care for underserved communities in the Southern California region for over 57 years through an integrated network of dental behavioral pharmacy and other essential services. Ultimate also proudly serves one in eight Medi-Cal members here in LA County and we are thankful to be celebrating this important week together with you all. We hope to welcome you and
thank you. Roy Humphries your line is open please begin
Okay, Roy Humphreys here, Roland Heitzen. Number 11 illustrates why the sheriff must be removed from jails which presently is making a silk purse out of a sow's ear. Item 13 is great but scary considering the need and how much you are spending on Fighting the criminal export or deportation of illegal aliens from 77 countries under the Biden administration. And shame on you and soon I hope you'll pay the piper, thank you.
Thank you Antony Arenas your line is open please state the agenda items you're addressing and begin.
Hi, my name is Anthony from Supervisorial District 3. I'm with the Justice LA Coalition speaking alongside the 78 other folks who emailed the board regarding Agenda Item 11. Thank you Supervisor Hahn for prioritizing care for those in Sheriff custody but this motion falls way too short The need for hygiene kits goes back decades with proven practices by deputy sheriffs to withhold such kits as a way to retaliate against those in their custody. The fact that Sheriff Department is falling short of statewide standards is absolutely unacceptable, especially given our in-custody death crisis and the 24th life lost this year just last week. The fact that the audit on the Sheriff's Department misuse of the Inmate Welfare Fund was removed, given their proven history of misusing taxpayer dollars is very concerning.
How are we to trust? Deputy Sheriff. Thank
you. Janet Asante your line is open please state the agenda items you're addressing and begin.
Hi, my name is Janet Asante from Supervisorial District 2 and I'm speaking on agenda item 11. I agree with the previous speaker it's important that we prioritize the health and care of those in LASD custody but you know allocating additional funds for the Sheriff's Department for these hygiene kits and the fact that they are misusing the Inmate Welfare Fund is a sign that they are misusing the 4.6 billion dollars that they're given every year. I reached out directly to Supervisor Hans office and did not get clarity for why the accountability measures were removed.
I was told that there was an incorrect information, but according to the report back from Sheriff Luna himself, they were misusing the inmate welfare fund as the sole. Thank you. Caller with phone number 202 last two digits 16 year line is open please state your name and the agenda items you're addressing and begin.
0:26 – 0:4121 turns
Hello, my name is Maya Daniels with the Transatina Coalition and the Reimagine L.A. Coalition. I would like to speak on and support both items 11 and item 19 in our revised invention 2. So for item 11, when the Boarding County Department fails to provide what the law already requires it shifts the burden onto incarcerated people and their families instead of fulfilling its own responsibilities. Access to basic hygiene is not a luxury or reward. It is a fundamental human need and not a viable option of punishment on purpose or by negligence.
A care first vision means health, safety and dignity are prioritized. Meeting basic needs is one of the simplest and most cost effective ways the county can protect people's well-being as we work toward decarceration. The county board should have complete oversight over the hiring process. The same way y'all all vet and appoint your nominations to your committees and commissions, y'all should be vetting and appointing leadership within every sector of law enforcement on the road to decarceration and diversion of funding going toward care services to less recidivism. This is not a handle- Thank
you. Marcella Rosen, your line is open. Please state the agenda items you're addressing and begin.
Hi, my name is Marcella Rosa and I'm the addressing agenda item 8. I believe hygiene is a human right and something that everyone inside deserves regular access to it's something that the sheriff's department should already be providing. And so in that way. Um, I think allocating more money to them in order to do something that they're already supposed to be doing really exemplifies the problem with the budget. Overall Sheriff's Department budget overall and when it's more oversight where it's the billions of dollars they're using going especially the amount that's allocated to the jail specifically if not towards something as simple as hygiene kits for people.
Inside I appreciate the idea that everyone should get hygiene kits, but the reality is already being provided and this motion is addressing something repetitive while allocating additional funding to this department.
Thank you Jennifer. Ciao your line is open please state the agenda items you're addressing and begin.
Good morning. My name is Jennifer Chow I'm speaking to agenda item 5 on behalf of the Los Angeles LGBT center, we thank supervisor Solis for bringing forward this proclamation to designate August 2nd through 8th as National Health Center Week in Los Angeles. We also thank the board of supervisors for their continued leadership to ensure that all Angelenos have access to culturally competent high quality health care.
For over 50 years, the Los Angeles LGBT center has provided high quality primary preventative medical and behavioral health services to over 15000 patients annually across our 7 sites in Los Angeles County. Over half of the centers patients access care through Medi Cal are non white or Latina or LGBTQ and come to the center from different areas of California.
Now, more than ever we are grateful to live and work in a county that recognizes the critical role that health centers play in providing care to our most vulnerable communities. Thank you.
Thank you. Yasmin your line is open please state the agenda items you addressing and begin.
Hi, good morning Supervisors. My name is Yasmeen Shoka and I am a member of the Reimagine L.A. Coalition and a Community Engagement Intern at La Defensa. Today I'm here to speak on items 11, 19 & 21. First, I urge the Board to vote yes on item 11 which addresses equitable and consistent access to hygiene kits in LA County Jails. Access to basic hygiene should never depend on whether someone can afford it or whether they are incarcerated Soap, toothpaste, deodorant and menstrual products and other basic hygiene items are necessities. They're essential to a person's health, dignity and safety.
Families should not have to spend their own money to provide these items that the county is responsible for making available. This is especially important for families who are already facing financial hardship. A care first approach should begin with meeting people's basic needs and treating every person with dignity. I also urge the board to vote yes on item 19 which strengthens the Care First and Community Investments budget policy. Over 2.1 million LA County voters supported Measure J because they wanted the county to invest in care and community-based solutions rather than relying on incarceration. Care First investments should be transparent, accountable and guided by the communities they are intended to serve.
LA County should continue prioritizing housing, behavioral health, youth development, diversion prevention and other programs that address the root cause of harm. Communities deserve to know how CARE First funding is being calculated, allocated and fulfilled. Finally I urge the board to vote no on item 21. Decisions that affect taxpayer dollars in county spending should be made through a transparent public process. The public deserves to know how major spending decisions are made especially when those decisions could impact funding for essential services and community investments.
Every dollar spent without meaningful public accountability is a dollar that could otherwise be supporting housing, mental health care, youth programs, diversion and other community needs. These three items are ultimately about what LA County-
Thank you. Anthony Robles your line is open please state the agenda items you're addressing and begin. Anthony Robles? Okay, we'll go to the next speaker. James Takamatsu your line is open please state the agenda items you're addressing and begin.
Yeah speaking on agenda item number 11 while I appreciate the sentiment behind the motion It doesn't go far enough and actually got weakened from its original motion, and the sheriffs do not need additional funding. They already get billions of dollars that should have been part of their budget. Is this something they're required to perform? And so to have a motion that essentially doubles down on something they're already required to do with no accountability measures into it is a wasteful motion.
You need to go back and have a stronger motion that should be rejected. No new additional funding should go to the Sheriff's Department, they have the money for it. They need to just allocate it to it instead of just spamming over time. This motion doesn't go far enough. It's crazy that the Sheriff's Department is trying to build a new jail but they can't even do the things that they're already required to do in the facilities they're already accountable for.
No new money to the Sheriff's Department no new jails thank you
Thank you. Anthony Robles, your line is open please state the agenda items you're addressing and begin.
Hello I'm addressing agenda item 11 and general public comment. Anthony Robles is a resident of District 1 and My experience being in L.A County Jail, after you get your initial hygiene kit it's hard to come by anymore after that. You don't know if you ask when you'll get more hygiene or anything like that so the guys inside actually go and when they go to store or if you run out of hygiene before store the guys that went to store previously usually have a general welfare Bucket or whatever you want to call it, of hygiene items to give to other guys inside who may not have family or may not have the money on their books and run out of hygiene themselves. Whether it's toothpaste or deodorant or things of that nature. So right now people inside take care of themselves when the sheriff gets so much money and doesn't even do what they're supposed to be doing.
Thank you. We will now go to our in-person speakers. Please begin.
Hi, my name is Beckett Hutchins and I'm supporting item 13. I've spent the last two summers doing an outreach campaign for child savings accounts in DHS clinics including the medical hubs with Cal Kids and Trump Accounts. While I focused on enrolling all kids, I have encountered a few obstacles to enrollment for foster youth. First, the local registration number on the birth certificate is needed for CalKids newborn enrollment not the social security number which many resource parents lack. Second my experience is that resource parents are reluctant to enroll children in their care because in addition to lacking the birth certificate they worry the accounts will not be tracked if the child leaves their care As this motion moves forward, my recommendation is that DCFS consider enrolling kids centrally for all of the future funds programs.
This can help maximize enrollment and support tracking regardless of a child's placement. In response to one of the requirements of the motion I can confirm that enrollment in CalKids does not impact access to social services due to net worth. Finally, the UCLA CalKids Institutes 101 and 201 trainings can give guidance to staff on all types of college savings accounts.
Thank
you next speaker please
Dear LA County Board of Supervisors, my name is Barbara Oleson. I'm a resident of unincorporated Castaic. My home was completely destroyed by fireworks on March 1st. It's uninhabitable. I am 62 years old, lost my home of 26 years security and all my belongings. Despite the total loss of my residence, I fall outside of the current city county state and federal disaster programs. I am receiving zero public assistance leaving me in an impossible financial crisis and emotional distress. I'm currently facing demolition costs of over $100,000 to clear my property on top of fees from the county.
Specifically, I'm asking the board to waive all demolition public works regional fanning and rebuilding fees. I'm doing this not just on me but behalf of all the other fire victims like me that fall in the cracks. Also very important to add them receiving disrespectful emails from Public Works demolished my house. I have not received a fire report so it's still an active crime scene. I am asking you to expand local aid to help residents like me who are unprotected from state county and federal programs. Thank you for your time and dedication.
Good morning, Byron Jose with the Trans-Latina Coalition and Reimagine LA and Justice LA. Item 11, so after the directive opening the door for yet more funding from the CEO to the Sheriff couldn't wait until the supplemental budget got a rush through that I don't understand why the directives were struck out from this motion after that? Direct the auditor controller And in consultation with county council to review and audit the M.N. Wellness Fund, Director 3, direct county council and risk management to provide in-depth training to LASD regarding this M.A. wellness fund. We're not asking for abolition in terms of defunding the sheriff even though we should. We need to defund the sheriff before he continues to defund this whole county. Every department, housing, health services, everything that our community needs.
That's what we need to do and we do not need to continue building their budget and these barriers and mechanisms that future generations will have to dismantle. Thank you.
Thank you. We will now go back to remote callers. Brooklyn Carter your line is open please state the agenda items you're addressing and begin.
Good morning. My name is Brooklyn Carter and I'm a resident of SD2 and a member of La Defensa. I am here today to speak on Agenda Items 11 and 21, and to demand that our public policies and spending truly reflect the values of justice, care, and community investment starting with Item 11. Thank you Supervisor Hahn for bringing this motion to the board. Being incarcerated should not take away your humanity yet. Here I am today publicly showing support for item to increase the likelihood of incarcerated individuals in LA County receiving everyday hygiene products like soap, toothpaste and menstrual products. Placing care first means health safety and dignity are a priority when public institutions do not successfully meet their legal responsibilities and providing what the law already requires where they fall short becomes a burden of the people who are incarcerated and their families This is a huge issue.
Families, especially ones who more times than not are already financially struggling should not be providing funding for the shortcomings and unfulfilled promises of the county. Take responsibility and uphold your commitments to the incarcerated citizens of LA County. For item 21 Taxpayer dollars is not something that should be decided on behind closed doors. The public has a right to know where and what the dollars are funding. This measure would remove the ability for the public to learn and influence the outcome of the decisions being made within their county. The Board of Supervisors were elected to advocate for the citizens of LA County, yet our voices continue to be minimized and unheard while law enforcement continues to receive more and more funding.
With this measure making it even harder to influence and make decisions on law enforcement and probation unions. These decisions that are made behind closed doors can remove dollars that should be used for care first priorities like mental health care, homeless services, and violence prevention. Overall budget decisions should remain with elected officials who must consider all county needs not just ones for bargaining agreements. Thank you, Care First, Cheryl's last.
Thank you. Mason Fowler, your line is open. Please state the agenda items you're addressing and begin.
Hello my name is Mason Fowler and I'll be speaking today on agenda items 11 and 19. I'm a resident of SD2 also a member of the Reimagined LA Coalition, an interim law defense as well. Let's begin on 11-1st like the last speaker Just talked about care first approach starts with making sure people's basic needs are met. No one should have to worry about whether they have access to soap, toothpaste or other necessities that you may need while being incarcerated. These aren't privileges these are based on necessities thinking about the families of people who are incarcerated many families are already dealing with financial challenges and should not have to spend their own money to provide items at. That the county is responsible for providing the kind doesn't meet those responsibilities.
This burden falls on those families who may already be struggling financially, no matter why someone is in jail they are still human beings at the end of day everyone deserves access to basic hygiene and the dignity that comes with that make sure people have these essential items a simple step that can prove health safety and overall quality of life. And then speaking on agenda number 18, 19, where there's 2.1 million Los Angeles County voters because they want a different vision for public safety. They voted for investments in care but not incarceration. The county should continue honoring that commitment through transparent information and meaningful community investment.
To me, budgets reflect our values when the county invests in housing, youth development, behavioral health care, violence prevention programs and community organizations. It helps address the root cause of harm before people enter the justice system. At the same time, communities deserve confidence that these investments are transparent, accountable, sustainable and guided by community voices. SPAWS is an opportunity to strengthen all those things. The county is committed to investing at least 10% of unrestricted net county costs into Care First priorities but community members should be able to clearly understand how that 10% is calculated. Transparency should not require residents to search through hundreds of pages of budget documents just to understand where public dollars are going.
Care First is more than budget policy. Thank you guys.
0:41 – 0:4810 turns
Thank you. Caller with phone number 310, last two digits 6-5 your line is open. Please state your name the agenda items you're addressing and begin.
Yeah how are you doing? My name is James Nelson I'm with DPN Justice LA. I'm speaking on agenda item 11 in general public comments. Um I'm formerly incarcerated uh I was once inside of MCJ and To know that folks is not getting hygiene kits in there. It's a shame because again, they're getting funding to make sure that these kids has been passed out but at the same time by having insight knowledge about how business is conducted inside of MCJ.
that these hygiene kits be used as punitive measures where they punish people and not give them these kits. I think also we need to know more about IWF, how is those funds generated? And then why they are not being used to service the needs of the individuals that's inside in there. And again it's just another task for the police to ask for more money, more money, more money. As somebody else said, hiding the world is talking about building a new camp.
Maya Coleman, your line is open. Please state the agenda items you're addressing and begin.
Good morning my name is Maya Coleman and I'm here with the Reimagined LA Coalition speaking on Agenda Items 11 19 & 21. I would like to echo the other sentiments that have been uplifted stating that the Sheriff's Department should not receive any additional funding to provide menstrual products. It should be taken from the budget that they already have. Giving LASD more funding to provide a legal requirement is detrimental to other county departments and to the families of incarcerated people. For agenda item 19, I support updating the care first community investment budget policy because it affirms the county's commitment to measure J. but passing a policy is not enough we need to make sure it's implemented with transparency and accountability communities deserve to know how the county calculates 10% care first investment please focus on transparency and putting the community first it's not fair that I'm going to go ahead and call the meeting to order.
While county workers deserve fair wages and good faith negotiations, this proposal would shift the final decision on certain public safety labor disputes away from the elected Board of Supervisors and into a binding arbitration process. Once that decision becomes final, the board cannot approve or reject it. The people of Los Angeles County elected you to make difficult budget decisions by balancing investments in public safety with housing, mental health, healthcare, youth programs, and other essential services. Those choices should be made in public with public input and public accountability, not by an unelected arbitration panel. Please protect transparency, preserve democratic oversight and keep final budget authority with the public and the Board of Supervisors.
Thank you.
Thank you. Xenia Moreno your line is open. Please state the agenda items you're addressing and begin.
Hi, I'm here to address eleven nineteen and twenty one. My name is Zinni Moreno and I'm a resident of SD three, a law defense intern and social work student at UCLA. I am in favor of the spirit of item eleven because incarcerated individuals are still human beings. Deserving of dignity just like you and I, but I find the other public commenters points about the misuse of billions in funds already allocated to be incredibly compelling and worth further investigation.
Still, I want each supervisor to think about how many days you personally allow to pass without brushing your teeth or washing your body before you no longer feel like a human being and you move accordingly. As for 19 Care First, I wanted to ask not just all of you but specifically the supervisor from my district who is Lindsay Horvath to vote yes. Care First investments need to be transparent accountable and guided by community voices. Our budgetary stances on incarceration are truly matters of life and death that determine the outcome of not just That determine the outcome of every generation that follow ours, not just numbers on spreadsheets. If care is not prioritized first it doesn't just happen last, it never happens at all.
Finally I am against item 21 because again transparency is incredibly important. The police departments do not deserve secrecy around their settlements or for the details to be made public only after settlements have been decided since we are the ones who personally have to foot the bill. Thank you. Thank you
caller with phone number 323 last two digits to five your line is open please state your name the agenda items you're addressing and begin.
Good morning my name is Bailey Brooks Henry I'm a member of the National Association of Black Social Workers of the Greater Los Angeles. I'm addressing item number 17, I believe this
will be held for discussion you can come back during that time Okay. Caller with phone number 323, last two digits 74 your line is open please state your name and the agenda items you're addressing and begin. Caller your line is open please state your name and the agenda items you're addressing. Go ahead.
Please continue Yes, I am. My name is Erika Garcia. I'm speaking for motion 15. I would like to thank the Supervisors and Solis for being up to the circumstances and helping address the injustice faced by local businesses affected by the fire. Although the fire was not caused by oil spillage, they were responsible for the county I applaud the initiative to intervene and give support to small businesses, since no one else is doing it.
Madam Chair, that concludes the time for public comment on these items.
0:48 – 0:518 turns
We need to just wait a moment for Supervisor Barger to come back into the room so we can vote on these items. Okay, you beat us. Okay move by Supervisor Mitchell seconded by Supervisor Horvath to approve these items with the exceptions noted by the executive officer. Executive Officer please call the roll.
Yes Madam Chair the following items are before you. Items 1 through 3, 5 through 11 Item 13 with Supervisors Solis and Horvath abstaining from the vote. Item 14, item 16, item 18 through 20, item 21 with Supervisor Mitchell voting no. Item 24 through 32 items 34 and 35, item 36 and 37 with Supervisor Mitchell voting no. Items 38 through 58, item 59B, And item 1D through 3D.
Please note that we will take a separate vote on Item 64. These items are before you.
Negative officer, please call the roll.
Roll-call vote Passed 5–0
Show transcript
Madam Chair, we will now vote on the separate matter item. Item number 64 is before you.
Moved by Supervisor Barger, seconded by Supervisor Hahn to approve the item. Executive Officer call the roll.
Roll-call vote Passed 5–0 Moved by Barger · Seconded by Janice Hahn Moved by Supervisor Barger, seconded by Supervisor Hahn to approve the item. Executive Officer call the roll.
Show transcript
Executive Officer, please call those members of the public. No, that's not correct.
Members of the public, please note a change in the meeting order. We will hear items 4 and 59A then item 17. All other items will be heard in the order stated before. We will now
move on to Item 4, Motion to Proclaim August 7th, 2026 as Purple Heart Day throughout Los Angeles County and Item 59A Declaring Los Angeles County a Purple Heart City which were held by Supervisor Hahn. For members of the public joining us remotely, to comment on these items please use the raise hand feature if you are online or press star three if on a telephone.
Commander Zerifino John Madrigal III of the California Military Order of the Purple Heart is present and available for any questions.
0:51 – 1:013 turns
Thank You Supervisor
Hahn Thank you Madam Chair and thank you for co-authoring both of these motions today. Colleagues, today we have the opportunity to make a lasting commitment to the men and women who have sacrificed so much for our country. The Purple Heart is unlike any other military decoration. It is not awarded for achievement or years of service. It is earned through sacrifice and is presented to those who were wounded or killed in combat while defending the freedoms that we enjoy today. That is why today's motions are so important. Our first motion proclaims August 7th as Purple Heart Day in Los Angeles County, ensuring that we pause to recognize the extraordinary courage and sacrifice of Purple Heart recipients and their families. The second motion does something even more significant.
It permanently designates Los Angeles County as a Purple Heart County. Now, that designation is more than just a title. Visitors entering Los Angeles County will know that we honor our combat wounded veterans through Purple Heart County signage at key locations. It allows our Department of Military and Veterans Affairs to work alongside the Military Order of the Purple Heart and local veteran organizations to organize annual commemorative events, educational programs, and recognition ceremonies so future generations understand the sacrifices made by these heroes.
And it will further strengthen our Bob Hope Patriotic Hall as one of California's premier places dedicated to honoring military service. This motion also directs the creation of a permanent memorial to recognize every Purple Heart recipient I would like to thank all of the members of the board for their hard work and dedication. I would also like to thank the veterans from Los Angeles County ensuring that their names and their sacrifices are preserved for generations to come, including veterans like Ruben Valencia who is in our audience today or like Luis Dominguez, my friend and San Pedro resident whose name graces the Luis Dominguez Veterans Center in I would like to begin by saying that this is not a new implementation plan. However, to keep this plan aligned with its core purpose, Thank you, Mr.
Chairman and members of the Board of Supervisors. I'm delighted to be here with you today to talk about the Statue of Liberty, which was erected in 1782. And although there is meaningful connection between our nation's first commander-in-chief and the brave men and women who've earned this distinguished decoration, the statue is an important historic artifact And now I would like to introduce Commander Zeferino John Madrigal III, commander of the California Military Order of the Purple Heart and a Purple Heart recipient who truly understands the significance of this designation. Commander Magical has dedicated countless hours honoring Purple Heart recipients throughout the state and supporting communities across our county to achieve Purple Heart designations.
Commander, we invite you to share a few words about what this designation means.
Good morning, Chair and members of the L.A. County Board of Supervisors. My name is Zeferino John Madrigal III. I served in the United States Army and now I am a combat veteran who has received the Purple Heart. I now lead the Military Order of the Purple Heart as the Commander of State of California. Thank you, Supervisor Janahan for bringing this motion forward and inviting me here today.
Thank you Ivan, thank you Supervisors and staff for including this important moment. I want to recognize two local patriots. Ruben Valencia and his wife, and the veterans' families. And they're present here today. This is a grassroots membership who keep this organization and mission strong in our communities. That invitation means to us something special. It shows that LA County is including combat veterans in decisions. This means more than a title on a document This is marking the beginning of a relationship between the county, our veterans, our families and our communities.
I'm not standing here before you today because I believe that Purple Heart recipients are more important than our veterans. Every veteran who's served honorably deserve our respect. Purple Heart stands for a service member whose sacrifice should inspire respect and gratitude from our communities. It represents a moment when service became a sacrifice. A Purple Heart is not given for finishing a training program or a certain rank, it is not something anyone seeks out.
It's received because the service member was killed or wounded in action defending this country. It has received a medal, family might receive a medal. Some carry a medal but the stories last a lifetime. Other service members carry on invisible wounds such as traumatic brain injury, chronic pain, sleepless nights, memories they cannot escape. Wounds that affect their marriage, their family, their children and their jobs and part of daily life.
Some came struggling home with things that they don't want to burden others with their stories, and some never came home at all. Their families received a small medal with their name on it. That's why declaring LA County a Purple Heart County is so important to our commitment in honoring those who sacrificed. LA County is one of the largest counties in the country who have the most populated men and women here.
They came from different cities, they came from different cultures, they even spoke different languages at home. They even might have had different political beliefs but they put on the uniform and all served under one flag Their wounds, their bloodshed was no difference. This designation tells veterans in Los Angeles that Purple Heart recipients when they see a sign on a county building or entrance your sacrifice was part of history for this county.
It tells the widows parents children family and somebody who didn't return that we loved you and you're not forgotten This motion calls for the Purple Heart signs, annual events, educational outreaches, veterans ceremonies and ongoing work with the military or the Purple Heart and local groups. This is an important designation that should be a lasting symbol of our commitment and not just a one-time gesture. This designation means the most residents see it learn from it and take part in honoring our veterans. A child may see a Purple Heart County sign and ask the parents and teachers what does that mean?
The question gives us a chance to teach the next generation what real people protect our freedom. People's mothers, fathers, people with husbands, wives and children, people with plans for their future, people with the willingness to take those future risks for all of us. This motion is recognized as a very special place at the Bob Hope Patriotic Hall The perspective movement, the statue of the George Washington statue at the Purple Heart Inn is creating a lasting tribute and connects to history with our local heroes.
I've worked with Purple Heart City Recognitions and seen this happen, where communities take up the step. Veterans start finding one another. Families bring forward photographs and stories of their family members. Local leaders start talking about Purple Heart parking spaces, signs and ceremonies in schools and other ways to provide honor for servicemen. Veterans who felt alone and recognized that someone still cares That the recognition can open new doors, sometimes a veteran not even asking for help but veterans may attend a ceremony and he might meet other veterans.
Today this board brings the chance to make those words permanent on behalf of the military or the Purple Heart of California our chapters and our combat wounded veterans are fallen service members and the families who stood behind them During this and after our service, we respectfully ask the board to approve this motion and officially declare LA County as a Purple Heart County.
Please let this mean more than a ceremony. Let this start an everlasting partnership. You are not forgotten. Your woods are not forgotten. May God bless our veterans, our Gold Star families, LA County and the United States of America. Thank you.
1:01 – 1:106 turns
Thank you, Commander Madrigal. Colleagues as you've heard we have an opportunity today to join communities across the nation declaring that the courage, sacrifice and the service of our Purple Heart recipients will never be forgotten. And Supervisor I know you're going to say a few words but I meant to start my remarks by thanking Supervisor Mitchell for the courtesy in allowing this item to go first on our agenda today. Thank you,
Madam Chair. Yes thank you so much Supervisor Hahn for inviting me to join you as a co-author and I too want to salute the Purple Heart individuals that have given their life and those that are currently serving or currently with their families. I had the pleasure of seeing many of our friends in East Los Angeles just at Garfield High School at the Vietnam Memorial and there were many proud purple heart recipients that were there and many that were recognized, and will always be in our hearts. And I have to say that you're correct in saying that most of those Purple Heart honorees we have the largest proportion here in Los Angeles County, and especially in communities like East Los Angeles. And that is something that is a historical fact, and I hope people will understand that our community Latinos, Mexican American, we stand up We protect our country and when we are called to service, we take it on not knowing at any moment that your life can be taken when you're out in the battlefield or doing your job in another place.
So we honor you. We want to thank the families that are here. I too want to salute you and Ruben Valencia and his wife who I just saw. This weekend and thank you for the wonderful pin that you just gave us. I hope you have more to share with my colleagues as well, but I want to say that it's very important for us to understand that before the wall that I visited this Saturday, it's noted there that there are over 700 Garfield veterans Graduates of that high school go as far back as probably World War I, World War II and were reminded of how important these individuals were, their families and the sacrifices. Many were very young men and many did not come back in those wars.
A name on the monument for me is never just a name. It represents a life, it represents a family, it represents a neighborhood and it represents our culture and that deserves to be carried forward so that's why today's recognition of the Purple Heart is so meaningful as a former member of the House I recall having many visits by the Purple Heart Authority and working alongside you even at the cabinet level at the Department of Labor Because we also have a military, we had a military office there that recognizes our veterans and especially those that were disabled. And those that needed additional workforce training that were coming back from combat from the Iraq war at that time and now we know even more so that we need that to happen to continue to have that before us.
I want to recognize all those who experienced the realities of war firsthand And those who endured those injuries in defense of our country. And in those many cases, as we know they didn't all come home and we keep those in our heart. It's a reminder that the freedoms we often take for granted have not always depended on the courage of people but a willingness for people to put themselves in harm's way. That's what courage is all about. That's what the Purple Heart signifies as well. They didn't think about it, as you said that they were going to get anything out of their service but this is what we do to help represent them so I want to thank you join you and all our communities throughout the county to help continue the celebration declaring Los Angeles County a Purple Heart County that builds on that tradition Hallelujah.
It ensures that the sacrifices of Purple Heart recipients are not only honored today, but remembered for future and by future generations. And it reflects that we know that Los Angeles County and our veterans do not stop serving. They continue and their families continue And they participate in civic expression and well-being of our community. So we thank you.
I just want to say again, thank you Supervisor Hahn for bringing this forward and also for the very courageous and valued members of the Purple Heart community but all our military men and women who are serving us today here at home and abroad and those that gave the ultimate sacrifice for their communities and our freedom. Thank you and God bless you. Okay, with that I will go to my colleagues. I have Supervisor Barger in the queue.
Thank you and thank you Supervisor Hahn and Soliz for bringing this motion forward and thank you Commander for your service to this nation. As you stated LA County is one of the largest veteran has one of the largest veteran populations in the country and we have a long-standing commitment to support those who have bravely served through the services we provide with housing Benefit assistance and advocacy to help our veterans and the families thrive. And I feel that's very important, this county truly does put our money where our mouth is working with the VA. Today's action is another important way for us to demonstrate our gratitude by formally recognizing the service that all members provided who were wounded in combat or made the ultimate sacrifice in defense of this great nation By becoming a Purple Heart County, it is more than just a symbolic designation.
It will serve as a lasting tribute to our residents of the courage and selfless service of these men and women, as well as honor their families who've sacrificed along with them. And we all know that to be true and Supervisor Solis you mentioned it but the families are also a part of this equation This year marks the 250th anniversary of our nation, and this designation will be a fitting reminder that the freedoms that we all enjoy today were secured through the service and the sacrifice of those who answered the call to serve.
Thank you, and thank you for your service to this great nation. I will be voting aye on this motion. Thank you.
Thank you. Supervisor Horvath? Thank you, Madam Chair. I want to thank both you and Supervisor Hahn for bringing this motion forward and for recognizing Los Angeles County as Purple Heart County and to designate August 7th as Purple Heart Day. As has been said these designations are a meaningful way to honor the extraordinary courage and sacrifice of the people serving our armed forces who were wounded or gave their lives in service to our nation. They also reaffirm our county's commitment to recognizing the services made not only by our veterans. but also by their families, which you so beautifully articulated. And thank you very much for being here today as well as for your service and for the sacrifice of your family for sharing you and your service with us in our nation.
I also want to thank our Director Zinner and the Department of Military and Veteran Affairs for their continued leadership and dedication to serving our community. The implementation of measures outlined in this motion including commemorative events Educational outreach, memorial projects and public recognition will help ensure that the legacy and service of Purple Heart recipients are remembered and honored throughout Los Angeles County. And it's important for us to take moments like this one to establish this kind of recognition because the freedoms that we enjoy, the decisions we get to make here today were only able to make because of your service and sacrifice in protecting the values that we stand for as a country And so I don't take that lightly.
And I really appreciate you and all of the veterans who have served and continue to make Los Angeles County proud. Thank you very much.
Thank you so much with that executive officer, will you please call the members of the public who wish to speak on this item?
Madam Chair, there are no in-person or remote speakers who have signed up to speak on this item. That concludes the time for public comment.
Roll-call vote Moved by Janice Hahn
Show transcript
1:11 – 1:138 turns
Madam Chair, Item 4 is before you. Supervisor Mitchell?
Aye.
Supervisor Horwath?
Aye
Supervisor Hahn?
Aye
Roll-call vote Passed 6–0 moved by Supervisor Hahn and I will second to approve the item. Executive Officer please call the roll.
Show transcript
Motion carries unanimously
Very good. Thank you. We're ready, Executive Officer on item 17. Do you want to introduce that?
1:13 – 1:2910 turns
We will now
move to item 17, ensuring Measure B funds are put to their highest and best use which was held by Supervisor Mitchell. For members of the public joining us remotely, to comment on this item please use the raise hand feature if you are online or press star three if on a telephone. There were no departmental speakers requested for this item
Thank you. Supervisor Mitchell, you are recognized.
Thank you very much Madam Chair. Colleagues today hospitals are facing growing financial pressures and an expected increase in uninsured patients due to H.R. 1 will only add to that burden and that's why we brought forward today's motion calling for an independent review of how Measure B funds are allocated. You all will recall it was about 25 years ago that the County Board of Supervisors and voters across LA County passed Measure B to support trauma hospitals and emergency medical services, helping ensure residents have access to life-saving care when they need it.
Today's motion will create the opportunity to have a review. The review, it is our goal, is to help ensure that taxpayer dollars are directed where they can have the greatest impact and that Measure B continues to fulfill its intended purpose of supporting and stabilizing a strong countywide trauma and emergency center. There are a number of hospitals with emergency rooms that are critical to our trauma and emergency care that are financially struggling.
Ensuring Measure B resources reflect community needs will help strengthen a more equitable healthcare system where every resident has access to the trauma and emergency services they depend on. Soon I'm sure this review, let me just go back. This review is especially important for hospitals like the one in the second district, Martin Luther King Junior Community Hospital which serves one of the county's highest need communities.
It consistently has packed emergency room and provides trauma care to some of the county's most vulnerable populations of uninsured residents. Just yesterday, LA Times had a front page article that highlighted the disparity and impact on this and other critical emergency room hospitals because they are currently not eligible for ongoing Measure B funds. They and other similar hospitals are forced to compete for access to leftover one-time funds We're gonna hear, I'm sure from hospitals today who both agree and disagree with the notion of an independent study that this motion calls for. So let me be clear upfront about what this motion will do. Number one, it does not cut funding.
Secondly, it does not take resources away from trauma hospitals. And thirdly, this is not about destabilizing our trauma infrastructure. The opportunity that is before us today is to have an independent study to determine whether 25 years later Measure B dollars are still being distributed in the best way possible to fulfill the intent of the voters which is to protect the trauma network that saves lives every day.
I nor does anyone here know what the independent consultant will ultimately identify and advise. The consultant could advise us to maintain the status quo, the consultant could advise us to add hospitals like MLK that are critical to our trauma network. The consultant could advise that certain trauma hospitals should get even more money than they're currently getting.
So, as you know colleagues any recommended action from the independent report would require a board vote to move forward. But here's what we do know in this time of unprecedented strain we must make sure we are making the wisest and most equitable decisions with public dollars. We need to ensure we're doing all we can to protect and strengthen our trauma and emergency care system that serves every Los Angeles County resident.
Our willingness to interrogate if we are maximizing these hard-earned tax dollars to the best benefit of the public is what we owe the voters who pass Measure B and the millions of residents who rely on the life-saving care our hospital systems provide. For these reasons, colleague I'll be asking for your support on today's motion. Thank you Madam Chair
Thank you, I'd like to recognize myself on this item. I want to thank you Supervisor Mitchell. Our entire healthcare system as you know is undergoing significant stress due to Medi-Cal cuts driven by HR 1 and changes to the state's Medi-Cal program for immigrant communities These difficult times in my opinion require us to be creative and to meet the needs of our most vulnerable residents. And if we're going to reassess the funding opportunities to support our safety net, I too would want to ensure that we are serving those most in need.
We recently received the Portrait of LA County 2026 report, which included a very comprehensive overview of the communities across the county that are struggling most across a wide array of areas with two primary ones being health poverty and education. The study offered a measurement tool known as the Human Development Index, showing which communities in the county were excelling and which needed more assistance. And I was struck by the vulnerability of communities in the county but especially those in the first district including East Los Angeles, Montebello, Avocado Heights, El Mani, South El Mani and La Puente. It also includes communities such as Willowbrook, Florence Graham in South Los Angeles in the 2nd District. As well as San Fernando and Arleta Pacoima in the 3rd District, Walnut Park, Pico Rivera, Maywood and Cudahy in the 4th District And Lancaster, Palmdale and Sun Valley in the 5th District.
We all have communities that are struggling and I understand the motion calls for a study to assess how these funds are used most effectively and equitably. And I hope that we can onboard a consultant to do this very work. So we can utilize useful tools like the Portrait of LA County to determine which communities are in need the most. I would like to ask our CEO how they would plan to identify an appropriate consultant for such a study to ensure its integrity and expertise on Measure B, trauma centers, emergency services, social and environmental vulnerability, and a willingness to appropriately engage and consider the feedback of relevant stakeholders in the process. That's my first question.
Supervisor, thank you for the question. So generally at a high level what we would do is first we'd convene the stakeholders identified in the motion. I think our first task would be to draft the scope of work supported by those stakeholders and from there we would head what I would describe as an invitation-based interview process with the selection committee, again of those stakeholders. And I say invitation based after a industry scan of qualified stakeholders.
From there we would move to selection based on the Selection Committee's recommendations. It's not my recommendation to do a competitive solicitation given the time constraints identified in the motion. I don't think there is enough time to do something like an RFP so this would approximate A competitive process after we do that industry scan to identify those qualified and interested stakeholders.
And would you be including the portrait of L.A. County, including the Human Development Index tool that was developed for L. A county?
Yeah, I think supervisor, I think we can include that type of data. I think if I read the motion what we're looking for is a study that considers in addition to a whole host of other factors, communities in need. Communities that are impacted by extreme environmental hazards, communities that have lower health outcomes, things of that nature and I think that portrait of LA is a good conglomeration of that data. I think it's one of the tools that we can certainly use or ask the consultant to use as they look at the different factors identified in the motion.
Thank you. And I just want to reiterate that I am not opposed to conducting a larger study to ensure equitable distribution of non-county trauma measure B funding, but however we must ensure that the study is adequately informed and seeks to reduce the existing disparities we currently have in our communities as I mentioned earlier. And I also would like to see that areas that have faced near closures in terms of their hospitals, such as those serving communities in the San Gabriel Valley and eastern Los Angeles also be included in the process in some way.
We must also consider the number of uninsured and uncompensated care that trauma and emergency hospitals provide, including the number of immigrant patients as well as future measures such as ER funding and those allocations. Additionally we must ensure the special consideration of trauma and emergency services in communities that are disproportionately impacted by environmental injustices and other social vulnerabilities and we have seen firsthand that impact here in our community in the first district with the lineage fire on communities in East Los Angeles, Boyle Heights and surrounding areas. And ensuring the county's most vulnerable communities have adequate access to care that we know is essential. And critical also is to make sure that everyone in the county continues to be able to readily access trauma and emergency services.
This should not be a right, it should be a privilege. So I would say thank you for that and thank you again Supervisor Mitchell. I will now recognize Supervisor Barger for some comments.
Thank you and thank you Supervisor Mitchell for bringing forward this motion. You know when you look at the trauma tax dollars and I think I'm told about over $340 million last year alone, this motion makes sense. We should look at our system as a whole and I think what concerns me the most is that we should not It shouldn't be an either or. I know that when this tax was passed, it was passed because our trauma hospitals were pulling out and we didn't have the level of care necessary to protect the 10 million residents in Los Angeles County. And Measure B was born out of that.
The good news is that it's stabilized as relates to the fact that they're not pulling out. My greatest fear is that trauma will then once again, you'll have hospitals pulling out which really concerns me greatly but also what concerns me is not having Martin Luther King drew hospital in the community. I know when it closed if you talk to St. Francis they could not absorb The level of need in that community. That's because that community, in my opinion I don't think you would disagree. Supervisor Mitchell is underserved when it comes to the underserved medically as it relates to the community as a whole and we as a board need to make sure that we are looking at every opportunity to uplift not only King Hospital but also All of our facilities throughout the county.
And I know, I've heard from hospitals in my district that are concerned that if we redirect dollars it's going to take dollars out of their pocket and that is not what we want to do nor do I think do we intend to do. I think we need to look as a whole about the formula and how Measure B is used right now to make an educated informed decision About a system of care that is not about one facility, it's about a system as a whole.
Because you all know for those of you in the audience who are from other hospitals if one fails the domino effect on our system is seen and felt. When you think about the fact that many use our emergency room as our health clinics, we also need to look at our system as a whole in this county to make sure that we are doing as much as we can to prevent people from ending up in emergency rooms. And I looked to King Hospital because I know that I've had talks with y'all about the fact that you got an urgent care that you want to or maybe it's a health center urgent care that you want to run versus having the county run it so there's a better system of care, so that people can go there and not be diverted. Once they're in the emergency room, you can't divert them back.
So across the board I think we need to look at our healthcare system as a whole and make informed decisions not based on the needs of just our district because I've got Henry Mayo Up in Santa Clarita and I've got A.V. Hospital up in the Antelope Valley, both of which receive funds and to lose any would be devastating especially for A. V. Hospital. And I understand that but just because King's not in my district doesn't mean I don't understand the impact that hospital closing or Facing financial strain that would curtail services is going to have on our system as a whole. So I feel that I'm looking at this through the lens of someone who for many years was health care or was a health deputy for the former supervisor and so I understand why you're doing this.
And so I am looking forward to the report back Joe and I hope we get a consultant that can be objective and if it means Trauma gets, you know if someone is a trauma level, is it level one and two? Is that correct? Does it two levels of trauma? I can't. Yeah. Someone's nodding their head. That we look at that and the impact that it's going to have and get the input from the hospital council as a whole so that we understand maybe what their thoughts are because we talk to each individual hospital but we don't talk as a system of care And all that to say that I'm a little frustrated that some hospitals fear that we are going to raid the coffers and take money away from them, because I don't think that was the intent, Supervisor Mitchell of your motion.
Your motion is to take an objective look at how Measure B dollars are going, especially given the fact That not that long ago, we divided by five the Measure B dollars and allocated them in ways in each one of our districts. And so I think it is an opportunity for us to hit the reset button and look at how we are allocating these precious resources. And by the way, that's not a criticism. I know that Avalon, Catalina, that hospital is important to you. I understand why it was done but I think that to me opened my eyes that maybe we need to because we haven't revisited that issue. So Azarhan since you and I were elected on the trauma tax dollars and how they're allocated the formula So that's not a criticism. That is more for me, a wake up call that maybe we need to hit the reset button and look at opportunities to better utilize dollars because Avalon wouldn't have qualified under Measure B.
I mean and now maybe this is an opportunity for us to reset and look at our system as a whole. Thank you Madam Chair.
1:29 – 1:4010 turns
Thank you Supervisor Hahn.
Thank you Madam Chair and thank you Supervisor Mitchell for bringing this motion forward. Anything that's related to Measure B becomes an important discussion, especially nowadays with our health system at risk. The trauma system that was created to support our trauma hospitals in our county works well for our patients and residents until our hospitals began losing funds.
And many were at risk of bankruptcy, which is why the previous board Place Measure B on the ballot to support and sustain trauma centers that provide an invaluable and life-saving service for those that need it. Not just residents, right? Anyone that comes into our county and we've seen international games with the World Cup and will be hosting the world for the Olympic and Paralympic Games and anything can happen and we want these trauma hospitals to be sustainable and ready to take those who need it.
Unfortunately, as we're seeing all of our trauma hospitals continue to face severe financial strain because trauma centers and their staff operate far beyond the scope and requirements of just standard emergency departments. It's alarming how many of our hospitals are on the brink right now. In my district, I'm hearing from Miller Children's and Women's Hospital in Long Beach whose patients are over 70% Medi-Cal recipients and their existing funding is not enough to sustain their trauma level services. St. Mary's Medical Center which is also in my district is reporting a substantial Medi-Cal shortfall and Measure B already does not cover half of their uncompensated trauma care expenses So of course, they don't want to lose any more funding.
And I know we will be hearing loud and clear today from those who are here supporting Martin Luther King Jr Hospital which my father got built after The Watts, I don't know my new staff says Watts uprising. I'm old school, I was like Watts riots and how much they are struggling. It would be disaster if Martin Luther King Jr Hospital were forced to close. In fact, I've been wondering if it's time to even revisit the idea of whether MLK should become a county hospital again to help sustain it?
It might be good for us to welcome them back into the county family. And I'd like to see us actually explore that, because I think there are some advantages Yeah, Mitchell I. I think there's advantages we know there are resources that you know Christina Galley can gather together for our county hospital so I think it might be time to relook at that Supervisor Mitchell. I think it was you know we appreciate the private privatization that kind of really raised MLK from the ashes to become what it is. I mean that's important but I'm just wondering if it's time I'm going to go ahead and get started. I want to start by saying thank you so much to the board of Supervisors for this opportunity to relook at their status within the county family. The reality is that there are hospitals across our county that worry about changing Measure B allocations, that it could destabilize the county's trauma system as a whole and put them We're not here to necessarily take money from one hospital or the others.
We don't want to put any of our hospitals at risk, we want to make sure they are all healthy and stabilized. Health assets in those particular communities would be gone. Surrounding facilities would be overwhelmed, and ultimately patients would not be getting the life-saving care that they need when they need it. We need all of them to be financially solvent, to respond to medical emergencies when they come. That's why I think this is a good motion. I think it's time for us to take another look to make sure that Measure B funding is being dispersed and allocated in the fair and equitable way that it was designed, in a way that strengthens all of our trauma systems as a whole. Thank you, Madam Chair.
Thank you so much. Supervisor Horvath, do you recognize?
Thank you, Madam Chair. The title of item 17 is ensuring Measure B funds are put to their highest and best use. So it should come as no surprise that I fully support taking a present day look at how we do things in county government. I help the effort to modernize county governance through Measure G and I support taking a fresh look at Measure B as well. The last time this board discussed Measure B funding, I was the only supervisor to publicly commit my district's allocation to MLK which is in another district because there was demonstrated need for a hospital providing emergency services. So that support is not just in word, it's indeed, it's an action, it was with investment. Unlike Measure ER, Measure B was a special parcel tax which means it was created for a specific purpose to preserve and stabilize Los Angeles County's trauma system after hospitals began leaving the network because trauma care was financially unsustainable and to enhance emergency services.
Since its passage, the landscape has changed especially with benefits from historic achievements like Obamacare so I support evaluating its impact and best use today. So I would ask our CEO will this report back evaluate whether the goals of Measure B have been met And what's needed to maintain stability that has been articulated as achieved.
Yeah, let me just start with a blanket statement that maybe I should have said in response to the first question I got today which is I take this very very seriously When we were asked to report back last July, and we submitted our report back on options to look at needs-based allocations for measure B. Candidly I deferred I mean, I told the board at that time we need an expert to bring in somebody who knows the landscape better than I do To make recommendations because there's a lot at stake So I want everybody to know what this board to know and I want the public to know That there's that I understand. There's a lot of writing on this and we take it very very seriously when we think about recommendations for The future allocations of measure B.
We're gonna take a holistic approach. And so if you think about The objectives of Measure B stated in the measure, there were basically three things. There was trauma, there was emergency medical services and there was bioterrorism response. The county at the time focused I would say nearly the entirety of that investment on trauma centers. And with a particular focus on 13 non-county trauma centers.
We want to look at that allocation today, we want to look at all of the objectives in Measure G. Sorry, Measure B. I get my letters confused. But we want to make sure that when we're making recommendations that we understand based on data and analysis what the implications are For the trauma system because that was the original investment we focused on and I've heard the board say it today, and I've heard comments, and I've seen comments in the media. And I've had concerns raised personally with me. We don't want to destabilize a trauma system that today is operating rather successfully in the region. So that is a primary look of the consultant, in my view but it doesn't end there. I think we have to look at how that allocation process happens.
It's been happening the same way for a very long time and then it's also important to look at the factors that Supervisor Solis mentioned which is what communities are experiencing differential outcomes and is there a higher and best use of Measure B That would come measure G on the brain that would make more sense for this county to invest in while being sure that the way we do that doesn't destabilize anything that exists today. That's a tall order, I'm sure but we're gonna bring in an expert to help us figure that out.
So since you are bringing in that expert, I wanted to understand specifically, I didn't hear it in your answer, will this report back include an evaluation of whether the goals of Measure B have been met? Yes. And what it takes to keep the trauma system stable if it is in fact stable?
Absolutely. And like I mentioned, there were multiple goals listed in Measure B. The original investment was trauma. We're going to look at that and make sure that we're meeting that objective. I think we are. The question would be can we meet it in a different way?
And as I mentioned, the title is The Highest and Best Use which to me is different than just an allocation. It's where do the dollars need to go in service to the directives from the voters in Measure B? So is that what we're evaluating or is it just a different kind of allocation that will be
I completely agree with you, everything has to be tied to the measure. This is a special parcel tax we have to adhere to the parameters goals objectives of the measure.
And I heard you say earlier that you wouldn't be going through a competitive solicitation. That concerns me given the impact of hundreds of millions of dollars that are at stake so how will you guarantee independence and making sure that the consultant that you choose
1:40 – 1:478 turns
I think we have a diverse panel of stakeholders that were listed in the motion. They represent different interests, and I think using that stakeholder panel to help us develop the scope of work and make the selection would foster a level of independence for the consultant. I would just say if there was more time, we could do a competitive solicitation but it's not advisable to try to jam that in and meet the 120-day deadline in the motion.
Yeah, no I understand and there are ways in which we've done this before so it's not unusual. But I just again given the potential impact want to make sure that you are doing all that your office can I'll also echo, as we evaluate the highest and best use of Measure B funds, we need to ensure that we do not unintentionally destabilize the trauma system. And I have not heard concerns that Measure B hasn't achieved that goal. So what I have heard, however, especially through recent press that has highlighted Other critical needs in our non-trauma hospitals, which I support evaluating. And if the issue at the root of this item is the financial stability of hospitals like MLK or Catalina, those are important and essential conversations to have.
These hospitals have provided essential services that the county could not easily replace and they deserve thoughtful long term solutions. We should understand why these hospitals are experiencing financial distress and if the underlying issues are related to reimbursement, operations or broader structural challenges simply shifting Measure B dollars may not solve the problem. So truly understanding what's at work there I think is also critical. I would like the report back to identify the root causes of hospital financial distress, to evaluate options that preserve the voter directive to protect our trauma system and identify opportunities to maximize available state and federal funding including federal matching funds. So I'd ask our CEO if that's your understanding of the director directives of this motion?
I think that's a more specific than the directives I've seen in the motion, but we can certainly include it. I think the converse is also true. We would look at hospitals that are currently receiving funding from the county to see whether it's still, you know, whether that's still beneficial for them.
Absolutely. I think that's, that's the intention of this, uh, of this motion. And so I want to, I just, I think that holistic evaluation is important as we have this conversation You know, we should be honest about the problem we're trying to solve and make sure our solution matches that problem. And if Measure B funds need to evolve let's do it thoughtfully based on evidence and while preserving the trauma system voters created to protect it. So thank you.
Thank you. Supervisor Mitchell, did you want to wish to be recognized?
I thank you very much and thank you to my colleagues for your comments. I just wanted to just remind us all that since Measure B's passage the ongoing non-county share has been exclusively divided among the county's 13 existing trauma facilities even though the language of Measure B in its implementing ordinance don't require this result Those 13 non-county trauma facilities are, I can share those names if people aren't aware of them. But let's be clear again over time those 13 non-county trauma centers have changed the formula to ensure that they continue to get the same amount of money.
Give you an example, before the Affordable Care Act funding used to be mostly based on the number of uninsured trauma patients that each served. The ACA as we'll recall dramatically reduced the number of uninsured people so the 13 trauma centers devised a new allocation formula to ensure that they basically would continue to receive at least the same amount of Measure B funds that they received before the ACA. Back in 2017, the board approved another funding methodology proposed by the trauma centers that included more fixed allocations again to prevent a reduction in their Measure B funding.
It is my hope that we acknowledge that a mere study doesn't suggest a zero-sum game. I'm sorry that the hospitals fear an independent evaluation. I think it's timely and appropriate If we're going to look at a holistic evaluation of how hospitals, particularly some of those that were mentioned today have gotten in kind of the financial situation they're in. I think it's also fair that we and if we're concerned that any movement or even an evaluation of Measure B could We should look at the reserves and the cash on hand that some of these 13 hospitals are sitting on. So before any of them could infer closure, I think they should also be able to explain how they are good for them, able to sit on reserves and cash on hand in the billions of dollars.
So if we're gonna do a holistic evaluation, let's look at those factors as well. So again I appreciate the hearty debate. We have put a timeframe in it because based on MBAP's decisions and the timing of allocation of Measure B funds, we didn't want this to take too long. It is important that it is done well and right so I appreciate all the additional comments to provide The CEO with clarity around where members of the board are looking to you to include in this report.
Again, I thank my colleagues for your comments and I look forward to hearing public comment and hoping that we can get this measure across the finish line today. Thank you Madam Chair.
Thank you very much. With that Executive Officer will you please call members of the public who have signed up to speak or called in?
There are currently 55 speakers who have signed up to provide comment on this item, as well as over 55 participants listening remotely. Given the number of speakers who have signed up to speak on Item 17 in order to finish today's meeting efficiently and address all agenda items, the time for public comment on this item will be 60 minutes. If you are with a group, please identify one person to speak on behalf of your entire group. Additionally if you do not have any additional comments other than what has already been stated by other speakers, please indicate only your name and your support or opposition to this item to allow others the opportunity to speak.
Should you like to provide more detailed comments, you can do so by submitting written comments to our customer service staff with badges. Additionally, you can provide your comments online at our website, bos.lacounty.gov, by clicking the link Submit Public Comment Online. All comments submitted online will be filed in the official record. It is now 1120. Public comment will end at 1220.
We're starting with in-person speakers.
1:47 – 1:5923 turns
Will the following individuals please come forward and staff will assist you? Elaine Batchelor, Precious Mays, Darren Harris, Juan Munoz, Maya Douglas, Atul Nakasi, Latricia Mitchell, Frances Saunders, Christopher Fernandez, Chelsea Velez, Lupe Retamosa, Tausi Rahman, Sonia Rosas, Mike Perea, Regina Martin, Allison Kislink, Sunatitan Smith, Sarah Kim, Mike Cho and Jeremy Zoc.
We will hear from in-person speakers first.
Welcome,
please begin.
Safety Net Community Hospital that treats one of the most vulnerable populations in our county and provides visits at one of the busiest emergency departments in the country. We have the highest volume of Medicaid visits in our ED of any ED in California we appreciate The one-time bailouts and Measure B funds that we've received over the past few years, that have allowed us to keep the hospital open. But we acknowledge that we need a structural answer to the funding gap that occurs because of the insurance status of the patients we treat. We're an essential part of the county's emergency care infrastructure. We need the county's longterm support to serve that role for South LA And we encourage you to support this needs-based review of the Measure B formula.
Thank you.
Thank you, Board of Supervisors. My name is Precious Mays, CEO of Pacifica Hospital of the Valley in Sun Valley, California. I am here in support of the Supervisor Mitchell's motion to ensure Measure B funds are put to their highest and best use. At Pacifica Hospital we actually serve over 82% Medi-Cal and uninsured in the San Fernando Valley. We also serve over 48% of the mental health cases in that area.
Measure B was created to strengthen Los Angeles County's trauma and emergency care system, and it is important for these funds to continue to be allocated in a way that reflects current needs and changes. At the same time, multiple hospitals with emergency departments are at risk of closure and or bankruptcy and are excluded from the measure B formula. Pacifica Hospital has filed Bankruptcy Chapter Restructure 11 in the last 30 days.
We request that the Board of Supervisors assess fairly the need across all distressed hospitals for assigning unallocated Measure B funding evenly across each supervisory district to support financially vulnerable hospitals. Thank you, next speaker please.
Good morning my name is Darren Harris and I'm speaking on behalf of St. John's Community Health First, thank you Supervisors for your support for National Health Center Week. St. John's strongly supports item number 17. We serve more than 120,000 patients each year, many who are on Medi-Cal with no insurance in any of the community clinics and hospitals including MLK Community Healthcare. We work together to coordinate patient care so that is why we must look at our healthcare system as one connected system, not as separate parts. We are in different times than when Measure B first passed and our healthcare system has changed. We are not asking the county to change how the funds are used today. We're asking for an independent review and the facts needed to make an informed decision about whether Measure B funds are meeting today's needs and being put to their highest and best use.
Please vote yes on Item 17. Thank you.
Thank you. Next speaker please?
Good morning, Supervisors. My name is Juan Munoz Guevara with Unite Here Local 11 representing 32,000 hospitality workers. Our union built an innovative plan hard fought at the bargaining table so 3,000 of our members and their families can get care at MLK Community Healthcare where $0 in premiums and $0 in copays but that plan only works if MLK Hospital and the whole trauma system behind it stays strong. We know the incredible pressures that our healthcare system is under. This is exactly the moment to do an independent study and ensure Measure B dollars go where the need is greatest. We support Supervisor Mitchell for leading on this, please support the motion to do an independent study on the Measure B allocation formula. Thank you.
Thank you, next speaker
please. Good morning Supervisors my name is Maya Douglas I'm the District Director for Assemblymember Mike Gibson. I am here on his behalf. Assemblymember Gibson is in strong support of item 17 when voters approved measure B in 2002 they did so to help prevent the collapse of emergency departments and trauma centers preserve access to emergency medical care and strengthen the county's emergency response system The measure was created to protect hospitals and communities facing the greatest need, not simply to preserve the status quo. No hospital better illustrates these challenges than MLK Community Hospital.
MLKCH serves the highest volume of Medi-Cal emergency department patients in California, nearly 85,000 annually. And approximately 95% of its emergency department patients are covered by Medi-Cal. An independent review is therefore both timely and prudent. The study proposed in the item does not predetermine any outcome, rather it's an act as an independent expert to evaluate whether current allocations maximize public benefit.
Thank you next speaker please
St. Luke Medical Center, Pasadena 2002. Santa Teresa Hospital in Duarte 2004. Bellwood General Hospital, Bellflower 2003. Ella Star Community Hospital, East LA 2004. Century City Hospital, West LA 2004. RFK Medical Center, Hawthorne 2004. Daniel Freeman Memorial Hospital, Inglewood 2007. Century City Doctors' Hospital 2008. Mission Hospital of Huntington Park 2009 10. Gardens Regional Hospital, Hawaiian Gardens 2017 Pacific Alliance Medical Center in Chinatown 2017 St.
Vincent Medical Center in Westlake in 2020 This is the list of our deceased hospitals As well as the recent bankruptcies of Beverly Hospital in Montebello, Southern California Hospital in Culver City and Pacific Hospital in Sun Valley four weeks ago. Measure B was passed because voters feared the collapse of emergency and trauma care yet we have continued to lose these hospitals. The history shows why we cannot be on a- Thank you.
Next speaker please.
Latricia
Mitchell. Latricia Mitchell president of the Los Angeles NAACP, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. We are in support of item 17 an independent review The 126 million in annual subsidies for hospitals. I just want everyone to know that we are all just one serious infection, one heart attack or one stroke away from needing emergency care and when hospitals close people still get sick and need a place to go.
Thank you next speaker please
I'm Frances Saunders, California Black Women's Health Project. And we speak for agenda item number 17 for an independent review. It's important that those people who are most vulnerable are supported and that there is equity in health care Residents of South Los Angeles already face barriers to health care. We need fair funding to preserve life-saving services. I urge and we urge the board to support Supervisor Mitchell's motion to study, to this study that will fix the formula. Thank you.
Thank you next speaker please. I'm Regina Martin with Black Women for Wellness supporting item 17 I have lived long enough to see MLK Community Hospital transform from an infamous nickname, to being a top hospital that has saved the lives of many of my beloved friends and family members. It has disturbed me on every level that a hospital so beloved by its community has to hold out a cup every year and beg desperately for funding.
We as a community are not beggars. We are working-class people who support our families. We deserve to be treated with dignity and respect, and the hospital that serves us also deserves to be treated with dignity and respect, and therefore Measure B funding needs to be prioritized And the annual formula in order for MLK Community Hospital and other vulnerable safety net hospitals to continue to provide necessary care. We urge the Board of Supervisors to fix the formula, thank you.
Thank you next speaker please.
Good morning board, my name is Michael Perea. I represent SEIU-UHW and the members of Pacifica Hospital of the Valley. We're here to support Supervisor Mitchell's motion for an independent study for Measure B funding. Measure B was created to strengthen hospitals serving communities with great need. Pacifica cares for an underprivileged community and our frontline healthcare workers continue to meet the needs despite ongoing staffing shortages and limited resources.
With Medicaid cuts coming in January of 2027, it's our responsibility to ensure that the public dollars are invested where they need to go to make the greatest difference. Protecting access care to vulnerable communities, supporting healthcare workers and serve them every day.
Thank you. Thank you we will now go to remote callers as a final reminder for remote participants to be placed in the speaking queue to address item 17 if you have not already done so use the raise hand feature on your device or press star 3 on your telephone now caller with phone number 661 last two digits 49 your line is open please state your name and begin
hi this is Tim Kilpinski I'm the chief executive officer at Catalina Island Health Yes, Measure B was for trauma and EMS. And no we are not a trauma center, we're not Trauma 1 or Trauma 2 but we are a critical part of L.A County's EMS system. We do get trauma cases that come into our hospital into our emergency department but the nice thing is the good thing is that 90% of those trauma cases are stabilized and remain on the island yes 10% of those are medevaced off the island If we, if we close there could be another 1500 new medevacs for LA County which would be additional unexpected expenses for LA County of anywhere from 17 to 20Million dollars.
Paramedics and EMTs are critical to the EMS system but they're not the same as emergency department doctors that are manning our emergency department 24 7. As Supervisor Mitchell said, just reassess. Thank you.
Caller with phone number 850 last two digits 37 your line is open please state your name and begin. Okay caller with phone number 562 last two digits 10 your line is open please state your name and begin. Caller your line is open
1:59 – 2:0518 turns
Good morning, Supervisors. I want to thank the Board for assuming this measure and for recognizing that meaningful change requires informed decisions. Now is the time to move from planning to action by conducting comprehensive health care with community health needs assessment, developing strategic recommendations and implementing trauma-informed solutions with clear objectives and measurable outcomes. As Supervisor Solis said, the reset is needed. That reset must begin now. It means creating immediate remedies that stabilize families Thank you. Caller with phone number 323, last two digits 52.
Your line is open, please state your name and begin.
Candy Lewis CEO of Positive Results Center and I am in agreement that we should definitely vote yes for Measure B.
Thank you caller with phone number 828626 last digits 10 your line is open please begin. Caller with phone number 323, last two digits 89. Your line is open. Please begin.
Good afternoon, this is my name is Dr. Hector Flores I'm president of the LA County Medical Association in 2002 and I'm speaking in favor of item 17. In 2002 LACMA supported the Measure B initiative exactly because it not only supported trauma services but also emergency rooms that are the byways and highways towards trauma but also offloaded trauma centers so they can do their work I continue to participate with the LA County Safety Net Coalition which recently successfully supported the Measure ER initiative and we also continue to support the local hospitals. I work at a White Memorial Medical Center, which is a safety net hospital that recently affiliated the bankrupt Beverly Hospital, which is now called Adventist Health Montebello. Our communities are also affected not only by trauma and emergencies but toxicity in the air.
We've recently experienced Uh, the lineage fire that has also affected the entire community.
Caller with phone number 862 last 2 digits 1 0 your line is open please state your name and begin.
Hi. Um, hi you have to hear me right?
Yes go ahead.
Okay cool so I'm. Please, you guys have to stop the culling and murdering of these deer on Catalina Island. I believe that program was approved or whatever and needs to be stopped immediately. That doesn't
correspond to our item, the motion before us. So you
can talk about public comment.
Thank
you.
Mia Coleman, your line is open. Please begin.
Good morning, my name is Maya Coleman, and I'm here today in support of this motion Because health care is a matter of justice. For far too long, black Latino immigrant and low income communities have been asked to bear the consequences of disinvestment. We know what happens when hospital closed because South Los Angeles lived through it after the closure of MLK Hospital. Families lost nearby emergency care and entire communities were left more vulnerable during moments when every second mattered. Measure B was passed by voters to make sure our emergency care system would be protected. But more than 20 years later, we still don't know whether those dollars are reaching the hospitals carrying the greatest burden of caring for uninsured and Medi-Cal patients.
As federal health care cuts threaten our safety net hospitals, we cannot afford to wait until another community loses access to life saving care. We need transparency, accountability and funding that reflects today's realities not yesterdays. We urge your support. Thank you.
Thank you. Mason Fowler, your line is open. Please begin.
Hello, my name is Mason Fowler and I'm a member of the Rehabilitation LA Coalition. Today I am talking in support of agenda item 17. Assuring Measure B funds are put to their highest and best use. As someone who grew up in L.A County, I know that access to quality health care can look very different depending on where you live. Access to emergency care should never depend on your zip code but for many communities that has been the overall reality. Residents of South L. A know this first hand when MLK Jr. Hospital closed in 2007, families lost access to nearby emergency and trauma services that were forced to travel further during medical emergencies. Delays in care can have life-changing consequences. Measure B was approved by the voters to protect emergency rooms, preserve trauma centers and ensure the hospitals serving vulnerable communities have resources needed to stay open.
Now, more than over 20 years later health care systems community needs have changed but there has not been a comprehensive review to determine whether Measure B funding is still reaching the hospitals that need it the most. Without their review we risk leaving historical undeserved communities behind including black and Latino communities immigrant families seniors people with disabilities and people experiencing homelessness.
Caller with phone number 626 last two digits 96 your line is open please state your name and begin
2:05 – 2:1829 turns
Hi, this is Andy with Ultimate again. Dear Chair Solis and Honorable Supervisors on behalf of Ultimate Health Services we express our support for Supervisor Mitchell's motion to conduct an independent review of Measure B funding and its role in supporting Los Angeles County's trauma and emergency care system Ultimate believes that ensuring our safety net resources are aligned with the needs of our communities is essential. As health care continues to face significant uncertainty including potential increases in the uninsured population and growing pressures on providers serving vulnerable residents as appropriate, take a thoughtful data-driven look at how existing resources are being used. Ultimate supports this motion as an important opportunity to gather information evaluate current needs and ensure future decisions are guided by evidence and the goal of improving care for the communities who need it most.
Thank you. Caller with phone number 626, last two digits 7-7 your line is open please state your name and begin.
Hi this is Dr. Stanley Toit Jr., I'm the CEO of Grand Amoante Community Hospital. I just want to thank Supervisor Solis for her comments or recommendations to include consideration for hospitals that serve local communities. I just wanted to state that the value of Measure B is not only just to support trauma centers but also this should also support the allocation of funding for emergency rooms in the local community hospitals both ensure health care access and for viability of the emergency services. Thank you.
Thank You caller with phone number 626 last two digits 3 1 your line is open please state your name and begin
I'm Roger Sharma, President and CEO of MNH Health. I want to thank Supervisor Solis for her comments and recommendations to include consideration for hospitals that serve the community with high social and environmental vulnerabilities. I represent MNHealth, a three-hospital system which serves about 1 million people living in East San Gabriel communities These communities have high rates of Medi-Cal, uninsured and immigrant patients. As hospitals contend with federal and state impacts that will contribute to a loss of health access, ER will be the place these communities resort to for their care. We respectfully urge the Board to ensure that a future study of Measure B allegations ensures adequate access to trauma and ER services for the county's most vulnerable communities.
Thank you.
Thank you. Byron, your line is open. Please begin.
Good morning this is Byron with the TransLatina Coalition and Reimagine LA. Thank you, Supervisor Mitchell and your entire team for engaging various stakeholders through this process. Also through the cluster process it helps people be able to be engaged intentionally and always for your timely and appropriate calling for independent evaluation as we move forward to upholding the will of the voters to our more equitable lens. Thank you.
Thank you. We will now go back to our in-person speakers. Will the following individuals please come forward and staff will assist you? Adina Tesler, Victoria Dochogralian, Paul Young, Brian Smolskis, Clay Farrell, Carolyn Caldwell, DDT, Edna Transon, Sarah Harris, Francisco Aguirre, Lauren Espy, Fredalynne Pommat, Oliver Elizadte, John Westall, Jorge Reynoso, Emmanuel M, Julia Zina, Ira Ira.
Bukola Olusanya, Alex
Bass. Next speaker please begin. Hi my name is Chelsea Velez I'm here with Trans Latina Coalition. I'm also resident of District 1. With recent federal funding cuts impacting hospitals and emergency departments it is critical that Measure B dollars are distributed equitably and reach vulnerable communities such as the transgender gender-expansive intersex and immigrant communities The TGI community disproportionately experiences high rates of being uninsured and on Medi-Cal due to systemic poverty, discrimination and immigration status. Our communities experience high rates of trauma and violence. As you vote on this motion I hope you all vote yes and in support of it. I also hope that there is an intentional effort to study if Measure B funding has funded culturally competent trauma informed care for our TGI community.
Thank you.
Hi, good morning Board of Supervisors. This is Jeremy Zok, President and CEO of Northridge Hospital in the 3rd District and I'm here to respectfully ask that you oppose this measure as it's currently written. I think the trauma funds that are available have been helping build and sustain a strong trauma community. It's extremely expensive running those trauma programs as well as trying to support and sustain them. The issues that have been brought up today, frankly feel like almost more issues that are in the billions of dollars rather than looking at these problems which are in the millions of dollars funded through Measure B. So I would respectfully ask that we continue to have the Measure B funds for trauma hospitals go to those hospitals and efforts would be undertaken to see what we can do to find other funds to be able to sustain those programs.
I really do feel that it puts it at risk by taking these funds And moving them around to more hospitals, it puts our trauma network at risk. Thank you.
Thank you next speaker please.
Hello my name is Christopher Fernandez I'm a registered nurse at MOK for the last 11 years starting in the emergency department now in the ICU as a charge nurse. I've seen the patient census since we've opened grow over the last decade quickly outgrowing our spaces turning our gift shop chapel waiting room and any available nook and cranny into patient care areas. We've been working out of mash style tents year after year All the while ensuring the delivery of high-quality, accessible, culturally competent and empathetic care delivered by those not just coming to work a job but to serve one of the most underserved communities in the nation.
Asking for a present day independent review of how a healthcare fund is allocated to communities is just a logical choice after being put in place over 20 years ago We live in a dynamic time where we should be consistently reviewing all policies already in place to ensure that we do the most good for the most amount of people while supporting our most vulnerable and underserved community members. Please vote yes on item 17.
Thank you, next speaker please. Hi my name is Sarah Kim I'm a practicing physician at MLK Community Hospital. I'm here on behalf of my patients who get their care at MLK. Please support item 17 this motion ensures that the distribution of the funds from measure B is transparent and fair thank you
Thank you, next speaker please. Good morning my name is Lupe Redemosa and I am the financial controller for Martin Luther King Community Hospital. I've been with the organization now 11 years. I know firsthand the financial constraints that this hospital is experiencing in making sure that we're meeting our payroll, that are we're paying our bills And we're staying above water financially. I also come to you as someone who has family and friends that have been served by this hospital with great outcomes. So today, I urge you to support Holly Mitchell's Measure B initiative for an independent study. Thank you for your time.
Thank you, next speaker please. I'm Tasif and I live in District 1. I work at MLK Community Healthcare. MLK is in one of the most underserved communities in the county and 80% of our patients are on Medi-Cal. Equitable Measure B funding for non-county hospitals like ours gives us a lifeline and if we don't get funding our hospital may shut down and if we shut down people may die.
We're fighting to keep our lights on so please Consider a study to reassess funding.
Thank you next speaker please.
Hi good morning everyone my name is Sonia Rosas and I'm a patient navigator at St John's Community Health that serves the community within the spot six. I'm here in full support of item number 17 to ensure measure V funds are put to their highest and best use For the community, I want to make sure that everyone is being seen of emergency facilities regardless of their financial and legal status. Please vote on item number 70. Thank you have a great day.
Thank you next speaker please.
Hello my name is Brian Smolskis. I'm the president CEO of California Hospital Medical Center, the only hospital in downtown LA. I oppose this measure I don't envy you, it's very complex. The reason I oppose this measure is because like many of these hospitals we barely make it and as we barely make it any impact to our trauma funds would most likely lead to us not being able to provide trauma.
Those are just the facts of the case. And as it was said before, I think the issues that you bring here are pretty complicated and they need to be looked at but looking and taking away from the trauma funds that established a trauma program that works effectively with all the hospitals, I think is not the right way to go. Appreciate your time. Thank you.
Good morning and thank you Honorable LA County Supervisors for listening to us this morning. I'm Carolyn Caldwell, I'm the Hospital President and CEO of St. Mary Medical Center in Long Beach California which is in LA County. We are a safety net hospital we are also a level two trauma center. Long Beach serves a very underserved community We are a level two trauma center which is extremely costly because we have to have Physicians and specialists there to take care of anyone who walks through the doors of our hospital.
I oppose this measure because I really think it would be devastating to our area if we begin to destabilize our trauma centers, thank you.
Thank
you
next
speaker please
Hello, my name is Edna Transon. I am a registered nurse and the trauma program manager at Memorial Care Long Beach Medical Center. As a level 2 trauma center caring for both adults and children we respectfully oppose the Measure B motion agenda item 17. Miller Children's and Women's Hospital serves a patient population that is over 70% Medi-Cal. And Memorial Care Long Beach Medical Center has an 80% public payer mix, including Medi-Cal and Medicare.
Only about 18% of the Measure Db funds support the 13 nonpublic trauma centers in LA County, and that funding does not fully cover the cost of trauma services or coverage for uninsured and underinsured patients. We support protecting access to healthcare in the face of HR1, but not by shifting Measure B resources away from trauma hospitals and destabilizing the trauma system that serves all of LA County communities. Thank you.
Thank you we will now go to our remote callers. Helen Tran your line is open please begin.
Hi, good morning. This is Helen Tran. I'm a senior attorney with the Western Center on Law and Poverty. And we are here today to support Supervisor Mitchell's motion to study the impacts of Measure B's funding allocation for hospitals that provide trauma emergency medical services. Here at Western Center, we have been closely involved in the developing of state solutions to respond to the challenges facing our state Medi-Cal system.
From the federal funding cuts from HR1. We strongly support the development of local revenue solutions that are distributed fairly and strategically in light of our changing federal funding landscape, so we're here today to respectfully urge the board to support Supervisor Mitchell's motion. Thank you.
Thank you. Caller with phone number 323 last two digits 25 your line is open please state your name and begin.
Hello, my name is Bailey Brooks-Henry. I am a member of the National Association of Black Social Workers of Greater Los Angeles. I'm addressing item number 17. I believe it's a disservice that the MLK Community Hospital trauma hospital is being excluded currently From the funding of $126 million annual budget of public subsidies to hospitals, MLK has brought quality health care to our already underserved and marginalized community. It's imperative that a portion of the funds are allocated to MLK to provide the needed healthcare services to those in the community especially seniors and I actually have senior members in my family that will be Brooklyn Carter your line is open. Please begin.
2:18 – 2:2411 turns
My name is Brooklyn Carter, I'm an intern with Law Defensa in support of Item 17. Nearly 25 years ago LA County voters approved Measure B with a clear promise to protect our countywide trauma system, preserve emergency medical services and ensure life-saving care would be available when people need it most. Today Measure B generates more than $340 million each year, but our healthcare system has changed dramatically. The county is now facing unprecedented challenges with an estimated 1.1 million residents projected to lose Medi-Cal eligibility placing even greater pressure on emergency rooms and trauma centers that already serve our most vulnerable communities. As more patients become uninsured, hospitals that care for larger numbers of medical and uninsured patients will hold an even greater burden.
Our community will suffer without access to life-saving treatment including but not limited to black Latino disabled and immigrant community members. The county cannot responsibly decide Measure B funding is working if it has never fully been executed.
Joy Richardson your line is open please begin
Good morning, my name is Joy Richardson and I'm here today on behalf of the St. Joseph Center in support of Supervisor Mitchell's motion to ensure Measure B funds are put to their highest and best use as a homeless services provider we see firsthand how critical access to emergency and trauma care is for our most vulnerable community members including people experiencing homelessness who often face significant health challenges and barriers to care A strong emergency care system requires investment across the continuum of services, from prevention and supportive services to hospitals and trauma facilities that provide life-saving care when people are in crisis.
When emergency systems are strained, the impacts are felt most deeply by individuals and families who have the fewest resources and the greatest barriers to accessing care. We support a thoughtful and independent review of Measure B funding Alexis Tanner, your line is open. Please begin. Alexis, your line is open.
We'll go to the next caller. Caller with phone number 213 ending with 05, your line is open please begin.
Hello how are you doing? My name is Kevin Lee and I'm the president of We Are We Got South Central style car club who deal with at-risk youth and homeless youth. I'm here in support of Holly Mitchell for Measure B funding used to as high as And best use. I am in an underserved community where you're dealing with gang members and shootings and everything that goes on, so taking away this measures from Martin Luther King what we can have a trauma center would devastate the community right there. So I'm support that you guys.
Recognize measure B. Oh yes thank you
thank you. Alexis Tanner your line is open please begin. Good morning,
I'm also here on behalf of St. Joseph Center in support of Supervisor Mitchell's motion agenda item 17 measure B was created to strengthen LA County's trauma and emergency care systems and that mission only holds If funding keeps the pace where the need actually is. We're entering a period where federal changes are expected to place new pressure on hospitals and emergency departments, particularly those serving Medi-Cal and uninsured patients. Without a clear picture of how Measure B dollars are currently allocated, the county risks funding yesterday's needs instead of today's. A study of the current allocation is a reasonable and responsible step It gives the board the information needed to direct these resources where they will do the most good and ensure no community is left behind as the landscape shifts.
We respectfully urge the Board to support Supervisor Mitchell's motion, thank you.
Thank you. Roy Humphreys your line is open please begin.
Yes, at 2026. Do you need it? You do not need an expert. You need a five year old to do the math I've worked them all ERICUMLK only 40% of the patients in trauma have insurance is a matter of common sense money. Trauma centers are money losers. Everything has endpoint which is accelerated by government Democrats flooding the system with illegal aliens hence defrauding federal taxpayers. ER as a clinic is a death wish. I have worked all of the hospitals closures mentioned California supposed to be the fourth largest economy in the world and you people again, I've been around a long time in this system and you still can't get it. It's a matter of money
Thank you. Caller with phone number 530, last two digits 2-5 your line is open please state your name and begin. Caller your line is open please begin.
Hello my name is Susie Herrera speaking on behalf of Peter Sinai Medical Center a level one trauma center and Huntington Hospital level two trauma center in opposition to agenda item 17 we have submitted written comments for the board's review
2:24 – 2:3316 turns
Thank you. Caller with phone number 714, last two digits 3-7 your line is open please state your name and begin.
Hi my name is Nisha Zala I'm a pharmacist working with Martin Luther King Community Hospital. I respectfully urge the board to support Supervisor Mitchell's motion Measure B funds need to continue to be allocated in a way that reflects the current needs and challenges of Los Angeles County patients thank you so much
Thank you. Caller with phone number 323, last two digits 35 your line is open please state your name and begin.
Hi my name is Juan de la Cruz I represent Adventist Health White Memorial LA and Montebello I'm calling today to respectfully urge the board to ensure that the future funding for Allocation Measure B preserves and strengthens access to trauma and emergency services for LA County's most vulnerable communities. The communities we serve have disproportionately high numbers of Medi-Cal beneficiaries, uninsured individuals, and immigrant families who depend on our hospitals for access to care Our communities already rely heavily on emergency services, Los Angeles County Emergency Department. So more than 3.1 million visits in 2014. As hospitals we continue to face significant federal and state funding and policy impacts that threaten access to care.
More residents will turn to emergency departments as a primary source of health care so we urge the board to approve Measure B.
Thank you. Madam Chair, there are no other remote speakers to address the board. Remote participation for item 17 is now concluded. We will go to our in-person speakers. Please begin.
Hello, Dina Tesler on behalf of HASC. We appreciate the opportunity to provide background and perspective as you consider a study of Measure B funds. Measure B was enacted in 2002 to stabilize trauma care capacity after a significant decline in trauma hospitals due to cost pressures. In the 1980s, there were 22 trauma hospitals. By 1994, there were only 11.
because they were financially unsustainable. After Measure B passed, Antelope Valley Medical Center and Pomona Valley Medical Center were opened to close the gaps in trauma care across our county. Current allocations of Measure B funds for non-public trauma hospitals is only 18% of the overall fund and it is not sufficient to sustain existing trauma programs due to rising costs, inflation, and changes to patient coverage. Several of these recipients today are financially distressed trauma hospitals and looking to change service lines and close service lines. The formula used to distribute the 18% of Measure B funds... Thank you, next speaker please.
Good morning Chair Solis and Honorable Supervisors my name is Victoria Doschoglian Senior Manager of Government and Policy Relations at Children's Hospital Los Angeles speaking in opposition of item 17 As the Board considers this Measure B review, I ask that you consider that CHLA is both a Level 1 trauma center and a high Medi-Cal high acuity hospital. More than 70% of our patients are covered by Medi-Cal and we care for some of the most medically complex children in the region. To Chair Solis' point at looking at immigration status data, we at CHLA do not ask questions about a child's immigration status for their safety especially with the recent elevated fears surrounding this issue. Undocumented children are covered by Medi-Cal and we do not keep track of the status which any report made should consider.
We respectfully urge the board to preserve the 18% funding allocation for the 13 non-county trauma hospitals that LA County families depend on every day. To add, redistributing funds does not redistribute capability. Thank you very much. Thank you next speaker please.
Hi good afternoon Paul Young with HASC. Thank you for the opportunity to provide background on Measure B We're cognizant Hospitals are struggling in this day, and that struggle will increase with the impacts of H.R. 1 impacting us in 2027. We look forward to trying to find a sustainable solution moving forward but just to provide some additional background on the 125 million includes federal dollars so the private trauma hospitals are able to draw in fortunately right matching federal dollars into our health care delivery system In addition, if you look across the county there are over 4 million emergency department visits per annual across our 68 911 receiving hospitals. So the breadth that...
Thank you next speaker please. Good morning my name is Lauren Espy and I'm the director of equity and community programs at MLK Community Health Care a community that my own family comes from I'm here in support of Supervisor Mitchell's motion to ensure Measure B funds are put to their highest and best use. These Measure B funds must build a stronger, more sustainable emergency care system for all of L.A. County especially for hospitals that depend and lean on these types of funds which our community depend on for life-saving care. We urge an independent review that provides subjective facts and recommendations to help the board make informed, thoughtful, and long-term solutions. For the sake of all communities this directly impacts who deserve a funding system that is transparent and evidence based who deserve access to equitable care.
Thank you.
Next speaker. My name is Fredalyn Pamatmat, the contract manager here at MLK. I urge the board to support Supervisor Michelle's motion with the federal Medicaid cuts increasing pressure and financial struggle of Pacific Hospital Catalina Island Medical Center and Martin Luther King Hospital. Measure B has the ability to build a stronger and sustainable emergency care system for everyone in LA County. Annual one-time bailouts are not a long term solution Ask the board to support item 17 and Los Angeles County patients deserving deserve funding systems that is transparent, evidence-based and prepared for the challenges ahead. We can do it together just take the time to review everything and let's come in unity and solve the problem for everyone.
Thank you next speaker please
Good morning. I'm Dr. Jorge Reyno. I am the Senior Vice President for Population Health at MLK Community Hospital. I am speaking in support of item number 17. Our emergency department in Willowbrook is among the busiest in California, over 120,000 visits a year and 131 bed hospitals, the majority of those covered by Medi-Cal or uninsured. For South LA our ED is the front door and often the only door.
Measure B was passed by voters to sustain emergency care countywide, but the allocation is anchored in trauma designation not emergency burden. The hospital carrying the heaviest emergency load has been funded by what's left over. We're not asking for anything other than a review of the allocation and to reflect where the need is. So we call for support of the review of the methodology.
Thank you very much.
Thank you. Next speaker, please.
Good morning. My name is Jonathan Westall. I'm the Vice President of Ancillary Services at Martin Luther King. My first three years in my healthcare career was out one of those 13 unnamed non-county trauma centers. So I worked there and then I went to MLK about nine years ago and everybody there thought I was crazy because I left the beautiful suburbs and the different waiting rooms and the donor areas, the different menus, and it was a great place to work and provided great care and I'm not bagging on it all but MLK's different Our waiting rooms are tents, our waiting rooms are patient care areas. We're not asking for any more money. We're not here asking for a handout. We ask you to just look at it and I think that's what everybody here agreed on.
It's been 25 years. I don't think there is anything in our government we should let sit for 25 years and not revisit. Thank you for
your time.
My name is Clay Farrell from St. Francis Medical Center in Linwood. This month we celebrate six years removed from bankruptcy. Today we are solvent and stable and union strong. We are a vital safety net trauma center, treating more than 60,000 patients in our emergency room every year including nearly 2,000 trauma patients. Trauma hospitals like St. Francis must be prepared to provide the highest level of care 24-7 for the most severe and complex injuries and trauma services are very expensive and growing more so.
We take no issue with the funding challenges of other organizations And we support MLK. But the motion before the board could lead to diluting the existing pool of funds for critical private trauma centers, and in fact only represents 18% of the overall Measure B funds. We urge you to vote no against the motion. Thank you.
Hello I am Sarah Harris, President and CEO of the Black Business Association. And I'm here today in support of Supervisor Mitchell's motion to ensure Measure B funds are put to its highest and best use. Measure B was created to strengthen Los Angeles County's trauma and emergency care It is important that these funds continue to be allocated in a way that reflects current needs and challenges. With recent federal changes expected to increase pressure on hospitals and emergency departments, particularly those serving Medi-Cal I respectfully urge the board to support supervisor Mitchell's motion.
2:34 – 2:4321 turns
Hello representatives, I'll be speaking on item 17 and my name is Alex Bass. I'm a proud trans resident of District 3 and the Policy Associate for Trans Latina Coalition. I am here in support of Measure B. This measure was created to strengthen LA County's trauma and emergency care systems particularly those serving Medi-Cal and uninsured patients. I want to also bring awareness to the fact that the transgender, gender expansive and intersex people are disproportionately represented in public health insurance users or are uninsured. My hope is that the report back and analysis of the current measure be funding formula to ensure that these critical dollars will meet the needs of all of our members of our community. I respectfully urge the board to support Supervisor Mitchell's motion and thank you.
Thank you. Will the following individuals please come forward and staff will assist you? Hunatita Smith, Manuel Garay, Didi Tsunoka, Sophia Quinones, Bethany Duncan, Leah Petrie, Jackson Fawcett, Chad Varga, Sonia Adam, Claudia Jerez, Jessica Flores, Cameron Hubbard, Gail Fornasier, Marquez Alma, Maria Morales, Yesenia Palm, And Sylvia Corona. Please continue.
Good morning, Supervisors. My name is Francisco Aguirre and I'm here in support for Measure 17B. I work at LAX and I'm a proud member of Unite Here Local 11 because of our union's plan with MLK Community Hospital. I know I have a place to go with no premiums, no co-pays, no bills hanging over my head I actually use MLK Hospital a lot due to my uncle and chronic asthma and autoimmune disease. My conditions require regular care, monitoring, and sometimes emergency treatment. Having MLK as my hospital has been a lifeline for me. Without it, I don't know how I would manage my health.
I hope I never have to go to MLK Hospital for an emergency but if I ever do, I want to know there will be a hospital there for me There shouldn't be a, this shouldn't be a question. This should be a guarantee. Please support Supervisor Mitchell's motion. Thank you.
Thank you next speaker please.
Hello my name is Julia Zhu I'm a pharmacist at Elmwood County Junior Community Hospital. I am here speaking in support of item 17. Our hospital ER is primary care emergency care urgent care for many of the underserved population here In an event where every minute counts in a true medical emergency like stroke and heart attack, it's imperative that institutions like MLK, Catalina Island, and Pacifica Hospital stay open. So I support the independent audit of Measure B funds to ensure that funds are commensurate to the current day needs of our population. Thank you. Thank you. Next speaker please?
Hello my name is Ira and I support Measure B And looking for your support for this measure. We desperately need funding to keep up with safe and reliable health care that everyone deserves, and continue support with helping our community which we help with so many other resources for our patients besides just healthcare. I ask the board to support Measure B. Thank you. Thank you. Next speaker please?
Okay, I'm a registered nurse in ICU. I'm here showing my support for this item and I hope that you guys have empathy and just think about the faces of the families and the patients that come through our doors every day and they're in desperate need of our care, this community is, and if they don't get that care, patients die and they will suffer and those are the facts.
So I'm asking the board to support item 17 and that Los Angeles County's patients, they deserve a funding system. That's transparent and it's evidence-based and prepared for the challenges ahead. Thank you.
Thank you. Next speaker please.
Good morning.
My name is Emmanuel Madrid Vasquez, and I urge the board to please support Ms Mitchell with this item 17. Thank you so much.
Thank you, next speaker.
Broca Support represent Pacifica Hospital of the Valley and we are as it was mentioned previously, we are undergoing a Chapter 11 currently. We're accepting that hospital treat over 84% Medi-Cal. We receive about 40% or more mental health admits into our ER on all Medi-Cal, we also are running about 50% or so and mental health, behavioral health med-surg type patients from the LA County. We do receive mental health referrals from all over LA County not just within our district. Undergoing Chapter 11 it is very scary for our community with what we're undergoing And I understand clearly that it's not to take away from trauma, other trauma hospital ERs. It is just to look at the health system and appreciate Supervisor Barger's comment about the healthcare system.
Thank
you. Next
speaker please.
My name is Leah Petrie and I live in Long Beach and I support item 17. MLKCH is not only a hospital that treats the sick. It's an organization that provides educational and employment opportunities to the community, staff, and their families which is crucial to the economic stability and growth of the underserved community for which it cares for. I urge the board to support item 17. Thank you. Thank you. Next speaker please.
Hello my name is Manal Garai and I am I work at Universal Studios Hollywood for under Local 11. Our union is made up of immigrant workers, people of color. We come from communities that has always had to fight harder for fair wages, for dignity and for healthcare that doesn't bankrupt our families and put us in the streets Our fight doesn't stop at our workplace, it extends to communities that depend on it. Measurement B has not been reexamined for the last 25 years which is shocking.
We really hope that measurement B is passed to ensure that the money goes where it needs to be and does not be wasted unfairly. Thank you.
Thank you. Next speaker, please. My name is Jessica Flores. I'm a licensed nurse and director on behalf of Catalina Island Health. Annually about 1 million people visit Catalina Island, 400,000 of those being from L.A. County. When they plan a trip to the island they're not planning on experiencing any major health problems but they can trust that we are there to take care of them. We are 26 miles offshore and we are the only safety net when trauma occurs. All visitors and residents rely on and trust our ER to respond, treat, and stabilize all traumas regardless of us not being in actual trauma center.
We recently benefited from temporary Measure B funds which helped keep our doors open. We're also in mid-process on a state mandated seismic compliance plan A multi-year framework lets us enhance our trauma related services. And that will help us as the only, county's only critical access hospital and others that are at risk of closure like MLK. We do encourage you to support the independent review. Thank you. Thank
you next
speaker please.
Good afternoon supervisors my name is Jackson Fawcett I'm a proud member of Unite Here Local 11 and I worked at Universal Studios Hollywood. I'm here because health care justice has always been a part of our union's fight. My co-workers and I work hard making food, helping guests, cleaning facilities. And we believe that that hard work should come with access to effective and affordable health care.
Right now the federal administration is ripping MediCal away from over a million people in the country. That's a massive blow to so many working families here in Los Angeles County. The integrity of Los Angeles County's healthcare system is more important than ever. I believe this motion is common sense Study how Measure B dollars are allocated so that they go where the need is greatest. Please support Supervisor Mitchell's motion, thank you.
Thank you next speaker please. Hello my name is Sonia Young-Adam I'm the CEO of the California Black Women's Health Project and I am actually quite confused um you know why a hospital like Martin Luther King Community Hospital I'm here to speak on behalf of the Supervisory Board of Supervisors. We have heard a number of questions about how the board would be receiving and relegated to leftovers in funding, however, I have also listened to all of the comments here this morning. I'm sorry now we're in the afternoon.
And I appreciate all the questions that have been asked. All of the inquiries that have been made of the CEO's office but A study of looking at the highest and best used. That is a recommendation, that is an opportunity for us to do the work that needs to be done. Supervisor Mitchell has encouraged this board in the past to consider radical disruption of what we just count on as our history. Thank you, next speaker
2:44 – 2:4910 turns
please. Okay, okay. Please begin. Segregated underserved communities have already paid the price. We have died, had our limbs amputated and chronic illnesses has led to more life-threatening illnesses. The privatization of our healthcare system exposes the financial disparities in our county. The communities that suffer from environmental racism and live in food deserts are trying to survive in a county that has not distributed its health care dollars equitably. Health care is a human right when private hospitals have a reserve and public hospitals have nothing Financial transparency is needed now more than everything.
We support item 17 because we're tired of dying, thank you.
Thank you next speaker please. I am also here to support Supervisor Marshall on her project of giving money to the hospitals that need more and also supervising where the money is going, what they are doing. Because if the support is for communities that have a lot of resources, no. Here in Los Angeles, the county is always very full of people and we need it there.
Okay, good afternoon. My name is Maria Morales and I am here to support Supervisor Mitchell's ability to be able to give that money to the hospitals because that money needs to go to the hospitals that need it. If we're investing in hospitals that already have it and communities that already have the money and the resources then we're not giving to those that need it.
Thank you. Thank you, next speaker please.
Hello my name is Bethany Duncan and I'm a proud registered nurse with Martin Luther King Community Healthcare. I'm very compelled to speak today in order to support item 17. I've been in healthcare for 25 years. My home has become MLK, but prior to working in street medicine, I worked in the emergency department where I found myself looking for supplies always understaffed never had the things that never had the things that are really need to take care of patients because we were always trying to share and use supplies that we can find Mostly because we were not given the proper funding. So I'm here today to speak, not only on behalf of my organization but on behalf of my community because MLK is a beacon of light for everybody that comes through our doors.
Thank you.
Buenos dias, queridos miembros del concilio. Quiero darle las gracias a la señora Holly Mitchell y darle mi apoyo. Yo vengo de el este de Los Angeles y ahí hay mucha necesidad porque todos esos hospitales están sobrepoblados Foreign Y mire yo que el personal está como muy estresado con todo el trabajo que tienen encima. Al contrario, debería de expanderse más y que se le den más fondos a los hospitales más grandes, que es donde vamos la gente más pobre. Votamos por la proposición B.
Esperamos ¿verdad? Que se distribuya
Hello, my name is Silvia Corona and I am here. I'm a community member from East L.A., and I am here to thank Supervisor Mitchell and also the hospitals here in L. A. are overpopulated. They are overpopulated and they need we need to have that money invested because I went to Luther King just the other day just to let you know. And I went to the emergency room and it was just too much. You can tell the staff And also, right now that we are going through this fire in the east of Los Angeles. Many people are waiting to check into hospitals and as we can see there's a lot of people And also like the fires that are in East LA, a lot of people are going in to get checked on that.
Thank you next
speaker please
Hi, my name is Yesenia Pum, resident of Unincorporated East LA and former employee of the South Central Los Angeles Regional Center. I'm here in solidarity and thank you Holly Mitchell to submitting this item under the agenda. As a medical recipient and former employee of the regional center in south central people of all ages background religion gender race spectrum should have access to equitable health care. To deny access is to deny them funding from which makes a difference between life or death. The same as food deserts exist, so does medical health disparities with no access within geographical distance. I encourage everyone who spoke up to stay for item 15 regarding the lineage fire as we are interconnected as under-deserved communities.
People of underserved communities know this too often that the risk of life and death is based on accessibility.
2:49 – 2:5611 turns
Thank you. Thank you, next speaker please.
Good afternoon Claudia Jerez DWC DPSS. We don't need a review only we need an audit of the B formula in order to make a dent on the amount of fraud this organization misplacement of funds And of course, the amount of policy and laws and practices abuses that go on in these hospitals. Not all of them. I've been to some hospitals that I've attended really well and I've been taken care of by some of these hospitals. An audience needed hiring practices and create new standards for hospital staff.
A new approach must be considered. Normally, it is necessary an out of box thinking and approach when it's necessary due to the severity of this Formula B problem. Thank you. That
concludes the time for public comment on this item.
Madam Chair, Item 17 is before you.
Thank you. Moved by Supervisor Mitchell and I will second to approve the item, Executive Officer please call the roll.
Roll-call vote Passed 5–0 Moved by Holly J. Mitchell Moved by Supervisor Mitchell and I will second to approve the item, Executive Officer please call the roll.
Show transcript
Motion passes. We will now
move on to item 12, providing youth with swim lessons at probation facility swimming pools which was held by Supervisor Hahn. For members of the public joining us remotely to comment on this item please use the raise hand feature if you are online or press star 3 if on a telephone. There were no departmental speakers requested for this
item.
Supervisor Hahn you're on. Yeah thank you Madam Chair. During this hot summer season, it's important that programming for our young people in our juvenile facilities includes access to swimming at the pools that are located on almost every single one of our probation's juvenile facility campuses. It's good to know that the youth have been able to use the pools this summer thanks to a partnership between our probation department and our Department of Parks and Rec, where some of probation's own staff were trained to be certified as lifeguards and are now able to guard the pool while the youth swim.
I want to make sure that all of our young people in probation's care can participate in the swimming program. And the reality is, many young people in our camps and halls don't know how to swim. Learning how to swim is an essential skill not only for enjoyment but also because it saves lives. Data shows that young people of color have a disproportionately low level swimming ability nationwide, while with a higher percentage of Hispanic and black children having poor swimming abilities compared to their white peers.
Given that roughly 95% of youth in probation facilities are black or Hispanic, having swim instructions in our camps and halls will ensure that our youth are able to safely enjoy the pool and learn water safety skills. So this motion directs probation to work with parks to establish clear program protocols, secure necessary funding and create a consistent instructional schedules that begins with this swim season.
And through this partnership youth will be able to receive structured consistent swim lessons through parks learn to swim program which will prepare them for life after their release and reduce long term drowning risk. The motion also asks for a department's report back on how many youth participated as well as lessons learned to improve the program moving forward. Colleagues, I hope you'll join me in supporting this motion to ensure that the young people in juvenile halls and camps can learn a critical life skill and are enriched by physical and mental health benefits of swimming. Thank you Supervisor Horvath for being the co-author of this motion.
Thank you for allowing me to join you as co-author and for bringing forward this motion. It is critical that while our youth are in our care, they should be able to participate in meaningful programming which supports their growth and development. This motion ensures that youth have true access to the pools in our facilities by expanding access to all youth. including those who cannot swim. I appreciate the collaboration between the Department of Parks and Recreation and Probation to provide youth with such valuable life skills, and I think it was addressed at our last meeting that there were many young people who couldn't actually use the pools because they hadn't yet had the opportunity to learn how to swim. So for facilities with heated pools, I'm also interested in seeing a continuity of these services year-round as weather permits I hope that probation has a plan to have those pools in use beyond the summer.
I also look towards the future, and my understanding is that probation staff are currently serving as lifeguards while not required by this motion. I think that seems unsustainable particularly at a time when probation does not have sufficient staff across its full spectrum of services so I'm glad they've stepped in but I hope this motion allows them to take the opportunity to look at that programming piece. And as the departments continue to collaborate, I look forward to the establishment of a longer term and cost efficient model for future swim seasons which ensure lifeguard services are provided by lifeguards not law enforcement officers. Thank you.
Thank you, I too want to commend you Supervisor Hahn and Supervisor Horvath for bringing this forward. You've already stated the facts many of people of low-income people of color that live and actually populate unfortunately are some of our institutions have not learned how to swim because they don't have access to pools in their neighborhoods and oftentimes it's just not something that is easily available to them so Enthusiastically support this and hope that Parks and Recreation will come up with a good idea so that we can eventually provide jobs to the young people there so that they can become lifeguards, both he and she. And allow that to happen. I think those are good opportunities but thank you so much, commend both of you.
EO, can we go to any public comment?
2:56 – 3:029 turns
Will the following individual please come forward and staff will assist you? Claudia Jerez. Madam Chair, there are no remote speakers to address the board on this item. We will hear from in-person speaker.
I believe I was a school teacher, first grade. And I do believe that is an excellent idea. I think the swimming lessons would teach them how to skill up and get themselves ready for the future especially if you're like a 12 year old that has no knowledge about swimming. So I think that it's a great idea, I think that there should be groups of swimmers, you should get the groups organized and maybe ask them some questions like what is it they want to do with swimming? What idea do they have about swimming? Anything like that. to make them think. So I do support the idea.
When I was about 14, I went to one of the parks swimming pools and I was about to drown because I just threw myself in there and I was like oh my God it's about five feet, I'm gonna drown so I took myself into swimming lessons and I learned. Thank you.
Madam Chair we have a couple of remote callers. Ray Humphries your line is open please begin.
Yes, I just want to make one mention. I'm sick and tired of Supervisor Solis and others with this race baiting crap when 50% of the population of Los Angeles County is Latino. We don't want, I don't even want to discuss it. It's so disgusting to bring this crap up this race baiting stuff time to stop it and move on. Thank you.
Thank you Zinnia Moreno your line is open please begin
Hi, I just wanted to say that as much as I appreciate the opportunity to address the racial inequity amongst children having access to pools. Children should be taught to swim in their communities and not in these LA County juvenile detention facilities that are rampant with sexual and physical abuse because the more that we position these hubs of violence as service providers, the more that we normalize the completely unnatural detainment of children.
I have done programming For multiple organizations in multiple juvenile detention centers, I've done healing arts programming. I've done mentorship. I've done all the programming and each and every one of the youth that I served would have been better off receiving those types of programs in their community instead of in these juvenile halls. And so every time they prioritize in-detention programming we deprioritize the possibility of having children in their own homes and communities.
Thank you. That concludes the time for public comment on this item
Supervisor Mitchell, sorry.
Thank you very much. I'm sorry I was out of the room and appreciate the opportunity after public comment to make a few comments. Want to support the motion and thank supervisors Hahn and Horvath for bringing it forward. Nothing could be more tiring and taxing for me other than to have to live in a current system that's racially inequitable and to live as a result of the consequences of decades I am sick and tired of systemic racism.
Because of racist governmental policies across this country and this county, multiple generations of black and brown people have never learned how to swim. And if we continue to build facilities with pools, we have a responsibility to make sure that the people who are in those facilities, whether they should be there or not, the fact that they're there, should be able to access that resource safely.
It's interesting to walk into these facilities that we've built with these beautiful swimming pools and they are empty. And they're empty because far too many of the kids there can't swim, and I would argue perhaps a vast majority of the staff will work there too. So, I want to thank you, commend you on suggesting the swim lessons. I would further argue that, you know, the department has shared They are strapped in terms of resources, but that they're also open to support and that they would be open to us contributing.
As I have supported Black Surfers Alliance, I am taking kids every day this summer from Carver Park to the ocean. I have personally out a spa grant money funded swim lessons because of this historic inequity Would be willing to step up to the plate, Supervisor Hahn. And hope others would join us if the department says they can't find the resources to make sure that if we want young people in those facilities to use those pools we built then we should make sure they could do so safely. So I'd be willing to put in resources to fund it if resources aren't identified by the department. Thank you Madam Chair.
3:02 – 3:1730 turns
Saying no. Can
I just add on to that? To your point, knowing how difficult it's been to get programs in our camps and in our halls, I will guarantee you there is an organization out there that would gladly give their time to do that. And so I, um, I mean, I agree with you but resources are not our problem. It's the will to put programming into play. Um, it's changed if Barry and I, or we've seen, uh, I've seen a change in terms of being more receptive to programs. So I will guarantee you that, I mean, I think of Scott Buttnick for one, I guarantee there is an organization out there that would Gladly volunteer their time to help teach people how to swim.
Thank you, Madam Chair.
Thank you. This item is before us. Executive Officer?
Madam-
Yes, public comment, I'm sorry.
We're done.
We're
done. Madam Chair, Item 12 is before you.
Pardon me?
Item 12 is before you.
Yes. Moved by Supervisor Hahn, seconded by Supervisor Horwath who approved the item. Executive Officer call the roll.
Roll-call vote Passed 5–0 Moved by Janice Hahn · Seconded by Lindsey P. Horvath Moved by Supervisor Hahn, seconded by Supervisor Horwath who approved the item. Executive Officer call the roll.
Show transcript
Motion passes. We will now
move on to item 15 responding to the lineage fire impact on local small business in unincorporated East Los Angeles which was held by supervisor Solis For members of the public joining us remotely, to comment on this item please use the raise hand feature if you are online or press star three if on a telephone. Kelly LoBianco, Director of Economic Opportunity.
Amy Bodek, Director of Regional Planning. Dr. Nicole Quick, Chief Science Officer Department of Public Health are available for questions. For the departmental speakers please state your name and title for the record when you address the board.
Thank you, and thank you also to my co-author Supervisor Hahn for joining me on this motion. And I want to thank our panel for being here this afternoon. Appreciate you all and my colleagues. I introduce this motion as a response to the ongoing impact of the small businesses from the recent environmental disasters in East Los Angeles and Boyle Heights that have hit them and surrounding communities. Over the past few months, as you may know, these businesses have endured one environmental incident after another. First there was an oil spill, then the lineage fire. These disasters as you know have caused a lack of foot traffic for impacted businesses. The nauseating odor in both circumstances has led to headaches and more people staying away from the area when considering dining, shopping or just supporting their local businesses including the impact on their employees.
I've spoken to some of these businesses in the area myself and heard firsthand about the thousands of dollars that they have lost And at my direction, the Department of Economic Opportunity has canvassed the impacted community several times to get a better sense of the need and to offer services and assistance to those small entrepreneurs and medium-sized entrepreneurs. Unfortunately, the responsible parties that have been at the center of each emergency have not offered these businesses adequate support in my opinion. They have not worked with them as swiftly as needed to ensure these businesses are compensated for their losses. In the case of the oil spill, we heard from our DEO that only a small number of businesses have been approved by the claims process and there is currently no claim process set up by lineage logistics for businesses that continue to suffer from the fire in the prolonged cleanup process.
This to me is very concerning, and it's a blow to our local economy again. And this is why I'm using my own discretionary funds to assist initially DEO in launching a small business interruption fund for impacted businesses that have yet to receive any financial support. I additionally am directing DEO to explore using a portion of the funds within the existing Countywide Business Interruption Fund. And this fund, as you know, was developed as a result of a motion that I authored back with this board's approval in March and although currently funded by CEO it does not have sustainable sources of funds. Yet the fund has proven to be a necessity due to the string of emergencies that our county has faced. And to explore avenues for this fund, I am directing the Department of Regional Planning to explore a means to ensure that any businesses identified as high risk to environmental and public health That file for permit near sensitive locations such as schools or homes pay into this county wide fund business interruption fund.
And additionally, this incident has shown us that our current enforcement tools need to be made much stronger to compel responsible parties to act quickly following an environmental disaster. That's why the motion directs the Department of Public Health to explore increased citation fees on parties that cause environmental and public health disasters. It's pretty clear to me when we first heard DPH finally did move forward in site lineage, it was for $500 which is a drop in the bucket for them.
Previously in the last few weeks, they've raised that now to 2,000. But I don't think that's adequate enough and I think we need to evaluate that and come back with better recommendations. So I wanna say that as the department assesses the feasibility of insuring these companies that pose a higher risk of hazards already have mitigation, we wanna make sure that they have mitigation plans in place before these kinds of disasters happen. so that they are ready if anything happens that similarly could occur in any part of our districts. This would be reviewed by public health, so that they can quickly respond to an incident instead of being reactive. And it's only fair to ensure that companies that place our environmental and public health at risk are held accountable and contribute to funding these recovery tools.
I would like to thank Kelly LoBianco, Director of our Department of Economic Opportunity and her team. Amy Bodek, Director of Regional Planning and Dr. Quick for representing us at the Department of Public Health for being here today. It's not lost on me that we have three powerful women sitting here at this panel. that take this very seriously. And I applaud you for that. I want to begin my questioning before I turn it over to my co-author, to ask you Kelly Lopianko if I could start with a couple of questions. I understand that your team has been canvassing each week in the hardest hit areas due to the Leenage fire and you continue to assist businesses that were affected also by the oil spill that occurred in May. Can you please share with us in the audience some of the findings that you have found through your canvassing.
Thank you, Supervisor Kelley-Lobianco, Director of Economic Opportunity. Our team has been out. We've been not only at the community resource centers since the fire broke out and in the recovery phase but we have gone out canvassing 11 times. We're actually in the process of coordinating with Public Health too to align our canvassing efforts. We'll be out tomorrow and Friday A couple of the, I guess the top line is that small businesses are continuing to face revenue loss. You know if you've been out in the area you know that there's still a persistent smell with the heat wave it exacerbates things folks have initially had property damage temporary closures workforce impacts and they continue to have traffic impacts
What are the greatest concerns that they have immediate? It needs to be addressed.
Yeah, I mean it does vary business-to-business depending on the kind of business particularly if you're customer facing which many of them are but the most persistent feedback that we get is that folks have had capital loss and that they need that support So where we can, we're connecting folks to the grants that were out with Inclusive Action and New Economics and some of the other organizations funded by Lineage and supported by CCF. Making sure folks have access to other capital opportunities. We're also referring folks to no-cost legal aid to our rapid response resources for dislocated workers so making sure folks have no cost hiring and training services as well as connection to unemployment insurance But overall, folks are feeling the continued impacts of lost revenue.
I think we have a formal survey that we're doing as part of our canvassing so it's not everyone that we've talked to but we have had 88 folks fill out the full survey so far and 71 of those said they have persistent revenue loss.
And I know in the past when we've faced disasters and even during COVID, and other major instances in the fires that happened that we were also able to help provide some assistance. And I'm hopeful that we can set up a better claim process at some point so people will know that there's a centralized place where they can sit down get information and then put forward their receipts and make their claim.
We actually are already working with businesses to organize their documents and information for when that time comes. So since the first day of canvassing, we've been helping folks with that process in advance of a claims process as well.
What I wanted to know too is I heard that the community-based groups that receive this funding through CCF and then to community based groups that that money has already been exhausted. Is that correct? Is that what you're hearing?
I can't speak to all of the funds. I know there was two million from lineage that went to CCF and maybe two dozen organizations, but those that are particularly supporting workers in small businesses we were in close touch with making sure that when we were canvassing and at the resource centers that we're making direct referrals so My understanding, at least from Inclusive Action and New Economics who are giving out small business grants that those funds are exhausted.
And I know that one of the grants supported over 150 small businesses including sole proprietors and sidewalk vendors and another one supported about 60. You know, and that was between the city and unincorporated areas and I think there's still a lot of work to do to make sure the unincorporated areas are represented in those grants.
And can you describe what the amounts of the grants were that were
dispersed? I believe they were around $3,000 per business. They might have been slightly different per grant program and business type but that's about the level.
I hope you can get some of that information back to us. Right now, we're asking questions about how it was dispersed where so that we don't duplicate efforts with this motion. Hopefully it will pass and looking at other resources that we can provide. And that also creates a problem for our community because they are confused as well. There's still a lot of distress When people go to folks' homes to ask them what their needs are, and then there are other individuals who are not even affiliated with this but want to take advantage and prey on our community. And that is equally troubling. So there's a lot of work that has to be done, and I still hope that we have Consumer and Business Affairs working alongside with you and would ask that in some ways that they come out with you to provide this information or at best have have information made available to the public in some fashion?
Yes, we are working closely with Consumer and Business Affairs and making sure we're passing along information about scans. And making sure that folks are aware of you know the kinds of questions that they might be receiving and know where to get support from the county. So we are working closely with them and will continue to work across departments on our canvassing efforts so folks get all the information at once.
I will share we do Have information from some of the organizations that received funds from lineage, particularly around small businesses. So that will definitely be part of our analysis in our eligibility and prioritization for the business interruption fund making sure we get as many folks relief as possible.
And of course there are a lot of people that lost their jobs, including at Lineage but also because of the local businesses that are no longer able to perform they had to let their employees go. So are we working around that? Are we targeting that?
Yes so we've been holding daily rapid response events virtual with the City of LA and in person on Thursdays So in English and Spanish, so folks can connect if their job has been impacted. We've been working directly with Lineage as well. They have been able to retain most of their employees at this point in time but we're connecting them with all the available resources that we have.
And we're continuing to engage at the Community Resource Center and on our canvassing about workforce services. We have our East L.A., America's Job Center of California nearby as well, and we are also planning additional assistance dollars from EDD to make available to impacted workers. So that's a million with the City of LA and a million with the Department of Economic Opportunity that will be directly invested in this community.
And have we set up any website yet? I mean, last time we spoke about that, getting that together.
Yes, we're working centrally with the county to make sure that the Recovery LA site is housing the links for all of the relevant departments. So we'll continue to work with CEO County Comms and OEM to make sure that has the latest information.
And it's updated. Thank you, thank you very much Kelly for Amy Amy. Thank you for being here in the Bodak regional planning I wanted to ask if you could share a bit about our green zones and Any guardrails that the county may already have in place to limit industrial facilities near homes?
3:17 – 3:2517 turns
Thank You chair Solis Amy Bodak director of regional planning and In 2002, the board did adopt the Green Zones Ordinance and it was meant to deal with the environmental justice issues that have been long rampant in our zoning across unincorporated county. And that was also at the same time that the CalEnviro screening was starting to come out And it became very important for us to address those.
We were also trying to address the pre-existing industrial uses, so the green zones actually defined sensitive uses in our municipal code. We had originally thought we all knew what sensitive uses were but we actually defined them to include residential uses, schools, parks And here's what's different. Playgrounds and daycare centers, nursing homes, hospitals, places of worship. So all of those go into our definition, our local definition of what a sensitive use is.
And we defined any industrial use that was within 500 feet of a sensitive use to be eligible for, you know the requirements of a CUP after seven years. So we have existing residents that may be next to an existing industrial use and they were both permitted that industrial use now has to come in within seven years to get a CUP. We have new requirements for those CUPs specifically address additional screening, potential noise impacts, potential landscaping impacts as well.
For warehouses in particular we do require that they have a significant buffer between them and residential uses in particular.
So to this day can you describe how many Industries or business place of business have been impacted already. I mean, this is relatively new but
it is relatively new. But as businesses have come in for their revised CUPs if they had one we are also requiring them to meet the green zone standards and we've seen that a lot in both your district and in the second district in particular I can think of a pallet yard that we worked very closely with and those can be flammable. We also worked with a concrete block manufacturer in the second district to add additional landscaping buffers, and then they switched to from diesel forklifts to electric forklifts.
And they actually set back parking areas for their forklift so that they were not so close to their boundaries. I can think of those two examples off the top of my head That I was personally involved with, but we do have a number of those green zones applications already in process or already have gone through the process of being updated.
And I would love to see a map of what that looks like, geography and also understanding better what can we do in a preventive mode so that we're already telling folks that their permits are going to be coming up and they're located in these EJ
green
zones so they are preparing.
We actually are doing that just now because the deadline is coming up in 2027. We are starting our initial letters to all of businesses, and then we will be following up with field visits to those businesses reminding them of their future upcoming obligations. So we are starting that process already through our Land Use Regulations Division.
I think as we move forward, it's going to really be incredibly important to have as much recent data as possible. Yes. And that we are doing a good job of communicating to the community what a green zone is. Yes Because I could bet you that there are people in my district in East Los Angeles that may not be aware that this tool was developed and how they can call in or make, how do they register concerns? And is that something that your office would handle?
Absolutely. Absolutely. So we can certainly work with your office to have targeted outreach both you and District 2 who have the majority of the green zones to actually make the rounds to community organizations and other NGOs To make sure that they're fully aware of the green zones ordinance.
I know, I would appreciate seeing a map and
certainly
sources are available maybe you could have that's available on your website yes we could drive people to come in and look at that but also have that as part of the meetings that are happening I'm asking for our departments to go out and have town halls also, to talk about what we're doing not just with the oil spill but also with lineage. This is very critical information that needs to be provided to the public and in their language obviously. So I would certainly want to see you do that, Amy.
Understood.
Thank you and for Dr. Quick thank you Public Health for being here. I wonder if you could share with us about the continuing concerns that you've heard from residents and businesses in the area directly adjacent to the facility to lineage?
Thank you, Chair. Nicole Quick, Chief Science Officer at the Department of Public Health. We do continue to hear from both residents and businesses regarding impacts related to lineage. Do want to take a moment to highlight that public health did conduct a door-to-door survey of over 600 homes and heard from About 250 of those. Residents kind of confirmed what we already knew, which was significant impact on an ongoing basis related to odors and vectors largely flies. Hearing similar things from the businesses really the impacts of odors and flies which obviously has an effect on customers coming in Some of the other components that we heard, particularly from residents were just concerns ongoing regarding the length that this event is going to take place.
And public health once again from our standpoint the sooner we get that spoiled food out of there the better.
I saw in a, I guess recent news article that Lineage is saying that they are about 70% complete with the debris removal. What do you know? Do you or any one of you know anything about that thus far?
I can start out on that. I do think that Lineage has made good progress on the freezer that was of course the one that was burned so that has completely been cleaned up. I do think from a standpoint from public health this sooner that that freezer too is emptied out the better. And I think there are still delays in getting that spoiled food out, but that needs to get out of there into a landfill as quickly as possible. So I do think that the percentage of cleanup that's been stated does include the fire debris and other from that freezer that of course was probably less impactful from an odor standpoint.
3:25 – 3:309 turns
That's fine. I think we're going to continue to monitor that, obviously. And I know our offices, even Public Works as well as OEM, CalRecycle, Department of Public Health were able to expedite a permit so that the debris could enter into landfills. and be provided more hours of opening for those landfills so that could be transported out. I actually got to view how they conduct that part of the debris collection and wrapping and all of that, and it was very time-consuming, and I was told that there are two shifts, so they were working 24 hours.
It's not fast enough. It's not fast enough for our residents that are impacted in the businesses and with this heat, there's all kinds of stories out there that people are saying that this is continuing to exacerbate disease and the fact that the flies may be carrying disease. Can you explain some of that?
Yeah, I'd be happy to and you highlighted a critical point from a public health perspective. The control of vectors particularly concerning is the flies which we know are having a significant impact and will continue to have an impact as long as that spoiled food is in there. There is a vector control plan that lineage has been required So as we put into place public health, our environmental health division continues to be in an I'd call an interactive process right now related to that vector control plan. Part of why we're citing lineage on a daily basis is related to the unsanitary conditions in the warehouse and that is having an impact on flies which are then impacting the community.
Flies themselves are not a vector, as in not biting you. But what they can do is they can go on to something that's covered in bacteria and then they can transfer that bacteria either onto a food source or directly onto a person. So it's really critical that lineage control to a better extent those flies right now. And that is like a large area of focus for us.
Have we heard of any reported cases?
We have not heard of reported cases related to flies. We do have data that we've been tracking related to utilization of healthcare, and we did see some changes in that and some mentions related to the warehouse particularly while the active fire is burning. But we know from many, many I would say eons of public health work that flies are a vector. So regardless those need to be controlled, and lineage needs to do a better job of that vector control.
And so we're continuing to cite them?
Correct. Yep, we have environmental inspectors going out daily and we continue to cite lineage daily related to this.
And I wanted to ask, too, because there are some responsibilities that clearly fall on you but others that don't. And having gone through similar issues with Exide, oftentimes it's good to call in our California State Department DTSC to come in and is there anything happening there with CalEPA and that department?
Yeah, that's a great question. And as you know very well public health does have sort of wide authority to protect public health but in complicated environmental Incidents like this, it takes all of those agencies working together to sort of cover all of what needs to be done to get compliance. CalEPA is involved in the response. One thing public health has done similar to what we did after the Eaton and Palisades fires, we have convened a work group that includes our regulatory partners, our academic partners We've been working with county partners to sort of discuss things that are coming up. There's some smaller work groups that are more technical in nature, particularly surrounding the air quality management. I'd say on the larger state partnerships when we have reached out for assistance particularly related to review of the community air monitoring plan our state partners have been willing to help with that but there may be a role going forward related to vectors where
Thank you very much. I want to thank all of you, the panelists for being here and helping us better understand what is happening on the ground and hopefully making sure that we can secure the needed tools that are going to be necessary for this facility to come into compliance. And I know that the city's also working on Reviewing that as well, and their permit to rebuild. Which I know, I hope this board...
I know last time we met here when we heard the news that they were seeking a permit, I think all of us, the majority, we all said no. No. And I do believe that's... I know the city is taking some action on that but we may also be looking into other mechanisms and tools as well. I don't know if our CEO wants to say anything.
3:30 – 3:4615 turns
Supervisor, I think that You know as this stretches on I think one of the things that everyone's keeping their eye on is how long is this gonna take right now? The mayor has said in August 13th deadline The public report out. Is that they're on track for that. I think there are some questions whether they'll make it As these as this continues I think we need to continue to evaluate our options to compel compliance and work with the city to do that I think the other thing that I would flag is that we had asked, and I had sent a letter to Lineage asking them to consider providing remediation and abatement services for those who were in the immediate vicinity who suffered smoke damage. I think they haven't got there yet. I think that is something they should still consider.
I think they should understand that whether they do it voluntarily or not, there's going to be lawsuits that follow asking for that benefit, that relief. For those homeowners that put in claims for their insurance, insurers are going to turn right around as well and seek that from lineage. So I think it's something we can still continue to work with them on.
Right. I appreciate that CEO and I know that there are other cities now that are also following their own lawsuits. Montebello Commerce and other communities even Monterey Park so we've just begun to see this now happening in many families are impacted and some people did have to pay out on their own to leave their homes in the nearby communities like Montebello, Monterey Park and Commerce. And they're now going to seek some kind of remedy so I think it's there and we need to really be vigilant forcing hopefully the hand of this corporation to do the right thing and if not then we'll see what the consequences are. I would imagine. But for that, I know today also on the consent agenda we're also seeking to pass a motion to send a five signature letter to AQMD which our board colleague Supervisor Mitchell sits on to support greater enforcement and accountability and I think there's going to be a lot of community input folks that are gonna be coming out there.
Yes, and now that they know the process too to how to file a complaint. I mean there's been thousands of complaints now. I think the trigger was at the first public hearing where Wayne Nastry who is head of AQMD told the public that the only way they could get involved is if there were more than six complaints made and boy did that trigger people so it speaks to transparency and letting people know what the process is always Again, I want to thank you the panel for being here and for helping us move the information and enforcement tools that we have letting people know that the county is engaged and we continue to be engaged. And we'll be here until we see as far as we can see this through So with that, thank you. I will now turn to my co-author, Supervisor
Hahn. Thank you, Supervisor Solis for continuing to bring this tragedy and disaster to our radar regularly. There are those who live there and who work there who bear this burden every single hour of every single day. And I appreciate you bringing it to us At least on Tuesday, so we can continue to uplift these communities and try to find out what we can and should be doing to relieve their burden.
This fire has had consequences far beyond just the City of Los Angeles. Residents and small businesses in East LA have dealt with weeks of ash, odors, environmental concerns and economic disruption. I mean, you're talking about those flies, right? It's like a whole different species of flies that have come as a result of this tragedy. They're bigger, they look meaner, they got bigger eyes, they're just awful and the rats and it's unbelievable. And I'm with you when I heard that they wanted to rebuild, I gave a big thumbs down.
I want to thank you all for being here. It's been an honor to be back in our community. We don't ever want to have a situation where that can happen again. And our Department of Economic Opportunities working closely with the impact of businesses, they've confirmed what many business owners have been telling us. They lost revenue. So with this motion we're ensuring that assistance can reach our businesses quickly. Just as importantly, our Department of Economic Opportunity will return to the board with recommendations on how to operationalize the countywide I like that part of this. That will be ready the next time to ensure responsibly parties are held accountable.
Our Office of Emergency Management and County Council will pursue reimbursement when possible, because the long-term financial burden should not fall on the taxpayers. And because industrial warehouse manufacturing recycling facilities have the potential to create greater negative impacts on the environment. We're asking for a report back to determine whether these types of businesses should contribute to a dedicated funding source that supports future business interruption assistance. When disasters strike, they're not just disrupted. They're left vulnerable and they should not have to navigate these challenges alone. So it's important for the communities that shoulder the impacts of industrial activities know that we're planning ahead and we're not simply reacting after the fact.
This effort I believe is about helping businesses recover today while making sure we're better prepared for tomorrow. Our goal is to combine immediate economic relief with long term planning, accountability and as you said prevention Supervisor Salih so for those reasons of course I'm enthusiastically supporting our motion.
Thank you so much Supervisor Hahn. Supervisor Horwath
Thank you, Madam Chair. I just wanted to follow up on a couple of comments that I heard. I know that you've been leading this effort relentlessly and I thank you for that. I heard that there's foundation funding going to help. I know one of the things that we learned in the fires in 2025 is there was a lot of philanthropic funding that was announced to be made available and we heard from a lot of community members that they weren't able to access it. So how are we making sure that philanthropic and foundational funding is actually getting to people who need it?
Thank you. We also are concerned with that, we think when we're raising money for economic relief it needs to be going into the community hands so the business interruption fund that we're standing up here a very nominal amount of dollars will go to the administration just to stand up the fund but the majority 90% plus was going directly as cash into the hands of impacted businesses And that's the conversation that we're having here at the county and with Lineage in asking them to contribute, and also any other organization who'd like to contribute. And for dollars that were going to the community that weren't coming through the department or county hands, we were working closely with those organizations to make sure we really understood how to get folks referred and signed up.
And so we did our best to make sure when those grants were out, that when we were canvassing and we were at the Community Resource Centers that they knew what to get and the deadlines and all of that.
I also heard the Chair reference the issue of people needing to leave their homes because of the conditions that they're facing. I know we brought this up on multiple occasions, there's been multiple calls for having a mandatory evacuation I know that when we lived through the fires in 2025, there were evacuations even before the fire ever struck in a neighborhood. And yet in this case, we have a neighborhood that is clearly impacted and residents who are clearly suffering and have not yet been evacuated. So what are we doing to make sure that they aren't living in unsafe conditions? I understand there are certain thresholds that you have to meet but I also understand that we could get vouchers available. You know, in the case of the WeHo water main break, we had vouchers available the same day So what are we doing to get people into safe conditions?
Yeah, that's a great question. Let me start out by talking about the public health directive that we issued to Lineage and that public health directive did direct Lineage to provide a plan to us on community mitigation up until including relocation. We are waiting, I should say we are back and forth with Lineage on the extent of that and are using a lot of the information that our teams are gathering in the community as well as complaints gathered by the AQMD to evaluate the sort of boundaries that are necessary for that. So we have put in our directive to Lineage that based on conditions That they're likely going to need to adjust the boundaries where they're offering this support. And their support is not just relocation, it's other measures too which we think are critically important.
Some folks do not want to leave their home what they actually want are more air conditioning units and more air purifiers so that they can stay in home. So from the public health perspective, that's part of what we are trying to gain compliance on from lineage is this community mitigation. And hearing from community members I'm going to offer this, we'd like to hear from folks who are not able to access those resources and what those sort of barriers are so that we adequately can get lineage to comply with this because we also recognize that that ongoing odor impact is a public nuisance and folks should be able to get mitigation from that.
Right, I think that we lived through that too where residents didn't necessarily want to leave in certain areas. So I understand that's always a choice but actually having a choice is important and I've heard many speakers come here and say They felt they haven't yet had access to that choice. And so I'm glad to hear that we are doing more to make that choice available. And finally, you talked about the flies. We as a board routinely approve and re-approve declared emergencies one of which is the fruit fly emergency that's been in effect since 1990. So I don't know how we have a fruit fly emergency in effect from 1990 and yet this issue isn't An enhanced or somehow an emergency situation impacting the neighborhood.
Let me just reiterate, I imagine the fruit fly one may be more related to agriculture which I'm probably not the best to speak to but from the standpoint of environmental health that is why we continue to cite them it's really these unsanitary conditions leading to this impact related to vectors I can tell you right now Lineage's vector plan and in action is not enough right now. There are fly impacts in the community, and so that's why we are trying to That is why we are citing them on an ongoing basis related to there's more that lineage needs to do onsite And there's more lineage needs to do in the community related to these To these flies as far as a emergency directly related to it We have under public health authorities specifically in environmental health the ability to site on this, and that is under our jurisdiction.
So that piece is covered in existing sort of regulation but we are capped on the fines which the supervisor elevated earlier. We are really capped at a $500 per violation max on that which is a very low monetary amount.
And is that something that we can change?
We can change. Part of that is in county code, the 500, but there is a state penal code that also has a set limit on that so there is some ability locally but really our fines to the point of kind of looking coming back with recommendations need to be looked at holistically because even up to $1,000 is not much for a corporation as big as Lineage.
Look, I understand that our public dollars are precious. We have to be careful in how we use them and that Lineage in this case and all of the businesses that are sort of entangled there because I understand there's an owner and then Lineage is one of the tenants so they're a lot involved But that should be held accountable. But in the meantime, if they're not doing their job and what we're holding them accountable to, we have to help support people. And if we have to bill it back to them, fine. But I just think that there's recognition that they are the ones who are accountable but people are counting on us to step up and help them. And the longer that they're subjected to this, the more they are at risk not only for the issues that we're seeing in the short term but chronic and other issues long-term.
And so I just want to make sure that we're taking that into account.
Thank you, Supervisor Horvath. I know that our Department of Public Health and our Department of Health Services have been out there with us and helping to meet with the residents when they've had ailments and prescribing things and even giving them in some way prescriptions that they need and urging them to also see their primary physicians but I get it we need to really think about what all those costs are that we've already incurred Go after that, but also more that has to be done because I do think there has to be a more public education about the harms of the vectors and all of this. It has really just plagued the community for the last almost 40 long beyond the time that it should be allowed so it is horrendous. So I would hope that we could really narrow our scope and be strategic and get to this, the bottom of it as soon as possible.
And I know our CEO will help us guide us on that as well If we have to take other formal legal action. So with that, Supervisor Mitchell I'd like to recognize you.
Thank you very much and thank you for bringing this item forward Madam Chair. I have long been a supporter of the Business Interruption Fund and really want to make sure that we continue to be prepared. I think it was easy to pivot to philanthropy in the past because it was assumed that it would take government too long to set it up blah blah blah blah Now that we know that we are in a constant state of disaster, it appears having a fund established is going to be important. I appreciate some of the questions that were raised. I appreciate hearing that the average payout was $3,000. My notes had said $1,000 so I'm glad to hear that figure.
I do hope that the report back will, you know give us some information. I don't think it should be on a first-come first-serve basis so I hope that there will be an infrastructure put in place with you know with fair equitable criteria so that's transparent so people understand you know this business got if this one didn't and why And to talk about appropriate size of grants, eligibility standards as well as you know how much funding we think should remain in the reserve for the next emergency because we all know that there will be unfortunately a next one. So how do we create this sense of balance from meeting the needs of people who are facing it right now and acknowledging that this is going to be an ongoing fund and that we're prepared for the next time it's going to be needed?
So I hope that we'll be able to look forward and begin to really establish the criteria, recognizing this is gonna be an ongoing fund. So I look forward to those kinds of things being addressed in the report back. I'd appreciate that. Thank you Madam Chair.
3:46 – 3:5725 turns
Thank you and thank you for your leadership on AQMD. So, I really wanna express my thanks to you Supervisor Mitchell on that. Thank you with that Executive Officer seeing no further questions can we go to public comment?
Will the following individuals please come forward and staff will assist you. Sophia Quinones, Anna Diaz, Eliseo Hernandez, Elizabeth Hernandez, Yesenia Palm, Steven Kong, Armando Torres, Marquez Alma, Maria Morales, Cindy Bourbon, Sylvia Corona, and Fran Cereceres. We'll now go to our remote callers. Natalie Huynh your line is open. Please begin.
Hello, I'm speaking on behalf of the Pacific Asian Consortium in Employment. We are calling in support of item 15. We would like to thank Supervisor Hilda Solis for meeting the moment to help address this injustice happening to the local businesses impacted by the fire. Although the lineage fire and the oil spill have occurred at no fault to LA County, we applaud you for stepping in and providing a support service to small businesses since nobody else is doing so. We also agree with this motion being proactive in exploring ways to keep bad actors responsible and requiring companies with potentially hazardous businesses to pay into the business interruption fund. With all the emergencies that have been happening in LA County over the past year and a half, it is critical that the county-wide Business Interruption Fund has a sustainable stream of funding.
Please vote yes on item 15.
Thank you. Caller with phone number 323 last two digits 29 your line is open please state your name and begin
Good afternoon Chair and Supervisors. My name is Diego Rodriguez, COO of Alma Family Services and I'm calling in support of item 15. Over the past several weeks Alma has been on the ground supporting Eastside communities through their recovery efforts following both the lineage fire and the oil spill. While much of the focus has rightly been on the residents we have also seen the significant hardship experienced by small businesses that are essential to the health I want to thank Chair Solis for addressing this need and advancing practical, equitable solutions. This motion not only explores assistance for business impacted today but also creates a framework to hold responsible parties accountable while strengthening a countywide Business Interruption Fund by requiring businesses engaged in high-risk activities to help support it.
I respectfully ask you to support item 15. Thank you.
Thank you. Caller with phone number 213, last two digits 16. Your line is open. Please state your name and begin.
Hello, can you guys hear me? Good afternoon. My name is Kenya Reese. I'm calling you from the wellness center and I am in support of item 15. I would like to thank supervisor for meeting the moment to help address the injustice that's happening around local businesses that are being impacted by the lineage fire. I also agree with this motion being proactive in exploring ways to keep bad actors responsible for this and requiring companies with potential hazardous business activities to pay into the Business Interruption Fund. With all the emergencies that have been happening in Los Angeles County over the past year-and-a-half, it is critical that the countywide Business Interruption Fund has a sustainable theme of funding. Please vote yes on item 15.
Thank you.
Thank you. Caller with phone number 323 last two digits 74 your line is open please state your name and begin
Yes, good afternoon. My name is Erika García. I support the King's motion. I would like to thank Supervisor Hilda Solis for being up to the circumstances and helping address the injustice suffered by local companies affected by the Lineage fire. Although in the Lineage fire neither the oil spill was Thank you, we will now hear translation.
Hello, my name is Erica Garcia and I am here to thank Supervisor Solis for the support on the small businesses. Although the lineage fire was not a county's fault, I do applaud their ability to be able to support and intervene for the supportive small businesses. Thank you.
Thank you. Caller your line is open please state your name and begin.
Hi, my name is Christian on this and I'm a resident of unincorporated East LA in the chair of the community advisory committee. And we're here to offer our support of item 15 and we appreciate the board's efforts to assist small businesses affected by the lineage toxic fire similar to the efforts being made to assist businesses affected by the oil spill inmates. We urge the businesses be made whole sooner rather than later. Small businesses in unincorporated East L.A. have been struggling first by COVID, then the federal raids, tariffs, the recent oil spill and now the toxic fire. Small businesses are suffering and they cannot relocate and customers are now choosing not to visit the area due to the stench and rat fly infestations therefore businesses are losing revenue.
We are physically, emotionally and financially being impacted for something we did not cause nor did we invite to the community. I have personally connected with local small businesses and this is not a seamless process. Please revisit the outreach to make sure you're going out to folks directly and not only providing phone numbers but actual assistance navigating the process. A local barbershop who received cash payment... Thank
you caller with phone number 818 last two digits 30 your line is open please state your name and begin
Hi, my name is Greg. I am a social media content creator and I've covered this issue on the ground. I just wanted to point out that this whole thing is an example of environmental racism which is where communities of color disproportionately shoulder the impact of environmentally damaging industrial activity. I have been there people have talked about their 80 year old neighbors who don't have AC and can't go outside People are showing me the bites on their skin from the flies.
The psychological impact of this, I don't think has been measured and probably cannot be understated lineage as a multi-billion dollar corporation has a fiduciary responsibility to maximize value for shareholders. They are not going to do any more than they feel like they have to, so I'm calling in support of this because I think you guys need to force them to help the people because they're not gonna want to help the people more than they think they need to.
Thank you. Byron your line is open please begin. Byron your line is
open. Hello can you hear me? Yes go ahead. Thank you. This is Byron with the Trans-Atlantic Coalition. I just want to say that we all support the business infrastructure funds, so how do we make sure that we continue to invest in care and safety for our communities? The policy, how we hold in the world of voters, which has been a recurring theme when we continue to realize as a funding. So like this, so definitely leveraging from lineage into this fund and that we continue to make sure that communities can uplift at that measure body to the moment by creating initiatives and funding. Thank you.
Thank you. Caller with phone number 862, last two digits 1-0 your line is open please begin.
Hi so can you hear me?
Yes go ahead.
Okay um so this lineage fire response has been a super crazy fucking joke One of the speakers, I don't know if it was from one of the departments or whatever. They said that in this meeting that the flies don't bite or something and yet we have plenty of evidence that they do. If you've grown up in a place that maybe wasn't as Well taken care of, you know that flies by it might not be the ones that buzz around your nice neighborhood. But if you're near a trash heap, the fucking flies bite another thing is that The city, I don't know about the county but the city refused to declare an emergency basically so that the insurance companies don't have to do like payouts all these homeowners and business owners. So clearly uh the establishment is cooperating with the insurance companies and the corporations to fuck the public.
Thank you Roy Humphries your line is open please begin
And thanks, I guess we have to thank Supervisor Mitchell. We had another race, Peter. It has nothing to do with race. If you live there, you're affected and if those persons are being ill treated look no further than your elected officials. Thank you.
Thank you Madam Chair. There are no other remote speakers to address the board. Remote participation for item 15 is concluded. We will go to our in-person speakers please begin.
Sofia Quinonez, Supervisor Solis. We call upon you to follow the example of your colleague Catherine Barger and County Public Counsel Don Harrison who on behalf of L.A. County sued due to the nuisance chemical stench over at Chiquita Canyon. The communities of East Los Angeles deserve equal support. As far as the ladies here, I'd like to communicate with you directly because we haven't had all the agencies in East Los Angeles meet.
We have direct information that can help you and we need the Board of Equalization involved and we need to expand the areas that are impacted, that our businesses are hurting. And the money that was allocated did not come from East Los Angeles. And there has been criminal behavior on behalf of a lot of people. It is disgraceful, and we need to hold agencies also accountable. So we want to have a town hall. East Los Angeles College has offered their auditorium. I want to work in conjunction with all our agencies- Thank you. Next
speaker please?
3:57 – 4:0312 turns
My name is Yesenia Poon, resident of Unincorporated East LA. Thank you Council Member Horvath for speaking and asking the right questions. And I have had an on-and-off eye infection which in my 30 years have never had before as you can see. Increased exposure to unsanitary conditions increases the risk of different types of infections etc. I came here to highlight that street vendors who are often neglected when it comes to established businesses As already mentioned, the California Community Fund received $2 billion and distributed the fund to 22 organizations. I urge you to hold them accountable as well since the CCF CEO should have a cap on their salary because their salary is too damn high. Additionally non-profit organizations are being added with more workload during the government's job in disaster relief because they know the community.
However, the local government should be doing their job and The only one who covers assistance for businesses and street vendors is Inclusive Action, so obviously the funds are exhausted. How is one organization going to cover both Boyle Heights and Unincorporated East LA? Thank you next speaker please.
Good afternoon my name is Silvia Corona once again. Last Friday we were
at a press conference there with Lineage
I'm still traumatized because that restaurant that's right on the corner of Olympic and Indiana, there are some palms outside.
And the first experience was that there were so many flies right there on the grass. And as soon as you walk by, they're just flying towards you or chasing you. I don't know if it's the sweat. Not sure. And now the company has placed these trucks with bags that are tied, they're just large bags attached to these trucks. And that's not really happening. They're just doing that because the media was there, that's not really truly they're just I saw when they were moving those trucks out and they're just moving them away.
And another thing, that restaurant there's about four or five restaurants
in the
surrounding area. And we also have the owners telling people to go and apply for unemployment, but we know that some people don't have documentation. So that's one of the issues.
Thank you. Next speaker please.
Hello, good afternoon. My name is Armando Torres and I would like to thank Supervisor Solis for being on top of these circumstances and to help the injustice of all of those small businesses that are suffering due to the Leenage fire.
And to be clear, although that lineage fire was not the responsibility of the county I do applaud the initiative of being able to intervene and support all of the small businesses that no one else was supporting. I also support that this motion adopts a proactive focus to be able to find ways to make these negligent businesses responsible.
And also to beg that these businesses that have contributed with this dangerous situation so that they have a fund for this interruption. And given the numerous emergencies that have happened with the county during the last year, it is important that the small business interruption fund be have active and also I support motion 15.
Thank you. Next speaker please.
4:03 – 4:0914 turns
I'm Stephen Kung and I applaud item 15, and thank you for supporting our businesses. But on day 49 of the toxic fire let's remember you still haven't provided the help that residents truly need. I live in Monterey Park where the air still stinks. The stench made national headlines in the New York Times. The toxic exposures are stacked there's the flies and the disease but I have fantastic news You have the power to remove the people from harm. You can mandate an evacuation order, as you did in Porter Ranch and Chiquita Canyon, and listen to your CEO. You could declare the area uninhabitable which would unlock insurance and mortgage relief for the residents. Let me be clear, making these declarations costs little but means everything to your constituents.
Don't wait for Laniche to comply we all know they're going to do jack shit so let's not pretend it's up to you fix it!
Thank You next speaker please
Good afternoon, my name is Maria Morales and I'm here to speak to Ms. Isla Solis. I was looking at your press conference with Karen Bass and the rest on Friday. I am very concerned about the responses. Ms. Karen Bass said that she is putting a pause on the renewal permit there. What do you understand by pause? I understand that they are looking at the possibility of giving permission and this is no.
So
I'm worried because of the answers that Karen Bass provided. Karen Bass said that there was a pause to the permits that are going to be provided, what do you understand by pause? To me it's a pause and then they're gonna review it to see if it'll be approved or
not. That's
a no on
my behalf. The other is that you said from day 13, if they don't clean this up, they're going to increase the daily fine by $500. It's impossible for $500 to cover all of the people who are going to go get treated at the county hospital because when this very ugly epidemic comes, what was it that burned? I want to know what it was that burned, not just meat.
So another thing is that you said that by the 13th, it would be fixed or there's going to be a $500 daily fine. Do you really think that that's going to cover the hospital visits that all the community is going to have? I also want to know what was being burned? What was burned on there? Was it meat? And $500 isn't going to cover all of the emergencies that these people are going to have. So really, we don't know what was burnt there. We need to know what was burned there in order for them to be taken care of.
Thank you. Next speaker please. Good afternoon, my name is Cindy Borbon and I represent a small business in Monterey Park less than four miles from Lineage site. I'm here today in support of item 15 although we're outside of the primary response area we haven't been outside of the impact There are still days where the chemical order is so strong it affects our ability to come into the office and invite clients in for meetings. Just yesterday evening, the smell was overwhelming.
If this is something we're experiencing less than four miles away I can't imagine the businesses and residents close to the site have been living with every single day. I respectfully ask that you consider item 15 to expand outreach, communications and available resources beyond the current focus area. My question is how are small businesses and residents supposed to know that our offices are safe and our homes are safe? Who is responsible for testing the communities beyond the current response area for contaminants that could affect long-term health? If we're not being tested how are we supposed to have confidence? Thank you next speaker please
Hi, good afternoon. Thank you Chair Solis for all of your efforts with constituents and businesses. We come here in support of Motion 15. We acknowledge that and thank you for making your staff available to meet with us. We know there's a lot to be done Obviously we've started Protect LA Now in response to this fire, this toxic fire. There's three chambers of commerce that are part of our 40 plus organizations.
We urge you to sign this or pass this but also to meet with us because we have a lot of information to share with you and we want to make sure that the businesses are made whole $3,000 is nothing for a family run business. It's nothing for a small or micro-business and street vendors live and die off of the food that they're able to sell.
Thank you next speaker please. Could I ask our DEO Kelly to maybe meet with them? Follow up with the chambers and get them, you know, have that discussion and information exchange.
I'll have someone come out. OK,
thank you. Thank you. Right. Good next speaker.
Next speaker. Good afternoon, Claudia Genes, DWC DPSS. Disaster tragedy, I know Ms. Hahn said that there must be an assessment of the cause and cost of this tragedy. One, failures in safety and practices. Two, failures to imagine and visualize a potential tragedy or hazard so somebody wasn't doing their job. Three, culprits. Who, when, what, how? Is it the new flies? Maybe so. Who knows?
Do an audit where you identify the failures. Is it incompetence? Is it sabotage or both? I suggest make an assessment review audit. It is unacceptable for socioeconomic communities who are underserved and live within poverty limits to have endured so much turmoil Thank you, next speaker please.
4:09 – 4:1713 turns
I support the environmental health purpose of agenda item 15, but the county must apply the same protections to low-income communities such as Skid Row. Environmental racism is not limited to openly discriminatory language. It also occurs when predominantly low income and housed disabled black and brown residents I ask the board to require cumulative impact.
Assessments, independent air monitoring, enforceable mitigation, public disclosure, disability accessible reporting and equal penalties for hazards affecting residents not only businesses. Please also help me obtain complete responses to my pending CPRA requests concerning these conditions and the agencies responsible.
Thank you that concludes the time for public comment on item 15.
Madam Chair item 15 is before you
I will move the item seconded by Supervisor Hahn to approve. Executive Officer, call the roll.
Roll-call vote Passed 4–0 move the item seconded by Supervisor Hahn to approve. Executive Officer, call the roll.
Show transcript
Motion passes
Thank you Moving on, Executive Officer
We will now
move on to Item 33, Comprehensive Electronic Monitoring Services Contract which was held by Supervisor Mitchell. For members of the public joining us remotely to comment on this item please use the raise hand feature if you are online or press star 3 if on a telephone. Guillermo Vieira Rosa Chief Probation Officer Robert N. Arcos Deputy Director Campus Safety and Security Operations And Sheila Williams, Chief Deputy Administrative Services Probation are here.
David Carroll, Director of Youth Development. Gina Akis, Senior Deputy Director Department of Justice Care and Opportunities are available for questions. For the departmental speakers please state your name and title for the record when you address the board.
Thank you, Supervisor Mitchell.
Thank you very much Madam Chair and thank you all for coming today. I held the item because I'm concerned about the lack of specificity around how we support the youth and adults who are on electronic monitoring. If we are serious about Care First, Jails Last that our investments should reflect just that. I understand that electronic monitoring is one of the tools we can use to urgently decarcerate our detention centers and jails, but on its own it's not a care first strategy. I'm also aware that electronic monitoring carries risks including disruptions to housing and employment and can increase recidivism on technical violations. That's why when electronic monitoring is recommended, we must ensure that wraparound services are provided as well.
And the success of electronic monitoring should not be measured by how effectively someone has been monitored. We should define it by how many people we help successfully remain in community. That means supporting linkage to behavioral health treatment, substance use treatment, housing navigation, employment services, benefits enrollment, family support, transportation assistance, reentry planning. All those kinds of community-based referrals. So as we took a look at the agreement I saw numerous requirements focused on equipment and technical performance but I didn't see the same level of specificity around comprehensive case management.
So I think that we have an opportunity, I'll go further to say a responsibility to be more intentional. If we enter into a contract that could potentially administer this program for a decade, we should make it clear that meaningful case management and service coordination aren't optional add-ons. They should be core expectations. So given that, I had some questions for all of you.
Again, I've got concerns about the contract and I can't be supportive of it unless you all can help me see how these services will be paired with wraparound casework for both youth and adults on monitoring. So can you share what specific wraparound services will be paired with this contract? We can start with probation and I'll hear from DYD and JCOT.
Thank you, Supervisor. And thank you for the clarity. I think maybe we're thinking of it differently that everything that you mentioned really is more on the policy side and that what was being presented was simply what went out to bid which As you correctly mentioned, which is heavy on the what is the electronic monitoring service? The equipment and the expectation. And how many people we can put on there and who puts the monitor on.
And I get that's the nature of the contract. And so I guess my point is they have to go hand in hand from my perspective for electronic monitoring to be successful, which is really to help keep people in community. So if you could tell me outside of the contract what you're gonna do on the services side
Yes, and we'll allow the other two departments as well. But thanks for the clarity because it's not that that would be added or that you're seeking for that to be added to this contract with a specific vendor. You really want to know from the county departments if somebody is placed on electronic monitoring what can be expected? It might bear a little bit of clarification as to what portions of this contract are for juveniles, what portion is really is a supervision strategy. Because from my perspective most of the services provided here are as mandated alternatives to incarceration for the judges and they're placing it either during the pretrial process which is the bulk of the contract or even in the juvenile component where the judges choosing to release them, and this is sort of the only tool that they feel comfortable with.
None of that negates what you mentioned which is essentially what are the strategies? I just wanted to make that clear sort of proportionally what it's used for. There are other jurisdictions in which it's used much more as a supervision strategy meaning somebody is already in the community and we want to ascertain how well they're doing or address violations by placing them on electronic monitoring. That is typically not how it's used in this county, it's really used more as an alternative to incarceration but I'll yield so we can tell you what he actually answered what other services are provided.
4:17 – 4:225 turns
Good afternoon. David Carroll, Director of the Department of Youth Development. So about a year ago, little over a year ago we created the RAID program which is Reentry Action for Youth and it was really designed for young people returning to community from a carceral facility really early on as we partnered with The defense bar, the judges, the DA probation. We discovered there was a need for pre-dispo youth who were going back to community who didn't have any wraparound services at all. So we started with 200 placements for the full population. We reached capacity almost immediately. We've been able to move that up to 600 openings about half are predispo. The other half are post adjudicated young people Many of the predisposed young people are on electronic monitoring as ordered by the judge and ordered to be part of the RAID program, to not go into Los Padrinos or into CVK for the girls.
While we do serve that particular population it is by far not the full population of young people that are that are on electronic monitoring. I believe, like I said we have a capacity of 600 if you split it between the two let's say 300 pre-dispo. I believe that when we were talking earlier there about 1,200 young people throughout the course of the year that are placed on electronic monitoring so the RAID program is really high touch, high impact with the financial incentives that are built in, the opportunity for young people to pay for classes, uniforms lots of different things That program is very expensive, not very expensive but it costs to support in that way. It's about $20,000 a kid.
What we're looking at is potentially a lower touch, lower cost way that we could potentially support probation to expand our reach but of course we would have to talk about where those resources would come from. Even mixed between Department of Mental Health Resources, CFCI, JJCPA funds and then we have a request out for some JJRBG that I think they're voting on that tomorrow. So we're hopeful that we receive those funds but to expand it and to kind of create a tiered approach, we would certainly have to find additional resources.
And while you say it's expensive, I appreciate just kind of out of context 20K per young person sounds like a lot but I know we spend more than 20K per young person in our carceral system. So it's a matter of perspective, I would argue. Thank you, JCOD.
Thank you, Supervisor. Gina Ekes for the Justice Care and Opportunities Department. Intensive case management is a main focus of the services we provide to justice-involved and system-impacted individuals. JCOD recently executed new contracts with almost 30 community-based organizations to provide intensive case management services across the county. This has meant to help individuals who may be on supervision, even if they're not on supervision. If they're pretrial, if they're reentry. So JCOD has worked diligently to build the infrastructure to support these individuals and has the capacity to do so. One of the things that I think is really crucial here is that JCOD has recently executed contracts to provide enhanced care management services where we're able to leverage the Medi-Cal benefit And we've had discussions with probations about opportunities where JGOD can provide additional support for care and case management services, especially in the areas where they might have gaps in coverage.
And to provide additional transportation services, they already are offered and available and provided regularly for Individuals to attend their monthly probation appointments. But because there has been an express need to provide additional support, we have been in discussions to find ways to execute agreements between our department and also establish direct service orders so funding can go to support these individuals that need additional support.
And can you quantify that at all? You know, I just heard that it's about 1200 kids and so DYD's program is supporting about a quarter of that number. And so as you're in discussions do you have any idea about how many particularly predisposition youth
Well, so for youth I think that would primarily be if they're under the age of 18 right. They could be supported by Department of Youth Development but JCOD does have capacity to support additional individuals even with the existing infrastructure and we have discussed piloting at several locations using our existing infrastructure. I think to be able to expand and to serve more that will probably require additional funding And for the transportation specifically, supervisor currently the department provides transportation to around 2,000 individuals per quarter who are on probation supervision and we do have the capacity to leverage existing transportation service providers but it will require additional funding because that funding is limited.
4:22 – 4:3121 turns
Thank you. Back to probation, we've heard pretty consistent concerns that the reduction of your field services is impacting the safety and support provided to youth and adults on probation. Does this contract at all address the gap? And align with the future of field services or no from your perspective?
It doesn't. This contract does not Fill the gaps created by those moves You know, but I do have to answer because it's now a common theme That there's this belief that the move of probation officers into the facility has rendered the general public sort of safety decline and I
And let me just clarify my question, not in terms of I hear you on that and you've addressed it before. So my question was is it impacting the safety and support provided to youth, to the youth who are back in community? In this instance on ankle monitors.
Yeah no, I guess the most straightforward answer that I could give you is that this contract in particular does not Enhance that modality of wraparound services or additional support to youth or adults It is a continuation of a service that has existed But with this company and for these terms, so it is an important portion of what we do but it certainly isn't part of that sort of change in the model of how we do business and But I'd be remiss if I didn't mention that I reject the flat-out notion that the simple move of staff to the youth has resulted in this reduction in public safety. It is an incomplete story, and I'm happy to discuss in length some of the other things that have been done to change the way we're supervising folks in the field And that any time that someone tells me there's been a reduction of some service, really when they come back and they tell me a person that they knew doesn't work somewhere.
And I say that that's insufficient. You know we're running an organization here because I do want to know where there are gaps. So one absolutely I would love to have more probation officers that were full duty and could come to work and could cover more of the areas of supervision But two, I reject that it has simply been a move that has resulted in this vacuum when in reality there are some types of supervision that are occurring at a much higher rate today than
before.
Thank you to my colleagues and I'm probably going to abstain. I realize it's a board letter because of all of the research I've looked at locally and nationally You know, to merely, I appreciate this is the technical side of the contract. But for me not to have a high sense of confidence that with this decade long contract that there's no guarantee that there will be not just pilots for some but everyone who has an ankle monitor to have those other resources is challenging.
Again, I'm abstaining versus voting no because I'm also the one that continues to push on depopulation and I realize it is a depopulation tool. It is not an overall effective strategy to keep people in community successful. We know the incidents of people being violated because they're on ankle monitor that brings them back into the system so it is It is not the whole strategy, and that I frankly struggle with. So thank you for coming and answering the questions. Thank you Madam Chair.
Thank you Supervisor Hahn.
Yeah, thank you Madam Chair. And I certainly understand Supervisor Mitchell's concerns. I think part of my a little bit confusion and then listening to today it seems a little different than what my staff brought back to me after Cluster. In Cluster, apparently it did say that this contractor was a case manager besides the equipment piece so it wasn't just the best equipment, we were giving them some case management work. Did we get that wrong?
We meaning you?
No, I don't think you have it wrong. There is a section in here that speaks the case management services for one of the three groups
And I think that's what the issue is a little bit to giving this contractor Case management work because I think supervisor Mitchell has really laid it out there so much That goes with someone having ankle monitoring in the community and just, you know, we've got JCOD. We've got DYD. I mean there's resources that have to go and whatever Guillermo you say that narrative is out there and I've heard it myself from field staff who have been transferred to our facilities, and I'm wondering is then does this contractor become the premier case manager for someone on ankle monitoring?
It certainly doesn't. And so thank you for pointing that out. It's case management
What case management would they
be doing? I'll tell you what it certainly doesn't mean. It doesn't replace the function of probation officers' case management, it doesn t replace the function of any county employee that is already engaged in producing that work or being a navigator. We certainly can go back and And from the contract language, provide you what it means. It's not at all what I've heard presented today which would be either wraparound services or being that navigator.
What do you define it as? That this contractor under the case management piece of this contract, what will they be asked to do or required to do? Or what do we expect them to be doing?
Thank you, Supervisor. I'm Robert Arcos, Chief Deputy Operations and I think that was part of the confusion at CAR and although it does exist in the contract as the chief mentioned, it exists under the high-risk sex offender monitoring, the GPS where there is a responsibility of the contractor to meet with the clinicians that are assigned to the client and also the deputy probation officer of a record to say how are we doing or how are we managing The GPS, are we managing the restraining order violations associated with this?
That feels like a little different word than case management.
We agree, we agree with that.
Yeah, that's why I just jumped to the point of nothing that's been discussed here today with respect to case management would be fulfilled by this contract. If we were seeking to have a private company provide those case management services, that certainly wasn't what was
I feel that's what got communicated in Cluster. And I'm also curious, a little bit too based on Supervisor Mitchell's, you know how are we evaluating the outcomes of electronic monitoring with this contractor? Like if we were going to evaluate this contract after It was up. What would we be evaluating?
I would love for any time that we spend dollars somewhere that we anticipate to have put pressure on lowering recidivism, that we measured that The county simply doesn't do that. We should do that across the board for all departments. The way that this would be monitored is whether they provided the services that we entered into an agreement with. I think the separate question, which is, is electronic monitoring a good strategy? Would be separate than whether this contract was fulfilled. Right,
that's separate. Again, I think again, that question stemmed from are they doing case management and how are we going to evaluate that
4:31 – 4:3618 turns
No, we would be evaluating. Oh you're asking if how would we know if they complied with the case management portions of that contract? I'd have to dig deeper into that.
Well, um, I sort of also feel like not being prepared to vote for this without a little more clarification on whether there is any case management or you want to take that out of the contract altogether It feels fuzzy.
Yeah, I mean, I'm a little shocked because this simply is an electronic monitoring contract that is what has been done in this county for many, many years and it's simply for that tool. I understand that we're interested in whether it's a good strategy altogether. That's, I think, a different conversation.
No, that's not what I'm asking.
It's not?
No, I am asking about why There is any case management references in this particular contract. And do we really want this contractor to be the case manager? Or do we want them just to have the equipment that works? You're right. It's a separate discussion on whether or not it's the best strategy, but I agree it's something that we were looking towards even for depopulation of Los Padrinos was their opportunities. Supervisor
Sheila Williams, Chief Deputy of Admin. This contract is set to start November 1st in order for us to make amendments or changes, I believe, to the contract. I'm not quite sure if we would still have to go out to bid and do a whole new solicitation process? And if so, then we will be without a contract in place. And therefore many of the participants that are currently on it and as a tool available to the judicial officers this would not no longer be a tool available.
And so I just want to make sure that that is clear. It's set to start November 1st. A solicitation process takes much longer than that. And so if we do want to make some changes you know strike some language I have to go back and talk to my contracts manager to see what's possible, and also work with county council on that.
Thank you Madam Chair.
Yeah if I could just add...I think that what we're talking about first of all I want to make clear that on the probation side there is nothing in this contract or that we would expect from this vendor that is replacing case management services that are provided by our employees On the pretrial side, we probably can come back with the contract votes to explain exactly what the case management piece. There is probably that language in there to describe not what we're describing as case management but the interaction between what they're seeing on their screen, what they can provide testimony to that they're calling case management in all likelihood. And to me that seems like a clarification that can be provided by contracts and we'll certainly send that to each of your offices.
Supervisor
Horvath.
Thank you very much, I don't want to be in the habit of renewing contracts or services just because we've always had them and so I just want to say that I understand that it might be surprising to you that there's this much discussion about something that has happened in the past but I think what you're hearing from this board is a desire for greater clarity around what we're spending the money on and I hear you Miss Williams about If this contract doesn't continue, then that tool is not available.
And so what does that mean? What would happen to people who are on electronic monitoring right now?
I probably should have said rather than be surprised that most of this tool is used for the bench. Most of what this contract is for, is to comply with the orders of judges.
I understand so what would happen if this contract weren't continued at all? What would happen?
Well, I would still be compelled to place people on electronic monitoring according to what the bench is telling me. I would leave to county council to respond further.
Okay, so you would find another way to pursue electronic monitoring?
I can't answer with respect to what I would be permitted to do or not do with funds from the probation department. The only thing that I know is that if a judge is giving me an order to release somebody on electronic monitoring, I should certainly attempt, if it's within my power, to do that. Whether there's another what the correct pot of money to do that would be or how it could be done. I really can't answer and I'd have to seek
guidance. Okay, so if we authorize this contract to allow for people to continue on electronic monitoring but approved it with a condition that we didn't fund the provision of services then what? And I guess that's my concern is this was your letter to us. So if you all don't know what's being provided, I don't know where we would get that information from.
4:37 – 4:4537 turns
Madam Chair, when does the current contract expire again?
November 1st.
November 1st.
So
can maybe instead of us taking action on the item today, can you take these questions back and get us information and come back to the board so we have a clearer understanding what that
is?
That's
what the chief has suggested. And clarify the language in terms of what case management services means with respect to the contract and if that's not clear whether we can strike it whether we have to do another solicitation
Because I think what's happening is there, there's a term of art case management and then there's the vernacular case management. And I think that's where we're getting, I think that's what you said in terms of semantics. No, no I understand. But I think that's part of the issue and so getting clarity around what services are or aren't being provided because if it's something that's simply administrative and not programmatic in nature then I guess my next question would be why is the department not doing that? Because then we're going to run into why are we contracting out issue.
And so I would have other questions if that were the answer, but since we don't know, I'd like more information. So how much time do you think you need for us to get those answers and reconsider this in order to meet the deadlines that you have to comply with?
What form would you like us to do it in? Should we take it back to CAR to answer those questions with your deputies, or do you want us to actually come back to the board
with those types
of questions.
My understanding is that we have to approve this item as a board so it's going to have to come back to a board meeting in some form or fashion whether it's a report or a presentation. So what would you prefer?
Okay. Next week?
Next week?
Yes, we can get this information to you very quickly. You know sort of part of how this plays out in this form is had we known that this is the specific question, we could have come prepared for it so we could do this very quickly within the next 24 hours and provide that information.
Great well we don't have a board meeting tomorrow but we do have one if Madam Chair do you think that it could be agendized for next week then? Okay so then I would move that we continue this item for a week
I want to ask a question, though. I get it that we may be confusing what case management is from what we on the board think it is and what this company and what probation thinks it is. And I guess for me, I'm trying to understand their role as I understand it from my staff is that these individuals actually attend meetings consisting with the individual regarding curfew verification, activity documentation and violation reporting.
That is no requirement to connect anyone. There is no requirement to connect anyone to housing, employment, treatment or services. So that's what I'm understanding. Case management is from your perspective, and that's where the dilemma is here. So take it back to the contractor and get clarification, and we see what that means I would imagine. And if case work does not include services for housing employment treatment and blah blah blah then we need to talk about that so that's a discussion you all should be having with our staffs before you bring it back I think that's what I would ask for. Are you guys okay with that, my colleagues?
Supervisor Mitchell, do you have anything else?
I was just wanting to clarify. I hear you and I get it. I said it's an issue of semantics. That wasn't the core of my issue. For me, it is philosophical. I saw that language thought oh that's weird but then I interpreted what they're going to do is really administrative. It's administrative duties versus case management, so I just wanted you to be clear that I appreciate having this clarification come back. It may not—will very likely not change what I'm going to do because mine is a core philosophical belief based on data that I've reviewed over a number of years. Thank you.
Okay. Very good. EO, let's go to public comment.
Will the following individual please come forward and staff will assist you. Claudia Jerez, we'll now go to remote callers. Ellen Eggenberg your line is open, please begin.
Hi, good afternoon. Helen Eigenberg. I'm a resident of SD3 and I just want to say listening to this whole conversation is so confusing and I just want to hold up what Supervisor Mitchell has brought up because it's a real concern and I'll leave it at that. And thank you for wanting further clarification before we sign off on another contract. Thank you.
Thank you caller with phone number 862 last two digits 10 your line is open please state your name and begin.
So it So they want impartial binding arbitration and you can't go on strike. Is that what they do to unions now already in the city? What's impartial versus like other, it just means like a third party lawyer, but you guys already have forced arbitration right as
like- Sir your off topic.
Any employees, any union employees?
This is item 33.
Brooklyn Carter, your line is open. Please begin.
The residents of Los Angeles County do not need to be placed under surveillance. This contract will make our community safer or provide meaningful support to the people who live in it. Instead of fulfilling commitments such as closing Men's Central Jail and prioritizing care first, this contract points us in an opposite direction. It suggests a future where people are pushed into incarceration systems instead of receiving the support they need to avoid it. Public safety cannot rely solely on law enforcement, especially when too many members of my community who are struggling are met with suspicion rather than compassion. Real public safety means giving people the tools they need to thrive. It means expanding access to mental health care, creating good jobs and investing in opportunities that strengthen our communities.
Increasing surveillance across Los Angeles County will not make our community safer for many people. Instead, it will do the opposite putting individuals and families at a greater risk. Please listen to the voices of my community as we speak to protect ourselves from policies that cause harm instead of providing support. Thank you. Care first, shells last.
Thank you. Caller with phone number 323 last two digits zero five your line is open please state your name and begin yes
hello can you hear me
yes go ahead
This is Sofia Quinonez. I just want to really encourage Supervisors Elizabeth Luis, Tohono Town Hall with all our agencies to deal with what happened with the lineage fire as well.
You're off topic this is item 33.
Zinnia Moreno your line is open please begin
Hi, first I just wanted to uplift Supervisor Mitchell for responding with the research and first abstaining as such because. I also want depopulation but this proposal is not the answer. I was in the cluster meeting so I can say you know it's backed up by the transcripts of that meeting that when probation was pressed on what case management would be provided through this contract they admitted that by case management they meant tech support for the devices.
They provided an example An interaction between someone from the contracted company and someone whose device was malfunctioning, you know fixing a device that was beeping for no reason. And that is the definition that they gave. For case management and cluster, but that is not the definition of case management. So this is incredibly deceptive language on the part of probation while sitting next to departments who do not have the funding to provide actual case management. If your ID can only serve a quarter of eligible youth, let's fix that.
This is incredibly important. I'm grateful to each of you for acknowledging that deceptive language.
Thank thank you, Roy Humphries. Your line is open. Please begin. Roy Humphries, your line is open
4:45 – 4:519 turns
No, I'm sorry if I hit that. I apologize. I'm done. I didn't mean to hit it.
Okay thank you Madam Chair there are no other remote speakers to address the board. Remote participation for this item is concluded we will go to our in-person speaker please begin. Please begin
Claudia Hernandez, DPSS, DWC. Of course the ideal idea is that case management services provide wraparound services to assist the juvenile achieve congruency and compliance. Case management is a very important practice not a tool, a practice that can assist the youth or juvenile comply with orders and comply with standards Most likely violated by the juvenile. Case management would be effective to hold staff, as well as the juvenile accountable for any activities. Electric monitoring tool is a very effective tool to keep them in compliance.
I believe case management is necessary in these instances. I am a case manager myself. I know how the practice works. It works very well because I did it to the T, and I achieved results. So if you case manage everything and make sure that that person understands... Thank you. That concludes the time for public comment on this item.
Madam Chair, the motion to continue this item one week to August 11th is before you.
Roll-call vote Moved by Lindsey P. Horvath
Show transcript
We will now
move on to item 59C, fully utilizing foster youth to independence initiative vouchers which was held by Supervisor Horvath. For members of the public joining us remotely to comment on this item please use the raise hand feature if you are online or press star 3 if you are on a telephone. Lisa Mandel, Interim Director of Children and Family Services. Sarah Mahan, Director of Homeless Services and Housing. And Emilio Salas, Executive Director of Los Angeles County Development Authority are available for questions.
For the department speakers please state your name and title for the record when you address the board.
Thank you, Supervisor Horvath. Thank you Madam Chair and I want to thank Supervisor Barger for joining me as a co-author on this important motion and welcome to our Interim Director. I know it's maybe your first time joining us in this capacity so
welcome.
Last week the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development issued a notice removing the cap on the number of foster youth to independence vouchers that public housing authorities can request each year This is a significant and welcome change that will allow housing authorities to more easily draw down this critical rental subsidy for former foster youth and those exiting care. Approximately 1,200 youth exit our county child welfare system each year. We must ensure that each of these young people has a safe and secure housing plan when they leave our care preventing any youth from entering homelessness. These expanded foster youth vouchers can be a consistent subsidy included in the housing continuum of care for transition-age youth with child welfare system history.
We know that young people want and need these vouchers, and earlier this year when DCFS opened the Foster Youth to Independence Voucher Waitlist you received 1,200 applicants in a two week window for only 100 available vouchers. Thanks to recent changes, we can now ensure that every young person who is eligible for one of these vouchers can receive one which is an ideal moment for us to scale this program. DCFS and HSH are working to strengthen their partnership and build out a continuum of care for our young people and we know that FYI vouchers can help young people prevent or end their homelessness. We need more and now we can get them! This motion calls on our county departments to work together to ensure we are providing the supportive services necessary for these youths to complete the Housing Authority application, find a unit, transition into housing and stabilize and thrive as they journey into adulthood.
This motion calls on LACDA DCFS and HSH to reach out to our region's housing authorities to inform them of the services available to the youth We need the commitment of other housing authorities to partner with the county and secure the vouchers for as many eligible young people as possible. I commend the voices of our young people, the leadership of Dextra O'Connell from Safe Place for Youth DCFS, HSH and LACTA for their work in supporting this program and advocating for its expansion. This is the result of hard work. I look forward to the report backs and seeing how many more young people were able to house thanks to this new resource and to the services provided by LA County. And I wanted to ask...I know we've heard housing authorities express concerns about requesting these vouchers as they weren't sure if youth would be provided the necessary support to lease up and sustain the housing.
So what supportive services will our young people be provided with to make sure this resource is fully utilized? And what is the difference between the role that HSH and DCFS will play in administering the program?
4:51 – 5:0113 turns
Great.
Sarah Mann, Director of the Department of Homeless Services and Housing. We have a really wonderful partnership with DCFS where DCFS is actually funding HSH to provide intensive case management services to youth who have FYI vouchers so that means that we're providing support with Submitting the applications, preparing all the applications and submitting them to the housing authorities. Support with the lease up process with ensuring that youth have all the access to supportive services and financial management and all of those kinds of supports to ensure housing retention and sustainability.
And then it's important to note that the FYI vouchers are time-limited. They're three year vouchers and for housing authorities that have family self-sufficiency programs, there could be a two year extension so we also do the work around the long term planning with supporting through the transition to the Family Self-Sufficiency Program and after that if there's still a need for housing subsidies, we work across the system to ensure that these young people can remain stably housed
Good afternoon. Lisa Mandel, Interim Director for DCFS. First I want to say thank you to my partners here because our three departments have been working really in lockstep and created quite a nice pipeline. I'm happy to report what we do from our end is we solicit and get the applications. We work with the youth. We facilitate screenings, interviews. Pretty much put the packet together to send over to HSH.
We do meet monthly with the housing providers, with the public housing authorities. We meet with our partners. We're tracking our data. So we want to make sure this is an incredible opportunity for our youth and we want to make sure we can take advantage of every single voucher we can get our hands on.
That's great, and I'm glad to hear the distinction. It sounds like HSH is leading in terms of keeping track of that and DCFS is providing the supportive services which we've long heard when we've held discussions with our young people. That's the missing piece. How do they actually access the things that they know are available to them? So I'm glad we're fixing that And in this moment, so that's great. Emilio how many vouchers will LACDA request from HUD and how can you lead a countywide effort to get more housing authorities to draw down these vouchers?
Thank you for that question, Supervisor Emilio-Salas, Executive Director of Los Angeles County Development Authority. As you noted earlier there was an important change to this application process at the 50 voucher cap was removed and HUD is making vouchers available that is needs based in other words as many vouchers as we have referrals for minus our attrition rate so as we're crunching the numbers we feel weak we ourselves can apply for anywhere between 70 to 90 vouchers But certainly there is more room for other PHAs within the region to also apply for vouchers and we're going to be working collaboratively with them to do that. We are the convener of PHA's, of the 19 PHA here in the county and we've convened before encouraging them to apply for this resource.
One of our smaller PHA in Pomona actually was the one stepped up and applied and got a fair amount of vouchers they have the second largest allocation And so we're going to be circling back with all of the PHAs again, leveraging that relationship and encouraging them to apply. You know many are reticent because of the administrative work and because their unfamiliarity with a new program. And what we're gonna let them know is the county's gonna be there and step in if they need any assistance. We've done that with emergency housing vouchers as half of the ones that applied or that had vouchers had no And so the county stepped in and said, we will issue a county voucher so that no one goes unhoused. So we're going to use that relationship and say, we will also step in and provide you the assistance so that you can be successful in administering this program.
That's great. Is there something maybe HSH can work with? You know, I know we have our local government partner so maybe there's a way that for where there are housing authorities in partnership with our local governments that we can use that tool to communicate the availability of assistance. Absolutely. Great and do you have a number that LACDA is applying for?
We think that we're going to be able to apply between 70 to 90 based on where we have right now in terms of in the pipeline, but we want to make sure that we refine that number and we're gonna maximize the amount. We're gonna swing for the fences and ask for as many as we can possibly pull down.
Okay sounds like there's a lot of need so as much as we can be applying for whether it's us or our partners let's do it and I see you have more.
One of the other things that we're going to do is we're tracking while we're doing the application process, to find out what area that these youth want to live in because part of the problem has been in the past. We'll say here's your voucher and here's where you can live and they don't want to live there. It's not close to home or work or school. And so as we're getting the applications in, we're going to ask and that will help LACTA. Mr. Salas here go out and go to the housing authority saying we have 25 youth that want to live in your area Step up, please. So that should help inform where we're targeting as well.
Great. I'm glad we're also communicating that so we know what helps to make a good match. Exactly. Thank you very much for addressing this. This brings some hope. Cautiously optimistic always but thank you for the level of coordination that's now going to exist to help make this more successful.
Thank you, Supervisor Mitchell.
Thank you to Supervisors Horvath and Barger for bringing the motion forward. You're right this is a perfect example of when impacted communities are engaged in advocacy at every level of government we actually got some good news from the federal government go figure And I appreciate that the motion recognizes the importance of partnership with and among all of our public housing authorities, that's really important. As we talked about need, our most recent homeless count saw a 22% increase in transition age youth experiencing homelessness from the previous year and in two spas that cover majority of the second district, spa six and seven Tay experiencing homelessness represented 64% and 72% respectively of the overall homeless population.
So when we talk about need, the need is real. And the timing I think of the data is crucial as we consider how to best meet the needs of our youth transitioning out of foster care. I think it's important given that DCFS is the main holder of the information on who's exiting the foster care system, that we communicate that with all 88 cities about the number of youth within their respective boundaries. I think that's an important element. Why? Because it supports me when my cities ask what resources the county is providing because DCFS serves every Angeleno. It also helps me continue in encouraging cities to increase housing options for our shared constituencies. So you making sure that they understand how many of their youth are going to benefit will serve a dual purpose from my perspective.
I also think the urgency of this motion is critical so we can ensure that the county is first in line to request these vouchers because as you gave us the number, not meet our full and growing need. There's one more thing I want to underscore, and that's the ask of all the departments related to the directive for funding and staff capacity needs. I do want to see an assessment that includes efficacy of current positions supporting the program.
I want to know where efficiencies can be achieved within the current staffing models and whether a reconfiguration of current Existing staff within each team as possible. This really should not automatically result in adding new positions, we have to see where we can work within the staffing position that we currently have. I also wanna make sure what supports might be needed for contractors or organizations that play a role in successfully implementing the program as well. Wanna make sure that we're providing the appropriate support to them That was a definition of case management, as I understand case management.
Just saying. So thank you very much. Hope that in the report back some of these other issues can be identified particularly around staffing and go get the vouchers for the county first. Thank you.
Thank you. I also want to chime in and say thank you Supervisor Horvath and Barger for the motion I think this is a great opportunity for us, for the county. And it's a sigh of relief for those of us that have really been trying to help out our TAY population and I know that we'll do our best to hopefully come out with more vouchers and do whatever we can to be creative. I just want to share an example in the first district that I hope We'll be able to partner with us on this, and that is the L.A. Rubin Board. I don't know if you're familiar with them. Some of you are nodding. On housing opportunities they provide transitional-age services, residential stable community setting case management, opportunities for workforce training, apprenticeships, all of the good stuff that's happening And they have taken over these cottages in the Northeast LA area that used to be for families, for homeless.
And they are doing a good job with TAY and LGBTQ. And one of the outstanding programs that I'd like to hopefully see become more engaged and be a part of this effort for healing recovery and transition for these young people. So we just wanted to underscore that because this is a unique opportunity for once the feds Maybe getting it right, so we better get it right. So thank you.
Supervisor Mitchell anything else you wanted to add? Okay okay let's go to public comment then.
5:02 – 5:058 turns
Will the following individual please come forward and staff will assist you. Claudia Jerez, Madam Chair. Okay we do have one caller Dexter O'Connell your line is open please begin
Yes, hello Dexter O'Connell with Safe Place for Youth. It's a genuine pleasure to address the board on this issue today. I appreciate the motion and I think that one of the things that we appreciate during Period has been the spirit of collaboration between HSH and previously Housing for Health on ICMS, DCFS, LACTA and our other housing authorities. We hope that this motion will help to deepen that collaboration. And we look forward to continuing to be a part of that.
We are actually expecting Supervisor Mitchell to get some geographical data from DCFS that will allow us to produce those maps within the next two weeks. I will share those with your office when we have that done. Thank you very much for your hard work on this, and particularly thank you for encouraging LACDA to work on the On Demand vouchers. That's going to be huge progress. We look forward to housing more young people using these vouchers. Thank you for your support.
Thank you very much.
I believe that we need to have and give youth independence to make it happen for themselves. I believe expectations are necessary for youth, expectations and requirements in a guide They're going to have options and routes of what route and what options they can take to make it happen for themselves. Because when you do case management with them, and if they get a voucher, they're gonna be able to say now I have an apartment, now I'm gonna do independent living. I'm gonna do independent living that means I'm gonna get my own groceries, I'm gonna get my own car, I am gonna get my own bills, and I'm going to be paying all that. And so now it comes down That now I'm gonna you know learn to be an adult and make responsible choices.
And the county will be there to assist them with the resources, the case management, and we'll assist them to gather themselves- Thank you that concludes the time for public comment on this item.
Madam Chair Item 59C is before you.
Thank you moved by Supervisor Horvath seconded by Supervisor Mitchell to approve the item Executive Officer call the roll.
Roll-call vote Passed 3–0 Moved by Lindsey P. Horvath · Seconded by Holly J. Mitchell moved by Supervisor Horvath seconded by Supervisor Mitchell to approve the item Executive Officer call the roll. · 1 under review
Show transcript
motion passes. We will now
move on to items 22 and 62 County Code Title V Personnel Ordinance Amendment which were held by Supervisor Hahn. For members of the public joining us remotely to comment on these items, please use the raise hand feature if you are online or press star three if on a telephone. There are no departmental speakers requested for this item. Madam Chair and members of the board, please note that the chief executive officer has requested a continuance for these items to December 1st, 2026.
5:05 – 5:147 turns
Supervisor Hahn.
Yes, thank you Madam Chair. You know back in March I held this item because I had concerns about the county's proposal to change civil service rules that would impact sworn probation employees before going through the meet and confer process During that public hearing, instead of approving the changes this board directed our CEO to meet with probation labor representatives to discuss the proposed civil service rule changes before coming back to the board for a vote. I understand there have been a few meetings between our CEO's office and labor since then only one though, I think Joe you said you've only been involved in one meeting.
And that an agreement has not been reached yet. But this morning, I understand that either labor reached out to CEO or CEO reached out to labor agreeing to make best efforts to reach a negotiated outcome within 90 days. And I think the negotiation process is in place for a reason and that labor has a right to continue engaging on the terms of these civil service rule changes.
I know the CEO technically has the authority to make these proposed changes before meet and confer because of the emergency decoration in our juvenile facilities. But I'm concerned that skirting the normal labor processes will lead to more distress, more anger and frustration among our probation employees at a time when I think the department should be doing more to work with their staff rather than against them.
And I think it makes sense that the unions are upset. Most of these proposed changes are not small, they include things like increasing the probationary period for new sworn employees from one year to two years which goes against the standard and would be a pretty big leap or allowing hearsay to be used during employee investigations which our unions have major reservations about.
And in my opinion, these proposed changes would not actually address the staffing crisis that led to the creation of this emergency declaration in the first place. In fact some say it might make recruitment worse. I know that other labor unions have expressed growing concerns about the county's ability to declare an emergency and then use that emergency to justify changes to civil service rules that are in place to protect them.
I think approving these changes without meet-and-confer would set a dangerous precedent, and I still hold out that we might have an opportunity to have everybody at the table to come to some agreement. And let me be clear, I'm fully supportive of holding probation officers who behave badly or abuse youth in our facilities accountable. There is no question but I don't think that this is the right pathway to getting into that accountability so I appreciate Joe's suggestion that we continue this until December to give everybody one more opportunity to work on coming to some agreement. So if we're going to vote on whether or not to continue it, I certainly am going to vote to continue it. Yeah, I move that we continue this till December. Did you say December 1st?
December 1st yeah thank you Madam Chair.
I also want to chime in. I know that Joe yesterday in your walkabouts we talked about this and the need to meet with our unions and I know I was part of that discussion initially to try to have More conversations and it didn't go as well as I thought it would, but now I'm hearing that there's the potential for some reconciliation. And I'm hopeful that we'll get that underway and that's why I will support this. But I too stand firm that I do not agree with And I do agree that there has to be some reforms, definitely. And that's something that the union leadership, I hope, will also recognize and I know they have made overtures to at least some of us explaining that they do not also support that kind of conduct. So I would hope that we can find agreements in that being one but then all the others that I know are very important to both the county and to our residents, and especially, I think, to our employees.
So I hope we can move forward. So, I'll second your item. Okay. Supervisor Horvath, you're
in. Thank you Madam Chair. I'm glad our CEO has had the opportunity to bring discussions with the relevant probation unions forward But I'm disappointed to hear a request for continuance. I oppose the request and believe we should take the item up today. In the more than 130 days since this first appeared on the agenda, unions have made zero effort to substantively compromise. To be clear, probation's biggest challenges have not been resolved nor of any specific commitments been made by our labor partners to resolve them to the satisfaction of the county. This is a department whose misconduct has caused roughly $4 billion and counting harm to the county and county residents. Department staff hosted gladiator fights injuring youth we were supposed to care for, and staff have been arrested for bringing drugs into facilities as recently as last week.
Doing nothing, waiting longer puts the youth in our care at risk and misses an opportunity to course correct in favor of the same systemic failures we've seen for years. And which lead to unprecedented billion dollar settlements we now face. If we're going to have a zero tolerance environment for misconduct relating to youth in our care, we need to back that up with action. The changes proposed here are temporary, they only apply to probation and will be subject of meet-and-confer efforts with the relevant unions. We will not get out of this emergency unless and until we resolve the challenges targeted by these temporary changes Holding staff accountable, reducing call outs and reducing abuse of our leave system. And giving the department the tools it needs to discipline staff when they fall short.
These temporary emergency changes do not come out of the blue. They come after years of incentives, bonuses for coming to work. Hiring bonuses, tremendous recruitment efforts that other departments did not get which still failed to get people to show up for the jobs they're being paid to do. We cannot continue to allow our youth to live in emergency circumstances and unsuitable facilities without acting with a sense of urgency ourselves. So from my vantage point I think waiting especially 90 days is unacceptable. We need to make clear we are serious about addressing the emergency facing our youth justice system by taking these critical steps now. Not by waiting again, not by passing the buck but by taking steps to improve our system now.
Supervisor Mitchell?
Thank you this reminds me I saw a desk plate recently that I'm gonna go have one made for myself and it says hard work is hard. And when this came up previously, I asked the question then, I think of my colleagues if there was an expectation because it was presented as they hadn't had the opportunity to have a conversation. Let's give them time to meet and I ask the question then is the expectation that there be agreement or just time to meet?
And what I am now hearing is there's an expectation or there's a core belief expressed by Supervisor Hahn that civil service rule changes should be a part of meet and confer. So I guess really my question is for COCO or DHR, whoever feels most prepared to answer the CEO, is it your opinion that any civil service rule change can only be made via negotiated agreement or meet and confer?
They're meeting and conferring for the answer.
Good afternoon. Eduardo Montelongo with the Office of the County Council, so to answer your question it can be in these circumstances the statute that governs labor relations within the county allows under emergency circumstances to impose the action first and then meet and confer. The traditional road for Amending civil service rules envision a meeting before beforehand, but that is not the only circumstance under which it can be changed. So under these circumstances we can impose first and negotiate later.
5:14 – 5:229 turns
So I completely agree with all of the very strong statements you made, Supervisor Horwath. This is a kick the can down the road example. I also see that we are a member of four sitting here today and so I don't know that we could actually move an action to move forward based on what I assume Based on comments I've heard from my colleagues. So it feels to me that we don't have an option but to support what has been asked by the CEO, DHR and County Council. I would say this, I hope that everyone within the sound of our voices including labor who I don't know is represented today hears Supervisor Horvath's irritation, can I say irritation? Is that fair?
Echoed by mine. Echoed by, I'm sure the members of the public who are tracking very closely what we spend, the experience of our youth within their jurisdiction, all of the things and so I certainly will not support another extension. I certainly hope December 1st is it. And whether agreements were reached via meet and confer or not, it is clear based on the response that we have the power as a board to change civil service rules in these circumstances as we deem appropriate and fit.
And I will certainly be looking forward to a December 1st meeting when that action can be taken if agreements aren't reached. Mr. CEO, I see you turned on your mic. Were you going to comment?
Yeah, if I could. I just want to go back to that March meeting and if you recall the recommendation at the time was to impose these how Mr. Montelongo said it imposed now and negotiate later we were sent back to have conversations with the unions that were impacted. And there are a lot of union concerns. I mean they've raised a lot of concerns one of the concerns that they've raised repeatedly is the legality of our ability to do this. Now we think we can, they think we can't. So those discussions never really got off the ground okay? We had lots of meetings but there was no real movement in either direction about what we wanted to do you know moving towards some sort of semblance of okay we agree on how we're gonna move forward now at the time we were not instructed to do that and we were instructed to meet with them about Our intentions behind the civil service rules, I had a meeting with leadership.
There were four meetings with the unions by my team. The recommendation that I put on the table this morning is based on a conversation we had last night with labor which was are you willing to put a timeline to discussions that would actually be negotiations over this language with the framing of best efforts and come back to the board with something that we could put across as a negotiated outcome. There's no guarantees that we're going to get there, and our position is still that these rules are appropriate.
We're not backing off of our recommendation to impose them. I think what I'm reacting to is comments I've heard Statements made by the board, conversations we've had about the desire to have an opportunity for labor to actually agree to something through a meet and confer process. But again, we can do that. They've said they're willing to do that so that is the basis for the continuance request but again if nothing happens If we're not there, we are not backing off of our recommendation at this point to impose what we feel are very important reforms needed to address the issues in the probation department.
Okay and so let's just walk back through that. This conversation was had in March. I was prepared to support the recommendation in March. This is now August. As you said it was your understanding that it was the expectation of the board or the ask of the board members of the board was to meet So this next 90 days, it is a different expectation. It is not to just meet to share space but it is an effort to come to agreement and if you fail to come to agreement or if you come to partial agreement would be great if there are some things that come off the table.
You will come back December 1st with a recommendation
Yes.
Okay, that feels a little more concrete to me than the March conversation and I hope Labor understands that as well and that I certainly will not be supporting another continuance because now the conversations have bridged from March to December let's be real clear
And if I can add just one other thing, this is really for discussion which is the 90 days. There's no magic to those 90 days it can be 60 days what we need is the cooperation to sit down and have these discussions right now we're meeting once a month. We need to meet weekly. It's a 12 page ordinance I know there's a lot in there, but it's not an extensive overhaul of the civil service rules.
If we can get done in 60 days if the board prefers a 60 day timeline so we come in more quickly, we can discuss that with our union partners and see if that's something we can agree upon. I don't see why we can't get it done in 60 days. I'll just say from our perspective. We haven't addressed that with them, but that's another option is if 90 days seems too long, we can go through this same process in a more truncated timeline
Well, I think most importantly, I'm sure they're listening and will not have my support for another continuance. The commitment is to meet we don't have it does not in my humble opinion have to be negotiated. I've heard from county council that we have the power to take action. We certainly are clear about all the circumstances around why we are even considering civil service rule changes Given all the steps that we have taken to course correct the culture of the department.
And so thank you for the clarification.
Supervisor Horvath?
Thank you, Madam Chair. I'm clear that there are three votes for something different than I asked for. I just wanna make two clarifications. One, we could convene as five before December 1st if we wanted to take this up soon. I would also say December 1st is 120 days, 90 days is sooner than that. So we've said 90 days and said December 1 at the same time and those two things are not the same. So I just would like clarity if there's going to be a motion to continue that long which it is.
5:22 – 5:3234 turns
But the caveat could be if there is concurrence that perhaps our CEO will bring this forward. Is that also? I mean, if you're finding that you're going to resolve things sooner, you can always come back to us sooner, right? You said that,
right? Yeah, we could certainly do that. The 90 days was 90 days to have the meetings and then there would be a report out, and then we'd come back to the board on December 1st. Now we can snap that to a 90 day deadline, come back early November, that's fine too. Like I said, there's no magic to the 90 days, and I think moving this along is beneficial so if we feel like coming back in early November is better, then we can do that as well.
So we'll need to change that
language then? No, I don't think. Madam Chair just for a point of clarification, I don't think we need to change it. I think what he said is obviously you could come back earlier but again, I think you have already had a conversation with your union friends that December 1st would be when you would bring it back. Is that correct Joe?
Yeah,
we. What did you and your union partners?
90 days to have the discussions, 90 days to reach best efforts to reach an agreement continuance to December 1st is
what I
recommended.
Again, I think we should stick with what you've already agreed to. And then obviously if you come to an agreement earlier, you can certainly bring it back.
The ordinance comes from our office, from county council. So we would need further direction from the board to bring it back sooner than December 1st. So we'd need a motion.
Put in the language yeah that we will allow for if there is concurrence to be this item to be brought before the board before December 1st? Go ahead and interpret it.
A later motion from the board to bring it back sooner.
He's already said December 1st, that was my motion. I don't know, could we? Yes, that would be fine. No later than December 1st. I'm going to go ahead and ask for a motion to adjourn. Madam Chair, my question to Joe would be you said these are your rules. This is what you intend to impose and you're kind of taking the stance that you want them to just agree to it. Is there?
Are you seeing any opportunities And I'm just wondering if there's any room for that. You know, maybe willing to come, you know, go so far but not is there room for that? Or it's just, it's agree to these or nothing.
The unions would say okay, and there's some room where the unions would say not okay. And then we'd have to consider whether that goes far
enough
and bring something back to the board. So it's not, this is not performative. It's not perfunctory. We want to reach an agreement in the 90 days if we don't or we don' make sufficient progress I'm leaving open the possibility that we would come back with the same recommendations.
And my also my wish would I know you have a negotiating team, but I think When you said you had only personally met once. I mean, I would encourage you to also be there because I do think you have a Demeanor, a style that I think is useful and valuable in the... He's likable. In these kinds of situations so I wouldn't leave it just up to my negotiating team.
My expectation is that you would be in these meetings.
If I could respond to that? My commitment that I can make is I would attend the meetings where I think strategically My attendance would add value. There are lots of these meetings, I don't think my attendance adds value at all of them. But I will definitely make an effort to attend those where I think I can move the needle.
Because I mean, I think you're valuable in how you approach people in my opinion. So and again, I still don't know which one of these civil service changes actually gets us to making people show up to work. I don't see any of them that actually speak to that. But thank you Madam Chair.
Okay, very good. So let's move on.
Okay so Madam Chair we have a motion before you the motion is to continue this items 22 and 62 to a date no later than December 1st. That is the motion brought by Supervisor Hahn seconded by Supervisor Solis. We will need public comment?
Yes Public comment.
Will the following individuals please come forward and staff will assist you? Carly Alba, Claudia Jerez and Kuki Lomel. Caller with phone number 323 last two digits 06 your line is open please state your name and begin. Caller your line is open please begin Okay caller with phone number 323 last two digits six zero your line is open please begin.
Hello my name is Shanae O'Quinn I am a DPO 2 field officer, I am requesting that the board continue this item at my union it's an ongoing communication and meeting with um the board and civil service and that this I don't have nothing to do with staffing improvements. In fact, the time brought up great points that it will hinder the department even further.
Good faith negotiations need to continue and I'm requesting that everyone else on the board please consider take this matter on within the next 3 months and that are. The probation department are. need to be poured into instead of feeling like they're being there. There's punitive resolve the staffing issue, this item needs further negotiation. I'm asking that the rest of the board please consider to take it into consideration as a filler billion dollar lawsuit was just not probation department included other departments that are never mentioned which was DCFS and park work.
Thank you Helen Nagenberg your line is open please begin
Good afternoon, Helen Eigenberg resident of SD3. I want to raise the level of irritation here. I completely oppose this request. I'm going to say to all of you if these were your kids in these facilities, you would have gotten together and made a decision and made the changes that are necessary. Let me remind you that two probation officers were arrested last week. We are currently paying out from three different lawsuits rightly so to these kids they're being paid out now This is just unacceptable. I'm going to ask you all to reconvene as five and please, we need to get on this. You've been given 130 days and now you want 120.
This is unacceptable. Thank you.
Thank you. Roy Humphreys your line is open. Please begin.
Yes folks and I tell you, this is appalling. I can't even believe it and I wonder sometimes if we had some men on the board with things move any better. This is 2026 and this garbage is going on and of course you know we don't want to send anybody to jail that would be so cruel and inhumane You see money and I gotta stop because I'm just about to lose it over the insanity that you all have brought to this.
My God,
thank you caller with phone number 323 last two digits 060 line is open please begin.
Yeah good afternoon. This is Mel Bailey District 233 things one when you're identifying labor as a possible I'm not sure if you can, but can you identify which labor? There's three different labor unions that are affected by this. And sometimes I hear you use labor singularly. Secondly, I know the conversation was going back to March. However, keep in mind it was a previous decision that was rendered by this Board of Supervisors that was actually an error as it relates to monies for abuse cases that later on identified as not being accurate And then lastly, it still seems a little inappropriate although I did look up the civil service post 2303 but it seems slightly inappropriate to target one particular department and um I just hope we can all work together to get this done.
Thank you and have a blessed day.
Thank you caller with phone number 510 last two digits 76 your line is open please begin
Hello good afternoon this is Olivia Shields with Urban Peace Institute. I want to uplift the comments made by my colleague Helen Eikenberg, the experiences that young people are having inside these facilities have been and continue to be absolutely egregious and any and all measures of accountability that can be taken to ensure that staff that are not doing what they need to be doing in caring for young people which is what they are charged to do or being held accountable needs to happen a delay is not going to make anything better Address the level of urgency that the young people are experiencing on a day to day basis. And as someone who goes in consistently, I feel it's important to be of which these young people in this moment who are having to experience youth abuses on a regular basis.
Thank you.
Thank you Madam Chair there are no other remote speakers to address the board. Remote participation for this item is concluded we will go to our in person speakers please begin.
5:32 – 5:358 turns
Good afternoon, Madam Chair and members of the board. My name is Carly Alba speaking on behalf of all supervising deputy probation officers with Teamsters Local 986. While we stand in opposition to the proposed civil service rules changes in agenda item 22, we want to thank The board sincerely for the continuance today. We share the board's deep commitment to the safety and well-being of the youth in our care. We look forward to meeting with the CEO and working in good faith to come to meaningful collaborative solutions that address the operational challenges without compromising workforce quality or safety.
Our members care deeply about this department, and we are fully committed to being a part of the solution. Thank you.
Thank you. Next speaker please.
My name is Cookie Lamel. I'm with AFSCME Local 685, the Probation Officers Union. The unions are continuing to meet in good faith to resolve all the issues that underlie this motion. We have been nothing but good partners with the CEO's office and it is in poor faith to move forward under the cloak of staffing emergency when nothing in this motion even attempts to resolve the staffing crisis. I urge you to allow our good faith negotiations to move forward by continuing this motion for three months.
Thank you very much.
Thank you, that concludes the time for public comment on this item.
Madam Chair items before you Item 22 and 62. The motion is to continue these items for no later than December 1st 2026 motion by Janice Han seconded by Hilda Solis Okay.
Call the roll.
Roll-call vote Passed 3–1 motion by Janice Han seconded by Hilda Solis Okay. Call the roll.
Show transcript
Motion passes 3-0 That's it Madam Chair, it is my understanding that there are no specials so we can move on to general public comment.
Very good. Public comment. We have people in the queue. You have to read the instructions.
5:35 – 5:4013 turns
Will the following individuals please come forward and staff will assist you. Carolyn Caldwell, Barbara Olsen, Jack Fuston, Sophia Quinones, Anna Diaz, Claudia Jerez, Eliseo Hernandez, Lorenzo Gomez, Brian Smolskis, Dr. Ivy Hilton-Priestess, Yesenia Palm, Morgan White, Alma Marquez, Maria Morales, Sylvia Corona and Juan Caneel. Caller with phone number 862 last two digits 10 your line is open please begin. Hi
can y'all hear me? Yes
go ahead
Hi, so I'm actually calling in about the Catalina Island Culling, also known as the systematic murder of all the deer on that island. We put them there, so obviously we should be responsible for them. But just because something's inconvenient doesn't mean you just murder all the life forms involved. Another thing that's not good for the environment, I keep hearing things about the environment or whatever, is the bay that's there?
You have all these boats and stuff almost permanently docked. What about all the hotels, the restaurants? Imagine all the waste that comes from there. Never mind all the helicopter trips to fly people back and forth because of trauma care issues. I hear you guys are thinking about closing down a hospital on the island. We don't, we don't just murder a bunch of life forms because it's inconvenient and the systematic murder of all those deer normalizes it so we could do the same thing to
people.
Thank
you. Roy Humphries your line is open please begin
Yeah, Supervisor Mitchell reminds me of Governor Wallace. Racism now tomorrow and forever which is a historical fact by the way in the effort to help all race baiters I have sent a book cover copy by Rick Rush titled Necrophilia and a black video short titled Black Women Killed The Black Family you check it out it's very informative remember Jesse Peterson still loves you. Talk to him about reparations and Supervisor Solis, start your English Empowering Assimilation courses for all Los Angeles County Latinos. It's a great thing to break the chains of enslavement. Racism is good according to Negrophilia and NAACP.
Thank you very much keep on race baiting we need it
Lucas Johnson, your line is open. Please begin
Good morning, my name is Lucas Johnson speaking on behalf of the Education Justice Coalition. Last November this board unanimously directed LACOE and county partners to address LA County's longstanding failure to educate incarcerated youth. The motion required written report backs directly to this board on suspensions and chronic absenteeism implementation of DEJC's 18 recommendations and the school-to-prison nexus.
Those deadlines passed months ago, yet LAFCO has provided no required report backs directly to the board and the public still lacks a transparent timeline for completion. We are also concerned that the opportunity rooms may remove students from class without being counted as suspensions. We ask the board to maintain clear public deadline. Thank
you. Caller with phone number 323 last two digits zero five your line is open please state your name and begin.
Sophia Quinones, I'm asking for Supervisor Solis if we could have a town hall with all our agencies regarding the oil spill and the fire. I believe how the city responded Was very wrong. I attended those meetings with lineage and people at those meetings weren't qualified, they weren't asking the right questions and we need our agencies and people with expertise to hold lineage accountable for its criminal behavior. And also because this is a first of a kind catastrophe and the current laws on the books being applied. It didn't apply to this type of catastrophe and so when agencies were on the ground, I will testify to that tomorrow at AQMD closed my case because how they were looking at things on the ground didn't apply And I think we need to talk, and our agencies need to share with the public what's going on.
All we want is information parents are scared. Thank
you Madam chair there are no other remote speakers to address the board participation for public comment is concluded. We will go to our in person speakers please begin.
5:40 – 5:447 turns
Claudia Jerez, DPSS, DWC. Okay so abuses should be addressed immediately and I'm sure you're doing it. So case management is a supportive service to provide resource support and provide options. Many times also you provide guidance. People respond well if you know how to do it well If you know how to provide guidance well, people respond very effectively. People respond to options and choices.
Okay, so people respond to choices and to their lives. Very effective. It's very effective some of the... Thank you next speaker please
Hi, my name is Yesenia Poon, resident of Unincorporated East LA. A minute is not enough to encapsulate what community members of the Eastside Plus have faced due to the toxic chemical fire from the Lineage Warehouse and solar panels from the Atlas Power. Let us not forget about all parties involved who have conflicted pain in our community of East LA and Boyle Heights. People are not able to attend here because they are out sick on doctor appointments and emergency rooms. I urge that aid resources and disaster relief go to East LA and all surrounding areas. We deserve much better Better livable conditions, clean air and water. Not these conditions of closed windows doors and foul order and toxic orders. We need a community town hall again to meet with community to hear the truth and the disparities we have faced.
Additionally, the dismolishment of the wall has happened at night where residents are not able to sleep because of the loud noise adding more to the reasons of unbearable conditions we face. Again to reiterate it is community who has shown up for community once again and unincorporated easterly always gets ignored Thank you. Thank you, next speaker please.
Hi guys thank you so much for your time I just want to tell you guys I really appreciate everything y'all have done and this has been the longest like meeting that I've ever sat in and oh my gosh I don't understand how you guys have so much patience okay so um and also I just want to apologize for everybody else's like bad I have a nonprofit back to school.
I want to offer free childcare despite income regulations. I do know that we have crystal stairs, but sometimes people come across unforeseen circumstances and I do not want children to be able to be affected by that. So I am wondering if you guys can assist me with any procurement contracts that you guys may have out or some type of grants that can assist me with giving free childcare despite income regulations?
Thank you next speaker please.
You can get help from our offices. They can tell you, direct you what websites and what information we have for grants and things okay? Just talk to the staff please. Thank you next speaker.
I am unhoused and require disability accessible telephone communications. Any mailing address I provided was for administrative processing only, not my residence or consent to exclusive service by mail. Today I submit a 10-day CPRA notice affidavit of truth preservation demand and request for board oversight concerning my public comment videos submitted documents and claims involving me, my mother Jennifer Campbell and my father Michael Harold Johnson.
My father's amendment was submitted May 26, yet we were told the claim was denied May 25 Memorial Day. Impossible and no amendment would be accepted. I dispute that chronology in service. I also dispute the county's handling of my last related claim. I specifically need the board help at boards help obtaining complete and timely responses to my pending CPRA requests from DMH, DHS, DPSS, DPH, LASD and other county agencies. Item 16 is now approved. Its implementation must consolidate accountability with funding through one lead agency. Complete audit trails, record preservation, contractor monitoring...
Thank you that concludes the time for public comment.
5:44 – 5:596 turns
Madam Chair we will now proceed with adjournments.
Yes we're going to start with since Supervisor Barger and Mitchell don't have any adjournments we'll begin with Supervisor Hahn myself and then Horvath.
Thank you Madam Chair. I move that when we adjourn today, we adjourn in the memory of Pilar Pinel. Pilar passed away peacefully in her home at the age of 95. Pilar is the mother of my friend Yolanda who owns Sirens Java and Tea in downtown San Pedro. Pilar was a devoted mother, grandmother and great-grandmother whose life was defined by love, strength and unwavering dedication to her family.
Pilar was the heart of her family leaning with kindness, integrity and compassion. She was known for her selfless spirit always putting the needs of others before her own and providing constant love and support to those around her. Her warmth, infectious sense of humor and bright smile brought comfort and joy to family and friends alike. Pilar survived by her seven children Yolanda Lewis Rudy Annette Michael Lydia and Mario 16 grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.
I also move that when we adjourn today, we adjourn in the memory of Ray Carafano. Ray was an acclaimed photographer, artist and longtime San Pedro resident whose work helped shape the town's vibrant arts community. Over his 50-year career, Ray earned recognition for both his commercial and fine art photography. After moving to San Pedro in the late 1990s he and his wife Arne became instrumental in the growth of the city's Arts District Through Gallery 478, they championed local and nationally recognized artists and helped establish the first Thursday Art Walk as a cornerstone of San Pedro's cultural life. Ray's photography captured the people in places that make Southern California unique His acclaimed Faces of San Pedro series documented the character and resilience of San Pedro's residents, while later collections explored the Mojave Desert and the Los Angeles River.
His work challenged viewers to see beauty and dignity and humanity in often overlooked places and people. Ray leaves behind a lasting artistic legacy and a community that is stronger because of his vision and generosity. He is survived by his beloved wife Arne, his daughters Tracy and Krista and his daughter Hallie Ray. And on behalf of Katherine Barb, Supervisor Barger she's asked that I adjourn for the indigent veterans. So I move that the Board of Supervisors adjourn in memory of the following individuals who were identified as indigent veterans by the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner and were subsequently buried with dignity and honor at Riverside National Cemetery in the last month.
George David Brewster Air Force Curtis Lee Armstrong Marines John Robert Dodge, Jr., Navy. Edward McRobbie, Army. Daryl Eugene Smith, Army. James Aaron Cato, Air Force. Gary Thomas Fix, Navy. Jerry Wayne Jensen, Army Donald Anthony Strother, Coast Guard Jim Clifford Coleman, Marines. Raleigh Aglim Selga, Army. Robert Wayne Conilog, Air Force. John Pizer, Army.
Leonard Morrison, Army Glenn Michael Ayala, Navy. Leonard Eugene Richter, Navy Ronald Mathis, Marines George Wesley Siegel, Air Force Sabre, Curt, Eddings, Navy William Price Plummer Jr. Marines May their contributions and sacrifices in service to our country never be forgotten Thank you Madam Chair
First I move that when we adjourn today, we do so in memory of Beatriz Encinas, a cherished friend, respected colleague and tireless advocate for expanding educational access to low-income students. Beatriz passed away on July 28th 2026 Her life's work centered on strengthening communities through education and she spent her career ensuring that students facing the greatest barriers were provided real opportunities to succeed. As a proud alumna of California State University Long Beach, she formed lasting relationships that shaped her professional journey grounded her commitment to equity Beatriz worked closely with the federal TRIO programs where she championed countless students, supported initiatives that continue to uplift families throughout the region.
She's remembered not only for her dedication but for her deep kindness. Beatriz consistently spoke of pride and admiration for the work done to advance educational equity always encouraging others to stay engaged and hopeful about what public service can accomplish. Beatriz' legacy will continue to live In the many students that she inspired and the countless individuals whose futures were shaped by her efforts. I extend my condolences to her family, friends, colleagues and everyone whose lives were impacted by her generosity and commitment.
Next, I move that when we adjourn today, we do so in the memory of Carlos Rodriguez affectionately known as Charlie who passed away on July 19th 2026 at the age of 105 At his home in East Los Angeles with his son by his side. Born on November 4 1920 in Mexico, Charlie immigrated with this family to Los Angeles at the age of nine shortly after the attack on Pearl Harbor he was drafted into the US Army. In 1943 he was deployed to Papua New Guinea where he served as an interpreter, assisted in bridge construction, instructed fellow soldiers on essential field operations such as digging defensive ditches and carried out many other important duties in support of the war effort. Following his honorable service Charlie returned to the U.S. and began working as a printer apprentice recognizing his exceptional work ethic dedication and reliability A printing company hired him as a full-time employee.
He enjoyed a distinguished career in the printing industry that spanned more than 40 years. In 1948, Charlie made East LA his lifelong home where he and his family built a life rooted in faith, community and service. A devoted baseball fan, he faithfully cheered for both the Angels and the Dodgers. He was also an active member of St. Alphonsus Church in East Los Angeles, where he served as an usher every Sunday and enthusiastically participated in the Paris Senior Clubs dances fundraising events. It was my privilege to recognize Charlie at one of my 2025 East LA Veterans Day ceremony where he served as my guest of honor and was celebrated for his courageous military service as shown on the image in the screen. I and my office are forever grateful to Charlie for his friendship, his many contributions to our community and his dedicated service to our nation.
He was a gifted conversationalist with the wonderful sense of humor whose warm personality and joyful spirit touched everyone who knew him. Finally, I also move that when we adjourn today we do so in the memory of And then Dino was born on November 28, 1936 in Chihuahua Mexico and passed away on July 20th 2026 at the age of 89. in Huntington Park, and Nino dedicated his life in keeping his native country Mexico present in Los Angeles through his leadership with the Comité Mexicano Cívico-Patriótico where he served since 1964. In fact, he was the longest serving member of the comité and for many years he helped organize a Mexican Independence Day parade that is held annually in East Los Angeles which is considered the largest parade in the U.S..
Not only was Endino a passionate community leader who served in various organizations, including the Federation of Durango in California but he was also an actor, a singer and focus on Mexican cinema. His voice and artistic presence reinforced the mission of keeping Mexican identity alive and abroad demonstrating that culture is defended both on stage and in the community. And Dino leaves behind his two children, Gloria and Gustavo Aguirre and six grandchildren. My heart goes out to all of them and all who knew him. May he rest in peace.
I move that we adjourn today. We do so in memory of Gabriela Dominguez, a lifelong resident of City Terrace and a beloved educator with the Montebello Unified School District. Gabriela attended Sacred Heart Elementary and High School where she was a cheerleading captain, choir member, and active participant in youth groups. She graduated with honors from Mount St. Mary's College in 1995 and was a proud member of Kappa Delta Chi. After receiving a Rockefeller scholarship, she committed herself to teaching in the inner city, work that became her life's mission. Gabriela dedicated her life to learning and to students she served. From a young age, she dreamed of becoming a teacher often playing classroom with their siblings and friends, an early glimpse of the passion that would guide her throughout her life.
Over nearly 25 years at Bandini Elementary, she taught elementary and middle school students eventually dedicating herself to third graders. She created a sense of community on campus leading the Bandini Student Council, Read Across America and math and science cohort. She also served as a writing coach and a union representative for the California Teachers Association. Her passion for teaching was unparalleled. My heart goes out to Gabriela's family And most importantly, including her sister-in-law and good friend of ours, Rosa Soto who serves as my first district commissioner and director of the Wellness Center at General Hospital. Thank you. Those are my adjournments.
Supervisor
Horvath? Thank you, Madam Chair. I move that when we adjourn today, we adjourn in memory of Betty Saar, a groundbreaking artist who made Laurel Canyon her home for more than six decades but he passed away at the age of 99 on July 26th just moments before her 100th birthday. Throughout her extraordinary career, Saar transformed everyday objects into powerful works of art that challenged injustice, celebrated black identity and invited generations to reflect on history, memory and resilience. Her creativity and vision helped redefine contemporary American art, and inspired countless artists to use their work as a force for change.
From her longtime home and studio in Laurel Canyon, Saar created a body of work that brought international recognition to Los Angeles while remaining deeply rooted in the communities she called home. Her work was exhibited at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art and museums around the world But she never lost sight of the city that shaped her artistic journey. She is survived by her daughters Leslie, Allison and Tracy Saar each of whom has carried forward her family's remarkable artistic legacy. Her loss is deeply felt by her family, the arts community and the countless Angelenos inspired by her creativity and vision.
We adjourn today in honor of Betty Saar, recognizing her extraordinary contributions to art culture and the enduring legacy she leaves behind. And I know the LA Times did a really nice tribute to her as well and maybe you knew her work but she's She's one of a kind and we deeply missed in our district. And Supervisor Horvath, I'd like to join you on
that if I may. Please. Thank you. I appreciate that opportunity. I also want to take a moment to honor Ms. Saar who again was a central figure in the Black Arts Movement and continued creating well into her 90s. Beginning in the late 60s she began collecting black dolls, a pursuit she shaped in part because of the absence of black dolls in her own formative years And she grew up in the 20s and 30s.
These dolls, handmade, mass produced and sometimes rooted in painful histories became a way for her to explore identity, memory and healing. Her exhibition Betty Saar's Black Dolls are currently on exhibit in the New York Historical Society and they'll be there through October. As Supervisor Horvath just shared, he's currently on view at LACMA's new David Geffen Galleries which includes pieces like I'll Bend But I Will Not Break.
This exhibition highlights her deep roots in Los Angeles and the lasting impact her vision has had on the art world. She was a regular at LACMA's Art & Film Dinner, I just saw her at the dinner for the opening of the David Geffen Gallery, had a lovely long conversation with her and her daughter who escorted her. She was so excited about The opening of the Geffen galleries, the whole concept of the bridge crossing Wilshire from north to south and that she would once again be featured in this really historic state-of-the-art new gallery. Ms. Saar's influence lives on in countless artists and in the many institutions that hold her work Her fearless creativity and dedication to truth helped reshape how black life, history and spirituality are seen and valued in art.
Thank you.
5:59 – 6:0210 turns
We will take all those as received in file. Yes, seconded. Okay, we will now go into executive officer please read us into closed
session. Members of the public, the board will now be going into closed session while the board is in closed session, we will be showing a video presentation. Supervisor Barger has a video presentation recognizing a documentary reclaiming home black Altadena rebuilds. In accordance with Brown Act requirements, notice is hereby given that the Board of Supervisors will convene in closed session to discuss items number CS2 and CS3 public employee performance evaluation and item number CS4 closed session conference with labor negotiations Joseph M. Nikita and designated staff as indicated on the posted agenda.
We have to do everything we can to save every house.
I do want to stay and rebuild.
We will be back.
Tonight I'm really proud of the county family. We have, The County Channel produced a movie and it is highlighting three black families that are rebuilding in Alpedina. It's about the struggles but also the fact that they are resilient and are moving forward to rebuild. And it's important to highlight black families because the history up here in Alpedina runs deep. It is important for us preserve the history but also give the families who have generational wealth
I'm really excited to be here. I am very eager to see the film that was put together, spending time with you guys on our journey has been amazing. It's great to see the people from the neighborhood come out. I know a few of them and this is great! It's been an amazing journey and I remember when you guys first came in we were just standing on dirt and ash and now in the final house getting to see it on the big screen. I couldn't be happier to celebrate this with everybody.
We're at Loma Alta Park. There are vendors here tonight, of course the filmmakers here are here so we have just a lot of people that are supporting us and we're really happy that people have come out.
I'm rebuilding and this was a nice encouragement to A reunion of people that I haven't seen in a year. We've been out of our home for a year and a half to know that they're rebuilding, and they've already started, and things are going well for them. It was very nice. The documentary was amazing
Very special. First of all, it was an excellent documentary. It told our story well and this is one of the things that we are really interested in is that our stories don't get lost. And to have the community here as well was really special and this just very nice to be able to come together tell our stories and let everyone know that we're not going anywhere. We're gonna survive this
6:13 – 7:271 turns
. . Good morning. Good morning. ♪ ♪ Yeah. Thank you. Thank you. ♪ Yeah. ♪ Thank you. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. ♪♪ Yeah. You. ♪ ♪ Yeah. Yeah. This is a test. Yeah. Good morning. Good morning. Hi, everyone. Music playing You. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I'm. ♪ Yeah. Yeah. ♪ You. ♪ ♫ Yeah. Yeah. You. Yeah. Hi, everyone. ♪ Hello, everyone. Yeah. Yeah. Hi. Hi, everyone.
Hi. Thank you. Yeah. ♪ ♪ Yeah.
7:31 – 7:344 turns
you I did that when I was on city council and people gave me grief about it. Executive officer,
please report. We're now back in open session. Executive officer, please read the report of action.
On item CS2, there's no reportable action. On item CS3, that closed session is being continued to September 1st and item CS4, no reportable action.
Great and with that our meeting is concluding. Our next regular meeting of the board will be held on August 11th 2026 at 930 a.m., we are adjourned, thank you. Yeah.